MKC - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Phoebus looked both ways when opening the side door. Good, Frollo's Hornets were not around. He gently closed the door behind him –
"Pheobus!"
Pheobus yelped in fright as Quasimodo landed behind him, having climbed down the church exterior. He was wearing his cloak.
"I'm coming with you," Quasi said.
Phoebus grinned. "Glad you changed your mind."
"But I'm not doing it for you," Quasi interrupted. "I'm doing it for her."
"You know where she is?"
Quasimodo looked down with frustration. "No…" Quasi remembered the woven band and took it out of his pocket, "but she said that this will help us find her."
Phoebus took the band and looked at it. "Good, good, good. Ahhhh, great...what is it?"
"I'm not sure."
"Must be some sort of code. Maybe it's Arabic. No, no, it's not Arabic, maybe it's ancient Greek…"
Quasimodo remembered what Esmeralda said. "When you wear this woven band," he repeated, "you hold the city in your hand."
Phoebus looked at him in confusion. "What?"
"It's the city!"
"What're you talking about?"
Quasimodo pointed out the symbols on the map. "It's a map, see? Here's the cathedral, and the river, and this little stone must be..."
"I've never seen a map that looks like…"
Quasimodo cut him off.
"Look, I've lived up in that bell tower for 19 years, and I think I know what the city looks like from above, and this is it!"
Phoebus went to talk, but he just gave a big sigh instead. "All right," he started. "Okay. If you say it's a map, fine. It's a map. But if we're going to find Esmeralda, we'll have to work together. Truce?"
Quasimodo thought for a second. "Well...okay."
Quasi slapped Phoebus's back, making him yelp in pain.
"Sorry," Quasi said, starting to walk away to the Court of Miracles.
"No, you're not," Phoebus grumbled as he followed. But neither of them looked back to see a certain 'bug' following them…

--

Around the edges of the castle, Phoebus and Quasi walked around where the 'map' brought them. They were in an area of the school called the "West Wing," which very few dared to pass. Not only did it look scary, but there were a few happy haunts that roamed the wing.
"What do you suppose we're looking for?" Quasi asked.
"I'm not sure," Phoebus asked. "Maybe we enter one of the rooms…"
Quasi looked around and saw a very peculiar bookcase. He went over and fiddled around with the books. As he pulled out a book entitled "Les Misérables," the bookcase suddenly moved to the side.
"Or, of course, we could go down the stairs," Phoebus said as he saw the path after the bookcase stopped.
The two entered the hidden stairwell. Phoebus found a torch. He used some rocks to create a spark and the torch lit. Phoebus then took the torch from its place so they could use it.
Quasi saw what looked like a lever when the torch was lit. He pulled it, and the bookcase closed the entrance.
"And now no one can follow us," Quasi said with relief.
They walked down the stairs and found a corridor. As they walked, they suddenly found themselves in a mucky floor.
"Is this the Court of Miracles?" Quasi asked.
"Offhand," Phoebus started, "I'd say it's the Court of Ankle-deep Sewage."
As they continued to walk, they found themselves being surrounded by skeletons.
"Wow," Phoebus said, looking around. "Kinda makes you wish you got out more often, eh, Quasi?"
"Not me," he replied. "All I want to do is warn Esmeralda then get back to the bell tower before I get in any further trouble."
The two continued to walk, unaware that some of the skeletons behind them were starting to move in on them. They entered a new room.
"Speaking of trouble," Phoebus said suspiciously, "we should have run into some by now."
Quasimodo began to worry. "What do you mean?"
"You know, a guard, a booby trap..."
Suddenly, his torch was blown out, leaving them in darkness."
"...or an ambush."
Quickly, the room filled with light. All around the two, people dressed as dead men had lit torches of their own and surrounded the two. Even more jumped out at them and began to tie them up.
From behind them, a man in blue and purple came into view.
"Well, well, well," Clopin said, looking at the event. "What have we here?"
"Trespassers!" one of the men shouted.
"Spies!" yelled another.
"We're not spies!" Phoebus retorted.
"You have to listen to –"
Before he could finish, the two prisoners were gagged. Clopin quickly jumped in front of them.
"DON'T interrupt me!"
Clopin took a step back, smiling.
"You're very clever to have found our hideaway," Clopin chuckled. "Unfortunately, you won't live to tell the tale. Bring them to the Court! Time for the trial!"
The group of gypsies laughed as they carried the two prisoners to their doom. When they reached the room with all the different doors, Clopin went to the door with the cross and opened it. The entire group then proceeded down the last tunnel to the very Court itself.
Clopin immediately jumped onto the Executioner's Block to attract an audience.
"Gather around, everyone," he told the outcasts and gypsies. "There's good 'noose' tonight!"
A large group laughed at his joke as almost the entire population down there came over.
"It's a double-header," Clopin informed as Phoebus and Quasi were put onto the platform. "A couple of Frollo's spies."
The gypsies began to boo. From a nearby tent, a blue creature looked out to see what was happening and gasped as he saw two people having nooses being placed around their necks.
"Guys," Stitch shouted to his friends in the tent. "An execution!"
The rest of the Crew came out of the tent to see, leaving three old men in the tent alone. The three men, Merlin, Macbeth, and Grumpy, didn't move from their seats to see it.
"Are those allowed on Campus?" Grumpy asked.
"Technically, we are not even around the Campus," Macbeth said. "So I guess it's allowed."
Merlin just smoked his pipe as he heard Clopin continue.
"And not just any spies," Clopin started. "His captain of the spies, and his loyal, bell-ringing henchman."
From the front of the crowd, Djali appeared to see what was going on. She looked in surprise as she recognized the two prisoners. Djali immediately ran to Esmeralda as Clopin continued.
"Justice is swift in the Court of Miracles. I am the lawyers and judge all in one! Imagine that." Clopin chuckled. "We like to get the trial over with quickly because it's the sentence that's really the fun!"
He leaned forward to the two.
"Any last words?"
Both Phoebus and Quasi tried to warn Clopin, but neither of them could be understood with the gag.
"That's what they all say," Clopin joked, assuming that they were threatening him. The crowd laughed as he continued.
"Now that we've seen all the evidence –"
Clopin's puppet suddenly appeared on his hand. "Wait! I object!"
Clopin looked at his puppet in anger. "Overruled!"
"I object!"
"QUIET!"
"…Dang."
Clopin put the puppet away and walked up to the two in sorrow. "We find you totally innocent... which is the worst crime of all...SO YOU'RE GOING TO HANG!"
Clopin smiled as he went to pull the lever. It was time for the fun part of the –"
"STOP!"
Clopin did stop when he heard Esmeralda's voice. He turned to see her, Rapunzel, Gantu, Bradley, and Tank. Both Phoebus and Quasi were pleased to see her.
"These men aren't spies."
Esmeralda and Rapunzel got up to Phoebus and Quasi, removing the nooses and ungagging them.
"Why didn't they say so?" Clopin asked as if he gave them a chance.
"We did say so!" both Quasi and Phoebus said together.
Esmeralda and Rapunzel moved quickly to untie the two. "Quasimodo's the one who helped me escape from the Cathedral and Phoebus is the one who saved Merlin."
Merlin stood up in shock and left to see the event. Macbeth and Grumpy both followed as the three joined the crowd, which was now the entire population of the Court of Miracles.
"We've come to warn you," Phoebus shouted to the crowd as soon as he was untied. "Frollo's coming! He knows where you are and he's attacking this place at dawn with a thousand of his Hornet machines!"
The entire crowd gasped with fear. Esmeralda quickly got over the shock.
"We must waste no time," Esmeralda commanded. "Now let's go!"
Everyone muttered with fear as they all left to pack. Tank turned to Bradley and Gantu.
"We should see if my dad will let us pass through his house to up above."
"Sounds good," Gantu said.
"I'll go with you."
The three turned to see Rapunzel with them. Tank almost made a reply.
"I see no reas–"
"Let's not argue right now," Bradley cut in. "She can come. Let's go."
Tank paused, but nodded in agreement. "Follow me."
The three followed while Esmeralda, Phoebus, and Quasi got off the executioner's block.
"You took a big risk coming here," Esmeralda told them.
"It was nothing," Phoebus insisted.
Behind them, Clopin was instructing the Crew to head over to the southern part to help move things there. Somewhere else, Merlin was using his magic to help everyone pack.
"Thank you for warning us," Esmeralda said as she hugged Phoebus. He smiled as he looked at Quasi, who looked away. Phoebus cleared his throat.
"Don't thank me," Phoebus said, pulling Quasi over. "Thank Quasi. Without his help, I would have never found you here."
"Nor would I."
Everyone turned to the entrance to see Frollo, Scroop, and about a thousand Hornet units.
"Time to scram!" Lexington shouted as he and the rest ran for their lives.
But there was no luck. Every exit seemed to have a thousand Hornet units waiting for them. Those who could fly were caught immediately. Even Merlin and those who could use magic didn't have enough time to escape before Hornets launched energy fields that took their powers.
Frollo had caught them all.
"Thank you, Quasimodo," Frollo said as he passed him by. "I knew that you would be of use to me one day."
"What?" Quasi whispered in disbelief. The two never checked to see if they were being followed. How could he have been such a fool to not check?
"What do you mean?" Esmeralda said, trying to free herself from the Hornets holding her.
"Why he brought me right to you, my dear," Frollo told her.
"You're lying!"
Frollo grinned at Esmeralda and moved on.
"And look what else I've caught in my net," he said, turning his attention to Phoebus. "Captain Phoebus, back from the dead. Another 'miracle', no doubt. I shall remedy that."
Frollo turned and raised his voice for all the gypsies to hear. "There'll be a little bonfire in the square tomorrow, and you're all invited to attend."
They all looked up in fear. Flynn Rider looked at Sam Flynn, hoping that there might be a plan. Sam turned to him and shook his head.
Frollo turned to his machines with a wicked smile.
"Lock them up."
"No!" Quasimodo shouted as he rushed forward and fell on his knees before Frollo. "Please, Master!"
Frollo turned and glared at him with a look of extreme disappointment. Quasi knew it was hopeless as he fell to the ground crying.
"No," Quasi sobbed. "No..."
Frollo signaled to Scroop and a few of his Hornets.
"Take him back to the bell tower," he commanded, "and make sure he says there."
Frollo left with his army and new prisoners, leaving Quasi to the mercy of Scroop and the Hornets.

--

From above, Rapunzel, Gantu, Bradley, and Tank watched from hiding spaces as everyone left.
"There doomed," Tank said with sorrow.
"I'm losing hope on this one too," Bradley said.
Gantu watched as Phoebus was being dragged out of the place. He was almost able to escape the units holding him when another knocked him out. He looked away in pain.
"So what do we do now?" Rapunzel asked to his friends.
She looked at Tank and Bradley, who both shrugged. Then he turned to Gantu, who was looking the other way.
"Gantu?"
Gantu looked at her with sadness before he gave one last look at the group below, now almost gone. He thought long and hard, losing his sorrow.
"Tank, your father doesn't have to work at the arcade tomorrow, right?"
"Uh, yeah," Tank replied. "In fact, the entire arcade will be closed tomorrow."
"So your dad will have his friends over tomorrow for some poker?"
"Heck, some of them should be here now."
"Good. Bradley."
"Yeah?" Bradley asked, unsure what was going on.
"Call the team over the house," Gantu instructed, smirking. "I have a plan."