Still of the Night

That evening, when the rest of the heroes had gone to sleep, Kaiba left the inn and went back to the cathedral. While the parishioners were attending mass, he discreetly made his way to the bell tower. He walked inside and cautiously looked around. "Show yourself," he softly demanded. "I know you're there." Kaiba's attention was directed to a soft sound behind him. He turned around, thinking the hunchback was hiding in the shadows. "You don't have to be afraid of me," he coaxed. "Come on out."

"How can I trust you won't be afraid once I do?" the hunchback tested.

"Just come out of the shadows," Kaiba said impatiently. "I don't want it to look like I'm talking to myself."

Quasimodo cautiously stepped outside, but kept his hand over his face.

This was getting ridiculous. "Move your hand away so I can get a better look at you." Quasimodo did as told, bracing himself for the gasp of horror that was sure to follow. But the brunette just forced a small grin as he cocked his head a little to the side. "I have to say, you look exactly as I thought you would. And actually, not too bad." Seeing the confused expression on the hunchback's face, Kaiba assured him, "I've seen worse, believe me."

"Oh, well, um," Quasimodo stammered. "If you're looking for Mokuba, I'm afraid you missed him. He and his friends left a minute ago to attend mass."

"Actually, I came here to see you," the brunette stated.

"M-Me?"

The brunette nodded. "Sit down," he gestured. "I won't be long." So they both sat down at the table. "So how long have those kids been coming here to see you?"

"A little over a month," Quasimodo answered, refusing to make eye contact with him.

Kaiba grinned in amusement. He could plainly tell the hunchback had a timid nature; much like his own friends. "I see," he replied, trying to keep the conversation. "What has Mokuba been telling you since he came here?" He faces the hunchback and says, "Based on our conversation today, I find that he trusts you and easily confides in you. And, well, I'm sure he probably told you about the argument we had before he came here."

"He did," Quasimodo replied. "Mokuba told me how upset he was because he thought you were worrying too much and didn't want him to be independent. But he calmed down after a while and told me he understands that you care about him and you mean well."

The brunette felt reassured hearing that. "Maybe I have been worrying too much. I guess that's what kept me from realizing how independent and resourceful my brother can be," he muttered to himself. "What else has he told you?"

Quasimodo swallowed hard. "I don't think you may like it if I answer that."

"Just tell me and I'll do my best to understand," Kaiba promised.

The hunchback inhaled sharply. "He told me about how you and your friends are descendants of the Children of Millennia and are on a mission to find and gather these Cobalt Star shards."

At first, Kaiba was surprised to hear that, but then realized that the hunchback could only know about all that based on what he was told.

"Mokuba and Rebecca also told me about the Pure Valley," continued Quasimodo, "the Great Goddess's haven and how you use it to come and go between worlds. They told me that that's how they came to this world."

At first, all Kaiba could say was, "Wow," then he smiled once more. "For them to tell you all that, it means they really trust you."

"And I trust them," said Quasimodo. "They're good people and good friends." He looked away and said, "And I understand why you worry so much about Mokuba. You two are the only family you have for each other and you don't want to lose each other."

"That's true," Kaiba replied, stunned that the hunchback would know that.

He finally looked at Kaiba and managed to smile. "But that goes to show how much you care about him and how much you love him."

Kaiba was a little surprised at how understanding this person was. This had to be the person the Great Goddess was telling him about before he and his friends came to this world. He smiled softly and said, "I can see how my brother was able to open up to you."

"How do you mean?" Quasimodo asked.

The brunette realized that he had been thinking out loud, but now that he had let it slip, he had to explain. "I know about my brother's wish. He wanted a friend who understood what he was going through and how he was feeling about his problems. When I came here, the Great Goddess told me and my friends that she found someone for Mokuba who did understand and was making the same wish and that was what caused her to open the door to your world and bring you together." He continued smiling and wondered, "It was you, wasn't it? You made the same wish my brother did."

Quasimodo remembered discussing that with Mokuba. "That's right, I-I-I did," he admitted. "I was lonely because I had been living here alone pretty much all my life. I spent every night praying that I would at least have a friend who would understand me. And then Mokuba and Rebecca came into my life. And as we talked about our problems and realized we were going through the same thing, we thought that the wish we shared came true."

Kaiba nodded in understanding. "I take it you have the same problems with your master?"

"Well, I didn't want to let Mokuba or Rebecca know I did, but they saw through me and knew what I was really feeling," Quasimodo confessed. "You know, Seto-,"

"Call me Kaiba," the brunette insisted. "Everyone usually does."

"It's the same with my master," Quasimodo commented. "Everyone always addresses him by his last name."

"I don't deny that," Kaiba commented. "Wait, how'd you know I was talking about my last name?"

"Mokuba and Rebecca mentioned their last names to me as we were getting to know each other," the hunchback answered.

"Oh," Kaiba replied. He found himself starting to like this young man, but he hadn't yet decided if he could trust him. "Thank you, by the way," he said gratefully.

"For what?"

"For taking care of those kids," he said. "It means a lot to me."

Quasimodo smiled shyly. "Well, I haven't done much."

"You've been a good friend to them by letting them stay with you," Kaiba was saying, "and for being someone they could talk to, and you've been keeping them safe. I can tell you care about them too."

Quasimodo nodded. "They're my best friends. And I thought of how they had families who loved them and who they were special and important to and that's another reason I couldn't let anything happen to them."

Kaiba's smile softened up. This young man was almost as understanding as his brother was; and smart and thoughtful too. "That's why it means a lot to me that you take care of those kids because of that." He stood up. "And I guess I should at least do you one kindness for that."

"Like what?"

The brunette patted his shoulder. "If you need anything or if you're ever in trouble, send word to me and my friends and we'll be there. You can also come to the Pure Valley. You'll be safe there."

Quasimodo didn't want to reveal that he had already been to the Pure Valley. It wasn't that he didn't trust Kaiba, but he didn't want to let this secret get out to the wrong people. Instead, he asked, "Am I allowed to go there?"

"Why wouldn't you be allowed?"

"I'm not a Millennial," he stated.

Kaiba grinned once more. "Not yet, perhaps. But that doesn't matter. Anyone who's a friend or ally is welcome in the Pure Valley." He turned around and headed for the exit. "See you around, kid."

The hunchback was baffled. Did this mean that he had an opportunity to be one of them? He thought about it as he began to carve a model of Kaiba for his miniature city. He also thought of how kind he seemed.

Meanwhile, in the Palace of Justice, Frollo began looking through the same storybook again. There was no doubt in his mind that those boys resembled the Children of Millennia. Yugi looked like the pharaoh and Joey and Kaiba looked like the two servants. But that girl Emily, she looked like the queen, except her hair was a different color.

He then thought back to when he overheard Mokuba and Rebecca telling the same story to his adoptive son. He overheard them mentioning that the princess was alive and well. As he started putting the pieces together in his mind, he thought, Yes, that has to be it. The singing girl he saw in the square must be the princess. This was enough for the minister to confirm that his suspicions were accurate. The Heroes of Millennia did exist and they were in his world.

Soon he fell on his knees and began laughing like a madman as he was hitting his fist against his table. This was too perfect. Then he began to think about his comrades. That was enough for him to quickly compose himself. He had to tell them about this.

Frollo grabbed a hooded cloak and placed it over his shoulders and drew his hood down to conceal his features. Carrying the storybook in hand, he went to the corridors underneath the Palace of Justice. There was a passage that led to the catacombs and somewhere down there was a secret door that only he knew about. He found it and lifted the stone that concealed the entrance. After making his way down the steps, he placed the stone slab back in place. A few steps away was a swirl of black and blue. It was a warp vortex. He jumped in and emerged in a new environment. He was now in a dark castle in another world.

The minister carefully crept through the halls until a voice stopped him. "I thought I'd seen it all, but sneaking around your own castle?"

Frollo recognized the voice. "Don't even start," he warned. "I'm in a perfectly good mood."

The voice belonged to Hades, the Greek Lord of the Dead and the main villain from his world. "That's a first," he commented. "Usually you're always in a bad mood."

"Did something happen in your world to lighten up your spirits?" another villain asked. It was Jafar, an evil sorcerer who wanted to overthrow the monarch he feigned loyalty to. One would almost think he and Frollo were best friends considering how they were both dark and intimidating villains. Frollo somewhat considered Jafar a close friend despite not always getting along with him. Actually, he hardly got along with most of his comrades. Still, while it wasn't friendship, there were some good points between them.

"Something happened, all right," the minister replied. "And it involves all of us."

"Ooh, what is it?" Hades asked, excited.

"Meet me in the council room and I'll tell you about it," the minister promised. "I've got to find Maleficent. Where is she?"

"In the throne room," Jafar answered. "I can find her for you."

Frollo nodded and headed to the council room. It was one of the main meeting areas where the four most powerful villains had their meetings and discussions. They called themselves the Dark Masters. Though not in service to the Dark Lord, they were known for bringing about despair and causing destruction. In their own worlds, they were only known for their reputations of cruelty and striking fear into their victims. Here, they were villains of power and would do everything to let it be known that they were not a force to be reckoned with.

The Dark Masters were not necessarily equal despite being of the same rank. Although they had more power than all of the lesser villains, only one Dark Master was in absolute authority and had more power than the others. That Dark Master was Maleficent, the self-proclaimed Mistress of all Evil. When she heard of the news her comrades had to share, she went to the council room.

When the Dark Masters took their seats, Maleficent began as usual. "Welcome, my friends. How nice of us all to be together." She directed her attention to Frollo. "I hear you have some interesting news to share with us, Frollo."

In response, he showed her the book he kept hidden in his cloak. Maleficent read the title and asked, "Where did you get this book?"

"I confiscated it from a group of gypsies several weeks ago back in my world," he answered.

"Oh, yeah, I know this story," Hades said, looking at the book. "The Gods on Mt. Olympus always talked of it."

The story was not unfamiliar to Jafar either. "The sultan keeps the same book in the library of his palace."

"Even the other fairies I've known have told this story," Maleficent added.

"This story is why I asked all of you here," Frollo was saying. "At first, I thought it was just children's fantasy, but now I think it's true."

"What are you saying?" Maleficent asked him.

"I'm saying the warriors of Millennia exist," he replied. His comrades were silent for a moment, then they started laughing. "You think I'm mad," he said bitterly.

But Maleficent knew he was being serious. "He's telling the truth."

Jafar and Hades stopped laughing. "How do you know?" the sorcerer asked.

She knew because she once met the Dark Lord personally. When she first began practicing the arts of dark magic, she was summoned to the Shadow Realm to meet the Dark Lord himself. At first, Cobalt was impressed and interested with her displays and talents and thought she had potential, but he soon banished her when he discovered her plans to find and claim all of the shards of the Cobalt Star for herself and become the new ruler of darkness. Feeling disgraced, Maleficent decided to become a warrior of darkness under her own terms. But now she wasn't interested in regaining the Dark Lord's favor.

In a sense, that was why she formed this alliance; to show everyone that no one could best her and she was a supreme ruler of evil. Maleficent also began thinking to herself that if she were to destroy the Heroes of Millennia, the Dark Lord would finally appreciate her and even submit to her. Then she thought against it and decided that someone of great power such as herself had no need for the Dark Lord's power. Besides, how would she fare against Millennia's power as well?

Maleficent finally decided to get back to the matter at hand. "Well, Frollo, what will you do now that the warriors of Millennia have returned and are in your world?"

"I don't know," he answered. "I've often thought about capturing them and bringing them to the castle."

Hades scoffed. "You wouldn't even last a second against them. They've got Millennia's power."

"But even their powers have limits," Jafar reminded him. "It's only a matter of knowing when they would be at their most vulnerable and when would be the perfect opportunity to strike."

For Maleficent, she thought her friend had chanced upon an opportunity. "Well, since they're already in your world, Frollo, I encourage you to deal with them as you see fit."

The minister was surprised to hear her say that. "What?"

"What you have is an opportunity to face a group of legendary warriors," she was explaining. "Don't let it pass you by while you have the chance. And if by some miracle, you manage to defeat them, I'll see to it that you are handsomely rewarded."

He hated to admit it, but this was an opportunity. Although his main objective was to find and destroy the Court of Miracles – the haven for the gypsies hidden somewhere in Paris, he figured he could hold off on that for a while and face the Heroes of Millennia. "I'll do it," he finally said.

Maleficent smiled and said, "Have fun." And with that, Frollo left the council room and proceeded to return to his world.

Hades scoffed in disbelief. "You're actually letting him do this? Come on, he shouldn't be the only one having all the fun."

Jafar agreed. "I'd like a chance against the legendary warriors of Millennia as well."

"Our time will come," Maleficent promised. "Let's just say I want to test their abilities so I can learn their strengths and weaknesses. And when the time is right, we'll attack."

Jafar and Hades liked the sound of that. They agreed to wait for the moment.