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The moon was out in full that evening as Hudson spread his wings wide, the light breeze feeling nice along his bulky form. Stars dotted the night sky as he scanned the area, no other signs of life around him, ideal conditions for him after waking up from sleep. It meant he didn't have to explain anything and he preferred it that way.

It'd been a month since Lexington had shown up unannounced. He thought he could keep his little project hidden, but apparently he drew too much suspicion and was found out before he was ready to spill the beans. While that miffed him at first, he wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to show off his incredible progress, even if he didn't think he was quite done. He still had more than enough size for the other gargoyle to appreciate.

But now he was comfortably finished with his undertaking. In total he'd spent around two months out in the wilderness – longer than initially thought – but that gave him ample time to hone his body into a powerful figure worthy of praise. Well, at least one member of his clan thought so. It was time to see if the others thought the same way.

The area he camped out in was picturesque, practically worthy of being put on a postcard, making him a bit surprised not many people came that way. His tent had laid untouched the entire time he was out there.

But his need for privacy was gone now that he fully intended on returning home, his dwelling packed up and ready for transport. Bringing all of it there to begin with was a multi-trip job, but with the strength he'd accumulated in the time since, he was certain he might be able to take it all back in one go. A large part of him really wanted to see if that was possible.

The one thing he couldn't really prepare for transport in the same way was his mirror as there was no way to compact it without damaging it beyond repair. He'd just have to be extra careful not to break it during flight.

But before that, he figured he ought to get one last look at himself while he had time to himself.

To say he was big was an understatement as he needed to back up more than he used to in order to fit his whole body in the frame. That he liked, as evident by the widening grin staring back at him, reveling in the impromptu pose he found himself in. He'd been out of shape for so long that he wasn't used to the figure reflected in the mirror, but his pride swelled when he let himself recognize that as his own body.

And what a body it was. His efforts out in the mountains had been long and grueling, but the payoff was tremendous as every workout tacked on a little bit more size. He got to see himself blimp up in real time, what was once flab he'd had for hundreds of years slowly fading as densely-packed muscle mass took its place, stuffing so tightly under his pelt that it took on a chiseled look that he very much enjoyed, especially when he brought his arms up into a pump to give himself a show that he'd earned at that point.

That brought him back to when Lexington was feeling his form up, savouring the fruits of his labour. His chest puffed up at the thought, as did his legs, which now touched if he didn't widen his stance to accommodate for his bulk. Twisting his body to one side allowed him a better view of just how thick he'd gotten, his back like a jungle gym for the muscle-obsessed in his life with how much of it there was to grab.

Pushing his arms behind him demonstrated the power packed into his front, his pecs like boulders fused to his chest that popped out with gusto from a single flex, matching his powerful gut that wasn't happy being with merely being large, which meant it reached just about to where his pectorals sat at rest. The sheer width of his trunk made him a modern, living marvel.

He was certainly proud of his accomplishments, but he wondered what Lex would think now. The feeling of the other gargoyle's hands came back to him, only now his imagination forced them to adjust to his newfound size, caressing beef that wasn't there before. His glutes tensed at the thought of another taking interest in them. Whereas before they were simply what one's would look like if moderate weightlifting were taken up over an extended period of time, now they were a set of dimpled mounds that even the most heavyweight of bodybuilders would struggle to achieve. Each cheek was a lot to take in at once and would require more than one hand to fully envelop should the opportunity ever arise.

And that wasn't to say anything about the rest of his lower half. Swollen with hard-earned bulk were his quads, so rippling with muscle mass that the trees standing nearby needed hundreds of years of constant growth just to be as thick as they were. Every movement tensed them, showing off the power that apparently lay dormant inside him for so long until he decided to workout, bloating them out into monster muscles that might just render the logs he hoisted into a messy pile of pulp and sawdust. Both of them yearned for space that just didn't exist.

His calves were a wonder unto themselves, thicker than a softball in places where they'd be unremarkable on someone else. The mirror had no qualms in showing off the reality of his efforts, reflecting back at him the impressive visage of both forelegs, barely an ounce of fat between them as when flexed they seemed hard as diamond. He couldn't help but think about what Lex might think of them now. It put a smile on his face knowing that he would have his answer not long from now.

And that's why he needed to get a move on as, with the sun unable to be stopped, he had limited time to make his trip. Hastily he shoved his gear under both arms and, with a mighty flap of his wings, he set off, with home being his destination. Within seconds he found himself aloft, his form stable as he gripped his equipment with great intensity for fear of it dropping in a place not easy to retrieve. The mirror wasn't going anywhere being clutched in his hands like that.

But the flight across the cityscape was one he missed. He'd been away from everything for so long that the sights and sounds of the bustling metropolis put an involuntary smile on his face. Soaring past skyscrapers was a thrill that very few got to experience, which had him wanting to do it more often.

The castle soon came into view, which heightened his mood tremendously. The lack of contact with the rest of his clan had begun to affect him after Lexington had found him, and he yearned to be with his kind again. His mind swam with wonderment as to what the others would think of him and his progress, whether they'd be supportive or chastise him for his extended absence. He'd know for sure once he finally got home.

Which his daydreaming nearly made him crash into, narrowly avoiding a tower. His landing was more abrupt than he'd have liked it.

But he was home now, and in record time. That had to have been the fastest he'd ever traversed the city. At first he thought his constant exercise had been a boon to his entire form, but he remembered that he barely got a chance to work out his wings while camping out in the wilderness. It was while pondering the mystery that he noticed how things seemed further away from him now, like he was standing on some kind of platform without actually doing so. He scanned the surroundings looking for a clue as to what was going on, and it was only until he noticed the top of a nearby doorframe being eye level with him that the pieces finally fell into place.

Not only had he grown out thanks to his dedicated efforts, but he'd also grown taller as well.

It was a welcome development, one he didn't think was possible given how that didn't happen to people working on honing the muscle mass on their bodies, but his gargoyle physiology was thoroughly unknown to science, which meant there might actually be a good explanation for his unexpected growth spurt.

And with an increase in height came an increase in wingspan, and not just from his lats. Leathery and spread wider than his tent was, his wings cast a large shadow from the moonlight, covering a greater area than when he left the castle initially. Couple that with the imposing figure they were attached to and it painted a vivid picture of his tremendous progress. His was definitely a body to be proud of.

Watching the way that dark outline of his form flexed along the castle floor made him momentarily forget everything he brought with him – it was all so light now! With great haste he stashed his gear in a closet not far from where he landed, careful not to let anything happen to the mirror lest he become plagued with bad luck. Presumably. It wasn't all that imperative to keep the equipment hidden from the others, he just didn't want to answer a lot of questions. Where he went wasn't important; all that mattered was that he was back.

And not a moment too soon as he found himself in the company of Broadway and Brooklyn, who'd happened to be walking by as he was covering himself back up. He didn't want to spoil the surprise so soon.

He felt his face naturally lift upon seeing the other two gargoyles. “Lads! It's been a while." His wings wrapped tight around his impressive physique.

“Hey, the old timer's back! Long time no see." Brooklyn pointed in his direction.

Broadway's steps grew faster when he heard that. “Did you miss us?"

“Of course, every day." The lack of light atop the castle was fortuitous to Hudson. The other two hadn't noticed anything different yet, and he wasn't interested in revealing his results until the time was right. Soon. “I assume you two have been keeping busy."

“Oh sure. The city won't protect itself, you know."

“Crime's hit an all-time low." Brooklyn crossed his arms, a confident smirk adorning his face. “We're just that good at what we do."

“Glad to hear." Knowing the young ones remained engaged in their work in his absence put Hudson at ease. A part of him grew a bit worried about that while up in the mountains as he always tried to help wherever possible, but if the job of guarding civilians from harm could be done without him, then his fears were assuaged.

That said, another part of him started speaking up inside him. His side project had been a roaring success – far greater than he ever thought was attainable – and it had him wondering if the others had the same drive inside them. Maybe they didn't aspire to reach the heights he'd found himself at, but it couldn't hurt to ask. “Well, you're certainly adept at taking care of others. How have you been with taking care of yourselves?"

Broadway simply stared at him, his expression projecting an air of confusion. “What do you mean?"

“Your bodies, lad. Have you been making sure you're in tiptop shape?"

“Oh, uh…" The question had Broadway gripping his ample belly, grimacing. “Not really?"

Brooklyn rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, our priorities have been elsewhere."

As he expected. “Oh, that's a shame. I think it's important for us to look after ourselves seeing as these are the only bodies we're given."

And that's when Brooklyn grew hesitant, his fingers twitching before clenching into nervous fists. “Hey, no offense or anything, but I don't think you're really the guy to tell other people that they should be working on themselves." His eyes shone with apprehensive restraint.

Broadway took his cue to chime in. “Yeah, Hudson, a couch potato like you should be worrying about yourself more than anyone else. You nearly eat more than I do!"

“You're talking about us not taking care of ourselves? You've been gone for months now! What have you even been doing this whole time?" It appeared that all Brooklyn needed to let loose his thoughts was to have someone else echo them as well. His body language had completely jumped in the opposite direction, now on the offensive.

“Not helping us, that's for sure. We could've used you many times in the last week alone." Broadway grumbled.

“And you spend the most time in front of the TV out of all of us." Brooklyn's courage appeared to spike even higher, letting out a scoff. “You're kinda like the 'before' picture on a weight loss commercial."

Hudson's expression soured almost instantly. While he predicted receiving jabs directed his way, he didn't think they'd be so soon after reaching the castle. “I am, am I?" Forget waiting to surprise everyone; the right time was upon him. “Then I suppose it's time I had my 'after' photo taken."

The petty side of him relished in the other gargoyles' puzzled looks, clearly not able to decipher his words given what they knew about him – what they used to know about him, that was. He took a second to figure out how best to use this moment to truly put them in their places, and while several options seemed enticing, he thought it simply be the best to display to them how wrong they were.

With them standing in a doorway on the opposite side of the room, he knew they'd have difficulty in seeing him for what he really was. All he did to rectify that was to merely walk up to them.

And he did, observing their eyes widening with impish glee. Not a word needed to be said as he strode up to the two younger ones, his wings still wrapped tightly around his frame so as to keep his progress concealed, and while he could've paraded his new bulk around for everyone to see, his towering stature articulated everything his mind wanted to. Suddenly the others weren't so noisy with their disapproval, too caught up in realizing just how much things had changed, understanding that he actually did use his time wisely.

It was exactly the reaction he was hoping for. “I think you two ought to be a little more respectful to your elders."

That might start now. “Hudson?.." Broadway's voice croaked. “What happened to you?"

“I wasn't out doing nothing, lad. There was a purpose to my absence." Hudson's features softened into a warm grin. “Commercials have nothing on me." With a great flap of his wings, he revealed his form, his heft finally on display for both of the others to gawk at.

And gawk they did. His physique was nothing short of statuesque, carved by the gods to be their mortal representation. Immediately he beset upon them his arms, limbs that put steel cables to shame in both size and strength, sporting biceps bigger than the head of anyone around, coupled with triceps so densely packed that they alone outsized other people's arms. Those framed his pectorals, thick-cut slabs of beef that jutted out more than a foot from his chest, casting an impressive shadow onto the stones that made up the floor of the castle. The silence following his unveiling was music to his ears.

Even more cathartic was knowing he still commanded their rapt attention, his flexing keeping all eyes on him. So much strength had never before been seen on anyone, let alone on someone who never so much as mentioned the idea before, so he knew it must have been something special to be able to witness what he had to offer. He was quite the specimen to behold.

His torso was unrecognizable. Gone was the flabby gut that hung off his trunk, now a solid dome that drew the focus of all around him, especially when he tensed his abdomen to show off his powerful midsection. It kept him wide, bigger than when he started even. His imposing magnitude made the likes of Broadway look thin by comparison.

But of course that wasn't all he had to offer. Rippling with incredible bulk were his legs, limbs so thick with beef that trees didn't look all that big anymore. His quads at rest alone surpassed the size of a smaller man's waist, but while flexed they were a whole other beast.

He stepped forward – more of a stomp than anything else – to show off his gains, his thighs lean and meaty, able to see the striations among all the bulging muscle. Watermelons were no match if put between them, though with all the work he put into enhancing his physique there was likely little that could get the better of him. His calves were no slouches either, both thicker than his shins and seen from the front at all times. Those legs of his were something to be proud of.

As was his rear. Those globes alone outsized a fair number of the city's residents, with each on their own hefty enough to give a beginner weightlifter a run for their money. Just a simple flex was enough to get them to strain into something extraordinary, the cleft in each glute bigger than Broadway's cheek. They screamed power without saying a single thing at all.

With the sort of comments he regularly got thrown his way, Hudson liked to think he'd successfully refuted whatever anyone could possibly say to him. He certainly shut the pair of younger gargoyles up. “I think I made my point. Now," he ambled up to Brooklyn and slung an arm around the red-skinned man, “I think an apology is in order."

The pressure he applied to Brooklyn could be observed in a variety of ways, most notably in the strain in his voice. “Hudson, could you maybe let me go?"

“Let me hear it first."

Brooklyn grunted. “Okay, okay! I'm sorry."

And just like that, Hudson let him go. “There we are." There was no malice in his actions. Years of poking and prodding had built up inside him, and he just wanted it to stop.

Brooklyn rubbed along his arm. “Is that why you did all this? So you can push us around?" He grumbled.

“Nothing of the sort, lad. I would never wish to actually harm you." Hudson's look became knowing, his eyes flicking between both men. “You just don't seem to know the power that words can hold."

Broadway was the first to react. “Oh, yeah, I get what you're saying."

“Yeah." Brooklyn sighed, clutching his shoulder. “Sorry about all that."

“Apology accepted! I was beginning to think I might never hear those words." Hudson chuckled. “Now, I want to dispel this idea that I only bulked up just so I could boss people around." Hands on his hips, he tensed his upper body as much as he could, both his torso and arms flexing as hard as they could. “I'm old, I know that, but I wanted to show that I wasn't as dead in the ground as you lot liked to think I was. I've still got some kick left in me."

“We can definitely see that now." Broadway's gaze remained fixed on the display in front of him until he looked down at his own form, hands gripping various parts of his body as if comparing them. A thick layer of pudge covered most of everything, especially evident when he gripped his gut just to watch it jiggle. He then tilted his head up again. “You know, I actually wouldn't mind bulking up a bit myself. I eat like I work out anyway."

“Well, I believe my services could be of use. When you've got the time, of course."

Broadway's face lit up. “It's a deal!"

“How strong do you think you are?" Brooklyn rubbed his chin.

The question gave Hudson pause. How strong was he actually? Those logs he trained with sure gave him the resistance he needed to help him get bigger, but it wasn't like there was a scale out in the wilderness to accurately measure their weight. That had him wondering how best he could demonstrate his gains. That was until he happened upon a way that could cleverly establish a baseline that made sense to everyone present. “Does this answer your question?" Without any warning he walked on over to Broadway and gently grabbed hold of his torso, only to then flex his own upper body and effortlessly lift the younger gargoyle in the air.

“Hey!" Broadway yelped, clearly not anticipating being hoisted off the ground. It was only upon realizing that nothing else had happened that his facial expression softened. “Oh wow, you're not even trying, are you?"

“Woah." Brooklyn couldn't take his eyes off what everyone would've thought of as impossible. “Do you even feel it?"

“Of course." Hudson responded. “It just doesn't bother me." Lifting another person at this stage in the game was child's play, his swollen musculature ensured that. He was happy that the others were enjoying the show, but it tickled him when he looked out of the corner of his eye to see the red-skinned one gazing at his legs, presumably at how little they moved the whole time.

He couldn't be more correct. “And you did this all over the course of a couple months?"

“Aye. You could too if you'd like to." Knowing he had the other gargoyle's attention, he went ahead and tensed his lower limbs, flaunting the beef stuffed under his pelt that he worked so hard to achieve. Instantly his thighs doubled in size, each quad intruding on the other's space and fighting for what little room was shared between them. This was the reaction he'd hoped for. “Impressed?"

Brooklyn could only chuckle. “Very!"

“Glad to hear it." Hudson then went and lowered Broadway back to the stony floor, satisfied with himself. To say the other two were thrilled with the feat would be an understatement as neither had stopped talking about how amazing it was.

Which then flustered him when they immediately descended upon him, not to rip him to shreds like he'd thought for half a second, but instead to get up close and personal with his swollen physique. Broadway went for his arms without a second thought, those biceps of his tensing involuntarily from the touch alone, his body enjoying the sensation of someone fawning over it again. That was coupled with Brooklyn dropping lower down his frame, reveling in the bulk crammed under his hide. The attention had him red in the face.

It also, however, ignited the showy side of him, much like his time with Lexington did.

First to be flaunted were his arms, flexing them so hard that the blue-skinned gargoyle gasped when the circumference grew greater than what two hands could manage. To know that the largest of the trio had difficulty containing his heft electrified his soul. His triceps joined in on the fun when he straightened his limbs out, that horseshoe grotesquely bulging far larger than it had any right to, and yet it didn't stop when normalcy said it should. That was what he was capable of, and he wasn't afraid to show it off.

And then came his legs, which he spread apart to allow for as much pleasure for Brooklyn as was possible. Instantly he tensed them, his quads in particular bunching up something fierce and providing far more entertainment than a single muscle enthusiast could handle. Fingers glided along the burly muscle groups, carefully tracing along the veins that snaked along his limbs, some spots they roamed to sensitive to the touch and getting him to suck air in through his teeth. Those hands then found purchase on his glutes, which uncontrollably tightened into the dimpled mounds he'd turned them into. He thought only Lexington was this voracious in exploring his body, but apparently that was a trait his rookery brothers all shared.

While he was content in letting them explore to their heart's desires, Hudson had intended on meeting up with the other members of his clan as well, and there was no chance of that if he was just standing there letting his bulk be worshiped, even if he did enjoy it. He took no time in grabbing the pair of them by the scruff of their necks and placing them on the floor in front of him, still towering over them in spite of them standing up straight. “So, you lads liked that, eh?"

“Yeah!" They both cheered in unison.

“Then how about we work on getting you two up to speed?" Hudson's imagination began churning out mental images of what those two would look like with his level of dedication. He rather liked what he saw. “We can start when you're ready. I have lots to show you."

“Dude, let's get started!" Brooklyn slung his arm around his rookery brother's neck, his enthusiasm shining through every part of his body.

Broadway was less inspired as evident by his apprehensive expression. “I dunno about you," he brought his arm up to a pump, only for the result to be nowhere near what was just shown off, “but I don't think I'm ready to jump into it just yet."

“Oh, uh…" Brooklyn's attempts were much of the same. “Yeah, I guess I was getting ahead of myself there."

“That's alright, you two have plenty of time to prepare. In the meantime…" As if to give them an incentive to think about starting soon, Hudson carefully pivoted on his heels – not easy to do given the hundreds of pounds on a frame like a barn door – and proudly put his back on display, keeping his wings as closed as possible so as to give them the best view he could.

Wide was the best way to describe him. While he grew in all directions as a result of his extensive exercise, he hadn't acquired nearly as much height as he did other dimensions. His swollen physique was a marvel in perseverance, a testament to what was achievable when determined enough. Contracting his back muscles proved that his size wasn't just for show, as evident by how much depth he gained by tensing, creating peaks that rose like a mountain range from the ground.

His traps were quite the spectacle as they claimed much of the space below his ears, all but swallowing his neck as they made their presence known. They weren't something he specifically targeted – he didn't even know what they were called until he'd already been working out for a week – but he gladly let them grow as he worked the rest of his body. It was one thing to see him tower over everyone else, but for his muscles to do it as well? That was a cause for celebration; he was someone to be taken seriously!

And that wasn't to say anything about his lats. Were he to not have wings, those muscles alone would prevent him from wearing conventional shirts as no store would be able to fit someone as wide as two people. They gave his back the appearance of a landmass, a broad, flat expanse that led to the heights of the rest of his torso. They flared out wide as he pulled his fists above his head, proving their importance by their sheer size alone. Not even those humans in his book managed to look as breathtaking as he did.

Exhibiting his impeccable beef for the other two brought his flexing down below the belt, starting with his inflated rump, likely able to crush a log into splinters from the weight of him alone. Taking one step forward naturally caused them to tighten them as concave as they'd go, able to present the reason to take the first step in working out with ease. Each deliberate step contorted his cheeks as he paraded his heft around. He had no idea what the first of many squats he did would do to him, but he was happy he took the plunge when he did with how amazing his glutes turned out.

His set paired well with legs like a decorative column, thick and sturdy through and through, yet pleasing to look at. Those thighs continually brushed past one another as he kept shifting his position as he showed off to the other two. Each one looked like what an organic machine might be as every tense of his quads moved each part of them in tandem. As did his calves, which bulged out mightily as he strutted his stuff. Those masses of muscle could effortlessly kick their way through a door should he want to.

“There," he said with a smirk, finally turning around after finishing his presentation, “I think you both have enough to visualize when you're ready." They wholeheartedly agreed and he saw the other two off, noting the excited glint in their eyes. “Just call me when you think it's time."

And then he was alone again. He'd forgotten how quiet the castle could get, even when placed in the heart of the city. The quiet hum of electricity was one thing he hadn't heard in some time, and it made a part of him want to settle down in front of the television again. That could wait, however, as he had more important things to take care of.

Such as finding out where Goliath was hiding. He slipped his burly form under his wings once more and set off.

Given that the other gargoyle was the biggest of them all – at least at one point – he didn't think it'd be that difficult to locate where his leader was brooding. He instinctively went to every spot where he thought he'd find Goliath, only to come up empty. It wasn't until he headed up to the perch where everyone went to sleep that he happened to find company. “Goliath," he called out.

“Hudson?" Goliath turned, noting his presence. “Well, this is a welcome surprise. I thought I might have seen you fly in earlier, but I couldn't be sure from up here."

Hudson couldn't help but warmly smile. “Ah, Goliath! It's good to see you, my friend." The sight of the other man brought to him a sense of security that he lacked out in the mountains. Even with his enhanced size, he still believed in safety in numbers. “I assume you've been keeping well."

“Well enough, but the boys can be a hassle at times. Your presence was definitely missed."

“Oh, I'm sure you're exaggerating. I'm far from being as imposing a figure as you are." Hudson didn't realize it in the moment, but his words were more deliberate than he meant them to be. He watched the other gargoyle's gaze drift along his body, eventually ending up eye to eye, more or less. That immediately gave away that the leader had discovered how tall he'd become, which then clued him in to how close in height they were now, much to his own surprise.

Goliath could only grin. “You sell yourself short."

“Oh, what can I say? I'm nothing if not humble," Hudson chuckled. “How have things been around here without me?"

“Alright, for the most part. A few bumps here and there, but nothing we couldn't take care of."

“Well, I can see the castle's still standing. Clearly you know what you're doing."

Goliath nodded, though then raised an eyebrow. “How was your training?"

That was something Hudson was waiting to hear. With an earned swagger, he carefully slid an arm out from under his wing and held it in front of the other man's face, a quick tense getting his musculature to jump in size in a fraction of a second. That was contrasted with him then straightening his arm out, showing off the impossible magnitude of his meaty tricep, proving what the real jewel in his limb's crown actually was. Even then, his biceps were something to be proud of.

He then did the same with his leg, the heel forcefully slamming into the stonework as he flexed his humongous thigh, leaving it comparable with medicine balls. More so than before he tensed his quad as much as it could go, making it appear like it'd been inflated in seconds, nearly as wide as the both of the other gargoyle's legs put together. “Does this answer your question?" He capped it off with making sure his leader got a good look at his wide calf.

“Hudson!" Goliath gasped, unable to look away. “What happened to you?"

That… wasn't quite the reaction Hudson was hoping for. “Eh, did I go too far?"

Goliath palmed his face. “When you told me you were going away to work on your training, I was under the impression you meant in combat. Not once did I consider you were looking to build muscle."

Now the puzzle pieces were falling into place. “I can see the misunderstanding." Hudson went and re-robed himself with his wings, chuckling at the mix up. “Yes, that was my intention the entire time. I was merely hoping to receive a little respect around here."

“Do you think you were successful in your endeavours?"

“I'd like to think so. I just didn't want to disclose what I was going to do because I didn't want the lads to catch on too quickly." Once more Hudson revealed an arm, this time inspecting it himself. Exercising out in the wilderness gave him a lack of perspective that the others held onto. It was obvious to him that he was growing day to day, but he lost the ability to see his changes on a grander scale. Taking the time to examine his bulk explained to him how much he actually achieved.

And then he got taken out of his concentration as Goliath gently cupped his arm, those fingers splayed along his bloated mass. “Well, I can say with certainty that this was time well spent." An impressed tone flavoured that deep voice, matching the intensity of the leader's groping. Every curve along his limb, be it from muscle or vein, was carefully traced along as if being memorized.

To have his efforts be acknowledged like this, especially from someone he looked up to, put a smile on his face. It made all the hard work he did worth it in the end. That said, he couldn't help but notice how he wasn't the only one who had made some headway in the size department. “Say, Goliath, you look like you have a little more meat on your bones as well."

Hearing that got Goliath to stop and pull his hand back, clenching a fist to display his own gains. “So I do."

It turned out Hudson wasn't the only one keeping secrets from others. “Alright, tell me about it."

“Well, it seems that whatever exercise bug you caught made its way to Lexington. I happened to walk in on him in action following along with some book."

Hudson's eyes lit up. “Oh yes, I gave him that!"

“That explains a lot." Goliath nodded. “He was instantly secretive about it, which I didn't understand at first, but eventually he explained that he didn't want his brothers to know what he was up to."

Hudson gave Goliath a knowing look. “Something tells me those two would be more accepting than Lexington realizes."

“You do have a way with words," Goliath snickered. “It was some time after that when he asked if I was interested. I wasn't sure, but the thought intrigued me. Why not see how far I could go? It wasn't like I had anything to lose."

Everything the taller gargoyle told him was something Hudson once thought as well. Those humans sure made it seem possible, so he knew there was a chance for him too. Who'd have thought he'd be as successful as he ended up being?

And then another thought crossed his mind, making him completely forget what he was just thinking of. “Hold on a moment. How much has Lexington been working out?"

That gave Goliath pause, causing him to rub his chin. “I'd say it's been under a month now."

Hudson narrowed his gaze; that was around when Lex had left with his book. “And just how much progress has he made in that time frame?"

“I think you might be pleasantly surprised to find out."

Hudson was certain he would. His eyes then landed on his leader, remembering how big the other gargoyle's arm was. It got the gears in his head spinning. “What about you then?"

It was as if Goliath had been waiting to hear that. Not wasting any time, he let loose his wings as wide as they would stretch, proudly demonstrating what had been hidden. Actual pectoral mass was the first thing that jumped out, followed by a display of now both arms that had never been seen before. While he was already pretty beefy, this size now made his previous physique look smaller by comparison. “It's not as much as you, but I'm ultimately happy with my progress."

“As you should be!" Hudson was over the moon with how far the other gargoyle had come in his time away. “It'd be interesting to see you at your peak."

“Won't be soon before long. I haven't missed a day yet!" Immediately Goliath pumped himself into a pose, showing off his side profile with excitement. The spectacle of his leader suddenly putting himself on parade got Hudson to laugh, then mirror what he saw. If he saw a profile, then he'd offer one of his own, this one more than twice as big.

That then led to the two of them puffing their chests out, with Goliath being impressive in his own right before Hudson had a chance to show him what he could look like, pecs as stuffed as couch cushions with a gut the size of a car tire. Goliath moved into a most muscular, his grin telling the world he was pleased with what he'd achieved as bulk that a bodybuilder dreamed of bulged with might. That was followed by Hudson doing the same, his elderly body acting like a portal into the future to show the younger gargoyle what could happen if those workouts were maintained.

Their legs came next, as swollen as they can be. Much attention was paid to match each other's movements, smashing one of their shins together as they flexed as hard as they could, Hudson's easily the more mammothian of the two, to the point where the difference in size was fairly vast, but Goliath wasn't that far behind. There was no doubt in either of their minds that the gulf would be shortened at some point soon.

They then switched to a side pose, eyeing the other's leg and seeing what they were made of. Quad bulged next to rippling quad, both thick in their own right, both capable of getting bigger. The one thing Hudson had the lead on was his calves, but he also had a two-month head start over anyone else at the castle, so that fact only made sense. Still, what Goliath sported was nothing to sneeze at.

No matter which way one moved, the other was soon to follow, ensuring there was always a comparison made. Hudson figured he'd been working so hard that it'd be criminal not to fully show everyone what his new body could do. He lunged forward into a space not taken up by his leader, his leg now flush against the blue-skinned one, tensing as much as he could in order to dwarf the other with sheer magnitude. His thigh greatly outsized that of what used to be larger than his, and not by a small margin either. Clearly he had a knack for growing huge.

Then came the pair of them showing off their backs. While neither of them could see what the other flaunted, they still held the pose as long as they could. Goliath had a head start with his trunk being wide from years of keeping himself active, but that didn't mean Hudson was outclassed. Lats broader across than serving plates weren't something just anyone could possess. He was in a league of his own.

The two of them continued on for some time, playfully showcasing what they had to offer like they were up on stage. It got to a point where neither could hold a pose for more than a couple seconds as fatigue began to set in, which prompted them to shake each other's hand and call it a draw. Hudson knew better, however.

“You know," Goliath grinned from ear to ear, “I was the largest to begin with. Don't be surprised if I manage to outdo you someday."

Hudson merely chuckled as he turned to head back into the castle interior. “Oh, Goliath, I won't stop training just because I've returned home." A dramatic flap of his wings punctuated his grand exit. “This is only the beginning!"

With most of the night having passed, he headed to his final destination, the one he was looking forward to the most – Lexington's quarters. If what he was told was true, then he was in for a surprise once that door opened. He rapped his knuckles along the wood to inform of his presence. “Lex?"

“Hudson!" He heard back, the voice strained. “Come on in."

He didn't need to be told twice. What the other gargoyle was doing seemed like a mystery, though one that gave him a few ideas, and it wasn't until he actually opened the door that he discovered what. The room had been fashioned into a makeshift gym, with various sets of weight strewn about the place in what could be considered some semblance of order, just not in his eyes. The one aspect that caught his eyes, though, was that of Lex by the far wall, dealing with deadlifting equipment not far off from the logs he used. Given the nature of the exercise, he thought it best not to interrupt.

A puff of air slipped past Lexington's lips as he held the bar at his waist, his hands beginning to tremble as the seconds ticked on. The longer his arms were locked, the bigger the grimace, neither of which stayed for very long as he couldn't sustain the weight and let it fall to the floor as gently as he could.

To say Hudson expected this would be lying. The sight before him left him speechless, his mouth slightly ajar as he witnessed what just under a month of constant dedication to the craft of weightlifting could do to someone. He knew what the younger gargoyle was supposed to look like – the juxtaposition between him and the other one back in the mountains was too different to forget – so to see him now almost felt like he'd only known a boy this whole time and now stumbled across the man he was meant to be.

It was obvious his book worked wonders as the green-skinned gargoyle looked like his musculature had been inflated with an air compressor. His own workouts showed that adhering to a routine could work wonders, so to see it on someone just confirmed in his mind that their hard work paid off in dividends, though there was definitely something to be said about their genetics. Something about their kind made this far easier than it ought to be.

Lexington took a much needed breather, his smile wider than it was a month ago when they last met up. “You impressed?" His chest heaved from exertion, the definition twice as big as what it used to be and likely twice as heavy. “Now Brooklyn's the scrawny one!"

There was no denying that in Hudson's mind. “Aye, he is." The pair of them looked far more similar than they used to, especially when the younger man's arms visibly flexed no matter which position they found themselves in. “Did any of the others ever catch on?"

“Up until Goliath came in here, no one knew what I was doing." Lexington shook his head. “Oh, I never told anyone what you were doing either."

Keeping a lid that tight on things was a commendable job, one Hudson didn't know if he was up to the task of. It paid off for sure. “How are you feeling, lad?"

“I feel great! Not one time have I ever felt better than I do right now." That got Lexington to hunch over into a crab pose, tensing as many muscle groups as he could at once, eager to show off his incredible progress. “I didn't even know I could get this big!"

Hudson couldn't have been prouder at that moment if he tried. While he confirmed that putting on that level of size was possible, he didn't realize he was that much of an inspiration to his protégé. Nothing could've hampered his mood.

That was until he noticed the other man remain doubled over after flexing. “Are you alright, Lex?"

Lexington gulped. “Y-Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?" He fought his hand from reaching for his back.

“That doesn't seem confident." Worry began to overtake Hudson, who recognized when a person had pushed themselves too far. He did it once right at the start of his training and then ensured that he never did it again.

“I just…" Nothing spilled from Lexington's mouth for a solid few seconds, his eyes darting all around in front of him. He then took a deep breath as he pursed his lips. “I think I might've been overdoing it a bit."

That much was obvious to Hudson. “I'll say. You've been eating and resting as well, right?"

“Yeah, yeah." Not being able to fix the problem, Lexington sat down as a way to straighten his back. “Seeing you just made me so excited to try this out for myself. I wanted to catch up to you and show you that I could be super huge too!"

That only got Hudson to laugh, his tortoise shell of a gut bouncing as he did. “It's not a competition, lad! I wasn't out to prove anything other than that my age isn't going to slow me down."

“Oh I know, I know. I guess I just got a bit overzealous." The position he was in had Lexington lean back against the wall “You just made it look so easy!"

“That was the result of very deliberate training. You need to work your way up there first or you're going to really hurt yourself, lad! I wouldn't want to see you possibly injured."

Lexington let out a sigh, one that followed with a pained smile. “Yeah, you're right as always. I just thought maybe I could've fast-tracked my progress a bit." With a grunt he gripped his shoulder, rubbing along the length of his delt.

“Let me help you with that." Hudson bent down to massage the other man's aching muscles. “To be on the safe side, I'd suggest taking a break tomorrow. You don't want to hurt yourself."

“That makes sense."

“Honestly, maybe even the day after that as well. Recovery is one of the most important parts of exercise and not enough people give it credit." That was something Hudson learned the hard way, and he didn't want to see anyone else having to deal with that nightmare.

Every touch along the younger gargoyle's flesh elicited a groan of relief, which indicated that he might need to be a little more hands-on, so to speak. “You know, I could probably show you what I did. You only got a taste the last time. I can explain how I went about it, especially if it means we can avoid all this."

“That'd be great!" Lex's spirits lifted a bit. “Hey, can we get the others involved as well. It can be a whole clan thing."

“You know," while Hudson was intent on soothing his protégé's muscles, he didn't stop himself from giving them a light feel in the process, “I think they'd all love that."

“You know what I'd love? The chance to know what all of this is like. You've gotten so much bigger since a month ago." Lexington gestured in front of him. “You don't mind, right? I kinda just want a bit of inspiration."

That felt like a supreme honour to Hudson. “Not at all!" With that, he took his cue and stood tall in front of the other gargoyle, his stature towering. He began to puff out his chest in order for his protégé to appreciate it, only to realize how much distance there was between them now thanks to his increase in height. That then prompted him to first kneel over, then start the show again, this time with his audience far more engaged.

His chest was one thing he paid attention to while training, it always getting pumped after a workout. He got to share that with Lex, knowing right away how much that was welcome as he felt hands immediately fondle his prodigious pectorals. Pulling his arms towards his trunk popped his chest out even more, the beef straining under his pelt, making him look like an overdeveloped diagram of the muscular system. The way those digits roamed over his stretched hide elicited a spark of approval racing through his nerves that caused him to focus as much as he could in puffing his torso out for the other gargoyle's pleasure. It might have been rather cheeky on his part, but he couldn't stop himself from capturing the green-skinned man's fingers when they entered his pec valley. He thought it important to show what kind of a pinch point he possessed.

That then transformed into the underside of his chest being worshiped, as well as the surrounding region. Truth be told, he didn't really learn about his obliques until right before he handed the book over, but he'd discovered by that point that his were a marvel to behold, at least by the standard set by the people he followed along with. Lexington sure thought so by the way those hands traced along his sides.

But of course, there was no way that his gut would go unnoticed, with it being one of the most prominent parts of his body after all. That dome of his was stronger than a steel plate of the same shape, abs rigid as they bowed out from the incredible amount of mass packed in there, his abdomen as hard as diamond. Not that he thought any of his clan would do it, but he knew he'd be able to withstand a punch from someone if they threw one down there. Not even boxing professionals could impact him in any meaningful way without also breaking their hands in the process.

With his front fully admired, he then shifted positions to let the other man have a go at his arms. So thick with beef they were at rest that they lay at forty-five-degree angles, his body unable to let them drop any further thanks to every part of him fighting for space, which came at a premium the bigger he got. Those hands got to work manhandling the size he'd reaped from his intensive training, fervent in their attention as he flexed his biceps to the max. The contours of each vein popping from his flesh was followed along with, claws traveling across their curves as they reached across his vast musculature, not stopping until their ends had been arrived at. His grin grew wrier as the groping increased, both limbs being attended to at the same time, with one bent towards him and the other straight out in front. There probably wasn't anything he couldn't lift now.

Naturally he found himself twisting around to show off his expansive back, his wings not blocking much in the grand scheme of things. So much of his size came from the heft on his back that it was truly a spectacle to witness in action. Pulling his arms forward got to illustrate exactly how wide he got, while pulling them back got to bunch his muscles up for Lex's pleasure. Condensing his bulk pushed those hands fondling him out, in some places more than a foot, and gave him an idea of what the younger gargoyle was thinking without having to turn around due to the way he was being fondled. Who needed a mirror with service like that?

A gasp slipped from his mouth when attention suddenly shifted south, the target now his robust glutes, tensing up the instant they were touched. Those heavy globes of his seemed weightless from his perspective, but being caressed the way they were proved to him they were anything but as he could feel Lexington try to heave one with both hands. His reflection at least showed him that he had quite the ample rear, but it was nice to get a confirmation.

And then came his legs, which the green-skinned man appeared to have been excited about given the intensity of the fondling. Immediately his inner thighs were assailed, the contact enough to make them flex on their own as fingers found their way across his brawny limbs. Quads like tree trunks were no issue for someone that determined in discovering all he had to offer, which got him posing to help with the process. Twisting his foot forward, his calf tensed into a perfect teardrop that instantly had hands all over it. He couldn't have been more delighted.

Whatever pose was asked of him, he did it, thoroughly willing to flaunt everything he'd built up for the sake of giving Lex an example of what could be accomplished. Every muscle group had been flexed at least once, with himself cycling through every pose he knew. But his mind was elsewhere. All he was focused on was gathering the entire group together to show them the ropes tomorrow, marking the start of their shared journey as one clan.

Uh, the day after that, actually. Rest was important.