This takes place during KH3D on the Hunchback world after Sora finds out that Frollo is going to burn Esmeralda. Enjoy.
Back Away Slowly
Sora has seen many new and strange things in his adventures through the worlds, but he never thought he would ever witness someone do THAT to a goat…
Sora rushes through the maze of buildings and statues, trying as best as he can to remember how to get to the square in front of the cathedral. Esmeralda is in horrible danger, and if he doesn't get to the "bonfire" in time he fears the worst for her. All of a sudden he skids to a halt as he notices a familiar path, and in a few moments the impressive cathedral comes into view. Even from the rear the building looks magnificent, and as he tries to work out how to get to the front a crowd of terrified screams suddenly erupts from the square.
"No," Sora hisses. "I've got to hurry." And just then he remembers the secret way into the church that Quasimodo showed him. "If I get inside I can cut around to the front," he decides. After a while of searching he finally finds the loose board strapped to the back wall and pulls it open, looking around before quickly slipping through. Inside he climbs the ladder that leads to the upper level of the cathedral and looks around frantically for the way down. He's so close to helping his friends that this setback is infuriating.
"Sorry," he mutters to a pretend Quasimodo. "You all died because I couldn't find the stairs."
Sora is contemplating jumping from the tall balcony and casting a spell to keep himself from being injured when a familiar voice comes echoing up from below. He dives behind a statue just as Frollo emerges from a stairwell he hadn't noticed on the other side of the room.
"I've made preparations to get rid of that heathenous gypsy once and for all," the judge says, speaking in a hushed tone to someone behind him. "Soon she won't be a problem."
Sora keeps himself hidden and glares at this comment, and holds his breath as Frollo passes right by his hiding spot. He can hear someone slowly making their way up the stairwell, and assumes it must be Frollo's accomplice. As the person comes into the room Sora peers around the side of the statue and has to keep himself from gasping in shock.
It's Esmeralda's goat, Djali.
Having spent time as both a merman and a lion cub, Sora knows the animal language very well, and so he understands the goat's response.
"She has a name, you know," Djali bleats. "It's Esmeralda, and I don't appreciate you burning her as a heretic."
"She's a threat to the church's power," Frollo snaps, turning to the goat with a terrible frown. "We don't have any other options."
"Oh no," Sora thinks. "The goat is working with Frollo." The moment he saw Frollo's horse, Snowball, he knew right away that the horse was evil, but he never suspected that Esmeralda's goat would also tread the same path. Sora decides that Frollo must have a way with animals. "I have to let the others know."
He waits for the pair in front of him to pass through so that he can make it to the others and inform them of the goat's treachery, but as Frollo kneels in the middle of the room to speak with Djali Sora realizes with frustration that they aren't just passing through. He has no choice but to stay out of sight until they decide to leave.
"Look, Frollo. I know you can't... control yourself when she's around," Djali says. "But that's no reason to get rid of her like this." Then he looks at Frollo with a powerful emotion that Sora can't quite place. "Please, Frollo. She's my friend."
To Sora's surprise, Frollo's intense expression suddenly melts away to reveal a face he would have never thought Frollo capable of when he first laid eyes on him.
He sighs, and with a tender voice he says, "Djali, I can control myself perfectly fine when she's around. I only said that because..." He trails off and Djali stares up at him curiously.
"Because...?"
"...because I wanted to make you jealous."
To Sora this seems like an odd thing to say. What could Frollo gain from making a goat jealous? And what did pretending to be in love with Esmeralda have to do with anything? An odd idea comes to Sora, but he quickly brushes it away. That couldn't possibly be it. He decides that Frollo must be trying to get to the gypsies by turning Djali against Esmeralda.
The goat's next words make Sora wonder if he needs to get his ears checked. "I...I didn't know you still cared."
"I care, Djali. More than you'll ever know." He reaches a hand to the goat's face to make him look at him. "I care enough to burn that gypsy. Then she'll never come between us again."
Sora's mouth falls open in disbelief as he realizes exactly what Frollo means, and he shifts uncomfortably.
"She's never come between us," Djali says forcefully. "You came between us, Frollo. You're the one who changed." He dips his head sadly. "You're so obsessed with power. How can I be with someone like that?"
"If it makes you feel any better, I haven't lit the fires yet."
Despite how awkward he feels watching the scene before him, Sora manages to feel a sense of relief that the bonfire hasn't started yet.
"But your monster is out there terrorizing the town," Djali insists. He puffs out his chest and stares at Frollo with a fire lit in his own eyes. "It's already about to set the church on fire, and it's only a matter of time before you order it to light the fire around Esmeralda."
Frollo suddenly looks very determined. "I won't."
Djali rolls his eyes. "How am I supposed to believe..."
"I swear to God I won't."
Djali gasps.
"Frollo, you really-"
Before Sora knows what's happening Frollo presses his lips to the goat's, and, barely able to keep himself from giving a horrified scream, Sora turns to look at the suddenly fascinating mural of the nativity scene that adorns the ceiling. He shares a disgusted look with baby Jesus and prays that he won't throw up and give away his hiding spot. It's a good thing he doesn't see the way the goat slips his hooves underneath Frollo's shirt or the way the judge gropes Djali's milk spouts, because if he did his lunch probably would wind up paying him a second visit.
"I…I had forgotten how good you were at kissing," Djali says after a long while, and, deciding that it's safe to look again, Sora carefully turns to face the two. They're lying on their backs shoulder to shoulder and gazing up at the mural with lazy, love struck eyes.
At the goat's comment Frollo laughs quietly and says, "I had forgotten how good you tasted." Sora's stomach churns dangerously as Djali punches Frollo playfully and they share a soft laugh. Then Frollo gets a contented look on his face and says, "I never want to leave your side, Djali. Even the fires of hell couldn't keep me away from you."
"What about the angels in heaven?" Djali asks slyly.
Frollo seems to consider this for a moment, before finally saying, "No. Not even them." But he looks uneasy as he says it.
There's a long pause. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, the goat begins to sing, "Beata Maria, you know this is a righteous man. Of his virtue I am justly proud…" Djali goes on to sing a beautiful song upholding Frollo's honor in Maria's eyes.
By the end there are tears streaming down Sora's face, and Frollo seems to be fighting a losing battle against tears of his own.
"Djali, today you've touched my soul…among other things." He clears his throat sheepishly at the look Djali gives him. "You've erased all my doubts. I'm sure Maria is watching over us, and I'm sure we have her blessings."
"Of course we do," the goat responds. "Otherwise I would never even think of doing this."
The goat pounces onto Frollo's chest and begins unbuttoning Frollo's shirt, and before Sora can see anything that will haunt his nightmares (he's not entirely sure the rest of what he's seen today won't come back to him in some horrifying dream), he quickly turns away.
In a moment the goat and judge are so thoroughly distracted by their…love for each other that Sora thinks he could probably run screaming from the room and they wouldn't notice, and that's exactly what he feels like doing.
But he doesn't.
"Just back away slowly, Sora," he mutters to himself, deciding that it would be best if he left the way he came and never spoke of this again until his therapy session next week. "Back away slowly."
The End
Frollo does have a way with animals, doesn't he? It's truly unfortunate that Sora had to find this out first hand. You know, the whole time I was writing this I kept imagining Yen Sid out in the real world making all of this happen just to mess with Sora :) That's all! If you want to keep up with story updates head on over to my LiveJournal or my Tumblr (the links are in my profile). Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!