"Rachel, I'm here!" Gabriel shouted, bursting into the room with Cosmic White in hand. "What's the problem? You can usually handle stuff on your own, so if you need backup, it must be something big!"
"I'm here too!" Kessie called, landing on Gabriel's shoulder.
"Thank goodness you got here," Rachel said. "I've got a friend here that could use your help."
Gabriel looked over to see Hunter sitting in a chair, a blanket around him and a cup of hot chocolate in hand. "Oh, hey Hunter," the raven said, dissipating his Keyblade and taking a knee to get eye level with the boy. "You want to tell me what happened?"
"… I saw Belos for the first time in this world," Hunter said, gripping his cup tightly. "I thought I'd be ready to face him again, but he's not just a scary, angry blob monster here. He's like how he was before the Collector came and… it scared me…"
"Right, villains tend to appear in their most recognizable forms here the Magical World," Gabriel recalled. "You don't have to worry about Belos here, Hunter. You've got friends that can help you, be it from the Boiling Isles or here in the Magical World."
"But I don't just want to let them handle my problems!" Hunter said, frowning. "Belos is my uncle… or my dad… or my brother… By the Titan, being a Grimwalker is confusing."
"You know, Lena thought she could handle her problems on her own as well," Poe said, entering the room with more hot chocolate. "But to overcome Magica she sought the love and friendship of her friends to overpower my sister's dark magic. Just because your friends help you, doesn't mean they are butting in on a personal matter."
"And if you do feel like they are being too much, then tell them as such," Gabriel said. "There's no shame in wanting some alone time. That's some of the best time to think."
"Thank you for the advice, but… I still feel lost," Hunter admitted.
Gabriel hummed. "You know, maybe you just need someplace to voice your problems without fear of being judged. Here, come with me." The raven then took a sip of his hot chocolate. "Hm, is this dark chocolate, Poe? It tastes wonderful."
"But of course. Dark chocolate is not only the best chocolate, but it's also healthier for you," the dark sorcerer said.
Gabriel took the group out of Rachel's room and across the Magical World to Epcot, where the French Pavilion was their destination. "It's a good thing this place still exists here in the Magical World. It's the only church I can think of off the top of my head," the raven said, looking up at the impressive building.
"Gabriel, is taking Hunter to Notre Dame a good idea?" Rachel asked. "You do know the kind of villain Belos is, right?"
The raven crossed his arms. "Rachel, just because Belos has some parallels to the Puritans of the 1600s, doesn't mean that he's a religious villain. Heck, most villains that use religion as a tool are going against the teachings of their religion in the first place. The whole point of Hunchback is that Frollo is a terrible man that's using religion to get away with stuff, but at the end of the move he literally gets thrown into a sea of hellfire for his sins."
"Sorry, I didn't expect you get offended by that," Rachel apologized.
Gabriel sighed. "I'm not really offended, just annoyed that people will blame the religion for their problems instead of the people using said religion to take advantage of others. It's like how guns don't kill people, but people with guns kill people. Besides, I believe that everyone should have the right to believe how they want to, as long as they don't use their beliefs to harm others."
"Well said," Poe nodded. "I'm not a religious person myself, being a dark wizard and all that, but I've seen the power that faith can give people. Humans can do remarkable things when they believe hard enough."
"Is anyone going to explain what this place is?" Hunter asked.
"Hunter, this is Notre Dame, one of the most famous churches in the whole world. It serves as a place of worship for people of the Christian faith, but also acts as a sanctuary for those that need it, and no harm will come to those that dwell within," Gabriel explained. The group went inside, with Hunter marveling at the vastness of the building. "Sometimes people come here to confess their sins, or wrongdoings. You will find no judgement, so feel free to speak your mind."
Hunter nodded, stepping into one of the pews and sitting down. "So… Do I have to do anything special?" he asked.
Gabriel shook his head. "No, all you have to do is talk. You don't even have to say out loud if you're not comfortable. Notre Dame will listen regardless."
As Hunter sat there, he closed his eyes and thought about all that was troubling him. Rachel watched, giving a sigh as she looked around the room. "It's been a while since I've seen this movie. The architecture is a beautiful as ever." She looked to Gabriel. "I'm feeling nostalgic now. Could you give me some music?"
The raven nodded, letting Fantasia flow as soft music started to play, Rachel begining to sing along with it.
I don't know if You can hear me
Or if You're even there
I don't know if You would listen
To a Grimwalker's prayer
Rachel looked to Hunter as she sang.
Yes, I know he's just an outcast
He shouldn't speak to You
Still, I see Your face and wonder
Were You once an outcast, too?
Gabriel nodded along with the song, raising his own voice to join Rachel's as they sang out together, the stain glass windows seeming to shine brighter as they did so.
God help the outcasts
Hungry from birth
Show them the mercy
They don't find on earth
Kessie took a seat next to Hunter, the boy reaching out a hand to pet her as he thought.
God help my people
We look to You, still
God help the outcasts
Or nobody will
Feeling the mood of the room, Poe took a step forward and sang his own part of the song.
Some ask for wealth
Some ask for fame
Some ask for glory to shine on their name
Some ask for love they can possess
Some ask for God and His angels to bless them…
Gabriel took over, finishing the song as he smiled, a tear falling from his face as the beautiful melody played.
I ask for nothing
I can get by
But I know so many
Less lucky than I
The raven looked to Hunter, watching as Rachel took a seat next to him alongside Poe.
Please help my people
The poor and downtrod
I thought we all were
The children of God
Gabriel stopped singing, letting Rachel have the last line.
God help the outcasts
Children of God…
As the song concluded, Rachel put a comforting arm around Hunter. "You feeling better now?" she asked.
"…Yeah, actually. Like a weight has been lifted off me," he replied. "Thank you, Rachel, Poe, Gabriel."
"Just doing what we do best," the raven responded.
"Hunter, while you're here in the Magical World, I want to keep helping you," Rachel said. "I know you still have one more episode of your show before your story concludes, but I'd like to offer you a spot on my team. I can teach you ways of defending yourself and your friends, and Poe can teach you different forms of magic."
"Er, is magic a good idea to talk about in a place like this?" Poe asked.
"Poe, Notre Dame has magic talking gargoyles, I think we're fine," Gabriel chuckled.
"As I was saying, would you like to join my team, Hunter?" Rachel asked.
The boy looked to the sword mage and smiled. "Sure. Let's get stronger together, Rachel!" The two shook hands.
"Looks like our job is done here," Gabriel said with a nod. "Come on, Kessie, let's give these two some space."
"Can we go visit Almyra while we're here?" the bluebird asked.
Gabriel smiled. "Sure, let's make it a lunch as well. There's this little bakery here in Paris I've been meaning to try some macaroons from…"
Author's Note
This chapter was a request from Princess Gakoshi for Rachel to comfort Hunter. The Grimwalker has been through a lot, and Rachel is the one to reach out and help him after an encounter with Belos in the Magical World. The song this time is "God Help the Outcasts" from Hunchback, with some lyrics changed to better fit the scene.
Gabriel's discussion with Rachel on topic of religion is something that I believe in. As someone that lives in America, I think freedom of expression is important, and religion is an important part of that, but I also know that people have used religion to do bad things in the past. But we must not blame religion for their actions, even if they were a motivation for said actions, as there as just as many if not more people that use religion for good things as well. So for those that are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or any other religion (or lack thereof), know that the Magical World is a safe place for you.
We'll have a lighter chapter next time, so don't worry! This one is a bit short because I'm still recovering from the big Valentine's Day special.
Next Time: Gabriel and Rocket help out the newest hero on the Marvel block!