Chapter V: Dinner
Keria was still crying in her room when she heard the door open, and in walked a stunning array of Ottsels. At first she thought they might control a rat problem. She went to pick up a green old when it said,
"Hey! Put me down. I'm not a toy!"
Keria gasped and backed away. "Not to worry, you will like it here!" said an orange Ottsel.
"Oh, by the way, my name is Cogsworth." A slightly fat brown Ottsel said. He took Keria's hand politely, but the orange Ottsel pushed him aside. "And that's Daxter." Cogsworth said offhandedly. Daxter began to kiss Keria's hand, and wouldn't stop until Cogsworth pushed him out of the way.
"And I'm Ashley!" said the green Ottsel that Keria had tried to pick up earlier, "Would you like a cup of tea? It will warm you up."
"Alright." Keria said, excepting a cup from a small blue Ottsel.
"Are you really gonna stay?" the small Ottsel asked.
"Hush! Don't talk about such things." Ashley scolded. "What am I doing here when there is a dinner that needs to be served? Come, Philip," Everyone except a pink Ottsel scampered out of the room.
"So, what are you going to wear for dinner?" a pink Ottsel asked as she opened a nearby dresser. She pulled out a green dress, "You'll look ravishing in this one!"
"Thanks, but I'm not going to dinner." Keria said.
"Oh, but you must!" The pink Ottsel said. "The Master will be very angry!"
At that moment, Cogsworth entered, took a small bow and said, "Dinner is served."
Meanwhile, in the dining hall, the beast was busy pacing in front of the fire. "What's taking her so long?" the beast growled. "I told her to come to dinner!"
"You must be patient, Master." Ashley tried to calm him down. "The poor girl has lost her father and her freedom all in one day."
"Uh, Master, I wondered if you thought this could be the woman to break the spell?" Daxter said.
"Of coarse I have!" the beast roared. "I'm not stupid. But, she's so beautiful, and I'm... well look at me!"
"Well, first you've got to make yourself more presentable." Ashley said, "Sit up straight, and try to act like a gentleman."
"Shower her with complements!" Daxter offered.
"But be sincere." Ashley put in.
"Be dashing!" Daxter offered.
"But not to forward." Ashley offered.
"Smile! Come on, let's see your smile." Daxter said. The beast turned on Daxter and bared his fangs, the only way he knew how to smile.
"But don't frighten the poor girl." Ashley said. "And above all,"
Both Ashley and Daxter finished to last sentence at the same time, "You must control your temper!"
The door started to open and the beast tried to remember everything Daxter and Ashley had just told him, but Cogsworth walked in, and his face fell.
"Well?" he snarled, "Where is she?"
"Uh, oh, yes, the girl! Haha. Well, circumstances being what they are, she is currently in the process of..." he paused, then continued, "She's not coming..."
"WHAT!!!!!" A roar that shock the castle, the beast flew out of the room and taking the stairs several at a time, with his servants trying to catch up to him. He reached the door and began pounding on it hard enough to almost break the door. "I TOLD YOU TO COME DOWN TO DINNER!" the beast roared.
"I'm not coming." Came Keria's voice from inside.
"IF YOU DON'T COME TO DINNER NOW, I'LL BREAK DOWN THIS DOOR!" the Beast roared in fury.
"Uh, Master, I may be wrong," said Daxter who had just caught up with him. "But, I don't think that's the best way to win the girl's affection."
"Gently." Ashley said.
The beast sighed and said in a 'calmer' tone, "Would you come down to dinner?"
"I'm not hungry!" Keria said. The beast pointed at the door.
"Ah! Gently!" Ashley said.
"But she's being so difficult!" the beast said angry.
"Gently!" both Ashley and Daxter said.
"It would give me great pleasure," the beast said, "If you would join me for dinner... please."
"No thank you!" Keria's voice said.
"You can't stay in there forever!" The beast's voice started to rise again.
"Yes, I can!" Keria responded though the door.
"FINE! STAY IN THERE AND STARVE!" The beast roared at the door. He turned to the three Ottsel servants, "If she doesn't eat with me, then she doesn't eat at all!" He turned and ran down the hallway.
"Oh dear..." Ashley said, "That didn't go to well, did it?"
"Well, you've heard the Master, she doesn't eat." Cogsworth said, "Daxter, stand guard in front of the door! Any sign of movement will be reported to me."
"Oui!" (Yes in French.) Daxter said for no apparent reason. He began to pace in front of the door. Ashley and Cogsworth walked away.
Up with the beast in the West Wing, he was busy storming around. "What does she want me to do? Beg!" He picked up his mirror, "Show me the girl!"
The mirror glowed with magical light s an image of the girl and one of his servants appeared on the smooth surface. "Oh, the Master's not that bad once you get to know him."
"I don't what to get to know him!" Keria said, "I don't want anything to do with him!"
The beast closed his eyes and looked away from the mirror. "I was only fooling myself. She'll never see me as anything... but a monster." He put the mirror down. A single petal fell from the rose. The beast noticed this and said, "It's hopeless..."
Back down at the door, Daxter was... busy behind a curtain.
When he emerged with a yellow Ottsel, Tess, he noticed that Keria had snuck out of her room. "Goodness, she has emerged!"
Keria made her way down to the kitchen. She heard voices inside. "They ask me to make a feast, but look! It all goes to waste!"
Keria walked in and found most of the Ottsel servants throwing away the dinner.
"Look, Ashley, look!" Little Philip said, noticing Keria, "It's the girl!"
"Is there anything we can do for you?" Ashley asked.
"Well, I am a little hungry..."
"Say no more!" said Daxter as he walked in. "We'll give you some food!"
"Remember what the Master said!" Cogsworth said.
"Have a heart!" Daxter said.
"Okay, glass of water, crust of bread, now off with you!" Cogsworth said.
"Oh, Cogsworth, she's not our prisoner, she's our guest! Save the rest of the food!" Daxter said.
"Keep it down! If the Master finds out it will be our necks!" Cogsworth said.
"But, of coarse, what is dinner without a little music!" Daxter said.
"Music!?!" Cogsworth asked.
Keria stood at the end of a long banquet table while Daxter got up on the table, a spotlight shone on him.
"Ma chere Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair as the Amazing Ottsel servants proudly presents—your dinner!" He began to sing:
Be our guest
Be our guest,
Put our service to the test.
Tie a napkin 'round your neck, Cherie,
And we provide the rest!
Soup du Jour,
Hot Hors D'oeuvres!
Hay, we only live to serve!
Try the gray stuff, it's delicious!
Don't believe me? Ask the dishes.
They can sing,
They can dance,
After all, Miss, this is France;
And a dinner here is never second best!
Go on, unfold your menu,
Take a glance and then you'll
Be our guest!
Oui, our guest!
Be our guest!
Beef ragout,
Cheese soufflé,
Pie and pudding 'en flambé!'
We'll prepare and serve with a flare!
A culinary cabaret!
You're alone,
And you're scared,
But the banquet's all prepared!
No one's gloomy or complaining,
While the flatware's entertaining!
We tell jokes!
I do tricks,
With my fellow candlesticks!
A bunch of male servants began to sing in a deep brass tone:
And it's all in perfect taste
That you can bet!
Everyone sang:
Come on and lift your glass,
You've won your own free pass,
To be our guest!
Daxter sang:
If you're stressed,
It's fine dining we suggest!
Everyone sang:
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Daxter began to lament, point things out on Cogsworth as he sang about them, Ottsels up above were pouring salt down on them to imitate snow:
Life is so unnerving,
For a servant who's not serving.
He's not whole without a soul to wait upon!
Ah, those good old days when we were useful,
Suddenly those good old days are gone!
Ten years we've been rusting,
Needing so much more than dusting!
Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills!
Most days we just lie around the castle,
Flabby, fat, and lazy,
You walked in and oops-a-daisy!
Ashley began to sing:
It's a guest!
It's a guest!
Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed!
Wine's been poured and thank the Lord,
I've had the napkins freshly pressed.
With dessert,
She'll want tea,
And, my dear, that's fine by me!
While the cups do their soft shoeing,
I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing!
I'll get warm,
Piping hot!
Heaven's sakes! Is that a spot?
Clean it up! We want the company impressed!
Is it one lump or two?
For you, our guest?
Everyone sang:
She's our guest!
Ashley sang:
She's our guest!
Everyone sang:
She's our guest!
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Our command is your request!
It's ten years since we had anybody here,
And we're obsessed
With your meal,
With your ease!
Yes, indeed, we aim to please!
While the candlelight's still glowing,
Let us help you,
We'll keep going!
Daxter led everyone off in the last verse:
Course by course!
One by one!
'Til you shout, 'Enough, I'm done!'
Then we'll sing you off to sleep while you digest!
Tonight you'll prop your feet up,
But for now, let's eat up!
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Please, be our guest!
"Bravo! Bravo!" Keria shouted. "That food was delicious!"
"Now, off to bed with you." Cogsworth said.
"Oh, but I couldn't possibly go to sleep." Keria said, "This is my first night in an enchanted Palace..."
"Enchanted? You ever said anything about enchanted?" Cogsworth asked nervously, then he turned on Daxter. "It was you wasn't it?" They began to fight again.
Keria laughed, "I figured it out on my own."
"Oh." Cogsworth said. "But we can't just let you walk around. You could end up at a place you shouldn't be."
"I won't if you give me a tour." Keria said, "I'm sure you know EVERYTHING about the Palace."
Cogsworth started to blush at the flattery. "Well, I guess I do. I guess a quick tour won't hurt..."
Awhile later, Cogsworth was leading Keria on a thoughly boring tour of the castle. Talking about things like flying buttresses and junk like that. (LES: No one cares about stupid 'Flying Buttresses.' Note to self: Get on with the story. Okay!)
Anyway, Daxter noticed that Keria was at the foot of some stairs that could get her in trouble. "Wait!" Daxter and Cogsworth blocked her way. "That is not part of the tour."
"I just what to see what's up there." Keria asked innocently.
"Uh, there's nothing of interest up there. The West Wing, dirty, filthy, nothing good up there!" Cogsworth said before he could control his mouth.
"So, that's the West Wing?" Keria said. "I wonder what he's hiding up there?" She started to walk past the two Ottsels but they blocked her way again.
"He's hiding nothing up there." Daxter said.
"Then it wouldn't be forbidden." Keria said, taking another step, the twosome blocked her.
"Uh, how about the gardens? They are very beautiful at night!" Cogsworth said.
"Maybe later." Keria said.
"The throne room?" Daxter cried in exasperation, "The Library!"
"Who've got a Library?" Keria asked, her interest perked.
"Yes!" Daxter cried, realizing he's struck gold. "There are hundreds of books!"
"Thousands of books!" Cogsworth joined in.
"Mountains of books!"
"Cascades of books!"
"Books on every subject ever studied!"
"More books than you could hope to read in a lifetime!" They headed down the corridor, talking about the Library. However, they didn't realize that Keria had stayed behind. She made her way up the stairs; the hallway had lots of statues, mostly ugly gargoyles. She reached a large door. She hesitated only a second before pushing open the door.
The room inside looked as if a storm had come though. The curtains were ripped to shreds, chairs were over turned. Something hanging on the wall caught her eye. It was a picture, with long claw marks running down it. She crudely replaced some of the ripped pieces of canvas. The picture seemed to be of a handsome young man, with blue eyes and bicolored green/blonde hair, he was dressed royally. Her eyes turned away from the picture and she saw a small table by the balcony. There seemed to be a mirror placed on it. But the most interesting object was the wilting rose that seemed to glow; it was under a protective case of glass. This rose fascinated her; she carefully removed the glass, set it down, and reached out to touch the petals.
Suddenly there was a noise behind her, she turned around and saw the beast standing in the doorway.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" It demanded. "GET OUT!" It threw a chair across the room. "GET OUT!" Keria didn't need telling twice, she turned and ran out of the room. She ran down the corridor toward the front door. Philip saw her and asked, "Miss, where are you going?"
"Promise or no promise, I can't stay here another minute!" Keria cried as she opened the door and stole one of the Palace's Flut-Flut's. (LES: Remember, her Father took the other one.) And she raced down the main city street and toward the front gate of the city. She got out and rode off into the woods, however, it wasn't long before Metal-Heads came along and the Flut-Flut spooked. (LES: What's with all the Flut-Fluts spooking? Get an animal that doesn't scare so freakin' easily!)
The Flut-Flut got tangled in some bushes and Keria was thrown to the ground, a Metal-Head hissed as it advanced. Keria grabbed a piece of wood, the only weapon available, and tried to ward them off. But, the Metal-Heads were too strong and was about to overwhelm her when a Metal-Head was suddenly thrown more than ten feet. This got the other Metal-Heads attention, and they turned to face their attacker. It was the beast, he growled at them in an animal like way. But, Metal-Heads are very stupid, and don't back down from a fight. They attacked, the beast slashed at them with his claws, but a lot broke though and managed to get in a bite. Finally, the beast picked up their leader, and threw him into a tree trunk, snapping his spine instantly.
The other Metal-Heads decided that this was not worth their time, so they walked away.
The beast stood there for a second, bleeding from various wounds. Suddenly the beast fainted, and fell to the ground from he's injuries.
Keria was about to get back on the Flut-Flut and ride away, but she looked at the unconscious beast. She ran over to him and somehow, don't ask me how, she managed to get the beast on the back of the Flut-Flut and lead it back to the castle without any trouble.