Chapter 7

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Author's Note: First half of this chapter is with Launchpad, the other half is with Darkwing. Enjoy!

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The loud and angered chatter coming out of city hall could be heard for several blocks. The commotion Darkwing Duck had made wasn't about to be forgotten, that was for sure. Gizmoduck had been sure to grab everyone's attention by assuring them all everything would be alright. Surprisingly, Gizmoduck had defended Darkwing's behavior by saying he was extra stressed after losing someone special.

Not many of the crowd members who listened were deterred by his words, however.

Launchpad had managed to sneak out of the building without anyone noticing him. He pulled the small, cheap charcoal grey suit closer to him, wishing the sleeves were a couple inches longer. It was now more evident than ever that the suit was the wrong size in the chilly night air.

Hunched over and stuffing his hands into the tiny pockets of his pants, he walked along the streets of St. Canard without much of a destination in mind.

It wasn't until he heard a familiar voice that he looked up to see where he was going.

"Ugh, would you stop looking like a kicked puppy, already?"

The pilot looked up to see Darkwing standing in front of him; the shorter mallard's expression naturally blank.

Launchpad's frown deepened to annoyance as he looked away. "Not until you stop all this nonsense! Turn your emotions back on and we might actually be able to move past this!"

Darkwing gave a noise that sounded between a grunt and a chuckle. "'Turn my emotions back on' he says. As though its like a light switch."

"You know what I mean!" snapped Launchpad.

"Its not that simple, LP, and you know it. I have to WANT to feel again and we both know I don't want that."

Launchpad sprung into action, suddenly feeling daring enough to stand before Darkwing and grab both his hands and hold them in his own larger ones. With hope shining in his eyes, Launchpad said, "Then let me give you a reason, DW! We can make this work! It doesn't have to be this way!"

Darkwing tried to step back and away from Launchpad's grip, but he found the taller duck was holding on too tightly and he felt himself curious to hear what had to be said. He looked up at the duck who'd been his friend and sidekick for years, suddenly wanting nothing more than to listen to him. With eyes slightly widened, he listened.

Sensing that he was starting to get through to Darkwing, Launchpad pushed forward in his impromptu speech. "You're not alone in any of this, DW! I'm hurting too! And I know you did this to try to get away from the pain, I understand that, but this isn't healthy! Just remember some of the good times we've had! Not all emotions have to be bad! There are good feelings that you're missing out on!"

There was silence for a moment and it was clear that Launchpad had Darkwing's full attention right there on the sidewalk in the middle of St. Canard. "Please, DW! I know I just recently figured all this out, but if all of this has shown me anything, its that I can't imagine losing you! I love you! Bring back your emotions and things can get so much better!"

Not even caring if anyone was around them or that they were completely out in the open, Launchpad leaned down and lightly kissed the top of Darkwing's beak. Not quite their first kiss, but more like a prelude to it. His nervousness suddenly hit full force as he pulled back, watching Darkwing's every move and waiting for some sort of reaction.

Darkwing, to his surprise, had closed his eyes and had a faint complacent look on his face for a few seconds before opening his eyes and looking back up at Launchpad. "Launchpad..." he spoke quietly. His voice sounded vulnerable and uncertain, more like the Darkwing Launchpad was used to.

For just a moment, Launchpad knew he had seen a spark of Drake Mallard behind those darkened eyes. And his heart fluttered at the thought of getting through to Drake and able to make him see past the effects of the potion. To be enough for Drake to want to feel again!

Though fate had another plan in mind. As quickly as it came, the spark in his eyes was gone and literally within the blink of an eye, Darkwing's eyes went back to being pitch black orbs and the soft expression changed back to one void of emotion.

Launchpad felt his heart sinking as Darkwing opened his mouth to speak.

"Launchpad" he started by repeating his name. His voice was notably less sad and uncertain. "If you honestly think your love confession is enough to want me to start feeling emotions again, you're more of a naive idiot than I ever thought."

Launchpad was frozen on the spot as he felt his heart turn to ice. The now broken pilot let out a deep breath he hadn't known he was holding. His shoulders sagged as he felt tears come to his eyes. He gave a soft whimper as he quickly brushed them away with his hands after pulling away from Darkwing. After giving himself a moment, he mumbled, "Well, then that's that..."

Darkwing crossed his arms over his chest, shifting his weight as he waited for more.

Launchpad nodded, as though coming to an agreement with himself. "DW, I have to leave...I can't stand seeing you like this any longer...I'm...I have to get out of St. Canard."

"Should I expect a post card?" asked Darkwing.

Launchpad gave a weak grunt as he looked away, closing his eyes. He was unconsciously pulling at the sleeves of his suit in nerves and heartbreak. "Laugh all ya want at...my expense, DW, but I know this isn't the real you..." His voice cracked a bit. "You aren't my best friend...You just look identical to him."

"I'm not Negaduck, you big oaf" Darkwing pointed out.

"With the way you've been acting, you might as well be!" hissed Launchpad.

Darkwing's eyes narrowed slightly at his words, but made no comment.

"Like I said, I'm leaving! I'm heading back to Duckberg" continued the heartbroken pilot. "And if you ever come back to your senses...And finally start feeling your emotions again...I'll be waiting for you...Until then...This is goodbye!"

There was an awkward pause as though Launchpad was expecting Darkwing to say something, but when no response came from the shorter mallard, he sighed. "I love you, DW...Wherever you've buried yourself in there..."

With a twist of his heel, Launchpad turned and walked away, refusing to look back.

It was because of this that he missed the broken expression on Darkwing's face before it was replaced with a deep frown and half-lidded eyes.

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"And so..." Launchpad's voice broke through the quiet of the little room. "There you have it..."

He received a distracted hum as a response from the other occupant in the room.

Launchpad was currently resting his head on his arms, which were resting on the back of a wooden chair he was leaning on; practically about to fall. He was pale and bags were under his eyes, along with old tear stains on his cheeks and around his beak.

"Goodness! You really have been through the wringer!" spoke an astonished male voice.

Gyro Gearloose finally stepped away from the closet he had been burrowing through and turned to his heartbroken friend. On his head was some type of device that looked like it could pick up everything between sonar and a radio signal. He reached up and turned one of the dials on the head equipment, holding out a finger as though to tell someone to wait a moment as he turned it. There was suddenly a high pitched sound that made the inventor cringe and throw the helmet off his head.

Launchpad fell out of his chair as he desperately tried to block out the painful sound by covering his ears.

The momentum of Gyro's throw sent the helmet flying across the room, where it hit the blunted corner of his wooden work bench, breaking the gear on top of the helmet with a smash.

The high pitched frequency stopped instantly much to the two men's relief.

Launchpad groaned as he got up from where he had fallen. "Ugh, what WAS that!?"

Gyro was busy lamenting over the broken helmet to answer immediately, but after a pause of speculation, he looked up at Launchpad as though he had forgotten he was there. "Oh, that?" He pointed at his now broken invention. "That was my Sonar Remote Helmet. With it, we'd be able to just THINK about what we wanted to turn on electronically and it would turn on! Example: I would just have to THINK about turning on the microwave to make popcorn and it would start making it!" he explained proudly as he fiddled with his suspenders. He paused a moment before adding, "After you put the popcorn IN the microwave of course! I'm still working on that part!"

Launchpad genuinely smiled for the first time in what felt like years. "Neato!"

Gyro nodded, clearly proud of himself. Reality set back in as he looked down at the broken helmet. "Uh...Of course, that was before I went and broke it..."

The two friends stood next to each other, looking down at the broken device in Gyro's hands before the inventor looked back up to his friend. "Anyways, you were saying, Launchpad?"

Launchpad blinked, having completely gotten off topic. "Eh? Oh, oh! Right! Well, yeah...That's pretty much the end of my story...I just came here because...Well, I really have no other place to go?"

"What happened to your little house on the East side of the park?"

"Eh...Well, that was technically the first place I went...but see...I guess those roof tiles I installed a while back weren't as secure as I would have hoped and...the roof collapsed at some point...and frankly...I can't fix it all by myself..." Launchpad explained, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck.

Gyro nodded. "I can help you fix it, don't you worry" promised the inventor.

"Thank you" mumbled a pacified Launchpad.

Gyro opened his beak to speak when Little Helper started purring animatedly. Both heads turned to see what the little anthropomorphic robot was all hyped up about. The little machine was jumping up and down and waving its hands up and down as he continued to purr and hum.

Launchpad could only stare in wonder at Little Helper while Gyro nodded conversationally, clearly understanding him. "Hmm...You raise a good question, Helper..."

"What's he sayin'?" asked Launchpad.

"He's asking on where you plan to stay tonight. Are you going to let Mr. McDuck know you're in town? I'm sure he'd be more than happy than help you out."

Launchpad shook his head in a negative. "No...I don't want to bother him..."

Gyro, who had started fiddling with some of the beakers on his work stand made a sympathetic noise in his throat before saying, "No...You wouldn't be a bother, Launchpad!" There was a moment of silence before he added, "No less of a bother than an unexpected plane crash, that is."

Launchpad gave a wan smile, hardly perturbed by the offhanded jibe. "Heh, I think Mr. McDee has had one too many of my crashes...Though it would be awful nice to see the boys...H-How are they anyways?"

"You mean, Huey, Dewey, and Louie? Oh, they're fine. Haven't actually seen much of them around here myself to be honest. So much has been going on lately with Mr. McDuck and his new relationship" answered Gyro who was patting Little Helper on the back.

"Relationship?" echoed Launchpad.

"You mean you haven't heard? Its been all over the news for months now!" squeaked Gyro.

"Mr. McDee finally hooked back up with ol' Glittering Goldie then?"

Gyro shook his head. "Goodness, no! Why, with Fenton Crackshell, of course!" He shook his head with a chuckle.

"Fenton!? As in, Mr. McDee's accountant, Fenton!?"

"The one and only!"

"Gee, I never would have guessed. You know, come to think of it, that would explain all the comments about Mr. McDuck at the Police Academy Banquet I was at last night." He chuckled a bit. "I guess I was so wrapped up in my own problems, I hardly thought or noticed anything else!"

"So, basically it was like any other night, huh?" asked Gyro innocently enough.

"Yep-exactly-H-hey, wait a second-!" Launchpad realized a moment too late he had been insulted.

Gyro beat him to the punch before he could argue any further. "To be fair, I didn't know about it until I was suddenly bombarded with new reporters at my door demanding for an interview about my thoughts on Mr. McDuck and Fenton as a couple. And I'll tell you the same thing I told them. Let me just find my magnets real fast-" He immediately went in search for the said objects when Little Helper started humming wildly again.

Gyro turned to see what he wanted and found the little robot was holding the magnets already. "Ah, thank you Little Helper! See these magnets? One side is negative, the other is positive. I've always seen Mr. McDuck as negative and Fenton would be more positive." He held the two magnets together, briefly showing the two different sides to them to the pilot, before snapping them together. "The same thing can be said about you and this Darkwing character. I may not know him as well as I know Mr. McDuck, but from what I hear, he'd be the negative magnet, while you would be the positive one."

Launchpad frowned. "He's negative alright."

Gryo turned to hand the magnets back to Little Helper, who obligingly put them away.

"So..." began the pilot nervously. "You don't think its weird that I'm attracted to Darkwing?"

"Not at all. Gender isn't part of the equation. So long as two living creatures connect and bond, that's all that matters. I can get my chemistry set out if you'd like a further explanation."

Launchpad shook his head. "Not necessary. I wouldn't understand any of it anyways..."

Gryo pouted. "Why doesn't anyone ever want to hear my chemistry theories?"

Little Helper walked up to Gyro from his perch on the table and reached out to pat him on the arm. Launchpad watched the display with curiousity before saying, "You know, its a wonder how Megavolt hasn't made a little robot friend like Little Helper."

Gyro, who had started looking through one of his tool chests, questioned, "Mega-who?"

"Megavolt. He's a super villain from back in St. Canard. Crazed electrical rodent, always sending power surges through the city to clear his sinuses and going around tryin' to liberate light bulbs and other appliances."

"What makes him electrical?" was Gyro's next question, though it was obvious his real interest was whatever he was trying to find in the tool chest.

"Uhh...I dunno...I just know he's practically a walking live wire. He wears a battery strapped to his back, even!"

"Hmm... I wonder if somehow he got electrons in his blood stream...and they managed to merge with his blood cells-"

"Okay, woah!" hollered Launchpad, backing away with his hands up. He couldn't help but chuckle at the same time though. "You're speakin' a whole other language now, there, Gyro. I was just making an observation! No need to make a lecture out of it!"

"Yes, but now I'm curious! I'd like to meet this guy!" commented Gyro.

"No, you wouldn't. Trust me. He's a nut case!"

Gyro took a deep breath and sighed, placing his thinking cap onto his head. "Oh well." He jumped and started bouncing upside down on the bouncy helmet.

Launchpad watched his friend, deciding to sit down and relax. "So, you don't mind if I crash here for a while?"

"Nope!" came the jolted reply of Gyro as he bounced. "Just so long as it isn't an actual crash, its fine with me! I just rebuilt this place after my last invention crashing after all!"

Launchpad smiled as Little Helper climbed onto his lap and sat down, making himself at home on the pilot's lap. Together, the two watched the inventor brainstorm new ideas.

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Meanwhile, back in the streets of St. Canard, Darkwing Duck made his way through the city without much of a glance without his surroundings. To say that Launchpad's words hadn't had an effect on him would have been a miscalculation. And it was because of this that left Darkwing restless, to the point where he couldn't settle himself in one spot. He needed to do something to distract him from these emotions.

He didn't feel comfortable anymore, the potions effects waning ever so slightly from the revelation of Launchpad's confession.

So, in order to take his mind of the scenario that was now repeating on a loop in his mind, Darkwing began walking around the city in hopes for a distraction.

He received one not long after he started looking when the deep gravely voice of his counter part rang through the city.

"That's right, St. Canard, I, the great Negaduck, am BACK!" came the brawled shouts. Darkwing stopped where he was walking along the sidewalk, not even noticing the person behind him nearly colliding him with and angrily telling him not watch where he was going.

Squinting into the early morning sunlight, since he had been walking through the streets all through the night, the masked mallard was just barely able to make out the outline of the notorious Negaduck standing up on top of the St. Canard Bank, shouting down at the citizens to announce his arrival back into the city.

Darkwing regarded him in near boredom, listening to what the other mallard had to say.

"You all thought you had gotten rid of me!" Negaduck was saying.

Onlookers and people on the street were starting to pay attention to the criminal and stop in their daily lives to listen and gossip in fear.

With half-lidded eyes, Darkwing looked back down to ground level, where he saw the front doors to the bank. An idea came to mind as he walked up to the doors, pushing his way past an elderly couple who had just walked out and making his way inside.

He walked past the long line of those waiting to be waited on, ignoring their angry complaints that he needed to wait in line like everyone else. He pushed his way past everyone and up to one of the bankers who currently had a "closed" sign out since they were clearly working on another task.

Darkwing stopped before the woman who was quickly typing away at her computer and cleared his throat. The woman, who was a cat, blinked at him. "This vestibule is closed. You'll have to get in line for another one."

"Are you blind?" asked Darkwing bluntly.

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you're blind."

"No."

"Clearly you are, for you seem to fail to notice that I am Darkwing Duck."

"You still have to wait in line."

Darkwing regarded her coolly for a moment before turning to his left, where the was a "Employee's Only" sign. The walkway led to the back hallways of the bank. Wordlessly, Darkwing walked through the walkway. The second he was past the counter, the woman exclaimed, "You can't be back here!"

Darkwing turned to her. "I'll go where I please."

"If you were Darkwing Duck, you'd be showing more respect!"

Darkwing's blank expression turned to a deep frown. He opened his beak to say something before quickly shutting it. Then, his expression showed that an idea had struck him. Darkwing cleared his throat and gave a grunt before talking in a deeper voice that was identical to Negaduck's, "Well, congratulations, toots. You caught me!" He raised his arms up in mock surrender.

The woman's eyes widened, clearly having heard Negaduck's voice on the news before. She gasped in alarm, and by this point, the woman working in the vestibule beside her had caught on to what was happening and was starting to freak out too. "Oh my God! I think that IS Negaduck! A lot of people have been saying he's been outside making threats all morning!"

The cat woman who had been speaking to Darkwing gasped again and got up from her chair in an attempt to back away from Darkwing.

"I've been parading around town as Darkwing, but you...You managed to to see through my disguise...BARELY! Congratulations, ya knob!" continued Darkwing, adding the cherry on top to get what he wanted. His voice deepened even further. "Now, ya gonna let me go where I want or are things gonna have to get ugly?"

"Go wherever you please, sir!" squealed the woman.

Darkwing didn't waste another second before continuing on his way through the back hallways to the bank that would otherwise be restricted. He came upon a set of elevators quickly enough before he turned and got into one. Thankfully no one else was inside and he able to get up to the top floor without further hindrance.

If he guessed right, Negaduck was sure to be somewhere on one of the top levels. The evil mallard had been on the top floor screaming out one of the windows. Clearly rooftops were now a slight fear of the villain's since that was where he would normally be. That happens whenever you got pushed off one.

The elevator dinged and announced that he had reached the top floor. The doors opened with a whir and Darkwing stepped out. The top floor was empty; just being one large room, like a large unfinished condo.

Negaduck's voice could be heard fully now, reverberating and echoing off the bare steel walls.

Darkwing turned and saw the criminal in the flesh; Negaduck's back facing towards him as he leaned out the window making his threats.

"If I catch that Darkwing Duck, and you believe me, I will, I will send HIM flying down a large building to his death!" Negaduck was shouting.

Darkwing lightly scoffed at the threat.

Silently he walked up to where Negaduck had set up a thin long eight by four table where a few miscellaneous weapons were laid out. Most of them were knives of some type save for Negaduck's infamous and ever loyal chainsaw, which could be seen sitting underneath the table.

Negaduck certainly couldn't be accused of not being prepared.

Negaduck continued to rant and rave, completely obvious that he arch nemesis was directly behind him.

"I will find that masked mallard and have him rue to the day he messed with Negaduck! And all of St. Canard will be there to watch! So watch out, you worthless scum!"

Darkwing, who had been busy looking at the four knives on the table, glanced up at Negaduck with a raised eyebrow before studying the knives on the table once again.

He was so busy admiring the sharp objects when a shadow came over his persona. Instinctively, Darkwing grabbed one of the knives and raised it outward, nearly slicing Negaduck directly in the middle of his beak.

Negaduck chuckled at his own knife being used against him. "Heh heh. Well, if it isn't Darkwing Duck himself" came Negaduck's voice. "I"m surprised. No purple smoke? No introduction?"

Darkwing didn't answer, just stared at Negaduck and pointing the knife at him.

Negaduck's brows furrowed together in confusion, clearly not used to this. He studied the masked mallard before him, noting the strange behavior, along with the strange blank expression on his enemies face. It was then that Negaduck noticed Darkwing's darkened eyes. "What's with you?" he hissed.

"I'd be a little less curious about me and more curious about where I could stick this knife if I were you, Negaduck" replied Darkwing coldly.

Negaduck blinked. He then laughed. Not just the light, caught off guard laugh. A full on belly, 'I can't breathe', laugh. Negaduck held onto his sides as he doubled over in laughter. One could swear tears were beginning to form in the villain's eyes but it was hard to tell due to his black mask. After recovering slightly, Negaduck managed to gasp out, "Right! You don't have the guts for that sort of violence, Wingy!" He continued to laugh.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that" quipped Darkwing.

Negaduck's laughter was quickly fading as the yellow dressed duck slowly realized Darkwing wasn't messing around. With a huff he asked, "What? You're going to cut my throat out? Gut me? Please. You're too much of a goody-two-shoes for that, Dorkwip. We both know it. So, just put the knife down...Or better yet, give it to me...And I'll show you how a real man threatens someone with it."

Darkwing lowered his arm, the knife dropping to the table with a clatter in the process.

"You underestimate me, Negaduck. A lot has happened to me since the last time we fought."

Negaduck snorted. "Right. Like what? Did people finally stop asking for your autograph? Oh, wait, they never did to begin with! Ha!"

"No. I just lost all interest in the thoughts and feelings of others, along with my own."

"Eh?" grunted Negaduck. "What are you on about?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you, 'knob'?" mocked Darkwing. "I no longer have the ability to feel emotions. I took all of that away after I lost the one person who I cared about most. I lost Gosalyn."

Negaduck's eyes widened in genuine shock. While it had never really been addressed, it was pretty evident that Negaduck and Darkwing shared the same secret identity and to this day, Negaduck was never quite sure why he never used that knowledge to his advantage, but the fact remained that he was well aware that the young duckling who had always followed Darkwing Duck around was the counter part to the sickening, frilly pink dressed girl in his own universe. He also was well aware that as much as Negaduck despised his own little Nega-Gosalyn, Darkwing loved and adored his own Gosalyn.

"She's...dead?" Negaduck found himself asking.

"Yes."

"So, you're telling me, that you went all "cry baby" after she kicked the bucket and now you don't have your emotions? How did you manage that?"

"A potion."

"A potion? Let me guess, Morgana's doing?" guessed the doppelgänger. Negaduck adjusted his weight and placed his left hand spread out on the table before them.

Darkwing didn't reply, just glanced down at the knives and Negaduck's hand.

"So...what? You had a shitty day and you go have a hissy fit and decide to run from your problems by ridding yourself of emotions?" exclaimed Negaduck incredulously. "You're an even bigger coward than I ever imagined! You can't even deal with your own pain and emotions!"

Darkwing grabbed the knife so quickly, Negaduck didn't have a chance to realize what was even happening before the Darkwing raised the knife and jammed it right in the dead center of Negaduck's left hand.

Negaduck's scream of pain and agony could be heard several floors below them. "AAAAHHHHH!" The pained duck bent over in pain, nearly hitting his face against the edge of the table in the process. His free hand gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles tight and stiff from how tight he was holding onto it. Once his initial scream was over, he shouted in misery and grunted angrily.

Darkwing however, seemed completely unfazed. He never let go of the handle of the knife, keeping it firmly in its place in Negaduck's hand. Blood began to pool at the base of the wound, the knife having gone completely through his hand.

While Negaduck cringed and trembled in pain, Darkwing stared at him as though they were still having a civil conversation.

Negaduck then went to grab the knife and pull it out himself, but Darkwing's quick reflexes caught the pained villain off guard and managed to catch the opposing hand. Negaduck managed to look up once his other hand was caught by Darkwing and his eyes widened in shock when he saw how little this was effecting the other mallard.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" shouted Negaduck.

"According to you, I'm a coward. That is apparently what is wrong with me. But I disagree" remarked the masked vigilante.

Negaduck squirmed as he tried to free his hand from Darkwing's hand, but all he got as a reward was more pain from his wounded hand.

Darkwing leaned in close, pulling Negaduck along with him so that they were both leaning over the table; their bills almost touching. "You call me a coward for drinking a potion that took away my emotions. But what you don't seem to understand, is that I didn't just take away my emotions. I took away my pain."

Negaduck groaned and closed his eyes tight; his teeth digging into his lower lip to keep from screaming as Darkwing pushed down on the knife harder.

"You feel the pain in your hand?"

"Yes, ya knob, of course I do!" snapped Negaduck.

"Are you sure?" was Darkwing's question. He twisted the knife ever so slightly and Negaduck let out another scream of torment.

"YES! NOW STOP IT!" yelled the duck in yellow.

Darkwing stopped trying to twist the knife, much to Negaduck's slight relief. "Good, now focus on this pain and imagine it ripping through your heart instead of your hand and times it by ten." He paused and allowed Negaduck a moment to think his words over. "Because that's the pain I felt when I lost Gosalyn. You wouldn't fully understand this because you've never been this close to anyone. You've never been capable of letting someone that close to you. But I have. And because of that, I felt my heart rip in two. Similar to how your hand could easily be sliced in two if I decided to..." He moved the angle of the knife a bit to prove that he could slice Negaduck's hand up even more if he wanted.

Negaduck fought against Darkwing's hold even more, but sadly, the pain in his hand left him weakened and and every little movement of his hand or even his wrist sent another ripple of pain shooting through his arm and through his body.

"Now, tell me, Negaduck. If you felt that kind of pain, are you trying to tell me you wouldn't do the same thing I did? You wouldn't selfishly take a potion and push everyone else in your life away just so you didn't have to feel anymore?" contested Darkwing, proving his point.

Negaduck grunted, his beak opening and closing as he tried to think of a response. His hat fell to the floor as he wriggled along the table in a desperate hope to alleviate the pain even slightly.

"If you could, right now, would you do anything in your power to stop the pain you're feeling now?" was Darkwing's next question.

Negaduck found himself nodding, though he figured it was more because he wanted to give the masked mallard the right answer and not because it was his actual answer. "I'm going to murder you, Darkwing" he growled.

Darkwing's beak formed a straight line as his eyes slid shut half way. "I'm just defending myself against your claim that I'm a coward. I'm not a coward at all. I'm just tired of being controlled by my emotions. You have no idea what I've been through, so for you to call me a coward just shows how little you know."

Darkwing looked back down at the knife still firmly in Negaduck's hand. With a jerk of his arm, he pulled the knife out and let go of Negaduck's other hand. Negaduck instantly fell to his knees, cradling his hand and looking it over, blood spilling out of it on both sides. He looked up over the table to see Darkwing still holding the bloody knife in his hands.

"When you've had your heart ripped to pieces and you feel like you've lost everything that was once important to you, then we can talk again about who's a coward and who's not" finished Darkwing. With a flip of his cape, the masked vigilante left the room and Negaduck was left pondering what had just happened.

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Darkwing had just walked through the front doors to the bank after having left Negaduck up there mend his hand, when the flashing of cameras nearly blinded him from being unprepared.

The masked vigilante stepped back in shock as he closed his eyes, almost stumbling on the few steps down to the sidewalk. When he opened his eyes though, he noticed that the cameras were not focused on him, but the bank itself. News stations and reporters were cluttering around the street a ways away, all eyes glued on the top of the bank where Negaduck had earlier been making his threats.

Assured that the attention was not on him, Darkwing continued walking, only mildly noting the dirty looks he was receiving from the police officers who were barricading the bank so that no one got too close.

So that was why the bank was suddenly empty, Darkwing thought.

"Say, Darkwing!" called over one of the police officers.

Darkwing glanced over. He recognized the officer as one of the guys who was at the table he threw his statue at the night before. Darkwing stopped and regarded the canine officer tiredly.

"Where's Negaduck? Didn't manage to get him, did you? Mr. 'I'm Better Than All of You!" sneered the officer.

Darkwing debated whether or not to reply. "Working on it." He decided to say.

The officer sneered at him once more before turning his attention to the security around the bank.

Darkwing walked several yards down the street when when he heard Negaduck's voice near his right.

"Alright, Darkwing!" The yellow clothed criminal did in fact look murderous, just as he said he would be, his cape torn at the end for a makeshift bandage for his hand. "You're gonna pay for that, just like I told you you would!"

Negaduck was holding up a small gun and pointing it straight at Darkwing's head.

Darkwing just stood there, now several feet away from the other duck. "You won't shoot me" spoke the masked mallard confidently.

Negaduck's scowl deepened before his eyes widened in surprise. "Wait...You're not even one bit scared, are you? I'm pointing a damn gun at your head!"

Darkwing just blinked at him. "Idiot. Fear is an emotion. What part of 'I no longer have my emotions', didn't you seem to get?"

Negaduck jerked in surprise, his wounded hand clutched closely to his chest. "I-You know what, Wingy? Over the years, so many weird, unexplained things have happened over time-Its often hard to tell what's real and what's not actually happening. I'll never forget the time you suddenly turned into a friggin' baby right there in my arms and then a violinist the next as we're falling to our doom."

Darkwing shrugged. "Fine, I'll give you that. But go ahead and put the gun away, we both know you won't shoot."

Negaduck cocked the gun, proving that it was ready and loaded. "Wanna bet?"

There was a door slamming in the distance and they both looked to see the news cameras had finally decided to leave. Clearly they had not noticed that both mallards they wanted to shoot were right there; down the street from them. The police officers seemed oblivious as well.

Darkwing caught site of the canine officer who had jeered at him not minutes before. An idea struck him as he turned back to Negaduck.

"Do you want to see something fun?" Darkwing randomly asked.

Flabbergasted, all Negaduck could reply with was, "What?"

"You heard me. Do you want to see something fun?"

"What are you getting at!?"

"I'll tell you if you put the gun down" retorted Darkwing.

"Fat chance."

"Please, there is a better chance of me using that gun than you" goaded the emotionless hero.

"Is not! Between the two of us, I'm by far the most ruthless."

Darkwing titled his head to side, a small smirk playing on his lips. If he had the ability to, he'd laugh. "He says to the guy who just put a knife through his hand."

"What are you implying?" snarled Negaduck.

He never received an answer. Darkwing's eyes just narrowed and for a moment Negaduck was stunned. The hero's eyes were suddenly far colder than he had ever seen Darkwing's eyes. It caused a shiver to run up the criminal's spine.

"You don't think I can be ruthless?" asked Darkwing ominously. "This is part of the reason why I drank that potion. So that I didn't have to feel the pain anymore, but also so that I wouldn't care anymore. I'm tired of caring about what everyone thinks. I'm tired of taking care of a city that clearly doesn't give a shit about me. I'm tired of striving so much for attention that I'd never get anyways. Now, I just want to do whatever I want to do. Simply because I can."

Negaduck, still holding the gun at him, shifted nervously in his spot, unsure of what was happening.

"I'll ask again: You want to see something fun?"

Without warning, Darkwing snatched the gun out of Negaduck's hand and aimed it at the police officer who was down the street talking to two other police officers. "Do you think that if I wanted to be, I could just as good a super villain as I am a hero ?"

Negaduck's eyes practically popped out of his head. "WHAT!?"

"Stop making me repeat things. I'm asking if you'd think I'd make a good villain" repeated Darkwing, though he was clearly in a better mood now that he was the one holding the gun.

Negaduck just gaped at Darkwing. It was one thing for the hero to be without his emotions, it was another thing altogether to be willing to commit crimes. A person's morals didn't go away without one's emotions, did they?

"You're bluffing!" Negaduck accused. "You'd never be able to be a criminal! Now give me my gun back!"

"I'm not bluffing" argued Darkwing.

"Yes, you are, now give me back the gun, Dipwing. We both know you're too moral to be a-"

Without even taking his eyes off Negaduck, Darkwing raised the gun to his right and shot the gun once, the bullet soaring through the air. Seconds later, cries of pain could be heard from the canine police officer. Everyone around him gasped in alarm as the wounded officer grabbed his leg and fell to the ground. The bullet had hit him just above the left knee.

Negaduck's beak fell open. "...Super villain..." he trailed off in shock. "Y-You just-You just...Shot a police officer..." Negaduck turned to Darkwing, seeing him in a whole new light.

There was shouting that caused both mallards to look back over. Finally the officers had taken notice to their presence.

"Heh, well, Wingy, now you get to see the other side of the law" said Negaduck smugly. "You-"

Negaduck was interrupted as Darkwing maneuvered around him, suddenly at his back. The gun was slammed inconspicuously into his good hand and while Negaduck was confused, Darkwing grabbed the others bad hand and pulled it behind Negaduck's back.

The moment Darkwing touched Negaduck's bad hand, he screamed in pain. His one arm now forced behind his back and the gun in his other hand, it was hard for Negaduck to move out his grasp.

"Watch this" hissed Darkwing into Negaduck's ear.

Louder, Darkwing shouted in his usual, peppy, hero voice, "Over here! I have caught Negaduck! I am so sorry! I was not able to get him in time before he shot the gun!"

The police officers began making their way towards them. In the meantime, Negaduck growled, "What are you doing!?" He tried to push Darkwing away but the masked mallard only tightened his grip harder on Negaduck's injured hand, making Negaduck nearly fall in pain.

"Framing you. And you want to know the best part?" Darkwing answered quietly into the criminal's ear. "They're going to believe me. Because as you said, I'm 'too moral'. No one would ever believe Darkwing Duck would EVER do such a thing. I might be a real pain in the ass to the police officers right now after how I treated them last night at the banquet-Oh, right, you don't know about that, but anyways-They're still gonna take my word over yours..."

He finished speaking the moment the officers came around to grab Negaduck. The gun was snatched out of Negaduck's hand, who hardly noticed it had even been there from all the commotion; his mind still reeling to what was happening.

Negaduck was quickly handcuffed and there was a moment when Darkwing was able to get close enough to Negaduck to whisper without anyone overhearing, "Do you still think I'm too moral to be a criminal mastermind?"

"You'd never do anything to tarnish your precious super hero image" hissed Negaduck.

"Well, its a good thing I have a super villain doppelgänger to impersonate, eh?"

Negaduck's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!"

Darkwing shrugged."You've done it to me plenty of times. Maybe now its my turn. Let's see if I can be a better criminal mastermind than you." Darkwing then stepped back as the police officers stepped closer.

"I'll get you for this, Darkwing!" was Negaduck's only reply as two officers came and started dragging him off to a police car.

The angry mallard continued to fight and spit like a hissing cat, shouting in pain whenever his hand was pressed on too hard. The police shut him in the police car and carried him off to jail.

None of the officers really said anything save for their muttered thanks, since they were still unsure of how to treat Darkwing. But the masked vigilante took no notice as he just watched Negaduck get taken away, his expression even more blank and emotionless than ever.

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Author's Note: Woah! Darkwing as officially crossed the dark side! Also, some references were made from Snark N Moon's own McCrack stories. Along with her Gyro explanation about magnets. That was loosely copied from her. :) Please review! Thanks!