"Everyone, stand back!" Sasha exclaimed. "The Mighty Genie is about to appear!" Heeding her instructions, we stood back, eyeing the altar. Dark blue smoke was erupting from the outstretched, golden paw. Fierce Fox had a muddled expression. My palms were sweaty. The other guys looked slightly nervous. After more dark blue smoke, a genie appeared. He had pale green skin, a dark green beard, pointed ears and a cheeky grin. His clothing was pink and purple. His hat was pink with purple stripes and he was wearing a pink jacket over a purple underlayer. His 'legs' were purple smoke. He was quite small. He was roughly half the size of a regular Poptropican.
"You're the all-powerful genie?" Sasha asked, obviously not impressed. Well, he wasn't the genie from Aladdin. What was she expecting?
"Good things come in small packages, toots!" the genie retorted. "What'll it be?"
Sasha began, "Great and powerful genie, I wish for-"
Brutus stomped his foot, knocking Sasha, Fierce Fox and I to the ground. "Me first!" he declared, storming forward. He headed over to the genie and grabbed the lamp. "I wish for the power to smash anything I touch!"
"Your wish is my command…" the genie told Brutus. He rubbed his glowing palms together and threw purple power onto Brutus. Brutus grinned. Then, because of his power, the floor beneath him began cracking, and the whole place rumbled. It was like an earthquake. The lamp in Brutus' fist began glowing red.
"Uh oh…" said Brutus. Not a very well thought out wish. I wouldn't wish for anything from a genie. They're not trustworthy. And besides, one of my wishes had already come true. Being in Poptropica was a dream come true.
"What have you done?" Sasha asked irritably. "You're breaking the entire cave!"
"You did say smash anything…" the genie retorted. Brutus began freaking out. The lamp exploded, which caused the genie to cheer. "I'm free! I'm finally free!" He took off like a superhero (which he definitely was not).
"We've got to get out of here!" the pirate thief cried. He and the others fled. Sasha disappeared in a puff of smoke. I pushed Fierce Fox out of the way, letting a rock falling from the roof hit me instead. Then all went black.
I awoke on a sandy bench. It was a beautiful night; the moon glowed brightly in the inky-black sky. The oasis - the former home of the Forty Thieves - was gone. Rocks were poking out of the sand and I saw a palm tree. Fierce Fox was next to me as well as an old man. I don't know how to describe her expression. It was confusing.
"What happened?" I asked.
"I thought you were a goner for sure!" the man exclaimed. "That whole cave system collapsed just as your friend and I got you out."
"Where did the thieves go?" I asked. I knew, but I was asking for the sake of the story.
"They scattered like scarabs in the torchlight." the man answered. An interesting simile.
"And the genie?" I asked.
"The whole town's got genie fever!" the man exclaimed, almost nervous. "Maybe the sultan will know what to do."
"Perhaps," I said. I eyed Fierce Fox. Her red hair was slightly messy. "Come on." Up ahead was Brutus. I turned to Fierce Fox. "We have to capture that genie. Things might get intense." I wanted to ask how she was feeling, but right now felt inappropriate. I decided to wait a bit. I approached Brutus. "What are you doing out here?" I asked.
"I'll be safe in the desert," he answered. "Can't break sand, right?"
"He'll come in use later." I quietly told Fierce Fox. "This way." She followed me to the left. We were in the same place as episode one. We passed that brick wall with all the tents and came to the market area. There was purple genie graffiti here and there. Various townsfolk had been affected by the genie. I felt a little bad for them. Right now we had to focus on visiting the sultan.
We reached the sultan. This time, the guards didn't bother us. I explained the whole scenario to him. He laughed.
"Heh, that is like him," he commented. "I must find that genie. You may stay in the palace if you wish, but don't go poking around in here." So, of course, we poked around. Behind the sultan's 'throne' was a button. I pressed it; a golden windshield opened, revealing an entrance.
"This way." I told Fierce Fox. We headed through said entrance, coming to a hidden area. It was a beige tiled area with beige tiled stairs, a photo frame as the exit, mirrored floor, and weird stuff on shelves and tables. There was also some artwork. Fierce Fox followed me right. We passed a bunch of vases, weapons, armour and more. We climbed up a golden staircase, which had artwork of the sultan and a woman watching him with disgust. We entered a room.
It was a purple room with marble pillars and children's drawings on the walls. It was covered in a thin layer of dust and the mirror was cracked. It looked like no one had used the room for a long time. Guess who was there?
Sasha was crying and holding a drawing. She heard us and whipped around, sword out. "Huh?! Who's there?!" She saw us. "You two! How did you get here!? Stay out of my way, unless you want to be part of another fireworks display!" She disappeared in a puff of smoke, dropping the drawing. It was a children's drawing of the sultan and the woman holding hands. Dad and daughter. It honestly made me a little sad - because I know the story. Losing your dad… I can't put it into words. So it didn't become words. It became me. Everything that I was.
"Her diary is locked." Fierce Fox commented, noticing a diary on the dusty bedside table. "Uh… don't mind me asking, but what's going on here?"
"Why are you so nervous?" I asked. "Did I do something?"
"I... asked what's going on here." Fierce Fox repeated quietly.
"It's a long story." I answered, sighing. My fists weakly clenched. "Let's go." We exited the bedroom and climbed up more stairs, reaching the inside of a tower. Past more stairs was a crafting table, then a vertical library full of dusty shelves. I grabbed a few useful pages, like ones with info about how to influence and win wishes from genies. Opposite to the shelves was a large book. I leaped over to it and grabbed it. It was a magic book. Useful in an island such as this.
After that, Fierce Fox and I left the sultan's secret space and returned to that flat, sandy area. I grabbed a geode rock which was full of geode crystals. It's basically like the salt from episode one. I walked over to Brutus and asked him to smash it for us. He did so; we got geode crystals.
"Time for trading." I told Fierce Fox. I frowned at her expression. "Let's go." We returned to that market area. I traded a geode crystal for a burlap sack, then another for sesame oil. I traded the burlap sack for a moonstone. Then I traded the sesame oil for a wishbone. Lots of trading and lots of pulverization, too. It's one of those back-and-forth islands. Not the most exciting thing on Poptropica, so I won't go into too much detail.
Brutus pulverized the moonstone and wishbone for us. Now we had ingredients to make divination dust, which makes invisible spirits visible (well, when I grabbed another burlap sack and some sesame oil to save time). Remember that crafting table back in the sultan's place? Well, that's where we headed. I smashed all of the ingredients together, creating a bomb. Now we could make the invisible visible.
The genie was hiding in a barrel on the top floor of the market place. I threw a bomb at the barrel; the genie popped out, coughing angrily. His grin became one of mockery.
"Can't catch me!" he jeered, disappearing into the sky. He reminded me of the parrot on Skullduggery Island. Suddenly, the camel - she returned to the original owner sometime - raced off. Oh, and she's a girl, apparently. I think she switched genders during the time she was with the thieves.
"Where is she running off to?" Fierce Fox asked.
"You'll see." I replied. "This way." We headed to the sultan's palace. The genie was in front of it, behind a lamp. However, we couldn't reach him. Yet. We walked left, coming across a guard. The camel was licking his helmet. He'd wished for all the ladies to be attracted to him. All the ladies. He should've specified what species. He yelled at the camel to get away from him and ran to the entrance. The camel was standing underneath the lamp.
I jumped onto the camel's hump, then threw a bomb at the lamp. Fierce Fox watched with that strange expression. The genie was revealed; he coughed again.
"This palace is the right place for you two, because you're royal pains!" he grumbled.
"He meant you." Fierce Fox muttered. "Like I'm doing anything."
"You're usually the one doing things," I pointed out. "And, secondly, you're acting weird. Fierce Fox… what's wrong with you?"
"Who cares?" Fierce Fox asked, crossing her arms. "We need to find the genie."
"Alright, then." I said, brow raised. I headed right, returning to the area with the tents holding sand. There was a guy roaming around. He had a large turban on his head; the genie was currently hiding in there. I threw a bomb at the turban; the genie popped out, looking enraged.
"That's it!" he squeaked. "I'm going somewhere you'll never reach me!" He took off like a superhero once again (which, I repeat - he is not).
"Now where did he go this time?" Fierce Fox asked.
"This is a huge waste of time," the turban guy scoffed. "I'm going to get back to work inventing algebra." He dropped a compass he was carrying and stormed off. I picked up the compass and grinned at Fierce Fox. Half-heartedly. Now we were going to do something kind-hearted. With the compass in hand, I climbed to the top of that tower in the market place. The pirate thief was up there, next to the telescope.
"If you use this, you can cross the desert and finally see the world." I told him, handing him the compass.
"You've made my wish come true, and without even a cruel twist!" the pirate thief said joyfully. "Thanks!" I decided not to remind him I dropped a cannonball on his head last episode. "Won't be needing this anymore." He handed us a skeleton key, which is a key that looks like it belongs on Skullduggery Island. After he left, I looked through the telescope. I saw the genie, who was causing mishap.
"There's the genie," Fierce Fox said, peering through the telescope as well. "But how are we supposed to reach him all the way up there?"
"You'll see." I replied. "We'll need a few things." We headed back to the palace. Outside of it is a chest, which is actually the gold-obsessed guy. He let us ransack him. I grabbed a lamp, which we would need. Then Fierce Fox and I headed into that secret place. The first set of stairs (there's a few different areas there) leads into an attic, I think. It's a destroyed attic; the curtains are torn and lying on the ground. Jewelry is all over the place. Pictures are knocked over; so is a chandelier. Moonlight is coming through a decorated window. The red and gold wallpaper is slightly torn.
At the back of the room is a vase. It's holding a large, brown feather. The roc feather. We needed that for another magic spell. After that, we returned to the purple bedroom. It was time to invade some privacy. I unlocked the diary with the skeleton key. I let Fierce Fox read the pages so she understood the story a little more.
"Samhal…?" she asked. "Is that the genie?"
"Yes," I replied. "And you'll see who that girl is, too. This way." We exited that room and returned to the old library tower. I gazed at the crafting table. Then at Fierce Fox. "You want a turn? How about… I tell you what to do… and you can fly. After all, I was the one who flew on Super Power Island. It's your turn."
"Alright." Fierce Fox said, walking over to the crafting table. I handed her the roc feather, sesame oil and moon dust and told her how to make the levitation formula. She obliged and made said potion. She cheered and held it in the air. "I did it!" She dropped it; it landed on the carpet, causing it to become a flying carpet. "Hey, a magic carpet. Now we're in a whole new world."
"A whole new world." I sung in agreement, again referencing Aladdin. The carpet went into Fierce Fox's inventory. "Alright, now we've got everything: a lamp to capture the genie, his true name - Samhal - and it's almost midnight. We can capture that genie."
With that, we headed outside. We returned to that sandy tent place. The genie was in the sky, laughing at us.
"Fly up on that carpet and confront him." I told Fierce Fox. She nodded and hopped aboard. She flew into the sky, circling Samhal. She was a natural, unsurprisingly.
"You'll always be one step behind me!" Samhal mocked, flying away. Fierce Fox followed him. He was on top of the sandy tent place.
"I've got you now Samhal, no more games!" she growled, ready to beat him up.
"That's what you think, first you'll have to catch me!" Samhal cackled, racing off. Fierce Fox lowered the carpet, eyeing me.
"Hop on." she told me. I did so. I almost stumbled and fell over when we started moving. Fierce Fox asked, "Where do we go?"
"The Sultan's secret room," I answered. "There'll be a puzzle in store for us. I'll help you solve it best I can." Fierce Fox nodded. Then we took off. The carpet was going rather fast; chills crawled up my spine. The wind caught my short, blonde hair and grey scarf. Fierce Fox finally looked excited about something. We soon arrived at the palace. We entered the sultan's secret place and confronted Samhal. We were all floating above the mirrored floor.
"There's nowhere to hide now." Fierce Fox growled, eyeing the genie. My knees were bent; I was trying to keep my balance.
"That's what you think!" Samhal mocked, moving right. He stopped in the room full of vases and shelves. Very confusing. He grinned at us, a knowing glint in his eyes. "I've got a few more tricks up my turban! Let's see if you two can find my hiding places."
"Alright," I turned to Fierce Fox. "I'll tell you where he's hiding. It's your job to remember said places and hit them with the bomb." I looked at the mirrored floor. "Chest," I said, eyeing a shaking box. "Small painting. Large, blue vase. Sword. Vase next to suit of armour." Fierce Fox, following my instructions, threw the bombs at said places. The genie was popped out. He looked angry.
"Try to outwit this spell." he growled at us, disappearing. I eyed his movements. He was a little faster and trickier this time; I made one mistake. But we got past round two. A bit more of this later (a few hiccups along the way) and we'd busted him.
"Enough of these games!" he scoffed, flying to the lamp room (the attic). Fierce Fox and I followed him. We climbed off the magic carpet and confronted Samhal in front of the shining moon. I pulled out the lamp, ready to capture him. However, Sasha appeared and knocked me out of the way. She stole the lamp, glaring at the genie.
"No more running!" she declared. "Time to grant me my wish!" Then the sultan showed up, distress in his eyes.
"Wait!" he shouted, but Sasha was already making her wish.
"Samhal," she said. "I wish to have your powers!" The lamp was trapping the smoke that he floated around on.
"Your wish is my command, master." Samhal replied, his eyes clouded. Now Sasha was the genie. Her skin became pale green and she floated on red smoke. She wore red, imposing clothing with a red cloak. Her dark hair was in a short ponytail and she was wearing golden jewelry. Red marks were underneath her left eye. Scary.
"The kingdom is mine!" she boomed, flying around on her cloud of smoke.
"You've got to stop her!" the sultan begged us, tears in his eyes.
"You are welcome to try, I am now an all-powerful genie!" Sasha retorted, cackling.
"Well, I'm the prophesied hero!" I retorted, using my title to my advantage. "And my friends and I will stop you!"
"Ha ha!" Sasha mocked, giving us a dark grin. "Good luck trying!" Her palms glowed with red fire; she smashed the golden window and flew outside, cackling wickedly.
"Whatever it takes, please," the sultan begged, crying hysterically. "You must bring her back." Fierce Fox and I nodded at each other and jumped onto the carpet. We flew into the night, chasing after Sasha. She was hovering in front of the palace, an evil smirk on her face.
"Finally, I have the power to reshape this kingdom." she cackled. Riding on the magic carpet, Fierce Fox and I confronted her.
"Stop!" Fierce Fox yelled. "There's been too much destruction already!"
"I'm only just getting started!" Sasha retorted. She rubbed her palms together. Red smoke appeared above our heads. An anvil fell down from the smoke. Fierce Fox moved the carpet out of the way just in time; we dodged the anvil.
"That was close!" Fierce Fox exclaimed. "She isn't joking around."
"You don't say," I replied. "Let's put a stop to this." The magic carpet flew upwards, passing the Arabic, stone buildings. Gold and art was on the walls. Red smoke appeared, dropping various items our way. Such as elephants, fridges, anvils, cannons, clocks and much more. Fierce Fox was driving, so we barely got hit. We made it to the top; the clear, moonlit sky was behind us. Stars were shimmering. Sasha was there. She was glaring daggers.
"Enough fun and games," she spat. "Hope you like dancing, because I'm about to cut your rug!" With that, the rug was cut. Fierce Fox and I plummeted from the sky. The fear of falling raced through me; my heart was beating like a dream. We landed on the silver platform where the thieves stole things. I landed on Fierce Fox, who had been knocked out.
"I've stolen my share of treasures from this dais," Sasha hissed, appearing nearby us. "And now I'll take your souls!"
"Run…!" Fierce Fox whispered at me. However, the sultan leaped in before anything could happen. He held out the lamp, trapping Sasha by her smoke.
"Scheherazade!" the sultan shouted (that's her real name, very confusing as I said). "Stop!"
"Please, father, let me go!" Sasha begged. Her eyes were red and hypnotized.
"Father?" Fierce Fox asked, her brow raised.
"Scheherazade, what have you done?" the sultan asked Sasha. "All of our treasure is gone! We had everything we ever wanted!"
"Not everything…" Sasha retorted.
"We can get it back!" the sultan cheered, sounding relieved. "Yes, you have the power to get our riches back!"
Then Samhal showed up. "Here he goes again. Maybe you have something that will help him see the light."
"That I do." I replied. I pulled out the drawing from that old purple bedroom. The feeling of sadness attached itself to my heart. I gave it to the sultan.
"What's this?" he asked, observing it. He started crying when he realized. "Oh! I've been so blind!"
"I never wanted the life of a princess," Sasha confessed, crying herself. "I wanted what we had before all this. We lived simply then, but we were happy."
"Scheherazade, I'm sorry," the sultan said, upset. "I've been so foolish. But now I know how to fix everything." He faced us. "Thank you, Fierce Fox and Alice. Before I make my wish would you two like to make one, for all your help?"
"I wish to be the world's best banjo player!" Fierce Fox answered, grinning proudly. Weird wish. But I won't judge.
"A fine choice," the sultan told her. "And what about you, Alice?"
The truth was I didn't know what to wish for. I could've wished my dad never died. But then maybe none of this would have happened. I could've wished my dad was back to life when I got home. But… a nagging feeling told me that wasn't a good idea. It would be wonderful and don't get me wrong, I very much wanted to wish that - but it just didn't feel right. So I wished for the second best thing.
"I wish I didn't have my leg problem anymore." I told the sultan. Pretty obvious.
"I don't see anything wrong with your leg." the sultan told me, observing my leg.
"It's a long story." I replied, biting my lip. The sultan gave me an understanding nod and faced the genie.
"As for me…" he took a deep breath. "My greed made me forget what was truly valuable. I wish that I'd never found the lamp in the first place."
"Your wish is my command…" Sasha told us. She rubbed her palms together and covered us in red smoke. We disappeared in a haze of darkness, then re-appeared in the marketplace. We were standing underneath a pink tent. Boxes and potions were in the background. The sun was high in the sky.
"I had all the treasure that I needed right here," the sultan - or merchant, should I say - sighed. They were both wearing clothes of people who worked at the marketplace. "And I was too blind to see it."
"Thank you for giving us another chance." Sasha added.
"For all your help, take this," the merchant said. He handed us the medallion. "Free of charge!"
I was free. Finally. I hadn't felt this like since before Dad died. My leg was normal. I could run without the constant worry of falling over. My wish had come true. It was honestly strange at first, walking around with a normal leg again. But soon the feeling of joy overcame me. I ran into my mom's arms, giving her a big hug - one she definitely deserved. She cried. Then I cried.
Feelings like those makes it worth living. I couldn't wait to see Marcus' reaction.