Everywhere were dead men and living shadows. Her beloved husband was dead, as were her poor sweet children. It was too much. Were the gods so sick? Have they truly taken everything away? Black claws tore at her face and she could taste sour blood on her lips; she didn't know whether she was sobbing or laughing. The fact that she had lost everyone and everything she loved so soon, so easily, was so tragic as to be funny. Plus those claws tickled!
"She's gone mad!" came a far-off voice. "Sod it, then! The shadows take her!"
She felt strong hands lift her up by the hair and wondered what was going on. Were they going to cut off her hair? But her hair was so long and lovely, her husband said so once. No, they weren't after her hair, thank god. Heartless lust after only one thing.
"Make an end of it, Heartless."
But it wasn't the end. She woke up to a foreign afterlife instead. She thought her new life wasn't too bad, wondered around until she entered the largest, most important-looking building she saw, and inquired about a job. She worked hard, she bided her time, she backstabbed and spread rumors, she received promotions; she became Vice Mayor of Dark City Government. She liked being Vice Mayor of Dark City Government; it was much better than her prior occupation - more fun, less hassle. She would hate to lose everything she earned as a Nobody on account of some harebrained scheme...
"Your scheme's just as harebrained!" muttered the duck testily.
Talia snapped out of some other woman's memories. "What was that?"
"Um … Donald here was wonderin' why you hafta use Maleficent so bad," the dog spoke for his friend. "If it's just about stopping the mayor, then…"
"It must be done," Talia explained. "Maleficent is our best alibi, don't you understand? Using her, we can sabotage the mayor's plan and make it look like bad luck. But first, we need to lure her here with her familiar." Who would be suspicious if Maleficent were to invade the Castle that Never Was? No one. She claimed it as hers, after all. What if she were to reclaim it while Roxas were there? Bad timing, but it happens. What if she were to engage Roxas, one-on-one? Expected. What if Roxas were to die in battle? Exactly as planned. But the duck and dog need not be alerted of this last option.
"If getting Maleficent away from Rose helps her somehow …" murmured the dog.
"It'll wake her up. The curse will lift the moment Maleficent exits her homeworld," she lied. The girl could be dead, for all she knew.
"And if not?" muttered the duck. He saw through her lies.
"Maleficent's absence will make it easier for loved ones to tend to the princess," she claimed. Maybe not. Most likely not. Talia cared not.
"She's right, Donald!" the dog said blithely. "With Maleficent gone, the fairies can help her!" He grew pensive. "Gee … maybe the reason why they haven't helped her so far is 'cause they're too busy fighting Maleficent!"
"If you say so, Goofy," sighed the duck.
The dog then lost his glee. "What if it doesn't work?"
"Huh?"
"What if Maleficent doesn't want her familiar back?" the dog gulped.
"She will. Don't worry, Goofy, I know these things."
Those two were dawdling too long, bantering like puppets in a sideshow; were they trying to stall for time? Enough was enough. She had other errands to run. "Must I remind you of our contract? Must I remind you that we are on a time limit?" Talia said. At once she opened a dark corridor, demonstrating her power and impatience.
The duck wilted at the sight, reminded of his part in making that contract. "C'mon Goofy, let's get that familiar and get help for Aurora," he sighed as he stepped through.
His friend did not step through. Instead the dog regarded her with wary eyes. "Um … if you don't mind me asking …" he wondered. He sounded curious.
"What is it?"
"If you're worried about the mayor's plan not working, why don't you take it up with 'im?" the dog mumbled. He flinched at her glare. "I was just wonderin'..."
Talia snapped, "Didn't you think I tried? Men are stubborn pigs." This was true for noble husbands, righteous sons, and asinine politicians. Her glare prodded the dog into the portal.
When he was gone, Talia allowed herself a small sigh of relief. Maybe Maleficent could kill them off.
It was a dark and quiet night when Donald and Goofy arrived at King Stefan's castle. No torches were lit, and not one person was bustling about, though there were people everywhere. In the air, enchantment lurked like a lullaby. It had lyrics:
Sleeping Beauty fair…
Gold of sunshine in your hair…
Lips that shame the red, red rose…
Dreaming of true love in slumber repose…
"Gawsh, what happened to everyone?" wondered Goofy, awed.
"Magic," observed Donald. It had put everyone to asleep.
They slept on stone floors or wooden chairs. They slept standing up, lying down, or crouched forward, hands wrapped around curled-up knees. They slept clutching banners, cups, poleaxes, or each other. Everyone slept: noblemen and peasants, splendid kings and spoony bards. The walls themselves appeared to sleep too, its torches unlit, its tapestries limp. The enchantment had seeped everywhere.
One day, he will come…
Riding out of the dawn…
And you'll awaken to love's first kiss…
Till then, Sleeping Beauty, sleep on…
"Who did this?" wondered Goofy. "Not Maleficent. The fairies?"
Donald nodded. Why on earth would Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather want to put an entire castle under such enchantment? No matter. "They gotta be 'round here somewhere, Goofy!"
Goofy cheered up. "Hey! Maybe they can help us with Talia!"
That cheered Donald up. "C'mon Goofy, let's search this castle!"
And off they went dungeon … er, castle-crawling, thankfully immune to the magic which swirled around them inaudible, but like music nonetheless.
One day you'll awaken to love's first kiss…
Till then, Sleeping Beauty, sleep on.
They found them on the highest balcony overlooking the largest courtyard. So engrossed were they in enchanting the remaining the humans below, a mere ahem from Donald was enough to shock their wings off (almost). "Heavens!" gasped Flora.
"What are you doing here?" demanded Merryweather.
"This is out of the blue…" regarded Fauna.
Their naïveté sent Donald into an indignant squawking fit and Goofy into a befuddled, blank-eyed gaze; so, they never even noticed the summons?
After a while Goofy asked, "Um … how come you put all 'em people there to sleep?"
"No no no!" Donald yelled. "You're supposed to ask why they ignored us!"
Flora turned pale. Fauna teared up. Merryweather looked like someone turned Donald's and Goofy's clothing into ugly shades of pink. "Well, um ... we forgot?" said Fauna.
"We were busy," mumbled Merryweather.
"You asked us why we put everyone to sleep," explained Flora. "We have a very good reason!"
Donald was curious enough to give the fairies their hearing while Goofy guessed, "Is it 'cause of Rose?"
"Good, then you know. This is all for the sake of Rose," said Flora somberly. She swept a hand around their sleeping surroundings. "As long as she sleeps, the entire castle sleeps with her."
Donald and Goofy could not fathom such logic. "Huh?"
"When the curse is broken, everyone will wake with her," reassured Flora, "as though nothing happened."
"That way, we can spare them the pain," sniffed Fauna. She wiped her left eye. "Oh, those poor dears … her poor parents … what if they don't wake up?"
What pain? Donald thought. Then he knew. Wouldn't it be nice to snooze until Roxas turns back to Sora?
"You guys must love Aurora very much," Goofy stated, "to do something like that."
"Yeah, and ignore King Mickey," Donald muttered. Fauna burst into tears.
Flora and Merryweather gathered around her, consoling her, hugging her, telling her it wasn't her fault. "No, no … it's not that. It's not that at all. I know what we did wasn't right," she blubbered. "It's just that …" She trailed off, then started again. "It's just that … you're right. We do. We love Aurora very much." She sniffled. "When she fell under the curse, we thought about how wrong it was to defy His Highness, but then we'd think of Aurora, then we couldn't think at all."
Once upon a time, he acted instead of thought too, Donald remembered. It was on a Friday. At a church whose architectural style was not much different from here. It was guilt-inducing. Suddenly he didn't feel so indignant. Guess I was too hard on 'em.
"It was wrong for us to ignore King Mickey, we know," Flora went on. "We accept any punishment for our wrongdoing. We mean it. Just -"
"Just let us save Rose first!" interrupted Merryweather. She flitted towards Donald, agitated. "Can't you see that? Can King Mickey – did he sent you here?"
"We were -" the duck began, but the dog interrupted. "Yeah! We were sent here to help you!" Goofy quipped. "We're gonna help you defeat Maleficent, save Briar Rose, and get her together with Prince Philip, a-hyuck!"
Merryweather wondered, "You were?"
Fauna blurted out, "How did you know about Prince Philip?"
Donald asked, "We are?"
Flora, delighted, asked, "Was that why you came to this world?" As quick as a breeze, she flew up to the two heroes and planted wet kisses on their cheeks. "Thank you! Thank you!" she cried. "King Mickey is too kind!"
Goofy beamed, while Donald grinned nervously and muttered, "Oh boy. Excuse us a bit." He dragged his friend off to one side. "Goofy, you sure about this?"
"Sure I'm sure! I'm very sure!"
"What about that woman? She might be … spying on us or something!"
"So?" The knight patted the duck's head. "There's a reason why we went through that stuff with Talia, Donald … so that we would end up here." His put up his finger in an "ah-ha!" pose. "It was fate!"
"Yeah, but …" Donald thought about poison water and poisoned syringes.
The knight wrinkled his snout. "Aw, can't we do both?"
Now there was an idea! Instead of wallowing in poison-laced hatred, why not try to make something good come out of Dark City? Why not try to get Diablo and Briar Rose? Sora would have liked that - don't think of Sora like that.
Donald nodded. "Yeah! Let's do both. We'll show that old witch! Flora, Fauna, Merryweather, you can count on us!" he told the fairies.
Here was the lowdown on the current situation, as summarized by the fairies:
Once upon a time, a princess was born. Her royal parents had a celebration held in her honor. Guests included everyone of every station throughout the kingdom, as well as the king and prince of a neighboring kingdom.
Their royal highnesses, King Hubert and Prince Philip!
Long have their fathers dreamed of uniting their kingdoms through their children. Thus were Princess Aurora and Prince Philip betrothed. Had times been fairer, they would have met several times as children and youths. They would have grown to love one another.
To her his gift he brought, and looked, unknowing, on his future bride.
Unfortunately, Maleficent happened, and fate was averted. To protect Aurora, the fairies spirited her away and raised her in secret. The princess never got the chance to know her heritage or her betrothal. Unlike most young ladies, she was unhappy to discover she was a princess, promised to a prince, because she had met someone else in the woods …
But that's impossible! How could I marry a prince, I'd have to be...
A princess.
And you are, dear!
Princess Aurora. Tonight, we're taking you back to your father, King Stefan.
But, but I can't! He's coming here tonight, I promised to meet him.
I'm sorry, child, but you must never see that young man again.
Oh, no, no! I can't believe it. No, no!
Likewise, Prince Philip fell in love with someone he happened upon in the woods. His father was less than pleased. What of the betrothal? What of his rightful fate?
I don't know who she was … a peasant girl, I suppose.
A peasant g-g-girl? You're going to marry a … why Philip, you're joking!
Fortunately for everyone, fate tends to turn out well for Princesses of Heart. See, the "young man" and "peasant girl" turned out to be … Philip and Aurora! Everything would have turned out well and ironic were not for a spinning wheel and a curse coming true. Still, there was hope - love's first kiss will break the curse, and better yet, the fairies know his secret identity!
"So where's Prince Philip?" asked Donald.
"Philip should be at our cottage," said Flora. "We just learned of Philip from King Hubert, you know, as we enchanted him to sleep."
"Let's go, a-hyuck!" agreed Goofy.
And off they went, the fairies flying ahead and glowing like beacons.
As they traversed, Donald explained recent events – Jasper Reddison, Crypus Thorson, Rufaus Reddison, W. S. Johnson, Talia Katherine, and the latter's plans. For Fauna's sake, he occluded Sora and his metamorphosis into Roxas.
"If Lady Katherine wants Maleficent in her world," snorted Merryweather, "She's welcome to her!"
"So, we were wondering if … uh, if you can help get us here," began Donald. "Since …"
"Since Maleficent is powerful and stuff!" finished Goofy. "I mean, Sora and Donald and I barely won against her in Hallow Bastion! And she came back anyway!"
"Gladly! It's our fault she's back," Merryweather replied. "She used our memories as a component in her resurrection! The nerve! Can you imagine that?"
"Is that how she came back? 'Cause I thought it was Diablo – "
"Yeah, her crow Diablo," Donald managed to butt in. "We need to get him." But Merryweather was too incensed to listen.
"Oooh, that nasty crow!" frowned the blue fairy. "When I get my hands on him, I'll …"
"Here we are, dears!" Fauna interrupted. The party arrived at a humble-looking cottage in a woodland clearing. Donald let out a quack of relief; things were going to turn out fine. Then they went in and things went to pot again. Philip was not inside, but his hat was. It sat on the floor, amidst overturned furniture, evidence to a kidnapping.
"Oh no!" cried the fairies. "Maleficent!"
"Aw phooey!" cried Donald. "She got to him first!"
"What do we do now?" worried Goofy.
"She must have taken him to the Forbidden Mountain," noted Flora. Noting Donald's and Goofy's puzzled looks, she explained, "Her stronghold on this world."
"Aw phooey," repeated Donald. Of course it wasn't going to be so simple. He sighed. "Lead the way, ladies. We need to get Philip."
This time they didn't chat. This time they hurried as quickly as they could.
Donald blinked at the decrepit entrance. Why wasn't he surprised? They were going to have to come here eventually, to get a certain creature named Diablo. Next to him, Goofy gulped and the fairies cowered. Forbidden Mountain appeared to yawn before them, threatening to swallow them whole.
"We can't pass here, not right now," said Flora, "but we can do this." Out came her wand and lo! Out materialized a shining shield and sword. These she offered to Goofy. "Give Prince Philip this enchanted shield of virtue and this mighty sword of truth," she told him. "These weapons of righteousness will help him triumph over evil."
"Leave it to us!" assured Goofy, accepting the weapons.
It was obvious what Philip was supposed to do with the shield and sword. Donald decided to not worry about it. We can't let him kill Maleficent … but we can't let him be unarmed. We'll say the sword and shield are to help him fight his way out.
"Hide, dears!" urged Flora. She and her fellow fairies became very small. Instinctively, Donald turned himself and Goofy invisible. In front of them appeared a pig-snouted minion. It wasn't very attentive, thank goodness.
No time like now. Taking Goofy by the hand, Donald ran past the pig into Forbidden Mountain.
Donald was sure they traversed worse (if less garishly-lit) places before. Hallow Bastion was worse. Hallow Bastion was less well-lit. Hallow had Heartless; this place had none! Then again, Hallow Bastion had Sora. "I miss Sora," he whispered.
"Me too," Goofy whispered back. "It's weird not having 'im lead us."
Exploring new places and searching for treasure chests just weren't as fun without Sora around. Sora would have not let the ugly green lighting creep him out. And Sora had always been the best fighter among them. If the two were to see Maleficent at this point, face to face …
They finally saw her, though she never saw them. They finally saw her … content for once. Lounging on her throne, she petted a huge black bird. Below, her minions rejoiced around a big bonfire. Witnessing her … well, her blissful ignorance, Donald felt a pang of pity for ol' Pete. No wonder he got lazy and fat … fatter than usual, anyway.
"What a pity Prince Phillip can't be here to enjoy the celebration," she cooed to her pet raven. "Come, we must go to the dungeon and cheer him up."
Her pet raven! Diablo! There's the familiar! Donald could hardly believe it. So, it existed. So, it had to be captured somehow. That meant getting it away from Maleficent. Or getting close to Maleficent.
Maleficent got up and began to walk off in a certain direction. She crow flew after her. Eyes only on the familiar, Donald followed. Eyes only on the witch, Goofy followed too. The minions were too drunk on feasting and dancing to notice anything.
Down stairways and darkened halls they followed (no greenish torchlight here – thank goodness). The surroundings got bleaker and bleaker until Donald knew that they were in the dungeon. Maleficent opened a decrepit wooden door and went inside - then shut it behind her.
"Aw, nuts!" muttered Donald; Diablo was inside too. Meanwhile, Goofy leaned against the door and listened the best he could.
"Oh come now, Prince Phillip, why so melancholy? A wondrous future lies before you. You, the destined hero of a charming fairy tale come true," came sibilant words.
A pause, then:
"Behold, King Stefan's castle, and in yonder topmost tower, dreaming of her true love, the princess Aurora. But see the gracious whim of fate. Why, 'tis the self same peasant maid, who won the heart of our noble prince but yesterday. She is indeed most wondrous fair. Gold of sunshine in her hair, lips that shame the red, red rose. In ageless sleep she finds repose. The years roll by, but a hundred years to a steadfast heart are 'bout a day. And now, the gates of the dungeon part, and the prince is free to go his way. Off he rides on his noble steed…"
What was Maleficent doing? Another pause, then:
"A valiant figure, straight and tall, to wake his love with love's first kiss, and prove that true love conquers all." Her last words were tinged with cruelty.
Sounds of struggling ensued. Whatever Maleficent did, it sure wasn't nice! Donald grabbed the doorknob in anger. "Why that -"
"Come, my pet. Let us leave our noble prince with these happy thoughts. A most gratifying day."
Thinking quickly, Donald recast invisibility. When the door swung back, he and Goofy went unnoticed, but that was probably due to oversight as much as magic. "For the first time in sixteen years, I shall sleep well," Maleficent cooed happily. Obliviously.
Donald motioned for his friend to follow. Now was the chance to follow that witch and nab that familiar of hers -
"Goofy, what are you doing?"
Goofy, poised at the door, fumbled with a thin wire. "Kinda hard..."
"Goofy, we have to get the bird!"
Goofy, ignoring Donald, continued to fumble with his makeshift lock-pick. "Little help here?"
"Ooooh…!" Luckily, Donald kept his temper. "Goofy, we have to remember our mission here. We have to get -"
"Prince Philip outta here quick, a-hyuck! We can't just leave 'im after all the nasty things Maleficent said to 'im!"
"Uh … yeah." The raven was getting farther away! "What about Diablo?"
"Let's get Philip first! He can help us nab Diablo!"
Oh yeah! Goofy had a point. They might as well rescue the prince now (being outside his cell and all) and snatch the (now faraway) bird later. Mumbling, Donald tried to recall what he could of magic that could unlock doors.
A Keyblade sure could come in handy right now, he grumbled.
Some time passed. Eventually Donald remembered; eventually the door creaked open. Inside, they espied a young man in fine clothes and chains. "More woodland critters," mused the man drowsily. "I must be going mad."
"Nah," Goofy replied. "We're friends of the fairies!"
"Fairies?" The man did not understand. "Woodland sprites? Forest nymphs?" He smiled wryly. "I truly must be going mad."
"Nope!"
"But … you're clearly a hound, and your friend is a waterfowl! Yet you talk."
"Um…" Goofy marveled at his keen observation. "First time anyone brought that up."
"We're friends of Aurora," elaborated Donald. "No time to explain!" He tried to remember what he could of magic that could weaken chains.
As Donald worked on the chains, Goofy took out the shield and sword. "These are for you," he told the prince. Philip accepted the weapons heartily.
Uh-oh again, Donald gulped. Oh well. We just have to keep him from Maleficent. Get him to Aurora. Let him kiss Aurora. We can sneak back and nab Diablo while he's with Aurora.
The chains gave. Prince Philip, made hale by hope, joined the party. Donald motioned for him and Goofy to follow him out. Time to skedaddle out of here, but not before first meeting –
"DIABLO!"
"CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW CAW!"
What luck! "I'VE GOT 'IM!" Blizzaga!
"CAW CAW CAW CAW!"
What bad luck! Missed! Swift as a swallow, the crow flew away. The pig-faced minions it brought with him stayed, however. Snarling and growling, they readied their pitchforks.
"Nuts!" Donald chafed. He readied his staff. "Goofy, Prince Philip … we've got company!"
