Warning: This A/N is quite long, so if you want, you can just skip to the actual chapter.

A/N: Oh, my gosh, I can't believe it's been almost four years since I updated this story. I meant to update this story, really, but things happened. Real life got in the way, and I came to a dilemma in the actual story.

When I first wrote this story, I was quite excited to write it, as I became obsessed with The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 2013. Before that, I had only watched the film once before. However, in 2013 my school life and personal life became stressful, and I just found no time to write the actual story, and alas this fanfic kind of got pushed to the side. Plus, I began to enjoy other Disney films (mainly Beauty and the Beast) more than The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and practically forgot it existed until recently. I've re-watched it a lot recently and I now have a new motivation to update this fanfic, so it will be complete soon!

Then I had huge issue writing this chapter, because as much as I love this film, I really hate the gargoyles, who happened to be introduced in this chapter. As in, I will literally skip all scenes with the gargoyles apart from their first scene with Qausimodo and the final scene during the fight. But, given that they're basically always around Qausimodo, I end up skipping half the film. I didn't know how I could change this fanfic so that the gargoyles weren't going to exist, but then I discovered the stage musical of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, so I took inspiration from that when deciding to replace the gargoyles! The stage musical inspired me so much, so I'll be taking inspiration from that as well as the film. (Seriously guys, the musical is beautiful! Especially the song Made of Stone. I've listened to it about forty times when writing this chapter)

I know the first chapter was in Hama's point of view, but I'm basing this the same way it was done in the Disney parks performance. The way they did it allowed Clopin to be on stage at all times, meaning he could narrate it all times. So, whenever Hama has a prominent role (Festival of Fools, Court of Miracles) it will be written in her perspective. I'll leave a note when the time comes for those chapters so not to confuse you all. (Side note: Clopin has to be the best Disney guy ever! I love his character so much~)

Also, I'll be editing the first chapter. No big changes, just spell-check, grammar check and slight changes to it…things I should have done when I originally posted the chapter. Hopefully, my writing will have improved in four years!

Note: Given this is set in the Fire Nation, Sokka, Aang and Katara are going to be wearing their Fire Nation outfits.

Now…onto the chapter! (Which is named after my favourite song in the film~)

Chapter Two: Out There

Up in the highest part of the Fire Temple, the bell ringer Zuko began to ring the morning bells, listening to their music. He momentarily closed his eyes as the beautiful chimes of the bell echoed around him and gave a sigh of content. He jumped from the bells and carried himself to his balcony, grinning as he glanced down at the city below him. A soft chirping brought him out of his trance, and he glanced at the nest that had settled in the mouth of a stone statue. Most of the birds chirped at him before opening their wings and soaring into the sky, but one bird remained.

Zuko chuckled and cupped his hands together, allowing the baby bird to climb into his hands. "Good morning," he murmured softly so not to scare the bird. "Is this the day? Are you ready to fly?" The bird chirped and looked away. Zuko frowned and made his way to the edge of the balcony, letting the little bird see the town in all its festivities. "That's a shame because today is a good day to try. Why, if I had to pick a day to fly, this would be it! It's the Festival of Fools, you know." The baby bird seemed to be encouraged by Zuko's words and tried to fly. Zuko stifled a chuckle as he moved his hands from below the bird, allowing the little creature to fly on his own. Zuko laughed aloud with the bird once the bird realised he could fly on his own. The little creature glanced in the direction his family had flown, and Zuko chuckled a little. "Go on. No one wants to stay cooped up here forever!"

The bird glanced back at Zuko before flying away, chirping a little as he did. Zuko let out a little chuckle as he watched the bird fly away, before glancing down at the town again. He gave a little sigh.

"So, I see little Hawkeye has flown, huh?"

Zuko's eyes widened and he turned to face the direction the voice came from. He grinned as he saw a familiar trio in the doorway leading to the bell tower.

"Katara, Aang, Sokka! You're back!"

The one who spoke first chuckled. "You didn't think we were leaving forever, did you Zuko?"

Zuko smiled a little. "Of course, I didn't Sokka."

Sokka was the eldest of the group. He wore a standardised Fire Nation outfit, with a dark cloak over the top. The female of the group, Katara, was wearing a simple red dress, with a red necklace inherited from her mother. She too was wearing a road cloak over the top of her outfit, showing that they had just arrived. The final member of the group, Aang, wore the standard Fire Nation school uniform, also finishing his outfit with a cloak.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko asked as he embraced his friends.

Aang was the first to speak. "Hakoda came to visit Avatar Roku, so we thought we'd come along too to see you! We've missed you so much!"

Zuko couldn't help but feel his spirits rise a little. Katara, Aang, and Sokka were the only friends he really had, other than his master. Katara and Sokka were siblings, children of Hakoda, an old friend of Avatar Roku, and Aang was a family friend who had been taken in by the family after his family died.

Hearing all the commotion outside, Sokka moved away from Zuko and glanced over the balcony. His grin spread as he turned to talk to Katara and Aang. "We came just in time for the Festival of Fools!"

Aang bounded over to the balcony and grinned, "Oh boy, I've waited all year to see this! I almost thought we were going to miss it!"

Sokka leaned against the balcony and glanced at Zuko. "Nothing like front-row seats for watching the festival, right Zuko?"

Zuko slumped a little as he headed to the little table in the middle of the room. "Yeah…watching…" he picked up a carved figurine of himself, caressing it slightly.

Sokka blinked and glanced at Aang, "What's wrong with him?"

Aang shrugged a little, "Maybe he's sick?"

Katara shook her head. "Impossible! If twenty years of listening to you two hasn't made him sick by now, nothing will!" She followed Zuko.

Sokka frowned, "Katara, watching the Festival of Fools has always been the highlight of the year for Zuko!"

Katara frowned and glanced at him. "Oh Sokka, you're forgetting he's never left the tower. What good is watching a festival if you never get to go?" Katara placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "There, there Zuko. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I just don't feel like watching the festival this year, that's all."

Katara smirked a little. "Well, did you ever think about going to the festival instead?"

"All the time, but I wouldn't fit in out there. I'm not…normal."

Katara was about to speak when Sokka interrupted her. "You could wear a disguise! Everyone will be in costume anyways!"

Aang also spoke to show his encouragement. "We insist, Zuko! If you don't go, you'll end up regretting it!"

Zuko smiled sadly at his friends. "Thanks for the encouragement, but you're all forgetting one big detail."

"What?"

"My master, Amon."

All three seemed to slump forward as that reminder dawned on them. "Oh…"

Aang was the first to break the silence. "Well, when he says you're forbidden from leaving the bell tower, does he mean never ever?"

Zuko nodded. "Never ever! Anyways, he hates the Feast of Fools. He'd be furious if I asked to go."

A playful smirk grew on Sokka's face as he threw an arm around Zuko's shoulders. "Who says you got to ask?"

Zuko gasped. "Oh no."

"You sneak out…"

"I couldn't!"

"…and you sneak back in!"

Zuko shook his head, turning away from his friends. "And what if I got caught?"

Katara turned him to face them. "It's better to beg for forgiveness than ask permission, in this case!"

Realising the siblings were going to try to convince him, Zuko turned to face Aang. Aang was the sensible one of the group, quick to discourage the siblings whenever they tried to convince Zuko to leave. "Aang? What do you think?"

Aang offered him a sincere smile. "Usually, I'd agree with you Zuko, but in this case, I have to agree with Sokka and Katara. As you said to the bird, no one wants to be cooped up here forever."

Zuko glanced back at his carvings of the town when he was filled with a new determination. Seeing the people would be much better than just having carvings of them. He stood up and nodded, causing his friends to grin. "You're right! I'll go! I'll get cleaned up, walk down those stairs, and- "He cut himself off when he heard the pounding of footsteps, the movement of a curtain, and a shadow loomed over him.

"Good morning, Zuko."

Zuko stumbled back a little bit. "G-Good morning master." From the corner of his eye, he saw Sokka, Katara and Aang hiding behind a curtain.

Amon looked down at his ward. "My boy, whoever are you talking too?"

Zuko knew he couldn't tell his master about the three who had come to see him, so he quickly glanced at a nearby gargoyle.

"The…The gargoyles."

Amon didn't seem impressed. He knocked on the head of a stone gargoyle. "And what are the gargoyles made of, Zuko?"

"…stone…"

"Can stone talk, Zuko?"

Zuko shook his head. "No…it can't."

Amon smirked from behind his mask. "You're a smart boy, Zuko." He placed the basket of food on the table and watched as Zuko collected the plates and goblets. Amon prepared their meal before asking, "Shall we review your alphabet while we eat, Zuko?"

Zuko nodded as he sat opposite his master. "I'd like that very much, master."

Amon opened the book. "A?"

Zuko could feel Amon staring at him from behind the mask, and felt uncomfortable under his master's gaze. He shifted nervously. "Abomination."

"B?"

"B-Blasphemy."

"C?"

"Contrition."

"D?"

"Damnation."

"E?"

"Eternal damnation."

Amon seemed to smile a little. "Very good. F?"

"Festival!"

Amon choked on his wine and coughed to calm himself. "Excuse me?"

Zuko realised his mistake and straightened up, stammering over his words. "F-Forgiveness!"

It was too late. "You said, festival!" Amon stood up to tower over the young boy. "You're thinking of going to the festival!"

Zuko followed his master to the balcony. "It's just…you go every year. I thought- "

Amon cut him off. "I am a public official! I must attend, but that doesn't mean I enjoy a minute of it!" Amon glanced down at the town. "It's nothing but the riffraff, scum of the world, gathering to give us a twisted view of entertainment!" He lifted Zuko's chin with a finger. "When your heartless sister abandoned you, anyone else would have drowned you! Is this the thanks I get for taking you in and raising you as my own?"

Zuko glanced down at the floor again. "I'm sorry, Master. You are good to me."

Amon nodded. "You don't know how dark the world truly is, Zuko, but I do. It's a cruel, cold word, which will only see you as a monster! I want to protect you, Zuko, but to do that you must stay in here."

Zuko watched as his master began to leave. "I'm sorry, Master."

"You are forgiven," Amon glanced back at him. "Just remember, this is your sanctuary." With that, the judge left.

Zuko frowned and glanced around the tower. "Sanctuary? Behind these windows, I'm safe from the world…but I still long to spend some time out there! Just give me one day and I'll be content with my life." He glanced down at the town as determination filled him. "Today is the day! I'm going to go out there!"

This chapter was so hard to write. I didn't know how to start it when to end it and there was so much information to include! Plus, that long authors note at the beginning led to this chapter being five pages long.

Katara, Aang, and Sokka will be playing the part of the gargoyles! I have three goals for this fanfic: add my own twists to the story, finish the fanfic, and make the gargoyles less obnoxious. Yeah, I really hate those guys.

Enjoy!