KH: PoT Ch.8 p2

Maru and company entered the cathedral and saw it full of a few people, praying to God that He stop the awful beasts outside from doing any more harm. They went on deeper inside, quietly, so as not to disturb them. They soon entered an empty chapel, with nothing but candles and pews. There was also a young woman there that looked a little familiar to Maru, especially the fact she had a goat with her. Before he could do anything, though, he heard footsteps from behind and saw Phoebus coming in. He raised his eyebrows as he saw the group. "Well, the brave fighters," he whispered as he slowed by Maru. He gave a slightly cocky smile. "Well done, you three. You fought off those monsters quite well. And harnessing one to do your bidding...!" he added, looking impressedly at Maru.

Maru scowled. "He is my comrade, and he follows my orders only because of trust," he tried to tell himself, but inside, he was uncertain whether his pokémon DID trust him or not. He followed orders, though...

Phoebus' smile faded. "Sheesh, not tryin' to tick you off or anything," he muttered in a semi-mock-hurt tone. He then strode to the woman.

Maru and company were about to continue on when they saw the knight begin to flirt with the woman, when they saw the woman reveal herself as Esmerelda. Her goat wasn't very happy that Phoebus was trying to woo her, apparantly. Maru wanted to know from Esmerelda where the hunchback was, but the two were very busy, and they couldn't interrupt. Going and hiding behind some pews, Maru and his dragon assistants squatted and whispered.

"Why're you so hyped up on finding Hunchy?" asked Figment, raising an eyeridge. He got a feirce glare from both Elliot and Maru for that, which made him sweatdrop and hold his paws in front of him. "Woah, woah! I didn't mean it in a mean way, really! You know that!" he defended, grinning nervously.

Maru shook his head a little. "Well, if we want to get to the Keyhole, which is most likely here in the cathedral," he explained, "we had better ask him. He LIVES here, so he should know where to look."

The scene between Phoebus, Esmerelda, and the goat continued behind them, oblivious to them--even to bulky Elliot's tail and wings sticking up from the top of the pews.

The dragon in question nodded in understanding. "Okay, so where is he?" he asked, tilting his head.

Maru looked behind him at the three. "That's what I wish to discover," he replied gently. "We have to wait until we can get her alone before we can see if Esmerelda knows where the hunchback of Notre Dame is."

"Ah-HAH!" cried a voice, and everyone looked (with Maru, Elliot, and Figment popping their heads up from the pews like prairie dogs) and saw Frollo, hopping mad, striding down to the two who were talking before. "I found you!" he said in a low, menacing voice, pointing at Esmerelda. "Now, I--"

"--Will do nothing at all," finished Esmerelda, standing defiantly. "Do you not realize where we are?" she asked, and motioned around.

Frollo stopped and grimiced. "Inside the cathedral, you witch!" he spat. "I'm not blind!" He then looked at Phoebus. "Captain! What are you DOING there with that foul creature?!" he demanded. "Come at ONCE!"

Phoebus sighed and nodded. "Yes, sir," he muttered and strode over to Frollo like a naughty dog to its master.

Esmerelda, disregarding this, smirked. "Then you should know that this place is a sanctuary." She put a hand on her hip. "So even a 'foul creature' like me cannot be harmed here."

Frollo seethed, clenching his fists. "You--" he began, but a figure walked in and held up its hand.

"She is in the right, Frollo," said the voice of the preist that Maru had met earlier. "You cannot bring ill will within these walls, else your soul will suffer." He was smiling warmly as he strode to be beside Esmerelda. "And, in fact, it is for this reason that I am certain those beasts from before have not managed to enter within. And even if they did, I am certain they would fail at whatever they try," he added, giving the slightest of glances to Maru and the dragons.

Frollo frowned angrilly, shaking with anger, then waved his fist through the air, opening it, as if throwing something. "Fine," he said, calming after the motion. "But as soon as she leaves this place, she is MINE." He turned. "Come, Captain," he ordered, and the two walked out.

Esmerelda sighed in releif (her goat sticking its tounge out after Phoebus) as they left. "Thank you, Archdeacon," she said, looking up at him.

Maru was able to stop himself before gaping, and instead just widened his eyes. 'The Archdeacon?! Woah...'

The Archdeacon just smiled a sad smile. "Frollo, the Judge, has a deep hatred for gypsies, child. I would be very cautious around him," he warned...and Maru sensed it wasn't for Esmerelda alone. He smiled, turned so that he could see the three standing in the pews, and left, making no other words.

Esmerelda tilted her mouth in a frown. "Oooh, boy, I'm in trouble," she mumbled.

"Baa-a-a!" her goat went by her leg.

She looked down. "Djali? What is it?" she asked, looking at her defensively-stanced goat. She followed his[? gaze upwards to see Maru was standing behind her. She scowled. "Great, ANOTHER weirdo who wants to bug me," she growled, putting her hands on her hips.

Maru shook his head. "I simply wish to know if you know where the hunchback is," he asked softly. "I mean neither him nor you any harm." 'This is one of those times where I wish I did not look so intimidating...'

Esmerelda raised an eyebrow. "You'd better not," she warned. "I think he might be up in the belltower. Why do you want to see him?" she asked, crossing her arms suspiciously.

'I thought she took him away...' Maru held up his hands. "No harm to him, of course," he assured her, "but I simply wish to speak with him about...something he might know about," he decided to say, "that is important to me."

Esmerelda raised an eyebrow, but sighed. "I'm sorry, but as much as you helped out with those weird THINGS earlier," she said, "I'm still reluctant to believe you. I'm pretty skeptical about weird-lookin' guys in dark outfits right now. Especially one with weird cohorts," she added, looking to the dragons. She looked at Figment and smirked. "Thanks for the card trick earlier, though, kid," she said to him.

Figment just grinned and bowed. "No problem, m'am."

Maru nodded in his let's-just-get-things-done way. "Well, we're going to see him, and if you want to keep an eye on us, then go ahead," he said, and spun around to go.

The other two followed. And soon, Maru peeked over and saw Esmerelda tailing them. 'Let's hope that the Archdeacon's right...' The party proceeded to some stairs.

Unfortunately, he kinda wasn't. A few times while going up the cathedral, Maru had to battle with Heartless that wanted to hurt them and hinder their progress. He decided he shouldn't let his pokémon have all the fun, since he, too, needed experience. But eventually, the group made it to the belltower. It was beautiful. The sky above let in light through a network of wood and stone and, above them, metal. BIG metal. Maru mentally shuddered at the thought of one of those bells falling down to the floor below, destroying a huge part of the cathedral. Wood was on the floor, and after climbing some steps, they found who they were looking for.

The hunchback was sitting depressed-like at at table. On the table was a miniaturization of the cathedral and the square around it. Myriad figurines made out of wood were there. He had his face slumped in his hand when they saw him. The main group decided to stop and approach quietly. But Esmerelda, spunky girl, just went on walking. The hunchback looked up as he heard her coming, and gasped. He immediately hid his face behind his arms. "Please! Don't look at me!" he begged, voice sounding actually very good despite his looks.

Esmerelda smiled gently and put her hand on his arm. "Don't worry," she said calmly, "I don't mind." She slowly parted the arms and revealed his face. As he looked up into her eyes, the hunchback felt something inside of him ignite. Esmerelda smiled. "That was sure a close call, there," she said, twitching her head backwards. "Glad you made it safely back here."

The hunchback sighed and lowered his face. "Frollo was right," he grumbled, "I should never have left the tower..."

"But you had fun, right?"

The two looked up and saw Figment, followed by Maru and Elliot, coming over. Figment was smiling. "Well, apart from the inhumanity part, I mean," he continued, giving a small chuckle.

The hunchback raised the eyebrow over his normal eye. "Who are you?" he asked in a little bit of wonder.

Figment grinned and put his paws to his hips. "What you see is what others might not," he replied enigmaticly. "And if you DO see me, then it might mean you're...just good at daydreaming," he added after some thought.

Maru raised an eyebrow. "Never thought you were one for riddles," he commented to the pink dragon, who grinned even wider.

The hunchback looked puzzled, muttering and moving his hands as if putting things in place. He thought a little, then snapped his fingers, that wonderful look of understanding on his face. "I can see you, but others can't, and if I can, I'm good at daydreaming," he reviewed aloud. "So you're a figment of my imagination!" He smiled hopefully, a bucktooth showing.

Figment clapped his paws. "That's absolutely correct!" he acknowledged, sounding a little like a gameshow host. "Although, of course, I'm more real than a figment. But that's my name, all right: Figment!" He proudly put a thumb to his chest.

Esmerelda gave an eyebrow raise at Figment, a smile accompanying it. "You're a weird one," she said. "But in a good way, I guess."

Figment grinned and giggled at this.

Esmerelda smiled and turned to the hunchback again. "So, what's YOUR name?" she asked kindly.

The hunchback's smile faded as he looked a little nervous. After a moment, he said, "Quasimodo." He looked a little embarressed.

Maru raised an eyebrow again. ''Half-formed'...Yep, this is the story I know and love...'

While Figment and Maru both knew what that name meant, simple Elliot grinned and said, "That sounds like a neat name!" His manner of speech set the natives off-balance, and Maru quickly translated, explaining that Elliot speaks in a different language.

"One that Maru can only understand," Figment added sulkilly, scowling and crossing his arms like an upset little kid.

Maru gave a helpless shrug. "I'm sorry, but I haven't a clue as to why I'm the only one able to," he lied. 'What I REALLY haven't a clue to is why I can understand him despite him not being a pokémon...maybe it's because he speaks similarly...?'

Quasimodo chuckled a little. "Well, hey, nobody's perfect," he said, and spread his arms out. With a bit of courage, he added, "Heh, hey, I mean, look at me! I'm a freak!" He tried to sound jokingly, but his face still fell a bit as he said it.

Maru pouted a little and narrowed his eyes disapprovingly at "freak.". "Don't ever call yourself a freak!" he half-scolded. He strode forward, clenching a fist. "Be PROUD of who and what you are, because the more different from others that you end up to be, the more of an individual you are. The worst thing in the world is, to me, at least, to know that you aren't original, to know that someone could just choose someone else instead of you for guidance, friendship, help, or anything else." He crossed his arms proudly as he stopped in front og Quasimodo. "Your identity is yours and yours alone, and you should cherish that and be proud of it," he concluded, nodding with a bit of finality.

Then he realized that he'd just made a speech, almost expressing his surprise at himself for doing so. 'I...just gave wisdom...in a way that was meant to uplift one's spirit...?! But I usually brood and argue, not...' His thoughts trailed off.

Quasimodo looked up at him first in surprise, then in shame, then finally in understanding as his words sank in. (Esmerelda looked at Maru with a look that accused him of stealing a line and making it better.) He looked a little better, but he still wasn't as up as Maru had sort of hoped. "Yeah..." he mumbled. "But sometimes, I wish I wasn't THIS different...You're right, though," he said, giving Maru a half-smile. "Thanks for saying that. It helped..." 'A little,' he added to himself.

Maru sighed and smiled friendilly at him. "I try," he said, and wondered if he really does.

Esmerelda looked up. "Those bells are beautiful," she said.

Quasimodo brightened up immediately. "You want to meet them?" he asked, hopeful look on his face. He then realized that he was speaking to more than her, and added, "All of you?"

Maru shrugged, saying Sure; Figment and Elliot made sounds of joy, like a kid who was told he gets to go on a ride. Soon, they were high above the floor below, on rafters while Quasimodo toured them amoung the bells, swinging from one bit to the next with extremely impressive agility despite his body. 'His body DOES make him resemble a gorilla somewhat,' thought Maru as he saw this.

"And who's that?" asked Esmerelda, pointing to a huge bell.

The party walked underneath it, and found that it fit ALL of them in a line. Quasimodo held his arms out. "BIG Maria," he said. His answer echoed around the bell, resonating for a bit.

"Wow..." Esmerelda said, and smiled at Quasimodo, who smiled--shyly?--back.

Maru smirked, crossing his arms. 'Well, now, it seems we've got a little affair on our hands...'

Esmerelda sighed, going out to look at the city. "Quasi..." she said, not looking at him. "I can't really stay here forever...I need to leave somehow. I have a home that I need to return to." Djali baaed in agreement.

Quasimodo's face fell, but he smiled and walked over to her. "I understand," he said softly. "We each have a place we...belong," he said, pausing at the last word. He sighed, then realized something and looked concerned. "Wait, if Frollo sees you, he'll..."

"...Kill me," Esmerelda replied softly. "Frollo will kill me if I try and escape and he finds me." She sighed, wondering how she'll manage it. "I'm trapped here." She slowly slid down to a sit.

Quasimodo thought for a moment, then nodded, a resolute look on his face. It turned friendly as he went to her. "I can help," he said. "I know this cathedral better than he does; I'll find a way out. Trust me." He smiled as she looked at him.

She raised her eyebrow. "What are you planning?" she asked.

"An escape, for you!" replied the hunchback, smiling and motioning with his arms. "Trust me, it'll work," he tried to assure her.

Esmerelda thought a moment before finally nodding and smiling. "Alright, then, Quasi, I DO trust you," she said, standing up.

But just then, Maru sensed something. He looked past the two to a roof and cursed softly--the bell making it audible enough to have all eyes on him. He gave a "Grow up" look at Elliot, who was giving him a look, and then said, "Well, you're going to have to make it quick," he said, "because there are a few unwelcome guests who want to come with." He motioned over at the Heartless coming towards them from the sky. He drew his Keyblade as the two humans gasped. After a second's thought, he said to Figment and Elliot, "I'll go and escort them. You two take care of the belltower and make sure nothing bad happens!" before ducking under the lip of the bell to the two there. "Well, let's go!" he said to them.

Quasimodo gulped, then nodded and grabbed Esmerelda. "Sorry, but you'll thank me later," he said as she yelped in surprise. Her goat leaped up and into an open arm from Esmerelda. He looked at Maru. "You sure you're going to be fine alone?" he asked doubtfully.

Maru nodded. "I'll just follow you," he said. "Don't worry."

Quasimodo nodded, then, with Esmerelda over one shoulder, he leapt off to begin. Maru followed close behind.

Quasimodo did his best Prince of Persia impression as he used the features of the cathedral to swing his way across and over to another street. Maru was close behind, mimicing all that Quasimodo did while wishing he could fly. Whenever Heartless tried to attack, he sent his Keyblade out to them. Quasimodo moved quite fast, and he had to work quite hard to keep up, cape fluttering behind him.

At one point, Quasimodo and Esmerelda fell and landed on a large shingle that loosened and began to scrape downwards across the roof, causing sparks to fly behind it. Maru cursed that he couldn't possibly get the luck to find a loose shingle like that and thought fast. 'Think! Your psychic powers are returning remarkably well! What's the best you can do?!' After a split second, he had it. He created a zone underneath the soles of his shoes using his psychic abilities that acted like a cushion of air that just let him be in the air above the roof while gravity took him away. He did this until he found Quasi and his passenger--about to be attacked by a Darkball! He thrust his Keyblade down with all his might at it, and it was stunned long enough for the two to escape. Maru quickly, as he approached, launched a mighty kick to bat it away and grabbed the handhold that Quasimodo had used, then continued.

Finally, after a while, the two finally dropped down to the other side of the cathedral. The fun wasn't over yet, though, as Maru had to keep them safe while the remaining Heartless existed in the sky above. He was swinging on handholds when he saw a Wyvern fly by. 'Perfect!' He swung onto its back and held on tight as it flew wildly around. While riding it, though, Maru aimed and chucked his Keyblade at the few Darkballs remaining. By the time they had disappeared, Maru had to hold onto the Wyvern with his other hand as he did his Slashfest to it. Finally, it disappeared. But in a cruel twist of fate, it had been defeated far from the cathedral! Maru yelped as he fell, then thought fast, thinking of the coasting trick he did before. He launched quick boosts of psychic force out from his soles, but each one drained him considerably. He could only do three, and they didn't propel him right to the wall. Maru fell, trying his hardest to get farther and to a handhold, but they were stopping fast. In a last-ditch effort, he swung his Keyblade out in hopes that the force of it swinging out would propel him far enough to reach the handhold safely.

It just barely did, and it in fact was the thing that grabbed the hold; in other words, the teeth of his Keyblade were all that kept him from falling down painfully to the stone streets below. (He also noticed the streets were empty, probably because of frightened people.)

Finally, Maru, heart pounding from the thrill, dropped down to Quasimodo and Esmerelda. "That was close!" he breathed, panting a little.

"I'LL say!" Esmerelda scolded, looking at the purple-haired outsider with a pout. "You scared us half to death! If it weren't for that little magic trick you pulled after that thing vanished, you'd be as flat as a card!"

Maru chuckled, smirking. "Well, let's just say I'm persistent," he replied.

Quasimodo smiled. "Thanks for helping, though," he said. He frowned, then had an idea. He dug into his pants pocket and withdrew something. "Here, I want you to have this in thanks," he said, offering a small braid of gold, silver, and bronze wires. "It's something I made out of real precious metals that I keep as a good-luck charm," he explained, smiling.

Maru smiled and accepted the gift. "Thank you very much," he said, pocketing it into a pants pocket as he thought it might poke him in his getting-full-anyway collar. "I'll take good care of it."

Quasimodo smiled and turned to Esmerelda. "Will I ever see you again?" he asked tenatively.

Esmerelda smiled and nodded. "Yes, don't worry," she said. She reached into her shirt and pulled out a necklace. It was a pendant, with an interesting, intricate weaving on it. "And keep this," she added, giving it to him. "It'll help you find me again." She smiled, took a scarf, made it into a shawl, and trotted off.

Quasimodo watched her go off, smiling dreamilly. He then sighed and jumped up, grabbing the handhold. "Well, c'mon," he said to Maru, and the two made it back to his room in the belltower. Figment and Elliot had no trouble, since the Heartless had targeted Maru and Quasimodo. They weren't in sight, however, and as the two men got up(well, man and pokémon), Maru could sense why. He immediately ducked and hid underneath the edge of the balcony, grabbing onto the decorative brickwork of the cathedral that served as the myriad handholds used before. "You'll know what to do," he whispered to Quasi as he did so.

Quasimodo wondered what he meant, but decided to go down nonetheless. He dropped back down, and instantly, the three gargoyles--tall and strong Victor, short and chubby Hugo, and skinny and old-looking Laverne--whooped and cheered from their balcony to him for his score.

"Excellent work, Quasimodo!" clapped Victor, smiling with a bit of dignity.

"Great job with the lady!" Laverne added, also clapping. A few pidgons landed on his head, and he stopped, then waved his arms around telling them to shoo.

Hugo laughed and clapped his stubby hands together. "Hahah! Great? Why, Quasi here's a natural-born ladies' man!" he joked boisterously, hopping over to him.

Quasimodo smiled sheepishly and batted his hand at them. "Oh, c'mon, stop," he said good-naturedly. "I-I don't..." He faltered for a second.

Hugo laughed and elbowed him. "C'mooon, Quasi!!" he pressed. "Admit it, she's gorgeous and you know it! There ain't nothin' wrong with that!" He grinned a wide, toothy grin.

Quasimodo blushed a little, but then heard a few footsteps. Instantly, Victor, Hugo, and Laverne turned solid-still, even though they were out of their respective places. Quasi gasped in a bit of surprise as he looked up at Frollo as he strode in(and seemed to ignore the fact he had a stone statue standing right next to him for no apparant reason). "So...How are you, Quasimodo?" he asked in his usual drawling fashion.

[Note: I have suddenly hit a blank, so in case you hadn't already noticed, I'll be wingin' this part. But moreso.

Quasimodo at first gulped, then replied, "F-Fine, sir." He backed away a little bit.

Frollo, looking droll and yet menacing at the same time like always, lifted an eyebrow at this reaction. "Quasimodo?" he asked. "You seem a little...on edge. How come?" he asked. His gaze strayed to the miniature-covered table, where something caught his eyes. He immediately reached and took a figurine of a girl with a tamborine in hand. "A new addition?" he asked, a little fervently.

Quasimodo just nodded. "She, uh, um..." He was too panicky, and was at a loss for words.

Frollo, now looking enraged, clutched the figurine and bent to Quasimodo. "This is the girl from the festival, isn't it?!" he demanded. Quasimodo cowered from him. "I already scolded you before! Now, I shall tell you this: Never, EVER mingle with gypsies! They are nothing but evil!" He threw the figurine back down onto the table. "I expect that to be gone by the next time I come," he said, and turned on his heel and left. When he was sure that he was gone, Quasimodo fell to his knees and banged the floor. The entire set of figurines on the table jumped a couple inches.

He felt his shoulder being patted, and he turned and looked up. Elliot, with a compassionate look on his face, was comforting the poor guy as best he could. Quasi sighed, gently took the paw, and slid it off. "Thank you, Elliot," he said. He got up and began up the tower to fetch Maru.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked as he was hoisted up from his position with ease. "I felt a vibration in the walls and heard that bastard Frollo shouting."

Quasimodo shook his head. "No no no, no, Frollo's not mean," he quickly said. "He gave me this home. He teaches me, feeds me, and gave me the job of bellringer." 'For which you should actually be deaf,' added Maru to himself. 'This must be an alternate version of Victor Hugo's story's world.' Quasi just looked away as he hobbled off ahead of Maru. "He's just...strict, that's all," he tried.

"Strict? More like a tightwad," Figment responded as the two came down. He was sitting on Hugo and flipping his cards from paw to paw. "Sometimes I just wanna blast him with a Fire spell."

Quasimodo shook his head. "No, please..." He looked like he was in denial, secretly confused. "I can't do anything. He gave me this home. I have to respect that...and him." He sighed and sat down. "And I don't think Hugo likes you sitting on him," he mumbled as an afterthought.

Figment glanced down at the statue and raised an eyeridge. Meanwhile, Elliot and Maru turned their backs on him while they turned to Quasimodo, who was fiddling with some of his figurines, especially the one of Esmerelda. Once they were, Hugo came to life and grabbed Figment, then chucked him off. "I ain't your Laz-e-boy," he told him softly, Figment getting up quickly.

The dragon turned and stuck his tounge out. "You were nowhere NEAR comfortible, anyway," he shot back, though he had a bit of a grin on his face.

Hugo stuck his nose up and crossed his arms, "Hmph!" before adopting his normal pose when Elliot turned to look. The green one tilted his head puzzledly, then turned back.

"...I'm sorry, I can't think of what you mean," Quasimodo mumbled. Maru had asked him if knew of a place where he might find a keyhole without a door. "The only keyholes I know of have doors. You could try looking around this place," he offered, motioning to the rest of Notre Dame, "because I agree, Notre Dame could be hiding many secrets. I bet you'll be able to find it." He looked out and thought for a moment. "Hmmm...I think you guys should get out before Frollo comes back and sees you," he said. "Maybe searching the rest of Paris?"

Maru thought a moment and nodded. "Good plan. It was nice meeting you, Quasimodo," he said, bowing. "I hope things turn out well for you."

Quasi nodded, still down a bit, and went back to playing with his stuff while Maru collected his companions and exited. Maru noticed, in a little nook at the bottom of the stairs, another green disk. Figment said he'd set it up after a while. They decided to get some searching done and go down the cathedral the normal method. They met a few Heartless, but nothing too bad. They searched every availible room, but Maru's Keyblade responded to nothing so far. "We'll have to try harder," he declared, and they continued.

Frollo was seen in his room at his home. He was kneeling before his fireplace, hat removed, holding a scarf that he'd gotten from the gypsy girl. "WHY does she TORTURE me so?!" he demanded. "WHY do I LUST for her so?!? Like fire! El fire!" As he spoke, Esmerelda's figure seemed to dance in the flames. "This fire in my skin! This burning desire is turning me to sin!!" He stamped his foot. "Destroy Esmerelda, and let her taste the fires of hell, or else let her be mine and mine alone!" he raved, holding the scarf in his fist.

There was a banging on his door, and he turned to see a guard in the doorway. "Minister Frollo, the gypsy has escaped."

"What?" calmly asked Frollo.

"Nowhere in the cathedral; she's gone."

Frollo looked shocked, putting a hand to his face. "But HOW, I--Nevermind. Get OUT, you idiot," he seethed at the guard. He turned back to the fireplace as the guard left and closed the door. "I'll find her...I'll find her even if I have to burn down all of Paris!!" He threw the scarf into the flames. "Now gypsy, it's your turn...Choose me or you will burn!!" He then stepped a few paces back. "God have mercy on her...God have mercy on me..." He got to a wall. Then he turned. "But she will be mine, or she will BURN!!" he delcared, getting on his knees and throwing his fists up in the air.

[Oh, thank GOD for YouTube!!

Maru and company left the cathedral, slightly stronger through the battles but still none the wiser. Maru crossed his arms. "Where could that thing BE?" he wondered aloud. He then saw a carriage pull up with Phoebus standing where it stopped. 'Hmmmm...'

"Well, let's just go around the city," Figment suggested. "Maybe it's not in the cathedral."

"Maybe..." Maru said, and the three started off again, looking around.

The group scoured the entire city, but nothing and Heartless were all they found. They decided to try out on the outskirts of Paris. The first place they tried was at an inconspicuous farm with a great windmill. It all looked terribly dry. They spent a few minutes searching, but nothing was found. "Damn! We're getting NOWHERE!" Maru seethed, gritting his teeth. "Maybe we're just not in the right area...?"

Figment shook his head. "No, usually, the Gummi Ship drops Keybladers off near a Keyhole," he replied. "We may just be unable to find it."

Maru sighed, then saw a few people on the side of the road. He cocked his head and went over. "What's going on?" he asked.

A woman looked at him. "Well, that house is being searched for a gypsy girl," she explained. She wore a purple, face-covering shawl and smoked a pipe, apparantly. She turned back to watch. Maru recognized her voice, but said nothing.

Frollo walked out of the building and barred it with a spear. He then turned to Phoebus, who was standing by. "Burn it," he ordered.

"Excuse me?!" Phoebus stepped forward. Frollo grabbed a torch and shoved it into his hands. "I was never trained to kill innocents," he fought back.

Frollo got onto his horse. "But you WERE trained to follow orders," he replied.

Everyone held their breath in the crowd as Phoebus stood there, torch in left hand. He looked at it, looked at Frollo, then plunged the torch into a nearby waterbarrel, frowning defiantly.

Frollo sneered. "Cowardly fool," he mumbled, and grabbed a torch. Maru gasped and almost charged out to stop him, but Elliot and Figment grabbed him back, saying he'd get into too much trouble. That was when he'd noticed a bunch of guards. The judge held the torch up as a windmill vane swung by. As Maru had thought, the entire farmhouse was set ablaze.

Phoebus gasped, then barged into the house. Later, he came out again carrying the inhabitants within. He gave two babies to two people, then got whacked behind the head. As he was pinned down, the judge came over to him. "The penalty for not following orders is death," said Frollo like it was nothing.

Then, he ordered a guard to take care of the knight. That's when the woman beside Maru grabbed a stone and put it in her shawl. She swung it around and, like a sling, launched it at the rear end of Frollo's horse. The distraction was enough for the knight to get up and knock out the guards around him, jump on Frollo's horse, and race away.

Frollo got up and pointed. "Don't just STAND there, get him! And don't hit my horse!!" he ordered.

"C'mon!" whispered Esmerelda, beckoning to Maru and co., and the four ran off with her in secret. They watched as Phoebus got nailed in the back with an arrow, fell off the horse, and dropped to the lake while he was crossing a bridge. Arrows continued to stream to him until Frollo said not to waste ammo and bustled them along. Then, the four went to the water. "Come on, help me pick him up," Esmerelda said after swimming down and getting the unconcious warrior.

Maru nodded and ran over, grabbing an arm and helping. Then Elliot came and lifted him up with his tail. Esmerelda raised an eyebrow at this, then looked at the dragons. "You two are the real deal afterall, ain't ya?" she asked, gritting her teeth from the effort of pulling along Phoebus.

Elliot nodded, reaching and, with utmost care, removing the arrow sticking from Phoebus' back. Maru removed his armor to lessen the weight.

They began to trudge up the hill to get to the bridge on the other side. Esmerelda looked to Maru. "We've gotta get him to Quasimodo..." she said. "He'll help. I know it."

Maru nodded and they went on their way.

However, it wasn't that easy. Maru cursed as he spotted more Heartless coming their way. "Figment! You help carry Phoebus!" he said, looking at him.

Figment, who was walking alongside them with Djali, gawked. "Are you NUTS?! I'm WAAAYY too small, and I can't carry that much! I'm a dragon, but that doesn't mean I'm super-strong!!" he protested.

Maru grimaced. "Great...and there's too many for you to fight on your own," he said, looking around the road. "And we need to keep moving!!" He thought quickly, then had it. "Right, there's no other choice," he said, and, putting Phoebus on one shoulder, grabbed his monster ball. "GO!!"

In the flash of white light like before, the Heartless-Pokémon materialized in front of them. Esmerelda gasped. "That thing again!!" she said, looking in horror at it. "Are you mad?! That thing lost control last time I saw it!" she scolded Maru, who caught his returning ball and put it on his belt again after minimizing. "What makes you think it'll listen now?"

Maru looked back at her with one eye. "Hope," he said, and, with two arms to help carry Phoebus, shouted, "I need for you to help take care of any Heartless in our way while we fight!! Figment will help you!! Now start moving!"

The large beast looked at Maru, then began to move forward. Slowly. But Figment was left shucking cards alone. Maru wanted to slap his forehead. He groaned and held Phoebus with one arm while he pointed at one Heartless and shouted, "MEGA PUNCH!!"

The pokémon roared and, with a glowing fist, obliterated the enemy Heartless. A few Large Bodies began blocking the road. Maru pointed again. "Tackle!!" No response. He sighed aggrivatedly, then commanded, "...Shadow Rush!!"

The pokémon growled, coiled up, then sprang out and struck the three in a row with no regards to their sheild-like fronts. It didn't enter Hyper Mode, thankfully. Maru sighed in relief and continued to command his pokémon as they ran as fast as they could to the city of Paris...which was burning by the time they neared it.

Esmerelda gasped in horror. "Paris! It's on fire!!" she cried in dismay.

Maru growled. "I can't BELIEVE it!!" he shouted. "That fool is stupid enough to believe that he can find you by burning down the city?! I wonder if he's considered the fact you might be burned to death...Aw, crap, Fat Bandits!!" He pointed again at the row. "Shadow Rush!"

This was the third time he'd commanded it. And, of course, it was the charm. After it stopped them, the pokémon entered Hyper Mode and began to go after everything.

""STOP IT!!"" cried Maru and Figment, and then Elliot said so in his language. "CUT IT OUT!!"

Maru grimaced in horror as the thought occured to him that he might not succeed this time. 'NO! I won't give up!!' Then, with all his might, he cried, both physically and psychically, '"SNAP OUT OF IT!!"'

BAM! That did it!! And with so much battling, the aura had already gone down the equal to a full bar. Another bar down from being recalled from Hyper Mode, and it was pretty low. The aura faded, and the pokémon made a little "Reh?" at being snapped out. It then roared fully, back to normal. Maru sighed in relief, but he felt Esmerelda kick his butt from behind. "AAUGH!! What the fuck was THAT for?!" he demanded, snapping to her.

"For being a fool and risking ourselves getting hurt by your beast!" she answered sternly. "Try and play around with it when there's nobody who could get hurt around!"

Maru scowled, then turned back. He knew she was right, but he really didn't want to deal with it at the moment. He didn't have to use Shadow Rush again, but he still had to have him out for a while before they finally got to Paris. It had quickly turned to night by then, night illuminated by the firelight.

"I just don't believe it," Maru muttered as they entered the city. "I just don't...How could he?" He shook his head. "Tightwad? More like..." And then he stopped. Realizing he'd almost called Frollo what he had been not too many years ago.

"There aren't any more Heartless, Maru," Elliot said, looking around. "You should put your friend away before he scares somebody."

Maru nodded and held the ball out. "Return!" The pokémon returned to its ball in the flash of white light again, and Maru looked at it. "What is your name?" he whispered to it. No answer. He shook his head and put the ball away. "Quickly, we've got to get to the cathedral now!"