Disney's Aladdin:

Hidden Treasure

By Jill D Weber

Characters copyrighted by Disney Corporation and used without permission

The scarlet macaw flapped down to perch on Aladdin's purple clad shoulder. "I have a dream!" Iago announced grandly, spreading his wings dramatically. "Do tell," Aladdin responded dryly. The street rat shrugged until Iago was comfortably balanced against the monkey that was twined casually on the opposite shoulder.

"Yah," squeaked Abu.

Iago waved his wings for effect and puffed out his chest. "I have a dream, of someday walking into the Getsastan, the fabulously wealthy city of casinos" he slammed his wings shut. "And buying it."

Aladdin's woof of surprised laughter was drowned out by the monkey's hysterics.

"What's so funny? You got something against an honest ambition?" Iago demanded.

"No, no," Aladdin declared, waving his hands in a negating gesture. He managed to confine his laughter to his eyes. "I just don't think Sultan Al Dente would be willing to sell."

"Then I'll build my own Casino City!" Iago declared grandly, folding his wings across his chest.

"With whose money?" Aladdin asked, the laugh creeping into his voice.

"With my own," Iago smirked. "I have a treasure map. " He whipped out a map from parts unknown.

"Where did you get that?" Aladdin asked, even more dryly. "Crazy Hakim's Used Camel lot?"

"No-oo, I got this from a more, dare I use the term, reliable source. I got this from Jafar's lab."

"Ewwwwwww!" was Abu's response. The monkey held his nose to show his opinion of any thing associated with Jafar, Iago included.

"Be that as it may, this map will lead us…" Iago started.

"Wrong!" Aladdin interrupted, making a chopping motion. "I am NOT going on another one of your cockamamie treasure hunts. Go by yourself." Aladdin picked up his stride so that Iago tumbled off his shoulder and had to flap frantically to keep from crashing. Abu, more used to Aladdin's gaits, merely shifted his grip and stuck his tongue out.

"Hey!" protested Iago "I need the Rug to get to this thing, and he won't go without you."

"Then you're out of luck," Aladdin said.

Iago flapped into Aladdin's face and poked Aladdin's nose with a flight feather. "You are the one who's always talking about fair play! So how about some for me?"

"What do you mean?" Aladdin stopped, crossed his arms across his chest and cocked his head.

"You're the one who's always dragging me along on some crazy and non-profit scheme." Iago grabbed Aladdin's vest. Then, using Aladdin's voice, Iago added: "Come on, Iago, we have to fight a seven-headed hydra. Come on, Iago, we have to travel to the Valley of the Vicious Undead Wolverines to see if they like to eat PARROTS!!" He twisted Aladdin's vest front. "You're always gettin' me into situations that call for high risk and no gain"

Aladdin held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, you've made your point." he sighed. "But I just know I'm going to regret this. "

"What's to regret?" Iago demanded. "There couldn't possibly be any danger there, or Jafar would have made a note about it. Jafar may have been evil, but he was thorough."

**************The Following Afternoon **************

"Jafar would have made a note about it?" Aladdin's voice had gone to Arid Extra Dry.

"Okay," Iago said as he clung to Aladdin's vest and flapped frantically to maintain his grip. "So that must have been the part I couldn't read. Jafar had terrible handwriting."

"NOW you mention the part you couldn't read?" Aladdin bellowed. He clung to the roots protruding from the roof of the cave as the gargoyle took another deep breath.

The suction nearly pulled Aladdin free from the roots and Abu free of his death grip on Aladdin's arm. Far below, the Street Rat could see Carpet firmly trapped under the gargoyle's stone feet.

"I knew we should have brought the Genie!" Iago cried.

"It was YOUR idea to leave Genie behind!!" shouted Aladdin.

"So it's my fault you're all stupid enough to listen to me?" Iago demanded.

Aladdin just glared at him, then took another look at their situation. If they could get to the ground, and out of the cave, they could fetch Genie to rescue Carpet.

The gargoyle was vaguely man shaped and man sized. It was obviously very strong, if the suction from his breath was anything to judge by. The gargoyle didn't look big enough to swallow a man whole, but if it laid claws on them it could get messy.

However, it didn't look very fast. Aladdin was sure he could outrun it. The danger was from the gargoyle's breath. If only they could shut off that wind!

Suddenly a thought occurred. Careful observation got the timing down. Then Aladdin forced his right hand to release its grip on the roots, yank off his fez and throw it.

The gargoyle inhaled the felt cylinder and began to choke. It staggered a few steps, allowing Carpet to wrench free and swoop up to his friends.

Aladdin dropped gracefully and gratefully to his woven compadre.

"Thanks, Carpet," he gasped. Then he spent a few minutes on the difficult task of prying Abu from his arm.

Carpet gave him a tassel's up sign. Then he swooped past the gargoyle as it collapsed to its knees.

"Now all we have to do is find the treasure," Iago cackled, rubbing his wings together.

Aladdin pulled Carpet to a hover. He looked at the choking gargoyle and frowned.

"What?" Iago demanded. "Oh, no, you're not gonna go back and rescue that thing, are you?"

"Well, we can't let it choke to death," Aladdin said. "Carpet?"

Carpet backed up for a `running start'. Abu and Iago bailed. Carpet charged. Aladdin leaped and rammed the gargoyle in the stomach with both feet.

The gargoyle folded forward, its breath leaving his lungs in an explosive rush. The fez shot out and splatted against Iago, pinning the parrot to the cave wall. The gargoyle's first instinct had been to hug its injured stomach; instead it found its arms wrapped firmly around Aladdin.

Aladdin squirmed, but to no avail. "I'm in trouble," he muttered.

"Hey!" Iago protested, shaking gargoyle spit out of his eyes. Then he looked at the gargoyle and Aladdin. "Great! Now it's gonna eat our meal ticket. Him and his bleedin' heart."

But the gargoyle made no hostile move. Its shoulders slumped in resignation and it set Aladdin on the ground gently. Then it gestured for the heroes to follow it.

"You mean it's actually gonna give us the treasure?" Iago exclaimed.

"I guess so," Aladdin murmured, beginning to feel guilty. He'd sworn that he'd given up stealing, so what was he doing stealing from this creature? Jasmine would not approve. "Iago," he started.

"Oh, no, here comes the crisis of conscience," wailed Iago. He grabbed Aladdin's vest and shook it. "Al, don't do this to me! You promised me this treasure!!"

"I said I'd come " Aladdin's voice trailed off as the gargoyle stopped in front of a niche and pointed.

Eagerly, the four heroes crowded around, then their eyes went wide as they oohed and aahed. Well, two oohed and aahed. Carpet, naturally, could make no such noise and Iago was too busy having a hissy fit.

"THIS is the treasure!?! It's they're" the parrot darted around, yanking feathers out by the handful.

"The treasure is baby gargoyles!" exclaimed Aladdin, petting one on the head. He turned to the parent gargoyle. "Don't worry, we won't steal or hurt your babies! They're too cute! I bet my fiancée, Jasmine, would love to see them!"

The gargoyle puffed up its chest with pride.

"Oh, gag me with a fez," Iago moaned.