Persona needs the magic lamp to rule the world. He doesn't want to do it like Kublai Khan or Hitler. It is too much work. Taking over the world, he believes, should be easy for him. So he needs the magic lamp to grant him his three wishes. He has listed down what he wants, mentally.

1. rule the world

2. get rid of Narumi permanently

3. make crow be able to talk

4. assemble the largest army in the history of the universe

5. a lifetime supply of ice, he hates the sun's heat more than Ruuka does

6. get babes, those hot belly-dancing ones

7. never hear again from his nagging mother

8. have tattoos that don't hurt that will make him look macho

He really can't make up his mind. Which three should he choose?

Persona is walking out of the palace. He has just finished a tiresome talk with Sultan Narumi. He cannot stand that man. He wants Persona to do research on lonely women. He wants Persona to ask them questions. How do they cope with their loneliness? Would they like a man or a child better? How did they end up alone?

Sultan Narumi always, and really always asks for the most ridiculous stuff of his Grand Vizier. His Grand Vizier could do more important stuff. Like threaten bordering nations, set out soldiers to pillage villages, have all petty thieves hung on the gallows, have all trespassers executed, set up higher taxes, bully the poor, and all those things. Why does the Sultan insist on giving him such awkward and unnecessary tasks? It is enough to drive Persona mad.

Now he walks to the marketplace, murmuring to his crow he calls Kurori, secretly wishing that it would talk back. Kurori stares at him, tilting his head from side to side, clearly unable to understand a word he is saying.

"I need to find that magic lamp." That is his mantra for the day.

Children are running amok on the streets. Several of them are playing with a rubber ball, tossing and hitting it towards each other. It falls on Kurori. The bird squawks and flutters above Persona's head.

He reaches down for the ball.

"Hey mister! Over here! Throw it over here!" one of the boys says, waving his arms over his head.

Persona throws the ball in their direction. It flies smoothly, but before it can reach the boys it disintegrates into ashes. The boys stop running and laughing and freeze in their places.

Persona is an evil man. He will always be an evil man.

Kurori settles back on his shoulder and starts preening himself. Persona pats the bird and continues walking. He cannot hurt the boys, there are too may bystanders. It is lucky for the boys. They don't seem to know how dangerous it is to piss off Persona.

Persona moves quickly now, through the streets. He needs to get to his own personal study to conduct more research on the mythical lamp. Mythical? He knows it is more than a myth. Sultan Narumi told him so himself. Sultan Narumi's father was not by blood related to the previous sultan. No. He had used the genie from the lamp to get rid of the old sultan, who was a tyrant, and made himself sultan.

Persona thinks him stupid. Why wish to rule only Mahatmalota? Persona will wish to rule the world. This is his devious plan. It is a wise plan to him.

He goes through several alleys, making sure no one is watching him. Narumi cannot find out what he is plotting. The idiot will get in his way. But then there is also the issue of Narumi's wife, the beautiful Serina. Maybe, he should make her his queen. What about their daughter? The forever perky and annoying Princess Mikan? Maybe he will just throw her down a ravine. He smiles at his thought.

His smile falters, right in front of the door to his secret study is a young man, his skin tanned and his hair sun bleached.

The boy drops his apple and a rabbit perching on his shoulder scuttles hurriedly to hide behind his head.

Persona is not pleased. Has this boy found out about his study?

*I realize I've misspelled Ruka. Ruuka, I'll use this spelling. It doesn't really matter, does it? =P Enjoy*