Several feet in the air, a gargoyle beast growled.
"There, there, Bronx," Broadway stroked the dog-like creature, whom he cradled in his arms.
"When Goliath said to give him exercise, I don't think this is what he meant," commented Brooklyn.
Lexington pointed down, to a large green patch. "Walk in Central Park?"
The threesome descended.
Simultaneously, Hodgkins was about to pull the trigger on what he thought was a giant bat.
"GID!" yelled Brooklyn, who had landed nearby.
"What?" his two companions replied in unison.
"Gargoyle in Distress!"
Just as the human's fingers squeezed the trigger, he felt something shove him gently, but firmly. The gun tumbled from his hand and rolled under a bush. The nearly blind man punched in defense, but hit only air. The nearest park lamps had burned out. Hodgkins ran down the gravel path, not even stopping to get his weapon.
Malevola watched him go, then turned to her saviors. "Uh...thanks."
Bronx growled at her, chewing on the hem of her black dress.
The gargoyless frowned and attempted to kick the beast away, but he jumped back in time.
"I think he likes you," joked Brooklyn.
"Down, Bronx!" scolded Lexington.
The gargoyle beast released the gown hem from his jaw and obediently backed away.
"Pet him," suggested Broadway. "He won't bite."
The redhead reached out. The dog-like animal snarled at first, but calmed down. The skin felt tough, but smooth beneath her fingertips. "His name's Bronx?"
"Yup," replied Brooklyn. "Named him myself." He extended a claw. "I'm Brooklyn." He gestured to the others. "Broadway and Lexington."
Malevola reciprocated the 'clawshake'. "Malevola. Don't ask me why. My mother named me. Maybe you guys know her. Demona."
As if in a stage play, Angela entered. "Father wanted to talk to--" She stopped. Her jaw dropped at the redhaired stranger.
Malevola met her gaze. They stared at each other for three minutes, neither saying a word. Almost as if one was trying to see into the other. Their hair color and builds were different, but the resemblance was obvious.
"It's like looking in a mirror," breathed Lexington.
"A cracked one that isn't flat," Brooklyn added.
"But a mirror nonetheless," conceded Broadway. He put his arm around Angela. "Are you okay?"
"Of course," she quickly answered. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"You seemed threatened--" Vulnerable seemed more like the term, but the overweight gargoyle decided to keep that comment to himself.
"Threatened?" The raven haired gargoyle maiden snapped. "By her?"
Malevola crossed her own arms in defiance. "That'll be the day."
The clan's leader descended.
Angela threw her arms around Goliath. "This is my father, the head of this clan."
Goliath looked questionably at the stranger. Externally, his expression was curious but sober. Internally, however, his thoughts were racing. Sevarius is the lowest of the low. He almost killed Angela once, and has now copied...what makes Angela Angela. Yet, this girl doesn't look like a clone. The coloring is definitely normal. Did Sevarius improve his techniques, or am I looking at pure coincidence? Finally, he asked, "What are you?"
"I...don't know." Malevola was in awe of Goliath, from his seven-foot stature to the air of authority around him. This guy looks like he can walk into a room and everyone stops talking. His stern face unnerved her deeply. He almost looked disgusted to behold her, but why, she wondered to herself. He doesn't even know me. "Last time I checked, I was a gargoyle." The frown seemed to intensify. "Sir."
"Where did you come from, lassie?" An elderly gargoyle appeared from behind Goliath.
"I don't know, really. I'm pretty sure I was born here. The name 'Lee Thal' is the only thing I remember. I don't even have a father. My mother doesn't even talk about him."
Goliath whispered to Hudson, "Go pay this 'Lee Thal' a visit. See what you can find."
"Aye, lad." The older gargoyle nodded and departed.
The members of the clan gathered in a huddle.
"I don't trust her," Angela quickly stated. "She...scares me."
"Yet we can't just leave her here, even if her mother's Demona," countered Lexington.
"Who knows what that woman's put in Malevola's mind," added Brooklyn.
"She seems okay," Broadway commented. "We can't just judge her, can we?"
"We can't let her come to Castle Wyvern with us," Goliath conceded. "She could be dangerous--"
"Excuse me, guys?" Malevola put her hands on her hips. "I don't appreciate you talking about me like I wasn't even here!"
"Has Demona ever mentioned us to you?" Lexington inquired.
"No. She always told me the few remaining gargoyles were miles away."
Brooklyn put his hand on the newcomer's shoulder. "Don't trust your mother. She's probably using you to suit her own twisted ends. I speak from experience."
"Twisted? But she's kind and gentle--"
Lexington perked up. "Are we talking about the same Demona here?"
"Malevola," Angela began. "I'm glad someone agrees with me that Mother's good under that brassy surface, but some of the things she's done..."
"Wait," interrupted the redhead. "My mother is your mother?"
"Yes," Angela admitted. "I guess that makes us half-sisters."
"You're no half-sister of mine!" retorted Malevola.
Angela's eyes glowed red. "As I was saying, I have faith in Mother, but you have a right to know the truth." She looked pointedly at Goliath, who looked guilty. "She wants to kill all humans."
"She hates them, but I don't think--" The gargoyless protested.
Goliath shook his head. "Angela's right."
"No! I can't believe that!" Tears came to the redhead's eyes.
"I know it's hard to believe," Broadway commented sympathetically. "It was hard to believe she could turn on us that way."
"You're all lying!"
The crimson phosphorescence returned to Angela's eyes. "You have no right to insult my clan."
"Your clan?" was the icy reply. "Do you mind if I stand in your moonlight? Or breathe your air?"
"Brat!" snarled the raven.
"Snob!" replied her fetch, whose eyes were now vermilion.
"Don't intervene unless they attack each other physically," commanded Goliath to the Trio and Bronx.
Angela was practically screaming. "Shadow!"
"Daddy's girl!" was the retort.
"Spawn of Thailog!"
Malevola's eyes returned to normal. "Who?"
"You don't want to know," interrupted Goliath quickly. The less said about the flawed clone, the better.
Angela breathed deeply. The glow faded from her eyes. "We're acting like children." She looked Malevola over. The redhead seemed close to her age. "How old are you?"
"You wouldn't believe me."
"Try me."
"Seventeen days."
The entire clan gasped.
She's little more than a child, Angela thought. So why do I feel this hostility towards her? I feel like the north pole of a magnet repelling another north pole. "One more question, Malevola. I want the truth. Who are you?"
TBC
"There, there, Bronx," Broadway stroked the dog-like creature, whom he cradled in his arms.
"When Goliath said to give him exercise, I don't think this is what he meant," commented Brooklyn.
Lexington pointed down, to a large green patch. "Walk in Central Park?"
The threesome descended.
Simultaneously, Hodgkins was about to pull the trigger on what he thought was a giant bat.
"GID!" yelled Brooklyn, who had landed nearby.
"What?" his two companions replied in unison.
"Gargoyle in Distress!"
Just as the human's fingers squeezed the trigger, he felt something shove him gently, but firmly. The gun tumbled from his hand and rolled under a bush. The nearly blind man punched in defense, but hit only air. The nearest park lamps had burned out. Hodgkins ran down the gravel path, not even stopping to get his weapon.
Malevola watched him go, then turned to her saviors. "Uh...thanks."
Bronx growled at her, chewing on the hem of her black dress.
The gargoyless frowned and attempted to kick the beast away, but he jumped back in time.
"I think he likes you," joked Brooklyn.
"Down, Bronx!" scolded Lexington.
The gargoyle beast released the gown hem from his jaw and obediently backed away.
"Pet him," suggested Broadway. "He won't bite."
The redhead reached out. The dog-like animal snarled at first, but calmed down. The skin felt tough, but smooth beneath her fingertips. "His name's Bronx?"
"Yup," replied Brooklyn. "Named him myself." He extended a claw. "I'm Brooklyn." He gestured to the others. "Broadway and Lexington."
Malevola reciprocated the 'clawshake'. "Malevola. Don't ask me why. My mother named me. Maybe you guys know her. Demona."
As if in a stage play, Angela entered. "Father wanted to talk to--" She stopped. Her jaw dropped at the redhaired stranger.
Malevola met her gaze. They stared at each other for three minutes, neither saying a word. Almost as if one was trying to see into the other. Their hair color and builds were different, but the resemblance was obvious.
"It's like looking in a mirror," breathed Lexington.
"A cracked one that isn't flat," Brooklyn added.
"But a mirror nonetheless," conceded Broadway. He put his arm around Angela. "Are you okay?"
"Of course," she quickly answered. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"You seemed threatened--" Vulnerable seemed more like the term, but the overweight gargoyle decided to keep that comment to himself.
"Threatened?" The raven haired gargoyle maiden snapped. "By her?"
Malevola crossed her own arms in defiance. "That'll be the day."
The clan's leader descended.
Angela threw her arms around Goliath. "This is my father, the head of this clan."
Goliath looked questionably at the stranger. Externally, his expression was curious but sober. Internally, however, his thoughts were racing. Sevarius is the lowest of the low. He almost killed Angela once, and has now copied...what makes Angela Angela. Yet, this girl doesn't look like a clone. The coloring is definitely normal. Did Sevarius improve his techniques, or am I looking at pure coincidence? Finally, he asked, "What are you?"
"I...don't know." Malevola was in awe of Goliath, from his seven-foot stature to the air of authority around him. This guy looks like he can walk into a room and everyone stops talking. His stern face unnerved her deeply. He almost looked disgusted to behold her, but why, she wondered to herself. He doesn't even know me. "Last time I checked, I was a gargoyle." The frown seemed to intensify. "Sir."
"Where did you come from, lassie?" An elderly gargoyle appeared from behind Goliath.
"I don't know, really. I'm pretty sure I was born here. The name 'Lee Thal' is the only thing I remember. I don't even have a father. My mother doesn't even talk about him."
Goliath whispered to Hudson, "Go pay this 'Lee Thal' a visit. See what you can find."
"Aye, lad." The older gargoyle nodded and departed.
The members of the clan gathered in a huddle.
"I don't trust her," Angela quickly stated. "She...scares me."
"Yet we can't just leave her here, even if her mother's Demona," countered Lexington.
"Who knows what that woman's put in Malevola's mind," added Brooklyn.
"She seems okay," Broadway commented. "We can't just judge her, can we?"
"We can't let her come to Castle Wyvern with us," Goliath conceded. "She could be dangerous--"
"Excuse me, guys?" Malevola put her hands on her hips. "I don't appreciate you talking about me like I wasn't even here!"
"Has Demona ever mentioned us to you?" Lexington inquired.
"No. She always told me the few remaining gargoyles were miles away."
Brooklyn put his hand on the newcomer's shoulder. "Don't trust your mother. She's probably using you to suit her own twisted ends. I speak from experience."
"Twisted? But she's kind and gentle--"
Lexington perked up. "Are we talking about the same Demona here?"
"Malevola," Angela began. "I'm glad someone agrees with me that Mother's good under that brassy surface, but some of the things she's done..."
"Wait," interrupted the redhead. "My mother is your mother?"
"Yes," Angela admitted. "I guess that makes us half-sisters."
"You're no half-sister of mine!" retorted Malevola.
Angela's eyes glowed red. "As I was saying, I have faith in Mother, but you have a right to know the truth." She looked pointedly at Goliath, who looked guilty. "She wants to kill all humans."
"She hates them, but I don't think--" The gargoyless protested.
Goliath shook his head. "Angela's right."
"No! I can't believe that!" Tears came to the redhead's eyes.
"I know it's hard to believe," Broadway commented sympathetically. "It was hard to believe she could turn on us that way."
"You're all lying!"
The crimson phosphorescence returned to Angela's eyes. "You have no right to insult my clan."
"Your clan?" was the icy reply. "Do you mind if I stand in your moonlight? Or breathe your air?"
"Brat!" snarled the raven.
"Snob!" replied her fetch, whose eyes were now vermilion.
"Don't intervene unless they attack each other physically," commanded Goliath to the Trio and Bronx.
Angela was practically screaming. "Shadow!"
"Daddy's girl!" was the retort.
"Spawn of Thailog!"
Malevola's eyes returned to normal. "Who?"
"You don't want to know," interrupted Goliath quickly. The less said about the flawed clone, the better.
Angela breathed deeply. The glow faded from her eyes. "We're acting like children." She looked Malevola over. The redhead seemed close to her age. "How old are you?"
"You wouldn't believe me."
"Try me."
"Seventeen days."
The entire clan gasped.
She's little more than a child, Angela thought. So why do I feel this hostility towards her? I feel like the north pole of a magnet repelling another north pole. "One more question, Malevola. I want the truth. Who are you?"
TBC