For Whom The Bell Tolls

New Place, Same Reaction

Quasimodo found himself wondering if it would ever stop. Would the train ever stop? Would the cold ever stop? Would the snap judgments of his person ever truly stop? A painful embrace from the cold washed itself over his body forcing him to shiver. He tried to stay strong and for the first hour Quasimodo remained so atop the metallic behemoth. His human nature forced him to eventually fold to the cold, though. He fell to the train too numb to stand. His face made hard contact with the ice cold train. The metallic surface siphoned away the last bits of body heat Quasi still had leaving him even colder. Small traces of blood found it's way out of his nose as his senses started to all go blurry.  There was never question however, Quasimodo was making it out alive.

"I want to see them again. I need to see them again. Esmeralda, Phoebus, my friends, I'm sorry. I'll find a way back soon." Quasimodo spoke to himself his voice never wavering. The very idea of his friends kept his heart warm enough to keep beating through the fierce cold.

Looking off to the horizon Quasi saw nothing but snow for a long distance. It looked like a purgatory of winter, an inescapable expanse of cold. As he traveled what felt like weeks was only a couple hours in real time. More cold washed over him and the slightest hint of doubt worked its way into his heart. A sliver of uncertainty was all that was needed to create an intense sense of sorrow. His hope was plagued by this small amount of fear growing like an insidious cancer feasting on whatever laid near. Warm tears, the only warmth he could muster, ran down his face, Quasimodo no longer able to keep his composure.

Then, in the distance, the end of purgatory.

A mercy, suddenly he was relieved from the ever bearing cold. Rays of sunlight like an oven cooked away the thin sheet of ice that had formed on his skin. The metal train, however, needed a while to thaw so it's cold embrace was still as vicious as it was before. Still the relief that washed over Quasimodo was enough to bring a small smile on his face. Warming the train entirely did take its time but the summer air did eventually work it's magic and Quasimodo felt his hope push the infection out of his heart. Another half hour passed and Quasi flipped on his backside soaking up as much warmth as he could. While the experience was pleasant the thoughts of his friends being left behind was starting to upset him. Thinking back on what started all of this Quasi began wondering just what was happening.

"It's weird. . ." he said aloud "first I'm celebrating Esmeralda and Phoebus' engagement, then I get blasted by magical ponies. I don't know who I wronged, but I must've done something really bad. I just wonder what happened to the ponies? They were in the bell tower, I wonder if Esmeralda and Phoebus. . ." a horrified expression washed over his face. "No no no no! They were in the tower with the ponies! What if the ponies hit them with the same thing they hit me with!?! Oh god, please let them be okay."

Before Quasimodo could let his paranoia get to him several structures in the distance drew his eye. It looked like a simple little village albeit a lot more colorful. The question of his friends being safe was still a pertinent thought in Quasimodo's mind, but he also needed to find out where he was and how exactly he could get home. As the train drew ever closer to the village the hunchback went over some lines that he might say to whoever he might encounter.

"Hi, my name is Quasimodo. No don't be scared I'm not a monster I just want some directions. Hi, I'm Quasimodo and I'm not here to scare anyone I just want to know how to get back to Paris. Hello, my name is Quasimodo I'm the, uh, bell ringer for Notre Dame. No I don't want to hurt any--." he stopped when the trains momentum started to slow and the machine made a loud hissing sound.

"Well here goes nothing."

'What was I expecting?' Quasi deadpanned to himself.

Commotion and pandemonium ran wild throughout Ponyville. The ponies that had been riding on the train were greeted with a terrible sight as they exited. All of the sudden a hunchbacked freak of nature descended from the sky only to land in front of them. His bulbous left eye casted an intimidating shadow over his dull iris. Quasimodo himself was taken aback by the appearance of more ponies that looked similar to the ones he met before, but nonetheless he tried to put on a good face.

His toothy smile was a smile consistent of a big buck tooth that seemed to point north and south at the same time. His red matted and red hair looked like something out of the Everfree Forest itself. The crowd couldn't also be concerned about his incredibly large forearms and a head that seemed to be a couple feet lower than what it should've been when comparing to his back. He was odd, bizarre, disgusting, and different. They all ran away in fear of the monster, warning the rest of the village.

"Help, a monster!" one pony cried

"No please my name is Quasimodo and I'm not a monster! I just want to get back home can anybody help me?"

Nobody listened as the train station was emptied in a matter of seconds, with the exception of one small colt. He stood looking around frantically. His eyes eventually landed on Quasimodo and his pupils turned to pinpricks. Tears began to form in his eyes as he fell into a fetal position.

"Please, don't eat me! I don't taste good I swear!"

Quasi felt much like crying too. He slowly approached the crying colt wanting desperately to lend a comforting hand, something to stop his fear. Quasimodo lightly brushed the mane of the colt and he saw the poor thing shiver. Quasi took a deep breath and scooped the young pony up into his arms. The colt thrashed begging not to be eaten, but Quasimodo kept a tight but comfortable grip on the young pony. After a while, tensions started to die down much to Quasi's relief.

"You're not going to eat me?" the colt asked still frightened, his eyes were red from crying.

"Of course not I just wanted some help." Quasi said quietly.

"Really?" the colt responded wiping away his tears.

"Yes, I promise."

The colt looked at him curiously scanning his figure. It was hard to believe that a monster that looked like something straight out of one of his video games could be good, but all evidence pointed to his goodness. The young colt was put back on the ground and he began to circle Quasimodo further examining him, much to the hunchbacks amusement. After he was done the colt made eye contact with Quasimodo.

"My name is Button Mash."

"Nice to meet you Button Mash, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I wasn't crying! I was, uh, I had lint in my eye, yeah, lint was in my eye." Button said hastily.

Quasimodo trying to hold back laughter but he couldn't. He exploded into laughter much to Buttons chagrin. While trying to cover his red face Button hotly demanded Quasi drop the subject. Quasi eventually calmed down and responded with a simple nod.

"So. . what did you say you needed help with?" Button asked still a little upset over the previous exchange.

"I-I need to get home. My friends might be in danger." Quasimodo answered.

"That's not good. Well, where do you live?"

"Notre Dame."

"Notre-whatnow?"

"Notre Dame, the church. In Paris."

"Doesn't ring a bell."

"Actually it has several bells, I ring them, I'm the bell-ringer there."

"That's. . nice." Button did everything in his power to resist a facehoof. "But I've still never heard of that place."

"It's okay. Thanks for your help." Quasimodo crouched preparing for a jumped when Button interjected.

"Wait, don't go!"

"Is something wrong?"

"You're not going to leave me alone are you?"

"Don't you have parents?"

"I got seperated from her when everypony started shouting 'Monster!'"

Quasi looked down ashamed. He crouched down to Button's level assuring him that they would find his mother. The duo needn't look long however, a faint yet distinguishable voice was heard. The ever encroaching voice grew louder and even more angry. Finally rounding a nearby corner a mare with hellfire in her eyes charged them.

"Get away from my son!"

"Mom!" Button sprinted towards her jumping into her open hooves.

"Where did you go Button? I was so worried."

"I couldn't find you when everypony started running. I was so scared Mom."

"It's okay Button, everything will be okay. But I'm gonna need you to meet me at home."

"Mom?"

Buttons Mom looked over at Quasimodo the hellfire returning to her gaze.

"I won't allow anypony to hurt my Button!" Love Tap yelled stomping her hooves firmly in front of her child.

"But Mom!. . ."

"Now's not the time to argue Button, go home."

"But. . ."

"Go now!"

Button flinched at the harshness of his mother's voice. He looked at Quasimodo with a sad look but knew there was nothing he could do. The hunchback gave him a quick nod of reassurance slowing Buttons heartbeat. Button turned away and took off for home hoping that all of this was a terrible nightmare and that soon he would wake up. Love Tap never took her eyes off Quasimodo but she smirked when she heard Buttons hoofsteps disappear into the distance. She tested the ground with her hooves releasing what appeared to be some smoke from her nostrils. Quasimodo was rapidly sputtering excuses but all of them fell on deaf ears. The pissed off mare finally gave into her anger completely and charged the hunchback.

Quasi noted that her speed and strength were pretty daunting. She closed what was at least a twenty foot gap much quicker than Quasi expected. He calmed himself the best he could and Quasi put out his arms. A moment later Love Tap fiercely impacted his palms stopping dead in her tracks. A tight grip formed around her head, tight enough to keep her still but not so tight as to put unbearable pressure on her.

"Huh?"

"Listen to me! I didn't hurt your son, I don't want to hurt anyon--youch!" Quasimodo shot back as he was hit with a painful blast.

"Love Tap are you all right!?!" a voice called out. It was soon met with the sound of several other hoofsteps. Quasi looked up and saw a total of seven angry mares all looking at him. Six of them had odd trinkets around their necks.

"I'm fine. Thanks for the help girls, be careful he's a lot stronger than he looks.

"Nothing we can't handle." Rainbow Dash proclaimed.

"Alright girls get ready. I heard from the Crystal Empire that he had escaped and is incredibly dangerous. Even Cadence and Shining Armor apparently couldn't stop him. I think it's safe to say we'll have to use the elements and end this quickly." Twilight said receiving nods from everypony.

Love Tap backed away as the elements of harmony took their position. Quasimodo could feel his collar grow tighter around his neck and his entire body feel shake in nervous anticipation. The elements began their ascent into the air surrounded by a glowing white light.

"Anypony that brings physical harm to others must be taught cooperation and friendship is the most powerful thing in the world!" Twilight's words were then accompanied by a large rainbow arching itself downwards towards the hunchback. Before he could react he was hit with the energy his entire frame consumed by the light. It took several seconds but the light eventually did fade. What the ponies witnessed shook them to their core.

Quasimodo stood, completely unchanged.