Future Tense, Part I: The Breakaway
by Krystiana Slinky  {krystiana@geocities.com}
----------------

Gargoyles belong to Disney. Don't sue me. I'm only a lowly 
high school student. That should sum it up.

Here is a list of my other works, although they have nothing 
to do with this particular story...

Music Says It All
To Live Again, Part I
To Live Again, Part II
Echoes of the Future
Companionship
The Gate {co-authored by Kristafori}
Soul Mates, Part I
Soul Mates, Part II
The Coven Saga, Part I: The Awakening
The Coven Saga, Part II: The Struggle
The Coven Saga, Part III: The Fury

        and in the "Altered Universe": Temptation

This has nothing to do with my normal stories. This is just 
something I thought up a few weeks ago, and since Future 
Tense  was only a one part episode, it was mostly left up to 
the watcher's imagination. This is only my vantage of 
Future Tense, no one else's.  You are most definatley free to 
think up your own reasons for how  the battles went. I don't 
know how many parts are going to be in this thing.

So far, I have it pretty much planned out. No sneak peeks, 
however!  I'll just say this: there will be at least three 
parts: this one, the next one, which will be called "Blood, 
Love, and Tragedy," and the next one, "The Klung Wars." I 
checked this out, and it was called the "Klung Wars." I 
turned on the caption vision when I though Brooklyn said 
"Clone Wars,"because I have a video game called "X-MEN 2: 
Clone Wars." So there, it is "Klung" wars. :P

Future Tense is my favorite episode, in case you're 
wondering.  When Brooklyn and Demona hugged, I started 
jumping around the  room with glee. :) How do you think I 
came up with my character?

So anyway, here it goes. . .

* * *

"Previously on Gargoyles..."

{Avalon, Part I}
Goliath: [to Bronx] Yes, this time you can come.

Elisa: Wait for me!

{Upgrade}
Goliath: I have been considering my second in command. 
Brooklyn, my friend, leadership is a heavy burden.

Brooklyn: Me?

{Kingdom}
Lexington: Do you think Elisa is with Goliath and Bronx?

Brooklyn: He's probably on a secret mission, or...

Brooklyn: Whatever.

************************

Future Tense, Part I: The Breakaway

        He created the world at the end of the world.

        It was destroyed before it could truly begin.

        It showed a false future, a false hope...

        A false life.

        But Puck forgets that all things are real, dreams or no.

        The world of the dream lives on, as it lived before the 
time of it's end.
        
* * *

2036 A.D.

        From my place in the shadows, I watch my former 
leader walk in. He looked shocked, most likely taken back 
by the destruction of Manhattan. I saw it happen.

        All of it.

        When newspapers were still printed, they had called 
Xanatos the next Hitler.

        I shake my head. Hitler was not immortal.

        Goliath looks untouched by time. Perhaps Xanatos was 
not the only who relized immortality.

        Lexington is watching as well, from above. I can see 
his robotic arm glinting in the dim light, only visible from 
my vantage point.

        His injury had been too serious to heal by the sun.

        That battle had been one to remember. But so much had 
happened to me... to _us_ before that one battle.


* * *


2004 A.D.

        "Lad, do ye know what ye're saying?"

        Brooklyn swiveled around towards Hudson. "Hudson, he 
dissappeared without a trace. Even if he is on the other 
side of the world, he should've heard about the `Xanatos 
Manhattan Breakaway.'" Brooklyn stopped and looked at the 
silent television. "There isn't anything else on." Brooklyn 
flipped it on.

        "And more on the Manhattan Breakaway from the U.S., 
Xanatos has-" Brooklyn growled and kicked the television 
over. Broadway and Lexington looked at their brother sadly.

        "Brooklyn, when Goliath gets back-"

        "GOLIATH ABANDONED US!" Brooklyn yelled, kicking the 
TV again, sending it flying across the room.

        "Goliath didn't abadon us, lad. Ye know that," Hudson 
said, putting a hand on Brooklyn's shoulder. "Ye said it 
yerself - he's probably-"

        "That was eight _years_ ago, Hudson."

        "Lad, I..."

        Brooklyn sighed and turned away from the clan with 
his shoulders down. Broadway and Lex looked at each other, 
knowing this was not a time to mess with Brooklyn. They 
looked at the fallen television, now broken. Hudson shook 
his head at the sight of Elisa's gift in ruins.

        Elisa. Just the thought brought painful memories. It 
had been okay the first few days without Goliath, Elisa, and 
Bronx. But after weeks past, then months, then years, it 
slowly divided that clan with feelings. Hudson and 
Broadway never thought Goliath abandoned the clan, and 
always waited for his return. Lexington wanted only to 
believe that Goliath would never abandon the clan, nor 
Elisa. He was doubtful on their return, though.

        Brooklyn, now the leader in Goliath's abscence, had 
become cold, bitter, hard towards Goliath. If Goliath ever 
did return to them, Brooklyn would gladly rip out his spine, 
which Brooklyn had said would be impossible since Goliath 
didn't have a spine. The weight of leadership landed on 
Brooklyn with such a suddeness that it shocked even 
Hudson. It stayed on his shoulders, refusing to let up, to 
move, to let go. The crash of it stilled Brooklyn into a hard 
glare every time Goliath was mentioned.

        And now, with Xanatos literally trying to take over 
the world, Goliath was still nowhere to be found. Xanatos 
couldn't be stopped without him.

        "Guys, the police department has just been released." 
Matt Bluestone came up the stairs from below. "I am 
jobless. I have no money on banking, either." He narrowed 
his eyes. "Xanatos is gonna pay for this."

        Brooklyn listened with his back still turned. "You're 
damn right he's going to pay," he said, his voice dangerously 
soft.

        Lexington and Broadway, who hadn't said anything all 
this time, watched Brooklyn through worried eyes. He paced 
back and forward, muttering, growling, narrowed eyes. They 
didn't dare say anything to him, in fear that he might blow 
up at them as well.

        "Look, we can't just sit here," Brooklyn said, turning 
to the clan. They silently agreed. "We need to do something 
about Xanatos. We can't just let him take over."

        "You've got that right," came a new voice from the 
upper level. They all looked up and saw Talon, with Maggie 
and Claw standing behind him.

        "This time he has gone too far," Talon snarled. "You 
just don't take over the world." Maggie and Claw nodded in 
agreement, and they jumped down to the level where 
Brooklyn and the others were.

        "We should team up," Talon said. "Neither of our clans 
are going to beat Xanatos on our own."

        "Yeah," Brooklyn said. "Even if we can't stop Xanatos, 
we can slow him down."

        "I'll help," Matt said, coming forward. "He cost me my 
job, my money, everything."

        Brooklyn counted. "That's eight. Not a whole clan, but 
it's getting better."

        "That would be nine," came one more voice, this one 
not sounding totally friendly. The face matched it. It 
walked out of the shadows, it's dull metal glinting.

        "Coldstone!" Hudson said, drawing his sword.

        Coldstone held up a hand. "Please, mentor. I mean you 
no harm. When I learned of what was happening, we agreed 
to help you." At the clan's glances, he added, "Even the evil 
one."

        Brooklyn smiled grimly, not meeting anyone's eyes. 
"That makes nine, then."
 
       "But is it going to be enough, lad?" Hudson said, putting 
his sword away cautiously.

        "It has to be," Brooklyn said solemnly.

* * *

        A few nights later, everyone had moved into the clock 
tower. Since the station had been released, they had the 
entire old building to themselves. Lexington began building 
machines, computers, whatever would help them. He even 
upgraded Coldstone's weaponary.

        Talon became Brooklyn's second in command, since he 
was leader of the mutates clan. Brooklyn led them all now, 
even Coldstone.

        Maggie was surprised at how bitter Brooklyn had 
become, especially towards Goliath. When Brooklyn first 
came to them and told them that Elisa was missing, he 
seemed so full of hope, so sure that they would return 
someday. Now he seemed to be sure that Goliath 
dissappeared on purpose. ~But he didn't,~ Maggie constantly 
told herself.

        Matt left his old detective clothes behind. He traded 
them in for more suitable clothes for battle.
 
       That night, they made their first move against Xanatos.

* * *

        Brooklyn circled the castle. He watched the steel clan 
robots patrol along the side. He growled at the image of 
Goliath in those robots.

        ~As Demona once said,~ Brooklyn thought. ~Goliath's 
time is over. I am the leader now.~ He hated thinking like 
Demona, but because of the way Xanatos was taking over 
Manhattan, he understood why she hated humans so much. 
He also agreed that Goliath was weak. He had abanonded the 
clan to the mercy of the humans. He had taken Bronx, and 
Elisa went with him.

        A wave of sudden guilt rushed over him. He was 
thinking like Demona, the one he hated the most. He had 
always wondered what made him go along with her, 
stealing the Grimorum, but now he understood her, although 
he would never betray the clan. He cared too much about 
them all. Matt was a good friend, although human. He didn't 
totally trust him, but it was good to have a human ally.

        His thoughts were broken as a laser shot whipped past 
him. He dodged it and whirled around towards where the 
shot had come from. A steel clan robot had spotted him, and 
it started firing at him again. Brooklyn growled, eyes
firing up, and dove.

        He slammed the robot into the neaby wall, somehow 
stunning it. It slowed down for a moment and then threw a 
punch at Brooklyn. Brooklyn ducked, grabbed it's, turned 
around and flipped it over his shoulder.

        It crashed into another wall and this time it blew up. 
However, the battle drew other steel clan robots, circling 
him now. He growled again and backed up to watch them all. 
He knew he couldn't face them all at once, so he had to 
escape.

        A shot ripped in between Brooklyn and the group of 
robots. They all turned to see Coldstone, who then 
dissappeared, flying up faster than any of them could 
follow. The robots forgot about Brooklyn, who used the 
time to quietly run to the edge of the castle and glide down.

        Coldstone appeared again right by one of the robots. He 
grabbed its arm and ripped it right out of its socket, then 
kicked the remains of the robot away. He now used the arm 
as a weapon, whacking the oncoming robots. He knocked 
away one after another, showing no signs of slowing down.

        Brooklyn saw one robot sneaking up on Coldstone, 
ready to pounce. Brooklyn growled and dove for it, 
slamming it into the ground. Soon, Lexington, Broadway, and 
the others joined in the battle. Only Matt was not present, 
for he was in the castle, fighting on the ground.

        Lexington was not doing too well. Three steel clan had 
ganged up on him, flying around him in circles as he was 
gliding along at top speed. One made a grab for him, and 
caught him on the shoulder. Lex cried out in pain, and began 
falling in a spiral Brooklyn glided down and caught him. Lex 
finally caught his balance and then glided off on his own.

        An explosion came from inside the castle. Everyone 
turned towards it, even the robots. Lex spotted smoke 
coming from the inside of the castle, flowing out the door 
like a ghost trying to escape. He dived without warning 
when he spotted a red steel clan robot.

        "Xanatos..."

        No one knew exactly who said it, but when the name 
was said, Hell broke loose. All the robots automatically 
began shooting at the others, who tried to follow Lex.

        Lex was a blur in the air as he shot towards Xanatos. 
Xanatos didn't know what hit him as Lexington barreled into 
him.

        A commotion was heard from above Brooklyn. Claw 
was being attacked by three of the steel clan. But Claw, as 
stoic as always, only struggled silently.

        The robots began slashing at Claw, aiming for his 
face, his wings, his back, anything vital. Hudson dived at 
them, knocking the robots away from Claw, but was too 
late to save his wings.

        A cry emitted from Lexington as Xanatos pinned him to 
the ground. Xanatos rose his hand and gave his parting mark.

        "NO!" Brooklyn yelled as his brother was wounded.

        Something that couldn't heal with the sun.

* * *

2036 A.D.


        Xanatos had hurt Lex.

        More than hurt. Xanatos had ripped Lex's arm out. And 
due to the fact that Lexington's wings were attached to his 
arm, Lex couldn't glide.

        I sigh silently as Goliath notices Hudson's 
commemorating statue.

        Two of the clan had been wounded beyond repair that 
first battle.

        But that was only because we weren't prepared.

        What Xanatos had done was unforgivable.

        So much had happened.

        So much...


TO BE CONTINUED. . .

------------


Coming Soon!!!

Future Tense, Part II: Love, War, and Tragedy:

Demona and Thailog become involved. But whatever Xanatos 
has up his sleeve when he captures Demona can't be good.

I promise the next one will be longer. I PROMISE!!!!!

For those of you who are fans of my regular Gargoyles 
universe, I am going to be taking a break from that and 
concentrating on Future Tense. I might get the "Long Way To 
Morning" in the "Altered Universe" out, too.

I _DO_ take suggestions! In the "Altered Universe," I am 
trying to fit Brooklyn in as a bad guy in "Reawakening," and 
it isn't working too well. He just isn't meant to be a bad 
guy, I guess. And if I ever end up getting to "The Mirror," 
should Puck grant Brooklyn the transformation gift or leave 
it be.

And one more thing: should I cook up a crosseover between 
the "Altered Universe" and my regular one? I think the 
meeting would be quite interesting...

I think I babbled more than I wrote. Whoops, the curses of 
being me.