Chapter 6: I'm a Real...Prince

"And that's the story, Jas. I think Al probably went after Mirage knowing something about her plan that we don't," Genie explained as he sat in the throne room with The Sultan, Abu, Iago, and Carpet.

Jasmine folded her arms across her chest. "Whatever it is, I think Aladdin might be walking into a trap. How fast can we get to Getzistan?"

Genie used his magic to shift into a timepiece. "By my time, probably just before nightfall. We'll have to call off the festivities in Agrabah until we get all of this sorted out."

Iago flinched. "As much as I said I wanted to go to Getzistan, this is NOT what I had in mind."

Genie, Jasmine, Iago and Abu all boarded Carpet and sped off into the night.

The Sultan sighed as he watched them from over the Agrabah. "Oh, I do hope all becomes well. The sooner, the better."

Aladdin stood in the place where the female puppet would've been if the sword had struck her. His chest heaved and sweat dotted his brow. He'd caught the blade between his palms just as it came down. All of the puppets watching stood in stunned silence, including Darbin.

Darbin stared particularly at Aladdin's hands. Aladdin felt the sting in his palms, but he thought for the sharpness of the blade, it would've injured him more, perhaps enough to be serious. The skin of his hand was somehow tougher than it would've normally been, on account of his being a puppet.

But it didn't mean he was incapable of being injured, as Aladdin saw a few drops of blood from his hands spatter the table top at their feet.

"It is as he said, he really IS a human!" One of the puppets cried out of the tiny spectators.

Darbin pulled back his blade, stunned. "I-I didn't know..."

Aladdin winced, the cuts on his palms stinging. He spoke through his teeth. "I was trying to tell you before you attacked me. I don't know how it happened, but Mirage put me under a spell. Now I'm stuck here, doing a favor for her that I don't even know the first thing about."

The pleasantly plump female puppet whom Aladdin defended stood, placing her hands on Aladdin's shoulders. "You're fortunate that he didn't run you through with his sword! Darbin's that impulsive sometimes, but he really means no harm. I'm Fara. You're lucky I'm a nurse. Let's see if we can get those hands of yours bandaged up."

Fara guided Aladdin to sit on a medium sized thimble, where she treated his hands and wrapped them in gauze. Darbin started to say something, but Fara shooed him away as she worked. Fitz wasn't too far from where Aladdin sat.

"Thank you," Aladdin said to Fara, before getting a better look at his surroundings. "But if I can ask - who are you guys?"

"We're a migrating entertainment group. From what Mirage told us, this is Getzistan," Fara said with a sigh.

Aladdin blinked, his eyes widening. "Mirage brought me all the way to Getzistan, for what? A puppet show? Why would she do that?"

He'd intended the question for himself, but Fara answered him. "This isn't just an ordinary show, my Prince. We entertain some of the most powerful demons across the seven deserts. Their laughter and entertainment keeps their magic at bay. Their happiness keeps whole cities from being destroyed."

Fitz nodded with enthusiasm. "Yes, we have a very important task on our paws...er...hands." He frowned to himself before turning to face Aladdin. "Getzistan's said to be especially vulnerable because of all the attention it draws. Something about the gambling dens."

Aladdin snorted, his huff making the hair above his brow flare up. "I'll bet. With all the dens here, those demons probably think they'll have more opportunities to make mischief. If Iago were here he'd probably fit right in." At the mention, the Prince winced. "No...it can't be."

Fitz looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Mirage planned all of this. It's not a coincidence. Agrabah's first art's festival, and she plans to hold a puppet show in Getzistan around the same time?" Aladdin snapped. "I can't believe it."

"Oh, you had better believe it. Because unlike your silly little arts festival, Aladdin, mine has actual stakes. Probably a little more relevant to you than you might think."

All the puppets gasped as they heard Mirage saunter in the room. Aladdin felt ill at ease, taking to his feet from the thimble as he saw her approach. Her normal sized figure seemed huge to him, as it did to the rest of the puppets and toys, who gasped and found places to hide where they could. The only ones remaining in Mirage's plain sight were Aladdin, Fara, and Darbin.

Aladdin didn't care how Mirage looked in height, he marched up near the end of the table to face her head on.

Fitz winced, hiding behind a tall box that belonged to a hidden (but shaking) Jack-in-the box. "Kid, I don't think you stand a chance against her...though I think it's a little too late to hide now."

Mirage eyed Aladdin with amusement, a grin sliding across her lips as she purred.

"What did you do, Mirage?" Aladdin demanded.

Mirage shrugged. "To you? What, the height factor didn't clue you in?"

"You know what I mean. I don't know what you're hoping to gain by turning me into a puppet, but you're not getting away with it!"

She snorted. "You already cut your strings somehow. Clever. We can't have you running around too far. I've grown too attached to you in this form."

Aladdin turned around just in time to see several strings lurching toward him like knives. He dodged several, flipping and ducking where Mirage's magic tried to trap him.

But then the strings corned Aladdin and dug into his back, arms and legs, stinging like needle pricks. He yelped as Mirage used the wooden handles to lift him up in mid-air, dangling him by his strings.

"Purr-fect. Now that I have your attention, I'm going to set some ground rules about the favor you're doing. And you'd best listen for your own good."

She carried Aladdin past several turns in the large tent they were in. Aladdin caught glimpses of the outside and recognized well where he was.

She pulled back a curtain to reveal a setting of several impatient demons who were being served drinks, food, and staring towards a large stage. "You see that stage? That's where you will be performing tonight. I'm sure the company you've kept so far have told you what will happen if you disappoint this crowd."

Aladdin swallowed against the lump in his throat, but he clenched his fists at his sides. "So you're telling me I have to perform for them and keep them happy?"

"In order to save Getzistan and its surrounding kingdoms, including Agrabah? Sure. It's a three act play, three sections of performances. You could probably do that - I know how cunning you are. But I've added a little extra weight to the stakes. Just to make it more amusing."

Aladdin didn't like the mirth in her tone. She continued when he didn't say anything.

"Your puppet posse probably doesn't know this, but your puppet spell is attached to how much the crowd's entertained."

"Meaning?"

She smiled down at him as her eyes flashed. "The more they're entertained, the faster you lose your humanity, Aladdin. By the end of the night, you'll be nothing more than a shell of what you are now. And believe me, the experience of your insides turning to wood isn't exactly pleasant."

Aladdin felt sick at the thought.

"So you have a little interesting dilemma," Mirage said, smiling. "Save your kingdoms or save yourself? I personally like the odds of that."

"You won't get away with this! I'll find a way out of your stupid curse."

Mirage yawned as she carried Aladdin back to the other puppets. "Oh, you can certainly try, street rat. But with only such a short time before nightfall to practice, I think the sands of your hourglass are limited. Make them count. You won't get a second chance."

She threw the wooden puppet handles to the surface of the table, causing Aladdin to yank with the strings and hit the table hard. His head spun as he recovered.

"I know the rest of you are hiding from me, but I hope you hear this!" Mirage sneered at the other puppets. As Aladdin recovered, he saw Fitz, who still trembled behind the Jack in the Box. "You had better spend what little time you have left training your new friend in what you need to do for this play. If he fails, you all do. And you know what that means."

Mirage laughed, before strutting out of the room, throwing the privacy curtain down behind her.