Proud of your Boy
Sora moved around the house trying to find his way through the living room. He held his favorite stuffed animal "Mr. Stuffers," as he looked stumbled around. Six years old already, he was quite the walker. Even able to get down the stairs with little hardship. Despite the fact his mother had told him otherwise.
It was raining heavily outside, thunder again rumbling loudly causing his heart to jump, tugging at the teddy bear hard to get some form of comfort.
He hated thunder, it was loud and scary.
Out of fear he rushed in the living room crying and thankfully for him he saw his mother Aiko on the couch watching T.V only to to be surprised to see her little boy running scared right toward him. He clutched her leg hard and buried his face into her until he found himself lifted up and looked up into her eyes. Tears running down his cheeks as he felt his mother touch.
"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay," She cooed, rubbing her fingers through his cheeks to wipe away the tears.
"Lighting scary," he said, his lip quivering a bit, making him all the more adorable.
Aiko took him a held him closer, "It's just natural part of the whether dear, nothing to be afraid of."
Sora sniffed a bit as his mother ruffled his hair gently. Feeling her touch made him calm down as he laid gently on her knee and began to close his eyes.
"I'm sorry i'm a big baby mommy."
"Don't say that honey, you aren't, you are very brave, don't ever let your fears get you down, you always make me proud."
"I do?" Sora asked looking at her smiling face.
Aiko smiled and kissed him on the forehead," Always."
-000-
Sora's eyes burst open as he once again found himself awake.
"Mama," he muttered, as he started to stand up seeing nothing but the sand around him.
The second night came and with Aladdin now back on the carpet it took the poor thing a while to go on full speed trying to carry so many people. It got so difficult that they had to lay down and walk the rest of the day, otherwise they'd have to make multiple trips back and forth and that according to Jasmine would be too dangerous. They decided that for the night they would lay on the sand for now and sleep, not the wisest strategy but Genie conjure some pillows free of charge.
Sora felt good as he leaned down on the comfy sheets and pillows, better than hard wood and sand. Still it was a bit cold being her in the open area, worst still worried they would be attacked by Heartless, or worse. The air was cold, better than the scorching heat from before yet the dramatic back and forth of the whether made things uncomfortable to beat at moments.
As he tried to sleep, he saw Riku walk around pacing back and forth. His sword in hand, he was practicing with it.
"You always train like this?" Sora smirked getting up and walking over to him.
"You always call out for your mom when your scared?" Riku smirked back
Sora eyes narrowed, "Hey".
Riku grunted, "I have to be on top form."
"Good point," Sora muttered walking up towards him trying to get his Keyblade out, only for nothing to happen and him give up, "Stupid thing."
"Let me guess you've been slacking like you're normally do right?" Riku snickered as he walked up to his friend with a coy smile. "Typical Sora."
"I've been training," Sora defended, "I just...Like to nap a lot, plus I get hands on experience fighting the Heartless."
Riku rolled his eyes, "You know Sora I've been thinking, once this is over maybe we can take that lamp as a souvenir."
"What?"
"I mean three wishes, sure we can't do everything with them but that could definitely work to our advantage. Find Kairi quicker, then we can use the two to do whatever we want, that's real freedom, maybe get that Keyblade of yours and finally not have to deal with any of these….people."
Sora was unsure but it felt like Riku wanted to use a different word for a moment. He brushed the thought aside. "Again Riku, there are counting on me."
Riku just narrowed his eyes. "Fine...Just think about it." He headed back down to his section of pillows before falling asleep.
Sora again was left in a doozy. He looked at his hands and began walking around, just trying to figure out what to do, until he heard the sound of talking coming from a few inches away. Quickly he ran towards it see what was going on until he saw Genie and Aladdin talking to one another.
"Sora?" He jumped to see Donald and Goofy standing behind, "What are you doing?"
Sora jumped back in panic, "Guys! Don't scare my like that."
"Sorry," Goofy said covering his mouth. "We just noticed yuh were awake."
"Yeah well….I have sand in my pants and it hurts," Sora said stretching out his red pants to shake them out a bit.
Donald gave him a look, "Yeah...okay...what are you really doing?
"I heard talking and I wanted to investigate." Sora sighed, "There happy!"
"Well it's just Aladdin and Genie talking to one another." Goofy said.
Aladdin turned around and stopped as he saw Sora standing there, "Hey," He waved quietly.
"Hey," Sora waved back and walked up to him, "So uh what's going on, where is Jasmine?"
"She's asleep." Aladdin said, "Genie and I were just talking about things."
"What kind of things?" Sora asked.
"What my wishes were going to be? I was thinking that he'd make me a Prince once all this stuff with Jafar was settled."
Goofy seemed confused, "Why a Prince?"
"Al boy over here thinks he needs royal status to win the girl," Genie said rolling eyes, "Because clearly someone of Jasmine character and integrity really cares about status and not you know, character, ethics, morality, all the good stuff on the inside. You know….That stuff, the stuff that's important."
Aladdin went on to explain that apparently the Sultan was a stickler for the ancient ways. Agrabah being one of the oldest Kingdoms in the world, had a lot of ancient traditions. Some of which were probably way out of date and could use a massive upgrade, at least according to Jasmine. But the one about royalty only marrying royalty was one that the current Sultan wasn't going to give into that easily.
"Let's just say that lead to a lot of strange relationships," Aladdin snickered
"Personally I don't see what the big deal is," Genie said as he leaned on his back, "You should love for character not rank".
Sora nodded, "Yeah, Genie's right, Jasmine doesn't care if you are a prince or not, I saw it, she likes you for you."
"Yeah but it's the law," Aladdin sighed, "Can't break hundreds of year of tradition can I."
"I guess," Sora muttered swaying in bodrum,
"Well at least he's not wishing to be a Keyblade Master," Genie said popping up by Sora now, "To be fair I knew plenty of princess who got there be-hinds handed to them by the Keyblade Masters in the old days. Oh boy when I was younger there were dozens of these babies running around.
Sora grimaced, "What was it like?"
"Hard to say, had my memories erased a few times during my tenure as a genie. But from what I remember they were pretty much brave warriors. You know, great magical feets, mountains built, slaying of monsters, that sort of thing."
Sora listened to it and wondered just how old the Genie was. For what he could he was at least a few thousand years old. That meant that he had to come from a time when there were dozens of Keyblade Masters. Made him wish he could learn from them, know what it was like to be a true wielder of the blade.
"See, you are more impressive than me." Aladdin said.
"I don't feel impressive if that makes you feel better." Sora said.
Aladdin chuckled, "Well it wouldn't hurt my chances if I could magically summon a Keyblade."
A brief moment of silence. Donald and Goofy just looked around trying to avoid eye contact. Sora for his part just looked at his hand for a moment wondering if he could just give someone a Keyblade before shaking the thought away. He decided to end the silence and quickly
"So uh, what's the third wish." Sora finally asked.
"I'm going to set Genie free." Aladdin said sounding proud.
"Oh-" Sora looked confused again, "Wait what?"
Genie sighed, "Oh it's the Genie curse I suppose, you know ….PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER….Itty bitty living space, I mean look at it," He held out his lamp and opened it, "Can barely fit in a hot tub let alone a good sofa couch."
Sora looked at the thing stunned. So all this time the Genie was a prisoner of the lamp. A slave to the desire of others. Just thinking this made his heartburn with anger. It was unfair, no one deserved to have that fate be given to them, not him not anyone. He wanted to do something now, but if wishing him would set him free then so be it.
"I'm so sorry Genie," Sora said.
Aladdin nodded, "Yep, that's why I'm gonna wish him free, might as well do something right."
Sora seemed surprised by that statement and raised his eyebrow. "What does that mean?"
"Oh," Aladdin ran a hand through his thick layers of black hair, "Let's just say I've always been a bit of a screw up. I mean I'm a thief for Allah's sake. Living on the streets with just Abu, no home, no nothing."
Sora frowned.
"That sounds so sad," Goofy said.
"Yeah, it's not like Agrabah was always that great a city before Jafar anyway. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the Sultan and knowing he's Jasmine farther I wanna help him because of her but, still...The city can't be all bad with Jasmine in it."
"Ah someone had it big for the princess," Goofy teased.
Aladdin blushed, "Hey well….If I do help liberate a city, at least then I can go to my mom knowing I did something right?"
"Your mom." Sora said looking at Aladdin, "You have a mom, I mean she's alive?"
"No," Aladdin frowned again, "She died when I was young, but I remember her."
Sora felt something in his chest clutch together. "I"m sorry, my dad died when I was young, though I guess I'm lucky enough to always have my mom...Or did ...Until my home was taken by the Heartless."
Instantly Sora felt a bond between him and Aladdin grow. He began to put the pieces together that Aladdin wanted to do right by his mother. He could see it in the way he spoke about her to the way he had a certain glint in his eye. That was the look of someone who wanted to right by their mother, and that was something Sora respected above all things.
"Well Aladdin, I'm sure she'd be proud of you," Goofy said giving him a warm smile, "Rebellion against tyrant and all that."
Genie nodded, "Yeah kid, takes guts to fight against oppressive systems. Even though your just restoring the system already in place that lead to said corrupt system to take over in the first place. But hey this isn't still what the 6th 7th century or something ….What do I know, you'll get there one day."
Aladdin smiled back at Sora, "I see you have a close relationship with your mom too then huh?"
"Heh…"
Goofy nodded, "No it's true, you too Sora," Sora looked taken aback, "helping out Aladdin and freeing a city, working the Keyblade, they'd be proud of both of you."
"Yeah," Sora nodded blushing from embarrassment, "She raised me single handedly, I mean, I wanna make sure it wasn't all for nothing...All the sacrifice, hardships."
Sora mind started to wonder back to his time when he was younger. How his mother struggled around the time after his father death. There was always this look of sadness in her eyes, yet she was strong and kept it together for his sake. Part of him wished that he could have done more to help, perhaps be more of a support system. Even now he wished he could have stepped up more and help.
A thought of horror came to him when considered the fact that he wouldn't be able go back home, and make it up to her some way.
"You know I wish…" Sora sighed, "I wish I could make her proud".
"I'm sure you will Sora" Aladdin sighed as he stepped forward to look out at the desert beyond, "I-I like to think maybe we could make both of them proud of there boys."
Sora looked out as Aladdin kept walking until he paused and looked up at the stars. He too had a look of deep reflection on his face.
Proud of your boy
I'll make you proud of your boy
Believe me, bad as I've been, Ma
You're in for a pleasant surprise
I've wasted time.
I've wasted me.
So say I'm slow for my age
A late bloomer, Okay, I agree
That I've been one rotten kid
Some son, some pride and some joy
But I'll get over these lousin' up
Messin' up, screwin' up times
You'll see, Ma, now comes the better part.
Someone's gonna make good
Cross his stupid heart
Make good and finally make you
Proud of your boy
As Aladdin reminisced Sora wondered about his own life. Had his mother thought these things. Maybe he had been a screwball all his life. Riku being the more serious of the pair, always pushed by his parents to be the best why he just stayed lazy and carefree. Now responsibility was crashing down on him. Was he really up to the challenge.
Tell me that I've been a louse and loafer
You won't get a fight here, no ma'am
Say I'm a goldbrick, a good-off, no good
But that couldn't be all that I am
Water flows under the bridge
Let it pass, let it go
There's no good reason that you should believe me
Not yet, I know, but
Someday and soon
I'll make you proud of your boy
Though I can't make myself taller
Or smarter or handsome or wise
I'll do my best, what else can I do?
Since I wasn't born perfect like Dad or you
Mom, I will try to
Try hard to make you
Proud of your boy
Listening to Aladdin Sora closed his eyes and thought of his own mom. He wondered if she would proud of anything he was doing right now. Would she be worried, angry, part of him knew that deep down she would support him, she always did. Though if anything right now, he just wished his mother was here, giving him the answers he always yearned for or just being happy with who he was right now.
Sora looked at the sky and smiled, "Proud of your boy huh? Yeah...I think I can do that"