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Belle tilted her head ever so slightly but quickly brought her eyes out to level, not wanting to seem rude or anything. "Hmm, how long have I been a stray?" She repeated his question to make sure it was what she had heard. "Well, I went exploring one day... then this nasty man came and took me from the street. Oh, it was horrible... all they ever fed me were table scraps. And to make matters worse they didn't even give me a plate! They made me eat off of this paper one. Oh, it was dreadful, so I had to get out of there. I managed to escape, which honestly wasn't that hard, but when I came back home..." She paused and remembered how crushed she was to find that nobody was there to let her inside. Then there was that other cat Demi, who was on the front lawn. She really didn't have time to react fully.

"I guess to answer your question quite simply, I'd say about three weeks now. Maybe more or less." She looked down at her fur and began to smooth it out lightly. She was hardly in a fret over being abandoned anymore but it still stung to think about it. Marshall went on about how her collar was only holding her back and whatnot and instantly she jumped up, taking a few steps back from the man. "M-my collar? Take it off?! Oh good heaven's no! I can't do that... it's the only precious thing I have." She could feel the bell resting against her chest. He explained how he knew what she was going through. The fear of being told to take off her last memory of home, but what was this? What amazing things was he talking about? "W-what do you mean? What amazing things?" She repeated what she had previously said in her mind.

Belle bit her lip and listened to every word carefully, trying to decide how she should be taking all of this right now. "Y-you would... paint me something? Something beautiful?" She asked with her heart swooning over what images he could draft up with his brushes. There was the fear of loosing her collar, though. "W-well... I-I'm going to... consider that, I guess, Marshall." She looked around the room nervously, feeling pressured. Feeling like her collar was getting tighter and tighter on her neck. "Listen, I think... I should go. But, it was very nice of you to show me your place. I'll come visit you soon. I promise. I just, need some time to think." She was a bit nervous all the sudden but figured it was the right feeling to be felt at a time like this. "Goodnight," she spoke softly before walking to his window, leaping up and giving a final glance at the boy before jumping out. She was so confused right now. He could paint after he took off his collar? Maybe, just maybe she could find something she was good at after she got her ribbon off. Then again it meant so much to her. She'll have to think about this one.