Disclaimer: Gargoyles and the Timedancer Saga do not belong
  to me, they are the property of Disney and Buena Vista
  Television and belong to their respective creators. Any
  others that appear are mine. This story takes place in
  immediate sequence of my previous stories
 
   Previously on Gargoyles:
 
   Broadway: "Feel the air-currents, Lex, like you do when
   you use your wings." 
  
   Brooklyn: "Yeah, use the 'Force", Lex." ("Her Brother's Keeper)
  
   Oberon: 'When they awaken, they will remember this as
   naught but a midsummer's night dream." (The Gathering 2)

   Sata: "I have been many places on our journeya, and I
          have learned many things. Wonderful things."
          (Promises)
 
   Florence, Italy 1600's

         It was a few hours after midnight, and while the rest of
   the man's neighbors had long since sought the comfort of their
   beds; he still lingered around in his workshop.  Leonardo had
   been there for almost three days running, convinced that he 
   was on the verge of a major break-through on his latest project.
   Oblvious to all external distractions, he had neglected to comb
   or trim his white beard, to the dismay of his land-lady,
   Ursula.

   Ursula was a small, severe woman of unshakable nerves who
   at no moment in her life had sung a note, seemed to be
   everywhere from dawn until quite late a night.  She was
   always pursued by the soft whispering of her starched skirts;
   her black hair tied up in a bun. When she undertook the
   enlargement of the house, she built a special room, used
   as her tenant's workshop, far from the noise and bustle of
   the house.

   The room had a window flooded with light and a bookcase she
   put in order, and stacks of yellowed paper covered with
   indecipherable signs. The new place seemed to please Leonardo;
   because he was never seen anymore, not even in the dining
   room.  Her tenant would spend hours there, scribbling his
   engimatic notes and sketches on parchment he had brought with
   him from Milan.  He ate the meals that Amaranta, Ursula's
   daughter brought him twice a day.  He would spend nights
   walking around the room thinking and searching for a way to
   apply scientific principles of bird flight, lift, and thrust
   to everything that was useful when put into motion.

   Urusla put up with her tenant's eccentricites, and thanks
   to her, the white-washed stucco walls, the wooden furniture,
   and the inlaid tiled floors and the closets were neat and
   orderly.
  ---------
   Once again the tell-tale signs of the Pheonix Gate's arrival
   was annouced by a glowing sphere of fire and light.  Brooklyn
   and Sata tumbled out of its circle of influence and the
   Gate closed behind them.

    They found themselves standing atop a steep hill bordered
    on the east by a river stretching away to the horizon.  
    A large city of white houses and villas, ships docking and
    disembarking, filled with all manner of craft tied up to
    the mooring posts. The houses seemed to be a uniform white
    with terraced gardens, red-tiled roofs, and a central open-air
    courtyard.  The view from their hill was excellent; so the
    two gargoyles had an unbroken glimpse in all directions. On
    one side it faced the aforementioned silvery stretch of the
    river; to the west it faced a glittering domed palace. 
    Directly behind them was the city, and opposite them stood
    a small house. The sign above the door read: "Benevici!
    Senorita Urusla.  Rooms to let."

    "Okay, someone has to ask" "Where are we?" Brooklyn sighed.

     "I am not sure, but according to the sign, this is
     apparently some sort of rooming establishment. The
     propitier of which is a woman named Urusla.  Maybe we
     should see what Diamante's mirror has to show us. It
     might indicate where we are." Sata explained.
  
     "Good idea. But will it work for us. I remember Diamante,
     the Peruvian scryer telling us that the mirror's magic
     is kind of fickle. It sometimes doesn't show anything,
     and sometimes it does. And sometimes it shows images of
     what might be things." Brooklyn said.

    "I know. I remember, too. But the images are not always
    what me expect them to be. It's up to us to interpret
    the images.  I know that, but it's worth a try." Sata said.
  
    Removing the Incan scryer's gift, Sata held the carved
    glass in its stone frame up to the Italian summer moonlight,
    angling the small object first one than another.

    "All right, here goes nothing." Sata sighed.
 
    Holding the mirror so that they both could look into it,
    Brooklyn and Sata peered into its surface.  The by-now
    familar seascape appeared then resolved itself to show
    a tall white-haired man absorbed into studying a pinned
    up piece of paper perched on an easel in a cluttered room.
    The image held for a few seconds then vanished.

   "That must be who we're looking for." Sata said.

   "Then this must be the place where we'll find him."
   Brooklyn agreed.
  _____________
    Amaranta choosing that moment to come outside and tend to
    the watering of the flowers, spotted the two gargoyles looking
    at the mirror.  Staring a few seconds in shock, Amaranta
    dropped her bag of seeds and water pitcher, and ran back
    into the house.

   "Hey! Wait a minute!" Brooklyn said. "OKAY, that went well."
   he muttered.
   ___

   "Mammasita! Mammasita! The Signore's visitors from abroad
    have arrived! I told you they would!  I just could never be
    sure if it was true or not, or when they would arrive!"
    Amaranta exclaimed.

    "Stop spouting nonesense,nina, go back and tend to your
    chores!" Ursula yelled from inside the house.
    ___
    "Apparently again our presence in this time and place
    was expected." Sata wondered.
 
    "Yeah, it looks that way.  Maybe we should go inside and
    annouced ourselves." Brooklyn agreed.

    "Yes, we can't stay out here." Sata replied.
    ____

   Inside
  
   The three residents of the house having assembled in the
   living room greeted the newcomers.

  "Ah, there you are! I've been expecting you for a long time 
  now.  What happened?  Lost your horses? Got robbed? Got lost?
  he asked, looking down at a sketch in his hand.

  "These are the travlers from abroad you've been expecting,
  Signore Leonardo?" Ursula asked.

  "Yes, Mama.  He promised they would arrive when they arrived.
  "I told you they would." Amaranta said.

  "Ah, could we start with introductions? My name is Brooklyn."
  the brick red gargoyle said.

  "Yes. I am Sata, a honor to make your accquaintance good lady
  and that of your daughter." Sata said formally.

  "I'm Ursula de Valle, this is my daughter Amaranta and
  this is.." she trailed off.

  "I can speak for myself, good woman. I am Leonardo
  Da Vinci, I am going to be famous one of these fine days,
  not just in Italy, but maybe all of Europe!" he exclaimed
  excitedly.

  Brooklyn and Sata coughed politely, not at the claim, but
  to avoid telling the inventor/artist details about the
  future from which they came; because eventually the man
  would become famous, and not just in Europe but all over
  the world.

  "Well, now that your friends are here, what now?" Amaranta
  asked.

  "They are here to help with my grandest endeavor yet!"
  Leonardo cried.
  _______

  Leonaredo's chief ambition at this point was to invent a
  flying machine, propelled by wind currents and a steam engine.
  It would be based on the principles of bird flight and could
  accomodate more than one passenger endowed with adventurous
  temperaments and a head for heights.  His zeal to construct
  this contraption and learn the secrets of its mechanics;
  wind-currents, lift, drag, thrust, and flight paths, had kept
  him busyt for months. Prior to the gargoyles arrival, he had
  completed it, but had also run into an apparently insurmountable
  obstacle: Money and sponsors.

  To remedy the situation, Leonardo resolved to approach his
  old friend the Medici at his villa. To this end, he enlisted
  the aid of Amaranta whose portrait he had just completed; the
  paint was still wet.  She brought him a basin of water, a 
  mirror, and a razor, while he made himself presentable.

    At the Medici villa

   "What has happened to the project you explained to me
   a week ago, Leonardo? If I recall correctly, you were
   most interested in the possiblity of building a flying
   machine powered by the means of a pendlum and steam."
  he asked.

  " I still am, without the slightest hesitation, interested,
  good Medici, my friend.  However, I have one little problem.
  I need funds in order to carry forward with the project."
  Leonardo answered.

  "And you would like to borrow said funds from me. I am sorry,
  Leonardo but I cannot oblige you, not even for the sake of
  our old friendship. I am truly sorry."  the Medici said.

  "But!  Why not! My friend! Leonardo exclaimed.
  
 "For the sake of our old friendship or not, I simply
  cannot see the wisdom of investing in this madcap scheme
  of yours, that may or may not take off. I am sorry. I
 suggest you look elswhere for sponsors." he concluded.

  ________
     Test-flight

   No one was interested.  That did not dissaude Leonardo,
   who decided to go ahead with the project desspite the lack
   of funds.

   On the appointed day for the launch of the Mark I "Da
   Vinci's Marvelous Onthopter."; he had duly informed 
   Ursula of his grand project. With her customary amplomb,
   she continued knitting without paying attention to her
   tenant's preprations.  She then got up to attend to the
   account books, and passing Amaranta, who was fixing lamb
   for that evening's dinner, she said:
  
  "I have a hunch it isn't going to take off."

  "What isn't going to take off?" Amaranta asked, who
  unknown toi her mother was fascinated by Da Vinci's
  sketches and inventions.

  "The old man's finally lost what marbles he had. His
   crazy flying machine. If people had been meant to fly,
   they'd have been born with wings." she sagely remarked.

   Amaranta having been present during Da Vinci's meeting
   with the gargoyles and spied on them when he closeted with
   them in his workshop[, giggled but quickly smothered it
   with her apron.  She continued to baste the lamb.

   "You will not believe this, Mama, but just this once I think
   you might be wrong in your prediction about the flying machine.
   And I have the funny feeling that some time in the distant
   future, men may indeed fly. Maybe sooner than you think."
   she muttered, thinking of the gargoyles.
 
   "Whatever are you talking about, Amaranta?" Ursula asked
   in astonishment.

   "Oh, nada, Mama.  He's a very good artist by the way.
   I offered to pose for him, and he's just finished my
   painting." Amaranta said.

   "I was not consulted! To supervise! Ursula sniffed.
   "Honsetly, that man! He'll never amount to anything if
   he doesn't pay his bills on time.  Mark my words, girl,
   that's a predicition." Ursula said. "You're not going
   to the launch." she added.

   "Oh Mama!" Amaranta exclaimed. The cry of exasperated
   children everywhere.

   ______

    Meanwhile

    Outside the house, the spot that the inventor had chosen
    as his airfield, Leonardo and the two gargoyles he had
   enlistted as his assistant, spread out the entire length
   of canvas, attached these to the wooden frame of the
   machine, topped by a shape that looked suspicously like
   a windmill.

   He had Brooklyn and Sata carry the flying machine from its
   place of honor in his workshop to the hillside which turned
   out to be several neighboring houses over.  He was dressed
   in overalls complete with goggles and an explorer's helmet
   which he wore over his unruly white hair. He also had a
   compass and several strange maps.

  Gesturing with his left hand, he indicated where he wanted
  the gargoyles to place the flying machine.

  "Please set it down in the indicated circle, if you would,
   my friends." he instructed.

  "Is this good?" Sata asked, setting down her end, while
   Brooklyn followed suit with his end.

  "Yes, my dear, Sata." he replied.

 "With all due respect, sir...." Brooklyn trailed off.

  "Not, Sir, Please don't call me Sir. That's for peerage
  and the merchants, and the cabelleros, and people like
  that miserly Medici. Call me Leonardo, everyone else does.
  The inventor said absently, wondering if the gargoyles
  could fly with those wings.

  "As I was saying, Leonardo, Do you know what you're doing?"
  Brooklyn said, eyeing the flying machine askance.

  "Of course, I do, Brooklyn, my boy! He laughed, "At least,
  I think I do. he muttered. "Now, if you will just hold
  the right side of the machine steady, my boy," he added.

  "Sure thing." Brooklyn answered, lifting one end of the
  machine.

  "Excellent, now Sata, my dear, if you would just use the
   caliper to make sure that the lateral sides are all even."
  he instructed.

  Taking the measuring device Sata did as she was instructed
   "I can't be entirely certain, but it looks like there's
   a ten degree variation." she said.

   "Align them, then turn the rotary dial to the left. While
   you're doing that I'll just check the pressure valve on
   the steam engine." he said.

  "Is that better, Leonardo? I have made the adjustment."
  Sata said.

  "Yes, much better." The inventor answered. "Thank you
   both for your help. Now comes the moment of truth!"
  he exclaimed. "Sata help Brooklyn hold steady the machine
  on your end, thank you, my dear. he said. "Theory is all
  well and good. but the true test of any invention is in
  the practice. The proof is in the pudding, to coin a 
  phrase." Well, here goes nothing." he muttered.

  The red and green gargoyle looked askance at each other,
  and if they had had a hand free to cross their fingers and
  hope the inventor could carry this off, they would have.

  Leonardo boarded his experimental craft. The flying machine
  rocked slightly, then settled back on its moorings.

  "All right, when I give the word, cut the ropes! he shouted.
  Giving a slight tap to the side of his head, Brooklyn
  acknowledged the instructions.
  ____
   "Ah, Bella donna! Here goes nothing! he shouted NOW!
   he yelled. Sata drew her belt knife and cut the mooring
   ropes.

   The flying machine lurched, the two gargoyles held onto
   their respective ends to provide the required thrust,
   and they pushed it forward towards the edge of the hillside.
   It reached the edge, annouced by the creaking of its 
   skeleton, and the roar of its steam engine. On the 
   second try the unweildy contraption lifted off without a
   twinge of complaint and with a certain elegance.

  Sata glanced at the red gargoyle, "Brooklyn-san, we had  
  better accompany him." the jade green gargoyle urged.

  "Agreed. He might keep out of less trouble that way."
   Brooklyn answered.

  The two gargoyls launched themselves into the air and 
   took upt flanking positons to either side of Leonardo
  Da Vinci.

 "My friends, I never imagined flying could feel this
  wonderful! I promise, I will never forget this moment
  for as long as I live!" The inventor crowed excitedly.
  "When we land,we must record this moment for posterity!"
  he concluded.
  ***********
    After having said their farewells, the two travelers
    were once more swept up into the ocean of time by
    the magical fire of the Pheonix Gate.'
   *************************************

        Conclusion

    Years later, when art-historians would go through the
    recovered belongings of the long-dead artist Leonardo
    Da Vinci; in a chest that had withstood the deprivations
    of time and weather; they discovered two paintings.
    One was entitled "Amaranta in Repose.".  The other
    painting was an oil on canvas picturing two winged
    figures, one red and one jade-green, carrying a young
    girl in a red and white checkered dress. She had one
    hand tightly clasped in each of theirs, soaring through
    the midnight sky of Florence, portrayed with a 
    remarkable life-like vividness.  The same engimatic
    smile that graces the artist's more famous portrait,
    "The Mona Lisa" curved the girl's mouth as well.
    Her raven black hair was blown out behind her by the
    wind. Underneath the painting was a worn inscription:
   "Dream of glory!  Dream of life! And dare to fight for
    both! L  Da Vinci, Florence Italy, 1625."

   The End

SFC - Library