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Title: Tigers
Rating: PG
Fandom: Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame
Characters/Pairings: Clopin, Frollo
Summary: Tigers are to be feared. And taunted, while you can.
Wordcount: 249
Notes/Warnings: For this week's ![[info - community]](https://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
muse_prompts. Set during the Festival of Fools, 'Topsy Turvy' sequence.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Disney's and Victor Hugo's.
An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger. Some oriental sage had said that, once upon a time. Clopin had always liked it. But he added his own little piece, as was his right.
Oppression is more to be feared than a tiger. And tigers, while you have them caged, are to be baited. For when they are freed, they'll destroy you sure as breathing.
But you'll have had your triumph first.
That was why, no matter how hunted, how persecuted, how oppressed his people were, every Festival of Fools he led the song, led the charge, dancing in full sight before the judge, the oppressor, baiting him while he was caged by law, while he could do nothing to attack them. He stood smirking beneath that cold gaze every time, meeting it with a laugh and a sneer, a lyric thrown to taunt.
Frollo stared at him, as he turned and turned to the cheers and laughter of the crowd, as Esmerelda enchanted them all over again with her saucy beauty, as his people cried rich and proud and joyous in the city of their persecution. Frollo stared, his eyes burning with pride and disgust and pure, helpless hatred, and it was the most glorious sight of the year. Clopin threw back his head and laughed, completely unafraid, victorious in defeat, as he always would be.
Tigers are to be feared, and oppressors more so. And tomorrow, he would be afraid once more. But today, on the Feast of Fools, his tiger was caged.
And he would be a fool indeed, to pass up this chance for triumph.
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