Gold Demona: Before New Liberty

Prologue

(November 23, 2084)

It was a cold Thanksgiving night at the Happy Lesson Orphanage in Los Angeles, California. Everyone was gathered around the table, ready to eat. Around the table sat the children, a variable mix of human and gargoyle, and the five matriarchs that watched over them.

The orphanage was relatively small for Los Angeles. In reality, how these five ladies were able to pass off a mansion in the Mt. Washington district as any kind of orphanage was anybody’s guess, but they somehow managed, taking any orphans they found and either adopting them off to good homes or raising them as their own.

These five women were also once employed at a high school in Japan. Taking advantage of these skills, they doubled the orphanage as a school for the orphans that lived there, so they knew that their children would always be under their watchful eye until they are either adopted or old enough to leave the nest.

They all sat ready to begin their Thanksgiving meal. They had just finished saying their prayers and were already passing the food around when they were interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.

Everyone’s attention was immediately on the door as everyone wondered who could possibly be outside on this Thanksgiving night.

“I’ll get it,” said one of the matriarchs, the one with the large round glasses on her face and long, light brown hair. The one known as Mama Mutsuki, who taught the English courses at the orphanage.

She got up from her seat at the table and made her way to the door. She opened it, but there was no one there.

“Well, that’s odd,” she said.

She was about to shut the door when she noticed something on the ground in front of the door. A large basket with soft padding and a thick blanket over whatever was inside it.

“A basket?” Mutsuki said as she bent down to pick up the basket.

As she lifted it, she realized that whatever was in it was very heavy.

“Who’s at the door, Mutsuki?” called one of the other four matriarchs.

“Satsuki!” Mutsuki called back to her as she slowly carried the basket in and shut the door, “Could you come help me with this?”

“Stay at the table, kids,” the same woman said as she got up from her seat at the table.

The four women came running up to see what was going on. The one known as Mama Satsuki, a strong and muscular woman of short, light blue hair, took the basket from Mutsuki and carried it like it was no problem at all.

“I wonder what it could be,” said the one known as Mama Yayoi, a calm woman of long, light brown hair, wearing a ceremonial robe and carrying a katana. She was the orphanage nurse.

“That basket looks so bright and pretty and colorful,” cried Mama Uzuki, a small woman of long blonde pigtails who had a fondness for wearing costumes, all of which she makes herself, teacher of the arts and crafts. “And expensive! That looks like actual silk!”

“How can you tell that just by looking at it?” Satsuki asked, looking down at the basket.

“Hey, did you forget how many costumes I make on a daily basis, muscle-head?” Uzuki replied. “I think I would know genuine silk when I see it!”

“Well, I guess you would know,” Satsuki replied, “Hey! Did you just call me muscle-head?!”

“Maybe I did,” she replied, “And maybe I didn’t. So what’s it to you?”

“I oughta shove this basket down your throat right now for saying that!”

“Hold that thought,” droned the fifth of the ladies.

Mama Kisaragi, a monotone woman of short lavender hair and the emotional equivalent of a robot, held what looked like a small satellite dish pointed to the basket. She waved the dish over it, under it, and all around it.

“What’s that, Kisaragi?” Mutsuki asked.

Kisaragi then pulled the dish back and put it away somewhere. Exactly where t went was anyone’s guess. With Kisaragi it was always best not to ask.

“Doubt Remover, Version Two Point Three,” she droned. “The basket it is not dangerous, so it is safe to say that it is a gift.”

“That’s great! I love presents!” Uzuki squealed.

“Well, I think we should share this gift with everyone, don’t you think?” Mutsuki suggested.

“Yeah, let’s go set it at the table,” Satsuki said and started walking back to the table, “For all we know it, could be more food.”

The other four followed her back to the table, where several wide and curious eyes stared at the five mothers.

Satsuki set the basket at an empty spot at the table at the center of where the five of them were sitting. They all sat back down in their places.

“What’s in the basket, Mamas?” asked one of the children.

“That’s what we’re going to find out,” Mutsuki replied as she put her hand on the sheet. The basket wiggled a little when she did.

“What?” Everyone gasped and leaned closer to the basket.

Yayoi pulled out her sword, as if preparing to attack.

“Be careful,” she said, “There could be a demon inside.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” Satsuki said and flung the sheet from the basket and into the air.

Inside the basket, nestled in the thick soft padding of the basket, was a gargoyle egg. Yayoi slowly put her sword away and leaned closer.

“It’s an egg,” Mutsuki said.

“Yummy yumyum eggy!” yelled one of the gargoyle girls at the end of the table.

“That egg’s not for eating!” yelled one of the younger human boys.

“It’s a baby!” Uzuki squealed upon seeing it, “Oh it’s so adorable, and it’s not even hatched yet! Oh, this is the best Thanksgiving ever!”

“There’s a note on the egg,” Kisaragi pointed out.

Mutsuki looked and noticed said note and picked it up to read it.

“The child in this egg is very special,” she read out loud, “Her name is Gold Demona. She will hatch fairly soon. Keep her hidden and safe until she can care for herself. Signed, Her Guardian Angel.”

“Well whoever this Guardian Angel is,” Uzuki said, “He’s very rich. This actually is one hundred percent pure silk.”

“Guardian Angel?” Satsuki said, “Just what the hell does that mean?”

“Does that mean she came from Heaven?” Asked another of the children.

“That’s exactly what it means,” Mutsuki replied.

“Whatever the circumstances,” Kisaragi droned in, “It means that we have one more child in our care.”

“This child is a blessing,” Yayoi said, “We should give thanks for the being given the task of raising her.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Satsuki said and raised her glass of sake, “Kanpai!”

“Kanpai!” Everyone repeated as they all raised their drinks in toast to their newest little addition.