A Different Memory

[reluctant_gargoyle]

This particular memory takes place much more recently than the the ones I've been posting, only a few weeks ago.  However, it's an important one, as it concerns something that happened to Demona.

Coming back to wakefulness after being knocked out was never pleasant, and it had already happened several times too many as far as I was concerned.  I tried to remember what the last thing to happen was, and groaned.  I'd been out on patrol with Angela and we'd been about to intervene in a robbery.  She'd gone around one side of a building, and I'd gone around the other... and something struck me from behind.

Which brings me back to waking up.  I was chained to a wall, strongly chained.  Even with all my strength, I couldn't free myself.  The room around me was rather lavishly decorated, if in something of a gothic fashion.  "Who lives here...?" I asked, quietly.  "Dracula's daughter?"

"Really, Detective.  Such nonsense."  The voice from the doorway caught my attention and I looked upon Demona.  With a growl, I struggled against my chains again, but to no avail.

She approached, making a tsk-tsk noise.  "Even as a Gargoyle, you really are quite pathetic."

"Goliath doesn't seem to think so," I snapped.

It was a mistake. She struck out, talons raking me across the side of my face.  "You would do well to watch your tongue.  You'll live longer."

"If you're going to kill me, just get it over with."

This caused her to laugh.  "Honestly, Detective.  If I really just wanted you dead, all I would have to do is wait until dawn and set upon you with a hammer.  You'd never even know.  But no.  I have need of you."

She gestured to a spellbook which lay resting on a table.  "You do not deserve the gifts you have been given.  No pitiful human does.  So I am going to take them from you."

Now this made me laugh.  "You're crazier than I thought!  You really think you can undue Puck's magic?"

"Little is impossible," she sneered.  "To one who knows where to look.  Fae power is great, but not insurmountable.  The gifts you have been wrongly given shall be taken from you, and then you shall be made to suffer as you have never suffered before."

An icy cold terror gripped my heart.  Amazing.  Months ago, I'd been frightened by the idea of becoming a Gargoyle, and now I was terrified of becoming human.  I'd grown to love this body, loved being able to be with Goliath and the others, fighting by their side.  It was who I wanted to be.  And Demona was insane enough to try and take it from me.  I didn't fear dying.  I didn't even fear losing Goliath--what we were didn't matter so long as we were together--but to have nearly everything ripped from me again, that I did fear.

I struggled again, but to no success.  Unless something amazing happened, I was sunk.

Demona simply smiled wickedly as she opened up the spell book and began chanting in Latin.  About halfway through, she lit a brazier and dropped odd items, things I couldn't identify, into the flames.  It changed color several times, shifting from red-orange to blue to green, even to purple.

Finally, she lifted the book in one hand, pointing at me with the other.  She began chanting again, this time in English.


"Mortal who has taken wing,
I now deny this very thing!
Be no more of Gargoyle Clan,
Instead now walk the world of man!"

A bolt of magical power began to build in  her hand and I braced myself for the worst when...

CRASH!

The sound of breaking glass heralded Angela's arrival into the room, crashing through the window.  Her tail lashed out, knocking the book from Demona's hand and into the brazier.

"Angela....?!  What...?!" Demona stuttered in surprise.  "But the spell...!"  She looked down at her hand and saw the glow of the spell still there.  It began to back up her arm to the rest of her body.  She fell to the ground, screaming in pain...

"Mother!"  Angela cried.  "What have you done?"

Both of us could only watch in amazement as Demona underwent an incredible transformation.  From Gargoyle to human.  We'd known that this was something she did, had even seen some of the security tapes from the Labyrinth when she was imprisoned there, but to see it happen while the sun was still down was simply indescribable.  She appeared to be unconscious.

Angela went to work freeing me, after checking that Demona was still breathing.  "What... what happened?" she asked.

"She wanted to do that," and I pointed at her unconscious form, "to me.  Good thing you showed up.  How'd you find me, anyway?"

"When Mother attacked you, I heard a Gargoyle's roar, hers.  I did not arrive in time to help, but...  She told me of this place, when she last attempted to win me to her point of view.  I gambled that this was where she had brought you.  And now..."

Both of our gazes returned to Demona.  "You saved me, kiddo.  I won't say I'm sorry about what happened...  but I know you didn't mean for it to."

As we began to leave, Demona stirred.  With an inarticulate cry of rage, she threw herself at me.  I cought her wrists easily and held her at arm's length.  "I'll kill you!" she snarled. 

I'm not exactly proud of what I said next, but a wicked grin spread its way across my face.  "No so easy, is it?  Human against Gargoyle?"  I gave her a toss across the room.  Not enough to really hurt, but just to put some space between us.  "You brought this on yourself, Demona.  Do us all a favor, and end the vendettas, okay?"

Before she could say anything else, Angela and I were gone.

***

I must admit, I took much more delight in Demona screwing herself over than I really should have.  Just like when she tried that whole business with the Mirror and Puck to try and kill me, she only made things worse on herself.  The irony in someone who hates humans so much, to the point where she plots genocide, trapped as one permanently, well, it's pretty high.

But I also know a thing or two about being trapped in a strange body you don't want.  I got used to it, hell, I like being a Gargoyle better.  I'd never want to go back to being human.  It's a terrible thing to happen to anyone.

But it couldn't have happened to a 'nicer' person.

Comments

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

"Oh no, none of that," Elisa says, jumping backward. "This is a real fight. No wolfing out on me."

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *GargKakyoin gives Elisa an annoyed glance.* YOU did it. *However, he calmly slips his hands into his pockets.* What's Bruce Lee's favorite drink?

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

"Didn't mean to," she says. But she shakes her head. "...Kung-fu punch?"

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *Ding ding ding! Show her what she's won!* WATA! *In a burst of speed, GargKakyoin surges forward, fist flying first!*

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

The punch takes Elisa in the chest, but she's ready for it, recovering nciely and grabbing onto Kakyoin's arm, holding him so she can pull him close to try and drive her knee into his stomach.

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *GargKakyoin is taken off-guard by the sudden reprisal, and a knee to his stomach leaves him winded. However, such close proximity allows GargKakyoin to slip a foot behind hers. GargKakyoin turns his left shoulder into Elisa and pushes.*

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

Elisa goes down, but rolls with it. Staying in a crouched position, she springs up, into a pounce.

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *GargKakyoin ducks and slides to the side, allowing Hierophant Green's tentacles to lash out. The tentacles wind and twist, trying to entangle Elisa.*

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

((Uh... I don't remember him calling that up. And I thought the whole point was to see how he'd do without it.))

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

((He actually doesn't have to call it, he just likes to. Sorry if I was confusing-Mostly, it's because he's a sore loser, but no Stand would be fun.))

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *GargKakyoin braces himself for the pounce, but the momentum knocks him down easily. GargKakyoin is a bit shaken-He shakes his head in order to regain some composure.*

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

((Huh. Learn something new every day.))

Elisa's own momentum had taken her beyond Kakyoin after knocking him down, and she deftly landed, rolling into a half crouch. "Give up yet?"

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *Incensed much? Oh yeah.* I'm just getting started! *GargKakyoin leaps to his feet. He charges Elisa, opening up a withering blitz with a lightning-fast jab. He quickly follows up with a cross aimed Elisa's stomach, and the blitz leads into a strong hook.*

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

Which was her plan all along. After all, an angry fighter's a careless fighter.

She bobbs to avoid the jab, but still takes the second blow head on, and is just a little slow to avoid the follow-up. But she's still going pretty strong, and drops down into a sweeping move with her tail.

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *Careless would be right. In order to go all-out, GargKakyoin had thrown defense to the wind. GargKakyoin isn't entirely used to his new shape-He attempts to roll into the fall, but manages to roll over one of his own wings with a sickening crack. He's clearly in some pain as he stands back up, but he isn't throwing in the towel just yet.*

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

"You all right? I heard something break." Elisa's light on her feet, ready to move if he pushes it, but also ready to stop if things look bad enough.

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *And push it, he will, indeed!* I didn't use the damn things anyway. *GargKakyoin takes a few bounding steps forward before springing off the floor and twisting into a spinning hook kick.*

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

WHACK!

Elisa takes the kick head on and goes reeling backward, falling over in the process (while keeping her own wings limp so as not to damage them.)

"All right..." she says. "You win."

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *GargKakyoin's breathing slows as he calms himself down. The adrenaline begins to pump out of his system, and the pain from a myriad of blows and a broken wing rushes in to replace it. GargKakyoin takes a seat.* Good job. A Pyrrhic victory if I've ever seen one.

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

And so Elisa achieves her goal of ending the fight without Kakyoin getting more hurt. Even if she is hurting herself.

"Here. Let me take a look at that. Looks painful."

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: *This was going to turn into a grudge match before long. GargKakyoin waves Elisa aside.* What, this? It's nothing, I'll sleep it off. *And a smile.* I won't let a little thing like "that" slow me down.

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

"...Hey. I think something's worn off."

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: What do you mean by 'that'? *GargKakyoin is clearly enjoying himself.* Are you saying 'that' my LOL is gone? Yeah, I know, it was the weirdest thing. Happened after I got a drink from 'that' weird vending machine you see in the Nexus every now and then.

((Vending machine to the rescue~))

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

"And yet you're still a Gargoyle. It only got rid of one of your lols?"

[dragon-paragon.livejournal.com]

Gargoyle Kakyoin: I didn't actually drink it. The other one might've just worn off, even though I don't think that can happen to me. Either way, I'm not complaining.

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad to hear it, either way," Elisa says. "Guess that means we can call off putting a doggie door in the Labyrinth?"