No Matter What It Takes Part One

by KidHeart4

Heart's story with Duke and The Mighty Ducks told in order from beginning to end. Heart starts out without any more than her name left to her, but gains so much from the moment she wakes up on Puck World to find two new brothers. Part One consists of their first year together, going through their earliest adventures on Earth, and forging relationships that could last a lifetime.

1. The Beginning

Heart:

All I remembered was running from something when it appeared. As my feet pounded along the cavern floor I begged to stop running. I wanted a way out. I needed to reach out to someone, anyone! As these thoughts raced through my head I reached out my hand as energy leapt from my fingertips as though clawing open a doorway ahead of me. A portal, or a tear in reality, opened like a door in my previously blocked path. I froze from not knowing what was on the other side. Instinct nearly told me to step away, but the feeling of dread running up my back as my pursuers chased after me gave little option. In desperation I found myself running through the glowing portal, escaping as it quickly closed behind me.

As I stepped through the doorway I looked around at the strange world I now stood on. It appeared to be close to midnight just as it had been back home. It was a bit colder though, with snow covering the sides of the streets and large ice rinks outside. As I walked up to one I found a statue looking down at me with a plaque declaring the name "Drake DuCaine". This possible depicted hero was of a duck-like man with a mask worn over his face. Though none of the inhabitants seemed to be around at such a late hour.

"Where am I?" I wondered aloud, hugging myself to keep from shivering.

I then began to walk around to try and figure out where to go.

Duke:

The cool night air wrapped around me like a blanket as I crept out the window of the apartment. The job had been much too easy this time around, but then again all I had needed really was to get away from things at the moment. A distraction.

I had just climbed down to the street below, tucking the diamond encrusted silver necklace into the pouch on my belt as I walked along the damp and cold sidewalk. Then I ran a hand through my prematuraly white streaked hair in an attempt to stop my racing thoughts. A frustrated sigh escpaed my lungs as I looked around to get my bearings. The storm had come and gone it seemed, leaving slush where there'd been snow. This made the ground unusually slick despite being used to the ice and snow that normally covered it. In the distance I could hear the feint drumming of thunder as the sky attempted to calm itself. Not long ago I'd heard it's roar as lightening flooded the outside air while I remained safe inside on my job. In a way the area around me still sparked with an odd energy.

That's when I saw her. A strange, beakless, girl wandering the streets with little more than a torn up tunic and black trousers with holes in the knees. Her hair was loosely pulled into a ponytail, while her bangs kept falling over her face.

However as I looked over I also noticed someone creeping up to her with a sap in his bulky hand. Before I could call out in warning she turned around to find him looming over her. She tried to back away when a thinner man grabbed her after slinking around his friend to catch her by surprise. She screamed for help to an empty alley way. Yet her cries did not entirely fall upon deaf ears as I found myself approaching them, keeping to the shadows to stay concealed.

"Let her go!" I yelled out.

The two froze as they tried to see where I was. In that moment the girl took the opportunity to elbow her captor in the stomach, slipping out of his grasp as he clutched his abdomen. For a moment I couldn't help but smirk seeing that the girl had more bite to her than she appeared with her small frame. Yet her fighting back was cut short when the lumbering giant from behind reached for her. He grabbed her arm, pulling her back and knocked her to the ground as he struck at the girl with his sap. Upon impact she crumbled to the wet pavement, hitting her head hard as it met with the loose bricks and concrete at their feet.

Before either of them could make another move closer to her I shot my grappling hook out as it wrapped around the bottom of the fire escape across the alley.

"I gave ya both a chance!" I growled as I swung over, kicking the clumbsy giant back and causing him to fall into his partner.

I then stood between them and her, drawing my saber and allowing them to see the gleam of it as it illuminated my frame for a split second, "Back off cretins!"

The two of them scrambled to their feet, "Let's get out of here!"

Once they were out of sight I sheathed my saber and turned to kneel down beside the unconscious girl. Though she lay still I could see she was still breathing. I reached a hand carefully through her hair to feel the warmth of blood staining my glove.

"Hang in there sweetheart," I whispered as I pulled out a cloth from my utility belt.

After I cleaned the blood with what I could I carefully wrapped a bandage around her head. I'd done a check to make sure there were no injuries to her neck or back before moving her through this. Once done I slowly lifted her up into my arms while being careful as I shifted her into my grip. As I held her shivering form I could feel how frail she was. Her featherless pale skin was cool to the touch, but maintained the sign that she was holding on.

"Let's get ya somewhere safe," I said as I carried her out of the alley.

I walked along for a while before coming to what I knew was a safe neighborhood. Between not knowing what she was or whether a doctor would be able to tend to an alien girl, that and knowing for certain I couldn't bring her to one without risking being thrown behind bars, this was my next best option. So finding someone that may be able to take her in to help her recover was all I could think to do at the moment.

This brought me to a mailbox signed Flashblade, then to the doorstep. Being careful to stay in the shadows, I slipped over to the front door as I set her gently on the ground.

I stood up now, knocking on the door as I did. This was repeated until I heard a pair of footsteps approaching from the other side. Before the doorknob turned I had already slid back to the shadows, watching from the side of the house as a young drake opened the door.

"What in the world?!" The white feathered duck exclaimed as he found the girl lying on the ground.

I watched as he looked around, "Is anyone there?! Hello?!"

"What's the matter bro?" I heard a younger voice yawn, "Woah! It's an alien like in my comics!"

The older brother gave a tired glare to his younger brother before he checked over the girl now.

"So what should we do bro? We can't leave her here at the door," the younger brother asked.

"I'm not sure, but you're right about not leaving her here. Help me get her to my room for now and we'll figure something out when she wakes up," the older brother agreed as he began lifting her up with the other's aid.

I felt a sigh of relief escape my throat as they carefully brought her inside. As the door closed behind them I quietly slipped into the night, pausing only a moment to look back once, "I think you'll be safe now sweetheart."

Heart:

My vision was blurred when I opened my eyes. It felt as though my head were filled with rocks as I tried to turn it. My back ached while I tried to sit up.

Where was I? When I tried to recall what had happened nothing came to mind. My head throbbed as I attembted to remember anything. Flashes of shadows, a gold shimmer of light, and then the cold night were all I could find within. So I decided to focus on what was around me instead. As I looked around the room I found a lot of hanging images fastened to the wall and what I could only guess was gear for a game of some sort. Behind the door across from the bed I could hear three voices talking. They grew louder as they drew closer and opened it to reveal three young men not much older than myself.

"Hey she's awake bro!" The one with shoulder length blonde hair exclaimed when he noticed me sitting up.

I froze, unsure of what to say or do in response.

"Try not to move too much, you're probably still pretty sore aren't you?" the older brother, I guessed, told me with a calm and friendly voice.

"Can you tell us who you are, or how you got hurt?" The third one questioned.

I searched my memory to find only shadows, and a few flashing images; that of a statue, an alley, and running through the night.

When I didn't answer the younger of the three took a seat in a chair beside the bed, "Can you remember anything girly-girl?"

I shook my head, holding it together as it pounded, "I'm sorry. I know there was a statue, and I think I was running from something?"

He pondered this for a moment as he grabbed a folded paper in his pocket. Unfolding the slightly torn paper revealed the figure I had seen before, "Was this the statue?"

"Yes!" My eyes widened slightly.

"You just had that on you Nosedive?" The third one laughed a little.

"Hey, you never know when I'll get to teach someone about the greatest duck that ever lived!" He disputed with a casual shrug.

That's when I realized what should have been obvious from the start. They were all ducks! Why had I not reacted in much surprise to this fact? I suppose in a way I was, but at the same time I hadn't jumped or anything. It was more so a slow taking in of what was occuring around me in general.

"But that still doesn't help us learn about her," the older brother retorted patiently.

"Is there at least a name you remember?" The tan feathered drake asked me.

I closed my eyes trying to recall something, anything. Through the mist in my head I thought I heard someone murmur to me..."Hang in there ...heart?"

"Heart..." I echoed, feeling it sound familiar.

"Well, it's a start," the older brother sighed.

"Who are you three?" I asked while looking at each of them as they answered.

"I'm Wildwing," the older brother with white feathers responded.

"I'm Canard," their friend with tan feathers answered.

Wildwing and Canard looked similar, and wore school jerseys with light and dark pants respectively. Their feathered short hair were in similar styles, thought Wildwing's was slicked back with Canard's brushed forward. They were also the same height. One might have thought they were twins.

"And I'm Nosedive, your new best friend, and big bro! I've always wanted a younger sibling!" He assured me while throwing an arm around my shoulders, squeezing me slightly into a hug of sorts.

I winced in pain as my back buckled, but I couldn't help but smile slightly all the same. Nosedive definitely looked like a normal teen with a t-shirt and ripped jeans. His feathers were a soft peach shade. He was just a little bit shorter than his brother and friend, but a little taller than me as well.

"Nosedive you can't just decide things like that!" Wildwing scolded.

"Well she needs someone to look out for her!" Nosedive retorted, "Who better than us? Doctors will just throw her infront of the media, and then what will happen?"

As I watched this debate unfold I couldn't help but find myself giggling a little. The brothers looked at me surprised, and I stifled my laughter quickly with my hands covering my mouth.

"What's so funny?" Nosedive asked.

"I'm so sorry...I don't really know," I admitted as I glanced downward from embarrassment.

Though my memories were locked away, I felt a pang of emptiness spread through me. A feeling of lonelieness echoed in my heart and washed throughout me as I remembered running from something, but couldn't remeber what it was. Vaguely I began to recall quietly, "Someone... grabbed me? I think I tried to fight back...and...?" In the corner of my mind I thought I heard a voice call out, "Let her go!"

I looked up at the three now, "Did you three bring me here?"

They each shook their heads. Then Wildwing explained how they had found me the previous night on their doorstep.

I wondered if the voice I recalled belonged to the one who had saved me, or if I had perhaps simply run away somehow after being injured. Maybe I had run until I had collapsed at their doorstep? Either scenerio seemed possible at the moment.

However I also wasn't sure what to do from this point on either.

Wildwing sighed as he watched me quietly for a moment before offering, "Look if you need a place to stay, I'm sure we can figure something out?"

"Are you sure?" I asked with widening eyes fixed on the three of them.

"Hey, don't worry about it girly-girl!" Nosedive insisted as he sat beside me on the bed and threw a feathered arm over my shoulders and hugged me, "You're our sister now, like I said!"

As an odd warmth ignite within me I found that I couldn't help but smile, "Thank you."

"Welcome home Heart," Wildwing told me as I whipped away the tears brimming my eyes.

"Where are you from?" Nosedive now questioned curiously.

"I...I'm not sure..?" I told them.

"You don't remember much more than your name do you?" Canard quested.

"I...I'm sorry," I said as I rubbed my hand against the gash on my head, "all I remember, is that I was running from something? Then again it could have been a dream?"

"Well, don't you worry any more, because you've got us to look out for you now!" Nosedive assured.

I looked at him with a relieved and tired smile. Despite only knowing them for these brief moments I still believed their words. For once, that I could remember, I felt a sense of being wanted that I couldn't recall from before.

"Thank you," I expressed while Nosedive squeezed me in his hug once more.

Wildwing:

We did agree that bringing her to a doctor wouldn't be wise. I was concerned about my brother getting caught up in some kind of trouble over this. The media would surround our content existance, or scientists would want to study the odd girl that had come to live with us. It was decided we would hide her away in our apartment before bringing her out and about. She needed to heal a bit first anyway, as I would soon find out.

"Here," I said as I brought in some fresh bandages and a wet cloth to clean any blood staining her injuries.

"Thank you," she replied quietly while trying to remove the old ones.

When I saw how rigid her movements were, I ventured a hand out and started to help her, "Let me help? My mother was a nurse, and she showed me some things. With a brother like Dive, she kinda had to," I jested lightly.

"Was?" she caught rather quickly.

I nodded quietly at first, "Yeah...both our folks were in an accident a few years back. It's just been Dive and I ever since."

"I'm sorry..." she offered quietly.

I was never sure how to respond when this was said to me over this. Nothing ever seemed natural. Still, I managed a silent nod of appreciation for the given empathy.

Then I began to wonder, "What about yours? You really don't remember them, or anything from before last night?"

Heart shook her head, and pretty much repeated this with every question I asked. How had she gotten to Puck World? Who had brought her to our doorstep? Where was she from?

"It sounds like you have amnesia," I mentioned, "Which means your memories could come back slowly over time, or you may never get them back at all..."

However, my immediate concern was how weak she appeared to be. Her rather too thin frame seemed to say that she hadn't eaten in months. Her skin tone was far too pale, and her movements were either strictly rigid, or trembling. There was little in between.

"This is crazy," I commented while looking over the back of Heart's head.

There were bruises appearing where she had made the initial impact, as well as decent sized gauges and scrapes from a concrete block she had apparently fallen onto. It was also easy to note how frail the girl was now that I was sitting so close to her for the first time in better lighting.

At this point Heart went to reach for another bandage, when I caught sight of something as her shirt lifted a bit off her stomach. The thin, torn up fabric down over her stomach allowed me to see a deep, darkened scar on her left side just below her ribcage. It were as though something had raked it's claws across her.

"You really were in some trouble weren't you?" I asked with growing concern as I watched her try to cover the scar quickly.

"I'm sorry...I really don't remember... I understand how that sounds, and if you need me to leave!" She insisted shakily.

"You don't need to leave," I told her while shaking my head.

She looked to me with uncertainty in her eyes. I tried to figure out what I could say to convince her better. Nosedive always seemed to have an easier time at things like this than I did. Canard too. I was just used to being a big brother, and...?

I looked to Heart again as I rested a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, as long as you're here, I'm going to make sure no one lays a feather on you, got that?"

"Wildwing?" She breathed in bewilderment as she looked up at me.

"That's what older brothers are supposed to do. They look out for their little brothers," I told her with a growing, reassuring smile, "and their little sisters."

Her eyes widened with surprise before a smile of her own slowly curved her lips. In that small moment, I felt a bond being forged between this strange girl and myself. Though I had no idea what else would change ahead of us, nor did I know how I would handle being her older brother, I had made a promise. So I intended to keep it.

Nosedive:

A few days had passed, and so far Heart had been forced to spend most of them in bed. Her wounds, though not deep, were enough to keep her from moving too much just yet. Though we did give her a tour of the house our parents had left us, as well as her own room. We couldn't offer too much in way of girly furniture or anything, but she didn't seem too much in need of it. Wildwing did promise to at least take her clothes shopping once she had recovered a bit more of her strength. Not only had she hit her head, but the girl was scarily thin when we'd found her, almost malnourished.

"This calls for a feast!" I declared after the third day of watching her walk around with a hand against the wall for support.

"What?" Heart asked as she stepped into the living room.

"Dive, her stomach will revolt if we do something like that," Wildwing warned.

"Well we need to do something, the poor girl's about to fall over!" I insisted as I watched Heart almost do just that.

"We're doing what we can, Dive, just be patient," he assured.

However, I wasn't having it. I marched to the kitchen and began prepping for dinner. Granted it was a bit early, but I was determined it seemed.

"Dive, you can't really cook," Wildwing pointed out.

"Oh yeah, watch me!" I declared as I went about my task in earnest.

I heard Wildwing then say to the featherless girl, "Sorry about this."

"It's fine," I heard her reply rather blankly.

"We need to start finding out what you like, girly-girl! Pasta, pizza, veggie burgers, what?" I questioned from my cooking space.

"I...I'm not really sure?" she said, her voice growing a bit louder as I realized she was approaching the kitchen.

"Well we don't have the makings for pizza, but we can make the other stuff and find out!" I informed her while starting a pot of water.

"There's no stopping him now," Wildwing half chuckled while resting a hand on her shoulder as he came up to the archway entrance, "All we can do is humor him."

"I just wannna help," I insisted.

"I know that, baby brother," Wildwing said while getting out a strainer for the pasta I was prepping.

So I continued my rampage through the kitchen, eventually shooing out my older brother when he tried to warn me not to get too carried away. This left Heart standing in the kitchen with me, looking over some of the fruit on the counter. Among them was something like a starfruit, bright green in color.

"You wanna try it?" I asked her curiously.

"May I?" she requested so politely.

It was then that I began to realize something while looking at her expression. Despite her memories being completely knocked out of her, there was still intrigue behind her eyes. She was not completely blank. If anything, it wasn't the loss of memories holding her back from warming up to us...it was something else? Something I couldn't quite figure out just yet.

"Go ahead, you don't really need to ask," I assured her.

With this confirmation, Heart carefully picked up the fruit and looked it over.

"It's a starfruit," I told her as she practiced how to hold it, "You wanna see why?"

She nodded her head while I gestured for her to bring it to me. When she handed it to me, I brought out a knife and cutting board, and began cutting the fruit up. As I placed the pieces in a line up, I would show her the star shape they made once they were sliced, "See?"

"That's amazing," she said while picking up one, nervously at first, and looked at it a bit little closer.

"Try it," I encouraged as she did just that.

I smiled just as she did when she bit into the sweet, but slightly tart, fruit. She seemed to enjoy it's crisp green skin.

"Now don't eat those when they're yellow. Wing and I argue this, but I think they're way to mushy and sweet when they turn yellow," I warned her while ignoring Wildwing trying to interject.

"I really like it," she said cheerfully while more confidentally taking another slice to eat.

"We found something!" I declared proudly, my voice ringing through the house and making her jump a little.

I winced seeing this, "Sorry, sis."

"It-It's okay," she smiled still.

She would remain in the kitchen with me the whole time I cooked. It seemed she was tired of staying in bed now as well. As I continued making our grand meal, she began her attempts at helping me. Despite my protests, she began helping me cut up more fruit and fresh vegetables.

After another half hour or so, dinner was made. I insisted Heart take a seat between Wildwing and myself, and served up a plate of pasta with a salad and fruit on the side. I also brought over some sparkling grape cider for her to try, as I wasn't sure if I should introduce her to soda just yet.

"It's not as frightening as I thought it would be," Wildwing commented, "Considering the other concoctions you've tried to feed her over the last few days."

"Thanks for the show of confidence," I half grumbled before patting Heart on the shoulder, "Eat up, sis!"

To my relief, she did, and she seemed rather content when doing so. Nor did she get sick as Wildwing had warned me of. In fact, I could have sworn that the meal, and perhaps the company, was bring some color to her pale skin. While we ate we started talking about what places we could bring her to once she'd regained some more of her strength. I was itching to bring her to the mall to show her my stomping grounds. Wildwing seemed eager in teaching her how to skate, which fired us both up to show her the ways of hockey.

"Hockey?" Heart asked when it was brought up.

"You'll love it" I insisted as though we were heading out on the ice that very moment, "We'll finally have a steady fourth to play with!"

"She'll probably have to go to school with us," Wildwing then pointed out.

"Aw, bro, why did you need to bring that up?" I questioned with a bit of a grimace, "Besides, she might even have been done with all that where she's from."

"I don't want to leave her here alone all day," he pointed out, "though it will be hard to explain, but Canard could probably help with that. The teachers and faculty love him."

"Your friend?" Heart inquired.

"Yeah, he was here the other day when you woke up," Wildwing reminded her.

As we were talking, I would catch Heart tilting her head as something outside the window seemed to catch her attention.

"Is something up?" Wildwing asked while turning to look himself.

However, Heart was already getting up and heading for the window. Following right behind her, I had a feeling what she was so entranced by, and went to open the front door for her to see. It didn't seem to register to her that she was wearing a tank top and leggings, both clothing our mother once owned, as she stepped outside to get a better look. Leaving Wildwing scratching his head in bewilderment, I followed her to just outside our doorstep.

She didn't utter a word, as she stood quietly looking up. Yet her eyes said it all as she did. The cold night air made her puffs of breath visible as she unknowingly shivered. However, this didn't seem to bother her much at all. She just folded her arms over her chest as she watched the blanket of clouds that had fallen over the city, or rather what was gently falling from them.

"You've seen snow haven't you?" I asked with a raised brow.

"I...I'm sure I have...but then again...not like this...?" she replied softly.

"Like this?" I asked.

"It's hard to explain," she said quietly while still not turning her gaze from the heavens, and the snowflakes dancing around us.

There it was again, the expression I'd noticed earlier with her. What I'd been picking up on through those first few days. We'd been so focused on getting used to having a girl in the house, that we hadn't taken into account the sort of girl we'd taken in. Despite her head still wrapped in bandages, and her memories fallen away from her; there was an ever going mind inside, the gears ever turning to take in what was going on around her. Her expression was never blank, but there was a touch of wonder in her eyes. There was also a willingness to try whatever was offered to her.

Heart wasn't broken, as some might have considered...she was lost...and not used to others being around her from what we had seen. She wanted to expreience what she could, to find who she was again, or maybe even live better than the person she used to be? Yet she needed some sort of guide to help her find the way to do it, at least to start with.

Watching her a moment longer, I slipped my vest off of me and placed it carefully over her shivering shoulders, making sure it was set firmly in place to keep her warm. Then I placed a hand to the chin of my beak and said just as I decided, "You're my twin."

Heart finally broke away from her enchanted snow trance and looked to me in bewilderment, "What's that?"

"You're my twin," I reaffirmed.

"How am I...?"

"Well if you're our sister, and we seem to be about the same age, that makes you my twin, now doesn't?" I reasoned with her and myself.

"I...I mean..." she stammered while I patted her shoulder, knowing Wildwing was now joining us as he opened the door.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Sure is, just showing my twin sister here her first snow with us!" I confirmed while pulling her into a side hug of sorts, "What do you think, Heart?"

"I..." I noticed her eyes welling up as she finally managed, "It's more than I can ever say...thank you..."

"No problem, sis!" I insisted as Wildwing came over and rustled her loose, short burgundy hair, both of us saying to her, "Welcome home!"

Heart:

So I lived with Wildwing, Nosedive, and by extension, Canard. Each of them becoming fast, dear friends. Together they took care of me as my wounds healed, as well as helped me to regain my strength over time. When I was stable enough to walk they taught me how to skate, as it was the usual past time on their world; or more so part of it. Soon after they taught me how to play hockey, the universal love of their planet it seemed. Dive and Wildwing took me out to get better clothing and other things I would need while living with them.

"I'm sorry we can't offer a whole lot, but we'll do what we can," Wildwing mentioned.

"You've already given more than enough," I assured him.

Though as I stayed with them and explored the city as apart of the group, other ducks began to ask about me here and there. Some would even give me bewildered looks when they passed by us. Others didn't seem to even like me that much, or at the very least were quite unsure about me. Yet as I looked at my three new friends, I saw that they didn't really see the looks of the others, or at least they didn't pay them any mind.

"Guys," I asked on our way home, "Am I trouble for you? Am I causing problems between you and your other friends by staying?"

The three of them turned to me. Each of them held a puzzled look on their faces.

"I don't want to be a burden on all of you," I said honestly.

"You're not any trouble Heart," Wildwing assured me without so much as a blink.

"Yeah, you're our sister now remember?" Nosedive added with a bright smile.

"Are you sure?"

Canard nodded with the two brothers following suit.

Nosedive then walked back to me and threw an arm over my shoulder. Hugging me slightly he said, "Come on girly-girl, no more thinking like that! You're our friend now and we're gonna take care of ya! Got it?"

With a smile breaking through as I looked at the three of them and I nodded my head, "Thanks guys."

Duke:

It had been a month later when I realized I was walking through that same neighborhood. I wasn't sure if it was stress or curiosity, none the less I found myself across the street from that house again. With it being well past midnight I wasn't expecting them to be outside when I walked up close to their home. To avoid being noticed I quickly slipped to the shadows so not to be seen. They were laughing, the two older young men teasing the younger brother. That's when I noticed her again, patting his shoulder as she stifled a soft laugh. Relief I wasn't expecting washed over me from seeing her less frail and pale skinned.

I overheard the younger brother talking about his idol, Drake DuCane, and the older two seemed to be joking around with him. While she just seemed to listen as she supported him. A smile crept over me to see her living a happy life with these new friends.

Yet I couldn't figure out why I was so curious in the first place. Was it because I had saved her and wanted to make sure she had recovered? Maybe, for once, a side of me pushed aside since childhood had gotten to come out and play. As a young drake I had wanted to be a hero rescuing the damsel in distress, rather than a thief stealing from her. Though with her not knowing I guess it was an odd wish to have.

Though as I risked another glance over at them, and looked at her as she hugged her friend I couldn't help but smile still. If at least I knew, perhaps it wasn't such an odd thing after all. As long as she could now enjoy the life she still had I guess it was enough.

With that I slipped away back into the city with some optimism returned to me.

Nosedive:

"Come on sis, we're supposed to meet Wing and Canard at the rink!" I told her while running out of the school.

"Sorry Dive, I'm still figuring my way around," she reminded while meeting up with me outside.

"You've been going to school with us a month now," I mentioned.

"Still," she said with a half hearted shrug.

"What happened?" I asked her point blank.

Heart looked at me a bit puzzled before trying to shy away with a shrug of her shoulders, "Nothing happened?"

I wasn't convinced. Resting a hand on her shoulder I looked her eye to eye. While doing so she winced a bit when my hand grazed a certain spot.

"What happened girly-girl?" I asked her worriedly as I pushed her t-shirt sleeve up to see the light bruising left from an impact with a locker.

"It's nothing Dive," she insisted.

"It's not nothing!" I pushed back with growing aggravation.

She gave a light smile to assure she was okay while I simply shook my head and pulled her along into a half hug with me while we walked, "Come on sis!"

"Dive?" She prompted as we went to the meet up spot.

"What's up girly-girl?" I answered while rustling her hair.

"Why did you guys just adopt me like you did?" Heart asked with unease showing in her eyes and stature, "Why bother living with an alien when you could have sent me to a hospital?"

"If we did that you wouldn't get to be our sister," I told her a bit puzzled.

"But I wasn't born on Puck World, let alone in your family!" She said.

"So what?"

"Doesn't it make you worry not knowing what I may have been running from in the first place?"

"Look sis, the way I see it is that you were in trouble. How could we turn you away?"

She then admitted while glancing away, "Maybe I should have stayed in my own world and dealt with my problems there?"

"Well we don't feel that way, regardless of what I know others are telling you" I assured her, "We took you in because we wanted to. Now we love you like you're one of our own. That's it."

"Dive-"

"Come on sis, Wing and Canard are waiting for us!" I insisted while pulling her along still.

Before she could argue we had met up with them. When Wildwing saw her shoulder he only added to what I had told her already, "Don't worry about the others. Yeah it might be a bit strange, but that's life isn't it?"

Heart could only shrug, "I don't really have enough to go off of to answer that...but I think I get what you're saying?"

Wildwing placed a hand to the chin of his beak while pondering over a response. Then he smiled and asked, "Well, does it feel strange being around us?"

At this Heart quickly shook her head, "Of course not!"

Canard then skated up to her and handed her a hockey stick with a knowing smile over his beak, "Then there you go."

Heart gave a revived smile while accepting the offered stick. Then the four of us began a casual game before it devolved into me skating around with her while Wildwing and Canard practiced. After a bit Heart went to the side and pulled out a sketchbook we'd gotten her and began working on a drawing while we hung out. We both noticed as our older brother gave quite a bit of effort to concentrate on the shots Canard made.

For some reason this sparked the recollection of what we had talked about in school that day. I had been distracted by Heart's dilema that I had completely forgotten how excited I had been over it.

"Drake Ducane!" I suddenly exclaimed while skating around them, startling Heart a bit in the process, "He totally ruled Canard! The Saurian Overlords had conquered everything! I mean it was game over for the whole universe man! Nobody could find him because they had these evil magic powers!"

As I skated by him I swiped the cloth mask off of my older brother and placed it on, "So Drake Ducane events this crazy mask, a goalie mask! That can see through their invisible shield!"

Then I pointed my stick towards them eagerly in a stance ready to fight unseen enemies, "So he hunts down the evil Saurians with the mask right?! He kicks their scaley tail clear into another dimension! And the crowd goes wild!"

With that I swung my stick swiftly, not realizing I was pulling myself off balance. Then with a slip that I couldn't recover from I slid and crashed right onto my back on the ice.

"Dive are you okay?" Heart asked as she skated over and knelt down beside me.

Canard turned to Wildwing, I supposed figuring I was okay, and said in an impressed tone, "Man Wildwing, I couldn't get a single puck past you today!"

Wildwing smiled and then looked over Heart and I, "You want a real hero Nosedive? Then check out Canard," he put a hand on his best friend's shoulder, "He's the best student in school and nobody beats him on the ice! He's a real team captain!"

He then skated up to us as I sat up with Heart resting a hand on my shoulder, "Besides, I've heard all the stories about Drake Ducane's mask Dive, they're just legends!"

"Legends?!" I exclaimed while getting to my feet now, brushing the snow and ice off in the process, and sneered, "Wake up and smell yourself man! We're talking about the coolest, most righteous duck that ever quacked flat out!"

Our older brother put an arm over my shoulder while smiling encouragingly, "Relax baby brother, the Saurian empire vanished centuries ago."

We then started for home with Heart trailing behind us and shaking her head with an amused, but also perplexed expression on her face.

"Well what about Heart then?" I pointed out while glancing at our adopted sister.

"What about Heart?" He asked while they looked to me puzzled.

"Isn't she proof that other dimensions exist?" I questioned.

"Well yeah I guess...but that doesn't mean these legends are real Dive," he tried to tell me.

I however wasn't too convinced, "You're wrong big bro! I know it!"

"Alright Dive!" Wildwing chuckled before turning to Canard to talk with him while we walked home.

Glancing back at Heart I noticed her looking up at the sky above us as it faded into dusk. We could see the first stars beginning to shine down over our small group. For a brief moment she almost looked lost, or unsure of something at the very least. It had been a few weeks since removing her bandages now, but I wondered if her head was hurting as it had her first days with us.

"You alright girly-girl?" I asked her again.

Heart then looked then to each of us, and nodded her head with a smile, "Even if I can't remember what it was, or anything else for that matter, I know I'm happy with you three like this."

"Do you believe me sis?" I asked her curiously.

"Why not?" She replied encouragingly, "I found you three somehow, didn't I?"

With a wide grin curving my beak I half tackled her and pulled her into a hug. While rustling her hair I then pulled her between Wildwing and I as we walked all home together.

Yet as we went along our way I noticed as something seemed to catch Heart's attention.

On the screens of the seven or so televisions in the window display there was a newscaster announcing the disappearance of a few gems at the museum and the possible name that may have been behind the thefts. The name Duke L'Orange caught our attention, but in much different ways. Heart seemed curious, Wildwing shook his head in irritation, Canard listened with some vague intrigue, and I shrugged it off.

"Another heist huh?" Wildwing said, "This guy's really making a name for himself isn't he?"

"You'd think they'd catch him already," I commented as I tried to push Heart forward.

Heart looked to us with a perplexed expression in her gem like eyes.

I then asked, "Do you know what a thief is?"

Heart nodded her head, but didn't say anything. She watched as the screen showed the footage of gems resting in their displays before a skip in the video cut to them simply missing.

"If they ever do catch him, they'll lock him up and throw away the key," Wildwing mentioned still shaking his head, "It really makes you wonder what makes someone turn out that way?"

"Maybe he likes the adventure of it?" Heart wondered aloud without catching herself.

"There's other ways of getting adventure Heart," Wildwing chuckled lightly.

Heart only shrugged in reply before I finally managed to push her along towards home. As we continued on our way we got back to talking about more cheerful topics such as upcoming school games and recently read comics. It seemed that these would be our only concerns for the forseeable future.

Heart:

However I remember waking up to a feeling of dread that fateful morning. The itch in my restless legs told me to start running, but I ignored it. Instead I went to Wildwing for some sort of answer that he couldn't provide.

"It's okay little sis, we're all going to have fun at the ice rink today remember?" He reminded me while rustling my hair.

"Wildwing, I can't help but feel like something's wrong," I attempted only to have him pat my head gently.

Then at the ice park the feeling only grew worse. My nerves jumped, my stomach flipped, and my heart twisted. The three of them tried to reassure me, but to no avail.

Yet even with this gut warning, nothing could have prepared me for what happened.

A hovering sound instantly caught our attention, forcing us to look up as something darted across the sky. What looked like ships soared over headed for the heart of our city. Gasps of horror escaped us one by one as we heard blasts shot out from them, then screams in the distance and nearby followed. The skies above took on a red glow from the fires created by these crimson ships. Wildwing grabbed Nosedive and I quickly to pull us from the exposed position of the ice park, while Canard vanished completely in the chaos, seperated in an attempt to go and help other civilains. Then the hunter drones emerged, lining other ducks up them with blasters trained on them.

One marched up towards our hiding spot. My heart pounded as I gripped the hockey stick in my hands. My knuckles turned white as my grip tightened and the droid blasted a crater for an opening in the building we had run into.

"You are now under the Command of Lord Dragonus Puck Worldians!" The drone announced.

My legs no longer itched, they shook instead as I jumped to my feet. Reacting without thought I swung my stick into it as I yelled, "Wing! Dive! Run!"

"Sis are you crazy?!" Wildwing exclaimed as he lept to his feet.

I hopped back as the blaster of the drone shot out at my feet, "Get in line!"

I don't know what had come over me in that moment. All I could comprehend was that my family was being threatened, my home was destroyed, and I was fighting the urge to run from all of it. I dug my heels in, swung my stick again with what force I had, and caused the drone to be knocked back.

"Run!" I shouted over the crunching metal I had made a dent in.

"Sis look out!" Nosedive yelled as I turned to see several more hunter drones marching towards us.

They all started firing at my feet as well as the make shift weapon in my hands. I deflected one shot before they hit the center of it, causing it to snap in half within my grasp.

"Foolish Puck Worldian! Bow before the Saurians or perish!" It warned as I backed up a bit, dropping both ends of the former hockey stick in the process.

I was about to decline this order when Wildwing stepped up behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder to pull me back, "Don't! I won't lose either of you!"

"That was pretty brave though sis," Nosedive commented as we put our hands up together and were pushed into the forming line.

Just like that, all we knew was torn away from us. All we had left of the life we had were each other. The three of us watched as days turned into weeks and then into months. All the while we clung to the only thing we had, hope and one another.

Duke:

When the invasion began all I remembered was getting my group hidden away for the time being. I ordered a temporary disban to scatter everyone and keep them safe. Meanwhile I made my way to the heart of the city to see what I could find or if there was a way I could help. Even a life of crime couldn't prepare me for what I found. Homes devastated, families pulled apart, our planet ravaged, and my fellow ducks lined up and put to work under the command of the Saurian empire nearly forgotten long ago.

At this something in me shifted into place. A fire began to burn within me as I looked upon my home. My resolve changed in that moment, thus changing my view on things. Over the next few days I would find myself breaking into Dragonus's supply warehouses and stealing back food for my fellow ducks. All my years being the most notorious jewel thief on Puck World had prepared me somehow, though I had never guessed my skills would be needed for this. None the less I used them to help in ways others simply couldn't.

Before long a young commander tracked me down.

"So it seems you've turned into quite the crusader for good, Duke L'Orange?" He asked me after we'd escaped a horde of drones I'd rescued him from.

I nodded, "I won't see my home enslaved by a bunch of lizards."

Canard nodded in understanding before speaking, "Good; but before we start, we have some more teammates to pick up. I'll be in touch once we're ready. For now try to do what you have been and survive. Help those you can and be ready to answer the call."

"Who else is joinin'?" I asked our captain.

"If things go well, a few of Puck World's special forces and a good friend of mine"

It was only now that I realized how vaguely familiar this tan feathered drake was. When I remembered I couldn't help but stiffen in my stance a bit. I masked it quickly by asking, "A friend, ya mean a civilian?"

"What's the matter?"

"What about the other two?" I slipped anyway.

"The other two, but you've never met-Wait." He paused as he looked at me a bit surprised, "We've never met, so how did you know that...?"

I looked at Canard, trying to act as though I didn't know what he was talking about. Though I had feeling a it was too late to hide anything. Giving in I admitted, "I've seen ya around before all of this, just in passin' of course. Though I recall you bein' in a group with some friends, one of them bein' a bit different?"

"You know about Heart then? I plan on asking her to join us too actually," he replied thoughtfully, "I think she may have some abilities tucked away that could help our cause."

"She could get hurt," I pointed out with surprisingly defensive tone.

"Duke, she's shown that she wants to fight. Maybe in doing so she could find some answers along the way."

"Answers?"

"When she woke up the morning we found her she had lost most of her memories."

I winced as I recalled her head hitting the ground, "I was hopin' she'd be okay..."

"What?" he began piecing things together, "Wait...?"

I gave a casual shrug, "No sense in hidin' it now. I'm the one that brought her to your friend's door. When she got here that night some thugs jumped her an' I couldn't reach her in time to keep them from knockin' her out. Her head hittin' the concrete must have been how she lost her memories. I got them away from her an' had to bring her somewhere safe. I figured a quiet neighborhood was that safe bet."

"You took quite a risk that night Duke," Canard gave a smile.

Again I shrugged, "I couldn't turn away from someone in trouble like that. Even then I had a code."

"I see," Canard replied with a hand beneath the chin of his beak, "Even still I'm sure she'd be grateful."

I fell silent at this comment. Though I had saved her, she didn't know I was a thief. If she knew who I was, or what I was like before all of this, she most likely wouldn't see me as a hero like a part of me hoped. She probably wouldn't trust me with anything of the sort. Maybe a part of me didn't want to risk that being true and wanted to keep her at a distance.

"You should at least meet her Duke; but I'm not leaving my friends in that camp either way."

Finally I spoke up,, "I will join this fight, but I want to earn her trust before I tell her anythin'. Send the message out when you're ready friend."

Canard nodded understandingly. Then he headed out to retrieve the other recruits while I went back to work myself.

Heart:

Hope was all that seemed to be left by this point, and even that seemed to be a precious commidity. As we marched along Nosedive questioned as to where the resistance we'd heard about could possibly be. While Wildwing doubted they even existed in the first place. I was in line behind them, quietly listening to them when a pair of hands grabbed and pulled Wildwing into the nearby alley. Dive and I quickly ran in after him, luckily unnoticed. Some relief washed over us as we reached our older brother as he exclaimed with some joy, "Canard! Where've you been all these months?!"

"I'm what's left of the military, in the resistance," he answered.

"The resistance?! You mean it really exists?!" Wildwing questioned in amazement.

"I'm organizing a special team of Puck World's finest, and a few civilians we've had our eyes on; like you! We're gonna take out Dragonus," Canard assured.

"How?! Nobody's ever seen him?" Wildwing scoffed while shoving his hands into his pockets and turning away.

"I found it Wildwing! In an ancient tome in the mountains they call Twin Beaks, the mask, Drake Ducane's mask!" Canard announced as he held up a white hockey mask that shimmered as it caught the light.

"Woah, didn't I tell ya man?! Was Drake DuCane the main duck or what?!" Nosedive exclaimed as he reached for the mask.

"Beat it kid, before you get us all in trouble!" Canard snapped as he pulled it back and returned it to the satchel attached to his belt.

"No!" Wildwing said firmly as he put an arm on Nosedive's shoulder, "If you want me, then my brother's part of the deal! Heart too!"

"Alright," Canard gave in, "but you're responsible for the kid's safety."

Wildwing nodded while turning towards the two of us. Nosedive eagerly punched his fist into the palm of his hand, "Alright bro!"

I didn't know what was ahead of us from this call to action. All I could hold onto was that I was with my brothers at this point. If standing up and fighting was what I needed to do to stay this way, then that's what I would do. With this resolve I followed them through the destroyed streets.

The first member we met was a red headed duck named Mallory. Her feathers were of a soft peach tone similar to Nosedive's. Her battle gear consisted of a pink and violet shaded tights and suit. On her left shoulder was a small pauldron of armor. At her right wrist was an arm brace, on her left hand was a lavender fighting glove. She was an ace in martial arts and had been in the military before the attacks.

When she came up to us she spoke casually until spotting me, "Hey, nice to meet you three...?"

Mallory:

When I noticed the strange girl with them I couldn't help but ask her in half disbelief, "So, you're the alien he was telling me about? You are quite different, and quite small. Are you sure you're ready to fight a war?"

"I will do what it takes to stay with my family," she told me without so much as batting an eyelash.

I raised a brow at this, "It's going to take more than determination; but I lik your spirit I guess."

She gave a nervous smile, "Thanks."

Looking over the three of them though I worried about what Canard was thinking. These three were civilains, not soldiers.

"I suppose beggers can't be choosers," I sighed when looking out over the city again.

"I'll go to with you to gather the others Captain," I informed Canard while walking up to him.

"Sounds good," he replied, "We could use your help if more drones try to track us down."

Heart:

He then began leading us through the war torn main city to a well abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of it. Inside we found a group of hunter drones stacking crates near a conveyor belt. Our group froze and waited as we also took notice of someone making their way up to the top of the wooden boxes in the back, using a grappling hook to pull himself up.

As a group we watched him, while Canard instructed us not to intervene for the moment. Though that didn't stop me from looking up at the shadowed stranger as he unveiled himself. No longer trying to hide himself the drones looked up and began firing at him. Dressed in a burgundy stealth suit with a gold utility belt around his lean waist stood a drake nearly a foot taller than myself. His suit went from his throat and down to his feet that were covered by black boots. He had warm gray feathers, with a premature white streak running through the front of his feathered hair. At the base of his neck was a feathered ponytail. His beak was marked with a chip in the front top left of it. We could also clearly see an eye-patch covering where his right eye would have been, with a red light emitting from beneath it to indicate the cybernetic one he had in it's place.

Then drawing a saber he swooped down, avoiding every shot made at him as he dismantled the drones with ease. I couldn't help but watch with growing curiosity. Canard glanced at me a moment and seemed to take notice of this. Before we knew it the drones were in a heap of scrap metal sputtering with dying energy on the ground. Not paying them much more mind the dark feathered drake made his way to the belt and proclaimed, "This food belongs to the people, not that tyrant Dragonus!"

Canard gave a smile and waved for us to follow him.

"And that's exactly why we want you for our mission," Canard started as the drake turned quickly to see us approaching, "Duke L'Orange."

Taking in the group of us carefully the drake gave a nod in response, "Canard Thunderbeak, it's been a little while hasn't it?"

"I take it you got my message to meet here?" Canard asked.

"I did, ya want me for the resistance as you mentioned once before? I'm a bit surprised ya need my kind of skills," he admitted.

"Are you sure we can trust this guy Canard?" Wildwing asked in quiet disbeliefrom behind me, "Isn't he the most notorious jewel thief on the planet?!"

"Exactly, he can get us in and out of places without a hitch and swipe what we need," Canard answered without any doubt in his voice.

I felt the heart in my chest skip a beat when I looked up at this drake after seeing a glimpse of what he was capable of, and I couldn't help but feel very shy and frozen as he stepped closer.

Duke:

I couldn't help but hear these concerns despite their hushed voices. Though I also was unable to ignore the alien girl despite her not saying a word. Masking the concern that she now knew exactly what I was, I focused on the offer given to me, "Are ya sure ya want me for this?"

"We need all the help we can get, and skills of all sorts," Canard replied, "But the more important question is will you join us in the first place?"

"That's why I'm here," I replied firmly.

Canard gave a smile while pulling a parchment from his satchel to hand to me, "That's what I hoped we'd hear; and in return for your services I have a rather nice offer for you."

While making note that the girl still watched me with curiosity in her eyes, I took the folded paper and opened it to read it over before my remaining eye widened, "This is...?!"

Canard nodded in assurance, "A full pardon for your crimes in return for your aid to save our home...Although I have a feeling you would have done it without that wouldn't you?"

"Of course I would," I answered without a trace of faltering in my tone.

Then I turned towards the strange girl, trying to shake the shock I'd found myself in, and offered politely, "Forgive me sweetheart, I don't believe we introduced ourselves did we?"

She looked to me with a shyness in her eyes as I addressed her. I gave a swift bow with a hand over my heart and the other offered to her, "Duke L'Orange at your service Miss?"

To my genuine surprise she reached out to me in return, allowing me to hold her hand, "It's Heart, Heart Flashblade."

"A lovely name," I said while giving my most charming smile before shifting my hand beneath hers gently and lifting it slightly to brush a swift kiss over her fingers.

Heart:

As he did this I felt another skip in my chest as he looked in time to see me probably blushing, "Was that your first kiss I jus' stole?"

I gave a slight nod in reply. Even without my memories, this I was certain I'd never felt before. Duke smiled still as he stood straight up and looked over me.

Duke:

With the forms tucked into the front slip pocket of my suit I almost couldn't believe the chance given to me. Standing before the very girl I'd secretly saved only added to how surreal everything felt.

However seeing this interaction I noticed Canard's friend having to hold his younger brother back, grabbing the back of his vest, "Easy baby brother!"

"Duke I was hoping you might take Heart to the base marked on the map I gave you with those forms. It would be easier to not travel in such a large group and you can help her prep for the mission?" Canard suggested.

"I'd be happy to escort her," I nodded while looking to a surprised Heart.

"We're not leaving our sister behind with anyone right now!" the blonde drake remarked.

"You need to get used to following orders Nosedive. Besides I wouldn't have recruited Duke if I felt I couldn't trust him," Canard replied firmly.

"We understand that Canard, this is just a bit jarring. We've spent the last few months trying to just stick together and we're splitting up rather suddenly," Wildwing offered more politely to mask his own concerns.

"It won't be for long. Once we gather the others we'll regroup at the base. Just trust me on this one okay Wildwing?" Canard tried to assure his clearly stressed out friend.

"Alright Canard," Wildwing nodded before turning to me with what respect he could muster for an ex-thief.

I looked to the brothers, the younger one of them looking to me with a protective arm around Heart now. The older didn't exactly offer trust to me either. Not that I could blame either of them.

Heart then offered from between them, "Try not to worry so much okay?"

Wildwing realized they didn't have much time to argue on this one. Instead he looked to me and requested calmly, "Don't let anything happen to our sister."

"I'll keep her safe," I assured the brothers before they reluctantly headed out with Canard and left Heart with me.

Wildwing:

We followed Canard through the crumbling city to meet our next few teammates. However along the way I couldn't help but ask with growing concern, "Are you sure that was a good idea leaving her with an outlaw like that?"

"She'll be fine Wildwing. We've had our eyes on Duke for a while now, though that was a task in it of itself, and I know he can be trusted. If I didn't I wouldn't have been able to get him that pardon."

"I feel there's something else you're not telling me...why pull Heart into this at all? Couldn't she stay at the base?" I pondered aloud.

"I have a hunch Heart's not the timid little sister you've grown used to the last few months. Didn't you ever wonder where she got those scars she arrived with? As for having her go with him it's a bit of a test," Canard explained, "I think the two of them would be a good team. He has a natural knack for stealth, and her small size would help her blend in to go unnoticed, making her a good fit with him. If we need to split off for any reason I want to make sure their abilities match or are at least compliment each other."

"What exactly do you think she did before coming to Puck World?!" Nosedive exclaimed, "She could have just been in a bad accident!"

Canard shook his head, "Then why did she know to fight back as she did when the Saurians first arrived? With or without memories she showed us that she has seen battle. She has fought before and I think with training those skills may come back. At the very least she has the same drive we do and that's what matters right now."

I tried to take all of this in. Nosedive was a bit shocked as well to think of our sister in this way. Yet we had been there when Heart had attacked those drones. At the time we'd chalked it up to adrenaline from in the moment. Yet without her memories to confirm or deny this, we realized there was truth to Canard's words.

"In either case, she'll be okay," Canard offered in an attempt to ease my worries, "Ex-thief or not, Duke is a capable fighter that I doubt would let her get hurt while in his care. And I don't know if you noticed, but she seemed a bit impressed by his work back there. "

"Impressed?" I raised a brow in disbelief.

Canard nudged my arm trying to tease me, breaking some of the tension, "You're just acting like any big brother would after seeing his little sister get her first kiss."

"We're in the middle of a war zone Canard," I blinked in disbelief.

Canard glanced at me, "I'm not saying it was the most romantic of timing or location."

Canard watched me shake my head and then offered, "Do you think Heart is the type to sit back and not fight alongside you two? After what you've seen her do over these months, and I don't mean that brief battle she attempted."

At this I gave a knowing smile and sighed, "I suppose you're right."

Duke:

After waiting for the group to head out first I turned to Heart to see her trying to hide how anxious she was becoming. For a moment I wondered if she had been attempting to hide similar concerns of her brothers for the sake of expectation. Again I couldn't really blame her. She knew very well what I had been, despite the pardon still tucked away safely in my shirt front. A piece of paper couldn't erase years of crime behind me now. None the less I acted as though it didn't bother me, I knew I was a changed drake and that's all I needed to know, right?

"Ya ready Heart?" I asked while beginning to take the lead.

She gave a nod and then we headed on our way. Outside from the safety of our hiding spot we could see several hunter drones making their patrols and lining up my fellow ducks. The giant monitors loomed over head that we had to crouch down at points to avoid.

"Great," I muttered dryly beneath my breath.

I glanced at the girl beside me. Though she followed my every step thus far, I noticed her hands balled into shaking fists at her sides as she took in the horrors around us. I couldn't help but share in her discomfort some from seeing my home torn apart. These were streets I'd once grown up on thrown into diseray, shops I'd bought or shoplifted from, ice rinks I'd skated over. It was almost too much for me to take in at times even after these last few months; but I had been able to use this to fuel my resolve.

To try and inspire courage I slowly took her by the hand, hoping to ease her fears at least a little bit. Surprisingly she didn't pull away, instead she glanced up at me a bit startled it seemed.

Heart:

With his offered hand over mine Duke was smiling; but I was too nervous to return the kind gesture. Instead I waited for his next move so I could follow after. Once it was clear we began to slink along the city streets, clinging to the shadows given by broken up buildings.

"Stay close okay?" He instructed quietly.

"Okay," I replied as he took my hand and lead the way again.

When we weren't hearing marching footsteps and blasters going off, it was eerily silent. Everything I had come to know in just a few months had been taken away, and this reality was being shoved into my face instead. With the weight of what I was walking towards looming over I wasn't sure what to think. As these thoughts swirled in my head I couldn't help but jump a bit when I heard sudden shots being fired nearby. Duke had heard them as well and was already pulling me along with him as we ducked into the nearby alley. As he hid away with me Duke shoved me against the shrouded wall and quickly placed both hands at either side of my head, shielding me as he risked a glance around the corner.

"Heart?" Duke asked quietly when my movements grew rigid.

I didn't answer at first, for I was afraid of drawing unwanted attention towards us. Then when the shots grew more distant until they faded completely I released my held breath slowly.

"Ya alright?" he asked again.

"I...I want to fight...I want to save my home..." I told him, "But I'm not sure what I can really do. I...I'm not a fighter...at least..."

My head ached as though trying to remember something critical. My free hand reached up and ran through my hair before gripping my head as I grimaced. Towards the back I could feel the still fairly fresh scars beginning to ache for the first time in weeks. Something about all of this was unbareably familiar, but so different at the same time. Yet I couldn't place why.

"At least...I don't think I am...?" I admitted while looking up at him again.

"Hey, it'll be okay sweetheart," he said encouragingly while resting a hand on my shoulder, "I think ya have more fight in ya than ya realize."

"How so?" I questioned as I began following him again.

"Canard told me how ya stood up to the drones that landed near your brothers," he pointed out with a light chuckle, "Honestly I was kinda surprised to hear this."

"I know I'm small..."

"That's not why at all sweetheart. I was surprised because this isn't your natural home from what I can tell, but ya stood up as though it were?" he told me.

"Wildwing and Nosedive are my brothers, and through them this has become my home," I replied.

"I think that's all the answer ya need Heart," he said while glancing at me with an encouraging smile.

"Thank you," I said while looking up at him a bit stunned.

"No prob, sweetheart. So Canard told me a bit about ya, that when they found ya you'd lost all but your name?"

I gave a nod at this inquiry.

Duke:

"Ya alright?" I asked, picking up on her growing discomfort.

"I'm fine, I just don't remember much about it, other than I was running from something. Somehow I ended up here on Puck World while escaping what ever it was," she told me.

"I'm sorry Heart, we can talk about somethin' else if ya want," I suggested, "So how old are ya? Ya don't look much older than Mallory."

"I'm almost eighteen, "she affirmed, "Somehow Nosedive figured we were about the same age and declared we should be twins shortly after they took me in."

"An' you were on your own before that?"

"It seems so. Again, I don't recall much other than running," she told me.

"Well, now ya don't have to run Heart," I said firmly.

She looked up at me with a confused expression spreading over her as she spoke, "I want to help protect my friends here, I want to fight beside you and my family that I've found here. That's all I really know at this point."

Just then we heard more shots from a distance; but it was close enough to startle Heart as she grabbed a hold of my arm. To my genuine surprise she clung to me while trembling slightly. I wasn't sure of what to say as she did this, and I realized that since heading out together she had not tried to keep her distance from me as I guessed she might have. However I did find myself slowly pulling my arm away rom her before wrapping it around her as I carefully grasped her shoulder.

"It's okay Heart, you're safe with me," I assured her softly.

Heart:

My cheeks were hot from embarrasment; but Duke didn't laugh at me.

"Thank you Duke."

"No problem, sweetheart."

Shortly after that we were at the hideout. Once there Duke quickly got the door open and slipped inside with me going ahead of him as instructed. He then made sure the entrance was securely shut tight. Inside safely we both took a breath of relief. We then found there was plenty of weaponry, armor, and cloth to form into battle gear for the mission ahead.

Duke:

However seeing this brought me to wonder as I looked over at Heart. The weight of what was happening washed over me as I asked with an unknown concern for her, "Are ya sure ya want to do this? Ya don't have to fight this battle that isn't yours?"

She looked to me bewildered by these words, but stating firmly, "It is my battle Duke. These creeps have threatened my brothers. Like I said, born or hatched here or not, I will do what I can to fight back."

I watched her with a bit of surprise as she had said this and then got to work on pulling together supplies to make her own battle gear. Yet I still couldn't help but note how shaky her legs appeared to be for a moment as she tried to focus on this task.

"Then why do ya look like ya want to run sweetheart?" He asked softly.

These words seemed to strike Heart's core, causing her to freeze up. I then wondered about how she'd just told me about her running before, and I could now see she had been ignoring the burning sensation in her legs up until this point. The tension building in her continued, yet she remained standing rigidly with her back to me. She pushed herself to focus on making her gear rather than answering. However I walked up beside her and said, "You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do," Heart stated while glancing up at me, "I don't want to run this time."

She then began to focus on forming the suit in front of her. I couldn't help but watch curiously while she worked. It was now that I realized she'd arranged the burgundy fabric to be a bit like my own suit, but it was possible it hadn't been a conscious decision. Rather she was going with what perhaps she thought was what she should wear. None the less I watched quietly for a bit. However as I did I couldn't help but notice the back of her head where her thick hair of ruby and burgundy shades covered up the scars I knew were there.

"I'm sorry," I slipped without realizing it.

"For what?" Heart asked while looking over her shoulder a bit surprised.

I wanted to tell her. I wanted to admit to being there that night, to being the one to step out and save her life. Yet a wave of regret kept me from doing this as I worried she would blame me, just as I did now, for her lost memories. This guilt tugged me back from her, "For whatever ya went through before. Once this is over I hope you can have the life you an' your brothers had before."

"What about you?" She then asked me while pausing her work and turning to me, "What will you do when this is over?"

Admittedly I hadn't really thought about that. I'd just been given the forms barely an hour ago, and it was something I'd never dreamed could happen with the price on my head. It almost didn't feel real. Then again, neither did any of this at times. Leaning back against the wall with my arms folded smoothly over my chest I mulled this over a bit before saying, "Ya know, I'm not really sure. I've been one thing most of my life..." I then looked to Heart realizing what I'd said.

I then wondered if she was so nervous because I was with her and not her brothers. Why should she be comfortable around me knowing what I was? Even if I had no intention of going back, she had no reason to believe me.

"Ya don't trust me do ya Heart?" I heard myself ask.

Heart looked to me seeming a bit thrown off by this accusation, "I never said I didn't trust you Duke."

"Ya don't have to say it," I answered with growing tension running up my spine.

Why was this bothering me so much? I was used to this wasn't I? I'd only recently decided I'd never go back. However, I also knew that a piece of paper wouldn't convince others. For the rest of my life I would have others watching my every move, waiting for me to slip up or make any step that looked like the wrong one. Knowing this I looked away from Heart with a soured grimace twisting my beak with frustration I couldn't shake.

Yet then Heart attempted in a bewildered tone, "Duke?"

I hadn't seen as she set her gear down and walked over to me, "Duke, I do trust you. Why wouldn't I?"

"Ya know what I was Heart. Why should ya trust me?" I questioned calmly despite my spiking irritation, "Heck your brothers didn't want ya left with me?"

"They're protective, and extra so with everything going on. Even still, I have no reason to doubt you," she said without hesitation as she reached a hand out to rest against my arm.

"This folded piece of paper won't convince most others," I pointed out, masking my surprise to hear these words and feel this compassion from her.

"Even without it you've convinced me," she insisted with a shy smile that I risked looking at her to find.

A slight smile curved my beak as I admitted in genuine surprise, "Thanks Heart; an' no, I don't intend on goin' back to that life. Compared to bein' a hero, rocks an' soft metal just don't really interest me any more. I'd rather protect people with these skills an' have a life to be proud of now."

I then added, "An' I'm sorry...I'm jus' used to others turnin' away or keepin' their distance 'cause of my past."

"At least you have one to remember. Perhaps adventures you're fond of?" she asked with a slight spark of intrigue in her eyes.

I looked to her a bit in awe while wondering, "Is she curious?"

"When this is over...if you want to...would you tell me about some of those adventures? Please?" She confirmed my guess ever so shyly.

For the first time I really noticed how those eyes of hers had a gem like quality to them. They shimmered as sapphires sparking with an energy I'd never seen before. For a brief moment I wondered just what she was, but then decided that this didn't matter much to me. What mattered was that she trusted me. Though I'd made the decision to change, and stay on a clean path from that point on...it still meant so much that one person, knowing exactly what I was before, looked up at me the way she did. Like she knew she could stand beside me as she was and not worry about me slipping something away from her. Taking in her request I couldn't help but smile and say, "If ya like sweetheart."

When she nodded her head with a growing smile I gave soft chuckle. Then she went back to working on her gear and went to change into it.

When Heart came out in a uniform similar to mine I didn't know how to react. It was a burgundy stealth suit as mine was, but her belt, straps, and cuffs were a teal, and her boots shared this shade along with white. She walked over to me a bit nervously in her steps as though realizing what she'd made.

"It just felt like the right fit, I hope that's okay. I figured if I'm supposed to blend in with you or something...I can try something else if it bothers you," she said while scratching the back of her neck nervously.

I shook my head and replied, "It's actually quite flatterin' Heart. If that's what's comfortable don't let me discourage ya in any way."

Then I asked despite knowing her answer in a way, or at least most of it, "Are ya sure ya want to fight Heart?"

She nodded her head, "I want to protect what memories I've made here; finding my new family, and now meeting you...I have to stand and fight back with everyone."

I was a bit stunned when she mentioned me in this. Knowing what I was really hadn't affected her? Her voice was clear and determined. Suddenly I found myself wanting to tell her the truth of how I knew her. A yearning to be a hero stirred in me again, but why? I was already a part of the resistance, I would be fully pardoned. Yet for a moment all of that was just icing on the cake compared to this one girl knowing I had saved life.

"Heart, there's somethin' I want to tell ya," I started as I looked to her with some unease blending in.

She turned to me, "Is everything okay?"

I nodded with a slight smile, "Yeah sweetheart. I jus' wanted to tell ya-"

Suddenly I was cut off from the arrival of our teammates. I found myself standing upright and turning towards the door with Heart to greet them.

"Duke?" She asked from beside me however.

I looked to her briefly, "I'll tell ya when this is all over Heart."

With this answer given she nodded her head, somehow trusting I would keep this word to her.

Heart:

We were then introduced to Tanya and Grin.

Tanya was a scientist with blond hair and pink glasses. Her attire was of a light purple jumpsuit with what she called an omnitool on her right forearm. She also had light peach feathers. She smiled good naturedly with a slight nasally tone, "Welcome to the group I guess!"

"Thank you," I said while shaking her hand.

While Grin was an extremely strong presence of a duck. He stood a full two feet taller than me. He had lighter gray feathers than Duke and a top knot of black hair on his head behind the viser he wore. His attire was of a white tank top and burgundy pants with dark armor shielding his shoulders and arms braces for his wrists. On his left bicep was a tattoo of crossing hockey sticks over a narrow teal triangle. Walking up to him I wasn't sure what to think at first other than how small I suddenly felt. Yet then he offered a hand out to me with a very gentle smile over his strong chinned beak. His hand closed completely around mine as we shook them in greeting. His grip was strong, but careful all the same as he said, "It's nice to meet you young friend, I sense uique vibes coming from you."

"Uh...thank you!" I said appreciatively.

Behind me I could hear Canard approaching Duke with curiosity, "How was the venture here."

"Rather smooth for the most part, we managed to arrive undetected," Duke replied.

"That's what I was hoping to hear," Canard admitted while glancing at me as I looked over to them, "If needed would you say Heart would be a good fit for stealth?"

Duke nodded while resting a hand on his hip casually, "I'd say so. Why do ya ask Canard?"

"Seeing how I'm showing Wildwing the ropes on things I need someone to do the same for Heart. I feel she has untapped skills that need some guidance, I was hoping if needed you could help her with this."

"You're askin' her to be my partner then?"

"If the buddy system is needed," Canard nodded, "Especially with how new this may be to her."

"Why not keep her with her other brother for this?" Duke asked.

"I'm dealing with that as it is in stride," Canard half chuckled, "but if you feel it wouldn't work I can pair her off with someone else I guess."

"I never said it wouldn't work," Duke replied while noticing me watching them, "It's jus' been a while since I've had a partner for anythin', but more importantly how does Heart feel about this?"

I walked over to them, "I don't know what skills Canard expects me to have, but if you both feel I'd be able to help in this way then it's fine by me. I just want to help save our home."

It was now that Nosedive ran up and threw an arm around me excitedly, "This is gonna be so cool sis!"

My twin's enthusiasm couldn't be matched, though I gave a smile all the same. I then glanced at Wildwing to see that he shared in my more nervous attitude as we seemed to be nearing the moment of truth. I tried to pull him close to us to walk along side of him. He gave a forced smile before looking back to Canard leading the way.

Soon we headed out of the hideout, lead underground by Canard. Then ahead of us we looked on in awe to find what was a stealth fighter jet that made our jaws drop upon seeing it, at least for my siblings and I. Then we finished suiting up and were given the rest of our gear. This included a puck launcher that Canard handed me to fasten to a holster slung around my waist. I held it a bit nervously and took a deep breath before setting it in place at my hip.

"I feel a staff may have been a better option for me, it's more like a hockey stick that way," I attempted.

"Unfortunately this is what we've got," he sighed, "Just be careful out there okay?"

I nodded my head while taking another quick breath. Then I glanced over at the others all well prepared; Grin meditating on the floor, Tanya preparing her tools, Mallory looking over her blaster, and Duke leaning smoothly back against the back of the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He glanced up and gave a smile as I stood beside my brothers. I gave a nervous one in return while Nosedive beside me said eagerly, "Awesome gear Canard! We are set for some serious street hockey!"

Wildwing then walked over to Canard as he took the controls and began our ascent from under the crumbling street, "Where'd you get the cool set of wings Canard?"

"It's the last of the military's Aerowing. We managed to hide it when the monitor towers attacked," he explained before pushing a lever forward, "Now, let's give Dragonus a little visit!"

With that we were off soaring through the bleeding sky.

Duke:

Shortly after I noticed how Heart was drumming her fingertips against the surface in front of her seat beside me. While she took another deep breath I carefully reached towards her and closed my hand over hers, "Take it easy, sweetheart. I'll look out for ya."

"Thank you," was her attempt at a reply, but with a very soft voice.

I nodded calmly in response while keeping my head steady over hers a moment longer.

"The monitors are controlled by a master computer at Dragonus's headquarters, that's our target!" Our team captain informed us.

"Yeah, but no one's ever seen Dragonus's headquarters," I commented with a puzzled laugh.

"I have," Canard answered as he placed the mask over his face and activated it, "Now prepare yourselves we're almost there."

"Here?" Mallory questioned, "We're 20 clicks from nowhere!"

"Dragonus's headquarters are masked by an invisible forcefield, a cloack of darkness. and we're about to pass through it!" He answered.

In an instant we pierced the field and before us in the distance was a crimson tower clawing at the skies of Puck World. We all looked on in awe as Wildwing exclaimed, "Dragonus's headqaurters!"

Wildwing:

As we landed I looked to my two younger siblings with a wave of concern washing over me. The weight and reality of what we were doing was rapidly settling on my shoulders. Yet before I could say anything I noticed Heart following after the ex-thief of our group. He rested a hand on her shoulder as he nodded to her. She in turn seemed eager, and unwilling to hear me tell her to stay put. Nosedive, however, as he tried to follow us out was stopped when Canard ordered the ship to be closed.

"Yo, what about me?!" Our brother questioned in alarm.

I gave a chuckle and a shrug, "Be a team player little bro! Someone's gotta stay and guard the ship!"

"I think I just got the short end of the hockey stick!" He exclaimed as the door closed him inside of the Aerowing.

Then before heading in I managed to grab Heart's shoulder as she turned to look at me, "What's the matter big bro?"

"Maybe you should stay with Dive," I attempted, "I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to either of you."

"Wildwing I'll be okay," she told me while regaining some confidence.

I looked over her shoulder to see the others heading towards a side entrance made into the tower by our team thief. Yet I also noticed that our group's rogue had paused once the side door was carved open, noticing we were a bit behind them. While I trusted Canard's decision in bringing him, I wasn't sure how much I liked the idea of her being a partner of his if things went south. Then again just about all of this situation had me on edge.

"Please be careful, no matter what happens okay?" I then asked her.

"Wildwing, it'll be okay. I'm going to stand and fight for our home with all of you, I'm not scared," she tried to assure me.

Then she looked to see him waiting as well. It was only now that I noticed her suit similar to his. Before going in I briefly reflected on what I had asked Canard while going to retrieve Grin and Tanya earlier.

Yet still, since she had arrived she had just been Heart, my little sister. She drew in her sketchbook, skated with us, and stuck around us at all times. So no, none of this had ever come to mind. Though now looking at her preparing to fight I wondered briefly what she had been running from before finding us. What horrors could she have witnessed that had chased her to our world? Looking at her as she turned back to the ex-thief I worried she would have to remember soon and use whatever skills Canard thought she might have to survive once more.

"Just be careful sis, and don't forget your older brother is looking out for you still?" I reminded her quickly, "Don't forget you belong with us."

"How could I?" She asked with an encouraging smile before we followed after the others.

Duke:

Once we were in Dragonus's master tower, I stayed close to Heart. She seemed to have gained more courage, for she wasn't as nervous as she had been before; and I noticed a spark of fire in her eyes.

Soon enough everyone was busy doing what we had come to do; Tanya and Mallory were heading into the master computer's chamber setting a bomb, and Wildwing had been sent to draw out Dragonus. While the rest of us were left waiting behind the doors we had sent Wildwing through in order to help jump the Saurian Overlord when they suddenly slammed shut.

"Well so much for your plan Canard," I commented turning towards our team captain.

"Alright!" A gruff voice mocked from behind us.

I turned quickly on my heel with Canard and Grin to my right and Heart to my left, the latter in which I stepped in front of instinctively as the voice continued, "Let's pluck some duck!"

Three lizardmen then appeared before us. One of orange and brown shades as a large bulky, club tailed brawler, the second a scrawny green chameleon, and the third a wispy wizened mage with a skeletal facial structure.

The mage chuckled menacingly as he conjured up a fireball, "I've got a better idea Siege; let's roast them!"

With that he flung the fireball at us as it grew. The four of us leapt out of the way. Though while we did I pushed Heart down before she was hit, falling on and shielding her.

"Thanks," she said a bit startled as she looked up at me.

"No problem," I assured her, "Ya alright?"

She nodded in a silent reply as I got up while offering a hand to help her stand as well. Afterwards I went to go help the others.

Heart:

While I looked around trying to figure out how to help I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creep up my spine. My hand went to the launcher at my hip, yet I froze.

"Interesting," the mage snickered as smoke began to drift around me.

My eyes darted around the room to find the voice's owner. Something about it chilled my core as I tried to grasp the handle of the puck launcher. Turning to wear I thought I heard the chuckling tone coming from I suddenly heard another mocking laugh from behind me.

"Come out and fight coward!" I snapped as I turned around to find nothing there.

Duke:

Turning around I noticed Heart freezing up as smoke drifted around her. I hurried over to her with my saber drawn.

"Heart?" I asked as I stepped beside her.

"Duke?" She breathed a bit startled to hear me it seemed.

"I told ya I'd look out for ya," I said as I looked around us.

"Are you alright?" I asked when I saw her freezing up still.

She nodded, though she still seemed a bit shaken.

Heart:

Just then the mage appeared behind us out of the drifting smoke. Duke turned to face him, stepping forward with me behind him.

"Care to fight fire with fire?" He snickered as he drew a blade made of flames that went threw Duke's saber and burned a scar across his chest.

"Duke!"

He had his hand over the burn with his head bent down and his teeth clenched in pain. I placed a hand over his while he looked at me in surprise. We then both looked up to find that the Chameleon had joined Wraith, though now as a musclebound lizard. Marching forward towards he and I, they forced us to back up. Duke immediately took a slight step in front of me to my bewilderment, "Duke?"

"I won't let ya get hurt," he assured in a growl of a tone as he faced the two lizards.

Something in my chest stopped for a split second to see Duke react like this. Thief or not I could see a noble nature to him that I couldn't recall seeing in anyone before, memories or not. Then that something in my chest began to pound harder it seemed as I watched him hold his saber up ready to fight back.

Suddenly Grin grabbed a hold of Siege's tail just after he'd knocked down Canard and swung the lizard at the two before us. With a hearty thud they all landed in a heap to the side. Before they could get up the whole tower seemed to shake and the three lizards teleported away after recieving a message from their lord to evacuate.

Duke placed a hand to his chin as he pondered aloud, "I'm thinkin' maybe that was a little too easy."

Canard quickly caught our attention as Grin pried the doors back open, "Forget it, we gotta find Wildwing!"

Instantly we began springing down the narrow hallway before us. When we didn't see Wildwing right away I felt panic setting in. Hurrying through another doorway we found a deep pit with rays at the bottom.

"Wildwing!" Canard exclaimed out as my brother was being pulled down by a floating platform he'd been secured to.

"Wing!" I cried out in fear.

In seconds I looked up as Duke glanced up, fired his grappling hook, and swung down towards Wildwing with his saber drawn. I found myself holding my breath as he cut my brother's bindings and swept him up to swing back up towards us with a triumphant laugh. My breath escaping I smiled at him thankfully just as the tower began to tremble again. Duke had set Wildwing firmly on the ground, but as the building shook he had to balance himself to keep from falling. Without a second thought I reached out and grabbed him by the front of his stealthsuit to pull him from the edge. He looked at me surprised while stabling himself. When I saw he was steady I pulled my hand back, though I couldn't help but see the appreciative smile he was also giving as I did.

Just then Tanya and Mallory came running in behind us, jumping to the floor to avoid a blast behind them.

"In five minutes we're all gonna be toast!" Mallory exclaimed as another blast tore open the wall.

As Canard looked down to the ground he exclaimed in annoyance, "The Aerowing's gone!"

He turned to Wildwing angrily, "That kid brother of yours, he-!"

Before he could finish a bright light nearly blinded us as Nosedive flew the Aerowing towards us and opened it's under hatch as he yelled out, "Yee ha ha! Nosedive to the rescue!"

"Dive!" I cried out with relief while running up and hugging him.

With that we were flying after Dragonus's ship as it took off from the exploding tower. As we did I looked over at Duke for a moment, walking over to him in the commotion. Glancing at Wildwing briefly all I could think to say to the ex-thief was, "Thank you for saving my brother."

Duke gave a smile, "Don't mention it sweetheart."

As we followed them we watched in confusion as a blast was shot out from Dragonus's ship, splitting the sky.

"What in the world is that?!" Wildwing exclaimed.

"His ship seems to be emitting some sort of dimensional gateway," Tanya informed while looking at a scanner at the controls.

"Then we'll follow them!" Wildwing declared before turning to our brother, "Come on baby bro, punch it!"

"Hang on!" Nosedive warned as we flew after the Saurians into the portal.

Duke suddenly grabbed my hand and had me sit in the seat beside us, "Strap in okay?"

I did as I was told as I looked out at the gateway. However just as we were gaining on them something else was released from the ship. Before we could evade it a large electric creature wrapped around the Aerowing, slithering over it tightly.

"Tanya what is that?!" Wildwing demanded.

"Well if I didn't know better I'd say that was an electric magnetic worm!" She exclaimed urgently.

The ship began to shake as the creature tossed and and turned with us within it's vice grip.

"Hey if that thing gets big enough it could swallow the entire ship!" Duke shouted from beside me.

Then he looked to me as I knew the fear I felt was betraying me at hearing this. With a quick sigh he reached over and grasped my shaking hand, squeezing it tightly in an attempt to calm the panic I showed. In seconds that seemed to go on forever I had looked around the ship at my recently made comrades, my brothers, and then finally the drake holding my hand again as I feared for each of them.

"How do we get rid of it?!" Wildwing questioned.

"Well, it has to consume some sort of matter!" Tanya told him.

"We're gonna have to jetisen something!" Wildwing said as he began looking around, tugging on the seats.

"Well like what?!" Tanya questioned, "Everything is bolted down!"

Just as he said this we heard the side door sliding open as a force of wind came blowing through the ship. Wildwing turned just before I did to see Canard standing at the opening.

"Canard!" Wildwing shouted as he ran up to him, "Canard, what are you doing?!"

"You heard Tanya, I'm going to close that thing down!"

"Are you crazy?!" Wildwing exclaimed as Canard removed his mask.

"It's the only way," he said while holding out the mask to his best friend, "Take it Wildwing! Take it-!"

Just as this was being said the electric creature reached up with a tendril, wrapping around Canard's legs to pull him down into it. Wildwing quickly grabbed hold of the mask with Canard still holding onto it.

"Canard!" Wildwing screamed in horror as he tried to pull him back up with Grin anchoring him.

By now Duke and I had both run up as well. I watched speechless as what happened before me occured. Wildwing looked to his best friend, desperately trying to save him, as Canard looked up at him with unshakable confidence, "Take it! You're team captain now!"

With that Canard let go of the mask and was dragged away into the electric creature. With a flash of light he vanished and the creature sluggishly released the ship and drifted away.

Tears swelled in my eyes as I began to cry, not knowing what else to do or what to say to console my brother over our lost leader and his dear friend. Unknowingly I turned amd leaned into the chest of the one closet to me, not realizing it was Duke as he closed the door to the ship. He then looked at me as he carefully held me while I cried, "He sacrificed himself to save us."

"Truly an evolved soul," Grin added solemnly.

Before we had time at all for any of this to settle Nosedive called to us, "Uh guys, those dino-jerks are getting away!"

Tanya looked up and exclaimed, "Oh no, they must have passed through the other side of the gateway!"

I then watched as Wildwing stood up, tucking the mask away into the satchel on his hip and said with determination, "Then that's where we're going!"

"Punch it Nosedive!" Wildwing then ordered as we took off faster.

As we did I pulled away to find Duke had indeed been the one trying to comfort me. Yet I couldn't think of anything to say still as I stepped away to approach my older brother. I rested a hand on Wildwing's shoulder encouragingly just as we traveled through the other end of the portal. With a blast of energy and light we emerged to find broud daylight as the tunnel closed shut behind us.

Mallory looked around as she demanded, "Where's the raptor?!"

Wildwing also glanced over the land we had found and asked, "More to the point, where are we?"