Chapter 7 - The Rescue
While the guards hauled a shackled Aladdin up to the gallows for his execution, back in the Land of Black Sand, Jafar transformed into Jasmine wearing a simple cloak.
"Mozenrath and I will tell your boyfriend goodbye for you, Princess," he addressed in her voice.
The sultan sighed. "When I get hold of the both of you…"
Abu chattered angrily while the carpet punched.
"I'm so worried," Jafar replied in his own voice.
In a flash Jafar and Mozenrath disappeared.
Xerxes, left behind, watched sadly as Iago flew to the glass ball holding the genie.
"How could you double-cross Aladdin and I," Jasmine shouted at the parrot, "after all we've done for you?!"
Abu chattered in addition and agreement.
"Hey, do I insult your mother?" Iago regarded Abu.
Abu growled.
Iago tried to peck at the glass ball.
Jasmine sighed in disgust. "What are you doing now?"
"Oh, what does it look like I'm doing?" Iago replied, trying to whack the glass ball with a plank. "I'm trying to free the chump genie so he can save your chump boyfriend."
The prisoners suddenly realized that he was trying to set things right. Xerxes watched.
Razul, wearing an executioner's hood and carrying a sword, followed the still-shackled Aladdin being led by Hakim and Hassim, to the gallows.
Iago threw the glass ball in an effort to try and shatter it. Nothing.
"No good, parrot," Xerxes addressed. "Try lifting the ball higher."
"Wait," Iago replied. "Aren't you Mozenrath's pet eel Xerxes?"
"I am," Xerxes answered. "And I want to offer help."
"You're double-crossing Mozenrath, like I double-crossed Jafar?" Iago realized. "I guess that makes you a good guy, too."
"Yes," Xerxes agreed.
Jasmine rolled her eyes.
Hakim forced Aladdin's head onto a wooden block back at the gallows.
"Wait," Jafar in Jasmine's voice halted.
"Jasmine!" Aladdin said in relief.
Jafar, still disguised as Jasmine, and Mozenrath walked up to the staircase. Razul scowled.
"I knew you wouldn't go through with this," Aladdin continued.
"Mozenrath and I just wanted to say goodbye," Jafar replied before transforming his head back into his own, and continued in his own voice, "street rat."
Jafar's head transformed back into that of Jasmine's. He and Mozenrath left then.
Aladdin gasped in shock. "Jafar!" He tried to intervene. "It's Jaf…"
Hakim covered Aladdin's head with a sack before he could finish.
Iago struggled, carrying the glass ball with his talons. He dropped the heavy ball and it shattered on a hard patch of land, freeing the then-disappearing genie.
Just as Razul was about to behead Aladdin with the sword, the genie swooped down and rescued him just in time. They flew over the Agrabah bazaar.
"Thanks for saving me," Aladdin congratulated, removing the sack from his head.
"Oh, come on, Al," Genie replied. "You know I had to. That no-head look just isn't you."
The genie then used his magic to transport the sultan, Jasmine, Abu, Carpet, Iago and Xerxes out of the Land of Black Sand and on top of the minaret of one of the palace towers. Everyone regrouped on the minaret.
"Woo-hoo," Genie continued. "And everybody's safe and sound."
"Aladdin!" Jasmine said, happy to see her boyfriend alive. The two hugged. Abu nuzzled his owner after hopping onto his shoulder, chattering happily.
"Good to see you, too, Abu," Aladdin replied.
"Hello," Iago greeted nervously, hiding behind Jasmine.
"Iago!" Aladdin glared. "You set me up, you traitor! How could you show your face? You're nothing but a…"
"Aladdin," Jasmine interrupted. "Iago rescued us. He didn't have to, but he did."
"Rescued?" Aladdin repeated, brightening. "Him?"
Abu still glared at Iago, though
"And I helped," Xerxes added.
"And who are you?" Aladdin asked the eel.
"Xerxes," the eel replied. "I used to be Mozenrath's pet eel, before I defected to one of the good guys. I hope you can find it in your heart to pardon me, as well."
Aladdin chuckled. "Welcome to the team, Xerxes," he greeted.
"Great," Iago agreed before flapping his wings. "Now that everything's settled, we should be fleeing for our lives."
"No," Aladdin disagreed. "We have to stop Jafar and Mozenrath."
"But how?" Jasmine replied. "They're all powerful, and Mozenrath is immortal."
Abu nodded in agreement
"Jafar's lamp and Mozenrath's gauntlet," Xerxes pointed out. "If you destroy Jafar's lamp, you destroy Jafar, and if you take away Mozenrath's gauntlet, Mozenrath will be powerless."
"Then that's what we'll do," Aladdin agreed.
Iago tapped Aladdin's shoulder. "Reality check. They're large and in charge!"
"My, yes," the sultan feared. "There's no telling what they'll do to Agrabah. We have a responsibility."
"Maybe you do," Iago replied. "But I don't. I'm only responsible for me, myself, and nobody. I did my good deed. I don't owe you a thing, Aladdin, you hear me? Not a thing." With that, Iago turned his back and crossed his wings.
"I understand, Iago," Aladdin replied as everyone else hopped onto the carpet. "You've done enough. And thanks."
With those two words, the carpet whisked everyone except Iago off of the minaret.
Author's Note: Bet nobody would have expected Xerxes to defect to the good guys, too.
