Disclaimer: Aladdin and its characters do not belong to me. They are the property of Disney.
Chapter One- Dark Ritual
Princess Jasmine awoke with a start. Something wasn't right. A look at her surroundings confirmed this. She was shackled in a standing position in a dark and filthy dungeon. Lit torches were a sign that it was still nighttime. She frowned. It hadn't quite been dark last she recalled. It had been twilight. She remembered now:
She had been heading back to the palace with Aladdin after shopping in the marketplace. They had passed an alley when her boyfriend suddenly fell unconscious. She had called his name when a blow to her head had rendered her insensate too.
She winced as the recollection of the blow brought the pain to the forefront of her mind. Who captured her? And for what purpose? Her answers did not come until a few hours later when the dungeon was bathed in moonlight that shone through the barred windows.
The dungeon door creaked open ominously and a smooth voice said, "I hope you've made yourself at home, princess."
Jasmine glared at the dark-clad man at the door. "What do you want with me, Mozenrath?"
"Not much. Just conquering Agrabah and killing Aladdin."
"Oh, the old ransom ploy? Aladdin will rescue me and your plan will be ruined."
Mozenrath snorted. "Who said my plan was ransom? I plan to use you to achieve my conquest. I'll also have you kill Aladdin."
"I would never help you."
"You will. I have a month to convince you."
"Aladdin will find me before that."
"I don't think so. You see, I cast a spell on the city. They think you're visiting a nearby kingdom for a month. Actually...you are. My kingdom. It'll wear off once my conquest begins. So, princess, I have all my bases covered. Now, the ritual will begin."
Mozenrath pulled a cup, a silver cross, and a silver knife from his robes. Hanging the cross around his neck, he advanced toward Jasmine, brandishing the knife. Jasmine tried to twist her wrists around to get loose. Mozenrath reached out and held his captive's left hand immobile. He pressed the flat of the blade against Jasmine's forearm and drew it down.
Jasmine gasped as she felt the blade slit her arm as well as her blood flowing down. It flowed down to her elbow where it collected in the cup. When the flow congealed, the cup was half-full. The dark wizard held the cup up to a beam of moonlight and began chanting in an unknown language. The contents of the cup began to shimmer with powerful and ancient magic. Continuing the chant, Mozenrath poured half of the contents on his cross and then on Jasmine's still open wound.
Jasmine screamed as the blood hit her cut. Her own blood was burning through the cut and into her bloodstream. Her very body felt as if it was on fire! She hadn't even realized that Mozenrath had released her until she was kneeling, arms wrapped around her stomach. A hot bubbling feeling was felt in her stomach. What was going on?
A tingling sensation flooded from her abdomen to her whole body. She gasped, and then screamed as she felt her body changing and a primal urge guiding her through the change. The pain soon receded and the princess found herself on her hands and knees along with that odd urge. A howl escaped her throat. She froze in mid-howl. Did she make that sound? She looked at herself. She saw paws as dark as her hair. Only her hair had become fur and had covered her entire body. A furry tail hung from the base of her spine. She had transformed into a wolf!
"I've done it!" Mozenrath exclaimed, drawing the she-wolf's attention. Her brown eyes changed into glowing solid red ones and she growled, finally understanding the urge she gained. Humans were her enemy and she would kill the one before her. She advanced on him, but yelped and backed up when he held the cross in front of him.
"I have power over you as long as I wear this. When I poured your blood on it, I became your master. I've ensured my control over you, my princess werewolf."
Jasmine's eyes stopped glowing but remained red and her primal urge was pushed down into her subconscious. She hardly noticed the urge being locked away as she was absorbing Mozenrath's words. She was a werewolf? And Mozenrath controlled her? He was her master?
"Now, go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."
Unable to resist his order, the werewolf complied and was soon fast asleep.
Chapter Two- Escape Attempt
The feeling of something cold and hard beneath her drew her out of her sleep. Slowly, she opened her eyes. She gasped when she saw Mozenrath lying beside her and staring hard at her. She sat up fast and glared at the wizard as he stood up and brushed off his clothes.
"Rise and shine, princess. Breakfast awaits." Grasping Jasmine's arm, he hoisted her to her feet and out of the dungeon to the dining room.
Jasmine thought and plotted as she sat on Mozenrath's left. The first thing she noticed was that she had become human at dawn. The second thing she noticed was the silver cross. She recalled Mozenrath saying that as long as he wore it, he controlled her. So, all she had to do was remove and destroy it. Simple enough. Acting fast, Jasmine reached out and grasped the cross. A searing pain burned her palm. Uttering a cry, she pulled away and saw a raw red burn on her hand.
Mozenrath, instead of being irate, chuckled darkly. "You have a lot to learn about being a werewolf. You're allergic to silver now as your hand can testify."
Jasmine winced as the pain. The sensation was soon replaced with a feeling of despair. She couldn't remove the necklace because silver hurt her and the chain was silver too. She was truly in his control.
Mozenrath smirked. He saw Jasmine's shoulders sag when his words sank in. She was coming to the realization that she was powerless against him. Good. She would be less likely to rebel. He watched her throughout breakfast. He wished to display to her how much power he had over her. He soon got his chance.
"Better eat your food. I want you strong when I'm ready to conquer Agrabah."
Jasmine, who had been simply picking at her breakfast, found that she couldn't resist the commanding tone in Mozenrath's voice. This fact showed her that she would have to do anything he commanded, whether she wanted to or not. That meant that she would kill Aladdin because Mozenrath will order her to do so! As she thought of her boyfriend, a surge of love went through her. She would try to resist her captor. 'I won't let him control me. I'll escape and hopefully find a cure.'
"What are you thinking about?" Mozenrath asked. There was no command in that tone, just curiosity.
Without answering, Jasmine leaped out of her seat and bolted from the Citadel. Through the deserted streets she ran, pushing aside any Mamluks in her way. Ahead of her, she saw black sand giving way to regular sand. She would soon be free! Her sudden bolt threw Mozenrath off and he was unable to command her to stop before she got too far to hear. The pleasedness (for lack of a better term) at her cleverness and elation at her freedom turned to pain when she collided with an invisible barrier. An electric shock coursed through her and she fell into unconsciousness.
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"You'll pay for that escape!" a voice screamed when she came to. She winced at the high decibel. Blearily opening her eyes, she saw Mozenrath fuming above her. Her insides shook with terror. What was he going to do to her? Torture her with silver, maybe? He certainly could do that. However, she was still fueled by her love for Aladdin and a desire for escape. Getting to her feet, she tackled the sorcerer, punching everything she could get to. She hoped to render him unconscious long enough to find a way to remove his control on her.
Unfortunately for her, Mozenrath recovered quickly from this sudden attack. Using his gauntlet, he blasted Jasmine off him and onto the floor of the dungeon he had placed her in. Grabbing a silver whip from nearby, he brought it down on her back. She cried out as the whip left a raw burn on her skin. He brought the whip down several more times until Jasmine could hardly move. Kneeling beside her, he said, "Hopefully, you'll be more cooperative when the moon rises tonight. You will learn your place, princess." With that Mozenrath left, the dungeon door slamming shut behind him.
Jasmine sighed, trying not to agonize her back further. Would she be more cooperative tonight? If she had her way, the answer would be no. But when the moon rose, she would transform into a wolf again and with Mozenrath wearing that cross, any order he gave her, she would have to obey.
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A few hours later, with moonrise minutes away, the dungeon door opened and Mozenrath strode in, carrying a bundle of straw. Setting the straw aside, he approached the wounded woman, who looked at him blandly. She hissed slightly as he ran his left fingers lightly over the whip marks.
"They're healing nicely," he commented.
"Are they?" she asked softly. "They still hurt."
"Oh, yes. I imagine they still hurt, but the marks are almost gone. So, judging from your behavior, I take it you won't defy me anymore?"
"I dislike the pain, so I'll obey to avoid more."
"Very wise. When I conquer Agrabah, perhaps I'll make you my wife."
Jasmine noticed that Mozenrath was more...friendly, for want of a better term. Her eyes focused on the window where she could see the moon beginning to rise. She closed her eyes to prepare herself. For a minute or two, there was only blackness, and then there was glowing white. As before, there was pain, but it was less so because the spell was what caused the unbearable pain from before. This time when she howled, she did not cut it short. She opened her now solid red eyes to see her master setting the straw up into several bundles.
He turned to see her sitting with her head tilted to one side. "You have a question? You can still talk."
Surprise filled her eyes before saying, "What's the straw for?"
"Your real training. Your decision to obey came sooner than I expected, so I've stepped up my plan."
'My real training? What does he mean?'
Chapter Three- Training
"Now, any other questions?"
"Just one. How can I still talk?"
"Part of being a werewolf. Now, I suspect there will be guards to face next month, so your training tonight is to attack these targets as though they're real guards. Oh, and try not to bite them and still leave them alive. Bite only to kill."
Jasmine said nothing, merely looked at the targets, trying to discern where the throat would be. Even if she bit the throat of the "guards", she knew she wouldn't do it for real.
"Jasmine, attack."
At Mozenrath's order, her eyes glowed and she lunged at the first target, claws on the front and back paws bared. She tore at the "skin" before clamping onto the "throat" and pulled it off. Snarling, she turned to the next one and simply clawed it to shreds. She toyed with the third and final one, but it too was soon torn down.
Mozenrath laughed with delight. "Excellent! I was correct in choosing to make you a werewolf. You're an efficient killer."
Jasmine's eyes stopped glowing and she stared at the remains of the targets in shock. She couldn't believe it. She heard the order to attack and suddenly the wolf half of her took control and obeyed. She couldn't stop herself. She had no control over her wolf form when given an order!
She was barely aware of Mozenrath stroking her head. "You're a better companion than Xerxes. A good thing I got rid of him."
This comment caught her attention. When she thought of it, she realized that she hadn't seen the flying eel since her capture. "Got rid of him?"
"I killed him. The thought of another companion made him jealous. And I have no use for jealousy."
He killed his pet? All because it was jealous? She swallowed hard. Good thing she decided to stay on his good side.
"Get some sleep, princess. I plan to give you some daytime training tomorrow."
Jasmine obliged. She had a feeling it was going to be a rough month ahead.
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She awoke the next morning to find herself lying in a bed. How did she get here? She fell asleep in the dungeon. Perhaps Mozenrath moved her. Last night's full moon was the third night, so it made sense for her to sleep in a bed without worrying about torn bed sheets.
Getting up (clothes melded into fur and returned at dawn), she padded into the hall. She sensed that Mozenrath was waiting for her at the dining table. She was right. Feeling it was the right thing to do, she bowed to the wizard before taking her seat. She chanced a glance at him and she noticed that he looked quite happy. She knew she was the source of his happiness. He had control over her and she had given him her word to obey to avoid silver torture.
Mozenrath set his goblet down after both had eaten and announced the nature of her daytime training. Simply put, they would explore her supernatural abilities. Since they started with pain through silver, Mozenrath put her through other tasks to test her endurance. Aside from silver, fire and electricity caused a great deal of pain. Arrows hurt, but could be easily pulled out. Any man-made weapon could inflict injuries, but the wounds would quickly heal. That included injuries sustained by animals or nature's elements.
Her strength was another field to test. It was soon realized that rope could not hold her neither could any chain that wasn't silver. By slightly flexing her pinned arms, her bindings would break. She could also pick up twice as much as a normal human and could bend metal with ease.
On and on the tests went over the next couple of weeks. In addition to pain and strength, her senses of smell, hearing, and sight were tested. Jasmine would receive three meals and ordered to sleep after dinner. Dawn prompted her awake and training began after breakfast.
Mozenrath took care not to push her too far. He didn't want his weapon to be too weak to fight. However, there was one last task that would probably take until the full moon to work.
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"I'm sorry. What did you say?"
"I want you to transform. I want you able to change without the full moon. Conquering Agrabah won't amount to anything if it's taken from me between full moons."
Truthfully, Jasmine was intrigued by the notion of changing whenever she wanted. If she could accomplish this, she could find a way to kill Mozenrath without killing herself. Maybe if she bit him, he would be allergic to silver as well and would be unable to wear his cross. Then, she would tear his throat out. The imagery was very pleasing to her.
Mozenrath took her silence and hesitation as fear and said, "You're afraid I'll punish you if you fail on your first try."
"Yes, I am," she lied, though she was a little afraid.
"Don't worry about it. I don't expect you to succeed immediately. I do, however, expect success before the full moon."
She nodded. She planned to succeed before then, too. Mozenrath gestured with his left hand, indicating that she should start. Closing her eyes, she focused on how she looked two weeks ago. She focused on the strength and grace. Focused so hard in fact, that she fell to her knees, gasping. Nothing happened.
The sorcerer shrugged. "We'll try again tomorrow. And every day afterwards if we have to."
'I will master this,' the princess thought. 'Then Mozenrath will pay.'
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Three Days Later
Jasmine struggled to her feet. She had been very close. She could feel it. "Tomorrow's another try," her captor sighed.
"One more try," she pleaded. "I think I almost got it."
Mozenrath rested his chin on his hand, considering her request. She claimed to be close to succeeding. Should he allow her to try again, instead of waiting for tomorrow? 'She might have found a rhythm. To make her wait, might cause her to lose it.'
"Very well. One more time and then we wait if nothing happens."
Nodding, Jasmine focused on the feeling she had sensed earlier. She felt a ripple of strength flow through her and her fingers turning into paws. Fur covered her body and she dropped to all fours before letting out a howl of triumph.
"At last. Success. Agrabah is as good as mine. We'll practice once more tomorrow and then we attack Agrabah the day after."
'The day after tomorrow1' she thought in horror. She mentally counted up her training days and realized that the full moon was a week and a half away. That meant that Mozenrath would rule Agrabah for that long until she could curse him. Perhaps that was best. She needed to completely gain his trust in order to succeed.
Chapter Four- The Attack
Shortly after breakfast on the morning of the attack, Mozenrath transported himself and Jasmine to a dune outside of Agrabah. There were no guards at the gates so no one was expecting an attack. Everyone was going about their business.
"Jasmine, transform and announce your arrival." Mozenrath raised the cross high and the princess obliged. Shifting to wolf form, she ran into the city, howling her arrival. Her howl was enough to send the humans running for safety. She ignored them and continued to head for the palace, howling once more.
There were two guards at the front doors. She saw the terror in their eyes, could smell their fear rolling off them in waves. She didn't slow down in the slightest as she rammed a shoulder into the doors. Her strength caused the doors to burst open. There were two more guards, one on each side of a throne. On that throne was...
'Father!' Despite her wolf instincts and her orders, she stopped halfway down the carpet. Closing her eyes, she focused on reverting to her true form. She felt herself tingle as the change occurred. When she saw the scene again, her father was staring in astonishment.
As she got to her feet, tears came to her eyes. It had been nearly a month since she saw him. "Father," she said softly. She started walking towards him.
"Who said you could revert?" Mozenrath's voice froze her in her tracks. She turned to him as he ordered, "Get back here." With that familiar feeling of helplessness, she hung her head and returned to his side.
"What is the meaning of this, Mozenrath?" Sultan demanded.
"Haven't you figured it out? I changed your precious daughter into a werewolf. One that obeys me because the spell made me her master."
"I won't allow you to control her. Guards, seize him!" The guards drew their swords and advanced.
"Jasmine, transform and defend." The princess did so and stood before the sorcerer, sideways. Her eyes glowed as she growled at the guards.
They stopped. They couldn't get Mozenrath without going through Jasmine. They didn't dare attack her. She was the princess.
"If you value your life and that of your guards', you'll surrender Agrabah to me."
"I'd rather die than surrender my throne."
"I thought you'd say that. However, what if I threatened her life?" He inclined his head to the still growling werewolf.
"You wouldn't!"
"You think so?"
Sultan thought it over. His daughter's life was hinging on his response. Yes, she was a werewolf now and listening to this man's orders, but she was still his daughter. Shoulders sagging, he said, "Fine, Mozenrath. I surrender."
"Your Highness, you can't!" Razoul exclaimed.
"It's the only way to save Jasmine."
Mozenrath laughed a short, triumphant laugh before saying, "Jasmine, escort your father and his guards to the dungeon."
Jasmine stopped growling and stared at her father in shock. He gave up the kingdom for her. She knew he would because he loved her. She loved him, too and couldn't bear the thought of taking him to the dungeon.
"Take him to the dungeon."
"No." Her response was soft, yet defiant.
Fury sparked in the sorcerer's eyes. "You dare defy me!?" He drew his gauntlet back, magic crackling around it. Jasmine hunched back, tail and ears down and back, respectively. A whimper escaped her throat. Her submissive posture calmed his anger. Lowering his arm, he said, "Let's try this again. Take them to the dungeon."
Ears still drooped, Jasmine padded over to the throne. She gestured in the direction of the dungeons with her muzzle. Sultan slid off his seat, gave his daughter a forgiving pat, and motioned the guards to follow him as he followed the werewolf out of the room.
Mozenrath gave an exasperated sigh. "Damn princess. Her stupid emotions got in the way of her vow. I'll have to train her to suppress her emotions." Satisfied, he crossed the room and settled himself on his conquered throne, unaware that his conquest had been seen.
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Aladdin sat on Carpet, stunned. He had been about to land on the balcony next to the throne room, when he saw a black wolf burst in. Events afterwards were quick and confusing. At least until Genie supplied the dialogue. He was still shocked, however. Mozenrath had kidnapped his girlfriend and made her a werewolf. Apparently the control he claimed to have on her was not total as she had shown defiance earlier.
Leading Carpet from the palace, Aladdin said, "I still don't get it. How can she change like that?"
"Al, this is the supernatural we're talking about here," Genie stated. "And the realm of werewolves is very complex."
"There has to be a way to break it. Mozenrath said he used a spell, right? So, we need it get it and see about a counterspell."
"Weren't you listening?" Iago cut in. "This is complex matter. And besides, once someone's cursed as a werewolf, there's no cure."
"None?"
"Nope. But there could be a way to break Mozenrath's control on her. That's all you can do."
"I don't believe there's no cure. Every spell has a counterspell. We fly to the Citadel, grab the counterspell, and free Jasmine. Carpet, let's go." Carpet picked up speed and headed for the Land of the Black Sand.
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"I'm sorry Father," Jasmine said softly as the Sultan and his guards entered the cell.
Sultan knealt down and wrapped his arms around her neck. "I know, dearest. I don't blame you. We'll get through this."
"Just let me at him," Razoul demanded.
"No, Razoul. We can't risk her safety."
"Father's right. Besides, I have a plan. As long as he wears that cross, he controls me. But if I bite him, he won't be able to wear it anymore. I have to gain his trust in order to do so."
"You did a great job when you refused to listen earlier, didn't you?" Razoul mocked.
"Razoul, one more remark like that and I'll have you bitten," Sultan reprimanded. Razoul gulped but said nothing. Sultan turned back to his daughter.
"Listen dearest. Do what he says, regardless of how you feel. Your plan is the only one we've got. Once you're free of his control, come get us and we'll handle his imprisonment."
"There won't be a need to because I'll kill him."
"What!?"
"Father, look what he did to me! He must pay for that. Wouldn't you do the same if it was you?"
Sultan smiled. "Of course I would. All right. Kill him when you have the chance." Hugging her once more, he let her leave and close the door behind her.
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"You're back. Good." Mozenrath pointed to a pillow on one side of the throne. "You'll lay there."
Putting on a sad face, the she-wolf padded over to the pillow and laid upon it. She felt tired from all the training last month and this morning's conquest. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes to relax them.
"I know it seems bad right now, princess, but it will get better."
"I feel guilty over how I behaved. I'm sorry."
Mozenrath could hardly believe his ears. The princess sounded very...submissive and truly sorry. His authority must be truly taking hold. Smirking he said, "You're forgiven. You won't do it again."
"I promise." Jasmine was horrified at what she was saying. She hadn't intended to say anything and the words just popped out on their own accord. Was Mozenrath's control strengthening?
Chapter Five- Counterspell
As Carpet flew toward Mozenrath's kingdom, Genie gave Aladdin a lesson on werewolves. The descriptions, how one becomes a werewolf, and the various powers one could have. He tried to stress that no cure has been found, but the hero refused to listen.
"If a spell was used, then there is a counterspell," he stated.
The group flew to the borderline of the Land of the Black Sand. Genie and Carpet stayed behind to avoid setting off the magic detectors while the others bravely entered the decaying city. Mamluks patrolled every block but they avoided them. Once or twice, it looked as if they had been spotted. A minute or two would pass before they would continue on.
After ten to fifteen minutes, they reached the Citadel. As Aladdin reached out to open the front doors, they creaked open to reveal...blackness. There was no one or thing waiting for them. Odd, considering Mozenrath usually didn't bother with doors, preferring to magically transport himself.
"Why no traps or guardians?" he asked. "Why leave it unguarded?"
"Maybe he thought a werewolf was all the protection needed?" Iago suggested. "In any case, it appears he got careless and we shouldn't question it."
"Right. Let's go." Leading the way, Aladdin entered the building, still wary of any traps. There didn't appear to be any. Maybe Iago was right.
The trio glanced into every room and corridor they came to. Nothing seemed to resemble a place to use or store a spell. It was Iago who rediscovered the lab they saw when they first met the dark sorcerer. Scattered on the desks among bubbling beakers and stopped test tubes were books and scrolls of various sizes and lengths.
Aladdin immediately began looking through the books while Abu and Iago searched the scrolls. When an hour had passed, the only thing they had found was a tome on magical objects. Aladdin promptly burned that. Another hour yielded the scroll they were looking for. Abu held it up, chattering excitedly. Aladdin took it and unrolled it halfway down. He scanned the objects used and the purpose of each one.
"Well, what' cha find?" Iago demanded.
"There's no counterspell."
"I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so."
"There is a way to break Mozenrath's control, though. A cross was used in the spell and it's a way of controlling the werewolf. If we remove and destroy it, Jasmine won't be under his control."
"Well, let's go and free the princess."
"We can't. The beginning of the scroll says removing the control can only be done during the full moon.
"WHAT! That's a week and a half away!"
"I know. But we don't have a choice. Besides, getting the cross from Mozenrath won't be easy. We can use the time to plan.
"And we'll take this scroll with us, so Mozenrath can't use it on anyone else." Clutching the scroll, the young hero marched out of the lab and toward the exit.
Suddenly something hard and rough slammed Aladdin when he was feet from the exit. He hit the floor hard. Looking up, they saw a trio of stone figures. 'So much for the lack of guardians,' he thought.
One of the giants' fists came down, but Aladdin dodged quickly. Another giant tried to pluck the scroll from Aladdin. Two more such attempts clued him in to the strategy.
"Iago, fly to the exit and catch." Aladdin threw the scroll to Iago, who caught it and split. Aladdin and Abu followed, the former clutching a bruised arm. One dodge caused him to land badly. By the time they got to the border, the bruise was black and blue.
"Al! Your arm!" Genie nursed Aladdin's arm as they boarded Carpet and took flight.
"We got some answers though. Mozenrath’s controlling Jasmine with a cross. If we remove and destroy it, Jasmine will be free from his control."
"She'll still be a werewolf though."
"Yeah. I wish there was a cure."
"Who knows, Al? Maybe one day there will be."
"Yeah. But, in the meantime, we need to plan. We have to wait for the full moon to destroy the cross."
"You got a point. That demented wizard boy isn't going to hand over his control willingly."
"So, let's start planning."
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A Week and a Half Later
Jasmine was miserable. Yes, things did get better. Well, for her anyway. She got to sleep in her room. However, when Mozenrath ordered her to transform (which was quite often), she was to lay on the pillow beside the throne. Another unfortunate thing was that Rajah had been put in the dungeon with her father. Speaking of her father, she saw to it that he nor the guards or Rajah starved.
But, these conditions, she knew would be better if Mozenrath wasn't ruling. She followed Sultan's wishes and obeyed Mozenrath's every word. It wasn't hard. His control had grown stronger and she found it difficult to resist. She was acting more and more like an obedient werewolf and during those times, she nearly forgot that she was human and not a wolf.
However, tonight was the first full moon of the month. Mozenrath's rule of Agrabah and his control on her would end tonight. Tonight, he would die. That one thought gave her the will to endure this past week. It also helped her remember her humanity.
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"So, everyone understands the plan?"
"Yeah, we got it, Al."
"Okay. Let's recap. I'll distract Mozenrath so Abu can slip the gauntlet off. If he orders Jasmine to attack, don't help me Genie. I know Jasmine won't kill me. Once the gauntlet’s off, we'll be able the remove the cross much more easily."
"Okay, Al. The rest of us will stay here and watch in case things don't go according to plan."
"Understood. Come on, Abu." Gathering up his friend, Aladdin slipped off Carpet and onto the throne room balcony. Peering around a column, he saw the sorcerer on the throne. He made out the edge of a black nose on the other side. That was Jasmine. Letting Abu off, he was about to sneak into the room when his nemesis said, "Come in and greet me properly, Aladdin."
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Jasmine kept a close eye on the sky, waiting for the moon to come into perfect position and shine on Mozenrath. That would be when she would make her move. With her positioned on her master's left, she'd be able to reach up and quickly bite before he realized what had happened. She breathed softly at that pleasant thought. The scent of a human (aside from Mozenrath) reached her nose. She didn't recognize who it was and she didn't care. She was a protective wolf and Mozenrath was her master. She softly growled and that alerted Mozenrath. He looked in the direction the she-wolf was looking and smirked. "Come in and greet me properly, Aladdin."
The young man emerged and looked at Mozenrath with furious eyes. Mozenrath could tell from those eyes that Aladdin knew everything.
"How dare you curse my girlfriend," Aladdin said in a soft, yet angry tone.
The sorcerer laughed. "But, isn't she better this way?"
"She was fine the way she was."
"Oh, is that so? Well, allow me to change your mind. Jasmine, attack and destroy him."
To Aladdin's surprise and horror, Jasmine pounced with glowing eyes and bared teeth and claws. She pushed him to the floor and growled in his face. Aladdin tried to see a hint of his girlfriend in this vicious face, but he couldn't. It was as if Jasmine had completely become a wolf! The she-wolf's mouth opened a little bit more and lowered toward Aladdin's throat. The hero pushed on her lower jaw to prevent her from tearing out his throat.
"Jasmine, please, don't do this. You don't have to listen to him."
"Don't you get it, Aladdin? My control on her grew stronger over the past week. She can't resist. I wouldn't be surprised if her humanity no longer exists."
Suddenly, Jasmine's eyes flashed brown. When she spoke, it was as if she was speaking from the bottom of a deep well. "Aladdin, help me," she said softly, before her wolf half took hold again.
"I will help you," he answered just as softly. "We just need to give Abu more time."
Chapter Six- Revenge
Mozenrath watched Aladdin struggle to subdue his beloved without causing injury to either of them. Having control over Jasmine was a great feeling and he could hardly wait to hear Aladdin's scream of pain as Jasmine ended his life. He was so preoccupied with the struggle that he failed to notice Abu. The clever ex-thief quietly and smoothly slid the gauntlet from Mozenrath's bony hand and padded back to Carpet with his prize.
The first hint that something was wrong was that his right hand felt cold. He glanced down and saw his exposed bones. "My gauntlet!" he exclaimed, catching the werewolf's attention. He looked up and saw a look in those red eyes that he didn't like. A look of desired revenge.
Teeth bared, Jasmine advanced. She wanted to carry out her revenge, but a part of her wanted to finish the order Mozenrath gave her. She ignored that part. Her desire for revenge was stronger.
Mozenrath backpedaled, not even bothering to use the cross to order her to halt. The sorcerer backed up into a patch of moonlight. The moon was in position and Jasmine leaped toward her master. She sailed gracefully through the air. Her eyes were locked on her target. She could almost taste his flesh. Her revenge was finally here! She landed smoothly in front of her target. Her teeth found their target and she bit down on his left hand as hard as she could. The scream of pain that reached her ears was the sweetest sound she ever heard in her life.
&&&&
Aladdin knew Abu had succeeded when he heard Mozenrath's exclamation. That utterage caught Jasmine's attention as well. She wheeled on the sorcerer, teeth bared. Aladdin stared at her, bemused. Why did she stop attacking him? Was she breaking Mozenrath's control on her own? For the moment, maybe. But, it wasn't going to last forever. He needed to get that cross.
He got to his feet just as Jasmine leaped toward the sorcerer. He gasped as her teeth sank into his enemy's hand. Mozenrath let out a scream of pain. "Jasmine!" Aladdin cried. "What are you doing?"
Jasmine released the hand and looked at her boyfriend as Mozenrath backed away. "I'm taking my revenge. Now that cross will have to come off."
"You had this planned, didn't you?"
"For about two weeks."
"I don't get it, though. You didn't have to bite him."
"Maybe not. I plan on killing him however."
"No! I won't let you be a murderer."
"He deserves to die, Aladdin!"
"Jasmine, I think being a werewolf is affecting your reasoning. I mean, Genie could zap up anti-magic something to restrain him."
"My judgment is fine. Besides, Father said I could kill him."
Aladdin sighed. "I can't go against your father's wishes." Now he saw why Jasmine bit Mozenrath. To insure a successful kill, the cross needed to be removed and since werewolves were allergic to silver, she bit him. Smiling at his beloved, he nodded his understanding.
Mozenrath gripped his hand breathing heavily. The princess broke her promise to him. She turned on him and had just cursed him. Glaring at Jasmine, he snarled, "You'll pay for that princess."
"You're the one who'll pay! The moon is up and you know what that means."
"I'll-I'll kill-" The wizard cut off when he felt pain flood his body. Especially his right hand. He stared as his arm in shock. The muscles, tissues, and flesh were being restored. The werewolf virus had rejuvenated it. Then, his hand became a paw. His shock gave way to pain and anger. He fell to his knees as dark fur began to spread all over his body. A howl signaled the transformation's end. Glowing yellow eyes bore into Jasmine's red ones.
Mozenrath gasped suddenly and then moaned. He sat down and promptly started scratching at the chain that was starting to burn the fur off his neck. He started to whimper in pain, scratching furiously at the chain. There was a clink as the necklace hit the palace floor.
A look of relief crossed Mozenrath's face before his eyes lit up again. He growled as he prowled to Jasmine's left. The princess responded by moving right. They circled one another, eyes glowing and growling at each other.
"You tricked me!" Mozenrath exclaimed. "All this time, you've been deceiving me!"
"Not all the time. Your control did work. Now, it's time for you to die."
"You don't have the guts, princess."
"A month ago that would have been true. Now, I do have the guts for it." With that, Jasmine leaped at Mozenrath who met the charge, smugness on his face. The two went down in a tangle of fur and limbs. Claws and teeth bared, Jasmine attempted to rip her former master apart. Mozenrath dodged the attacks that were aimed to kill him. He was pleased at his agility. The strength and power contained in this form amazed him. Maybe he should have turned himself into a werewolf in the first place.
Unfortunately for him, the princess had a month of experience and knew how to move. Facing Mozenrath, her eyes scanned left and right. She faked a left and tackled from the right. Her tackle had enough force to turn him onto his back...right on the discarded cross.
Mozenrath howled in pain as the cross bit into his shoulder. Somehow, he brought his hindquarters up and pushed the princess off. He rolled to his feet and Genie swiped the cross out of harm's way.
The two werewolves circled once again. Jasmine was trying to find a hole in Mozenrath's defenses. The latter was trying to find a way to escape with his life.
"That is enough!" the voice of the Sultan commanded. His voice snapped Jasmine's attention to him. Abu must have freed him and the others.
Jasmine's distracted attention gave Mozenrath an opening to tackle her. She landed on her side as Mozenrath scratched at her fur and skin. Jasmine reacted by racking her claws across his cheek. He howled again as he put distance between him and her in order to recover. Shaking his head, he rubbed his foreleg over his cheek before advancing once more. He stopped in his tracks when Rajah stepped in front of Jasmine.
"Damage control," Genie announced. He zapped Mozenrath into anti-werewolf strength chains as Aladdin ran over to his girlfriend.
"Jasmine, are you all right?" he asked as the princess werewolf got to her feet. There was dried blood on her fur and the scratches had already healed.
"I'm fine, Aladdin," she replied as Genie zapped away the blood. She padded up to the bound sorcerer, teeth bared viciously. "Now to end this."
"Whoa, Jas. First we dispose of this," Genie said, holding up the cross. "Just to make sure he doesn't find a way to use it again." He zapped up a brazier with a crackling fire.
"Here, Al. You do the honors." He tossed it to Aladdin, who held it above the fire.
"No! Don't!" Mozenrath cried. But, it was too late as the cross landed in the fire, melting it into a liquid mess. The enchanted cross was no more.
"Okay, Jas. Go for it." A growl behind Genie made him realize that something wasn't right. "Jas?" he asked as he and the others turned to look at her.
The princess' eyes were closed and she was growling as if she were fighting an internal struggle. Aladdin approached her, concerned. "Jasmine? Are you okay?"
Jasmine opened her eyes to show them glowing more brightly than ever before. Her tail completely bushed out as she growled viciously at him. Aladdin backed up in alarm. Jasmine turned and fled the palace, howling all the while.
&&&&
Jasmine watched with pleasure as the cross was destroyed. However, the cross was driven from her mind as the deep primal urge from the first night a month ago was reawakened. She closed her eyes as she fought this urge while trying to understand it at the same time. The urge, however, soon overpowered her mind just as Aladdin spoke to her. She didn't understand his words, but she knew she smelled a human: her enemy. All humans were her enemy; she the wolf. She opened her eyes and growled a fierce warning at the human in front of her. The human backed up, which was what she wanted. She smelled other humans and knew she could not hold them all off. She saw a male werewolf, chained up. The humans did that and would do the same to her unless she escaped now. Turning to the door, she ran, howling as she went.
&&&&
There was stunned silence as Aladdin stared at the still open doors. "Wha-what just happened?"
"You fools!" Mozenrath exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention. "Destroying the cross unleashed the primal instincts."
"You better explain that."
"Very well. The use of the cross was to allow me to hold her will. The spell would have turned anyone under its power into a wild werewolf. The cross sealed those instincts. So when the cross was destroyed, those instincts were reawakened within her."
"Are you saying she's wild now?"
"Yes. She's viewing humans as enemies to kill and other werewolves as strangers to avoid. She'll kill any of you if you get too close to her, seeing as she probably thinks she's a wolf. She's probably looking for a territory to claim as we speak."
"We can't leave her out there," Aladdin declared.
"Weren't you listening? There's nothing you can do!"
Genie zapped a muzzle on Mozenrath's mouth as the Sultan ordered him to be taken to the dungeons. This left everyone to consider their options.
Meanwhile in the desert, a black wolf with red eyes howled a warning to keep others out of her newly claimed territory.
Chapter Seven-The Solution
Aladdin awoke to find himself in the Throne Room. Sunlight lit the room, yet his mood felt gloomy. His girlfriend was running around the desert as a wild wolf. He felt helpless, but refused to give up. He had to help her somehow. Movement caught his attention. He looked to see the Sultan stirring on the throne. They locked eyes that held the same emotions: Sadness, helplessness, and determination.
"We'll find a way to help her, my boy. We will find a way."
"We start by interrogating Mozenrath," Aladdin stated after noting that it was just Rajah, Sultan, the guards, and him. Apparently, the others went to breakfast.
Sultan nodded and ordered the guards to bring their prisoner. When they returned, Aladdin felt annoyed to see the sorcerer looking calm and confident. He glared at Mozenrath as he opened the interrogation. "You better tell us about that entire spell."
The sorcerer smirked. "Why don't you read the scroll you've got hidden on you?"
"What?"
"Please, Street Rat, I know how you think."
Mentally shrugging, he pulled out the scroll and fully unrolled it. He saw some warnings at the bottom, one of which was not destroying the cross. He carefully scanned every line, especially the warnings. When he pulled it away, Mozenrath laughed.
"Judging from your face, you've finally accepted that you can't do anything to help the princess."
"Take him away," Sultan commanded. Once they were alone, he added, "Don't listen to him, my boy. Jasmine wouldn't want us to give up."
The boy nodded, but his mind was on the scroll's warnings. Some were more like abilities of werewolves, but others were definitely warnings. One of them sparked an idea that he continued to mull over for the rest of the morning, before setting out to carry out a plan.
&&&&
Jasmine awoke from beneath some overhanging rocks to serve as protection from upcoming sandstorms. She reflected on last night. After the cross was destroyed, all she recalled were images and instincts. Those instincts are what brought her to her new "home". She analyzed her instincts and came to the realization that she was more wolf than ever before, but only during the full moon.
'I can't go back. I'm too dangerous now.' Looking at the sky, she noted it was mid-afternoon. At moonrise, she would change and go in search of a meal. She only hoped it wasn't human flesh.
&&&&
"All right, Aladdin. We'll have him brought up and question him some more."
The idea he had that morning grew as he thought about it. However, he needed Mozenrath in order for it to work. Genie, Carpet, Iago, and Abu were present this time as the sorcerer was brought up. He was in regular chains this time and still had that calm and confident air about him, but Aladdin was determined to break that. He circled his foe as he said mockingly, "Look at the mighty sorcerer now."
The only response was a soft growl.
"Think you're real tough, don't you? Well, I'm not afraid of you. I mean, you all chained up. Doesn't look scary at all. It actually makes you look pathetic."
Mozenrath said nothing. He found the night sky fascinating. Aladdin scowled. He was still so calm. Then, inspiration struck. It just might do the trick.
"Genie, let's go to the Citadel and burn his scrolls and books. Maybe that'll get him to talk."
"Burn my...? You wouldn't!" Mozenrath started.
"Sure I would. Actually I already burned one last week. Some book on magical objects."
"My tome? The only one of its kind left!? You destroyed it!?"
"Yep. In fact I think I’ll go ahead and burn the scroll I've got here."
"NO!" Bursting free of his chains, Mozenrath charged Aladdin, knocking him onto the floor that glowed with moonlight. Aladdin reached into his vest and grasped a silver medallion by its leather strap. Mozenrath, assuming it was the scroll, cried, "I'll kill you!" and sank his teeth into Aladdin's arm so he could rip it out of its socket. Aladdin cried out before pulling out the medallion and pressing it against the werewolf's leg. Mozenrath yelped and leaped away as Aladdin got to his feet and tossed the necklace aside.
"Al!" Genie cried as he zapped Mozenrath into anti-werewolf manacles. "Oh, Al. He bit you. You're a werewolf too."
Pressing a hand to the wound, he said shakily, "I wanted him to. This way I can find Jasmine and bring her back."
"You could have done the same on Rugman."
"She's wild, Genie. I wouldn't have been able to get close before she attacks."
Before Genie could say anything more, Aladdin dropped to his knees as his transformation began. Pain flooded through him and he wondered if this was what the other two felt when they changed. He felt his hands and feet became paws, his nose and mouth merging together, and a tail grow out from the back. He howled as he felt strength and power flow through him.
"A-Al? Can you hear me?"
Aladdin shook himself as his vision and hearing grew sharper. "I'm fine Genie. Just need to adjust."
"Look, Al. I know you want to find Jas alone, but I suggest taking Iago. He could fly above you and report back to us."
"As long as I don't have to land," the parrot cut in. "I don't want to be a werewolf snack."
"Deal," Aladdin laughed as the two headed for the door. The werewolf paused, then called back, "Sultan, I'll let you decide Mozenrath's fate."
"His fate is life imprisonment," Sultan declared without hesitation. "Take him to the dungeon, Razoul." Aladdin and Iago left before they heard Razoul's affirmative.
&&&&
Jasmine tore off another bite of meat off the carcass of the stray camel she had killed. She was fortunate to come across such a find. However, her next hunt may not be so easy. She was making amazing discoveries about her new instincts. While she had the deep instincts that guided her, she still had her human reasoning and thinking. She was a combination of wild wolf and cultured human. Interesting. Or at least she was like this as long as there were no humans around, otherwise she would operate entirely on instinct.
The sound of crunching sand reached her ears. She growled deep in her throat, preparing to attack the intruder. Slowly, a figure appeared over the dune. A figure that wasn't human. It was a male werewolf! A male that...had her scent mixed in with his own?
'Aladdin?' she thought.
&&&&
Aladdin had his nose to the ground, trying to pick up his beloved's scent. It was not easy: There had been a lot of foot traffic in the last twenty-four hours. But he pressed on, moving further from the city.
"Hey, kid, I just realized something," Iago said, swooping lower. "How did you get a hold of a silver medallion?"
"Got it in the marketplace this afternoon. I knew I needed silver to get Mozenrath off me once I got bitten."
"I still can't believe you went through with it, knowing there's no cure."
"I did it because I love her and no one deserves to be alone. Hey, I got her scent." He took off in a run, growing more excited as the scent grew stronger. He reached the top of a dune and there she was, poised as if she was about to attack. However, that poise slackened as she looked at him.
"Oh, Jasmine. I'm so glad I found you." Aladdin descended toward the female who seemed to be in shock.
"Aladdin?" she asked in whispered disbelief.
"Yeah, it's me. I had Mozenrath bite me so I could find you and bring you back."
"I-I can't go back."
"What?"
"I'm too dangerous to go home."
"Dangerous? Come on. You don't seem dangerous to me."
"That's because you're a werewolf too and my scent's all over you."
"Your scent's all over me? What do you mean?"
"I'm not sure. All I know is that I smell myself on you.
"You got bitten just to get me to come back? Is that all?"
"No. I also did it because I love you. Besides, we promised we would never leave each other. Remember?"
"I...remember," she answered softly. She recalled the incident well. She looked into Aladdin's yellow eyes and felt a swell of love surge through her. She felt tears well up and spill over.
"Oh, Jasmine. Don't cry." Aladdin licked the tears off her furry cheeks. His tender gesture got her to dry her tears and respond back to his gesture. She slid her head under his chin and then ran her cheek across his. An affectionate growl escaped Aladdin's throat. Those simple touches she made felt good and normal.
"Now I know why my scent's on you," she said softly. "It's because we're...we're..."
"Mates?" he supplied.
"That sounds right."
"Sooo...I guess I can't get you to come back, huh?"
"I'm sorry, Aladdin. I would probably kill the people while I'm like this. I might even kill Father."
"Yeah, I see. But maybe..."
"Maybe what?"
"Iago, I've got a message for you to deliver. Oh, and you won't need to come back."
It was then that Jasmine noticed the brightly-colored parrot as he swooped close to Aladdin, who whispered to him. Iago flew off, leaving the female feeling very confused. "What did you tell him?"
"Well, you're still a princess. You and I will return once your father's passed on. I'll be there to keep you from killing people, okay?"
Jasmine licked his cheek lovingly. "Sounds perfect."
"Good. Hey, do I smell camel?"
The female jerked her head behind her. "Hungry?"
"Yeah, a little. I don't know if I'll get used to raw meat, though."
"It's not too bad. Come on." Jasmine led her mate to her kill and the two dined together.
Epilogue
Aladdin and Jasmine returned to Agrabah about one year after Jasmine's primal urge had taken her from her home. The two of them married and the new Sultan did as he had promised. He helped his wife resist her wild instincts. They eventually found out that if they were to conceive a child, the wild instincts would change into motherly instincts, thus no one would be killed.
Mozenrath remained in the dungeon until after the marriage. He attempted escape a few times thereafter. The last attempt had been on the full moon. He had been caught by the one that had cursed him and the one he had cursed. The werewolf sorcerer eventually came to realize that there was no way he could escape while there were two werewolves on Agrabah's thrones. No way at all.
