"The Lady Epona"

Jade Griffin

8-6-98 to 10-24-01

Malcom couldn’t help the grin on his face as he rowed toward Jade Griffin’s plateau home. Two years… It had taken the dark green gargoyle three years to trust him again with her child side. He vowed fervently that nothing was gonna scare that trust again.

He glanced down at his Indiglo watch. 9:58pm. Plenty of time to spend with the child side. It actually surprised him how much he was looking forward to this. More of a surprise than Jade Griffin’s invite. He liked kids but the child side was a special kind of kid. It was Jade Griffin, how she used to be at six. And from what little he knew of the small version, she never got any older. Ever.

Boy, it felt good to be invited here! He’d nearly screwed their whole beginning friendship those first few nights. But he’d learned his lesson and it stuck in his heart. Always treat people like people, no matter what kind they are. No chance of forgetting that, after what he’d nearly destroyed.

But she did trust him now; mostly. Malcom stood and tied the boat off on a half-submerged tree before looking up the cliff face. He saw Jade Griffin leap out from her home’s entrance, wings spread. With a pretty good breeze coming from the south and another from the west, she settled in a near hover while slowly descending to the boat.

"Good evening, Jade Griffin." he greeted her, all smiles.

The female gargoyle responded politely but with no smile. "Hello, Malcom."

The federal agent caught this and frowned slightly. Had he read more into her note than was actually there?

She either didn’t notice the fall of his smile or didn’t want to say anything. Instead, she offered, "Would you like a ride up?"

"Uh, sure. Thanks."

The dark green gargoyle turned and leaned down just a bit, wings caped. Malcom put his arms over her shoulders but not about her neck.

She stood. "Ready?" she asked in an easier tone.

"Yep."

No sooner had he answered than she leaped to the cliff and dug her talons and claws deep into the crumbly, pale earth. His legs bumped against her tail several times as she climbed but the gargoyle said nothing. Parallel to her cave entrance fifty feet above the water, she swung her back over and Malcom set his feet down, letting go in the same move. Jade Griffin hopped in just as he moved out of the way and they proceeded in, she ahead.

Malcom got a friendly greeting from Mao-Ree and Leia, two of the gargoyle’s cats, when they entered her large living room.

"Hey, there." He smiled down at them and knelt to give out a few caresses.

"Would you like anything?" the dark green gargoyle asked politely, getting a bottle of juice for herself from the shelves.

"No thanks." But he couldn’t keep quiet about her mood. "Jade Griffin, if you don’t feel comfortable changing to the child side with me here, I’ll understand. I know we’re not the best of friends…" He sighed. "You invited me here but you don’t seem ready to trust me."

"I’m sorry, Malcom. I—"

"It’s okay. I know I made some really bad mistakes before and—"

"I promised her." Jade Griffin interrupted quietly.

"What?"

"I promised her I’d let you come over." She smiled thoughtfully, eyes on the rock floor. "She thinks about you a lot; especially with Ithyaka away." Her eyes met his. "I don’t mean to seem so reluctant, Malcom. It hasn’t been easy—agreeing to let you see her and trust you with my most vulnerable side, and keeping her from knowing you’re here." She broke into a smile, breaking her half-tease.

What?? She… Stupid! She was keeping her mind off of him so her child side wouldn’t know! That was the reason for her distracted attention. Malcom smiled in relief. She must be real close then.

"I would prefer not to have her push her way out to come see you. She’s restless as it is. It’s been thirteen days."

And the gargoyle had to release her child side about every two weeks, no exception.

Jade Griffin set her juice down, and stood quickly.. "I’m letting her out now…"

As Malcom watched, the adult gargoyle was surrounded by a brief purply glow as her body changed to that of the child side and the child’s mind was released to the front.

The child side knew a second before getting let out that Malcom was here. Six-year-old arms flung wide, she ran to the human. "Malcom!" She nearly tripped in her excitement, because of the too-big clothes.

Malcom caught her and returned the child’s hug. "A big hello to you, too, kid." His big smile returned.

"The ‘other one’ said ‘she’d’ let you come here. I asked ‘her’. And ‘she’ said yes and now you’re here!"

"Yes, I’m here." The kid was almost bouncing, she was so excited. "I haven’t seen you in a long time. Be sure to thank her for letting me come over, just for you. Must be lonely without Ithyaka."

The child side’s excitement fled with that reminder. "Yeah… And I don’t know when she’s gonna visit now that she’s found home."

"Well, for now, I’m here. I brought someone with me, too." Malcom unzipped his jacket and pulled out a mottle-furred teddy bear. He seemed to recall fewer than two stuffed animals in the child side’s room. "His name is Bill and when I saw him, he looked so lonely, I knew you’d be able to make him feel better." He held the gift out to the child.

"For me?" The child was positively stunned.

"Yep. Are you gonna take care of him? He needs lots of love."

"He does?" The human looked at the teddy bear’s face but saw no resemblance. "If you say so. What would you like to do tonight?"

"I wanna show everybody my new furry-friend. Then we can go swimming. C’mon." She took the man by the hand, Bill in her other arm.

"Isn’t it a little cold to go swimming?" he asked, hoping she would change her mind about diving into the icy lake outside.

"Nope. It’s a heated pool"

He’d thought she was leading him to her playroom but she turned to a far desk drawer. Simultaneous to the child pulling out a non-descript, white card, He realized where she was talking about. Friends? A heated pool?

"The ‘cyberverse’??"

"Sure! I’m allowed to go. You hold it. I gotta change. And don’t set it down yet!" The child rushed into her room.

Oh boy… The ‘cyberverse’. Malcom handled the card delicately, the word ‘PASS’ staring mockingly up at him.

It’s not that he was afraid of the place. It’s just that anyone and anything was in there. He remembered well the first time he’d gone, by accident. Landed on his caboose in the middle of the castle living room, gargoyles and dragons and others staring at him expectantly. And that silly nametag he couldn’t take off. It was kinda freaky. But that’s where little Jade wanted to go…

The child side returned wearing a pretty while and yellow dress, Bill still carried in her arms. "Okay; ready."

"Okay…"

She took the card from his hand and placed it words-up on the side of the desk. Immediately, the flat surface lit in a greeny glow. Taking his hand, the child ducked into the glow. Malcom swung his legs in and, despite himself, held his breath as the rest of him went in.

There was no telling how they’d end up in the castle. According to Jade Griffin, it was a personalized thing, but may change if you bring someone with you. He came from the ceiling, sort of; and Jade Griffin adult usually appeared in the air outside, according to her. Surprise of surprises, he found they stood at a large door.

The child side pulled it open and led him in to the modest crowd.

"Oracle!" The child dropped his hand and rushed toward one of several gargoyles in the crowd.

As Jade Griffin’s child side showed Bill off to Oracle and the others, Malcom hung back, lingering near the door. Several gargoyles and a two-headed dragon said hello and waved him over to sit but he was reluctant. Although they all had nametags, he didn’t know any of them. They were friendly enough. It was just kinda weird all at once.

Eventually, he took a single seat beside Spaceghost, a male gargoyle.

"That’s a sweet thing you did." Oracle said to him. "I didn’t know she didn’t have any stuffed animals."

Malcom showed her a modest smile. "Thanks… Oracle."

"You’re not a regular face around here, are you?" another gargoyle asked.

"No. This…" He looked about to show he meant the whole place. "All of this is still pretty weird for me."

"Aw, but it’s a great place! Where else can ya get one of these?" queried the elf at his left. She whipped out a long-barreled weapon and sighted in the two-headed dragon across from her. As she pulled the trigger, Malcom acted without thinking, tackling the female elf too late. But when he looked up and saw marshmallow goo running down the unharmed dragon’s faces, he could only sit there atop the elf and stare dumbly.

"Giddoff!" she said, tossing him on the ground with more strength than he’d guessed she’d have.

Spaceghost shook his head at the human. "That boy has had too much reality." He walked over to Malcom and set him on his feet. "You can’t get hurt around here unless you believe you can get hurt; or if you try to do something really stupid. It’s a place to have fun."

"Yup!" seconded the watching child side.

"Speakin’ of which…" The elf stood and raised her hands ceiling-ward. "As a child of Avalon, I summon the tumult of the Marshmallow Titan!"

As she finished, marshmallow goo glopped onto everyone in the room.

"Great. Now you’ve done it!" The dragon, Xander Opal, had almost gotten all of the stuff off when the second batch landed.

Malcom globbed the stuff off his face and looked about sheepishly. "… Sorry."

"I like it!" proclaimed Jade Griffin’s child side, shoveling handfuls into her mouth. "Mm-hmmm!"

The human looked around once more—at the gooed, smiling people, at the very happy child side, at his own marshmallowed self—and couldn’t help laughing. It was pretty funny. "I can see why you like this place."

"Ygup." was the child’s sticky reply.

Oracle, clean as when they’d first seen her, walked over to the child side. "I’m sorry, sweetie. I have to go."

The child’s cheer fell and she stopped eating. "You do?"

"I’m afraid so. See you next time." With a miraculously unsticky hug and a wave, Oracle left.

Jade Griffin’s child side expelled a loud sigh. "I never hardly ever get to talk long with Oracle." she told her human friend. "But then there’re other people to talk to. Like you. Wanna go swimming? It’ll clean us off."

"Won’t we get the water dirty? And I don’t have any shorts."

"Here ya go, Mr. Chivalrous." The female elf tossed him a pair, grinning innocently. There were little knights spearing marshmallows all over ‘em.

Malcom shook his head. Unbelievable. He gave a rueful reply. "Thanks."

"Any time!" she grinned.

The child side tugged him over to a door. "Changing closet. And the pool always goes clean."

When Malcom emerged, dressed in the silly shorts, little Jade was already in the pool. He did a pretty good dive in to join her. She was wearing a shirt and shorts, he saw as she swam over. He wondered if they were already here or if someone ‘appeared’ them for her. Like a little dolphin, she ducked under the water, smiling. Probably the former, as she appeared to love swimming.

Watching her, and Gedoena, the female gargoyle who joined them, he realized what good swimmers gargoyles could be. Little Jade loved the water and everybody had a great time. By the time others migrated to the pool, he was too tired to do more than sit in the shallows. The child side was pure energy and swam ‘til nobody else was in the pool. She finally got out, shook off, and changed so she could join the already-dry Malcom.

Malibu was talking to him about some of the other occupants so she stood and waited. But the child side lacked some patience and soon sat on the floor at his feet, laying arm and head on the human’s knee while holding Bill to her.

That got his attention. "Are you hungry?"

"Uh-uh. I wanna play a game."

"What kind?"

"The animal guessing game."

"The animal guessing game… Hm. How do you play?" He focused all attention on her.

"One person acts like an animal and the other person guesses what it is. I’ll go first."

At the balcony, the Lady landed softly. Her arrival was noticed in waves. First Gedoena, then Spaceghost and Xander Opal, and then others smiled and waved their greetings. She entered the main room and spotted someone new. A human. And he was playing with Jade Griffin’s child side on the floor, away from the others. Neither noticed her yet so she stood quietly watching them.

"Are you a bear?"

The snarling child shook her head and moved about on all fours, tail lashing.

"A lion?" Malcom tried again.

She expressed another negative.

"A dragon?"

The child let out an exasperated sigh. "No, silly. Guess again." She resumed her imitations.

"Hm… Are you a large cat of some type?"

Little Jade grinned and purred at him.

"Ah-ha! Then you must be a tiger!"

"You got it! Okay. You’re turn."

Malcom, already on the floor, started moving about, hands and knees, very slowly.

"That’s too easy. You’re a turtle. C’mon, Malcom. Gimme a tough one!"

"Okay, you asked for it." The human lay on the ground, on his belly, eyeing the gargoyle child hungrily, waiting for her to make a move.

She did. She frowned.

His arms shot out and grabbed the child side like large jaws. "Chomp!"

The little gargoyle screamed, startled. "Help! You’re a monster!"

He released her, grinning. "Nope. Guess again."

"Um… A snake?"

"You’re close."

The Lady smiled down on their fascinating game.

"The Lady…" said little Jade Griffin, standing as she spotted the newcomer.

Frowning at the child side’s voicing, Malcom turned to look at what had distracted her.

Ebony hair wreathed an exotic face of small brow hornlets, almond eyes, and humored silver lips, in contrast with her pale flesh skin. In the middle of her forehead stuck out a short, silver horn. Malcom’s eyes stopped at her face. She… she was beautiful! He could only sit there staring at the captivating creature, mouth half-agape.

"You must be very new to this place, Malcom." Light mirth colored the Lady’s lovely voice, as she found the human’s reaction humorous.

He remembered himself and drove his eyes away for a second. He opened his mouth to speak but the child side was quicker.

"Yep. He’s only been here one other time."

He rose to greet this ‘Lady’ properly as she came closer. His eyes were drawn again to her face, but when she walked, her feet made an unexpected sound. He looked down and saw the rest of her.

Small moonlight-tinted gargoyle wings, slender gargoyle hands, a strange tail ribboned with silver hair which whisked back and forth, and silver hair furred the length of her two legs. A sharp, black, gargoyle-like spike broke out of the fur at the heel. Her black hooves clocking against the castle stone halted before him.

A tug at his sleeve from the child side broke him out of his awe. His eyes went back to that patient, amused face.

"She’s part ki-lin." the little gargoyle informed him. "That’s a Chinese unicorn."

"I’m sorrry." Malcom started, finding his voice. "I didn’t mean to stare… I … I’m…" Well, he couldn’t say it was because she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen! "Uh…"

Her eyes smiled at him. "I understand. You are new, and I am something few have seen. And you are a human, after all." She couldn’t help a grin. Though she was making fun, he did not look like he knew it.

"I’m teasing you. I hold no prejudices against humans. I am the Lady Epona." She inclined her head and started toward the other people in the room.

"Epona." He tried the name out quietly as her back moved further away.

"Yeah." The child side mistook his utterance as a query. "She’s the Lady Epona. She’s kinda new also. You hungry? I’m gonna dig in the ‘fridge." She trotted off to the kitchen, not bothering to wait for an answer.

Malcom looked from the child side to the Lady Epona, seated and talking with everyone. The child side occupied by food, he went and found a seat close to the beautiful Lady to listen to her speak.

He hadn’t realized how many hours had passed until a yawning child-bodied Jade Griffin tugged at his arm. She’d been talking to another gargoyle the last time he’d glanced over at her. But how long ago had that been?

"I’s time to go." the child yawned again.

Malcom looked down at his watch, frowning. Boy, it was late! Or early… And he didn’t feel tired at all. Weird.

"Okay." With reluctance, he rose. The Lady Epona was still talking to the remaining inhabitants. Those were the ones that actually lived at this castle. He wondered if she lived here now.

"Good day, Lady Epona." He actually found himself in a full bow of farewell.

"Good fortune to you, Malcom, Jade Griffin." She replied, smiling and inclining her head.

He really felt bad about keeping the child so late. The little gargoyle was nearly dragging to the door, Bill held in limp arms.

"Want me to carry you?" he offered.

The child side held up her arms and he picked her up. Malcom received more good-byes as he opened the door they’d come by and walked back through the PASS portal, transporting them back. When Malcom managed to come out of the desk-space portal on their end with the now-asleep child (definitely not the easiest task), the portal immediately disappeared. All that remained was the PASS card, which he retrieved and replaced in its drawer.

As he carried the child to the cushioned chair and laid her down, he felt a heavy weariness come down upon him. Too tired to even think about climbing down or rowing to shore, he crashed, propped up against the chair. He’d be awake and gone before she knew. In fact… The child turned to stone right then, Bill curled in her arms.

Malcom wondered on a yawn if the Lady Epona ever visited Jade Griffin, and when he might see her again. He fell asleep with those thoughts and two cats curled up against him.

He awoke six hours later only to return the same number after. Jade Griffin probably wouldn’t have liked seeing that he’d stayed all day at her house but he had to come back. Only she could help him get to know the Lady Epona better.

She was all he could think of that Sunday. Her delicate face was etched perfectly in his mind… There had been a few women in his life but no woman, in Hollywood or on magazine, could be remotely compared to this Lady in his eyes. It wasn’t until later in his reverie that he realized it wasn’t a woman occupying his thoughts. What was more surprising, he didn’t really care. She was all female. And when she spoke, she expressed a knowledge of all things. She’d talked of her travels around the world with her gargoyle mother, of learning about the worldly ways of all the people in it. He’d been inexplicably drawn in by every story, every word. And she’d continued to intrigue him with the abilities gained from her ki-lin heritage. She could purify water with that silver forehead horn, and she explained about the create-light ability and healing.

Unlike any of the others from the ‘cyberverse’, with her Malcom didn’t feel uneasy or intimidated, tiny or unsure. And he wanted very much to talk to her again.

Instead of calling to Jade Griffin from the boat, he climbed up using his gear, wondering if she’d ever make a more hospitable entrance for him.

"Jade Griffin?" he called inside from her entrance, then waited a moment.

"Malcom?" She was surprised to hear his voice.

He smiled at her when she came into view, rounding the inner passage. "Hi."

"What are you doing here?"

He was happy to note no hint of accusation or suspicion in her voice. The human met her halfway. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah." She led him back inside. "Would you like something?" She snagged herself some mini chocolate donuts after he shook his head. She took a seat in her chair. Malcom stood, reminding her that she really should get another chair soon.

"And before you ask, yes, you did great with the child side."

"Thanks. But I’m also here to ask you something else." He hesitated, and not sure why, immediately plunged into the reason for his visit. "What do you know of the Lady Epona?"

Jade Griffin just stared at him, half a donut at her lips.

"It’s not like what I did to you." he defended quickly. "I swear, Jade Griffin. I did learn my lesson. Please believe me. You were there, behind the child side. You saw. I didn’t ask a single question. I… I’d just like to know more about her."

The dark green gargoyle considered his words, and recalled the previous evening. His behavior had been behaved, if unusual. And even if it escaped him, she’d seen the look in his eyes as his attention settled on the Lady. His request shouldn’t have surprised her.

"Okay, Malcom." she relented, reclining in her comfy chair. "What did you want to know?"

"Does she live at the castle? Your child side said she was new but she was the only one who didn’t leave for the day."

"Sort of." She popped the half donut into her mouth. "She came to the ‘cyberverse’ by teleportation. It’s very limited so she has to stay where she goes for several days, until she can do it again and leave. But she’s been there longer than that. She says she isn’t leaving until she finds a mate."

"A mate?… Oh." At that answer, his eyes dropped. It felt suddenly very wrong to be probing for questions. Disrespectful, underhanded,… and very much like what he had done to Jade Griffin. He never wanted to do anything like that to someone again.

"Why don’t you ask her any questions? She isn’t shy about herself."

If the Lady was looking for a mate, he didn’t want to interfere… but neither could he let go of her lovely face from his mind without at least saying good-bye.

"If you think it’s all right…"

The gargoyle stared at him in surprise. "Malcom? Asking if it’s okay to talk to someone? The Lady has addled your brains, mister." She put on a light smile and got up to get the PASS card.

"Want me to come along?" she asked, placing the card on her low table to get a good-sized portal.

"Um, no." He grinned. "I think I’ll be okay."

"Alright. Have fun but don’t stay out all night." she mock-lectured him as he slipped into the glowing green portal. It disappeared behind him.

As usual, he was dropped out of the sky in the middle of the room. He was expecting this and was able to land on his feet, mostly. Malcom busied himself straightening his clothes, trying not to mind the stares of everyone in the room. He caught sight of the Lady trying to hold her smile.

"Hey, Malcom!" said Gedoena, starting off a round of greetings.

"Good evening, Malcom." The Lady Epona let out her smile and he couldn’t help laughing at himself. There was no way to make his entrance dignified.

"Back so soon?" asked the right of Xander Opal’s two heads. Hirm was the dragon from the previous night. "Don’t you work tomorrow?"

"Um, yeah."

"Work?" inquired the Lady. "What do you do?"

Malcom let go a mental sigh of relief for not having to explain his presence. And the Lady Epona had provided the perfect entrance for him. He took a seat across from her. "I work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in a small city in California." he started.

"Ah. Is that how you met Jade Griffin?"

"No." he smiled, shaking his head. "I was actually on vacation…" And he told her the story of their meeting, including his grievous mistakes. He found it very easy to talk to this Lady.

"I can tell by your voice that you’ve learned much since then." She smiled. "You haven’t ‘butted’ into my life, or resorted to subversion."

Suddenly ashamed at the reminder, he looked away.

"Just the opposite, in fact. You haven’t said much to me or asked anything, despite my rarity."

He looked back at that beautiful face, frowning his puzzlement. "Your… rarity?"

Her brow ridges rose. "Of course. I am a wholly unique creature. Ki-lin do not usually fall in love with anyone but other ki-lin. I am the only gargoyle-ki-lin in existence.

"But… Jade Griffin said…" He didn’t want to just blurt it all out but the sentence was already started. "… you were at the castle to look for a mate."

"Yes? I am." She was not the least surprised or offended by his statement.

"That’s why I came back tonight. I mean, I came back to say good-bye, and good luck." He stood quickly, flustered that so much could come out so wrong in such a short time.

She held up a hand. "Wait. Why do you feel you have to leave?"

He sighed, then sat. "Because I wouldn’t ever want to get in the way of anyone searching for someone special. I’d never do that." he admonished.

The Lady combined a smile and a frown. "And how would you get in the way of my search?" was her amused query. "Any male is a possible choice, and it is I who choose."

But… ‘Any male’ meant dragon, gargoyle, fey, or even… a human. He knew from listening to her talk the previous night that she considered herself more ki-lin than gargoyle, though she never said that. So if she thought of herself as a ki-lin, why didn’t she choose another ki-lin?

"I have had to turn down many unfortunately," she continued. "but none of them were the right one." And she released a quiet, almost musical sigh. "I did not think it would take this long. Perhaps I’ve been too hard in choosing."

"Hey, don’t let any man tell you that, girl!" a female gargoyle who’d heard the last few comments broke into their conversation hung over the couch where they sat. She wore no nametag but carried a cooling pie in her right hand.

The Lady turned a gracious smile on the female. "I don’t. But I may have expectations too high. I didn’t think I could turn down so many, but they weren’t right." she explained, regretfully.

"C’mon, Lady." the other chided. "You’re picking a mate for life, right? Take all the time you need. Okay?"

The Lady nodded, knowing the truth in those words.

The female gargoyle passed by and gave the watching human an odd look. Definitely not friendly.

Malcom had wisely sat silent and merely listened to the exchange. He did not want to incur the wrath of any more female gargoyles in this lifetime. With her gone, he spoke up. "I agree with her."

"As do I. But it is very important for me to find a mate. The right mate."

If anything could trouble the Lady Epona, it was this. He had to ask, if only to help her solve the problem. "Why?"

She smiled that lovely smile, worry immediately hidden behind it. "To save my race. Ki-lin are almost non-existent. My father had a small choice of the remaining female ki-lin but chose Winter Green, my gargoyle mother. I do not have such a choice. There are no male ki-lin to choose from, so I came here."

"But… If you fall in love with, say, a dragon, and you’re half-ki-lin—"

Her smile changed, recognizing well the course of the question. "Yes. If I were human, or gargoyle, that would be true—that any children I have could only be as great as one-third ki-lin. But ki-lin have an adaptation to survive. My first child will be more ki-lin than myself. When she has children, the same will be for her. And any other children I have will carry ki-lin blood, to insure that the same will happen. It will take several generations but full ki-lin numbers will grow again."

Malcom realized after that explanation just how open the Lady was, about everything. He found himself grinning at this revelation.

She talked about her parents some—mostly her mother—and asked about his family. He started into that and the night disappeared without notice.

"See ya tomorrow, Lady." yawned an interrupting gargoyle heading for the balcony.

Malcom looked about, surprised, as the Lady waved farewell to her. Other gargoyles and fey were leaving and the residents of the castle were heading outside as well, yawning. He looked at his watch to make sure. 5:58?!

"Shoot. I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was this late." The human stood and looked around at the deserted furnishings. The Lady, however, remained in her seat. He looked down at her, surprised. "Do you turn to stone like other gargoyles?" The thought just occurred to him.

She smiled. "I do, if sunlight touches me. I prefer to sleep like you."

"I am fine here. Did you wish to see them change?"

"I can’t. I mean, I do but I hafta go. I’m sure you’re tired. I don’t want to keep you up."

Her smile again greeted his words. "Why, thank you, sir." was her playful remark.

He grinned back and could not resist the urge to bow before her. "At your service, my Lady."

Walking to the center of the room, still grinning at the Lady, he jumped up to grab at the rim of the now-visible PASS portal and hauled himself up.

A sigh escaped him as the Lady left his sight and he emerged into Jade Griffin’s living room. Once he pulled himself out of the portal, it turned back into the low table. Jade Griffin, now a stone statue, stood over the low table, arms crossed. Oh… Guess he had a little explaining to do.

But not now. He had to get to work on the double… And try and keep awake!

As soon as he walked through the doors on the fourth floor of the federal building, all eyes went to him. Some followed him to his previously empty desk. And just when he’d sat down, Red-tail hollered.

"Malcom! My office, please."

Expelling a weary sigh, the he stood and headed for his superior’s office. Yawning on the way in did not help his case.

She boxed his ears verbally for being late with no excuse and sent him out to tie up some loose ends on an old case as punishment.

Although the Lady Epona occupied his free thoughts, he did not pay Jade Griffin a visit until Saturday evening. She was not at all surprised to see him at her ‘door’.

"Actually, I expected you to show up a few days ago. Work gotcha busy?" she asked, leading him in.

"Yeah…"

The dark green gargoyle frowned. He didn’t feel like talking to her. That was quite obvious. "Gonna talk with the Lady again?"

He caught her scrupulous stare. "I’m not going to bother her."

"Oh, I’m not worried." She held out the PASS card to him and he grinned like a kid getting handed his dad’s car keys.

"And I won’t be late this time. I promise."

"Whatever you say, Malcom. I’m not gonna wait up." She grinned and plopped into her chair.

He chuckled but was quick to put the card down to do its work. Stepping up to the table’s edge, the human paused. "Does it bug you that I want to use the PASS card?"

"Nope. Go ahead."

"Okay. Thanks again!" He took a little jump and the glowing portal swallowed him.

Jade Griffin sat alone in the silence. She didn’t really mind, because he was having the greatest time. She could tell. She thought the Lady probably was, too. And in this non-busy quiet, she could work on unfinished drawings and spend time with her cats.

It didn’t bother her. She still had the Chocolate Man. And all of her adoptive rookery siblings in the ‘cyberverse’—

But not when the card’s gone…

She immediately stood and headed out, not about to sit at home and wonder what everyone was doing. The dark green gargoyle leaped out from her home’s entrance and spread white wings to catch the night, hoping the Chocolate Man wouldn’t mind a sudden visit.

END