Author's Notes: Hunchback of Notre Dame is my favorite disney movie and Clopin is my favorite character. I got to thinking about what the Gypsy King thought about what were, presumably, some of his subjects going missing when they come into Paris and somehow that resulted in this. It's been on my computer half finished for way too long and I finally made myself finish it. Enjoy!
The sun dipped below the horizon, its last rays peeking between the buildings to illuminate empty streets. Clopin smiled grimly. The time had come. The Gypsy King had long ago waved at the last few children and thanked their parents for the golden coins and put away his puppets. Now the streets were empty of all but the patrolling guards and if could not avoid them then he was no longer worthy of the title Gypsy King. He took off his masks, both the one he wore upon his face, and the one he wore on his heart. If possible, the already silent streets became even more quiet, as though the city itself knew that there was something much more dangerous in her heart.
Clopin slipped silently into Notre Dame with all the lethal grace of a hunting wolf, the church was empty except for the Archdeacon who has already gone to bed, and Quasi Modo. Clopin casts his gaze around the sanctuary, searching for any hint that Judge Frollo was not already there. Nothing, only stone statues of the saints. Assured, Clopin ascends the stairs to the Bell tower.
The door isn't locked, which makes his mission all too easy, and Clopin enters Quasi Modo's room unchallenged. What he finds within makes his blood boil, it is barren to an insane degree, the floor is made of simple wooden planks, barely scaffolding, and the walls are no better. There is no bed, only a pallet on the floor with a single blanket and no pillow, it is here that Clopin finds his sister's son. The boy is shivering under his lone threadbare blanket, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.
"Quasi Modo." Clopin whispers and he jerks awake.
"Master-" The hunchback freezes when he catches sight of Clopin and then scrambles away, trying to hide his face.
If there was any doubt that the Quasi Modo was of Clopin's blood, it was gone now. The boy was a splitting image of his father. Though Clopin and his sister had been spared the hunchback genes, his sister's son had not been so fortunate.
"y-you can't be here." Quasi Modo protested, cowering away from his uncle.
The Gypsy King felt rage boil up in him, that his own nephew would be reduced to such a state, but he didn't let it show. It would do the boy no good to think that the man who stood over him in the middle of the night was consumed with rage.
Clopin allowed the Gypsy King to fade and pulled on the mask of his street performer persona. A gentle smile fell onto his lips. "Oh, but I'm already here." he said with a light teasing tone.
"But I'm-and you're-" The boy protested weakly, retreating to a shadowy corner.
"Indeed we are." Clopin agrees and offers the boy a hand. "I know what lies Frollo has told you, and so I will only tell you the truth. Ask me any question and I will answer it."
Quasi Modo doesn't take his hand and Clopin lowers it. They sit in the darkness and silence for a while until the boy mumbles out a question.
"Why aren't you afraid of me? Master says-"
"Please, dear boy, don't call him master, he's hardly deserving of the title. And I am not afraid of you because..." He looked around exaggeratedly, prying a small smile from the boy. "My father was a hunchback as well."
Quasi Modo gasped and looked at Clopin with awe. "But-"
"You're hardly the only one, dear child."
"What-What happened to your father?"
"I'm afraid he passed away after a long and happy life."
"Oh." Quasi Modo drew back. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
Clopin raised a hand to forestall the boy's apologies. "It causes me no pain. He lived happily and died surrounded by his family. It is the best any man can wish for." He smiles benevolently. "Its how I hope to go myself."
"Well...Why are you here?" Quasi Modo asks.
Finally. Clopin thinks with satisfaction. This is his chance to bring Quasi Modo home the kind way. (He's hardly going to leave the boy with Frollo, no matter what.)
"Well, my boy, that's quite the question, and it deserves quite an answer. Tell me, what lies has Frollo said of your mother?"
"That she abandoned me." The hunchback snarls.
Once again the rage bubbles up. How dare Frollo slander his sister when he was the one who murdered her. With great effort, the Gypsy king pushes away the anger.
"I must tell you this is a lie," He says gravely.
Quasi Modo gapes at him, looking offended. "Now you see here!" He barks, jumping to his feet. "My Master is a good man! He wouldn't lie to me! Even if I am a monster! And worthless! Now you-you get out!"
Clopin springs to his feet as well, dancing away as his nephew charges forward. "But he already does! You have repeated his lies just now!"
The boy releases a wordless sound of rage and swings one fist at him.
"You are not a monster!" Clopin retorts, jumping onto the table.
Quasi Modo tips it out from beneath him and the Gypsy King lands with a graceful roll.
"You are not worthless!"
A chair shatters against one of the support beams.
"He is not your master!"
Quasi Modo lifts the second chair.
"And my sister did not abandon you!"
Everything stops.
The King and the hunchback stare at each other, breathing heavily.
"Your sister?" Quasi Modo asks, lowering the chair.
Clopin sighs heavily and his shoulders slump. "Yes. Your mother was my sister. She was-She was killed, trying to sneak into Paris. Frollo murdered her on the very steps of Notre Dame. And I thought he had killed you too."
"Why-" His nephew begins.
"Because he is a hateful man, with only pride in his heart, and I've come to take you away from him. I've come to take you home."
There is a long moment of silence, and Clopin almost thinks that Quasi Modo will deny him, but then:
"Alright. I'll come with you."