Well, I really hope you liked the first chapter

Well, I really hope you liked the first chapter. This is my first longer adventure story, so cross your fingers! (I just hope it doesn't get to be too long…)

Forgive me if Canard's personality is shot. I don't know too much about him…

Disclaimer: Well, I don't own 'em, I just like 'em!

Only Second Best

Chapter 2

Wildwing ran down the hill. "Canard!" he yelled.

The dazed Duck turned around. "W-W-Wildwing?" he stuttered. "W-W-What happened?"

"You're back! That's what happened!" shouted the Duck. Canard was very confused. "Man, I thought I'd never see you again!" Wildwing took his hand in his.

Canard looked around. Bits and pieces of his memory returned. Wing…the Raptor…the strike team…Wing's brother…the Aerowing…the Mask…the Limbo…sacrifice…here…

"What is going on?" he asked. "Hey, it's everyone else!"

The other Ducks came down from the hill. "Are you sure that's him? Remember last time…" said Mallory. The Ducks surrounded the two. All but Nosedive.

"Yea! It's really him!" Wildwing said.

"Wow! He must have exited the limbo just now…" said Tanya.

"Amazing!"

"Welcome back, Canard!"

"I'm glad our paths could cross once again, friend."

Canard still didn't get his answers. "But, the limbo! The worm… I gave you the Mask, then I let go, and ended up here…Where's Dragonus? And the Raptor? And the Aerowing? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"

"We'll explain everything later. Let's just get back to the Pond," said Wildwing.

"The Pond?" asked a clueless Canard.

"You'll see…"

The Ducks turned around at walked back up the hill. Wing and Canard were up front, followed by the other four. Nosedive just stood there with his arms crossed, looking at the ground. Then slowly he walked after them.

"Uh, bro? Next time we wanna leave the doors of the Aerowing locked, let's make sure not to lock the keys in, too."

"Yea yea yea…"

Duke dropped his lock-picks. "Well, you'll be happy to know that if Dragonus ever got a hold of this thing, he'd never get inside," he sadi.

"So what do we do?" asked Mallory.

"Stand back, everyone. I've got an idea," Tanya said. She activated a computer in her Omnitool. "Now, if I could just send some radio waves to the consul of the Aerowing, maybe I could open the doors by remote control…" she said while typing. "Ah HA! Here we go…" The back door flew open and the ramp came down, landing right on Nosedive.

"Heh heh, opps…" she said. She pushed another button and the ramp retracted.

"Oww…" Dive whimpered as Duke and Grin helped him up.

"C'mon, let's go home," Wing said.

"Great, I need an aspirin… or six…" Nosedive said, slowly walking into the Aerowing behind the others. Wildwing sat down in the pilot's seat, and Canard took the one next to it. The others took their own. Dive walked up to the front, but saw Canard in the co-pilot's seat. He stopped, then slowly turned around and found a spot next to Grin. The Aerowing took to the sky and headed for Anaheim.

"Wow, what a headquarters!" said Canard as he entered the Ready Room with the others. "This place is impressive! You say you've been here a year?"

"Yea. Shortly after you, well…y'know… we followed Dragonus and ended up here on Earth. The locals told us to come here, and we've been playing hockey as the Mighty Ducks ever since," Wildwing explained. Carnard was in awe.

The Ducks were gathered around Drake 1, showing Canard their systems. Except for Nosedive. He was leaning against the door, his arms crossed. No one noticed.

"Yea, this is Drake 1, our super-computer. It helps is locate Dragonus," Tanya said, walking up behind Wildwing.

"It also is connected to our wrist-coms, so we can be notified of alerts," said Mallory. "That is, if we don't misplace them first!" she said, glaring at Nosedive.

Dive was going to protest, but realized Canard was staring straight at him. Dive couldn't read the look, but he felt like he was under inspection. There was an awkward moment between the two, but the other Ducks were too busy rambling about this and that to notice.

Except Grin. He turned to see the two Ducks glaring at each other. Then Nosedive turned around and left the room. Canard's gaze stayed fixed on the door, then he finally turned back towards the others.

Nosedive trudged down the hall, a whirl of emotions in his head. Mostly anger. He glared at the corridor ahead of him.

Of course, wouldn't it make this moment even better if Phil would show up? Well, that's exactly what happened. (Bummer, huh?)

"YOU!" Phil said, charging up to the teenage Duck. "You got my suit dirty! I had to take it to the dry-cleaners! Do you know how much that costs?!?" he yelled, pointing his finger at Dive.

"Shove it, Phil," Dive spat as he continued his way past Phil without stopping.

"Odd…" Phil said. 'Hormones' he thought, then continued into the Ready Room.

"Wildwing! Boobalah!" he called. The other Mighty Ducks sighed. Canard was once again confused. "Y'know, I kinda got distracted last night by that brother of yours and I never ran my idea past you guys…who's he?" He pointed at the newcomer.

"Canard, this is Phil Palmfeather, our annoying agent. Phil, this is Canard, our former leader," said Wildwing.

Phil walked up to Canard and grabbed his hand, shaking it hard. "So you're this Canard guy I keep hearing about. Wow, pleased to meet you. Say, do you play hockey?"

"He's from Puckworld, Phil…" Mallory said with a sigh.

"Oh yea…" said Phil. "Wait a sec, I knew all this already…Anywho, maybe you can be a stand-in for us! In case one of the others gets sick or something! Yea! Be right back, I gotta make some phone calls!" Phil turned and left the room.

"Um, you should just stay out of his way. And if he wants to ask you a question, say 'no' right away!" said Duke. Canard nodded.

"Hey guys! The pizzas are here!" came Tanya's voice through the intercoms.

"Boy, I'm hungry!" said Wildwing, walking through the doors. Canard followed. They sat down at the table with the others.

"Ok, there's Sprite, Dr. Pepper, and Pepsi. Take your pick," said Tanya, setting down the two-liters. "Oh, and here's your water, Grin." The big Duck thanked her and took a drink.

"Hey, where's Nosedive?" asked Wing.

"Yea, it's not like him to miss pizza night…" said Duke.

"Come in, bro," Wing said to his communicator. "Dive? DIVE?"

The other Ducks looked at each other with worry. Finally Dive's voice came in. "What?!?" snapped Dive. Wing jumped at the tone in his brother's voice.

"Pizza's here. What are you doing?" he asked with concern.

It wasn't like Dive to miss dinner. Especially pizza.

"Oh sorry 'bout that. But it's a new episode of Slug-raiders!" said Dive.

"Oh."

"I'll be out later." With that, the link was broken.

In his room, Nosedive tossed his wrist-com aside. He had lied. Sure, he was watching Slug-raiders, but it wasn't a new episode. And he was starving.

He reached into his drawer and pulled out a bag of chips and started to eat.

With morning, came practice. The Ducks were in their locker room putting their equipment on. Canard stood back, watching. Wildwing, on the other hand, was worried.

"Nosedive?" he spoke into his communicator. "Nosedive?!?"

A groggy voice came through. "Huh? What?"

"Nosedive! Are you still in bed?!?" shouted Mallory.

"Well of course, Mallory, it's only noon…" said Tanya. "Do you need to fix your watch?"

Wing ignored the two. "Hurry up, bro! It's time for practice!"

"Just five more minutes, Mommy?"

"No! Get your tail feathers up out of bed now! I wanna see you down here ready to go in three minutes, OK?!?"

"Ok ok! I'm up I'm up! Happy now?"

"Three minutes!" Wing snapped his com shut. Canard raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, Dive'll be here in about ten minutes. Let's just warm up until then," said Duke. The other ducks went out onto the ice, and Canard went into the stands. Ten minutes later, as predicted, Nosedive came out in his uniform and stepped onto the ice.

Duke gasped (very loudly) and pointed. "OH NO! IT IS ALIVE!" he shouted.

"Morning, sunshine," said Wildwing. "Glad you could join us."

"Yea yea," said the very sleepy Nosedive. 'It's gonna be a long half hour until the Surge kicks in,' he thought to himself as he skated to his position, fully aware of the eyes boring into his back from the lone person in the stands.

TO BE CONTINUED…