Playing with Nightmares
Chapter 7
The tension in the room made everything feel like a heavy weight. The three friends all stood there, waiting for the next thing to happen. Quackerjack just continued to stare at Liquidator, a scowl on his face.
"You know what happened to Megavolt?" he breathed in a deep hiss. Bushroot shivered at the voice that the jester was using, knowing that he was beyond pissed. "What have you done to him!?"
Liquidator's eyes widened at the accusation. "Me!? I didn't do anything!" he looked to Bushroot as though asking for help but the plant duck simply raised his eyebrows at him, waiting for more. Stuttering was not something Liquidator, once known as the great Bud Flood, a man who could sell any deal, was known for doing, but it seemed that now, it was all he could do. "I….I--mean….I didn't do it personally….but… Listen, I….Give me a chance to explain!"
Quackerjack crossed his arms across his chest and tapped his foot on the concrete floor, waiting for an answer. "I'm listening." He glared Liquidator down as he waited impatiently.
"The other night….as I said….I…I was at Bushroot's greenhouse, and…I met someone….someone found me…he came out of nowhere…"
"WHO!?" screeched Quackerjack. "He called himself Paddywhack" Liquidator finally managed to say.
The air in Quackerjack's lungs seem to evaporate, for the jester suddenly found it very hard to breathe, as thought someone had punched him in the chest, his eyes wide. He uncrossed his arms, now in complete shock. "P-P-Paddywhack!?" he cried out in alarm.
Liquidator nodded. "Yes…He…gave me an offer I couldn't refuse…." muttered the liquid dog.
Quackerjack's head snapped up at this, staring at Liquidator. "What offer did he give you!?"
Liquidator's eyes immediately met Bushroot's, who squeaked at the sudden attention. Quackerjack looked at the plant duck as well. "Quacky….You know what it's like to be in love…..I know you do….Now just imagine having Megavolt taken away from you--"
"He HAS been taken away from me, thanks to you and this stupid offer which you have yet to tell me of!!" screamed the flustered and furious jester. He pulled down on his hat.
"No! I mean, just imagine if you had no idea where he was, and wanted nothing more than to find him and suddenly someone gave you that opportunity! Wouldn't you take it!?" continued Liquidator almost desperately.
Silence filled the Toy Kingdom. Quackerjack looked between Liquidator and Bushroot, slowly putting the pieces together. "You mean, he offered to help you?"
"Yes…" sighed Liquidator. "He told me that he could find Bushroot and bring him to me…"
"So….you told him to kidnap Megavolt!?" he asked, trying to understand the deal between Liquidator and Paddywhack. "I don't understand….why would he want Megavolt?"
Looking even more depressed than before, Liquidator spoke quietly, "To get to you."
Quackerjack's eyes grew even more wide. "What?" he breathed.
"He asked me….what the most important thing to you was….and I told him…. Megavolt. That Megavolt was the most important thing to you…" explained Liquidator, wincing even as he was saying the words.
Quackerjack swayed a bit on his feet, taking in this information. He clutched his head with his hands, his eyes still wide as he stared at the ground before him. He took in deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, but it wasn't working. He whipped his head up to look at Liquidator again. "WHY DID YOU TELL HIM THAT!!!??" he roared, his voice filled with emotion.
Now slightly aggravated, Liquidator scowled. "You know, I've done a lot of lying in my day, but even a fool knows when NOT to lie. And that was DEFINETLY not a time to lie! It was either that or---" Liquidator made a face. "He said he was going to 'feed off my misery'".
Bushroot, who had been standing on the sidelines the entire time, watching them fight, gave a bleak shudder, a look a utter fear on his face. He gulped before speaking. "he was probably going to capture and take you into thet jack-in-the-box world of his…" he shivered at the depressing memory.
Liquidator managed to dodge the set of toy teeth Quackerjack threw straight him, looking at him with wide eyes. The teeth ended up running into one of the large toy boxes and falling apart. "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT!" the jester continued to shout, jumping up and down in his anger, unable to hold back a sob.
Nonplussed by Quackerjack's suddenly violent actions, he continued to stand his ground, placing his hands on his hips. "Hey now, I told you I had no choice! I just wanted to be with Reggie! He means a lot to me and I was sick and tired of never seeing him!"
Bushroot felt his cheeks go hot at this, feeling a small smile curl onto his beak. Despite the moment, that was still a very touching comment.
Quackerjack settled at this, the bells at the end of his hat going silent as he stopped moving, his head bent down towards the ground. He balled his hands into fists and sniffed, trying to hold back more sobs. "Oh….." he began quietly. "I see…." Bushroot cringed, not liking the flat, even tone that his jester friend was using while Liquidator just prepared himself for whatever the clown was up to next. "You just wanted to make sure he was….safe….since you hadn't seen him in so long…"
There was just silence in the large Toy Kingdom, the little light in the room making mostly everything around them cast in shadows. "So…." continued Quackerjack in the same even voice. "Maybe…." He suddenly sprang into the air within seconds, doing an acrobatic spin in the air and jumping right behind Bushroot, and before the mutant could comprehend what was going on, Quackerjack took his arm and wrung it tightly around Bushroot's neck, choking him.
Eyes wide, Bushroot immediately started trying to pry the colorfully dressed arm off of him, groaning. Liquidator gasped at this, his liquid eyes wide. "QUACKERJACK!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"
Still keeping a very strong grip on Bushroot, Quackerjack turned his crazed gaze on Liquidator. "How does it feel, Likky?" he spat Liquidator's nickname. "Now do you understand why I'm so pissed at you, right now?" Liquidator just helplessly sat and watched, knowing that if he advanced or moved towards the jester in any way he could possibly hurt Bushroot. He really didn't think the jester would have ever hurt Bushroot, seeing as how the jester and plant duck had always been on good terms, but it seemed like now it no longer mattered. He had put Megavolt, the one person Quackerjack cared about the most in danger and it seemed like this was Quackerjack's way of taking revenge.
Bushroot, meanwhile, just continued to struggle under Quackerjack's grip. "Q-Q-Quacky…" he wheezed. "Please….Let go…I didn't do…..any--thing!"
"Not the point, my dear friend! Cause Megavolt didn't do anything either and yet, there he goes, like a little boat on the river going down the stream, being in Paddywhack's clutches. Oh deary me!" replied Quackerjack in his childish, slightly sadistic high pitched voice.
Liquidator sighed. "Alright, fine! I get your point! I made a mistake, ALRIGHT!?!" With that he formed a large sphere of water and hurled it straight at Quackerjack, making sure he didn't hit Bushroot as well. The ball of water hit Quackejack in the side, sending him flying. Bushroot's head went back as Quackerjack went backwards since the jester's arm was around his neck but managed to get free, falling on his knees and gasping for breath. A moment later he was up and standing, now cowering behind Liquidator, who was glaring furiously at Quackerjack's fallen form.
Quackerjack slowly sat up from the hard concrete floor, rubbing his head. He looked over at Bushroot and Liquidator, a deep frown on his beak and glared at them. "You don't play fair!" he whined.
"Nothing's fair when you're a super villain" Liquidator sneered back. Quackerjack pushed himself up to his feet, dusting himself off.
"I haven't forgiven you, sewer drainage! But I will apologize to you Bushy" he said this last bit slightly more tenderly to the plant duck, who simply hid at Quackerjack's sudden attention on him. Quackerjack still shivered at the thought of Megavolt being out there in the clutches of Paddywhack and just as he was about to open his mouth to say something, the large iron doors to Quackerjack's hideout slowly began to open.
The three of them stood there, dumbfounded by the sight, seeing as how the doors didn't open easily and not just anyone could open them.
The small, slim form of Megavolt slipped through the opening of the door before taking his blue gloved hand and shutting the door behind him, looking down at the ground, a vacant expression on his face.
Quackerjack's heart thumped heavily in his chest at the sight of his best friend, a smile forming on his beak. "Megsy!!" he cried out.
Megavolt slowly looked up at the sound of Quackerjack's joy.
Just as Quackerjack was about to take a step towards Megavolt, Liquidator grabbed him by the arm, earning him a glare from the jester, who turned back to face him. "What!?"
"Be careful….Remember….Paddywhack was after him. I think--" Liquidator trailed off as Megavolt began to walk towards them, Quackerjack's full attention on the rodent.
Megavolt just continued to stare down at the ground, the same, eerie expression on his face. Quackerjack pulled his way out of Liquidator's grip and walked up to Megavolt. "Megsy?" he asked, leaning down so that he could see Megavolt's face better.
Adburptly, startling the jester and making him bounce backwards a few steps, Megavolt whipped out from behind his back, Paddywhack's Jack-in-the-Box. Finally looking up at them, Paddywhack smiled. He started twisting the handle to the Jack-in-the-Box. "Will you plaaaaaaaay with me??" asked Megavolt in Paddywhack's leering, droning voice.
Quackerjack's squeaked in fright, pulling back. "NO! NOT AGAIN!!!" shrieked Quackerjack. He pulled down on his hat in desperation. He moved backwards until he was standing right in front of Liquidator and Bushroot, who both shared the jester's fear. The three of them cowered as Megavolt's shadow grew behind him, despite the lack of light difference in the room to cause it and they watched as Paddywhack himself slowly came out from the rodent's shadow and stepped out of it slightly, half in, half out. Megavolt's body remained frozen in place as Paddywhack leered at them.
The jack-in-the-Box in Megavolt's hand slowly opened and the gust of whirlwind began, trying to suck the three of them inside. Liquidator, Bushroot, and Quackerjack all tried their best not to get sucked inside by holding on tightly to one another. Quackerjack's jester hat flew off, revealing his long red hair as the vortex sucked it away.
The three villains all cried out at once as they were unable to hold on anymore and they were all sucked into the Jack-in-the-Box, the last thing being heard was the sound of the whirlwind and Paddywhack's evil laughter.
----
The iron doors to Quackerjack's Toy Kingdom clanged open as Launchpad pushed on it with all his might. As soon as the door was open enough for him to slip in, he slid inside, the large, iron door shutting loudly behind him.
"DW!!" he shouted without thinking, his mind reeling and fear for his friend making him shiver. His eyes scanned the room as his shout echoed through the darkened and eerie looking Toy Kingdom.
Panting, Launchpad got himself to clam down once he saw that he was the only one there. He sighed, scratching the back of his neck after finally catching his breath. "Boy, that's funny. I could have sworn I saw Megavolt come in here. I wonder where everyone is…." He walked in a bit deeper into the large kingdom and his foot tapped something as he walked. He immediately looked down, seeing Paddywhack's Jack-in-the-Box lying there.
"Ahhhhh!" cried out Launchpad, jumping backwards and flinching at the very sight of it. He cautiously looked down at it, leaning downwards to get a better look at it once he realized nothing had even happened. "That's the Jack-in-the-Box…." he muttered to himself. "But where IS everybody?" He answered his own question a second later. "They must all be inside that thing…."
-----
Quackerjack landed hard on the ground with a thump, landing on his stomach, his chin hitting the floor. He groaned, slowly sitting up, his body aching with pain. Sitting up, he looked about, seeing nothing but darkness. A spotlight. He was in a spotlight. He looked down at his clothes and squeaked in alarm, standing up and pulling at the clothes on him.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!! Not a business suit! I HATE BUSINESS SUITS! THEY'RE NOT FUN!!!" He whined to no one in particular.
"Quacky?" came a small baritone voice.
Quackerjack, tossing down the breifcase that he noted was in his hand, turned to look behind him and watched as a shivering green figure walked towards him. Bushroot walked up next to the jester, his blue eyes darting back and forth in the place that they were in, a hand up near his beak, nibbling on the end of his leaf hand as one would when biting their nails.
"Ooooh…..I'm so glad YOU'RE here. I can't hear them…" he muttered.
Quackerjack gave the doctor a curious look. "Hear who?"
"My plants…" moaned Bushroot. "That's why I hate this place so much…. I can't hear my plants! I feel so alone!" At this he grabbed onto Quackerjack's arm, who didn't seem to mind at all.
"Really? My misery here is wearing a business suit!" he spoke almost jovially. He referred to the suit he was wearing. "It's NOT fun! And when I'm in it, I'M no fun!!"
Bushroot nodded mutely, glancing around more at their surroundings as he continued to cling to the jester.
"Alone? Scared? No idea what you should do? That's alright, just call upon the Liquidator to cheer you right up!!" came Liquidator's jargon voice. The two villains glanced in the direction his voice was coming from and both blinked when they watched Liquidator approach.
"Liquidator!? Is that you!?" asked a dumbfounded Quackerjack.
Liquidator stepped into the spotlight that Quackerjack and Bushroot were standing in that seemed to separate themselves from the utter darkness around them. There before them stood Bud Flood, in the flesh.
With a depressed sigh, Bud turned his gaze away from them, a frown on his face. "Yes, it's me. The original Bud Flood. Solid. No longer liquid…."
"Is THIS your worst fear? Being human again? Being normal?" asked the jester and couldn't help but give a side glance to Bushroot, who couldn't seem to take his eyes off Bud.
Bushroot slowly uncoiled his vine-like arms from around Quackerjack's arm and hesitantly walked up to Liquidator. "Likky….This is what you USED to look like?" he asked quietly. Bud didn't answer at first, just watched as Bushroot grabbed his hand, squeezing it as hard as the mutant could manage. Bud looked just as he had before his mutation; before Darkwing had foiled his plans to contaminate his rival's water supply and falling off the railing, into the chemical-filled water vat. He was wearing the same outfit he had been wearing on the fateful day of his mutation; a business suit with matching pants, a disheveled tie, and a white shirt underneath.
Bud took a hand and brushed Bushroot's cheek with a finger, which Bushroot flinched at. "Not used to being able to actually 'touch' me, are you? You're used to your leaves going right through me most of the time…" Bud said softly. It was strange for the ex-business man was well, to be whole again and no longer liquid. He felt so trapped in his old body, since he was so used to changing into any shape he wanted with his liquid form.
Bushroot nodded, too deep in thought to say anything. He just continued to fiddle with Bud's hand with one leaf and prodding Bud's chest with the other, not used to any of this. "I never knew you were….this…" the rest of Bushroot's sentence couldn't be heard since he said the last bit so softly. Bud titled his head to one side.
"What?" he asked, running a hand through the plant duck's petal hair.
Bushroot's green face turned several shades darker. "I never knew you were this…." he gulped. "Handsome…"
Bud blinked, taken aback by the compliment. He then chuckled. "Surely you've seen what I looked like before the grand days of Liquidator!" he boasted slightly.
Bushroot shrugged, still not looking Bud in the eye. "Well….kind of. But they were faded pictures from newspapers or old unclear, pixilated commercials. But….seeing you now…here…it's way different…." he explained shyly.
Bud shook his head. " I don't see why you're so shy, Reggie. It's just me. What's wrong?"
"Ummm…..Well….I….I'm just surprised you're so handsome and you ended up with me…" he began. He finally looked up at Bud and met his gaze. "Let's just say that…I hope you never see ME as I was before I was mutated…"
Bud opened his mouth to say something, but not sure what, having not expected that comment. However, Quackerjack beat him to it. "Hmmm…For some reason I've always pictured you with blonde hair…"
Bud and Bushroot looked over at the jester, who was still standing there, having been watching the entire exchange between them. Quackerjack grinned, his large buck teeth showing, his hands behind his back, as he leaned forward slightly. "I'm SO sorry to ruin this ADORABLE little moment between you two, but reality MUST set in sometime…and this is strange coming from me….But we ARE stuck in Paddywhack's LAND OF MISERY!!!!"
At the remembrance of their situation, Bushroot shuddered, bringing his leafy hands up to his ears and leaning closer to Bud.
"Oooooh, great! As if my life hasn't already been utterly humiliated by the LAST time I was here!" came a familiar, drawn out, miserable voice. The three villains turned towards the voice and watched as a figure in a pastel colored clown suit walked into the spotlight that they were all under.
Darkwing looked both sullen and pissed off at the same time as he crossed his arms, hating every living moment in the dreaded clown outfit that he was trapped in inside this world.
"Feeling down? Depressed? That's alright! Just take one glance over at Darkwing Duck and you'll laugh till your sides hurt as he wears that ridiculous clown outfit!!" announced Bud, unable to contain himself as he let out a few laughs. Bushroot covered his mouth to keep from laughing and Quackerjack just looked at the mallard with envy.
"You get all the GOOD clothes here!" he pouted, stomping down his foot and throwing the brief case in his hand. Another one magically came to his hand a moment later.
Darkwing walked up closer to the three villains, a scowl on his face. "Well, it looks like there's more of us this time. " He turned to Quackerjack. "You have any idea what Paddywhack is up to this time? Because I don't. One minute I'm about to arrest Megavolt and the next thing I know he brings out this Jack-in-the-Box and I end up in here" he grumbled.
"Megsy!? He was there when you got kidnapped!?" breathed Quackerjack.
"I wasn't kidnapped!" snapped an indignant Darkwing. He pulled at the large pastel sleeves on his outfit out of annoyance. He pouted slightly. "He cornered me…"
"Got you with the whirlwind of the Jack-in-the-Box, did he??" inquired Quackerjack almost teasingly. Darkwing just grumbled and rolled his eyes.
"Not…to end this lovely conversation, but shouldn't we be trying to figuring out a way to get out of here!?" piped in Bushroot, looking frantically at all three of them.
Just as Darkwing was about to open his mouth, Paddywhack's chilling laughter filled the space around them. The laugh made Bushroot jump in the air and hide behind Bud while the other three just looked about themselves wearingly waiting for what Paddywhack had planned for them.
"There ISSSSSSS no escape….Noooooo escape!" Paddywhack's voice leered at them, echoing. None of them could see anything past the spot of light they were in, the darkness forming all around them. It was then that the darkness lifted and more light appeared, taking the place of the black abyss. The sight before them was an odd place. Odd colors seemed to fill in the outer space almost like a wall, looking like merging colors that a young child may have made after playing with the watercolors. The colors mainly consisted of purples and blacks. Swirls of colors and odd shapes surrounded them. Odd looking rocks and figures sat on the ground as they slowly walked about, trying to make some sense out of the strange world they were in.
Quackerjack walked out in front of everyone else, the bells at the end of his hat jingling. It was the only part of his jester outfit that had remained and he was deeply appreciative at this fact.
He looked ahead of him, waiting for Paddywhack to show himself and gloat that he had caught them. It was during this pessimistic trial of thoughts that Quackerjack saw something yellow lying on the ground a ways ahead of them. Squinting, the jester tried his best to figure out what it was. When he finally did make out what it was laying there in front of them a ways ahead, he let out a cry of despair, recognizing the figure in yellow, with a battery strapped to his back. "MEGSY!!!" His voice was filled with emotion as he said this.
Without wasting another moment, Quackerjack began to run towards Megavolt, who was lying on the ground on his side, passed out. Darkwing, Bud, and Bushroot ran after him, unsure of what was going on.
Quackerjack, of course, beat them there, and fell to his knees at Megavolt's side, but just as he was about to touch Megavolt, a large gust of strong wind came out of nowhere and blew Quackerjack backwards. The gust of wind was so strong that it sent him flying backwards into the air, where he slammed into an unaware Bud. The two of them toppled to the ground; Quackerjack landing on top of the dog, both of them groaning in pain.
"Get off me!" sneered Bud, pushing the duck off him. Bushroot reached his hand out and helped Bud stand while Quackerjack bounced back up in a heart beat. The jester's eyes landed on Megavolt once more. He took another step closer to his friend, when the shadowy figure of Paddywhack slowly materialized, standing right in front of Megavolt's sleeping form and blocking Quackerjack's path.
"Will you plaaaaaay with me?" asked Paddywhack, leaning downward, since he was so much taller than them.
Quackerjack pulled down on his hat in fear of that wretched line Paddywhack insisted on saying often. Darkwing meanwhile pushed past Bud and Bushroot and made himself known, placing his hands on his hips and a scowl on his large beak. Frankly, it was hard to take him seriously with that clown outfit on. "Now listen here, Paddywhack!" he pointed a finger at the creature. "We didn't want to play with you LAST time and we don't want to play with you THIS time either!!!"
"Ooooh….That's tooo baaaaad" sighed Paddywhack, showing his fangs and drooling slightly.
Quackerjack couldn't keep his eyes off Megavolt, who he desperately wanted to make sure was all right. Glancing up at Paddywhack, who was distracted by talking to Darkwing, he inched his way around the shadowy monster, hoping to get to his beloved friend. Just when Quackerjack thought he was succeeding, Paddywhack took one of his long, thin arms and swooped it downward, grabbing Quackerjack by the throat. He raised the struggling and choking duck up to eye level.
"I don't think so…." sneered Paddywhack. He dropped Quackerjack in a heap on the ground and Quackerjack coughed, rubbing at his throat as he scooted backwards towards the others.
Paddywhack swung his body down towards the ground, crouching down next to Megavolt and swept a clawed hand across the sleeping rodent. Quackerjack made a moaning sound of dread as he did this, but Paddywhack just relished in it. "Yesssss. Thanks to your friend….I found out what your favoooorite toy was and took it from you" he slowly explained, turning his head from Megavolt and looking at Quackerjack. Turning back to Megavolt, Paddywhack continued. "The poor little toy struggled hard, but after so long it grew tired and begged for sleep…This toy of yours was NOTHING like your Mr. Banana Brain doll from last time. I have no idea how you managed creating such a delightfully intelligent and powerful toy….I can see why he's your favorite.."
Quackerjack blinked, not entirely sure what was going on. "Toy!? What do you mean, 'toy'!? Megavolt is no toy!!"
Paddywhack ignored Quackerjack's comment.
A frustrated Darkwing growled between clenched teeth. "Okay, pal! Answer me this! Why did you bring all of us here!? Why bring me, Bushy and Drip-brain, hmmm!?"
Bud snarled at the name he was called while Bushroot just came out from hiding behind Bud, very curious to know the answer to Darkwing's question.
"Hmmmm…" droned Paddywhack. He moved quickly over towards Darkwing so that his long face and beak filled with fangs was inches from the hero. Darkwing cried out in surprise and took a step back. "I brought yoooou here because yooooou had been part of the reason of my downfaaaaal" he glanced at the others. "You and Quackerjack beat me and now its time for reveeeeenge…."
"Then why us!?" demanded Bud, referring to Bushroot and himself. Paddywhack's attention turned fully to Bud and Bushroot, making Bushroot hide behind Bud once more. But Bud held his ground. He hadn't been all that intimidated last time and he wouldn't be this time either.
"I brought you here because thanks to you, I was able to learn Quackerjack's favorite toy…..and you and you're friend's angst are just too delicious NOT to waaaant"
Quackerjack shivered, looking back down at Megavolt. "He's asleep?"
"Yessss….In a deep slumber. And I promised him that no one would ever wake him. He was soooooo tired….He now just wants to sleep and nothing else…"
"Why is he so tired?" Darkwing voiced before Quackerjack could say anything more. This earned the hero a jealous and contemptuous glare from Quackerjack, however, this went entirely unnoticed by the mallard.
Paddywhack turned his gaze to Darkwing at this new question. "Because I drained him…." Quackerjack squeaked at this answer. "Drained him…feeding on the delicious angst and misery he has…..Not only that….but he struggled against me….Not wanting me to have any fuuuun." He stood up tall and straight, seeming intimidating to all three of them. "And now…..Since I won…..As Quackerjack LOVES to say" Quackerjack's eyes went wide, already knowing what he was about to say. "…..It's Plaaaaaaaaytiiiimmmmee!!!"
-----------