Puck went on to teach Alex a spell that would turn Jayden back to a human. It would take place in a few days' time.
While Jayden was waiting, Goliath allowed Brooklyn to continue being Jayden's nightly host as much as possible. He was enjoying hanging out with her. He liked not feeling so bored and useless. By now, even if he didn't have a girl, Brooklyn knew that he would be spending his time with his kids, talking to them, feeding them, reading to them, holding them. He was just glad to have others that meant something to him to take care of. The rest of the clan had their ways of being able to take care of themselves.
Even though Jayden was not volunteering to train to fight as a gargess warrior, she was enjoying the clan's company, especially Brooklyn's. She would use her musical voice to sing Kenji and Sienna to sleep for their naps in the night. Brooklyn liked the sound of her voice. He didn't know if he could sing his kids to sleep. Humming maybe, but not singing. Females were usually the better lullaby singers though some male singers were good ones too.
Brooklyn finally let Lexington babysit his twins on one of these nights when he wanted to take Jayden out on a night on the town, to show her what she would be missing as a gargoyle. Lex was thrilled to babysit his niece and nephew.
He went to find Jayden, who he found in the kitchen, serving herself some cereal for breakfast.
"Hey, Jayden." He greeted warmly with a big happy smile on his beak.
"Hi." She replied.
"Do you want to do something with me? I want to show you something when you finish eating." Brooklyn declared.
"Okay. Have you eaten yet?" She asked.
"No. I was too excited about asking you this."
"You can have some of my cereal if you want." She invited him to join her.
Brook knew he would wait for her to finish eating. Well, he might as well eat something too so his stomach wouldn't interrupt anything later. He got a bowl and spoon and sat down across from her and poured himself some of the cereal and milk too. The cereal was just Apple Jacks. He enjoyed the cereal as much as she did. When they were done, they put their dishes in the kitchen sink, washing them out and in the dish drying rack.
"So, what did you want to show me?" Jayden then asked.
"Can I take you out on a glide around the city? It'll be fun." Brooklyn said.
"Is that ok with Goliath?" she asked.
"Sure."
"What about the twins?"
"Lex is watching them while we're gone." Brook replied.
"Okay. I am feeling restless about being here tonight. I'm tired of waiting." Jayden stated.
"Come on." Brooklyn invited her with a great big smile. He was all too excited for this. He called it a date in his mind but not letting her know that.
For Jayden, the red male was all too attractive when he was in his state of happiness and playfulness. She wondered if he was trying to impress her.
"Do you think you have gliding down?" he asked her as they neared the battlements.
"The basics anyway." Jayden replied.
"I can teach you some aerial movements while gliding. Some that can even save your life when called upon." Brooklyn explained.
"Sure, but still, show me what you wanted to show me." Jayden reminded him.
"Of course." He said softly and spread his wings and jumped off the battlement. Jayden followed suit. They left the safety of the castle.
Brooklyn showed Jayden some of the sights of the city. Central Park, Times Square, Chinatown, Midtown, and even clear over to Coney Island. They stopped and rested their wings several times that night. They didn't come across any trouble tonight, so they were able to have a good time.
Brooklyn even showed her how to get after hours snacks from stands. Jayden was impressed. They shared some pretzels together.
"Boy, Brooklyn, I didn't know how beautiful the city is at night. They're just sights that you just don't see during the day." Jayden stated.
"Yep. Though I've never seen the city in person during the day, except what's left of sunset and sunrise before turning to stone." Brooklyn replied. "And on tv."
"Haven't you dreamed of becoming human?" she asked.
"Yes, and I got to be a human once. Puck did turn my clan and I human once a long time ago. The whole city's humans got to be gargoyles for a night too. But we never got to see the daylight." Brooklyn explained.
"Sorry."
"It's okay. We're used to it. But Goliath has seen the sun when he was using a magical jewel called the Eye of Odin on his quest once. Odin has his eye back now. That thing was way too dangerous for anyone to use." Brook told her the story.
"What about young Alex? Where was he when Puck was doing this?" Jayden asked.
"He wasn't born yet. It was back when Puck could do pranks as he wished. But a former clan mate of my clan, Demona, and Angela's mother, summoned Puck to do her bidding that night. You just need to keep on the lookout for her. She can also become human during the day thanks to Puck." Brook explained.
"What does she look like? Angela?"
"In female body looks, yes. But she has bright red fiery hair, blue skin, and purple wings." He explained her looks.
"Okay. Thanks for the heads up." Jayden said.
"Yeah. She saved me twice during my pregnancy, but I still don't trust her. Ever since she betrayed me and Goliath so long ago, using me to get to him, enslaving his mind, and Elisa helping to snap him out of it, I just can't trust her. She also tried to kill us off many times too. But she is close with Angela. Something I'll never understand." Brooklyn told her sadly.
"In a way, maybe you do understand."
"How so?"
"You're a parent now. You know the parent/child relationship, even though your kids are still too young to talk yet." Jayden declared.
"Yeah, I understand that part, but not to someone who tried to kill me so many times." Brook replied.
"I'll keep an eye for her then." Jayden said.
"Good. Demona can pretend to be an ally and then just betray you." Brook stated.
"A lot of humans do that too."
"Yep." He agreed with her.
Brooklyn also took Jayden to a movie before returning home close to dawn. The clan was there to greet them on the battlements.
"Where were you two?" Goliath asked.
"I was showing her around the city." Brooklyn replied. "So, what did you think of the grand tour?"
"It was really nice. Thank you, Brooklyn."
"Those are the kinds of sights you would miss seeing as a gargoyle." Brooklyn declared. "Seeing it as a human isn't the same."
"I know, but I've still made my choice, Brooklyn. As you all need to go to sleep, so do I. Good day." Jayden said and went inside to go to her room.
"Brooklyn, she's made up her mind to go be human again. That's very selfish if you think you can keep her from changing back." Angela scolded him.
"Angela's right, Brooklyn. We must respect her wishes." Goliath said.
"I just wanted to show her a good time. What some of the sights are as a gargoyle, being able to glide on her own without being held by one of us all the time. That's what it would be like as a human." Brooklyn explained. "She could still change her mind too."
"Yeah, she could, but she seems set on being human again, lad." Hudson declared. "You must respect that."
"I know. I'll still be her friend." Brook replied.
The clan knew that Brooklyn was doing his best to impress Jayden to keep her as one of their kind. They knew he desired a female of his own kind. That was the way it should be, but gargesses were hard to come by. Finding another female gargoyle would take a meeting of the clans, and who knows when that would be able to happen.
The clan turned to stone soon after.
...
The following night, quite a distance away, Thailog awoke from his stone sleep. He finally decided it was time for his chosen subject to bring him the babies that he so desired to be part of his program now that he knew about them.
Smirking evilly, he pushed the button. The light came on.
...
At the castle, the clan was awake now and most had gone on patrol. Jayden was in the castle still. Tomorrow was when she was expecting to be turned human again.
Jayden was watching the twins currently while even Brooklyn was out patrolling. Then she felt a sudden jolt in the back of her neck and her mind was taken over. There was a message being sent into her brain. It read:
Bring me those baby gargoyles at the stroke of midnight. I will be waiting on the Golden Cup building.
Your master
Jayden's hypnotized mind recognized it coming from Thailog. "Yes, Master." She replied.
Thailog heard her voice on his remote radio. He smirked evilly. "Soon, those babies will be part of my army." He rubbed his hands together.
He knew of Anton's arrest and now Thailog was on his own. He knew enough from Anton's help to know what to do. But he would eventually bust him out of jail.
...
A few hours later, Brooklyn and Lexington were returning from their patrol. They were the first ones back.
Lex went to check on Alex first thing after landing while Brooklyn was going to go check on Sienna and Kenji. He was also going to see to Jayden.
Jayden now had the order from her brainwashing device to tell her to bring the twins to her master. She picked them up and was now on her way out of the castle. She was going an opposite way down the hallway versus the way that Brooklyn was approaching the room now.
When he got to his room, he saw the door was wide open and when he checked the cribs, they were empty. That was strange, but then they could be up at the kitchen or living room. Brooklyn turned to go check out those areas when he heard a loud creaking door from the outside, the end of the castle from that direction.
Who was that? He wondered. He went to investigate.
Brooklyn followed the end of the hallway and saw the door was open at the end of it. He went outside and looked around for signs of anyone out here. But then, he saw a dark figure in the distance, flying away from the castle. He had a feeling it was Jayden. No one else was home yet.
Brooklyn knew he should get Lex and follow, but there was no time. He had to follow the figure now while they were still in sight. He jumped off the battlement and followed the distant gargoyle.
He followed the figure all the way to the far northern side of Manhattan. He had by now caught up with the figure. It was Jayden, but what was she doing all the way out here? Then he heard a sound that sounded like crying.
Jayden had his babies in her arms! It was too cold out here for them. "Jayden, what are you doing?" He called out after her.
Jayden didn't hear him and kept on going until she landed on a platform and went inside, and a door slammed down after her entering.
Brooklyn was almost there, and he landed on the platform too and tried to get inside to his babies. He pounded on the door hard. "Jayden! Why did you take my babies here?!" He yelled loudly.
On the inside, Thailog was watching. He had seen Jayden land with the babies, pleased that she was doing his bidding. Now he was seeing Brooklyn out there and alone. This could also be opportunity. He grinned maliciously.
Jayden then brought the twins into the room. "I brought you the twins of the red gargoyle, Master." She said in a zombie-like voice.
"Thank you, Jayden. Now that I have them, I just might have plans for their father, who is right outside on the camera of where you came in. Go and fetch him, my dear." Thailog ordered her gently.
"Yes, Master." Jayden replied without question. Then she turned to go get Brook.
Thailog held the twins in his arms. They were going to be perfect additions to his army, looking the way they did. But he had to put the twins down so he would be ready for their father to come in to join them.