*sigh* I can't write can I? Nobody's reviewing! *sob*
Come on ppl u gotta tell me what u think or else how am I gonna update the story better!
Enjoy ^ ^
By the way, go visit bearmoon and toysrusgirl, they both got new great stories!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 8: Memories of Justice
But it was too late… Jafar had drunk the blood. He threw the cup aside, which clanged against the wall and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.
"Agrabah, Jafar is back."
*****
Aladdin, Genie, and Carpet had reached Johara's dwelling in a matter of minutes. Aladdin jumped off the carpet and cautiously called up into the building, "Johara?" Hearing no response, he shouted louder, "Johara!" The three listened attentively for noise, but nothing met their ears but the deafening silence. "Come on Genie, let's go." They quickly ran up the steps to the room and slowed down as they gazed at the scene before them. There were signs of a struggle, a vase lay broken against a wall and the hammock was in shreds. Everything was out of place and scattered wildly. Aladdin's eyes quickly scanned the surrounding area when his eyes landed on a small red lump in the corner, "Iago!"
Genie glided over to the cage and gasped dramatically, "Iago! O buddy o pal, say something!" He stopped himself for a moment as if confused, "Wait a minute… rugster, did I just say 'o buddy o pal'?" The carpet nodded in response. "That's what I thought… WHAT was I thinking? IAGO, you parrot, WAKE UP!!!"
"QUIT YER HOLLERING ALREADY! You're giving me a SPLITTING HEADACHE!"
Genie gasped again, "IAGo, you're aLIVE!! Wooooo!!" Then dancing with the carpet, he sang over and over again, "Iago's alive, Iago's alive."
Aladdin shook his head, exasperated at the two, specifically genie, but turned his attention to Iago as he pulled off the cage, "Iago, where's Abu and Johara?" then looking around again, added as an afterthought, "And what happened here?"
"You askin' me, who'm I asking? Yeesh, don't even ask if I'm alright---" seeing Aladdin's stern face Iago cracked, "Alright, alright, I was JOKING, sheesh calm down, you look reaally scary. Okay last night when we got here, there we these two slaver men andJoharawasontheground, soweflewinandfoughtthembutwegotcaughtandthentheyranoutofthehouse andIsentAbuafterthemandiunnowhatelsehappened." Iago took a deep breath again after his nonstop thirty-second narration.
Aladdin stared at Iago, and said slowly, "Right… I think I got that…" he pondered the information that he had just received, then it hit the panic button, "Oh no, we gotta find them quick! Those two probably weren't regular slave traders if they could kidnap Johara…" Aladdin's voice faded out as he wandered in his thoughts, "Jafar…"
Iago flew up at Aladdin, "Hello? No, those two DEFinitely were not Jafar, both too fat."
"I KNOW that Iago, thank you very much," sighed Aladdin, "Whatever, Genie! Carpet! Iago! Let's go find Abu, and quick!" He jumped on the carpet in one fluid movement and signaled to go. As they flew out of the wide window, Aladdin assured Jasmine whether she could hear it or not, Don't worry, I WILL find you.
*****
Jafar smiled, flexing his new muscles and fingers. He looked into a mirror to gaze at his reflection, "Ah me, how long I waited for today, to finally see my handsome self in the mirror again." Some squeaking noises called his attention to Jasmine in the hourglass. He squinted at the message she had written on the fogged up glass, "Vain Peacock. Jerk. Etc." When Jafar had deciphered the message, he sneered at Jasmine with open derision, "Hah, you think that's funny princess? I'll show you funny. Then let's see you laugh when the sultan gets assassinated by his daughter's own hands!" Jafar threw his head back in wild laughter at the horrified expression on Jasmine's face. He waved his hand lazily at the hourglass causing it to dissipate into smoke. "Yes Jasmine, and there's nothing you can do against the power of MY hypnosis," summoning his staff, he chuckled, "nothing, but succumb…" He brought the staff near her face and started the hypnosis once more.
Jasmine shut her eyes tight looking down at the floor and screamed to drown out the droning voice of Jafar, "I WON'T! YOU CAN'T! I'LL NEVER! You can't MAKE me… kill… my—my own…. Own father…"
*****
Aladdin scanned the streets while they soared across the buildings. I don't see Abu anywhere. Suddenly, Iago squawked out, "I see him! Abu! He's there! Asleep too, yeesh, can't even perform a simple job---"
Genie asked in amazement, "How in the world did you see him?"
"Oh I'd recognize that lump anywhere."
They swerved down towards a bunch of bags, and sure enough, there was a little brown fuzzball curled up in deep slumber. Aladdin leaped off as soon as they flew close enough to the ground. Sweeping Abu off the ground and onto the carpet, Aladdin shouted, "Abu! Wake up! Abu!"
Abu yawned sleepily as he woke to shouts and overall Aladdin noise. He blinked and focused Aladdin's on face. Then something in his mind snapped together, and he jumped up immediately, "AwaddinAwaddin!! I weft Iago jwackatZhohara'shsoausesjzhen Iwsha wshoallowingzhembuhzhen IwjellasjweepandzhenIzhunnowhawhappen."
Aladdin stared at Abu like how he had stared at Iago, "…Right… next time, talk slower… right… I think I understood that." Aladdin sighed again, "We're getting no where." He ran his fingers through his hair and he breathed in the air. The direction of the wind changed, bringing a strange smell to Aladdin's senses. He sniffed a little harder and almost blanched, "Genie," he said weakly, "is… is that smell blood?"
Genie sniffed the wind experimentally, but as soon as he had even started a huge gust of wind brought about a sickening smell of blood. Everyone held their breath, disgusted. Iago looked at the carpet, "Don't give me that look you, you don't got a nose." Genie helped answer, "Uh… Iago? Carpet doesn't really have a face to give you a look either---"
Aladdin interrupted, "Guys, this is no time for playing, someone must be seriously hurt here… … come on, let's go." Aladdin ran off towards the source of the smell thinking, Please don't let it be Jasmine or Johara…. Please don't please don't let it be them…
Iago looked after the running figure of Aladdin and said to Abu, "Hey, hey, is it just me, or is our wonderboy acting a tad weird?"
Abu stared after Aladdin with a strange expression, not answering…
*****
Johara stared at the back of Jafar while he was starting to break through Jasmine's defenses and starting to hypnotize her with his staff. She felt swamped by the overwhelming feeling of helplessness…No… not again… not like before…………
In the darkness a little girl wandered through the fiery remains of huts, clothes, belongings, and… people. "Momma? Poppa? Where are you?" She looked about five… or four years old. Horrible scenes replayed over and over again in her mind… slaughter… ruthless slaughter of her people… A creaking noise interrupted her thoughts as a piece of wood came crashing down, accompanied by a weak voice, "Jo-Johara…"
"Momma?!"
"O-- over here," the voice replied from behind the burnt remains of a house. The voice was choked with pain.
The girl ran towards the voice in a frantic desire to see her family even if it was only her mom. Her eyes darted everywhere, seeking the familiar cloth of her mother's apron, ear's pricked for the sound of her voice. "Momma!"
Instead of the beautiful elegance of her mother, she saw a ragged woman in partly singed clothes struggling to keep her face serene for her only daughter. "Johara," she smiled.
"What happened to you!? Get up! We have to find poppa… and auntie, and everyone else!"
The woman shook her head sadly, "Johara, they're gone… they're all gone."
"No! They're just hiding that's all! Come on, let's go," Johara said, tugging on her mother's arm.
"Johara! Listen to me!" the mother begged, "You MUST listen to me! They're DEAD Johara, they're GONE…forever!"
The little girl froze to the harsh tone of voice she heard, and turned questioningly towards her mother's face. As the realization of what her mother had said dawned upon her young mind, she let the truth swamp her… she knew… she knew everyone was gone, she saw the killing, the dying, the… the blood. Slowly, Johara sank to her knees and buried her face into her mother's apron. "No…" she sobbed, "Why momma WHY?! Why do those people hate us?"
Gently, the mother patted the little girl's head, "Johara, listen to me, you're too young to understand it now… but I want you to remember this. According to the legend we have passed on for centuries, we're descendants of mystical beings who were in charge of justice on Earth, we were born with their magic. You are special… our family was special. We have powers that scared people, when people are scared, they do very irrational things… they kill, they murder, they do anything to rid themselves of that fear… You must remember not to hate them… try to understand them, they do not understand what you are… Johara, are you listening?" She gently shook the little girl.
"Johara, you must listen, I don't have too long left… "
The girl's head snapped up, "What do you mean you don't have too long left!?"
"My daughter, I… I can't survive, look at me, I'm a mess… I'm… I'm dying Johara… "
"No! NO! You CAN'T! You can't leave me!"
"Johara, please, understand… this is the way of life…" her voice was fading as the pain increased.
"No--- I'll use my magic! I'll save you!" Johara lifted her hands towards her mother to begin transferring magic.
The woman grabbed Johara's hands suddenly, shouting, "NO!" startling Johara out of her concentration, "Don't ever--- EVER do that!"
Johara started to cry silently, "Momma… why won't you let me save you?"
Gently, the mother answered, "Two reasons, one, your body isn't strong enough for this kind of magic, I don't even think I am for that matter…" she chuckled, "and the second reason is that I'm at death's door. Never EVER try to save anyone who's about to die or already dead… nor should you expend all your magic…that'll cost you your life…" Her voice was nearly a whisper now and Johara bent over to hear, "Promise me… PROMISE me… you won't… ever… do that… … PROMISE ME NOW," she whispered fiercely, gripping on to Johara's arms.
Weeping, Johara shook her head, "No… momma, don't die… how is this justice?! I can't even save you! If my powers are for justice, why can't I save you?!"
"Promise me… …"
"Don't make me…"
"Pro—omise me… Johara… or do you want me to die unsatisfied…" her voice was barely audible.
"No…I'd never want that… al-alright… I promise… I promise…"
"Johara…"
"Yes momma?"
"I—I love you…"
"I love you too… … … … … … … … … … … momma? Momma?! MOMMAAA!!!!!!!"
… … … … … No, that won't EVER happen again… not while I'm alive. Johara gritted her teeth and muttered, "My magic is for justice, I won't let you do anything to Jasmine." Slowly, she summoned her magic again. I promise… it won't happen again…
*****
Jasmine was swept into unconsciousness, as she drowned in the droning voice of Jafar. She was losing her control over her will, losing control over her life… Jafar was taking it… No…I won't let him… no… I can't… In the swirling midst of darkness, a rope of pureness slid from the skies, securing itself to Jasmine's waist. Without thinking, Jasmine grabbed hold of the rope, feeling something very familiar about it… Johara? The pillar of light slowly pulled its way upwards along with Jasmine, pulling her clear of the darkness and gradually back into the light. Jasmine's head swam as images of the room came into focus. The first thing she saw was Jafar laughing maniacally as if he found something to his great amusement. He glanced at Jasmine and laughed all the harder as his finger weakly pointed at Johara's direction.
Dreading what she would see, Jasmine slowly turned her head towards that corner of the room. Seeing the shattered shackles on the ground, her heart gave a leap that came down with a sickening thud when she looked up at Johara's face. It was blank; her eyes were blank… she was under Jafar's hypnosis.
*****
Aladdin slowed down, as the odor of blood grew stronger. Cautiously, he glanced side to side, looking for the source. In the dawning light, he saw a large mound in the middle of the road, which was attracting a lot of flies. "Genie! Carpet! Iago! Abu! Over here!"
Aladdin slowly made his way towards the pile as the rest of the gang caught up. "Genie… you don't suppose that that's… that that's…"
"Na-a-ah, don't even say it. It's not them, I tell you, we woulda felt it. We all have a connection now, we'd know if something like this happened."
"But what if---"
"No, no, no, I'm not listening… ladidaa, I can't heeaaar you," and Genie ran in circles with is eyes shut, plugging his ears with his fingers.
Iago shouted, "Watch out! Blue lump! You're gonna stumble over---" his warning was interrupted by a yelp and a whump of Genie, "--- over… the pile of stuff… in the middle… of the road…"
Genie yelled loudly, "YEEOOWAAA!!"
Aladdin looked up, "What's the matter Genie!?"
"Dead people! Two of them!"
*****
Jafar was still laughing, wiping his tears as he tried to talk to Jasmine, "That, that idiot! Ahaha, never in my LIFE have I seen something like this before. Ahahahahah, hilarious! That girl, Johara, she--- she--- oho, I can't stop laughing…hahah. Never seen this… you want to know what she did Jasmine? Ahahahah," more tears leaked out of his eyes as he laughed endlessly. It was starting to annoy Jasmine seriously, so she stood up.
"She was trying to save YOU m'dear, ahahaha, you were this close to being under my control. Then SOMEHOW, she broke through my chains! What magic she must have spent, ahaha, then she reached out with her magic towards you without me knowing, hehehe, and she took the hypnosis away from you and put it onto herself! AAHAHAHAHAH, isn't that the most hilarious thing you've ever seen? What an idiot, giving me control of her power just to save your face. Now you won't be the one killing your father though… unfortunately. But then again, this new outcome of events works just nice---"
His mirthful speech was interrupted by a violent slap from Jasmine. "Never, EVER insult Johara like that. She's the noblest and purest girl you'll ever see, you're nothing compared to her, you're nothing compared even to an ant. How dare you say that about her…" her outburst came rapidly and furiously, leaving her panting for breath afterwards.
Jafar straightened himself out and turned a bitter face towards Jasmine, "Congratulations… You just won a ticket to see the murder of the sultan, hope you enjoy it. Johara, come!"
Johara walked a couple steps forward, but suddenly stopped as if confused. Like two powers were clashing within her mind.
Jasmine cried out, "No! Johara! Don't listen to him!"
"I said COME."
This new command wiped any doubt from Johara's mind and she stepped forward again.
"Good girl, now onward, to the throne. We musn't be late with our meeting with the sultan now should we." Jafar waved a hand towards Jasmine, magically enclosing her in a transparent orb, "Come now Jasmine, you too, " he chuckled.
"Azareth Nimzawa Turanspurato!" The three dissipated into fog, and when they reappeared, they were in the throne room, in front of a very, very surprised sultan.
Jafar swept forward and bowed, "Good evening, my liege. Death is busy somewhere else today, so I volunteered to help him out," he smiled, "So… Sultan…" Jafar swept aside revealing Johara behind him, "Meet Death."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So ppl, what do you think!? Please, pretty please review? I want to know what you think!
Bearmoon: Thanks for reviewing!! You don't know how glad I am (-_- I'm a sad case now, hanging on reviews)
Next chapters coming up soon…