Hi, Themusicmaniac here!

I know it's a little late, but I lost track of time a bit... 21st birthday and all lol;)

I hope you all are doing well, and goodness gracious, I will say this again, there are so many of you! Wow! I am amazed by how much support this story has gotten and I appreciate your reviews and favorites so much! Thank you!

SciFiGirl253: Thanks! Just wait to see what I have this week!

I hope you all have an amazing week. Don't forget to take breath every once in a while, take care of yourself, and drink some water.

As we drove up the abandoned alleyway, I couldn't help but shiver. I knew it wasn't because of the coldness of the night, or because of the wind that was whipping around my feathers. It was because I was nervous for what was coming next.

We all knew that an abandoned toy warehouse meant that Quackerjack was there. We followed the signal until we arrived at a wooden building with a gigantic crank on the outside with a sign that read "Cranky Frank's."

"That name sounds...weird." I said, as Gosalyn nodded.

"Didn't age well, I guess." Darkwing said, as we headed inside.

There were no lights inside the building, but we found our way to a catwalk as we found our target: Quackerjack.

He was winding up toys and laughing to himself. "Soon, this city will be my playground."

"Quackerjack, Darkwing's most dangerous toy based villain."

"Isn't he the only toy based villain?" I asked.

"What about Paddywack?" Darkwing said, putting a hand on his chin...bill…

"Was he really toy based though?" I asked, as Gosalyn interrupted.

"Can we have this conversation later?" We both nodded, as she said, "Let's go beat him up and force him to get us into Bulba's lab." Darkwing reached out and stopped her from running down the ramp that led onto the floor, and said,

"Woah, woah, woah, we can't just run in there." He turned to Launchpad, "What's your read on the situation?"

"Well, Uncle Launchpad thought everyone might be hungry, so I packed snacks."

"Oooh, can I have one?" I whispered, as Launchpad handed me one, and Darkwing continued,

"I mean, what should we do about Quackerjack?" I noticed Gosalyn unzip her jacket and jump onto the platform.

"This setup reminds me of a Darkwing episode." I ran after her, as the two started to sing the song. I mean, I would too, but that's a bit too early in the episode to recall the actual situation. I also didn't want Gosalyn to be alone here. This place… it gave me the creeps.

I looked upon all the toys in front of me as I saw Gosalyn walk into the middle of the floor and pick up a familiar face.

"Mr. Banana brain!" I said, as she jumped. "Sorry. It's just… That's the toy Quackerjack carried around with him in the show. Mr. Banana Brain."

"He carried this around with him?" She handed me the toy.

"Yep. Talked to him too." I held the toy in front of my face. "Isn't that right Mr. Banana Brain?"

"That's right." I heard a mocking voice come out of nowhere, and I nearly dropped the toy. "You're the first person that's ever wanted to play with my toys."

I clutched Mr. Banana Brain to my chest and tried to find Quackerjack, but it was just too dark. I stayed close to Gosalyn, attempting to shield her just in case the clown tried anything funny.

"That means so much to me." A laugh echoed through the building as I took a timid step backwards.

"This is creepy." Gosalyn remarked, as I nodded back at her.

We started to find our way back to Darkwing and Launchpad, searching through the toys. Quackerjack's laughter echoed through the warehouse. We needed to abandon ship. Or at least group together.

"Gosalyn! Valerie!" I heard Darkwing call, as we ran towards the sound of his voice.

"Darkwing!" Gosalyn yelled, as I pushed a gigantic doll out of the way.

We turned the corner and I ran into a jack in the box.

"IT'S PLAYTIME!" I let out a small scream as I turned around to see Quackerjack directly behind me.

"Hi!" I said nervously, "What are you doing here?"

"Ohohohohohooo! I was just going to ask for my toy back." Quackerjack held out his hand.

"Oh this?" I said nervously as I put Mr. Banana Brain in his hand.

"Mr. Banana Brain!" Quackerjack said, hugging the toy to his chest. "I hope she treated you well." He held the toy to his ear. "What? You like her? Why, I do too!" I felt the blood drain from my face as I looked for an exit. Quackerjack is… unstable. Any move I make can be taken the wrong way.

"As much as I hate to break up this lovely conversation, we have to go." Gosalyn said as she took my hand.

"But we weren't done yet!" Quackerjack complained, taking my other hand. My eyes widened as I tried to pull my hand out of his. "I was going to ask her if she'd like to play."

"Uh…" I said, as Gosalyn pulled, and Quackerjack pulled in response. I was at the center of a huge game of tug of war. "I-"

"It'll be so… much… fun!" He tugged me out of Gosalyn's hands, and started running through the forest of toys.

"Wait! Gosalyn!" I yelled, as I tried to pull away. He ran towards a gigantic robot, pushed me through the side door. I tripped over the ledge and fell on my face as he closed the hatch, locked it, and jumped into a chair with the controls.

"This'll be so much fun!" He pressed a button as the machine whirred to life. "Watch this!"

I fell on my rear as the robot stood up, and barged it's way out of the building. "Woah!"

"Neat, isn't it!" Quakerjack laughed as he operated the controls.

I weighed my options. I could try and take the controls from him. I doubt that would work, and if he had any of his malicious toys, on him, which I'm sure he did, I knew that it would mean trouble.

I could stay here. Eventually that would lead me to Bulba, which would mean… capture. That… I was so tired of that, I didn't want another go at capture.

I could tell him I wanted out. That won't go well either. In Toys Czar Us, that nearly got Gosalyn, Honker and Tank killed.

I needed to be smarter than that.

"Say, what does this do?"

"Oh, that?" Quackerjack asked, "That just releases the laughing gas. Here, give it a try!"

"Oh, no thanks. Laughing Gas isn't… my thing." I faltered, staring at the button.

"You aren't playing with me are you?" Quackerjack gave me a skeptical look.

"Uh… no! Of course not!"

"Good. Because I let my friends deal with people who betray me." He pulled out a sizable toy soldier with a grimacing face. Then his face suddenly changed, almost as if he made a realization. "Oh, how rude of me! What's your name?"

"Valerie." I said, looking out at the city, and spotting Darkwing, Launchpad and Gosalyn on the Ratcatcher.

"There he is!" Quakerjack said, propelling the robot forward.

"Oof." I stumbled again, catching myself at the control panel.

"IT'S PLAYTIME!" He laughed as he chased them towards the highway. I nearly yelled as he started lobbying cannons at them.

I walked up to the door we came in. A large valve operated it, and there was an emergency "Stop" button, but… there was no way I could reach that unnoticed.

"Valerie, you really gotta try this!" Quackerjack said, as he fire another cannonball at Darkwing and the others.

"I can't." I said, as I put my hand on the valve.

"What?" Quackerjack asked, his countenance darkening.

"I… can't." I said firmly. "Those people you're shooting are the only people who have been true to their word in this dimension. They've been loyal and kind. They've taken me in and helped me in so many ways. I can't attack them. I'm…" I took a deep breath as I faced the door. "I'm leaving."

I heard Quackerjack step towards me as I turned back to him.

"You're that one girl, aren't you?" I stepped back towards the door, and the button.

"What?" I asked.

"The one Bulba's looking for." He gave me a twisted smile. "You're the one that escaped."

I put my hand behind my back and started to unzip my backpack.

"That changes things." He reached forwards and grabbed my free wrist."We've got to head back to the lab." I felt my heel hit the wall, as I started to panic.

"NO!" I yelled, hitting the emergency stop button and pulling out my acorn launcher.

I hit him in the face and he yelled out in pain.

"Ah!" He quickly recovered and started pulling out some toys as I heaved the door open. The wind whipped at my feathers and I could feel the distance between the robot and the ground.

"GET HER!" I turned to see some gigantic pairs of toy teeth coming towards me. I shot at them with my acorn launcher, but it wasn't enough. I kicked a pair as another bit at my shirt and pulled me back. I tugged the other way, putting more tension on the shirt. Quackerjack came over and pulled the teeth from my shirt. I kicked him in the stomach and he bent over as I ran to the door.

"Val!" I heard Gosalyn yell.

"You need to jump!" Darkwing yelled.

"WHAT?" I screeched. "ARE YOU CRAZY!"

"Don't worry, we'll catch you!" Launchpad said, holding his arms out.

I looked back and saw Quackerjack standing up and coming my way.

Creepy clown or almost death, creepy clown or almost death, creepy clown or…

Do I trust them?

This wasn't about Quackerjack. It never was. It's about how much I trust the three ducks below.

I saw Darkwing's concern, Gosalyn's glassy eyes, Launchpad's outstretched arms and I made my decision.

I closed my eyes and jumped.

I felt the air whip around me as my weightless form almost floated in the air. I looked up to see Quackerjack's dark grimace stare at me as I fell. I didn't even have time to brace for what was below.

"DW!"

"On it!"

My breath was knocked out of me as I hit Launchpad and felt the air around me yet again. I was still moving. I opened my eyes.

He caught me! I was alive! I clung to Launchpad as Darkwing propelled us into a small alcove under a bridge. After a few seconds of safety, I let go of Launchpad, unable to control the shaking that had spread to every part of my body.

"Are you okay Val?" Darkwing asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

It took me a few seconds to gain my bearings.

"...yeah." I said quietly. "I… think so."

Gosalyn pulled me into a hug as Quackerjack looked for us under the bridge. After a few seconds he went away, presumably to wreak havoc on other parts of the city.

"Thank you." I said, pulling away from Gosalyn. "I trust you guys."

"Well, you'd have to. You fell nearly…"

Gosalyn elbowed him and he trailed off.

"I think everyone's getting a little dehydrated. I'm adding orange slices to the uncle list." Launchpad took out a pad and paper and started writing on it as I got on the seat behind Darkwing.

"We missed our chance to get Bulba." Gosalyn groaned.

"What were we gonna do? Fight that thing? I mean what kind of fantasy are you living in?"

"One where I just fell from a 60 foot robot with a villian from another dimension asking me to join him?" I deadpanned.

Darkwing glared at me.

"She's got a point." Launchpad said, as I opened and started to munch on a granola bar.

Suddenly gigantic waves flooded the intersection down the street. A single figure emerged from the front of the waves.

"Make money from home by having your home destroyed! Ask me how!" He jumped back into the waves.

"Ooooooo its Liquidator!" Gosalyn jumped out of the vehicle with her crossbow. "Come on!" She ran down the street towards the Liquidator, as Darkwing propelled the motorcycle in the same direction. Launchpad picked up Gosalyn and set her in the sidecar in front of him.

I love this chapter for many reasons, the top one being Valerie's development.

The second being Quackerjack. He may be crazy, but he just needs a friend.

I guess he does commit crimes with Megavolt, so they should team up later.

Just a thought.

Anyway, I hope you get some good rest this week.

See ya next week!