So Gosalyn in some way owed Darkwing Duck.. and she wanted him to find out.. Or at least that was what Honker assumed. He had taken his Dad's newspaper and was now reading the article about Darkwing Duck while laying on his bed, showcasing when the first obscure mentions had been beforehand, and they actually dated quite a long time back, it seemed liked Darkwing Duck as a hero figure was older than Honker himself. And yet, Mr. Mallard had been right, it seemed like before now Darkwing Duck had been a figure so clouded in mystery that most people had believed that he was nothing more than some-ones joke. Until that Taurus Bulba incident where the entire city had been threatened and the world had witnessed Darkwing stopping him, a news reporter managed to get the footage from her helicopter. It had by all means and in lack of better words, been Darkwings Duck's big break in fame, and he was now the hot topic of discussion. Honker glanced at the pictures of Darkwing beating up some crooks on a train, the hero was clearly also posing there with a grin on his beak, as if the capture of the crooks had been easy as pie. Honker could only conclude one thing from that, Either Darkwing Duck was the coolest hero ever knowing how to beat crooks up without a sweat, or he was just very arrogant.
Honker rolled around holding the news-paper in stretched arms as he looked at the pictures. No, even if Darkwing would happen to be arrogant, he was also very cool, he was a hero.
"Yo, Honker!" a sharp girls voice called out.
Confused Honker looked up and leaped out of bed.
"Over here!" Gosalyns voice continued.
And Honkers head turned towards his window which he went over to and quickly opened. "Gosalyn!" he called out to the girl across the lane who was poking her head out of her own window.
"How cool is this?" Gosalyn asked. "We can talk to each other like this!"
"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Honker acknowledged.
"You know, we should have like phone cans, you know you take two cans and a string and we can talk any time!" Gosalyn exclaimed. "If we just attached some bells to it or something, then you just pull the string and it's like we are calling."
"That sounds.." Honker hesitated. "Brilliant." he suddenly realised. "That would be cool."
"Or we could get a thick robe." Gosalyn robbed her hands while she was clearly plotting. "Then I can crawl over to you and we can watch horror movies some night without my dad having a chance of knowing." she grinned deviously.
"Urh.." Honker hesitated. "I am not allowed to be up after ten."
"Do you do everything you're parents tell you?" Gosalyn asked.
"Yeah..." Honker complied carefully. "Aren't you supposed to do that?" he asked.
"Pfff no!" Gosalyn replied. "You're supposed to do lots of lots of mistakes and then have a valuable lesson ones a week, that's the only way to become a responsible adult!"
"Urh.." Honker blinked. "Well, when you say it like that.." he skewed to the side.
Gosalyn grinned as she shook her head. "Don't be like that, it's not like I am a trouble child." she told leaning on the window frame. "I just have a lot of spirit, and well, beforehand I had to be able to take care of myself."
"Oh, i'm sorry." Honker hesitated.
"Njaah, don't worry about it." Gosalyn shrugged and then frowned as she looked at Honker. "You know, you don't talk much." she pointed out.
Honker felt like pointing out that was kind of because she was an unstoppable waterfall of talk and it could be difficult to insert a word in a conversation with her, but instead he just shrugged. "Sorry." he murmered.
"Don't say that! then at least you never let out a lot of baloony talk, you know how difficult it is to find people who are not stupid to talk with?" Gosalyn asked.
"Yeas I do." Honker sighed before realising what he was saying and imideatly smacked a hand towards his beak as he horriefied realised.
"Don't worry, it's just because that when you're filled with spirit everyone else seems empty." Gosalyn wisely told. "GOOD NIGHT!" and she popped away from them window.
"But I am not filled with spirit!" Honker pointed out, but it was only to late, she was gone and Honker was left to stare oddly at the window. One thing was for sure, that girl was weird! yet, Honker couldn't help but like her.
Normally Honker was really good in school, he always paid attention, could always answer any question the teacher was asking, always had his mind the right place. Only this Monday was different, the Mallards just kept being in the forefront of his mind, he couldn't help but shake the feeling that he was missing something, something very important.
And it still bothered him as he sat in the school yard and witnessed how fellow clasmates had tied their jackets around their necks so it looked like capes and had forced the lesser popular kids to take a bucket on their head and carry around a cylinder on their backs to look like Megavolt, there was even one kind proudly standing on top of the climbing maze stating that he was Taurus Bulba and the kids around him his minions. Taurus Bulba huh.. perhaps that was worth investigating?
And that was how Honker ended up in the city library as soon as the school was finished, in the news paper section dating six weeks back, the papers concerning Darkwing was easily found as he indeed was on the front page, or well, the mention of him was.
"Saint Canard has found its Saint." a front title wrote followed by. "Heroic masked vigilantly, saved the city and saved a little girl." Honkers eye fell down on the large picture which was a still frame from the footage, showcasing Darkwing Duck madly pressing the buttons and the picture next to it showcasing the exploision that had happened plus a little after short of the remains, below that was the picture of the little girl Darkwing had saved, first Honker looked over it and then his eyes sprung back. "Gosalyn!" he let out, all though.. that Gosalyn on the picture looked nothing like the Gosalyn he had gotten to know the last three days. This Gosalyn looked beyond heart broken as she sat on a strecher with a blanket wrapped around her and a dusin of journalists surrounding her, she didn't seem to be at all interested in all of the attention, instead she looked broken as she looked down on the ground with empty eyes.
Honkers eyes found down to the text.
Orphanaged Gosalyn Waddlemeyer, the unfortunate target of Taurus Bulba. Was saved and kept safe by the Crime fighter doing this serious crisis, this truly shows a heart of cold.
"Darkwing was a bigger hero than you can ever imagine." Speaks Gosalyn Waddlemeyer who not only lost her parents in the past, but more recently her grandfather was taken by crimelord Taurus Bulba, she will now safely return to the orphanage and hopefully is soon to be adopted in a safe and pleasent home.
Honker frowned.. there was something here that really didn't add up. It was very clear from the picture that Gosalyn had been heart broken over Darkwings demise, so the grant question had to be. Why hadn't her reaction been bigger when he had brought the news that Darkwing was in fact, alive! she should have been ecstatic by the very least. And then there was Mallard, he owed Darkwing his daughters life, how come he hadn't told Honker that story? instead of just hinting he knew something about the masked hero.. Well something was painly obvious. They both knew something about Darkwing Duck! perhaps they even knew they crimefighter personally? Perhaps they worked for him? Perhaps Mr. Mallard her adopted Gosalyn as in a favour to Darkwing Duck? the possibilities were indeed many. And Honker had plenty of time to ponder about it as he ventured home.. only to stop wide-eyed in front of the neighbours yard.
The Mallards were obviously fixing the yard, there was nothing weird about that, no the weird thing was how they did it! instead of just walking around working they had set up an obsticle course throughout the yard, going from the flower beds to the untrimmed grass to the house facade that needed painting.
"ready!" Mr. Mallard shouted. "Set! GO!" and he and Gosalyn zoomed for the flower beds jumping into football shoes with spikes underneath them, jumping from one end to the other so there was perfectly seppereated holes in the ground from the boots, before picking up each their sling shot and a bunch of seeds which they fired at the wholes hitting each one correctly and then hurried pushing the dirt over it before they raced towards the garden hose both reaching for it with outstretched arms and Gosalyn at last made one impressive leap capturing the garden house a mili second before Mr. Mallard would have and turned it on to aim it at the newly planted flower bed. "HAH!" Gosalyn laughed. "You loose."
"Then we are even thus far." Mr. Mallard mumbled pulling up a slip of paper and a pencil from his pocket. "I won the window, antenna and doorbell challenge, and you got the grass, waterpipe and latest the flower challenge." he mumbled writing down.
"you mean it's a tie?" Gosalyn asked dissapointed turning off the water hose.
"Not quite so young lady." Mr. Mallard grinned. "I told you you wouldn't be able to beat me and I am going to prove it, one challenge is remaining!" he grinned deviously. "The hedge challenge!" and he drew ford two hedge scissors.
"And I am still getting that video game if I beat you right?" Gosalyn asked.
"have I ever lied to you?" Mr. Mallard asked.
"Okay then." Gosalyn took her own hed scissor. "Who-ever reach the middle part first wins right?"
"Of cause." Mr. Mallard nodded and then shrugged as she was going to her end of the hedge. "What do you do? it's a way to get her working isn't it?" he shrugged and went to his side. "Ready Gos?" he yelled over his shoulder.
"Of cause I am!" Gosalyn yelled back. "The question is, are you?"
"HAH!" Mr. Mallard laughed. "I am always ready." he said in a rather dangerouse tone. "Ready, set, GO!" he spoke in a fast pace and both starting cutting in an enourmus speed, this was differently way more efficient than what Honker had ever seen, it was really impressive how competetive the two were, both working so the sweat was dripping and both nearing the goal in beyond impressive pace, Honker simply couldn't help but watch as he went over to his own porch and tried to read his book.. Ones again it looked like it would become a tie, the two ducks nearing the middle quicker and quicker until at last. Mr. Mallard had succeeded to reach the goal first, his bigger sieze would have had to come in handy anyhow. "HAH!" he laughed. "Told you you couldn't win."
"Oh man!" Gosalyn thew the hedge scissor down on the ground. "I was so close!" she hissed.
"You did so well!" Mr. Mallard grinned and picked her up. "All day even." he gladly threw her up in the air and caught her again. "I really appreciate it." and he sat her down. "So I guess it's only fair you'll have this anyhow." and he pulled out a game from his pocket to present it to his daughter.
Gosalyn starred wide-eyed at it. "Oh my god." she whispered. "You had that all the time?" she asked.
Drake shrugged. "Maybe.." he teased.
"DAD YOU'RE THE BEST!" Gosalyn flung her arms around his neck and Mallard was clearly lighting up in joy as she kissed him on the cheek. "I'll just go wash up and then it's game time!" Gosalyn exclaimed as she ran for the door. "HONKER COME ON OVER WE HAVE A GAME TO PLAY!" she just managed to shout over the shoulder before she dissapeared into the house.
Honker blinked.. had she been aware that he had been sitting there all the time? And she had seemed pretty engulfed in the ongoing competition to. Honker eyed Mr. Mallard who yawning had gone straight for hammock and almost dropped down in it as he streched his arms and yawned to immediately fell a sleep.. kind of impressive really, he would have to be tired to just do that. Honker shrugged, well, he might as well go over now that he were invited.
It was very quickly evident that Gosalyn was a very passionate gamer, it didn't take long for her to start jumping up and down on the couch as she cursed off the screen, and Honker had to wonder over two things A; how could she have so much energy? Both to finish such an obstacle course of house chores and now being able to jump and scream over a game? B; Had Mr. Mallard given her that game well knowing that it would keep her out of his hair for a couple of hours? Gosalyn was absolutely a spirited girl, you would have to be a little bit mad to adopt her, and clever to raise her, Honker knew that.
"Ahh shoot!" Gosalyn threw the controller away. "Dead again! darn it!" she sat down on the couch with crossed arms.
"May I try?" Honker asked.
"Go ahead, as if you can get past those aliens!" Gosalyn grunted.
Carefully Honker picked up the controller and then looked calculating on the screen, the aliens were coming in the same pattern, it would be tricky but duable, if you he just stayed concentrated. And then he started and in a completely concentration mode not taking his eyes of the screen completed the level without loosing as much as one single life. Satiesfied Honker laied down the controller as he looked up at Gosalyn. And she was gaping. "How did you do that?" she asked flabbergasted.
"Well, they were coming in a pattern you see." Honker told. "If two came to the left you could be sure it would then be one to the right and one in the middle."
"Wow, you're smart!" Gosalyn cheered. "Brilliant!"
"Well, I try." Honker blushed. "And erh.. you were saved from Taurus Bulba by Darkwing duck."
"wow you're quick." Gosalyn blinked a little stunned.
"Aren't you happy that Darkwing is okay?" Honker asked.
"Believe me I am happy." Gosalyn told. "I am not just happy, I am really really happy that he is okay."
"So you talked to him?" Honker asked interested.
"You bet." Gosalyn laughed for seemingly no particular reason, like if Honker was missing something.
"How was he?" Honker at last asked.
"Is dad around?" Gosalyn suspeciously watched herself over the shoulder.
"I think he is outside." Honker informed.
"Good!" Gosalyn stated. "Then it's safe to say it, Darkwing is brilliant! best hero ever." and she bowed over she whispered. "But don't say to Dad that I said that."
"Urh, okay." Honker nodded. "Did you then see his lair and stuff? the news paper said he kept you safe for a while."
"I did see his lair." Gosalyn grinned. "And it's awesome! it's so huge!" she spread out her arms. "And got all of this really cool stuff! and if you only knew the location, sorry I am not allowed to say, but it's a really cool place!"
"wauw." Honker commented wide-eyed. "Do you you still see him?" he asked interested.
"urh.." Gosalyn halted. "Uuuuurh.. noooo." she gulped. "Why would I do that?" she asked in a way clearly showing that she wasn't entirely truthful. "I mean he is kind of busy you know, lots of villains to catch and stuff."
"You are in contact with him aren't you?" Honker asked flatly, in a way showing he had figured her all out.
"Shh." Gosalyn shussed.
"Does your dad know?" Honker asked.
"Oh believe me he does, don't worry about that." Gosalyn rolled her eyes.
"Right... okay then." Honker replied thoughtful and frowned. "This is not somesort of secret meeting base for Darkwing duck is it?"
"Man, you're so close yet missing the spot." Gosalyn chuckled. "But honestly, I can't say any-more, then Dad would have a real reason to ground me for life even before we really settled in, I didn't even have time to start in school yet!"
"When do you start?" Honker asked.
"Three weeks." Gosalyn grinned. "Three weeks to settle in, and then it's almost summer vacation, how brilliant is that?" she asked.
"I hope you will be in my class." Honker grinned.
"Me to!" Gosalyn complied. "That would be awesome, especially since I don't know any-one."
"Ah don't worry, you wont be picked on."
"Of cause not." Gosalyn snorted. "No one messes with Gosalyn Mallard, then I just beat the snot out of them!"
Honker amused shook his head, he was actually starting to get the hang of what kind of person Gosalyn was, and sort of how to deal with her. She was very refreshing company, to spend time with her was.. fun.. It was actually really really fun!