Disclaimer: All the characters in the story are not mine, except for Rose. This takes place after "Changes".
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Elisa & I were standing side by side on the top tower of Castle Wyvern, watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon of Manhattan.
Seconds before the sun completely set, I glided to the lower part of the tower, where the others slept. As nightfall covered the city, the air was alive with the sound of roaring & cracking stone. I watched Brooklyn hop off his roost & smile as he handed Rose to me.
Rose, as the clan had suspected, turns to stone like the rest of us. We�ve had her for a month & she�s won the entire clan, as well as Elisa & the Xanatos family, over.
Brooklyn & I glanced up at the tower�s top & saw Elisa & Goliath smile at each other. Brooklyn & I saw Elisa kiss Goliath before sunrise on the night of Hunter�s Moon. We loved the fact that the two of them had finally admitted their true feelings to one another.
Elisa has talked to Angela & me about her feelings for Goliath. She�s not sure if she�s making the right choice. We told her that as long as she loves Goliath, that�s all that mattered. Being two different species doesn�t make any difference.
I walked down the halls, holding Rose, while humming, �Can You Feel The Love Tonight.� Brooklyn was beside me, humming the tune also. Love was in the air & it was a wonderful feeling.
Later that night, Brooklyn took care of Rose, leaving me with some free time. I decided to go to the library. As I reached the room, I saw Goliath already there. I just walked in, not wanting to interrupt him.
�Hello Jasmine,� Goliath greeted, without even looking up.
�Hello,� I replied, startled that he knew it was me. �How did you know it was me?�
�Simple. You still walk like a human princess, only a bit more heavily.�
I smile at his remark. I went to a bookcase, grabbed a book, & sat down at the table. The room was silent, except for an occasional turn of a page. Suddenly, the library doors were slammed open. Goliath & I looked up. There, in the doorway, was Angela, out of breath.
�Father, Jasmine! Come quick! Elisa�s unconscious!� Angela cried.
Goliath & I bolted out of the room & headed for the infirmary. When we got there, Elisa was laying on one of the beds, unconscious, just as Angela said. Xanatos & Owen were in the room, examining her.
�What�s wrong with her?� Goliath asked, concerned.
�We�re not quite sure yet. Calm down Goliath,� Xanatos said.
�Goliath?� a weak voice from the bed called.
�Yes, Elisa. I�m here.�
�Her vital signs are normal again. She�s in perfect health,� Owen reported in a toneless voice. Somehow, the idea of Owen & Puck being the same person was a little difficult to accept.
Elisa climbed out of the bed & walked out of the infirmary with Goliath, Angela, & me right behind her. We wondered if Elisa really was fine. I didn�t know anything that could cause her to collapse like she did.
As we reached the stairs that led to the towers, Elisa clutched her stomach & doubled over in pain. Goliath rushed to her side. Angela & I stood there as a tail started growing from the base of Elisa�s spine. A pair of wings sprang out of her back, her fingers receded to four & became talons, her feet became clawed toes & a pointed fetlock at the ankle. Her muscles bunched & tightened, while her ears grew longer & pointed. Elisa screamed in pain during this transformation.
�Elisa, are you all right?� Goliath asked, grasping one of her claws.
Elisa nodded, panting heavily, �Yes, but�who would�do this?�
�Well, would Puck teach Alex this kind of magic?� Angela asked.
�I don�t think so, he would probably ask first,� reasoned Goliath.
�You�re right, I would!� called a cheerful voice. The four of us whirled around. There was Puck, floating in the air. He flew around Elisa, occasionally examining a wing or the tail very closely.
�This looks like the kind of magic the Weird Sisters have. Obviously, to encourage your relationship with Elisa,� Puck reported to Goliath.
�Do you want them to reverse this�change?� Goliath inquired Elisa.
�No, Goliath. We should just let it go. If it�s meant as a gift, then that�s what it should be left as,� Elisa answered.
Goliath, Elisa, & Angela walked up the spiraling staircase towards the towers outside. I started up the stairs, hoping to see Goliath reteach Elisa how to glide, when Puck called, �Wait, princess!�
I turned around, �The name is Jasmine.� True, I was a princess, but I'd rather that everyone just treat me like a normal gargoyle.
�Whatever. How about if Alex & I do you a little favor?� Puck replied.
�What kind of favor?� I asked suspiciously.
�What would you say if Alex & I took away half of Demona�s spell?�
�What�s the catch?�
�No catch. Just a favor. See, you�ll be a gargoyle at night, but at sunrise, you�ll have a choice of gargoyle or human. And no changing back once sunrise has gone by.�
I quickly considered my options. What to do? This was a one-time opportunity. Finally, I made my decision.
�All right. Do it,� I answered.
�Now, Alex say the spell just like I taught you,� Puck instructed.
Alex & Puck chanted a Latin spell, which obviously had no meaning to me. While they chanted, a soft green mist circled my body. As the chanting stopped, so did the mist.
�Well, that�s that,� Puck concluded.
�How do I know that it worked?�
�Just don�t wear your amulet & concentrate on being human. See you around.� And with that, Puck & Alex disappeared.
I walked upstairs & saw the clan watching Goliath & Elisa. I thought about how different Elisa�s life was going to be from now on. She might still work as a police officer, but that would be it.
Goliath landed in the courtyard & watched as Elisa tumbled head-over-heels as she landed.
�Elisa?� Goliath asked.
�It�s okay. Nothing�s broken,� Elisa grinned.
�It�s almost dawn. We should get some sleep,� Hudson interrupted.
I reached into my pouch & gave Elisa an amulet, which she put in her jeans pocket. She smiled at me & I smiled back.
As I reached my pedestal, I remembered the favor that had been done for me. I looked toward the west & saw the last bit of darkness slip away from the sky. To the east, I saw a ray of sunlight peeking over the horizon.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the clan turning to stone. I closed my eyes & concentrated. I felt the sun�s warmth on my skin, so I opened my eyes. Human hands were the first things I saw. Looking at the rest of me, I saw that I was back to my human form. I was so excited, that I decided to show Demona & tell her how it happened. With that, I walked out of the Eyrie Building toward the crowded sidewalks of Manhattan to make some reservations.
TBC in "Worlds Collide"