Chapter 19 To Save the Beast

"Please allow our guests to past." Cogsworth ordered the suits of armor that blocked the stairs. The suits complied and stood aside.

"Man. Who hasn't been cursed in this castle?" Sora asked.

"No one I'm afraid. Belle is the only human living here at the moment." Cogsworth said sadly.

Cogsworth lead the group up the stairs and through the west wing, which was more damaged than the east wing with claw marks everywhere.

"Did the Heartless do this?" Goofy asked.

"No. This was done by the master." Cogsworth said.

"The Beast did this?" Sora asked surprised.

"Ever since he was cursed, the spoiled and selfish personality was replaced by anger and regret. He tends to vent his frustrations out in the west wing where he sleeps." Cogsworth explained.

"Beast…" Sora muttered

"Anyway, the master's bedroom is straight ahead." Cogsworth said pointing to the door ahead.

"Great then lets…" Sora was cut off by sounds from the other side of the door. Everyone else head it to. It sounded like people talking. One was definitely the Beast, but who was the other?

"The master hates company. Who cold be in there with him?" Cogsworth whispered as Sora and Kaze crept up to the door for a better hearing with everyone else right behind them.

"It's time you dealt with Belle. She's scheming to take everything away from you. This castle, your precious rose, and then…your life." An unknown voice said. "Trust no one. Give into your anger. Only anger will make you strong."

"I've had enough of strength. There is only one thing I want." The Beast sighs.

"To what? To love and be loved in return? Who could ever love a Beast?" The man mocked causing the Beast to roar at him.

'There is no way that is Pete. Is it Vanitas? No that doesn't sound like him. It must be the Organization!' Sora thought before busting open the door. Whoever it was, it was bad news no doubt.

Sora bolted into the room with the rest following in surprise to Sora's actions.

Sora ran across the destroyed bedroom where he saw Beast standing in front of the Rose from before and next to him…was a man in a black coat.

"Beast! Don't listen to him!" Sora cried out.

"You see? She has accomplices." Xaldin said as he vanished in a corridor of darkness.

"Beast, who was that guy?" Sora asked as he slowly approached him.

"Sora, get back!" Kaze warned as the Beast suddenly roared with a dark aura engulfing him.

"Oh dear, Master!" Cogsworth cried out.

Sora jumped back to avoid a slash from the Beast's claws.

"Beast! It's us!" Sora called out but the Beast wasn't listening.

"Has he turned into a Heartless already?" Sakura gasped.

"No, but he might soon." Corrin said.

Beast charged at the group but Cogsworth intercepted ringing his bells and shouting. "PLEASE MASTER PLEASE! COMPOSE YOURSELF!" He shouted.

Beast stuttered for a moment as Cogsworth ran up to him.

"Master, are you alright?" Cogsworth asked.

"Leave…NOW!" The Beast shouted as he slapped Cogsworth away, but was caught by Sora.

"We can't keep dodging him forever. If we can't snap him out of it, we will have to take him down." Kaze warned.

"I know but…There has to be something we can do." Sora said.

"Wait a minute. Cogsworth's voice did reach Beast for a moment. Maybe if he had a little extra push, it could get through to the Beast." Jiminy said hopping on Sora's shoulder.

"What kind of push?" Sora asked.

"Your Keyblade. The Keyblade can connect to one's heart. If you use it to assist Cogsworth. It might wake Beast up." Jiminy said.

"Okay then. I'll wear him down. You get Cogsworth ready." Corrin said as he gripped his Dragonstone.

With a flash of light, Corrin transformed into a dragon. Sakura and Kaze looked on in surprise. Corrin looked just like Kamui did when she transformed back in Hoshido. Though the main difference was that Corrin seemed to be in control of himself as opposed to Kamui. When they get a chance, they would have to talk to him about it.

Dragon Corrin charged and wrestled with the Beast as Sora set Cogsworth down and summoned his Keyblade.

"Are you sure this will work?" Cogsworth asked.

"Honestly, I don't know." Sora admitted, "But it may be our best bet to save Beast."

Cogsworth nodded. "Very well then. I'll place my trust in you on this. Just let me know when you are ready."

Sora nodded as he tried to concentrate power on the Keyblade, causing the tip to light up.

'I want to save the Beast. I HAVE too save the Beast.' Sora thought. To be frank, he had no idea what he was doing, but the Keyblade seemed to be reacting to his thoughts and channeled his power into Cogsworth.

The Beast managed to throw Corrin back and got ready to charge again.

"Okay! Try it now Cogsworth!" Sora shouted.

Cogsworth nodded and ran up to the Beast. With Sora's power flaring around his small body, Cogsworth called out again.

"PLEASE MASTER PLEASE! COMPOSE YOURSELF!" He shouted as light energy flared out as Cogsworth rang his bells again.

The light knocked the Beast down and the dark aura subsided.

The Beast groaned as he pulled himself together. "Sora, Corrin, Donald, Goofy?" He asked noticing the familiar faces.

"Beast! You're okay!" Sora cheered as Corrin returned to normal.

"Cogsworth…what happened?" The Beast asked.

"Well master…ah, you see…that is…How shall I say…ah, actually…mmm…." Cogsworth began trying and failing to find the best way to tell the Beast what was going on.

"Well for starters, you put everyone down there in that dungeon!" Donald pointed out.

"I did what?" Beast gasped.

"Yes…you did." Cogsworth admitted as Beast looked down in shame.

"Hey, who was that guy you were talking to? The guy in black." Sora asked.

"Xaldin!" Beast gasped.

"Xaldin?" Corrin asked.

"Yes. That's his name. He came from the darkness…He…. used my anger to control me." He growled before he slumped down again. "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." Beast said sadly.

"Well maybe that's why you put all of them in that dungeon. You didn't want to hurt them." Goofy said.

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

"Of course. We know that deep down you are a good person." Corrin offered.

"He's right master. We've seen the goodness in your heart, as did Belle. But I'm afraid that you have yet to…" Cogsworth began but Beast cut him off.

"Belle!" Beast gasped. "I've mistreated her. I've mistreated her and been so selfish."

"She never said anything like that." Sora offered.

"Of course, she wouldn't. She's too kind to tell anyone of my cruelty." Beast argued.

"I'm afraid he judges himself far too harshly." Cogsworth whispered to the group.

"Y-You kind of sound like someone I know from back home." Sakura muttered. "He acts cruel and mean to others because of ether distrust or his own insecurity, but deep down he is a great person and doesn't seem to realize it."

Beast blinked and noticed two more people with Sora's group. "Who are you?"

"This is Sakura and Kaze. They're with us." Corrin assured.

"Anyway, just go talk to her." Sora encouraged.

"But…" Beast began but Sora cut him off. "No excuses. Come on. We'll go with you."

Beast follows the group to the East Wing where Belle's room was located. However, instead of finding Belle, they only found the Wardrobe in her room.

"Master!" Grande Bouche cheered.

"Everyone is free." Donald said.

"Wonderful. Thank you all very much." Grande Bouche said.

"Where's Belle?" Beast asked.

"She ran off just a bit ago. Saying something about chasing after a man in black." Grande Bouche said much to the group's horror.

"WHAT?! Why doesn't see ever do what she is told?" Beast demanded.

"Temper, Temper." Grande Bouche scolded. "Her spirit is what makes Belle so special."

"Come on Beast. We better go find her before something bad happens." Sora offered making the Beast calm down a bit.

"Fine. Let's go." The Beast said as the group exited the bedroom.

The group headed back to the entrance of the castle.

"So, any idea where she could be?" Kaze asked.

Beast was about to speak when Belle's voice cut him off.

"I'm warning you! You'll be sorry!" Belle's voice echoed.

"Belle! Where are you?" Beast called out

"Beast help! I'm in the Ballroom!" Belle shouted.

Beast turned to the door in the center of the stairs.

"We need to hurry!" Beast demanded as the group followed him into the Ballroom.

The Ballroom was the only room in the castle that wasn't dark and gloomy like the rest with its more bright golden color as opposed to the dark coloring of the rest of the castle. Still, it did look like it hasn't been used for a long time. Belle was seen on the other side of the Ballroom running to the door at the other side that lead outside.

"Belle!" Beast cried out.

"I'm all right." Belle said as she opened the door, ran through it and closed it quickly. As she did, the group saw why she was running as a Heartless descended down. It looked like a Darkball Heartless in that it was a sphere shaped Heartless with tentacles sticking out of its body. The two on top were larger with a metal band around each of them while the other tentacles on the bottom were much smaller. The Heartless had two chains wrapped around its body.

"Kaze. Take Sakura and go to Belle's side." Corrin ordered.

"What? Lord Corrin, what are you saying?" Kaze demanded.

"Brother please. Let me help!" Sakura pleaded.

Corrin shook his head.

"I've been facing Heartless longer and I know full well what this thing is capable of. It's been a bit of a pattern here, but the Big Heartless we face like this are usually far stronger and way more dangerous than the ones that we face on the way here." Corrin said. He didn't mean to be rude, but he was rather worried that Sakura was going to get hurt if she battled this Heartless…or even worse.

"It might be for the best Sakura. Your currently level of magic aside, you don't have the mobility to handle something like this." Donald added.

B-But…" Sakura began

Sora placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll get your chance one day, I'm sure of it. But for now, just watch. I'll make sure our brother is safe." Sora assured.

Sakura was silent again. But she eventually nodded. She wasn't much of a help so far, and this thing looked frightening.

Kaze grabbed Sakura and headed to where Belle was. Belle opened the door and let Sakura through for safety. But before Kaze could get through, the Shadow Striker unleashed a dark aura that covered the room with darkness and blocked Kaze from the door and the Hoshidan Princess and Princess of Heart.

The rest of the group readied their weapons for the fight with the Shadow Striker.

And that's a wrap.

So, the Beast fight was short, but to be fair, it's short in the game as it's just snapping Beast out of it.

As for Sakura, I'm sorry, but there is no way Sakura can handle this boss. As I said, she doesn't have the mobility training that the others have and barely any spells. And with how much stuff this boss can do especially in its second form, I kind of had to remove her from this boss fight. I did consider removing Kaze as well, but with his ninja training, he can stand on his own much better, and I do need to show more of his stuff anyway, so I think he'd be a good support for this boss.

Don't worry though. Sakura will get her moments later on in the story.

Anyway, next chapter will be the boss fight and wrap up Beast's Castle's first visit. And yes, this world is split into two like the game. Granted the manga's version wasn't bad, but how Xaldin was dealt with was rather…odd and there is no way in hell that Sora and co are ready to fight someone at Xaldin's level and I am not doing a Deus Ex Mickey.

Anyway, be sure to follow and review and I will see you all next time.

Guestwithideas: I already have when Corrin will learn more about his parentage later on planned so I'm good. Thanks still.