Story
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In the royal stalls one camel seemed to stand out from the rest... in that it was very ugly and very pink.
The camel had spit at the boy working the stall and he had run off, shouting. Laughing an evil chuckle, the pink camel transformed into a pink rat and scuttled off.Aladdin had just returned from his long flight over the scorching desert. He had delivered a bunch of riches to the poor that Abis Mal had stolen. He touched down outside the entrance to the palace, stepping off of Carpet, Abu at his side and walked up the steps, that burned his calloused feet. He was beginning to miss the snow now that he had experienced quite cool weather. Normally he seemed not to feel the hot stone, but today was one of the hottest days they'd had all year. Carpet leaned against the palace wall, fanning himself with a tassle, and Abu dove under a bush for the shade.
Mim found a crack in the wall and had found her way into a vast inner hall. She sat up, purple ears perking forward as she looked around. There were lush mosaics on the floors and rich fabric draping from the ceiling.
"Oh batgizzards..."
How quickly she had gotten completely lost!!
Skuttling across the hall, she turned into a humming bird and flew swiftly down the hall, trying different ones at random.Aladdin pushed the heavy doors open, none of the guards offering to do so for him and he walked through. He figured a trip down to the dungeons would help cool him off, but just as he turned down the hall to where the staircase down was, he collided with something small. Head turning in all directions, he finally spoted the hummingbird. Aladdin rubbed the spot on his forehead where the two had hit.
The pink bird shook its head to clear it, grumbled, and darted off down the hall again, muttering. Jasmine had been watching for Carpet from her room. When she'd seen them coming, she'd left to meet them.
Coming down the hall now, she spotted Aladdin and smiled. "Aladdin--" She hesitated at the look on his face. "Is something wrong?" "Huh?" he said stupidly, half-hearing Jasmine as his eyes followed the hummingbird down the hall. When he looked back at her, it was if he was seeing her for the first time.
"Jas!" he beamed. "What? No. Nothing's wrong. In fact everything's going well. I caught Abis Mal and gave the treasure he stole to the people." His chest puffed up slightly at this, as he was seemingly quite proud of himself for this act. Though, it was no different than any of the others he had done before. Above everyone else in the palace, he knew what it was to be poor and he was grateful to be of service to them.
She listened to him, looking him over to make sure he'd come back to her in one piece.
"Abis Mal? What was his plan this time?"
They always seemed to work in theory, but never when he actually tried to follow thorugh. "General greed," he said with a shrug. "He seemed more panicked than usual when I arrived and his men were furious. I think their confidence in Abis Mal as their leader is waning fast. He's getting sloppier too. Abu noticed a ruby in the sand and a sapphire further along when were going after him. He jumped right off of Carpet! I thought he'd broken something." Aladdin shook his head. "Crazy little guy. Anyway, Abis Mal left a trail of very expensive breadcrumbs."
He took Jasmine's hands in his. "How are you?"
Jasmine looked past him when he mentioned Abu, wondering where he was if not on Aladdin's shoulder.
When he took her hands she smiled, feeling a familiar little flutter in her stomach despite herself.
"Father and I returned this morning. The caravan was a success."
Diplomatic duties had called her away... regretably. She would have much rather gone on an adventure with him. But, she was still a princess. Abu had left the disappointing shade of the bush to the fountain in the back, where he clambered up on to the edge and flopped in.
"I'm glad," he told her, trying to look as interested as he possibly could at the topic of politics. "Abu really missed you," he teased, a memory having just formed in his head about a time when Abu was used to represent Aladdin's feelings.
It had been no picnic at the palace when the Sultan was away. The guards were ruthless in their attempts to make Aladdin feel unwelcome when the eyes of authority were no longer upon them. However, with Aladdin's cunning and the aid of Genie, he managed to do just fine.
"Oh he did?" She laughed, shaking her head. Rising up on her toes, she kissed his cheek. "Come with me. I want to show you something."Perched in one of the hanging tapestries, Mim looked down at them and made a face of disgust.Curiousity bubbled up within him and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks when she kissed him.
"Okay," he said sounding somewhat in a daze, slipping her hands from his and bringing one up to touch the spot that she had pecked.
Smiling, she kept her hold on his other hand and held it, leading him down the hall. She was more than satisfied with his reation.Aladdin squeezed her fingers and trailed behind her. He had a distinctive feeling that he was being watched, but when he looked over his shoulder there was nothing there. He decided to chalk it up to the heat.
Jasmine fell in step beside him, still holding his hand. She brought him to the Treasury (ooc- I feel like that's the wrong word for it) and looked between the two guards who were standing before the door with very large swords.
They eyed Aladdin doubtfully, and Jasmine saw it. She cleared her throat and they grudgingly opened the doors for them. Jasmine strode through with her head high. Madame Mim, still in hummingbird form, gave a delighted grin when she saw where they were heading. How perfect! She zipped off after them, changing into a spider. Crawling across the ceiling, she scuttled into the huge room full of treasure. Aladdin grinned at one of the guards and followed the princess.
"Wow!" he breathed. "The Royal Treasury... Jas, what-?" he asked her, still confused as to why he was brought here.
"We brought it back with us."
She walked with him past the piles of gold and jewels as if they were nothing, bringing him to a marble table with a number of obviously special items on it.
"It was a gift from the foreign queen to father." Jasmine rolled her eyes, letting go of his hand to pull a large chest toward her. He moved forward to help her, but she seemed to be just fine on her own. Aladdin was glad Abu wasn't around. He'd have such a field day in here.
She opened the chest, revealing an old book. Its cover was inlaid with gold and jewels. Reaching in, she opened to the first page. The script was strange and unlike anything one would see around the kingdom.
"The Book of One Thousand and One Nights."
She turned, looking up at him. "Scheherazade," he breathed. Like many of the children, he grew up hearing tales the virgin woman had spun to prevent her death from a King.
"Jasmine this is incredible!!" He reached out to touch the book, but then drew his hand back. It seemed to sacred a thing to touch.
"Isnt it wonderful?" Her almond shaped eyes brightened at his excitement. "Father is going to bring in scholars from all of the seven deserts to study it. Its so old, it may be one of the very first copies."Mim blinked her eight spider-eyes at them. Not only were they disgusting together, but they were getting all worked up over a stupid book! If she wasnt here on a mission, she'd turn them both into turtles, or snails-- or seven notes of music!*
With a sigh she crawled along, looking at all the treasure. Where was it?!"This Queen must have been impressed with your Father for her to give you guys this!"
"Yes." She laughed softly. "Much to his discomfort." Mim was growing more and more impatient. Quit flirting and LEAVE!!! >< "To his discomfort?" Aladdin repeated. "But... but why? You think he'd be pleased with a gift like this?"
"No, he loved the book. It was her affections and attention he could have gone without."
Watching her flirt with him had been painful for Jasmine. Only making her more miserable and wish all the more to be on a carpet flying off to some adventure and *not* stuck playing quiet princess and having to answer questions other girls posed about Aladdin.Now Aladdin was awful for sometimes saying the wrong things at the wrong time, but this time, he hoped that everything came out of his mouth was one hundred percent appropriate.
"Ah," he said feeling stupid and rubbing the back of his neck. "Of course... But it's done isn't it? You don't have to go back there? And hasn't your dad ever... ever wanted another wife?"
Jasmine leaned against the marble table, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked away.
"I never want to go back there again. Prince Achmed is unbearable."
When he mentioned the Sultan remarying she looked up at him, then away again.
"I'm sure he's thought about it."
He'd gone on dates with Queen Hippsodeth, which is probably the only woman he'd ever consider.
"But its not that easy. Getting married would mean new aliances, breaking off old ones... all the political strings attatched to the bride." Jasmine shook her head. "I have a very strong feeling the only reason Achmed's mother was flirting with him is because I am no longer available for her son."
If no aliance could be made through the princess... then... "That's awful!" Aladdin said sounding disgusted. He placed his hands around her shoulders. "I can't believe I used to want to be apart of this life. Not that-" he added quickly. "Not that I don't- I mean- I'm sure it's great, but what people will do just to get into a position of power, I mean..." He ran a palm down his face. "I'm sorry."
Jasmine met his gaze and listened to him, understanding perfectly what he was trying to say. She'd felt the same not too long ago. She still did. When he finished, she hugged him.
".... its nothing we will ever have to worry about."
Because for the first time in... well, ever, the Princess had picked for herself, and picked someone with no political strings at all. Aladdin nuzzled his cheek into her hair.
"Look, how about I take you flying tonight, okay? And maybe once your dad has settled in again, we can go too?"
He was still nervous about being around the sultan when it involved him one on one, but he had felt such a pang of pity for the man...
She leaned her head against his shoulder. "He'd like that." Jasmine smiled. Carpet would lighten his mood for sure. The little pink spider on the roof gagged. Grumbling, she dropped down on a silver thread to a pile of gold and changed back into a rat, nose twitching. She had to find what she came here for or the whole thing was a waste. And those two didnt seem to be going anywhere.
She dashed off over the gold, making a little more noise than she would have liked as coins tinkled down the pile."Good."
Believing they were completely alone, Aladdin pushed Jasmine back so he could kiss her properly on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her slender frame and drew her close. The sound of coins jingling caused him to stop in mid-kiss however.
Jasmine heard it too, her hands resting against his chest. She glanced at the closed doors, then at Aladdin.
"... Abu?" But it was very unlikely that Abu could have gotten in. Everything was sealed. He was too big to crawl under the door. Aladdin pulled away from Jasmine. He moved cautiously towards the treasure.
"Where is it... bah!"
She was so frustrated now she was losing whatever small amount of patience she may have had... if any.
Aware of the silence in the room now she paused, ratty ears perking forward. Turning, she saw Al coming her way and muttered. Changing shape to an aligator, she snapped at him, growling.Her eyes widened in shock. A pink... aligator?
"Aladdin!"
She looked for something, anything nearby, that may help fight such a thing.Aladdin's let out a strangled cry of surpise and staggered back. He vaguely recalled that particular shade of pink from somewhere...
"Tell me this thing guards the treasure, Jasmine," he said feebly.
The aligator gave an evil chuckle, sliding down the pile of treasure toward Aladdin, snapping again. She shook her head. "How did it get in?"
The room was always guarded and-- she was positive that a huge lizard had *not* been there a few moments before.
"Guards!"
The doors were thrown open and the guards looked first at Aladdin, expecting *he* was the problem-- but then nearly fell over at the sight of the pink aligator.Aladdin continued to step backward. He looked from the cowering guards, to the alligator, to Jasmine, then back again to the monster. Something glinted blue in the light and he bent his knees as much as he would allow before it became noticeable and dove to the side where a sceptor was. He held it firmly in both hands and quickly flipped over on to his back.
Her eyes widened. "ooo-hoo hoo heee!" THERE IT WAS!! That rotten boy had it-- the sceptor!
Changing to a ratty pink lioness now, she prowled toward him, crouching low with a deep growl.Aladdin shook his head when she changed into the lioness. Now he remembered where he saw the pink. It was the same shade as the hummingbird he collided with. Genie would be quite useful right about now. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, his grip still tight on his makeshift weapon. The guards were useless. It'd be up to him and Jasmine to put an end to this... thing.
The guards didnt know what to make of the pink changing thing. Was it another genie?
Jasmine looked at them and then back at Aladdin and Mim. Reaching behind her, she grabbed the first thing she touched, throwing it at the Lion. A heavy golden goblet.CLANG!
"Oooo!* ><
She seethed, rubbing her head with both her paws. "You--ah! I'll get you for that!" "Not if I can help it!" Aladdin snarled, racing forward, slicing the sceptor through the air. He was too focused to even realize that this was yet another talking animal. He skidded across some coins, swinging the sceptor down towards the lioness' ribcage.
"No no no---AH!"
There was a bright flash of light from the end of the sceptor and the lion yelped, turning into a pink bat and retreating up high to grip the ceiling. She glared down at Aladdin.
"Idiot boy!" She ran up to Aladdin's side, looking at the sceptor in his hands. "What did you do?" Had it... zapped the lion or... what?
Looking up at the bat, Jasmine crossed her arms.
"I demand to know who you are and what you are doing in Agrabah."He was just as flustered as she was. "I'm not... I'm not sure. But I think we better keep this with us," he replied in a low voice, keeping his eyes on the bat.
"Who am I?"
The bat fluttered down and transformed into Mim's true form, a short little old hag with purple hair and a pink dress.
"I am the great Madame Mim, and as for getting in-- I walked in! It was easy."
She crossed her arms, glaring at the two of them. No, she wasn't a genie after all. Aladdin was heavily relying on this thought, as he had successfully defeated those before.
"And you purpose here?" he asked hotly.
Jasmine was furious. She got in so easily?
"You will leave here at once!" ><Mim chuckled. "Leave? *leave*? But I"ve only just got here."
She turned her eyes to Aladdin, looking him up and down. Her eyes settled on the sceptor.
"How about we play a little game... hmmmm?" ^^ "You see I'm absolutely MAD about games."
