All Of My Memories Plead You Near [Quasi]

[rabbit]

[Yeah, I heard Memories by Within Temptation...sue me. ]

Frollo breathed slowly, testing the cool air, his chest quietly falling and rising with each intake. The sound of his shoes clicking against the floor were coupled with two softer steps, belonging to someone other than his own. He was mildly surprised when he found himself walking in a crimson puddle. The blood that spread about the floor clung irritably to the lower ends of his dark robes. He wrinkled his nose. The puddle, quite suddenly, disappeared. His imagination would always run amuck in the company of the church. He was never the same after that bitter downfall of his.

His dark eyes landed on someone he hadn’t expected. Frollo had on a nuetral, chilly expression as he approached him from behind, avoiding the wood carvings Quasimodo had so carefully placed on the table , like a shadow. “Quasimodo," He said, his tone implying cold, outright accusation. He swiftly made it to the other end of the table before the bellringer could react to seeing him again. "Did you honestly think, boy, that I wouldn't make the time to see you again? How thoughtless of you. Now, why, Quasimodo, don't we review the Word of God..."

He swiftly slapped a bible onto the table where he cornered his adoptive son like some helpless deer, nearing his face to his as his eyes darted down to the Ten Commandments. "Thou shalt not kill." He hissed.

Frollo's dry, thin lips cracked into a saccharine smile. "Does that sound familiar to you, Quasimodo?" he asked, irony lacing his words like a venomous plague. The eeriness in his tone grew as the recited the verses passionately, his hollow features sharpening with years of hate.

[Quasimodo]

Quasi glanced proudly over his masterpiece; the miniature Paris now restored to all it`s former glory.

Bright sunlight shone upon the small city, revealing the scene the same way it had always been.
Or was it?

New dolls were added, resembling newer acquaintances and friends he`d gotten the latest year, during his new life of freedom.

Finishing the last touch on one, his thoughts emerged on how much things had changed over the time. From living in cold loneliness, shunned from and by the world, to being surrounded by family and friends, and every day seemed to bring with it something new.

His happy reflections suddenly got interrupted by an ice cold voice.

Quasi froze to the bone as he caught sight of the new arrival, his wide eyes looked like they could pop out of his skull any moment.
Master..? you`re back..? he stuttered in chock, never expecting to see the dark figure again.

Warily he shifted his gaze between the bible the twisted old judge had slammed on the table, and the man himself, quivering under his cold unforgiving stare.

Upon Frollo`s words he choke his head with sadness.
I know what you think, he said, sadness present in his voice as well.
But i committed no murder that day, nor any other day.
What i did, i did to prevent another murder planned, he spoke in an apologizing tone, though this was no apology.

To his fear he discovered a small urge of the loyal servant attitude returning. Maybe not so strange, that had been their relationship all along, that of master and servant, never of father and son.
Though he now knew the horrible truth of who his once so trusted master truly was.

I am sorry, i do wish it could`ve ended otherwise.
Despite his words, and still almost apologizing tone, Quasi had gotten another spark in his eyes. He`d never forget this man`s attempt of to kill him. And much worse, Esmeralda.

[rabbit]

Frollo paused abruptly. He pursed his lips, glanced at the door, then looked back at the foul child before him, and, frowning, lowered his hollow stare. "An odd hour," he murmured. "Never too late, I suppose."

As Quasimodo went on with his seemingly truthful retorts, Frollo added a few final dark strokes to his words as he left the room quietly, then paused his descending of the stairs, eyeing a flickering symbol of repentance. The world turned dark around him. But overall it was time that stood still for him, as his thoughts thrived endlessly. In a matter of seconds he stood before his young son.

"How long has it been, Quasimodo?" he asked, knowing his statement was highly irrelevant to what was happening now. "Ah, yes...I remember now."

He heard the even breathing of Quasimodo, suspense gnawing at his conscience (something he rarely had anymore) and Frollo thrust the torch high into the air with a questionable look, much of his hollow features horribly pale against the fire's lighting. "And now to do what I should have done twenty years ago," he said with a snarl, burning his carvings clean off the table, not caring if the bellringer had gotten burned in the process.

"Watch Paris burn, Quasimodo," he snarled, eyeing his beautiful collection's demise, along with mini-Paris's downfall. He would have smiled, but the betrayal was too strong to overcome. He was writhing with anger. Such treachery.

[....To burn Quasimodo's carvings....that was so painful. ]

[Quasimodo]

More than a tiny bit disappointed Quasi watched his master`s reaction to his words. He sighed as the elderly priest were wandering, examining the walls, apparently more interested in the complicated structures than lending out a listening ear to his lost lonesome "son."

Suddenly Frollo returned to the table, but strangely this didn`t make Quasi feel any better.

He felt a sudden chillness in the air, as though something tried to warn him of an upcoming catastrophe.

The bellringer waited nervously as his master spoke, seemingly to himself more than his companion.

His heart twinged with fear and despair as the torch mercilessly consumed his Little city and it`s inhabitants.

For a moment he stood in chock not believing his eyes, which looked like they were about to pop out of his skull.
It couldn`t be possible. Not this!
The very same model he`d spend countless lonely hours and years in creating during his childhood.
One of the few things that had brought him any joy at all during that time of mere dreams and fantasies of belonging somewhere, but knowing he belonged nowhere.

Getting the use of his legs, he pushed Frollo aside, just remembering he`d had a bucket, hopefully still with water in it, beside one of the many gargoyles around.

Unfortunately luck weren`t on his side today, he discovered as the small amount of water left in the bucket were far from enough to save his once so magnificent creation.
While water eventually killed the flames, only ruins where left of it.
The small buildings, either completely in ashes, or half burned to the ground, their remainings black of ashes.

Tears prickled down his chin as he stared at the remainings of his masterpiece, not believing nor understanding the betrayal.

Only one word was uttered, quietly as a whisper, yet hard as stone, as he turned to his once trusted friend, his eyes burning with deep sadness, along with a stirring anger;
Why?

[rabbit]

Frollo watched quietly, his hands neatly folded, as if in prayer. He lifted his chin filled with indignant pride, pity unseen in his dark, half-lidded eyes.

The bell-ringer did all he could to rescue his childhood memories, now burning under the wretched flames of his own father. The result of the fire left a series of deformed faces, lost limbs, and ashes. The miniature buildings were nothing but black smudge and dark debris. Frollo approached the table carefully, taking a doll in his hand, turning it around; the doll's apparel had melted itself to the wood leaving behind a grosetque deformed being. It was a ball of black - broken, ruined, and ugly.

He ignored Quasimodo's whimpering as he made his way to the gargoyle horde, quiet. He lifted the right one in his arms, threw the stone creation from the balcony, and watched it fall out of sight. This violent action was without reason - everything about being here was without reason. Nothing ever made any sense to Frollo anymore.

He had unknowingly killed one of Quasimodo's most treasured friends. Frollo hoped this would silence the hunchback. He hoped it would break him. He hoped many things of the hated creature he raised.

"Do stone...talk?" he asked, his voice dark and unforgiving when a sudden shatter pierced the air.

[Quasimodo]

Quasi trembled with sobs, taking in the pitiful remainings of his little wooden city, realizing it was beyond repair. Not a single building nor doll had been spared.

His life seemed to be in ruins just as much as the model city before him, his happy moments creating, and playing with it, as well as the trust, and even love he`d felt for the man to destroy it.
How could he ever have believed him to care at all. Everything he`d ever told or done were nothing but lies.
Was that all he was to his master, just a puppet he could play with as he wanted?

The very same question he`d voiced moments before kept echoing in his mind as he turned his head to watch his former master`s wanderings, no longer certain what more damage the man could get himself to do.

The answer to that Quasi got moments later, as the old judge cruelly tipped Laverne over the edge of the balcony.

He rushed over, desperate to save his beloved friend, but it was all to late.
Though he didn`t dare to watch as the oldest and wisest of his gargoyle friends met her ultimate end, he couldn`t stop the noise from reaching his ears.
Or to rip out a piece of his heart.

Trough his childhood, Laverne had been much of a grandmother figure to him, acting precisely like said grandmother would`ve done to her grandchild. While the other two had been fighting each other, (and him) like siblings Laverne were always the one to act calmly in the storm, caring for them all.

Quasi turned back to Frollo, now with fury mixed into the sadness in his eyes.

See for yourself, he replied with rage, tired of hearing the same mocking question day after day.

With a deep breath the bell ringer turned to the room behind them, calling out with no apparent address.

Guys, i know you prefer to stay a secret to the world, he pleaded.
But i believe now it`s time to change that way of life.

After all this have proved to be the hour were all truths come out, Isn`t it? he added the last, with a last angered and disappointed glare to his master.

Couldn`t have said it better myself, a voice rang out, as a small stone gargoyle with short horns and wings, and a somewhat pig like nose came into view.

He were shortly followed by a taller, more noble looking one, with large angelic wings.

(take that frolly cake XDD)

[Persephone]

((OoC::ooh, I can't wait to see how this plays out! *leans fowards eagerly*))

[rabbit]

[Fanks Hades! XD]

It was not a surprised gaze, but something rather like disdain, or offense. He backed away with the swiftness of a snake, the very ends of his robe took but a mere second to follow such admirable grace, most of his natural skin color paling a deep ivory. He looked ghostly, inhuman, when compared with his drab wardrobe.

Frollo, stunned, was not slow to perceive the truth in the deformed human's claim, and set inwardly to proposing various ways in which he might later cure himself of this insanity. Though it was all happening right in front of him, he could not still his utter confusion and rage. He looked unsure of it all, almost fragile, like glass. "Impossible..." He hissed, clutching his breast with such vehemence, one could have believed him to be in the middle of a stroke.

[Quasimodo]

As the gargoyles arrived, Quasi returned his gaze to Frollo, watching the priest-judge with suspicion, though he knew his two friends were fully capable of defending themselves as long as they were in this state.

One may think watching his former master`s terrified reaction would feel somewhat like a small victory, but to Quasi it didn`t

Seeing his so called guardian in such a state, a fallen man having lost all his mercy and common sense and now to alone against the, for him, unbelievable, didn`t feel like a victory at all.
Instead it only filled him with sadness, all his hopes and dreams seemed to have crushed in a matter of minutes.

Gotcha, Hugo simply smirked, amused by Frollo`s reaction.
Wouldn`t think one could be paler than he already is.

A relief to finally be able to walk freely regardless of who might be present, Victor broke in, following right behind his brother in stone.
Actually i`ve been wishing a word or two with you, he added in a serious tone.

Flapping his tiny wings, Hugo flew a few rounds around the mystified judge, just to show off.

And i heard you`ve quite the crush on Laverne, the pig like gargoyle spoke. Way to go.

Though he seemingly joked lighthearted and carefree as always, there was a hint of seriousness in his voice.

Deep inside, the two gargoyles was just as shocked over the loss of Laverne as Quasi was.
Loosing her was simply impossible all three of them had believed.

[rabbit]

Despite the warmth the pig-like gargoyle gave off, however, Frollo did not slow his cautious steps back, which he deemed already faster than befitted an aged man. Even now he could scarcely discern reality from fantasy, and he felt that any greater speed would have rendered him helpless and liable for a fall. If he was not comprehending the situation at hand, he was at least capable of seeing the scene unfold, which was something that he could not grasp without a scowl of disbeleif.

In fact, he hesitated not the least that he was mad, everything about this was already filled with lunacy. He inwardly caved in without much reason to see. It took him but a good twenty minutes to accept the sad, bitter truth. He shielded himself as the creature flew around him. Frollo, a man of lost dignity and grace, had been pressing his back to the wall the whole time before he could realize how tense he really was.

In a moment, the ruins of his work was before him, and Frollo relaxed, pausing so often to examine the stonework that his son befriended. He didn't dare touch them, as if the thought of feeling their rough stone texture would harm his softer skin. It took him a moment to realize that this had to be the devil's work. "Whoever's responsible for this - I'll see to it that they hang." He hissed, more to himself than to his young pupil. His hands were balled up in fists as he tried to control his flaring temper; he suceeded after a good few seconds, and jerked his head to where the deformed youth stood pitying him.

"It is as if we are strangers," he said airily, quiet yet stern. He turned his back on the youth not knowing what to do anymore. He clasped his hands neatly, face raw with bitter emotion, as a shadow was cast over their forms. In the air lingered a sort of disconnection, a sort of suspense unheard of. Silence was indeed not as silent as Frollo beleived, on the contrary, it was louder than the very bells within the mighty, cold belltower - within Notre Dame herself.

[Quasimodo]

What`s with you? Looks like you`ve seen a ghost, Hugo joked, landind his flight on a shelf in eye level of Frollo.

Quasi continued watching the scene before him, with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

The sadness however, was quickly replaced with andger as he heard Frollo`s threath.

You won`t, he stated simply. I`ll see that no more innocent people is hanged by your word, he stated frimly trying to keep a certain hint of fear away from his voice.

The bellringer`s angered tone made clear he was no more the obidient pup he once were.

Indeed it is, Quasi replied to the judge`s realzition that in reality they were strangers.
Of course, Quasi reffered to his master madness and the darkness of his soul, which he just recently had learned of.
first that fateful night in Paris, and then now.
Though it was a hard lesson to take in, that the godness he had belived in, in his former friend and master, were non existent.

So what are you going to do now? he asked, awaiting any reaction, not without fear.

[somechick]

The minister stared at him, then moved his eyes slowly to the corner of the dark room. Frollo, leaning upon the doorjamb, exhibited not the least alarm, but looked steadily at Quasimodo with a harsh glare. "Then as strangers, Quasimodo, it is safe to assume you no longer live here."

He looked to the door and neglected the deformed being another glance. "Consider yourself exiled for your insolence. I expect you to be out of here by dawn. We're through." He finished, descending the dark stairs where he left the creature to assimilate the news.

[Quasimodo]

Quasi blinked confused, not quite taking in the rejection at first.
But as the judge closed the door behind him, a silent tear ran down Quasi`s cheek.

His sight became blurred as he turned around to face the belltower that was no longer his, according to his former master.

This, the only place he`d ever had to call home, were he never to see his beloved gargoyles again? or the bells for that matter?

By old habit his footsteps took him in the direction of the table with his miniature city on, but as the sight of the ruins of the once so proud city pierced his heart he cut of, seating himself on the floor leaning against the wall.

Hugo and Victor exchanged looks, before slowly moving over to the miserable being on the floor.

At the sight of his two friends, Quasi once again was reminded of the loss of Laverne, and he gave a sad smile to the remaining duo.

Though, were she really dead? he didn`t know if stone could die, so far he`d never heard of such a thing.
Maybe, just maybe was it still hope..? he thought as he got back on his feet, giving his two companions a hasty smile.

If only she hadn`t broke in too many pieces.

[somechick]

The Hawaiian snuck gracelessly into the church, and left the Archdeacon unaware of her cloaked form, staring down at the blazing candles.

Nani closed the door softly behind her as she went up the stairs. ascending the long staircase, she pondered deeply upon the welfare of Quasimodo. Curious, worried youth that she was, she had put herself entirely in the mercy of the minister, without even trying.

She pressed her back to the wall and held her breath, not quite like stone, but near it. She listened in on who she believed to be Quasimodo and his caretaker. Innocent Nani was ignorant of Frollo's ways, and felt it right to introduce herself, after all, he was her friend's father.

Nani felt bold enough to face him with a smile. She pulled back the hood of her cloak, extending a slender hand for a shake. "You must be his papa?" she asked warmly, grabbing his ivory hand into her copper ones.

"I'm Nani. I'm sure we've never met, but, um, I'm glad we're finally getting to know each other n-n....now?" her words were silenced by a harsh gaze, the look on Frollo's face was filled with disgust. She blinked inelegantly.

"Soooo..." she said, twiddling her fingers. "What do you do for a living?"

Frollo quietly plucked her tiny frame (dude, Frollo's tall) into the air where she dangled like a confused puppy. He had lifted her by her cloak, and she was now blinking and curled up.

"Hey! Let me go!" she snarled, clawing at the air. "You're gonna hear from my lawyer if you don't let me go."

The minister looked vexed. "I am the law." He hissed.

Nani looked to him, then to Quasi....she looked petrified. "You lost the Aloha Spirit or something? Here...let me help you get it back." She dug into her pocket and wrapped a colorful lei around his neck.

"Comfy, huh?" she whimpered.

He, of course, growled.

[Quasimodo]

It was the moment he got to his feet Quasi noticed their new companion.
It took him only seconds to take in the scenario, Frollo, who hadn`t quite left the room yet, spitting venom at Nani who dangled in his grip.

let go of her, he demanded, cold as steel. Now he could take no more of this systematic destroying or threat of everything he held dear.
Besides, the fact that the priest had just shunned him for good, played in the back of his mind, along with a tiny voice asking; you no longer owe this man your obedience, do you?

Snickering the gargoyles high fived each other as the Hawaiian woman threw the flowers around Frollo`s neck.
This was utterly priceless!