*****

[Ch. 3 Stars & Jalapenas!]

Morning: two days later

'The early duck gets the puck.' The whole team was up and about skating all over the stone floor of the castle's courtyard. It was the one day they didn't have to go to any session their manager had set up for that week. Duke had the puck and was racing towards the net. He passes it to Mallory, who was on the far right. Nosedive was right behind her, covering her rear. Wildwing crouched forward and waited for the red-head to make her move. She aims and shoots. It was blocked by bouncing off Tanya's hockey stick. Nosedive called a time out and had Duke and Mallory huddle with him. They whispered among each other for little while before they broke up and got into position. This time Nosedive was in the middle and Duke and Mallory were on either side of him. Now if there was one thing that was perfectly clear among the team; it was that Nosedive was the only one who was able to get the most goals pass his brother. That, and Wildwing was the only one who was able to block the most shots made by his little brother. Between the two of them, it's a solid dead lock.

Nosedive had the puck and led the charge towards the net. Duke and Mallory skated in close as Tanya and Grin came to intercept. Suddenly, just as they going to make contact, the blonde teen skidded to a stop and ducked. Duke rushed toward and stops and bends forward right in front of Grin. With no time to react the giant duck runs into the gray mallard at his center and trips right over him. Mallory took out Tanya with the same move. Nosedive races forward again with the puck. Wildwing braces himself and watches as his brother's hockey stick moves side to side with more speed. Obvious he figured if he moved the puck fast enough before taking the shot Wildwing wouldn't see it coming. The younger Flashblade skates right in front of his brother… and stops about four feet in front of him. Wildwing paused for a moment in confusion then saw that his brother didn't have the puck. With that sudden shock of awareness on his face he looked and saw Duke had stopped in his tracks as well. Nosedive gave his dear brother the most mischievous of smirks and parted his legs in a wider stance then… 'Whack!! Phoooof!!' Wildwing turned and there was the puck right behind him.

"Whooooooooo!!! Yeah!" cried the teen. "Alright! You the duck, Mal!"

Mallory lowers her stick and held her head high. "You just now noticed?"

"Now dat's teamwork!" added the former thief.

'What happened?' thought Wildwing as he looks between the puck and his brother's team. 'Dive had the puck. Duke was covering him. Dive stops to shoot but doesn't have the puck. Mallory shot from behind him and made the goal. How did she get the puck?' Nosedive saw his brother thinking and could help but laugh.

"Sorry bro." the younger Flashblade called. "But you don't know me as well as you thought."

"Hmmm?" grunted the white mallard. "Oh really? How so?"

"C'mon Wildwing, we all knew you guys thought the Kid was going to try to score," Said the gray feathered ex-thief.

Then the red headed fighter girl added. "Which was exactly what we wanted you to think."

"After Mal-Mal and Duke had their fun with Tawn and Grin, I made it looked like I was going for a high speed slap-shot." Explain the younger brother. "But what I was really doing was faking you out."

"I got that much already." the masked leader said. "But I still don't see how…"

"Getting there." the blonde teenager interrupted. "I passed the puck to Duke just as he tripped up Grin."

Duke finished the teen's sentence. "But he kept moving his stick around so you'd think he still had the puck."

"Then I skated right behind Nosedive." Added Mallory. "Once Duke passed me the puck I just waited for Nosedive's signals."

"Signals?" asked the elder Falshblade.

"Yep, the first one was him stopping right in front of ya." Explained Duke. "That told us to freeze as well, and made it look like I had the puck."

"And signal number two was me taking that 'Bad Boy Stand'." Laughed Nosedive. "All Mal had ta do was hit the puck between my legs and BAMBOOM!"

The three clapped hands in a cheer. By this time Tanya and Grin and joined them and had listened to their explanation. Needless to say they were impressed; especially their team captain. Now all he needed to do was figure out a way to block it.

"Whoa, hey shouldn't we otta name this new play?" announce the former thief.

"Oh yeah, great idea." Agreed the youngest duck. "How bout the 'Psyched Out'?"

"Eek, no way. That's so juvenile." Said the red head. "I say we call it 'Sneak Attack'."

"How bout 'Decoyed Duck'?" suggested the gray mallard. The three just stood there arguing while the rest of their team either shook heads or rolled eyes at them.

"Well, while you three Houdinis figure it out." Stated their masked leader. "The rest of us will take a brake and get something to eat."

"Hey that's it!" cried the blonde teen. "Houdini! We'll call it the 'Houdini Move'!"

"Say that not too shabby Kid." Agreed Duke.

Mallory knew she was outnumbered. "Sure why not."

"Alright! The Houdini Move is born!" Cried the cheery teen "Thanks bro!" his brother answered with a wave made his way back inside. "Hoo, hoo, hoo, It never seizes to amaze me how my brain works."

"Oh you mean how you mange to put one foot in front of the other?" said the red headed jokingly.

"That's it girly-girl." Replied the younger duck as he took off his skates. "Yuk it up. You're just jealous that I thought that play up first and at a moment's notice."

Duke just shook his head and chuckled good humorly. Those two just can't go through the day without a good argument. He was debating wither or not to break them up or leave them when Mallory, a bit fed up, grabbed one of Nosedive's sakes and threw it to the top of the wall where in landed with a hard clatter.

"HEY!!" cried the blonde teen. "My skate!"

Before the others knew it he started running right for the stairs. In a slight shock of acknowledgement Duke took off after him. Just has Nosedive had taken the first step; he got grabbed by his middle, was lifted off the ground, swung around and set down in the opposite direction.

"Ohh, no you don't!" stated the former thief as he had lifted the teen. "There ain' t no way ya going up there again." He sets the boy down on the ground. "Ya darn near scared us all ta death last time and I don't have the energy to go through it again."

"Oh, not that again." Nosedive said warily. "Look I'll be careful." He tries moving around the gray mallard. "Why don't you just get some coffee or something and chill. The little guy is probably watching us right now anyway so you don't need to worry."

At the mention of the 'little guy' again, both Duke and Mallory gave each other a worried glance. They still thought the Kid was imagining that he saw something last night and it bothered them that he still believed he did, even after two whole days.

"Right… the little guy." The former thief carefully placed a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Still I'd feel a bit more comfortable if ya don't go up there."

"But what about my…"

"I'll get your skate down Kid." Said the grey mallard. "Why don't you go and get breakfast before your brother has to call ya? Ya know how he get's when these things happen."

"Oh, alright." Agreed the blonde teenager. He turns and heads for the castle. "Oh hey Duke. If you see the little guy again let me know. Okay? Don't let him forget Mal." With that he scurries off to eat.

A few minutes later Duke and Mallory started up the stairs to retrieve the allusive skate. "Stars, sweetheart, did ya have ta throw it way up here?" asked the thief once the reached the top.

"Sorry." Replied the military girl. "It's just that Nosedive gets on my nerves so much I just can't think straight sometimes."

"Yeah I know." He sympathizes with her completely. "The Kid can be a bit of a nuisance. But hey, we all were at one point, I think."

"Speak for yourself." Chuckled Mallory. Then the two stopped when they saw the stone gargoyles. "Whoa, these things are kinda creepy up close." Duke nodded in agreement then saw the skate on the ground. "Hey didn't Wildwing said that Nosedive described his 'little guy' as looking like a giant bat?" the gray mallard grunted in answer as he bent to pick up the skate. "He must've seen that smaller statue there and got the idea from that." She eyed the smallest gargoyle statue. Other than the coloring it fit the description perfectly. "When he fell and from the position he was in, he must have imagined it was moving and…"

"…I …I don't think he imagined it." Duke's voice was almost a whisper.

He didn't move when she asked him what he meant; he was looking at one of the blocks on one of the small pillars. She walked over to him, looked and crouched down next to him. There on the stone brick of the pillars… were deep slash marks.

"Are… are those…" she could barely make the words form. "Those look like… claw marks."

"I think they are…" Duke carefully passed his hand over the markings. He soon remembered what Nosedive had been trying to tell them the night he nearly fell off the wall. 'The stone… It slashed… through the stone.' He shifted his gazed to the statue Mallory had mentioned. The likeness was uncanny.

"Something's not right here." Mallory finally suggested. "We should tell the others."

Duke nodded that he heard her and began to follow. He paused and picks up the stake. He looks at the markings again. This time he knocks on the stone and found it sound. This wasn't a deliberate set up, he was sure of it. He gets back up and heads for the stairs. 'What in the stars could be strong enough to leave claw marks in solid stone?'

*****

The morning had gone and passed; its now the late afternoon. Hours had gone since Duke and Mallory reported what they had seen up on the wall. Although they tried to keep it a secret, Nosedive had overheard the whole thing and had been staring outside his window towards the statues. He was peeking through his brother's binoculars.

'I haven't seen that little goblin and his dog in two days and Duke and Mal just happened to find a statue that looks exactly like him. There's no way this could be a coincidence.'

"Hey Dive." His brother walks in and finds him using his binoculars. "Umm, wanna come with us to view the city? There's going to show playing near the park later on; a comedy. We've have a good practice and figure we unwind."

"Thanks for the offer bro, but I'm busy right now." The white mallard had to be gawking. His brother? Passing up a chance to goof off in the city?

Wildwing came right behind the teen and pressed a hand to his forehead. "Just want to make sure you don't have a fever or something." He explained when Nosedive looked back at him.

"Oh, well I'm just peachy. Thanks." Replied the blonde duck and resumes his watching.

Wildwing stares at his little brother for a while then follows his gaze out the window. He seemed to be watching the stone gargoyle statues. The white mallard couldn't think of any reason why his younger sibling would want to watch those strange stone figures. Then again the only other time they've ever seen those things before was when they wound up in that magical dimension where their friend Prince Tuark lived. In that dimension the stone statues on the castle, which would be City Hall in the real world, came to life and attacked them.

"Umm, just what are you expecting to see baby bro?" asked the older sibling.

"I don't know." Answered the teenager; not shifting his gaze. "Something amazing I guess."

"…Well, okay." the white mallard said as he started to leave. "Hope you find it then. …Bye Dive."

"See ya bro." Once again he was alone.

The hours went by slowly. The young alien duck had changed his position at least ten times. He nearly doze off from boredom at least seven times and was beginning to think that he should quit and maybe catch up with the others. The sun was setting and the air was getting cooler. On a whim Nosedive scanned the wall with the statues one more time; this time he rested his gaze solely on the statues. He couldn't get over the fact that the two smaller ones looked identical to the creatures he saw the first night he came to this place.

The sun has shone its final colors of orange and purple as it sets beyond the horizon. The shadows of night spread all over the city. The wind began to blow more as the remaining heat of the day danced with cool night air. Just then something caught the alien duck's eye. The statues… they were breaking apart!

"What the Stars?!" cried the teen

Pieces and small slabs of stone fell off the statues, but they weren't crumbling. Nosedive sharpens the focus on the binoculars just as a piece of stone fell off the largest statue. What he saw was skin! Light purple skin! Suddenly it stood up with a roar and sent the rest of stone on its body flying. The other statues came to life in the same fashion; almost like a domino effect. He watches them stretch and move around, the whole thing was like a movie! Then from out of one of the towers he saw his host Mr. David Xanatos walking up towards them.

'Whoa! Xany knew about these guys? What am I thinking DUH! It's his castle!'

*****

"Good evening." Greeted the wealthy businessman.

"Evening Xanatos." Goliath greeted the human. "I trust all is well with our guests?"

"Amazingly yes." the millionaire answered. "In fact Nosedive, the one Lexington saved, bounced right back from that little dilemma as if nothing had happened." He gave a side smile towards the smallest clan member. "Fact is he's even more excited than ever to stay here."

"Well that's good to hear," Remarked Angela. "I would have thought they'd reconsidered staying."

"You would think so," Agreed Mr. Xanatos. "However the others are just happy he's well. Though, they're worried that he's seeing things." The rich human gave off a light chuckle. "He keeps claiming he saw a small, big eyed 'goblin' roaming around here."

The others began to snicker and tried to stifle their laughter and doing a very lousy job of it; especially Brooklyn. Lexington cheeks took a sudden bright red color and his ears tips began to droop with embarrassment. A goblin, of all things he could have been described as, why a goblin?! It was so mortifying that all the young gargoyle could do was cross his arms tightly in front of him and take the ridicules.

"Y-y-yeah… *snickers* a… goblin." Brooklyn managed to choke out. "Imagine that."

None of them noticed the lights in the bedroom window were suddenly switched off. That or that a figure with a golden mane of hair was racing towards them in the shadows. Bronx, being a dog and having sharper senses, did hear something and headed for one of the towers. He caught the whiff of feathers, very much like the one from a few nights before, and follows the smell. The huge dog-like creature came within four feet of the entrance when something flew at him. His took an involuntary steep back then sniffed at object. Salami, ham, turkey, baloney, beef, and three different cheeses all lay in a six-inch sub sandwich. With a happy grown the huge canine devoured the tasty morsel. 'Psssst, psssst… pssst.' The hound lifted his head towards the sound and saw the same strange bird it met the other night. 'Psssst, psssst!' The large bird was motioning Bronx to come closer with one hand and in the other held the other half of the sandwich. 'Here boy. Come here. I got something for you.' Bronx would have started growling again; only the large bird ripped off more on the sandwich and tossed it short to him. No one saw the great beast of a dog walk into the tower lend by the mini samples.

"Hey, I'm getting hungry," said Broadway with a hand rubbing his stomach. "Since those ducks are all out how about we eat?"

"Shouldn't one of us go and watch our guests?" asked the only female gargoyle among them.

"How about… *snickers* our little goblin?" suggest the Second in Command. "He stayed behind last time."

"Ha… ha… ha…" the heavy sarcasm in Lex voice showed every sign of annoyance. "Very funny, veeerry funny. Did you come up with that one by yourself?" he didn't wait for a reply, "I'll go anything's better than being this weeks laughing stalk."

"Well then if you're going then you're going to need this." The rich human held out a bag. "We figured at least one of you would glide off so Owen had prepared a small meal."

"Thanks." The smallest clan member took the bag. "Um, but where did the ducks go?"

"They've planed to see a play that's showing near Central Park." Xanatos points out towards the spot. "You ought to be able to hide in the trees without any of them noticing. Also the position would give you a better seat for the show."

With a light chuckle Lexington bid his clan farewell and leaps out into the night, catching the wind beneath his wings as he glides off towards the city. The rest of the clan glides off the wall and down to the courtyard; heading for the castle doors. Bronx joined them as well and because of his size no one notice a certain blonde duck was crawling right beside him. The young Mighty Duck had one hand on the giant dog's shoulder and was quickly keeping pace on his other limbs. Making a mental note to never let his red-haired teammate know he had actually been listening to her lessons. Without much hassle the large gar-beast snuck the teen into the living room and towards the doors. Once behind the door the alien bird stood back up and gave his new friend the rest of his evening snack and took off down the hall. Bronx finished his tasty meal and went to wash it down with water from his bowl.

Nosedive had taken the elevator down to the bottom floor and, with a friendly wave to the security guard, left the building. He found the duck cycle he brought along right where he expected it to be. His brother, knowing him as well as he did, had left it there in case he'd changed his mind. Without another thought he hopped on, starts the engine and guns it for the park.

*****

Hours later

Near Central Park, on an open stage placed outside; there was a performance of a comical version of 'The Quest for the Holy Grail' in progress. Music flowed lively through the night and the dancers moved in rhythm with it as if they were puppets and the music was their master. The lights danced with them and gave off the illusion of magic as the actors played their parts. Out in the audience the Mighty Duck, minus Nosedive, were sitting in the back row avoiding any potential fans and enjoying the show.

Beyond them, across the street, Lexington was also enjoying the show. Though he didn't quite understand what the speed velocity of a swallow had to do with anything, he still got and good laugh whenever the actors twist things around with the historic tale. He was sitting in a tree watching and eating the huge roast beef sandwich that was in the bag Xanatos had given him; glancing every now and then at the ducks. He nearly choked and fell off his perch when he saw that modern-day cops were now pursuing the actors, whom played King Arthur and his army. Whoever this Monty Python person was sure knew how to make a comical mess of the old legends.

"A good thing the real Arthur Pendragon isn't here." The little gargoyle laughed as he rolled the empty bag into a ball and tossed over to a wastebasket below him. "He wouldn't appreciate that form of storytelling." He missed the wastebasket and climbs down to deal with the ball. "He'd probably march right up there and demand they tell it the right..."

'Click…' Instantly he froze and turns at the noise. 'Pooot!!' He drops to the ground at the sound. 'Clank!' The dart hits and dents a small spot on the wastebasket. Quickly the little gargoyle scrambles from his spot and runs on all fours down the empty path.

A voice calls out. "After it!!" Seven humans dressed in black with dark blue Q's printed on the front and back of their jumpsuits burst out of the bushes on either side on the path and gave chase. "Don't let that monster escape!"

They were known as the Quarrymen. A small notorious group of people dedicated to hunting and destroying monsters and anyone else who'd get in their way. Their leader was a man named John Castaway, a.k.a the Hunter, who had a personal grudge against the gargoyles. He and his siblings had once hunted the Manhattan clan thinking they were in league with the 'demon', Demona, who killed their farther. However, his older brother had fallen in love with a detective woman who was a friend of the clan and had switched side when he saw that they were nothing like the gargoyle that had slain their father. He tried to stop John from making a mistake and wound up being shot by his younger sibling. Later it was found out that the incident left him paralyzed from the waist down. John blamed his older brother's accident squarely on the gargoyles and had sworn to hunt them down to their last.

Lexington's talons made scraping sounds as he continues to run from his pursuers. He had to get up to a high point and catch the breeze but they were too close for him to pull it off. The only hope was to get far enough ahead and hide himself until it was safe. More shots were taken at him and each one kept getting closer and closer to hitting it's mark. The little gargoyle had to run in zigzags in order to keep from getting hit.

"It's too fast!" called one of the Quarrymen. "I can't get a clear shot!"

Another one was loading a bazooka like weapon on the run. "I'll take care of it!"

Racing, Lexington sees a bench off to the side. Quickly the small gargoyle dashes towards it. He leaps on it and jumps into the air. He hears what sounds like a small explosion from behind him. He turns his head in time only to get caught in a net. The force that the sharp, heavy anchors were shot with forced him to fall out of the air and hit the ground; knocking the wind right out of him. The web of flexible wire held him firmly down, he could hear the Quarrymen approaching and struggles harder; but only manages to turn onto his side when he saw the receiving end of a rifle.