Chapter 29: The lair of the Forty Thieves

Sora, Kairi, Donald and Goofy were at the balcony, waiting for Jasmine to return with Aladdin. Due to the shock of finding out that his father is alive, Aladdin needed some time alone. Donald wanted to go with him but Sora and Goofy stopped him, saying that now is not the time to meddle. Also, Kairi seemed to be a bit annoyed with Riku after finding out about him coming and going from Destiny Islands that past year. Kairi did know why Riku didn't go and see her and the others; it's just the fact that he didn't tell them about it was the bit that annoyed her.

Sora looked over to Donald and Goofy, who was currently talking to the Genie and laughing among themselves. Sora's glaze then turned to Kairi, who was currently pacing up and down the balcony, muttering something under her breath. Sora smiled as he had seen this before. When the two were younger and back on Destiny Islands, Riku had an old habit of pranking the two contently. When they were ten and after Riku had managed to get Sora, Kairi and Tidus covered in sea weed and Paupo juice. Sora and Tidus had said that they would want to get Riku back but was afraid what his reaction might be, Kairi however...

Sora jumped off from sitting at the side of the balcony and when over to Kairi, who was still pacing. "Are you alright Kai?" Sora said, hint of amusement in his voice.

Kairi stopped pacing and looked at Sora. "Didn't you say that you wanted to get back at Riku for not telling us about the wedding?" Kairi asked

"Yeah..." Sora replied, unsure what she was suggesting.

Kairi began pacing again before she came to a complete stop and her face brightens up with enlightenment. She then turned to face Sora. "Do you remember that blueprint that we saw Hikari looking at before we went to Notre Dame? Kairi asked.

Sora put his hands behind his hand as he started to go through his memory. After finding the memory, he brought his attention back to Kairi. "Yeah, I remember her looking at a blueprint when I went to tell Brian to stop playing his guitar while driving." Sora said.

"Brian plays the guitar?" Kairi asked

"Yeah, he's quite good. He let me play on it for a while before-"Sora answered.

"You play the guitar?" Kairi gasped, "Since when?"

"I learned when I was younger when—waitwaitwaitwait, I thought we were talking about this blueprint?" Sora remembered.

Kairi giggled nervously and then turned to the view of the sun setting behind the mountains of sand dunes a distance away from Agarbah. Sora joined her as he listened to her plan. "Before the meeting Brian had organised to discuss about the rules at Notre Dame, I saw Hikari with the blueprints and I asked her 'Why are you looking at a Blueprint?'." She looked at Sora and saw that he was following every word and gave her an assuring smile to carry on. "Well Hikari said that guys like Riku, need to be taught a lesson when they have done something wrong and that she was making a plan just in case he does."

Sora started to gain a smirk on his face, as well as Kairi. They both knew Hikari's actions towards Brian and Riku so far and that's without planning, how dangerous can her plans be when they're actually planned. "What's her plan?" he asked.

"I don't know, she said that if she told me, it might ruin the prank. She said that it would get Brian as well just in case we were holding a grudge on him, similar to killing two birds with one stone and that she will over do it if she has both of our permission." Kairi finished.

Sora leaned against the edge of the balcony and put his hand under his chin in a thoughtful way while looking at the sunset. After a minute of thinking about it, she turned to Kairi. "I think it would be funny to see Riku's reaction." Sora chuckled. Kairi nodded in agreement.

"Looks like I'm not the only Princess of Heart with someone she cares about by her side." Sora and Kairi turned around to see Aladdin, Jasmine, Donald and Goofy come on the balcony. Realising what Jasmine had said, Sora and Kairi started to blush.

"Aww, they're embarrassed." Goofy cooed

"We were just talking." Sora and Kairi said in unison

"Looks like they'll be another wedding really soon, Goofy." Donald joked.

The two started laughing, making Sora and Kairi blush even more and speechless in the process. Aladdin and Jasmine just gave Sora and Kairi an assuring smile before going over to the edge of the balcony with the scepter in Aladdin's hands. He raised the sceptre in the air and let go of it as it floated like before.

Soon the Oracle was back in front of them. "Have you chosen your question?" The Oracle asked

"I have." Aladdin confirmed

"Same here." Sora stepped forwarded

"Me too." Kairi copied

"Then ask." The Oracle simply said. Aladdin turned to Sora and Kairi.

"Do you guys want to go first?" He asked; looks like he still seemed a little nervous to find his father. Sora nodded and took another step towards the Oracle.

"Where is King Mickey being held?" Sora asked, he did have a better question in mind like 'Who's Ven' or 'What does my dream mean?' but Donald and Goofy said that the Ven question was a waste and he couldn't ask the dream question in front of Kairi.

"The king is being held on a world which has been blocked from my ability as a result of the worlds being misbalanced." The Oracle answered, "That is all that I can say." Sora nodded with understandment and took a step back. Sora walked as he saw Kairi step towards the Oracle.

"What happened to my family when I was living in Radiant Garden?" She asked. Sora was surprised to hear this sort of question and stepped forward to listen to the answer.

"Your family was of three; your grandmother, your brother and your father. Your mother died after your birth so your father and grandmother took care of you. A year before the Heartless struck, a spell was placed on your pearl necklace by a Keyblade Master called Aqua, allowing you to escape the world when it fell. Your grandmother past away a couple of month before the world fell to darkness. When the heartless invasion came, you was found by Xeranoth and had your memory erased before the spell sent you to Destiny Islands." The Oracle answered.

Kairi just stood there, completely emotionless. She didn't know how to react. Sora sensed that something was wrong and pulled her into a hug. Kairi felt some tears fall down her cheek but she remained silent and rested her head on Sora's chest. Sora just rocked her back and forward as he hugged her. She may not be heavily crying over the discover of her family's end but she was still uneasy and Sora just wanted her to know that he's always there for her. Kairi moved her head away from Sora's chest and thanked him before turning around and watched Aladdin step towards the Oracle while having Sora's arms around her still.

Aladdin looked away from the Oracle before facing it again and asked his question, "Where is my father?"

"Follow the trail of the Forty Thieves." The Oracle said as it pointed to the sand dunes, "Your father is trapped within their world."

"The Forty Thieves?" Aladdin gasped, "Is he hurt?"

"How long has he been their prisoner?" Goofy asked, both of them sounded panicky

"I'm sorry. I can only answer one question." The Oracle said before fading away back into the Scepter as it floated back into Aladdin's hands. He knew what to do next.

BOWBOWBOW

It was now nightfall as Carpet carried its passengers as it followed the tracks left by the Forty Thieves. On Carpet were Aladdin, Sora, Abu and Iago flying nearby. Aladdin and Sora was wearing their normal fighting garments again. Sora agreed to go with Aladdin to help find his father while Kairi, Donald and Goofy headed to the Cave of Wonders to sort out the Keyhole and to see if the item that Brian needs to collect is in there. Sora was still concerned about Kairi about the whole family deal but she assured him that she was fine and that Donald and Goofy will be there if she felt sad.

Carpet when lower to the ground and slowed down as they could see a much clearer trail. "There!" Sora pointed as you could basically see some of the thieves go around the corner. Carpet sped up and quickly went around the corner only to quickly halt as the Forty Thieves were just staring at the ocean. Carpet slowly backed up behind the rock as the others got off of him. Aladdin quickly looked around the rock before facing the others.

"Whew. Well, they have nowhere to go." Aladdin informed

"We've got them trapped." Sora grinned

"We?" Iago questioned as he flew onto a rock and then faced Aladdin. "They are 40 thieves. We are you, a rug, a monkey, a key-boy and me." He then started to shake his wings when he realised he accounted himself. "Wait, don't count me."

Sora looked around the corner while Iago was having his little rant to see that the Forty Thieves were still in the same place. "There're just standing there." Aladdin looked around the corner as well as they watched the Forty Thieves. The King of Thieves approached closer to the water while on his horse and raised his arm in the air before shouting, 'Open sesame'. The water then spit in half to reveal a path and the cliff opened up.

As the thieves rode into the cliff, Sora quickly changed into his element while Aladdin and Abu jumped on Carpet. The group raced to get in the cliff as it began to close. They managed to slip in before the entrance was sealed. Sora ended up crashing into a wall, Aladdin and Carpet landed on a huge rock while Abu and Iago crashed and burned onto the ground. Sora removed himself from the wall before changing back into her Keyblade. Aladdin pushed himself up and just laid there with his face at awe. Sora looked at Aladdin before looking in the direction Aladdin was looking at and his face looked awed as well.

They were staring at a hidden ruin city, where the Forty Thieves lived

"Woah..." Sora gasped

"I know, Sora. It's incredible" Aladdin replied as Sora helped him up, "C'mon let's find my father." Aladdin, Sora, Carpet, Abu and Iago then when into the ruin city.

BOWBOWBOW

"Sa'luk! Why did you use those Heartless that witch gave you? I told you never to use them!"

"Well, the Forty Thieves used them before you came along so I don't see what the problem is!"

Aladdin and Sora heard some voices coming from around the corner so they hid behind a pillar and listened to the argument that was going on. It seems to be Sa'luk and the King of Thieves.

"We could've had all of the loot at the wedding, but we followed the king's plan. This is what we have to show for our troubles for wasting Heartless at Agarbah." Sa'luk speech to the other thieves and then slammed his fist on the table to show his annoyance. "NOTHING!" Sa'luk ended up breaking the table and some thieves agreed with Sa'luk while others stayed loyal to their king.

"It looks like that the Forty Thieves are working for Maleficent." Sora whispered to Aladdin.

"Maybe it's just that one thief, we heard the King of Thieves complain about them." Aladdin whispered back before listening to the argument again.

"Your time draws to a close, Cassim." Sa'luk said as he approached the King of Thieves. Aladdin's eyes widen when he heard the King's name.

"Cassim? My father." Aladdin echoed

"Your father is the King of Thieves?" Sora asked, shocked. The two watched as the king removed his cover from his blue saik and it was the same guy that the Oracle had shown them.

"If you're talking about spilling my blood, well, I just don't see that happening." Cassim replied as he crossed his arms.

"Then let me open your eyes." Sa'luk challenged as he came closer to Cassim and was about to slash him when someone knocked him down.

It was Aladdin and Sora

Sora summoned his keyblade to keep the other thieves away while Aladdin held Sa'luk down. "Run!" Aladdin shouted to Cassim. Cassim just raised his eyebrow at the boy, "I'm Aladdin. You're my father." Cassim gasped as a surprise. Sa'luk knocked Aladdin off, making Aladdin drop his father's dagger. Cassim went towards the dagger and examine it with wide eyes. Sora disposed of his Keyblade as he saw Sa'luk had Aladdin in his grip and was about to attack when another thief tied him up and was grabbed by other thieves.

"I don't know about your father, boy, but I'll send you to meet your other ancestors." Sa'luk said angrily and was about to strike Aladdin when Cassim stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

"Let him go." Cassim commanded, "The boy is my son." The thieves gasped out of shock while others were wondering what to do with Sora. Cassim then held the dagger up in the air. "I gave this dagger to my wife years ago. I told her to give it to our newborn son, Aladdin." He explained to his friends, their all gasped once again expect for Sa'luk, who looked completely ticked off.

Aladdin brushed himself off and then looked at Cassim, "You're the King of Thieves?" Aladdin asked, a hint of disgust in his voice.

"Like it or not, boy. We are blood." Cassim replied as he threw the dagger back to his son.

"Blood or mud, these boys are intruders, and we have rules about intruders." Sa'luk scolded as he ruined a perfect father-son reunion.

"We also have rules about not using Heartless but you seem more than happy to break that one, right Sa'luk." Sa'luk ignored Cassim's comment as he faced the other thieves. The others thieves pushed Sora forward while some held Carpet, Abu and Iago in their hands.

"They have found our secret lair. They have seen too much." Sa'luk to everyone, "They must die."

"Die?" Iago screamed, "He's your son. I'm his friend. Cast a vote of mercy here!"

"Yes, Cassim, mercy would be so much like you. Soft and Weak." Sa'luk told Cassim. Cassim started to think what to do, making everyone wait.

"Kill them." He simply shrugged.

"Huh?" Both Sora and Aladdin went in shock. The thieves cheered and Sa'luk smirked as he was about to attack when the King of Thieves interrupted with another opinion.

"Or the boys could—Yes, the boys could, Nah."

"What? What? Th-The boys could do what?" one of the thieves asked

"Nothing. Properly a bad idea." The king stubbornly replied

"Let's hear it." Three more thieves went

"Well, it seems to me that—Oh, never mind." Cassim went off the subject again.

"What?" Sa'luk demanded, as well as the other 38 thieves. Cassim started to pace when he suddenly got an idea.

"The boys could face the challenge." Cassim suggested. The other thieves cheered in agreement as they untied Sora and let go of Carpet, Abu and Iago. "That's that. My son and his friend shall face the challenge." He announced

"And I'll be the one to test them!" Sa'luk said confidently while showing his claws on his left hand.

"Two against one? That's not fair." One of the thieves complained

"Cassim won't have a problem if I use heartless in the test, would he?" Sa'luk questioned

"Fine! But only one heartless to even the odds." Cassim cursed.

"A test, huh?" Iago said, showing interest as he flew on Sora's shoulder, "Ah, that's not so bad. Maybe it'll be multiple choice."

If only he remembered that heartless are only good for fighting, not mental questions

A/N: I done this in one day...I should do a happy dance. (yawns) Sorry. I'm a bit tired. Let's get on with the messages:

Shadow Sylph: You got to love the boxer shorts; it would be cool if they had a poster of worlds. I would buy Hollow Bastion.

KH ROXS: I have a feeling that you want me to write more so I'm gonna write more.

Kisdota-The Freak Gamer: That sounds like a good idea actually, I might use that later and I like what going on in your story. How Sora and Sora2 (I too tired to spell his name) end up in the same boat and Sora2 can only threaten Sora. Now I'm gonna get killed by Sora2 for calling him Sora2 but luckily, I'm not in your story so =p to Sora2. Keep writing.

Anyone reading this go to KINGDOM HEARTS: MATERIAL OF THE HEART. It's a good story. Ok I don't owned Kingdom Hearts.

May the light in our hearts keep us strong

Kingdommad