The south winds were warm and comforting, but Carpet did not feel them. He was flying so quickly, all he could feel was the pressing breeze against him. He was flying so swiftly that the wind against him hardly had enough time to catch up with him. When he reached the area that the storm had hit, he comfortably came to a stop. The frequent flyer felt a faint residue from the storm and looked around.

He sighed when he saw a blue figure and a tiny red ball of feathers below him.

The blue figure started waving his arms back and forth and the air, yelling, "Help us! Help us!" He turned and started sending up flares, almost hitting Carpet! When Carpet landed on the ground, he saw that the blue figure — Genie — had a small pole with a volleyball on it. The volleyball had a face drawn onto it and Genie was talking to it like it was his friend, "We're gonna go home!"

Carpet turned to Iago, who was with him, "Hey, don't look at me! I've never seen him in my life!"

Genie got on his knees before Carpet and started crying, "Thank you! Thank you so muuuchhh! I've gone the whole day with not a drop to drink nor a bite to eat!"

Iago flew up to his ear and yelled into it, "YOU CAN FEED YOURSELF!! YOU'RE MAGIC!!"

Genie turned red, "Heh. Forgot about that." Genie paused and laid out a picnic set. He and Iago immediately started to feast. Carpet shrugged and joined them. Genie started the conversation, "Anywhooo… Where are Al and Jas?"

Carpet started pointing to the north wildly.

"Are they okay?" Genie put down his sandwich, realizing that the situation could be serious.

Carpet shrugged.

"I say we go find them!"

Carpet sprung up and motioned for Genie and Iago to follow. Genie immediately made the picnic vanish, much to Iago's dismay. He then shot into the sky with Carpet. Remembering Iago, he turned around to face him, "You coming or what?"

"You know what?" Iago thought aloud, "I was thinking maybe I like this whole stranded by myself thing!"

Genie disregarded this and grabbed Iago, taking off swiftly after Carpet.

"Alright fine! But let me go! I can fly too!"

------

Aladdin wriggled the knob a bit more.

"Locked?" Jasmine asked as she took over the knob, "It's probably just sticky." She wriggled it. "It IS locked!"

"I knew there was something wrong with this place-"

Jasmine turned around and placed her index finger on Aladdin's lips, silencing him, "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Aladdin and Jasmine both pressed their ears against the door. Both of them heard a rumbling noise that gradually got louder. As its volume increased, the floor started to shake.

"Jasmine, I don't like this," Aladdin backed from the rattling door and clutched Jasmine's wrist, removing her palm from the door and spoke almost inaudibly. "We should get away from the door."

Jasmine looked at him, barely able to hear him. By his gestures, she realized what he was saying, but before she could react, the door flung open, knocking her and Aladdin violently away from it. The door opener was Pichi!

Without apologizing, he slammed the door shut behind him, "There's big trouble going —" He paused and twitched his ears up. "Lisa!" He once again ran to the door and opened it.

"What's going on here?!" Aladdin yelled as he crawled to Jasmine and wrapped his arms around her; Pichi did not answer as he swiftly rushed out the door. Moments later, he dove back in with another figure in his arms. Slamming the door, he yelled, "BRACE YOURSELVES!!!"

Aladdin tightened his grip on Jasmine, squeezing his eyes shut. He called out her name, but Jasmine was motionless and quiet. Aladdin gave out a yell as the explosion finally reached their room, and everything started to crumble beneath them.

------

There was a sudden rumbling noise from beneath the three flyers. They looked below them, but they saw no sign of volatility.

"Look!" Iago pointed to a palace not so far in the distance. It was far enough that they couldn't make out any beings in it, but close enough that they could see the colors of balcony curtains. It was magnificent — somewhat like the Agrabanian palace, only more blue and lavender in color. The towers seemed twisted, too, rather than cylindrical like Agrabah's. Every tower was topped with a golden sphere — much like a cherry on top of an ice cream.

There were far more balconies than Agrabah's palace. Each one had majestic taffeta curtains, each one with a different color. There were three times as many windows as there were balconies, each scattered in places where no need for a window seemed necessary. Each one was in a different shape, with velvet flags out of the five that were lined atop the main entrance.

The steps leading up to the main entrance came in two different sets, each with smooth, pearl railings with golden supports running up and down the sides. Atop the stairs were about fifteen square feet of plateau, where there were marble benches and statues of Elmphs. At the end of that, there were four steps leading to the main doors. The doors themselves were shaped just like Agrabah's, only they were lined with an unidentifiable kind of treasure — or treasures. The colors changed every second, and they seemed indestructible.

The three of them noted that Agrabah's palace was definitely more majestic, but this was definitely more magical in appearance. The only thing diffusing this beauty was how much it was shaking. Balconies started to crack, and flags were falling from windowsills.

"Carpet!" Genie summoned, "Are Al and Jas in there?"

Carpet shrugged.

"Where did you lose them?" Carpet pointed away from the palace.

Genie followed his point to a small meadow surrounded by trees that was on the outskirts of the town. Then he looked back at the palace, which was starting to look like it was about to fall apart. "I'd go to where you're pointing, but… I can't help but think that they're in there!" He looked at Carpet and Iago as if they were going to tell him which way to go.

All of a sudden, an explosion erupted from the bottom-right side of the palace.

"I vote we go to the pretty, harmless meadow!" Iago whined after seeing this.

"No way!" Genie and Carpet rushed toward the palace as the explosion spread upward and over.

Iago reluctantly followed, whining, "Why do I always have to be the third wheel? Why can't anyone say, 'You're right Iago! Let's go where YOU want to go! Let's do what YOU say!'"

Genie looked at him, "The occasion rarely calls for it."

"Har. Har. You're a riot. Really."

------

Safely hidden from the destruction, one being looked into a portal to see Genie, Carpet, and Iago flying towards the palace. It turned around to a bony, furry primate in chains.

"Are these your friends?"

The monkey screeched.

As if he didn't hear the answer, the being continued, "You didn't tell me you had friends!… No matter. I knew it anyway. It is quite interesting that a monkey would be friends with a Genie and a Carpet."

More chattering.

"Yes, and a parrot," it looked closely into its portal, "But the parrot is not what interests me. It's interesting enough your master's princess has lasted as long as she has…"

The monkey glared at the being protectively.

"Abu. That is your name. Am I correct?"

The monkey answered approvingly.

"Well, Abu. I think I'm beginning to narrow in on your friends… and that crown," it said with a screechy cackle as it headed towards a confusing assortment of mechanical levers.

------

The explosion only lasted for a few seconds. The four beings in the room stayed motionless for the first two minutes, wondering if the scene would once more return to its volatile state or if the other members in the room were okay. Two minutes was just enough time to let the dust settle and assure the damage intended was over with.

Pichi supported himself to his feet and extended his arm out to the Elmph he had rescued — Attalisa. She gratefully took it and let him help her to her feet.

"Aladdin," Pichi scurried over to Aladdin and Jasmine with Attalisa and shook Aladdin's shoulder. "Aladdin. Are you okay? It's safe to get up now."

Aladdin was okay. And he was awake too. But he didn't want to let go of Jasmine. Nonetheless, he let go and raised himself to a seated position.

"Pichi?" he muttered sleepily.

"Yes," Pichi answered. "How did you know my name?"

"Your medallion. It says Pichi."

"Oh, of course," Pichi gestured to Jasmine, "Your lady. Is she alright?"

Aladdin looked down at Jasmine's still figure and realized that it was not the Jasmine he was with minutes before! He cautiously rolled the figure over for a better look. It was definitely Jasmine's face and body. But the hair was pulled back braided in cornrows. And she was no longer wearing the dress she was wearing before.

The new dress was maroon with gold lining. The sides were cut out, and the top wrapped around her neck. She had golden eye shadow that covered all of her eyelids and black eyeliner put on very thickly. A dark maroon lipsticks outlined and shaded with black blanketed her lips. Her earrings and her necklace were both made of thick, solid gold.

"Jasmine?" Aladdin asked cautiously, "Jasmine, are you awake? Is that you?"

Pichi lifted her wrist helpfully and checked her pulse, "She's not alive."

Aladdin turned his gaze to her head and noticed that she had no diadem, "The diadem! Where is the diadem?!"

"It must have come off in the attack!"

"Attack?"

"The explosion!" Pichi motioned to the damage. Everything was gray, and many things were broken, torn, and singed. But there was no remaining fire except for a few tiny, harmless licks, and the ground did not give way.

"How are we ever going to find the diadem in all of this mess?" Aladdin stood up.

"I'll help you look!" Attalisa started to sniff the air and rummage through the rubble.

"I will as well," Pichi went to assist her. Aladdin willingly assisted.

"Do you have any idea of what is going on here?" Aladdin asked as he worked.

"Not all, but a good portion," Pichi answered through his labor.

"Well, start explaining."

"Where do I begin?"

"Begin with who is behind all this!"

"It's-"

"Found it!" Attalisa sprung out of the rubble comically with the diadem in her clutches.