Meanwhile, inside the palace, Jasmine, Michelle, Jessica, Lisa, and Susan sat together, chatting like life-long friends. "This is so cool, I can't believe we're actually here!" Jessica said, her face showing the excitement that they all felt. Susan had explained to Jasmine and the sultan that they were from another dimension, or perhaps another world all together. They hadn't expected Jasmine to believe them right away, so they had all been very surprised to hear her say "I believe you, we've seen stranger things in Agrabah!" They did realize she was right, and continued their conversation. Lisa was on the floor with Rajah, and was petting his stomach and playing with the large tiger. They had felt a little edgy about being around Rajah at first, but Jasmine had reassured them that it was all right. "I hope the others are all right!" Lisa said suddenly. Michelle nodded and spoke. "We know that Mica, Jill, and Cyndi are with Mechanicles! That pencil-necked geek better not hurt them!" Jessica smiled. "They'll be all right, I just wish we knew where Sedeara was!" Just then, there was a loud banging at the palace gates.

Mica let out a sigh as the bugs retreated. "Now let us go!" Cyndi said in a firm voice. Mechanicles lifted an eyebrow, and frowned. "Why should I?" He asked in an annoying voice. All three of them rolled their eyes, and Cyndi leaned over to Mica. "I can't believe he's your favourite villain!" She muttered to her. Mechanicles heard the comment and blushed. "Really? I am?" He asked, smiling ear-to-ear. Mica shot Cyndi a deadly look. "Thanks a lot," she growled. Cyndi shrugged. "So at least now he knows he has a fan!" She said with a shrug. "Hey, can we get back to the point?" Jill asked, glancing at Mechanicles, who was standing tall and proud. "Oh yeah! Like I said, let us go!" Cyndi said. Mechanicles smirked, and pushed a small red button on a wall. Suddenly, a wall appeared all around them, and it was made of some sort of unbreakable glass. They pounded on it, but it wouldn't even crack. "Let us out of here you maniac!" Jill cried. Mica winced slightly. "I don't think that was the right choice of words, considering our position," she whispered to Jill. Mechanicles looked like he was about to burst a vain. "MANIAC? How dare you! I am a genius, and you....are all my prisoners!" He screamed. All three of them winced at his un-naturally high voice. "That could break a window," Jill groaned, her hands covering her ears. "It was never that loud on the show!" Mica said. All three of them watched Mechanicles as he resumed working on his latest creation, completely ignoring them.

Aladdin, carpet, Genie, Abu, and Iago all flew through the desert at fact pace. "Why do we have to do this? Why can't we just wait until Mechanicles comes to us?" Iago whined. Aladdin shook his head. "We can't let him get to Agrabah, we have to stop him here, and rescue the other girls!" Iago groaned. "Why is it that whenever there is the slightest hint of danger, we have to go rushing in, no plan, strategy, just right on in with our eyes closed!" He asked. Aladdin smiled. "Because it's more fun!" Genie grabbed the parrot with one blue hand. "Cheer up Paulie! We'll be there soon!" He said. Iago gave him a dirty look. "Call me Paulie again, and I'll stomp your blue body into the sand!"

Sedeara waited for the palace gates to open patiently. Suddenly, they opened, and she was greeted by Rasoul's face leering down at her. "Uh...is Jasmine home?" She asked. She was nervous with the guard looking down at her, and it was all she could think of at the moment. "Go back to the marketplace street rat! Before I throw you in the dungeon!" Rasoul growled. Sedeara was considering her options when Jasmine appeared behind Rasoul. "Rasoul, let her in!" She said. Muttering, he moved out of the way, and allowed Sedeara walked into the palace. Jasmine smiled. "Are you Sedeara?" She asked. Sedeara nodded, and Jasmine introduced herself. "I guess you already know who I am! Your friends are in the next room!" She led Sedeara into her room, where she was greeted by the others. "Sedeara? Are you all right?" Michelle ran forward, and the other members quickly followed her. "We were worried about you!" Susan told her. "I'm all right! But you're not going to believe what I found." Sedeara said, raising her hands into the air.

Jill, Cyndi, and Mica sat in the small cell, looking bored and tired. "How long do we have to stay in here?" Jill asked, fiddling with a small necklace she was wearing. "Till' nutball over there decides to be nice and let us out!" Cyndi muttered. "Fat chance!" Suddenly, and idea hit Cyndi. "Wait just a minute! I think I know how we can get outta here!" She whispered to the others. "Well?" Mica asked, clearly curious as to what Cyndi had in mind. "Remember how I told him he was your favourite villain?" Cyndi asked Mica, who nodded in response. "Well he seems to like getting compliments, so what if....you were to compliment him so much that he would let you out of the cage?" She asked. Mica's eyes went dull, and she responded in a very dead voice. "Are you trying to get me to sweet-talk him into letting us go?" She muttered. Jill shrugged. "Come on Mica, it's worth a shot! As soon as you get out, you could try getting to Agrabah and tell Aladdin where we are!" Mica looked towards the inventor, still busy with a new mini-bug he was making. Then she turned back to Cyndi and Jill. "You are gonna owe me so big for this! You two better hope he just doesn't get the wrong idea, I don't want him thinking I'm obsessed with him or something!" She said flatly. Cyndi and Jill both smiled, and replied at the same time. "You are!"

The other members watched, astounded as the sand bent to Sedeara's will. "Incredible..." Michelle said, looking as astounded as everyone else. "How...how did you do that?" She asked, her voice shaking slightly. "Remember the witches of the sand in the series? Sedeara asked. She pointed to the amulet around her neck. "Guess what this is!" Susan took the amulet into her hand for a moment, looking it over. "It's the same one the other Sadira wore. I can hardly believe this!" Eva motioned around them. "After all this, I'll believe if you tell me Santa Clause lives in Florida and manages a stock market!" Eva suddenly realized something. "I was just thinking...do you think we'll ever get back?" Jasmine noticed how uncomfortable the other members became at the question. "Don't worry," she said gently. "I'm sure Aladdin and Genie can figure something out! Right now, we have to make sure the rest of your friends get back safely." Eva nodded. "That's right! I wonder if they're okay."

With a last glance at Cyndi and Jill, Mica gritted her teeth, and began to speak. "Uh....Mechanicles?" She managed to choke out." The Greek inventor turned at the loud mention of his name. "Yes?" He asked, looking slightly annoyed, but then slightly pleased to see that it was his *fan* talking. "You guys would make such an adorable couple," Cyndi whispered, breaking up slightly because she was trying not to laugh. Jill shushed her, and with a deep breath, Mica continued. "I..uh...always wanted to meet you personally! I always thought you were a genius," she said with her most honest voice. Mechanicles' face turned to that of complete wonder, and then an instant pride. He puffed up his chest and his smile widened. "Really? You think so?" Cyndi and Jill were having convulsions by then, trying there best not to break out in insane laughter. "Quit it..." Mica growled at them under her breath. They calmed down and Mica looked back at Mechanicles, who was looking at her expectantly. "I mean...you must be a genius to be able to build such incredible machines so quickly!" She sputtered. Cyndi noticed him reach towards the red button casually, but then his hand dropped just as quickly. "Keep it up, he's buying it!" She whispered to Mica urgently. "What else do I say?" Mica whispered back quickly. "Anything! Comment on his ingenious brain, his bugs, his looks! Just say something!" Mica thought of another compliment desperately. "But I never knew you were so...so....handsome!" She practically screamed out. "Bravo!" Cyndi clapped silently, noticing that Mechanicles turned a bright shade of red. "Keep going!" Jill said. Mica considered banging her head on the glass, but released the idea. "This is gonna be a long afternoon," she muttered.

Aladdin zoomed on magic carpet, who if there had been a speed limit in the desert, was way over it. Genie flew alongside. "There's the bug Al!" Genie cried out suddenly, as the huge mechanical instrument came into view. "And I'll bet that's where the girls are!" Aladdin said. Iago groaned. "Did I mention that I have a terrible fear of being barbecued alive?" He asked. "Don't worry Iago, we won't let him do that!" Aladdin said. Iago looked slightly calmer. "Promise?" Genie smiled. "Sure! He'll have to kill you before we let him barbecue you!" He said. Iago groaned, and lay on his stomach on the carpet. "I'm too young to die!" Aladdin pet Iago's head in a reassuring manner. "Don't worry, nothing will happen!" He said to the terrified bird. "Why is it that your words don't fill me with reassurance?" Iago squawked weakly.

Jasmine looked out the balcony. "I hope they're all right..." she said to herself. Michelle walked over to her. "They'll be okay! Aladdin can do anything when he put's his mind to it! Believe me, we off all people know that the most," she said, motioning to all the other members in Jasmine's small room. It was close to nightfall, and the sun would begin to set in two hours or so. "You can stay here as long as you like," Jasmine said to Michelle. "You're all welcome!" She added. Michelle smiled graciously. "Thanks Jasmine!"

Mechanicles must have been in heaven by then, because he looked like he could have been floating on a cloud. Slowly, his hand wavered by the red button, and suddenly, he pushed it, causing the glass to release the girls. Unfortunately, before any of them could make a move to escape, the small bugs had them surrounded, all except Mica, who stood there awkwardly. Mechanicles took her by the hand and led her over to a window. "Now dear, tell me more about me!" He gloated. Mica looked like she could break out in heaves at any moment, and thought harder. "Uh...so...how do you manage to build all these incredible bugs so quickly?" She asked him, hoping to buy more time. Cyndi and Jill watched silently. "I hope this works!" Jill whispered. "It'll work, it has too! He let Mica out, and he certainly seems to like the attention. All we have to do is wait for him to turn his back on her for just a second," Cyndi whispered back. "So Mechanicles...." Mica began. "Yeeeees?" He asked, leaning closer to her. It took all her willpower not to push him away. He may have been her favourite villain, and she did think he was cute, but let's not go too far! "How bout letting my friends go?" she asked. Mechanicles' face fell. "Oh...Okay!" With a sharp whistle, Mechanicles called off the bugs, realizing Jill and Cyndi.

Michelle stood by the window when she noticed commotion outside. "Jasmine, come here for a second," she beckoned. Looking down from the window, and onto the marketplace, you could clearly see Abis-Mal and Haroud. Abis Mal was holding some sort of giant cat on a rusted chain, terrorizing anyone unfortunate enough to be near. Haroud simply stood there, poised and slightly out of place next to the chubby slob. "Ha ha, now I will extract my revenge on Aladdin! With the legendary she-cat of Makkatar, vengeance will be mine!" Abis Mal screamed. Haroud looked bored, and glanced towards the palace. "Then perhaps we should head towards the palace sir!" He spoke in a deep voice. "It's in the other direction!" He added. Abis Mal looked surprised for a moment. "I...I know that! I was just...uh...testing...yeah! I was just testing the cat's...reflexes...and...stuff..." he trailed off aimlessly. Haroud rolled his eyes slowly. "Yes sir! The cat's reflexes!" Haroud drolled.

Jasmine looked worried, as she watched Abis Mal and Haroud approaching. Usually, this sort of sight wasn't very frightening, but when they were walking a huge werewolf-like thing on a chain, it was a completely different matter. "We've got to do something!" Susan cried, as worried as everyone else. "Like what? We can't do anything until Aladdin and Genie get back," Michelle said. Sedeara thought for a moment, and then an idea hit her. "Maybe we can..."

TO BE CONTINUED..........