Phil was still looking pretty stressed as the ducks drove closer to Anaheim.
"I can't go out there looking like this. I'm a lawyer and manager of this team not a player."
Wildwing rolled his eyes.
"I told you Phil, we have no idea how this happened."
Mallory's expression hardened.
"You got to be kidding me. This has got Charyus' name all over it."
Phil didn't look assured.
"So why did I get zapped? People are going to think I'm crazy when I tell them what happened."
Canard looked deep in thought.
"Maybe it was a drawback. Somehow, I don't know how, the spell that made us human turned and did the reverse."
Thrash and Mookie looked interested.
"But the gem vanished.", Mookie stated clearly, "We never heard it break."
Thrash looked admiringly at his new feathers not looking the least bit concerned.
"I don't know dudes, I kind of like this new look."
Phil was beside himself.
"If you two want to be ducks, I'm okay with it.", he said still stressed, "But I would rather be human and in my office."
"Trying to make a fast buck with us as the main event for promotional gimmicks as usual.", Duke sighed.
Morpha curled up at Nosedive's feet while Grin remained in his meditative posture.
"Accept what the universe provides you and find whatever comfort there may be in your position."
Phil, Thrash and Mookie looked confused.
"He's saying you should just accept what you have and make the best of it.", Canard cleared up.
"Okay, first our season starts off like it normally does, then it becomes a musical and now there's drama. What's next?", Nosedive wondered(breaking the fourth wall again).
Thrash and Mookie looked at each other and shrugged obviously taking Grin's advice. Phil however only seemed to get more worked up. As Anaheim came into view, Phil tried puling himself together and after a bit of further thinking, face brightened.
"Hey, I can use this as part of the team's fame!"
Wildwing smiled.
"That's the Phil I know."
/
Charyus stirred his cauldron's contents quite firmly.
"Ducks prevail over this, ducks prevail over that. I'm quite tired of ducks prevailing.", he muttered to himself, "Last set up almost worked, but Chroma's summoning wore off too soon for me to get things in order. This time, I will prevail over my feathered foes."
"You keep thinking that and you'll only make trouble for yourself."
Charyus turned to see Wraith nearby.
"I observed to outcome of your last spell and noticed that three more ducks are in the mix."
"A simple drawback.", Charyus said calmly as he was regaining his posture, "Had I not overreacted on that roof, those birds would have fallen."
Wraith didn't look convinced.
"And what makes you think this spell will work?"
"Because unlike that hot head we're supposed to follow, I learn from my mistakes.", Charyus answered, "At least my new Change spell was effective and after Chroma went back into the Caverns of Time, I had him do a little digging and find out what's missing from my spells."
Wraith raised an eyebrow.
"You actually trust this entity?"
"I make due with what I got.", Charyus stated.
The cauldron's contents frothed and a sphere lifted from the bubbling mass and formed a glass ball that fortune tellers would use. It was clear for a second and then it showed a world that looked ruined and a massive chunk of it was missing exposing a glowing core. Charyus' expression lit up.
"Of course. The final ingredient I was lacking was right there."
"And what would that be?"
Wraith and Charyus turned to see Dragaunus step in looking pretty concerned. The moment Dragaunus saw what the sphere was showing, his expression darkened further.
"Why is this showing the saurian home world?", he asked coldly.
Charyus kept his stature and nerve.
"I just discovered the one ingredient from my spells that makes it permanent my lord."
"And how are you going to get it when-", Dragaunus started to say and then paused and then looked thoughtful, "And how are you going to get back when what you're looking for is on the other side of the universe?"
Charyus' smile got bigger.
"Like I tell so many my lord, never underestimate me."
/
The Migrator pulled into the Pond's parking lot and as everyone filed out, Wildwing noticed that the place seemed quiet and nobody was around. Phil however took a more dramatic approach.
"Oh man, not again."
"Relax Phil, this is real this time.", Canard said calmly.
They made their way inside only to be welcomed by Klegghorn who came over.
"Hey ducks, nice to see-"
He paused when he noticed the three new ducks.
"What the heck happened to them?", he asked Wildwing.
"An evil saurian turned us into ducks.", Thrash answered, "Mook and I really dig it, but Phil is still getting used to it."
Klegghorn sighed.
"Great. Well, on the flip side, it's good to have you birds back."
"So how have things been since we left?", Nosedive asked.
"The usual.", Klegghorn answered, "Common thefts, ordinary brawls, and one or two crime scenes in between."
He noticed Grin carrying the Stanley Cup trophy and smiled.
"Hey, saw the game and I got to admit, you really pulled it off."
Thrash and Mookie then looked surprised.
"Oh yeah, we should get going.", Mookie stated, "We closed up shop before we left and we need to take a break."
Thrash nodded.
"Thanks for the trip Dive."
"See you at the shop duded.", Nosedive called after them as they left.
Klegghorn raised an eyebrow.
"Don't you think the public is going to be a little shocked when word gets out about this?", he asked.
Wildwing shrugged.
"Hey, we can't let that get us down.", Phil said clearly in a better mood, "Besides, I already have ideas."
The ducks rolled their eyes.
"On how to exploit this and make a quick buck.", they all said in unification.
Morpha then sniffed Klegghorn's shoes and the officer couldn't help but notice.
"Um, when did you birds get a pet?"
/
Thrash and Mookie got back to Captain Comics store and Thrash was about to use the key to unlock the door only to find it was already unlocked and they both noticed someone was dusting off the shelves. He looked like your average middle age man except he wore torn at the knee dark gray pants, sandals, and a dark blue shirt while sporting black hair that lay smoothly across his head.
"Um, sir?", Mookie asked as she and Thrash entered to find the place spotlessly clean and organized, "Why are you here?"
"You were out for the week.", the stranger answered, "I filled in for both of you."
Thrash looked surprised.
"Funny I don't recall hiring you."
The stranger by now had finished dusting and turned around to reveal he wore glasses over dark gray eyes.
"Nice look. I have to say you two have taste."
Thrash and Mookie wanted to ask how he got inside when they locked up last week, but then they overlooked it.
"Who are you?", Thrash asked.
"Me?", the stranger answered, "Someone who is familiar with you little "alteration". I admit that I did not see that change coming when Charyus cast that spell."
Now Thrash and Mookie got curious.
"Hold up, how do you know what happened the other day if you were not there?", Mookie asked.
"Oh I was there.", the stranger answered, "Just as I was there when I told Wildwing that he'd free Canard by his own hand. Although I did interfere on that one."
Thrash and Mookie were getting a little unnerved. Something was off with this stranger, but what was it? He seemed to have read their minds by the way he looked at them.
"This change isn't permanent. It'll wear off in a couple hours. Of course, I could remedy that."
Thrash and Mookie looked surprised.
"How did you know what we were thinking?", Mookie asked.
"Quite simple.", the stranger answered, "Your body language gave it away and I'm a good guesser."
The two ducks gulped and faced each other.
"Dude, who the heck is this guy?", Thrash asked.
They turned to see the stranger had changed into that of an anthropomorphic black Labrador wearing only the torn gray pants, but now had glowing markings across his body and shimmering eyes.
"Like I said, I'm someone familiar with your "alteration" and can make this change permanent if you choose."
Thrash and Mookie were more than a little surprised, but then they didn't know if this entity was friend or foe. The Lab smiled and raised an eyebrow.
"So ducks, do we have a deal?"
"What's the catch?", Mookie asked.
"No catch.", the Lab answered, "Any friend of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim is a friend of mine."
/
Charyus warped onto the charred and lifeless surface of the planet and looked around.
"Oh, there's no place like home.", he chuckled.
He had come here from the Gateway Generator and told the other side to give him a couple hours before opening another portal to bring him back. He flew over to the edge that billowed smoke and noxious fumes that would be toxic to most, but Charyus was not just anybody.
"The centuries have not been kind."
At that moment, the ground shook, but Charyus seemed to know what was coming up cause a colossal stone head emerged from the smoke high above followed by enormous stone claws that could crush entire buses.
"Why hast thou returned?", the head asked in a voice that could rival thunder.
"To extract an item of extreme importance.", Charyus answered, "One that is needed to raise the Saurian Empire once again."
The head's expression darkened.
"Such word you have gave before. One that cost this planet to be brought to the verge of death. What you seek will not be taken lest you sentence all on this world to an early end."
Charyus held his nerve.
"Guardian, I understand your concern, but with what I can do-"
"You toil with power that is beyond you.", the head interrupted, "The wound must heal before what can be taken can do so."
Charyus sighed heavily. He knew the thing wasn't going to change it's mind, but then an idea came to mind.
"Of course the wound must heal.", he said giving a calm smile, "Although Earth has suffered more than here."
The head's expression darkened further.
"Your flattery and chagrin have no sway here. The wound must be tended and you have no authority or power here."
The head retreated back into the smoke and Charyus felt the earth quake as the Guardian descended back into the chasm. Charyus turned to see a portal open nearby and before he entered, he turned back to the chasm with a sour expression.
"Thanks for nothing."
/
The Ducks filed into the main room where Drake 1 still stood. Although the place was dusty, the ducks were right at home.
"Great to see you again.", Tanya said in Drake 1's direction.
"My inner peace rejoices at being back with it's familiar atmosphere.", Grin put in.
"Man, it's good to be back.", Nosedive commented.
Wildwing and Canard both smiled.
"Well, we can't just sit around while the place gathers dust.", Wildwing said, "Let's get to cleaning."
The team split into groups with Wildwing, Canard and Duke cleaning one area, Grin, Mallory and Tanya on another with Nosedive to clean with Morpha. Morpha sniffed around a little bit and then it sneezed.
"Bless you.", Nosedive said.
The amoeba turned orange as it extended multiple tendrils to handle many different things at once. It took a while, but soon the base was spic and span. The ducks collapsed onto the couch all tuckered out besides Grin who just got into a meditative pose and remained there.
"Well, that took a good amount of time.", Duke said wiping his brow.
"Yeah, it's too bad we didn't use our enchantium to help.", Nosedive put in.
"Don't get attached to it.", Canard warned, "We may have power, but if not used carefully, it can and will eventually consume the one who wields it."
"I agree.", Mallory added, "At times I almost felt like the Sword spell was using me and not the other way around."
"And that's why we practice.", Wildwing said calmly, "So that we know the limits of what we can do."
Canard smiled at Wildwing.
"Yep, You certainly proved you were leader material."
Wildwing had a brief flashback to when Canard had enlisted him to help reclaim their home world. He wanted Nosedive out of it, but Wildwing insisted.
"Okay, but you're responsible for the kid's safety."
Canard's words echoed in his mind as the memory faded to the times he led in Canard's place. Recalling it all made him feel more at ease. At that moment, Phil came into the room from the elevator and the ducks noticed he regained his human form.
"Hey ducks, you won't believe what I booked for you."
The ducks(excluding Grin) sighed as they all rolled their eyes.
/
Charyus tapped his claws against his arm deep in thought.
"Okay, so the retrieval was a bust. Still at least I know it's still there."
"What's still there?", Chameleon asked.
"When I forged the enchantium spell Prophecy, I extracted a portion of the world's molten core which I hardened into diamond unlike any in the universe.", Charyus explained, "Unfortunately there was a drawback."
"And that was that you caused the Saurian race to abandon their home fearing that it would explode."
Charyus turned to see Wraith standing nearby.
"What stopped you from extracting another portion?", Wraith asked.
"The Guardian Servian chose to not cooperate.", Charyus answered.
"And you let him order you to leave?"
Dragaunus and Siege had come in and Dragaunus was looking is usual angry self.
"You can summon entities from across reality, create temporary magic and know strategy to keep the ducks busy and you kneel to one guardian spirit?"
"Servian and the world are one.", Charyus answered calmly, "The planet dies, so does he and vice versa."
Dragaunus wasn't looking pleased.
"Forget that component.", Siege said firmly, "Charyus made a spell that can cancel out the duck's magic. I say we use that and incorporate it into new weapons."
"Brilliant idea Siege.", Dragaunus said smiling at his underling, "Make it happen."
Charyus wasn't on board.
"My lord, in time Servian will be whole again and I can get what I need from him. I just need you to be patient with me."
Dragaunus simply turned and started walking out.
"I'm done waiting on you Charyus. I'm taking this fight into my own hands."
Charyus frowned.
"Then you have set yourself up for failure."
Dragaunus turned to reveal his nostrils were smoking.
"We'll see.", he snarled.
