Ran, Beauty, and the Beast

Chapter 2

Later, outside Belle's house, LeFou and Gaston were spying. LeFou was dressed normally while Gaston appeared to have a fancy suit on. As Belle was reading her book, Ran approached her. "So, where did you come from?" Belle asked. "Um...let's just say I'm from somewhere that's far, far away from here" said Ran. "Hmm..." Belle smiled to her. "I thought you seemed a little different." There was a knock on the door and Belle decided to get it. However, when she looked out to see who it was, it wasn't Maurice, but it was someone who made her groan and roll her eyes. 'Where have I seen that look before?' Ran thought to herself. The door opened to reveal Gaston. "Gaston? What a pleasant surprise." Belle said, sarcastically. "Isn't it though?" Gaston smirked, walking himself inside. "I'm just full of surprises. You know Belle, there's not a girl in town who would love to be in your shoes. This is the day-" the selfish and greedy hunter stopped to look in the mirror. He licked his teeth a bit and looked back at the woman he desired, returning to his point. "This is the day your dreams come true." "What do you know about her dreams, Gaston?" Ran glared at him. "Plenty." Gaston sat himself down and put his muddy shoes on the table, nearly ruining Belle's book as he kicked off his shoes. "Picture this: A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire, and my little wife massaging my feet." Belle cringed as she pinched her nose, disgusted with Gaston's proposal.

"While the little ones play on the floor with the dogs" Gaston continued, then faced her with a narcissistic grin. "Of course, we'll have six or seven." "Dogs?" Ran asked. "No, little lady. Strapping boys like me." Gaston said. Ran rolled her eyes. "Imagine that..." Belle muttered as she cleaned up her book so it wouldn't be ruined forever. "And do you know who that little wife might be?" Gaston tried to corner her. "Let me think..." Belle drawled out. "You, Belle!" Gaston grinned, coming closer toward her. Ran grabbed his arm before he could touch Belle. "Stop it! Belle is so not interested!" she told him. "Excuse me, young lady, butt out!" Gaston said as he broke free of Ran's grip. He kept trying to woo and kiss Belle. But then, she opened the door on him and made him fall out into the mud. "I'm very sorry, Gaston, but I just don't deserve you." Belle said as she soon let him out. There was a band playing outside and Belle also grabbed Gaston's boots and threw them out with him. LeFou stopped the band and lifted the pig off of Gaston's head and smirked. "So, how did it go?" Gaston got up, gripping LeFou by the collar, very angered with Belle's rejection. "I'll have Belle for my wife!" he growled. "Make no mistake of that!" he threw LeFou back in the mud and stormed off. "Touchy!" LeFou huffed. The pig snorted in agreement. Gaston was furious he was going to have Belle as his wife, one way or another. Then he stormed off, making his little party leave with him.

Belle cracked the door open slightly. "Is he gone?" "All clear." Ran gave a thumb's up. Belle scoffed as she carried food for the chickens she had to feed in her little farm. "Can you imagine? He asked me to marry him! Me! The wife of that boorish, brainless-" "You are so better off without that jerk." Ran said. Belle sighed. After feeding the animals, she rushed off. "Belle, wait up!" Ran called. Belle ran and looked out. "I just wanna get out of here..." she said to her new friend. "I want adventure and a great life somewhere, I want it more than I can tell." "And I think it would be grand to have someone who would understand. And possibly have so much more than they've got planned." Ran smiled. "You really do understand me" Belle smiled to Ran as she picked a dandelion to make a wish on it. There was a horse neigh heard in the distance. The girls turned to see Philippe coming, who was scared and out of breath. "Philippe!" Belle rushed to her horse. "Wh-Where's Papa? Where is he, Philipe? What happened? Oh, we have to find him, you have to take us to him!" Belle grabbed her cloak to ride on her horse with and she and Ran went with Philipe to the forest.

Belle looked to the gate of a castle with wonder as she was on Philippe's back. "What is this place?" she whispered to herself. The horse tried to get them to turn back, but Belle restrained him. Belle went inside the gate and once she saw something, she picked up a hat and knew exactly who it belonged to. "Papa." she whispered in deep worry. "Then he must be somewhere inside" said Ran. She and Belle walked up to the castle doors. The girls were a little scared. "H-Hello?" Belle called out as she opened the door. "Papa?" "Maurice? Are you in here?" Ran added. They kept trying to call for Maurice with little to no avail. "Momma, there are girls in the castle!" A tea cup cheered as he hopped to a teapot in the kitchen as she was next to a soapy tub. "Now, Chip, I won't have you make up wild stories." The teapot looked firmly to him. "Really Mama, I saw them!" The tea cup cried in defense. "Not another word" The teapot took him in for a bath. "Into the tub." But then the tea cup known as Chip was proved to be right as a feather duster came in. "I just saw two girls in the castle!" "See?" Chip squirted water from his mouth, smirking to his mother. "I told ya!" A candle and clock were arguing, but they stopped for a moment as they saw Belle and Ran walk past the hallway. "Did you see that?" The candle asked the clock. The two went behind the door and watched the girls go. "It's two girls!" the candle exclaimed quietly. "I know it's two girls!" The clock sneered to him. "Don't you see?" The candle looked excited. "One of zhem is zhe one we have been waiting for, one of zhem is here to break zhe spell!" he said before zipping off. "Wait a minute!" The clock cried out, going after him.

"Maurice?" Ran said while looking around. "Hello, is someone here?" Belle asked as they went to a staircase. There was a fire glow going up the stairs. "Wait, we're looking for my father, I-" They went up the stairs, but they saw no one there. The candle had placed himself down on a window sill. "That's odd... There's no one here..." Ran felt puzzled. "Is anyone here?" Belle asked. "Girls?" A weary old voice called from a door. "PAPA!" Belle rushed over once she recognized it. Belle and Ran rushed over to see Maurice in a cell. "H-How did you find me?" Maurice asked his daughter once he held her hand. "Oh, your hands are like ice!" Belle shivered for him. "We've gotta get you out of there. Who did this to you?" Ran said. "There's no time to explain" Maurice warned them. "You two must go, now!" "We won't leave you!" Belle protested. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" A voice snarled, grabbing the girls. "RUN, GIRLS!" Maurice cried. "Who's there?" Ran asked. "Who are you?" "The master of this castle..." The Beast's voice growled to them as he kept himself hidden in the shadows. "We've come for my father." Belle started. "Please let him out. He looks sick." said Ran. "THEN HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TRESPASSED HERE!" The Beast snarled. "But he could die. Please, we'll do anything!" Belle begged. "There's nothing you can do. He's my prisoner." The Beast growled. "But there must be something we can..." Belle paused to think. Once she had an idea, she alerted the beast's attention. "Wait!"

The master stopped in his tracks and looked back down at the humans. Belle looked back at her father and new friend and bowed her head. "Take me instead." she said in the bravest voice she could muster. "You?" The Beast snorted, then thought for a moment. He looked back, a bit amazed with Belle's decisions and settled his voice. "You would... Take his place...?" "Belle, no, you don't know what you're doing!" Maurice cried. "If I did, would you let them go?" Belle asked. "Yes, but..." The Beast said, facing Belle eye to eye. "You must promise to stay here forever." Belle hesitated before answering and looked long and hard at the Beast. "Come into the light." she requested. The master of the castle put his furry foot out and came into the light from outside the lonely window. Belle and Ran's eyes widened once she caught a full glimpse of the beast that was the master. They gasped a bit and turned away, nearly scared. "No, Belle. I won't let you do this!" Maurice took his daughter's hand. Belle kept her eyes shut and she stood up. "You have my word." "I'm staying too" Ran spoke up. "DONE!" The Beast barked, letting Maurice out.

Once Maurice was out, he rushed over to his daughter. "No, Belle. Listen to me. I'm old, I've lived my life-" he said. Then the Beast grabbed Maurice to get rid of him. "Wait!" Belle cried as she wasn't ready for her father to be gone yet. "Belle!" Maurice held out his hands for his daughter. "Wait!" Belle repeated, heartbroken. She felt so devastated, she broke down into tears. "Aw, Belle..." Ran hugged Belle to comfort her. "I didn't get to say goodbye..." Belle whimpered. "I'm so sorry" Ran said. After the Beast took care of Maurice, he stormed back into the tower, but he actually looked sad as Belle was crying about never seeing her father again and never getting a chance to say goodbye. "I-I'll show you to your room then." The Beast uttered out before starting to walk off. "Our room?" Belle looked up. "But I thought-" "You wanna, you wanna stay in the tower?" The Beast glanced to her. "No" Belle shook her head. "Then both of you follow me." The Beast commanded as he grabbed the candle to show them a room to stay in from now on.

The Beast led them out of the tower and showed them down the hallway. Ran looked around as she followed him. Belle was horrified by some of the imagery of the castle, especially when she saw gargoyle images that looked like they wanted to jump out and get her. She caught up with the others as she bowed her head with a tear rolling down her cheek. The Beast looked back to Belle and made light conversation with her as they walked. "Now remember, the castle is your home now" the Beast told the girls. "So you can go anywhere you like, except the West Wing." That puzzled Belle. "What's in the-" "IT'S FORBIDDEN!" The Beast boomed, making her silent. After that, he continued to lead the way to their new room. 'I think I better do what he says' Ran thought to herself. The Beast opened a door to a bedroom. "Now, if you need anything... My servants or I will attend to you..." Belle and Ran entered the room and looked at him. "You will join me for dinner" The Beast forced himself to say. "That's not a REQUEST!" he slammed the door shut. Belle gasped once the doors shut behind her. Then she ran and flopped on the bed, sobbing as it started to snow. Ran sat next to Belle and gently rubbed her back to comfort her. "Everything's gonna be okay, Belle" Ran soothed. "But... I need my father..." Belle sniffled. "He was the only family I had and now he's gone..." "It will be alright. I got you" Ran assured her. Belle looked quite miserable.