Chapter 12
Beasts Castle
Our next destination is Beasts Castle, the home to a very important friend of Sora's, and where Belle, one of the seven Princess' of heart lives.
"I forgot to ask while we were talking earlier... Is Kairi one of the seven princess' of heart?" I asked as we enter the castle.
"Yeah, she is, but how did you know?" Sora asked
"Princess Jasmine and Kairi's hearts gave off a similar light." I explained.
"Wait, you can sense the light in people's hearts?" Sora seemed confused,
"I thought all Keyblade wielders can?" I said as Sora shakes his head,"...well maybe your just slow..."
"Hey!" Sora yelled as we all laugh at him. A large beast wearing formal clothing was waiting at the bottom of a staircase that lead to a large door and branched off to the left and right.
"Sora..." The Beast said.
"Hey Beast!" Sora said as we all walk up to him, he looked over at me.
"Who are you?" he asked with a standoffish tone.
"My names Sara, I'm Sora's twin sister." I said ignoring his tone.
"Sorry," he said, "Tonight is a special night and I'm kind of nervous." He explained. A beautiful woman walks down the staircase to our right wearing a yellow ball gown. she stops in front of the large doors. I knew right away that it was Belle by the bright light illuminating from her heart. Beast walks up the stairs and escorts her into the room.
"Uh, maybe we came at a bad time." Goofy said, I nodded in agreement.
"Well, there's only one way to find out." Donald said. he quickly runs up the stairs,
"Donald!" Sora yells,
"Honestly, sometimes I think he's more meddlesome than you." I said to Sora.
"What does that mean?" Sora argued
"That you like to look out for everybody." I said with a laugh, Sora smiles and we all run after Donald into the next room. We walk in to see that we entered a beautiful ballroom with a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Beast and Belle walk into the center of the room and get ready to dance.
"Now then, Monsieur, Mademoiselle. Please, enjoy your evening." A talking candle said.
"Sora, that candle... it's talking." I said shocked, we've seen some strange things but this truly threw me off.
"I'll explain later." Sora said as the door behind us slams shut and everyone looks over at us.
"And of course, our honored guests are welcome, too" the candle said.
"A welcome indeed." A man's voice was heard, Beast and Belle stand closer to each other as they look around to see where the voice came from. We run over to them to look around as well and see a hooded Organization member on a second floor balcony looking down at us.
"The Organization!" Sora yelled,
"You don't know when to quit." The man said,
"Oh yeah! We'll show ya!" Donald said
"Get out!" Beast yelled running up next to us. the man snaps his fingers and a bunch of nobodies surround us.
"I've come to take something you hold very dear." The man said. Beast roars with anger, shaking the entire room. I've never seen that kind of rage. "Yes. Let your anger grow..." He said disappearing.
"Beast! We have to get rid of these guys first!" Sora said as I run up to Belle, by the way Beast looks at her. Belle might be that one thing he holds most dear, And with Kairi Kidnapped, I won't let another princess of heart be taken.
"I'll protect Belle!" I yelled grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the way of the nobodies.
"Who are you?" Belle asked
"My apologies, I didn't want to interrupt your evening with my introduction," I formally explained. "I'm Sara," I said with a smile, it seemed to calm her down. Sora and the others quickly defeated all the nobodies, but Beast was worried about something and ran off.
"The whole night is ruined." Belle said.
"Maybe not, let's go after him." Sora said, we all run to Beasts room to see him pacing back and forth.
"What's wrong?" Belle asked walking up to him, "Please, calm down!" She pleaded.
"Calm down!" Beast yelled, "You just had to have a party, didn't you? Don't you see what's happened?"
"Hey! What's with you?" Sora said,
"The rose... My rose..." Beast said, Now I had no idea what we were talking about. The sharp pain returned in my chest, was this truly Darkness? the pain quickly went away but I seemed to have missed something...
"Belle... Sora... I want you to leave the castle." All of us were surprised at what he said. "Look at me. Look, this is what I am. When you first got here, I tried to change. But I was only fooling myself. I can't be any different. I'll always be a Beast. So I should live like a beast. With no one, alone." Beast sulks, "Good bye, Belle."
"You can't mean that?" Belle didn't want to believe what he just said. Am I going to have to smack him like I did Hercules?
"Look, Belle. Leave this to us." Sora said, "If we can get the Beasts Rose back, He'll calm down." Sora said, Belle nods and leaves.
"Should you knock the sense back in him? Or shall I?" I said
"I got this one." Sora said, "Hey Beast!"
"Leave me alone." He said
"Come on you need to hear this!" Sora demanded. I decided to leave things to him so I waited outside, I wanted to try to piece everything about the Organization together. First, there using Sora to collect hearts... but for what?" What does any of this have to do with Kairi or Beast? The seven princess' are the key to the door to darkness, is that their goal? But what would a bunch of nobodies need hearts for? and what does any of this have to do with me? I hear doors behind me close and turn around to see Beast walking with Sora, Donald, and Goofy on his tail.
"All better?" I ask.
"Only after Xaldin is gone!" Beast said. I guess that is the Organization member's name,
"That's the spirit!" I cheered as we begin to search the castle for Xaldin. We finally made our way back to the entrance and looked around.
"So Beast... You came after all." We hear Xaldin say, we look above the tall door to see Xaldin standing on a ledge holding a container with a rose inside. "You had me worried. I was afraid you'd given up for good."
"What do you guys really want?" Sora asked,
"Kingdom Hearts." He answered, I knew it. That means Belle is in danger, Xaldin pulls off his hood and we see he looks like an older man with tied back dreadlocks and huge sideburns. "When Kingdom Hearts is ours, we can exist fully and completely." well that explains another one of my questions. "So you see Beast- that's why we need your heartless and your nobody!" He just sounds crazy now... "Then all we need is our princess, and Kingdom Hearts will be ours!" He said as a bunch of heartless appear. We begin to fight, I still had so many unanswered questions.
"Anything else you want to tell us?" I yell as we defeat the last of the heartless, Xaldin lands in front of the front door and walks outside.
"After him!" Sora yelled,
"Wait!" I said as they all stop, "What if Belle is the princess he's talking about?" I said
"But he's getting away!" Donald said
"Ok, I'll go check up on Belle. You catch up to Xaldin." I said as we all agreed, Sora explained where Belle's room was and I got up there faster than they could get outside.
"Belle!" I yell as I see her sulking outside on a balcony. I quickly got out there with her so see if she's alright.
"Sara..." Belle said surprised to see me.
"You ok?" I asked, she nods as we look down to see Sora and the others looking around.
"Come on, let's go back inside before Beast sees us." Belle said still upset from earlier. We turn around to see the container with the rose on the balcony right next to us.
"What?" I said confused, I remembered that Xaldin had the rose, how did it end up here? Belle picks up the container and holds it up.
"Look! It's the rose!" Belle yelled as they all look up at us. Belle is pulled back as I see Xaldin holding her.
"Let her go!" I said summoning my Keyblade.
"Sorry, I have orders not to take you... yet" He said as he waves his hand and I'm blown off the balcony with a gust of wind.
"Wind!" I yell as a gust of wind encircles me gently placing my on the ground.
"you ok?" Sora asked helping me to my feet as we watch Xaldin carry Belle and the rose off to the bridge in front of us. "Hurry!" Sora yells as we run after him. Beast blows the doors open as we run across the bridge where Xaldin is waiting, holding onto the rose and Belle.
"You! Get out of my castle now!" Beast yelled.
"With pleasure, but I'd rather travel light... what shall I leave behind? Belle, or the rose?"Xaldin was giving Beast two choices he shouldn't have to make. He didn't even hesitate on his decision.
"Belle!" He yelled as we all run at Xaldin. Belle slips out of Xaldin's grip and elbows him in the ribs. we all stop out of shock, Belle quickly grabs the container holding the rose and runs towards us.
"Good one Belle!" Sora cheered, he suddenly pulls me towards him, "I want you to go with Belle." He said,
"Why?" I asked confused,
"Because I won't give the Organization what it wants!" He said, his eyes were dark with fear. Sora had so much strength but it's all for nothing if the things he cares about most are threatened.
"Ok..." I said as I quickly run after Belle, I turn back to see Xaldin using six spears. He held three in his hand and the other three were suspended in mid air. I turn back to see Belle made it to the other side of the door, only to have the door slam in my face. I try to pull the doors open but they won't budge.
"What are you doing?" Sora yells as he blocks one of Xaldin's spears.
"It won't budge!" I yell still trying to get the doors to open. A spear stabs into the door just inches away from my face. I stop and run back over to Sora. "Sorry, looks like we're stuck." I said taking out my Keyblade.
"No problem," Sora said as we both block Xaldin's attack, "There are five of us and only one of him." Sora said as a gust of wind picks all of us up and slams us against the door.
"Ok... That hurt..." I said stumbling to my feet.
"We got this," Sora said as the two of us charge at him. I quickly use wind on me and Sora so that Xaldin can't pull that stunt twice. We attack until Beast, Donald and Goofy stand up and join the fight, not even giving Xaldin a chance to hit us. I could feel the rage of battle course through me. a black cloud of Darkness forms around my left hand but quickly disappears after I stop and look closer at it. I was right about the pain in my chest being Darkness. Does that mean I can control it? I dared not try again especially after all the horrible things Riku told me about the darkness. Sora strikes Xaldin and he falls to his knees and begins to disappear.
"What's happening?" I asked
"Nobodies aren't real people so their bodies aren't real either." Sora explained. Xaldin's body completely disappears and the door behind us opens showing Belle waiting for us, we all walk over to her after Donald casts cure on all of us. I'd help but that's the only spell I really have trouble with. I look over and see Beast walking up to Belle.
"Here, It's yours again." Belle handed Beast the rose.
"Belle..."
"I know... you want me to leave the castle." She said with a sad face looking away.
"What matters is... you weren't hurt by Xaldin... your safe." Beast managed to say. "And... I'm very grateful to you... for bringing the rose back to me. Thank you." He said as Belle smiles at him. We were all staring at then in suspense of what Beast was going to say.
"It's the least I could do. You've been good to me. And you didn't have to be." Belle said
"Listen, Belle..." Beast hesitated, even though his face was covered in fur you could still tell he was blushing.
"Yes?" Belle quickly said throwing Beast off guard and he looks over at us for help.
"Say it!" Sora said,
"Go on," The candle said,
"Come on!" Donald said,
"You can do it," the tea pot said,
"We have confidence." the clock said,
"Don't be bashful now!" Goofy said,
"Just listen to your heart," I added, as Beast back and faces Belle.
"Belle, I'd like you to stay... with me... Please?" Beast asked as Belle's face lit up. Belle holds out her hand and beast takes it.
"I will." She replied.
"Maestro- music!" The candle said as music begins to play and they begin dancing.
"Hey, did you see the look on Belle's face when she grabbed the rose?" Sora asked,
"Yep, she sure was having fun, all right." Goofy added, I begin to imagine Riku and I dancing together, I look over to see Sora bowing to me,
"May I have this dance?" Sora asked me holding out his hand,
"Yes you may," I said with a smile taking his hand and we begin to dance. After the song ended we all say our goodbyes and headed to our next world... looks like we're heading back to Port Royal.
