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"Quasimodo, sometimes otherwise known as Quasi to some, is a hunchbacked individual who lacks a self-esteem, but his artistic value and kindness both accommodate for the lack of self-respect that he would deserve." ~Victor

"Eh, that guy ain't bad at all. Somebody will end up giving him a chance, I know it!" ~Hugo

"Quasi is a sweetheart. He's among the first humans to be friends of us Gargoyles." ~Laverne

After ringing the big bells in the bell tower, Quasimodo smiled with a sense of happiness as he looked from around where Victor and Hugo were seen, although Laverne took time to sunbathe next to them. "Hi, Quasimodo," greeted Victor. "Don't you adore this gorgeous scenery out here?" Hugo's wings fluttered with excitement while watching the crowd's preparation for the Feast of Fools. "Hey', Quasi! What's going on down there," he asked. "A festival," Victor answered in Quasimodo's place. Hugo smiled towards them at from the idea of festivals. "You mean the Feast of Fools," he asked. Quasimodo slowly nodded, as he wasn't used to crowds, nor did he see himself adapting to one soon. "Uh-huh," he said as he felt a bit overwhelmed by Hugo's boisterous energy. "All right! Pour the wine and cut the cheese," replied Hugo. "It is a treat to watch the colorful pageantry of the simple peasant folk," added Victor. "Yeah, watching," said Quasimodo, who never got to attend the Feast of Fools. "Nobody wants to be couped up here forever." Hugo mischievously smiled as he thought, "Oh look, a mime."

Before he could start any mischief, Victor gestured Hugo to check on Quasimodo with him. "Now is not the time," whispered Victor. "Quasimodo needs us." The male gargoyles glanced at Quasimodo with the thought to cheer him up. "What gives," asked Hugo. "Aren't you going to watch the festival with us," asked Victor. Laverne rose from her sunbathing spot and asked him, "What good is watching a party if you never get to go," she asked. "He's not made of stone like us." With the trio following Quasimodo inside of the bell tower, Laverne was the first to try comforting their friend. "Quasi, what's wrong? You want to tell ol' Laverne about it," she asked. Quasimodo sighed and said to his mother figure, "I just don't feel like watching the festival at all this year, that's all." Laverne's lips curled to a smile while she gave it some thought. "Well did you ever think of going there, instead," she asked. (Quasimodo rolls his eyes a bit.) "Sure, but I'd never fit in out there," answered Quasimodo. "I'm not- normal."

Laverne shook her head and responded, "Oh, Quasi~" (A group of birds fly over her head.) "Do you mind? I would like to have a moment with the boy if it's all right with you," she snapped as she scared off the birds. around her head and bosom. Hugo chimed in and laid an arm around Quasimodo. "Aye, quit beating around the bell tower," suggested Hugo. "Whadda we gotta do?" Victor joined the trio of friends with a smile for the conversation. "As your friends and guardians, we insist you attend the festival," he said while he playfully tugged Quasimodo's arm. "Me," asked Quasimodo. "No, the Pope. Of course you," answered Hugo. Victor calmly chuckled and said to Quasimodo, "It would be a veritable pope-pourri of educational experience." "Wine, women, and song," added Hugo, who was juggling some of Quasimodo's sculptures. "You can learn to identify various regional cheeses," Victor said next. Hugo's wings fluttered once again as he said with a wood bucket of water in his hands, "Bobbing for snails!"

Victor pleasantly sighed as he remembered the musical crowd at the Feast of Fools. "And the indigenous folk music," he said while his wings fluttered. As if out of nowhere, the wood bucket Hugo had was dunked over Victor's head as Hugo added, "Dunk the monk!" Laverne cuddled herself next to Quasimodo and told him with her head next to his, "Quasi, take it from an old spectator. Life's not a spectator sport. If watchin's all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without you." Hugo shrugged and reminded him, "Yeah, you're human, with the flesh, and the hair, and the navel lint. We're just part of the architecture, right Victor?" (Hugo takes off the bucket and grins at Victor, who is used to some of the mischievous antics.) "Yet, if you chip us, will we not flake? If you moisten us, do we not grow moist," inquired Vector. Quasimodo nervously sighed a little and said to them, "Thanks for the encouragement, but you're all forgetting one thing; my Master Frollo."

The trio of gargoyles lost their excitement at the mention of him. Victor eventually broke the four's silence and asked Quasimodo, "Well, when he says you're forbidden from ever leaving the bell tower, d-does he mean ever, ever?" Quasimodo shook his head and answered, "Never ever, and he hates the Feast of Fools. He'd be furious if I asked to go." Hugo devilishly grinned as he asked, "Who says you've gotta ask?" Quasimodo shook his head again and said, "Oh no..." "You just sneak out-" added Hugo. Laverne smiled at Quasimodo and told him, "It's just one afternoon." "I-I couldn't," Quasimodo protested to Hugo and Laverne, who wanted Quasimodo to be happy. "-and you sneak back in," said Hugo. Laverne also persisted and said, "He'll never know you were gone." Quasimodo held his head in his hands and said, "And if I got caught..." "Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission," said Victor, who could see either scenario possible. "He might see me," protested Quasimodo. Hugo grabbed a nearby sheet and said, "You could wear a disguise, just this once. What Frollo doesn't know can't hurt you!"

Victor smiled at Hugo and added, "Ignorance is bliss." Hugo sarastically laughed and muttered, "Look who's talking." Laverne's arms mushed her bust together as she said, "You made a great point, Quasimodo. Nobody wants to stay couped up here forever." Quasimodo's facial expression beamed with joy as he immediately felt convinced to get out of the bell tower. "You're right; I'll go! (The gargoyles cheer.) I'll get cleaned up... (Another cheer is head.) I'll stroll down those stairs... (One more cheer is heard.) I'll march through the doors and-" (Frollo is suddenly seen with a basket in front of the stairs.) "Good morning, Quasimodo," he said. Quasimodo walked back a little and nervously looked at him. "Um, good morning, Master," greeted Quasimodo. Frollo, who was aware of the gargoyles, looked at the three gargoyles and thought, "Have these moved since I was here?" Frollo shrugged it off and said, "Lunch!" At the cue from the word, Quasimodo darted to get a silver chalice and plate for Frollo, as well as a wooden cup and plate for himself. "Shall we review your alphabet today," asked Frollo. Quasimodo nervously replied to him with, "Oh yes, Master. I would like that very much." (Frollo begins pouring out wine for both of them.) Frollo started the test as he said to him, "Very well. A?"

"Abomination," answered Quasimodo.

"B?" "Blasphemy."

"C?" "Contrition."

"D?" "Damnation."

"E?" "Eternal Damnation!

"Good, F?" "Festival."

Frollo sternly looks at Quasimodo and asks, "Excuse me?" "F-F-F-Forgiveness," replied Quasimodo, whose hands shamefully covered his face. (Frollo closes the book.) "You said, festival," said Frollo. "You are thinking about going to the festival." Quasimodo tried to defend his stance and replied, "It-it's just that you go every year." Frollo turned to Quasimodo and responded, "I am a public official; I must go! But I don't enjoy a moment! Thieves and hustlers and the dregs of humankind, all mixed together in a drunken, shallow stupor..." Quasimodo listened to Frollo's reason and said. "I didn't mean to upset you, Master." Frollo turns back to Quasimodo and tells him, "Quasimodo, can't you understand? When your heartless mother abandoned you as a child, anyone else would would have drowned you. And this is the thanks I get for taking you in and raising you as my son?" Quasimodo knelt before Frollo and said to him, "I'm sorry, sir." "Oh, my dear Quasimodo. You don't know what it's like out there. I do," replied Frollo. (The setting transitions to Frollo's version of "Out There".)

"The world is cruel, the world is wicked. It's I alone who you can trust in this whole city. I am your only friend... (Frollo grins to Quasimodo as he holds his step-son's cheeks. His hands then brush through Quasimodo's face.) I, who keep you feed you teach you dress you. I, who look upon you without fear. (Frollo slowly steps back and gestures Quasimodo to follow.) "How can I protect you boy, unless you always stay in here, away in here," Frollo sang. "Remember what I've taught you, Quasimodo," he added.

"You are deformed."

"I am deformed," said Quasimodo.

"And you are ugly."

"And I am ugly," cried Quasimodo.

"And these are crimes for which the world shows little pity," said Frollo. "You do not comprehend." Quasimodo sniffled a bit as he said, "You are my one defender." Frollo continued with his counterargument and said, "Out there they will relive you as a monster." (Quasimodo: "I am a monster.") "Out there they will hate and scorn and jeer," continued Frollo. (Quasimodo: "Only a monster.") "Why invite their calumny and consternation? Stay in here! Be faithful to me (Quasimodo: I'm faithful), and grateful to me. (Quasimodo: I'm grateful.) Do as I say, obey, and stay... In... Here," finished Frollo, who had kept Quasimodo locked up there in the bell tower for 20 years by now. "You are good to me, Master. I'm sorry," said Quasimodo, who dried up his eyes' tears. "You are forgiven," replied Frollo. "But remember, Quasimodo: this is your sanctuary." Quasimodo sat next to his sculptures and thought, "My sanctuary." (Quasimodo considers what he'll enjoy if he spent one day out there.)

#Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone

Gazing at the people down below me

All my life I watch them as I hide up here alone

Hungry for the histories they show me

All my life I memorize their faces

Knowing them as they will never know me

All my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day

Not above them

But part of them

And out there

Living in the sun

Give me one day out there

All I ask is one

To hold forever

Out there

Where they all live unaware

What I'd give

What I'd dare

Just to live one day out there

Out there among the millers and the weavers and their wives

Through the roofs and gables I can see them

Ev'ry day they shout and scold and go about their lives

Heedless of the gift it is to be them

If I was in their skin

I'd treasure ev'ry instant

Out there

Strolling by the Seine

Taste a morning out there

Like ordinary men

Who freely walk about there

Just one day and then

I swear I'll be content

With my share

Won't resent

Won't despair

Old and bent

I won't care

I'll have spent

One day

Out there#

To Be Continued