Canard flinched and tossed in his sleep. Was he having a nightmare or was it a memory? It was hard to tell, but there he was hovering over a vast unknown landscape with his aura gem glowing fiercely against a shadow of someone who had a rainbow of colors shooting off in different directions as the two struggled for control over what looked like a bag full of the stuff.

"This is not yours to wield!", the shadow declared, "It's mine and mine alone!"

"You don't deserve it!", Canard countered, "I'm not allowing you to use this power for your own evil schemes!"

The two continued to fight and colored gems continued to fly off to who knows where until finally they broke apart.

"You may have caused my discovery to escape me, but I will find them again.", the shadow sneered, "And when I do, your entire race will kneel to me like so many before you."

The shadow warped away and Canard woke to find Wildwing sitting near him.

"Canard, you okay?"

Canard rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry Wing. I just had a nightmare of some kind."

Wildwing put his hand on Canard's shoulder.

"Try and get some rest. It was probably a bad memory you have trouble letting go of."

"Maybe.", Canard answered, "But Dimensional Limbo has places that can make manifestations of your mind including dark parts you don't say out loud."

Wildwing looked a little anxious and Canard could feel he was worried about him. This was common for an aura reader of his stature( Canard's not Wildwing's).

"But it was probably my subconsciousness getting to me.", he said fast, "I'm sure it was nothing like you said it was."

That put Wildwing at ease and he got up and headed for the door.

"Good-night.", he said before leaving.

"See you in the morning Wing.", Canard answered as the door closed.

Canard laid himself back down with his head against the pillow. It felt weird sleeping on a bed to him. After sleeping on rough patches of ground, uneven slopes and even tree limbs, this was like meeting an old friend in what felt like an eternity. He placed a hand over his pendent as it appeared around his neck recalling how he got it. His mind flashed back to the day he landed in Dimensional Limbo. A vast deserted landscape floating in space. The stars in the sky went on forever and as he took his first step, he was floating and something small floated by. As he clutched it, he felt something thriving inside the gem like it was keeping something inside, but what was it?

"Feel it.", a voice whispered in his head, "Let it flow through you."

Was it his inner voice or something else? He didn't know, but he felt like he could trust it. He closed his eyes and focused on what was in his hand. Almost immediately a rush of energy flowed through his hand and straight to his heart. It almost made him think he was going to die, but he didn't. The moment the rush got to his heart, it stilled and when he opened his eyes again, the gem was in the center of the pendent that was around his neck.

"Take this power Thunderbeak.", the voice whispered again, "And use it to defend life."

Canard came back to reality and his pendent vanished away again before he drifted off to sleep again.

The aroma of something burning woke him up early.

"What the heck?!"

He managed to get out of bed and barely made it to the door when he noticed he was only wearing his briefs. After quickly dressing himself in his jeans and his shirt, Canard made his way out the door only to meet Wildwing clearly on his way down the hall.

"What's burning?", Canard asked.

"I think I know.", Wildwing said.

They came into the kitchen to find what could only be described as a disaster. Food stains littered the counter, the blender was going full speed, there seemed to be four different frying pans cooking at the same time and Nosedive was trying to squeeze some oranges into juice.

"Dive?", Wildwing asked.

The young drake turned to see his older brother and Canard standing nearby.

"Making breakfast."

"For the marines?", Canard asked raising an eyebrow.

"No, just trying to cook for myself.", Nosedive answered.

And that was when the stove top burst into flames and the sprinkler system came on followed by complaining from around the area clearly from the other ducks. Wildwing rolled his eyes. Luckily the flames were put out and the stove had short circuited so there was hardly any power going on, but the lights were on and now the base had been soaked.

"You better clean this up or this is the last time I let you near an oven.", Wildwing told Nosedive.

Nosedive sighed clearly showing he was disappointed and sorry for causing such a mess even though he didn't mean to. Canard came over with a book that was surprisingly dry and handed it over.

"Here, maybe this will help."

Nosedive took the book and read the cover.

"101 Easy Recipes for Beginners."

The next few hours were spent cleaning up the base and Nosedive cleaning up the kitchen. By the time they were done, it was close to seven, but everyone else wasn't thrilled on getting an early start. After everyone got dressed, they were settling down.

"Any sign of unnatural activity?", Wildwing asked.

Tanya was at Drake 1 and doing a scan.

"Nothing so far.", she reported.

Nosedive was reading his cookbook and trying to piece together what he could do.

"Thanks for trying to make us breakfast kid.", Duke said as he passed by.

"A worthy effort even though the outcome didn't agree.", Grin added.

Mallory shrugged.

"I can cook better and I'll prove it."

Nosedive closed the book.

"Not if I beat you to it girly-girl."

Both headed towards the kitchen and Wildwing sighed.

"That's my baby bro."

/

Charyus paced as he normally did when he was thinking.

"I know my enchantium is around here.", he muttered, "Sure they act up once in a while, but I need to get the issue out of my scales."

Wraith warped in looking dismal as he normally would.

"I see you are having a hard morning as well.", he said in his usual tone.

"Merely waiting til enchantium spikes up again.", Charyus said calmly.

Then Dragaunus' voice rang over the intercom.

"Charyus, Wraith. Report to the bridge."

Both wizards did so and Dragaunus was in his chair and Siege was manning the control panel.

"You called for us my lord?", Charyus asked.

"We just got a broadcast monitoring a few minutes ago.", Dragaunus said firmly, "Siege, replay it."

Siege did and it showed a hillside with a group of people gathering.

"And just in this morning, the citizens of Anaheim are going to be lending a helping hand with the floral replanting."

Charyus looked deep in thought and then a smile formed.

"You have an idea I assume?", Dragaunus asked.

"I do and I know something that could make a lot of trouble.", Charyus said.

Chameleon came into the bridge and happened to overhear.

"Is this going to be some kind of plant that goes crazy? Cause Siege and I took-"

"I know.", Charyus said cutting Chameleon off, "But this one will be different and be so effective, the ducks will be too tied up to intervene with our collecting of enchantium."

Dragaunus looked impressed.

"Make sure it is.", he said coldly, "Or I'll scorch your scales."

"Noted.", Charyus answered plainly.

/

"Tell me again why Phil talked us into doing this.", Canard asked.

"It's for our public image and the proceeds will be donated.", Duke answered.

The ducks had arrived at the planting site and were set up with a table where they could sign autographs and meet fans. Canard was met up with several newscasters who were asking questions left and right.

"Mr. Canard, is it true you came from another dimension just a few days ago?"

"Are you aware that these mysterious creatures might be from the place you once lived in?"

"What made you pass the role of team captain to Wildwing when you have leader qualities yourself?"

"Alright people, break it up!"

Klegghorn came through and got in front of the cameras.

"Give the guy a break! He's just getting settled in and he'll answer your questions that you'll all submit in writing. Thank you and have a nice day."

As the news crews split, Canard gave Klegghorn a smile.

"Thanks."

"No problem.", Klegghorn answered, "Phil already gives you enough to deal with. Least I can do is lighten up your popularity so it's not such a big deal or anything."

As the ducks met fans and took photos, Canard felt something. Enchantium was acting up, but where was it? Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a faint glow from the ground and a small stump came up out of the ground fast. Nobody seemed to notice anything until large trees began sprouting at such a rate, that Canard and Wildwing both knew that it was enchantium at work and that it got them away from doing publicity for a bit. After changing into battle gear, the trees that were sprouting, grew large branches with flowers along each base.

"Ducks, it looks like Nature is going berserk!", Nosedive screamed.

Canard's eyes narrowed.

"This is enchantium alright, but it's inside that growing forest."

Nobody was getting hurt or in any danger til thick vines grew out of the ground covering most of the area.

"Now what?", Mallory asked, "This isn't like that Alterian Creeper again is it?"

Canard looked confused.

"Isn't that the plant that almost devoured you after Dragaunus shot down that Watchers ship that one time?"

Wildwing nodded.

"They thought it was us, but they changed their minds after some convincing. But it looks like this isn't what the trees like."

The ducks noticed that the vines and trees seemed to be colliding with each other almost like fighting for control.

"We need to find that enchantium and the core of those vines.", Wildwing said as he started scanning with the mask, "The core is about a mile in that direction. Nosedive, Grin and I will go after it. Canard, you take Tanya and Mallory and see if you can find the enchantium. Duke, we need some way to block off the plant's growth."

"I'm on it.", Duke answered.

Canard made his way through the trees with Tanya and Mallory following.

"Feel anything?", Mallory asked.

"No.", Canard answered, "It's trying to hide.

As they made their way further, heavy fire came at them and they noticed Chameleon and Siege nearby.

"Of course you had a hand in this.", Canard sneered.

"And you should keep your beaks to yourselves.", Chameleon countered as he and Siege continued firing. As it hit a tree, Canard smiled.

"Oh this enchantium isn't going to like that?"

Before the lizards could counter again, thick roots grew out of the ground and entangled them both while crushing the blasters they had.

"Time to go.", Siege said as he and Chameleon telported away. Canard's smile didn't phase.

"Don't mess with mother nature.", he said before feeling around, "Tanya, it's right to your left a few feet."

They turned to see a glowing emerald surrounded by branches, Mallory went to get it, but Canard held her back.

"Let Wildwing and his team get to the vine's core first. If we cut off the trees, the vines grow unchecked."

Just then, their coms beeped.

"We found the core and Duke's smoke is choking it.", Wildwing called, "Did you find the enchantium."

"You bet.", Canard answered, "Take out the core."

Tanya had made her way to the vines and instead of using her omnitool, she merely pushed the branches aside gently. As if to allow her to take it, the emerald shimmered and the trees began to vanish while the vines withered and turned brown before dropping dead on the earth. Tanya turned around to reveal she had a pendent and the emerald at the center. Wildwing's team came in from the air due to Wildwing invoking his Flight spell.

"Tanya got to keep it?", he asked noticing Tanya's pendent.

Canard nodded.

"Yep, looks like the Nature gem got it's owner."

"So Tanya makes trees grow?", Mallory asked.

"Not just that.", Tanya answered, "But Nature revolves around all plants and shrubs."

Her pendent glowed and thick roots sprouted ready to flail and then went back into the earth. Canard sighed.

"Well, we best get back to make sure Phil doesn't throw a fit about us deliberately backing out of our fan meet."

Back at the Pond, the ducks were still pulling thorns and leaves off their gear.

"Man, I've almost been eaten by a salad twice since that one episode from last season.", Nosedive complained(breaking the fourth wall as usual).

"Relax baby bro.", Wildwing said placing a hand on his shoulder, "We're just lucky nature was against itself and not us for once."

Tanya was at three flower pots full of soil practicing her new magic. One pot grew a bouquet of flowers, one grew a tomato plant, and one sprouted a sapling of a tree. Canard came over to the pots and looked impressed.

"Good thinking on using Duke's Smoke spell to cut off the oxygen intake. It really helped."

Nosedive looked wondering.

"So, when do I get my first spell?"

Canard rolled his eyes smiling.

"Enchantium comes in all kinds of magic kid. You'll find your match soon enough."

Nosedive looked a little disappointed, but then reconsidered.

"Hey boobies!", Phil called in as he waltzed in, "You just made the cover of Gardening magazine!"

"Is there anything you don't go for Phil?", Mallory asked, "We got tangled with nature, went through a field of out of control plants, and all you're thinking about is the magazine cover?"

"Don't mind him.", Wildwing said calmly to her, "It's just the way Phil is."

"Hey, I'm a lawyer who is trying to make due with what he has.", Phil said before his phone rang and he walked off obviously with a client.

As he did, the ducks got a call on their coms.

"You ducks okay?", Klegghorn asked when they answered.

"We're cool.", Grin answered.

"What's up cappie?", Nosedive asked.

"Well, you ducks made headlines with that battle with nature and the press still want an interview with Canard for the late news."

"We appreciate the help Klegghorn.", Wildwing said, "And thanks for getting the press off Canard back in the park."

"Hey, just doing my job.", Klegghorn said with a hint of blushing in his voice, "Keep up the good work. Press should arrive in a few minutes and I'm right alongside them."

/

Charyus was clearly not showing signs of being phased, but Dragaunus was another story.

"They...destroyed the plant?!", he sneered.

"Right before they...got the...enchantium.", Chameleon flinched.

Charyus rolled his eyes as Dragaunus blasted one of his drones before starting on him.

"You told me that it would be effective.", he sneered, "I'm starting to doubt your-"

Charyus waved his claws and Dragaunus froze again.

"I told you when we first met that nobody doubts me.", Charyus said firmly before turning to Siege and Chameleon, "I trust you both warped away the moment the spell turned on you?"

"Siege hit the tree and it went crazy.", Chameleon tattled.

"You little fink!", Siege leered as he prepared to swat Chameleon.

That was when they both got blasted and hurried out of the room.

"Imbeciles!", Charyus screamed, "I'm surrounded by imbeciles!"