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Fanfiction ► Kingdom Hearts: Keys to the Kingdom Series



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TelaryCri

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Chapter II: A Party In Agrabah, pt. 1
The streets of Agrabah, known for their hustle and bustle, are certainly living up to that reputation today. People seem to be everywhere, either ordinary, shabbily dressed citizens going about their day or more richly appointed men and women of obviously higher social standing following the city’s main thoroughfare to the palace. It’s all decorated as well, banners and streamers and painted portraits of Aladdin and Jasmine seemingly everywhere.

“This place is amazing!” Kairi comments, looking up and down the streets with an awe and wonder that warms Sora’s heart. Or maybe he’s just warm in general, considering the fact he’s wearing a black suit on a sunny day in the desert.

“What’s amazing are some of the snakes around here,” Azlyn chimes in, disdainfully noting a painted sign on a fruit stall. “I guess in the spirit of the royal wedding, they think they can get away with charging a king’s ransom.”

“You’re wishing you had something to sell, aren’t you?” Sora asks her, grinning.

“You’re damn right I am!”

The knight turns away with a frown, and Sora can’t help but look down to the only truly valuable item she has on her. The silver band of her engagement ring circles the ring finger of her right hand. He hadn’t even noticed it when they first saw each other, that being the first time he’d talked to Azlyn without immediately getting the thing shoved in his face.

An idea suddenly strikes Sora, so he casually sidles up to Kairi. His girlfriend is happily observing a pair of young boys tossing a ball back and forth.

“I’ve got an idea,” he whispers. She jumps, closing her eyes a few moments to regain composure. “Sorry. Anyway, if you want something to talk to Azlyn and Telary about, you should ask about the ring. Both of them just love to go on and on and on and on and on…”

“Sora,” Kairi says, giving him a quick glare.

“Sorry,” he apologizes, smiling despite her displeasure. It only takes seconds for her to grin back at him. “Anyway, it’s a good icebreaker.”

“Mmm,” the Princes of Heart hums, turning to look across the street. Azlyn stands at one stall, Telary at another several feet away. “Seems to me like those two have developed their own ice.”

Sora opens his mouth to dismiss that notion, but finds himself unable to. After their argument on the beach vis a vis wedding gifts, the pair had hardly said a word to each other. The warp from Destiny Islands to Agrabah had been quick, but not so quick that the Disney Castle inhabitants had no time for even the slightest of affection amongst each other.

“Probably it’s nothing,” he says with a dismissive shrug. “They can get like this sometimes. Okay, never quite like this, but still. We’re all…”

A shriek from one of the playing boys sends Sora into action mode. Spinning on his heel, he spots the children’s’ ball go flying out of one boy’s hands and into the busy street. Without hesitation, he dives after it.

Landing on his knees, the Keybearer skids across the sandy street until he can snatch up the ball. Holding on tightly, he lets out a sigh of relief.

All too soon, as it turns out.

The very loud noise of an extremely perturbed animal shocks Sora, so badly he yelps and falls back onto the ground. Looking up, he notices a camel looking down at him with a sneer. It wears a brown saddle, each side burdened with a tall wicker basket.

“What is the meaning of this?” demands a man coming around the camel’s right side. He wears a long blue cloak, a concealing hood and veil hiding most of his facial features. Except for two eyes, staring coldly down at the Keyblade wielder.

“Uh, sorry sir,” he apologizes, quickly scrambling to his feet. As he rises, he notices the clasp of the man’s cloak: a round medallion with a picture of a golden hand upon it. “The, uh, the kids lost their ball. So I was just trying to get it for them.”

The hooded man’s glare doesn’t abate, steadily boring down on Sora. For his part, the Keybearer just tries to look as apologetic as possible.

“You’d do best to watch yourself,” the cloaked man’s gruff voice rumbles. “And inform the children that this is no place to play. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.”

Sora nods and gets out of the way. As he does, he looks back and sees that his small spectacle had held up quite a long procession of camels similarly burdened as the cloaked man’s.

“Now that’s a gift,” Azlyn comments as Sora tosses the grateful kids their ball back.

“We should probably start heading up to the palace,” Telary suggests, grimacing at the passing caravan of camels. “If we get stuck behind another line like this…”

“I’m not done yet,” Azlyn shoots back, arms crossed stubbornly.

“You are too,” her fiancée says. “I distinctly remember seeing you at every one of these stalls!”

“Well, I hate to doubt the great superbrain, but I say again…”

“If you want to stick around,” Kairi interrupts, placing herself between the feuding lovers, “then Sora and I can go hold a place for us in line while you two finish up here. Is that okay?”

“You don’t have to do that, Kairi,” Telary protests. “If anything, you should stick around here, take things in for…”

“No, she’s right,” Sora says, stepping up next to his girlfriend. “I wanted to show her the area near the palace anyway. Stay here, see a few more stores. Talk. We’ll be okay.”

After another long moment, Azlyn nods. “Sure. We’ll, uh, see you at the palace I guess.”

“Don’t start any trouble with the city guards, again,” Sora warns the knight.

She scoffs. “No promises. Like I said, these inflated prices are insane.”

“Just haggle ‘em down,” Sora teases, momentarily adopting a ridiculously twangy accent. Azlyn and Telary laugh at the impression, while Kairi just stares awkwardly between them.

“That’s easy for you to say. You’re just the halfwit brother.”

Sora and Kairi set off down the street, following just a few yards behind the last camel in the blue-cloaked man’s procession. Sora is still chuckling as they make their way. Until he realizes that Kairi isn’t.

“Sorry,” he apologizes. “It’s just kind of an inside joke. You, uh…”

“I needed to be there,” Kairi says with a small smile. “I don’t mind you and your friends making jokes I don’t understand, really. With all the time you spent together, I’m sure there are a lot. I don’t feel uncomfortable.”

Sora nods. “I’m kinda starting to though. Those fights they’re having are way worse than anything that happened on our journey. It’s got me a little worried.”

Things only get more elaborate as they approach the palace, crowds gathering in earnest now to gaze at the wealthy wedding guests. Kairi occasionally moves away from Sora to get a better look at this or that, but she never gets far before he’s caught up with her again. After a short walk, the Keybearer pair end up reaching the palace gate just as the blue-cloaked man is flashing his invitation.

“I hope we’re not late,” Sora says, fidgeting as he waits in line. “I wanted to see Aladdin before things got going.”

As fate would have it, at that precise moment a blue blur of motion comes zipping out the gate’s open doors. For a moment Sora and Kairi are taken aback, but then the brunette boy realizes what’s going on. He grins.

“Excuse me, excuse me!” screams a blue-skinned child in a forest green scout uniform. His bandana is packed with all manner of strange badges (Cactus Milking, Camel Breach Birth, and Panty Raider are just a few of the visible symbols.) He reaches behind his back and pulls out a poster. It depicts Aladdin’s smiling face, the words HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GROOM? printed above it in blocky black letters. “Have you seen my Al? Ya just gotta help me mister, the Al Retrieval badge is my last one!”

“Uh…” Kairi stammers, completely taken aback by this small, yelling child.

But Sora just rolls his eyes at the antics. “No, I haven’t seen Aladdin. Genie.”

The poster is yanked down with a snap, revealing the scout’s broad grin. “Sora!”

In a flash the badge-crazy child is gone. In his place hovers the big blue lug himself, Genie (formerly) of the lamp!

“Oh, am I glad to see you!” the former wish giver declares, wrapping the Keybearer up in his azure embrace. Sora yelps as he’s lifted off the ground. “It’s been so long, and I’ve been so stressed with all this wedding prep. I’m going positively grey!”

And indeed, when Sora finally gets away from Genie’s hug, he finds that his friend’s entire body has turned a uniform grey.

“And who is this?” Genie gushes, gliding forward as his normal color reasserts itself. Kairi just stands still, rather confused by the whole thing. “Wait a minute, don’t tell me, I know it! Uh… Kala? No, that isn’t it. Er… Hayden? No, of course not. That doesn’t even sound like a real name…”

“Kairi,” the girl in question introduces herself.

Genie shakes his head. “No, no, I don’t think that’s it…”

“Genie,” Sora exasperatedly cuts off the mystical man. “This is Kairi.”

“Boy, do I feel sheepish.” That said, Genie flashes down into the form of a sheep. “Sorry, my lady. My baaaaad!”

“No problem,” Kairi says, giggling and taking the hoof offered to her.

“So nice to meet you!” Genie declares, shifting back to normal. “Of course, there’s only one question to ask under these circumstances.” A flash, and Genie is a tuxedoed French waiter holding a notepad and pencil. “Vill you be having ze chicken, or ze seabass?”

“What’s this about Aladdin missing, Genie?” Sora asks, interrupting the big blue lug’s shtick.

“He ain’t at the wedding pavilion, kid!” Genie answers, returning to his regular form. “And kickoff is in an hour!! He’s missing, Sora, and anybody coulda gotten to him!!! Heartless, Jafar’s vengeance-craving second cousin!!! Televangelists!!!!!”

“Just calm down, Genie,” Sora tries to reassure his friend. “It probably isn’t anything like that.”

“He could be nervous about the wedding,” Kairi chimes in. “Even in the desert, men can get cold feet. Probably he just went to get his head together before the ceremony.”

Genie gives the redhead a broad grin. “You may be right! Allah knows I was nervous for my first, like, ten weddings!”

“Ten weddings?” Sora asks.

The big blue lug shrugs. “Yeah eleven through eighty-four were cinches after that!”

Sora just shakes his head, no longer wishing to know. “If Al’s in trouble, any kind of trouble, we’ll help him out.”

“Then let’s sniff him out!” Genie poofs into an azure canine. Sora and Kairi are taken aback by this, since the pooch so resembles King Mickey’s loyal dog Pluto. “C’mon Sora, we’re on the trail!”

“Go ahead,” Kairi encourages Sora. “This sounds like a ‘man-to-man’ thing, so I’m just gonna go inside.”

Sora frowns. “Are you sure? By yourself?”

“Uh, yeah,” the redhead confirms. Raising one eyebrow, she asks, “Is there a problem with that?”

“Uh, I guess not,” Sora replies. He attempts a casual shrug, but it comes off a little jerky. “You sure you don’t want to wait around for Az and Tel? It’s a big palace, after all…”

Kairi’s eyebrow only climbs higher as she places both hands on her hips. “I think I can manage following the line of elegantly-dressed dignitaries to the gigantic wedding pavilion just fine on my own, Sora.”

“Uh, of course you can!” the boy agrees with a nervous laugh. “Yeah, go on in ahead. Alone. By yourself. I’ll see you inside, then.”

Kairi just stares at him for a moment saying nothing. “Yeah, alright.”

“Nice girl,” Genie comments after a moment. “Y’know, when you weren’t ticking her off.” He reaches out and grabs Sora around the wrist. “Now c’mon, we’ve got a groom to grab!”
Actually, only a few month have passed since KttK 2. Sora was 16 in the first story, 17 after the yearlong time skip between 1 and 2. And by "rough" I just meant the fact that there's gonna be a whole lotta arguing between characters you love. But, I figured it had to happen eventually. No couple I know can go their whole lives without fighting!
 

KingdomKey

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Oh, it's only been a few months. I gotcha! :D Yeah, you really weren't kidding about that at all. I'm dying to know what's gotten into Telary and Azlyn. What happened?! Is it cause of the engagement? Is it something to do with Mickey and Minnie? What happened during those months?! And poor Sora, you're not doing it on purpose. I know it's hard to let Kairi wander around on new worlds. Or be on the inside of jokes. Man oh man, I'm not sure if I can survive this between everyone being tense. Although, Sora was so damn sweet for going out of his way to get the ball for those two boys. Also, was that Aladdin's dad showing up?! (I vaguely remember the movie.) I hope Al is okay. Or Jasmine isn't nervous. I bet she'll bond well with Kairi. Either way, I can't wait for the next chapter! This was another fantastic chapter as always. <3 Even though it's slowly eating at me to see my favorite couple being at odds with one another. I'll survive!
 

TelaryCri

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Chapter II: A Party In Agrabah, pt. 2
Not all of Agrabah has been decked out as festively as the main thoroughfare. That area is for the public to see, a bright and shining veneer to hide the poverty present elsewhere in the city. With Aladdin guiding the sultan, those areas were seeing a marked improvement, but progress can be slow.

In one such area, mostly abandoned and therefore not yet a target of royal goodwill, a young man walks the streets. He moves slowly, taking in his surroundings while wrapping himself in the memories they provide.

Finally the young man reaches his destination, carefully climbing over a fallen beam and into a dilapidated sandstone hovel. He follows the lone staircase upwards, to the large room at the top of the building.

The place Aladdin, soon to be wed to the princess of Agrabah, once called home.

It’s gone even further into decay since his last visit, many months ago. But still, the young man can’t help but feel nostalgic. This place was once his home after all, the one place in all the world that felt safe. Every night he’d look out the large “window”, enjoying the palace view it provided. Dreaming of a better life.

That life is how to have, now. The palace is his safe place, where his future path lies with his true love. But some old feelings are hard to let go of, which is why he’d left one thing behind. The former street rat bends down, opening the bottom drawer of a decaying cabinet. Inside is a plain wooden box.

In contrast to its hiding place, the box is well taken care of. Other than a thin layer of unavoidable dust, it looks pristine. Placing it atop the cabinet in which it was hidden, Aladdin pops the case open.

Inside is a sheathed dagger. As Aladdin slowly lifts it out, it gleams in the light filtering in from outside. He grips it by its elaborately embossed and bejeweled handle, drawing the curved blade from its sheath. The weapon’s gleam intensifies as light hits the blade.

And then, suddenly, the light is gone. Perplexed by the sudden shade, Aladdin whirls around.

Genie’s head, swelled to a large enough size that it hardly fits inside the hovel, pokes through the broken wall. He looks concerned.

“Uh, hey Al,” the big blue lug greets his friend.

“Genie,” the young man says with a nod.

“Hey, yo Aladdin!” a familiar voice calls from behind Genie’s head. The mystical creatures moves his noggin aside, revealing Sora straddling his huge neck like a caravan camel.

“Sora!” the groom-to-be exclaims, sheathing his dagger and setting it down. Sora dismounts Genie and hops into the hovel. When the friends meet, they affectionately slap hands. “So glad you could make it!”

“Like I would miss your big day?” Sora laughs, shaking his head. “Nuh uh, this I gotta see!” He tilts his head, gazing past Aladdin to the dagger. “Speaking of seeing things…”

“I was wondering about that as well,” Genie comments, shrinking down to gain access to the room. “Interesting matrimonial accessory, wouldn’t you say?”

“I’m not taking this with me to the altar or anything,” Aladdin says, shaking his head as he once again raises and unsheathes the weapon. “I just wanted to give it a quick look before showtime.” He turns away. “It, uh, it belonged to my father.”

“Your father?” Genie repeats, pushing past Sora. “Al, you never said anything about your father!” He poofs into waiter mode. “Chicken, or ze seabass?”

Aladdin sighs, waving Genie away. “Oh, he’s not coming.” The future groom sheathes the dagger and places it back in the open case. “He died a long time ago.”

Genie instantly droops. “Oh, I’m sorry Al.”

“Me too,” Sora adds sympathetically. “I can’t imagine what that must have been like, growing up without…”

“It’s not a big deal,” Aladdin interrupts. “I accepted my father’s death a long time ago. Or, at least I thought I had. But now, with all this wedding stuff, and the future… I guess it’s still lingering a little.”

“Yes, yes, lack of strong male role model,” Genie says in a German-accented drone. He’s transformed into a bald, bespectacled man in a tweed suit, sitting in an armchair with a pipe, pencil, and notebook. “Common psychological conundrum.”

“What do I know about family, anyway?” Aladdin continues to rant, growing more and more frustrated. “I don’t even have a family!”

“Now that’s where I’m gonna have to disagree with you, Al!” Genie declares, floating forward in his normal form. “Ya got me! And Abu! And, um…”

“Carpet!” Sora exclaims, pointing to where the flying purple rug is coming in for a landing.

It twitches happily at mention of its name, flying affectionate circles around Sora and Aladdin. Abu is on its back, chittering enthusiastically upon seeing Sora.

“Carpet, exactly!” Genie puts an arm around Aladdin’s shoulders. Abu climbs off carpet, smiling as he rests atop the blue limb.

A shower of sparkles surround the group, and when its fades they’re all sitting in a 1950s style family room. Aladdin is dressed in a sweater vest, reclining in a fluffy easy chair with an open newspaper. Carpet and Abu sit on the rug before Aladdin’s chair, playing a game of jacks. Abu wears a little sailor suit, while Carpet has its tassels up in pigtails. Completing the picture is a suddenly blonde-haired Genie, dressed in an apron and stirring something in a mixing bowl.

“Whaddya think, Sora?” Genie asks the Keybearer in a womanly voice. “Are we just the model Arabian family, or what?”

Sora is at a loss for words, disturbed by the sudden and odd picture before him. After a moment of searching, he manages to stammer out, “Uh, yeah.”

“See?” Genie yells as everything returns to normal. “One big, happy family, that’s us!”

“Thanks, Genie,” Aladdin says with a fond chuckle. “I guess I’m luckier than I thought.”

“You sure are,” Sora agrees.

“I forgot to ask,” Aladdin says, “but are Azlyn and Telary here too?”

Sora nods. “They sure are. I brought Kairi too.”

The former street rat raises a knowing eyebrow. “Oh, did you now? I look forward to meeting her.”

“Why look forward, when we can simply go forward,” Genie declares, morphing into a clock the size of Sora. “Which we really need to do, considering your wedding is in less than twenty minutes! Let’s go, people. Up, up, up and at ‘em!”

One snap from Genie takes care of Aladdin, the groom-to-be going from street rat to wedding-ready in a flash. He looks very snazzy in a white outfit, cape, and (in Sora’s opinion) bitchin’ hat.

“We’re off to see the wedding!” Genie sings as Al and Sora board Carpet. The big blue lug is dressed in a blue and white plaid dress, holding a small basket that contains a very perturbed Abu. “The wonderful wedding of Al’s!”

Genie’s little song-and-dance finished, the group takes off into the afternoon sky. They fly high above the city streets, people of all stripes stopping in their tracks to gawk at their soon-to-be-sultan.

It’s party time in Agrabah.

KH-KH-KH

The blue-cloaked man leads his long caravan into the palace’s outdoor stable, one of several constructed purely to accommodate the wedding guests. Luckily for him, Genie had over planned on accommodations. Most of the other stables are larger, built to hold elephants. The smallest empty building provides perfect privacy.

“You can come out now,” the man says to one of the hanging baskets. “Coast is clear.”

Two curved golden claws emerge from the wicker, running down its length and opening the way for its occupant. The man is tall and brawny, dressed in blue pants and a black vest. He’s an almost sickly shade of pale, the dim light glinting off his bald head.

“Why is it that we must hide away and swelter, while the King of Thieves walks in open air?” the man demands, the set of golden claws he hold in one hand flashing dangerously. Behind him, other baskets are breaking as more and more men ditch their disguises.

The blue-cloaked man, King of Thieves, merely shrugs. “Somebody had to flash our invitation to the guards, Sa'luk.” He waves the aforementioned piece of paper. “Otherwise, we spent all that time forging it for nothing.”

“Well, we know all about ‘for nothing’, don’t we?” Sa'luk spits back contemptuously. The other men, thirty-eight in all, are gathering, warily taking in the pair’s confrontation. This isn’t the first such spat, and it won’t be the last.

“No wild goose chase this time,” the King of Thieves says with calm assurance. He walks past Sa'luk and the rest of his men, pausing at the stable’s doorway. The view across the lawn is clear from here, the wedding pavilion gleaming in the sunlight a short distance away. “The Oracle is the real thing. I’m sure of it.”

KH-KH-KH

“It’s around here somewhere, I’m sure of it!”

Just as seedy streets branch off from Agrabah’s well-maintained thoroughfares, so too does the glittering palace hide a dark underbelly. Beneath its pristine halls lies a mazelike labyrinth of dank passages. Back during Jafar’s behind-the-throne rein, the dungeons were well-fed beasts, but since his departure from power they remain more or less empty. With his future son-in-law’s guidance lighting the way, Agrabah’s sultan had come to embrace the concept of community service. Captain of the Guard Razoul had protested, but been overruled.

Now the once occupied dungeons lay abandoned. The perfect place to hide something the royal family would wish to never be found again.

As Pete is finding out to his detriment.

“Where else would they put it?” the fat cat mumbles to himself, wandering into yet another empty cell. This is probably the tenth one he’s checked today, none yielding him any luck. And that would be bothersome enough, if there wasn’t also the grating annoyance of…

“This skulking is intolerable! When do we do battle with the Keybearer?”

The newbie.

Pete sighs, turning to face his new partner. The man stands in the doorway, tall enough to barely fit inside. His face is white as a sheet, with red tattoos on his chin. He wears a deep red cloak that reaches down to his knees, belted at the waist but left open to reveal silver armor on his chest. His pants are grey, patterned with red diamonds.

“Oh, uh, anytime now!” Pete assures his unfortunate new partner. “In this job, ya can’t go ten minutes without the Keybrat and his lackeys jumpin’ into a fight.”

Truthfully, Maleficent’s minion fervently hopes that this mission won’t include an encounter with Sora. The royal wedding had, according to Maleficent, been the perfect opportunity to seek her prize. With all security most likely focused on the event going on aboveground, how much focus could be spared for patrolling the empty underground?

“I yearn for battle,” the newbie continues, thrusting his weapon for emphasis. “The stories your mistress told me of this Keyblade have made testing my might against its wielder the utmost priority! Gilgamesh shall not be denied!”

Pete sighs, shaking his head as he pushes past Gilgamesh into the hallway. Why did Maleficent have to go and recruit this bozo? Emboldened by their newly acquired base of operations, the Mistress of All Evil had immediately begun making plans. Her first act had been to plunge back into the pocket dimension in which she’d found Pete after his banishment, searching for new minions.

Well, she had discovered a new minion alright. Enter Gilgamesh, a boisterous warrior trapped in the endless void. He had immediately jumped at the chance to be freed from his wandering, but seemed less enthusiastic when Maleficent’s endgame of universal rule had been explained. It seemed that he’d been burned by such a deal before.

It wasn’t until mention was made of the Keyblade that Gilgamesh’s interest seemed piqued. A legendary blade that supposedly chose its own wielder was apparently right up this guy’s alley. And if things came to a fight, well, Pete would be glad to leave the Keybearer to the newbie.

“Well, I don’t fancy denyin’ Maleficent anything she wants neither,” Pete shoots back, scowling at his partner. “I know this may seem like grunt work, but just wait until we get our hands on what we came for! Last time I saw it, these bozos had it. They musta locked it up in the palace, and we’re gonna keep looking until we find it!”

Gilgamesh says nothing, only crosses his arms and lets out an exasperated huff. Hotheaded buffoon! Just wait until he discovers the power of what they’re after. That should be enough to make him change his tune, Keyblade or no…
Just for an FYI, Gilgamesh is a Final Fantasy villain (from FFV, I think?) Anyway, his whole thing is that he loves to fight and is always after legendary swords, so I thought he'd make a good sidekick for Pete, since the Keyblade is a rare sword and such.

And it's probably good you only vaguely remember the movie, because I'm going to really go into it. This way, you won't get too bored!
 

KingdomKey

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I wonder if the King of Thieves is looking for the same thing Pete and Gilgamesh is? Two enemies in one place is going to be a handful depending on who SAT run into first. At least they have some extra help this time around. And the name Gilgamesh is familiar, except I never played FFV. lol. No way, there's no way I'd ever get bored reading your stories! Besides, I really liked the movie of the Aladdin and the Forty Thieves when I was kid. Goodness this takes me back in a feel of nostalgia. I hope Aladdin brightens up a bit more for his wedding with Jasmine. Definitely a good chapter! And I can't wait for the next chapter! :D
 

TelaryCri

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Chapter II: A Party In Agrabah, pt. 3
“Hello everyone, and welcome to ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Magical!”

Genie is truly in his element at the moment, dressed in a red satin blazer with thick black hair covering his blue scalp. He stands at the end of a very long, wide red carpet, holding a microphone and giving his best showman grin to seemingly no one. There are crowds of people lined up on either side of the welcoming rug, but those definitely aren’t the people he’s addressing. Sora stands next to him, looking uncomfortable.

“I’m here with a recent arrival, the Keyblade wielder himself!” Genie exclaims, pausing as applause sounds from nowhere. Still grinning, he sticks the mic in the boy’s face. “What’s your name, son?”

The Keybearer glares back at the intrusive genie, who only just pokes the microphone at him expectantly.

“C’mon, man, like we practiced! The readers’ll get a kick out of it!”

Finally, he gives in, mumbling, “I’m Sora.”

Genie cocks his head. “You’re Sora?”

Sora sighs. He really can’t believe he let himself be talked into this. “Well,” he says with considerable weariness and an Italian accent, “it’a hurts’a!” As soon as he’s done with his line, the boy takes off for the wedding pavilion at top speed.

Genie doesn’t mind, diving right back into his fourth wall breaking antics.

“This message brought to you by sand, and ignoring established Kingdom Hearts canon!” He announces, gesturing back at a wide shot of the vast Arabian desert. “It’s everywhere! Get used to it!”

Sora rushes right into the wedding pavilion, only stopping to take a breath once he’s inside. The first room of the complex seems to be the gift depository, if the high piles of gold, jewels, and bejeweled gold are any indication. It’s mostly empty too. The guests have already migrated to the inner chamber that will be serving as a chapel.

Three people stand by one glittering pile near the back. Azlyn and Telary appear to be having a conversation with someone unseen, while Kairi stands back a few feet. Her hands are folded, and one heel taps against the room’s stone floor.

Sora quickly rushes over, gaining Kairi’s attention but not the Disney Castle pair’s. He can hear who they’re talking to now, though. There’s no way the Keybearer could ever forget that voice.

But, he talks to Kairi first. “Hey.”

“Hi,” the redhead replies with an acknowledging nod. “Did you know that one of your friends is a bird?”

Sora winces. He’d forgotten to mention that. “Um, yeah.”

“A parrot,” Kairi continues, feigning nonchalance. “And not an anthropomorphized, Disney Castle-type parrot. Just a parrot.”

“There’s also a crab I know pretty well,” Sora declares with a wry smile.

“I shouldn’t be surprised, after Genie. But him, at least you explained beforehand. This Iago you talked about, I assumed he was just a regular person. But he’s a parrot.”

“I think that’s been established,” the Keybearer replies.

Kairi is silent for another moment, then, “Okay, I’ve processed your parrot friend. We can move on now.”

Sora laughs, grabbing his girlfriend’s hand and gently leading her forward. Azlyn and Telary part as he arrives, to reveal Iago the wisecracking parrot. He’s perched on a pile of golden items, happy as a clam.

“Oh, hey there Sora!” Iago exclaims. “Nice to see you could make it.” Reaching down, he pulls up the paopu the islanders brought as a gift. “Really, bub?”

Sora sighs. “Hey, I remember you stealing a fruit just like that from me once!”

“Back then I was desperate and near-starving,” the parrot says dismissively. “What’s your excuse?”

“What are you even doing out here?” Sora asks, giving him a suspicious look. “Not plotting to make off with some gifts, are ya?”

Iago gasps, pressing a wing to his chest. “Me? Why, no Sora. In fact, I’m doing just the opposite! Someone has to make sure the happy couple aren’t getting stiffed!”

“I was just letting Iago know he should tell Al and Jasmine that Tel and I are so not against regifting,” Azlyn chimes in with a sly smile.

“Speaking of, how is Aladdin?” Telary asks. “Kairi said there was some kind of emergency?”

Sora shrugs. “No big deal. He just needed a pep talk, that’s all. Everything’s on track now.”

“Well, then we’d better get inside,” the wizard says, leading the way into the main chapel.

“I think most of the guests are in already,” Sora informs Iago as the other go on ahead. “You wanna come and sit with us? Or, uh, perch with us I guess?”

The scarlet parrot shakes his head, leaning back into his golden heap. “Oh, I can see just fine from here.”

Aladdin’s been nice enough to make sure there’s a velvet roped section reserved for his offworld friends near the front. There are no chairs, everyone seemingly content to stand for the ceremony. The chapel is set up like a giant gazebo, a large circular chamber surrounded by marble columns holding up the roof. Colorful banners and tapestries hang down, some balloons even scattered around the ceiling.

“This is really lovely,” Telary comments as the quartet settle in to their designated area. “We’re gonna do the ceremony in the castle audience chamber, but I love the outdoor feel. Don’t you Azlyn?”

The knight grunts noncommittally, not even looking at her fiancée.

“That audience chamber will be a great place to hold a wedding,” Kairi says to her brother, her voice only slightly shaking. She leans over Sora to give the wizard a smile. “What, uh, what are your colors going to be?”

Telary frowns. “We haven’t discussed that yet. I figured we’d just use the castle’s traditional red and yellow. What about you, Azlyn?”

“Hey, look!” Azlyn exclaims, pointing up to the altar. The sudden movement takes Sora by surprise, nearly knocking the Keybearer off his feet. “It’s Aladdin! Hey, Al!”

The groom smiles back at her, waving at the quartet with a brilliant smile on his face. They all wave right back, though Kairi’s is much shyer than the rest. Upon seeing the redhead though, Aladdin gives Sora a sly wink of approval. The Keybearer looks away, blushing.

Carpet flies in carrying Abu on its back. The little monkey is dressed finer than usual, in a white vest and fez. They land in the front row, squeezing in next to Sora’s group.

“Hello there,” Kairi greets amiably, holding out a hand to the primate. “I’m Kairi. You’re Abu, right?”

The monkey-in-question chitters happily, clasping the redhead’s hand firmly in both of his and giving it a shake.

“The monkey doesn’t talk, I take it?” Kairi whispers to her boyfriend.

He laughs, shaking his head. “Uh, not as far as I know.”

She sighs. “Of course he doesn’t.”

“He seems to like you, though,” Telary points out.

Sora nods. “Animals always like Kairi.”

“Explains you and Riku’s big rivalry, then,” Azlyn comments playfully.

Telary groans. “Azlyn, is that really…?”

“It was a joke! Geeze, lighten up already!”

Any further bickering is cut off when the doors at the far end of the chapel burst open. Genie stands still as they swing shut again, dressed in a white jacket and pants, a tall white hat with a red feather atop his head. Gold epaulets shine on his shoulders.

Holding up a long brass trumpet, the former wish granter blows out a few loud notes. When he’s finished, he gives his instrument a twirl and disappears in a puff of pink smoke. The flower girls follow after, three young women in pink and white. As they go, they throw pale purple petals from their baskets. A young boy in white trails them, holding up a red and gold banner.

The guests begin to chatter excitedly as four palace guards enter, a purple chair resting on their shoulders. Seated in the chair is a small, plump man with a thick beard and mustache, dressed in white. He looks very distinguished despite his size, but still friendly.

“Your Majesty,” the people murmur as he makes his way past, bowing low to the floor in his presence.

The sultan takes it all in with a regal bearing. Until, that is, Carpet rises a few feet in the air and Abu starts chittering. When he spots the cheering monkey, the monarch smiles and gives him a sincere wave.

Sora and company bow as Sultan passes them by, only rising once both of his feet are on the ground.

“What a blessed day!” the old man declares, rushing up to Aladdin with a huge smile. “I’ve waited a long time for this day to come.”

“We all have, Your Majesty,” Aladdin replies

Sultan takes the young man’s hand. “I’m glad it’s you she’s marrying, my lad. I truly am.”

“Beautiful!” Genie exclaims. “And me without my camera!” He frowns, suddenly annoyed. “Gee, I sure wish somebody would show some initiative and invent one of those around here. Oh well, show must go on!”

The big blue lug turns back to the entrance and thrust out all ten fingers. Electricity sparks from the digits, becoming four white doves carrying a long yellow carpet. Tweeting happily, they fly off to spread it the length of the chapel. Two peacocks await at the open door, their tail feathers unfurled to obscure what’s behind them. As soon as the yellow carpet has settled, their tails slowly swing shut, revealing the blushing bride.

Jasmine looks more beautiful than Sora thinks she ever has, wearing a lovely white gown with golden accents. Two white flowers in her black hair hold up a veil of white silk. Smiling wide, she begins her march down the aisle. At a snap from Genie, ‘Here Comes The Bride’ begins to play.

Aladdin looks absolutely stunned, unable to do anything but watch as the woman he loves walks towards him.

Tears stream down the cheeks of Sora, Telary, and Kairi. It’s just so beautiful, they can’t help it. Even Azlyn gives a tiny sniffle. By Aladdin’s side, Genie is barely holding himself together. His entire body shakes with held-in tears.

Finally Jasmine reaches the front. Her eyes lock onto the groom, distracting her so much that she nearly stumbles right into her father.

“I never thought this day would come,” Sultan tells his beloved daughter. “And now that it’s here, well… Now, it feels as if it has come too soon.”

“Father,” Jasmine coos, taking the small man into her arms. After a moment, they release each other. Straightening, the Princess of Heart offers her hand to Aladdin.

He takes it with the lightning speed Sora’s only seen the street rat display when fighting Heartless.

That’s what gets Genie. “It’s just so beautiful!” he exclaims, tears openly streaming down his cheeks. Groping blindly, he grabs the first thing he can get his hands on. With a might heave, he blows his nose. The object flaps indignantly, and the big blue lug pulls away and realizes he’s just used Carpet as a snot rag. “Oh, uh, sorry!”

“Well,” Aladdin says to his bride, “we’re finally here.”

Jasmine nods, beaming. “Together forever.”

KH-KH-KH


Sa'luk watches the pavilion’s golden roof, awaiting the King of Thieves’ signal. The man is barely containing his rage. How dare that softhearted fool treat him like some lackey! If it weren’t for Sa'luk, the king would be dead a hundred times over. Yet here he is, waiting to cue the distraction.

Finally, a bright light flashes off the roof. The King of Thieves crouches there, holding up a silver sword to reflect the sun.

“Go time,” Sa'luk informs the other thirty eight men. Flexing the hand that holds his fighting claws, he approaches a loitering elephant.

If the king wants a distraction, then a distraction he shall have.
 

KingdomKey

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Uh oh! They didn't even get to say their vows yet! lol. Gosh darn the King of Thieves and his lackeys. xD Aww, Sora blushing is adorable. He is a lucky kid to get Kairi as his girlfriend. I really like how Kairi is taking everything in. It's funny how she has to process it before accepting it like it's normal. And Telary an Azlyn... I just... I need answers. ;__; Maybe Azlyn got cold feet? Or maybe they disagreed about the arrangements of when they married? Ugh, I wanna know so badly! At the same time, I don't, cause what if it's not something they can make up about?! (Sorry, I can't help it. They're my OTP. <3) More chapters please! <3
 

TelaryCri

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Chapter II: A Party In Agrabah, pt. 4
Aladdin and Jasmine are just taking their places for the vows when the first tremor shakes the pavilion. Everyone feels it immediately, looking around in cautious wonder.

“I thought the earth wasn’t supposed to move until the honeymoon,” Azlyn quips.

“What is this?” Sultan mumbles, beside himself. “What in the world could be…?”

The deafening trumpet of a panicked pachyderm quickly answers that question.

Genie gasps, decking himself out in full cowboy gear. “STAMPEDE!”

The word has barely left his throat before the elephant rams through a trio of column. Its force is great, and the pillars immediately crumble into stone fragments. The guests scream, backing away quickly from falling debris. And, of course, the still-charging animal.

Sora and company dive out of the way, finding themselves directly in the beast’s path. Kairi luckily has the foresight to grab Abu as she flees, but Carpet is thoroughly trampled. All things considered, of course, that’s not exactly a new experience for it.

The elephant continues charging until it reaches the altar, nearly squishing the bride and groom. With another trumpet, the pachyderm blunders through two more pillars and flees onto the open lawn.

The guests are following its cue, screaming and rushing out between the still-standing pillars. But what they find is far from escape. No sooner have most fled before they are pushed back inside.

Men stream into the pavilion, all attired in dark colored clothing. Beyond that, no two are the same. All of them seem equally menacing, however.

“It’s an attack!” Telary cries out in alarm.

“Well of course it is!” Sora replies, summoning the Keyblade to hand. “We really can’t go anywhere, can we?”

The invaders fall upon the guests, snatching whatever they can grab. Fine jewelry, full purses, even one man’s prosthetic leg! What could they possibly need that for? They work quickly and efficiently, obviously well versed in their art.

The palace guards arrive on the scene, weapons drawn. Razoul, the guard captain, looks over the scene with palpable disgust.

Grunting, Azlyn reaches down and quickly tears her skirt at the hem. Once it’s opened to about mid-thigh, she kicks off her heels and leaps forward. She falls onto the back of one thief, tackling him to the floor before he can make off with his loot.

Following their companions lead, Telary, Sora, and Kairi charge forward. Sora cuts down a man, then turns to see Kairi engaging another. Her Keyblade clashes against his sword, struggling against each other.

The more experienced Keybearer rushes his girlfriend’s opponent, bashing Kingdom Key into his waist.

“Uh, thanks,” Kairi says, looking a little miffed.

Across the room, Azlyn snaps out a kick that sends a thief falling to the floor in agony. Flipping forward, she rams the heel of her hand into another vandal’s face. Not far away, Telary blasts a man with a small chunk of ice.

But the offworlders can’t be everywhere at once, and where they aren’t, the thieves are thriving. Sa'luk in particular is having good luck, easily besting any who stand against him.

“They fight like demons!” comments one guard, sitting on the floor where he’d been knocked down.

“Worse than demons!” his rotund partner declares, helping his friend up. “They are the Forty Thieves!”

“I think I saw them open for Black Sabbath in Boston,” Genie comments. His body is stretched to its limits, pressed against the cracked and decaying ceiling to keep it from falling down completely. “But I only count thirty-nine!”

Aladdin knocks down a skinny thief, affording himself a clear view of the entrance chamber/treasure depository. A man skulks around inside, dressed in a blue cloak that conceals his face.

“Forty,” the groom declares. Frowning, he rushes after the sneaky bandit.

KH-KH-KH


The King of Thieves crouches before a table, pushing aside gifts like they’re knick knacks instead of priceless valuables. He’s only interested in one thing, and the rest might as well be useless. The man blocks out everything else, the sounds of battle coming from the chapel and the muffled squeals of Iago, stuffed in a jar.

Finally, he finds what he was seeking. It’s a short golden rod, a large green emerald atop it. Smiling beneath his mask, the king grabs it.

“Finally!” he declares. “After years of searching…”

“I’m afraid you’re gonna have to wait a little longer!”

Startled, the king whirls around just in time for Aladdin to pounce, tackling him to the hard ground. The thief lands on his back, still tightly gripping his prize. Now Aladdin has both hands around it too, the struggle turning into a fierce tug-of-war.

But the King of Thieves has been in similar situations too many times to let some upstart boy take his goal away. With a grunt, he throws the former street rat off. Aladdin lands hard, grunting in pain.

“Nice try, lad,” the cloaked man says, the sarcasm obvious. “But I’m afraid this is mine now!”

Aladdin rises, crouching in a fighting position. The two men circle each other warily. The groom fakes left, then swiftly charges right. But the Forty Thieves’ leader is too smart to fall for that, ducking the blow.

Aladdin barely stops himself before he barrels into another pile of gifts. He quickly whirls to see the King of Thieves staring at him. Even with his mouth covered, Aladdin can tell he’s smirking.

With another roar, the groom charges again.

KH-KH-KH

Sora is holding off two men at once, while behind him Kairi squares off with a very large vandal. She jumps forward, Keyblade reared back for a strike. The blunt blade impacts against the thief’s belly, not doing much besides jiggling it.

He retaliates, his flabby yet powerful arm snapping out at the redhead. She ducks aside, barely avoiding the blow. Lashing out, she slams her Keyblade into the outstretched limb. The bandit cries out in agony.

The Princess of Heart steps forward to deliver a finishing blow, but her opponent quickly spins around and smashes his other arm into her shoulder. She grunts and falls down to her knees, looking up just in time to see the injured vandal give her a gloating smile.

She feels a flare of indignant rage at the sight. Slashing her Keyblade horizontally, she cuts the big thief’s legs out from under him. With a cry of surprise and pain, he falls flat on his back.

“Kairi!” Sora yells, sliding to her side and helping her to her feet. “Are you okay?”

She nods. “Yeah. Better than this guy, anyway.”

Sora looks down at the fallen bandit, then back up at Kairi. He gives her a grin, though she can sense hesitation in it.

“Nice shot, then,” the more experienced Keybearer congratulates her. “But he almost had you. Probably it’s better if you stick with me.”

“What!” Kairi exclaims. “Sora, I know you care about me, which is great and all, but I can handle myself just…”

Sora’s eye widen and he moves, shouldering Kairi aside and bringing up his blade. A thick dagger clashes against the Keyblade, spinning off as it’s deflected. A thief jumps into Sora’s space seconds later, wielding two scimitars.

Sora blocks a slash, dodges another, and brings the Keyblade up to smash into his opponent’s nose. As the man groans in pain, Sora turns to Kairi with a knowing smirk.

“Like I said, stay close.”

Kairi frowns, but grudgingly follows her boyfriend as he seeks out new adversaries. “You’re supposed to prove my point,” she mutters to the universe in general. “It’s a whole ‘girl power’ thing.”

If one is looking for “girl power”, they need go no further than Azlyn. The knight is a fighting machine even without her shield, easily knocking down thieves in droves.

Shoving an invader aside, she finds herself face-to-face with a new opponent. The man is only about half her height, dressed in dark blue robes that remind Azlyn of Mulan, and wearing a straw hat.

“Hyaa!” the man cries, launching immediately into a series of quick, powerful thrusts, chops, and kicks. All the while he screams, high-pitched nonsensical noises obviously meant to intimidate.

Azlyn draws back into a battle stance as well, fists raised. The kung-fu thief prepares his body to strike, but pauses once he feels a tap on his shoulder. Confused, the man turns to see Princess Jasmine standing before him. She doesn’t look happy. Without making a sound of her own, the bride gives the thief a powerful punch right in the kisser.

“That’s for ruining my wedding,” she declares. Azlyn nods approvingly.

Sa'luk watches as the attack falls apart, the Forty Thieves proving no match for the defenders of Agrabah. He tightens his grip on the brass claws, his teeth similarly grinding. This fiasco is over, and it’s time to retreat.

“Gather up the others,” Sa'luk orders the nearest thief. “It’s time to get out while we can. We’ll leave the king to his plans.”

KH-KH-KH


“You have spirit, boy,” the King of Thieves congratulates Aladdin, surprisingly sounding sincere rather than mocking. “But you don’t stand a chance against the King of Thieves.”

The pair both have a grip on the staff once again, circling each other as they struggle to prove dominate. Aladdin takes a step and finds himself looking over the cloaked thief’s shoulder into the chapel.

The former street rat smiles. “A king’s only as good as his subjects, Your Majesty. And it looks like yours are leaving you in the lurch.”

The King of Thieves hesitates, briefly glancing over his shoulder to confirm the boy’s story. Aladdin takes advantage of the opportunity, finally succeeding in tugging away the staff. The king turns back to him, but Al can see in his eyes that he’s conceded defeat.

Suddenly the incensed elephant returns, smashing into the room on a collision course with Aladdin and the King of Thieves. The groom’s self-preservation instincts kick in immediately, diving out of the charging animal’s path. The King of Thieves merely skips back a few steps, disappearing behind the elephant.

The creature crashes through the entryway, charging out onto the lawn. Aladdin watches it for a moment, and when he turns back he finds the King of Thieves has disappeared.
 

KingdomKey

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Jasmine punching a thief in the face was hilarious. I feel really bad for her wedding being crashed by bandits, but Aladdin, he couldn't of picked a better gal to marry. <3 And Kairi, you poor, poor girl. You'll get more time to shine. Sora needs to learn to stop defending you. Even though, you almost got hurt, but practice makes perfect? Or well in this case, you got to earn a few scars as a keyblade wielder. xD Anyways, at least Aladdin succeeded in staying alive, and keeping hold of the staff. Although... I feel suspicious cause, I would think the King of Thieves wouldn't of entirely given up easily unless it was the jewel atop of it that he really needed? *guessing* Overall, I loved this chapter. Can't wait to read more. <3
 

TelaryCri

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Chapter II: A Party In Agrabah, pt. 5
“Well, I don’t think we’re getting the catering deposit back,” Genie declares as he peels himself off the ceiling. As it turns out, the plaster he was pressed against is pretty much all that remains of it. “Gee, was this thing even built to code?”

The entire pavilion is an utter ruin. The floor is cracked, most of the columns are only stubs, and the only people remaining are the wedding party and their offworld friends.

“I’m usually all for happy occasions descending into violence,” Azlyn remarks, surveying the scene with her arms folded. “But this time I can’t say I approve.”

“Oh, this is a disaster!” Sultan laments, clutching his daughter’s hand tightly for support. “How are we to have a wedding without a pavilion?”

“Need a pavilion, do ya?” Genie remarks, transforming himself into a big-bellied construction foreman. Licking the tip of his pencil, he begins noting things on a clipboard. Flicking one finger, he sends out magical sparks that hit Azlyn, Abu, Carpet, and Telary. The quartet are instantly outfitted with white hard hats, leaning around an idling bulldozer with mugs of coffee in hand.

“I wanna see some resumes on these guys,” Genie whispers to the sultan. “And don’t let the blonde near any power tools.”

“Whatever you need Genie, you shall have,” Sultan assures the big blue lug. “Isn’t that right Jasmine?” She’s gone, no longer at her father’s side. “Daughter?”

The princess in question strolls into the gift depository, noting its utter devastation with a calm air. Sora, Kairi, and Iago are already there, clearing what clutter they can off the floor.

“Aw man,” Sora whines, holding up the trampled remains of he and Kairi’s gift. “They got our paopu!”

“Maybe you should have kept it close,” Kairi remarks, her arms folded tightly as she frowns at her boyfriend.

“What were they after?” Jasmine asks the room in general. “The gifts?”

“Just one.”

Aladdin strolls in from the lawn, still holding the golden rod that the King of Thieves had been so intent on stealing.

“This is what the King of Thieves wanted,” the former street rat announces. “Everything else he just ignored.”

“A staff?” Telary wonders as he and the others enter from the chapel.

“Actually, I think that would technically be classified as a rod,” Genie corrects the wizard.

“Seems more like a baton to me,” Sora chimes in. “Or maybe some kind of giant baby rattle!”

Iago, freed from the jar where the King of Thieves had stashed him, lands atop the staff/baton/rod/rattle’s emerald. “It makes no sense. Outta all the great stuff here, why would the King of Thieves go after this thing?”

Bright light suddenly erupts from the staff’s gem, flooding the room and forcing everyone to cover their eyes. Aladdin feels the baton leaving his hand, floating of its own volition into the room’s center.

“Your question is mine to answer!” a female voice suddenly rings out, echoes chasing its every word. The light dies down, solidifying into the form of a robed woman. She looks down at the group with pupilless eyes. “The King of Thieves sought me out in order to find the ultimate treasure.”

“Treasure?” Iago repeats, his interest immediately piqued. He flies closer to the glowing apparition, Azlyn not far behind.

“Oh, wow,” Genie remarks, looking up at the spirit with wide eyes. “I think this is an Oracle. According to the scuttlebutt around the Agrabah supernatural community, they know everything there is to know. Even the future!”

“That is correct,” the oracle replies with a single nod.

“Man,” Telary says to Jasmine under his breath. “Where were you guys registered?”

“Well, that sounds all fine and dandy,” Azlyn says. “But what’s the catch?”

“I am bound by the Rule of One,” the oracle replies. “One question, one answer.”

“Well, if ya know all, why not tell all?” Iago requests. “Like, say, where the ultimate treasure is?”

“You have already asked your question,” the oracle reminds the parrot. “I revealed to you the King of Thieves’ intent for acquiring me.”

“I guess it’s up to me then,” Azlyn declares as the dejected Iago lands on her shoulder. The knight steps up to the oracle. “Okay, tell me where the ultimate treas- I blew my One Question on ‘what’s the catch’ didn’t I?”

The oracle remains silent, hoping that will effectively convey the answer to Azlyn’s question without violating her rule.

“Tel?” Azlyn pleads to her fiancée. “Wanna do your future wife a favor and ask about the ultimate treasure?”

The wizard shakes his head. “This is Aladdin and Jasmine’s gift, Az. They should be the ones asking the questions.”

The knight crosses her arms indignantly, grumbling under her breath.

Jasmine grips Aladdin’s arm. “Oh, Aladdin, this is incredible. We could ask anything we want! About our lives, the future, anything!”

The former street rat shakes his head. “Jasmine, I don’t need to know about the future. I know what that holds. My future is you.”

“Aww!” Sora, Telary, and Kairi simultaneously exclaim. Azlyn and Iago roll their eyes.

“What I don’t know about is my past,” Aladdin continues. He lets go of Jasmine, turning away. “My mother died when I was young, and I never even knew my father. But that’s not gonna be answered in just one question. It would take a million questions!”

“Ah, but mere questions about your past can be answered by your father,” the oracle chimes in.

Aladdin turns back to the glowing spirit, his eyes widening to the size of dinner plates.

The oracle waves her hands, light gathering in front of her in a single image: The face of an older man, so similar to Aladdin that it might as well be a glimpse of the former street rat’s future. His face is weathered but kind, smiling beneath a thick black beard. His hair is the same color, but with patches of grey at the temples.

There’s no mistaking it. This must be Aladdin’s father, alive and well.
 

KingdomKey

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Poor Aladdin finding out his dad is really alive. Ironically, I'm reading this on Father's Day. lol. XD Perfect timing, wouldn't you say? And talk about wow! Kairi is definitely not happy with Sora. I wouldn't want to be Sora right now, if I were him. Telary being considerate of Aladdin and Jasmine's feelings about asking the oracle a question is really sweet. I like how Azlyn plays the wife card in the relationship. Still doesn't explain what's going on between either of them though. lol. xD Anyways, I cannot wait for the next chapter. <3 Good as always!
 

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Chapter III: Thick As Thieves, pt. 1
Princess Jasmine, hood up to conceal her face, slowly makes her way through the backstreets of Agrabah. Sora follows behind her, dressed in his normal adventuring clothes once again.

“Are you sure we should be doing this?” Sora asks the princess. “It’s been a few hours since… everything, but maybe Al still needs more time.”

Jasmine shakes her head, leading the way into her once-again-fiancée’s broken down old hovel. “I know. But this isn’t something that a person should be left wrestle with alone. He needs our help here, Sora.”

The Keybearer nods, following behind the princess. If anyone would know Aladdin better than him, it would be her.

As expected, Aladdin sits at the huge hole that’s long served as his window to the outside. The view is spectacular, the distant palace glowing in the orange light of dawn. But Sora can’t even begin to focus on that, not when his friend is hurting.

“Are you alright?” Jasmine asks. The former street rat doesn’t reply beyond a vague shrug, so she moves in closer. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she asks, “What’s wrong Aladdin? You have to tell me.”

The young man sighs heavily. He turns away from the window. “All my life, one of the things I always wanted was to know my father. I knew a lot of other street kids, and they all thought the same thing. I imagined him almost every day, wondering how my life would have been different with him in it.”

Jasmine nods. “I think those same things about my mother. Especially today.”

Aladdin gives the princess a quick hug. “I know, Jasmine. Sorry to bring it up. But… My dad is a little different, y’know? You at least knew how much your mother loved you. My dad just left, no explanation.” He turns back to the window, kicks at a loose brick. “If he didn’t want me, why should I have anything to do with him? I don’t even know the guy, right?”

Sora says nothing. Put that way, it seems Aladdin has a great point.

“I already do,” Jasmine declares, which is so not what anyone suspected. “I know him because I know you. Aladdin, no man as great as you are could come from anyone not equally as great.” She kisses his cheek gently. “You didn’t just come out of thin air.”

“You’re a good guy, Al,” Sora chimes in, stepping closer. From the look on his face, Sora concludes that his friend hadn’t even noticed that he was in the room. “And I know that if I was in your shoes, I’d want to know my father. And no matter what happens when you see him again, I’ll be there for you.”

The former street rat nods, then turns back to Jasmine with a frown. “But the wedding? Genie’ll have things fixed up quickly, and I don’t want to…”

“The wedding can wait, Aladdin,” Jasmine assures him. “And just think about how great it will be, having your father there for our wedding day.”

Aladdin sighs. “I have waited a long time. You’re right, I do want to know my father. C’mon, let’s get the Oracle.”

A quick whistle summons Carpet, who carries the trio back to the palace. They land on the huge balcony off the throne room, where the others are already waiting. Genie, still in his construction outfit, stands in front of a whiteboard. The schematic for a new pavilion is there, and he gestures at it expressively with a conjured wooden pointer.

Azlyn and Telary are dressed in their magical clothes, and Kairi has returned to her casual pink dress. They, along with Iago and Abu, look up when the almost-bride and belated-groom arrive, faces lighting up at the prospect of a relief from Genie’s zaniness.

“And of course, this third focus crystal is essential to the laser grid… Hey, you’re back!” Genie exclaims, banishing his pointer and plans with a gesture. He immediately zips to Al’s side, holding the Oracle staff. “So, you finally gonna pop the question? HA! ‘Pop the question’?” He turns back to the unimpressed offworlders with a deadpan expression. “It’s wedding humor.”

“Oh, we got it,” Azlyn confirms with a frown.

“I’m ready,” Aladdin says, nodding resolutely as Genie hands him the rod. He holds it up in front of his face, all eyes intently watching him. Another breath, and then, “I know my question.”

Once again the green gem atop the staff unleashes a spectacular white light. It rises into the air and settles just over the balcony’s railing. The light coalesces, once again forming the robed Oracle.

“Then,” she says beatifically, her voice echoing, “you need only ask.”

Everyone crowds forward, as if they won’t be able to hear anything from a mere few feet backwards. Sora sticks his arms out, keeping them all at bay.

“Where is my father?”

For a few long moments, nobody breathes.

The Oracle sweeps her arm outward, gesturing toward the setting sun. “Follow the trail of the Forty Thieves. Your father lies trapped in their world.”

“What?” Aladdin exclaims.

“How convenient is that?” Azlyn muses.

“Is he okay?” Aladdin demands, stepping towards the oracle with wide eyes. “Have they hurt him, is he their prisoner?”

“I am sorry.” The Oracle truly does seem saddened, looking down at her questioner with pity as she begins to fade out. “But I follow the Rule of One. One question, one answer.”

With her last words echoing across the evening sky, the robed specter vanishes. The rod slowly floats back down, landing in Aladdin’s hands. He tightens his grip on it dumbly, eyes shifting as a million new questions sift through his mind.

“I have to go find him!” the former street rat declares, frowning seriously. “I can still pick up the trail if I hurry, and travel light, and…” He stops ranting, looking to Jasmine as a sad realization dawns on him. “I really will have to leave. The wedding…”

“Will be ready by the time you get back,” Jasmine assures her future husband.

“Ugh,” Genie groans, eyeing his makeshift construction crew. “Calculating overtime is a major pain!” When the complaint earns him a few glares, he quickly backpedals with, “But for you Al, no trouble at all.”

“I’ll go with you,” Sora offers, stepping up to Aladdin and laying a friendly hand on his shoulder.

Abu chitters excitedly, leaping onto his best friend’s shoulder.

“Ah, what the hell?” Azlyn declares with a casual shrug. “I’ll go too!”

“Count me in!” Kairi chimes in. Sora winces at that, which does not escape the Princess of Heart’s notice.

“Maybe we shouldn’t all go,” the Keybearer suggests. “Uh, can I see you for a minute, Kairi?”

The pair from Destiny Islands move inside, ducking behind a huge white pillar.

“Why can’t I go?” Kairi demands, arms crossed tightly. “Is it because you think it’ll be dangerous, because I…”

Sora shakes his head. “No, it’s not that at all Kairi.” He steps closer to her, looking around to make sure no one is eavesdropping. “This could be a good chance to figure out what’s up with Azlyn and Telary.”

She raises a skeptical eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I take Azlyn on the trip with Al, and try to get her to tell me what’s going on. And you can stay here with Tel, see if you can figure things out on his end.”

Kairi frowns. It does sound like a good, solid plan. But still…

Sora reaches out to gently grab her hand. She ceases her hesitant thoughts, looking up into the sky blue eyes of the boy who had crossed worlds and realms to fulfill all his promises to her.

“I know you want to get closer to Telary, just like Al and his dad,” the Keybearer says, reassuringly rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand. “Spend some time with him, talk a little, help Genie and Jasmine with the wedding prep, whatever. You can’t get closer if you never even try.”

Well, there isn’t any arguing with that. She sighs, leaning forward to kiss her boyfriend’s cheek. “Okay, you’re right.” she playfully smirks at him. “It’s kind of weird, y’know. You being the smart, sensible one.”

Sora laughs, loud and genuine. “Glad you feel it too.”

“One more thing though.” Off Sora’s questioning look, she asks, “This does partly have to do with the danger, right?”

Sora makes a choking noise in the back of his throat. He thought he’d covered that up well enough.

“Well, uh… I guess.”

Kairi sighs. “Okay, okay. Well, we’ll definitely be having a talk about that later.”

The Keybearer winces, definitely not looking forward to that conversation.

KH-KH-KH


“That is the absolute last place to look in the palace,” Gilgamesh comments as he and Pete stalk through Princess Jasmine’s vast garden. “Unless you think the sultan is displaying it in his throne room, like a trophy. Although, that is certainly what I would do were I to finally recover Excali…”

“Oh, shut your yap!” Pete snaps, pettily kicking at a yellow daisy. Even the sight of the crushed flower isn’t cheering him up. The fat cat moans, dunking his head into his hands. “Oh what am I gonna do? If I come back empty-handed, Maleficent’s gonna…”

“Hark!”

Gilgamesh’s loud cry snaps Pete out of his pity party. He looks up to where his partner is pointing, just in time to see a familiar flying carpet zoom by. The Keybrat is on it, along with his blonde friend and the guy on all the wedding posters. A small red bird flies beside them, and Pete scowls at the memory of it literally snatching Jafar’s lamp from his fingers.

“It seems the fabled Keybearer is separating himself from many of his allies,” Gilgamesh muses. “And would not the groom know where we can find what it is we are seeking? This could be our chance to catch them both unawares!”

Pete takes a moment to contemplate his partner’s words. Despite how much he loathes to admit it, Gilgamesh does have a point. Usually he wouldn’t be keen at all on going against the Keybrat, but minus his wizard friend and the genie…? Perhaps this could kill the proverbial two birds with one stone.

“Not a bad idea there, Gil,” the fat cat says, nodding in a mildly congratulatory fashion. “You may earn your keep yet.”

“You can have your keep,” Gilgamesh scoffs. “I only desire the Keyblade.”
 

KingdomKey

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There, there, Aladdin. It'll be okay. And Sora, you almost got away with it. lol. Gilgamesh being after the keyblade is quite interesting. I would've thought he was seeking the Oracle like the rest of the forty thieves were. I do wonder what he would do with the keyblade? Considering the keyblade sticks to its master with a strong heart. :3 I also couldn't help but to gush at how sweet and supportive Jasmine was with Aladdin. They make a great pair. <3 In the meantime, I really cannot wait to see what happens next!
 

TelaryCri

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Chapter III: Thick As Thieves, pt. 2
The trail of the Forty Thieves proves fairly easy to follow. Famed for their skill at thievery aside, there’s really no good way to conceal the tracks of one-hundred and sixty horse hooves. With Carpet’s speed, they’re sure to catch up in no time.

The sun has set, casting the desert into darkness. Sora leans forward, holding on tight. Obvious trail aside, they’re really pushing it with the speed. Wind whips against his face, very loud and very cold. Also, he can’t help but worry that at any moment he could get a facefull of bug.

“Oh, why didn’t I just stay with the Genie?” Iago laments, his wings beating as fast as they can to keep up with Carpet.

“He said he couldn’t work under ‘these conditions’,” Azlyn reminds the parrot. “When we asked him what conditions, he just pointed at you.”

“Besides,” Sora quips with a smirk, looking over Aladdin’s back at the knight, “you can’t really expect Azlyn to make all the sarcastic comments, can you?”

“I really do appreciate this, you guys,” Aladdin remarks, giving both offworlders a sincere smile. He’s dressed in neither his shabby street rat clothes nor his fancy groom outfit. Instead, he wears a simple sand-brown tunic, blue vest, and dark blue pants. A yellow traveling cloak is wrapped around his neck, covering his body to further fight off the inevitable in-flight chill.

“Anything to help,” Sora replies with a grin of his own.

“Sure, me too,” Azlyn adds. “Besides, that attack on your wedding just reminded my how much I miss kicking ass. If this rescue gets rough, that’d be great for me!”

Sora’s about to say something when the sound of a great many hooves perks his interest. And there’s another noise beneath that. The kind of noise the island-raised boy would know anywhere.

Waves breaking against a shore.

They rise over a ridge, revealing the shore of a vast ocean a few hundred yards below. Carpet takes a sharp dive, pulling up just a few feet above a thin beach ringing the cliff. Up ahead, the tail ends of a few of the Forty Thieves’ horses can still be seen. Everyone crouches lower on instinct, Iago hiding inside the hood of Sora’s jacket.

Abruptly, the thieves’ caravan comes to a complete stop. Carpet quickly responds in kind, halting immediately. Then it slowly backs up, concealing the group behind a cluster of rocks.

Sora, Aladdin, and Azlyn peer out from their hideaway. The thieves seem to be just standing around, waiting at the very edge of the ocean. There’s nothing out there waiting for them that Sora can see. Just a very tall mountain looming out of the water. He searches for a structure hidden somewhere on its face, but there really is nothing there but solid rock.

“They’ve got nowhere to go,” Aladdin notes with a confident smirk. “We’ve got them trapped.”

“Do we now?” Iago asks sarcastically. “This is some great plan. Forty thieves verses five schmoes.”

Soar frowns, his eyes sweeping over the party. “Uh, there are six of us.”

The parrot scoffs. “Oh, I was so not counting myself in that equation.”

“What the hell are they doing, anyway?” Azlyn asks, not really expecting an answer.

“They’re just standing there,” Aladdin agrees. Shifting his cloak aside, he reaches for the weapon he brought with him. His father’s dagger.

Farther back along the shore, Pete and Gilgamesh crouch behind a boulder a well.

“We have them!” Gilgamesh exclaims a bit too loudly to be stealthy.

Pete quickly shushes his companion, inadvertently making more noise. Luckily for the pair, Aladdin and company seem to have not even contemplated that they might be pursued as well.

“We run out there guns blazin’ now, we got forty thieves ta deal with too,” he snaps. “The key, my friend, is to wait for the opportune moment. We can use that scryin’ spell Maleficent taught me, the one we used ta track ‘em, ta see what’s goin’ on. When they’re all vulnerable-like.”

Gilgamesh leans back with his arms folded, grumbling.

Up by the shore, one of the thieves finally makes his move. Aladdin scowls as he notes that it’s the blue-cloaked man he’d fought for the oracle. The King of Thieves.

He holds his hand up to the sky, eyes set hard in determination.

“OPEN SESAME!” he calls out into the night, voice ringing with power and authority. It echoes off the rocky canyons, overpowering even the waves.

Sora opens his mouth to ask what exactly just happened, only to immediately shut up when he gets his answer. The sea before the Forty Thieves begins to bubble and boil, glowing red hot and throwing up a curtain of steam.

The party strains forward, but the cloud cannot be pierced no matter how hard they try. A loud sound suddenly rings out, an enormous cracking that sends the ground into tremors. The sound of rushing water follows, an eerie orange light advancing through the fog like the headlight on a Twilight Town train.

And then the steam clears, blowing aside like a stage curtain. Everyone gasps as the results of the king’s words are made clear. What had seemed to be a dead end is no longer the end of the road. A clear path cuts through what once was ocean, surrounded on either side by walls of water twenty feet high. The path leads straight into the mountain, no longer an impassible stone façade. Instead it has become a doorway, a craggy line zig-zagging up its face.

The thieves waste no time, spurring their mounts into action and pounding across the pathway.

As soon as the King of Thieves is inside, the others streaming in quickly, Aladdin gives Carpet a nod. The aeronautic rug sweeps immediately to action, Sora and Azlyn only barely scrambling on before they’re over the water. Iago follows himself, wings flapping harder than they have in a long time.

By the time they’ve traversed about the first ten feet of the path, the Forty Thieves are all inside their mountain hideaway. The spell begins wearing off immediately, and the ocean comes rushing back in. The crack in the mountain begins to seal itself as well, Carpet and Iago pushing even harder to make it before…

No sooner have the heroes swooped inside than the mountain seals itself shut with a loud crunch. The noise must startle Carpet, who tumbles forward and pitches its riders into a wild freefall.

Back outside, Pete and Gilgamesh can only watch with dumbfounded expressions.

KH-KH-KH


Sora groans, his head spinning. He’d hit a rock, hard enough that he makes sure to quickly check himself over for any serious injuries. Feeling none, he sighs contentedly. Of course, that hurts, and the Keybearer lets out another pained moan.

“Whoa, Sora!” Aladdin exclaims a little ways ahead. Sora tries his hardest not to hate his friend for how normal he sounds. “You gotta see this.”

The Keyblade wielder gets himself up, most of the pain thankfully dissipating. When he gets a good look at their surroundings, it disappears completely. It seems they landed in some sort of ancient tomb, fit for a king or sultan. Tall pillars and striking statuary dots the place. It’s a bit rundown, most pillars looking ready to collapse and nearly all the statues missing some piece of their structure. But, really, anything hidden inside a mountain that can be opened with some magic words is pretty impressive in itself. Flickering torchlight provides a small measure of illumination, though everything has a bit of an orange tint to it.

Something feels wrong though. Remembering his other companions, Sora turns around with a frown. “Azlyn? Iago?”

“Over here,” Iago mutters, his breathing not yet returned to normal. “We’re fine, I guess.”

“Speak for yourself!”

Looking towards the sound of Azlyn’s voice, Sora can’t help but let out a short bark of laughter. The knight sits on the stone floor, right in front of the recently closed wall of rock. Her arms are crossed harshly, and she wears a murderous expression. She thrusts her head forward sharply, only moving it a few inches before it snaps back. Any further motion is severely hampered by the fact that a little less than an inch of her ponytail is caught in the seam where the mountain had closed.

Sora approaches her, wincing sympathetically. “Yikes, Az.”

She glares at him, fiery torchlight accurately reflecting the rage in her eyes. “Ya think?”

It takes a minute and the assistance of Aladdin’s dagger, but the party manage to extract Azlyn before continuing on. Two paths diverge off the entryway room, one going forward while the other leads up. The voices coming from the forward path are much clearer, so Aladdin guides the group upward.

“It’s a simple operation,” Iago is muttering to himself, perched on Azlyn’s shoulder. “Get in, get out, and go home.” After a moment’s thought, he adds, “Actually, I really wouldn’t mind if we just skipped to the ‘go home’ part.”

“Shh,” Aladdin warns. They’ve reached the end of their road, a ledge overlooking the chamber below. It’s a huge cavern, with elaborate buildings and more statuary everywhere. The Forty Thieves congregate in the middle, around a massive wooden table. No one is sitting, however.

Most of the thieves stand around in a ring, while in the middle of it all a very large, very pale man is yelling at the King of Thieves. The vandals’ leader is still wearing his blue cloak, though the hood is down to leave his head uncovered. His back is turned though, identity still obscure.

“Once again, our illustrious leader has sent us off on a wild goose chase!” Sa'luk rages, looking around the circle to appeal to his fellow thieves. In many cases, it seems to be working, if the muttering is anything to go by. “No Oracle, which means no ultimate treasure! In fact, we ended up without any loot at all!” He seems to calm down, voice going cold as he crosses his arms and gives the King of Thieves an intent glare. “Perhaps it’s time your reign draws to a close, eh Cassim?”

Aladdin’s eyes widen, his mouth dropping open. “Cassim?”

Sora frowns at his friend. “What’s up, Al?”

The former street rat turns back to him, still wearing the same shocked expression. “Cassim is my father’s name. They’re gonna kill him!”

“That’s your father?” Sora exclaims, albeit quietly. Something about that just clicks wrongly to the Keybearer. “But, wait, that means…”

Aladdin doesn’t stick around to let Sora finish his revelation. Sa'luk is rapidly advancing on Cassim now, golden claws gripped tightly in his hand. The older man doesn’t seem concerned at all, mostly just looking bored.

That quickly changes to surprise when Aladdin slams into Sa'luk’s flank, knocking the big thief to the floor. The whole cavern erupts into confusion as the street rat holds the big pale brute’s arm back in a deadlock.

“Go!” Aladdin yells to Cassim, and by now Sora and Azlyn are rushing down as well. They take up positions near the gathered thieves, weapons drawn to discourage any aggressive action.

“Let’s not do anything stupid here, eh boys?” Azlyn growls. Abu stands on her shoulder, his fists raised menacingly. Iago is cowering behind Sora.

Aladdin keeps on yelling at his father. “You’ve got to get out of here!” The man just looks shocked and dumbfounded, as confused as the others. “I’m Aladdin, your son!” The reveal sparks a new round of whispers amongst the Forty Thieves. “Quick, run while I…”

Sa'luk grunts, his elbow thrusting out and nailing Aladdin right in the stomach. The young man cries out, rolling off Sa'luk’s back and landing in a heap. His dagger flies out from where he’d been keeping it, clattering loudly to the stone floor. Upon seeing it, Cassim’s eyes go wide with shock.

“You’ve got a lot of guts, boy,” Sa'luk practically spits, hovering over Aladdin. “Why don’t we see what they look like, hm?”

“STOP!”

Everyone turns to the source of the deep, authoritative voice. Cassim stands calmly in the middle of all the chaos, turning Aladdin’s dropped dagger in his hands.

“He’s telling the truth,” Cassim says, his voice hollow with disbelief. “The boy… The boy is my son.” He holds up the dagger. “I gave this to my wife, to give it to our son when he was old enough. This is Aladdin. My boy.”

“So it’s true!” declares one thief.

Another nods, concurring. “Look at him, the resemblance is obvious.”

Aladdin is beaming, straight up at his dad.

“The boy truly is the son of the King of Thieves.”

And just like that, the smile is gone, like munny Azlyn finds on the street.

“Huh?” Azlyn blurts, lowering her shield in utter shock.

“Damn,” Sora murmurs to himself. “All I needed was another minute, and I could’ve gotten it. I mean, c’mon, he’s wearing the same outfit and everything!”

“You’re the King of Thieves?” Aladdin demands, his eyes going wide.

Cassim nods solemnly. “I can’t believe it, after all these years.” He bends down and picks Aladdin up by his shoulders, looking his son in the eye. “You’ve grown so tall! My own flesh and blood… I never thought I’d see you again.”

Sa'luk seems none-too touched by the father-son reunion. He steps forward and grabs Aladdin roughly, pushing the young man aside. “Blood or mud, it makes little difference. The boy has trespassed on our sacred ground!”

“You and I have pretty wildly different definitions of ‘sacred’, pal,” Azlyn quips dryly.

“He’s an intruder!” Sa'luk continues, the other thieves muttering agreeably. “You all know what we do with intruders, don’t you?”

“Give ‘em discounts at the Forty Thieves’ gift shop?” Iago meekly suggests.

“He must die! They all must die!”

The other thieves all seem to concur, finally taking action. They grab at Aladdin’s friends, holding them still despite their struggles. Even Carpet finds itself rolled up tightly.

“He’s your son!” Iago screams, too distraught to struggle against his captor. “And, and I’m his friend! Cast a vote for mercy here, man!!!”

Sa'luk smirks. “Yes, Cassim, please do. After all, mercy would be so like you.” The pale man’s face hardens. “Soft.” It’s the perfect power play, a golden opportunity for Sa'luk to seize leadership of the Forty Thieves.

Cassim scowls, his old rival’s plan blatantly obvious.

“He wouldn’t really sell out his own son, right?” Azlyn asks Sora. She struggles against the grip of her captor, but to no avail.

Sora shakes his head, the motion hardly resolute. “Of course not. There’s no way. I mean, c’mon. Right?”

Cassim shrugs, his arms folded casually. “I know the rules, and rules must be followed. Kill ‘em.”

Sora blanches. “Then again, what do I know? I just met the guy!”

Sa'luk immediately steps towards Aladdin, knuckles flexing beneath his golden claws. Sora and Azlyn renew their struggles, but only succeed in getting more thieves to hold them. Apparently, this execution will be taken in turns. And Al gets the privilege of top spot.

“An unexpected move, Cassim,” Sa'luk comments. “But, not exactly an unwelcome one.” The massive man raises his golden claws, Aladdin flinching at the motion. The Forty Thieves all react with uniform glee, while Al’s companions can do nothing.

Then, unnoticed by all, a thoughtful look passes over the King of Thieves’ face. “Unless…”

The single word is relatively quiet, and yet somehow it makes everyone else in the cavern pause what they’re doing. They all turn to Cassim, who strokes his chin in contemplation.

“Unless what?” Sa'luk demands, reluctantly lowering his arm. It appears that His Majesty has another trick hidden up his sleeve. Sa'luk absolutely loathes it when he does that.

“No, Nevermind,” Cassim answers after a moment, shaking his head as if to banish his idea. “I mean, I suppose it’s possible…”

“Suppose what is possible?” one thief asks.

“What am I thinking? It’s absolutely crazy.”

“We can handle crazy!” Iago yelps.

“Oh yeah,” Sora agrees with a furious nod. “We love crazy, don’t we guys?” Abu chitters in the affirmative. Even Carpet manages an agreeable shake.

Cassim makes a few more noncommittal statements, driving the other thirty-nine thieves positively mad. Especially Sa'luk, who’s nearly crushing his claw’s grip in his hand.

“Well, if you really want to hear it, then alright!” Cassim finally relents, calming the cavern with raised hands. It’s abundantly clear to Sora now why this guy is the thieves’ leader. “We could give the boy the challenge.”

The Forty Thieves erupt again, this time making agreeable noises to their leader’s declaration. Everywhere Sora, Azlyn, and Aladdin look men are nodding. It seems like a good sign, at least.

“If that’s what you want, very well,” Sa'luk agrees, nodding slowly. He glares at Aladdin, once again flashing his claws. “But only so long as I am the one to test him.”

“A test, is it?” Iago says, sounding very chipper now. “That’s nice, I guess. Maybe it’ll be multiple choice!”
 

KingdomKey

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Well, multiple choice tests aren't so bad, cause you at least get more of a chance of picking the right one. And nice save, Cassim. It would've been a shame if you weren't the leader of these blood thirsty thieves otherwise. xD Aw, Aladdin, you should be more careful about jumping head first into trouble. lol. And so closed! Gosh darn it. Now I really wanna know what Sora was going to ask Azlyn about. xD Or what that conversation would've been like. I can't tell if this is just as bad as when Azlyn and Telary didn't hook up right away that left me on the edge of my seat or not. xD *feels like it'll be a long wait* And as always, I loved this chapter. <3
 

TelaryCri

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Chapter III: Thick As Thieves, pt. 3
Obviously the Forty Thieves’ test is not multiple choice. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t involve desks, studying, or number two pencils in any way. Instead, the Forty Thieves lead Aladdin and friends to the top of a smaller mountain beside the one which houses their hideaway. It started raining sometime in the last hour or so. Blue-white lightning streaks through the sky at random intervals, followed by the menacing crack of thunder. All in all, it’s very ominous.

Cassim walks with a companionable arm around Aladdin, and several thieves follow with decidedly uncompanionable arms locking in Sora and Azlyn. Iago and Abu have been stuffed in a cage, and Carpet is still rolled up tightly.

When they reach the mountaintop, it seems things are already set up. The thieves have gathered in a semicircle facing the cliff and its steep drop-off to the waves below. The cruel, unforgiving waves. Sa'luk stands in the middle of the open space, wearing his usual scowl.

“So, dad,” Aladdin mutters to his father. “How does this challenge work, exactly?”

“I’ll bet it ain’t no thumb wrestle!” Iago squawks.

“The rules are simple,” Cassim replies, his tone more akin to explaining the basics of fishing than an obviously potentially fatal test. “You fight Sa'luk, he fights you. If you kill him, you win. It’s the only way to be accepted into the Forty Thieves.”

“You’re really obsessive about keeping that exact number, aren’t you?” Azlyn chimes in. “I mean, would it kill ya to be the Forty-One Thieves?”

Sora frowns, something not adding up. “Uh, excuse me, mister Aladdin’s dad. Does that mean Azlyn and I have to kill people too?”

Cassim shakes his head. “No, son. If Aladdin wins, you’ll be allowed to live. But not as full members. The Forty Thieves is no place for children, or women.”

Sora and Azlyn both balk at that.

“So we’re just like Abu and Iago to you?” Azlyn spits. “Aladdin’s pets?”

Cassim shrugs. “If that bothers you, I suppose we could just kill you right now.”

Sora kicks his companion hard in the shin. “No, no. Pets are fine. I love being pets.” The Keybearer begins to pant for effect. “Gimme a treat! Rub my belly!”

“Bark,” Azlyn deadpans, rolling her eyes.

After watching for a moment, Cassim turns to his son and whispers, “These two are who you thought to bring to rescue me?”

Aladdin’s only answer is a shrug.

“I grow tired of waiting, boy,” Sa'luk sneers. Raising his hands, he makes a “come hither” gesture. “Time to see if the King of Thieves’ blood is as weak as his heart.”

The insult to his father raises Aladdin’s hackles a bit. He takes the sheathed dagger from Cassim and steps into the makeshift arena with a set, determined face. The King of Thieves watches coolly for a moment, but Sora notices his expression slip just the slightest bit once his son can’t see.

Aladdin and Sa'luk face each other across the circle, each giving their opponent their best glare. On the sidelines, Aladdin’s allies tense up in fear and anticipation. This could very well decide their lives as well.

After a moment of building tension, a tall thief wielding a huge scimitar strides into the middle of the combat field. He raises the sword into the air, giving each combatant a quick look before letting it fall.

As soon as the sword falls, Sa'luk makes his move. He charges forward with a roar, claws reared back to strike. He swipes downward at Aladdin, but Sora knows from the get-go that Al is too fast to be taken by the attack. The street rat easily dodges, but Sa'luk quickly turns and throws a barehanded punch. Al barely ducks it, then darts to the side to avoid a second swipe from the claws.

Cassim watches with a frown, his eyes lingering on the weapon that Aladdin still hasn’t unsheathed.

Finally Sa'luk lands a blow, thankfully with just his bare fist. Aladdin stumbles back, clutching at his pained stomach. He manages to blunder right into a wall of spectators. The thieves laugh and jostle the young man a moment before shoving him back towards his opponent.

Aladdin turns the shove into momentum, ducking beneath Sa'luk’s claws and spinning to slam his hand into the pale man’s side. The burly thief grunts and moves back a few steps. Securing his footing, he unleashes another punch. It hits Sa'luk square in the face, sending him back a step.

But even staggered, the pale man is still dangerous. He strikes blindly with his free hand, slamming it into Aladdin’s chest. The former street rat yelps in pain and alarm, falling back to the ground. It’s clear now that Sa'luk was just playing with him, because as soon as Aladdin’s knees touch the ground he’s ready, stepping forward with his golden claws raised high.

Aladdin quickly brings up his father’s dagger. Even still-sheathed, it stops the claws with a loud clink of metal-on-metal. Struggling against his opponent’s brute strength, Aladdin manages to gain his feet again. With Sa'luk so much on the defensive, he kicks out and knocks the pale man’s feet out from under him.

Sa'luk falls on his back with a grunt, raising up dust and a cheer from Aladdin’s friends. Even the Forty Thieves, generally on their comrade’s side, murmur positively at the maneuver.

Aladdin smiles, looking to his father. Cassim doesn’t look quite so confident, frantically mouth finish him at his son. Aladdin easily reads his lips, his face twisting in revulsion at the words. Aladdin has never killed another human being before, and he’s not keen on starting now.

That resolve, no matter how nobly it may be intended, costs him dearly.

Sa'luk reaches out and grabs Aladdin’s ankle, a single strong yank pulling the young man to the ground. Sora and Azlyn gasp in shock, and Cassim starts to move forward through the crowd of cheering thieves. The advantage, it seems, is back with the home team.

Sa'luk doesn’t stop there, rising to his feet and pulling Aladdin up with him. Sora’s mouth drops open in shock as he realizes that the pale man must possess tremendous strength, to gain his feet and lift Aladdin above his head at the same time.

Aladdin fights, struggling and kicking to no avail. Cassim struggles as well, trying to push through the roaring crowd. He doesn’t know what he can do to stop this, but he must at least try!

Sora and Azlyn knock down the men guarding them, rushing forward only to be grabbed by other thieves. Two men take each hero’s arm, securing them in place. Abu chitters up and angry storm, and Iago raises his wings to cover his eyes. Cassim can’t get any closer, his men too excited to let him through.

Sa'luk approaches the cliff’s edge, his intentions clear. Aladdin picks up his struggles in reply, eventually landing a lucky kick right in his opponent’s ugly mug. Sa'luk grunts in exasperation, his grip slacking just enough to give Al an out. The former street rat wrenches his body in a powerful twist, escaping Sa'luk’s grip.

Aladdin hits the ground hard. He manages to retain his wits though, already rising by the time Sa'luk turns back to face him. The pale man charges as Aladdin regains his feet. Reacting on pure adrenaline and instinct, Al meets Sa'luk’s charge with on outstretched fist. It lands squarely against his throat, releasing a gurgling scream from the brute. He steps back, clutching his throat.

The balancing step proves to be a fatal mistake. Sa'luk trips, his foot slipping and kicking up dust. Startled, the burly man cries out as he falls back, and back, and back. Over the cliff he goes, plunging towards the powerful waters. For a long moment his defiant screams can be heard.

Then, suddenly, silence.

Aladdin stands still, staring listlessly at the spot where Sa'luk once stood. He feels sick to his stomach, the knowledge that he has caused another man’s death settling over him like a heavy burden.

He merely stands there for a long moment, before suddenly several pairs of hands grab him. He finds himself spun around, Sora and Azlyn pushed out of the crowd of thieves to stand by his side.

Cassim steps out of the throng, his face an unreadable mask. The other thieves mutter amongst themselves, their words too low and hurriedly whispered for the heroes to understand.

“You killed Sa'luk,” the King of Thieves declares, his voice icy cold. “The rules of the Forty Thieves are very clear on this point. I have only one thing to say to you now, son.” He smiles warmly, his stoic demeanor evaporating like morning dew. “You’re in!”

The Forty Thieves let out a great cheer, surging forward and enveloping Aladdin and friends within their ranks. From every side, the trio receive high fives and hearty claps on the back. Abu and Iago join them, carried over the thieves’ heads like rock stars at a concert.

“Welcome, son,” Cassim declares, his proud voice carrying over the boisterous cries of the men. “Welcome to the Forty Thieves.”
 

KingdomKey

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Poor Aladdin. It wasn't like you intended to kill him. It's at least better than using the blade. Besides it was self defense and purely coincidental that he'd fall like that. Not the same thing as pushing or throwing your opponent off a cliff. Goodness, I'm kind of shocked at how violent this is turning out to be. I was a really naive kid to never notice it. Anyways, it's good that Cassim is proud and cares about the well being of his son, but I think he knows Aladdin isn't a ruthless killer like the rest of his thieves. I did like Sora and Azlyn pretending to be pets, cause that was funny. xD Overall, I liked this chapter, and eager to read more! <3
 

TelaryCri

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Chapter III: Thick As Thieves, pt. 4
Telary and Kairi stumble out of Agrabah’s palace throne room. Both redheads sway a little as they move, still a bit stupefied by what they’ve just witnessed.

“I’ve spent quite a bit of time around Genie,” Telary comments as they both settle against a wall. “But that’s the first time I think I’ve ever seen him use his powers to that extent.”

“It really was something,” Kairi concurs with a light laugh. “Sora tried to describe Genie to me, but really…”

“There’s just no way to describe him!”

“Exactly! It’s like he’s always talking about these movies or books you’ve never seen. Y’know?” She shrugs. “But, at least Jasmine seems to be feeling better now.”

She sighs. Her fellow Princess of Heart had been in a bad way with worry, and Genie had taken it upon himself to make the young woman feel better. In the process, Kairi had found some of her concern for Sora fading as well.

The hall is silent for a few moments that seem to stretch out to infinity. Kairi and Telary turn their heads to face each other, just staring as an awkwardness settles in. It seems like it’s always that way with the two of them. Things are great and fine and friendly, and then a single pause sends it screeching to a halt. Suddenly, they aren’t two people having a conversation anymore. Their largely forgotten past comes flooding in, settling into their hearts like a terrible weight.

“Well,” Telary says, coughing into his hand. “It’s, it’s late I guess. And, y’know, the sooner I get to sleep, the sooner I wake up to find that Aladdin and Sora and Azlyn are back! So, uh… Goodnight.”

He turns and begins making his way up the hall, Kairi just watching him go. For a moment she contemplates turning around, going to the room Jasmine had provided, and settling in for a good night’s sleep. It would be much easier, less daunting than trying to fix a longstanding problem in one night.

But then Sora’s words come back to her, reminding her that trying is the first step. It’s time to take that step, really truly.

“Wait, Tel!” she softly calls down the hallway, her brother freezing in his tracks with a twitch. He turns to face her, eyes questioning. Taking another deep breath, she steps closer to him. “I’m not anticipating much sleep, actually. I’m just as worried about Sora as Jasmine is about Aladdin, so…”

The wizard nods. “I’ll probably be thinking about Azlyn, too.”

A nod from her. “Might as well not, uh, not be worried all alone, right?”

Telary is frozen, soundless panic ringing out loud and clear from his eyes. But after a moment he composes himself, expression softening. Finally, he nods. “You’re right, Kairi. Two is better than one.”

After yet another very awkward discussion, they decide on talking in Telary’s room. The guest suite is large and well-appointed. Along with the huge canopy bed, a small seating area is set up in the corner. Outside leads to a balcony, yet another arrangement of chairs out there. Without much commentary, the pair decide on the balcony.

“Nice out here,” Tel comments, holding the door open for his sister. She walks through with a small nod of thanks. “This is a pretty nice world overall. Temperature wise. Well, I guess there’s the heat.”

“I did notice the heat,” Kairi agrees, leaning against the balcony. “Gives a Destiny Island summer a run for its munny, that’s for sure.”

“Sure, sure.” Telary stands beside her, leaning as well. “Disney Castle is pretty cool. I, uh, mean that in a temperature sense. And, y’know, it’s cool as in a very nice place too. Growing up there was…”

He pauses midsentence, wincing. There it is again. The silence, not knowing what to say or how to say it. Not that talking about the weather was a great conversation, but it was at least something.

“You should tell me about it.” Telary looks to Kairi, meeting his fellow redhead’s eyes. “I want to know. Really.”

He nods, turning around and leaning back. “It was great, really. I mean, c’mon, it was a castle! Mickey and Queen Minnie were great. My room was great. The food was great. Master Donald, a great teacher, taught me all about magic. I learned to fly the Gummi ship. It’s…”

“Pretty great?”

“Exactly!”

Silence. The wind whistles all around them, its motion somehow not diluting the stillness of the night.

“What about you?”

Kairi looks over at him. She turns around, her back against the railing. “I love Destiny Islands. Everything about it, like you said about Disney Castle. My friends especially.”

“I didn’t have many friends,” Telary interrupts. It sounds like a confession. Painful. “Being the only human was, well, it was surprisingly lonely. I only had Azlyn, really. And the king and everybody but… Only Azlyn fully understood. That’s why we’re so close. Other than Sora, I think she still might be my only real friend.”

“The other Destiny Islands kids,” Kairi says, “during the year nobody remembered Sora, I think I alienated them all a bit. And then when we came back from fighting Organization XIII, things were a lot different. Suddenly, it was like Sora and Riku were the only people who could understand what I went through.” She sighs deeply. “So what I guess I’m saying is, I don’t have a lot of friends either.”

Another silence, but there’s something companionable about it. This silence isn’t lonely. They’re just sharing it between them two of them.

“We can’t go back to the past,” Telary finally says. “Whatever it was like, we should accept that it’s mostly gone for now. Our childhood together isn’t going to come back. All the time we actually spent being siblings.”

Kairi nods. “But, when you think about it, that isn’t much different than what happened with Aladdin and his dad. They can’t get the past back either. All that leaves is the future.” She reaches out, grabbing her brother’s hand. “And the journey into the future always starts with one step. Both of us just admitted that we don’t have many friends. Maybe it’s time we each got one more.”

Telary doesn’t say anything. Instead, he just steps forward and wraps Kairi in a tender hug. She hugs right back, and the silence isn’t empty at all.

“Well,” Telary says after a moment, the redhead pair pulling apart, “that’s one major worry off my chest, at least.” He turns to look over the railing again. “But, if I’m being honest, I’m not all that worried about Sora and Azlyn and Aladdin. They’re too tough to let a bunch of lowlife thieves mess with them.”

“I totally agree,” Kairi says, leaning back. “I believe Sora will come back to me. Crossing the universe didn’t faze him, what’s one desert? I don’t worry about him at all.” She sighs. “I just wish he could say the same about me.”

“What do you mean?”

Kairi opens her hand, her Keyblade appearing in a flash of light. “I can’t tell you how great it felt when I got this. All of the sudden, it was like I could really go with Sora. No more magic comas or kidnappings for me! I could be a hero like him and Riku.”

“When it comes down to it,” Telary says in an attempt at reassurance, “fighting life or death battles aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.”

“Of course not,” she replies, dismissing her weapon. “I’m not saying I love fighting or anything. It just feels like now, for the first time, I can if the need arises. Like when the Forty Thieves attacked and Sora jumped into action. I jumped right alongside him, backing him up. Helping instead of hindering.” She sighs heavily. “But Sora didn’t see it like that at all. To him, no matter what, I was still the helpless little princess. He had to watch my back for the tiniest thing.” Her eyes go hard, so resolute Telary can see the shine in them. “That’s not who I am. I can do things for myself, and I need to.”

“I don’t think he really thinks about it, what he’s doing,” Telary suggests. “It’s all instinctive for him. You should talk to him about it.” He smiles brightly. “Savior of the universe he may be, but sometimes that boy needs things pounded into his thick skull.”

Kairi giggles. “I hear that.” She puts a hand against the balcony, leans toward Telary a little. “Well, that’s my relationship trouble discussed. How about you and Azlyn?”

The wizard grimaces. “Oh, that. Well, it’s kind of…”

Reaching out, Kairi puts a hand on his shoulder. When he looks down at her, she grins ear to ear “You can tell me, Telary. One friend to another.”
 

KingdomKey

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This is so adorable! The bonding between brother and sister is so sweet! <3 I absolutely love the way Kairi takes the initiative of that first step. Or how Telary crosses the gap between them into a brotherly hug. <3 Also, we're FINALLY getting somewhere. Telary! SPILL. THE. DETAILS! I can't handle it for much longer. lol. Anyways, I like that Kairi is continuing to seek independence. Gosh, the character growth is marvelously done on her. <3 I have so much love for this chapter right now. <3
 

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Chapter III: Thick As Thieves, pt. 5
If there’s one thing the Forty Thieves know how to do (besides sneak, steal, and get away scot-free), it’s celebrate. The welcome bash for their newest member (and his satellite buddies) lasts several hours, only growing more raucous. But eventually the thieves tucker out from their long, exciting day.

Once everyone else is in bed, Cassim takes his son and company on a tour of the lair. They finish up the main quarters quickly, and after a quick blood oath from Sora, Azlyn, and Iago, the King of Thieves leads them lower into the depths of the mountain.

“This truly is a momentous day!” Cassim says, grabbing a lit torch from the wall and leading them through a series of underground caves. “My enemy dead, my son returned…”

“I won like three hundred munny off those boobs!” Azlyn gloats, happily patting the small pouch she uses as a purse.

“And, nobody killed us!” Iago finishes, happily ruffling his feathers. The small parrot rides on Sora’s shoulder. “I gotta say though, these dank caves ain’t exactly what I’d call an afterparty.”

Cassim shakes his head. “This is much more than that, bird.” The company comes to a halt, at a dead end. Before them is a solid wall, inscribed with a plethora of hieroglyphics. They’re all centered on a single image: a circle with an open hand within. “What I’m about to show you is a total secret. Not even my men know about this place.”

“The blood oath kinda tipped me off to that,” Azlyn remarks, glancing at the small bandage covering where her finger had been pricked.

Removing the identically-styled pin from his cloak, the King of Thieves places it into the wall’s depression. The muffled sounds of gears moving behind solid stone cut through the silent cavern, and the wall slides back to reveal a hidden room. It’s rather small, appointed like a very old bedchamber.

The group files in one at a time, Cassim lighting another torch set in a sconce before making a beeline to a stone cabinet set far back in the room. As Sora watches him, he notes the sound of dripping water. Looking to his left, he spots a large underground lake.

“Allow me to tell you a story, Aladdin,” Cassim says, pulling out a rolled up cloth. “The story of a treasure beyond any imagining. A source of riches great enough to make a sultan’s purse seem like lunch munny!”

Azlyn and Iago lean in, listening intently. Aladdin, however, is not so moved. The former street rat only stands with his arms crossed. Sora goes to stand by him, trying to match his unimpressed look.

“This treasure,” Iago asks, fluttering very close to the King of Thieves. “Would you say it’s the ultimate treasure?”

Cassim nods. “Indeed it is, my feathered friend. The Hand of Midas!” With a flourish, the older man allows the cloth to unravel. It seems to be a very small tapestry, dominated by an embroidered golden hand, once again the exact same seen on Cassim’s medallion.

Aladdin scoffs, shaking his head. “That’s nothing but a stupid myth. I can’t believe…”

“It’s real boy!” Cassim interrupts, advancing on his son with a stern glare. “It used to be right here, in fact!” Grabbing a torch, he stalks towards the water’s edge.

“For those of us not familiar with old myths,” Azlyn interjects, following Cassim with the rest of the group, “what exactly is the Hand of Midas?”

“A long time ago, there was a king named Midas,” Aladdin explains, his voice still retaining its unimpressed, skeptic quality. “Legend has it he wished for the ability to turn everything he touched to gold. It’s nothing but a stupid legend, a story made up to teach a lesson about greed. It’s not…”

“On the contrary, boy,” Cassim interrupts, holding his torch over the water. Something glitters in its depths, reflecting the firelight. “It is real.”

Everyone leans over, peering into the water. Once they get a good look at what lies at the bottom, they all gasp. Azlyn nearly faints, Sora quickly reaching out to stop her from plunging into the water.

That’s not to say the Keybearer isn’t impressed. A ship lies at the water’s bottom, the source of the glittering. For this ship is no ordinary vessel of wood.

“Solid gold,” Cassim exclaims. “Stem to stern, of every plank and piece of rigging. Proof enough, I’d say.”

“I’m a believer!” Iago shouts. “I believe big time, baby! Adopt me, Daddy-O!!!”

Cassim’s eyes glisten in a way that has nothing to do with reflected firelight. “Touched, by the Hand of Midas.”

“And sunk by it,” Al scoffs, turning away. Sora follows him a few feet, realizes Azlyn is still rooted to her spot, and literally drags her away.

“You don’t understand!” Cassim accuses his son, flinging his torch into the water. “How could you, the Princess’s betrothed? You don’t know what it’s like to have nothing, to be looked down upon. Called a street rat!”

Aladdin whirls on his father. “You’re wrong there, Dad. Dead wrong! This is why you left, isn’t it? Why you abandoned mom and me?”

Cassim’s ardor cools. Great sorrow colors his eyes for a moment, then he looks away. “I did what I had to do, to give us a better life. We deserved so much more! Not only me, but you and your mother.”

“All I wanted was a father,” Aladdin counters. “And all mom wanted was her husband, the man she loved, back home with her! When she got sick, she would only talk about you. How much she wanted to be with you again. Well, she never got that chance, did she?”

“The search went on too long,” the King of Thieves explains, sighing heavily. “From what I gathered, the Hand is on an island that is never in the same place twice. I looked everywhere, and when I came back to Agrabah… By then, your mother was already gone, and I couldn’t find you. I thought I had no more family.”

“You still do, though,” Aladdin says, putting a hand on his father’s shoulder. “You’ve got me, and I want you in my life. I want you to come to my wedding. Please, Dad.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Cassim turns away. “I don’t belong in your world now. Believe me, Aladdin… At this point, you’d be better off without a father.”

“You know that isn’t true.” Aladdin turns and walks away, Sora and Azlyn falling into step behind him. “We’re leaving in the morning. I hope you’ll be with us.”

Once his son has gone Cassim angrily pounds his fist into the stone wall. “He just doesn’t understand. I can’t go back. I don’t belong in his world.”

“Maybe not,” Iago agrees, landing atop the cabinet and looking down at the King of Thieves. “But, if you think about it, neither does the Oracle.”

“Probably just another dead end.”

Iago shakes his head, flapping down to Cassim’s shoulder. “It isn’t! I saw it work, that’s how the kid found you! It knows everything!”

“Everything?”

The parrot grins smugly. “That’s what I said.” He casually saunters across the King of Thieves’ shoulder. His grin only gets more devious. “Cassim, we are talking about your only son’s wedding!”

“How could I miss it?” Cassim wonders aloud, visions of gold once again glimmering in his eyes.

KH-KH-KH


With a wave, Pete dismisses the scrying spell. The magical image it had produced fades out quickly, returning the ocean water to its normal sheet of impenetrable black.

“What are you doing?” Gilgamesh asks his partner. “They did not mention our objective at all! We have learned nothing, except that this Aladdin may make a worthy opponent as well. Once I settle with the Keyblade wielder, of course.”

“Were we listenin’ to the same conversation, knucklehead?” the fat cat admonishes. “If what that parrot was sayin’ is true, our search is good as over! Alls we gotta do is nab that there Oracle, and it can tell us exactly what we wanna know.”

Gilgamesh nods. “I see. I suppose.” He stands, hand reaching back for his polearm. “Shall we go acquire this Oracle, then?”

Pete thinks a second, frowning all the while. “Dunno. Somethin’ like that, it’ll be all locked up. Guarded.”

“I can handle any mere guard,” Gilgamesh scoffs.

“I still don’t fancy breakin’ in to the palace’s secure areas by our lonesome,” Pete argues. “That redhead wizard ain’t half bad. And especially with that genie hangin’ around…” He shudders, remembering well his last encounter with the big blue lug. And Genie hadn’t even been trying that time. “Better to play it safe. All we’s gotta do is wait around a bit, and the King of Thieves’ll nab the thing for us! Takin’ it from him should be a cinch.”

Gilgamesh nods. “I do see a certain logic in that plan. Any man who could lead a group such as the Forty Thieves would indubitably be a mighty challenge.”

“So, it’s all settled up then,” Pete declares, stomping the sand happily. He’s generally not used to feeling like a criminal mastermind, so this is a very welcome change.

The fat cat’s preening is cut short when a large object flies out of the water with a splash. Maleficent’s minions watch as it sails through the air, wriggling all the while. It finally lands at the pair’s feet. It’s still thrashing, but now Pete can clearly see that it’s a shark.

Before anyone can say anything, something else emerges from this ocean. But this is clearly no fish. A bulky man that Pete immediately identifies as Sa'luk drags himself onto the shore. Despite having fallen hundreds of feet and fought off a shark, he looks surprisingly healthy.

“What a fighter!” Gilgamesh exclaims, immediately alerting Sa'luk to their present. The thug rises to his feet, golden claws at the ready. “Brilliant!”

Pee cautiously approaches him. “Hey, calm down there sonnyboy! We ain’t fixin’ to get into a mess with ya. Matter of fact, I think there might be a little somethin’ we can do for you.”
 

KingdomKey

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Iago! You're not suppose to encourage Cassim! Aw well, I suppose they'll find what they're seeking in the end. In a way, I think Iago suits Cassim far more than Aladdin. :3 In the meantime, Azlyn making money off of the thieves was a riot. xD Any Gilgamesh is certainly impatient. I'm slowly dying in wonder what they could possibly want beyond the keyblade. Maybe to take over the worlds again, or Kingdom Hearts itself? Anyways, Aladdin hands remain clean after all. But I hope they all watch their backs. o.o Good chapter as usual!
 
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