Chapter Text
He was lucky Carpet was so obliging. It made the whole process so much simpler. No less painful, but less complicated at least, which was something.
The heavy chains though... not so much. Still, at least he only had to wait a little while. A little while longer to fix everything. It was kind of unfair, but he definitely deserved it, and it was the right thing, the diplomatic thing, to do.
But the waiting sure was hard. So was the heartache. His own, too.
With the moon as his only source of company, Zidane sighed, and made friends with the grime on the dungeon floor instead.
A weak, wistful sunshine dappled in through the gap in the curtains, as a dark haired young princess rose from her slumber. She took in a breath, and let out a happy sigh, the first in months. For her voice had been restored, and the man to whom she was thankful-
But confusion struck. His presence, it was lacking.
Princess Garnet sat up properly, and rubbed her eyes. For there was no snoring next to her, and in his place,
A letter.
Shaky hands carefully unfolded the shabby address as the princess quickly scanned its contents.
*knock knock!*
"Mmn..." Sora grunted, a leg kicking out in defiance. "We don't need any more potions..."
*knock KNOCK knock!* it grew louder.
"Nuh..." Something lost between a gurgle and a snore. "No Riku, chocobos are friends, not food..."
There was a rushed whisper, and the creaking of a door.
"Umm... mister Sora?" She cleared her throat.
"What even are moogles...?" Sora yawned, oblivious to the poking.
"M-mister Sora, hello?" An actual shake this time. "It's time to get up, mister Sora!"
"Nyuh!" He awoke at last with a start, half falling from the bed and taking the bedclothes with him. "What the?!"
"Umm... mister Sora?" A voice spoke behind him. Sora wrenched himself back onto the bed and saw, of all things, the hippo receptionist lady from last night. That Steiner guy had escorted him, Donald and Goofy to a cute little hotel in the centre of the city. It was humble, and they were the only guests, but it was the best night's sleep he'd gotten in weeks. Maybe it was the feeling of a job well done?
"Uhh... hi there!" Sora masked his bleariness with volume. "I-is something wrong?"
"Well, I'm not sure exactly..." The hippo lady placed her hands - hooves? Feet? - together. "But there is someone who wants to talk to you outside."
Outside? Who could've known he was here? Zidane, obviously, but he would've just barged in. So who could it be...?
And Sora was stumped. Guessing time.
"A visitor?" He pulled on his clothes. "...ooh! Is it a cute girl with long hair?"
The receptionist's smile looked forced. "P-please, mister Sora. It all seems rather urgent?"
"Urgent huh? Alright, got it." Sora rose from the confines of the bed, and cracked his joints back into place. "Thanks for telling me. Wh-where are-"
"Please, my lady," a familiar deep voice. "His assistance really is not-"
"Steiner." Another familiar voice snapped at him. And silence.
"Umm..." Sora peered around the corner. "Hell...o?"
Before him stood the grumpy knight from yesterday, and the dark haired princess he and Zidane had gone to such an effort to help.
"Oh! Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!" Sora fell to one knee. "I had no idea it was you who was visiting, your maj-"
"Please please, no need for the formalities," the princess - Dagger, wasn't it? - urged. "I just need some information from you, that's all."
"From me?" Sora frowned. "Wh-why ask me? Why not just ask Zi-"
But he didn't even get chance to finish that sentence. Her skin was white as a sheet, and her eyes were hollow.
"What's wrong?"
The young princess wrung her wrists, and handed him the tattered sheet of paper.
"A... a letter?" Sora frowned. "A letter from who?"
Steiner gaze hollowed out upon Sora's words, and Dagger continued to quiver. No answers here.
"Well, umm..." Sora took it upon himself to decipher the unfamiliar scrawl;
My dearest Garnet, (who's Garnet?)
Words could never describe just how much I longed to hear your sweet voice again. I'm sorry it took so long to fix you, the cure was really quite exotic.
But I'm afraid to say, that everything comes with a price. In order to get this cure, I had to upset some very powerful people, and they don't take kindly to you robbing them. So I'm gonna have to pay the price... whatever it is. I'm so sorry it happened this way, but I have to do this alone. I know not what fate awaits me, however I do know that, for every heavy heartbeat I have left, I'll be thinking of you and your beautiful song.
Remember the way I was for me,
got that?
~Zidane~
Shaking hands threatened to tear at the delicate paper, as Sora had to steady himself against a wall.
"Dammit... you idiot, Zidane."
"SORA!" Donald squawked from down the hallway. Also clutching at a sheet of paper, he and Goofy looked panicked. "There's a letter from Zidane! He said-"
Donald slipped on a rug that was on the floor however, and slid right past Sora, crashing into a bathroom opposite. The letter fluttered out of his hand, and Sora snatched at it.
"Wh-wh-what? What did Zidane say?!" Dagger's voice had lost all majesty now. Steiner drew himself up to his full, intimidating height, and Sora cleared his throat again;
"Sora. I've taken the carpet, and I'm going to do the thing, so you'll have to make your own way back. Sorry about that. But when a certain princess jumps you first thing, promise me you'll tell her NOTHING about where I've gone. Got it? Nothing. She doesn't deserve any more heartache. Sorry to leave you with this, but there was really no one else I could ask.
Thanks for all your help, but you'll never... n-never see me again?"
Two hands clasped at Sora's, crushing the letter in his hands between them.
"You must tell me!" Dagger gasped. "Y-you absolutely must!"
"B-but the letter said not to!" Sora gulped. "And a promise is a promise! I can't go back on that!"
Dagger's expression withered in front of his eyes, and Steiner's only darkened.
"Princess, if I may suggest," his voice was low, and very dangerous. A right hand on the hilt of his broadsword. "We can legally, ahem, subpoena that information."
Sora's eyes bolted. There was no way he could summon his keyblade like this. Not with Dagger holding his-
"N-no Steiner, I'm sure that won't be necessary," she turned away for a moment. Tears had stained both cheeks, and yet this princess still managed to smile.
"I-I'm not asking as the ruler of Alexandria," she blinked several times. "I'm asking," a deep breath, "a-asking as a human being. One who doesn't want someone to suffer at my fault. So please, I beg of you..."
"Ohhh..." Sora avoided the gaze of her enormous eyes. "But a promise..."
"Aw, c'mon Sora," Goofy stepped into the conversation. "Now I think that sometimes there's promises ya should break. Wut if Kairi was in this sorta trouble?"
And like a lead weight, Sora's resolve was on the floor at Goofy's words. Hands quivering furiously, he muttered,
"...Agrabah."
"A-Agrabah?!" The princess squeaked. "Oh my gosh, that's so far...! How are we going to-"
But then her panicking ground to a halt almost instantly.
"I-I'll need to call in a favour," her voice was thick. "Please, prepare yourselves for travel everyone. We've about half an hour."
Dagger smoothed her hair down, and wiped her eyes furiously, and then took off down a hallway just as fast as her feet could carry her.
"Princess! Princess, waiiit!" Steiner clunked after her. He drew his sword and threatened it at Sora. "You had best be punctual, peasant! If you are so much as a minute late, I will personally strangle the three of you!"
Steiner crashed after his princess once again, leaving Sora and the guys alone. The three exchanged a glance, and a nod.
The pale blues of morning had soon been washed out with the blood orange dusk, and Sora was honestly wondering where the day had gone.
Through the sky their ship screamed, a marvel of whooshing engines and creaking wood. Sora, Donald and Goofy had been confined to the hull, merely watching the ever-changing views disappear between them, while Dagger watched longingly out of a window, a thin white cloak guarding her from the rushing wind, and Steiner guarded the entrance to her room, as well as the ten metres surrounding.
Controlling the airship? A ragtag band of 'vermin', as Steiner described them. But apparently they knew Zidane well.
"Uhh... hey," Sora attempted conversation with the nearest, most approachable looking one. "So how do you guys know Zidane?"
"He's our bro," the piratey individual grunted. "And we of Tantalus help our own. Ain't that right Blank?"
The one behind the wheel snorted in response. "No matter how much of a mess they get into. Though when Zidane'll return these favours... yeah, that'll be the day."
"Uh huh..." Sora frowned. That sounded like a long story.
His chains scratched across the polished marble floor. He hadn't slept - what was the point? - and could barely walk for the weight of them. Guards insisted on shoving him forwards because he was obviously too slow for them. But what was the worst they could do? This was obviously his last mile, his last sunset, his last memories...
"Alright street monkey, listen up," the head guard Razoul deadpanned. "You will kneel before the Sultan and Sultana, you will receive your sentence graciously, and you will carry it out without a fuss. Understood?"
Zidane blinked away his lament. A nod.
"Good. You're at least agreeable," Razoul smirked.
Meanwhile, Jasmine cleared her throat.
"Zidane Tribal," she spoke, her voice a deathly echo across the empty halls of the palace. "We thank you for keeping your word, and returning to us to carry out your sentence."
Silence. What point was there in saying anything?
"We can also... understand, why you wouldn't want Sora to see this," Aladdin chipped in. Jasmine gave him a sour look, and her husband flailed, "whaaat? He's... sensitive!"
"However we cannot offer you any leniency!" Jasmine buried that argument. "No matter how pure your intentions were, you stole from royalty, and that is as good as treason. So I will ask; do you have any requests before your punishment is carried out?"
"What is my punishment, if-if I may?" Zidane flustered, after seeing the glint in Razoul's eye.
But both Aladdin and Jasmine averted their gaze, and reality fell like a stack of bricks.
Zidane gulped down bitter bile. "...oh."
An ominous manifesto of mauves threatened across the skyline as the airship chased the last of the day's sunlight, its engines swallowing desert sand and choking out black smoke.
"What is it you guys do anyway?!" Sora hollered over the noise.
"Whatever's needed!" Blank shouted back. "We've put on plays before,"
"officially we're treasure hunters," Marcus added. "But we also do more mercenary type stuff on the side."
"Nothin' too grisly, of course," Blank bounced right off him.
"And sometimes we sing!" Cinna popped up from the engine room. "And speaking of sing, guys, it might be time to start praying, cause she can't take much more of this desert sand!"
"Well start prayin'!" Blank quipped. "Cause we all know Rusty'll kill us even if the ship doesn't!"
"Hey wait, maybe not!" Sora pointed off into the distance. "Look!"
Several pairs of eyes focused where Sora was pointing, and sure enough, the telltale spires of Agrabah hazed into view. Barely visible beyond the glow of street lamps, it was nevertheless exactly what they were looking for, and also a sign that Sora actually could navigate.
"You owe me 50 munny, Donald!" An exultant fist into the air.
"I what?!" Donald shrieked from the other side of the ship. "Aw phooey, you just got lucky!"
"Either way! You can do the thing now!" Sora instructed, and a grumbling Donald cast a seething Aerora spell on the airship, streamlining its path and propelling it through the desert at twice the speed!
"Hold on everyone! This is gonna be a rough landing!" Sora yelled, his body practically leaving the ground from the sheer speed.
"Don't worry, we're used to those!" Blank clung onto the wheel. "Just you make sure you don't screw this bit up!"
As fast as a speeding bullet, the airship shot through the twisty, confusing Agrabah streets, with Blank barely managing to steer the thing around corners. Important looking archways and pillars and things were probably better off not destroyed, after all.
"Ready guys?!" Sora yelled, and three timely jumps had him, Donald and Goofy scaling down the side of the palace.
"Don't worry, princess," Sora watched Blank wrestle with the airship as it screamed through the streets of Agrabah. "I won't let you down."
With a hand gesture, his two partners followed after him, darting between the stone pillars and staying out of sight. Luckily, all the attention was focused on the centre of the room, where Sora's heart thudded uncomfortably upon noticing a certain blonde. On his knees, trailing chains across the floor, he couldn't have looked more pitiful.
But no. Just rushing in there wasn't going to work. He had to trust in the three bandits he had just met, and be stealthy. So he tore his gaze from Zidane and his situation, and instead sidled along the ledge. He, Donald and Goofy soon met up either side of a grand archway, where two guards were posted at the bottom of it.
'Goof, get that one!' Sora mouthed, pointing downwards before wrapping himself around a convenient palm tree and sliding down it.
"B-but how'm I gon' get down there?" Goofy whispered to Donald. It had to be a good thirty metres up, and last he checked, he wasn't much good at climbing.
Donald sighed, and offered Goofy a solution.
"Yaaagh-!" Goofy yelped, however he managed to suppress it at the last second, and fell victim to the gravity, crashing down on top of the guard and silencing him.
"What the?!" The second guard exclaimed, drawing his sword. But before he could approach however, Sora had dropped from the pine tree, and had his keyblade around the guard's neck.
"Easy, easy...!" He grimaced, bringing the guy down as quietly as he could. "Okay, that worked better than I thought! Next bit, Donald!"
"O-kay!" Donald gave him a thumbs up, and made sure he was directly behind a pillar before launching a Fire spell into the sky. Meanwhile Sora and Goofy were able to wrench the heavy wooden doors open just in time for the airship to whoosh past, and a figure in white to drop from it...
This wasn't fair.
Dusk was rapidly dissolving beyond the horizon, as a strictly nonchalant Zidane stared down his fate. What was taking so long to carry out such a simple sentence, he didn't know.
"Alright monkey, let's get this over with," Razoul drawled, and forced Zidane head-first into the stocks. "It seems as though no one is coming to see you off, anyway..."
"And thank the gods for that." Zidane muttered.
"Hunh? You same something?" Razoul pulled a black mask over his face.
"Just... muttering to myself," Zidane's eyes rolled.
"You might as well tell me, boy!" Razoul cackled, the blade of his axe glinting in what remained of the daylight. "Who knows? You might just live longer! So spill your guts before I do!"
Zidane clenched his teeth to the point of hurting. The right to remain silent was his only blessing right now. So silent in fact, that be could hear one of the guards grunt outside.
"Stuck up til the end, eh?" Razoul taunted. "Do you not want to live lon-"
"Razoul," Jasmine interrupted the guard captain's fun. "Spare the poor man some dignity, will you?"
Razoul cut his thumb on the blade of his axe. "...very well, your majesty."
The echo of footsteps, and the swirling of a cloak; Razoul tightened his grip on the axe, and raised it into the air.
This really wasn't fair.
One of the guards just yelled about something; not important.
Zidane grit his teeth and scrunched his eyes shut. He was ready. He was as ready as he could be.
"Farewell, street monkey," Razoul's voice was heavy and solemn. With one final nod to Jasmine, he tensed, and brought his axe down with a clash!
And yet the sudden, momentary pain of death didn't reach. Zidane continued to grimace, bearing the tension, only hearing the creaking of wood?
"Why, you...?!" Razoul grunted. There was another clash, followed by a swishing noise and a roar of anguish from the guard captain. Zidane dared open his eyes again to find the executioner's axe clattering to the ground several feet away!
What... the?
His mind buzzed out of sheer bemusement. Jasmine and Aladdin both looked outraged, and guards swarmed. What on earth?
A glance to the side showed a white robed figure standing above him, brandishing what looked like a battle racket, locked into combat with several of the guards!
The robed mystery evaded one swing of a sword with a timely backflip, then struck the same guard in the face with their staff. The guard shook the pain away, only for the stranger to summon an enveloping cloud of darkness, blinding the gaggle!
"Stop them!" Aladdin himself rose from his seat and brandished a sword. Them??
And Zidane felt more helpless than ever, with his various limbs trapped inside stocks as the madness around him ensued. The robed stranger had floored three guards, yet was fighting toe to toe with Razoul himself. They dodged to the left of his sword, followed by a sweep of the racket to rob him of his balance. Razoul lunged, and stumbled, and paid the price as the racket clacked into his jaw, knocking him off of his feet and away.
But several more guards were in hot pursuit, Aladdin included, as the robed figure grabbed onto their good, and revealed her true identity.
"Hagh?!" Jasmine gasped. "No wait, stop!"
But Aladdin had already ground to a halt. Sword arm weakening and falling limp, he and the guards were left mesmerised by the sight before them.
The cloaked princess knelt down beside Zidane. A weak smile.
"You sentimental fool."
Two taps with a keyblade, and the blonde was free to move his limbs at last. Now he knew exactly which idiot to blame for all of this.
"But... but why?" Zidane pleaded. "Why did you put your life in danger to come for me?"
And the smile grew,
"only because I wanted to go with you."
And then. Then it was all just too much. Back to his knees he crashed, not just sniffling, but sobbing out fat, rambunctious tears.
"I-I... I was so scared!" He spluttered, clutching onto Dagger's outstretched arm. "I thought I'd lost you forever! I-I mean I was prepared for it, but I didn't really want it! I thought I... thought I could be strong, take the punishment, take responsibility for my actions, but then you came here, fought off who knows how many bastards, all for me, and I-I just, just couldn't..."
"Oh, you daft thing..." she cradled his head, "remember who you're talking to here? Did you ever think of asking for help?"
"Help?" Zidane's voice cracked. "What help? Why would I deserve help?"
"Well it's all very well you crashing a wedding, looting their possessions and injuring guests in the meantime," Dagger smirked, "but remember you've got friends who can help you out when your political endeavours get a bit... messy. Just rely on us a little... please?"
"'Us'?" The blonde finally glanced around. Not only was Sora and his guys here, but the whole tantalus gang too, and even Rusty lurking in the corner. Everyone except Boss, though that was probably a good thing.
"B-but I don't deserve all this...?" Zidane's hands flailed out.
"Oh, hush," said Dagger. "We've come all this way for you. You deserve it, alright? And you know what else you deserve...?"
"Yes...?"
"Oh c'mon, stand up already."
"Oh, right," Zidane shuffled back to his feet.
"You deserve..." Dagger's eyes glittered. "M-me."
And a new wave of tears prickled. Hot, stingy, clammy, but happy tears threatened to spill, as Dagger loomed just a little bit closer to him.
"O-oh, well damn, uhh..." Zidane itched the back of his neck. "Can we... are we even allowed to do this?"
"Hey, I'm royalty. I can do whatever I damn well please," Dagger's smile was impish and toothy. "Besides, Steiner's on strict guard duty. He won't be interfering."
"W-well then...!" Zidane flustered. "If you're really, really sure..."
Dagger held him tight. "Never been surer,"
And in the twilight their bodies entwined, united by a soft, gentle pressure.
"I feel like I've been waiting all my life for this moment," Zidane sighed into her shoulder.
"A princess and a street rat..." Aladdin spoke with hushed awe.
It started off as a single pair of hands, clapping slowly and self consciously. They stuttered, and slowed down, but were soon joined by Donald and Goofy, the tantalus trio, and even Aladdin and Jasmine. A hearty smattering of applause!
"Looks like someone finally caught their canary," Sora chuckled, slapping him on the back.
"Heyyy, get back here you!" Zidane returned the favour with a punch to the arm. "And just how late do you sleep, huh? Had to leave it til the last minute?"
"...but the audience loves the suspense!" Sora could barely contain himself, dissolving into a high pitched cackle before his sentence could take flight.
"Yeah, yeah, steal my line why doncha," the blonde grinned. He returned his attention back to Dagger. "Wanna see something else the audience loves?"
Fear flashed in her eyes, but despite it all, "y-yes?"
And a quiet yelp escaped the princess as strong arms lifted her up high, and spun her around. Legs slotted around him at the hip, and he held her close.
"A super romantic finish," Zidane winked.