Chapter Five- Plan Revealed

Aladdin felt quite warm as he awoke the following morning. He sat bolt upright, however, when Jasmine screamed. His eyes opened and darted over in her direction to see that she had gotten bigger but her legs and arms had become legs and her hands and feet were paws. A small patch of brown feathers were around the base of her throat.

"Oh, Jasmine," he said, a clicking sound heard after it. "What?" he asked in confusion and that click was heard again. Something yellow in front of his eyes made him cross his eyes and focus on it: His nose and mouth had formed an eagle's beak!

Jasmine was alarmed over her changes. She still had her human head, but her body was that of a lion. All that's left to gain are the eagle features. I have the eyes and I can feel some of the feathers growing. But, I still don't have my wings. That'll probably come last. She focused on Aladdin who was running a clawed hand over his new beak; in addition to that, his fur had appeared and he was bigger like she was. He'll definitely have to carry me.

Aladdin felt the smooth beak under his fingers. His changes were so random, part-wise. First it was eagle, then lion, and now both. He now had a fur coat like Jasmine and both were the size of adult griffins but Jasmin had all the lion parts plus eagle eyes and some feathers. She looks more like a griffin than me. But, of course, this isn't a competition and we're supposed to be human and we will be very soon. Still, this beak is kind of cool.

Genie followed behind the group as they headed to the next leg of their journey. His friends were more griffin than human at this point. Jasmine, with four paws, had to walk on all fours. Aladdin still walked on two legs and was a mix of lion and eagle while Jasmine was mostly lion. Both were the size of adult griffins which made them huge. Good thing we're close to the tree, they need to be cured.

The bridge was still there and looking as unstable as before. Jasmine looked over the edge and then the distance the bridge spanned. She looked over at Aladdin. "Well, you said you'd carry me."

He nodded. "Let me just see how to manage it." He flapped his wings to hover before flying above Jasmine. He lowered himself down to seize her around the middle. He flapped his wings and they were soon slowly making their way across.

They were about halfway there when Jasmine felt her nose and mouth itch and stretch out into a golden-brown beak and her neck and head itched. My head is becoming an eagle head. She felt Aladdin's hold slip and she snapped, "Hey!" Her beak clicked as she spoke.

"Sorry. My hands are trembling. I think they're about to change."

Jasmine panicked. If Aladdin's hands became paws, he wouldn't be able to hold her and she would fall! "Aladdin, hang on! We're, we're almost there!"

"I'm trying but I can't hold back the change." He saw the edge and swung Jasmine toward it just before his arms, legs, hands, and feet became legs and paws.

Jasmine flew toward the edge, her paws spread wide to expose her claws. They snagged the edge and her back legs scrabbled against the rock wall. She felt her claws losing their grip and a pain in her shoulder blades. She craned her neck to see a pair of brown and white wings on her back. She desperately flapped them and she rose into the air before moving forward and landing on solid ground. It's done, she thought. I'm fully a griffin.

"Jasmine, I'm so sorry," said Aladdin, landing as a full griffin as well. His feathers were white like his wings and his eyes were gold. "I was afraid of dropping you and hoped I could throw you to safety."

"It's all right," she said. "I understand and I got my wings." She tilted her head at them.

"They're lovely," he said.

"And made the wait worth it."

"Al! Jas! Come on, the Tree awaits!" Genie called. Aladdin and Jasmine exchanged looks and their tails swished excitedly as they ran after their friend.

Mozenrath smiled happily as he viewed Aladdin and Jasmine's final forms. They make magnificent griffins. The time for me to appear is approaching. Once they eat the fruit and don't change back, I will appear and explain why it failed. I will also reveal my control over them. They will not believe me but once I issue a command and they obey, then they'll believe me and accept that they will now belong to me.

Aladdin and Jasmine gazed reverently at the tree and the fruit that hung from the branches. Genie went up to it, plucked two, and went over to the couple. "Open up," he said before tossing a fruit into each mouth. Jasmine's teeth, a lion trait, cut and shredded the fruit before swallowing it. She waited to feel the fruit's warm feeling as it changed her back to human. When it didn't happen, she was confused. It was the right tree, the right fruit, and it tasted the same as it did before, so why didn't it work?

"It's not working," Aladdin said, confused and worried. "Why haven't we changed back?"

There was a brief silence before a voice called out, "I can answer that." The group looked in its direction as a rift opened in the air and Mozenrath came through it to hover in mid-air, a book under one arm.

"Mozenrath," Aladdin growled. "I thought so. This is another lame scheme of yours."

"A scheme, yes but far from lame. I'm sure you figured out that it was the bread that caused your change. That bread is called Griffinbread and it changes any human who eats it into a griffin permanently. Furthermore, if the baker personally hands it over, that person will obey him as will anyone he or she shares the bread with."

"That's a lie," Jasmine snapped.

"Not really. It's all right here." Mozenrath opened the book, levitated it to the group, and turned it around so that they could see that he was telling the truth.

"So," he said as the book closed and returned to him. "You and Jasmine belong to me now and once you obey me without question, you will help me conquer the Seven Deserts as well as be my pets."

"We will never obey you or help you rule or be your pets," Jasmine said and Aladdin nodded.

"Really? Allow me to change your minds. Aladdin, bow to me." He pointed at the male griffin and then the ground before him.

Aladdin managed a snort. Did Mozenrath really expect him to obey him just like that? I'm too strong-willed to listen to an enemy and I will not be his slave or pet.

"Aladdin, I said bow," Mozenrath pointed forcefully at the ground again.

Aladdin glowered for a moment before it faded and he sank into a bow. "Master," he murmured.

"Better," he said. "It's clear that I will have to train you long and hard to achieve the results I want."

"Aladdin, no! Don't listen to him!" Jasmine exclaimed.

"Believe me, I don't want to, but my body's making me."

"That's the magic of Griffinbread," Mozenrath said. "I made it and sold it to you; as a result, I now control you and your girlfriend since you shared it with her."

"No…leave her be," Aladdin said, sounding as if he was fighting Mozenrath's control and trying to rise to all four paws.

"Forget it." He snapped his fingers. "Jasmine, come to me."

Jasmine was about to tell him no when her body moved on its own and stood before Mozenrath who smirked before looking at Genie, Abu, and Carpet. "I suggest that you don't try to rescue them. They are mine now." He waved his hand, and he and his new pets vanished from the scene.