It's been quite a while it seems since I've written for the Bleach fandom hasn't it? I know the ones who follow me for my IchiHitsu story are a bit confused right now, and I apologize. I love this pairing and it works so much better. You must also be disappointed that it isn't an mpreg either. And it won't ever be.

Now I know that this idea has been used over and over again. But I'm wanting to give it a go for myself. Mainly for experimental reasons.

Grimmjow: Cookie doesn't own Bleach, the story Beauty and the Beast, or their characters.

Me: So don't make me go Phoenix Wright on your ass. Enjoy!

Who could ever learn to love a Beast?

Once upon a time, in a faraway land called Las Noches, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although the prince had everything his heart desired, he was spoiled, selfish, and cruel. But then one winter's night, a sickly-looking woman came to the castle and offered a single rose in exchange for shelter from the bitter cold.

Revolted by her unseemly appearance, the prince sneered at her and sent the beggar away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for true beauty is found from within.

When he turned her away again, there was a bright flash. The homely woman had transformed into a beautiful enchantress. The prince tried to repent, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no compassion 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 by his monstrous look, the beast concealed himself in his castle with only a magic mirror as his window to the outside world. The rose the woman had left him was truly an enchanted rose, one that would bloom for many years. If the beast could learn to love another, and earn their love in return, by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. But if not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.

As the years passed, the beast fell into despair and lost all hope.

For who could ever learn to love a beast?

A little town, a quiet village: everyday was like the one before. This small town known as Karakura with its small group waking up every day to the same routine.

It was a routine that a certain teen loathed. Said teen was walking down the street with one of his friends, Orihime.

"You see this place, Orihime? Every day like clockwork, it's the same old thing!"

The busty girl gave a puzzled look, "What do you mean, Ichigo?"

He pointed in one direction, "There's Urahara opening his shop like always, with Yoruichi hanging about." He sighed, "It's been the same since I can remember. I just wish it weren't so boring here."

"Ichigo, you've gotta try looking at things in a better way!" Orihime chirped in an attempt to be helpful.

"Yeah, whatever."

They continued walking for a bit until Keigo came running up to them gasping for breath, "I-Ichigo!"

The teen rolled his eyes, "What is it now, Keigo?"

"It's your father! No one can find him!"

"What? Where did he go?"

"The last person that saw him said he went off into the woods!"

Ichigo cursed under his breath, "That loony father of mine. Damnit."

Isshin had been looking for some herbs out in the woods that he could use to work on some new medication. But soon enough, he ran into a pack of wolves and was chased for what seemed like hours.

It seemed like all hope was lost until he came upon this enormous castle. With no other options, he began to bang on the gates screaming for help. And, strangely enough, the gates opened as if they had heard his cries for help. He wandered inside, anxious to see what it held.

Meanwhile, in the darkness of the castle entrance hall, stood two seemingly normal objects as they observed the older man coming inside.

"Hello? Is anyone home? Hello?"

The bespectacled clock leaned over to the candlestick next to him, "Well now you've done it! I told you not to let him in!"

"We couldn't let him get eaten alive!" The candlestick said in return.

"Is anyone home? Hello?" Isshin kept saying.

"Maybe if we stay quiet, he'll go away." The clock said with a worried expression.

Isshin, being the insistent man that he was, kept pressing on, "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I got lost in the woods and was looking for a place to stay."

"Not a word, Renji. Not one word."

"Poor guy. C'mon Uryu, have a heart! Sir, you are welcome here!" he said lighting his candles as Uryu quickly blew them out.

Isshin stopped pacing, "Now wait a minute, I heard that! Whoever you are, show yourself!"

With a big grin on his waxy face, Renji came out into the open with his candles aflame, "Hello!"

"And goodbye!" Uryu fussed as he tried shoving the old man out the door.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Isshin yelled before he could be kicked out, "You're a… a talking clock!"

The clock rolled his eyes, "Amazing, yes. And quite hard to explain, now please leave!"

Renji jabbed him in the side, "Uryu, I'm surprised at you! You're better than this!"

"But we have to get him out before the master finds him!"

"Come sit by the fire, man. You must be freezing." Renji gestured his flames to the large, royal blue chair sitting near the fireplace.

Uryu gaped at the candelabra, "Are you mad?" His face fell at seeing the man collapse in the cushioned chair, "Oh no! Not the master's chair!" He covered his eyes, "I'm not seeing this! I'm not seeing this!"

A rather well-endowed duster with orange feathers came in, "Oh my, what have we here?" She said observing the fatigued stranger, "Do my eyes deceive me? Or is this a man? Oh, it's been so long since I've seen a real man! No offense, Renji." She said waving the candelabra off, "Mind if I sit here?" She said sitting on the man's lap.

A dark blush crept across Isshin's face, "Um… hello."

"Alright, this has gone too far!" Uryu pleaded, trying to get rid of the man as quickly as possible.

"Care for a blanket, cutie?" She draped a blanket over him, "I just love older men."

"Rangiku, you are always trying to make me jealous." He turned away, "Well it won't work this time!"

The feather duster got up and walked over to him, "Me? What about you? With Rukia."

"Gin." Renji bit back.

"Hinamori."

"Toshiro."

She rolled her eyes, "Byakuya Kuchiki."

"Ah yes, Byakuya." He said reminiscing, much to her disgust.

"Renji, listen to me!" Uryu shouted, intent on getting the candelabra's attention, "We've got to get this man out! If the master finds him…!"

The other rested a candle on his shoulder, "Uryu, calm down. The master will never know."

Almost as if on cue, a deafening roar echoed throughout the halls.

Renji's expression changed to a more worried one, "As I was saying, he's bound to find out sooner or later."

"There is a stranger here."

"Master…" Renji stammered, "Allow me to explain! The poor man was cornered by a pack of wolves!"

"Who let him in?"

Uryu, more frightened than ever, piped up, "Master? May I be one to say that… well I was against it from the start!" He pointed an accusing finger at Renji.

"Who dares disobey me?"

"Oh dear." Rangiku said, fanning herself.

"You have all betrayed me!"

At last, a blue-furred beast stepped out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" The hoarse voice of the beast spoke.

"Uh… my name is Isshin Kuro-"

"What are you doing in my castle?" The beast interrupted ferociously.

"I… I was just…"

He dashed over to the man trembling in the chair, "You are not welcome here!"

Hovering above the stranger, he could see through the fur the terrified look in his eyes.

"It's hideous, isn't it?"

"No! I just-"

"Come to stare at the BEAST, haven't you?" He roared in fury.

Isshin jumped out of the chair and away from the beast, "I'm sorry! I was just looking for a place to stay!"

"I'll give you a place to stay!" He growled as he lunged forward at the cowering man.

Well I hope you like that as kind of a prologue I suppose. I'm not sure. I won't update this as much as I will my other fics. This was completely spontaneous anyway. Isn't everything I write though?

Anyway, I shall see you all again next time! I love you guys! Bye!