I put it up there for fun, cause that quote is my favourite in Chinese 
Fanfiction ► Kingdom Hearts: Destati
- Thread starter Merlin326
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ENDGAME, hmm? odd but still good. i'll be waiting for the next chapter.
I agree with blendedhearts, odd, but interesting. Judging by the all caps, I would say it is like Project: ENDLESS. But, that is just a rambling psychotics... ramblings.
Note: I'm not really psychotic. Just ask R0ad H0g...
Note: I'm not really psychotic. Just ask R0ad H0g...
and now we continue our next chapter in Destati.
also, i have placed a reference to Batman Returns in here. can anyone find it?
*****************
By now, the Feast of Fools was in full swing. Sora, Riku and Kairi searched through the crowd for their contact. On the way, Spaulding had told them that they were to meat a hooded man who often said ‘That is The Question, isn’t it?’ This man would be able to give them more information on Aloz’s location and his intents for the world.
“Where is this guy?” Kairi asked. Her question was valid, as they had been searching for over an hour, maybe two, for this hooded figure, without success.
“That is The Question, isn’t it?” a voice behind them. All there of them jumped and turned to see three hooded figures, one of them wearing a dark mask with a yellow scar running down it.
“You must be our contact,” Sora said.
One of the masked man’s two companions, a girl, said, “We have …a mutual friend in the Prince of Shadows.”
“Xando contracted us to help you find Aloz,” the masked mans other companion, also male, said, “as well as to learn of his intent.”
“And so we have,” the leader said, “listen well. Aloz steals Quintessence from other beings to gain power, but in order to steal it, a number of things must happen.”
“What?” Sora asked. He wasn’t sure if he could trust these three, they had an air of mystery about them, but there was no denying they were on the same side for the moment.
“First of all, he needs to find someone that has a certain amount of darkness in their hearts,” the leader began, “after that, he disguises himself so he can get close to them and…”
“Wait a minute,” Riku interrupted, “what do you mean disguise?”
“Aloz can shapeshift,” the girl said, “into whatever form suits him for the situation.”
“The only thing he can't hide are his eyes,” the leader continued, “anyway, he gets close to them and taps into the darkness in their hearts, clouds their minds and judgment. As they are near being consumed by their darkness, he has them killed, by either his own claws or another, and sucks up their life energy, their Quintessence.”
“He could just kill them outright,” the man added, “but he gains more Quintessence when he taps into their darkness first.”
“And our job is to make sure he doesn’t get the Quintessence,” Sora guessed, “so where is he?”
The leader then pointed to a carriage that was coming by, guards surrounding it, “the man in there is Judge Claude Frollo,” he said, “though he hardly deserves his title. He is a cruel man who has an intense racism against gypsies, one most of his guards share. There is a rumor that he has raised a boy,” the leader then gestured to the cathedral nearby, “that is greatly deformed, and has kept him locked away in there for 20 years.”
Sora nodded, “we heard a story saying something to that effect. The puppeteer said he named him Quasimodo, meaning…”
“Half-formed,” the girl finished, “we heard it, too.”
“We must depart now,” the leader said, “we have our own business to attend to. We’ll be in touch.”
Suddenly, the leader vanished in a puff of smoke, literally vanishing in thin air, and his two companions likewise did the same.
“Xando has an interesting choice in helpers,” Riku thought aloud. No one could, or would, deny that.
-----------
Earlier that day, Frollo met with the new captain of the guard, Captain Phoebus.
“You have come to us in our darkest hour,” Frollo said to Phoebus as they walked along Frollo’s home, the palace of justice, “it will take a firm hand to keep the peasants from being so easily mislead.”
“Misled?” Phoebus asked.
“Look there,” Frollo said, gesturing down to the streets where a young woman was dancing with a goat, while a man played an instrument, “Gypsies. Their heathen ways inflame the people’s lowest instincts,” Frollo then emphasized his next sentence, “and they must be stopped.”
“I was summoned from the wars to capture fortune tellers and palm readers?” Phoebus asked skeptically. Unlike the majority of the guards, Phoebus did not share Frollo’s hatred for gypsies, but rather acknowledged them as merely different, with their own customs and beliefs.
“The real war, captain, is out there,” Frollo replied, “for 20 years I’ve been taking care of the gypsies,” he emphasized ‘taking care of’, and then squashed spiders on a stone to emphasize his next point, “one by one. And yet, for all my success, they’ve thrived.”
Frollo pulled the stone away, revealing several spiders, and said, “I believe they have a safe haven within these very walls, a next, if you will.”
“What are we going to do about it?” Phoebus asked, already dreading what might be coming. Indeed,
Frollo didn’t answer with words, but merely slammed the stone down on the spiders, crushing them. “You make your point quite vividly, sir,” Phoebus added.
“You know, I like you, captain,” Frollo said, “shall we?”
And the two left the palace of justice for the festival that was starting up in the square.
---------------
By the time Sora, Riku and Kairi reached the town square, Clopin, who was in charge of the festival, was already on a stage. Standing next to the three was a hooded man, hunched over to avoid being seen.
“Hurry, hurry, here’s your chance,” he said, jumping around the stage, “see the mystery and romance. Come one, come all, see the finest girl in France, make an entrance to entrance. Dance, la Esmeralda Dance!”
And suddenly, Clopin threw his hand to the floor, and in a puff of smoke, he vanished. In his place was a young woman, who then proceeded to dance for the crowd. She was quite good, too.”
“Look at that disgusting display,” Frollo said. Secretly, though, he was smitten by her dance.
“Yes sir,” Phoebus said eagerly, moving his visor up to for a good view. Indeed, she stole the hearts of three men that day, but only one would win her. How ironic who he would be. From under his hood, Quasimodo too was entranced by her dancing.
When she was finished, with many cheers from the audience, Clopin jumped back onto the stage for the next event.
“Here it is everyone. The moment you’ve been waiting for,” Clopin announced, “Here’s where we laugh until our sides are sore. Now’s the time we crown the King of Fools!”
A grand cheer rose through the entire audience, with the exception of Sora and his friends, who had no idea what was going on; Frollo, who hated the entire festival itself; Phoebus and the guard, who were soldiers; and the hooded man next to Sora.
“So make a face that’s horrible and frightening; one as gruesome as a gargoyle’s wing…”
-----------
“Hey!” Hugo said in protest.
-----------
“The ugliest face will be the King of Fools.”
Several people were then pulled up to the stage, including the hooded man standing next to Sora. One woman, dressed as a dancer, pulled the masks off and the people would make their most horrible face possible. The crowd, dissatisfied, would then boo, and a trained goat would butt them off the stage and into the mud. Clopin and the woman went down the line, but each face was booed off the stage (forcefully).
Then they came to the last man in line, the man who had been standing next to Sora, and proceeded to pull off his mask. Only it wasn’t a mask, and the whole crowd gasped in horror.
“That’s no mask,” one man said.
“It’s his face!” another finished.
“He’s hideous!”
“It’s the bell ringer from Notre Dame!” one man gasped, and Frollo, who hadn’t been paying much attention until now, glared at Quasimodo.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Sora muttered to his friends.
Quasimodo was nearly in tears, his worst fears about to come alive, but Clopin, sensing the bell ringer’s distress, stopped things before they got out of hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, don’t panic. We asked for the ugliest face in Paris, and here it is! Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame!”
Clopin, a charismatic and fun loving man, easily managed to turn the crowd right back around with his speech, and the crowd quickly began cheering Quasimodo again and even carried him in a parade to the central stage, led by Clopin. All the while, Frollo continued to stare at Quasimodo in a fiery rage.
Clopin helped Quasimodo to the stage and then placed a rubber crown on the ‘king’s’ head, then jumped off the stage as confetti fell all around them in celebration.
-------
From the vantage of a nearby rooftop, the mysterious trio watched the festival. The leader’s eyes surveyed the crowd, searching for Aloz, but his eyes eventually settled on a soldier tossing and catching a small, red sphere.
The leader sighed, “Why is there always someone who brings eggs and tomatoes to a festival?”
His two companions could only shrug. They could also guess what would happen next, but they couldn’t involve themselves. Not just yet.
--------------
Indeed, the leader’s fears were accurate. One of the soldiers, cruel and sadistic like most of them, threw a tomato at Quasimodo. Suddenly, another soldier threw a tomato, and then another. Thanks to the cruel reality of mob psychology, soon the majority of the crowd was throwing fruit at the hunchback. Soon, they threw ropes at him and tied him down to a wheel on the stage, used for just such humiliation. Before he knew what was happening, Quasimodo was being spun around, fresh fruit splashing in his face.
“We’ve got to do something,” Kairi whispered, “it’s beyond cruel.”
“We will,” Sora said, already starting to make his way through the crowd.
“Sir,” Captain Phoebus said to Frollo, “permission to stop this cruelty?”
“In a moment, Captain,” Frollo answered, “a lesson needs to be learned here.”
Gasps came from the audience, and Frollo and Phoebus looked towards the crowd. Likewise, Sora stopped to watch what was happening. The dancer from earlier stepped up to the stage, and the crowd stopped throwing fruit, stuck dumb by the sight before them. The woman pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket.
“I’m sorry,” she said to Quasimodo as she wiped his face, “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“You there, gypsy girl,” Frollo yelled from his chair, “get down at once!”
“Yes your honor,” Esmeralda said, “just as soon as I free this poor creature.”
“I forbid it.”
In an act of defiance, Esmeralda pulled a dagger from a sheath on her leg and cut Quasimodo’s bonds.
“How dare you defy me?” Frollo grumbled.
“You mistreat this poor boy the same way you mistreat my people,” Esmeralda continued, “you speak of justice but you’re cruel to those most in need of your help.”
“Silence!”
“JUSTICE!”
“Mark my words, Gypsy. You will pay for this insolence.”
“Then it seems we crowned the wrong fool,” Esmeralda said, grabbing the rubber crown, “the only fool I see is you!”
Then she threw the rubber crown at Frollo, which landed at his feet with a squeak.
“Captain Phoebus, arrest her,” Frollo commanded, and ten guards immediately surrounded Esmeralda.
“We need to help her,” Kairi said to Sora and Riku, “it’s ten against one!”
“So it’s ten of you and one of me,” Esmeralda said, pulling out a handkerchief, “what’s a poor girl to do?”
She then blew into the handkerchief and vanished in a puff of smoke.
“I don’t think she needs any,” Sora said.
“Witchcraft…” Frollo breathed.
“Oh boys,” Esmeralda called to the soldiers, hiding in a doll stand. The soldiers chased after her. Two of them jumped onto the stand, but by the time they were up Esmeralda jumped off the stand, the peasants caught her, and she took off. The guards jumped, fully expecting to be caught as well. Instead, the crowd parted and the two soldiers landed face-first on the pavement.
Esmeralda turned to see three more soldiers, with weapons drawn, charging at her. She charged forward and grabbed a cylinder shaped cage, an old man trapped inside it, and knocked it off its hook. The cage landed on its side and Esmeralda ran on it, rolling it into the guards and running over them. She then jumped off it and onto a wooden wheelbarrow; the cage hit a rock and bounced onto the other side of the wheelbarrow, catapulting her over more guards that were hoping to capture her, only to then hit by the cage, which crashed to a halt, the door smashed open.
“I’m free,” the feeble old man who had been trapped inside it said, “I’m free, I’m free.”
He then tripped on a rock and fell into a stock, which locked itself, trapping him. “Dang it,” he said.
Esmeralda ran past a stilt walker, who was using huge stilts to appear over 10 feet tall, and pulled his ‘pants’ down. The soldier who was right behind her charged right into it and the pants, acting as a giant slingshot, shot him far into the air. Esmeralda paused, and the soldier’s metal hat landed right on her head. All the normal foot soldier’s hats were the same, and conveniently shaped like a flat disk. She flung it at three soldiers, mounted on horses, which were charging at her. It hit the middle one, rebounded off the other two (dismounted all three), and continued straight at Phoebus.
He ducked, the hat imbedding itself in the wood pole behind him, and said to himself, “What a woman.”
She then turned and, seeing two more horse mounted guards, took off under the tightrope walker’s tightrope. The walker whistled to the guards and, after getting their attention, dropped his support stick to them. They caught it, unsure what to do with it, and did not see that they were heading right for Frollo’s personal box. They crashed into it, bringing the thing down in the process.
After untangling himself from the mess, Frollo turned to Esmeralda, just in time for her to twirl a red cloth around herself and vanish.
“Find her, Captain,” Frollo said to Phoebus while mounting his horse, “I want her alive.”
Phoebus nodded and then shouted orders to the soldiers, and Frollo rode slowly to Quasimodo and glared at him.
“I’m sorry, Master,” Quasimodo said, “I will never disobey you again.”
And with that, Quasimodo jumped off the stage and made his way to Notre Dame, the crowd parting and gasping as he walked by, and shut the door.
------
Through the entire spectacle, one soldier did not involve himself, but merely watched the events unfold. He stood there, calculating, a sinister smile crossing his face as a plan came into mind. He watched Frollo intently, his golden eyes gleaming like gemstones.
********
you can probably guess who the one soldier is.
a word about ENDGAME. i got the idea from one of the Fire Emblem games (Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn) that titled its final chapter ENDGAME (the other GBA games titled it Final Chapter). i figured it would work here.
on a side note, nice new avatar Jones. Norrington was a most interesting character.
with all due respect,
Merlin326
also, i have placed a reference to Batman Returns in here. can anyone find it?
*****************
Chapter 7
A Festival of Fools
A Festival of Fools
By now, the Feast of Fools was in full swing. Sora, Riku and Kairi searched through the crowd for their contact. On the way, Spaulding had told them that they were to meat a hooded man who often said ‘That is The Question, isn’t it?’ This man would be able to give them more information on Aloz’s location and his intents for the world.
“Where is this guy?” Kairi asked. Her question was valid, as they had been searching for over an hour, maybe two, for this hooded figure, without success.
“That is The Question, isn’t it?” a voice behind them. All there of them jumped and turned to see three hooded figures, one of them wearing a dark mask with a yellow scar running down it.
“You must be our contact,” Sora said.
One of the masked man’s two companions, a girl, said, “We have …a mutual friend in the Prince of Shadows.”
“Xando contracted us to help you find Aloz,” the masked mans other companion, also male, said, “as well as to learn of his intent.”
“And so we have,” the leader said, “listen well. Aloz steals Quintessence from other beings to gain power, but in order to steal it, a number of things must happen.”
“What?” Sora asked. He wasn’t sure if he could trust these three, they had an air of mystery about them, but there was no denying they were on the same side for the moment.
“First of all, he needs to find someone that has a certain amount of darkness in their hearts,” the leader began, “after that, he disguises himself so he can get close to them and…”
“Wait a minute,” Riku interrupted, “what do you mean disguise?”
“Aloz can shapeshift,” the girl said, “into whatever form suits him for the situation.”
“The only thing he can't hide are his eyes,” the leader continued, “anyway, he gets close to them and taps into the darkness in their hearts, clouds their minds and judgment. As they are near being consumed by their darkness, he has them killed, by either his own claws or another, and sucks up their life energy, their Quintessence.”
“He could just kill them outright,” the man added, “but he gains more Quintessence when he taps into their darkness first.”
“And our job is to make sure he doesn’t get the Quintessence,” Sora guessed, “so where is he?”
The leader then pointed to a carriage that was coming by, guards surrounding it, “the man in there is Judge Claude Frollo,” he said, “though he hardly deserves his title. He is a cruel man who has an intense racism against gypsies, one most of his guards share. There is a rumor that he has raised a boy,” the leader then gestured to the cathedral nearby, “that is greatly deformed, and has kept him locked away in there for 20 years.”
Sora nodded, “we heard a story saying something to that effect. The puppeteer said he named him Quasimodo, meaning…”
“Half-formed,” the girl finished, “we heard it, too.”
“We must depart now,” the leader said, “we have our own business to attend to. We’ll be in touch.”
Suddenly, the leader vanished in a puff of smoke, literally vanishing in thin air, and his two companions likewise did the same.
“Xando has an interesting choice in helpers,” Riku thought aloud. No one could, or would, deny that.
-----------
Earlier that day, Frollo met with the new captain of the guard, Captain Phoebus.
“You have come to us in our darkest hour,” Frollo said to Phoebus as they walked along Frollo’s home, the palace of justice, “it will take a firm hand to keep the peasants from being so easily mislead.”
“Misled?” Phoebus asked.
“Look there,” Frollo said, gesturing down to the streets where a young woman was dancing with a goat, while a man played an instrument, “Gypsies. Their heathen ways inflame the people’s lowest instincts,” Frollo then emphasized his next sentence, “and they must be stopped.”
“I was summoned from the wars to capture fortune tellers and palm readers?” Phoebus asked skeptically. Unlike the majority of the guards, Phoebus did not share Frollo’s hatred for gypsies, but rather acknowledged them as merely different, with their own customs and beliefs.
“The real war, captain, is out there,” Frollo replied, “for 20 years I’ve been taking care of the gypsies,” he emphasized ‘taking care of’, and then squashed spiders on a stone to emphasize his next point, “one by one. And yet, for all my success, they’ve thrived.”
Frollo pulled the stone away, revealing several spiders, and said, “I believe they have a safe haven within these very walls, a next, if you will.”
“What are we going to do about it?” Phoebus asked, already dreading what might be coming. Indeed,
Frollo didn’t answer with words, but merely slammed the stone down on the spiders, crushing them. “You make your point quite vividly, sir,” Phoebus added.
“You know, I like you, captain,” Frollo said, “shall we?”
And the two left the palace of justice for the festival that was starting up in the square.
---------------
By the time Sora, Riku and Kairi reached the town square, Clopin, who was in charge of the festival, was already on a stage. Standing next to the three was a hooded man, hunched over to avoid being seen.
“Hurry, hurry, here’s your chance,” he said, jumping around the stage, “see the mystery and romance. Come one, come all, see the finest girl in France, make an entrance to entrance. Dance, la Esmeralda Dance!”
And suddenly, Clopin threw his hand to the floor, and in a puff of smoke, he vanished. In his place was a young woman, who then proceeded to dance for the crowd. She was quite good, too.”
“Look at that disgusting display,” Frollo said. Secretly, though, he was smitten by her dance.
“Yes sir,” Phoebus said eagerly, moving his visor up to for a good view. Indeed, she stole the hearts of three men that day, but only one would win her. How ironic who he would be. From under his hood, Quasimodo too was entranced by her dancing.
When she was finished, with many cheers from the audience, Clopin jumped back onto the stage for the next event.
“Here it is everyone. The moment you’ve been waiting for,” Clopin announced, “Here’s where we laugh until our sides are sore. Now’s the time we crown the King of Fools!”
A grand cheer rose through the entire audience, with the exception of Sora and his friends, who had no idea what was going on; Frollo, who hated the entire festival itself; Phoebus and the guard, who were soldiers; and the hooded man next to Sora.
“So make a face that’s horrible and frightening; one as gruesome as a gargoyle’s wing…”
-----------
“Hey!” Hugo said in protest.
-----------
“The ugliest face will be the King of Fools.”
Several people were then pulled up to the stage, including the hooded man standing next to Sora. One woman, dressed as a dancer, pulled the masks off and the people would make their most horrible face possible. The crowd, dissatisfied, would then boo, and a trained goat would butt them off the stage and into the mud. Clopin and the woman went down the line, but each face was booed off the stage (forcefully).
Then they came to the last man in line, the man who had been standing next to Sora, and proceeded to pull off his mask. Only it wasn’t a mask, and the whole crowd gasped in horror.
“That’s no mask,” one man said.
“It’s his face!” another finished.
“He’s hideous!”
“It’s the bell ringer from Notre Dame!” one man gasped, and Frollo, who hadn’t been paying much attention until now, glared at Quasimodo.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Sora muttered to his friends.
Quasimodo was nearly in tears, his worst fears about to come alive, but Clopin, sensing the bell ringer’s distress, stopped things before they got out of hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, don’t panic. We asked for the ugliest face in Paris, and here it is! Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame!”
Clopin, a charismatic and fun loving man, easily managed to turn the crowd right back around with his speech, and the crowd quickly began cheering Quasimodo again and even carried him in a parade to the central stage, led by Clopin. All the while, Frollo continued to stare at Quasimodo in a fiery rage.
Clopin helped Quasimodo to the stage and then placed a rubber crown on the ‘king’s’ head, then jumped off the stage as confetti fell all around them in celebration.
-------
From the vantage of a nearby rooftop, the mysterious trio watched the festival. The leader’s eyes surveyed the crowd, searching for Aloz, but his eyes eventually settled on a soldier tossing and catching a small, red sphere.
The leader sighed, “Why is there always someone who brings eggs and tomatoes to a festival?”
His two companions could only shrug. They could also guess what would happen next, but they couldn’t involve themselves. Not just yet.
--------------
Indeed, the leader’s fears were accurate. One of the soldiers, cruel and sadistic like most of them, threw a tomato at Quasimodo. Suddenly, another soldier threw a tomato, and then another. Thanks to the cruel reality of mob psychology, soon the majority of the crowd was throwing fruit at the hunchback. Soon, they threw ropes at him and tied him down to a wheel on the stage, used for just such humiliation. Before he knew what was happening, Quasimodo was being spun around, fresh fruit splashing in his face.
“We’ve got to do something,” Kairi whispered, “it’s beyond cruel.”
“We will,” Sora said, already starting to make his way through the crowd.
“Sir,” Captain Phoebus said to Frollo, “permission to stop this cruelty?”
“In a moment, Captain,” Frollo answered, “a lesson needs to be learned here.”
Gasps came from the audience, and Frollo and Phoebus looked towards the crowd. Likewise, Sora stopped to watch what was happening. The dancer from earlier stepped up to the stage, and the crowd stopped throwing fruit, stuck dumb by the sight before them. The woman pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket.
“I’m sorry,” she said to Quasimodo as she wiped his face, “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“You there, gypsy girl,” Frollo yelled from his chair, “get down at once!”
“Yes your honor,” Esmeralda said, “just as soon as I free this poor creature.”
“I forbid it.”
In an act of defiance, Esmeralda pulled a dagger from a sheath on her leg and cut Quasimodo’s bonds.
“How dare you defy me?” Frollo grumbled.
“You mistreat this poor boy the same way you mistreat my people,” Esmeralda continued, “you speak of justice but you’re cruel to those most in need of your help.”
“Silence!”
“JUSTICE!”
“Mark my words, Gypsy. You will pay for this insolence.”
“Then it seems we crowned the wrong fool,” Esmeralda said, grabbing the rubber crown, “the only fool I see is you!”
Then she threw the rubber crown at Frollo, which landed at his feet with a squeak.
“Captain Phoebus, arrest her,” Frollo commanded, and ten guards immediately surrounded Esmeralda.
“We need to help her,” Kairi said to Sora and Riku, “it’s ten against one!”
“So it’s ten of you and one of me,” Esmeralda said, pulling out a handkerchief, “what’s a poor girl to do?”
She then blew into the handkerchief and vanished in a puff of smoke.
“I don’t think she needs any,” Sora said.
“Witchcraft…” Frollo breathed.
“Oh boys,” Esmeralda called to the soldiers, hiding in a doll stand. The soldiers chased after her. Two of them jumped onto the stand, but by the time they were up Esmeralda jumped off the stand, the peasants caught her, and she took off. The guards jumped, fully expecting to be caught as well. Instead, the crowd parted and the two soldiers landed face-first on the pavement.
Esmeralda turned to see three more soldiers, with weapons drawn, charging at her. She charged forward and grabbed a cylinder shaped cage, an old man trapped inside it, and knocked it off its hook. The cage landed on its side and Esmeralda ran on it, rolling it into the guards and running over them. She then jumped off it and onto a wooden wheelbarrow; the cage hit a rock and bounced onto the other side of the wheelbarrow, catapulting her over more guards that were hoping to capture her, only to then hit by the cage, which crashed to a halt, the door smashed open.
“I’m free,” the feeble old man who had been trapped inside it said, “I’m free, I’m free.”
He then tripped on a rock and fell into a stock, which locked itself, trapping him. “Dang it,” he said.
Esmeralda ran past a stilt walker, who was using huge stilts to appear over 10 feet tall, and pulled his ‘pants’ down. The soldier who was right behind her charged right into it and the pants, acting as a giant slingshot, shot him far into the air. Esmeralda paused, and the soldier’s metal hat landed right on her head. All the normal foot soldier’s hats were the same, and conveniently shaped like a flat disk. She flung it at three soldiers, mounted on horses, which were charging at her. It hit the middle one, rebounded off the other two (dismounted all three), and continued straight at Phoebus.
He ducked, the hat imbedding itself in the wood pole behind him, and said to himself, “What a woman.”
She then turned and, seeing two more horse mounted guards, took off under the tightrope walker’s tightrope. The walker whistled to the guards and, after getting their attention, dropped his support stick to them. They caught it, unsure what to do with it, and did not see that they were heading right for Frollo’s personal box. They crashed into it, bringing the thing down in the process.
After untangling himself from the mess, Frollo turned to Esmeralda, just in time for her to twirl a red cloth around herself and vanish.
“Find her, Captain,” Frollo said to Phoebus while mounting his horse, “I want her alive.”
Phoebus nodded and then shouted orders to the soldiers, and Frollo rode slowly to Quasimodo and glared at him.
“I’m sorry, Master,” Quasimodo said, “I will never disobey you again.”
And with that, Quasimodo jumped off the stage and made his way to Notre Dame, the crowd parting and gasping as he walked by, and shut the door.
------
Through the entire spectacle, one soldier did not involve himself, but merely watched the events unfold. He stood there, calculating, a sinister smile crossing his face as a plan came into mind. He watched Frollo intently, his golden eyes gleaming like gemstones.
********
you can probably guess who the one soldier is.
a word about ENDGAME. i got the idea from one of the Fire Emblem games (Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn) that titled its final chapter ENDGAME (the other GBA games titled it Final Chapter). i figured it would work here.
on a side note, nice new avatar Jones. Norrington was a most interesting character.
with all due respect,
Merlin326
Easily. Only one person and no one else, why guess? It's the same as giving answers since you've put it so clearly =.="
I never watch Batman Return, so I wouldn't have guessed what you hid in this chapter, sorry.
I never watch Batman Return, so I wouldn't have guessed what you hid in this chapter, sorry.
you used the word sinister. i'm guessing Xehanort.
Yellow-eyed soldier=Aloz.
Great chapter Merlin, and thanks for the avatar compliment. Credit goes to Livi!
Great chapter Merlin, and thanks for the avatar compliment. Credit goes to Livi!
Notre Dame, yay!
this will be awesome.
this will be awesome.
indeed, our dark mystery, Aloz. he will be working from the shadows, manipulating Frollo to the actions that will give him the most Quintessence. in fact, he will really drive Frollo off the deep end when we get to the Hellfire scene.
with all due respect,
Merlin326
with all due respect,
Merlin326
yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*deep breath*
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaay.
that'll be all.
*deep breath*
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaay.
that'll be all.
I still couldn't understand why people can mistake Aloz for Master Xehanort =.= But anyway, good chapter.
"What a woman"
"What a woman"
okay guys, bad news. due to technical difficulties (namely me leaving my flashdrive at my dad's house) there will not be a chapter update until the weekend. i will attempt to seek recompense by working through the weekend and bring you double the chapters on Sunday.
the good news is that the next chapter was mostly finished, so i will be able to finish that second chapter by Sunday.
teh worse news: i have finals all next week, so i will not be able to post chapters that week (with the potential exception of that weekend).
The other good news: once the two chapters this weekend are out of the way, Part III will near its close. and with that, we will see, among other things:
a war.
the battle prowess of the mysterious trio (and names for them)
hints to the pasts of Xehanort, the trio, Aloz, Prometheus and Pandora, and others.
but most of all, next Part brings something special (to me at least):
Agent 86
with all due respect,
Merlin326
the good news is that the next chapter was mostly finished, so i will be able to finish that second chapter by Sunday.
teh worse news: i have finals all next week, so i will not be able to post chapters that week (with the potential exception of that weekend).
The other good news: once the two chapters this weekend are out of the way, Part III will near its close. and with that, we will see, among other things:
a war.
the battle prowess of the mysterious trio (and names for them)
hints to the pasts of Xehanort, the trio, Aloz, Prometheus and Pandora, and others.
but most of all, next Part brings something special (to me at least):
Agent 86
with all due respect,
Merlin326
yay!
*waits*
no problem with the technical difficulties, most seem to be having some right now.
*coughcough* Matt, but like a dedicated fan of yours also, I shall wait. =]
*waits*
no problem with the technical difficulties, most seem to be having some right now.
*coughcough* Matt, but like a dedicated fan of yours also, I shall wait. =]
yeah, i've been missing may mayoral duties, could someone point me in the direction of doofus town?
all joking aside, i can wait for the next chapters. Agent 86, huh? interesting...
(p.s. sorry for leaving. my internet's been out.)
Seems more like humanity problems than technical difficultes to me Don't worry, we all had bad time trying to remember things. Finals? Lol, They're no problem to me (Not that my results are anywhere pleasant) cause I always reserved some time for my precious computer.
Don't worry, we all had bad time trying to remember things. Finals? Lol, They're no problem to me (Not that my results are anywhere pleasant) cause I always reserved some time for my precious computer.At last, the long awaited next chapter of Destati. what was origionally going to be two chapters i have merged into one, due to shortness of length of both. with this chapter, it works.
****************
Some time later, a figure, cloaked in a robe, entered the cathedral. Sora, suspicious as the identity of the figure, followed along with Riku and Kairi. Phoebus watched them go, stroking his beard.
----------
Inside, the figure pulled back her hood and a goat, named Jolly, jumped off Esmeralda. Like most that entered Notre Dame for the first time, she was awestruck at the sheer size of the cathedral.
“You’re pretty brave to go defying Frollo like that,” Sora said, entering the cathedral behind her.
Esmeralda turned and, seeing it was only a group of kids, lowered her guard.
“Who are you?” she asked suspiciously.
“I’m Sora. This is Kairi and Riku.”
“We are all enemies of Frollo,” Riku added, “or at least not allies.”
“I’ve never seen you around Paris before,” Esmeralda said, “and you certainly don’t dress like commoners.”
“We’re from… far away,” Kairi replied, “we’re here meeting a friend.”
“More acquaintance than friend,” Sora corrected, “didn’t even get his name yet.”
“I see.”
“Anyway, what’s going on in this town? What’s Frollo doing?” Sora asked.
Esmeralda’s face darkened, but she told them her tale, “For near 20 years, Frollo has been persecuting my people, the gypsies. He’s been naming us as thieves and beggars. Unfortunately, the common folk believe him. He’s been trying to find our hiding place, the Court of Miracles, for those 20 years, so he could kill us all in one swoop. However, he has yet to find it, and never will. And then there’s that bell
ringer…”
Suddenly, she stopped and, after a moment, turned around and pushed a soldier that was sneaking up on her to the ground, pulling his sword from his sheath in the process.
“Easy,” Phoebus said, backing up from Esmeralda and the three kids, who had summoned their Keyblades, “easy, I just shaved this morning.”
“You missed a spot,” Sora growled.
“Alright, alright. Just calm down. Just give me a chance to apologize.”
“For what?” Esmeralda asked.
In answer, Phoebus grabbed his sword from Esmeralda and kicked her feet from under her, jumping away from the other three. “That, for instance.”
“You sneaky, son of a…” Esmeralda began, but then Phoebus interrupted her.
“Watch it,” he jibed, “you’re in a church.”
“Are you always this charming,” Sora asked as Esmeralda got to her feet and grabbed one of the candle holders, nearly as tall as her, “or are we just lucky?”
Esmeralda then swung the candlestick at Phoebus, who blocked it and jumped back as the other three swung at him.
“Ah ha,” he jibed, “candlelight, privacy, music; can’t think of a better place for hand-to-hand combat.”
Then, after blocking a few more blows, Phoebus added, “you four fight almost as one of my soldiers.”
“Funny,” Esmeralda said, “I was going to say the same thing about you!”
“That’s hitting a little below the belt, don’t you think?” Phoebus replied.
“No, this is!”
She then swung at his hip, but he blocked it expertly. However, he was wide open for a smack in the face with the base of the impromptu weapon.
“Touché,” Phoebus commented, and then he was hit with the flat of a Keyblade and staggered backward.
“I don’t think I like the soldier’s here,” Sora said to him.
“I noticed,” Phoebus said, regaining his balance, “Permit me, I’m Phoebus. It means… some god.”
The other four occupants of the room merely gave him stares.
“And you all are?”
“Is this an interrogation?” Kairi asked.
Phoebus sheathed his sword and said, “I believe it’s called an introduction.”
“You’re not arresting us?” Riku said.
“Not as long as you’re in here. I can’t.”
“You’re not at all like the other soldiers,” Esmeralda said, setting the candlestick down.
“Thank you,” Phoebus replied.
“If you’re not arresting us,” Sora said as he and his friends dismissed their Keyblades, “what do you want?”
“I’d settle for your names.”
“Sora.”
“Riku.”
“Kairi.”
Then, after hesitating for a moment, Esmeralda said, “Esmeralda.”
Phoebus then chuckled, “they’re much better than Phoebus.”
Suddenly, the doors slammed open, and the least person any of them wanted to see entered.
“Good work, Captain,” Frollo said as he marched with his soldiers, “now, arrest her.”
Phoebus quickly turned to Esmeralda and whispered, “Claim Sanctuary.”
No one replied, except with glares at Phoebus.
“Say it!” he repeated as loud as he dared.
“I’m waiting, Captain,” Frollo said.
“I’m sorry, Sir,” Phoebus turned, “they claimed Sanctuary. There’s nothing I can do.”
Frollo then said, “Then drag her outside and…”
“Frollo,” the Archdeacon interrupted, “you will not touch her!” He then put himself between Frollo and Esmeralda and her companions and said to them, “don’t worry. Judge Frollo learned years ago to respect the sanctity of the church.” The last few words were said in such a way as to also be a warning to Frollo.
Frollo merely glared in hatred and said, “You think you’ve outwitted me. But I am a patient man, and gypsies don’t do well inside stone walls.”
He then turned and left, adding, “You’ve chosen a magnificent prison, but it is a prison nonetheless. Set one foot outside and you’re mine!”
Esmeralda glared at the door long after Frollo left. Sora comforted her, “don’t worry. If Frollo thinks he can keep up here, he’s wrong!”
“Don’t act rashly,” the Archdeacon said, lighting the candlestick that had gone out, “you created,” he then stopped to chuckle, “quite a stir at the festival. It would be unwise to arouse Frollo’s anger any further.”
“You saw what he did out there,” Esmeralda replied, “letting the crowd torture that poor boy. I thought if just one person could stand up to him…”
However, her frustration did not let her finish her sentence.
“You can’t right all the wrongs in this world by yourself,” the Archdeacon replied.
“No one out there’s going to help, that’s for sure,” Sora said.
“Then perhaps there is someone in here that can,” the Archdeacon said as he started up the stairs, “The
bell tower, perhaps.”
-----------
Climbing the spiral stairs that led to the bell tower was not a quick task. It took near half an hour to climb all the way to the top. Once they reached the top, they saw a man sitting on the railing, overlooking the town. The hunchback of Notre Dame, Quasimodo.
“Hello,” Sora said hesitantly, afraid to scare the shy man. Quasimodo gasped and ran away, further into the bell tower.
“Wait!” Esmeralda said, starting after him.
Quasimodo took the stair two at a time, trying to outrun the four pursuers. “We want to talk to you,” he heard an echo from around the corner, and continued running.
-------
Higher up, the gargoyles watched as their friend ran, four people chasing after him.
“Look, he’s got some friends with him,” Laverne said.
“Yeah,” Hugo agreed, “maybe today wasn’t a total loss after all.
--------
Once Quasimodo was safely inside his tower, Esmeralda and the others some ways behind, the gargoyles dropped down to congratulate him.
“Way to go, Quasi!” Hugo cheered.
“You mustn’t run to fast or you’ll get away,” Victor added.
“Yes, I know,” Quasimodo stammered, “that’s what I…”
“Give her some slack, and reel her in,” Hugo said, “then give her some slack and reel her in. then give her…”
Laverne then whacked Hugo on the head, “Knock it off, Hugo. She’s a girl, not a mackerel.”
---------
Minutes later Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Esmeralda caught up to the hunchback inside his tower.
“There you are,” Esmeralda said, “we thought we lost you.”
“Yes…” Quasimodo stammered, “Well I … um, I have chores to do. I-i-it was nice… seeing you… again.”
He then groaned and continued up the stairs, hoping to run from her.
“Wait!” Sora said as they chased after her.
“I’m really sorry about today,” Esmeralda said, “I didn’t know who you were. I would never in my life have pulled you…”
Then she was struck breathless. Inside, on a table in the center of the room, was a miniature model of Paris.
“…Up on the… stage.”
“What is this place?” Kairi asked. She, like the rest of them, was awestruck at the model and a series of glass hanging above it.
“This is where I live,” Quasimodo answered, hiding behind one of the support beams.
“Did you make all these things yourself,” Sora asked, admiring one of the miniature townsfolk that
Quasimodo had made out of wood.
“Most of them.”
“This is beautiful,” Esmeralda said, “if I could do this you wouldn’t find me on the streets dancing for coins.”
“But you’re a wonderful dancer,” Quasimodo said.
“Well, keeps bread on the table, anyway.”
“You are a surprising person, Quasimodo,” Kairi said.
“Not to mention lucky,” Esmeralda added, “all this room to yourself?”
“Well, it’s not just me,” Quasimodo corrected, “there’s the gargoyles and of course the bells. Would you like to see them?”
“Yes of course,” Sora replied.
----------
After touring the bells, there were more than any of them could imagine, Quasimodo showed them the best thing of all: a beautiful view of Paris from the rooftop of the bell tower. The sunset only made it more beautiful.
“I bet the king himself doesn’t have a view like this,” Esmeralda said, “I could stay up here forever.”
Quasimodo then jumped over the railing, one hand holding the rail, and said, “You could, you know.”
“No, I couldn’t,” Esmeralda said, remembering this was her impromptu prison.
“Oh, yes. You have Sanctuary,” Quasimodo corrected.
“But not freedom,” Sora said.
“Gypsies don’t do well inside stone walls,” Esmeralda quoted.
Quasimodo then hopped onto the railing and said, “But you’re not like other gypsies. They’re… evil.”
“Who told you that?” Sora asked.
“My master, Frollo,” Quasimodo answered, “He raised me.”
“How could such a cruel man have raised someone like you?” Kairi asked.
“Cruel? Oh no! He saved my life. He took me in when no one else would. I’m a monster you know.”
“He told you that?” Esmeralda said.
“Look at me…” Quasi said, as if it was all the proof needed. Indeed, most people would have accepted his
looks as undeniable proof.
“Give me your hand,” Esmeralda said after thinking for a moment. Sora smiled, knowing what would happen next: palm reading.
Esmeralda examined Quasimodo’s large hand and ran a finger over it, “hmm, a long lifeline. And this one
means your shy. That’s funny, I don’t see any…”
“What?” Quasimodo asked nervously.
“Monster lines. Not a single one. Now, do you think I’m evil?”
“Oh, no!” Quasimodo said quickly, “You’re kind, and good, and…”
“And a gypsy,” Esmeralda added, “and maybe Frollo’s wrong about the both of us.”
-------
“What did she say?” Hugo asked. All three of them were balancing atop of one another to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Frollo’s nose is long and he wear’s a truss,” Laverne said, hearing their conversation through a horn.
“Ha! Pay up!” Hugo said to Victor, who grudgingly threw a munny to him.
---------------
Esmeralda leaned over the railing, overlooking the town. Sora knew that if they didn’t do something she would be trapped here for a long time. However, Quasimodo provided them the answer.
“You helped me,” he said to her, “now I will help you.”
“But there’s no way out, there’re soldiers at every door,” Esmeralda reasoned.
“We won’t use a door,” Quasimodo said, glancing downward.
“You mean climb down?” Sora asked.
“Sure. You carry him,” he said to Esmeralda, gesturing to Jolly, “I carry you. And you three…”
“We can get down ourselves,” Sora said.
Jolly jumped into Esmeralda’s arms, and Quasimodo picked her up.
“Ready?” Quasimodo said to them. When the all nodded, he said to Esmeralda, “Don’t be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid,” she said, and then he jumped over the ledge, grabbing onto one of the statues protruding from the wall, “now I’m afraid.”
“The trick is not to look down,” Quasimodo said as he started swinging.
“You’ve done this before?” Esmeralda asked.
“No.”
Once he gained enough momentum, Quasimodo jumped to the next statue, and then dropped down to one below him. After several minutes of skilled acrobatic maneuvers, gained from 20 lonely years with a lot of free time, they were at the bottom. Sora, Riku and Kairi glided down gracefully, aided by some wind spells.
“Quite the acrobat,” Sora said once they were all down safely.
“I’ll never forget all of you,” Quasi whispered, in case guards were nearby.
“Come with me,” Esmeralda said, “to the Court of Miracles. Leave this place.”
“Oh no, I’m never going out there again,” Quasimodo said, “you saw what happened. This is where I belong.”
“Then we’ll come to see you,” Sora said.
“But the soldiers and Frollo…”
“I’ll come after sunset,” Esmeralda said, then added, “if you ever need sanctuary, this will show you the way.” She then pulled out a small woven amulet from her pocket.
“But how?”
“Just remember, ‘when you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand’.”
Quasimodo took the amulet and placed it around his neck, hiding it under his shirt, and climbed back up.
“We’ll see you around, Esmeralda,” Sora said, and they parted ways.
--------
Quasimodo reached the top of the tower, with his gargoyle friends waiting.
“You helped those four escape with great Finesse,” Victor said.
“Yeah, good going with your girl,” Hugo added.
“My girl?” Quasimodo said, walking into his room.
“Esmeralda, dark hair. Work’s with a goat. Remember?” Laverne said.
“Boy I do. Way to go lover boy,” Hugo said.
“Lover boy?” Quasimodo said, then chuckled and turned to them, “look, I appreciate what you’re all trying
to do for me. But let’s not fool ourselves. Ugliest face in all Paris remember?”
He then walked over to the window and looked outside. By now, the moon was up, giving the town a strange, almost magical glow.
“I don’t think I’m her type.”
He looked over the town once more, and then walked to his table, saying, “So many times out there, I’ve watched a happy pair of lovers walking in the light. They had a kind of glow around them; it almost looked like Heaven’s Light. I knew I’d never know that warm and loving glow, though I might wish with all my might. No face as hideous as my face was ever meant for Heaven’s Light.”
Laverne handed him a block of wood, which Quasimodo then took a knife to and began carving it, “but suddenly an angel has smiled at me and kissed my cheek without a trace of fright.”
He then began painting the figure, “I dare to dream that she might even care for me, and as I ring these bells tonight.” he finally finished the carving of Esmeralda, and began to ring the evening bells, “My cold dark dower seems so bright, I swear it must be Heaven’s Light.”
***************
anyone who remembers the movie already knows that the next chapter will be quite a contrast to this one, mainly the last part.
with all due respect,
Merlin326
****************
Chapter 8
Heaven’s Light
Heaven’s Light
Some time later, a figure, cloaked in a robe, entered the cathedral. Sora, suspicious as the identity of the figure, followed along with Riku and Kairi. Phoebus watched them go, stroking his beard.
----------
Inside, the figure pulled back her hood and a goat, named Jolly, jumped off Esmeralda. Like most that entered Notre Dame for the first time, she was awestruck at the sheer size of the cathedral.
“You’re pretty brave to go defying Frollo like that,” Sora said, entering the cathedral behind her.
Esmeralda turned and, seeing it was only a group of kids, lowered her guard.
“Who are you?” she asked suspiciously.
“I’m Sora. This is Kairi and Riku.”
“We are all enemies of Frollo,” Riku added, “or at least not allies.”
“I’ve never seen you around Paris before,” Esmeralda said, “and you certainly don’t dress like commoners.”
“We’re from… far away,” Kairi replied, “we’re here meeting a friend.”
“More acquaintance than friend,” Sora corrected, “didn’t even get his name yet.”
“I see.”
“Anyway, what’s going on in this town? What’s Frollo doing?” Sora asked.
Esmeralda’s face darkened, but she told them her tale, “For near 20 years, Frollo has been persecuting my people, the gypsies. He’s been naming us as thieves and beggars. Unfortunately, the common folk believe him. He’s been trying to find our hiding place, the Court of Miracles, for those 20 years, so he could kill us all in one swoop. However, he has yet to find it, and never will. And then there’s that bell
ringer…”
Suddenly, she stopped and, after a moment, turned around and pushed a soldier that was sneaking up on her to the ground, pulling his sword from his sheath in the process.
“Easy,” Phoebus said, backing up from Esmeralda and the three kids, who had summoned their Keyblades, “easy, I just shaved this morning.”
“You missed a spot,” Sora growled.
“Alright, alright. Just calm down. Just give me a chance to apologize.”
“For what?” Esmeralda asked.
In answer, Phoebus grabbed his sword from Esmeralda and kicked her feet from under her, jumping away from the other three. “That, for instance.”
“You sneaky, son of a…” Esmeralda began, but then Phoebus interrupted her.
“Watch it,” he jibed, “you’re in a church.”
“Are you always this charming,” Sora asked as Esmeralda got to her feet and grabbed one of the candle holders, nearly as tall as her, “or are we just lucky?”
Esmeralda then swung the candlestick at Phoebus, who blocked it and jumped back as the other three swung at him.
“Ah ha,” he jibed, “candlelight, privacy, music; can’t think of a better place for hand-to-hand combat.”
Then, after blocking a few more blows, Phoebus added, “you four fight almost as one of my soldiers.”
“Funny,” Esmeralda said, “I was going to say the same thing about you!”
“That’s hitting a little below the belt, don’t you think?” Phoebus replied.
“No, this is!”
She then swung at his hip, but he blocked it expertly. However, he was wide open for a smack in the face with the base of the impromptu weapon.
“Touché,” Phoebus commented, and then he was hit with the flat of a Keyblade and staggered backward.
“I don’t think I like the soldier’s here,” Sora said to him.
“I noticed,” Phoebus said, regaining his balance, “Permit me, I’m Phoebus. It means… some god.”
The other four occupants of the room merely gave him stares.
“And you all are?”
“Is this an interrogation?” Kairi asked.
Phoebus sheathed his sword and said, “I believe it’s called an introduction.”
“You’re not arresting us?” Riku said.
“Not as long as you’re in here. I can’t.”
“You’re not at all like the other soldiers,” Esmeralda said, setting the candlestick down.
“Thank you,” Phoebus replied.
“If you’re not arresting us,” Sora said as he and his friends dismissed their Keyblades, “what do you want?”
“I’d settle for your names.”
“Sora.”
“Riku.”
“Kairi.”
Then, after hesitating for a moment, Esmeralda said, “Esmeralda.”
Phoebus then chuckled, “they’re much better than Phoebus.”
Suddenly, the doors slammed open, and the least person any of them wanted to see entered.
“Good work, Captain,” Frollo said as he marched with his soldiers, “now, arrest her.”
Phoebus quickly turned to Esmeralda and whispered, “Claim Sanctuary.”
No one replied, except with glares at Phoebus.
“Say it!” he repeated as loud as he dared.
“I’m waiting, Captain,” Frollo said.
“I’m sorry, Sir,” Phoebus turned, “they claimed Sanctuary. There’s nothing I can do.”
Frollo then said, “Then drag her outside and…”
“Frollo,” the Archdeacon interrupted, “you will not touch her!” He then put himself between Frollo and Esmeralda and her companions and said to them, “don’t worry. Judge Frollo learned years ago to respect the sanctity of the church.” The last few words were said in such a way as to also be a warning to Frollo.
Frollo merely glared in hatred and said, “You think you’ve outwitted me. But I am a patient man, and gypsies don’t do well inside stone walls.”
He then turned and left, adding, “You’ve chosen a magnificent prison, but it is a prison nonetheless. Set one foot outside and you’re mine!”
Esmeralda glared at the door long after Frollo left. Sora comforted her, “don’t worry. If Frollo thinks he can keep up here, he’s wrong!”
“Don’t act rashly,” the Archdeacon said, lighting the candlestick that had gone out, “you created,” he then stopped to chuckle, “quite a stir at the festival. It would be unwise to arouse Frollo’s anger any further.”
“You saw what he did out there,” Esmeralda replied, “letting the crowd torture that poor boy. I thought if just one person could stand up to him…”
However, her frustration did not let her finish her sentence.
“You can’t right all the wrongs in this world by yourself,” the Archdeacon replied.
“No one out there’s going to help, that’s for sure,” Sora said.
“Then perhaps there is someone in here that can,” the Archdeacon said as he started up the stairs, “The
bell tower, perhaps.”
-----------
Climbing the spiral stairs that led to the bell tower was not a quick task. It took near half an hour to climb all the way to the top. Once they reached the top, they saw a man sitting on the railing, overlooking the town. The hunchback of Notre Dame, Quasimodo.
“Hello,” Sora said hesitantly, afraid to scare the shy man. Quasimodo gasped and ran away, further into the bell tower.
“Wait!” Esmeralda said, starting after him.
Quasimodo took the stair two at a time, trying to outrun the four pursuers. “We want to talk to you,” he heard an echo from around the corner, and continued running.
-------
Higher up, the gargoyles watched as their friend ran, four people chasing after him.
“Look, he’s got some friends with him,” Laverne said.
“Yeah,” Hugo agreed, “maybe today wasn’t a total loss after all.
--------
Once Quasimodo was safely inside his tower, Esmeralda and the others some ways behind, the gargoyles dropped down to congratulate him.
“Way to go, Quasi!” Hugo cheered.
“You mustn’t run to fast or you’ll get away,” Victor added.
“Yes, I know,” Quasimodo stammered, “that’s what I…”
“Give her some slack, and reel her in,” Hugo said, “then give her some slack and reel her in. then give her…”
Laverne then whacked Hugo on the head, “Knock it off, Hugo. She’s a girl, not a mackerel.”
---------
Minutes later Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Esmeralda caught up to the hunchback inside his tower.
“There you are,” Esmeralda said, “we thought we lost you.”
“Yes…” Quasimodo stammered, “Well I … um, I have chores to do. I-i-it was nice… seeing you… again.”
He then groaned and continued up the stairs, hoping to run from her.
“Wait!” Sora said as they chased after her.
“I’m really sorry about today,” Esmeralda said, “I didn’t know who you were. I would never in my life have pulled you…”
Then she was struck breathless. Inside, on a table in the center of the room, was a miniature model of Paris.
“…Up on the… stage.”
“What is this place?” Kairi asked. She, like the rest of them, was awestruck at the model and a series of glass hanging above it.
“This is where I live,” Quasimodo answered, hiding behind one of the support beams.
“Did you make all these things yourself,” Sora asked, admiring one of the miniature townsfolk that
Quasimodo had made out of wood.
“Most of them.”
“This is beautiful,” Esmeralda said, “if I could do this you wouldn’t find me on the streets dancing for coins.”
“But you’re a wonderful dancer,” Quasimodo said.
“Well, keeps bread on the table, anyway.”
“You are a surprising person, Quasimodo,” Kairi said.
“Not to mention lucky,” Esmeralda added, “all this room to yourself?”
“Well, it’s not just me,” Quasimodo corrected, “there’s the gargoyles and of course the bells. Would you like to see them?”
“Yes of course,” Sora replied.
----------
After touring the bells, there were more than any of them could imagine, Quasimodo showed them the best thing of all: a beautiful view of Paris from the rooftop of the bell tower. The sunset only made it more beautiful.
“I bet the king himself doesn’t have a view like this,” Esmeralda said, “I could stay up here forever.”
Quasimodo then jumped over the railing, one hand holding the rail, and said, “You could, you know.”
“No, I couldn’t,” Esmeralda said, remembering this was her impromptu prison.
“Oh, yes. You have Sanctuary,” Quasimodo corrected.
“But not freedom,” Sora said.
“Gypsies don’t do well inside stone walls,” Esmeralda quoted.
Quasimodo then hopped onto the railing and said, “But you’re not like other gypsies. They’re… evil.”
“Who told you that?” Sora asked.
“My master, Frollo,” Quasimodo answered, “He raised me.”
“How could such a cruel man have raised someone like you?” Kairi asked.
“Cruel? Oh no! He saved my life. He took me in when no one else would. I’m a monster you know.”
“He told you that?” Esmeralda said.
“Look at me…” Quasi said, as if it was all the proof needed. Indeed, most people would have accepted his
looks as undeniable proof.
“Give me your hand,” Esmeralda said after thinking for a moment. Sora smiled, knowing what would happen next: palm reading.
Esmeralda examined Quasimodo’s large hand and ran a finger over it, “hmm, a long lifeline. And this one
means your shy. That’s funny, I don’t see any…”
“What?” Quasimodo asked nervously.
“Monster lines. Not a single one. Now, do you think I’m evil?”
“Oh, no!” Quasimodo said quickly, “You’re kind, and good, and…”
“And a gypsy,” Esmeralda added, “and maybe Frollo’s wrong about the both of us.”
-------
“What did she say?” Hugo asked. All three of them were balancing atop of one another to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“Frollo’s nose is long and he wear’s a truss,” Laverne said, hearing their conversation through a horn.
“Ha! Pay up!” Hugo said to Victor, who grudgingly threw a munny to him.
---------------
Esmeralda leaned over the railing, overlooking the town. Sora knew that if they didn’t do something she would be trapped here for a long time. However, Quasimodo provided them the answer.
“You helped me,” he said to her, “now I will help you.”
“But there’s no way out, there’re soldiers at every door,” Esmeralda reasoned.
“We won’t use a door,” Quasimodo said, glancing downward.
“You mean climb down?” Sora asked.
“Sure. You carry him,” he said to Esmeralda, gesturing to Jolly, “I carry you. And you three…”
“We can get down ourselves,” Sora said.
Jolly jumped into Esmeralda’s arms, and Quasimodo picked her up.
“Ready?” Quasimodo said to them. When the all nodded, he said to Esmeralda, “Don’t be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid,” she said, and then he jumped over the ledge, grabbing onto one of the statues protruding from the wall, “now I’m afraid.”
“The trick is not to look down,” Quasimodo said as he started swinging.
“You’ve done this before?” Esmeralda asked.
“No.”
Once he gained enough momentum, Quasimodo jumped to the next statue, and then dropped down to one below him. After several minutes of skilled acrobatic maneuvers, gained from 20 lonely years with a lot of free time, they were at the bottom. Sora, Riku and Kairi glided down gracefully, aided by some wind spells.
“Quite the acrobat,” Sora said once they were all down safely.
“I’ll never forget all of you,” Quasi whispered, in case guards were nearby.
“Come with me,” Esmeralda said, “to the Court of Miracles. Leave this place.”
“Oh no, I’m never going out there again,” Quasimodo said, “you saw what happened. This is where I belong.”
“Then we’ll come to see you,” Sora said.
“But the soldiers and Frollo…”
“I’ll come after sunset,” Esmeralda said, then added, “if you ever need sanctuary, this will show you the way.” She then pulled out a small woven amulet from her pocket.
“But how?”
“Just remember, ‘when you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand’.”
Quasimodo took the amulet and placed it around his neck, hiding it under his shirt, and climbed back up.
“We’ll see you around, Esmeralda,” Sora said, and they parted ways.
--------
Quasimodo reached the top of the tower, with his gargoyle friends waiting.
“You helped those four escape with great Finesse,” Victor said.
“Yeah, good going with your girl,” Hugo added.
“My girl?” Quasimodo said, walking into his room.
“Esmeralda, dark hair. Work’s with a goat. Remember?” Laverne said.
“Boy I do. Way to go lover boy,” Hugo said.
“Lover boy?” Quasimodo said, then chuckled and turned to them, “look, I appreciate what you’re all trying
to do for me. But let’s not fool ourselves. Ugliest face in all Paris remember?”
He then walked over to the window and looked outside. By now, the moon was up, giving the town a strange, almost magical glow.
“I don’t think I’m her type.”
He looked over the town once more, and then walked to his table, saying, “So many times out there, I’ve watched a happy pair of lovers walking in the light. They had a kind of glow around them; it almost looked like Heaven’s Light. I knew I’d never know that warm and loving glow, though I might wish with all my might. No face as hideous as my face was ever meant for Heaven’s Light.”
Laverne handed him a block of wood, which Quasimodo then took a knife to and began carving it, “but suddenly an angel has smiled at me and kissed my cheek without a trace of fright.”
He then began painting the figure, “I dare to dream that she might even care for me, and as I ring these bells tonight.” he finally finished the carving of Esmeralda, and began to ring the evening bells, “My cold dark dower seems so bright, I swear it must be Heaven’s Light.”
***************
anyone who remembers the movie already knows that the next chapter will be quite a contrast to this one, mainly the last part.
with all due respect,
Merlin326
Very nicely done. I like how you melted Sora, Riku, and Kairi into the story without disrupting the movie's plot. Three cheers for Herr Merlin, ja!
that was the hardest thing for me to do. i had trouble finding a way to use the plot +SRK without making drastic changes. i finally decided to just give them lines origionally meant for other characters, so they arent just absent from the events. this means watching and rewatching the movie as i type out the chapters, thus making it a slow process.
next chapter will really show this, as we include Aloz in Frollo's hallucinations during "Hellfire".
with all due respect,
Merlin326
next chapter will really show this, as we include Aloz in Frollo's hallucinations during "Hellfire".
with all due respect,
Merlin326
nicely done. i eagerly await the next chapter.
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