Disclaimer:You all know the drill now.
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“Here’s your keys back. I enjoyed having it for awhile,” I said to Elisa.
“I’m glad you did. And here’s some bus tokens I found in my apartment.” She handed me a small coin purse of tokens.
“Thanks.” There was more than enough to supply me until next July. I waved goodbye to Elisa as she got into the elevator and was whisked down to her car.
I stood in the Main Hall for awhile, the sun shining through the windows, making the room bright. I would miss being able to just climb into the car whenever I was human and just drive into the city. I was back to being dependent on a bus ride. Which isn’t too bad, it gives me a chance to relax and read, or even write. It was nice to have a car, while it lasted.
My thoughts came to a stop when I detected footsteps. And they were close. Very close. Wondering whom it was, or they were, I started to turn around.
Suddenly, a cloth covered my eyes and was tied behind my head. “Hey! What’s going one?” I demanded.
“You’ll see,” I recognized Panthro’s voice.
“We have a little something for you,” another voice said, whom I recognized to be Tygra’s.
I felt Tygra holding my hands and leading me across the floor. I heard the opening and closing of the elevator doors. Then, I felt the rising and falling of the elevator. A chime, then a hiss as the doors opened. I again felt my love leading me for a few feet before he stopped. I stopped, too. Someone, Lion-O, as it turned out, undid the blindfold and cried, “Surprise!”
There, before we, was a silver-blue car. A mustang of sorts. I gasped slightly before saying, "It’s beautiful.”
“It’s all yours,” Panthro said. “Lex and I have been working on this car since July 2nd.” Then, he turned to me and placed a set of keys in my hand. “Let’s go for a ride.”
I climbed into the driver’s seat while Tygra got into the passenger’s seat as Lion-O and Panthro got in the backseat. We buckled up, and then I put the key into the ignition, and turned it on. The engine roared to life, I put it into drive, and drove the mustang out of the basement and onto the road.
As I drove, I felt the smooth tan leather seat beneath me and the steering wheel leather in my hands. It felt good, like it was made for me, which it was, actually. When I pulled up to a red stoplight, Panthro asked, “What do you think?”
“It runs like a dream,” I answered.
“We knew you’d like it. By the way, have you seen the radio and window buttons?”
“No.” I looked at them as I spoke. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There, etched on the radio knobs was the Thundercat insignia. Looking at the window controls, I saw the etching of three slash marks. Obviously, symbolizing a gargoyle’s claws. “Wow,” was the only thing I could think of to say.
“Lex and I considered on customizing the car a little, so we etched the designs on and decided that they were enough.”
“I think so, too.”
The light changed green and I drove the car around for awhile longer, asking Panthro some questions, such as what type of gas to use, how many gallons it had, and how he and Lex got the car’s sliver-blue color. In case you’re wondering about that last part, they took the metal from some Steel Clan robots and spray-painted some metallic blue into the metal getting the desired color.
I pulled the car up to the apartment complex Elisa lived at. I told the guys that I would be back soon, then went inside. I went up to the woman at the desk and asked for Elisa’s apartment number. She gave it to me and I went upstairs to her floor.
I approached Elisa’s door and knocked. I waited, then knocked again.
“Who is it?” a sleepy voice asked.
“It’s Jasmine, Elisa.”
The door opened and Elisa was on the other side, wearing a robe. “Jasmine, hi.”
“Hi. I’m sorry to wake you, but I have something outside I want to show you.”
“Well, come in while I get dressed.”
I stepped inside as Elisa closed the door and locked it. You can’t be too careful in New York. As the detective headed for her room, she called, “Make yourself comfortable. I won’t be long.” Then, she left. I sat down on her couch and admired the skylight view. It was beautiful. The blue sky with its’ puffy white clouds.
I nearly jumped when Elisa’s cat, Cagney, leaped onto the couch, purring and rubbing on my arm. I smiled as I scratched behind his ears, then under his chin. He seemed to recognize my scent when he stayed at the clocktower.
“Okay, I’m ready,” Elisa said as she came out of her room. The two of use walked out the door (when Elisa unlocked it), Elisa locked it, we went down the hall, into the elevator, down to the main floor, and out the door.
I stopped beside the mustang, which happened to be parked behind Elisa’s Fairlane. “What do you think?”
Elisa gaped at it. “Is that yours?”
“Uh-huh. Lex and Panthro worked on it.”
Elisa ran a hand over the hood. “It’s beautiful.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Do you know how long it took them?”
“They’ve worked on it since July 2nd.”
“That’s been nine days. They must have worked hard.”
“We sure did,” Panthro spoke up.
“Oh, hi everyone,” Elisa greeted. From there, the four of them chatted about Elisa’s job, her newborn daughter, who was at the castle with the clan, sleeping, and about Matt, her partner.
“Well, I should let you go. We’ll talk once we’re at the castle,” Elisa said.
My head jerked up and looked to the west. It was almost sunset. “Okay, Elisa. Let’s go.” We climbed into our respective vehicles and roared off toward the castle.
Once we parked, I didn’t waste any time getting out and heading for the elevator. As I rode, I thought about going to Third Earth to stay. At first, Zazu asked to come too, fulfilling his promise to go where I go. I told him that he didn’t have to go. If he wanted to stay in Manhattan, that was fine with me. If I went.
An elevator chime sounded and the doors opened. I rushed out of the elevator, tore down the hall, and outside to the clan’s battlement. I was out of breath and struggled to regain it before night fell.
As the sun vanished, I changed forms while the clan awoke. Goliath and I took up our children and walked inside with the clan to discuss patrol parties.
Inside, Goliath began to assign groups. Drawing straw was banished since July 6th. The clan trusted Goliath’s judgment.
“All right. Broadway and Angela are one group; Hudson, you and Lexington are another. Bronx is staying at the castle. I will follow Elisa and Matt. Jasmine, you and Tygra are patrolling together."
I smiled, but I was also surprised. Tygra and me? This was unusual. Normally, it was Goliath and me. Leader and second. Father and daughter. But, I wasn’t complaining. I liked the idea of patrolling with Tygra.
As soon as Goliath finished announcing the parties, we broke up into our groups and headed outside. I held my love in my arms, spread my wings, and glided into the night, prepared to fight any crime we came across. Together.
Read the next adventure, "Relations"
Return to Gargoyles International Airport
