Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Walt Disney Company, nor do I intend to use it for profit. I also do not own the lyrics to the small reprise of Home from the Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast.

Episode 9: Redemption of Hearts

Natius noticed that Maurice was lying on the snow with a gun that was lying in front of him!

Belle carefully lifted her father from the snow and placed him on Phillipe's back, carrying him back to the village.

Natius inspected the gun and recognized that it was Nausicaä's. But she wasn't here. Natius hoped she would be at the village. He decided to find her while Belle would be taking care of Maurice.

Natius asked a villager, " Do you know where your medical doctors are?

"There's a small hospital over by the clock tower," the villager answered, pointing to the tower.

"Thanks," Natius said, and hurried to the tower. When he got there, he saw a few doctors at the door of the hospital and walked up to them.

Natius asked, "Do you have a patient with a wound on her leg?"

"She's upstairs," one doctor answered. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over."

"But it's important that I see her," Natius protested.

The doctor asked, "Are you related to her?"

"No, but-"

"Then you must wait until tomorrow," the doctor ordered.

Natius walked out of the hospital, disappointed that he would not be able to see Nausicaä. He decided to use the gun to stop Gaston!

He hurried to Belle's house, knowing the mob would be coming to take Maurice.

Natius aimed for the sky and he fired quieting the mob!

"You're all making a mistake," he cried. "Maurice is a good an honest man! He's not crazy!"

A villager asked, "Do you have any proof?"

Natius didn't, but Belle did. She used the Magic Mirror the Beast gave her, commanding it that she wanted to see him. She turned the mirror so it would face the mob. They all gasped in horror at the sight of the Beast.

"Don't be afraid," Belle assured them. "I know he looks viscous, but he's really kind and gentle."

Natius added, "He's been a father figure to a boy who is protecting him."

He looked at the doctors in the mob. "That's why I needed to see that girl with the wounded leg. The boy in the castle is her brother."

No one in the mob wanted to believe it. They thought Natius was crazy too.

Natius asked, "What more proof do you want?!"

Suddenly, Natius and his friends were grabbed and thrown in the celler along with Belle and Maurice. The mob began marching out of the village and into the woods, heading for the castle to kill the Beast.

Unbeknownst to the heroes, Anakin was still at the castle!

Natius asked Mahad, "Do you still have the lamp?"

Mahad replied, "Yes. Why?"

Natius answered, "I plan on using the lamp for this time. I rather not have this cost of one of yours."

Mahad gave Natius the lamp and Natius rubbed the lamp.

Belle kept trying to break the doors open. "I have to warn the Beast."

"We have to tell Nausicaä too," Natius added. He hoped that the doctors had joined the mob so he could return to the hospital once he escaped and tell her what was going on.

Mahad rubbed the lamp summoning the Genie and he handed Natius the lamp and he stated, "It's time for your wish."

Natius held the lamp and commanded, "I wish the doors to open!"

The Genie removed the locks and opened the doors, setting everyone free. "Hurry to the castle," he shouted. "I've got to tell Nausicaä what's going on!" And he hurried back to the hospital.

Much to his fortune, there wasn't anyone guarding the doors. He hurried inside and ran upstairs. He looked through the rooms when finally, he found Nausicaä in a bed with a bandages leg.

Nausicaä was surprised. "Natius?"

Natius cried, "There's a mob out to kill the Beast."

Nausicaä gave a shocked expression. "What about that boy?"

Natius had forgotten that Anakin was still at the castle and he cried, "I have to warn him."

Nausicaä lifted herself out of the bed. "I'm coming with you."

"But what about your leg?" Natius asked with concern.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," she insisted. She removed her bandages and saw that her wounds had almost completely healed. She hardly felt any pain as she stood on her feet. "Let's go," she said with determination.

Natius nodded and gave Nausicaä her gun back.

She gasped and asked, "How'd you get this?"

"We found Maurice in the woods and brought him home," he answered.

Nausicaä placed the gun in a holster and she stated, "Let's hurry."

Back at the castle, Anakin looked outside and saw a mob approaching the door. He wondered, were they coming to loot the castle or kill the Beast. Either way, he had to warn his master. He hurried to the west wing and approached the door to his chambers. "Pardon me, Master."

"Leave me in peace," the Beast said grimly.

"But the castle is under attack," Anakin cried. When he recieved no response, he asked, "What should we do?"

But the Beast decided that there was no hope for him now. Belle was gone along with his hope of the spell being broken. If this was his fate, to die a beast, then he was prepared to accept it.

"It doesn't matter now," he replied. "Just let them come."

Anakin didn't want the Beast to die, so he rushed over to Vandela and Toboé!

He cried, "We got ourselves some intruders!"

Toboé checked to see if the moon was full and he transformed into a golden brown wolf and he asked, "Where are they now?"

"They're trying to break down the door," Anakin cried. "The barricade won't hold."

"Let them come," said Toboé. "We can take them."

The mob succeeded in forcing the front doors open. It seemed to quiet until the objects came to life and started fighting off the intruders. Anakin, Toboé, and Vandela joined in.

Anakin cut down one villager's pants and he laughed, "Looks like you're humiliated!"

Toboé snarled and jumped on a man, destroying his gun with his strength. Like an acrobat, Vandela flipped, jumped, punched, and kicked as she was fighting. Many of the other villagers were running away in fright of the objects and were also feeling humiliated for being attacked by them, thinking the castle was cursed.

Anakin noticed Gaston was just about to shoot the Beast, but he lunged at the man and he asked, "What are you doing trespasser?! If you want to live to see the next day then I would suggest that you leave this castle!"

"No!" He shouted. "That Beast is a danger to the people of my village. I'll not leave without his head!"

Anakin took out his ninjato lightsaber and he slashed Gaston's arm!

Anakin replied, "This is going to be one warning from me directly, get the bloody hell out of the castle unless you want to have your head on a pike and your limbs distributed to whoever you work for as a warning for future trespassers!"

"You little brat!"

The Beast saw that Anakin was in danger and hurried to help him.

"Master?" Anakin asked.

"Run," the Beast cried, pushing him away. "Run!"

The Beast took an arrow meant for Anakin and Gaston started to kick him around and asked, "What's the matter, Beast? Too kind he gentle to fight back?!"

Anakin threw a stone and he gave Gaston a =n obscene gesture by extending his index and middle finger making a reversed peace sign as he taunted, "Hi Gas-head we didn't finish our battle!"

Belle cried as she saw Gaston about to go after Anakin and kill him, "Gaston! Don't!"

But the Beast continued to defend the boy. Nausicaä and Belle rushed in, hoping to save Anakin and the Beast.

Nausicaä took out her lightsaber spear and she snarled at Gaston, "Hey Gassy! It's time for you to pay!"

Gaston asked, "A woman fighting?"

He began laughing at her!

Nausicaä replied as she readied her spear to strike, "If you were to say those sexist remarks in front of a woman in Sparta, you would've ended up dead!"

"Stay out of this," the Beast pleaded, not wanting Nausicaä or Anakin to get hurt.

"Why are you doing this?" Anakin asked her.

Nausicaä looked at him. "Natius told me you don't remember anything about yourself. But I think I may know who you are." But before she could add on to the statement, she felt her weapon thrown out of her grip and her arms forced behind her back.

"Damn you!" she shouted. "I bet you're working for those Dark Masters, aren't you?"

Anakin and the Beast were shocked to hear that. They had heard about the Dark Masters.

Anakin snarled asking as he took the katana lightsaber in his hands, "What did they send you to do? Better answer my question or you'll be amputated!"

"I was sent here to take care of those brats I saw in the village. But that doesn't matter anymore because now I have a new mission: to kill the Beast and make Belle my wife!"

Nausicaä laughed. "They're not going to be happy with you once they hear you've abandoned your orders for stupid reasons."

She winced in pain as she felt her arms pressed against her back.

"Let her go!" Anakin shouted.

The Beast had enough. He freed Nausicaä from the man's grasp and grabbed him by his neck and held him over the edge.

Gaston begged, "Please let me go! I'll do anything! Anything!"

Part of Anakin wanted the Beast to drop the man to his death, but part of him was afraid for him too. But the Beast would not allow his anger to control him this time. He was going to prove that he was better than that. "Get out," he softly growled, throwing him to the ground.

"Beast," Belle's voice cried.

"Belle," he said gently, climbing up the tower. And they both touched hands. "You came back," he whispered, gently touching her cheek. Suddenly, the Beast roared in pain as a dagger was ran through his side.

Anakin screamed, "Gaston! You will die tonight!"

The man lost his balance and fell to his death, screaming!

Before Gaston could hit the ground, an ominous force began surrounding him. A few seconds later, he found himself in the throne room of the Forbidden Castle, standing before the Dark Masters.

They were looking at him in anger, displeased with him for his actions.

Thinking that he had been rescued, Gaston said, "Dark Masters, I can't tell you how grateful I am to you for saving my life."

"No, we didn't save your life," Jafar was saying. "We summoned you here to discuss what was going on during your battle."

"Pardon me?"

"Don't play dumb," Turbo snapped. "We sent you to deal with those brats. But you decided to abandon your orders. And for what? Senseless pride and to try to get to a woman who had refused you many times!"

"No, wait," Gaston pleaded. "It's not like that. I didn't forget. I was still going to take care of those kids after I would kill the Beast."

Maleficent scoffed. "I find that hard to believe."

"I swear!"

"Enough," she ordered. "It has been decided. For your arrogance and defiance, you must be put to death."

Gaston looked in fear. "No! Maleficent, please, I beg you!"

Jafar stood up from his throne and uses his magic to restrain him. Maleficent nodded to Frollo. He got up from his throne and drew his sword. "It's time for you to be slaughtered like the swine you are."

Gaston continued pleading for his life. "No, please! No! No!"

Frollo ran his sword through his body. He gasped and gagged for a few seconds, then finally stopped breathing and fell into a lifeless heap. Frollo looked at the lifeless body with disgust.

"May you burn in Hell," he sneered.

Gaston awoke to find himself in the presence of a bull headed man dressed in clothing suitable for a king of Greece! His name was King Minos judge of condemned souls. He glared at Gaston as he readied his chains!

Gaston asked, "What are you?"

King Minos approached the man and smelled his sins. "Pride!" he roared

Gaston asked outraged for what he heard that creature talk, "What?! What are you supposed to be some demon?"

King Minos brutally impaled Gaston's soul on a wheel that would send him to his destined circle and he was sent to his circle!

Gaston awoke to see others falling into black and he cried, "What is this?"

King Minos bellowed, "Those who failed to see what trouble their pride has caused to others are doomed to see their downfall over and over again."

He looked on in horror. "No, but why?"

"You caused your own suffering when you allowed your pride to get the better of you," Minos explained. "You fooled those villagers into making them see you as a hero in their eyes. You thought you could gain whatever you wanted with no consequence. All you cared about was youself."

Gaston begged, "No! This is not my fate! That's a lie!"

Minos laughed wickedly and proceeded to condemn him.

Gaston began to lose his balance and began to fall into darkness!

Back in the Forbidden Castle, Frollo cleaned his sword and turned to one of the servants. "Dispose of this filth."

"Yes, sir." And the servant proceeded to take the body.

"Good riddance to that swine," Turbo commented. "I never liked him."

Jafar nodded. "One can't find good help these days. But hopefully, executing Gaston will teach our minions a lesson that betrayal isn't something we look kindly upon."

Turbo ordered, "Honest John! Don't get any ideas about becoming a mole!"

"Insubordination isn't something we look kindly upon either," Frollo added.

Jafar asked, "Why didn't you turn him into an actual swine?"

"The body would have changed, but not the soul," said Maleficent. "It wouldn't have been worth it."

Frollo commented, "She's right. It would be dull."

He ordered a toon penguin named Martin, "Throw that swine in Scar's den."

Martin covered Gaston with freshly cooked pork that had bones within to ensure the hyenas had food as well and began dragging Gaston to an open field that had a male lion with a black mane, green eyes. One of his eyes had a scar over his eye. His name was Scar, during the time that Grimhilde was the leader of the Dark Masters, he would be the one to dispose of any minor villain that would try to overthrow her power. Now he would start dispatching anyone who would defy the Dark Masters.

Scar asked, "What is it this time?"

Martin backing away from the lion trying to keep eye contact on the lion stated, "Just a swine special for you and your hyenas."

Hyenas began laughing to see the food and they started to tear off the bones of the pork.

Martin backed away towards the passage that took him back into the safety of the castle and began panting in fear.

Meanwhile back at the castle of the Beast, Nausicaä and Belle carefully lifted the Beast and set him down on his back. "You came back," he said, breathing heavily.

"Of course I came back," Belle sobbed. "Oh, if only I had gotten here sooner."

"Maybe it's better this way," the Beast said weakly.

"No," Anakin cried. "You're going to be okay!"

Belle stated, "We're together now, everything is going to be fine. You'll see."

The Beast replied, "At least I got to see you one... Last... Time."

Belle sang, "We are home. We are where we shall be forever. Trust in me for you know I won't run away from today. This is all I need. And all that I need to say. Don't you know how you changed me? Strange how I finally see I found home. You're my home. Stay with me."

But the Beast's strength gave out and he drew his last breath.

Tears continued to fall from Belle's eyes. "Please, please don't leave me," she begged, crying. "I love you."

At that moment, the last petal fell and only a bare stem remained.

As the rain continued falling it began changing into magical sparks!

The Beast's body was lifted into the air and slowly began transforming into that of a humans. When the transformation was complete, he lifted himself from the ground as though he was brought back to life.

"Belle, it's me," the man said.

Belle looked at him, then into his eyes, recognizing them. "It is you," she said happily, and they both began kissing.

The curse on the castle began to lift. There was no more darkness and dread as the light and color started coming back and all of the objects became human servants again.

Anakin asked, "Sir, is it possible that you have a mirror with the ability to look into memories?"

The prince remembered. "Oh, Anakin, yes. Yes, of course." He hurried to the royal treasury and found a mirror sitting on a mantle.

"Thank you, Prince..."

"Adam," the prince finished. "Adam Vincent Gable Ashman. That is my real name."

Anakin replied, "Adam."

He looked at the Mirror of Recollections and he asked the mirror, "Who was I?"

The mirror began showing Anakin scenes of his past along with images of his family; including Nausicaä.

Anakin asked, "What happened to me physically? Am I dead?"

"No," Nausicaä answered. "You're still alive."

Adam stated to Anakin, "You have earned the mirror. I would like for you to have it, so you can discover more things about yourself."

Adam added, "When I first met you Anakin Strife, along with two other children accompanying you, a man named Aeson Olympios told me about the harrowing experience you felt at the hands of the Dark Masters. You received a fate worse than dying itself. Your soul and mind have been imprisoned in the Disney Kingdom. If that wasn't enough you can feel pain and the environment around you. I would like for you to go with these guys, especially if you want to find your way home."

Anakin asked with a look of shock and confusion in his eyes, "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm sorry Anakin," Adam replied, "that is one question you have to ask a magical being. There are three good fairies that might give you information about your current predicament. I can wish for you the best of luck."

Bianca asked, "Where do we head to now?"

Omar offered, "I will be driving the transportation that we're using. What world are we going to Figaro?"

"The Enchanted Dominion," he answered. "In other words, Aurora's world."

Bianca was thrilled to be going to the world of her ancestress!

"I have to warn you, though, the Dark Masters are becoming relentless and the Enchanted Dominion is also the home world of their leader Maleficent," Figaro warned.

Natius groaned. "I knew we'd be dealing with them sooner or later."

Figaro stated, "By the way, Oliver is looking for a boy who owns a snow white dwarf hamster."

Natius knew Figaro was referring to him and wondered what Oliver wanted.
"He's waiting for you in the Enchanted Dominion," said Figaro.

Omar drove into the portal!

Meanwhile, in the castle of the Dark Masters, the four villains learned of the heroes' victory.

Jafar pounded his fist against the table in frustration. "Inconceivable!" he shouted. "Is there no one powerful enough to stop these children?"

A wicked smile crossed Maleficent's face. "I suppose it's time for me to take matters into my own hands."

"You're really going to go up against them?" Turbo asked.

She gripped her staff and answered, "As the old saying goes: 'If you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself.' Besides, they're off to my world now anyway."' And she began creating a portal.

Before she could pass through, Frollo stopped her and said, "Maleficent." She turned around and gave him her attention. "For your sake, you had better come back alive," he warned.

At first, Maleficent was surprised that a man like her comrade would be concerned for her, but she decided to take advantage of the concept by smiling and saying, "Why, Frollo, I didn't know you cared."

In answer, he crossed his arms, grunted, and turned away. Maleficent grinned once more and passed through the portal.

Turbo noticed Danyal among the heroes and he asked, "Does this girl look familiar?"

"You're asking this now?" Jafar asked.

Turbo retorted, "I have a feeling that we have seen her."

Frollo asked, "What do you mean by that?"

An anthropomorphic weasel with black fur and green eyes wearing back bracelets, clothing suited for a common with a black hat. He was carrying two folders in his paws!

Frollo asked, "What is it this time?"

Frollo asked, "What do you mean by that?"

An anthropomorphic weasel with black fur and green eyes wearing back bracelets, clothing suited for a commoner with a black hat. He was carrying two folders in his paws!

Frollo asked, "What is it this time?"

"I have some newfound information to present to you," the weasel answered.

Turbo asked, "What's in those folders?"

The folders contained information about John Smith's companion Thomas Allen-son and a girl named Dorothy Gale.

At Turbo read the contents, he was beginning to understand that these were Danyal's ancestors.

Turbo asked, "What should we do about that magpie?"

"We can't make a decision without Maleficent," said Jafar. "We'll wait for her to come back."

"If she comes back," Frollo commented.

Jafar grinned. "Do you have so little faith in her?"

Frollo replied, "I have a speculation that she might come back scarred."

"She was right about one thing: sooner or later, we're going to have to deal with those brats ourselves," said Turbo.

Jafar asked, "So we have to wait until Maleficent returns? Why can't we just contact her?"

"I have my doubts that she will, so I say we try reaching her now while we have the chance," said Frollo.

"Very well," Jafar said and began using his magic to try to contact her.
In the Enchanted Dominion, Maleficent took a moment to take in the scenery. It had been a long time since she returned to her world.

Her staff began reacting. She looked at the sphere and saw her comrades. "What is it?"

"Sorry to disturb you, my dear," Jafar was saying, "but we have some new information you might be interested regarding one of the children."

"Which one," Maleficent asked.

"The magpie known as Danyal," Turbo answered.

This interested Maleficent. "What have you found out?"

Turbo answered, "Her ancestors are Thomas Allen-son and Dorothy Gale

Maleficent was familiar with those names. "That means she's a child of both domains."

"What should we do about her?" Turbo asked.

Jafar stated, "I considering that she should bring her here."

"It won't be long until we meet each other," Maleficent was saying. "I'll be sure to capture her and bring her back to the castle."

"Assuming they don't kill you before that happens," said Frollo.

Maleficent retorted, "What makes you so confident?"

"Pay him no mind," said Jafar. "He's just jealous because he doesn't have powers like us."
Turbo snickered in amusement.

Frollo yelled, "I'm not jealous!"

Maleficent had an idea. "If those children happen to come to any of your worlds, I'd like to see how the three of you would fare against them."

Turbo stated, "I think that magpie will be easy to capture."

"You three just wait and leave everything to me," Maleficent said and ended the connection.

Meanwhile in the castle of King Stefan, an anthropomorphic orange kitten was holding a small cage containing Yuki.

He asked trying to see if he could be able to understand hamster, "How did you come across here?"

Yuki stated, "I was just waiting for Natius because I had to be sent back home because I was chewing on some binders, when I was placed in a tank, but I was grabbed by scary looking hands and when I woke up, I realized that I wasn't in Los Angeles anymore. I don't get it, why did they send me home?"

The orange kitten wondered, "Did Natius bring you with him or did you sneak your way with him?"

"Do you mean before the scary hands grabbed me?"

"Yes," the kitten answered. "Before you were caught chewing on binders."

Yuki answered, "His younger sister freed me and I climbed into his backpack."

Yuki added, "As soon as I was caught by Natius, his mother had to pick me up."

Oliver began thinking about the time that he got into a fight with Littlefoot, but when it came to the critics Oliver lost in the box office reception once Siskel and Ebert gave Littlefoot two thumbs up, ending the fight. Before losing, he saw his opponent about to cry as he said the word, "Mother..."

Oliver looked at Yuki and he asked her trying to keep his composure, "Did your owner get in trouble for your little misadventure? I've been hearing that he got detention for that, you should consider yourself lucky that you weren't taken to an Elementary School or even thrown into an area where feral cats roam. So what you did was reckless and foolish."

Yuki began to harbor feelings of guilt. "I didn't realize I would be getting Natius into such a great amount of trouble. I wasn't thinking about the danger I would be getting into either. I always thought that as long as I was with Natius, I would always be safe."

Oliver replied, "By the way, this is the home world of Maleficent. One of the four Dark Masters of Disney. She has a pet crow that would see you as a little snack."

Yuki had nightmares about crows in the past and always feared what they do to hamsters like her.

"Don't worry, though. I won't let them harm you," the kitten promised.

Yuki wasn't sure she could trust Oliver. After all, his kind eats hers. "How can I trust you won't eat me first?"

"I have orders not to harm you," Oliver answered.

Yuki asked, " But why keep me in this cage?"

She began chewing on the bars of the cage much to Oliver's annoyance as he stated, "You better cut that out if you know what's good for you. I asked Master Yen Sid to put an enchantment on the bars. Every time you try to bite the cage not only will it repair itself, but it will also partially sedate you."

Yuki was starting to realize that as she was beginning to feel drowsy. She hoped that this was a dream and when she would wake up, she'd be safe at home with Natius.

Author's Notes: I would like to give special thanks to MillenniumPrincess for helping me with this story. Will the heroes be up to the challenge in facing Maleficent?