A/N: Sorry for the delay, but another chapter for "Gargoyles: A New Age" has finally arrived. There is also going to be a certain 4-parter from Season 2 after the next episode after this one. Wanna guess what it is? :) For now, enjoy.
Gargoyles: A New Age
Temptation
Act I
It all started as the three gargoyles, Brooklyn, Broadway, and Lexington were working on a motorcycle of sorts.
"Isn't it finished? We've been here every night for a week.", Broadway wondered.
"Come on, you've ridden one of these before.", Brooklyn added before lifting the motorcycle up.
"You rode a horse once. Could you build one from spare parts?", Lexington asked in response before Brooklyn shrugged and picked up a makeshift helmet before making two holes in it for his horns and then putting it on.
"Why bother with a helmet? Your head's hard enough.", Broadway responded before Brooklyn then wrapped his wings around his torso with Broadway helping to put the jacket on Brooklyn, making him look the part of a biker.
"Hey, it's all part of the look!", Brooklyn responded before Lexington then lowered the kick stand, allowing the bike to lean against the ground no problem.
"There! It's ready.", Lexington spoke with Brooklyn getting on.
"All right!", Brooklyn grinned before putting his shades on, revving the engine, and then taking off, leaving a trail of smoke as the tires squealed.
"Go for it!", Lexington shouted.
"Looking good!", Broadway added excitedly.
"Aw, boy, to ride!", Lexington shouted excitedly.
"Yeah!", Broadway shouted.
"He's flying!", Lexington cheered.
"Whoo!", Broadway cheered before he and Lexington realized something as the sound of the engine faded in the distance.
"Hey! Don't we get our turns?", Broadway asked, neither him nor Lexington noticing that someone was watching them.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn was having a fun time riding on the bike.
"Oh, this is great! I love this bike!", Brooklyn grinned, not knowing that the same figure at the garage was soaring in the air in Brooklyn's direction.
At that point, Brooklyn even drove past the cops, not only interrupting their break, but also urging them chase after him for speeding with Brooklyn eventually noticing via rear mirror.
"Ooh, not good. Not good.", Brooklyn spoke as he then drove into an alleyway with the police following them.
"Hit the light!", the officer shouted to his partner before it shone on Brooklyn, who then drove up the ramp and then let loose his wings before gliding down safely as the police car screeched to a stop.
"You wanna call that in?", the officer asked.
"Call What In?", the other officer asked before the first officer saw the donuts in the box, one of which was half-eaten.
"That's It. I'm... I'm Off Sugar.", the officer spoke before elsewhere, Brooklyn stopped the bike with a screeching drift before lifting his shades up and sighing in relief.
Then, as soon as Brooklyn wrapped his wings around his torso again, he noticed a gang of bikers nearby.
"Yes! Kindred spirits!", Brooklyn grinned before then driving off to joint the other bikers, who halted as soon as Brooklyn joined them.
"Hey, righteous hog, man!", one of the bikers spoke before the leader turned off his bike and walked up toward Brooklyn, who did the same.
"That's some cherry rig, bro.", the leader spoke.
"Glad you like it.", Brooklyn grinned.
"Where'd you get it?", one of the bikers asked.
"My friends and I made it.", Brooklyn responded.
"Hey, Cool.", the leader responded before Brooklyn took off his helmet, only for the bikers to quickly react in surprise and become threatened all at once.
"What? It's a freaking monster! Get him!", the leader shouted before the bikers quickly ganged up on Brooklyn and landed punches on him at command.
"Hey, what are you doing?", Brooklyn asked as the bikers continued punching him before he then got them off him as they tumbled, leaving Brooklyn's jacket in tatters, before getting up with a growl.
"You wanna fight? You got it!", Brooklyn spoke as he then stood up and let loose his wings, tearing off the tattered jacket in the process.
Then, one of the bikers got out a wrench and then ran toward Brooklyn, aiming to hit him only for Brooklyn to pick him up and toss him out toward the other bikes, tipping them like dominoes before picking up one of the bikers and then tossing him toward the others.
"I was just trying to fit in!", Brooklyn shouted.
"Get him!", the leader urged before the bikers ganged up on him again, leading to the same result.
"Enough!", Brooklyn shouted, getting one of the bikers off him.
"Let's see if you're bulletproof, freak!", the leader spoke, taking aim at him before a sudden screech sounded and whacked her tail against the gun, making it shoot out and miss Brooklyn, although the same couldn't be said for his bike as it wound up exploading.
"My bike!", Brooklyn shouted before he prepared to take them seriously with the mysterious gargoyle joining Brooklyn, whose arm was caught in the biker's chains, only for him to use it against said biker and toss him back as another tried to attack the creature, only to be overpowered and tossed toward a wall with the leader then firing at Brooklyn only to miss before the figure grabbed Brooklyn and made off with him before climbing up the wall just as the leader ran out of ammo for his gun before he looked around, hopped on his bike, and sped off down the street alone.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn then landed on a rooftop surrounded by a fence just as the figure then moved back to avoid premature discovery.
"Broadway? Lexington?", Brooklyn asked as he stepped forward.
"None of the above.", Demona responded as she then stepped out from the shadows.
"Demona?", Brooklyn puzzled.
"Don't be afraid. I just want to talk.", Demona assured.
"Uh-huh. Yeah, last time we met, you messed everything up with Puck.", Brooklyn responded while backing away from Demona.
"That was then.", Demona responded.
"And this is goodbye!", Brooklyn began, about to take off.
"Wait! Please. I'm sorry, Brooklyn. I know I shouldn't have attacked you. I was crazy with rage and fear. If you only knew what I'd gone through for hundreds of years, dealing with the humans.", Demona spoke, stopping Brooklyn before he could leave.
"Hundreds of years? I thought you were under the sleep spell like we were.", Brooklyn puzzled.
"It's a long story. Centuries-long. I'd like to tell you about it, if you let me.", Demona offered.
"I don't trust you, Demona.", Brooklyn refused.
"Wasn't this like old times? Fighting together side by side. Comrades-in-arms.", Demona spoke up.
"Stay back!", Brooklyn urged.
"I saved your life just now. Doesn't that at least entitle me to a moment of your time?", Demona asked.
"All right. I'm listening.", Brooklyn responded.
Meanwhile, Lexington and Broadway returned to the castle with Liberty and Elisa waiting outside for them.
"Good to see you two again.", Elisa grinned.
"Oh, hi, Elisa.", Lexington grinned.
"Where's Brooklyn?", Liberty asked.
"He's out joyriding.", Broadway responded.
"Joyriding?", Liberty puzzled.
"Yeah. He's riding on a bike we made.", Lexington responded.
"You really made a bike?", Liberty asked in wonder.
"Yeah, but it wasn't easy with the spare parts.", Lexington responded as he, Broadway, Liberty, and Elisa walked inside.
"Who do you think you are? Elvis?", the woman in the tv spoke before Bonx lifted up his ear and heard the others coming in as the door opened.
"Where's Brooklyn?", Goliath asked.
"He's out joyriding.", Broadway responded.
"Joyriding?", Goliath puzzled.
Meanwhile, Demona was pleading her case.
"I want to help you. Help all the gargoyles. Even Elisa Maza. Those humans you met. what did you do to provoke them?", Demona asked.
"I did nothing. They just attacked me.", Brooklyn responded.
"Exactly. That's What Humans Are Like.", Demona responded.
"But...Goliath says when they get used to us...", Brooklyn began.
"They were used to us a thousand years ago. Did that stop them from betraying and destroying our kind?", Demona asked.
"I... I Don't Know.", Brooklyn replied.
"You don't know the depths to which humanity can sink,
my young friend. But I do. Over the centuries, I've seen horrors that would blast your soul. Come. Let me show you what mankind is really like.", Demona offered before Brooklyn hesitantly took her hand and then both then flew down over the city.
Act II
The two gargoyles perched on a nearby rooftop before overhearing a scream from nearby, prompting them to notice a woman being robbed of her purse by a robber.
"Help, police! Police!", the woman shouted.
"What would you do? Capture him for human justice? He'd be out of jail and back on the streets in a day.", Demona discouraged before she and Brooklyn went to another disheartening example, this time at a home where the husband and wife were fighting.
"Look, his grades stink, his friends are hoodlums...", the father arguing with his wife spoke.
"What do you care? You're never home, anyway!", the mother retorted, even tossing a vase toward the father, who managed to dodge it, neither one knowing that their son was running away, heartbroken by their unwillingness to cooperate.
"They can't share their own homes without fighting. And you think they will share this world with us?", Demona asked glaringly as her eyes glowed red.
Then, the two later resided on a different rooftop near the area where an apparent crime took place with the victim being taken in on top of a hospital bed as a picture was taken on where the victim fell and a gun placed in the evidence bag.
"They hold each other's lives completely without worth. Do you really think they would accept us with open arms?", Demona asked.
"No.", Brooklyn sighed in defeat.
"And this is not the worst of it. We must make goliath see the truth. Humanity will never trust or accept us.", Demona added.
"But not all humans are like that. Elisa and her siblings are our friends. She even became a gargoyle if you remember.", Brooklyn reminded.
"Don't remind me. Even so, perhaps the has-been policewoman is the exception that proves the rule. But can she keep you safe from humanity? Only we can protect each other, Brooklyn. We must be united and strong. And willing
to deal with the humans as they would with us. Goliath thinks we can hide in their midst like mice and hope for their understanding. This is not possible. Remember what happened to Goliath, Krono, Liberty, and Lexington. They were hunted like animals because Lexington trusted the Pack.", Demona spoke.
"How Did You Know?", Brooklyn pondered for a moment.
"If you think i'm wrong, then show yourself to them.", Demona dared before Brooklyn hesitated.
"Very wise, my young friend. They would shoot you down like a dog.", Demona spoke before he sighed.
"Let's say you're right. What can we do? Goliath still believes humanity will accept us eventually.", Brooklyn pondered.
"Goliath must be made to see the truth for the good of all. There is a way, Brooklyn. The Grimorum Arcanorum. Bring it to me. There is a spell of truth in its pages. With it, I can open Goliath's eyes. Once Goliath understands, the rest will follow him.", Demona responded.
Later, Brooklyn arrived back at the castle.
"Took you long enough.", Elisa grinned.
"How was your... joyride?", Goliath asked.
"Uh... Illuminating.", Brooklyn responded before Ezra and Elsa ran up the stairs to get to Goliath.
"Goliath! Elisa! There you two are. Glad we caught you before dawn.", Ezra grinned.
"Something wrong?", Elisa asked.
"There will be. Xanatos' sentence is almost up. He'll be out of jail in a month.", Elisa responded.
"So you said before. Why does this concern you?", Goliath asked.
"You kidding? It doesn't just concern both of us. It concerns both of us!", Ezra responded.
"You'll all have to find another place to live eventually. But don't worry, I think we've found the perfect place.", Elisa assured.
"There is no need for that. Xanatos has been beaten. The castle is ours now.", Goliath assured.
"For how much longer? What if he takes it back?", Liberty asked.
"She's right, Goliath. How do we know that? What if he tries to reclaim it?", Brooklyn agreed.
"We will deal with that if and when it happens, but we are not leaving our home.", Goliath responded as he then moved his wings off his shoulders.
"But, Goliath...", Brooklyn began before the sun rose with the gargoyles turning to stone as Elisa magically turned back to normal.
"Dawn already?", Ezra asked.
"That's one way of avoiding a conversation.", Elisa spoke before she and the others walked down.
Then, time passed and Elisa was back at the castle just before the next sunrise. Afterwards, at the same time Elisa began to magically sprout her wings with her jacket disappearing and her hands and feet became those of a gargoyles' the rest of the gargoyles then awakened from their slumber with a growl before Goliath, Krono, and Hudson then flew down to the foyer where the plants are as Bronx ran down the stairs.
"Let's Get Some Breakfast.", Broadway spoke.
"You coming, Brooklyn?", Lexington asked.
"Yeah, don't you want something to start off the night?", Liberty asked.
"Maybe later.", Brooklyn responded.
"Okay. Suit yourself, I guess.", Liberty spoke before she, Lexington, and Broadway flew down to join the others in the foyer while Brooklyn then flew down to the foyer, took off elsewhere, and then went into a room where the Grimorum was held before breaking the lock for it, opening the security lid for it, picking the book up, and taking off with it just before passing by Elisa.
"You going to get breakfast soon, Brooklyn?", Elisa asked.
"Uh, yeah. Just going out for a stroll first.", Brooklyn responded, about to take off.
"Are you okay, Brooklyn?", Elisa asked.
"Don't worry about me, Elisa. I'll be fine.", Brooklyn assured before taking off from the castle as Elisa only looked on in worry for a few moments.
Later, Brooklyn then landed elsewhere with the Grimorum in hand, not knowing that Elisa was following him from a distance, before a voice spoke up just as Elisa hid behind one of the columns upon landing near the entrance and then going through it.
"I knew you'd come.", Demona spoke before Brooklyn turned around and then saw Demona while stepping out.
"I brought the book.", Brooklyn assured.
"Excellent. Now all I need is Goliath. But how to get him here?", Demona pondered as she then grabbed the Grimorum.
"I'll handle that. Anything to make him see the truth.", Brooklyn responded.
"Take your time. The spell required is complex. I'll need to study it.", Demona responded before Brooklyn walked out as Demona then opened the Grimorum and started searching through its pages.
"Brooklyn, what are you doing?", Elisa puzzled to herself.
Then, later, Brooklyn arrived back at the castle with Goliath waiting for him.
"Goliath... I found a fascinating place.", Brooklyn spoke.
"How so?", Goliath asked.
"It's like the world we came from. It's called the cloisters. Would you like to see it?", Brooklyn asked, making Goliath grin.
Later, both gargoyles arrived at the center of the cloisters.
"It's beautiful. I wish we'd brought the others.", Goliath commented.
"Goliath! Get out, it's a trap!", Elisa shouted.
"Elisa? What's going on?", Goliath asked.
"Something that should have happened a long time ago.", Demona responded as she stepped out of the shadows, carrying the Grimorum, which then got opened as Brooklyn went to her side, making Goliath give a worried look.
Act III
"Demona. I should've known you'd be here.", Elisa spoke.
"Kind of like how I should have known you would be here?", Demona asked in retortion to Elisa.
"The Grimorum. Brooklyn, what is happening here?", Goliath asked.
"Just listen to her, Goliath. Please. She has something very important to say to you.", Brooklyn requested.
"He's right, Goliath. Listen. And obey. 'Sine Dubio, Instantatum.'", Demona chanted as a green aura emitted from the book before transferring to Demona's hand while forming into a ball before Goliath charged toward Demona, who then launched the ball at him.
"Look out!", Elisa shouted as she leapt up, trying to save Goliath only to get hit by the blast at the same time Goliath was, disorienting them both as the former gave a gutteral cry while the latter groaned before both pressed their hands on their faces as the green mists faded.
"Goliath? Elisa?", Brooklyn spoke in worry before Demona closed the book with the light leaving from in between the pages with Goliath and Elisa opening their now blank, green, glowing, trance-like eyes.
"What's happened? I thought the spell was supposed to open his eyes and it wasn't supposed to hit Elisa, too.", Brooklyn puzzled.
"It will. Watch. Humans are our enemies.", Demona spoke.
"Humans are our enemies.", Goliath and Elisa repeated.
"No, this wasn't the plan. I wanted to free his mind, not enslave it.", Brooklyn spoke in shock.
"You wanted him to know the truth. Now what we tell him, along with Elisa, will be the only truth they know.", Demona responded.
"You're insane! Give me that book.", Brooklyn only shouted as he leapt toward Demona, forcing her back to a wall.
"Brooklyn, wait! You must trust me.", Demona pleaded.
"I was a fool to trust you!", Brooklyn only retorted angrily as he prepared to take the book from her.
"You two, restrain him! And her, too!", Demona ordered before Goliath and Elisa stepped forward with the former then restraining Brooklyn only for him to escape with Goliath and Elisa following in pursuit.
"Goliath, Elisa, it's me, Brooklyn. Stop!", Brooklyn urged before Elisa, in his trance, only tried to get him, but missed before going straight for the door, jumping from the column to the wall before ramming himself toward the door, breaking it down and then hurrying in side as Goliath and Elisa walked after him in pursuit.
"Wait! Brooklyn! I won't hurt you. Don't you see? This is the only way. This is only temporary. He will obey whoever holds the spell. We can protect him from his naivety until we reach our goals.", Demona assured to Brooklyn, who then came out from the shadows and went for Goliath, only for him to grab Brooklyn by the wrist with a growl.
"Goliath, listen to me. You can't let Demona control you and Elisa. You both've got to snap out of it.", Brooklyn urged before Goliath only tossed him aside with Demona walking up to him.
"I hate to do this, but you leave me no choice.", Demona spoke as she prepared to use the same spell on him just as Brooklyn got an idea.
"'Sine Dubio...'", Demona began before Brooklyn abruptly whacked the book from her with his tail, making it land in the shadows behind the column.
"Goliath, Elisa, stop him!", Demona shouted as Brooklyn then went for the book before finally getting it and looking for a spell that can undo the spell only for Demona to catch up herself and land on top of Brooklyn.
"You fool! Do you think I have come this far just to let you to stop me now?", Demona scolded as she then lifted Brooklyn up and then tossed him aside.
"Goliath, Elisa, destroy him!", Demona ordered only for no response to come from the two slaves.
"I hold the book. Both of you must obey me.", Demona spoke.
"You hold the book, Demona. But I hold the spell.", Brooklyn spoke before Demona opened the Grimorum and noticed that the spell was removed.
"Goliath, Elisa, take her.", Brooklyn spoke before Goliath and Elisa then started to go after Demona, who then dodged and knocked them back before then going for the tapestry and laying it on the two of them, going back for the book, and taking off with it, but not without Goliath and Elisa breaking free from the tapestry on top of them and then going after Demona, tumbling themselves and her out through the window before flying after Demona, who flew away while Brooklyn then flew off after them, holding the spell in hand
Then, Demona tore off a spell from the Grimorum just before Goliath and Elisa dove down after him and then crashed her back down to the ground, even breaking a tree as they rolled before they all stood up with Demona then picking up a rock and tossing them toward the two gargoyles, who dodged before the rock hit the tree behind them instead.
"Even with no wills of your own, both of you are a force to be reckoned with.", Demona commented before Brooklyn screeched as he descended, urging Demona to dodge the two gargoyles and then pick up the book, aiming to toss it down the hill.
"You've won. This time.", Demona spoke.
"NO!", Brooklyn shouted before Demona tossed the Grimorum down the hill into the river, although thankfully, Brooklyn caught the book in time and then landed back on the hill before noticing Demona take her leave as she screeched before the crimson gargoyle sighed.
"Come on... Let's go home.", Brooklyn spoke before he, Goliath, and Elisa flew home.
Later, Brooklyn explained to everyone the situation.
"I've gone through the Grimorum page by page, but I don't know how to reverse the spell Demona put on Goliath and Elisa.", Brooklyn explained.
"Demona must have ripped that page out.", Liberty guessed.
"You mean, they're going to be like this forever?", Broadway asked.
"I don't know if you and Elisa can understand me, Goliath, but...I'm sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn't let Demona talk me into stealing the Grimorum…", Brooklyn began.
"How are we going to help them? We can't defeat the spell.", Lexington puzzled.
"Wait A Minute. Maybe we don't need to defeat the spell. Not if we use it the right way.", Ezra realized.
"Hey. You're right.", Elsa agreed before she then turned to Brooklyn.
"Do you still have the spell?", Elsa asked before he handed her the spell and she then walked up to them.
"Ok, you two. I'm holding the spell and that means you two have to do what I say. Goliath, Elisa. I order you both to act for the rest of your lives exactly the way you would if you were not under a spell.", Elsa spoke before, a moment later, the two of them then shook their heads and opened their eyes, which are now back to normal.
"Very Clever, Elsa.", Goliath grinned.
"It worked.", Elisa spoke in relief.
"All right!", Broadway spoke in relief.
"I knew Demona was wrong about the both of you, at least. Any species that has you for a member can't be all bad.", Brooklyn grinned.
"Er...Thanks. I think.", Ezra grinned.
"Goliath, Elisa...I'm sorry.", Brooklyn apologized.
"It's okay. There's no need to apologize again, Brooklyn.", Elisa assured.
"'Again'?", Brooklyn puzzled.
"We could hear, even though we could not act.", Goliath explained.
"What Demona said sounded true at the time…", Brooklyn began.
"Of course it did. It's a half-truth she has thoroughly embraced. But it's not the whole truth. Come. The sun is rising and I, for one, could use some rest.", Goliath spoke before Brooklyn happily gave the Grimorum to Elisa before going back up on the perch as did the other gargoyles.
"Hey, what happened to the motorcycle?", Lexington puzzled.
"Um... It blew up.", Brooklyn responded with a blush.
"Oh. What?!", Lexington reacted before he and the others turned to stone while Elisa magically changed back to normal.
"All right. What do you say we make sure that Grimorum gets better security in here?", Ezra asked before he, Elisa, and Elsa then went inside, leaving the gargoyles alone to rest for another day.
A/N: So, what'd you think? I really have to warn you, though, that the next episode may be just as tragic as the original, but at least Elisa wouldn't get shot this time. That's all I can say for now. Until next time. :)