Elisa-garg's reality. Castle Wyvern. Stepping into time.

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Manhattan baked, attention spans and tempers both shortened by the summer heat and humidity. In the east a thunderstorm brewed, to the west the sun stood near the horizon. On the ramparts of the castle in the clouds all was silent, all was still.

Then something opened in the air above, and a figure darted out and settled on the edge of the battlement, golden curls blowing in the breeze as bright butterfly wings folded against the back of a tall young woman with weary blue eyes and a strong-boned but lovely face.

"Solid ground," she murmured to the huge furry cat in her arms as the feathery antennae on her forehead waved and took in the scents all around them. "Only a real world could smell this bad."

The cat looked up at her and rumbled a purr, then hopped out of her arms and went to sniff around the bases of the statues that stood nearby before affectionately rubbing his cheek against them as he usually only did to claim friends that he liked.

Sadie frowned and looked at them, wondering why each one smelled as though one non-human person had been leaning on them. Or something like that. Each one had a living scent clinging to them that was unique to itself.

Curious, she stood a little unsteadily and tugged down on the worn flannel shirt that with a pair of boxer shorts comprised her outfit and walked over to investigate just as the sun dipped below the horizon.

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[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

There were fifteen statues all together, seemingly oddly grouped about the ramparts. A giant of a male stood next to a female that, upon closer examination, was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. Close to them a female stood posed next to a husky male. A bearded male stood posed with a sword drawn. A beaked male stood near a horned female, along with two child-sized statues. Another male stood near a female with butterflyish wings and curved horns. There was also a smallish male with web-like wings, a female who resembled a humanoid unicorn with feathered wings, and two dog-like creatures.

When the sun set, however, things began to change. There was a strange, crackling sound, and cracks began to appear in the stone. Then, one by one, with a mighty roar, each broke through the last vestiges of their stone skin, revealing the Gargoyle within. Goliath. Elisa. Angela. Broadway. Hudson. Brooklyn, Katana, and their children Nashville and Tachi. Hudson. Othello and Desdemona. Lexington. Nina. Bronx. Fu-Dog.

"Another night, another dollar," the orange-ish female, the only one dressed 'normally' said, then paused, suddenly.

They were not alone. With the instinct that only a parent possesses, Katana and Brooklyn stepped in front of their children, while the others readied themselves.

The largest of them, a purple male, Goliath, eyed the new arrival carefully. "You will explain yourself."

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She'd sprung into space at the first movement and was now hovering a few feet away from the castle wall, her eyes wide with amazement as Pug sat and looked at her smugly.

"I... I'm really sorry. I didn't realize I was in somebody's territory." Her words held traces of New York and North Central Canada. "I...."

-Have no idea how to explain without sounding like a nut,- she realized grimly.

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

The others stood at the ready, waiting for Goliath's word on the matter.

"It is... all right," Goliath said, after a moment. "You merely took us by surprise. We are unaccustomed to strangers being present when we awaken."

Elisa nodded. "Looks like we might have jumped the gun a little. But how'd you get here? Where're you from?"

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Her expression was a little torn. "Well... Upstate New York, by Westchester... kinda."

The breeze swirled from her toward the gargoyles, bringing the scent of honey and alien places with it.

"And...." She bowed her head and hid her antennae in her hair, but then perked and pointed them toward the dark-haired woman. "You... you ben on other worlds."

The scent was faint, but she'd caught the molecules.

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She waved her antennae uncertainly at the honey pots, but then sighed in relief as she saw that it was unpasteurized. Grabbing the nearest pot, she bowed her head and asked silently asked God to bless it, then got a spoon and set to as though she were starving.

Pug, meanwhile, propped himself up at the table and went for Hudson's bacon. He'd always eaten with his people and didn't realize that he was being rude.

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

Gently, Hudson pulled the cat away from his food. "Hey now, lad, I'll be more than happy to share with ye, but yui've got tae give mae a chance tae eat first."

Tachi, meanwhile, continued to stare in fascination at Sadie. "You've got wings," she said. "I've never seen anybody with wings that wasn't a Gargoyle."

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The winged girl swallowed quickly and nodded. "I used to have a couple'a friends that had 'em too. Only theirs were different than mine."

"Noooo," protested Pug softly as he settled back obediently. "Meeee?"

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"Tryin'," said Sadie, burying her fingers in Pug's thick ruff. "He's about as smart as a three year old kid."

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

"That is amazing!" Elisa exclaimed. "Every time I think I've seen everything..."

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The younger woman grinned at that. "Yeah, I was a little surprised when I realized."

Pug tipped his head back and gave her an offended look.

"Don't give me that ya ugly lump, cats don't talk where I come from." She snorted.

"Nooooo," he complained, looking away and twitching his fluffy tail.

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"I dunno. But everythin' else of my reality is gone. You can't exist without an origin." She absently reached down to stroke Pug as he came to strop against her leg.

[elisas-clan.livejournal.com]

"Most curious," Goliath said. "I know Elisa has met those who spoke of realities vanishing without a "hero" of their own, but even with what I have seen, it sounded like the stuff of fantasy."

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Sadie gathered Pug into her arms and squished a surprised 'merk!' out of him. "Mine had heroes."

Her voice broke on the last word, but she squared her jaw and narrowed her eyes slightly, sucking it up and keeping her cool.

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"Sounds like some story," noted Sadie, curling her toes and moving her foot as Pug decided to lick them.

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

"Bit of a long one," Elisa said.

"But one we would be pleased to share, if you would like," Goliath added.

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"Sure, why not." She surreptitiously gave the cat a gentle kick in the face to discourage his attentions.

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Sadie shook her head. "Makes me wonder where they get the ideas for all this science fiction 'n fantasy where humans live happily with all the other races."

"Nurmle," noted Pug, going after Goliath's foot instead.

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

Elisa laughed at that. "Damned if I know."

Goliath carefully lifted his foot out of the path of the cat.

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Sadie glanced at the movement, then watched, her mouth opening slightly in amusement as Pug looked up at the foot, then stood on his haunches and swiped his paw along the bottom of it to see if Goliath was ticklish.

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"Thanks," she said, too tired to really feel like she was making sense. "Just point the way."

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

"C'mon," Elisa said, getting up. "Follow me."

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"'Kay." She pulled herself to her feet and nodded good night to the others.

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"Nah. Just ain't been near one 'a these in awhile." There was laughter in her voice for some reason that she couldn't explain.

[elisa-garg.livejournal.com]

Plenty of questions Elisa could ask in that regard, but she chose not to.

"All right, well, you enjoy your rest."

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"Good night." She shot the older woman a grin as she slipped into the bathroom and closed the door, her mind on a bath.