"So, uh, why are ya goin' to the palace, Aladdin?" Goofy asked as the seven companions walked (and floated in Genie's case) down the sandy market streets.
"That no good royal vizier, Jafar," Aladdin said with a glare and a sharp tone of bitterness in his voice. "He tricked me into getting this magic lamp from the Cave of Wonders. The cave was crawling with Heartless. I'm lucky I made it back to Agrabah in one piece!"
"Yeah. Those things were chasing him all along the way. Thankfully Ren and I were there to help him kick their buts!" Nora interjected with a twirl of her hammer. A twirl that nearly bonked goofy on the nose. How she managed to wield that heavy thing was beyond Sora's thoughts. But then again, he'd seen Ruby
"It's a good thing you guys were there. This Jafar guy's got some nerve giving such dangerous orders." Sora said with a frown on his face. To think he'd put Aladdin's life at risk like that. And for what? Just to get ahold of the lamp that saved their lives?
A heavy sigh came from Genie as he looked to everyone with a crestfallen face. "I know how you feel, Master. People have been ordering me around for 10,000 years. And what help do I get?" He turned to the side, looking at the distance of the town with a longing expression. "I keep wishin' someone will wish me outta this gig. But go figure the odds on that."
"Wish you out? You mean...you're a prisoner?" Ren inquired curiously, earning a morose nod from Genie.
"Yup." Genie said, showing off the golden bracelets on his wrists. His...glorified shackles. "And the only way I can get out of this, is if my master WISHES me free. And, well, you can guess how many times THAT'S happened." he finished sardonically.
Seeing how saddened Genie was about his lot in life, Aladdin felt a little guilty for having made him perform that wish, even if it was to get himself and the others in a dire situation. But then, a smile touched his face as he got an idea. "Well, how 'bout I use my third wish to set you free?"
His words caused Genie to rapidly shake his head in disbelief before holding a hand by his ear. "Doth my pointy ears deceive me?" he asked before turning to look at Aladdin again. "Master, you'd do that for me? You're not just pullin' my topknot now, are you?" The hope in his voice was laced with uncertainty, but…it was a hope that Genie was more than happy to cling to.
Aladdin smiled, speaking nothing but the truth with his words. "I promise, Genie. Anyway, there's only one thing I really want."
"Then we'll just have to DO something about that, Al!" Genie said with glee before realizing he didn't address the current owner of his lamp formally. "Can I call you Al?" The question wasn't answered since Genie asked a different question right away, back into excitement about finally being a free genie. "So, what'll it be? Fame, Fortune? A herd of luxury camels to call your very own?" In order of the things he mentioned, there was an autographed picture of Aladdin, sacks of cash surrounding him and hundreds of camels that seemed to have palanquin styled tents on their backs without straining themselves.
"A mountain of pancakes!?" Nora suggested excitedly...earning a myriad of looks from everyone else. Particularly Ren who sighed and shook his head. "What? I'm hungry..." Nora explained sheepishly.
Ren immediately stepped in, placing his hands on Nora's shoulders and guiding her back. "Nora...Let Aladdin do the wishing." he said, earning an equally sheepish nod from Nora...Whose mind was still on those yummy, syrupy pancakes.
Sora couldn't help chuckling slightly at their interaction...which felt oddly familiar, just as they did. Yet why that was...he still couldn't put his finger on.
"Well..." Everyone got back on track as Aladdin spoke up in a sheepish manner, awkwardly running a hand along his neck. "...there's this girl. Her name is Jasmine. She's princess of Agrabah. And...That's the problem." He let out a beleaguered sigh as he continued explaining his dilemma. "It's hard for a 'street rat' like me to get a chance to see her. That's how all this started. I thought if I went to the Cave of Wonders, I could get the treasure, and maybe then Jasmine would want to meet me."
Sora, Donald, Goofy, Ren, and Nora all understood now. This entire thing started because Aladdin wanted to see this Princess Jasmine. And it seemed like Jafar saw him as some kind of competition and wanted to get rid of him rather than let him see Jasmine. If that were the case, then it was a REALLY good thing they arrived when they did.
In the wake of this information, Sora smiled as an idea came to his mind. "Sounds like your wish should be that you can see Jasmine anytime you want, huh?" he suggested.
A suggestion Genie shared the sentiments of as he enthusiastically interjected, "Well, I've got just the package for you! You'll not only meet the lady, you'll do it in style… as PRINCE ALI!" Genie summoned forth a mirror in front of Aladdin, but instead of his street clothes, he as clad in a pure white, yellow accented and caped princely getup with a purple feather adorned red gemstone at the center of his turban. "How'd ya like the sound of that, Al?" Genie asked, noticing Aladdin checking his potential future self out.
"Me, a prince!? Can you really do that?" Aladdin asked, his eyes shifting away from the mirror and looking back at Genie, who winked with a thumbs up.
"In an Agrabah Minute!" With what he witnessed along with Genie's affirmation, Aladdin had a much more renewed and eager air about him. "I guess the legends were true after all. C'mon, let's get to the palace!" he urged, running toward the palace followed closely by Sora, Donald, Goofy, Ren, Nora, and Genie.
It didn't take long for them to near their destination, thanks to a shortcut along the marketplace rooftops. Before they could continue, they were met with a most shocking sight. "Wak! Look at that!" Donald exclaimed in a hushed tone, pointing down toward a group of Heartless swarming around something. No, not someTHING...
"Someone's being attacked by Heartless!" Ren said as he and Nora immediately drew their weapons.
"Who is that...?" Aladdin muttered, squinting to make out the helpless soul. A young woman, around Aladdin's age, with a tan hourglass frame. Her long, thick, black hair was tied into a low ponytail by a blue ribbon, accompanied by a headband with a sapphire centered in a gold frame. She was clad in a blue bedlah outfit, pants with puffy leggings and an off-shoulder crop top. She also sported large, triangular golden earrings, a golden necklace and gold slippers. Aladdin's eyes widened with recognition and worry as he realized who it was. "It's Jasmine!"
"She needs out help!" Goofy said, taking his shield out and almost running down but nearly fumbled when reaching the edge of one of the roofs. Thankfully Donald grabbed him in time before he could fall off.
"I'm on it!" Nora yelled as she leapt off the edge of the roof and charged the Heartless, hammer poised to strike with Ren rushing in behind her.
Despite Nora's unhesitating rush, the Heartless were closing in on Jasmine. "We'll never make it in time!" Sora said with worry.
"Then I've no choice," Aladdin said reluctantly. In a burst of desperate impulse, he looked beside himself and called out, "Genie! I wish for you to save Jasmine!"
"Can do!" Genie said with a determined grin as he saluted like a soldier. In a puff of of blue smoke accompanied by sparkling light, Genie had a heavy suit of armor with his lower tail half still exposed. In one hand and a kite shield with a symbol of his magic lamp centered at it in the other. Once he put the visor of his helmet down, his weapon was aimed at the Heartless. "CHAAARGE!"
Just as Ren and Nora reached the ground, weapons poised to strike, Genie's battle cry resonated through the streets as he flew down at great speed, impaling each Heartless one after another with his lance, causing them to vanish with nothing but a floating heart left of them before it also vanished. Once the final enemy was gone, Genie was back to normal and looking over Jasmine with concern. In another minute afterwards, Sora along with Donald, Goofy and Aladdin arrived to where Jasmine was.
"Jasmine!" Aladdin cried out as he rushed to her side. His panicked expression faded when he saw that, despite the attack, Jasmine was breathing and mostly unharmed.
"We're lucky! She fainted, but it looks like she's okay." Goofy said with cheerful relief.
Well...that and one more outstanding issue. "But now you've only got one wish left." Sora pointed out.
Something that Nora spoke up about as she said, "Yeah, why'd you do that!? Ren and I could've gotten to them in time to stop them!" She wasn't angry, of course. Just concerned.
Though it was troubling to have lost his second wish, the wish that would make him into a prince worthy of her, Aladdin didn't care about that. What mattered was Jasmine was safe.
But before he could explain himself, Ren exclaimed, "Nevermind that, Nora! We've got company!"
True to Ren's warning, a veritable swarm of Heartless suddenly emerged from across the market, converging upon their position! "Not again!" Aladdin said with immense frustration. This was the worst possible time for a second horde of Heartless! "Sorry, Genie! But you're the only one who can-"
"Wait!" Sora interrupted Aladdin sharply. "This is your last wish! Don't waste it." As worried as Aladdin was, Sora knew he couldn't afford to waste that final wish. Especially since he made a promise to Genie to free him. There was only one surefire solution to this dilemma. "This time, let US handle the wish granting!" With that, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Ren, and Nora brandished their weapons. Even though Aladdin looked immensely unsure, his expression soon hardened and he gave a nod. Despite his uncertainty, he was willing to trust in Sora, Donald, and Goofy's strength. And more importantly, trust in his own as he brandished his scimitar.
The first wave of Heartless were easy to deal with being mere Shadows, but the next wave carried more of those Bandits, but also a contingent of Air Soldiers hovering over them. As Goofy and Aladdin dealt with the grounded Heartless, Sora and Donald slung their spells at the airborne ones. One by one, they fell, but it wasn't over yet. From the entrance to this district came a pair of rotund, imposing, Fat Bandits. "WAAAK!" One of which immediately took a loathing to Donald after being hit by the collateral spread of a blizzard spell.
The Fat Bandit with its glowing yellow eyes on Donald inhaled deeply and Goofy realized what was going to happen, remembering the last time they encountered these kinds of Heartless in this world. With a rush of his feet, he came between the Fat Bandit and Donald, holding his shield up just in time to block a wave of fire erupting from the mouth of the Heartless. "Hey tubby!" Nora called out as the rotund Heartless was focused on Goofy and Donald. By the time it looked over its shoulder, it was too late. The Heartless barely had time to see Nora leaping up and bringing her hammer down on its head, crushing it into a bursting paste that released the heart trapped within.
An Air Soldier attempted to heel kick her as she recovered, blindspot but Ren gracefully lept to action, jamming the blades of his tonfas into the flying Heartless, causing it to careen out of control before Ren flipped his legs up and springboarded off its head. The blow caused it to fall to the ground as he landed on yet another and brought both of them into the path of Goofy. The next moment, the captain of the guard let out an effort fueled, "HOYOH!" was the moment he delivered a finishing uppercut on both of them with his shield.
Sora saw what Goofy did from the corner of his eye just as he managed to defeat another Air Soldier and got an idea. "Goofy! Circle around that Fat Bandit there, do what you just did before and follow my lead!"
Goofy nodded, doing as Sora said and went behind the Fat Bandit that noticed him but turned its attention to Sora when the young man ran up front, blocking a fist from it. In the moment it was dazed, Goofy knocked the Fat Bandit from its back, sending the large heartless flying into the air. Sora leaped into the air after it, striking upward to send it even higher and in his own mighty leap, Goofy was at air level with the Fat Bandit but had his shield raised up and behind himself to smash it from the top of the Heartless' big head, completely annihilating it.
Goofy looked at Sora, visibly surprised at what the two of them pulled off. Though part of him felt as if they'd done this particular team attack before. Whatever the case, the battle was won, so Goofy gave Sora a smile and a thumbs up, which Sora returned eagerly and passed toward everyone else. "See? We didn't need Genie this time." he said optimistically.
"Nice move, Sora!" Nora cheered, slapping the boy on the back. A slap that caused Sora to cough as he realized then and there that the ginger haired girl was much stronger than she looked...which explained how she easily swung that giant hammer around. Ren simply settled for showing his appreciation with a smile and a nod.
Aladdin was certainly relieved by their victory, however..., like Sora said, there was an oustanding issue he couldn't ignore. "Thanks, Sora. But I'm still down to my last wish." he said anxiously. The wish he promised to save for the sake of freeing Genie...That might mean he'd never be able to be with Jasmine.
Before any more could be said, a bright light suddenly flared through the district, blinding the foursome. "What!?" Sora called out, shielding his eyes as best he could.
"Agh! I can't see!" Nora complained as everything was suddenly a big light blur. Would she have preferred a big dark blur? She didn't know.
"Wak! What's going on!?" Donald exclaimed as the light eventually faded, not seeing any sign of anything or anyone else apart from them. Aladdin however gasped with horror when he noticed something most troubling after patting himself down.
"Oh, no! The lamp! It's gone!" Sora's eyes widened with shock as he saw, sure enough, the lamp was no longer on Aladdin's person.
The answer to where it went revealed himself atop the roof of one of the district houses in the form of a tall, skinny figure with sunken facial features, a twisting goatee ending in a swirl halfway down his neck. Clad in a red and black color scheme consisting of robes, a sash, pointed shoes and a large hat with a red feather embedded by a jewel. In his right hand was a long cobra-headed staff with red gems where the eyes would be, and in his left...was the lamp.
"That must be Jafar." Ren deduced with a calm glare. There was no doubt that this was the manipulative vizier Aladdin told them about.
"Hmm, it seems my plan has gone amiss. I was certain you'd waste your last wish...what with poor Jasmine in distress and these delightful creatures to deal with. But no matter. At last, the lamp and its genie are mine to command!" he proclaimed, holding the lamp up victoriously.
Everyone was surprised, none as much as Aladdin who also seemed angered. Jafar had essentially admitted everything he and his friends had been through was because of him. "Why are you doing this, Jafar? You've got the lamp! What more do you want?"
"Such an interesting question," Jafar said when looking down at them all with a haughty demeanor. "You see, I knew you were going to use the lamp to try and win Jasmine's heart. But we can't have that, now, can we? Because I am the one Jasmine will marry!"
Cringing with disgust, Sora looked at the wicked man when asking in disbelief, "You?!" There was no way Jasmine would ever love someone as twisted as this guy. Sora only just met met him and this Jafar guy was giving him the creeps.
"Ugh! Ew! Just...EWWWW!" Nora said with an even more disgusted cringe. The thought of this creep wanting to MARRY Jasmine made her want to vomit! And she was already hungry!
"Certainly you realize that if I marry the Princess, then nothing can stop me from becoming Sultan!" Jafar said with a teething grin of less-than-noble delight to Sora before scoffing to Aladdin and raising the lamp in his hand. "You're nothing more than a pawn in my game, street rat! Genie! My first wish! Deliver Jasmine to me!"
Everyone turned behind themselves, seeing Jasmine's unconscious body was gone. As they looked ahead again, they saw her being carried in Genie's arms as he floated near Jafar. "Genie! What are you doing?!" Aladdin asked in shock.
The cheer they'd grown accustomed to from Genie was replaced by a crestfallen expression and a sorrowful tone in his voice. "Sorry, Al. My hands are tied on this one. I gotta obey whoever has his mitts on the lamp." he apologized.
"Precisely," Jafar said with approval as he scoffed at Aladdin again. "Farwell, Aladdin... you fool!" With that final taunt to emphasize his victory, Jafar turned and left from the rooftop with a wicked laugh, Genie glumly floating after him with Jasmine in tow.
As much as they wanted to pursue him, by the time they would get up there, Jafar would no doubt have pulled some kind of trick to escape from them. They'd been outplayed. "Great. Now I've lost Jasmine AND the lamp." Aladdin said as he slumped in defeat.
Sora turned toward the despairing Aladdin, his face hardening to a frown. He could understand why Aladdin felt that way, but this wasn't the time to be despairing! "You can feel bad about it some other time! If you don't pull yourself together, you'll never see Jasmine again!" he said to Aladdin, his voice full of firmness and determination. "You lost the lamp. So what? You can still save her on your own." Sora's passionate urging caused Aladdin to raise his head back up. He knew very well the feeling of loss Aladdin was experiencing. It was why he came to this castle in the first place. To get back what he had lost. WHO he had lost. "Losing someone you care about is bad, but not as bad as never getting them back!" Sora finished, his voice faintly trembling at the end of his speech.
"Sora..." Aladdin paused, thinking deeply upon Sora's words. The way the boy spoke made it clear that he knew what it felt like to possibly never see the person you care most about again. But so long as he was still alive, they had a chance to save Jasmine. He still had the chance to get her back. With that thought firmly in his mind, his face hardened with renewed determination. "You're right. I can't give up now! I can still save Jasmine!" Sora nodded, proud of Aladdin's renewed purpose.
"Yeah! That's the spirit, Aladdin!" Nora cheered with an enthusiastic pump of her free hand, and an equally approving nod from Ren.
Though there was still one standing issue. "But Jafar's got the lamp. We can't just walk up to him and expect to win." Donald reminded them. There was no way he wouldn't use its power and turn Genie against them when they found him next.
But Aladdin, now that he was thinking clearly, had a mischievous smile play across his face. "Maybe we can." he said, drawing curious looks from Sora, Donald, Goofy, Ren, and Nora. He shifted closer to them, gesturing to come closer and whispered, "I've got an idea. Listen up!"