Sora easily made his way through the crowded streets, already being quite street-smart himself. The only hard part was getting directions.
"Hey- wait! Could you?- Please, I'm new here- UGH!" Sora groaned in annoyance "Doesn't anyone here have a heart to give directions?!"
"Yes, the locals aren't very helpful, are they?" Sora glanced over his shoulder to find a man in his late 20s, blond hair and blue eyes. He stashed the map he was reading in his blue cloak, a glint of gold flashing into Sora's eyes. "Don't mind them, they're just too busy to bother." He then held out his hand "Captian Pheobus, at your service."
Sora's gaze flickered between Pheobus and his hand, and he then said curtly "I'm Sora." He wasn't quite ready to trust him yet.
Pheobus withdrew his hand, noting the boy's uneasiness "Okay then, Sora, where are you headed?"
Sora shrugged "I heard about a festival, I just need to know where it's held."
Pheobus pulled out his map again, muttered a bit, and looked around. He then cursed, and crumpled up the map, tossing it away "You leave town for only a decade or two and they change everything! I'm sorry, but I'm of no use to you. I've recently come back from some wars, and the town has completely changed on me-"
He took a look down an alley, and peered through the crowd, then sighed "Everyone's a critic."
Meanwhile, Sora had decided to take the outdated map, and at least try and make sense of it. There was a square, in front of someplace called 'Notre Dame'. It was really the only suitable place for a festival Sora could find. A town could change, but an important space like that would probably stay. He glanced at the names of the roads on the map, then the one he was on. A few more exchanges of real world and parchment quickly set him on his way.
When he got there, the party was just starting to pick up, a sour smell of fresh wine starting to waft through the air, rowdy yells already becoming louder and louder. Sora quickly wondered why he decided to come.
Just ask around. Get a few guys drunk enough and they'll spill anything.
He then spent the next hour or so questioning after anyone like Kairi or Maleficent, even Riku in the slight case that he jumped worlds without a Gummi Ship. No matter how loose lipped the person was, it was apparent that neither of his targets were here. He threw around the name Ventus a time or two, to equal response. He wasn't sure if he was annoyed or not at that.
So... no Kairi, no Riku if he's not in Halloween Town... Not even that bastard...
He sighed and collasped onto a table, trying to ignore the festivities. To be honest, things were getting a little too loud for his tastes. Someone eventually shoved a mug of ale or something in front of him, but he gingerly pushed it away. No way he was trying the stuff, not when Riku and Kairi needed him.
And yet, his hand lingered on it, a darker part of him hoping he would give in, get drunk off his ass, and wake up cuddled in bed with Riku, only a night gone by, still trying to stay warm and struggling to stay alive. No Kairi. All just a dream.
He brought his hand back over, folding it up with the other into a pretty okay pillow. He wondered what he was going to do. He saw all the fun people were having, then turned out to the crowd and decided to enjoy whatever shows he could see from this vantage point. Might as well enjoy the party while I can.
And then the crowd to his left gasped and roared in delight. He glanced over, finding that upon the stage was the very woman from before, Esmeralda. At first he was mesmerized by the way she danced, then quickly lost interest. Too old for me, never really liked sluts anyways.
He drew his attention elsewhere, but then quickly heard stunned gasps
"Is she really?!"
"She's daring THAT?!"
Sora looked back over at Esmeralda, and quickly found she was sitting in the lap of a much older and official-looking man. He cringed, seeing the dissonance between a twenty-something young woman trying to seduce a fifty-something old man. Esmeralda then pushed the man's hat down, backing off with a smirk on her face. The audience was roaring in delight.
Sora clapped lightly, muttering "You've got spunk, Esmeralda."
Shortly after, people began coming up on stage, clamoring for the title of "King of Fools". Sora scoffed at them "Who would want a title like that?" But then someone shoved him over, saying "Hey! How about this guy?!" Esmeralda winked at him when he was on the stage, then waved her arms at him with a flourish. A few boos from the crowd and a headbutt from Esmeralda's goat later, Sora was pushing himself up from getting booted off the stage.
He then squeezed some puddle water from his jacket, and said angrily "That's it, I'm outta here." He stormed off, making his way through the crowd and deciding he had wasted enough time. He heard someone mention "Really ugly!" But just figured it was part of the competition.
He froze when he heard someone scream for help.
He turned around, seeing the newly crowned King of Fools tied to a spinning wheel, getting pleated with all sorts of garbage.
"Hey, stop that!" He said, starting to make his way back over. "Stop it!" He said louder. No one payed attention, continuing to laugh at the heinous sight like nothing was wrong. Sora yelled this time "STOP IT!"
He had had enough, and he summoned his Keyblade, leaping onto the stage and screaming "STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" The people fell silent, staring in confusion at the boy who had interrupted them. "What did he do you?" Sora looked back, finally noting how hideous this guys mug was. He quickly stamped down his revulsion, and continued "I don't think he's done anything wrong to deserve this!"
He then heard footsteps, and Esmeralda's voice quietly asking "Are you okay? I'm sorry I even brought you up here..."
The old man from earlier stood, commanding "Both of you Gypsies off of there at once!"
Esmeralda called back "Of course we will, just as soon as I free this poor creature!"
The man scowled "I said NOW."
Sora held his Keyblade in front of him "We said we'd help him out first."
The man banged his fist, yelling "OFF!"
Esmeralda pulled out her knife and cut the poor mans bonds, yelling back "JUSTICE!"
The man sank back in his chair, then waved his hand and sighed "Just arrest her, Captian."
Sora then noticed that Pheobus was on his horse next to Frollo. He briefly protested "But one of them is a child-"
"Just do it, Captain."
He nodded, and waved his men forward. Esmeralda quickly counted them "123456789... So there's ten of you and two of us." She began sobbing, drawing Sora closer to her while pulling out a handkerchief "Oh, what's a poor girl and her nephew to do?"
Sora muttered "It's a little late for sympathy points-"
She then blew her nose on the hankie, a puff of colored smoke covering them both. Sora felt his hand jerked away, Esmeralda's disembodied voice hissing "This way, run!" He followed, hearing the unnoticing crowd gasping and crying out "Witchcraft!"
They hid behind a set of masks, and Esmeralda said quickly "You don't owe me for that either. Anyone who can stand up to that deserves almost anything free in my book."
Sora said back "Please, anyone could-"
Esmeralda's reply was distant as she made sure none of the guards were coming for them "No, I've been around Pairis long enough to know that you are one in a million." She then covered his mouth and ducked his head under the masks while pretending to be one. When danger had gone away, she slipped away while gesturing Sora over. She nodded to the grand cathedral "There we'll be safe. Quick, get that hood of yours over that mane of hair."
Sora mumbled in protest about his hair, but soon they were both moderately disguised. They easily slipped into the cathedral, and sank to the floor in relief.
Danger was averted for now.
Weeee writing. You guys like the story right? Then review and I might just put up more!