Left Wing: Part 51
CHAPTER SIX
Storyteller
(Late Wednesday Evening)
Scarlet stepped out through the alley door and through the portal back home. She unlocked the back door and walked in, hearing her father's voice speaking in narrative.
"Two large boxes wrapped in pink and yellow paper popped out of the other end of the giant automatic gift wrapping machine. With a wriggle the brightly coloured packages hopped off the conveyor belt and onto the floor of the Sunnybank warehouse.
'So that piratical powered up pixie in charge of these paltry puppets thinks my pond's a plushy place to park his pandemonium, eh?' Darkwing Duck's voice sounded slightly muffled as he said this; his voice was coming from the smaller pink package. A moment later his head erupted through the top, making a hole in the lid of his box. He stood to attention in front of the machine; the look on his face was grim and menacing as he glared into the distance at the door where the criminal's henchmen had long since escaped. 'Well, this evil is going to get evicted now that Darkwing Duck is on the case!' The Midnight Mallard said in a very game voice."
Scarlet looked into the lounge room and saw her dad sitting with Catlyn, reading her something out of his handwritten case files like he'd done for her when she'd been little and couldn't sleep. Catlyn was patting her grandfather's arm urgently. "Anda, awpahocheay?"
Drake Mallard continued on. "His side kick and best friend Launchpad's head burst out of the top of the giant yellow box standing beside him. 'Phew, DW, that was a close one.' The air ace had a giant yellow bow on his head and his leather booted feet stuck out from the bottom of the big yellow box."
Catlyn gurgled in relieved amusement and Scarlet smiled warmly. Even if Catlyn was too young to understand all of his words or figure out the social lessons, Drake Mallard had a real knack for slapstick humour and funny voices.
" 'Did we fool them? I'd hate to have one of them f-follow me home ... yikes!'
'Don't worry, Launchpad, we got out of their way before they got interested in us. Nevertheless, LP, I'm not planning on hiding from these scurrilous scumbags for too long.'
'Heh, sure, DW,' DW was the nickname Launchpad liked to use for the caped crime fighter by the way, 'sure, DW, but don't you think that maybe we might need some back up for this one? We're kind of outnumbered a hundred to one.'
" 'Hey, hey, we're still here, aren't we?' Darkwing Duck objected, feeling hurt. He frowned at Launchpad's words, gritting his teeth. 'I'm just getting warmed up on this case.'
'Hey, DW, I'm not interested in playing hide and seek with these criminals forever either. But maybe some backup couldn't hurt. What about the National Guard?'
'The National Guard!' Darkwing repeated in an upset voice, but then he recovered and verbally patted his sidekick on the shoulder. 'Launchpad, Launchpad, Launchpad. Many does not make mighty. And that is our prime advantage over G'Tyler.'
Launchpad raised an eyebrow in confusion. 'I dunno, DW, they looked pretty tough to me. One tough guy is easy to take down. Maybe even five we can dupe. But we're talking like a whole army here. And they're really mean!'
'Launchpad, I-can-handle-it!' Darkwing growled feeling his feathers prickling at his sidekick's observation."
"Anda, ahwefieying?" Catlyn interrupted. "Awpahwong?"
"Oh, uh, no, well, um, you see, Catlyn ... Launchpad was right. I mean; not about the National Guard; they wouldn't be able to do much to help, but these were very bad guys, very tough and definitely a fierce crowd. Darkwing might be a force to be reckoned with but really he couldn't take on G'Tyler's horde of servants all by himself. So yeah, Launchpad was right about that. The truth may be right, Catlyn, but that doesn't always make it good and it especially doesn't mean Darkwing had to like it. Asking someone for help was one thing Darkwing Duck did not like to do. Darkwing Duck felt that having someone helping him maybe somehow proved he was weak and helpless-."
"Ahbahawpah!" Catlyn's tiny voice interrupted the dark intonation of the story teller.
"Well, that's very true, Catlyn." Drake Mallard stated. "He does have Launchpad to help him, so he has started to learn-."
"Ahbahwapipah?"
"Yes, they're still wrapped up in the paper; I was just getting to-look, who's telling this story: me or you, little lady?"
There was a moment's pause. "Anda?"
"Just as I suspected." Catlyn's grandfather cleared his throat, "now, as I was saying, Darkwing Duck was cranky with the idea that he needed help to stop the evil G'Tyler and his multitude of mindless mobsters. He ripped himself free of the wrapping paper.
'All I need to do is formulate a plan ...' Then he ripped open Launchpad's box.
'Gee, thanks, DW.' Launchpad said in relief, 'Christmas morning's still three months away.' Launchpad usually saw the humour in these situation, 'I wasn't sure I could wait that long.'
Darkwing looked up at his trusty side kick in mild confusion. 'I think in this case we can make an exception, Launchpad.' "
"Hey, granddad, I'm sorry to interrupt. But do you want a drink? Cocoa?"
"No thanks, hon; you fix yourself."
With a nostalgic smile Scarlet flicked the kettle on and went upstairs to change identities and get into her pyjamas, listening as her father's voice followed her up the stairs. She always loved her dad's stories and she hadn't heard this one before.
" 'Do you think maybe we should call in S.H.U.S.H., DW?' Launchpad was twice Darkwing's width and literally towered over him in height but he still looked very worried about facing this criminal alone.
'What's the big idea, Launchpad, don't you think I can solve this case on my own?' Darkwing continued to reject the idea that he needed help.
"But the stunt pilot just looked back down at the masked mallard with an understanding smile on his face. 'Of course you don't 'need' help, DW,' Launchpad calmly reassured him, 'but remember: a problem shared is a problem halved ... and there's a lot of these puppets to share us around.' Launchpad's voice always had a gentle tone, even when he was acting tough. Darkwing could never stay too mad at him for very long simply because Launchpad didn't have a mean bone in his body. However with all that goodwill and well-meaning intentions Launchpad could be really irritating sometimes.
'Thank you, Launchpad.' Darkwing's temper had settled down and all he was feeling was annoyance; 'I'll keep the suggestion in mind.'
The kettle sound rose over his voice and Scarlet closed the bedroom door. No doubt Launchpad would help Darkwing come up with a solution to this case. Drake Mallard's Darkwing Duck stories always had happy endings.
