Chapter 12: Almost There
When Riku noticed how crowded the diner was when he and the others entered, he expected not to have a seat. But when she noticed the group enter, the young woman whom Riku had bumped into before rushed over to a table, bused it like the wind, and stood proudly before them. "Good morning, Mr. La Bouff. I got your favorite table."
"And I thank you heartily, Tiana" La Bouff replied, sitting himself down in a chair that seemed fit for him. "Can we get a couple of orders of those--"
"Beignets?" Tiana replied. Without waiting a second, Tiana dropped a plate of sugar coated baked goods in front of them. "Had a fresh batch waiting just for you. I'll have the cooks prepare you all some more." Tiana prepared to leave, but Charlotte jumped for joy and rushed the waitress, hugging her tightly and spinning her around.
"Ti! Did ya hear? Prince Naveen of Maldonia is coming to New Orleans!"
"A prince? I guess you're finally gonna get your dream to come true" Tiana smiled, though Riku could see a trace of sorrow in her face. "But how'd you convince him to come with all those creatures running around?"
"You'd be surprised what Big Daddy can do, Ti!" Charlotte replied. "Why, he's even hired these boys here as security. They stopped those monsters in the square before."
Goofy took one of the beignets off the plate and took a bite out of it. As soon as he swallowed, he let out an excitable yelp. "Oh boy! Those are some yummy treats!"
Donald and Riku followed in suit, both letting out quite giddy reactions. "These really are good" Donald replied.
"Thank you" Tiana replied. "If only these beignets could pay for a restaurant. After all, the best way to get to a man's heart is through his stomach."
As soon as Tiana finished speaking, Charlotte reached into her father's suit and pulled out a wallet filled with cash. She stuffed the contents into Tiana's surprised hands. "You are a bona fide genius, Tiana! I'm gonna need about 500 or so of those man-catching beignets for tonight's ball. Will this cover it?"
Tiana looked as though she were going to burst out into tears of joy. "Yee--yes this should cover it just fine!" Tiana rushed through the doors to the kitchen and did not re-emerge.
As Big Daddy finished eating the last beignet, he suddenly remembered his deal with Riku and his friends. "Uh, Charlotte, baby. Why don't you just wait outside for a minute, sweetie. I forgot I promised these boys some information." As Charlotte clutched a newspaper with Naveen's face to her chest and vanished out the doors, La Bouff gathered Riku, Donald and Goofy close to him.
"Now, we don't like to bring this up in public. Mostly because we don't want no voodoo messing with the fair folk here in New Orleans." Riku silently observed La Bouff while Donald and Goofy eyed each other in confusion. Riku did not expect La Bouff to take this matter so seriously.
"Voodoo?" Riku asked quietly.
"The very same. Here in New Orleans, we have all kinds of tricksters and charlatans. But none are more foul or benign than Dr. Facilier, or as we call him, The Shadow Man."
"Facilier" Riku repeated cautiously.
"For a long time, he kept to himself, using his power just to con people out of small trinkets and valuables. But since these monsters showed up...well...we just think that Dr. Facilier is the one to blame for this. There ain't nothing good that's ever come out of messing with voodoo. Especially with his new partner running around like he owns the place."
"New partner?" Riku asked.
"A pretty big fella" La Bouff added, "though I can't exactly judge. Had a weird costume, like you boys have. Those creatures answer his every command."
"PETE!" the trio said in unison.
"Aw!" Donald shrieked. "Why can't that big palooka just leave us alone?"
"I guess he just doesn't know better."
"You know him?" La Bouff asked.
"You know him?" La Bouff asked.
Riku nodded. "He's been causing trouble in more places than here. Once we take him down, so long as what you said isn't true, the Heartless should stop being a problem here."
"Then I best let you guys get along with tracking the fiend down." With that, La Bouff followed his daughter out of the diner.
"Wait!" Riku shouted, but it was too late. "We don't even know where we're going."
"How would we even know where to start looking for Pete?" Donald added.
"I'm sure it can't be too hard to find him" Goofy reassured his friends.
"New Orleans is bigger than you'd think" a soft voice chimed in. Tiana had re-emerged from the kitchen and stood behind the group. "If you head down one wrong way, you may never come back. I'm heading down town for some business. If you'd like, you could come with me and look for--whatever it is you're looking for."
"That'd be great!" Donald exclaimed.
"Yeah, a-hyuck" Goofy agreed. "Then maybe you can tell us how to make those yummy benny--uh--bettuh--no..."
Tiana laughed softly. "Beignets?"
"Yeah, those things" Goofy sheepishly answered.
Riku nodded. "That sounds like a great idea. My name is Riku. This is Donald and Goofy."
"Very nice to meet you boys" Tiana sweetly replied. "My name is Tiana. Well then, shall we?" Tiana walked out the door to the cafe, with the boys following close behind her.
When Riku and his friends saw the run-down condition Tiana's restaurant was to be located, they were shocked. Donald and Goofy looked at each other in confusion as Tiana eyed the building with joy and exasperation. The building was nothing special. The windows had been shattered, the paint worn down, even the door was broken open. From within the windows, you could easily see the piles of leftover junk and trash that had been stowed inside.
"This is where you want to have your restaurant?" Riku asked half-heartedly.
"Of course" she replied eagerly. "I've been working on getting a restaurant for my whole life. It was my dream...and my Dad's too."
Riku studied Tiana as she began to imagine how the entrance to her restaurant would look like. Somehow, no matter how shabby and broken down the building looked, she kept as positive an attitude as possible. Her positive outlook reminded the Keyblade Master far too much of Sora. "So, you've been keeping at this for your whole life?"
Tiana nodded. "My Daddy had a dream of opening the best restaurant in all of New Orleans. We always had the right stuff: the drive, the passion, and the cooking skills. We just never had the money to own a restaurant. And when my Daddy died, all he left me was this dream to keep going. And if I work real hard, each day, I know I'll make this work out for us!"
Donald and Goofy nodded. "That's the only attitude you can have" Donald replied.
"If you hold on to what you believe in and never give up" Goofy added, "I just know you'll get your restaurant!"
"Thanks, everyone" Tiana smiled. "Come along inside. And I'll show you everything." Tiana walked inside, with Riku right behind her. Donald and Goofy entered right afterwards.
The inside of the building was just as bad as it had looked like outside. Nevertheless, Tiana kept her upbeat attitude. She grabbed a broom from a nearby table and began to sweep away the piles of dust throughout the main floor of the restaurant. Riku summoned his Keyblade. "Come on, guys!" he called to Donald and Goofy. "We should help her out!"
Donald and Goofy shouted in agreement and dashed after Riku.
"That'd be great!" Donald exclaimed.
"Yeah, a-hyuck" Goofy agreed. "Then maybe you can tell us how to make those yummy benny--uh--bettuh--no..."
Tiana laughed softly. "Beignets?"
"Yeah, those things" Goofy sheepishly answered.
Riku nodded. "That sounds like a great idea. My name is Riku. This is Donald and Goofy."
"Very nice to meet you boys" Tiana sweetly replied. "My name is Tiana. Well then, shall we?" Tiana walked out the door to the cafe, with the boys following close behind her.
When Riku and his friends saw the run-down condition Tiana's restaurant was to be located, they were shocked. Donald and Goofy looked at each other in confusion as Tiana eyed the building with joy and exasperation. The building was nothing special. The windows had been shattered, the paint worn down, even the door was broken open. From within the windows, you could easily see the piles of leftover junk and trash that had been stowed inside.
"This is where you want to have your restaurant?" Riku asked half-heartedly.
"Of course" she replied eagerly. "I've been working on getting a restaurant for my whole life. It was my dream...and my Dad's too."
Riku studied Tiana as she began to imagine how the entrance to her restaurant would look like. Somehow, no matter how shabby and broken down the building looked, she kept as positive an attitude as possible. Her positive outlook reminded the Keyblade Master far too much of Sora. "So, you've been keeping at this for your whole life?"
Tiana nodded. "My Daddy had a dream of opening the best restaurant in all of New Orleans. We always had the right stuff: the drive, the passion, and the cooking skills. We just never had the money to own a restaurant. And when my Daddy died, all he left me was this dream to keep going. And if I work real hard, each day, I know I'll make this work out for us!"
Donald and Goofy nodded. "That's the only attitude you can have" Donald replied.
"If you hold on to what you believe in and never give up" Goofy added, "I just know you'll get your restaurant!"
"Thanks, everyone" Tiana smiled. "Come along inside. And I'll show you everything." Tiana walked inside, with Riku right behind her. Donald and Goofy entered right afterwards.
The inside of the building was just as bad as it had looked like outside. Nevertheless, Tiana kept her upbeat attitude. She grabbed a broom from a nearby table and began to sweep away the piles of dust throughout the main floor of the restaurant. Riku summoned his Keyblade. "Come on, guys!" he called to Donald and Goofy. "We should help her out!"
Donald and Goofy shouted in agreement and dashed after Riku.
Clean Up All of the Trash in the Building!
GET BONUS:
Riku Learned Reversal
Donald: +5 HP
Goofy: +5 HP
Riku cleared the last piece of garbage up by the time Tiana had finished sweeping her last pile up. She gasped at how much work the boys had done for her. "You guys...you guys did all this for me?"
"How could we not?" Riku asked. "Hard work always deserves to be rewarded."
"Thanks to you boys, this place will be ready to go in no time!" Tiana exclaimed. "I just know that this place will be the perfect--"
"The perfect place to mark your graves" a bombastic voice mocked. Tiana and Riku looked up to the balcony above to see Pete standing above them, flanked by few Hook Bats. He leaped down from the balcony and grinned. "Maybe next time, sweetie, you'd think twice before befriending my enemies!"
"Who is that guy?" Tiana asked.
Donald and Goofy jumped in front of her. "Stand back, Tiana!"
"But I--"
"Go! Go for cover!" Riku shouted, aiming his Keyblade at Pete. "Leave the fat clown to us!"
"Grrr!" Pete scowled. "I'll make you eat those words, brat!"
Boss Battle: Pete
HP: 450
Battle Theme: Rowdy Rumble
Pete tumbled backwards as Donald and Goofy disposed of the rest of his Heartless. As he struggled to his feet, Riku aimed the Keyblade right for his throat. "Why do you keep messing with these worlds?"
"Yeah!" Donald snapped. "Didn't you learn anything from the last times you messed with us?"
Pete huffed. "You still think you guys are all that, eh? Well, you're lucks gonna run out soon, let me tell you! Maleficent's got something big planned for you little runts! Before you know it, you'll be begging for mercy at my hands once the Heartless have taken over the rest of these puny worlds! Even ol' spiky hair and the red-head won't be able to stop me!"
"If you think Sora and Kairi are gonna be beaten that easily" Riku laughed, "you're dumber than I thought!"
Pete laughed wickedly, looking at run down levels Tiana's restaurant is. "You just keep telling yourself that, kid! In the meantime, Maleficent and I will be moving on from the dump that this place is! But I'll leave you guys some Heartless to play with while I'm gone." With that, Pete stumbled out the door of the building and vanished into a portal of darkness.
Riku allowed his Keyblade to vanish from his hand as he sighed. "When will he ever learn?"
"If he didn't learn the first time" Donald chimed in, "I doubt he would anytime soon."
Goofy shouted out in shock. "Oh no!" The boys looked around the warehouse. All of the hard work they had done was undone by their battle with the Heartless. The stacked boxes dumped junk onto the floor again and the dust piles had been scattered everywhere. "All of that hard work!"
"Well, I guess we'd better get back to work" Riku said.
"Don't worry about this" Tiana replied, returning into the room. "I'll be able to look after myself. Besides, the party is gonna start at the La Bouff mansion. I'm sure Big Daddy would like to see you boys get there early."
Riku allowed his Keyblade to vanish from his hand as he sighed. "When will he ever learn?"
"If he didn't learn the first time" Donald chimed in, "I doubt he would anytime soon."
Goofy shouted out in shock. "Oh no!" The boys looked around the warehouse. All of the hard work they had done was undone by their battle with the Heartless. The stacked boxes dumped junk onto the floor again and the dust piles had been scattered everywhere. "All of that hard work!"
"Well, I guess we'd better get back to work" Riku said.
"Don't worry about this" Tiana replied, returning into the room. "I'll be able to look after myself. Besides, the party is gonna start at the La Bouff mansion. I'm sure Big Daddy would like to see you boys get there early."
Riku nodded. "Will you be going to the party later?"
"Of course. I doubt Lottie would take no for an answer. You boys don't worry about me and go to the mansion. It's down the road past the cafe. Biggest house in town. Ya can't miss it." As Tiana left to go back to work, Riku gathered Donald and Goofy together.
"Pete? Maleficent? Xehanort? With all our enemies acting at once, it's going to be hard to keep our promise to Mr. La Bouff."
"But Pete said he was leaving some Heartless here" Donald reminded Riku.
"And since we didn't find that Doctor feller" Goofy added, "he might just try to hurt the folks at the party. So long as we are tasked by the King to protect these worlds, we've got to help them."
"And so long as I have the Keyblade" Riku added, looking at the weapon in his hand, " I guess I follow those same rules too. But we'll have to be extra careful. I'll contact the castle to see what I should do." Riku walked away from Donald and Goofy and stood outside the restaurant. He activated the D-Link on his wrist. "Mickey? Sora? Anyone?"
After a few seconds of silence, an image appeared in Riku's D-Link. "Riku? What's happened?" King Mickey emerged from the light and looked worriedly at Riku. "Gosh. What happened? Is something wrong?"
"I'm fine, Mickey. I just need some advice."
"Uh, advice?"
"According to the locals here in this world, Pete and Maleficent have been spotted here. We took care of Pete, but he's left a ton of Heartless here. I know we're supposed to be tracking down Xehanort and everything, but something's telling me to stay here to protect the people here so long as there is even a chance the Heartless may attack."
Mickey laughed. "Gosh, you sound just like Sora now. He'd be proud if he heard you say that."
Riku shrugged. "Spending time with Donald and Goofy can get that from a guy."
"Riku, there's nothing wrong with wanting to keep people safe. Sora knows that better than anyone. He once disregarded one of my orders just because he wanted to keep a promise to Leon and the others."
"So, I shouldn't second guess my thoughts on this?"
"I would direct that question to Sora, but he and Kairi are off in another world. So let this go through for a minute: What--"
"Let me guess: What would Sora do?"
"Ya read my mind Riku" Mickey replied happily. "Just follow your inner Sora and you should find the answer." With that, Mickey vanished on Riku's device, prompting Riku to laugh.
"Sheesh. Everyone wants me to be like that lazy bum."
"Of course. I doubt Lottie would take no for an answer. You boys don't worry about me and go to the mansion. It's down the road past the cafe. Biggest house in town. Ya can't miss it." As Tiana left to go back to work, Riku gathered Donald and Goofy together.
"Pete? Maleficent? Xehanort? With all our enemies acting at once, it's going to be hard to keep our promise to Mr. La Bouff."
"But Pete said he was leaving some Heartless here" Donald reminded Riku.
"And since we didn't find that Doctor feller" Goofy added, "he might just try to hurt the folks at the party. So long as we are tasked by the King to protect these worlds, we've got to help them."
"And so long as I have the Keyblade" Riku added, looking at the weapon in his hand, " I guess I follow those same rules too. But we'll have to be extra careful. I'll contact the castle to see what I should do." Riku walked away from Donald and Goofy and stood outside the restaurant. He activated the D-Link on his wrist. "Mickey? Sora? Anyone?"
After a few seconds of silence, an image appeared in Riku's D-Link. "Riku? What's happened?" King Mickey emerged from the light and looked worriedly at Riku. "Gosh. What happened? Is something wrong?"
"I'm fine, Mickey. I just need some advice."
"Uh, advice?"
"According to the locals here in this world, Pete and Maleficent have been spotted here. We took care of Pete, but he's left a ton of Heartless here. I know we're supposed to be tracking down Xehanort and everything, but something's telling me to stay here to protect the people here so long as there is even a chance the Heartless may attack."
Mickey laughed. "Gosh, you sound just like Sora now. He'd be proud if he heard you say that."
Riku shrugged. "Spending time with Donald and Goofy can get that from a guy."
"Riku, there's nothing wrong with wanting to keep people safe. Sora knows that better than anyone. He once disregarded one of my orders just because he wanted to keep a promise to Leon and the others."
"So, I shouldn't second guess my thoughts on this?"
"I would direct that question to Sora, but he and Kairi are off in another world. So let this go through for a minute: What--"
"Let me guess: What would Sora do?"
"Ya read my mind Riku" Mickey replied happily. "Just follow your inner Sora and you should find the answer." With that, Mickey vanished on Riku's device, prompting Riku to laugh.
"Sheesh. Everyone wants me to be like that lazy bum."
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