Chapter 04: Fleeting Questions

"I totally forgot about it, yikes." Aladdin winced as he met up with Jasmine in the Throne Room to discuss Palace business before meeting with the Sultan. "Sorry, Princess. I really didn't think of how quick it was going to creep up on us."

Jasmine was quick to dismiss Aladdin's worry. "No, no! I'm not blaming you at all. You've been through a lot the past few days, Aladdin. I can suggest we try to postpone it."

"Please don't," Aladdin's response was firm. "I don't want you making any excuses for me on this. It's tomorrow, right? So we still have a day."

She nodded. "Tomorrow. Just want to make sure you're okay with it. Personally, not just to keep up appearances. And if you aren't feeling too weird about wearing a head bandage to a banquet social."

Aladdin shrugged. "I can wear my turban instead of a fez. No big deal on that. An aspring Sultan has to have the proper attire at all times." He grinned and wiggled his brows, which made Jasmine laugh.

"I'm really glad you're on your way to feeling better, Aladdin."

"Me too. Just ready to get back in the swing of things and worry less about what Mozenrath's going to do next. Genie's working on getting us more information."

Jasmine frowned. "About the artifact? I really want to know why Mozenrath was after it. Abis Mal and Haroud I'm not that worried about. They were looking for the first thing to steal."

"Coincidentally. If Abu hadn't tried sneaking in, it is true that they probably wouldn't have gotten in as easy as they did."

Jasmine snorted. "I had a long talk with Abu about that. He said he would keep his paws off and I told him I would hold him to it."

Aladdin laughed. "That's my Princess. Sorry I missed that exchange. Sounds like it was a good one."

Jasmine's humor left her like a deflated balloon. "It was...while you were still recovering."

Aladdin felt his stomach knot slightly. "Oh. Right. Still," he opted to change the subject. "For the banquet, I have plenty of stories to tell. They seemed to enjoy it the last time. I think Iago wanted me to embellish his role in one of our last adventures just a little too much, though."

Jasmine smiled again. "Only a little?" she teased.

Aladdin was fully aware of this running joke between them. "Just a teensy bit."

The Sultan came in at that moment, grinning widely. "Oh do not let me stop your chatter, my lovely children. Today is a happy day, but a very busy one with updates."

Aladdin gave his customary bow as the Sultan took to his throne. "All ready to hear it, your Majesty."

"Choosing something to wear for our first dignitary banquet in a while." Aladdin held up the outfit. "Genie keeps telling me I should try something new though. What do you think, Abu? Second opinion needed. I'd ask Jasmine, but she's occupied getting ready for her speech. I'm just there for support."

"Uhhh..." Abu seemed to seriously consider between the outfits with the turban that could match them both. Aladdin was already wearing the turban as to how he'd wear it for the next day. "Ba ba ba."

"Sophisticated it is then. Thanks, that made it really easy." Aladdin removed his turban. "Think I shouldn't have any problems with putting my turban over this bandage tomorrow. I'd rather just not have anyone fussing over me for seeing it. Wish I could take it off, but still not in the best shape yet."

"Oh Aladdin." Abu sounded worried.

"Hey, I'm not self-conscious about it, seriously. But I did agree with Jasmine, if people see it, they're gonna ask questions. And then it'll be a tale. I already started rehearsing in my mind all the adventures I wanna tell for tomorrow. Better to focus on those anyway." Aladdin had started partially undressing to put on the outfit he and Abu decided on. "Hey, you remember that time we accidentally found some of Mirage's growth tonic? Iago mistook it as a new kind of drink, downed the whole thing and grew two sizes too big. Then that hen monster fell head over heels with him and decided not to destroy Agrabah because she realized he lived here?"

Abu cringed. "Yeah."

"But he already had eyes on one bird from a certain rainforest. Hen monster took his rejection well considering. Still left us alone."

"Whew."

Aladdin laughed. "I forgot how bad she scared you. Sorry, Abu. You didn't like her wings because when she spread them, it looked like a thousand different eyes staring into your soul. Come to think of it, Iago didn't like that part either. Nor did Genie."

Abu stuck out his tongue like he'd tasted something foul. "Bah. Yuck."

"Point taken. I'm still telling that story though. You might want to be conveniently out of the room when that happens."

"Uh huh." Abu gave a quick salute and made a motion with his paws like he was fleeing the room in disgust. That also made Aladdin laugh.

"Let's see, I'm trying to think of other ones. Some of them I already told last time." He was lost in thought as he was getting ready to try on his outfit, slipping out of his boots and putting on new ones. Abu hadn't been paying that much attention, but he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye in the mirror as Aladdin was getting dressed. It was a fleeting sight, but the monkey thought he saw someone he didn't recognize in the mirror. It made him do a double take, but then he realized it was just Aladdin's reflection.

What Abu saw in the mirror shifted in the moment, and it made the monkey scream.

It had the effect of scaring Aladdin as well, who at first had to keep his balance from falling over as he finished putting on his boots. The prince stopped and turned as Abu looked at him with horror at first, then confusion.

Aladdin had to steady his own breath before he spoke. "Abu...what was that all about?"

Abu started pointing at the mirror, screeching frantically, then at him. Aladdin looked around and behind him, weary. "I don't think there are any ghosts in the Palace." Aladdin spoke slowly. "And I definitely don't have any open wounds. Though," Aladdin trailed off as he walked closer to the standing mirror. He removed the turban, checked his reflection at the bandage around his head, just under his hairline. "No, no blood. Between Genie and Jasmine tending to it, think it's nowhere near as bad as it was." Aladdin turned to look at the monkey. "But no, no other wounds."

Abu looked both so confused and unsettled, it was hard for Aladdin to really say anything. Or ask the fleeting questions in his mind. Both questions were based on what Abu had just told him was in the mirror. A shadow behind him was one thing. Could've just been the decorative curtain on the other end of the dimly lit room. A little too dim, now that Aladdin noted it. He'd have to relight the flames in the candle lamps.

But what spooked him more was Abu's description of his reflection. Blood running down his face from the wound. And blood covering his chest from a long gash that stretched across. None of that was in his present reflection, by his own eye. And it was the second time Abu had mentioned something that referenced the events of the previous days to his wounds.

Abu seemed to be looking at his own reflection with distrust in the mirror, like he expected something else to suddenly appear. The prince took the moment to approach Abu, kneeling down to meet the monkey.

"Is there something you wanna tell me?" Aladdin asked. His tone was very serious, concerned though. Not upset. He figured that was a start - Aladdin knew something was wrong and it was kind of hard to brush it aside compared to before.

Abu at first was confused, then worried, and then...angry. It didn't take much for Aladdin to know why that was, even before Abu screeched it.

Aladdin held up his hands as he tried to speak between Abu's screeches. "I'm not saying that! I'm not...hold on, listen to me. I don't think you're lying. I'm just trying to figure out what you saw." Aladdin had wanted to ask a dual question - confirming what Abu saw in the mirror, as well as what Abu had witnessed in the valley two days before, filling in the gaps of his memory. He thought there might be some connection there, despite not really wanting to think about it.

But Abu, realizing that Aladdin doubted him, shut down that conversation quickly.

"Nuh-uh. No way. Forget it!" Abu's statement was pretty clear on that. And the way the monkey ran from the room punctuated it.

"Abu!" Aladdin stopped short of exiting the room to follow Abu, knowing it was pointless. "Definitely could have started that conversation better," he muttered. "Maybe I should have tried it when he had more time to cool down from freaking out." He folded his arms across his chest, leaning in the doorway of the room as he looked around the empty palace hall, the monkey long gone. "Maybe I'll try the convo again after the banquet tomorrow. Hopefully don't screw things up next time."

At least that plan was definitive.

For all that it was, the banquet had been a success. Aladdin and Jasmine, were, as the Sultan had intended to be, the center of attention. Jasmine had given a speech thanking people for coming and expressing thanks to all of the collaborations between kingdoms on various projects, Aladdin had several stories of their adventures that "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed the crowd (with the occasional shriek). Genie had kept the special effects to a minimum. Iago mostly kept his claws off the sweets. Carpet and Abu collaborated to give visual tours around the Palace Gardens.

By the time the last guest left the Palace that evening, Aladdin was exhausted, but feeling pretty good. He stretched his arms over his head, looking up at the night sky with the full moon shining over Agrabah. Genie had arrived over to congratulate him.

"That was a smashing good success, my good fellow." Genie said, transforming into an older man with a pristine suit, elaborate mustache, while boasting a pipe that blew soap bubbles instead of smoke.

"It really was. We all did a great job." Aladdin yawned in a way that even Genie found impressive for its sudden onset. "But these things always make me sleepy after."

Genie transformed back into his usual form. "So what's the plan, bedtime next?"

"Not yet. I wanna talk to Abu. Have you seen him?"

"Let's see, last time I checked - him and Iago were arguing about leftovers from the banquet and who was calling dibs on the food. Problem with that is that pretty much all the food got served out, so they're debating slim pickings." Genie pointed over to where Abu and Iago sat near the Palace fountain. "Looks like they haven't moved yet."

Aladdin started walking to the fountain, with Genie at his side. But as Iago and Abu both noticed their approach, Abu's expression went from slightly annoyed with the bird, to pained when he saw Aladdin. Then he gave Aladdin a hard scowl and scampered off quickly in the opposite direction.

Aladdin's stomach felt like it was tied in knots. And it was clear that Genie and Iago knew something was going on. More like going wrong.

Iago didn't hold back. "Man, I felt the burn of that stare from here. I'd bet five gold coins from the Palace Treasury that you screwed something up."

Aladdin sighed. "I'm not paying you for an obvious guess, Iago. You'll have to work a little harder than that."

Iago shrugged his wings. "Least I tried."

Genie frowned, folding his arms across his chest. "You were worried that Abu was avoiding you before, but that right there was 50% awkward and 50% hostile energy on Abu's part. Could swing either way. What happened between you two?"

"It was a conversation we had last night, Genie. Haven't had a chance to say that I was sorry for it. For something I didn't mean to suggest. But I wanted to follow up and ask him questions for what he witnessed after our run in with Mozenrath a few days ago.." Aladdin started to open his mouth to explain, when he felt the blow on the side of his head. Or at least what felt like one as an explosion of pain rocked his senses. It made him sway on his feet.

"Kiddo?" Genie was quick to catch Aladdin before he could lose his balance. But the prince recovered on his own, stiffening slightly as Genie's hands were on his shoulders.

Aladdin could see his own reflection in the waters of the fountain, and the way he'd gone pale hadn't passed either Genie's or Iago's notice. "Sudden headache out of the blue. Funny how this decided to bother me days after the fact."

"Well, it was bound to happen sometime. Probably not made better by doing a lot today," Genie admitted. "Whatever conversation you and the monkey need to have, let it wait until tomorrow."

"Yeah, maybe monkey boy might cool down a bit. He just came off the high of a good deal tonight. He's not gonna let anyone ruin that. Speaking of," Iago frowned. "I need to beat him to the punch on the punch bowl. Wait for me, monkey! You can't have the whole thing!"

Aladdin felt more tired in more ways than one, but he didn't argue with either of them. "Not like I have a choice. I'll wait until he's ready. Whenever that is."

"Why would you do that?" Lati snapped. "You hurt him!" Aladdin was in a much deeper sleep that night, particularly from the sudden headache that had struck the Prince earlier that night. The very obvious work of Komal, who rolled his eyes at his sister's annoyance.

"It was a magic nudge. He was about to note a question that would potentially blow our cover. If the monkey wants to keep his distance from the prince for your mistake earlier, then let the argument stand. It was your fault the monkey freaked out."

Lati knew her brother was right. The cause of Abu's brief viewing of a shadow in the mirror had been her work. When she tried to focus on masking their presence, the compensation had revealed Aladdin's true wounds in the reflection. No wonder Abu was scared. Not just scared from what he saw, but offended that his best human friend hadn't believed something else was going on. At least on the surface.

Lati knew that she ought to be thankful Aladdin's lack of clarity or memory of events hadn't led them to being discovered yet. But her mistake had nearly upended that.

"I think Aladdin's strong enough for us to start our efforts tonight." Komal continued. "I've been able to locate a sorcerer who might help us since he's a wielder of magic that's similar to the curse we were put under."

"Who is this sorcerer, then? Is he powerful?"

Komal nodded. "Very powerful. Very rare master of his craft as well. His name is Mozenrath."

She'd heard the name Mozenrath before. She hadn't been able to focus on the scope of conversations that Aladdin had with his friends for specifics while healing him, but what little context that she had with respect to Aladdin and his friends mentioning him wasn't good. Her silence was all that it took for her brother to realize what her sentiments were on the matter.

Komal groaned. "While the fact that his name has been among those mentioned in the clashes between Aladdin and his friends with those thieves, I think he might be willing to help us get our own bodies restored if we approach him with an offer to get something he wants. Specifically that artifact. I thought we might travel to the Land of the Black Sand and discuss this offering."

"Let's say I don't have a problem with stealing something that belongs to the Agrabah Palace. How would you propose we go about meeting the sorcerer?" Lati snapped. "Aladdin doesn't have magic power."

"But I do. I can use a teleportation spell to get us there while my spirit is dominant in his body."

"If Aladdin wakes up and regains dominance while we're gone, it'll be a long trek back to Agrabah."

Komal snorted, but it wasn't a gesture of humor. More frustration and disgust. "I'm willing to take that risk just to have a talk with the sorcerer. At least try to get our bodies back. I'm the only one who seems to be trying between the two of us. Or would you rather have more incidents like today happen around and to Aladdin? Worse, even?"

Lati wanted to protest that she was trying to help Aladdin's wounds heal as fast as possible, but she realized there was no point she could argue that wouldn't make her sound like she *didn't* want her body back. Or for Aladdin to have his own body back without them occupying it, before something worse happened.

She sighed, hoping she wouldn't regret doing what shouldn't take them long if everything went well. After all, everyone else in the Agrabah Palace was sleeping. "Okay. Let's do it."