Wish

Chapter Three

They flew over rolling hills of sand that spanned out as far as the eye could see. Soon there was a little dot of green on the horizon and eventually they landed in the small oasis.

“Thank you for choosing Magic Carpet for all your travel needs. Don’t stand until the carpet comes to a complete stop. Thank you, good bye, bye now, good bye,” said Genie as they landed. Everyone got off and Suhki carefully got off. Her head was pounding from the flight and she started to sway a bit. Aladdin helped her to a tree where she leant against it then turned back to Genie.

“Well, Al, how about that, mister doubting Mustafa?” he asked crossing his arms and looking at Aladdin.

“Oh, you sure showed me. Now about my three wishes.”

“Doust my ears deceive me? Three? You are down by one.”

“Well now, I never actually wished to get out of that cave, you did that on your own,” he said smugly and Genie’s jaw dropped.

“Well, I feel sheepish,” he said.

“It’s all part of the initiation into our little group,” said Suhki.

“Really? What’s he do to you?” asked Genie.

“Nothing. I got him, tricked him into going into the whore house in town. They still love him there,” said Suhki and Aladdin went a little red at the memory.

“All right, you baaaad boy, but no more freebies,” said Genie.

“Fair deal. Three wishes, I want them to be good. What would you wish for?” asked Aladdin turning to Genie who was resting like a hammock by Suhki. But stopped once asked the question.

“Me? No one’s ever asked me that before. Well in my case, no I couldn’t,” he said stopping before he said anything.

“What?” asked Suhki, genuinely curious to the answer.

“I can’t,” said Genie looking down.

“Come on, tell me,” said Aladdin pressuring him now too.

“Freedom,” said Genie and Suhki smiled. That was probably the best answer anyone could give to that question.

“You’re a prisoner?” asked Aladdin slightly confused by the answer and pulling out the Genie’s lamp.

“It’s all part of the genie gig. Phenomenal cosmic power,” he said shooting up into the sky before sinking into his lamp, “itty bitty living space.”

“Ah Genie, that’s terrible,” said Aladdin as Genie came back out of his lamp.

“Oh to be free. Not have to go ‘poof what do you need?’ ‘Poof what do you need?’ ‘Poof what do you need?’ To be my own master. Such a thing would be greater than all the magic and all the treasures in all the world. But what am I talking about, let’s get real here, that’s not going to happen. Genie wake up and smell the hummus,” he said getting depressed and sitting down.

“Why not?” asked Aladdin still confused by the whole situation.

“The only way I get out of this is if my master wishes me out. So if you can guess how often that’s happened,” said Genie laughing and looking at the two of them.

“Well I’ll do it, I’ll set you free,” said Aladdin and Suhki smiled. She knew he was a good guy.

“Yeah right,” said Genie sarcastically.

“No really, after I make my first two wishes I’ll use my third wish to set you free.”

“Well here’s hoping,” said Genie shaking Aladdin’s hand before shooting back up. “All right. Let’s make some magic. Well how about it, what’s it you want most?”

“Well there’s this girl,” he started off and Genie quickly glanced at Suhki before proceeding with his rules.

“Err! Wrong. I can’t make anybody fall in love remember.”

“But Genie she’s smart, and fun, and…” Aladdin trailed off and Genie glanced at Suhki before offering his own adjective.

“Pretty?”

“Beautiful, she’s got these eyes that just, and this hair, wow, and her smile,” he said and Genie smiled looking at Suhki who looked slightly sad. Genie was confused until Aladdin carried on, “but she is the princess. To even have a chance I’d have to be…hey can you make me a prince?”

“Ah well, let’s see,” said Genie offering a comforting look at Suhki before pulling out a cookbook, “Chicken al la King? No. King Crab? No I hate it when it does that. Caesar Salad? Ah! Et tu Brute? Aha to make a prince. Now is that an official wish? Say the magic words?”

“Genie, I wish for you to make me a prince,” said Aladdin with a huge smile on his face.

“All right! First that vest and fez combo are so third century, and these patches what are you trying to say ‘beggar’. No. Let’s work for me here.” Genie then changed Aladdin’s clothes into something more royal and Suhki just watched the transformation sadly. “Oh I like it, muy macho. Now it still needs something. What does it say to me? It says ‘mode of transportation’. Excuse me, monkey boy. Aqui, over here,” Abu made his way over and Genie pointed his finger at him. “Here he comes and what better way to make an entrance on the streets of Agraba than your very own, brand new, camel. Watch out they spit. Hmm not enough,” he said and turned Abu into a steed, “still not enough.” Genie turned Abu into many different things before deciding on something. “Yes, he’s an alumbo shimin Dumbo!” Abu then changed into an elephant, “talk about truck space check this out.”

“Abu, you look good,” said Aladdin.

“He’s got the outfit, he’s got the elephant but we’re not through yet. Hang on to your turban ‘cause we’re going to make you a star!” yelled Genie before finishing up Aladdin’s wish. Before they knew it they were back in Agraba and ‘Prince Ali Ababwa’s’ procession was making it way down the street, headed for the palace. Suhki had to say Genie knew how to throw a party.

Seeing as there was nothing for her to do, Suhki watched the procession until they were inside the palace before making her way home. She laid down on her make shift bed and sighed. She grabbed the bowl that was next to her and looked into her reflection to see the cut that was on her forehead. She groaned and gingerly touched it. She winced at the pain and sighed before putting the bowl down.

Wonder what would happen to her now? Aladdin was off to marry a princess, Abu was with him. She was the only one left over. She made her way over to the window and moved the curtain aside and watched the sun begin to set and the long shadows that went over the palace.

“At least Abu would never have to give his food away ever again,” she said as she continued to stare at the palace.

“And Aladdin could become rich,” she said trying to make herself happy, but she just felt empty. She could feel tears come to her eyes.

“They won’t have to be constantly chased by guards. Or be cold at night. Or wear rags. Or live here…with me…” the tears fell freely down her face and she left from the window and laid down on the ground before the last rays of sunlight disappeared. She didn’t see them or the blue object fly towards her home and in through her window.

“Well, it’s not much but, I really like what you’ve done with the place,” said Genie. Suhki sat up and looked at him, quickly wiping the tears away.

“Shouldn’t you be helping Prince Ali? He’s your master after all,” she said.

“You disappeared on us, Abu told me I’d find you here. I thought we were all in this together,” he said sitting next to her.

“Together? What was I doing that incorporated me?” she asked.

“Uh, good point,” said Genie and Suhki gave him a look before turning her head to the side.

“Look, I kind of want to be left alone right now, you know, so I can get use to the feeling,” she said. Genie looked sadly at her before cupping her chin and turning her head to look at him.

“Hey, want to hear some good news?” he asked. Suhki looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Prince Ali got turned away by the Princess. You might still have a chance.”

“No I don’t, I’ve known him for most of my life and not once did he look at me the way he looked at her, after only knowing her a day,” she said giving him a weak smile.

“Will you at least come back and help us? We could use a woman’s point of view,” he said. Suhki looked around before sighing.

“I guess as his friend I will,” she said getting up. Genie smiled and took her hand before flying off to the palace grounds where she found Abu by a stack of banana peels, carpet floating around, and Aladdin pacing.

“I have found her,” announced Genie. Abu looked hopefully up at her and carpet looked at Genie. Genie sighed and sat next to carpet and began to set up a game of chess.

Suhki made her way over to Abu and peeled a banana for him and tossed it into his mouth. His truck hugged her and she just patted his head. Aladdin was still pacing.

“What am I going to do? Jasmine won’t even let me talk to her. I should have known that I couldn’t pull off this stupid prince wish,” he said throwing his turban down.

“So move,” said Genie to carpet. Carpet moved and Genie was in shock, “hey, that’s a good move. I can’t believe it, I’m losing to a rug.”

“Genie I need help,” said Aladdin getting frustrated. Suhki raised her eyebrow and looked at Genie as she went over to Aladdin.

“Alright sparky, here’s the deal. If you want to court the little lady, you’ve got to be a straight shooter,” he said.

“What?” asked Aladdin confused.

“Tell her the TRUTH!” Shouted Genie.

“No way. If Jasmine found out if I was really just some crummy street rat she’d laugh at me,” he said.

“What’s wrong with being a street rat?” asked Suhki crossing her arms and Aladdin looked at her.

“Everything, we always have to scrounge for food, and no one likes us,” he said. Suhki sighed, she liked them.

“You want to appreciate the man who can make her laugh,” said Genie, “Al, all joking aside, you really just ought to be yourself.”

“Hey, that’s the last thing I want to be. Okay, I’m going to go see her. I have to be smooth, cool, and collected,” he said putting his turban back on, “how do I look?”

“Like, a prince,” sighed Genie. Aladdin smiled and hopped onto Carpet before flying up towards the balcony.

“He sure has changed a lot in a day,” said Suhki leaning against a nearby tree, “can you at least go check on him, make sure he doesn’t royally mess up?”

“For you, anything,” he said about to go up.

“Really?” she asked hopeful. He turned and laughed.

“Well, no not really. Aladdin is my master,” he said. She smiled and ushered him to go on.

“Oh Ala, help him,” said Suhki before looking at Abu, “would you like another banana?” He nodded and she scratched Abu’s ear before peeling another banana and tossing it into his mouth.

“What do you think Abu? Still the same old Aladdin?” she asked. He gave her a weird look before shaking his head vigorously ‘no’. “I was afraid of that.”

She looked up at the sky and soon saw Carpet fly off with Aladdin and Jasmine, from what she could see. Genie came back and they sat there in silence for a while.

“Now what?” asked Suhki looking between them.

“Got any sevens?” asked Genie as cards magically appeared in front of them. SUhki smirked and looked at he cards.

“Go fish,” she said.

“Something tells me I won’t be able to read your poker face, Miss Suhki,” he said before drawing a card. Abu nodded in agreement and tried to glance at Genie’s cards but he got caught.