"Hold on, you want me to do what?"

"Scrooge wants one of us to go to this dinner invite to prove that the people he hires aren't recluses who can't understand the concept of morals or social values. I'm ordering you to go since I'm too busy with building blueprints that could allow ducks being introduced to nanite technology capable of self-growth. That and I hate people."

"But-but-but-but…!"

"End of the argument!"

Everything started out so normal today how did it come to this? Apparently Scrooge McDuck had been recently slandered and critically questioned on his payroll. Wanting confirmation about his employee's sanity and work conditions, Mr. McDuck was convinced in throwing together a semi-formal gathering for his workers just to prove the public that all was well. Gyro had already confronted his employer and shared his complaints, and thus leaving with the condition that someone from his division had to participate. Fenton just so happened to be waking by to begin working.

"Look, I only need one guy to go so that we can get it over with. Just sit there and eat for an hour or two then leave, you can come back and work or you can even go home. I don't care! As long as you promise to go then you don't even have to work today!"

"Why me?"

"Because my only other options are a walking lightbulb or Manny."

"So why not Manny? He hasn't had a day off yet."

Gyro gave me a look.

"Fine, fine, I'll go. But I'll be returning afterwards to work!"

"I'll hold you up to that."

So that's how I ended up leaving work early, patrolling as Gizmoduck to make up my schedule, and having my Mama help dress me up for the evening. Mama ended up overdressing me and I was starting to get itchy around the collar. This was fine though, in a few minutes I can eat and in an hour and a half I can leave. I'll have to be careful around the lab with the rented suit but the lab coat should take care of that.

I don't quite understand why Mr. McDuck would insist on hosting a dinner party of all things. My best guess would be to assume that it would promote dialogue, giving out the air of normality for the newscasters. Unfortunately, I was still rather new to the McDuck industries, and I kept close to the labs. I couldn't recognize anyone around me. I had arrived fifteen minutes after and most ducks had already gathered in groups and started conversations. Oh, I'm as much of a hopeless case as Gyro. How could I properly be a good representative if I hardly knew anyone?

"Fenton? It was Fenton right?" said a voice from behind me.

I turned around.

"Mr. Crackshell-Cabrera?"

It was Henna Mallard. She looked absolutely breathtaking in her dress. She even had her hair down this time around, smooth silk landing gracefully around her shoulder blades. She didn't need it but the make-up she placed somehow made her almost unearthly beautiful.

"Si, mi Bonita."

"See me what?"

BLATHERING BLATHERSKITE, KEEP IT TOGETHER! I shook my head, hoping to clear my head.

"See? You?! Bwah…Br-Why? Here? Why here? Why are you here? –ahem- You work here?" I hoped my face remained passive, because I'm internally wringing my own neck.

"Oh! No, I don't work here. Launchpad invited me over for dinner. Something about 'dressing in semi-casual' and 'engaging with other parties of varying divisions.'"

"Ah…?"

"Yeah, took a bit but I managed to have him read the invite over the phone."

"Ah. Wait, so, you still came over? Even after knowing this was planned for the employees?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, Launchpad and I were planning on meeting up soon. I also figured this would be a great chance to meet Mrs. Beakly! So I came over as Launchpad's 'plus one,' but I was running late, I had to reschedule something, I didn't know what to wear."

"You look good." You look great- gah! Snap out of it Fenton!

"Really? I know I overdid it tonight. I was worried that I'd look too out of place. I recently bought this and I didn't even know if I was going to keep it –I found it on sale- so I thought, 'Hey, why not try it out here and see if I like it then!' Then I would ask Launchpad, maybe Mrs. Beakly too, about it."

She grazed her fingers next to the dress strap, "I was scared that the cut wouldn't work with my shoulders so I went out and got a shawl I thought would fit." Miss Mallard held up one end of the sheer strip of fabric that hugged her upper arms.

I honestly have no clue where these doubts of hers were coming from. The blue of the dress was so dark it looked violet, bringing out her own cerulean orbs and further highlighting the white of her feathers. She didn't have a single drop of gold or silver on her yet she looked liked the world's greatest treasure.

Henna continued talking; I wasn't paying too much attention until the end.

"May I join your table?"

I blinked.

"With me?!"

She chuckled. "If it isn't any trouble. I've been looking for Launchpad since I arrived but I have yet to find him. Since I was only invited here by a friend I'd feel awkward sitting with people I didn't know."

"Mmm! Yes! Yes maim Miss Mallard! We shall sit together and eat! Yes. Food to eat is good and fine and excellent for dinner!"

Shut up and find a table. Shut up and find a table.

After finding a table, a small, private space off to the side, we started to talk. I was a nervous wreck, sputtering nonsense in order to waste enough time for our menus to arrive. Henna never laughed though, she smiled and grinned and answered my inane questions genuinely. Soon enough we started to actually talk.

It was a simple chat, but she seemed interested in hearing about my job, my theories, and co-workers. Likewise, I was invested in taking in her own interests, no matter how small. It was small talk, but it was comfortable. We continued talking after we ordered, went on after our food arrived, we continued on still and debated on getting dessert. To my surprise, when she was talking bout her time spent in Duckburg, Gizmoduck was hardly mentioned. Miss Mallard mentioned the hero briefly when bringing up Mark Beaks and his viral stunts, but never once told him about meeting the hero.

Course, he only knew due to being there, but the point still stands.

It baffled me. Gizmoduck had gained superstar status seemingly overnight. Nobody could go by their days without stumbling across some news about the hero. People had made blogs about him, posting every theory, newsletters, mentions, and gratitude that hundreds of people could see. He roamed the streets , he's been on television, Launchpad even knew bout him! However he feels about his alter ego at times, he can't help but wonder about her opinion of him. Though small in numbers, there were people who still doubt about the legitimacy on his so-called acts of kindness. Mainly, those few are the ones who doubt that Gizmoduck was actually a duck underneath the armor, a fair point given that he has been questioned on the matter from time to time.

What if Henna doesn't see Gizmo as a hero? What if she thinks he's a threat? Something that wasn't even a living being, something that needs to be scrapped or shelved away? What if she admires him? She was a fan of a "Darkwing," who sounded enough like a hero… What if she –

What if she's trying to pull a Gondra?