Fic: Arabian Nights - Prologue
Title: Arabian Nights
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Mohinder/Gabriel
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The story of a prince, a watchmaker, and the magical lamp that changed their lives.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes or Aladdin.
Warnings: Humor, Slash, AU, Language
Author's Note: Yes, another Disney series. Sorry. I just couldn't resist. As with "Geneticist & the Frog," I took liberties with the ages
There are some stories that should never be forgotten. There are many legends that are far too important to be merely tossed aside, collecting dust on the shelves of the past. Yet in spite of the best intentions, even the most prominent fables can be lost in memory.
This tale was one that could so easily be forgotten, despite how many lives it had changed, how many people it had touched. There were many who dismissed it as false, a lie conceived by lonely housewives in need of a way to pass the time until their husbands returned or senile old men with more free time than wisdom on their side.
Yet whether it be fact or fiction, this was a tale that always should be shared, remembered, and passed on through the ages.
It all began on a dark night, where a dark man waits, with a dark purpose...
+-+-+-+
Although the desert was scorching hot during the day, the sandy plans quickly shifted into a bitter cold when the sun disappeared over the horizon. It was during that time only that the long robes Thompson often wrapped himself in felt too light. The man shuddered, clutching the leather reigns impatiently in his hands. His horse snorted, tossing its head in displeasure as the parrot perched on his shoulder ruffled her feathers. Apparently he wasn't the only one who was frustrated by the cold or the long, miserable wait.
The bird spread her wings, ruby red feathers stretching and tickling the nape of his neck, as she shifted from claw to claw, trying to find a more comfortable position to stand.
She could leave, he had never clipped her wings after all, yet Candice remained at his side. Thompson didn't know if it was out of mere loyalty or from fear of being lost and alone in the vast, unfamiliar desert. Not that it mattered. Fear created the best kind of loyalty. It helped poor dumb creatures like Candice to learn their place in life.
"Be patient," he smirked, reaching up with his fingers to stroke the bird's chest just the way she liked it. "He'll show up."
As if summoned by his words, a figure suddenly appeared over the horizon, a black smudge against the silver, moonlit sand.
Thompson felt his expression darken as the other man approached. He was short, the shape of his body a near perfect circle, and even in the blackness of the hour Thompson could still make out the way his cheeks were flushed, panting heavily as he rode his steed as quickly as possible.
"You're late," he said flatly once the man was close enough to hear him.
Malsky dismounted from his horse gracelessly and with an audible grunt, scrambling back onto his feet as he approached Thompson. "A thousand apologizes, my lord," he breathed. He bowed his head, careful not to make eye contact.
"You have it, then?" he asked, getting straight to the point, because if Malsky didn't have what he needed, then all the groveling in the world wouldn't keep Thompson from disposing of the man where he stood.
The other man dug into the folds of his clothes, pulling out the small trinket Thompson had spent so many years searching for. "It wasn't easy, but I managed to get it," Malsky informed him simply.
Thompson reached out towards him, hand palm up as he waited for Malsky to drop the golden trinket into the palm of his hand like a good lackey. Unfortunately for him, Malsky suddenly developed a spine as he pulled back, a smug smirk spreading across his round face. It wasn't a very flattering look for him.
"Not so fast, Thompson," he began. "We had a deal remember? Where's that treasure you promised me?"
It was fortunate that Candice was so well trained. Thompson had barely rolled his eyes when the bird flew off his shoulder and over towards Malsky, snatching the gold piece out of the man's stubby little hands (and if his sudden yelp was any indication, pricking his skin with the edge of her talon) before flying back to her master and depositing it in his open palm.
"Don't worry Malsky," Thompson smirked, reaching into his own clothing to pull out the trinket's mate. "You'll get what's coming to you."
Candice, clever little bird, parroted his words, ruffling her feathers innocently.
He laughed, studying the two pieces in his hands. They were strange, small, with a shape that only vaguely resembled a misshapen letter "C" with small lines crossed through the body. To the untrained eye, the two pieces wouldn't fit together at all, but Thompson had studied the diagrams, had seen the sketches a hundred times over in dozens of texts. He knew to join the two just at their edges, where the shapes straightened into an almost perfect line.
When pieced together they still looked odd, like a twisted latter missing its other half, but if he didn't already know for certain that this was the way they were supposed to look, he would have gotten his confirmation the second the joined trinkets began emitting a brilliant golden light and literally flew out of his hands. He sat there, stunned, for a moment as the charm circled his head a few times before taking off towards the horizon.
"Follow it!" he shouted, kicking his horse into action. He barely registered as Malsky scrambled back towards his own horse as he took off, the stallion galloping far too quickly for Candice to stay on his shoulder, let alone keep up. He dug his heels into the beast's sides, urging him to go faster, yet no matter how hard he tried, he was just barely able to make out the golden trail shimmering and disappearing over the mountainous dunes.
It was then that the trail ended, the trinkets split apart and embedded themselves into a large mound of sand. The earth shook as the pile of sand began to grow, reshaping itself. His horse whinnied in protest, kicking its front legs up wildly, before finally tossing him onto the sand. Thompson grunted, his head buzzing as the ground shook with such force that he didn't even notice that Malsky had been flung from his own horse and had landed less than a foot away from him.
By the time he was able to gather his wits, the world had ceased rumbling, and the pile of sand that the golden trail had lead them to had transformed into what looked like a massive tiger's head, its eyes glowing a glorious golden hue, as its mouth hung wide open, a warm red light glowing deep in the back of its throat, a clear indication that something was waiting for them just beyond view.
A small laugh bubbled in the back of his throat as he stood on his admittedly trembling legs. "So the legends were true," he chuckled, brushing the last bits of sand off his cloak as Candice came back, fluttering her wings as she readied herself to land on his shoulder. "The Cave of Wonders."
Candice squawked and repeated the name as Malsky stood there, mouth hanging open like a lame dog in the burning hot sun as he stared at the giant tiger's head. If Thompson didn't know any better, he would have sworn that the deep, reverberating wind was actually the cave panting.
"Alright Malsky," Thompson began, pulling the other man out of his stupor. "Go on in."
The small man turned and stared at him, and even in the dark Thompson could see that his round face had turned several shades whiter at the suggestion. "Whuh... me?"
"That's right," Thompson smirked, pushing him towards the cave. "Go in there. Take whatever you want, but remember: the lamp is mine."
Malsky trembled, his eyes the size of saucers as Candice squawked and chirped "the lamp" over and over again, until he finally decided to walk towards the cave's entrance. Once he was far enough away, Thompson heard the parrot give out a very skeptical huff before asking "Do you really think Tubsy can handle this?"
"Quiet," he muttered and that was all he needed to say.
The two watched as Malsky inched towards the literal mouth of the cave, a row of sharp, sandy teeth standing between the man and the treasure. He stood there for a while, gathering the nerve to take one last step inside, yet before he could, a strong gust of wind came from within the cavern, blowing Malsky onto his back.
It was then that the Cave blinked, its bright golden gaze shifting into a displeased glower as the massive head tilted down to inspect the round man cowering before it. "Who disturbs my slumber?" its deep rumbling voice asked, and Thompson had to chuckle at the absurdity of it all.
Malsky scrambled back to his feet, his mouth flapping open and close several times before he finally remembered how to speak. "A... Aron Malsky," he answered uncertainly.
The Cave's frown deepened, a displeased rumbling shaking the ground as it stared hard at the being before it. "Know this: only one may enter, one whose worth lies far within, the Diamond in the Rough."
Thompson frowned in confusion at the cryptic words. Malsky turned, staring back at him with a lost expression on his round face. "Go in," Thompson ordered. Diamond or no diamond, Malsky was here for one thing and one thing only; to get him his treasure. As far as Thompson was concerned, the bald man fit the bill. Hopefully the Cave would think along those same lines.
The other man hesitated and Thompson couldn't really fault him for it. He didn't even bother to chide him as Malsky took several deep breaths, wiping his now sweat drenched brow with the back of his hand before finally stepping inside the giant mouth. For a moment, Thompson thought that they had passed, that the plan was actually going to succeed, but the second Malsky started to relax, the Cave began to emit a deep, rumbling roar before sinking its massive teeth down on top of the poor unsuspecting man.
Thompson cringed as the entire structure came crashing down, an explosion of wind and sand flying everywhere before the Cave's deep, haunting voice boomed "Seek me out the Diamond in the Rough."
Candice squawked in displeasure, shaking the sand from her ruby feathers. "Well that was a bust!" the parrot groused, flying from his side to retrieve the broken symbol now lying useless in the sand. "I knew that this wasn't going to work. We're never going to get a hold of that stupid lamp."
"Patience, Candice," Thompson chided, struggling to keep the frustration out of his own demeanor. He had been working for years to finally get this far. The lamp was within reach, he just had to find one last piece of the puzzle before everything he had ever dreamed of could come true. "Malsky was obviously less than worthy."
"Well there's a big surprise," Candice muttered, flying back towards him and dropping the two gold trinkets in the palm of his hand.
He sighed, suddenly regretting teaching Candice to talk. He would have been better off if the parrot's vocabulary was still limited to "Polly want a cracker."
"'Only one may enter,'" he mused aloud. "Looks like we'll have to find this 'one.' This... 'Diamond in the Rough.'"
Chapter 1 - Street Urchin
Author: starrdust411
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Mohinder/Gabriel
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The story of a prince, a watchmaker, and the magical lamp that changed their lives.
Disclaimer: I do not own Heroes or Aladdin.
Warnings: Humor, Slash, AU, Language
Author's Note: Yes, another Disney series. Sorry. I just couldn't resist. As with "Geneticist & the Frog," I took liberties with the ages
There are some stories that should never be forgotten. There are many legends that are far too important to be merely tossed aside, collecting dust on the shelves of the past. Yet in spite of the best intentions, even the most prominent fables can be lost in memory.
This tale was one that could so easily be forgotten, despite how many lives it had changed, how many people it had touched. There were many who dismissed it as false, a lie conceived by lonely housewives in need of a way to pass the time until their husbands returned or senile old men with more free time than wisdom on their side.
Yet whether it be fact or fiction, this was a tale that always should be shared, remembered, and passed on through the ages.
It all began on a dark night, where a dark man waits, with a dark purpose...
+-+-+-+
Although the desert was scorching hot during the day, the sandy plans quickly shifted into a bitter cold when the sun disappeared over the horizon. It was during that time only that the long robes Thompson often wrapped himself in felt too light. The man shuddered, clutching the leather reigns impatiently in his hands. His horse snorted, tossing its head in displeasure as the parrot perched on his shoulder ruffled her feathers. Apparently he wasn't the only one who was frustrated by the cold or the long, miserable wait.
The bird spread her wings, ruby red feathers stretching and tickling the nape of his neck, as she shifted from claw to claw, trying to find a more comfortable position to stand.
She could leave, he had never clipped her wings after all, yet Candice remained at his side. Thompson didn't know if it was out of mere loyalty or from fear of being lost and alone in the vast, unfamiliar desert. Not that it mattered. Fear created the best kind of loyalty. It helped poor dumb creatures like Candice to learn their place in life.
"Be patient," he smirked, reaching up with his fingers to stroke the bird's chest just the way she liked it. "He'll show up."
As if summoned by his words, a figure suddenly appeared over the horizon, a black smudge against the silver, moonlit sand.
Thompson felt his expression darken as the other man approached. He was short, the shape of his body a near perfect circle, and even in the blackness of the hour Thompson could still make out the way his cheeks were flushed, panting heavily as he rode his steed as quickly as possible.
"You're late," he said flatly once the man was close enough to hear him.
Malsky dismounted from his horse gracelessly and with an audible grunt, scrambling back onto his feet as he approached Thompson. "A thousand apologizes, my lord," he breathed. He bowed his head, careful not to make eye contact.
"You have it, then?" he asked, getting straight to the point, because if Malsky didn't have what he needed, then all the groveling in the world wouldn't keep Thompson from disposing of the man where he stood.
The other man dug into the folds of his clothes, pulling out the small trinket Thompson had spent so many years searching for. "It wasn't easy, but I managed to get it," Malsky informed him simply.
Thompson reached out towards him, hand palm up as he waited for Malsky to drop the golden trinket into the palm of his hand like a good lackey. Unfortunately for him, Malsky suddenly developed a spine as he pulled back, a smug smirk spreading across his round face. It wasn't a very flattering look for him.
"Not so fast, Thompson," he began. "We had a deal remember? Where's that treasure you promised me?"
It was fortunate that Candice was so well trained. Thompson had barely rolled his eyes when the bird flew off his shoulder and over towards Malsky, snatching the gold piece out of the man's stubby little hands (and if his sudden yelp was any indication, pricking his skin with the edge of her talon) before flying back to her master and depositing it in his open palm.
"Don't worry Malsky," Thompson smirked, reaching into his own clothing to pull out the trinket's mate. "You'll get what's coming to you."
Candice, clever little bird, parroted his words, ruffling her feathers innocently.
He laughed, studying the two pieces in his hands. They were strange, small, with a shape that only vaguely resembled a misshapen letter "C" with small lines crossed through the body. To the untrained eye, the two pieces wouldn't fit together at all, but Thompson had studied the diagrams, had seen the sketches a hundred times over in dozens of texts. He knew to join the two just at their edges, where the shapes straightened into an almost perfect line.
When pieced together they still looked odd, like a twisted latter missing its other half, but if he didn't already know for certain that this was the way they were supposed to look, he would have gotten his confirmation the second the joined trinkets began emitting a brilliant golden light and literally flew out of his hands. He sat there, stunned, for a moment as the charm circled his head a few times before taking off towards the horizon.
"Follow it!" he shouted, kicking his horse into action. He barely registered as Malsky scrambled back towards his own horse as he took off, the stallion galloping far too quickly for Candice to stay on his shoulder, let alone keep up. He dug his heels into the beast's sides, urging him to go faster, yet no matter how hard he tried, he was just barely able to make out the golden trail shimmering and disappearing over the mountainous dunes.
It was then that the trail ended, the trinkets split apart and embedded themselves into a large mound of sand. The earth shook as the pile of sand began to grow, reshaping itself. His horse whinnied in protest, kicking its front legs up wildly, before finally tossing him onto the sand. Thompson grunted, his head buzzing as the ground shook with such force that he didn't even notice that Malsky had been flung from his own horse and had landed less than a foot away from him.
By the time he was able to gather his wits, the world had ceased rumbling, and the pile of sand that the golden trail had lead them to had transformed into what looked like a massive tiger's head, its eyes glowing a glorious golden hue, as its mouth hung wide open, a warm red light glowing deep in the back of its throat, a clear indication that something was waiting for them just beyond view.
A small laugh bubbled in the back of his throat as he stood on his admittedly trembling legs. "So the legends were true," he chuckled, brushing the last bits of sand off his cloak as Candice came back, fluttering her wings as she readied herself to land on his shoulder. "The Cave of Wonders."
Candice squawked and repeated the name as Malsky stood there, mouth hanging open like a lame dog in the burning hot sun as he stared at the giant tiger's head. If Thompson didn't know any better, he would have sworn that the deep, reverberating wind was actually the cave panting.
"Alright Malsky," Thompson began, pulling the other man out of his stupor. "Go on in."
The small man turned and stared at him, and even in the dark Thompson could see that his round face had turned several shades whiter at the suggestion. "Whuh... me?"
"That's right," Thompson smirked, pushing him towards the cave. "Go in there. Take whatever you want, but remember: the lamp is mine."
Malsky trembled, his eyes the size of saucers as Candice squawked and chirped "the lamp" over and over again, until he finally decided to walk towards the cave's entrance. Once he was far enough away, Thompson heard the parrot give out a very skeptical huff before asking "Do you really think Tubsy can handle this?"
"Quiet," he muttered and that was all he needed to say.
The two watched as Malsky inched towards the literal mouth of the cave, a row of sharp, sandy teeth standing between the man and the treasure. He stood there for a while, gathering the nerve to take one last step inside, yet before he could, a strong gust of wind came from within the cavern, blowing Malsky onto his back.
It was then that the Cave blinked, its bright golden gaze shifting into a displeased glower as the massive head tilted down to inspect the round man cowering before it. "Who disturbs my slumber?" its deep rumbling voice asked, and Thompson had to chuckle at the absurdity of it all.
Malsky scrambled back to his feet, his mouth flapping open and close several times before he finally remembered how to speak. "A... Aron Malsky," he answered uncertainly.
The Cave's frown deepened, a displeased rumbling shaking the ground as it stared hard at the being before it. "Know this: only one may enter, one whose worth lies far within, the Diamond in the Rough."
Thompson frowned in confusion at the cryptic words. Malsky turned, staring back at him with a lost expression on his round face. "Go in," Thompson ordered. Diamond or no diamond, Malsky was here for one thing and one thing only; to get him his treasure. As far as Thompson was concerned, the bald man fit the bill. Hopefully the Cave would think along those same lines.
The other man hesitated and Thompson couldn't really fault him for it. He didn't even bother to chide him as Malsky took several deep breaths, wiping his now sweat drenched brow with the back of his hand before finally stepping inside the giant mouth. For a moment, Thompson thought that they had passed, that the plan was actually going to succeed, but the second Malsky started to relax, the Cave began to emit a deep, rumbling roar before sinking its massive teeth down on top of the poor unsuspecting man.
Thompson cringed as the entire structure came crashing down, an explosion of wind and sand flying everywhere before the Cave's deep, haunting voice boomed "Seek me out the Diamond in the Rough."
Candice squawked in displeasure, shaking the sand from her ruby feathers. "Well that was a bust!" the parrot groused, flying from his side to retrieve the broken symbol now lying useless in the sand. "I knew that this wasn't going to work. We're never going to get a hold of that stupid lamp."
"Patience, Candice," Thompson chided, struggling to keep the frustration out of his own demeanor. He had been working for years to finally get this far. The lamp was within reach, he just had to find one last piece of the puzzle before everything he had ever dreamed of could come true. "Malsky was obviously less than worthy."
"Well there's a big surprise," Candice muttered, flying back towards him and dropping the two gold trinkets in the palm of his hand.
He sighed, suddenly regretting teaching Candice to talk. He would have been better off if the parrot's vocabulary was still limited to "Polly want a cracker."
"'Only one may enter,'" he mused aloud. "Looks like we'll have to find this 'one.' This... 'Diamond in the Rough.'"
Chapter 1 - Street Urchin