A Curse of Dependency

The shooting star had a poetic if somewhat twisted sense of justice. It decided that if Belle was going to act like a spoiled brat who wants to be catered to hand and foot by her stepmom, that's exactly what she'd get. The star would just make sure she didn't have a choice in the matter.

Starting tomorrow, Belle would lose most of her independence. She would lose the ability to dress herself, do her own hair and make-up, feed herself, and handle her own personal hygiene. She would also forget how to read and write, do even the most basic of mathematics, and of course how to drive, none of which she would be capable of relearning unless the star decided that she learned her lesson. What's more, while not physically changing on the outside Belle's strength would be reduced to that of a small child, making even physical exertion challenging and ensuring she could be easily manhandled if necessary. Pretty much the only things Belle would be able to do on her own would be walk, talk, drink, sit down, and use the toilet, and even then she would still need some help with that last one given the aforementioned issues with dressing herself and keeping herself clean.

But that wasn't all the curse would do. The other part of it would ensure that no one other than Bailey would help her. It won't matter what state she was left in or how much she is struggling, no one else, not even her loving father, will lift a finger to assist her, even thought they will still expect her to fulfill all of her regular obligations. This would leave the spoiled heiress entirely at her stepmother's mercy, whose presence will thankfully be allowed anywhere the heiress goes regardless of what any rules would otherwise say. Perhaps it was a bit unfair to put Bailey in that situation without her consent, but then again she could leave Belle naked and struggling to perform the most basic tasks without any consequences... for her, at least. Any issues that arise will be blamed on Belle, and she will be the sole recipient of any resulting punishment, mockery, or scorn.

The star hoped that once stepmother and stepdaughter realized this, the balance of power would shift. And perhaps, Belle would eventually, finally, learn some humility and respect for her stepmom.