//------------------------------// // Father's Day // Story: Elements of Harmony // by kolbdog32 //------------------------------// SOMEWHERE IN THE SEVEN DESERTS "No," the red macaw protested, hovering as usual over the thief's right shoulder. "And why not?" the thief asked in his rich, deep voice. All of his face but his eyes were obscured by blue fabric. "Because," the macaw explained, "the guy who lives there is a psychopath. One wrong move, and we're grease spots on the wall!" "That's why he'll never know we were here," the thief replied. "I take it you've been here?" "More times than I like to remember," the parrot groaned, tearing at his feathers with his wings. "Look at this, Cassim! I'm already molting from nerves!" "You worry too much, Iago," Cassim said decisively. "You can confirm the owner of that fortress is evil?" "Like the spawn of Ahriman." "Then it's only fair that he get a taste of his own medicine, don't you think?" Cassim winked. "I always did love robbing the people that really deserved it." "Two words!" Iago screamed. "DISPROPORTIONATE! RETRIBUTION! You steal so much as one thing from him, and HE WILL KILL YOU! And more importantly, HE'LL KILL ME!" "Sounds like just my kind of job." Cassim jerked at his horse's reins and rode onward into the night. "Wait a minute!" Iago cried out in a panic. "DON'T LEAVE ME OUT HERE IN HIS TERRITORY!" Cassim didn't rein in the horse until they were inside the village. "Kind of dead," Cassim remarked, "don't you think?" "It used to be alive," Iago explained, "BEFORE THE GUY CLEANED EVERYBODY OUT!" "I'm feeling better and better about stealing from this one," Cassim said happily. "Though I wish he'd set up his fortress with a few more entrance points." The only way up to the fortress that didn't involve scaling steep cliffs was to go through the village and right up to the fortress' door. "He's gonna kill us," Iago moaned. "He's gonna kill us, he's gonna kill us…" Cassim shushed Iago and took his horse around the fortress' edge. Iago noted with relief that none of the guards were out tonight. Then it occurred to him to wonder why. Cassim finally found what he was looking for: a wide arch window set about two stories up on a tower at the rear of the fortress. He removed from his saddlebag a rope attached to a grappling hook he'd had especially forged for this purpose. It only took him one throw of the rope to catch the lip of the window, and upward he climbed, leaving the horse and walking halfway up the wall with the rope in hand. "If you don't want to come with," Cassim offered Iago as a last resort, "you can stay behind and let him find you out here." "I just know I'm gonna regret this," Iago whined, following Cassim up the wall and into the tower. The inside of the fortress was almost as dark as the outside, though a few lamps here and there lit up the dark blue walls. Cassim slid silently along them, checking around every corner for guards or anyone else that could alert the master of the fortress to his presence. Time and time again, he was met with nothing. "He knows," Iago whispered. "If he hasn't tripped any defenses on us by now, he knows, and he's waiting…" "Or he has no idea," Cassim whispered back. "Now, which way to what he holds most valuable?" Iago sighed and extended a wing. "That hallway." Cassim slipped down the hall quickly and quietly. At the end stood a door; Cassim pushed it slightly, peered through the crack to confirm the room was empty, then flitted through the door without a sound, holding it open just long enough for Iago to follow before closing it behind him. "This," Iago said, almost a lament, "is the place." They were in the center of a room stocked with all sorts of oddities. A table stocked with beakers, flasks, and other lab equipment was pushed against one wall. In one corner of the room, a large wheel, almost like a table, was set up with carvings of famous landmarks from the Seven Deserts upon it. Several shelves on the wall held glittering crystals, statues of mysterious creatures, and thick books bound with leather and gold. "Perfect," Cassim said, reaching toward the shelf. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." The warning came so casually, almost teasingly, that Cassim didn't register it as the problem it was at first. Iago, on the other hand, let out a wordless scream at top volume as he turned to face the lord of the fortress. Cassim also turned, beholding a young man dressed in blue finery from his gold-embroidered turban to the blue-black cape that cascaded down his back. He sure did dress like royalty, Cassim thought patronizingly, for the ruler of such an empty kingdom. The youth smiled broadly, suggesting an air of sinister happiness that he'd been able to meet Cassim. "When I noticed you on the borderlands," he said, still with that teasing tone, "I very nearly gave the order to kill you. Then I recognized you, as well as your little pet. You should count yourself lucky that I did. I gave all the guards the night off so that I could have the chance to see you face-to-face. Oh, and speaking of which…I'd like to actually SEE your face." "A fair request." Cassim removed the blue headdress, exposing his coffee-brown skin, his dark hair streaked with gray, his handsome face with its shapely brow. "How did you see me from all the way back here?" The youth put out his right hand, and Iago instinctively ducked behind Cassim, afraid of an attack. Instead, the young man made a beckoning motion, and a small device floated off the shelf to rest in his palm. Cassim made note that the young man wore a leather gauntlet on his right hand, but his left hand was bare. "The Eye of Ra Spyglass," the young man explained, the smile never leaving his lips. "It was a pain to get, physically AND mentally, but in the end, I think it was worth it." "You certainly live an odd life," Cassim observed. "Surrounded by magical objects, striking fear into the hearts of those around you…who exactly do you think you are?" "Oh, you don't recognize me?" the youth answered melodramatically. The smile finally faded from his lips, and his face turned to a derisive sneer. "It figures you wouldn't. You always did have a habit of forgetting me. Leaving me behind in the marketplace. Playing with your precious favorite child while you didn't even know I was in the same room. But I remembered you, Cassim. I couldn't possibly forget. Do you think you can ignore me NOW? NOW, DO YOU EVEN WANT TO DARE FORGETTING ABOUT ME?" "Wait a minute," Iago said, peering out from over Cassim's shoulder. "You two…you two KNOW EACH OTHER?" Cassim could only stare, dumbfounded. Now he recognized the youth before him. The black curls, the pale hue of his skin, the slender frame. "Mozenrath," Cassim said softly. "I had thought you were dead." "You would," Mozenrath growled. "But I guess you could call what I'm doing 'living'. No thanks to you." "DID I MISS A MEMO?" Iago screeched. "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? HOW DO YOU KNOW EACH OTHER?" "Do you want to tell him?" Mozenrath dared. "Or are you too ashamed to admit it?" "He is my son," Cassim said straightforwardly to Iago. That pushed the macaw to his mental limits, and Iago passed out. AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS When the Starlight finally reached land, it passed through a vision-obscuring mist until it was suddenly riding on a small river cutting through bright sands beneath a scorching sun. The ship stopped there without Rainbow Dash having to toss the anchor overboard. "We're here," Rarity announced. The six had gathered in the main lounge again so Twilight could brief them on what she'd learned from the Guide and the computer system about this new world. "It's an Earth territory," Twilight said, "but generally, when cosmic beings refer to it, they tend to call it by the name of the most prevalent landmass, the Seven Deserts. We're currently parked outside Agrabah, one of the most bustling metropolises in the entire Seven Deserts. The culture here tends toward a variation of 'Arabic', a word that I guess would make sense if you were from an Earth territory, but doesn't really mean anything to me. To tell you the truth, I'm a little afraid of making a cultural faux pas." "Come again?" Applejack tilted her head. "A mistake," Twilight clarified. "I'm not even sure we're dressed right. What if the people here dress really different than how we look?" "Not a problem!" Rarity boasted. "I'll simply take a little stealth mission outside to see how the civilians dress. When I come back, I'll be ready to costume us all appropriately!" "A stealth mission?" Rainbow Dash laughed. "In THAT getup?" "I also made myself a stealth suit," Rarity explained. "For this very situation. You see, I had thought of this a while back, that we might need to dress completely differently to blend in with the locals of wherever we might land." "Good," Fluttershy said. "I was worried that dress would get too hot for you in the sun." "But of course," Rarity agreed. "Now, I'll only be a few minutes." She rushed away to her cabin. Shortly after, she returned to the lounge, dressed in a fitted black suit with soft sneakers and a black hood over her hair. "Ta-daaaa! My stealth suit!" "I'm impressed!" Twilight complimented. "As you will be with the clothes I make for you when I get back," Rarity bragged. "I'll see you later!" With that, she left. The river turned out to be within view of the city walls of Agrabah. It certainly was a big city, Rarity noted, even if most of the buildings weren't very tall. From what she could see, the surrounding city walls were a beige color that meshed with the sand, and the far end of the city was decorated with a gleaming white palace topped by golden tower domes. "Now, whoever lives in THAT palace must live in absolute luxury!" Rarity remarked to herself before moving in closer to the city. Once inside the walls, Rarity immediately ducked behind a row of barrels set against the side of a building. Even her stealth suit stuck out like a sore thumb here. The buildings of the city were mostly the same beige color as the outer walls, reaching perhaps three stories maximum, and the civilians dressed in muted tones, blues and browns and greens – no one in black. Most of the women wore skirts and had at least a scarf for a head covering, and most of the men wore tunics and baggy pants. From her vantage point behind the barrels, Rarity watched the passers-by. The people she'd observed were mostly what she determined to be the relative middle-class. Every now and again, a beggar or thief would pass by, nicking a daily meal from the food stalls in order to survive, and Rarity noted that the lower classes of both genders tended to wear plain shirts and pants. She decided to move along subtlely to see if she couldn't glimpse anything a little more radical. She stopped outside a tapestry stand, hiding behind the rolls of fabric on the ground as she listened to the vendor advertise his work. "An artist's rendition of the heroes of Agrabah defeating the many rogues of the Seven Deserts!" he called out. "Sultan-to-be Aladdin banishing sorcerer Jafar from the palace, eventually to meet his doom and never cast his shadow over our city again! Princess Jasmine matching wits with the witch Sadira, who is now a reformed citizen! Their genie friend fending off hordes of thieves, including the disgraced Abis Mal!" Rarity looked over the tapestry with interest. First of all, the names and the subject matter intrigued her, and she was sure Twilight would have more to say on the subject. Second, she now had a better view of how princesses and sorcerers dressed in this territory, and would incorporate that into her work. Satisfied, she somersaulted and slunk her way out of the city walls and back to the Starlight. Once on board, Rarity called the others to her chambers immediately to speak to them while she worked on their new fashions. "I've already learned a bit about the city," she explained. "Apparently it was in all sorts of dangers in the past, but the royal family has taken it upon themselves to protect it." "Just like Celestia, Luna, and Cadance!" Pinkie cried happily. "There are a lot of royal families, even on our own world, that would just take advantage of their citizens and leave them to their own fate," Twilight pointed out. "Or worse…they could even BE the biggest danger to their citizens." A shiver ran down her spine as she thought of Chrysalis. The changeling queen had certainly been a leader to her armies, but given what Twilight knew of Chrysalis, she couldn't see her as the protective sort…even with all her talk of concern for feeding her changelings. Instead of dwelling on that, she forced herself to make the example less extreme by saying out loud, "Imagine if Prince Blueblood ruled Equestria." "NO!" Rarity barked angrily. "Anyhow, they apparently are friends with some sort of magical creature called a 'genie'. Have you read of anything like that, Twilight?" "Of course," Twilight responded. "Djinni are magical spirits that show up in all sorts of stories. A lot of times, they come trapped with ties to some sort of object, and they have to serve whatever human picks them up. Free djinni are incredibly powerful." "Sounds like this world is gonna be fun already!" Pinkie squealed. "I just know it!" After some deft sewing, Rarity finished the six new ensembles. "Well? What do you think?" Twilight donned her new robes, multilayered garments that cascaded to the floor in a gradient of blues as a high collar rose behind her neck. Rainbow Dash had a blue pair of baggy pants, a blue tunic, and a light green vest over top. Applejack also received pants, but brown instead of blue, and with a white tunic. Fluttershy and Pinkie wore variations on the same outfit: a simple, loose tunic over a floor-length skirt. Fluttershy's garments were a soft green while Pinkie's were bright pink. Finally, Rarity donned her own clothing, which seemed the most outlandish of all. She'd copied her ensemble after that of the depictions of the princess, and wore maroon pants and a matching sleeveless top that bared her midriff. Everypony wore the same flat shoes, all black but Rarity's, which were maroon; Rarity's shoes also turned upward at the toe. "And don't forget these," Rarity said, passing out headscarves. "Most of the women wear them like so." She wrapped hers over her head, completely covering her plum-colored curls. The others followed suit, but couldn't help but notice the stark difference between Rarity's headscarf and the others. Twilight's was light blue, Rainbow Dash's was the same green as her vest, Applejack's was brown, Fluttershy's was green, and Pinkie's was pink, but all were plain. Rarity's maroon headscarf bore a spangling of glitter and sequins on the fringe. "Aren't you gonna stick out a little bit?" Twilight asked. "Admittedly, I did copy what the royalty wears for this one," Rarity said somewhat sheepishly. "But it was just so stylish!" "Well, let's put it to the test!" Twilight said with determination. "Agrabah, here we come!" The civilians of Agrabah mostly had brown skin and black hair. Rainbow Dash tugged at her headscarf (or "hijab", as Twilight had informed her) nervously, afraid of what would happen if her multicolored mane became visible. The people stared anyway. Murmurs ran through the crowd: "Is she a princess?" "She must be from outside Agrabah!" "They're talking about you," Twilight hissed to Rarity. "You're way overdressed!" "I rather like the attention," Rarity said defensively. The six walked into an open marketplace where vendors vocally advertised their wares. "Sure wish we had some money to spend around here," Applejack mourned. "Them apples look delicious…and what're those things?" She pointed to a basket of small, round fruits. "There's more of 'em here than apples!" "They are fresh dates!" a vendor told Applejack. "You would be hard-pressed to find a more delicious fruit in all the world!" Applejack could only stare at the dates with curiosity and longing. "These fabrics are divine!" Rarity grasped at some rolls of silk and twirled in them, wrapping them about herself. "I simply must return when we have attained some of the local currency!" She looked to the vendor. "You, er…you don't happen to accept bits, do you?" "Are bits the currency of your kingdom?" the vendor asked, transfixed by Rarity's beauty. "Oh, no, no, no, you don't understand," Rarity explained. "I'm not a princess. I just have the style of one!" "Your beauty almost matches that of our princess Jasmine," the silk vendor replied. "Are you familiar with our royalty?" "We're from out of town," Twilight said, edging into the conversation. "Out of the country, in fact. But we heard all about how the royal family works to protect this kingdom!" "Indeed they do." The vendor broke his gaze from Rarity to converse with Twilight. "In fact, they are helping to rebuild the Southwest district after the great fire that swept through." "The royals are out in the city?" Rarity asked, taken aback. "Right now?" "Yes," the vendor replied. "It is strange – our sultan never left the palace grounds unless he was on an adventure or official business until the sultan-to-be showed up. But Aladdin has almost completely transformed the palace." "I reckon we should meet 'em," Applejack spoke up. "After all, if we're gonna get to know this place and why we're here, we gotta know the royals." "And besides!" Pinkie added. "They sound really nice!" Twilight looked up at the sun's position in the sky. "That way to Southwest," she said, pointing. Before leaving, she told the vendor, "Thanks for all your help." "And I will return for these," Rarity said, pointing to the silks in earnest. "I shall await that return!" the vendor replied, watching as the beautiful woman who dressed like a princess left the main marketplace with her five friends. The city was a labyrinth of streets running through various buildings. Homes, shops, and carts peppered the byways, and here and there a larger landmark, like a fountain, appeared. Finally, Twilight led her friends into a part of the city that was markedly different. Instead of bright beige accessorized with colorful awnings, here, everything was burned black. The charred remains of carts littered the streets, as did their wares – melted pieces of gold and bronze, date pits, broken mirrors. Doors, shutters, and everything else not made of stone were burned away from the buildings' façades. The street was deserted of life, and almost empty of noise. Fluttershy picked up the first hint of sound. "I hear someone," she said. "A couple streets over." "Let's go." Twilight led on, towards the sound of the noise. They turned to see a bustling sight down one of the fire-ravaged roads. A young man dressed in a purple vest, white pants, and a maroon fez knelt on the stones of the road, reattaching a wheel to a cart. A small brown monkey clothed in a matching vest and hat piled bronze decorations onto that cart. Up in the air, an airy sky-blue spirit, one with the head and torso of a human but a lower half that drifted into blue smoke, pointed at buildings with missing segments of their walls; in bursts of magic, the walls rebuilt themselves. A young woman, sporting a long black ponytail and dressed in the teal clothes Rarity had seen on the princess in the tapestry, climbed a wooden ladder to hang an awning upon one of the buildings the spirit had just rebuilt. Another spirit, this one green and female with a voluminous ponytail, swept down the street, the ash disappearing under wherever she passed her hands. A woman dressed in pink clothes also resembling those royalty, her hair strangely blonde for her complexion, nailed planks together into a door while a little girl of about eight years, clothed in a very simple dress of brown rags, attached the doorknob. When that was finished, an overly muscular man wearing only royal blue pants and a matching headband lifted the door, exchanging a flirty wink with the blonde before he took the door to place upon a building. A tall woman dressed in white clothes again more resembling those of royalty than civilians spoke to a younger and shorter woman with shaggy hair and the shirt and pants of a beggar; the younger woman looked up at a ravaged building, pushed her hands outward, and caused a spray of sand to shoot up from the ground and form a new wall…one that was lumpy and crooked. The older woman patted the younger on the head as the younger sighed in despair. "HELLO!" Pinkie cried out, and everyone stopped work to look up at the newcomers. "Um…hi," Twilight said. "We're new to this city, and we were wondering – " "If you needed any help with that," Applejack said, surveying the scene. "That fire musta been a real doozy!" "Oh, it was," the young man fixing the cart said, getting up from the street to walk over and greet the newcomers. "We've mostly got it under control…but a few more pairs of hands wouldn't hurt." "Aladdin!" The woman in teal hopped down from her ladder, rushing to the young man's side. "They're new here! We can't just put them to work!" "So you're Aladdin!" Rarity realized. "And you must be Princess Jasmine!" "I see you've heard of us," Aladdin said with a gleaming smile. "Only a little," Twilight clarified. "We're from a very faraway land, you see, and we don't know much about Agrabah at all." Her gaze turned upward. "Are those…real djinni!" The blue and green spirits floated toward her. "Ex-genie-of-the-lamp, to be precise!" the blue boasted. "The one and only!" "And don't forget the genie of the bottle!" the green added. "The one and only…Eden!" Twilight's face lit up. "Real djinni…I've only ever read about you in storybooks! You're just as powerful as they said! I'm sorry, am I being rude?" "Rude?" the blue spirit, who would never give the others anything to call him other than "Genie", replied. "You're being downright flattering!" "So what brings you to Agrabah?" Aladdin asked. "A great quest of importance!" Rainbow Dash replied. "I've been on a few of those," Aladdin said with a wink. "What kind of quest are we talking about?" "Uh…we ain't exactly sure," Applejack admitted. "We know we have business here," Twilight tried to explain, "we're just…not sure what it is yet. It's kind of like a…prophecy. Actually, that's exactly what it is." "Well, you're welcome to stay in our kingdom as long as you like," Jasmine offered. "Then we might as well get some work done," Rainbow Dash said. "Consider us part of the cleanup crew!" "Is everyone here part of the royal family?" Pinkie asked. "Just Jasmine and me," Aladdin answered. "Well, and Genie and Abu, by relation." Answering to his name, the brown monkey hopped up on Aladdin's shoulder and waved, squeaking what sounded like a "Hello!" "Oh!" Fluttershy found her will to speak to these strangers for the first time. "He's so adorable!" Abu leapt onto Fluttershy's shoulder. She extended her right arm, and the monkey climbed down to her wrist, hanging from it by his tail and giving a squeaky monkey laugh. "He likes you!" Aladdin remarked. "So, what're your names anyway?" "I'm Twilight Sparkle," Twilight began. The others all echoed their names in what would soon become routine: "I'm Applejack!" "Rarity! Er, the one and only." "Rainbow Dash!" "Um…Flutter…shy…" "Pinkie Pie!" With that last introduction, Pinkie added, "Ooh, ooh! Who are all of you?" "Let's introduce you to the cleanup crew!" Jasmine said. "You already know Jasmine, Genie, Eden, Abu, and me now," Aladdin pointed out. "Everyone else here is one of our friends. Come on." The six Equestrians followed the royal family of Agrabah down the street, stopping first at the pair that had been assembling doors. The blonde and the young girl continued assembling planks while paying attention to the introduction. "This is Fatima," Aladdin said, referring to the blonde, "and that's Dandi." Now he referred to the girl. "Dandi is Eden's master." "Eden's really more like my mother," Dandi admitted. "So…you're the master of the other djinni?" Twilight asked Aladdin. "Nope!" the Genie answered. "I am one hundred percent free, with no contractual restrictions! Well, except for being downgraded from phenomenal and cosmic to semi-phenomenal and nearly cosmic, but you know what they say – there's no such thing as a free lunch!" "I didn't know djinni could be free," Twilight said, almost to herself. "Why, darling!" Rarity pointed out Fatima's clothing. "You look positively gorgeous!" "Thank you," Fatima replied. "I was known a little bit for my beauty in certain circles." "A little bit?" Aladdin laughed. "You were known as the most beautiful acrobat in the entire city!" Jasmine giggled. "Could I ever be that pretty?" Dandi asked. "Of course!" Eden replied. "You just need some of the right style," Rarity said. "Perhaps I can help you with your wardrobe later!" "That would be great…" Dandi faltered. "Rarity," Rarity reminded her. "That would be great, Rarity!" Aladdin and Jasmine led the group on. "This is Minos," he said, introducing the man who fastened the doors to the buildings. "A pleasure to meet you," Minos said with a bow. "You sure got some muscles on ya," Applejack observed. "That was my fame as Fatima's was her beauty," Minos replied. "That is why I have taken the task of carrying the doors." "I betcha I can help with that," Applejack said. "Oh, really?" Minos raised an eyebrow. "I'm a lot stronger than I look," Applejack bragged. Now the group came to meet the two women rebuilding the walls from sand. "This is Deluca," Jasmine said, introducing the taller woman. "And this – " "I'm Sadira!" the younger woman interrupted. "The last living Witch of the Sand!" "You still have a way to go before you can call yourself a true Witch of the Sand," Deluca reminded Sadira, who hung her head. "My spells can get a little messed up," Sadira admitted. "A little?" Aladdin teased. "Like the time you made me think I was a knight on a quest to slay a dragon? Or the time you resurrected three evil witches by trying to make soup?" "Okay, okay!" Sadira snapped. "So I'm a lousy witch. I'm learning!" "A real witch!" Twilight gasped. "I'm a witch too!" "You sure dress like one," Sadira pointed out. "You look like you stepped right out of the Age of Sorcery." "The Age of…what?" Twilight asked. "A little something from my time," Deluca said. "Don't worry. If you stick around Agrabah, you'll hear about it soon enough." "All right," Applejack concluded. "Now that we're through with the introductions, let's get to work! What can we do?" "I'd like to see you try and lift the same doors," Minos challenged her. Applejack hoisted a completed door into the air, though she strained more than Minos had to do so. "How's this for strength?" "Impressive," Minos remarked. "Abu was helping put the vendors' things back on the carts and stalls," Aladdin told Fluttershy. "You wanna help him, since you two were getting along so well? Watch him closely – make sure he doesn't steal any of it." "I'm sure this little darling wouldn't do that," Fluttershy said sweetly. Feeling the pressure of guilt under Fluttershy's gaze, Abu removed some pilfered bracelets from inside his vest and dropped them on the floor. "No!" Fluttershy scolded. "You did a very bad thing!" The monkey squeaked a sound that resembled "I know." Fluttershy smiled. "It's all right. We all make mistakes. Do you want to show me where the things are that we can put back?" Abu immediately perked up and ran off, beckoning Fluttershy to follow. "I can help with the carts!" Pinkie knelt on the street alongside Aladdin, fitting another wheel onto the cart. "So, I hear you're the sultan-to-be! How'd that happen? And does it mean your life is like a big party?" Aladdin had to laugh at that. "I only wish my life was a big party. No, there's a lot more responsibility to it…but it's worth it. You see, I used to have to steal things from this city's marketplace just to live through the day. But then I met the Genie, and he changed everything, starting by being one of my best friends. After that, I fell in love with the most beautiful and kindest woman in the whole kingdom…and the rest is history." "Who was the woman?" Pinkie asked, the implication having sailed over her head. Aladdin gestured to where Jasmine had climbed up the ladder to hang awnings once more. "Her." "Awwww!" Pinkie cried. "That's a beautiful story!" Rarity set up a ladder next to Jasmine, climbing it to hang a bright red awning. She changed her mind when she noticed the pink awning Jasmine was putting up, and exchanged the red for a soft blue. "It goes better with the color," Rarity explained. "Are you the princess of your kingdom?" Jasmine asked. "Actually, no," Rarity explained. "I guess I really did overdress for the occasion. I only wish I was a princess! But alas, it was never meant to be. Now, you are the real thing! Tell me, what's it like?" "It used to be boring," Jasmine said. "Staying inside the palace all my life, learning proper decorum…but let's just say I broke tradition. As the princess, I think it's my duty to help the people of this kingdom and make peaceful relations with others. I'd have to say the best part, though, was getting to marry my prince – even if he did start out living on the street." "Oh, do tell more!" Rarity begged. "How did you find him?" "I broke out of the palace," Jasmine said. "Then he broke in, disguised as a prince. Sort of like how you got everyone thinking you're a princess." "A complete accident!" Rarity defended. "Destiny just took its course then," Jasmine finished. "Now we're married, and next in line to be sultan and sultana – but first, my father has to finish out his time, and he's got a few more good years in him!" "You're incredibly lucky," Rarity sighed. "I wish my charming prince would show up so easily. I'm sorry – that was rather selfish to say. I'm very happy for you, both of you." They climbed down the ladders together. "I was going to hang yellow next," Jasmine told Rarity. "What do you think?" "Keep it away from the red," Rarity advised. "So," Twilight said to Sadira, "you're still working on your magic?" "I'm a self-taught witch," Sadira replied. "It's a work in progress. What about you?" "I studied my magic under a powerful alic – a powerful sorceress," Twilight answered. "The princess of my country, actually. I can do a lot of different spells. Mind if I give the sand a try?" "Go ahead," Sadira said. "But it's harder than it looks!" Twilight doubted that. She looked to a hole in the wall, then focused her energies upon it. She pushed her hands outward; a rush of sand flew toward the wall. To Twilight's dismay, only about half the wall built itself, and instead of a smooth stone surface, it bent inward. "I don't understand," she said. "I guess sand magic must be different from the magic I learned." "There are many different kinds of magic," Deluca confirmed. "But I always thought I was sort of an expert in magic," Twilight said dejectedly. "I mean, I didn't like to brag, but back in my country, I was one of the most powerful unico – witches there!" "I was once the most powerful sorceress in Mesmeria," Deluca said, "but my powers would have been useless against the necromancy of the Sorcerers of the Black Viper, or the sun powers of Shamash. Even my power was borrowed from another. The world is full of different sorts of magic." "Not to mention the universe," Aladdin chimed in. "What do you know about…the universe?" Twilight knew to tread carefully. "I know there's more out there than just this world," Aladdin answered casually. "I'm not sure how much, but there's definitely more." Rainbow Dash looked upward to where the Genie and Eden continued their aerial work. Then she looked down to the shutters Dandi and Fatima had finished putting together. Finally, she looked to the wooden ladders. "If I could fly," she muttered to herself, "I wouldn't have to use ladders…" "Try your wings," Rarity said at normal volume, having passed Rainbow Dash. "I sewed folds in the back of your shirt for them." Rainbow Dash's face lit up as she realized she could slide her wings out through the sleeves Rarity had sewn into her shirt. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" She grabbed a shutter, a hammer, and a handful of nails and soared up to the higher windows to place them. "Whoa…" Aladdin looked up to see one of his new acquaintances flying upon light blue wings. "You really aren't from around here, are you?" "Nope," Rainbow Dash answered. "People around here don't usually have wings," Twilight asked, "do they?" "Only sometimes," Fatima said with a cringe. "Do you all have wings?" Jasmine asked. "Just me and Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash answered. "Now, I don't like to brag – " "Not true," Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie all muttered under their breaths. " – but I happen to be the fastest flyer in our whole country," Rainbow Dash finished. "I bet I could even outfly your two djinni there." "Is that a challenge?" the Genie said, crossing his arms. "I think that was a challenge!" Eden replied happily. "You two think you can take me?" Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Please. I could outfly you any day!" "Bring it on," the Genie and Eden replied. Those on the ground watched as the three positioned themselves in the air. Aladdin, sensing an opportunity, whistled for another ally to make an appearance from around the corner. "To the end of the street," Rainbow Dash proposed. "First one there wins…and doesn't have to do any more work for the rest of the day!" "You're on!" the Genie replied. "Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash called down. "Wanna count us off?" "On your mark," Fluttershy said so softly they could barely hear her. "Get set…go!" Rainbow Dash, the Genie, and Eden took off. Rainbow Dash easily outpaced the two djinni, pumping her wings as hard as she could. Those on the ground stared in awe at the rainbow trail her body left in the air. "Ha ha!" Rainbow Dash cackled. "I so totally have you beat! I – " Before she crossed the designated finish line, a blur zoomed past her. "Hey!" she cried, crossing the line and staring down the victor. "What gives?" Aladdin stood upon an intricately woven blue-and-gold carpet that hovered in the air. "I just couldn't resist," he said with a shrug. "You may have beaten me this time," Rainbow Dash said, "but that's just a one-time thing, you hear?" "Oh yeah?" Aladdin smirked. "Carpet and I will take you on in a rematch anytime, anywhere." "You know," Rainbow Dash said with a smile, "I like you. You're pretty cool." Down on the ground, Twilight gave a little hop and a squeal. "A real magic carpet!" she squeaked. "It's so beautiful!" After that, the group settled back into work. "I'm very glad you all decided to help us," Jasmine told Rarity after some time. "It's nothing," Rarity said. "Helping others is…well, you could call it our destiny. We're always glad to lend a helping hoof! Er, hand." "And we're almost done!" Twilight observed. "Just a few more adjustments and – " What happened next left Deluca, Sadira, Minos, Fatima, Eden, and Dandi mystified. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, the Carpet, and the Genie simply disappeared. "What happened?" Dandi asked. "Powerful magic," Deluca answered. THE LAND OF THE BLACK SANDS, THE SEVEN DESERTS "You must understand," Cassim defended. "I had thought you were taken by the shadow walkers! Everyone had said so! If I had known you were alive…" "It doesn't matter," Mozenrath growled. "You hated me from the start." "I didn't hate you!" Cassim argued. "I'll admit, I never understood why your greatest ambition in life was to be a sorcerer of the evil arts…" "Says the thief." "I chose my life in order to secure a better one for your mother, your brother, and yourself! You chose your path because of your odd fascination with power and evil! Whenever your mother read you stories, you always rooted for the evil sorcerer or the deceitful thief." "Oh, don't get me wrong," Mozenrath clarified. "I don't blame you for what I've become. In fact, I became exactly what I wanted to be! I have a spacious kingdom of darkness, a vault of magical artifacts, and a host of willing minions. What more could I ask for? Still, recognition would have been nice. It would have been nice not to have been lost in the shuffle while you taught your favorite son how to fight, played games with him, gave him your best dagger…" "I was remiss," Cassim admitted. "I am sorry. Your mother…she was the one who understood you best." "And WHERE IS SHE NOW?" Mozenrath yelled. "Gone," Cassim said plainly. "I think you've been away from her for too long," Mozenrath concluded. "You should go meet her. Here…let me send you to where she is, and finally have the pleasure of seeing the look on your face when I finally do you in!" Cassim was expecting the attack. Mozenrath raised his right hand, shooting from it a blast of blue energy that would have certainly been lethal had Cassim not ducked from it, rolling to the wall. He paused a moment to gather the unconscious Iago into a fold of his cape, then, cradling that segment of his cape carefully, Cassim lunged forth. Mozenrath took another swipe with the gauntlet, leaving five finger-trails of blue electricity crackling in the air; once again he missed, and Cassim aimed a punch at the sorcerer's stomach, catching Mozenrath off guard and causing him to double over in pain. Recognizing the source of his son's power, Cassim reached out to Mozenrath's flailing right arm and peeled the gauntlet away in one swift motion. He gasped, nearly dropping Iago and the gauntlet at the sight. The arm beneath, from elbow to fingertips, was but a skeleton without flesh. "This…gauntlet," Cassim said. "What has it done to you?" "Given me my power," Mozenrath growled. "Giving your right hand? Isn't that a bit extreme?" "Not for this," Mozenrath replied. "In fact, I've given my whole body and soul for this. But it's worth it." "It's killing you," Cassim realized. "So you finally care whether I live or die," Mozenrath retaliated. "Unfortunately, I only care about if you die. Living isn't an option." He reached back, threw open the doors to the hallway. Now Cassim saw the guards Iago had spoken of. The shambling undead, a horde of them, their flesh rotting. "Cassim, meet the Mamluks," Mozenrath said, that teasing smile returning to his lips. "They used to be the people of this kingdom, back when Destane ruled it. I may be the only person to say he was too merciful on them. Now, they work for me. Mamluks, meet my father. He has two things I'd like you to take away from him: my gauntlet and his life. Now GO!" Cassim tossed the gauntlet to the ground. "If it means so much to you…keep it!" Still keeping Iago wrapped in his cape, he used his free hand to draw his sword. The undead soldiers charged into the laboratory, their own swords drawn. Cassim dodged, slashed, and kicked. To Mozenrath's horror, Cassim fought a pathway through the army, all the way out into the hallway. "DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!" Mozenrath screamed. The undead soldiers nodded, chasing Cassim, but the thief was fast, darting down the hallway and out the window. Cassim slid down the rope he'd put up, mounting his horse once more and spurring the animal into a fast gallop. More of the undead burst from the doors of the fortress; Cassim rode around them, menacing them with his sword, and his horse charged away from the fortress and down through the kingdom of empty buildings. "I'll have you someday," Mozenrath growled to himself. "This isn't over, Cassim. Not by a long shot." Cassim's horse took him out of the streets and into open desert, riding between the starless sky and the pitch-black sand. He noticed Iago stirring. "Oy," the parrot remarked, rubbing his head with a wing. "I just had one heck of a dream. You decided to be all crazy and go try to rob the Land of the Black Sand, and somehow it ended in you telling me Mozenrath was your son." "He is my son," Cassim replied, keeping his eyes on the sand ahead. "WHAT?" Iago screamed. "THAT WAS REAL? No. No, that couldn't have been real, because we're still alive." "I managed to fight my way out of his undead army," Cassim said, "as well as outrun that gauntlet of his. Tell me…is it really killing him?" "Well, it's sort of this weird kinda curse. It gives you pretty much unlimited power, but it sucks your life force the more you use – WAIT A MINUTE! WHY ARE YOU THE ONE WHO GETS TO ASK THE QUESTIONS HERE?" "All right," Cassim said. "Ask whatever questions you have." "HOW COME YOU NEVER MENTIONED HAVING ANOTHER SON? HOW COME YOU NEVER MENTIONED HE WAS A PSYCHOPATH?" "I told you long ago that I left my family to find them a better life," Cassim explained. "When I returned, I could not find my wife, Aaliyah, or my son Aladdin. I asked all around Agrabah. No one knew of Aladdin's whereabouts, and there were rumors that a sorceress had kidnapped Aaliyah, though those stories were dubious at best. However, most seemed to agree that Aladdin's twin brother, Mozenrath, had been taken away by the shadow walkers…strange beasts that roamed the city and kidnapped children. I had heard of these shadow walkers before. Perhaps you have – " "Yeah, yeah," Iago muttered, "been there, done that, defeated that ancient evil, bought the T-shirt." "You faced the shadow walkers?" "Yep. And it was every bit as pleasant as you think it was." "I chose to forget him," Cassim said. "After all, he was dead for certain in my mind. What would have been the point of dwelling on it? It didn't sink in that Aaliyah was truly dead until years later. Aladdin was the last one I gave up on. Mozenrath was right, you know. I…did favor Aladdin. I regret it, but I did." "I can see why," Iago scoffed. "Lemme guess. Aladdin was the kid who always played nice with the other kids, and Mozenrath was the freak who built torture devices in his room." "That's a quite accurate description, actually." Cassim smirked. "He always had a fascination with evil. He told me he wanted to become a villain like those in stories. I thought it nothing but a childish fantasy, and yet I still never understood it. He had a stronger mind, and Aladdin a stronger body. It was easier for me to relate to Aladdin. We were both adventurous, athletic…Mozenrath was a loner, a reader, an inventor. His mother understood him better than I ever could have." "I don't get one thing," Iago pointed out. "You two look nothing alike!" "Because he is the spitting image of his mother," Cassim replied. "I met her on one of my earliest adventures, back when the Land of the Black Sand was an actual thriving kingdom…one with sunlight. Shortly before the reign of terror that was Destane. She was a curious spirit, and wished to accompany me on my travels. She came with me all the way back to Agrabah…we settled down there, made a life." "You know, somehow I don't see you as the settling-down type." "As you can see," Cassim said, "I'm definitely not settled down now." "I wouldn't suggest settling down until you're as far away from the Black Sand as possible," Iago griped. "I'm putting my foot down: our next mission is something easy and safe. Like exploring the ruins of Mesmaria! They're abandoned! Nothing there but old treasures! Oh, and the treasures we could find…" "I know what our next mission is, Iago," Cassim replied sternly. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this?" Iago groaned. "I have to make up for my shortcomings," Cassim said plainly. "I can see where this is going," Iago replied, "and the answer is NO. DID YOU NOT SEE THAT HE HAS NO INTEREST IN BYGONES?" "It still isn't right," Cassim said. "I did him wrong when he was but a child…and I've done him wrong ever since." "So what are we gonna do?" Iago groaned. "Pick up some corny apology gift and send it to him with a note saying, 'Sorry I've been a bad dad, please don't kill me'?" Cassim smirked. "More or less…" AGRABAH, THE SEVEN DESERTS "Where are we?" Twilight asked, looking around. All she could see was rock tunnel branching out from where she, her five companions, Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, the Carpet, and the Genie stood. "The tunnels below Agrabah," Aladdin said. "And how did we get to the tunnels below Agrabah, exactly?" Applejack asked. "You came here," a slightly hoarse voice said, "because I brought you here." From further down in the tunnel, a man appeared: a tall man with white hair and a white beard, clothed in blue rags. He wore a strip of cloth over the upper half of his face, obscuring his vision, and yet he moved as though he could see clearly where he was going. "Phasir!" Aladdin cried. "Who?" Twilight asked. "A powerful prophet," Jasmine answered. "At last," Phasir said, "the Six have arrived." "He knows!" Pinkie gasped. "Of course I know," Phasir replied plainly. "It has been passed from prophet to prophet, that the Six would arrive on this world one day in their quest to spread Harmony and stop the Old Ones from overtaking the cosmos." "You're not from this world," Aladdin realized, "are you?" "When we said we were from a faraway land," Rarity explained, "we rather meant…some good lightyears away…" "The Mists of Avalon brought us here," Twilight said. "We have business on this world, even if we don't know what it is." She eyed Phasir suspiciously. "You're a prophet…do you know what it is?" "You will arrive in the Seven Deserts more than once," Phasir answered, "and leave it more than once. I have come to inform you of your destiny during this visit. It is a destiny that concerns all eleven of you…the Elements of Harmony, the diamond in the rough, the princess, and their friends." "Elements of Harmony?" Jasmine repeated. "I've heard of those!" the Genie said excitedly. From thin air, he materialized a basket, giving each of the others present an apple from it. "Generosity!" He slipped on a pair of thick glasses with a false nose attached. "Laughter!" In a snap, the glasses were gone, and he now held a bouquet of flowers, which he pretended to bashfully offer to Twilight. "Kindness!" The bouquet was gone, and in its place a brass badge which he pinned to his chest before saluting. "Loyalty!" The badge was gone, and he put his right hand over his heart. "Honesty! And the sixth element, which is a mystery!" "Magic," Twilight finished. "We're them. Magic is my element." "You may not have known it," Phasir told Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie, "but when the Elements of Harmony appeared to you, you made six very powerful friends, friends who hold the fate of the universe in their hands…or hooves, as it may be." "It would be nice if someone could say that and not omit what exactly we're supposed to do with said fate of the universe," Rarity grumbled. "In time, your duty will reveal itself to you," Phasir said. "As will the angel of darkness. Until then, hear what I have to say. Remember these words, and you will all know what is to come. A great upheaval in the Seven Deserts." "We're listenin'," Applejack said. Phasir then appeared to enter a trance, speaking in rhyme: "An issue thought long put to rest will come to reinstate the quest. Retrieve the gift from siren's sea, and face the blades that number three. The Old Ones make a deadly bet, and oldest foes will be reset. The young one takes it on with pride, and to him all your fates are tied. First he wants and gets control, this world you will again make whole. With you he wishes to be done, so second will doom all but one. Beware the choice he makes as three; a twist arrives in Harmony. Success or failure in your hands, for desert and its borderlands. If you win remains unknown, but certain is one thing alone: a blow is dealt to magic's heart, and what seems done is just the start." Silence fell over the tunnels before Phasir said, "That is all." "Can't you be any clearer?" Applejack asked frustratedly. "For those like myself, clarity and honesty do not mean the same," Phasir said. "I have not lied, Element of Honesty. If I were to tell you exactly what to expect, it would sway your actions. If I had not given you fair warning, however, you might have passed your destiny by, perhaps believing that the Mists of Avalon had sent you here to repair a fire-torn roadway." He smirked. "I can clearly advise that you remain together, for it is in bonds of friendship that you find your strongest magic." "Friendship is magic," Twilight paraphrased. She turned to Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie, with Abu and the Carpet looking on. "So…obviously we have some explaining to do…but will you help us?" Aladdin nodded. "Of course. Whatever Phasir means you have to do…we'll help you." "I shouldn't keep you from your work any longer," Phasir said, waving his hands. Then before them was the street. Phasir was gone, as was the tunnel. Eight humans, one djinni, one magic carpet, and one monkey were returned to the street under repairs, where Minos, Fatima, Eden, Dandi, Deluca, and Sadira looked at them in confusion. "Sorry 'bout that," Applejack said, breaking the silence. "So…how's about we finish up repairs, then?" The street looked as though there had never been a fire. The carts stood again, and while they had fewer wares than before, they were ready for their owners to return to them. The buildings were reconstructed, and the ash swept away. Colorful awnings lined the road, giving it shade, and every empty frame was fitted with a door or window. As the sun began to set, Aladdin and Jasmine declared it was time to return home, with a wink towards the six from Equestria that they should follow. Those eight, Abu, the Genie, and the Carpet turned to set out for the palace while the others waved goodbye and Sadira in particular yelled, "It was nice meeting all of you!" "So," Aladdin asked, "how'd you end up all the way in Agrabah from 'lightyears away'?" "Well, actually…" Twilight began. "Can I tell the story?" Pinkie begged. "Please, please, pllleeeeeaaaaaase?" "Sure," Twilight said with a smile. "Okay!" Pinkie took a deep breath. "So it all started when we were back in Ponyville, where, believe it or not, we were all PONIES! So one day…" "…and that's how Equestria was made!" Pinkie finished as the group reached the palace steps. "And more importantly," Rarity added quickly, "that's how we ended up on our journey." "Don't worry," Aladdin said. "I'm kind of the big hero around these parts. If there's an 'angel of darkness' on the loose, I'll help you take care of it." "As will I," Jasmine promised. "Doing battle with the forces of evil?" the Genie said with a wink. "Does that ever take me back to the Bronze Age! Count me in!" "Thank you," Fluttershy said. "You all seem so very kind. We're lucky to have met good friends like you!" "So…the Sultan of Agrabah," Twilight said, changing the subject out of worry. "He sounds pretty strict and tough. Not letting the family leave the palace walls for years and years?" "He was worried about me," Jasmine said, "and a bit sheltered himself." "Halt!" A large man stopped them at the great towering doors to the palace. He wore a black shirt and white pants as his uniform, topped off with a white turban, and a couple missing teeth betrayed that he'd been in quite a few tough scraps. "Who are these intruders?" "They're not intruders, Razoul," Jasmine said, almost playfully. "They're our guests. We're friends." "If you say so," Razoul muttered, but as the group passed by, he muttered so Rainbow Dash could hear, "But I'll be keeping an eye on your 'friends'…" "You wanna say stuff like that to my face instead?" Rainbow Dash yelled, whirling to face Razoul. With a worried squeak, Rarity grabbed Rainbow Dash by the arm and tugged her along before she could pick a fight with the captain of the palace guard. Twilight smoothed out her robes and ran her fingers through her hair as Jasmine said, "I'm going to introduce you to Father right away. I'm sure he'll love you!" "I hope," Twilight breathed quietly. Jasmine led the way not to a throne room, but instead to a rather large toyroom filled with clockwork models and stone figurines of all sorts. Thin paper kites hung from the ceiling, setting off the mood of the room. "Look at all these toys!" Pinkie cried. In the midst, a short man dressed in the white finery of royalty and sporting a beard of the same color knelt as he wound up a clockwork camel and watched it gallivant across the floor. Hearing Pinkie's exclamation, he stood and spread his arms. "My, my! Are you all guests of my daughter and son-in-law? Do come in! Oh, and you, young miss…feel free to try out anything you like! I'm quite fond of this camel, myself. Much speedier than the real thing!" "Oh boy!" Pinkie cried, pouncing upon a clockwork bear displayed on a nearby table, winding it up to watch it rear into the air and emit a semi-realistic growl. Twilight let out a sigh of relief. Somehow, she didn't think she had to worry so much about impressing the Sultan anymore. "Our new friends are from kinda far away," Aladdin said. "They didn't have anywhere to stay for the night, and seeing as I am the prince, I didn't think it would be out of bounds to offer them rooms for the night." "Of course not, my boy!" the Sultan exclaimed. "Welcome to Agrabah! I am the Sultan! Now, tell me, it is a most beautiful city, isn't it? I've put a lot of work into it, and I'm quite proud. Though I do have to give credit where it's due – my daughter and son-in-law have done much to improve it." "You have a beautiful kingdom, Sultan…" Twilight tried to remember if he'd said his name. "Oh, I have a name," the Sultan said, "but hardly anyone ever uses it. You can just call me the Sultan…less embarrassing." Twilight grinned when she heard the Genie whisper the name "Bobo" into her ear. "Well, everything looked great when we came through. I'm Twilight Sparkle. I see you already met Pinkie Pie." "WHEE!" Pinkie cried, watching a clockwork horse-drawn wagon race a clockwork dragon across a table. "I'm Rainbow Dash," Rainbow Dash chimed in, "adventurer extraordinaire!" "Oh, my!" the Sultan replied. "And what manner of adventure brings you here?" "Just a couple of prophecies," Rainbow Dash said, waving her hand. "No big deal!" "It is a big deal," Jasmine iterated. "Father, Phasir told us that these women would be instrumental in saving Agrabah from a terrible fate." "Then by all means," the Sultan said, "let them stay here! There isn't any expense too great for the heroes of Agrabah!" "More like the heroes of the whole Seven Deserts," Rainbow Dash boasted. Before she could go on, Applejack broke in. "That's mighty kind of ya, sir. My name's Applejack." "Fluttershy," Fluttershy whispered. By this time, Abu was sitting on her shoulder again, and he seemed to be the only resident of the Seven Deserts thus far she really felt comfortable with, flashing him a bright smile after giving her name to the Sultan. "And you are their princess?" the Sultan asked Rarity. "No," Rarity said. "I just made it a point to dress like one. I'm Rarity." "We're grateful you let us stay here," Twilight said. "We promise not to ask for much." "Well, maybe a little," Applejack said. Twilight shot her a dirty look. "What?" Applejack defended. "I'm just dyin' to know what one of them dates tastes like, and I ain't got any money!" "No money?" The Sultan was taken aback. "How did you get this far?" "We actually have plenty of money," Rainbow Dash said. "Just nothing that's worth anything in this kingdom." "We could at least give you all something to eat," Jasmine pointed out. "How about a feast?" Aladdin suggested. "After all, we are the royal family, and it's not every day we have guests." "One feast extraordinaire, comin' up!" In a puff of blue smoke, the Genie summoned an apron and a chef's hat that looked distinctly not like any hat native to the local fashion designs, holding a highly anachronistic pen over a pad of paper. "What will we be having tonight? Italian cuisine? French gourmet? Would you like fries with that?" "Whatever the local special is," Applejack said. "But preferably with dates." The others all nodded in assent, and the Genie sped down the hallway toward the dining room with a "No problem!" "Applejack," Twilight whispered, "now that we're humans…we might have to eat meat. Our digestive systems can actually handle it, and a lot of human bodies need it." "Oh…" Applejack looked concernedly at the royals. "Y'all don't eat horse meat, do ya?" This caused an outburst of laughter. "Of course not," Aladdin said. "Don't worry." "Tonight, we're serving lamb!" the Sultan announced proudly. Applejack swayed, looking sick. "I got some good friends who're sheep," she muttered to Twilight. "It's okay," Twilight said. "Um…can Applejack and I have a minute?" She pulled Applejack into the corner of the room. "I did some research on this in the Guide. Societies that eat animals don't eat talking animals. Back home, we'd count as talking animals, or Animals with a capital A if you need to differentiate. Ponies with a capital P. Here, the animals don't talk, and probably aren't even as smart as Winona. More like…Fluttershy's friends. It's still good to respect them, but they're part of the food chain that makes up natural order. We'd be eating lambs with a lowercase L…but that's only when you need to differentiate. Does that make you feel better?" "Only a little," Applejack admitted. "It's still weird!" "You don't have to eat it, you know." "We'll see at the table." "WHEEEEEEEEE!" Pinkie rode by in a small clockwork car that was just big enough to accommodate her, breaking up the conversation. "Mr. Sultan, I love your collection! It's so fun!" "That's one of my personal favorites!" the Sultan pointed out happily. "I can't believe it," Applejack said at the long dinner table, seated with her friends and the royal family. "It's so wrong…but it tastes…so right…" She put another bite of lamb into her mouth. "Man, I GOTTA learn me how to cook this!" Another bite. "But all y'all can't tell ANYPONY I like this, ya hear? Urgh, it's so wrong…but so delicious…" "And the highly anticipated dates?" Rarity asked with a wink. "Delicious and sweet!" Applejack rated. "Not as good as apples, mind you, but pretty darn good! Genie, this stuff's hoof-lickin' delicious!" The Genie rose into the air, bowing as a rain of applause he summoned from nowhere thundered. Razoul burst into the room. "Your Highnesses!" he cried. "Another intruder to the palace…but one all too familiar." "Do you just assume everyone's an intruder?" Rainbow Dash snapped. "What Rainbow Dash means," Twilight said, "is that maybe you should give some people the benefit of the doubt." "Perhaps," Razoul said with a sneer. "Then again, this particular intruder is a thorn in the palace's side, and he brought with him the OTHER old thorn in our side. Bring him in!" Two more guards in uniform brought in a man dressed in blue, one who bore a striking resemblance to Aladdin despite being much older. Above his shoulder, a red macaw hovered, spouting in perfect speech, "I TOLD you this was a bad idea, Cassim!" "The most wanted thief in Agrabah," Razoul said. "Of course, we can't do anything without your judgment…" "Don't hurt him!" Fluttershy yelled, a knee-jerk reaction. Aladdin slowly rose, a look of confusion on his face. "Dad?" "I had hoped we could have met under better circumstances," Cassim said with as much of a shrug he could give with his arms held. "Let him go," Jasmine commanded. "Suspend all his sentences!" "That is your father?" Rarity asked. "He showed up just in time for dinner!" Pinkie cried. "I thought you'd ridden off into the desert for good," Aladdin said. "Why did you come back here?" "It's a long story," Cassim said. "I'm on a sort of a quest, but I can't do it alone – or even with a trusted animal sidekick. But that can wait. After all, who am I to simply show up and ask favors?" "What's going on?" Fluttershy asked softly. "Is your father…mean?" "No," Aladdin answered. "We just come from…different worlds." "Cassim left here one of the most notorious thieves in Agrabah!" the Sultan insisted. "He led a gang of forty despicable criminals!" "But he is your son-in-law's dad," Rainbow Dash pointed out. "There's a free seat over here!" Pinkie cried. "It seems your new friends have invited me to dinner," Cassim said. "A bit surprising, seeing as I was dragged here by guards…who, by the way, have been ordered to stand down." The guards dropped Cassim, slinking away guiltily; Razoul eventually followed. "Well, everyone deserves kindness," Fluttershy said. "And you did come all this way to see your son." "Heh…" Aladdin shrugged. "Sure, why not? Join us for dinner." Cassim sat down next to Pinkie Pie. "Who are your new friends, anyway? They're very accommodating…and quite beautiful." "I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie introduced. "And we're the Elements of Harmony! So, what's your story? How'd you end up being one of Agrabah's most wanted?" "Well, you see," Cassim explained, "I was absent for most of Aladdin's life. I once led a band of forty thieves, and we had planned to rob the royal wedding. Then, when I found out the prince-to-be was my son, things changed. It's a long story, but we eventually parted ways…though I must say," he said solemnly, looking Aladdin in the eye, "My love for my royal son hasn't lessened any." He gave a smile. "Aaaaaaawwwww!" the six Equestrians chorused. Aladdin couldn't help but smile back. "Y'know," he admitted, "it is kinda good to see you again." "And what about ME?" the parrot spat. "I put the best years of my life into this stinkin' palace, only to get no welcome whatsoever?" "I've never seen feathers so red!" Fluttershy remarked. "Welcome back, Iago," Jasmine laughed. "Everyone, Iago lived in the palace with us for a long time, but he decided life on the move was better for him." "A decision I didn't regret until recently," Iago muttered. Cassim shot him a dirty look, prompting him to shut up. "Was he always such a complaining loudmouth?" Rainbow Dash asked. "HEY!" Iago fluttered right up to Rainbow Dash's face. "Who're you callin' loudmouth?" "You. Because you are." "WHY I OUGHTA…" "What? What're you gonna do to me, huh?" "Well, they really do make a pair," Twilight said. Something occurred to her. "Wait…so, Cassim, you thought you wouldn't ever be back in Agrabah?" "Indeed, I thought I had left for the last time," Cassim confirmed. "An issue thought put long to rest," Twilight muttered, "will come to reinstate the quest…" Rainbow Dash stopped her quibbling with the parrot long enough to turn to Twilight and say in disbelief, "You MEMORIZED it?" "It was a prophecy!" Twilight defended. "Prophecies are important! You should never forget one once you hear it!" "But it was so long!" "I still remember all of it," Twilight said. "But that reminds me," Rarity said, "Cassim, was it? You said you had a favor to ask. Perhaps we could help." "It's a bit embarrassing to admit," Cassim began. "What I need is something long lost. Something I…already gave up. It turned out I wasn't done with it." "No," Aladdin said in disbelief. "It can't be…you don't mean…" Cassim said, very simply, "I seek the Hand of Midas."