Disclaimer: I own none of these characters aside from Rose.
The sounds of cracking stone, yells, roars, & yowls surrounded me as I burst from my own sleep with a loud roar (which sounded like Goliath�s & Demona�s). I stood on my roost, oblivious to the rest of the clan as they went inside the castle. I slid down until my legs dangled over the edge. There, I sat & thought.
A whole month had passed since the clan & I battled Mozenrath. The last sentence Genie had said, replayed itself over & over in my mind. And my promise to visit. Visit. I was so deep in thought, that I didn�t hear Brooklyn come up behind me.
�Jasmine?�
Brooklyn�s voice made me jump. I looked behind me & sighed with relief at seeing someone familiar.
�You startled me,� I accused.
�Sorry,� Brooklyn apologized. �You have been outside every night for a week. Is something wrong?�
�No, nothing�s wrong. It�s just�I guess I feel a little homesick.�
�Well, maybe you could go back for a few nights. I�m sure Xanatos would like to take you there.�
�That sounds like a good idea. Maybe Aladdin would like to come.�
�How about you go to Athens & ask him & I�ll see about Xanatos taking you back to your home late tonight.�
�All right,� I agreed. I glided into the sky & made my way to Athens Incorporated.
As I approached the building, a tall gargoyle flew into my path. He looked at me.
�Jasmine,� the gargoyle said. �Why are you here?�
�Hello, Lazarus,� I replied. �I�m here to see Aladdin.�
Lazarus nodded. �Follow me.� The ebony gargoyle led me to Athena�s & Dr. Ares� office level, then, after going in, Lazarus pushed an intercom button & asked for Aladdin.
A minute later, Aladdin�s voice, came through the speaker. Lazarus told him to come up to the office level. An �okay� was the answer.
Minutes after, an elevator chime sounded & the doors opened. Out stepped a light blue gargoyle with thick black hair. Aladdin.
�Okay, I�m here. Now what- Jasmine!� Aladdin exclaimed.
�Hello, Aladdin,� I replied. �I�ve got something to tell you.�
�What?�
�Would you like to visit Argrabah? I know, you can�t go in & look around, but just visit in general.�
�I�d love to visit. When do we leave?�
�Later tonight. Brooklyn�s already asking about transportation.�
�I just need to tell Athena & Dr. Ares that I�m going to be gone for awhile.�
�I will tell them Aladdin,� Lazarus spoke up. �You can go ahead & leave now.�
�Thanks, Lazarus. I just need to get a few things.�
�I�ll be waiting outside,� I told him. I leaped out the window & waited.
About ten minutes later, Aladdin appeared at the window. He glided up to me & we headed for the castle. Once we got there, I went to my room & packed my cloak, shoes, brush, & amulet in a bag. I was set. Xanatos agreed to take us to Argrabah, he & Fox were actually going with us, but staying in the helicopter.
At one-thirty in the morning, everyone was in the courtyard, near the chopper. The clan was there to say good-bye. I hugged or clasped hands with all of them. Brooklyn hugged me for the longest time. Our wings were around each other. At last we let go. I grabbed my bag & followed Aladdin into the helicopter.
Before the door closed, I turned around & looked at the clan. I waved one last time.
�Come back safely within four days!� called Goliath.
�We will,� I called back.
The door closed. I sat down with Aladdin. The helicopter took off, & we were on our way. Xanatos popped a cassette into the player & the first chords of �Arabian Nights� came through the speakers.
When the opening for �One Jump Ahead� came on, Xanatos, Fox, & I urged Aladdin to sing. He did so. The tape played & came to �A Whole New World� which we both sang.
At an hour before dawn, the city lights were before us. The whole place was ablaze with lights. The copter landed a few feet from the city walls.
�Well,� Xanatos said. �We�re here.�
We stepped outside & stretched our arms, legs, & (in two cases) wings, & tails. Once we finished stretching, we began to set up camp. We brought out two big tents, set them up, then placed blankets, sheets, & pillows inside them. Once that was done, it was almost dawn.
I grabbed my bag, & told the others that I was going to surprise the palace. I clawed up the city walls & glided to my bedroom balcony. As I landed, I looked to the east & the signs of sunrise coming. I concentrated & changed into a human. Then, I slipped my cloak & shoes on.
I silently walked into my bedroom, looking for my pet tiger, Rajah. I spotted him near my bed on the side where it was oblivious to the balcony. I grinned to myself. This was going to be good.
I walked closer to my bed & called, �Hi, Rajah.� Rajah�s head jerked up. When he saw me, his eyes lit up, he popped to his feet & knocked me down, licking my face. I laughed while playfully telling him to get off & pushing his mouth from my face.
The sounds of our reunion brought the guards running in. I heard Razoul say, �What is going on here?� Rajah looked at Razoul & leaped away from me. I got up & turned towards the door. I saw not only Razoul, but Vasal, too.
�Princess,� gasped Vasal. �You�re back!�
�Sorry to disappoint you, but I�m only visiting. I didn�t come back for good,� I said.
�What do you mean?� asked Razoul.
Before I could answer, I heard Genie say, �Hey, what�s going on?� When he got into the room & saw me, his jaw dropped.
�Jasmine. What are you doing here?�
�I�m visiting.�
�I�m glad you�re here. I can finally introduce you two.�
�What?�
�Sorry,� Genie apologized. He turned into the hallway. �She�s here!�
A minute later, I heard flapping. One minute more, then someone perched itself on Genie�s shoulder. And rather regally, I might add.
I took a real good look at the being on Genie�s shoulder. It was a bird. A male hornbill, in fact. Blue feathers of two shades covered him as well as white feathers from under his neck & down to his feet. He looked familiar, but at the moment I couldn�t place his features with a name. That was when the bird spoke.
�Did I hear you say Princess Jasmine�s here?�
Then the realization came to me. It was Zazu from Disney�s The Lion King! I looked at Zazu & noticed that he was looking right back at me. Then, he flew over to me & perched on my shoulder.
�Jasmine, you don�t know how long I�ve waited for you to come back to the palace just so we could possibly be best friends,� Zazu addressed me.
�You want to be my best friend?� I replied, shocked.
�Of course.�
�I�d love for you to be my best friend.�
�Good. Wherever you go, I will go.�
�Even when I leave to go back to my new home?�
�Even that.�
I looked at Genie. �Genie, can I talk to you, alone?� I asked.
�Sure. Let�s talk in the hall.� Genie & I walked out of my room.
�Okay, what do you want to talk about?�
�Genie, Xanatos & Fox brought me here. They also brought Aladdin. And we�re leaving in three days after today,� I explained.
�Al�s here!� exclaimed my blue friend.
�You can see him tonight. Right now, I want to go shop in the marketplace.�
�You got it.�
I spent the rest of the day in the marketplace with Razoul, Vasal Genie, Iago, Abu, Carpet, & Zazu.
I became more & more apprehensive as sunset drew closer & closer. Genie asked if I should be leaving. I told him yes. He told me, I better ditch the guards. I nodded. I turned to my two escorts.
�I have business to attend outside of the city gates. I�ll be back tomorrow morning.� I turned to leave.
�You�re not leaving our sights anymore,� Razoul called.
I whirled around, my face felt a shade paler. �W-What?"
�You�re not leaving the city without us.�
I looked at Genie. Genie gave me a look that said that there was no way out of this. I looked back at the guards.
�Can you two keep a secret?"
�What kind of secret?�
�Follow me & you�ll see.� I led them out the gates & towards the camp site. At a camp fire was Xanatos, Fox, & Aladdin. Xanatos walked up to me, looking relieved.
�I�m glad you got here before sunset,� he said.
�Sorry, but I have two guards who refused to let me go,� I said, motioning at the two dumbbells behind me.
�At least you�re here,� Aladdin stated.
�Al!� Genie shouted.
�Genie!� Aladdin shouted back. The two friends ran into each other�s embrace & stayed that way for a few minutes.
Zazu looked at me. �What�s all the fuss about sunset?�
�Yes. What is the fuss about?� echoed the guards.
�I guess you�ll find out soon,� I sighed.
I took off my cloak & shoes. Razoul & Vasal stared at my pants. I didn�t blame them. There were rips at the knees where my spikes were to be at.
As the sun disappeared, I gasped & fell to my knees. My skin changed color, my hands turned into claws, my tail appeared, & my wings sprouted from my back. When the change was complete, I stood back up. Razoul & Vasal gaped at me. Razoul recovered, however. He frowned & crossed his arms.
�So, this is why you didn�t come back. You turned yourself into a monster. Just like your boyfriend,� he said in a cross manner.
I stepped back & held one cheek like he slapped me. Then, I got angry. My eyes glowed, as I stalked over to him & grabbed him by the top. I lifted him up.
�Now listen,� I growled. �I didn�t turn myself into a gargoyle. Someone who didn�t like me, permanently turned me into one. Then, someone else gave me the choice to become human at sunrise. That was the only way I could come here. Understand?�
Razoul nodded & I dropped him. I turned away from him, feeling guilty that I had to talk to him like that. I looked at my friends. Abu was on Aladdin�s shoulder, Iago was on Genie�s shoulder. Carpet just flew around everyone. I caught Aladdin�s eye & he wandered over to me.
�Hey, Jasmine, is something wrong?�
�Not really.�
�How about we catch some air?�
�Sounds great.�
Aladdin & I climbed the wall & glided into the sky. Once we were in the air, I started to feel better than I was a few minutes ago. Once we landed, Razoul walked up to me.
�Jasmine, I�m sorry for calling you, & Aladdin, monsters. I didn�t think that gargoyles were more than rainspouts.�
�It�s all right. Your shock was understandable.�
The next three day after were the same. I would spend the day human, talking to citizens, taking pictures for my friends & myself. At sunset, I would leave with the guards & friends, & change to a gargoyle. Razoul & Vasal even saw Aladdin wake up from his stone sleep.
On the third night, it was time to leave. I bid the guards, Genie, Carpet, Iago, & Abu good-bye. Zazu flew into the copter as I stepped in & closed the door. Then, we finally headed back to Manhattan.
When the helicopter landed & I opened the door, there was a welcoming committee waiting for us. Not only was the clan there, but also Matt, Gemini, Demona, Cassy, Owen, & Alex.
Aladdin & I jumped out of the helicopter & ran to our mates, who were standing under a painted banner with the words �WELCOME HOME!� in black, blue-lavender, & light blue. The rest of the guests crowded around us, except for Demona.
I broke from the crowd & went over to her. Demona flashed me a mother�s smile, & we hugged each other. After we promised to see each other some other time, Demona left the castle.
I went back to the group, & we laughed & chatted. The trio told what had happened at the castle, Cassy & Gemini told what happened at Athens, & Matt told about his police work.
Finally, Aladdin, Cassy, & Gemini left to return home. I told the remaining committee members what happened, leaving out Zazu purposefully.
�While I was visiting, I made a new friend,� I began.
�A new friend? Who is it?� asked Broadway.
I turned to the copter. �Come on out & meet my clan.�
Slowly, Zazu poked his head out & flew over to me. I heard Elisa, & Matt gasp as they recognized my new friend.
�Jasmine, isn�t that-� started Elisa.
I nodded. �Yes, it�s Zazu from The Lion King.�
�He came here?� Matt said, astonished.
�He said that he would come back to Manhattan with me.�
The entire clan welcomed Zazu to our home & our city. Zazu accepted their welcomes, & we headed inside the castle, so I could give a more detailed visit story, & Zazu could tell his story of coming to Argrabah. I sighed. I was finally back with my clan.