Aladdin awoke slowly, finding himself on an altar in one of the treasure rooms of the Cave of Wonders.

"Oh man, my shoulder hurts." He placed his hand on what he expected to be a wound, but he realized that aside from a part of his shirt that was torn from the bite, nothing more than a scar from where it happened.

"Whoa...it's healed? How did that happen?" He sighed. "At least I didn't imagine them capturing me."

"Looks like our party is-s awake! How does it feel, Aladdin?"

"Come out and fight you cowardly snakes!" Aladdin taunted, but he couldn't see any of the U-serpents in view.

"Looks like the treatment hasn't taken effect yet. But it will. It's-s only a matter of time!" Aladdin couldn't tell which member of the group said that, but it made him wonder what would happen to him.

He also realized that he was in some kind of dungeon, though treasure was around the room, glistening in the glow of the surrounding torches. Typical of the Cave of Wonders, but he hadn't been in this part of it before. Was it further along the cave than he'd come when he first met Genie, or followed Jafar? He couldn't tell, but his shoulder started hurting again and he had to take a seat on the altar to brace himself for the pain. He winced.

"Must be the poison." He said. "I don't know what this is doing to me, but I've gotta find a way out of here. Maybe Genie can help...if he even knows I'm here. I hope Abu's okay."

Genie, Carpet, Abu, Jasmine, and Iago all rode as fast as they could over the desert sands that night. Jasmine wore a pained expression on her face, and Genie put a hand on her shoulder.

"This is all my fault." She said, brushing tears away from her eyes. "If anything happens to Aladdin, I don't know what..."

"It's not your fault, Jasmine. But I think if Al has something to say next time, you'd better hear him out the whole way before you start lecturing him."

"Actually, it kinda is Jasmine's fault. I mean if Al didn't go out by himself without the rug and wandering Agrabah while those snakes were around, then maybe he wouldn't..."

Genie interrupted Iago by grabbing him by his tail, his face just inches away from Iago's. "My fine feathered friend, you are not helping this situation. Now what did I say about opening your beak when it's not polite to say something?"

Iago frowned. "Geez, if you gotta learn something, sometimes the hard truth's the best thing to learn it by."

"Maybe for you, but I wouldn't say so for Al in this situation." Genie said, frowning as he set Iago down.

Abu wimpered as they sped towards the Cave of Wonders.

"Almost...there..." Aladdin pushed himself forward after finding a high ledge that would lead out of the prison he was in. He'd only realized that he'd been underground when he looked up and saw something flash toward the top of his prison. There was no way to go around, or through the boulders that blocked the entrances, but there was a way up. He'd climbed upon a few statues, lept from a few ledges (street skills effective), and now used what hand and footholds on the side of the cave he could to reach the entrance. If he could just move himself a little further...

His vision went blurry then, and he felt dizzy, so much that he had to tighten his grip to keep from falling. As he looked down the way he came, he realized that it was a long way to fall. Not quite as long as much further down to the bottom of his captive room, but enough to hurt if he did.

"I can't look down again. Bad idea." He said, sighing, even while the pain in his shoulder added to his dizziness. He had no doubt the venom had an effect on him, but he had to fight it. Long enough at least to get out of this place, then he'd figure out what to do next.

He didn't want to think about whether it would kill him, though it was a possibility. But he knew it definitely didn't make him feel good.

He grabbed the next set of boulders and pulled himself up to where he could place his feet. Success.

Then, as he made it to the final platform, his hands gripping the ledge, he felt his feet slide on some loose rocks.

"Whoa!" He held onto the ledge as tight as he could, even while his feet dangled without security. With every once of strength he had, he pulled himself up, and finally was on solid earth.

He took rapid breaths, part in relief, part in effort, part in pain.

"Well done, Aladdin. I must s-say you've accomplished quite a bit since we've brought you here. You've exceeded my expectations-s of you."

Aladdin's eyes narrowed as he saw Ajan standing before him. The serpent's teeth glowed in a grin from the light of the nearby torches around the opening of a twisting underbelly tunnel.

"If it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll get." Aladdin said.

"You really think you can fight me in your condition, boy?" He hissed. "I wouldn't try it, though I think you're considerably stronger since we've given you the treatment."

"What did you do to me?" Aladdin demanded.

"Oh, that's-s the best part. I think you'll find out soon enough. Though if you're worried, it won't kill you."

"Ha, well, I wasn't worried." Aladdin said, crossing his arms confidently across his chest. His stomach, however, turned a little with relief, at least the venom in him wasn't lethal.

"No boy, a fate much worse is in store for you." Ajan pointed and grinned mischeviously.

Aladdin started to speak again, but a searing pain in his head caught him then, dropping him to his knees. Then his shoulder felt like it was exploding and he groaned.

Then, everything went dark.

Ajan watched Aladdin's body transform then, his arms becoming more bulked with muscle. His torso becoming more leathery and closer to Ajan's own flesh. And in just a moment, the figure that was once Aladdin stood, its sharp fangs bared in a triumphant hiss.

"Well, hello there." Ajan said proudly. "And what shall I call you, one that was once known as Aladdin?"

The creature smiled, and hissed again in a twisted glee. "Just call me Versat."

"Do you know if he's still inside you?" Ajan asked.

"He won't be for long, though he s-sleeps now." Versat said. "And while he is-s, it should be fun to feel his pain fuel my powers-s. Especially when I destroy his friends-s."

"Hmm, well, I s-should tell you it may take a while for him to realize. The poison hasn't worked its way through his body yet, it will take time, and you may phase in and out depending upon when he comes around."

"I understand, master." Versat said, and bowed before Ajan.

Ajan nodded. "Very well. Welcome to the U-serpents, Versat."

"Aladdin! Aladdin, where are you?" Jasmine called.

"Uh, do you think it's a good idea to announce to the enemy that we're coming?" Iago complained. "Cause I don't think so!"

"We might be in the big C.O.W." - Genie spelled out the acroynm for the Cave of Wonders with his body, then transformed into the animal with a puzzled look, just before returning to form - "but I don't think anyone's here. You sure they took Al here, monkey?"

Abu nodded and ran ahead past the mounds of treasure.

"Geez, if the little guy won't stop for the gold, you know he's worried." Genie said.

"I take it that you're here to save the boy wonder, you fools-s." A powerful voice called out to them in the treasure room. It startled Abu, Iago, and Carpet so much that all of them jumped. Jasmine nearly stumbled back, but Genie caught her by the shoulders.

"And who might you be?" Genie asked, staring up at a shadow on a nearby treasure mound.

Ajan stepped into the light of the room and laughed. "You mean us-s? We are the U-serpents. And I'm afraid you're a little too late to help your friend. If you want to find him yourselves-s, then you're welcome, but we would rather take the time to dispose of you, personally."

Two other forms appeared behind them and Genie, Abu, Iago, Carpet, and Jasmine found themselves surrounded by four snake figures of rugged flesh, sharp teeth, and menacing laughs.

"I think we might be in trouble." Iago said in a small voice.