Dennis and the Hunchback

"You sure you two will be okay?"

The sun was drowning in the red and orange horizon in the west on a Wednesday night, where just outside the hotel stood Mavis, Dracula, Johnny, and Dennis. Dracula stood a few paces away from the stone stairs whereas Mavis was nearer, standing before her husband Johnny with Dennis holding the human's hand. Johnny smiled nonchalantly at his vampire wife; tonight she was going out with her father to spend some bonding time together, which they haven't done in quite a while. And to be completely honest, Johnny was rather excited at their departure, not because they'd be gone but because he got to spend some bonding time with his son Dennis. All in all one thing led to another, and so there the four stood, at the foot of the monster resort, sharing one last discussion before going their separate ways.

"Of course, Mavy. Trust me; I've got the whole night planned out already! We're going to have lots of fun, won't we, Dennis?" Johnny playfully swung his son up into his arms, in which the three year old laughed.

"Yay!" The little boy cheered, clapping his hands together eagerly.

Mavis smiled lovingly. "Aww… glad to hear it!" she took Dennis in her arms and kissed his forehead. "Love you, Dennis! I'll be back before sunrise!"

Dennis giggled up at his mother and stuck a finger in his mouth, a habit which he hadn't broken since birth. "Buh-bye, mama," he mumbled through his mouthful.

Mavis gave him one last hug before putting him back in Johnny's arms. She then kissed her husband before running down to join her waiting father. Half-way there she paused and turned around, waving. "Bye!"

"Bye, hon," Johnny replied, a huge smile on his face. He watched as Mavis and Dracula, about fifteen feet away, shared a hug and few words before transforming into bats, disappearing in a puff of purple smoke.

Johnny waited for a few seconds to pass in silence, listening to hooting howls and chirping crickets among the hotel grounds. It was peaceful. Involuntarily the human shivered. It was cold, too.

"C'mon, little buddy," He said, tickling his son, "Let's go on inside; it's free-zing out here!" Dennis giggled and reached up to try to grab his dad's unruly red hair. Grinning ear to ear, Johnny walked back up the stairs and through the revolving door of the hotel with Dennis cozily lying in his arms. As soon as they were inside, however, Dennis squirmed out of his father's grip and bounced around the lobby, chasing around the nearby wolf pups and staring curiously at some of the monsters.

Surprised, Johnny quickly went after his rather quick three-year-old, pushing past guests while calling out "Sorry" and "Excuse me", his eyes never diverting the fleeing Dennis. As soon as he thought he made it out of the crowd he ran right into the front of a burly beast, falling down on his back, while the beast looked down at him in annoyance. Johnny picked himself off the floor and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, pardon me- -" he ran around the large guest and looked at where he last saw Dennis only to find the spot empty. His stomach tightening, Johnny whipped his head left and right. "Dennis!"

Quiet giggling caught Johnny's attention, and, smiling playfully, Johnny creeped up to a nearby table with a cloth pulled over it. "Oh, Dennis…" he sang, "You better look out, because I'm… coming for ya!" He ripped the table cloth off, revealing the giggling Dennis. Dennis screamed and tried to run away, but Johnny caught him and pulled him close, tickling him. Dennis laughed and laughed, his legs kicking and accidentally knocked one across Johnny's nose. It didn't hurt, but it was unexpected, and when Johnny sat stunned Dennis took the moment to run off again.

"Hide an' go seek! Hide an' go seek!" Dennis squealed, and to Johnny's dismay, he ran out of sight in the midst of the monster crowd again.

"No Dennis, not here- - come back, Dennis!" ordered Johnny, but his son was laughing too much to hear him. Sighing in exasperation, Johnny decided to just play along and, after waiting a few seconds, followed after the little boy.

Johnny was sure he'd quickly find Dennis again, but it was quite the opposite. Turned out that the lobby was empty of the small curly red-haired boy, and when too much time passed for the liking of Johnny, he started asking bystanders if they saw the little rascal. He mostly got shakes of heads as an answer, but he finally found someone who knew where Dennis went; down the hall that led to the kitchen. Johnny wasn't surprised; Dennis probably smelled something delicious and got hungry, so in a half-calm, half-anxious speed-walk through the hallway the human finally reached his destination. He pushed open the swinging doors and stepped inside the small, warm kitchen. It smelled great in there, which was shocking; ever since a new chef was hired, the cooking and meals were not as good. It was admittedly true that Quasimodo was known as the best chef in Transylvania, but Dracula banished and replaced him a few years ago. Expecting to see the recent, not-as-good-at-cooking chef, Johnny started to make a comment.

"Wow, dude, I guess you're hard work is starting to pay off! It smells absolutely awe- -" He broke off at the scene he saw.

Standing on a stool, short with a humpback, slowly stirring a ladle in a boiling cauldron with a curly red haired boy wearing a chef hat bouncing at his side, was none other than Quasimodo Wilson. He appeared to have been telling Dennis the ingredients of the stew and specifically what he was making. As soon as Johnny made an entrance, the gourmet chef turned his head to look at him, Dennis being too occupied by helping stir the pot contents to bother. Quasimodo just stood there, staring at him, unspeaking.

Johnny wasn't sure how to take the situation. Was Quasimodo not supposed to be banished? What was he doing here, with his son, no less? He didn't know if he could trust the short man with Dennis or not. His mind raced as he tried to fumble for the right words.

"Bonjour, smelly human," greeted Quasimodo with his French accent, giving him a strange side smile. "I didn't know you had a son."

Dennis finally realized his dad was there and ran up to him, cheerfully tugging at his sleeve. "Daddy, I'm a chef! See?" he pointed at the chef hat that lied upon his mop of hair. He then smiled a toothy grin at Quasimodo. "He's tellin' me how to make food!"

"Oh, yeah?" Johnny replied, glancing at Quasimodo, expressionless. He leaned down to his son's height, wishing him out of the situation. "Dennis, how 'bout you go find your great Aunt Wanda? She always makes nice snacks for you."

Dennis perked up eagerly. "Okay!" He made his way out the swinging doors as fast as possible; when a snack was offered, there was no stopping him.

As soon as Quasimodo and Johnny were alone, Johnny debated on what he should do; should he go out and warn everyone? Should he demand the French chef an explanation?

Quasimodo could read his face like a book. Grimly the hunchback said, "I know your conflicting thoughts, human. 'Can I trust him? What iz he doing here?'" he then grinned again. "I assure you, I have no intention to do anything but cook, cook, cook- -" he paused and chuckled. "- - that iz, cook anything not human."

Frankly Johnny was happy that Quasimodo spoke first, and became even happier when he didn't seem like a threat. "Well, that's a relief!" Johnny quipped, allowing a smile. He then cautiously added, "I didn't know Drac hired you again."

"Ah, yes," Quasimodo agreed, continuing to stir the bubbling brew. "Zat's an interesting story, actually. But it can wait another time. Zeh important thing now is to feed up zeh hotel guests, no? It iz my job to make zhem satisfied again."

Johnny took a deep, satisfying breath. "Seriously, little man, it smells really good in here. What are you making?"

Quasimodo eyed Johnny, still grinning. "Interested, no? Would you like to do zeh honors of taste-testing my latest stew?" he walked across the kitchen, grabbed a wooden bowl, and brought it back to the cauldron, using a ladle to pour the liquid in it. He then offered it to Johnny.

Johnny took the bowl and stared in it. Even though it wasn't over a fire anymore, the soup substance still bubbled. He smiled. "Yeah!" he took a sip and licked his lips, downing a few more gulps. "Whoa, this is amazing!" He exclaimed, taking another sip. "What's in it?"

"Rat eyes and spider guts," Quasimodo said bluntly.

Johnny's eyes bulged and he instantly coughed up the remains that he could, the bowl dropping to the ground.

Quasimodo laughed. "Typical human! I kid you; it'z chicken and onion soup with a hint of grubs. I have to add at least a little monster spice," he added.

Johnny wiped his mouth with his sleeve and chuckled. "Whoa, I really believed you there. Is it for something special?"

"Oui, Oui!" Quasimodo confirmed, leaping up at the chains hanging from the rafters and swinging on them like a monkey. He stopped at one right in front of Johnny at eye level. "It waz a test-soup for a cooking competition. Obviously it won't do, however; not enough monster foods."

"So the recipe is what counts, not the taste?"

Quasimodo looked at Johnny as if he were stupid. "It must be a balance! Zhey both must be perfection!" He spun to the ground and picked up the bowl Johnny dropped, tossing it in a pile of other dirty dishes. "Time to start over. Out of here now, human, or you're stench will scar my kitchen."

Johnny wasn't offended. He was pretty laid back with things like this, so he just nodded and stepped out. "K, g'luck, Sniffy."

Quasimodo blinked and watched Johnny leave. Before the human completely left, however, the chef called out, "And, human?"

Johnny backed up and poked his head over the swinging doors. "Hmm?"

Quasimodo's expression was hard to read. He looked sincere and stone-like, but somehow, he also looked hopeful, perhaps even caring. "Zeh human boy of yours… Dennis, oui?"

At the name of his son by the previously evil chef, part of Johnny felt defensive and another part felt curious. What would he be interested in Dennis for? They seemed to get along when Johnny first walked in. "Yeah, what about him?" Johnny asked eventually.

"Thank you for letting him ztay with me for a time." Quasimodo's voice was genuine. There was no doubt about it; he was straightforward truthful.

Johnny was completely caught off guard. Quasimodo Wilson, the hunchback chef who used to despise humans, the same one who tried to eat Johnny, was thanking him because he spent time with his son, who also appeared as a human. Johnny didn't know what to say. He never intended for Dennis to spend any time with Quasimodo; in fact, he didn't even know Dracula rehired him! But from how grateful Quasimodo was, Johnny knew, he knew, that the French man had indeed gained a change of heart. Why? That was beyond a mystery to the human. And, from the way Dennis was acting before, he seemed to like Quasimodo just the same. When Johnny had comprehended all of this and was preparing to make a response, Quasimodo had disappeared.

UPDATE A/N: Epilogue canceled.

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