The Lost Fruits

At the city gates, a crowd of people was gathered, most of them were people from Morjan company, it was time that their president return and it is their duty to welcome him back. Walid, Ace's best advisor was looking around searching for someone. He nudged the man beside him "Have you seen Aladdin?" he asked.

The man shook his head "No. The last time I saw him was yesterday night, he was the last person in the building after closing." he said.

"Strange, go look for him in his house," Walid ordered. The man nodded and the ran to look for Aladdin.

Soon after that, the people saw a faint and a large shadow coming towards them. They all presumed it must be Ace.

Ace made his way towards the city and as soon as he reached the gate, people started shouting and thanking him for his "hard work". Men quickly took to the carriage and took it away to empty the items and take it inside the city, while others switched the camels as they were exhausted from pulling all that wight.

Walid made his way towards Ace who jumped down from the carriage "Welcome sir, it must have been tough for you, if only you allowed us to send some workers to help you." he said.

Ace waved his hand "Don't sweat it, the only hard part was the long distances." Ace said with a smile, it was a good road trip for him, it was rare for him to spend two days without getting into a fight.

"Please, come inside, I have prepared some food and drinks for you and a comfortable place to rest in," Walid said. He made it his responsibility to take care of all of Ace's needs, he holds a huge admiration for him, especially after he managed to helo the city flourish, even if it was only by a little, but it still counts, who knows? maybe 10 years from now, Agrabah will rival all of the other rich kingdoms in economics.

Ace didn't mind some cold drinks at this moment so he nodded "Lead the way." He said as he followed behind Walid. But he couldn't help but look around and notice that his little friend Aladdin is not here, "Where is Aladdin?" he asked. Walid looked back at him and shook his head "He didn't show up until now, I sent someone to his house to call for him earlier, if he is there, we will hear about it." Walid said.

Ace quickly used his observation Haki and he couldn' find any presence of Aladdin or Abu in the city at all "Strange...is he out of the city?" he mumbled 'I will see after I take some rest.' he thought. After reached the place that Walid prepared, he was pleased to see a lot of cold juices and meat which Walid noted that Ace absolutely loves in addition to his monster-like appetite. Also, there were a few beautiful girls that Ace concluded were Harlots, with that not being one of his likes, Ace dismissed the girls out and Walid took out his memo and wrote that down.

With nothing to get in his way, Ace dived into the feast of meats and ate as much as he d.e.s.i.r.es.

Walid shook his head. No matter how many times he witnessed such a scene, it is still strange to him 'How can someone eat this much and still have room for more' he thought.

"Please keep in mind that you must leave to the palace and report to the Sultan, you were promised the Sheikh court rank, he will bestow it upon you today." Walid reminded.

"Oh! thank you! I forgot about that completely!" Ace said with his mouth full of meat. Walid then left Ace to be alone and rest his body. Half an hour later, Ace finished his meal and cleaned himself with a bath then he prepared to leave for the palace.

When he passed by Walid as he was leaving, Walid's expression showed shock as he pointed at him "D-Don't tell me y-you're meeting the Sultan with a Jilbab?!" he said.

"Yeah, what about?! It is normal clothes."

"That is the problem! it is normal clothes!" He shouted. Walid then clapped his hands and two girls dragged Ace into a room and dressed him in clothes fitting for a Royal audience. But Ace only felt uncomfortable, he was a guy who likes fewer clothes and that was shown in his previous world where he was walking around in a black shirt and b.a.r.e upper body. But now all he could do is bear with them until he takes his rank. And so Ace made his way to the palace.

....

In another location in the middle of the desert...

Aladdin was laying on the sand with his hands tied behind him, he slowly woke up and opened his eyes as they stung him with pain because of the sun.

"I see that you're awake." A voice behind him said. Aladdin turned behind to look at the towering shadow of the man.

"You!! what do you want from me?! why did you kidnap me? and where is Abu?!!" Aladdin was no idiot as he immediately realized his situation.

"Don't worry, my name is Jafar, and I am here to help you, my friend." Jafar stepped to the side a little allowing Aladdin to see him.

"The Vizier?! why?!" he asked.

Jafar sat beside Aladdin and took a knife, it scared Aladdin terribly but Jafar only cut the rope that was binding him "Don't worry, I mean no harm to you." Aladdin looked at his free hands, he was tempted to run but when he looked around him, he saw 10 guards and one of them had Abu.

"You know..." Jafar started, he looked at Aladdin for a moment to get his attention "The two of us have a lot of commons." he said.

"Yeah, right!" Aladdin sneered at that.

"It is true, both of us are street rats..." Aladdin frowned, oh! how much he hates that words "Both of us found a rich guy and clung to the edge of his clothes..." Jafar chucked "...And both of us rose in the ranks and got ourselves some pocket money,"

"What are you getting at?" Aladdin said, "Speak your mind, and we are not alike."

Jafar shook his head "Tell me...ah! what was your name again?" Jafar frowned, he does tend to forget people's names.

"...Aladdin."

"Tell me, Aladdin, would you like to be rich?"

"I am already rich?!" Jafar came close to Aladdin "Rich enough to rule a kingdom, rich enough to buy the world?!"

Aladdin retreated a little "W-what are you talking about?"

"What I am saying young Aladdin is, I want you to help me help you be rich."

"But I am already rich." Aladdin showed him a bag of gold to which Jafar slapped away.

"Don't show me that insulting money that calls monthly wage. Young Aladdin, the riches I am talking about is a mountain of gold, then another mountain of rubies, and after that a mountain of diamonds!" Jafar reached for the sun with his hand "All of that is near."

"But I am not interested. Ace gives me enough money to live." Aladdin shrugged "I don't need all of that money."

Jafar looked at him for a moment and then chuckled "Oh poor young man, Mr.Ace gives you enough money..." Jafar walked around Aladdin "...But until when do you think he will continue giving you money, did you actually believe he will keep spending his money on some street rat?!"

"Yes, he will!" Aladdin said

"No, he will not! once gets tired from you, he will throw you away and you will return to your former life being a street rat!"

Aladdin clenched his fist "And why do you even care?!" he shouted again.

"I said it earlier! we are the same."

"What?" Aladdin frowned.

"I may be the Vizier, but in the end, I am just a mere peasant, once the Sultan sees that I have no more use, he will throw me away and I will return to be a street rat. Again." Jafar's eyes looked angry and fearful, something which Aladdin can understand.

"If that were to happen, I want to have something to save myself." Jafar then looked at Aladdin dead in the eyes "Aladdin...you can never rely on the rich to live if you are poor. You must be rich and rely on yourself, so the fall can't break you."

Aladdin thought for a moment. He remembered that Ace told him that he wants to return to his country after he gives something he promised some merchant to protect.

'If Ace was to leave, my position won't be safe from the other shareholders...' he thought, '...I don't own any shop or run any business, once that happens, they will kick me out.' Aladdin felt fear creeps in his heart, he doesn't want to return to the slums and steal again to live, that is something e absolutely can't allow to happen. And Jafar's next words sealed the deal for him.

"And with the money, I am telling you about...you can buy your own Share of that company and let other work for you, just like Mr.Ace and his partners. You can sit with them, talk with them, and even order them." Aladdin imagined that and a smile formed on his face. " Money can do wonders my friend."

"Alright..." Aladdin smirked as he looked at Jafar's eyes "What is the catch in this? you can't possibly willing to give a huge amount of gold and money and demand nothing in return."

Jafar laughed, his heart skipped a beat 'Soon...' he thought.

Jafar grabbed Aladdin's shoulder and showed him a huge sandhill in front of them as he pointed at it with his staff. Jafar's staff glowed with a red hue and sand started to fall revealing a huge Tiger head from inside the sandhill.

Aladdin was shocked "!!! Magic?!" he said.

"Don't focus on that but focus on the most important part." Jafar nudged him "This in front of you is the cave of wonders." he said.

Aladdin's eyes widened in shock "That Cave Of Wonders?! it really does exist!"

"Yes. At midnight, I will open the cave and you will go in, only you can go in." Jafar said seriously. Aladdin nodded "Inside, you will find everything I told you about, BUT!" he shouted.

"Take nothing but the lamp, look for it and bring it to me. Once you do that, everything inside is yours." Jafar said.

"The lamp? how am i supposed to find a lamp in a huge cave like this one you describe?" Aladdin tilted his head.

"Once you see it, you will know it is the one."

Aladdin frowned "And why am i supposed to take nothing but the lamp? and why do you only want it alone?" There was a bit of suspicion in Aladdin's heart that he couldn't shake.

Jafar anticipated such a question, normally he wouldn't bother talking this much but because Aladdin is the one, he is willing to satisfy all his needs, the troubles are worth it when he gives him the lamp. Jafar smiled "Because if you take anything besides the lamp first, the cave will close down on you and you will be trapped there, but if you take the lamp first, the cave will stay open until sunrise and then closes, and that should be enough time for you to get as much gold as you want." Jafar smiled at Aladdin as he gave him a hint.

"As for why I want the lamp..." Jafar raised his staff "Because It is a magical lamp and I am a magician, And I need it to make something very precious that I can sell for a lot of money, equal and maybe more than what is inside the cave. Seems like a fair trade, no?"

Aladdin nodded and thought for a moment, he heard some rumors and stories that magicians can turn rocks into pieces of jewelry and rivers into melted gold. Maybe Jafar is one of them.

"Alright. Deal!" Jafar and Aladdin shook their hands as they reached an agreement.

"Tonight it is," Jafar said with a smile.

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