Chapter 18: Air Feathered Friends

2 weeks after Jafar's defeat and 6 weeks of Al and Alaric living in the palace

Jasmine knocked on the door.

"Hi, Jasmine." I smiled at her. "Want to see the newest one?"

"Yes, of course." She said softly and came to stand next to me, her eyes on the painting. "It's beautiful." She murmured and leaned closer. "I love the colors."

"Thanks."

"Alaric, can I talk to you?"

I turned to her again, frowning at her tone. She sounded hesitant.

"Is...something wrong?"

"Well, yes, actually." She sat down on one of the chairs and I turned to her. "I'm worried about you."

"Me?" I said in confusion. "Why?"

Jasmine sighed. "Iago told me what's been going on. How long has Dabir been threatening you?"

I flinched and shifted slightly. "Oh. Um, not long. And I wouldn't exactly call it threatening. I don't take him seriously."

She frowned. "Have the servants been ignoring you too? You've been doing your own laundry."

I shifted nervously. She caught me.

"They told me." She said, seeing my expression. "How long, Alaric? It's been since you started living here isn't it? Is that why you go sleep in the marketplace?"

I opened and closed my mouth several times, trying to think of how to explain.

"Sort of. I've been restless too." I admitted. "I get that way around this time of year, bad memories, you know. Now I have nightmares about Jafar too. Sometimes I can't sleep very well and I didn't want to wake anyone."

Her face softened. "I understand. But I do want you to tell me when someone is being rude to you."

"It's fine. Some people just don't like me and well...I can be a bit messy." I shrugged.

"Be that as it may, you are part of us now. You live here just like Aladdin does."

Again, I shrugged, averting my eyes. "I'm just a kid."

She cupped my face in her hands and I felt my cheeks heat. "Oh, Alaric, you're much more than that. Don't let anyone tell you you're not. We love you. If Dabir is being unfair to you, then let Father know, okay" I knew that was even worse idea, but I nodded anyhow.

"Yeah, sure."

I don't think she believed me, but she let it go.


"She threatened to feed me to that dumb tiger." Iago said as he landed on my shoulder and I snorted.

"It's all right. Now I have to hear from Al and that's not going to be a fun conversation."

"And the jinni."

"You think?" I arched an eyebrow.

He gave me a "are you kidding?" look and I nodded.

"Yeah, him too I guess." I muttered and then hopped down the steps of the palace two at a time. "Where's Abu?" I landed on the ground at the bottom of the steps and glanced around. Abu usually joined us for our walks through the Marketplace.

The parrot shrugged. "Being a nuisance as usual."

I raised an eyebrow at him in surprise. "I thought you and Abu were trying to get along and be friends?"

"Ha! Me and that primate friends? Don't make me laugh."

I smirked but didn't say anything else on the subject. Iago and Abu still fought from time to time, frequently actually, but they were starting to tolerate one another more. I know it's because Abu recognized that Iago was really not all that bad. The Sultan was even getting along with him better.

Razoul wasn't at the gates like he usually was so I assumed there was a commotion in the Marketplace and we passed through the gates without hassle. The guard still didn't trust Iago or Al either for that matter. He tolerated me to some extent, but probably because we still avoided each other. I stayed out of his way and he didn't get into mine.

"There he is." Iago said, thrusting a wing in front of my face and startling me out of my thoughts. Pushing his wing out of my way, I spotting the little monkey making a getaway from Omar the date vendor.

He saw me and made a dive for safety, darting behind my pants leg as the man approached.

"Good morning." I said as innocently as possible.

"You," Omar said angrily, thrusting a finger into my face and I went cross-eyed for a second before he pulled it back. "-keep that thieving pest out of my dates!"

"Abu." I scolded the monkey.

"He's got a banana on his breath." Iago accused and the monkey gave us the cheesiest smile he could. Before I could say anything else, Al was there at my back.

"In trouble again, Abu?" He asked, shaking his head.

"There he is!" Another voice shouted. It was Fazal, one of the palace guards, and as he came over, the little monkey ran up to hide behind his back.

"Always saving your tail."

"Could have swiped some for the rest of us." Iago grumbled from my shoulder and I rolled my eyes.

"Good morning, Omar." Al greeted the vendor who looked anything but happy. Then he addressed Fazal. "Ohh, cut yourself shaving, Fazal?" I snorted at the sight of a ripe tomato sliding down the overweight guard's face. Angrily he wiped the tomato off.

"That little master of a thousand fleas has stolen my fruit!" He snarled pointing at the cowering monkey. While he ranted, Al slid a few coins behind his back into the Abu's open palm.

"He was just shopping for me." My brother told them simply and Abu, with a flourish, gave the vendor the coins. And then blew him a raspberry. "If Abu were hungry, he'd climb a tree and eat dates for free." I could see the wheels turning slowly in the guard's head as he considered Al's words.

"Hm, free dates." He rubbed his stomach as he spoke, and I stifled a laugh behind my hand. Al winked at me and Iago snorted.

Without warning, a large gust of wind came roaring around us and Al and I shielded our faces as sand and dust were blown across the Marketplace.

"Well what kind of wind-ahhh!" Iago screamed as he got blown off my shoulder. I tried to get a grip on him.

"Iago!" I yelled but the parrot was long out of reach.

"Get those gates closed!" I heard Razoul shout and we watched as two of the other guards shut the city gates. Nahbi and Hakim sighed with relief as it slammed shut and were leaning against the doors when they were suddenly blown off their hinges. The guards went flying in different directions.

"Al, what are those?" I asked over the wind as I pointed at the three spinning whirlwinds in the gateway.

"Wind demons! Run!" Fazal shouted from behind us and my eyes widened.

"Wind demons?!" I repeated and Al frowned, turning to the whirlwinds. We watched as the mini twisters chased people around. A man lying on a bed of nails was almost speared on a wall with his own bed as the wind tossed him about. Another man was pummeled by flying watermelons. I finally spotted Iago who was being chased by one of the whirlwinds.

"Go on get! Go on shoo!" He told it but he ended up flying into another one and getting sucked up into it and tossed somewhere. I couldn't help him, because I was too busy hanging on to a stand to avoid being tossed like he had been. Al was in a similar state next to me.

I yelped as my hand slipped and he grabbed my arm with a free hand, the other holding on to a pole as the wind jerked us about like flags or banners.

"Rick, look." Al said suddenly, and I looked to where he was and watched with wide eyes as the whirlwinds suddenly acquired hands... They were snatching things off the stands and not just anything, gold and people's jewelry. Odd.

"My gold!" One man shouted as the whirlwind got him. Then it came back. "My jewels!" Next it took his clothing. "My goodness!" The whirlwind left the man in his white boxers with hearts on them.

"Stand firm men!" Rasoul shouted and he and the guards had their swords out ready to attack the mini cyclones. But they were no match for the swirling winds. They tossed about and left in the sand in seconds as the three winds left through the broken gates and back into the desert. The wind died down long enough for us to get down and run over to peer out the gate as the cyclones made their escape.

"That was weird." I said and Abu leapt onto my shoulder chattering. "Who was it? And how'd they do that?"

"Don't just sit there!" Al yelled and I turned to see him frowning at the fallen guards. "They're getting away!"

"Good!" Fazal said childishly and waved his hand dismissively. "Let the wind demon's leave!" I rolled my eyes.

"They weren't demons! They were thieves!" Al informed him. "They stole everything!" Rasoul stood up and I had to fight back laughter at his appearance. His turban, usually so neat, was now wrapped around him from his shoulders down.

"And how do you explain thieves that hide in the wind?" He challenged with a growl, fighting with the wraps.

"I dunno!" Al snorted. "But I bet a sand gnat could figure it out with a little bit of effort."

"Here we go." I muttered to Abu as the guard walked over to him.

"Well then it is a bet!" He snarled and he lifted Al off his feet by the vest as he burst free of the wraps. "Sand gnat! Now, what shall be the stakes?"

Fazal who was the closest guard, perked up.

"I want his pet!" He demanded, pointing a finger at the monkey in question.

Al and I gasped, and Abu looked afraid as the guard leaned down toward him.

"Hee, hee, hee, that little beast will bring me none but the juiciest of dates. For freeeee." He said, delightedly and I snorted as Iago came to land on my shoulder, disheveled.

"Always thinking of his stomach that one." I muttered to him and he snickered, earning us glares from Fazal.

"Abu isn't my pet!" Al snapped and he picked the monkey up off the ground. "He's my friend." By then a crowd had gathered around us. Razoul roared with laughter.

"So, Aladdin won't back up his boast!"

"What? I-I didn't say that." Al said glancing around at the crowd around us.

"Or maybe he's no smarter than a sand gnat, after all?" They started to laugh instantly and I scowled.

"Fine. It's a bet!" My brother said boastfully, and I sighed. "I'll prove to you that they aren't wind demons! And when I do, then Fazal will be fetching dates for Abu!" The little monkey shook his head frantically, but it was far too late to stop the very bad idea.

"Fine, but I will want to see this 'proof' when you return. Or your friend is ours." Razoul stated leering at Abu.

"Al doesn't think things through, does he?" Iago remarked and I snorted.

"Only when he gets angry and bigheaded."


We sped across the desert not long after getting Carpet and kept our eyes peeled for the wind demons or whatever they were. Abu was sulking between Iago and I, angry at Al. I couldn't really blame him for being angry that Al had made a bet and involved him, but I also wanted to believe that we could figure out what was going on and prove Razoul wrong.

"Keep your eyes peeled guys." Al told us, snapping me out of my thoughts. "The sooner we catch those demons, the sooner we win a bet." He rubbed Abu on the head, but the monkey only scowled more and I patted him reassuringly.

"Hold it!" Genie shouted coming up from the lamp and I yelped, tumbling backward as Iago and Abu slammed into my chest in fright.

"Stop everything!" He held his hands out in front of him and Carpet stopped abruptly. "Did you risk Abu on a bet?" He asked with a frown and then in a puff of magic turned into a large monkey with fancy clothing and he spoke to us in a strange accent. I sat back up as Abu and Iago realized we weren't being attacked.

"You must show respect to the simian family." He bent down and magicked Abu into a similar outfit, only his was black in color, before picking him up. "You must be good to Abulio. Or wind up sleeping with the fishes." In his other hand he held up a fish with a nightcap on and it was snoring.

"Hey, proving the whirlwinds are thieves will be a cinch, Abu's not going anywhere." Al said with a premature air of confidence that wasn't yet earned.

"Oh, forget what I said then." Genie shrugged and sat Abu back down beside Iago, before popping back to normal.

"I hope you like picking dates for a living." Iago said in a mean, mocking tone and jabbed Abu in the gut with his elbow. The monkey scowled at him and then turned and blew a really wet raspberry at him, soaking his feathers. I coughed to hide a laugh at the look of disgust on Iago's face and he glared at me. Genie winked at me from the other side of Carpet.

"Don't worry, Abu, Al knows what he's doing." I assured him. "Don't you?" I suddenly asked Al and he nodded.

"Of course, Alaric!" Al rolled his eyes at me as if my question were stupid. "I won't let Abu down. Have some confidence in me, Rick."

"I'm not saying that you can't prove those things weren't demons, but making that bet wasn't a good idea. We could have proved it without a big deal."

"Razoul is just trying to get one over on me, but he's not going too."

"I still think that the bet was a bad idea, though I am looking forward to seeing Fazal try to pick a date out a tree."

Genie snickered and Al turned to him.

"Could you tell us which way they went Genie?" He asked.

Genie saluted him and turned into a strange-looking metal thing in shape of a rooster standing on an arrow. After turning a little, he finally pointed in a direction.

"I got a fix on them, due North!" We grinned and then he made himself normal but with a rocket where his legs should be. "Buckle up and let's jet!" He got behind Carpet and took off quickly, steering the rug.

"Whoa!" I tumbled back again, landing against Genie as he steered Carpet. Iago and Abu clung to Carpet as we sped along.

"There they are!" Al yelled from up ahead. How he managed to stay upright was a mystery. "Stop!"

Genie jerked Carpet to a stop and we both flew into the air. I tumbled over Al and landed on Genie's back, where he was stuck in the sand headfirst.

"Rick, you okay?" Al called, flying down on Carpet and I sat up with a grin.

"That was awesome! Let's do it again!" I exclaimed and he rolled his eyes, shaking his head at me with a grin.

I glanced down at Genie. "Genie, are you all right?"

"Smooth flight but the landing could use a little work." He said, voice muffled by the sand, and then he shot upright, sending me sliding off him and onto the sand.

I sat up with a laugh and turned towards the whirlwinds that Al had spotted earlier.

"What are we going to do, Al? They will plow right through us like they did the guards."

"We can trip them up with some rope." He said determinedly.

"Ah, right away." Genie popped up in a flash, wearing a red shirt and hat, glasses, and a yellow apron. In his hands he held a pencil and clipboard. "Now will that be hemp, nylon, or cotton blend?" I tilted my head in confusion.

Al looked confused too. "Uh, hemp."

"Twist, weave or Indian spiral?"

I glanced behind me and my eyes widened. They were coming closer! I tugged on Al's vest.

"Twist." He answered and I rolled my eyes.

"Now what about size?" Genie now had many arms and was holding out many ropes. "I've got a specialty on-"

"Genie!" Al and I shouted at the same time and he jumped becoming tangled with all the ropes.

"I guess we can skip the layaway option." Still tied with rope he gave one end to Al. I held on to him as we tightened the line between us and Genie to trip the winds. As they plowed into the rope, it slipped from Al's hands and we were tossed forward. He landed headfirst the sand and I landed on his back. Genie got the bad end of the deal too. He was down in the sand up to his neck. With a growl of frustration, Al tossed me off his back and spit sand out angrily from his mouth.

"Go ahead and run you cowards!" He shouted and to my surprise the whirlwinds paused and started back, spinning faster and holding swords out.

"Nice going, mister death wish." Iago snorted and Abu gulped.

"Yeah, that probably wasn't the best idea." I muttered and Al laughed nervously.

"Genie, we could use some help."

I looked over to see him looking around dizzily. "Is that you Auntie Em?" He said, his eyes all swirly from the spinning. Carpet tried to pull him from the ground, but it was no use. "I had the strangest dream about a four sped blender."

We ducked as the whirlwinds came at us. Iago screeched and tried to out fly one, but it got his back-end feathers and with a plop he landed in the sand nearby. Al, Abu, and I were stuck in the middle of the three spinning twisters. Al shoved me behind him, shielding me with his arm. A shadow fell over us and we glanced up to see Genie. He had blown himself up as big as house and was blowing at the whirlwinds. Al clutched at me and held Abu too as the wind blew the twisters across the sand and away from us.

"All right!" Al high-fived Abu before the little monkey turned away, remembering he was still mad. The winds stopped swirling and quickly disappeared, revealing three thieves loaded with gold and jewels falling to the sands below.

"Hey!" I said, pointing at them with a frown. "Those are Abis Mal's thugs!" Al frowned. "What is he up to this time?"

"Abis Mal scourge of the desert. Not a nice guy." Genie added and I laughed.

"Hey, hold it right there!" Al shouted moving towards them. They panicked and grabbed their dropped objects before somehow making the twisters around themselves again. Within seconds they headed far from us.

"Oh, perfect!" Iago snarled and I looked down and snickered at his naked bottom. "Could we leave the bird a little dignity?" He then heard my snickering and whipped his head around. "Oh, shut up, you!" I looked away pretending to not laugh at him.

"Wind demons my camel! I told you they were thieves." Al told Abu smugly and the monkey only scoffed. "What's with him?" I jumped as Razoul's head appeared on Genie's shoulders.

"I want to see this "proof" when you return." He spoke in a flawless Razoul voice and I then looked at Al.

"Oh, right. Proof."

"Yeah, where's the proof? We can't go back without it." I said and glanced down at Iago who was walking towards us. I smirked at the single golden feather sticking out of his rear. I gestured at the parrot and Al arched an eyebrow.

"Funny, Iago," He started. "I never noticed you wearing gold before." I snickered as he grinned over at me.

"Must be that new cream rinse I've been using." He started to back away slowly and I bit my lip to hide my laugher as Al grinned wider at him. "Now back off!" Abu plucked the feather out and he whirled around angrily. He grumbled at him before making a mocking face and stated: "I hope Al loses the bet!"

Abu attempted to beat him, but he hopped out of reach and I rolled my eyes at them.

"Wow." Al said and we all watched as Abu swirled the feather and a small whirlwind appeared underneath him and lifted him up. But when he stopped moving it, he dropped to the ground again landing on Iago's back.

"I hope you pick dates better than you fly!"

I laughed and plopped down beside him and Abu.

"So that's how they did it." I muttered. "But what is it?" A loud pinging noise got our attention and we turned to see Genie standing behind a platform.

"What is a Roc's feather?" He reappeared in the same outfit he wore when changing Abu into an elephant. "What is a Roc's feather is…Correct!"

"Rocks have feathers?" Al asked me and I shrugged.

"Ohhh, he must have had some bad fish!" Iago stated beside me and then he leaned towards me. "Stay back he could get violent." I laughed and Genie gripped Iago lifting him into the air.

"Not like rocks in your head!" Genie yelled giving the parrot a shake. "Roc! Like the legendary giant bird!" He then dropped Iago in my lap and appeared as a giant sun. "I mean giant! So big they can blot out the sun!" Suddenly it was black everywhere. Iago muttered under his breath, but I couldn't hear what he said. Next thing we knew we were back in the sun and there was a giant blue egg in front of Al. Iago and I shrieked as Genie popped out of the egg in with a baby hat.

"Baby birds are protected by those wind feathers until they can fly!"

"That feather is proof of Abis Mal's scheme." Al said and Abu grinned. Carpet got near Abu and the monkey jumped on him and motioned for us to go.

"What's the rush? Imagine the look on Razoul's face when we return with the proof and the stolen loot." Al snatched the feather from Abu who looked on with an open mouth.

"Uh, Al?"

"And imagine the look on my face when Abis Mal fries my gizzard!" Iago shouted. With a frown I turned to Al.

"Al? Maybe we should settle that bet first." Abu snatched the feather from Al's grip. Al snatched it back.

"Relax guys, we've got this!" He swirled the feather and made a small whirlwind. "It will be a breeze." Abu got that look in his eyes and I knew that this wouldn't end well. He jumped up and grabbed the end of the feather. Of course, a game of tug-of-war started. And the end result? The feather broke. Al grinned apologetically.

"Sorry." Poor Abu grew flabbergasted and his mouth opened ajar.

"Hello, Abis Mal." Genie muttered and Al made a pathetic face.


"I promise Abu," Al said as we headed for the doors to Abis Mal's hideout. "Just one feather and its back to Agrabah."

"Hopefully." I said and he rolled his eyes.

"Don't be a pessimist, Rick."

"Well, you would be too with the luck we usually have." I countered and Iago snorted. Al covered my face with his hand and shoved me back with a dramatic sigh.

I started to retaliate, but Genie chuckled and blocked me before I could do anything.

"Now, now, boys, settle down." He said, patting my head.

We knew we could get in easily because unlike most people, Abis Mal didn't post many guards and those that were on guard duty weren't around the front entrance or were lazy and slept. Al and I knew that from experience. A few weeks ago, Abis had attempted to sneak into the palace through the kitchens. It just so happened that Iago and I had been going down for a midnight snack. We bumped into him and the guards chased him and his loyal henchman out the front gates. That had been the first time we had met his right-hand man.

Haroud Hazi Bin was the exact opposite of Abis Mal. He was tall, slender, and very cunning. All things Abis wasn't. He was a smooth talker and could be potentially dangerous for us if he ever decided to ditch his bumbling boss. It was a very good thing that he wasn't around for the whole Jafar fiasco or things could have ended up way worse than before.

Al held a hand up, stopping us from going in for a moment before nodding it was clear. We eased inside and I felt Iago shift on my shoulder. I patted him reassuringly and he moved closer to me. Genie poked me on the arm, and I looked over to see his hand shadow on the wall. It started out a bunny and then something came up and ate it. I hid a laugh when his fingers ended up getting tangled and Al shushed us.

Iago rolled his eyes at us.

"Sir, I believe that we should use our magical resources to get rid of Aladdin…" Haroud could be heard close by and we ran and hid in a room. Soon he and Abis Mal appeared. Peering around the door we watched as they walked by.

"…But may I suggest working on your aim?" The right hand man spoke again. "Thanks to your little misdirected deep sleep spell I dozed off for all that…" They disappeared around the corner and we sighed with relief.

"I bet they have feathers!" Genie whispered loudly. "Be back in a flash!"

"Genie, no!" Al hissed but he disappeared before we could stop him.

I lingered by the door, listening to Abis' conversation with Haroud.

He was muttering about using a "Turn a Man Inside-Out" spell. I pulled back with a frown.

"I don't know about you guys," Iago started as Al shut the door. "But I don't look good inside out."

"Think it's a real spell?" I asked skeptically and the parrot eyed me.

"I don't want to know."

I smiled as Genie appeared in a puff of blue smoke seconds later, very tiny.

"Sorry, Al, no luck with the feathers, but I found some keys and this neat whistle." Before he could blow it and give our place away Al took it. Genie gave a disappointed 'Aww' and I grinned.

"Keep it down they are still out there." Al whispered and I tried not to laugh at Genie's pouting look. A loud screech had us turning around and we saw a large baby bird in a cage. Though it was a baby, it was about as tall as Al was.

"Told you the feathers were from a baby Roc." Genie murmured and the baby bird started to leak tears out of its eyes.

"It's okay, little guy." I stuck my hand through the bars and stroked its beak.

"Poor bird." Al whispered behind us Genie sniffed.

"I bet it misses its mother."

"There has to be some way we can help it to escape." Al said and Iago landed on his shoulder.

"Yeah, Al, it is a killer, but we promised the monkey just-one-feather. I mean me, I'm here but it wouldn't be fair to Abu if we didn't leave right this very second!"

"Come on, Iago. It's a baby. We can't leave it here with Abis Mal."

"Look I'm all tore up about it. but it isn't a small baby." He pointed out.

"Al, can't we do something?"

"Rick, I don't know. Iago might be right. We just need the feather."

'Aww, poor birdie.' Abu said sadly and we looked down at him.

"You'd risk your freedom to save the baby?" Al asked and he nodded. He leapt onto the cage and getting up to the lock he quickly picked it open.

Iago grabbed my vest and shook me. "Just because he's got nothing to live for but picking dates, I want my internal organs to STAY INTERNAL!" He wailed and Genie grabbed him off me, clapping his hand and over his loud mouth.

"Shh! Someone, will hear you!"

Naturally the doors banged opened and Abis and Haroud stood in the doorway.

"See?"

"Great job, Iago." I snorted and he grinned sheepishly.

"Say hello to your insides!" Abis laughed evilly and started to dig through his pockets but he couldn't find whatever he was looking for.

"We could have gotten out of here by now." I complained and Al and Genie snickered.

"Just call the guards." Haroud muttered and Abis Mal muttered under his breath at him before yelling:

"Guards!"

The one word echoed around the room and we knew that everyone had heard it.

"Genie, get the bird out of here!" Al whispered and Iago jumped into Genie's arms.

"Take me home, daddy!"

Genie rolled his eyes and tossed Iago at me.

"Wrong bird!"

I laughed at Iago's frown as he pouted in my hands.

Genie ran and jumped onto baby bird's back and hollering: "Get along little birdie!" Seeing that guards were blocking the door he quickly drew one up with magic. He left with the baby while Al and I got onto Carpet as Abis' guards came running in.

We flew past the guards and Abis Mal and headed for the door when we got sliced at by a tall guard. I fell off Carpet as Al jumped gracefully out-of-the-way and landed upright. Typical. They started to swarm us and pretty soon they cut me off from him. Uh-oh. As he was fighting some of them off, I got stuck in the middle of some and had no way to defend myself.

"Al?" He wasn't listening so I tried again. "Oh, Al?" Again nothing. "Aladdin!" I screeched and finally he came through them. "Well it's about time." I said and he rolled his eyes.

"Relax, I've got this."

"Right." I muttered and then he pulled me away from the men. Genie tried to get the bird to fly but it wasn't ready yet and with Abis blocking the way he had to find another way to get the baby out. Turning into a rocket, he then rocketed the baby out of the room leaving us with a whiny Abis Mal. The thief had attempted to stop Genie from taking off, but ended up entangled in his men on the ground.

"He took my bird. I'm birdless." He moaned and then he turned at look at us. "They don't leave here ALIVE!" He yelled in frustration. He's too dramatic, I thought to myself. Al grabbed me from behind and hoisted me onto Carpet.

"Got to go!" Al shouted to Abis as we passed over his head and I laughed at him.

"See ya fatso!" I hollered and beside me Iago sighed with relief.

"We made it!" he said with glee and no sooner were the words out of his mouth then we suddenly launched off of Carpet. I landed beside Al in the sand below and we looked up as Haroud showed us a rope and Carpet was tied to it.

"Can he do that?" Iago asked.

"I think he just did." I sighed as Abis and his men caught up with us. So much for heading home.

"Ruin my plans will you?" Abis asked angrily. "Oho, I'll do something really…Unpleasant to you!" He finally said and I arched an eyebrow.

"Oh, really? What are you going to do? Sit on us?" I asked and Al glared at me. I couldn't help it, I was cranky. I hadn't had any sleep. Besides I love to pick on him.

"Ohh, here is comes! Inside out city!" Iago screeched as he and Abu cowered behind us.

"Oh, no, no, no, no! I'm not going to turn you inside out." He said and I arched an eyebrow again at his calm voice.

"You are going to sit on us, aren't you?"

"No!" he shouted seething angrily, and then he seemed to control himself again. "I've got feathers!"

"That's good…right?" Iago asked nervously and I shook my head.

"I don't think so." I said as he lifted the feathers. Then he gave them a hard swirl and a large whirlwind came up out of the sand.

"Not good at all." We all tried to run but the wind pulled us into the large wind.

"Abu! Alaric!" Al yelled from somewhere inside the vortex.

"Aladdin!" I yelled and then there was blackness.


I thought I heard someone calling my name, but I couldn't open my eyes.

I felt hands on my face and I frowned, twisting in their grip.

"Rick!"

I groaned as I forced my eyes open and saw Al leaning over me. It was morning I could see, and then I focused on Al's concerned face.

"Al." I croaked out.

He sighed with relief and helped me sit up.

"I feel awful." I said, shaking sand from my hair.

"So do I!" Iago muttered loudly from down in the sand. "I have a migraine you wouldn't believe."

"…I'm sorry I ever made that bet with Fazal." Al was saying to Abu and the little monkey only nodded. "I was wrong. Friends?"

'Well, okay!' he shook Al's hand eagerly then a shadow fell over us.

"Did those wind demons give you a little trouble sand gnat?"

I yelped and turned to glare at Razoul's smug face.

"They weren't demons." Al said forcefully and somehow I knew that this explanation would end badly. "Abis Mal and his men were using Roc feathers to be whirlwinds. But we-"

"Rocks have feathers?" Fazal asked and I stifled the urge to punch the grin off Razoul's face.

"Oh, now don't be so skeptical Fazal." Razoul said slyly with a mocking tone. "I'm sure Aladdin can convince us…with his proof." He held his hand out and Al gulped.

"Well-well I don't have any..really…But it's true! And-"

"And!" Razoul interrupted grabbing Al by the vest. "A bet is a bet! Or is the honor of Aladdin just another empty boast?"

I grimaced. "No, Al, don't."

He sighed. "Sorry, Rick, he's right." I looked over to see him hugging Abu. "Abu, I'm sorry." The monkey hugged Al back and I heard Iago sniff from on my shoulder. Fazal snatched the little monkey and held up a set of chains.

"There now my little date picker." He snapped them on Abu's neck and started dragging him off towards the marketplace. I scowled at Razoul who only sneered at me before turning to go.

"Abu!" Al called sadly and I hugged him sadly. Our little monkey was gone.

"Does this mean we can get a dog?" Iago asked and Al glared at him, but I knew that he really didn't mean it.

"Iago!" he reprimanded.

"What? Am I supposed to get sentimental? Start talking about what a pal he was? And how I'm going to miss him?" he sniffed loudly. "I am going to miss him! I'll miss that flea bitten little ape!" he shrieked and then started having a fit in the sand, banging his fists wildly with a sob. Suddenly the wind picked and we heard a man shout that the wind demons were coming back.

"Your proof kid! That's your proof! The monkey is ours come on!" Iago shouted suddenly and we all grinned and hopped onto Carpet. Once we started off Iago turned to me. "And if you ever tell the monkey what I said…You're going down like a plate of bird seed! Got it!"

"Sure thing, Iago." I said with a grin and he rolled his eyes. We spotted the guards at the top of a tower and flew up to them.

"Fazal…Aladdin was right." We heard Razoul admit unbelievingly. Al and I exchanged smug looks.

"As you please Razoul!" Al shouted as he pulled Abu from Fazal's grip. I waved at the guards as we flew away from them.

"In your faces!" I shouted at them and Abu waved to them before hugging Al furiously.

"Always saving your tail." He teased and we swooped down through the streets.

"Let's see I just need to pick up a few things." He told us and that list included an awning, a snake charmer's basket, snake included (I scurried as far from that basket as possible, seeing those things gave me the creeps), and the snake charmer's rope. Then we headed quickly towards the swirling winds.

"Now to take care of fatso!" I said and Al nodded.

"Look, we got the monkey, can't we just celebrate by running away?" Iago asked in a moan.

"You know the answer to that." I said and he grumbled to himself about 'goody-goodies'. At the first thief we tossed the awning on him and he slammed into the ground. The next two he got with the rope and they ended up tied together. Then he tossed the snake at the next guy.

"Alright!" Al shouted and we gave him a high-five.

"Al!" I hollered as the wind, thanks to Abis Mal, was rocking Carpet around. I toppled off the rug and hit the ground at Abis' feet. Then Al and the others fell.

"Try and get out of this!" Abis yelled and he and the remaining thieves advanced towards us swirling like disks with their swords out. "Go on try!"

"Now, whose gonna save our tails?" Iago wailed and I had to agree with him. Genie wasn't around. Suddenly a very large shadow came over all of us and Abis and the thieves cowered at the sound of loud screech. We then looked up to see a very large Roc. Genie wasn't kidding when he said it could blot out the sun.

"Hit it Mavis!" I heard Genie yell.

"Mavis?" I grinned at Al who shrugged.

The mama bird flapped her giant wings and a sand storm blew towards us and the thieves.

"Come on." Al pulled me onto Carpet and I turned to Abis.

"Try and get out of that! Go on try!" I yelled at him and Al laughed. Carpet flew us away as the men were swept away.

At a safer distance, we watched as the Roc flew away, its baby perched happily upon her back. Genie waved goodbye before coming down to where we were.

"Would've been here sooner but mom was baking cookies!" Genie said and a large cookie appeared in his arms.

"Yum!" I said and he grinned at me before making it go away.

"No, desert before dinner." I huffed and he laughed.

"But its breakfast." I moaned.

"Oh, well in that case eat this." He jabbed an apple into my mouth. Iago snickered. "No chocolate for breakfast."

"Fine." I muttered and everyone laughed.

We went to find Razoul and Fazal later on and both looked extremely uncomfortable. I grinned widely at that. Abu demanded that Fazal get to work and by the time the fat guard had made it up the tree Al and I were in tears. Fazal made the tree sway and after a while of picking Razoul came up to us.

"I, uh, admit we were wrong Aladdin, but Fazal has duties to perform."

"But," Al interrupted loudly. "None more important than those of personal date picker." I snickered loudly and Razoul sighed irritably. We looked over at Abu to see him examining the fruit that Fazal was tossing down. He lifted one and then started to fuss.

"He says, none but the juiciest fruit!" Al called up to Fazal and I laughed loudly at the expression on the guard's face. And as he reached out to get a hold of a new one, he fell. Al and I laughed at the stunned guard and then made our way back to the palace finally relieving Fazal of picking dates.

"Okay, naptime for everybody!" Genie announced and Al just looked at him. "Okay…naptime for the short people."

I stifled a yawn. "Yeah, I agree with that."

"You actually agree?" Al smirked.

"Yeah, well. Staying up to do a rescue is fun and all, but not being knocked around by a sandy whirlwind."

Genie ruffled my hair and tsked as sand went everywhere.

"Hm, bath first."

Al snickered at the look on my face and I grabbed handfuls of sand, tossing it on him.

"Now you gotta take one too!" I shouted and ran ahead of him.

"Alaric! Get back here!" Al shouted after me and I could hear Genie laughing loudly.


"Hey."

I sighed as Al came inside.

"Jasmine told you?"

"Yeah...Rick, why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's not a big deal."

He grabbed my shoulders turning me around. "Threatening you is a BIG deal. Nobody does that to my little brother."

I smiled a bit at that and shrugged. "Like I told Jasmine, it's not a threat. Just him being himself."

Al sighed. "Yeah, well...tell me next time." He ruffled my hair. "I know it's hard to let people in, but it's okay to let them care. Jasmine was worried about you. By the way, the servants adore you."

"And so do I, kiddo." Genie added, gliding into the room.

Al nodded. "We all do, Rick."

"Well, I didn't mean to worry Jasmine, Al, or you and Genie...I guess I'm still getting used to having more than one-person care about me." I said sheepishly and he gave me a one-armed hug.

"Yeah, I know me too."

Genie gave us a hug too, though he looked sad.

"Sorry." I felt the need to apologize for causing the look and he shook his head.

"Don't be, kiddo. It's not your fault." He grinned then. "We'll just keep reminding you all the time."

"All the time?" I asked skeptically and he laughed as did Al. I didn't think I needed it when I was a grownup.

"Until you stop needing it then." He amended and I nodded.

"That sounds good to me." I smiled.


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