Oh, my head… Brooklyn thought wearily when opening his eyes. He felt cuffs on his hands when rubbing his head. When Brooklyn tried to talk, something kept him from doing it. Eyes widening, he felt what was on his beak: a muzzle. And his jacket was removed. His memories flew back, recalling being recaptured by the Quarrymen and tricked into doing a ransom!
This made Brooklyn afraid, and afraid for Bronx too. He tried to stand but stumbled on his wobbly left leg that was chained up and even bleeding, though tied with a bandage. Brook recalled that terrible trap, too. They must've gotten him out to carry him to HQ. Thankfully, Brooklyn still saw his loincloth still on him.
Bronx, where are you, bud? Brooklyn thought in sadness, staring around his familiar cage and cell, receiving PTSD flashbacks which began to make him breathe harshly, face filled with fright at the idea of being in his hated enemy's grip once again.
So far, nobody came to see him which aroused Brook's anxiety, wondering what Castaway wants to use to harm him further and for Bronx especially. He wanted so badly to save him. And this muzzle didn't help Brooklyn breathe any better. The young gargoyle whimpered and moaned while tugging until an electric shock came from his cuffs, making him let out a muffled cry. The cell door opened then, and there stood Jon Castaway, his eyes gleaming maliciously. This was so delicious to have his special property back at his rightful home.
Brooklyn huddled against the bars of his cell; his face filled with fright. He didn't wish to see Castaway anymore, ever, but his wish didn't come true sadly. Castaway's slick laugh made his hair stand up.
"I advise not to remove that muzzle unless I say it can come off. But welcome home, I missed you, devil." Castaway mock greeted. Brooklyn, unable to speak at all, just growled, glancing down at the floor.
"Got nothin' to say, hmm? Well that's just how I like it. Ya ain't nothin' but animals, and animals shouldn't talk. But the muzzle is an improvement. You like it?" Brooklyn's anger died down when his ears flattened in sadness, shaking his head, and feeling submissive again, making Castaway snicker cruelly. While he planned Brooklyn's recapture, he had begun to develop a powerful serum that could kill a gargoyle quicker. It was still in development but he had been eagerly waiting to test him on it.
"So sorry that my poison ended up gaining a cure. But fortunately, I had uncovered a solution for this little mishap. And I desire a test subject since you were willing to endure the previous serum. This time it will be successful on you freaks for sure!"
This made Brooklyn bare his teeth, wanting so much to shout at Castaway for doing all this! You won't get away with this! I will save Bronx and return home! He screamed mentally. Jon seemed to hear his thoughts and shook his head.
"I will ensure you that there is no escape this time. I plan to keep you here as I inject this new serum now, for precaution that your stupid family won't find a cure. And after our first test I may remove your loincloth again. Now will you be a good little pet and be the volunteer?" He leered in a terrible tone. Brooklyn swallowed in fear but he shook his head; not wanting any more poison whatsoever. Castaway just snarled, taking his hammer out, tuning up the lightning.
Brooklyn's eyes popped in fright and familiarity at that terrible hammer lightning. He gave out scared pleading sounds, still unable to talk. Castaway smirked at him, ramming the turned off hammer at his cage bars. "So, let's try this again, Pet… you come with us or get barbecued. Get me?" he threatened.
This made the scared red male gulp, nodding fearfully. Castaway nodded in approval. If Brooklyn still feared him, this was a great advantage. He ordered his men to unlock the cage, taking Brooklyn by his arms and thrusting him forward. Brooklyn limped on his good foot because of his wound, Castaway keeping his hammer on to intimidate him.
….
Meanwhile, the clan was all too worried that Brooklyn seemed to be wasting time coming home with Bronx, and that something must have happened to him. Elisa and Goliath proceeded to find him, ordering the others to remain behind with Angela and await his return.
….
Brooklyn flinched when the Quarrymen kept telling him to keep moving until reaching the exam room he never wanted to set foot in ever again.
Castaway went in first, standing in front of Brooklyn and then taking off the muzzle, next revealing their ransom victim.
"Bronx!" Brook shouted in fear and sadness at the sight of the gar dog. Bronx looked miserable; he gazed at Brooklyn with a muzzled and sad face. He was malnourished and chained. Plus, to Brooklyn's disgust at this abuse; it was complete with a shackle that looked like his old one! He snarled in rage at Castaway after seeing them squeeze Bronx, who howled from it.
"I swear you will burn and rot in hell, Castaway! Bronx never deserved this animal abuse!" Brooklyn screeched. "Get that shackle and muzzle off him and let him go—!" Castaway then put the muzzle back on Brooklyn for his rude words. Brook shook his head to get it off, eyes aglow with untamed rage.
"Must be so heartbreaking to see your devil mutt in such a way, I know. But there's only one way to keep the brute from being killed in front of you. Enjoy what my new serum has to offer you, or…" Castaway pulled a gun out, pointing it at Bronx. Brook couldn't stand it, he struggled as much as possible but Castaway kept his hand on the trigger, enjoying the show.
Bronx gazed at the red one with a scared face, whining. This got to Brooklyn, who knew he had to give in to save the gar beast, and himself from this. In the end, with a little sigh, he nodded, feeling defeated.
Castaway looked triumphant, making Brooklyn sick to his stomach. "Such a good devil. Now for the fun to be given to you…" he mocked evilly, a finger under Brooklyn's beak.
The guards thrusted an unwilling Brooklyn to the table. His eyes were filling with tears at this second humiliation of being forced to take a new deadly serum. Brooklyn struggled as much as possible in his restraints, eyes round while Castaway had a guard bring out the serum he intended to use on his toy. Brooklyn gave out muffled protests no thanks to that muzzle, the cuffs digging into his wrists.
Jon snickered heartlessly when showing Brooklyn the terrible serum. "You see this, Gargoyle? It will be a soon to be improved incurable version of the poison, combining science and sorcery to create it. It is incomplete but I wish to test its early properties on you first. Ready yourself for it…"
Bronx whined in fear for Brooklyn, the shackle then squeezing him again and making the gar beast buckle. Brooklyn flinched from the sight, turning away.
Castaway's terrible laugh echoed in the room. "Look at your face; so sad and pathetic. This is what love for others brings you, Pet. Nothing but sadness and weakness. Love is weakness. But perhaps this can help ease it and take you away from it for good."
Brooklyn looked at him again, more tears in his eyes and shaking while Castaway looked at the possible spots to inject the serum. He squirmed from his presses on his arms and such. Brook didn't want this serum; he wanted him and Bronx to be back home now! Castaway then pressed into his left thigh, making Brooklyn gasp in a muffled voice from the pressure. Castaway nodded in eagerness. "Yes, perfect. Remove the muzzle," he ordered his men.
They did so. But Brooklyn couldn't utter many words from being breathless with pain, though there was something. "You… you're nothing… but a coward… and love isn't weakness!" he growled.
This made Jon make a terrible face, gripping the serum hard before suddenly injecting it into his victim. Brook gave a shriek from the needle, and Castaway grabbed his beak again. "No one calls Jon Castaway a coward!" He bellowed, slapping Brooklyn after that. "And you'd better enjoy this serum. It will be the last thing you'll feel!"
Brooklyn whimpered when feeling the serum leaking through his veins, making his body tremble. He really did feel some sort of strength rising through his body, even making him forget about his sore ankle. Castaway watched with a smirk when seeing his victim's eyes light up with blue electricity, a side effect of the serum. Brooklyn gave a soft growl, while he leaned in.
"So much power… doesn't that feel good?" he mock asked. Brooklyn just gave him a glare. He felt like he could run all around New York right now. He could hear Bronx woofing before yelping in pain. The red gargoyle's talons dug into his palms, trying to break out of his bonds. But he wasn't quite strong enough for that yet, since it was only the first dosage.
Castaway shook his head at the sight of his victim moaning and twitching to try and get out of his bonds. He filled the syringe with more. Brook shook his head; he didn't want more, but his body betrayed his brain. Jon put a hand on his belly.
"I can feel your body demanding more. Once injected, it is just like drugs; hard to avoid taking it constantly. Why not give into your body's demands? Save the trouble of resisting?" he sneered. Brooklyn grunted before speaking.
"N-no…" he moaned. But Castaway didn't take his no for an answer before injecting the same spot. Brook let out a scream, all that energy flooding in his body, finally giving him enough energy to pull out of his cuffs, lightning flashing off his body. Castaway pulled back, unprepared for Brooklyn to break free like this. With great speed, Brooklyn destroyed the lab table, eyes flashing blue lightning, glaring, and growling at the many Quarrymen around him.
Castaway glared. "Get the freak! He will pay!" he shouted. The Quarrymen ignited their hammers, but this time, Brooklyn didn't feel afraid of them, thanks to already feeling that lightning flowing inside. Whatever serum Castaway made, it had somehow given him super speed, too, allowing him to fight the Quarrymen with great accuracy, and being able to break Bronx out, too. Bronx woofed in happiness, licking his red master. Brook chuckled.
"I'm alright, but I have to stop Castaway. Go get my friends, boy, just go," he pleaded desperately. Bronx whimpered but did as Brooklyn asked, running through the hallways of the HQ. He can find his way out.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn stood, eyes glowing in anger at his enemy, who was now holding another full syringe in his hands, glaring too. "Don't get your hopes up of your stupid freak family coming now, Beast. It's just you and me…" he snarled, slamming his hammer on the floor. Brook's wings opened up, a brave growl coming.
"You've tormented my city and threatened and hurt my clan for far too long, Jon Castaway! The hunting ends tonight!" Brooklyn bellowed; hands clenched. Castaway just snickered evilly, fingering the serum.
"We will see about that. But why not fight with equal strength, hmm? After all, I haven't gotten this to the point of it only just for you monsters." This confused Brooklyn, but to his shock, saw Castaway inject himself with the serum!
This guy's crazy! He thought, backing up as the first injection appeared to have a stronger effect on a human more than a gargoyle. His eyes flashed blue lightning, holding his hammer, laughing madly.
"Let's dance, Devil!" he sneered. Brooklyn readied himself as Castaway charged at full speed. He gripped the hammer end before it struck Brooklyn's body, gasping from the hammer lightning coursing through him. Castaway now wore his hood. "We shall see who is stronger!" But Brooklyn shook his head, gritting his fangs. "Ugh- t-there's nothing to… prove…" he gasped, feet slipping from the human's assault. Thankfully, he finally dug his talons into the ground, gripping the hammer tight, then throwing his rival against the wall.
Castaway was stunned for a bit but got up again, pulling out another thing of serum. "This room is too small for close combat, why not take it outside?" Brooklyn glared at this, not wanting innocents to be hurt but it seemed he had no choice when Castaway injected himself again, zipping outside with the speed from it. Brooklyn, wasting no time, followed the man to make sure he didn't hurt anybody.
He caught up to Castaway outside in the city streets, tackling the evil human. People around them screamed in fear from what was going on. Brook held Castaway by his throat, but Castaway kicked the red gargoyle away, falling to the ground. Brooklyn lay there winded, but the power of the serum helped get himself back up. Many others were around him.
"All of you, get to safety!" Brooklyn ordered sharply, glaring around everyone. The other humans wasted no time in breaking for it, not wanting to mess with a gargoyle.
Suddenly, he was rammed into by Castaway. Brook winced in pain from that, looking up, Castaway holding his hammer again, laughing madly more. "It'll give me great satisfaction to see you broken and dead! For too long, you monsters have haunted me!" he bellowed. Brooklyn though wouldn't be intimidated. He narrowed his eyes, pushing himself up, then sending a hard punch at his enemy and abuser.
"What did it take to try hurting Hudson, anyway? Why not just smash us?" Brooklyn demanded. Castaway picked himself up, wiping his chin, his eyes having a maddening gaze. "Because, since that demoness hurt my first ancestor long ago, I figured it would be fair if you hurt as much as him," he spat. That didn't sound like a good excuse to Brooklyn at all, who hoped to finish this fight before sunrise or else it could be all over for his life since Castaway could smash him. "Ok, that's stupid, Jon. Revenge isn't always the answer, why can't you see it?" he shouted.
Brook's answer was a hammer in his side. He grimaced in pain from hitting against a truck, a crack being heard in his wing. Now he couldn't glide. Castaway just growled back. "I'll never make peace with demons like you! The hunt will continue once I sever your head!" he screamed. Brooklyn panted a bit, eyes wide, but again quenched his fear, struggling to his feet, Castaway gazing back at the Eyrie building with a sudden sinister look.
"Or perhaps, I can end your family first while you watch…" he hissed, injecting himself with the serum more and taking off again with the super speed. This made Brooklyn's anger blind him now. Castaway already harmed Angela and Bronx. He was going to make sure Castaway paid the price before doing anything else to them!
Brook roared, body sparking with lightning, racing after Castaway on all fours since he couldn't glide right now. Meanwhile, up on the building, Lex and Broadway waited anxiously, until they spotted some strange lightning zipping along the road below. Lex was curious, until he heard a familiar roar, the roar of his brother.
"B-Brooklyn? Brooklyn!" Lex screamed. Broadway and Hudson prayed for Brooklyn's sake he was ok. Meanwhile, Bronx had smelled out Elisa and Goliath, having them follow him, seeing the unnatural lightning from afar as well.
Brooklyn managed to catch up to Castaway before the evil man had a chance to reach his castle home, ramming hard into the ground, punching, and clawing, even ripping off the man's hood and showing his face. Brooklyn had his most angry look, teeth bared viciously, growling unnaturally, pinning him against the wall by his throat. Jon wasn't intimidated, a mocking smirk on him.
"I see you caught me… very impressive." sneered Castaway.
"Now I'm going to make you pay for all the pain that you caused me in the past and for my clan's pain!" Brooklyn snarled in the evil man's face.
"Brooklyn, STOP!" Goliath shouted from behind him. The two looked to see Goliath, Elisa, and Bronx approach.
"You don't want to do this, Brooklyn. You're not a killer like he is." Elisa said.
"If he just goes to jail, then he'll break out and try to kill us again. Sometimes there's no helping some people, Goliath, Elisa." Brooklyn glared at Jon in the face, who was also glaring at him.
"Oh, you're right, Monster. I will just break out of jail and come after you again. But right now, nothing can stop me!" Jon exclaimed as he laughed maniacally.
Jon kicked Brooklyn in the stomach and knocked him away, which then threw him into his leader. Elisa and Bronx tried to avoid the crash too. The cop woman had her gun out in self-defense ready.
Goliath and Brooklyn sat up and looked back over at the Quarryman leader. The man snarled.
"Now to finish you off myself!" Jon laughed like a maniacal idiot. He filled his syringe again and he injected it into himself and his body and heart was starting to give out. He made a dash at the gargoyles and his body started to disintegrate. The others were shocked at what was happening to him and though they shielded themselves from him, his microbes all melted away like a computer program being wiped out. Castaway was gone!
"Whoa, that's a relief." Brooklyn sighed.
"I'll say." Elisa agreed.
"We will never have to fear him again." Goliath said.
Bronx woofed and came up to Brooklyn. "I'm okay, boy." He petted the gar dog.
"Let's get up to the castle." Goliath decided.
As they were going to go there, Brooklyn then suddenly felt a wave of dizziness and he put a hand to his head, as well as his leg giving out from his snare wound. "Oh, I don't feel so good." He groaned.
Goliath caught his Second when he was about to go down. "What happened, Brooklyn?" he asked.
Brooklyn held off for a few seconds, but began, "Jon, gave me the same stuff that he took. A serum to poison me and us."
This wasn't good. Brooklyn didn't need to be sick again. "Just rest, Brooklyn. We'll get you up to the castle and treated." Goliath declared in concern.
Medical help was summoned and a gurney was brought down for the red gargoyle. His wing would also need to be splinted too. Dr. Sato was called to come to the castle again because Brooklyn was sick again.
…..
Brooklyn was taken to the medic ward and he was hooked up to an IV. He was trying to hold on to consciousness.
Angela was feeling better and she was in the room trying to comfort him as best she could while they waited for the doctor. He soon arrived.
Sato took some blood from Brooklyn to analyze it. It was not anything he had even seen before. Something really new.
"It was something that… caused super strength… electricity… to go through me…" Brook explained weakly. "Not sure of other… stuff…"
"But it also caused Castaway to melt away into thin air." Elisa added.
"I will suggest just a lot of rest for the rest of the night." Sato advised. "We'll see if this is just temporary or something that can be cured at all."
"I… didn't get… the same doses… that Castaway got…"
"We definitely don't want you melting away into thin air." Angela proclaimed. This made Brooklyn shake his head, trembling from the thought. "That wouldn't be good…" he mumbled, yelping suddenly from a stomach pain. Angela stroked his forehead while he cried.
"Just hang in there, only another couple hours and we'll see if the sun will help this time," Angela comforted gently. Brooklyn shivered, head now feeling hot again. His body begged him to take more serum because he had the desire to use that power further. "G-Goliath… m-my body… making… me… want more…" he rasped thickly, pained keens making Brooklyn twitch under his blankets. Goliath took his hand, squeezing it gently, a gentle smile on his face. "I'm here, young one. You can fight this urge. But you won't do it alone."
But Brooklyn kept feeling sad, for he had nearly killed someone out of his anger. "If-if you hadn't come… might've… murdered… out of…" Goliath rubbed his chest to soothe him. "Don't over blame yourself. I have to admit that you could be right about some people not wanting to be saved. If I recall Hakkon met the same fate as Castaway; his anger leading to his self demise, and his spirit fading into oblivion too." he murmured. Brooklyn was somewhat stunned, but then felt relief in his shoulders when laying back on his pillow.
"Have… I restored… my self worth?" He mumbled woozily, stomach still achy. Hudson added his own smile. "Ye have always been honorable and worthy, laddie. Never forget that," he assured. Broadway and Lex both nodded. "We still love ya too, Buddy," Broadway stated. "Always," Lex finished. Bronx cooed gently, licking Red One's hand. He had been fed when returning to the castle.
Brooklyn sniffled in happiness, tears coming down. Elisa gazed out at the coming dawn.
"20 minutes to sunrise now, Big Guy, you'll have to go out to turn to stone." Goliath shook his head. "No, I wish to be with Brooklyn and turn with him," he stated. Hudson nodded. "I'll be out with the others, come Angela," he said. But Brooklyn weakly held out his hand to Angela. "Angela… sing once more… please…" he begged. Angela had tears in her eyes as she nodded, humming their special song, those comforting lyrics relaxing Brooklyn as the sun's rays began to come.
The others then wished Brooklyn a good rest when leaving, Sato removed the IV. He had already dealt with Brooklyn's wing being splinted and the ankle wound mended too while his clan talked to him. Brooklyn now was so tired he didn't think he could remain awake anymore. He looked at Goliath, breathing horsley, the lightning from the serum attacking his body.
"S-so tired, sick…" he whimpered. Goliath kept up soothing him. "The dawn is here now. I pray it will heal you for good." Brooklyn nodded, feeling the stone skin covering him, the rays of the warm sun enveloping the two gargoyles.
