Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or locations from Gargoyles, those belong to their owners.
Author's note: This story takes place the summer following "The Journey", and though it ignores the comic's continuity, I'm using Fang's real name, revealed in Bad Guys #2.
Chance Meetings
Chapter 17
by Remtar85
"I am so glad to be your friend right now," Tyler told Daniel. "More than usual, I mean."
"Our lives did get a lot more interesting," Daniel said with a smile.
The two boys had been exploring the castle ever since they bumped into Bronx, the gargoyle beast following by their side at all times. The three had gone down a couple of halls, eventually encountering a door to the outdoor areas, which they wandered about as well. At times they enjoyed running off ahead and have Bronx follow and catch up, occasionally petting the gargoyle beast while they walked.
"You think we should tell Yvonne and Cynthia sometime?" Tyler asked, referring to their other two friends.
Daniel thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't think we should, Tyler. I mean, you found out about Uncle Freddy by accident, and now you've been to both the Labyrinth and to this castle here. We didn't get in trouble with Mr. and Mrs. Xanatos, but I'm pretty sure Talon's not gonna like that I brought you along to the Labyrinth. Plus, what if the others get the urge to tell someone else, or do it by accident?"
"Yeah, good point," Tyler said with a nod of his head. "Especially Cynthia, now that I think about it."
"Downside of being friends with the biggest gossip in our grade," Daniel said with a chuckle.
"She keeps going that way, she'll end up the biggest gossip in school," Tyler added, then looked around. "I think we should go back inside, 'cause I really need to go to the bathroom."
Daniel nodded and the boys switched directions, Bronx right by them, happy to have company. Among the various rooms they had seen during their tour, they did notice a bathroom and headed there immediately. After Tyler finished using it, they once again set on their way.
"So where do you think we should go check out next?" Tyler asked as they walked down a different hall.
Daniel was about to reply, but they heard the sounds of a television show playing. Curious, the boys walked along the hall and noticed an open doorway.
"That's a TV room," Daniel whispered. "It's where I first met Bronx. That means that Hudson must be there."
The boys walked closer to the door and peeked in. They could see the television on, and seated on the armchair, relaxing and enjoying his shows, was Hudson, just as Fox had said. The two boys looked at each other and simultaneously nodded, and started sneaking away. They did not expect Bronx to suddenly bark, startling the boys into running, with the gargoyle beast looking between Hudson and the boys for a moment.
"Bronx? What is it, boy?" Hudson asked, looking at the beast in the doorway, who took off running. Hudson then got up, walked to the door and looked over to see Bronx turn around a corner.
"Celebrity Hockey's on, Bronx, I don't have the time to play hide and seek with ye," Hudson called out, stepping back into the tv room-unaware that the two boys were pressed against the wall right around the corner, Bronx staring at them with a quizzical look on his face.
"That was close," Tyler whispered.
"Yeah, but at least now we know where he is," Daniel whispered back. "All we have to do is not pass by here again."
"Okay. So that makes two gargoyles out of three. One's unaccounted for, the one named Lexington," Tyler said. "Maybe we should sneak around and find out where he is, so that way we'll know all the places we shouldn't go to."
"Yeah, good idea. And I think I know how to do it," Daniel said, then smiled and looked down at Bronx. "Hey. Bronx, can you find Lexington for us? But quietly, please."
Bronx clearly understood what Daniel asked, as he sniffed around the floor and the air and started trotting down the hall, the boys following him. It took just a few minutes for them to finally come to a stop, as Bronx had stopped by a closed door and looked expectantly at the boys. Daniel and Tyler looked at the door, with Tyler carefully testing if the doorknob would turn or not. He found the door unlocked, and the boys pressed their ears to the door. Inside they could hear a faint clicking.
"Okay, I'm gonna open the door just a bit to check if he's busy or not, 'cause if he is, then we can wander around better," Tyler whispered.
"Got it," Daniel said with a nod of his head. "But get ready to run if he notices the door opening."
Tyler proceeded to very slowly and carefully open the door, hoping it wouldn't creak. He pushed it bit by bit, little by little, the only sound still being the occasional clicking from inside the room. Eventually Tyler opened the door enough to both be able to peek in. There they saw the small, olive-skinned gargoyle hunched on a chair, the clicking sounds they heard being from a computer's mouse and keyboard. The boys leaned in slightly to the side, in turn opening the door a bit more, to better glimpse in curiosity at what Lexington was watching in his computer. As soon as they caught a glimpse, they both almost burst out laughing and closed the door, a bit too quickly, and they heard a gasp from inside.
"Who's there?" Lexington called out in a rather panicked voice, and Bronx responded with a bark. "Oh! It's you, Bronx! Uuh, sorry, boy, but you can't come in right now!"
The two boys, hands clasped firmly over their mouths, hurried away, with Bronx continuing to follow them. They quickly came to a door leading them outside, and there they burst out laughing, Bronx looking at them in mild confusion.
"Oh my God, he was watching porn!" Tyler exclaimed while still laughing.
"I never knew gargoyles could be so kinky!" Daniel said, also laughing.
Their laughter continued for a few moments more, then they started settling down, though the occasional giggle still escaped them. "Man, look at us laughing at someone watching porn. Who would think it was something so funny?" Tyler said.
"Maybe we wouldn't have laughed so hard if it hadn't been a gargoyle watching humans doing it," Daniel said with an amused grin. "We should go back inside just in case, but now we know where not to go."
"Good, 'cause if I pass by that room again, knowing he's in there watching that, I won't be able to stop myself from laughing again," Tyler said as the boys and Bronx continued on their castle exploration.
Malibu was confused when Owen started spinning slowly, but what followed utterly baffled him. Owen's spinning rapidly grew faster and faster, until he became a blur. Now a little scared, Malibu backed away, standing by Fox, whereas the three humans looked on with expectant smiles. The spinning suddenly stopped and Owen was gone. In his place Malibu saw what looked like a human but clearly wasn't. He was not as tall as Owen, had pointy ears, long white hair, a sly smile on his face, and he wore colorful clothes that looked like the type worn centuries ago, similar to those in some movies and TV shows Malibu had seen.
"Aaaah, nothing like a good old Wonder Woman-esque transformation to get the magical energies flowing," he said.
"Who are you?" Malibu asked in confusion. "Where is Owen?!"
"Hey now, what did my other me tell you? Don't panic!" the strange fellow said-suddenly floating up and right over to Malibu, getting in his face within the span of a second right as he said 'panic', startling the gargoyle and making him fall on his butt, which made Alexander giggle in amusement.
"You see, my dear clone, this is my actual true form. But I can only assume it to protect Alex, or to teach him how to use his magic. You may call me Puck, Spellcaster Extraordinaire... or, you know, just Puck will do fine."
"Owen is really magical being?"Malibu asked in awe as he picked himself up off the floor, and then looked over at the baby. "And Alex can do magic?"
"Our boy's very talented," Xanatos said with a smile full of pride.
"Smart and skilled," Fox added. "So, David, should Alex inhabit my body this time, or yours?"
"Actually, this time is a special occasion," Puck said, whizzing about Fox. "Considering this spell is about clearing Malibu's mind from that nasty programming, this means that it has to be an inside job. Alex has to inhabit Malibu himself."
"Inhabit Malibu?" the gargoyle asked.
"What that means is that my prized pupil must magically go into your body," Puck replied.
"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt," Fox told the clone. "Alex has housed himself in my body a few times to practice spells, and he's also done it with David here, and Lexington too. He'll be in control but you'll be able to see, hear and feel normally, and you'll be back in control after he leaves your body."
Malibu looked surprised at this. He then stood in silence for a couple of seconds and then looked at Puck. "Okay. Malibu is ready to be better."
"Then let's get to work," Puck said with a grin, then gently took Alex from Fox's arms. "Now, my boy, I know we haven't practiced this spell before. But for someone with your skills, and with my flawless guidance, I'm sure you can pull it off. Now..."
Malibu watched with curiosity as Puck whispered into Alex's ears. Xanatos stood from his desk chair and joined Fox, an arm around her as they eagerly awaited what was to come. It took a couple of minutes of Puck talking to Alex, but finally, Puck finished his explanation and smirked Malibu's way.
"Hope you're ready, 'cause here we go. Hit it, kiddo," Puck said, and Malibu's eyes grew wide as Alexander transformed into what seemed like a wisp of sparking blue wind. And said wisp of sparkling blue wind flew towards Malibu and went into his body through his mouth.
It took just a mere couple of seconds for the change to be noticeable, the stunned expression on Malibu's face turned into a child-like smile. Alexander was now effectively in the driver's seat. The child inside the gargoyle's body curiously raised Malibu's hands to feel the gargoyle's beak, then the horns, and back to the beak, and then he giggled.
"The beak feels funny," Alex spoke through Malibu.
"I'll see if we can co-op Brooklyn for a future lesson," Puck said, casually floating upside down. "Now tell me, can you feel the mess that Thailog made in Malibu's mind?"
At this, Malibu's eyes closed. "Hmmm. Yes, Uncle Puck."
Puck now floated behing Malibu's body and put his hands on the gargoyle's shoulders. "And are you confident you can fix it?"
Malibu's eyes opened, a look of child-like glee on them along with a big smile. "Yes I am!"
"Show us what you've got, son," Xanatos said with a smile.
Alexander, in Malibu's body, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was concentrating deeply, for Thailog had done some nasty work on Malibu's mind. He needed to make sure he got this exactly right, but fortunately for him, he could sense how much Malibu wanted this, and it helped a lot in the process. When he finally felt ready, and eyes still closed, he brought Malibu's hands up to the gargoyle's temples, pressing his fingers there, and those hands began glowing with a bright blue light as he began to cast the spell.
"Let the mind be always clear,
and let no one interfere;
Follow your own heart until
you think by your own will!"
Malibu's hands grew brighter with Alexander's magic, with the humans and Puck looking on expectantly. For several moments nothing seemed to happen, just the bright lights and steady breathing from the gargoyle. Over a minute passed and still nothing, but then there was a grunt and the gargoyle fell to his knees.
"Alex!" Fox gasped, rushing to where Malibu knelt. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Mommy, don't worry," Alex spoke through Malibu. "I'll be done soon."
"I take it it's Malibu who's feeling the strain, not Alex?" Xanatos asked Puck, sounding concerned, if only mildly.
"That's right," Puck replied, very attentive to what his pupil was doing. "Putting an altered, fractured mind back together is a rather tough job. It's basically like a puzzle. It takes a bit to get it done and the owner of the body feels the strain."
As the three continued to watch, Malibu occasionally grunted and groaned as Alex continued to carry out his task, the gargoyle still down on his knees. It seemed like a long time passed, but in reality it was just a couple more minutes. And then with a final and louder grunt, Malibu collapsed onto his side, and a second later the wisp of glimmering blue wind shot out from the gargoyle's mouth and onto Fox's arms, reforming into Alexander, who cooed up at his mother.
"Did you manage it, sweetie?" Fox asked her child.
"Let's check," Xanatos said, getting down on one knee next to the gargoyle clone. "Are you all right, Malibu?"
For a moment, Malibu said nothing, but then he stirred and groaned. "Is this what a hangover feels like? Seriously, little guy, did you use a jackhammer in there or what?" he asked, then his red eyes opened wide. "Wait. I'm speaking more fluently now... hey wait, I'm not referring to myself in the third person anymore!"
"Haha!" Puck laughed, swooping down next to Fox, looking proudly at Alex. "Another tough spell and you nail it on the first try, my favorite little prodigy!"
"I'm so proud of you, Alex!" Fox said, kissing her son's cheek, the child giggling at all the attention.
"You were amazing, son," Xanatos said with a bright smile at his child. Then he reached down, offering a hand to Malibu, which the gargoyle accepted, and Xanatos helped Malibu stand and get steady on his feet.
"Whew, okay. Bit dizzy, but it's fading away. Starting to feel normal now. Like, really normal," Malibu said, then chuckled, a bright smile on his beaked face as he looked at everyone. "I can't believe all this just happened!"
"Maaeboo," Alex cooed, prompting the gargoyle to reach forward, letting the young boy grab at his fingers again.
"Thank you, Alex, you're the best!" Malibu said enthusiastically, then looked at Xanatos, Fox and Puck as well. "Thank you, all of you. I don't know how to repay this."
"I'm sure there's a way, but let's leave that for another time," Xanatos said smoothly. "For now, we should figure out a way to do the same for your fellow clones."
"Yeah, I really don't want Thailog to take advantage of them if he comes back. Seriously, screw that psycho," Malibu said, then gasped, eyes wide. "Oops, sorry! Sorry, no foul language in front of Alex, sorry."
"We'll give you a pass this time," Fox said with a casual, friendly smile.
"Phew, thanks," Malibu says with a sheepish smile. "But how are we gonna help the other clones? It's not like I can bring them here, and it'd be too suspicious to try it down in the Labyrinth itself."
Puck floated upside down in the middle of them all. "Oh, there's a way. I do mostly specialize in spells, but there are other ways to use magic. Artifacts and talismans, for example, and of course, there's potions. I never thought I'd get to inititate Alex in potions training this soon. Lucky me!"
"Huh. So you want me to slip them a magic potion that'll do the same to them that Alex did to me?" Malibu asked.
"Right in one!" Puck replied. "It should be simple to put some into their food or drink. Unfortunately, it's gonna take some time."
"How so?" Fox asked.
"Well, for starters, this particular potion will take several days to prepare and get right. It's a delicate process. Once it's ready, we can send your new little friends to deliver it to you down at the Labyrinth," Puck explained, floating down to the floor. "And second, the effects will take longer to start showing. It worked pretty much instantly with you because Alex got directly inside your noggin to straighten things out. The potion doesn't have nearly as much potency as the actual spell."
"Aaah, I see," Malibu said. "And since I can only do it a bit at a time so it won't be suspicious, it'll take even longer..."
"True, but the effects will still show over time," Puck continued explaining. "The other clones will start getting normal intelligence gradually, and their loyalty to Thailog will eventually poof away entirely, like it did with you."
Malibu nodded and smiled. "Long as it gets the job done. And I can pretend I'm getting smarter alongside them so nobody suspects. They'll just think we're growing smarter by ourselves. Alright then, let's do that."
"Perfect," Xanatos said with a smile. "Now, maybe we should be getting you and the boys back to the Labyrinth, before Talon and the others get too worried."
"Ah, you're right. I was so excited that I forgot," Malibu said.
"Fox and I can go get Daniel and Tyler," the businessman said, walking to the wall near his desk. He set his hand on it and, to Malibu's surprise, a doorway opened up."You can wait in here. When we bring the boys, you can take my private elevator down, and Owen will drive you to where you need to go. And Puck, the security cameras..."
"Way ahead of you, David. May I?" Puck said with a big grin, then again gently took Alexander from Fox's arms after asking her. "Come on, my boy, let's have you keep your Uncle Lex busy while I handle the security cameras."
As Puck left the office with Alex, Fox walked to the door to wait for her husband, who turned towards Malibu. "As I said earlier, the security camera footage will be altered, so nobody will know you and the boys were ever here. But before we go get the boys, I needed to tell you one more thing..."
"Man, it's really tiring walking in this castle," Tyler said, seated on the floor by a set of stairs that led down.
"Yeah. So much to explore, and I bet we've only seen maybe half of the whole thing," Daniel added
Having grown tired from all the walking around, down corridors, up and down stairs, and checking out rooms, the boys had become winded and decided to take a break in a particularly silent hallway. Bronx had slumped down in-between them to rest as well, both boys casually petting his sides. They had all been resting and relaxing there for a few minutes now.
"You think we should get moving?" Tyler asked. "You know, head back to Mr. Xanatos's office? Just in case. I mean, we're lucky nobody's caught us yet."
"Yeah, we should," Daniel replied, getting up. "We've been here a while now, so I just know Talon's gonna bite our heads off once we get back."
"Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that," Tyler said, also getting up. "Hey Bronx? Can you take us back to Mr. Xanatos's office?"
Bronx definitely understood, much like when they asked him to find Lexington so they could know to avoid the area where he was. The gargoyle beast walked along the corridors with the boys one step behind, hoping that they wouldn't be seen by the gargoyles already in the castle or by any of the ones not present suddenly arriving. However, they didn't walk for long before they ran into Xanatos and Fox.
"Ah, there you are, boys," Xanatos said. "We've been looking for you."
"It's about time to go," Fox said. "Malibu's ready and waiting for you."
At this, the two boys looked a bit grim. "Yeah, I wasn't looking forward to gliding back down," Tyler said.
"No need to worry, boys. We've instructed Owen to drive you two and Malibu to the most convenient entrance that can lead you to the Labyrinth," Xanatos explained as the group headed towards his office. "The windows are tinted, so you won't need to worry about anything."
"Really? Wow, thanks," Daniel said. "That's a big relief!"
"I thought you would have been used to gliding through the skies with your uncle by now," Fox observed with a smile.
"Well, yeah, but it's more to do with how Malibu's smaller than my uncle," Daniel replied. "It feels less... you know, safe."
Xanatos chuckled. "That's understandable. Let's get to the office so we can send you on your way."
"Okay," Tyler said. "But where's Alexander?"
"We left him with Lexington," Fox replied.
Daniel and Tyler looked at each other and held back the urge to laugh again when remembering their earlier peeking at Lexington. They knew what each other was thinking, hoping that the gargoyle hadn't been caught in a compromising position, for the baby's sake. The four humans and Bronx made their way through the castle until they reached Xanatos's office. Xanatos opened one of the double doors and the boys petted and hugged Bronx, bidding him goodbye, the gargoyle beast whining a bit and looking sad at the boys leaving. Daniel and Tyler followed Xanatos and Fox inside, surprised when they saw a doorway open on the wall as Xanatos closed the office door behind him.
"A secrete passageway? That is so awesome!" Tyler exclaimed.
"Alex is super lucky he'll get to grow up here," Daniel said.
"Well, boys, it's about time to go. There's an elevator down a short hall in there," Xanatos explained. "Malibu will be waiting for you there. Just press the B button, it'll take you three to the underground parking area, and Owen will join you shortly."
"Malibu will also have a surprise for you," Fox added. The boys looked curious at this but decided to wait and see.
"Okay, guess we'll be going now," Daniel said, turning to the two adults. "Thanks for everything, Mr. and Mrs. Xanatos."
"Thank you. It was the coolest night ever!" Tyler said with a smile. "And we promise not to say anything about tonight to anyone."
"We'll appreciate that, boys," Fox said. "You two take care of yourselves."
"And don't forget to let Fang know about a potential job offer from me in the future," Xanatos added.
"Will do, Sir," Daniel said. "Goodbye."
"Bye!" Tyler chimed in. And as the boys set off down the hall, Xanatos put his hand on the nigh invisible panel and the door closed.
"What an excellent night we've had, darling," Xanatos noted. "Don't you think so?"
Fox smiled, sly and sidelong as they walked away to go check on Alexander and Lexington, opening the door to find that Bronx had already gone someplace else. "Well, let's see. Thanks to Alex, Puck and ourselves, Malibu's mind is now what it always should have been, and we'll be giving him the means to do the same for the other clones. That will deal a rather heavy blow to Thailog, whenever he decides to go back for them. And now Malibu's in our debt, which means he'll want to repay the favor-and with a little persuasion, his fellow clones will do the same. Lastly, we also have the two children feeling grateful to us... and with any luck, we may possibly get Fang on our side too, and away from Demona. So overall, yes, I'd say it's been a very profitable night."
Xanatos chuckled and put his arm around his wife as they walked. "I'd say that's a perfect summary. I think we should celebrate. Let's go pick Alex up and we'll see what we can do."
Back in the hidden hallway, after the door had closed, Daniel and Tyler walked down the slightly dimly lit hall until they found the elevator Xanatos had mentioned. Tyler reached and pressed the button, and the doors opened, the elevator's brightly lit interior illuminating the hallway. Inside stood Malibu waiting for them, and when he saw the boys, he smiled.
"Hello, new friends," Malibu said.
"Hey, Malibu," Tyler greeted back.
"How'd it go with Mr. and Mrs. Xanatos?" Daniel asked as he saw the B button and pressed it, the elevator doors closing, and the trio started going down, all three facing the door.
"It went great," Malibu said, and then he leaned down, putting an arm around each of the boys' shoulders, both of them turning their heads a bit to look at the clone. "And guess who's not a simpleton anymore?"
"What?" Tyler asked.
"I mean I'm not a dumbass anymore, guys," Malibu said with a smirk. The boys' surprised reactions made him laugh, as they turned to him.
"Wait, wait, wait! You're speaking normally!" Daniel exclaimed.
"It's not just the way I talk," Malibu said, standing straight now. "I'm not dumb anymore. I can think clearly and I'm perfectly normal. Well, as normal as a gargoyle clone can be."
"Dude, Malibu, that is so cool!" Tyler exclaimed. "But how did this happen?"
"What did they do to you in Mr. Xanatos's office?" Daniel asked.
"Oh, you know, a bit of this, a touch of that," Malibu said. "I promised to keep it a secret, but don't worry, it was perfectly harmless. And as you can see, I'm all the better for it."
"Oh, okay," Daniel said. "We understand. But it's great that you can think and speak normally now!"
"And that means that now you can have more freedom down at the Labyrinth, with coming and going and all," Tyler said, grinning.
"Aaah, not really. I mean, not right now," Malibu said, rubbing the back of his neck hesitantly. "Talon would flip the hell out if he found out that I was here, and that I accepted help from Xanatos. Plus, they're gonna help me out with making the other clones have normal intelligence, like they did with me, but it's gonna be a slow process. So, for now, I'm just gonna pretend I'm still dumb... to an extent, anyway."
"What extent?" Daniel asked.
Malibu smirked. "I'll pretend, but still show just enough bit of growth to allow Talon to let me hang out with you guys more. That way I can sneak topside much easier."
Tyler chuckled. "Man, you are sneaky."
"Ha! Damn right I am. I may be playing dumb, but I ain't stupid," Malibu said with a smug grin.
"Whoa. You reminded me of my uncle there," Daniel said.
"Really?" Malibu asked, sounding pleased, and when Daniel and also Tyler nodded, Malibu let out a little laugh. "Actually, now that I think about it, I guess I sorta did. Huh!"
"I guess Uncle Fang must've been a bad influence on you," Daniel more stated than asked, an amused smile on his face.
"Makes sense to me. Talon never did like me hanging around near Fang's cell. Though to be fair, neither did Fang himself," Malibu added with a smirk. "Say, can I ask you guys to not let Fang know about my getting smarter? I mean, not just yet anyway."
"Why not?" Tyler asked, puzzled. Before Malibu could reply, the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened into an underground car park. There were only a few cars, all luxurious. The three of them got out of the elevator and walked around, checking out the cars.
Malibu whistled and grinned. "Wow. Look at these beauties."
"You got wings, dude," Tyler pointed out. "Why would you need a car?"
"Same way you got legs and still need cars," Malibu replied with a smirk. "I can appreciate a cool car and wouldn't mind driving one. If I ever learn how to drive, that is."
"Okay, that's fair," Tyler said.
"And besides," Malibu continued, "from what I heard in the Labyrinth from Talon's sister, Lexington flew a helicopter, and my dear ol' dad, Brooklyn, rode a motorcycle, so I could try driving a car if I ever get the chance. Though apparently you can't mention either of those things around Lexington. I always wondered why..."
"Maybe you'll find out someday," Daniel said.
The three continued to check out the cars, and a few minutes later, Owen appeared from the elevator, carrying a set of keys. He lead the three towards a fancy black sports car with tinted windows, none of the three knowing nor caring what brand it was. Owen sat at the driver's seat, the boys in the back, and Malibu took the passenger seat after folding his wings. The car left the private parking area, out onto the streets, and they were on their way, Daniel letting Owen know exactly where to leave them, an area where nobody would see them get out of the car and where they could quickly get to the Labyrinth. The ride was not as long as they thought it would be, as traffic was calm, and the boys and Malibu spent the ride talking to one another, Malibu letting the boys know about daily life at the Labyrinth while the boys let Malibu know about their own daily lives and everything regarding how Fang was doing.
Eventually Owen stopped the car in a rather deserted part of the city. After a few moments to make sure nobody was watching, Malibu and the boys got out of the car, thanked Owen and bid him farewell. As Owen drove off, the trio entered the exact same abandoned building that they had been on top of earlier that night, where Malibu scooped them up and took them to the Eyrie building. They entered, holding their noses to try to withstand the unpleasant smell of the abandoned building, and soon enough they were back down in the tunnels leading to the Labyrinth.
"Hey, Malibu, you didn't answer us earlier," Daniel said. "When we asked why you don't want us to tell my uncle that you're smart now."
"Oh, right. I wanna surprise him," Malibu answered.
"Are you sure?" Tyler asked, skeptical.
"Yup, I'm sure. I've always liked Fang, even when he was being an ass to me, which was pretty much all the time," Malibu said. "I guess I'm just realizing it better now that I'm what I should've been like from the start, but I feel like he and I are similar. The whole rebellious shit, doing his own thing, not caring what anyone else thinks, wanting to just be free. It makes me kinda jealous. I mean, I like the other clones, and the mutates, and the people in the Labyrinth... they took me in, and in a way they're my family. But damn, it can get so freaking boring down there that now I realize why I spent all my time in front of the damn TV."
"Shame you'll have to keep pretending for some time," Daniel said. "It'll make it tougher to sneak out."
"Eh, I'll manage one way or another," Malibu said rather dismissively, but then smirked and stooped down to wrap his arms around the shoulders of both boys much like he did back in that elevator. "Especially if I have some help from my new buddies. All of this couldn't have happened without you two, so from tonight on, you guys are my friends for life."
"That's awesome, Malibu," Tyler said with a smile. "We'd like to be your friends for life too."
"You can totally count on us anytime," Daniel added promptly.
"Thanks, guys," Malibu said with a smile, giving the boys a firm, one-armed hug each, then releasing them so they could continue on their way. "Oh, and I know Xanatos told you to tell Fang that he may have a job to offer him in the future, but I'd rather you guys not tell him."
"Does that mean you wanna tell him too?" Daniel asked.
"Yup," Malibu replied. "It'll make the surprise that much better. Don't worry, though, I'll tell him as soon as I can. Just need you guys to tell me the area where you live."
"Ooh. Okay, we can do that," Tyler said.
Malibu thanked them and, after the kids gave him directions as detailed as they could on where Daniel's apartment was, the three continued to head towards the Labyrinth. After a few minutes of walking, the big main entrance of the Labyrinth came into view, the door wide open. They could hear the hustle and bustle of people in there, and a certain feeling of trepidation was felt by the boys the closer they got.
"So, has anybody thought of any good excu..." Daniel started to say.
"HEY!" a loud shout echoed through the tunnel behind the three, startling them and making them turn around. Talon and Claw were approaching them. The tiger mutate looked worried but also relieved, whereas Talon looked upset and angry.
"Big surprise there," Daniel sarcastically muttered under his breath as he could see Talon's anger evident in his face and body language as the mutates approached.
"We've been looking for you everywhere, Malibu!" Talon said heatedly as he and Claw walked to the clone and the boys. "We thought something bad had happened to you!"
"Calm down!" Daniel exclaimed, unable to help himself. "He was with us, nothing bad happened."
"But it could have happened!" Talon snapped. "It's dangerous up there, with the Quarrymen, the police and all sorts of people scared of gargoyles, who wouldn't think twice to kill Malibu or any of the clones! They're not ready to go topside!"
"Dude, chill out!" Tyler said. "Everything's okay, don't blow a gasket."
Talon didn't reply immediately, looking at Tyler, then at Daniel; then he sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead. "You brought a friend of yours along?" he asked, clearly still exasperated but not shouting anymore. "You're supposed to keep this place a secret, Daniel."
"It's not his fault," Tyler said. "We're best friends. I got back from vacation and went to visit Danny, saw him walking, and I followed him down here."
"So when he caught up with me to ask me what this place was, it was kinda too late by then, he had already seen the Labyrinth," Daniel continued, glad that he and Tyler were improvising well together. "And then we ran into Malibu, we talked and decided to hang out."
Talon knew they were lying. Goliath had contacted him several days earlier to inform him that Daniel's friend had discovered Fang and now both boys were in on it together. He had expected Daniel would sooner or later bring his friend to the Labyrinth and he had prepared to act accordingly in a calm, rational manner-but upon he, Maggie and Claw arriving at the Labyrinth with the other clones and finding Malibu nowhere to be seen, then looking for him everywhere, and with panic rising, it got to Talon and he'd lost his cool. Now he attempted his best to calm himself down, taking a moment to breathe deep.
"Okay, let's take this slow," he said, mostly to himself, then he opened his eyes and looked at Tyler and Daniel. "Before we talk about anything else, can you boys please promise me that you won't bring anybody else down here?"
"We already told you, it wasn't Danny's fault," Tyler said.
"I know, I get that. Let me put it this way then," Talon said. "Can you promise me that, from now on, you boys will make sure you're not being followed whenever you come down here?"
"Okay, we promise," Daniel said, trying his best to keep his cool, if only because Claw was right there. And, however much he hated to admit it, Talon had a point.
"All right. Now that that's out of the way, can you tell me just where you three where?" Talon asked. "Please tell me you didn't take Malibu topside."
Before the boys could reply, Malibu spoke up. "No. New friends take Malibu around tunnels. Malibu and new friends explored a lot. Then Malibu and new friends sat down in a darker room and new friends told Malibu scary stories. It was fun!"
"We looked for you guys everywhere, and others were looking too," Talon said suspiciously. "We didn't see or hear you anywhere."
"You must've missed us by accident," Daniel said.
"Malibu wanted to go topside, but new friends tell Malibu that topside is too dangerous," Malibu said, putting a hand on each of the boys' shoulders and smiling. "New friends promised to hang out with Malibu more. Watch TV and movies and bring snacks and explore. Malibu looks forward to it!"
"Okay, so it looks like you two made a good impression on Malibu," Talon said, completely calm but not smiling, which was a contrast to the pleased smile Claw had on his face. "But I can't have you guys taking him and going off without permission."
"Then give new friends permission," Malibu said.
"Yeah, give us permission!" Tyler exclaimed. "We can totally be responsible."
"Guys, it's not that easy," Talon cautioned them. "Taking care of the clones, even just one, is a big responsibility."
"But we just proved we can take care of Malibu and keep him safe," Daniel said stubbornly.
Talon was about to reply, but Claw patted his shoulder and handed him a note he had written. Reading it, Talon turned to look at Claw. "You too, huh?"
Claw smiled and nodded, and Talon turned to the boys. "Claw says he thinks you guys can handle the responsibility and that he'll vouch for you. So, okay, I'll let you take Malibu out for walks and the like. I'll trust you boys to keep him safely down here."
"Alright!" both boys exclaimed, and Malibu looked thrilled.
"But that should be about enough for tonight," Talon said firmly as he started heading away. "I'll go find Maggie and the others who were helping look for you. Say goodbye to the kids and then head back in, Malibu. The other clones are also worried about you."
"Okay," Malibu said as Talon walked away, then he turned to Daniel and Tyler and, as his back was turned to Claw, he smirked and winked at the boys. "Thanks for tonight. Malibu hopes to see new friends again soon."
"Thanks to you too," Daniel said. "Take care!"
"See you soon, Malibu!" Tyler said.
Malibu nodded, and after a second wink to them, he headed towards the Labyrinth's main area, waving back at the kids. "Good night, new friends!"
"Good night!" both boys called out. And then Claw's hand came suddenly from above, holding a note written on his notepad.
"Aren't you going to introduce us, Daniel?" the note read. Both boys turned to find Claw smiling down at them.
"Claw, this is my best friend, Tyler. Tyler, this is Claw, all-around super cool guy," Daniel said.
Claw quickly wrote again on his notepad, holding it out with his left hand for Tyler to see as he also held out his right hand for a proper greeting. "Pleased to meet you, Tyler."
Tyler grinned and shook the mutate's large hand as best as he could. "You're so big. And a tiger. That is so cool."
Claw grinned as well, shaking the boy's hand, and wrote again. "Thank you. All of us who live down here will be counting on you to keep our secret. And of course, you're welcome to come down here any time."
"Oh, believe me, I absolutely will come down here as much as I can," Tyler said with a big smile. "And I promise to keep the secret."
Claw looked happy and pleased, giving Tyler a thumbs up. Then he looked at both boys in a quizzical way and used his right hand to tap the top side of his left wrist.
"Oh, you're asking what time it is," Daniel said. "We spent so much time with Malibu that we forgot to check."
"Let me see," Tyler said, checking his wrist watch. "Wow, it's past 11:00."
"Awww, man, we lost track of time so much," Daniel said, looking up at the tiger mutate. "I'm sorry, Claw, we really wanted to hang out with you, but Mom will be home at midnight or so."
Claw once again wrote in his notepad. "It's all right. I'm happy you're not afraid of the clones anymore and that you befriended Malibu. I can take you boys home and you can visit again tomorrow, or maybe later in the week."
"That sounds great. Thanks, Claw," Daniel said.
"Um... when you say take us home, do you mean fly us there?" Tyler asked with some trepidation, clearly not forgetting the fright Malibu had given him and Daniel earlier.
"Don't worry, Tyler, Claw's super careful when flying," Daniel told Tyler, knowing exactly why his friend felt nervous. "It'll be cool, I promise."
Watching Daniel reassure him, as well as Claw's friendly, confident smile, Tyler fought back his hesitation and nodded. "Okay. I'll trust you, Claw."
Claw grinned and led the way to the topside. It took only a short walk for them to arrive out on the streets, hidden in a dark alley. The boys followed the mutate up a fire escape onto a rooftop, and after both kids were securely holding on to him and he to them, Claw took off into the night sky. After a brief moment of fright, Tyler relaxed and began to enjoy it with a big smile on his face; Daniel had been right when he said that flying felt better when it was with someone bigger, Claw's gentle but firm hold feeling safe and reassuring. Not afraid to look down anymore, Tyler loved seeing the city from up above and felt he could get used to this. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the flight and were bummed when it was over so soon, as they landed on the rooftop of Daniel's apartment building. They bid farewell to Claw and watched him take off, eventually heading down the fire escape and into Daniel's bedroom through his window.
"Looks like nobody's here yet," Tyler whispered as they climbed into the dark bedroom.
"Lemme go check to make sure," Daniel whispered back, using what little light entered through the window to make his way to the door. But before he got to it, he gasped as he tripped on something.
"Oof!" he cried out as he hit the floor. "What the heck?"
"What happened?" Tyler asked. "You tripped?"
"Yeah," Daniel answered.
"Mmmmffff. Watch'er step, I'm no bear rug or something," came a mumble.
"Uncle Fred?" Daniel asked, getting up, making his way to the nearby wall and flicking the light switch, the room instantly illuminating to display Fang slumped on the floor, flat on his back and wings spread.
"Are you okay?" Tyler asked the mutate.
Fang opened his eyes, only halfway though, and he smiled. "Oh yeah, I'm doin' good."
"Why are you down on the floor like that?" Daniel asked. "You look like you fell."
"Huh? Oooooh. Oh yeah, I fell. But then the floor's so comfy, I didn't wanna get up," Fang mumbled, then chuckled softly.
"Wait," Tyler asked, stooping down next to Fang. "Are you drunk?"
"Noooooo. I'm just fine!" Fang exclaimed with a goofy smile.
Daniel knelt next to his uncle, leaned close, then frowned. "Eww. Your breath stinks of booze! Plus you're talking all slurred and here you are down on the floor. You're totally wasted! How did this happen?"
"Happened cuz I drank," Fang said, snickering.
"I know that. I mean, where'd you get the drinks?" Daniel asked, sounding exasperated.
"Out there," Fang said, pointing at the window. Daniel groaned and buried his face in his hands, while Tyler struggled not to laugh.
"Naaah, I'm just goofin', Danny Boy. What happened was some biker guys were so drunk that they left behind like a whole box of beers," Fang said, still speaking in a slurred tone. "So, ya know, I didn't want 'em to go to waste."
"Why would you drink so much?" Daniel asked with a sigh.
"I dunno," Fang said, trying to sit up and failing, falling flat on his back again. A loud burp escaped him, and he laughed.
Tyler couldn't help but snicker now. Both boys then grabbed Fang by the arms and, despite his protests, did their best to help him up and into the bathroom. They had to help him brush his teeth, and he yelped out loud when they splashed some cold water on his face. They barely managed in time to get him back to Daniel's bedroom before Carmen returned home, with Fang falling asleep mere seconds after the boys put him on his usual set of sheets on the floor. Eventually everyone went to bed, the boys just glad that the mutate didn't snore.
Several days after Fang's drunken evening, Daniel and Tyler opted to return to the Labyrinth to hang out with Claw, and Fang found himself out gliding again, glad to once more stretch his wings and feel the cool breeze on his face. Nothing relaxed him more than flying, and it was one of the main reasons he loved being a mutate. He enjoyed getting to watch the city and its people from above too, though for now he was resisting the temptation of swiping more alcoholic beverages from unsuspecting civilians.
Fang cringed upon remembering that night and the following morning. After so long with just a few rare chances of enjoying any beers or the like, he not only guzzled down the two six-packs he stole from those unsuspecting bikers, but as he flew around afterwards, he decided to go check possible open doors on tall buildings. Eventually managing to find the balcony door of a penthouse apartment unlocked, the mutate sneaked inside and raided the liquor cabinet, drinking a good half a bottle of whiskey before having had his fill. He was amazed at the fact that he actually made it home in one piece, vaguely remembering his erratic flying on the way home, almost crashing into some buildings and a water tower on the way back, stumbling and tripping several times when landing on the building and while going down the fire escape. The worst part was definitely the migraine and the vomiting caused by the hangover the following morning, Fang having to conceal himself with a blanket to go outside and vomit down from the fire escape so as to not alert Daniel's mother and stepfather.
Ever since that morning, Fang had resolved to watch his alcohol intake. Not quit entirely, just do it with moderation. He had not touched a drop since, especially as he had to concentrate on more pressing issues... like finding a proper daytime hideout, as Daniel and Tyler would be starting school in less than a month. He had investigated a few warehouses, none of which suited his needs, and the thought of sneaking into penthouses at almost morning time and leaving them at night was tempting but far too risky.
Fang sighed as he continued to smoothly glide along. "What the hell am I gonna do? If I don't find a place soon, I'm gonna be in deep shit."
Fang continued to glide, ultimately deciding that he still had a couple more weeks to find a hiding spot, so for the moment he decided to return to Daniel's apartment. He took his time, enjoying the flight way too much to want it to end soon, especially as things had been rather peaceful lately. He hadn't had any more run-ins with the gargoyles, Talon or the Quarrymen. For days on end he hadn't thought about them at all. That is, until the moment where he was very close to Daniel's apartment building and someone hit him from above. It wasn't a heavy blow, just a smack to the back of his head, but it was more than enough to startle him.
"The hell?!" Fang exclaimed, trying to turn to see who had hit him, but whoever it was had already gotten below him from behind and yanked on his feet, throwing him off course and making him lose control of his steady flying, sending the mutate flailing for several meters.
"Made you look!" a familiar voice spoke out.
"Brooklyn?! I'm gonna fry you, you chicken-faced fuck!" Fang snarled. He took a couple of seconds to steady himself in the air and look around him, only to be smacked in the back of the head again, making him snarl louder as he turned and caught a glimpse of his attacker.
"Wrong gargoyle, kitty cat!" Malibu taunted the mutate, swooping away.
"You! You're gonna get it now, you damn clone!" Fang shouted, following Malibu, shooting electric bolts at him.
"Hahaha! Whoa, okay, that's enough fun for now! Truce, fuzzball, truce!" Malibu shouted, though he still laughed as he did.
"Truce, my ass! I'm gonna kick the shit out of you!" Fang shouted even louder.
"Really? You do that and your nephew's gonna be really mad at you for hurting his new buddy, 'cause he knows I came out here to look for you!" Malibu called out. "So how about we just settle down and have a good talk?"
That statement caught Fang by surprise. He grunted in frustration and stopped shooting at Malibu, then swooped down and landed atop a building, wrapping his wings around his shoulders but staying alert for any tricks. Malibu followed suit, also wrapping his wings around his shoulders upon landing, and looking quite smug.
"Man, you're still as cranky as ever," Malibu said.
"Go fuc..."
"So cranky," Malibu interrupted the mutate, "that you don't even notice the way I'm talking to you. Pay attention, man."
Fang was about to retort, but he caught himself and took notice of what the clone had just said, on top of noticing how very expressive Malibu looked now, and also how different his eyes were, all bright, alert and full of life. "Hey... hey wait, you're different now. You're not talking like a retard anymore."
"Classy, Fang," Malibu said, rolling his eyes.
"How'd that happen?" Fang asked, looking confused.
"Little help from Xanatos," Malibu replied. "Which wouldn't have been possible had it not been for Danny and Tyler."
"Wait, what?" Fang asked. "How'd the kids have anything to do with that?"
"Met 'em down in the Labyrinth when the mutates and other clones were out for a glide," Malibu explained. "They went for a walk with me, and since I wasn't smart at the time, I got confused over something they said, grabbed them and took them up to Xanatos's building. We met Xanatos and, well, now you see the results."
"Well, bully for you," Fang said with a frown, his fists crackling with eletricity once more. "Just 'cause my nephew and his friend helped you out doesn't mean I'm gonna let you walk all over me. What makes you think you can take me back to that underground shithole?"
"Heh! Who says I wanna take you back?" Malibu asked with a smirk.
"Huh?"
"I'm not gonna take you back down there, you dumbass," Malibu said. "For starters, I'm real grateful to the kids for being what led to Xanatos fixing me. Second of all, I haven't shown anyone at the Labyrinth that I'm smart now. Talon would have a fit if he found out how it happened. Besides, I like you well enough to not wanna see you jailed up again."
"What the hell? You like me?" Fang asked with a raised eyebrow.
"In a buddy kind of way, Fang," Malibu said wryly. "Took me getting my mind straightened out to better realize it. You remember how I always wanted to hang out with you down at the Labyrinth? Seems that even back then, deep down in my mind, I was realizing that you and I are alike."
"Yeah, right," Fang muttered, rolling his eyes. "Like I'd have anything in common with the spawn of Brooklyn."
"Oooh, you mean my DNA donor who avoids me because he says I creep him out? Who thinks he's so cool but spends his nights whining about how he can't get laid while the group's fatass nabbed the hot chick?"
Upon hearing this, after a moment of being surprised at it, Fang couldn't help but grin and laugh. "Hahahahaha! Damn, that was cold. I love it! And here I thought you liked him."
"Hey, just 'cause he's technically my dad doesn't make me the same as him, and it doesn't make me like him either," Malibu said, walking closer to Fang, arms crossed in front of his chest and a smirk on his face. "You, though? You I like. You don't give a rat's ass what people think. You do what you want, when you want, and you don't let some measly rules get in your way. See, that's the kind of thing I want for myself too."
"Heh! Yeah, you're not wrong. That's how I am, bad to the bone. So, why don't you just go for it? 'Cause you seem to be doing it now, out here all by yourself without Talon or Claw or Maggie babysitting you," Fang said with a smirk of his own, feeling much more relaxed now.
"Oh, I'm just out here 'cause Talon and Maggie are hanging with Talon's parents, and Danny and Tyler are keeping Claw busy, so I managed to sneak out. They told me you'd be out tonight, so I waited near the apartment building to catch you so we could talk," Malibu explained. "Got a couple of pretty important things to fill you in on."
"And what's that?"
"First up, Xanatos said that if you're interested in working for him sometime, he's game," Malibu said.
Fang's eyes went wide. "Whoa, for real? That's great!"
"He knows you're working for Demona right now, so it looks to me like he just wants you away from her and on his side."
"Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me. But honestly, I'm so damn glad, 'cause I'd rather work for him than Demona," Fang said, giving it some thought. "I think I'll wait a bit, though. Do a couple more jobs for Demona, rake in some nice cash, then ditch her for Xanatos."
"Alright then," Malibu said. "So now for the other thing Xanatos told me, and I haven't even told the kids about this. Lexington sent tiny little flying robot cameras into your building. He has them hidden in the roof and even a couple of them inside the apartment."
Upon that revelation, Fang's face changed from a smile to a rictus full of anger. "Cameras? Hidden cameras? Those fucks are spying on me?!"
"Yup."
Fang snarled, electricity crackling from his whole body, then he glared at Malibu. "Why the hell wouldn't you tell the kids about it?"
"First of all, cool your jets, Sparky," Malibu snarked at the mutate. "I happen to like Danny and Tyler, and with them involved in all this, those hidden cameras mean some measure of safety for them. I mean, yeah, I know you'd never hurt them, but you never know what kind of trouble could pop up." Malibu then smirked. "And besides, now you know about the hidden cameras, but the gargoyles don't know that you know."
Fang took a deep breath, calming down. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. You're right, that's actually pretty good. I can take advantage of that somehow. Besides, I'm looking for a new place to spend the daytime hours, so once I find one, that'll throw a monkey wrench on their little spy op," he said, then turned to the gargoyle. "Hey, uh... thanks for letting me know, Mal."
"Hehe. Is it that difficult for you to thank a gargoyle?" Malibu asked with a chuckle.
"Hey, it's my first time doing it, I've had no practice."
"Ha! Well, anyway, I'm gonna have to keep up my playing dumb charade for some more time. Xanatos is gonna be providing me with what I need to make the other clones smarten up too, and I can pretend to smarten up along with them so nobody suspects. In the meantime, the kids'll be helping me sneak out of that boring underground slum from time to time. At least until the whole smartening up process is complete. Then I'll be able to come up here as much as I want and Talon won't be able to tell me otherwise."
"Heh. You know, I'm really liking the way you think now, Mal," Fang said, surprised at the fact that he was taking quite a liking to Malibu very quickly. He never thought he'd get to be on friendly terms or even get to like any gargoyle, clone or not.
"Thanks. I mean, come on! Why would I wanna spend all my time underground when I'm in friggin' Manhattan!" Malibu exclaimed as he walked to the edge of the building, arms spread wide as he looked out at the city, as if basking in how majestic it was. "There's so much to do, so much to explore, and so much fun to be had."
"That's true," Fang said, joining Malibu at the edge of the building, then looking at him with a smirk. "But you know my type of fun's not the same as Talon's or the gargoyles. Like you said, I'm not scared to bend or outright break the so-called rules."
"Oh, damn right I know," Malibu said with a smirk of his own, standing fully straight and reaching up to put an arm around's Fang's shoulders. "And since I'm new at this letting loose and having fun thing, I'm gonna need a good buddy with experience in it to show me the ropes. After all, we bad boy types gotta stick together."
Fang's smirk turned into a wide grin, and he put his own arm around Malibu's shoulders. "You know, Mal, I think this is the beginning of a really great friendship."
To Be Continued...
Author's Extra Note: And here we go, after some revisions, the continuation of the previous chapter. I always felt the clones were very underutilized, so I wanted to give at least one of them some attention, plus I felt Fang could use an ally who's not a child. Malibu was the perfect choice, because Fang hates Brooklyn and also Brooklyn's a character I genuinely dislike, so I enjoyed the idea of how ironic it would be to have Brooklyn's clone have a personality similar to Fang's that could lead to the two of them becoming buddies. Now we have a new player in the game, so we'll see how it pans out in the future. Now back to making the story up as I go along. Thank you all for reading!