Return of Canard REWRITE

by Therabidsquirrel

A rewrite of the original, takes place shortly after "Night Conversation". Canard has been found, but he still has to get home, and then there's the whole integrating with the team thing. That is, if he can remember his team.

Title: Return of Canard

Title: Return of Canard

Re-write began: December 7, 2006

Re-write finished: Sometime ago. Wahahahaha!

Reason for re-write: It's a domino effect I swear. As I begin writing this I have no idea if anyone is going to enjoy any of these re-writes, but then again I know that I am. It's just so much fun to take an old story and make it better. Every time I go back and read my old stories, I can just see how I can do so much more with them, and therefore I do. There are going to be some major changes, there have been already to the first two, but I like the direction it's taking. Also, I wanted to change the way things occurred in this story, and I needed something to make Canard have a change of heart. It was much too easy a transition in the last telling of this story, and I can't see anything like that happening with the kind of personality and attitude the Disney Canard had. I know I've got all the characters kind of out of character, but for my purposes it works out quite well I think. Also, this story just kind of made itself new. My series was dark near the end, and things just kind of… happened. I wanted to fix that. Any who, I'm so excited with the ideas I've been getting! Let's hope you enjoy them as well.

Disclaimer: 'The Mighty Ducks' is a series created and copyrighted by Disney. I am using them without permission and am in no way making any profit off of this story. It is written merely for entertainment purposes. However, the original characters are copyrighted to me.

Session 3 begin:

Dimensional Limbo was the prison of the Saurian race for many a millennia, without form, without balance, and without any known intelligent life to those who resided outside of it. It was a place where one could float for days and never know it as there was no distinction between day and night. It was a kind of colorful nothingness that flowed and ebbed as if it were distant water on a beach, and Canard was tumbling through it without any relief or idea of where he was. He was alone and in pain, burns marking his body where the energy worm had licked him, slapped him in its dislike for his taste and then left him at the mercy of the unknown. The tan duck groaned, his eyes searching out in hopes of seeing some kind of land mass, or a ship, or anything that could offer him refuge as he felt his lost equilibrium try to right itself and fail once more. If he ever did get on stable ground he just knew he was going to be sick.

"There! Over there, I see him!" he heard a voice shout. His eyes searched the void before him and he tried twisting around only to halt and hiss at the sharp pains the movement brought.

"I see him," came another voice, much calmer than the last. It was closer as well. "Be careful, he is wounded." It was then that he saw them, whatever it was that they were, and he found his breath run cold. The two creatures were shaped as he was, save for their faces that were flat with a bump in the middle that had two slits that he assumed were nostrils. Beneath this 'nose' was a mouth, both open to reveal teeth like his own save for the elongated and sharpened canines. Their eyes were almond shaped, both glowing a warm gold color, and every piece of them down to the very hair on top of their heads was covered in scales, one blue and the other green. However, the 'hair' still moved, bobbing in the strange way of the void known as Dimensional Limbo, and he whimpered as the blue one reached out to him with a scaled hand. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest at this hand, it only had three fingers, and his eyes wavered as his gaze wandered over the being it was attached to. The blue one was gazing at him with a strange look, its body shaped as if it were masculine. Neither it nor its friend wore any kind of clothing but then there was really nothing to cover. It was as if the scales themselves were a strange kind of armor. There was even what looked to be a short sword at each of their waists, and he sighed when the green scaled creature reached over and put a cool hand on his forehead. Oh it felt so good, and he dimly thought that it could possibly mean he had a fever.

"Eran my brother, he has Dimensional Sickness," the green one said, his tone concerned and worried. The blue one, now revealed to be called Eran, frowned, the look on his face looking almost out of place to the once free floating Puckworlder.

"We should leave him then," he said, his voice deeper than his brothers and calmer as well. "We have too many guests as it is."

"No." The grip on his forehead stiffened, a hand reaching up and grasping him by his left forearm, opposite the arm Eran was standing over. "We have been given His orders, and we will abide by them as we always have. If He thinks that this young one is worth saving then so do I." The green one was hissing at this point, his golden eyes narrowed and burning brightly. Eran sniffed at his 'brother' then nodded.

"Agreed. I shall do His bidding as I have since time began," he said quietly, Canard trying to twist to look at him. Unfortunately he did not have the strength anymore and he felt sleep falling on him. "But if you insist on bringing him to the land mass Wafai then you shall be the one to clean up after him. I am a warrior, not a babysitter." Wafai's face darkened, but Canard figured it was his own vision that caused the appearance.

"A warrior you may be brother, but you are a servant first," the green creature answered. Eran snarled, causing the feeling of sleep to flee and fear to snake its icy way around the tan ducks heart. He tried to yelp and move, but the pain kept him from fleeing and he ended up whimpering and cringing instead. Wafai's grip changed into a strange kind of embrace, somehow missing the burns and oddly enough giving Canard peace.

"This child is not one of His," Eran growled, his hands clenching into fists. Canard closed his eyes, weary, and as sleep finally came he heard Wafai whisper;

"That is a problem that will be dealt with in time, when the boy is ready." He had no idea what they were talking about, but knew only sleeps embrace as the darkness carried him away.

DDDDD

Further away, in another place on a strange planet called Earth, Nosedive McDrake was shuddering in his sleep, curling into a fetal position as nightmares of the past haunted his dreams. He awoke with a gasp, suffering from a cold sweat as his eyes snapped open and he stared around his room in terror. Metal walls covered in posters and unframed photos greeted him, as did the miniature piles of clothing that were scattered across his floor amide the lumps of discarded comic books and handheld video games. The chair to the desk that had appeared under his bed a month ago due to Tanya's aggravating insistence sat innocently beneath the edge of his bed where his head lay and he sighed. There were no rocks, no dust, no cries of pain and terror as a rumbling continued beneath his feet. No stony gaze of an older duck named Donovan who had befriended him in his time of need, and died saving his life. He was safe at home in his room at the Pond, beneath the famed hockey rink of Anaheim, California. He was safe…

Nosedive gave a trembling sob and covered his head with his hands as he shook, trying to calm himself. Time had done nothing to heal the pain he'd suffered from the mines of Puckworld, and though it had been at least two and a half months since the mine battle with Dragaunus the teen was still having nightmares. Fortunately it was much more rare now than it had been in the beginning, but it was still something he'd rather have not had to face at all. With a final sniffle and a wipe of his nose on his sleeve, he sat up and slid off the bed onto the floor. The desk chair, a black squarish chair with metal arm rests that could spin around easily, five wheels supporting it at the base, was moved aside and sent on an idle half spin as he walked past. He'd just started sifting through the pile of clothing by the door when a loud knock suddenly came from it, causing him to cry out and fall onto his backside with his heart hammering in his chest. Duke's voice filtered through the heavy metal door.

"Hey kid, you comin' to breakfast or do I have to drag your feathery butt all the way there?" Nosedive rolled his eyes and snorted.

"Yeah, I'm coming," he called back. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then gave his face a violent rub before finding a clean shirt and pants and changing into them. He was still putting on his shoes when he opened the door to see Duke leaning against the wall adjacent from his door, arms crossed and looking bored as he chewed on a toothpick idly.

"Took you long enough," he grunted, obviously still tired. Nosedive smirked as he finished putting on his shoe.

"Yeah well, beauty takes time," he answered. Duke gave a snort, rolling his eye and pushing himself off the wall.

"Obviously you need more time kid," he said roguishly, reaching out and mussing up the blonde hair atop the teens head, gaining an indignant cry and a playful push in retaliation. "You've got a long way to go before you reach any kind of 'beauty'." Nosedive snickered.

"So says the behemoth of whom good looks has considered five times and passed by with a sad look that says 'there is no hope'," he grinned. Duke raised an eyebrow at him before turning and walking towards the kitchen.

"So, what had you so scared this morning?" he asked instead as Nosedive joined him. At the strange look Nosedive gave him he jerked a thumb back in the direction of the teens room. "You screamed when I knocked on the door. You plannin' some kinda' prank for our lovely resident red head?" There was a mischievous glint to his one eye as he said this, but it quickly died at the quiet look on Nosedive's face. "Oh no. You had another nightmare didn't you?" he asked, stopping and placing a hand on the blondes shoulder. Nosedive shook his head and shrugged off the hand before plastering a smile on his face.

"It's no biggie Duke. Everyone has nightmares," he said, pausing as Duke frowned at him and shook his head.

"Not like you and Wing kid. I ain't never met anyone who could have such vivid dreams like you two. Wanna talk about it?" Nosedive shrugged, shuffling backwards so that he could lean on the wall and shove his hands in his pockets. To Duke it was a sign that he was disturbed or bothered, a trait both brothers had in common. Whenever they became stressed their hands went straight into their pockets and their eyes became distant, much as Nosedive's were going now as he looked past Duke's head.

"It's stupid. Just the same old dreams about the camps… and the mines." He paused here, taking a deep breath before his eyes regained focus and he searched Duke's face. Confusion flittered across the elder ducks face before the teen spoke again. "Duke, did you ever… did you ever know of a duck named Donovan? From the Brotherhood of the Blade maybe?" Duke felt as if someone had struck him and he nodded slowly.

"How do you know him?" he asked, his voice going soft. Nosedive's eyes went straight to the floor.

"He was… in the mines with me. He was there in the c-cave in." He shuddered there, his hands trying to go deeper in his pockets but they were in as far as the fabric would let them go. "He- he saved my life," he said, holding back a sob as he closed his eyes and turned his head down, shaking. "I keep… I keep dreaming about that day. That day he saved me…" he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Duke smiling at him, his own eye moist with what seemed to be suppressed tears. The hand on his shoulder tightened.

"Donovan… Donovan was a good duck kid. My best friend," he admitted. Nosedive could feel his heart drop and he opened his beak to apologize, only to have Duke shake his head and wave him off. "Listen kid, I don't want to know the details. But… I'm glad he did what he did, and I'm sure he's proud of you. Don never got close to anyone he didn't think was worth knowing. Heck, I had to prove myself to him before he even bothered with me, and it took me forever to gain him as a friend. I'm still not sure how I did it even now." Then Duke smiled, causing Nosedive to relax slightly. "But I think I know why he chose you, and I know if he had a second chance, he'd have done the same thing all over again." He nodded then, patting Nosedive on the arm. "He saw something in you, something I noticed shortly after we got here, and if I had been in his place I can tell you this kid," and he looked Nosedive in the eye. "I'd do the same thing. Don't mourn him anymore, just live a good life and don't give up the fight so that his death won't have been in vain." Nosedive smiled weakly and nodded, pulling his hands from his pockets. They began their trek to the kitchen once more, in silence until Nosedive spoke again.

"Was that something they told you in the Brotherhood of the Blade whenever someone died?" he asked. Duke shook his head and shrugged.

"I don't know what they said at the memorials, I never went. I was too busy out trying to get revenge," he admitted. "Most of the deaths were caused by minor gangs, rival mobs, and idiot ducks who thought they were so far above the law that they could do whatever they wanted and take another ducks life. I liked to take care of those loons personally." He paused when he realized that Nosedive wasn't walking beside him anymore and he turned to see the teen looking at him oddly.

"That's how you lost your eye, isn't it?" he asked softly. Duke smiled carelessly, the image of two ducklings coming to mind, one with white hair and the other still holding a dusty downy gleam to his feathers, but the hair on top of his little head just as golden as the sun. It had taken some time, but after hearing pieces of the brother's conversations over the past year he'd come to a realization of who they were.

"Trust me kid. It was well worth it," he answered proudly. Nosedive gave him a strange look then smiled at him and began walking with him again to the kitchen, the smell of sausage wafting its way slowly down the hall. Before they could reach the doors however, Duke put his hand on Nosedive's head one more time. "You know, if Canard could see you now, he'd be kicking himself," he grinned. Nosedive stiffened, going pale beneath his feathers.

"Huh? Wha- what do you mean by that?" he asked, his eyes wide. He cried out as Duke mussed up his hair again before laughing and slapping him on the back, causing him to stagger forward with an 'oof'.

"You're way too modest kid! He was way off about you," Duke exclaimed, not noticing the teens discomfort, or just ignoring it as he latched his hands behind his head and casually walked into the kitchen where Mallory and Grin were setting the table while Tanya gathered juice from the fridge and Wildwing cooked, the cast finally gone much to the relief of all. He'd been a terrible patient the last two weeks before the cast finally came off. "There's no way we'd be able to make it on this planet without you," Duke said over his shoulder casually. Nosedive blinked after him, startled until everyone turned their eyes upon him and he blushed, shoving his hands in his pockets in embarrassment.

"Good morning little friend," Grin rumbled, placing his hands together and bowing low at the waist. Mallory merely rolled her eyes, tossing a wave to the teen as Nosedive gave a feeble 'hello' and moved towards them.

"Sleep good baby bro?" Wildwing called as Duke walked over to the cabinet holding the glasses and opening it as he began whistling a jaunty tune, which was rather impressive since he was still playing with that stupid toothpick in his mouth. Nosedive shrugged and moved to sit at the table, gaining a sigh and a shake of the head from Mallory. But then she was used to him not pitching in at breakfast if he was the last to wake so she said nothing to him, merely shoving him in the shoulder as she moved past. After giving Mallory a glare and sticking his tongue out at her childishly, Nosedive shrugged.

"It was all right," he said carelessly. Tanya stared at him, causing him to cringe as she walked over with orange juice in hand to inspect him.

"Did you have a bad dream again? Do you need me to do some scans?" she asked him worriedly, pawing at his head as he tried in vain to get her to stop. "Maybe some kind of, uh, sleeping medicine? Or do you need to talk to somebody?" Nosedive was doing his best to avoid her, much to the entertainment of his team mates as he leaned as far away from her as he could, one hand sticking out to keep her back as the other tried vainly to bat her away. He knew she cared, and it felt good to have someone other than his brother to be concerned about his welfare, but ever since the nightmares had begun she'd been down right obsessive about his physical and mental health. It was driving him crazy!

"Geez Tanya! I'm fine all right?" he told her, whining when she grinned and began poking at him playfully instead. "Wing!" he cried, fighting laughter. "Get your girlfriend to leave me alone will ya?" Everything stilled and it was dead quiet in the kitchen save for the sound of sausage crackling on the stove before it suddenly became deafening in the kitchen. Nosedive snickered gleefully and ducked as two ducks yelled at him and the curious others as insinuations and accusations began flying freely. Oh yeah. He was definitely going to live his life to the fullest. If he had anything to say about it, there was never going to be any doubt about that. He'd see to that.

DDDD

He could hear voices as he awoke, and he began to wonder where he was. It had been such a long time since he'd heard any kind of noise at all save for his own breathing and pained moans that he was at first confused at what was being said. Opening his eyes he found himself to be in a room made of something he vaguely recognized to be precious stone. After a moment he recalled that it was called sapphire, and he paused as his hand came in contact with the frame of the bed he was resting on. It too was sapphire, and as he slowly sat up he found that his sheets were fine silk. The mattress was soft, the pillow had been as well, and he didn't think he'd ever felt anything like it in his entire life. The bed, aside from the sheets and what is was made from, was a modest one with a medium sized head board. Sitting next to it was a table made of pearl, on which sat a jade bowl filled with some liquid he couldn't place. A flower sat in a clear vase behind it, and it took him a moment to realize that he'd never seen anything like it before. It was strange but the petals, which were in a kind of oval shape, were changing color fluidly as it seemed to move in a strange type of rhythm. In fact if he didn't know any better he would have said that the flower was dancing. Canard shook his head, tearing his gaze away from the strange plant. He carefully and stiffly pulled his legs from underneath the covers to sit on the edge of the bed, spotting a door to the left of him with a comfortable looking chair set beside it, when the sapphire suddenly rippled. He froze, and stared before looking around cautiously as he set his feet on the… floor? He looked down and found that his bare feet were resting on grass where a floor should have been. He looked up, seeing a roof made of… (was that gold?) before looking back down. Yep, grass. He swallowed hard, confused.

"What in the world?" He jumped when he heard the sound of a voice so close to him and stared around terrified. It took him a moment before he realized that it was he who had spoken and he fingered his throat curiously. It was odd, but he had not heard even the sound of his own voice in so long… The sound of speaking from outside his room returned and he stared around for his clothes, trying to remember what they looked like before giving up. He was dressed in a long brown shirt (?) that came to his knees and was also made of silk, which he assumed was some kind of night wear, and it was just going to have to do. He carefully made his way across the room, his legs feeling weak, and he put his arms out to steady himself. He made it to the door, which pushed open a lot easier than he thought a stone door possibly could, and found himself in what he could only describe as a prison block with a silver floor. There were cells everywhere in the dome shaped room, some of the bars covered by some kind of glass that made it impossible to hear through as he could see several strange looking creatures shouting angrily and pounding on their cell door. No sound or even vibration came from the violent behavior though and he looked away to see the two creatures who had rescued him sitting on large comfortable looking pillows in the middle of the room. The pillows were themselves resting in a deep indention in the floor that took up nearly the entire center of the room and were of many different colors. Some were more stuffed than others and they were all sitting atop a beautifully woven carpet that he could just barely see through them. In the center of the pillowed area was a large, rectangular low sitting table that was covered in food from one end to the other. The blue one, Eran, was picking a fruit Canard recognized as grapes from this table and eating them slowly as the green one, Wafai, calmly broke flat bread and passed half of it to his brother before biting into his own. A third creature, deep red in color and feminine in shape, was standing in front of a cell that had no glass covering it and was occupied by a female duck with large purplish colored hair. She seemed familiar, but Canard could not place her face to a name and it bothered him. She had an angry look on her face and was holding herself in a proud manner.

"You have no right to keep me here!" she spat suddenly, her voice harsh as her hands gripped the bars to her cell tightly. "Release me immediately!" Canard paused, shocked to hear such a terrible sound. It seemed to sap what little peace there was in this room right out. The red creature shook her head, her low hanging and scale covered hair swaying with the movement.

"You've committed sins and feel no remorse for them," she answered, her voice that of a low alto and soothing Canard's fraying nerves like cool water on a hot day. "You were just unfortunate enough to have been sent here for your punishment. Until you repent you cannot leave." With that the glass came down and the female duck was left to rage in silence. The creature turned, golden eyes turning to the two at the table. "Really, to try and steal from those who would help you. How ungrateful," she said then paused as her gaze lifted to see Canard standing awkwardly in front of the door to his room. Eran and Wafai paused as well, following her gaze before Eran frowned and Wafai smiled, standing easily.

"Ah, you are awake! Wonderful!" The cells all disappeared to be replaced by walls made of gold and silver, precious jewels embedded within them and strange carvings Canard couldn't understand making their way across them. It was beautiful, and he could not help but be in awe of it and stare as Wafai walked over to him and greeted him warmly with a hug. Shocked, the tan duck did nothing as the green creature released him and guided him gently towards the table, an arm around the tall ducks shoulders. The creature, Canard realized, was just as tall as he was and friendly as well. The red creature smiled as Wafai brought him closer, coming to greet him with a warm hello and took him by the hand to help him down. Eran merely stood and watched coolly before taking a deep breath and handing him a glazed wooden cup filled with a dark colored liquid that smelled wonderful. There was silence as Canard sat down carefully with help and a cup in hand before he looked up and around at the three curiously. Smiles met him, Eran even giving him a look that comforted him before the blue one spoke.

"You've been ill. This is a medicine that will restore your strength and ease whatever pain you may still be feeling," he explained before giving him a sad look. "Your mind however will take time. You've been out in the wilderness for too long. It will make things hard for you but it can be overcome." Eran then nodded to Wafai as the red creature sat down on Canard's left. Wafai kept his hand on Canard's back, sitting down on the ducks right as Eran sat across from them.

"Go ahead," said the female. "Drink." Canard only gave her a glance, looked at Wafai who nodded and then did as he was told.

The drink was delicious and sent warmth spreading through his body like golden fire. He was almost tingly all over, and the stiffness and weakness he'd felt disappeared. When he finished, he stared at the cup breathing deeply until the red female took the cup from his hands and gave him food instead. It was then that he realized how hungry he was and he tore into what he realized was flat bread instantly. Meat, fruit and vegetables all followed, cooked to perfection, and he could have sworn he had reached heaven at that very moment.

"This is not Heaven child," Wafai said, causing Canard to pause in his eating and stare in confusion. Wafai smiled. "Some think that this is Heaven when they first arrive, but I can tell you it is far from it. You are in Dimensional Limbo and we," here he gestured to the two with him, "are its guardians. I am Wafai, and across from you is my brother Eran. Sitting next to you is our sister Thuy. We are servants of the Most High." Canard paused at the words that echoed through the room as if they held some kind of power. It made him both afraid and comforted at the same time, and he wondered at the feeling before clearing his throat.

"I… I am Canard," he said slowly, reveling at the sound of his own voice. The three guardians smiled at him as if pleased at this information and he smiled back weakly. "I'm sorry but… I'm not really sure why I'm here. I remember… a friend." He paused here, frowning. "There are faces, and I can recall certain things from when I was a child… but I can't really remember any names right off," he explained sadly. Thuy put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"These things will return in time," she soothed and his worry fled. Eran nodded slowly, a frown present on his face as he listened to something off in the distance. It was then that Canard realized they all had long pointed ears. It was something he'd never seen before and he could not help but stare. Wafai's laughter made him jump and blush, looking away, but the guardian merely waved him off.

"You're fine. I know we're strange looking to one of your kind. Why even that hero of your past, Drake DuCaine, stared when he first saw us!" Something clicked in Canard's mind and he paled, leaping up.

"The Saurian's!" he cried, terror filling him. "My team! I have to find them!" He turned, but a hand on his arm made him pause. He turned to see Thuy looking at him, motioning to the pillows.

"Sit and be calm," she told him. "It is good that you remember that there is a crisis, but we have much to tell you before you leave and rejoin your friends." He stared at her, then Wafai and Eran who watched him calmly before he did as he was told. Eran nodded at him as he did so, his left ear twitching as his gaze once again turned far away. Wafai handed Canard another cup filled with something warm and leaned back on his pillow comfortably.

"I must tell you," he said, his face and tone growing serious, "that you have been here longer than you are aware. Time fluctuates in the wilderness of Dimensional Limbo, and it is a good thing for it is what kept you alive." Canard nodded, listening intently. "You have been in this place for over a year now according to the outside worlds, and much has happened. Dragaunus has crash landed on a planet called Earth and your team mates have made themselves a home there, doing all that they can to stop him while making a name for themselves in the public eye. Their war with the Saurian leader is a quiet one as far as the people of Earth are concerned, and in that war neither side has really made any headway. But times change, even in times of war, and a child is coming of age very soon. It will tip the scales and bring about a battle more deadly than any of them have faced so far." Wafai paused, his gaze darkening. "The evil that drives the Saurian's is becoming aware of the dawning of that time, and we have much to do if we are to keep those who can end this war from being destroyed before they can fully awaken. That is where you come in Canard." The tan duck started, confused.

"I'm sorry, I don't follow," he said. Wafai shook his head, taking an apple from the table and playing with it in his hands.

"They will be confused," he continued calmly. "They have never been told who they really are, and from whom they descend." He looked up at Canard pointedly. "They will be frightened and unsure, but you will help guide them through this and give them strength to continue." There was silence for a moment as Canard gazed at Wafai curiously, the green guardian pausing, his hands no longer playing with the apple. "Let me explain something to you," he said slowly. "Drake DuCaine was a great hero of his time. The mask was a gift, created by the three of us and one of the Saurian race who had defied his people and walked the path of Light. He was and is so far the only of his kind to do so. It was his idea to make the mask so that only a duck could wear it in case anything ever happened so that Drake could not fight and another needed to lead, more so if the mask were stolen by Saurian hands. However, it was not the mask that decided the war, but the power bestowed upon Drake by the High King Himself that allowed your people to achieve victory. In the face of the Darkness that the Saurian's fought with, the Light within Drake DuCaine shown brilliantly and he was able to free his people and exile the Saurian's into the wilderness of this place. Disgusted, the Saurian's dumped their religion and focused on science, but that is another story," Wafai explained. He began playing with the apple once more. "However, the power that was granted to Drake was passed down through his descendants, spread only by the first born except under certain circumstances. The last to have this power was a duck named Terry Dacon." Wafai paused once more, growing serious as he looked Canard in the eye, the apple forgotten. "Terry was the father of someone you know very well, two someone's in fact, and after his death those two went through many name changes until finally settling with the one you are familiar with knowing them as."

"And what name is that?" Canard asked, curious. Thuy nodded as Wafai sat up straight.

"McDrake," he said calmly. Canard paused, a face appearing before him and he froze.

"Wildwing," he whispered. Wafai nodded.

"Yes, and his brother Nosedive. They are DuCaine," he said. Canard shook his head, then paused and sighed, putting a hand to his forehead.

"I need… I need to get to them. They need to know," he said, worry filling him. "If Dragaunus knew…"

"It is the Darkness you need to fear. Not the Saurian," Eran said finally, speaking for the first time in a while. His voice was dry and his arms were crossed as Canard looked at him in surprise. "You probably don't remember yet, but you will as your mind heals from this terrible time, that many terrible things have befallen your friend and his brother as they were growing up. You were there for a couple of these occasions, but you were gone for most. Since they were but babes the Darkness has been trying to destroy them. Terry, much like his sons now, was an orphan. When he was killed his children were to be as well. They were hidden however and thus saved from a terrible death and continued the legacy of Drake DuCaine. As they became older they were placed in homes where they were abused and separated until once again they were spared and given to a family who walked in the Light. It was then that you met them. They suffered many times even then, and worse still in the Saurian camps, but they have been victorious and have survived their battles." Eran paused here and gave Canard a strange look. "You must understand child that this war you are fighting has been going on since the beginning of life itself. This isn't just a war of Ducks against Saurians. It is an epic battle of Light and Darkness, Good and Evil, the Devestated Fallen against those Who Stand in Truth, that spans across the cosmos and has destroyed many great worlds. Drake DuCaine himself was a target of the Darkness long before he was given his great power."

"You will see many things happen Canard that you cannot explain," Thuy added. "You will wonder many times at what will happen or why something is happening. You must remember this however. All things that have and will occur, occur for a reason. When it is over you will look back and see that this is true," she told him soothingly. He nodded slowly, his mind full.

"What is it you would have me do?" he asked.

"It is not what we would have you do," Eran answered.

"But it is what the Most High will have you do," Wafai explained. He stood, reaching out and pulling Canard to his feet effortlessly as his brother and sister stood as well. "Come, we will get you changed back into your clothes and send you to join your team on Earth. They will be glad to see you," he said, a warm smile on his face. Canard shook his head.

"I don't remember their names," he explained, worried. Wafai smiled happily, unconcerned.

"But you have such great players on your team," he teased. "Why there is Duke L'Orange!"

"The thief," Canard said, dazed as the guardians guided him to his room.

"And then there is Tanya Felding," Wafai continued.

"The genius," Canard replied. Wafai nodded.

"Grin Boldstrum," Thuy smiled as she said his name and Canard shook his head.

"Mind over matter," he recited warmly. Eran snorted, a smirk on his face.

"And my favorite, Mallory McMallard," he said as he followed his siblings and Canard back into the room, shutting the door quietly.

"She's the military rookie of the year," Canard remembered, sitting softly down on his bed. "And then there was Wildwing and…" paused before looking up at the guardians curiously. "Nosedive?" The three smiled at him again, pleased, before Wafai handed him a small stack of folded clothing and a pair of boots.

"Yes," said Wafai. "And we must send you to them immediately. When you are dressed we will send you, though I'm afraid that when you reach their world they will actually have to come to you."

"Why is that?" Canard asked, already unfolding his clothes to put them on. It was strange, but when he saw them he knew exactly how to wear them.

"Though they anticipate your return, it would make them nervous if you would just appear in their base. Also, you need to see some of what the world is like. The people who live there, the humans, are much more different than you'd expect," Thuy explained.

"One more thing Canard," said Eran as the tan mallard stood and pulled his shirt over his head, the nightwear tossed carelessly onto the bed. The blue scaled guardian attached a black oval object to the avian's belt and then stepped away with a frown on his face. "There will be too much happening for you to tell the brothers who they are. It will be too much for them to grasp, so you must keep this information to yourself until the time arises for you to explain things to them." Canard frowned.

"So what do I do till then?" he asked. Eran looked at him coolly.

"Watch over them, hide them by explaining away their abnormality's until that time comes, and be there to drive away the fear that will come from the unknown. Do not abandon them," he said. Canard nodded.

"I promise. I won't."

"So be it then."

DDDD

Aside from waking up with a nightmare Nosedive had to conclude that it had been a very good day. Of course now he needed to buy Mallory three new pairs of hose, something he was not going to think too heavily about until after he had to try and explain to his brother exactly why they had disappeared in the first place, and he needed to try and dodge Tanya whenever she walked into a room. Still, it was well worth it to see the blonde tech turn red every time she looked at his brother. Funny how Wildwing hadn't reacted too much to being exposed in nothing but his boxers in front of the blonde tech, aside from turning beet red and calmly closing his door, but then again Wildwing did like to tease her occasionally and this would probably be something he could use for 'ammunition'. Oh yes, it was defiantly a good day. With that in mind he sighed and leaned back on the couch as Grin sat comfortably next to him with popcorn in hand as they watched their all time favorite source of debate, 'Bernie the Bear'.

Or at least, that was the plan until Drake One's alarms began going wild. The two shared a look of silent mourning before rushing to meet the rest of the team, who ran in from different parts of the base, in front of the computer terminal as Tanya managed to silence the noise and pinpoint the problem.

"Is it Dragaunus?" Wildwing asked, the eyes of the mask burning for a moment before returning to normal. Tanya shook her head.

"Uh, no. It's some kind of teleportation signal. I don't think I've ever seen it before!" she exclaimed. There was quiet as she typed away on the console, and then gasped. "I just picked up a com signal!" Her voice was excited, her eyes wide. Wildwing pushed past Mallory and Duke to her side, staring up at the screen with hope.

"Is it Canard?" he dared to asked. Tanya shook her head.

"I- I don't know! I think so, but," she calmed, nervous now as she looked at their team leader, Nosedive feeling his stomach clench for different reasons. "It might be another trick," she warned. Wildwing shook his head.

"We don't know that for sure," he told her, staring at the map that appeared on the screen of Drake One.

"Yeah but Wing," Duke said, gaining his leaders attention. "We all know that Dragaunus isn't creative enough to come up with new material. This could just be another trick like the last time, like Tanya said." Nosedive shuddered.

"Eew… I think you just re-kindled my fear of meat eating plant life," he groaned. Mallory grinned at him.

"So that's why you won't let me have a Venus Fly Trap," she teased. The blonde teen shot her a dirty look to which her grin only widened. Wildwing shook his head.

"Last time I didn't bother to scan 'Canard' to see if he was the real thing. Let's at least try. I can scan him when we get there," he told them. "We'll keep our distance. Duke, Mallory, I want you two to be prepared to fight if it really is another Saurian plot." Duke nodded and Mallory saluted.

"Right," replied the red head. Wildwing nodded.

"Fine. Tanya," he turned to her. "Try and contact him. Let's at least get some kind of visual on him." She nodded, returning her attention to Drake One as Nosedive made his way to his brother's side. He glanced at the older mallard a few times before Wildwing put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. It was then that the image on the screen changed to show a view of the sky, the edge of a building roof top jutting into the corner. Everyone was silent, confused.

"Canard?" Wildwing asked, worried. A moment past and he called again, this time gaining a groan. He didn't waste anymore time. "Tanya, where is he? If this isn't a trap…" he didn't dare finish, the blonde tech's fingers racing over the keyboard before a map appeared.

"Found him."

"Then let's move team!"

DDDD

They had warned him when they opened the portal that he may suffer from vertigo upon arrival. Apparently being in Dimensional Limbo for an extended amount of time would do that to you. They did not say, or possibly they did not know, that he would become dizzy and ill. The feeling of gravity pressing down on him made him feel too heavy to stand and he had fallen upon arrival. The world spun around him and he could feel his stomach rebelling. He felt weak again, his head pounding, and he closed his eyes against the sun bearing down on him. It was too warm, he wasn't used to these temperatures!

Squinting he tried to gain his bearings somehow and only shut his eyes at the strange creatures he saw walking the… he could only assume it was a street that the alley he'd been dumped in emptied out into. There were loud motor vehicles driving to and fro on this 'street', and the smell only worsened the status of his stomach. He was going to be sick, he knew it. At some point he thought he heard a familiar voice calling his name, but he couldn't really be sure. The second time he heard it however, he managed a groan in reply. There was no answer to his groan and he lay still for some time before he finally gained enough strength in his limbs to push himself upright, vomit onto the pavement, and then lean himself on the wall closest to him as he panted weakly, shaking. Oh yes, he was definitely sick. His only consolation prize, he supposed as he broke into a cold sweat, was that the burns he had received from the energy worm were gone without even a trace as if they'd never even existed. He supposed he should be grateful he didn't have to deal with that, but at the moment he was too weak. The loud roar of an engine made him cringe, and he could feel the ground shudder at whatever it was that was coming. He closed his eyes and turned his head away from the street, focusing on breathing. Maybe whatever was coming would pass him by like everything else did. He hoped it would, if only so that when he was able he'd find a way to contact his team. The rumbling stopped and he could hear the engine shut off. With a sigh he relaxed without knowing why and rested, waiting.

DDDD

Wildwing parked the Migrator and stood from his seat, his teammates following him as he opened the side door and ran down the ramp, worry evident even from behind the mask. Nosedive and Mallory were by his side as he paused in the entrance to the alley between the downtown bakery and florists shops that graced Anaheim. There, resting with his head turned away from them was a very sick Canard. His breath froze and he quickly touched the temple of the mask, gaining an X-ray scan of his supposed long time friend. An avian skeletal system greeted him and he paused, blinking away tears of relief.

"Canard!" he cried, rushing forward, his brother and teammates at his heels. They had to be careful to not step in the mess that lay near their teammate, but they managed to surround him none the less. Canard, upon hearing movement close to him, opened his eyes blearily and stared at them. For a moment it seemed he did not recognize them, his eyes floating from one duck to the other, gazing at Nosedive for a long time before finally resting on Wildwing. When his friends gaze fell on him, Wildwing noticed a moment's confusion and he ripped the mask from his face. Canard's eyes widened and then he smiled weakly.

"Wildwing," he whispered. "I found you." His eyes closed then and he slumped over, his teammates crying out as Nosedive caught him before he could hit the ground.

"He's burning up Wing," the teen exclaimed, worried. Wildwing nodded, quickly placing the mask back on his face before reaching out and helping his brother lift his long time friend. When they got him up, Grin reached out and lifted the tan mallard into his arms easily.

"We should hurry," Wildwing said, turning and heading towards the Migrator with his team following swiftly. "Tanya."

"I'm already on it Wildwing," she answered, pressing something on her Omnitool before placing a hand on Canard's wrist. Nosedive was next to her, watching tensely. Wildwing only nodded in reply.

"Let's hurry then."

DDDD

Canard slept for a day and a half before finally regaining consciousness. When he did he was confused as to where he was before realizing he was in an infirmary. He sat up slowly, his blankets pooling at his waist, and stared around to find that every member of his team was standing around him. All but a young blonde boy were smiling, the teen watching him worriedly as if bothered. Canard looked away from him, glancing at the mallard closest to him.

"Wildwing," he murmered, gaining a smile and a nod so he moved on. "Duke, Tanya," the former smirked and the later sniffled to hold back tears. "Mallory, Grin," the red head gave a wobbly salute as Grin bowed and rumbled off a salutation. Canard gave a short nod before his gaze fell upon the teen. He knew the name, truly he did, but the face had changed some, and he was taller than the one he knew. But then again, it had been a year so… after all who else could it be? He blinked, confused for a moment before trying; "Nosedive?" The teen nodded slowly, quiet, and it felt to Canard as if this were something unusual. It wasn't right, was it? He gazed at the teen a moment longer before turning to Wildwing.

"He is Nosedive, right?" he asked. There was laughter all around and it confused him, and he turned back to see the teen blushing and looking away as he shoved his hands in his pockets, embarrassed.

"Yes, he's Nosedive," Duke snickered, gaining the tan mallards attention. "Couldn't tell by how quiet he's bein'," he teased. Nosedive shot him a dirty look.

"Shut up old man," he grunted, then dodged as a roll of bandages went flying towards his head. Duke wagged a finger at the teen in mock anger.

"You wait till we get out of here and out on the ice kid. I'll show you 'old man'," he threatened. Laughter followed the threat as Nosedive grinned, hands free from his pockets as he linked his hands behind his head impishly.

"Yeah sure. You wish," he replied, gaining a few snickers before they all calmed down. Canard could only watch the interaction and wonder at it before turning to Wildwing again.

"Where… where are we?" he asked. Wildwing smiled at him, his blue eyes delighted.

"We're in our underground base called The Pond. It's beneath a hockey rink," he explained. "We own it and some of the land around it. The city we're in is called Anaheim, California. We're on a planet called Earth. We've been here for a year fighting Dragaunus."

"Yeah and if it wasn't for hockey and some of the natives, it'd get real boring around here when ol' Draggy's off licking his wounds," Nosedive said casually. He paused at the strange look Canard gave him and shrugged at his team mates who were beginning to worry. Something wasn't right. Wildwing didn't seem to notice however, his gaze was on the mask he'd pulled from his side pocket. He was quiet for a moment before holding it out to his friend who stared at it.

"Canard," he said softly before looking into the tan mallards face and trying to hand the mask to him. "I think this belongs to you." Quietly Canard took the mask from the white feathered mallard and stared at it for a long while before closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"I'm sorry," he said, turning and giving his friend a weak smile. "I- I'm not really sure what this is." He held the mask out to Wildwing who stared at him in shock. He looked down, embarrassed. "I… I don't remember much," he admitted, causing his teammates to stiffen. "I remember all of you, especially Wildwing but…" he sighed before taking a deep breath.

"There are, creatures called Guardians in Dimensional Limbo," he told them, his voice stronger than before. "They only rescued me a day ago, or so I'm guessing. I'm not really sure. They said that where I had been was called The Wilderness of Dimensional Limbo and that time passed differently there. It's the only reason I'm still alive, but for the time I was there…" he paused, shrugging and fingering the mask almost nervously. "They said it would take time before I'd begin to remember more, something about my mind healing," he explained. He watched as Wildwing slowly took the mask from him, gazing at it for a moment before looking up at him in confused worry.

"What does that mean?" Wildwing asked, his voice quiet. "Do you not remember the invasion or anything before it?" Canard looked away for a moment, searching, before slowly shaking his head.

"I remember… some things. When I was small, and then after I met you. Something about chasing after your brother through DuCaine city…" he paused as Wildwing suddenly stiffened and Nosedive stared in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing. What else do you remember?" Wildwing asked, his tone strange as he gave his brother a hard look. Nosedive shrugged, shaking his head and the tension left the elder brothers body. Canard could only shake his head.

"I think, I remember doing research about special agents while sitting in an underground bunker, and I remember meeting Duke, Mallory, Tanya and Grin but…" he shrugged, looking up. "I'm sorry, everything else doesn't make any sense. It's just a blur." He saddened, his gaze turning to his hands which were clenched on his lap. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to let you down," he muttered. Duke shook his head, placing a hand on the tan mallards shoulder.

"You've never let us down Canard," he said firmly. "You came back to us, and that's more than we could have ever hoped for." Canard gave the ex-thief a weak smile, then turned to Wildwing who was placing the mask back on his face.

"So what now?" he asked. Wildwing smiled, though with the mask on his face it didn't give as much comfort as one could hope.

"For now, you rest and regain your strength. As soon as you're able we'll fill you in on all the details of the war and get you used to being on the ice again. Hopefully we can get you comfortable enough to take a back up position on the team when hockey season starts."

"Oh Phil will love that," said Mallory, grinning. Carnard stared at her, confused.

"Who's Phil?" he asked. Nosedive snickered.

"Our lovably annoying overweight manager," he explained. "We'd get a new one but he's on contract for the next ten years, so we're kinda stuck with him." Wildwing shook his head and placed a hand on Canard's back.

"You should rest. We'll explain everything to you later," he said coolly. Canard nodded, laying back down as the team moved to leave, save Tanya who went over to a terminal and began typing. "It's good to have you back Canard," the white mallard said softly, bending down and giving his friend a brotherly hug. Canard returned the show of affection, patting his friends back and closing his eyes.

"Good to be back," he whispered. Then the embrace was gone and he turned his head as weariness fell heavily upon him. He sighed in comfort as he heard a door swish open and his teammates leave, and paused when he heard Nosedive speak.

"What did he mean Wing? I don't remember you ever chasing me down," he whispered. There was a moment of silence.

"Don't worry about it Nosedive. I'll explain it to you later," Wildwing answered, his tone careful. The door hissed shut and Canard opened his eyes to look at Tanya one more time. She smiled at him and he nodded before finally falling asleep.

DDDD

Three months later found Canard out on the ice, slowly skating in circles with a hockey stick in hand as he waited for Wildwing to return the pucks to him. Nosedive was with them, a hockey stick in hand, skating near the tan mallard in case he needed assistance while Phil sat in the stands laughing loudly onto his mobile phone. Canard ground his teeth. After meeting Phil he had come to realize that he had a great dislike for the loud human as the man had followed him around for two days, begging him to do something called a photo shoot as it would help introduce him to the world and bring in big bucks for the company. Whatever company Phil was talking about Canard wasn't so sure, but at this point all he wanted to do was hit the puck at a straight angle into the fat humans head. Unfortunately his slap shot wasn't good enough for that just quite yet.

"Stars that man is aggravating," he hissed, slapping the ice with his stick in his anger. Nosedive smirked at him, skating around him backwards. It was something Canard had envied for a while until he once again became used to skating.

"Yeah well, you get used to him. He's easily distracted so we can usually talk our way out of his little schemes. Photo shoots though…" the teen grimaced as Wildwing finally cleared the goal and the area behind it of pucks that had either been blocked, gone astray or actually made their way in. "Phil's fond of photo shoots so we can't really ever get him to change his mind on those." Canard gave him a dirty look as twenty pucks slowly eased over his way on the ice.

"Duck Hunters Weekly?" he ground through his teeth. Nosedive actually laughed at him.

"Yeah, he's been trying to get us to do that one since we first arrived. It's sick I know, but we can't get him to understand that we're not comfortable with it. He usually waits until everything gets calm and we're all in good moods before he tries springing that one," he explained. Canard shook his head with a forlorn sigh before he began guiding a puck away from the others, Wildwing readying himself in front of the net.

"So, tell me about this Stanley Cup thing," Canard said before slapping a puck at Wildwing. The goalie was quick as lightning, arm shooting out and catching the puck before it could go in.

"Too close to the middle Canard, try a little farther out," Wildwing called. Canard nodded, collecting all the pucks into a kind of pile before easing another one away.

"The Stanley Cup?" Nosedive asked, pausing and leaning on his hockey stick. Canard nodded again before grunting as he hit another puck in Wildwing's direction. This puck slammed into the mallards chest and bounced off, gaining a grunt from the goalie.

"What is it with everyone trying to get these stupid pucks to go through me?" Wildwing asked forlornly, tapping the ice with his hockey stick. Canard winced.

"Sorry!"

"Tell me sorry when you put enough force behind it to actually knock me over," Wildwing called absently, searching for the puck that had hit him. He found it sliding aimlessly towards the side of the rink and sighed. He'd get that one later.

"Geez this is frustrating," Canard muttered, turning back to the puck pile. Nosedive watched him.

"You're worrying too much about your feet," the teen said. "You've got plenty of balance so don't worry about falling over. Also, don't hold your arms so stiffly, you keep slowing down before you actually hit the puck." Canard looked at him for a moment.

"Tell me honestly. Did you really punch a hole through the net when you won the Stanley Cup?" he asked. Nosedive smiled proudly.

"You bet your beak I did," he said.

"Show me." There was a moment of silence before a wicked grin spread over Nosedive's face, a mischievous glint lighting in the teens eyes.

"Come here," was all he said. In front of the goal Wildwing was getting bored as he watched his brother talk animatedly to his best friend. With Canard not taking charge due to his ever disappearing amnesia, and the tan mallard not showing any kind of judge-mental character towards the teen, Nosedive had loosened up and actually begun willingly spending time with his brother's childhood friend. It wasn't something that occurred often, but then the two had very different personalities and could honestly only stand each other for a little while before either getting bored or annoyed with one another. At the moment however, they were making Wildwing nervous as they huddled close and spoke in hushed tones. His eye caught movement and he looked to see Duke coming out of the changing room with a canned soda in hand.

"Having fun fearless leader?" the darker mallard teased, mechanical eye flashing impishly. Wildwing snorted, turning back to face the two standing before him on the ice.

"Yeah. He's getting better," he called before suddenly pausing. It had been a long time since Wildwing had seen Canard look comfortable on the ice. Since first stepping onto it after arriving on Earth, Canard had always been uneasy and clumsy, falling easily. Now however, he stood as if he'd never left the ice, hockey stick held easily in his hand as Nosedive instructed him.

"Yo, Wing…" he heard Duke warn, but he didn't have enough time to react. The next thing he knew was there was a burning pain in his chest followed by his head as he slammed into the goal behind him before falling to the ice. A startled curse followed as loud laughter came from Duke, and soon Nosedive and Canard were leaning over him in worry.

"Aw geez Wing! I'm sorry man! Are you okay?" Canard asked, worried as he and Nosedive helped Wildwing to his feet. The white mallard gasped, hand to his chest and he painfully breathed.

"Okay, I'm done for the day," he said after a moment. He smiled painfully at his friend. "You are definatly getting better." Canard couldn't help but smile. As they made their way off the ice they heard Phil begin shouting unhappily as Duke's laughter continued to fill the rink, the elder mallard turning and pointing to the human gleefully.

"That's it Phil! You owe me twenty bucks and three days off! There is no way you're getting out of this one," he crowed. Phil threw a shoe at him, which failed to fly farther than the first row and he stomped as he made his way down to retrieve it.

"Oh come on! I've got you booked for the rest of the week," he cried. Duke shrugged, opening the portion of the wall that allowed the three ducks on the ice to step off and back onto firm ground where they helped Wildwing walk to the changing room, the mallard unsteady on his feet.

"You're just going to have to reschedule then won't you?" Duke asked, following his teammates. Phil howled in response as Nosedive snickered.

"That's another way you can get out of doing stuff for Phil," he told Canard gleefully. The tan mallard shook his head as he helped Wildwing sit down on a bench before looking up to watch as Duke danced around in the doorway annoying Phil. His teammates had changed since he last saw them, he could remember that much at least, and he couldn't help but envy them. In a time of war they were so relaxed, something he could never really recall being even in times of peace.

"So after Tanya nurses you back to health and drives you crazy with medical questions, do you guys wanna watch our Mega Horror Movie Marathon tonight?" Nosedive asked, sitting down and taking off his skates. Wildwing winced as he pulled his shirt over his head and fingered the cracked surface of his hockey gear.

"Hmm. I'll have to get this fixed," he muttered, then nodded slowly before looking up at his brother. "Yeah sure. Canard?" They both looked at him and he shrugged.

"Why not? I don't think I've ever been to one of those before," he replied. Nosedive grinned.

"Maybe not, but don't plan on getting up in the morning. This thing runs all night," he bragged. Wildwing put a hand to his head, wincing.

"Whose idea was this again?" he asked.

"Mallory's," Duke said from the doorway where he was collecting twenty dollars from a grumbling Phil. "She's fallen in love with black and white horror films, and I gotta admit I've kinda gotten to where I like 'em too," he told them. Canard could only shake his head, then help Nosedive get Wildwing out of his gear and down to the infirmary so Tanya could have a look at him.

Seven hours later, sometime around one in the morning, Canard found himself propped up on the couch, Wildwing dozing with his head on Tanya's shoulder next to him as Nosedive and Mallory sat on the couch on his left huddled side by side in anticipation of the black and white monsters next move, meanwhile mechanically shoveling popcorn into their mouths. Duke was sitting on the third couch across from them, leaning back with his feet propped up on the coffee table as Phil sat chewing on his fingers nervously. Grin was actually sitting cross legged on the corner table, a pillow cushioning him as he watched Phil almost gleefully, calmly eating his own popcorn with one hand while holding a rather wonderful smelling candy bar in the other. Canard thought they had called it a buttery finger, or something along those lines. He wasn't exactly sure. He watched as the monster leapt out, listened as Nosedive and Mallory squealed and watched as Phil leapt a foot in the air with a scream and dived behind the couch before peeking out with a whimper. Duke nearly fell into the floor, laughing as Grin chuckled.

"That's five dollars Wildwing," Grin said calmly, looking over and pausing when he saw that his team leader wasn't even awake. Nosedive snickered as Tanya shrugged.

"I'll remind him later big guy," he claimed as Phil sniffled dramatically.

"You guys are cruel," he whined. At that moment Canard decided that even though Phil was annoying, he was definitely worth having around if for nothing more than comedy relief. He smiled and sunk deeper into the couch happily as he watched the rest of the movie. It was definitely good to be home.

END