Hi! Welcome to a whole new start! I was rereading some of my stories and began thinking of how much I left out of some of my chapters, because I felt they were too long! Well, here is my chance to fix a few errors and add-on to one of my personal favorite stories that I have written.

So if you are new to Alaric then please enjoy and feel free to read over the old version or check out some more fics of Alaric. If you aren't new to this, then please enjoy as well!

Disney owns everything, but my own creations.


Chapter One: Finding Friends

The sun was beginning to set and I was hungry. My usual bad luck had kicked in already and I was desperate for something, anything.

I glanced from Farouk to the apples on his stand and put a hand over my cramping stomach. I needed that apple. Grimacing at the pain that erupted in my gut I inched closer to the stall, my fingers twitching in reflex. I had learned how to swipe things without being noticed in the week I had been in Agrabah. The merchants here were more relaxed and lazy than those I had seen in other places. Maybe they didn't feel the need to be more alert or maybe things here weren't like the ones at the last place I had been. Then again, I hadn't been loose in the streets either. I had been behind bars. In a cage like the animal I was.

My stomach cramped again and I tried to suppress it. I had become too dependent upon my old master, Manito, and the daily rotten apple and piece of bread crust he gave me. Now I was going on day three of nothing. This wasn't the Freak Show, this wasn't the town I used to live in and I wasn't five anymore. No one was going to look out for me. And even if they did they would only want something in return. It was how the world worked.

The gold I had flipped out into the middle of the street only minutes earlier, glittered in the low afternoon sun and I fidgeted. If he didn't see it then I would have to resort to other means of getting my food, but what those were I didn't really know. This was my one and only plan and I had to hope that it worked. And I prayed that my bad luck wouldn't mess this up for me.

"…One…two…three…" I counted under my breath as the vendor walked towards the middle of the street, where I had planted the gold coin. Finally, the big jerk noticed it… Smiling that my plan had worked, I moved closer and reached into the stall, digging through the apples on to get to the really good ones at the bottom.

I checked on the merchant again to see him, bending down to pick up the coin and I turned back around quickly. There was a particularly large apple in sight and I grabbed it, moving to leave when I felt a tug on the same apple. Peering over the stall I gaped. A little brown monkey in a purple fez and vest had a hold on the apple.

"Hey, let go!" I hissed angrily at the small primate. The monkey chattered angrily back and tugged on the apple. I didn't have to guess what that meant. "No way. Get your own!" I tugged back. Neither of us was relenting and I was ready to just grab another and let him have it. It wasn't the monkey's fault after all. He was probably just as hungry if not more so than I was.

Suddenly a large shadow covered the both of us. "Get your hands off that apple you little thieves!" Farouk snarled and he brandished his sword. The monkey and I both shrieked as the sword came down and we both darted out of the way as the sword came down, getting stuck in the wood where our hands had been seconds earlier. I looked down in hopes of having grabbed the apple, but the little primate was already darting away, the apple in his paws.

My stomach reminded me that I needed nourishment now and despite my first conclusion about letting the monkey have the apple, I decided that I wanted it back. I glanced at the vendor who was still tugging at his sword and then ran for it, following the monkey. He couldn't have gotten far.

"Come back here monkey!" I called, and then he heard a crash. Looking behind me, I saw as the vendor finally freed his sword causing splintered wood to fly everywhere.

"Come back here thieves!" He snarled and started yelling for the guards. I sped up. This wasn't good. I had never been caught by the palace guards, despite my luck, but I had seen them and that large, ox-like one scared me. There was no telling what he would do to me or that monkey if he caught us.

The monkey took off down an alley I followed him, wishing that I wasn't so dizzy. I hadn't explored this part of the city yet and I worried I had made a mistake in following the animal. I rounded the corner and immediately bashed into something. I hit the ground dizzily and looked up to see an older boy wearing beige colored pants, a purple vest, and a red fez. The little monkey chattered at him from the older boy's shoulder, shaking a small fist in my direction.

"Hey, did you take that apple from Abu?" The older boy demanded, frowning at me. I backed away when he drew closer and swallowed.

Running a hand through my hair, I got up warily, ready to run again. "N-no. That monkey of yours took it from me! My hands were on it first!" I said and then shook my head. Why did I tell him that? Now he'll probably have me arrested. The older boy swept a hand through his dark hair, mulling over what I had said.

"Abu." The boy said after a moment's thought and the monkey looked at him. "Did you take this from him?" He held up the apple and the little monkey attempted to grab it. "Abu!" The boy said more sternly, narrowing his dark brown eyes. "Well?" The monkey seemed to know the jig was up for he nodded and pouted. The older boy smiled at me and I grew suspicious.

"Here." He held it out to me, but I shook my head, backing away. He frowned. "You can have it back. It's yours fair and square."

"What do you want for it?" I asked, keeping my distance. I didn't see a reason to mistrust him, but I was still cautious.

The older boy frowned. "I don't want anything. I thought you wanted this apple."

"He can keep it." I muttered. "He was probably just hungry." The monkey snatched the apple from the boy's hand greedily and he looked up from eating and chattered at me.

"Abu thanks you." The older boy grinned. "But you didn't have to do that."

I shrugged, unsure of why I was still lingering around to talk to him. "One less person to go hungry I guess." The older boy nodded.

"Well, if you're sure. Thanks again."

Suddenly I felt a tug on the back of my vest and was whirled to face a livid Farouk. And my bad luck hit home once more. "Got ya! Captain over here!" He called. There was no use in trying to get away. I just had to hope that it would all be over soon. Waiting for punishment was worse than receiving it.

To my horror, the captain of the guard, Razoul the giant oxman, appeared. He grinned down at me evilly, his revealing a few missing teeth. Grabbing my vest the burly man lifted me off my feet. "I've been trying to find you for a while now, little street rat." He sneered and I gulped. "And finally I've caught you."

"Let me go! Put me down you big gorilla!" I yelled, kicking his feet out. Well, I wasn't going down without a fight.

"Shut up!" The burly man snarled and shook me. Suddenly a furry blur flew past my head and slammed onto the top of the captain's turban. Abu grinned at me and pulled the guard's turban over his eyes. Immediately I was released and I hit the sandy ground. Something grabbed my arm and I flinched before looking up to see the older boy. He winked at him and pulled me along with him. I had a hard time keeping up with him as he ran down numerous streets and allies, past crumbling buildings and finally to an older building.

He let me go and I put a lot of distance between us as we caught our breaths.

"Um…thanks." I told him and he nodded at me. Abu soon appeared and didn't look harmed at all. "Thank you, Abu." I told the little monkey who chattered at me and he let me pet him. I had always liked animals and having lived next to several for the past three years, they were the only things I could really trust.

"I think Abu likes you." The older boy said suddenly and I looked up from scratching Abu's head. "He doesn't like very many people."

"Neither do I." I replied and stood up. "Thanks for helping me, but why'd you do it?"

"Do I need a reason? You were in trouble and I helped."

I was puzzled. "But why? I don't have anything to give you."

The older boy arched an eyebrow. "I don't want anything from you. Why do you keep asking that?"

"Because…no one's ever voluntarily helped me before."

His face softened. "I don't suppose you've met many nice people then."

"No, not really." I replied, kicking at the sand beneath my feet. "Well, guess I better be going." I turned to walk away, but the guy took my arm. I flinched and tried to pull away. "Let me go."

"Take it easy, kid. I'm not going to hurt you." He said. "Where are you going? Those guards are still out there."

I shook my head and tugged my arm out of his grip. "Don't." I warned when he tried to catch me again. He must have saw something in my gaze because he held his hands up.

"Sorry. How old are you?"

"Eight."

He nodded and sighed. "Look, I'll walk you home if you want."

"Why?"

He rolled his eyes. "To make sure those guards are really gone."

"I can fend for myself. I don't need your help."

"Hey, fine." The older boy stated. "Don't know why I even bothered to help you."

"I don't either." I snapped. "Most people avoid me."

"Why?"

"I'm a jinx, okay? Those guards wouldn't have come down the alley if it weren't for me."

"Hey, that wasn't you. That was an accident. Happens all the time. What's a jinx anyway?"

I shook my head. "Look, eh-"

"Aladdin." He supplied.

"Aladdin." I repeated with a nod. "It was nice talking to you, but I have to go. It's getting dark."

"You don't have a place do you?"

I frowned. "A lot of people don't." He nodded.

"That's true." He pondered a moment before smiling at me. "You know Abu and I have our own place. There's plenty of room if you want to come with us."

"No. I'm okay. Really." I said ignoring disbelieving boy's gaze.

"No, you're not. Not if you're all alone. Let me help you."

"Why? Why would you spend your time on me?" I asked confusedly, more than a little suspicious. What does he want?

"Because it's the right thing to do." The older boy stated simply. "And it was Abu's fault for trying to take that apple from you. Do you have any parents?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No. No one wants me. My mother left me and my dad died." The older boy winced.

"Look I'm sorry about your mom. If it's any consolation to you my mother died when I was younger and I never knew my dad either."

"Yeah? Well at least your mother wanted you. Mine left me in the middle of the street and never looked back." The older boy flinched again.

"Why do you call yourself a jinx? Who told you, you were?"

I looked away from him. "The people from the town I ran away from. They blamed me for everything. So you won't want me either. I might give you bad luck. Or something like that. I mean…I guess I already did when I ran into you."

Aladdin was suddenly in front of me and I jumped. "Sorry." He said again and I relaxed slightly. For some unknown reason I wanted him to stay, but a nagging part of me knew that was stupid. You can't trust anyone. "Hey," He said and I met his gaze. "You seem like a pretty good kid to me. Why don't you come live with us?" As he spoke and Abu leapt onto my shoulder and chattered something that sounded like 'oh please!'

I couldn't help but smile at that before I faced Aladdin again. "Um, really? You want me to come with you?"

"Of course. Now c'mon lets go home." The older boy walked away and I waited a moment before running after him. "So, what's your name?"

"Alaric."

"Well, Alaric, you don't look like a jinx to me." He said and I actually smiled at that.

"So do you rescue people often or just those that get you caught by the guards?"

Aladdin rolled his eyes. "I try to help everyone."

"Sorry, I guess I'm still confused. I don't understand."

"Understand what?"

"Why you would help someone that didn't have anything to give you back."

Aladdin tilted his head. "Where did you come from?"

"One of the smaller villages around here. I don't really remember the name. I just traveled a lot." Aladdin nodded and led me up an old building.

"This is where it gets tricky." He told me. "Just watch me for now and we can work on it later." I nodded at him, wondering what in the seven deserts he was talking about. It became all too clear when he took a very long stick and launched himself across to the other building.

"Whoa..." I muttered and then jumped when a flat piece of timber was smacked next to me. I looked over and saw Aladdin was holding the other end. If this was a test of trust, I wasn't convinced and he seemed to pick up on that.

"Come on, it's all right. I've got this end. I won't let go." He promised and I saw the sincerity in his eyes even from over here. I sighed. Well, here goes nothing. Dying at eight years old. Wonderful.

I eventually made it across and Aladdin helped me off. "See? You did it." He smiled. I didn't answer him, because truthfully it wasn't the fact that I was scared to cross, it was because I had been scared of what he would do when I crossed.

"Our place is up this way." Aladdin went up a flight of stairs and I hurried after him.

"Wow, all this space is yours?" I asked curiously, looking around in shock. It was way bigger than the tent my cage in the Freak Show had been.

Aladdin nodded. "Yeah, it's not much but its home." Abu sat in his lap.

"Home…"I repeated tasting the word for a moment before looking at Aladdin curiously. "Does no one else live here?" I asked and Aladdin arched an eyebrow.

"No…Why?"

I felt a flush crawl up my neck. "Oh." Great I sound stupid. "I-I just thought it was like where I used to live. Many people lived together." My village had been so small that some of the houses had been in dire need of a repair so families grouped together.

"Oh, well, no. We don't really do that here unless it's a family or really close friends." Aladdin shrugged. "Most just do what they want." Silence fell and I took the time to look around some more.

"What's that for?" I asked, looking at the thin material of the curtain in confusion. "Can someone see you up here?" That was a little unnerving to say the least.

Aladdin laughed. "No, no. I don't use this to hide. It's just to keep the sun out sometimes and it helps when it's cold out." He tugged the material aside and I gaped.

"Wow…Its beautiful." I said, inching closer. The palace was awash in orange and pink lights.

"It's my favorite time of the day." Aladdin commented. "Just right for when the sun hits the palace."

I gazed at the palace for a few more minutes and then felt a hand my shoulder. I jumped, whirling to face my attacker, baring my teeth. Aladdin raised his hands up slowly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He stated and I slowly relaxed against the wall. "I just wanted to know if you'd like to wash off." I looked at my hands before shifting my gaze to look at Aladdin again, being careful not to meet his eyes fully. I belonged to him now.

"Really?" I whispered and he nodded at me.

"Yeah."

"I…"

"It's okay." Aladdin said softly. "It's just getting clean."

"…Okay." I murmured and Aladdin smiled at him warmly.

"I'll be right back." He told him and I suddenly panicked. He was leaving me here? Where was he going? Was he going to come back? Aladdin stopped walking. "Hey…look at me." I did and he smiled. "I promise I'll be right back." After searching his face for a moment he nodded. I could trust him to come back. I hoped.

"Stay right there." He said before he left. Uh-oh. A command. I was already getting a cramp from how I was sitting against the wall, but I made myself hold still. Abu held up an apple from Aladdin's stash and held it out to me. Was this a test? If I moved would I get punished? If I didn't would I get punished?

Aladdin came back quicker than I thought, with the bucket of water in hand and he glanced at me in confusion. "Did you really sit there the entire time?" Aladdin asked in bewilderment and I flushed with a nod of my head. "You didn't have too." He said as if stating the obvious and I swallowed looking down at my feet. What he did he want me to do? "Look, um, what I meant was…"

"Did I not sit right?" I asked quietly and chanced a glance at him.

"How can you not sit right?" Aladdin asked and I didn't know how to respond. Was he asking me? Or mocking me? I got to my knees, trying to wipe at my blurry eyes.

"I'm sorry." I said almost inaudibly, my breathing uneven from trying to calm down my tearing eyes. "How did you want me to sit?"

Aladdin sank to his own knees, setting the bucket aside and met my gaze to make sure I was paying attention. "You can do what you want. You know that right?" He said slowly and I blinked.

"…You shouldn't say things you don't mean." I stated darkly and suddenly flinched back. "I'm sorry! Don't hit me!" I shielded my face, waiting for a blow.

"Hit you!?" Aladdin seemed to struggle to speak and I opened an eye to see him and Abu gaping at me. "I wouldn't do that. Why would you say that?"

"Well…" I frowned, poking at the floor with his foot. "Aren't you in charge of me now?" I asked sharply.

Aladdin frowned back. "I said I'd take care of you not beat you." I arched an eyebrow, looking at him in confusion.

"Isn't it the same thing? Isn't that a home?"

"No!" Aladdin shook his head and he sighed. "No, of course not."

"Then what does it mean? Other than a place to live. What does it mean?"

"What?"

"What does 'home' mean then? If it doesn't mean that you own me. What does it mean?" I demanded. That was all I knew. I used to know another meaning, but that had gone away when I was old enough to walk.

"Home," Aladdin stated slowly and I could see him thinking of how to explain it. "It's where you go when you need to be loved, protected, welcomed, and cared for."

"Cared for?" I repeated curiously.

"Yeah." Aladdin encouraged. "That is what home is. That is what this place is for me and Abu. This is our home." I contemplated what he had told me and then sighed.

"I don't have one."

"You do now. If you still want it." All the strange caring emotions were making me a tad uncomfortable and I shifted. Aladdin sighed. "Come on, I brought the water." I inched over to where the bucket was and jumped when Aladdin handed me a rag.

"Here you go." He murmured and I took it quickly and looked back at the water. What exactly was I supposed to do with it? "Here." I looked up at Aladdin, to see him crouching next to me. "It's all right." He murmured softly and wetting the cloth, he started to wipe at my face. I jumped at the foreign contact, but relaxed slowly as Aladdin wiped the grime off my face. He did it for several minutes, apologizing each time he hit bruise that he hadn't seen.

"That looks a little better." Aladdin announced after a moment and I was curious as to what he meant. He handed me a small mirror and I looked at my reflection for the first time in years, tilting my head.

I had lighter skin than Aladdin, but I had already known that, my hair was tousled and light brown and covered with a thin layer of dust. Blue eyes stared back at me and I blinked as I examined my face. There dull bruises and one under my left eye , that hadn't been that noticeable before, now shone out on my clean face. Several smaller ones lined my chin and neck and I knew those were fingerprints. Manito's fat fingers and a few of his henchmen's I was sure.

I touched the bruise under my eye before spotting my very filthy hand. I quickly made a comparison and set the mirror aside. If Aladdin was permitting me to get clean who was I to tell him no? I barely noticed Aladdin and Abu exit the room as I scrubbed at my skin, but I was grateful he wasn't still around. I found his presence both tolerable and not.

Once I deemed myself clean, they came back in. "Thank you." I told him softly and Aladdin nodded.

"Sure. Are you hungry?"

I nodded and looked around. "Where do I eat?" Aladdin shrugged.

"Anywhere you want." He murmured and I nodded slowly. Maybe he was telling the truth then. He wasn't trying to control me. I could do as I pleased.

Aladdin went over to the small amount of food he had and took the bread loaf, halving it and handing the largest bit to me. I took it hesitantly and eyed the door.

Aladdin's back was to me so I wondered outside to eat. If I showed him how much of an animal I was went I ate he might not want me anymore.

"Want more?" He asked when I came back in, barely stifling a yawn. Aladdin did yawn and looked out to look at the moon. I remained where I was at, watching Aladdin set a place up, near the window.

I felt the need to make a conversation. "That was good." I murmured and Aladdin looked at me. "The bread. I've never had any like that before. Where did you get it?"

"Well…I stole it." Aladdin murmured.

"You mean, people sell it that good?" I asked, curiously. I had never even had a piece of bread like that before now. I had to remind myself that there were quite a lot of things I was remembering were out there. For years all I had known was the inside of a dark red tent.

He nodded. "Yeah all the time." He stood back up. "Well, time for bed." I swallowed nervously, trying to push down my fear. He wasn't going to shove me into a cage, I tried to tell myself.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He said softly and knelt to my eye level in a show of trust. "Trust me. I won't hurt you."

"I…I'm scared." I admitted after a moment. I sat gingerly down on the pile of blankets and

"There's nothing to be scared of." Aladdin said gently. "Nothing will happen up here." Well that took care of that fear…mostly.

"I'm scared to close my eyes." I added and Aladdin sat next to me.

"It's okay, I won't let anyone hurt you." He told me and for the first time in my life I felt that was true. "So where did you come from? And why were you alone?"

"Why?" I asked sharply and Aladdin frowned. "You're not going to take me back are you?" He shook his head.

"No, but I just wanted to know."

"I….I came from a…."

"From a what?"

"A…Freak Show."

"A what?" Aladdin asked and I swallowed nervously at just the thought of it.

"Yes….I'm the Jinx."

Aladdin frowned further. "Someone called you that?"

"It was my name." I corrected. "I was the Jinx. There were others. Dog-man, the Howler, the Bearded-Lady, there were a lot of us." Aladdin was silent for a moment and then shifted, deciding to ask what he was wanting to ask.

"Did they…did they hurt you?"

I nodded.

"They hit you?"

I nodded.

"What about food? Did they feed you?"

"Only when I was good. I used to get bread and cheese when I was good." I murmured and then excitedly remembered something. "And this one time, I got my very own shiny red apple." I smiled at the memory before feeling down again. "But I got it taken from me when I messed up. I got a bite though, it was nice."

Things were quiet for a moment and then I looked over at him again.

"Hey, Aladdin?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you really mean it when you said I didn't look like a jinx?"

"Every word."


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