A/n:
So the question I've been asked is: 'Why is the writer calling this a "crossover story series"? Darkwing Duck made a cameo appearance in DuckTales 2017.'
1. I did (in fact) do the idiot check
At the time of commencing posting I did a brief check on the DuckTales forum. It was somewhere around a week after the episode The Duck Knight Returns was out. That was plenty of time for someone to write a drabble and yet I couldn't find any Darkwing Duck entries. Funny, but it was almost like everyone else realised that people don't go to DuckTales looking to read about Darkwing Duck; so I decided not to be a muppet too.
2. Excessive Use of the Darkwing Duck 1991 Characters and Episode References Galore
I agree that Darkwing Duck 'as a person' is canon in the DuckTales 2017 series, but Hooter, Honker, Morgana, Grizlykoff, Doctor Bellum, Steelbeak and Gosalyn (at the moment of writing) are all from Darkwing Duck 1991. Drake Mallard's backstory here draws from episodes: 'Inherit the Wimp', 'Paraducks' and 'Clash Reunion'. The dark side of this Drake's personality verges on 'DarkWarrior Duck'. If you haven't watched those episodes of Darkwing Duck 1991 it's all been r/whoosh to you.
3. Where the Target Audience Will Find It
This story starts with reestablishing Hooter, Bellum, Tuskernini and Grizlykoff (from the Darkwing Duck 1991 series) into this story universe. No recurring DuckTales characters appear until the very last page of chapter 1. Scrooge barely shows in chapter 2 and he barely shows in chapter 3. No person looking for an exclusive DuckTales 2017 story would still be reading at Chapter 5 unless their eyes were glazed over like this was some kind of train wreck and they just couldn't stop staring.
4. Crossover vs Cameo
This is not a Darkwing Duck cameo inside a DuckTales story series; it is a cameo of _ inside a Darkwing Duck 1991 x DuckTales 2017 story series.
You're welcome! :D
A/n:
Okay, sorry if anyone finds this a little bit of a sensitive issue. Drake is given like two extra seconds to think over what these people's problems might be from all the data he's picking up from them.
Mind Warp
72
Unconventional
Drake Mallard in black leather riding jacket, white shirt, jeans and helmet was finding the drive to Duckburg with Trouble a very relaxing trip. The incredible feeling of being in the scenery, rather than looking out through the car windshield was refreshing. The knowledge of travelling on fuel economy was satisfying.
"So I really don't get this thing you're going to." Trouble's dark feminine voice piped into his helmet's earpiece.
"It's..." Drake considered, "A bunch of ducks, sitting in a circle, talking out their biggest hangups... and those are like corrupt files in our operating systems. In group therapy, we help each other to try to clean them up. Hopefully help give each other a working or a work around solution."
"What corrupt files does the impeccable Drake Mallard have?"
Drake paused, "Um... I didn't actually think that far."
Trouble sniggered, "You're gonna have to throw them some kind of bone."
Drake thought for a long while as they travelled along the road.
"I have a hero complex." Drake finally reported.
"You can't give them that." Trouble told him off, "They'll be junk yard dogs over your Darkwing Duck persona."
"Yeah..." Drake frowned.
"How do ducks normally get corrupt files?"
"Well, they could hatch that way, but mostly it's to do with traumatic experiences in their past."
"Alright, so you just need to pick a really bad memory."
Drake thought. "Yeah, school was the worst but how do I turn that into a workable hangup?"
"Sorry, brain-jack won't be installed till Tuesday." Trouble retorted.
Drake snorted, "You're so funny, Trouble. Going back to my hero complex... Everybody says I have trust issues... Steelbeak even said it the other night."
"But do you really?"
"I suppose in a way I do. I do have a tendency to hold out the jury on people's innocence..."
"But they totally deserve it, right?"
"I've never been too far off the mark." Drake sighed, "I've got to admit I have a problem today... I guess it's just a case of; 'if in doubt: act'."
"Act like a guy with trust issues?"
"Exactly. It's just like being Darkwing Duck without the motivation to positive actio-oh-my-god that's Negaduck." Drake realised mid-sentence.
Trouble giggled. "Well, good luck with tha-at."
Drake glanced down at Trouble's dash. "Thanks."
Drake took a seat in the circle with the others. Scrooge McDuck in his usual red sat between a particularly drawn looking Fenton Crackshell in shirt and tie and Donald Duck in black. There were women and men of different backgrounds, and Flintheart Glomgold in his kilt and blue shirt sat opposite Scrooge.
On Drake's initial 'distrustful' consideration, the most dangerous pit bulls in the group were Donald and Glomgold himself.
In the business end of any argument, were Scrooge, a woman with long flowing brown hair and an exotic toucan beak, an overweight man with a puffin beak sitting opposite her, then a rugged very buff looking red-headed army veteran in a leather jacket and grey trousers. These then were the boxer heavies of the group.
Next level down was the chihuahuas of the group; Fenton, a bespectacled black haired string bean, and a small woman with dark tight coils of hair.
Who was here who didn't think they could get something personally useful out of the session? Drake frowned, looking back to Glomgold with scepticism; the answer was himself, Glomgold and McDuck. Drake looked back to Scrooge and caught his gaze. Scrooge's expression was one of concern, then he looked away from him.
"Every little bit helps." Scrooge commented on the affair to no one in particular.
Drake settled back in his chair.
A well endowed woman with black hair and dressed in a purple blouse and skirt came into the room and sat down, very business like.
Drake stared at her. 'She isn't... Drake rubbed his head in confusion. 'But of course she is, of course...'
"Okay, everyone. Let's start by introducing ourselves. I'm Drakona Fell, alternative behavioural therapist. I have perfectionist issues."
"I'm Flintheart Glomgold! And I'm the richest duck in the world!" He started laughing maniacally.
"I see." The therapist marked in her notes. "And what do you think your problem is?"
Glomgold sat back down and sighed. "My unhealthy obsession to beat Scrooge McDuck. And smother him into the ground!" He laughed.
"And what about you?" Drakona addressed the overly buff duck with short orange hair sitting beside Glomgold.
"Gary Goldsworth. I have a dog training channel."
"And your problem?"
Gary was tense. "I have anxiety issues."
'Read: short on finance', Drake considered quickly, 'army veteran, probably post traumatic stress disorder'.
"Okay. And you?"
The skinny duck with black hair and glasses answered, "Jon Quackbeak. I'm a writer-artist and I have depression. And anxiety."
Drake considered him in brief totality, 'short on finance, low self esteem, closet perfectionist'.
"Peru Gondomure." The long haired toucan introduced herself, "I am mother of two. I have separation anxiety."
Drake considered her, 'you're doing really well being here and barely ruffled'.
"Donald Duck. I'm an uncle for three boys. I have anger management issues."
Drake considered, 'victim complex'.
"Scrooge McDuck of McDuck Enterprises. I have an obsession with gold."
Drake considered, 'success addict'.
"Fenton Crackshell. I'm a scientist and I have social anxiety. So this is really awkward for me."
Drake smiled at him, 'you're a trouper'.
"Drake Mallard. I'm a private tutor. I have trust issues."
"Julia Beakster. I'm a musician. I suffer performance anxiety."
Drake considered, 'you're a trouper too'.
"Dan Andrews." The puffin stated, "I have a social commentary channel and I stress eat."
Drake considered him in totality, 'victim complex'.
"Excellent everyone." Drakona finished her notes. "Now we've all been introduced, we can start. I want you all to close your eyes and think of someone close to you. Someone you're like birds of a feather with."
Drake immediately thought of his student Gosalyn.
There was a sudden vanishing of light. Drake jumped off his chair, but there was the decided absence of anything around the group.
"We've taken a trip through the minds eye into the realm of thought." Drakona reported.
Drake frowned, "Your alternative therapy?"
"This will allow us to step outside our problems, look at ourselves from a third person perspective."
"There had to be a reason this was so cheap!" Scrooge grumbled in distaste.
"If I wanted to look at myself I'd have checked in the bathroom mirror!" Donald said darkly, glaring at the therapist. "How do we get out of here?"
"By letting everyone get a turn."
Drake flinched, "I did not sign up for this!"
"Me neither!" Donald folded his arms fiercely. "I don't want a turn."
"Uh, Ms Fell," Scrooge slighted with polite apology, "could we not do something a little less confronting, like ink blots or..." Scrooge struggled, "dolls or some such?"
"I get it." Fenton interjected, "this is about looking constructively at our issues."
Drake frowned, glancing between Glomgold and Julia, "somehow I don't think this case is to scale, somehow."
"Nonsense. Let's start with you, Julia. Performance anxiety, wasn't it?"
The blank space around them brightened into a classroom. Drake didn't remember his classes ever being this full of students. The support group were standing up behind the back row and to the sides of the class.
A small girl with dark curly hair stood in front of the white board with speech cards. The row of kids up the back were pointedly acting up.
"So this is why you home school the little ones?" Scrooge queried.
"Uh-huh." Donald answered with a frown.
Drake blinked at the green parrot and the red rooster standing beside Donald. "Uh, they don't seem part of the scene." He asked. "Are those your spirit guides, Donald?"
"Aiyee! We are the best spirits in the world." The green parrot in a yellow suit and sporting an umbrella proclaimed.
"No, no, Jose, 'In forever'." The rooster with the sombrero and phones in his gun holsters returned.
"So it is so, my friend! I am Jose." The parrot introduced himself in an eternally friendly tone.
"And I am Panchito."
Drake couldn't help but smile.
Glomgold stepped over, "Ah, how come you got two?!" He glared at Donald, dragging along Zan Owlsen.
Because we, my friend, are the three caballeros."
"Si, you cannot have one without the other."
Glomgold growled. "I'll be watching you." He pointed at Donald.
"Please do."
"We could do with some applause."
"But that is okay if we don't."
"It is a matter of personal preference."
"Si, to each his own."
Glomgold stomped away.
Scrooge chuckled, "I just got me money's wor-."
Glomgold tripped over a desk chair and disrupted the class.
Kids turned and started laughing and jeering at him.
Drake stared as Glomgold told the children off, making a frightening spectacle of himself. Finished, he then tripped over another chair.
"This is bad." Drake commented.
Donald gulped. "Very bad."
"It's fully interactive." Drake detailed.
"That means people can get hurt." Donald translated.
"But we have only to deal with a little problem, then we are free, no?" Jose asked.
"Oh, bummer." Gosalyn said, appearing from behind Drake, "Are we gonna be spending half the day in a classroom?"
"Probably." Scrooge answered. "And you would be?"
"Oh, this is Gosalyn, my student."
"Alright, let's make this quick," Gosalyn shot up the front of the class where most of the group were, "Try this." She turned to the classroom,
"I am Julia Beakster! This is 'my' class now! And if you don't like it, you can go to the principal's office!"
Julia laughed. "You're right!"
The room dissolved.
