Chapter 12: Second Chance Introductions
Iago paced around on Carpet's surface, notably restless. "How much longer are they gonna take? Whatever conversations they might be havin', they could've had their bodies separated by now!"
"I'm wondering if they're having trouble with Sufyan," Jasmine wondered aloud. "If he's giving them something to do - a riddle or some other task to prove themselves, it might be taking them longer than we think. I just hope that Sufyan can separate their bodies without fuss." Jasmine looked up at the closed magic door to Sufyan's lair. "Believe me, if I could wield magic in the same way that Lati did earlier, I would have opened this door a while back. We'll have to trust, Aladdin, Lati, and Abu to make it through without us. Also to be ready for them whenever they get out of there."
Carpet moved his knobs up and down to show his agreement with Jasmine's words.
Iago plopped down onto Carpet. "Still, I'm ready for bed and none of us have had any sleep yet. Wake me when something happens or if some evil incarnate decides to show up." But almost as soon as the bird was comfortable, Iago heard the distant sounds of screams echoing in the area around them and from beyond the door.
Jasmine stiffened. "I heard screaming coming from beyond the door, but there was something else in the area behind us as well. Screams that probably reacted to the other ones, no doubt."
"I thought we were the only ones here," Iago said, shaking slightly. Carpet seemed equally uneasy.
Jasmine frowned as she looked over her shoulder to her friends. "Maybe we aren't. But if the sound from behind us is anything like the creature Aladdin and I ran into the last time we were in a place like this...it's probably better we stay here for now."
Carpet made a series of motions towards Jasmine that she understood quickly. The princess shook her head. "No, we shouldn't go anywhere. For as long as we can. Not when they need us."
"She's been out a long while. I don't want to move her in case she might be hurt." Lati heard Aladdin's voice beyond the haze of her own thoughts. At first, she thought the procedure hadn't worked. All of that agony for nothing? What had gone wrong for such a powerful being like Sufyan to fumble it? It looked like the powerful being had been careful, using his magic with the same care and precision as one slipping a thread through the eye of a needle.
The extraction had been more drawn out with Sufyan than with Mozenrath's procedure with Komal. Aladdin had endured the pain of it all as much he could tolerate. In the end, he passed out long before she had. Maybe that was where it went wrong. Maybe the two of them had to stay awake in order for it to work. It felt like such a cruel technicality, though.
But when she heard Abu responding to Aladdin, she realized that not only was Aladdin talking about her, but that his voice was coming from beyond her. Not within.
Lati's eyes opened wide, her senses coming into quick focus as she stared up at the ceiling of the room. At first she saw Abu's worried face looking down at her, but then Aladdin, startled by Abu, followed suit. The shock she had from seeing Aladdin separated from her for the first time since her spirit had sought to help him...that was something she wasn't prepared for either.
Aladdin breathed out a shaky breath of relief. "Good, you're awake. You feeling alright?"
At first, Lati couldn't find words; she was discovering a number of things at once. The feeling of being in her own body again. Seeing her fully formed hands - no longer ghostly in appearance. Being able to feel the softness of her clothes, her robe. She sat upright, looked at her legs and feet. How long had it been since this moment? How long had it been since the curse was first placed on her - a frozen moment in time that she couldn't escape? In some ways, being able to take this moment in was a luxury. Komal hadn't had much time to process his own transformation, not while worrying about her.
Komal. Her brother was still in trouble. And at the same time her mind returned to that fact, she realized that her magic was gone. While she knew of Sufyan's warning before the extraction, having it become a reality was more than she could take in the moment.
She burst into tears, sobbing softly.
"Oh no!" Abu said.
"Lati...hey." Aladdin sounded like he wasn't sure what to say, but before she could apologize, he responded, shaking his head. "A lot of this is probably overwhelming. Can't pretend like I understand it, so I won't say that. But take as long as you need to."
"Y-you haven't even asked yet how I lost my body," Lati managed, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"Figured if you wanted to share that, you would when you were ready," Aladdin said. "If you wanted to at all. But however things might've been, judging from your reaction alone, it must've been awful."
Lati nodded. "It was. I'm just so happy to be back. To have my own body again. I should thank you all. Sufyan, you, Abu...everyone."
Sufyan, who had been quiet up to that point, snorted. "It feels nice to be appreciated."
Aladdin's groan was both exhausted and slightly annoyed. "Hey, I thanked you too when I woke up. Since we're both in our bodies now, the only thing we have to do for you is get the artifact and bring it back here." Lati noticed Aladdin stopped himself short. That's right, Sufyan doesn't like questions, at least those directed towards him, she thought. Aladdin was about to ask 'Is that correct?'
"Yes, you are correct," Sufyan said, but his voice sounded about as annoyed as Aladdin's had. "You may return it here, and I shall ask nothing more of you. But my responsibility of your well being ends here. I've done my part; you must do yours. I will not rush you to leave my domain, but I suspect that you wish to leave here. You cannot leave this place the same way you came in, considering your comrade's lack of magic now."
Lati swallowed against the hard lump forming in her throat. She felt oddly vulnerable being without her magic, the comfort removed like a warm blanket snatched away in the midst of a bitter freeze. But Sufyan continued beyond her silence, with words that brought back a little relief.
"I have opened a portal outside of the temple for all of you to leave this area. You may go through it with your comrades. It is close to the place we last met, your highness. Not your kingdom, but one you've frequented."
Aladdin's brows rose in acknowledgement. "Getzistan."
"It was the closest I could get considering how much power I used extracting the two of you. Again, I cannot tell you what you should do beyond this point, but that is an option I shall provide. Now, I shall retreat to my quarters to rest and recuperate my magic. The door to my quarters will open when you approach it to leave. I should hope that you can find your way out without too much trouble. As long as you don't dawdle. The beings in this particular temple protecting it are only so lenient up to a point."
"Sufyan," Aladdin began, but his words stopped short. Lati saw that Aladdin was facing away from her, probably facing the direction Sufyan's voice had been coming from. But to her alarm, she wasn't able to see Sufyan. Not like she had before. Probably because her magic was missing. Aladdin didn't seem fazed. "I think he's gone," Aladdin confirmed when he turned back to Lati. "Can't see or sense him anymore, not like I could when we were in the same body."
"That's to be expected," Lati said, sighing. "I cannot see or sense him now either."
Aladdin's eyes widened with surprise. He hadn't realized as she had. Nor had Abu, who looked about as sad as Lati felt. The prince didn't say anything, but the look of sympathy he gave her told her enough. When the silence between all three of them became too much to bear, Aladdin was the one who stood, offering her a hand as he spoke.
"We should probably get going, since it looks like we were out of it a while. But only if you're ready."
Lati took his hand, allowing him to help her to her feet. "I am and I agree. We should hurry back to the others; give them an update on everything that happened."
Abu took the moment to scurry up Aladdin's arm to perch on his shoulder. But as Abu turned to look at her, the monkey seemed to really see her now - long dark hair, robes, bright brown eyes. "Wow."
"Abu." Aladdin gave the monkey a stern side-eye. "Don't do that. It's not polite to stare."
When Abu screeched a few words that Lati couldn't pick up on, Aladdin looked a little sheepish.
"Wait, what did he say?" Lati asked.
"Uhhh," Aladdin rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "Being honest about it, Abu just said that he thought you were pretty. It's his first time seeing you in person. I mean, it's my first time meeting you too, and...well..." The prince didn't seem to know how to follow that remark, falling into awkward silence.
"Ah! I am so sorry!" Lati clapped a hand over her mouth, realizing something important.
"Sorry?" Whatever response Aladdin thought Lati would have, it didn't seem like he expected the apology. "Why would you feel the need to apologize? He's the one who started it."
As Aladdin pointed to the monkey, Abu looked indignant, frowning.
Lati shook her head. "I just realized that neither of you were really introduced to me. Your monkey nor you."
Aladdin's expression sobered then. "Likewise. Didn't really consider that. But," the corner of his lip turned up a little. "Never too late to start. It'll be a second chance for us to get acquainted. Better circumstances being what they are."
Lati couldn't help but grin back, greeting the prince and the monkey with a courteous bow. "Of course, your highness. My name is Latishika. My brother and most who know me call me Lati for short. I am primarily a student of healing magic, though I can practice other basic spells that I've memorized over time. It's...been a while since I've been able to use my magic in proper form. I hope that my abilities are able to return to me soon, so that I may be of assistance to you."
"You don't have to be so formal, though I appreciate it. It's nice to meet you, Lati. I'm Aladdin, Prince of Agrabah. Some, mostly my friends, call me Al. But really I'm only a prince and aspiring Sultan because I married a princess. I was once a street rat living in Agrabah. Met Jasmine, Genie and...well, the rest is a pretty long story."
Abu took the moment to screech and use his paws to ruffle Aladdin's hair, much to the prince's chagrin. But while Lati hadn't understood why the monkey suddenly did that, Aladdin seemed well aware. "Hey, hey! I was going to introduce you formally if you gave me a chance! Seriously, though." Aladdin groaned, before turning back to Lati. "This is my best friend, Abu. We've been together a long time on the streets of Agrabah, before I even stepped foot in the Palace. He likes bananas."
"Uh huh!" Abu said, just before his stomach growled, which made both Aladdin and Lati laugh.
"It is very nice to meet you both," Lati said honestly. "I'm looking forward to formally meeting the others too. Perhaps there may be a chance once we leave this place to tell you all of my story. Though," she trailed off a moment, her expression pained. "My brother and your Genie are still in trouble."
Aladdin started to speak, but was cut short when they all heard screams from outside of Sufyan's lair. And one of them definitely sounded like Iago, from what Lati could tell.
Lati's eyes widened. "What could have happened?"
"Nothing good from the sound of it," Aladdin said, his expression serious. "Let's see what's going on outside."