Disclaimer: I don't own Beauty and the Beast or Fruits Basket.

Belle: Tohru

Beast: Kyo (true form)

Gaston: Akito (yes I know Akito is a girl, but for this fanfic, just work with me)

Lafou: Shigure

Maurice: Kureno

Enchanted Book: Hatori

Cogsworth: Yuki

Lumiere: Haru

Mrs. Potts: Kagura

Chip: Momiji

Wardrobe: Kisa

Feather Duster: Rin

Bookstore owner: Mayu

Bimbettes: Yuki Fan Club

Arisa: Mentioned

Saki : Mentioned

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Beauty and the Beast

Once upon a time, in a far away land, a young prince lived in a shinning castle. Although he had everything, his heart desired the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. But then, one bitter night, an old beggar woman came to the castle. She offered him a single rose, in returned for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift, and turned the old woman away. But she warned him, not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty, is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away, to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast. And placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there. Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose, she had offered, was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-third year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years past, he fell into despair and lost all hope for who could ever learn to love, a beast?

In a small village on the countryside of France, the sun began to side over the sleepy town. Birds chirped and fluttered to the ground. Shop owners opened their doors and prepared for work. Villagers emerged from their homes and began their daily chores.

A young woman emerged from her home, carrying a basket. Her hair was long and brown, tied with a blue ribbon in the back. She wore and blue dress and a white apron. Her steps were swift and quiet. She walked over the bridge and strolled down the town streets.

"Bonjour!"

"Bonjour!"

"Bonjour!"

"Bonjour!"

"Bonjour Belle!"

"Morning Monsieur." Belle replied.

"Where are you off to this fine morning?" the baker asked.

"Oh, the bookshop!" Tohru pulled out her book and opened it. "I just this finished the most amazing story. It's about-"

"That's nice. Marie, croissants! Hurry up!" he ordered.

Tohru placed the book back into her basket and continued walking. A few townsfolk watch her as she waves and continues on her way.

"Look at her. She such a peculiar child that girl." One woman said.

"She's never a part of anything here."

"She got her head up in the clouds." An old man replied.

"That Tohru is a strange girl." They said.

A horse and wagon rode past Tohru. Tohru grabbed onto the back and jumped on. She rode on the back of the carriage through town. The townspeople rushed and scurried through town. Some yelled and some bartered.

"I need six eggs."

"How's your wife?"

"Bonjour!"

"There must be more than this provincial life!" Tohru said. She jumped off the back of the carriage and walked into the bookshop.

A young woman, mid twenties, stood in the rows of books. She smiled and greeted Tohru, "Bonjour Tohru!"

"Good morning! I've come to return the book I borrowed." Tohru handed the book to Mayu.

"Finished it so soon?" Mayu asked.

"Oh it was so entrancing. I couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new?" Tohru asked.

Mayu laughed, "Not since yesterday."

"Any word from your friend in the castle?" Tohru asked.

Mayu's expression changed, "No. nothing. I was thinking of going up to the castle, but the prince would probably lock me up."

"I'm sure he's alright Mayu." Tohru said.

"I hope so. Now, unfortunately I have nothing new for you to borrow today." Mayu replied.

"That's alright. I'll borrow...this one!" Tohru grabbed a blue covered book off one of the nearby shelves.

Mayu looked at it, "That one? But you've read it so many times?"

"It's my favorite. Far off placed, daring swordfights, and a prince in disguises!" Tohru explained. She slid in the ladder around.

"Well if like that much, it's yours." Mayu said.

"But Mayu." Tohru said,

"I insist."

"Well thank you. Thank you very, very much Mayu." Tohru left the bookshop and hurried down the street.

Several boys watching from the window stopped and watched her walk past. "Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar! I wonder if she's feeling well."

Women watched her gossiping, "With dreaming far-off look."

"And her nose stuck in her book."

"She's a puzzle the rest of us as her." no clue of that made sense

Tohru stopped at the towns' fountain and sat down. She was so entranced in her book, not caring what was going on around her. Sheep roamed near her, some looked up and sat next to her. The sheepherder hurried behind his runaway flock, scurrying them away.

Tohru stood up and continued walking home. Overhead, geese were flying south for the winter. A shot rang out through the town. A goose fell and hit the ground next to a man carrying a sack. The man quickly picked up the goose and hurried back to the side of the road.

"Wow Akito, you didn't miss a shot!" he said.

A tall man with short black hair blew the smoke out of his gun barrel, "I know."

"No beast alive stands a chance against you. And no girl for that matter." He said.

"It's true Shigure. And I've got my sights set on that one." Akito pointed to Tohru walking though the street.

"Kureno's daughter?"

"She's the one. The lucky girl I'm going to marry."

"But she's- ow!" Akito dropped his gun onto Shigure's head.

"That makes her the best. And don't I deserve the best?" Akito asked.

"Well of course you do. But-"

"Since I first laid my eyes on her, I said 'she's gorgeous' and I vowed. Here in town she's the only one, who's as beautiful as me. So I'm making plans to marry her." Akito said. Shigure tapped Akito's shoulder as Tohru past. Akito looked, but couldn't find Tohru. The people pushed through and filled the streets.

Akito hurried into the streets, trying to find Tohru. He pushed through and walked quickly. He spotted Tohru's head and pushed faster.

"Excuse me. Please let me through." Akito called. He pushed through the crowd harder.

Tohru walked through the crowd easily. She read the book while she walked. She was now on the outskirts of the village, where she had entered. She heard people whispering near heard. Her name was mentioned...loudly. Tohru turned around and the whispering stopped. Tohru shrugged and continued walking with her book.

"Hello Tohru." Akito said.

"Bonjour Akito." Akito took the book from Tohru hands and began flipping through it. "Akito may I have my book please?"

"How can you read something with no pictures?" Akito asked.

"Well some people like to use their imagination." Tohru replied.

Akito smirked and shut the book. "Tohru, it's about time you got your head out of those books and pay attention to more important things...like me." He tossed the book behind him. It hit the spine and bounced into a mud puddle.

Tohru tried to get past, but Akito stopped her, "The whole town's talking about you. It's not right for a woman your age to read. Soon she'll get ideas, and starts to think. It's not right." Tohru grabbed the book and whipped it off with her apron.

"Akito you have a positively prehistoric way of living." Tohru replied.

Akito placed a hand on her shoulder, "Why thank you Tohru. Hey why we walk over to the tavern and look at my trophies?" he tried to lead her back into town.

"Maybe some other time." Tohru replied.

Three girls, who seemed to follow Akito everywhere, overheard this, "What's wrong with her?"

"She's crazy?"

"He's gorgeous!"

"Please Akito I can't. I have to get home and help my father. Good-bye." Tohru said.

Shigure burst into laughter, "That crazy old coot? He needs all the help he can get." Akito started laughing with him.

"Don't talk about my father that way!" Tohru yelled.

"Yeah don't talk about her father that way!" Akito replied. He hit Shigure over the head.

"My father is not crazy. He's a great inventor!" The house behind them exploded with brown smoke, coming from the cellar. Tohru turned and rushed to the house, leaving a laughing Shigure an Akito behind her.

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