Chapter 21

Sora proceeds through the west wing into The Beast's Room. The Beast is talking with a hooded visitor in front of the enchanted rose.

"It's time you dealt with Belle. She's scheming to take everything you have. This castle, your precious rose, and then-your life. Trust no one. Feed your anger! Only anger will keep you strong" said the hooded man.

"I've had enough of strength. There's only one thing I want-"

"What? To love, and be loved in return? Who could ever love a beast?" asked the hooded man

The Beast turns around and roars angrily. The hooded man notices Sora, Donald, and Goofy's entrance. They are ready to fight.

"See? She has accomplices" said the hooded man looking at the group.

The man forms a barrier protecting the area of the room with the rose, and he vanishes. The four walk over to the Beast.

"Hey, Prince!" greeted Sora

The Beast roars, the room shook stopping them in their tracks. They looked at the Beast surprised.

"Oh dear! Master!" exclaimed Cogsworth.

The Beast angrily slashes and growls at Sora and Donald, who leap out of the way. The Beast lets out another loud roar, and the fight ensues.

"Please, Master! Please! Compose yourself!" begged Cogsworth

Sora, Donald and Goofy got ready to protect themselves. Going against the Beast was harder as they thought. After several attempts Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Cogsworth help the Beast regain his senses.

"Cogsworth...what happened?" asked Beast

"Well, Master...ah, you see...that is... How shall I say...ah, actually...mmm..." said Cogsworth worriedly.

"Well, you put everybody down there in that dungeon!" yelled Donald.

"I did what?" asked Beast surprised.

"Ah...you did!" agreed Cogsworth.

The Beast looks at the floor, saying nothing.

"Who was that guy you were talking to? The one in black?" asked Sora trying to change the subject,

"Xaldin... that's his name. He came from the darkness... He...used my anger to control me. He took all my sorrow, my sadness, my pain-and turned it all into rage. There was nothing I could do... I could no longer see the truth" explained Beast as he looked at his hands and claws sadly.

"Well, I'll be. That must be why you threw all of your friends down there into the dungeon. You wanted to make sure that you didn't hurt 'em, right?" said Goofy trying to see the positive side of things.

"Was that it? Was it to protect them?" asked Beast

"Sure. We know you're good inside" commented Goofy.

"He's right, Master. We've all seen how kind you can be. After all...Belle can see the goodness in your heart, but I'm afraid you've yet to-"

"Belle!" exclaimed Beast and sighs as the group looked at him.

"I've mistreated her... I've mistreated her and been so selfish" blamed the Beast

"She didn't say anything about that" replied Sora

"She'd never tell anyone of my cruelty... She's too good" commented Beast

"You see, I'm afraid he judges himself far too harshly" mutters Cogsworth to Sora.

"Why don't you just go talk to her?" asked Sora looking at Beast.

"But..."

"No excuses! C'mon, we'll go with you" persuaded Sora.

The group proceeds to Belle's Room in the East Wing. Fighting heartless along the way. When they made it to the room. Belle nor was Andi there but the Wardrobe

"Master!" exclaimed the Wardrobe.

"Everybody's safe now" said Donald

"Wonderful! Thank you!" said Wardrobe.

"Where is Belle?" asked Beast.

"Why, she and Andi left in a hurry. Something about going after this...man in black" replied the Wardrobe.

"WHAT!? Why doesn't she do as she's told?" asked Beast frustrated.

"Temper, temper! Her spirit is what makes Belle so special" commented the Wardrobe.

"We'd better go find them!" said Sora as they race to the Entrance Hall.

"I'm warning you! You'll be sorry!" said Belle.

"Belle! Where are you?" yelled Beast as he and the others looked around them.

"Beast! Help! I'm in the ballroom!" replied Belle

Beast and the others turned their heads and looked at the large doors that stood in the middle of the East and West wing.

Belle runs across the ballroom floor, as Sora and crew enter.

"Belle!" yelled Beast

"I'm all right!"

Belle runs to the balcony door and closes it before the Shadow Stalker floats down in front of it, trying to go after her and slamming Andi into the door. It turns around and changes targets as Andi falls to the ground. It floats up to the large candelabra and drops down into the floor. Waves of darkness emanate through the ballroom, poisoning it. Donald jumps into Goofy's arms to get off the floor and Sora looking down, jumping and backing away from the darkened floor. The Shadow Stalker jumps back out of the floor as the dark pool climbs up the ballroom pillars. It covers the intricate painting on the ceiling and mutates the chandelier.

Andi stands up with her Keyblade and looks at Sora and the others.

"Sora, watch out this one is stronger than the last one" warned Andi as she was ready to fight.

The Shadow Stalker vanishes and gives a wavy look to the background. Donald starts using Thundera.

"Beast!" yells Sora.

Using the Twin Howl, Stalwart Fang and Last Howl which didn't really work. The Shadow Stalker possessed the wall showing its chains and a huge lightning shooting out. Its face hops up in the wall and comes out. It vanishes again and floats up.

The black chandelier comes down with a big boom making shock waves which Andi and Sora dodged by jumping it was also possessed by the Shadow Stalker. Andi jumped on to the chandelier and lifted her Keyblade up and stabbed it as rays of lightning where turning around in circles and Sora, Beast, Donald and Goofy trying to avoid getting hit. Sora hit it and used his Keyblade to get the Shadow Stalker which it did as Andi jumped off quickly as the chandelier shoot back up to the ceiling.

It vanished again and went up to the pillars ready to possess the wall again. But Andi stopped it and it disappeared under ground. Sora felt the ground move and saw a mouth appear as it chewed him and spited him back out. Sora was flown up and spined himself then landed on his feet. The Shadow Stalker appeared again then vanishes to the other side of ballroom and possessed the pillars which one turned black.

There was a shot of lightning as all the pillars started to move and scratch the floor with lightning at the bottom. Andi attacked the black pillar a few times then used her Keyblade as the light was shaped as a star. It came out and Sora and Andi joined together.

"Let's go" said Andi

Sora and Andi do a high five and Sora uses his Keyblade as Andi goes in a fast speed and attacks the Shadow Stalker into a X. (I call this Star Flight.) It vanishes again possesses the wall again. Andi was struck by the lightning with Beast. Andi did a flip and landed on her feet. The Shadow Stalker disappeared again and floated up again.

As Andi misses it. The chandelier slammed again and she dodged this once again and saw Sora being hit. She heard Goofy and Donald yell and guessed they were also hit. Andi jumped up on the Chandelier again and stabbed it. Sora and the others hit on the sides and were also hit by the Lightning. Andi jumped up pointing her back to the ceiling and used her Keyblade again. The Shadow Stalker vanished from the chandelier and Andi tried to block the chandelier from hitting her. Which she half succeeded. She jumped down as Sora hits the Shadow Stalker a few times and defeated it.

After a short battle, the Shadow Stalker spasms and covers itself in dark webs. The webs burst, revealing a Dark Thorn. It roars and Sora moves into action.

The Dark Thorn also vanished like the Shadow Stalker. I also made it easy for them to hit it than the floating ball. Andi and Sora joined up.

"Let's go" said Andi

And they both used Star Flight again. When it was over, the Dark Thorn landed in the middle. Sora jumped up on top of the Dark Thorn and jumped up to the chandelier and making the Dark thorn get shocked from the waves and spined it round with the Dark Thorn caught on it and being hit by the pillars. Making it fly and hit the wall. Sora pulled of the chandelier and the chandelier went up again. Andi went for an attack as Donald continued using Thundera. Sora joined up with Beast.

"Beast!"

They used the Twin Howl, Stalwart Fang and Last Howl making it hard for the Dark Thorn to dodge, block or attack. Sora and Andi hit a few times and also defeated it.

After a grueling battle with the monster, it roars and is obliterated. The ballroom returns to normal.

"We did it!" said Sora happy as he; Donald, Goofy and Andi did a victory stand.

"So you think" said Xaldin

The four look over at the door to the Entrance Hall and see Xaldin, still hooded.

"Xaldin!" growled Beast.

Sora and Beast run over to Xaldin, who disappears in a dark wave.

"Farewell"

They stop running. As they looked at the spot were Xaldin stood. Andi's Keyblade disappeared and crossed her arms almost pale and seemed to be thinking.

"What does he want here?" growled Beast.

"He must be with Organization XIII" replied Sora

Beast turned to Sora grunting.

"Ever heard of the Nobodies? When a strong-hearted person turns into a Heartless, a Nobody's created, too. See, the Organization...they've got control of all the Nobodies" explained Sora

"That's right. And they were gonna make you into a Heartless. That way, they could get that Nobody of yours and have control over it" said Goofy pointing at Beast.

Sora points at Goofy and nods.

"You're alright!" sighed Belle with relief as she walks back in from the balcony doors.

"Belle!" yelled Beast as he runs over to her. Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, Chip, and Cogsworth walk in.

"Belle... I-I'm sorry-I...wasn't myself. I hope I haven't done anything to hurt you" said Beast looking slightly hurt.

Belle smiles, making Beast smile back "Forgive me" asked Beast

"I know you weren't yourself. You don't have to apologize. But I had hoped...that you might have changed a little bit" replied Belle wagging her finger at him, who looks sheepish.

"I wish you could start trusting me" she said as she crosses her arms, Beast looks down.

"Oh, I am afraid time is running short" said Lumiere watching Belle and Beast.

"What do you mean?" asked Sora as he, Andi, Donald and Goofy looked at him.

"Remember the rose?" asked Lumiere as he, Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth and Chip turned toward them.

"From the Beast's room?" asked Donald

"Precisely. You see. If the master can learn to love, and earn love in return, before the last petal falls..." said Cogsworth

"...the spell will be broken" finished Lumiere

"Really? You think he's gonna make it?" asked Sora looking at them with his back hands on his hips.

"We think so" replied Mrs. Potts as she rubs up against Chip.

"Yep, I think you're right" laughed Goofy.

"I HOPE you're right..." replied Sora looking at Belle and Beast again as he waves his arms.

Sora's Keyblade appears. The rose glass in Beast's room floats into the air. The Keyblade emits a bright light. Sora opens another gateway. Beast and Belle walk over to the group.

"What happened?" asked Beast

"The gate is open!" replied Donald as he points up and opens his arms.

"Do you have to go?" asked Belle

"Yeah" answered Sora

"Now, no more arguin', okay?" said Goofy.

The Beast looks at Belle, and then looks away.

"We'll see to it" replied Lumiere as he bowed.

"Take care, dears" said Mrs. Potts.

"You're welcome here anytime" replied Cogsworth

"If you hear anything about Riku or the King, the Heartless, the Organization-anything at all-let us know!" said Sora

Belle and Beast nod.

"Okay, gotta go!" said Sora as he, Donald, Andi and Goofy wave

"Bye bye!" said Donald.

Andi looked at Belle and smiled nodding. Belle smiled back and nodded back. The four of them left the Castle as they went to the Castle gate. Andi deep in thought, Sora looked at her and stopped and watched her pass by him. He tilted his head alittle curious. Andi thought about what Xaldin said in the ballroom.

Flashback

Xaldin laughs as Andi and Belle ran in the ballroom. Andi turned and looked up. Andi got ready to fight and glared at him.

"Now what would Roxas say about this?" asked Xaldin.

Andi looked at Xaldin and lowered her Keyblade down alittle.

"Roxas" whispered Andi.

Xaldin laughed again and looked down at Andi. Andi looked down as Belle looked at her.

"No you're just playing with my head" snapped Andi glaring again.

Xaldin chuckled and shrugged shaking his head.

"Guess you'll learn the truth the hard way" said Xaldin.

He snapped his finger and appeared the Shadow Stalker.

"Andi..."

Andi snapped out of the flashback and looked at Sora. She looked sheepish and avoided eye contact as Sora walked up to her and looked at her.

"You ok?" asked Sora worriedly.

"Why do you ask?" asked Andi trying to smile.

"Because you're kinda pale"

Andi looked at Sora's eyes and slowly wrapped her arms around him and hide her face in his chest.

Donald and Goofy stopped and turned at them.

"Ah should we leave them alone?" asked Goofy.

Donald nodded and they continued to the Gummi Ship. Sora heard her crying softly. He frowned and looked down at her and hugged her and dug his face in her hair which smelled like pear butter. She pushed back alittle after a few minutes of crying and wiped her eyes looking at Sora. He smiled at her and gave her a nice bear hug.

"Come on" he said.

She smiled and the four leave Beast's Castle and they notice something odd about the Gummi Ship.

"Huh?" wondered Goofy.

"Hey, wait a minute... Is the ship moving all on its own?" asked Sora

"Yup! Looks like we're headed toward Hollow Bastion" replied Goofy.

The ship docks in Hollow Bastion and they get off at the Borough...

To Be Continued...

Author's Notes: Is Andi really finding the secrets about Roxas? And if she does will she believe it? And what's going on with Sora and Andi's friendship? And the ship moving itself?! Guess we'll find out in the next chapter. But now enjoy this chapter.