Disclaimers
All characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyrighted by 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 of Celgress.
Gargoyles Shattered Mirror – Chapter One
By Celgress
A condo in NYC, night
"From New York City - Monster Girls Gone Wild!" These lovely lady creatures will do whatever they must to turn you on! The only question is can you handle them?!" The voice of a male announcer blared while clips of young female gargoyles in skimpy bikinis performing various lewd acts flashed by. "Order now on True Fans!"
"Hey, Hudson do you think Goliath would be okay with me subscribing to this website? It is only $29.99 a month. He is the one paying for everything out of his big NYPD salary, so I thought I should ask." Lexington asked hopefully. He was glued to the 60-inch smart UHD TV.
Hudson shook his head. "Lad, turn off that filth. I want to watch the news." Hudson said from his leather chain.
"Aw, do I have to?" Lexington whined.
"Lad, I have some advice for ye. If ever want a mate someday ye best start treating females with respect." Hudson said. Bronx barked his agreement.
"You're no fun." Lexington pouted like a child.
"Hudson has a point, Lex. I've noticed Elisa is uncomfortable around you and so is every other female we meet." Brooklyn said.
"Nonsense, why would they be?" Lexington said dismissing the concerns of his clan members.
"Because you leer at them, the pretty ones anyway," Broadway said.
"You guys are no fun," Lexington said as he stormed out of the living room with a tablet under his arm.
A short while later Elisa arrived. "Hi guys, where is Gowain, oh I mean Goliath? Sorry, I'm used to calling him Gowain Galloway at work." She said.
"He's getting ready for work. He'll be here shortly." Brooklyn added with a chuckle. "He still hates wearing human clothes."
"Well, he has to or he'll blow his cover. Convincing everyone Goliath is an ex-Scottish detective who worked on strange phenomena for Scotland Yard wasn't easy, thank you, Bluestone. Matt's hacking and misinformation skills are second to none, it's scary." Elisa said. "Also, the fact Internet access has been limited by the government to 'avoid any further mass panic' stemming from misinformation helps."
"And it helps that Goliath is kind of an expert when it comes to Gargoyles and other stuff humans consider weird," Broadway offered.
"It sure does," Elisa said with a grin remembering how hard it was to convince Goliath of her plan not to mention fitting him for human clothing (his first trip to a tailor was a nightmare).
"Aye, I do understand why those in charge would want things under control," Hudson said. "When humans began realizing they were changed without explanation a great deal of chaos ensued."
"Indeed," Elisa said a safe expression on her face. "Suicides spiked as did petty crime, abandonment of children, pets, and the elderly by both visitors and residents, and then there were the riots. Parts of the city burned for nights on end, we lost a lot of good people and important infrastructure was damaged or destroyed." A shiver ran down her spine at the memories.
"I can't believe nearly six months have passed since the incident," Brooklyn said. 'The Incident' was what everyone in NYC and beyond termed the night New Yorkers mysteriously (for the vast majority who knew nothing of the Fae or Puck's antics) became gargoyles.
"There you are," Elisa said her sad expression visibly brightening.
"Elisa, Hudson, Brooklyn, Broadway, Bronx," Goliath greeted his clan members each of whom nodded in turn. Bronx barked happily. "Where is Lexington?"
"He's in his room, probably pleasuring himself to lewd pics or videos of females," Brooklyn said with disgust.
"C'mon Brooklyn, Lex isn't that bad," Broadway said. Brooklyn shot him a want to bet? look.
"Ahem, we should change the subject," Goliath said after clearing his throat loudly.
"Agreed," Elisa said. "Are you ready for work?"
"Yes," Goliath said.
"By the way, you look handsome tonight," Elisa said admiring his grey suit and brown leather coat.
"Thank you, and you look lovely as usual," Goliath said.
Broadway elbowed Brooklyn who elbowed him back. "Don't," Brooklyn hissed softly.
"We'll be back before dawn," Elisa said while the pair left arm in arm.
Once the pair were gone Broadway said. "Elisa should move in. We have plenty of room."
"They aren't ready for that step yet. We shouldn't push them." Brooklyn said.
"Aye lad, let them go at their own pace," Hudson said.
City Hall, a short time later
"General Myers, how much longer is New York going to remain under quarantine?" Asked the Mayor of New York City a heavy-set grey-skinned gargoyle.
"Until we know what caused this New York City and adjacent areas will remain quarantined." General Myers replied. He was an older bald African American man with a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard. Like the rest of his team, both military and civilian he wore a fully sealed white hazmat suit.
"With all due respect General Myers, if the cause was contagious the first wave of visitors who arrived before the incident became widely known would have also changed. Six months later they remain unchanged one such individual is my fellow Crisis Council member David Xanatos. Mr. Xanatos arrived in New York less than 24 hours after the incident. Surely he would have been transformed by now if this is an infection." Dominique Destine confidently declared. She was the Chairperson of the joint governmental-industry Crisis Council.
"Unless he's a carrier." General Myers countered.
Dominique Destine sighed. "We've been over this several times already. Multiple rounds of blood work performed by the CDC have found zero evidence of a pathogen of any sort being responsible for our change. What more must we do before you lift this moronic embargo?"
"We haven't imposed an embargo on your city it is a quarantine. Vital supplies are arriving daily. No one is impeding the flow of trade. I resent the implication the military is treating the residents of this city unfairly in any way, shape, or form. We have bent over backward to accommodate you. But, I will not risk the health of our nation until we fully understand what happened here. Do I make myself clear, Ms. Destine?" General Myers said staring at Dominique.
"Crystal clear." Dominique Destine said. Her expression was cold as ice as they locked eyes.
"Good day, or rather, good night," General Myers said leaving with his escort of eight heavily armed soldiers.
"Pompous old fool," Dominique Destine said.
"Ms. Destine the general is doing his best, I'm sure." The Mayor said.
"Perhaps, but his best for whom?" Dominique Destine said.
"W-What do you mean?" The Mayor stammered.
"Mr. Mayor, may I speak freely?" Dominique Destine asked.
"Of course," The Mayor said. They were alone so what harm could letting her give her opinion do?
"It is my observation you are a logical man. A pragmatist highly skilled in political matters." Dominique Destine began. "It is because of your mindset you think the general has our best interests at heart. It is the most rational conclusion given your experience and the circumstances. However, you're forgetting one thing. You've made one critical error."
"What would that be?" The Mayor asked. He did not like where he suspected this was going.
"Your rationality makes you blind thus you've completely overlooked something crucial, fear. Fear drives human action it is at the core of human nature. What humans do not understand they fear. What they fear they often grow to hate. What they hate they seek to control and if they cannot they then seek to destroy it." Dominique Destine said.
"Preposterous, what evidence do you have that humans are little better than animals? That we are controlled by our base emotions?" The Mayor said.
"An understanding of history; my history and that of others." Dominique Destine declared. "I have witnessed hatred personified born of fear on countless occasions. A man consumed by revenge no matter the cost of innocent lives due to a cruel act. I've seen the moment when a talented warrior lost all hope due to fear and betrayed his closest ally. I've witnessed uncounted acts of cruelty driven by fear of those who are different. I've realized something recently or rather I've remembered something, I have personally experienced hatred driven by fear I know its power well. I know what happens when fear clouds your judgment. In the eyes of General Myers just now I saw fear deep and dark. He fears us; what we are and what we represent. Given the chance, he will destroy us without hesitation, I suggest we don't give him that chance. Our lives are not safe in his hands, far from it."
"What are you proposing?" The Mayor said a lump forming in his throat.
Dominique Destine smiled slyly. "We outmaneuver the good general before we lose the element of surprise."
"But how?" The Mayor said.
"Let me worry about the details. I'll be in touch." Dominique Destine said. She walked out of the room leaving a deeply confused and frightened Mayor.
To Be Continued
I hope to post a longer chapter soon.
Author's Note One – This story is set in modern times rather than 1994 so there is modern tech.