Garden of Evil

-young Sultan riding towards plant palace--doors open magically--lush curtains of greenery draw away-

Young Sultan: Extraordinary!

-there is a harp made of vines--young Sultan approaches it and strokes its strings--laughs in delight at the sounds it produces--turns away—sees a blooming pink flower alone, bathed in white light--shimmering waterfall splashes behind-

Young Sultan: Lovely...

-Sultan reaches out his hands, grasps the flower, and yanks it out of its bed--strange shrieking sound follows, white light dims, ground vibrates-

Arbutus: Who trespasses in my garden? -motions over his creations- My masterpiece?

Young Sultan: I... I... I... -draws sword--sword immediately whipped out of his grasp-

Arbutus: You are a fool! Your sword may sever every limb, but my power will always bloom!

Young Sultan: –in Arbutus’ large hand- I’m sorry! I just wanted to bring a flower to my new bride!

Arbutus: No one shall defile the art of Arbutus and live!

Young Sultan: Release me and you shall be greatly rewarded!

Arbutus: Your reward means nothing to me.

Young Sultan: You have my word! My most precious treasure will be yours!

Arbutus: Yes –strokes long beard- Perhaps one day your kingdom could enhance mine... an addition to my garden's beauty. –releases young Sultan-

Young Sultan: Oh, indeed. Agrabah is rich with wonderful treasure.

Arbutus: Hear me! In twenty summers I shall come for your most...

-present day-

Sultan: 'Precious treasure', he said.

Jasmine: Oh, Father! What a terrible nightmare!

Sultan: No, no, dearest. I’m afraid it's all too real. It was twenty years ago from this very day!

Jasmine: Twenty years!

Sultan: And now Arbutus is coming to collect!

Aladdin: Don't worry, Sultan. I’ll guard the royal treasury. Ha! That monster won't touch a gold flake of your treasure.

Iago: Aladdin, you've been working so hard. I’ll guard the treasure.

Abu: What?

Aladdin: Sure, Iago... and I’ll have a jackal guard the royal peacocks while I’m at it.

Iago: Fine. I thought we had a solid trust bond forming here.

Aladdin: Genie, wake up. -rubs lamp-

Genie: -appears in pajamas brushing teeth- I’m up.

Aladdin: Genie, we have a mission. We're going to protect the sultan's treasure.

Genie: I am proud to serve! -transforms into a guard, but holding a giant toothbrush instead of a sword- Uh, first we'll conquer tooth decay then we'll brush out crime.

Jasmine: See, Father. Everything will be all right.

Sultan: I suppose so.

-night--outside treasure room-

Iago: -looking at the treasure- So close and yet so far away!

Genie: Midnight and all is well. -yawns-

Aladdin: Stop that! You'll make me... -yawns- See!

Iago: Hey! Shift's over, monkey. Gimme the key.

Abu: Un-uh! Un-uh!

Iago: Hey! Union rules, hairball!

Genie: Where is he!? Unhand the royal jewels!

Aladdin: He's not here, Genie. But we have to stay awake.

Genie: -turns into beatniks and starts playing bongo drums- Genie is one cool cat. Man, that swings!

Aladdin: Genie! Genie!

Genie: Huh? Oh, yes.

Aladdin: Genie, you'll wake Jasmine and the sultan.

Genie: Right! We mustn't wake them from their soothing slumber in their big, soft, comfy beds. -yawns-

********************

Sultan: -checking in on Jasmine- Sleep well, Dearest.

********************

Iago: -singing- Hush little monkey, don't say a word. Iago's gonna be a very -takes key from Abu- rich bird!

********************

-Vines begin creeping into Jasmine's bedroom-

********************

Aladdin: I can barely keep my eyes open.

Genie: Tell us about it!

Aladdin: No! We have a job to do! The sultan has trusted us to guard his most precious treasure and that’s what we're gonna do! Let that plant beast make his move! I’m ready.

********************

-Sultan having same nightmare-

Arbutus: I shall come for your most precious treasure.

Sultan: -wakes up--reality hits him- Jasmine!

-Jasmine tries to scream from her room, the vines cover her mouth-

Sultan: Jasmine!

Genie: Huh?

Aladdin: What?

Genie: Jasmine?

Aladdin: The most precious treasure!

Sultan: -trying to get in her room- Jasmine! Arbutus has come for Jasmine!

Aladdin: He won't get her! -tears out his sword--starts chopping-

Genie: Whoa! -pulls Sultan away- Back up! You can't afford to get any shorter!

Jasmine: -trapped--struggling to get free- Father! Aladdin!

Aladdin: Get down! I’ll cut you out!

Sultan: Ahh! Arbutus!

Arbutus: I’m flattered. You remembered.

Sultan: You have haunted my dreams!

Arbutus: I strive to make an impression.

Sultan: Take any treasure in the kingdom but leave my daughter be!

Jasmine: Father, look out!

Arbutus: You made a promise! Live by your word or die by it!

-Aladdin tries to cut him--Arbutus laughing-

Arbutus: Simple boy. Were you not warned? Your blade may sever every limb, every branch, but my power will always bloom.

-traps Aladdin with vines--roses begin blooming from them-

Arbutus: What can I say? It's function, it's form... It's art.

Aladdin: -struggles to get free- It's... thorns!

Arbutus: We all must suffer for our art, young Aladdin.

Jasmine: Genie!

Genie: Let's say we bust ya outta here! Nothing can stop... Genie, the killer caterpillar! -starts eating the vines holding Jasmine- Uh, we’re almost there. Jasmine?

-Arbutus and Jasmine are carried by the vines out of the window-

Jasmine: Let me go! No! Let go!

Aladdin: Jasmine!

Genie: Nice try, Arbutus..! -trapped-

Aladdin: No! -jumps out of window- Ahh! -Carpet catches him- Genie!

Genie: -turns into butterfly- I’m so... pretty.

Aladdin: Genie, he took Jasmine!

Sultan: I... I know the way to his garden castle!

Iago: Haven't we had enough of vegetation!?

Aladdin: I’ve definitely had enough!

********************

-Arbutus and Jasmine arrive in his garden-

Jasmine: Let me... -falls- go!

Arbutus: I was trying to be courteous.

Jasmine: By stealing me from my home in the middle of the night?

Arbutus: My methods may be coarse, but the results are stunning.

-a throne made of plants grows out of the ground--vines sprout out of it, pulling Jasmine toward it-

Jasmine: What do you want?

Arbutus: Living beauty, and you are that.

Jasmine: You're twisted!

Arbutus: I’m an artist. You should feel honored to be part of my masterpiece. To join only the most exquisite blossoms be they delicate, robust, or wild.

Jasmine: What kind of artist has no heart?

Arbutus: -laughing- A brilliant one! -looks at throne- Hmm. It needs something. -looks away- Lilacs! Yes!

-Jasmine escaped--she runs--out of breath--stands by tree-

Arbutus: Look no further, Princess.

-Jasmine gasps--the tree was Arbutus--starts running--vines sprout out of the ground and catch her-

Jasmine: Let me go!

Arbutus: You're in my hothouse now, my flower. You won't get far.

Jasmine: We'll see about that!

Arbutus: Princess! Your impertinence outrages me, and yet... I feel... so... inspired! -causes a tree to grow out of the ground- Hmm, my muse can be so irritable. We must work swiftly.

Jasmine: -whispering to herself- Sorry. I have other plans!

Arbutus: Perhaps... yes! -adds leaves and flowers to the tree-

-Jasmine tries to climb out of the garden--vines capture her and bring her back down-

Jasmine: No! Ahh!

Arbutus: How can you leave me? I’m not finished yet.

********************

Sultan: Over the hill! There! That's where this nightmare began.

Abu: Ooooo!

Genie: Wow!

Iago: So what's the big -sees garden palace- deal!?

Aladdin: Carpet, let's go!

Genie: -grabs Sultan- Yeah! Wait up!

Iago: Looks closed. I think I’ll wait outside. -vines coming closer to him- Ahhh!

Aladdin: Abu, Genie, come on!

Iago: -panicking- This whole place is out to get us. How you gonna...

Aladdin: Follow my lead! -slicing open doorway-

Genie: We could just try opening the... door.

Aladdin: -enters- Jasmine! Jasmine! -trips over a root, crushing the vine harp- This way, guys!

********************

-Arbutus makes birds land in his new tree and makes a path of flowers leading to it-

Arbutus: So, Jasmine, care to critique my art now?

Jasmine: -angrily- I think it's... -looks up at it and gasps- it's beautiful.

Arbutus: So was my last work but you had to run away and ruin it! You were an integral part of my design, you know.

Jasmine: I’m not one of your creations! I’m not a... thing!

Arbutus: A thing!? How typical!

Jasmine: Arbutus, I’m not a flower you can keep in your garden! I need my family and friends.

Arbutus: Ah, yes, human needs. Like you need to hack down my gorgeous trees and chop them into lumber!

Jasmine: It's not that simple!

Arbutus: Indeed! You burn them for warmth creating smoke to block our life-giving sun!

Jasmine: We don't do that on purpose!

Arbutus: Is it an accident when you rip and pluck my flowers, condemning them to a slow death in a vase!?

Jasmine: Slow death?

Arbutus: Your kind! You're all the same! You treat my beautiful, living creations as things! Why should I treat you any differently?

Jasmine: Arbutus, I... I think I understand.

********************

Genie: This place is kind of creepy! -vines creeping- Or should I say creeping! Uh, uh... -tries to yell-

Aladdin: Genie! -Aladdin trapped-

Sultan: The poor lad! We must free him!

Iago: By all means, play through! Ya got 'em on the run now!

-vines go away-

Aladdin: What?

Sultan: My word!

Genie: -twirling the vines onto a giant fork- Bonappetito! -eats vines- Not quite a-like mama's, but it'll do.

Aladdin: Thanks, Genie!

Genie: -belches- My pleasure.

********************

Arbutus: Do you truly understand me, Princess? Or is this some human trick?

Jasmine: We humans appreciate your creations. The beauty of a flower, the shade from a tree, the joy of planting a seed and watching it grow. We care.

Arbutus: If only I could believe you. Perhaps I can! After all... you do bear the name of a flower.

Aladdin: Jasmine!

Arbutus: Infidels! What an ingenious trap you've set, Princess!

Jasmine: No

Aladdin: Don't worry, Jasmine! I’m gonna destroy that monster if I have to do it leaf by leaf!

Arbutus: You will try, my callow foe! You will try!

Jasmine: Aladdin! Arbutus! It doesn't have to be this way!

-Aladdin and Arbutus start fighting-

Jasmine: No!

-Aladdin falls--Carpet catches him-

Aladdin: Thanks, Carpet! -fighting continues-

Sultan: Don't worry, my dear. Aladdin and Genie shall vanquish that fiend.

Jasmine: You don't understand! *He* doesn't understand. -explains during fight-

Sultan: I never meant any harm! All I did was pick a flower!

Iago: Yeah. I say this guy overreacted.

Jasmine: Father, that flower meant as much to Arbutus as I mean to you. This must stop! -Genie falls by her- Genie! You have to make Aladdin put down his sword!

Iago: Sure, and you’ll wind up with boyfriend on a stick!

Abu: Ew!

Jasmine: Arbutus won't hurt us if we don't hurt him! Genie, please!

Arbutus: Giving up, boy!?

Aladdin: Never! -brings out his sword-

Genie: Stop!

Aladdin: Huh? Genie, what are you doing?

Genie: Al, Jasmine says...

Arbutus: Your sword may sever every limb, but my power will always bloom!

Aladdin: No, it won't! -throws his sword-

-the rose is cut off Arbutus's chest killing him-

Aladdin: Yes!

-everything in the garden withers and dies-

Sultan: -picks up rose- 'My power will always bloom.' This was the heart of his power; this frail little flower.

Aladdin: Jasmine, we did it! Jasmine? What?

Jasmine: Oh, Aladdin. I know you meant to do the right thing, but Arbutus was not a monster. He was just different.

Iago: Yeah! He was a beast!

Aladdin: Iago! Jasmine, I don't understand.

Jasmine: He loved his garden the way you and Father love me.

-morning, on a grassy hill-

Jasmine: Sometimes we only see how people are different from us. But if you look hard enough, you can see how much we’re all alike.

-they all plant rose--hear Arbutus taking a breath-