I only own Bethany/Bethie.

"What the…?" asked Bethany out loud, too stunned by the sudden appearance of the necklace.

"What is that bird think…" Yakko started to ask when suddenly, the blue bird let out a loud, pain-ridden cry. Then, the bird began to fall to the ground, and as it did so, it started to morph into something big and un-birdlike. In the very next moment, the bird was on the ground, except that it wasn't a bird anymore. It was Genie.

"Genie!" cried Aladdin, sounding both alarmed and relieved as he rushed towards his big blue friend. A friend who was now crying like the world was about to end. "Oh my gosh…what happened Genie?! What in the world happened?!"

"Where are Wakko and Dot?!" Yakko added as he jumped from Bethany's arms to the ground, his alarmed and scared black eyes looking right at the sobbing Genie in Aladdin's arms.

"Where are the other kids?" asked Mickey.

"Is Cobra really behind this? Or is it someone else?" questioned Batman.

"How did you escape?" asked Mikey.

"Why and what did you just give Bethie?!" cried Leo.

"Everyone, stop asking him questions!" ordered Bethany loudly. "Can't you see that he isn't in a state to answer all of those at once?!" Everyone immediately shut their mouths, all of them looking quite contrite since what Bethany said was the truth. Genie was still sobbing into his hands, his body uncontrollably trembling with each heaving sob. As his big fat tears streamed off his hands into the growing beneath him, Bethany concern and dread increased greatly. Even though Genie is free and safe with us…something bad is about to happen. Really bad.

"It's okay Genie, you're safe now," said Aladdin in a soothing tone as he rubbed Genie's back in a circular motion. "It's going to be okay." Even as he said that though, Bethany could tell by the worried expression on his face that Aladdin didn't really believe his words. After all, as far as Bethany knew, this was also his first time seeing Genie so visibly shaken. Whatever made someone as energetic and cheerful as Genie cry like this…can't be good.

"No it's not," confirmed Genie in a solemn and broken voice. He then lifted his head and faced Bethany and the others, his eyes completely bloodshot. "I'm…I'm so sorry…"

"Sorry for wha…" Mikey started to ask before Batman interrupted him by holding his hand out towards the orange-masked turtle.

"Just tell us what happened. From the very beginning," he said, his voice serious yet somewhat gentle. Genie took in a shaky breath and nodded.

"Right." Then Genie admitted everything that had happened to him and the children in the last few hours.

AIC

"Genie…I'm scared," whimpered Apple Bloom, who had shackles around her little neck and legs that chained her to the rocky wall behind them. Genie sighed. It had been about an hour since he and the little ones had been captured by Cobra. An hour since they saw Timon, Big Mac, and Maxy get cut down mercilessly like cattle.

"I know," Genie said from the ball that the Cobra had trapped him in. "I'm scared too. But everything will turn out alright okay?" Oh how wished that Genie could say more, like how he would get them out of this and that their three friends were sure to survive. But how could he tell them that? He couldn't escape from this magic-inhibiting ball no matter how hard he tried, and the wounds that were inflicted on their friends…looked way too life-threatening.

"Of course they will," said Wakko confidently, who had his hands shackled together and a big shackle around his waist that chained him to the wall. "Yakko and Uncle Pumbaa didn't get caught, they will save Uncle Timon and the others. Then they will get Bethie, Mickey, Leo, and our other friends and save us."

"He's right!" supported Dot beside him, who was shackled in the same way as her brother. "Yakko will stop at nothing to save us and Uncle Timon! Everyone is going to be fine! Are we have to do is just wait a little bit longer, okay guys?"

"You're sure about that?" asked Francine a bit hopefully, who was shackled in a similar manner and sitting on Dot's other side.

"Of course! Why would we lie?!" exclaimed Wakko.

"Well, you two and your brother are awfully zany," pointed out Anais who was chained next to Wakko. "But there is no denying that you three have a really strong bond…"

"Yeah, and our Uncle Donald, Uncle Scrooge, and our friends will definitely do everything they can to save us too!" added Huey, who was chained between his two brothers.

"And my family too!" exclaimed Ikki, who was chained between Francine and the triplets.

"Heh, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and the others aren't be happy when they find out I've been kidnapped," commented Raf, who was chained on the other side of the triplets. "And if there is one rule you don't break, it's don't get Autobots angry."

Genie couldn't help but smile during all of this. These kids have been through one traumatic event after another but they still had hope that they will be saved. Even though none of them had an idea of where they were since the Cobra used a transporting device that took them straight to this cave, they had confidence that their loved ones will find them. And seeing such hope and confidence in them helped lift Genie's spirits.

"Is that so? Then I can't wait for them to come here," echoed a slightly familiar voice. Then the door to their prison opened and in walked a tall cloaked figure followed by the hyenas from Lion King and some of the Air Pirates from Talespin.

"Who…who are you?!" exclaimed Genie. "And the Air Pirates and the hyenas are here too? How many of you villains are there?!"

"A lot," the cloaked villain admitted. "And they all are work for me." Then the villain, who had to be a male because of his voice, snapped his fingers. Immediately the pirates and the hyenas ran to the kids and place their weapons or claws against their necks.

"What are you doing?!" cried Genie, too afraid to even think about hiding his panic in front of the kids. "Get away from them!" They can't…they wouldn't…what is the point of kidnapping them if they are just going to kill them now?! Oh, if only I can get out of this stupid ball…

"Oh Genie," said the cloaked villain softly as he picked up Genie's prison, with Genie still inside it, and brought it up to his face. "What makes you think that they will listen to you?"

"What…what do you want from us?" asked Genie as he tried to peer at the villain's face but to no avail. The hood's shadow was too dark and covered the male's face completely. "What can you possibly gain from kidnapping me and the kids, as well as dearly injuring our friends? Why did you do all of that only to place your ugly cheap weapons on them now?! Who in the heck are you?!"

"Hey, I was born with these babies!" protested Banzai the hyena as waved his free claws, his other claws still on Dot's small neck. "And they're definitely aren't cheap and ugly! They're beautiful and sharp! So don't push me stupid blue guy."

"You tell him Banzai," supported the cloaked villain. "But please don't kill the little Warner. We still need her to convince Genie to help us."

"Help you?" asked the Genie softly. Immediately, he felt oh so very dumb. Of course…that's why they kidnapped me and the kids, but not Timon, Big Mac, and Maxy! They going to force me to work for them by using the kids as hostages!

"Don't list…" Raf started to cry out before Mad Dog the Air Pirate hit him upside the head with his gun.

"Shut up!" he hissed as Raf cried out in pain.

"Thank you Mad Dog, now if you all don't mind, I gotta give Genie his very important choice," thanked the cloaked villain. "Though before I do that…I guess you have to know who I am don't you?" Then without any further ado, the villain lifted his arm and pulled his black hood off of his head. For a moment, there was only stunned silence.

"Mo…Mortimer? Mortimer Mouse?" asked Genie, even though there was no doubt that the person holding him was indeed, Mickey's rival. The tall mouse let an evil smirk embraced his lean and pointy face.

"Surprised?" Mortimer asked. "Overwhelmed?"

"Um, more like underwhelmed," Wakko bluntly said.

"Yeah…like, who even are you?" asked Francine.

"Oh good, I thought I was the only one who didn't know who he was," admitted Ikki with relief.

"You're not missing out Ikki and Francine," assured Louie.

"Yeah, he's just a cocky mouse who can't get it through his thick head that Minnie doesn't and will never love him," added Dewey.

"Shut up!" yelled Mortimer as he gripped Genie's prison tightly. Genie couldn't help but hope that Mortimer will accidently break his prison but when the mouse released his very tight hold on the ball, Genie had to dismiss that wishful thought.

"But I guess I can't blame you all for thinking that…" Mortimer continued like he hadn't just lost his temper. "With what I was forced to do in the past." Forced?

"But today is a new day, and starting from this moment, all of Cartoonland will know exactly what I am capable of!" proclaimed Mortimer as he held out both of his arms like the world was going to bow down to him.

"So you were always capable of kidnapping and severely injuring people?" asked Genie, his voice low and cold as he remembered the Cobra kidnapping him and the terrified children. The memory of Timon, Maxy, and Big Mac trying to help only to be cut down followed soon after.

"Oh Genie," chuckled Mortimer evilly as he brought Genie back to his face again. "Don't you remember? I have kidnapped before, the most notable time being when Brain Jacques first began as an imaginer. And if you think those deeds are bad, then you are in for a treat." While Genie would never admit it in a thousand years, he felt a chill crawl up his spine.

"But I digress. And since we are running on a tight schedule and I was really never one for pointless long monologues, I will just get straight to the point. Genie, if you want the kids to not go to the Underworld, I suggest you curse Mickey Mouse and Bethany, the imaginer." The air afterwards was so full of tension, so full of terror that it could be cut with a knife and still be unbreathable.

"Wha…" Genie started to ask while his heart moved up to his throat.

"Yes, I know that you're aren't as powerful as you used to be," Mortimer interrupted Genie with a wave of his free hand. "But Jafar is dead and you are the closest one to the kids that go to the storytelling session. Storytelling sessions that you started and conducted by the way. Whoever said compassion won't stab you in the back was an idiot."

"Who are you?!" Genie finally exclaimed. "I may not know you that well, but you were never this despicable and evil! And besides, how in the world did you get Cobra, the hyenas, and the Air Pirates to work for you?!"

"You asked that before but whatever, I'll answer it. I know what promises Roger left a lot of his gold behind," stated Mortimer bluntly. "As well as a lot of the useful items that he created. And if you never knew me that well, then how do you know that I never was this despicable or evil to begin with?" When Genie had nothing to say to that, Mortimer continued.

"Now, if you don't mind, I will line out the details. One, there is going to be a team of ten that will try to save these kids. And Mickey has to be in it, or else the children will immediately go the Underworld. Two, you will curse Mickey so that the closer he gets to us, the more his family, his friends, and everyone else will forget who he is and their time with him. And the more they forget, the more they will permanently distrust him."

"W-Wait…" stammered Genie, his heart beating fast with apprehensive dread. "You mean…that the time Mickey gets here...he will lose all of his friends?! Forever?!" Mortimer then smiled. And it definitely wasn't a good-natured smile either.

"Yes," confirmed Mortimer. "From the very beginning, Mickey Mouse deserved to be truly and utterly alone. It was only a matter of time that karma collected his debt. Now…"

"You monster!" declared Dot, raging fury in her voice and black eyes. "We…"

"Banzai," ordered Mortimer. Suddenly, Banzai pressed his claw so hard against Dot's neck that she couldn't help but give a little cry as a trickle of blood ran down from her new cut.

"Dot!" cried Wakko, his voice and face lined with uncontained panic and fear.

"Stop it!" pleaded Genie desperately. She can't die, I can't let them kill her…

"Then stop interrupting me! All of you!" cried Mortimer, his black eyes irritated as he looked down on the imprisoned Genie. "Or else she and the other kids will know from experience why no one talks about the Underworld." Once again, silence filled the air. And during that moment, Genie really felt like he was falling down a black hole that was unclimbable. He definitely didn't want to sentence Mickey, one of the friendliest people ever, to a life of loneliness. But Genie couldn't let Mortimer's threat come true either. The kids didn't deserve to go to that trauma pit even for a second.

"Now, Mickey's team will only have two weeks to try to rescue the kids. And on their way to rescue these poor unfortunate souls, they have to go to three different worlds and obtain the three items that I will leave them. The full and expansive details of that is in this envelope," continued Mortimer as he took out a sealed white envelope out of his pants pocket. "You will give them this when I let you leave to go curse Bethany."

"And yes, I am setting you free," said Mortimer before Genie could be tempted to ask. Then he took out a green emerald necklace from his other black pants pocket. "After all, how else will Mickey know about the sacrifice he has to make? In any case, you will curse this necklace so when Bethany wears it, she will not be able to use her imaginer powers anymore. Because it wouldn't be fun otherwise, she can use her previous created items, but other than that, she is absolutely powerless. And she can't ever take it off either. The only way she can be free from her curse is when she experiences death. So…you got all of that?"

"Yes…" Genie said emotionlessly. "Basically, you want me to curse Mickey to a life of loneliness if he decides to accept to your demands. Then you're setting me free to tell Mickey said demands and to put the necklace on Bethany."

"Bingo," said Mortimer with an evilly gleeful smile. "Of course, if Bethany doesn't show up, then you don't have to worry about her. But considering how disgustingly caring she is, I doubt that. So…what is your choice?"

Genie didn't answer right away. And even if he wanted too, he couldn't. The pressure of the horrible situation was too suffocating. Genie felt like he was at the bottom of the dark hole and the only ways back to the surface was either a river of lava or the Artic Sea. Which choice was worse? Which one should he choose?

Then Genie glanced at the kids. All of them looked like they all desperately wanted to speak, to cry, to protest but couldn't in fear of one of them dying. So they just stared at their big blue friend, their faces terrified and their eyes pleading. Pleading that someone will save all of them from this nightmare. It was at that moment, Genie realized that he made his decision from the very get go. And he hated himself for it.

"I will do what you want," committed Genie in a resigned voice as he closed his eyes. As Mortimer laughed gleefully and some of the kids made sounds in protest, Genie felt his guilt begin to eat his soul. And he did nothing to stop it.

AIC

"I'm sorry…b-but…I couldn't let them go to the Underworld! I just couldn't!" Genie confessed to Mickey, Bethany, and the others. "They will surely be traumatized forever if they did go there! And they're only kids! They don't deserve to go through that…that torture! But then…you don't deserve to be alone either M-Mickey…I'm sorry…I'M SORRY!"

Then Genie sobbed uncontrollably into his hands once again, his cries sounding so completely broken. Bethany and the others didn't say a word or even make a sound as Genie cried his heart out. The now cursed imaginer wasn't sure why the others weren't speaking but if they felt the same way as her, it wasn't because they were acting heartless. They were just too stunned to know how to respond to Genie's confession.

Well...in case it wasn't clear, this story is going to be CHUCK FULL of drama. So, how was this chapter? Were the emotions portrayed well? What do you think of Mortimer being the main villain? Do you think that Genie made the right choice? Overall, what do you think of this chapter? Please tell me in a review (don't worry, I don't bite) and I will update relatively soon. Holidays coming up and all. Till then, have a great weekend/week/day!