Just a warning I am Dyslexic so my stories will not be perfect

I do not own Skip Beat!

The Beauty and the Beast version I will be using is written by

Robin Mckinley I own nothing and all rights etc are truly her's for her wonderful rewrite

'Beauty'

You find the most interesting things doing Love me work, Kanae decided as she watched the man flit around the room stop read the paper in his hands then repeat the motions before becoming annoyed with himself and starting over once more. Kanae had sent Mimori off with the paperwork for the music department as she watched as once more Yashiro Yukihito read through his lines.

"I love you, Grace, trust me no man has ever loved any woman as much as I love you but this is the reason why I must go! Can you understand that with things the way they are now I can not afford a house in which to keep you as you deserve I need to prove myself a man before I can truly say I am good enough? Please understand I want nothing more than you but not until my work is done." She thought his delivery was rather good as he was speaking to an empty room but it sounded wooden, she wondered how many times he had read that line to himself as she watched him rub his temples with his hand and the quiet words of "what am I doing." solidified in her mind that he needed help.

"So what of my feelings?" she asked striding into the room looking at the man before her with eyes full of love and hope.

"Do I not get a say in the matter? Is my love for you supposed to go on hold for 3 years while you sail away to seek your fortune!" to begin with she could see the utter shock and confusion that registered in his eyes then as Kyoko had said to her at the very start of their friendship, 'what do people say when they don't know what else to say? They say the lines they know.'

"That is why I say you be freed from the constraints of a betrothal, I do not wish to hold you back from any happiness Grace and if you find that another man that can make you happy I wish not to hold you back while you wait for me." Kanae listened smiling inwardly as the words and the power in his delivery became more fluid and more realistic as he acted before her.

"I am not a petty swain who will be swayed so easily Robbie! My love is stronger than I think even you can understand I would wait 20 years if it meant you would come back to me and we could be together always, Father see to the banns! Robert Tucker it would be the greatest honor of my life to have the banns published immediately. I love you and no sea voyage is going to change that." Kanae who had slipped into character slowly slid her hand onto Yashiro's cheek as he leaned into her touch as one there foreheads lightly touched together and the simple words "I love you so much Grace." slipped like a whisper from Yashiro's lips.

He was lost in himself for a brief moment as he felt Kanae step backward to give them both the courtesy distance and he was dazzled by her smile. "See you can do it, you just need to believe in yourself a little more." She smiled once more and left his office as he turned and sat hard on his office chair, his heart racing like a racehorse fresh from the starting gate as he looked after the young woman who had made it gallop. Kanae would never admit the feeling Yashiro's performance had pulled inside her as she rubbed her tingling forehead he was going to be a force to be reckoned with she knew now as she walked towards the Love Me room, maybe he would even be another Tsurugura Ren in the making she thought as rubbing her forehead again she took a deep breath and admitted to herself she was rather glad it was Yashiro taking the part of her love interest in the film at least he wasn't like Kijima and would think of her as one of those playboy toys he so enjoyed, she shook her head violently almost as she promised herself she would never be a toy for any man. Though the little traitorous voice in the back of her head remembered the soft full of depth words that had slipped from Yashiro's lips "I love you so much Grace." could she be someone to a special man that would love her so deeply?

"MO! Baka!" Kanae cried out shoving the door roughly in her frustration, Chiori and Mimori who were sitting there going over notes both jumped before looking confused at Kanae then at each other before each girl pointed to her chest asking "Me?" if she hadn't just had that terrible horrible thought Kanae might have laughed at the almost comic skit like way the girls had mimicked each other. As Kanae's frustration and confusion deflated like a limp 3-day old party ballon she sighed

"No sorry, it's nothing." she said flopping down into the chair before them and picking up her 3rd of the stack of papers they had left there for her, Mimori feeling the tension still in the older woman instantly got back to work quietly working through her papers making notes and ordering the information, as Chiori looked one of her best friends, she would ask again later she decided as she looked down at her work and continued in silence for a few minutes before making a funny comment and slowly but surely pulling Kanae back into a better mood as the three girls conversed working companionably 'It's not good to keep things bottled in.' Chiori thought to herself as Kanae relaxed and she smiled she knew that from experience.

Kuu pulled on the cuff of his shirt looking at himself, the rough woven pants and an old-style shirt that had been provided for his measurements felt snug and fit well as he stepped out of the changing room to face his daughter and wife who sat waiting for him.

"So?" he asked, turning in a slow circle so the old-style clothes could be viewed fully. They were not pretty clothes nor were they meant to be; they were rough woven clothes of a carpenter, one who was living a life, not in poverty but not in the rich city as he once had. Kyoko's eyes sparkled as she watched Kuu and Julie smiled happily "You make a wonderful Roderick otou-san!" Kyoko cried out as she jumped up and hugged him tightly "I can't believe I get to watch you both fall in love!" Kuu and Julie both chuckled, this was something Kyoko had been gushing over since reading the script for the first time and she could still recall it to memory even now as she marveled at the lineup.

Hizuri Kuu - Mr. Roderick Huston

Takarada Kyoko - Beauty 'Honour'

Kotonami Kanae - Grace

Amamiya Chiori - Hope

Yashiro Yukihito - Robert Tucker 'Robbie'

Hidehito Kijima - Gervain Woodhouse

Daiki Arioka - Tom Black

Satoshi Takagi - Tom Bradley

Hizuri Julie - Melinda Honeybourne

Itsumi Momose - Molly Honeybourne also enchanted voice 1

Sousuke Takaoka - Ferdy Honeybourne

Nanokura Mimori - Ruth also Enchanted voice 2

Tsuruga Ren - The Beast

There were lots of bit pieces and some people like Momose and Mimori would be playing multiple roles due to only having bit parts but all of these people when asked no matter what the size of the role offered had been delighted both Ren and Lory told her to be part of her debut movie actors and actresses alike who normally would have been too busy for a bit role were enthusiastic and elated to have been offered this chance, Kyoko to begin with had wondered if it was because her father was the president of LME but when Kyoko had asked Momose if she was ok playing such a minor role she had a smile and said of course and she couldn't wait to see what Kyoko would do with her role even admitting with a smile and a wink she was hoping Kyoko would once again give Ren a run for his money.

"So these look ok?" Kuu asked again as Kyoko pulled herself out of her daze it was Julie standing up and kissing his cheek lightly before blushing beautifully and saying "Why Mr. Hutson you do flatter me." While a now Yashiro like fangirling Kyoko gave a chuckling Kuu and answer.

Kyoko laughed as Maria zoomed away on her dapple grey pony Ringo* She truly loved the pony and had taken to riding like a duck to water. Kyoko wondered if she wouldn't live in the saddle if her grandfather would let her as she slowly held the lead rope of Toru's shetland that was not so aptly named Monkey by her small son, Ren held the laughing boy as he held the handle on his cub saddle as his teacher Sayara had been teaching him which for a one-year-old she had laughingly told Kyoko it was just teaching them not to let go which with children was the hardest part, Toru was still firmly on lead rein with an adult holding him just in case the very gentle mild-mannered Monkey was to shift suddenly in fright.

Kyoko had been there the first day Maria had fallen off her pony whilst having one of her 3 a week lessons in the indoor Menage Lory had built the pony had been trotting along normally Maria trying valiantly to rise to Ringo's trotting rhythm when a loud noise had startled the pony making him shy sideways swiftly Maria had tried to hold on but being in the middle of rising from her saddle she had been on the pony one minute and on the sandy floor the next. Kyoko had all but ran to Maria who was not screaming but was crying as she stood herself up slowly. Sayara had caught Ringo before bringing him back over to Maria. She had checked she was ok before asking if she would like to get back on and try again. Kyoko had been ready to stop her but Sayara had continued telling her it was an old known equestrian fact in England where she had been taught to ride that to say you were an equestrian and a horse rider you had to have fallen off a horse at least 7 times. Kyoko and Maria had been shocked as Maria asked if Sayara had fallen 7 times when the trainer had laughed and said she honestly could no longer count the times she had fallen off multiple horses.

"My mom always used to tell me 'You either go to the hospital or you get back on! It's not how many times you get knocked down that count, it's how many times you get back up." Maria had wiped her tears, resettled her hat and body protector before allowing Sayara to boost her back into the ponies saddle 10 minutes later Sayara was calling out well done as Maria smiling ear to ear rose and sat to Ringo's rhythm.

Now watching as Toru gazed lovingly at Monkey and laughed so happily she could see how much something like owning and riding a horse could teach a child about things in all of their lives, she looked at Koun who chatted happily with Toru as he sang a silly little ditty about someone called Yankee doodle riding into town on a pony, were not the words the Taisho had told her not much different? He had asked her what a Daruma doll did when knocked down and the simple answer was it got back up, it was just Maria was learning this in a more hands-on way with her Ringo.

She watched as Maria rounded the tree she had been trotting too, she sat nudged Ringo and came cantering back her seat was a little wobbly only having started this new stride the week before but Ringo was as gentle as ever with her and Maria shined with accomplishment as Sebastian also smiled riding one of Lory's other horses to keep up with his enthusiastic charge. It was when after half an hour they returned to the stables that Kyoko noticed something was going on a large blue horsebox was sitting near the closed gates the back tailgate down as if to load an animal or in the case of the shavings that were strewn down the ramp to offload?

"Grandfather!" Maria called happily as she trotted over to the waiting man who lent on the gate chewing a sprig of grass dressed in a shirt with a neckerchief, jodhpurs, leather chaps and a stetson with snakeskin cowboy boots he looked just like a man who had jumped out of one of the old Weston films Kuu had shown her one of the evenings Julie had been away overnight working so she Koun, Lory and Kuu had an old English movie night for an exceptional actor in Kuu and Lory's words John Wayne in the movie 'The sons of Katie Elder' it had been an experience, to say the least but she had said afterward when she thought about the movie it had been in its way beautiful.

She smiled at her father who tipped his hat to Maria "Howdy little lady." Maria giggled as he turned to Kyoko, Koun, and Turo "Ma'am, feller's." tipping his hat once more standing straight and looking directly at Kyoko.

"I hearn have to mind ye be looking for a Huckleberry Above a Persimmon Hoss and I being Your Huckleberry hear tell Hearty as a buck Hoss in yonder barn may do right smart." Kyoko just looked at Lory full-on confused as she tried to understand his message, Lory smiled adoringly at her dropping the act he spoke again.

"I had hoped to do this at the same time as Maria and Toru but sadly he took a little more finding than Ringo or Monkey." Kyoko cocked her head, still confused so Lory spoke again. "What I said in my probable terrible Cowboy drawl is "I hear you're looking for a cut above the rest horse and me here to tell you a fine healthy horse is waiting for you in the barn that will fit the job nicely." Kyoko's eyes widened as she took in Lory's words.

"You brought me a horse?" she asked, almost askance at the idea, but inside her heart trembled with delight. "Well we need a Greatheart do we not?" Lory asked as he saw the glimmer of excitement behind her eyes, "and as I said back then every princess needs her horse or pony. He stepped forwards taking Monkeys lead rein from her hands as he kissed her cheek lightly. For a moment Kyoko stood there undecided as Lory fell into the lines Tom Black would be saying in the movie "I'm wishing you'd stop talking nonsense to me and go down to the stable. He'll be worrying that you don't come. " and like a rocket, she was gone Toru who was now in Koun's arms half asleep looked at Lory.

"You do realize we will probably have 3 horse mad women in our lives now don't you?" he said chuckling referencing Maria but also his mother who adored the creatures dearly. "Well, it's a good job Odysseus and Cider have also arrived to grace us with their presents then." Koun couldn't help it. He laughed as a stable hand walked over, already holding Ringo reins and offered to untack Monkey for them so they could also see to the new horses. Normally Kyoko would be very insistent that Maria and Toru help with their ponies but Kuon thought just this once it would be ok Maria had already followed in Kyoko's wake anyway.

When Kyoko rounded the corner at a quick walk she saw Kuu and Julie at the head of one of the most beautiful horses she had ever seen, at that moment she could imagine a mighty king upon his destrier riding through his kingdom in full regalia as his knights followed shields and lances in hand as crowds cheered loudly 'Long live the king!' Julie and Kuu turned to hear her arrival as Maria almost ran bodily into the back of Kyoko before stepping swiftly to the side and avoiding her marginally, Kyoko was glad when Maria too stood there half stunned before breathing out "WOW Onee-Sama! He's beautiful!"

Kuu was not a small man standing at the same height at 190cm the horse's withers where only an inch or two lower meaning with his head up he looked almost what she guessed was around 220cm he certainly lived up to the horse from the story who was referred to as one of the great horses. He was stunningly beautiful with the light and dark grey areas forming a dappled pattern of dark rings with lighter hairs on the inside of the ring, scattered over the entire body his dense mane was long black and curly unlike Maria's little dappled grey Ringo whose mane was straight and grey. He stood with what Kyoko could only call presence not intimidating but he oozed nobility she could see he had a sturdy and straight profile with a robust build, his wide skull with triangular eyes looked intelligent ending in a gradually narrowing mouth looked soft and gentle, with his broad and strong neck ending in well-built shoulders; and from what she could see over his stable door a wide chest.

By this time Lory, Kuon and Toru had caught up and still Kyoko stood staring at the creature before her, even Maria had walked forwards and was even now stroking the great horse's nose as he lowered his head in a friendly way to sniff her hair as she giggled.

"His name is Xaohroa Great Expectations, he's what is known as a Warlander which is a crossbreed making its way in the equestrian world his specific cross is Andalusian-Friesian but he is the closest I think I will every find to something like the book describes a true Warhorse or destrier. What do you think?" he asked as Kyoko looked at him, her heart shining in her eyes openly.

"He's perfect dad" she whispered as Lory put his hand on her lower back and led her forwards to greet her newest cast member, later he would introduce her to a beautiful bay Irish draught horse with a white blaze who would play Odysseus who Lory had nudging Kuon said would be up to his weight and a chestnut Oldenburger mare who would play cider who Julie had already claimed as her own as per Lorys guess when he had purchased the mare a few months beforehand, but nothing would quite captivate her heart As Greatheart did.

Thanks for reading

Love

Neh xxx