"Welcome aboard, matey!" Duck placed the brown cap, which matched his fathers, onto my head. I grumbled as it squeezed against my skull, clinging tightly, but also trying to escape my curly hair. Duck's smile widened as my face dropped further, giving him a glare. He laughed before patting me on the shoulder. "It ain't that bad! All we're gonna have you do is run the register and stock the shelves. You down for that?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really." Duck shrugs before handing me a key, "This is to the back room. We have tons of stuff that needs to be stocked again." The key was silver with some parts rusty, due to the clumsy father and son, while faint scratches covered the entire surface. I slipped the key into my front pocket and nodded. "My dad and I are almost done skinning some fish."

"I thought you just sold poles and stuff?"

"We do!" Duck exclaimed, "But with the festival coming up soon, we'll have our own stand. We're selling cooked food, mainly fish, and advertising this place."

"What festival?"

"Oh, right... you're still new." Duck chuckled to himself before walking behind the counter. Beside the register was a stack of papers. He grabbed one and held it up, clearing his voice, with a large smile on his face. "Macon's Starlight Festival is proud to present Kenny's Fishing CO as a sponsorship! They'll help fund the food and rides, making it family friendly to everyone!"

"Can your dad really afford that?"

"Nope." Duck smirked, "But it'd be a good reputation and spread of word. We'd sell some of our stuff and cooked fish, giving everyone a good impression." The goofy-grinned teenage boy explained while pointing at the flyer. "My dad could cook the fish, I'd advertise, and you'd wear that pretty smile on your face."

"Did you just call me pretty?"

Duck smirked, "Well, if the shoe fits." The boy shrugged before turning his attention back down, "But seriously. It'd be a good opportunity. More customers equals you get more pay." The boy with the slight gap between his teeth met my gaze once more, "So.. is it a plan?"

I rolled my eyes, "Sure."

"Great!" Duck exclaimed as his grin spread wider.

"Only one condition." I folded my arms across my chest. Duck's huge smile dimmed as his curious eyes searched over the expression on my face. I raised one arm to my head and slipped the brown cap off, handing it to the boy. "I need a better hat."

The boy held up his index finger, silently telling me to wait, before grabbing the hat. He jogged towards the back of the store, swinging a door open, and reaching into a box. Inside were several caps. Some with their own logos and some without. The teenager pulled out a blue and white cap, smiling down at it, before pulling out a marker from his back pocket. Right above the bill was a white exposed area. The farmer and fisher-boy ripped the cap off the marker and sketched something on the pure fabric.

"Here we go!" Duck threw the marker across the room before walking up to me. He extended his arm, shoving the cap towards my chest. A dark brown streak was already across the blue bill, ruining it's mint condition. The soil and fish blood had created a layer on his arm which also marked the cap. I snubbed my nose at the sight before my gaze went towards the big letter he had written on the white area.

"What does the 'D' stand for?"

"Duck's gloomy assistant who could rip a fish's head off with her bare hands!" The boy beamed at my raised eyebrow, "I couldn't fit it all on the cap, so I just figured... 'D'... you know? Like if someone asks a question and you don't know the answer, you could just reply with; 'Ask the little D'!"

"Little 'd'..." I joked.

"Shut up!" Duck shoved my elbow with his fingertips, causing a gentle laugh to escape my lips.


AN: Sorry it took forever to update! A LOT has been going on! I graduated, for starters. Then I went to visit family for two weeks and didn't bring my laptop. I swear I haven't forgotten this story. Life's been a little crazy but I think I'll be able to update more! Sorry if this chapter was short, too. :/