Heroes of Disney #1: Rise of the Firebird

Ch. 30: It's Our House Now

"Open up his cage. Don't forget to handcuff him!" Pinky barked to his commandeers.

The two lofty flamingos walked up to my cell and opened the door, one of them trotting in and walking behind me, grabbing my arms and pulling them behind my back to handcuff them.

I figured that I could probably take these pesky pink pruners. Knock 'em aside and lunge for Pinky. Get the keys, unlock Belle, and we can race to freedom.

But something inside me said that wouldn't work. Even if we did manage to escape from these guys, there's no telling how many other more powerful Disney Villains are hidden throughout these walls. Plus, if we get caught, I might get someone hurt. They might hurt Belle, or Tiana, or Perry or Spring. Or my dad. If he indeed WAS being held captive. But how did he come into contact with Belle? How did he get here?

I decided to just let Pinky and his gang lead me out of my cell. I glanced at Belle with a look that hopefully read I'll get us out of this. Nevertheless she still looked incredibly scared for my life. I couldn't disagree with her. I was too. Very much so.

We walked away from the cells in silence, the flamingos not commenting on anything. Pinky walked ahead of me, with his two comrades, whom I've grown accustomed to calling Periwinkle and Salmon, walking on either side of me. Pinky held the torch.

I made a point to look around the cells, in case I managed to escape and somehow get the keys, I would be able to not only rescue Belle, but anyone who happened to be down here as well. Maybe I would see my friends, or my dad. Or even Aladdin. But no such luck. It seemed Belle and I were the only ones down here.

Pinky looked behind me and noticed me looking. He smirked. "Your friends won't be here. They're locked in a completely different set of cells. This line of cells is for the special prisoners."

He turned back around and I glared at the plume of feathers sticking up on the back of his head.

If only I could hurt you. I thought.

Soon, we made it to a ladder sticking up into the ceiling, where the outline of an opening could be seen. Pinky climbed up the step ladder and pushed the door open, revealing an array of bright light. I squinted my eyes. I could hear loud laughing and chattering coming from up above. Pinky climbed out of the hole, and Salmon started climbing up, leading me, with Periwinkle right behind me.

I walked into the room's light, and found myself, along with my flamingo captors, in a small dusty corner hidden behind a giant curtain.

Pinky grinned at me and pulled back a sliver of the curtain, pushing me through. "Enjoy, Mr. Herinson."

What I saw was NOT what I expected.

The room I was in was the same room that Belle and The Beast, now Prince Adam, had danced in in Beauty and the Beast.

The entire room's walls were gold. And a beautiful chandelier hung from the ceiling. There was also blue curtains hanging from the ceiling, and huge windows that showed the night sky. Large pillars reached toward the ceiling all around me. There was a giant carpet on the floor under us, and in the back of the room, a beautiful staircase that lead to two different doors.

But there was a major difference between the room in the movie and the room now. There was a party going on. A party of Disney Villains.

All around the room, circular tables had been set up, seating about 5 or 6 Villains per table. They were laughing. Chattering. Drinking. Eating. Disney Villains from all the movies. Even minor villains, like the villagers that had helped Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, or Maleficent's goons from Sleeping Beauty. They were strewn around everywhere, seated with Villains that they didn't even share the same movie with. Hook's pirates, Scar's hyenas, The Horned Goblin's ghouls. Triangular bats were flying overhead, the same ones from Fantasia 2000. In the far corner stood a monstrous T-Rex, the same one from Fantasia, just glowering down at the scene before him. Needless to say, this place was scary.