Here's our next chapter! Thanks for your review, dream lighting.

"She was the princess!" Al muttered to himself. "I can't believe it. I must've sounded so stupid to her!"

"I don't know about that, but she sure didn't seem to think so." I quipped.

At that moment, another voice joined our conversation. "Aladdin! Lee! Hello!" Abu was at the window. He helped free me from the chains without complaint, but he decided to keep Al hanging a little longer, because he still was about as happy as me that he'd paid so much attention to the princess.

"Hey, she was in trouble." Al protested as Abu picked the locks on the chains. He gave a sigh. "Oh, she was worth it."

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean, 'worth it'? I saw the way you looked at her. You only helped her because she was in trouble – and because you wished at that moment that you could be a prince for her."

Al narrowed his eyes back at me. "I'm allowed to help people. What's so wrong with that, Cleo? I'd do the same if you were in trouble." I could see he was mad. He only used my actual name then.

I sighed. "Me to you, as well. But you know me. And-" I knew why I'd said it. It was because I was jealous again. I cut myself off and said "I'm sorry, Al. That was uncalled for. Can we just drop it?"

Al shrugged. "Whatever. I'll never see her again anyway. I'm a street rat, and there's a law. She has to marry a prince. She deserves a prince."

By this time, we were both free. Al sighed again. "I'm a fool." A fool for love, I corrected in my mind. Maybe I would have said it out loud, but another voice spoke before I could.

"You're only a fool if you give up, boy." An old man hobbled out of the darkness, using a cane. He started telling all of us about a Cave of Wonders, and how it was full of treasure. He even showed us a way out. Basically, what he said, was that he'd share it with us, because he was too old to go in himself.

"So, do we have a deal?" he questioned, holding out a hand. I exchanged glances with Al.

"I don't trust him." I whispered. He gave me this ominous feeling, like things weren't what they seemed. Or maybe it just seemed so far-fetched – a prisoner in the dungeons knowing all this about a cave, and knowing a way out – especially since he showed us a handful of rubies.

Hours later, we stood in front of a cave that looked like a lion's cave. "This had better be true, all about the wonders in here." I muttered. The old man had only demanded a lamp.

"You didn't have to come." Al reminded me crossly. He used the same tone whenever I went into what he called "diva mode".

"Shut up."

"Who disturbs my slumber?" demanded the cave in a throaty growl.

"It is I," Al said, "Aladdin."

"And I," I added, trying to sound bold, "Cleo."

The cave paused. "Proceed. Touch nothing but the lamp."

"Remember, young ones, first, fetch me the lamp," called the man, "And then, you shall have your reward."

And with that, we ventured into the cave.

Abu wanted all the gold and treasure there, of course, but we didn't let him touch a thing. Al and I were pretty dazzled, too, though. After living on the streets, the piles of jewels were amazing.

But then, nothing was more strange than the way Abu started acting. He started tugging at us, pointing to something. In the end, he started jumping on Al and making him face the object.

It was an intricately woven rug, which seemed to have its own will. And it had taken Abu's fez.

"A magic carpet." Al breathed. At that moment, it was peeking out from the treasure. It didn't seem to count as part of the treasure, since the cave hadn't gotten mad at us for interacting with it.

"Come on." Al coaxed it. "Come on out, we're not gonna hurt you."

Abu was still mad at it, and once it gave the fez back, he yelled at it, making the carpet droop and walk off dejectedly.

"Hey, don't go!" I called. "He didn't mean anything."

"Maybe you can help us." Al suggested.

The carpet seemed thrilled, jumping up and flying around each of us. In fact, it showed us where the lamp we were looking for was.

Al went up to get it, while I stayed down. But even so, I couldn't stop Abu's eyes wandering to a giant ruby. Carpet and I tried to hold him, back, but just as Al picked up the lamp and turned, Abu had the ruby in his hands.

The cave spoke again. "You have touched the forbidden treasure! Now you will never again see the light of day!" Abu tried putting the ruby back, but it turned into lava.

I screamed as lava began to flow through the cave. The stairs up to the lamp turned into the rocky slide of dyom, practically. Luckily, before I could get burned, Carpet scooped me up, and positioned itself to catch Al with it. Then we got Abu and had to make a – well – fly for it. Not easy when a wave of lava is chasing you.

Soon, Abu was clinging to both our heads in fear. Al pulled him off. "Abu, this is no time to panic!"

I think we both realized at the same time that we were headed towards a wall. "Start panicking..."

But Carpet seemed to know where it was going. As for the cave...well, it still had a tiny little hole where we could still see that decrepit old man waiting for that lamp we were supposed to get for him. Directly below us, the lava had at last stopped flowing, but the ground below would definitely make for a painful fall.

But before I could get up there, some flying rubble came past, knocking me right off the carpet. I screamed for the long, long way down. I'm not sure what happened after that – I saw Abu and Al hanging by their fingertips near the top. I think Carpet might've caught me, but I blacked out after that.

Yeah, yeah, this wasn't original at all. But I have a totally predictable twist upcoming, so stay tuned and review!