Disclaimer: Aladdin & Co. belong to Disney, blah blah, I'm not making money, you know the drill.
Author Notes: I'd like to thank everyone for their kind reviews. I was actually very nervous about writing Genie. I wanted to cut him out all together, as many authors do, but it would be impossible with a plot like this. Not to mention the fact that cutting out such an essential character would make me feel cheap. ^^;;;
And so, after a few weeks, here is:
Life in a New LightBy Marisa, the Allmighty Pineapple
Chapter 2: Master and Slave
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It's so dark. Where am I?
Aladdin's eyes were wide open, and yet he still felt as if the darkness around him was pressing against closed eyelids. Vaguely, it reminded him of his short time in the Netherworld, but that awful place was much colder than here... and the Netherworld didn't reek of burnt oil.
Groping around, Aladdin found a wall and – after making sure there was nothing in the way – sat down somewhat comfortably. What was this awful place? He had woken up here, but Aladdin vaguely wondered if this was really some kind of nightmare.
"Hello?" He called, but the voice echoed loudly almost instantly, ringing in his ears and making the wall vibrate. That was too loud and painful to be a dream, and this room was obviously too small for someone else to be hiding in.
Aladdin was just starting to almost feel sort of comfortable in an unpleasant type of way, when a blaring... squeak racked his ears. It was as if flesh was rubbing against metal, except magnified a thousand times, and coming from every direction – particularly the wall he was leaning against.
"Aagh!" He choked, pressing his palms against his ears. There was a gust of wind, and a tugging feeling... Something's pulling me forward! In a frenzy, he groped around and tried to find something to grab hold of, but to no avail. Wherever that wind was going, he was going with it. Thick smoke surrounded him, and there was a horrible spinning feeling... when the sensation ended, he felt horribly nauseous. He held his head to steady himself, and the smoke slowly cleared away to reveal...
There was a shrill gasp. "Aladdin! No!" The princess' voice was music to Aladdin's ears.
"Jasmine!" Aladdin gasped, smiling. "Genie! Abu! Everyone! You're all okay!"
"Yeah, well, can't say the same for you, kid!" Iago cried shrilly. If Aladdin didn't know better, he would have thought the parrot sounded... concerned?
"Come on, guys...What are you talking about?" Aladdin's voice carried more worry than he wanted to show. "I feel fine... a little tired, maybe, but—"
"Aladdin..." Jasmine stepped forward cautiously, "Look at yourself."
"What are you talking...about...?" Aladdin's voice slowed as he lowered his head to stare down at his torso, which had suddenly become a shocking hue that he had playfully dubbed "Genie-blue". All of him that was solid ended at the waist where a ghostly, translucent genie-tail started. "Oh, Allah... my legs are gone..." His breath quickened as he stared down at his hands, anxiety building up in his chest. His hands, once callused and scarred from his many adventures, were clean, smooth, and matched his chest in color. Around his wrists, a pair of golden manacles were clamped tightly.
"No..." He breathed, knowing his fate yet refusing to accept it. This wasn't real. "A mirror. I need a mirror! I-" He was cut short as a white handmirror appeared in his hands. Aladdin nodded towards Genie. "Thanks, Genie."
"Al..." Genie shook his head. "I didn't do that."
Aladdin held his breath. Never had he ever heard Genie look and sound so solemn before. Now, the boy was truly afraid of what his reflection might reveal. Gathering his thoughts, he stared down into the mirror.
His face was familiar. Nothing had changed, saved the color – his normal features now looked foreign on the blue flesh. Aladdin turned his head to the side, seeing his ears end in a dull point that just jutted out from the same old poofy black hair he'd always had. He felt the top of his head, finding little relief in the fact that his fez was intact, as was his vest. In fact, the only clothes he was missing were his pants, which probably went with the legs.
Denial subsided, and the truth sank in. The mirror slipped from Aladdin's hands, disappearing before it hit the ground. "I'm... I'm a..."
"A genie." A voice from behind stated calmly.
Aladdin whirled to face the speaker. "Mozenrath! You did this to me!"
Mozenrath glanced to his left at his familiar. "Nothing gets past him, does it, Xerxes?"
"Nothing!" Hissed the eel.
"You jackal!" Aladdin snarled, tensing up and preparing to attack.
Mozenrath smirked, tracing his fingers around the curves of the lamp. "Calm down for a moment, and let's analyze the situation. You, Aladdin, are now a genie. You haven't been freed by anyone, and I am in posession of your lamp." Mozenrath paused, waiting for Aladdin to say something, but the younger boy was silent. "I suppose, then, that makes me your master?"
Before anyone really knew what was happening, someone had lunged at Mozenrath, knocking him to the ground and pinning him there – but it wasn't Aladdin.
It was Genie.
"You let him go!" Genie snarled, "Set him free, right now!"
"Impudent fool!" Mozenrath hissed, freeing his right hand from Genie's hold and throwing a glowing red blast of magic at the spirit. Genie was knocked clear to the other side of the room, close to Jasmine, Carpet, Iago and Abu.
"Genie--!" Aladdin called out, deciding that now was as good of a time as ever to figure out this hovering business. He rushed over with a little effort.
"Oh, how sweet." Mozenrath spat bitterly, glancing over his shoulder at his familiar. "Look, Xerxes – the genie's genuinely aghast for his precious Aladdin."
Aladdin glanced over his shoulder with a glare, then turned back to Genie, who was peeling himself from the wall and wobbling unsteadily like a two-dimensional figure. Aladdin quickly offered the support of his shoulder as Genie puffed himself back into the third dimension. Jasmine quickly joined them, with Abu and Iago following on Carpet.
"Genie, I...mmphff!" Aladdin had no time to speak as Genie quickly pulled him into a tight embrace, Aladdin's face buried in Genie's chest.
"Oh, Al, I'm so sorry!" Genie sobbed over-dramatically, "This is all my fault! Mozenrath used me to—"
"Genie, it's not...and I'm sure it's not as bad as it seems."
"It's worse, Al." Genie broke the embrace and placed his hands firmly on Aladdin's shoulders. "You don't know what it's like... obeying every whim of a master without question... I've been forced to do some horrible things, Al." Genie's voice cracked and a tear spilled from his left eye. "I waited over ten thousand years without any real hope that someone like you would come along... and now..." his hands fell from Aladdin's shoulders and down to his sides once more, and Genie looked away sorrowfully.
Aladdin wanted to reply, but it was cut off when Jasmine wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in the curve of his neck. "I'm so sorry," she breathed, taking in the warm, unreal smoothness his flesh had taken on. Abu chirped sadly, and for once, Iago didn't say anything. The parrot's gaze was downward, unable to make eye contact with Aladdin.
"That's enough sentiment!" Mozenrath snarled, thrusting his hand forward to engulf Aladdin in a flame of red magic.
Aladdin cried out painfully as the magic seemed to rip through his flesh. He was torn away from his friends and yanked roughly in Mozenrath's direction. Suddenly, the flow of magic was cut off, and Aladdin was sprawling across the cold stone floor of the Citadel, stopping just short of Mozenrath's feet.
"Get up, slave." Mozenrath snapped, readying his magic again.
"Mozenraaaath!!" Genie snarled, morphing into Godzilla and roaring fire at the sorcerer. Mozenrath barely glanced up. He waved his right hand, and the fire did a sharp U-turn and hit Genie right in the jaw. The spirit was sent back into the wall once more.
Aladdin struggled to sit up, clutching his burning chest, unaware of his surroundings.
"I think it's about time I rid myself of you nuisances!" Mozenrath sneered, raising his right arm and charging the magic.
Iago screamed and grabbed Carpet's edge, holding it in front of him and cowering pathetically, and Abu quickly joined him. Jasmine struck a battle pose, ready to dodge, while Genie peeled himself from the wall. Again.
Mozenrath's hand was glowing a bright, hot white as the magic reached his full potential, but soon faded. The sorcerer's angered face grew calm, and a smirk appeared on his face.
Xerxes eyed Mozenrath questioningly. "Something wrong?"
"Oh, no. Nothing's wrong. But I think it's about time we gave my new genie a test run, don't you think, Xerxes?"
Xerxes nodded. "Mozenrath make wish!"
Those three words hit Aladdin's ears like that screeching noise Genie once played through a pair of big, black boxes. ("Metallica", he had called it.) Aladdin's awareness was suddenly sharp as he stared up at Mozenrath in fear.
The young sorcerer grinned maliciously. "Yes, I believe I will make my first wish now."
----
The seven figures were gathered around large, wooden, horseshoe-shaped table, all draped in shadow. They faced a mirror on the far wall, playing the scene before them.
They spoke.
"This has never happened before. Shall we intervene?"
"Um... what about that, you know, the Jafar guy?"
"Golly, suga', who could forget him? He was a different story -- Jafar turned into a genie on his own free will. Ah' say we go for it!"
"..."
"That's of no consequence! Aladdin is a genie now, and that is that! Our intervention is not necessary."
"...Yeah. Whatever. Let's not worry about it right now."
"I agree. Let's leave him alone. I want to see what happens...this is going to be very interesting."
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Thus ends Chapter 2.
Author Notes: Even after working on this for a few weeks, it still feels... stale. x__x I apologize if this chapter was slow, or boring, and I'm sorry that Genie wasn't as in-character as he was last chapter. This is my first Aladdin fanfic, so I'm still kind of shaky. Please get on my case and force me to write chapter 3.
Marisa, over and out.