Disclaimer: Okay here, chapter two! I own nothing except my oc's! Enjoy and please review!
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"MIZUKI!"
Mizuki was abruptly jerked back into reality. Looking up she saw that the monk was now towering over her with an amused look on his face "H-huh?" she stuttered
" I've been trying to get your attention for several minutes now," Said Brother Peter.
"Oh! Sorry I didn't hear you," she said placing the parchment aside. "What were you asking?"
"Would you like to take a break and get something to eat? You have been working for seven hours now!"
"Seven hou- It couldn't possibly be that late!"
"Will it is," said brother now examining a scroll. "Go and get some food in you. If you get any skinnier you'll flutter away with the breeze,"
At the mention of food her stomach growled loudly. Mizuki could see Brother Peter smirking from behind the scroll. Putting down her quill she rose slowly causing several body part to creak and pop in protest. Making her way stiffly to the door, she turned and asked "Would you like me to get you something to eat as well brother?"
"My dear I had a splendid lunch less then an hour ago," he glanced at her grinning "Have a lovely meal,"
Smiling she presided to walk out of the room when Brother called out behind her "Oh, and don't forget to care for Ayame as well"
Mizuki gasped. "I completely forgot!" Wasting no more time she ran out of the room leaving the laughing monk behind her.
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Quasimodo had just finished polishing the bells and was setting the cleaning supplies in their rightful places. The sun now high in the sky was shining through the bell tower making his stain glass mobiles sparkle brightly. Sighing he walked over to the table which held his model of the city. A sudden beam of light shot off a piece of glass and caught him directly in the eye. Squinting he reached up and gently twirled the mobiles causing the multi colored lights to dance and chase each other on the floor and walls. Smiling slightly Quasimodo sat down and grabbed his unfinished bakers building he had been working on for the past week now. The knife that was laying next to the cathedral model was picked up and gripped lightly by a pair of large yet gentle hands. Carefully he scraped away the excess wood and began carving it into a more pleasing shape, only to place it down ten minutes later.
"What wrong Quasi?" Laverne hopped up beside him looking at him with her soulful grey eyes.
"Nothing," he shrugged picking up the wood once again.
"Oh come on sweetie, I've known you since you where just a little thing," she placed a comforting arm around his large shoulder " I can tell when something is bothering you" He glanced back at his old friend and recognized the determined look he had come to know so well stretched across her face.
"Its just…I don't know," Quasimodo sighed
"What is it?" she gently pried
"I just wish I was normal," he dropped the items he was holding in defeat. "I want to go outside and I want to meet people," Quasimodo buried his face in his hands. "I don't want to be lonely anymore,"
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Mizuki ran as fast as she could through the cathedral no longer caring about the dreadfully loud thuds her shoes were making on the tile floor. She rushed past the noble statues she was admiring early and past the pews. Most the worshipers were long gone by now aside from the occasional straggler. As she passed the statue of the virgin Mary her feet got tangled in her boots. Letting out a cry of alarm she plummeted to the hard ground landing painfully on her side. Panting she laid there stunned for a moment or two. Finally able to regain her breath Mizuki stirred trying to reposition her arm which was at the moment twisted awkwardly beneath her. She uttered a groan as she sat up trying to rub feeling back into her arm. 'Well that is certainly going to leave a bruise.' Mizuki unsteadily lifted herself up. "I think I'll walk the rest of the way," she muttered.
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"Quasi," Laverne rubbed his back in soothing circles "You've never been alone. You got us," Quasimodo lifted his head.
"I know, its just…I-I-I want to be around people, I don't want to hide anymore" He stood up abruptly. "Everyday I watch people live there lives outside, praying that someday I could have that." He started pacing. "I want to walk in the streets, I want do be able to buy paint from the market." Quasimodo threw his hands up in the air "I cant even go to mass!" He turned to face Laverne " You know there was a man who killed his neighbor, and as a final wish he got to go to mass one last time before he was hung. Why cant I?" Quasimodo stopped waving his hands, and he stood still panting. Laverne remained silent and looked straight into his bright green eyes. Eyes that had endured far too much sadness and pain in his young life. She hopped forward and placed her cold stone hand upon his thick arm causing goose bumps to sprout on his skin.
"Quasi, you can stay here waiting for things to change, or you can go out and change them yourself," Quasimodo ran his fingers through his hair. He looked down at her with an expression of pure hopelessness carved into his face. Laverne felt her old heart breaking for the boy she had come to see as a son.
"How?"
"Well," Laverne began, "Go outside, Go to mass, Go and explore the cathedral. You've been living here your whole life and all you've seen are the roof tops."
"I'm not allowed to go anywhere else," He mumbled
"Quasi, it's a church. Everybody is allowed in."
"What about Frollo? If he caught me…" Quasimodo sighed heavily and his braod shoulders shagged as he stared at the ground dejectedly. Laverne placed her hand beneath his chin and gently rasied his face to make eye contact.
"Some thing's are worth risk Quasi,"
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When Mizuki reached the kitchen she instantly walked through the door to her left that led out to the garden. The garden was spectacular. It had an entire acre dedicated to the Cathedral. Countless green plants grew there in neat rows. There the Nuns fought an endless battle against the dreaded weeds. Mizuki spotted a very large dog laying in the dirt, her pointed ears pressed flat against her skull in a dejected manner. She had a gray coat with white, brown and black peppering it. Swirls of white and brown framed her eyes and nose much like an exotic masquerade mask.
"Ayame!" Mizuki called out energetically. The black rimed ears perked up. " Here girl!" No response. "Look, I know I'm late to feed you. I'm sorry," Mizuki said sympathetically. The dog didn't move. Sighing she returned to the kitchen. Like everything else in Notre Dame this room was large enough to fit the king's army in comfortably. All the pots and pans gleamed neatly in the light. Not a spoon out of place. Upon the counter laid a roast patiently waiting for someone to prepare it for tonight's supper. Going to the pantry Mizuki searched for the bag of scraps the nuns put aside for Ayame. Spying it laying in the corner next to the potatoes she grabbed it and returned to the dog. Ayame was still in the same position. "Oh, quite feeling sorry for yourself!" Mizuki scowled looking for the food dish. "Your always so dramatic," Meanwhile the food dish which was not in its usual spot seemed to have disappeared.
"Where did that basted thing go?" Mizuki glanced at Ayame suspiciously. The dog was wearing a very proud and arrogant expression. If she didn't know any better she'd say Ayami was smirking at her. Mizuki caught sight of the corner of the dish poking out from underneath Ayame's belly. "Really?" She attempted to dislodge the object. "You thought laying on top of your food dish was going to teach me a lesson?" Ayame glared at her and stood allowing Mizuki to retrieve the bowl. Mizuki quickly pored the contents of the bag into the dish. It was at that instead Ayame decided to forgive her by giving her a hasty lick on the hand before devouring her lunch. Seeing that the dog was properly fed Mizuki returned to the pantry to get herself some bread and cheese. Feeling her hunger return with enforcements she placed the cheese on top of the bread and quickly ate her meal with a glass of water. After cleaning up the crumbs Mizuki went to check on Ayame's progress. She was licking her already spotless bowl only pausing to sniff the ground for missed morsels.
" I think you are done," Mizuki said amused while taking the dish. "You act as if I starve you," Ayame just wagged her tail and followed her in to the kitchen. "Would you like to come with me to the library?" Taking the violently wagging tail as a 'yes' she smiled and patted Ayame on the head. "Well come on then," she said walking through the kitchen door. "Brother Peter will be wondering what's taking us so long."
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Mizuki could hear Ayame's nails constantly clicking on the tile floor behind her as they walked through the building. The candles where lit now. She ran by too quickly earlier to really notice. Mizuki always loved watching the flames flickering cutting through the darkness, parting the shadows like a knife through warm butter. She sighed heavily as she wondered through the church feeling relatively bored.
When she arrived at the library Brother Peter insisted she took the rest of the afternoon off, "Relax a little my girl! Enjoy yourself." he said "Go do whatever you young people do. The books will still be here tomorrow."
"Wonderful advice Brother," she mumbled to herself "Now I'm stuck here with nothing to do," Mizuki jumped when something wet and cold brushed past her hand. She looked down and saw Ayame looking up at her with those big golden eyes whining. "Yes, I know you want to go out," she said looking out through the stain glass window. She could see shadows of the traffic on the busy streets beyond. "But we'll have to wait. It's far to crowded out." Mizuki hated crowds. Every time she went out she was greeted with hushed whispers and bold stares. At first it was unbearable, but after living here for three years she learned to ignore most of it. However the occasional flying stone or thrown fruit had force her to save her walks until evening. She sighed again and glanced around. Mizuki had already explored every inch on the ground level years ago. What once had fascinated her had become dull and average. The only place in the cathedral she hasn't seen was the upper levels. Once her first year here Mizuki tried to sneak up to the bell tower, but was caught half a dozen steps up by Judge Frollo. She shuddered. Frollo grabbed her arm dragging her down stairs and threw her the last three steps to the ground. She thought he was going to beat her. Badly. But by some blessing Brother Peter saw the disturbance and managed to stop him.
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Quasimodo stood in the shadows of the staircase peering out into the cathedral. A young girl with a long black braid past by with a very large wolf-like dog at her side. He Drew his black cloak closer around him trying to hide his face, despite the fact that she couldn't see him in the darkness and the girl was at least eight feet away. Maybe I should go back, he thought to himself as he look back at the stairs that led to the safely of the bell tower. Its not too late, no one has caught me. Quasimodo put one foot up the stairs. I cant be punished if on one knows that I left. Just as he was about to turn around and retreat Laverne words echoed across his mind causing him to pause.
Some things are worth the risk.
Determination and courage filled Quasimodo's heart at that moment giving him strength. Taking a deep breath, he tighten his cloak about him and stepped into the candlelight.
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Mizuki pause in her mindless wonderings when she heard a loud crash ebbing out behind her. Her heart was beating rapidly, startled from the sudden noise in the quiet room. Turning around Mizuki saw a large man with his black cloak twisted in his feet. He must of tripped in the over sized fabric and fell taking a candle stand to the floor along with him. Mizuki was about to turn away, and ignore the man's misfortune, after all the last time she tried to help someone all she got for her troubles where insults and a slap. Ayame however had a different idea and trotted over to the man with a wagging tail causing Mizuki to halt in her hasty get-away. Ayame never approached strangers and was extremely mistrustful of them. Every time she was introduced to new people she either hid behind Mizuki's skirts or Brother Peters robes. This man must be a saint for Ayame to run to him like that she thought while watching Ayame now lick the man's face hidden in the shadow of his hood. Deciding to trust the dog's instinct Mizuki walked forward with caution. Seeing her traveling toward him, the man desperately tried to bring his hood closer around his face. Well that's certainly a new reaction, she mused most people sneer at me. Mizuki stopped less then half a foot away from the man.
"Are you alright" she asked
"Fine," he whispered back. His voice surprised her. It was deep and strong yet at the soft and kind. He spoke so quietly as if he was afraid to speak at all.
Clearing her throat nervously she said, " I'm Mizuki, and she is Ayame." Mizuki inwardly winced at her timid sounding words. The man responded by placing a hand on Ayame's head in gratitude. His hand was huge, nearly the same size as the dog's skull. And yet he crouched as if he was trying to make himself small, and invisible. Quite an impossible feat for one as large as him.
"If you stay on the floor any longer you'll catch cold," Mizuki said gently trying to coaxes him too his feet. It worked. The man rose clumsy, swaying slightly. Afraid he would fall again Mizuki gripped his arm to steady him. He was hunched over like an old man dwarfing his length. But despite this he was still an inch or two taller then her. If he stood up straight he would easily reach 6 feet.
"T-thank you," She gave him a small smile.
"Your welcome. What's your name?" Mizuki could see his intense green eyes studying her from the shadows of his cloak. After a moment of silence he said at last, "Quasimodo,"
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Okay, I'm finally finished! I made Quasi taller then in Disney because to me it made no since for a large man to be as short as a kid hunchback or not. I would like to thank Acacia 24, Renarde Rouge for their reviews and a special thanks to Kiya - Chan for being a wonderful beta!
Please Review! Review are my life!
-Demonicbrat