Riku: Hey, Angelo! What's with Sora getting more lines than us?
Angelo: Oh, just deal with it you whiney little loser. You could be like Rain.
Rain: …
Angelo: Also, keeping track of six characters and their lines is a little ridiculous so just wait until the split.
Riku: Okay, point taken.
Chapter 12: Not So Beastly Anymore
"Any idea as to why you two are here today?" Claudio asked, grinning, at the two people joining him in the combat simulation room. Sora and Kairi both shrugged.
"To train us?" Sora asked tentatively.
"Very good Sora." Claudio answered sardonically. "I guess telling you to meet in the 'Combat Training Room' was a bit of a hint, no wasn't it?" Sora glowered at the taller man but he continued. "As I can tell you are both versed in blade and spell, but as you could tell when we fought Ramziel and Kaiser, you need to get stronger. I don't think I need to supervise any training you have with your Keyblades but magic…now that is a different story. Both of you, tell me what spells you can cast and at what level."
Sora went first. "Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga, Magnega, Reflega and Curaga."
"Fira, Blizzara, Thundara and Curaga." Kairi recited next.
"Good. Not bad." He nodded slowly. "Sora has six third level spells, three black magic, two green, one white. Kairi has three second level black magic spells and a third level white magic spell, not bad at all." He looked at the two. "But I must tell you that your skills with magic aren't as great as you think." The two looked rather shocked, Sora more than Kairi, at Claudio's assessment.
"I myself possess all six spells that you Sora can cast as well as Waterga, Aeroga, Earthga, Graviga, Protectga, Shellga, Hastega, Slowga and Stopga. These spells can be learned by you on your own but there are other aspects of magic-casting you may or may not know of." He began to pace in a straight line, back and forth in front of the two. "The first lesson is called 'Elemental Composition'. Elemental Composition is essential gathering and conjuring the desired magical element and casting it. Like so." He shot a quick fire spell into one corner of the room. "This is what you have learned when casting spells but to maximize the power you need to gain a mastery of Composition. To do this, mastering conjuring and element, you must…'feel' the desired magical element. Feel the heat and burning might of the flames. Feel the ebb and flow of the ocean. Feel the rising and lowering currents of the wind around you. Feel the fury of thunder, the pride of stone, the unyielding steadfastness of ice." He stopped, talking and pacing. "This is obvious more difficult to learn for higher level magic and more abstract spells like Magnet or Haste but it is the easiest way to understand magic this way. Feel the element and combine that energy with your own mental power."
"So what's the second lesson?" Kairi asked. "Besides Composition, I mean."
"Well, Sora has actually done this before Princess. The second facet is called 'Form Manipulation'. Once you've gathered the energy for the desired spell simply shape its form in your mind. This obviously causes a lot more strain on the caster itself but its worth it. Sora, you've demonstrated this before in your Fire magic, shooting out a fireball or creating a ring of flames about you. Manipulation is simple once you get a good understanding of it and it'll increase your mental reserves by a wide amount."
Claudio then chose to demonstrate some Form Manipulation by casting a Water spell. He first summoned a fifteen-foot tall geyser across the room and then collected the water particles into his hand to form a shifting orb of water. He threw it and caused it to explode like a grenade. He then collected the particles above his head to form a massive sheet of water on the ceiling and forced it to descend like some sort of high-density rain. He then cast Aero, creating a gust of wind and manipulating it with wide gestures from his hands. He collected all the wind under his feet, creating an orb of air that solidified, swirling around and causing him to rise off the ground, sitting. The air rose from the orb and formed a swirling mass of wind armour around him and then finally, with one palm thrust, he forced the wind out into a razor sharp whirlwind. He took out Low Cut and shot it at the column of wind and the bullet was sliced in two by the wind blades.
"Whoa." Kairi uttered at the display of magical power. Claudio was sweating a little bit but was barely any worse for wear. "I've never seen anything like that in my life!" A wide smile crossed her face as she began to get more excited. "Please, Claudio teach, please teach me how to do that!"
"Easy there Princess." He said, never seeing her this excited before. "As much as I love my Aero and Water spells, they are considerably difficult to use and I've had many years to fully master them." Her face turned into a frown. "But, don't worry Princess, just try you're hardest and practise. If we any face Heartless that are rather weak, practise new Elemental Composition or Form Manipulation during the battle, you have no idea what kind of combinations you could create."
"Say Claudio," Sora began, walking up to the warrior and whispering into his ears. "Why are you teaching us this? We can fight, you've seen it, and the enemies so far haven't been that powerful so why teach us these new techniques?"
He considered Sora with a grim grin for a second. "The Immortals are nothing like these enemies we've fought. Right now it will take everything we have to beat one of them. And there are eleven more waiting in the wings, and wherever one Immortal dwells…another is never far behind."
"How do you-"
"Attention! Attention Sora, Riku, Kairi, Rain and Claudio! A new world lies within distance! Please return to the control room immediately!"
With the ship's announcement, Sora forgot his question and ran to the control room with Kairi in tow. Claudio stood there in silence for a second before starting to follow and muttering under his breath. "Whew! Saved by the claxon right there."
KHKHKH
The crew arrived outside the gates of another castle; this one was familiar to Sora though, even if it had changed a lot since his last visit. Where it was once dark and gloomy, shadowy and demonic, it now had a more light and holy feeling about it. Where statues of demons and gargoyles once stood now where marble statues of cherubs and angels. It was a new look to an old place. Sora smiled as the old memories flooded back.
"Any idea as to where we are?" Sora asked his group.
"Well, the ship's computer said it was Beast's Castle." Kairi plainly stated.
"That's right, this is the one and only Beast's Castle, although it has changed quite a bit since I was here last. But I digress, this is the home of the cursed Prince known simply as The Beast and Belle, one of the seven Princesses of Heart."
"Crap." Claudio and Riku swore in stereo.
"What?" Sora asked.
"Well, you said a Princess of Heart lives here so that means Maleficent's cronies will be skulking around." Claudio gave his reason, now wearing a light blue hooded vest with a black butterfly on the left breast pocket instead of his overly long trench coat.
"And this is Beast's home. The last time I checked, I was the one who nearly caused him to lose Belle the first time and he doesn't seem like a guy to drop grudges." Riku said to his friend.
"Oh come on guys!" Sora exclaimed back. "If you keep getting all depressed at the worlds then what fun is it to be on a journey?" Rain, Riku and Claudio just looked at him with blank eyes. "Jeez, it was never this hard when I travelled with Donald and Goofy."
"Well, I don't look like a duck," Claudio half-snapped, half-protested. "And I'm pretty sure Riku doesn't look like some sort of moronic dog person."
Riku rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "Could we please just go in the castle so Beast can rip me to shreds and I don't have to suffer Claudio's witty banter anymore?"
"There are thousands of people in this life who would want my banter you little buffoon, so I don't need to waste it on you."
"Uh…guys?" Sora asked impatiently from the steps leading to the doorway. "I hate to break up this whirlwind of discussion but do you mind if we go inside?"
"Say Sora?" Kairi asked, also on the doorstep. "Who else lives here besides the Beast and Belle?"
"Well we have the castle retainers, there' Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, her son Chip and the Wardrobe…"
"Wait, did you say Wardrobe?" Rain asked in confusion.
"Oh, yeah all the holders of the castle were turned into furniture by the curse that turned the Prince into Beast."
"Are all worlds this strange?" Claudio questioned dryly. Sora shrugged and scratched the back of his head.
"Well, there's the Halloween themed world, the world under an ocean and then there's the one inside a computer."
Claudio looked at him blankly. "Just knock. Please."
Sora stepped under the archway that leads to the door. The stones had etchings of angels on them except for the top keystone, which had a drawing of a rose on it. He lifted one of the heavy cast iron knockers and slammed it down. A second later the door opened and Sora was amazed at what he saw.
Just like the exterior of the castle, the interior had changed drastically too. The once dreary stone that made up the castle was replaced by highly polished white marble that would look magnificent in the daytime. More statues of cherubs and angels were placed across the large chamber. The castle had become a beautiful place once more…but why?
The next thing that caught Sora's eye was the people. There was a man with an air of dignity around him, wearing a blazer with a pocket watch with curly brown hair. Next to him was a tall man in performers clothing and to him was a frumpy old woman in a ruffled dress. Behind her was a short boy with red hair and a chipped tooth.
"Um…hello?" Sora greeted, not knowing who these people were.
"Hello yourself Sora," replied the man with the pocket watch in perfect English. "It is truly a pleasure to see you again my lad."
"And look, he's brought friends!" Replied the tall man in performers clothing in a French accent. "Ah, Sora mon ami, you've haven't changed one bit…but clearly we have."
"Right…who are you again?" The brunette asked tactlessly.
"Sora dear, we're hurt. Don't you remember us?" Came the old woman.
He placed a finger on his chin and thought for a second, thinking back to who he met during his visit four months ago. It suddenly dawned on him. "Mrs. Potts?" The woman nodded. "Lumiere? Cogsworth? Chip?" The tall man, English man and child all nodded in response. "What happened to you all? Your…your…" The other four companions of his caught on.
"Not wooden?" Rain asked.
"Normal size?" Came Kairi.
"Human and not furniture?" Claudio brought up.
"Yeah!" Sora exclaimed and the four servants nodded.
"Yes mon ami, we're humans again." Lumiere said. "And it is all thanks to your efforts in saving the Master and the rose."
"You mean?"
"Yes Sora," answered the man who once was a clock, Cogsworth. "The Master finally broke the curse."
"So that is why the castle has changed so much!" Sora deemed again.
"And here I was looking forward to seeing talking furniture." Claudio bemoaned with half a smirk on his face.
"Oh, the Master and Belle will be so happy to see you again Sora." Mrs. Potts declared. "And I am sure he will be interested in meeting your new friends."
"Where are those two anyway?" Kairi asked.
"I'll summon them at once." Cogsworth said and walked off to fetch the two, along with the other three servants.
Riku shifted from foot to foot nervously and gazed at Sora. "I don't think this is a good idea Sora. I mean, how will the Beast react when he sees me in his castle."
"Well, he's not the Beast anymore, the curse is broken so he should just be a Prince." Kairi explained but Riku shook his head in despair.
"Doesn't matter, a temper is a temper and personally, if I saw the guy that made off with my girlfriend, managed to destroy my world and tried to kill me…well I'd be pissed to say the least." He chuckled nervously.
"Here, here." Claudio agreed. Cogsworth then reappeared at the head of the stairs.
"Sora and friends, may I present to you, Prince Adam and the Lady Belle." He bowed as two people descended the staircase.
Belle was there in her everyday white and blue dress and standing next to her was a man wearing a white undershirt and a blue and gold coat with brown hair tied into a short ponytail. At the sight of Sora, they both ran up to the Keyblade Master and greeted him.
"Sora," the man called to him. "How can I thank you for this?"
"For what?" Sora replied.
"Everything." The man boomed, Prince Adam. "For my castle, my friends, my body…my love." He brought Belle in for a hug and she smiled sweetly.
"Oh! You're the Beast…I mean Prince…right?" He stammered uncomfortably and Claudio groaned.
"You know, I've never met him and I knew he was the Beast when he was announced as a Prince." He called back in an annoyed tone.
"It's so good to see you again Kairi." Belle exclaimed, hugging the other Princess. "I'm so glad we get to see each other again after last times unpleasant circumstance." She then eyed the other three members of the party. "Who are your friends?"
"Oh, this is Claudio, Rain and Riku." Kairi said to Belle. At the mention of Riku, Belle's face lost all colour as she ran back to Adam. Adam's eyes narrowed and filled with rage toward the white-haired teen.
"You!" He barked loudly at Riku. "You! Why are you here?" The Prince was furious, grabbing a fencing foil from a shield above the mantle. "Get out! Get out! You are not welcomed here!" He marched to Riku, blade gripped tight in his hand, its point aimed at Riku's throat. Riku backed away from the frothing Prince in defence but it was Sora who ran out in front of Adam and Riku to defend any possible attack.
"Hold on Adam!" Sora shouted to his ally. "I know Riku has done a lot of rotten things in the past but he's a good guy now." Prince Adam was still baring his teeth at the dark wielder. "Please, he's my friend."
"Sora," Adam began. "Did you forget what he did?" Sora and Riku both looked highly dejected. "He was the first reason why I nearly lost Belle in the first place. He destroyed my home and he nearly killed me. He nearly killed Belle. He nearly killed you!" His anger was a bellowing force not to be reckoned with it. "How can I forgive him for all of that? How could anyone who had their lives wrecked by him forgive him? How could you? He kidnapped so many people, destroyed so many worlds and you want me to welcome him with open arms!"
"Yeah…" Sora muttered quietly. "I can. I can and Kairi can and everyone back on our home can. And I know so many others can too. Because he's our friend Adam…Beast; everyone deserves a second chance to redeem themselves…like you!"
Adam was rather taken aback by how Sora was defending his long time friend but he eventually regained his composure, sheathed his sword and walked over to Belle defensively. "Sora, you and your friends are all welcomed under my roof for as long as you wish…except for him!" He spat and pointed to Riku. "I will not let that…thing stay under my castle, under any conditions." He took a stalwart stance and looked at Riku with cold eyes.
Riku then turned to leave, showing no emotion on his face. He didn't know Beast so it wasn't really hard feelings, and Beast did have a point with the kidnappings and the destruction of worlds and the attempted killings…. But Sora still didn't care, no matter what Riku or Adam thought.
"Hold up!" He called to his friend. "If Riku isn't wanted under this roof then I don't want to stay under it either!" He proudly declared.
"Sora no…I'll just go to the Ship and camp out there for the night, you enjoy this castle tonight." He replied with a dead, emotionless voice. "I'll be cool."
He walked the length of the hallway to the doors while the four adventurers just watched in silent protest. Kairi and Sora had sad looks on their faces as they saw their friend walk away dejectedly and Claudio constantly gave Adam poisoned looks while Rain just stood on with a face that looked like it was made of stone. Silence followed as Riku began to pull back on the door but then something broke the silence.
CLAP!!
Someone let out a lone, solitary clap in the hall. Everyone looked around for the clapper; it wasn't anyone in the room but a new person. "All right, one less Keyblader to deal with. Maybe this mission won't be such a drag." A voice called out, loudly and proudly.
"Who's there?" The Prince formerly known as the Beast boomed out.
"Show yourself now!" Rain declared, sword now drawn.
"Crap," the voice muttered. "Cover's blown. This mission really is a massive drag…" A man leapt out from the shadows. He was a tall, gangly man with slicked back black hair with a chin and jaw line covered in stubble and half-opened black eyes that looked lazy and half-asleep. He wore a long white coat with the split heart of the Immortals on the back with white gloves and boots.
"An Immortal!" Kairi called out.
"What? Who are they?" Belle asked.
"A group of bad guys." Sora explained. "They make Xaldin and the Organization look like chumps."
"Why are you here, Immortal?" Claudio cried, blade and gun drawn.
"Yeah, a 'how do you do' to you too guys." The tall Immortal replied in a weary and sardonic voice. "God, why is everyone I know so damn serious. My name is Creed by the way, the Fourth-Ranked Immortal. And I am here to…let's see." He pulled down the sleeve of his coat and began to read his left arm, like he had crib notes or something. "Objective #1: Piss off the Prince…how tact." He moaned. "#2: Take the heart of the Princess and anyone else in the world with a strong heart…"
"NO!" Adam roared, blade flashing wildly. "I will not let that happen again!" He charged Creed with malice lacing his wild eyes. The foil was sent thrusting towards Creed's neck but he simply blocked it with his hands. The foil bent with the extreme pressure he was putting on it but the point wasn't able to puncture the skin…or the glove for that matter! Adam brought the blade back and sent it flying again but Creed snatched the blade in the air and snapped it with barely any movement of his wrist. He then sent Adam flying away with a simple backhand.
"Adam!" Sora ran to help his friend along with Claudio, Rain, Kairi and even Riku but a bunch of Savant Fell Souls appeared to block their path.
"Nice job boys!" Creed said wearily to his Fell Soul minions. "Now, to accomplish objective one." He pulled out a dark violet crystal on a chain out of his jacket and pointed it at Adam. Violet let flashed and darkness entered the Prince as he began to roar and cry in pain heavily. Adam's hair suddenly started to grow wildly and began covering his body. His enter frame extended outward and upward as his face turned into a monstrous snout. His clothes tore and ripped as he still continued growing. His hair now covered his entire body as two short horns sprouted from his head.
The Prince who was once the Beast was now the Beast who was once a Prince. Again.
"Sweet…" Creed mumbled over the crippled body of the Beast as the others fought off the Savants. "Now for your heart dearest Belle…" He began to walk over to Belle. His fingers stiffened and began to crackle with dark energy. He levelled his hand towards her heart and lunged forward with a previously unseen speed. He almost impaled her until…
CLANG!!
Riku had leapt in front of Creed and blocked the strike with Way to the Dawn. He shoved Creed off and away. He struck at him wildly but the Immortal was able to dodge the attacks, no matter how fast they were. It appeared as if Creed was using the least amount of energy and motion to avoid the strikes. His laziness eventually got the best of him as Riku delivered a brutal lunging strike to the midsection. But what Riku didn't understand was that even though he scored a hit, a hit…a very palpable hit he would declare (A/N 1) but there was no familiar sound of blade slicing through flesh and Creed seemed to be in no pain. He doubled over and gasped slightly but that was it. He took the blow and was pretty much unaffected by it. Creed jumped back to avoid any further confrontation.
"It's been real…but you're kind of making it a drag, so… yeah. Bye!" Creed gave a lazy salute to the Keybladers and vanished into thin air.
"And just for once I thought we could fight enemies that are normal." Sora moaned, defeating his last Savant. He then saw what had become of Adam.
Belle was sitting next to him, embracing him, as Adam…or Beast now, was examining the familiar form he now possessed. The paws, the fangs, the horns, and the fur…it was too familiar to his liking.
"No…" He groaned softly. "No. NOOOOOOOOOO!!" He roared loudly, shaking the rafters of the castle. "I had finally managed to regain my body and then…that thing enters my castle and dashes my hopes again!" He cried out in anguish, everyone feeling sorrowful for the former Prince. "I was so happy and it has all been taken away once again."
"Beast…" Belle said softly to her love. "It's okay…the castle is unaffected and so are the servants." They looked and Lumiere and Cogsworth had wandered down, still in human form. "The curse isn't in effect it was just the weird magic of that Creed man." She then looked into his now big black eyes. "But it doesn't matter what you look like…I still love you."
The Beast smiled, showing his fangs. He then got up and walked over to Riku. "I owe you an apology Riku." He said gruffly. "It was because of your heroics that Belle wasn't taken from me again." He bowed deeply to the Keyblader. "Can you ever forgive me for treating you like this?"
The white-haired Keyblade Master looked at the Beast, considering him for a second and then simply shrugged. "Don't do anything. Consider our debt is squared." The Beast and Belle nodded in agreement and Claudio made a sniffling noise, whipping a fake tear away from his eye.
"Well, two touching moments after another and we've only been on this world for twenty minutes," he drawled dryly and sarcastically. "But we still have an Immortal running around somewhere and Prince Adam…AKA our dearly beloved Beast now is…well the Beast." Beast glared at him for his tactlessness and Rain elbowed him in the stomach.
"Could you be the least bit sensitive to the plight of others sometimes?" Rain glowered at her husband and he smirked and shrugged. She slapped him. "I really do hate that smile sometimes."
"I love you too, darling-" Claudio stopped short in his cooing, a familiar look to Riku, Rain, Sora and Kairi.
"What is it Claudio?" Sora asked.
"After seeing this look three times before I thought you could guess." He growled and then said one word. "Heartless."
The seven heads turned to see a medium sized Heartless wearing what looked like leather armour and carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows. When they spotted the beast its beady yellow eyes under a leather turban flashed with panic and warped away.
"Damn it!" Riku cussed. "It got away. Do you guys think it was with Creed?"
"No," Kairi responded, half in thought. "If it was then why would it just vanish and not attack us?"
"I smell Maleficent." Sora muttered. "One of her allies has to be on this world."
"I think I know who it might be." Belle spoke up in answer. "There have been rumours amongst the town that strange black creatures with yellow eyes have been doing the bidding of a hunter named Gaston." She spat his name out with an out of place venom for a Princess of Heart.
"What's up with this Gaston guy then?" Sora asked. "You have some history with him?"
"He believes that I am the perfect wife for him. Just because he's the so-called most 'handsome' man in town and I'm the most beautiful villain he thinks I'll be perfect for him. He's obsessed with me. It's actually because of him that I found Adam…uh, the Beast, in the first place."
"Sounds like a chauvinistic creep." Kairi agreed with her fellow Princess.
"Yes." Rain commented. "A relationship of lust instead of love."
"So, he's the most likely candidate for being Maleficent's stooge on this world?" Riku piped in and Belle nodded.
"That is unless Sora failed to permanently kill Xaldin and now he's back." Claudio mumbled and Sora shot a death stare to him.
"Okay, I get it. People I kill have a habit of coming back to life. Can we please move on?" Sora yelled. Belle then noticed something was wrong in the room someone was missing.
"Where did the Beast go?"
KHKHKH
Where Beast went was to his own chambers to wallow in his own pity. He had finally broken the curse and found his true love but then this happened… Creed appeared and invoked the Beast form from his heart once more. Except this time it wasn't just a curse, it was some sort of dark magic and it wouldn't be so simple to break like the last curse. How he would be able to break this curse if it wasn't technically a curse with no definite cure? His head was spiralling into a downfall of depression when Sora, Riku and Kairi walked in.
"What do you three want?" He said glumly, eyeing Riku suspiciously. Riku once again had an emotionless look in his eye but his face didn't have that cold quality to it.
"We're here to help you Beast." He stated back, trying to sound warm but finding it hard to a man who had just been reprimanding him fifteen minutes ago. "After all we are your friends."
"Friends?" The Beast half-chuckled, half-sobbed. "Friends? A Beast with friends? That doesn't happen. Neither does love. It doesn't happen for beasts." He sighed, sinking his head downward. "We try to gain some humanity but it is always torn away and then we die."
"How can you talk like that?" Sora asked suddenly to his ally.
"Yeah, Beast." Kairi agreed and Riku nodded. "You have your humanity. You're kind and brave and self-sacrificing. You have your friends to stand beside you…and you have Belle." Sora looked at Beast with steely eyes.
"Did you forget how she cares for you so much?" He asked, frowning. "How she loves you no matter what you look like? Love is more than external looks, it has to do with the heart."
"I've witnessed first hand the sacrifices you and Belle have gone through to see your love come to fruition." Riku added to his one-time enemy. "I fought against you and your love gives you strength…not your looks." The Beast looked at him with poisoned eyes and growled lowly.
"Why are you even here?" He asked the white haired warrior. Riku smiled nonchalantly at the Beast.
"To repay a debt." He looked to Sora, Kairi and then Beast. "To a lot of people."
"What does it matter? Even if Belle loves me, how can I live in normal society?" He stared into a nearby mirror. "Look at me! I'm hideous, the second I walk into town they'll be after me with torches and pitchforks. I can't do that to Belle, so outgoing and fun-loving…it would kill her!"
"She loves you Beast!" Kairi repeated once again. "It doesn't matter what you do when you're in love so long as you spend time with each other."
"Wow Kairi, you could write a book on this stuff." Sora mumbled and Kairi blushed slightly.
"But seriously," Sora snapped back into the conversation. "Beast, Belle is in danger. Not only could Creed be still skulking around but the Heartless are here to and Claudio found out that Gaston-"
"Gaston!" Beast jumped up, growling at the mention of the name. "What about Gaston?"
"He's been spying on you using the Heartless and Claudio found out that he's gathering a mob to come up to the castle, kill you and take Belle away!"
A look that mixed anger and sadness pooled in Beast's eyes and then he roared loudly, the wind whipping around in the small room. "NO! NO!" He screamed in defiance. "I won't allow that! Even if I am a Beast, I love her and would die before seeing Gaston put his hands on her!"
Sora smiled triumphantly. "All right Beast! I knew you still had it in you."
He nodded and then looked at the three teenagers. "Thank you Sora, thank you Kairi. Even you Riku, thank you. When you gain everything and then have it torn away so suddenly you end up in a maddening depression." The three warriors of light smiled in success. "But tell me this, how did Claudio find out about the meeting? The village is a while away from here."
Riku tried to explain to Beast. "Well, Claudio and Rain possess certain powers to cover long distances in a-"
At that moment Rain teleported into the room and nearly caused Riku and Sora to leap into the sidewalls of the room while Beast spied her curiously. She waited for the two teenagers to calm down and then spoke.
"Listen," she started. "You guys have to come to the top of the castle walls and see what's going on. Now." She teleported away and the four looked at each other before running off to find her and Claudio.
KHKHKH
A little while ago, in the town tavern, a crowd of unruly men were gathered before Gaston and a tiny strange looking man named LeFou. There was a lot of noise as LeFou tried to calm and quiet everyone.
"What's this all about Gaston?" One man demanded from the din of the bar.
"Quiet you!" LeFou piped up. "You should be honoured to be in the presence of a man like the great Gaston!"
"Quiet LeFou." Gaston snapped, wearing an utterly serious expression. "You are all here tonight, my dear posse, for one thing. Thanks to my little friends from out of town, I have discovered that Prince Adam, who recently took residence up in the far castle, is actually the dreaded Beast!" A gasp came up from the crowd and muted mutterings followed.
"What should we do?" One man shrieked and others echoed his fear. Gaston grinned at the palpable fear. He could use this.
"I'll tell you what we'll do!" He proudly declared. "We…are going to kill the Beast!"
Through the mist and through the woods
Through the darkness and shadows
It's a nightmare but it's an exciting ride!
Say a prayer, then we're there
At the drawbridge of a castle
And there's something truly terrible inside
Gaston summons a Heartless to create black portal to show the visage of the Beast.
It's a Beast!
He's got fangs, razor sharp ones
Massive Paws
Killer claws for the feast
Hear him roar, see him foam,
But we're not coming home,
Till he's dead
The crowd erupts into a cheer.
Good and dead!
Another, louder cheer
Kill the Beast!
The men in the tavern begin to suit up for battle as Gaston summons wave after wave of Heartless to bolster his Frenchmen. The mob grabs torches and pitchforks while Gaston grabs a broadsword and a bow, leading the assortment of men and Heartless to the castle.
MOB: Light your torches, mount your horse!
GASTON: Screw your courage to the sticking place!
MOB: We're counting on Gaston to lead the way!
Through a mist, to a wood
Where within a Prince's Castle,
Something's lurking that you don't see everyday!
It's a Beast!
One as tall as a mountain,
We don't rest,
Till he's good and deceased!
Sally forth, tally ho!
Grab your sword, grab your bow
Praise the Lord and here we go!
Gaston orders the Heartless to tear down a large tree and fashion it into a crude battering ram. Several Soldiers heave it up and march onward to the castle gates.
We don't like what we don't
Understand, it frankly scares us
And this monster is mysterious at least!
Bring your guns, bring your knives!
Save your children and your wives!
We'll kill the Beast!
Hearts ablaze, banners high!
We go marching into battle
Unafraid although the danger just increased!
The Heartless have reached the door and began to ram against it, trying to shatter the large doors. All the while, the mob sings their song.
Raise the flag, sing the song
Here we come, we're fifty strong!
And fifty Frenchmen can't be wrong!
Let's kill the Beast!
The song reached its crescendo as the Heartless pierced the doorways and the Heartless then began to clamber over each other, trying to wrench the door open with their claws while the crowd cheers on, chanting. "Kill the Beast! Kill the Beast! Kill the Beast!"
KHKHKH
Up from the castle walls, Sora, Riku, Kairi, Rain, Claudio, Beast, Belle and the servants watched the spectacle in a mixture of awe, amusement, fear and annoyance. Beast growled as they cheered for his death and Sora and Riku glared down at the swathe of Heartless at their feet. Claudio flashed a smile of pained amusement.
"Singing Frenchmen. Have the worlds gone mad?" He drawled dryly. Rain leered at him but he just smiled.
"Lumiere, Cogsworth." Beast said, the two servants standing to attention. "Take Belle and the others to her room and barricade the door, make sure no one gets to her!" The servants did as they were told with Belle looking at the Beast with forlorn eyes.
"The Heartless have already entered the castle." Rain declared and Sora nodded.
"Okay, we need to take care of the Heartless outside and inside." He stated. "Any ideas?"
"Claudio and I will deal with those on the outside." Rain answered.
"And that leaves the four of us to deal with anyone that gets by you two." Riku said.
"Won't be that many my friend." Claudio called back as he took Rain's hand. They stepped up to the window ledge and dove off the castle to meet the encroachers below.
"To the entrance hall!" Beast growled at the Keyblade Warriors, who had their blades drawn. "Now!"
KHKHKH
Only a small portion of the mob made it into the castle, Gaston accompanied by a few Heartless. The remaining Frenchmen and Heartless were about to chair when two people descended from the castle parapets, a tall man with silver-blue hair and a short woman with auburn hair. They both fell from extreme heights and landed with inhuman grace, no injuries or pain about them whatsoever.
"You two!" A particularly brave Frenchman declared. "Are you allies with the Beast? Speak now!"
Rain looked at them with her normally tame eyes, now possessed of an inner ferocity. "Beast? No, we're not allies with the Beast." She answered drawing confused mutterings from the crowd. "We are allies with Prince Adam but not with you lot, not with the true beast of the land!" Her statement took the mob aback and even Claudio looked at her with fresh eyes, seeing a fire in her that he thought was long extinguished. "Prince Adam…or the Beast, whatever you wish to call him, he never did anything to hurt you. But simply because he's different you get up in arms and think you have the right to storm the castle and kill him! What gives you that right?"
"He's a Beast ma'am, and we're men." One of the men replied and both Claudio and Rain sneered at him.
"Look at what you are associating yourself with!" Rain roared at him, all eyes on the Heartless now. "No true men would ally with the Heartless, they would try to protect their homes from them. They are your true enemies! The Heartless and Gaston!" The crowd looked at each other uncertainly and mumble quietly but they made no move to or away from the castle. The Heartless though…they were a different story.
"Rain, love. While I admire this fire in you heart," Claudio stated to his wife, shouldering his blade. "It seems the Heartless weren't moved by it the same way the Frenchies were." He revved his trigger a few times and eyed the marching force of darkness with a warrior's eyes. "So enough philosophy, more killing!"
She sighed. "I guess we have no choice. But don't harm any humans, they're just pawns for the Heartless and Gaston."
"You're no fun," he mumbled, stepping forward to meet his enemies… and was greeted by a barrage of arrows from the leather-wrapped Heartless, Arrow Scouts. Several hundred arrows flew through the air and littered his body, he brushed each one aside but more just took there place.
"Damn things," he cursed loudly. "Rain! Assistance!"
Rain smiled slyly as she stepped forward, her hand charged with scarlet energy. "7 Rose Draw #5: Shield of the Scarlet Flowers!" She traced her hand in the shape of a shield and a blood red barrier erected itself in front of her as she stepped forward to take the arrow barrage with her shield. Any thing that touched the barrier was vaporized in an instant as she continued her march. The Frenchmen were smart enough to step out of the way but the Heartless were vaporized, stupidly wandering into her shield.
"Time to end this!" She took her mark and darted forward, crushing any Heartless in the path of the shield, carving a massive scar away from the swathe of the Heartless. By the time she reached the end of the bridge, the shield shattered and she warped back to Claudio. Despite this impressive show of power, the Heartless continued to march…but a few of the mob members started to slowly break rank.
"It'll take forever if you keep that up, dear." Claudio said as he fended off a line of Soldiers approaching their position. "And I don't think you have the energy. I could take them out…if someone hadn't forbade me from hurting the humans."
"Don't worry. I got a plan."
"You don't have enough energy to Draw each man out of the mob."
"No." She smiled slyly again. "I got a better idea. Just be ready to use the Hell's Butterfly when I say so." He looked at her strangely but nonetheless, started to rev up the High Streak until it was covered in a blanket of crimson energy, crackling with the furious might of a storm.
She pointed her blade, Scarlet Queen, at the advancing mob and began to shine with a violet aura. "Aeroga!" A gale blew out from the tip of her blade, engulfing the mob, she manipulated the wind so that it only picked up the mob members. Any Heartless that was accidentally snatched up were destroyed by the whipping winds. She had the entirety of the human portion of the mob in the gale and then un-ceremonially dumped them on the far border of the forest.
Claudio stepped forward and smirked at the remaining foes, all Heartless, all fair game. "Prism Chain Arts, Finisher Style: Hell's Butterfly!" The red-and-black blade beam flew out to meet the Heartless force and instantly obliterated each one, sending them back into the darkness. When they finally were all gone, the beam swooped up from the bridge and exploded into panoply of red and black energy, taking the form of a black swallowtail butterfly.
"God, what a sight for sore eyes." He said sentimentally. Rain walked up to him and smiled wearily before collapsing. "Rain!"
"Don't worry, just used to much energy in that Aero spell." She managed, smiling wearily as Claudio cradled her in his arms. "Those guys just really got to me."
"Yeah, what was up with that? I haven't seen you that worked up in a long time."
She sighed sadly. "Just the way they treated him because he was different, makes me think of Traverse Town…all those years…Mia…" Claudio grinned lazily.
"Oh, that." She frowned and smacked him lightly on the head. "I love you too dear." He then leaned in a kissed her on the lips. Rain resisted at first but soon was swept up in her own emotions and moaned softly as Claudio showed her why she fell in love with him in the first place.
KHKHKH
Meanwhile in the castle, Beast, Riku, Sora and Kairi were all having a rather easy time beating back the Heartless wave. It wasn't an immensely powerful force so the battle was rather easy going for the crew. During this fight, Sora and Kairi decided to take Claudio's advice and try some new Elemental Composition and Form Manipulation out. Sora was able to cast Water, Aero, Haste and Shell while Kairi managed Magnet, Aero and Reflect. It got a little crazy with Sora creating a wall of fire to stop advancing Heartless and Kairi trapping a group of Heartless in an Aero cyclone while Riku used Dark Blizzaga, freezing them in a cone of purple ice. But they all failed to notice a certain Frenchman with a neat ponytail and a broadsword sneak by them and head up the staircase…
"BEAST!" A woman screamed. Everyone turned their heads to see Gaston hoisting a hostage Belle above on his shoulder and heading to the rooftop of the castle. "Help me! Beast!"
The Beast looked at the miserable, arrogant hunter stealing his love and snapped. He roared at the top of his lungs, a grand bellowing echoing off the rafters and shaking the castle to its foundation. The blast of anger destroyed several Heartless and Beast tore through the others in his mad charge.
"BELLE!!" He cried out, loping after Gaston and Belle.
"Beast, hold up!" Sora urged but he was too far gone to be reasoned with. Sora looked around the empty hall, it was pretty much devoid of Heartless, just a few droves left but he knew there was a chance they could propagate a prove a real menace.
Riku saw the concerned look in his eyes and spoke up. "You and Kairi go to help him, I'll take these guys on."
"Riku," Sora began. "They could multiply, I don't want you to get hurt."
"We'll stay with you and go help the Beast after." Kairi insisted but Riku shook his head again.
"I'll be fine alone." He said again. There was a mighty BANG as the hall doors swung open and Claudio and Rain walked in, the weather had now turned into a thunderstorm.
"Maybe mate, but we won't know that." Claudio said to the Keyblader. "'Cause Rain and I will be here for you." Sora and Kairi both smiled at the camaraderie but Rain snapped them out of it.
"Go now!" She said. "Beast is in need of help, isn't he?" The two nodded and went off to follow Gaston, Belle and Beast.
KHKHKH
Atop the roof, the thunder crackled in the sky as Gaston brandished his broadsword at the Beast who fought timidly at best, not wanting to really injure the arrogant fool of a hunter. Gaston's ponytail had come undone and a maddening look possessed his face. Combine this with the flashing lightning and he looked more a beast than Beast. Belle had escaped Gaston's clutches and now was watching helplessly on the sidelines.
He charged the former prince and smacked him in the side with the flat of his blade. The Beast didn't even move as he went down with a thud. "When you're gone Prince…Beast," he said, raising the blade above Beast's head. "Belle will be all mine!"
The sword cut through the air but Beast finally came to his senses and bowled into Gaston, tackling him down on the rooftop.
Sora and Kairi got up to the rooftop to join Belle as Gaston and Beast began to swing at each other with wild blows. "Belle!" Kairi said, seeing her fellow Princess. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," she said sullenly. "But Adam…I'm afraid of what might happen to him."
"He'll be okay." Sora reaffirmed. "Beast has had to deal with a lot harder things, I know he can do this."
At the roof's edge, Beast and Gaston were doing battle, swiping at each other with their claws and sword respectively. Beast was able to dodge the attacks but Gaston's fury and his reluctance to strike the hunter made him retreat amongst a line of angel statues. Gaston pursued, looking around the shadowy figures covered by the night. He thought he saw Beast and struck at it with his sword, chipping the head off a gargoyle with a clean cut.
"Do you think she'll love you now, Beast?" He taunted to the darkness, striking at each gargoyle he came across, getting closer to the inevitable end. "Do you think she'll stay with you? You're a monster! An atrocity! Answer me this! Who could ever love a Beast?"
Beast had it. He heard that statement to many times for his liking. He emerged from his hiding place, roaring and snarling in a mad rage and swatted at Gaston with one of his massive claws. The attack knocked the broadsword out of his hand, flinging it away off the roof. He then caught Gaston with a backhanded blow, sending him flying away and cracking his skull open, blood dripping from it.
Beast lumbered over to the downed member of Maleficent's Cabal, fuming and raging all the way. He grabbed Gaston by the throat and lifted him over the edge of the roof with little effort whatsoever. Gaston's eyes went as large as dinner plates and Sora, Kairi and Belle looked on in quiet horror.
"No! Please! Stop!" Gaston begged as he looked at the abyss below him. "I surrender! Please! I'll do anything!" Beast made no indication that he heard him.
"Don't do it Beast! He's not worth it!" Sora cried to his ally but he again made no motion to Sora's reaction.
"Adam! No!" Kairi shouted. Beast once again ignored her, preparing to drop Gaston over the edged and into oblivion.
"Adam! Please, don't do it! For me!" Belle cried out. This hit Beast true. Belle's soft and gentle voice finally reaching his ears. He couldn't perform such an action in front of her, no matter how much Gaston had wronged them.
He effortlessly tossed Gaston back to the castle roof and turned his back to him, approaching Belle. "Get out." He barked to the hunter.
Gaston propped himself up and glared at the Beast. He drew a dagger from his boot and then leapt upwards, plunging the dagger into Beast's backside…
Or he would have if a black, red and blue object didn't whiz through the air and catch him the shoulder. The force of the blow sent Gaston flying over and off the roof edge, plummeting to the ground below, screaming in terror all the while.
The Way to the Dawn boomeranged back to Riku's outstretched hand. He caught it and twirled it around, the four who were originally atop the roof looking at him with stunned faces.
"Riku…" Beast whispered harshly to the dark wielder. "In the short time you returned to my castle, you've saved both Belle and myself. I am truly sorry for the way I treated you." The Beast bowed deeply to the warrior but he waved the courtesy off.
"I told you," Riku replied coolly, walking to the castle edge. "Our debt is squared." The sky thundered again as it opened up and rain began to pour down on the warriors.
"Belle, I'm sorry," Beast apologized to his love. "I almost did something that I would never do. I could blame this form…but I just can't. I've always had a temper." She took her hands in his paws and looked her in the eyes. "Can you still love me…Beastly visage and temper and all?" He smiled sheepishly.
"Yes, Adam, of course I can." She embraced her love and he began to slowly twirl her around in a dance.
Kairi and Sora watched this spectacle and Kairi awed at the sight, placing her hands over her heart at the show of affection. Sora saw his chance.
"Kairi…" Sora began, nervous beyond all belief. He looked at her, even soaked by the rain and scraped up from battle; she was still the most beautiful thing imaginable. "Kairi, there is something I have to tell-"
"Hey there!" Claudio ringed, just arriving on the roof with Rain. "Everyone still alive up here?"
"Yeah Claudio," Kairi breathed, forgetting what Sora was saying. "Beast managed to beat Gaston!" Rain smiled slightly.
"All's well that ends well I guess." She said solemnly and motioned to the trapdoor back to the castle. "Now come, we still have a Keyhole to find."
Kairi walked off with Rain and Claudio walked to Riku, leaving Sora in a blank stupor as his 'opportune moment' was shattered.
'Not yet, my friend.' Roxas chimed in. 'Not yet.'
"Shut up Roxas," Sora mumbled sullenly.
Claudio had joined Riku up at the edge of the roof, seeing Gaston's dead body down on the ground, pretty much a ruined corpse. Several Shadow Heartless materialized in front of it and began to claw over the body, sniffing for a heart.
"Those who choose to dabble in darkness are doomed to fall into it." Riku stated sagely as he watched the Heartless prepare to tear their meal from Gaston.
Suddenly, in a wave of energy, the Shadows vanished and their red hearts floated in the air. They hovered in a moment and then drifted to a portal off in the shadows. They vanished into the portal and from out of the shadows stepped Creed.
"Guys, look!" Claudio cried to his allies as they rushed over to see the commotion.
Creed's hand pulsed with energy as he stiffened the fingers. "Sweet! A bunch of hearts for the taking and I didn't have to lift a finger, I'll have to thank the Keyblade Masters for all those slain Heartless. Man this rain is getting annoying, better get moving." He plunged his hand into Gaston's lifeless body. It entered a moment of spastic action before vanishing into darkness and Creed pulled out the red spiritual heart of the villain, causing it to vanish in a portal. "Hooray!" He declared unenthusiastically. "Now I get to go back to the base and sleep." He turned to leave but was blocked by three Keyblades and a stream of bullets.
He turned to see that Rain had teleported the entire group to the base of the castle, minus Belle who stayed behind at the Beast's insistence. Kairi, Riku and Sora re-summoned their Keyblades and the six looked at the Immortal with cold eyes.
"Oh, damn it!" Creed whined, blowing a soaking wet bang out of his face. "Why did this have to happen?"
"Shut up you whiney bastard!" Claudio snarled at the Immortal with the same fury he showed Kaiser and Ramziel. "It had to happen because you chose to mess with Beast and Belle!"
"Can't we just forget that?" Creed bemoaned. "You know, you forget that I tried to kill those two, I make for it and split from this world. Get everything nice and square?"
"Counter offer." Riku said to the Immortal, standing in his traditional combat stance. "We beat your ass until you give us the way to cure the Beast!"
Creed slouched over even more, his face falling flat and dead. He stood straight up, showing that he stood taller than Cassius, Ramziel, standing eye to eye with Claudio! He looked at the group with an annoyed distain.
"This day is just become one big, massive ass drag!"
To Be Continued
Wow, I think this is a pretty good chapter, shows that I won't cram every world into one single chapter.
I really enjoy writing for Creed. He's lazy, uninspired and overall just a slacker who would prefer to sleep when asked to doing a mission. Him and Kaiser are two of my favourite Immortals. Give me some feedback on the Immortals as they are introduced.
(A/N1): Hamlet: Best. Play. Ever.
Please Review
SirAngelo