My Archnemesis
Negaduck paced around his prison cell, trying to clear his mind. He was simply biding his time, waiting for the right opportunity to break free and continue hunting down that do-gooder double of his, Darkwing Duck. He had his work cut out for him, since Quackerworks' new line of crime bots had started patrolling the city. If it weren't for them, Negaduck would have been able to do away with Darkwing Duck once and for all. So getting to the other masked mallard would be at least slightly more difficult than it was before. And that meant being patient. But in the current space of empty time, Negaduck could do nothing but think.
He hated thinking. He hated contemplating his motives behind a crime. He still had not been able to completely kill the conscience within. And it was when he was alone with his thoughts that the annoying inner voice would rear its pretty head. That was probably why Negaduck talked to himself. Hearing any voice, his own in particular, allowed him to drown out that nagging. But he couldn't shut it up today.
"I should have checked that address from the beginning," Negaduck muttered. "It was the first place Dipwing went when he landed in my world. That should have been a clue. Then I would have been able to get rid of him without interruption from those crime bots. I could have done away with Darkwing Duck a year ago, just by attacking him in his house!"
Drake Mallard's house, the voice corrected.
Negaduck ground his teeth at the thought of that name. He had refused to use it in full when he finally had attacked the Mallard home. Something about it put him on edge, and he would not allow it to pass his beak.
"Stupid do-gooder, going by another name so his little brat can have a 'normal life.' What use is she besides domestic labor? Of course, that idiot two-shoes would go and adopt the brat. Not good enough for you to be just her 'guardian,' eh, Darkwing? Had to be the hero dad, did you?" Negaduck retched. He'd looked up every detail of Drake Mallard's life after finding out that his double's alternate identity was still in use. It sickened, but didn't surprise him, that Drake had adopted Gosalyn. In his own world, Negaduck's Gosalyn was good for keeping his house just as he liked it, sycophant that she was. But his ward was of little value to him beyond that.
"Yeah, you just go on being...being...leading a double life. I like the one I have now."
Being Drake Mallard. Is that what you meant to say?
"Shut up!" Negaduck snapped suddenly, leading anyone within earshot to look at him strangely.
You can't even say your own name, the voice nagged.
"It's not my name!" Negaduck retorted. "That duck is dead. In my world, and soon in this one as well."
Admit it to yourself...Drake. You're not dead yet. Somewhere inside you, Drake Mallard still lives. I still live.
Negaduck pounded a fist against his cell wall. "No! I'm not Dr...I'm...my name is Negaduck! I hate Drake Mallard! You hear me? I hate Drake Mallard!" He was screaming now, shaking his fists in the air. He calmed and collected himself before resuming his monologue.
"And I'm going to kill Drake Mallard, once and for all. He'll never appear in any form, to haunt me ever again! Anywhere Darkwing Duck lives, so does Drake. I'll get rid of all the Drake Mallards—all the Darkwing Ducks—in this and all the other worlds!" He grinned evilly, clasping his hands around the bars of his cell door. "And with them all gone, I, Negaduck, will be able to rule not just my St. Canard, but every other reality as well! Yes, it's all coming together now. I know how to destroy Darkwing. And I will destroy you, Darkwing."
So then who is your real archnemesis, Negaduck? Darkwing Duck, or Drake Mallard?
Negaduck whirled around and slammed his fist hard into the concrete wall of his cell. He heard the bones in his hand crack, and the satisfying pain that exploded through his injured limb finally shut that annoying little voice up.
