#it's also 2:09 A.M. and I wrote this in like. two sittings. so feel free to make fun of me

[right-hand-of-the-black-sand]

A Man of Presumed Importance

[No content warnings for this one. Just having fun while writing]

It was around midday when Aladdin and his group of allies broke into the Citadel. Sitting upon the throne awaiting their arrival was Mozenrath, proud as he ever was and grinning from ear to ear. Finally, he had Aladdin in his midst. He would have preferred a smaller number of people or animals in his presence, but no matter. Today was the day that he got what he wanted, all because of a previous intruder who looked too similar to Aladdin for it to be a coincidence!

“Oh, you’ve arrived safely!” Mozenrath exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air in mock-excitement. “I was so worried in this climate that you would be too busy for me!”

“Cut the chatter, Mozenrath,” Aladdin snapped, his eyes dark with anger. “Where is the prisoner?!”

Mozenrath barely held back a smile as he let out a gasp in mock-offense, clutching a hand to his chest. “Why, your manners, street rat! If I didn't know better, I'd say you weren't excited to see your family again!”

Aladdin grit his teeth hard, glaring at the necromancer. If what they had heard from Mozenrath was true, then he had taken a person hostage that was connected to Aladdin by blood. Was it his father?! He hadn't seen him in so long! Was this how they met again?!

Mozenrath's grin grew wide in sadistic pleasure as he watched Aladdin fume to himself. “Oh, strike a nerve, did I?! Well, why don't I reunite the two of you, then?!”

With a final laugh that seemed to echo throughout the room, Mozenrath raised his gloved right hand in a fist before flicking out all of his fingers at once. Immediately, a pitch-black substance emerged from the floor in between the lord and his guests, growing upward until it was about five feet tall. Once it seemed to reach its limit, it splashed outward, opening itself like a flower and spreading its adhesive surface all around it, revealing the trapped upper-half of the man squirming about in its center. A man who looked awfully similar to Aladdin. ...Someone whom Aladdin was all-too familiar with.

“YOU?!” Aladdin snarled.

Mozenrath laughed, humored by the street rat's shock and anger. “Aw, aren't you happy to-”

“WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?!”

Mozenrath’s voice faded, his eyes widening in an offended expression. He didn't expect his evil gloating to be cut off so quickly. The necromancer glared down at the street rat, only to find that Aladdin wasn't looking at him in the first place. The prince-consort’s eyes were wide and his teeth grit in anger as he stared at the man in the black sand.

Even Princess Jasmine looked surprised. Her eyes went from Mozenrath to his captive to Aladdin as she tried to understand the situation. “Aladdin, what is going on?”

“He knows what's going on!” Aladdin snarled, pointing an accusing finger at the sorcerer's captive. Mozenrath looked over at the man in the sand, his eyes now narrowing suspiciously.

“Behan,” Aladdin continued, almost sounding like he was scratching the name out of his throat, “did you not learn your lesson last time?!”

The captive in the sand looked both surprised and rather sheepish upon being called out in such a way. He quickly raised a hand up to rub at his neck as he spoke. “Well, I wished to see my nephew, and I got it. Another plan of Behan Yerbak!”

“ANOTHER PLAN?!” Aladdin snapped before pointing at Mozenrath. “Are you working for him this time?!”

Now things made more sense. Mozenrath frowned and narrowed his eyes further at his troublesome captive. “Oh, have I brought you in the middle of a family spat?”

This seemed to trigger something in Jasmine's memory. She gasped and then pointed accusingly at the Aladdin-lookalike. “YOU! Do you have any idea how much trouble you brought to my father?!”

Behan seemed to be taken aback for a second before giving Jasmine a classy, toothy grin. “Ah, so my name has been on the tongues of the people! Another reason that I should be-”

Aladdin cut him off. "You are not welcome back in Agrabah."

Behan seemed to perk up, for whatever reason. "Ah, but nephew, think of the riches that-"

“That's enough from you,” Mozenrath cut in sternly, raising up his gloved hand. In an instant, the tar-like sand surrounding the prisoner rose up and splashed over him, enveloping Behan within its magical depths before he was able to talk himself into any more trouble.

With the prisoner out of the way, Mozenrath glared down at Aladdin, who glared up at Mozenrath alongside with his wife and non-human friends.

“Territorial dispute, I see,” Mozenrath grumbled sourly.

Aladdin paused for a moment before nodding slowly, still holding his glare. “Something like that.”

It took a few more seconds before Genie started up with a “WELL-” and was immediately cut off by a blast from Mozenrath's gauntlet, sending the group flying back. Once they regained their bearings, they each hurtled themselves forward. Even if the fight was to free a captive that none of them seemed to care for, they had a score to settle, and being in each other's presence was practically an invitation to bring it up.

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