"Sometimes, strength has to bow down to wisdom." ~Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)
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We arrived at Beast's Castle and in the hallway with the staircase leading up to the two staircases that led into the different wings of the castle, was the Beast pacing, all dressed in a royal blue suit with his hair tied back. Must be some special occasion. "Hey there!" Yelled Sora.

Beast turning around as we approached him. Donald looked around. "No Heartless and no Nobodies!" He announced.

"I think they're close, though..." Goofy said.

"Better watch out!" Sora warned as he placed his hands behind his head while taking a step back.

Beast sighed, frustrated at all of us. "Why are you so mad?' Donald asked.

"Why are you here?" Beast questioned.

"The Nobodies' world has to be out there somewhere," Sora replied. "We're looking for a way in."

Beast turned back around to face the staircase, "Hmph." Suddenly, Belle descended from the staircase, all dressed up as well. She wore a off-shoulder yellow dress with a poofy ruffled skirt,yellow heels and gloves, and her hair, curled and tied up on her head. She looked absolutely stunning. Beast went up the stairs to greet her. "Tonight is very important," he explained. Bell flashed us a smile as soon as she saw us as Beast continued his way up the stairs and faced Belle. He bowed and she curtsied as they linked arms and went into the ballroom.

"Uh, maybe we came at a bad time," Goofy stammered.

"Well, let's find out," Donald stated as he loudly climbed up the stairs and to the ballroom.

"Donald!" Sora yelled as he chased after him.

"How about trying to read the mood, guys!" I added.

We entered the ballroom, uninvited. Beast and Belle stood in the center of the room, the lit chandelier overlooking the both of them. Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Chip stood to the side, watching the two. "Now then, Monsieur, Mademoiselle," Lumiere bowed. "Please, enjoy the evening." Lumiere glanced over to us where Sora, Donald and Goofy stood awkwardly and I held my face in my hand and shoo my head. "And of course, our honored guests are welcome, too."

"A welcome indeed," a voice said.

Belle clung to Beast and we suddenly on guard, looking around and trying to locate who that voice belonged to. Sora looked up and standing behind one of the railings above in the ballroom, was a figure in an Organization cloak. "The Organization!" Sora cried.

"You don't know when to quit," The voice sighed. It was Xaldin. He as back like last time.

"Oh yeah!" Donald yelled. "We'll show you!"

"GET OUT!!!" Beast shouted, letting go of Belle and running to where we were.

"Not tonight!" Belle glared.

Xaldin snapped his fingers and a bunch of dragoon Nobodies appeared. They took their lances and began to slash them around us. Beast growled and tackled one, ripping it into shreds. "I've come here tonight to take something you hold very dear," he announced. Beast roared in response. "Yes," Xaldin nodded. "Let your anger grow..." They disappeared into a Corridor of Darkness.

"Beast!" Sora said. "We have to get rid of these guys first!"

The dragoon Nobodies, though a pain to take out thanks to those super long lances which they use to stab at us from a range, were no problem to defeat and were vanquished as soon as they came. "Where's Belle?!"Sora cried.

"Over here!" She called, walking in from standing outside at the balcony with the other staff.

"Whew she's okay," Sora sighed with relief, seeing Xaldin didn't follow through with the threat. "Guess Xaldin didn't take anything after all."

Beast's head snapped up and he ran away. "What's wrong?" Sora asked as Belle ran after him. "Belle? What's with them?"

"Maybe Belle isn't the only thing precious to the Beast," Goofy proposed.

"C'mon!" Donald said.

We followed Beast and Belle into the West Wing and into Beast's room. He was roaring and tearing apart what little furniture he had left that wasn't destroyed already. "What's wrong?" Belle cried. Beast growled in response and Belle approached him cautiously, placing her gloved hands onto his shoulders. "Please, calm down!" She pleaded.

"Clam down?!" Beast yelled. "You just had to have a party, didn't you?" Don't you see what's happened?"

"Hey," Sora interfered. "What's with you?"

"The rose...my rose..." Beast snapped.

There, by the balcony stood a little white table which was empty. "What, that?" Sora blinked. "He took it?"

"But surely, you can find another rose..." Belle stammered.

"Silence!" Beast screamed. "You don't know anything!"

Sora then stood in front of Belle, arms spread, as he protected her from Beast's wrath. "That's not fair, Beast," Sora scolded Beast like a parent to their child. "Don't take it out on Belle. It's not like she stole it!"

Beast groaned as he held his face in his massive paw. "I'm sorry," Belle apologized.

"There's no need for you to be sorry," Sora assured her, holding a hand up in front of her.

"But..." Belle started.

Beast sighed and drooped his head. "Belle...Sora...I want you to leave the castle," Beast looked away. Belle opened her mouth to interject but nothing came out. "Look at me. Look. This is what I am. When you first got here, I tried to change." Beast took out his paws from underneath the cloak and stared at them. "But I was only fooling myself. I can't be any different. I'll always be a beast. So, I should live like a beast. With no one, alone. Good-bye, Belle."

"You can't mean that..." Belle gasped, clasping her hands on her chest. She held her hands out to stop him but Beast walked away, not wanting another word out of her.

"Aw, I think his mind's all made up," Goofy whispered to us.

"Yeah," Sora nodded as Belle sadly walked away. "Look, Belle," Sora tried to reassure her. "Leave this to us. If we can get the Beast's rose back, he'll calm down." Belle nodded slowly, not believing us as she glanced one last time back behind to Beast before continue to walk away.

As we followed her out, we found Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts standing outside, listening in to the argument. "Poor child..." Mrs. Potts sighed as Belle walked past them, still keeping her head down.

"How could it have come to this?" Cogsworth asked.

"And they were so looking forward to this evening," Lumiere stated.

"Now, now-no need to be so sad," Mrs. Potts said. "Once the rose is back safely, this will all be over."

"What's so special about one rose, anyway?" Sora asked, crossing his arms.

"If the master can love and be loved in return, the spell will be broken," Cogsworth explained. "We'll all be human again."

"Yeah," Donald replied. "You told us."

"But there is a time limit," Lumiere added. "He must find his true love before the last petal falls from the rose."

"Ah, but that's not all," Cogsworth jumped in. "Over time, caring for that rose has become a cherished part of the master's daily life."

"It's as though all his hopes and dreams are tied to that single bloom..." Mrs. Potts finished.

"Poor Beast!" Sora sighed. "Then we have to get it back."

"Please, do!" Mrs. Potts begged.

"We can't without the Beast, though," Sora added. "If it's that important to him, he's got to do it himself." Goofy, Donald and I nodded in agreement.

We turned and walked back into Beast's room to confront him. "Hey, Beast," Sora said.

"Leave me alone," Beast grunted.

"C'mon, you need to hear this," Sora's eyes narrowed. "You used to be fearless. You would have given your life to save Belle. Don't you know what that meant to us? You gave us all courage." Beast gave no response to Sora's words of encouragement. "Hmph, may be you should have kept some for yourself," Sora scoffed. "I mean, are you really gonna throw your happiness away? The rose is your only hope, isn't it? Well, it's the only hope for Cogsworth and the others, too. So, don't throw away your last chance. Remember what it was like before Belle lived here?" Beast lifted his head, going through his memories of his life here as a beast. "See?" Sora smiled softly. "You can't give up. Not now."

"I know one thing," Beast finally spoke up."

"What?" Sora asked.

"This castle belongs to me," Beast turned around, raising his voice. "Xaldin will never be welcome here."

We all nodded, glad Beast got his fighting spirit back. Walking out of Beast's room and back to the room outside the hallway, a voice spoke up, "So, Beast...you came after all." We all turned around to see Xaldin perched on a ledge above the doorway to the ballroom, holding a glass case that contained a sparkly, glowing pink rose inside. "You had me worried," I could feel him smirking from behind that hood. "I was afraid you'd given up for good."

Beast growled, glaring at Xaldin. "What do you guys really want?" Sora demanded.

"...Kingdom Hearts," Xaldin replied as took his hood off, revealing his sideburns and dreadlocks. "When Kingdom Hearts is ours, we can exist fully and completely."

It was just like what Saïx said back in Hollow Bastion. "What?" Donald asked, looking at Goofy with confusion.

"So you see, Beast-that's why we need your Heartless AND your Nobody!" Xaldin stated.

Xaldin summoned up more dragoon Nobodies, which we took out quickly. The faster we took out the Nobodies, the faster we take out Xaldin and get the rose back. Once we had finished our fight, Xaldin jumped over to the main entrance, still holding the rose. He glanced back, sneering at us before going outside, closing the door behind him.

Well, at least he had some manners, as in doing so he wasn't letting a draft inside the castle.

We went outside to the courtyard, spreading out a bit, looking around for Xaldin. Where could he be? I glanced upwards just in case he was on the rooftops and I saw Belle leaning against the balcony railing to her room, lamenting over what just happened. Seeing us and remembering what she was told and panicked, preparing to go back in her room when suddenly something glowed pink beside her. She leaned down and picked it up,m going back over to the balcony and holding it proudly a over the looking. "Look! It's the rose!" She yelled.

Connecting the dots, I held my hand out and shrieked, "No, Belle, don't! It's a trap!"

Just as I predicted, Xaldin appeared behind her, covering her mouth with his hand and muffling her screams for help. "Belle!' Beast shouted, holding his paw out.

Xaldin tucked her and the rose underneath one arm as he jumped out from the balcony. "Hurry!" Sora shouted as we followed. He stood, holding Belle hostage with one arm and the rose in the other in front of the main metal gate to the castle.

"You!" Beast was seething with fury. "Get out of my castle, now!"

"With pleasure, but I rather travel light.." Xaldin taunted as he glanced at the two hostages in his hand. "What shall I leave behind? Belle? Or the rose?"

Beast roared with fury at the choice given to him before shouting, "Belle!" And running forward towards the two.

Xaldin stepped back, clearing tricking Beast as he planned to take both with him when Belle escaped Xaldin's grasp on her, elbowing him in the process before he could do anything to her. As Xaldin doubled over, Belle snatched the case containing the magical rose and ran off. "Good one, Belle!" Sora cheered.

Beast continued forward, clawing Xaldin as he jumped back, floating down as he held his arms above him, summoning up six cyclones of thundering wind clouds around him as they turned to six jagged blue lances. They flew upwards, Xaldin grabbed two in one hand and one in the other as the other three floated around him.

We charged forward but Xaldin anticipated the move and jumped up, dodging us before sending a lance down at us. We all jumped back and he send another one down at us, which we dodged as well. Suddenly, all six lances circled around Sora and I before disappearing back it no Xaldin's grasp. In a nick of time, I casted Reflect as a tiny buffer as Xaldin landed on us with all six of his lances. Sora copied that move of his as he jumped up as he began to jump up and down, stabbing Xaldin with his Keyblade.

Getting tired of Sora's antics, Xaldin resumed his neutral position with a circular wind shield around him that made him indestructible as Sora was beside me once again. Xaldin then chained all six lances together and rode it like a dragon around us before disappearing and reappearing, the one lace becoming the as he sent a wind laser at us. Sora and I dodged this by running into one corner near the main gate.

As soon as Xaldin landed, Sora copies that jumping technique of his once again and finished Xaldin off for us. Xaldin jumped back, groaning in pain as he held his side and crouched, his six lances circling around him as they disappeared into white beams. Xaldin screamed as he held his arms out and faced upwards to the sky, crumbling away into dust and nothingness.

Belle came out where she was hiding and faced Beast and Belle. The staff joined Sora, Donald Goofy and I as we sat in the sidelines and watched how the scene would unfold. She handed him the rose. "Here, it's yours again," she smiled.

Beast took the rose back from belle. "Belle..." he said.

"I know," Belle looked away. "You want me to leave the castle.

Beast grunted as we all bit our lips in anticipation. "What matters is...you weren't hurt by Xaldin..." Beast replied. "You're safe." We all cheered silently for Beast. "And...I'm very grateful to you...for bringing the rose back to me," he continued. "Thank you."

"It's the least I could do," Belle giggled. "You've been good to me. And you didn't have to."

"Listen, Belle..." Beast started.

"Yes?" She replied.

Beats tried to form what he was saying before glancing helplessly at us. "Say it!" Sora grinned.

"Go on!" Lumiere encouraged.

"C'mon!" Donald bounced in his step.

"You can do it!" Mrs. Potts beamed and Chip nodded along.

"We have confidence," Cogsworth cheered on.

"Don't be bashful now," Goofy smiled.

"You got this," I gave Beast a thumbs up.

Beast looked back over to Belle. "Belle, I'd like you to stay..." Beast struggled for his words. "With me...please?"

Belle smiled as she gave Beast her hand as Beats put the case with the rose inside and they linked arms and she looked up at him. "I will," she replied and Beast practically grinned ear-to-ear with her response.

"Maestro-music," Lumiere said.

Suddenly, music began to play as Belle and Beast danced with each other, just like how they were supposed to earlier. Sora sighed as he placed his hands behind his head. "Hey, did you see the look on Belle's face when she grabbed that rose?" Sora smiled.

"Huh?" Donald asked.

"Yep, she sure was havin' fun, all right," Goofy nodded.

"She is rather unique, isn't she?" Lumiere stated.

"Always ready for a little adventure," Mrs. Potts commented.

"The two of them do seem made for each other," Cogsworth said.

"Yeah, they sure do!" Sora said as he turned to me. "Hey, Saki, you seem awfully quiet."

"Huh?" I responded, glancing over at him.

"Something on your mind?" He asked.

"Well...yeah," I confessed.

"What is it?" He stated.

"It's just that...I saw myself in the Beast," I told Sora.

"Huh?" He replied, looking at me with confusion. "How so?"

"When Beast was yelling at Belle earlier about the rose, it reminded me of Kairi and I," I explained. "Before this adventure began, Kairi and I got into a nasty argument where I said horrible things to her in the spur of the moment. It was really over something we had a different perspective on. But I left still angry at her, and I deeply regret what happened after all this happened."

"Hey, don't sweat over it so much," Sora comforted me. "When you two are together again, I'm sure Kairi will forgive you."

"Yeah, I hope so," I muttered.