Disney's Aladdin: Kiss and Makeup Story by Jill D. Weber Main characters copyrighted by Walt Disney Corp. For Karen, Michele, Wendy, Questy, Snake-eyes and Honywumpus Aladdin was fascinated by Jasmine's cosmetics collection. He couldn't imagine what half of them did. Fortunately, Jasmine didn't seem to mind his asking questions while she worked, so that gave him an excuse to sit around and watch her apply her makeup. (Hey, any excuse to look at his bride was a good one as far as he was concerned.) He had to wait for her anyway. This party was in their honor and so they had to be the last to arrive. "What's this for?" he asked, holding up a jar filled with red powder. "That's blush," Jasmine replied absently as she concentrated on getting her eye liner on just so. She could have had a maid for this, but she preferred to do things herself. Especially something this personal. Aladdin, of course, had finished dressing for the party quite a while ago. "Blush? Isn't that what you do when you're embarrassed?" asked Aladdin, gazing into the jar as he swished the powder around. Jasmine paused in her making up and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked curious, not facetious, so she answered. "Yes. Both cases, the sense is to add color to the face. One is involuntary, the makeup is to give a healthy glow to my complexion." Aladdin frowned and looked at her reflection. "You already have one," he said unhappily. "Or is that the makeup?" He hesitated. "Is there something wrong with you?" he asked anxiously. Jasmine was baffled for a moment. Then she got the connection and smiled gently. "No, I'm not sick. It's just that the blush is part of the ensemble, not something I need to fake a healthy complexion." Aladdin sighed with relief, and put down the blush. Jasmine went on with her eye liner. "What's that you're putting on again?" Aladdin asked. "It's eye liner. It makes my eyes look large and dark... larger and darker," she amended hastily. "Oh," Aladdin said. He rested his chin on the chair he was straddling and examined the array of tweezers and files and scissors arranged in neat rows on one wing of the vanity. Jasmine paused and lowered her eyes. "I guess it seems silly to you, to worry about how large and dark my eyes are... Silly and vain." Aladdin shook his head. "No, not at all." Jasmine looked at him, but didn't look convinced, so he continued. "No sillier than any of the rest of it. Like the fancy dresses, the feathered turbans..." he took his turban off his head and looked balefully at the 'eye tickler' as he called it. "Besides, you look different when you have makeup on. More..." he paused, looking for the right word. "Beautiful?" Jasmine teased. "I don't think that's possible," Aladdin said sincerely, looking deep into her eyes. "You look great to me no matter what you do." Jasmine added the non-makeup blush to her cheeks and turned back to her mirror. She looked at Aladdin's reflection again as he finished his earlier thought. "You look more... glossy." "Glossy?" Jasmine rolled the word around in her mouth. She'd never been called THAT before. "You know, polished and refined... like a pot that's been glazed instead of just painted." He paused, but she didn't laugh. "I guess I can see how that's useful at a formal dinner." He looked at his turban and frowned. "I'll never look like anything but a street rat." Jasmine turned around again. "You look fine to me." She leaned forward and forestalled any protest by kissing him. She turned back to finish her eye lining and Aladdin sighed and went all dreamy eyed. After a few minutes, he picked something else. An white stone pot about the size of his thumb that had dark pink smears on its rim. "What's this?" he asked. Jasmine finished with her eyes and looked at the pot's reflection and smiled. "You should be familiar with THAT," she said wryly. "That's lip gloss. You know, the stuff you just smeared?" Aladdin gave a superior sniff and waved a finger at her. "Uh-uh, couldn't have, you didn't have any on." "I don't?" Jasmine's gaze returned to her own reflection. How could she have forgotten her lip gloss? She picked up a pot identical to the one held by Aladdin, except for having a different shade of pink smeared on the rim. Aladdin sniffed the pot he held, then dabbled his pinkie into the pink. He sniffed his finger, then touched his tongue. "You should wear this one," he said, putting another dab into his mouth. Jasmine answered without looking. "It doesn't go with this outfit," she said. "I like the taste, though." Jasmine looked at him, then, and saw him scoop another dab into his mouth. "A-lad-(ha)-din!" she giggled, snatching the pot from him. "It's meant to be WORN, not EATEN!!!" Aladdin blinked at her. "But I get a mouthful when I kiss you." He demonstrated by pulling her forward and kissing her. Jasmine pulled away from his kiss, and turned back to the mirror to gloss her smiling lips. Aladdin eyed the bottles arranged on the other side of her. He stood up and wandered over to look them over. "Those are scents," Jasmine said, without being asked. "Like in perfume?" Aladdin said. "Perfume, cologne, bath oils..." Aladdin picked up one bottle and pulled the stopper and sniffed. "Whew! What's this called?" he asked holding the bottle for Jasmine to identify. Jasmine turned, almost bumping into Aladdin's hand. Aladdin jerked back automatically, and lost hold of the bottle. The uncorked bottle spilled all over Jasmine's hair and skin and dress and vanity. Aladdin grabbed up a scarf and began to dab at it. "Jasmine, I am so sorry!" He stopped as he realized he wasn't doing her any good, nor was he doing the scarf any good. Jasmine waved her hand, both to negate the idea she might be angry and to dispel some of the odor. "It's all right," she said, keeping a tight rein on her sudden annoyance. No point in getting mad over an accident that was partly her fault. "I didn't particularly like that scent," she added truthfully. 'And now I'm going to smell like it for a week,' she added to herself. 'Oh, well, now I can tell father I used it up next time he asks if I use it.' Aladdin shuffled his feet, sensing Jasmine's unspoken annoyance. "Um, I'll... I'll wait in the hall so you can finish without distractions," he said, retreating with uncharacteristic clumsiness. Jasmine, dabbed at her clothes with the already soaked scarf called as he closed the door. "I will only be a minute!" She wiped the perfume off as best she could, and tried to decide if she should change her clothes. "That will take too long," she mused out loud. "I told him I'd only take a minute." There was a chuckle behind her, and she whirled to find herself facing Evil Incarnate. "I'm afraid you don't have a minute, Princess," the brown furred cat woman murmured in her sultry voice. Jasmine opened her mouth to cry out, but couldn't make a sound. Mirage raised a finger. "Uh-uh-uh... mustn't spoil the surprise!" Her green cat eyes sparkled ominously. "And I DO have a surprise for your DEAR Aladdin!" She gestured and Jasmine floated off the ground. "You remember my stint as cosmetics salespurrson?" she mocked. Jasmine's glare only made her smile get wider. "Oh, you DO remember Aja and her potion? How nice! Well I have another little treat... but don't worry, you won't wear it. I will!" The evil elemental held up a pot identical to the ones that held Jasmine's lip gloss. "This is a slave potion. One kiss and your dear, sweet Aladdin will by my willing slave forever! All I need to do is to get your hopeless Romeo to kiss me." Mirage turned to Jasmine's vanity. "Hm, this outfit won't do at all!" She gestured and suddenly there were two identical Jasmine's in the room. "You know, it would be embarrassing if we both showed up wearing the same clothes... not to mention wearing the same body! I suggest that you..." another gesture. "Change!" Jasmine had felt this sort of tingle before. Last time she'd wound up as a rat. This time, when the shrinking and shape shifting and fur growing was complete, she was a black cat. "Ooo, I'm scared," mocked Mirage. "Begone you nasty bringer of bad luck! You have too much perfume on anyway, I doubt lover boy would approve!" she gestured and Jasmine-cat disappeared in a puff of smoke. Jasmine-cat landed in the peacock fountain in the menagerie. As she dragged herself out, spitting and hissing, she realized that Mirage was only a few steps from achieving her goal. There was only one hope left to her... Genie! Jasmine-cat shot across the lawn as if she'd been scalded. Aladdin stood up as 'Jasmine' came out of their apartments. "That didn't take long," he said. Mirage, hadn't realized he was in the hall and the unexpected voice made her jump. "I told you I wouldn't be more than a minute!" 'Jasmine' said cattily, annoyed at being startled. "Are you still mad at me?" Aladdin asked, uncertainly. Mirage reined in her temper. 'Jasmine' blinked at him. "Mad? About what?" then Mirage realized there must have been a reason for Aladdin waiting in the hall, so she waved her hand and added. "See? Already forgotten! Let's kiss and make up." She puckered up. Something rang an alarm in the back of Aladdin's mind so, for a change, he didn't accept the invitation. "And get another stern lecture about how I always ruin all your careful makeup work?" he teased. "I don't think so!" He offered her his arm. "Besides, we'll never get down to our guests if we get started smooching." 'Jasmine' smiled graciously, or as graciously as a thwarted evil elemental could through gritted teeth. 'What a time for lover boy to play hard to get!' she grumbled mentally. Aladdin's feeling of alarm grew as he strolled downstairs with ostensible unconcern. Jasmine hadn't contradicted his lie about the lecture. He'd expected her to say something about the only thing he'd ruined was her scarf when he'd wiped up the... perfume! He nuzzled Jasmine's hair, earning him an inviting smile that he loftily ignored. No perfume, there WAS an odor, but he couldn't quite place it. Aladdin felt like pulling away, but didn't dare tip his hand. He had to get to Genie, who could unveil this imposter. As they approached the room where the reception was being held, a statue of a tiger caught his eye. Absently Aladdin wondered if Rajah could help. Then he realized THAT'S what the smell reminded him of... Rajah. It was a cat smell. And a cat who cast illusions meant... It took ALL of Aladdin's will power to NOT jerk away when he guessed that he was escorting Mirage. He was all too aware of the kind of power that the feline elemental wielded. If she suspected she was discovered, things could get nasty. He needed to keep his head until he could get to Genie. But what did Mirage want? And, more importantly, where was Jasmine? 'Jasmine' shot him another wistful look. "Last chance to kiss me before the party!" she hinted. Knowing that Mirage wanted a kiss was all the reason Aladdin needed for to NOT kiss her. "Uh-uh-uh!" he admonished, parting the curtain and giving Rasoul the cue to announce them. "No ruined makeup!" As the Sultan and his guests turned to greet the young newlyweds, there was a SCRREEEECH in the hall loud enough to give the dead heart failure. Everybody turned in time to see a dripping wet black cat come tearing through the room. "What the... Genie!" Sultan cried. The brass lamp in the corner smoked as the semi-phenomenal, nearly cosmic Genie appeared to see if somebody needed a refill. Jasmine-cat scorched by the guests, the guards, Genie, and the Sultan like they weren't there. As far as Jasmine-cat was concerned, they weren't. All she could see was HER HUSBAND on the arm of THAT CAT! She leaped at Aladdin to knock him away from danger. Instinctively, Aladdin pushed 'Jasmine' out of harm's way, then started to dodge. The cat hit him in the chest while he was off balance and sent him sprawling on the marble floor. At first, Aladdin wondered if this was part of Mirage's plot. Then he smelled the perfume that the dunking had not been able to remove. Jasmine-cat was wondering how to tell Aladdin who she was. She also wondered how she was going to regain her human form. Aladdin took matters into his own hands, and mouth, with a wild guess. Since Mirage was so keen on getting a kiss, then maybe... Aladdin grabbed the cat by her face and kissed her on the mouth. Magic effects later, he found a soaked and still heavily perfumed human Jasmine in his arms. The guests, the guards, Genie and the Sultan gasped as the cat turned into Jasmine and 'Jasmine' turned into a cat. A very BIG cat, whom several people recognized. "Mirage!" yelped the Sultan. "Evil incarnate!" several other people cried. "Run," was Aladdin's advice. The newlyweds dashed out, leading the infuriated Mirage away from their guests. Genie gestured, sending the Sultan, the guards and the guests to Getsastan. "You'll be safer there," he said. Aladdin and Jasmine made it to the menagerie before Mirage caught up. They turned to confront her. "You little street rat!" Mirage shrieked. "You won't get away with this, I paid a lot for this mind control lip gloss and you ARE going to be my slave!" Aladdin and Jasmine saw Genie come up behind Mirage. He gestured them to silence and pointed at the fountain. They started to edge toward it as Mirage stalked them. "Stand still, you little wretch. I need to kiss you for this." Aladdin looked at her askance. "You don't sound too eager." Mirage sneered. "To kiss a human? Of course not." Aladdin felt the curb of the fountain behind him. "Then why not just give up on this plan?" Mirage snarled. "I WILL have you!" Genie spoke up behind her. "WRONG!" Aladdin tackled Jasmine, tumbling them both out of the line of fire. Mirage, ignoring the humans for the moment, whirled. Genie turned into an imposing Greek God type and threw a thunderbolt at her. Mirage ducked and the bolt missed, only to shatter the side of the peacock fountain behind her. Mirage waved her hand and water surged over her head. "Did you really think I'd fall for that pathetic trick!" Mirage gloated as the cataract of water hit Genie. Genie shape shifted again, first into sponge, then what later generations would recognize as a 'super soaker'. Mirage didn't recognize the giant squirt gun, but she got the idea... and the water. The wet cat howled and slashed with her claws, slicing the Genie- soaker into Genie-fragments, and spraying the contents of his reservoir all over herself. The now completely saturated feline disappeared with a hiss of steam. There was a long pause as they caught their breath. Then Aladdin pushed himself into a sitting position and said, "Thanks, Genie!" "Any time, kid. Boy, you really know how to keep a party lively!" Genie grinned, then paused. "You know, maybe I'd better go to Getsastan and collect the host and the guests before they gamble away all the party favors. You two be good!" and he was gone in a puff of baby blue smoke. Aladdin timidly kissed Jasmine. When nothing worse than getting watery perfume dripped on him happened, he kissed her with more conviction. After a while, he sighed and pulled away. "You'll need to get changed, in case any of the guests decide to come back." He stood and held out his hand for hers. Jasmine smiled and pushed a tendril of damp hair out of her eyes. "Good thought." She allowed him to help her to her feet. "I hope she doesn't have any more of that stuff!" Aladdin shrugged. "I wouldn't think so. Seems to me that magic users can't use the same plan twice." He paused. "What WAS her plan, anyway?" Jasmine told him and he sat down on the curb of the still dribbling fountain and looked ill. "Oh. (Long pause.) Good thing I didn't kiss her." Jasmine smiled. Then she cocked her head. "You knew she wasn't me, didn't you? That's why you didn't kiss her." Aladdin nodded, but didn't answer. He was busy with some deep breathing exercises to calm his racing heart. "How did you KNOW it wasn't me?" Jasmine questioned, tugging at his arm impatiently. Aladdin smiled faintly. He'd explain it all later, for now all he said was: "Let's just say she flunked her makeup test." Jasmine kissed him anyway.