Chapter 2: One Jump Ahead of Danger
Alaric's POV
It's been two years since Aladdin and Abu had rescued me from the guards. At first I was untrusting of him; my bad experiences made me more defensive about whom I trusted. But the more time we spent together the more I started to trust him and forgot my past. We soon became fast friends. Al pulled me out of my shell that I had built around myself and now it was like I never had one.
Since I already knew how to ducking the guards, Al just taught me a few things that I didn't know and pretty soon I was as good as he was. Abu was like the toddler of our little group always wandering off and getting into trouble. But Al and I didn't mind bailing him out as long as he promised to behave; of course it was Abu so he never stayed out of trouble very long.
"Thieves! Guards!" the bread vendor shrieked as Al took off from his stand. Not wanting to be left I followed him. We got to some crates and started up them. Not far behind the palace guards followed. We got to the top and started running across the rooftop trying to outrun the guards shouting and barreling their way towards us. We reached the side and skidded to a stop, me slamming into Al. The loaf went up into the air and Al struggled to catch it, after glaring at me briefly.
"Oops?" I said sheepishly as he rolled his eyes and turned back around.
"Stop thieves! I'll have your hands for trophies, street rats!" Rasoul shouted after us. Al looked back at him, then down at the bread, then at me.
"All this for a loaf of bread?" He asked and I shrugged. Then he jumped off the building.
"Oh, great." I muttered and leapt after him, just as the guards came upon me. I fell a short distance before catching a clothesline and sliding down it behind Al. He collected pieces of people's hanging clothing on him as we went down the line.
As we reached the end of the line, some woman reached out slammed the shutters closed on us with an angry scowl, as if we offended her. Al slammed into the shutters and me into him and one by one we fell bouncing off the many bouncy awnings. Al landed on the pile of clothes that he had collected and neither of us was too hurt. Not to mention I had an extra cushion to break my fall.
Al growled when I landed on him and I laughed sheepishly shrugging my shoulders. "Uh…Oops again?" He rolled his eyes and reached out and caught our bread. Then he shoved me off him.
"There they are!" One guard shouted.
"You won't get away so easily!" Another shouted indignantly. Al and I looked at each other with smirks.
"You think that was easy?" Al asked me.
"No way!" I shook my head grinning. We heard laughter then and looked over at the three women who were laughing at us. Al wrapped himself in a sheet and tossed one over my head, and then we ran over to the women disguised as girls.
"Getting into trouble a little early today, aren't we Aladdin, Alaric?" One of the women asked us, smiling secretly. Al and I grinned.
"Trouble?" Al said feigning innocence.
"No way." I scoffed with a wave of my hand.
"You're only in trouble if you get caught!" Al smirked as he said this. A hand then grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back, his disguise falling off in the process.
"Gotcha!" The guard said. It was that big gorilla, Rasoul, the captain of the guards.
"We're in trouble!" I said as the guard continued.
"And this time-" He was cut off mid-rant as Abu pulled his turban down over his eyes. Much like he had done the first time we met.
"Perfect timing, Abu as usual!" Al said, laughing at the monkey.
"Thanks, Abu!" I said giving the primate a nod. He grinned at me and chattered 'Your welcome!' as he leapt onto my shoulder.
"Come on, let's get outta here!" Al said, turning and bumping into a guard. He then started singing.
Gotta keep...
One jump ahead of the breadline
One swing ahead of the sword
He said this while dodging the guard's sword. After a couple of swings, I jerked the guard's sash away, dropping his pants. As I was laughing Al grabbed me and took off.
We steal only what we can't afford
And that's everything!
I added loudly after him. Al rolled his eyes playfully at me and I grinned impishly back as we ran away from the guard who had pulled a fish up his around his waist instead of his pants. We scampered up a pile of barrels, dodging as another guard swung at us.
One jump ahead of the lawmen
That's all, and that's no joke
These guys don't appreciate we're broke!
He said as I kicked down a barrel onto the guard that was following us. Al gave me an approving nod and I smirked back. The guards on the ground started sing/yelling at us.
Riffraff!
Street rats!
Scoundrels!
Take that!
The guards said as they threw weapons and anything they could get their hands on at us. We flew up to the top of a platform. Al was on the edge of the platform singing as I eyed the guards below us.
Just a little snack, guys!
Yeah, were hungry!
The next second he ducked and I grabbed Abu as a whole group of dangerously sharp weapons flew and stuck into the pole behind me. The guards grabbed on to the bottom then and tried to shake us off as we clung for dear life. Al grabbed me and pulled me to the edge.
Rip them open, take it back guys!
Al sang as we fell off the platform. We went flying through the air, with me gripping his waist. And Al grabbed Abu and like he had practiced it, slung us through a window into someone's house.
I can take a hint, gotta face the facts
You're my only friend, Abu!
What? Hey!
I said angrily. He grinned sheepishly at me as I narrowed my eyes. Then we heard singing and turned to see three beautiful harem girls dancing about the room.
Who?
Oh, it's sad, Aladdin and Alaric have hit the bottom
They've become a two-man rise in crime.
I grinned as Al was wrapped in a scarf and swirled into a large woman and then laughed as I spotted Abu stuffing his face in the corner. The harem girls giggled at me and I waved embarrassedly back at them.
I'd blame parents except they haven't got 'em
The large woman sang as she attempted to swat Al with her broom. I stuck my tongue out at her and then Al ran through the girls over to the window dragging me behind him.
Gotta eat to live
Gotta steal to eat
Al sang as we sat down in the windowsill. One of the girls pushed us out of the window.
Tell you all about when we have the time!
I sang as we fell down to the street, bouncing off a giant awning. Al rolled his eyes at me. "What?" I said and he just shook his head and got up behind a muscle man and matched his moves while I pretended to be among the crowd.
One jump ahead of the slowpokes
One skip ahead of our doom
Next time gonna use a nom de plume.
He suddenly made a mistake and the guards spotted him. I sniggered as he kept his form anyway and ran as Abu ran with the bread held by his tail. I walked behind him, trying not to attract their attention. I thought I was going to be unseen when…
"There they are!" Well, that worked I thought rolling my eyes. I broke out in a speedy run behind Al. We jumped on top of a flock of sheep, walking lightly across their backs as the guards waded slowly through behind us tossing sheep left and right like they were dolls.
One jump ahead of the hitmen
One hit ahead of the flock
I think I'll take a stroll around the block
Al sang as we hurdled over a man sleeping on a bed of nails. The largest guard behind us landed on the poor guy. I winced at the guy and we kept running. Looking around I then realized that one of our party was missing, and found him covered in jewels on a stall. The merchant grabbed the jewelry upon the small primate.
Stop Thief!
Vandal!
Al ran up to him and pulled Abu away. The pearl necklace snapped as he gave the monkey a jerk.
Abu!
Scandal!
A lady behind the stall covered with a cloth shouted at us. I stuck my tongue out and I stood by Al as the guards surrounded us.
Let's not be too hasty
Al sang shielding me as we backed into a wall. The door suddenly opened up behind us as a large, ugly woman scooped Al up. I snickered at the look of horror upon his face.
Still I think he's rather tasty
Al tumbled away from her and leaned on one of the guards like they were old friends. I inched away from the woman before she spotted me.
Gotta eat to live
Gotta steal to eat
Otherwise we'd get along
Wrong!
Al and the guards sang as they tackled us. Al dragged me underneath them as they grabbed at us. I wanted to stay and get a few punches in but Al pulled me and we hid under some large pots and we started to tiptoe away. By the time the guards had figured out that they were fighting among themselves, we were almost home.
"Over there!" One shouted, and we threw off the pots. Al jumped on the back of a coal walker and I followed with ease. The moronic guards thought they were being smart as they ran across themselves. But they were soon yelping and hopping about as their shoes heated up from the hot coals. We ran past a sword swallower, and Abu yanked his sword out of the swallowers throat. Abu advanced on the guards, who cowered back in fear. I stopped running to watch with interest.
"He's got a sword!" One yelled, terrified. I snickered.
"You idiots, we've all got swords!" Rasoul said, pulling his out to show them.
"Oh yeah!" The other guards followed suit with grins of realization. Abu grimaced and set his sword down slowly, then I grabbed him and we made a run for it. We then quickly climbed up on a floating rope in the street provided by a friendly snake charmer and the guards crashed into each other below us.
We were again surrounded by guards once we landed on the ground, and Abu ran up the stairs leading up the side of a building. I followed quickly him with Al further behind us.
One jump ahead of the hoof beats!
Vandals!
One hop ahead of the hump!
Street Rats!
One trick ahead of disaster!
Scoundrels!
Their quick-but I'm much faster!
Take that!
Guards suddenly appeared in front of Abu and I. We shrieked and Al pulled us out-of-the-way just as they swung their swords at us. He pulled up a carpet lying around, and pulled me onto his back. Not again.
Here goes, better throw my hand in
Wish me happy landin'
All I gotta do is jump!
He said, jumping out the window. The carpet popped open in the air so that our decent was slowed. I looked behind us at the guards who had stupidly followed us and they fell into 'Crazy Hakim's Discount Fertilizer.' I laughed loudly at them, imaging the way they would smell for a while.
We landed in a back alley and Al and Abu smacked hands. As we settled against a wall, Al then broke the bread into three pieces and grinned at me and Abu.
"And now, esteemed effendis, we feast!"he handed out the pieces and I took my eagerly as did Abu.
"Alright!" I said as Al placed the bread into my hands.
Genies and Jinxes by PirateWizardThief