Chapter 3: A New Friend?

Ventus, Vanitas, and Terra returned to Agrabah on Carpet, and Vanitas starred at one of the bags of jewels and made a grab for them when Ventus grabbed it instead.

"Uhhh?" Vanitas asked as Ventus took a handful of gold out and through it into the street like he was still Prince Veni Ababwa. "HEY!" Vanitas called out.

"Vanitas," Ventus said calmly.

"What?" Vanitas asked.

"We're not the ones who need this money." Ventus said, and Vanitas smiled and nodded.

He and Ventus then both threw down coins as Terra went teary. He watched as an old man ended up with a golden, jewel-encrusted scepter. He also saw as Ventus and Vanitas tossed a relatively large chunk of coins on the ground in front of a mother with a young boy and girl and a baby, which she was carrying. Terra managed to hear the woman say, "It's a miracle."

Terra stared at a small emerald and flicked it off of the circle.

"Ah well." Terra said dejectedly.

"Don't worry guys." Ventus said as he pulled out the flower Vanitas took from Braig. "I'm not throwing away everything."

"Yes!" Terra said excitedly while Vanitas smirked.

"This is for Hikari." Ventus said as he put the flower back in his jacket.

"No!" Terra said angrily as Vanitas still smirked.

"Can I grab somethin' for Iris?" Vanitas asked.

"Sure." Ventus said.

Vanitas then grabbed a small bird statue made of gold, with ruby eyes.

"Just the thing for her birthday." Vanitas said as he pocketed the bird.

They arrived at the palace and landed at Hikari's balcony as they stepped down, and Surane growled angrily.

"Easy, Surane." Ventus said nervously. "You know me. It's me, Ventus."

Surane jumped on top of Ventus and licked his cheek like a playful puppy.

"Okay, Surane. Okay." Ventus chuckled as Surane got off of him. "I'm glad to see you too."

Carpet began to act like to hold its stomach while to look like it was laughing when Surane caught sight of Terra.

"Uh-oh." Terra gulped.

"So guys, how do I look?" Ventus asked as he stood erect, and everyone starred at him when they heard Hikari's voice.

"I think you look fine." Hikari said as she walked to Ventus.

"Hikari!" Ventus said with a smile.

"Where were you?" Hikari asked as she walked up. "I missed you."

"I had to pick up a few things." Ventus said as he pulled out the jewel flower. "This is for you."

"Oh Ventus, I love it!" Hikari said with a smile as she took it. Hikari then kissed Ventus and walked to her room to put the flower somewhere special. "It must have cost a fortune."

"Oh no, it was a steal." Ventus said as he winked at Vanitas who smiled back and went in to look for Iris. Ventus walked into Hikari's room as he set the flower in a vase.

"Daddy wants you to join him for dinner tonight." Hikari said with a smile. "He's going to make a royal announcement."

"And he wants me there?" Ventus asked nervously.

"It's about you." Hikari said as she continued to smile.

"Am I in trouble?" Ventus asked.

"Let's just say that it's a dinner you don't want to miss." Hikari said slyly.

"Hikari, what's going on?" Ventus asked.

"I promised Daddy I wouldn't spoil the surprise." Hikari said as she continued to smile and wrapped her arms around Ventus. "You've made quite an impression with him."

"So I'm not in trouble?" Ventus asked as Tea laughed.

"Of course not." Hikari said as she smiled warmly. "You defeated Xehanort, saved Agrabah, and rescued a princess. Ven, you're a hero."

"Well I guess so." Yugi said as he blushed. "That's me. Ready for anything."

"Help!" Tristan said as he clawed into the room while Mala grabbed him by her tentacles and pulled him out to the balcony.

"Grab him!" Ventus said, and he and Hikari pulled Terra free while Surane pouted.

"Surane, that's a no-no." Hikari said as if Surane was still a baby tiger.

"Come on." Ventus said with a smile. "Let's get Vanitas and dress up for dinner."

()()()

Vexen was slumping against a shadowed part of the outer wall protecting the palace from intruders.

"It seems like just yesterday." Vexen said with a sneer. "And I was his right hand man, but then he had to go and screw things up. Now I'm stuck out here looking in. I've got to find a way back into the palace and find a nice spot of power."

Vexen then heard a trumpet and hid deeper in the shadows as Ventus came out with Terra and Vanitas. Ventus was dressed in the outfit he wore when he was pretending to be a prince, and Vexen blinked and became even angrier.

"Well guys, should we take a stroll around Agrabah and see how everyone's doing?" Ventus asked.

"Indubidabably… Indaba… Sure." Vanitas said with a smile.

"We've gotta remember to thank Hikari for these new duds." Terra said. Vexen saw that he and Vanitas were dressed in long sleeved tunics with pants.

"We've got time for a little stroll before dinner with the sultan." Ventus said as he and his friends walked out.

"The street rat's living in the palace now?" Vexen whispered angrily. "Oh that's it! All reports are in! Life's officially unfair!" Vexen's eyes then widened as a plan formed in his twisted mind. "Wait a moment, this is perfect. That kid's my ticket back into power."

Vexen ran ahead of Ventus, Vanitas, and Terra through several alleyways and arrived a block or two in front of him. He then covered himself in dirt and pulled one of his arms out of his cloak.

"I'll just get Ventus on my side with a sympathy act, and Vanitas and Terra will follow. Then I'll be back in the palace before I can say, 'Easy street.'"

As Ventus, Vanitas, and Terra arrived, Vexen crawled to them.

"Ventus…" Vexen said in his polite voice, as a way to gain some extra sympathy. "Finally… Got free… Of… Xehanort…"

"Vexen!" Ventus said angrily. "What are you doing here?"

"Where are you?" Vexen said in another attempt at sympathy. "It's getting dark. Hold me."

Vexen then looked up and barely survived getting strangled by Vanitas and Terra.

"Hey, I meant the gentle kind of holding!" Vexen shouted as the three boys advanced after him.

"You're not fooling anyone!" Ventus said angrily.

"Wait, I'm serious!" Vexen said quickly. "I was under Xehanort' power! He mesmerized me with his rod! You know, just like Sultan Eraqus!"

The lie didn't help, and the boys continued chasing after Vexen.

"You traitor!" Ventus called out when all four of them ended up in front of a boy Vexen had heard about, and he rubbed his head. Just what he needed. Running into Braig and the men he somehow got control of.

"You look familiar." Braig said as he rubbed his chin.

"It's Ventus." Braig's men said dully.

"Where?" Braig said nervously. "It is? Uh… I knew that!" Brain then pointed at Ventus. "Hurt him a lot! Hurt him, and his three friends!"

"Oh blooming heck." Vexen muttered as he and Ventus and his friends ran in separate directions. Ventus, Vanitas, and Terra ended up in a corner, but Ventus elbowed a stack of barrels, and two of them ended up on two of Braig's men.

"Nice shot, Ven!" Vanitas said as he gave Ventus the thumbs up.

Meanwhile, Vexen ran into one of Braig's men, and he pulled out a sword.

"Treacherous man!" The man said.

"Look, I'm not with them!" Vexen said as he dodged the sword and tripped him with a foot to the ankle.

Ventus, Vanitas, and Terra then grabbed a few staffs and used them to beat up the thugs.

"Vanitas, Terra!" Vexen called out as he grabbed their shirts. "You've gotta help me! They're after- A fish?"

Braig had arrived in front of the three, and tried to hit them with a fish, which they easily dodged and Terra just blinked.

"Seriously?" Terra asked. "A fish?"

"Shut up!" Braig said.

Braig then charged at the boys, and Terra and Vanitas ran off as Vexen ended up getting smashed into a cart with Braig.

Vanitas, Terra, and Ventus were by this time pushed into a corner.

Meanwhile, Vexen pulled his head out of a ruined watermelon and spit out all the seeds. "That's it, now I'm mad!" He then grabbed Braig, which was exceptionally easy since he was bigger, and stronger than him. "I'll teach you to mess with me, Braig."

"Uh-oh." Braig whimpered. Vexen then tossed Braig into his men, just as they were about to cut Ventus and his friends into pieces, and they ended up in a cart full of eggs.

"There's more where that came from, Braig!" Vexen shouted, and as Braig and his men began to get back up, the merchant arrived.

"My eggs! This is horrible! Who will pay for them?"

"Ah, shut up!" Braig said.

"Guards!" The merchant called out, and Xigbar arrived with Xaldin.

"What's the problem here?" Xigbar asked as he walked up.

"It's that thief, Braig." Xaldin said as he and Xigbar drew their swords.

Before they could act, one of Braig's men drove off in the cart.

"Jerks." Vexen said as he picked up a fallen onion and ate it.

"Uh… Thanks for your help." Ventus said with a smile as Vanitas and Terra's mouths fell completely open. "You saved my life."

"I did?" Vexen asked, and then he smirked as he realized what he could do to get back in the palace. "Uh, right! Yeah of course I saved you, it's my nature. I'm always rescuing things. Cats, babies, buys like you. All the time."

Vanitas and Terra then grabbed Vexen.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Vexen shouted. "Is this any way to treat your rescuer? You owe me, Ventus! I saved your life!"

"Guys, let him go." Ventus said, and Vexen wrenched himself from their weakened grip. "He's right. I do owe him." Vexen smirked until he heard what Ventus said next. "I'll make sure the sultan gives him a fair trial."

"WHAT?" Vexen asked as his eyes widened in panic.

Chaos dose not own Aladdin or kingdom hearts, but she owns Iris, Surane belongs to SuraneSpiral, and Hikari belongs to WingBladeWeaver1357