The crack of stone and primal roars shattered the evening's quiet
like the gargoyle's stone skin. Goliath, Leader of the Manhattan clan
jumped from his tower perch, using his wings as a parachute to slow his
fall, to join the rest of his clan in helping the travelers with their last
minute preparations for the upcoming journey. David Xanatos; CEO and
founder of Xanatos Enterprises, owner of the tallest building in the world,
benefactor and friend of the Manhattan Gargoyle Clan, former bad guy, and
one of the richest men in the world, stared in disbelief as Goliath jumped
from the tower he had just climbed. Grumbling to himself he climbed down
the steps towards the Parapets. But when he arrived the gargoyles had
already moved to their living area.
Thus it was that a slightly put out David Xanatos strode into the gargoyles' living area. Fox was already there, along with Elisa, both of them were helping the gargoyles get what they needed together. When Xanatos came in Fox turned to face him, "There you are David, what kept you?"
Xanatos said nothing.
The twins were in a right state of excitement, both were carrying bags filled with 'essentials.' Nudnik was running around, yipping and barking like mad, driving everyone else crazy, and only stopped when Bronx sat on him.
Brooklyn scratched his head. "I guess that works," he commented.
"Hey, get off of him Bronx," Graeme cried indignantly when he heard Nudnik's slightly muffled bark.
Bronx grudgingly complied, allowing a slightly squashed Nudnik ot escape. Mollified, Nudnik retreated behind his master, who was glaring suspiciously at Bronx.
With Nudnik subdued the rest of the preparations were completed much faster. Not that they would have taken much longer anyway, considering gargoyles tended to be light travelers. Besides the twin's luggage Lexington had packed his laptop, Sata her swords, and Angela a few of her spellbooks she had been studying.
Angela and Sata were spending a few last moments alone with their mates. Ariana and Graeme were excitedly telling Fox and Elisa of their plans for their visit to London. Lexington and Hudson were off in a corner of the room, the clan Elder was giving the clan's remaining single male some last minute advice.
"And whatever ye do lad, try to find out her name this time," Hudson said.
Lexington frowned, he'd decided to go to england with the twins in hope of traveling to the Caledonian Clan to see the girl he had met at the Gargoyle World Council several months earlier. This had not escaped Hudson's notice, and although the Elder and Goliath had learned to avoid the subject of Lexington finding a mate the old gargoyle had been unable to resist trying to slip in some advice. This offhand advice had eventually mutated into being only a step away from being orders.
But, strangely, Lexington found that listening to the old gargoyle's advice did not test his temper the way it had done before he met––whatever her name was. Now he absorbed Hudson's advice like a sponge taking in water.
"And you're sure she'll still be interested in me?" Lex asked his clan Elder.
"Lad," said Hudson placing a hand on Lexington's shoulder, "If she only half as interested as she was several months before the ye'll be needing a stick."
Lexington blinked.
Hudson chuckled, "Trust me on this."
Goliath motioned to Hudson from where he was standing that it was time to go, and the old warrior and Lex went over to rejoin the clan, Lexington with a confused expression on his face.
In the meanwhile Angela and Broadway were alone in another corner of the room. Broadway with a pained expression on his face, "Do you have to go?" He complained.
Angela smiled ruefully and nodded, "You know that I have to, I'm the only one who has actually been to England before, they already know me. Besides," she added, "I won't be gone for too long."
"What about Goliath?" Broadway asked, "He's been to england before."
Angela shook her head, "You know we need him here."
Broadway turned away, cloaking his wings over his shoulders. Angela hesitated for a moment and then wrapped her arms around his neck. "I promise to call you every day," she crooned against his back.
Broadway turned around and wrapped his arms around her. As he held her in his arms he was able to, for a moment, forget that he would not see her for a while. "I'll miss you," he stated.
"I'd hope so, otherwise I would wonder if you still loved me," she teased.
Broadway stared at her, "Angela, you know I..."
Angela gently hushed him, "I was only joking, I'll miss you too."
Silence was their language as they embraced.
Goliath had just finished his discussion with Xanatos and had noticed that the travelers had finished their preparations and were ready to go.
"We should probably get going," Goliath said to the rest of his clanmates, and let Xanatos lead them down to the Eyrie building's hangar.
Xanatos' private hangar would have appeared to an airplane technician to be paradise. All the aircraft present were at a technical level that far outstripped anything available to even the United States. The jet that Xanatos led his gargoyle friends to was possibly the fastest available. With it the travel to London would take half the time it would take in a Concord.
The group stopped in front of the jet, Xanatos punching in the access code. The five travelers quickly stowed their sparse luggage inside the jet, and returned back outside to say goodbye to their clan.
There was an almost sad feeling among the gargoyles and their friends. Although they knew they would see each other again, there is something about goodbyes that brings out a person's emotional side.
Goliath was expected to give an inspirational speech, or something, but he was too chocked up with emotion to say little more than a squeak. His dreams of international gargoyle unity, and prosperity for his clan, were coming true.
"Goodbye kids," said Brooklyn to his family, "Mind your mother."
The twins rolled their eyes, but they both muttered, yes, with a little encouragment from their mother.
It seemed that they were so preoccupied with saying goodbye that they might forget to leave. But then Lexington, showing a note of impatience, started the take-off sequence and the others were forced to hurriedly finish their farewells and get inside the jet.
The jet's roaring engines soon carried it out of view. The remainder of the clan stood in the hangar for a while after their clanmates had left.
Brooklyn, after the silence had endured for several minutes, turned to the rest of his clan. "So," he said, "let me guess, we go on patrol now, right?"
"I think," Goliath said, staring in the direction the jet had left, "we can skip it this once."
Not the best, but the third chapter is definitely worth the wait. Now while I'm at it, some reviews would be nice.
Thus it was that a slightly put out David Xanatos strode into the gargoyles' living area. Fox was already there, along with Elisa, both of them were helping the gargoyles get what they needed together. When Xanatos came in Fox turned to face him, "There you are David, what kept you?"
Xanatos said nothing.
The twins were in a right state of excitement, both were carrying bags filled with 'essentials.' Nudnik was running around, yipping and barking like mad, driving everyone else crazy, and only stopped when Bronx sat on him.
Brooklyn scratched his head. "I guess that works," he commented.
"Hey, get off of him Bronx," Graeme cried indignantly when he heard Nudnik's slightly muffled bark.
Bronx grudgingly complied, allowing a slightly squashed Nudnik ot escape. Mollified, Nudnik retreated behind his master, who was glaring suspiciously at Bronx.
With Nudnik subdued the rest of the preparations were completed much faster. Not that they would have taken much longer anyway, considering gargoyles tended to be light travelers. Besides the twin's luggage Lexington had packed his laptop, Sata her swords, and Angela a few of her spellbooks she had been studying.
Angela and Sata were spending a few last moments alone with their mates. Ariana and Graeme were excitedly telling Fox and Elisa of their plans for their visit to London. Lexington and Hudson were off in a corner of the room, the clan Elder was giving the clan's remaining single male some last minute advice.
"And whatever ye do lad, try to find out her name this time," Hudson said.
Lexington frowned, he'd decided to go to england with the twins in hope of traveling to the Caledonian Clan to see the girl he had met at the Gargoyle World Council several months earlier. This had not escaped Hudson's notice, and although the Elder and Goliath had learned to avoid the subject of Lexington finding a mate the old gargoyle had been unable to resist trying to slip in some advice. This offhand advice had eventually mutated into being only a step away from being orders.
But, strangely, Lexington found that listening to the old gargoyle's advice did not test his temper the way it had done before he met––whatever her name was. Now he absorbed Hudson's advice like a sponge taking in water.
"And you're sure she'll still be interested in me?" Lex asked his clan Elder.
"Lad," said Hudson placing a hand on Lexington's shoulder, "If she only half as interested as she was several months before the ye'll be needing a stick."
Lexington blinked.
Hudson chuckled, "Trust me on this."
Goliath motioned to Hudson from where he was standing that it was time to go, and the old warrior and Lex went over to rejoin the clan, Lexington with a confused expression on his face.
In the meanwhile Angela and Broadway were alone in another corner of the room. Broadway with a pained expression on his face, "Do you have to go?" He complained.
Angela smiled ruefully and nodded, "You know that I have to, I'm the only one who has actually been to England before, they already know me. Besides," she added, "I won't be gone for too long."
"What about Goliath?" Broadway asked, "He's been to england before."
Angela shook her head, "You know we need him here."
Broadway turned away, cloaking his wings over his shoulders. Angela hesitated for a moment and then wrapped her arms around his neck. "I promise to call you every day," she crooned against his back.
Broadway turned around and wrapped his arms around her. As he held her in his arms he was able to, for a moment, forget that he would not see her for a while. "I'll miss you," he stated.
"I'd hope so, otherwise I would wonder if you still loved me," she teased.
Broadway stared at her, "Angela, you know I..."
Angela gently hushed him, "I was only joking, I'll miss you too."
Silence was their language as they embraced.
Goliath had just finished his discussion with Xanatos and had noticed that the travelers had finished their preparations and were ready to go.
"We should probably get going," Goliath said to the rest of his clanmates, and let Xanatos lead them down to the Eyrie building's hangar.
Xanatos' private hangar would have appeared to an airplane technician to be paradise. All the aircraft present were at a technical level that far outstripped anything available to even the United States. The jet that Xanatos led his gargoyle friends to was possibly the fastest available. With it the travel to London would take half the time it would take in a Concord.
The group stopped in front of the jet, Xanatos punching in the access code. The five travelers quickly stowed their sparse luggage inside the jet, and returned back outside to say goodbye to their clan.
There was an almost sad feeling among the gargoyles and their friends. Although they knew they would see each other again, there is something about goodbyes that brings out a person's emotional side.
Goliath was expected to give an inspirational speech, or something, but he was too chocked up with emotion to say little more than a squeak. His dreams of international gargoyle unity, and prosperity for his clan, were coming true.
"Goodbye kids," said Brooklyn to his family, "Mind your mother."
The twins rolled their eyes, but they both muttered, yes, with a little encouragment from their mother.
It seemed that they were so preoccupied with saying goodbye that they might forget to leave. But then Lexington, showing a note of impatience, started the take-off sequence and the others were forced to hurriedly finish their farewells and get inside the jet.
The jet's roaring engines soon carried it out of view. The remainder of the clan stood in the hangar for a while after their clanmates had left.
Brooklyn, after the silence had endured for several minutes, turned to the rest of his clan. "So," he said, "let me guess, we go on patrol now, right?"
"I think," Goliath said, staring in the direction the jet had left, "we can skip it this once."
Not the best, but the third chapter is definitely worth the wait. Now while I'm at it, some reviews would be nice.