Vanessa [A Poor Unfortunate Soul]

01. Forewarned is Forearmed

Cries of a new-born child filled to the ceiling of the large house of God.

The religious leader, who had just began his seminar, was less than pleased.

"What disturbance from the pits of Hell, is this?" He asked, standing poised. "A child" said Gaston, as if it wasn't obvious.

Taking the child from Gaston, the religious leader turned it this way and that. Inspection only made the innocent being shriek louder.

"Hideous thing" he said, hanging the child by her left ankle. Quite literally dropping her back into Gaston's arms. "Mr. légume, are you aware of its mother?"

"No sir" Gaston replied. He had a thought, but felt it best not to cause speculation.

"Well, in that case" the religious leader said. Clapping his hands, before stepping down from the stage. "To the well!"

"The well?" Asked Gaston.

"Yes, the well" he said again.

"But mister Frollo" said Gaston, taking hold of his shoulder. "I hardly think-"

"What are you doing?" Asked Frollo. "Unhand me, faithless swine!"

With that, guests began to make their way out of the church.

"She has no one" Gaston pleaded. "Abandoned just there, by the sea."

"So we send her to Hell" said Frollo. "Let the devil deal with it!"

"This can't possibly be what Christ commands" Gaston shouted, as the remaining guests took their leave.

"You want to raise a bastard?" Asked Frollo.

"I already have" Gaston confessed. "I've got 3 sons"

"You plan to marry their mother?" Asked Frollo, sipping his tea.

"Each one?" Gaston asked. "I am hardly a Mormon"

"What?" Spat Frollo, dropping his cup. Which broke into a thousand or so pieces about the floor. "You mean to tell me that, you have not one but 4 bastard children? And you have the nerve to come into my church?"

"The church belongs to the people" Gaston corrected him.

"I eat here" said Frollo. "I sleep, dress myself. Bathe. Please myself when needed."

Gaston shivered at that last thought.

"My house" said Frollo, gritting his, rather yellow teeth.

"God's house" Gaston corrected him, again.

"God and I, are like this" said Frollo, swatting his crossed fingers in Gaston's face.

"This is what you do then?" Asked Gaston. "You find imperfections in God's work, and execute it?"

"Not God's work" laughed Frollo, as if the situation was intended to be humorous. "Those who are, as you put it 'imperfect' are nothing more than the work of the devil. And should simply be treated as such"

"A child?" Gaston questioned.

"Yes, a child" answered Frollo. "Now, please leave"

Taking Gaston by the ear, as though a naughty child, Frollo escorted him out of the church.

With a slam, the doors shut, and Gaston was left alone. Nothing left to do, than see to it that the child keep clear of wells. And Frollo in general.