BRAWN opened the doors and hung up a couple wreaths as the Aerowings flew in. As the teams got out, he met their faces with a friendly smile.
"Hey ducks, how was the mission?"
Wildwing rubbed his shoulder which was patched.
"We had a few run ins with those lost cities.", he admitted.
Nosedive spat out some black gunk that was sliding into his mouth from his hair looking disgusted.
"Why did I think clobbering that oversized blackhead was a good idea?", he grumbled, "I'll be showering for a week to get this out."
"Well that's what you get for fighting without a plan.", Mallory countered.
Grin looked around.
"My inner peace feels like the holidays are around the corner."
Derek and Rosie looked alarmed.
"Day of DuCaine is around the corner and we're not ready yet?!"
That got both teams into hyper drive as they got prepared to decorate the Pond. While that was going on, Drake materialized nearby and looked confused.
"What in Heaven's name is going on out here?", he asked, "An invasion? A saurian attack? Spike in instability?"
Wildwing looked Drake's way and smiled.
"Nah, we're just a little behind on Day of DuCaine."
Drake looked more confused.
"There's a holiday...named..after me?!", he asked in shock before looking more calm, "I've been inside my mask longer than I probably should have."
Julia saw Drake out and got excited.
"Having the legend himself on the day named after him?!"
Everyone paused and saw Drake.
"The legend himself celebrating with us on the most wonderful time of the year?!", Benny asked getting completely worked up, "This is the best Day of DuCaine of my life!"
Drake blushed.
"Well flattered as I am, I'm kind of new about this whole thing."
"He's right.", Canard answered, "We made this holiday after his time."
At that moment, Drake 1 went off and Quasleet's face came up.
"Everything okay over there?", he asked.
"We're a bit behind on decorating.", Duke admitted, "How are things back home?"
"Everyone's getting ready to celebrate.", Buzz reported, "You guys mind if Doc and I visit?"
"Not at all.", Wildwing said smiling, "The more the merrier."
Then the screen split to reveal Borg.
"Hello my friends. The four cities made it back okay albeit a little distorted, but the civilians are okay. Thanks for all your help."
"Our pleasure.", Clyde answered, "Hey, are you, V'Lara, and Bibo available for the holidays?"
Borg looked a bit curious.
"Well we've been testing dimensional travel that works temporarily, so we might be able to visit if that's what you're entailing."
/
Draco felt a bit weird as Geoff got the group into a flight back to the Imperial City.
"Why are we going back again?", Draco asked.
"Frazzak is celebrating a gathering at the palace and requested the places we've visited so far to attend it.", Gerazi reminded, "It helps keep our peace if we're not all distant from each other."
Darcel said nothing, but the look on his face said he was still a bit miffed about what happened between him and Geoff. Harzep observed around them as the spell kept them afloat.
Are we there yet?", Draco asked.
"We get there when we get there.", Geoff said plainly, "Seriously do people not learn manners these days?"
Darcel growled in a low tone.
"Easy there muscles.", Geoff said without bothering to turn around, "I'm merely implying that saurians these days are not being properly taught like the old days."
"Maybe you should've been born five thousand years ago.", Darcel shot back.
Harzep could feel the tensions rising and felt he should interfere, but then the city appeared on the horizon.
"Finally.", Darcel muttered as Geoff set them at the palace gates, "The sooner I get off this crate, the sooner I can chill."
Geoff rolled his eyes.
"Anger is certainly a trait on that side of the tree."
Darcel shot Geoff a cold glare before heading off towards the now opening gates and the others following.
"I'm going to ignore you."
"Wouldn't be the first time you did.", Geoff thought to himself.
As they got to the top, Frazzak was there.
"Welcome back my trusted ambassadors.", he said before noticing Geoff, "Who's the new guy?"
Harzep cleared his throat.
"He's-"
"Our means of transportation.", Darcel snapped cutting Harzep off, "Drux refused to led aid before Charyus showed up and almost stole a spell to wipe us out."
Frazzak looked Darcel's way annoyed.
"It is rude to interrupt."
Darcel huffed, but didn't look any calmer.
/
Back with the ducks, Drake observed as the teams got the Pond decorated. He took a stroll when a memory crossed his mind.
"Drake, are you sure this is okay?"
Drake turned and inside one of the darkened halls, he saw himself wearing his mask with a band of rebels surrounding him.
"Zeral will have that thing operational in a matter of minutes.", Drake's double said firmly, "We can't let that happen!"
"Drake?"
Drake snapped out of his daze and saw Wildwing nearby helping Grin and Mallory get the statue of him in place.
"You okay?", Wildwing asked looking a bit concerned.
Drake sighed.
"Yeah, just...had a moment.", he admitted, "Guess I'm still carrying some baggage since I...you know."
Wildwing nodded.
"I get ya."
Nosedive happened to be crossing paths and looked curious.
"What's with Drake?", he asked.
"He had a moment.", Wildwing told him, "He probably has a bit of regret getting to him."
Nosedive didn't look so sure.
"If Drake has issues about the time he died to give us our freedom from Zeral's forces then-"
Drake instantly looked alarmed then depressed.
"You celebrate...my death?", he asked looking like he was about to start crying.
Nosedive instantly saw he made a mistake.
"Not like that.", he said trying to sound sincere, "I ment...you were the best team leader in history and we commend your valiant leadership and...inspiration?"
Nosedive and Wildwing could both see that this wasn't helping Drake out and it wasn't long before he broke down, fell to his knees and with tears flowing down his face. The other ducks paused to come over to see what was up.
"What's the matter?", Thrash asked, "Everyone thinks Drake is great."
Canard could feel the weight of Drake's emotions through his aura and knelt down beside him.
"Hey, it's okay.", he said calmly, "We honor your efforts that day and we continue to do so to show we care and respect you."
Drake looked up with tears still streaming, but he was paying attention.
"You're more than a player."
Drake saw his old rebellion members take the place of the ducks smiling.
"We see a fighter."
"A friend."
"Someone who listens."
"One who doesn't give up."
"An encourager when one feels alone."
"A protector."
"A family."
Drake then recalled that last moment he saw them. The time he fell into the blast Zeral fired before he vanished into Dimensional Limbo. As Drake's mask fell from his face, he saw the looks on their faces only they didn't look shocked like before. They all looked determined and all gave a salute before he flashed back to where he was now.
"Did Drake have another moment?", Julia asked.
Morphy came over shifting into a box of tissues which Drake took and used one to blow his nostrils. He then wiped his eyes and looked up trying to smile.
"They honored me...because they care about me."
Wildwing and Canard helped him to his feet as Morpha shifted back into it's dog form. Drake looked at the faces around him and his smile grew bolder.
"Sorry I was like that.", he said apologetically.
"Drake, there's nothing to forgive.", Wildwing said smiling back.
And in less than a minute, the whole bunch was gathered into a huge group hug. Drake felt a lot better when they parted. By then, Borg, V'Lara, and Bibo showed up with several escorts.
"Everything alright?", Borg asked.
The ducks parted as Drake met the visitors still smiling.
"Nope. Everything's just fine now."
/
By the time Draco had gotten inside the palace, the place was decked out. Large lanterns were hung from the ceiling and the garden being the centerpiece of the whole thing was a nice touch. Around the area, the rulers of the kingdoms Draco visited were there. Pox and several of his assassin/bodyguards including Jerai with Rubyx and Laryx on another side making the place more winter like.
"What?", Rubyx asked as she adjusted the fur lining of her collar, "I'm just getting into the proper mood."
Pox looked insulted.
"Just keep your ice and snow on your side of the room and I'll keep my venomous plants from infecting you."
At that moment, Xarik and Kira came in with their escort.
"Please, we're at a time of gathering.", Xarik said trying to calm the tension, "Shouldn't we celebrate the reason we're here?"
Pox and Rubyx settled, but their eyes were still shooting daggers in the others direction. Soon, a set of mages from Drux warped in and the arch mage leading the group looked bored.
"Archmage Snark of Drux.", Frazzak said taking his place in the room.
Snark looked around with the same bored expression.
"The kingdom of the north and the southwest jungles and southeast sea gathered with two leaders about to declare war if they so much as cross the side of the room they're on. How droll and childish."
Now both Pox and Rubyx looked his way annoyed.
"Good to know your kind still keep to themselves.", Pox said sharply.
Draco stepped forward.
"Knock it off!", he yelled.
The room went silent instantly, but Draco continued.
"We are in the middle of a gathering celebrating the grandest event since Zeral's fall and you're all fighting like he's still in control! What happened to the people I met on my travels?! Where was the hospitality and unions we made?! Do any of you even care that Frazzak is trying to repair the damage Zeral and his kind has wrought?!"
Draco paused to observe the leaders looking both surprised and turn to each other apologetically. Frazzak and Xarik however looked impressed.
"Well played cousin.", Xarik said smiling.
Kira said nothing, but the amused smile told Draco he made an impact on her.
/
Theo observed both sides through the open book in his hands and looked to the Christmas tree near his bookshelf and decorations around his fireplace.
"So the legend puts to rest some ghosts of his past life and Draco shows nerve at the biggest gathering of the year."
He looked back to the book to see Drake getting into the festivities and Draco speaking in front of all the leaders with his guardians including Geoff looking impressed.
"Nice to know that the most wonderful holiday on each side can relax after all I put them through, but I have a job as...well entities like me have to do."
The book levitated off his fingers allowing him to stand up from his lounge chair near the fireplace and look out into Dimensional Limbo.
"Another year and another chapter. Must I remind myself?", he wondered as he turned to a familiar set of books on his shelf, "Still, I do what I can and get into the celebration in my own unique way."
He then saw the book showing Drake returning to the mask and Draco waving good-bye to the leaders heading out.
"Happy holidays mi amigos.", he said giving a wave knowing the pages would return to what they were before the story began, "I'll be seeing you."