Chasing Destiny

Rescue Mission

Groaning, your eyes flutter open as you start to take in your surroundings. It looks like you're in a gigantic backyard filled with trees and shrubbery, right next to a beautiful fountain. Something wet suddenly hits your face, and you fully roll over onto your back. You let out a tiny shriek as you find yourself face-to-face with a tiger that's staring down at you. It gently nudges your cheek, and you shakily reach out to give it a tiny pat on the head.

"Er... Hi?" you mutter awkwardly as you slowly crawl to your feet.

You turn around, your heart racing when you recognize the palace in front of you; you're back in Agrabah. You start to limp forward, absentmindedly grabbing your shoulder. You soon lose your balance, but the tiger gently catches you from behind and pushes you forward with his nose.

"Thanks," you tell him (or her?) as it starts to lead you towards the door leading into the Palace.

"Rajah, are you out here?" you hear a female's voice call out.

Suddenly, a beautiful woman wearing blue pants and a short blue top comes running out of the Palace, and her eyes immediately land on you. She takes a step back, frightened at your battered appearance.

"Who are you?!" she asks in a hushed voice.

"Jasmine, what's wrong?"

Your eyes dart to Aladdin, who walks out of the Palace and comes to a stop besides the woman, placing a hand on her shoulder as he follows her line of vision. He gasps when he spots you.

"[Name]! Oh my gosh, they've been worried sick about you!" he exclaims as you start limping towards them again, the tiger still gently pushing you. "This is the girl who went missing," he adds to Jasmine.

"Did someone say [Name]?" Zack asks as he strolls outside.

His bright blue eyes dart to you, and his mouth drops open.

"[Name]!" he cries out as he runs forward, grabbing you in his arms as your legs start to give out from under you. "What the hell happened to you?"

"I got shot," you tell him simply as Leon, Riku, and Xion run towards you as well.

"Who did this to you?" Leon asks as he starts to study the cut on your cheek.

"Some guy named Vanitas..."

"Vanitas...?" Xion repeats.

"As in the infamous Vanitas? The guy who tried to take over the worlds forever ago?" Riku asks in disbelief.

"I don't think this guy was alive forever ago, he looked like he was around Zack's age... But he looked exactly like Sora, just with darker hair and these really weird, yellow eyes."

Leon, Riku, and Zack all glance at each other.