I'm really sorry for the late update. Two things prevented me from uploading this latest chapter. Writer's Block and no internet connection. Hopefully, the second problem is fixed now. Enjoy!

Kingdom Hearts and all related characters belong to Disney and Square Enix.

Chapter Eleven: A Promise to Keep

Darkness had fallen over the city and while everyone else was sleeping peacefully, lulled to sleep by the evening bells, Sora and his group were hard at work trying to find a way out of the cathedral. Donald had stayed in the bell tower with Kairi and Esmeralda while Sora, Riku and Goofy checked each exit for a way out. Donald kept admiring the wooden figures that Quasimodo hade made while Esmeralda and Kairi shared stories with the Hunchback.

"So, he really traveled all over to find you?" Quasi asked.

"Yep. Both Sora and Riku traveled everywhere to bring me home." Kairi replied with a smile.

"But, the world is a big place. How did they manage to travel so quickly?" Esmeralda asked.

"With dark magic."

Kairi and Esmeralda looked up to see Frollo standing there. He had a basket hanging from his arm and a book in the other.

Quasimodo gulped and hurried to clear a spot at the table as Frollo sat down and waited.

"What do you want? You can't arrest us here." Kairi reminded him with a glare.

"I'm not as stupid as you are, girl. I don't need to be told twice. I am here to visit Quasimodo as I do every other day." He replied coldly, as he glared over a the hunchback.

"So, Quasimodo. I trust that you have learned your lesson about the outside world and will never act on such a foolish thought as leaving ever again."

"Yes, master. I-I learned m-my lesson. You were right about everything." Quasimodo replied. He kept his eyes lowered and there was a strong nervous air about him.

Frollo glanced over at Kairi and Esmeralda before turning back to the young man. "I see I'll also have to teach you more about how the evil can twist the minds of the weak and lead them down a path of ruin."

Quasi looked up, realising that his master was talking about his new friends. "No, master! They've been kind to me. They've told me stories about their home and their friends and the many adventures they've had."

Frollo allowed a smile to crawl along his face. "Oh my dear Quasimodo. Do you honestly believe they are telling you the truth. They want to steer you down a path of evil. Do you see they are only using you as a pawn? They want to get out of this place and escape punishment for their crimes and they'll use you only to vanish into the darkness, never to be seen again. They don't see you as a friend. They see you as everyone else does, a Monster."

"That's a lie!"

The four turned to see Sora standing there. When Frollo had first arrived Donald had made a mad dash to find the others in case he tried anything funny. Sora had been making his way back up to report his progress when he practically ran into the flustered duck.

"The only person in this room who thinks he's a monster is you." The key bearer was getting tired of the way this town was treating someone who clearly was good person who just needed a friend.

Frollo glared at the boy at first, but then smirked calmly at the him. "I have raised Quasimodo to accept the truth, as any real friend would. Only a person corrupted by evil would tell him otherwise."

With that Frollo stood up and walked past Sora, casting a death glare as he walked by. He headed down the steps and out the door, passing Riku as he went.

"What was that all about?" Asked the silver-haired teen.

"Just another villain who loves to hear himself talk." Sora replied.

"Sora put it nicely." Kairi replied and Esmeralda agreed. The girls didn't say what they had wanted to when Frollo was there, only because the guy completely creeped them out.

Quasimodo walked over to the balcony and rested his arms on the ledge. Sora walked over to him. "You okay?"

Another commotion was heard as Goofy was helping a breathless Donald up the stairs. The duck had to run to the other side of Notre Dame to track down the knight.

Quasimodo looked over at his new friends before looking back down at the street where he could see Frollo climbing into his carriage and leaving. "I'm gonna get you guys out of here."

This got everyone's attention. "But, what about that old guy?" Sora asked.

"He is my master, but he was wrong about you. You're not evil, you've done nothing but help me. I thought I nothing else to look for when my last friend never came back, but I believe you will."

Sora decided to tell him the truth about his friend. "Quasi, we're on a mission to find Axel. He's..." Sora really didn't want to tell Quasi that his friend was gone. "...he's gone missing and we were sent to try and find him."

"Is he in trouble?" asked the Hunchback.

"We don't know. That's why we've been traveling, to look for clues that might help us find him."

"But we're on the right track." Kairi chimed in. "Our last clue led us here. And the fact that you know him means we have a strong lead."

"Yeah, and when we find him we'll bring him back here ta visit!" Goofy added without thinking. Donald and Riku glared at him.

"It's a promise. When we find Axel we'll all come back here to visit." Sora stated.

Riku and Donald gave Sora the same look, but with an added dose of surprise. They didn't even know if the machine would work let alone get Axel to come back to a place like this.

"It's a deal!" Quasimodo replied with a big smile as he gave Sora a strong slap on the back which almost knocked the teen over.

Esmeralda looked between Sora, Riku and Goofy. "Any luck finding a way out?"

Sora scratched the back of his head while Goofy gave a sad look. "Sorry, every exit has guards posted. I guess Frollo wants to make sure we stay put." Riku answered.

Quasi smiled. "Easy, we won't use a door."

"But how?" Donald asked.

"We'll need a diversion." The hunchback replied.

. . .

About ten minutes later Donald found out how first hand. While Sora, Kairi, Riku and Goofy had gone downstairs to wait for Quasimodo, he along with Esmeralda and Donald were waiting on the roof.

"We're really going to climb down?" Esmeralda asked. She understood how nervous Donald was because she felt the same way.

"Sure," Quasi replied. "You carry him, I carry you."

Donald and Esmeralda exchanged looks of uncertainty, but eventually agreed that there really was no other way to get out. Once they were ready the hunchback began making his way down.

"I'm assuming you've done thing before." Esmeralda stated.

"No." Quasi simply replied.

With a look of shock, Donald hugged the Gypsy's neck a little tighter in fear. nothing however prepared the duck for what happened next. Quasimodo ran along the heads of a few stone figures and leaped over from one of the historic towers to the next and began climbing down along the ridges sculpted into the side of the pillar.

After a few minutes they had made it to the roof of the main structure. "Wow, you're pretty good at this." Esmeralda commented. "Isn't he?"

Donald had his eyes shut tight. "Just tell me when we're on the ground." He replied.

Quasi smiled. "Heh, thank yo-whoa!" Suddenly the shingle that they were resting on gave way and began sliding down the roof. The trio had no choice but to hold on tight and ride it out. It rode along one of the rain gutters and threatened to shoot off into open sky. Quasi grabbed ahold of the ledge at the last second saving them from the shingle's fate as it flew off to crash onto the street below.

"Okay, Donald. I think now's a good time to use that trick." Quasi told the duck who had almost forgotten about his part to play. Using his magic, Donald cast Comet which sent several colorful, firework-like explosions off in the sky.

Back in the cathedral, Sora and the others had made it to the bottom floor and were waiting for the signal. Goofy was getting a bit worried. "Gawrsh, I sure hope the others are okay."

"They'll be fine." Sora replied. His voice was full of confidence.

"We should be more worried about us. Who knows what that guy might do to us if we get caught." Riku added.

"That guy makes the heartless seem pleasant." Kairi stated.

Riku looked out the window and saw the red and blue lights in the sky. "Well, there's our cue. C'mon."

Ever so carefully Sora opened the door and chanced a look outside. The three guards were totally transfixed by the light show and we not paying any attention to the door. Sora took a few slow steps before he realized he was in the clear. He hurried to the shadows and nodded for the others to follow. Riku was next followed by Kairi and Goofy brought up the rear.

They hurried to a small dark alley to wait for the others to arrive. It didn't take long for someone to come, but it was a guard who was carrying a torch!

"What do we do?" Goofy asked.

Kairi looked over at the back wall and smiled. "In here!" She dove into a stack of hay. The others quickly followed. They held their breath for a moment as the guard looked around the alley and then walked off. Sora was about to stand up when something heavy landed on him, or rather someone.

"Ouch! That hay is harder than it looks." Donald complained as he rubbed his tail feathers. Esmeralda and Quasimodo climbed down without falling into the haystack as well. "At least there aren't any guards around." Esmeralda replied.

"I wonder if the others made it out alright." Quasimodo said, looking around.

"Yeah, we made it out." Riku replied as he stood up, helping Kairi out of the hay. Goofy emerged next.

"Where's Sora?" Donald asked.

"Right here." The boy replied, but didn't emerge.

"Where?" The duck kept looking around.

"You're sitting on me!"

"Whak!" Donald jumped up, allowing Sora to free himself from the straw.

Riku failed to hide a smirk as Sora shook his head rapidly trying to get the straw out of his hair. "The hay looks good on you."

Sora stuck out his tongue as a response. This earned a laugh from everyone, even Quasimodo chuckled. "Well, I'm glad we all got out safely. Now it's time for me to go back."

"Come with us. Leave this place." Esmeralda replied. "I can take you to the Court of Miracles. A place where you'll be free to come and go as you please who no one to call you a monster."

"Oh, no-no. I can't. you saw what happened out there today. This is my sanctuary." Quasi replied waving his hand over towards the cathedral.

"Well, if you ever change your mind, this will show you the way." Esmeralda took off a necklace she kept hidden and gave it to the hunchback.

"How?" He asked.

"Just, remember. When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand." Quasimodo looked at it while she spoke and then hid it in his shirt pocket.

A bleating sound was heard and the group turned around to see a goat running up to them, more specifically to Esmeralda. "There you are Djali! You had me worried."

It bleated again and looked over towards a light that was reflecting from something that was around the corner. "We have to go." Kairi said, realizing it was another torch from a guard.

"Man, these guys don't give up, do they?" Sora replied.

"It's alright. I can make my way back to the bell tower on my own and I'll lead the guard back that way. Stay safe friends." Quasimodo replied and with that climbed on top of the nearest roof and was gone.

Esmeralda waved goodbye to her friends as well and vanished into the shadows. The rest of the group headed back to where they had first arrived and went back to the Gummi Ship with not a moment to spare.

This world wrapped up rather quickly, but we're not done with this world yet. The next world will be pretty new as I don't think it's been in any of the games, at least to the best of my knowledge. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.