This is a funny little tale named Terrible Twos and Secrets Too; by TCoy Have a lark and a warning I turn very serious in the middle then it is not so fun. "DAVID!" came a paniced cry. David Xanatos was caught off guard by the cry he turned with panic and dread toward the voice. It sounded like Goliath. The big double doors to the Xanatos' private quarters burst open as the big gargoyle burst in. Panic clearly visible on his face arms flailing. "Goliath what is it?" Xanatos asked equally paniced by whatever could have so traumatized the big leader of the gargoyle clan. Goliath shook his head, "No, not . . ." He did not get to finish his sentence for with an audible blip he popped out of sight like a soap bubble. "AHHHHHHHH!" came another paniced cry. This one sounded like Lexington. The small gargoyle ran into the room arms outstretched, eyes wide with panic. "Help David!" "Lexington what is it? What happened to Goliath?" Xanatos asked growing evermore paniced himself. Lexington took a few deep breaths trying to catch his breath. Finally he openned his mouth as if to speak and with a blip he popped out of sight just as Goliath had mere moments before. "DAVID!" came an angier male voice that sounded like his own. True to form Xanatos saw himself rush in in a complete panic. "You have to do something!" he exclaimed. He was stopped in midleap by an unseen hand. "He's out of control!" were the only words he could get out before that unseen hand zipped him back into the private quarters and he disappeared. The first Xanatos put his hand to his chin in thought. "This is getting ridicuous," he said after a moments thought and walked to the double doors. Just as he was about to go through them a gargoyle burst through them running into Xanatos. Though he had never seen this gargoyle before he knew who it was. "Hello honey," he said,"what seems to be the problem?" Fox made a striking gargoyle even in a panic. A reptilian snout with a red mane and tail with a rhambus shaped end. She never looked better as an alternate Fox. Fox took a moment to calm herself and then jabbed her taloned finger at his chest saying, "Your . . . son . . . is . . .out of control." She then blipped out of sight. "Owen!" Xanatos called out. A moment later the impassive expressionless manservant of David Xanatos strode into the office. "What is it sir," he asked plainly, "you seem distressed?" "Did you teach Alexander some kind of shape changing spell?" "Yes I did," Owen said matter of factly. "Well you will have to train him not to change his mother into everything that strikes his fancy." Fox or something in a continually changing form came through the double doors. "I gave Alex a toy that seems to satisfy him enough not to blip me out of the room," she said coyly just before collapsing in an overstuffed chair. "I'm exhausted." "Yes I can see this would be most disconcerting," Owen said flatly after taking the situation in. Fox looked completely dejected resigned to her continual change. An actual fox, a kitten, a gargoyle, David Xanatos, herself. "I'll have a word with him," Owen said and blipped into a clown. "There may be a delay in the resolution of the problem," Owen said now in a dopey voice. "What now Owen?" Xanatos smiled. "This may be wish craft. Alexander may have internalized the spell and his very thoughts may be directingthe spells effects." "Do something David," Fox demanded in a cntinually changing voice. "I have been a werewolf, a stone statue, a blimp, and a greek goddess. Now my own son has turned me into his personal dough doll. I'm telling you David find a way to control Alex before I end up a learned helpless . . ." She changed into a dog," Woof! Woof! Rrrrr." She then trotted away to sulk. "I think its time Alex and I had a long over due father/son chat," Xanatos said bravely and walked through the big double doors. Owen stood smartly at attention but occasionally studied his clown body. He did not wait long. A flash of energy illuminated the door frame indicating something had happened within. The double doors openned and a second clown came out. "There will be a slight delay in the resolution of this situation," said David the clown. The outer door to the business office opened then allowing Halcian Rinard to wheel his motorized wheelchair into the room. Halcian Rinard and David Xanatos had once hated each other. Each trying destroy the other, but after Halcian had risked his life and business to save David's son Alex and his grandson relations had become cordial. "What in the world?" Halcian exclaimed as he tried to make sense of two clowns and a shapeshifting something that seemed to resigned to itself on a chair. "Daddy!" said the morphing form in the chair. It tried to get up and come to him but fell to the floor as its equilibrium changed. It started to giggle. "I'm sorry Dad," came Fox's voice from a strange body, "I just don't seem to be myself today." "Janine?" Halcian asked surprized. He looked skeptically at the two clown fiqures standing nearby. Dozens of scenerios crossed his mind . . . all he found wanting. "What's going on here?" he demanded. Apparently he said it loud enough because the next thing he knew was that the two year old Alexander was sitting on his lap and Fox found herself in a steady human form. "So this is the terrible trouble maker, eh?" Halcian cooed and started tickling Alex who revelled in it. "Well that was simple," Xanatos said in his own voice. "Daddy!" Fox cooed to her father," since Alex seems to like you sooo much," then added quickly, "and I really need a break, why don't you baby sit for a few hours." "I know a party we can go to tonight," Xanatos joined in. "There is a problem with that I'm afraid Mr. Xanatos," Owen said adjusting his specticles. "hmmm?" Xanatos asked. "This isn't makeup," he finished. Well are there any costume parties going on now?" Xanatos asked ever trying to find a bright spot. "I'm sure we'll take first prize." Apparently there was for half an hour later Fox, Xanatos, and Owen had left for a relaxing party hoping for first prize for best costume or in their case best skin. Rinard was joyfully playing with Alex on his powered wheelchair. "Do you think this wise sir?" asked Preston Vogel Renard's aide. "What are you referring to Mr. Vogel?" Renard asked. "I am referring to your grandson. His innate powers may affect you." "Preston he's my grandson," Halcian said surprised. "He wouldn't hurt anyone," he cooed at the toddler that sent the child into a giggle. "Perhaps not," Preston said just before his suit changed from business black to electric yellow. "At least not on purpose." Alex turned his smiling gaze to Vogel who softened right up from that little boy's smile and started to laugh. In fact he started to laugh uncontrolably. Halcian smiled too as he caught onto what was happening. "Preston this is most unprofessional," Halcian said smirking as he enjoyed the irony, "Control yourself." That only put Vogel on the floor. Halcian let Preston enjoy the laughing fit until he felt Preston was satisfied. "Prestion why don't you wait outside the door for a while?" "I think," he laughed,"I'll just," laugh again," try that sir." He then slowly crawled his way out the door unable to fully stand from joyous laughter. "Ha! That was worth the effort," Halcian smiled. "I've never seen Preston beside himself." My boy you have a definite talent for making me smile." Alex was playing on Halcian's wheelchair when with a touch of his finger and a wish the wheelchair blipped away leaving Halcian in mid air for a moment then flat on his back. Halcian laughed uproarously, but then he becam deathly serious when he saw Alex had exposed his legs. Alex was too young to realize that his Grandfather's legs were too elongated, furry, and lacking the normal arrangement of big toe to little toe to be human. In fact they resembled the hind legs of a wolf. "No . . .no . . . no Alex," Halcian said trying to gently scold the child, "you mustn't make Grandpa's chair go away." He covered himself with a towel and called for Mr. Vogel. "Mr. Vogel," he said to the somewhat nervous aide," please get my spare wheelchair while I have a long talk with my grandson." "Ye . .. Yes sir, but what if the Xanatos party returns?" "Don't worry Preston. I've handled the situation this long. Go on," Renard encouraged, "scoot," with that he scooted." "Well Alex," Halcian said turning to his grandson," you have stumbled onto the family secret, but I doubt you understand it. Perhaps that is best. Then again perhaps I should tell you everything while we are waiting. I have held this secret so long I feel weighed down with it. Perhaps telling you the story will be theroputic to me. Why not?" Halcian sat little Alex down and told him his tale. "The Renard family has a long history that has passed down from generation to generation. It has been told so much that I am not sure what is true and what is legend. But before I begin that some deep background is necessary. When Oberon appeared I was not surprised by his power. I had heard of him in the family legend. Oberon was the upstart offspring of the ruler of the third race of Earthor fairy folk. He was called Magus. Oberon desired to rule and found help with his own half human offspring Morgan LeFay. Morgan was a witch and also desired power. She desired the kingdom of her half brother Arthur Pendragon. Yes, there really was a kingdom called Camelot and its king Arthur. The combined stragedy overthrew the Magus and he was banished to a mortal's life somewhere in time thanks to a talisman called the phoenix gate. King Arthur was wounded but because Arthur was Morgan's half brother she had him carried away to Avalon to sleep and recover. That done Morgan set her sights on gaining power through the possession of others. She started with Arthur's wife." (ca. 600 AD) It was warm on this late spring morning as the mother guided her young daughter through the market square teaching her the ways of shopping for the household as they were passed down to her from her mother. Near the center of the square the mother knelt down and pointed to the tower that looked down on the marketplace. She explained that a former queen lived there waiting for her king to return. The child's eyes were wide with wonder. Guenevere stood back a ways from the window gazing down at the marketplace. It was another day without her beloved Arthur. Another day, another week, another month, another year. The glory that was Camelot had faded to legend in so brief a time. Arthur's former kingdom was splintered among a number of lords and it seemed impossible to reunite now. Why did she dare hope she often asked herself and to hope for what. A better tomorrow she would say. Hope that the benevolent God of this world cared for her. Merlin had disappeared just before the battle with Mordred and Lancelot was forbidden to return from France. Guenevere sighed and returned to her morning prayers. She was not able to start for she heard a gentle voice calling her in a gentle breeze. She turned to the window and saw a beautiful angel enter the window. "Hail Queen Guenevere," fluted the angel. It was a glorious looking creature. Dark flowing hair with long tendril locks hanging from her temples. "I have come to take you to Arthur," she finished. Guenevere's hear soared at the news. To be with her beloved husband. "Take me!" she begged. "Then follow me," the angel smiled and she backed away. Guenevere was spellbound by the transpiring events. A glorious answer to prayer, a glorious angel, and Arthur to come. She stumbled forward. Below in the marketplace the little girl was staring up at the tower she had been told housed the former queen. Stories fill her head of what royalty might be like. But what she saw did not seem right so she directed her mother to look. The mother cried out in shock holding out her hand as if it could stop the sight. The crowd in the marketplace reacted in unison. In one motion they rushed toward the tower to stop what they perceived as their beloved queen was about to do. Inside the tower Guenevere was momentarily disracted by the noisey banging on her locked chamber door but the Angel caught her attention again and beckoned her outside the window. "Come join me," said the angel. Guenevere stumbled forward and fell. Men screamed in terror. Women said prayers and hid their children's faces. Guenevere did not care anymore. She was reaching out to the angel who was still smiling. The angel reached up with her hand and removed her face like a mask. The angel placed the mask on Guenevere's face and Guenevere ceased to be and Luna was born. "I guess I won't be seeing Arthur after all," was her final thought. To the villagers what transpired is still a mystery and subject to many legends. For the Queen Guenevere disappeared into the ground as if it was not there. "Morgan LaFay or rather the being she had become disappeared for nearly four hundred years," Renard continued to the enthralled tike at his padded feet. "Or so the family story goes. Until an ancestor of mine, a Prince Malcolm married a French woman named Elena. It is said she came bearing a magical gift her husband that came from Avalon. The gift disappeared or was stolen. Elena was by all accounts a good wife and mother. She had at least two children. There were probably more but the exact number has been lost to the story. The two we know of were Finella and Bodhe. Some years passed and Prince Malcolm was poisoned. Elena and her children fled from the kingdom. Little is heard from them until Finella ran into some trouble with a wicked king named Constantine having something to do with the disappearance of the king's supposed bride. ca. 999 "Where is she Finella!" Constantine screamed in near insanity at the broken girl before him. Finella lay doubled over on the cold dungeon floor her mind swimming in pain. Wearily she tried to raise herself but found she could not. Constantine's men finally pulled her up. Her head bobbed downward and in the dim light of the dungeon she saw her reflection in a bucket of dark water. Men had once considered her beautiful and desireable. From her reflection she could tell she would never be beautiful again. Her beautiful golden hair had been shaved or burned off, some of her teeth had been broken out, dark bruises now ruined her face and one eye was covered in blood. How many tortures she had received snd how many scars now marked her she could not remember. Her confused mind asked why endure all this? What had she done? Constantine grabbed her chin and held her head so she could see him. "Where is the Princess Katherine?" he said as evenly as he could in his rage. Finella's eyes locked onto her tormentorand she remembered. A year or more ago she had helped the Princess, her charge of gargoyle eggs and a sorcerer escape from his man who had murdered the rightful king, Kenneth. Good King Kenneth, so wanting to please her and make her his bride. But she in vanity and ignorance choose the dashing young warrior Constantine. She was surprized how different he looked. He wasn't handsome at all now. After she had drugged Constantine and aided the Princess's escape to Avalon she and Mary, a friend in the battle to destroy Constantine, had used the sorcerer's book of spells to throw Constantine's rule into chaos. Then Constantine sent spies that found her and Mary out. Mary had fled to safety. She was thankful for that. However Finella was captured. She smiled because she remembered and remembering gave her inner strength to not give in. She chuckled, coughed, and spat out some blood. "Somewhere you can't go," she taunted. Constantine released his grip and went back to a table and picked up a book. " Has it got something to do with this?" he asked holding the book in front of her eyes. Finella held back her shock at the sight of the sorcerer's book, the Grimorum. Constantine could use it to reach Avalon and the Princess. "You won't find her in any book murderer," she managed. "Maybe so," he admitted closing the book. "Perhaps I should let you dwell on your answers." Constantine made a gesture to the keepers. The burly men each picked up a wooden bucket and drenched Finella with their contents. Finella screamed. The liquid burned her open sores and bruises. It smelled of vinigar and felt gritty with salt. What else it contained she could only imagine but right now she was doubled over in pain. "I do hope you rest well," Constantine taunted back. "The nights are so chilly this time of year." He smiled and left Finella shivering and burning.. An hour later Finella was weakening in her resolve. She hoped she would die from exposure and therefore deny Constantine his victory. That was when someone climbed in the dungeon window. "Finella?" the someone whispered as loudly as he dared. Finella stirred slightly at her name and feared she had survived till morning. "Finella!" the voice repeated more emphaticly. That was not the voice of one of her captors, it was the voice of her youth. A voice she remembered of hiding in the forest. It was her brother Bodhe. "Bodhe?" she managed and opened her eye trying to focus. There he was like a vision in a dream. He had gotten bigger and stronger than when she last saw him. She smiled for although things seemed hopeless the presence of the little runt was enjoyable. Bodhe however was not going to let his sister rest. "Come sister we must hurry," he said as he plied loose her bindings. It was slow going they were very tight and designed to tight when pulled. He even had to reawaken Finella after he was finished. He picked her upa and draped her limp body over his shoulders and climbed back up out of the dungeon. There was someone to help him there. It was a cousin of theirs who worked at the castle and turned mercenary. Bodhe set Finella down and removed a money puch from his belt and gave it to the man. "Here cousin take all of it," he said. "Take it and get as far from here as possible." "Aye," he said as he took the purse, "God go with you too." With that he sprinted away. Bodhe picked up his groggy sister and carried her off in another direction. Soon they were lostg in the darkness. With the light of day Constantine discovered his captive was now missing. He lost no time in setting out in pursuit. The bloodhounds quickly caught Finella's scent from her wounds and gave chase. Bodhe and Finella had a good headstart but Bodhe knew it was rapidly diminishing. By mid-day he could hear the distant baying of dogs. He was tired and his sister was not any better. He kept telling himself there was always hope. Bodhe slept. Finella however was starting to see things. She saw what she took to be the angel of her mother Elena. Elena was beaconing to her. "Finella," she called. "Come join me. Be whole and beautiful again." Finella did not need further coaxing. Her mother offered hope, family, and togetherness. Things she now sorely lacked. She embraced her mother and all that joining entailed. Bodhe woke up just in time to witness Finella cease to be his sister and become the sister Selene. Bodhe could not comprehend what had happened so like a man in fear he attacked the two women that now claimed Finella. He swung his staff in an arc that sent the sisters to the ground. Weakened from the initial joining the sisters were vulnerable leaving Phobe and Luna momentarily stunned. The newly created Selene reacted with new found power to protect her sisters and flung Bodhe across the hill top. Bodhe looked up in awe at the creature that had once been his sister. Sorceretic steam seethed from every pore of her body bathing her silhoette in a green aura. "It happened so quickly," was all Bodhe could think as the advance men from Constantine's pursuitteams scaled the hill and started to attack. The sisters were now a team and acted as such. The first sorcery blasts blew Constantine's men off the hill. Then the sisters set fire to the forest below. Even then the sisters did not stop. The men could be heard screaming. The screams changed to those of animals. The painful crys of these new animals did not stop until the fire consumed them. The sisters finally turned to Bodhe who was now frozen with fright. "Bodhe," said the dark haired sister, "you were once my son." ". . . and once my brother," said the blond sister. "But your attack can not go unaddressed," said the white haired sister. The sisters raised their unified powers and weaved their spell. A spell that has passed on father to daughter, and mother to son down through the centuries. No one is sure what triggers the curse. That night there was a full moon and Bodhe became a wolf. So has his line been cursed from that day to this. "That is the story my grandson," Halcian said, "and it is a curse I also bear. It is why I started cyberbiotics to try and find a cure. before it infects my daughter or you. I have had some success I no longer transform but I am not completely human either. Thank God Fox seems to not have been cursed." "Sir?" Preston Vogel said poking his head into the room, "is it safe?" "Yes Mr. Vogel," Halcian sighed. "I do believe it is safe." "I got the spare chair sir, and right next to it, apparently, was the one Alex removed," Preston sheepishly guided the chair into the room. "Thank you Preston," Halcian said and handed Alex to the obviously nervous Preston who held Alex at arms length and briefly smiled. Halcian openned his wheel chair and crawled into it and closed it over him. A short while later the Xanatos party returned dressed as they were before Alex's magical costume play. "We're home!" Fox called out. "Did everyone survive?" "Janine you're you again," Halcian said happily. "Yep. It was too bad about the timing though. We were about to win first prize." "Yes," Owen agreed, "I must congratulte you sir on your explaination about our suddenly missing costumes. Most ingenious." "I practised," Xanatos smirked. "Say DAd," Fox asked. "Hmmm?" "I thought you had your newer wheelchair." "Oh it developed a problem so I had Mr. Vogel deliver old tried and true." "Did you guys have a good time?" "Most assuredly," Halcian said. "We told stories the entire time." "Oh what kind of stories?" Xanatos asked suddenly some what interested. "Fairy tales," Halcian responded. "Hmmmm," Xanatos thought. "Well Dad I thank you for all your help," Fox said. "It's late would you and Mr. Vogel like to spend the night? We can talk in the morning." "Yes, Renard why don't you? It would be an excellent way to get better acquainted." Halcian turned to his aide, "What do you think Preston? Should we avail ourselves of their hospitality?" Vogel was we versed in his employers subtle signals. "I am pretty tired sir. I have no objections." "Well my dear," Halcian said turning to his daughter. "I guess we will be your guests for tonight." "Excellent, and you won't be sorry. I'm going to arrange a real breakfast feast for us tomorrow. We'll have a really good time." "I'm looking forward to it," he smiled. "Come I'll show you to the guest rooms," Fox motioned for them to follow. "Are you coming David?" she called back. "You go on ahead,"Xanatos said assuredly. "I have a small bit of business to check on." "I see," Fox intoned a bit knowingly. "Well don't be too long." With that Fox, her father, and Mr. Vogel left the main hall. Xanatos left through another door to his security office. There he rolled back the daily security tape to the point where they left Zlex in the care of Halcian and Mr. Vogel. "Are you checking up on Renard sir?" the manservant Owen asked from the shadows behind Xanatos. "I'm very curious about what Halcian said to Alex," Xanatos smirked. "Renard was very cyptic in his hint about the story he told Alex. Who knows it may be very useful." The numbers on the video counted down to the appointed time when they left. "There's the time index when we left," said Xanatos and he pushed the play button. The videeo screen flickered to life and displayed a high angle view of Owen, Xanatos, and Fox hurredly leaving the room in their transformed bodies leaving Halcian and Vogel with Alex. As soon as the coor closed the image turned to static. "Nothing but static," Xanatos sighed. "I got to hand it to Renard. Somehow he figured out how to erase our security tapes." "Most ingenious sir," Owen agreed. "But are you sure Halcian was the one who erased them?" "He's the most obvious," Xanatos turned thoughtful then turning to the smirking Owen. "Why, are you implying something?" THE END postscript: I hear some objections. I will try to explain my reasons for my choices of the wierd sisters' identities. First Elena. I chose Elena because of her dark hair and the stated fact she brought the Phoenix Gate as a gift from her father. The Phoenix Gate according to the Weird Sisters was made on the island of Avalon. She got it from somewhere. There was also the knowing look between Fox and Elena in Vows. Now the loudest objection should be for Finella. Finella was present when all three Wierd sisters attacked. I reason around this by the Phoenix Gate principle. They had it for a time. It's reasonable they may have used it to confront Magus. Finella's boat was also blown away from the conflict. The Wierd sisters also stated "What is time to an imortal?" or something like that. I think Magus was a member of the third race because of his ability to command Avalon to protect him. Oberon used it too to attack Goliath. Oberon probably striped him of power when he took over. Now the wild card who was the white haired sister? She most resembled the Lady of the Lake but I did not think she could be a sister when she already is a member of the fairy folk. It could have been Fox after her hair turned white in the future but I already wrote a story that said it was not her. That left two possibilities for me, Guenevere or Grauche (MacBeth's wife). Guenevere seemed the better choice. Grauche would be one too many times I used the Phoenix Gate clause. Besides Guenevere as a sister sets up possibilities for a conflict of emotions if the sisters should ever cross the path of Arthur Pendragon again. Merlin could also be a member of the third race. Possibilities abound.