I don't own Kingdom Hearts and/or Disney.

Jason and Clair are mine.

Mortem belongs to YamiChaos27.

Axel Dixon belongs to TheGoodandTheBadXBoy.

Special thanks to YamiChaos27, AquaStormfall, and TheGoodandTheBadXBoy for helping to write this chapter.

Chapter 21: Treasure Worth More than Gold

MORTEM'S POV

Agrabah…

I couldn't help but stay amused at what had transpired in the last world. Jason had actually managed to achieve a level of power most Keyblade wielders haven't, and only in a few weeks. Our last confrontation had been the most enjoyable yet. I honestly didn't know why I got so excited back there, but something told me I felt a similar rush once before. Regardless, I was now itching for a rematch with him.

As I paid for some bread at one of the stands in Agrabah's marketplace, I looked up at the palace that loomed over the rest of the city. In there was one of the hearts I needed. I had one now, and it had managed to awaken some of my memories. I may not have liked what I had seen, but it worked so I will continue until I had all seven hearts. For now, the only thing I was interested in was filling my belly.

After walking around for a few minutes I was able to find a place to sit and eat that was out of this blazing hot sun. As I made myself comfortable, Leroy then spoke up. "What's our plan of attack?"

"First we eat. Then we get inside the palace and take the heart." I said as I handed Leroy some of the food. "This time we'll get it for sure no matter what guards or genies we face."

"You've been in a much better mood ever since Neverland."

"One of the two has started becoming a worthwhile opponent. He's not as good as I am, but now I'm starting to feel a little more respect for him. It's not many who can change their Keyblade into another weapon."

"Will you be able to do him in? You'd better not be going soft on those kids."

I then glared at my companion. "Let me be clear about something: there's no force on this or any world, or in the heavens, that will keep me from doing him in. I'm just glad that he's going to make it a challenge. But my first objective is obtaining all seven hearts and reclaiming my memories."

As I prepared to take a bite of my bread, I then saw something down the alley. Two children were looking around some of the urns… wait. Was that a fish skeleton they pulled out? That explains why they looked a little undernourished. They must be paupers who can't afford to buy food from the market.

Looking at Leroy, who just shoved his bread into his mouth and began chewing viciously, I looked at some of the food we still had. What was this feeling I had? It reminded me of when I was moved to help that kid in Devil's Bayou, and when I took Alice's heart. The little boy tried to wander forward, but the girl who I suspected to be his older sister held him back. When she did that for a second she was replaced by the image of a twelve-year old girl with brunette hair tied in pigtails.

With a groan I held my head at that. What was that? Who was she? When I looked again she was back to being the pauper girl, and she was still looking at our food and us with eyes full of hope and sadness. They must be used to being ignored by people who had food to spare. With a sigh, I took what we had left and walked down to the two kids.

They backed up a bit at first, like they were unsure of what I was about to do. Holding out the rest of the food to them, I said, "Here. You need it more than I do." With smiles appearing on their faces they accepted and began to eat. Seeing them happy like that just felt right to me, and with that taken care of I began to leave.

While I walked, Leroy rejoined me. "What was that about?"

"Don't know. Just felt right to do." I told him. I would've said more, but then I stopped. I saw someone ahead, and upon closer inspection I realized it was Sora. He seemed to be waiting around for someone, but who and why? Curiosity took over as I crept up closer to him.

While he waited a woman in brown robes and some sort of head scarf approached him. I sensed a pure light coming from her, so it had to be the princess of this world. I could've just went over to her and took her heart and be done with it, but I was too curious to what was going on so I decided to listen in. Turning to her, the Keyblade Hero said, "Jasmine. Thanks for coming."

"I am curious about how you intend to test Jason when he returns." She said as the two of them walked. "I'm still not sure why I should give him a second chance."

A test for Jason? That was interesting. And the whole second chance thing sounded like they had a falling out last time he was here, not that I could blame them given how annoying he was for a while. Regardless, I found myself curious as to where this was going.

"He's realized he was wrong, and has been trying to do better. I think if he's given a second chance he won't let you down." The Keyblade Hero said.

"Oh, really?" She didn't sound convinced. "And what exactly did you have in mind?"

"It's a surprise, but I need you to convince him to go to the Cave of Wonders."

"Why? Why the Cave of Wonders?"

"That's why I was going to introduce you to some new friends." Sora then gestured to some people walked up to him. Both appeared to be around my age, maybe a little older. One was a woman with blue hair and a black top with a corset and shorts. She also had white bell sleeves and cloths from her belt, and leggings with strange pointed shoes. The other was a man with brown hair and a black shirt that was tight enough to show his muscles. He also wore some poofy pants… no, hakama. They were called hakama. How did I know that?

The man took a look in my direction, and I had to move out of sight. I don't know why, but I had a feeling I had faced him before. That was strange because I have never seen him in my life, and yet something inside made me feel as if I did not want to face him in battle anytime soon. Once I felt safe, I thought about what I heard. Cave of Wonders? What was that place, and why did Sora feel like it would be good to use for this test? I was getting too curious about this.

Turning to the red monster, I said, "Change of plans Leroy. We're going to this Cave of Wonders."

CLAIR'S POV

I couldn't believe we were back in Agrabah so soon. I didn't think we'd be coming back after what happened at least for a little bit longer. What could've happened that would've merited our return? Nothing appeared out of the ordinary in the marketplace. It was just as I remembered from last time with people buying and selling stuff. I just hope the people of Agrabah don't run Jason off for what happened.

"Are you okay, lass?" Scrooge asked me while Jason kept his head low.

Taking a breath I gave voice to my thoughts. "Do you think they're ready to welcome us back after-"

"After what I did." Jason muttered.

"Anything is possible." Scrooge said. "Though I must admit I find it unlikely."

THat earned a sigh from my cousin. "Do I need to get it tattooed to my forehead?"

"You learn from your mistake, lad." Our chaperone told him. "You gotta face it eventually, and moping on it isn't going to change it. If you want people to like you, be likeable. Have a goal in life. Promise the world, and then deliver it. Whatever it is you fear, face it. Take risks."

"Easy to say when you're a billionaire." Jason said.

"Quadzillionaire." The old duck corrected him before adding, "And I didn't start out that way. I used to be quite poor, so I took a job shining shoes. My first customer paid me a dime, which was worthless where I was living. Instead of giving up, I decided to focus myself by becoming rich. And you know how I did it? By being smarter than the smarties and tougher than the toughies."

"Is there a point?"

"Aye lad. And it can be explained in two simple words: Man up."

MY cousin stopped at that. "You don't think I'm acting like a man."

"I know you're not. But hopefully we can change that here."

"I'm doing what my parents taught me how to treat with people." I added.

I then noticed Jason still looked down, but it seems like he's pondering about our words and Scrooge's brief story about his poor past.

"There you are!" A familiar voice said. Turning, the three of us saw it was Sora.

"Hi, Sora." I waved at him before asking. "How come you're still in your regular clothes?"
"Donald never enchanted mine to change in different… places. And there have been times I wish he did." The Keyblade Master answered while remembering not to say worlds. He then motioned for us to follow him. "Come on. We don't have a lot of time." We then followed him through the streets of Agrabah to the gates of the palace, though I noticed Jason lagged behind like he didn't want to be there. I could see Aladdin, Jasmine, and Carpet were already there and waiting for us. "They're here." Sora told them.

My cousin tried to avoid making eye contact with them. However he, like the rest of us were startled when a familiar blue figure appeared in a flash. "Welcome back, all of you!"

That made me jump back with a gasp. I forgot he could do that. "H-hey, Genie." I greeted despite being uncomfortable about his 'poof-trick appearance'. "So what's up? Did you forgive Jason yet?"

The look Jasmine gave made me want to crawl under a rock. "No, but something's come up that he can help with. A relic that has been passed down from generations has been stolen from my father's vault. If we don't get it back Agrabah will lose itself."

"Do you know who stole it?" Jason asked them.

"A thief. According to Genie it somehow ended up in the Cave of Wonders."

I did a double take at that. "The Cave of Wonders?" I remember coming across that name in one of Merlin's books, but I couldn't remember any other details about it. "What's the Cave of Wonders?"

"It's a cave-." Jasmine began to explain.

"Allow me." Genie said as seats appeared underneath us and Genie poofed himself into an old projector that began playing something on a piece of cloth that also appeared out of nowhere. "Here we have a simple desert, correct? Nothing out of the ordinary until…" The desert sand in the began to swell and shift until it took the shape of a massive feline head with glowing eyes. The mouth opened up to reveal a passage that led into the ground. "The incredible Cave of Wonders reveals itself!"

We then saw images of massive piles of treasure scattered within the cave. When Scrooge saw all the gold and jewels lying in such shiny dunes his expression changed. "Incredible. So much." He whispered, and I swear his eyes changed to show the value.

"Within lies a thousand years of treasure collected from over a thousand and one kingdoms." The Genie continued to narrate, though the information caused Scrooge's bill to drop. THat was a lot of money."But despite it lying around, the treasure is not for the taking." The Genie continued to narrate. "Touch even one coin you are not supposed to, even with a shirt, and you could be reduced to dust."

Yikes. No thanks. I didn't want to touch any cursed treasure.

Scrooge's mouth clamped shut. "Ye sayin' even one tap on anythin' could possibly doom you?"

"Correct." Genie pointed at him.

"Even one golden piece?"

"Even one golden piece, and that's assuming the guardian, the very entrance, lets you pass. Only those who are deemed worthy are allowed within. Any soul judged to be unfit who tries to push their way in faces instant death."

"Is this a suicide mission you're sending us on?" I asked.

"Then how did the thief get in?" Jason asked.

As Genie changed back, Aladdin answered. "He sorta did. Made a few steps before he..."

I shuddered at that.

"So, is that why you wanted us? So if we die it's no skin off your noses?" Jason asked.

"To be able to enter the Cave says a lot about you." Jasmine said. "According to research done by a former vizier to be able to enter the cave means there is something special about you, something that goes beyond wealth or power. Something about the person's character. Their heart."

Their heart? Before I could thinking about it more Jason spoke up. "So what exactly are we looking for?"

"You'll know when you find it." Jasmine said with a smile.

One look at Jason and I saw he had the same confused look I did. Why did it feel like there was something they weren't telling us? How were we going to know when we found this thing? What if we touched something we shouldn't? Jason then looked at his shoulder before looking back. Probably getting advice from Jiminy. "Okay. We'll help."

We had to use some horses from the palace to move across the desert as there wasn't enough room for all of us on Carpet. By then night was falling and I was getting a little tired. I yawned a bit, though I willed myself to stay awake the best I could. I couldn't help but ask, "How much further...?"

"We're almost there." Aladdin said as he took something out of his vest while Jasmine took something out of the satchel she carried. As they brought them together, something clicked and there was a glow, and then something flew off into the desert.

"What was that?" I asked.

My question went unanswered as Genie turned into some sort of guy in a wide hat wearing a black mask on a white horse. "Heigh-ho, Silver. Away!"

"Follow the scarab!" Aladdin called out to us as Carpet flew by. Some urging from Scrooge to our mounts got them to follow them across the sands. We raced across the dunes before the glowing scarab thing split into two and buried themselves in a sand dune. Then, there was a rumbling and in front of us the dune erupted into a massive feline head. The entrance to the Cave of Wonders!

My jaw dropped at the sight. "Gri's beak."

As we dismounted, Scrooge took a sniff and his eyes widened. "I smell treasure!" With that he began running off before we could stop him. However, as he approached the mouth, he got blasted back by a gust that came from the head.

"Who disturbs my slumber?" The cave entrance asked us in a voice that made my legs shake. The Cave could talk?!

"Scrooge McDuck, ya big boulder." Scrooge snapped.

"And Clair Fay." I added.

"Jason Norman." Jason continued. For several seconds the Cave looked at us. I felt like it was searching my soul. Were we truly worthy to enter it?

"Proceed. Touch nothing but what you seek." With that the entrance opened its mouth. We exchanged a look before slowly and cautiously approaching the cave. As we made it to the entrance, I hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside first. I braced myself for something bad to happen, but nothing did. Jason slowly stepped into the entrance, bracing himself as well but getting the same result.

Scrooge then ran past us, with that same look in his eyes when he sniffed the treasure within earlier. Oh, no. I had a bad feeling about him. My cousin and I quickly hurried after him. "Scrooge!" I called out to our chaperone as we headed deeper into the cave, taking a path with several twists and turns.

When we entered a room my jaw just dropped. There were mountains of treasure in here, from golden idols to chests of gold coins. Jason and I couldn't help but stare in awe at the riches that were strewn about before us. There was more than enough here to make someone.. Wait. Scrooge was about to leap into a pile! Before he could he was knocked back by something. As he was thrown back to us, we looked to see who had knocked our friend back, but there was no one there.

Scrooge groaned, then tried to move again, only for me to hold him in place. "No, Scrooge!"

"But lass-!"

"Who's there?" Jason called, but he didn't get an answer. Upon that, he turned to the elderly duck. "Did you forget? We're not supposed to touch anything but whatever was stolen. Do you want to end up a pile of dust."

Shrugging off what I said, his response was, "Oh, I've dealt with far worse curses than anything this cave has. I've gathered quite the collection from my adventures."

"We're not here to add to it." My cousin frowned. "We're here to retrieve whatever it was that was stolen. And given what's here, it feels like trying to stop a kaiju with a toothpick."

"You worry too much." Scrooge said. "If it makes you happy I won't touch anything until we get out with the totem."

JASON'S POV

It took some effort, but we were finally able to get a promise that made us feel better to release Scrooge and continue on our way into the cave. As we headed through the room filled with treasure, I looked left and right trying to find at least something that might have been the thing that was stolen. However nothing seemed to stick out. With a sigh, I shook my head at how this was feeling impossible. "Any luck, Clair?"

"Not a clue." My cousin said, which I responded with a frustrated groan. If I didn't find that item there was no way I was ever going to be forgiven by the princess. And because they were associated with me Clair and Scrooge would also suffer from this. Why did consequences have to be so worbazz frustrating?

As we wandered through the caves, I paused as we passed through a particularly dark area. It must've been a trick, but I thought I saw someone. "Huh...?" I blinked. Then, I found myself in a place I knew too well. Harthyn?! I looked around with surprise. What... how did I get here?! Where was the cave?!

"Clair...?" I called. However, there was no answer from her while I looked around. I knew these streets well. They were places I would hang out when I was younger, bordering on the areas that were now perpetuated to be home to the Downtrod. Mom never allowed me to go down there anymore, but somehow this didn't seem like now. It was just like I remembered as a kid, with people putting up fresh graffiti and more people begging for money.

I then heard something that was too familiar to me. "Please, Jason. Stop this!" Turning, I saw a kid cowering in fear, and standing over him was me! Well, me when I was at least five years younger. What was going on? How was this possible?

My younger self ignored the poor kid's pleas as he kicked him again. What did he do again? Or was this me just not caring? Seeing myself like this, mercilessly beating on someone else while mocking them and hurting them, it was like someone plunged a knife into my gut and twisted it. I started hunching over as if I was the one who was being beaten. Then, I saw my younger self beating up another kid, and another, and another. What was going on? The images started blurring together, as if I had never stopped causing people pain.

"So much pain. So much sadness." Someone said. I turned to see someone in armor standing behind me. I could tell by their figure and the way they carried themself that they were feminine. "All this darkness you spread to the children of your world, and yet only a few ever stood up to you."

Before I could ask who she was, the images stopped blurring together and showed me beating someone else up when someone placed their hand on my shoulder. My younger self turned and got a fist to their face.

Turning away, I looked at her. "Who are you?!" I asked, taking a step back. "What's going on here?"

The person looked at me, and even though they were wearing a helmet, I could swear I could feel their eyes piercing me. "This is a measure of your guilt, showing you how you have given in to the darkness your entire life." The figure said, and her voice confirmed my suspicions that this was a woman.

"My guilt...? Darkness...?" I repeated, taking a step back again, though she continued to approach me.

Out of the corner of my eye my younger self began fighting the person who tried to stop me.

"Yes." The figure said. "A darkness that has been growing and eating away at you for years now. The Keyblade you bear, if misused, will result in it consuming you completely."

"You don't know that!" I said.

She then paused before saying, "I watched people I knew be consumed in a similar fashion. So yes I do know that."

That made me look down. "But I came here to make things right."

"Can you though? Can you change years of hurting others?" I swear the figure looked at me in a way that suggested the eyes were narrowing. "Tell me. What do you intend to do to make things right? How can you heal years of pain? Do you think you can do it without help?"

"You are just a miserable jerk who seeks any respect for yourself!" I heard the kid who picked a fight with my younger self say. When I turned to look I ended up giving a gasp of recognition. The kid who was fighting against my young self was wearing dark self wears green jacket, blue jeans, red t-shirt just like I had now, but with some sort of wolf on the middle of it.

My eyes were on that kid. Thought I would never see that face again after the fire last year with his intense auburn hair and brown eyes. Still, all of the kids I picked on, why him... The one who didn't ever beg or run away... Ruined my old pride… "Axel Dixon." I felt the name slide out of my mouth.

"Who asked you?" My younger self punched him again while the figure's question echoed in my mind.

"Your actions did!" He then grabbed my younger self, and after a few quick minutes he won the fight. "You only fight to make yourself feel better! You don't know what it's like to put your sorry hide out for the little people."

"Neither do you!"

"Wrong. I stood up to you. That makes me a better person than you'll ever be." With a growl my younger self managed to get a punch that knocked Axel back, and then I could see some of my other friends looking including Steven. However, instead of cheering they just shook their heads and turned away. I could feel the pain all over again, of having people I thought I could trust only to end up being cast aside by them. I remember feeling confused and betrayed, like they had ganged up just to make me feel bad.

My younger self, trying to understand why his buddies were now turning on him, forgot about the fight he had gotten in. Getting up, Axel socked the past me so hard he created a bruise and a black eye at the same time. "You play at being tough, but you know nothing about what it means to fight. You want to make yourself feel powerful when you have no idea what power truly is. And I refuse to believe you ever will."

For some reason, looking back at what I had seen, I couldn't help but feel he was right. I didn't know what power was, and I still feel like I don't. Sure I have the Keyblade, and I got this cool ability with it, but what good was it if I didn't understand how to activate it? Was I really fit to carry it? After seeing my past, I wasn't so sure.

All I've learned so far is I've been untrustworthy and rash, and that has caused problems in Agrabah and Motunui. And seeing how I've been, have I really been able to change in just a few hours? That didn't seem right. Maybe I wasn't any different from that boy who fought others, and lost the people he thought had been his friends when he lost.

"Jason!" I heard Clair cry out, making me look to see the armored figure call forth a Keyblade and block... Mortem?! As the two clashed the environment changed back to the cave we were in. What was he doing here, and how did he get into the cave?! No matter. We needed to stop him before something bad happened.

The figure managed to force him back while Mortem landed on his feet with a growl. Summoning my Keyblade, I got ready to fight our foe. "What are you doing here, Mortem?"

He shouldered his Keyblade. "Well, I was about to capture the princess's heart, but then I heard something about this Cave of Wonders that caught my interest. And who else would be involved here than the boy I've been itching for a rematch with?" His Keyblade began to glow with the energy I knew too well as he unleashed his first attack. "Dark Wave!"

The armored figure and I dove out of the way as the surge of dark energy before she went on the offensive. Swinging her Keyblade… wait. Did she just throw a bunch of bubbles at Mortem? The ones that hit him managed to do some damage, though rocks came flying at the others and popped them. Leroy's voice then cut through the darkness of the cave full of insults. The dark warrior then threw a few dark fireballs at us, but a barrier then appeared before us thanks to the armored figure. "This was not how things were supposed to go." She said.

"What?" I asked.

Before she could answer, Mortem fired a big attack, blasting through the barrier. "Out of my way!" He shouted as Unversed started appearing around us. I groaned as they began leaping at us. Not these things again. Clair summoned hers as well, but Mortem ignored her and came straight at me. However, the armored figure got in his way. "Get out of my way."

"You want him, you have to go through me first." The figure said to my surprise. Why was she defending me? I've never seen her before.

"So be it!" Mortem then transformed his Keyblade into its scythe mode.

I heard a gasp like that surprised the woman. Getting up, I said, "No. He's our problem. I need to face him." In response the figure somehow sent me flying backwards, and when I was far enough a barrier appeared, sealing me out and leaving me to deal with the Unversed with my cousin. "What the- hey!" I protested. Unfortunately I didn't time to argue with her, as the Unversed started attacking us while Mortem attacked her.

Probably unfair of me to cut right here, but I figured a few chapters would make up for the month long hiatus.