At the top of the latter was a room which consisted of a table, some chairs, a shelf of books, a bed that had a curtain in front of it, and bells. Plenty of giant bells.

"Whoa." Frida said. "A lot of bells you've got up here."

"Well where are in a cathedral so you're definitely going to find bells in here." Manny said.

"Well I knew that, I hear their ringing from the cathedral every morning and every evening though I always wondered who rang these things."

"That would be me."

"You? You ring the bells?"

"Yep."

"Nu-uh."

"Yeah-huh."

"You ring these great, big, giant bells?"

"Every morning and every evening."

"How strong are you?"

"Pretty strong. That's why they gave me the job as bell ringer. I'm pretty much the only person strong to ring them."

"I still find that hard to believe."

"Alright then I'll prove it."

He went over to the biggest bell in the entire bell tower and began to pull on the rope causing the bell to ring aloud, bellowing, ring. Frida covered her ears and watched in amazement as the boy rang it. She couldn't help but marvel at his strength.

"See? Told ya." Manny said letting go of the rope.

"Wow impressive." Frida said. "But doesn't all that ringing hurt your ears?"

"A little but I've gotten used to it besides my ears have been through worse pain."

"Really? How so?"

"It's not important, hey wanna see the best part of this place?"

"Sure."

He led her outside on to the roof tops of the cathedral allowing her to see a view of all of Spain.

"Wow." She said in awe. "This is amazing and you get to see this everyday?"

"Everyday. Everyday I get to see it but not touch it."

"What does that mean?"

"Remember how I said today was the first time I left the cathedral?"

"Yes."

"Well that's because Judge Tito won't allow me to leave this place. Ever."

"So? You don't have to listen to him."

"Actually I kinda have to. He's my uncle and he raised me."

"He raised you?"

"Yeah."

"I don't believe that."

"Why not?"

"Because you're so nice and he's so horrible."

"He's not that bad I mean he's all I've got and I owe him. He took me in when no one else would."

"Seriously? He was the only one? That guy?"

"Yeah."

"What about your parents?"

"My mother abandoned me when I was a baby because she was ashamed of how I looked and my father first saw me when I was born he was so terrified that he died of fright. I'm a monster you know and that's why no one wants me."

"Who told you that?"

"My uncle."

"And how do you know he's telling the truth?"

"He's never lied to me before."

"But how do you know?

"Well look at me? Do I look normal to you?"

"Just because you're different doesn't mean you're a monster. I mean look at me do I normal?"

"Well...Most normal girls don't have blue hair."

"Right so I'm different but doesn't mean I'm something bad. Let me ask you something. What does your uncle say about gypsies?"

"That they're thieves and demons and witches."

"Well I'm a gypsy but do you think I'm a witch like your uncle says?"

"Oh no! No. You're very nice actually."

"See? We're not all bad okay a lot of us are thieves but only when we're desperate for food but other that we're no different from everyone else. So maybe Tito is wrong about the both us."

"What did she say?" Candle Maker said as he, La Muerte, and Xibalba were listening to their conversation.

"Tito's arms are freakishly long and he wears a dress." La Muerte misheard.

"Ha! Told ya! Pay up!" Candle Maker said turning to Xibalba.

"Oh dear." Xibalba groaned handing him a coin.

"Can I ask you something?" Manny said.

"Shoot." She replied.

"Why aren't you scared of me?"

"Excuse me?"

"You saw how everyone reacted at the festival, they were afraid of me and they were disgusted with me. They hated me but you, you don't seem scared of me at all. Why?"

"I don't know, why should I be scared of you?"

"Uh hello? Human being with fangs, claws, and a tiger ears. You don't find that kind of oh I don't know creepy?"

"No not really. Actually it's kind of cool."

"Huh?"

"Can you see in the dark? And do you have cat like reflexes?"

"Sort of."

"Can you climb very good? When jump off of things do you always land on your feet?"

"I...I don't know."

"Your ears are so funny. They're kind of like a cat's. Hey can you hear a lot? Can I touch them?"

"What?"

She began to playfully give his ears a light squeeze.

"Hey! Stop that! That tickles!" Manny said. "Hey wait a minute can you scratch that one area behind my ear?"

"You mean here?" She said scratching his left ear.

"Yeah...Oh that feels good." He purred then blushed with embarrassment.

"Did you just purr?" She asked.

"No."

"You did. Oh that is so cute."

"Okay sometimes a purr, please don't tell anyone."

"Okay I won't." She giggled. "I wonder, how did you get like this? Not that I'm complaining I just want to know how someone is born with claws, fangs, and tiger ears?"

"I don't know. Bad luck I guess."

It was getting darker, soon the sun was gone and the stars were out. Frida yawned as did Zebra Donkey.

"You tired?" Manny asked.

"A little."

"Well here you can sleep in my bed."

"But where will you sleep?"

"I'll find a place I can pretty much sleep anywhere."

"Okay then, come on Zebra Donkey." Her pet gave a happy bray and jumped into her arms. Manny led her over to his bed and undid the blankets.

"Goodnight." He told her.

"Goodnight." She said back.

She pulled back the curtains, crawled into his bed, and fell asleep with Zebra Donkey nuzzled next to her. Manny then climbed up onto a nearby post where he made himself comfortable. He was happy to finally have a friend to talk to who wasn't made of stone. Not that he didn't mind the company of his three guardians it was just that sometimes he felt like they really weren't there and that he was going crazy. So it was nice to have a friend that he knew for sure was real no matter what but he had to be careful, if Tito found her there he'd kill them both or worse. The next morning as usual he awoke just as the sun was beginning to rise and quickly went to ring the morning bells. When he finished he felt his stomach growl with hunger, he hoped Tito would bring him a good breakfast.

Oh no! Breakfast! He forgot Tito came every morning, noon, and night to check on him. He couldn't let him find Frida. He rushed over to the room behind the curtain where she slept and began to gently shake the sleeping girl awake.

"No...Five more minutes." She groaned.

"Frida you have to wake up now!" Manny said in a panic. "Tito's coming! And if he finds you here we're both dead!"

"Okay." She yawned. "Where do I hide?"

"There's a stairway in the back that leads to the sanctuary. You and Zebra Donkey go down there okay?"

"Alright. Come on boy."

With a bray Zebra Donkey followed her down the back stairway and they had left in the nick of time too because at the very moment they left Tito appeared carrying food.

"Good morning." He said.

"Good morning Uncle." Manny said nervously. "Did you sleep well?"

"No I did not! I was up all night thinking about that awful gypsy girl! You know she's here in the cathedral."

"She is?" Manny said faking ignorance. "Wow I had no idea. I thought gypsies weren't welcome here."

"They shouldn't be but that fool Tonio insists that everyone is worthy of sanctuary!"

"Well what can you do? According to God, the church, and Tonio you can't force her out."

"No I can't. Clever little witch, using the church to protect herself."

"You know she might not be as bad as you think. She might be very nice."

"What are you blabbering about boy?"

"I'm just saying she did help me yesterday."

"You idiot!" He snapped twisting his ear in a hard, painful matter like he always did when he punished him. "Can't you see she was trying to manipulate you? She's a cunning, wicked, deceitful little witch! Do you honestly think a beautiful young girl like that could ever learn to care for the likes of you! If you're own mother couldn't love you what makes you think that girl could?!"

"Uncle stop! That hurts! Please! Please!" The poor boy howled in pain as the judge tightened his grip and he didn't let go until blood began to drip out.

"I'm sorry Manny but pain is the only way you'll learn." Tito said with no inch of remorse in his voice. "You're a monster and no one loves a monster."

Tito then left him alone to weep slightly while clutching his bleeding ear. Unknown to Manny, Frida had heard the shouting and had gone back upstairs to see what it was all about. She was absolutely mortified by the whole scene, she had never seen such cruelty in all her life. This man was a monster , how could he treat someone like that especially when they were his own family. Once she was sure the judge had left she rushed to Manny's side.

"Are you okay?" She asked him.

"How much of that did you see?"

"Only the whole thing."

"I told you to go downstairs."

"I heard shouting and got worried." She pulled a handkerchief from her dress and gently pressed it to his bleeding ear causing him to hiss in pain. "Sorry."

"It's alright."

"He's wrong you know." She said. "I do care about you."

"I know." He sniffed.

"Does he do this to you everyday?"

"Only when I make him mad."

"How can you stay here with him when he treats you like this?"

"He's all I have. He takes care of me."

"He keeps you alive that's not the same as taking care of you."

"You think I don't know he hates me? He does but I don't blame him."

"Why?"

"Because I killed the only family he had left. My father died of sheer terror when he saw me, I killed him."

"I seriously I doubt that unless your father was a really old dude or had major heart issues. And even if he did die like that it wasn't your fault. You can't help how you were born."

"You don't understand! Even though I can't help it I still suffer. Do you know what that's like?"

"Yes I do. I was raised by gypsies remember? Everyone here thinks I'm either a thief or a witch. So in a way I know how you feel."

Zebra Donkey nuzzled Manny's leg comfortingly, Manny smiled and stroked him gratefully. He was happy that at least someone cared about him.

"Come on let me see if I can fix that ear." Frida said.