Hi Everyone! Themusicmaniac here!
First of all, I can't believe I forgot Yule and Solstice! I wish all of you the best and hope that you had a great holiday! Best holiday wishes to anyone I forgot.
Second of all, Wow! I had so many notifications of new readers this week. It really made a cruddy day at work. Thank you so much for all of your reviews, ratings and support!
SciFiGirl253: Valerie blamed herself as a sort of survivor's guilt. She's had a hard last couple of days and very, very little sleep (Which will be addressed a little in this chapter). As for Bonkers and DW, I definitely want them to meet in the future, I have yet to figure out when… I have a few ideas, I just need to figure out how they each would affect the grand scheme of things. And thanks!
Guests: Hello Guests! I'm glad that you like the story. I will definitely keep Della in mind in later chapters, though, meeting Della may not happen until after the first "episode" of LGD ends. I'll definitely think about how to get them involved later. I definitely have plans later for a certain popular villain to be written into this fanfic.
A longer one this week!
Enjoy!
For once, I was surprised. I made it to the base of the tower, muddy, bruised, and a little bloody, but for the most part, without too much trouble. I entered the door and collapsed on the bottom step. I'd climb those later. But for now…
I was safe.
Away from the villains.
Away from Bulba.
Away from FOWL.
I sighed. What now? We'd get Darkwing Duck, go back to the lab, and go home.
Well, provided we were able to find home.
I looked up at the stairwell.
I know that I have the chance of a lifetime. So many people in my dimension would give anything to be where I am now. In a dimension with Darkwing Duck, Bonkers and Scrooge McDuck, and then getting to meet all of them is unbelievable. But… it's so hard. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss going to school and doing normal things.
I've been on the run for nearly three weeks, and almost, no, actually got caught multiple times. I've gotten such little sleep in that time, and I find myself awake at night worrying about how to get home, or if I will even reach home.
I was just… so tired.
With a breath and some determination, I picked myself up and started the ascent up the stairs.
With every step, I felt more fatigued, and instead of focusing on the steps themselves, I had to think of what I'd find when I got up there to even be determined enough to get up there.
A ghost of a smile came across my face as I heard voices.
I reached the hideout.
I was safe.
"Valerie!" Gosalyn said, running to the stairs and helping me the rest of the way up. "What happened to you?"
"Fear...some… Four…" I panted out, setting my hands on my knees.
"Wha... " Darkwing asked, "What was that?"
I regained my breath, and looked straight at him.
"Bulba powered up the Ramrod and pulled the Fearsome Four into this dimension." Launchpad's jaw dropped, Darkwing gasped and Gosalyn's face contorted into one of confusion.
"That sounds bad. Who are they?"
"They're Darkwing's greatest rivals." Launchpad said, eyes wide.
"In the old series." Darkwing was quick to add, as he started pacing the floor.
"And it gets worse. Scrooge and his nephews were taken by them. Dewey and I tried to escape, but as I left the building, Bushroot caught Dewey."
"He caught Dewey!" I've never seen Launchpad so distraught. He started shaking DW by the shoulders, "Darkwing we have to save my buddy Dewey!"
Darkwing put his hands on Launchpad's arms. "We will. But we need to make a plan first."
"So what's the plan?" Goslayn said, looking at him inquisitively. As DW started towards the computer.
"I... I need some time to come up with it!" Darkwing exclaimed as he stopped and looped back to the group, "Just rest up for a little bit so that we can assess the situation."
"I guess we should figure out what's going on before we get out there." Gosalyn said, disappointed. She took out her phone and walked towards the couches.
In a daze, I took a step forward, and stumbled. Darkwing lunged forwards and caught my arm. I looked up at him and smiled weakly. "I guess I'm a little more tired than I thought."
"Tired? How did you get up here?" Darkwing said in shock.
"...tears and determination." I said, holding up a finger.
"Tears and-you need sleep!" Darkwing scolded, as I laughed weakly.
"I'm a college student-you underestimate my ability to go long hours without sleep." I slurred.
"Being a college student doesn't exempt you from sleeping." Darkwing replied as I started slipping again. "Here. " He grunted and picked me up bridal style and carried me to the couch. When he put me down, I was still a little dazed, but after I felt the softness of the couch, I started to fall asleep. "Don't worry Valerie, we'll figure this out. You just need to rest." I couldn't make out the rest of what he was saying as I slipped into the lull of sleep.
"Valerie…"
I groaned, and turned over. I felt someone poking my shoulder, and I chose to ignore it. For the sake of sleep.
"Valerie, wake up." I felt the poking again, and slapped the hand away that was poking me.
"Ow!"
"Is she up?"
"She doesn't seem like she wants to be up."
"She'll want to be up for this."
"Up for what?" I groaned, forcing my body into a sitting position. Launchpad was directly beside the couch, while Gosalyn was reading a comic book on the other side of the couch and DW was over at his computer.
"DWs going to tell us the plan he's come up with." Launchpad said excitedly, as I tried to brush back my stray hairs/ feathers.
"Valerie, you're a mess." Gosalyn said, as she put the comic down and walked towards me. "There." she said, rearranging my hair to it's normal state. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah, Thanks." I said, "Still not quite used to being… this." I said, scraping some of the dried mud from my face.
"What were you before?" Launchpad asked, sitting down on the couch next to me.
"I was human." I said, looking down at the ground.
"What's a human?" Launchpad asked, as Gosalyn also gave me a weird look. I guess that they have no conception of what humans are in their world.
"I'll explain later." I said, jumping up from the couch and booking it towards DW. From what I remember from the old series, Darkwing Duck had run into humans once: he called them monsters.
I didn't want to explain that right now.
"What's up DW?" I said, approaching him as he sat at the computer. He raised an eyebrow at me, but didn't say anything as he pressed a button on the computer.
I watched the screen as Mayor Owlson appeared with a headline: Mayor Owlson Addresses City.
"St. Canard, I can't believe I'm about to say this."
"You and me both." I sighed, as she continued.
"But an interdimensional rift has opened, allowing four supervillians from an old TV show to wreak havoc. I urge citizens to stay in their homes. Our police forces are overwhelmed, but if I understand one of Darkwing Duck's multiple catchphrases correctly 'When there's trouble you call DW.' Darkwing, St. Canard is calling you now. We need a hero."
We all looked to Darkwing, who had his head on his desk.
"Alright Darkwing, what's the play?" Gosalyn asked him, as Launchpad started to get excited.
"DWs been waiting for this moment his whole life."
"For a whole bunch of villains from another dimension to come into your version of St. Canard?" Gosalyn and Launchpad stared at me and I shrugged. "What? That's exactly what is happening right now."
"Well after careful deliberation and strategizing, I've come to a carefully researched conclusion." DW turned in his chair towards us, as we anticipated the plan at hand. "We… ARE DOOMED!" I jumped nearly a foot in the air as Darkwing flew from his seat and tripped on his own foot, falling on his face.
"Well, that doesn't inspire confidence." I screamed and jumped again, clutching Gosalyn, as I stared at the computer.
"WHO IS THAT?" I squawked, as Gosalyn removed my arms from around her.
"I am WANDA." The computer replied, "Darkwing's supercomputer interface."
"Oh…" My voice cracked, "Sorry, just… didn't expect you to be there."
"No one ever does." She replied sarcastically. Gosalyn had gone to retrieve Darkwing who had started… crying and helped him back into his chair. Then…
She slapped him in the face.
"GET. A. HOLD. OF. YOURSELF. MAN." She said as she slapped him across the face. "The city's in trouble, Valerie's stuck in this dimension, and grandpa's still missing. You said you wanted more crime to fight." She stuck her arms out at Darkwing.
"Yeah, but those are supervillains. They've got superpowers and everything!" Darkwing complained, as I slapped my forehead.
"That never stopped the original Darkwing!" I said.
"But this… this is real life." Darkwing said, looking towards the ground. "Fighting supervillains… that's only something that happens in the movies."
I stopped for a second. Only something that happens in the movies?
"Only…hehe…"
"What's so funny?"
"Hehehehe…." I couldn't help myself. After all I'd been through in the past couple weeks, I finally snapped. I started laughing. I laughed so hard, I had to bend over.
"Uh, Valerie?" Launchpad siad, poking my shoulder.
It took me a minute to calm down. I sighed as I said, "Darkwing, two weeks ago, Darkwing Duck was a cartoon character that only existed in my imagination. So was St. Canard, Launchpad, Gosalyn and even Scrooge McDuck. The fearsome four was surprising, yes, but what is even more surprising was that I was able to meet and even have adventures with you guys."
"But we left you behind." Darkwing said, still spacey.
"You jumped off a 50 foot lift to save Gosalyn's life." I said, "Besides, I got away right?"
"Uh, Darkwing?" Another bird appeared on screen. This one also had dark feathers, and was quite cute. "This is Fenton. I've been going over-"
"Uh, We're kind of busy right now, can we call you back?" Darkwing asked.
"Oh yeah, sure. I'm flexible." The call ended, but I stared at the screen as I connected the dots.
That's Fenton Crackshell.
Gizmoduck.
"Oh this is my fault." My attention snapped back to Launchpad.
I'd have more time to think about Fenton later. Gosalyn and I had some distressed ducks on our hands. "Every day I wake up and wish that the Darkwing Duck TV show was real, and today that wish came true!"
"Why have dreams when they all turn into nightmares?" Darkwing grabbed Launchpad's shirt and shook him back and forth.
Gosalyn intervened and stepped between them.
"Both of you get ahold of yourselves!"
"Yeah!" I yelled.
"You are the terror that flaps in the night! Come on, act like it!" She socked him across the shoulder, "You can handle these chumps."
"And Launchpad." I said, looking up at him, "It's not your fault. A lot of people have thoughts like that, heck, I've had thoughts like that too." He smiled and nodded. "I think that we often take what we have for granted until we realize what a changed reality would mean. Let's make the most of what we have now."
Launchpad nodded, and we walked to the computer.
Gosalyn had pulled up a video with Bonkers on it. "Gos, remind me to call him later." She nodded as she played the footage. Bonkers wound a jack in the box, and Quackerjack popped out with a bomb in each hand, as Bonkers ran.
"Quackerjack." Darkwing, Launchpad and I said as I grimaced.
"A clown." Gosalyn glossed over, as she pulled up another video of Bushroot in the corner, as Bonkers tried to beat up one of his tendrils. The vine choked him.
"Bushroot." The three of us said.
"A house plant." Gosalyn said, as she pulled up another video of Bonkers holding a cup of water, and the Liquidator coming out of it and punching him in the face.
"Liquidator."
"A cup of water." Gosalyn said, pulling up the last video, in which Bonkers was screwing in a light bulb. He was electrocuted and fell from the ladder, revealing a grimacing Megavolt behind him.
"Megavolt."
"Yikes."
"On second thought, maybe I should call him now." I said quietly, as Gosalyn grabbed my hand and said, "No time!" She walked us to the motorcycle and jumped into the sidecar.
"This'll be easy! All we have to do is kick some villain butt, break into Bulba's heavily fortified lab, reopen a trans dimensional rift, and get my Grandpa back, and Valerie home!" She put her hand on her hip, "We broke into the lab before, we can do it again."
Darkwing put his hand on her shoulder and lifted her out of the vehicle and onto the ground. "This isn't like last time. Bulba's lab is on lockdown."
"He has a point," I said, "We need a plan."
"What are we supposed to do, beat up a supervillain and make him let us in?" Darkwing said sarcastically, as I cracked a small smile.
"Now that's a superhero idea, let's do that." Gosalyn said, pointing in the air.
"I know that this is important, but all this is too 'll get hurt."
"Uh… I can handle myself." Gosalyn said, as I nodded.
"I fell from a 40 foot building two weeks ago. Not sure what could top that." I said, as Darkwing tried to block us from getting into the motorcycle.
"What about Megavolt frying your body." He said as he blocked us from the motorcycle.
"Gosalyn we need a better strategy." I said as she nodded.
"What… strategy?"
"This one!" I nearly shouted, as I started tickling him. "Quick Gos, get in the motorcycle."
"Ahahahaha… No!" Darkwing said between breaths and laughs. "This...is...ahahahaha….serious!"
He then started to attack me with the same strategy and I started laughing and running around the ratcatcher to avoid him. We both were breathless about two minutes later when Gosalyn coughed rather loudly to let us know that we were supposed to be done a long time ago.
We smiled at each other, out of breath.
"Actually, In my experience, children are the most daring adventurers in a family." Launchpad said, walking towards the Ratcatcher. Suddenly, his face lit up, "Oh that's what we need! An adventure family!" All three of us raised an eyebrow at this suggestion.
"Gosalyn, you're the Dewey, Lucky. Darkwing, you're the Launchpad. Valerie, you're the Webby, and I'll be the single most important member of the family: the uncle." He then proceeded to imitate Scrooge's accent, "Bless me bagpipes! Oh, phooey!"
Gosalyn folded her arms. "Sorry, still looking for my real family." I nodded and put my hand on her shoulder, which she proceeded to shrug off. "Don't need a new one."
She turned away from us and I frowned to myself. I guess she needs some time to herself. But she also wants to look for her Grandpa, so that's maybe not something she'll be willing to give herself. I'll ask her about it later.
That was exactly when WANDA spoke. "Supervillian located in the abandoned toy warehouse District. There's… an entire district for that?"
We all looked at each other. "We can fight one supervillian right? " Gosalyn said, looking to Darkwing. "Because we're superheroes right?" Darkwing hung his head, and sighed before looking back up with a smile on his face.
"Okay, then. Let's get Dangerous." He hopped on the motorcycle and we all cheered and hopped onto the vehicle in the same fashion as before, just… without Dewey. Gosh, that's a downer.
"In the safest way possible." Darkwing said, as Gosalyn booed him. Launchpad placed a helmet on her as I tightened my arms around Darkwing's waist.
Launchpad and I cheered as we headed into the night, hopefully to save the day.
I spent a long time debating on that tickling scene, but thought it was cute in the end, so I kept it.
Also, I am really excited for the next chapter.
Scratch that, this one too.
Anyway, I hope you have a great week! Don't forget to drink water, or have a snack.
Please take care of yourselves the best you can.
Thank you again for your kind reviews!
See you next week!