All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property ofSpacebabie
Cutting Room Floor
Undisclosed location, Washington DC
The Spawn felt himself slowly coming back to the realm of the awake while he felt himself being dragged across a long floor, a floor covered in hard tiles. Even though he was still semi conscious he could hear the grainy scratching sounds of his hooves being dragged. He could feel several hands holding onto him. His arms and legs were still asleep, but he can feel.
"Are we almost there?" a male human voice asked. He spoke solemnly and with the hint of urgency in his tone. "He's moving more, the drugs are about to wear off."
"They said they used enough tranqs to knock out several elephants," another man replied. His voice was gruffer. "He should still be pretty much out of it."
"I know," the first voice said. "but they had to keep drugging him cause it only lasted for five hours. When did he receive his last injection?"
"A few hours ago," the spawn could feel themselves pausing. "This is the room they kept his father in."
"Why did we wait so long for the transfer?"
"We had to make sure everything had settled down everywhere else." A third voice joined in. This one was more smooth and regal than the others and even had a hint of a British accent. "We couldn't transfer until we learned that all the other demons had been destroyed.
Destroyed? The Spawn tried to raise his head and opened his eyes. He had only a glimpse of a large room with a bed, table and chairs before being shoved inside. His legs were still asleep and he staggered before falling towards his knees. He turned his head towards the door and saw three humans, two large men in security guard uniforms and one dapper looking man in a suit before the door slid shut.
"Mortals..." He forced his mouth to hiss out the words. He half walked and half crawled to the door. It was made out of metal and when he placed his pointed ear against the surface he found out how thick it was. He barely could hear anything.
"Older...gone...faeries...pulled...street...vanished." The muffled voice belonged to the third man, the one the spawn believed wore the suit.
"Can't keep me," the spawn said and tried to step through. He had as much success as a mortal. He closed his eyes and tried to sink beneath the floor, still nothing. "No!" Even though he was still partly out of it he was still able to cry out in anguish.
"Escape is next to impossible, I'm afraid." The dapper man's voice came out crisp and clear. The Spawn looked around him and found a speaker box nest to the door. There were several buttons underneath it. Perhaps when he was fully awake he could figure out to use them. "You'll enjoy your stay here. We'll give you anything you need, food, entertainment, clothes, anything you may want."
The spawn slid to the ground and put together the pieces. They said he was in his father's cell. The same cell that had kept the Cubus for years, and that was when his sire was more of a spirit. From what he had heard through the door his father was taken, probably by the Unseelie and all of them had disappeared. He was going to be in that cell for a long time.
The man known simply as Mr. Duval to the armed men didn't even look at the armored door as he simply explained to the guardsmen what he had learned from other members of the Illuminati.
"Are you certain this whole thing is over?" the older of the soldiers asked. His hands windmilled as he tried to think of the best way to address the situation that happened within the world.
"Thing?" Duval's dark and well arched eyebrows raised. "The term you were looking for is war."
"Why didn't we attack the soldiers of the enemy?" The younger soldier asked. "The ones that worked for the Alliance."
Duval inhaled deeply. "Because in times like this, where there is a more powerful enemy attacking everything you hold dear as well as what the minor enemy cares about, you give up the petty differences and join forces." He turned around on his heel and began to walk down the hall. "If we fought each other instead of the main enemy, then the creatures such as our friend here would have won."
Duval hadn't even made it halfway to the elevator when he had heard the foot steps of a man trying to catch up to him. The Headmaster paused in his tracks and turned to see the shorter man catch up. The other man was light brown eyes and dark hair cut short, the areas near his temples had gone gray. He was dressed in a dark gray suit with a navy blue tie. A pair of wire thin glasses rested across the bridge of his nose.
"Fredricks," Duval addressed him. He waited patiently for the other man to catch his breath.
"Sir," Fredricks nodded towards him. "May I walk with you? There are few things I want to discuss."
"You may," Duval answered as they continued to walk. "There is something on your mind?"
"It's our latest acquirement."
"You wouldn't be addressing the members of the dark race."
Fredricks shook his head. "No sir, we have had those for years. I believe you know what I'm talking about."
"The demon child. You are worried what kind of damage he may cause."
"Are you not at all worried."
"Only a bit," They paused to wait for an elevator car to reach their floor. "The room the new Cubus had been placed in his high secure. We have placed him in the strongest cell. It contained his sire for decades."
"And he escaped," Fredricks waited until Duval had entered the elevator before he stepped inside.
"Not by himself," Duval pointed out before he pressed the number for the floor he wanted. "He didn't exactly escape as much as was let out by a sociopath. The first Cubus would have still been in his cell. He was in spirit form then and his spawn is physical. He will not get out."
"Why do we keep them at all?"
The headmaster waited until the elevator had stopped before he answered. "We keep them so we can study and learn them. We need to figure out such beings came to be and in case of demons like the Cubus, we need a specimen so we can learn how to kill them."
"We are going to destroy this demon?" Fredricks asked as he stepped out of the elevators.
"Eventually."
"Do we even know how to kill it?"
"Yes we do," Duval said slowly. "But we need a few more key elements. Right now I need to get to my office here and go over the reports. I need to see how much this is going to cost to clean up and how many have died."
Bei Chuan, China
"Is the coast clear?" Robyn Canmore asked from behind the door to her hospital room. The female hunter had ignored pain from her injuries and wore slippers on her blistered feet to keep them comfortable.
"I don't see anyone," Vinnie Gregarino replied. The tall brunet felt guilty for suffering from the least amount of injuries. A few small cuts, some bruises and sore muscles, mostly from his landing of the ship, and a few of those cuts were from stumbling out of the airship to usher in some of the local Chinese gargoyles inside.
"Good," Robyn pulled on a jacket and slipped out of her room. A few injuries were not going to keep her from seeing Dingo. "How far are we from his room."
"The next hall over," Vinnie held out a hand. "I'll be your look out."
"Thank ye. Ye have been great through all of this."
He shrugged without pausing. "It was the least I can do."
"Shhhh." She brought a finger to her mouth. She did not have to say anything further. Vinnie knew when to keep his mouth closed.
Vinnie glanced into the other hallway and waited until the nurse making her rounds had left before he turned back to Robyn. He gave her the thumbs up before Robyn had approached him.
"Stop!" the man called out in Chinese first and then English. "Are you supposed to be out of bed?"
"Whoops," Vinnie muttered as both he and Robyn turned to see the tall male nurse who had addressed them. He was not heavyset of bulking with muscles. He had some tone on his arms. "Sorry about that, Robyn."
"Don't blame yerself," she told him before turning to the nurse. "I am no longer in any pain and me legs are restless. I need t' walk."
"I don't think you should be out of your bed," the nurse said, staring at her feet. "Your the one with the burned feet. I don't think you should be walking."
"Ye donae understand. I am only walking a few feet. I need t' check on my friends."
"Your friends need to heal and you need to be back in bed."
"You can call as much doctors as ye want, call all your orderlies and your fellow nurses," Robyn crossed her healthy arm under her broken one. "Ye can even try to stop me yerself, but no matter what I will look in on my friends and ye won't be able t' stop me."
"And I'll help," Vinnie spoke proudly, jutting his chin out. "I'll keep you from stopping her."
The nurse lowered his thick eyebrows. "If that is what it will take then I shall get your doctor and other nurses."
Robyn didn't even wait to see if he would turn to leave. She turned towards the door to Dingo's room and opened it.
She was instantly greeted by several beeping machines. She stared at the EKG and the machine controlling his breathing, didn't bother to count how many tubes and wires were connected to Harry's body. She only stared at him and his face. The mohawk of sable brown hair was flat against the pillow. His rich brown eyes were closed, usual tan complexion seemed pale. The once strong and stubborn man appeared so frail.
"Harry," Robyn breathed. She didn't draw her focus away from her friend, not even when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll stand watch," Vinnie said. "I'll try to hold them off when they come."
"Aye," she didn't look at him, nor did she notice when he left. "Ye were brave, so brave. Both ye and Fang trying t' protect Yama like that." She found a chair and sat down. "I have much I want t' say t' ye."
She paused when his eyelids twitched.
"I wonder if that means ye can hear me. I want t' tell ye that I'm a wee bit sorry fer giving ye a hard time. I don't think ye got it any worse than the others, but they did not give me a hard time. Maybe we are too much a like in that way. Maybe we are suited fer each other. How many times did we spend in each others rooms? Were all those times just a few flings? A few nights of casual sex?" She shook her head. "I think not. I think we were both too stubborn to admit that we loved each other. Aye, I'm going t' tell ye now. I love ye and want ye t' hurry back t' us, t' me."
Vinnie tried not to make any sound when he closed the door behind him. He doubted Robyn would notice even if he slammed it. She would have been too focused on Harry to notice anything around her.
"It's not fair," Vinnie muttered. Robyn and Harry had finally reached the point where the admitted they saw each other more than friends and team mates. If only they were less stubborn. It did not take Vahril and Gawain that long for the two of them to admit it. The blue alien was the one who confessed her feelings first.
His train of thought shifted to the rest of his team mates. Robyn did not have to do too much convincing. A friend of the Chinese clan worked at the hospital and was willing to treat both Vahril and Fang. Vahril had her hand put in a cast and received treatment for her burns. Fang's leg was put in a cast and his wing stump was stitched up. Ryoma Toriyama was placed in the room across from Dingo's. The gargoyles would be mostly healed when the sun sets.
The sound of footsteps caused Vinnie's back to stiffen. He was ready to use all of his strength to take on anyone who would move Robyn from the room. He wasn't sure of the woman approaching the hallway was. She was dressed in knee length gray skirt with a crisp white blouse and matching vest. Her glossy dark hair was cut short. Worry was painted across her pretty face.
He had more to worry about the nurse who followed the pretty lady. The elderly woman did not look like she could pose a threat, but she might be able to recruit several more to carry Robyn back to her room.
"Gomen," the pretty lady said. "I didn't mean to frighten you."
"It's okay," Vinnie replied. He knew he was smiling like a dork at her. "You didn't scare me. I'm just watching over a friend." Great, he shouldn't have said that.
"Your friend's room is right here," the nurse pointed at Ryoma's room.
"Your a friend of Ryoma?" Vinnie wanted to kick himself after he asked. It was none of his business, was it?
"Hai," the younger woman nodded. "My name is Watanuki, Reika. Ryoma-san and I teach at the same school."
'What a lucky guy,' Vinnie thought before speaking. "Your friend is a very brave man."
"He is a hero," Reikia said while nodding. "I hope you friend feels better." She entered the other room followed by the nurse.
"Out of the way!" The shout came from the opposite end of the hall.
"Crap," Vinnie turned to see several doctors and more nurses running towards him. "You can't enter here." Vinnie spread himself across the entrance.
The old nurse who escorted Reika raced out of Ryoma's room and grabbed onto Vinnie. "Your friend is seizing!" It took the strength of her and two other nurses to shove homicide and allow the doctors to enter.
Vinnie followed them into the room and searched for Robyn. He found her holding onto the back of the chair. Tears were streaming down her face and her arms were shaking. He grabbed onto her and pulled her close.
"I just told him I loved him," Robyn sobbed out. "That was when it happened."
"I'm here," Vinnie told her in his most soothing voice. "I won't leave you."
"Tell him not t' leave me," Robyn cried. "Tell them t' bring him back. Bring him back!"
"They are doing everything the can," He rubbed her back as cried into his chest. Vinnie watched as the medical team did everything they could to get Dingo's heart to beat again.
Manhattan
"Are you certain you don't need any make up?" Travis Marshall asked. The news reporter was standing in the middle of one of the Eyrie building's cafeterias. Most of the chairs and tables were pushed back to make room for the cameras and sound equipment.
"I'm certain, unless you think my beak is too shiny for the cameras," Brooklyn replied wile wiping down a Kleenex down his beak. He had coated the thick tissue with talcum powder. The bit with the powder was one of the make up tips he picked up from Marle.
"If you are ready." Marshall asked. The man was clearly nervous but Brooklyn was certain it was not due to fear, but the fact he would be the first reporter in the city to interview a gargoyle.
"I'm ready when you are," the second in command replied. He had selected the cafeteria because it was in the middle of the building. He did not want to do the interview in the lobby or near the castle.
Marshall nodded and stepped in front of the camera. He waited until he heard the okay from the news room via the earpiece he wore to begin. "Thank you Jane. I'm here inside the Eeyrie building about to interview on of the gargoyles." He turned to Brooklyn. " The second in command of the clan by the name of Brooklyn." He motioned for Brooklyn to step closer and placed his mike in front of the gargoyle.
"Hello, Travis," Brooklyn spoke into it. Travis had already give him the clear to call him by his first name.
"I'm pretty sure the city has at least a hundred questions for you," Travis bright the mike closer to himself. "I believe the most obvious question was what had actually happen?"
"Hoo-boy," Brooklyn ran his hand down the back of his neck. "That is going to take a bit of explaining I guess I should start with the fact that what we people may have thought as myth is actually true. Faeries and monsters do exist. There were reports of that horse and rider monster from a year ago."
"We were attacked by Faeries and monsters?"
"Not quite Faeries. There is a good and bad side to everything and we were attacked by the bad faeries or the Unseelie."
"The large dragon and all of those other monsters were also part of this group of Unseelie?"
"Some of those monsters were," Brooklyn remembered what sort of creatures Rayne, Frank, the web-wings and beasts fought. "The small goblins with the blood stained hats and the cadaver like ghouls were some of them. The other monsters we are not sure of. They may even be genetic experiments. We have heard about certain monsters that were created on an island somewhere."
"There could be opposability these goblins were also genetic experiments."
"They could be," Brooklyn shrugged If the public wanted to believe the goblins and ghouls were experiments then let them. It may even be easier for them to believe that. "We know the demon like creature that some people have seen was in fact a demon, and that he had changed and altered a gargoyle into that beast."
"This was a possessed gargoyle?" Marshall raised his eyebrows.
"Not quite. Thailog was different from other gargoyles. He was raised to be corrupt. He wanted to be the leader of his own clan and not have anyone question him. Greed was his main motivation and greed in his heart grew." Brooklyn knew that there had to have been some good in Thailog at some point. He did want to share the money he stole from Xanatos with Goliath. That good part was what formed the depressed hatchling in one of the towers. "This demon took advantage of that greed and turned it into hatred for everyone. He altered Thailog's form and wanted him as a tool."
"How was this creature defeated. One camera picked up several missile blasts that took it out."
"It was that and an enchanted sword," Brooklyn tried to figure out the best way to explain to Marshall and the city. "It was a blessed sword that just needed the blood of a good and noble clan leader."
"You are saying there is true evil in this world?"
"That was what attacked us and the world. There are both evil and good. We like to think there is no true evil but there is, and most of us mortals have good and evil." He paused to take a drink of water. Marshall had given him a bottle of Aquafina before going on air. He had to watch himself; He was about to go into a cliched 80's cartoon speech. "Basically I'm saying there are demons and there are angels."
"Reports from South Australia have mentioned monsters, in England there were more mentions of monsters and goblins, more monsters in South America, the Southern part of Africa and the Southern islands of Asia."
"They were all connected."
"There were also reports of Gargoyles helping to fight the monsters in some of these places."
Brooklyn nodded. "There are clans spread out across the world. They are not everywhere but if there was clan within the vicinity of an Unseelie or demon attack then they tried to help."
"They were trying to protect the people?" Marshall tired to keep his expression emotionless. "Several eyewitness in Manhattan, have said you have saved them from a burning building, or being robbed or raped. Many members of P.I.T have spoken on your behalf, saying that you are protectors."
Brooklyn nodded. "That is true. It may differ from clan to clan. There is one clan in Central America that protects the rain forest, another clan in Nigeria who protect both the trees and the animals from poachers. Mostly the clans protect the citizens of their homeland from criminals and invaders."
Hudson absorbed the words coming from the television speakers. He and the rest of the clan had gathered around the clan's television to watch Brooklyn's interview. The elderly gargoyle had sank into his favorite chair first followed by the two gargoyles beasts. Each one had flanked his sides and got comfortable. A large plastic bowl full of buttered popcorn was in his lap.
"Why do you protect?" Marshall asked. "Is it something you have always done?"
"Of course," Hudson said before placing another piece of popcorn into his mouth.
"I guess it's something we have always done," Brooklyn replied while shrugging. "It may be part of our instinct or it might be because we see someone in trouble and we know we are able to save them. Whenever we see people in an auto accident we will be there to help the injured. Whenever we see a robbery, we will be there to stop the thief. Whenever we hear about a kidnapping we will track down where the victim is and rescue them."
"What is he saying?" Frank said during Brooklyn's speech. "Why is he altering the famouse quote from Grapes of Wrath?"
"He might be nervous," Marle suggested. "He could be trying to find the best way to explain how we protect."
"People would know we read," Broadway said while handing out cans of soda, iced tea and lemonade to the others. He had volunteered to keep the snacks flowing during the interview.
"Or at least seen the movie," Lexington added before opening a bag of Cheetos.
"So you have been protecting since 1994?" Marshall asked. "That was when you have first become noticed."
"Since we arrived her in Manhattan," Brooklyn nodded his head.
"Is he going to tell them everything about us?" Angela asked. She was too nervous to snack.
"The lad and I discussed it," Hudson responded. He turned up the volume with the remote. "Everything except for a few things regarding Demona and the exact locations of the other clans. Now I hope the rest of ye tries t' be quiet so we can hear what they are saying."
"Your over a thousand years old?" Marshall asked loudly. Hudson frowned at the fact they had missed an important part of the interview and was glad they were taping it. "You have been sleeping for a thousand years?"
"Technically yes," Brooklyn nodded. "Physically I'm more like a forty seven year old, or compared to humans, I'm twenty-three and a half. We age at half the human rate."
"Because of how you sleep during the day," Marshall nodded. "Do you know what exactly causes this transformation for you?"
"We are not exactly sure. We have no idea how we came to be able to turn into stone at dawn. It could have been some strange turn in evolution, or it also may have been magic."
"Magic," Marshal repeated his eye brows were risen in disbelief. "Like the magic spell that has sealed you for over a thousand years?"
"Pretty much," Brooklyn said. By the look on his face the rest of the clan knew he figured he wouldn't expect the reporter to believe in magic, and wondered if the world would believe him.
"Sister," Mercutio tapped onto Angela's shoulder and whispered into her ear. "You think some people out there might believe in magic and the third race?"
"I have a feeling that some may believe," Angela whispered back.
Avalon
"Don't you even think of trying to seal me!" Kumiho hissed. Her entire body was covered in white illuminescence and was hovering three feet in the air. She had shifted to a form in between her fox and human form.
"Don't waste your breath," Atlas told her The tall fae stood a few feet way from the spectacle. His earth brown eyes were fixated on Kumiho and the three who surrounded her. The Wyrd sisters were going to seal her the same was they had sealed the others.
The coins of Oberons treasure room rattled from underneath the large feet of Atlas and under the other fae who helped hold onto the prisoners. The most rattling came from under Anansi. The were surrounded by the tall statues that resembled the captured Unseelie. Where there was once statues of innocent forest creatures there were now statues resembling Amatsu, Kali, The White Lady, Loki and several others.
The Kumiho responded with a hiss. Her eyes were filled with a glowing yellow light. She spoke in Korean, no doubt trying to use a counter spell to make an attempt at escape.
"Save it," Atlas said. His hands maintained their grip on the last prisoner, Set. One of his fingers, the size and length of a sausage covered up the aardvark like snout. "No matter how much you snap your jaws, how much your claw and spit, or try to use your powers you are still going to be frozen."
The Kumiho screeched when her form lengthen and thin liked a piece of taffy. It pulled and lengthened until it was as thin as yarn. The glowing form shot straight for a statue of a fox. The glowing yarn spun around the figure and wrapped and circled, completely incasing the figure before it pulsed once and was absorbed.
The statue was silent and motionless for a fraction of a second before it's form changed, looking more like it was made of soft , pliable clay instead of stone. Paws stretched into hands and feet, maintaining it's sharp claws. The statue stood up on it's hind legs while it grew taller and lost it's haunches. A gown shaped over it's form. The muzzle shrank back, nose changing shape. A fell of stone hair sprouted down from it's head and didn't stop till it was well beneath it's waist. The only parts that did not change shape were its ears and tail, where there was once one there were six.
"Is that what you are going to do to me?" Set asked once Atlas's finger and lowered to his neck. "Are you going to seal me in a stone animal, make me a decoration for a treasure room that is never used."
"It has a good use," Anansi replied. He pointed at the Unseelie with one of his fangs while his mandibles waggled, green ichor dripped from his fangs. "It was a prison before and it will be a prison again."
"You don't have to worry about being a statue," Coyote grinned at him. He was hiding something behind his back. "As the leader you get a special place." He brought out a small brass cage birdcage, hanging from a chain.
"You expect to cage me like Mab?"
"No, I'm showing this cage I got for my new budgie," Coyote rolled his eyes.
"You did not cage Amatsu and he was almost the leader," Set pointed out.
"Almost is not good enough," Atlas waited until the three sisters, Anasi, and Coyote had surrounded them. "And we can't have two of you guys in a cage. Who knows what you will be plotting.
"Go ahead," Set hissed. "Shrink me and lock me up, but you can clearly see that you haven't caught us all. There others still on the outside, they have gone to hiding an hiding is not all they do. They are also plotting, waiting until they can break us free."
"Break you free and you can have your revenge," Coyote yawned. "Yadda yadda yadda."
"He who lead the enemy children," Luna began. She felt the borrowed power from Anasi. Sealing the others had drained them.
"Once powerful and full of vengeful rage," Phoebe chimed in. Her secondary source came from Coyote.
"Shall be no bigger than a meadow wren," Selene picked up with Atlas's power.
"And bound to a brass cage," all three of them spoke at once. "Trapped forever in prison for the rest of time, until his heart is willing to repent his crime."
Atlas felt Set's form shrink in size until he only needed one hand to hold onto his body. The large fae handed over the Unseelie leader to Coyote who held him until he shrank and was sealed inside his fist.
"Just be glad you are a little bigger than Mab," the trickster said as he placed the shrunken Set inside the cage and sealed the door shut. "And don't worry about staying here." He stared at the tiny figure inside. You are going to be in the throne room where we can keep an eye on you."
"You not have to worry about keeping your word," Titania spoke in a soft and somber tone. She had placed one turquoise colored hand on the shoulder of the Outcast before her. "I have spoken with your wife and she understands that the funeral will last for at least an hour here and a day there."
"I promised I'd be back after a few days," Puck sighed. He had forgone his usual motley colored outfit and replaced it with a tunic and trousers in black. Sleek tights of the same color clothed the rest of his legs from knees down and his slippers with the curled tows were black as well. His long white hair was tied back. His clothing looked less than those of a trickster and more like a merger between Puck's and Owens. "I came for the funeral. I did not expect to be delayed while the Unseelie were being imprisoned nor did I expect to stay for the welcoming back ceremony."
"I had fully explained everything." Titania said. She had exchanged her ensemble for a simple black gown with long sleeves. The gold cap on her head was replaced by a black one with a veil. "Through the mirror we have communicated."
"I should have been the one to told her," Puck said. "Why did couldn't Oberon have the funeral at the same time as the Unseelies were being sealed."
"There were those who wish to see the ceremony," Titania said and held up a finger. " We also need the help of Anansi and Atlas.You have clearly been living in the human world too long. It is not a funeral. We call it A Leaving."
"A leaving," Puck sighed. He wanted to be with Kitty and be at the ceremony, but he knew that would not deem possible. Oberon did not grant permission to any of the other mortals the rest of his wayward children had married, and even then the mere essence of the island would have caused Kitty to blister all over.
"Let us attend the Leaving, shall we?" She took his hand and the surrounding walls of the castle were replaced by the large interior chamber of the Hollow Hill
The original floor that contained Arthur's resting place had grown in size, a second slab had materialized next to the original and more than one path lead towards them. The new slab was made out of greenish blue marble, the rippling lines were of a silver hue. The slab's pedestal had an inscription carved underneath the images of a seashell.
"We are here," Coyote's voice was heard before the cyclone appeared. The dying wind gently dispersed him along with Anansi, Atlas and the three sisters. "Set is in his cage and it's hanging in your throne room."
"Good work," Oberon spoke. Puck had almost missed seeing him amongst the crowd of gargoyles and fae who were surrounding the large lump of iron that contained Melusine. Like his wife and Puck the king of the third race had donned a suit of black.
Puck glanced over at the new arrivals. All accept the sisters had arrived wearing black. Puck wanted to shout out, tell them they were disrespecting the dead. He nearly bit down on his tounge when the whites of their gowns had turned to ebony and the blue had darkened a few shades. Puck still felt like they didn't belong at The Leaving. The despised the fact Melusine had stood up to their leader and if they had their way they wouldn't have honored her by the Leaving, nor welcome back any of the Outcasts.
"Boy wonder," Hallie's whisper tore his attention from the sisters to Selene's daughter. Hallie didn't have to change her cloths and wore the same outfit she always wore. "I have your bouquet." She handed him a small bundle of flowers held together by a ribbon of gold twine.
"Thank you," he whispered back. He was going to be one of the bouquet holders? He stepped closer to the crowd an noticed the other bouquet holders were the former Outcasts. He also stared at the lump of iron that kept Melusine's remains. It was so dark and twisted, not suited for a brave and noble being.
The stream of light that covered the iron made Puck jump back a few feet. He watched as the dark iron softened and began to reshape itself. A true shape became more defined. Long sides ended in a short rectangle, three more were shaped out of the top, making it the same shape as a coffin.
The being responsible was one of the Avalon Clan. An olive green youth with a long, curving pteranodon crest jutting through his maroon hair. His wings were also like that of a pteranodon. He was dressed in a tan loin cloth with a braided belt, white tunic and blue vest with an embroidered edge.
"I hope you like it," the youth said weakly as he faltered backwards. He was caught by Hecate.
"It's beautiful," Hecate said as she helped steady himself to his feet. Like the others she had replaced her outfit with black gown and matching cloak. The only color she wore was the deep bluish purple of the gem in her belt buckle "Your teacher would have been proud."
Puck had to agree with her. The casket was smooth and glossy and the had dark color of the iron. It brought an image of an obelisk to his mind; The one from his favorite Science fiction movie that had apes learning how to use bones as weapons after merely touching it. The youth even made it even have a engraved image of a mermaid on the top. A mermaid with angelic wings and a halo.
"It was the last thing the Magus had taught me," the youth said. He didn't notice the smaller green faerie with translucent butterfly wings until she was in his face.
"Drink!" She chimed out while holding out a large flower. "It will make you feel better."
"Thank you," the gargoyle accepted the blossom and drank from the pistil shaped straw in the center. No sooner had the drops reached the throat when his posture straightened. The dark greenish gray circles that had formed under his eyes were gone.
"The casket has been crafted," Oberon's said. He floated across the second bridge and stood behind the slab. "Prepare the cloth."
The cloth came in the form of spider-silk. Anansi shot forth the long jets that were accepted into the long fingers of Cobweb. The spindly limbed fae managed to weave the threads into a long yards of cloth. The gargoyles took the material and used it to wrap around coffin until it looked like a white cocoon.
"Bring the coffin here," Oberon commanded.
Atlas grabbed onto the thick cocoon. The padding from the silk protected the large fae's hands from the pain the iron could cause. He took the bridge in the wide steps and set the cocoon down onto the sea colored slab.
Oberon removed a knife from his belt and with one swipe he cut through the cocoon. Atlas pulled out the silk from under the casket.
"Hecate and bouquet carriers may come forth."
The hybrid did not fly across the bridge like Oberon did, nor did any of the former outcasts, as soon as Atlas had returned they walked across the bridge, heads hung low and small bouquets held against their chests.
Hecate took her place next to the king of the fae. "Thank you to all who are attending this Leaving," She spoke loud enough for everyone across the bridge to hear. "It is rare for any immortal to leave this world and we lost a rare jewel indeed. Melusine was a caring creature who loved the spirits known as undines and accepted the role of being their queen. She had always felt what she did was right even though she was banished she fought for Avalon, for the world." She swept back her cloak and hood, releaving her hair that had a streak of black sperating the red from the orange, and pulled what she carried within the sleeve, a floral wreath made out of blossoms that only grew on the enchanted island. "You were a good friend to me and did not shun me because of my human and demon blood." She placed the wreath on the center of the casket.
Puck knew what his role was. Like the other Outcasts they stood silently while the Speaker spoke on behalf of the dead. Once Hecate had finished speaking and placed her flowers he and the others were to place their bundles of flowers on top of the casket. Each one offered their own parting words.
"I'm sorry," Puck breathed. His bouquet was placed right in the middle of Hecate's wreath. "You will be missed." He stepped back and lowered his knees to the ground, silent and waiting.
Hectate answered the question on his mind when she began to sing. The Speaker was the one to lead the bouquet holders and everyone else in singing. It had been centuries since he had heard the elegy. Hecate did not translate it into any modern language and sang using the original words. He waited until the second verse before he joined in.
The Speaker and bouquet handlers were soon joined by Oberon before the audience joined in. Titania sang in perfect harmony with her husband, followed by the Bin Sidhe, Odin, Grandmother, Kitsune, Coyote, Anasi, the death gods and the rest of the fae. The two humans and gargoyles did not know the words and hummed along.
"Melusine shall always be remembered and honored," Oberon spoke after the silence that followed the singing. "This statue of her shall be erected in the courtyard of my castle."
Puck opened his eyes and blinked away the tears before the saw the vision his king had created. Within the ghostly portrait floating between Oberon's hands was a single white statue of Melusine. The figure was standing tall. Her long clothing of fish remains clothed her body and stopped a few inches above her webbed toes. The eyes of the statue had captured the sadness that was beheld in the eyes of the deceased fae.
"I want you former Outcasts to remain kneeling," Oberon instructed "Hecate you may also kneel." He waited until the hybrid's knees had come in contact with the floor. "We, Oberon have once banished you from this island to forever live in the world and never step onto Avalon's sands. This banishment is now lifted and we Oberon, and the rest of the third race welcome you back with open arms." He turned to Heccate. "Being who is a mix of human, demon and fae are welcome to visit whenever you please." Oberon breathed in and clapped his hands. "You may rise."
"It is true," Olifat asked once he returned to his feet. The tanned fae wore a small necklace of puka shells over his suit. The sleeves were cut away, displaying the silvery blue tattoos on his arms. "We are Seelie?"
"You are the children of Oberon," the ruler of the third race nodded. "You have done great work to keep the demons from taking this planet. They may try again in a thousand years."
"They are persistant," Hectate scowled, She looked almost ashamed to habe part demon. "They took Mars and Venus and who knows what other planets in the universe."
"They might be trying to go after other planets," Oberon nodded. "We may now return to the castle to feast in the honor of Melusine and welcoming back our prodigal children." The King of the fae lead Hecate and the former Outcasts back across the bridge.
The third race did not teleport themsleves and the mortles back to Oberon's castle. They had chosen to walk abck from the Hollow Hill. Their path was lighted by lanterns and the bio-luminescence from several of the faeries.
Puck flew ahead of the crowd, towards Oberon. He had earn glares from the sisters as well as a few disappointed looks from those who had sought to take his place. Puck ignored them and cleared his throat.
"Your grace?" Puck asked. "Not that I oppose the idea of dining in this great honor and memory but the Puck has made a promise."
"Is it a promise to a mortal?" Oberon raised his eyebrows.
"My wife, who cannot attend this feast for health reasons. I had promised her I would be gone no longer than the weekend, a promise that had more time granted via your own beloved wife."
"Is that so?" Oberon's eyes shifted to his right, where Titania had walked beside him
"It is true, my husband," Titania responded. "I believe it would be best if Puck received the same blessing as Hecate. He is not forced to live here and chooses to visit when he can. There are still more things for my grandson and daughter to learn."
"A reasonable request," Oberon nodded. "You may leave to visit between worlds until your youngest child has reached their eighteenth year and then you are bound once more to me."
"Thank you my lady," Puck bowed to Titania first before turning to his king. "Thank you my lord." He whispered a parting goodbye to the Hollow Hill before he faded from view.
Manhattan
The guise of Owen Burnet returned to the trickster once more as soon as he returned to the living quarters shared by him and his wife. Kitty wasn't in front of their television, nor at the desk working on the computer or reading. He spun around and saw the light coming from their bathroom.
"Kitty, I'm home." He called out to her. "I'm sorry I'm late."
"Owen?" Kitty Burnet responded before she opened the door. Her hair and the top of her head was wrapped in a dusky pink towel. A matching beach towel wrapped around her body like a sleeveless dress. It was not too tight to keep her tail from moving freely. "Your home."
Kitty," the sight of his wife just out of the shower was enough to cause his glasses to slide off his nose. "I hope I didn't shock you."
"You didn't," she stepped closer to him. "and you don't have to apologies. Titania had explained."
"I can visit Avalon whenever I want. I am no longer banished."
"That's great." Her smile quickly disappeared. "I'm still sorry about your friend. I'm sorry I couldn't go."
"Do not worry about that, my sweetness." He accepted her embrace. "It was not a long ceremony and I did nit stay for the feast."
"Tomorrow morning you can go back and see if they are still feasting." She ran her fingers down his chest, undoing the buttons of his shirt.
"What would you like to do right now?" he asked. He removed his glasses and kissed her cheek. His lips brushed down her neck.
"How about this?" She stepped back and released her hold on her towel. The large cloth fell to the floor.
Owen blinked once and pulled her back to him. His mouth massaged her shoulder while her fingers found his belt.
The End