After crashing his way back down the stairs, Negaduck instructed Launchpad to meet up in Darkwing Tower within the next fifteen minutes and left for the headquarters with Mr. McD alongside him. Launchpad stayed behind to wait for DW.
He didn't know what Negaduck had said to get DW out of his room, but come downstairs he eventually did, looking just as dejected as earlier, only now moving around with some modicum of motivation.
Even if the stiffness in DW's posture and the hollow look in his eyes put Launchpad on edge.
"You ready?" Launchpad asked.
DW shrugged and situated himself in the armchair, Launchpad settling beside him, and sent them spinning towards the Tower.
It still seemed like a bad dream which Launchpad would wake up from at any moment. He'd turn the corner and there she would be. Gosalyn. She'd listen to Launchpad's dream — nightmare really — and shrug, telling him that dreams were weird and it didn't mean anything. She was fine.
But she wasn't fine.
And she wasn't in the house.
Launchpad had gone from the kitchen to the living room to her bedroom a couple dozen times, one big oblong loop, just to keep reminding himself that she wasn't there. And each time he realized the truth it was just as agonizing and grievous as when he had gotten the call from J. Gander.
The director's usually controlled voice had cracked and sounded tinny over the phone. "We found our first victim of this attack. It's…. Launchpad, it's Gosalyn."
"What happened? Is she okay?" he'd practically yelled. Mr. McD's eyebrows had skyrocketed upwards as he'd surveyed Launchpad's blind panic.
"We are still piecing together precisely what happened, but she's…. She didn't make it. I'm so very sorry."
Launchpad had collapsed in Darkwing Tower, Mr. McD rushing over and frantically asking what had happened. But there hadn't been words. Nothing to describe the desolation that had swept through him.
And his agony had only gotten worse when DW had called him, still blissfully unaware. Still living under the impression that Gosalyn was alive and well.
It had been Launchpad who had broken the news to him. Sort of. By asking if she was truly gone. DW's voice reached higher octaves and grew more desperate as he'd begun to piece together what had happened. What dark future now spanned before them.
It was unnatural, to think of the world without Gosalyn in it. She had been such an instrumental part of DW's life. Of bringing DW and Launchpad together. Of keeping the family intact over the years and expanding it to include new members.
Members who all stood around him in Darkwing Tower now.
Negaduck, DW, Mr. McD and Launchpad stood in a circle. Stellar and Posiduck each sat nearby on some unopened boxes and crates with the S.H.U.S.H. logo spray painted on the sides. Stellar looked remorseful, his gray eyes flicking back and forth between Negaduck and DW, his hands wringing one another in his lap. Almost like he was holding himself back. Posiduck kept his eyes down, his shoulders slumped, his fingers tracing over the embroidery on the giant sleeves of his blue coat.
Max showed up last despite the fact that he had the least amount of distance to travel. He looked much the worse for wear, his eyes bloodshot and his gait slow. Goofy was right behind him, keeping a watchful eye on his son.
Looking at Launchpad, whom he came to stand next to, Goofy asked solemnly, "How you holdin' up?"
"Not great," Launchpad said.
Goofy nodded and patted Launchpad on the shoulder before turning his attention to Negaduck, who was standing in the center of the circle of gathered participants.
DW stood across from Launchpad, his eyes on the floor.
Sighing and looking supremely irritated, Negaduck glanced around at them all. "The prisoners escaped. And there's another fresh army of robots headed our way. I wouldn't ask any of you to be here unless I had to. And once this is over, we can all go our separate ways and never come to St. Canard's defense again. But we answered this call earlier today, and we should finish the job."
"Listen," said Max, his voice scratchy, "I'm all for finishing something we started, but will we actually win? We're… we're already down one. Our odds are worse."
"When have bad odds ever stopped a rag tag team of heroes from fighting the good fight?" Negaduck demanded.
"They never do," Posiduck piped up. "It's hideously annoying."
Negaduck sharp gaze snapped to him.
Posiduck straightened. "Or, it was. When I was going up against the... what did you call them? Rag tag heroes? But I am one now, I suppose. Still, the determination and relentlessness is exhausting."
Stellar smiled, clapping Posiduck on his shoulder. "It's when the odds are stacked against you that you know what you're doing is right. And that you should keep going."
Mr. McD gave an approving nod.
Negaduck looked around the circle again. "So, you all with me?"
"I'm with ya, lad," said Mr. McD with a single dip of his head.
"I'm with you," said Stellar, standing.
Posiduck nodded, standing as well.
"I'm with ya," said Launchpad.
"Sure. I'm in," said Max.
"I'll help any way I can," Goofy said.
The room fell silent as one by one everyone turned to look at DW.
Who shrugged.
Launchpad and Goofy exchanged glances as Stellar sighed and Mr. McD tapped his cane a few times in the lengthening silence. Max toed something on the ground, his arms crossed over his chest.
Negaduck stared at DW for a few moments before glancing around at the group. "The robots are gathering in the same area as before. You have five minutes to get whatever supplies you need then we're leaving."
Mr. McD pulled Negaduck aside, the two whispering furiously to one another as everyone else dispersed.
All except DW, who walked over to the Ratcatcher and climbed into the sidecar. Without any weapons. Without his cape. Without his mask. He was wearing his green argyle sweater vest and pink collared shirt underneath. Launchpad hadn't thought much of it when they'd left the house (DW had been at home, after all, so it made sense for him to be in his civvies), but it was jarring now to see DW sit in one of his combat vehicles as Drake Mallard.
Wary of approaching his longtime friend who wasn't acting anything like the DW that Launchpad knew, Launchpad busied himself with getting Max ready for the fight instead. Goofy elected to stay in Darkwing Tower with Scrooge this time, interfacing with S.H.U.S.H.. Goofy had gone up to the second floor to get Max's weapons as Launchpad took Max over to the armory to get him properly suited up for the battle at hand.
Launchpad pocketed a few smoke and gas canisters himself since it didn't look like DW was gathering anything and Launchpad didn't want to go into this fight empty handed. Stellar and Posiduck joined them, gathering additional ammunition from the weapons wall.
No one touched the arrows.
With the five minutes up, the group gathered back together. Negaduck was strapping something on underneath his cape that Launchpad couldn't quite make out but was confident was a weapon of mass destruction.
"Does everyone have a phone?" Everyone nodded. "We get in there, kick some robot ass, and get out. Leave Ana and Darkwarrior to S.H.U.S.H.." With that, Negaduck turned to glare at DW. "You gonna tell me why you're heading into a war zone unarmed?"
DW shrugged again. "I'm not Darkwing Duck anymore. And Drake Mallard doesn't know the first thing about combat."
"Listen, lad—"
"Gee, DW—"
"Don't call me that!" DW snapped, glaring at Launchpad. "It's Drake!"
Max leaned over, bumping his shoulder against Launchpad's reassuringly.
"I don't have fucking time for this," Negaduck muttered, marching over to the Ratcatcher and jumping into the driver's seat. "Everyone get in a vehicle." He turned the bike on and peeled out of the Tower, both mallards disappearing down the cabling.
Launchpad looked over to Mr. McD, feeling as though he had been flayed. "I don't know how to help DW."
Mr. McD sighed and walked over to him. He looked weary as he patted his arm. "There's not much that can be helped, lad. All we can do is keep an eye on him for now."
"What if he doesn't get better?" Launchpad asked, his eyes straying to the window through which Negaduck and DW had disappeared. "What if this is… who he is now?"
"It's only been a few hours," Mr. McD soothed.
Launchpad nodded, still feeling uneasy. His life was turning to sand in his grasp, quickly changing shape as some of it shifted away. And it seemed the more he tried to grip onto it and gather the pieces back up, more of it shifted away, the pieces nowhere to be seen. DW and Gosalyn had been his bedrocks these past few decades, giving him stability. But one was gone and the other unmoored and he felt directionless.
For now, though, St. Canard was under attack and Launchpad would answer the call.
He clambered up into the Thunderquack with Max, Stellar, and Posiduck behind him. Once everyone was situated, he took off into the sky.
Launchpad had seen the first wave of robots and tanks descending on St. Canard from the Tower a few hours ago. It had been a harrowing sight, that mass swarming over the bridge and towards the city.
This new wave of black and chrome machinery was decidedly larger than the first one, the silver glinting in the Christmas lights while the black seemed to just swallow the light whole.
Launchpad kept an eye on the Ratcatcher, following its trajectory. Once he saw that Negaduck was taking position between the city and the army, he steered the Thunderquack in the same direction, coming to land beside the Ratcatcher.
Negaduck was standing in front of the motorcycle, black cape flapping in the wind as he stared down the leaders, Ana, Darkwarrior, and Christine who were flanked by their robot army.
Everyone piled out of the Thunderquack, forming a line in front of the robots.
DW stayed slumped in the sidecar of the Ratcatcher, watching and unmoving.
"We kicked your asses last time," Negaduck said, his voice deep and graveled. "We'll do it again."
"I have no doubt that you will try," said Ana, a smirk on her beak. "But as I myself am on the battlefield now, I am confident that things will go a little differently."
Max gripped his spear. Stellar drew his pistols. Posiduck unsheathed his sword.
Negaduck only balled his hands into fists, but didn't make a move for a weapon.
"How can you be so confident when you'll be convicted for murder?" came a ragged voice.
Launchpad looked over and DW was climbing out of the sidecar, stumbling over to stand beside Negaduck. His expression was positively thunderous, his hands shaking at his sides. Launchpad had never seen him so unraveled. It sent a chill ricochetting down his spine.
Ana cocked her head to one side. "Pawns need to be sacrificed for the queen to take the game."
Launchpad felt the disgust and anger from those around him, but he forgot to be upset himself.
Because he was still watching DW.
Who reached into Negaduck's cape.
Pulled out a gun.
And aimed it at Ana's head.
Launchpad's mouth ran dry as DW's finger squeezed the trigger.
"No!" Negaduck cried, shoving DW's arm up so the gun was aimed at the sky.
The tell tale crack of gunfire cut through the silent night, catching everyone's attention.
Negaduck wrestled DW to the ground, yanking the gun out of his grip.
Or he tried to.
DW fought back, swinging his free arm down and punching Negaduck square in the jaw. Negaduck grunted but still tugged the gun free when DW reached into Negaduck's cape again, this time pulling out a knife.
Launchpad ran over, but Negaduck managed to grab DW's other arm as he threw the knife. The weapon didn't get any farther than a few feet, landing harmlessly in the dirt.
One of the mallards growled; Launchpad couldn't tell which.
"Drake!" Launchpad cried as he skidded to his knees, taking hold of DW's wrists and pinning them to the ground. "You gotta calm down!"
"Fuck you!" DW spat as Negaduck tried to get a grip on his wildly kicking feet. "She killed my daughter!"
Another growl was loosed, and Launchpad was 80% sure that one came from Negaduck, but it was getting harder to tell the difference between them.
They both wore similar scowls reflecting the same boundless anger. Oh, sure, they were dressed very differently, but at this moment, Launchpad could have sworn there was a mirror on the field, reflecting Negaduck back to himself.
And that absolutely terrified Launchpad.
Because DW wasn't supposed to have this hatred and deep seated fury. The untamed wrath was reserved specifically for Negaduck.
But it seemed that since DW was borrowing Negaduck's ire, the villain was borrowing some of DW's heroism. Because he swallowed his anger and managed to maneuver himself so he was sitting on DW's knees.
"Rage all you want," Negaduck panted, "but I'm telling you, it doesn't solve anything."
"This might be the easiest invasion I've ever led," Ana said, her tone light and unconcerned.
"You still gotta go through us," Max said.
"With pleasure," Ana said.
Launchpad and Negaduck locked gazes before looking over to the enemy.
A wave of robots shot forward. Right towards them.
Max intercepted all of them, a well-aimed throw causing his spear to pierce through three at once. The remaining two he knocked out of the sky with his shield. Max stepped forward, yanking his spear free, and braced himself for further attacks, Stellar and Posiduck flanking him.
Looking back at Launchpad, Negaduck said, "I gotta get in there." He nodded at DW. "Get him back to Darkwing Tower before he does something he'll regret." He grabbed out rope from his cape and started binding DW's legs together as DW roared in frustration.
"No problemo." Launchpad caught the extra rope Negaduck tossed at him and secured DW's wrists. "Sorry, Drake," he mumbled as he tied the knot. "But ya might hurt yourself."
"I don't care," DW said, the fight leaving him suddenly as he looked up at Launchpad, his eyes filled with a burning anger and a deep despair all at once. "The city is under attack, this universe is doomed, and I just don't care."
Launchpad had anticipated that the loss of Gosalyn would be decimating for his friend, but to see this darker side of DW. This almost feral version who was lashing out at others. Trying to commit murder. Launchpad tried to shake off the terror that had seeped into his bones as he stood and hauled DW over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
He hated to leave the fight when it was just getting started. But with DW's safety at risk, he would do it without any hesitation.
Sprinting back towards the Thunderquack, Launchpad managed to dodge out of the way of flying robots and wove through the rolling chrome bots.
He reached the plane in record time, his fingers inches from the hull, when a nearby explosion sent him reeling. He was sent flying backwards, DW dropping from his grip. He landed hard, sure a bruise would soon form on his side as he made contact with the ground. His ears were ringing, a high whine drowning out the battle raging around him.
He shook his head as he gingerly sat up, but to no avail.
He couldn't hear anything.
Glancing around, he saw the Thunderquack half blown away, the bill smoldering from the blast.
And DW was nowhere to be seen.
A black robot soared down towards Launchpad, the laser gun on its shoulder aiming at him. He felt around for some sort of weapon, fingers closing over one of the gas canisters he'd stuffed into his pockets.
Gripping it, he pulled out the pin and launched the canister at robot, hoping it was a type of putty that would slow the thing down.
But the tear gas that billowed out only made Launchpad's eyes water.
Blinking furiously through the constant tears, Launchpad tried to keep track of the robot, tucking his head under his arms and bracing for an impact.
Which never came.
The robot was hit by a projectile, causing it to spiral away and crash into the ground.
As the smoke cleared around the downed robot, Launchpad blinked furiously, wondering if he was imagining the wooden arrow sticking out of the robot's sparking eye socket.