A Moment of Rage The Guardian of Delphi, Part 1 By Jennifer De Salme a.k.a. Mercedes of Clan Winslow chimura_delphi@mailexcite.com DISCLAIMER: Gargoyles is a licensed trademark of Disney and Buena Vista. All members of Clan Winslow are copyrighted by their respective creators. The Outklaws, the Black Sword, and Arin MacDuff are owned by Amy K. Cyrway a.k.a. Black Blade a.k.a. Eddie of Clan Winslow. Chimura of Clan Delphi is copyrighted by me. All other characters are property of the aforementioned companies. This is an unofficial fanfic and is not intended for infringement of any kind. Thank you very much. As for the content of this piece, it does contain MATURE CONTENT, in the form of swearing and some violence. I would like to extend special thanks to my brother, Sombrero and my best friend and clan leader, Eddie. Without them pushing me to get this done; editing and critiquing it along the way, I might never have been able to complete it. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Eddie, my brother and I are collaborating our fanfic. All of our stories follow the same timeline and involve the same characters. This story takes place after "Gliding on the Winds of Time" by Eddie and is partially summarized in "Ride of the Black Sword" by her and me. If you have not read her stories, I strongly suggest you read at least "...Love and War" before reading any further. Those stories introduce the characters and timeline of this story and its parts, so you might be confused if you *don't* read them. ******* (Show Lexington standing alone on Xanatos' yacht in "Gliding on the Winds of Time, Part 1: Neon Knights") AVAON: Previously on Gargoyles. . . RC: Zanthe, I don't want the Second Matriarch! ZANTHE: It is your birthright, Raquel. As for Lexington--Mark. (Show the brand of the Black Sword being burned into Lexington's hand) "...Love and War: Part 3" BROOKLYN: I didn't mean to. He was going to hurt her, and I had to stop him. She was in trouble, and I had to help her. I did not mean to kill anyone. ANGELA: We know you didn't mean to, Brooklyn... (Show Brooklyn killing Greaseboy/Touchstone) "...Love and War: Part 1" (Show Broadway/Coldstone and Angela/Coldfire hugging in "Possession") (Show Brooklyn and Arin kissing in "Gliding on the Winds of Time, Part 5") (Show The Kiss between Goliath and Elisa in "Hunter's Moon, Part 3") *** Prologue I am gliding over the woods. It is cold and the wind bites like a rabid animal. I hear yelling below me and go to investigate. I land silently. The yelling is louder on the ground. I peer around a tree and see them. A human man is beating a young human girl. My eyes light with rage. I attack him. He doesn't have time to scream. Suddenly the girl is crying out, "You monster! You killed my daddy!" I turn to look at her and the anger leaves me. "Murderer!" The shout is coming from behind me. The dead man stands up, he stares at me with eyeless sockets. "Slaughterer!" Eddie is suddenly in front of me, her gaze accusing and cold. A hand rests on my shoulder. I turn and face Avaon. "Gargoyles protect." His talons are digging into my shoulder. My clan surrounds me, eyes glowing, all crying, "Killer! Murderer!" They attack. *** The Mason farmstead December 8, 1997 4:12 p.m. Mercedes awoke with a terrified scream and collapsed to her knees, sobbing. Eddie threw open the loft doors and jumped the gap between her roost and the balcony where Mercedes spent her days. The green gargoyle knelt down next to her sister and gathered the crying woman into her arms. A sound not unlike a herd of stampeding elephants echoed from the stairwell. Eddie helped Mercedes to stand up and guided her through the open glass doors into her room. The inside door slammed open and the remaining clan members, excepting Demonika and Ben, piled in. "What's wrong?" "What happened?" "Who screamed?" "Is she okay?" "SHUT UP!" Eddie roared. The crowd silenced instantly. The clan's leader sighed and led her sister to the sofa, where the auburn-haired gargoyle curled up into a ball, weeping silently. "Mercedes, what's wrong?" Sam asked, kneeling down next to the girl. She didn't respond. "Is it the nightmares, again?" Eddie sat down next to her. She placed her hand on blue-green gargoyle's shoulder. "Tell us what's wrong," she said gently. Suddenly, Mercedes slapped Eddie's hand away and stood up. "Fuck off, bitch!" The normally calm woman growled. Then she whirled to face the rest of the astonished gargoyles, eyes glowing fiercely. "What goes on in my head is none of your fucking business, so all of you shitheads can just get the hell out of my room!" She pointed a talon to the open door. When they didn't move, Mercedes flared her wings and roared, "GET OUT!" At that, the gargoyles quickly filed out; the door slamming shut behind them. They stood in the hallway staring at the door for a moment. "Heh heh. She said 'fuck', heh heh!" "Ya. Mercedes swore, huh huh!" All heads turned to the two Outklaws standing at the back of the crowd. Smith and Wesson stared back. "What?" Wes asked. Sam sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, Beavis and Butthead have a point. I've never seen her like this." The gray gargoyle shook his head in disbelief. The others nodded in agreement. Mauser clapped his hands together. "Well, I for one am starving. How about we all go have breakfast and let her sulk a little?" Eddie stared at him reproachfully for a moment and then sighed. "You guys go ahead, if you want." The light green female mantled her wings. "I'm going to try talking to her some more." She turned back to Mercedes' door as the rest of the clan shuffled down stairs towards the kitchen. A few minutes after the sound of footsteps receded, she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. Eddie turned, facing the two male gargoyles who had decided to stay with her. "She's our clan sister, too." Avaon smiled slightly, his violet eyes shining with warmth. Magnum walked up to his love and gathered her in a momentary embrace. When he released her, she looked up at him and then at the sage colored male. She nodded thankfully and, squaring her shoulders, she turned and knocked lightly on the wooden door. "Mercedes? Come on open the door, we want to talk to you." Eddie heard some rustling and then a crash as something landed on the floor and broke. "Please, Sis, we want to help you. You can't face these dreams alone." "Screw you, Eddie!" Came the muffled reply. "You don't know shit about my dreams!" There was a momentary silence and the subdued voice continued, "No one can know what they're like." More shuffling was heard and a door slammed shut. Eddie frowned, her eyes filled with hurt at her rookery sister's sharp response. Avaon walked up and knocked firmly on the door. "Mercedes, it's Avaon." The crimson-haired young man sighed. "Let us try to understand what is wrong. Tell us about the nightmares; allow us to help." "Why should I tell you anything, flatlander? You weren't even a part of this clan 'til a few months ago. You know nothing about me!" The last was shouted and the old, hardwood door shook as something thudded against it. "And big boy there's a fucking Outklaw! So, why should I talk to any of you?" A few more anonymous sounds penetrated the walls and then there was silence. Magnum's crest flattened against his head at her words. Avaon stepped away from the door in surprise, a hurt look crossing his draconian face. Eddie approached the door again and pressed her ear against the door, listening carefully. No sound emitted from the aquamarine gargoyle's room. "Mercedes, please talk to me!" Eddie brushed a lock of blonde hair out of her face. Only silence greeted her plea. Mag stared at the door for a second and then said, "Why don't we just open it ourselves?" The other two blinked at him in astonishment. Then they stared at the brass doorknob. Eddie turned it and the door swung open with ease. The room was in a shambles, clothes and other possessions lay strewn across the floor and furniture. The remnants of a lamp graced the area next to the desk and a small bookstand lay in pieces where it had landed after hitting the door. The sliding glass door was open wide, allowing a cold, December wind to gust through the room, rustling the pages of books lying open on the floor and shelves. Eddie ran out onto the balcony, leaving the two bewildered males to look around the ransacked room. Her eyes frantically searched the star-filled sky for her sister. The faint light revealed nothing, only trees, snow, and sky. "Mercedes!" The beaked female shouted, her breath smoking in the frigid temperature. The two males walked to the open glass door. Avaon leaned on the frame, while Magnum continued until he reached his girlfriend. "She's gone?" The large gargoyle asked. Eddie nodded. He wrapped his arms and wings around her, attempting to comfort the saddened woman. Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued to stare at the horizon. What was in those nightmares to make the calm-and-never-angry Mercedes explode in rage? Hot tears streamed down her cheeks. She leaned back into Mag's embrace, but her eyes remained locked on the sky. "Oh, Mercedes. What has happened to you?" Avaon whispered, watching the silent couple. *** Somewhere over Interstate 95 December 9, 1997 5:46 a.m. Mercedes wiped burning tears away from her face as she fought the wind currents, following the Interstate. She had been in the air for nearly eleven hours and she was tired. She rested occasionally, but some intangible force pushed her on. Her mind raced, confusion warring with certainty. Why did she blow up them like that? They had only been trying to help her. She took a deep breath and swallowed the last of her tears. She had to leave, that much she was sure of. They wouldn't have understood what she going through. They couldn't understand. None of them were experiencing nightmares like hers. None of them had ever -- NO! The young female attempted to clear her mind of any thoughts of the nightmare. The terrifying dream that she had not endured in several years and that she had hoped she was rid of forever, but it appeared that was not to be. She had slept uneasily for several weeks now, and although the stone slumber of gargoyles forced her to sleep during the day, she was never truly rested. Suddenly, an image flashed before her eyes. *A human, lying in the snow, eyes gouged, blood streaming from numerous wounds. Her hands, covered in blood...* "NOOOO!" Mercedes screamed and began to tumble towards the ground. She managed to spread her wings and halt her free fall, but her feet scraped the treetops as the wind lifted her upwards. A wave of exhaustion overcame her, tears began anew; running down her cheeks unnoticed. Her mind blanked momentarily and she floated blindly on the breeze. The moment passed and she blinked a few times in confusion. She touched her face and felt wetness. Why was she crying? She shrugged it off, attributing it to fatigue. Her stomach gurgled and she remembered that she had not eaten since she'd had a granola bar several hours ago. She began to search the ground for a place to land. A truck stop restaurant came into view minutes later. Mercedes landed silently in the shadow of the building and assembled her "disguise." She pulled the deep hood of her ankle length coat over her head so that it covered her ears and horns. Next she wound her scarf around the lower half of her face. The combined effect left only her eyes and the surrounding blue-green skin showing. She then placed the special "booties" that Elly had made for Mercedes and her siblings on her feet. She wrapped her tail around her leg, making sure that none of the tassel-like tips showed from beneath the coat and finished the ensemble with a pair of mittens. Taking a deep breath, she walked around the building and into the restaurant. Being careful to make sure that her face remained in the shadow of the hood, she found herself a secluded booth in one corner of the small diner. The young gargoyle heard footsteps approach her table. She stared at the table, keeping her head bowed. A laminated menu was slapped down in front of her and the footsteps retreated. Mercedes picked up the menu and absently perused the selections. Raucous laughter emanated from the opposite end of the room. She looked up to see a group of truck drivers occupying a circular table near the door. "Hey, Sandy!" One of the men banged his fist against the table, making the drinks spill some of their contents. "How 'bout gettin' some tunes going in here?" The other divers roared their agreement and an elderly waitress switched on the radio that rested on the shelf behind her. The men cheered as music filled the diner and returned to their conversation. The waitress called Sandy walked over to the gargoyle's table. She pulled a pad and pen out an apron pocket. "So, what will you have?" She said cheerfully. Mercedes looked down at the menu again. "I'll just have a grill cheese sandwich and chips, please." She handed the woman the menu. "Anything to drink?" Sandy asked. Mercedes blinked and replied, "A Pepsi, please. Thank you." The gray-haired woman scribbled on her notepad and walked back to the counter. After shouting the food order to the cooks, she brought Mercedes her drink, and went to wait on the truckers' table. The aquamarine gargoyle sipped at her drink and listened to the song playing on the radio. "Give me a moment "Got to get this weight up off my chest "Don't feed me sorrow "Pain is a poison I digest "Find yourself another soul to hold "You think, you thought, I know "Off upon my journey I must go "To where the river flows" Why couldn't her clan have left her alone? She understood, they wanted to help her, but she had to deal with these problems on her own. "I'll give you answers "To the questions you have yet to ask "Silence is beauty "Words only complicate the task" The words that she might have used to explain herself and her actions had been lost in a sea of fear and frustration when her nightmares continued to plague her day after day. When Eddie and Sam had confronted her about it that night, all of her frustration and anger had exploded from her. Her clan mates had made the perfect target to which she could channel those terrifying emotions. The waitress placed the plate of food and the bill for it in front of the thoughtful young woman. As Mercedes began to eat, she listened absently to the song. "Make no more wishes "All of my patience has been spent "Gods of the season "Lead me to my next incident" "I just need some time alone, that's all," she thought to herself. "This trip will be good for me. In a couple of days, when I've cooled off, I'll head back home." Satisfied with that decision, Mercedes finished off her meal. She looked out the window and was surprised to see the sky lightening as dawn approached. She quickly got up and dropped a handful of bills from her jeans' pocket onto the table. She trotted past the startled elderly waitress and out the door. Running into a thick copse of trees, she barely had time to hide in a thicket before the coming of dawn threw her into stone slumber. ************* Sandy walked calmly around the counter and headed for Bill's table. Bill had already eaten twice as much as his fellow truck drivers, and continued to demand more. The woman shook her grizzled head and sighed. I'm getting too old for this job, she thought once again. Halfway to the table, another customer pushed by her and out the door. Sandy blinked in surprise and shrugged. She didn't ask questions, she just waited tables. She placed Bill's third plate of pancakes in front of him and went back to the counter. The radio deejay was finishing up the news report. "--And for a more recent piece of news, a gargoyle was reportedly sited above the Portland area last night. Although police refuse to make any comment about these reports, it is believed that they may have some link to the gargoyle who is now serving time in the Bangor State Penitentiary, on charges of OUI and auto theft." "Ahh, Sandy, turn that shit off," Bill yelled around a mouthful of food. "There's no truth in that stuff anyway. Just a bunch of hogwash wrote up by the 'papers." His cronies mumbled their agreement. The platinum-haired woman shook her head and switched off the radio. ************** The Mason Farmstead, Winslow Elly Mason leaned against the kitchen counter as she drank a sip of coffee. She yawned and rubbed her temples. It had been a long night. She had gone to bed early on, but had found that she couldn't sleep. Mercedes hadn't returned and the clan hadn't been able to find her, despite their willingness to search; they could only travel so far before sunrise. They had regrouped in the barn only a few minutes earlier and formulated a plan to search for their clan sister the next night. The white-haired woman took another sip of her beverage as she listened to the radio in the farmstead's kitchen. It was tuned to WBLM, a station out of Portland the Eddie and her siblings seemed to enjoy. The music wasn't exactly the elderly human's favorite, but the news reports tended to be fairly good. She started at the mention of gargoyles and turned up the volume. She put her mug on the counter and listened to the brief report. "Mercedes, what the hell are you doing in Portland?" *** Connecticut, over Interstate 95 December 10, 1997 2:23 a.m. Mercedes' stomach growled. She had eaten her only granola bar earlier that night, and there were no remote truck stops or diners to be seen. Any restaurants to be found along this part of the highway were either in populated areas or were closed. The blue-green gargoyle stared at the ground below her. She was way below the elevation at which any large air traffic would be flying and she was safely above the tallest treetop. Her only worry was finding something to eat. Her stomach grumbled once more, this time accompanied by a sharp stab of pain in her gut. She grimaced and decided that it would be wise to land for a moment and rest. Perhaps she would be able to find something to eat from there. She landed in a small clearing, the snow crunched beneath her feet. She began walking towards the trees when a saw a slight movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned slowly. A rabbit sat under a bush at the edge of the clearing. She was downwind it, so it continued quietly searching for something to eat under the leafless bush. Her sharp sense of smell picked the small animal's scent out of the winter wind. She emanated another low growl, but this time from deep in her throat as her eyes glowed a bright yellow green. Instincts that had been buried under generations of living near humans, came to the surface. She forgot all else except for the rabbit and her hunger. Crouching on all fours, she prepared to pounce. The rabbit lifted up its head and spotted the young gargoyle. It stood completely still for a moment and then began to dart off deeper into the woods. With a roar that was a mix of a falcon's screech and a lion's thundering growl, the blue-green hunter followed the animal. Using her wings to jump further, she attempted to pounce on her prey several more times before simply running after it. She chased it far into the woods before the small beast jumped into a clump of underbrush. Instead of going through, however, the rabbit became tangled in the thorns. The gargoyle continued on all fours to the bushes. She growled and ripped the small animal from its trap. Without a single thought, she snapped its neck and began to tear into the raw flesh. The meat was consumed in moments. The gargoyle licked her lips, cleaning the blood away from her mouth as she purred in contentment. She began to lick her talons when the bloodied remains of the rabbit caught her attention. As she stared at it, the memory of another corpse flashed in front of her eyes, the redness seeping into the snow....Her hands covered in his blood.... Mercedes gasped almost in pain as she stared at her blood covered hands. "What have I done?" She whispered. She looked back down at the rabbit's tattered remains and scrambled away from them. She stared at her hands again and began wiping them in the snow, trying to get the blood off. She began to panic as the redness seemed stained to her hands. She tore her coat out of her backpack and wiped frantically at her hands. The color refused to be wiped away. Dropping the coat to the ground, she stood up and backed up a few steps. Closing her eyes, she let out a wail of anguish. Feeling a desperate need to get away from the site, she ran. The darkness of the forest engulfed her. *** An auction hall in Brooklyn Heights 4:00 p.m. The dark-eyed man deftly navigated his way through the crowded hall outside the main room. As he passed the half-closed double doors, the sound of the auctioneer's booming voice penetrated the constant murmur of the throng around him. "Do I hear twenty-five? Twenty-five. Do I hear thirty? Thirty over there. Forty? Forty-five?" The high-speed calls of the auctioneer were muffled once again into obscurity as the dark-eyed man slipped through the press of people. He walked to the end of the long room and expertly inserted himself in front of a large group of prospective buyers staring at the display case. His eyes widened in amazement at the object that resided on the other side of the protective glass window. A large statue carved of gray and white stone was fused to a marble base. It was of a young female, dressed in a short, flowing tunic. She was kneeling, her arms and hands reaching towards the ceiling, her smiling, heart-shaped face turned upward. That is where her human characteristics ended. Her hands were four-fingered and ended in sharp talons. Her feet were long, with three toes and a single claw where her heel might have been. Two large, bat-like wings stretched out behind her. Beginning just above each brow were graceful horns which curved around and behind her ears like a ram's. The statue was of a gargoyle. Suddenly, a door opened on one side of the case and two men entered. They carefully lifted the large piece and carried it through the door, into the room beyond. The dark-eyed man turned and maneuvered back to the double doors of the auction room. He entered and sat down in a chair near the back of room. The murmur of voices filled the room as people talked about the items to be auctioned. The auctioneer's gavel crashed against the podium as he tried to gain the customers attention. "Ladies, gentlemen, please!" The elderly auctioneer shouted. As the crowd hushed, he began hyping up the next item for sale. "This item, donated anonymously, was found in the ruins of the temple at Delphi, in Greece. It is a one of a kind piece and is in excellent condition for one of its age." As he spoke, the same two men who had removed the statue from the display case carried it onto the stage and placed it a few feet from the podium. There were gasps of amazement and awe from the buyers. The auctioneer continued his oration for a little longer and then started the bidding. The dark-eyed man watched and listened as the bids rose higher and higher; art collectors and museums warring for the ownership of the sculpture. "One hundred thousand dollars." Heads snapped around, eyes seeking the owner of the voice that had just called out. The dark man was the first to spot him standing against one wall. The voice's owner was a young man with a stoic expression on his narrow, clean shaven face. His blonde hair was neatly cut and his dark suit enhanced the business-like impression. The auctioneer stared blankly at the chisel-faced young man. He blinked a couple of times in surprise. "Could you repeat that, sir?" "One-hundred thousand dollars for the statue." Even his voice was without expression, dull and droning, with no inflection of any kind. The elderly man shook his head. "One hundred thousand going once. One hundred thousand going twice. Sold to number 253 for one hundred thousand dollars." The dark-eyed man scratched at the small black blade that was branded into the palm of his hand. What would Xanatos want with a gargoyle statue from ancient Greece? The Matriarch would not be happy about this. He stood up and left the auction hall. *** Castle Wyvern 4:12 p.m., Sunset As the winter sun disappeared beneath the horizon, Clan Manhattan awoke. Lexington stretched contentedly then smiled. He didn't have patrol duty tonight, and hoped to spend the evening doing something with Brooklyn and Arin who were also off. He turned to ask the two what their plans were and found the lovers in a tight embrace. He turned away, giving them some privacy, and watched as Angela and Broadway shared a loving kiss and walked towards the tower door. The young gargoyle's face lost its cheerfulness as he jumped from his perch. He looked up as laughter echoed down from the top of the tower. Elisa Maza, the clan's closest human friend, would be greeting Goliath like she did every evening. The dark-haired woman and Clan Manhattan's leader had become very close these past few months. Lexington sighed heavily and entered the castle. Instead of following his clan mates to the kitchen for breakfast, the olive-skinned gargoyle drifted towards the computer room. His thoughts wandered as he walked slowly down the halls. Everyone seemed to paired off except him. When would it be his turn to find someone? Lex sat down at the computer and went through the sequence of turning it on and loading up the chat server, all the while letting his mind brood upon the injustice of it all. It just wasn't fair! How come his rookery brothers were able to find someone to love and he had so much trouble? True, there weren't exactly a lot of female gargoyles in New York for him to choose from, but that was not the point. He looked the computer monitor and the corner of his mouth twitched a little as he almost smiled. Someone going by the name of "Xena" was having a heated discussion with nearly all of the other chatters. It was clear at the mention of Tribe 8 "Xena" was Kiva, the leader of all of the human members of the Black Sword and Lexington's only other friend in the group, besides RC. XENA> HEY, KIVA! *WAVES* LEXINGTON> *GRINS* EVENIN', SPARROW! HOW'S IT GOING? XENA> NOT SO GREAT. BUT I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. LEXINGTON> *SHRUGS* SUIT YOURSELF. WHO DO YOU THINK IS BETTER.... The young gargoyle sat back in his seat and attempted to enjoy the conversation, pushing all thoughts women and love out of his mind for the time being. *** Library 9:30 p.m. "Brooklyn?" Her voice was gentle, quiet, as it softly echoed on the stone walls. "Brooklyn?" "I'm here, Arin." The tan gargoyle stopped in her tracks, peering into the darkness of the library. She could barely make out his lithe form slouched in an armchair, a shock of white hair dangling in front of his long face. She knelt before him, staring up at his closed eyes. Gingerly, she reached up and brushed the stray lock from his beak. "We're all worried about you," she continued, grasping his hands. "You've become more and more withdrawn from the clan, and personally, I'm afraid it's taxing on your sanity." "And what exactly is sanity?" His tone was low, somewhat harsh. "I haven't had peace of mind since the damned incident with the Phoenix Gate!" His eyes flew open, staring deep into Arin's emerald green eyes. His hazel pools were filled with pain. "I can't truly be alone with someone without 'hearing' their jumbled..." he trailed off, unable to explain, "...minds...." "What about what you did with-" "The premonition?" His smile was cynical. "I suppressed it long ago. But I can't do it this time...." Groaning, he put his head in his hands. Arin's face lined with concern. "Brook, it pains me to see you like this-" she whispered, standing up. His hand shot out, catching her arm. "I will not ask for help from RC!" he hissed, almost angrily. She paused, blinking, then leaned forward, her hands on his thighs, forcing him to fall back in the chair. Her nose millimeters from his beak, her eyes taking a red cast to them, she snarled, "RC is the only one we know with the ability to help you. You can't go on like this, Brook. It'll cost you your sanity, your command, your friends and family. You might even loose me if you're not careful." Brooklyn stood up quickly, forcing her to back away from him. The copper gargoyle went to the huge bay window, staring out at the city. "Get out," he said hoarsely. Arin took a couple steps towards him and he whirled to face her, eyes blazing. "GO!" He snarled before tuning away. He heard -- and *felt* -- her leave the room. A few minutes later he heard the sound of someone padding up behind him. He turned, bracing himself for another lecture. Instead he felt a rough tongue lick his hand. Looking down, the beaked gargoyle met Bronx's questioning gaze. Kneeling down next to the dog-like beast, Brooklyn scratched him gently behind the ears. Bronx closed his eyes and reveled in the attention. Clan Manhattan's second-in-command smiled slightly and brought his other hand up to scratch behind both of the blue creature's ears. "At least you're not much of a thinker, huh boy?" Bronx woofed in agreement and licked the young gargoyle's beak. Wiping away the resulting wetness, Brooklyn sighed sadly and let his thoughts drift away. *** Castle Wyvern December 11, 1997 6:45 a.m. The evening went without incident. Lexington finally dragged himself away from a rather pointless discussion with Kiva about how Tribe 8 could kick the Spice Girls' asses. He hated Spice Girls anyway, and, Tribe 8, though funny, were too crude for his tastes. As he entered the snow-encrusted courtyard, he rolled his eyes as he saw Angela and Broadway giving their good-morning kisses. Not this again. At least Arin and Brooklyn weren't doing anything lovey-dove-- Damn. He thought too soon. They were hugging again. Apparently, they made up. Those two go through spats like Alexander goes through diapers. At least she didn't roost here. He waved goodbye a little too enthusiastically as she glided back to her father's mansion in Brooklyn Heights. Good. That broke up one couple. Unfortunately, Angela and Broadway were here to stay, and they expressed their love a little more publicly. Sighing as he scanned the horizon, he noticed a speck on the lightening sky, bobbing haphazardly toward them. "What's that?" He asked, indicating the growing object. ************** Mercedes only vaguely noticed the towering buildings around her. She had no recollection of how she got to her current position and, at the moment, her fatigued mind didn't care. She glided where ever the wind currents carried her. Her body was worn out from lack of food and overwhelming emotions. So, when the castle suddenly loomed in front of her, it warranted no reaction from the exhausted gargoyle. She sped, unaware, towards the tower. ************** "What's what?" Brooklyn moved to stand next to his smaller rookery brother. Lexington squinted at the dark form approaching the castle. As it loomed closer, "it" became she, red hair whipping around a blue-skinned face. "Demona!" Brooklyn growled, his eyes flaring to lightning white. He climbed onto the parapet wall, preparing to launch himself at the nearing gargoyle, when a strong hand on his shoulder held him back. "Brooklyn, we can do nothing against her!" Goliath sternly told his second-in-command. The lavender gargoyle glanced at the sky, now grey-blue with false dawn. "Dawn will be here too soon for any to survive that battle." Brooklyn growled somewhat, then rose an eye ridge. "Something's not right," he muttered, still preparing for an attack. "Too much pain..." "Wait-" Lexington stared at the nearing female. "That's not Demona!" "What?" Brooklyn and Goliath stared at the quickly approaching figure. She was close enough now that they could tell that she was most definitely not Clan Manhattan's hated enemy. It was also obvious that she was not paying much attention to where she was going. She closing in on the castle at an alarming rate now, a strong tail-wind blowing from the North. By now the entire clan, Elisa, and Xanatos were watching the strange gargoyle. In silence, they watched her near too fast to do any countermeasures. Her course, though erratic, was on a heading directly with the central stone tower of the castle. "She's going to crash!" Angela shouted in dismay. Suddenly, the watchers scattered as the unknown female sped past the startled group, crashing into the tower with a resounding *crack.* She slid to parapet floor and collapsed completely. "I know her!" Brooklyn remarked, bolting towards the fallen woman just as the sun rose, throwing them all into stone hibernation. The billionaire and the detective stared silently at the seven statues that now gaped at an eighth who lay on the stone floor. "Well," Xanatos commented, "tonight should prove to be quite interesting." ************** IT'S DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *dances around ecstatically* Actually, this only part one. There is at least one, possibly two, more parts to go. I'm working on about three to four other stories right now as well, all except one of which come after "In Darkness Cometh" by Eddie. So, although I'll try my hardest, the sequel to this story might take a little while to complete. *Eddie growls at Mercedes and whips her upside the head with a wet noodle, yelling "Write!"* Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail me at chimura_delphi@mailexcite.com ~Mercedes YET TO COME: "The Guardian of Delphi, Part 2: Lonely Hearts...." What's wrong with Mercedes? Why are both Xanatos and the Black Sword interested in this statue? SCORE: "Where the River Flows" is by Collective Soul from their self-titled album.