Clayton Overstreet's Disclaimer:I don't own these characters or profit from them. I also don't intend to continue this story so if you think it should go on, please feel free to use it to write your own fic. I on the other hand am still writing books, many of which are currently available on Amazon.
My Disclaimer: I don't own Gargoyles or any of it's characters. No money was made from this. Clayton Overstreet began this, and didn't finish it. I've decided to take up that role.
Chapter 1: Reawakening
Xanatos Corp. Dome 13
It was dark as the incubation tubes opened spilling their content out onto the floor of the lab. The lights had all broken down centuries ago, one of the few flaws in the system. In the dark strange shapes lay breathing heavily on the ground until one by one they began to rise, their eyes glowing red and white. They flexed arms, tails, and wings roaring and yawning at the same time.
Up above a voice came over a PA system and flashing arrows began pointing away along the wall. "Please follow the arrows."
"What for?" One of the figures asked. Several others with no wings let out roaring dog-like barks. But the message just repeated itself. Finally they all just started moving. As they did they asked one another questions.
"Who are you?"
"I don't know…"
"What are we?"
"Gargoyles," the reply came firmly. It was all they could remember about themselves. But they remembered it very firmly.
Finally they came to a big room, about the size of a football field. Some of them were just wondering why they knew what a football field was when a huge screen came on, showing the face of an old man in a business suit. His hair was gray and he sat in a chair, wrinkled hands clutching the head of a cane.
"Good evening my friends. I am, or rather I was, David Xanatos. One thousand years ago it was an age of technology, or power and money and all the things that go with it. It was the age of humans. I was a wealthy businessman working on both sides of the law. One of the richest men in the world.
"Then one day I heard a story, about living gargoyles trapped in stone by a magic spell. Very few people believed in magic at the time, but in my life I had already experienced magic. My manservant Owen was in actuality Puck, one of Oberon's children and a being of great power. So, just because I wanted to I decided to break the spell. I thought… I thought it would be nice to have my own gargoyles. And like most humans I considered anything but my own kind to be inferior. In fact I generally considered everyone to be inferior. And that attitude cost me dearly." He sighed.
"The gargoyles and I clashed time and again. And I was hardly their only enemy. "But as time went on the enemies of the gargoyles fell one by one, myself included. And eventually I realized that I was wrong to treat the gargoyles as I had. We became friends… family… clan. I have chronicled those days in the computer files and several books preserved here in this facility. In the end the gargoyles were known and at least partially accepted by some people but others never came around.
"Which brings us to you."The gargoyles were looking at one another in the glow of the video screen. They came in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. None seemed to know exactly what they were doing. But the man on the screen continued.
"I personally have a less then charitable idea of the nature of mankind and its ability to accept things that are different and more powerful than they are. So I set up this facility, one of many all over the world. I have taken DNA from gargoyles from every corner of the globe, both living and those dead that I was able to locate. Originals and even the clones from the Labyrinth. And using that DNA I set up this facility so that in a thousand years it could create you. Some of you are direct clones and others are mixes of the various DNA creating new people.
"I could have shaped your minds, given you personalities and names and everything else. But that approach had failed me in the past and created true monsters. So instead you were allowed to mature independently and were only given basic information on language, math, technology, and other things. Anything else you need to learn is available in the Computer files and books. And as I said this is just one facility. About half of them are activating now. Around the world more gargoyles are going through the same thing you are. The rest will activate in another thousand years. Each will create fifteen hundred gargoyles.
"I wish I could tell you where these other gargoyles are. But the facilities must remain separate from one another. Unconnected until you are born. Many of our enemies will still be alive in your time, as I hope will be some of our allies. My son for example, should be somewhere, though your chances of finding him or any of the other descendants of Oberon if they do not want you to is slim." He sat back in the chair.
"For all I know the world thrives. Gargoyles and humans living together in peace with the other races of Earth and maybe aliens. Or perhaps we dropped the nukes and wiped out everything. I do not know. "All I know is that the gargoyles mean much to me and my family. The ones I knew were noble creatures who had one defining belief. That it was their job to protect. Oh sure like all people there were those who felt instead that they should make money or rule the world or some rubbish like that. And if that is the path you choose then so be it. I won't make your decisions for you. I'll have been dead centuries before you are born. It may be that these facilities will be destroyed or corrupted by our enemies. You, if you are seeing this may be the only gargoyles I managed to make or perhaps nobody will ever see this." He looked out at them, his eyes firm and intense. "I brought you into this world. Now it is your job to find a place in it."
With that the computer shut off. The gargoyles stood, gathered in the dark and looking at one another. When it was clear there was going to be no more answers from the computer someone asked, "What now?"
Meanwhile, outside Dome 13
Outskirts of the Ruins of Manhattan
08:00 Local time
Mike Wallace walked down the ancient sidewalk on his way from the trading outpost in the center of old Manhattan back to New Jersey, passing by the mysterious sealed dome building known as Dome 13. His day so far, had been rough. It was always the same thing after the meetings with Nicolas Xanatos, who was the community leader after the Abrax incident, when that meteor fell out of the sky from space and into the pacific ocean. The meteor's impact was far from Manhattan, but it's effects were felt everywhere. There was a great tsunami that wiped out most of California, along with earthquakes, and other chaos be it naturally caused or man-made.
The Meteor's crash was just the start of the chaos. Years later, people started to develop special powers and abilities from it. According to scientists from the remnants of the United States Government, it was due to a strange energetic dust from the meteor itself. The parts of the meteor that had disintegrated in the atmosphere spread that dust across the entire planet. The scientists called it MDC: Meteor Dust Contamination.
Mike was one of the contaminated. One of the reasons he was in the New York Area. The Meteor's dust had given him regenerative powers, meaning he could heal much quicker and recover lost fatigue at much more rapid rates than the average human. Wolverine mutant-rate healing and fatigue regeneration. Though Mike lacked the Comic Book Character's physique, sadly. He was a more thin, athletic build. Seeing as he wasn't sure the MDC would get any worse, he didn't want to put his family in danger back in Washington. So he ran to Manhanttan, with so many others.
Mike stopped for a moment and gazed at Dome 13. Whatever was going on in there was unknown to the public. And after the Abrax incident, the information had been lost to time.
It was dark already. The sun went down a few minutes ago. Mike was going to continue walking along without though.
Then he heard the roars from the dome. Animal-like roars.
Being a curious man, Mike could not help but want to investigate. So he jumped the fence around the facility, and sneaked in through an air vent.
