Chapter Four- A New Lifestyle

The dawn after day two came and the two of them were back in her throne room. Aladdin's transformation was complete and yet, Mirage noticed as she removed the collar and placed it in Aladdin's hands, that he didn't seem to mind that he wasn't human anymore. His now green eyes stared lovingly at her and her heart began beat faster. He loved her! The collar had worked! But, was he evil as well? The only way to find out was for her to act as if she were about to send him home.

"Our time together is over. I thank you for staying with me. Now, I will send you back." She raised her hand as if to cast a spell.

"Wait! Don't!"

"What?"

"I said don't. I want to stay."

"For how long?"

"Forever. I…I love you, Mirage. I think Morbia sensed this and it changed me into a cat like you."

"My world is responsible for your change? That's…interesting." She lowered her arm.

"It is. I'm also feeling an urge to do something…evil. I know what I'm feeling is wrong and yet I don't want to fight it."

"Then don't fight it. Embrace it. If you wish to stay then you may. We could rule Morbia together and plan to spread chaos and destruction through your old world"

"Sounds like fun. I would love to rule by your side. I would also like to be your mate."

"It is done. You are mine and I am yours." The two embraced each other as their lips pressed together hungrily. Mirage ran her hand through Aladdin's hair and noted that he had brushed it. It wasn't messy anymore and was longer now that it had been brushed. It now ended at the base of his neck.

The two cats went to the dining room and enjoyed a romantic breakfast together before retiring to the throne room. Mirage had conjured a second golden throne that was perfect for Aladdin to sit in or curl up in depending on his desire. She activated her crystal ball once both were seated and brought up the image of the snow buried village she watched two days ago. There were indeed a few villagers who had dug themselves out and now they were moving through their village, digging holes in the snow with their covered hands. There were only four which meant that everyone else had either been killed in the avalanche or were alive but buried in their homes.

She looked at her right and saw Aladdin staring at the image. She wondered what he was thinking. Did he want to help those villagers? It would certainly be in keeping with his usual personality. Then again, he did state earlier that he was feeling an urge to do evil. He didn't want to give in to it, but he didn't want to fight it either. She had told him to embrace that evil feeling. Would he heed her advice? She looked back to the crystal and tapped her lips with one finger. "What to do?" she murmured just loud enough for Aladdin to hear.

"Did this avalanche happen by itself?" Aladdin asked.

"No. I caused it two days ago before you came here. Four villagers apparently dug themselves out and are attempting to rescue the others. I'm trying to decide how to further hinder their efforts. Perhaps cause the holes they're digging to collapse. A continuous hole collapsing would discourage them and they'll feel helpless to free the others."

"Yes," Aladdin said slowly. "But if they manage to go for help, they could still rescue the others. If they dig a big enough hole for them to climb in, you could create an earthquake that would collapse the hole to the point that no one could get out and they will all die."

Mirage looked at Aladdin in surprise. An evil idea had occurred to him and rather than suppress it, he suggested it and he seemed rather pleased with the idea of death. He was slowly becoming evil and it was a wonderful thing to see.

She smiled. "I see. We give them false hope that their rescue attempts will work and then we crush their hopes and spirits by burying them in the snow again. I like it." Together they watched and waited as the villagers together dug a large, deep hole in the ground and then dropped in one by one to start digging away the snow that still blocked them off from the other people. Mirage waited a little longer before waving her hand at the crystal. The image shook as the earthquake took place and as Aladdin suggested the freshly dug snow slid back into the hole and more snow from the mountain came sliding down and buried the rescuers so deep that they would die if they hadn't already.

Mirage looked back at Aladdin with a cruel smile on her face. Aladdin had a matching smile on his face and she could hear a satisfied purr come from him. "My love, that was a perfect suggestion," she commented. "There is no way anyone will survive. That village is done for now."

"You're welcome. It's feels good knowing I helped doom the village to death."

"Indeed. Let us search for more misery to cause and later I could teach you magic."

"I would love to learn magic."

"And you will learn, but first more misery and destruction."

Where could he be? Jasmine wondered. Her boyfriend had been missing for three days now. Genie and the others had been the last ones to see him and they said he had left the marketplace with Sadira about a friendship gift for her. She approached the sand witch and when asked about Aladdin, had replied, "I haven't seen him for days. I hope he's all right."

"You didn't invite him to your place for his opinion on a gift?" the princess persisted.

"No. You know I'm not interested in Aladdin anymore."

"Yes, of course. Well, if you see him, let me know."

So, Sadira was a dead end. She combed the city from one end to the other as did Genie, Carpet, Iago, Abu, and the guards. No sign of him. Jasmine was worried. What could have happened to him?

I'm not giving up, she vowed. I'll find Aladdin and bring him home safe and sound.

Aladdin watched the crystal with satisfaction as streaks of fire arced across the sky and landed on the roofs of houses in a town. The roofs burst into flames as the streaks that were actually fire cats leaped onto other nearby roofs and set them ablaze as well. The people fled their burning homes, screaming in terror and fear as they did so. Their screams of fear caused the cats to grow larger as they fed off the fear. He could hardly believe that he was enjoying this destruction, but he was immensely. This is so much more fun than trying to rescue them or save their town.

"Hmm," Mirage said. "Our fire cats will be quite large when they return. The fear of that town is a feast for them."

"Doesn't their strength grow as well?" the golden-brown cat asked.

"Yes, it does. That strength shows in, say, setting several roofs ablaze at the same time."

"Impressive."

"It is. So, what other evil can we cause?"

"What about a plague?"

"A plague? Excellent idea. A small village would be the perfect target. Now, what kind of plague? Oh, I know: Locusts. They'll eat their entire food supply and they'll starve."

"I love that idea, my love. Do it."

"Of course." Aladdin watched as Mirage worked her magic on the crystal to find a suitable village and then waved her hand to create a swarm of locusts that descended on the village. The villagers cried out in fear and horror as the bugs swarmed around them, homing in on the food in the fields and in the storage houses. In almost no time, the entire food supply had been eaten or disease-ridden and the locusts had flown off only to de-materialize once out of the village's sight.

Mirage smiled at the sight of a village laid to waste by her bug plague. She laughed in evil delight. "Oh, I can't recall the last time I had this much fun! Aladdin, I have to thank you for this!"

"If that's the case, how about a magic lesson now?"

"Yes, that sounds perfect. Let's head for the lab and we can begin your training."

I want to point out that I didn't forget about Jasmine and her friends. They have a bigger part of the story in later chapters.