A/N: So, technically this isn't a modern college au. Just a college au that transcends time (which explains why these princesses and princes are existing at the same time) and technology (which is why they have degrees like graphic design which needs technology (the techs here are made of magic). Just another thing to remember before you go on, said university doesn't exist on the map or at any point in time. It's literally magic which has portals opened for those who experienced curses, heroes of their time, etc. You get the drill.
Also, this fic is written for the birthday of a really good friend of mine who loves Belle and Rapunzel so much! I love yooouuuu~! Please know that you're a blessing to all of the people who know you! Sorry, I couldn't write a lot of Belle and Rapunzel scenes ahahahaha! Luv luv
I haven't watched Tangled: The Series so please don't spoil me
Start
Reading, learning, seeing more of the world! Belle has simple dreams, and has only ever thought of simple ways of trying to reach them.
Gathering all knowledge there is to learn and learning how people of different upbringing lived their lives has been her lifelong unspoken mission. She initially thought it was an impossible feat. Afterall, higher education is not something easily accessible to someone of her status, it's a luxury none of the people living in her little town can afford. Being aware of that, she steeled herself on being satisfied with what her hand can reach.
A consistent trip to the bookseller gifted her the knowledge to survive life and the wits to deal with the people around her. Though it has its benefits, it earned her the title 'odd' which was the reason for the townspeople to distance themselves from her. This prevented her from having friends or any human companions outside of her immediate family, to her dismay. Yet Belle finds the circumstances she grew up in as inevitable still; the people in her town don't usually take their time to understand the understandable. If they have, they would have been able to solve the mysteries of the castle earlier. As much as she's concerned, to the eyes of the townspeople, Belle, her father—who they see as the reason for the odd ones' eccentricities— and the castle are only some of the secrets in their town that they will never wish to unveil.
Through sheer luck that was initially an almost-tragedy, Belle had a change of pace in her life and had not only the chance to solve the biggest unknown in her little world—the beast's castle and the owner's identity— but also to learn even more of the world she's living in.
Her weeks of captivity turned to a forever welcoming home after the curse was lifted has her longing for more to know, more to explore. Experiencing the world as how it is and experiencing everything has called for her, and she wishes to answer that call.
As if the Gods were listening to her, a letter made its way to the castle, addressed to both Belle and Adam—the infamous beast of the castle transformed back to his old form.
"Destiny University." Adam tilts his head as he reads the seemingly glittering inscription at the back of the shiny golden envelope. "Never heard of it."
He then spares a look at Belle who scoots beside him on the couch before opening the letter and sharing it to his now wife. The two read the content silently.
"A scholarship?!" Belle exclaims, unintentionally taking the paper from Adam's hand. Her excitement drowns as a realization dawns on her. "But… I've, we've never applied to one before." As soon as she says that, she raises a brow at her husband. "You couldn't have—"
"No." Before Belle even finishes her sentence, Adam already holds up his hands on defense. "I did no such thing." His face crunches in confusion and then morphs in a light sadness. "I didn't realize it would delight you this much to enter a university. I should have applied you but… I thought you wanted to stay here."
Belle feels the guilt lacing his words. The way his eyes droop is enough for her to know where his line of thought is going. For a long time, Adam thought of himself as selfish and inconsiderate. It was his fault why his servants suffered, it was his fault why they almost permanently turned into utensils and furniture, it was his fault why they endured long years of solitude and selective amnesia. Now that everybody in town has regained their memories and have the curse lifted, the next step is to attend to his duties towards the people and try to better their way of life. But how can he do that if he doesn't even know what his own wife wants?
Belle reaches his cheek with her free hand. "I'm happy here with you. I love being with you."
Adam covers the hand on his cheek with his own, his blue eyes showing low spirits. "But?"
"Not a but." She smiles, shaking off the tension she's seeing on his face. "I just didn't realize sooner what I can do to know more."
He gives a cough-like laugh, he understands where she's coming from. She's always been the curious one and Adam will never stop her from knowing the truth she wishes to know. "We are a little too young to settle." He flashes a half-smile but Belle still sees his unease. "You'd do magnificent."
"You're not coming?" Belle can't help but emit the worry on her voice. She doesn't think she'll be going through the process alone. Adam is important to her, he'd been a wonderful support to her all this time. More importantly, like Belle, he likes learning and is a bibliophile himself. Belle is positive they would do great together. Which brings her back to her question. "You'll stay here?"
Adam looks around his room, it's less gloomy now that his wife made some redecorating as she deliberately made it a statement to 'bring color into his life.' The former Beast settles his eyes on Belle again, with softness only she can ever see. "They need me." He takes her hand from his cheek and interlocks it with his own. "And we'll be needing all that you've learned to help me help them."
Belle's face glows. "You know, I haven't agreed to this yet," she manages to say.
"What's stopping you?"
"Well, for one, doesn't this letter seem a little odd to you?"
Adam slits his eyes at his wife and then at the paper. "Because it's glowing?"
"That one too. But what I meant is that there is no recipient."
Adam scratches his head at the facts. Yeah, that is quite odd. Especially considering his servants wouldn't even think of bringing said letters to him if they've found that there's no recipient.
It was about that time while they were digging deeper into the lore did the Fairy Godmother, as she calls herself, made contact with the couple. Turns out that it was her who sent the letter and built a school for people who have undergone a unique experience, magical-wise, or for someone who was a victim of an unfortunate circumstances and used their disadvantages to save the day.
It was, to put it simply, an unusual experience. But not as unusual as knowing and confirming that apparently the school in question was placed "somewhere inexistent to the world at any given time," as how the fairy godmother/principal had put it.
Surprisingly to Belle, but not to everybody else, this only pushes her to make the decision to attend the said university even more.
Belle remembers her last days outside of this ethereal land with her father, friends, and then Adam's comforting words and touch.
"We'll be in each other's arms as soon as we know it."
Only three weeks has passed but Belle can still feel Adam's embrace, a warm lock of love she misses to this day. She fixes the drawer beside her blue queen sized bed only to find something moving on the sheets. Belle crosses her arms good-naturedly. "Pascal? You interfered in an ongoing class again, didn't you?"
The green chameleon named Pascal has been a company to Belle after some time since she moved to the 'fancy' two-bedroom hut that they call a dorm. He's sarcastic, snobby at first, and adventurous, but not as adventurous as his owner—or best friend rather, who is actually Belle's roommate (and not the animal companion, obviously).
Belle reaches her hand at the now un-camouflage Pascal and Pascal hops in in response. "She must have been in so much trouble to leave you here," she muses as she takes the disheartened chameleon onto her roommates' side of the room. Pascal shakes his head and points at Belle's right shoulder. Belle simply lifts a side of her mouth. "Fine. You can stay until my next class starts."
Dorm life hasn't been difficult to the easily adaptable Belle. Her living quarters was merely a fifteen minute walk to the school and her roommate isn't at all a chore to get along with. The fact that they have a lot of shared interests and that they both love keeping the modernized hut clean makes the college life so much more worthwhile for them. Not to mention, she has enjoyed every single moment of being together with her newfound pal.
Unlike Pascal, his lifelong best friend is cheerful, outgoing, friendly, and overall just a human equivalent of the sun—always bright and forever glowing. Sometimes, Belle wonders how many times has her level of enthusiasm brought smiles on people's faces since she did not need to make an effort to bring some positivity towards Belle at all.
Belle finishes organizing what she needs to bring in class for the day, including her homeworks. With an hour to spare, she retreats on her bed with a fictional book in tow and starts her routine reading. Pascal stays on her shoulder, helping himself with reading as well. After flipping 70 pages, both hear the door unlock.
"Oh Be-elle~!" The softness of her voice followed by a giggle makes it obvious to Belle who called her. She doesn't need to look up from her book to know it's her vibrant roommate.
"Look what I've got!" A pink-dressed brunette excitedly pushes a club entry form at Belle's face. Belle doesn't have the chance to read the paper but she knows from memory what the form represents. Pascal merely scoffs from where he's seated on.
"I got into the Happily Never Falter club!" Rapunzel squeals in joy as she hugs the form and throws herself on her own bed. "More feminist art, here we go!"
If Belle remembers correctly, as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design student, Rapunzel is pretty flexible with her talent. Sculpting, painting, sewing, interior design, writing, singing, maybe even theater, you name it. She's good at almost anything that has anything to do with art. Being a natural adventurer that she was, however, Rapunzel can't help but choose to major in something alien to her: graphic design.
With the added effort of maneuvering herself with technology that doesn't exist in her time, Belle finds herself appreciating the sentiment behind Rapunzel's choice. Afterall, learning and experience is the essence of life, isn't it? And Rapunzel is a fast and passionate learner who will never let anyone demotivate her on attaining any goal she puts her eyes on.
Belle smiles at her ever cheerful dormmate. "Mulan would be so happy to have you."
Rapunzel makes another squeal, "I can't wait to meet the president! Aaaaand we can go together at the club now!"
Belle enrolled in the university comparatively earlier than Rapunzel, hence how she was able to join the clubs that fancied her before Rapunzel has. Belle isn't surprised to know that both of them chose almost entirely the same clubs, their preferences and how they've lived their lives are almost the same after all. To think that just a year ago everyone found her to be weird, and now, out of the blue, she finds someone who seems to be a long lost twin of hers.
"You think she can teach me how to fight with swords and explosives?"
Well, maybe they're not entirely the same. But it's the differences of individuals that bring color to your life. With not even a month of being together, Rapunzel already brought so much warmth in Belle's life. Belle can never be more thankful for these blessings.
Their little talk lasts only for a few minutes before Belle remembers her schedule. She deliberately says her goodbyes to both Pascal and Rapunzel where the latter chimes in a small reminder for the letters they'll be sending for their friends and families at home. They promised to send theirs together and Belle already decided to keep that, as much as she decided to keep the friendship that she just made.
University life is something child Belle has always wished to have but never had the chance to think about. Now that she's here with nature and technological advancement by her side, she thinks about the hesitation she'd felt leaving her father, Adam, and all her friends behind. Her thirst to grow and expand her mind and the support that everybody gave her made her feel sure that where she is now is somewhere she wants to be.
Now that she's here, entering room by room, expanding her knowledge of the world around her and engaging with the supernatural, she can't help but think that life truly brings you to unforeseen events for a reason. Most of the time, you'll find yourself growing out of the discomfort and then bloom to the person you forgot you wanted to be. And sometimes, it takes you to people who you will always be there for you.