Disclaimer: I do not own Darkwing Duck, Gosalyn, Scrooge McDuck, or any characters from either Darkwing Duck or Ducktales...
Author's Note.
Fair warning! These stories are all part of the series "The Path Chosen." If you haven't read the other fics in the series "The Path Chosen, Tracker's Story Hidden Dawn, and Meant To Be," I guarantee, this one will confuse you.
I Am Chosen Chapter 10
Darkwing observes as Quiverwing and GizmoDuck attempt to save those who are trapped by the fire. It is hard for the Masked Mallard to simply watch the whole thing happen. "Where is Guardian!" he yells to the angel "Why isn't he here! Why isn't he protecting my...his...daughter?!"
The angel heaves a weary sigh "Darkwing...shut - up." she says slowly. Though her words are spoken softly, she does seem a bit tired of Darkwing's raving. He looks at her in surprise of her attitude. Well, he asked for it. Biting his lip, he turns his attention back to the vision before them.
He watches as his daughter rushes into the mall even as others are rushing to get out, GizmoDuck right behind her.
Without warning the scene before them fades. In a flash, Darkwing finds himself
standing on a hilltop in a heavily wooded area. "You could have given me some kind of warning you know!" Darkwing's yelps.
"Where's the fun in that?" the angel jests. "Now, believe it or not, we do have a schedule to keep. Watch and learn, Darkwing Duck."
Watch what? There's nothing but wilderness? He glances around. Not seeing anything but trees and sky, he turns to the angel. "So what is it I'm suppose to be..."
He is interrupted by the sound of laser fire in the distance. Gazing anxiously in the direction the sound is coming from, Darkwing sees somebody running through a small path in among the trees. Even from a distance, Darkwing knows who this is. The white and silver costume is quite distinguished at any distance. Guardian.
It doesn't take long for Darkwing to know why Guardian is running. Not far behind him is a small army of Eggmen. The Eggmen fire at Guardian, only barely missing him at times. Guardian dodges the shots with agility and grace as he runs into a small clearing.
There is no place to take cover now. But perhaps he doesn't have to find cover. The approaching roar of a jet engine draws Darkwing's attention skyward. The ThunderQuack.
A ladder lowers from the open cockpit as the jet swoops low. In a great bound, Guardian leaps and grabs onto the ladder and is whisked away from his pursuers in a trice.
As quickly as they had moved from the scene at the burning mall, Darkwing and the angel are back again. Becoming rather fatigued with the constant change of scenery, Darkwing heaves a frustrated sigh "I didn't know you could get jet lag standing still." he comments to his heavenly companion.
"Yeah, well try doing it for a living!" the angel replies. "Now as usual – keep watching." she motions toward the mall. The upper floors of the huge building are now engulfed in flames. Black and gray smoke billows from the shattered windows. The fire department has arrived and fire fighters are attempting to put out the fire.
The entire scene takes Darkwing back to the events that happened almost two years ago to the day! The fire. The fire in the girls school that had nearly cost him his life.
So very strange, that Christmas Eve. How very odd it was that the entire city seemed to have a change of heart towards him after that. Why? Perhaps he'll never know. It seemed as though the citizens of St. Canard had become afraid of losing him.
Darkwing glances at the angel. He wonders if she could tell him? She was there, after all. Wasn't she? Wasn't she always with him?
Questions will have to wait for another time, however. Darkwing sees a small lavender colored sports car arrive on the scene. A woman dressed in a flowing red dress gets out. "Morgana! What's she doing here?" Darkwing asks.
" She heard about the fire breaking out. She is concerned for Quiverwing."
"Quiverwing?" Darkwing glances up at the burning building "Oh my gosh! Gosalyn!" he exclaims as he realizes his daughter is inside. He glances back at Morgana. He can see the worry in her eyes. He watches her as she reaches into the car and picks up a small child. Their daughter. Darkwing can only spare a hasty glance at the little girl. She has long black hair that is pulled back in a a braid. She is so very pretty. But Darkwing has no time to ponder this.
He knows Morgana can't do anything to help Gosalyn, not with the child there.
Just then, something jumps from the open back window of the car. Something very large, very furry and very fast! It is little more than a blur as it sweeps passed
Darkwing and the angel on a beeline for the burning building. Darkwing's jaw drops in complete shock. "Is that what I think it is?" he asks in an I'm-not-sure-I-really-want-an-answer tone of voice.
The angel laughs "Oh yes, I'm afraid so."
In a blink of an eye. they are now in the burning building. They watch.
Both Quiverwing and GizmoDuck have made it to the upper level of the building.
They are doing what they can to help the people who have been trapped by the fire.
Quiverwing taps a finger on the oxygen mask she wears. As many times as she had squawked at her dad for making her carry it, she is now oh-so grateful that he did. GizmoDuck of course, is equipped with his own oxygen supply.
Through the thick black smoke, they can hear the cries of terrified victims, trapped by the flames.
They set about putting out the fire as best they can. The Gizmo-suit is equipped with a small fire hose, but it was only built to put out very small fires.
Quiverwing is becoming disoriented and confused through the ordeal. She tries to stay focused, recalling much of her training.
She hears people crying out that they can't get out of department stores because the fire has the doors blocked. "Can't you just go through the fire?" she calls to GizmoDuck "You have the special alloy armor."
"The armor doesn't do much for my wheel! It would melt in seconds!" GizmoDuck replies. He looks up toward the ceiling "Isn't there suppose to be some sort of sprinkler system to put out fires?"
"Yeah, but it seems it isn't working!" Quiverwing calls back. She strains to see through the smoke. There has to be something they can use to help the trapped victims.
The sporting goods store has been completely blocked of by the fire. People trapped inside scream for help.
"Oh come on GizmoDuck, use your head – for once!" Darkwing chides as he watches the stressful scene. The fact that nobody can hear him doesn't stop him from voicing his opinion. "The store right next to it isn't block by the flames! Just go inside and knock down the wall between them!" He shouts. Both of is fists are squeezed tightly at his sides. "Come on! You don't have much time! The smoke ventilation will overtake them any time now! Hurry!"
The angel, as calm as ever, watches Darkwing rant anxiously. He wants so much to help. He forgets that not of this is really happening – not yet.
Quiverwing thinks "What would dad do? What would he do?" she looks around anxiously. "Think – think."
Then it dawns on her. "GizmoDuck! Go through the store next to it! Knock down the wall!"
Without a reply, GizmoDuck goes into action. He does as the girl suggests. Moving into the department store next to the one blocked by fire. He doesn't hesitate to simply drive right through the joining wall. "Never fear, GizmoDuck is here!" he proclaims even as the people rush passed him into the next department.
"Careful people, we don't want to trample anybody!" GizmoDuck tries to instruct the panicking victims as they flee. "Stay close to the wall! You won't get lost that way. Go to the stairway on east side!"
The people do as he says, keeping their hands on the middle wall, following it toward the east stairway.
There are still other trapped by the fire. There is still much to be done.
The angel can not help but watch the expression on Darkwing's face. There is almost a look of recognition in his eyes as he watches. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?" she asks.
Darkwing is so caught up in the events that her voice actually startles him. He jumps in surprise. He glances sidelong at her, then looks back to the scene. "Yeah, it does." he answers, not wanting to look away from his daughter. "You...you were there, right?"
"Always."
This may not be the time or place, but he wants to know. "Do you know what happened that night? I mean, do you know why the entire city of St. Canard suddenly decided to join the Darkwing Duck fan club?"
To Darkwing's surprise, the angel falls silent. He finally looks from the scene to face the angel. There is hesitation in her eyes. Darkwing takes this to mean, she knows something about it. "Well?"
For the first time, the angel has to search for the right words "Let's just say, they finally decided to listen to the voice of reason."
"Huh?"
Darkwing opens his mouth to asks what she means but she cuts him off.
"Look who is joining the party."
He turns his attention, once more to the vision before him. GizmoDuck and Quiverwing have managed to save many of the people. The firemen have managed to get a ladder up to one of the windows. GizmoDuck hands a young boy he saves over to the fire fighter atop the ladder.
There are now only four people left, but they are surrounded by a ring of fire. The flames have spread and forced both Quiverwing and GizmoDuck back. Neither of them can figure a way to get to the people. Then as if being summoned as the last hope, Guardian is there.
"Dad!" Quiverwing exclaims as her father emerges from the clouds of black smoke. He too is wearing an oxygen mask.
He gazes at his daughter through the tented visors. "How many are left?"
"There are four others still trapped in the fire! But we can't get to them!" she tells him.
"It doesn't look good wingy. We can't reach them!" GizmoDuck informs him.
Guardian can see the small group of people huddled together, choking and crying in fear. He doesn't get a chance to think about it. Something inside of him takes over. Moving as close to the flames as he can get, he extends his gloved hands in front of him. He feels very strange. An energy seems to flow from his own body, through his arms and out of his finger tips. What looks like a thin veil of transparent light flows from his hands and passes over the tops of the flames, and smothers them.
Given an escape, the people don't hesitate to run while they can. As they rush passed him, Guardian feels the sensation subside. But the experience has left him week. He falters and almost falls. "Easy Wingy." GizmoDuck calls, grabbing Guardian's arm. "I don't know how you did that, but we have to leave!"
"Hurry dad!" Quiverwing calls. They follow the others through the burning edifice. GizmoDuck is helping the weakened Guardian.
By time they get to the staircase, those they had rescued were already running down the stairs in fear for their lives.
"Next stop, first floor." says the angel. In a snap, both Darkwing and the angel are now on the first floor. They wait and watch.
"Hurry!" Quiverwing urges as she leads the way. They are lucky, the stairway has
not yet been touched by the fire.
They hurry down the flights of stairs. They finally get to the access doors leading out. Quiverwing opens the door for the others. Now down to the first floor, they are surprised to find that it is not untouched by the fire. The upper levels have collapsed in some areas. The ceiling of the first floor is, in some parts, on fire.
But the smoke is high and they can see clearly. The doors leading outside are only yards away. "We're almost home free!" Quiverwing calls. She sprints a little farther ahead of the others, anxious to get outside.
Darkwing watches with an over powering sense of foreboding. This is so much like that day two years ago. He recalls. He had gotten the children all the way to the front of the burning school. They could see the doorway, they were home free. That's what he thought anyway. Then there was the sound of a loud cracking overhead. He had looked up just in time to see a burning support beam falling down upon him...then everything went black.
Darkwing feels a knot in the pit of his stomach as he lifts his eyes to the burning ceiling. As he watches, a large chunk of concrete breaks off and falls. His eyes quickly drop to the spot directly under the falling concrete. "Gosalyn!"
To be continued...
From the Author: I have come very close to scrapping this whole story. I really don't like it. I think it is to complex and hard to follow. But I decided to finish it, for now. Some time in the future I may try to rewrite a better version of it. For now, I just want to get it done.