Elisa and Matt took the news to the castle, and shared with the room full of anxious faces. Humans and Gargoyles gathered, age not a factor this time, as what was decided this night affected everyone.
"Wait," Skyler said, running a hand anxiously through her hair while the other still held a copy of the packet of papers that the UN rep had left with Elisa and Matt earlier. "So...I'm confused. A group of humans are going to decide something so huge about the clan?"
"So it seems," David Xanatos said, tossing his copy of the offending packet of papers on the table. "Or they're going to try, at any rate."
"They can do more than try," Elisa said wearily. "They can lean pretty heavily on the governments of their individual countries. What's decided here could affect everyone."
Goliath gathered her closely to his side, offering her his support. "We are being allowed to go speak, are we not?"
"Yeah," Broadway said, leaning forward and crossing his arms on the table. "If they invited us, they must want to know more about us."
'Bless Broadway and his optimism,' Elisa thought.
"Oh, yeah," Brooklyn said, leaning back in his seat, crossing his own arms over his chest. "I can totally picture a room full of people just accepting us walking in and telling them, 'thanks, but no thanks'."
"Alright," Fox said flipping to a few pages in the back, then setting her papers on the table. "Elisa," she said, nodding to the detective. "I'm guessing you've already been through all of this. " She waved a hand at the papers.
"Three times," Elisa admitted.
"Then give us the worst case scenario."
"Honestly, neither one holds an appeal to me," Elisa gave a very uncharacteristic snort of derision. "But, I think the Sovereign Nation hits a bad chord because my family has seen what it did to the Native Americans. It was supposed to let them govern themselves, and instead it has isolated them and led them little avenues for assistance." Elisa straightened from her leaning position against Goliath and began to pace. "But, to me, it would be to declare the Gargoyles an endangered species."
"'The group of Gargoyles would be strongly discouraged from engaging in their previous dangerous and life threatening activities," Liam read aloud angrily, "and their positions within the New York Police Department terminated as their activities would be potentially life threatening."
"The group of Gargoyles," Alexander continued when Liam could not, "should they refuse to discontinue their hazardous activities, would be relocated to government lands and protected as their endangered species status would dictate."
"So, they'd make us move somewhere else?" Angela asked, aghast. Turning, she found Elisa's eyes. "Can they do that?"
"They aren't the ultimate law of the land, but opposing them is hard," Elisa admitted.
"I say we all go," Demona said from her place at the table. "If we all go, they will listen to us in fear, if nothing else."
Bolin shook his head, "That would be...unwise."
"Then what if they don't go at all?" Skyler asked in desperation. "They'd reschedule, right? Maybe buy us some time?"
Brooklyn lifted an arm and gathered her to his side, and Skyler turned her face into his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "This is all just so…"
"I know," Elisa said softly. "Believe me when I tell you I've had all sorts of scenarios going through my head all day."
"Perhaps it is time for me to pull a few Illuminati strings," Xanatos said.
"No," Elisa said firmly. "I don't doubt that they would do something, but you've stayed under their radar for a while. Don't ask for favors, because favors demand repayment."
"She's got a point," Fox said.
"Then what can be done?" Hudson asked.
The room erupted in a flurry of ideas and suggestions.
"What about the others?" Nayeli asked quietly, gaining everyone's attention. She looked up and made a slow sweep of the room, meeting eyes as she went. "I know that the letter is adressed to us, but... it's like the ripple effect. If we do not go," she said slowly, "if we choose to go in anger or we have others try to manipulate them...then, what is decided by this group of humans who have had no contact with gargoyles before, who have no idea who and what we are, will affect the other clans and spread."
"So we go," Goliath's voice rang with the finality of a leader. "We adhere to their rules, and only a few of us go. We will go. We will meet with them and talk to them."
"Still trying to get the humans to see reason, Goliath?" Demona practically snarled. "When will you learn that they'll only ever look at us and see monsters?"
"Not everyone thinks that way," Bolin said in his calming tone. "There are enough humans in this city who do not see us as monsters."
"For now," Demona shot back.
Bolin sighed. He had thought Demona had been moving past this hatred of humans. He knew what it was like to put your trust in a human and be betrayed.
He had done so once, when he was but a fledgling, and had been rewarded to wake and find himself the only member of his clan left standing in a pile of rubble that had once been his living and breathing family and friends.
He had spent years alone, stewing in his own anger and guilt, much as Demona had.
He had eventually been adopted by a group of monks who had found him one night. Injured from a surprise attack by a tiger in the forest an hour or so before, weary and weak from hunger, they had taken him in. The silent monks had fed him, helped him to bathe and dress in clean, quickly altered clothes.
Most importantly, they had helped him find peace once more.
It hadn't been easy, or fast, but he had hoped to repay their kindness by aiding Demona. He wasn't going to give up, but this hard headed female was trying his hard won patience sometimes.
He placed a firm taloned hand on her arm. "Tonight is not the night for fighting," he said calmly. "Tonight is for making a decision that will affect all gargoyles, as the young one has said."
Demona snarled wordlessly at him, but held her silence.
And that, he thought, was a minor victory.
Judging by the startled expressions on the faces of more than one of those at the table that night, it hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Who do we send, lad?" Hudson asked, breaking the tense silence.
"The letter spoke of the Manhattan clan," Goliath pointed out. "As much as it affects everyone, it may be best to not overwhelm them by reminding them that gargoyles exist in other places around the world. At least, not right away."
Broadway nodded his agreement.
"So," Angela said, her eyes roaming over the clan, "We send the most diplomatic."
"Goliath is a given," Brooklyn said. "He has always dealt the most with humans, not to mention being the leader."
Goliath nodded his assent.
"I will go with ye," Hudson said.
"No offense, old friend," Goliath said with a nod to the elder, "but I believe that Brooklyn, as the clan second, should go this time. Besides," He sent the startled red male an amused look, "He may be young, but he has advanced well in the role of future leader."
Hudson smiled and nodded. "Just as well," he said gruffly. "I would miss some of my shows."
Goliath nodded, then turned to Elisa. "Would you be willing to go with us as the third?"
Elisa hesitated. "I'm not sure that's a good idea," she admitted. At Goliath's frown, she held up a hand, "I would love to go, and proud to stand with you, you know that. I'm trying to look at it from the point of view of someone who has never seen or spoken to one of you before. If I were a politician and suddenly a few of you walked in with a human… my first thought wouldn't be that they were a friend."
"You're thinking they'd see you as a handler of sorts," Fox said, the light of comprehension in her eyes. "Like officers and K-9 units."
"Yeah," Elisa said with a sigh. "That's what I'd be afraid of. It's well known that you guys work hand in hand with the police, and that there are assigned officers who work with you all one on one."
"And if the thought is to debate them as an endangered species," Xanatos said, pushing back from the table and rising to stand, "then it's best to have you go in without a human present and make your case."
Elisa nodded and ran a hand through her hair, tucking it behind one ear in a frustrated gesture. As she did so, she saw a small flurry of activity at one end of the table.
"What's up, guys?" She called out as the youngest members broke apart.
Affectionately called the "kids council", it was made up of the Xanatos boys, Broadway and Angela's twins, Liam and Nayeli. Although, with most of them nearing adulthood, they would soon be joining the adults at the table for regular meetings.
The kids looked guilty, but stood.
"Mom. Dad," Liam said, calling their attention. "Can we make a suggestion?"
"Sure," Elisa said.
"Take Nayeli with you," he said. "She's the youngest, even if she doesn't look like it, and she'd be able to represent the younger generation."
"She's a heck of a speaker," Alex seconded. "We've all witnessed that."
"She doesn't even have to practice," Brenna pointed out. "She does best speaking from the heart."
"Yeah," Conner said, crossing his arms and nodding at the others. "What they said."
Christopher Xanatos stood, "I heard about what she pulled off in Australia," He said, "And we all saw what she did to that angry crowd that was protesting at the station. We all know she can do some amazing things."
Goliath met Nayeli's stunned eyes as she looked at her peers.
"Your friends make some good points, Nayeli," Goliath said. "What say you, daughter? Would you join us on this errand?"
Nayeli stood from her place and bent her head before lifting it again, a sheen of pride on her face. "It would be my honor to represent my clan," she said. "But only if there are none more experienced wanting to go."
Goliath crossed his arms and nodded solemnly. He turned to look upon his clan. "Are there any others who would wish to go?"
One by one, the others shook their heads.
"Very well," Goliath said, turning back to his youngest child. "It has been decided. Brooklyn, Nayeli, and I will go and meet with these ambassadors."
"Perfect," Xanatos said with a secretive smile. "With your permission Goliath, I will contact the United Nations in the morning, and let them know of your decision."
"Thank you," Goliath said with a nod. He then turned to Elisa, running his hand over her brow. "We must go on our patrols," he said softly as the others began to rise and small conversations began around them.
"I know," Elisa said with a sigh and a small smile. "And I have to get to work. The captain knows where I am, but I had to promise to get there and back to work as soon as things were decided."
Goliath gathered her close, so close she could hear the strong triple beat of his heart. Elisa laid her head against his chest for just a moment, before giving his chest a tap with her hand and stepping back.
"Alright, Big Guy," Elisa said. "You go do your patrols. Let me know if you need any help."
"I will," he said softly before turning and joining the clan outside.
Elisa sighed. She'd lived with the secret of the gargoyles' existence for years, knowing that at any time, something could happen that would change it all.
She had grown a little complacent, she admitted to herself now.
After so many years of work, worry and celebrating every victory no matter how small… She fervently hoped that this was not going to be the thing to upset their world.