Disclaimer: I own Beauty and the Beast and Hunchback of Notre Dame… I own DVD copies of them, that is…
Author's Note: I'm sure most people have noticed Belle wandering around Paris in the middle of the "Out There" sequence… Given how Quasimodo apparently can memorize everyone's faces, I'm sure he's seen her before. Thus, I got this idea.
Parallels
There wasn't much else to do in the bell tower besides looking out at the city down below. It may have seemed boring to anyone else, but it was something Quasimodo enjoyed. Picking out different people in the crowds was a challenge he'd created for himself to pass the time. While it was a fairly simple task, he'd managed to develop an uncanny memory over the years, and he therefore recognized a good deal of the townsfolk.
For whatever reason, there were three of them in particular that Quasimodo was particularly drawn to: a pretty brunette woman who almost always had her face buried in a book, and a large, dark-haired male always tailed by a much smaller man.
One of the men seemed to have a good deal of devoted followers, but none more than the smaller man he was always with; oddly, however, the woman frequently ignored him. Furthermore, the larger man constantly took out his frustrations on his devotee. This combination often led to bizarre scenes where the man would attempt to catch the woman's attention, she would look up from her book just long enough to reject him, and then he would turn and hit the other man.
Laverne often sat and watched the citizens of Paris with Quasimodo, and she often shared her opinions with him when he asked. That day was no exception.
"Laverne," Quasimodo started, watching the larger man hit the smaller one again. "I don't understand. He's got the chance to go anywhere he wants, so why does he stay with someone who treats him like that?"
"Yes, why would he, Quasimodo?"
The gargoyle seemed to be implying something, and Quasimodo mulled it over as he continued looking down at the streets below them. He glanced back over at Laverne for a moment, catching the surprisingly serious look on her face. Sighing, Quasimodo looked back outside, but he smiled as he caught sight of the woman with the book again.
"I'd really like to get better at reading. She always looks so happy when she's got a book with her, doesn't she?"
"Yes, she does," Laverne agreed, nodding. "It's too bad that it's taken Frollo so long to teach you the alphabet, hmm?"
Quasimodo gave her a stunned look. "But without Master, I wouldn't even know as much of the alphabet as I do! I'm glad he's even teaching me at all."
Laverne sighed gustily. The pair fell into silence as they continued watching the passing citizens down below.
"You know, Quasimodo," Laverne said after a long pause. "Maybe that man just doesn't realize how badly he'd being treated."
"Maybe not."
"I could say much the same for someone else," she muttered, starting to turn away.
"Did you say something, Laverne?"
The gargoyle paused for a moment before reluctantly hopping away from Quasimodo. She then frowned and shook her head.
"No, Quasimodo. Nothing at all."