Away from the chaos of the main hall, Avery roamed the mansion with malice. This… this thing had infatuated Pietro, taking him away from her -in her words. If she killed the Beast, nothing would be in her way to have Pietro all to himself.
She kicked open a door and aimed her arrow only to see no one in the room. Avery had scoured a decent amount of the hallway, still not seeing her target. However, she peered into the next room and spotted Cole, whose gaze was still fixed on the enchanted rose.
Using the element of surprise, Avery kicked the door and aimed her bow and arrow at Cole. The cursed prince gave a forlorn look at Avery then shifted his gaze to the rose.
Taking advantage of the heartbroken state, Avery released her tension and struck Cole in the shoulder.
Cole roared out in pain from the attack then Avery tackled her quarry out the window, sending Cole rolling away on the balcony just as a downpour began.
Avery laughed triumphantly, not even giving Cole an ounce of remorse. She proceeded to attack the downed and defenseless Beast, kicking him in the ribs and cornering him to the edge of the roof. Cole looks in defeat as he doesn't even attempt to fight back.
Avery snarled at the Beast, expecting a fight but it's being nothing more than a pushover and weakling. "Get up! Get it up!" She urged Cole, only for the Beast to not respond and let out a soft grunt. "What's the matter, Beast? Too kind and gentle to fight back?" Avery mocked as she took a piece of the roof.
She approached the downed and depressed Beast, primed to strike. 'Here and now. Then Pietro will be all mine.' She thought greedily to herself.
Cole just looked down, ready for the inevitable for Avery to put him out of his misery. 'Perhaps it was for the best.' Cole thought, planning to take one last look.
"No!"
Then Cole heard the cry. He looked to see Pietro, exiting the police car and the two locked eyes. Pietro had a pleading look and shouted once more, "No! Avery, don't!"
Avery didn't care what her crush had to say. All she wanted was to kill Cole at this moment and then Pietro will see that he was meant to be hers' all this time.
The arrogant girl swung her club down…
Only for Cole to hold it back with newfound rage.
With a menacing roar, Cole began to put up an actual fight as Avery, for once since the storming, was frightened for her life.
"Pietro, go!" Carlos urged and Pietro began to run into the mansion.
The rooftop battle escalated with Cole pushing Avery away and the downpour going . Avery found herself retreating as Cole's beastly appearance stalked forward, snarling menacingly. Cole gave a forceful shove, knocking Avery down to another balcony. The cursed prince pounced but was repelled as Avery managed to push him back. With her weapon in hand, she spotted the Beast and brought it down, smashing it. She smiled triumphantly but shortly realized she destroyed a decorative gargoyle instead.
Looking around her, she found other gargoyles looming on the balcony. Irritated, Avery walked through with caution as she goaded, "Come out and fight me, you monster!" Seeing no response, Avery continued, "Were you in love with him, Beast? Did you honestly think he'd want you over me? I'm what's right for Pietro!"
The self-proclaimed statement made Cole growl in disgust. Once Avery unknowingly passed by, Cole stalked behind her, preparing to attack. Avery felt the presence behind her and swung her makeshift weapon to injure Cole. The Beast avoided and lunged, biting the club and the two tussled.
Cole eventually let go and backed away as Avery swung the club several times, each being avoided. Cole eventually backed away enough as Avery, with a deranged look, brought her club above her head.
"It's over, Beast! Pietro is mine!" Avery proclaimed and prepared to swing it down.
A fierce look appeared on Cole's visage and he rammed into the hotshot, causing her to drop the club, before grabbing her by her shirt and holding her off the balcony.
In an instant, Avery changed from deranged to fearful. She pleaded to Cole, hoping he would let her live another day. "Put me down. Put me down!"
"Oh now you want to talk," Cole growled out, his grip loosen every so slightly.
"Yes! Yes! Please! Please, don't hurt me!"
"Why should I listen to you?" Cole questioned in a threatening tone.
"Well… well…" Avery stammered, "Look! I'll do anything you ask! Anything!"
Thunder boomed and the fierce expression was giving way. Cole was about to let her drop…
When his compassion returned. If it was the old him, he would have imprisoned her for entering his mansion, leaving her to rot and not even sparing a second glance. But the new him decided to let his newfound nature of kindness win but not before growling, "Get out of my mansion." With that said, Cole dropped a shaken Avery on the balcony.
"Cole!" Pietro shouted from above.
The Beast looked to see Pietro's return. A hopeful look befallen on Cole's face as he exclaimed, "Pietro!" In a relieved state, he began to climb up to the side of the mansion until he finally reached Pietro.
"Pietro, you came back." He said warmly as Pietro held his paw with a smile. Perhaps there was a chance after all-
"Ha!" Avery laughed as she stabbed Cole in his flank with an arrowhead and the receiver let out a roar of pain. Avery had used the tender moment as a distraction to injure Cole.
Cole aimlessly swiped back, too in pain from the wound to fight straight and lost his grip. Pietro, with a rush of strength, pulled Cole back into the room.
Avery didn't hang on however, losing her grip and plummeting from the height, no doubt killing her on contact with the ground.
Pietro helped Cole, trying to keep him still as Courtney, Pavel, and Alana arrived. "Come on, Cole, stay with me." Pietro pleaded as he tried to keep the pressure on Cole's wound. The bookworm was doing his best but Cole was still losing the will to live.
"You came back…" Cole said, his voice heavy as he struggled.
"Of course, I did," Pietro admitted with a heartbroken gaze, "I couldn't let them harm you… This is all my fault. If only I'd gotten here sooner." Tears were beginning to emerge from his eyes.
"Maybe it's better this way," Cole reasoned, trying to reassure Pietro. The last thing he wanted to see was his love crying.
"Don't talk like that." Pietro cried, his tears coming into full fruition. "You'll be alright. We're together now, everything's going to be fine. You'll see."
Cole gave a sad smile as he placed his paw on Pietro's cheek. He knew it wasn't true but the sight was enough for him to admit one last thing, "At least I got to… you see… one… last… time…"
And with his final words, Cole rolled his head back and closed his eyes.
Pavel, Alana, and Courtney all bowed their heads at the loss of their friend while Pietro cried his heart. The enchanted rose was down to the last petal.
"No, no! Please! Please! Please, don't leave me!" Pietro cried, burying his head in Cole's chest. Then admitted something he's had on his mind since his time at the mansion.
"I love you."
From the moment he offered to trade places with his dad, he never thought he would find himself in love with Cole, given his appearance. But after he saved him and in return treated his wounds, Pietro found the newfound compassion buried underneath the beastly appearance. When they began to bond with each other and after their dance, Pierto felt happy to be with someone after so long.
And to see Cole die in his arms was his breaking point.
Pietro laid into Cole's chest, sobbing heavily as the rain continued while on the inside, the rose's final petal fell. Witnessing the flower's final petal drop, the antiques began to mourn the loss of their friend and the chance to return to normal.
However, as the rain poured, a beam of light struck near the fallen prince.
And another. And another. And another to the point, multiple beams of light hit the ground and prompted Pietro to stop sobbing for a moment as the beams of light began to swirl around Cole's body. Not sure what was happening, Pietro backed away as the magic began to take effect.
While the bookworm didn't know what was happening, the possessed antiques looked in hope.
As the magic swirled around the body, Cole's prone form was lifted into the air. The magic caused the cloak to wrap around his body, as if it was a cocoon. Cole's body began to shift and form, as if the magic was changing him.
It was proven when a fore paw turned back into human fingers, a hind paw into a human foot, and fur was shed all over his body.
Once the transformation ended, Cole was set back on the balcony. Pietro reached out to touch him, feeling for a pulse when Cole's body moved. The former Beast got up, his hands touching his own face…
Before turning around and to reveal himself. He has brown hair, somewhat long and amber eyes, like the Beast. He stared at Pietro, who was walking up to him.
"C-Cole?" Pietro questioned.
"Pietro… it's me!" Cole answered with joy.
Pietro, ever the caution, approached the newly transformed human. The bookworm was trying to find any resemblance to his crush. The warmth of his eyes gave Pietro all the confirmation he needed and a smile made its way to his face, "It is you!"
They gaze into each other's eyes for a brief second before slowly kissing. A long awaited moment for both of them.
And the kiss creates a new atmosphere in the mansion. From gloomy and cursed to one of hope and joy.
The darkened sky is now clear, bright, and sunny. The mansion's enchanted properties are shifted back to their original state, un-cursed and all. The gargoyles have now turned back into angels.
The possessed antiques are freed as well, turning back into their original human states.
Pavel reverts back into a young man with blonde hair. He is dressed in a golden two piece suit.
Alana finds herself turning into a young brunette woman. She has on a mahogany dress with black flats. She also has a pocket watch in her hand.
Courtney takes the form of a young Asian woman with dark hair. She has a purple dress with a white apron and black flats.
"Pavel! Alana! Courtney!" Cole exclaimed and gave them a hug. "Look at us!" He flashed a smile as they were all returned back to their human forms.
"Courtney!" A young Hispanic man comes running out and tackles Courtney with a hug.
"Carlos!" She identified and gave a hug back. A brown and white Papillon breed dog comes out barking, no doubt the former footstool now turned back into his original state.
"It's a miracle!" Pavel cheered as he hugged Alana, much to her annoyance but she let it go this time.
"I couldn't agree more." Cole said, his eyes on Pietro and they shared another kiss.
In no short time, a fancy party at the mansion was established. The mansion was full of life again, with a cheerful and celebratory atmosphere that had the inhabitants and guests all happy.
But no one was more happy than the new couple of Pietro and Cole.
After the mansion's home invasion, Pietro and his dad fully moved into the mansion. Leaving the suburbs behind and facing the lies of Avery was the final straw for them and it was quite an easy move-in.
The grand ballroom where the two men danced together for the first time was where they were now. Pietro wore the same golden tuxedo from the night as Cole donned the same attire but this time with proper clothing and footwear now that he retained his humanity.
Cole lifted Pietro in the air before they kissed once more. Pietro, for one, couldn't believe his favorite story was coming true, free from the provincial life he had always known and met someone who he does want to spend the rest of his life with.
Once they broke apart, they began to waltz around the ballroom while everyone else watched in with glee.
"Ah, l'amour." Pavel whipped his eyes with a pocket square, glad Cole found love. Speaking of love, Lauren -back in her maid attire- playfully dusted his face and gave him a wink. A smitten Pavel smirked and prepared to follow when Alana interrupted.
"Well, Pavel." Alana started, "Shall we let bygones be bygones?"
"Of course, mon ami." Pavel answered, "I told you he would be the one to break the spell." He stated proudly.
The statement offended Alana, retorting, "Come again? I believe I told you."
"No you didn't," Pavel snapped, forgetting the bygones, "I told you-"
"As if! You pompous paraffin-headed pea-brain!" Alana snapped back.
"Why I oughta!" Pavel responded and the two began to argue about who was correct about Pietro's arrival.
Courtney, Carlos, and Eric watched with proud smiles on their faces. Ethan and the papillon breed -whose name is Germino- wagged their tails at seeing their owners dance with each other.
"Aw, it's quite the sight isn't it?" Courtney said.
"It sure is." Eric added. He still could not believe the discovery of how Cole became human along with the rest of the mansion's inhabitants.
"At least I don't have to sleep in the cabinet anymore." Carlos said which made his older sister and Eric snicker.
"I can't believe this is the real you." Pietro admitted as they danced.
"Oh, you prefer the more rugged, animalistic side?" Cole teased which made Pietro blush.
"It has its effects. But… I could get used to this face." Pietro said. "It's much easier on the eyes. But either way… I still love you."
"I love you too." Cole said and the two danced to their hearts' content.
The End.