All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property of Spacebabie

by: Spacebabie

Email: LadyAndromeda@smstars.zzn.com

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Clash Of the Titans

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The sky over the hidden city, kept obscure by enhanced shielding technology, was filled with winged humanoid creatures. The hands and feet of some of the creatures ended in dagger sharp claws and long reptilian tails curled out from their posteriors. Not all of them were gargoyles. Some had furry thin tails that flickered from side to side like a cat. Some of them didn’t have much of a tail, more liked tufted feathered nubs, and those were only visibly by having the owner remove their pants or skirt.

The man wearing red and gold wanted to see one of them. He kept the small covered dish close to his chest, keeping it warm with his own body heat. Luckily for him and the members of his own clan generate more heat than the average New Olympian. If they wanted to they could ignite a tree they were standing next to.

Helios watched the one winged being that he had yet take his eyes off from land on top of the building with the smooth flat top that served as one of the many landing pads for the winged New Olympians. The warm sweet food that was in the dish was for her. Inhaling his breath he carried the shiny lavender dish into the building. He did not have that many floors to travel.

"Landing," he called out once the doors to the small room was closed. He felt his stomach lurch to the ground when he felt the elevator move up. The doors opened and he saw her staring at him. "I have-" Helios’s voice came out as a squeak. He coughed before continuing. "I have something for you. I prepared it myself."

Her bright oval shaped golden eyes twinkled when she smiled at him. Her long silky reddish brown mane that flowed passed her shoulders and reached her hips looked like hair but each strand of hair was really a long feather that was more slender than a baby’s finger and thicker than a hair strand. She wore a tunic dyed in a deep purple shade with metallic belt that wound around the center. Tan leather pant legs ended at the knee, exposing her brown thin bird like legs. Her feet were splayed out in four claw tipped toes that looked like the feet of a hawk or a vulture. "Really?"

He nodded his flame covered head. "I hope it’s at the right temperature." He placed it in the palms of her hands carefully. Her arms were the same slightly tan color as her face. Her sharp nail tipped hands were encased in fingerless gloves, ending between the wrist and the elbow. Her hands had some sort of protection, but he was still a bit worried that she might accidentally burn herself.

The female inhaled the steam that was scented from whatever was in the dish. "skillet cooked figs in liquor." Her smile grew wider as she stared at him. "They are my favorite, thank you."

"You are quite welcome," he stroked the bottom of her chin, being extra careful to not become too hot with her. "I just hope they don’t disappoint your mouth."

"Well I will have to see." she removed the lid from the bowl and took the small metal fork from the nook and stirred around while gently blowing at the top. She stabbed the smallest bite she could find and picked it up. She blew on it until it stopped dripping liquor and placed it in her mouth. "Hmm that is good." She folded her large copper colored feather wings over her shoulders.

"I’m glad you like it Antiope. You seemed to have been stressed the past few days."

"I guess its because Sphinx had left with Terry, Talos, and Phaedra." She continued to stir. "I hope she will be all right."

Helios kept his tongue in check. He knew not to refer to Sphinx as a fool in front of her best friend. "Things have been tense for a while, Proteus escaping, Taurus going after him and putting Cheiron in charge, Sphinx finding that human and Boreas sending the group out." He shook his head. "Not too mention that message about a strange village called Hybrid."

"I’m excited and nervous about this trip." She placed another bite in her mouth.

"Well I did hear Megara was the best sailor I’m sure she-" high pitched chirping cut him off. Both members of security glanced own at their belts and saw their pentagon shaped buckles were flashing. "It looks like we will have to finish this discussion later. Boreas wants to see us."

Antiope unfolded her wings and placed the cover back on. "You don’t mind if I take this with me?" She held up the dish.

"No go on ahead." He waited until the harpy had taken to the sky before he turned around to reenter the elevator.

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With his staff in his hand Boreas walked through the double doors to his meeting hall. The six members of the island that he sent out for were waiting for him at the long table. The white eyed angelic figure gave a nod to each one as he called out their names "Helios and Antiope of security," his eyes fixated on the man with flames for hair and the harpy. "Dryad and Morpheus of the senate." he stared at the small man who look liked a miniature version of a member of his clan and the blond centaur like being. Her legs were leaner than the legs of a horse and her hooves were split like that of a deer. "Silenus the archivist." His eyes found the man with the goat like lower half and goat horns protruding from his head. "And Megara the sailor." The last person he acknowledged was a gargoyle with skin the color of the sea. "I summoned you all here because I have a few final words to say to you before you go on your journey. We have lived here for two millennia without stepping outside into the world. We do not know how the world had changed exactly, but a small handful of us have already set out." He noticed Dryad’s arm was raised. "Yes Dryad?"

"Do not forget that some of us vehemently oppose them leaving." The blond female barred her teeth.

Boreas held up a hand and nodded. "I will not forget your opinion of that matter to this one, nor the opinion of everyone else."

The deer like centaur slammed her fists onto the table. "Then why do you insist on having me join this expedition?"

Helios stared at the rest of the group. Morpheus blinked rapidly from each shout and fist pounding that Dryad delivered. He looked like he was afraid that he might fall out of his chair. Megara chewed her bottom lip and Silenus just glared at the blond. Helios did not like the worried expression Antiope had or the way her body was tense. She was almost statue like. He turned to give Dryad a glare.

"I have a few good reasons." Boreas tone was clipped.

"Like?"

The leader of New Olympus sighed. "Like I didn’t want a complete biased opinion. If I sent everyone who agreed they might all go in with hopes...either to be dashed or found to be accurate. If they returned with the good news that they were accepted those that had opposed would argue with them."

The senator cocked her head to the side. A line formed in her forehead as she pondered the information. "I see what you mean."

"Good," he smiled. "Does anyone have anything else to say or add." He waited after two minutes of pure silence. "Very well you have been given specific instructions. You have been given maps that have the path charted out for them. One last important detail." He rested the bottom of his staff on the floor. "Remember that Proteus is somewhere out there, and I want you all to be careful."

After they stood up and pushed in their chairs Helios approached Antiope. He cast Dryad a quick scathing look before he smiled at the harpy and took her hand into his. He wondered if he needed to heat up her dessert.

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Helios was the first to approach the ship while the sun set the following day. It had taken several months to be built and was crafted by the finest engineers and gildsmen of the island. Over 200 feet long their vessel was shaped like a fish. The outer hull was made of overlapping circular golden plates of metal. The bluish black tinted windows at the front were shaped like large eyes. The tall, thin and nearly transparent dorsal fins of the ship were able to spin around halfway until it was horizontal on the ship’s back, providing a sail in case something happens to the main source of power.

The man with fire for hair placed his hands on his hips as he took it all in. Several members of his clan contributed into the creation of the ship, including some members of his own family.

"Beautiful isn’t it?" The small voice near his head asked. Helios turned to see Morpheus hovering a few inches from him. Instead of his fine tailored blue and gold clothing that e usually wore for business the cherub wore a simple gray tunic, and brown trousers. "Or are you just feeling the pride because your brother, aunt, and two of your cousins worked on building it?"

Helios couldn’t help smirking. "A little bit of both actually."

Morpheus nodded, causing some of his light brown curls to come loose. "Yes admire it all you want. You didn’t have to work hard in designing, or building it, or recording every little detail about it." frowning slightly he flew a few feet down the pier, closer to the ship’s entry hatch.

"Don’t mind him," Antiope’s sweet voice entered his ears before he felt the soft hand of his lover take his own. "He hasn’t been sleeping from all last minute work he had to do. Once this trip had started and he has time to relax and his mood will improve."

He turned to stare at her pleasant smiling face. "I hope you are right."

"Besides he is not the one that I am worried about." She narrowed her eyes when they both heard the sound of hooves behind them. Both turned to see the senators Silenus and Dryad behind them. Silenus was not the problem. Both Helios and Antiope know that he was fair and impartial, but Dryad shared the same views as Echidna. Before Terry had come he was usually civil and business as usual with her. Since she was the mate of Cheiron they were even on the verge of becoming friends, but then Sphinx saved Terry and brought him home. Like that other human, Elisa, he was put on trial. Sphinx spoke on his behalf as well as Taurus and Talos. Because Sphinx and Antiope were best friends the harpy grew to like the human as well. Dryad and Cheiron did not trust him. They felt he was part of the reason that Proteus escaped.

"She thinks that humans will never accept our kind," Helios sighed. "I used to think that way too." In truth he felt that some humans will accept them, but most would fear them, think them as monsters. He will not let a single human lay a harmful paw on Antiope.

The hissing of the ships hatch sliding back brought his and everyone else’s attention to its front. Megara stepped out of the Coelacanth where a gill flap would be and onto the pier. The gargoyle spent the day inside so that once she awaken at night she could welcome the ambassadors inside like a proper captain. Instead of speaking she just tucked a few strands of her dark hair behind her fan shaped ears, the same shape her elbow and knee spurs were in, and stared back to the island.

"I like to say a few final words before you leave for your journey." Boreas stood a few yards behind the senators. The rest of the New Olympians had gathered behind him to see the group off. "I want you to remember my words from last night. Do not approach the humans, but do not run from them either. Silenus and Dryad I want you to speak with the leaders of Hybrid and negotiate a peaceful treaty that would bond our two cultures. Morpheus I want you to record the meeting for the history archives. Antiope and Helios provide the adequate protection that they will need. Megara make sure they arrive their safety."

The final words said the sea colored gargoyle nodded and motion to the ship. "Welcome aboard."

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Antiope kept her wings folded over her shoulders as she stormed through the ship towards her cabin. Her wrist still cramped and her hand burned from wanting to slap Dryad across the face, but because she was a senator she couldn’t. She hoped that the majority of her people didn’t share the centaur’s views. Once they heard what filth sprang from her mouth they would not reelect her.

She shoved the top cover of her bed aside, searching for her journal. "Of all the senators that opposed why did Boreas select her?" She opened and closed a few drawers. "Surely she will try to find way to sabotage this mission. I just know it." Her scowl softened a bit when she found both her journal and a pen.

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Antiope paused by one of the large round windows carrying her lunch plate. Their golden ship could either travel over the sea’s waters or dive beneath the surface like the fish that it resembled. She was amazed at the speed their passage took during the day and watched the various underwater wildlife fly by.

She didn’t want to eat alone that day and would have been more than willing to enjoy her lunch with Helios, but he was at the ships helm. She didn’t want to bother Morpheus who was too busy with either writing down records or taking much need relaxing breaks. She didn’t even think of Dryad.

"Senator?" She spoke Silenus’s title first while tapping on the door to his cabin with the tips of her thick talon like nails. "It is me Antiope. May I come in?"

"My door is open," the gravel tinged voice of Silenus addressed. The copper headed harpy entered his room. Silenus sat at the small table that was next to his bed. The remains of his lunch was before him. He turned on his chair to view her with his small amethyst colored eyes. "You wish to take your meal with me?" he asked while arching one of his thick sepia eyebrows.

"Yes I do sir," She nodded her head.

"While in my cabin I am not a senator," He gave her a small smile while he motioned her to sit on the bed.. "You can just call me Silenus."

Antiope nodded as she sat. "Well I wanted to talk to you about senator matters." She removed the cover from her plate. She gave Silenus a small and friendly smile. It was his turn to prepare lunch and he fared much better in the kitchen than she could ever hope to imagine. The scallop kabob was placed on her plate next to the slices of bread so flat and hard they were almost like crackers. The bread was for the fetta cheese and the mix of hummus and olives. To wash it down she was given a glass of sparkling mineral water mixed with the juice of a variety of berries.

"This is about Dryad?" The senator asked with a sigh, causing his chest to swell out slightly. Even though he was a politician he kept himself in physical shape. From the waist up he was dressed in his linen shirt and leather vest. Beneath his leather belt he was naked save for a thick loin cloth edged in leather. He was modest about keeping his groin covered, but knew that it was near impossible for him to fit a pair of trousers over his shaggy legs that ended in cloven hooves. "I was informed by Morpheus of what she had said the evening before. Do not worry. Sphinx will not be banished."

"But what about the other members of the senate?" She broke off a piece of her bread and used to scoop up the humus mix and fetta.

"Not everyone shares her views. Those that do would most likely be outvoted by those of us who are more hopeful of the human world and those who are fair and impartial." He paused to take a sip from his glass. "And even if Dryad’s notion does receive more votes that would only mean that she can present her case to Boreas, and he won’t banish her."

Antiope let out a deep breath of air. "I have been trying to avoid Dryad throughout this trip." She picked up her shish kabob. "And it hasn’t been easy."

"The same with me when I’m doing work in the senate." His smile grew when he noticed the confused expression that she gave him. "I know how everyone in security and rest of New Olympia think that we Senators are friendly towards each other, but that is not true. There are some senators besides Dryad that I cannot stand."

"It is the same with security."

"What brought the threat of banishment on?"

"I thought you knew," Antiope slid a scallop of the stick. "I mentioned that Sphinx and Terry might have possible feelings for each other."

"Oh," His eyes widened. "Well that is something new."

"It is but that doesn’t mean she’s a traitor."

"Of course not. A few centuries ago their were qualms about the horse like centaurs becoming mates to the deer like centaurs. Our own great grandparents would have turn up their noses at the thought of harpies and members of the Mercurian clan being together and I’m not sure what many would think of New Olympians mating with gargoyles."

"I do not have a single problem with any of the previous couplings you have mentioned."

"Neither do I," Silenus sighed. "Since I myself have feelings for a gargoyle."

"You do?" She blinked. "Who?"

"She is sleeping right now," Silenus smiled while he scratched the back of one of his furry pointed ears.

Antiope wanted to ask another question when the guess came to her and formed in her mouth. "Megara?"

He didn’t answer. Instead his smile grew wider and his cheeks flushed. "Please don’t mention this to anyone just yet."

"I believe the only who should mention this to anyone should be you." She said quietly with her mouth frozen in a smile.

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It was shortly after the sun had set and Megara had taken back the role of being the ships captain when she shouted out "Land ho!"

Helios and Morpheus ended their card game, leaving the Mercurian to clean up the cards. He placed the deck back into it’s case before he met with everyone at the hatch. His snow white eyes were locked on his beloved and watched as she tried to keep her distance from Dryad. He wanted to take her hand into his but Silenus’s voice cut him off.

"From here we have to walk," The satyr said while he studied the map in his hands. We move north west in a steady pattern. We should make it to the village in a couple of days. We will travel at night and sleep in sheltered areas during the day." His purple eyes rested on each member of the group before he finished his sentence. "Remember we are in the human world now. We must exceed extra caution."

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The small group traveled with Antiope leading the way followed by Morpheus, then Silenus, then Dryad, Megara and Helios brought up the rear. They kept to the outskirts of heavily wooded areas, taking great care to avoid any possible evidence of human dwellings or civilization. The start of their travel by land was fine. Nobody complained and nobody noticed any sign of the humans, but after the first few hours Antiope and Morpheus felt a little wary in the legs. Megara felt the weariness in her own legs followed by Helios. Both senators have legs that could walk for ten hours. Those that had wings took to the air while Dryad allowed Helios to ride on her back.

Antiope felt the weariness of the lack of sleep fluttering around in her head before her wings felt a cramp. She knew she had to resume walking again but they had to wait for Megara to come back first. Occasionally she and the gargoyle would take sprints ahead of the group to see what they were heading into. Morpheus once did it before when he felt bored. She stared at the circle of large stones on the ground before she looked back up at the dark shape several yards ahead and nearly blinked when the gargoyle instantly doubled back.

"Under cover!" Megara cried before adjusting her triple talon silver dactyl like wings for a landing.

Antiope knew a warning cry when she heard it. "Dive for the shrubbery!" She commanded while she landed. the second her talons touched the ground she ran around ushering both senators and Morpheus to hide in the thicket.

"Get down," Helios commanded.

"Not until Megara has hid," The harpy protested.

"I’ll make sure that she does, just please make sure your safe." She saw the gargoyle was about to land next to them and crawled under two thick bushes, ignoring the scratches the tiny branches give her. She rolled around and stared out at the area they were just at. Her eyes widened to double their size. In the sky was another gargoyle with a human its arms. On the ground, racing towards the stone circle was another gargoyle. In the moonlight his leonine body shone with a greenish yellow radiance. He paused next to the tallest of the slender pieces of rock that ended in a curved point, lion like tail twitching slightly.

"Arthur, Tabitha it’s safe," the words that exited from the gargoyles eagle like beak had an accent that they never heard before.

"Look up," Antiope heard Megara whisper from behind. Antiope stared back up at the other gargoyle and human and watched as they glided down next to the griffin like gargoyle. The second gargoyle was more leonine than the first one and was female. Her body coloring was a rich brown and her shoulder length of hair was pale gold.

The human appeared to be much older than them both. Dark brown hair was separated into four ponytails. Two long ones trailed behind him while two shorter ones hung over his shoulders in front of his chest. The lines under his eyes and the gray in his beard showed how old he really was. His deep blue eyes reflected a great wisdom and his clothing, blue robe with chest armor and circular symbol that had a bird like emblem that was over his chest gave him a regal appearance.

"Human," Dryad hissed.

"He’s friends with the two gargoyles," Megara’s whisper was full of hope. "Perhaps we could introduce ourselves to them."

"Too risky," Helios answered. "We can’t risk it."

"Helios is correct," Silenus said. "We are not to show ourselves to anyone. Avoid human contact no matter what."

Antiope heard the defeatist sigh come from two places behind her. She knew one was Megara, and since the other couldn’t have been Dryad it left the archivist as the only option. She also wanted to greet this friendly human. It was proof that Sphinx’s dream of humans and New Olympians living together would come true. Instead of saying anything though she just watched.

"I hope this is the right circle of stones, Arthur," the griffin gargoyle complained. "It has been frustrating not being able to find it." He stared at the human while folding his wings lined with red feathers across his chest.

The human called Arthur stared at the small withered leather bound book in his hands. "A circle of twelve stones. Six that ends in curved points and six ending in flat tops. The pattern of curve, flat, curve, flat." He stared up at the towering slabs of rock. "It fits the pattern." He handed the book to the female gargoyle and strode up to the closest stone. "I believe we found the right one."

"Grooves," the female said. Her amber eyes squinted slightly as she read the book. "There are images here, drawn by Merlin of grooves."

The griffin gargoyle rubbed his hands up and down the stones, trying to feel for anything weather they be grooves, or slits or even bumps. His beak widened by a crack when his digest came across small notches that were carved into the stone. "I found a few notches."

"Well done Sir Griff," Arthur smiled before he searched the stone that he was next to for similar notches. "There are some here as well."

"What do they look like?" The female folded her golden wings and strode up to them. "If you could take a pen and connect the notches what do they look like?"

"I’ll need a closer look Tabby dear." Arthur said while he lowered himself to his knees. The human stared at the notches so intently that his eyes began to water. "These are not like the connect the dot games that children these days play. These notches are carved into a pattern."

"And what do they look like?" Tabby repeated.

"It looks like an arrow."

"Mine looks like a circle connected to a curved line," Griff said before standing back up. "I have seen that symbol somewhere before. Dreadfully sorry that I cannot remember it."

"That is the symbol for my father," Tabby placed a hand over her leonine muzzle to keep from giggling. "Well my father was named after the constellation. That is the symbol for Leo and the one Arthur is at is the symbol for Sagittarius."

"They all have constellation symbols," Griff mentioned after he examined the stones on either side of the Leo one and was not disappointed to find Gemini on one side and Virgo on the other. "And they are in correct order."

"This is the right circle," Arthur stood back up. "What is the next instructions say."

The female gargoyle thumbed turned the page ginger for fear of the old yellow paper would fall out. "We journey south west for seven hours until we find the pond shaped like a fish. That was where Merlin placed Rhongomyant."

"It would have been easier if Merlin himself were here," Griff complained.

"You know he is a busy man," Arthur said.

"I wouldn’t mind switching places with him right now your majesty."

"Now don’t say that," Tabby glared at him. "You don’t know hard work it is to write songs and it takes practice for them to play the songs on their instruments and together."

Antiope felt dull cramp form in her right leg from kneeling in the crouch she was in. Her wings folded down and tucked at her sides did not make her feel any more comfortable. In fact she felt the slow numbing beginning to from at the out most tips of the long rib like fingers of her wings.

"They are on a quest," Morpheus whispered from behind. "That book is like a map for some kind of treasure."

"Should we allow this human to find this treasure?" Dryad asked.

"If it is a treasure," Antiope hissed through her clenched teeth. "He will share it with his gargoyle friends."

"Friends?" Dryad’s voice raised a few decibels. Antiope quickly glanced back at the human and two gargoyles to see if they had heard her. "They are not his friends they are his servants."

"He should be serving them," Helios added. "Since they are his superior."

"Perhaps he is just a human ruler," Megara added. "and they are calling him majesty out of respect. We don’t really know fur sure."

"How would we learn?" Helios asked. "Save from asking them ourselves?"

"I wouldn’t ask them that," Megara responded. "but I do want to make sure we are headed in the right direction."

"I also want to make certain that we are headed for the right direction of Hybrid." Morpheus added.

"I agree with Megara and Morpheus," Antiope said. She heard Helios gasp. His reaction caused her to close her eyes and grip the dark ground.

"You three have a point," Silenus finally spoke up. "I would hate to be journeying for a while to find out we are headed into the wrong direction. Megara you will go ask them."

"Yes senator." She wriggled her way carefully through the brush and living bodies clustered close together. Free from her confided conditions she stood up and stretched her silver wings that shimmered like a mirror’s reflection before she dropped to the ground and loped towards the trio.

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The man known as the once and future king held onto the book and stared at it, making sure that Merlin’s instructions where exactly as Tabitha interpreted. Beside him the golden maned lioness gargoyle stood and studied along. They did not notice another creature that was racing for them.

It was Griff who noticed the aquamarine gargoyle loping towards them. "Tabby, Your majesty watch out!" He sprang before them and stood proudly with wings and arms stretched out and eyes blazing white. The glow dimmed from his eyes when The gargoyle paused a few yards from them and stood back up.

She had an interesting look to her. A lean, not slender figure with slightly curved waist and small breasts. Her silver wings were topped with three taloned hand like appendages. Parting the center of her head was a large fan shaped protrusion that resembled the dorsal fin of a fish. Surrounding the fin were long ebony waves. She had fan shaped hears. Her spurs on both knees and elbows were fan shaped too.

The most unique thing about her way that she dressed. Blue gray pants ended above her ankles with special holes cut in the fabric for her spurs. A black leather belt with a gold buckle wrapped around her waist. A white shirt like material peaked out from under the maroon leather vest. Over her right breast was a silver trapezoid shaped badge with trident like symbol of Neptune engraved into it. She stood with a dignified poise.

"Hullo," Griff greeted her with a suspicious tone.

"Ahoy there," the female gargoyle greeted while the arrow pointed tip of her tail flicked forward and back.

"Ahoy," Griff raised his brow ridges. "Are you by any chance a sailor?"

"I happen to be Captain Megara of the N. O Coelacanth," She answered with a smile.

"I am Sir Griff," the male gargoyle indicated himself before he pointed to the female. "This is Tabitha, we call her tabby for short," he finally indicated the human. "And this is Arthur. You may not believe it but he is the once and future king of legend."

"He is a king?" Megara raised her own slightly curved brow ridges to stare at him before she raised her hand in a simple salute.

"Merciful heaven," Tabby gasped. Her golden butter colored eyes widened in disbelief. "You don’t know who King Arthur is?"

The sea colored gargoyle studied both hers and Griff expression. The eagle headed gargoyle looked like he had choked. His beak hung open. Any words he want to express were lost to time. "I’m sorry," Megara said. "My clan has been cut off from human civilization for over 2000 years. This is the first time I have ever been in the human world." Her response sent to the two gargoyles sputtering for an apology, but it was the human that spoke to her.

"My lady forgive the rude words my friends have said if they have offended you," Arthur said with a slight bowing of his head. "I myself know what it is like to be cut off from the main world for centuries."

"Thank you king Arthur," Megara said with a smile. "I hope I do not trouble you with a simple question."

"It would be no trouble at all my lady."

"I am traveling with a small party that wish to remain hidden. We are trying to find the village by the name of Hybrid."

Griff held up his hand. "That is something I can help you with," he said. "You head straight west, but you won’t make it before sunrise."

"My friends and I are prepared for that."

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Murky and gloomy were the words to describe the sky when Antiope woke up in the late afternoon the next day. They had sought shelter in a Forrest that was in the middle of their path early that morning. She remembered how she just wanted to drop and fall asleep the second they entered the dense woods, but they had to find a suitable camping ground first. While the other spread their bed rolls on the ground she stretched hers out over the two lowest branches of a nearby tree into a hammock. Before falling asleep she bound the branches hanging over her into a canopy.

She woke up to the sound or rain spattering against the tree tops and the ground. Part of her wanted to roll over and sleep a little longer but she knew they had more traveling to do. After detaching her bedroll she spread her copper tinted wings and glided to the ground.

The weather made her skin crawl. Rain wasn’t new too her, but the rain on New Olympus was always refreshing showers or the occasional thunder storm. They were never like this. It didn’t rain, just constantly sprinkle the same tiny cold rain drops. The sky was completely gray. No patches of blue, no sign of any actual clouds. There wasn’t even the ruffled edges that told her where one cloud began and the other ended.

"What a beautiful day to wake up to," she snorted while packing in her bed roll and removing a change of clothes. The weather did fit with her mood. How could Helios say such things? Humans should serve both gargoyles and New Olympians? Should Terry bow before them? Should Elisa who Taurus spoke so highly of be forced to sweep up after them. She wanted to talk to him about that subject but it never came up.

"Not really that beautiful," Silenus’ voice nearly made her stumble. Was he watching her dress? "Unless you were being sarcastic?"

She had only her undergarments and her unbuttoned tunic on. "How much have you seen?" She pressed her skirt too her body.

"Nothing at all officer." Silenus responded. "I am also trying to cloth my person."

Antiope managed to finish clothing herself before the others began to wake up.

While they ate they decided to continue their journey to the village by walking through the woods. Most of them agreed that it would be much faster if they carried Megara’s stone form instead of waiting for sunset. Both security officers were the first to carry the gargoyle. She was not as heavy as statue that was carved out of marble but had the same weight as she did when she was flesh.

"Were you serious about what you said last night?" Antiope decided to get it out and ask her boyfriend about his views.

"About what?" Helios asked He apparently did not remember.

"You became upset when the two local gargoyles refer to Arthur as a king. You said that humans should serve gargoyles and us."

"Well they should," his voice became slightly gruff. "There was a time when they not only served us but worshipped us as well. Then some other group came with their king Zeus and they worshipped them instead. We tried to reclaim what was rightfully ours and then because of what this new group said we were the enemies, the monsters."

"I heard many stories about his group. I read them in the archives. One story was about how they created us. Another was how they shared the land, gargoyles and humans with us until we became greedy and that was when the humans began to attack us."

"Those stories are wrong."

"How would you know?" her voice had taken on an irritated tone. "The story of how we were the original rulers was passed down by word of mouth. It is listed in the archives as a legend."

"And those other stories listed are stated as facts?" He turned to look at her and nearly stumbled. Megara’s body slipped slightly in his hands.

"Becareful!"

Helios resumed his grip and steadied himself. "Don’t worry I won’t let her fall."

"It’s not just those stories. It’s your attitude towards the humans, even the ones who befriend our kind and the gargoyles like Arthur, Terry and Elisa."

"Do I need to remind you how she knocked me out of my sky sled?" His blazing eyes narrowed.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "She was just trying to let you know that Proteus had escaped and she did have a point in knocking you out. How else were you going to listen?"

"It was just a typical human tactic." He noticed they had stopped. "Come on they others are way ahead."

"Typical human tactic?" She resumed her walking. "Is that a fact or another belief?"" She heard him mumble something. "Oh yes these wonderful beliefs of yours. The same ones that drove you to cause a crowd to attack Elisa or for you to hurl your fireballs at her cell."

"You don’t understand."

"I understand that you believe the world is the same as it was 2000 year ago, but it has changed. 500 years after our last contact with humans a noble and polite king was allied with gargoyles."

"Well what if it’s not? What if there’re some humans who want to kill us just for how we look? I’m not going to allow any of them to hurt you!" He paused to catch his breath. "Like I would never let Dryad hurt you. Sphinx may have some strange ideas but she is never a traitor." His words caused he to think. She felt stung with the realization of how much he cared and worried about her.

____________________________________________________________________________

They had been only walking a few hours after sunset when they the noticed the outline of a human settlement. Helios noticed the trails of smoked the wafted up from few of the houses. and snorted. The humans still depend on fire for food and warmth. He strode up in front of their party. "We should find some way to walk around it."

"What if this is it?" Silenus asked before staring up at those who had wings. "Do you see anything that might indicate this is Hybrid?"

"I am reminded a bit of New Olympus," Antiope shouted down. "I think I see some gargoyles."

"I see them too, and they are gargoyles!" Megara shouted with joy. "Would you like me or Antiope to glide over and announce that we have arrived?"

"No," the satyr held up his hand. "Morpheus will go announces us."

Helios stared up at the sky as the ivory winged cupid like man flew towards the village. His face was unreadable but Helios could feel the fear the archivist was emitting. He did wonder why Silenus ordered him and not him or Antiope. They were security. They had weapons. He watched the small town, waiting for their smallest member to return. The flames on his head grew taller when he caught sight of the winged man flying towards him at top speed. He expected to see a crowd of hate filled humans chase after him. His flames dimmed when he saw the smile on the small winged man’s face.

"I take it went well?" Silenus asked.

"I’d say it went more than well," Morpheus said. "When I turned to return to the group they were running around to prepare a feast for us."

"A feast?" Megara asked from overhead. "I am a bit hungry and I would like to taste some of the local fare."

"I smell a trap," Dryad said under-breath.

Silenus’s furry ears picked up her words. "A trap it may be, but we were asked to come to this village and it would make no sense for us to walk all that way and not enter."

The blond centaur stomped right up to him and stared into his face. "That may be, but who made you our leader?"

The satyr was taken a back. He stepped back on his slate colored cloven feet while his ears drooped and he kept his widened purple eyes on her. "I’m just following Boreas’s orders."

Helios crossed his arms. "The reason he is leading us is because he is the most level headed member of the group." He heard the others agree from him over head. Dryad stepped back from Silenus and gave him a glare so cold it nearly froze his hair.

____________________________________________________________________________

"Ambassadors from New Olympus Welcome to Hybrid," the balding human in the greenish gold tweed suit greeted them with a grin that showed off his large teeth. "We are still preparing your food but we are honored that you journeyed a great distance to visit us."

Helios stared at this human and tried not to let his dislike for the species take control of his mind but he couldn’t keep it back any further.

"So this town of non humans is lead by a human," Dryad hissed. Her eyes took in the creatures that were mostly humanoid. Some had strange skin and hair color, some had pointed ears. Some even had wings and tails. There were gargoyles in the village too. "Don’t expect us to bow to you."

The human called Xavier had the same expression that Silenus had earlier when Dryad questioned his authority. "I assure you madam that I am not a king nor am I human. I’m one eight fey or third race member, but fey is easier to say."

"You are saying that you are part human?" Antiope asked. Behind the village leader she saw a group of people assembling a long table and chairs.

"That is correct. I am a hybrid as is most everyone else here." His words did make some sort of sense. It made everything clear why the town was named Hybrid. Antiope took a better look at some of the towns people. Some of what she took for gargoyles did not have brow ridges and five fingers instead of four. A few feet from her was a human looking woman with pointed ears and leathery gargoyle wings.

"Breeding with humans," she heard Dryad gasp behind her with a sickened tone. She closed her eyes and hoped that the rest of the villagers didn’t think that she and the rest of her companions were as rude or narrow minded as the deer like centaur.

"We know of a gargoyles and humans," Morpheus said. "But we do not know of these third race members. Do they have any other name?"

Xavier readjusted his glasses before he spoke again. "Why certainly. The are also known as the God’s and tricksters, the elemental and the faeries. Some of the members include, Oberon, Quetzelcoatl, Zeus, Vishnu, and Odin."

Antiope blinked when he mentioned Zeus. The leader of the village was part of the same specious that Helios considered to be the usurpers that stole the human worshippers from the New Olympians. She knew he was letting his hate and anger boiled inside him and was afraid he was going to say something but the scent of warm food and the sight of many different hybrids setting down dishes on the table erased the thought from her mind.

____________________________________________________________________________

Antiope woke up and forgotten where she was. Beneath her body she felt a soft plump bed. Under her head was a fat pillow filled with feather that had to have been softer than every thin down like fluff on her stomach. She was held secure to the bed by crisp cool sheet, blanket and comforter.

She blinked her feathered eyelids while she remembered the feast from the night before. Most of it was boiled like that beef and cabbage meal, but there were other delicious foods. There were fried fish cakes that tasted wonderful with the amber liquid called malt vinegar, hard boiled eggs coated in sausage and flour and fried, spare ribs, slender potatoes called chips, tiny pastries called Yorkshire pudding, tiny meat filled pies and mushy green vegetables. They ate the meal with glasses filled with a dark liquid called Pepsi and finished their feast with a dessert called a trifle. A delicious layered treat of cake, custard, fruit and liquor.

While they ate Xavier told them the story of the half human half gargoyle hero Bellapheron who spilled some of his blood that fell on enchanted stones. Those stones became beloved by Aphrodite who blessed them even further. Some of them ended up in Briton where used in the wild mating rituals of the more savage human clans. It was not long before humans and gargoyles participated in the ritual together and because of the magic of the stones hybrid children were conceived.

The descendants of the first hybrids along with the human and fey hybrids built the village. Over time more crossbreeds found their way into the village and it grew. They allowed anyone to visit no mater what species they were and when they first heard of a new race called the New Olympians they sent an invitation to their island.

Antiope yawned and wondered if she should get up. The bed was so comfortable, much larger and nicer than the small bed she slept on in the Coelacanth and her tiny bed roll. She remembered after dinner one of the innkeepers showed them to their rooms. The second she entered hers Antiope went to the bathing facilities and pulled off her cloths. The warm water of the shower sluicing down her skin and feathers soothed her travel weary joints.

She was so tired and with the addition of the warm fulfilling meal, relaxing shower and comfy bed she fell asleep almost the instance her head came in contact with the pillow.

____________________________________________________________________________

After changing into a clean pair of clothes the harpy made her way out of her room and was hit instantly by the scent of cooking eggs, pastries and something rigorvating.

"Ah good morning miss Antiope," she was greeted by a humanoid woman with hot pink hair and fox like ears wearing an apron. "Did you sleep well?"

"I can’t remember the last time I slept that well." The harpy said as she descended down the steps. "Is it morning?"

"Its nine in the morning miss. Would you care for breakfast?"

"Yeah that does sound good." She scratched the back of her head before she let out another yawn.

"How do you like your eggs?" The inns maid pulled out a note pad and a pen

"Blended together with some cream mixed in."

"Do you prefer bacon, ham or sausage?"

"Sausages sounds good."

"Pancakes, waffles or a pastry?"

Antiope rolled up her eyes in thought. She had pastries before and figured the pancakes were a cake like dish that came from a pan, but she didn’t know what a waffle was. "I want to try waffles."

"Grape fruit or fruit cocktail?"

"Fruit cocktail."

"Tea or coffee?"

"I have had tea before, but I never tried coffee. I think I’ll have the coffee."

"I have everything down." She stared at the pad. "Let me take you to your seat before I get your breakfast."

The security officer was lead to a small table topped with a pure white cloth and a small reddish brown chair. In front of her was a glossy beige plate, folded up pink linen napkin, silverware, and a smaller plate with an over turned cream colored cup on it.

She waited for about ten minutes before the maid returned with her food. The pale yellow eggs resembled the blended eggs she got back home. The sausages were long light brown tube shaped meats. The cocktail contained chunks of different colored fruits. Her eyes widened at the golden pastries that resembled honeycomb with its many pockets. When the maid turned over her cup and filled it with dark liquid she figured out the rigorvating aroma came from it.

"Here are your sugars and creams for your coffee." She placed several packets and tiny bucket shaped containers down next to the coffee cup. "And your butter and jelly." she set tiny tubs no bigger than a coin by her plate. "I hope you enjoy your stay here in the village."

"I’m already enjoying it," Antiope said. "Everything is so peaceful here."

___________________________________________________________________________

The same dark rivorvating fluid entered the nostrils of the blond centaur, but the coffee was even more powerful and mixed in with rich sweet scents. She stood outside on the cobble stone paved streets staring at the two buildings. One had a sign with the image of a cup on it. n front e building on the long cement paved walkway were round wooden tables, occupied by groups of young villagers.

The youthful group of five that sat on the curb in front of the coffee house were human, or mostly human to the eyes of Dryad. Two of them had strange colored hair, one shade of blue so pale it was almost white, and one had hair the color of dark purple. In addition to his unique hair color the teen with purple hair also had pointed ears. Two others in the group had pointed ears too, but they could pass for human in the human world.

While her own ears were not as sharp as those of Silenus and Megara she did manage to hear them whisper amongst themselves and swore that one of them cast a look her way. Young humans were talking about here and how strange she looks. It won’t be long before these humans being to talk about their fellow villagers who were not as blessed with enough human features to venture into the real world.

Something had to be done to show the villagers that their so called utopia would not catch on with the rest of the world and that those who are mostly human will cause trouble for the rest of the citizens of Hybrid. She will have the evidence she would need to prove to Boreas that this trip was indeed a bad idea and find some way to call back Talos and Phaedra and banish all humans and human supporters.

Opportunity came in the form of another group of teens walking down the opposite path. there number was smaller by one but they will do. The second group of village teens looked less like humans than the other group. One was as white as snow with long rabbit like ears, silver hair and red eyes and fangs. Another looked like he was part human and part cat, the other two were the were a pink male and a green female. The green female was almost as short as Morpheus with a pair of large gossamer butterfly like wings. The pink male was the tallest of the group. He had no hair, instead his head was covered with pointed white spike like horns.

It was a small and simple idea, but from the seeds of small ideas large plans can grow and when those plans come into fruit then success for her people she will achieve. She turned her head back to the more colorful bunch and kept them insight while she walked down the street. Her tiny hooves brought her closer to the more humanoid group. Such lazy and silly youths to be stretched out like that. Their legs were stretched out and they seemed to be too busy talking to each other to even notice. Perfect.

Dryad held her head up high and kept her eyes wide while she kept darting her head from right to left, trying to look like an amazed and impressed tourist. Her eyes kept flicking to the ground as she approached the first group of teenagers. The one with the purple hair had the biggest feet of the whole group. She stepped forward and felt her hoof strike his black sneaker. "Oh!" she called out in alarm as her front legs bucked and her hind legs shuffled forward forcing her body to the ground. She heard the sound of several people scrambling to their feet and rushing over to her side.

"Are you okay?" One of the humanoid females asked.

"I’m so sorry about that," the purple head leaped to his feet.

"What happened?" The other, less human, group ran over to her.

Dryad glared at the boy with the purple hair while she allowed the less human group help her to her feet. "I was, I mean I tripped," her voiced dropped a few decibels. "On his feet." She pointed at Purple hair.

"I didn’t mean," the humanoid blinked nervously. "It was an accident I didn’t even see you walking down the street."

"Yes," her voice took on a treacle sweet one. "An accident." She thanked the non human group for helping her before she turned around and trotted down the street.

____________________________________________________________________________

Helios narrowed his bright eyes when he saw that the senator had tripped herself on purpose. He folded his arms across his chest and kept glaring at her while she was heading for his direction. She didn’t even notice he was standing there until she felt his heat.

Turning her head to the face to the front she saw his bitter scowl. "Oh," a gasp escaped from her mouth before she stumbled backwards.

"You might want to becareful," his tone was flat. "You don’t want to trip and then blame it on me."

Fear dissolved to suspicion. Her lids lowered slightly while she pursed her lips. "How much of that have you seen?"

"All of it. Are you trying to sabotage this mission?"

"Sabotage?" Her hand flew to her mouth as she tried to suppress a giggle. "Mission, are you trying to say that we are supposed to become friends with this ilk?"

"No, we are trying to be well behaved ambassadors who will judge this town fairly and then report back to Boreas, but as I see it you are trying to make sure that this expedition will go the way you want it to go."

"I am not causing what is not there," She ran her hand through her mane of golden ringlets. "I’ just stirring up the feelings that the mostly humans have for the non humans and vice versa. I can already see it in the eyes of those who are mostly human. They think they are better. It won’t be long before they treat those that look less human than they do as second class humans. after all some of them do have the blood of those who robbed us of our right full servants."

"That is true," Helios said. "If they aren’t cocky by the human blood then they are like that because of the fey blood." He shook his head. "This still doesn’t mean what you are doing is right."

"So we should just let them be and wait for their hatred to slowly bubble."

"What if it won’t bubble? What if they do live in peace for the rest of time. They have been for centuries already."

"You are beginning sound like that traitor and those naive fools Taurus and Antiope." Her smug expression dissolved when she saw his hand raised.

The flames on his head doubled in size "Don’t you dare say that about Antiope." he growled while slowly lowering his arm. "We are both getting quite tired of your attitude. She is not naive, she is hopeful."

A thin golden eyebrow was raised a bit. "Thats right you two have feelings for each other. You wouldn’t want her to become disappointed when her foolish hopes are shattered do you?"

Helios hung his head. "No."

"Nor do you want to see her get hurt?"

"No."

The deer legged centaur’s lips turned up into a cruel smile. "You would do anything for her. She would become quite upset if her best friend was banished off the island now would she?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Unlike what many may think my thoughts are not set in stone. I may be convinced to rethink my idea of banishing Sphinx."

____________________________________________________________________________

The town hall was the tallest building in the village. It served as a perfect roosting place for many gargoyles including Megara. It was also the idea place for Antiope to view the village and write down her present thoughts into her journal.

The copper feathered harpy stared up at the stone form of the sailing captain and smiled. "This is a beautiful place to enjoy one’s solitude isn’t it Megara?" She tried not to laugh. "I know you can’t really hear me but you are the only other person I know up here. This place is wonderful everyone is so friendly and I’m sure that they would have something to help you and Silenus have a child if you two would want children someday."

"Antiope!" The harpy looked down. Her eyesight may not be sharp at night like a gargoyle’s but it was more keen. Despite the fact she as several stories up she was able to see the spiral twisted bronze horns of Silenus. "Would you care to join me down here?"

She didn’t have to answer. She spread her wings and leaped over the side. Using spiral circles same made her descent till her feet were on the ground. "I hope you weren’t lonely. Its just you know how much I like to enjoy the view at high spaces."

"Trying to enjoy to the whole village at once?" The satyr chuckled.

"It’s wonderful," her gasp made her whole busom swell out. "I’m pleased that such a place exists. It means that New Olympian’s and humans can exist together after all."

"Well we don’t know how much contact the outside world has will the village."

"Arthur and his gargoyle friends knew, so there has to be come contact."

"That is true and there are some pure blooded humans living here too." He scratched his chin. "I’m pretty sure Morpheus will find some more information on past meetings in the archive." he stared up at the top of the building where the gargoyles were roosting. "I’m glad she found a comfortable spot to fall asleep."

"I feel the same. I’m also pleased that his village doesn’t experience the same racist attitude Dryad does, and I’m glad the villages have yet to treat us like her because of her attitude."

"Well hopefully her ugly attitude will fade from this visit. She must see how pleasant this place is and learn that not all humans are as judgmental as she made it out to be."

____________________________________________________________________________

Brilliant orange flames swirled together and condensed into a burning ball. Helios balanced the burning sphere on the top of his index finger a few minutes before his hand dipped a few inches and shot up. The small fireball bounced into the air and descended into the palm of his hand. "I don’t likes this," his voice sizzled while he watched a small group of humanoids talking about something called a movie at a small round table in front of a small building with a sign that spelled out Burger King. The table next to their had a group of non humanoids that were different from the group he and Dryad had seen before.

"You are becoming soft towards the humans," Dryad’s tongue clucked. "Don’t forget the stories of how they attacked us, refereed to us as monsters and even took delight in how they killed us. Do you want the same thing to happen to you or Antiope." Her mouth pulled back into a haughty grin when she mentioned the name of his lover.

Helios gritted his teeth and nearly threw the fireball right then and there but he held back. "The only humans we have actually come across are Elisa, Terry, and Arthur and not one of them was judgmental to our kind."

Her smile faded a bit but she held her ground. "Ah what about them serving us? would you rather see the group of humanoids serving drinks to the group of non humanoids?"

"I would rather see pure humans serving drinks to all the crossbreeds in this village."

"You are slipping in your beliefs."

"I am not slipping. I am changing and there is nothing wrong with that."

"Ah yes change." She gave her head a toss. "Like the change we are experiencing by allowing some of our citizens to travel to this Washington D.C, or allowing one of our own to possibly breed with a human. Think about it Helios why they invited us here. The want to breed humans with New Olympians. "She leaned towards him. "Do you want that?"

He shook his head. "No I do not want that at all."

"Then throw the ball."

He glanced back at the table where the youths were sitting and narrowed his eyes. With a deep breath he hurled the fire ball high into the air and an arch. As usual his aim was impeccable. The ball flew high into the air and dropped down on top of the umbrella topped table.

The students immediately leaped to their feet and backed away before one brave one threw his glass of water at the umbrella. The others at his table and at the next one hurled their beverages at the burning umbrella too until the flames died.

"Why did ye do that?" One of the humanoids turned to the human with shiny red almost metal like skin.

"I didn’t do it," the metal skin youth said. "And even if I did it would have been an accident."

"Ye are the only here who has fire magic." His hands balled into fists.

"I didn’t do it."

"I think that ye did."

From her place behind Helios Dryad smirked. "You see how quick the more human ones are to blame those who are not human?"

"They are all not human," the Mercurian pointed out. He turned around when he didn’t hear her high pitched honey tongue respond. She was galloping away. Breathing from his nostrils, he grunted and reluctantly followed behind her.

____________________________________________________________________________

The way Morpheus walked out of the archive room reminded Antiope of the time she and her fellow members of the harpy clan would see who could fly in circles the longest without getting dizzy. His short legs stretched out and his feet would waver before he brought it down. Antiope knew that four glasses of wine had the same effect.

His wide round blue eyes blinked several times when he stepped out into sunlight. His eyes were the only child like feature. He had a narrow squareish face with a long and pointed chin. Between his nose that resembled an upside down mushroom and thins lips was a neat well groomed mustache.

"Are you felling quite right?" Silenus asked him.

Morpheus unfolded his pale wings before he shook his head. "I’m feeling more than quite right. I’m feeling great. Oh what I have read. It was amazing." He stared up at the two of them and smiled broadly. "There is so much history. I love this place."

"So far that makes three of us," Silenus grinned. "I am sure Megara and Helios would agree."

"I’m sure that they will," all three of them turned to see Xavier approach them. "I am pleased to hear that you have enjoyed our village." His smile faded a bit. "But there seems to be a few members of your group who are missing."

"I’m sure Helios is fine," Silenus said. "Probably looking for a gift for Antiope." He noticed the crimson that formed on the harpy’s cheeks. "I don’t know where my fellow senator is."

The flush faded from Antiope’s face and was replaced with a scowl. "I don’t like this," she spat. "She is probably up to something."

"Now my dear," Xavier readjusted his glasses. "You don’t know that for sure."

"Yes I do. You don’t know her. She hates humans and was dead set against this whole trip. She would want to make sure to find some way so that when she reports back to our leader that our journey was not a success she will have some truth to back her up."

"I understand your concern but I hope you put that thought out of your head." He raised a finger and smiled. "I knew just the thing. Lets go to the malt shop. I’ll treat all of you to some ice cream sodas. We do it a very special way. We add the vanilla flavoring to not just standard cola but also to orange, grape, and strawberry soda too and then we add the ice cream. My personal favorite is banana ice cream in strawberry soda." His excitement was cut short when a small vehicle that reminded the New Olympians of a very thin sky sled with wheels rode up to him.

"Sir," The rider of the vehicle said. "I have been informed that there was a fire at the Burger King."

"Which one?" Xavier asked.

The man holding the handlebars of the vehicle blinked "The only one."

"Oh right," he sighed and turned back to Antiope and her friends. "I’m dreadfully sorry about leaving you like this, but I have to attend a small emergency." He placed the second curved helmet over his head before he climbed onto the back of the vehicle.

____________________________________________________________________________

Helios breathed in deeply and quickly his breaths have become more shallow and rapid. He turned to where Dryad was in the middle of the street staring down at her own hooves. Two more of the non humanoid villagers, both with gargoyle wings, were by her side kneeling down and examine her hooves. She had stumbled again earlier and complained about a sore hoof. both citizens had crowded around her to see if there was a pebble stuck in her hoof.

Helios stared at the two bicycles and other belongings of the winged girls. The pale silver flute shone beautifully in the sunlight. It belonged to one of the two who were helping Dryad. He was instructed to take the flute and hide it in the belongings of one of the more humanoid members.

He turned to check his left and his right. There was no one around. He felt his heart stop and he raced forward from the shadows, grabbed the flute and raced back. Still panting he stared back towards the villagers and Dryad. No one had noticed anything. He let out a rush of breath before he walked down the back alley.

After passing by a few buildings he saw his chance. A male humanoid had set down his pack while he was purchasing some sort of rolled up form of reading material. Helios knew he didn’t have any other opportunity. Breathing hard once more he raced forward and tucked the flute into one of the outer pockets before he stepped back into the shadows.

"Antiope I know you are going to hate this," he breathed while he slid down to the ground. His back rubbed against a wall.

"She and the rest of New Olympus will someday peg you as an hero."

Helios opened his eyes to stare at a pair of dainty hooves attached to thin golden brown deer like legs. He stared up to see dryad stare down at him with grin stretching out her small mouth. "So you have come to gloat?"

"Gloat?" Her giggle sent a shiver down his spine. "Ah my dear Helios I am not gloating, but praising your for a job well done. It won’t be long until-" the voice of a teenager cut her off.

"My flute! My bloody flute has been stolen."

"Bloody flute?" Helios blinked. "I don’t ember seeing any blood."

"Shah," she pressed her finger to his mouth. "Let us go see how this unfolds." She took his hand into her own and led him down the street, back to where she had pretended to stumble.

One of the gargoyle winged villagers had a look of panic on her bluish purple face. Her friend was holding her hand, trying to calm her down, but it was of no use. Her eyes were widened larger than dinner plates and she kept clenching and unclenching her hands. More people were gathering around her.

"Where did you last see it?" Someone asked.

"Right by my bicycle. I took it out of it’s case to show Emily a new song I learned. One of the ambassadors from New Olympus was hurt and so Emily and I went to see if we could help her and when we returned my flute was gone."

"Do you think it could be stolen?" The one called Emily asked.

The owner of the flute raised an ginger colored eyebrow and stared at her. "Well of course it was stolen."

"I think you are just jumping to conclusions." A tall lanky youth with hair the color of wheat, pointed ears and what appeared to have been insect antenna protruding from his temples said.

The bluish purple village narrowed her eyes. "I’m not jumping to any conclusions it was stolen. It just had to have been."

"What makes you say that?" The blond male asked again.

"Well what else could have happened?"

"You might have misplaced it."

"Thats a load of rubbish."

"I found it," the loud deep canon like voice boomed through the air. Everyone turned to see the owner of the local butcher shop, one of the largest members of the village. In one of his lobster claw like hands he held another youth by the back of his shirt and in the other he held onto a thin silver tube.

"My flute!" the owner cried out with relief as she raced up to him. "Where did you find it?"

The burly citizen handed her instrument back before he pointed at the youth in his claws. "Him, he’s your thief."

"I didn’t steel anything," the freckle faced teen said while he waved his arms and legs in the air. "Put me down."

"If you didn’t steal it," the big man turned to stare in his face. "Then why was it sticking out of your backpack."

"I don’t know. I guess somebody must have put it there."

The gargoyle winged female pointed at the young red head. "You stole my flute!"

"I did not."

"Did too," the man growled. "The evidence is on you."

"If I stole it I would have hidden it."

"That just means you are a lazy and careless thief."

"He isn’t a thief," a group of other teens surrounded the three of them, mostly human like the red head. One of them was the pointy eared boy with the purple hair.

"He was caught with my flute in his backpack," the musician said. "That is enough evidence for me."

"Well someone else could have put it there," Purple said. "Until a judge or jury deems him different then he is innocent."

"How could you defend him?" She glared right into his eyes.

"Why would he want to steal your flute?"

"I don’t know why," the accent made the voice stand out as well as the clip clop sounds of her hooves against the ground. Dryad pranced up to the group and pointed a finger at Purple. "Like you didn’t have any reason to trip me." She fought hard to keep her glare from dissolving into a smile when she heard the crowd whispering behind her.

The purple-haired youth blinked in surprise. "That was an accident."

"Ah yes," the senator tilted up her head and looked at him suspiciously. "An accident."

The boy’s mouth faltered to work for a few minutes. "Well it’s true I j-just didn’t see you there."

"Didn’t see me?" Her keeping her laugh stuck in her throat made the sound come out like a snort. "Didn’t see me? Look at me. Do I appear to be hard to miss?"

"Well why would I want to trip you?" Purple asked.

Helios knew this was his cue. He stepped forward and kept his voice low, but loud enough for the nearest non humanoids to hear. "I don’t know why because he thinks he can get away with it.." He slithered a few feet to the next group. "They feel like they are better and could do anything they want." He finally neared the group that was near the red shiny skinned youth he set up for the fireball incident. "They know they can leave this village while you, because of how you look will have to stay here."

The mutterings through the crowd rose till the rumble became even louder that the spat between the owner of the flute and the freckled youth. They broke off when they noticed that two groups were subconsciously forming. Those that resembled humans on the side where the butcher stood and the more non human looking group on the other side.

"What do you have against us?" A village youth stepped forward and pointed at purple. He looked exactly like a human except for the fact that his body was covered in fur and he had a pair of larger feathery wings on his back.

"What are you talking about?" The blond with the antennae asked.

"The way that you mostly humans are treating us lately," the pale red eyed rabbit eared teen pointed out. "You have been bullying us lately."

"Bullying?" a humanoid girl asked. "What are you talking about and what do you mean us verses you?"

"Those who look mostly human," Emily said. "Compared to those of us who don’t."

"That’s a load of poppycock," the butcher said. "We are all hybrids."

"But some of us are more human than others," the furry winged person said. "Even you. All you have to do is put on gloves and you can go visit Glasgow or London while those like me have to stay here."

"You think because you can blend in better in the outside world you are better than us." The one with the metallic skin spoke up.

"Well at least we are not the ones hurling fireballs," the youth that spoke was the same Scottish youth from the Burger King.

"That was an accent."

"Now who is feigning innocence?"

"Not only are you pulling mean stunts but you are trying to make us look bad."

"Ye are doing that perfectly well without our help tin skin."

"Human face."

"Pyro freak!"

"Stuck up humanoids!" Someone else in the non humanoid crowd shouted.

"Psychotic freaks." A humanoid girl shouted back. Both crowds broke down into swearing and insults. Some picked up rocks and sticks, the red youth formed a fireball that impressed Helios and the those that had powers began to wave their hands around.

The poor butcher placed himself in between both sides, his arms were stretched and he was shouting at the top of the lungs. "Stop this ruddy behavior will you now? Stop it I say. Stop it!"

"Stop it!" The second voice that joined the butchers was melodious. It also was an adults and ad a bit of a lilt to it. Both groups simmered down as a woman with blond hair swept up into a neat bun dressed in white stepped forward. "What is all this?" Her Irish accented voice asked while she stared at both groups. "Now unless ye are performing West Side Story out in the open their is no need fer this behavior."

"But doctor they started it," Emily said while pointing at the humanoids. "One of them tripped one of the ambassadors from New Olympus on purpose."

Doctor Kaelin glanced at Dryad, took notice of the way the centaur glared at her, and turned to the humanoid group. "Now is this true?"

"No it isn’t," Purple shook his head. "I was talking with my friends and my feet were laying out in the open and she accidentally tripped on them. It was an accident."

"I believe ye."

"Of course you would believe him," Dryad hissed. "You are a human!"

Kaelin didn’t flinch at the insult. "Like the majority here I happen t’ be a hybrid," her eyes narrowed while she tore off her jacket. Still glaring at the senator she forced her feathery wings to push out and tear through her jacket.

Dryad felt her pouty lips spread and her jaw drop. Seeing the woman with her golden wings tinged with copper highlights made her think of Boreas and his clan. "Well," she breathed deeply to regain her composure. "You are mostly human. You can make your wings sprout whenever you want. You can still go where ever you want."

"Well that may be true," Kaelin lowered her head. "But I feel at home here."

Everyone turned when they heard the sound of the motor cycle from the opposite direction. The man that rode behind the driver pulled off his helmet first. It was Xavier. "What is all this ruckus?"

"He stole my flute!" the flute owner pointed at the teen with red hair.

"Yeah well he started the Burger king fire." The Scottish youth pointed at the youth with red shiny skin.

"Does anyone have an evidence?" Kaelin asked out loud.

"Well who else can hurl fireballs?"

"I did find the flute in his bag doctor," The butcher said.

"Oh my," Xavier removed his glasses to clean them. "I guess we will have to take him in for questioning and finger prints."

"And you will see I’m innocent!" The red had said. "I never touched that flute. You will see my prints are not on there."

"Well if he didn’t take it then who?" Emily asked. The question caused the crowd to murmur. Everyone was mumbled that it wasn’t them, or ask who could have done it. Nobody saw a feather winged woman with vulture like legs and feathers for hair land in front of Dryad and jab a sharp finger nail in her exquisite turquoise colored blouse.

"Why don’t you admit you did it!" Antiope narrowed her own eyes while she kept poking the senator in the chest. "You took the flute and planted it just so there would be dissent in the group."

"Officer you are out of line," Dryad’s eyes were full of disapproval but her mouth was turned up into a smirk. "I couldn’t have stolen the flute."

"It’s true," Emily told her. "We were with her, helping her remove the pebble from her hoof when the flute was stolen."

"You see?" Dryad said in the honeyed tone that made Antiope want to slap her across her face. "I suggest that you apologize."

"She doesn’t have to apologize to you," Silenus said. "Morpheus and I feel you had something to do with this."

"But why would she want to?" Xavier’s asked while he replaced his glasses. "What purpose would she have?"

"She brought disharmony to your peaceful village because she is hell-bent on a way to make sure she can report back to home that your village isn’t as peaceful as it seems." Antiope explained before she turned to the teenagers. "Tell me young ones did you ever fight like this before we have arrived?"

The village teenagers stared at each other, struck silent by the harpy’s words. One by one they hook their heads and shouted out several no’s."

"What about the fire?" The Scottish boy asked.

The question about fire made Antiope’s heart sink till she was sure it was in one of her talons. She couldn’t look at her flame haired lover, nor speak his name.

"Helios," Morpheus said it. "You didn’t."

"I did," Helios stared at the ground and sighed. "I’m the one who took and planted the flute." when he stared back up he narrowed his eyes at Dryad. "Mostly because if I did then Miss Senator would not move on with her plan to get Sphinx banished, but in a way she is right. Disharmony is bound to start at some point."

"There had only been a few since the founding of the village," Xavier spoke up.

Helios ignored him. "And I don’t see anyone stepping outside. The second anyone of you try to blend into the human world they will attack you."

Antiope felt her eyes water up. Helios still felt that way about the humans. It made her sad that he still had such hate, but another feeling welled up inside her that produced more tears. He helped Dryad because it would help Sphinx. She squeezed the last tears out of her eyes before she turned back to face Dryad. "How dare you," her voice was barely even a whisper. "How dare you."

"I had too," Dryad glared back. "You don’t want to hear of New Olympians breeding with them or pure humans."

The harpy raised her hand to smack her right there on the spot, but she kept her arm still when she heard the hooves of Silenus trot up towards them.

"That will be all Dryad," The satyr glared. "I already know what I will put in my report for Boreas, but I want to know one thing. How do you feel about gargoyles and New Olympians becoming mates?"

Dryad turned up her nose in disgust and shrunk back. "Almost as disgusting."

"Well," Silenus closed his eyes and sighed. "That is all. When we get back I hope you better work on you case senator, which I doubt you will be for long." He didn’t see the see the murderous look forming in the face of the centaur

He placed a hand on Antiope’s shoulder. "Let’s go back to the-" The shriek from behind made them both pause.

"How dare you!" Dryad reared up on her hind legs. "I’m trying to do whats best for my people." Her front hooves lashed out. She would have struck the both of them if Helios hadn’t pushed them out of the way. Her front hooves struck him in the center of his chest, knocking him to the ground.

"Helios!" Antiope sat up from where the Mercurian had pushed her. She saw the unconscious form the other security officer. The flames on his hand were mere embers and sparks.

"Sentimental fool!" Dryad spat before turning back to the two of them. Her anger filled eyes widened in shock and her hooves slipped on the ground. "The street is melting, its melting." Her anger was replaced by panic as she fumbled on the ground and reached out to them. "Help me I’m sinking!" She thrashed for a minute longer before her eyes glazed over and she fell asleep.

"Sorry," Morpheus lowered his hand and sighed. "I was afraid she was going to hurt you. I had to do something."

"We understand why you used your illusions on her," Silenus knew his thanks had explained how Morpheus caused Dryad to lapse into a slumber. "Thank you my friend."

"Helios," the harpy kneeled by the Mercurian’s side and placed a hand on his chest gingerly. She could feel his body heat and heartbeat.

"Fascinating," Xavier gasped and turned to where the security officers were. "and awful. What are you going to do now?"

"Get Helios some medical attention, find a way to keep Dryad locked up until sunset," The satyr frowned. "And then return to our ship and home. Morpheus will keep her from attacking any of us."

"I’ll take him to m’ clinic," Kaelin said. "M’ guess is that he will be havin some hoof prints on his chest fer a while and a few bruised and cracked ribs. His vital signs show that none of his organs have been harmed."

"Thank you," Silenus said. "His body is almost as hard as his head. I’m sure he will be fine." He looked up and noticed that half the crowd and dispersed. "I hope Dryad did not remove the peace from here."

"It will take more than the actions of one racist for that," Xavier smiled. "We wouldn’t have lasted this long if otherwise."

"I’ll agree with you that my friend." His smiled faded when he heard a sad sigh from behind. Antiope’s lids were lowered and her mouth was frozen into a frown.

"Silenus I want to stay with Helios until he’s healed," Antiope sighed.

"I understand," Silenus answered. "We will all stay until Helios is healed."

"Thank you for understanding. Right now I have a lot thoughts to sort out in my mind ." She spread her wings and launched herself into the sky. She had a lot of thinking to do and she knows that once Helios had healed they will have to talk. Only the birds flying near her could hear her sobs.

The End