Chapter Twelve- Wishes do not Equate Freedom
The air felt good. Freedom tasted even better. Aladdin and Jasmine burst forth from the cave and sucked in gulps of fresh air. The Genie, unbeknownst to the duo, basked in the feeling of fresh air. He hadn't felt the tingle of a brisk breeze in centuries. It was limitless, where he was not. These two behind him, they were something fresh. He had been accustomed to dealing with peddlers and grimy men who wished for women, gold, jewels to make them richer than they could ever be in their lifetimes.
Being a genie was a wonder, even to him, sometimes. He was still mesmerized by his abilities, even though they had been encircling him since the very beginning. Power was not worth his own selfishness. He too was once a soul who longed for more than he had, stumbled upon his own magic lamp and wound up trading his life away. Now he lived to serve the delights of others. The Cave of Wonders was a birthing place of supernatural and unrealistic fantasies. Genie traded his life away for something so enchanting, that he had no choice but to enjoy it.
Perhaps these two would make a difference in this new period of sentence. This man and woman, he saw, were new hope. He just wasn't sure if for Agrabah or himself. Nevertheless, they had fire in their eyes that was so refreshing from the selfishness flickering in the eyes of men past. Genie glanced down at Carpet and tilted his head to gain speed, sending them soaring and experiencing just how wonderful magic could be, the upside of a man's wildest dreams.
Down below he saw an island, a plume of green and tropical colors. He could already feel the warmth that differed from the dead and dry heat Agrabah had to offer and not to mention, the water that lapped against the shore. Savannah's eyes widened in wonder and the Genie couldn't help but smile softly. These kids were so sheltered by the walls they were confined to. As free as they were as poor children, they were restricted, just like him. They had more to relate to than imagined.
The group descended, Carpet hovering above the cool sand below. This, he determined, was the perfect place to unwind. For fun, he transformed himself into an amusing large bosom flight attendant.
"Thank you for flying Magic Carpet. Please watch your step. Thank you. Good bye, good bye," The Genie cheerfully said, fingers femininely waving, cross dressed as Savannah and Aladdin stepped down from their supernatural mode of transportation. There, safe and sound. Away from the depths of the abysmal cave that was certain to seal their fate. Dying was not on their list of things to do today.
Genie transformed back into his initial form, voice booming with triumph. "Well now! How about that, you doubting Mustafas?" He grinned as he crossed his enlarged arms.
Aladdin glanced around the splendor of the island in which they had landed. The lush trees, soft and warm sand between their toes, he could get lost in a place like this. His eyes discovered Savannah relishing in the warmth that wasn't too overbearing. It was perfect, if there ever was a definition for the word.
"I give you credit, Genie. This place is magnificent," he mused as he continued to discover the new pleasantries the island had to offer. "Now, about my three wishes." The idea was very appealing, to have almost anything he could have ever dreamed and earn it without stealing. It was too good. He could almost taste yearn building up in his mouth. Aladdin found himself salivating for his dreams.
Genie blinked as Savannah perked her head. "I'm sorry, three?" He chuckled before smirking. "Three? You are down by one, boy!" He exclaimed and shot an enlarged digit in Aladdin's face which, in turn, matched Genie's chuckle more subtly and moved the finger out of his line of view.
"I never actually wished myself out. You kind of did that on your own, sorry." Aladdin offered a soft, apologetic smile and turned back to Savannah whose eyes widened as Genie transfigured into a sheep. She had yet to get accustomed to the concept of magic. Genie commented on how 'sheepish' he felt, which left Aladdin to roll his eyes. Genie seemed to contemplate in this animal form before marching up to Aladdin with his fluffy tail wagging behind him.
"Alright, I get it, you bad boy. No more freebies from here on in, got it?" Giving Aladdin no time to respond, Genie turned his fluffy behind on the street urchin and returned to his natural form.
"So!" The blue giant grinned at both Aladdin and Savannah. "What'll your first wish be?"
Savannah rose from the sand she had been sitting in, a psalm leaf in her hand as she tapped the green against the palm of her hand. "It should be good," she commented. Genie nodded in response. She thought about what she would wish for if she were the one who had the wishes to utilize. "What about the children of Agrabah? We could wish for an endless stock of food!"
Aladdin turned his head to Savannah. A selfless wish; it was what they had been talking about for months. How to solve Agrabah's problems? How to make the city a better place to live? Savannah was right, those wishes should be used towards every singular problem Agrabah had. He would be a hero! He would win over Jasmine and- But what about Jasmine? She was a princess; she needed to marry into royalty. She would never, or could ever marry and penniless street rat such as him.
And then it hit him. There was such a way he could have both Agrabah's Golden Age and Jasmine. His heart elated with joy. His eyes found Savannah and he paused. But, what about Savannah? Of course he would take care of her as a prince, she would want for nothing. She would see to the children of Agrabah to be taken care of. It would benefit everyone in the long run, and he couldn't have been happier.
While Aladdin contemplated this wish, Genie had a card table set up with Savannah who was donned with a visor and a full house in her hands. With a candy cigar between his lips, Genie set down the flush. "So, kid, what would you wish for if you had three wishes?"
Savannah picked her head up and smiled. "I would wish for peace and prosperity to reign over Agrabah. I would strip the gold from the Sultan's walls and really show that "future Sultana" how to rule a city." She slowly set down her cards. "If only you'd see the children: homeless, wandering, skin and bones, beaten, losing their hands and toes over stolen fruit. It's too much, sometimes. It really churns my stomach to see them that way."
"But, what about you? Wouldn't you wish for anything yourself?" Genie asked, moved by how emotional this young woman was becoming.
"What about me? This is all I know. Anything more would be overwhelming. It would be a wish for me to see justice served for a change. That would be enough."
Genie was right. There was passion in this one's eyes. Her heart was warm, and he could appreciate that. Her friend, on the other hand had dreams in his eyes. Inwardly he chuckled to himself.
"And don't you worry, Savannah. You'll have that," Aladdin chimed in as he approached the card table.
"Do I sense a wish coming on?" Genie inquired, ear and attention perked towards his lamp's owner.
"Well, you see, there's this girl," Aladdin began and Savannah's face fell.
"Jasmine!? This is about her!? How is that helping the people?" Savannah abruptly rose from the table, unable to hold back her sharp exclamation. "You're-"
"Will you listen?" Aladdin gave her a look before Genie attempted to explain to him that he couldn't wish Jasmine to be in love with him. Love couldn't be forced, it had to be natural. "If I could get Jasmine to fall in love with me, I'd make the changes in Agrabah. No one's going to go hungry again."
Taking a moment, appearing lost in the midst of thought, Savannah murmured, "But in order to win Jasmine over, you'd have to become a prince and abide by the law of her father."
"Exactly." Aladdin folded his arms and locked eyes with Sav.
"Al, I don't know. You're deceiving Jasmine."
"I'm gaining her attention," he corrected.
"By lying! Aladdin, do you know how wrong that is? That's almost as bad as the other suitors." Savannah threw her arms up in the air, cards scattering into the sand. "Genie, what would you wish for? I guarantee any other wish is more sensible than lying to someone."
Inside she was fuming. No one deserved to be lied to, no matter how spoiled, how prim and pampered. As much as Savannah distasted Jasmine, if Aladdin wanted this, he would have to play fair. She picked her head up and waited for the Genie to respond. There would be time to pick up on this topic later, perhaps smack some sense into her friend.
Genie picked his head up; weary from listening to their banter. "What would I wish for?" He asked. Memories flooded back of his time before the duo. He recalled how good the air felt, that limitless feeling, weightless; a mind of no binds and no harnesses."Well," a small, almost sad smile played on his lips and uttered one word, "Freedom."
The island suddenly quieted. Savannah's heart sank and Aladdin's face dropped.
"You mean you're a prisoner?" Aladdin asked as he picked up the lamp and glanced at the brass relic. He didn't imagine iron chains and shackles attached to something so beautiful. He imagined the genie now, miserable, tied with invisible binds to a sentence he probably never asked for. How did genie's come about, anyway?
"It's part of the genie gig. You have phenomenal cosmic power, with itty-bitty living space. But freedom," he whispered the word. "Oh, to be free," he mused. "Not to continuously be bombarded with requests all the time. To be my own master, that would be worth everything."
Aladdin's mouth closed as his eyes found Savannah's bearing down on him. He read those eyes. She wanted Aladdin to forget any of the wishes and set the genie free now. But, that would mean giving up what he thought to be his only opportunity with Jasmine. He knew it was selfish, but he couldn't pass that up. He couldn't allow himself to never again see the beautiful eyes of the princess. He couldn't accept missing an opportunity to have her again. If Aladdin played this idea right, everyone could be happy. This could work. No, it had to work.
"I'll do it. I'll set you free." Aladdin simply stated with a causal shrug of his shoulders. Smooth and cool, Al, smooth and cool. Savannah's face lit up and Genie's face overwhelm with shock. "After my first two wishes, I'll use my third to set you free." Savannah's face fell.
Genie lips curled into a slight smile. "Well, here's hoping," Genie murmured and Aladdin shook on it with the wish maker. "Alright kid, you need to make this an official wish! No more freebies! Let's make some magic!" Sparks and cards flew from his cuffs, it was show time, and he could feel it.
"Genie," Aladdin commanded confidently with a plastered grin, heart racing with adrenaline. "I wish for you to make me a prince!"
Savannah sank down as Aladdin uttered those words. She smelled and felt disaster unfurling. Aware of how she sounded, she shook her head and glanced over to Carpet who was entertaining Abu. Lying and deceiving, that's what the people of Agrabah did to people like Aladdin and Savannah. Or was that the key to surviving?