A/N: Everything's gone nuts hasn't it? With the ambush by the Heartless in the forest. But I'm sure it was pretty predictable. Let's see what happens next now that Belle and Beast are getting along.
World: Ville De Roses
Three days have passed since the attack in the forest. Belle and Beast have been going along very well. I spent all my time in this world at the library, searching for information about freeing Aqua from the darkness, or the Shadowmoon. I've been through hundreds of books, but none of them carry any information I'm looking for. Why am I surprised? Ville De Roses isn't a major world that would know anything outside of it. Even if Belle is one of the seven princesses of heart, that changes nothing.
Back in the village, Gaston is pacing around in his usual hang out: The bar. The place is dark and abandoned, for it's closed for the night. Gaston is grumbling about Belle.
"How can she turn me down? ME! Gaston! The worlds greatest hunter! I will make her my wife!" Gaston says.
"So you say." Gaston is startled. He turns to see a dark portal, with Izu coming out of it.
"Who are you?" Gaston asks.
"Nothing you need to know about. I'm here to help you." Gaston is confused. "You know about this Beast story that old man was saying? Well..." Izu opens a dark portal, showing Gaston a vision somewhere. "He's not wrong."
The portal shows visions of Belle and Beast's time together. Seeing this upsets Gaston, he can tell she has feelings for Beast. After seeing enough visions, the portal closed.
"How could she choose that...monster over me?" Gaston asks.
"It's all because of him." Izu snaps his fingers, and darkness appears next to them, as it takes the form of an illusion of me. "He's the one that brought Belle and that beast together." Gaston is surprised to hear that, for he remembers me at the day he proposed to Belle. The illusion me vanishes. "However, you can still win her heart. I can give you a special kind of power. Cast your heart to the darkness, and she will be all yours."
Gaston looks directly at Izu, smirking, with a dark aura coating him.
In the castle, tonight's a special night for Beast and Belle. They get dressed up, and groomed in Beasts case, and they head into the ballroom. I've decided to take a pause in my studies to be there on this important night. That and to prevent any of the Heartless or the Shadowmoon from interfering.
I just stand by the doors with the rest of the servants as Beast and Belle dances together. Talk about Beauty and the Beast. Halfway through the dance, I grow a little bore and walk to the balcony on the other end of the room. I do take the path by the wall just to stay out of the way on their important moment.
I open the doors and walk right out into the balcony, closing the doors behind me. I stand by the railing, resting my hands on it while I'm looking up at the moon. The moonlight rays shines directly at me. Kind of makes me think of Aqua. We use to hang by the cliffs just on the outskirts of the castle, watching the stars and the moon.
"Aqua..." I raise my hand, grabbing hold of the Wayfinder around my neck. "I just wish we can be together again...Please tell me...how can I find you?"
"You are merely wasting your time." I become startled, jumped a little and turn around. I know that voice. It's Terranort.
"You again?" I summon my Keyblade, aiming it at Terranort. "What the hell do you want? Are you following me?"
Terrnort shrugged his shoulders. "More or less. I heard you've awaken Ventus from his broken state of slumber. I must admit, I'm impressed. You are more clever then I thought."
"There's more where that came from." I shift my weapon, position it inches from Terranort's face, who's showing no signs of fear or worry from the strike. "Why don't you come out of that body so I can tear you to pieces, you old coot!"
Terranort chuckles. "You don't scare me. I know a hollow threat when I see one."
"How's this for hollow!?" I shout in anger.
I yell as I charge towards Terranort, as soon as I made contact, he instantly vanishes and I end up barging through the doors and falling on the ground. Belle and Beast were startled by my barging. I moan in pain as I lift my upper body up from the ground.
"I hate it when he does that..." I say. My barging left an awkward moment for everyone.
The rest of the night was very silent. Belle wants to see her father again, so Beast decided to let her go so she can go to him. Belle's being released from taking her fathers place as prisoner...even through she wasn't really treated as one.
Belle decided to return to her home by herself, mounted on Phillipe. I just stay behind with Beast, who is in his bedroom depressed. "Why did you let her go?" I ask.
"Because...I love her." Is all the Beast answers. His mind is focused on his rose, and he's overwhelmed in despair.
Beast has learned how to love, but he's yet to earn Belle's love in return. The poor guy. I now just sit on the front steps of the castle. This just reminds me of the time I've lost Aqua. Beast loves Belle and he has to let her go. I love Aqua and she was taken from me.
It's always hard to lose the ones we love.
I look up to the skies, when I notice some smoke coming from the distance. "Smoke...?" I jumped a little when I realized where it's coming from. "The village!" As soon as my feet, I zoom off into the woods heading for the village.
My path in the Black Forest is clear. Not a single Heartless in sight. I'm wondering if it's the Heartless that's attacking the village, could be either that or the Heartless are still in fear for me and Beast have defeated Fang and Claw. I don't stop to think, I just run.
I arrive to the village. To my worst fears, it's engulfed in flames. The heartless, Archers: Heartless in the form of Shadow's on two feet wearing medieval tights (Dressed like Robin Hood I mean), Howling Wolves and Red Nocturnes, are attacking the villagers while they're panicking in fear. I stand in place, looking around. I'm overwhelmed in worry. My head starts to hurt and I fall on my knees, I start to have visions, painful visions.
This is about my forgotten past, I can tell. It's just like back in the Land of Dragons. Houses burning, Heartless attacking the villagers, the sounds of people screaming. I remember these visions. I had these when I was a child back in Land of Departure, when the Thunderstorms awaken these horrible visions.
"Mommy! I'm scared!" I hear my child voice echoing in my head.
"What...is...happening?" I ask, gritting through my teeth.
I hear Belle's scream, which snaps me out of my terrance. "Help!"
I look up to see Belle and Maurice surrounded by the Heartless. I get on my feet and rush in, taking out the Heartless. The Heartless were an easy kill, destroyed each of them with a single strike.
"Patrick!" Belle runs up to me.
"Belle! What the heck is going on?" I ask.
"It's Gaston. He's lost his mind!" Belle says. "He's about to kill the Beast."
I groan in annoyance. "I knew that guy was trouble." I hold out my Keyblade in position to attack. "Where is he?"
"He's already gone, he went into the woods." Maurice says.
We all make no hesitation. We run into the Black Forest heading for the castle. The path is crawling with Heartless. Obviously, Gaston is trying to hold us back so he can kill Beast on his own.
A storm blows in at the castle. Beast is in his chambers, looking down at his rose in depression. He doesn't even bother to do anything when the sound of door banging echoes through the castle. Gaston barges the Entrance Hall door opens, walks right in then stands in place smirking.
The hunt awaits.
I fight off the Heartless as we make our way to the Beast's castle. The Heartless here are getting tough, even in my Heaven's Light command style, it still takes a while to defeat them. The Heartless fought fierce, the Archers were a hard hit since they fight at long distances.
Belle and Maurice could hardly get a safe distance against these creatures. I don't know why I had to bring them with me...well, Belle I suppose since she cares about Beast, but Maurice. Why is he here?
As we make it through the forest, Beast is on the roof in the rain with Gaston. Gaston is fighting hard against Beast. Beast is barely fighting back, for he's overwhelmed in sorrow for letting Belle go.
Gaston kicks Beast hard, knocking him down on the ledge. Gaston takes out his sword, approaching the Beast. We had just arrived to see Gaston's about to finish Beast.
"No!" Beast looks down when he hears Belle's voice.
"Belle?" Beast asks.
"Gaston! Don't!" Gaston has his sword hold over his head.
Gaston makes the strike, only Beast grabs his wrist mid strike. Beast gets up, glaring and growling at Gaston. Looks like he's been restored, Beast starts to fight back at Gaston.
"You two hide in the castle!" I start running. "I'll handle Gaston!"
We all run into the castle. Belle and Maurice seek shelter in the parlor while I make my way to the West Wing halls. heartless are spawning in this castle, some of them are the Gargoyles coming to life. That pretty much disturbed me.
I hardly had much time, so I use my Quasimodo Charm for D-linking. I strike hard at the Heartless. I do Sanctuary, channeling light magic. Pillars of light raise from the ground, spin at high speed and spread out it's radius, damaging the Heartless within. The Heartless closest to me dies, the Archers starts shooting their arrows at me.
I dodged the first few arrows, but the rest hits me. I cast Magnet to gather the Archers then cast Sparkra, channeling two rings of light. The Heartless within the inner ring suffer more damage.
When the Heartless are defeated, I move on into the hallway of the Beast's bedroom. More heartless spawn. I cast Holy Firaga, shooting massive fire with light energy. Quite opposite of Dark Firaga. I reach my full power and unleash Saint De Bell. "Feel my wrath!" I say as I channel the holy bell.
The Heartless ended quickly and so does my link with Quasimodo. I enter the Beasts room, head out for the balcony and start climbing the vines. I climb to the rooftop of the castle. When I reach the top, I see Beast cornered by Gaston.
"It's over Beast!" Gaston holds his sword high. "Belle is mine!"
Beast snarls hearing that. He bites at Gaston, which causes the 'great hunter' to stagger back. Beast swipes its claws, Gaston avoids the attack moving backwards, only he went too far and ends up fall over the edge of the roof into the trench pit below the bridge.
Beast pants slowly looking down seeing Gaston falls to his doom. "Well, looks like you've got this covered."
Beast turns to see me, arms crossed smiling a little. Beast walks up to me. "Don't think it's over already."
Me and Beast become startled hearing the voice. We both turn to see Izu sitting leg crossed on a Gargoyle above us. "Who are you?" Beast asks growling.
I noticing the Shadowmoon symbol on Izu's robe. "You...you're with the Shadowmoon."
"Hmph. You're a fast learner, aren't you?" Izu asks. "The name's Izu. I command the Heartless."
"Why are you here?" I ask.
"Why are you so concern with me? If I were you, I'd worry about other problems." Izu points over me and Beast. We both turn to the edge, then see a hand coming out. Someone's climbing. Not just someone. Gaston.
Me and Beast are on alert about the climber. "Consumed by jealousy and pride, he turned his heart to the darkness and became a Heartless." Gaston pulls himself up halfway to the roof. "The darkness will rule this castle and then the world!"
Gaston jumps up and lands on the roof, gun out. The skies turn into a swirling darkness. "Not while I draw breath!" I say, summoning my Keyblade.
Gaston makes the first attack, shoting Black Shot at me. I've been affected by a poison that slows me. I strike at Gaston, only my swings and movement are now slow. Gaston shoots at me and Beast. Beast swipes at Gaston then snaps his teeth at him.
The slow affect wore off on me then I do Sonic Blade. Gaston gets knocked back several times from my constant zooming. When I was done, I enter Critical Impact. Lightning energy courses through Gaston. Yikes, I didn't know the Shadowmoon gave him magic too. Gaston shoots at me, only when the bullet hits, lightning strikes at me in a surge circle. I strike at Gaston with brutal force then cast Ruinra.
"I will win Belle!" Gaston says as his rapidly shoots with his gun. Barrage. Me and Beast suffer damage from his shoots. In the cast, I cast Cura, which heals the both of us. I continue attacking Gaston until I reach full power and unleash Critical Impact.
Beast roars fierce, the very ground he stands shakes. Sure did some damage to Gaston. I do Strike Raid at Gaston then cast Quake. "I'll have your head mounted on my wall, Beast!" Darkness coats Gaston, he's clearly reaching full power. This isn't good.
Gaston leap charges at us with his sword. I cast Halo, which does damage to Gaston and heals me and Beast, then I cast Fira, which causes me to enter Spell Weaver. Beast and I attack Gaston head on. Gaston does Shadow Weave, unleashing a rave of darkness at us, then he resumes shooting at us. I cast Cura then continue striking.
Gaston was a tough fighter, but we've got him. Gaston stands in place, his gun in his hands ready to shoot. An aura of darkness glows on him for a second, then the moment it's gone, he collapses and draws his last breath.
After Gaston's defeat, the Heartless fled from the castle. Beast and Belle are now together again. Maurice is feeling a bit uncomfortable about Belle being in love with a beast, even one who treated him like a prisoner.
"I'm so glad you're all right." Belle says.
"Yes. I'm happy that you came back." Beast says.
"Of course I came back. I can't leave you alone against Gaston." Belle says.
I raise a hand. "Same here. Well, now that my job here is done, I should be hitting the road."
Belle and Beast looks at me. "You're leaving?" Belle asks.
"Yes. My friend is still out there and I have to find her." I say. "It's not like you're gonna need me here anymore, now that you have Beast to protect you."
Belle realizes that's true. Beast walks up to me, he gives a soft growl at first. "I'm sorry...about before." I realize what he meant, the hostility when we first met. Beast hands me an item. "Take this as part of my apology." The item is a Beast Charm. "You're welcome to visit...anytime."
"That must have been hard for you to say. But thanks." I pocket the charm. "Now you two play nice." I tur around and make my leave, waving at hand back. "See yea."