[Kingdom Hearts AU] Someone to Watch Out for You

Shattered Diamond

The idea was risky, but he had to try. Ventus carefully navigated his Keyblade glider to the palace's balcony. All his thoughts focusing on getting Jasmine out of the palace for someplace safer completely overrode his thoughts of taking off the Keyblade armor. He could only imagine what Jasmine's first reaction would have been, having a stranger at her bedroom window and telling her she was in grave danger. He was fortunate enough that she seemed to already know the situation she was in, and agreed to follow him.

Jasmine helped him more than he helped her, though. The princess was well familiar with the in and outs of her palace, along with the general marketplace that rested right outside of it. If anything, Ven fought back the Heartless Jasmine herself couldn't otherwise subdue. There were a lot more here than in Traverse Town- was the situation in the worlds getting worse?

"Someone's coming," Ven quietly told Jasmine. "We need a place to hide."

"There." Jasmine instructed, pointing to an empty market stall. The two exchanged a nod before ducking behind the main counter. They were quick enough that the people walking up likely didn't even realize they were there.

"And the keyhole?" a female voice, proud yet uncaring, asked. A chill ran up Ven's spine- he knew that voice. But it couldn't be...

"The Heartless are searching for it now." a male voice informed her. Jasmine had a physical reaction to this one. "I'm certain we'll find it soon enough."

Ven signaled for Jasmine to keep silent. She nodded, even covering her hand over her mouth, just in case. They listened as the male and female talked more to each other, mostly about the capture of princess Jasmine herself.

"We need all seven Princesses of Heart to open the final door. Any fewer are useless." the woman snapped at the man, in response to him questioning if they even needed Jasmine. Ven, hearing this, mouth the words 'final door?' in confusion. Why would anyone want to open a door with the Princesses of Heart?

Even the man seemed a little offended by this.

"Well, if the princess is that important, we'll find her."

The man then gave a snap of his fingers, summoning several Heartless and commanding them to go out to find Jasmine. Ventus and Jasmine waited several minutes more after the man and woman were done talking before leaving their hiding place.

"That man was the royal vizier, Jafar." Jasmine informed Ven as they hid in Agrabah's shadows. "He took control from my father, the sultan, not long ago. He tried to keep me in my room until you came along. I didn't know why until now, but I knew it couldn't have been anything good."

"Good intuition." Ven approved as they moved to an unused corner alley. "Would you happen to know where the keyhole they mentioned is?"

"No. I can't even say I've heard of such a thing before now. At least, not in the context they were implying."

"And that woman," Ven asked, making sure the area was secure, "Do you know if her name is Maleficent?"

"I wouldn't know that either." Jasmine said. "I've certainly never seen her around here before."

"Not surprised." Ven grumbled. To her proper, he said, "Maleficent can't be trusted, if that was her. She and I are not what you would call friends."

"Right," Jasmine agreed with a nod. "I only wish that Aladdin knew I made it out of the palace safely. He had promised to help me."

"Aladdin?" Ven repeated.

He went unanswered, however, as someone had found their hiding place. It was in shock that Ventus locked eyes with none other than Sora. Goofy and Donald not far behind the much younger Keyblade wielder. It was Sora who spoke first.