Disclaimer: All the characters in the story are not mine, except for Rose. This takes place after "Changes".
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Elisa and I were standing side by side on the top tower of Castle Wyvern, watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon of Manhattan.
Seconds before the sun completely set, I glided to the lower part of the tower, where the others slept. As nightfall covered the city, the air was alive with the sound of roaring and cracking stone. I watched Brooklyn hop off his roost and smile as he handed Rose to me.
Rose, as the clan had suspected, turns to stone like the rest of us. We’ve had her for a month and she’s won the entire clan, as well as Elisa and the Xanatos family, over.
Brooklyn and I glanced up at the tower’s top and saw Elisa and Goliath smile at each other. Brooklyn and I saw Elisa kiss Goliath before sunrise on the night of Hunter’s Moon. We loved the fact that the two of them had finally admitted their true feelings to one another.
Elisa has talked to Angela and me about her feelings for Goliath. She’s not sure if she’s making the right choice. We told her that as long as she loves Goliath, that’s all that mattered. Being two different species doesn’t make any difference.
I walked down the halls, holding Rose, while humming, “Can You Feel The Love Tonight.” Brooklyn was beside me, humming the tune also. Love was in the air and it was a wonderful feeling.
Later that night, Brooklyn took care of Rose, leaving me with some free time. I decided to go to the library. As I reached the room, I saw Goliath already there. I just walked in, not wanting to interrupt him.
“Hello Jasmine,” Goliath greeted, without even looking up.
“Hello,” I replied, startled that he knew it was me. “How did you know it was me?”
“Simple. You still walk like a human princess, only a bit more heavily.”
I smile at his remark. I went to a bookcase, grabbed a book, and sat down at the table. The room was silent, except for an occasional turn of a page. Suddenly, the library doors were slammed open. Goliath and I looked up. There, in the doorway, was Angela, out of breath.
“Father, Jasmine! Come quick! Elisa’s unconscious!” Angela cried.
Goliath and I bolted out of the room and headed for the infirmary. When we got there, Elisa was laying on one of the beds, unconscious, just as Angela said. Xanatos and Owen were in the room, examining her.
“What’s wrong with her?” Goliath asked, concerned.
“We’re not quite sure yet. Calm down Goliath,” Xanatos said.
“Goliath?” a weak voice from the bed called.
“Yes, Elisa. I’m here.”
“Her vital signs are normal again. She’s in perfect health,” Owen reported in a toneless voice. Somehow, the idea of Owen and Puck being the same person was a little difficult to accept.
Elisa climbed out of the bed and walked out of the infirmary with Goliath, Angela, and me right behind her. We wondered if Elisa really was fine. I didn’t know anything that could cause her to collapse like she did.
As we reached the stairs that led to the towers, Elisa clutched her stomach and doubled over in pain. Goliath rushed to her side. Angela and I stood there as a tail started growing from the base of Elisa’s spine. A pair of wings sprang out of her back, her fingers receded to four and became talons, her feet became clawed toes and a pointed fetlock at the ankle. Her muscles bunched and tightened, while her ears grew longer and pointed. Elisa screamed in pain during this transformation.
“Elisa, are you all right?” Goliath asked, grasping one of her claws.
Elisa nodded, panting heavily, “Yes, but…who would…do this?”
“Well, would Puck teach Alex this kind of magic?” Angela asked.
“I don’t think so, he would probably ask first,” reasoned Goliath.
“You’re right, I would!” called a cheerful voice. The four of us whirled around. There was Puck, floating in the air. He flew around Elisa, occasionally examining a wing or the tail very closely.
“This looks like the kind of magic the Weird Sisters have. Obviously, to encourage your relationship with Elisa,” Puck reported to Goliath.
“Do you want them to reverse this…change?” Goliath inquired Elisa.
“No, Goliath. We should just let it go. If it’s meant as a gift, then that’s what it should be left as,” Elisa answered.
Goliath, Elisa, and Angela walked up the spiraling staircase towards the towers outside. I started up the stairs, hoping to see Goliath reteach Elisa how to glide, when Puck called, “Wait, princess!”
I turned around, “The name is Jasmine.” True, I was a princess, but I'd rather that everyone just treat me like a normal gargoyle.
“Whatever. How about if Alex and I do you a little favor?” Puck replied.
“What kind of favor?” I asked suspiciously.
“What would you say if Alex and I took away half of Demona’s spell?”
“What’s the catch?”
“No catch. Just a favor. See, you’ll be a gargoyle at night, but at sunrise, you’ll have a choice of gargoyle or human. And no changing back once sunrise has gone by.”
I quickly considered my options. What to do? This was a one-time opportunity. Finally, I made my decision.
“All right. Do it,” I answered.
“Now, Alex say the spell just like I taught you,” Puck instructed.
Alex and Puck chanted a Latin spell, which obviously had no meaning to me. While they chanted, a soft green mist circled my body. As the chanting stopped, so did the mist.
“Well, that’s that,” Puck concluded.
“How do I know that it worked?”
“Just don’t wear your amulet and concentrate on being human. See you around.” And with that, Puck and Alex disappeared.
I walked upstairs and saw the clan watching Goliath and Elisa. I thought about how different Elisa’s life was going to be from now on. She might still work as a police officer, but that would be it.
Goliath landed in the courtyard and watched as Elisa tumbled head-over-heels as she landed.
“Elisa?” Goliath asked.
“It’s okay. Nothing’s broken,” Elisa grinned.
“It’s almost dawn. We should get some sleep,” Hudson interrupted.
I reached into my pouch and gave Elisa an amulet, which she put in her jeans pocket. She smiled at me and I smiled back.
As I reached my pedestal, I remembered the favor that had been done for me. I looked toward the west and saw the last bit of darkness slip away from the sky. To the east, I saw a ray of sunlight peeking over the horizon.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the clan turning to stone. I closed my eyes and concentrated. I felt the sun’s warmth on my skin, so I opened my eyes. Human hands were the first things I saw. Looking at the rest of me, I saw that I was back to my human form. I was so excited, that I decided to show Demona and tell her how it happened. With that, I walked out of the Eyrie Building toward the crowded sidewalks of Manhattan to make some reservations.
