Lucretia gripped a patch of land as it floated among Dimensional Limbo.

"How is it possible that Wildwing's younger brother and a bunch of amateur ducks could best me?!", she fumed, "I even use the enchantium I encountered here and still they beat me all by dumb luck!"

She was about to use her sai to chop through a nearby patch of grass when something caught her attention. She was floating near a rift and it led right back to Puckworld making her smile.

"If at first you don't succeed, try and try again.", she mused herself as she hopped through and found herself on the outskirts of town, "You just can't keep a bad traitor down."

The morning trash collectors were making their rounds and Lucretia invoked Masquerade a light purple gem with a white marking like a mask from a masquerade ball. In an instant, her outfit changed into jeans and a violet tank top covered by a black leather jacket. Her hair turned dark brown and her eyes turned hazel.

"Perfect.", she purred as she saw her reflection in a window, "Nobody on Puckworld will recognize me in this disguise."

She came out as the driver in his dump truck was driving by.

"Morning.", he said cheerfully as he drove by.

Lucretia gave a fake smile( a talent she was famous for) and gave a wave.

"Morning.", she answered.

She kept her smile on until the driver was out of sight then her expression turned to it's usual determined look.

"I'd say that test run is successful.", she said to herself, "Now for a little undercover work."

She then walked a bit and noticed Julia and Clyde near a rink with a new face. Getting close, Lucretia kept a low profile, but she noticed the new girl's orange hair and nervous demeanor which made her narrow her eyes. Keeping a safe distance, Lucretia took out a pair of special binoculars so she could eavesdrop.

"So Danielle, how's everything going so far?", Clyde asked.

"Okay I guess.", the new duck Lucretia deduced was Danielle answered.

Lucretia then felt a tingle in her hand and she paused to notice that the magic was starting to wane.

"Darn it.", she griped as she ducked behind some nearby crates before anyone saw her, "Lousy time for my spell to get glitched."

She focused a bit and the feeling went away, but when she resurfaced, she saw her targets had moved.

"This Danielle, she's not very confident and not familiar with this guise. Just the kind of person for somebody like me to manipulate."

She turned and walked away chuckling darkly to herself as she started scheming.

/

Wildwing came in with Canard and Tanya following.

"Well that went well.", Tanya said rubbing her shoulder.

Wildwing didn't seem to be okay and Canard could feel his concern through his aura reading.

"Wing, we did what we could."

Wildwing tried to calm down.

"It happens every time. Each time we get close to defeating those saurian losers, they turn and warp away like a bunch of cowards and the place blows. And I'm sick of it."

"Wing, we can't let our emotions get to us.", Canard said calmly, "You know this."

Wildwing took a couple breaths relieving his stress as Nosedive, Duke and Morpha came into the room.

"Hey, why so burned up big bro?", Nosedive asked.

Wildwing turned his way in a much calmer tone.

"Another kidnapping went on downtown."

"What was it this time?", Duke asked.

"A sewer worker.", Canard reported, "That was the third time someone got kidnapped within this week."

"Why would Dragaunus take that, a crane operator, and a computer operator?", Tanya asked.

"Cause he's a psychotic evil person who likes doing evil stuff?", Nosedive guessed.

Wildwing looked thoughtful.

"Knowing Dragaunus, he's making some kind of device, and we need to find out what that is and shut it down."

Grin and Mallory came into the room looking annoyed.

"I can't believe Phil signed us up for some lame fashion magazine shot?", Mallory asked, "I am glad I put my foot down before the cameras even got set up."

"My inner peace was greatly disturbed by those leopard print boxers.", he said sagely, "Wearing the skin of others doesn't show respect to the fallen's sacrifice."

Thrash and Mookie came in and felt the vibe in the air, but then the alarm went off and the ducks headed to the Migrator with Morpha bringing up the rear.

/

Charyus rolled his eyes as Chameleon hacked into the panel and the security system of the military base shut down.

"Nice move Chameleon, now I'll take it from here."

Charyus' staff glowed ominously and Wraith and him became invisible while Chameleon shifted into a soldier. After the gate opened, Chameleon led them to a hanger where Wraith tapped the wall with his staff and a hole opened up for them to walk through. Charyus and Wraith became visible again and Chameleon made his way over to a crate with "Danger" printed on it.

"One plutonium core sealed and prepared.", he said shifting into a mailman and back into himself.

Charyus waved a finger in the air and the crate lifted off Chameleon's fingers and floated there.

"I'm already dreading this latest plan Dragaunus is having us do.", Wraith said glumly.

"Oh Wraith do try and lighten up.", Charyus said calmly, "Do you have any idea how dangerous the Demon Core project was to just prepare?"

Chameleon looked nervous.

"Um sorry for my objection, but wouldn't that project be hazardous to us as well?"

Charyus smiled.

"These primitive earth dwellers didn't have our kind around to ensure it's effectiveness. Although I don't blame them for not coming to this dismal galaxy. It's in the middle of interstellar nowhere. The plutonium core's radiation under proper conditions can prove most effective to our cause."

The trio walked back out the hole Wraith conjured and it closed behind them. Just as they were about to warp away, the Migrator slid out from around a corner. Charyus conjured some skeleton soldiers while Wraith invoked flames that made a wall. Wildwing came out with Mallory, Duke and Nosedive right behind them. Chameleon pressed his teleporter, but it didn't work at first.

"Uh oh, I think I forgot to replace the batteries.", he said sheepishly.

Mallory made a wall of water that washed away the flames and by now Chameleon had managed to get his teleporter working, but for a moment as Duke and Wildwing blew the skeletons to bits. Charyus opened a portal behind him and Wraith and the two went through, but unfortunately Chameleon fared less so. Nosedive used Create to conjure magical bindings that tied up Chameleon and held him in place as the ducks came forward.

/

Back at the Pond, Canard dragged Chameleon who was tied to a chair with the other ducks following. After Canard placed Chameleon against the wall, the ducks gathered around forming a circle around the captured saurian.

"What's Dragaunus up to?", Wildwing asked.

Chameleon shifted into a mobster.

"I ain't talking bub.", he answered before changing back into himself.

Canard came over with his hand covered in aura.

"You you prefer I dig into your skull and put you through unbearable pain or do you crack and tell us what we want to know?", he asked raising an eyebrow.

Chameleon's resolve began breaking fast.

"Look, I know nothing about a master radiation beam Dragaunus is inventing with Phineas T. Viper.", he said quickly and then realized his mistake, "Oops."

Wildwing raised an eyebrow.

"And where is he building this?", he asked.

Chameleon tried being brave again.

"No thanks, try all you waterfowl want, but all you'll get is rank, position and status.", he said shifting into a soldier and back again.

Duke held out the teleporter the ducks had taken from him before they came to the Pond.

"I say we scan this thing and find out where this creep set it to."

Fearing what the ducks would discovered, Chameleon's courage failed again.

"No please don't scan that! I don't want Dragaunus to yell and fry me for giving away his position in the desert west of here!"

Canard smiled.

"Thanks, you've been most helpful.", he said pleasantly, "Now you can have the honor of warping us there."

Chameleon went pale as the Duke put the teleporter in Wildwing's hand and the other ducks placed their hands in each others with Canard placing his other hand on Chameleon before Wildwing activated the teleporter and Chameleon warped away taking the ducks and Morpha with him.

/

The hot sands felt like heaven under Dragaunus' feet as Pretorius, Siege and the drones got the ray ready.

"The ducks have Chameleon.", Wraith said glumly, "I fear that our plan will meet failure fast."

Charyus didn't look phased as he set the core into the ray.

"I admit you using Chameleon as a scapegoat is effective my lord, but pride goes before the fall."

Dragaunus then noticed the ducks warp nearby with Chameleon and his eyes met Wildwing's.

"So, you came."

"Give up the ray an nobody gets hurt Lizard Lips.", Wildwing said firmly.

At that moment, the ground heaved and the ducks each got encased in a magical bubble and lifted off the ground.

"You think I'd let you meddlesome pests get this close on purpose?", Dragaunus asked while smiling.

Charyus appeared at his side before the three human workers floated over appearing to be hypnotized.

"Seeing that we're at a position of bargaining Wildwing, I'll offer you a deal."

Wildwing's expression darkened.

"I'm not handing over my mask for anything.", he said defiantly.

Charyus raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, for once this ray is operational, these humans will be the first three Guinea pigs we'll use it on."

Siege smiled wickedly as he turned the ray to the first three victims.

"Finally I get to use this thing for real damage."

"Fire when ready.", Dragaunus said not taking his eyes off Wildwing.

The ray gave off a loud groan as it powered up as Siege put a finger on the big button.

"Firing in five...four...three...two."

"Fine.", Wildwing said firmly, "But let them go first."

Charyus' smile got bigger as he snapped his fingers and the three human captives vanished away before Wildwing's bubble lowered to be in front of Dragaunus and dispersed enough for Dragaunus to reach up and tear Drake DuCaine's mask off which he did.

"Fry them once their leader is in position.", Dragaunus said backing away.

Unfortunately the moment, Siege was about to fire, the mask then shifted into Morpha which lashed out tendrils disrupting Charyus' capture bubbles and which made the ducks fall to the sand opened fire as the saurians returned fire. Siege tried to fire the ray, but Morpha had already jumped off a couple drones and lashed out several tendrils and ruptured the core which made the whole ray start to sputter and shake. Siege got out as Thrash and Mookie had taken out the last of the hunter drones leaving the saurians alone.

"This isn't over.", Dragaunus warned as the saurians warped away.

"Count on it.", Wildwing said before noticing the ray about to blow, "Dive, can you contain that explosion?"

Nosedive didn't think twice and after a quick scribble, a barrier formed around the ray as it blew up with a huge boom leaving a huge patch of glass in the sand after the barrier dispersed. Morpha was dancing on the sands clearly in pain from the heat.

"Can someone get the dog?", Thrash asked.

Duke and Nosedive came forward and after Morpha used a couple tendrils to lift itself off the sands and sigh in relief.

/

Back at the Pond, the ducks freshened up as Morpha got a drink of water to get itself back in shape.

"Well that was quite a morning.", Canard said taking off one of his boots and dumping out a bunch of sand.

"Tell me about it.", Nosedive added, "We stepped into one of Dragaunus' traps like a bunch of rookies."

Wildwing sighed.

"Was so sure we could finally get Lizard Lips captured that I lost sight of what was obvious. I'm sorry I got the team where it was."

Canard put a hand on his shoulder.

"We all make mistakes Wing. Even Drake DuCaine had a fallout or two."

Grin nodded.

"Through trial and error, we gain insight of future conflict.", he said sagely.

Duke and Mallory had come back from Drake 1 and with something to report.

"The three pedestrians are returned to their original homes.", Duke reported.

"And their memory doesn't recall what happened out there.", Mallory added, "We should be in the clear."

Thrash and Mookie then looked surprised.

"Hey, isn't the next national league game tonight?"

The ducks didn't think twice as they headed up to get some afternoon practice in before tonight's game.

"So who is it this time?", Canard asked.

As they got into the locker room, they found Phil and Klegghorn waiting there.

"Okay team, we got a big game against Italy tonight and the team is just getting in at the airport.", Klegghorn reported, "We got seven hours til the game and you guys haven't practiced all week."

Wildwing looked determined.

"We'll do what we can.", he said, "Hopefully we'll have time for a quick break before Italy's team shows up."

/

Later that night, the Pond was really buzzing with excitement.

"And we're here folk! The next game of the world's first international league right here in Anaheim! Now let's give a big round of applause for our local team: the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim!"

The crowds went wild as the ducks took the ice.

"And the visiting opponents all the way from Italy, the Italian Marauders!"

The other team came on looking tough and ready to go. Both teams took position and the ref came forward with the puck.

"The puck is set...and the game begins!"

The ref shot the puck and Nosedive and the front collided with the Marauders taking the puck.

"And what a performance tonight folks, the Marauders claim the puck and wait a minute, it's a steal by Duke!"

Duke avoided getting checked by the defense, but passed to Canard who did get checked.

"Oh and the pass is intercepted folks! Are the ducks feeling the heat?!"

Wildwing tensed. This team knew their stuff and clearly the other team did too cause they were soon in front of him.

"And the shoot, and Wildwing deflects it! Unbelievable folks, but Wildwing has managed an amazing block and the Ducks claim the puck!"

Back and forth the puck went and finally they were at the final minutes.

"I can hardly believe this folks, but the scores both stand at zero and we're at the final sixty seconds of the game!"

Grin got the puck and passed to Nosedive after he checked the defense.

"Heads up Canard!", he called out before he passed.

Canard got the puck and was approaching the goal.

"Ten...nine...eight...seven."

Canard got to the goal with only three seconds on the clock.

"And the shot...and it's goal! And it's a glorious goal by Canard Thunderbeak just in the nick of time!"

The timer had gone off, but the Ducks' score had changed.

"And it's all over folks, it's all over! The Ducks win the game!"

Overlooking all of this from Puckworld, Lucretia had watched the game too.

"Well played.", she said with eyes narrowing, "Enjoy your little distraction cause I promise you that the worst is yet to come."

She waved her hand and the vision in the fountain she was near faded as she turned to Quasleet's house.

"As for you Dr. Quasleet, I think it's time I gave you a little visit."

She snapped her fingers and her disguise materialized again hiding her appearance. She was about to step out when a couple male drakes older than her came out clearly interested in her beauty.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?"

Lucretia gave a look of disgust.

"Get lost trash.", she said harshly as she walked away, but evidently the two drakes didn't get the hint.

"We're going to enjoy this.", they said with glee.

Lucretia smiled and her disguise melted to reveal her true self giving the two a shock before she waved her hand and they turned into glass sculptures which she tipped over and shattered.

"Don't say I didn't warn you.", she said as the glass dispersed into powder, her disguise reformed and she went on her way.