Ch.5: Malcho Returns

Things were not looking good for Iago and they were about to get worse. Through the powers of her dragon staff Terudax had seen that Iago was now tainted with the dragon's curse. A sly smile wove up her lips as she said aloud.

"Another puppet under my control. Just like that other bird I transformed to test my spell long ago,"

(Flash Back)

The mad little raven hadn't been with Terudax long when the dragon soceress decided to test her spell of changing animals into dragons. By the way the big black bird had been fussing it obivously didn't like the idea.

Picking up a vail of reddish-yellow liquid Terudax started to pour it onto the wriggling bird's body. The raven fussed and fought when he felt the liquid sink into his feathers as the contents of the vail were poured. Voliently the bird flapped his mighty black wings in order to shake the liquid off.

Terudax grinned evilly at the bird's discomfort. The raven's squirming served only to amuse Terudax more and more. The liquid of the dragon's curse had stained the beautiful black bird's feathers changing them to a slightly purple color. Two days soon passed and the raven had grown into a feather-winged serpent.

Grinning at her work Terudax said "Welcome to my world...Malcho,"

Malcho didn't stay long however. As soon as he was transformed into his full grown dragon state he burst through the roof and escaped. Fleeing from long-term prision Malcho fled to the rainforest and soon took control of all the world's weather so he could one day make Terudax pay fortorment he had suffered by her hands when he was still a bird.

(End Flash Back)

Even now Terudax's first little 'experiment' was still around. Being trapped in the hot depths of a volcano Malcho whipped and lashed about trying to free himself from the hardened lava.

"When I get out of here I will make sure the ones who have trapped me here will pay," hissed Malcho.

"Yo Serpitina!" yelled a voice.

Surprised, Malcho turned around to see Iago racing toward him. Even from a distance Malcho could tell that there was something different about the traitorous bird. The parrot's red and blue feathers had been tainted with reddish-yellow liquid and for once the bird eyes didn't show fear in face of an old enmey.

"Well, well" drawled Malcho " Iago...you look..different,"

"Enough with the small talk Malcho" said Iago "I have a proposition for ya,"

"Go on," said Malcho

"You promise not to eat me or my friends and I'll set you free," said Iago.

"Ha" laughed Malcho " an intreging offer from a former traitor, but I sense there is a catch?"

Iago flew close to Malcho and whispered something into the serpent's ear. Malcho's eyes instantly lighted with pleasure and he agreed to help Iago. The next concern was braking Malcho free.

"How is a little bird like you going to free me from this hardened prision?" asked Malcho.

''Chill" said Iago " I have to have some dragon powers by now,"

Just as Iago spoke a strange senstation flowed up and down his down his body. From the way Malcho was staring at him Iago knew that something must be wrong. First Iago stared at his wings. Scales had started to grow on his wings and his wingspan had gotten larger. Not only that but Iago realized he was taller too.

If he could see behind him he would notice that his three blue tail feathers had grown seperate to form three tails. The most stunning change was Iago's face. If Iago had looked in a mirror right now he'd be sure to scream. His face started to look like Malcho's own. The only difference between Iago's devolping dragon form and Malcho was the color. While Malcho was purple Iago remianed red.

"It's like I am looking in a mirror," thought Malcho.

Iago was now half way from becoming a full-fledged dragon and Terudax's slave. With his newly formed tails Iago whacked away at the cooled lava and soon Malcho was able to burst free.

"I kept my word" said Iago to Malcho "make sure you keep yours,"

With that Iago flew and Malcho went to keep his part of the bargian. Could Iago really trust Malcho to bring him Terudax's dragon staff or would the serpent betray Iago just as Iago had once betrayed him?

---------------------------

Meanwhile, Aladdin had realized that Iago had disappeared. The loud-mouthed bird was nowhere to be found. Genie zoomed back into the room with Jasimine flying on Carpet trailing behind.

"Any sign of him?" asked Aladdin.

Jasimine shook her head and said " We searched everywhere we could and couldn't find him,"

"Where could Iago be?" thought Aladdin.

Thundra was also worried. Only a day had passed since her 'Giblet' had been cursed by the awful contents of that vail and now Iago had just vanished into thin air.

"Hey Al," came a voice that everybody recongized as Iago's.

Everyone gasped when they saw Iago which just what Iago thought they would do. You would probally gasp to if you just saw one of your friends slowly transforming into a dragon. Genie was the first to speak however.

"Wow" said Genie "he almost reminds me of Malcho,"

Jasmine and the Sultan looked confused so Thundra explianed who Malcho was and about his lust for her weather powers. Aladdin barely listened as he stared at Iago.

"We don't have much time" Aladdin thought "tommorow's our last chance. I won't let Iago down,"