So, sorry this is taking so long! Anyway, I'll part 2 up soon.
Mudder's Day part 1
The sun bore down upon us, heat radiating off the golden sands. The light from the sands reflected into our eyes and I had to squint to see anything, if I wanted to see anything other than the inside of my eyelids. Why were we out in the middle of the scorching heat and blinding sunlight? Al. He had volunteered to expand and chart new places for the Sultan and this newest place just happened to be in the middle of the expanding sands. In our search party was, Rasoul and the three guards that usually follow him, Jaz, Al, Carpet, Genie, Iago, Abu and me. I wasn't about to tell Al incase Rasoul heard me, but I really think he had gotten us lost. Al led the way in front of us all and then it was Jasmine and I side by side on our camels, then Rasoul, Hakim and the other one that never told us his name and lastly came Fazal.
I was currently pretending to sleep, since I didn't feel like going blind looking around the sands, and suddenly felt Carpet go by. I opened my eyes and looked over to see him fanning Jasmine. She smiled at him and pushed her hair back a little. "Thank you, Carpet. I feel like a piece of toast." I grinned at her and she smiled back as she patted Abu who was lying out in front of her, exhaustion clear on his face.
"Mmm, oh yes, me too!" Came a familiar voice from behind us and I didn't have to turn to see who spoke. "With lots of date jam!" I sniggered quietly at Fazal.
"Oh, how can you think of food when we're baking like this?" Jaz asked her eyes rolling upwards. Rasoul snorted and I turned to look at him.
"Princess, when Fazal is not thinking of food it will be time to bury him." He answered and I gave a laugh looking to see Fazal folding his arms irritably. Jasmine stifled a giggle and just turned back around with a small sigh. She was just as bored as I was and tired of being in the heat. Al had sent Iago ahead about a half hour ago and he still hadn't come back yet. I went back to fake sleeping and soon felt a small breeze on me. I grinned and opened an eye.
"Thanks, Carpet, but I think Jaz needs you more than me." I said and he gave me a pat before flying back to Jasmine. I sat up now and urging my camel to move a bit faster, went up to talk to Al. He looked over at me when I got near him and he gave me a small grin, but I could tell that something was wrong and I had a suspicion as to what.
"Al?" I began slowly and he inclined his head at me.
"Yeah?"
"Are we lost?"
"What?" he asked and in surprise, his eyes widening before he started to backtrack. "No, no, no. Not at all." He finished giving me a cheesy smile causing me to arch an eyebrow at him in disbelief and he sighed in defeat. "Maybe a little."
"Oh, gee that's just swell." I grumbled and he glared at me.
"Shut up, I'm trying!" he hissed and I let out a sigh.
"I know, sorry. It's just the heat." I groaned and he smiled sympathetically at me then.
"Yes, I know." He sighed a bit too and ruffled my hair.
"Why don't you ask Genie where we are?" I prompted and he grinned wider.
"Good idea." he got out the lamp and as he rubbed it, he talked, speaking lowly so only I and Genie could hear. "Genie, where are we? We should have reached the oasis hours ago." Genie popped up dressed as an old man and I could barely contain my laughter when he spit out of the corner of his mouth. He was the size of my hand since he was trying to hide from being seen by the guards and was floating about the camel's head.
"By crikey, I reckon we're in the tail end of the middle of nowhere." He spat again this time near me and I frowned at him playfully. He winked at me before whipping his hat off and slapping some dust on it. "What idiot trail boss is leading this outfit?" Al sighed.
"Me." He stated solemnly. "The Sultan puts me in charge of a trading caravan and I get us all hopelessly lost." He slumped and Genie popped back to normal, but he was still small.
"Oh, come on, Al! It's not that bad! Just look at the bright side!" He said turning into a light bulb.
"What bright side?" I asked and he scratched his head.
"Well, there's…" He attempted to come up with something but he found that he couldn't. "-er, okay maybe it is that bad." He then came over to me and patted my head. "How are ya holding up, little trailblazer?"
"Okay, I guess. I'm just tired of being in the heat." I said and he ruffled my hair. He suddenly started tsking and I looked at him as he eyed me. "What?"
"You're getting a sunburn." He said and he pointed at my arms and my face. Al looked too and gave a nod.
"He's right, Rick. You're turning pink." He gave me a teasing grin and I glared at him.
"Here, hold still." Genie said and I turned in time to see him holding something white and pasty in his hands. Dipping a finger in it he held it up to my face and I leaned away.
"What is that?" I asked eyeing it warily and Genie continued to try and put whatever it was on me.
"It's sunscreen. Now hold still." I ducked again and Genie growled. "Come. On. Just. Hold. Still." I ducked and swerved to get away from the paste. Al laughed loudly and I turned to glare at him. Unfortunately, Genie got the opportunity he was waiting for and without further ado was I was then layered with the paste. Al laughed loudly and I groaned at my now cloud white arms.
"How long am I going to look like this?" I asked him and Genie rolled his eyes.
"You've got to rub it in, short man." He said and I started rubbing at the white paste, hoping it would disappear. Genie chuckled at me as I continually attacked my arms and soon enough it did go away.
"See?" Genie teased and then with a smirk he then slapped something onto my head. It was a hat. "There maybe you won't fry now."
While I was still looking up at the hat on my head, Genie took my face in his hands and beamed at me. "Now my short man won't get over-heated." He said in a babying voice and I laughed batting his hands away. Suddenly we heard something shouted and looked about.
"Water! Water!" Looking up, I almost missed Iago barreling into my chest and luckily Genie kept me from being knocked off the camel from the impact. "Water!" Iago called again and I sighed down at him.
"We don't have any." I said sadly.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, Iago. We're all thirsty." Aladdin murmured in agreement and Iago scowled then.
"No! I mean I found water!" He hollered and we smiled happily. I could hear the guards behind me all murmuring 'water' and even Abu perked up at the prospect of the cooling liquid.
"Did you say water?" Jaz asked, not believing her ears. Iago smirked at her and after winking at me, he flew up to sit on her camel.
"Read my beak! Water. An oasis of the stuff! Limpid pools, fountains as big as a palace, water!" We all got excited then and I heard Al clear his throat. Uh-oh here it comes.
"Oh, heh heh, of course, the oasis!" I slapped a hand to my face. Leave it to Al to make things sound his way; although I had to kind of go with him on this one. He wanted to show that he could lead us somewhere and of course, Iago didn't know that. I saw him puff up his feathers in anger and I knew instantly that he was about to explode.
"Whadya mean you?" He snapped bitterly. "Can you believe this guy?" he asked me, but before I could answer he started yelling at Al again. "I found the w-" Genie lassoed Iago's beak shut. Iago threw me a disgruntled look, obvious asking me why he was being muzzled.
"We have to let Al take credit for it, Iago." I whispered to him and he glared harder. "Al just wants to prove that he can be a leader. So can you please just let him have this one?" I begged him and he rolled his eyes. I took that as a 'yes' and Genie let go of him.
"You owe me one though." He hissed at Al and Al rolled his eyes at him.
"For your sake, street rat," Rasoul hissed menacingly and we all looked back at him to see that he was running a thumb over the blade of his sword. He looked at us with distrust and strong dislike and I fought the urge to stick my tongue out. "-you had better be right." Al laughed nervously and gave me a small grin. I rolled my eyes and turned back around in my seat.
"By the way," Iago started and I looked at him. "What is on your head?" I just laughed at his puzzled look.
Soon we came to where Iago saw the oasis and were all amazed at what we saw. It was beautiful. Just as Iago had said it was filled with lots of waterfalls, pools and it even had some animals. It really was a welcoming sight from being so hot for so long. All of the pools were a deep inviting blue and the small waterfalls casted small rainbows above the water.
"I don't believe it." Al murmured and I shook my head.
"I don't either." Iago smirked at me and I looked down at him. His expression clearly stated 'I-told-ya-so.'
"Okay, okay, good job." I whispered and he beamed, though I think he was actually pleased to have been able to do something like this. Something that even though someone else was taking credit for, it still counted as a good deed to me. Iago and I were trying to work on his 'niceness' level so far he only seemed to tolerate me and sometimes Al. I mean we pick and fight each other, but it was usually just teasing. When he and Abu went at it, it was personal.
"It's beautiful." Jasmine spoke up and we nodded at what she said. Suddenly Abu let out a screech and went flying off where he had been sitting on the top of Jasmine's camel's head. The next thing we knew he was hugging a large pile of bananas.
"It's magnificent!" Rasoul stated and Al and I shared a smug grin.
"It is wonderful!" Fazal exclaimed and I imagined that he either saw the bananas too or was actually looking at the water.
"It is a mirage." Hakim said in his usually monotone voice, yet he had a smile on his face.
"Well, it does look to good to be true." Al said and Iago got mad.
"Oh great, a poster child for positive thinking." I wasn't sure what he meant but I was sure that it was implied to Al.
"Al, Iago wouldn't lead us anywhere dangerous." I said lowly at him, making sure that no one else could hear. Al sighed.
"I know that. but let's check it out anyway." He urged his camel down the small hill and down into the oasis. I followed him and Jaz down the hill.
Everything checked out. Nothing dangerous was about and it wasn't an illusion, so we were free to relax. I had drank from the water and cooled my face off but hadn't actually gotten into the water. But the guards were already getting cooled off in the water. The one guard that I had no clue what his name was, was letting the camels drink and Rasoul was sitting by the water dangling his feet in, Fazal was lying on his back in the water, spitting water up from his mouth like a fountain.
"Is this not wonderful Hakim?" Fazal asked as I passed and I looked over to see Hakim sitting under a small trickle of water that just dripped onto his head.
"I have never been so happy." He said and I sniggered quietly as I passed. I found Al eyeing the map that was stretched on the ground. Al still didn't trust this place apparently. I sat down to the side of him and Al didn't look up and I wondered where Genie had gone.
"So where are we?" Al asked and I looked to see if he was talking to me.
"I believe I can say without fear of contradiction," I saw Genie then and grinned. He was on the map sitting in the middle of a large puddle of water. "-That I haven't the foggiest." He said and instantly his head was surrounded by dark grey clouds. Smirking, I poked Genie's shoulder and he looked around his head still in the cloud.
"I say, did someone just poke me? Hello? Is anyone there?" I laughed and Genie made the smoke go away. "Aha! It twas you!" Shaking my head, I pointed at Al and Genie splashed him with water.
"Hey!" Al sputtered and I laughed again. Al frowned at me irritably, but I just beamed back.
"Aladdin!" Jasmine called and she came over to us looking very excited. "I found the most gorgeous pool!" Aladdin sighed irritably.
"But I've got to figure out where we-" Jaz grabbed his arm and tugged him to his feet.
"Oh, there's time for that later, come on!" Jasmine spotted me then and I edged away. "Come on, Alaric! you'll love it!"
"I-I uh, don't-" I tried to protest too, but Al got his revenge for getting water in his face as he grabbed my arm and tugged me along as Jasmine pulled him. She took us up the path and there we stood near the side of the pool and I had to admit she found a very beautiful one.
"Wow." Al said taking everything in. it was a large and deep pool and on one side of the pool was a wall of waterfalls and there was even a little archway that someone could swim under. Dozens of flamingos crowded around one small area, but it was larger than any of the other pools I had seen today.
"Let's go for a swim." Jaz said tugging at Al.
"But why isn't it on the map? You'd think a place like this would be famous! We shouldn't go leaping in." He said and Jasmine glared at him.
"Come on, Alaric. You'll come swim won't you?"
"Err, well…" I hesitated looking at Al who was now glaring at me, daring me to defy him and secretly I wasn't thrilled about getting into the deep water. Laughing caught our attention and Genie ran by carrying an umbrella and Abu was right behind him.
"Last one in is a monkey's uncle!" Abu scowled at Genie's words and stopped running to glare at him, making me laugh.
"Sorry." Genie apologized over his shoulder as he set up the umbrella and Abu just scowled further. Once Genie set the umbrella in the ground out popped more things. There was a large red blanket, a chair, a ball, and lots of things that I just didn't recognize. Taking Abu by the hand, Genie took off running with him and they both splashed into the water. For a moment we stood there wondering where they had gone too and then we saw them.
Genie burst from the water as a dark blue dolphin and Abu was clinging to the fin that stuck up from his back. They dove back into the water soon after and came back up quickly. I laughed as Abu stood on dolphin Genie's head and spit water out like a fountain. Jasmine giggled from beside me and Al rolled his eyes at them.
"Bravo!" She cheered clapping her hands and Al scoffed.
"Showoffs." He said and I frowned at him. It was one thing to be worried about oasis not being on the map, but even Jasmine wasn't worried! He should just relax! I looked over in time to see Carpet fly up really high and then start down towards the water in a dive. He skimmed the top of the water and sped towards Genie making waves the entire time. Genie who was on his back moving around with Abu on his chest suddenly looked up to see Carpet speeding towards him. I laughed as he suddenly realized what Carpet was doing and turning into boat he grabbed Abu.
"Dive, dive!" He hollered and they went under the water. Carpet went over them and zoomed by us spraying us with water. I sputtered and laughed as Jasmine giggled both of us shaking water out of our face. Al scowled as he wiped the droplets of water off his face and I sighed internally. He wasn't giving up this 'danger' alert. Jasmine grinned and took hold of his arm.
"Come with me, Aladdin. It looks like fun!" She tugged on his arm.
"No, no, no." He protested quickly, but she was pulling him with all her might. "I still have to figure out where we are!" His protest died soon after as Jasmine tugged him towards the water. Carpet came up and tugged on me and I shook my head.
"No, um, that's okay. You go ahead." He shrugged and went back to splash Al was now waist deep in the water. Al shooed him away soon after and Carpet came out from the water then and shook like a dog splashing me with water again. I laughed as he went in circles before lying down on the sand and while I was looking at a shadow appeared over my head and I looked up to see Genie standing next to me.
"Whew! That water feels great! Don't you want to get in?"
"Er…well…" He sensed my hesitation and smiled.
"It's alright. I'll be right here." He motioned for me to follow him and slowly I started towards the water.
"Is it safe?" I asked and Genie gave me sideways glance.
"Of course it is." He smirked then. "And Rasoul is waaay over there." he pointed over the trees and I scowled.
"Hardy har." I stated and he grinned at me. I walked through the water then and stopped when it got to my waist.
"See? How hard was that?" Genie teased and then moved further out in the water. He was now floating off the ground where the sand water had gotten deeper and there was now no more sand under his feet.
"Here, short man, short man." He called wiggling his fingers at me to come closer. I took a step back.
"No, I'm good." I stated and found a place to sit on the sand, while still in the water. "See?" I grinned at him and he narrowed his eyes at me.
"Is that as far as you're going?" He asked and I nodded. He got a sly look then and I shook my head.
"Oh, no." I started backing away as he got closer and before I could get away completely he popped up from the water and smirked at me.
"What are you-" Suddenly he spit water into my face. Sputtering I gaped at him. "Hey, what was that for?" He grinned at me and I scowled. I splashed water in his face for retaliation and then a war started. Splashing about we got deeper in the water and Genie showed me how to stay near the top of the water.
I found that I could float which was an immense relief to me and so could now swim somewhat. Swimming freely now, I snuck up an unsuspecting Al and Jaz. I splashed Al with water and he turned around.
"I'm supposed to be the leader!" he protested when Jaz got him in the back. I laughed and bobbled in the water.
"Well, even leaders can have fun." Jasmine retorted splashing him again and Al sputtered.
"Hey!" Laughing he started splashing back and we had a fun water fight. When I was sure that Al was thoroughly soaked, I wandered away to float nearby. After a while I noticed something wrong with the water and sat up trying to find why I was moving around more than usual.
"Um, Al?" I said as I was drifting by him, being moved fairly quick by the water.
"I know….Uh, out of the water!" He cried out and I scowled at him as I tried to paddle back.
"I can't! The water is moving to-" Water gushing into my mouth from the strong current made my sentence end in sputters and I started to cough. Al came over and tried to help me keep my head above water, but the rushing water, now going in dizzying circles, was too fast and too strong for my lack in swimming lessons to help much. Abu saw us going around and immediately leapt to his feet from atop Genie's back where he had been using the jinni as a float.
"Ah, a little lower!" Genie called out, thinking Abu was helping his back. "And to the right!"
"Genie!" I called in a slight sputter and finally Genie popped an eye open at my cry and he saw what was going on thanks to Abu, who had grabbed his head and turned him in our direction. Surprise flashed across his face then.
"Genie, fly us out of here! Giant bird!" Al shouted at him, trying to give him ideas.
"You betcha little, buddy!" Genie called back and…he turned into an ostrich, plopping down into the water. A large bird…that can't fly! I would've groaned, but the water was making it hard to stay in one place and the more we went in the dizzying circle, the more I was starting to sink lower in the water. Al tried to take hold of me, but he missed and I was drifting further from him.
Iago was drying himself off on a towel when he spotted us. "Ahh!" I heard him scream before I went under the water again.
When I came back up rather sluggishly, I saw that Iago and Carpet attempted to help get Jaz out of the water, but it was no use and Iago was pulled into the water as Carpet got away.
"Aladdin!" I shouted and then we were sucked into the cyclone. Down and down we were going until we were dumped into a river of water. I was farther behind than the group in front of me and was constantly jerked under water slowing me down. I vowed then and there that if I made it out I would learn to swim really well. We soon floated quickly to a fast going slide of water and were spiraling further underground.
With a scream we all were pitched off the end of the water slide and landed buried under squishy muddy sand. I uncovered myself and spit out the squishy mess. Beside me Iago and Abu popped up and Iago shook like a dog to rid himself of the sand. Abu and I shielded ourselves to keep from getting muddier.
"Oh, I am so glad I took a shower first." Iago snapped and in retaliation Abu chunked sand at him. It hit Iago square in the face and I snickered as Abu went wild with laugher.
"Hey!" Iago snarled and he threw some back smacking Abu. I laughed again and Abu scowled. A war started soon after and I had to duck to avoid getting smacked.
"Where are we?" I heard Jasmine ask and I looked over to see her and Al stuck same as me in the mud and both were eyeing the ceiling. The fighting stopped and Iago stomped over to Al. uh-oh.
"Great leader!" He said sarcastically. "Was that trap obvious enough for you?" He asked and Al glared at him. "Or would you want them to put a sign up next time?"
"What! Me? You were the one who found this place!" Al exclaimed and Iago pouted. Abu jumped up onto his shoulder to help scowl at Iago.
"Come on, Iago. Even you were fooled."
"Was not!"
"Who was taking a shower then?" he stuck his tongue out at me and I rolled my eyes.
"You know whoever made you boss of this caravan had his turban wrapped much too tight." Uh-oh. Jasmine shot out and grabbed him with amazing speed.
"My father put Aladdin in charge." She snapped at him and he winced. "You remember my father? The Sultan?" She continued sweetly and I snickered as Iago grinned cheesily.
"Oh, the Sultan! Great guy! Throws a great execution." He said weakly with much nervous laughter. "How's his lumbago doing?" I sighed. Iago tried to be nice, but I knew sometimes he pushed it too far with his sarcasm.
"Up you go, shortie." I looked up to see Genie out of ostrich costume holding a hand out. I took it and he pulled me like I weighed nothing and set me on my feet.
"Let's go get Al." I said and we were all soon free of the mud.
We walked along, the mud squishing under our feet and I actually liked being in the cool place. I ran ahead a little sliding in the mud and Jasmine giggled.
"What is this place, Genie?" I heard Al ask as I slid by him. Genie popped up in a graduation hat.
"The mud motif is common among the primitive elemental spirits dwelling deep within the bowels of the earth. These spirits known as the Al Muddi are very fond of humans." Since they were friendly, I decided to leave the conversation. I went farther back this time, going for a longer path. Before I could take off however, something made a noise behind me.
"Huh?" I looked over my shoulder and gaped as two tall muddy creatures rose from the ground. One was holding a pitchfork. "Um, hi?" I prompted and both of the creatures snarled at me.
Sorry to leave it a cliffhanger, but you know how it goes. Anyway. Before you ask, Alaric's biggest fear is not the water. he can learn like he did, since Genie distracted him and he learned it can be fun. His biggest fear is snakes and that will come into play later on.
Please review!