As his belly got bigger, Brooklyn felt it harder on his body to move around. His back bothered him a lot more. He was so weighted down that he couldn't bring himself to even glide anymore. His walking was turning more into a waddling. He had no idea what his friends were planning for him however.
One night, Fox saw how bad he was hurting to move, holding his back.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Oh, my back just really hurts." he replied.
"That'll happen at times." she said.
"I feel like a bloated buffalo." he complained.
"It's better to rest with your feet raised." Fox said, but then, something occurred to her. "I do know of a good massage therapist. She could help you relax more. You know, you have been under a lot of stress lately, Brooklyn."
"I know. I can't help it. But would she accept doing a massage on a gargoyle?" he asked.
"She's very good at what she does. She's done massage for pregnancy too. I'll help her understand, of course." Fox declared. "I'll let you know if she decides to meet you."
"Thanks." he said.
…
Fox talked to the therapist. At first, she was a little shocked about what she was told that a pregnant gargoyle was in need of her healing, but she quickly changed her mind and said she would be glad to help. As it turned out, she was also one of the P.I.T. members too.
Her name was Dr. Jan Canbury.
Fox told Brooklyn that night that she could come by in a few nights to give him a massage. The payment was covered.
Brooklyn would be glad to get some relief from some of his pains. But taking warm baths or using a heating pad helped too with some of the pains as well. He was also getting stretch marks on his stomach, but they would be well worth it.
…..
A couple nights later, Dr. Canbury came to meet him for the first time.
The clan had been told about it. She offered to do the massage in Brooklyn's own room. He could leave his pants on. She, like most masseuses, did recommend getting naked and he already was, mainly.
Brooklyn wouldn't be able to lay on his stomach, but she would help him anyway. He could lay on his sides.
He laid on his bed and he watched her prepare herself. She would use an essential oil on him that she used on pregnant women, a lavender based one. The smell did seem relaxing to Brooklyn.
"I promise I'm not getting too personal or anything, Brooklyn. I'm just going to be working the kinks out of sore joints and such." she declared.
"I know." he said. "Should I expect anything?"
Jan began her massage on his right arm first. It felt good. She felt the tension in his arm. "Just start to let the tension go, Brooklyn. Try to relax." she coaxed.
He watched her do his arm and moved on to the other. Then she did a facial and head massage. He closed his eyes. Brooklyn sighed as he relaxed into it. Man, that was heavenly. Then, she moved down to his chest. She took care of where to touch him.
"Now, do you mind if I do your stomach?" she asked.
Brooklyn was so relaxed, but he opened his eyes. "Do you have to?" he asked.
"I know how to do gentle massages that I can assure you that even the babies will like. They'll even seem to melt into it. I was told you're having twins?" Jan said.
"Yep." he replied. "Okay."
Jan began to gently rub over Brooklyn's stomach. She could feel his tension there too, but he began to relax. She was gentle. She did some rubbing on his belly that he didn't expect. The babies actually did seem to move into her rubbing. She wasn't pressing either.
Eventually, she moved on to his legs, tail, back, and wings too. The wings were a new one for her. He laid on his sides so she could do it. His wings and back had some real sensitive spots on them as well, in which she tried not to do anything to betray his trust.
The massage felt so good that it couldn't help but make Brooklyn feel a little aroused too, but he didn't show it to her. He made sure to keep himself in check.
It was a good, worthy massage to help Brooklyn ease some of his discomforts associated with the pregnancy.
Jan was glad to meet him and would gladly come back to do it again if he asked her to.
"Yeah, I might need one again real soon, especially since these twins are going to keep getting bigger before they're ready to be born." he said.
"I could come weekly if you want?" she asked.
"Sure." he smiled at her.
After she was gone, he had to go take care of the arousal part.
…
Brooklyn began to feel the twins starting to kick into his ribs and it began to make his breathing harder.
Fox told him that he needed to learn some new breathing techniques. There was a thing called Lamaze that would be good for him. It also taught of certain positions to help with breathing. Even though the twins would have to be born by c-section, there was no harm in learning special breathing.
If there was a gentle exercise that he could do, it was also yoga too. It could also help with breathing techniques.
Brooklyn knew he needed to stay active as much as possible, just in a slower way. But he couldn't be stressing himself either. Any real stress could end up even making him go on bed rest. This was the first time something like this was happening to him, and to a male gargoyle for that matter.
If there was another exercise he started taking up, it was swimming down in the Paradise part beneath the castle. Swimming took the weight off his feet and it was quite relaxing too. He wished he had a mate to enjoy it with.
He felt glad to be here at home and not in Sevarius' lab. Who knows what that maniac would have him studied for while he was in this condition. Nothing good. Everything would be forced on him. To Sevarius, they were all nothing but experiments.
…..
For the past three weeks, everyone, except Brooklyn, was doing something to prepare for the baby shower. They had all gotten the gifts they were going to give him, or researched some games.
Some of the gifts couldn't have come at a better time. There was still a nursery to set up too before they were born. Dr. Paula was even going to come to the shower now too.
One night, just days before Brooklyn's baby shower would happen, there were some surprise visitors.
They were seen landing on one of the walls outside with a camera.
David was talking to Goliath as it was. "Goliath, there are visitors outside." he said.
"What sort of visitors, Xanatos?" he demanded.
"Go check it out." he said smugly.
"Tell the clan! Keep Brooklyn safe!" Goliath ordered.
When Goliath went out to meet the visitors on the big wall in front of the castle, he immediately stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened.
Before him were his rookery brother and sister! Coldstone and Coldfire!
"Brother? Sister?" Goliath gasped in surprise.
"Goliath! It is good to see you, Brother!" Coldstone greeted.
"What brings you two here?" Goliath smiled.
"We were looking for your clan. We saw the clock tower was destroyed." Coldfire said.
"Yes. That's a long story." Goliath replied.
"Goliath?" Broadway's voice came onto the scene.
The rest of the clan, all but Brooklyn, came onto the scene as well. They had been summoned for a fight, but were greeted by friends instead.
"Ah, it is good to see you, Lad and Lass!" Hudson greeted.
"Mentor, it is good to see you again." Coldfire went up and hugged her original leader.
"How are things?" Lex went up to greet them.
"Things have been quiet for us." Coldstone replied.
"Is Coldsteel still a threat?" Goliath asked.
"Yes. He's still out there somewhere, but with not finding traces of him for a long time, we thought we would find our clan and pay our respects. We have found that there are new things going on in the city." Coldstone explained.
"Yes. That is part of the reason why the clock tower was destroyed and no longer our home, but we are doing well. We have also captured Demona for her treachery after something horrible she did to Brooklyn." Goliath explained to his bro and sis.
"Where is Brooklyn?" Coldfire asked, looking and not seeing him.
"Oh, he's inside right now. He's safe. Just resting." Angela declared.
"But Brooklyn's not quite the same since you last saw him. You see, he is going to be a father soon." Lex tried to explain.
"That's great news, Lexington." Coldstone said. "But the clan's breeding year isn't here yet, right?"
"No, it's not." Goliath replied. "It is rather a different time that this is happening to my second-in-command, and rather different in how it is happening."
"So who is his mate?" Coldfire asked.
"He doesn't have one. It's hard to say how this happened to him, but this was forced on him, by my mother." Angela declared sadly. "Demona is the mother."
"Brooklyn's pregnant, believe it or not." Lexington declared.
The mated pair looked at each other in concern and disbelief. How could a male gargoyle be pregnant?
"How could he be pregnant?" Coldfire asked.
"Experiments. By Dr. Sevarius and Demona." Hudson growled.
The couple were still shocked that their rookery sister would do something like this.
"Where is Demona?" Coldstone asked.
"Under lock and key!" Broadway replied angrily on that. "We won't let her near our brother like that again!"
"Yes. She's in the dungeon for her crimes." Goliath said. "But anyway, welcome back to the clan, you two."
"Thank you, Goliath." Coldfire gave her brother a hug. She had always been sentimental and that often made her mate jealous. Coldstone now understood that they were just friends and like siblings. At least now, both souls had their own bodies, even if they were robotic ones. They were both still clan, no matter what.
They could still keep watch for Coldsteel while they were here. The clan would help them as needed. They were here to stay. They could use all the help they could get in protection. Since they didn't have a need for sleep anymore, they could protect the castle during the day too. Especially for Brooklyn's sake.
Even though they didn't have to eat, there was going to be a special meal in their honor anyway, to help welcome them back. They were also told of the special surprise party that they were going to have for Brooklyn.
They were both really surprised when they found out that Brooklyn was also pregnant with twins as well, and that they were going to be born live instead of inside eggs.
Brooklyn finished his nap and he later came out of his room to join them for dinner, and he was more than shocked to see Coldstone and Coldfire there. He hoped the third one, the evil one, wasn't with them.
"No. He's not with us. We haven't been able to find him for quite some time. I assure you, Brooklyn, you are safe." Coldstone assured the red male. He also had a look. "And I see the clan wasn't making it up. You are going to be a new father soon."
Brooklyn blushed, laying a hand on his belly. "Yes, I am."
"And that Demona is the mother?" the female robot inquired.
"Yes." Brooklyn said sadly.
"We're going to have a meal in their honor, Brooklyn. I know they don't eat, but it's a welcome back party for them. Is that alright?" Goliath asked.
"Sure. I just don't want to talk about what happened." Brook replied.
"Of course." his leader said.
Broadway helped to make a big celebration dinner, along with kitchen staff. The clan couldn't have been more complete at a time like this. At least until the twins were due to be born in a few more months.
Brooklyn was now at his 27th week. His belly was pretty big for its size.
"After dinner, we could all go on a family glide around the city. Celebrate being a clan." Lex suggested.
"That is a grand idea, Lexington." Coldstone smiled. "My Love and I would be delighted to go."
"Except for Brooklyn. He can't go out of the castle anymore. One of us always stays behind with him." Goliath said.
"I wish I could go." Brooklyn stated. "It would be nice to get out of the castle."
"But you can't in your condition." Angela said.
"I know. It just feels like an excuse." the pregnant male crossed his arms.
"Given just a few more months and it'll be over soon." Lex coaxed him.
"And we'll have our hands full with two new little ones." Hudson smiled.
The mated pair liked the idea of children. Sadly though, it would never happen for them come the breeding year.
"You two did participate in the clan's last breeding year before the clan's killing though, right?" Angela asked.
"Of course, Angela." Coldfire replied. "I laid an egg in the rookery."
"I asked because I have a feeling that I know who your biological child is. I know gargoyles always were raised by the clan together, but because Goliath, Demona, and I all share our family heritage at this time, my rookery generation all live on Avalon. I think my rookery brother, Gabriel is your biological child. He looks a lot like you, Coldstone." Angela explained. "And he has your blonde hair, Coldfire. It's very likely he is your son."
"It's very possible." Coldfire replied. "What color is he?"
"He's got more of a green skin color than blue." Angela stated.
"Maybe someday we'd like to meet him." Coldstone said.
"It takes a special spell to get to Avalon though." Angela declared.
'And what I wouldn't give to meet one of her sisters. I want a mate so badly.' Brooklyn thought to himself. 'And I need a mother for my children, a real mother.'
The pair would go down to the dungeon eventually to see Demona again, to just see how she was and have their own lecture at her.
Later, way after dinner, the whole clan, minus Brooklyn and Bronx, went on a family glide around the city. Brooklyn kept Bronx at his side. He was sure he would be fine while the clan was gone. He wished he could have gone on the glide. The babies were keeping him down though and the clan didn't want to risk his safety.
Bronx whined as the clan left.
"It's alright, boy. They'll be back soon. You want to hang out with me tonight?" Brooklyn asked. "Come on, Bronx."
Bronx perked up, wagging his tail. The red male petted him on his head and he followed him to the courtyard. "It's such a beautiful night out, boy. Let's just enjoy the fresh air." he suggested. Brooklyn sat down in a chair next to a table out there. Bronx laid down beside the chair.
Brooklyn began to practice some yoga breathing in the chair. He could feel his little ones moving around inside his belly. They were capable of kicking into his diaphragm, making it harder to breathe at times.
He would stop and feel them move. "I wish you guys wouldn't kick me right there. I have to breathe." he smiled. All the aches and pains were worth it for his babies. They were bringing joy to his life even though they weren't even born yet.
He tried to think of some names for them, but there were so many to choose from. Did he want to give them more original names, or ones named after cities too?
The thought did cross his mind if what if one of them was completely red like him, but had Demona's red hair? It was a scary thought. Many humans already deemed he was scary enough as it was.
After some time, the two of them went to Brooklyn's room so the new father to be could do some more reading on pregnancy.
A little later, the clan returned just before sunrise. Brooklyn stayed in his room. Bronx whined at the door to be let out. "Oh, alright boy, I'm coming." he grunted to get up off the bed. His belly got in the way.
Brooklyn opened his door and Bronx went bounding out full speed ahead to go greet the clan upon their return. Brooklyn went with him. He just couldn't keep up quite as well. He held his back.
He met them up on the high tower just as the sun rose. The two robot gargoyles now wondered what they were going to do. They went to explore the castle that had once been their home long ago.
Coldstone and Coldfire met up with Xanatos and he told them about Brooklyn's baby shower. They could help set that up if they wanted, or they could continue to explore their new home. It was a new home now compared to a thousand years ago.
They would help set up some of the party planners and such. Tomorrow was the big night.