KH: Antipode [Alpha draft] pt 26

[keybearer]

Chapter 26: Mysteries and Magic Tricks

The carpet carried Riku and his friends far beyond the city of Agrabah and deep into the scorching desert. They passed over what seemed like an endless sea of sand without even a single landmark to guide them. No matter where they looked, they’d find sand and nothing else. At least, until they reached a large cluster of stones surrounding what appeared to be an enormous tiger’s head. It gazed at the group with a set of yellow, glowing eyes, and its mouth hung wide open, like the entrance to a cave. Though a few Heartless surrounded the cave, it didn’t take long before the group ventured inside its gaping maw and began their pursuit of Jafar.

Inside, they found themselves surrounded by tall pillars and towering walls lined with swirled décor and flaming torches. A narrow path stood above a pitch black pit leading into the unknown. There was very little room to walk along this winding walkway, and they quickly found themselves standing close to one another for support. Occasionally they’d come to a grinding halt, as massive boulders rolled down from above, threatening to squash them flat. The appearance of countless Heartless didn’t help, either. When winged Soldiers dove down and tried to nail Riku with spinning kicks, he had no choice but to deflect them with his Keyblade and stand his ground; moving too much risked sending him over the edge.

The next room contained countless platforms high above another winding pathway. Unfortunately, Heartless covered each and every one, and the moment the group stepped inside, they swarmed all around them and blasted fire, swiped their swords, and leaped at them from behind. Goofy managed to block a vicious trio of Shadows and send them down into the pit below, and Donald’s blizzard spells encased two Fat Bandits in a thick layer of ice. And with Ali—or rather, Aladdin at his side, Riku made quick work of the remaining Heartless. Unfortunately, the path ahead was far from clear.

Though they made it past the Heartless, Riku and the others quickly found themselves leaping away from rolling rocks and ducking below bursts of water that shot forth from the walls. Both the boulders and water threatened to push them down below, and making it across their treacherous path required patience and a keen eye. Luckily, the traps weren’t constantly triggered; every few seconds, they’d pause, giving the group the opportunity to slip by in one piece. Occasional Heartless appeared to slow them down, but after a bit of trial and error, they made it through.

A narrow pathway up ahead led into the next room. Up above, a single platform carried a plethora of pots and barrels. Torrents of water shot every few seconds, making the lower path a treacherous trek. In an attempt to bypass the traps, Aladdin hopped up to the top and motioned to the others to follow. Though at first they tried to bust open the pots, many of them sprouted legs and rushed forward in an attempt to attack. It took a swift beating from the Keyblade to shatter the pots and destroy the Heartless within. Luckily, they found plenty of munny to go around, a prize well worth a frustrating fight or two.

By the time they reached the next room, the group stopped and stared. Instead of treacherous traps and pitfalls, the next chamber greeted them with piles upon piles of shimmering gold. Coins, goblets, necklaces, and crowns filled the area. Rubies, emeralds, and sapphires sparkles as the flames of the nearby torches wildly danced around. Tall, elegant statues lined the path ahead, and though a few Heartless emerged from beneath the sparkling treasures, their presence hardly soiled the mood.

Yes, after a bit of fighting, the group took a moment to gaze upon their surroundings. Just a handful of the treasures would make them richer than the sultan—than just about anyone, really! Grinning, Riku and Donald slid over toward one of the piles and leaned over the assortment of goods. They reached for a few odd trinkets, but they soon found themselves being pulled back by Aladdin and Goofy, who silently shook their heads. While Donald grumbled and groaned, Riku nodded. After all, they weren’t there to strike gold; the whole reason they came was to rescue Jasmine and stop Jafar. If they had to, they could grab a few souvenirs later on.

Unfortunately, once they came to the end of the chamber, they found a massive pillar blocking their path. Though Riku tried to bust through it with his Keyblade, his strikes and slashes did little to clear the way. With his brow furrowed, he turned around and placed a hand on his hip. This wasn’t working, but there had to be some way around it. If they could just get rid of that pillar somehow, they’d surely be able to pass through to the next room.

“So, any bright ideas?” he said, glancing from Aladdin, to Donald, and finally Goofy.

“You know, I think I’ve got it covered.” Grinning, Aladdin turned back towards the entrance. “If we’re gonna get through here, we’ll just have to improvise, and I know one place we haven’t checked.”

Sure enough, the group really had forgotten to check one area of the cave—the lower level that they’d been avoiding the whole time. When they finally made their way back into the narrow hall, Aladdin immediately hopped down into the darkness, forcing the others to take the plunge. Though a bit of a fall, they made it to the bottom in one piece, landing in a stream of ice cold water among a darkened cavern. Though the chill of the stream sent shivers down Riku’s spine, he followed along with Aladdin and the others, passing a few small platforms and gargantuan statues that held up bright, red gemstones.

Whenever they encountered these statues, Aladdin climbed up, gave the stones a tap, and urged the others to keep moving. Together, they proceeded through a number of tunnels without pause, other than to bust open a few treasure chests along the way. Several more statues stood along the pale, blue walls of the tunnels, and Aladdin approached each one without hesitation. By tapping the stones, he opened up several new paths. Stairs sank down to clear the way, walls opened up revealing new secrets. One thing was clear: he knew this place like the back of his hand. Without him, they would’ve spent hours searching for the cave’s secrets.

Luckily, it took maybe a few minutes to unravel the truth. Indeed, after paddling through tunnel after tunnel, they soon came across a hidden chamber. At the center, Riku caught sight of a tall, stone pillar that reached high above the chamber’s ceiling. Did it have anything to do with the treasure room? Rather than mull over it, he climbed onto a nearby ledge and slammed his Keyblade against a piece of the pillar. It shook, and cracks spread all across its surface. Before long, it crumbled and fell into the chilly water below. Maybe now they could get through the path above.

After a bit of maneuvering through the tunnels, they eventually reached the cave’s upper levels once more and proceeded back to the treasure chamber with haste. When they reached the end, they found no pillar blocking their way. Instead, an open doorway led into another chamber. As they stepped through, they found themselves amidst a rounded room lined by torches and a few raised platforms, but that’s not all. At the far end of the chamber stood Jafar, just inches away from a Keyhole-shaped opening in the wall. Above him, the Genie loomed with his back hunched over and a frown on his face. However, as the group ventured further into the chamber, they found no sign of Jasmine… or Sora, for that matter.

But that didn’t stop Aladdin from rushing towards Jafar with his sword drawn. “Jasmine?!”

Jafar laughed, and a grin lined his face. “You are far too late, boy… The princess is no longer present in this world.”

“Then where is she?” Riku narrowed his eyes and stormed right up to the ledge. “And Sora… he was with you, wasn’t he?”

“Sora?” Jafar chuckled. “Why… as a matter of fact, yes. He was, and he’s been such a remarkable help.”

“You’ve got that right!” Some mangy looking parrot peered over his shoulder. “That kid snatched up the lamp for us. All it took was a sob story, and he fell for it like a ton of bricks.”

“As for the princess…” Jafar wrapped his fingers tightly around his cane. “She is with the others whose pure hearts shall lead us to the heart of all worlds.”

“The heart of all worlds?” Goofy scratched his head.

Donald gasped. “And what others?”

“Quite a curious bunch, aren’t you? But no matter, I suppose I can satisfy your curiosity.” Jafar’s grin widened. “You see, there are seven maidens whose hearts lack even the slightest darkness. Jasmine is but one of these Princesses of Heart.”

Seven maidens with pure hearts… It almost sounded like something out of a fairy tale. And this guy wanted them? Or maybe… Maleficent did. Riku shut his eyes, and he let out a sigh. If Sora wasn’t there, did that mean he played a part in Jasmine’s kidnapping the same way he did with Alice? And… was there some kind of connection between her and Jasmine? It’d explain why they both went missing, and all because of some door.

When he opened his eyes, Riku held up the Keyblade and scowled. “Well, if you think we’ll let that slide, think again.”

“Riku’s right!” Aladdin bared his teeth and narrowed his eyes. “There’s no way I’ll let you get away with this.”

“Oh, so you truly believe you can stand up to me? Charming.” Shaking his head, Jafar turned to face the Genie. “In that case… Genie, I wish to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world!”

Aladdin gasped, and he took a step back. “Genie, wait!”

“Sorry, Al.” Genie shook his head, covering his eyes with his hand. “I work for señor psychopath now. I’ve got no choice.” He gulped and held out his other hand, as a beam of light shot from his finger tips and weaved its way around Jafar.

Overall, his appearance hardly changed. His turban did V shape at the top, and his staff became longer and more elegant, but overall his looks remained roughly the same. However, that didn’t stop him from breaking into a fit of maniacal laughter. All the while, his parrot clapped his wings together and gave the group a toothy grin while the Genie turned away and sighed.

“Sorcerer, huh?” Donald narrowed his eyes, and he pulled out his staff. “Well, two can play at this game. Watch this!”

He twirled his staff around, sending several pillars of electricity crashing down from above. However, Jafar vanished in the blink of an eye, and the bolts collided with solid stone. Then, before Donald could even turn around, a bright red blast sent him flying into one of the walls. Grinning, Jafar whirled his own staff in the air with a sinister smirk.

“A game, you say?” He placed a hand to his mouth. “Oh, but I’m afraid I’m not in the mood to toy with you.”

With the wave of his staff, another red glow flew straight at Donald and wrapped tightly around him. His whole body shrank in size, and feathers shifted to a dull rubber. When the aura faded, Donald hit the ground and let out a squeak; Jafar had changed him into a rubber ducky.

“Donald!” Goofy gasped, and he flung his shield at Jafar from behind. The blow pushed him forward several feet, but that hardly deterred the sorcerer in his magical onslaught.

Whirling around, Jafar looked Goofy straight in the eye and gnashed his teeth. “A surprise attack? Why, what a novel idea…”

With another wave of his staff, Jafar unleashed yet another terrifying spell. Right behind Goofy, a large box appeared with a little crank at the side. It spun around for a second or two before the box opened wide, and a duo of Bandit Heartless sprung out from inside. They lashed at him from behind and sent him down to the ground. Riku cringed at the sight. Not only was Jafar fighting with powerful magic… he was doing it with awful puns.

Well, he’d had enough. Grumbling under his breath, Riku bolted towards Jafar and held up his Keyblade. A straight-up attack would put him at risk, and he couldn’t fight fire with sparks. Still, there had to be some way to slow him down. Once he drew close enough, he took a deep breath and focused his mind on stopping Jafar dead in his tracks.

“Stop!”

Countless clocks surrounded Jafar, ticking slowly but surely. For all of three seconds, he froze completely, giving Riku a chance to strike with an array of swift slashes and strikes. Unfortunately, the spell didn’t last long enough to do any real damage; before long, Jafar grabbed onto the front of Riku’s shirt and pulled him up to eye level.

“How… amusing,” he said, dropping Riku down to the ground. “But I’m afraid your time is up!”

Before he could even move, Riku found himself being pelted by falling sand. When he got back to his feet, he tried to rush forward, only to come face-to-face with a wall of glass. Did… Jafar just trap him in an hour glass? Well, that wouldn’t stop him just yet. Rolling his eyes, Riku bashed his Keyblade into the glass, sending shards flying through the air. Seeing this, Jafar narrowed his eyes and warped right in front of him.

“You may think you’re a hero, boy…” He twirled his staff. “But you’re just a child playing pretend!”

Before Riku could even think about striking again, the red glow of Jafar’s magic surrounded his Keyblade, enveloping it completely. In a matter of seconds, it went from feeling heavy and metallic to light and almost… wooden. Riku’s eyes widened, and he leaped back. His Keyblade… it’d been turned into a toy sword! If Jafar could pull that off, how were they going to stand up to him? There had to be some kind of loophole. Anything to put a stop to his irritating magic tricks.

Though Riku had little means to defend himself, Goofy still carried his shield in hand. After trouncing the two Bandit Heartless, he stormed towards Jafar with his shield held out in front of him. Oddly, Jafar didn’t move a muscle. He simply peered over his shoulder and cackled.

“I’d watch your step if I were you.” He pointed his staff at the ground. “Wouldn’t want to slip up, would we?”

Just as Goofy drew close to Jafar, a banana peel appeared, catching Goofy completely off guard and sending him flying towards one of the walls with a loud scream. He flailed his arms around and crashed head first into the hardened stone. His shield clattered on the ground, and he fell onto his back. There, he lay perfectly still; the impact must’ve knocked him out cold.

Now only Riku and Aladdin remained, and with his Keyblade out of commission, it wasn’t like Riku could do much against a sorcerer. Still, Aladdin had his sword… for now, and he didn’t take long to rush for Jafar and slice at him from behind. Unfortunately, his weapon soon shifted from a sharpened blade to a floppy piece of inflatable plastic, and one peck from Iago’s beak deflated it completely. With the sword out of the way, Jafar leaned in close and grinned.

“Ah, Prince Abooboo,” he said. “I have something very special in mind for you.” With his staff held close, Jafar circled around Aladdin and began humming the melody to Prince Ali’s song. All the while, his magic wrapped itself all around Aladdin’s princely attire, stripping it away.

“So Ali turns out to be merely Aladdin. Just a con, need I go on? Take it from me…”

As he sang, the Genie grumbled and crossed his arms. “Oh, it’s not enough that he’s singing our song. He’s singing it out of tune!”

Aladdin’s once silky and elegant clothes rapidly shifted to a pair of tattered pants, a red fez, and a dusty old vest. While Jafar sang and hummed the taunting melody, Aladdin narrowed his eyes, clenched his hands into fists and arched his back. Then, right as Jafar prepared to finish his ditty, Aladdin stepped forward and looked him straight in the eye.

“Are you afraid to fight us, you cowardly snake?!”

Taking a step back, Jafar ceased his singing and chuckled under his breath. “A snake, am I?” His pupils changed into slits, and he gained a pair of fangs. “Perhaps you’d like to see how sssnake-like I can be!”

Jafar’s whole body rapidly transformed. His limbs vanished completely, while his body grew long and serpentine. He grew larger and larger, while his face extended into a narrow snout, and his turban became a cobra’s hood. Black and red stripes lined his scaly body, save for his golden snout and underbelly. Each of his fangs looked just as sharp as any old sword, and they were probably full of nasty venom. At the sight of the enormous snake, Riku cringed and took a step back. Jafar’s whole body took up the majority of the chamber. How were they supposed to fight him without weapons?

They didn’t even have time to mull it over. As soon as he finished transforming, Jafar launched his head forward and snapped his jaws. Both Riku and Aladdin took off in opposite directions, while Jafar continued to strike. When his attempts to bite them failed, he flicked his tail around, sending the two of them straight for the walls. Then, he inched closer and pulled his head back once more. Groaning, Riku slowly pushed himself against the wall and blasted Jafar with a series of fira spells; even with his Keyblade rendered useless, his magic still worked.

The flames singed his scales and caused Jafar to slither back a bit, but he was hardly deterred. Baring his teeth, he flew forward again, this time at Aladdin, who slid out of his path. This caused Jafar’s head to collide with the stone wall, leaving a nasty dent. For about five seconds, he stood perfectly still, and Riku blasted the snake with a series of electrical shocks. Then, when Jafar started to move again, he leaped back and cast aero on himself and Aladdin; a little added defense could go a long ways at a time like this.

Of course, Jafar didn’t let up on his onslaught of strikes. With the sheer frequency of his attacks, Riku and Aladdin had barely any time to stop and chat. Sure, Riku managed a few spells every now and then, and with their combined speed and agility, they managed to get Jafar to crash into the walls on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, their tactics barely bruised him, let alone slowed him down. It wasn’t until Aladdin got Jafar to slam his head into one of the platforms that he and Riku got a chance to speak.

“This isn’t working!” said Riku, launching a blizzard spell right into Jafar’s mouth. “He’s just too strong.”

Aladdin sighed, and he hopped back, right as Jafar lifted his head once more. “I hate to admit it, but you’re right. The only guy stronger than him is—”

Riku’s eyes widened. “The Genie?”

“Uh, guys?” The Genie peeked out from behind one of the platforms. “Do me a favor and leave me outta this!”

“Are you kidding?” Riku’s lips curled into a smirk, and he leaped out of Jafar’s path once again. After firing some more thunder magic, he glanced over at Aladdin. “C’mon. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Oh yeah.” Grinning, Aladdin waltzed right up to Jafar and looked him straight in the eye. “Hey, Jafar! Do you really think you’re that powerful?”

Jafar flicked his tongue, and he chuckled. “Doubting my power, are we? Even after I’ve left you and your dear friends powerless?”

“Squash ‘em, Jafar!” Iago circled around his enormous head and sneered. “Squeeze the juices right outta them.”

“It’s quite tempting, actually. Perhaps then they’ll show some respect…”

“And why should we respect you?” Riku rolled his eyes, and he pointed his wooden sword over at the Genie. “Face it, you’re only second rate. Maybe you’ve got some nice parlor tricks, but you don’t even hold a candle to the Genie.”

“That’s right.” Aladdin crossed his arms. “He gave you your power, and he could take it all away!”

Once again, the Genie peeked out from around the corner, twiddling his thumbs. “Iiii really don’t like where this is going.”

“Oh, but I do…” Jafar pulled back, and he gave a toothy grin. “Your power might exceed my own, slave… but not for long.” He slithered around the room, looming right over the Genie. “For you see, I’ve decided upon my third and final wish.”

The Genie gulped, and he floated back, bumping right into one of Jafar’s coils. “I… don’t suppose I could change your mind?”

“No.” Cackling, Jafar leaned in so that his face hovered just above the Genie’s. “Now, I wish to become an all powerful genie!”

Wincing, the Genie held out his finger and sent a small, purple burst of magic all around the massive snake. The ground began to rumble and shake, and cracks spread across the very center of the chamber. Bits of sand and concrete fell down below, revealing the bright glow of lava flowing from the walls like waterfalls. Jafar himself fell into the hole, as his body stretched and contorted. Scales and a cobra’s hood shifted to pure muscle, and his skin became a deep red. His finger nails, now black, sharpened into claws, and his eyes became a vibrant yellow.

Riku and Aladdin exchanged quick glances before they leaped down into the chamber’s lower level, landing on one of many tall platforms that moved up and down. They caught sight of Iago swooping down towards a black lamp, and Riku immediately launched an onslaught of ice to slow him down. Laughing like a maniac, Jafar stood high above the ground, holding both his arms to his side. Then, he reached into the lava and hurled an immense ball of fire straight at the platforms. Riku and Aladdin had no choice but to book it in order to avoid being nailed by an explosive impact.

“This power…” said Jafar, in a deep and throaty voice. “I can feel it! The entire universe is at my command!”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that.” Riku leaped onto one of the platforms, knocking Iago aside with his wooden sword. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

“There’s always a catch.” Aladdin hopped onto the ledge and scooped up the lamp with a smirk. “You wanted to be a genie, you got it.”

Riku laughed. “And everything that goes with it.”

“What? No!”

Too late. All it took was one rub of the lamp, and Jafar let out a terrifying scream. Though he latched onto the platforms with his claw-like nails, the lamp pulled at his tail end like a vacuum, sending him closer and closer to his doom. Though Iago tried to fly away, he soon found himself caught in the cross fires and getting dragged along with his master. The two of them continued to struggle and scream, even as they disappeared right into the lamp. Inside, they bickered and groaned. In fact, the lamp shook a little in Aladdin’s hands.

But he didn’t fuss over it. Instead, he twirled it by the handle around his index finger and smirked. “Well, that takes care of him.”

“Yeah, and about time, too.”

Riku glanced down at his wooden sword and sighed. Luckily for him, a bright light surrounded it, and he soon found his hand weighed down by solid metal. The dinky handle of the toy sword transformed into the Keyblade’s hilt, and the dull, wooden blade returned to its original shape. Up above, he heard a frenzy of squawks, and soon Donald, Goofy, and the Genie looked over the edge up above and waved.

Though there was no way Riku and Aladdin would be able to climb that high, they didn’t need to. Before long, the Genie swooped down, scooped them up, and gently dropped them on one of the many platforms up above. At that moment, the group took the time to catch their breath, dust off any sand and debris, and guzzle down potions. Then, once he’d caught his breath, Riku slowly turned around and gasped.

There, right before his eyes, stood the Keyhole. Even after that entire ruckus, he’d still get a clear shot at sealing the world. Closing his eyes tightly, Riku raised the Keyblade, unleashing a burst of light that locked up the world in a heartbeat. A golden glow reached from the floor up to the top of the archway, concealing the Keyhole behind a wall of stone. Then, in the blink of an eye, the ground shook one more, and bits of rubble slid down from the walls. The group didn’t even have time to chat; as the quaking grew more and more intense, the Genie floated up in the air and whistled loudly. Then, the magic carpet swooped down from above, scooping up the group and dashing through the now collapsing cave.

They dodged falling boulders, lava flows, and a plethora of Heartless that leaped in their path. Above and all around them, the walls and ceiling rapidly fell apart, sending large chunks of stone on a plummet down below. Luckily, the Genie kept the chaos at bay, using his magical power to send stones flying at any Heartless that crossed their path. Though the journey was rough, it didn’t take too long before the carpet rocketed straight out of the cave’s mouth and shot towards the city of Agrabah.

Eventually, they returned to the palace, where they delivered the news to the sultan. Though they’d defeated Jafar, the fact remained that Jasmine had been taken far beyond Agrabah to a place even the magic carpet couldn’t reach. That very fact made the sultan practically wilt, and he looked down at the ground with a frown on his face. The poor guy was probably worried sick by now. After all, it’s not like he’d known about the outside world until they flat-out explained it to him.

And when they did, he sighed. “Oh, if only there was something I could do…”

“Yeah…” Donald frowned, and he looked up at the sky. “But we can’t take you guys with us. That’s too much meddling, and it’d throw everything off balance.”

“But what are we supposed to do?” Aladdin’s body grew tense. “I feel so… powerless right now. Like there’s no way I can save her.”

“Aw, Al, don’t be so blue.” The Genie leaned over his shoulder with a smile. “See, it suits me fine, but you? I’d stick with the lightly tanned look.” He plopped a hand on Aladdin’s shoulder. “Besides, you’re not really helpless! Remember? I’m a Genie. Just say the word, and I’ll find Jasmine for you.”

“But, Genie, I can’t.” Aladdin shook his head. “What about your freedom?”

“Hey, I’ve lasted this long.” Genie sighed. “Sure it’s a whole eternity of servitude, but this isn’t about me. We’re pals, Al, and I’d be happy to give up my freedom for you crazy love birds.”

“In that case…” Aladdin smiled, and he held up the lamp. “Genie, I wish for your freedom!”

Grinning, the Genie puffed out his chest and held out his arms. “All right! That’s one princess rescue comin’ right—what?” His jaw dropped, and his arms fell to his sides.

“Genie, you’re free!”

A bright glow surrounded the lamp, reaching all the way around the Genie’s body. It spiraled around his lower body, as his ghost-like trail transformed into a pair of legs. The golden cuffs on his wrists broke right open and fell to the floor. At first, the Genie simply stared at his hands, but before long, a broad grin lined his face, and he shouted with glee.

“Oh, Al! Old buddy, old pal.” He wrapped his arms tightly around Aladdin. “I’m really free! No more following orders, no more cramped living space.” Hopping back, he pulled a suitcase out of thin air. “Why, I’m hittin’ the road! I’m going to see the worlds. I’ll—”

“Genie…” Aladdin ran one hand against his forehead. “Good luck out there. I’m… gonna miss you.”

“Miss me?” For a brief moment, the Genie scratched his chin. Then, he slid back over to Aladdin and beamed. “Well, you won’t be missing me for long, pal! I might be free, but that doesn’t mean I can’t lend a hand.”

“You mean…?”

“Hey, you gave me what I’d always dreamed of. The least I could do is return the favor.” He looked over at Riku and the others. “And you guys aren’t going to leave him hanging, right?”

Riku laughed. “Nah. We would’ve gone after her even if you hadn’t asked.”

“Yup!” Goofy grinned, and he rubbed the tip of his nose. “We’re pals through ‘n through!”

“Besides,” said Donald, “Jafar said something about other princesses, too. I bet Jasmine’s not the only one bein’ kidnapped!”

“So just kick back for a bit.” Riku crossed his arms. “I know you guys are probably worried sick, but we’ve got it covered.”

“You all have my deepest gratitude.” Smiling, the sultan stepped right up to Aladdin. “And you, my boy, needn’t fear! You’ve shown some outstanding moral character. True, you’re no prince, but as sultan, I’ll see to it that you and Jasmine are wed immediately upon her return!”

“Aw, ain’t that sweet?” The Genie sniffled, and he wiped his eyes with a tissue. “Well, now that that’s squared away, there’s just one more thing I’ve gotta do!” Scooping up the lamp, he marched right up to Riku. “Kid, if you ever need a hand, just give a rub on this old lamp, and I’ll be there faster than you can say ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.’ Or maybe… Hakuna Matata! That’s less of a mouthful.”

Even if what the Genie said didn’t make much sense, Riku couldn’t blame him for his enthusiasm. Maybe it was just a part of who he was, and at least he’d be there to lend a hand. They’d really need all the help they could get, especially if other princesses got involved.

So, with a grin, Riku tucked the lamp away and turned to gaze at the starry sky. Another world down, and still so many to go. Countless mysteries remained, like Maleficent’s true motives, the role of the seven princesses, and Kairi’s fate. Now he had the added burden of rescuing Jasmine, and he still hadn’t gotten a chance to speak with Sora. In many ways, it felt like he’d been loaded with extra baggage to cart around, and it’s not like his journey had gotten any easier since it began.

It would probably get worse before it got better. Luckily, he was more than up for the challenge.

x.x.x

Sora sat down on a little, red bench, gazing forlornly over his shoulder. His experience in Agrabah left him with many lingering questions. If Jasmine had needed rescuing, why had she put up such a fight when Maleficent came to her aid? Hadn’t she wanted to be saved from her cruel father? And why? Why had Riku fought with Jafar? Maleficent had told Sora just what happened. How Riku tricked Jafar into becoming a genie so he could get locked away in a lamp. It seemed so… cruel, especially for his best friend.

He sighed, taking a quick look around the cabin. Everything looked so nice, from the red carpet below to the little desk where Captain Hook took care of writing and other business. Little lanterns provided light throughout the room, and for a pirate’s ship, the room sure proved comfortable. And maybe he should have been happier about being there. As a kid, he’d always admired the swashbuckling lifestyle of pirate crews. Even now, he fiddled with an eye patch Smee had given him earlier that night. If it weren’t for Kairi’s condition, he’d probably be having the time of his life.

But Kairi… Sora winced, and he looked down at his friend, who rested right next to him on the bench. Her eyes remained fixed on the wooden floor. Even if he were to wave his hand in front of her face, it wouldn’t change; she’d continue sleep silently, with only the rise and fall of her chest as proof that she was still living. And yet, just being next to her gave Sora a sharp pain in his chest. Almost like his heart was going to burst, but he couldn’t leave her side.

“Kairi,” he said, even though she wouldn’t respond. “I wish I could help you. Maleficent said that if we rescue a few more of the princesses then we might be able to open the door! Then we can find your heart, and you’ll be all better… right?”

As expected, she said nothing, though her fingers twitched for an instant. Seeing this, Sora slumped, and he shut his eyes. What was he gonna do until they found the next princesses? And what about Riku? There had to be some way to get him back on the right side. He was just being stubborn, that’s all. Or maybe he’d been mislead and didn’t realize what he’d been doing. That had to be it…

But Sora, that’s not—

His eyes opened wide, and he hopped up from his seat. “Kairi?”

When he looked at her, nothing changed. She continued to doze silently and motionlessly. Maybe… maybe he was just hearing things. Shaking his head, Sora slid back onto the bench and looked over at the door…

Only, this time, he didn’t just hear Kairi, he saw her standing right there with a frown on her face.

…Please… you have to listen to Ri—

“No! I’m seeing things, I’ve gotta be. Maybe… maybe something’s wrong with me.” He clutched tightly onto the front of his shirt, and his chest throbbed. That stabbing pain… it was back again at full force, but what did it mean? And why did it only happen there, with Kairi? What could it mean? Was there… something wrong with his heart?

He looked from Kairi’s motionless body to the door once more, but the second Kairi vanished without a trace. However, his chest still ached, and beads of sweat trickled down his cheeks. Breathing heavily, Sora gave Kairi’s body one last look before he bolted towards the door.

“Maleficent!”

She had to know something. Anything. She always had the answers.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

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