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I wrote this a while back, when Omar first started hunting for the Kalachor, and I had the idea that he found Yasmine as the Kalachorni instead. That's why Ginu is still here.
Also, all the dialogue is in English because I can't write the Hindi dialogue well. But I still wanted to post this, so here it is! Hope you all enjoy.
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Behind him, his copycat. And in front, another masked man.
Aladdin's muscles strained as their swords clashed in a deadlock, neither willing to give. His opponent was clearly older, more experienced, stronger, a master in every way. But Aladdin was nothing if not scrappy and determined. And when it came to protecting someone he cared about so deeply, he was very determined.
"You wanted the Kalachor?" he hissed, pushing until they were both in the light, until the attacker could see his face. He hadn't bothered with his outfit, not when he knew that she was in danger. She had needed him, and he had gone as fast as he could. "Well, now you have me."
The figure fighting him stiffened, eyes darting over his face.
"You?" an eerily familiar voice rasped from behind the covering.
Aladdin didn't hesitate. He took the opening, driving the figure away with each stab and parry. To his credit, the man quickly took a defensive position, but did not fight back.
"That's right," Aladdin said. He cocked his head to the prone figure he had positioned himself in front of. "She may wear my colors, but I am the original Kalachor. You should have known the moment she fell in your trap. After all, it's not just difficult to catch the real Kalachor, it's impossible."
At that, his opponent's eyes hardened. He pushed back, fighting more vigorously than before. "You're too cocky for your own good."
Aladdin smirked. "So I've been told."
Aladdin leaped onto a crate, wobbling as he attempted to find his balance. From his height advantage, he was able to avoid the swings of the other man's sword. But that didn't last when the man kicked the crate in, causing Aladdin to fall back.
To his horror, before he could get up, his right shoulder was pinned by a boot. Aladdin squirmed, trying to get out of the hold, but to no avail. Even as his arm reached for a weapon, he knew the sword was out of his reach.
"I'm sorry," the man whispered from above, the blunt side of his sword positioned next to Aladdin's head. With a start, Aladdin realized the man would not kill him, but simply knock him out. "I really was fond of you, Aladdin. But it can't be helped. But you'll make it out alive, I promise, for your mothe-"
"ALADDIN!"
Both their heads whipped to the side.
Standing there in her plain garb was his mother, thankfully held back by Ginu.
"Ruksaar?" the man above him whispered, almost reverently. But Aladdin hardly noticed.
"Ammi?! Ginu, get her out of here!" Aladdin begged, turning to his friend.
"Ammi?" The man repeated, the pressure on his shoulder decreasing the slightest bit.
"I can't," Ginu said. "She made me swear on her life to bring her to you."
Aladdin looked back at his mother, ready to plead with her to leave for her own safety, when she realized his mother wasn't even looking at him. Instead, she was looking quizzically at the man holding him down.
"I'd know that voice anywhere..." Ruksaar said.
Slowly, the pressure on his shoulder decreased as the man let him go and stumbled back. Aladdin stayed still, watching as the man raised a hand to take off his mask.
And then, there stood the man who had guarded the magic lamp, the man he looked up to, considered family in an odd way.
"You," his mother's hand flew to her mouth, unshed tears glimmering in her eyes.
"Me," the man smiled, his own tears spilling over as he stepped towards his mother. Aladdin immediately sat up, still conceiving a threat, but then the man dropped his sword. Slowly, Ruksaar and the man walked to each other, taking each other in.
Aladdin tore his eyes away, though, the second he heard a weak cough.
"Nakchadi!" He scrambled to her side, his arms around her in seconds as he slowly lifted her up, resting her so she was propped against his bent leg. He peeled her mask off her face and pushed her turban off her head, biting back his rage when he saw a bruises blooming on her jaw and temple.
"Kala...chor?" she rasped. "You have to get out...he wants...you."
Aladdin held her closer, his hand rubbing her arm up and down as she allowed him to hold her, not pulling away as she normally would. That scared him even more, to think that she was so weakened that her spitfire attitude had diminished, too.
"I'm alright," he promised her. "We're both alright. Ginu! Get me some water, now!"
"Water for your pyaari pareshaani, got it," Ginu said, rushing in his direction with one last glance at Ruksaar.
In an instant, Ginu had conjured a canteen of fresh water, and Aladdin hoped that no one had noticed the magic, but at this point, he was beyond caring. He slowly brought it to the girl's lips.
"Drink," he ordered, and she gratefully accepted. When she finished, he used the back of his wrist to wipe away the excess that had dribbled down her chin.
"Does it look too bad?" she asked when his hand pulled away.
"No," Aladdin said. "You never do."
"I meant the bruises." His nakchadi giggled, and he couldn't help but glare at her. Then she grimaced. "I...I think my ankle is twisted, too."
He hazarded a glance at her ankle, realizing it was indeed swollen. He swallowed. She needed to get out of here, fast.
In looking at her ankle though, another movement caught his eye.
His mother, in the arms of...that man. At the moment, they were gently watching him.
"Get away from her!" he snarled. He shifted, ready to hand off his copycat to Ginu in order to confront the man, but his mother shook her head, hands up to placate him.
"It's okay!" she rushed to explain. "Aladdin, this is Omar!"
"Omar..." his eyes narrowed. "My...father?!"
He had expected love and relief and satisfaction whenever he thought of finally meeting his father. But all he felt was rage.
"You tried to kill me!" he shouted. "Kill her."
"And for that, I'm sorry, my son. And, shehzaade, I apologize to you," Omar knelt, bowing his head, not noticing how the girl shook her head at him. "I have nothing against you. I did not realize you were not the one I was after. I did not realize it was you under that mask."
There was a silence, and Aladdin slowly looked down at the girl in his arms.
"Shehzaade?" he questioned, a hint of betrayal in his voice.
Yasmine's eyes were wide as she looked up at him. He stared into them, trying to understand why he hadn't realized before. He knew his nakchadi. But apparently not well enough. And to think, just when he realized he had been falling for her, she ended up being his dream girl. She was the ideal he had been trying to let go of.
And she knew the whole time.
"I-I was going to tell you," she said. "Please, let me explain-"
"You weren't," he cut her off, defeated. "We'll talk about this later."
"But-"
"Later," he snapped, squeezing his eyes shut. Yasmine ducked her head, biting her lip as she tried to hold back tears. The pain had been nothing compared to the havoc that would wreck her heart if she lost him.
Omar looked thoughtfully between them, as Ruksaar stood behind him, confusion on her face.
"Shehzaade...?" she muttered under her breath.
"Aladdin," Omar said. "We need to talk. All of us. I want answers. And bring the princess. Hopefully, she can provide something of use, as well."
"What? You can't just-" Aladdin tried to protest, but Omar was already up, making his way to the house behind them.
Aladdin stared in shock at his retreating figure.
"C'mon," Ruksaar said with a heavy sigh. "He's your father, Aladdin. Listen to him. Someone has been messing with us. All of us. We need to figure this out. You, too, Ginu."
She turned and followed her husband, Ginu following her with one last hesitant look at his brother. Aladdin gave him a reassuring nod.
"A-Aladdin?" Yasmine whispered, and his head snapped to her.
He swallowed. "Yes?"
"We should go," she said. "Can you help-?"
He nodded, lifting her up to carry her.
"It will be okay," she told him. "We're just a step closer to finding Muchaad."
"I hope you're right," Aladdin said. He looked down at her, at the way she avoided looking at him. "We'll be okay, too," he promised.
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