Chapter XXV

"If you walk down the path that you believe is right you cannot be wrong." ~Emiya Shirou (Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works)
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We arrived back in Agrabah in the peddler's shop. This time it was different. Everything was made out of gold. The counter, the shelves, even the walls, everything. Donald eyes bugged out as he looked around, accidentally backing into a large vase, one of the few items inside the shop that wasn't turned into gold. "Wak!" He cried.

"You break it, you buy it!" The peddler snapped from behind the gold counter. Realizing it was us, he changed his tone. "Oh!" He smiled. "Hello there, friends."

"Wow!" Sora admired the shop. "You made out like a bandit!"

"Please...I am but an honest merchant," he waved off Sora's compliment. "What you see is merely the reward for my hard work."

"Gawrsh, they sure are nice," Goofy stated.

"And they're on sale!" The peddler added. "Interested?"

"No thanks," Sora turned down the offer as he came up to the counter. "Listen, have you seen a guy in a black coat? Someone from Organization XIII?"

"Who me?" The merchant asked. "Most certainly not..."

"Okay," Sora nodded curtly to us in the back. "We'll keep asking around, then."

Just as we were about to step out of the shop when Aladdin, Abu and Iago came flying into the shop. "Sora! Sakura!" Aladdin shouted. "Don't let him get away!"

Just as soon as we whipped our heads around, the merchant was gone. Abu came from behind the counter as well and and shrugged, not finding anything as well. "What's going on?" Sora asked as Aladdin groaned.

"Can't believe it..." He growled. "That stupid peddler let Jafar out of the lamp!"

"Jafar?!" We all cried.

"You guys better be careful," Aladdin warned us.

"Huh?" Donald asked.

"I'm sure Jafar wants to take over Agrabah again, but I know he's out for revenge, too" Aladdin stated.

"I guess he's still sore about that whole lamp thing, huh," Sora said.

"Iago was there when Jafar was released," Aladdin added. "Okay, Iago. Spill it."

"Hey!" Iago cried. "I told you everything I know! This is your one and only chance, Iago. If I find out later that you've been lying or hiding things from us, we're through. I'll never speak to you again!"

"I can't take it!" Iago yelled. "I know where Jafar is!"

"Where?" Goofy asked.

"Uh, we, I mean, that is, I, um..." Iago sputtered. "Ack! I really shouldn't..."

"Iago!" Aladdin shouted.

"He's in the desert ruins," Iago finished.

"Let's get the jump on him," Sora nodded. "Lead the way!"

As we headed outside the palace walls, we stared beyond the lush green bushes and the palm trees to see a sandstorm along with a sand tornado blowing throughout the desert. "What a disaster!" Iago screamed. "We're just gonna hafta turn back.

"There's gotta be a way..." Aladdin pondered.

"Aw, c'mon kid, that's an easy one!" A voiced yelled. We all looked up to see our friendly resident blue genie, the Genie himself. "Al, ol' buddy, ol' pal!" Genie yelled as he flew around the sky before coming down towards us. "This is what having a genie for a best friend is all about! I mean, how can you leave me on the sidelines in a time like this?! Live large! Wow'em, Al! Give 'em the old razzmatazz! What do ya say, kid?"

"Hey, Genie!" Sora greeted Genie.

"Sora!" Genie poofed and reappeared in front us all. "Wanna see a little something I call 'Sandstorm Sweep'?"

"Uh-huh!" Sora, Donald, Goofy and I nodded.

"Take it away, Genie!" Aladdin gave him the word.

Genie began to chant until he saw the size of the sandstorm. "You know?" Genie sighed. "One lousy sandstorm is just too easy." Genie pointed his finger at it and a pink laser came out for it. It swirled around the sand tornado until it disappeared, revealing the ruins. We admired Genie's handiwork and Genie left. "How about giving me a challenge next time, eh Al?" Genie yelled.

We crossed the clear desert and made our way to the desert ruins, which is exactly what you expect. Ruins of a once thriving city buried in sand in the middle of a desert. Except, it was below a desert mountain which we currently stood on top of. "Now what do we do?" Aladdin sighed.

Something whizzed past us and the magic carpet appeared at our feet. "Nice timing, Carpet!"

We all stared at the Carpet and realized that there was no possible way we could all cram on it and ride around in the desert ruins. Sure, the first time we visited Agrabah and escaped the Cave of Wonders on it, Aladdin, Sora, and I barely fit on Carpet. Sora and I ended up carrying Donald and Goofy as we flew to safety and that was last year! It's obvious the both of us had grown quite a bit since then, and surely there was no possible way all of us like last time. "So," I started. "Who stays and who goes?"

"I'll go," Sora volunteered.

"Me too," I added.

"Maybe you both should go on a test flight before you go into the ruins," Aladdin suggested. "That way we know Carpet can carry both of you. You both have grown a bit, so I don't know if Carpet can handle the both of you."

"Right," I nodded as Sora and I stepped on Carpet. Carpet levitated for a few seconds before falling on the sand. "Nope," I shook my head.

"So which one of us goes?" Sora asked. "Not me."

"Not me either," I shrugged.

"Rock-paper-scissors?" Sora suggested.

"Fine," I rolled my eyes. "Best two out of three."

Sora and I played four rounds. Sora won the first round, I won the second, we tied third, and Sora won the fourth won. "Nice!" He pumped a first in the air as I got off Carpet.

"Listen," I yelled at Sora as he began to fly towards the desert ruins. "If you fall off Carpet, I'm going to be the one laughing right here instead of rushing to save you."

"Noted!" Sora yelled as he flew off. A shadow of Jafar appeared as soon as Sora hovered the middle of the ruins and Sora chased after him.

"Gawrsh," Goofy said as I crossed my arms and watched Sora fly off. "You and Sora sometimes act more like siblings than friends ."

"I grew up with this guy," I snorted. "On the islands. Trust me-him falling off Carpet is not the dumbest stunt he's ever pulled."

After some time passed, Carpet returned but with no passenger. "What, don't tell me he actually fell off?" I snickered.

Carpet shook as if it was saying "No," and gestured with its gold tassels for us to get on. "I think Sora found something and wants all of us to check it out with him," Goofy translated.

"Jarfar?" Aladdin asked but Carpet shrugged its tassels.

"Well, you're going to have to fly us one by one," I sighed.

"Ladies first," Aladdin bowed as I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, please," I smirked as I stepped on Carpet and we took off. We arrived at some giant, red brick tower with a gaping, rectangular-shaped hole that had a green frame around it. I got off Carpet and it sped off to pick up the others. I went inside and waved at Sora. The inside of the tower was the Ruined Chamber and it wasn't much a sight to see. Just a vast room with rock debris around with piles of sand as well. Soon, Aladdin came along with Donald, then followed by Goofy and we all stood inside the ruined chamber.

We ran up the stairs and entered the room it led to. "The game's up, Jafar!" Sora shouted.

We all drew our weapons in anticipation for the former royal advisor to come out buy nobody came. In fact, the room we were currently inside looked to be almost exactly like the ruined chamber we were just in moments ago. "You sure this is it?" Aladdin questioned as he put his sword back.

"Iago?" Donald asked.

Iago flew past us and landed on one of the fallen chambers, lowering his head before lifting it back up. "Ya gotta understand," he pleaded. "It wasn't my idea! It was Jafar. He made me bring you here. You don't know him like I do! He can be VERY convincing! He said if I didn't cooperate, he was gonna--"

"Where is he?" Aladdin demanded.

"C'mon Al, you've gotta forgive me," Iago sighed as he got up and started flapping his wings.

"Where's Jafar?!" Aladdin repeated.

"Well...um, let's see...right about now, he's probably attacking the palace," Iago guessed. "I had no choice! His eyes, they got all creepy and WEIRD!"

"Whatever," Sora rolled his eyes. "Iago, you're supposed to be our friend.But you've been playing both sides, just to make sure you save yourself."

"I knew you were still a bad guy," Donald shouted.

"I'm SORRY!" Iago shrieked as he bumped into a black urn and tipped it over, making it fall and shatter. The middle of the matching pedestal it sat on sank and the entire tower began to shake. More debris fell and Carpet flew back on and Sora got on.

"Let's go!" Aladdin yelled.

"Carpet, this is an emergency, you SURE you can't carry us all?" I cried as we ran towards the exit. Carpet came outside and gestured for one more passenger to get on.

"Carpet's gonna have to make two trips!" Sora directed our group. "Who's going with me?"

"ME!" I screamed without moment's hesitation and hopped onto Carpet. It wobbled for a little bit as it made a nose-dive to the ground. It then shot back up and we slowly soaring over the desert ruins. Heartless began to appear around us as we zoomed from the collapsing tower. Sora and I smacked the ones that got too close to us and the rest crashed into the ruins that it didn't see as they were too busy chasing us.

After Carpet dropped us off outside the palace walls before speeding back for Aladdin, Donald, and Goofy. Shortly thereafter, it returned, carrying Aladdin and Goofy with Donald in Goofy's arms. As soon as it dropped off its passengers, it collapsed on the sand, exhausted from all the rides. "Get some rest, Carpet," Aladdin comforted, crouching down. "You earned it."

Carpet collapsed where it laid and Aladdin stood back up. "C'mon, let's get Jafar!" Iago yelled.

"And who asked you?" Sora snapped.

"The palace is through there," Aladdin gestured to the gates in front of us. "Hurry!"

We zoomed through the bazaar, entering Agrabah from there and ran into the peddler while we were at it. "I guess you know everything now, eh?" He shrugged.

"You can't keep shady stuff secret for long," Sora shrugged.

"So true," the peddler nodded. "I had just snuck into the Palace to, er, borrow some treasure when I heard this...voice. It said: 'Release me, and I will give you an even greater reward.'" The peddler began to pace as he recounted the story. "'Who are you?' I asked," he continued. "The voice spoke again. 'The true Sultan of Agrabah,' he said. 'Imprisoned by villains.' Oh! Why did I believe such a tall, tall tale? Perhaps I was under Jafar's spell. Yes! That must be it!"

"And I'm sure the treasure had nothing to do with it, right?" Sora snickered.

"Maybe a bit," the peddler admitted. "But Jafar, he never gave me a thing..."

"So where did you get all your treasure?" Sora asked as he approached the peddler.

"Why, the man in the black coat, of course," the peddler replied with a moment's hesitation.

"Organization XIII?!" Goofy cried.

"I KNEW it!" The peddler shouted. "The treasure was a gift, so I would tell no one about Jafar's return. He said he would destroy Jafar after turning him into a...'Heartless'. So there was no need to upset Agrabah."

"And you bought that?" Sora sighed.

"I'm a merchant," the peddler stated. "And a good one, at that. I'll buy anything if the price is right. It would have been a successful transaction if I hadn't been seen..."

"Oh, you're so kind," Iago said as we all threw a glare at Iago as he dropped his head while flying.

We ran straight to the palace where we found Jasmine, chained to the palace gates with Jafar standing in front of her. "Just wait, Jafar!" She threatened. "You'll get exactly what's coming to you!"

"Indeed I will, Princess," Jafar responded. "All of Agrabah will belong to me, while you...you, my queen, shall weep at my side for all eternity!"Jasmine tried to peek over Jafar's shoulder but he rolled his eyes. "Oh, please," he smirked as he grabbed her chin and tilted her face up so she was looking at him. "Right about now...your precious Aladdin is whispering your name, with his last breath," he sneered.

Jasmine looked over his shoulder one last time and grinned when she saw us. Jafar turned around as Sora, Donald, Goofy and I drew our weapons, ready to attack him. He tched once he saw us. "What was that you saying, Jafar?" Aladdin taunted.

Jafar spotted Iago who was sitting on Goofy's shoulder. "You dare defy me? You useless bird!" He shouted, pointing his snake staff at him, which eyes began to glow red.

Iago hid behind Goofy and Goofy held the shield closer to them both. But, Jafar, at the last minute, aimed his attack at Aladdin. Aladdin gasped once he saw the laser targeted directly at gim. "Al!" Iago screeched as he flew in front of Aladdin and took the blast. He fell to the ground, twitching.

"Iago!" Goofy gasped as we gathered around his body.

"You'll all be joining him...VERY SOON" Jafar stated as he tapped his snake cane to the ground, causing red smoke to billow around him. He lifted his arms to the air as the smoke trailed up and he turned himself into the giant red genie. His true form which he had wished for and who we had fought last year. The genie knocked over one of the palace's many towers and we all scattered to avoid getting crushed.

Genie Jafar cackled as he formed an orb into his hand which turned into dotted lines as they swirled around his hands. Dark smoke began to conceal him as Carpet zipped by and Sora hopped on, not offering me to get on with him as they flew into the smoke, forcing me to watch the side from inside the sidelines. The dark smoke began to spread to the palace and Agrabah, concealing the entire environment around me.

I couldn't see the fight, besides for the occasional streak of lightning, and I prayed for Sora to come out okay. Soon enough, he exited the smoke, got off Carpet and we watched as it cleared, seeing Genie Jafar covered in a red aura as red sparks of lightning ran all over his enormous body. He curled up into a ball as a red barrier surrounding him and exploded in a red blast, leaving sparkles in his wake. The lamp he was contained inside disappeared in a puff of black smoke as well.

Genie suddenly appeared. "You went mano a mano with Jafar, and didn't invite me Al?" He cried.

"Sorry, Genie," Aladdin apologized. "Things happened kinda fast."

"And I had some new moves to show off, too..." Genie whined.

"But Genie, we still need your help!" Donald said.

"Who's gonna fix Agrabah?" Sora asked as he gestured to the ruined city.

"Oh yeah!" Genie cheered. "One super-duper spruced-up Agrabah comin' right up! You won't even recognize the place when I'm through with it!"

"Just like it was, please," Aladdin added.

"Really?" Genie groaned. "Same old, same old?" Aladdin and Sora nodded. "Oh yeah!" Genie yelled as he pointed his fingers and pink sparkles shot out, swirling around Agrabah, repairing the damage caused by the fight. "Et voilà!" Genie finished. "Next tine let me put in a few swimming pools, 'kay?"

Genie flew off as Jasmine met us outside in the market as we looked around, examining the repairs Genie made with his magic. "I guess Agrabah's all right now," Sora nodded.

"Yeah!" Aladdin grinned. "Thanks, guys."

"Hey, you behave yourself, got it?' Sora narrowed his eyes at Iago as we all turned to face him. He was currently resting on one of the counters the people stood behind when they were selling something underneath a canopy.

"I most definitely got it!" Iago replied as he flapped his wings and began to fly towards us. "No more lookin' out for number one. I'm reformed. I wanna be a good friend, like Genie, but I can't do anything to help you. What kind of a friend is that?"

"Oh, no-it's not like that, Iago," Sora assured the bird. "Friends don't have to 'do' stuff. As long as you have fun hanging out together, that's all that matters."

"So...what do you guys do for fun?" Aladdin asked.

"We do this!" Donald said as he had Goofy made a silly face.

Aladdin had a perplexed look on his face. "Uh...that's not quite what I meant," he raised his brows.

"I make fun of and knock sense into this one," I slightly shove Sora.

"Hey!" Sora playfully glared at me and I giggled. He smiled before placing his hands behind his head. "Well, anyway..."

"Ow, my beak..." Iago complained.

"Gawrsh, Iago," Goofy said, concern in his voice. "I hope ya didn't hurt yourself."

"Well...at least I can still fly," Iago coughed as he flew lower and lower to the ground.

Goofy followed the bird, hands out, ready to catch him, but he wasn't looking where he was going. "Look out!" Donald warned but it was too late.

Goofy tripped onto one of the stands, breaking it in half and shattering the contents it was holding before the entire canopy fell on him. Sora and Donald winced and Aladdin and Jasmine covered their face so they didn't have to witness the damage while I facepalmed. "Ooh!" Genie shouted from a distance. "Was that my cue? Am I on? C'mon, Al, lemme build a freeway or something!"

"Everything's fine," Aladdin nervously assured. "Don't panic...Genie!"

Pink sparkles began to fly around Agrabah. "But I can't hold it in any longer!" He cried. Genie yelped for joy as he flew around the sky along with the sparkles, doing back flips in the air as well. "Sora!" Genie yelled. "Donald! Goofy! Sakura! You guys are too much! If you're every in the mood for some more cosmic razzle dazzle, gimme a shout, okay?"

"You got it!" Donald replied.

"Well, you've done it again, Sora, Sakura..." Aladdin grinned. "Don't forget about us, okay?"

"We won't!" Sora reassured.

"And Sora, Sakura...about that friend of yours, the one you're both looking for..." Aladdin started as he patted both our shoulders. "You'll both find him. Trust me."

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