~Chapter 33~

Noella

My eyes fluttered open as I stared weakly up at the ceiling. My head was pounding and I groaned heavily. I glanced around rubbing the back of my head sitting up slowly.

"Hey, you're awake!" Aladdin said.

"What happened?" I asked groggily.

"Faheem betrayed me." Aladdin said glumly, "Why didn't I suspect him?"

"Give yourself some credit. People are unpredictable and you have a good heart always looking to find the best in people. I wish there were more people like you in the world."

"Thanks Noella." He nodded.

Abu hopped over to me patting my leg.

"I think Abu was worried about you." Aladdin smiled.

"Thanks little guy. I promise I'm alright." I nodded reassuringly.

"So…" I muttered looking around at the dark cave, "Is this still the same cave? I mean last I knew, I was falling into fire."

Aladdin extended his hand to help me up on my feet as we glanced around curiously.

"All I know is that carpet saved us, but yeah it seems we're trapped." Aladdin muttered.

The carpet was floating above us waving with his golden tassels.

Immediately I felt a pit in my stomach. Trapped...again!

"There has got to be a way out!" I pressed, "We just have to look hard."

I walked over to the nearest wall and began pulling at the cracks trying to find any opening or weakness. Abu hopped over helping me and carpet tried brushing away the dirt off the wall to reveal more cracks.

"Noella, don't waste your energy." Aladdin commented.

"I'm getting us out of here." I pressed determinedly.

I continued working on the wall and Aladdin joined knowing I wasn't going to slow down.

"This is my fault. I'm sorry Noella." He said glumly.

"Don't blame yourself. This isn't your doing." I reasoned.

"No, it is. I was desperate for a reward that could change my life. Give Abu and I a different kind of life with the money Faheem promised, but I was stupid for thinking that."

"There is nothing wrong with dreaming of a better life for yourself. However, the grass isn't always greener." I replied.

"Well, in any case, Faheem got what he wanted with the lamp and I did all the hard, life threatening work with nothing to show for it." He shrugged.

Abu began screeching excitedly pulling at Aladdin's pant leg. We all stopped curious as to what had Abu all riled up. The monkey smiled a wide grin and pulled out the lamp. Where he was hiding that thing, I don't think I'd want to know. Aladdin took the lamp patting Abu on the head.

"Hah, you little sneak." Aladdin smiled.

"It looks worthless. What could Faheem possibly want with that?" I questioned.

"Hmm, there's something on here, but I can't quite read it."

Aladdin began wiping the lamp to get the dirt off and the lamp began to glow and suddenly a blue stream of smoke came out of the all looked on in awe as the smoke began to grow and fill the room. A loud yell was immediately heard as a large, blue man with a swirly beard emerged from the smoke.

"Oy, ten thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck." The man said.

The blue man began stretching this way and that and all of us just stood there in silence, but most especially, curiosity. The man had a single pierced ear with a gold hoop earring with thick gold bracelets around his wrists. Quite the fashion statement for a random blue man trapped in a lamp.

"Hey rug man!" The Genie said giving the carpet a high five, "It's been a couple of millenia, huh?

The Genie then paused then poofed up a lounge chair for Aladdin.

"Well master, I must say it feels good to be out of there! C'mon tell me your name."

"It's Aladdin." He replied.

"And how about your lady friend here?" The man winked at me.

"I'm Noella." I said, "And Aladdin and I are friends." I nodded making the relationship distinction clear.

"Ah okay, you crazy kids." The man mocked, "I'm the Genie of the lamp and it's a pleasure to meet you."

"A genie?" I echoed.

"Yes, cosmic powers and itty-bitty living space stuck in that lamp." The genie replied.

"That's awful." Aladdin commented.

"It's not a life I would have chosen, but I meet some interesting people along the way. So Aladdin, or can I call you Al? As my new master, you get three wishes, so make them count." The genie nodded.

Wow, if I had rubbed that lamp I could have wished my mom here right now and wish us home, but of course that would be too easy.

"So what will it be master?" The genie pressed eagerly.

Aladdin glanced at me and I just shrugged.

"Are you telling me I can wish for anything?" He asked.

"Well, almost." Genie replied, "Let's review the rules."

Immediately, the Genie poofed up a chalkboard and put Aladdin and I in desks as if we were in school.

"In review, you get three wishes and no wishing for more. So rule one." The Genie said poofing up a pointer stick tapping it on the board, "I can't kill anybody...so don't ask."

"That's a good rule." I nodded.

"Thieves and bandits all over the desert would abuse that rule." Aladdin added.

"Rule two." Genie continued clacking on the board, "I can't meddle with affairs of the heart, so making someone fall in love is not allowed. That is Cupid territory for Valentine's Day. I haven't met him, but I've heard he's nice."

"Valentine's Day?" Aladdin asked curiously.

"Don't ask." I told him.

"And lastly," Genie paused clicking the board a final time. Genie quickly poofed away the board and desks and turned green and slimy. Clearly imitating a zombie. "I can't bring anyone back from the dead. It's not pretty...I don't like doing it."

Then Genie poofed back into himself...the big, blue teddy bear that I could tell that he was.

"Other than that, your wish is my command." Genie told Aladdin.

"Wow, now I know I'm dreaming…" Aladdin said putting a hand to his head. With a childish grin, Genie quickly pinched Aladdin.

"Ow." Aladdin complained rubbing his arm.

"If you need another let me know. This is for real, kid." The Genie smiled.

"You know Genie, I have to say I'm a bit surprised?" He replied.

"Why? What? It's because I'm blue isn't it?" Genie teased.

"Well, it just is surprising that a genie with cosmic level powers is required to have rules. It's a little ridiculous if you ask me."

I glanced at Aladdin surprised by his being rude, but then I realized exactly what he was doing, so I bit my lip and stayed out of it.

"Excuse me." Genie said dumbfounded as his jaw literally dropped to the floor.

"C'mon Noella." Aladdin said taking me by the arm, "We can find our own way out of here."

Genie immediately poofed in front of us crossing his arms looking very upset.

"Okay, you rubbed my lamp and woke me up so everyone just calm down."

Genie poofed us all atop of carpet quickly. I was getting a head rush from all this magic appear and reappear stuff.

"Exits found all around us and I please ask you keep your limbs inside the vehicle at all times." The Genie said grabbing onto the front of carpet as if to steer, "We're out of here!"

The carpet took off like a jet plane bursting through the cave and Genie landed us down in the middle of a quaint little oasis probably a mile from where we came up out of the ground.

"All passengers please don't forget your belongings as we make our pit stop." The Genie said as the carpet came to a stop. We hopped off carpet and got some water from the oasis water.

"So my capabilities are ridiculous? I hope you take that back now." Genie scoffed.

"You definitely proved your worth." Aladdin smirked winking at me subtly, "So how about those three wishes?"

"Excuse moi?" Genie replied, "Three? You are down by one kid."

"No…" Aladdin insisted, "I never wished us out of the cave, you did that all on your own."

Genie stood there shocked that he fell for the scheme.

"Well, I feel sheepish." Genie said transforming into the animal, "Okay, point for you, but no more freebies."

"Fair enough." Aladdin agreed.

As Aladdin pondered his thoughts, I sat down beside Genie and he looked at me curiously.

"What would you wish for?" I asked.

"Me?" Genie asked taken aback by the question, "Nobody has ever asked me that."

"Well…" I pressed, "I'm curious. It makes sense that you've had plenty of time to ponder."

"Freedom." Genie said.

"You're a prisoner?" Aladdin asked.

"Of course, bound to the lamp for eternity passed along from person to person. Granting their wishes no matter what as long as they abound by the rules and then I wait until I have another master and the cycle repeats over and over."

"That sounds awful." I muttered.

"Is there a way to get your freedom?" Aladdin asked.

"My master has to wish it." Genie replied.

"Well, I can do that." Aladdin said quickly without missing a beat.

Genie looked at him mockingly.

"Oh yeah...sure." He replied.

"No, I'm completely serious." Aladdin pressed, "I'll make my first two wishes and use my third to set you free."

"You mean it?" Genie asked lightening up.

"It's a promise." Aladdin said extending his hand.

"Okay, fingers crossed." Genie said shaking Aladdin's hand.

"So Aladdin, what is your first wish?" I asked getting everyone back on track, "I'm honestly curious."

"Well, I did meet this girl in Agrabah…" Aladdin's voice trailed off as if going into a daydream.

"Hey, what did I say about rule two?" Genie complained.

"I know, but we just hit it off. She was so…"

"Pretty?" Genie interrupted.

"Beautiful." Aladdin corrected, "I mean her eyes and that smile...we met in the marketplace and I haven't been able to get her out of my mind."

"Well, sounds like sparks are already flying." I commented with a wink.

"Good thing." Genie agreed leaning on my shoulder, "Cause I can't meddle."

"It doesn't matter anyway...she's the princess and the laws of royalty are clear. I'm no royal, so I'm no contender."

"Any woman would be lucky to have you by their side." I nodded.

"Preach girlfriend." Genie added.

"If I could become a prince that would be something…" Aladdin said.

"That's not meddling, kid." Genie replied with a wink, "Come now make it official."

"Wait," Aladdin said glancing at me, "What about you, Noella?"

"This is your wish." I said grabbing his shoulder, "No need to worry about me."

"Nonsense Noella, I'll give you royal treatment as well. You will go under the title of the Al's sister. It's a two for one kind of day." Genie winked.

"Okay Genie," Aladdin said excitedly, "I wish for you to make me a prince and Noella a princess."

"Alright lady and gent," Genie said beginning to spew magic from his fingers, "Stand back because two stars are about to be born."

AN: This chapter was so fun to write. I was trying to pull from ad libs that the late and great Robin Williams did for the Genie. I hope I portrayed the Genie well for you guys. I had so much fun dialoging for him! Anyways, stay tuned for another chapter before the weekend, but until next time... Stay cool. :D