Next came was Jasira's training in combat. She had had some training from Demona, but the clan wanted to see what she was capable of and what she could continue to learn about. They just wanted her to be fully trained before they even thought about letting her come on patrols. She wasn't ready for that yet, plus they needed to convince her that humans weren't that bad contrary to what she had been taught by Demona.
Xanatos said that the clan was welcome to use the dojo for flip training and such. Landing on mats wouldn't hurt so much. But some sorts of training such as weapon training had to be done outside. Aerial training took place outside too.
The clan were so glad that they didn't have to teach Jasira how to learn to glide as she knew how to do that already, but there were still some aerial moves that she could still be taught too, to avoid being shot at in the air, for example.
Jasira was taught to use a sword, mace, axe, and other weapons when needed. But gargoyles preferred to mostly use their bodies as their weapons.
It was taking weeks to do her training and she was learning fast. She definitely had the adaptability of her mother. She was an excellent student. The clan all found her a pleasure to teach.
Jasira found she also had her father's sense of humor. She liked hanging out with him. It made Brooklyn smile that he had a child of his own despite his young age. Being called a father was very new to him but he was getting used to it. He was proud of how his daughter was coming along in her training.
Then there were the fun moments of her living there. Lexington liked teaching her about the computer and the chatrooms and video games.
Angela liked having another female around to talk to. They would also do makeovers and talk about males in secret. They were sisters after all and could have girl nights too.
Broadway gave her some cooking recipes to learn and cook. He also talked about detective movies with her.
Brooklyn wouldn't take her on patrols yet, but he did take her and show her around the city to some of his favorite hangouts. He would also take her to the movies, concerts, and just show her the sites of the city. He liked having 'father/daughter' time. Even though she could never be a mate, he was liking hanging out with a young female. He found he was liking being a parent. Jasira was definitely a blessing to the clan despite how she had been conceived.
Jasira also liked hanging out with Hudson watching tv in the living room. She liked to watch Disney princess movies especially, but any Disney movie would do. Hudson was like a grandfather to her. He shared many a story of what life was like back in the ancient times. She also liked hearing stories of their clan from long ago.
It was Goliath who she found she was usually more wary of. She treaded carefully around him. She usually wouldn't go around him unless her father or other clan member was with her. Goliath could be rather stern or plain grumpy. It was when Elisa was around that he was more pleasing to be around.
Jasira was gaining favor with Elisa. She was learning to trust her as the first human to get to know. She was like a mother figure even though she wasn't a real mother yet. She was a very different mom figure compared to her birth mother.
The young female also found she liked babysitting with Alex. He was a fun kid to know too. She would often do it alongside Lexington. He was teaching her how to babysit and handle a child. Someday, she might become a mother when she found herself a mate. Though that would be a while, and Brooklyn would likely be very protective of his daughter. He would also be more than protective over her whenever Demona would be encountered in the future.
Jasira knew she didn't want to go back to live with her mother, but perhaps she might go see her sometime in the future, try to convince her that humans weren't all bad. But then, Demona had chosen her fate.
Brooklyn loved his daughter like any father would and she was a great hangout buddy, but he still wouldn't be getting the same kind of love from her that he desired from a love of his own. An adult female to help him raise his daughter. He knew Jasira would grow up and want a mate of her own too, one day.
Even though Jasira liked being around the clan members, she also liked having private time too. Ever since her Uncle Lex had showed her the chatrooms online, she got more curious about it and even went looking to chat with boys or friends she could find online.
At one point, she did start up a chat with a young boy that she actually didn't know was a young male gargoyle from London. His chat name was KC. He was like an encyclopedia with answers. It impressed Jasira. The male's real name was Atlas. He was like a Pegasus among his clan. He and Jasira even discussed a possible meeting someday.
...
After a few months of getting Jasira prepared and trained and changed her way of perspective on humans, she was finally ready for a patrol. She had also accepted Brooklyn's cat as a part of their clan too.
Brooklyn wanted to be the one to take her on her first patrol. Goliath understood. He took Angela tonight with him. He was proud of his second in command to have stepped up and be the father that he was.
They were to patrol the Harlem area tonight. They went there and there were some gang busts on trying to rape a woman and that angered Brooklyn so much that he literally threw himself into fighting the punks so hard that he injured a few and others were so scared they took off running. He also got in between Jasira and a big punk to protect her as she was helping the woman get out of the way.
"Good job, Dad." Jasira complimented him.
"Thanks. There was no way I was going to let them do that to her, or anyone else." Brooklyn declared. "Are you alright, ma'am?"
The woman was actually one of a few who wasn't scared of them. "Uh, thank you, gargoyles. You both look alike. Are you related?" she asked.
"Yeah. We're father and daughter." Jasira replied.
"Well, if you're alright, ma'am, you should get on home now." Brooklyn encouraged.
"Yes, I will." The woman smiled on her way out.
"How come you aren't afraid of us?" Jasira asked.
"I am a member of the P.I.T. Crew. People for Interspecies Tolerance." The woman explained.
"It means that they welcome our attention." Brooklyn cleared it up for Jasira.
"Oh, ok." Jasira said. "Good to know."
The woman then had to be on her way. She was a woman in her twenties. She was beautiful, with black flowing long hair and blue eyes. She stood about 5'6.
To Brooklyn, she was beautiful, but he was still holding out for a gargess. Only if he didn't meet a female gargoyle at a gargoyle world meeting would he even consider a human for a possible mate. But they didn't know when that would be.
The rest of their first patrol together was really quiet but Jasira was glad to see what it was all about now. She felt a sense of joy of helping someone. It was a little fun after all.
Brooklyn knew why he had thrown himself at the men trying to ruin that woman's life. Because he had experienced it four times and didn't want her or anyone else to go through it. That woman was lucky this night.
...
Demona would watch from time to time on how her second daughter was doing living with the clan. Even both sometimes. She knew she didn't deserve forgiveness, but she really wanted Jasira back in her life. She saw that her daughter seemed to be thriving among her former clan.
She so wanted to make Brooklyn pay for taking her daughter from her. To her, he didn't deserve her. Not with the idea of thinking that humans had to be protected when it was the opposite. She planned to confront him one day and take Jasira back. She had worked too hard to get a child of her own in her life and she wasn't going to let it go so easily.
For all she knew, Brooklyn would likely end up choosing some human woman for a mate like Goliath when he would get desperate for a mate of his own. She could have been his mate if he had been willing to join her cause. They could have been a family. But definitely not now.
Demona was going to plan her revenge carefully. Getting rid of Goliath had always been the top priority, but now, Brooklyn would be a close target too because he was the father of Jasira. But she knew where to hurt him now the most. But this time, she wanted him alone once again. Or confront him and Jasira together.
...
She got her chance three weeks later when Brooklyn and Jasira were on their way to a movie at Times Square. Jasira was chatting how excited she was for this movie and Brooklyn was glad to be seeing it with her, but then, there was an eerie scream from above them both and it was Demona!
The two red gargoyles glanced up and saw the blue female dive-bombing them. But Brooklyn couldn't get out of the way fast enough as Demona struck him from above. He cried out as he was taken down towards a rooftop.
"Dad!" Jasira exclaimed in concern for her father. She dived down after them.
Brooklyn and Demona crash landed on a rooftop. Brooklyn was winded from the fall, but he tried to turn over and fight the older female. "Get off me!" He snarled, eyes lighting up.
"You have something of mine and now you're going to pay for it!" Demona retorted angrily. She picked him up and threw him into the higher wall of the next building. That also knocked the wind from his lungs too.
"MOM! Stop this!" Jasira ordered as she came down and landed.
"Jasira, you are not going to be staying with him and the other human-loving gargoyles! Remember what I taught you about them!" Demona reminded Jasira.
"Yes, I remember, Mother. But they are not as bad as you think." Jasira declared.
Brooklyn rubbed his head as he managed to push himself to a sitting position. He glared at the redhaired female before them.
"Yes, they are, Jasira. Humans will always betray us for being not one of them. You are coming along with me now." Demona tried to get a hold of Jasira, but she jumped away from her mother and she ran over to her father's side.
"Are you alright, Dad?" She asked Brook, trying to help him up.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just a little winded and bruised, sweetie." Brook replied. "Get out of here, Demona. You aren't getting her back."
"I will be trying to get my daughter back no matter what it takes, Brooklyn! I could always take my gun out and destroy you." Demona threatened. She had a gun on her thigh right now.
"NO! Please stop doing this, Mom! Don't harm my father! I choose to stay with him! Leave us alone!" Jasira exclaimed to her mother. "You hardly ever had time for me as it was. I was lonely living with you. I like living with the clan. Please don't harm them ever again! And I didn't like being lied to."
Demona's expression softened when Jasira pleaded to her.
"Dad paid the price of the clan's freedom last time. Just let us live our lives peacefully." Jasira pleaded some more.
"Leave us alone, Demona. You've damaged me enough. I just want to show my daughter a good time tonight." Brooklyn added.
"I will always be trying to get you back, Jasira. I raised you first. I will always be your mother." Demona proclaimed.
"Yes, biologically. But you are nothing but a monster to us all!" Jasira exclaimed, hitting the nail on the head. Those words really hit home in Demona's mind.
"Fine! Stay with the clan for all I care! Just don't go running to me for help if the clan gets destroyed by some evil human plot or something else." Demona declared.
"I won't!" Jasira stated. "Now leave us!"
"Very well, my daughter." Demona replied but she wasn't happy with Jasira's decision.
Brooklyn smiled. He was glad that Jasira was choosing him and the clan over her mother. Demona didn't deserve her.
Demona gave Brooklyn an angry glare as she took off from the rooftop.
There was still time to catch the movie, but it was wise that they went back home in case Brooklyn had a concussion. They could catch the movie another night after that fight. Jasira kept a watch on how her father glided on the way home.
Brooklyn's gliding was a little shakier as his head hurt. Jasira had to help him finish getting home. There, he was laid up in his room. He just wanted to lay down as his head hurt him. He would be healed tomorrow night.
The clan was informed of what happened to them. Jasira had saved her dad's life this night and they were proud of her. She had turned down her mom's offer to come back with her. Now, Brooklyn just needed rest for the rest of tonight. Jasira wouldn't leave his side for anything.
The red male was pleased that his daughter had chosen him over her. Jasira had come a long way in her finding and relationships with the clan. She was truly a warrior now.
...
The next night, Brooklyn was healed. He volunteered to go again with Jasira to go see the movie again. She was pleased. This time, there was no encounter with Demona.
They got to enjoy the movie together. After, they enjoyed a glide around the city until it was close to sunrise.