Assasins:SwitcharoWell, I wrote this story to give Kit a hand when she got
stuck. If you
haven't read Mistaken Identities yet, read that before reading this.
Assasins:Switcharo
By:Xlade Quicksilver
So much we've been through
In the little time we've know each other
Will it all fall apart now?
Firesky watched Duke storm by, his face a cloud of anger. She sighed ,
fighting an inner tug of war, then started after him "Duke?"
The tall gray duck whirled on Firesky " What."
" We need ta talk."
" Bout what."
Kit
" Could you cut it out with the telepathy stuff." Duke snapped, Firesky
shrank back momentarily, then straightened, "Fine, I won't tell ya. I'll let
you find out the hard way." She stomped of, her eyes turning color in anger.
Soar looked up as an angry Firesky stormed into the infirmary "Ready?"
" Yup. Zaltana?" Fire turned to the older black female. She nodded " Good."
The three gathered around Skygem's prone from. Soar looked at Zalt "The
Purple Emerald?". Zaltana nodded and took off her headband "I wish it were
whole."
"It'll work." Firesky patted the older woman's shoulder.
Before any one could do anything, a puff of black smoke went up in the
middle of the room. When it disappear a tall black male duck and a shorter
female duck, with black feathers and red hair were standing there. The
taller one grinned. Firesky tensed and her eyes, which had been slowly going
back to their normal sky blue hue, abruptly turned aqua, solid aqua. "Morgan
and Thorn."
Zaltana put her headband back on. The red-haired female laughed "We have to
fight them. Oh help!"
"Better be asking for help." Soar growed "Cause you'lll need it."
Firesky's eyes went out of focuse for a second, then she grinned " Let's get
ready to Rumble!"
Skygem swam ina sea of black, heading for and island and a light that
never seemed to get closer.. Voices whisperd around her, amazingly like the
ones of her friends and teamates.
" Give up." came Soar's voice
" You won't make it." Firesky told her
" Sabe did this ta ya." that horrific voice belonged to ...Canard. Skygem
opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.A large Crystal appeared
in front of Skygem, imbedded in it were seven colored Disks, three the
primary colors, three the secondarys and the last a silver.
A cool felling of peace flooded over Sky as she worked toward the never
approaching island. A voice came to Sky in her head "You can do it, just
trust.", it was a silky smooth voice, like water over the smoothest surface
imaginable.
Again Skygem gave vent to an empty cry. A mulitcolored beam of light hit
her, and took all the voices and pain and fatuige away. The whispers faded
away in wails, crying for mercy as they dissapeared.
Skygem found herself standing on a rocky beach, black waves trying to
bring her back into the sea of pain, but they could not. Skygem found
multicolored lighthouse in front of her
" Go up." the voice told her.
" Why would they choose here to fight?" Soar grunted as he blocked Thorn's
spell.
Zaltnana shrugged " Who can tell? all I know is that this wasn't the best
place."
"Same here, those two better show up. And fast." Firsky let off another
spell at Morgan.
Thump! The door slammed open and two ducks came in. Kochrint grinned and
drew his sword "E'llo everybody!"
" Hi, now give us a hand here."Firesky glared at him.
He chuckled "Heigh Ho, heigh Ho! Off to work we go."
Sabe slowed her vehichle as the car in front of her turned. Checking the
radar, she found Kit and followed..
Crunch. The tires ground on the gravel road. A dark man looked over at the
limp form in the seat next to him. The hardest part of his job was done.
Sabe narrowed her eyes as she watched the man get back into his car and
drive away. Cautiously, Sabe got out of hr car and followed the faint trial
into the trees.
Skygem's faltering progress up the stairs was brought to a halt by sheer
exsaustion. She groaned " I can't
" You've got to. Your friends, your sister are in danger.You've got to help
them." the silky voice urged her. Shygem sighed and started up.
Morgan chuckled "This is going nicely, but that stuff better start workng
before Sabe finds her."
Sabe gasped. In the mouth of the cave was Kit.. but not the Kit that Sabe
knew. Her hair was green, her eyes black and her mouth was formed into a
twisted smile. Kit looked at her "What?'
" Your diff'r'nt."
" How?" Kit, or if it was Kit, got up.
Sabe pointed at her hair with a shakey finger.
" I've got green hair. So? I've always had hair this color." Kit lunged at
Sabe, only find herself tackling empty air " Shoot!"
Sabe appeared in her car and turned the key, nothing. There was a noise in
the bushes. Kit stumbled out. Normal.
" Ok, here goes everything." Firesky held the gem for a moment, then let it
go. Slowly it rotaed in the air, flashing from one color to the next. Faster
and faster the gem whirled, going through colors that didn't evan exist.
Firesky stared at it while, she smiled.
" All set."
Sabe sighed and got out of the car, stepping hesitantly over to Kit. The
younger girl looked up "What's happening?", then she fell unconcious.Sabe
rubbed her hand on her temples and then bent to pick Kit up. As she did a
shock seemed to go over her, changing her hair color, then it turned back to
it's normal black.Sabe shuddered. I only knowo f one thing that could do
this. I hope...She left that thought trail, it was too horrible to finish,
and picked up Kit.
Duke was growling to himself as he stalked down the corrider. Nemo came
out of a door way and looked at him oddly "Ev'r'thi'n ok?". Before Duke
could answer Sabe appeared holding Kit.The black and blond duck glared at
Duke. "Tak'er will ya?"
" Why should I?" he snapped.
" Cause if ya doan, I'll collapse, which you probly won't care aobut, and
she could die." Sabe glared at him. Not waiting for an answer, she plopped
the comatose girl in Dukes arms and disappeared. Nemo shook his head " does
she do that alot?"
" What, the dissappearing or dropping an unconcious Kit on me?" Duke mumbled
as he moved the young girl to a better position from that that Sabe had
plopped her.
Damn,I better be wrong about this. Sabe hissed at herself as she headed
for the Library. She was afraid she wouldn't be.
Skygem groaned. " How much longer?" she asked thin air.
" One more turn." replied the voice.Skygem groaned an d pulled herslef
aroud the corner to find herself facing a door.
It was a dull silver, like a combination steel and brushed pewter. And it
had no handle. Not evan an old fashioned keyhole.
" Push it open."
Sky pushed it and lowly the door opened with a prolongated creak.Sky gasped
in amazement. She was stariung into an empty room. Empty, that was, except
for the huge faceted crystal ball revolving in the center of the room and
the cloaked figure standing silohetted by the dium light fromn the wrap
around window of the lighthouse. The figure turned slowly and Skygem saw two
yellow eyes staring unblinking at her.
"W-what are you?" the girl gasped.
"That is of no importance, not yet anyway." the figure said in that same
silky whisper. Now that Skygem had reached her goal, she heard a deep
saddness in that voice, as if this person had gone through much suffering.
" Your friends and sister are in danger. You must help them. Do not tell
any but the one called Duke of me though.Now go."
Skygem found herself whirling through a long tunnel of flashing lights.her
mouth opened in a silent screamed, and with a grunt she landed on something
semisoft.
Nemesis blocked another ball of black fire. Firesky heard a grunt and
replied " Nem just get over here now!"
" That wasn't me." Nem answered as she hurried over to where the rest of
the group was standing. " It was Sky."
"Sky?"
The black duck groaned and sat up "Wha huppen'd?" she moaned.
Kochrint pushed her back onto the bed " you go stabbed. Now go back to
sleep."
The girl shook her head " She told me to help, and that's what I'm going to
do."
Firesky shrugged and hlep Skygem up. " okay. Whatever you say."
The ducks in the infirmerary reached for the turning stone.
Duke heard the boom as he tapped in the code for the door.when it opened he
saw Firesky, Kochrint, Nem,Soar,Zalt,and Skeygem all gathered around
something. Skygem looked like she was on the verge of collapse.
Firesky sighed and looked away from a schorch mark on the opposit wall. "
hey Duke, ya found 'er?"
Duke glared at herr " Sabe found her."
Oh please, oh please,oh please don't let me be right. Sabe begged as she
flipped through Poisons Of the Galaxy. Her eyes lit on what she was looking
for. With a groan she leaned back in her chair and covered her face with her
hands. No, I was right. there's no hope. None at all.
" Ahem." said a voice behind her.
Sabe turned and looked up at Duke. " Your wanna know?" she rasped "Here."
she shoved the book into his hands and stalked out of the room.
"She knows." Robin whispered as she looked down at the figure beside Kit's
bed.
" What should we do?" Darky asked.
"Wait." whispered a voice that beloged to none of them.
Sabe gazed sadly down on the face below her, watching the face switch from
black, to green, to black. This was the only way.Slowly she raised the pitol
she held and aimed.
"You will lose" hissed the thing.
Kit shook her head " If I do, I go down fighting."
Duke and Nemo strode into the infermirary, Duke 's gaze stoney. When he saw
Sabe aiming the pistol at Kit. He snapped. In three strides he was behind
Sabe and had wrenched the hand that held the pistol behind her back. Sabe
didn't do anything.Surprised, Duke let go of her arm.The drakeress
turned."you know, don't you."she said sadly.
Duke glared at her. " what do you think you're doing?" he growled.
"Putting her out of her misery. "
" No!" cried a new voice. Duke and Nemo turned to see a brown cat, and
brown duck and a human standing there. " Robyn?" Duke asked. The human
nodded. " Duke, you can't kill her, it wouldn't help anything. Nothing at
all would be change. What's inside her does not need it's host to be live."
Duke's expression went from angry to helpless. " So we can do... nothing?"
He sounded lost.
Sabe shook her head. "Nothing but let her fight.It will eventually
overpower her, then kill itself and her.No.." Sabe's face took on the same
expression Duke's had. " there is nothing we can do."
Robin cut in. " Maybe we'd better tell the team." she suggested.The group
looked at each other, then they all headed out into the hall.
It had won.Kit was defeated and It had won.Kit looked in horror from her
cage as It gave a howl of triumph. "No... please no." she wimpered
As the four ducks, human and cat left the room, Kit's colors went berserk
again. Her eye opened. Clear, bright... and a solid,glowing black.
The cloaked figure of the lighthouse gazed out the window at the happening
in the infermirary.When she watched Delta leave thorugh a window, she turned
away, eyes brimming with tears. One of the Disks set in the Crsytal flashed
once,then a tiger man appeared. he laid a hand on the other's shoulder and
said quetly " How do we help."
" We can't"
The Red Disk glinted. the cloaked one shook it's head. "No, it's won't
help."
" It might." replied the tiger.
" Very well then." the figure turned back to her window and kept back her
tears.
The scene was once again of a cloaked figure facing the window, the
revolving Crystal, and an otherwise empty room. Only now, the cloaked figure
had unseen tears dripping down her unseen face, and her yellow eyes were
closedd like floodgates.
" so how do we know you didn't do this." Duke interupted Sabe in the middle
of her explaination of what had happened to Kit. The rest of the team
tensed, ready for the drakeress to blow her stack. Instead, she loooked at
him iwth sad eyes. " that's a very good question. The thing is, only a
magical can make handle Switch, and evan then their in danger of having it
take over them.
"You see Duke, Swithc isn't like crack, or speed. It's a mix of different
chemicals and drugs, most of which only grow on Puckworld. With every person
it's different, it finds that persons weaknesses in his or her mind and
plays on them.But there's always one thing the same. It kills everyone that
person loves, then suicides them. After that, it just evaportes."
" OK, but how are we to know you didn't hav-"
Firesky stood up, eyes glowing and grabbed Duke by the arm, cutting him off.
" Ok mister," she growled " you and i are going to have a little chat."
Firesky drug DUke into the hall and slammed him up against the wall with
amazing stranght for someone so thin. Igniting her sword she growled. " NOw
you listen and you listen good Duke Trace L'Orange. Sabe would never ahve
thought of poisoning Kit. Skygem's like a sister to her, and evan if she
wanted to kill Kit, don't you think she would have know where she was?
" Sabe had absolutly NO part in getting switch into Kit.NONE! You hear me?"
Duke nodded, still out of breath from getting rammed into the wall.Firsky
grabbed a fistful of the front of his shirt, pressed him back agaisnt the
wall again and raised her saber. " Kit was right you know. We do treat her
like a baby. Evan me, the youngest on the team, do that sometimes. But you
Duke, I think you were the worst. I know you love her, but she's got to be
trusted to take care of herself. I don't know aout you, but I think we'd all
better lighten up with this protecting buissness. Don't you agree."
Duke nodded again, looking at the deadly blue saber tip hovering at his
chest. " You think I'd dissagree with that thing there?" he muttered.
Firesky nodded as she put out her saber and let go of Duke's shirt "
possibly. oyu oughta know by now that i do a very good bluff."
"NO i didn't know that." Duke growled as he stalked off down the hall. And
ran slap bang into Nemo.
" She's gone!" The brown duck gasped. " WIndow's open. She's gone I tell
you."
Down the hall Firesky chuckled "Aren't you being a bit dramatic? Of course
she's gone. Switch won. It's only natural she'd leave."
At Nemo's puzzled look Duke sighed. " Firesky, not all of us are as used
to your mind games as some. And he doesn't know what Switch is."
But Nemos' face had gone as deathly white as possible, and he whispered. "
Switch? That's girls got a Switch? Oh the poor poor thing."
Firesky raised an eyebrow at Duke, who flushed. " Oops."
That night, Skygem dreamed again of the lighthouse room. The cloaked girl
was standing at her window again. The Crystal was moitionless and hte
shadows seemed bigger and more frightening.
"Hello Skygem." the voice of the cloaked girl sounded like she was holding
back tears. "Much has happened has it not."
" My ...my sister has a Switch." Skygem muttered, shocked at the lack of
emotion in her own voice.
" I know. And i know there is no known cure either." Now the girl turned,
and Skgem saw those yellow eye's burning brighter than ever. " It is time
you knew my name."
" Y-your name?" Skygem stuttered.
"Yes. I'm sure Jumiper taught you of when the Saurian first came to
Puckworld."
Skygem nodded.
"You remember hearing of The Messanger?"
Again Skygem nodded.
"You are looking at her."
"B-b-but, Morgan Moonkid killed you." Skygem's dream eyes opened wide in
disbeleif."
" He killed a simulacra of me, but not the true me. I escaped right before
he entered the room he killed me in. And came here. I've been in timesleep."
" Timesleep?"
"There is no time to explain. I brought you here to tell you how to defeat
Switch. It's not permanent,if Kit gets around someone else with a Switch, or
enuohg of her life force is drained or something of that sort, Switch will
come back to strength, but what i'm about to tell you will defeat Switch
time and again."
" Tell me please! What is it!" Skygems voice was still emotionless, and
things seemed to be slowing down. as The Messanger answered with a single
syllable. " Love."
Skygem gasped and sat up in bed, sheets mainly on the floor. "Love? Good
grief I think I watched too much Snow White. Love? The entire team love-"
realization dawned on Sky and she cursed " Darn you Messanger. Pick the most
stubborn person there is to go get her back will ya?"
Duke looked up from his coffe as Skygem entered the kitchen. " What're ya
do'n here?" he asked " you should be asleep."
"So should you." she muttered
" Yea well, couldn't sleep."
" Can any of us? Look, I know your worried about Kit. And I have something
to tell ya."
" So shoot."
" You gotta promise not to think I've flipped my lid."
" I can't promise that until I hear what you have to say."
" I was afraid of that. Well, you know when i was unconcious after I got
stabbed? Well while i was alseep, i saw this girl in a cloak in this really
wierd lighthouse. She told me to help Firesky and the rest. Then, toniht, I
saw her again. she told me she was The Messanger, and the only way to get
Kit back was love."
Sky downed the rest of her coffe and left the kitchen as quickly as she'd
come. Duke stared into his coffe cup, eyes blank.
"Sabe, can you take me to Kit?" Duke walked up behind her in to library.
She turned " Why are ya asking me." she retorted.
" One of he best questions I've ever heard. But will you? I think I know of
a way to get her back."
"Oh anything to help you commit suicide." Sabe grinned.
Duke sighed " When can we leave?"
Sabe grabbed his arm " Right now."
A second later the library was empty.
Firesky started as Duke and Sabe appeared in Front of her. " what the hell
ya two doing?" she growled.
Delta chuckled evilly as she made her way through the train.She was gonna
rid herself of Kit in one of the worst ways.
Kit stared helplessly as Switch laughed insanely.
Let me go! She cried angrily. Switch turned and hissed. Kit fell
uncouncious to the floor of her cage.
Duke stared as the door at the other end of the train car flew open and
Delta stalked through.She saw him and chuckled. " Fight will you, or get out
of my way. I don't have all day."
" I won't fight you Kit."
" Kit is dead!"
" it's not true."
Delta sighed. " I tire of your babble." She raises a flame colored sword
and swung at Duke. He dodged, but the blade caught him in the thigh,
slicing deep. He gave and involentary cry and fell backwards.
Delta gave a hissing laugh and raised her sword agin, only for it to be
blocked by Sabe's blood red one. Duke stared " Sabe, you feeling all right?"
Sabe reached behind her for his hand and pulled him to his feet. " I'm
either going super soft, or I've got a Switch." she muttered.
Firesky and the rest were backing out of the car. " Duke, you gotta fight
her, there's not enough room for all of us in here." Firesky called to him
as she dissappeared.
Kit woke up, head pounding, and saw Duke go down. Nooooooooo! she
screamed. Duuuuuke! And then she started fighting with all her might.
Duke saw the flickered of different colors statd to lficker over
Delta'Kit's face.maybe, just maybe, there was a chance this might work.
" Kit, do you remember that first time we kissed he started. I thought you
were a traitor and had drugged me. C'mon Kit, I loved evan then. you gotta
fight that thing."
The cage dissolved and Kit was locked in combat with the Switch. You won''t
kill me and you won't kill him. She said through gritted teeth.
you wanna bet., the Switch hissed back.
Duke kept, fighting, kept atalking, hoping agasit hope that something was
going on in Kit's head. " C'mon ya squirt, I love ya. I never ment what I
said in the infirmerary." he blocked another blow from Delta and saw that
somehow they'd ended up on top of the train.
Switch had lost. Kit had won. But the firey little **** was gonna make a
last ditch attempt.
Kit's colored slammed correct as she tured and jumped off the train. "
Kiiit!" Duke dove and caught her wrist. She grinned up at him " i'm
baa-aack!"
" Yea, an' ya ain't no featharweight ether."Duke muttered as he pulled Kit
onto the top of the car. The collapsed in a heap and started laughing with
releife. Duke sat up and drew Kit close. " You know I love ya girl."
Her kiss was all the answer he needed.
" Uh guys, I hate to intertupt this toughing train top moment." Firesky
tapped Duke's leg. " But i really don't want to be theo ne to explain to
Wing how you didn't see the top of the tunnel."
Duke and kit looked owards the front of the train, then Kit smiled " No
problemo!"
And all three were on the floor of the train in a heap . Sabe sdtared down
at them and sighed " That is just sick."
The heap started to laugh.
"So this isn't permanent?' Kit asked sabe the next day. The drakress shook
her head " If you tap into your life force or get around other Switched
people or another Switch, your in danger."
"Other than that?"
"You'll be fine."
Kit looked up at Duke and grinned " Well, if she gets rid of you, and I get
Switched again, then I guess the entire team goes kerwhammy cause your the
only one who can fix me."
Duke laughed as he watched Sabe stalk off. " Yup."
L ater that day, Duke stared at Sabe doubtfully. The drakress was sitting
crosslegged on the couch, holding two sock puuppets.
" Hello Mr.Larry." she squeaked.
" Why hello Bob. How are you today.?"
" Well," he voice was normal " fancy metting you two here. What are yu
planning to do today?"
In the other room Saor has Veggie Tales turned way up. Firesky rolled her
eyes " wonderful, a warbling cousin and a assasin turned puppeteer. Wat
next?"
A black and red streak nearly hit her in the head. Fire ducked, then
straightened. " ok, who left the lima beans in the fridge?"
" I thought we banned those things." Mr.Larry squeaked.
Phil walked into the room " Boobies!" Saor chucked a magic ball at him
from the other room, Duke and Firesky drew their swords, Zalt aimed her
bouncing frame towards him and... Bob, Mr.Larry and Sabe all yelled: " Mr
Larry doesn't like you!" " Neither does Bob!"
Phil ran from the room yelling " Heeeeelp!"
In a small dark room Morgan Moonstar swept his hand through a small patch
of black fog in front of him. Thorn was standing quietly in the shadows. "
wat shall we do now Uncle." she asked in a flat voice.
"Plan our revenge. Dam, that plan nearly worked."
" Perhaps if we get rid of the cure before going for the diseased next
time." The other suggested. Morgan stopped his pacing " Yes.... That just
might work"
In the lighthouse room The Messanger's eyes were sad " One day, one day
Morgan, you will come back to me.And you daughter will have a father again."
The Crystal revovled slowly, Disks winking encouragement at Messanger.
In a far corner of Kit's mind, a firey little object hissed and spat inside
it's cage of love
And in a room in the center of the Lighthouse Island, a small baby lay
sleeping on a hard bed. The tiny gray duckling didn't feel the draft of
chill air rufling her smoky feathers.She'd been sleeping 17,000 years, and
she had not much left to sleep before she would wake.And be the key to her
father's heart.
The world turnes, the fates work.
We are all destined to come together
We are the keys to each others hearts
But we must first find that heart
Note from the author: Oh I hate this. Got a nice mysterious , depressing
mood going, and what do I do? Add a note. Anyway, all characters except the
six original ducks belong to X&X Productions.Comments on this story and it's
counter part are welcome . Send any to fireskywhitewing@hotmail.com.
thankies.
stuck. If you
haven't read Mistaken Identities yet, read that before reading this.
Assasins:Switcharo
By:Xlade Quicksilver
So much we've been through
In the little time we've know each other
Will it all fall apart now?
Firesky watched Duke storm by, his face a cloud of anger. She sighed ,
fighting an inner tug of war, then started after him "Duke?"
The tall gray duck whirled on Firesky " What."
" We need ta talk."
" Bout what."
Kit
" Could you cut it out with the telepathy stuff." Duke snapped, Firesky
shrank back momentarily, then straightened, "Fine, I won't tell ya. I'll let
you find out the hard way." She stomped of, her eyes turning color in anger.
Soar looked up as an angry Firesky stormed into the infirmary "Ready?"
" Yup. Zaltana?" Fire turned to the older black female. She nodded " Good."
The three gathered around Skygem's prone from. Soar looked at Zalt "The
Purple Emerald?". Zaltana nodded and took off her headband "I wish it were
whole."
"It'll work." Firesky patted the older woman's shoulder.
Before any one could do anything, a puff of black smoke went up in the
middle of the room. When it disappear a tall black male duck and a shorter
female duck, with black feathers and red hair were standing there. The
taller one grinned. Firesky tensed and her eyes, which had been slowly going
back to their normal sky blue hue, abruptly turned aqua, solid aqua. "Morgan
and Thorn."
Zaltana put her headband back on. The red-haired female laughed "We have to
fight them. Oh help!"
"Better be asking for help." Soar growed "Cause you'lll need it."
Firesky's eyes went out of focuse for a second, then she grinned " Let's get
ready to Rumble!"
Skygem swam ina sea of black, heading for and island and a light that
never seemed to get closer.. Voices whisperd around her, amazingly like the
ones of her friends and teamates.
" Give up." came Soar's voice
" You won't make it." Firesky told her
" Sabe did this ta ya." that horrific voice belonged to ...Canard. Skygem
opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.A large Crystal appeared
in front of Skygem, imbedded in it were seven colored Disks, three the
primary colors, three the secondarys and the last a silver.
A cool felling of peace flooded over Sky as she worked toward the never
approaching island. A voice came to Sky in her head "You can do it, just
trust.", it was a silky smooth voice, like water over the smoothest surface
imaginable.
Again Skygem gave vent to an empty cry. A mulitcolored beam of light hit
her, and took all the voices and pain and fatuige away. The whispers faded
away in wails, crying for mercy as they dissapeared.
Skygem found herself standing on a rocky beach, black waves trying to
bring her back into the sea of pain, but they could not. Skygem found
multicolored lighthouse in front of her
" Go up." the voice told her.
" Why would they choose here to fight?" Soar grunted as he blocked Thorn's
spell.
Zaltnana shrugged " Who can tell? all I know is that this wasn't the best
place."
"Same here, those two better show up. And fast." Firsky let off another
spell at Morgan.
Thump! The door slammed open and two ducks came in. Kochrint grinned and
drew his sword "E'llo everybody!"
" Hi, now give us a hand here."Firesky glared at him.
He chuckled "Heigh Ho, heigh Ho! Off to work we go."
Sabe slowed her vehichle as the car in front of her turned. Checking the
radar, she found Kit and followed..
Crunch. The tires ground on the gravel road. A dark man looked over at the
limp form in the seat next to him. The hardest part of his job was done.
Sabe narrowed her eyes as she watched the man get back into his car and
drive away. Cautiously, Sabe got out of hr car and followed the faint trial
into the trees.
Skygem's faltering progress up the stairs was brought to a halt by sheer
exsaustion. She groaned " I can't
" You've got to. Your friends, your sister are in danger.You've got to help
them." the silky voice urged her. Shygem sighed and started up.
Morgan chuckled "This is going nicely, but that stuff better start workng
before Sabe finds her."
Sabe gasped. In the mouth of the cave was Kit.. but not the Kit that Sabe
knew. Her hair was green, her eyes black and her mouth was formed into a
twisted smile. Kit looked at her "What?'
" Your diff'r'nt."
" How?" Kit, or if it was Kit, got up.
Sabe pointed at her hair with a shakey finger.
" I've got green hair. So? I've always had hair this color." Kit lunged at
Sabe, only find herself tackling empty air " Shoot!"
Sabe appeared in her car and turned the key, nothing. There was a noise in
the bushes. Kit stumbled out. Normal.
" Ok, here goes everything." Firesky held the gem for a moment, then let it
go. Slowly it rotaed in the air, flashing from one color to the next. Faster
and faster the gem whirled, going through colors that didn't evan exist.
Firesky stared at it while, she smiled.
" All set."
Sabe sighed and got out of the car, stepping hesitantly over to Kit. The
younger girl looked up "What's happening?", then she fell unconcious.Sabe
rubbed her hand on her temples and then bent to pick Kit up. As she did a
shock seemed to go over her, changing her hair color, then it turned back to
it's normal black.Sabe shuddered. I only knowo f one thing that could do
this. I hope...She left that thought trail, it was too horrible to finish,
and picked up Kit.
Duke was growling to himself as he stalked down the corrider. Nemo came
out of a door way and looked at him oddly "Ev'r'thi'n ok?". Before Duke
could answer Sabe appeared holding Kit.The black and blond duck glared at
Duke. "Tak'er will ya?"
" Why should I?" he snapped.
" Cause if ya doan, I'll collapse, which you probly won't care aobut, and
she could die." Sabe glared at him. Not waiting for an answer, she plopped
the comatose girl in Dukes arms and disappeared. Nemo shook his head " does
she do that alot?"
" What, the dissappearing or dropping an unconcious Kit on me?" Duke mumbled
as he moved the young girl to a better position from that that Sabe had
plopped her.
Damn,I better be wrong about this. Sabe hissed at herself as she headed
for the Library. She was afraid she wouldn't be.
Skygem groaned. " How much longer?" she asked thin air.
" One more turn." replied the voice.Skygem groaned an d pulled herslef
aroud the corner to find herself facing a door.
It was a dull silver, like a combination steel and brushed pewter. And it
had no handle. Not evan an old fashioned keyhole.
" Push it open."
Sky pushed it and lowly the door opened with a prolongated creak.Sky gasped
in amazement. She was stariung into an empty room. Empty, that was, except
for the huge faceted crystal ball revolving in the center of the room and
the cloaked figure standing silohetted by the dium light fromn the wrap
around window of the lighthouse. The figure turned slowly and Skygem saw two
yellow eyes staring unblinking at her.
"W-what are you?" the girl gasped.
"That is of no importance, not yet anyway." the figure said in that same
silky whisper. Now that Skygem had reached her goal, she heard a deep
saddness in that voice, as if this person had gone through much suffering.
" Your friends and sister are in danger. You must help them. Do not tell
any but the one called Duke of me though.Now go."
Skygem found herself whirling through a long tunnel of flashing lights.her
mouth opened in a silent screamed, and with a grunt she landed on something
semisoft.
Nemesis blocked another ball of black fire. Firesky heard a grunt and
replied " Nem just get over here now!"
" That wasn't me." Nem answered as she hurried over to where the rest of
the group was standing. " It was Sky."
"Sky?"
The black duck groaned and sat up "Wha huppen'd?" she moaned.
Kochrint pushed her back onto the bed " you go stabbed. Now go back to
sleep."
The girl shook her head " She told me to help, and that's what I'm going to
do."
Firesky shrugged and hlep Skygem up. " okay. Whatever you say."
The ducks in the infirmerary reached for the turning stone.
Duke heard the boom as he tapped in the code for the door.when it opened he
saw Firesky, Kochrint, Nem,Soar,Zalt,and Skeygem all gathered around
something. Skygem looked like she was on the verge of collapse.
Firesky sighed and looked away from a schorch mark on the opposit wall. "
hey Duke, ya found 'er?"
Duke glared at herr " Sabe found her."
Oh please, oh please,oh please don't let me be right. Sabe begged as she
flipped through Poisons Of the Galaxy. Her eyes lit on what she was looking
for. With a groan she leaned back in her chair and covered her face with her
hands. No, I was right. there's no hope. None at all.
" Ahem." said a voice behind her.
Sabe turned and looked up at Duke. " Your wanna know?" she rasped "Here."
she shoved the book into his hands and stalked out of the room.
"She knows." Robin whispered as she looked down at the figure beside Kit's
bed.
" What should we do?" Darky asked.
"Wait." whispered a voice that beloged to none of them.
Sabe gazed sadly down on the face below her, watching the face switch from
black, to green, to black. This was the only way.Slowly she raised the pitol
she held and aimed.
"You will lose" hissed the thing.
Kit shook her head " If I do, I go down fighting."
Duke and Nemo strode into the infermirary, Duke 's gaze stoney. When he saw
Sabe aiming the pistol at Kit. He snapped. In three strides he was behind
Sabe and had wrenched the hand that held the pistol behind her back. Sabe
didn't do anything.Surprised, Duke let go of her arm.The drakeress
turned."you know, don't you."she said sadly.
Duke glared at her. " what do you think you're doing?" he growled.
"Putting her out of her misery. "
" No!" cried a new voice. Duke and Nemo turned to see a brown cat, and
brown duck and a human standing there. " Robyn?" Duke asked. The human
nodded. " Duke, you can't kill her, it wouldn't help anything. Nothing at
all would be change. What's inside her does not need it's host to be live."
Duke's expression went from angry to helpless. " So we can do... nothing?"
He sounded lost.
Sabe shook her head. "Nothing but let her fight.It will eventually
overpower her, then kill itself and her.No.." Sabe's face took on the same
expression Duke's had. " there is nothing we can do."
Robin cut in. " Maybe we'd better tell the team." she suggested.The group
looked at each other, then they all headed out into the hall.
It had won.Kit was defeated and It had won.Kit looked in horror from her
cage as It gave a howl of triumph. "No... please no." she wimpered
As the four ducks, human and cat left the room, Kit's colors went berserk
again. Her eye opened. Clear, bright... and a solid,glowing black.
The cloaked figure of the lighthouse gazed out the window at the happening
in the infermirary.When she watched Delta leave thorugh a window, she turned
away, eyes brimming with tears. One of the Disks set in the Crsytal flashed
once,then a tiger man appeared. he laid a hand on the other's shoulder and
said quetly " How do we help."
" We can't"
The Red Disk glinted. the cloaked one shook it's head. "No, it's won't
help."
" It might." replied the tiger.
" Very well then." the figure turned back to her window and kept back her
tears.
The scene was once again of a cloaked figure facing the window, the
revolving Crystal, and an otherwise empty room. Only now, the cloaked figure
had unseen tears dripping down her unseen face, and her yellow eyes were
closedd like floodgates.
" so how do we know you didn't do this." Duke interupted Sabe in the middle
of her explaination of what had happened to Kit. The rest of the team
tensed, ready for the drakeress to blow her stack. Instead, she loooked at
him iwth sad eyes. " that's a very good question. The thing is, only a
magical can make handle Switch, and evan then their in danger of having it
take over them.
"You see Duke, Swithc isn't like crack, or speed. It's a mix of different
chemicals and drugs, most of which only grow on Puckworld. With every person
it's different, it finds that persons weaknesses in his or her mind and
plays on them.But there's always one thing the same. It kills everyone that
person loves, then suicides them. After that, it just evaportes."
" OK, but how are we to know you didn't hav-"
Firesky stood up, eyes glowing and grabbed Duke by the arm, cutting him off.
" Ok mister," she growled " you and i are going to have a little chat."
Firesky drug DUke into the hall and slammed him up against the wall with
amazing stranght for someone so thin. Igniting her sword she growled. " NOw
you listen and you listen good Duke Trace L'Orange. Sabe would never ahve
thought of poisoning Kit. Skygem's like a sister to her, and evan if she
wanted to kill Kit, don't you think she would have know where she was?
" Sabe had absolutly NO part in getting switch into Kit.NONE! You hear me?"
Duke nodded, still out of breath from getting rammed into the wall.Firsky
grabbed a fistful of the front of his shirt, pressed him back agaisnt the
wall again and raised her saber. " Kit was right you know. We do treat her
like a baby. Evan me, the youngest on the team, do that sometimes. But you
Duke, I think you were the worst. I know you love her, but she's got to be
trusted to take care of herself. I don't know aout you, but I think we'd all
better lighten up with this protecting buissness. Don't you agree."
Duke nodded again, looking at the deadly blue saber tip hovering at his
chest. " You think I'd dissagree with that thing there?" he muttered.
Firesky nodded as she put out her saber and let go of Duke's shirt "
possibly. oyu oughta know by now that i do a very good bluff."
"NO i didn't know that." Duke growled as he stalked off down the hall. And
ran slap bang into Nemo.
" She's gone!" The brown duck gasped. " WIndow's open. She's gone I tell
you."
Down the hall Firesky chuckled "Aren't you being a bit dramatic? Of course
she's gone. Switch won. It's only natural she'd leave."
At Nemo's puzzled look Duke sighed. " Firesky, not all of us are as used
to your mind games as some. And he doesn't know what Switch is."
But Nemos' face had gone as deathly white as possible, and he whispered. "
Switch? That's girls got a Switch? Oh the poor poor thing."
Firesky raised an eyebrow at Duke, who flushed. " Oops."
That night, Skygem dreamed again of the lighthouse room. The cloaked girl
was standing at her window again. The Crystal was moitionless and hte
shadows seemed bigger and more frightening.
"Hello Skygem." the voice of the cloaked girl sounded like she was holding
back tears. "Much has happened has it not."
" My ...my sister has a Switch." Skygem muttered, shocked at the lack of
emotion in her own voice.
" I know. And i know there is no known cure either." Now the girl turned,
and Skgem saw those yellow eye's burning brighter than ever. " It is time
you knew my name."
" Y-your name?" Skygem stuttered.
"Yes. I'm sure Jumiper taught you of when the Saurian first came to
Puckworld."
Skygem nodded.
"You remember hearing of The Messanger?"
Again Skygem nodded.
"You are looking at her."
"B-b-but, Morgan Moonkid killed you." Skygem's dream eyes opened wide in
disbeleif."
" He killed a simulacra of me, but not the true me. I escaped right before
he entered the room he killed me in. And came here. I've been in timesleep."
" Timesleep?"
"There is no time to explain. I brought you here to tell you how to defeat
Switch. It's not permanent,if Kit gets around someone else with a Switch, or
enuohg of her life force is drained or something of that sort, Switch will
come back to strength, but what i'm about to tell you will defeat Switch
time and again."
" Tell me please! What is it!" Skygems voice was still emotionless, and
things seemed to be slowing down. as The Messanger answered with a single
syllable. " Love."
Skygem gasped and sat up in bed, sheets mainly on the floor. "Love? Good
grief I think I watched too much Snow White. Love? The entire team love-"
realization dawned on Sky and she cursed " Darn you Messanger. Pick the most
stubborn person there is to go get her back will ya?"
Duke looked up from his coffe as Skygem entered the kitchen. " What're ya
do'n here?" he asked " you should be asleep."
"So should you." she muttered
" Yea well, couldn't sleep."
" Can any of us? Look, I know your worried about Kit. And I have something
to tell ya."
" So shoot."
" You gotta promise not to think I've flipped my lid."
" I can't promise that until I hear what you have to say."
" I was afraid of that. Well, you know when i was unconcious after I got
stabbed? Well while i was alseep, i saw this girl in a cloak in this really
wierd lighthouse. She told me to help Firesky and the rest. Then, toniht, I
saw her again. she told me she was The Messanger, and the only way to get
Kit back was love."
Sky downed the rest of her coffe and left the kitchen as quickly as she'd
come. Duke stared into his coffe cup, eyes blank.
"Sabe, can you take me to Kit?" Duke walked up behind her in to library.
She turned " Why are ya asking me." she retorted.
" One of he best questions I've ever heard. But will you? I think I know of
a way to get her back."
"Oh anything to help you commit suicide." Sabe grinned.
Duke sighed " When can we leave?"
Sabe grabbed his arm " Right now."
A second later the library was empty.
Firesky started as Duke and Sabe appeared in Front of her. " what the hell
ya two doing?" she growled.
Delta chuckled evilly as she made her way through the train.She was gonna
rid herself of Kit in one of the worst ways.
Kit stared helplessly as Switch laughed insanely.
Let me go! She cried angrily. Switch turned and hissed. Kit fell
uncouncious to the floor of her cage.
Duke stared as the door at the other end of the train car flew open and
Delta stalked through.She saw him and chuckled. " Fight will you, or get out
of my way. I don't have all day."
" I won't fight you Kit."
" Kit is dead!"
" it's not true."
Delta sighed. " I tire of your babble." She raises a flame colored sword
and swung at Duke. He dodged, but the blade caught him in the thigh,
slicing deep. He gave and involentary cry and fell backwards.
Delta gave a hissing laugh and raised her sword agin, only for it to be
blocked by Sabe's blood red one. Duke stared " Sabe, you feeling all right?"
Sabe reached behind her for his hand and pulled him to his feet. " I'm
either going super soft, or I've got a Switch." she muttered.
Firesky and the rest were backing out of the car. " Duke, you gotta fight
her, there's not enough room for all of us in here." Firesky called to him
as she dissappeared.
Kit woke up, head pounding, and saw Duke go down. Nooooooooo! she
screamed. Duuuuuke! And then she started fighting with all her might.
Duke saw the flickered of different colors statd to lficker over
Delta'Kit's face.maybe, just maybe, there was a chance this might work.
" Kit, do you remember that first time we kissed he started. I thought you
were a traitor and had drugged me. C'mon Kit, I loved evan then. you gotta
fight that thing."
The cage dissolved and Kit was locked in combat with the Switch. You won''t
kill me and you won't kill him. She said through gritted teeth.
you wanna bet., the Switch hissed back.
Duke kept, fighting, kept atalking, hoping agasit hope that something was
going on in Kit's head. " C'mon ya squirt, I love ya. I never ment what I
said in the infirmerary." he blocked another blow from Delta and saw that
somehow they'd ended up on top of the train.
Switch had lost. Kit had won. But the firey little **** was gonna make a
last ditch attempt.
Kit's colored slammed correct as she tured and jumped off the train. "
Kiiit!" Duke dove and caught her wrist. She grinned up at him " i'm
baa-aack!"
" Yea, an' ya ain't no featharweight ether."Duke muttered as he pulled Kit
onto the top of the car. The collapsed in a heap and started laughing with
releife. Duke sat up and drew Kit close. " You know I love ya girl."
Her kiss was all the answer he needed.
" Uh guys, I hate to intertupt this toughing train top moment." Firesky
tapped Duke's leg. " But i really don't want to be theo ne to explain to
Wing how you didn't see the top of the tunnel."
Duke and kit looked owards the front of the train, then Kit smiled " No
problemo!"
And all three were on the floor of the train in a heap . Sabe sdtared down
at them and sighed " That is just sick."
The heap started to laugh.
"So this isn't permanent?' Kit asked sabe the next day. The drakress shook
her head " If you tap into your life force or get around other Switched
people or another Switch, your in danger."
"Other than that?"
"You'll be fine."
Kit looked up at Duke and grinned " Well, if she gets rid of you, and I get
Switched again, then I guess the entire team goes kerwhammy cause your the
only one who can fix me."
Duke laughed as he watched Sabe stalk off. " Yup."
L ater that day, Duke stared at Sabe doubtfully. The drakress was sitting
crosslegged on the couch, holding two sock puuppets.
" Hello Mr.Larry." she squeaked.
" Why hello Bob. How are you today.?"
" Well," he voice was normal " fancy metting you two here. What are yu
planning to do today?"
In the other room Saor has Veggie Tales turned way up. Firesky rolled her
eyes " wonderful, a warbling cousin and a assasin turned puppeteer. Wat
next?"
A black and red streak nearly hit her in the head. Fire ducked, then
straightened. " ok, who left the lima beans in the fridge?"
" I thought we banned those things." Mr.Larry squeaked.
Phil walked into the room " Boobies!" Saor chucked a magic ball at him
from the other room, Duke and Firesky drew their swords, Zalt aimed her
bouncing frame towards him and... Bob, Mr.Larry and Sabe all yelled: " Mr
Larry doesn't like you!" " Neither does Bob!"
Phil ran from the room yelling " Heeeeelp!"
In a small dark room Morgan Moonstar swept his hand through a small patch
of black fog in front of him. Thorn was standing quietly in the shadows. "
wat shall we do now Uncle." she asked in a flat voice.
"Plan our revenge. Dam, that plan nearly worked."
" Perhaps if we get rid of the cure before going for the diseased next
time." The other suggested. Morgan stopped his pacing " Yes.... That just
might work"
In the lighthouse room The Messanger's eyes were sad " One day, one day
Morgan, you will come back to me.And you daughter will have a father again."
The Crystal revovled slowly, Disks winking encouragement at Messanger.
In a far corner of Kit's mind, a firey little object hissed and spat inside
it's cage of love
And in a room in the center of the Lighthouse Island, a small baby lay
sleeping on a hard bed. The tiny gray duckling didn't feel the draft of
chill air rufling her smoky feathers.She'd been sleeping 17,000 years, and
she had not much left to sleep before she would wake.And be the key to her
father's heart.
The world turnes, the fates work.
We are all destined to come together
We are the keys to each others hearts
But we must first find that heart
Note from the author: Oh I hate this. Got a nice mysterious , depressing
mood going, and what do I do? Add a note. Anyway, all characters except the
six original ducks belong to X&X Productions.Comments on this story and it's
counter part are welcome . Send any to fireskywhitewing@hotmail.com.
thankies.