Kingdom Hearts: This is our story.
Chapter 7. pt.4 Tale as old as Time. (Beauty and the Beast. The Final Arc. Part 1.)
Many in the village were frighted and terrified, even. Two thirds of the villagers were huddled together in a dingy barn. They were hiding from these shadowy monsters that had been attacking their town. The other third were gruesomely turned into shadowy demons. Who came into the barn was Gaston, Lefou, and this odd looking stranger holding onto a mirror.
“Alright stranger, you say you know where Belle is and what’s making these monsters?†The short dimwit asked.
“Indeed I do, my friend.†Seymour stated.
“Well spit it out already! It’s bad enough that I can’t hunt the little freaks!†Gaston growled. The lack of killing anything, and not having his perfect bride was starting to wear on his mind.
“Oh I shall, however… I need to know that you’ll keep your word, on helping me find… a few damsels in distress of my own.†The dark summoner worded.
Gaston gave a Seymour a smug grin.
“Well I can’t blame you for wanting the best to help you get the girl, or girls... Since that mug of your isn’t doing you any favors. Alright I’ll do it, one Belle for one other girl. Putter there!†Gaston said, while giving him a firm shake.
Seymour shook back while planting an unseen spell, with a wicked look in his eyes.
“Very well, your Belle… is trapped in castle of a beast.†Seymour stated, enjoying the look on the two men’s faces. The summoner even took notice at the curious villagers.
“Ha, what?! Gaston, your not listening to this. He’s a crazy as old man Morose.†Lelfou laughed.
Gaston looked slightly skeptical, however, a while ago the old man had begged him to fight a monster, but he nearly brushed him off, by throwing him into the snow. His eyes widened as Seymour pulled out a glowing mirror that showed him this… this roaring… thing! The other villagers yelled in fright at the sight of it.
“This Beast and his minions will make off with your children!†Semyour yelled.
“No!†A few mothers cried out, while holding on to their children and newborns for dear life.
“They’ll come after us in the night!†Lelfou panicked
“We're not safe till this monster’s head is mounted on my wall! I say we kill the beast!†The good looking hunter roared!
“YEAH!†Many of the villagers agreed, while raising nearby pitch forks and shovels.
“Wait, what about the monsters? How is he doing this?†The baker asked.
“Quite simple really. He’s been getting help from that insane inventor.†Seymor accused.
“What?†A few asked.
“I knew he was crazy!†Another stated.
“His science was evil witchcraft!†A large woman screamed.
Seymour allowed the sheep to ramble on.
“I’ll kill the Beast, but some of you, go kill the old man. I don’t want Belle to find out what her father’s been doing.†Gaston ordered.
“Wait, what about those things? They’ll just come after us... and the women and children.†Lelofu though out loud.
Semymor snapped his fingers, and light green fire wrapped around them.
“In the name of God, and St. Yevon I have given you the power to elude the heartless, now ride off, and claim glory!†Seymour gave a pep talk, as the angry mob ran out. Gaston and Lefou were leading the charge. As soon the men were out of sight, Seymour turned to the women and children, with sinister thoughts. No one heard any of their screams.
Aqua had been waiting outside of Prince Adam’s room, she could hear more trashing about. The door slowly opened to find a lean, charming french men with a candle light fire in his eyes, reminding Aqua of Lea. Ms. Potts looked at him.
“Lumaire… How is The Master?†She asked very worried, and so was everyone else.
“Well, he’s asked that no one enter his room, not even you, Master Aqua… or Belle.†The former candle said in a sad tone.
The former teapot and Keyblade Master, glanced down at the floor. Aqua needed to go after Belle and her students, but she couldn’t leave things here unguarded. Still she made up her mind. With a few hand signs and in a puff of smoke, another shadow clone had been made. Aqua looked to her cloned double.
“Stay here, and look after things, with Lea and Mulan. I'm going to make sure Sora, Riku, Kairi and the twins have Belle and her father.†She told the clone.
She nodded, while heading outside. She spotted, Mulan and Paine giving Tidus more tips on his close combat. Yuna and Rikku, were aiding Namine in some magic casting, and experimenting with her brush. Well Yuna was giving the blonde tips on how to improve her magic, and Rikku was teaching pick pocketing, and blinding enemies. Aqua gave a small smile at their progress, granted she would have to lecture Rikku on not stealing.
The blue haired keyblade master could have sworn she heard giggling. Aqua followed the noise to a closet. With a scowl, Aqua could hear Lea giggling, along with two other women.
“Lea, I know you aren’t doing anything NAUGHTY in there!†She yelled, while banging on the closet door.
He quickly came out the door, his clothes a bit ruffled with two maids. They all had a large nervous look on their faces. Lea had a few kiss marks on his cheeks.
“Um...nope, no heartless here, ladies. Your safe!†Lea said to the two nervous, young looking women beside him, while trying to cover his ass.
“It seems I need to worry less about Sora and Kairi, and more on you. Get outside, and make sure we were aren’t attacked by Maleficent's forces, or Xehanort and his forces...†Aqua gave a stern order.
“On it.†Lea said while dashing off. Aqua then looked at the not so innocent maids.
“Don’t you two have things to clean?†She asked, watching them leave with embarrassed looks on their faces. Aqua summoned her KeyRider, and drove off into the snow, while Lea started to scout out for heartless, nobodies or those weird monsters that gave them a hard time.
Inside, everyone else could still heard Prince Adam or “The Beast†as he now called himself, howling and roaring with anger. Rikku was freaked out and holding onto Paine for support. Yuna and Mulan wanted to help, but really had no idea what do to do. Namine was thinking back and looking into Sora, Donald or Goofy’s memories to see what they did to calm him down. Tidus however just got up, and and walked to his room. Yuna worried for his safety, followed him. Tidus made way past his staff, and kicked the door open. He was met with a loud roar that pushed him back a few inches.
“Oh shut up, already!†Tidus mouthed off. That took both Yuna and The Beast off guard.
“Okay, we get it. You got messed up by some bad magic again, but you don’t need to take it out on any of us, and locking yourself away in your room is not gonna help!†Tidus ranted.
“Adam, we all just want to help. Shutting us out and yelling isn’t going to solve anything.†Yuna said in a soothing tone.
“You want to help me?†The Beast growled while getting up, showing his size.
“LOOK AT ME!†The Beast screamed.
“Look at Yuna! Look at Rikku and Paine, they aren’t what they used to look like ether!†Tidus reasoned.
“ We can figure a way out to change each other back, but we need to be together, don’t shut us out, please.†Yuna asked.
“We will figure out a way.†Tidus added, showing no sign of slowing resolve.
Adam, almost looked ashamed when he was looking at Yuna.
“Belle was the one to break the kiss, because of the rose. This… curse… has no rose! I'm stuck like this forever!†The former prince growled.
“You don’t know that!†Tidus denied.
“Kairi told me that Sora, was once a heartless, but she managed to turn him human.†Yuna piped up giving him hope.
“That is a different matter! That was a heartless transformation, this is a curse!†Beast argued.
“Which was made by dark magic, duh!†Tidus shot back.
“I'm sure it’ll be no problem, since Belle is like Kairi, a Princess of Heart.†The blue and green eyed pixie added.
The Beast said nothing.
“What if... What if… I’ve truly become a monster, and I attack her her on sight?†He asked.
“We wouldn’t allow it, Adam.†The Aqua clone stated, watching all of this from afar.
“Tell me Adam, do you love Belle, with all your heart?†Aqua asked.
Oh course!†Adam said in a defensive manner.
Aqua then put her hands on his, clawed paws.
“You have nothing to worry about. No spell, or curse can best true love.†Aqua stated.
Adam looked down at the boy, pixie girl, and his keyblade master.
“I am… sorry, for how I’ve been acting, I'm ashamed of myself.†He mumbled.
“Your forgiven, now come on out, you can wait for Belle while we train some more. I want to get a feel of your new body.†Aqua said.
Slowly Adam followed the copy of Aqua who gave a quick look of approval to the young student and smaller charge. Tidus gave a cocky grin, while Yuna a small humble smile, their job well done.
Lea stood outside the castle in the snow huffing. He quickly warmed himself with a bit of fire. Lea quickly summoned his chakrams out of habit seeing a corridor of darkness appeared. He looked at another black hooded man, with to Lea’s fear, a familiar claymore.
“...Isa? Is that you?†Lea asked, a knot his throat, and remembered leaving on some bad terms. Maybe he was hopeful in some form of reforming their lost bond.
The man removed his hood to show Lea, this was indeed Isa, X-scar, sour expression. Just like how Lea left him.
“No… there is no Isa. There is only Saix, traitor!†The scowling man of the moon hissed.
Lea groaned.
“Isa, the Organization is gone. You aren’t a nobody anymore! You don’t have fight me. So why don’t we just sit down and talk?†Lea suggested, hoping to try and reason with his former friend, while putting his weapons down.
Saix’s response was to charge at his former friend in snarling rage. Lea had no choice but to deflect the large weapons attack with his chakrams.
“Come on, Isa, you don’t have to do this! We can start over, it doesn’t have to be this way!†Lea nearly begged, only to dodge more of Saix’s attacks.
“Orders are orders. Xehanort must have the Princess of Heart, Sora will be captured, and I’ll get the pleasure of gutting out his nobody, and that worthless gender-bent copy!†Saix ranted as he pressed harder for a close in attack that Lea was parrying.
Lea had a horrible thought of his two best friends murdered, knocked Isa or Saix, as he was calling himself, with two of his chakrams in spinning inferno disk form. He threw them, however Saix, had deflected them with his own weapon.
“Same old tricks, don’t you have anything new?†He taunted with a slight sneer.
“Dragon fireworks!†They both heard Mulan yell, as Saix’s stomach was hit with a Chinese dragon firework head, and shot him pretty far back. He was tossed into the snow and rolled around. He nearly dodged many blizzardga attacks, however, his weapon was stuck in the ice. Saix got to his feet, his face gave an oh crap look as The Beast grabbed a hold of him, and started to bash Saix across the ground a few times before dragging him back to Lea.
Upside down Saix saw Mulan, the Master Aqua clone, and Lea, all pointing their keyblades in his face. Saix was perplexed at his former friend gaining a keyblade, with his shady background and all.
“No new tricks, but I got myself this, a teacher and some new friends to have my back.†Lea stated.
“Now... tell me, Saix, where is your master? Where is Xehanort hiding?†Aqua asked.
Saix scowled, then he smirked.
“My Master, is getting a weapon to destroy you all, and to break Sora. You’ll get nothing else from me.†The moon raged agent of darkness stated.
Aqua wasn’t an interrogator, and she had other things on her mind, they could store him elsewhere for now.
“Aright Adam, I want you to toss him-“ The clone started to order when it vanished.
Before Adam, or Mulan could say anything, the Prince threw Saix far, and sky high.
“AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!†They could hear him scream, while Mushu gave a long, low whistle, clearly impressed.
The Beast gave a satisfied smile on his face, while Lea looked like he was about to crumble into pieces.
“Adam, I don’t think that was what Master Aqua would have wanted.†Mulan thought out loud.
“Oh well, sorry Lea… I guess.†The Beast mumbled, seeing Lea so down.
“I wonder what weapon, this demon’s going after? “The small dragon asked, feeling some sort of chill down his spine. That was never a good sign.
On the shores of Destiny Islands, a corridor of darkness opened up on the wave kissed shores. What came out was black coated man.
“Even after all this time… the sun is too bright, and it’s still too small.†The man noted, as he made footsteps in the sand.
Terra was one fire today with her typewriter. She had been finishing page after page. Her editor would be very pleased that the novel would actually be ahead of schedule. It was really the only thing keeping the half human, half magical esper woman from going into a nervous wreck. After hearing all of the stories of her son’s adventures and dangers, she couldn’t help but fret over her three children. Terra was worried about the safety of Riku, Kairi, and everyone else. The green haired woman wanted to do something, sadly her magic had been gone. She jumped out of her chair, hearing loud knocks at the door.
“That must be Fang and Vanille. I hope they got our orders right.†Terra muttered to no one, feeling a tad but hungry. She went from her writing room to making her way down the stairs. The author undid the locks and quickly opened up the door. She found not her new friends, but a tall, unknown stranger in a dark coat with yellow eyes. She noticed in one hand, he had a gun metal demon looking keyblade, and in the other, to her utter horror, an all too familiar thin golden crown, and a syringe full of unknown liquid.
Terra quickly slammed the door, only to have it burst into flames.
“That was very rude of you, Miss Branfornd. I came all this way just to come and get you.†The man said in a very calm, but condescending voice.
The woman started to run, when one of her hands was grabbed by another man in a black coat. She kept trying to get away, however the writer was injured by a punch to the gut.
“I’m sorry my dear Esper woman, but you shall be of some use to me... willingly or otherwise.†The man spoke. His eyes glowing like the devil, while placing the crown over her head.
“No, No, No! Not again!†She thought in her head, feeling the effect of the crown.
“I don’t have any magic, what could you want from me?! LEAVE MY SORA ALONE YOU MONSTER!†Terra cried out.
“Oh but you do have magic… it simply needs to be unlocked.†He stated, while pulled out his keyblade once more.
Terra wanted to move, but her body wouldn’t.
“I see the slave crown is working properly. You’ve had about a good fifteen years of freedom, but now my dear, all that untapped power will be put into something more constructive.†Xehanort mused, while stabbing his keyblade into her chest.
“Like showing the worlds, what savage monsters your so called children are.†Xehanort sneered, as a bright pink energy started to cover Terra’s body. She saw her own heart coming out of her body, and then… another replacing it… her heart silently cried out in agony as her body was being violated.
A blood curtailing scream of agony was what the people of the island heard. Lightning, Snow, and Sazh, along with Fang, Vanile, and Yuffie heard this and ran as fast as they could. Only to see a smirking Xehanort with a female looking humanoid glowing creature. They all put two and two together, and went after Xehanort, hopefully Terra could be changed back.
“Ah, Major Farron, and the last of Grand Pulse… I was hoping you had died during the fall, but you may be of use to me. Would you care to be in one of my tests?†Xehanort taunted the two warrior women, while giving Vanille a fright.
Lightning and Fang lunged at the fallen keyblade wielder with their gun blade and spear. He quickly parried their attacks, and Fang went in for another jab. Lightning however used Bltiz, injuring Xehanort slightly, while wreaking a bit of the house in a 360 spin. This forced Fang to jump up, and attacked downward. She missed ever so slightly, allowing Xehanort to nearly freeze her with a Blizardga attack. Snow cracked the ice with a few punches. Fang gave a thankful nod of respect to Snow, as they went back to fighting. Xehanort dodged their blows, however a few punches to the face landed.
“This is nearly killing my wife with your sick experiments, and kidnapping Kairi!†Snow yelled, as he landed a heavy punch to the gut that sent his foe flying into a wall. The Keyblade Master in retaliation blasted him with a few mini beams of shadow energy, Snow was able to dodge one, however many more were able to damage him.
Lightning shot out a couple of Thundga spells, they hit his keyblade, but he had vanished into the ground. Lightning in response fired at the shadows where the yellow eyed monster was hiding in. Fang was also piercing the floor with her spear. This was irritating Xehanort, so he had cast a Slow spell on Lightning and Fang, making their movements sluggish as he came back to the surface, disarming them, and knocking the two women away from him, wreaking another part of the house. The fallen keyblade wielder was about to make his exit, when Sazh got his attention.
“Hey devil man, you think you can just waltz in here, mess with the lady, and try and kill us, and just walk away with it?! I don’t think so! Not after the mess you put my boy Riku in. And almost killing Kairi, Sora, and Lord knows who else! Oh no, not today! Today you pay for your crimes! †Sazh ranted, while pulling out two of his pistols.
“I see, so that’s where Riku gets his annoying determination from.†Xehanort noted.
Sazh fired away at the prick. Xehanort with a dull expression on his face, blocked the bullets, with a Protect spell. Yuffie added to the fire with her ninja stars, however not even her biggest one was making much damage. Vanille was busy healing and dispelling any injuries that Lightning, Fang and Snow had. Soon, they were also trying to break his shield, which was starting to give way. Xehanort was clearly getting annoyed.
“It seems the Fali Cie marks are still in tact... note to self, kill all test subjects after the experiment has run it’s course, and do not leave it to the heartless.†Xehanort made a mental note.
“Terra, be a good epser slave, and kill them all.†Xehanort ordered, as he vanished into a corridor of darkness.
All of their eyes were wide open as Terra was about to blow everyone to hell.
“Tina don’t!†Sazh yelled, trying to get his friend to stop.
The house exploded into magic fire.
Sora, Riku, Kairi, Roxas, and Xion had this horrible chill go down their spines. Making them all shiver. Belle and her father took notice of this.
“Something wrong?†Belle asked.
“Well nothing we know of, other than your boyfriend holding you hostage at the start of your relationship.†Riku groaned. Belle cringed slightly.
“I agree with Riku, that’s pretty messed up.†Kairi said nodding her head.
She had told her father, and heir protectors about how they met, since Sora didn’t even know. Or least the full details. Her keyblade wielding companions were a tad shocked about how Belle traded her freedom for her father’s safety. Or how cruel Adam was at that point in her life.
“Yes, but over time, things got better. You’ve seen him. you’ve all seen him.†Belle tried to make her case.
“I'm not saying that he hasn’t changed, but it sounds like your love started out as Stockholm syndrome.†Kairi stated.
“What?†Belle asked.
“I mean I remember being locked up in a dungeon, and for a while i was almost smitten with this guy who had a blue guitar. He had great hair, and an even better face. I almost fell for him.†The young Princess of Heart admitted.
“You WHAT?!†Sora asked in rather freaked out manner. His mind raced and two hearts pounding.
Kairi rolled her eyes and smiled, while kissing his flustered face.
“I said almost, Sora. Your the only dork for me. I was just saying that to show how Stockholm syndrome could have a powerful effect on someone’s mind. Still, Adam has shown that he would do anything for Belle, and their love is pure.†Kairi stated in a matter of fact tone.
“So you, my dear inventor, have nothing to worry about. You have a good future son in law.†Kairi said, shedding off some worry for both Belle and her father.
“Well I won’t really know till I meet him.†The old man admitted, take me to see him… that is if you don’t mind?†He asked his daughter.
“Not at all that, we came here to get you.†She said smiling.
“Welp, let me pack a few things, and we’ll be off.†The older man stated, while trying to find a bag, and a few things in their cozy but cluttered home.
“Sora, you might want to take music lessons, otherwise Kairi might leave you.†Xion teased in a joking manner.
Sora retaliated by putting her in a head lock, and giving Xion a noogy.
“Ha ha, very funny Xion.†Sora muttered with sarcasm, but in a joking tone.
“AH mercy! Roxas help, Sora’s picking on me!" Xion cried out, while kicking Sora’s legs.
Roxas wasn’t listening, he was more focused on the noise that was getting louder and louder.
“Hey guys, do you hear an angry mob?†Roxas asked.
“What?†Riku and Kairi asked, however they started to hear the noise as well.
“Yeah… it’s an angry mob.†Both Sora and Kairi confirmed, hearing it more clearly.
“How can you tell? “Xion asked, now free from her older brother.
“Cause those two were the cause of many angry mobs when we were kids!†Riku muttered, while his two best friends gave sheepish grins.
“We better not let Belle or her dad have to deal with this. Lets handle it. Kairi said, as she went outside, and locked the door.
They looked to find many angry looking men with torches, knives, pitch forks, primitive looking guns, and very hard loaves of bread.
“Oh my gosh, it’s fourth grade all over again.†Kairi whispered to her boyfriend.
“I know right, expect they’re not all girls.†Sora whispered back at his girlfriend, while chuckling.
Riku took charge, and stepped up to face the mob.
“Can we help you?†He asked.
“We want the old man, those monsters he’s been making have terrorized our village for the last time!â€
Riku didn’t need to put two and two together to see these people had been easily manipulated into murdering an innocent man out of fear. Hopefully they could make them see reason, that is if Xion and Roxas didn’t make things worse by mistake.
“Look everyone, you’re all about to make a huge mistake.†Riku started to say.
“Yeah, the guy’s not here.†Sora quickly lied.
“What?!†The villagers yelled angrily.
“What?†Riku hissed, only to be elbowed by Kairi, to make him shut up.
“Huh, yeah, we just came here to hide from the monsters, and this old guy had a lot of bags, and ran off… that way.†Sora lied, pointing at the far left.
“How do we know your not lying?†The man with the hard bread asked suspiciously.
Xion, Roxas, and Sora huddled up together while giving the angry mob their best innocent faces they could muster.
“Do we look like the lying type to you?†All three asked. Riku smacked his face with his palm, while Kairi thought the trio looked absolutely adorable.
The mob seemed satisfied, and slowly went where Sora told them to go.
Riku just stared at his best friend.
“...You didn’t have a back up plan in case that didn’t work, did you?†Riku asked.
“No, so it’s a good thing it worked, huh?†Sora said with a slight laugh.
Kairi knocked on the door to find Belle and her father, who was now packed. Kairi quickly summoned her KeyRider and allowed them to get on.
“My word, what is this, it looks amazing. You must let me tinker with it.†The inventor requested the young Princess of Heart.
“Maybe after we meet Adam, Papa, but now we need to go.†Belle said with a bit of urgency in her voice. Kairi had helped them both on her KeyRider, while the rest hopped on their own.
“HEY THERE HE IS! I KNEW THAT KID WAS LYING!†They heard the baker yell as the angry mob started to run back
“Darn crafty baker! He ruined our clever, and brilliant plan.†Roxas snapped.
“It wasn’t either of those things. Riku deadpanned.
“Well Riku, here’s the back up plan, RUN!†Sora yelled as they rode off, with an angry mob chasing after them.
Luckily they are much faster than any of them could hope to be. Xion however, looked back to find the villagers changing into the green flamed wooden horned demon heartless, while yelling in awful pain. No one dared looked back. Well Riku did, he turned around and fired the weapons on his KeyRider to give everyone a chance to keep going without worrying. Riku didn’t hear Sora, Kairi or Xion’s protests. He just yelled for them to go as he fired.
Kairi, Roxas, and Xion ran, however Sora turned around to give his best friend somew backup. As Riku took shots and dodged attacks, Sora rammed into a few of them while getting one of their pitchforks into his head. Thankfully his spiky hair was protecting his skull and brain.
“Sora, didn’t I tell you to go!†Riku asked irritably, while firing at another heartless who dodged his time.
Sora however got that one, and a few others.
“Riku, stop trying to show off, and be the lone wolf guy. We got your back.†Sora protested.
“Who’s got Kairi’s back then?†Riku asked as he dodged a pitch fork.
“Kairi’s got her own back, she can handle this, and if she can’t, Roxas and Xion can help.†Sora stated not worrying about it, this time he used the thrusters on his KeyRider to burn a few heartless.
The rest vanished before both keyblade veterans could do anymore damage to them. The two turned around and went to catch up with the rest. Kairi, Roxas, and Xion were lucky enough to find Master Aqua waiting for them, and no more enemies.
“Okay good, you have everyone, but Sora and Riku… they’ll have to catch up, we need to go now.†Aqua ordered.
“Oh come on, Master. Look I know we’ve had heartless issues, but what’s the rush?†Roxas asked.
“Roxas… Some new problems have happened… I’ll explain on the way to the caste. Belle you might be in for a shock.†Aqua muttered sadly, as they rode off.
Aqua was soon introduced to Belle’s father, and he the same way. Kairi, Roxas, and Xion looked back to see Sora and Riku catching up. Belle spoke up after some time as Aqua increased her speed. Kairi had gotten Belle on her master’s KeyRider.
“Is something wrong with Adam? Did he injure himself during your training?†Belle asked a bit worried.
“…That curse that you, Adam and Sora mentioned? We had a run in with Maleficent, and she returned him to… what he looked like before when you two first met.†Aqua explained.
Belle gave a worried look.
“Is he hurt?†She asked.
“No, well he might be. I did see a group on horse back with torches, guns and swords pass by me to the route of the castle.., An angry mob, I think.†Aqua said.
“Oh no.†Belle thought, knowing her village they might think Belle was kidnapped by a monster, most likely Gaston railed them up in a fear frenzy. Then again with the heartless roaming around she couldn’t blame them, maybe Gaston, cause of his extra thick skull.
"Which is why we are in a hurry!†Aqua said to herself, but also yelled this toward her students to go faster. However Aqua could see out of the corner of her eye, book pages were falling down like snow, and suddenly, she along with her students were at the castle’s entrance, which had been broken into.
They all got off their rides of transportation, and changed them back into weapon form. Roxas and Xion both noticed they now matched with Sora, thanks to their two new headbands.
They heard someone's voice.
“Take whatever valuables you can find, kill anyone that gets in your way, but remember The Beast is MINE!†Gaston roared.
Sora, and the others sprang into action while Mulan, Lea, Tidus, Yuna, Rikku, Paine, Namine, and Adam fought the intruders and incoming heartless. Unaware that Braig was planning his move.
End of Chapter 7. pt.4