The Fall Out
The Great Hall of the Hollow Bastion castle was ever silent. It was a place where a king would hold court as he sat upon a great throne to overlook his subjects. This was what Arty liked to believe, but now it was being used for other purposes.
For weeks on end she had lived in the Great Hall. Out of all the rooms in the castle, it was in the large room she spent most of her time. Other than the fact it was where she built the Keyhole to take power from the world's core, she found solace inside the room. There was something about the room that she loved. Whether it was the grandness to it that reminded her of fairytales or how she could visually imagine a king holding court in the room, she wasn't entirely certain.
So, it pained her that she had to ruin the beautiful room for an invention she built with her own two hands.
Arty knelt on the floor to stare down at the large blueprint laid out. She scanned the paper, glancing between it and the large mechanical heart-shaped device before her. Every so often, she would also peek at her yellow notepad scribbled with equations and measurements to reference something as well as the control console behind her.
"Alright, everything looks good," she mumbled. She stood up to examine the pipes running out the sides of the main body, double checking for any loose bolts or screws. Then, she made her way to the control console to fiddle with it. She adjusted the settings accordingly. When she finished she turned and smiled up at the machine, which already began to draw energy from the world's core. Inside it swirled colors of the rainbow, never staying a single color. "Done! Goodness, that took forever."
After weeks upon weeks of sleepless nights and sheer exhaustion, she had finally completed the machine. Her cheeks flushed in pride. It was the first time she had ever finished an invention this large. Back in Meryton, she never had the time or money for supplies to complete any of her projects. School and life simply got in the way. Now that she had both elements she managed to finish something this large mostly on her own. It may not have been her own blueprint, but she was still able to finish what the creator had started.
She couldn't help but feel proud. There was also a giddy feeling bubbling in her stomach.
If I'm done, I can ask Maleficent if she found a way to get him back! she thought, resisting the urge to skip around as she cleaned up the blueprint and her journal. She found it unfair how Riku got his wish to find Kairi first before her, then she rationalized that her wish was more complicated. Maleficent had to first find a way to bring a heart back to the realm of light and then she would have to track down where his heart was specifically. It was much easier to find Kairi than finding him.
At the thought of Kairi she glanced at the girl. When Maleficent told her to bring the girl to the Great Hall Arty had went ahead to lay her out on the blanket and pillow she kept in there for naps. She managed to get Kairi as comfortable as possible. It was discerning how she hadn't woken up even when she accidentally dropped her on the ground. What the Indian Chief had said was brought to mind.
Was she missing her heart? she wondered, coming to kneel beside Kairi. She brushed away a few locks from the other girl's face, admiring how pretty she was. It was a shame that she had lost her heart as well. It appeared that she and Riku both had to wait to get their friends back. She hoped that they would both have a happy ending.
With her job finished Arty hoped to return to Traverse Town and be reunited with her two friends once again. As long as they were both with her, she was fine.
However, there was a nagging voice in the back of her head. It was mainly concerned about why Maleficent wanted the Keyhole or why she was doing anything of this in the first place.
Standing again, she walked down the stairs towards the first floor. In this area were the six pods that she was forced to acknowledge every time she left or entered the room. Inside these pods were girls around Arty's age. She scowled at them not for the fact she thought they wore beautiful dresses and even had tiaras, she was worried about why they were there.
It was obvious some of these girls were princesses. Even though she was a tomboyish mechanic, she had dreamt of being a princess like every other little girl. She had a phase where she was in love with beautiful gowns, pretty tiaras, and loving the fact she could have a prince of her own someday. At fourteen, she didn't believe girls could hope to meet a princess. Now, it seemed, she was proven wrong.
That begged the question: what did Maleficent want with princesses?
The entire time she worked on the Keyhole she wondered why Maleficent kept bringing in these girls, who were in a coma. The fact they were also inside the Great Hall where the Keyhole was kept made things more suspicious. She knew that she was up to no good, but what were her true plans?
Did she even want to know?
Each time she thought of what she was doing Arty was filled with guilt. She knew that Maleficent's work were used for evil deeds, and yet she hadn't protested against it. In fact she went along with it for the sake of her own selfish needs. Was this the right thing to do? She never questioned that he wasn't worth losing her conscience. However, there were times she wondered if she should have found a better way to find him.
C'mon, Arty! Pull yourself together! She shook her head, turning away from the girls. She had already come this far. She had no right to start questioning her actions at this point. She had finished the Keyhole. Now it was time to get her reward.
Her head held high and eyes avoiding the girls in their comas, she marched into the connected Chapel room where Maleficent normally spent her time. This room was creepier than the Great Hall in her opinion. This room had a high ceiling with stained glass windows far out of reach. A single altar was the centerpoint, tapestries and dark velvet rugs decorating it.
Maleficent was at the altar, staring at the green orb on her staff. She looked away as Arty entered.
"Maleficent? I-I've finished making the Keyhole," she said, suddenly timid. Facing the witch alone always made her shudder.
"Have you? All is functioning appropriately?" Maleficent asked. Arty nodded and she smiled. "Well done, Arty. You have finished earlier than I had expected."
At the praise Arty rubbed her wrist. Instead of pride she normally got from her father or Riku, she felt dirty. Maleficent's compliments never made her feel good. It was like none of them felt sincere.
"I was ahead of schedule. As long as I had the blueprints, I knew what I was doing and built it as fast as I could."
"I see. You did well to have built the machine. I made the right decision to have chosen you." Maleficent stepped down from the altar and towards the Great Hall.
"Um…" The witch stopped at her stutter. "I finished making the Keyhole like you asked, so I was wondering if…"
"If? Ah, yes," Maleficent hummed. "You wish to ask me about my end of the bargain."
"Yes. I didn't ask before since I was so busy with work, but I was wondering if you found a way?"
Arty internally squirmed, her cheeks burning in anticipation. She felt like she was a little girl again, asking her father if he had enough to buy her a Christmas present yet. That year he asked if he could get her a present after the holiday. Although disheartened, she agreed, knowing he was working so hard. It felt like that but worse as Maleficent silently regarded her.
"It would seem you are under false impressions," she finally said. "For you see, by my knowledge there is no way to restore a heart once it is lost to darkness."
The world stopped.
"I don't understand," Arty said, her voice smaller than anything she had said before. "Weren't you supposed to find a way? I thought you said you knew of a way. You-You promised."
"I promised I would see if there was a way to restore your dear friend's heart," Maleficent interrupted. "I have, but there is no possible way to do so. I have researched the dark arts for longer than you or your lineage have been alive. I know of transformations, divinations, and powers beyond your imagination. Yet, there is none that can bring back a heart swallowed by pure darkness. Not without repercussions. Your friend's heart is lost forever."
"You knew?" From the way Maleficent spoke, it was with calm confidence. A sickening feeling overcame her. Did she know all along that there wouldn't be a way for her to get him back? As she watched her continue her work on the Keyhole, did she know? A flare of white hot anger surged through her. "You...You lied to me! You told me there was a way to get Arun back!"
"And there is. As I said, you could bring him back from the darkness at a high cost. Perhaps it would be best if he were never brought back? For what would become of your other dear friend?" She stroked the top of her staff. It became stormy with grey smoke swirling around. She tilted her staff down for her to see within the orb. To Arty's surprise she saw Caelum. Her other best friend was different than when she had last seen him. His hair was longer and he was taller, but there was no mistaking him. She would know those red eyes and white hair anywhere. "A young man destined for great things. He, too has been gifted in magic all to protect the one he cherishes most."
The image changed. Caelum was standing by a cliff wall, holding a long staff in his hands. Behind him was a girl. It took Arty a second to recognize herself. Like her friend, she was taller and her body had lost some baby fat in some places. In her hands she gripped a silver sword. Caelum was protecting her as they were both surrounded by Heartless.
"Yet, for all the magic he has, he cannot be the one whom his dearest friend wishes for. Should that friend be returned, there will be nothing left for the young man-only tragedy awaits."
Again, the image changed to show a figure engulfed in shadows. Arty couldn't see their face clearly, but when he was next to Caelum there was nothing but begrudging fondness in her friend's eyes. She knew that look could manifest around one person, and it made her heart stop. However, the hope she had turned to horror as the scene around them shifted. Both Caelum and the shadow stood in a frosty wonderland on top of a frozen lake. The shadow was battling someone and, for a moment, was distracted by something else. Caelum ran full speed across the lake to where the shadow was. Then, he shoved the shadow away as an arrow shot at him. There was nothing but smoke. When the smoke cleared there was an ice statue where Caelum once stood. Tears filled her eyes as she realized the statue was her friend.
"Caelum!" she cried. "No, that's not-No!"
"Yes," Maleficent laughed softly. "All to keep that dearest friend you hold so closely, he shall sacrifice his very life to keep your happiness. So you see, I am doing you a mercy by being unable to bring your friend back. Would it not be easier to keep the one remaining friend you have left rather than lose both of them?"
"No, it's not true! That wouldn't happen!" Arty vehemently shook her head. She refused to believe that. If both of her friends were with her, none of that would happen. "You're trying to trick me again. I'm not falling for it!"
The elegant witch lifted one shoulder in a haughty shrug.
"If you wish to ignore my advice, then there is nothing left to be said. You have fulfilled your end of the bargain and I have fulfilled mine." She gestured long fingertips towards the Chapel's doors. "You may leave now if you wish. But, be warned. The moment you step through those doors my protection will fade and the Heartless shall come after you." She gave her a chilling and charming smile. "Hurry up now. Leave while you still can."
She didn't need to be told twice.
She whirled around and ran through the Chapel doors out into the castle halls. Behind her was Maleficent's laughter, bone chilling and high off the delight she got from her misery. Unfortunately, true to the witch's words, the Heartless that popped up around her were after her. She could barely manage to manifest her weapon to shoot arrows through them. But, when she took them down, there were still too many for her to defeat on her own. So she ran.
Flying through the castle halls she had memorized by heart, she refused to stop. The shadows dogged her footsteps, Heartless coming out to try and steal her heart for the second time in her life. This time, there was no one to protect her.
Arty soon reached her and Riku's room in what was a record time. Her bottom lip quivered dangerous and she had to bite it to keep herself steady. No, she wouldn't cry. Despite the sting of betrayal she felt (how could she take advantage of her? How could she?), she wouldn't let a single damn tear fall. She wouldn't.
To distract herself from her chaotic emotions, she scanned the room quickly for her belongings. It wouldn't be long before the Heartless came into this room as well. This was no time to dawdle.
Arty darted around the room to grab her things. There weren't many things she needed to take. All she really needed were her laptop, her bow/bracelet, her research journal, and Layton. The first two she already had on her. She grabbed her journal off the desk and Layton off the bed. Tucking the journal away in her messenger bag, she scanned the room again.
Although she spent weeks in the room, she was glad she was leaving the place. She always told Riku it didn't feel like a home, and it never would. Good riddance to this place! It only held memories of a time she wanted to be forgotten.
Squeezing Layton to her chest, Arty left the room for the final time.
xxx
Entering the Entrance Hall, Arty knew she was almost home-free. She moved swiftly but cautiously around the corner to the stairs. No Heartless appeared, so that was good. She came to the stairs down to the first floor when the entrance doors opened.
Riku walked into the room, acting like he owned the place. Behind him were, to her surprise, Donald and Goofy. Arty was beyond relieved to see Riku.
"Riku!" she greeted, breathless. She ran down the stairs two steps at a time to meet him. "There you are! Let's get out of here."
"What? You want to leave?" Riku panted. "Why? I thought you were finishing up the Keyhole. What happened to getting your friend back?"
"I do. I want him back more than anything, but…" Arty had to suppress her tears again. She was so close to breaking. "She lied to me. That witch told me she'd tell me how to get him back if I finished her stupid Keyhole. I did, and she told me there was no way for me to get him. She outright lied to my face!"
"Wak? Arty, you've been working for Maleficent!" Donald asked, alarmed.
"I-I want to go home," she sniffed, ignoring Donald's question. She looked at Riku with round eyes. "Let's get out of here. We can't stay here anymore."
Arty didn't know what Riku would do. Would he accept or reject her? What he did left a shiver down her spine.
"She didn't lie to you, Arty," Riku sneered. His normally charming demeanor was replaced by a cold attitude he would have never given her. "You think she lied to you when, really, you were lying to yourself."
"Wh-What? Lying to myself?"
"For someone so smart, you sure are stupid. Of course there was never a way to get back a heart lost to the darkness. But you were so blinded by your desperation you didn't see the answer in front of you. You're never getting your friend back."
Arty's armor cracked. While he used to say she was too naive for someone so smart, the way he said it now was meant to hurt her. She didn't like the feeling.
"Oh, yeah? Then, you're not getting Kairi back either!" she retorted, matching Riku's glare. "You said it yourself: a heart lost to darkness can never come back. Well, that means you'll never get her back either! Maleficent lied to you, too!"
"I know where Kairi's heart is!"
"You're just lying to yourself, too! You've been blinding by the fact that you're so jealous that Sora replaced you and Kairi so fast that you think reviving her will fix everything!"
"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know anything."
"I know you're an insecure brat who thinks he's better than everyone."
By then, their volume level escalated to the point they were screaming at one another. Arty had never been so angry before. Not even when him and Caelum fought to the point they made her mad did she feel the rage coursing through her. She wanted to hurt Riku. He had no right to call her stupid when he was in the same position as her. She knew in a physical fight she couldn't hurt him. After years of hearing her friends fight, she could only use their method to make them even-hit them where it hurt.
"No wonder Sora replaced you," Arty spat, every word acidic. "You're a scared little boy deluding himself into thinking you're the strongest. When it comes to the heart you're the weakest! Sora's stronger than you! There's no way in hell you'll ever hope to beat him!"
As her words hit Riku, they had visibly changed him. Slowly, his hand tightened and curled, shaking with barely restrained tension. At her last words, he snapped.
Quick as a whip, he lifted his hand. All Arty saw was a burst of darkness and heat, then her vision was shot with stars. The pain didn't register until her back ached and the cool marble floor soothed her throbbing front. With frightening clarity, she stared at Riku from where she had hit the wall and fallen on her side.
"Arty!" Goofy yelped.
"Hey, what's the big idea? You can't do that to her!" Donald yelled, the anger making his speech undiscernable.
"Shut up," Riku huffed. His face was pale, sweat dripping down his forehead to his chin. He raised a sword in the shape of a key. With a long silver neck and a gold handguard, it should have been ridiculous to look at. It was more like a toy than anything. "I'm sick of you and everyone telling me Sora is stronger than me. His heart is weak! He couldn't protect Kairi, he couldn't ever beat me on the islands, and he did nothing when I took his precious Keyblade from him. You're just as weak as he is! You can't do anything for yourself without the help of your friends!"
Arty pushed herself up to her elbows. Her arms trembled as the fear that trapped her heart in her throat choked her. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw poor Layton lying on the ground. His head was chopped off, his stuffing strewn where he had been decapitated when she was hit. If she wasn't careful, she would end up the same.
"At least I'm not a bastard who thinks he's an adult when he doesn't even know what love is," she muttered in contempt.
That was not something she should have said.
It obviously pissed off Riku, because a fireball began to form at the Keyblade's tip. It was aimed straight for her. Frozen, Arty tried to get up but couldn't move. She was forced to wait and watch as the fireball hurtled for her, and she couldn't do anything about it.
Suddenly, before the fireball could hit her, it was intercepted by a wooden sword. More specifically, a boy wielding a wooden sword.
"Riku, what are you doing?" asked Sora, standing in front of Arty to guard her. She didn't know how he managed to take a fireball to the face, but he was still standing. At a closer look, she noticed there were water puddles between where Riku and Sora stood. Did he just use magic? "Why are you trying to hurt Arty? What did she ever do to you?"
"That's none of your business," Riku sneered. "I don't know why you followed after us, but quit while you can."
"No. Not without Kairi."
"The darkness will destroy you!"
Sora shook his head. "You're wrong, Riku," he said with conviction. "The darkness may destroy my body, but it won't touch my heart." He placed a hand on his chest. "My heart will stay with my friends. It'll never die."
"Really….Well, let's just see about that!"
Without warning, Riku thrust his hand forward to release a dark fireball aimed at Sora and Arty.
Arty squeezed her eyes shut, certain this was the end. To her surprise, a mighty crash against metal came. She opened them again, and couldn't believe it when she saw Goofy standing before them both. His simple shield was held up to help protect them.
"Sora ain't gonna go anywhere!" Goofy declared.
"You'd betray your king?" asked Riku, accusatory.
"Not on your life! But I'm not gonna betray Sora, either, 'cause he's become one of my best buddies after all we've been through together." He turned around to smile at Sora and gave him a thumbs up. Then, he waved to Donald. "See ya later, Donald. Could ya tell the king I'm really sorry?"
Donald glanced between Goofy and Riku as if he wasn't certain what was happening either.
"Hold on, Goofy! We'll tell him together," Donald decided. He ran over to where his two friends were, completing the trio they obviously were. At Sora, he cast apologetic eyes. "Well, you know. All for one and one for all."
"I guess you're stuck with us, Sora." Goofy was perpetually cheerful. Their group was back together again.
Sora stared at the floor. Arty could see the glossy shine as he blinked repeatedly. "Thanks a lot, you guys."
"How will you fight without a weapon?" Riku questioned. He held up the Keyblade he possessed.
"I know now I don't need the Keyblade." His back straight, Sora raised his head. "I've got a better weapon. My heart."
Riku scoffed, and Arty was tempted to do the same.
"Your heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?"
"Although my heart may be weak, it's not alone. It's grown with each new experience, and it's found a home with all the friends I've made. I've become a part of their heart just as they've become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then, if they don't forget me, then our hearts will be one."
Sora brandished his wooden sword, prepared to fight with all he had.
"I don't need a weapon. My friends are my power!"
Sora's speech hit Arty in her heart, lightening it more than she felt in weeks. Not being alone when your heart was with others...As long as they thought of one another, they were always together...This was something she used to believe herself whenever she was with him and Caelum. She never felt lonely, knowing they were there for her as long as they thought about her. When had she forgotten about that? She swallowed back her tears, vision starting to become blurry by the second.
She wasn't the only one touched.
Suddenly, the Keyblade in Riku's vanished, much to his surprise. Then, it abruptly reappeared in Sora's grasp. Frustrated, Riku summoned his other sword, his bat-winged blade, and rushed forward.
Arty, once again, was left on the sidelines to watch others fight in front of her. She was powerless to join the battle, knowing that she would end up putting herself in danger. She watched Sora, Goofy, and Donald team up against Riku. Three-on-one should have been unfair, but, from the impressive swordplay and acrobatics Riku displayed, she would say the battle was as balanced as it could get. She knew Riku was strong-just not to the extent three experienced travelers had trouble facing him.
Donald was mainly at the back of the fight. He used his magic to cast long range spells that could damage Riku and heal his companions. Goofy and Sora were on the frontlines as they tried to disarm Riku or subdue him. Sora, to her amazement, was a talented swordsman, if a little unrefined. He preferred a two-handed grip with a wide stance to give him the ability to move in any direction in a flash. He matched Riku blow for blow, parrying and blocking as well as he could. Goofy was his back up. He interrupted whenever Sora needed a breather or space away in order to attack from a different angle.
The three worked in tandem like a well-oiled machine. They were completely in sync as they moved, shouting commands at one another for a plan they only knew. Was this the fruit of their journey together? It was no wonder why Donald and Goofy had given up on finding their king for Sora.
Riku didn't stand a chance against them.
With a final slash, Riku was sent flying backward toward the fountain. He slid on the balls of his feet, stopping before he hit the fountain's marble edge. His body convulsed forward as he breathed heavily. Shaking his head, he forced himself straight and ran away with his tail between his legs.
Arty picked herself up, using the wall as leverage. She hissed as her back twinged.
"You alright there, Arty?" asked Goofy, coming up to her side.
"I'm fine." She let go of the wall. Her legs wobbled and she stumbled forward, her knees knocking into the hard surface.
"No, you're not," Donald chided. A wave of green light sparkled over Arty, and her aches disappeared. She found the energy to stand again. "You were hit with a hard attack. You shouldn't be moving at all after that!"
"What are you even doing here?" Sora wondered. "Caelum's been worried about you since you suddenly disappeared. I didn't even know you knew Riku."
"She's been working for Maleficent," Donald helpfully provided. He fell silent at Arty's pointed glare. "Well, it's true! You were helping her make a Keyhole or something for your friend."
"You were what?"
"Gee, Donald. Thanks for blurting out my life," Arty snapped. Heat made its way to her cheeks as Sora was astonished. It reminded her too much of how he used to be caught off guard whenever she did something to surprise him. "Yes, Sora. I worked for Maleficent. She showed up when I met Riku not long after you met him again in Traverse Town. She made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and I came here to finish a Keyhole for her. It turned out she lied, so I'm trying to get out of here. Happy?"
"You work for Maleficent?" came a deep growl.
Arty held back a shriek as a giant creature stepped into the room. It was a great beast of a thing. It walked on its hind legs and was covered in dark chocolate fur. The snout was long and full of fangs ready to tear into supple flesh, frozen in a perpetual snarl. The way it held itself reminded Arty of a bear crossed with a wolf. He was the stuff of nightmares For some reason it wore torn purple trousers and a matching cape that flowed behind him.
She unconsciously unlocked her bracelet to transform it into her bow.
"Wh-Who are you?" she asked. She cursed how her voice was small and quivered.
"This is a friend of mine." Sora put a hand on her wrist to get her to lower her bow. "Arty, this is the Beast. He came here looking for someone. He's really not that scary. Beast, this is Arty. She's someone that we know."
How is he not scary! There was no way that seven-foot tall creature was friendly. If he wasn't scary, then Arty wasn't in love with machines!
"O-Oh, uh, who are you looking for?" she meekly asked the Beast.
"A woman named Belle." Contrary to his ghastly appearance, he spoke with refinement and intelligence. "She was taken from my castle by Maleficent, and our world was swallowed by darkness. I've come here to bring her back."
"I'm not sure who you're talking about. There are six other girls who have been brought to this castle."
"Six girls?" Donald echoed. "You mean there are other girls Maleficent took?"
"Yeah. Besides Kairi and your Belle, a bunch of girls younger than eighteen were brought here. They were all in a state where they were asleep, so I never got to speak to them."
"Wait," Goofy suddenly said, thoughtful. "Other than Belle and Kairi, does that mean Jasmine is here, too?"
She shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe?"
Sora, Donald, and Goofy shared a significant look. It was rather uncanny how they did that.
"Arty," said Sora, "do you know where they're all being kept?"
"Yeah, they were being kept in the same place I was making the Keyhole. Why do you want to…" She trailed off. The longer they stared at her, it slowly dawned on her. "Please don't tell me you're going to ask me to lead you there."
"Can you?"
"No!"
"Aw, why not?" Goofy was disheartened, his smile falling.
"I'm not spending another second in this damn castle. I'm getting out of here." She was sick of being in this castle any longer. Since coming to this place, she knew she didn't want to actually live there. It was dark, gloomy, and just like those abandoned castles they told in fairytales.
"But don't you want to help get the girls out of here?"
She shook her head.
"No offense, Beast, but I don't care how pretty or kind or whatever those girls are. You can all go rescue the damsels in distress. I'm going back to Traverse Town and forget this ever happened." She readjusted her satchel strap and sidestepped Beast to head for the door.
Sora slid in her path, arms thrown wide open to get her to stop.
"Arty, please. We don't know our way around this castle like you do. Can't you find it in your heart to help these girls out? Haven't you ever had a friend that you wanted to reunite with?"
Arty lost control. In the blink of an eye, she took a step forward to slap Sora across the face. His head whipped to the side from the force.
"Don't," she hissed, desperately holding back the volume but not the contempt, the rage, the pure hatred she held for Sora in that single moment, "think you know how I think or feel. Don't pretend that you know what heartache is because you don't know anything."
Sora could pretend all he wanted he was friends with everyone and thought he empathized with them. The truth was he would never know. He was identical in appearance to him and as long as he looked like that he would never know the longing she had for the friend she held dearest.
He could tell himself he was a hero, but he was far too cruel to be one.
Sora held his cheek that blossomed an angry shade. Eyes wide and glistening, he was the very image of a kicked puppy. There was another person she saw when he made that face. It almost made her guilty. She turned away and, again, tried to go towards the door.
"Wait." Her step faltered as Beast spoke. "You may not want to help out of the goodness of your own heart, but will you do it to get back at Maleficent?"
She glanced over her shoulder at him.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You said you made a Keyhole for her. Will you leave this castle knowing that she will use your work for her plans? She has lied and used you for her own gain. Are you not going to get revenge?"
"Huh? Beast, what are you-" Goofy's question was lost as Donald jumped up to clamp his snout shut. Arty ignored it in favor of this intriguing idea.
"Are you asking me to get revenge on Maleficent by destroying my own invention?"
"No, I'm telling you. If you get us through this castle as quickly as possible, I will do everything in my power to help you destroy and defeat Maleficent." Beast put a paw as huge as her head on his chest, curled into a fist. "I swear to you I will help you."
Arty regarded Beast. She was wary of going through another deal after learning her previous one was a ruse. However, just like before, the idea was too tempting. Was she going to let her newfound fury against that witch get the better of her? All she had to do was walk away and go back to Traverse Town, letting them handle this themselves. She didn't need to get involved in this.
But, for the sake of revenge, she wanted to.
Fool me once, fool me twice, she thought, silently resigning herself. She was already giving in.
"Fine," she grumbled. Sora and his two companions perked up. "But I'm not doing this to help you guys. I'm doing this for me. I'm destroying the Keyhole to ruin Maleficent's plans and getting back at her. Nothing else, alright?" She sent Beast a dark look. "If you go back on your word, I'm going to make sure you don't reunite with your precious Belle, got it?"
"Crystal," he replied in that deep, gravelly voice of his. On a clawed hind leg, he headed up the stairs for the single entryway on the second level.
She followed after him without a glance at Sora, Goofy, and Donald. On her way she noticed that Layton was still lying on the floor, his head separated from his body in a sad little lump. She thought about picking him up but decided not to. Layton was a present from Riku. Just like the tear through his neck, she and Riku were never going to be together again.
Their friendship was over.
She went ahead, leaving Layton lying cold and forgotten in the face of this new motivation.
