Chapter 2: One Jump Ahead
The rays shined down on the of Agrabah. A young woman around seventeen rushed to the edge of a rooftop, holding a loaf of bread. She came to the edge and stopped, almost dropping it. She has long black messy hair, brown eyes, and brown skin. She wears a red hijab, purple crop top revealing her midriff, baggy cream harem pants with a single patch, and a red sash wrapped around her waist. She is also barefoot.
"Stop thief!" A voice came from behind her. She looked back at the guards chasing her.
"Oh come on, can't we talk about this?" Aaliyah asked, putting her hands up in defense while still holding the loaf of bread.
"I'll have your hands for a trophy, street rat!" Razoul shouted at her, putting out his scimitar.
"I'll take that as a no." She said, turning to look at the drop. She looked at the bread in her hands confused.
"I swear these guys are out to get me. I mean, all this for a loaf of bread?" She wondered to herself. The guards were closing in on her now. So she jumped off and landed on two clotheslines strung between buildings with dry clothes on them. She skied down them, getting pieces of clothes on her as she went. She finally was almost at the end, with a window. But just then a woman screamed, reached out and slammed the shutters closed. Aaliyah slammed into the shutters and fell to the street. Her fall being broken by a giant pile of clothing. She pushed off the top layer and was about to enjoy her bread when yelling came from the rooftop.
"There she is!" One guard shouted. She looked up at them.
"You won't get away so easy!" Another one shouted, Aaliyah raised an eyebrow.
"You think that was easy?" She yelled back at them. The sound of laughter attracted Aaliyah's attention; she turned her head to see a trio of middle-aged women giggling at her. Aaliyah has a pair of pants tuck on top of her head. She grinned at them sheepishly until her attention was then turned to the end of the street.
"You two, over that way, and you follow me! We'll find her!" Razoul commanded. Her eyes widened, she quickly put a long sheet around her in a disguise and scurried over to the women.
"Morning, madams." She said politely with a sweet smile.
"Getting into trouble a little early today, aren't we Aaliyah?" The lady who had her head sticking out of the window mocked, smirking with a little laugh. Aaliyah liked these women; they're practically the only people in all of Agrabah who don't treat her like a street rat. She sees them as motherly figures.
"Trouble? No way. You're only in trouble if you get caught." She said, just then a hand grabbed Aaliyah's vest and yanked her back, it was Razoul. Her disguise then fell off.
"I'm in trouble!" She squeaked.
"And this time, I'll…" A screeching sound interrupted the guard, and then his turban was pulled down over this head. Aaliyah fell back onto her feet and smiled widely when she saw a little monkey, her friend Aba, on top of Razoul. Aba has light brown fur, wears a red/purple fez, red vest, has twin ponytails, and an earring on her right ear. Aba was screeching happily and jumping up and down on the guard's head.
"Perfect timing Aba, as usual." She said. Ada gave a little bow.
"Ah, you're a gentleman." Aaliyah said. "Now come on, let's get outta here." She said rushing past the guard, Aba right behind her.
Aaliyah: Gotta keep one jump ahead of the breadline
One swing ahead of the sword.
I steel anything I can't afford
That's everything
Aaliyah ran into a guard and started to battle him. She dodged a couple of swings then pulled down the guard's pants. Aba blew a raspberry at the guard then dodged an attack. The guard swung at Aaliyah but missed and broke a barrel full of fish. As Aaliyah ran off with Aba, the guard pulled a fish over his lower body to use as a pair of pants.
Aaliyah: One jump ahead of the lawman
That's all and that's no joke
These guys, don't appreciate I'm broke
Aaliyah ran under a wooden deck where another guard came at her. He swung his sword, barely missing her head. It hit the wooden post instead. She and Aba quickly hopped up a pile of barrels; Aaliyah then quickly kicked one down on top of another guard.
"Oh yeah, another point for Aaliyah!" She cheered as she kept on climbing.
Razoul: Riffraff!
Guard #1 and 2: Street rat!
Guard #3: Scoundrel!
All: Take that!
Aaliyah dodge some fruits thrown at them.
Aaliyah: Just a little snack, guys.
Aaliyah scampered to the top of a platform. The guards shook it back and forth trying to knock her off.
Guards: Rip her open, take it back guys!
"Yikes, a little violent aren't' we?" She asked. Aaliyah jumped off the platform to certain death, only to grab Aba's hand like an acrobat. The two flipped and landed on a window ledge.
Aaliyah: I can take a hint, gotta face the facts
You're my only friend Aba!
Harem Girls: Who?
Aaliyah looked up to see they've swung into a brothel. One of the few places Aaliyah stays away from, because the harem girls are rather stuck-up. For some reason, they really don't like Aaliyah.
They came towards her and pulled her up, and started dancing around her and taunting her.
Harem Girls: Oh it's so sad Aaliyah hit the bottom
She's become a one-girl rise in crime
Aba found a plate full of juicy fruits and began to stuff her face with them. Aaliyah tried to find her way out of the room, only for one of the girls to swing her towards a large chubby woman, their madam Bakhtawar. And she's holding a broom.
Bakhtawar: I'd blame the parents except she hasn't got 'em!
The woman took a swing at Aaliyah with her broom, but the thief easily dodged the attack. Realizing the easiest way out was the way she came, Aaliyah backed away.
Aaliyah: Gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat, tell you all about it when I got the time.
As Aaliyah made it to the window, Aba hopped on her shoulder. One of the girls smirked as she pushed them out of it. Luckily Aaliyah and Aba bounced off a window tarp and landed on the ground on their feet.
We then cut to a muscle man flexing to a crowd. The guards rushed past him. Then we go back to Aaliyah and Aba who were hiding behind the muscle man, matching his moves. Until they made a mistake and were discovered.
Aaliyah: One jump ahead of the slowpokes
One skips ahead of my doom
Next time, gonna use a nom de plume
"There they are!" Razoul yelled. Aaliyah and Aba ran off as fast they could.
Aaliyah: One jump ahead of the hitmen
One hit ahead of the flock
I think I'll take a stroll around the block
As they ran, the two practically flew over a herd of sheep. They looked behind them and nearly laughed when they saw the guards trying to get past the herd.
The two jumped over a man who was lying on a bed of nails, but one fat guard fell on top of him. Aaliyah and Aba cringed when they saw it. "That guy is gonna need some serious stomach surgery" Aba whispered to Aaliyah. "No duh," Aaliyah said. "Now let's move!"
Aba then disguise herself with a bunch of jewels, until a shopkeeper discovered her.
Guard: Stop, thief!
Shopkeeper: Vandal!
Aaliyah: Aba!
Aaliyah ran passed a woman who clutched her purse to her chest and screamed.
Woman: Scandal!
The guards had Aaliyah cornered against a door smirking devilishly.
Aaliyah: Let's not be too hasty!
Then the door opened and a large, ugly man came out to hold Aaliyah bridal style.
Man: Still I think she's rather tasty!
Aaliyah scurried away and she put her arm around one of the guards, and acted as if they were all friends.
Aaliyah: Gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat
Otherwise we'd get along!
Guards: WRONG!
"That's what I thought." They all then jumped into a pile and started fighting. When they stopped, they realized Aaliyah and Aba were gone. They were sneaking away in vases. They threw off the vases knowing that they were discovered and ran across a flaming pit, the guards right behind them. The guards hoped up and down screaming as they crossed. Aaliyah and Aba then passed a sword swallower. Aba got a wild idea and went back to pull the sword out of the swallower's mouth, causing him to gag in pain. She then advanced on the guards, who retreated in fear.
"Ah! She's got a sword!" One guard shouted in fear. Razoul steps out.
"You idiots! We'll all got swords!" He said drawing out his sword. Aba gently put down the sword and ran. Aaliyah and Aba were, once again surrounded by the guards, coming from left and right. Aaliyah jumped up and climbed up a rope trick being done on the street. The guards then all crashed into each other.
Aaliyah: One jump ahead of the hoof beats!
Guards: Vandal!
Aaliyah: One hop ahead of the hump!
Guards: Street rat!
Aaliyah: One track ahead of disaster!
Guards: Scoundrel!
Aaliyah: They're quick, but I'm much faster!
Guards: Take that!
The guards chase Aaliyah up a staircase. Aaliyah quickly grabbed a carpet and prepare to jump off a window.
Aaliyah: Here goes, better throw my hand in
Wish me a happy landin'
All I gotta do is jump!
With that, Aaliyah with Aba on her back jumped out the window using the carpet as a parachute. The guards stupidly followed them out the window. Aaliyah and Aba laughed as they saw the guards fall to the ground and into a pile of manure.
Soon the two landed on the ground softly, high-fived each other and laughed. "And now, esteemed effendi, we feast!" Aaliyah broke the bread in two and handed one half to Aba. "Alright!" Aaliyah was about to take a bite when she saw two small children - a boy and a girl - in an alley, digging through trash trying to find something to eat. They are Kahvid and Yani, their mother never came back and believed she had abandoned them. Yani lifted a fish bone from the garbage when she and Kahvid saw the thief looking at her. Yani dropped her find and they tried to hide. Aaliyah looked at them, then the bread, then at Aba. Realizing what Aaliyah was thinking, Aba shook her head frantically and takes a huge bite of bread, showing she wasn't gonna share. Aaliyah rolled her eyes and looked back at the children again, who just stood there starving. Then looked back down at her bread, and sighed. It didn't feel right to eat in front of them while they starve, Aaliyah wondered how long it must've been since they last eaten. She looked back up at the girl, and couldn't help but see herself when she was orphaned. Knowing what she had to do, Aaliyah stood up and walked over towards the children. Yani looked frightened as Aaliyah approached, she held Kahvid protectively as they backed away a bit. Aaliyah bend over slightly so that she was level with Yani.
"Here." Aaliyah said, as she held out the bread to them. "Go on, take it."
Reluctantly at first, Yani took it. After she did, Aaliyah ruffled her head a little and made her laugh. The two happily started eating, with Yani allowing her brother to hold the bread first while she rips a piece. Aba gave Aaliyah a cold expression and she pulled her bread close her as Aaliyah walked away, but then Aba looked down at her bread, began to feel guilty. She swallowed the huge bite she took, sighed and walked over to the children. Even though she looked unhappy about it, Aba held the bread out to them. Delighted, Yani took took the bread and started to pet Aba and gave her a scratch on the back of her head, making Aba chatter playfully. Aba turned her head to the sound of fanfare, and saw Aaliyah walking into the sunlight. Aba followed Aaliyah who went to check it out.
Aaliyah pushed past some villagers and saw a parade of some sort, where a well-dressed woman riding a white fancy-looking horse like she owned the place. Accompanied by a few guards and servants carrying gifts.
"On her way to the palace, I suppose." one female villager said.
"Another suitress for the prince." another female said.
Aaliyah suddenly felt something ran past her legs. She looked down to see Yani chasing after Kahvid, who ran into the middle of the street. She gasped as they run right in front of the parade.
"Out of my way, you filthy brats!" the princess shrieked. "Guards, get rid of them!" The guard on her front right pulls out his whip, ready to strike. Yani embraces Kahvid protectively as they brace for the pain.
"No!" Fortunately, Aaliyah runs in front of the children and grabs the whip before it could hit them. "If I were as rich as you, I could afford some manners!" she berated the princess, before tossing the whip back at the guard.
"Oh-" said the snooty princess, "Guards, teach her some manners!" Her guards grabbed Aaliyah and thrown her into a muddy puddle, with everyone started laughing. The entourage started to walk away and Aaliyah smirked.
"Look at that, Aba. It's not everyday you see a horse with two rear ends!" retorted Aaliyah, earning a laugh from everyone who initially laughed at her.
The horse immediately stopped at that insult and the princess looked back, giving Aaliyah a nasty glare.
"Shall I dispose of this street rat, your highness?" The guard asked.
"Don't bother. Let her be. She's not even worth my time." The princess told the guard. Then glares back at Aaliyah. "Do you hear that? You are a worthless street rat. You were born a street rat, you'll die a street rat, and only your fleas will mourn you."
Angered, Aaliyah got up and charged at the woman, but the gates closed in her face.
"I'm not worthless! And I don't have fleas!" stomped Aaliyah, scratching her head. She realized what she was doing and stopped. "Come on, Aba. Let's go home..."
As Aaliyah walked to her 'home', which is just a cutout wall with some blankets hung around. Aaliyah started to sing,
Riffraff, street rat.
I don't buy that.
If only they'd look closer,
would they see a poor girl? No siree.
They'd find out, there's so much more to me...
Aaliyah tucked in Aba for the night. She sighed and pushed back the blankets and saw the Palace. A place she always wanted to live. "Someday Aba, things are gonna change. We'll be rich, live in a palace, and never have any problems at all..." Aaliyah leaned her head against the wall, and took deep breathes... because she's going to live there one day. She's not a street rat...
Author's Notes:
Aba's design is based on Chica-kamikaze's fanart in deviantART.
I learned that "effendi" is the Turkish word for "lord", "master" and "sir". I couldn't find a feminine equivalent, but some say that word is used for women too.