AN: I really want to thank all my readers right now, I had 23 hits on Chapter 1 and 13 hits on Chapter 2 on the exact day I posted Chapter 2! You guys are all amazing and everyone of you is getting a cookie!
Well, another chapter of the first part of the Battle with Darkness series!
For a lot of you, this may be your first time seeing it referred to as that. I finally decided to make it an official series of mine, so it needed a name. Each part of the series will have a different goal for Riku, depending on the events of the story leading up to that point.
Part Two, Darkness, will take place immediately after this story. I want this to be a really fast-paced series, like Riku never gets a chance to rest, because that's kind of what the KH series is like with Sora.
I'm also accepting fandom-based worlds for the (currently untitled) third part of the series. Please PM me with any suggestions including the name of the world, the game it comes from, important characters that I can't forget to introduce, and what you want Riku to basically do there (this may be altered slightly based on his goal for that part). Also, a helpful link to info on the game/world/characters would be greatly appreciated!
Also, I'm aware it's only chapter 3, but this is where I start fabricating Keyhole locations for the sake of the plot. If I've missed information that points to the Keyhole's true location, please PM me the link showing your correction, and I will alter the chapter immediately. I don't want to mess with what the creators have already created. However, if you just don't like where it is, don't comment (unless you think it was WAY too easy for Riku to find it, then suggest a different location).
Anyway, enough of my long-winded Author's Note and onto everyone's favorite part! The disclaimer! . . . Okay, I'm joking. Anyway.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, the characters, the events, the worlds, etc., etc., etc. I only own my ideas, the sentences I stitched together out of words I also do not own, and the concept based off of concepts I do not own. I also do not own Mickey Mouse, Cogsworth, or Beast. I do not own Beast's Castle (I'd have an angry Beast on my hands if I did.)
Mickey and I both find ourselves staring in amazement at the building before us. "I've never gotten this far before . . . I've only ever been outside the gate," I murmur, not taking my eyes off of it, afraid that if I look away for only a moment, it would be gone, as though I'd only imagined it.
"Oh, yeah, from when you were investigating the Organization. This is Beast's Castle," Mickey replies, starting forward. I follow a moment later. "We've found the castle, but where's the beast? Inside, maybe?"
"Only one way to find out," I say as we reach the door. I take hold of the doorknob and turn it, pushing on the wood and opening the large front doors of the castle.
Inside is empty and quiet, eerily so, considering the lack of dust. I frown to myself. "Where is everyone?" I find myself whispering. Mickey merely shrugs, beginning to explore.
Across from the door is a wide staircase that splits three ways. One way leads to a large door, and two other staircases, both on either side of the first, leading up and back, further into the castle. On either side of the room, between the stairs and the door, lie four doors, all of which Mickey finds locked.
Leaving Mickey to his thoughts, I slowly walk up the staircase, taking my time, wanting to savor every moment here and not knowing why. I open the middle door, which opens with a surprising ease, and look inside. Beyond it is an ornate ballroom, the bright, golden colors contrasting greatly with the rest of the castle's dark blues and reds. Though it stands out from the rest of the castle and would seem like the most likely location of a Keyhole, nothing in the empty room seems to scream "I'm hiding the Keyhole."
I leave the room, letting the door fall shut behind me, and head up the stairs to my left. At the top lies a long hallway with a single room at the end. The door stands open a few inches and a quick peek reveals it to be empty, nothing in the room hinting at the presence of the Keyhole.
Once I've returned to the main room, I head up the other staircase, which opens into a corridor that leads into a large, open room. In that room is another staircase, leading up and to the left, to another door, which I also open, finding another corridor. As I walk through this corridor, I note how different it looks from the rest of the castle: plain stone, at first, which gives way to what used to be ornate decorations which have, over time, been seemingly clawed to shreds. At the end of the corridor is a set of tall double doors, one of which stands a couple inches open.
Peering in, my eyes are drawn to the only object in the room with any color, a single rose beneath a glass cover. Slipping silently into the room, I step closer, already convinced that the Keyhole lies beneath the seemingly out of place flower. I place my hands lightly on the smooth, cool glass and begin to lift it.
I've lifted it no more than an inch when I hear an enraged growl behind me, causing me to quickly turn, the glass cover falling back into place. Standing in the now wide open doorway is a large being covered in brown fur. "You will not touch the rose. Now get out!" he shouts at me, stepping farther into the room, his face twisted in a snarl of anger.
"There's been a misunderstanding," I reply, raising my hands defensively as I slowly back around the pedestal. "I'm not trying to steal anything, I'm just trying t-" I cut myself off to duck beneath a flying vase, which shatters against the far wall.
"Get out!" he shouts again, picking up another nearby object and hurling it across the room before I can reply. In an attempt to avoid injury, I duck behind a wardrobe, barely dodging the book.
"Riku! What's going on?" I hear Mickey call from down the hall, his voice getting closer. "Oh, uh, hello there." I hear the beast turn around to face Mickey. "Um, my friend, Riku, and I are just here to lock the Keyhole. If we don't, bad things'll happen."
"Oh, I'm sorry," the beast apologizes, "I didn't realize. . . . I've had so many people try to steal my rose lately . . . " I tentatively step out from behind the furniture to find him sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "I should have allowed you to speak," he mumbled apologetically.
"That's all right. I did kind of walk in without permission," I reply, garnering a disapproving look from Mickey. "Could I?" I motion toward the glass cover. Beast nods, letting me take the glass cover off. Carefully, Beast lifts the rose, handling it with surprising care, revealing a tiny Keyhole.
"I didn't even know that was there," Beast mumbles, marveling at the glow. I carefully set down the cover and summon my Keyblade.
"A lot of people don't," I reply, aiming my Keyblade at the hole, lowering it after hearing a satisfying click a moment later. "Done." I pick up the cover as Beast sets the rose back down, carefully placing it back on top once the rose is set in place. "Thanks for letting us take care of that."
"No, thank you," Beast replies, smiling, "I can't even imagine what might have happened if you hadn't done anything. You both are welcome back anytime and will be treated with the utmost respect." His expression changes as he yells, "Cogsworth."
"Yes, sir," a small clock says, hopping into the room. Mickey and I glance at each other and stare at it in disbelief.
"Make sure the next time these two come they're welcomed and treated with respect."
"Of course, sir," Cogsworth bows. "Is that all?" Once Beast affirmed that, he bows again before hopping out again.
"I assume you have other places to be," Beast says as he escorts us to the front door. I nod, already contemplating our next destination. "Well, travel safe and I wish you the best on your mission."
Mickey and I wave at him as we walk down the steps. As I turn, I nearly miss a black figure standing atop one of the castle's towers. The sight causes me to pause, frowning at the now empty space. "Something wrong?" Mickey inquires, tapping me.
"Hm? No. It's nothing," I reply, shaking my head. As we head back to the Gummi Ship, I decide. "Let's head to Deep Jungle next." Mickey agrees and we set off.
AN: Dun dun dun~
Who do you think the dark figure is? PM me your guesses, I'm not even sure yet. ;P
This chapter is kind of short . . . but, I got to the point and I didn't leave anything out, so I think it's good. I kind of had fun writing Beast throwing things at Riku . . . is that wrong? O.O
I also realized I left out a lot of characters, and even I was expecting to at least have Lumiere in this chapter, but I managed to squeeze Cogsworth in at the end. I still like how things turned out. It's a simple chapter, and sometimes simple is good.
I'm going to try to keep on this and my other stories more (but mostly this one). I want to start publishing chapters a lot more often than I have been.
Please review! I can always use more constructive criticism. :)