An idea I got from watching Hunchback of Notre Dame

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I closed my eyes as the hard rain managed to reach past the shelter and onto my arm. The droplets was freezing cold. The wind picked up right then, allowing my long purple skirt to wrap itself around my two skinny, pale legs. My teeth jittered as I folded my arms and rubbed them. Uncaring of getting my pretty outfit dirty, I fell to the wet, muddy ground and scrunched myself up in a ball. I curled my legs and desperately wanted to cry, but held it in. It had been a long time since I let my tears spill. Tears were a sign of weakness. That's what I had learned.

The angry voices of the townspeople filled my ears in a painful way. I heard them shouting names and vulgar at me, at all of us, their faces crunched in an ugly way to show their anger. I could have sworn I heard the resounding splat of fruit being thrown at my group. I didn't care. I was too used to it. At least the mud wasn't the only thing forming splotches on my outfit.

"Turn back now or we will call the police" the mayor of the town warned for the 30th time. I was all-too familiar with his tone. I could imagine the plump man beet red and losing his patients fast.

It was times like these that I wish my leader would just let it go.

"I believe it was quite inhuman for you to leave a group of people out in the cold like this" the leader kept pestering. She was more patient then the mayor or anyone of the townspeople.

"Send the dogs on them!" one person cried.

"They should burn!" another followed. Louder complaints followed. I, being the newest, cringed at every insult. I just was not used to people hating me.

In the end, they sent in the police and a large border separated my group from the town.

We were alone again. Out in the cold. They took us away from our only shelter, an unstable roof, and now I knew the full cold temperature of the rain. Again, I wanted to cry but dug my nails into my hands to stop myself.

The leader turned to us and shrugged "let's keep going till we find shelter" she shouted. Somehow, the rain was not affecting her at all.

The group nodded and someone grabbed onto my arm. I looked up. It was Ayame. She smiled down on me.

"Time to go" she urged.

I slowly got to my feet, noticing the spots of red, yellow and brown on my white short-sleeved shirt and purple skirt. It was times like these I was glad that I didn't take out my red, silk scarf and golden accessories.

The group began moving northward, hopefully away from the storm and I followed, ever so slowly, wiping my face with my dirty hands of rain.

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As a child, I was warned that Gypsies were thieves and scoundrels, people to avoid at all cost. But they were also street performers and their movements always amazed me when I saw them outside of my window. I knew perfectly well that people disliked them with a passion but they, too, could not help avoiding the beautiful dances of the lovely female Gypsies and the reassuring, kind, persuasive words of the male Gypsies. Their lives seemed full of love, compassion and happiness. Happiness resulting in the theft of peoples wallets, jewels and sometimes, hearts. Of men. Female Gypsies played temporary concubines. They were like fairies, beautiful and cruel.

But it was better living with them then with abusive parents. My older brother, Sora, died a short while after I left the age of 14 and entered year 15 of my existence. I had no one to protect me from my guardians and they obviously became more violent after his death. Running away was my serious thought and nothing stopped me. I had no friend. I used to. When I lived in Karakura. The city side of Kyoto was so much more different.

So I ran off and luckily managed to run into the band of Gypsies named The Shun-Shun Rika. I remembered seeing them and wished to dance like they did and be strong even when those look down upon me. They were a decent mix of all the clans. After joining them, I was informed of more tribes. The Shun-Shun Rika accepted to adopt me and I went through the ceremonial transition from an Outsider to a Gypsy. They become my family in a short time.

Now and then, we would run into other gypsy families and tribes and exchange goods. Gypsies were very fair with their own kind.

Though it was against my own morals, I was taught to steal and dance and talk persuasively. They said my smile and aura had something to do with it. I figured they were just being nice. But above all, I never accepted the teachings of seducing a man with my body. I was over-developed in my upper area and the females of the Shun-Shun Rika insisted that if I used my body properly, trapping a man would be a synch. But it was one of, and possibly the only, reason I disliked the female Gypsies. I frowned upon completely the idea of stealing a man's heart and lust and flipping it onto him. It was absurd and I felt it would be a waist of my body and pride.

The Shun-Shun Rika's accepted this and I quickly became a popular dancer.

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Ayame placed a wet clothe in the bowl of hot water, squeezed out access water and placed it over my face. I squeezed my eyes shut as she washed away any evidence of dirt. I smelt wet mud and wrinkled my nose. It was disgusting. But again, I had to get used to it faster. Getting dirty in many ways was natural for these people. The Gypsies.

The wet clothe was removed from my face and a blinked back some dirt and water. Ayame descended onto my arms and shoulder.

"You really shouldn't have sat down" the raven haired girl frowned.

"I was too cold to stand up" I answered, silently.

"Well, its fine. At least you didn't get the full blow of the fruit attacks" she giggled.

I responded with smiled. Once they put up their tents for the storm, I had noticed some of the Shun-Shun Rika covered in tomatoes and potato splotches. But I dared not to giggle for fear of Tsubaki's, a harsh Shun-Shun Rika, wrath.

The rain began to create holes in the weak tent Ayame held for the two.

"Darn it!" she cried. She rushed to get a bucket to hold the leak. I watched the hole above me grow darker and sprinkle of water began to fall on the ground. I quickly washed off the rest of the dirt and raced after Ayame to gather more buckets.

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This was my life. And I always thought that nothing would change.

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End