Aladdin flies out of the Cave of Wonders on Carpet, looking relieved. He dusts off his hands as the Cave starts to collapse behind him.

"Well, that takes care of her."

He pauses, because a very familiar voice just said the exact same words at the same time.

He whirls toward the source of the sound just as his enemy turns toward him. "Mozenrath!"

"Aladdin." The contempt in the sorcerer's voice is the same as ever. He too is dusting off his hands, one covered with a gauntlet, and looks suspiciously like he just walked out of the Cave as well.

"What are YOU doing here? How did you manage to get in?"

"I could ask you the same thing, street rat." Mozenrath smirks. "You just 'took care' of someone, I hear? That seems to disqualify you from diamond in the rough status."

Aladdin bristles. "I was carrying out justice, unlike you. I just locked up a criminal, a danger to society. And if I had known you were here, I would have put you in there with her!"

Instead of taking offense, the sorcerer looks thoughtful. "Well, I just locked someone away as well, but for revenge. It's much sweeter than justice."

Aladdin grows curious. "Who?"

Mozenrath's face twists in disdain. "Evil Incarnate. And I'm not talking about Mirage."

The hero begins to feel worried. "So she's down there in the Cave now...with the person I locked up..."

Mozenrath shrugs. "Good riddance to them both."

"I have a really bad feeling about this...just who exactly did you lock away?"

The sorcerer rolls his eyes, annoyed that Aladdin is so persistent. "A writer who goes by the name of Cantare. Infernal witch who tormented me with the alternate universes she threw me into."

Aladdin's face pales. "The person I locked up is also a writer...named Katie Ann..."

Mozenrath looks at the hero seriously for the first time. "No. You're kidding me. Aladdin..."

The hero is suddenly knocked off the carpet by a strong blast of dark magic. Mozenrath nearly starts throttling him.

"Why?!"

Choking, Aladdin manages to throw the sorcerer off him. "I didn't know! But there's still time--"

"Where are the scarab pieces? We have to stop them before they find each other--"

"And work together against us," Aladdin finishes with a nervous gulp. The two men stop fighting and sit down in the sand, looks of open fear on their faces.

Aladdin's tense expression suddenly fades into blank confusion. He looks at Mozenrath and jerks back in surprise. "Mozenrath, what are you doing here?"

Mozenrath looks at him like he's crazy, then realizes what is happening. "Oh. No. It's started...Aladdin! Don't let her make you forget six years of your life! Don't--"

Mozenrath freezes and clutches his head. "Argh...NO, no, I don't love the princess, you can't make me, DAMN IT!"

Aladdin narrows his eyes. "You better stay away from Jasmine!"

Mozenrath lets go of his head and slowly smirks at the hero. "Depends on if she wants to stay away from me..."

Down below in the Cave of Wonders, Katie Ann and Cantare toast the beginning of their evil plans to collaborate against the street rat and sorcerer. They still need to work out a few differences.

"Come on, you KNOW Jasmine looks better with Mozenrath."

"Only if you put her mind through a shredder--er...mirror. Aladdin's so much hotter anyway."

"Um, Aladdin is a scrub."

"Mozenrath's scrawny."

"Mozenrath gave up his RIGHT HAND for power! Aladdin probably wouldn't even give up the wave in his hair!"

"Why would Aladdin need power when he's got the girl, the looks, and the kingdom on his side?"

"Okay, okay, we need to work together here. What can we do to make this a fair contest? A contest to prove who's better once and for all."

"Hmm."

Both writers think for a good while. Their eyes light up at the same time.

"Are you thinking--"

"What I'm thinking?"

SERIOUS INTRODUCTION:

This is the joint account of Katie Ann (author of "Gone") and Cantare (author of "Antiphony"). All stories below are collaborations. The purpose of our joint writing is to keep the Aladdin fandom alive and kicking by combining the creative/destructive forces of our minds.

The first story we are currently working on is titled "Entangled," and is a continuation of the episode "Two to Tangle" with an alternate ending.

Happy reading!