Author Note: Please leave a review if you can, really appreciate it.

Diamond in the Rough

"Riku!" Sora shouted as he gazed around the palace throne room.

He got up to see the large palace throne room completely void. Only he, Donald and Goofy stood now, completely alone without friends or hope. He already could feel his heart sink knowing that feeling once again after just finding him Sora had lost his friends to the darkness. A sudden feeling of depression began to rush over him until a small voice came from behind him.

"Aladdin...Jasmine!...Genie!" He looked around yet did not find any sighn of his friends. "Someone, anyone, come on guys don't do this!"

Sora rushed around the room trying to find people until he heard a light tapping behind him.

"Excuse me young man, Keyblade Master, could you assist assist me."

Turning around Sora saw the Sultan tapping on the gals straying to get his attention. With all the chaos happening around him, Sora had forgotten they had come here in the first place to rescue the Sultan.

"Oh right, stand back," Sora grips the key and smashes the glass breaking the Sultan free. "

The Sultan got out of the Hourglass slowly making sure to not step on the sharp glass. "Thank you, Keyblade Master."

Blushing Sora smiled and nodded. "Just call me Sora."

"Then thank you, Sora."

"You know about the Keyblade, right?"

The Sultan nodded. "Indeed, and that is what I was trying to tell Jasmine before everything went to chaos. Jafar, he's looking for something called a Keyhole. I know where it is, and I know if he has it then our world is in deep trouble!"

"How do you know about the worlds?" Donald asked looking surprised. "I thought they're supposed to be secret."

"Indeed, but there are a few indications of other worlds in the Palace archives that we've collected over the many years. Plus, like I said, I have seen a Keyblade Master before when I was younger. My hair was a little less white back then. But if Jafar has located the Keyhole, then we really don't have a chance." despair crept into the Sultan's voice. "I feel in a lot of ways this is all my fault."

"Don't say that sir-" Sora held the Sultan straight, surprised the two were around the same size. "We're still here, and I have the Keyblade, that should be hope enough to stop him."

"Jafar has the Genie's lamp and now the Keyhole, I really don't think you stand a chance."

Sora looked down at his Keyblade that vanished in his hand before becoming stern. "No, if you know where it is, we can find it and get going! Sorry but you have to trust us."

"What if it's far? Not like we can walk there in time." Donald asked. "We might not be able to get there in time."

"Will think of something Donald." Goofy said. "Maybe will be able to fly there?"

"I don't have magic for that."

Sora sighed. "Well we have to think of something, our friends needs us right now, maybe my Keyblade can-"

His question would soon be answered, floating down from the window Carpet arrived, looking for Aladdin and the others, and panicking when he didn't see them. However, he saw Sora and zoomed towards him waving frantically, trying to get answers from him. Sora beamed to at least know not everyone had been taken from Jafar's dark magic.

"Carpet, are we glad to see you! Stay here, we'll be right back hang on!"

So, the plan was set, instantly The Sultan and the others went into Agrabah archives, looking through a horde of maps and other places. It seemed like finding the proper map would be harder to find than they expected. The archives were large, and not clearly organized than they should be. It was far larger library than Sora had ever seen before, not even the study in Riku's father's house was as big as this.

The Sultan went through several shelves of papers and folders dusting off a few scrolls and looking through the various maps with haste trying to find the one needed to find this mysterious cave.

Sora held a light torch by the Sultan in order to help him see better.

"How are we gonna find it in here!?" Sora yelled, going through various maps, many of which he couldn't read.

The Sultan began looking around. "It won't be hard. Hopefully, maybe?"

"Great," Sora muttered. "So, do you have this much information because of a family thing or what?"

"Family….Oh…." The Sultan shook his head. "More like just luck, Agrabah is old. Very old, it has seen much. Granted, I never went into the wider mysteries of the world, I preferred to keep to myself and raise my daughter. Though in hindsight perhaps I should have gone into thing more, actually govern."

"Well, I think you did a good job," Sora said smiling. "She helped us out of a jam when we first arrived, so if anything I think that makes you a good parent."

The Sultan smiled. "Thank you, young lad, though not a good Sultan.

"Well, always time to change." Sora said.

"Or pass it down to the next generation."

Sora shrugged. "That too."

"Though I suppose age is only part of it, it's the responsibility of the job that matters the most. I'm sure though being a Keyblade Master is hard at someone you're age, all that power and responsibility you are given if the legends are told.."

"Yeah….It is.…." Sora said letting out a soft chuckle.

Thinking about it, the Sultan was right, it was hard being a Keyblade Master, and he was quite young. He wondered what someone older than him would be able to handle the situation, better, worse? The situation was quite dire right now that it definitely would have been a challenge. Though Sora couldn't help think that someone with more experience in life would probably have a better handle on things then he was right now.

"Hey, I found something." Goofy said holding out a scroll and showing it to them. "It's seems to be somewhere in the desert, looks like it's where we found Aladdin."

"Alright!" Donald cheered.

A loud elephant roar came from the distance

"Don't worry, Abu," Sora shouted. "we'll find them...and turn you back to normal too!"

With that Sora and the other got on the carpet, they needed to hurry and quick.

-000-

The heavy winds of the sands did not deter Sora and the others from heading out to find their friends. Along with Donald and Goofy, the Sultan himself decided to journey with the young lad, helping them decipher the map to a so called Cave of Wonders inside it, it was said where the Keyhole would be. Hopefully, they would be able to make it before it's too late.

Sora tried to not think of what sort of horrors Jafar was putting his friends through right now. But knowing Riku, he knew that he was probably trying to think of a way to get them out, though if they were trapped in a cave it would be hard to get out. Still he felt somewhat responsible for agreeing to all this in the first place.

"Come on, Carpet. Steady pace now." Sora said in a soft tone taking a deep breath. "Easy, easy….Good….Dust storms are nothing to be afraid off….I've had to deal with plenty back home."

"You lived in the desert?" The Sultan asked.

Sora shook his head. "No a Island, mostly tropical whether but we do have to deal with storms every now and then. Though mostly we have to worry about the water being thrown in our faces than sand."

"Sand, water, it's all annoying." Donald muttered.

Goofy looked around, making sure no Heartless were following them. "Wonder how far it is?"

"Not that far now!" The Sultan called, holding onto the map tightly, the wind making it easy to slip from his fingers. "Oh dear…..This accursed wind, makes it hard to see."

"Just hold on guys! We can do this!" Sora assured.

Sora couldn't help but think about Riku, sure he knew deep down that he would be okay. If there was one thing about his friend, he wasn't helpless. In fact, both of his friends weren't. Even if he hadn't found her yet, he knew that Kairi was strong enough to take care of herself, wherever she was. Yet still, he didn't know what to expect from Jafar or the Heartless.

"What can you tell me about Jafar?" Sora asked the Sultan feeling the winds starting to get harder.

The Sultan seemed taken aback. "Oh….Oh well….He was my most trusted advisor until he betrayed me. But he is powerful in these dark powers. He will be a difficult opponent to face. He's very clever, and treacherous, I learned that the hard way."

Sora grimace. "He's got a lot of magic."

"Indeed, and with that Genie….well….You really don't stand a chance it seems, unless you can wield that Key of yours."

Something within Sora burned, again everything tying itself to the Key, never him! Why couldn't people just realize that he wasn't a master but a boy, nothing special! That was it, nothing more, nothing less. The Sultan, Aladdin, Genie, Jafar, he wasn't the Keyblade Master, it was just him, just him! The more he thought the more he wanted to rush faster and find Riku and eventually Kairi, only they knew he was just him.

"There!" The Sultan shouted.

Carpet landed on the middle of the desert, it was the same place from where Sora and the others met Aladdin. Although the sinking sand from earlier had vanished, the ground was now far steadier to move on, yet all they could see was sand. Sora frowned and began moving his hand against the small bits of sand, trying to find some sort of entrance or maybe a door, something.

"Does that map give us any clues?" Donald asked.

"X mark the spot, perhaps?" Goofy said. "That's normally how maps seem to go."

"I have a feeling that it's gonna be a little bit more difficult than that Goofy if this is some ancient cave we are looking for." Sora interjected looking back down at the desert in case Goofy was right.

The Sultan checked, turning it upside and inward. "I'm afraid I don't see anything, just a picture of a large tiger's head."

"Well, that doesn't help." Sora muttered

"Just gotta keep digging then!" Goofy said digging his gloved hands through the dirt.

Sora took a deep breath, rubbing his head in exhaustion. Digging through the dirt was getting them nowhere and they needed to move quickly.

"Come on, there has to be something here!" Sora muttered to himself.

"Perhaps that Key of yours could be of use." The Sultan said.

Sora sighed. "I wish, not unless a Heartless shows up."

Sora spoke to soon suddenly the ground began to rumble as from the sands came a large centipede looking Heartless. It roared with great vigor causing Sora and the others to fall onto their backs, it's every move caused the ground to rumble. Quickly Sora got back up on his feet as Keyblade emerged, Donald and Goofy got behind the Sultan to quickly protect him.

"What is that thing!?" The Sultan yelled.

"A Heartless, a big scary….bug like Heartless." Sora almost had trouble believing it himself, "Don't worry I will protect you!"

Again, the Heartless roared and pounded it's head right into the sand sending the trio flying into the air. Quickly Sora got up and charged right it only to have it's tail swing right at him knocking him over again. With Sora down again, it began to chase Donald and Goofy, both putting up a brave defense but not being able to stand it's full on attack themselves.

"Donald!" Goofy!" Sora yelled, he aimed his Keyblade feeling a sense of rage as a bright smoke emanated from his key. "Fire!"

A mid-sized ball of fire protruded through the Keyblade tip hitting the monster right in front of the head knocking it to the side. Donald and Goofy had a opening to get away yet Sora was still too shaken to charge at it again. As Sora's head fell to the sand though he saw out of the corner of his eye a familiar looking brown coated man standing right in front of him.

"Still understanding nothing, I see." The ice cold voice called out, like a chill in the heat.

Sora jumped back and around, standing in front of him cloaked in that brown drab of rags was the ghost from the Island. His face still shrouded in shadow under the hood. Just looking at him caused Sora to freeze in absolute terror, that same figure who was there when his Island was destroyed staring back at him. Images of that day flashed through his mind as he gazed back him.

"No-" Sora clapped his hands to head as a sharp pain came.

"Sora, what's wrong!?" Goofy shouted as the centipede heartless slowly closed on him.

Sora got up all pain gone as he looked up.

Suddenly, the brown coated figure turned toward the massive Heartless and raised it's claws shaped hand at it. For a few moments nothing happened, until the creatures suddenly paused and then in a flash, exploded in a burst of magical aura.

Sora blinked, and in a instant, he vanished leaving nothing but the area where he stood. "No way."

The cloaked figure gazed upon Sora one more time, and even though he couldn't' see it, Sora could feel that he was smirking at him. "Again, one who knows nothing can understand nothing." He pointed his bony finger downward towards Sora feet and then in a instant, he was gone.

"Sora!" Donald yelled. "What happened!?"

"N-Nothing….Nothing, I'm alright."

"What was that about?" Goofy asked taking a deep breath as things calmed down. "Why did the Heartless exploded."

"Um, look!" Quickly rushing towards, Sora began to dig not even bothering to question why he was listening to the man who had haunted him that last day on the island. But as his hand sifted through the sand, he could feel something smooth and round press against his hand. A tinge of gold glinted from beneath the sand. Slowly, he pulled it out to reveal two broken pieces of what looked like a scarab now laying on the palm of his hands.

"Guys! Guys, I found something….Your majesty, I found something!"

Donald, Goofy and the Sultan quickly rushed to his side to look at the two pieces that rested in his hand. Sora felt his heart starting to skip a beat, hands tingling, he was getting closer to finding Riku.

"Oh my…" The Sultan examined them quickly. "What are they?"

"I don't know." Sora said, holding both in each hand. "But I feel like, they need to be together."

Carefully, Sora put the two pieces of the scarab together, his heart racing as he could feel them coming closer and closer together. A surge of energy began to drift around him, even the Keyblade appeared by his side indicating something was happening. Once the two pieces clicked the scarab lit and began to fly. Everyone gazed at it as it zoomed around them, jumping into the air before splitting landing into the sand, still glowing.

"W-What's going on?" Sora asked.

The ground began to shake.

"We're about to find out!" Donald yelled.

Sora and the others found themselves flung back as the sand began to rise into the air, growing and concentrating in among itself as it morphed into a great and mighty tiger head. It's mouth wide open showing off it's large sharp teeth before letting out a mighty roar.

Donald and Goofy huddled close to Sora for comfort, even the Sultan joined in, all of them shaking in their shoes.

"Who disturbs my slumber?" It yells it's voice causing the particles of sand to blow in the wind that was being created by it's own breath.

"By Allah." The Sultan said his eyes widening in shock. "I've never seen anything like this before in well...ever."

"Well-go on Sora." Goofy said gently holding Sora from behind.

"Um….Maybe I…" Sora felt himself being shoved in front of the group looking up at the mighty Tiger head shaking. "It-It is I Sora…." Why did he say it like that he wondered.

The creature looked down on the boy, eyes narrowing before seeing the Keyblade in his hand eyes widening. "The Sacred Key!"

"W-W-What?" Sora said looking at his Keyblade now

"Know this! Only two may enter here….He who enters the Sacred Key….or the Diamond in the rough."

"Diamond in the…..Aladdin!" Sora said remembering what Aladdin has said when he met him, looking back at the Tiger head, he stood his ground trying to be tougher than he felt. "Okay, but I get to take them with me."

The Tiger head glared at them but nodded. "Very well, Keyblade Master!"

Sora cringed. "Well, at least being that is worth something."

Looking at his companions, he nodded and they headed off. They carefully entered the Tiger's mouth, seeing before them a long range of a staircase that went deep into the bowels of the cave.

The Cave of Wonders.

-000-

A bright light glittered in the distance. One step at a time the group down, unsure whether or not they would get eaten or worse. It was a majestic looking cave though. Thoroughly dug out and wide with open spaces. One had to worry that if they fell, they would be sucked into the bottomless pit and never come back up. Sora wondered if this place was built by the hands of human beings, or perhaps some sort of older power. The fact it had a magical talking Tiger head made him lean towards magic personally.

Once they reached the bottom, they found themselves entering a large chamber filled to the brim with riches and treasures beyond one's wildest dreams.

"Woah!" Donald eyes widened in shock. "So much gold!"

He looked at it all a hungrily having to hold himself back not to touch it. Goofy kept a close eye on him knowing that it would difficult for Donald greed to not get the better of him.

"I've never seen so much before." Goofy added. "Wonder how much there is?

"I don't think I've ever seen any, period." Sora walked around the cave.

The Sultan, however, seemed quite disinterested in the gold and instead moved ahead, trying to find a exit or next hallway frantically moving around as the others were taken in by the treasures.

"Now, now fellows, we must hurry! Jasmine is still in danger."

Instantly, Sora snapped out of his head and nodded. "Sorry, just not used to seeing this kind of treasure before."

"Bah! Treasure is meaningless, all it is empty pieces of gold. Believe me, I have much of it and I'd trade it all for my daughter's safety even the Sultan Hood itself. Though I do wish we had that genie. He would have been useful."

"Even if you gave up the Sultan Hood that be mean Agrabah would be ruled by Jafar and that wouldn't be good." Sora said back.

Goofy nooded. "Yeah, we gotta find a way to have both Jasmine be safe and make sure that Agrabah isn't ruled by Jafar."

"Sometimes you can't have both my friends, not everyone is capable of getting everything, and one would be foolish to try."

"Well maybe if we have the Genie free then we'd come close." Sora reminded himself.

"Free?" The Sultan asked.

"Yes, Aladdin promised to set the genie free for his third wish, he's a slave to the lamp. But if Aladdin wishes him free that means no one can use that power ever again. Not Jafar and not even us. "

"Well but perhaps…." The Sultan muttered something and shook his head. "Well then, let's continue, let's save my daughter and friends and free that Genie."

Sora gave the Sultan a small smile as they headed out on their way. "Thank you."

The journey through the cave itself was treacherous at best. The place was covered in traps and defenses, most likely placed to keep out those who would dare steal the treasure or worse. Large caverns and pits were everywhere, and the group had to be careful when walking lest they fall down into the endless darkness. Thankfully, someone like Sora was agile enough to keep up yet still it was hard when getting close to those narrow passageways. He almost fell over a few times, thankfully Donald or Goofy were able to catch him before he fell.

"Thanks, fellas." Sora smiled.

"No problem." Goofy said.

Sora looked down at the cavern and started to feel sick to his stomach. "That's quite a fall, huh."

"Y-Yeah, just don't look down." Donald replied, his beak chattering.

The Sultan held up against the wall, not used to the hardships of physical labor. Plus being a man of his age didn't help the situation at all.

"Just take it one step at a time young lads." The Sultan said as he tried to keep on a steady foot forward. "Don't want to risk falling."

"Don't worry….I've done...A lot of climbing in my day back home...I shall be fine." Sora just looked up and avoided looking at the chasm with his eyes at all cost. "Ooooor maybe this will be a problem."

Sora looked up, not wanting to freak out but the height was starting to freak him out.

"Calm thoughts, Sora." Goofy said. "Think of something that makes you happy."

"Happy thoughts eh." Sora said taking a deep breath. "Ok….Food….Pancakes after a long night sleep, Mom and Kairi's smiling faces…." That last thought put him at ease.

They made there way, only a few times, Donald though continued to looked scared as he went through.

"Happy thoughts, happy thoughts…." Donald whispered to himself again and again.

"Gee, I wonder how far that chasm is?" Jiminy asked.

"Don't ask that question!" Donald yelled his voice echoing giving them a good indicator.

Sora sighed, "Gonna be a long way down".