Chapter 8: I've Got a Dream
As they walked down the long winding dirt road, Quasimodo and Rapunzel couldn't help but feel like they were lost.
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Rapunzel asked as she looked around.
"I think so," Quasi said, "She didn't exactly give me good directions."
"Wait, there's something up there!" Rapunzel cried as she ran ahead, Quasi following behind her. As they rounded a bend they came across what looked like an inn. The building looked like it hadn't been occupied in years, with a dilapidated roof and rotting boards, along with a few windows broken. Closer up the rode was a sign with its paint faded, depicting the outline of a duckling along with the words "The Snuggly Duckling" written on it.
"The Snuggly Duckling?" Rapunzel questioned.
"That's it!" Quasi exclaimed before grabbing Rapunzel's hand and dragging her behind him as he rushed up to the building.
"Are you sure this place is safe?" Rapunzel asked nervously.
"Sure, why wouldn't it be?" Quasi asked as he threw open the door, revealing the rotten remains within. Broken furniture lay scattered about, with an old dusty bar sitting to the side, its drink shelves long since empty. A rat skittered by just outside the light.
"No reason," Rapunzel moaned.
"There's no one here," Quasi said as he looked around in confusion.
"Do you think she lied?" Rapunzel asked, looking around as well.
"I…I…" Quasi mumbled, fearing another betrayal.
"I mean, I don't know," Rapunzel quickly added, "Hey, they're a secret organization right?"
"Right," Quasi agreed.
"Then maybe there's a secret room or passage or something around here somewhere," Rapunzel suggested.
"Yeah," Quasi agreed, nodding his head, "Maybe you're right."
"Come on," she said, motioning to the side, "Let's get started."
The two quickly began searching around the inn, trying to find any sort of a hint of a secret door or entrance. They scoured every nook and cranny of the dusty and rotting building but couldn't find anything.
"I'm sorry Quasi," Rapunzel apologized as she stood behind the bar, leaning against it, "Maybe I was wrong."
"I just don't get it," Quasi said, sitting in one of the half rotten chairs, "Why would she send me here if all there was an abandoned inn?"
"I don't know. Maybe-Whoa!" Rapunzel exclaimed as her grip slipped on the dusty bar and began to fall. As she fell, she blindly grabbed onto one of the rusty drink dispensers, specifically one with a handle topped by a carved duckling. As she fell, she pulled the handle downward, before it stopped with a click, catching her before she hit the ground. A second later, there a grinding sound as a section of the wall behind the bar opened up, revealing a hidden passage leading downward.
"Rapunzel!" Quasi exclaimed, leaping to his feet and vaulting over the bar, "Are you alright?"
"I'm okay," Rapunzel said as Quasi helped her up, "And I think I found the switch."
"You did!" Quasi exclaimed, looking at the tunnel for the first time, "You did it, Rapunzel!"
"Did you really only just notice that?" Rapunzel asked with a smile.
"I was distracted," Quasi explained, blushing slightly.
"By what?" Rapunzel asked confused.
"I was worried that you were hurt," Quasi admitted.
"Oh," Rapunzel replied, blushing as well, "Well, thank you."
"Come on, let's see where it goes," Quasi said, taking her hand and leading her down the tunnel. Rapunzel smiled as she squeezed his hand and followed him.
They traveled down the winding corridors, lit by burning torches that cast flickering shadows on the rough stone. The corridors continued on, deeper and deeper into the earth, snaking as it went. Eventually, the sound of voices and music flowed up to their ears, causing them to pause.
"You hear that?" Quasi asked.
"Yes, come on!" Rapunzel said excitedly, pulling Quasi along as they rushed down the corridor. As they rounded a corner, they came to an opening in the tunnel, leading to a large room. As they approached though, the sounds suddenly ceased and the lights all went dark.
"Uh oh," Quasi whispered.
"What is it, Quasi?" Rapunzel asked.
"I think we just walked into a trap," he replied.
Suddenly, a group of torches ignited, revealing a group of people surrounding them. They quickly jumped on them, wrapping ropes around their hands and binding them behind their backs. Rapunzel let out a frightened squeal which was silenced when a cloth was stuffed into her mouth.
As this happened, Quasi got a better look at the chamber from the torches that the thugs surrounding them had lit. It was a large cavern carved out of the stone. Slowly, more torches were being lit, revealing women and children scattered about. All around the chamber were various makeshift tables and work benches and colorful banners hung from the ceiling. In addition, a sea of tents was set up, serving as housing for all the people.
"Well, well, well. What have we here?" a familiar voice asked. Turning, Quasi saw Clopin step into the light, revealing his unmasked face.
"Trespassers!" one of them men declared.
"Spies," another shouted.
"Hmm, well you know what we do with spies," Clopin said with a grin.
"We're not spies!" Quasi shouted, "Don't you recognize me!"
"Ah yes, our King of Fools," Clopin said, leaning over and examining Quasi's face, before turning to Rapunzel, "And you seem to be joined by quite the lovely creature."
Rapunzel flinched away in fear as Clopin reached out to touch her.
"Leave her alone!" Quasi barked, glaring at Clopin.
"Touchy, touchy," Clopin said with a chuckle, stepping away, "But yes, I remember who you are, Quasimodo. I also know you were raised by one Judge Claude Frollo, a man me and my friends have been at odds with our entire lives. In addition to that, you are now a known associate of the Stabbington brothers, a duo we recently had a falling out with for their…methods."
"And last but not least," Clopin continued, "You stole the crown of the Lost Princess, quite possibly the most precious item in the entire kingdom and as such, you have the entire force of the royal guard chasing you. So I apologize if my hospitality seems lax, but I must think of my friends first."
"So now we come to one simple question," he continued, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "What do we do with you?"
"I say we turn him in for whatever reward is on his head!" a thug with a massive nose shouted.
"No!" another thug, this one with a bald head, mustache and a hook for a hand, yelled, "We should string him up here and now!"
"Guys, guys!" a new voice called as another man walked into view. Quasi recognized him as the man he spoke to at the Feast of Fools before he was chosen as the King of Fools, "Why do we need to resort to violence?"
"You're always such a wimp, Flynn," the hook handed thug growled.
"Hey, I'm just being smart, no need to put blood on our hands," Flynn stated, holding his hands up in defense, "Besides, he might still have the crown on him, and that is definitely worth a pretty penny."
As Flynn spoke, he saw the bag hanging around Quasi's shoulder.
"What have we here?" he asked as he reached for the bag. Before he could touch it, a hand reached out and slapped his away. Flynn let out a yelp of pain before looking at his attacker. Esmeralda stood next to Flynn, her hands on her hips as she glared at him.
"Don't even think about it, Ryder," she spat.
"Esmeralda!" Quasi exclaimed.
"Clopin, stop this!" Esmeralda exclaimed, walking over to the man, "I invited him, he's not a spy."
"Maybe not, but he did just steal the Princess' tiara," Clopin argued, "The whole kingdom is looking for him and we can't afford to harbor him."
"So we're just going to throw him out in the cold?" Esmeralda snapped back, "I thought the whole point of all of this was to take in the outcasts of the kingdom. To protect the poor and helpless of this kingdom from Frollo."
"This is different," Clopin replied, trying to calm her. Meanwhile, Pascal crawled from his hiding spot in Rapunzel's hair and began untying the ropes around her wrists.
"I don't see how it is," Esmeralda replied.
"Enough!" the hook handed thug yelled, lifting Quasi off his feet into the air, "the girl always had her head stuck in the clouds. Why are we listening to her now? We can't afford to let either of these two go. I say we end this problem here and now."
As he spoke, Pascal finished untying Rapunzel's hands, allowing her to reach up and ungag herself. As she did, she saw the hook handed thug raise his hook up to Quasi's throat, the point glinting in the torch light. Esmeralda tried to stop him, but the hook handed thug pushed her away.
"Hey!" Flynn shouted as he caught the stumbling Esmeralda, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, stop them!" Esmeralda pleaded, indicating to the hook handed thug. Flynn nodded and walked over to the thug.
"Come on, Hook. Buddy," Flynn started, flashing a winning smile, "There's no need to gut him like a fish. Like I was saying, we can just sell the crown for the fortune its worth and let him hide out hear. He can't tell anyone where we are if he doesn't leave, can he?"
"This doesn't concern you, Ryder," Hook spat, before kicking Flynn in the chest, sending him rolling backwards.
Standing up, Rapunzel looked around, trying to figure out what to do. Looking up, she saw two roots stinking out from the ceiling, hanging above them. Grabbing her hair, she tossed it and swung it around one root and wrapped it another. Pulling on it, she pulled the root up until it was nearly bent backwards. Releasing it with a flick of her wrist, the root snapped downward and smacked Hook right on top of his head. The force of the blow nearly floored him, but he managed to stay standing with his grip still on Quasi. Turning around, he glared at Rapunzel.
"Let him go!" she shouted.
The thug's glare only intensified, causing Rapunzel to wilt as her bravado left her.
"Please?" she pleaded.
"What's it matter to you, girly?" Hook growled as he dropped Quasi and stalked over to her, Rapunzel seeming to shrink as Hook towered over her.
"Okay, one, he's my friend and two, I don't know where I am and I need him to take me to see the lanterns because I've been dreaming about them my entire life!" she explained quickly, her courage quickly returning "Find your humanity! Haven't you ever had a dream!"
A look of surprise crossed Hook's face before he turned away quickly, grunting.
"You have, haven't you?" Rapunzel asked, realization dawning on her, "or maybe still do."
Hook grunted in reply as all the other thugs looked on with looks of pity and remorse.
"You do," she pressed, ignoring everyone else, "What is it? You can tell me."
Hook roared in anger before whirling around, pulling a hatchet off his belt and holding it up to her neck, causing Rapunzel to scream in fright.
"Yes," he growled, lowering the axe blade and slipping it back into its holster "I had a dream once."
"I'm malicious, mean and scary," he said in a strange way that Rapunzel realized was singing, "My sneer could curdle dairy. And violence-wise my hands are not the cleanest."
"But despite my evil look, and my temper and my hook!" he continued, leading Rapunzel over to a covered piece of furniture, before pulling the tarp off, revealing a piano, "I've always want to be a concert pianist."
Rapunzel looked on in surprise as Hook played a few keys with his hooked hand.
"Can't you see me on the stage performing Mozart?" he sung as he sat down and played the piano with both hands, "Tickling the ivories 'til they bleed. Yes, I'd rather be called deadly for my killer show tune medley 'cause way down deep inside, I got a dream."
Rapunzel smiled as she watched him play while a crowd began to crowd began to gather around them, bobbing to the music.
"He's got a dream!" they sung, "He's got a dream!"
"See, I ain't as cruel and vicious as I seem!" Hook declared as Rapunzel sat on the bench next to him, "Though I do like breaking femurs, you can count me with the dreamers. Like everybody else I got a dream!"
As Hook continued to play, Rapunzel motioned for Quasi to join her. Quasi uneasily made his way over to her, looking at the man who had been prepared to slit his throat moments before. Hook smiled at Quasi while Rapunzel grabbed his arm and pulled him to the seat next to her. As he settled, the thug with the big nose walked up and leaned against the piano.
"I've got scars and lumps and bruises, plus something here that oozes" he sung while motioning to his arm, "and let's not even mention my complexion!"
"But despite my extra toes, and my goiter and my nose," he continued, showing off the mentioned bits, "I really want to make a love connection!"
"Can't you see me with a special little lady?" he asked as he grabbed Quasi and Rapunzel's arms, before spinning them around. The two quickly grabbed onto each other, blushing as they looked into each other's eyes. A smile spread across each of their faces as they began to dance with each other, as others did as well, "Rowing in a rowboat down the stream!"
"Though I'm one disgusting blighter, I'm a lover, not a fighter" Big Nose declared, "cause way down deep inside I got a dream!"
"I've got a dream!" Big Nose shouted as Quasi and Rapunzel danced by, laughing as they did so.
"He's got a dream!" the dancing crowed exclaimed.
"I've got a dream!" Big Nose repeated.
"He's got a dream" the crowd sung again.
"And I know one day romance will reign supreme!" Big Nose sung as he walked over to Rapunzel and Quasi and put his arms around their shoulders. "Though my face leaves people screaming, there's a child inside it dreaming. Like everybody else I got a dream."
As Big Nose finished, Clopin flipped over the crowd, landing in the middle of them with a large smile on his face.
"I like dance and sing, and see the smile that I bring, whenever I decide to wander into town!" he sung, looking around at the people, "but when I see people living in the squalor and the dirt, you know it really makes me hurt, and resent that man working for the crown!"
"Can't you see all the people being happy?" he asked as the people around him cheered, "Living without being constantly in fear!"
"I will always be a clown, but I'm a rebel when the chips are down. Like all the people suffering, I've got a dream!"
"I've got a dream!" he declared as the crowd continued to cheer.
"He's got a dream!" the crowd charted.
"I've got a dream!" he repeated.
"He's got a dream!" the crowd cheered again.
"And one day we'll overthrow Frollo's corrupt regime! I may not always do right, but when it comes down to it, I will fight! Like all my friends here I have a dream!"
As the music continued, Big Nose began to lead the two around, followed by other thugs as they introduced some of the other men.
"Cor would like to one day be a florist," Big Nose explained, indicating to a thug watering some potted plants.
"Gunter does interior design," another thug said, indicating to a man standing outside an extremely well maintained tent.
"Ulf is into mime!" the group sang, pointing out a heavy set man in mime makeup entertaining a group of children.
"Attila's cupcakes are sublime!" they continued, motioning to a thug pulling a pan of pastries out of a makeshift oven.
"Killer knits! Bruiser sows! Clopin does little puppet shows!" the group continued, coming to a cart which Clopin quickly shooed them away from.
"Vladimir collects ceramic unicorns!" Big Nose declared, pointing to a massive man with a horned helmet examining a small ceramic unicorn before handing it to an eager little girl.
As the group of thugs continued singing, Flynn tried to sneak up behind them, wanting to get a look into Quasi's bag. However, before he could, the group whirled around, all looking at him with an encouraging look.
"Oh come on guys you know I don't sing," Flynn whined. A grumble went through the crowd as the thugs glared at him, some fiddling with their weapons. Flynn gulped before hoping up onto a table.
"I've got dreams like you, no really! Just much less…touchy feely," he sang, "They mainly happen somewhere warm and sunny! On an island that I own, tan and rested and alone! Surrounded by enormous piles of money!"
"I've got a dream!" Esmeralda declared as she stepped up onto the table with Flynn, "I've got a dream! To stop Flynn Rider's latest scheme!"
Flynn looked at her in confusion before she shoved him off the table, causing him to land on his butt while the crowd roared with laughter.
"He's selfish, conceited and vein and all around a pain. Unlike all you people who've got a dream!"
Flashing a quick smile at Rapunzel, Quasi hopped up on another table, grabbing the attention of the others.
"I don't have the best looks, and I've worked with some crooks, but all in all I think I'm a pleasant guy!" he sang as everyone cheered, "So if you spare me another glance, and give me a second chance, you'll see that I'm really worth the try!"
"I've got a dream!" Rapunzel declared as she hopped up onto the table next to Quasi, putting her hands on his shoulders for balance.
"She's got a dream!" the crowd declared happily.
"I've got a dream!" she continued, smiling at Quasi happily.
"She's got a dream!" the crowd roared again.
"I just want to see the floating lanterns gleam!" she declared, causing the crowd to cheer appreciatively, "And with every passing hour, I'm so glad I left my tower! Like all you lovely folks, I've got a dream!"
"She's got a dream! He's got a dream! They got a dream! We've got a dream!" the crowd, joined by Clopin and Esmeralda, sang, "So our differences ain't really that extreme. We're one big team!"
"Call us brutal!" one of the thugs yelled.
"Sick!" another added.
"Sadistic!" Hook shouted.
"And grotesquely optimistic!" Big Nose declared.
"Because way down deep inside we got a dream!" the crowd roared.
"I've got a dream!" Hook declared.
"I've got a dream!" Big Nose shouted.
"I've got a dream!" Clopin sang.
"I've got a dream!" Esmeralda added.
"I've got a dream!" Quasi sung, smiling at Rapunzel.
"I've got a dream!" Rapunzel sang, pulling Quasi into a hug.
"Way down deep inside I've got a dreeeeeeaaaaaam!" all of them sang, before erupting into applause.
"Quasi!" Esmeralda called, walking over as Quasi hopped off the table before helping Rapunzel down, "You sure know how to make an entrance."
"I guess," Quasi said with a laugh, before turning to Rapunzel who had placed her hand on his shoulder, "Rapunzel, this is my friend Esmeralda. Esmeralda, this is Rapunzel."
"You're Quasi's friend?" Rapunzel asked as she stepped forward and pulled Esmeralda into a hug, "It's great to meet you!"
"Um, it's nice to meet you too, sweetie," Esmeralda said awkwardly as she returned the hug, "So how did you two meet?"
"It's a bit of a long story," Quasi admitted.
"Well, I should probably show you around anyway. You can tell me while I give you the grand tour," Esmeralda replied.
"That sounds great!" Rapunzel exclaimed, "Lead the way!"
"Follow me then," Esmeralda said as she began to lead them through the expansive cavern.
A/N: Well this took longer to get out then I was expecting. School has started back up again, and as you can see, it's really started to slow me down. Hope you guys can bear with me. Please review and tell me what you think! Later!