Once upon a time, in the hot desert sands of the Elemental Nations, there was a kingdom called Sunagakure no Sato. Home to adventure and exotic treasures, this vast and glorious kingdom was truly a sight to behold.
One day, deep in the heart of the city, the local marketplace was alive and busy as ever. By mid-morning, the villagers had set up their stalls to sell their wares and had attracted a sizable crowd. This accounted for the Suna Anbu presence, as it was common for thieves to sneak up and take one or two of the many tempting exotic trinkets and oddities. One of these thieves was a young man named Eiji Ito. Having been brought up on the streets since childhood with only his agility, speed, and street smarts, Eiji spent his days dodging the Suna Anbu and stealing the meals he needed to survive.
Eiji wouldn't have escaped pursuit all these years if it weren't for his very best friend, a mongoose named Izuku. They were both orphans and dirt poor, but they didn't care. They had each other, best friends forever and that was all that mattered.
"I'd say it's just about time for breakfast, Izuku. I'm starving," Eiji said, scanning the marketplace stalls from an empty alleyway for something to steal. "Oh! And I've got my eye on that fruit stall over there." He pointed his finger down to a stall filled with different kinds of fruit. He smiled and his mouth watered. "You know what to do, little buddy."
Izuku nodded and scurried from his hiding place towards the stall to their soon-to-be breakfast. He was moments away from reaching a particularly delicious-looking Nashi when he quickly ducked under the stall instead. A strange hooded woman had been down the street forcing Izuku to remain out of sight. The woman then spotted two young children standing beside a stall of baked goods. They were staring at the cakes, pastries, and breads longingly, hoping for just one taste. She approached them.
"Hello. Are you hungry?" she asked. They sadly nodded before the woman took two loaves and gave them to the children. "Here, take some cornets."
The two children's eyes widened in shock and they smiled, taking the bread in their hands and hugging the woman tightly.
"Thank you!" One child said.
"Yes, thank you!" The second added.
"You're very welcome," the woman kindly replied before the pair ran away with the bread in tow.
From his hiding place, Eiji was watching the exchange curiously. He seemed rather fixated on the mysterious shopper and he didn't know why. When the children were gone, the owner of the stall, who was an elderly man with gray hair, turned around and saw the woman and two loaves of cornets gone. He did not look too happy.
"You'd better be able to pay for that, miss," the merchant said sternly.
"Pay?" the woman nervously asked.
"Uh oh..." Eiji muttered to himself.
"Nobody steals from my stall," the merchant said, approaching the woman.
"Stealing? Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I don't have any money."
"No money you say? So you're a thief then."
"Thief? No. Please, if you just let me go to the palace, I can..."
"Do you know what happens to thieves like you around here?" he violently grabbed her arm.
"Let go of me!" the woman demanded before Eiji suddenly appeared between the two of them. Hearing the commotion, Izuku ran from his hiding place and quickly jumped onto his friend's shoulder.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy, Akemi. What's going on here?" the young man asked.
"Is it not obvious? I turn my back for one minute and this young woman right here, she stole some of my bread," The man said angrily.
"Those children were hungry!" she argued.
"That's no excuse. You must pay," he argued back before spotting a silver bracelet around her left hand. "And I think that lovely bracelet should cover it just fine."
"My bracelet? No! It was from my late mother's," the woman retorted, backing away.
"So that bracelet is all you want?" Eiji asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That's right. It should be more than enough."
"Okay then."
"No! What are you doing?!" the woman pleaded.
"Hey, don't worry. Trust me," Eiji whispered.
The two of them stared at each other for a few moments of silence before Eiji turned around and gave the shopkeeper the woman's bracelet.
"Here you go," he said.
"Thank you very much," the man said.
"What?! No, wait! Give that back!" she exclaimed.
"And have a yuzu for your troubles," Eiji tossed the man a yuzu and started to walk away with the woman following close behind.
"No! I am NOT leaving without my bracelet!" she demanded.
"You mean this one?" Eiji then showed the silver bracelet to her. Her eyes widened in shock.
"But how?"
"Slight of hand. Now come on, let's go."
He took her hand in his own. But not a minute later, an angry voice called out to them, which made the pair stop in their tracks.
"Eiji Ito!!" the man screamed.
"Are we in trouble?" the woman asked nervously.
"Only if you get caught," Eiji answered, trying to sound confident.
"ANBU!!! THIEVES!!! CATCH THEM!!!" the merchant called.
"Quick! This way!" Eiji said as he and his new companion started to run away from the ruckus.
"You don't have to do this, you know!" the woman said, out of breath as she tried to keep up.
"Don't worry about it! It's about time I get myself into trouble today anyway. I'm Eiji Ito, and this little guy is Izuku."
Izuku smiled a friendly greeting.
"Nice to meet you. I'm..." the woman started but was cut off when the crowds parted and a line of Suna Anbu were waiting for them. The Anbu in charge stepped forward with a smug grin on his face. His brown spiky hair was only just visible under the hood he wore.
"HALT!!" the Anbu yelled. "You've really done it this time, street rat. You're not getting away so easily!" the Anbu readied himself to take off in pursuit.
"Who said this was easy?" Eiji asked, turning his attention to a large cart barrel nearby.
He bounded to the side, kicked off the wall of the building, and punched his fists into the side of the cart, sending the barrels toppling over the unsuspecting Anbu. Not wasting any time, Eiji motioned for the woman to follow him down an alleyway.
"See that abandoned building over there? Wait there until I've given these guys the slip," he said.
"But what about you?" the woman asked.
"Don't worry, this isn't the worst challenge I've faced," Eiji said with a grin.
The woman then nodded and teleported across the street and out of harm's way. Eiji was taken aback. He certainly didn't see that coming.
"I didn't know she could do that," he said with a surprised chuckle.
"There he is!" one of the Suna Anbu called out. He was a tall man with jet-black hair and gray eyes.
The two friends didn't hesitate. They ran through the alleyway which led back into the heart of the marketplace. Unfortunately, there were too many people around to make a clean getaway. Rather than stick to the streets, Eiji decided to take to the rooftops. With Izuku at his side, he pushed off hard from the ground and leaped onto a nearby awning, which propelled him up onto the roof.
"HALT!!"
Eiji only had moments to react before he was sure to be caught. Taking a sharp turn, he jumped back down between a pair of buildings narrowly missing the clothing line between them as he fell. The Suna Anbu, however, was not as fortunate. He ran straight into a rug, and before he could get himself free, the clothing line snapped him backward into the sky again.
Eiji laughed moments before touching the ground with his feet and ran off in a different direction. A minute later, he made his way inside the abandoned building he had mentioned, panting and smiling.
"See? Piece of cake," Eiji said, slumping against the wall. He then looked around and realized something. "Wait, where is she?"
He looked around nervously for her before racing down the steps of the building and back out into the open.
Unfortunately, waiting at the bottom were the Suna Anbu, who quickly seized him while he was distracted. The woman in question was struggling a few feet away. Eiji growled and attempted to fight them off, but the black-haired man quickly knocked the wind out of him and his hands were already chained to his back.
"By order of the Kazekage, you are under arrest!" The black-haired Suna Anbu said, chaining Eiji's hand to his own.
"Let him go!" the woman called angrily.
"And why would I do that?" the Suna Anbu chuckled.
"Because I order you to!" the woman said, pulling off her hood.
The Suna Anbu around her gasped and immediately fell to the ground in a bow. Eiji quickly realized that this stranger was none other than the Princess of Sunagakure no Sato. He had never seen Princess Temari before, but the moment he did, he felt his heart skip a beat. She was beautiful, and he couldn't look away from her kind teal eyes.
"Milady, what are you doing outside the palace? And with this street rat?" The Suna Anbu asked in shock.
"That is none of your concern, Daichi. Do as I command. Release him at once!" the Princess demanded.
"I'm very sorry, Princess, but the law is the law," the Suna Anbu nervously explained. "We've been after this thief for a long time. His crimes are too numerous to be ignored. You'll have to consult your brother about this."
"Fine, I will. But if I learn that you hurt him in any way, I will report you to the Kazekage myself!" the Princess declared. She gave Eiji a sympathetic smile, then took off for the palace.
"Wow..." Eiji whispered in awe, unsure of what to make any of this.
"Ah, you're finally caught," the Suna Anbu with the face paint said as he made his way toward Eiji and the other Suna Anbu. "What'd I miss?"
"Well, Captain Kankuro, your sister was just here," Daichi answered. "And she told us not to harm him."
"What?" He glared at Eiji. "Well, you may think you have friends in high places, but no matter what my sister says, we're free to handle thieves as we see fit. Right here on the street." Kankuro took a sword out of his belt. Eiji nervously took a step back.
"Wait, stop! Stop everything!" an unfamiliar voice called.
The Suna Anbu and Eiji all turned their heads to see an old man with pale skin, blue eyes, a dark gray beard, and a large turban on his head trotting towards them. The man approached Eiji and pulled him away from the Suna Anbu.
"There you are, my boy! Your mother and I have been so worried about you," he said in a deep voice.
"Excuse me?" Eiji asked before the stranger yanked on his hand.
"Just play along, unless you want to sleep with the prison rats tonight," the old man hissed before turning back to the Suna Anbu who all had very confused looks on their faces. "I am this boy's father. He's always getting into trouble, but he's a good boy. He has a true heart of gold and a noble spirit. You could almost call him...a diamond in the rough. Whatever it is that he stole, I'm sure this could cover it. You'll notice there's a little extra in there for all your hard work." He then tossed a bag of ryo to Daichi and Kankuro.
"Alright, the debt is repaid. You're free to go. But don't you ever let us catch you again."
Eiji nodded his head and gave a quick salute before the Suna Anbu walked away in the direction of the palace, leaving the two men alone. Izuku ran from his hiding place and perched himself on Eiji's shoulder.
"Who are you?" Eiji asked, looking back at the old man who helped him.
"My name is not important," the old man said as he removed his turban. He wrapped his arm around the young man's shoulders and led him back into the abandoned building. "You know, you're quite the sprying young man. I heard the Suna Anbu discussing your history of dodging your arrest."
"Yeah, well, it only takes one mistake to end up in the dungeons, so none of that matters, does it?" Eiji responded.
"Ah, but you're wrong, my friend. Someone with skills like yours would be of great use to me."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm usually a reasonable, compassionate man. But one good deed deserves another..."
"I had a feeling there was a catch. What do you want?"
"There is a great treasure that awaits us if you are willing to take the risk. Only I know of its whereabouts, but alas, my chakra is too weak and my bones are too brittle to retrieve it on my own. That's why I need you. Think of it, my boy. Riches beyond your wildest dreams, riches enough to buy a pardon for your crimes, riches beautiful enough to impress a certain princess..."
"What will I have to do?" Eiji asked.
"Why don't you come with me and find out?" the old man said as he took the young man's hand.
It was just after the stroke of sunset when the pair had wandered into the desert on the outskirts of Sunagakure no Sato and came across the opening of a large cave in the shape of a tanuki head. Eiji took a few steps back and Izuku hid under his friend's vest for protection.
"What in the world...?" the young man muttered.
"This is no ordinary cave, my boy," the old man said. "It is magical. You see, only one person can enter. Someone true of heart and noble of spirit, the Diamond in the Rough, and that person is you."
"ME?" Eiji exclaimed in disbelief. "How do you know?"
"I consulted with an ancient oracle and you are the one."
"But why? Isn't there someone else who can do this?"
"There is no one else! It has to be you! Now go!"
The old man violently pushed Eiji closer to the cave entrance and to his shock, it began to speak to him.
"Who disturbs my slumber?" It said in a booming voice.
"Uh... It is I, Eiji Ito," Eiji answered with a slight tremor in his voice.
"You wish to seek my treasures?"
"Yes, I do."
Izuku reluctantly poked his head out from under Eiji's vest to take a peek, only to be met with a dark glare from the cave itself.
"You dare to bring a filthy animal into my treasure trove?" the cave exclaimed.
"Hey! This filthy animal is my best friend! If he doesn't go, I don't go!" Eiji said defensively.
The cave pause before saying, "You are the Diamond in the Rough, the one whose worth lies deep within. You may enter. Take nothing but the lamp or face the consequences!"
The cave opened its enormous mouth to allow Eiji passage. As he approached, the old man called out to him.
"Remember, bring me the lamp and the rest of the treasure is yours!"
Eiji nodded and began the descent into the cave before a thought popped into his head.
'I'm not allowed to touch anything else in this cave and this guy wants the one thing I can? How is that a fair deal?' he thought.
"What are you waiting for boy?! GO!" the old man screamed in anger.
"Come on, Izuku," Eiji whispered in defeat before he finally entered.
Once Eiji and Izuku reached the bottom of the cave, their eyes widened in wonder at the sight of the vast treasures within. The difficulty of the situation was now sinking in as the pair both wondered in silence on how it would be possible to find one oil lamp in these mountains of ryo and jewels. It certainly didn't help that they weren't allowed to touch or take anything.
Eiji was so busy searching that he didn't even notice a dark figure watching him from the shadows and it was following him around the chamber. Eiji searched almost the entire cave until finally, he found what he was looking for. He and Izuku arrived in a separate section of the cave where large stone steps lead to a glowing pedestal above.
"That must be it," Eiji whispered before setting Izuku down on the ground. "Wait here for me and don't touch anything."
He then began to ascend the steps, being careful not to slip on any of the treasures decorating the steps. But as he was climbing, he didn't even notice that he accidentally made a ruby fall from one stair and it rolled a few feet away from Izuku who was staring at it. Once he reached the top, Eiji paused in surprise. Sitting in front of him was the lamp that the old man had told him to get. He slowly and carefully reached out his hands and took the item before inspecting it.
"This is it? This is what we came all the way down here to...?" Eiji muttered before he spotted Izuku about to take the ruby he dropped. "Izuku! NO!!!!"
But it was already too late. The little mongoose picked up the gemstone with his paws and admired it in the torchlight.
"What is THIS?!" the loud voice of the cave boomed.
"Uh oh..." Eiji whispered. Izuku froze and dropped the ruby.
"YOU HAVE TOUCHED THE FORBIDDEN TREASURE! NOW YOU WILL NEVER AGAIN SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY!!"
"RUN!!" Eiji screamed, taking the lamp and running down towards his friend.
The two of them ran as fast as they could towards the cave, but just as they were about to head out, a rock suddenly hit Eiji in the head, which made him lose consciousness and fall to the cavern floor. When he came to, Eiji looked around and realized the caverns of vast treasure had vanished leaving nothing but long empty chasms. He and his friend were stranded hundreds of feet below the surface.
"We're trapped. Oh no!!" he exclaimed in exasperation. "Well, that's just great. How in the world are we supposed to get out of here now?"
"You could always ask for help," an unfamiliar voice suggested.
"Huh? Who said that? Who's there?" Eiji called as he got back to his feet. He looked around for the intruder, but it was far too dark.
"Oh, a little dark in here huh? Don't worry, I'm on it," the voice said before there was a flash of fire.
A torch suddenly lit up and Eiji took a step back in surprise. There, hovering before him was a small purple dragon that was holding the torch.
"Hi," the dragon said in a friendly tone.
"Uh...hi," Eiji greeted back.
"Wow, I haven't seen anyone else down here in, like, forever."
"You want to escape too?"
"Yeah, pretty much. I've been guarding this treasure for a long time, but I guess that was all for nothing. Oh well. I'm Spyro, guardian of these caves. What's your story?"
"I'm Eiji Ito and this is Izuku," Eiji introduced.
"Nice to meet you guys. So what are you doing down here anyway?"
"I was after this." Eiji held up the lamp to the dragon, whose eyes widened in shock.
"You were after the LAMP?!"
"Yeah, but who cares? I nearly died because of this thing. I can't believe it. All of this fuss over some stupid piece of junk."
"This is no piece of junk, dude." Spyro took the lamp in his claws. "This lamp is so much more than you think."
"What do you mean?" Eiji raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"If you don't believe me, rub it and find out." The dragon gave the lamp back to Eiji.
"Rub it? Well, okay, I'll give it a shot." Eiji examined the trinket before noticing something. "Wait, I think there's something written here. But it's hard to make out."
He then started to rub the side of the lamp with one hand and before Eiji could say another word, the lamp began to shake and move on its own. From somewhere within, a cloud of red and blue smoke and fireworks burst forth from the lamp, and soon, a large glowing being had appeared. Eiji and Izuku jumped back in shock and terror, unsure of what just happened.
"Oh, YES! Yes, yes, YES!! It's about time somebody got me out of that thing! What a relief!!" the creature said in a deep voice as he stretched out. He then saw Eiji holding the lamp in his hands. He gasped. "It's you! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you so much, kid! You have no idea what it's like to be trapped inside that thing for the past thousands of years. And when you're a creature of magic and chaos, brass oil lamps aren't your typical go-to fashion choice." He glanced over at Spyro and smiled. "Spyro, my boy! I haven't seen you in a few centuries! Gimme some scales!"
"Yeah! Whoo! It's so good to see you again!" Spyro said, doing a strange handshake with the creature.
"Good to see you, old friend. Now, care to tell me who this young chap is?" the creature asked.
"Oh, right. This is Eiji Ito. He's your new master," Spyro said matter-of-factly.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait! What do you mean by 'master'?" Eiji asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" The floating creature wrapped an arm around Eiji's shoulders. "I'm Daisuke Motomiya, the genie of the lamp you just found. You rubbed it and therefore, you get three wishes."
"Wishes?"
"That's right. But there are a few rules you have to follow. I'm not really a rules guy, but you and I have to follow them anyway."
"Rules? Like what?"
"Rule number one, no wishing for more wishes. Rule number two, I can't make anybody fall in love with anyone else. And rule number three, I can't bring people back from the dead. I mean, come on, it's not a pretty picture. I don't like doing it!! But other than that, your wish is my command, master."
Daisuke bowed to the young man, who had no idea what to say about any of this. He glanced over at Spyro who gave him an encouraging smile. Daisuke stood straight.
"So, other than those three rules, you can grant me any three wishes I want?" Eiji asked.
"That is correct. As long as you rub the lamp while you make said wish," Daisuke answered.
"Then for my first wish..." Eiji held the lamp in his hands and began to rub it. "I wish for you to get all of us out of this cave."
"Then, in that case, we're outta here!"
Daisuke grinned and snapped his fingers and in a flash of bright blue light, he, Eiji, Izuku, and Spyro were all out of the cave and they appeared on the outskirts of Sunagakure no Sato.
"I'll never get used to that," Spyro said in a daze.
"I don't think I will either," Eiji added, shaking his head.
"Oh, this is so much better! So much space and fresh air. I LOVE IT!" Daisuke exclaimed as he made a lawn chair appear out of thin air. He immediately laid down on it.
Eiji looked at the lamp in his hands. He can still hardly believe that he still had magical wishes at his disposal. He already used one and he wanted to make the other two wishes count. He looked at Daisuke.
"Hey, Daisuke? Can I ask you something?" he asked.
"Of course. What is it?" Daisuke asked.
"What would you wish for?"
"Me?" Daisuke's expression went serious. "No one's ever asked me that before. But it's an easy one. I'd wish to be free." He knocked on the golden cufflinks around his wrist.
"You're a prisoner?" Eiji frowned.
"It's all part of the whole genie gig. You're granted with phenomenal cosmic powers but with an itty-bitty living space."
"That...that's terrible."
Spyro sadly nodded in agreement.
"But to be free?" Daisuke lamented. "That would mean more to me than anything else in the world! Much better than having to go 'Can I help you?' or 'What would you like?' or 'May I take your order please?' You get my drift. Freedom for me would be the ultimate wish." Daisuke paused and his face fell. "But at the end of the day, I tell myself that I'm just giving false hope. It's never going to happen."
"Why not?"
"The only way a genie can be set free is if the owner of the lamp uses one of his or her wishes to set the genie free. And the last time that happened was never."
Eiji looked at the lamp, then back at his new friend. "Now I know I can use my third wish to set you free."
"We'll see about that," Daisuke said, unconvinced.
"No really, I promise."
"You...you mean it?"
"Of course I do. What are friends for?"
"We're friends?"
"Yeah. Why wouldn't we be?"
They smiled.
"Okay, now let's make some magic! How about it, Eiji-kun? I can call you that, right?"
"By all means."
"Cool. So what do you want most, Eiji-kun?"
"Well, there's this woman."
"Wait! I can't make anybody fall in love, remember?"
"But she's smart, fun, and...."
"Pretty?"
"Beautiful! She's got these eyes and this hair and her smile?" Eiji sighed and grinned like an idiot before snapping himself back to reality. "I can't stop thinking about her. But she's a princess. If I had any chance with her, I'd have to be..." Then he got an idea. "Hey, can you make me a prince?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold it!!" Daisuke exclaimed. "There's a lot of grey area in 'make me a prince.' I can make you a prince." He snapped his finger and a random man with red hair was suddenly standing in another corner of the desert. "And you'll be snuggled up with that guy for the rest of your life."
"What? Oh, no! No, no, no, no. That's not what I meant," Eiji said.
"Exactly! I told you that I'm not a rules guy, but this is a big one. You have to be specific with your words. If not, then you'll either end up with something completely different from what you initially wanted, or the wish itself could totally backfire and end up biting you in the butt."
"Oh, that makes sense."
"Ah, ah, ah, ah! Don't say that! Please don't say that around me!!"
"Say what? It makes sense?"
"Agh, please stop! I HATE that phrase!"
"Why?"
"Uh, hello? All-powerful genie and spirit of chaos? I thought that was pretty self-explanatory."
"Oh, sorry."
"It's fine. As long as you don't say it again."
"I promise."
"Hey! Have any of you seen my palace?!" The man yelled.
"Uh, you should probably send that guy home," Spyro pointed out.
"Good point. Sorry!" Daisuke called out before teleporting the man back home. He turned back to Eiji. "Now, is that an official wish? Say the magic words."
Eiji grinned, picked up the lamp, and started to rub it. "Daisuke, I wish to become a prince."
Daisuke then waved his hands over his head dramatically and conjured a great cloud of red smoke. When it cleared, Eiji could see his appearance was drastically altered to reflect that of Sunagakure no Sato royalty with fine silks and gemstones. He beamed from ear to ear.
"Whoa, I look great!" he exclaimed.
"That's an understatement. You look fantastic!" Spyro cheered.
"Indeed you do, Prince Eijiro Suzuki! But we're not through yet!" Daisuke said with a grin. "Hold on to your turban, kid! We're gonna make you a star!"
At the palace of the Kazekage, Princess Temari had already confronted her younger brother, Gaara the Kazekage, about the incident at the marketplace the day before.
"I cannot believe this!" she exclaimed in anger.
"Look, big sister, I know you're upset, but rules are rules," the Kazekage explained.
"Your brother is right, Princess," a familiar man said as he entered the throne room. "That young man has already committed too many crimes. He must pay, and I say he's already been dealt with."
"What are you talking about, Yukio Oikawa?" the Princess asked.
"Milady, it is my duty to uphold the peace in Sunagakure no Sato. I merely carried out the young man's sentence," Yukio said with a twinge of malice in his tone.
"Sentence?" Temari asked in horror.
"Yes. I'm afraid I must inform you that the young man was banished to the desert. I don't make the rules, Princess, I merely enforce them. We can't go changing our bylaws because the princess felt bad for the street urchin. What kind of example would that set?"
"But the scorching sands of the desert stretch on for miles. It's a death sentence!" Temari cried.
"A tragic yet necessary part of Sunagakure no Sato's prosperity. Besides, you have far more things to worry your pretty little head about. Like your lineage, hm?"
"He's right, big sister," the Kazekage said. His red hair was matted against his head and he heaved a sigh. "I promised the people a decision will be made before tomorrow at sunset."
"But Gaara, the men who are asking for my hand are all selfish, egotistical, brutish braggers who are only after the throne! How could you possibly expect me to choose one of them to marry?" Temari asked.
"With all due respect, Princess, we cannot simply wait around for somebody to burst into the palace and declare they have found your true love," Yukio said.
The palace doors burst open and a strange man with silver hair pushed a large cannon into view, aimed directly at the throne.
"Attention, everyone! Ladies and gentlemen! Announcing the arrival of Princess Temari's true love!" the man declared, igniting the cannon which promptly exploded into an array of balloons, confetti, streamers, and a regal young man soaring into the throne room on a magic carpet with his head held high.
Yukio stood in shock. He recognized this young man almost immediately.
'It can't be. I thought he was DEAD.' he thought, keeping quiet.
"Wow, what do we have here?" the Kazekage exclaimed, taken in by the flashy entrance.
"Lord Kazekage, my name is Prince Eijiro Suzuki and I have come to request the hand of the lovely Princess Temari," Eiji said, bowing before the Kazekage.
"You certainly know how to make an entrance!" the Kazekage said with a smile. "Come. Meet my older sister, the rarest and most beautiful flower in all the land."
Eiji bowed before Temari and kept his eyes locked on hers. She looked so different from the runaway he had met on the street, but her striking teal eyes remained as hypnotizing as he remembered. Eiji was frozen in place, unable to summon the right words to greet her in fear of her rejection. He cleared his throat as Daisuke poofed a tiny floating version of himself, hovered beside his ear, and told him what to say.
"Princess Temari, I have traveled a great distance and faced many obstacles to ask you this one question: Will you marry me?" he asked, kneeling before her.
The Princess furrowed her eyebrows in a disapproving manner.
"If you think I can be won over by an over-exuberant entrance like that, then you're a fool. Unlike my little brother, I'm far from impressed, Prince Eijiro Suzuki and I refuse to remain in the company of those who would use me like some toy! I am not a prize to be won!" Princess Temari exclaimed, taking off to her chambers in a huff.
"Well, that didn't work out the way I'd hoped," Daisuke said to himself.
"I am very sorry about that, Prince Eijiro Suzuki," the Kazekage said. "My older sister has always been a bit picky when it comes to suitors."
"That's okay, no hard feelings," Eiji nervously replied as he stood up.
"I'm just glad you understand. Just give her some time to cool down and maybe we can try that again. In the meantime, Yukio here will show you to your room."
"Of course, Lord Kazekage. Right this way," Yukio answered as he led Eiji out of the throne room and down the hall, keeping a close eye on him as they walked.
Hours later in the courtyard below Princess Temari's balcony, Eiji was pacing back and forth and nervously biting his fingernails. He was worried that he'd ruined his first impression with the Princess and ultimately her approval.
"I don't get it. Was it something I said? What am I gonna do, Daisuke? She'll never give me a chance now."
"Cheer up, Eiji-kun! I know this looks bad, but it's going to be okay. You'll get her, I know you will," Daisuke said, mindlessly blowing balloon animals that would then come to life.
"I don't think she was too keen on the meet-n-engaged thing you had going on there," Spyro said.
"Good point," Daisuke said.
"Maybe if I just go up there, and explain how I feel, she might not hate me," Eiji said, dreamy-eyed.
"On it!" Daisuke said, snapping his fingers and making a giant heart-shaped hot air balloon with hearts plastered all over it appear out of thin air.
"Oh, uh...I don't think I'll need your help for this one, Daisuke. Not that your magic isn't great! It's just that I can fly on my own," Eiji said, showing off his magic carpet.
"Oh, right. Well, whatever you want to do, I suppose. But remember..." Daisuke put a hand on Eiji's shoulder. "Be yourself."
Eiji looked at his friends and smiled before stepping on the magic carpet.
Princess Temari shut herself in her chamber since the incident in the throne room. Her faithful pet weasel, Kamatari, was close at her feet, wishing there was something that could cheer up his princess.
"Is this supposed to be my fate, Kamatari? Forced to marry someone who doesn't even know me? This is why I tried to leave in the first place. I can't marry one of those frauds and allow my family's throne to be misused." Temari lamented. She put a hand over her face. "But what other choice do I have?"
Kamatari suddenly leaped from his perch and glared in the direction of the balcony.
"What is it? Who's there?" Temari wondered aloud. She crossed the room and opened the doors leading outside with Kamatari following close behind. Standing alone on the balcony was Prince Eijiro Suzuki with an apologetic grin on his face.
"H-hello again, Princess. Please forgive my intrusion. I just..."
Eiji was cut off when Kamatari suddenly swarmed around him trying to scratch at the intruder.
"Kamatari, no! Let me handle this!" Temari scolded.
"W-wait! Princess, please! Let me explain. I'm very sorry I gave you the wrong first impression earlier. I just...I was so nervous to talk to you and I stumbled on my words," Eiji said.
"That didn't sound like a stumble to me. It sounded more like a proposal," Temari replied flatly.
"Believe me, Princess. Even I don't know what I was thinking. I only wanted to say the right thing and it got a little out of hand. And I'm so very sorry. I don't care about your wealth or your status. I only ask for a chance to get to know you better. Give me another chance. Please," Eiji said apologetically.
Though she wanted to turn the young man away, there was something strangely familiar about this prince. She nodded her head curtly, much to the weasel's dismay. Kamatari squeaked in disappointment.
"So, is there any other reason you came up here?" Temari asked.
"Well, I was going to ask you to come fly with me on the magic carpet for a bit, but if you're not up for it..." Eiji started.
"Go out for a ride? With you?"
"Well, yeah. Don't tell me you're scared," Eiji said with a devious smile.
"Scared? Why would I be scared?" She nervously rubbed the back of her neck with one hand.
"Face it, Princess. Sometimes you just have to take a risk."
"Is it safe?"
"Come on, this can't be the worst challenge you've faced," Eiji said.
At the mention of those words, Temari was reminded of what the poor street urchin in the marketplace had said to her. She gave the prince a closer look, seeing the resemblance of his hair and eyes.
"So, do you trust me?" he offered his hand to her.
She paused before smiling. "Yes."
She took his hand and stepped onto the magic carpet. Soon enough, the two of them flew from the Princess's balcony and into the cool night sky. There was always something magical about flying over a moonlit city. In the span of a few minutes, Temari's mind and her heart were changed by this young man and she embraced feelings of oddly placed romance. As their love began to blossom, Eiji debated whether or not to tell Temari the truth about who he really was, but fearing he might lose her, he decided instead to remain quiet.
After their flight around the city, the happy couple returned to the Princess's balcony. Before it was time to leave, Eiji pulled the princess into an embrace.
"Thank you so much. I never thought I would be this happy. I have to find my brother right away," Temari said, taking off from the balcony with the brightest smile on her face.
"Goodnight, my sweet Princess," Eiji said when she was out of earshot.
Moments later, Daisuke, Spyro, and Izuku joined their friend on the balcony.
"YOU DID IT!" Daisuke rejoiced. "I knew you had it in you!"
"Way to go, dude!" Spyro cheered as Izuku squealed with joy.
"She's the woman of my dreams, Daisuke, and I could've never done this without you," Eiji said.
"Aww, shucks. Ooooh, I'm so excited! I have so many plans for when I'm finally free!" Daisuke started. "I can travel the world, I can do whatever I want, I can even throw an enormous party in history and invite EVERYONE! Ooh, I can hardly...."
"Daisuke, hold up," Eiji trailed off.
"What is it?" Daisuke asked.
"I...I don't know if I can keep up with this charade on my own. Temari still thinks I'm a prince and the only thing I have to my name is a fancy title and some expensive-looking clothes. If I can't convince the princess that I am royalty, I don't have a chance."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying...I might need to hang onto my third wish...for now..."
"But...you...and the...I thought...you can't!!" Daisuke cried.
"Wow, that's just cold," Spyro said. Izuku agrees with a soft nod.
"Oh come on, guys. You can't blame me for being worried! I just...I don't want to lose her."
"Fine. If you need me, MASTER, you know where I'll be. Trapped inside my sardine can!" Daisuke said, disappearing back into the lamp in a huff.
"Oh boy," Eiji sighed, covering his face with his hands in guilt. "I don't even know what I'm doing anymore."
"I'll say you aren't," A dark familiar voice boomed from behind the young man. "Looks like you're already out of luck, Prince 'Eijiro Suzuki' or should I say... Eiji Ito."
In a flash of light, Eiji was transported to the throne room of the palace. His fine robes had turned back into rags and his friends Spyro and Izuku were being restrained by the Suna Anbu. Standing confidently in the midst of them was the Kazekage's advisor, Yukio Oikawa, whom Eiji immediately recognized as the mysterious old man from the marketplace who tricked him into getting the lamp in the first place.
"Seize him!!" Yukio demanded. "The last thing I need is for somebody to decide to be stupid and heroic."
The two Suna Anbu suddenly came up from behind and held Eiji in place. In the confusion, Eiji's lamp was pried from his hands and he was detained by the remaining Suna Anbu. Yukio held the lamp and let out a triumphant laugh.
"At last! The lamp is finally MINE!!" he shouted. "You! Bring me the Kazekage and his sister. They need to see this."
The Suna Anbu didn't hesitate and carried out Yukio's demands. As they did so, Yukio rubbed the lamp to summon Daisuke. A great flash of light and smoke appeared from within and Daisuke suddenly appeared and he didn't look very happy.
"Eiji-kun, if you're here to apologize, forget it. You're too late. And I am getting tired of yo...." Daisuke started before he saw that it wasn't Eiji who summoned him. He froze. "I don't think you're him."
"Quiet! I am your master now, and you will do as I say!" Yukio declared.
"I was afraid of that," Daisuke muttered.
"Daisuke, don't!" Eiji cried out.
"I'm sorry, Eiji-kun, but I have no choice," Daisuke said sadly.
"Remember, he who holds the lamp controls the genie," Yukio smugly said. He turned back to Daisuke. "And you owe me some wishes."
The Suna Anbu returned with the Kazekage and his older sister, both of whom protested angrily but were unable to sway the Suna Anbu's objective.
"Let us go!!" Temari cried.
"There's no use, 'milady.' Your loyal Suna Anbu and your brother Kankuro answer only to me now! All it took was a simple brainwashing Genjutsu and their minds are now mine to control," Yukio cackled.
"Yukio, you traitor!!" Gaara yelled.
"Call me what you will. Genie! For my first wish, I wish to rule the land as the Kazekage!" Yukio shouted, rubbing the lamp.
"Fine," Daisuke said, rolling his eyes and snapping his fingers.
In a bright red flash, Yukio's dark clothes were suddenly changed to white royal robes and the Kazekage hat.
"Congratulations, you are now the Kazekage!" Daisuke sarcastically declared.
"NO!!" Spyro and Eiji cried.
"Yukio, I order you to stop this madness at once!" Gaara demanded.
"Ah, but there's a new order now. MY order," Yukio said. "Finally, you will bow down to me."
"We will never bow down to you!!" Temari said, trying to sound brave.
"Never!!" Eiji chimed in.
"Not in a million years!!" Spyro added.
"Hmph, I guess being the Kazekage isn't enough for you people," Yukio furrowed his eyebrows and sneered at the Princess. "If you won't bow down before a Kazekage, then you will cower before a sorcerer!" He rubbed the lamp again. "Genie, for my second wish, I wish to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world!"
Reluctantly, Daisuke snapped his fingers, and again Yukio's form began to change as he was lifted off the floor and engulfed in a swirling black vortex. And in a bright flash, Yukio's body had changed completely. His irises were now dark blue-green and his pupils became slits, his body went from pale to fair, and his hair grew longer. The power-crazed grinned, revealing his teeth to have become a pair of fangs.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a warm Sunagakure welcome to Sorcerer Onigumo!" Daisuke announced just as sarcastically as before.
Onigumo ignited his staff and cast a Genjutsu on the Princess and the Kazekage to make them bow down to him. Eiji watched in horror. He couldn't bear the sight.
"You won't get away with this! I refuse to obey someone as evil as YOU, Onigumo!" he shouted, struggling against the Suna Anbu that restrained him.
"Hmm? Ah yes, the meddling street rat. I almost forgot. Your little charade ends now, my naive little friend. Did you really believe I wouldn't recognize you when you came parading in here like you owned the place? And what must the princess think of you now, hmm? Now that she knows who you really are?!"
"I already knew who he was!" Princess Temari said bitterly, raising her head to look at the conflicting men.
"Wait, what?" Eiji said in shock.
"You didn't think I could forget you that easily, did you, Eiji? Once I saw you on the balcony, I recognized you. I knew you were only pretending to be a prince to bypass the law of my younger brother and the counselors," Temari admitted.
"Hm, smart girl," Daisuke said, stroking his beard.
"It doesn't matter anyway!" Onigumo roared. "There's only one way to get rid of a street rat!"
Onigumo ignited his staff and stomped his feet on the ground, causing it to quake. Everybody, including the Suna Anbu, lost their balance, allowing Eiji to escape. He raced toward the Princess, only to be thrown in the opposite direction by a great scaly tail that appeared between them.
"Eiji, no!" Temari called in distress.
"Oh boy..." Kazekage Gaara muttered, eyes wide with fear.
They saw that Onigumo had transformed himself into a giant, sleek black snake with glowing gold eyes and even bigger fangs. He snapped at Eiji who narrowly missed. He leaped and ran away from Onigumo's continued attacks, but knew eventually fatigue would spell his doom. He was just about to reach the Princess when Onigumo whipped the end of his tail at Eiji and coiled himself around the young man, threatening to squeeze the life out of him.
"NO!!!" Temari cried.
Izuku squealed out in fear as Spyro covered his eyes with his claws.
"Give it up, Ito! You've failed! You thought you could defeat the most powerful being on Earth?! Ha!" Onigumo scoffed. "Without the genie, you're NOTHING!!"
Eiji looked at Daisuke and got an idea.
"Oh yeah? Well,the genie has more power than you'll ever have!" Eiji retorted. "He gave you your power and he can take it away!"
"Dude, what are you doing?! Shut up!!" Spyro hissed.
"Eiji-kun, what are you doing?! Why are you bringing me into this?!" Daisuke asked nervously.
"He serves me!!" Onigumo yelled.
"For now, but you'll never have more than the genie. Face it. You'll always be second best."
Daisuke finally caught on to what Eiji was trying to do. He smiled.
Onigumo paused. "I REFUSE to be second best in ANYTHING!!" He grabbed the lamp with his magic and looked back at Daisuke. "For my final wish, I wish to become the most powerful genie in the universe! MORE powerful than you!!"
Daisuke paused and stroked his beard in thought. "Hmmm, there's a lot of grey area in that wish."
"JUST DO IT!!!!" Onigumo yelled, rubbing the lamp.
Daisuke nodded his head and the room flashed with a burst of magic, transforming Onigumo from a snake to a menacing genie with the same glowing blue-green eyes and magic-like plumes of shadowy black smoke.
"I can feel the power coursing through me! Yes, yes, YES! No one can stop me now!!" Onigumo said with a mighty laugh.
"What have you done?!" Temari yelled.
"Trust me!" Eiji said as he raced across the room while Onigumo was distracted, following the black smoke to its source. He skidded to a stop in front of a lamp that seemed to be made of obsidian black. He picked it up and smiled.
"The universe is mine to command, to control! And now, Eiji Ito, prepare to meet your doom!!" Onigumo declared as he raised a hand, only to be stopped by silver metal cufflinks on both hands. He froze in shock before looking back at Eiji. "What have you done to me?!"
"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything to you, Onigumo," Eiji said matter-of-factly. "This is your wish, not mine. You wanted to be a genie? You got it. And that includes everything that goes with it."
"What?! No!! This isn't what I wanted!!"
"Exactly. Be specific with your words, otherwise, you'd end up with something else or it would backfire and bite you in the butt. In your case, you get both results." Eiji looked at Daisuke for confirmation. Daisuke nodded excitedly.
"No! No! Stop!" Onigumo said, moments too late to prevent Eiji from rubbing the crystal lamp.
"For my first and ONLY wish, I wish for you to banish yourself from all mankind somewhere far away where nobody will ever find you AGAIN!!" Eiji shouted.
Onigumo roared in protest, but his magic ignited, and with a mighty and resounding boom, he disappeared, taking his obsidian prison with him. The moment he was gone, everything in Sunagakure no Sato turned back to what it was before. The Suna Anbu and Kankuro weren't hypnotized anymore, the Kazekage and the Princess were free and Daisuke was no longer under Onigumo's control.
"Eiji-kun, you are a GENIUS!!" Daisuke declared excitedly.
"You did it!!" Spyro cheered.
"Eiji!" Temari cried in relief, running into Eiji's open arms. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay," Eiji said, holding the Princess close. He looked her in the eye. "Temari, I'm so sorry I lied to you."
"It's okay, I know why you did," Temari said.
"A disaster! An absolute catastrophe! I cannot believe I actually trusted him too..." Kazekage Gaara paused and looked at his older sister with her new lover. "Why, Temari, can it be true? Have you finally decided on a suitor?"
Temari nodded and smiled.
"But, Milady. I lied. I'm no prince," Eiji said sadly.
"You're so much more than that," Temari said, holding his hand. "You're true of heart and noble of spirit."
"I couldn't agree more," Kazekage Gaara said, approaching the young lovers. "Eiji Ito, I couldn't have asked for someone better to wed my sister. Besides, who am I to argue with true love?"
"Oh, this is beautiful! Here come the waterworks!" Daisuke said, trying to hold back tears.
"It's okay, buddy. Let it out, you're among friends here," Spyro said, comforting his friend.
Eiji picked up the golden lamp and turned to look at Daisuke. "Do I still have a wish?"
"Of course you do," Daisuke said. "It's my wedding gift to you. What will it be?"
Eiji smiled and started to rub the lamp. "For my final wish, I wish to set you free."
Daisuke suddenly paused and stared at Eiji in disbelief before another magical transformation took place. Sparkling, brightly colored magic swirled around Daisuke until the golden cufflinks around his wrists had vanished and the golden lamp in Eiji's hands wasted away and turned to dust. Daisuke floated down to the ground and looked at himself, admiring his new body. He had been transformed into a tall and slim human with tanned skin, frizzy burgundy hair, and dark brown eyes. He now has orange sunglasses on his head. He wore a dark blue uniform and brown Zori sandals with black linings. Daisuke stared at Eiji, unsure of what to say or do at the moment.
"I'm free? I can't believe it. I'm free. I'm actually FREE," he said before a thought popped into his head. "Wait, I want to be sure. Tell me to do something, wish for something outrageous. Say anything, just give me an order."
"Uh...get me some gems," Eiji suggested.
After a moment, Daisuke nervously said, "Get them yourself. Get your own gems." His shocked expression quickly turned into one of sheer joy. "Oh my gosh, OH MY GOSH!! That feels SO GOOD!!! I'm free! I'm finally free!!!" Daisuke then started to dance and bounce all over the room, unable to contain his excitement anymore. With no limit to his power, he would now be free to spread his crazy energy across the world. Spyro soon joined in on the little celebration, feeling just as free as his friend.
"You know, your genie friend isn't the only one facing a brand new future," Kazekage Gaara said as he led Eiji and Temari to the balcony. Crowds of people had gathered around to see what all of the commotion was. The Kazekage cleared his throat and looked down upon the crowd. "Good citizens of Sunagakure no Sato! My sister, Temari, has finally chosen a suitor!"
The people below suddenly cheered as the two lovers locked their lips in a romantic kiss. That very night, Eiji Ito and Princess Temari were married and they all lived happily ever after.