Never armed our souls
What the future would hold
When we were innocent
Chapter 3: Revealed
Mallory was still in shock. There the gray haired duck stood there, hands still in his pockets of a pair of tore up jeans. On his chest was a loose black t-shirt and a maroon vest. Shaking her head she put her gun away quickly and began to walk up to him, fearing he'd take off again.
"...Your here Duke," She muttered watching him closely. If the man was going to bolt or anything she would be ready to chase after him and try and stop him.
"Yeah I am, figured it was time enough to come back," He shrugged acting like had nothing happened. Like they had just had a busy day back at the pond way back when and where finally able to settle down. But this wasn't then and it had been three years! As Mallory changed her demeanor began to change, crossing her arms over her chest almost glaring at him.
"Yeah I would say so," She muttered looking away from him. "We're a team and you took off. It's been hell Duke."
"I know that sweetheart," He said slightly chuckling as he took his hand out of his pocket and rubbed the back of his head. "But it wasn't like any vacation. I was working the whole time." His eyes gazed up at her face softening a bit. "But I knew I had to come see you before I head back to New York."
"So you where there," Mallory glared back at him. "And you couldn't say anything?! Do anything?! Damn Duke, you can't just admit that you love me and then just take off! Not after Wing...hell it wasn't just me you left!"
"I know that," He said calmly again walking up to her till they where face to face. "But sweetheart, there are things that I had to do that couldn't be no where close to the team. Dragonuas couldn't know where I was but now that's done and I've returned...plus" He smiled pulling his other hand from his pocket and placed them both on her shoulders. Mallory flinched slightly but let him rest them there. "I had to forgive myself." His eyes gazed down at the spot that the bald patch would have been if Mallory hadn't been wearing the cloth Tanya had made for her. "..She does good work."
"Of course she does," Mallory muttering her eyes dropping looking towards his chest. "But I never blamed you. It wasn't your fault what had happened."
"Now honey, that's the way you think. I think differently then that. If I had been quicker you wouldn't be as you are but...there is nothing I can do about it now and I'm glad Tanya can make miracles in her lab. Nobody should think your anything less then perfect, sweetheart."
"I'm not perfect..." Mallory began to crack. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry when Duke finally showed his head, but here she was on the verge of tears.
"Shhhh..." Duke whispered closing the space between them with a kiss. After a few moments they pulled apart slowly.
"..Welcome back..." Mallory whispered back quietly.
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
The red haired duck looked across from herself to the gray duck that had sat down in her apartment and took the coffee she had offered, but all he was doing was staring at it. They hadn't spoke since they had been out in the street about an hour ago. She wanted to ask about what he had been doing that was so damn important to run out on her and not return for years. Not to mention he never called or even wrote her a letter. It better be important or Duke would be kicked out on his ass tonight. Clearing her throat Duke looked up at her as smiled at him.
"Do you mind telling me what exactly you did while you where gone?" She started. "You owe me...no you owe us an explanation on that. I understand you needed to forgive yourself but you did something else for all those damn years too."
"Of course," Duke nodded sipping the coffee she had given him for the first time. "...You remembered." He looked astonished at the cup.
Mallory began to blush looking away from him.
"..Well duh, out of the ducks you where so Damn stubborn on how you wanted your coffee, of course I'd remember Duke," She ended the sentence with a sigh and shaking her head chuckling. "Black, two sugars and a little milk..."
"..But not too much as to spoil the flavor," Duke ended laughing. "You even got the milk right sweetheart, not many can do that."
"..Will you just get on with the whole explanation, I've still got to sleep tonight," She hissed mock glaring at him taking a drink of her coffee. Though Mallory knew that it with the story and the coffee she'd probably wouldn't sleep much tonight...
"..After I ran out I left Dallas I ran off to New York...and spent most of my time there actually..." Duke began...
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
Looking at the red light, Nosedive forced the feelings down to honk his horn and yell obscenities at the cars in front of him. New York traffic was like hell, hell on a hot summer day with rotten fish next to you and a fan across from it blowing toward you. The fan was there trying to keep you cool but only make it all worse. Even New York got warm. But he kept his cool, trying to listen to the radio, tapping his hand to a beat absently watching the pedestrians cross the road in front of him now. It just wasn't his day, well most days weren't his. He just got the leftovers.
"..If that light doesn't turn green..." Nosedive mumbled under his breath as the light turned green finally and the cars ahead of him began to roll forward. All he wanted to do was go home. Go to his apartment and relax a bit, maybe watch some TV. Just something then this car. There had been a time where a car was one of his dream objects to own. Something just beyond his grasp that he almost drooled when it was mentioned. But that again was before everything had happened and taken its toll on him. Now he just wanted to crash into the bumper of the car in front of him for being so damn slow! His fingers twitched wanting to lay on the horn, but luckily for the car ahead of him it turned off the street leaving him drying with a few car lengths till the one ahead of him: breathing room. Loosing his grip on the steering wheel Dive leaned back and relaxed a bit. His knuckles turning to their peachiest yellow color instead of the white they had been.
Nosedive had just been to the doctor's office who had told him he couldn't be given Prozac anymore. Then the doctor claimed all high and mighty that who ever had prescribed him the drug was an idiot and should have his license stripped for giving it to him...so there went his prescription. Though a thought had occurred to him that the fact was he was so emotional to begin with that the Prozac probably wasn't working and that's why the doctor was saying such things. He was a duck after all and normally humans don't test new drugs on ducks. Its mice and monkeys for that. Now if only he where a giant mouse, that stuff might have worked a bit better.
Plus the doctor said he was under a lot of stress...It took all Dive's willpower to not give him a smart ass comment. When your trying to save a world and you've only got a few people helping you, you're gonna be stressed. It didn't matter if you where Bill Gates or some weird dude under a rock. Stress would catch up with you. And boy was Dive feeling it more then ever.
First of all he had to force himself to eat still. His appetite still was shit. Then the fact he couldn't sleep, and when he did he either had nightmares or happy dreams (which for Dive was WORSE then the nightmares) or usually ended up screaming or crying himself awake.
Then it was the whole "bursting into tears randomly" thing that was really getting to him. Dive was supposed to be the team captain! Not some crybaby woozy boy who wanted his mommy. How the hell was he suppose to be a good leader when all he did was cry. Cry, worry, and complain to himself.
At least he hadn't resorted to drinking yet.
But when you're on Prozac, you can't really drink either. Shaking his head he finally pulled into his parking garage and headed down the ramp.
Pulling into his parking spot Dive got out of his car checking the area quickly before locking his car and walking to the elevator. A good shower was calling to him. A nice long one, to clear his mind even if it was for just a few minutes after all his mind always seemed to be going at something, worrying about something. Besides that, he really didn't have anyone to talk to either. Dive was after all supposed to be a leader, and therefore was suppose to be available for the others who had concerns. Never did Wildwing voice worries he had, well to him at least.
There was a small voice in the back of his head that told him it would be alright to talk to Tanya and the others but he figured it was a weak thing to do. Once the war was over then he could rest...if he survived of course. He didn't need to bother the others with his stupid problems and worries. They might do something drastic if he really did bother them, like kick him out of the team which meant he would have no where to go. Nobody to trust.
Something he didn't want to ever happen.
So, Nosedive thought walking into his apartment, is this how it was for Drake DuCaine? Did he feel so awful and wore out all the time? Did he have these nightmares?
...was this HIS legacy? Hell if it was no wonder anybody stepped forward right away when Puckworld had been attacked! Like hell anyone would want this!
Shaking his head he turned and locked his door heading to the bathroom. While he would be there he'd count how many Prozac he had left and debate wither or not to get a second opinion. Sure, Dive knew, that if he went to enough doctors one would prescribe the pill. Was it worth it exactly considering how bad he always felt? Was this just the tip of an ice burg? Nosedive had no way of telling if the pills had worked and the only reason he felt this way was because the Prozac took the edge off of it. Was he willing to risk it?
Looking at the five pills in his hand he leaned on the wall with the other. It was hell anyway; mine as well try without them for a bit. After all if he felt worse then this he could always go back to a doctor and beg for the pill. Slipping the pills back in the small bottle he shut the cabinet and turned turning on the shower.
At least Wing couldn't see the shell of a man he had truly become. He was thankful for that. Wildwing died knowing the innocent teenager he had once been.
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
So she hadn't touched the computers since yesterday, since the chemical makeup had come back from testing. She still was still looking at that paper wondering what the heck to do.
Unknown.
It was an unknown substance, which meant Tanya had no information on it at all! What the heck was Dragonuas planning to put into the water system of New York? Plus since it had no known chemical makeup they could sneak it into smaller cities without as much of a problem. This could be a huge problem already occurring. How could this have happened right under her beak! That meant that they had to do tons of testing right away before anything irreversible happened.
"Dan!" She called again as the man came running up hearing the urgency in her voice.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Start testing it, on mice, on monkeys, on planets. On anything we have the ability to test on besides human subjects. This is top priority from now and out. We need to find out what exactly the effects of this stuff and how to reverse it." Nodding the man took the bottle and papers and rushed away as Tanya stood up stretching for a moment.
She wasn't going to loose in this war. She was the top scientist and she would figure out what it was before anything bad happened. Failure wasn't an option.
Turning she rushed away following after Dan. The computers would have to wait.
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
Taking a deep breath Grin sat alone in his apartment not to far from the capital. There was a lot of unrest around them all because of this war. The people of the United States had almost been cut off from the world due to the fact the other countries did not want Dragonuas trying to take them over as well. A stupid idea, Grin, grimly thought. If the United States had more help then Dragonuas could have probably been wiped out a long time ago but it's a normal, but scary, view to think that a problem will happen somewhere else and never to you.
He knew it would be only a matter of time that Dragonuas would start trying to get into Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. If he could do that successfully there would be no way they alone could stop him. There were only four of them after all and if they stretched themselves out they still couldn't cover all the big continents. If Wildwing was still around it could be possible...and if Canard hadn't fallen into limbo there would be seven of them, enough for each continent, even Antarctica would be covered, though Grin figured that that would be the last place Dragonuas would try and take over considering the fact nobody wanted to be there.
Actually though Grin figured Dragonuas could take over Antarctica and nobody would really care. That would be one place that Dragonuas would easily take over, but it would be no accomplishment.
Standing up from meditating, Grin decided to go talk with the people he was working with. The security at the capital was tight. There really wasn't much fight considering every time one of Dragonuas's attacks was halted pretty quickly. It was a very important city after all. If Washington fell then it would only be a matter of time before the rest of the bigger cities fell and Dragonuas would win.
Walking over he grabbed his apartment keys and headed out the door, locking and shutting it behind him.
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
"...so how long are you going to be here?" She muttered pouring a cup of coffee and setting it on the table for Duke to grab as he came into the room. They had talked a lot last night about what he had done, what she had done. How the others were and where they were. It had been nice but the red haired duck knew that he'd be moving somewhere else quickly enough. When Duke was in the middle of something it wasn't his style to just sit back and let time pass. In the three years he'd been gone he had done a lot for the team wither they knew it or not. A lot of battles where interrupted due to something Duke had done somewhere knowing about the battle.
Turning her head her eyes rested on him as he entered the room.
"Ahh don't worry your pretty head sweetheart," He laughed taking the cup and drinking it. "I'll be flying to tomorrow, back to New York. From your worries and concerns I'm needed there." Mumbling he sat back down.
Duke was hoping what Mallory said wasn't true. That her fears where misplaced and that Nosedive was as fine as he could be considering all that had happened. It would only make sense that Mallory would worry about the others but the way she spoke about Dive and how she had been getting the feeling that he was hiding something from them, well that was something that had to be looked into.
They didn't need to loose a member of their already weakened team to anything. It was bad enough that they could all die in some battle down the road but to have one willingly kill themselves, at their own hand. Well, that was preventable and he was going to make sure if Dive was that gone that he'd at least have him to talk to for a bit. Maybe that would make all the difference. After all, he knew that when he had left the only real close person to the kid was himself.
Sure Duke knew he probably shouldn't have left, but he couldn't think straight with everyone there all the time. He couldn't find himself in a crowd. That had always been the case for him. Always the loner unlike some of the team who thrived with other people around. It had been one of the reasons in the beginning of his ex-career as a thief that he had chosen the profession. Thieves normally didn't hang out with other thieves.
Shaking his head, he tried to clear his thoughts looking up at Mallory who instantly had a slight blush upon her cheeks. He also knew that it was probably stupid to even be trying to start a relationship during this whole battle. A lot of extra stress and pressure to make sure the one you love didn't get hurt.
Well anymore hurt.
But he worried about that wither or not they where a couple officially. So the older duck figured that he minas well just be in a relationship with her and enjoy it. Who knows what might happen in the future. Hell who knew what could happen in an hour the way Dragonuas was playing now a day.
"..Could you take work off today?" He then asked. "I figure that I should treat my lady to a day of what ever she chooses while I can."
"I can," Mallory said picking up a piece of bread that she had buttered. "I haven't been out like that for a while actually. Been to busy working and keeping Dragonuas at bay."
"Well you should have a bit more fun sweetheart, after all they say all work and no play make a duck very angry." He chuckled standing up and walking over to Mallory. "Now where would you like to go first?"
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
Hands stuffed in his pockets, jacket tightly wrapped around him Nosedive walked down the street. It was a day off and from the reports of his human help there wasn't a word yet underground of anything Dragonuas was pulling. So he had in the spur of the moment figured he'd go actually do something. It had been a while since Dive had went out to do something that didn't involve buying pills, buying food, buying clothes, or fighting Dragonuas. Hell he hadn't even picked up a video game controller for a few years. There was no time to. That had been given up when Dragonuas killed Thrash and Mookie. Mostly it was because of the fact that if he walked near a comic shop, near an arcade or even saw an advertisement in a magazine for the first few years after their deaths Nosedive would cry, much like how he was for Wildwing. That was something he didn't want to think about at the moment though. He wanted to try and get in a good mood, maybe play an old arcade game and try and grasp where he was six years ago. Maybe capture a part of the man he had once been.
Walking into the arcade, after standing out there a few seconds looking in, was almost a shock to the blonde duck. The sounds, the laughter, the lights. It bothered him. Strolling over slowly to a shooting game he picked up the gun and threw in a few quarters ignoring the stares he was receiving from the younger children who didn't quite understand who he was or even WHAT he was. When the game came on his instincts kicked in and he didn't have to think much as he pulled the trigger when the monsters popped into the screen. It was easy to him now.
Sure Dive had always been a great shot, above average for just a regular person. Gifted, some may say, but he had played this game many of years ago when they first arrived on Earth. Mookie had actually been the one to introduce it to him saying it was top of the line. They as a group spent many of hours and many of dollars on the game, trying to get as far as he had gotten in a few minutes.
The red...the blood that splattered all over the screen as the monsters heads exploded in the game.
It was too much.
Dropping the gun, which swung hitting the machine, Dive felt tears running down his face. Would he ever get over their deaths?! Would the flashbacks ever end?!
Why did Mookie have to say that to him! It was his fault they where dead. All his fault! Turning Nosedive rushed to the exit, any exit, finding himself in a back alleyway, trying to recover his bearings once again. It was his fault for a lot of crap that had happened. He even blamed himself for Wildwings death after all. If Nosedive had stayed on Puckworld instead of following Wildwing, then Wildwing wouldn't have had to worry about him so much. The older duck probably rushed Dragonuas trying to make sure that Nosedive wouldn't get hurt or killed. Why hadn't he stayed? Canard didn't want him there; most of the team hadn't wanted him there in the beginning. There where other things to worry about then a sixteen year old duck who just wanted to follow his brother.
After all during the war there Nosedive and Wildwings parents had been killed. There was no where else to go for Dive then with his brother. That's why Wildwing fought Canard so hard to keep Nosedive there. Because it was easier to defend a teenager standing right next to you then one somewhere you didn't know.
He didn't want to be a burden to any of them. None of them needed to worry about him.
Nosedive just needed to get over this all, by himself, on his own. Without any of their help.
After all, a leader needs to be strong, right?
He didn't feel all that strong. Actually most of the time Dive felt like quitting. But they didn't need to know that.
It would just worry them after all. And Nosedive felt he didn't deserve to be worried about.
He felt he didn't deserve anything.
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
Yawning Nosedive sat up in his bed, blinking trying to look at the time on his alarm clock next to him. It as 3:54 in the morning. Rubbing his eyes he swung his bare feet to the edge of his bed and scooted off. Walking drowsily toward his bathroom he turned on the light and closed the door.
Walking out he flipped off the light, causing it to be complete darkness once more. Something about the dark instilled a fear in Nosedive and yet he felt his calmest when the dark was around him. He was in his own world that nobody could penetrate. Maybe that's what scared him so much. That he was alone with himself and Dive knew he didn't know himself anymore.
Crawling into bed he laid on his back looking up at the ceiling, Remembering back when they all lived under the hockey rink Nosedive turned wishing he was still in that familiar bed. Then Wildwing was just across the hall and everyone else was just a shout away. Here and now he'd have to yell pretty hard to get them all to hear him.
Chuckling Dive thought about the joke he just thought about. Closing his eyes he began to drift off to sleep. Maybe this time he wouldn't have a dream. Those where the nights he actually slept.
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
There where things he had found out in his underground hunt for Dragonuas. Many things that Duke figured he'd never would have known. But it was one piece of information that he had heard one day eas dropping a conversation Chameleon, who was in some human form and one of the human commanders that had really brought Duke back to the team once more. Sure he needed to forgive himself, and he had a while back but when he had he realized he was in a really good spot to help the team, wither they knew it or not.
So now here he was flying back to New York, back to the youngest duck of the team, fearing, no dreading and hoping that what Mallory had said wasn't true. They needed the blonde duck very much stable for what he was going to tell them because they needed to plan something after. This wasn't something you could fly into blind. It wasn't something you could go into very much an emotional wreck.
Glancing out the window he saw New York in his view. It would only be an hour now until he saw the blonde duck. The younger duck right now should be in his apartment, probably just getting up from his sleep. Duke knew of course when Dive's work was and that's why he had caught this plane, to catch Nosedive before he headed off to work. This was something very important and only had hinted toward Mallory what exactly it was, but didn't tell her. Dive should hear the news first.
Trying to knot the tie Nosedive grumbled under his breath swearing that tonight he'd go buy a clip on. It wasn't like the people at work expected him to have a real tie. He probably figured they figured that what he was wearing was a fake tie. That or get someone to tie these things and then glue it so he wouldn't have to try and tie one every morning he head work!
"..Stupid ass..." Hissing he heard his door bell right. Glancing at the time and the calendar by his kitchen Nosedive wondered who it could be so early. Tanya wasn't heading up to New York for another six or so days. She called him last night telling him that. The others would have called ahead and not make him freak out this early. He already got enough head aches then to worry about unexpected visitors.
Letting go of the tie he walked over to the door, peaking out of the peep hole seeing a duck he didn't even think about. Quickly Nosedive began to unlock all his locks, joy replaced the frustration he had had a few seconds before as he flung the door open jumping on the older duck.
"Duke!" He squealed like he would have back when he was still a teenager. It was so good to see the duck alive and well! Nosedive felt a lot of worry and pain just seem to float away seeing Duke laughing. Tears began to force themselves to the surface as he stepped back wiping them away grinning. "I was worried to beat hell!"
"...I see you haven't changed much," Duke laughed walking past him into Dive's apartment glancing around noticing how the blonde duck had decorated the place with just normal things. It didn't seem anything like Nosedive at all. Even right before Wildwing had disappeared the duck was still reading comic books and playing games. There wasn't a game in site or a comic book. Maybe he was more changed then Duke thought a few seconds ago.
"..Your back?" The duck behind him said very guarded.
"Yeah, for a little while at least." Duke said picking up a weird cat statue. "Kid, you still got weird taste."
"Hey..." Nosedive said reaching over and taking the cat figure from Duke and setting on a counter. "Let me just call my work and call in telling them I won't be making it today." Quickly without allowing Duke to say anything he went to the phone and dialed a number.
Sighing Duke shook his head walking over into his living room more, noticing a picture of Wildwing and Nosedive on a couch end. The older duck was giving Dive a noogie. The picture brought a smile to Duke's face. Ahh, times had changed since then.
"..Did you already fly out and see Mal-mal?" Nosedive's voice broke in behind him. Duke turned toward the duck, seeing that Nosedive had taken off the shirt and tie he had been wearing standing there in a tank top he must have been wearing as an undershirt.
"Yeah," Duke laughed. "You're the second stop I've been to. I figured you needed to be the first to be told what I've heard in one of my tracks of the saurians."
"...Do you know where they are now?" Dive muttered. Shaking his head Duke told the answer.
"..But I do think their in New York." He said afterward. "That's why I've been focusing my abilities here."
Taking a deep breath Duke wondered how the kid would react to the news. Turning he picked up the picture he had looked at a few seconds earlier and tossed it to Dive who caught it without flinching.
Nosedive glanced down at the picture and back up at Duke wondering why the ex-thief had thrown it at him.
"You might want to sit down kid for what I've got to tell you." Duke muttered dryly looking at him almost in pity.
This caused Nosedive to grow worried almost instantly. This wasn't going to be good, was it? Nosedive motioned toward the kitchen table sitting down, Duke across from him. Did Duke finally find Wildwings body?! Was that why he threw the picture?! Why wasn't the duck saying anything?!
"..Say something." Dive muttered giving away how frantic he had become in a few seconds.
Duke whence realizing that Nosedive was a bit more emotional almost flying off the handle. Mallory's worries where well placed, he thought though he didn't know how well placed they had been just yet.
"Dive kid, I have information stating Wildwing may still be alive," Duke muttered.
The look of shock on Nosedive's face was replaced by a look he couldn't very well read. Then the kid did something Duke wasn't expecting at all.
He passed out.
The picture of the two happy brothers still sat on the table, though it fell on its face when Dive hit the ground.
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
There was no telling how long he had been there. No telling the days, months, and probably years he had been in the cell he now called home for most of his waking hours. Reaching out he tried to find what someone had left for food the night before but felt nothing and figured they must have taken the dish while he had been asleep. It wasn't like he could do much anyway toward them.
A few years ago he had been taken by the saurian overlord as prisoner though Wildwing did not know how long ago it could exactly be. Time just seemed to meld in the cell as he sat there on the bed where they had put him last night after torcher. See three years ago Dragonuas had taken one of his legs, right below the knee, made him watch every second as they sliced through it. He had passed out during that whole situation, though they would stop and wake him back up before they'd continue on. Luckily the searing liquid they pored over the open wound seemed to have cleaned the wound and it healed pretty well. He could see then. The second thing he did take from him was his eye sight with a giant screw.
Sometimes Wildwing wondered how the hell he had survived that. But knew that Dragonuas wanted him alive still to torcher and destroy.
He of course wouldn't say anything during these torchers like Dragonuas wanted. He had wanted information about their base and weaknesses of the others but Wildwing wouldn't tell him anything, which is why he was still alive, though barely and only by the fact Dragonuas still thought he could get information from him somehow.
That's why he could still hear out of one ear. Dragonuas wanted to make sure he could hear him and his demands. But Wildwing would just laugh, trying to think about other things then what they where doing to him. About his team mates, about Puckworld and maybe one day if he was lucky hearing Dragonuas being defeated. Most of the times in his daydreams Wildwing would put the gun in Nosedive's hand, giving him the honor of killing Dragonuas since he was after all blind.
Turning his head he heard an odd sound he hadn't heard before, something pounding on metal. It wasn't the sounds of people coming to get him; he knew those sounds well and usually kicked one of the things that picked him up in a few choice places before they would drag him down the hallway. No, this sound sounded like someone was trying to get into his cell forcefully. Was he being rescued by his team mates?! Had that finally come true?
"..Hello...?" Wildwing quietly whispered hearing something drop down to his left. Was this some sorta sick mind game Dragonuas had just come up with to try and break him?
"..Shhh..." A female voice muttered. An unfamiliar voice Wing noted starting to grow suspious hearing their footsteps toward him. It was only one person, he noted.
"..Who are you? Is this some sorta game?!" Wildwing hissed.
"..No." The girl said, now in front of him. That's when he felt a hand touch his, three fingers and a thumb. He tried to pull his hand away when she held it hard. "Stop it! I'm trying to show you something."
Wildwing sighed deciding to play into this joke so it could at least end quickly and he could get back to his daydreams waiting for some real help.
She brought his hand up a ways, touching something. Instinctively Wildwing pulled his hand back wondering if he had just gotten chemically burnt or something.
"...Idiot that's my beak," She muttered.
"..I'm not going to fall for that," Wildwing said growing pissed.
"Then feel my hand, I have feathers!" She then said growing angry. "I need you to trust me so I can try and get you out of here."
"..Huh...?" Wildwing muttered reaching his hand out, feeling a hand there, and the three fingers and thumb. She did indeed have feathers but Dragonuas had tried this before. Sending a female to gain their trust only to stab them in the back. "..How do I know you're not some duck working for Dragonuas?" He whispered.
"Because I've been here longer then you silly," She muttered. "I just recently figured out how to get into their air ducts and have been wondering around them for the past week when nobody was around. I had heard some of them talking about you and decided to try and find you so we both can get out of here."
"..How long have you been here? Prisoner of Dragonuas?" Wildwing then asked.
"...Ahh...well..." The female ducks voice muttered. "Maybe about ten years or so, I'm not sure. They rarely keep me in a cell or room that has a window."
"..And you can still see?" So he didn't trust her. Ten years and it seemed like she wasn't hurt.
"..Dragonuas has OTHER ways of torturing me," She muttered a hint of sadness echoed in her words. Instantly Wing felt guilty. His mind could only imagine what Dragonuas could do that didn't include screw drivers and hot liquid. "..But let's get out of here. I think I found an air duct that leads outside of this building..."
If she was telling the truth Wildwing felt that he'd only slow her down, who ever she was. He didn't want to doom her because of a slight chance he cold be free and back with his team mates, if they where still alive.
"...You go," He said pushing her hand away. "I don't want to cause your death by slowing you down. If Dragonuas hasn't killed them, I have team mates who'll help you. Then you can come back for me."
"..NO." Her voice grew stern as he felt a hand grab his arm, pulling him up off the odd bed area dragging him somewhere. His other hand flew out feeling a wall. "I'm not letting Dragonuas hurt anyone else. I'd rather risk being killed having you along then sneak out knowing your still here in need of a rescue."
Wildwing felt her let go of his hand, he felt her on the ground by his leg.
"..What are you doing?" He muttered using the wall to keep his balance.
"Step on me," She muttered. "The air duct is right above us. I'm sure you can pull yourself up if you could grab the edge. You look strong enough for that.
"..I don't know..." He muttered.
"Shoot," The girl's voice said. "There are guards coming. Do it or get us both killed!"
Any worries in Wildwing's mind vanished hearing that. He wasn't going to get her killed. Quickly he stepped on her back, launching half up grabbing the ledge she had said would be there and throwing himself in. Then he turned holding a hand out. A ferm hand grabbed it and he used his strength dragging her up. Kneeling there he heard her working with something metal and then pushes past him.
"..Now hold onto this," She said grabbing his hand and putting some type of cloth there. "It'll help you follow me since you can't see me."
"..Who are you..?" He got out feeling the rope pull ahead. She must have been crawling.
"Names Miya, now lets get out of here," He heard her giggle. How the hell could she giggle in such a high risk situation? Only one other person he knew could do that. Nosedive.
Hope began to fill his senses. Wildwing could possibly get out of here alive!
"..I'm Wildwing," He said is voice telling how happy he was.
"Well Wing it'll only be a good few turns and bumps before we get out of here."
Nodding he felt the rope thing pull and he began to crawl as best as he could after his mysterious savior who ever she really was.
For the first time in a while Wildwing was looking forward to tomorrow, when ever that could be.
After all he couldn't see the rays of the sun but he sure could feel them.
: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -: - : -
(Authors notes)
Yes Wildwing is indeed alive and Miya is back! Be scared! :P.
Seriously I look back on my first stories Miya and Dive and they've like really changed. Miya in the first DuCaine Legacy had a quiet innocents about her I figure. While this one she's going to have a blaringly obvious innocents about her. Dive in the other one was just a teenager who liked comic books. He didn't change much from the series but in this ducaine legacy he has changed dramaticly. Heck, it took me a lot of rewrites to get the mars saga to where it is now. Why not this story? I've always fiddled with story ideas for the mighty ducks that included a new character. Now I just need to work on the ablility to add a new character without focusing all the story eye on them.
After all this story is about angst Nosedive and his views on life.
Check my profile for the picture url! I try!
huggles her nosedive action figure It's ok Dive I'll make it all better...eventually devilish grin
Nosedive action figure: Someone stop her before she has me...dies
cough Anywho! Please review before you go and as always thanks for taking the time to read one of my stories!
