DISCLAIMER: Don't own nuthin less it's me own OC's.
"Hey, what's that down there?" asked Lexington, pointing down. He, Brooklyn, Broadway, and Angela were on patrol over the city of Manhattan. All eyes scanned below, trying to see what Lexington had seen. Then, Brooklyn's eyes caught sight of three cloaked figures moving swiftly through the streets... on all fours.
"Don't give yourselves away," he instructed the others, then swooped down low, following the figures until they paused in a darkened alleyway. Here, the four crouched until they could hear what was said. The three figures stood at their full heights. The tallest was Goliath's height, probably even taller. The other two were similar in height, maybe two inches difference between them, both shorter than the first by about four inches.
"Where are you leading us?" demanded the shortest one. She was female if her voice was anything to go by. The middle-sized one shrugged.
"I had hazardous directions to go by," was her reply. "Patience, my dearest. We'll be there soon enough. Puck wouldn't have called us without reason."
The third one snorted.
"Patience, Matthias," she continued. "We meet his human form at the base of the clocktower."
With that, the three instantly raced towards the clocktower.
Angela looked at Brooklyn, her eyes widening.
"Puck?" she repeated. "Owen!"
The four youngsters raced after the three, staying well hidden. Sure enough, Owen was waiting for the three at the clocktower. He adjusted his glasses and looked up as they rose to their feet.
"Puck?" the leading female asked. Owen nodded.
"Follow me," he said. "Xanatos is most anxious to meet you. He would also like for you to meet a few of his allies."
Then the four got into a limo. The four youngsters exchanged looks.
"Let's tell Goliath," Brooklyn ruled.
"-and I'm certain my allies will welcome you as kindly as I have," Xanatos said, coming out to the courtyard of the castle where the Manhattan clan waited. All of them were tense. The three strangers with him were still cloaked.
"Is this them?" asked the shortest female. Xanatos nodded.
"Not very welcoming are the expressions they wear," commented the tallest, a male.
"You're new," Xanatos explained. "They've learned not to trust newcommers. It would help if introductions were done."
Then Xanatos turned to Goliath.
"Coyote and the Matrix found these three about a month ago," he explained to the clan. "They're wanderers simply because their own-"
"I'm sure we can explain ourselves," said the leading female sharply, cutting Xanatos off. Xanatos took it in stride and gestured for her to do so. The male removed his cloak first, causing the entire group to gasp. He was a gargoyle, tall, muscular, and a deep raven in color. He had the form of Griff, though somewhat taller. His beak was a tarnished gold. His eyes were a piercing blue.
"I am Matthias," he introduced himself.
The smallest one removed her cloak, once again reavealing a gargoyle. She was pale blue in color and had long, rich black hair. She had the form of Delilah. She supported diamond-shaped gold earrings and a simple gold tiara. She was very attractive for a female.
"I am Rebekah," she said.
The third then pulled off her cloak, causing the entire group to snarl.
"DEMONA!" many of them cried out. The female frowned. She was a carbon-copy, exact duplicate of demona, down to the very jewelry she wore.
"I do not know of this... Demona," she said slowly. "But I can assure you that I am NOT she. My name is Desire (pronounced Dezz-er-ay)."
She handed the three cloaks to Owen.
"We three are what remain of our clan," she continued. "Under Puck's request, we have come here to Manhattan. He seemed to think that your clan could give us refuge until we decide where our fates lie."
Her eyes looked over the Manhattan clan, watching their untrusting gazes.
"But had I known the reception my form would receive, I would have declined," she stated.
"No," Angela said, stepping forward and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's just... you look like my mother. She is a traitor to our clan and a traitor to the gargoyle way. Forgive us for our mistake."
Desire sighed and nodded.
"Very well," she said, then turned her gaze to Goliath as he stepped forward.
"You are welcome among our clan as long as you consent to the same duties that we share," he ruled. Desire nodded.
"Protect this city," she said. "I know where your domain is."
"Desire?" Fox said, coming out, catching everyone's attention. "What about the hunters? Will they not mistake you for Demona?"
Desire shook her head.
"If this Demona has my form, then the hunter will know the difference," she said. "That particular family line and I have an iron-clad pact."
"A pact?" repeated Hudson.
"They do not hunt us and we help them on occassion," she answered. "I have nothing to fear from them."
Angela had reeled back as if she'd been burned.
"You help them hunt Gargoyles?" she asked, appalled. Desire nodded.
"Only the ones that have forgotten the Gargoyle way and have turned their backs on the world they once swore to protect," she explained. "Now, we've told you who we are and Xanatos has told us who you are. So, now that introductions are done, allow my friends and I some time in the skies. We've come from far away and desperately need to spread our wings."
"Very well," Goliath said. "But, please, take someone with you. This city isn't the safest place."
Desire clenched her teeth, her eyes flashing blood-red for a moment, before Matthias reached out a hand and gently squeezed her shoulder. She glanced at him and sighed, her eyes returning to their normal color.
"We'll take your daughter then," Desire ruled, then turned and bolted off the castle, taking flight instantly while the other three hurried to catch up.
"Desire!" Becky called. "Desire wait up!"
So, I slowed my pace abruptly, smirking as she and the others flew right past. All of them swiveled and then followed me down to a nearby building. Matthias looked at the other two, then sighed.
"You two go on ahead," he said. "We'll catch up to you."
Angela was hesitant, but Becky made her leave. Then, Matthias stepped up next to me.
"All right, what's wrong?" he asked. I sighed.
"The three of us are immortal, you know this," I told him softly. I had the sneaky suspicion that we were being watched, but I didn't really care at this point. "For the past four thousand years, I have watched my loved ones find those they desire, watched them love and die. Even you, Matthias. You have your mate, Becky. For the past three millenia I have watched you two... happy for you of course... but partially hoping that both of you wouldn't work out..."
I shook my head.
"I've lived seven thousand years, Matthias," I continued. "How much longer must I live my life... alone?"
Matthias didn't answer for quite some time, merely laid his hand over mine, grasping it softly.
"Patience, my love," he said. "I know it's hard, but you must have patience."
I jerked my hand away and turned my back to him, my hands balled into fists.
"I've BEEN patient!" I snarled. "For the past four thousand years I have been patient!"
I wanted so badly to scream.
"But the Seer said-"
I spun so quickly that I shocked him into silence. I knew my eyes were red, but didn't care.
"WHAT!" I all but shrieked. "The bloody Seer said WHAT! Wait for him, she said. He's coming, she said. And I was foolish enough to listen... and for WHAT? He's here, but not available to me thanks to my carbon-copy!"
I was shaking with poorly restrained fury. Matthias merely pulled me into a very comforting, warm hug, wrapping his wings around me. Almost immediately, my fury turned into dispair, my tears soaking his chest.
"I'm sure it doesn't make sense now, but it will," he consoled me.
"How?" I asked softly. "All I want is someone to share this eternity with... is that such an extrordinary request?"
He merely rubbed between my wings, calming me as he always did.
"I promised you that I would do my best to be there for you until you no longer need me, little one, even back when you were still human and I, merely a newborn hatchling," he said softly, pulling away and wiping my tears away softly. He placed a soft kiss on my forehead and looked at me lovingly. "You chose me, remember?"
I gave a soft smile.
"Yes, I remember," I answered. "You were to be my guardian as long as I lived... No one would have guessed that we'd become known as double trouble..."
"Or that you and I would agree to a life of double-species," he continued, turning to lean over the ledge. "I have to admit, the first time I saw the day was... amazing. I hated the weaknesses of humans, but loved the sun."
"My first night as a gargoyle was more fun," I admitted. "Granted, the idea of flying freaked me out to no end, but I guess you shoving me off the roof was the only way I'd learn."
"Still, I find it ironic that your brother gave you the form of the gargoyle your family would hunt," he mused. I laughed.
"Yeah," I said. "Go figure. Now his decendents know my name, know who I am. For this, I'm grateful."
"Definately keeps you off their radar," he answered, shooting me a smirk. I laughed.
"And all who travel with me," I agreed, then looked up at the sky, frowning. "I will never grow used to this, living in a city. I miss the wide-open spaces all ready... and the stars..."
Matthias looked up as well.
"At least we'll never have to worry about not being able to see where we're going," he teased. I laughed, making him smile. "Shall we head back to the castle or find Becky and Angela?"
"Better find them, after all, we said we'd join them later," I answered, then took off, Matthias easily keeping pace.
I sighed as the dawn came and our comrads turned to stone, leaving only Matthias and myself in human form. Xanatos had seen us and, with a smile, waved us inside his home.
"I must ask, do you two want jobs to pass the day or would you rather just have access to limited accounts provided by yours truly?" he asked. I looked at my partner before answering.
"The accounts would be best," I answered. "But please, no more than two-hundred dollars a week. We won't need it for more than some food and a few changes of clothes."
Xanatos's smile grew.
"I see you two all ready know well how to entertain yourselves without money," he said, sitting back. "Do let me know if there's anything else you need."
Then Puck led us downstairs to a car garage and handed us both a set of keys and a debit card.
"Mr. Xanatos would like you to take two of his cars whenever you leave here," he told us. "He's certain that by now the two of you know how to drive."
I nodded.
"You're also aware that Brooklyn followed you last night, are you not?" he asked. I exchanged looks with Matthias.
"I knew we were being watched, just not by whom," I answered, then shot Puck a smile. "Thanks for everything. As long as anything Xanatos asks of us is within the clan's guidelines, we'll be more than happy to help him out."
"I'll do just that," he said, then Matthias and I stepped into our cars. Mine was a new Buick. Good car. His was right up his alley. It was a Cougar. I wasn't sure what year it was, but if it made him happy...
Without glancing back, I raced through the city streets, exploring happily, only to stop next to the Quarrymen's headquarters. Without a word, I stepped out and walked through the doors. Almost instantly, I was greeted by my human name.
"Chrystal!" cried my kin, John. He walked over and picked me up in a bear hug. "What's the occassion?"
"None really," I answered. "But I must warn you that Demona, the gargoyle you hunt, is also human during the day. She has a daughter among the gargoyle clan you've been hunting."
"And that clan is now ours," Matthias said, entering. "They generously agreed to take us in, reguardless of the fact that they know nothing about us."
"Matthias," John greeted warmly. "We'll take that into account."
Then he looked back at me.
"I have a son," he told me proudly. I smiled warmly as he gestured his wife over and let me hold the child. Granted, it was almost night all ready. Matthias and I had been driving around for the whole day. I smiled as the baby grabbed a length of my raven hair. While my gargoyle form had red hair, my human form was deeply tanned and had dark, long black hair... though my face didn't carry the scars my brothers had. Our features were almost alike, John's and I. You could easily tell that I was one of them, their kin.
"What is his name?" I asked.
"Kalub," John answered. I smiled warmly at the child as the sun set and my transformation occured, the baby relaxed in my arms. John smiled at me, clasping me gently on the shoulder.
"You have my blessing, son of the hunter line," I told the baby. "May our curse end in your time... if not before."
"Desire, the clan will wonder where we are," Matthias said. I nodded and handed John back his son. After a gentle caress of the child's cheek, I turned and left with Matthias. We drove the cars back and then climbed up high enough that we could glide the rest of the way up to the castle. Sure enough, the others were waiting with Becky.
"Where'd you go?" she asked.
"Out driving and to see my kin," I answered. "John has a son, Kalub."
"Aww!" she said softly. "Get to hold him?"
I smiled and nodded.
"I was almost scared to, afraid I'd break him," I admitted, causing her to grin. Then we turned our attention to Goliath.
"Brooklyn, you, Angela, and Desire are to cover the west side tonight," he instructed. Brooklyn went to say something, but silenced at a look from Goliath. I frowned, looking over at him, then shrugged it off and took flight. No words were spoken for the longest time before we heard a cry for help from below. Immediately, we swooped down and helped, only for her to laugh cruelly.
"Thanks for saving me," she said mockingly. "Now save yourselves."
I frowned and looked over at the entrance of the alleyway, only to freeze in confusion as I saw my kin's men and women with their electric hammers.
"Where is John?" I asked loud and clear. The Quarrymen froze, powering down their hammers.
"Chrystal?" the nearest one ventured a guess. I nodded.
"Where is my kin?" I repeated. "Is he with his wife and son or is he being too lazy to be bothered with hunting Gargoyles?"
"He's with another group, looking for Demona," one of them answered. "Do you have any idea where to look?"
I shrugged, then thought about it.
"Try any really old buildings, built like castles or of the same material," I answered. "Scan for technology, advanced technology. In one of these, you'll find her."
He nodded and they disappeared. Without a word or even a glance at my companions, I began to climb my way out of the alley. I took to the air as soon as possible and only then did I dare speak.
"I take it that situations like that, the humans working against you, happen often around here," I commented.
"You should know," he spat bitterly. "You're one of them."
I sighed.
"No, Brooklyn," I said. "I'm not. Yes, I was born of the hunter line, meant to hunt Demona for all time, but I was given a gargoyle protector at birth. You know him as Matthias."
I let that sink in and continued.
"Over time, I allowed myself and Matthias to undergo a sorceror's magic, making us human by day, Gargoyle by night... and immortal," I continued. "My own brother chose my gargoyle form, not knowing how it would be ironic for me to look like the gargoyle we hunted. Matthias named me as Desire. We've been this way since, for the past seven thousand years."
He said nothing, merely glided onward.
"The iron-clad pact I have with the Quarrymen and the hunters is merely one of blood," I stated. "Were I not family, my pact would not be possible."
I fell silent, noteing that Angela was saying nothing.
"Seven thousand years is a long time," she said softly. "How ever did you manage to get by and never fall into the hatred of humans that so many of our kind and even humans themselves seem to harbor?"
I smiled.
"Matthias and I learned to be above petty emotions," I answered. "We believed for the longest time that it was best to simply not have them."
I shook my head ruefully.
"Then he met Becky," I continued. Angela grinned.
"Love at first sight?" she asked. I nodded.
"So much for no emotions," I grumbled. "She soon was given immortality like us, though she opposed the idea of becoming like us, forever shifting from one form to another."
I shrugged.
"Her loss," I commented, then paused on a nearby building as beautiful music reached my ears. Angela and Brooklyn paused as well, Angela enjoying the music too, Brooklyn completely baffled as to why we stopped.
"It's... beautiful..." Angela whispered. I smiled.
"I come here a lot during the day," I told her. "This place has such wonderful music... It's a mixture of everything, really. If you want rock, that's on at about noon. If you like classical, like this now, it only plays at night, when the moment for romance is just right..."
I sighed in pleasure as the music filled my mind.
"Don't mean to interrupt, but aren't you supposed to be enemies?"
I spun around, only to freeze in place as I saw three unfamilliar Gargoyles. I looked back at Angela uncertain. She smiled assuringly, though Brooklyn merely scoffed and crossed his arms, looking away from me. I frowned at him.
"This isn't Demona," Angela told them. "This is Desire. She's new to the clan. She brought two others with her, Matthias and Rebekah. Xanatos invited them to join us, really."
I frowned at her, seeing the expressions on the others' faces.
"I take it, Xanatos isn't one of your favorite people," I commented. The middle one, a panther-looking gargoyle, shook his head.
"He's the reason we're like this," he answered. "We were once all human."
I frowned, looking at Angela.
"This was never mentioned to me," I said. "Goliath said nothing about them."
She frowned.
"I'm sure he had his reasons for not telling you," she defended him. I nodded and then looked back at them.
"Forgive me if I seem rude," I said, much to their surprise. "I've still so much to learn. May I ask who you are?"
"I'm Talon," the panther said. "This is Maggie and Claw. We protect the homeless in the labyrinth."
I nodded.
"Pleased to meet you," I said. "What brings you here?"
"I like the music," Maggie answered. I smiled.
"That makes three of us," I said. She smiled.
"Would you like some company on the patrols?" she asked.
"The more the merrier," I answered. Without a word, she kissed Talon's cheek, then followed Angela and I right off the building. This time, Brooklyn hung back with the other guys (well out of hearing range), letting us girls talk about anything and everything.
"How do you like Manhattan so far?" Maggie asked.
"I don't," I answered. "The people are okay, but the night companions aren't so nice. Besides Angela and yourself, I've been treated like a complete monster... unwelcome... unwanted."
I shook my head.
"The most bitter reaction is from Brooklyn," I said softly. "It wouldn't bother me, except..."
"Except what?" asked Angela. I sighed.
"Over four thousand years ago, I tired of being alone and asked for a Seer," I said very softly. I didn't want to risk being overheard. "I asked her to tell me of my mate..."
I shook my head.
"She didn't just tell me, she showed me," I finished.
"Brooklyn..." Maggie whispered in shock. I nodded my head sadly.
"Could you ever imagine the pain of being hated by the one you're meant to share your life with?" I asked. Both girls could only shake their heads.
"Surely he'd change his mind if you said something to him-"
"Yeah, turn and run," Maggie interrupted Angela. "I don't mean to be rude, but you have a lot to learn about men like him. They don't like being told what they will or won't do."
Angela just shook her head.
"So, what's she like?" asked Talon, eyeing the girls in front.
"Secretive," I answered. "Full of herself. She can't be trusted."
"You assume much, knowing her for so little time," Talon stated. "For all you know, she may be all right."
"She's a Hunter, Talon," I spat. "She was born human. She chose to be a gargoyle so that she could be with her companion all the time."
"Sounds like a loyal friend," Talon commented. "Give her a chance, Brooklyn. She may be more than you think."