Chapter 55, everybody! And now we get to rewind a bit and see a bit more on how we got here….Also, I want to say I LOVE how stoked everyone is that Grump's back. :D

So as with all my fics, the climax and ending give me grief sometimes because aaaah sitting down and writing it aaaah—I mean I wrote down an outline so I know where to go but STILL. Still got some hot-off-the-presses steam on this chapter but I'm working on it.

Continuing blanket disclaimer: I still have not finished Season Two. We're flying blind, boys. And again, I am still in denial of the end of "Countdown to Catastrophe" don't at me this is how I cope, okay? D: And now Ducktales is over…and real semi-spoilery talk I was NOT expecting this fic to end up canon-compliant to both franchises and yet here we are. :\ Once again, if you are dissatisfied with these shows ending, send all salt to Disney corporate every nastygram they get that represents fifteen people who couldn't be bothered so WRITE TO THEM.

So back to the fic…I can just imagine these HenchCo guys going back to their other jobs after this fic and telling people like Dr. Drakken and Duff Killigan how much better they are than their last job. XD (Also imagining Doctor D giving Shego a dumbfounded look as he pats a sobbing, hugging henchman on the back).

Also, looking up legal jargon for this chapter—yes, probable cause only gets you so far a warrant is more ironclad which is why Cruz was wanting one he doesn't want Sycorax squirming out of this thanks to overpriced lawyers. And yes, probable cause means they have to be at least reasonably sure something sus is going on in there—BUT. As the HenchCo guy says, shooting at a cop gives them free reign to retaliate (kind of like punching a guard in Skyrim).

And I'm sure a few of you might be thinking Spider-Man, which is one reason the judge's name is that—but, Judge Parker was also a judge back in the Wild West days. Said judge was famous for his infamous hanging machine, which could hang several convicts at once. Might be a reason Cruz is going for him.

In other news: Felony Carl! And Mama Cabrera she's here to destroy people and tell the survivors about her son working as an intern for a high-tech company she's so proud. ^v^

And then…knew how Grump got away, went well if he went that way wouldn't he run into….So yes, everyone's favorite hermit makes a comeback. And yes I'm absolutely certain that when Sycorax showed up in Season One Obake did his research that man does nothing by halves.

Angelwings2002, thanks for the review! Ah thank you—and YES! EMOTIONS EVERYWHERE. Grump boy is best boy. :D And oooh, maybe (Fred tells Grump to smash and Grump just gives him his usual deadpan look XD). 'Kase and Gogo are in the same boat and feel each other's pain on the movie quotes. And YES! Yes it will (I've done sketches, can confirm, Honey Lemon wants to adopt). :D

Hexyah, thanks for the review! I love that you love these nerdy dorks. :D And YES! Thought you might like that. :D AND GRUMP—yes he's here to take names let's do it. :D

SilverPhoenix, thanks for the review! *screams with you* YES YES YES YES! Thank you! :D

Big Hero 6 © 2014 Disney

Ducktales © 2017 Disney

The parking lot alarms had not been appreciated, all things considered.

Chris had been snarling under his breath the whole time he was trying to work with the computers—what little he knew of them suggested that whatever he had done had reached some sort of cascade level, that at this point it was eating through more of their code than they could clean out at once. Or maybe it was that other Hamada brat. Either way, they were looking at having to do a full reboot, and he knew she wouldn't be pleased with that.

Mostly because there were some things they needed on complete life support.

Scowl, wondering why they were even bothering at this point—yes, loyalty and all that rot, but still; they were on a roll, this Big Hero group the only real snag in everything—they would chat over wine about future plans, her outlining her grand schemes and him basking in the glow of her fervor—

They really should have killed him when they had the chance.

"Uh, sir—"

"WHAT!?" he barked at the goon—ugh, why did they bother with these goons homegrown was so much better—just look at himself.

"Uh, Morty's on cameras, you might want to come and see this," the goon said, backing up—scowl at him, pull up the cameras himself—

Swore and went to the nearest bank of windows overlooking the parking lot, scowling at the sea of flashing lights beneath them. Muttered darkly as he pulled his phone out.

"This had better be good," she snarled when she answered.

"It isn't," he said, sagging at giving his mistress bad news. "There's a sea of cops outside."

Muted swearing—wait patiently for her to get back on the line.

"Let them in," she said, tone smug. "I've got six little heroes I'm sure they'd love to have."

"I can't—what about the experiments we've already got loose?" he asked.

"Can't you reel them in?"

Ugh now he really had to give her bad news. "I've been trying—something's wrong. I keep getting—ugh—I keep getting his signal."

Dead silence.

"Then get rid of the problem," she said darkly.

Grimace, pocket the phone when she hung up. Much as he'd like to translate that as getting rid of him….

"Okay, new plan," he muttered—turned to the first of the goons, shoved him away. "You—Sublevel Two, there's some canisters there, go get them. As for the rest of you—get them cowering, I don't want them storming in."

"Uh, yeah, no," one of the remaining goons said. "There's policies about engaging with law enforcement—like, you do that and they got the right to come storming in here. Plus unlike kid heroes they're trained to use lethal force and not stop shooting until whoever's dead."

"Oh for the love of—am I to understand you won't be dealing with these people?"

"Not until we have to, no."

"Fine then." Snatch the modified long-barrel gun from them, bash a hole in the window—

The gun used compressed air to fire and functioned much like a paint gun, much quieter than a 'real' gun that fired hot metal via tiny explosions, a sort of poit instead of a bang. But, since what it fired functioned much like a paint gun's payload, it worked. One of the officers slapped a hand to his neck, yelping in pain—

And was shortly causing some proper chaos as the mutation set in.

"There," Chris said, shoving the gun back at the goon. "Now you have to."

Now for the tetchy problem of getting everything working again.

There was something real disturbing about Sycorax at night.

Okay yeah having just driven from where a bunch of Sycorax goons had tried to kidnap Cass and then getting a tip that Big Hero Six was here did nothing to improve the appearance of it, all tall and looming and off by itself. Nor did the lighting—yes, he had seen the interview and knew the green color choice was to visually show how eco-friendly they were; that didn't change the fact that the green looked sickly in the night, cast an unhealthy pallor on everything as they pulled into the driveway, squad cars angling around to block any potential escape—

Cruz scowled as the guy on the motorcycle looked over.

"You," he said, pointing as he got out of the car. "What are you doing here?"

"I was the one who called," the goon named Felony Carl said.

"Uh-huh so usually the whistleblower doesn't hang around after blowing the whistle."

"I'm invested, friends are involved."

"Ugh someone get him in the back of a car," he called, massaging his forehead. "And I know we've got probable clause but how is that warrant coming? I want this airtight."

"Still working on it," one guy called over. "Had to roll Judge Parker out of bed."

"And I don't think me being here is grounds for arrest," Carl pointed out.

"You call yourself Felony Carl," Cruz countered. "Pretty sure that's grounds."

"You'll have to talk to my mom on that one."

"You should get in a car anyway," Officer Cabrera said, patting his arm. "It's procedure to get civilians out of the way before moving in—"

"Ow—hey!" someone barked, prompting them to look.

"What happened?" Cruz called.

"Something bit Jeremy—" one of his officers replied—

Ran screaming when something huge, hairy, and monstrous reared up from where Jeremy used to be standing. Nearby officers scrambled, unholstering their guns, Cruz using language that he was very careful about using in front of Megan—

"You know what," Carl said. "Maybe I will take that backseat."

Cruz ignored him—right now he had the major problem of that being one of his men, once upon a time, that he had to neutralize before he had more than one family to call—

Didn't know how, considering the monster bashed back a whole line of cops and threw a car with the ease with which he'd throw a Styrofoam cup away—yelled to fall back as it roared and leaped for them—

Something else roared in response—

Cruz blinked as something equally huge, hairy, and monstrous tackled the first monster, rolling it before breaking away and rushing it again, both of them fighting like the dogs in that ring he had busted last year.

"Now what?" someone asked.

"We leave that for the SWAT team," he said, turning to glare at the building. "And we're going in—whoever just fired on us gave us plenty of reason to go after them."

The others had been somewhat mistaken in thinking that everyone had been captured during that fight in the woods.

Grump had done his best, had fought with a fury befitting his rage, but knew that he was close to falling, to failing.

He knew he was no good to anyone captured.

And so, with the last of his strength, as the tranquilizers were kicking in and making him stagger, forcing their way past the adrenaline and anger—as the black closed in he turned, ran—

Used the very last of his energy to leap off the cliff and plummet to the raging river below, failing mind reasoning that dead was better than captured.

The impact in the water shocked enough wakefulness back into him to prompt him to surface, gasping—

Wasn't enough to keep him conscious.

Blackness had closed in on him like the water over his head, and he was certain this was it, he was dead—

Dead—dead dead dead like he had died before, when his base had collapsed and the bay had come gushing in—

No—no, couldn't die yet—couldn't—he was needed—people needed him—

Managed to squirm his way out of the rubble, to swim frantically up—up was life—

He wasn't willing to die here.

Body still felt like it was swirling and ebbing, mind adrift—couldn't tell if he was still in the water or not, just that he wasn't breathing in water. Gasp his beak open, thin tongue lolling out—

Spit when it touched sand.

The texture startled him into jerking his head up, shaking it—felt like water was in his ears, felt dizzy….

Laid back down when he realized he was on sand. Maybe he had washed ashore, maybe he was on a sandbar…what he did know was that he needed more time to recover, more time to let the poison…tranquilizers work themselves out of his system…needed to groom his poor matted feathers if he was supposed to fly again….

Trembling from more exertion than he had ever gone through, from desperation—hands and knees sinking in sand before the rest of him collapsed…just…needed a few minutes….

Pawing—pawing that felt like it had purpose, like it was looking for something…did one of the kids get out?...

At least the boy was safe. At least something came out of all this—

Clawed hands seizing him roughly, yanking him up—

"Good, you're alive—saves me the trouble of going in there after you."

Jerk awake, thrashing away from whoever had their grubby paws on him—

Hiss and spit when he realized that whatever had been manhandling him was some big hairy monster, fur and claws and fangs danger-threat-KILL!—

Said monster looked at him blankly before looking at what it had in its clawed hand, looking at the pile next to it—

He blinked when he realized it had been taking the tranquilizer darts out of him.

Snarl at it again when it moved, staggering back further, tail lashing as he mantled his wings—didn't know if this thing would understand if he tried to communicate or not, decided to go with the kids' shorthand of you-stranger-who!?

The monster houghed and chuffed, gesturing with a clawed hand as it tried to communicate—it was vague, like trying to tune into a radio station and only getting snippets amongst the static—looked when it pointed, snarling—

Felt his stomach plummet when he realized that Muirahara Woods was on fire.

Tried to turn, to launch himself back up there—ended up with his paws all tangled, falling to the sand. Probably for the best—he was trying to go in there with no plan, when there was probably nothing to find….

Snap his head around when he felt paws patting him, snarl to make the monster scurry back, hissing weakly—it didn't matter that he couldn't fight back right now, so long as it stopped touching him—

It hissed again, went back to howling angrily at the forest, like its outrage could extinguish those flames. Grump laid back down, sighing, still feeling waterlogged, head not having gotten the memo that they were out of the water….

How. How was the question.

Lift his head again when the monster ceased, bark to get its attention. You find me-how?

Blinked in surprise when it pointed to where several logs had caught on a half-submerged boulder, now clogging up the river.

There he understood, amid the grunts and snarls, more as it dragged its finger along to point at the bank they were on, the pile of darts that those Sycorax goons had kept shooting at him—it had been gratifying, seeing their mounting terror as very few of those needles had buried themselves in him, tangling up in his thick fluff instead—

Shivering reminded him that his thick fluff was now plastered to him, offering as much insulation as it had when they had gotten soaked in that torrential rain…ages ago, it felt like. Last year, as far as he was concerned—so much had happened since then…he had been cold, freezing, until Sashi had gotten the fire going and he had dried out properly—had groomed himself vigorously to keep his mind off of what that chill reminded him of—

Cold, always cold—"complications from the explosion," the quack doctors would say when he had still been bothered with going to them, back when he still had foolish concepts of authority, before he realized it was better to take care of himself—

Cold, a bitter cold—he hadn't expected the water to be that cold—but he had thermally controlled the base so it was warm, to chase away the chill in his bones that sweaters did little for—

Shake his head, snort as he recalled the inane thought he had had when he first woke up—for all this fluff you'd think I'd be warmer. Set to grooming, to getting the sand and wet out—something to do while he waited for those tranquilizers to wear off—

Growl at the monster when it half-pawed at him, looking like it wanted to offer assistance. No, thank you, he could handle himself—

Growl under his breath, ears flat at the bird-kids crawling all over him, getting their grubby paws on him, digging fingers through his fluff STOP THAT—

All of them chirping flock-flight-yes-you, which wasn't accurate—he had no friends, no family, needed no such thing….

Sigh. That wasn't true. He had several someones now and they needed him.

He couldn't keep wasting time here.

Stagger upright, managed to make it a few feet before collapsing again, hissing weakly…glared at the monster holding a tranquilizer dart in front of him and huffing you.

Fine, he snarled weakly, flinching at the paws raking through his fluff….

His brain wobbled back into unconsciousness, into a not-so-peaceful oblivion.

Gasp awake, still seized by a terror of wet, of crushing blackness—

Realized there was a fish in front of his beak, snapped it up and ate it before he could think too much on it.

Definitely thought on it after eating though (and offering an apology for having his moment of silence after the fact)—looked around to see what he both expected and was surprised to see: the hairy monster, sitting by the bank a respectable distance, biting the head off another fish and chewing it while staring back at him, like what?

What indeed.

Struggle back to his feet, not as wobbly this time—the rest could be walked off, it had to be walked off, he had wasted enough time here—a day, maybe, of sleeping off that poison. Started to pad away, stopped at a chuff from the monster that could almost be considered questioning.

Where?

Revenge, he snarled. Turned, pointed his beak to the smoldering forest. Revenge. Thought of the gaggle of bird-people that he had grown to care for. Revenge.

The monster snarled, turning the half-a-fish it was holding into pulp in a clenched fist. Yes.

Blink at it, not quite comprehending—the monster flung the fish pulp away, roared at the ruined woods again, hopping up and down a little and slapping its front paws against the sand as it expressed itself. He maybe got that the woods were its home, that someone (Bessie? Maybe he misheard that) important to it was there, that both had been attacked and it too wanted revenge.

Consider it…he'd probably need a distraction to get in.

Fine, he huffed, turning back and heading to the monolith marring the horizon, flicking his tail as he left. Could feel his feathers standing on end at its presence at his back, forced himself to focus.

It had been a nerve-wracking couple of hours, following the shore with that to his back.

Finally reached their destination, though, climbed up the incline leading to Sycorax, him digging his claws in, almost all of the effects of the tranquilizers gone, his monstrous companion taking to the trees above him—

Reached the woods edging the parking lot, a chain-link fence acting as a barrier—

Blinked in surprise when he registered all the police cars.

The monster huffed questioningly at him, dangling a paw down to tap him—flap a wing irritably, had had to repeat several times the no touching rule—

One of the nearest cops looked over sharply, unholstered his gun and a flashlight, gingerly advancing—

"What is it, Jeremy?" one guy asked.

"Thought I heard something," the first guy said, succeeding in getting the other one in on it. Grump backed up, considering…well he'd need to get over the fence anyway….

Hiss quietly at the monster's huff, clinging tight to the bark as he watched the two cops scan the bases, trying to ascertain if there was anything present…finally gave up and started heading back to the others.

Need distraction, he hissed at the monster, trying to keep his statements as simple as possible. You distract-I go—

Distant crash, a wet smack followed by another, of Jeremy slapping a hand to his neck—

"What is it?" the second guy asked, spinning around.

"Something bit me," Jeremy said—second guy yelled that report across the lot to answer someone else—

Was yelling for a different reason a few seconds later.

Grump stared, horrified, putting two and two together as he watched the poor unfortunate's body restructuring itself—oh good night that looked painful—

Maybe the fuzziness of his memories was his own mind blocking out the pain—

Shake his head—no. No that was highly doubtful.

And this—

Snap his head around at the monster currently sharing air space with him, bark go go go down there help! Watched, impressed, as 'his' monster made the leap from the tree to the other monster, rolling it before flinging it against a police cruiser, screaming and banging on its chest before flexing its claws and screeching at the second one.

As for him—he'd never get a better chance, one where everyone's attention was somewhere else—power out, up, up as high as he could—

Vague, fuzzy—it had not been important to his original to remember this—

But he had, when a new scientifically-oriented company rolled into town, hacked them, getting their layout and looking through all their information. Had lost interest and shelved everything when he realized that their designs were of no use to him.

Until now, when he was circling over the glass ceiling of the foyer, sorting through what little about the place had trickled down to him—saw movement, brightly colored movement—

Folded his wings and dove.

The flat of his head struck first, him falling blindly from having his eyes and nares clamped shut, third eyelid (that had been weird at first, but sadly one got used to these things) fluttering madly at the sensed danger, ears pressed flat—arrowed his head down, flapping his wings, could sense from the air that the space was expansive—

Open his eyes just enough to see what was going on, angle his wings to adjust trajectory, arching his back so all four sharply-tipped paws led—

Slammed into an attacking monster, rolling it as he sunk claws in bit down hard on its neck, shaking back and forth and sawing his beak across its thick hide—kicked free, landed, tossing his head and bellowing—

Gasps from behind, happy shrieking—glanced back to see some of the bird-kids, Tadashi, 'Kase—

Big Hero Six.

Later—with the exception of the bird-kids, everyone seemed too stunned to react, and from the looks of things when these other monsters recovered there'd be more pressing matters to attend to—started at a friendly hough, saw a whale-monster like these others, but looking at him with eagerness—

You help was what he got from its grunting.

Snort, focus on the big problem at hand right now…did grace it with a response.

Someone has to.