Disclaimer: I own nothing! Okay I can't apoligize enough for the delay.
Between getting sick, going back to school and working I've had very little time.
Anyway here is the chapter I hope you enjoy!
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Mizuki stood silently in the shadows of the entry way, her hand hovering above the handle of the massive doors that led to the outside world. She did not want to do this. Going out in the middle of the
day just because Brother Thomas was far too busy sampling all the items in the kitchen to walk down the street for fresh parchment. Sighing she withdrew her hand and let it hang limply by her side.
Dread started to seep into her heart as she stared at the tile floor. I wish Ayame could come, she thought depressingly as the dog's absence became increasingly noticeable. Unfortunately due to the
last incident Ayame's trips outside where strictly limited to evening walks. The last trip Mizuki was met with the usual sneers and averted stares but, this time some fool child thought that it would be
funny to throw a rather heavy rock at her head. The rock missed its target thankfully, but stuck her quiet painfully in the shoulder. This cruel prank caused Ayame to unleash her protective nature and
charge after the boy with bare fangs. Of course both Mizuki and Brother Peter knew that Ayame wouldn't actually hurt the boy. But instead of seeing a dog protecting its companion the crowd saw a
angry wolf chasing an innocent child. Needless to say Ayame's daytime strolls came to an end.
Taking a deep breath Mizuki gathered her courage, placed her hand on that cold door handle and pushed open the door. Golden sunlight poured through the dark cathedral temporary blinding her.
Gasping Mizuki quickly shut her burning eyes and turned her head away. Slowly giving her eyes time to adjust she reopened them and slowly stepped out into the open as if expecting to be attacked or
pelted with fruit. But today the square was blissfully empty despite the fact that it was the first dry day they had seen all week. The threatening dark rain clouds ridding on a fast wind in the distance
must have frighten many of them back to the smugness of their warm homes. Drawing her shawl tighter around her narrow shoulders tying to ward off the damp chilly breeze, Mizuki quickly trotted
down the stone steps out into the streets. She didn't want to be out from the safety of the church for too long. Trying to chose the most secluded and quickest paths to the parchment makers shop she
briskly walked down the back sticking to the back alleys of Paris.
When she got to the store without an incident she silently thanked the lord. This was a rare occasion indeed. Quietly she slipped through the door making the bell attached to it ring delicacy throughout
the room. The noise brought out the Parchment maker from the depths of the back room. He was a round man with a fast fading hair line and shiny forehead. "Good afternoon!" he chortled cheerfully
"What may I do for you today?" However the moment he caught sight of Mizuki his grin melted from his face and all friendliness vanished from his little watery eyes. "Oh its you," he sneered "What do
you want?"
"Three packages of parchment please," Mizuki informed ignoring his tone looking straight into his overly plump face without flinching. Seeing that his rude attitude wasn't affecting her in the least he
huffed and gathered the objects she requested. Laying down the packages on the counter he named off his price. Mizuki handed him his money without so much as a twitch of her eye despite that she
knew full and well that the man had deliberately over charged her. She just wanted to get back home as soon as possible without any misfortune. After placing the parchment in her shoulder bag, Mizuki turned and walked out of the shop without so much as a "Thank you," or "Good bye".
Choosing the same path she used earlier Mizuki quickly disappeared behind the stores weaving her way through the hidden roads of the city. With any luck she would be able to make it home without
any troubles. Unfortunately her luck ran out when she was almost half way to Notre Dame. There were three guards just dead ahead after she turned the corner. They seemed to have encircled a
colorfully dressed man with a pointed nose and a beard to match. Mizuki's first instance was to instantly turn around and walk away as quickly as she could, but for the strangest reason she hesitated.
Her mind drifted back to the first day she met Quasimodo. She wanted to turn and flee that time as well. If she had she would have passed by a wonderful friend whom she cared for deeply. Mizuki
looked at the poor man being bullied amongst the guards. How would she feel if she was in his place? Just then as if sensing her gaze the man glanced over and looked her straight in the eyes. This
sudden attention did not escape the guards notice and they too caught sight of Mizuki. One of them marched over to her. Panicking Mizuki tried to run but was too slow and the guard grabbed her arm
in a bruising grip.
"Look what we got here boys," He boasted yanking her closer to the other two. "A little library mouse,"
One of the guards snickered as his eyes flashed darkly under his helmet. "You know what we do to mice don't ya?"
"We squish them," Another one added
"I don't know," The man holding her arm said looking more closely at her "She's kind of cute for a mouse." Mizuki gasped and her stomach churned with fear and disgust. The cruel look in the men's
eyes brought up unwelcome images of the past.
A plump man in a white nightgown, his round face red with fury. His strong grip on her upper arm. He pushed her and she lost her balance. A broken mirror. Shards of glass sprinkled with her blood
littered around her as she lay on the floor sobbing.
With a harsh cry Mizuki wretched her arm from the Guard's grip. Her unexpected action caught the man by surprise and he reached out for her to seize her a second time. Mizuki pulled back her fist and
punched him square in the face, effectively bruising her knuckles on his jaw bone. Taking advantage of the guard's distraction the man with the long nose broke free and ran down the street as fast as
his legs could carry him. One of the men in armor let out a cry of rage as he chased after him. But he soon returned cursing loudly "The gypsy is gone,"
"You let him get away?" his companion said sounding amused.
"I didn't let him! The devil vanished!"
His friend laughed out loud "Well Edouard, perhaps if you didn't start your mornings off with a pint of ale, you wouldn't being losing your sight!" Edouard growled and gave the other man a firm smack
on the back of the head.
"As if you have room to talk Antoine! Always carrying around that blasted wine flask!"
"What can I say?" Antoine chuckled adjusting his helmet that had slipped over his eyes when Edouard hit it. "In order to keep up with you I have no choice but to drink constantly,"
"Why you-!"
"Enough of this!" The man holding on to Mizuki's wrist shouted while walking forward dragging her along with him. When the other two men caught sight of his fast forming bruise on his cheek their
eyes widen and they burst out laughing.
"Oh, shut up!" he snapped going rather red.
"Sorry Captain," Antoine snickered
"So what are we going to do with her?" asked Edouard nodding in Mizuki's direction. "Do we take her to the palace of justice?"
"Why would we do that?"
"Because she punched the Captain you idiot!"
Mizuki's heart was pounding and she could feel herself getting close to tears. If she was taken to the Palace of Justice it was almost certain that she would never leave that place alive. Frollo would
make sure of that. Her breath hitched in her throat as she though of the dark cells she would be placed in. A area where little to no daylight would reach her forcing her to live in the shadows until she
was reduced to nothing more then a shadow herself. The loneliness of never seeing a kind soul again. Never seeing Ayame or Brother Peter, or Quasimodo again. Mizuki bit her bottom lip to stop it from
trembling as a single tear ran down her cheek. She was in such a hurry that she never got to say good- bye to them this morning and now she would never get another chance. The Captain looked
down at her, his blonde hair falling in his face making his expressions impossible to read. Slowly he let go of her arm.
"Go back to the library little mouse," he said softly with a wave of his hand.
Mizuki stared at him with wide eyes unable to completely comprehend that she was being set free. Snapping out of her shock she turned and ran before the Captain could change his mind.
She heard one of the men shout "Your just going to let her go?" behind her.
"Shut up! We have other work to do so lets move!" was the Captain's gruff response.
Mizuki didn't stop running until she fell into the Cathedral door putting all her weight into it causing it to fly open sending her sprawling on the floor in a tangled,sweaty, panting mess. Picking herself off
the ground she started walking. Where she was going she didn't know at the time. Her mind was so numb that she wasn't aware of where her feet where taking her until she reached the top of the
stairs and stood in the doorway of the bell tower. She could see Quasimodo sitting by his figures carving away. Feeling suddenly self conscience Mizuki shrunk back into the shadows wiping away her sweat and tears.
"He's busy," She told herself "You don't want to bother him just because you got a little scared. Your acting like a silly child running to your parents after a nightmare." Biting her lip she tried to quietly
turn around and go back down stairs. But unfortunately for her she was too loud in doing so.
"Mizuki?" Quasimodo called out uncertainly. Her back stiffened and she froze her foot hovering above the first step. It would be easier, no better, for the both of them if she pretended she didn't hear
him. If she walked down those stairs and hid herself until she could properly get a hold of her senses. "Is that you?" She could hear his hurried footsteps coming in her direction. This was her one
chance to escape. Mizuki slowly retracted her foot and turned around to face him. Quasimodo walked forward with a smile ready to greet her but stopped short when he caught sight of her face. Slowly
his smile melted and was replace with a look of alarm and worry. "Are you alright?"
That was it. She managed to hold her tears back with a feeble dam but when he uttered those words with such care and concern, emotions that people often denied her, she lost control and her
barrier broke. Fat, thick tears streamed down her face freely against her will and dripped off her chin onto the floor. "I'm f-fine," she stammered out desperately trying to clean her face from the moister
with her sleeve.
Unsure what to do Quasimodo reached out to her as if he was about to embrace her, only to lower his arms once again acting like he was afraid to touch her. Mizuki mentally flinched at his reaction as a
horribly sharp pain dug itself into her chest making it hard to breath. Of course what did I expect? She asked herself sadly while wiping the tears off her chin .Mizuki looked down at her scared, rough
hands. These hands would never be soft and pale or would they be cleansed of the mixed blood that flowed beneath the skin. They would always be tainted, after all who would want to touch a
(1)Hanyou?
Mizuki closed her eyes trying to block out the painful reality of the situation but, she knew despite how hard she wished it the moment she would open her eyes again everything would be the same.
She would still be trapped, imprisoned by her own skin. And her only human friend would be unwilling to comfort her when she needed it the most. Silently without a word Mizuki turned around and
walked down the stairs.
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Alright so that's it! YaY clify! I will give you a box of cookies if you guess who the captain and gypsy is.
(1) Hanyou mean half breed or rather half demon in Japanese.
Reviews are welcome!