Chapter II: A Party In Agrabah, pt. 1
The streets of Agrabah, known for their hustle and bustle, are certainly living up to that reputation today. People seem to be everywhere, either ordinary, shabbily dressed citizens going about their day or more richly appointed men and women of obviously higher social standing following the city’s main thoroughfare to the palace. It’s all decorated as well, banners and streamers and painted portraits of Aladdin and Jasmine seemingly everywhere.
“This place is amazing!†Kairi comments, looking up and down the streets with an awe and wonder that warms Sora’s heart. Or maybe he’s just warm in general, considering the fact he’s wearing a black suit on a sunny day in the desert.
“What’s amazing are some of the snakes around here,†Azlyn chimes in, disdainfully noting a painted sign on a fruit stall. “I guess in the spirit of the royal wedding, they think they can get away with charging a king’s ransom.â€
“You’re wishing you had something to sell, aren’t you?†Sora asks her, grinning.
“You’re damn right I am!â€
The knight turns away with a frown, and Sora can’t help but look down to the only truly valuable item she has on her. The silver band of her engagement ring circles the ring finger of her right hand. He hadn’t even noticed it when they first saw each other, that being the first time he’d talked to Azlyn without immediately getting the thing shoved in his face.
An idea suddenly strikes Sora, so he casually sidles up to Kairi. His girlfriend is happily observing a pair of young boys tossing a ball back and forth.
“I’ve got an idea,†he whispers. She jumps, closing her eyes a few moments to regain composure. “Sorry. Anyway, if you want something to talk to Azlyn and Telary about, you should ask about the ring. Both of them just love to go on and on and on and on and on…â€
“Sora,†Kairi says, giving him a quick glare.
“Sorry,†he apologizes, smiling despite her displeasure. It only takes seconds for her to grin back at him. “Anyway, it’s a good icebreaker.â€
“Mmm,†the Princes of Heart hums, turning to look across the street. Azlyn stands at one stall, Telary at another several feet away. “Seems to me like those two have developed their own ice.â€
Sora opens his mouth to dismiss that notion, but finds himself unable to. After their argument on the beach vis a vis wedding gifts, the pair had hardly said a word to each other. The warp from Destiny Islands to Agrabah had been quick, but not so quick that the Disney Castle inhabitants had no time for even the slightest of affection amongst each other.
“Probably it’s nothing,†he says with a dismissive shrug. “They can get like this sometimes. Okay, never quite like this, but still. We’re all…â€
A shriek from one of the playing boys sends Sora into action mode. Spinning on his heel, he spots the children’s’ ball go flying out of one boy’s hands and into the busy street. Without hesitation, he dives after it.
Landing on his knees, the Keybearer skids across the sandy street until he can snatch up the ball. Holding on tightly, he lets out a sigh of relief.
All too soon, as it turns out.
The very loud noise of an extremely perturbed animal shocks Sora, so badly he yelps and falls back onto the ground. Looking up, he notices a camel looking down at him with a sneer. It wears a brown saddle, each side burdened with a tall wicker basket.
“What is the meaning of this?†demands a man coming around the camel’s right side. He wears a long blue cloak, a concealing hood and veil hiding most of his facial features. Except for two eyes, staring coldly down at the Keyblade wielder.
“Uh, sorry sir,†he apologizes, quickly scrambling to his feet. As he rises, he notices the clasp of the man’s cloak: a round medallion with a picture of a golden hand upon it. “The, uh, the kids lost their ball. So I was just trying to get it for them.â€
The hooded man’s glare doesn’t abate, steadily boring down on Sora. For his part, the Keybearer just tries to look as apologetic as possible.
“You’d do best to watch yourself,†the cloaked man’s gruff voice rumbles. “And inform the children that this is no place to play. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.â€
Sora nods and gets out of the way. As he does, he looks back and sees that his small spectacle had held up quite a long procession of camels similarly burdened as the cloaked man’s.
“Now that’s a gift,†Azlyn comments as Sora tosses the grateful kids their ball back.
“We should probably start heading up to the palace,†Telary suggests, grimacing at the passing caravan of camels. “If we get stuck behind another line like this…â€
“I’m not done yet,†Azlyn shoots back, arms crossed stubbornly.
“You are too,†her fiancée says. “I distinctly remember seeing you at every one of these stalls!â€
“Well, I hate to doubt the great superbrain, but I say again…â€
“If you want to stick around,†Kairi interrupts, placing herself between the feuding lovers, “then Sora and I can go hold a place for us in line while you two finish up here. Is that okay?â€
“You don’t have to do that, Kairi,†Telary protests. “If anything, you should stick around here, take things in for…â€
“No, she’s right,†Sora says, stepping up next to his girlfriend. “I wanted to show her the area near the palace anyway. Stay here, see a few more stores. Talk. We’ll be okay.â€
After another long moment, Azlyn nods. “Sure. We’ll, uh, see you at the palace I guess.â€
“Don’t start any trouble with the city guards, again,†Sora warns the knight.
She scoffs. “No promises. Like I said, these inflated prices are insane.â€
“Just haggle ‘em down,†Sora teases, momentarily adopting a ridiculously twangy accent. Azlyn and Telary laugh at the impression, while Kairi just stares awkwardly between them.
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re just the halfwit brother.â€
Sora and Kairi set off down the street, following just a few yards behind the last camel in the blue-cloaked man’s procession. Sora is still chuckling as they make their way. Until he realizes that Kairi isn’t.
“Sorry,†he apologizes. “It’s just kind of an inside joke. You, uh…â€
“I needed to be there,†Kairi says with a small smile. “I don’t mind you and your friends making jokes I don’t understand, really. With all the time you spent together, I’m sure there are a lot. I don’t feel uncomfortable.â€
Sora nods. “I’m kinda starting to though. Those fights they’re having are way worse than anything that happened on our journey. It’s got me a little worried.â€
Things only get more elaborate as they approach the palace, crowds gathering in earnest now to gaze at the wealthy wedding guests. Kairi occasionally moves away from Sora to get a better look at this or that, but she never gets far before he’s caught up with her again. After a short walk, the Keybearer pair end up reaching the palace gate just as the blue-cloaked man is flashing his invitation.
“I hope we’re not late,†Sora says, fidgeting as he waits in line. “I wanted to see Aladdin before things got going.â€
As fate would have it, at that precise moment a blue blur of motion comes zipping out the gate’s open doors. For a moment Sora and Kairi are taken aback, but then the brunette boy realizes what’s going on. He grins.
“Excuse me, excuse me!†screams a blue-skinned child in a forest green scout uniform. His bandana is packed with all manner of strange badges (Cactus Milking, Camel Breach Birth, and Panty Raider are just a few of the visible symbols.) He reaches behind his back and pulls out a poster. It depicts Aladdin’s smiling face, the words HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GROOM? printed above it in blocky black letters. “Have you seen my Al? Ya just gotta help me mister, the Al Retrieval badge is my last one!â€
“Uh…†Kairi stammers, completely taken aback by this small, yelling child.
But Sora just rolls his eyes at the antics. “No, I haven’t seen Aladdin. Genie.â€
The poster is yanked down with a snap, revealing the scout’s broad grin. “Sora!â€
In a flash the badge-crazy child is gone. In his place hovers the big blue lug himself, Genie (formerly) of the lamp!
“Oh, am I glad to see you!†the former wish giver declares, wrapping the Keybearer up in his azure embrace. Sora yelps as he’s lifted off the ground. “It’s been so long, and I’ve been so stressed with all this wedding prep. I’m going positively grey!â€
And indeed, when Sora finally gets away from Genie’s hug, he finds that his friend’s entire body has turned a uniform grey.
“And who is this?†Genie gushes, gliding forward as his normal color reasserts itself. Kairi just stands still, rather confused by the whole thing. “Wait a minute, don’t tell me, I know it! Uh… Kala? No, that isn’t it. Er… Hayden? No, of course not. That doesn’t even sound like a real name…â€
“Kairi,†the girl in question introduces herself.
Genie shakes his head. “No, no, I don’t think that’s it…â€
“Genie,†Sora exasperatedly cuts off the mystical man. “This is Kairi.â€
“Boy, do I feel sheepish.†That said, Genie flashes down into the form of a sheep. “Sorry, my lady. My baaaaad!â€
“No problem,†Kairi says, giggling and taking the hoof offered to her.
“So nice to meet you!†Genie declares, shifting back to normal. “Of course, there’s only one question to ask under these circumstances.†A flash, and Genie is a tuxedoed French waiter holding a notepad and pencil. “Vill you be having ze chicken, or ze seabass?â€
“What’s this about Aladdin missing, Genie?†Sora asks, interrupting the big blue lug’s shtick.
“He ain’t at the wedding pavilion, kid!†Genie answers, returning to his regular form. “And kickoff is in an hour!! He’s missing, Sora, and anybody coulda gotten to him!!! Heartless, Jafar’s vengeance-craving second cousin!!! Televangelists!!!!!â€
“Just calm down, Genie,†Sora tries to reassure his friend. “It probably isn’t anything like that.â€
“He could be nervous about the wedding,†Kairi chimes in. “Even in the desert, men can get cold feet. Probably he just went to get his head together before the ceremony.â€
Genie gives the redhead a broad grin. “You may be right! Allah knows I was nervous for my first, like, ten weddings!â€
“Ten weddings?†Sora asks.
The big blue lug shrugs. “Yeah eleven through eighty-four were cinches after that!â€
Sora just shakes his head, no longer wishing to know. “If Al’s in trouble, any kind of trouble, we’ll help him out.â€
“Then let’s sniff him out!†Genie poofs into an azure canine. Sora and Kairi are taken aback by this, since the pooch so resembles King Mickey’s loyal dog Pluto. “C’mon Sora, we’re on the trail!â€
“Go ahead,†Kairi encourages Sora. “This sounds like a ‘man-to-man’ thing, so I’m just gonna go inside.â€
Sora frowns. “Are you sure? By yourself?â€
“Uh, yeah,†the redhead confirms. Raising one eyebrow, she asks, “Is there a problem with that?â€
“Uh, I guess not,†Sora replies. He attempts a casual shrug, but it comes off a little jerky. “You sure you don’t want to wait around for Az and Tel? It’s a big palace, after all…â€
Kairi’s eyebrow only climbs higher as she places both hands on her hips. “I think I can manage following the line of elegantly-dressed dignitaries to the gigantic wedding pavilion just fine on my own, Sora.â€
“Uh, of course you can!†the boy agrees with a nervous laugh. “Yeah, go on in ahead. Alone. By yourself. I’ll see you inside, then.â€
Kairi just stares at him for a moment saying nothing. “Yeah, alright.â€
“Nice girl,†Genie comments after a moment. “Y’know, when you weren’t ticking her off.†He reaches out and grabs Sora around the wrist. “Now c’mon, we’ve got a groom to grab!â€
Actually, only a few month have passed since KttK 2. Sora was 16 in the first story, 17 after the yearlong time skip between 1 and 2. And by "rough" I just meant the fact that there's gonna be a whole lotta arguing between characters you love. But, I figured it had to happen eventually. No couple I know can go their whole lives without fighting!