A Devilishly Darkwing Ducky Goofy Fanfic
Part 1: The Devil and Maximillian Goof
By Claudius
I wish to note that this fanfic is NOT a sequel to A Tiny Toony Goofy Fanfic. Both stories should be treated as different continuities.
I own nothing. Goofy, Max, and characters of Darkwing Duck are owned by Disney.
Edit Note: I've revised the story somewhat. I really found it difficult to write The Fearsome Five in this story, so I've deleted all but NegaDuck.
The beginning is from "Date With Destiny" from Goof Troop.
In his sleeping bag, Max slumbered snugly at PJ's house. Despite his cool demeanor, there hid a worry. True, he had slept in PJ's house before; that was no problem. Neither was the reason for his present situation, or so he wanted to believe. Okay, so he and dad failed to convince Miss Pennypacker that he was living in a stable environment. Big deal! So there was the big likelihood that Max might end up in a foster home! That won't happen. Max treated the situation as cool as ice, though his father was a different matter. In sleep, though, Max shared his father's anxiety. He was able to slumber, but that didn't mean it was an easy one.
As Max slept, his tranquil mind fell into dream. In this environment he spotted a tall, gangly figure: It was his dad, looking very uncharacteristically sad. He was talking to someone. Actually, somebody was talking back at him. Really talking back at him! Max couldn't see this shadow-veiled person, but such ignorance gave him scant time to be polite. This person's words to Pop sounded so cruel, so nasty. "You stupid goof!" Such abuse made Max angry. "Hey, creep!" The son yelled. "Lay off on my dad!"
But the figure continued his slimeball attitude, saying more bad stuff to his dad. "You ruin everything!"
Max had heard enough. He marched before the creep. "Now you listen to…me?"
Max froze in shock. The figure's revealed appearance looked so very familiar. He looked older, he looked meaner. But nothing could be mistaken. The figure was another Max!
"Get out of my life!" shrieked this older Max, continuing his tirade against Goofy. He grew beastly and monstrous, stamping his foot to the ground. The floor tore open before his father. And Goofy fell into it. And Max could do nothing but watch his father scream his name as he got swallowed into the abyss…
"NO!"
And Max awoke, being lifted by welcome hands. To his relief, before him knelt his dad, alive and well. Not to mention worried. "Max! Max! Are ya alright?"
Max lost his cool. He fell into his dad's arms, ready to weep. "I'm alright, Pop. It was just a nightmare."
"Now, now," Goofy commented, rubbing his son's back. "Ev'rythins' gonna be alright."
Max said nothing, feeling his dad's attempts to soothe his rattled nerves. And it worked. Max was growing up, and should feel the gift of such affection childish. But right now he embraced it. How could Miss Pennypacker think his dad was an unsuitable parent? How could anyone hate such a kind, gentle, laugh-filled person like his father? Especially his one and only son?
Such confidence made the nightmare fade from Max's memory. Everything was going to be alright.
EIGHT YEARS LATER.
There was a skate-board tournament at St. Conard. Its State University competed with other colleges out of town. Such an event tickled Gosalyn Waddlemeyer Mallard's feathers as she walked the grounds. So, as she was able to, she got out of her father's view and raced to the obstacle courses. Her exciting eyes hit paydirt. A long ramp arching to the sky (or, as it appeared to be for a 12-year-old duck). So far, no one was around or paid attention to either her presence or the ramp. Her course was given. She had to try it out. She began to climb the structure.
And then she got lifted off her climb. "Hold it there, missy!" cried a voice from behind, his black arms grabbing her.
"Hey lemme go!" Gosalyn cried in bravery.
"I'm afraid this is a little more advanced for you," said the friendly voice. As Gosalyn turned, she saw her opponent was no Tarus Bullba or Megavolt or NegaDuck. It was a young man with a goatee and ponytail.
"Big deal," Gosalyn refused the patronizing. "I can out-vance you in anything. I've done more…" She continued her truth before she realized certain things could not be said. Next she looked for an awkward escape. "So, you one of the finalist?"
"Yep," the dog-faced skater said with a cool smugness. "The name's Max."
Gosalyn got excited. "Keen gear! My name's…"
"Gosalyn!" cried a familiar voice. "What are you doing here?" The owner of such an approach was her dad. Drake Mallard came with his usual 'Expect-to-be-grounded' face. "How many times have I told not to wander off?"
"Well…um…" Gosalyn felt intimidated for an answer. "Dad," she changed the course of the subject. "This is Max."
Drake knew a subject-changer when he saw one, but he shook hands anyway. And then Max's eyes caught the person with him. A voluptuous female duck dressed fancy in red. "And is this…your mother?"
"Um, she's my dad's girlfriend. Max, meet Morgana Macawber."
"Charmed," Morgana spoke with grace, raising her shawl-connected hand, of which Max kissed. Her hotness transfixed Max, until he spotted two bats and a spider hovering around the woman.
"Uh, you do know there's a spider and a bat on you?"
Morgana's serene look went unbroken against such ghoulish creatures. "They are my pets."
"I see…" Max kept a straight face. He tried to keep such a complexion even when he heard a crash. Inwardly he cringed at this harbinger singnaling…
"Hey Maxie!" Max's father came out of his latest mess without harm.
"Folks," Max did his best to be calm. "This is my dad."
The father noticed his son's new friends. "Goofy's the name. Nice to meet ya!" He let out a laugh sounding like H-yuck! Save for Max's goatee, the family resemblance was remarkable. Both had black skin, long ears, a long snout with a black nose and buck teeth (the latter Max tried to hide by closing his mouth).
Max continued. "This is Gosalyn, and her father…"
"Drake Mallard," Father shook hands with father.
"And this is her father's girlfriend, Morgana Macawber."
"Chamed!" Goofy kissed the Morgana's hand, less smoothly then his son.
"Thank you," Morgana politely smiled. Indeed, as rough and informal Goofy's greetings were, she felt it came with the most genuine and caring intent.
"Great, you're getting to know each other!" Max took advantage with an excited attitude. "Nothing like getting to know each other! Dad, why don't you continue to get to know these people? Me, I got some practice." He was off in a flash.
"Yep, that's my boy," Goofy beamed his pride, though Drake and Gosalyn noticed Max expressing a different idea. "Say, aren't ya related t' Donald Duck?"
Drake and Morgana shook their heads. Archie the spider too.
Goofy paused. "Oh, hold still…" He spoke cautiously. Then he grabbed Archie with the most loving care. "Didn't wanna scare you."
"That's my pet Archie."
"Really?" Goofy looked at the pet with new eyes. "Gosh." He began to pet the creature as if it was a cat. Homer, not the most warm of pets, nevertheless reciprocated this respectful action. The bats Eek and Sqeak hovered over the Goof as well.
Max did his best to evade his father. If there was remorse in this treatment, he didn't allow it to control him. His life with his dad seemed to be some turning CD. Every time, it looked like the two came to some understanding. Then, Dad pulled a KABOOM!, resulting in Max wishing his dad stayed out of his life forever. Will it never end?
"Pawdon me," said a lisped voice. "You don't happenth tuh be Max Goof, skater extstuodinaire!"
Max grew to the compliment. Wish he could grow to the person asking it. This person's black shades did little to hide the fact of his unappealing red skin with big bat-like ears. He had a long snout, trimmed with a goatee. That unattractive feature and the pony-tail made Max a little self-conscious of his own look. "And you are?"
"B. Z. Bulb, Skater agent extstuodinaire," he presented himself flamboyantly. "Head a' many skate fwanchizes. Like…" He revealed a shining red skateboard. Max, grasping his own board, was very impressed by its look.
"We need sumeone tuh spunsor…" Bulb continued, pulling out a contract. "Sign on the dotted line, and we can make histowy. Think of it: Max Goof on T-shorts, posters, and commercials!"
The bravado really impressed Max. His popularity in college was big. His victories made him a catch for many sportsperson. Not that Max cared…okay, he did a lot. Especially if it meant burying forever his reputation as the Goof's Kid or Son of Goof. But he turned off on this one, not least to the discomforting vibe the agent gave out. "Sorry, Mr…Bulb, but I can't part with my lucky skateboard. Been using it since I was a kid. Maybe some other day!" He turned and left.
Alone, B. Z. Bulb's friendly appearance slowly fell to a more diabolical look. "Sooner than you think, kid…"
Max returned to Pete Jr. and Bobby Zumeraski at their spot as Team 99. "Hey, guys, what say we get something to eat?" His friends agreed. Max left his skateboard aside. Also left behind was some toy that P.J. recently bought. Mr. Banana Brain. P.J. thought it gave the perfect balance to their team's inner karma. Max thought it had scary-looking eyes; gave the feeling that the doll was actually looking at them.
Team 99's sudden vacancy was not happily responded by one who saw through that doll's eyes.
"They couldn't bring it with them?" The watcher smoldered in frustration. This was Nega-Duck. Watching a tele-screen on his Saint-Smasher, the Duck Prince of Crime spied on his victims via this doll.
Well, not really his. Nega-Duck's recognition of property mattered on the success or failure of its performance. "This was definitely one of Quackerjack's dumber ideas…" Why did he have to steal this stupid doll? Because he wanted to! After all, this was his scheme, invited by some millionaire's son named Bradley Upperclass III. For a million, Nega-Duck was to keep three welps from competing in some stupid game; easy as stealing candy from a baby. It was a scheme that might have needed the help from the Fearsome Five, but NegaDuck was not willing to get help from those bozos (even though he intended to keep the loot for himself regardless of aid or not!).
His mood was not improved when he continued to peer in the glass. "Somebody's cutting into my turf!" But his anger subsided. For something had caught Nega-Duck's attention. He smiled at what he saw through that scope. "This is good…"
As Goofy made a quick retreat to see his son, Drake and his family continued walking among the grounds. Drake was especially excited. Looks like the tournament will receive the guest appearance of a certain Masked Mallard.
His companions had other ideas to think. "The sports appear interesting," Morgana noted refined.
"Did'ja have any sports at your school?" Gosalyn asked.
"I was more of the bookworm," Morgana admitted.
"Hard seeing you as the nerd-type," Drake slyly complimented her.
'There's a lot you don't know." Morgana winked with the inviting response. "I'll share it with you some other time."
Drake smirked with the meaning.
"As I was saying Gosalyn, we did have our share of sports. Kicking the skull. Leaping over fire and brimstone."
"Well, that's interesting…" Drake gave his best face to such off-color experiences. Gosalyn lacked any pretend to such awesome times. Considering her grades sucked at the Eldritch Academy of Magic (not to mention normal school), maybe she could get through by sports…
"Look what you've done!"
The roar of that cry interrupted her thoughts. Drake and Gosalyn also shared their sudden change of attention.
"You ruin everything! When will you stop ruining my life?"
The three ducks turned to the ugly scene. There was Max again. He held his skateboard, torn in half. He was in a foul temper, yelling at his father. He turned in circles in his behavior. "Is it so impossible for you to do something right? Why must every time you show up spell disaster!"
His father drooped a little at this verbal assault. His passivity matched his son's aggression with equal extremity. Any stranger would have concluded that whatever provocation Goofy did, it was undeserving of such a bullying aggression.
At which Drake jumped in. "Hey, hey, hey! We can be civilized. No need for any combats today!"
Max turned away, dropping his skateboard, or what was left of it to the ground. His gesture was as disdaining as the look in his face. "I can't wait until I graduate!" Max made his demand. "Then I'll never see you ever again!" He turned in a huff, receiving a strong grip on his shoulder.
"Hey, kid," Drake brought his weight forceful and menacing. "That's enough…"
"I'm no kid!" Max shrugged.
Drake grabbed him again, with an added strength, not to mention a more dramatic stare. "Doesn't mean you can't apologize."
"Uh, dad?" Gosalyn tapped Drake's shoulder. "It's getting a little dark."
This put the pause in Drake. He quickly retreated into a smile in a very blissful matter. "Why ruin this day with an argument?"
But Max refused. "Later…" he spoke with a word as cold as his departure.
Gosalyn walked up to the distraught father. "What's up?"
Goofy revealed the reason. "I came here an' saw it broken. Max came an' thought I brokes it."
Drake held the broken skateboard. His eyes took a more studied scan of the object. "What did this, a blowtorch?"
Morgana looked at it equally entranced. She suddenly felt a chill.
"I'm sorry," Gosalyn comforted the father.
"It's alright," Goofy replied. "This always happens with muh son. There's nuthin' I can do but wait 'til he comes around."
If only Goofy knew things were otherwise for his son. Max stomped in his desertion. The game was now lost! Where was he going to find another board? His desperation strengthened his hostility toward his dad. Once again, dad ruins everything! This time it was one too many. This relationship wasn't a revolving CD. It was a toxic drug addiction! Every time he showed sobriety, he'd relapse by making peace with dad, only to get blown away again! Well, no more! This is it! His college graduation would see the end of anymore association with that Goof who fathered him! No more Goofy!
Of course, such a decisive move in his life wasn't going to get him a skateboard, would it?
"Hey Max, remember me?" B.Z. Bulb came out of nowhere. Max felt his appearance almost miraculous.
Gosalyn gazed sadly at the aftermath of this stormy family conflict. Goofy looked so sad, and no wonder! Max had laid it hard on his pop. She hoped she never did that to her dad. That is, she never wanted hurt him. Drive him nuts, sure. But never hurt his feelings. The duckling turned an eye to Morgana. The matching of looks caused the sorceress to understand. She dabbled her hands and fingers. A sparkle surrounded the board, restoring it back into one piece.
"Gosh!" Goofy was astonished. "Lookee that!" And it brought a smile from his mouth that felt to Gosalyn and her family that the world had gone alright. "Just wait 'til Max sees this!" Goofy ran off with the restored board, with Gosalyn trailing him with Morgana. Drake wandered the other way.
Goof, witch, and duckling retraced Max's angry steps. The trail ended with the sight of Max standing at a corner, writing on some paper with some red guy. Not any red guy! "Beezlebub!" Gosalyn and Morgana screamed.
Goofy had little knowledge of the reason for the girls' shock. But he recognized dread when he saw it and believed in their concern. "Max!" He cried out in a similarly wary tone.
Max angrily ignored the cries.
"Write this down, kid." The red guy said. "And you'll never see your old man ever again!"
Max continued with his signature.
"Max, don't sign!" Morgana cried out.
The signature was made. "Stay out of this!" Max defiantly yelled in facing the three. He suddenly felt a collar burn around his neck. Quickly, he was yanked backwards into the hold of the agent, who was now dressed in a cape and brandishing a pitchfork. "Hey, what's going on?"
"Getting my profit!" Bulb made such a smirk that gave a discomforting feeling to Max. Perhaps he had committed some big mistake?
Father and son beheld other things that was familiar to witch and duckling. The ground shook, tearing a wound that hemorrhaged an ascending cave in the shape of a head. Its mouth opened to reveal great flames. To the familiar, its presence was declared. "The Gates of Fire!"
The sight of his son's condition sent Goofy charging. Beezlebub raised his trident and fired a fence of flame that stopped the father.
"Dad!" said Max's most compassionate tone to his father of this day.
Fortunately, his father got protected by magic of a different direction. There stood Morgana, raising her arms, brandishing bright energy in her hands. "Beezlebub, begone from this place!" She cried her threat most magnificently.
"Can't," Beezlebub replied. "This Goof's kid made a deal. I've come to collect his soul!"
"What?" Max wiggled like a caught fish. His thoughts opened to his extreme impatience in not reading the full contract. Stupid!
Beezlebub began his trek to the Gates. Max pulled and dragged, but he had no more weight than a baby against this doomed trek. And then came an instant forming of black smoke. "I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the niche that ruins your convertible! I am Darkwing Duck!" Indeed, the caped Mallard Marauder leapt upon the demonic stairway with balletic ease.
Beezlebub smugly pointed his trident on Max.
"Step away from the kid," Darkwing growled his threat.
Beezlebub reacted calmly. "Nah."
"I know you're game, devil. It's me you want!"
"Actually…" Beezlebub chortled. "I've got a better replacement." He aimed his trident at Goofy.
All eyes looked with surprise. "Um, me?" the Goof pointed at himself in astonishment.
Even Max was astonished. At this moment, any problems he had with his father took their usual course of nonexistence whenever real trouble surfaced. "Dad, don't!"
"So what do ya say, Goofy? Beezlebub gave his invitation.
"Well…if that's what I gotta do!" Goofy walked closer to devil and his precious captive. His stance was characterized as without fear, without hesitation. "Take me instead. Let Max go."
"Deal!" Beezlebub sparked with fulfillment. A bright light covered the area. When everything was conspicuous again, Beezlebub was now at the Gates with a new captive.
Max, now at his father's spot near Morgana, looked to his former position. His father was following Bulb to the Gates! "Dad, don't!"
Goofy did betray a wistful look back at his beloved son, but he was calm in his farewell. "Goodbye, muh son. Ah'll always love ya." He pulled out something from his pocket. "Here's my lucky horseshoe!" He threw it off the steps.
Morgana flung a finger-ray of magic power. Darkwing fired a canister. Neither made any impact on Beezlebub as he and his new captive walked into the mouth. Darkwing darted to the gate. The cavern gave an explosion of flame, stopping the Mighty Mallard's steps in following.
And then the Gates of Fire made a different direction, descending back.
Max trying to relate all this madness in his head, tried to climb up the sinking temple. Darkwing confronted the young Goof and dragged him away to safety. "Hold it, kid. You'll fall in too!"
Max cared nothing of it. "Let me go! Dad! Dad!"
The mouth closed, but Beezlebub's voice could still be heard. "So long, Max. You won't ever see your father ever again!" He chortled. His laugh, as cold as ice despite its mirthful intention, rang in Max's ears. Continuing as he saw the temple vanish into the ground, heard as the ground re-knit itself, heard as he tried to break free from Darkwing's embrace. His mind couldn't believe the reality he so vocally wished but now refused.
Max ran to the spot, grabbing his father's horseshoe. But he did not cry, nor did he act humble. Instead, he demanded. "Why are you guys just standing there?" he shouted almost insanely. "Help me get my dad!"
He did not get the response he wished. Darkwing looked sadly at this son. "I'm sorry, kid. But your father went by his own free will."
"What does that mean?" Max yelled. "What kinda hero are you?"
"No one forced him to do this," Morgana, whose sudden magical abilities was something to take for the young Goof. "It was by his own choice."
Max shook at the implication. "No. I did it on my own free will. My goofy dad didn't have to do such a stupid thing!"
Darkwing glared at Max's selfish recall. "Right. It is all your stupid fault." In the face of the Dark Mallard, Max quieted, but the anger remained. It was his source of strength, considering the circumstances.
"But he didn't!" Gosalyn corrected. "Max was under duress."
"Y-Yes," Max latched to any outlet. "My dad broke my skateboard…"
Darkwing and Morgana appeared to realize this truth, but the former did not show it, bearing a smoldering dislike to this kid's attitude. "That skateboard was burned through," Darkwing corrected. "It was as if sliced by- oh, let us say- a fiery pitchfork?"
Max paused to such a revelation. He weighed his head heavy. His guilt in this mess had skyrocketed. Not that he wanted it. "That devil!"
"Don't worry Max." Gosalyn was more befriending. "Darkwing and Morgan got my dad away from Beezlebub. We'll help you too."
Morgana gave no time for reluctance. "We need to get to my house. Time is of the essence!"
"Time?" Max quickly turned to the environment before him. The tournament! He had a race to win! But dad was in trouble. For a moment Max weighed his options and choose the best, or what seemed to be the not-happy-right thing. Even out of his life, his dad couldn't stop ruining it!
Darkwing turned away, taking out his pencil-mike. Launchpad was on vacation, so forget the ThunderQuack! Quickly the Rat-Catcher made its appearance. He mounted the vehicle, replacing his hat for a helmet. He took out a second one. "Coming with us, Max?"
Max stared defiantly at Darkwing. He grabbed the helmet.
Morgana threw her eyes at Max's skateboard, lying in the background. With a wave of her finger, the board floated before them. Max was astonished. "But it was broken."
"Morgana restored it. Your father was going to give it to you." Darkwing was matter of fact.
"How did you know that?" Max looked at Darkwing.
The Mallard had a sweat drop. "Um, I showed up right after your blow up with your old man."
Max frowned. This guy always knows what to say! He thought sarcastically.
At any rate, the skateboard floated before Morgana. She and her pets stepped up to it with grace. "I'll come too," Gosalyn hopped aboard. They levitated into the air. Staring at this unusual scene, Max recovered enough of his bearings.
Meanwhile, Bobby was working on his board. He heard Max cry his name. He didn't bother to turn around. "Yeah, dude?"
"I got something to do. Hold the fort until I get back." He was off in a burst of smoke.
"Okay." Bobby returned to his task. A loud wave of smoke hit his ears and nose. But still he did not turn around.
Nearby, Nega-Duck took action of this change of situation. Somebody was blowing his chance of getting a cool million! Seeing how Dorkwing and his voodoo lady were up to something with that Goof's brat, he had to find out what. The Saint-Smasher tore the road in its pursuit.
The Rat-Catcher could have literally burned a trail of fire with the velocity it gave. Max could have enjoyed the ride if not for certain feelings. Tears were all ready to fall, unleashing its emotional cause. But Max kept on to his attitude like a life preserver.
"Um, Darkwing? Can I ask something…?"
"Yes, Morgana is a powerful witch, and Beezlebub is a nefarious devil, crafty and cunning in his diabolical machinations."
"Actually, I was wondering if Gosalyn's father knows about his girlfriend and daughter flying on my skateboard."
"Uhh…yes he does!" Darkwing had a moment of anxiety, which he intervened with quick confidence. "Mild-mannered Drake Mallard is a great guy, wonderful and understanding…in a mild-mannered civilian way." He quickly turned the subject. "Bet this is all-too-new for you."
"Nope. I've seen magic and ghosts before." Max remained silent about details.
"I feel it important that your mother not know what has happened to your dad. No point giving her needless worry."
Max was very still, as if the dialogue could harm. "I don't have a mother." His words were cold and decisive.
"Oh!" Darkwing tried to hide his mistake. "I'm sorry."
"Drop it!" Max demanded.
Darkwing did. At least he dropped it vocally.
The skies darkened, and a sheet of rain sprang upon everyone. Lightning also filled the air. Darkwing had his cape to protect him. Morgana shielded her passengers with a magic shield. Max got drenched.
Darkwing thought this weather was to happen when he reached Morgana's house. But it looked like the crazy storm came well ahead from the grounds of her humble abode. Something was wrong here. Max, lacking such hindsight (in this matter at least) paused to see Macawber Manor with its dried branches, lightning, and foul wind. What have I got myself into? He wondered.
Morgana and Gosalyn landed gracefully. "Here's your board back," Morgana commanded the vehicle into Max's hands. "Um, thanks." He began to shake off the wetness of his clothes.
"Allow me," Morgana asked. A snap of her fingers, and a steamy mist dissolved from Max's spandex, drying it completely. "Again, uh…thanks."
They entered the house. Regal place, Max thought, aside from the macabre settings. It did look cool.
"This is a really neat place, Max," complimented Gosalyn.
Morgana walked to a lectern with a book. It opened by itself. "Unfortunately, the easy part of our task has now finished. Reopening the Gates of Fire requires an impressive amount of magic. I may have to ask some help in this spell."
"Will this include any family members?" Darkwing said with ill ease.
And a mirror began to glow. "Spoke too soon…" Darkwing grumbled to himself.
From the Looking glass, a reflection that belonged to no one appeared. It bore a face of old age, with one eye a red jewel. "Morgana." His words sounded like a demand.
"Just great…" Darkwing rolled his eyes.
Morgana ignored it. "Yes, father?"
Max's eyes widened at the family connection.
"You are to come to my castle."
"Not now, father. Some people need my help."
The head was displeased. Indeed, it appeared smiles and happiness never appeared from this person's expressions. "Still demeaning yourself with normals, dear?"
"Normals?" Max repeated.
"Malacula means Normal people." Gosalyn explained. "Us."
"Oh."
"Still have a right to be insulted," Darkwing corrected.
The head of Malacula ignored the chatter, pressing his point to his daughter. "I do not invite. I demand."
Morgana was insolent. "Father, I am not your little girl anymore. I have my own life."
Max bore the snap of remembering such words. At any rate, it angered him enough to march to the mirror. "Now look grandpa. You're going to have to wait until I get my dad out of…"
Flames seemed to explode from the mirror. The face inside it tightened with rage. "Insolent normal! How dare you…" The power lessened, as his eye showed some thought in his sight. He looked as if he recognized Max. "By any chance are you related to George G. Goof Jr.?"
"Yes," Max found himself still able to make the same annoyed tone. "He's my dad."
And then Malacula's face betrayed vulnerable emotions. "The apocalypse is upon us!" He faded from the mirror, restoring the reflection of Max and Morgana. Then a figure materialized into the room. It was the duck himself, bearing evening clothes and a top hat. "If what you say is true, then rescue is priority."
Anyone would be pleased by the advantage, but Max found some greater questions via the words of Malacula. "Your father and his ancestors are keepers of a powerful magic. The Goof Magic."
"Goof magic?" Max's confused look demanded much explanation. Mal grudgingly complied. The Goofs are a long-line of keepers who harnessed this chaotic magic, an unstable power that shifts probability. The impossible can become possible under its presence.
"Like a cartoon?" Gosalyn asked.
Malacula sighed and answered condescendingly. "Of course, Normal."
Max was speechless. Malacula furthered the issue. "And yet, by causing such instability, stability is assured. Son of Goof…"
"Max." The son corrected.
"Maximillian." Malacula growled. "In all the calamities that happened to your father, did you ever notice that he escaped injury?"
"No."
Malacula continued. "In all your life, did you ever suffer a serious injury?"
Maybe a scrape of the knee or elbow, Max thought to himself. He shook his head.
"Did anyone else suffer?" Malacula spoke next.
Max quickly grew annoyed. There would be no agreement to this third question. He could not verify any positive truth to Malacula's question. In fact, he felt irritated enough to deny it.
In any case, Max's lack of an answer did not hinder Malacula from continuing his story. "The Goof Magic protected you and your father. It also protected this world. Your father's existence kept everything in balance. As long as he goofed up, order would exist around him. Without him in the world…" he could not speak the rest.
"Does this have anything to do with the weather outside?" Gosalyn asked. She got an answer by their faces. A loud crash of lightning sounded the room, shattering the windows. Morgana instantly restored them with a gesture.
"Much worse is ahead," This was Malacula's answer. "Worse is happening now. Earthquakes. Hurricanes. Typhoons. The world is coming to an end."
All around were shocked at this news. "This has to be stopped!" Darkwing heroically demanded. "We must get Goofy back!"
"But if this is happening," Gosalyn asked. "Then does that mean Max's dad is…"
"No." Morgana gave her understanding. "If it were so, I believe the Goof Magic would have passed down to Max. In that case, this chaos would not be happening. Only Goofy's absence from this dimension is what's causing this disaster, no other way."
"Oh that's good!" Gosalyn remarked. "See Max? Everything's fine…Sorta."
Max considered it completely not so. "Great! Now I know I'm a freak!"
"Better than a Normal, boy," Malacula corrected (this got some looks!)
Max was repulsed. "A freak like you?"
Malacula was very still. The frozen grimace gave the girls fearful questions on how he would respond to Max. "Please!" Morgana stepped between her father and Max. "Max is very worried about his father."
Malucula calmed in giving quarter. "Perhaps. I desire to know more …"
But after a brief recap, Malucula glowered even more. "How sharper than the serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!"
"I am not a child!" Max snapped.
His cry got no respect. "You have behaved as such! Your father has kept order and you refuse to give him credit. Worse, he never called you to task about your lack of respect. If you were my son, I would not be so lenient to your constant insolence!"
"Why you…" Max shouted. "Do you have any idea what my dad has done to me?" Instantly he went into a tirade about being a Goof, the embarrassment of his father's antics and how everyone laughed at him. He brought up how it ruined his relationship with Roxanne, how his father followed him to college, always butting into his life. How could he not jump to conclusions about the broken skateboard?
When he was finished, he saw Malucula and Darkwing looking at him funny. Mal's red eye glared especially. "You have learned nothing."
Max growled.
"You feel that your father failed you? More like you failed him."
Max's eyes bloomed at this insult. "That's it!" he turned in disgust. "I don't need any of your help!" He turned his back, marching out of the room.
Darkwing looked to Gosalyn, and she the same. Max's speech against his father gave an awkward feeling. And then Gosalyn spoke very meekly. "I wish my dad was here. I want to let him know that for all the trouble I've given him, I still love him."
A warm smile grew from the Dark Mallard's beak. "I think he understands."
Gosalyn hugged her dad, and then ran after Max.
Malacula, though not much interested in the lives of Normals, noticed something in Max. His protests and rage seemed to possess a different source than the petty problems he seemed to promote. But the master sorcerer's interest had its limits, so he turned to other matters.
"We have no time to lose," Morgana advised. "We have to open the Gates of Fire."
And so Mal did his equations, while Morgana worked the cauldron. Max remained by himself at the front porch. His mood matched the weather. The storms were growing more ferocious. At least this meant the tournament was cancelled. He took out his dad's lucky horseshoe.
The fact that his family was some sacred heritage was not an endearment. After all he's gone through to separate himself from his dad's goofiness, now to learn it might be pointless? Max threw the horseshoe. He picked it up again. Damn it, he squeezed the horseshoe. Why couldn't his dad been a jerk, a violent angry creep who cared more about himself than his family? Even so, it was his duty to get his dad out of there. But make no mistake: that was where the reasons stopped.
He noticed Gosalyn's arrival. "I didn't want this to happen."
"Of course you didn't dummy!"
"Look, Dad raised me by himself and stuff. But he's just so impossible…He's so clumsy and dumb…and…and…"
"Caring, devoted to his son no matter what?"
Max buried his head. "Look, I'm not giving up on rescuing my dad, if you think otherwise." Max was adamant. But his goal had limits. This did not mean reconciliation. After this, he is still so over with Goofy.
"Hey, remember, I've been through this too." Gosalyn interceded. "I've struck out with families. I lost my parents and my grampa."
"I'm sorry."
"I was a troublemaker at the orphanage."
"Was?" Max joked.
"Anyway," Gosalyn made a playful glare. "None of the visitors at the orphanage didn't quite take to my spirit. Until I found someone who had the same spirit as me."
"That doesn't sound like the mild-mannered guy Darkwing told me."
"Well…looks can be deceiving." Gosalyn tried to save face. "After all, what does Darkwing Duck know?"
Eventually Gosalyn and Max returned to the kitchen. A lot of weird stuff was going on. Morgana was stirring a giant cauldron. Darkwing was loading his gas gun.
The cauldron was ready. Quickly they transported it (or rather, Malacula and Morgana used magic to move it) outside before the Rat-Catcher. The storm had temporarily stopped its rain, though wind and thunder were still abundant. Darkwing put on his helmet. "Time to go."
"Not without me," Max slipped his horseshoe into his tight jumpsuit. "I began this. I end it."
Darkwing was impressed. He threw him a helmet. Gosalyn caught it. "This is no place for a kid."
"Oh, c'mon! You're letting a civilian go."
"Max is a young adult."
"Hmph," Gosalyn sulked.
Max noticed this scene. Such words seemed so paternal. And then the pieces of the puzzle inside Max's mind were fitting together.
Everything clicked when Darkwing turned to Morgana. He was about to tenderly touch both her hands, then with a look at Max, he quickly did a handshake. "Thanks for everything, Ms. Macawber."
"Eh, yes, darl…darkwing." Morgana nervously kept the façade of formality.
It did nothing for Max. He went to Gosalyn with a tender face, more loving in expression than he had shown since meeting the Mallards. "You hold the fort until we come back."
Gosalyn warmed to Max's loving face. She gave him the helmet. "You do look like your dad." Her compliment did not have the desired effect on Max.
Instantly the cauldron was spilled. Its green slimy contents filled the grass. Before Max thought a mess was all there is, a great earthquake happened again. And predictably in a good way the Gates of Flame returned to all to see.
"Darkwing, the portal can stay open for a short time," Morgana addressed the hero.
Max smiled at this not-too-subtle exchange of emotions.
Darkwing said nothing. "Okay, Max. Let's get dangerous!"
"Oh yeah!" Max triggered with excitement. The Rat-Catcher zoomed into the mouth.
Morgana, her father, and Gosalyn kept on watching, hoping for their safety and success. Not so positive a watcher was Nega-Duck. He watched from a corner. He heard everything. He knew about this Beezlebulb. So Mr. Goatface thought he could interrupt his plans? We'll see about that…
For all of Max's experience in stunts, the act of charging into a gate of flame like a stunt cyclist still gave him a feeling to blanche. But he held on as the cycle made it through the fire. Awesome! The heat that smacked remained however. The environment changed to a lot of dark rocky roads and geysers of fire. "So this is He…"
"Hello!" Darkwing made a discovery. The Rat-Catcher began to shake. And it began to lose pieces.
Max had too much experience in such things not to ignore this problem. "That's…not a good sign, is it?"
The coverings soon came off. The exposed exoskeleton increased its number of break-away pieces. Quite an opportune moment to go off a cliff!
Once Darkwing's steering handles broke off, a look of dread was shared by both. Goof and Duck both fell into the abyss.
TO BE CONTINUED