Hi everyone. I hope you enjoy this chapter. By the way, this chapter is inspired by some of the original ending ideas of Beauty and the Beast before they changed the ending to only Gaston dying, only in my version. And just to warn you, this chapter is going to be dark. Really dark, but not much blood or gore since I can't do that. However, there will be suicide in this chapter. Anyway, enjoy.
Chapter 52: Death from a Bitter Melody
-Blake's House-
Seira tried everything she could to get out, look for another way, throwing chairs to break the door, and breaking the windows but there was nothing to cover the glass. Suddenly, she heard a knock.
"Seira, are you in there?" Katie's voice can be heard.
"Katie, yes I'm in here and I need to get out now." Seira yelled.
"Alright, give me a second." Katie told her. She remove the gun and then cover the door with honey. "Seira, stand back and away from the door."
"Okay." Seira did as her sister said.
Suddenly, the door was destroyed by a bear. He was licking on the honey and then nuzzle it's nose on Seira's face.
"Norwin!" Seira exclaimed as she hugged her forest friend. "You startled me."
"Here, Seira." Katie dropped her rose ring in her hand. "I believe this belongs to you."
"Thanks, Katie. I'll be back as soon as I can." Seira slips the ring on her finger and then disappears.
-Mikeru's Castle-
The mob has arrived to the castle much faster than they anticipated. They forced opened the door with a tree trunk. Inside, Jikan and Haru saw the commotion.
"What is this? Invaders!" Haru exclaimed.
"Haru, go warn the master, I'll get the magical objects ready." Jikan replied.
As Haru goes to Mikeru, Jikan played war-like music from the music room and brought the objects to life. This time, the objects are more aggressive and scary as they marched to the main room just as the people broke down the door. Haru reached his master's room.
-Mikeru's Room-
"Master, I beg your pardon but they're are people storming the castle." Haru told Mikeru.
"I don't care, if they want to come, then let them come." Mikeru replied sadly.
-Ballroom-
Haru left him alone to join the battle. Meanwhile, Seira arrived in the castle's ballroom. She heard shouting and footsteps getting closer to her. She hid behind the curtains. There is silence. Seira took a peek to see Blake. He was looking around the ballroom angrily and runs upstairs.
"I'll find him, I'll find him and kill him till he is dead!" she heard Blake yelled.
"I must warn Mikeru." Seira whispered to herself as she quietly followed Blake.
-Mikeru's Room-
In his room, Blake opened the door. He notice that Mikeru was looking at his rose. He grabbed his bow and arrow. He aimed and fire.
"AHH!" Mikeru exclaim in pain. He turned to see Blake.
"So, you're the beast that my Seira loves. I won't let you take her, she is mine and mine alone!" Blake yelled as he grabs another bow. This time, he missed.
"Leave me be for your own sake." Mikeru warned him, he feel his curse is slowly influencing him.
"What's the matter? You surrender? Or is it because you are too gentle to fight me? I will never understand why Seira even has feeling for you in the first place!" Blake taunts him.
'Come on, what are you waiting for? If you don't used it, you will lose everything!' his curse is telling him.
'No, I won't use it! It's what made me lose father! It took me so long to seal it!" Mikeru is fighting against his curse.
'Why do you care about your father? Do you want to know the real reason why your father died by your hands in the first place? It's really because you hate him. The way he treats you, hurt you, abused you, all to be a perfect ruler. You were tired of it, so you gave him the justice he deserves. Now, if you don't do the same to this man...' his curse replied.
'Stop it!' Mikeru pleaded.
'You will lose Seira forever.' his curse, the darkness is slowly taking over.
Stop it!' Mikeru yelled again in his thoughts.
"Seira is mine, she will never love a beast like you!" Blake taunt further as he got a perfect shot. Since Mikeru was just standing there, he readied his bow, aim, and fire.
"STOP IT!" Mikeru yelled from the top of his lungs. His black wings slowly stretched out, the nice room became dead and cold. Only the rose was unaffected but the petals are blackening quickly.
Mikeru opens his eyes to show that is it now blood-red instead of pale blue. He opens his mouth to reveal fangs that started to grow. He longs for something that he hasn't had for a very long time- blood. He doesn't care whose blood his spills he just wants to kill anything.
"So you have reveal your true colors... Good, now I can kill you with honer. I shall take your head and everyone will know that I, Blake, has killed the monstrous beast." Blake replied. He grabbed for his dagger and started to attack.
Mikeru summoned his flute and plays a dark melody, paralyzing Blake. He then turned his flute into a bow and arrow and pins Blake to the wall. The flute then turned into a whip. Not saying anything, he slash his whip at Blake as he screamed in fear. He was about to do a second time when...
"Stop!" Seira entered his room, soaking wet. "Mikeru." tears are in her eyes.
Mikeru turned but he looked at her with cold eyes, as if he doesn't even recognized her. He dropped his whip and approached her. His room took a more scary and dark appearance as he is getting closer to Seira. However, only a patch around her remained the same.
"Mikeru." Seira called out again. However, he did not react. "Kyaa!" he grabbed her arms and pinned her to the floor. Seira felt unease at this side of Mikeru. His gentleness is gone, replace by this harsh side of him. His touch even caused her to shiver. "Mikeru, stop. This is not the you I know." she was scared, however, that is not going to stop her.
'I must find a way to reach out to him. I need to snap him back.' Seira thought.
She saw her bell flower cup on a petal stool, however, it was from her reach since Mikeru has her arms pinned. She looked at him as he stared at her.
"Blood... I need blood... thirsty." she heard Mikeru mumbled. "Need to kill... to protect someone... but who? Who is it... the person I want to protect...?"
Seira is shocked. Mikeru was still in there, he is just lost. She felt his grip on her is loosening.
She smiled as she told him gently, "Mikeru, I know you're in there. You don't have to worry about protecting me. I'm fine."
Mikeru just looked at her with his blank expression, like a confused puppy. Seira felt tears are falling on her face again as she used her now free arms to hug Mikeru.
"I'm sorry. I caused you to worry. You were afraid that you might lose me because you love me... Right, Mikeru?" Seira cried. Mikeru winced a bit. "You are not going to lose me, Mikeru. But... I am afraid... That I will be the one who is going to lose you. The reason why is because... you are important to me!"
She saw it- tears. Tears are falling from his eyes on her face. She smiled, she is close to getting him back. She used one of her hand to reach the petal stool. Once she reached it, she pulled down the petal stool towards her. Mikeru, despite under his curse, react. He swat the stone stool away from Seira. It broke into pieces. Her bell flower cup dropped. It fell to the floor, a clink sound can be heard. The cup is now chipped. It rolls till it hit Mikeru's hand.
He felt something when the cup touched him. It was warm, a kind of loving feeling flows into him. His eyes turned back to the beautiful pale blue color and his fangs are gone. He looked at Seira's crying face for a moment in confusion. He then hugged her suddenly.
"Seira, I'm sorry!" he apologized. He helped her sat up. "That was a side of me that I didn't want you to see. I don't even remember what I did to you. Whatever I did, can you forgive me?"
"Yes, of course I forgive you!" Seira exclaimed as she hugged him back. She opened her eyes in shock.
Blake was behind Mikeru, a dagger is in his hand and a malicious smile is on his face.
Seira was too shock to warn Mikeru until it was too late. He stabbed Mikeru on the shoulder.
"Mikeru!" she exclaimed as he is in pain. "No!" she felt Blake grabbed her towards him.
Mikeru turned the balcony to see Blake has Seira with one arm, his other arm, which is holding the dagger is close to her neck. Lightning flash as rain is pouring hard.
"You... you dare to hurt her!" Mikeru yelled.
"I already have seen enough! Before, I was planning to make Seira mine and only mine alone. However, now that I have seen that she loves someone like you, I now realized that Seira can never be mine!" he rise the dagger closer to Seira's neck, threatening to slit her throat. Seira trembled at his threat.
Mikeru was about to move until...
"Don't move, or else..." Blake threatens. "If I can't have Seira, then nobody can!" he change his position of his arm, planing to stab her instead.
Seira closed her eyes tight, bracing herself for the blow.
'Splat'
She heard the sound of the dagger against skin, however, she didn't feel any pain. She opened her eyes a little bit and then fully to see the whole scene in front of her. Mikeru shield her as the dagger is buried on his back.
Blake pulled the dagger out and started to laugh like a madman. "So that is how it is! I was planing to kill you, me beloved Seira, but he gets to die instead. Ha Ha Ha Ha!" he got on top of the rail. "Now, you can no longer find love, since he is going to die. The same with me!" he stabbed himself as he falls off the balcony, laughing insanely. Seira looked down to see him no more.
"Mikeru, Mikeru! Hang in there!" Seira turned as he falls.
"No..." he stops her. "It's for the best, look." he points to his rose. Seira saw the last petal is close to becoming black. "Even though I am about to die, at least I'll see you one last time before I sleep." he place his hand on her crying face.
"No, Mikeru." she cried as she has his head on her knees.
"Cheer up, princess- no, Seira. I am very happy that you came back. For so long, I thought that I can never find love but now... because of you, I can feel it for the first time. So warm, gentle, and sweet just like the memories of you that I will forever cherish."
"No, Mikeru, don't leave me." Seira pleaded.
"You'll see me again, princess. Good bye." he closed his eyes as Seira screamed.
"No!" tears are falling from her eyes even more. "Don't go! I never got the chance to tell how I truly feel- I have kept this feeling because I was afraid of losing you but instead it pains me more now that you're gone before I can tell you. How I really feel towards you- I love you." she leaned over and kissed him.
The last black petal fell. The rain started to stop, rays of sunlight shine on Mikeru. Suddenly, stars formed by the fallen petals, sparkle around Mikeru. His body float away from Seira and started to glowed bright light as Seira shield her eyes. His black wings melt to a pearl white color and the castle started to transform into a beautiful, magnificent place. When the light died down, Seira saw that all of Mikeru's wounds are gone. He looked at himself for a moment and turned to face Seira. His eyes are full of warmth and kindness.
Seira was too awe to speak until he called her name first, "Seira?"
"M- Mikeru?" Seira called out his name. They shared a hug.
"Thank you, Seira. Your love for me saved me from my curse." Mikeru thank her.
"Yes... and it allows you a second chance." a voice replied. The two turned to see the Enchantress behind them, she smiles at them warmly.
Seira felt like she know this woman. "Mother?"
The Enchantress- no, the Camellia Queen smiled at her. "Yes, Seira." she turned to Mikeru. "Mikeru, you have prove me wrong. You can learn to love and not follow your father's footsteps. Forgive me for putting such a burden on you in the first place."
"No, you Majesty. If you haven't, I might ended up like my father. Thank you." Mikeru told her.
"Because you have learn to love- especially my daughter, you both have my blessing." the Enchantress disappears as the storm clouds parted.
The sun shine on the castle for the first time. The castle appears welcoming. Everyone stared at what have happened. Haru and Jikan return to being humans again, along with the other magical objects. The mob dropped everything as they stared at the sight. Mikeru and Seira, hand in hand, descend from the stairs. Everyone bows until they reached the floor.
A man walk up, "Forgive us, your Highness." he begs.
"Of course, you are all forgiven. I wish to see smiling faces for your princess of the neighboring kingdom, Princess Seira of Camellia." Mikeru replied.
Everyone was shocked that their princess had actually survive, yet they show more joy.
Seira smiled happily when she saw an orange mirror.
'It time to come back, Seira.' a voice told her.
"Mikeru, I have to go." Seira told him.
"To where?" Mikeru asked.
"To home, where I really belong. However, I will see you again. I promise." Seira replied.
He smiles, "I will wait just like the last time. Only this time, I won't have doubts that you won't come back because I know you will. Now go."
"Thank you." she whispers. "Goodbye."
She head towards the mirror.
-Lillian's Room-
Seira joined everyone else as their stories are ended.
"Hi Seira." Lillian greet her.
"So what are we going to do now?" Kaito asked.
"Now, you all are going to stay here for one night. Tell me everything about your world and then tomorrow, I will send you back." Lillian answered.
They did just that. Lillian had a fun time knowing about her friends' world. Later, they have a sleepover and play pillow fight until they were too tired to play anymore. The next day, everyone went back home.
I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter will be a bonus so stay tune. Here are the cast list for this story:
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty- Seira
Beast- Mikeru
The Merchant- Taro
The Enchantress- Camellia Queen
Beauty's Sister- Katie
Noblemen- Blake
King- Yami King
See you next time.
