The Phantom of the Night

by Tigris Euphrates

Christine P. Shelton of Salt Lake City, Utah accidently runs across the gargoyle she names Phantom, resulting her becoming involved in a massive feud of warring halves of the Children of Oberon. Illustrated. (homepage: http://www.miniclan.org/tigris/saga.

5. Cats

Edited by: Pegasus and MaryK

Created: Saturday, May 25, 1996 Completed: Tuesday, December 17, 1996 Last revision: February 29, 2000

Revised by: Cinnamon and Dasha Ariel

This is an original work, not associated with the Walt Disney Corporation. No copyright infringements intended. All rights to the elements of this work reserved by the author. None of this content is in anyway directly copied from any Disney publication. "Gargoyles" belongs to Walt Disney Studios.
Summary

This fanfic is rated for all audiences, and contains nothing sexual or improper of any nature. I would recommend it be rated G.

---

Salt Lake City

September 1998

Mandy was in a pensive mood, scribbling mindlessly onto the margins of the homework she was determined to finish.

"Hi, Mandy!" came a pleasant male voice.

Mandy looked up from her medical studies to see Brian Taylor hanging over her shoulder. "Hi, Brian. What's up?" Mandy leaned back in her chair, sighed, and took her glasses off. A decent looking boy... not bad for all the other boys at the BYU med center.

"You sound like you could use more sleep." he noted sympathetically.

"You're not the first to say so." Mandy sighed, rubbing her temples.

"It's not finals for weeks -- why are you all stressed out?"

Mandy shifted nervously. "Well, I have a close friend I contact every week -- only she didn't call this week, and I'm really worried."

"Lives out of state?" he deduced by the phone card Mandy had left out on her notebook.

"Yeah." Mandy hesitated to say 'out of our reality' also.

"You hear about that Gargoyles attack in New York? Pretty weird, huh?"

Mandy nodded. "I think the media's putting a spin on it, and we're not hearing the whole story."

Brian nodded. There was a moment of silence between them.

"I hear you were Christine Shelton's friend." he added, with a bit of trepidation.

Mandy shifted nervously. Mandy had never been popular until Christine "died". Suddenly everyone knew her name. She guessed they all talked about her behind her back, so this one coming out with it was just a bit novelty for Mandy. "Yeah, we were... real close."

Even though two years had gone by, the blow that was the slaying of Christine Shelton left a deep scar on the people at the University of Utah. Sure, students had died before while going here -- one had even drowned in the pool! However, no one had ever been slashed to death and had their car smashed into a canyon wall. The administration at the University of Utah had even taken the article about the slaying from the Salt Lake City Tribune, framed it, and now hangs on the Chief of Staff's wall in his office.

"Look, I gotta go..." Mandy suddenly told him, slapping her books shut with a flurry of emotion. She put her papers sloppily in her bag, and left the building, heading back to the dormitory.

After spending two years in the University of Utah's research program, she had transferred here to Brigham Young University, for medical school. She had her own dorm room for once, kitchen, and computer with World Wide Web access. She called the computer "Pigeon", because she had been using it as her carrier pigeon to the real world outside of school. While mindlessly cooking bacon (to place on toast) in the kitchen, she flipped the computer on.

She sat down at the terminal, with half a mind to forget her studying until next week. She checked her E-mail. She had several messages, thankfully. It had been a dull week. Then, her eyes fell across one message in particular.

From: "unknown@some.net.com"

Subject: "the angel has fallen"

Mandy blinked. That was Christine and Phantom calling! Somehow, they had managed to have a computer up in the forests of Washington, where they now made their home, despite the constant rains of the pacific northwest. Apparently, one of their number had a wannabe hacker gargoyle in it.

"Eagle has vanished.

Tigris is dead by Michael's hand.

Angel is not speaking.

Phantom."

A short message, but it covered the important points. All the messages from them were cryptic and full of aliases and false names to prevent net-hackers from tracking the gargoyles down. Mandy had yet to find out how they managed the generic "From" address. Eagle, she knew, was Christine's little brother. Angel was Christine's Internet handle.

She'd better get up off her bed and find out what's going on down there, she decided. She thought about phoning again, but that was pointless -- if Christine didn't want to talk, she'd have just turned the cel-phone off.

Mandy flopped back onto her bed, just as the phone rang on the bed side table. She hurriedly and picked it up.

"Mandy?"

"Hello, Doctor Steffens. What can I do for you?" Mandy sighed.

"I just got the message from your mother about leaving town for a while. Do you know just how long you will be gone? It was pretty unspecific."

Mandy blinked. Her mother was vacation in France...! What the -- -- -- ?!!!

Mandy's hand touched something under her pillow. Startled, she pulled out a manilla folder. "For Mandy" was written on it in large, gothic, scrolled calligraphy.

She asked her professor to hang on for a moment, and opened the folder.

Airline Tickets. Complete admit forms to take a leave of absence, with all the necessary signatures. And a note from Sharm?

"Hello, Mandy! Yes, I know you hate it when I do this, but fun time is over, and now you have to rejoin the war. Believe me, you want to be here for this one. I'll keep the surgeons happy -- promise!

Sharm"

"Hello, Doctor Steffens?"

"Right here. What's the word?"

"Could be gone a long time. I'm involved with an... an national project, and they need me. I don't know how serious this all is yet, but it could be a few months. I'm sorry to get off onto the new school year like this, but could you mail the material to me, if I gave you an address or an E-mail?"

"Sure, I'll talk to your other professors."

"'Preciate it. I'll give the official paperwork to the Admin tomorrow."

"What are you doing? Foreign politics?"

"More like strategic defense planning -- only on a grander scale."

"Sounds big!!!"

"You have NO idea."

* * *

When Mandy had sat down on the airline seat, no one sat next to her. It was a smaller flight, more private, more expensive. Where did Sharm get the finances for these things, anyway? All she could glean from the paperwork was a payment document with "Xanatos Enterprises" listed on one or two occasions as the company she was supposedly flying for and was covering the bill, and the signature of a "Grace Robbins". Mandy wrote that down in her notebook, along with a note to herself to look that name up.

"Leave it to me, dearie." Sharm said.

Mandy turned to see a woman dressed in a leather tunic, white billowing shirt, tights, and a sword belted to her side. She had a lot of bright red hair, that flowed down her shoulders, barely kept in check by a blue headband.

"One of these days, I'll figure you out, Sharm. If it takes everything I've got."

"Believe me, you don't want to." Sharm muttered, patting her arm.

"What's the matter?"

"Was I sounding down?" Sharm sighed, reserved. "Alright, maybe I was. Let me think for a moment. Your professors are happy, the flight will take off soon, Christine's brain has absolutely short-circuited, and you won't be going home for several years. Other than that, I'm just peachy, dearie!"

Mandy blinked. "What?"

"Get some sleep, dear." Sharm whispered into Mandy's ear.

By the time the flight took off, Mandy was fast asleep.

Washington state

Christine was hanging from a tree.

"Interesting position." Macaren muttered to himself, as he sunk his claws into the tree, starting to climb.

"Leave me alone, Macaren." Christine muttered from above.

"Not a chance. You haven't eaten for two days, the clan is worried sick over you, and they're going to celebrate the building of the new Glade."

"I'm not in the mood for it, Macaren." She growled, warning him.

"You're hanging upside down from a tree by your tail. What exactly ARE you in the mood for?" Macaren returned snidely.

Christine was silent for a moment, then replied. "Practicing to be a chameleon?"

"That's a gecko, love."

"Whatever. Don't call me love."

Macaren was about to reply, when Sharm suddenly appeared, upside-down, staring Christine in the face. "Hello, dear. Miss me?"

"Hello Sharm. Goodbye Sharm."

"My, aren't we in a lovely mood. Does this help?" The fay waved a hand and suddenly Macaren fell from his position on the tree.

The corner of the pink gargoyle's mouth quirked. "Actually, yes it did."

Macaren rubbed his head from where he had somehow landed on it, and glared at the fay, who was still upside down. "And where have you been, Little Miss Congeniality?"

"And whatever are you doing on the ground with such a big bruise on your head, Little Mister Testosterone?"

Macaren snarled. Sharm grinned, turning back to Christine.

Sharm tapped her temples a moment, looking at Christine. Sharm drifted up and down with the air currents. "What exactly are you doing in a tree, midear?"

"Oh no, not you too."

"Should I try a spell?"

"Cheater."

"That's my job!" Sharm replied brightly.

"I'm trying to get away from his like..." Christine snarled at Macaren. "They all want to know -- oooh, what's wrong little Christine... -- GRARH!" she growled.

"Not exactly fun, I'd agree. I understand talking about these things does help."

"I DON'T NEED ANY HELP!" Christine roared back. Sharm was unabated, and began to laugh.

"...and this is why you're hanging upside-down in a tree? Uh huh."

"She's been like this since Tigris's death." Macaren added, trying to be helpful (in the worst way).

Sharm nodded. "Ahhhh! That. Okay, I can handle this now. Go away, Macaren."

Macaren snarled at her, and stormed off. He didn't want to be dropped on his head again.

"Now, midear, would you mind coming down from there? Hanging upside down is fun, but it makes it harder to think straight."

"Then why are you doing it?"

"Because, I'm fay! Besides, It's easier to talk to you."

Christine roared in fury again, reverberating her tiger-like snarl. Her tail slipped from the limb, her wings snapped open, and she glided on the breeze above the canopy, trying to get away from Sharm.

There was a sudden burst of magic, and Christine found herself floating in Sharm's palm. "That doesn't work either, dearie. You can't run from your problems. Losers way out. Plus, that's all you've been doing lately."

Rather than to try and glide on wind currents now twenty times the size she was used to, she collapsed in a heap on Sharm's fay palm. "Okay, I'll talk!"

Christine reappeared on the ground, normal sized, with Sharm floating over her. "Golly, you make it sound like a confession or something!"

Christine stood to face her. "What do I have to do? Sit here and make oaths of fealty to Oberon all my life? How do I just stand by while Matthew vanishes into one of many fairy realms, Macaren is getting desperate to get his way with me, and those three tell me to STAY HERE!!! What kind of WAR is this?!!! Where on EARTH are we going after this, anyway?!!!"

Sharm tipped her head to one side. "Avalon, of course."

When the Stewardess shook her, Mandy finally awoke. "Huh? What? Are we there yet?"

"No, ma'am. We're about to hit what could be minor turbulence, and we'd like everyone to buckle up." she said.

Mandy shook the fog from her eyes, and cursed the fay again. Then again, how else could one sleep on a plane? "Right..." she answered groggily.

Sharm was gone, and the seat next to her was vacant -- a good sign. The sun was down, and there were few lights outside the window except for stars -- a clear night. The light in the plane made them hard to see, though.

Mandy checked her carry on bag once more, routinely, fastened her belt, and waited.

There was a loud screech of tearing metal, and the place lurched -- nearly throwing Mandy out of her seat and making her suddenly motion sick.

DRAT! A little turbulence?!!! She'd hate to see what a lot of turbulence was!

Glasses and cups hit the floor, and there was a loud commotion among the passengers.

There was a cracking noise, and another groan of metal. A scream was heard in the cabin, and there was a rushing of air as the plane depressurized. Mandy's hands clapped over her ears as they started to ache. The Oxygen mask compartments sprung open, and the emergency lights came on.

WHAT WAS GOING ON?!!!

From inside the cockpit was a roar -- not of tearing metal, but of an angry beast.

Sharm was about ready to put Christine back in the tree! "Dear, you can't go find him, he's already gone into the next part of his life! Don't worry, we'll see him again! I'll make sure of it!"

"That doesn't excuse the fact that..." For some inexplicable reason, Christine was beginning to cry hysterically, and was unable to finish the sentence.

Sharm held Christine tightly. "Shhhh, it's all right. Things are going to turn out just fine. You're getting yourself all worked up over nothing!"

Christine, sobbing, was at least out of her self pity mode for the moment. Sharm needed some more time. Christine was calming down, but Sharm continued to hold the pink gargoyle girl for a while until she finally stopped. Sharm produced a brush and began to brush out the girl's hair, humming to herself. Christine sighed, closed her eyes, and her breathing slowed. Sharm smiled - she was relaxing a little more.

"Do you remember when I brushed you hair out when you were little?" she asked softly.

She nodded. "I can't decide which was worse - adolescence as a human or as a gargoyle." Christine was still crying a little.

Sharm paused. "Oh my, it's been a long time since I thought about it." In a move that seemed vaguely like a parlor trick, Sharm pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and began to dab away her tears. "You don't need to worry. You'll see them all again soon, I'll see to it myself. Matthew has some very important things he needs to discover in his life, and some of the choices he has to make will be MUCH harder than yours. You'll be there to guide him eventually - you'll see. You're going to be the one who makes sure he isn't hurt."

Christine smiled, returning the embrace on her own now.

"There. Doesn't that feel nice?" Sharm asked. Christine could only nod.

"Christine!" Phantom called.

~Out of time, Sharm thought.

"What is it?" Christine replied, somewhat weakly and harshly.

"Are... are you alright?" he asked tenderly, coming upon them from the north -- from the direction of the new gargoyle camp, running on all fours.

"What is it, Phantom?" Sharm asked, evading the point.

Phantom blinked at her. When had she gotten back? Why did Christine look like she'd been crying? Was this a 'girl thing'? "I just caught Macaren rummaging through all your personal effects, Christine."

Christine blinked. "What was he looking for?"

"This." Phantom said, holding up the magic scanner in one paw.

"Why?"

"Got me." Phantom replied, shrugging. Sharm hid the fact he knew it was a lie.

"Nuts." Christine cursed, standing up.

"Where did he go, Phantom?" Sharm inquired.

"Well, I chased him up to about 2,000 feet, but then I lost him when he grabbed onto a passing airliner."

Sharm stopped, eyes going wide. "Which airliner?"

"How should I know? A small one with an "X" on the tail?"

Sharm had a sickened feeling rising in her stomach. "Oh boy, this is SO not good..."

Despite the stewardess's warning, Mandy took off her seatbelt, and threw herself in the direction of the cabin. The door had been hit a few times and would not open at first. When it did, Mandy had to suddenly duck as the flying form of the pilot was thrown over her head.

A dark figure loomed over the console, wings spread.

"MACAREN!" Mandy shouted.

A face turned to her, white eyes aglow, and snarled. "Human! I might have expected you to return!"

"I'm like a bad penny." Mandy noted, sarcastically. "I always turn up."

Looking around, Mandy saw another stewardess and two copilots were on the floor, unconscious on the deck. Macaren turned to Mandy, looming angrily over her. He touched a switch, and all the lights in the plane went out. There was a click, as the door behind Mandy closed. She tried to open it again, but Macaren's talons were in her face before she could.

"I'll deal with you later." he mumbled. There was a rushing noise in the dark, and Mandy fell onto the floor unconscious.

Christine was baffled as to how Phantom had done it, but he remembered exactly which way plane had flown. Christine was sure they'd never find it.

"Would you two move it?!!!" Sharm exclaimed, rushing ahead of the two gargoyles.

Christine shrugged. "I'm only a gargoyle, Sharm. I don't fly!"

Sharm scowled. "Oh bother..."

The fay swung around behind the two gargoyles, took both of their belts in her hands, and began towing them at what was probably close to a Mach velocity.

Christine's blood drained from her face. "SHAAAAAAAAAARM!...."

"Stop whining, Christine. We're in a hurry!"

"Why didn't you tell me you were a stunt double for a jet engine?" Phantom added, one arm shielding the wind in his face.

Before Christine realized what was going on, they were on top on the airliner, a small Citation 10, with a hole torn in the top near the front. On the tail was painted a large "X" to form the word "Xanatos".

"Whoa boy." Christine muttered. "This could get ugly."

Phantom nodded to Christine. "Claw in! Climb underneath, and we'll meet in the front!"

"Right!" Christine replied militarily.

Sharm threw the two against the aluminum skin of the jet. Christine grunted, and dug her claws into it. "That hurt! Thanks a lot, Sharm!"

"Your welcome!" she called back, and vanished in a puff of fairy dust.

Phantom was on top of the tear in the roof quickly. He counted to three, and swung inside. He found himself standing just in front of a pile of bodies... two airline personnel, and the third was Mandy.

What was she doing here?

No time now. "MACAREN!" Phantom roared.

There was a sudden clamor and a noise as Macaren sprung for the dark back of the small cabin, to try and strangle him. Phantom fell backwards on top of Macaren, and found themselves with their claws inside each other's, wrestling on the navigation control panel. Sparks flew and lights went out.

Phantom and Macaren growled at each other. Phantom dug his feet into the floor, trying to get a grip on his attacker. But, the floor was not what he was used to, and found himself knee deep in the airline control wires beneath the floor.

The plane lurched sickeningly, as the autopilot control was cut off, and it began to plummet.

Christine fingered her way along the bottom. She was getting sick to her stomach. The plane kept changing direction -- no doubt someone was trying to throw her off. When the engines suddenly roared, and their velocity nearly doubled, Christine felt her throat fall into her stomach.

She was nearly to the nose of the plane, when a clawed foot burst through the bottom of the plane, hitting her upside the face. The claw pulled back through, and Christine could hear the roars of two gargoyles inside.

"Males," Christine muttered to herself, rubbing her cheekbone.

However, before she could place herself in the hole, another form was thrown out of it. A human woman had been thrown out. Christine quickly caught the hem of her shirt before it was too late.

It was Mandy.

"Mandy? Mandy?!!!" She was unconscious and did not reply.

Christine sighed. New plan.

Carrying Mandy, Christine began to scale her way up the side of the Citation X. When she reached the window, a very surprised middle aged business woman looked at Christine and screamed. Well, Christine thought smugly, if this Xanatos company hadn't heard of gargoyles in it's upper echelons before, it would now!

Christine waved at the lady - for effect - and moved on.

Macaren threw Phantom against another rack of dials and displays, and Phantom collapsed onto the floor.

"Why did it have to be you! You're not the one I want!"

"I know who you want. Trouble is, I won't let you have her!" Phantom replied weakly, out of breath.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm. We have the situation perfectly under control..." a pleasant voice drawled inside. Sharm was resplendent in her high heels and a stewardess outfit with a skirt that made her look more like a cocktail waitress. She kept the humans so totally confused by how she could be so blind to what was going on, that they all stared at her mindlessly, sucking on their gas masks.

Well, at least they weren't in harm's way.

Christine smashed through the ceiling, landing in the center of the aisle with Mandy in her arms.

The humans were about to scramble at Christine's appearance, but when Sharm lightly said "Hello, Christine!", the humans forgot about Christine and turned their attention back to their scantily clad stewardess. Christine left Mandy in a vacant seat, and raced into the cabin.

"Nice skirt, Sharm." she muttered.

"Glad you like it! Now, if everyone could remain seated, put on the oxygen masks, and return the tray tables to their..."

Macaren decided the best way would be to trash Phantom once and for all. He was annoying enough as it was. Macaren was about to dig his talons in as deep as he could sink them...

The door smashed open, splintering. "Alright, Macaren! You want me? You got me!" Christine exclaimed, and rushed forward. Macaren turned suddenly around.

Christine rushed forward, took him in her arms, and kissed Macaren on the neck.

Macaren stared for a moment, in disbelief. Christine smiled, eyes glowing, Macaren's blood on her fangs.

Macaren collapsed onto the floor in a shaking heap.

Christine spat the taste of Macaren's sweat out of her mouth, and began picking up a copilot. "I hate it when I do that." she muttered.

Sharm appeared in the doorway. "Oh good, you're done! You see nothing else would have worked, so that was why we gave you those..."

"No time, Sharm! We're at under a thousand feet and going down fast!" Christine exclaimed, sweating profusely, trying to pull back on the control bar without pulling it off - with seemingly no effect!

"MY TURN!" Sharm gibbered excitedly, and vanished.

The Citation lurched again, upward. Christine was thrown backwards. Christine had the good sense to shut off the engines, as Sharm did the flying. Christine sat down, with a huff of relief, by Phantom, waiting for him to get up.

Christine sighed. "Oh boy..." She rubbed her temples. "I'm not going to explain this one to the F.A.A."

Mandy awakened in the back woods of Washington. She had a mild headache, but was more confused than in pain.

"You okay?" Christine inquired.

"Christine!" Mandy exclaimed. She leapt from her sitting position, and threw her arms around the gargoyle woman.

"Hah, Mandy!" Christine exclaimed, twirling Mandy around lightly.

"Whoa! Put me down already!"

"Sorry, but I've missed you."

Once Mandy was safely back on the ground, Christine nodded to Mandy's luggage -- a travel-on bag, a suitcase, and a Kitty Karrier. Mandy opened the cage, letting out the cat that was not at all phased from the airborne encounter. Sharm and Phantom approached nearby.

"A cat? Can you take care of a cat on a quest like this?" Phantom inquired. He smiled. "Isn't there a rule against that somewhere?"

"Who's this friendly little guy?" Christine inquired, scooping up the white Persian rubbing against her ankles. Christine petted the cat in her arms -- it had been over two years since she'd pet a cat, and certainly a lot longer since she'd done it in her sensitive gargoyle skin.

Mandy put a small collar on the cat, with the name Lacey imprinted on it.

"Lacey?!!!" Sharm asked, holding her forehead, turning pale. "I gotta get more sleep."

~Fay sleep? Christine wondered.

"She's a good cat, don't worry. I'll take care of her. Christine, will you carry her if we have to glide?" Mandy requested.

"Alright, she can come with us." Phantom smiled. "I don't see why not."

Christine leaned down, looking the cat in the eyes. "No Tomcats in the kitty carrier after ten, you hear?" she laughed. Lacey reached her paws out, trying to grab Christine's horns. "I remember her from the dorms..."

"I think she recognizes your scent somehow." Mandy observed.

"Cats are like that." Christine observed.

Sharm asked to hold Lacey. Mandy shrugged, and gently handed the cat over. Sharm held the cat in her arms. "Why, she's no more than a kitten!"

"True, my mom's kitten to be precise. Mom likes cats. We were surprised they didn't mind cats in my dorm at medical school, and so she gave me Lacey -- Mom named her. Heavens knows why I didn't rename her."

"Oh no! Don't change it!" Sharm said, gently holding the cat up to her eyes and petting her. "Lacey is the perfect name for the little white cat who hangs around with a lot of friendly winged folk." This last part was cooed to Lacey. "Now all we need is a Labrador and a Chihuahua who like to watch television, and I'll be ready for the funny farm!"

Lacey purred in Sharm's arms. Christine stared at Sharm blankly.

"Hah! I like her!" Sharm announced, and began to wander off with Lacey.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Mandy called after them, "I want my cat back!"

Sharm tilted her head to one side. "Can't I play with her? I'm very good with pets -- I have a lot of them (or at least that's what Oberon says)."

Mandy half laughed. "But I need to put SOME cat in that kitty carrier for the night." she protested.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Sharm asked, head tilted to one side.

"Put a cat in a carrier to move her?" Mandy asked, confused by the question. "Better than letting her ride."

Sharm shrugged. "If you say so. Easily done!"

"Good." Mandy smiled back.

Sharm and Lacey went running off into the woods.

"I dunno." Mandy sighed. "Sharm's not so bad, once you get used to her."

Phantom huffed, and walked off, back to camp. Christine followed, picking up Mandy's gear in one paw -- shocking Mandy once again at her friend's newfound strength.

Mandy cleaned the carrier out from the airplane ride, and decided it was finally time to put Lacey to bed. Yeah, like Lacey would really go to sleep when Mandy wanted her to -- like a child more than a cat, she wondered.

However, just before thinking of calling Sharm and Lacey back, she noticed something in Lacey's carrier that hadn't been there a moment before. She pulled out the small ebony collar with the diamond studded name on it.

It wasn't Lacey's collar - Mandy didn't own anything this expensive...

Mandy's eyes widened, and she screamed in terror. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" She was too late.

When Christine got fed up with waiting for Mandy, it was a simple matter to find the spot where Mandy had been cleaning Lacey's Kitty-Karrier. The cage was made up tidily, and the door was closed and bolted.

Mandy was nowhere to be seen. In fact, the only things nearby that Christine could find, besides the cage and the condiments used to clean it, was a small pile of clothes. A pair of men's wranglers, a beaded t-shirt, and Mandy's personal items.

"Mandy?" Christine called out. This was no time to go skinny dipping! Besides, the lake was a mile down the trail, and freezing cold! The cat in the carrier began meowing at Christine.

~What, Christine thought, did she leave you in there all alone?

Only, Christine noticed, it wasn't a grey/white cat in the carrier. Christine opened the cage, and scooped the an ebony black tabby out of the carrier. This cat had a matching ebony collar, with diamond studs.

The diamonds formed the name "Mandy".

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRR!!! SHARM! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!!!!" Christine screamed into the night, her tiger-like growl echoing from each of the trees.

The black cat meowed at Christine with earnest.

Sharm and Lacey laughed and laughed.

---

Sharm's laughter just enraged Christine further.

Christine, sporting her new iron hunting javelin, went hunting Sharm. She was sick of being manipulated by the fay. She wanted to show at least one of them exactly how she felt.

It took Sharm a moment to realize that Christine was after her. Christine was bounding through the grass on all fours, stalking her upwind, buried in the grass like a panther, hind quarters bunching.

"Christine, what are you doing?"

Christine just snarled, as she stalked closer to her prey.

"Christine! You've gone off the deep end! I only turned Mandy into a cat! And it's a reversible transformation!"

"That's what you said about THIS!" she snarled in retort.

Christine feigned hitting Sharm with the javelin, and missed. Sharm was just too quick.

"Christine Patya Shelton," Sharm growled, eyes beginning to turn red crimson. "Put that thing down now, or I'm liable to turn you into something worse than a cat!"

The tone of voice startled Christine, but she would not loosen her fighter's crouch.

"Christine...!" Sharm began to warn her.

Christine let the javelin fly. Sharm was startled, and wasn't able to dodge completely. She was cut deeply in the shoulder. Sharm yelped, holding her arm, turning her blazing red eyes to Christine.

Christine leapt, scaling one of the trees. As Christine's feet were gouged into the tree and bunched underneath her, Sharm pointed a finger at her.

The seams in her jumpsuit split. "Fay heal quickly, but the shirt is harder to fix. You ruin my clothes, I ruin yours." Sharm muttered.

Christine was half tempted to just ignore it, but by the time Christine was ready to take to the air and spring at Sharm, Christine found herself being held aloft and frozen in place by Sharm's magic.

The fay hovered over to Christine, eyes still aglow. Sharm was silent for a moment, as the two looked at one another, but then the anger faded from Sharm's eyes.

Sharm began to cry.

Christine was startled. She'd never seen a fay cry -- let alone Sharm. "I thought you had learned to be better than Malcora..."

Christine suddenly fell to the ground in a heap, and the seams tore further on their own. Sharm walked away without looking back, holding her cut arm tightly.

Christine returned to camp, her jumpsuit in positive tatters. She raced over to her bag to find a suitable replacement before the whole thing fell apart. Most of the seams had begun to work loose on the long hike back, and Christine was losing her clothes quickly.

Phantom found Christine, dressed in Shakespeare's old deer leathers that only covered a little more of her than needed, sorting through a pile of torn, dirty, navy blue cloth. She did not seem very comfortable in the leathers, and kept pulling at them. They were very tight, and pressed on her. She seemed frustrated trying to stitch the jumpsuit back up.

"What's this?"

"My shirt."

"Your shirt?"

"It was my favorite shirt!"

"It was your ONLY shirt."

"Matthew gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago... before he..."

"What happened?" Phantom asked with astonishment.

"It tore while I was hunting, and the seams began to come loose on the hike back."

"Hunting? What made it tear while you were hunting?"

"Well, it split when I was crouched down..."

Phantom raised an eyebrow. There was something missing here. "Crouched, eh? How big of a thing were you hunting?"

"Eh..."

(later)

"You tried to kill Sharm?!!!" Phantom exclaimed incredulously. Christine was petting Mandy, trying to soothe away the feelings that were eating away at her. Mandy found herself enjoying the attention.

"She turned Mandy into a cat!..." Christine's argument lacked conviction, and she obviously knew it.

"Christine, I've know Sharm longer than you have, and Sharm does not do things without a reason."

"Then why did she have to do this to Mandy?"

"I don't know. But I do know that it must have hurt her more than anything for you to turn on her like that. She's probably gone for good."

"No, she left her necklace, here, in my bag, and you know how protective she is of this." Christine noted, producing the small silver sphere on a long gold chain from her pouch.

Phantom went deathly pale. "What? Do you know what that could mean?"

"No, what?"

"She's practically DISOWNED you!" Phantom exclaimed. He sat down on the ground with a heavy sigh. "I doubt we are going to ever see her again."

Christine looked at him with a stricken expression. "I... I... I'm sorry."

Phantom said nothing.

"Hey guys." Talavon's voice came from the trees. He walked over to them. "Do you know what's wrong with Sharm? She had the saddest expression on her face, and she was mumbling something about finishing what she started. She didn't even notice me!"

Christine and Phantom looked at each other. Christine felt ill.

Sharm picked up a stick and started doodling in the dirt. She had gotten to the point where she was so tired that she couldn't fall asleep like she desperately needed to. She couldn't stand the bustle of the camp either, so she had come out here to think.

Her hand invariably began to sketch a familiar figure. First the outline of the face. Long with a pointed chin. Next his large eyes, his nose, his wide mouth and his expressive eyebrows. Then his hair, a little too long for her taste, but she didn't think it would look right if it was short. Finally, of course, his sails that passed as ears.

She wondered when she had fallen in love with him. Probably when she had first met him. She had been preparing the way for the coming of her Queen when she had run into him. It was fairly easy to guess who he was, he had quite a bit of fame even there. When she accused him of his title, he did something she didn't expect. He started boasting about it. Sharm smiled at the memory as she had smiled then.

"What are you doing?" Christine inquired from behind her.

Sharm immediately kicked dirt over the sketch, turning to scowl at the pink gargoyle -- but then thought better of it. "Simply thinking, dearie."

Sharm looked at Christine, dressed now in Shakespeare's leathers. Sharm now regretted it putting a spell on Christine's jumpsuit. She didn't like those leathers. They were very exposing, and Sharm felt the need to save Phantom where she could.

Christine winced at her tone, then sat next to her on the rock she had chosen. "What about?"

Sharm sighed, she would try and forget about what had happened for the moment. "Unrequited love."

"Anyone I know?"

Sharm laughed humorlessly, stabbing at the ground with a stick. "If you don't remember me, you won't remember him."

"Okay, then tell me about him."

Sharm looked at her with a wary expression. "I'd rather you remember for yourself. In fact, I'm getting sick of this whole thing. Let's go find the three amigos and get your memory fixed the rest of the way!" She put her stick down decisively and began to walk determinedly to camp.

When Christine didn't follow immediately, Sharm turned to see her trying to make out what was left of the picture in the dirt. Sharm realized with a sinking feeling that she hadn't erased it very well. She'd have to come back later to fix that. If the weird sisters saw that drawing, they'd never let her live it down.

Sharm gave a start of surprise when she realized that Christine was clutching Sharm's pendant tightly in one hand.

"Christine?" Sharm said tentatively.

Christine gave a start, then followed.

Christine couldn't understand Sharm. Had she been forgiven already? Christine didn't think so. There was something about Sharm's attitude that made Christine wary, and there was a bit of tension in the air.

Sharm marched angrily up to the weird sisters. "Okay, girls. You are going to give Christine her memories of me, and you're going to do it now. I've waited far too long for you to do it on your own, and it almost got me killed!"

The sisters raised an eyebrow at this remark, smiling at one another in self satisfaction. They chose at that moment to reappear in their true fay form.

"Why would THIS bother us?"

"Whatever problems you had would have to be because of you."

"Her memories of you are not something she needs to remember." Luna noted.

"Oh really? Well I seriously doubt that Oberon told you just to fix part of her memory."

"What Oberon said is none of your concern." Phoebe answered very quickly.

"Uh-huh. And how do you figure that?"

Selene turned to the other sisters with a concerned expression on her face. "Oberon did say we were to restore all her memories."

"Does her mind have the ability to handle all those memories?" Luna inquired.

"It seems we have no choice but to test it now."

"Our time is out." Phoebe added in a sour tone, sighing heavily.

"Finally." Sharm muttered.

The Weird Sisters joined hands. There was no half-understood poetry this time. The three formed a circle around the pink gargoyle. She felt very suspicious of what they were about to do, and even a bit frightened. They began to circle in the air around her.

Christine's mind blanked out.

---

August 1698
Drake Castle, the Isle of Man

Malcora was suddenly aware.

Something was wrong. She wasn't supposed to be stone by night! Malcora struggled against her stone skin, although somewhere in the back of her mind she knew it was hopeless. She was stone eternally.

Time passed.

Days.

Weeks.

The worst part of this stone form is sleeping without sleep, yet being entirely unconscious. She had no idea what was going on around her, and she faded in and out.

"Poor little girl. Don't worry, I'll get you out of there before you can blink." came a voice. It was familiar to her, but her mind simply was not working.

"For the soul to be willing

the flesh must first grow weak

just long enough

for soul in flight

to pass from cheek

to cheek."

Before she had the chance to wonder how she was supposed to blink while stone, she had the sensation of being lifted out of her body, and into a new one.

She could see! Malcora immediately tried to see the owner of the voice. She couldn't move at all!

The voice in her mind made a tishing sound. "Calm down, dearie. You'll be alright. I wish there was somewhere else to put you, but you won't be born for another three hundred years. I hope this will do."

Malcora stopped trying to move, and looked at what she could see without her eyes moving. While the voice was talking, she was seeing a pendant in her hands, hung by a cord around her neck. The pendant was made from silver, and marked in little moons and stars. Suddenly her eyes shifted to look down the hall she was in.

Her stone form stood across from her. Sir Joseph encased her in his arms, frozen in stone. The two statues stood in the center of the main thoroughfare in Drake Castle. The sun was shining in the windows.

THE SUN! She wanted to look at it, see how it made those brilliant rays in the windows! It was so bright in here!

"Not now, dearie. Come look." the voice said.

Disappointed, Malcora felt herself move down the hall, to where there was a mirror mounted on one wall. The view centered on that image. She felt herself sat down luxuriously on a chair to look at her reflection.

Sharm was reflected back in the mirror.

Malcora screamed.

"Calm down, I said! Look." Sharm, in the mirror, held up the pendant hanging around her neck. "You're in there. I'm sorry, but it will have to do. You'll be magically protected, and I can watch out for you."

Protect me? Curse you, fay! What is going on?!!!

"Fine then, don't calm down. Do you realize you take being a gargoyle to an extreme? You see, your gargoyle body was borrowed from the gargoyle child your mother first conceived. That child was in the process of miscarrying. I couldn't allow your mother to loose her first child after so long, so I got you from the future, and used your spirit to save the child. That was how you were born, in that gargoyle body."

What? If I am not a gargoyle...

"Oh, don't be dramatic, Malcora. You are a gargoyle. The space was open for rent, all you did was move in and fix things up. Besides, your body would have been miscarried otherwise."

Where did I come from, then?

"From the human Christine Shelton in the future, Terra's daughter."

Human?!!! You mean to say that I'm some...

"Listen to me, Malcora, will you? That's not the way magic works. You were born a gargoyle FIRST, so you are, by law, a gargoyle. After a time in the human life, you will be brought back to life in the form you once knew."

Malcora grumbled some more, but got nowhere.

"Don't fret, Malcora. I know it's a shock. I sort of lost my ticket back to the future, so I've got 300 years to show you around. Time for lesson one of living as a fay. If things end the way I think they will, you'll need to pay close attention."

* * *

The battle raged hotly, stirring up Malcora's gargoyle nature. Sharm put her down, telling her to control herself. "Cool down, Malcora." Sharm admonished. "What you see is only what I see, so just relax. You go where I go. Today is the day you were to be killed, had you not been changed to stone."

There was a flash of magic, and Sir Steffen appeared in front of Sharm. The elderly monarch bowed before her; the king of Castle Drake. "Sharm! Where have you been? What frivolities have you been playing while we've been under the sword?!!!"

"No time, your majesty. How goes the war?"

"Ever since the departure of Tutela's children with the Clann na ochter oidhche bheithir, the gargoyles have been few and far between. Now the people feel the gargoyles are weak, and want to destroy them. They... won't listen to me. They've revolted, and they're breaking into the castle."

"I fear for the gargoyles." Sharm said.

"Aye. They are more vulnerable than we."

"They will survive to guard the Isle of Man and this Castle for years to come. Gargoyles always survive, amazingly."

"Very well. It is safe for you to know that some of the ones on the outer parapets have already been destroyed or damaged by catapult."

Sharm's eyes shot open. "NO!"

There was a sudden burst of magic, and Malcora found herself looking out from a parapet over a sea of people bombarding Drake Castle. Several people already stood up here, and they all produced sharp implements when Sharm appeared.

"Sorry, dearie. This is no place for civilians." Sharm said. Malcora's felt herself being plucked from around Sharm's neck, and down between the fay's breasts.

Sharm scowled at the men. The weapons had iron in them. Sharm decided turn about was fair play, and recalled her human sorcery -- producing a magnificent sword in her hands, and faced them. Two of them held only daggers, and the fay knocked them off the parapet with a swing of her foot. Two more had a bow and a crossbow. Sharm knocked them upside the head when they weren't looking. The last few were a problem -- swords out and ready for them.

Sharm hadn't done this in a while, but she still had the nack. She bested them all, and they fell aside. Sharm's desperate gaze fell upon the stone floor where Tutela -- Terra -- lay shattered across the ground. Malcora's thoughts became utter desperation and helplessness.

MOTHER!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Sharm furrowed her eyebrows and concentrated on the spell.

"TERRA AWAKEN!

ARISE!

WITHOUT SUBSTANCE

YOUR MISSION IS INCOMPLETE!

PROTECT HER ONCE AGAIN!"

There was a long silence, before Malcora's thoughts were heard again.

"What happened?"

"She is awake, but time must pass before we will again know her." Sharm said, as her gaze fell on the stone pieces. She touched them gingerly, fingering the stone pieces tenderly. Tutela's stone face, and part of her hair and horns were nearby. Sharm looked at it demurely.

Sharm's voice was bitter and stung with tears. "This is your first lesson, Malcora. For the next three hundred years you will be immortal as I. And THIS is what it means to be immortal."

There was a long silence of thought between them. Malcora then asked a question, much more reserved and calmer now. "Why mother?"

"Lesson two, Christine. It's history - it's happened. In 300 years you become Christine Patya, who will one day serve Oberon, though as a human or a gargoyle is up for debate. For me, it's already happened. I'm going to make sure it does. You don't have any choice."

* * *

When the display of magical energy began to fade, Christine toppled into Phantom's arms. She blinked, looking up at him, and then over to Sharm. "Sharm?" she asked in quiet voice.

Sharm stood on the ground, in her fay form, looking at her dubiously. "Christine?"

Christine leapt to Sharm, wrapping her arms and wings around her. "Oh, Sharm!"

There was a long moment, as the two held each with teary eyes. "I'm so sorry..." Christine said, "I didn't understand..."

"Ooooh, I guess it's okay." Sharm replied. "Just don't come after me like that again."

"Malcora... Christine... neither of them had a chance to really grow up. The never learned to grow beyond their... innate gargoyle nature." Christine mused in a quiet voice.

Sharm smiled at her. "Don't get too deep on me. Wait 'til your my age before you ask how grown up you are."

"You're - what - two thousand years old? I'm never gonna be your age."

"You don't know that."

Christine gave a small laugh. The tension left their minds. Talavon gave Christine a comforting touch on her shoulder. "We're going to have some announcements in the Commons. Com'n you guys."

Christine turned to Talavon. "How did you survive three hundred years?"

"I spent some time locked in sleep too, but Demona helped rescue me."

They nodded, following. No one spoke, but Christine's eyes followed Phantom's eyes closely.

"I know you from somewhere... I don't know where... but your face is so familiar to me..."

* * *

"In further news, Macaren's body was found by the officials at Seatac Airport in Washington. The passengers, it seems, had no idea what was going on, and only remember the red haired stewardess." Talavon announced.

Sharm grinned.

"Macaren, meanwhile, was given to the ASPCA."

Sharm leaned over to Christine. "The who? I never was good at acronyms."

"The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals." She answered, grinning impishly. She turned to the Weird Sisters. "So, my dears, door one or door two?"

Phoebe scowled. "We should never have given her third memories back." she mumbled with disgust.

"She wreaks of Sharm's influence now."

"Neither." Selene answered Christine, "In the morning you leave for Avalon to report to our Lord."

"We will go ahead of you now."

"Us? The morning? But in the morning..."

The weird sisters flashed brilliantly, and vanished.

"Well..." Christine sighed. "So much for that."

* * *

Sharm was giving Phantom the third degree. Phantom didn't want to hear it, and was trying to focus her words out of his head.

"Okay, MISTER Beast. You go over there and tell Beauty that you love her, or we're going to be late getting to Avalon tomorrow."

Phantom looked up to see Sharm standing over him in a threatening manner. She was actually on the ground this time. "Yeah... right! What am I supposed to do? Waltz up to her and say, 'I've known you for two years now. Will you marry me?' Riiiiiiiiight. You women have the easy part. All you have to do is say 'Yes' or 'No'!"

"You call that easy?" Sharm threw her arms up in the air. "We have to wait for you men to ask us before we can actually do anything! Terra actually gave up on Padrecor and asked him. You think we've got it so easy, I'd like to see you be a demure little girlfriend waiting for your boyfriend to pop the question...!" Sharm's voice trailed off, scratching her head for a moment. "Whoa, I can't even picture that one."

"I have no sympathy for you."

Sharm grinned impishly and kissed him on the cheek. "You'll do fine kiddo. But I'd like to have it done before sunrise."

"You ask the impossible, Sharm. I can't just try and marry her. What do you think Macaren wanted to do? He wanted to take advantage of her! If he had, we would have instantly lost the war! She's not bound to trust me after that."

"Phantom, we're counting on you." Sharm spoke down to him.

Phantom heaved a heavy sigh. "Christine's nothing like Manya."

"Why?"

"I don't know, exactly. She's... such a gargoyle sometimes."

There was a pause between them. Sharm patted Phantom on the shoulder. "Don't I know it? Oh com'n. Go for some spice in your life."

"Big help you are."

Sharm smiled. "That's my job!"

* * *

Christine was laughing again.

Phantom was utterly amazed how much personality had developed in Christine, especially since she'd remembered these latest memories.

"Wait a minute, you mean she left you there?"

Christine giggled. "Hah! Not then. There was another time, though. She was going up north in a lot of cold, and dropped me down her shirt again. She spent eleven months up there. It took her three weeks after we left the north for her to remember to take me out again."

Phantom chuckled. "So it was no accident we were on the same clifftop that one morning."

Christie laughed a moment more, and sighed. "Nope. I was up there because up there I could fly in my own way. Because I always could -- glide, anyway. It was almost like I was dreaming of having my wings again, you know -- on a subconscious level."

There was a moment of silence.

"Phantom?"

"Yes, Christine?"

"Who was that gargoyle you were traveling with?"

"Him? That's a long story. Actually, I'm rather glad you got him. He was not a 'good guy'."

"Then why'd you travel with him?"

"I was hiding out. I was pretending to be on the bad guy's side for a while. Then I found you, and things became a bit complex."

"You met me, eh?" Christine smiled, remembering. "I wonder how Ket's doing?"

"Well, good I hope." Phantom said.

"So do I. Matt too."

"Christine?"

"Hm?"

"You've changed a lot."

Christine smiled. "Thanks, actually. Now, what is it you want?"

"What?"

"Phantom, don't take me for a fool. You've been sitting here throwing compliments at me for half an hour. What do you mean to say?"

"I... I don't... well, I..."

Christine's gaze was now fixed on him. Phantom knew he had lost.

"I give up."

"Give up what?"

"I screwed it all up."

"What? Phantom, what? Tell me."

"Well, I was just going to mention..."

"Yes?"

"That I..."

"Yes?"

Phantom stopped, thinking about what he was going to say. Christine waited, patiently. Phantom was struggling to recover his control over the situation.

"Will you come with me for a moment, Christine?"

Christine nodded, and they walked out into the forest for a moment. There were a few signs of activity here and there, of the gargoyles preparing to break camp tomorrow, those that were going. However, Phantom was leading far away from camp, far away from the humans and the gargoyles alike, closer to the mountain.

Christine and Phantom's infrared eyes could see the heat of the dome in the center of the crater on Mount Saint Helens, like a hot beacon. The volcano never slept.

Phantom went to all fours, climbing a hillside, and Christine followed, curiosity piqued. Phantom helped her part of the way, only when she wouldn't have actually admitted she needed a little help.

They finally arrived at a small lake, hidden into one hillside. Phantom stood over it, impressed. Christine had to agree, it was lovely. The moonlight shone off it beautifully. Phantom suddenly leapt in, leaving a large splash in his wake. He reappeared a moment later by the side of the pool, grabbed Christine's leg, and pulled her in.

Christine yelped, and suddenly found herself in the small pool of water. Had she still been human, the coldness of the water might have bothered her. She resurfaced, rubbing the water from her face. Phantom reappeared in front of her, his shaggy white hair damp and grey now. It betrayed the horns on his brow now.

Phantom leapt, and tried to dunk Christine again. She was standing on the bottom. Christine playfully retaliated, and pushed Phantom down into the lake. While under, his paws found her tail, and he pulled on it. They both reappeared above water at the same time. Christine reached out, threw an arm around his neck in a choke-hold, about ready to run her knuckles across the top of his head, but Phantom twisted in her grasp, so they were facing each other...

...and Christine still had her arm around his neck.

Phantom embraced her as well. Startled at his friendliness, they stayed in the hug for a long time.

"I'm so glad I met you." Phantom said. "You've made a big difference for me -- more than you'll ever know. I don't want to lose you."

"I'm not going anywhere." Christine replied.

Phantom sighed. "Let's hope not."

"You know more than you're letting on."

"Indeed. Let's hope it's enough."

Phantom reached up and kissed Christine.

Phantom's eyes were closed. Christine's were startled at first but closed, and there was a long, savored moment. Christine felt herself light on fire, as though something inside her had just clicked on. Her body tingled with excitement. It was like magic, no, stronger than that. There was something incredibly right about this... something Christine couldn't put her talon on. Phantom broke off, and saw Christine's expression came out of the kiss in a complete daze. "Oh wow... I've always wanted to feel like this..." She thought.

Phantom smiled meekly, looking at her. There was a long pause, before Phantom finally told her. "I love you, Christine."

Christine realized she loved him back.

Section Two: Avalon

"What is illusion, what is true?"

The display of the sun off the water sparkled like nothing on earth. Christine roared viciously, emerging from her stone form. Phantom, across from her, did also. Sharm was nowhere to be seen, but Mandy was in her kitty carrier (just barely awakened), which was sitting in the tall grass. The smells of Jasmine and Rose reached Christine's senses. She looked around her quickly.

"Avalon." Phantom concluded. "Sharm didn't come with us, I see."

"Yes, she told me about that." She said that if she came, Oberon would gather her anyway, safety net or no safety net. Phantom looked relieved.

Lacey was nowhere to be seen, and Mandy was pawing at her cage bars. She wanted OUT!

Christine took a moment to reach down, and lift the latch on her cage. Mandy pushed her way out, and paused to flick a paw at the cage, as though she were kicking it angrily.

"I don't think she likes the carrier." Phantom observed.

"Would you?"

Phantom nodded, smiling.

The lay of the land was taken in next. They stood on a rocky beach, facing the mountainous inland.

To the left, along the shore, a lighted brazier lit one clifftop. "I suppose we're going that way?"

Phantom nodded. "Of course."

Phantom alighted on a rocky out cropping, and took to the wing, Mandy cradled in his arms. Christine picked up the carrier and followed.

After passing the brazier sentinel. Christine caught glimpses of more winged shapes circling the moonlit landscape. However, Phantom was not interested in them. He dived straight for the castle that appeared nestled in the canyon by the river running into the mountains.

He alighted on the roof of one of the large meeting rooms, sliding open a glass panel. Intrigued, Christine set the Kitty Karrier down on the roof (it wasn't likely Mandy was going to get lost, or make a mess of anything -- she was more intelligent than that), and followed Phantom inside.

The hall was filled with light. Christine, upon swinging down from the roof, found herself suspended in the air, unable to move, above a dais of some sort. Phantom hung in the air next to her, wings caped.

Everyone was looking at them.

The room was filled with people... and things. Christine had a difficult time telling who was human and who wasn't. It took her a minute to realize who she was looking at.

Fairies. Elves. Fair folk. Fay. Lots of them - in any of a hundred shapes, sizes, and colors.

Staring at her!

"Phantom..." Christine began.

Christine followed Phantom's gaze to the head of the room. There, a large man with blue toned skin looked up at them. He was very large, had pointed ears, and very... interesting clothes. A woman with green toned skin stood next to him, draped loosely in green gauze over a slim cut and revealing outfit.

"Uh, Phantom, are they...?"

Phantom was no longer beside her. He swooped down with a flurry, landing in the midst of the assembled... creatures below. They dispersed to the sides, giving the gargoyle room.

Phantom bowed. "Milord?"

"Greetings, Arion." said the blue man on the dais. "Well met."

"My lord, Christine Patya Shelton. As promised." Phantom said, indicating with one paw to Christine, still hanging somewhere near the ceiling from nothing.

"Well done, Arion." the woman replied, smiling.

Christine's heart was racing... what was going on?!! They were treating her like some sort prize that had been won. A deep hearted suspicion began to form in her mind.

"You did very well, Arion. Our enemies were utterly fooled." the blue man added. Christine tried to speak, but somehow the spell holding her prevented her.

The green woman's eyes trailed up from Phantom to Christine. "Had you best introduce us?"

Phantom nodded. "Of course, how remiss of me."

Christine looked at Phantom. He appeared to be grinning; a large, sloppy, toothy grin. Phantom stood on one foot, and began to twirl around.

...and around, and around, and around until Christine couldn't distinguish his features. Christine winced, feeling her eyeballs start to spin in their sockets. "I'm only dreaming... only dreaming... only dreaming... there's no place like home... no place like home..."

When he started to slow down, Christine realized something was different about him. Perhaps it was his pale blue skin, or the fact that he now looked like a short human of about 17 years, with long "parasail" ears and dressed in a seventeenth century outfit.

He was a fay.

He whizzed off the ground, to hover in the air before Christine. He clasped his hands in front of him. "Hello, Christine."

Christine nodded. "I thought so." She slapped him.

Her claws left a three small trails on his face, which immediately healed over. He grasped his jaw for a moment. "I would remember you anywhere, Arion. You could have at least told me it was you."

"What would you have me say?" Phantom-the-fay/"Arion" protested. "I knew you in previous life?"

"It would have been a start!" Christine bit back.

The man in blue chuckled.

"Meet my parents." Arion said, referring to the couple on the dais.

"I guessed." Christine muttered. "Oberon and Titania?"

"Your mortal friend, Arion," Oberon observed. "has teeth."

Arion turned to Oberon. "Can not a bee's sting or a dog's bite hurt or kill a man? These mortals, though tiny and insignificant, have the spark of life enough to match us, or even overcome us, as they did your father."

"Indeed, you speak wisely Arion." Oberon nodded. "The mortals which defend this castle by night are but insignificant creatures, yet they have power enough to slay even I. They are living things, understanding compassion and duty..."

"...and Mercy." the female added.

"Yes..." Arion agreed, turning back to Christine. "...and beauty..." Arion took Christine's chin in his hand. "...and love."

"Very well, Arion. This court already owes you a favor. For bringing the mortal to us, we owe you again."

"You will owe me thrice before your precious battle is resolved." Arion returned without even blinking as he looked Christine in the eyes. Christine could not turn, but was unwilling to even blink, as she looked into his eyes. They were so... big!

Oberon raised an intrigued eyebrow, looking over to the pink gargoyle.

"Indeed." Oberon observed. "Very well, Arion. The gargoyle Christine is welcome in our midst, as a part of Goliath's clan, the Honor Guard of Avalon, and any of her clan as well."

"Thank you, milord." Christine was allowed to say aloud.

Arion bowed. The assembled fay grumbled. Oberon turned to other matters. Arion gave off a burst of light, and became Phantom the Gargoyle again.

The warm, magical plane slipped through her body like it was water. Christine stopped, turned, and touched the surface of the mirror she had just flown through at full wing span. The mirror had not gotten bigger, nor had she grown smaller, yet she glided through with ample room. Now, the mirror was a solid surface against her talons.

Christine was beyond amazement. She was numb to it now. She was like a little child again, learning a whole new world. Arion watched her stop and touch the mirror, look at all the tapestries, weapons, and portraits on the library walls. He felt like a father; beaming with pride as his daughter experienced the world anew. "Tenth century." she observed.

Yet, Phantom shook himself. Why on earth did he say it? He hadn't been lying when he said he loved her, Sharm was right about that. Yet, why? Why her? Of all the people he'd run into in all these years, why her?

Why NOW?

Christine was very aware of how closely Phantom was watching her. No doubt to gauge her reaction.

After gliding through the mirror, she found herself in this library. There were all sorts of interesting things hung about. An old manuscript of the bible sat in several scrolls. Upon looking at it, it was not only in Greek, but the script appeared quite recent -- only a few decades old, perhaps?

There were magnificent stained glass windows in rows across the upper edge of the room. They were dark.

Phantom led Christine to the fireplace, where a white haired woman sat in a rocking chair, studying an old leather bound book studying studiously. Phantom "ahem"ed politely, and she looked up, startled.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Lord Arion."

"It is of no matter, Princess." Phantom said. "I present to you Christine."

"Milady." the woman bowed. Christine nodded deeply to her.

"She may be staying with us for... quite a while. Oberon has decreed that she be considered a part of your clan." Phantom inquired.

She stuttered slightly. "Ah.. of course, milord."

"Thank you, Princess."

Phantom nodded to them both. "If you'll excuse me. I must attend to something."

The gargoyle walked back through his mystical mirror, after bidding them goodbye. Christine and the Princess looked at each other for a long moment, heaven only knowing what they were thinking. Christine looked down at the deerskin loincloth and midpeice she was wearing, Shakespeare's leathers. She blushed, feeling like a slut. "Oh, I'm sorry. I have something nicer than this, but it got... well, cursed..."

"Ah, psh! It is no matter, young gargoyle. Yer clothes make no difference to them, they will accept you regardless."

"I don't mean to be an intrusion."

"Oh, ye'll not be an intrusion. In fact - what do you know of a gargoyle's battlelore?"

"Quite a bit, actually."

"Then we could use your skill and advice."

"I am but your humble servant, princess." she nodded.

"Your duties in this matter are not complete!"

"It would be dishonorable to do as you command, milord!" Arion protested.

"None the less, if you do not, the Unseelie shall."

"Yes, I know milord. Please, all I need is time."

Oberon sighed. "Fortunately, that is one thing we've plenty of."

"First of all. I remember you clearly now, Arion. You were the boy Sharm used to instruct -- her pupil."

"I still am, in a way." Phantom nodded.

"Were you Phantom then?"

"I was Arion."

Christine sighed. "But the Arion I knew was married."

Phantom sighed. "I was. A long time ago."

"To who?"

"Manya. The dark seelie killed her."

"Go on."

Phantom sighed. "Originally there was only one court of fairy - ten thousand years ago. That was before Oberon and Madoc started a war over Titania's affection. Later, after the banishment of Madoc, Oberon married my mother, and I was born later. When Oberon married her, the children led by Madoc and Maeve protested and rebelled. They wanted to wreak enslavement upon all mortals, and use the earth for their own purposes. The courts became divided in the Seelie Court and the Unseelie court. We are the Seelie court."

"Where is the Unseelie court?"

"Banished from Avalon. They are not a threat. The problem here is that there is dissension arising among the seelie, and Oberon doesn't like it. They two sides talked out our differences, and agreed that a mortal would solve the question since they could pass only a partial judgement. It was not agreed what kind of mortal, so Oberon suggested that he would see a child born of a certain mortal mother, and if the child was human, the seelie that are rebelling could free the Unseelie, and use mortal for whatever purpose they desire. However, if it was a gargoyle, then they accept banishment with the other Unseelie."

Christine nodded. "So that was the point, eh?"

"Hmm?"

"From the start. When I was with Macaren, you said we were losing. When I dumped Macaren, you said we were winning. It was about me... having a baby? I'm here to be some kind of... concubine?"

"Oberon wanted no bloodshed among the fay to settle the dispute. Not after the war with Unseelie was so disastrous ten thousand years ago."

"I understand that. How did Manya die?"

"She was asked, by Oberon, to go among the Dark Seelie - (the Seelie who are Unseelie supporters), and learn their plans. However, our son became involved, and..."

"And...?"

Phantom didn't reply, closing his eyes.

"Who was your son?"

"His name was Sephlan. Now he calls himself Obscurmalo."

Christine nodded. "He was working with the Unseelie, and exposed Manya to them?"

Phantom nodded. "They forced her to be turned into a mortal, and tortured her to death."

Christine sighed. "I'm sure I haven't helped you any."

"No!" Phantom started, "You've been a great help! I've gone years without knowing that I could ever... feel this way about someone."

Christine sighed. Suddenly, Phantom clicked.

"Then you went among the Dark Seelie, traveling with one?"

"Yes. They did not know me until I started helping you."

Christine nodded. "The Weird Sisters and Sharm?"

"Sharm was ordered to prepare the way for someone to decide the case, completely at random. She and I were supposed to be working together, but she had her own... way about doing things. Sharm became attached to Terra, and decided you were the best one. Oberon ordered the Weird Sisters to put your memory back together." Phantom explained. "They still have a grudge though on humanity for something back when gargoyle first came to Avalon a thousand years ago."

"And your mission was...?"

Phantom shifted uncomfortably. "To bring you to Oberon."

Christine sensed his discomfort. "Where does my baby come into this?"

Phantom winced. "The dark Seelie - including the Weird Sisters - think of you as nothing but an insect - a lower life form. They have little consolation about artificial insemination - using you like breeding cattle. That's how the Unseelie feel about all mortals. The Seelie are more honorable."

Christine winced.

Phantom smiled. "Now that Oberon has accepted you, no matter what the others think, they will respect -- even fear you."

Christine gave a sigh of relief. "Not what I was hoping, but better than nothing."

"It was the best I could do."

"Thank you."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Chr... Christine?" Phantom stuttered.

"Yes?" she asked, with a slight tone of annoyance.

"How... uh, mad are you?"

Christine blinked, turning to face him. "Mad?" Christine sighed. "Alright, I'm mad. Not too mad, though. Nobody has the courtesy to tell me what was going on -- because they couldn't. What exactly did Macaren have to do with all this?"

"He... was one of Obscurmalo's. Shakespeare had them floating all around the world for the last three hundred years for him to use now and try and slip you up."

"Was Macaren also a fay?"

"No. He was a gargoyles turned human, turned back when you were young - you remember the rest from there. Lisonja was a member of your rookery recruited by the same people, but I think she's come over to our side."

"Come over?"

Phantom smiled. "I'll show you." He held out his hand.

Christine took it. She didn't know why, exactly, but she did. Phantom took her by the paw, and led her to one of the guest rooms in that part of Oberon's castle. He knocked on one door. There was a voice from inside, and Phantom opened the door and went inside.

"Hello?" he asked. "I've a guest for you two!"

Christine entered the room, behind Phantom, curious. In the room, standing up from two chairs, were two other gargoyles. One was white, the other black.

"Malcora!" They exclaimed gleefully.

"Joseph? Lisonja!" Christine shouted, with surprise, rushed forward, and tried to hug them both with her arms and wings.

There were delighted, talkative noises for several moments as Christine caught up with Lisonja (after two years), and Joseph (after three hundred years).

Christine then noticed something. In a small manger in one corner of the room, was an egg.

A gargoyle egg.

Christine turned to Lisonja, confused. "Both of you were born different races..."

"There are really two classes of transformations -- three if you count simple illusions." Phantom explained. "Theirs were both complete changes - on a cellular and genetic level."

"Yes, she was quite a sorceress then, wasn't she?" Lisonja asked, touching Christine's cheek, looking at Sir Joseph with a sly look.

Phantom raised an eyebrow. "That reminds me. It's time we start you learning some new magic, Christine. You haven't practiced in - what - 300 years?"

Christine didn't reply for a moment, deciding if this was a good thing. She smiled eventually. "Finally! What took you so long to decide?"

Phantom smiled, and motioned Christine to follow him out again. "Wait! Why are you two here, Joseph?"

Lisonja laughed. "Why silly, we're here for you're (muffled)." Phantom put his hand over the dark gargoyle woman's mouth just as she spoke the last word.

Joseph looked at Phantom. Christyne folded her arms, waiting for an explanation.

"One last secret." Phantom smiled.

Christine appeared in the main hall, the following evening, looking for Phantom. She found him as Arion, dashing about the hall overseeing decorations.

"What's the occasion?" Christine asked, almost laughing at how comical the serious gargoyle looked zooming around with sailboat ears.

He looked at her with a straight expression. "Oh... just getting ready."

"For what?"

"Uh... you're going to hate me for this..."

"What's to say I don't already?" Christine laughed.

"No no no, I mean really hate me for this. I mean you'll want to kill me."

Christine folded her arms, grinning. "Who says I don't want to already? I've tried it before.

Arion hovered in front of her for a moment, with a puzzled expression, thinking. "Christine, I want you to go into Sir Joseph and Lisonja's room, and find me the vase that they keep on the dresser."

Christine now wore a similar puzzled expression. "Well, okay."

Christine got down on all fours and climbed the stairs to their room. Arion watched her go, smiling largely.

Christine wasn't sure about this. Phantom was serious for even for a trickster, but this was getting ridiculous. Why was she running errands for him? Why on earth... or Avalon... did Phantom need a vase?

The vase on Lisonja's dresser was covered with enamel flowers, and contained nothing she could see. Christine picked it up.

There was a note underneath it. Christine was ready to forget the note, and turn away, until she noticed her name scrolled across it.

Curious, she picked it up.

"Where the lights of day

fade away

In the fiery lake

of the red drake.

There you'll find me."

Christine was baffled. She returned to the hall to find it empty, and completely decked out for some form of elegant gathering. She left the vase. She walked on through, and back out the mirror to the remainder of the castle.

"Sounds like a riddle to me." Raphael commented, when she asked a few of the older gargoyles about it.

Christine agreed. "What does it mean?"

And why lead her on a wild goose chase?

"Fiery Lake may mean the Ares Volcano to the west." Raphael suggested.

Christine considered that. "Where the lights of day fade away. Red drake?"

Raphael shrugged.

"Tell Gabriel where I'm going." she replied, taking to the air.

The other female gargoyle nodded.

Christine found herself heading west across Avalon, toward a certain range of mountains against the sea shore. It wasn't long before she found a steaming mountain with a large crater at it's peak. Upslope near the top, she discovered a small cave chiseled away from the stone. Around it's door post, and carved on the large wooden entrance was a winged snake breathing fire, painted crimson.

Christine landed here. The door would not open, and she could see any sign of how to open it. Christine snarled in frustration, and screamed into the air. "Gagh! I've had it!"

The door opened a smidgen.

Christine stopped. It had moved when she screamed.

She screamed again, this time at the gate. It paused, and moved again, only on a certain pitch.

Ah hah! It was a trick! Christine took a deep breath, and tested the pitches with her voice, until she found one high enough that opened the gate. She was positively breathless when it was open, but she was surprised how good it had sounded. Either her voice had changed in her metamorphosis, she'd grown up and learned to use it more, or else it had something to do with Avalon. Christine stepped inside, and theorized it was all three.

There was a long corridor. The cave was warm, and smelled of sulfur. It was a long tunnel, and Christine's eyes, although she could see well enough to walk through the darkness, could make out nothing but stone.

Finally, she reached the end of the tunnel, at a corridor. There was a light there. A sword was embedded in the wall here, glowing.

Christine scowled. "It ain't Excalibur, that's for sure." She doubted she could pull it from the wall even if it was.

There was a note attached to it.

Christine rolled her eyes. "Here we go again."

"The pool in the glade

demands the sword

and then you

shall have your reward."

"Oh, you mean I get something out of this? So left, or right?" Christine sighed. She turned to the sword, and touched it.

It slid into her hand.

Christine shrugged it off. The sword dimmed when she tried to head to the left side, so she turned and went to the right. It just led her to another cave opening, and out into the open again. She spread her wings and glided out as the wind would take her.

Sure enough, a downdraft deposited her in the center of a glade in the middle of the forest, with a small circular pool. Christine shrugged, and flung the sword into the middle of it.

That much was self evident. The question was if she really wanted the reward?

Christine folded her wings and arms, and waited.

As she expected -- she was getting better at this -- the pool flashed with light in the dark night air. The light almost seemed to leap out at her. When it faded, she found herself standing, not in the glade, but in the main hall.

Phantom was kneeling before her, in Arion form, with a very formal tunic on. Christine found herself dressed in, not the leathers, but her mother's wedding dress, magically repaired and resown to fit her precisely with her wings and everything. Belted around her waist, in a white scabbard was the sword she had found.

Phantom, or Arion, was holding a small package out to her, in one hand - with a note attached. Phantom was grinning. Dubious, she accepted the box and the note. She unfolded the note, noticing the entire Seelie court of fairy assembled behind her, and Oberon and his queen on the dais, watching her. She read the note. It contained only four words.

Will you marry me?

Inside the box was a large diamond ring, brimming with magic. Christine turned back to Phantom. "You're right. I'm going to kill you." Oberon gave a large laugh. Phantom's eyes were large and importuning.

"...but the answer," Christine nodded, "is yes."

* * *

The wedding was the worst kind Christine could ever have imagined...

Big.

Worst of all, they had been preparing for it for months.

THEY HAD KNOWN, darn it all! Every single one of them!

Christine would have killed him, and her gargoyle nature mixed with her desire to strangle the living heck out of him was combated by only the simple fact that it was pointless trying to kill a full-blooded fay.

Well, not really kill him... she did love him, after all... maybe play around with him for a while. The mortal tricking the trickster? Tempting...

Luckily, the wedding dress survived until the wedding night. It just didn't seem fair! Phantom already knew exactly what she looked like in her wedding dress! Then again, he might have known the first instance he met her, what she looked like in her wedding dress. He was an immortal fay, after all. Couldn't he see these things?

Her parents were going to kill her. Well, mother was dead -- big deal she could make of it. Her father was a gargoyle-slayer anyway so the statement was completely rhetorical in his case.

Christine was obviously confused. Yet, every time she thought about it, it felt right. Needless to say, there she was, being escorted by Sir Joseph, with what seemed like every blasted fay in existence in the audience, down the aisle at the wedding. So THIS is why Oberon had gathered all the fay from the outside world back to Avalon.

Oberon was presiding. Mandy and Lisonja teamed up to be flower girls. Mandy rode in the basket throwing flower petals about, playful as a kitten, as Lisonja carried the basket down the aisle.

Clearly, Mandy approved. She would!

Christine sweated through the entire ceremony. The fay had a lot of unusual customs associated with marriages, and Oberon seemed to feel them necessary. Christine, at least, decided not to mind it -- after all Oberon had consented to let his son marry a mortal woman.

For Christine, that was enough.

Just to be with him. He was enough.

He was perfect.

"I do."

"And you, mortal Christine Patya Shelton, take Arion to be your eternally wedded husband?"

No bit about "life do you part", Christine considered.

Phantom would live a lot longer than she, and go on to other wives, and other lives. She would be his toy, practically, if he ever got angry.

When, in the three years now she had known him, had he ever been angry? He didn't get angry, except at enemies. He always seemed to know what was best. He was even steady... as steady as a fay can get, anyhow. Steadier than all his brothers and sisters combined. A bit stiff, perhaps. Perfect.

Perfect.

"I do."

Christine leaned over, and took the ring from a fay that appeared to be a dark haired man in his thirties from ancient Japan. Phantom's mother handed Christine Phantom's ring. He was in gargoyle form for the wedding, as she was. Phantom's old ring, the one Christine had used to generate a magical laser, sat on one of his talons again. It was the wedding ring Manya had given him. Now, Christine added a ring of gold and jade next to it, like the jade of her amulet, set with salmon and pink stones, like her coloring.

Phantom had given her a pure white diamond, a magical one. She didn't know why, but Phantom whispered in her ear that it was a tool, not a decoration.

Now, it was the fay tradition, for new husband to present his bride to the assembled court. Phantom and Christine turned to face them.

"My bride! The Lady Christyne!" He announced, emphasizing her new name.

She nodded. "I was just getting used to being Christine Shelton again..."

Phantom blinked, and shrugged it off.

"MILORD PHANTOM." she curtsied before the court. They roared with applause. She leaned over to Phantom. "Friendly, aren't they?"

"Just don't get them in a bad mood." Phantom advised.

"You'll protect me from your relatives?" she whispered, smiling sweetly at them, waving, while her arm was linked with Phantom's.

"Of course. However, you are already protected - by Oberon's decree you are of the Honor Guard now..."

Christyne kissed him. Phantom scooped her up in his arms, and although he was in gargoyle form, he allowed himself to rise off the floor, up, and through the hatch in the glass ceiling which he had left open an hour before.

Phantom's blue wings snapped open sharply, he banked, and he flew off effortlessly into the night's sky beyond Avalon, heading for the stars.

"Where are we going?" she asked, exasperated.

"Lady Christyne, we are going where no man has gone before!"

Her eyes widened, looking at the stars looming before them. "UP?!!!"

"All the way up!" Phantom exclaimed.

The Lady Christyne hung on tight.

Section Three: Mandy's Discovery

From below, on the sea shore at Avalon, Mandy-the-cat watched them go with sad, beady eyes, as tricksters of a thousand varieties spelled out "Just Married" in stars, and dropped tin cans all over the rocks on the beach.

They were going to party all night.

Mandy nestled down in the grass, sadly. No need for a reception -- everyone had been at the wedding! In fact, Mandy knew how "Lady Christyne" had seen the ghosting shape hanging above the wedding-goers during the ceremony -- the red ghosting figure of Tutela herself.

Not even her mother had missed the wedding, Mandy thought.

She was going to be bored, she thought sadly, while they were gone.

Moody, and nondescript was how the Fairy Queen found her. Out of nowhere she appeared, and gently picked up the cat, stroking her fur gently. Mandy was entranced at her touch, and purred.

"It's alright, Mandy." the immortal woman whispered. "They will return soon enough. Meantime, you have a task to perform."

The Fairy Queen reappeared inside one of many luxury suites inside the castle -- only this one was intended for Queen's pet cat "Thom", a grey non-decrepit male with a white streak down his tail.

The Fairy Queen left them alone. With nothing better to do, Mandy sat by the window, and watched the stars, her head on her paws.

Beautiful night, no?

It was Thom, standing beside Mandy on the window sill.

Yeah... if it weren't for the stars rearranging themselves...

The stars will be normal by tomorrow night. Oberon sees to that.

They're all immature.

...and Oberon knows it.

Thom's reassurance wasn't much, she sighed, but it helped. It wouldn't be that bad, she hoped.

The kitchen was the original self-serve -- whatever you wanted appeared. Mandy became so fed up with what she wanted, that she snuck through the mirror in the main hall, and stepped into the kitchen there.

It was morning in Avalon now, and the gargoyles were asleep. The Princess was mainly just cleaning up in there. The gargoyles had done most of the work before dawn, and there was little left to do.

It was then that the princess discovered Lady Christyne's cat meowing by her foot, sitting pretty on it's haunches.

The elder woman laughed. "What, midear? Do not Oberon and his folk feed you properly?"

She picked up the cat, delightedly. She read the name "Mandy" from her collar, and wondered what it meant. From a rack of drying spices, the woman selected a bite of catnip, teased it in front of Mandy for a moment, and let Mandy catch it.

Mandy dashed away with it in her mouth.

It tasted tart. The good kind of tart -- where you love it, but it's so strong you can only stand so much. As for the remainder she didn't eat, she found a nice, peaceful corner behind a suit of armor in one hallway with a gargoyle upon it's breast and shield, tossed the sprig of catnip in the air, and tossed it again, and again, letting her bounce it into the air with her paws.

Hey, chasing her tail was monotonous. Why not this? Perhaps she could get Thom to play Hide-and-Go seek with her. ANYTHING to break up the monot...

"YOU CAN'T LET HER GET AWAY WITH IT!" a voice said.

Startled, Mandy dropped her catnip, and listened.

"Look, you. I sent my operative out as the contract agreed. That thrice-cursed witch slew him, and now has taken my father to wed."

Mandy ears perked. What were they talking about? She could make out three men in dark cloaks, discussing the matter heatedly in one corner of the hall.

"She's only a mortal. Arion is a fool to think that he can even protect her from us if we combine together." the first of the three was saying.

"Once we subdue her, I can create the necessary blood mixture, and she will still bear my child." the second demanded.

"Macaren was your best warrior, and Lisonja turned against you..."

Mandy cursed, silently, and catlike.

"They were both sickly, weak little mortals! Can't you see the mortals are nothing more than animals? They can serve us! That's the way it should be!"

"Oberon agreed to let us have the humans if she bore..."

"I know that, you fool! We must make it happen! There is time still until she delivers! A gargoyle egg takes ten years to hatch..."

"But if it is human, we must be done in nine months. Humans are not born from eggs."

"I can do a whole lot more with those little mortals than any almighty God ever could! Stronger, mindless and stupid to obey me, and put them back on all fours where they belong. Get rid of those cutesy little faces. Tails, too. The humans need tails. Who do they think they are, us? With those little squinty eyes and smooth foreheads. EW! They are so ugly! I can't wait to give all the mortals serious makeovers when it's my turn. They can't even fly... I mean, insects can fly, why can't they? They'd look so much more appealing with the wings of the common house fly!..."

"Wait, Obscurmalo, that's it!"

"Of course it is. What?"

"Humans with wings... I mean, now who is Lady Christyne?"

"A mortal, you fool."

"Yes, I know that. What kind, though?"

Obscurmalo bristled. "A gargoyle, why does it matter?"

"She was human once, though."

"Her birth was from an egg, fool."

"But she bore a human's name once, Christine P. Shelton!"

"So, revert her to it!"

"Change her back into a human, and make the blood of the child Arion bears change also." the third suggested.

"It is within your power!" the second encouraged.

"Very well then. If I fail, I will make sure the gargoyle Christine will die at my hands. You two begin slowly exterminating the gargoyles just as soon as we win and Oberon's edict no longer has any power over us. They are magical beings, and will interfere with our plans. Any that could place her with child."

"Yes, Obscurmalo." the second complied.

"What of Arion?" the third asked.

"He killed your friend, Shakespeare."

Obscurmalo sighed. "Shakespeare was the best in getting what he wanted. I'll see that Arion gets what's coming to him."

The three separated, and vanished into the air.

Mandy, trembling, crept out into the air. It was impossible... Could they DO that?

...she had to get to Christyne before they did! Cat or no cat!

It was a month later when Christyne and Phantom returned, and by that time Mandy was worried that bad guys had already gotten to her.

She was dressed in her leathers again, but instead of being ashamed of her own explicitness, she flaunted it with great pride. The two always seemed to be glancing at the other and laughing at something.

Mandy had seen them coasting in circles down from the sky toward Avalon from a window, and Mandy dashed out to meet them.

"Hello, Mandy! Is this your welcome back?" Christyne asked chipperly.

Mandy slashed at Christine's toe talons with her claws.

"Hey! Do that any harder and you'll draw blood. Phantom, do you understand her?"

Phantom morphed into Arion, and picked up the cat.

"Whoa, slow down... yes... but how did you... I see..." he said, nodding at the cat. "He did... are you sure... well, alright, I don't see why not..."

"What is it?" Christyne inquired.

While holding the cat over his head, Phantom/Arion scowled at Mandy, and she began to change in his hands. After a few moments, Mandy, now the human being she had once been, dressed in a tight black sequined dress with a small cat's paw brooch on the collar and black heels, was being held in Phantom's arms above his head.

"Satisfactory?" Phantom asked, changing back into his gargoyle self.

Mandy nodded. "Yes, quite, thank you." Once down on her feet, Mandy turned back to Christyne, raced up to her, and they embraced.

Christyne wrapped her wings around her for a moment. "You know, for once I don't envy you those wings anymore, but I miss my whiskers."

Christyne laughed. "You were well suited as a cat. Now, what is this you're so anxious about?"

"Obscurmalo seeks your life and Phantom's. He is planning the enslavement of humanity..."

"What else is new?" Christyne asked sarcastically.

"Let me finish... and he's sent operatives out to murder all the gargoyles in the world. He's going to try and make you have his child."

Phantom snarled angrily. "He'll have to get past me first!"

"He means to teach you your place."

"As is he hasn't tried already." Phantom scowled.

"How did you know I..." Christyne asked.

"Everyone knows your pregnant. Don't ask me how."

"What about you?"

Mandy blushed furiously. "Well... nobody really ever noticed..."

"Wait," Phantom interjected. "Mandy, you're pregnant too?"

"Well... I kinda missed my period this month..."

Christyne scowled. "To who?"

Mandy looked down at the ground, turning several shades of ruby. "Thom."

Phantom leaned back, and roared with laughter.

"It's not funny! I always thought I was above this sort of thing! I planned to save myself for marriage!"

"You, Mandy? Seriously?" Christyne laughed.

"You had no choice, Mandy. Thom is supposed to make you fall madly in love with him. He's the queen's magical cat, after all."

"You mean she put me under a spell?"

"Yes." Christyne smiled. "I think she had a hand in me and Phantom too."

"You're saying not only am I knocked up, but now I'm having kittens?"

"Thom's a transformed human man from the third century that my mother was fond of - he made her laugh." Phantom replied, trying to hold a serious face, not even trying to hide how much Christyne had rubbed off on him.

Mandy fainted, and Christyne caught her on the way down.

The Fairy Queen really seemed genuinely apologetic about the entire situation -- she did that with all her cats out of habit. Christyne had muttered for a week about the fay being above developing bad habits, and so the Fairy Queen went to some pains to make up for the whole thing. She brought Lacey back.

"Lacey!" Mandy exclaimed, hastily scooping up the cat that the Fairy Queen had delivered. "Where did you find her?"

"Among friends, it seems." was all she said before she vanished.

There was a long moment as Mandy and Lacey stared at each other, as Mandy held the cat in her hands. Then, quite suddenly, Mandy hissed angrily at the cat, and dropped her on the floor. Lacey promptly stuck her head and tail straight up proudly, and found a chair to curl up on.

"The same to you, Lacey." Mandy nearly growled in anger at the cat.

Several days later.

"Where's Christyne?" Mandy asked, sticking her head into the room in the mortal's section where Christyne and Phantom made their current home, late that evening.

"Haven't seen her since sundown. She's been going off with those three fates for the last week or so. They tell me their going to be borrowing her for a while." Phantom replied, sociably. Mandy was still getting used to Phantom's relaxed attitude. Ever since revealing his fay self and marrying Christyne, his personality had lightened from the dark, brooding gargoyle he had first appeared to be. Mandy doubted it was Christyne's doing -- she might have killed him if he suddenly changed on her!

"Well, she's got visitors." Mandy said. "Your mother sent me to pass the message on to her."

"I'll pass it on, don't worry. Show her guests to their rooms for now."

"But Phantom, these two are really impatient. They're demanding to see her now."

Phantom raised an eyebrow, reminding Mandy of the serious side of him. "Mortals, I take it?"

Mandy nodded, laughing. "I've yet to meet an impatient fairy. Two gargoyles, who claim to be searching for her."

Phantom nodded. "Show them to their rooms, and if they insist upon being impatient, find some way to calm them. I can't deal with them right now."

Mandy nodded.

Christyne, robed in her new white blouse with gold trim and her new sword, placed her hands on her hips and twitched her tail with annoyance. "You wanted to see me?"

The two gargoyles hanging in mid air in the middle of a guest suite suddenly came alive. "What is the meaning of all this humiliation?"

Christyne leaned against the doorpost, enjoying Phantom's sense of humor. "I imagine someone didn't want to deal with you as soon as you demanded it."

"Do you have the power to let us down?"

Christyne clapped her hands, and the two gargoyles collapsed onto the floor below. They recovered quickly, standing. Christine draped her wings and closed the door behind her. "Now, once more. You wanted me?"

Before Christyne stood a very beautiful blue gargoyle with an enormous mass of red hair, dressed in loincloth, gold jewelry, and a crown. She was flanked by a very bright yellow and orange gargoyle with peach feathered wings.

"Do you know us?" the blue one inquired.

"Oh course, my queen. It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Our quest has been long, now that we have learned you live again."

Christyne scowled, and walked up to this blue one. They faced one another for a few moments, until suddenly the blue gargoyle cried out, holding the sides of her head. The other was alarmed, and pointed her weapon in Christyne's direction.

"You left me to die, your highness. To the mercy of the humans you so despised!

I lost my life to them that day! I may have well have been shattered with the rest of my clan!"

"I was... trying to teach them... a lesson..." she retorted desperately.

"Oh, I'm sure they've learned, now that each of them occupy another plane of existence! You betrayer!"

"LEAVE OFF!" the sun-bright one demanded.

Christyne scowled at her. She was very modest looking, but Christyne could sense a hidden power in her. "Very well. I do not know you, but do not interfere in the coming battle. I have duties to see to. You may stay here as long as you like. Just don't get in our way and make sure you leave before the battle."

With that, Christyne vanished in an array of magic.

"It seems much has changed from what we knew of her." the blue one muttered as the other helped her to her feet.

"Yes, Cearda. Be patient. She will come around, eventually."

Nine months later.

"No no no! I don't care what lies he's been feeding you, father, but he broke the treaty blatantly when he attacked Christyne last week. He doesn't care about our traditions, or the treaty between us. He just wants you to give him what he wants, and he'll stab each of us through the heart to do it." Phantom protested wildly, flaring his arms around him, with a deadly serious face.

"Just because your son is on the opposite side of this issue, does not make him a traitor to me." Oberon said.

"Father, I take an attack on her as an attack on me! After all, you stand everything to gain from what I'm doing!"

"That may be so, but there is little I am bound to do until your mortal completes her end of the bargain, and bears the child or the egg -- telling which it is, human or gargoyle."

"It's too late by then! What if Obscurmalo tries to change the child, and the outcome."

"Once outside of the mother, I will declare it my protectorate. However, while still within her womb, the child is fair game. I made no rules."

"Does it mean nothing to you that it is my child as well?!!!" Phantom burst.

"ARION! Calm yourself. I cannot give you leave. However, I will have you know my Queen is not so bound. Take your request to her."

Phantom, a bit startled that Oberon would leave Titania out of anything, suddenly saw the secret behind Oberon's serious face. He was tricking the Dark Seelie. Phantom bowed to Oberon, and vanished.

"Paugh! You don't weigh as much as you think, Christyne." Mandy laughed.

"You're just being nice." Christyne grumbled, as she leaned on Mandy for support walking down the hallways. "I am only good in the air, where -- this -- doesn't get in the way."

Mandy laughed. "Easy for you to say! I don't have wings! Try living with it! You were human once..."

Mandy had discovered, long ago, that her ebony silk dress with the cat's paw clasp had the magical properties of a fairy's dress. It never got dirty, never tore, never looked anything but shiny and new, and best of all, it stretched with her widening girth.

Christyne's amicable mood had left her, and she saw no humor in it. None of her clothes had fit except the white blouse, and so she was forced to wear it religiously, as she kept asking, day after day, for some way to expand her wardrobe. In comparison to the human, who was still a month behind the gargoyle, Christyne had been reduced to being, what Christyne called, an "overweight beach ball with arm, legs, and wings".

She had lost her amicable second nature, becoming listless, grouchy, and irritable. She seemed to have developed a permanent ache in her back, and she took it out on Phantom most often. Phantom, unlike any other fay on Avalon, took her harsh words to heart, and sulked about the island on his own. Christyne had even snapped at Oberon himself at a large dinner gathering. Fortunately, Oberon had only laughed at her restlessness. The gargoyle woman spent a lot of time in bed.

Somehow, Mandy stayed chipper, pregnancy or no pregnancy.

In between, Christyne was laid up in bed rest, only to get up every morning just before sunrise and stand by her and Phantom's room window, as the sun rose.

Christyne had been nearly eight when Terra had been pregnant with Keturah, and she remembered Tutela's pregnancies vividly. She had heard it described many times how the child would kick -- as a child she had remembered feeling her mother's belly for the small kicks. There were also the eggs her mother had lain as Tutela, though young Malcora had understood even less about it at the time.

Now that she was the one who was pregnant, Christyne didn't think the baby kicked, but clawed at her insides. There was something else, though. Something she couldn't quite describe took place. There were thoughts there -- feelings that Christyne knew had to belong to the baby. If it was some effect of Phantom's magic, or part of being a gargoyle, Christyne didn't know -- only that she had never before heard of such a thing.

Mandy heaved a sigh of relief as she deposited Christyne against her bed post, where she stood for a moment, catching her breath. Christyne was holding her arm behind her, rubbing her sore spine in pain.

Mandy clucked, and somehow managed to put her own arms around Christyne, find a spot on her back, and pull back hard. There was a loud cracking noise, and Christyne straightened.

"Feel better?" Mandy asked.

Christyne blinked. "Actually, yes. How do you do that?"

"Don't mention it." Mandy replied, sitting down on a chair as Christyne thumped thankfully down on the feather bed Phantom had given her.

"It won't be long now." Christyne sighed. "I'm worried."

"Why?"

"Because there's no shell yet. Mother used to stop feeling the kicks almost half a moon before she laid the egg. Unless something's gone wrong..."

"Don't even think it." Mandy shushed her. "Obscurmalo's magic was counteracted after the attack -- you know that. If Phantom says that everything will be alright, you know he means it."

"I know... but I still wish... mother were here."

Mandy sighed, remembering the wedding. "I think she's around somewhere. You just need to wait for her to come to you."

Christyne sighed now, and after a few moments, fell blissfully asleep as a gargoyle could without turning to stone. Mandy, anxious to be moving on, heaved herself out of the chair, and left the room.

It was many hours until morning began to approach. Christyne found herself dreaming. She dreamed of her mother, tall, serious, and gentle -- like Phantom. She saw herself in her mother's face now...

She also saw someone else, a shimmering, indistinct figure Christyne could not make out. Somehow, it had it's own thoughts, and Christyne could hear it's thoughts and feelings.

Her mother's voice whispered to her softly.

"Christyne..."

"I'm here, mother..."

"Be brave, my child..."

"Mother..."

The replying voice was lost in whispering echoes.

Christyne stirred, and opened her eyes. Habitually, she knew the dawn was coming. She pulled herself out of bed, and leaned against the stonework of the windows sill.

Inside herself, she could feel the crackling begin, as she once again turned to stone with the rising sun.

"Is she stone, milady?"

"Yes, Tutela."

"Then we must act now. The time has run out."

"Even stone can be nurtured, good mother."

With that, the fairy queen's lifeforce entered Christyne's frozen body.

The commotion was horrendous, and Phantom hated the crowd. He wanted to go back to his apartment, where Christyne was, but it was pointless -- the sun was up, and she was stone.

Besides, this meeting was too important right now.

There were two groups of fey gathered in the council hall. Two full courts were gathered here, the Seelie Court, and those who would defect to the Unseelie court.

This was the day.

Phantom saw the son he had disowned, at the head of the traitors - Sephlan, now calling himself Obscurmalo, and was trying not to look at him. He was angry. He'd probably been storming, angry and bitter, ever since he had tried to transform Christyne again, and Phantom had been there, thanks to Mandy's warning, to stop him.

Oberon called the meeting together. He was short and concise in his speaking. He criticized both sides for going beyond the limits of the contract, and warring like mortals, not fay. They were above squabbling, and one day all three races would live together, and he wanted HIS children to set a good example for the mortals.

Christyne awoke from stone with a yell of triumph and a cry of pain. She fell backwards onto the stone floor, and rolled over. There was something wet on her legs. She cried out again, claws digging into the stone floor. Laboriously, she crawled out of the apartment, into the hallway.

She screamed, a loud roar of pain. Her tail lashed about furiously, slapping the walls, the floor, and smashing displays on the wall.

Mandy heard the noise, and came rushing as fast as she could. The elderly human Princess Katherine, and five of the other gargoyles appeared from the opposite end of the hall. Christyne lay writhing on the floor, screaming, as a piercing green light shone from the flesh of her abdomen.

Despite the boredom of his fay peers, Phantom found Oberon's little discourse rather interesting. None were truly omniscient, but Oberon's insights were many. However, everyone was intrigued when the green skinned fairy queen suddenly appeared by Oberon's side, and whispered into his ear. Oberon shook his head in approval, and the queen vanished again. Immediately, Phantom's interest was perked.

Of course, though. He knew what was happening.

"Something is terribly wrong! A gargoyle birth does not require nearly as much pain!"

Mandy tried desperately to ignore her anxiousness, trying to concentrate on the problem.

"Human or gargoyle, Sariah, we get the child out safely." the princess rebuked her.

There was another burst of energy, and this time the humans and gargoyles around Christyne were thrown backwards.

"There is too much magic at work in this birthing!" Jesse exclaimed.

"All will be well." said a calm, finalistic voice. All turned to see the green skinned fairy queen standing over them. "This is my daughter-in-law, and my granddaughter is my responsibility."

The gargoyles bowed and stepped back for the Queen of the Third Race, Titania. Mandy motioned to one of the other female gargoyles. "Eve, bring me some blankets, and something to put the child on. The rest of you stand guard. I want NO interruptions."

Eve bowed. "I will find you whatever I can, even it if be a manger to lay the babe in."

Mandy sighed. "Lets hope that there's more than that in a fairy castle. However, I'm sure Christyne will appreciate the thought."

The fairy queen nodded. "You may assist me, Mandy. Hopefully, she will yet live through this birth."

"Live through it?!..."

"The child she bears is an immortal half-fay. Her mortal frame is not built for such a delivery. It is doubtful she will survive. If she herself were part fay it would be easier, but these are the hardest halfling births."

Even Oberon paused for a moment, to listen to the panther-like screams coming from deep within the bowels of the castle. They grew louder, and more piercing with each passing minute, until, finally, there was silence.

Obscurmalo, and his Unseelie-lovers cheered. "Hurray! We have won by default! The mortal was unable to deliver the fay child, and both have died!"

The Unseelie-supporters rippled with the news, and began to cheer and laugh with pride and arrogance. They jeered the loyal followers of Oberon with open hostility, and Oberon scowled at their lack of humility before him.

Obscurmalo approached Phantom with a dark air. His features were Phantom's own -- but darkly twisted by Obscurmalo's own hatred and desires. He stood before the gargoyle/fay, and hit him. Phantom, surprised by the sudden attack, slid across the floor with a loud grunt of surprise.

"Sephlan!"

"Traitor, father! Now you and your precious harlot will bow to us!"

Obscurmalo hit him again.

"HOLD SEPHLAN, SON OF ARION!" Mandy's voice, clear and ringing like a bell, bounced through the room. She hung in the air over their heads, holding something in her arms. Yet, it wasn't Mandy... someone was there in her place... someone ruby red with double wings... "BEHOLD! LADY CHRISTYNE LIVES! AND THIS IS ARION'S PROGENY! TANYA DESTINE PHANTOM!"

Mandy removed the white silk sheets from atop the pristine egg.

A gargoyle's egg.

---

"I'm sorry, Phantom..." Mandy sighed, holding her head. "I don't know what came over me. I suddenly had this urge to talk in 'thee's and 'thou's."

"It's alright... I was expecting that..."

"You expect everything."

"Mandy, what good is it to be immortal and not at least have some idea know what's coming? I may not be omniscient, but I have had some experience in these things."

"You're NOT omniscient? Sounds like it takes all the fun out of immortality."

"Why else do I like being a mortal?" Then, for the hundredth time that hour, Phantom took Christyne's paw in hand, and touched his cheek with it, tenderly.

Christyne's hair was an obvious mess, and Christyne was shivering under the covers, unconscious.

Mandy sighed. "Now I suppose it's my turn."

"Don't complain. At least humans get to hold their children once their born. We have to wait ten years."

"You could always change."

"Christyne is a gargoyle, and I think she'd prefer to remain that way."

Mandy chortled. "Climbing walls with steel ripping talons, and turning to stone everyday. Hardly what the old Christine was looking for in life."

"Don't laugh." Phantom sighed. "She's happy."

"How can you tell?"

"I can tell."

"Ph... Phantom?" Christyne's wavering voice was heard.

"Christyne!" Mandy and Phantom replied with excitement.

"You're awake!" Mandy exclaimed.

Phantom noted, picking up the clothes with the egg nestled in them, handing them to Christyne. Christyne, though weak, held the egg tenderly, rubbing her paws across it's surface. Mandy couldn't help but smile.

It didn't last long, for Christyne was soon fast asleep, the egg cradled warmly in her arms. Seeing this, Phantom sighed, with a large smile on his face, stood up, and left.

Mandy had nearly fallen asleep herself when Christyne stirred again.

"Did I say... everything I remember I said?" she whispered.

Mandy nodded. "You were very uncomplimentary to that poor boy of yours."

"Tell him... I'm sorry."

Mandy laughed. "It wasn't entirely your fault! You were trying to have a half-fay egg. The fairy queen herself performed the delivery, because of all the magic flying around."

Christyne nodded. "It hurt... so hot... like something burning you alive from your inside out..."

Her voice trailed off.

"Well, if you think you can manage it, there's something I was going to suggest to improve your little magic weapon..."

Two nights later.

It was Phantom's turn to sit by her bedside. He found himself contemplating various sundry matters, when someone came to the door. They'd done it, he mused. The Unseelie-supporters were banned from Avalon to join the other Unseelie. Phantom's own son had been banished with them. For that, he mourned.

There was a knock at the door.

"Yes?"

One of his sisters opened the door. "Arion?"

"Hmm?"

One of the gargoyles attended.

"Yes, sister?"

"Someone to see you."

Phantom nodded. "Very well." he said, rising from his chair. The gargoyle female turned and left. He turned back to Christine a moment. He would have to find a way to take her back to 1255 on vacation someday after this was all over. He really owed it to her.

Christyne awakened, if only for a moment. She was aware of Phantom by the door, and something -- Phantom was between her and it -- something dark -- she couldn't make it out. She squinted, waiting for her vision to clear...

The blast rocked the entire island. From the pools in the east, to Oberon's private study, the island felt it's anger. The fireball threw a fay and gargoyle nearly a thousand meters through the air, with stone shards flying everywhere. There were obviously still traitors elsewhere on Oberon's peaceful little island!

Christyne felt herself snap her wings open, out of sheer gargoyle instinct, and gasped as she felt the wind pick her up before she collided with the rocky mountain slope below. She was gliding at breakneck speeds away from the fire. She wondered why she was not burned by it's engulfing flames, until she saw Phantom, in the form of Arion, fighting desperately with his magic to shield them both.

His shield was failing.

"GIVE IT UP, FATHER! I AM EVER MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU!!!"

"I am NOT your father! You ceased being my son when you betrayed your own mother!"

"SHE KNEW THE PRICE FOR HER CRIME!"

"She was doing what was right! That is never a crime! You mindlessly killed her!"

"SO WHAT DO YOU DO? GO RUNNING OFF WITH A MORTAL HARLOT? YOU ARE A SORRY ONE TO TALK, ARION!"

Christyne could make out the dark shape of Obscurmalo. Suddenly, Christyne's pulse jumped, and her eyes filled with rage.

"I am not a harlot!!!" Christyne managed to scream in return.

Obscurmalo, as though unable to her hear the angry noise, ignored her, and he and Arion clashed. There was the wringing of some kind of blade, but when Christyne looked, they clashed with blades of light and darkness.

Christyne, without even thinking about her lessons, immediately called upon her focal energy, and in a halo of pure white magical energy, Shakespeare's crown appeared woven into her hair, glowing with energy. With a rush of energy, she clasped her paws together in the air in front of her. Her ragged maternity shirt vanished, and was replaced by the pristine white and gold gargoyle dress the trio had given her before her pregnancy. A jade jeweled amulet appeared upon her breasts, also radiating power. She held her hand out, and Phantom's ring appeared on her finger, brilliant sapphire. Christyne suddenly turned around, to face this enemy for the last time.

Phantom found himself suddenly at a loss. He couldn't protect Christyne, and as he suddenly found himself unable to even fend for his own life! Manya had been very careful in the bearing of her son, to see that their child would benefit from his power. Obscurmalo swung downward again, and Phantom failed to notice his own blood fly and splatter against Christyne's pristine dress. What Phantom did notice was Christyne descending from higher altitudes of the night sky, screaming her call of anger with the high-pitched call of an angry tiger. Obscurmalo barely turned around when suddenly the wave of energy hit him.

"STOP, OBSCURMALO! I LOVE HIM!"

Phantom was thrown backwards, shocked at the power of the blast. Almost as if it were an enormous hand, the magic emanating from the point of her talon grabbed Obscurmalo like a doll, tore his magic from him. Obscurmalo began to spin in the air, his pointed ears faded, and his coloring faded away to the paleness of a human face.

Phantom flew down, produced a wicked looking one-handed blade that looked sharper than any razor, Phantom snarled as if he were a gargoyle still, brought back his arm, and smote off the head of his now-mortal son.

Oberon clapped. "Bravo!"

Arion watch his son's body fall, eyes filled with anger. "ALL OF YOUR EVIL KIND LEAVE ME AND MY BELOVED ALONE!"

Phantom blinked, returned to gargoyle form, and fluttered to the ground, hovering over the splattered remains like a vulture, waiting for Obscurmalo to dare make a move.

Oberon waved his hand, and the lifeless body was consumed as the earth of Avalon reached up and pulled it down. Phantom looked up to see his father watching him with eyes filled with pride. Phantom's anger faded as he uncannily changed took control of his anger, and bowed before Oberon.

"She is truly worthy to be my daughter in law now. From now on - no other interference! Lady Christyne is a part of my honor guard, and therefore will be immune to my arts, and those of my family." He nodded, and vanished into the night.

Christyne! Where was she? Phantom's mind raced, and with his magic he broadcasted a pulse, searching for her. All at once, his magic reflected the most incredible glare of energy it nearly blinded him.

Christyne, upside down, with wings, arms, and legs flailing, fell like a stone to the earth. Phantom slung out his magic, and caught her. He ran to her side.

She was unconscious, and radiating white-hot magical energy from every part of her body. Phantom reached over and slipped his own ring off her paw, and onto his once again, where it belonged. The light surrounding Christyne faded, and all was dark as night again. Christyne stirred for only a moment. Her eyes, once open, were like two beacons in the night, radiating all the pure magical energy she had absorbed, transforming a full-blooded fey into simple mortal.

Christyne nodded to one side, and fell into sleep again.

The Queen of fairy was there all at once, touching her son's shoulder. "Let her sleep." she commanded. "In the new evening shall her eyes be opened, and her lips will prophesy."

Phantom nodded. "That's my kitten." he told her unconscious form, stroking her hair. "My cat."

* * *

Midnight. Not a sound from the pavement. Has the moon lost her memory? She is smiling alone. In the lamp light the withered leaves collect at my feet and the wind begins to moan.

Memory. All alone in the moonlight. I can smile at the old days.

I was beautiful then.

I remember the time I knew what happiness was, let the memory live again.

Every street lamp seems to beat a fatalistic warning. Someone mutters and a street lamp gutters and soon it will be morning.

Daylight. I must wait for the sunrise, I must think of a new life, and I must mustn't give in. When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory too.

And a new day will begin.

Burnt out ends of smoky days, the stale cold smell of morning. The street lamp dies, another night is over, another day is dawning.

Touch me. It's so easy to leave me all alone with the memory of my days in the sun. If you touch me you'll understand what happiness is. Look, a new day has begun.

* * *

Epilogue

Oberon had, obviously, been able to repair the castle in seconds. However, he was more annoyed at the fact that someone had actually ignored his edict of non-interference with members of his honor guard, and instituted death as the punishment.

Phantom ignored all this, and remained by Christyne's bedside day and night, stone and flesh, until she reawakened. Christyne, her eyes still rolling about in her head, found Phantom's face. She smiled. Phantom patted her paw. Now he knew she would be alright, given a day or two.

Diana, one of Phantom's fey sisters, sat at his side. She had come to visit her brother after all the commotion that had occurred, and the topic eventually came to rest on Phantom's slumbering mate.

"I think Sharm conditioned her spirit for nearly three hundred years to have the ability to channel that much power." Diana theorized, speaking to Arion. "In fact, I can almost say that there were three magics involved here. Titania's, Sharm's, and her own natural power."

"Does she still have it?"

"I looked. It's actually rather interesting. She channeled it all very naturally."

"Into what?"

"Herself."

"How?"

"Beats me. Only Titania can answer that."

Christyne unconsciously turned over in her sleep.

There was a knock at the door, and Phantom rose to answer it.

A handsome human man of about twenty five was there, with a lot of brown hair and a beard was there. "Arion?"

"Oh, hello Thom. How is Mandy?"

"She went into labor about an hour ago, and I've yet to hear anything."

Diana looked up at him. "Oh, they didn't tell you yet? You're a father."

Thom blinked.

Phantom smiled, flopping down into the chair, and draping his wing on the chair with sleepiness. "Of two daughters."

"What are you two going to go?" Diana inquired, lightly.

Thom, still adjusting from that last bit of news, blinked again. "We... were going to return to the mortal world, and let us both return to school."

"You were in school?"

"Before she turned me into her pet cat," Thom sighed, nodding indirectly to the Queen of Fairy. "I was studying to becoming an alchemist."

"Chemist." Diana corrected. Phantom glanced at her with questioning eyes, chuckled, and fell asleep. "Get some sleep, Phantom." Diana noted. "You'll be needing it."

After the door was closed, Phantom regarded Diana with a look combined of curiosity, and of the regard that a father gives a girl just come back from her first date. "Father Oberon often spoke to me that this quest would require the finding of a Phantom. You've followed all of this as much as Sharm has. Who do you think that was?"

Diana leaned back, shooting back Phantom's glare. "Certainly not you!" she laughed. "No, more likely Christine's mother Tutela. She seemed to be the only one who was always guarding Christine."

Phantom nodded in agreement. "Someday we must do something about her."

Diana smiled.

Phantom gazed down at the floor, turning introspective. "I think my mother would not let her keep that power, for she knows Christyne is but mortal. Yet, my mother would not idly keep it either. Somehow, it was given to Christyne in the form of a gift."

Diana nodded again. "Prophesy."

Phantom glanced up at her with a questioning gaze, then over at the figure in bed. "Prophesy..." he whispered, mostly to himself.

Surely enough, Christyne recovered in a few weeks, and was impatient to get out of bed. Diana had been given charge to watch over her when Phantom had to run off and do his father's bidding, and she would put her to sleep or keep her in bed with magic. Christyne eventually felt consigned to her fate.

When it was time to leave, Christyne tenderly touched the egg hidden deep in the cool, moist shadows of the rookery that the other gargoyles of the castle kept. She picked up the watermelon-shaped white pristine surface, cradling in her arms with care, and with love. Phantom held her shoulder. "We did it." he assured her.

Christine looked at him and smirked, fangs showing in her wide grin. "What do you mean we did it? You had the easy part!"

"We could keep yer egg here for ye." the human princess of the castle gargoyles said. "It would be perfectly safe here."

"Nay." Phantom said, smiling. He was only looking across into Christyne's eyes. "I have an old friend who owes me a favor. We'll go to her. Besides, it's still under Oberon's spell as being 'off limits' to fay interference. I don't anticipate any trouble."

Diana's eyes narrowed. "Mandy Conterra?"

Phantom glanced at Diana with a confused expression. "No, another one."

"Speaking of Mandys, where ours?"

"She'll be along shortly. She's just barely out of bed."

"We'll, she and Thom better hurry before they miss the train."

"We're here." came Thom's excited, low, human voice. Mandy followed, sleek in her black ebony dress, with her hair let down, but held in back by a cat's paw clip similar to the one clasp on her dress. Mandy held two wrapped bundles, and Thom held a third.

Two human babies, and a cat.

"I see you found Lacey." Christyne observed.

"I dunno, Chrissy. She just showed up while I was on bed rest."

Christyne snorted, thinking one word. Sharm.

"My Tom wishes you luck, Thom the cat." the princess said, taking Thom's hand.

"Well, wish the guardian luck as well - for me." Thom nodded in a gentlemanly way. Mandy leaned against his shoulder as they looked into each other's eyes.

Christyne's eyebrows went up. "Sorry, but I lost the kitty carrier months ago."

Thom smiled.

Christyne and Mandy embraced once more, Christyne embracing Mandy in her wings. "We'll be seeing you sooner than you think."

Phantom smiled, and raised his hand.

Mandy scowled. "How can you know that?"

Lacey looked up at Mandy with an odd look in her eyes. "Oh, you shut up." Mandy told the cat. "I do not."

Phantom brought his hand down, and the two human parents and their children and cat vanished into the mortal realm. Phantom turned, took Christyne's paw that was not holding the egg, preparing to leap into the air beyond the cliff.

"Mind if I tag along?" Diana inquired. "Oberon will never let me out of here any other way."

"PHANTOM! YOU HAVE TO COME BACK WITH ME!" Sharm's voice came startling across the air, and she came whizzing overhead. "Quickly! Before Oberon catches me here!"

"What in the name of heaven and earth are you talking about, Sharm?" Phantom exclaimed in protest, disappointed at not being able to glide against with his wife. Sharm took Phantom's paw that was not holding Christyne, and began to pull him off the cliff into the air.

"You HAVE to! I'm serious! This is big!" Sharm exclaimed emphatically, dragging her passengers higher into the sky.

"Believe me," Christyne noted, spreading her wings. "It was the first thing we noticed about you."

"I found it! I found it!" Sharm continued to exclaim wildly.

"What, what?!!!" Phantom asked impatiently.

"The toy I made! The Phoenix Gate! I finally found it! Come look what's happened to it!"

Christine, not following this revelation in the slightest, shook her head, and began to anticipate the continuation of the long journey ahead of her.

---

Have you heard, have you heard?
About this girl who was ripped up
by her roots?
Have you heard, what she learned?
Like humility - you win when you lose.

I have learned - I have learned
The most horrifying nights have ends
I was hurt, I was lost.
In the dark I found the way to a friend.

I am standing here in my ravine.
Once again I see a piece of the sky
And my joy'll never be denied
'Cause I was meant to be here -
The only place on earth
Where you are near -- where you are near

Was a flower, so frail -
And I let the tress grow wild around me.
Grew so high, hid the sky -
Shaded everything I needed to see

Then one night, someone came
Took a knife and ripped me up by my roots
Tossed astray, far away.
In my darkest night I started to pray

I am standing here in my ravine.
Once again I see a piece of the sky
And my joy'll never be denied
'Cause I was meant to be here -
The only place on earth
Where you are near -- where you are near

Why do you, why do you ask
Why I'm not blaming my god?
I'll tell you, I'll tell you what -
He was the only one there.

I am standing here in my ravine.
Once again I see a piece of the sky
And my joy never will be denied
'Cause I was meant to be here -
The only place on earth
Where you are near -- where you are near.

("Ravine" -- Ace of Base)