A/N: This chapter which was one of the most challenging to write in this story goes out to my writing buddies. It really helped having people to bounce ideas off of and be supported by.

Thank you so much march4fun, ErrantTalisman, and BarrissOffee99!

Chapter 25: Goats and Horses

5 years ago…

Aladdin had been right! Abu had been in the office tent and Aladdin had saved him! The sleeping monkey was now safe in Aladdin's arms. It was time to go home!

But something was off.

The guards had returned to the big animal tent. They weren't even sweaty or out of breath or anything. They must have come back a while ago.

The lock on Abu's cage had been hard to crack. It looked like while Aladdin was working, Babkak and Omar had finished their part of the plan and headed home. That meant that Kassim should be on his way home too, but that wasn't like him.

Why hadn't he tried to fetch Aladdin before leaving?

Aladdin stared at the animal tent, thinking things over. He had been afraid of it before, but that seemed silly now. Aladdin had rescued Abu practically all by himself. He couldn't wait to show off to his brothers. Just seeing Babkak's and Omar's reactions would be satisfying, but as always, Aladdin was most interested in getting Kassim's approval. His favorite brother was probably still in the animal tent, worrying about not finding Aladdin's new monkey. Aladdin could just imagine Kassim's face when he saw Abu in Aladdin's arms.

It was going to be great! Too great for Aladdin to wait around outside. The eager street rat dipped into a nearby alley and made his way back to the spot he and Kassim had been doing their stakeout.

From there, he started to hear some sort of song coming from the tent. It sounded like a lullaby, but Aladdin did not have time to listen to more.

While the guards weren't looking his way, the street rat ducked and ran out of the alley to the side of the tent where there was a newly made knife-hole. This was how Kassim had gotten in, just like they had planned. All Aladdin had to do was peek in and check to see if Kassim was still there.

Aladdin was about to open the tent when the song stopped and he heard someone whisper, "Please."

It was Kassim! Aladdin recognized the accent, but why was Kassim being so quiet? Aladdin couldn't make out any other words from him, just mumbles and hisses.

Then there was a new female voice. It cooed, "Silly-Billy, that wasn't a baa or bleat."

Aladdin expected Kassim to reply with something snappy because the woman was making no sense. Instead, the woman continued, "Now, I'm going to have to start the song all over again."

There once was a lady who lived on a farm

She had lots of children but had no barn

Her fields were empty, no cows, no sheep

This made the lady want to weep

Through all that, Kassim said nothing, not a single word.

Aladdin didn't understand. What was happening in there?

The song kept going on and on about this lady having too many children and no barn animals on her farm. Aladdin's heart was pounding in his stomach and his stomach was in his knees. He told himself he was being silly again. First the girly tent and its smell, now he was getting all bent out of shape by a woman's voice and her weird lullaby.

Babkak and Omar would laugh and make fun of him for this if they knew. Kassim would probably laugh at him too. He just knew it.

Aladdin had been trying so hard to be good enough for his new family. He didn't want them to call him names or start saying he should be more like better people who always seemed to be doing better things. Aladdin couldn't stand the thought of living like that again.

He had saved Abu all by himself, hadn't he? He wasn't scared. He was totally brave enough to check things out and sneaky enough to not get caught.

Wasn't he?

With trembling hands, Aladdin reached out. This was no big deal. Kassim had probably gone quiet because he was busy escaping. Aladdin would just look in real quick. Knowing his favorite brother, Kassim would be free and already running towards Aladdin with a big grin on his face.

That's what Aladdin hoped to see when his sweaty fingers slowly pulled back the tent flap to peer inside.

That's not what he saw.

Tonight, Aladdin was experiencing the nightmare for himself. He had been dragged into a dingy nearby building by Syreeta's giant snake monster and was unable to move, barely able to breathe. With wide watering eyes, Aladdin watched the animal merchant begin her work.

After a long day of unexpected developments, Syreeta's hair was a wreck. She was sweaty. Makeup was running down her cheeks and blood was pooling on her right side. Her countless belts, necklaces, and rings were gone, so the only piece of jewelry she had left was a golden choker around her neck with its two violet gemstones. Yet despite all that, Syreeta still managed to act as she always had. She examined Aladdin with her slimy fingers. Her long nails pinched his skin. "Hmm…yes…" she began, digging inside a small pouch with her free hand. Aladdin already knew what she was looking for:

Five ivory beads.

"There we are!" Syreeta chirped. "It is the drollest thing," she explained, "I was simply positive that I was going to get a new horsie today and lo and behold, here you are. You'll be such a dashing colt, Quick-step. I just know you and I are going to go far together." She tittered. Her whole face twisted with joy.

Aladdin could only cry silently.

Syreeta plucked hairs from off his head and began to sing her lullaby. The purple gems on her choker shined bright and the necklace came to life. It slithered down her arm and coiled around her fingers to caress the horse teeth beads and the street rat's hair. The touch of its gold scales lit both the teeth and hair up like paper lanterns.

Shadows and light danced forming all sorts of beasts both mundane and fantastical as the woman fashioned her newest pet, plucking, braiding, and knotting its hair together.

Under the gold serpent's violet gaze, the first of Syreeta's bracelets came into being with its single bead. When it was completed, the animal merchant sang a new verse:

Come look, come see, my precious boy

I've made the most delightful toy

Your hair for feathers or a glorious mane

Some teeth for a beak or a set of fangs

Your head and limbs, it goes around

Now make me a cute animal sound!

Syreeta finished tying the bracelet around Aladdin's left wrist. She was now smiling down at the street rat expectantly. Aladdin knew she wanted him to neigh like a horse. The crushing pressure around his chest had lightened just enough, so he could.

It was the last thing Aladdin wanted to do, but he also knew from experience that begging would only make things worse.

Kassim had begged.

Omar had begged. And who knows how many other children had done the same before Syreeta had transformed them into animals one limb at a time.

Now, after five years of running, it was Aladdin's turn.