Chapter 6 Agrabah

Little by little, the world is waking up. And it’s changing, too. Every world can change, whether by healing or by hurting. I want to believe that sleep always ends in waking.

Beyond Pete’s mysterious portal was a dusty city made of stone. Sora could feel the hot, dry air against his skin.

He searched the area nearby, but there was no sign of Pete.

It seemed like Mickey knew that Pete guy, but what could he be scheming?

Sora started walking, looking around as he went. Nothing jumped out at him as a potential hiding place, but he didn’t get the sense that the guy would be easy to find.

Either way, the streets were really quiet. There were shops here and there, but not a soul to be found. Instead of the people who should have been living there, there were those same blocks from before. Isn’t there anybody I can ask?

He set off in search of people, but as usual, Heartless barred the way. Someone must have hurt this world, too.

After scattering the Heartless before him, Sora found a plaza with a large gate. Beyond it was a great building with a round, richly colored roof. Maybe it was a palace or something? Standing in front of the gates was a young man who appeared to be thinking something over.

“Hey, there,” Sora called. “How come everybody’s indoors?”

The youth turned around in slight surprise. “Oh, you’re human,” he said, rubbing his chest. “Strange blocks? Weird monsters? Pick a reason. I managed to escape from that cave, but I’ve got to make sure my friend from the palace is safe, so— Hey, should you be out here? It’s not safe on the streets,” the young man said to Sora with concern. He seemed nice.

I don’t think he’s a bad guy. “I can take care of myself,” Sora replied with a smile.

“Ha-ha, I stand corrected. Well, just keep both eyes open, okay?” The youth paused in thought for a moment, then added, “Oh! Hey, wait! Actually, do you have a minute? I need some help.” His openhearted and friendly expression turned extremely grave.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I’m looking for a friend of mine. Her name’s Jasmine, and she’s… Well, she’s special. I’ve been worried sick, but I can’t seem to track her down. I’ll keep checking around the palace. If it’s all right—”

Sora replied before the young man could finish. “Say no more. I’m looking for somebody, too, so I’ll keep an eye out for Jasmine while I search the city. It’s no trouble!”

“Great! You’re a lifesaver. I’m Aladdin, by the way.”

A smile spread on Aladdin’s face as he held out his right hand to Sora.

Sora clasped it firmly and introduced himself, too. “Sora! Nice to meet you. I’ll let you know what I find, okay? Catch ya later!”

“Okay. Thanks, Sora!”

Sora gave a firm nod, then ran off in search of Jasmine and Pete.

Man, the streets were a tangled mess. The big avenue also served as a bazaar, but the stone homes on either side were clustered together to create an intricate maze.

Sora pushed onward, totally lost the entire time, until he heard a woman’s voice. He stopped in the alleyway.

“…ry you? Not in a million years, you snake!”

Sora hurried toward it and found a girl arguing with a thin man behind some blocks. Both were richly dressed, but where the girl appeared to be honest and strong-willed, the man had an uncanny aura about him that could not be entirely concealed.

“Heh-heh-heh. You would do well to reconsider, my dear. I would so hate to see you hurt.”

“My answer will never change, Jafar! I would rather die than marry you!”

“Rrgh! That can be arranged!” The man called Jafar held his staff aloft.

“Leave her alone!” Sora jumped between them and faced the man, keeping the girl safe behind him.

“Who are you?” she asked uncertainly.

He glanced back at her and asked, “The name’s Sora. Umm… Are you Jasmine?”

She gave a small nod.

“Aladdin’s been looking for you.”

“What?! Aladdin!” Jafar reacted to the name, and his eyebrows shot up to make his mean-looking face even more unpleasant. “I thought I was rid of that useless street rat! Hmm… No matter. I can find him once I have dealt with you!”

Jafar swung his staff upward again.

“Jasmine, stay back. I’ll get this weirdo out of your hair,” Sora called out before charging toward Jafar. He swung his Keyblade up and struck the man on his bearded chin.

“Ungh!” A moment later, Jafar teleported away. So this guy could wield magic… As Sora was trying to figure out where he’d gone, a giant ball of fire descended from above.

“Look out!” Jasmine cried.

Thanks to her warning, Sora dodged it by a hairbreadth, then looked back along the path it had taken to find Jafar on a rooftop. Sora sprang from the ground, arced through the air to the top of the building, and slammed his Keyblade into his foe.

“How’s that?”

“Grrrah! This is far from over!” Jafar spat. Staggering away, he vanished thanks to the same magic from before.

“Thank you, Sora.” Jasmine came out of hiding and hurried up to him.

“No problem, but…how come that guy was bothering you?”

“Jafar? It’s absolutely infuriating…”

Jasmine quietly began to explain her circumstances.

Right about then, Jafar was catching his breath in a corner of the bazaar.

He had never seen that rat before. Everything had been going according to plan until that little wretch wandered in. As Jafar was grinding his teeth in anger, he heard laughter.

“Gah-ha-ha-ha! Rodent troubles?”

The one who appeared before Jafar was a tubby, mean-looking character with a large mouth and ears.

It was Pete, the same villain Sora was hunting.

“I’ve got your fix right here, pally.”

“What? How dare you address me so—” Jafar narrowed his eyes at Pete’s high-handed response—until he noticed what Pete was holding. “That lamp! It’s the one I seek! The magic, wish-granting lamp!”

It was one of this world’s legends.

Pete smirked. Jafar’s reaction was exactly what he expected. “Not exactly. I used the glitches in this world to create a fax…facsimuh… A copy.” He held out the lamp to Jafar.

“‘Galichess’? Of what powerful sorcery do you speak? Give it to me at once!” Jafar practically snatched the lamp away from Pete.

“Pushy, pushy.” Pete crossed his arms as Jafar stared intently at the lamp. “Just do ol’ Pete a favor and plunge this world into darkn— Hmm?”

Jafar broke out in raucous laughter. “Heh-heh. HAAA-ha-ha-ha! At last, all of my plans will be realized!” He stroked the lamp and called, “Heed me, spirit of the lamp! For my first wish, I desire the power to stop anyone who gets in my way! Yes… Yes!”

A powerful light radiated from the lamp and enfolded Jafar’s body.

“Wow, so you’re a real princess? Who does Jafar think he is?”

Sora had been listening to Jasmine’s story.

“Unfortunately, he’s the royal vizier. And he’s plotting something terrible, I know it. But when I tried to warn the others in the palace, no one would believe me. Jafar is a respected man.” She lowered her gaze and shook her head sadly.

“Yeah, what’s going on with the city?”

“I’m not sure. All these strange blocks appeared, and that was just the excuse Jafar needed to make his move. While everyone was distracted by the chaos, he tried to capture me.” Jasmine let out a heavy, gloomy sigh.

Now that you mention it, Aladdin did say Jasmine was special… Sora asked Jasmine another question: “Does Aladdin know about Jafar?”

“No. Not yet. I wish I could talk to him…” Jasmine lifted her eyes, fighting back tears. “Wait, how do you know about Aladdin?!”

Sora stepped back a bit—Jasmine almost seemed ready to grab him.

“I ran into him in front of the palace,” he answered. “He said he escaped from some cave…”

“He’s alive! Oh, that’s wonderful!” Jasmine clasped her hands in front of her chest, closing her eyes in relief and joy. Apparently, she had believed Aladdin was gone forever.

“Uh-huh. And he was worried sick about you. Let’s go find him, and you can get the full story.”

“Wonderful! I’ll follow you.”

Jasmine nodded enthusiastically with a brilliant smile.

As soon as she spotted Aladdin in the plaza, Jasmine ran past Sora and over to him.

“Jasmine! You’re okay!”

“Aladdin! I’m glad you’re all right.”

A short distance away, Sora watched the two of them gazing into each other’s eyes and felt a bit of relief. Now all that needed to be done was to find Pete.

“I just wish the same could be said for Agrabah.” Jasmine’s expression clouded over.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got the answer to our problems right here. See, I was in this weird cave in the desert, and wait’ll you see what I found. Jafar’s days are numbered!”

As Aladdin finished talking, a looming black shadow fell over them.

“We shall see about that, street rat!”

It was the vizier.

“Jafar!”

Sora ran over to Aladdin and Jasmine, summoning his Keyblade. But before he could stop him, Jafar seized Jasmine by the arm.

“Nnnh! Let me…go!”

“Jasmine!” Aladdin cried, running over to grab Jafar, but some strange force knocked him away.

“Heh-heh-heh! Now all of Agrabah belongs to me. With the princess for my wife, I shall rule this land as sultan!”

“No way…” Sora tried to take Jasmine back himself, only to be blasted back by the same mysterious power.

“Hm-hm! Yes way! You see, the lamp has given me a most remarkable power. No one can defy me now.”

“Lamp?! But how did you—?” Back on his feet, Aladdin reached into his pocket.

“Sadly, weddings do take time to plan. And since I’m the one speaking now, you wretches can forever hold your peace!” Jafar held the lamp aloft.

“Wha—?!”

Sora briefly closed his eyes against a sudden wave of bright light.

When he reopened them—everything looked the same, except that Jasmine and Jafar were no longer there.

“No! They’re gone! Quick, Aladdin, we have to go after them!”

Sora called out to Aladdin, ready to get going, but there was something off about him. He was completely still. In his hand was a lamp that looked a lot like the one Jafar had earlier.

“Um… Aladdin?”

Sora waved a hand in front of the young man’s open, unblinking eyes, but he didn’t even twitch. It was as if time had been stopped for him.

Jafar has hit the city with some kind of powerful spell.

Confused, Sora heard Mickey’s voice. “Mickey! You seeing this? What’s the diagnosis?”

Well, uh… Gosh. It looks like… It looks like Jafar has managed to stop time for the entire city!

“Huh? But I can still move,” Sora replied, looking at himself.

You have the Keyblade. Jafar didn’t account for that. Still, even the Keyblade won’t hold the spell at bay forever.

“What?! Then I need to get out of here! But…I can’t just leave Aladdin and the city like this.”

As Sora talked to Mickey, a parrot was observing him. The spell had no effect on him, meaning he had to be in cahoots with Jafar. With a flap of his brightly colored wings, he snatched up the lamp from Aladdin’s hand.

“H-hey!” Sora shouted

With the lamp firmly in both feet, the parrot—Iago—flew off. “What?” he yelled. “Ain’t ya ever heard of the three-talon discount? Jafar wouldn’t tell me what this lamp does, but whatever it is, it’s gonna make me one happy parrot!”

Iago then fluttered off.

“Ugh, great!”

Sora, you’ve got to get that lamp back! There’s a friend inside who can help you!

Mickey sounded a bit panicked, too.

“‘Inside’? Well, if you say so!”

Remember, you don’t have much time. You need to find the lamp before it’s too late!

“I’m on it.”

Sora took off running, but he had no idea where Iago had gone.

Well, at least there was a silver lining to all this—the time spell had frozen the Heartless, too.

Sora’s first stop was the royal palace, but there was no sign of Iago.

“Where could he be…?”

He was getting winded after all this running around, but he had to hurry if he didn’t want to end up frozen, too.

Now that he thought about it—that alley where he found Jasmine and Jafar the first time would be a great hiding spot. With a new destination in mind, Sora dashed through the streets.

“There he is! Please, you have to give that back!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I had no idea it meant so much to you! Now I know it’s worth hangin’ on to! Buh-bye!”

Iago flew off again. Sora got the feeling he was going to have to take the lamp back by force. He ran after the parrot, back through the bazaar and toward the palace gates.

Spying Iago atop the roof of a certain shop, Sora paused to catch his breath. Okay, no asking nicely this time. I’ve gotta get the jump on him!

Observing his quarry from cover, Sora pounced the moment Iago landed.

“Gotcha!” Sora caught hold of Iago with both hands and glared at the bird.

“Eep! I plead insanity! I’m beggin’ ya, cut a bird some slack!” The parrot let go of the lamp and desperately pleaded for mercy. Sora was pretty intense; Iago was probably bracing for the worst.

“I’ll let you off the hook this time. But there won’t be any second chances.”

“Eeek!”

The moment Sora released Iago, he screeched in a very un-parrot-like manner and fluttered away. Sora scooped up the lamp from where it had fallen on the ground and peered at it closely.

“Whew! About time.”

The dully gleaming antique looked ancient. Why had Aladdin possessed it in the first place? This was what he found in the cave, right?

Sora leaned in closer to see if there was something else about the lamp he was missing, and it suddenly wiggled.

“Wh-what?!”

The lamp jumped again, then spat out a jet of smoke.

“Whoa!”

What emerged from the lamp was…

“Troubles, Al? Whoa! …Hey, wait. You’re not Al.”

A large blue man was floating in the air above Sora. Upon closer inspection, Sora saw that his form didn’t have legs. Instead of standing on two feet, he was hovering.

He couldn’t sit here being shocked, though. Time was of the essence.

Maybe “Al” is Aladdin! Let’s see.

“Yeah, Aladdin can’t move ’cause Jafar stopped time. Um…who are you?” Sora asked.

The blue figure spun a circle in the air and snapped his fingers. “The name’s Genie, last name ‘of the lamp.’ Hey, how ya doin’? Ya got, like, issues, man? Just make a wish! Problems solved! Wrongs righted! Service while you wait!” he rambled.

Sora blinked. “You’ll grant all my wishes?” he asked.

Genie leaned in close, maybe too close, and held up three fingers. “No sirree. Three per customer, while supplies last. That’s the limit. Can’t expect other people to take care of every little thing.”

Sora fell into thought for a moment, partially overwhelmed by Genie’s enthusiasm and partially because he couldn’t quite believe that any wish could be granted.

“Maybe you don’t believe me?” Genie inquired uncomfortably.

Is that even possible, to have whatever you wish come true? It sounds like something out of a dream. Well, Genie doesn’t seem like a bad guy; plus, he’s friends with Aladdin. I can probably go along with him.

“Hmm, then I better make my wishes count. I’ll tell you one thing—I wish this world had fewer problems!”

“You wished it, kiddo, you got it. Badda-bing!” Genie twirled in the air with a snap and a wink. The world rumbled slightly.

“Well? Whaddaya think of your new, totally phantom-free city?”

“Oh! Uh… They’re gone! Thanks! So that unfroze time for Aladdin, too, right?”

“Huh? Oh dear.” Genie shook his head. “Cue remorseful genie in three, two, one…”

“What?! You mean you didn’t help him?” Sora’s head drooped dejectedly.

“Well, you did say ‘fewer problems’…Sorry, kid, I guess I just sorta went by the book.”

Genie looked deflated as well. His dramatic show of disappointment actually helped Sora feel a bit better.

“No, it’s my fault. I should’ve been more specific.”

“Well, I won’t have a half-granted wish on my permanent record! We’ll call that one a freebie. And guess what—to make it up to you, I’ve even got a trace on your bad guy. How’s that for service?” Genie put his arm around Sora’s shoulder.

“Bad guy… You mean Jafar? Now we’re talking! Let’s try this again. Genie, I wish for you to take me to Jafar!”

“You got it, boss! Buckle up, ’cause here…we…gooo!” Genie extended his arms and began to spin, creating a whirlwind.

The tornado sent Sora and Genie flying all the way to a great statue of a tiger’s head in the desert. There was something special about this place.

The tiger’s mouth was shut—and standing before the statue was Jafar.

“Jafar!”

“What?! How did you get here? Ah, of course. So you have obtained the real lamp. And that preposterous weapon is also no doubt to blame.” Jafar explained his theory, rubbing his chin confidently.

“What did you do with Jasmine?”

“My future queen is resting, on the far side of that door.”

“Door? What door?” Sora replied.

The vizier sneered. “What door indeed? You will never find it, boy.”

“You’ll tell me once I’m done with you!”

“Oh-ho, I think not. Sadly, I must go steal Jasmine’s heart. And you will not interfere again. Spirit of the lamp! Heed my second wish! Keep these pests from following me!”

Jafar swung his hand upward, and an odious mist engulfed the area.

“What are you—?”

Sora observed his surroundings cautiously for a moment, but nothing happened. The fog eventually cleared, too, but it had given Jafar enough time to vanish.

“…Everything looks hunky-dory here, kid,” Genie said, flitting back and forth.

“Sheesh. Where did Jafar run off to now?”

“Well, normally the tiger’s mouth is open…,” Genie commented with his head to one side.

“It is?! That must mean… There it is!”

Sora found a familiar fissure in the air next to the tiger’s head.

“What’s this?”

“Wait here, Genie!”

Sora plunged into the System Sector.

“Genie never changes, does he?” Goofy commented happily, watching the events on the monitor.

“I’d like to see Aladdin and Jasmine again, too.”

Donald smiled a little as he remembered. The world on the screen was built from the records of their journey, so it was only natural that the two of them would get sentimental. Seeing the worlds visited and the friends they met with Sora made them want to set off on another adventure.

“Where did Pete go, though?” Mickey cocked his head to the side.

“He sure doesn’t seem to be from the datascape.” Jiminy crossed his arms and thought.

“My guess is, Pete found a way to get into the journal,” Riku replied to the two of them.

“You mean there’s another way to get into this world besides the computer in the real world?”

“That’s impossible. The only copy of the journal is here.” Mickey quickly shot down Jiminy’s suggestion. They weren’t going to get any answers about what was happening with the journal and datascape without Sora’s aid.

“I’m sure Sora will get it all sorted out,” Donald replied. Whether in the datascape or in the real world, Sora was always Sora, and he had absolute faith.

“Pete worries me, though. We have to be prepared for the worst with him,” Mickey replied, then looked up at the boy swinging his Keyblade inside the monitor.

“If we need to be prepared for the worst…there may be something we can do,” Riku said softly.

Mickey and the others turned toward him expectantly.

After Sora left the System Sector, the mouth of the tiger yawned open. Genie peeked inside it, then wrapped his arms around himself and shivered.

“Hmm, this isn’t going to be easy, chief. I’m picking up a triple dose of traps on my lamp-dar.”

“It’s that stupid lamp Jafar’s got. But if he’s cranking up the security, that can only mean Jasmine’s inside,” Sora replied, peeking into the tiger’s mouth like Genie. Adding more traps was all but announcing that a valuable treasure lay beyond them.

“Smells like a theory to me.”

“Let’s go find her and put Jafar in his place.”

Sora stepped into the tiger’s maw. The Cave of Wonders within it was dusty and dim. The occasional torch along the walls cast some light, but it wasn’t really enough to illuminate the way forward.

After traveling an unpleasantly narrow path that was rotten with Heartless, they heard an ominous rumbling.

“What? Whoa!”

Realizing what was causing the noise, Sora stopped just in the nick of time. It was a trap that sent huge, round boulders tumbling toward him. If one of those rolled over him, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

Once he’d figured out the timing so as not to get flattened, Sora sprinted down the narrow path in one shot.

“Phew…”

He paused for a breather as he spotted the exit to the next chamber. Genie suddenly appeared behind him. “Hmm, this place smells fishy, and we’re a long way from water.”

“Jafar must be close, then. You think there’s hope for Aladdin and the city?” Sora asked, looking up at his bobbing blue companion.

“Well, sure there is! A few swift kicks in Jafar’s caboose oughtta kick-start time for Agrabah. And Al will be free as a bird! I’m jealous, really. I’d give anything for that freedom, but I’m stuck until my master wishes me free,” he said with a sad shake of his head.

“You want to be free… Sorry. I never put myself in your shoes.”

He’s been trapped inside a lamp for so long—must be lonely, not to mention painful.

“That’s okay, I don’t have any. But there’s genie-hood for you! Phenomenal, cosmic power… Itty-bitty living space… Wow, déjà vu! I think I said the same thing to Al. Ya know, he seemed to understand more than the others…” Genie’s eyes closed slightly as he recalled that time.

“This cave is where you two met, right? Aladdin’s a good friend. When we first met, he was looking out for me, too. Come on, Genie. He needs us.”

“Lead the way!” Genie grinned at Sora’s words of encouragement, whirled in the air, and returned to the lamp.

“Time to get moving!”

They finally reached the main chamber—the great cavernous room where Genie’s magic lamp had once rested. Jafar was standing on top of a raised platform that looked somewhat like an altar.

I’m going to defeat him no matter what! I’ll save Jasmine and Aladdin!

“It’s over, Jafar! You’ve got no place else to run!” Sora thrust his Keyblade at his enemy.

“What? How could you have eluded all those traps? Hmph, it seems clear to me now… You are no street rat. Why not serve me? Whatever you desire, I can make it happen,” Jafar purred.

“Whatever I desire, huh? All right…” Sora smirked. “I desire for Aladdin to be sultan. Make that happen!”

“Him?! Do not toy with me. Perhaps you need a lesson in what a true ruler can do. That is, if you can tell the true ruler from the others!” Jafar abruptly split into three copies. Each one wore his arrogant expression, poised to strike.

But without a moment’s hesitation, Sora approached one of the viziers and whacked it with his Keyblade.

“Gah! How could you tell?!”

“Because the others are see-through! Give up, Jafar! Let Jasmine go! The city, too!” Sora was getting annoyed as he jabbed his Keyblade at Jafar.

“Rrgh! You leave me little choice! I was saving my final wish to make Jasmine love me…” Jafar snarled, then swung his staff upward. “…but now I will simply have to take the princess and city by force! Spirit of the lamp! I wish for you to make me an all-powerful genie!”

The vizier seemed much more formidable now. Upon making his wish, he was swallowed into a great light.

“Where’d he go?”

Jafar had vanished without a trace.

“Haaa-ha-ha-haaa! I told you, boy: You will never find the far side of the door. And now…such power! Nothing can stop me from shaping the world as I see fit! Savor your final moments, boy. Soon, I will crush you!”

The very cave itself was letting out a continuous rumble. At this rate, the world would become Jafar’s plaything. I have to do something. But I don’t know where to go… What can I do?

Don’t panic, Sora. Jafar’s closer than you think.

He could hear a calm voice from the air. His heart filled with relief, Sora smiled and called back, “Mickey! Are you sure?”

Right, I’m not alone in this. Mickey and Genie are with me.

Think about it—what do we know about hidden doors? Jafar must be inside the Keyhole! You’ve got to find it, and quickly.

“Leave it to me,” Sora replied, surveying the chamber. Well, one place jumped out at him. Those red-and-black blocks didn’t belong here, and there was something behind them.

Sora struck the blocks with his Keyblade, and they vanished as they always did.

Behind them, a Keyhole appeared.

“Here goes!”

Sora held his Keyblade up to the Keyhole and stepped into the realm beyond the door.

It was scorching hot and filled with bubbling lava. Jafar was hardly recognizable now, transformed into an enormous crimson genie. But his hateful glare was still the same.

“Impressive, boy. But your persistence has won you nothing. I am invincible! What can you possibly do?”

Genie Jafar hurled a colossal ball of magma Sora’s way. The boy barely managed to dodge in time. “Rrgh…,” he muttered. “I’ll get back to you on that…”

The heat was making it hard to breathe.

Genie here. Do you read me, Sora?

“Loud and clear, Genie!”

This time, the voice from the air was Genie’s, cheerful and energetic as ever despite the dire circumstances.

He’s not kidding about the invincible part. None of your attacks can hurt him. But Jafar is a genie now. Which means…

As Sora calmed down and started looking around, he spotted that parrot—Iago—circling overhead with a lamp held tightly in his talons.

“The lamp! Roger that, Genie! Over and out!” Sora replied briefly to Genie, then pursued Iago by hopping on the scattered blocks.

“You’ve scurried around long enough. This is the end, boy!”

Genie Jafar fired a beam from his eyes with the power to slow Sora down. He narrowly evaded it, but Iago took that opportunity to fly farther away.

“Huff…huff… Hoo! I’m gettin’ all flapped out.”

But the parrot was starting to get tired. Of course he was; that lamp was a heavy burden for a bird playing keep-away.

Sora used the chance to dash atop the blocks and smack the lamp out of Iago’s talons with his Keyblade.

“Eep! Okay, okay, I give up! Just watch the tail feathers!” Iago flapped his wings loudly and made his escape, but Sora ignored him and went after the fallen lamp instead.

“No! My lamp!”

Genie Jafar extended his arms in his first display of panic, but Sora was one step ahead of him. As he scooped up the lamp, Genie had one last bit of advice:

Now, Sora! Trap Jafar in the lamp!

Without a moment wasted, Sora held the lamp aloft and cried out, “Right! Time for you to see your new home, Jafar!”

The lamp glimmered for a moment, and then Jafar was sucked into the opening with terrific force. Once the vizier had disappeared, the lamp let out a feeble rattling protest in Sora’s hands. The sound gradually faded, and the lamp eventually vanished.

“Is it…over?” Sora panted, exhausted after his grueling game of tag.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t. Pete had been watching from somewhere, and he finally came tromping out. “Grrrrr! No fair! That clown was supposed to cast this world into darkness!” he grumbled loudly to himself.

“Huh? Pete!”

This was the last place he’d expected to find him, but Sora had stumbled across the one he was looking for. He made to chase after Pete straightaway, only for Genie to pop in beside him and bring him to a halt.

“Sora! Leaving already?”

“Yeah, Genie… I’ve gotta go. Will you help Jasmine back to town and give the lamp to Aladdin?” Sora paused, looking at Genie with a hint of melancholy.

“Consider it done! That’s wish number two!”

So that counted as a wish—which meant there was one more left.

“So what’s on the menu for número tres, amigo?” Genie asked expectantly.

I already know my third wish, but I shouldn’t be the one to make it.

“I give my third wish to Aladdin.”

Genie’s eyes went wide.

“He found the lamp first… Well, what matters is, he was your friend first. He’ll do what’s right.”

“Gosh, Sora…”

Genie hid his face with an arm as if there were tears in his eyes—or so Sora thought until he spun merrily through the air, just like when they first met.

“That was beautiful! I’ll tell Al that’s how ya feel. Thanks!”

“Are you kidding? Thank you! Take care, Genie. Tell everybody I said ‘hi.’”

And with that, Sora hurried after Pete. He shouldn’t be too far ahead yet.

After dashing through the cave, he leaped out of the tiger’s mouth.

However, Pete was waiting for him.

“All right, Pete! You’re through running.”

When Sora readied his Keyblade, Pete merely smirked. “Heh-heh-heh, who said anything about running?”

He seems really sure of himself. What’s going on here?

“All right, come on out and show him who’s boss…Maleficent,” Pete called, and a woman robed in black appeared—Maleficent.

“Who are you?”

“An amusing jest, boy, but one I will not abide. If you desire a reminder of my power…then I shall give you one!” The evil fairy quickly raised the staff in her hand, creating a shot of green flame that struck Sora.

“Agh!”

Sora’s Keyblade fell from his grasp and stuck into the ground.

“Isn’t that odd?” Maleficent murmured, and the Keyblade floated into the air. Sora tried to jump up and retrieve it, but he was too late. The fairy swiftly swung her staff and easily shattered the Keyblade right in front of his eyes.

“…What?!” Sora could only watch in shock.

With a sidelong glance at him, Maleficent let out a cackle. “So we see, ’twas but a lie. And now that it’s gone, this world shall be mine to rule.”

What should I do? I can’t fight without my Keyblade. But I have to try.

“Yes, my loyal minions. Drag all that you see into deepest darkness!”

As Sora tried to stand, Maleficent summoned a horde of Heartless in front of him. The monsters slowly encircled and trapped him.

“Agh…!”

At this rate, the darkness would overtake him. Sora braced himself, but just as the Heartless descended upon him, they were wiped out in a flash.

“You okay?” someone called to him.

He raised his head to see Riku and Mickey had arrived. The two of them looked back at Sora with those same familiar smiles.

“Maleficent. What are you doing here in the datascape?” asked Mickey, glaring at her.

“‘Date escape’? Spare me your dull details,” she replied with a scowl.

“But since you’re wonderin’, it was all my idea, you bozo,” Pete boasted to Mickey. “We caught wind right away you was up to somethin’, see. So, I decided to pay ya a little visit on Maleficent’s orders. I was just takin’ a peek into your room, and that’s how yours truly got sucked into the light show. I woke up all by my lonesome in the weirdest place. Then I did some diggin’ around. Turns out this place connects right to that there castle o’ yours,” Pete explained in a rush. Then he snorted and crossed his arms. “Or at least it did, before I took control of the only way out,” he added with a sneer.

Sora finally rose to his feet and got into a fighting stance. “So you’re the one who cut the link!”

Maleficent replied in Pete’s stead. “Rest assured, both worlds shall be mine before long. Once I have immersed this one in darkness, I can send my Heartless horde back into your castle!”

A comfortable grin was spreading across her face as she watched the king.

“No!” Mickey cried in shock.

Maleficent continued slowly, “The long slumber has ended, and a new era has begun—one where all worlds belong to me! But my worlds must be free of light, and yours shine far too brightly. This time, it is you who will sleep!” She waved her hand tauntingly.

“Wrong. This is one world I won’t let you touch!”

Riku sprang toward her. But…

“Hmph! Foolish boy!”

A burst of green flame from her staff hit Riku hard, and he screamed.

“Arrrgh!”

When the boy lost consciousness, Pete picked him up from the ground.

“Riku!”

Mickey called his name, but he didn’t move.

“Now, you, boy… You belong to the darkness, not the light. I shall take this one with me. I’m sure he will prove…useful.” Maleficent vanished with a haughty laugh.

“Check aaaand mate! So long, suckers! Gah-ha-ha-ha!”

Pete let out a roar of laughter and disappeared after her—with Riku in tow.

“No!”

Sora tried to pursue them, but they were already gone.

“Riku…” Mickey lowered his head mournfully.