Chapter 5: Becoming Royalty

A swirl of color ended the song and we were back on the rock. Abu pouted when his fez turned up empty and Al and I grinned widely. Genie was on his stomach an almost bored expression on his face, but I could tell he was happy. Behind him a sign that looked slightly broken blinked 'applause'. Carpet and I clapped loudly and Abu came into my lap frowning at his fez.

"That was amazing! That was the most fun, I've ever had in my entire life!" I exclaimed. It was the truth. I really had never ever had so much fun. Genie grinned at my expression and Al laughed.

"So what'll it be master?" Genie asked, looking at his nails.

"You're going to grant me any three wishes I want, right?" Al asked and we looked at Genie. He got a strange look on his face and then he changed into a strange-looking man.

"Ah, almost there are a few agenda's, some quid pro quos." He counted on his fingers.

"Like?" I prompted.

"Uh, rule number one!" Genie popped up beside Al. "I can't kill anyone." He pretended to chop his head off and held it in his hands. "Ack! So don't ask."

I grimaced, rubbing my own throat. "Well that's a good one to have." Al nodded in agreement.

"Uh, rule number two!"

I jumped as Genie popped up between me and Al as a pair of big red lips. He grabbed me and before I could get away he kissed me. "Mwah! You little punim there." He pinched both my cheeks then and then poofed back beside Al.

"Blah!" I hollered and I wiped my face as Al laughed at my horrified expression. "Shut up, Al." I glared at him.

"Rule number three!"

We looked back at him and blanched. Genie was now a sickly green and he had a very nasty complexion. "I can't bring people back from the dead. It's not a pretty picture, I don't like doing it!" I clutched my stomach and Al looked sick.

"Well, I can understand why." I said, trying not to throw up and Al grimaced. "Anything else?"

"Nope, other than that, you got it." Genie smiled at us and then got down in front of us, hiding his face behind his hands. I pointed up and Al nodded.

"Provisos? You mean limitations? On wishes?" Al scoffed suddenly. I did a double take and gaped at him. What was he doing? I looked over to see Genie's reaction.

Genie was slowly uncovering his face a look of fury in his eyes and I flinched.

"Al." I hissed. "He can't kill us, but I don't want to know what he can do to us!"

"Relax." He hissed back. Tauntingly he said to Genie: "Some all-powerful genie."

Abu got into it too. 'Oooo' he waved his arms like he was really scared.

"Can't even bring people back from the dead."

I swallowed nervously. I could feel the anger radiating from Genie as he glared at us. "Al, cut it out!"

"Oh, well looks like we'll have to find a way out of this cave ourselves." Al tucked an arm around me and started to us walk off when a large, golden, curly toed shoe landed right in front of us blocking our way. I jumped back and hid behind Al as we both looked up at Genie who was tapping his foot.

"See what you did!" I hissed, jerking on his vest and Al swatted at me.

"Excuse me?" Genie demanded and I jumped at his tone. "Did you rub my lamp? Did you wake me up? Did you bring me here? And all the sudden you're walkin' out on me?" With each step Genie got madder and madder and I gulped nervously. "I don't think so! Not right now! You're gettin' your wishes! So sit down!" Al and I fell backwards in shock, landing on Carpet. Genie popped up in front of us and I hid again in case he was still mad.

"In case of emergencies the exits are, here, here, here…" On and on he went as he pointed them out with his many arms. "Anywhere!" He pulled his arms back in and made his normal two, short. "Keep your hands and arms inside the carpet, cause we're… Outta here!" Quicker than I could register we shot up and out of the cave into the night air.


The stars looked so clear and close from where we were on Carpet and I wanted to reach out and touch them. I was sitting on the edge of Carpet, away from Genie and Al both. Because at this point, I thought they were both nuts. One with anger issues and the other with a death wish.

I felt Al turn and nudge my shoulder. "Hey, you're pretty quiet. I thought you had fallen off." I ignored him and he sighed.

"Look, I should have told you what I was doing. I'm sorry. But see? No harm done."

"See what?" I hissed, peering around him at Genie. He was still facing away from us. I looked back at Al. "I see you've decided to ignore everything I tell you is a bad idea."

"I'll admit trusting the old man was bad, but you don't have to rub it in my face."

"I'm not, I'm just saying-"

"Well don't say." Al snapped. "You can't be a pessimist forever."

"You can if you know what people are really like." I bit back and he scowled.

"All right, boys." An elderly feminine voice said and I looked around Al again to see Genie dressed as a little old woman. "Let's not having any fighting." He held out a round plate with decorative delicious smelling sweets. "Now who wants one of Granny's special cookies?"

"What's in it?" I asked suspiciously and Al jabbed me with his elbow.

Genie smiled. "It's chocolate, silly. Didn't your mom ever make you chocolate chip cookies?"

"Um, no…" I muttered uncomfortably before changing the subject. "Does this mean you're not mad at us anymore?"

Genie poofed back to normal, rubbing his neck sheepishly, the plate of cookies sitting between us. Abu was sniffing them curiously. "Ah, I wasn't really that mad to begin with, kiddo."

"I told you." Al said and I glared at him.

"So…these are safe to eat?" I asked, picking up one of the wonderful smelling cookies. My stomach demanded food and I needed it, even if it ended up doing something to me. "You didn't magic-fy any of this out of revenge?"

Genie's jaw dropped literally. "What the what?" He said and shook his head. "I'd never do that. Revenge is something a villain would do." He buffed himself up. "Am I'm a good guy!" He glanced at me, looking for some sort of reaction, but all I could was stare at him blankly. He deflated slightly. "Haven't you ever met a hero?"

"No, because people like that don't exist." I said and he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, what about your pal Al here?" He asked, patting him. "He's a good guy."

Al grinned. "Yeah and I saved you."

"One good deed does not a hero make." I said and Al rolled his eyes. "Besides, sure you helped me, but did you really save me?"

"From the guards and starvation, yes." I scowled and he turned Genie. "You'll have to forgive Rick, he's just a little cautious about people."

Genie smiled. "Well, you can trust me, short man. I'm not going to do anything." He reached out to pat me or ruffle my hair, but I moved out from underneath his fingers. His smile faded and I felt a bit bad, but I remained unyielding. I met his eyes searching for anything unusual and to my surprise I found nothing but genuine concern for us.

"Fine." I nodded, but made no move to come closer, but I did relax. "So…where are we going?"

Al rolled his eyes and gave Genie a "Do you see what I live with?" look. I wanted to shove him off of Carpet. Genie only snickered.

"We're headed to a little oasis up ahead. Rug-man knows the way."

I had a moment to ponder what Genie meant about heroes and shook my head. If those kind of people existed they didn't help everyone in need. There are so many people that need help, so where were they if they existed?

I bit into the cookie and my mouth was immediately flooded with warm, chewy goodness. Chocolate tasted great! I turned to Genie. "These are good!" I said with a mouthful of the cookie and Genie beamed at me. Al took one and I watched his face light up. Abu sniffed of one and then ate his, having the same reaction. We were soon stuffing our faces with the little baked goods. Genie handed us cups of milk, saying it went great with cookies. I hadn't had milk in a really long time and I savored it.

A yawn escaped me and Al turned his head to look at me with a smile.

"Tired?"

I couldn't deny that. I could barely keep my eyes open. "Yeah." Al smiled and patted the space next to him.

"Go to sleep, Rick." He said and I laid next to his knee.

"WhatifIfalloff?" I asked in jumbled words and closed my eyes. I could hear Genie laughing and Al sighing.

"You won't fall off." He promised and I nodded as he ruffled my hair. "Go to sleep."


The next morning I leaned over the edge of Carpet and laughed at my shadow on the ground. I lay flat on my stomach and held my arms out and waved them, watching as my shadow did the same.

"This is awesome!" I said and leaned over to look at the world upside down. There was a patch of green ahead of us and I grinned. "Hey, I see the oasis!" Suddenly I started fall off of Carpet. "Uh-oh!"

"Whoa, kiddo!" Genie pulled me back onto Carpet.

"Oops." I said and Al frowned and rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Genie." He patted me on the head and I grinned at him.

"Just don't try to fly again, okay? Well at least until you get those frequent flyer miles." I laughed even though I had no clue what he was talking about and he then poofed back into a girl's outfit.

"Thank for choosing Magic Carpet for all your travel needs." Genie said in a girly voice. I snickered and Al rolled his eyes. "Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop." Carpet slowed down and he made steps for us to walk down. "Thank you good-bye. Good-bye, thank you. Good-bye." Genie waved us off Carpet and then popped back to normal going to stand smugly in front of us.

"Well now. How about that, doubting Mustafa?"

I looked at Al who grinned sneakily. Genie eyed him in suspicion and I started laughing. After a night's sleep I had realized that maybe Al's plan hadn't all been bad.

"You sure showed us." Al said giving Genie a smirk to which he didn't notice. "Now about my three wishes…"

Genie paused and cupped a hand to his ear. "Dost mine ears deceive me? Three? You are down by one, boy!" He shouted holding a blue finger in Al's face. Al shoved it away with a smug look.

"Ah, no I never actually wished to get out of the cave." Al said smoothly causing Genie's jaw to drop in shock. I snickered. "You did that on your own."

"Yup, you kinda walked into that one." I added and Genie's jaw dropped further.

"Well I feel sheepish." As he said this he poofed into a sheep and got into Al's face. "Alright you baaad boy!" He said and then he started to walk away and flipped his tail in the air with a snooty face. "But no more freebies." I laughed and Genie then went and hung himself between two palm trees.

"Fair deal." Al said and then he put a hand to his chin. "So, three wishes? Hm. I want them to be good." Carpet flew around me to follow Al as he began to pace and I laughed. Al stopped and looked at me. "What would you wish for, Alaric?" Stunned at being addressed I looked at him.

"Uh, me?"

Al laughed. "Of course!"

I looked down then and shifted my foot in the sand. What would I wish for? Food? I snorted. Nothing would ever be good enough. No more curse? That was one that I really would like, but Al would kill me if I said it out loud. Besides I didn't want to scare off Carpet and Genie.

"Well, um nothing I guess." I said and Genie looked at me curiously.

"Come on, Rick." Al prompted and I sighed, deciding to go with something that I felt strongly about.

"Well, maybe that everyone had someone, you know? That way no one would ever have to be alone." I looked down again and shuffled my foot again. "But it's your wish not mine." I said looking up quickly and Al turned to Genie who was watching me with an unfathomable expression.

"What would you wish for?" Al asked him.

Genie sat up in shock and floated to the ground. "Me? No one's ever asked me that before." I felt sorry for Genie and frowned for thinking of myself. "Well, in that case…ah, forget it." I came up to Genie and touched him on the arm. He turned to look at me a bit shocked that I had done that.

"Please? I told you mine." I said pleadingly and he smiled at me gently.

"Freedom." He said and he showed us his wrists. I eyed the golden cuffs sadly.

"You're a prisoner?" Al asked and Genie nodded solemnly.

"It's all part-and-parcel, the whole genie gig." He grew giant and spoke in a loud voice. "Phenomenal cosmic powers!" Then he went down into his lamp and we peered at his squished form. "Itty bitty living space." He spoke in a squeaky voice. Now I really felt bad for thinking about myself.

"Genie, that's awful." Al said and I nodded. Genie came out of his lamp, stretching to the sky. "Not have to go, Poof! What do you need? Poof! What do ya need? Poof! What do ya need?" I watched with wide eyes as Genie had Al's vest in a tight vice-grip. He let go and sighed.

"To be my own master." He said thoughtfully, slowly rising into the air. "Such a thing would be better than all the magic and all the treasures in all the world!" Then it was as if reality hit him, looking slightly put out. "But what am I talking about, here?" He said smacking himself in the forehead. "Genie wake up and smell the humus."

"How come?" I asked automatically.

Genie smiled at me and then rubbed the back of his neck. "The only way I get out of this is if my master wishes me out. You can guess how often that happened."

"I'm sorry, Genie." I said looking at him sadly and he ruffled my hair and smiled at me.

"That's okay, kiddo."

"I'll do it." Al announced and we looked at him. "I'll set you free." I grinned. Way to go Al. Maybe Genie was right about the whole hero thing.

"Uh-huh, yeah right." Genie scoffed and then I jumped as he poofed into a wooden puppet and made his nose grow out long. "Whoop!" Al pushed his nose back in.

"I'm serious! After I make my first two wishes, I'll use my third wish to set you free." Genie eyed Al for a moment.

"You can trust him. He wouldn't let you down." I said and Genie nodded.

"Well, here's hopin'." He shook Al's outstretched hand and I grinned. Genie did too.

"Let's make some magic!" He poofed into a fancy man again and I laughed as he tossed cards out of his sleeves. He then turned to normal and put an elbow on my head and leaned towards Al. I tried to get out from underneath his arm as he put his weight on me and almost knocked me over, but failed and just laughed.

"So how 'bout it? What is it you want most?" Al got a look on his face and I knew what he was thinking and who he was thinking of.

"Well, there's this girl…" I jumped when Genie suddenly made a loud buzzing sound and I turned to see him with a red heart crossed out on his chest.

"Ehhhh! Wrong! I can't make anybody fall in love remember?" He tapped Al on the head.

"Oh, but Genie she's smart and fun and…" Al struggled for the right word.

"Pretty?" Genie offered and I snickered at Al's expression.

"Beautiful!" He corrected and Genie and I rolled our eyes. "She's got these eyes that just…and this hair, wow and her smile…" He trailed off with a dreamy look. Suddenly I found myself sitting beside Carpet and Abu at a small table and Genie was dressed in a striped black and white shirt and was smoking as he leaned against the table.

"Ami. C'est l'amour." He said as he blew a heart-shaped smoke ring.

Curious, I looked at him. "Was that something about love?" Genie nodded.

"Oui."

"I assume that means "yes"." Genie grinned in my direction.

Al sighed heavily and we looked back at him. "But she's the princess. To even have a chance, I'd have to be a…" He said and I saw his face light up with an idea. "Hey, can you make me a prince?" I looked at Genie who suddenly was in a bright pink apron and was wearing glasses. In his hands was a large book which he was flipping through rapidly. I read the cover. 'Royal Cookbook'. I then went behind him and tried to peer over his shoulder at the book. Just to make sure he wasn't a cannibal.

"Let's see chicken a'la king?" Genie pulled a chicken with a crown out. "Nope." I yelped as he flung it back and almost slapped me in the face. "Alaskan king crab?" Genie pulled a crab out attached to his finger. "Ow." He said as he flung it off and I had to duck again. "I hate when I do that."

"Me too." I muttered.

"Caesar's salad?"

I jumped back as an arm with a dagger came out of the book and I hid behind Genie. "Et tu, Brute? No." He shoved the hand back into the book and then looked up at Al.

"Ah, "To make a prince"." He read and then he looked up at Al with a sly grin. "Now is that an official wish? Say the magic words."

"Genie, I wish for you to make me a prince." Al said with a deep voice.

"All right! Genie exclaimed. "Woof! Woof! Woof!" A sturdy golden dressing screen appeared with several mirrors attached to it and Genie had changed into a thing man with odd clothing. "First that fez and vest combo is much too third century."

I snickered and went to sit on the ground by Carpet and we watched as Genie measured Al. He pulled the patch off the knee of Al's pants. "These patches-what are we trying to say-beggar-no. Let's work with me here." Genie then zapped Al into a very princely outfit. Al looked in the mirror that Genie had out there and he grinned at his reflection.

"I like it muy macho!" Genie said and Carpet clapped. I did too.

"Very nice, Al." I said and he grinned at me in the mirror. He had white colored clothing with gold around the edges, a cape with purple on the inside, and a large turban with a large purple feather and red stone. Overall, he looked like a prince.

"Why thank you, my good sir." He said snootily and we burst out laughing. Suddenly a shadow fell over me and I looked up to see Genie standing over me rubbing his chin in thought.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" I said, standing up abruptly and backing away. I held my hands up to keep him at bay. "It's his wish, not mine." I said looking between Al and Genie who was moving closer to me, a sly look on his face. "No."

Al smiled at me. "Ah, come on, Alaric. It'll be fun." I gave him a look and he shrugged. "Besides it wouldn't be the same without you."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief. "You need me to dress up so you can meet your girlfriend?"

Al rolled his eyes. "Of course." He said as if it was an ordinary thing in the world. "I can't do this without you, Rick. You…you're like my little brother."

"I am?"

Al nodded, turning to face me. "We're in this together. It wouldn't be fair of me not to include you. So what do you say? You want to help me get the girl?"

"Well…okay, but I still don't see how you actually need my help." I suddenly noticed that Genie was circling me like a predator. After a moment, he stopped and before I could say something he zapped me. I opened my eyes and looked down to see that my clothes had changed. Genie made a mirror appear.

"Wow." I said and touched my reflection. For a moment I didn't recognize myself. My outfit was the same color as Al's but I had a dark blue where Al had gold. I also had a vest that that was a blue that matched my eyes and the cuffs of my outfit and my shoes gold. I didn't have a cape but I did have a turban. Mine was like Al's but with a ocean blue feather and a red stone in the middle. For a moment I could be someone else, someone different. Someone that wasn't cursed…

"Wow, I don't even recognize you." Al said, coming up behind me.

A slow grin spread across my face and I turned to look at Al and Genie. "Really?"

"Yeah, you look great!" Al said with a grin. Impulsively, I hugged Genie who looked just as shocked as I was.

"Um, thanks Genie." He hugged me back before I could pull away. For a moment, I felt safe. Like I always had with Al.

"No problem, kiddo." He said and I pulled back to look up at him. He grinned at me and then got that thinking look again.

"Hm. You know what all this says to me?" I shook my head and he smirked. "This says, 'mode of transportation'." He looked at Abu and clapped his hands. "Excuse me, monkey boy! Aqui, over here!" Abu tried to run but Carpet brought him over much to his horror. Genie made a stage appear and I snickered at the outfit he was wearing and the big cheesy grin he had on his face.

"Here he comes, and what better way to make a grand entrance on the streets of Agrabah than riding your very own brand new camel! Watch out they spit." Abu appeared as a camel and I snorted with laughter as he spit. Abu glared at me but I couldn't help it.

"Mmm, not enough." Genie mused and then he snapped his fingers. Abu became a fancy white horse. I was practically rolling now and Al let out a small chuckle too.

"Still not enough." He snapped his fingers again repeating 'What do we need?' over and over as Abu was transformed into several things. Most of which I had never seen before.

"Yes!" He finally said and then he stood over Abu who tried back away. "Esalaumbo, shimin dumbo! Boo!" Abu was now...an elephant. I now clutched the stand that Genie had been at earlier in laughter.

"Talk about your trunk space check this action." Genie commented. I laughed so hard that my eyes watered and Genie grinned from ear to ear. Abu gave a shriek after looking in his reflection and tried to scramble up a tree. The tree bent under his weight and he flipped upside down. Al went over and grinned at Abu.

"Whoa Abu…you look good."

Abu scowled and that sent me into another round of laughter.

"He's got the outfit, he's got the little brother, and he's got the elephant, but we're not through yet. Hang on to your turban's kids I'm gonna you stars!" Genie announced and I exchanged a look with Al. I had a feeling that whatever Genie decided, it was going to be over the top.


I was proved right when the oasis was suddenly full of people and animals. Genie directed them into lines and sections, lining them up for a grand parade.

"Do royal people usually have this many people with them?" I asked Al who shrugged.

"I don't know, but I'm sure it'll impress the princess."

I frowned. "Al, you don't need all this stuff to impress her. She liked you before."

"We talked about this Alaric." Al said, looking at me. "I'm a street rat. She can only marry a prince. This is the only way I can see her."

"But, Al-"

"And today, I'm no longer a street rat. I'm a prince. This is my chance to be with her. I love her, Alaric." I wanted to argue, but the look on his face made me clam up.

"Well, I'm sure she'll be impressed then, your highness." I smiled and Al smiled back. "Did you mean what you said about me being your little brother?"

Al nodded. "Yeah, Rick. I…I'm sorry I never said anything before. I guess I just wasn't sure how you'd take it." I grimaced.

"Am I that bad?"

"No, I just didn't want to upset you."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I kind of already thought of you as a big brother, I just wasn't sure how you'd take it."

"Really?" I nodded.

"Yeah, I thought you'd be mad or something." Al put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'd never be mad about that, Rick. You're family and I care about you."

"Thanks, Al."

He pulled me into a hug. I was getting more and more used to those. "Any time, little brother."

Genie appeared next to us. "Okay, everything is set up. We just need to settle a few things."

"Like?"

"Names."

"Oh, yeah, guess we can't use are actual names. Even though we never actually told her our names." I muttered and Al rolled his eyes.

"What did you have in mind, Genie?"

Genie suddenly snapped his fingers. "I got it! Princes Ali and Farid Ababwa!" I sighed internally. Yep definitely over the top.


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