The Adventures Of Disney Duchess: Shapes & Rifts

11 - Disney's Damage

Waking up in a dark cell, Belle's eyes would slowly open. She had the worst headache as if she had a hangover!

"Ugh..." Belle groaned.

Looking around, she saw that she was in a small cage, with bars surrounding it. At least, it seemed that way. They were so low that it felt like they weren't actually there at all. The rest of the cage was empty except for some bedding on the floor. There wasn't even a toilet or sink.

"What happened...?" Belle wondered aloud. "Where am I? How did I get here?"

After staring blankly for several moments, Belle's eyes lit up as she remembered what had happened. Rift! Multiple thoughts began to flood her mind. But one thing mainly bugged her. Doctor Disney... She was kind to him, no matter what. She could understand hiding Rift from her, as she was a tad stubborn sometimes, but now he had gone too far. By attacking her, he proved he could not be trusted anymore. Even after everything she did for him, even by not calling him by his first name.

She prayed about Rift and that he hadn't died during her disappearance. Belle really had no idea what she'd do with herself if he was dead. Taking a deep breath, it would take the heroine a few seconds to realise she was missing her Duchess Mark Two armour.

"My... my suit..." Belle whispered. "Is gone..."

Feeling defeated, Belle sat on the ground, leaning against the bars. She was completely helpless, without anything to defend herself. All she had was her voice. Not only that, but she had no idea where the cell was located. All she could do was wait and hope someone found her.

The young woman didn't know how long she waited, but eventually, footsteps would come toward her cell. She was certain this must be one of Doctor Disney's soldiers. As she looked up, however, she saw that it wasn't a person at all who came to talk. Instead, there was a large robot standing in front of her.

"Hello, Miss White." The machine said, stepping closer and speaking in a mechanical, female tone. "I'm here to feed you!"

Holding their hands up, the feminine-looking bot revealed a tray of food. The face of the android was just smooth and black, looking as if there were some kind of LED lights hidden inside. Opening a hatch in the cell, the robot slid through the food tray.

"Oh, thank you..." Belle said gratefully, taking the offered meal. "But what are you doing here?"

"Feeding you, of course!" The machine replied emotionlessly. "It's been two days since your last meal."

"Two days?" Belle echoed. "How did I survive this long?"

"You may ask me that again once you've eaten your food." The robot told the heroine. "Now, please don't try to escape."

"Why?" Belle asked, confused. "What do you want from me?"

"You'll find out soon enough." The machine promised, walking away.

Leaning against the bars, Belle took a bite of her meal. It tasted terrible, but at least it was something. After eating the entire plate, however, the robot returned.

"Well, well, Miss White!" The machine said brightly. "Are you full now?"

"Yes, but-" Belle began, before stopping and looking at the robot. "Why are you helping me?"

"Because Doctor Disney ordered me to." The machine told her. "He told me to ensure you stayed alive. However, if you do manage to escape, then to kill you."

"Kill me?" Belle repeated.

"Of course. If you manage to break free, you'll be hunted down immediately by every AIM soldier on the planet." The robot informed her. "No doubt, Doctor Disney will order them to destroy you. Thankfully, I'm programmed to stop any attempts."