"Come on, Giselle, we're missing it!" I yelled excitedly.

"Just a sec- I think that lady shorted me ten cents."

I dragged my friend behind me as we joined with the mob slowly making its way to the square below Notre Dame. Colorful tents lined the streets; performers juggled and breathed fire- at a safe distance, of course. Gypsies and other Parisians danced in the streets. Some of the crowds were pouring towards celebratory events in other parts of the city- I'd heard there was a play and a bonfire somewhere, too; but there was no way we were missing front row seats to the main even of the movie itself.

Giselle had dragged me around shopping for too long, and by the time we'd finally made it to the cathedral, the trumpets had already started playing. I glanced upward just in time to see our new best friend, Quasimodo, sliding down a flag line toward us, and smiled. He'd be getting closer to the action than he thought in a few moments. As the crowds sang, I shoved past people until we had a spot right below the stage. Satisfied, I turned to see the hunchback swinging on the same rope down into the single clearing in the square, where he landed in front of several singing figures in black hooded robes.

Come and join the feast…of…

"Fools!" Right on cue, Clopin slid out from beneath the hooded figure in the center, colorful as ever. Bells jingled on his costume as confetti instantly exploded in the air and flags unfurled behind him. The crowd erupted in cheering, so loudly that I could barely hear the accordions and other instruments playing in the background. This was one of the reasons I loved these movies- the magic element- in this case, the festival. The crazy thing was, we were actually part of the festivities! Giselle and I laughed as Quasi tried in vain to run from Clopin, who caught him up in a dance to the amusement of everyone.

Once a year, we throw a party here in town,

Once a year, we turn all Paris upside down

Every man's a king and every king's a clown

Once again it's topsy-turvy day!

Caught up in the laughter, we drank in the satirical sights as Quasi ran around in bewilderment, appearing somewhat scared yet also very intrigued with the new close-up view he was getting of the world outside his church.

"Haha! Look!" Giselle pointed. "He's in a women's chorus line!"

I choked on a barely-repressed guffaw. "…So's Clopin, and he's in a skirt…"

We looked at each other and burst out laughing; since everyone else was doing the same, we fit right in. Giselle glanced around as we danced to the cheerful music. "…Hey, where'd he go?"

I paused and shrugged, searching the crowd. "I dunno…maybe he took a bathroom break?"

"In the middle of a musical number?"

I shrugged again. As we watched, all kinds of people joined the party in the square- from the not-so-desirable types to the downright insane to the drunk-as-a-skunk characters- come on, it was barely noon!- everyone was joining in the festivities. It was like being downtown on New Years Eve, basically, but with a more fantastic feel that somehow resulted from being in a Disney movie. There were way too many people, tents, and bits of confetti to see very far in any direction, so it took us a minute to find Quasimodo in the fray. He was dancing with a heavyset woman in a purple dress in the middle of a circle of other dancers. Unfortunately, I also spotted another familiar sight- a black carriage with an escort of horsemen rolling into the square.

"Your best buddy's back," I elbowed Giselle.

She turned to look in the direction I was staring. "…Frollo?" I nodded. "What's he doing here? Doesn't he hate these people?"

"He's an official," I said simply.

Come one, come all

Hurry, hurry, here's your chance-

See the mystery and romance

Frollo was seated in a designated judge's tent now, and Clopin was pushing Quasi towards us, up to the platform. I remained riveted on Clopin as he jumped onstage and continued dancing, his voice rising in volume along with the anticipation of the moment, right up to the instant when he threw down something that exploded in a big, blinding cloud of smoke. When it cleared, Esmeralda was in his place, and I momentarily remembered the scene in the tent between her and Quasi that must have occurred when we were wondering where he'd had gone. Now he and the rest of us were staring up at the gypsy woman as she did her sultry dance. I had to admit, she was beautiful, and I admired her, but I just didn't enjoy the dance in the end. There was something too proud about it, too seductive, for it to be light-hearted and laugh-worthy like the rest of the celebration. The only part I was tempted to laugh at was the moment she pulled Frollo's little hat down over his eyes- the scared look on his face at her close proximity and playful behavior merited some amusement, at least. The rest was over quickly enough, and Clopin was back onstage. Ah, yes, true entertainment. Not that Esme wasn't great, but…

Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for

Here it is, you know exactly what's in store

Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore…

Now's the time we crown the king of fools!

I paused as I remembered what was to follow. Yes, I did know what was in store, and the lighthearted laughter wouldn't last long. The realization dampened my mood, but I forced myself to focus and take this one second at a time. Esmeralda was unmasking people and her goat, Djali, was pushing them off the stage in a heap. Somehow, Quasi had wound up in line. Giselle was laughing and pointing at him and saying something that I couldn't make out. I quickly glanced over my shoulder at Frollo's tent. I couldn't see him very well from here, but I guessed that he was about to become really angry really fast.

Esmeralda finally reached Quasi and tried to pull off his mask, only to discover that it was actually his skin. Surprised cries rang throughout the crowd as the realization hit everyone simultaneously.

"That's no mask."

"It's his face!"

"He's hideous!"

I inwardly growled at them. So shallow, seeing only the appearance. It didn't matter that the man had been locked up his entire life without contact with any of them- he was automatically a savage monster because he was deformed.

"It's the bell-ringer from Notre Dame!" One man exclaimed, aghast.

Wow, great job, genius…

My heart broke at Quasi's expression- all of his hurt at the world's rejection was displayed on his features, and it stung me inside as well. Giselle stared wide-eyed up at him, looking half-fearful for him and half-angry towards his mockers. Just as everything was reaching a crescendo, and I was convinced Frollo was about to storm down from his perch and wreak havoc on his "son," Clopin stepped forward, attempting to calm the masses.

"Ladies and gentlemen, don't panic; we asked for the ugliest face in all Paris, and here he is- Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame!" And just like that, the brainless crowd rushed forward, convinced, to take him onto their shoulders. I blinked, stunned, trying to process it all, as the puppeteer's voice rang out above the noisy roar of the excited crowd. "Ev-ery-bo-dy…!"

Once a year, we throw a party here in town

"What's with them?" Giselle asked, shaking her head.

Once a year, we turn all Paris upside down

Once a year, the ugliest will wear a crown

"…They're mocking him, and he's trying to fix the situation," I frowned. The procession reached another platform.

And it's the day we do the things that we deplore

On the other three-hundred and sixty-four

Quasimodo, clothed in a purple robe and a crown, accepted a scepter from Clopin as he smiled down at the crowd, looking happier than we'd seen him yet. I couldn't help feeling glad, for a moment, that he felt accepted, however temporarily, by the Paris townsfolk…even by the gypsies, though I couldn't help being slightly disappointed in them for making him into such a joke.

Topsy-turvy,

Wild and crazy,

Upsy-daisy,

Topsy-turvy day!

Ugh. More confetti. So much that it become difficult to breathe properly without inhaling little scraps of colored paper. The square erupted in cheering as the climax of the celebration reached its end. Cheers of "Quasimodo!" sounded from all sides, and Giselle and I pushed towards the platform to get a better look at him.

Big mistake.

As soon as the first tomato hit Quasi square in the face, I knew that we should immediately put some space between us. I cringed as the crowd gasped at Frollo's guards, but the horsemen only continued to throw fruit and jeer at him. "Hail to the KING!" Splat.

Townsfolk began to laugh horribly as he slipped on the juice and fell onto his back. Giselle gasped and looked around at the guards. "Stop it!" She yelled, but because the crowd was in such an uproar, it was impossible for to hear her from more than ten feet at that moment. Ropes flew up from several sides and wrapped around Quasimodo's neck and arms. "Stop it!" Giselle cried louder. She pushed through the Parisians more roughly, dragging me behind her.

"Giselle, wait-" I warned.

"Out of my way!"

Oh, no…

Suddenly, with a ferocity I hadn't seen him possess, Quasi rose up, tearing at the ropes that bound him and consequently pulling several people off of their feet. Frightened gasps permeated the air as the onlookers realized how strong the bell ringer really was. Instead of fearfully running away, however, they flung more ropes upon him and two men tied him down, spinning the circular wheel he knelt on like some kind of sick merry-go-round.

"NO, QUASI!" Giselle shrieked, fully shoving people out of her way now. No one was listening or paying attention to her- they were all too busy throwing fruit at him. I ground my teeth in anger, hating the injustice of this, but also realizing that getting any closer could result in all three of us being in danger. Frollo was definitely watching everything now.

"Master!" he called out to the judge helplessly. "Master, please! Help me!"

Frollo simply looked away and folded his hands, refusing to interfere. I couldn't help but growl audibly at him. Giselle tugged forcefully at my arm, and I pulled her back, hissing into her ear. "Giselle, STOP!"

"NO, we have to get to Quasi-!"

"You don't understand-"

"Let go!" She yelled, breaking free of my grasp.

"NO, GISELLE!" I screamed, but it was too late. Parisians blocked my path to her as she bolted towards the makeshift stage. I gaped and then stamped my foot in frustration. She was so stubborn! Didn't she understand that if she went up there she was going to end up in a HEAP of…?

…Oh no.

This was BAD.

GISELLE was the first one up on the platform, not Esmeralda- though the gypsy woman was close behind. My best friend slowly approached the hunchback, who saw her and gradually raised his head towards her in recognition. The jeering and cruel laughter died down, and the square was suddenly completely silent as every eye was fixed on the two of them for what seemed like several long minutes. She reached out to brush his short, red hair away from his eyes, and gently wiped the juice off of his face. A few moments later, Esmeralda had reached Quasi's side, kneeling down beside Giselle to help. I could barely make out her words.

"Don't be afraid," the gypsy woman said softly. "…I'm sorry…this wasn't supposed to happen."

Together, the two of them methodically cleaned Quasimodo's face and hair of the fruit as the silent crowd stood and watched, enraptured by the scene. I was warmed by the thought that the gypsies hadn't intended this; they'd only meant for a little teasing to result, not this kind of harsh, degrading mockery. It didn't make their teasing of his ugliness right, but the fact that Esmeralda was trying to apologize and help him to make up for it him led me to forgive her anyway. The touching scene among the three of them was abruptly cut off by Claude Frollo's sharp voice ringing out across the square, snapping all of us out of a daze.

"You!" He pointed. "Gypsy girl! Peasant! Get down AT ONCE!"

"Yes, your honor," Esmeralda responded, in contrast to Giselle, who, judging by her expression, didn't look like she was going anywhere anytime soon. "Just as soon as we free this poor creature!"

"I FORBID it!" Never one to take orders from him, Esmeralda unsheathed a dagger from underneath her skirt and cut the ropes holding Quasi down. The crowd erupted in another gasp- they always seemed to be caught off guard, I noted- as Frollo sneered, "How DARE you defy me!"

Giselle looked like she was beginning to understand that rushing up here on impulse hadn't necessarily been the wisest choice. Still, she remained by Quasi's side, unwavering in the face of the judge's anger, as Esmeralda addressed him.

"You mistreat this poor boy the same way you mistreat my people! You speak of justice, yet you are cruel to those most in need of your help!"

"Silence!" yelled Frollo.

"JUSTICE!"

Another collective gasp. I silently cheered the two of them on as Esmeralda turned to throw off the remainder of Quasi's restraints. Together with Giselle, the two of them slowly pulled the poor man to his feet. Quasimodo regarded them both forlornly, looking shocked that they were both willing to help him AND to defy his master for his sake.

"Mark my words," Frollo growled, "you two will pay for this insolence."

"Then it appears we've crowned the wrong fool," retorted the gypsy woman. Giselle reached out and snatched a felt crown from one of the nearby Parisian's heads and determinedly held it out to Esmeralda, who proceeded to throw it mockingly at Frollo's feet. "The only fool I see…is YOU!"

Ooh…burn. And if a goat giving him a raspberry didn't complete the whole insult perfectly, I don't know what else would have.

The guards moved in to arrest them, and I really started to panic. This is what I'd been afraid of with her rushing up there like that…!

Esmeralda, being clever, pulled her little disappearing trick and was gone from the platform before I could blink. Giselle glanced around worriedly as the horsemen closed in, and I was just about to run to her aid when the gypsy woman's smooth voice called out from across the square. "Oh, boys!"

Every eye turned towards her, and obvious cries of, "There she is!" and "Get her!" sounded from all sides. Again, these people were really at the top of the food chain, if you know what I'm saying. I was able to make it up to the platform while Frollo's men were busy chasing Esme around the square, and I grabbed Giselle's arm.

"Let's go!"

We ran until a few spare horsemen who spotted Giselle abruptly cut us off. "That way!" One shouted. I realized with a shudder that it was the same two soldiers from yesterday and the day before that- apparently, Disney wanted us to become fast enemies, because the look of familiarity on both their faces mirrored my own sentiments.

"Faster!" I gasped, pulling her away from them. I didn't know how I expected us to outrun them on foot, but we actually did an adequate job of it until our escape path was again cut off by a man on stilts, an older man rolling by in a cage (random, I know), and three other soldiers who were still trying to nail down Esmeralda. Our pursuers were a mere ten feet behind us now, and they about to grab hold of Giselle, who wasn't quite as fast as me, when Esmeralda suddenly sprinted by us and took her by the hand. "Come on!" She panted, the two of them running towards another stage. The horsemen chasing them accidentally took out Frollo's booth in the process, and to my relief, I saw them safely mount the stage and disappear in another poof of smoke, accompanied by the cheering of the crowd.

For a moment, I took the luxury of relaxing.

Then, my eyes found the man who had grabbed me yesterday, still on his horse. He turned and looked at me as two others joined him. The sneer on his face made my heart instantly sink.

Nope, I wasn't off the hook.

He pointed with a gloved hand, and I immediately turned to run.

"Get her! She was with them, too!"

This is bad, was the only thought in my mind as I bolted as fast as I could in the opposite direction. I had to push people out of my way, but I think they were too shocked or distracted by what Esmeralda had just done to care. The skies darkened with the presence of an oncoming storm as I fled the festival. I could hear the clamor of the guards behind me and the sound of Frollo's voice, ordering them to apprehend all of us. I pushed my burning muscles on, scared out of my wits. I mentally berated Giselle for running up there so naively, and myself for letting her. Now we were both caught up in this! What if we were captured? I could only hope they'd both gotten to safety.

Finally, I cleared the mob of people gathered in the square as the first drops of rain splashed down around me and raced for one of the adjoining streets.I chose one at random and my eyes darted around frantically, searching for an alley to turn into. Nothing. The movie had made it seem as if there were an infinite number of twists and turns to duck into in the city of Paris, but this was the one street that only went in a single direction- forward. Great choice, Hannah! Thunder rumbled overhead as the flow of rain quickly increased, pelting my face and my back with icy cold drops.

"Ya!" I could hear the soldiers urging their animals on, gaining fast. My one option was to try one of the doors on either side of the street and hope to God it lead somewhere safe. I didn't have more than thirty seconds before they'd be upon me, so I impulsively chose a rickety wooden door to my right and prayed for a miracle as I sprinted toward it.

It didn't take much strength to break down the already-splintering wood. I barged inside to find an abandoned, musty room coated in thick, gray dust that blocked any light from entering through a single window. I desperately scanned the space for a staircase, a basement- anything. There was a narrow passage going up in one corner. I didn't hesitate to take it.

I found myself on the roof, back out in the rain and not a second too soon- the soldier in the lead who had grabbed me- Marius, I'd heard the another man call him- had already dismounted and run into the building.

I froze in terror, stopped breathing, when I heard footsteps at the top of the steps, right behind me. I thought, for a split second, that I had failed this test, and Disney had seen fit to kill me off here and now, as a gloved hand wrapped itself around my mouth.

"Follow me," a male voice whispered into my ear. My heart automatically resumed its frantic beating as hands pushed me further onto the roof. We- meaning this unknown person and I- continued running for our lives- they were risking their freedom helping me. It didn't matter who it was beside me at that moment; all that mattered was that he was helping me escape Frollo's guards, and quite possibly saving my life. I followed blindly, forced to put my full trust in my new guide as we reached the building's edge. It was clear we'd have to make use of the only exit possible: an impossibly thin flag rope like the one Quasi had used earlier that hung over the road and would somehow have to hold our combined weight.

"STOP!" Marius' voice rang out across the rooftop- he'd gotten up the stairs already!- and as I jerked back around to see him draw his sword, Clopin pushed me forward from behind.

…Wait, Clopin?

"GYPSY!" The soldier roared.

Yep. It was Clopin.

"Hold on," The gypsy king said simply, grabbing the line with one hand and wrapping the other around my waist. Before Marius could utter another threat- and before I was mentally prepared in the least, I might add- we were both airborne, flying down the rope at what felt like fifty miles per hour.

I gave a short yelp as the sensation of falling hit my stomach, hard. The rope bounced under our weight but somehow held up as we flew down towards the street. I didn't have time to think about where the heck Clopin had come from- I hadn't even seen him since his song had ended- or why he was helping me; as soon as our feet hit the ground, we were off again. The two guards still in the doorway turned and shouted at our backs as we fled down an alleyway that I hadn't seen before, escaping from their sight.

We ran for a long time- long enough to ensure that no one could have stayed on our trail. Luckily, I had run long distance at school, so I was used to the exercise- if only I'd been fast enough to disappear with Esme and Giselle a few minutes ago, this would have been a different story; but no, I hadn't been fast enough to keep up with them, let alone outrun the guards on horseback. The two of us darted in and out of more alleys, trying to avoid the huge throngs of celebrating Parisians. We bolted past a stone building where a play was going on- four people in golden attire recited lines as hundreds assembled inside the edifice, straining to hear them over the sound of dignitaries' names being called. I glanced behind us every minute or so, just to confirm that the Palace of Justice loomed further and further behind us, and that Marius and the rest of Frollo's guards weren't still giving chase.

After almost ten minutes, Clopin ducked into yet another alley and we finally slowed to a stop, coming to rest behind a high stack of crates to catch our breaths. I gasped for air, my legs shaking, a little from the exertion but mostly from the shock and excitement of the festival's events. I collapsed onto a crate and leaned my head back against another, trying in vain to process everything that had just happened.

The only two things I could register were that Clopin had just helped me escape from Frollo's guards…and Giselle was somewhere in the city of Paris with Esmeralda, no doubt still in danger, and I had to find her. Soon.

If any of you have read the actual novel, you'd hopefully have caught the reference to Pierre Gringore's play…yes? No? At any rate, please review, and sorry for the late updating. I hope everything was accurate as I wrote this all in a day :)