AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm a longtime fan of the Gargoyles series. I'm really sad that after the second season that the quality of the show pretty much deteriorated when Season 3 rolled around. Still, I have so many childhood memories of this series. I decided to combine my love for the old characters and the new ones I love today together. Please leave me a review telling me what you think of the story.

I would also like to give credit to Kimberely T. She wrote an excellent one-shot called Thailog: Monologue that I am using as a basis for Thailog's character.

Also, a TON of credit is due to D. Taina who wrote a lot of comics revolving around Thailog and his assistant Shari. I love how she expresses them together so much I decided to use that as a basis as well for not only Thailog's character, but also part of the story that I'm now writing. So thanks to both of you!

Chapter 1

Color flashed past him in a complete blur. It buffeted him around like a leaf in the wind. Knocking him breathless one minute, the next smashing him down as if trying to break every bone in his body. When he opened his mouth to call for help, nothing came out. Just a hollow gasp that was swept away the next second.

I won't let go. I won't! You can't make me!

He screamed mentally at the blur around him, challenging the walls of color to crash down upon him once again. He would not give in to them. They could try to rip out his very soul if they wished. Never would he give in to defeat. Just let them try! He had withstood worse than this. Had weathered such atrocities in this world and the next he only laughed at their failed attempts to take it from him.

You can't have it! NEVER!

Did he speak himself, or was it in his head? No matter. Reaching out with one hand, he tangled his fingers into the shimmering strands by his head. Each one rippled, twanging with its own unique melody. So few of them. Had his life really touched so few people? As he began to draw his hand away one caught his eye. It lingered above the others shimmering with a golden light, separate from the others which glowed a striking silver like the moon.

This golden strand he grabbed. When it began to tug away he yanked it back, tangling himself in the strand to anchor himself in the whirlwind. Again, the strand resisted, trying to pull away from him. Trying to go where it had once come from. Instead he yanked ever harder on it. He heard a scream and sent a silent apology to whoever's strand he clung too. Grabbing it tighter, he began to pull himself along it. The going became harder the further he went.

I'm so sorry. But I can't go back. I just can't! Don't you see, what they'll do to me if I stay? So sorry, whoever you are, but I can't stay here. I can't. I won't!

A second later, he was falling through open space. He collided with someone in a tangle of limbs. They both went sprawling across the floor in confusion, the other cracking his head on the desk and scattering the papers he had been holding only a second ago. Reaching out, he latched onto this stranger, refusing to release his hold even when he felt fingers prying at his own. He simply clung to this lifeline with all his might.

Finally, things quieted down. He sat up after a few moments, his mind whirling as beside him his lifeline continued to struggle. Despite this fact, he refused to let go, stubborn as a child in his insistence to cling to his own small miracle. Turning his head, he was shocked to see a blond haired man staring at him. The man's hair had been neatly slicked back with some type of oil. Black glasses sat askew on a straight nose which fell off altogether in the next second. Bright blue eyes widened in shock as his lifeline stared at the stranger before him, unable to comprehend who or what he was looking at.

"Who are you?" He asked his savior. Poor thing, he had never volunteered for this. For an instant his lifeline only stared at him in dumb shock. Trying to put together what had just happened with the man before him.

"I should be asking you that." The blond haired man stated.

Frowning, Loki leaned forward to study his rescuer. The image of the blond shifted just slightly. Narrowing his eyes he willed the magic to give away to his mind's eye. To reveal to him the true nature of the person he gazed upon. After a few seconds the form shifted and he stared in dumb shock. Laughter bubbled up in his throat, coming out in a stream which bounced off the stone walls surrounding them. This seemed to further startle the blond man whose arm he still clung too.

"Puck? Well, you've changed over the years my good friend. Drastically." He laughed more, unable to breathe. For a second the elf only stared at him, completely pale. A few seconds went by before the elf came to the conclusion this creature he had once called friend meant him no harm. Only two people in the entire world could see through this heavy glamour of his.

"Lord… Loki? Is it truly you? What brings you… here, milord?" Puck asked. Loki's usually neat raven locks were a complete mess. His green Asgardian uniform was streaked with dirt and dust. Where had he fallen from? Loki managed to catch his breath long enough to nod to his old friend. Reaching up, he grabbed the edge of the desk and lifted himself up. Only then did he finally let go of Puck before offering him a hand to help him up.

"You would hardly believe me if I told you. I found myself in a bad situation as it were. Good thing you were here. Thank you, by the way, for pulling me out. I believe I'm indebted to you for that. Lucky you." Loki said swaying back and forth slightly. When Puck reached out to steady him, the Asgardian shook his head and blinked as his sight adjusted to the world around him.

"I've taken to living among humans, milord."

"Oberon hardly gave you a choice. The bloody bastard, who does he think he is?"

"A king."

"Fuck that shit." Loki said, surprising Puck even further. He laughed, but this time his words were far more careful. His emerald eyes sparked playfully as he gazed at the other trickster. They were of the same ilk, but had not seen each other in centuries.

"My apologies. And please, don't call me 'milord'. It's so droll. I've been demoted as it were. And this is the form you've chosen, eh? Not quite what I expected of you, but your magic has got better since last we met. I could hardly tell it was you until I did a bit of prying." Loki complimented the elf. For a moment Puck seemed speechless but nodded his head. Beginning to regain his composure, the fae smoothed out his suit before reaching down to pick up his glasses which had fallen to the floor.

"No need to apologize milor- I mean Loki. Quite happy to be of service. Though for an instant I did mistake you for Oberon himself." Puck explained, his heart beat beginning to die down. Thank goodness the human he had taken to serving was out at the moment. He was sure he would never hear the end of it had the human had seen Loki appear out of thin air.

"I have chosen a life of servitude over one of being served as it were. I wanted my form to fit the role I had chosen. Do you not find it fitting?" Puck asked. Loki blinked, still seeming a bit out of his mind. Taking deep breaths his fellow trickster was able to properly steady himself after a spell. Looking around at the mess he had made, Loki made a soft sound of dismay. With a wave of his hand the papers flew up and righted themselves into neat stacks once again. The spilled coffee went back into the cup along with the dust separating itself from the liquid. Even the chair snapped back into place, but stayed where it was near the cold fireplace where it had fallen.

"I find it a bit… odd, considering your nature, but it is pleasing to the eye. You appear so serious though. Goes against your true nature." Loki answered as he closed his eyes. He concentrated on his appearance for a moment. His clothes smoothed themselves out as his hair straightened. He did the same for Puck's human disguise as well. When he opened his eyes again, Loki bent down and picked up the glasses himself. Putting them neatly back on Puck's nose who frowned, his human features highlighting his displeasure. Despite himself, the trickster god smiled kindly.

"Believe me when I say it's a pleasure to see you, Puck. I hope I did not frighten you too badly. Are you alright?"

"I'm quite fine, but please refer to me as Owen. It's all a part of my role as a human servant. I would be so bold as to request you think of taking on a human identity. If you choose to remain here that is."

"I suppose I must, shouldn't I? Owen? A normal sounding enough name I suppose. I expected you to choose something a bit more Elvish." Loki said wryly. Puck shook his head, or should he refer to him as Owen, turning away to grab the chair and pull it back. His tone picked up its usual sterile quality as he spoke.

"Mr. Xanatos is out at the moment, sir, but you're more than welcome to stay here until he returns. I'm sure with my personal recommendation he will be more than willing to hire you." Owen stated calmly. For a second Loki looked perplexed then caught on to what was being offered to him. He had not come here for such a purpose, but to find such an unexpected friend when he had thought he would never see the other again made him chuckle.

"I suppose I can play along with this façade you have created. You chose a rich mortal, Owen, I'll give you that much." Loki said wryly. He considered changing his own appearance, but decided to stay as he was.

The only changes he made was to wear a long, black wool coat. His entire dress became black as his pants became slacks with sharp creases. His shoes turned dark and shiny, reflecting the lamp light. Loki even chose to wear glasses. Thin metal frames which rested on his nose giving him a scholarly appearance. After a few more seconds Loki waved his hand and made a wallet for himself. Complete with an I.D., cash, and a bag filled with books concerning folklore from around the globe.

"How do I look?" Loki asked after a minute. Owen studied his fellow trickster for a few seconds. The Asgardian was lucky to appear so human. Loki could easily walk down the street in his usual garb if he wished. Other than a few confused glances, the Asgardian would hardly draw any unwarranted attention. Most would just assume he was eccentric.

"Excellent. I question your choice to keep your true appearance, but other than being handsome you hardly stand out. Why the glasses?"

"I've always enjoyed how they make me appear. I often dedicate my time to books, so why not adopt the tool which is associated with them?" Loki answered smartly as he adjusted the strap on his shoulder. Owen frowned at him, about to make a comment until he was interrupted by a soft beep from behind him. Falling back into his old routine, the blond smoothed out his cuffs a second time, making sure his appearance was immaculate as he began to talk. He acted as if they had just picked up a conversation.

"I'm quite well, thank you for asking." Owen said calmly as he sat down at his desk. Loki set his bag of books on the floor by the desk, pretending to listen with complete interest to his old friend as Xanatos walked in from around the corner. The business man's eyes flickered with interest when he caught sight of the man by Owen's desk.

"Good, good. I hope you don't mind me dropping by. I know it's not the best of times, but when I looked you up I was shocked by where you worked. This isn't what I ever imagined to see you doing." Loki said his tone becoming more innocent. Sounding far shyer as he began to work out in his mind what type of personality he wished to present. From the corner of his eye he spotted the human, who must be Xanatos himself judging by the expensive clothes, whom had stopped to study this newcomer in his castle.

"Are you here visiting? I can get you exclusive access to the Statue of Liberty. It has a remarkable view from the top." Owen remarked. Loki shook his head, playing the part easily of a longtime friend having abruptly found himself surrounded by opulent wealth.

"Not better than the one you have here, is it? No, I'm actually seeking to live here permanently. I wanted to have a lively place to continue my studies and New York seemed the best bet. It's certainly worked out well for you, hasn't it?" Loki answered.

"Owen, a friend of yours?" Xanatos cut in walking up to the pair. Loki blinked, feigning surprise at the sight of the man. Owen rose from his desk at the sight of his boss.

"My apologies, sir. This is Daegon Niequist. He and I were close friends before I started working for you. We went our separate ways years ago." Owen answered. Loki bit back a retort to snap at the elf for the ridiculous name. However, he supposed he might as well go along with it. At the very least Puck had got the last name right if not the first one.

"No apologies are necessary, Owen. I'm rather shocked you even have a social life."

"He doesn't. That's the punch line." Loki said in a bored tone. Owen shot him a glare, but the trickster only shrugged as he nodded to Xanatos. He then held his hand out in greeting to the billionaire.

"I remembered Owen said something about coming to New York a while back. Since I was in the area I decided to look him up. Imagine my shock when I found out he was working for you, of all people." Loki said, hoping he didn't sound too familiar with the human. It had been a long time since he had played the role of a mortal man. Rather than be offended, Xanatos only gave the trickster a once over with his eyes before he turned to Owen.

"Charming friend you have here. What do you work as, Mr. Niequist?"

"Please, call me Daegon. I'm a professor, or well used to be, at Harvard. I taught folklore for a few years until they decided the old tales no longer had any meaning. Quite a shame, really. There's so much to be learned from them." Loki answered, falling into his role easily.

"I was just about to ask you, sir, if perhaps I could be so bold as to request Daegon helped me out with the paperwork. The sheer volume of your schedule has started to become overwhelming and I'm afraid even with my ability I've started to fall behind. He could also perform other small, menial tasks until such a time he finds stable employment." Owen said, flowing in easily. On the inside Puck was ecstatic to have Loki by his side. Rarely did he have another who wished to join him in his mortal escapades.

Xanatos frowned thoughtfully as he studied the two of them. Daegon was dressed well enough, but his clothes had clearly been worn many times. He did appreciate a man who at least attempted to keep a professional appearance. He found it strange Owen should even know anyone outside of the small circle he kept, but Xanatos would never deny one of employees to have outside associations. Considering how the man kept to himself, for his assistant to ask a favor for a friend was out of the ordinary.

"I don't see why not. Owen, draw up the employment papers for your friend here. He can start immediately. And Mr. Niequist, do you have a place of permanent residence?" Xanatos asked. The folklorist looked embarrassed, his eyes flickering to the side as he spoke.

"I'm afraid not. I've been living out of a motel for the past couple of weeks."

"Well then, Owen, see to it Daegon is settled in one of our guest bedrooms."

"Oh no, sir, you don't have to go through all that! I'm not worth the trouble…"

"Nonsense. Any friend of Owen's is a remarkable find. I won't have one of my employees living out of a motel. Make use of the facilities as you wish. Just stay out of my office. Owen, I have to take a call. I want no disturbances." Xanatos ordered. Owen murmured a reply before the billionaire walked away.

Once the human was out of earshot, Loki raised an eyebrow. Glancing at Puck who had begun to type at the computer, the trickster could only shake his head. After a minute, Owen stopped what he was doing to show Loki to a spare bedroom.

"That was awfully quick." Loki said once he was sure they were alone. Owen glanced at his old friend, quirking a brow at him. There was little he would do in his human persona, not wishing to falter. With Loki, though, he could allow himself to take small liberties.

"Mr. Xanatos is a generous man. To an extent, of course. He appreciates hard work and rewards those who are loyal to him. Being his personal assistant, my word carries a certain weight." Owen explained coolly. Loki nodded as he walked into the bedroom.

For a man who owned a castle Loki had to admit he was impressed by how modern it was. He had half a mind to take it for himself. In every corner he looked were the old tapestries fully restored. Yet right beside them would be a state of the art computer or phone. A six foot plasma screen TV embedded in the wall did not seem out of place in the medieval setting. Shaking his head in wonder Loki set down his bag. He supposed he would now have to pretend to bring in bags of clothes from his fake hotel room.

"I appreciate the favor, Owen. Truly. I'll do my best not to fail you." Loki said, his tone becoming more humble. He wanted Daegon to be a noble person, but one who could fade into the background. A person no one really thought to pay attention to until he spoke up.

"See that you don't." Owen said crisply. Loki quirked a brow at the words, but let the small insult go. In this façade, he was Puck's underling. Funny, considering the elf had been his once long ago.

Owen then gave Loki a short tour of the castle. He showed him how to work the devices in the kitchen which Loki thought was ridiculously large considering only three people lived in the castle. He then instructed him in the daily routine Xanatos followed. How he preferred to have his coffee at a certain time. Which meals to prepare and when. If he wished to have something else, Owen would prepare it himself. Along with a whole list of other small details which the trickster could hardly believe.

Well, he supposed it was better than being caught in the stream between worlds. After an hour, Owen was called away to give Xanatos a rundown of who he was to meet tomorrow. Some top executive of a company. Finding himself left to his own devices, Loki began to explore his new home. He had never known a human to hold such wealth. Especially not on such an open display as this was.

"You are certainly a man who wants for nothing." Loki murmured to himself as he stopped to study a vase. Roses were intricately carved all around it. They were so delicate, he wondered how the vase had made it all the way to the top of the tower Xanatos called home.

Raising his head Loki gazed out the window. Looking around he didn't see any sign of Xanatos or Owen. He opened the sliding glass door and was surprised to find it wasn't locked. Then again, who would break in? They were practically in the clouds unless a dragon decided to descend down upon the castle.

Going out into the courtyard Loki took a deep breath of the cold, fresh air. It wasn't Asgard, but when he looked out over the edge, his breath was once again taken away. The view was absolutely stunning. New York spread out before him like a live tapestry. Below him cars clogged the arteries of the city like lightning bugs. His head began to spin as if urging him to jump off the building. Taking a step back Loki took a deep breath to steady himself.

"Well, welcome to your new home." Loki murmured to himself.