A/N: OMG THIS CHAPTER TOOK FOREVER! I'm sorry! I know it's been a couple weeks! I kept on rewriting this chapter because I just wasn't happy with how it was turning out, but it's finally fine!
Chapter 10: The Secret of the Oracle
Kairi and Aladdin's fight against Sa'luk was an especially daunting challenge, especially for her. The reward was something neither of them expected either. It wasn't money, treasure, or even getting Kairi's lucky charm back. It was being inducted into the Forty Thieves as official members. To say Kairi was shocked at this was an understatement. With her pure-natured heart and good morals, she never once thought about joining a criminal group like the Forty Thieves. At the end of the day, she didn't have much of a choice, but to roll with it, especially with Aladdin and Cassim being related.
While Sa'luk's defeat did lead to the two of them being accepted and inducted into The Forty Thieves, the real shocker was that Sa'luk had actually survived the fall. The large thief may have had a run in with what appeared to be a great white shark, but considering his excellent strength, the shark was nothing to him despite it putting up a good effort to try and enjoy what could've been its excellent meal. Sa'luk knocked the shark onto the shore before climbing out of the ocean himself, scowling in frustration at his defeat. He was essentially number two in ranking in the Forty Thieves. How could he lose to a couple of kids who just appeared out of nowhere? Especially with one of them being such a "weak little girl"?
As Sa'luk dragged his feet across the sand, the corner of his eye caught the sight of a familiar figure. He was donning a black coat with a hood that shielded his identity and leaning against the wall of a cliff with his arms crossed. His attitude at the moment came off as cocky and nonchalant, which only bothered Sa'luk considering the mood he was in. He knew what this person was like thanks to a previous encounter and he was in no place to try and converse with this person.
Unfortunately, Sa'luk didn't really have much of a choice in regards to that.
"Whoa! Lookin' pretty wet there, 'shark bait'!" The hooded figure remarked. Sa'luk growled and continued to walk past him. "Heard you were busted pretty bad up there. As someone who intends on taking over the Forty Thieves, you got some explainin' to do."
"In case you haven't noticed, you FORGOT to mention that brat with a Keyblade!"
"Eh...technically there's three of 'em. Well, almost three. The blonde can barely hold her own in battle."
Sa'luk scowled and walked closer to the hooded figure until they were standing within inches of each other. "Why is it that you were sitting off to the sidelines while I was toppling off the ledge like a vase?"
The hooded figure dramatically gasped. "Are you telling me that it's my fault you got your behind handed to you by a petite little girl? She got you good didn't she?"
"Dare to challenge me too? I had Cassim's scrawny son hanging off the edge of death and I can surely do the same to you." Sa'luk threatened as he held his claws up towards the opening to the figure's hood.
"Heh, that's funny." The hooded figure laughed before disappearing and reappearing behind Sa'luk, pointing an arrowgun towards his temple. "You never struck me as a comedian, big fella! Well, you learn something new every day, don't you?"
"My plan of taking over the Forty Thieves and disposing Cassim has sunk to rock bottom because of that key! Just how do you expect me to succeed when your puny Heartless are easily disposable against the brat and her Keyblade?"
"The Heartless are only as strong as the will of the one who commands them. What do you think that says about you?" He responded as he turned his back and began walking away.
"You claim to have 'an eye that knows all', Xigbar" Sa'luk remarked. "How about putting that eye to use before I take the other one? Tell me where the Hand of Midas lies."
"First you insult my power and my minions, now you demand my help? Make up your mind grey-skin!"
"I will deliver whatever it is you desire, if you give me the power I have endless hunger for."
Xigbar gently ran a hand over his arrowgun. "Heh...you've already got this power, you just gotta know how to use it. Violence isn't everything, you know?"
"I did not ask for a lecture." Sa'luk scoffed as he crossed his arms.
"Then help yourself to some "advice"." Xigbar wrapped his arm around Sa'luk. "Take full advantage of the fact that you're number two! Believe me, I know all about dealing with old coots who think they're number one! But guess what? The ball is practically rolling into your court now. Cassim and his son have reunited, he'll be going soft any day now. Once that happens, all you gotta do is get rid of him, and you'll be top dog."
"And what about the girl with the key?"
"Just leave her to me...and my secret weapon." The figure sneered as he looked towards a dark portal that formed right beside him.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Kairi grunted as she felt the stinging discomfort of her scratched up forearm from Sa'luk's brutal attack on her earlier that night. Naminé, being the expert she is at first-aid, did her best to not cause any further pain. Between the long journey from Agrabah and the rigorous fight against Sa'luk, the only thing Kairi had on her mind was a place to rest and recover. Xion and Naminé managed to get their stolen items back, but Cassim was still hanging onto Kairi's lucky charm and she wanted to wait for the perfect moment to confront him about it.
Cassim had taken Aladdin as well as the girls up to his chamber in the hideout. It wasn't anywhere near as glamorous as Jasmine's palace, and it didn't have the familial feeling that Axel's apartment had, but it was better than nothing. Not to mention, Kairi found those Forty Thieves to be rather crazy and rowdy when it came to initiating somebody into their band. Speaking of initiation, Kairi chose to ignore the fact that every single one of those men were making such a big deal about her being a female. She never realized that so many wouldn't take the idea of strong women so seriously. If anything, it made her feel sick to her stomach.
"Gee, where were you when this bird had an injured wing months ago?" Iago asked Naminé as she finished bandaging Kairi's arm.
Xion snickered. "Inside this one's heart." She nudged Kairi in the arm before earning a playful jab from the redhead.
"Everyone at Radiant Garden says I'm a natural healer." Naminé said with a giggle. "The boys over in Ansem's lab are always working with dangerous tools and chemicals. Occasionally, they need their 'star nurse' to fix a couple things up." She paused and looked down at her hand. "Something about having a gentle touch."
Iago looked up at Naminé with 'innocent' eyes. "Care to demonstrate? My back is exhausted from all of this flying, and the jetlag is making it worse." He pleaded, earning an 'oh brother' from Abu, who was sitting on Xion's lap.
"Iago, that's not how jetlag works, but…" Naminé picked up the bird and placed him in her lap, rubbing his back with the tips of her fingers.
"Ooooh, I like this, I like this a lot!" Iago sighed as he fell onto his belly, wings spread out. "Oh, lower, lower, ah yes!"
Aladdin came over to check on the girls after he finished setting up the tents for him and the girls to sleep in. They had come to the decision to stay at Cassim's chamber overnight with how late the hour was. Plus, Kairi and Aladdin could use the rest after their fight.
"How are you holding up, Kairi?" He asked.
Kairi stood up, showing off her bandaged arm. "All patched up! Naminé said it's not a deep cut, so it shouldn't take long to heal." Cassim came over to join everyone, eliciting a bitter glare from Kairi's face. "What do you want?" She asked, instinctively holding her arm up defensively.
"I simply want to congratulate you and my son on your efforts. You defeated my enemy, you should be proud."
Aladdin scoffed. "We were just trying to stay alive."
"If you hadn't fought, neither one of you would be here, says the code of The Forty Thieves."
"I wouldn't say joining a band a thieves is something to be proud of." Kairi said turning her face away. "You rob innocent people blind and you hurt them! Why would I want anything to do with that?"
Cassim shook his head. "That's where you're wrong. We never hurt the innocent."
"Like I believe that…"
Cassim sighed. "Believe what you will about the Forty Thieves, but believe this, you've done more than defeat my enemy, Kairi. You reunited me with my son." He turned so his guilty expression was hidden from the rest of the group. "My son, that I hadn't seen for years." He paused, curling his hand into a fist. "It has been much too long."
"I don't get why you left in the first place." Aladdin said bitterly.
Xion nodded. "I don't know much about family, but I'm pretty sure fathers are supposed to be a part of a child's life. At least, based on what Axel has taught me and Roxas."
"Follow me." Cassim waved them to follow him up the steps towards a secret closet. "My men don't even know about this." He opened the closet and pulled out a rolled up scroll. "For years, I've been on the hunt for the ultimate treasure. One that would've been more than enough to support my family with, and I've been this close to it."
Aladdin folded his arms. "Then what held you back? What is this ultimate treasure?"
"This treasure is located within the Vanishing Isle, never in the same place twice." Cassim unrolled the scroll to reveal what looked to be a hand bearing a golden color in the middle of it. "The Hand of Midas."
"Wait!" Kairi cut him off. "I've heard about this thing. I read about it. It turns whatever it touches into solid gold. I learned this in a mythology class earlier this year."
"So, then it's a myth." Aladdin remarked as he rolled his eyes.
Cassim shook his head, gritting his teeth in frustration. "It's not a myth! Look!" He pulled a green curtain back to reveal a body of water that had a sunken ship, but it wasn't any sunken ship, it was made of solid gold. "Only the Hand of Midas could have caused this. Touched by the Hand of Midas! Solid gold!"
"Now, that's what I call the ultimate treasure!" Iago exclaimed as he stared directly at the ship.
Naminé gazed down at the sunken ship. "That's amazing! All this time, I never thought I'd see it with my own eyes!"
Kairi shook her head. "I can't believe this!"
"Believe it, lass. The Hand of Midas exists!"
"No! I mean, I can't believe you left your family for this!" She curled her hand into a fist. "I can't believe I wasted my time coming out to find you when I could've been trying to save Sora this whole time!"
"Kairi…" Naminé muttered her name as she watched her friend turn around and begin to storm back up the stairs.
Xion hurried after her. "Kairi where are you going?"
"I'm going to get a goodnight's sleep because first thing in the morning, I'm resuming my mission. I suggest you and Naminé do the same." Kairi said bitterly, not looking back and leaving to go to one of the tents to sleep.
Cassim groaned and shook his head. "She doesn't understand. Neither of you do. You don't understand what it's like to feel like you deserve more...and be called street rat."
"Yes...I do…" Aladdin said quietly.
"Well…" Xion began. "I can't speak for being called a street rat...but I know all about being treated like you're nothing...nothing but a...puppet." She ended off with a whisper.
"I knew exactly what I wanted for my family, and I couldn't just return empty-handed." Cassim turned and faced the wall. "But then weeks turned into months, then turned into years. And when I finally came back to Agrabah, I couldn't find my wife...or my son…" He paused, his voice getting softer as Aladdin looked sympathetically at him. "I thought I had lost my family forever. And in that moment, I would have given anything to get your mother back."
Xion and Naminé looked at each other, their hearts feeling heavy for him. They both knew all too well what it felt like to lose someone precious to them and to feel alone. It had seemed that his story had given them a whole new perspective on why Cassim was separated from Aladdin for so many years. While they didn't agree with him leaving like he did, his heart was in the right place, at least. Now, if they could just get Kairi to see that.
Giving Aladdin and his father a moment alone to talk, Naminé excused herself and Xion from them and began traveling the stairs back to the chamber.
"We didn't want gold." Aladdin said stepping closer to his father, not even noticing that the girls had left. "We wanted you. I wanted a father, and I still do."
"Aladdin…"
"Dad, come to my wedding. Mom died when I was just a kid, and I never knew you were alive for so long. Now, this is finally my chance to have a family. This is our chance to be a family. Please, come back and be a part of my family."
Cassim sighed, guilt in his heart. "Aladdin, I just don't know…"
"Think about it. I'm not going back to Agrabah until the morning. This isn't just my second chance, this is yours too."
Cassim watched as his son walked away with hope on his face. As much as the idea of officially becoming a family with Aladdin once again sounded great, could he really drop his current life of crime? This meant having to change a lifestyle he had lived for nearly two decades. What would happen to him after Aladdin was married anyway? Would he live at the palace with his son too? Would he even see Aladdin anymore once he was married? What about the Forty Thieves? What would happen to all of them? They were wanted criminals in Agrabah. Not to mention, how would Aladdin's future wife and father-in-law react when they find he's the King of Thieves? Too many questions only clouded Cassim's ability to make a decision.
"Aladdin doesn't understand, I don't belong in his world." He sighed, confiding in the only sign of life in the room with him, Iago.
"The Oracle doesn't belong in his world either, it belongs in the hands of two professional treasure hunters, you and me." He said with his beak held high.
"The Oracle...probably just another dead end…"
"It works! That's how the kid found you! It knows everything!"
"Everything?" Cassim asked, his face lighting up with interest.
"Not only do I know where they stashed it, but I know the perfect way to get our hands on it without gettin' 'em dirty." Iago grinned while rubbing his wings together. "The redhead is a perfect candidate for assistance."
Cassim scoffed. "You can forget asking Kairi. She won't even accept that she's now a part of the Forty Thieves. Besides, why her?"
"You're forgetting one itsy bitsy, but important detail. Like your son, she too, is looking for someone close to her heart."
"Hmm, she did mention a name I was unfamiliar with…" He thought for a moment before shaking his head. "But, it just wouldn't work! I know how Keyblade wielders are. They are stubborn. Once they have their heart set on a certain path, nothing will come between them and achieving their goal." Cassim paused as he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "I met one many years ago. It was after my wife and I were married, we were expecting, and we had lost everything. I didn't know what to do. I had a child on the way and had to give my wife and child the life I wanted them to have." He sighed heavily and shut his eyes. "I met this young man in the desert, and he had a Keyblade. He spoke to me about a prophecy, about how one day, light would expire and darkness would prevail. If I wanted to save my wife and child, I had to make a choice, so helped me turn to the life of crime, and thievery. This young man was convincing and he seemed so sure of the future, how could I not trust him when I had nobody who would help us?"
Iago threw his wings up. "You see what I'm saying, Cassim? You say the Keyblade users are stubborn, well the redhead is just as stubborn about finding this guy of hers as anyone can be."
"Is that so?"
"Didn't you realize that she took off and left before you had the chance to explain yourself?"
Cassim placed a hand under his chin. "She did. If she truly is set on saving this boy…" He gasped and smiled cunningly. "The girl would do anything then, am I right?"
"Cassim, we're talking about your only son's wedding! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity!"
"Yes, how could I miss that?"
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Naminé tossed and turned under the blanket she was snuggled under. Maybe it was because of the hard floor she was lying down on, maybe it was the humidity in the air, or maybe it was because of the dreams she was having. The strangest thing for her was that these dreams weren't even those of her. They were of Aladdin of all people. These dreams all seemed to be occurring throughout different points of his life. One dream was him wandering the streets alone as a saddened small boy, the other focused on him and Abu with a loaf of bread running from the palace guards, which turned into a dream of him and Jasmine talking in the sunset. The dreams seemed to flow through her mindset in succession, each one acting as an abridged flashback to one of Aladdin's major life moments. It was a lot for Naminé to handle.
As the dreams continued and Naminé found herself unable to control them. They continued to jump from moment to moment. Some of the dreams were downright depressing while others were very heartwarming. Her heart started racing as her head started pounding. The harder her heart raced, the harder it was for her to breathe. Naminé found herself gasping for air as drops of sweat fell down her face. It was enough for Kairi, who was sleeping in the same tent as her and Xion, to wake up from her deep slumber and crawl over to her friend, who was now shaking as if she was cold.
"Naminé! Naminé! Wake up!" Kairi whispered.
Naminé shot up from her sleep and held her chest, trying to catch her breath. "What...what was that?"
"What happened? Did you have a crazy dream?"
"It wasn't just one...it was a lot of dreams at once." Naminé wrapped her arms around herself, staring down into her lap. "They were of Aladdin mostly, but Jasmine was in them too. Genie, Abu, Iago, and some evil pointy-looking man I've never seen before."
"Huh, those are strange." Kairi said crossing her arms. "We never knew Aladdin before this and the only reason I knew Jasmine was from association and terrible circumstances."
"That's what I'm saying." Naminé looked over to find Xion still in a deep sleep, snoring quietly. Ion "Wow, Xion's a heavy sleeper."
Kairi laughed. "She obviously gets that from Sora. He's the same way."
"Sorry for waking you…" Naminé anologized, twiddling her hands.
"No, no, you're okay. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Well, I feel fine now. Maybe it was just one of those, 'happens once and then never happens again' type of ordeals, you know?" Naminé asked, Kairi nodding in response. "Thanks for checking up on me. We should probably get back to sleep." She fell back down and pulled the blanket over her.
Kairi nodded in agreement as she crawled back over to her spot and lay back down. Unlike Naminé, she couldn't bring herself to fall back asleep. She couldn't stop thinking about why Naminé had those dreams. On the other hand, Kairi was also feeling restless and just wanted to get her lucky charm back and move on. She also knew in her heart that Aladdin needed friends' support right now with how big of a deal this was. The one thing that plagued her mind the most, was what Cassim had shared with them, his reasoning for leaving his wife and son behind. Kairi couldn't stand behind the idea of a father leaving his family for something as heartless as money or treasure. Then again, were his intentions truly good?
Not being able to sleep, Kairi decided to grab her notebook and write in it. Not wanting to disturb Naminé and Xion, she slowly crawled out of the tent and found a spot against a strong pillar to lean against. This journey was rather overwhelming for Kairi considering she was traversing these worlds on her own for the first time rather than just visiting one or two with Sora and Riku. Bringing her notebook and writing in it was a godsend for her, allowing her to pour her thoughts and feelings onto paper.
Hearing the story of Aladdin's father, and how he left his family in search of something 'more valuable', made me feel so angry for some reason. Part of me feels like I was angry at Cassim for what he did. The other part of me didn't know who to be angry at. I want to believe I was angry at myself, because I started to see myself in Cassim's shoes. Looking back, I realized I was just as guilty as he was, for leaving my family without saying goodbye, all because I wanted to 'set things right'.
Searching for treasure and searching for a lost loved one are two different levels of value, but that didn't make either of our actions any less wrong. Cassim was wrong for leaving Aladdin and his mother behind to barely make ends meet. I was also wrong for leaving my family out of anger and grief, desperate to save you. I didn't want to admit it though. I guess I kinda picked up your stubbornness a little bit, huh?
Kairi looked up from writing in her notebook as she heard footsteps belonging to Aladdin travel towards her.
"Can't sleep?" She asked.
Aladdin nodded. "Yeah...a lot has happened today. You?"
"Same. I'm not used to so much happening within such a small span of time." She held her notebook close to her chest. "Sora just always seemed to brush it off like it was a normal day's work to be travelling and facing off all of these bad guys."
"I'm kinda used to it too. Although I'd say I'm more for 'sneaking around' rather than actually fighting."
Kairi nodded, smiling softly. Her smile faded when she looked down at her bandaged arm. "Aladdin? Have you ever been afraid of being a failure? Or have you ever felt like a failure and that you disappointed those you love?"
Aladdin sighed, leaning back and resting on his hands. "For years, Kairi. I felt that way for most of my life." She looked over, giving him her full attention. "My mother died when I was a kid. My father left when I was even younger than that, so I never even really knew him. I just thought maybe he had died when I never saw him again." He softly recounted the events of his past. Abu hopped over and rested in his lap, offering moral support as he wrapped his arms around Aladdin's leg. "I spent most of my life stealing what I needed to survive, running from the guards, and living my life alone with only Abu here."
"I don't agree with stealing, but in that situation, you had to do what you had to do."
"That may be true, but looking back now, I know my mother didn't raise me to be a street rat. She would've wanted me to try harder, to stop being such a kid and to start acting like a man in charge of his life. I thought about making some changes, but it wasn't until I met Jasmine randomly in the streets that I really wanted to change my life. She didn't deserve a street rat, she deserved a real prince. Even then, I felt like I couldn't be someone deserving of a princess."
Kairi smiled sweetly. "Aladdin, how can you say that? You have such a big heart. Jasmine believes it too. You are...oh, how do you say it? A diamond in the rough!"
Aladdin chuckled. "Thanks, Kairi. I can see why you mean so much to Sora."
"I appreciate that, because if I can be honest, I can't." She said, her smile fading to sadness. "I feel like all I've done over the last couple years is just cause more trouble for him, and now...he's worse than ever. Sometimes, I feel like maybe he'd be better off without me."
"Why do you think that?"
"I'm not...strong enough."
"You think that, but didn't you see how you took care of Sa'luk tonight?" Aladdin asked nudging her arm.
Kairi shook her head. "Only because you saved me."
"Actually, you must've not have remembered, but you were holding your Keyblade up, ready to block his attack by the time I jumped in. I underestimated you tonight. When you finished off Sa'luk, that was all you." He said in an encouraging manner. "Even if you don't feel your strongest right now, there's always room to grow and better yourself. I continue to work on myself and improve day by day, and if you keep at it, you'll find yourself growing stronger as well."
"Aladdin…"
"Besides, there's more to strength than just physical force. I can definitely tell your heart is very strong, and when you see Sora again, he'll see how far you've come, and he'll be proud of you." Aladdin began to stand back up. "Think about that and sleep on it." He suggested before turning and walking back towards his tent, leaving Kairi to continue writing in her notebook.
I'm gonna become someone worth saving. I don't know how exactly, but I am. I have to somehow. I'll make you proud. Believe me, as weak as I've been, you're in for a pleasant surprise. I've wasted time. I've wasted tears. Maybe I'm not very strong or very smart, but somehow, I'm gonna keep to my promise, and make you proud of your girl.
Hearing footsteps from right behind, Kairi turned and noticed Cassim dragging his feet across the ground behind her tent. She peeked out and she could've sworn the man locked eye contact with her out of the corner of his eye before walking out of the chamber. Something didn't sit right with her about his sudden eye contact with her. It was almost as if he were expecting her to notice him. Did she dare believe that he possibly wanted her to follow him?
Normally, Kairi would analyze the situation at hand, considering she was restless despite how exhausted she was, and the fact that she did not like Cassim whatsoever based on what she knew about him, she refused to play games. Her eyebrows furrowing, Kairi gripped her notebook tight and set it inside her tent before carefully following him. What was this man's intentions? She anxiously curled her hand inside and out, ready to summon her Keyblade at a moment's notice if required. Kairi followed the sound of footsteps out of the chamber and into the watery caverns that connected Cassim's chamber to the thieves' hideout. His foot colliding with the running water created small splashes that bounced off the rocky walls, allowing Kairi to follow him. It didn't take long for her to corner him at a wall, where he stood with his back to her.
"Now that we're alone, there's something we need to talk about." Kairi firmly said, breaking the silence between them.
"And what might that be my dear?" Cassim asked.
"You have something that belongs to me, and you're gonna give it back." She summoned her Keyblade and gripped tightly by her side.
"I've taken many things that don't belong to me. You'll have to be more specific, I'm afraid."
"You stole my lucky charm. Pinkish seashell? Broken in a specific place? You're going to give that back to me." Her firm command was followed by what appeared to be a long pause, with the only sound being running water and droplets falling from the top of the cave and on top of her head.
"And if I don't?"
Kairi gritted her teeth and held out her Keyblade towards Cassim. "Then I'll introduce your mouth to the business end of my Keyblade."
"There's no call for violence, Ms. Kairi." Cassim snickered. "I'm perfectly willing to give your charm back to you. If you help me get something in return."
"You want me to help you steal something? Fat chance of that." She shook her head and began briskly walking back towards the chamber, her feet splashing the water.
"Even if it were helpful in finding who you're looking for?"
Kairi stopped in her tracks, not even bothering to look at him. "...What're you talking about?"
"Do you even know what I was doing in the gift room? What I was trying to steal?" Cassim asked, crossing his arms.
"No, but-"
"You mean Aladdin didn't tell you? Aren't you the least bit curious?"
Kairi thought for a moment. Cassim seemed very insistent on her believing him. "Why should I believe anything a thief has to say?"
"You believe my son, don't you?"
"..." Kairi stared at the ground. He had a good point there. At the same time, Aladdin was one of Sora's friends and now one of hers. Of course she was going to trust him. Then again, the saying, 'like father like son', started to haunt her. If that saying was true then that could mean...
"What I want in return for your charm is the Rod of the Oracle. An omnipotent spirit that knows all things. You only need to ask, and she will answer." Cassim stated calmly, a very reasonable tone in his voice.
"You mean I could-?" She asked. Her heart started racing. This Oracle could be the answer to all her questions. Yet, asking her to steal something, was past her morality. "No. No, you're asking me to betray the trust of my friends and I can't do that."
"Are you sure that trust is reciprocated? If they didn't trust you with the knowledge of what a thief tried to steal from them, what else do you think they might be keeping from you?" Cassim asked bitterly, as if he knew what it felt like to not be trusted. "How do you know that you're not just an outsider in their world, one that's due to be removed?"
Kairi gasped, feeling a lump form in her throat. "That-That's not true. It can't be." She shook her head, still not looking at him. "You don't know anything about me!
"Maybe. But from what I've heard, this boy you're looking for was willing to do anything if it meant finding you and keeping you safe." Cassim took out Kairi's pouch and held it tightly.
"Aren't you willing to do the same?"
Kairi didn't say anything. Instead, she stayed silent. Of course I am! I'd give anything to save you...She thought in her mind. To have you home, safe, that's all I want.
Then save him, the right way.
"Sora?" Kairi gasped.
What 'right way'? There is no 'right way'! What if Cassim's right? What if Aladdin and Jasmine don't trust me because I really am an outsider? She thought in her mind.
Committing a dark act will only start you down a dark path. Look what happened to Riku.
The heart is foolish and weak and only brings pain! Think for once! Sora's own friends don't even trust you enough to share the knowledge of the Oracle with you!
What would Sora want?
What do YOU want?
Kairi held her head together as it began pounding. Her body started shaking as the battle between her heart and her mind seemed to go on forever, desperate for Kairi to side with each respective side. How could she choose? Both her mind and her heart had good points, but very different consequences. She finally shouted at the top of her lungs. "JUST SHUT UP!"
Cassim tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"
"S-sorry…" She shook her head and brought her hands back down, taking a few deep breaths. "Cassim, you're really offering to help me?"
"Call it a business transaction." He tossed the pouch up and down in his hand, the jingling sounds of the seashells and munny colliding with each other echoing through the cavern.
Sora...this could be our best chance… Kairi thought as she placed a hand over her pounding heart. She had never felt more conflicted in her entire life. "If I help you, you'll give me my lucky charm, and you let me ask the Oracle what I need to know?"
"You strike a hard bargain, but I'll accept your price. So, are you in, or out?"
Kairi paused, taking a deep breath. She thought about Sora. She thought about the possibility that she could be wasting her time and how there was possibly an entirely different way to go about this. She thought about how just the wisdom of the Oracle could mean saving Sora much sooner than anyone anticipated. Kairi curled her hand into a fist and turned to face Cassim, who stood there, with his arms crossed, patiently awaiting Kairi's answer.
"I'm in…"
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
The next morning, everyone was up and ready to return to Agrabah early. Travelling with Cassim was...interesting, as Kairi would've put it. He insisted that Aladdin travelled on horseback rather than by the carpet, which ended up making the trip back to the city last all the more longer, despite Kairi and the girls taking the carpet. All while Kairi was feeling secretly anxious about her and Cassim's plan. Was this really as good of an idea as Cassim was making it out to be? What if this "Oracle" wasn't even real? What if it was just another piece of common treasure and Cassim was just using her so he had a lesser chance of being caught by the palace guards? Then again, the Oracle had to be the real deal if Cassim chose her out of all three of the girls.
Xion, on the other hand, had kept an eye on Kairi during the trip home. Something inside of her was sensing something strange. She couldn't put her finger on it, and confronting Kairi was the last thing Xion wanted to do when there was a chance that it could turn out to be nothing and that she was just unnecessarily paranoid. In her defense, Sora would've been the same way, maybe even more. What helped her case was the fact that Kairi was very quiet during the entire carpet ride back to Agrabah. While she wasn't the biggest chatterbox, Kairi not talking usually meant something was wrong.
Once everyone had (finally) arrived at the palace, it seemed like a huge wave of relief passed through each member of the party. Aladdin was happy to be back home so he and Jasmine could have their wedding, Kairi and the girls were glad to be out of the desert again, and Cassim, well, he didn't know what to think. For many years, he wondered what life at the palace would be like, just like his son. Now, it was really happening. His son was marrying the princess and he was there to witness it. Or so, everyone thought he was as he discarded his typical blue thief cape and dressed himself in a newer, more appropriate outfit.
Over in Aladdin's room, he brushed off his father's shoulders as he gave a nod of approval on the new clothes. Genie was a big help in creating a new outfit, despite being thrown off by Cassim's status as the King of Thieves, initially when the two of them had met earlier. Even Kairi, as much as she hated to admit it, thought he looked pretty good.
"Ladies, how does he look?" Aladdin asked, presenting Cassim.
Xion threw her arms behind her head. "He looks snappy!"
"Jasmine will be impressed!" Naminé complimented.
Genie snickered. "I knew binge-watching Extreme Makeover would come in handy!"
Cassim growled and shook his head. "What was wrong with the clothes I was wearing before?"
"Because when you're here, you're not the King of Thieves, you're my dad." Aladdin answered, placing his hands on Cassim's shoulders.
Cassim sighed. "Yet, I'm a better thief."
Kairi couldn't help but sympathize with Cassim and the pressure he was facing. While she still wasn't the most fond of him, she didn't have it in her to not at least feel something.
"Cassim, relax." She said placing a hand on his shoulder. "Just follow Aladdin's example. He's a good kid."
Aladdin looked over and smiled at Kairi. "Thanks, Kairi. This wouldn't have been possible without your help."
Kairi simply nodded in reply. "Aladdin, why don't you go guys go find Jasmine and we can meet you there?"
"Everything okay?" Naminé asked.
"Y-yeah. I just...need to talk to Cassim alone."
Xion's eyebrows knotted as she stepped closer to Kairi. "Are you sure everything's okay? You've been acting funny since we left this morning." She asked, lowering her voice to a whisper.
"Yes, I'm fine, really. I just need to talk to Cassim alone. It's...about Sora." Kairi responded with a sigh, slight agitation in her tone.
"Alright…" Xion stepped away with hesitation. She turned back and looked towards Aladdin. "Let's go find Jasmine."
"Okay, are we gonna go find this rod or what?" Kairi asked as they began walking down the hall in the opposite direction.
Cassim snickered and crossed his arms. "Quite hasty, I see."
"Look, I didn't even want any part of this to begin with, but I'm doing it for Sora. So, I want to get this done and out of the way, okay?"
Iago scoffed. "I say next time, we bring the blonde with us…"
Kairi rolled her eyes. "Can you just show us where it is? You're the one who knows where it is."
"Okay! Okay!"
Iago began flying down the hall and led Kairi and Cassim through the palace. The guards didn't seem to be on duty. Or if they were, they weren't doing a very good job. Luckily for Iago and Cassim, the treasure room was only one floor down and in a back corner. Unfortunately for Kairi, this meant she had less time to think this over. The closer they got, the more her palms began to sweat and the harder it became to drag her feet across the floor.
The treasure room lived up to its name. Kairi was able to peek inside and took notice that just one or two items would be enough to pay for her future college tuition. She shook off the thought immediately when her eyes scrolled across and locked on the gold rod that was perched in the center of the room and had a green emerald attached to it.
"So, that's the Rod of the Oracle?" Kairi asked.
"You'd be correct, my dear."
Iago flew right by Kairi's shoulder. "Go on, kid! What are you waiting for?"
She placed both of her trembling hands on the door. "The doors are locked."
Cassim crossed his arms. "Might be a good time to put that key of yours to good use."
Kairi summoned her Keyblade and held it towards the lock. "Wait, why am I going in to fetch the rod? You are the one who needs it."
"Because you are the last person they would expect to steal the rod. Now, be quick."
Kairi felt her heart pounding against her chest and her stomach felt like it was running a marathon. Was she about to do this? Maybe it wasn't too late to turn back. Kairi hesitated and looked back at an impatient looking Cassim and Iago, waiting for her to unlock the doors. It was too late, she had already agreed to their deal. Kairi sighed and held out her Keyblade towards the lock, a beam of light shooting out and unlocking it.
A small gasp escaped her mouth as Kairi watched the doors crack open slightly. Her arms extended towards the door before retreating back. Could she really go through with this? Even if she unlocked the door, it didn't mean she had to actually open them, run in, grab the Oracle, and essentially betray her friends' trust. Yet, one thought continued to haunt Kairi. It was the only reason she was doing this. The Oracle does know all. She would know exactly how to save Sora.
Kairi took a deep breath as she placed her hands on the door's handles, and pushed them hard, causing the treasury to open. She wanted to get this over with before debating whether to chicken out again or not. Her boots clapped against the hard floor and echoed in the room as she jogged over to where the rod was perched. While the average joe would've been tempted to just steal everything in the treasury, Kairi stuck to her guns and kept her eyes focused on the only thing Cassim was after. She stared at her uneasy reflection in the emerald atop the rod before beginning to reach out for it. She could've sworn she saw Sora appear in front of her and gently hold her wrist from going any further.
Don't do this...
"Sora...I'm doing this for you, for us." Kairi argued as she After this, I'll be-"
"Heading straight for the dungeon." Razoul declared as he appeared from behind.
"Oh no!" She gasped.
Kairi crouched down to her battle stance, ready to defend herself from him. Cassim immediately rushed in, grabbing a sword from the treasure pile and ready to back her up.
Razoul snickered. "We've been expecting you."
The plan of attacking the guards was thrown out the window as Kairi looked around and noticed what looked like an army of guards armed with bows and arrows aimed at her from above. She didn't take into consideration that the guards would bring backup. She should've remembered that the guards had their eye on her after the incident when they first arrived in the harem girl outfits. With all arrows pointed at her and Cassim, Kairi had no choice but to admit defeat. She held her head low in disappointment as she dismissed her Keyblade. She knew very well that this was a bad idea and she chose to ignore her better judgement. Now, she had to pay the price for it.
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
"Are you sure you ladies won't stay for the wedding?" Jasmine asked. Aladdin, Xion, and Naminé were able to track her down in the throne room and chose to wait there for Kairi and Cassim to meet them.
Naminé folded her hands. "We'd love to, but Kairi may be ready to move on."
"What's the rush?" Aladdin asked.
"Yeah, what's the rush? Got a pizza you gotta deliver within thirty minutes or it's free?" Genie asked.
"It's not that." Xion said shaking her head. "It's...kinda hard to say, but...where's Kairi? She needed to talk to Cassim alone, but that shouldn't have taken this long."
Aladdin nodded. "I'm starting to get worried about my dad too. Genie, can you track them down?"
"I hope they didn't get lost." Jasmine said with concern.
Genie scoffed and made a GPS device appear in his hand. "I knew GPS was never any good at giving direction!"
"Good point, Jasmine. Genie, can you go find them?"
"I'll sniff 'em out!" Genie transformed into a dog that looked very similar to King Mickey's dog, Pluto, and began sniffing around the room. "I'll need a piece of clothing, hair, or a shoe!"
Genie did a double take before realizing who the owner of the shoe was. He let out a gasp as his eyes darted up and noticed Cassim, who was cuffed and being held by Razoul. Little did they know that the situation was only about to get worse, for Kairi and Iago were not to be seen at this moment, but they were in just as much trouble as Cassim was.
"Huh?" Aladdin gasped along with everyone else.
Jasmine stepped forward. "Razoul, what's going on here?"
"Princess, meet your future father-in-law, The King of Thieves!" Razoul sneered as he held Cassim up by the back of his clothes.
Xion summoned her Keyblade, followed by Naminé. "Release him, Razoul! He's with us!"
"Dad!" Aladdin rushed towards his father only to be blocked by a couple other guards.
"Release him at once, Razoul!" Jasmine ordered.
Razoul held up the Rod of the Oracle for everyone to see. "Are you sure you want to release him when he was after this again?"
"No...it can't be." Naminé muttered softly.
"And these are his accomplices!"
From around the corner, two more guards stepped forward revealing both Iago and Kairi, chained up and arrested.
"Kairi?" Everyone gasped.
Iago scoffed. "Oh sure, everyone is worried about the redhead!"
"Razoul, there has to be a misunderstanding, Kairi is not a criminal!" Xion argued.
Naminé also stepped forward. "I know her heart and she would never-"
"Save your breath, girls." Kairi cut Naminé off, her tone saddened and guilty. "I helped Cassim steal the Oracle." She confessed, earning gasps from both of her friends.
"Kairi…" Jasmine muttered.
Aladdin's face lowered into a scowl, full of anger, pain, and betrayal. "Now I know why you really came back, Dad. I thought you would've changed by now."
"You can change my clothes, but can't change who I am." Cassim said, disappointed.
"And you…" Aladdin stepped towards Kairi, glaring towards her.
Kairi looked into Aladdin's eyes, a lump forming in her throat. "Aladdin, I'm sorry…" She choked out.
"I don't understand! How could you betray our trust like this? I thought you were better than that!" He vented, every comment sending uncomfortable shivers down Kairi's spine. "What would Sora say if he saw you like this?"
"SORA IS DEAD!" Kairi shouted, tears forming in her eyes.
"What?" Aladdin and Jasmine both asked, shocked looks on their faces.
"Sora is dead…" She muttered softly, tears running down her face. "That's why I tried to help Cassim, okay? I did it for Sora, but…" Kairi fell down to her knees, her entire body shaking. "But now, it doesn't even matter. I screwed up and now, it's too late for both of us…"
Xion frowned at the situation at bay. "Kairi…"
Naminé scowled and looked towards Iago. "And you! How could you?"
"Oh please! Not the guilt again! Don't hit me with the guilt again like that Sora kid did!" Iago pleaded as he shut his eyes and shook his head.
"I thought you were supposed to be our friend, Iago! I trusted you!" Naminé looked down at Kairi with hurt and disappointment in her face. "Kairi, why didn't you ask us for help?"
"I...I'm...sorry…" Kairi muttered softly, holding her head low.
Aladdin looked over towards Xion and Naminé, a mixture of anger, sadness, and betrayal spread across his face.
"You both knew, didn't you? You both knew what happened to Sora?" He asked, raising his voice. Xion and Naminé looked at each other helplessly before nodding. "I can't believe you guys hid that from us!"
"Just like you hid that your father was The King of Thieves from me?" Jasmine asked as she placed a hand on Aladdin's shoulder, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "You knew all along, didn't you?"
Aladdin, feeling the brunt of Jasmine's disappointment, sighed heavily and held his head low. "I thought I could change him. I had to try."
Razoul exhaled deeply, impatiently awaiting his orders from Jasmine. "Princess, what should be done with these criminals?"
Jasmine thought for a moment. Technically, she didn't have the power to sentence anybody since that was her father's job. She wasn't even sure how to handle the situation. Not only was Aladdin's father's fate on the chopping block, but Kairi also got manipulated into taking part in this criminal act. Jasmine didn't want to have to sentence either one of them since Kairi was her friend and she knew she had a good heart, while Cassim was going to be part of her family soon. She also had her duties as a princess to take into consideration. It was times like this that made Jasmine wish she wasn't part of royal bloodline all the more.
"Razoul, I order you to release Kairi." Jasmine ordered. "The other two are to be imprisoned in the dungeon for now. I will leave the decision of their sentence to my father."
Kairi gasped as the guards begrudgingly released her from her cuffs. She ran her hand up and down her wrist, feeling relieved that they weren't being crushed by the iron cuffs. After sighing in relief, Kairi looked back and watched Cassim and Iago be carried off towards the dungeon. Her body shuddered from overwhelming fear and relief, even with Naminé and Xion coming over to comfort their friend. No matter what anyone could do in that moment, Kairi couldn't deny that her mind and her heart were both in the wrong spot.
"Naminé...Xion...I screwed up…" Kairi softly whispered.
A/N: Phew! Done! Btw, BEN DISKIN LIKED MY TWEET ABOUT YOUNG XEHANORT! *Dies*