Without Jafar's power to sustain the infernal chamber, Aladdin, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Ren, and Nora found themselves engulfed in a flash of light. When it cleared, they were by the entry gates of the palace once again, with a freshly Jafar liberated Genie. Goofy noticed one thing while looking around. "Uh, where's Jasmine?" He asked, not seeing the princess in question.
"Oh, her? Don't worry. She's back at the palace. I made sure she's resting comfortably back in her room, there." Genie said, with an reassuring wave of his hand.
"But I didn't wish for that." Aladdin said, blinking with surprise and confusion. He thought a Genie could only do something like that if he was ordered to through a wish.
Genie simply shrugged and explained with a grin, "Freebie. Nothing says a genie can't give those out every now and then. Think of it as my way of saying 'thanks' for getting me away from the worst master I've ever had in ten thousand years."
Donald was excited as he hopped with delight. "Oh boy! We rescued Jasmine AND got the lamp back!"
"And we got to beat up that big snake Jafar too! Did ya see his face when he got sucked into that lamp, Ren!?" Nora said, laughing at the memory of his quickly his tune shifted from arrogant to horrified at his critical oversight of his greedy wish.
"I sure did, Nora." Ren said in that ever stoic tone that Sora struggled to get a read on. But not nearly as much as the familiarity he felt with this pair. Especially with interactions like these. Nora being all hyperactive and excitable, Ren managing to bring her back from going too overboard, and her getting so much more quiet than normal in an expectant yet understanding manner.
Equally happy as his cohort and friend, Goofy reminded their new friend of something important. "You still have one wish left, Aladdin."
"He sure does. Time for me to make a prince outta this guy!" Genie's words of joy followed with a mild disappointment underneath from what Aladdin noticed, making him look to his blue magical companion with concern. "Course, I'd like to be free, but like they always say, genies can't be choosers. You're probably miffed about that whole puppet-of-Jafar thing, anyway. Go on, Al. Wish for what's really in your heart. Be a prince. Get the girl."
As he took out the lamp and looked at it, Aladdin felt bad. He promised Genie to set him free with his last wish. Doing anything otherwise would be breaking that promise and he'd never be able to let it go or make amends for it. With a quick sigh, he turned to Genie. "Okay, here goes. Genie, I wish for your freedom."
"One Bonafede prince pedigree, coming up! A-" Just as Genie cracked his knuckles, getting ready to transform Aladdin, he suddenly stopped short as his smile turned to an expression of surprise and quiet disbelief. "What?" Did he…mishear what his master just said? He couldn't have heard Aladdin correctly just now, could he?
Aladdin smiled as he lifted Genie's lamp up into the air as he fulfilled his promise to his big, blue friend. "Genie...You're free!"
As those words left Aladdin's lips, a stream of magic flowed out from the lamp's spout in the form of a small swirling pink tornado that moved around Genie's tail. Everyone else watched in silent awe as flashes of light glided across Genie's form. Sora, Donald, and Goofy watched with a smile as two particularly powerful streams of magic converged upon his wrists. Genie's body trembled as the tail below his sash turned into a pair of legs with red pointed shoes. Both of his wristbands, his shackles, dissolved into golden sparkles, before they vanished into nothingness. As they did, the lamp ceased to glow and fell to the ground with a soft clang. It's power was gone. And Genie...was finally free.
Genie reached down to pick up the lamp. The now unremarkable bauble that was once his prison. The very thing that dictated his existence to serve every person who ever picked it up, never giving a thought to his own feelings, or his fate. He was no longer bound to it. No longer a slave to the whims of others, be they horrible tyrants like Jafar or even good-hearted people like Aladdin. He was free. "Now no one like Jafar can use you for evil again." Aladdin said as the others smiled along with him.
The realization caused Genie to let out a laugh of joyful disbelief. "I'm free...I'm free..." He couldn't believe what he was hearing. What he was feeling. Could this actually be real? Or was he just dreaming again? He had to know for sure. "Quick! Quick! Wish for something outrageous! Say, I-'I want the Nile.' Wish for the Nile! Try that!" Genie desperately urged, bracing himself for the irresistible compulsion to obey he knew and dreaded so much.
Aladdin wasn't sure what that demand meant, but then again, even Ren, Nora, Sora, Donald, and Goofy knew that Genie was a powder keg of chaotic yet good insanity. But if it would help Genie realize that he was no longer bound... "Uh...I wish for the Nile."
"NO WAY!"
Genie's sudden outburst as he got in Aladdin's face made the young man lean back in surprise. And just like that, Genie practically burst with unrestrained joy as he pointed to Aladdin, letting out a cackle of glee before bouncing all over the market stands, walls, crates, barrels and anything else solid but inanimate. Every impact he made against them caused the marketplace to glow and make 'dinging' noises upon contact. Everyone couldn't help but smile or snicker at Genie's happiness toward finally not having to live an eternity of servitude. "Oh, does that feel good! I'm free! I'm free, at last!"
After calming down...at least a little bit, Genie floated down to Aladdin. "Al, I'll never forget this," he said gratefully. But then a worried expression touched his face. "But what about Jasmine? What are you gonna do?" Since Aladdin never became a prince, how would he win Jasmine's heart if the law wouldn't allow him to even be near her?
Aladdin gave a half-hearted smile as he answered. "I was wrong Genie. If I used your help to win Jasmine? I'd be no better than Jafar. Jasmine means the world to me. I want to show her the real me." Even if he was born a street rat, and even if some thought he would die a street rat that only the fleas would mourn, he knew who he was. And if he wanted Jasmine to love him, he wanted her to love him for who he really was.
"That's the spirit!" Sora cheered with a pump of his right fist.
"Woohoo! Atta boy, Aladdin! Jasmine's a lucky girl!" Nora chimed in, punching the air with exuberance that could, with a little more charge, potentially match, or at least come close to Genie's level. Something Ren made sure to reign in, despite the smile of agreement on his face as he lay a hand on Nora's shoulder.
Aladdin turned to him. "Thanks, and good luck to you, too."
Not sure why he was given gratitude, Sora asked, "What for?"
"I was ready to give up back there, but what you said really kept me going. That's when it hit me. You must be looking for someone you care about, too."
Donald and Goofy turned to Sora, who realized that was indeed where his inspiring words came from. Once or twice, Sora did think about how he lost Riku more than once and wanted so badly to see him again. It was why he was on this current journey to begin with. Perhaps deep down those words were also his own personal encouragement to keep moving forward in hopes of one day being reunited with his best friend. "Yeah..."
An idea came over Aladdin. He felt a little guilty since he just finished freeing Genie like he promised but at the same time he wanted to repay Sora for all he, Donald and Goofy did for him since they met. "Listen, Genie..."
Genie cut Aladdin off with a raised hand and his ever present smile as he reassured, "Say no more, lil pal. I know just what you're thinking." Turning toward the spiky haired boy, Genie raised his hand, pointing skyward with a little flourish of magic. "Here ya go, Sora!" An instant later, a flash of magic burst before Sora's eyes, and drifting down toward him...was a card with Genie's face emblazoned on it. As he touched it, he could feel the same, irrepressible cheer he felt from Genie within it. He smiled and accepted it, sliding it into his rear pocket.
"Whenever you need me, just call." Genie said, confirming Sora's suspicions about the card before turning toward his former master. "That's okay with you Al?"
Aladdin smiled and nodded with a reply of, "Of course!" If there was anything Aladdin would be proud of Genie for doing, it was helping others.
"Are you sure?" Sora asked. He didn't want Genie to think he owed Sora or had to serve him or anything. But fortunately, Genie didn't see it like that. He was doing a favor for a friend.
"Anytime at all. Hey, without you guys, I might never have been able to ditch that lamp. And Aladdin will be fine without me for at least a little while."
Sora paused, considering what Genie said and soon, he smiled as well. "I see. Thanks!" Whatever help Genie could offer them in their search through Castle Oblivion, he was happy to accept it.
Aladdin turned to Sora with a proud smile and said, "Let's hope both our wishes come true, then. Take care, Sora!" And with that, Aladdin turned on his heels and ran down the streets of Agrabah.
Nora and Ren turned to look at Sora, Donald, and Goofy with grateful smiles on their face. "I'm glad you guys came around when you did. Nora and I both owe you our lives." Ren said with a grateful smile. One that Nora shared as she gave a cheery giggle.
"Daww, no problem. We were glad to help ya out." Goofy said with a cheery chuckle of his own.
"Yeah. Anytime." Donald agreed with a thumbs up.
Sora however...found himself stroking his chin as he looked at Ren and Nora with a much more...contemplative expression on his face. "You know...I don't know why...but I feel like I've met you two before." he said, struggling to place why the colorful pair seemed so...familiar.
Nora and Ren blinked at the boy's musing before looking at each other, then back at Sora. "Y'know...I was thinking the exact same thing this whole time. Do you know him, Ren?" she asked.
Ren shook his head with a pensive look on his face. "Honestly...I don't know. But...something about you feels...familiar, Sora. Pleasantly so." he answered, making Sora all the more surprised. It was just like...like...what was it again?
"Ah well. Guess that just means you're that great of a guy!" Nora said with a nonchalant shrug before walking up and ruffling Sora's hair. "I dunno why you're familiar, but hey. Like Ren said, you saved our lives. So you're a good guy in my books, Sora."
Sora sputtered with surprise at the sudden ruffling, but he gave a smile to Nora and Ren in the wake of it. Even if he couldn't quite figure out why they felt so familiar, he felt happy being able to save them from the Heartless.
"Well, we better go now. We've still gotta find our teammates. Come on, Ren! Let's go!" Nora said, grabbing Ren by the arm and leading him away. Ren almost limply followed along with her, as if he were a leaf being carried away by a stream. "Thanks again, Sora!" Nora said as she gave a final, exuberant wave with her free hand.
Ren, much more subdued though no less happy, turned to look at Sora and waved farewell to Sora with a much calmer countenance.
While Sora was still somewhat confused about everything going on in the castle that created this place he was...not entirely sure how he knew, now that he thought of it, Aladdin's determination to bring Jasmine back from the clutches of Jafar...it left him with renewed determination to bring Riku back from the realm of darkness. To find him, and return to Kairi and Destiny Islands together.
"Sora, look." Goofy said, pointing to a pair of doors on a small building near one of the market stands. It was probably a storage house for the supplies that would normally be sold but just as Sora and Donald looked, the door to the building opened on its own and was glowing bright white from every part of the doorway.
"Guess that means we've finished here and it's time to move onto the next floor." Donald said, unsure of why he felt that inexplicable certainty. But if they'd done what they needed to, then that's what mattered.
"And I guess that means I'll be tak'n my leave too," Genie said shrugging with a smile before waving to them. "Just give me a shout if ya need some cosmic razzle dazzle." For the briefest moment, Genie's last word was followed by a flash of him wearing a pair of black pants with a white and red striped shirt as well as a straw hat with a circular brim and cap covered by a red ribbon with tail strands behind the back of his head. He also had a long oar in one hand while standing in a gondola boat that seemed to be floating in midair. " Ciao~." With that final word of farewell, he and his bizarre vehicle were gone. Even at the last possible second, his behavior prompted a final laugh from Sora before he joined Donald and Goofy.
With that, the trio stepped through the door before them, and the next moment...their vision was enveloped by a flash of bright white light, bringing them back to the mysterious halls of Castle Oblivion.