Krystiana Slinky here. Hi, all! Here is my fourth gargoyles FanFic, the

first one with yours truly. All the characters (except me!) in here belong

to Buena Vista and Disney, and are a non-profit thingy. So DON'T SUE ME!

Krystiana is mine, and if you want to use her in one of your stories, e-mail

me and tell me (the addy is at the bottom).

 

NOTE:This takes place after Gargoyles, The Goliath Chronicles, and my

stories. If you haven't read my other stories (Music Says It All, To Live

Again, Part I, and To Live Again, Part II) GO READ THEM!!!

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere we go!

****************************

By: Slinky

"Previously on Gargoyles..."

 

Vows

Demona: Deslegrate muri tempi et intervalia!

     [Phoenix flame]

 

Future Tense

Goliath: Time is like a river, correcting it's course against any change.

History cannot be altered.

 

Vows

Demona: It seems time is immutable.

 

To Live Again Part II

     [Elisa falling, Demona catching her]

Elisa: Brooklyn got to say thank you, but I didn't.

Demona: Don't think this changes anything, _human._ But you are welcome.

 

Temptation

Demona: I just saved your life. Doesn't that at least entitle me to a moment

of your time?

Brooklyn: All right. I'm listening.

     [Brooklyn and Demona talking]

     [Brooklyn sneaking into the castle and stealing the Grimorum]

 

Brooklyn: You're insane! Give me that book!

Demona: Brooklyn, wait. You must trust me.

Brooklyn: I was a fool to trust you!

 

Reawakening

     [Brooklyn and Demona fighting]

Brooklyn: Got any spells to save you now?

 

Long Way 'Til Morning

Brooklyn: I've got a few things to settle with her.

 

Goliath: Brooklyn is still too angry at Demona.

 

Future Tense

Brooklyn: Are you all right, my love?

Demona: Yes, now that I'm back in your arms.

Goliath: You two? Together?

 

Music Says It All

     [Brooklyn and Demona hugging]

Lexington: Just a dream...

 

Future Tense

Puck: Was it a dream? Or a prophecy?

Goliath: I must know!

Puck: Like I'd tell you.

 

Music Says It All

Brooklyn: Maybe someday our dreams will come true.

 

*****************************************************************

 

Echoes of the Future

 

Castle Wyvern

2044 A.D.

 

Krystiana watched in horror as the metal bindings around her father

tightened. They seemed to be squeezing the life out him, or his soul. She

reached out to him, yelling, but he couldn't hear her. The collar around him

showed it. He belonged to the Dark Ones. He was one of them now.

 

His eyes, always bright and full of life, seemed to grow hard and cold. Even

as she watched, she could sense him grow more evil by the second.

 

                         *         *         *

 

Until she felt the regular buzzing she felt that she felt right before she

woke up. The stone skin around her cracked, and she burst out of the shell

with a roar that sounded like a panther's.

 

She stumbled and looked at where her father usually perched. He was there,

and he looked at her with concern.

 

"Krys?" he said. "What's wrong?" Krystiana looked away, half expecting him

to lash out at her.

 

"Nothing, Dad. Just a bad dream," she said, avoiding his eyes.

 

"Your dreams have a knack of coming true, Krys," her mother said, coming out

of the castle.

 

"Really...it didn't mean anything," she said.

 

"Krystiana, tell us," her father said sternly.

 

~He must be serious. He never calls me by my full name...~ she thought.

 

"It was about the Dark Ones," Krystiana began. She looked at her father and

tried to find any trace of the evil eyes in the dream, but couldn't,

thankfully.

 

"Dad, they had you. They had you wrapped up in these metal cable things, and

your eyes..." She didn't show much emotion, as she always did, always

indifferent.

 

~It's not going to come true. I won't let it,~ Krystiana swore inwardly.

~I'll go straight to Hell before he becomes a Dark One.~

 

"Krys..." her mother said. "Are you sure it was Brooklyn?" Krystiana nodded.

 

 

"Brooklyn, her dreams come true so much..."

 

"I don't want to hear it, Demona. It's not going to come true," he said,

holding up a hand. He turned and walked into the castle.

 

                         *         *         *

 

Demona watched Brooklyn's retreating back go into the castle. She looked

back at their daughter, Krystiana, who seemed to be looking at anything but

her father.

 

"Krys?"

 

Krystiana looked up at Demona. "Mom...I can't let it happen. I won't lose

him..."

 

"We won't let it happen, Krys," Demona said. Krystiana looked at her mother

and gave a short nod. She whirled around and practically ran into Lara

Xanatos.

 

"Hey, I just saw Brooklyn in there...I haven't seen him that pissed in a

long time," she said, raising an eyebrow.

 

"Lara? How are you? How is Alex?" Krystiana asked, concerned.

 

"Dad? Oh, he's doing much better. After what happened..."

 

"Did the doctors say anything about how he is?" Demona said, coming up next

to them.

 

"They expect a full recovery."

 

Krystiana smiled. Alexander Xanatos had been the one who had taught her how

to glide. By accident, actually. Alex had been fifteen, while she was seven.

They were teasing each other when Krystiana got really mad and pushed him

off Castle Wyvern. She realized what she had done and jumped off after him.

She caught him under the shoulders and spread her wings as far as they would

go, and she was gliding for the first time in her life. Hudson swore it was

the earliest he had ever seen a hatchling glide.

 

Hudson had died of old age the next year, and the year after that the Dark

Ones had surfaced. They had gotten Goliath, and they were unable to save

him. They had to kill him to save the rest of the clan.

 

She could barely remember either of them, but everything she did remember of

them was good.

 

"Krys?"

 

She looked around and realized that Lara had left. She turned back around

and say Angela.

 

"Krys? Are you okay?"

 

Krystiana nodded and smiled reassuringly.

 

"I heard about the dream," Angela said. "Do you think it's true?"

 

Krystiana snarled and shook her head. "It won't come true. I won't let it."

 

"Krys...but you were right when you had that dream before Goliath..." Angela

suppressed her tears. "Before Goliath..."

 

"Angela, I'm sorry," Krystiana said. "I don't really remember Goliath. I

wish I did, though."

 

                         *         *         *

 

"Krys!"

 

Krystiana turned to see her father waving at her. She ran up to him.

 

"There has been an attack, in Central Park," said Brooklyn. "We're going to

go check it out."

 

They glided off and met up with Demona and the others. Bronx was staying

behind to guard the castle.

 

"Do you think it's the Dark Ones?" Krystiana asked. Brooklyn nodded his

head.

 

"All the descriptions were like their attacks usually are."

 

They soon saw there was something going on there. "There!" Krystiana said,

spotting the laser fire. Brooklyn readied his weapons, which consisted of a

blaster that went around his wrist. Demona and the others were doing the

same.

 

"Let's go!" Brooklyn said, swooping down. He let out a battle cry and rushed

into the trees, the others following.

 

Krystiana ran right into one of the controlled. She slammed him into a tree,

made sure he was unconscious, and then resumed battle.

 

Brooklyn was firing at another controlled and missing. Krystiana ran up

behind the quick controlled human and punched him in the head. Brooklyn

smiled at his daughter gratefully.

 

The battle was going well.

 

                         *         *         *

 

Brooklyn looked around to see how the others were doing. Angela and

Lexington had teamed up around five controlled. Broadway was ramming two

into the ground. Krystiana was drawing one's fire, while Demona snuck up

behind him.

 

But she didn't notice the one sneaking up behind her.

 

Brooklyn did and leapt at the controlled human with full force. He rammed

him into the ground and realized who it was.

 

~Xanatos.~

 

Xanatos had become a Dark One long ago, along with Fox. The collar around

his neck showed that he was controlled, and not attacking them of his own

free will. Brooklyn started at the sight of the clan's former enemy-turned

ally attacking them.

 

The clan had seen Xanatos get captured, unable to do anything about it. That

was several years ago, and they had never seen him or Fox among the usual

ranks of the Dark Ones.

 

Brooklyn regained his composure and growled. No matter what Xanatos once

was, he was a Dark One now, without a doubt. Brooklyn raised up his fist,

getting ready to punch out his lights...

 

And then noticed one of the warpholes.

 

The warphole was the one thing that none of them had ever actually beaten.

Whenever one showed up, someone was always taken with them, and then became

a Dark One.

 

Brooklyn growled as metal twining came out of the hole. He saw them, and

prepared to fight them...

 

And then saw that they weren't heading towards him.

 

Krystiana, completely unaware of what was about to happen, was helpless to

the twining. They wrapped around her as the Dark Ones fell silent.

 

~That never happened before,~ Brooklyn thought, running towards Krystiana.

He leapt up onto the metal cords and began to rake at them with his talons,

not leaving a scratch. Demona was on the other side, while the others were

trying to cut the base.

 

"STOP!"

 

The yell came from behind him. He looked back and saw Xanatos.

Brooklyn whirled around, eyes flaring. "What?" he said, his voice dripping

with venom. He was still pulling at the cords, hoping that they would

loosen.

 

"The leader has a proposition for you," Xanatos said, smirking. "She will

save your daughter...if..."

 

"If what?" Brooklyn turned back to Krystiana.

 

"If you offer yourself in return. Allow yourself to become one of us."

 

Brooklyn turned back towards Xanatos in shock. He looked at Krystiana, who

was shaking her head.

 

"NO, DON'T-" She was cut off as a piece of metal wrapped around her mouth.

Demona rushed forward, yelling.

 

"Take me! Leave Brooklyn and Krystiana!" she yelled, her eyes flaring.

Xanatos gestured, and a piece of metal wrapped around her mouth as well.

 

Brooklyn looked at his mate and daughter. Both of them were begging him to

say no, but he couldn't allow Krystiana to become like them.

 

He turned to Xanatos. "Take me," he said, fighting back tears.

 

Xanatos grinned as the metal coils around Krystiana disappeared and appeared

around Brooklyn. Demona ran forward to stop Xanatos, but she was cut off by

a few of the controlled.

 

Xanatos grinned and brought a collar, much like the one he and the other

controlled wore. It was in two halves, and had a flashing light on it. He

stepped up to Brooklyn and snapped the collar around his neck.

 

                         *         *         *

 

Krystiana was watching as her dream could come true. She tried to run

forward to help him, but Broadway held her back.

 

Brooklyn was looking at her in sorrow. Demona was struggling against the

controlled, fighting increasing numbers.

 

Brooklyn was being drawn into the warphole. He looked at his clan as they

watched on, unable to do anything about what was going on.

 

He looked at Demona one last time. They were silently communicating, as they

always did. Krystiana wondered just about what.

 

                         *         *         *

 

*Take care of her, and take care of yourself,* Brooklyn thought at Demona.

 

*No, I cannot just leave you!* Demona insisted.

 

*Do it, Demona. I have a request*

 

Demona was silent a moment. *Yes, my love?*

 

*Take the Phoenix Gate and take her back into the past. Keep her there, when

it was still safe.*

 

*But, Brooklyn-*

 

*No Buts! Take her back into the past. If you can, try and convince my

younger self to try and stop this from happening.*

 

*Brooklyn...*

 

Brooklyn was finally almost drawn into the warphole. Demona cleared her head

and leapt over the controlled. She ran on all fours towards the closing

warphole. It as almost closed.

 

Then it was gone.

 

It just disappeared, like that...

 

"NOOOOO!!" Demona yelled, in a combination of a roar and a yell. She sank to

the ground on her knees, covering her face with her hands. "No..." she

softly.

 

The controlled smirked at each other, and they disappeared. Krystiana broke

away from Broadway. She shook her head.

 

"Why can't I do anything about it?" she yelled. "I have these dreams of the

future, but I can't do anything about it! Why?" She looked to the clouds, as

if searching for an answer. She roared at them. "Damn it, tell me!" Then,

she too, sank to the ground, in defeat.

 

                         *         *         *

 

"Krys...I'm so sorry."

 

Krystiana turned away from Angela. Angela looked at her with pity.

 

"If it makes you fell any better, I know how you feel..."

 

"NO, you don't," Krystiana said, growling. "You don't know!"

 

"My father was taken from me, too. We had to...to..." Angela couldn't finish

her sentence.

 

Krystiana turned back to Angela, eyes glowing red. "You didn't depend on

your father your entire life! You didn't know him your entire life!" She

growled again and turned back. "You couldn't know," she whispered.

 

"Krys...I..."

 

"Just go away."

 

Angela turned, looking at Krystiana's empty, staring eyes. She heard a crash

from outside. While Krystiana was expressing her sorrow in sadness, Demona

was expressing it anger. Angela ran out of the room and into the library.

 

"Why is it every time I find someone I love, he is taken away?" Demona

yelled, toppling over a bookcase in rage. "Even when I knew Brooklyn was the

one I would love more than any other..."

 

"Mother!" Angela yelled. Demona turned, growling at her.

 

"What?" she said dangerously. Angela took a step back.

 

"Destroying the library isn't going to bring Brooklyn back," Angela said,

letting a tear of her own fall. "We're all going to miss him."

 

Demona looked at Angela with a look of frustration on her face. "Angela, you

don't understand. I love him more than I have loved anyone else, all the

time I have lived..."

 

"More than my father?"

 

Demona looked away from her first daughter. "Yes, even more than your

father. Even more than Thailog. Even more than anybody." She swept her

hands across the air, as if saying it was final. She turned around from her

daughter again.

 

"The leader is going to put him against us, no doubt," Demona said, growling

again. She lowered her quivering wings, putting the fingers on her

shoulders. "Just to gloat."

 

Demona's gold armor glinted in the dim light of the library. Angela realized

this was probably the greatest loss the clan had ever suffered. She watched

as her mother started walking towards the display case of the Phoenix Gate.

 

"Mother?" Angela saw Demona lift up the glass and pick up the Gate. "What

are you doing?"

 

"I made Brooklyn a promise, one I'm going to keep," Demona said, turning

toward the room where Angela had left Krystiana.

 

                         *         *         *

 

"Krystiana."

 

She turned to see her mother, holding the Phoenix Gate. "Mom? What-"

 

Demona rose the Phoenix Gate above her head. "Deslegrate muri tempi et

intervalia!" she chanted, as the Phoenix Flame began to form around herself

and Krystiana.

 

"Mom!" Krystiana yelled, unable to be heard through the Phoenix Flame's

burning. "What are you doing?"

 

                         *         *         *

 

Manhattan

1997 A.D.

 

Brooklyn was dodging blasts coming from Demona. She was holding the old,

fashionable laser rifle. Brooklyn growled at her.

 

"Can't you think of anything original?" he yelled at her. The rest of the

clan, tied up in chains, watched him.

 

"Brooklyn, watch out!" Angela yelled as one of the blasts hit rock above

him. Small rocks came pouring down. He threw up his wings to protect him.

 

Brooklyn thought he saw he saw a bright flash of light out of the corner of

his eye, but ignored it. Demona was still firing at him, growling and

smiling.

 

A loud battle cry came from above them, and a blur came and knocked Demona

off her feet. The blur slowed down, and Brooklyn saw who it was. He almost

choked.

 

"Demona?!" he said. Demona had knocked Demona down. ~This doesn't make

sense.~

 

The original Demona turned on the new one, and gasped. "Who...you're ME!"

 

"Gee...I wonder how?" the other Demona said sarcastically, holding up

something gold. The Phoenix Gate.

 

Goliath noticed subtle differences between the two Demonas. The original,

while always holding a sneer or smirk on her face, the new one was wearing a

look of disgust...and guilt. The new one also wore a kind of gold armor.

Goliath realized she looked exactly as she had in the dream that Puck had

given him.

 

Brooklyn also seemed to notice the difference, especially the guilty look.

For a brief instant Goliath was reminded of the image Puck had made of

Brooklyn in the future, of him and Demona together.

 

The old Demona growled and got up. The new one rose a hand and brought

against the old one's head. The present Demona moaned and fell to the

ground.

 

The remaining Demona crossed her arms and put the fingers on her wings on

her shoulders. She looked around the clan, and then walked up to them and

freed them of their chains.

 

Goliath turned to Demona. "Who are you?"

 

"I _am_ Demona. But that isn't important right now." She turned to a

shadowed corner of the building. "Krys! Come out now!"

 

Goliath turned to where she was calling. He saw a red gargoyle's foot come

out, and at first thought it would be Brooklyn's future self, but then more

came out and he saw it was a girl.

 

But the girl looked very much like Brooklyn. Her coloring was the same as

his, and she had horns on her head like his. She wore a golden tiara around

her forehead, much like Demona's, but the spikes pointed downward, and there

was only one, right between the eyes. She white hair, with a single red

streak the color of fire in it. Her wings looked much like Demona's, the

same shape and were a deep violet. She wore an armor, like Demona's, except

it was silver.

 

Goliath took a step back. He knew who it was even before she spoke.

 

Brooklyn, however, did speak before he could. "Who are you?" Demona turned

to Brooklyn with a smile on her face.

 

"Brooklyn, meet Krystiana," Demona stated. "Your daughter."

 

Brooklyn looked at Demona like she was crazy, as did the rest of the clan.

"My _daughter?_" he said, his jaw falling open. "But...how is that..."

 

Krystiana was looking at the old Demona's body on the ground. She ran up to

it, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Mom...this is _you!_"

 

Brooklyn's jaw parted even further, and then he began to get angry. "MOM?!"

he yelled at Demona. Demona winced, and then looked down.

 

"Yes, Brooklyn. She is our daughter."

 

Brooklyn was angry, to the point where he would probably try to kill Demona

any second now. "OUR daughter?! OUR daughter?!" he yelled, his eyes glowing

white.

 

Krystiana was watching him, her eyes filling up with tears. Brooklyn looked

down at her, and the glow died away. He looked at Demona and realized that

she was fighting back tears as well. Brooklyn calmed down and took a deep

breath.

 

"Okay, so she is our daughter. But why are you here?"

 

Demona looked at him, still fighting back tears, but she was smiling. "I

made you a promise," she said. "One that I am going to keep, but I am going

to twist it a little."

 

Brooklyn raised an eyeridge. "What kind of _promise?_"

 

"You made me promise to bring her back here to keep her safe. You also to

try and convince you to do something."

 

"What? What do I have to do?"

 

Demona looked around at the rest of the clan. "I can't tell you here," she

said.

 

"Fine, whatever. Last time I listened to you-"

 

"You did what I said, I know. That was years ago, even longer for me. Forty-

seven, to be exact."

 

"Forty-seven?"

 

"Wait, a minute!" Krystiana interrupted. "What do you mean, `last time you

listened to her?'"

 

Demona put a hand on her forehead and muttered. "Krys, I will explain

later." Krystiana glared at nothing, and Brooklyn realized that the eyes

were definitely Demona's.

 

"Yes, will you please listen to me?"

 

Brooklyn looked to the rest of his clan for help. Goliath stepped forward,

and said, "Why can't you tell the rest of us?"

 

Demona narrowed her eyes. "You can listen, if you want to, but I don't think

you'll want to hear it."

 

Goliath shook his head. "Whatever concerns Brooklyn, concerns the entire

clan."

 

Demona sighed. "Very well." She pulled out a video tape. "This will show

most of it. I got it from a security tape."

 

Goliath interrupted one more time. "One thing still puzzles me. How did you

get the Phoenix Gate?"

 

Demona looked at Goliath. "That is a long story...and one I'd rather not

tell right now." She moved to the edge of the building. "You may as well

bring me...uh, her," she said, gesturing to her younger self.

 

Brooklyn, almost hesitantly, picked her up with a look of disgust on his

face.

 

Demona snapped her wings open and gelid away, the others following.

Krystiana stayed more to the back.

 

                         *         *         *

 

Krystiana watched the city below go by. Everything was so..alive here. It

was before the Dark War started here, and everything was peaceful. Some

might disagree with her, but compared to her world, it was peaceful.

 

"You really are Brooklyn's daughter, aren't you?" Krystiana looked beside

her and saw Angela and Broadway, younger than she remembered either of them.

She nodded.

 

"I don't think her attitude takes after either of them," Broadway said.

Krystiana looked at him, puzzled. "She won't talk, and they never shut up."

 

Angela looked at him, horrified. "Broadway!" she scolded.

 

Krystiana growled at Broadway, but then smiled sweetly. "I can say plenty,"

she said.

 

"So say something!" Broadway insisted. "Why don't you tell us about your

world?"

 

Krystiana sighed. "There is a war going on, and it's terrifying. This leader

person snaps collars around people, and then they become the enemy. And we

haven't figured out how to reverse the collars."

 

Angela watched her with sorrowful eyes. "Has anybody we know been...taken?"

 

"We call them the controlled. And yes. Xanatos, and Fox. Goliath..." She

stopped for a moment to collect her breath. "And...Brooklyn," she whispered,

"Is the latest edition to the controlled. And it's all my fault."

 

Broadway's eyes widened. "Goliath? And Brooklyn?" Krystiana nodded.

"Goliath, the first year the war began, and Brooklyn... t-tonight..."

 

Broadway shook his head, to clear it. "What about Elisa?"

 

Krystiana looked at him and frowned. "She's fine, but ever since Goliath...

she hasn't been the same. She tried to commit suicide, but Mom stopped her."

 

Angela looked at her blankly for a moment and then realized. "Demona stopped

_Elisa_ from killing herself?"

 

Krystiana nodded. "She's a lot different from the Demona you know. Elisa and

Brooklyn are the ones who had been helping her trust humans." She looked at

her father's younger self, who she realized was staring at her. He quickly

turned away, but she had caught him. "She is gonna admit later that the only

reason she hated Elisa so much was because she was proof that not all humans

were bad."

 

Angela and Broadway looked at each other as Krystiana sped up. She glid up

next to Demona.

 

"Why are we back here?" Krystiana whispered to her mother. "What good is

this gonna do?"

 

"We must stop the reason the of the war from happening. It is going to

happen tomorrow night," Demona whispered back.

 

Krystiana glanced back at the rest of the clan. They were all whispering

among themselves as well. Brooklyn, still carrying her mother's younger

self, was not saying anything, just looking down at Demona's still form.

 

                         *         *         *

 

Demona appeared to still be unconscious, but Brooklyn knew she wasn't.

 

*Just wake up!* he told her silently. *Why can't you just show the others

you're awake?*

 

*Because I want to know what's going on.*

 

*First you tell me why you attacked us even after you helped me with that

Iago thing.*

 

*I needed something from you,* Demona said.

 

*What did you need that was so damn important?*

 

*I needed you to help me get the Phoenix Gate.*

 

*But...why?*

 

*I wanted to stop myself from tricking you.*

 

Brooklyn was silent, even to Demona, for a few moments. *Why?*

 

*Because you hate me so much. I realize that was a mistake.*

 

*Demona...*

 

*Now, who was that other person, that looked like me?*

 

*She was you, Demona,* Brooklyn thought at Demona. *She said something about

being from forty-something years in the future.*

 

*My future-self?*

 

*I guess. She also made a promise to...my future-self, I guess about keeping

Krystiana safe...* Brooklyn almost immediately stopped thinking at Demona.

 

*Who is Krystiana?*

 

*Another...visitor from the future.*

 

*But who is she?*

 

Brooklyn didn't say anything.

 

*Brooklyn...*

 

*Our daughter, or so she says,* Brooklyn said, narrowing his eyes.

 

*OUR daughter?*

 

*That's exactly what I said.*

 

*Brooklyn...*

 

*Just wake up now, okay? We're almost to Wyvern.*

 

Brooklyn landed on the tower with a thud. Demona immediately launched into

acting and moaned, rubbing her head. Brooklyn started acting surprised and

watched her come to. She opened her eyes to see Brooklyn glaring at her. She

gasped and pushed him away, causing him to drop her.

 

She turned around and glared at the rest of the clan, including her future-

self.

 

~For once, she is actually acting being pissed at the clan,~ Brooklyn

thought.

 

*Oh, yeah, get them mad at you,* he said silently to Demona.

 

*Why not? They're just going to lock me up anyway.* She launched further

into the part and allowed her eyes to glow.

 

Brooklyn rolled his eyes. Lexington noticed and gave him a strange look.

 

*Okay, I'm going to take you by surprise.* He put himself into his part and

allowed his own eyes to glow. *You ready? Here comes my surprise!*

 

He launched himself at Demona, knocking into her back. He growled. Demona

turned face up and growled at him.

 

*Nice surprise.*

 

*Thank you.*

 

Brooklyn was suddenly being pushed gently off of Demona. He had half a mind

to tell whoever it was to shove off, but then turned and saw it was

Krystiana. He allowed himself to be pushed off with a genuine look of shock

on his face. Although his weight was off of her, his legs were still draped

across hers.

 

Demona squinted at Krystiana, then turned to Brooklyn. *She _is_ our

daughter! I can see the resemblance of both of us!*

 

"Oh, would you stop that?" Both of them turned their heads to Krystiana. "I

know exactly what you're doing, so you may as well stop it."

 

"Stop what?" Brooklyn asked, almost panicking.

 

"Yes, stop what?" Goliath asked, glowering at the bunch of them. Brooklyn

realized his legs were still on top of Demona, and he pulled them off.

~Lucky I have red skin color, because that's what color I'd be if I wasn't.~

 

"Don't play innocent with me, _Dad,_" she said sarcastically. "I know what

you're doing." *Now stop it,* she added silently, in her own mental voice.

Brooklyn's look of innocence broke down to shock. And from what he could

tell, Demona had heard it, too.

 

*How...did she do that?* Demona wondered to Brooklyn.

 

*She's our daughter, remember? She inherited the Early Hatcher's talents,*

Brooklyn said, blinking. Krystiana narrowed her eyes, and Brooklyn was

reminded of Demona very much.

 

"Okay, we'll stop," he mumbled. Demona bit her lip and slowly nodded.

 

"I still don't understand," Goliath said. "Stop what?"

 

"We'll explain later, Goliath," Brooklyn said, knowing he wouldn't. He

looked over at Demona's future self, who had stood back and watched the

scene unfold, frowning. "Can we go in and watch that tape of yours?"

 

Demona's future self nodded and began walking in the castle. Krystiana made

a gesture, as if to say, "After you." Brooklyn went in, with a confused look

on his face. Demona followed, with a sour look on her own.

 

The rest of the clan followed them. Bronx came bounding out of one of the

rooms, coming to greet the clan.

 

"Hi, Bronx!" Krystiana chirruped. As Bronx gave her a confused look, she

slapped her forehead. "I keep forgetting. He doesn't know me yet." She bent

down and reached out a hand. Bronx came forward carefully and cautiously and

then began panting in a friendly manner. Krystiana smiled and petted him.

"Don't worry, boy. You'll know me in about five or six years."

 

Bronx panted happily and trotted around at her heels as they moved on. They

walked into Xanatos's office, the future Demona in the lead. Xanatos jumped

up from his desk.

 

"Demona!" he said, reaching into his desk for something. Brooklyn came in

afterward and shook his head. When the second Demona came in, Xanatos looked

genuinely surprised.

 

The rest of the clan filed in. Krystiana came up next to the first Demona.

She started whispering in her ear. Brooklyn strained to hear what they were

saying, but he couldn't make it out. The armored Demona shrugged, then

nodded.

 

Xanatos regained his composure quickly. "What is going on here?"

 

Goliath came forward. "Xanatos, we shall explain later." He turned to the

Demona holding the tape. "Show your tape now."

 

"Very well," she said. She put the tape in a slot next to the TV monitor

that Xanatos had on his wall. The monitor blinked and flew into color.

 

The camera was obviously in the corner. Brooklyn watched an empty hallway,

It stayed there for a long time, nothing happening.

 

"Oh, yeah, this _is_ exciting," he said. The present Demona shushed him.

 

There was a flicker of movement in the corner. A human girl, that looked to

be about fifteen ran by, laughing. A gray-haired David Xanatos came on and

crossed his arms. "Lara," he said, waggling a finger. Suddenly, there was a

blast off of the left of the screen. Lara and Xanatos both turned their

heads towards it.

 

A door on the opposite side of the hallway opened and Lexington, his older

self came out. He growled and bounded down the hallway on all fours. Lara

and Xanatos looked at each other and ran after him.

 

Brooklyn turned to Krystiana. "When was this?" he asked.

 

"About a month ago."

 

Brooklyn turned back to the screen. The camera had changed views, and was

outside now. It showed a lot of blasts, coming from some kind of weapon.

There was a lot of the same kind a gun, all being used by a lot of humans,

all wearing some kind of mechanical collars around their neck.

 

Xanatos and the girl named Lara ran out and saw what was happening.

Lexington was fighting a lot of them at once, and apparently losing. Lara

suddenly ran for the bunch of humans around Lex. She leapt up and kicked

one. He staggered, but didn't fall. She spun around and kicked him again,

and he fell. She continued fighting the others, giving Lex a chance.

 

Xanatos was dodging blasts from the others. Suddenly, a lot of battle cries

could be heard from above. Krystiana came on screen first and rammed into

three of the humans. Broadway tripped one with his tail, while Angela swiped

the guns from two.

 

Behind Xanatos, something was happening. It looked like the very air was

opening up. Krystiana knocked one more down, and then yelled, "Behind you!"

Xanatos looked and saw the hole. Strange metal twines came out that seemed

to have a life of their own. They wound themselves around Xanatos's ankles,

and he fell to the ground as they started pulling him towards the hole.

 

On the screen, Demona and Fox had just come outside and seen what was going

on. Demona leapt at Xanatos and grabbed one of his arms, trying to pull him

back. Fox grabbed the other arms, helping her. More twines suddenly wrapped

themselves around Fox and began pulling her towards the hole as well. Demona

grabbed one of her arms as well, trying to pull both of them out.

 

A red taloned hand reached in and grabbed both of Fox's arms. Demona smiled

and continued to try and pull out Xanatos. Brooklyn gaped at the sight of

himself on the screen. He was wearing armor, as was everyone else, but he

was still surprised to see himself. He had grown at least a foot, and was at

least as tall as Goliath was now.

 

A red-haired human reached in and began helping them, too, but he was shot

in the back by something  off of the screen. It was obvious Brooklyn and

Demona were losing Fox and Xanatos to the hole. Xanatos was pulled all the

way in first, then Fox. The hole and all the collared humans disappeared.

Brooklyn growled and punched the wall, leaving a visible dent in it. Then he

noticed the re-haired human on the ground.

 

Krystiana was already at his side, propping him up. Lara had run to the

other side, crying. She was shaking her head, as if trying to tell herself

it hadn't happened. "Dad..." she whispered. "I've lost my entire family in

one damn attack!"

 

"Lara, he's not dead, but he will be if he doesn't get some help fast,"

Krystiana said, taking his pulse. She picked him up carefully and began

running into the castle.

 

Demona reached up and stopped the tape. "That was just one attack. Tonight

we lost one more... and before that we have lost others. We need to stop the

Dark War from happening."

 

Xanatos was still looking at the blank screen. "Who were those two people...

Lara and that other one?"

 

"Lara is...will be your granddaughter and that other one will be Alex."

 

Goliath held up a hand. "Would you mind explaining what this Dark War is,

exactly?"

 

Demona sighed. "Many years ago, someone wanted to get revenge against the

clan for something that we had done. This person was very good with

mechanical things, and had always had a good heart, but became twisted when

her brother died. She started building these collars that controlled

peoples' minds, that made them her willing slaves. We still don't know how

to beat these collars, or how to get them off. It seems that once they're

on, they're on." Demona stopped and shook her head. "So many have become

one of the controlled..."

 

                         *         *         *

 

Goliath listened to her story with interest. When she was done, he realized

she was fighting back tears, casting a glance at Brooklyn every once in a

while. Brooklyn noticed this and looked at her.

 

"What?" he asked.

 

Demona, the future one, looked at him as one tear escaped. She moaned and

sank to the floor, crying silently.

 

Brooklyn's eyes widened, as did everyone else's, except for Krystiana. They

had never seen Demona cry before.

 

Krystiana bent down next to her mother, putting a hand on her shoulder.

 

"He's gone, Krys, he's really gone," the future Demona moaned. "Brooklyn...

it's all my fault. I shouldn've let him..."

 

Brooklyn looked at the present-time Demona, who was watching herself with

wide eyes. He looked back at Krystiana.

 

"I don't know why you're blaming yourself," she said. "It was my fault. I

knew it was going to happen, but I was just so think-skulled that I wouldn't

admit it." She shook her head, fighting back her own tears.

 

Goliath was watching the entire time, frowning. "Krystiana, what happens to

Brooklyn?"

 

Krystiana looked up at Goliath. "He...he sacrificed himself for me. I was

going to be sucked up into one of those warphole things, and he let himself

be taken." She blinked away a few tears. "He let himself become one of the

controlled," she whispered.

 

                         *         *         *

 

*Brooklyn...what are we supposed to do?*

 

Brooklyn heard Demona's thoughts in his mind, while it was going a million

miles an hour.

 

He bent down next to Krystiana and Demona's future self. "How can we stop

this from happening?" he asked Demona.

 

She looked up and thought. "If we stop the reason of the war, then it won't

happen...but..."

 

"But what?"

 

"Never mind."

 

"Well, what is the reason of the war?"

 

"I can't say it."

 

"Why not?"

 

"It'll happen tomorrow. If we stop something at the end from happening, then

that should..."

 

Brooklyn shook his head. "Why can't you just say what is going to happen?"

 

"It could alter everything more than we want to."

 

Goliath interrupted. "But time can't be changed."

 

Krystiana glanced at Goliath, then turned back to her mother. "Yes, it can,

if you know how."

 

Goliath sighed. "These questions will have to wait until tomorrow. It's

almost dawn." They looked out the window and saw he was right. They filed

out the door and to the tower.

 

*I think Krystiana is actually very pretty,* Demona thought at Brooklyn.

 

*So do I. I guess that's parentage,* Brooklyn thought back.

 

The sun rose in the east, turning them to stone.

 

                         *         *         *

 

Demona felt the usual pain as she turned into a human. She was watching her

future-self go through the same process. ~I guess I am burdened by that

'gift' for the rest of eternity," she thought.

 

Although her future self looked the same as her, because she was immortal,

she could tell she was older, wiser.

 

Xanatos watched the show with little interest. "Ladies, I 'm afraid I can't

leave you here alone with them, so if you'll come with me..."

 

He turned and walked into the building. The two Demonas looked at each other

and then followed.

 

                         *         *         *

 

"Demona! Freeze!"

 

The future Demona turned to face Elisa Maza pointing a gun at her. The

present Demona came out of the shadows and crossed her arms.

 

The detective switched her gun to the other Demona. With a confused look on

her face, she trailed the gun between the two of them.

 

"Elisa, it's all right," came a voice. Fox walked out, carrying a box. She

set it down and dusted off her hands.

 

"Uh...what's going on?" Elisa asked, still pointing her gun at the Demonas.

 

"Relax. I'll explain everything later. I didn't believe my eyes either." Fox

yawned, stretching. "It's almost sunset. Let's go watch them wake up."

 

They all walked up to the tower. Elisa spied the statue of Krystiana. "Who's

this?"

 

"My daughter," Demona said. Elisa looked back at the one who was wearing

armor. "We'll explain that later, too."

 

The sunset, and they returned to their respectable forms. Elisa watched

Brooklyn eye the young female red gargoyle.

 

The Demona in the armor spoke up. "It doesn't happen until one in the

morning. We can relax until then."

 

"What doesn't?" Elisa asked. Goliath took Elisa's hand and drew her to the

side.

 

Broadway and Angela looked at each other, and left the tower. The others did

the same. Soon the only ones standing on the tower were Brooklyn and the

present Demona.

 

                         *         *         *

 

"This is stupid. A war is going to start tonight, and she's telling us to

sit back and relax?" Brooklyn muttered.

 

Demona sighed and looked out into the city. "Can we go someplace else?" she

asked.

 

*I don't have to go with you, you know,* Brooklyn thought.

 

"I know. But I want to figure out what's going on." *Beside,* she added

mentally, *I want to talk to you.*

 

Brooklyn rolled his eyes. "Fine." He snapped his wings open and glided off

the tower, Demona following him away from the castle.

 

Both of them were unaware of the pair of eyes that watched them from the

shadows.

 

                         *         *         *

 

"Ade, what are you doing?"

 

Adrian Plersh turned to face his sister, Sophie Plersh. "I'm working on

something."

 

"What? Another one of your Quarrymen projects?" she said, crossing her arms.

 

"Maybe."

 

"I don't know why you even joined those people. They are nothing but a gang.

Gargoyles rescued that train of people, remember?"

 

"It's nothing but an act, Sophie. They must pay."

 

"Yeah, yeah, they're a treacherous race and all that. I've heard it a

million times from you. Forget it, I'm not helping you."

 

"Come on, Sophie. This ray will shoot any gargoyle right out of the sky and

automatically kill them. Once I get it finished-"

 

"WHAT?!" Sophie couldn't believe her ears. "You're talking about killing

something that hasn't even done anything to you."

 

"Sophie..."

 

"I don't want to hear it. The Quarrymen are worse then Hitler and his

troops."

 

Adrian slammed down the screwdriver. "You don't understand. Didn't you see

how they blew up that police building? They could blow up something else, or

worse..."

 

"Oh, would you think of something new to say to me?" Sophie said angrily.

 

"Soph-"

 

"OH, WOULD YOU SHUT UP? I am so sick of you and your damn Quarrymen, and

your damn hammer looking thing, and your damn ray-guns. I can't believe you

are thinking about killing anything!" Sophie fled from the room Adrian had

designated his Lab. She ran out onto a balcony.

 

~What happened to him?~ she thought. ~He used to be so thoughtful, so

kind...~

 

She stopped thinking about it as she saw two winged shapes gliding above her

head. She heard Ade behind her.

 

"Finally," he whispered, pulling on his Quarryman mask. He pulled out his

newly- made weapon.

 

"No, Ade...you can't do this!" she yelled.

 

One of the gargoyles, a red male, looked down. Adrian raised his weapon, and

was about to fire...

 

When something ran into him from behind.

 

A red female grabbed the weapon from him and threw against the wall as hard

as she could. It shattered as the Quarryman gasped.

 

"You monster! I'll kill you for that!" He yelled, launching himself at her.

 

She growled and her eyes lit up red, an odd contrast with her crimson red

skin. She grabbed him and slammed him against the wall, not enough to kill

him, but enough to throw him into unconsciousness.

 

Sophie ran up to him and smiled at the creature. "Thank you. I would

probably hate him forever if he got away with killing somebody he doesn't

even know."  The creature blinked.

 

The two others that had been above landed beside the other.

 

"Krystiana, what are you doing here?" The blue female asked.

 

The red female smiled and shrugged, diving off the balcony. The other two

shrugged and glided after her.

 

                         *         *         *

 

"Krystiana, why did you follow us?"

 

"Because I knew that would happen," she said. "Now the war isn't going to

happen. That was the whole reason the war started."

 

"What?" Demona asked. "How did that human start a war?"

 

"Brooklyn, you got really mad at him for shooting at you. So mad that...you

kind of...killed him."

 

"What?!" Brooklyn asked. "I started the war?"

 

"Not on purpose. You didn't mean to kill him," Krystiana said, still

smiling. "It just went too far. But anyway, that other human was really mad

at you, and she went from a gargoyle lover to a gargoyle hater. She studied

science, and she learned how to make that collar thing. Now it will never

exist, and the war will never start and now I..." She stopped and looked

down. "Now I have to go home."

 

"What is so bad about that?" Demona said, glancing at Brooklyn.

 

"I like the past better then the future. I can talk to Hudson and Goliath,

and I like this world better."

 

"But now your world is different."

 

"No. All the hate started before the war even started. Manhattan is in

ruins, and I want to try and stop that from happening."

 

                         *         *         *

 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, THEY'RE NOT HERE?!"

 

Angela flinched at her father's tone of voice. "I mean they're not here.

Demona, Brooklyn, and Krystiana are gone."

 

The future Demona was nervously looking out of the window, waiting to see

them.

 

"Do _you_ know where they've gone?" Goliath yelled at Demona.

 

"No, I don't," she stated, growling.

 

"There they are!" Lexington yelled, pointing out a different window.

 

Everyone ran up to the tower and met them. Krystiana had a huge smile on her

face as she ran up to her mother.

 

"The war is gone. It's not going to happen!" she cried joyfully.

 

Goliath looked at Brooklyn and Demona. "What?" he asked them.

 

"Later," Brooklyn said, waving him off. "I'll explain later."

 

"We can go home now, Krys," the future Demona said. "We go see your

father...in our time."

 

Krystiana's face fell. "Mom...I want to stay here, in this time. Maybe not

necessarily with the clan, but in this time."

 

"Krys..."

 

"I'll come back with you to say goodbye to everyone, but then I want to come

back here."

 

Demona looked at her daughter and sighed. "We'll talk to Brooklyn about

this, if you what you said about the war is true. Lets' go now."

 

Goliath stepped forward and shook Krystiana's hand warrior style. "It was

good to meet you, Krystiana."

 

Krystiana rolled her eyes. "Call me Krys."

 

Goliath turned to the future Demona. "It was also nice to meet you, as

well."

 

Demona's future self pulled out the Phoenix Gate and smiled at Brooklyn and

her younger self standing next to each other. "It was good to see you all

again," she said. "Goodbye."

 

Krystiana waved at everyone as Demona rose the Phoenix Gate above her head.

 

"Deslegrate muri tempi et intervalia!" Demona chanted. The Phoenix Flame

rose around Krystiana and Demona and it disappeared.

 

"Well, that was interesting," Demona said, turning to the clan. "Now what?"

 

Goliath turned to her. "Demona, if it wasn't for that shooting show

yesterday, I might consider letting you back into the clan. I am willing to

give you a chance, however."

 

Demona's eyes widened and she smiled, but then frowned. "No."

 

Brooklyn stared at her in shock. "Why not?"

 

"You protect the humans, and I still can't trust any of them. Maybe when I

can trust them again, I will come back. But tonight..." She sighed. "I'm not

ready." She moved to the edge of the castle. "Perhaps later. Goodbye, for

now." She jumped off the tower and spread her wings. She glided off into the

distance, leaving the clan staring after her.

 

*Perhaps later, then,* Brooklyn thought at her.

 

*Brooklyn...I...*

 

*Yeah?*

 

*Never mind.*

 

Brooklyn watched a little longer and then walked into the castle, smiling.

 

                         *         *         *   

 

Castle Wyvern

2044 A.D.

 

"Dad?"

 

Krystiana stared with joy. She leapt up and hugged him, laughing.

 

"What was that for?" he asked, pushing her back.

 

"Nothing. I'm just glad to see you, that's all." She smiled and left the

room.

 

Demona walked towards him slowly, smiling as well. "I'm so glad to see

you..." she said, hugging him.

 

He returned the hug. "Why is everyone so overjoyed to see me?" he asked.

 

Demona shook her and smiled again. "My one true love..." she whispered.

 

"You too," Brooklyn whispered back, forgetting to wonder why everyone was so

happy to see him. Demona raised her head to his and gave him a long kiss.

 

Brooklyn frowned, remembering something in the past about Krystiana, and she

wanted to stay in the past.

 

"Wait a minute," he said. "Krystiana said she wanted to stay in the past..."

 

Demona opened her eyes wide. "How do you know?"

 

"I remember it. He was my younger self, remember?"

 

Demona smiled, but then frowned. "Should we let her go back?"

 

Brooklyn thought, and then nodded. "It's her own path that she chooses."

 

Demona smiled. "Krystiana!" she called. Krystiana came in, looking down.

 

"You were listening at the door, weren't you?" Brooklyn asked. Krystiana

nodded.

 

"Well, then you know what we've decided." Krystiana nodded and smiled.

 

Demona handed her the Phoenix Gate. "Come back every once in a while. And

don't stay with the clan the whole time."

 

Krystiana smiled and took the Gate. "I planned to." She gave her father a

hug, and then her mother. "Thank you," she whispered.

 

She slowly rose the Phoenix Gate into the air.

 

"Deslegrate muri tempi et intervalia!"

 

THE END

 

 

Whattya think? Go on, tell me honestly. kbrannan@raex.com

Give me praise, criticism, anything. I want to know!!! Oh, and if there is

something that doesn't make sense, mail me your question. Or if you want to

use Krystiana in a story of your own.

 

******************

Coming Soon!!!

Temptation:

 

An "I wonder" story, so it doesn't have anything to do with any of my other

stories, and it won't conflict with anything else. Ever wonder what would

happen if Brooklyn had REALLY joined with Demona and had to face the rest of

the clan with an "under the weather" Goliath. And how would the clan react?

 

*****