When Bahshir began to get impatient at wanting Iago, he went to speak to some of the guards that patrolled around the streets sometimes. The leader was Razoul.
"Hello there, guards. I need to talk to you." Bahshir called out.
"What do you want, beggar?" One of the guards demanded grumpily.
"Do you guys know of a red bird, a parrot that lives with your prince?"
"He's no prince. Just a common street rat. But yes. We do know of the bird. What about him?" Razoul demanded.
"I would like to have that bird. He stole from me, some food awhile back, and I keep seeing him stealing food on the streets." Bahshir explained.
"Oh, really?" Razoul stated sarcastically.
"He is and always will be a thief. Especially for treasure." A skinny guard said.
"Yes. The street rat is crazy for ever keeping that bird in the first place." Razoul growled. He hated Iago with a passion.
"I would be glad to take the bird off your hands if you'll get him to me, alive. For 50 dinaraii." Bahshir said.
The guards were paying attention. "Really?"
"Yes." Bahshir then went on to tell them where to deliver the parrot when they caught him. The guards would be more than glad to get rid of that deceitful parrot.
They always seemed to have more than enough evidence of Iago stealing stuff, especially treasure items, and even food. "We'll get your bird to you." Razoul vowed.
Bahshir paid them the 50 dinaraii. Now it was up to the guards. Unless he was able to get the parrot by himself.
...
Aladdin and the gang were gone on an adventure again for a few days away from the palace.
The guards reported to the Sultan. This was part of their plan. The Sultan rarely left the palace.
The Sultan was just sitting on his throne when Razoul and one of his fellow guards came up to him. "Your Highness, there has been trouble on the streets as of late, that we have been told." Razoul said.
"What sort of trouble, Razoul?" the Sultan asked in concern.
"The bird, Sire. He has been doing nothing but stealing from the vendors in the marketplace. There have been several complaints against him. He's been stealing food and jewelry." Razoul explained. It wasn't a total lie. Iago did do that sometimes, but this time it was meant to set Iago up.
"Iago has been away with Aladdin and Jasmine and everyone. That's impossible." Sultan said.
"He has been doing it long since before they left, Your Highness." the other guard stated.
"If this is true, we will have to deal with the problem when they return." the Sultan decreed reluctantly.
Now it was just a matter of time before they returned.
...
They returned about a day later. Aladdin and Jasmine were pleased with themselves. Iago and Abu were ready to get away from the mushy feelings of the humans. Genie was glad to have done some good too. Carpet was quiet as usual. But they were glad to be home.
That night, they had a celebrity dinner for what they had accomplished in another kingdom to help out with the problems and find new allies.
Iago was so hungry that he began to dig into the food first. The Sultan looked at Iago as he ingested his food fast. Just as the others were about to dig in, Jasmine noticed a sad look on her father's face. "Father? Is there something wrong?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid there is, my daughter. There has been a report that Iago has been causing trouble again." the Sultan declared.
Iago stopped eating his food. "What?" he asked in shock.
"What sort of trouble?" Al asked.
"The guards came to me and said he was stealing on the streets from the vendors." Sultan declared.
"I said that you would have to lay low and stop that, Iago." Al exclaimed.
"I did. I haven't been stealing lately, honest." Iago stated nervously, waving his wings in front of him. Why did it seem like everyone was trying to blame things on him? "And I was with you on that trip. How could have I done anything these past few days?"
"You do have a habit of sneaking off and trying to sneak treasure." Genie said. Even the carpet crossed his 'arms.'
"I haven't done anything like that, lately. You gotta believe me!" Iago exclaimed.
"But you were found doing it before you left here." A guard stated as the guards came into the room.
"What's going on?" Al asked.
"Iago is to be taken to the dungeon." the Sultan ordered.
"What?! I haven't taken anything for a long time, Sultan!" Iago pleaded.
"Get the bird!" Razoul ordered.
The guards ran forward and tried to get Iago in their hands.
"AGH!" Iago screamed in fear and instantly went into flight mode. He took flight.
"Get him!" the guards were shouting. But they couldn't catch him like that.
"Get him down here!"
"Catch him, Genie or Carpet." Sultan ordered.
They did as they were told.
Iago found himself dodging the carpet, but not too soon that he found himself inside a net being used by the genie.
"Let me out of here! I didn't do anything!" Iago screamed for mercy.
"That remains to be seen, you little thief." Genie said.
"Please, let me go." Iago pleaded.
"Until further notice, Iago, you are going to the dungeon." the Sultan said. "Take him away."
"I've waited a long time for this." Razoul said.
"Al, do something!" Iago protested.
"I'm sorry, Iago. We all know what you often try to do to get what you want with jewelry and even food. Until we get this sorted out, I don't know what to tell you." Al said sadly.
Iago was taken out of the net in Razoul's huge hand and another guard placed a shackle around Iago's body, making sure his wings were tucked to his sides. The parrot grumped as he was taken away. How could his friends betray him like this? But then, they always seemed to be getting him in trouble for something. Then he was too.
Iago had a sad face as he thought that he was being taken to the dungeon for a punishment for crimes that he hadn't done, at least not so recently. But soon, Razoul's route changed from the dungeon to a back way out of the palace grounds.
"Hey, where are we going? This isn't the way to the dungeon?" Iago noticed.
"Oh, no. You are being taken to someplace different this time." Razoul sneered at him.
"Where?" Iago demanded. He began squirming his legs, trying to get loose.
"You know what to do?" Razoul said as he was getting fed up with the bird's questions.
Another guard came up with another shackle, but smaller. Iago saw it and tried to pull his head away, but it was put on his beak to keep him quiet until further notice. He whimpered in dismay.
Iago kept track of where he was being taken.
"Our benefactor surely has great plans for you, Bird." the skinny guard sneered.
Iago wondered who this person was. Soon, they were out in the streets. He had to been framed for something. Why was this happening? There was no way he was getting out of the shackles.
Soon, they were outside, very close to a place called the Skull and Dagger Tavern. Iago knew this place. His heart started really racing against his ribs. His breathing quickened. Was he going to be eaten or something? It got him squirming. He cried in his shackle.
"We're here with your bird, Bahzir." Razoul announced.
"It's Bahshir. It's about time. And thank you for getting me my bird." Bahshir came out of hiding.
Iago recognized the man from the marketplace. What did he want?
"He's all yours. And here are the keys to his shackles, if you think you can put up with his mouth." Razoul said.
Bahshir gladly took the shackled parrot. "You're mine now, Parrot." He looked into Iago's fear-filled eyes.
The guards left him to his fate.
Iago knew that he had so many enemies around the palace. Did Aladdin know about this? The guards were definitely his rivals. Sometimes Iago didn't know why he even bothered to stick around the gang when all he got was nothing but disrespect. If he got more of the things he wanted, then he wouldn't have to resort to stealing, if stealing was what this was all about.
Bahshir began walking away from the tavern to somewhere else in the city of Agrabah.
It was on the outskirts of the city where the man took the scared parrot into his home. Iago saw it was a small home, just the basics. But it also had feather pelts, furs and the like hanging on the walls. Iago started breathing in a panic, trying to get loose. He didn't want to die. He whimpered in total fear.
"Oh, scared are we, Bird? Good." Bahshir exclaimed.
He finally got Iago to a small cage and that was when he lifted him to a table and undid the shackle on his body, but held him down. Iago squirmed his legs frantically. He hoped he wasn't going to be killed or plucked right here.
"Hold still, you feathered pest." Bahshir ordered. "If you want that bond off your beak."
Iago held still at that and he let the man get the bond off his beak. Finally, he could open his mouth again.
"Don't hurt me, please." Iago pleaded. "Let me go." He looked up at his captor.
"I paid a good deal for you, Bird. You are now my property." Bahshir said.
Iago's eyes widened. Aladdin said he wouldn't sell him.
"But, the kid said he wouldn't sell me."
"Oh, but he did. He sold you out. With all the problems you were creating for him, it was better this way. For them all." the man lied.
"But what do you want from me?" Iago demanded.
"Revenge, of course." Bahshir sneered evilly.
Iago gulped.
The man then picked him up, but put the shackle back around his body first, then forced Iago into the small cage. Then he closed and locked the door. "You're not getting away anytime soon."
Iago instantly tried to get loose, but couldn't. He wanted out. The cage was almost too small even for him.
"And yet, you better do as I say, when I say it, or there will be consequences. And you aren't getting out of that cage for anything." the man warned him.
Iago knew this was trouble. He didn't want to spend all his time in a cage. Never getting out to spread his wings. He had to fly sometimes. He knew he was a prisoner.
"And here I thought I was being punished for stealing." Iago said.
"Oh, that's part of it too. You won't be stealing from me again, Bird."
"Do you have to keep calling me Bird? I have a name." Iago declared.
"I know... Iago. Whoever gave you a name like that? The kid?" Bahshir asked.
"No. An evil sorceror called Jafar. The Sultan's ex-advisor. My former master." Iago admitted.
"A sorceror, huh? No wonder you can talk as well as you can. He must have put you under a spell here and there?"
"That's none of your business, bub!" Iago growled, still struggling.
"Whatever. I am your master now, and you shall refer to me as that." Bahshir exclaimed.
"Or what? I haven't really seen anything threatening about you. What is it you want again?"
"This!" The man shouted as he brought out his sword. "I will see you punished severely when the time is right!" Bahshir threatened him.
Iago gulped. He back away from the front of the cage to the back of it. He trembled.
"Good bird. Now it's time for dinner and bed." Bahshir said.
Bahshir went and got his dinner, a huge dead bird from a gunny sack. Iago gulped as he knew that could be him on tomorrow's plate. He also had some fruit added. He sat down at his table to eat his dinner.
Iago watched him eat, and at the same time, he looked at the fruit intently. He had barely had anything to eat before the guards had come into the dinner chamber and interruped everything. But then, the carrying and arrest had been better off not being done on a full stomach for the parrot. It could have made him sick.
But Iago was watching those grapes, pears, apples, and bananas with great interest. Bahshir saw that he was. Even if he was given anything, he would only be able to use his beak and feet to grab at it, given his wings were still tied in the shackle, but it almost made it impossible for him to bend his feet upward with the bond over his middle.
Iago felt his stomach growl as he smelt the food. But he wasn't going to say anything just yet.
Bahshir wanted to see how desperate he could make the parrot get. He smiled smugly. He just ignored him the rest of the time he ate his food. He was proud of himself for what he had accomplished to get the bird into his hands.
The growling of his stomach got to Iago. "What does it take to get some food over here?" he demanded.
"I'll feed you when I decide I'm good and ready. So quiet down or there will be trouble for you." Bahshir warned him. He held up his sword. Iago gulped.
Bahshir went on eating without so much as a second glance at the bird. Then, when he was finished, he dumped the leftovers outside, not even caring to give Iago any food. He didn't give him water either. He just went into another room and went to bed.
"And stay quiet out there, Bird! I mean it!" the man yelled out there.
Iago knew he had to get out of here. That had been perfectly good fruit that he could have been given. Instead, he had wasted it. Iago felt another strong gurgle inside him. He was famished by this time.
He stayed up, trying to think of a way to get out of the shackle, and then, the cage. He tested it and it was truly locked. His cage was away from anything that he could possibly reach to use to open the door. Even if he swung the cage, he still couldn't reach anything. He was stuck there.
Iago tried to think of a plan to get out, and he knew he would have to get out the first chance he got.
...
Back at the palace, Aladdin went to the dungeon to see Iago before bedtime. He wanted to see how he was doing and to bring him some food that he didn't get to finish at dinner. But when he got down there, he saw that Iago was nowhere to be seen.
He went to go tell the Sultan and Jasmine that Iago was gone. But where could he had disappeared to?
A search was done all over the palace, even Jafar's old lab, but he wasn't there either. Iago was missing. But they weren't hugely concerned. He could have managed to escape and would surely return, sooner or later.