Gargoyles X TMNT: Shadows of New York

Crouching Gargoyle, Hidden Turtle

Casey's body hated breathing underground. The air here was musty, dank, wretched. You didn't have to be a bio-science kind of guy to know that you seriously should not be breathing this stuff. And yet, his lungs could not get enough of it as he sprinted through the shallow muck. His boots went plat-plat-plat as he ran, his mask making the scope of the tunnel even narrower in his field of view.

Why did this happen every single time he and Raph hung out?

He didn't want to risk looking over his shoulder for longer than an instant, but the sight ran his blood cold. Two creatures, one huge and brawny with skin like blue river stones, the other smaller and olive green, kicked up a trail of mud and slime behind them. They galloped after him on all fours, their massive leathery wings tucked close to their bodies as they ran. Their eyes, white as four tiny moons in the distance, glowed an eerie white.

Casey had to make a decision about how to lose these monsters somehow, but they were closing in fast. They were so much faster than he was. So, so much faster. God, he wished he had super powers like the real heroes did. He was really kicking himself for leaving his golf bag in the real van, but it wasn't like he could go back for it now. Sap gloves would have to do.

He was out of options. He planted his boots in the ground, ground his teeth against his mouthguard, and turned around to face them. The two monsters hesitated, exchanging a glance between them.

Casey lifted his head, blue eyes burning, and he charged. "Goongala!!"

-

His cinnabar claws dug into the concrete wall, leaping from the stone to the ceiling, continuing to gallop upside down. He couldn't let him get away, he needed some damn answers. And if this guy was running, he had something to hide.

Faster, faster, he closed in on the mark. His glowing white eyes narrowed. Strange. Why wasn't he running on all fours? Where were his wings? Why would any sane gargoyle ever decide to hide underground, and not in the air?

It didn't matter. If he got away, he'd find no answers.

With a furious snarl, he dropped down from the ceiling, tackling the mutant to the ground. Raphael hit the ground with a grunt. Thinking quickly, Raphael somersaulted, rolling across the ground and planting a heel against the gargoyle's gut. With an animalistic cry of shock, the gargoyle sailed towards the wall. The wings popped open, a heavy whump of air impact braking the gargoyle's trajectory. His claws dug long furrows in the concrete as he braked to a halt.

"You know, if there's one thing that pisses me off," Raphael's sai spun across his palm, whirling menacingly. "It's people fuckin' followin' me!" He stepped into a high, aggressive stance. His sai pointed like the fangs of a snake towards the monster's face.

The creature growled low in its throat, wings raised and head lowered as it prowled about the young mutant. His beak curled back, glowing white eyes leering over his glinting fangs. Raphael postured in kind, shoulders high and teeth bared in his own snarl. His violent green eyes seemed to glow with their own light and fire behind his red mask.

"Tell me what you are." The monster growled.

The mutant laughed, a condescending grin coloring his snarl. "Oh, holy shell, it can talk. Great. Now, I can trash talk you properly."

"I said tell me what you are!" The beast leapt at the turtle with a snarl. Raphael somersaulted aside, attempting to trip the gargoyle with a kick to the ankles. He leapt above the kick, barely managing to land on his talons. "You're not a gargoyle, and you're definitely not a human!"

"Who you callin' a gargoyle?" Raphael spat, spinning around and kicking back up to his feet. "I'm a turtle, you big red bat!"

"Dead is what you'll be if you don't start talking!" The beast drew himself up to his full height, and for a moment Raph's heart caught in his throat. Even without those twelve-foot wings, this thing was big, angry, and those claws definitely weren't just a manicure. What kind of mutant was this? Bat? Dinosaur?