Chapter 3

New Friends

"I think I need to sit down." Christine said wearily. As she began to tilt backwards, a stool magically appeared behind her and she sat down into it. She began to rub her temples as Elisa began an argument with Puck.

"I never insinuated that she had magical powers, your boss did!" Elisa argued.

"But the thought did cross your mind!"

"That's not the point!"

"Now that's enough of that. We're not being fair to Miss Christine here." Xanatos interrupted the argument as he handed Christine a beaker of water. "Here." He offered graciously and Christine took it with gratitude.

"Why did - how did you suspect that I had magic?" She stuttered. "Why wouldn't I know that?"

"Christine, you've had quite the shock over the last few days." Elisa tried to console her. "We don't have to get into this now if you don't want to."

"No! I want to know why. I know nothing about myself. I at least want to know why I have this- this-" She turned to Xanatos. "How did you possibly know about this?" She snapped.

"Elisa described the first encounter she had with you, she said you were glowing when she found you, just as you are now." He replied calmly. Christine looked down at her hands. In her agitated state, she was glowing like a firefly. Despite the storm of emotions welling up inside her, she forced herself to take a breath and calm down.

"Go on," She prompted.

"My wife Fox, our son Alex, and our assistant Owen, or Puck as you now see him, all have magical abilities. When the detective described your presence, I assumed it to be magic. Though there could be a scientific reason behind all this," He said, gesturing to her glowing presence, "But I have been learning that science and magic are not so different at all."

Christine looked down at her glowing presence which was now starting to fade and sighed. "I just wish I could remember what these powers are and why I have them."

"I can remedy that." Puck offered with a mischievous gleam in his eye.

"Leave her alone, Puck. She's been through enough." Elisa narrowed her gaze at the mischievous fairy.

"I mean the lady no ill will, of course!" Puck held a hand to his heart as if wounded. "I merely thought this would be an excellent opportunity to teach my young pupil how to search the mind for forgotten memories!" He turned to Xanatos and his son and held out his arms for the young boy. Alex floated into his arms, then Puck turned back to face Elisa and Christine. "Of course, she would have to be willing to allow Alex and I to make the spell." Christine turned to Elisa full of uncertainty.

"It's up to you Christine, but I must warn you that Puck can be a troublemaker-"

"Oh, tish tosh, Detective! You should know that I am a generous giver and friendly at heart!" Puck chuckled. Elisa huffed in response.

"His power can be useful, but there is always a price for those he helps," Elisa warned her. "Besides, your memories could always come back on their own."

"Or not." Puck taunted. "If you ask me, I don't think it was a head injury that robbed you of your memories. They could have been taken."

"By what?" Christine exclaimed.

"Or Whom." Puck suggested. "Someone or something that wanted you to forget." Christine shivered. Somehow Puck's prediction felt true. But who would want to erase her mind, and why? She felt Elisa squeeze her shoulders.

"Come on Christine, we've had enough of these two tonight." She started to guide her out the door. "We'll show ourselves out. Thank you for your help."

"Anytime," Xanatos replied as calm and cool as ever. "And Christine, don't you worry. If you ever change your mind, our door is always open." Christine nodded and headed out of the lab with Elisa feeling rather torn. She desperately wanted to know more about herself, but if Elisa couldn't trust Puck and Xanatos, could she? Once they were back in the main hall, Christine turned to her roommate, trying not to let her frustration get the better of her.

"Now what? Do I just wait? I might go crazy not knowing who I am or how I got here." She ran her hands through her hair in frustration.

"I promised you I'll do everything I can to help," Elisa assured her. "And I intend to keep that promise. How's your head doing?"

"It's fine." Christine lied. She was beginning to get a headache, but she wasn't going to let that stand in her way of finding out her answers.

"I mean, are you up to seeing something more? I have some other friends that could help you. Friends that I truly trust." Elisa smiled.

"Anyone that can help me put the pieces together!" Christine exclaimed anxiously. Elisa turned her towards a staircase leading up a stone tower.

"Ok, but I have to warn you, they likely wouldn't be what you'd expect." Elisa cautioned her. Christine sighed.

"As long as they're not more magical fairy-men I think I can handle anything!"

"We'll see." Elisa smiled and led the way up the stairs into another large room furnished like a den. "Hello? Anyone home?" Elisa called. At the far end of the room sitting in a recliner, a portly older man with a long white beard put down a newspaper and turned towards the ladies.

"Ah, Elisa, Good evening lass." It wasn't until Elisa and Christine drew closer that she realized that this person was not a human man. Although many of his features were similar to that of a human, his skin was a dark scaly brown, his hands and feet shaped like claws. In addition, he had long bat-like wings wrapped around his shoulders that Christine had mistook for a cloak. When the creature rose from his chair to greet them, she saw that he had a long, thick tail as well. Christine did her best not to stare. "And who is your new friend?" The creature asked Elisa.

"This is Christine," Elisa offered. "Christine, this is one of my dear friends, Hudson." The old creature held out a clawed hand in greeting.

"Pleasure to meet ya, lass, but I'm guessing by the look on your face, you've never seen the likes of me before." Hudson chuckled.

"No, I don't think so, sir." Christine shook hands with him. "But somehow I feel as if I have met creatures like you before... And there's something about your voice, very friendly and somehow familiar. We haven't met before have we?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, lass." He shook his head. "I may be old, but I would recall meeting a young lass like you before." Something bumped against Christine's thigh, and she looked down to see a large bulldog-like creature sniffing her. She let out a surprised gasp. "Oh, not to worry, Bronx here is just getting to know you, he won't bite ya." When the beast was satisfied, he let out a grunt and a friendly growl. Then he turned and panted happily at Elisa who rubbed him on the head.

"Are the others still on patrol?" Elisa asked Hudson.

"Aye, all but Broadway and Angela, they're down in the rookery." Hudson smiled. Elisa let out a joyful gasp. "I told that kooky lad that female gargoyles tend to lay their eggs alone, but Broadway wouldn't hear of it."

"Well, I wouldn't blame him for being anxious, the first gargoyle egg in centuries!" Elisa grinned from ear to ear, overjoyed for her friends.

"Anxious isn't the half of it" Hudson chuckled "that lad's been all over the place over the last few weeks if ya haven't noticed."

"Gargoyles, is that what you are?" Christine asked.

"Aye," Hudson smiled. "There are not many of us left. The laying of the eggs is a momentous occasion for us." Just then from a large set of open doors to the outside, three more gargoyles flew in and landed on the parapet. Each one was a different size and color. The smallest was dark green. Unlike the two others he had arrived with, he had no hair on his head, and his wings were attached to his arms. The second gargoyle was tall, red, leanly built, and had a long snout. He had long, white dreadlocks pulled back into a loose ponytail, and his wings had small claws that held themselves together like the clasps of a cloak as he wrapped his wings around himself. The final gargoyle was by far the most impressive. He was immensely tall and solidly built. His presence exuded confidence and leadership. He was bluish-grey in color and had long dark hair that cascaded down his shoulders. Christine also noticed that all the gargoyles had horns on their heads. The horns on this gargoyle were similar to that of a crown.

"Elisa." the leader smiled warmly. His voice was so deep it rumbled through Christine's entire body.

"Who's your new friend?" the red one asked.

"Is the egg here yet?" The green one asked at the same time.

"I'm sure Broadway will come bounding up the stairs once it's here." Hudson smiled. Elisa ran over to the leader and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Congratulations, Grandpa." She teased, then kissed him on the cheek. The gargoyle chuckled low and deep.

"Yes, today is an exciting day for all of us." He turned to face Christine. "Is this the young woman you told us about?"

"Hello." Christine let out a meek greeting then cleared her throat. "I'm Christine, Elisa said you might be able to help me." The other two gargoyles approached her.

"Hey, anything we can do to help. I'm Brooklyn" the red one held out a hand and Christine shook it.

"And I'm Lexington" the small green gargoyle held out his hand to her as well.

"I am Goliath," The leader of the clan offered his hand as well. Christine's hand disappeared into his as she shook it. "Welcome to the Castle Wyvern, any friend of Elisa's is a friend of ours. I see you have already met Hudson and Bronx." The gargoyle-dog let out a friendly bark.

"What seems to be the trouble?" Brooklyn asked.

"Well, I woke up three days ago with no-" She was interrupted as a portly, minty green-colored gargoyle came panting up the stairs.

"Hey everyone!" He stopped to catch his breath.

"The egg is here!?" Several of them asked at once. The gargoyle, Christine assumed to be Broadway, panted for breath and then smiled from ear to ear.

"Not just the egg. Two Eggs!" He exclaimed. There was an explosion of excitement throughout the den. Two gargoyle eggs were just too good to be true!

"How is Angela?" Goliath asked, concerned on behalf of his daughter.

"She's fine. Tired, but fine. She couldn't be more thrilled." Broadway stated proudly.

"We're all proud of ya, lad" Hudson clapped a hand on Broadway's shoulder, and each gargoyle took their turn to congratulate him on becoming a father. Elisa gave Broadway a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm so happy for you both!" She told him. "Happy for all of you!"

"Thanks, Elisa!" Broadway stopped and saw Christine out of the corner of his eye. "But who is this?"

"Hi!" Christine greeted him shyly, feeling out of place amongst the hubbub. "Congratulations on becoming a dad. I'm a friend of Elisa's."

"This is Christine," Elisa offered. "She's the one I told you guys about."

"But it can wait!" Christine interjected, "I don't want to interrupt your celebration." Elisa and Goliath nodded in appreciation.

"I'm going to check in on my daughter, but suggest we keep visits to the rookery to a few at a time."

"Can I go with you, Goliath?" Lexington asked.

"Fine, you and Elisa come with me. Hudson and Brooklyn-"

"We can wait until you get back. We can keep Christine company" Brooklyn responded. Again, Goliath nodded in approval.

"We'll be back soon." He smiled.

"I'm coming with you!" Broadway exclaimed as he sauntered up to the trio. "I'll stay with Angela for the remainder of the night. She's my mate after all."

"Of course, Broadway." Elisa smiled knowing the anxious father would have his way. "I'll be back soon Christine." As soon as they were gone, Christine turned to face Brooklyn, Hudson, and Bronx.

"So..." she mused, unsure of what to say.

"So, why don't you tell us why you're here, lass? What kind of trouble are ya in?" Hudson asked.

"Make yourself comfortable." He gestured to the couch. Christine took up his offer and sat on one end while Brooklyn took a seat on the other.

"Three nights ago I woke up in an alley with no memory of how I got there. I don't even remember where I came from, or who I am."