DISCLAIMER: Jonny Quest and the Quest Team are owned by Hanna-Barbera, Inc./Turner Entertainment and are used without permission. Gargoyles and all related characters are the property of Buena Vista Television and Walt Disney, also used here without permission. Amethyst Szelle, Wrath, and all other unrecognizable characters are my creations. No money is being made.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: 'Kay, here goes part two. Remember, any number in parenthesis ( ) denotes a footnote and can be read at the end of the chapter.
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ENJOY!
MYTH AND LEGENDS (Part Two)
by lil'nix
Goliath soared above the Manhattan skyline. Flying was a wonderful release for him. The freedom of the never-ending sky. The cool evening air pounding against him. On this particular night, he felt all those things and more. One feeling in particular was too indescribable. No words could really describe what he was feeling. But he needed to focus. He needed to concentrate for fear of dropping the fragile human in his arms.
Amethyst would have slapped Goliath for thinking of her as "fragile." She looked down upon the streets of Manhattan and smiled at all the tiny people rushing from one place to another. Flying with any of the gargoyles always filled her with a sense of awe and wonder. Cradled in her father's arms, she could feel what he felt: the freedom, the power. But then, his muscles went tense. He was concentrating on something.
"Is something wrong?" Amethyst looked at Goliath with concern.
"I have found Brooklyn and Angela," Goliath said, not looking down at her. Instead, he nodded toward the roof of a building.
Amethyst saw Brooklyn and Angela standing back to back on the roof top. Circling them were two other Gargoyles. One was largely built with dark hair. The other was of a smaller, slimmer build. Their eyes were glowing in anger. It wasn't until the moon reappeared from behind a cloud that she saw a glint of red hair.
Demona.
Before Amethyst had a chance to comment, Goliath had already begun his descent to the roof top. He circled in the air twice before landing on the far side of the roof. Amethyst quickly moved away from him after he set her on her feet. She watched as he quickly closed the distance between them and the others.
"What is going on here?" Goliath half yelled, half roared. Anger flashed in his eyes.
Four pairs of eyes lifted to see Goliath. Brooklyn and Angela let out a brief sigh of relief, but remained vigilant of the two other gargoyles.
"Where is he?" was Goliath's answer.
It came from Demona.
"Where is he?!" Demona repeated. "Where are you hiding him?"
Goliath stood dumbfounded for a moment before being tackled from behind.
"Answer the woman," said a deep male voice.
"Thailog," Goliath growled. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Amethyst looked closer at the Gargoyle who attacked her father. He was the same height, the same build, but with subtle differences, such as skin and hair color. Thailog? She remembered Savarius saying something about him before she escaped, but she had no idea he was so much like Goliath.
"Where is he?" Demona said again. "Where's Wrath?"
"Jeremy?" Goliath said from beneath Thailog.
"Jeremy's in the city?!" Amethyst shouted.
Thailog and Demona both looked up at Amethyst, eyes glowing menacingly.
*Uh oh,* Amethyst thought.
"The girl," Demona said between gritted teeth. "Where is he, human?"
The red-haired gargoyle began moving toward Amethyst, only to find Brooklyn and Angela in her path.
"I don't think so," Brooklyn said.
Demon let out an enraged scream, her eyes glowing a dark red. Behind her, Thailog brought Goliath to his feet, keeping a tight grip on his arms behind his back.
"We didn't come here looking for a fight," Thailog said. "We only want our son back."
"What are you talking about?" Goliath asked. "Your son?"
Demona quickly turned her attention from Amethyst, back to Goliath.
"You rejected him when he escaped from Savarius," Demona said. "We accepted him without resignation. We raised him these past four years. He is OUR son!"
Amethyst squeezed between Brooklyn and Angela, and stepped closer to Demona.
"We were separated when we escaped. I went back to find him but he wasn't there," Amethyst said. "You're the ones who took him away! You're the ones who've kept my own brother -- my twin! -- away from me!"
Goliath knew Demona's patience was quickly running thin. Her patience with humans was thin to begin with. Amethyst had no idea of the danger she was putting herself in.
Demona turned, but didn't approach the young girl. Brooklyn and Angela reached out for Amethyst to hold her back, but she moved away quickly.
"How dare you?" Demona said.
"No! How dare YOU?!" Amethyst screamed, tears beginning to fill her eyes.
"Ladies," Thailog said. There was no anger, only calm and a touch of impatience. "This is getting us nowhere."
"We've been trying to tell you," Angela said. "We haven't seen Jeremy in four years."
"He hasn't tried to contact us at all," Brooklyn added.
"If he is in the city, then you will have to find him. We do not know where he is," Goliath said.
Demona glared at Amethyst a moment longer before returning to Thailog's side. Thailog released Goliath and threw him to the roof floor, hard. Without another word, the two gargoyles jumped from the side and glided off into the night.
"Do you know what this means?" Amethyst said happily. "Jeremy's back in Manhattan. I can see my brother again!"
"Don't get your hopes up, little sister," Angela said.
"He would have contacted us by now," Brooklyn said.
"Maybe he hasn't had the chance. What if --"
"Amethyst," Goliath said, getting to his feet -- this time, without assistance. "They are right. It is foolish to get your hopes up. He has not contacted us. There are a number of reasons and possibilities why he hasn't. But until he does, none of the others will learn of this. Clear?"
"Yes, sir," Angela said.
"Crystal," Brooklyn replied.
Amethyst stared out into the night.
"Yes, sir."
*J*Q**G* *J*Q**G* *J*Q**G*
Jeremy Destine crouched behind a dumpster in a darkened alley. He watched as Demon and Thailog flew overhead. They had come for him already.
No, it was too soon.
He had only been gone for several days. Demona and Thailog hadn't tried to bring him back before when he struck out on his own. He could be gone for days on end and the older gargoyles never seemed to care.
Was it because he was in Manhattan? Were they afraid he was trying to join Goliath? Not a chance. Goliath made his choice the night Jeremy and his sister escaped. Amethyst was saved while Jeremy was left to fend for himself. Amethyst hadn't even cared enough to look for him.
Jeremy shook his head furiously. No, it wasn't Amethyst's fault. She did call out for him. She begged him to follow her down the corridor. But no, he had chosen his own way, and all it got him was trouble. He would never forget the tears in his sister's eyes as she ran in the opposite direction. She must've known the right way, but she had enough heart to let him chose for himself. He should have had more faith in her at the time.
And he would never leave Demona or Thailog. They took him in when Goliath rejected him. They raised him the past four years. He had become an awesome hunter, a great tracker, and a daredevil flyer. They also let him make his own decisions. During the day, he helped Demona run her own business. (1) He showed an acute skill for sales and promotion. At night, when the three of them could spend time together, they taught him how to use his abilities as a shape-shifter and how he might best benefit from them. (2)
Thinking about his powers, Jeremy slowly began changing. His pale flesh darkened. The pony-tail he wore lengthened an extra six inches. His face wrinkled in pain. He hunched over as a pair of wings began to grow on his back. He could feel the entire change his body underwent. A tingly sensation in his head let him know when the transformation was complete.
Jeremy roared into the night and his eyes glowed ominously.
He had his doubts about his purpose in the mission. But the plan was full-proof. And the money was worth it. He couldn't tell Demona and Thailog what he was doing. They would never have approved.
Besides, Wrath wasn't ready to die working for David Xanatos.
*J*Q**G* *J*Q**G* *J*Q**G*
Jonny felt like he could run a marathon. After four cappuccinos and two glasses of Coke, his nervous system was wired with energy. Jessie and Hadji were constantly grabbing his jacket to keep him from running off.
The three teens had decided to walk back to the Eyrie Building. It was a brisk but beautiful evening, and the streets were still full of people. Some of them they recognized from the café, anxiously looking up into the sky.
Jeremy's story had attracted a lot of attention.
"Dad's gonna bust when he hears about this," Jonny said, looking up into the night sky. "Imagine. Real, live stone creatures roaming the night. What an adventure it would make!"
"Jonny," Hadji said, grabbing the sleeve of Jonny's jacket to keep him from running into a lamp post. "Remember what happened the last time we went looking for creatures at night?"
"C'mon, Hadj. How dangerous could they be?"
"How dangerous was the tiger, Jonny?" Jessie said. "Look, we have no idea where to start looking for them. The only we have to go on is one guy's story. We need more information."
"Jessie's right, my friend. We need more information about these gargoyles."
"And I know just who to ask." Jonny smiled at his friends.
"Look! Up there!" someone shouted.
Everyone's eyes were drawn towards several large shadows in the sky.
"It's them!" someone shouted.
"Quick, honey. Get a picture!" another voice yelled.
Hadji's eyes narrowed against the dark sky. He could clearly make out three shadows, large animal-like creatures with wings. And if he wasn't mistaken, one of them was carrying something.
Or someone.
Jessie must have noticed it, too. Her eyes narrowed more as she tried to get a better look. She huffed in frustration when she couldn't get a clearer picture.
Jonny was absolutely fascinated by the sight. He watched with wide eyes as the shadows passed overhead, and then out of sight behind some buildings.
"C'mon!" Jonny grabbed the sleeve of Jessie's jacket, and dragged her behind him as he ran after the disappearing shadows.
"Wha--?" Jessie barely had enough time to react. She stumbled a little as Jonny pulled her along.
Hadji merely shook his head and jogged after his friends.
They ran for several blocks, before stopping. Then Jonny hurried his friends for another couple of blocks, until they stopped in a dead end ally.
"I know they went this way," Jonny said. He kicked an empty soda can in frustration.
"They disappeared behind some buildings, Jonny," Jessie said with a big sigh. She leaned against the wall of a building to catch her breath. "They could have landed on the street and walked for all we know."
Hadji fell against the wall beside Jessie.
"I do not think so," Hadji said matter-of-factly. He looked up the street toward a cluster of large business buildings. Jonny and Jessie followed his gaze. Jessie sighed again and smacked her forehead. Jonny's mouth hung slightly agape.
The trio had followed the gargoyles back to the Eyrie Building.
"You don't really think...." Jessie's voice trailed off as she remembered what Jeremy had said.
Jonny nodded his head. "There's only one way to find out, Jess."
"With that, I will agree," Hadji said. "But I'm afraid we will not get much out of Mr. Xanatos directly."
"Yeah, he's seems much too crafty to fall for anything," Jonny commented.
"Yes," Hadji replied. He pointed to a black limo creeping along with traffic about a block away. "But I'm afraid he is also indisposed at the moment."
Jonny and Jessie glanced at the car and sighed.
"There goes that idea," Jessie said throwing her hands in the air.
"Not quite, Jess." Jonny turned away from his friends for a moment. His mind was formulating a plan. "With Mr. Xanatos away, we could search the building. And that castle."
"Do you think that is wise, Jonny?" Hadji asked.
"Any better ideas?" Jessie asked.
"It's better than an old subway tunnel," Jonny said, staring into the distance where the Eyrie Building met the clouds in the sky. "And I know just the person to show us around."
*J*Q**G* *J*Q**G* *J*Q**G*
Hudson and Bronx greeted Angela, Brooklyn, Goliath and Amethyst as they landed on the stone floor of the castle.
"A miserable evening?" Hudson asked. Angela and Brooklyn looked tired. Goliath wore his own expressionless mask. Amethyst, though, looked utterly miserable.
"We ran into Demona and Thailog," Brooklyn said, indicating himself and Angela. He remembered Goliath's words, and failed to mention the reason Thailog and Demona were in town.
"Demona and Thailog in Manhattan?" Hudson said. "Up to trouble, no doubt."
Amethyst's face turned sour, but she didn't speak. Hudson knew her well enough to know she was trying not to cry.
"We...do not know why they're here. They attacked Angela and Brooklyn without warning," Goliath spoke. "They gave no reason for such an attack."
"Do they need a reason, lad?" Hudson asked.
"I suppose not," Goliath said. "Have Broadway and Lexington reported in?"
Hudson nodded. "About an hour ago. The lads decided to finish watching the concert in the park."
Brooklyn frowned at this. "They said they wouldn't go without me."
Angela smiled at Brooklyn. She placed a hand on his arm and said, "Why don't we join them?" She was anxious to see Broadway. And she enjoyed many of the concerts held in the park.
The younger gargoyles looked at Goliath. He smiled.
"Go on. Just try to stay out of trouble."
Brooklyn let out a cry of joy and jumped off the precipice and into the air. Angela soon joined him.
"What about you, lass? Lexington said this group was one of your favorites." Hudson studied the girl closely. Her expression hadn't changed since she returned with the others. Something had to be wrong.
Amethyst looked at Hudson with a sad smile. She shrugged. "I'm not really up for a concert, I guess. Besides, the boys can have fun without me."
She quickly looked away from the older gargoyle. She knew he was watching her, studying her. She wanted to tell him about what really happened, but she had promised Goliath. She wouldn't go back on a promise.
Mysti turned to Goliath and said, "I think I'm going to head inside. Maybe Elisa called while we were out."
Goliath smiled at her, a smile that only crossed his face at the mention of Elisa's name.
"A good idea," he told her. "I will do one last sweep around the city and join you later."
Amethyst nodded. She turned quickly and headed inside.
Hudson eyed Goliath. "Is everything all right, lad?"
Goliath looked back at the older gargoyle, the smile gone from his face and replaced by his usual, neutral mask.
"Everything is fine, old friend." Then he jumped from the ledge and soared into the air.
Hudson watched Goliath leave, then turned to stare at the door Amethyst had disappeared behind.
"Something's not right," he told Bronx. "Not right at all."
The gargoyle dog whined in reply.
*J*Q**G* *J*Q**G* *J*Q**G*
Amethyst sighed as she walked down the hallway to her bedroom. There were no phone messages for her. Elisa hadn't called. The young girl was tempted to call Elisa instead. She had the phone number, but vowed only to use it in an emergency.
*Well, this could qualify as an emergency,* she thought. She open the door to her bedroom and stepped inside when someone called her name.
"Mysti!" Jonny Quest said, coming down the hall toward her.
Mysti turned around and peeked out into the hallway. She saw Jonny, Hadji and Jessie walking her way. She smiled at them and stepped back out into the hallway.
"Hey," she said. "How was your night on the town?"
"A very enlightening experience," Hadji said, returning her smile.
"That café you told us about was great," Jessie said happily.
"And the cappuccino was slammin'!" Jonny grinned.
"He had several cups," Jessie smirked. "Now he's wired for the next millennium."
Mysti giggled at that. Jonny did look a little high-strung.
"We were hoping to catch up to Mr. Xanatos," Jonny said. "We missed the tour he gave my dad and Race. We were hoping we could get him to show us around a little."
Mysti shook her head. "I'm afraid you've missed him. He and Fox had an important dinner meeting with several, high and mighty, TV executives. They'll be gone until midnight, at least"
Jonny casually shrugged. "Could you show us around, then?"
"I couldn't see why not," Mysti replied. "But it's been a long day for me, and I have an early start tomorrow." She paused, thinking. "How about I meet you in the grand dining hall of the castle for breakfast ... say at 8 a.m. ... and we'll go from there."
"Sounds great," Jessie said.
"Could we make that 9 a.m.?" Jonny asked.
Mysti smiled. "Okay, nine it is."
"Just one problem," Hadji asked, a bit embarrassed. "Where exactly IS the grand dining hall?"
---------------------------
FOOTNOTES:
1) As a result of asking a favor of the fairy, Puck, in "The Mirror," Demona was rewarded with being a human by day and a gargoyle at night.
2) An experiment Savarius performed on Wrath left him with the ability to shape-shift into other creatures whenever he chose. Unfortunately the transformation is very difficult and very painful. He can only remain in any one form for a short amount of time. This is helpful for him at night so that others do not know he's a gargoyle. (I'll touch on it in the first story, but won"t go into detail. Sorry. ^_^ )