Hunchback of Notre Dame

Chapter 2: Encouragement

"Boy, nothing like balcony seat for watching the ol' F.O.F."

"Yeah, watching." Quasimodo sighed, before walking away, (Y/n) following after him.

"Oh look. A mime." Hugo smiled evilly.

He honked up some saliva and was about to spit on the mime, when Victor put his hand over his mouth, stopping him. The gargoyle gestured over to (Y/n) and Quasimodo.

"Hey, hey, hey. What gives?"

"Aren't you going to watch the festival with us?" Victor asked.

Quasimodo and (Y/n) didn't answer and just walked away.

"I don't get it."

"Perhaps they're sick."

"Impossible." Another voice rang out. An older female gargoyle named Laverne hopped over to them with some birds following her.

"If 20 years of listening to you two hasn't made them sick by now, nothing will."

"But watching the Festival of Fools has always been the highlight of the year for Quasimodo and (Y/n)." Victor insisted.

"What good is watching the party if you never get to go?" Laverne asked, as birds landed on her. "Get away from me! Go on, ya bunch of buzzards!" She snapped, shaking the birds off of her. "They're not made of stone like us."

...

Quasimodo sullenly went over to his miniature model of the city of Paris and looked at all the little figurines and sighed.

(Y/n) frowned and placed a consoling hand on his back. Quasimodo looked up at her and gave him a sad smile. She smiled back and put her arms around him.

"Quasi, (Y/n), what wrong? You want to tell ol' Laverne all about it?" Laverne asked them.

"I just don't feel like watching the festival, that's all." Quasimodo confessed.

"I don't think I'm up for it either. It's-it's gotten pretty boring." (Y/n) shrugged.

"Well, did you ever think of going there instead?" She asked.

"Sure. But I'd never fit in out there." Quasimodo said. "I'm not...normal. You should go to the Festival (Y/n). You'd fit right in. You're so pretty and smart and kind. Everyone would love you."

"Quasi, you're just as much of those things as I am. And I'm not going to the Festival without you." (Y/n) said stubbornly.

"Oh, Quasi, Quasi, Quasi." Laverne patted his back, before glancing angrily at the birds on her back. "Do you mind? I would like to have a moment with them if that's alright with you!"

Hugo hopped onto their model, and pulled down the figurines of the two of them from the bell tower.

"Hey, quit beating around the bell tower. What do we gotta do, paint ya a fresco?" Hugo placed the figurines down with the rest.

"As your friends and guardians, we insist that you two attend this Festival." Victor stated passionately.

"Us?"

"No, the pope. Of course you two!"

"It would be a veritable potpourri of educational experience."

"Wine, women, men, and song."

"You can learn to identify various regional cheeses."

"Bobbing for snails."

"Study indigenous folk music."

"Playing dunk the monk!"

"Quasi, (Y/n), take it from an old spectator. Life's not a spectator sport. If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your lives go by without ya." Laverne told them.

"Yeah. You guys are human, with the flesh and the hair and the naval lint. We're just part of the architecture. Right, Victor?" Hugo asked.

"Yet, if you kick us, will we not flake? If you moisten us, will we not grow moss?"

"Quasi, (Y/n), just grab a fresh tunic and a clean pair of hose, and..."

"Thanks guys. You're encouragement is very sweet, but you're all forgetting one big thing." (Y/n) gently said.

"What?" They all shrugged.

"Our Master Frollo." She reminded them.

"Oh."

"Oh, yeah."

"Oh, dear, yes."

They all groaned.

"Well, he says you two are forbidden from ever leaving the bell tower, does he mean 'ever' ever?" Victor asked.

"Never ever. And he hates the Feast of Fools. He'd be furious if we asked to go." Quasimodo held is face in fear.

Hugo snakily rubbed his hands together. "Who says you gotta ask?"

(Y/n) gasped. "Oh, no."

"Ya sneak out..."

"It's just one afternoon."

"We couldn't." Quasimodo insisted.

"And ya sneak back in."

"He'll never know you're gone."

"B-But what if we get caught? He'll be more furious then ever!" (Y/n) recoiled.

"Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission." Victor said nonchalantly.

"He might see us." Quasimodo pointed out.

"You could wear disguises." Hugo held out two cloaks. "Just this once. What Frollo doesn't know can't hurt ya."

"Ignorance is bliss."

"Look who's talking."

"Nobody wants to stay cooped up here forever." Laverne quoted (Y/n)'s words.

"You're right! I'll go!" Quasimodo announced, standing up.

"You'll what?" (Y/n) asked, shocked, standing up with him.

"I'll get cleaned up."

"Uh, Quasi?" (Y/n) tried to get his attention, while the gargoyles cheered.

"I'll stroll down those stairs. I'll march through the doors and..."

"Good morning Quasimodo."

Quasimodo came face to face with Frollo.

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