Ok, some Author's Notes before we get on to Chapter 3

Ok, some Author's Notes before we get on to Chapter 3. I'm sorry the chapters are really short, I think I can fix that…

I just wanted to thank everyone who's been reading these. When I first put Changes up, I was afraid that it wasn't very good. I'm so glad you all liked it. I'm glad you like the others. Thanks for reviewing. I like the compliments. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, too. THANK YOU!!! HUGS FOR EVERYONE!!!

Only Second Best

Chapter 3

The alarm on Drake 1 started to scream. Duke nearly spilled his coffee, and Wildwing nearly inhaled his orange juice. Canard freaked. He never heard the alarm before.

Before long, all the Ducks had gathered around Drake 1(except Nosedive. He could sleep through anything). "There's some strange energy readings coming from an old warehouse on Vine Street!" said Tanya.

"Let's go check it out," said Canard.

"Ok, Canard still has a puck-launcher with him, so we're set there, now all we need to do is wake Nosedive up," said Wildwing. The others ran towards Dive's bunk.

"Nosedive! Dragonus is up to something! Wake up!" said Wing, shaking his brother.

"Huh?" Nosedive asked. "In the middle of the night?"

"Dive, it's eight o'clock in the morning."

"Oh, well, whatever." Dive stood up and touched an imaginary belt-buckle. His battle gear appeared and he groggily ran after the Ducks.

"Well Canard, now you get to see the Migrator!" Tanya said.

"The what?"

"You'll see!" Tanya said cheerily. She always loved showing off her creations.

The Ducks ran inside and sat down. Dive jumped in his seat up front and buckled up. Canard started to say something, but dropped the subject and sat down in the second row behind the blonde.

"Hey, it's still dark out! I thought you said this was morning!" Dive protested as the Migrator pulled out onto the streets.

"It is morning. You just don't know what it looks like because you sleep through it every morning," said Wing.

A few minutes later, Wing glanced over to his brother, then did a double-take. He was asleep with his head on his steering wheel. Wing reached over and slapped Dive's arm.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Dive shouted, shooting upright. The other Ducks snickered (except you-know-who). Tanya walked back to the refrigerator and pulled out a can of pop.

"Here ya go, Dive," she said, handing it to her young teammate. "Caffeine in a can!"

Dive took it and carefully opened it up. "Thanks, Tanya." He proceeded to drink the can in less than a minute. He crumpled it one hand and tossed into a trashcan they passed by.

"I think he set a new record!" said Duke. Mallory nodded. "I mean, his personal best was, y'know, two minutes…"

Tanya shook her head. "No! No remember that time he drank a can in ten seconds?"

The other Ducks nodded. "Oh yea!"

The Migrator pulled up to the warehouse. "Ok, guys, watch your backs!" said Wildwing. "Be careful!" The Ducks jumped out of the Migrator.

Dragonus's henchmen were busy talking to each other. The Ducks ran up to them.

"LET'S GET READY TO RUUUMBLLLLLLLLLE!" Nosedive shouted, firing his puck-launcher. Canard wasn't impressed. Soon he started firing, along with the others.

"Yay!" said Chameleon, turning into a chef. "Itza time for some-a Rrroast-a Duck!" he said, kissing his fingers.

"Um, sorry dude! I'm a vegetarian!" Dive said, chasing after him.

"He is?" asked Mallory.

"It's called sarcasm, Mal!" snapped Duke. "Drones! Incoming!" He pulled his saber out started to attack the incoming robots.

Meanwhile Nosedive was running after the Chameleon. The little shrimp had ducked behind some pallets, and was readying his laser. He peeked out over the pallets. Nosedive was nowhere to be seen. "Where'd he go?" Suddenly two hands covered his eyes.

"Gueeeeess who?" said a goofy voice.

"Um… Tony Danza?"

"Huh-uh…"

"Hmm…Oh I know! George W. Bush!"

"…Um, Dude…I really don't have anything to say about that one…"

The Chameleon thought for a moment. "Wait a minute, could it be that scwewy wabbit?" he asked in Elmer Fudd's voice.

"Nope! But you're getting warmer!"

Suddenly Siege came up behind the two. "It's the Duck!"

"Hey, that was my next guess!" Chameleon protested as Dive lifted his hands off his face. He started blasting the Duck with his laser. Siege opened fire as well.

Nosedive pulled out his puck launcher and fired, too. But it was two against one, and he was having problems. 'Oh man! No what, Dive?' he thought. He got an idea.

"Ok! No more Mr. Nice-Duck!" he yelled and pulled out a second puck-launcher and held it in his other hand. "I've got another one! Whaddaya say to that?"

"Uh-oh! Let's get out of here!" said Siege. He and Chameleon disappeared, leaving a green shadow behind them.

Nosedive's eyes widened. "Whoa…" he mumbled. He turned around to see the Migrator behind him in Battle-mode. "Oh, now I get it…Man!"

"I wonder what that was all about?" asked Mallory, leaning against Drake 1.

"I have no clue," said Wildwing. "What would they want in an abandoned warehouse? Did anyone see what they were up to?"

Canard spoke up. "Well, I would have, but someone didn't go charging into the scene without a plan!" He glared at Nosedive.

"Well, that's the way things are handled around here, Pal-ee!" Nosedive said, rather annoyed.

"That's enough, you two," said Wildwing.

"He has a point, you know, Nosedive," Mallory piped in. "You really should learn to look before you leap!"

"Whatever! I'm outta here, man. It's too early for this!" Dive said, turning around and leaving the room.

"IT'S NINE THIRTY!!!!" Mallory shouted after him. Dive waved an arm.

Phil came down the hall (perfect timing, Phil!) and pointed at Nosedive. "You owe me for dry-cleaning, buddy!" he muttered. He entered the Ready Room.

"Hey, why's Nosedive up so early?" he asked.

"Dragonus attacked," said Wing.

Phil nodded. "Oh, ok then. Anyway! Wildwing, boobie, cupcake…"

"Cupcake?!? That's a new one…"

"I never ran my deal past you! How 'bout if we…" Phil was cut off by the Alarms on Drake 1.

"Another attack?" yelled Canard. "Let's move out, Ducks!" The Ducks ran outside the door to and ran to the Migrator Room, where they met Nosedive.

"C'mon, there's an attack!" said Wing.

"No there isn't!" said Dive with an evil look in his eye. The Ducks immediately jumped into battle stance.

"Ok everyone, keep your eyes pealed!" Duke shouted. The others started to scan the room, fully alert. Canard was (as usual) confused.

"Relax guys, there's no prank! I saw Phil go in behind me and I thought you might want me to get him out of your feathers…" Dive explained, strapping his wrist-com back on. 'False Alarm to lead them into a prank… why didn't I think of that?' he thought to himself.

"Thanks, Dive. Now, let's regroup," said Wing.

Nosedive yawned. "Sounds like fun 'n all, bro, but I'm still tired, so I'm gonna hit the sack." Nosedive left before anyone could complain. Canard furrowed his brow.

The doors swooshed shut behind Nosedive, and he stomped into his room. He kicked his beanbag chair out of his way, and plopped onto his bed. He just lay there for a while, anger building. Finally, he got up and went into his bathroom to shower.

"So you're saying he could be trying to find a new headquarters?" asked Tanya. "Um, I think not…"

Duke shrugged. "Yea, but I don't see you spitting out any ideas!" he said.

"Yea, cuz I keep my beak shut to avoid saying something completely stupid! I swear, sometimes you're as bad as Nosedive!" she yelled. Mallory and Grin intervened. Canard started to think.

Wildwing wasn't listening. His thoughts were on his brother. 'Dive has been acting weird lately. First, he missed Pizza Night. He never misses dinner! Well, he was watching that show of his. But still! Well, maybe that was a fluke. Yea, Dive's pretty unpredictable. Waitaminute… he did snap at Canard, maybe that's a clue…Canard and Dive never really did get along too well…but Dive woke up earlier than normal (against his will), he could have been cranky…'

"Hello! Earth to Wildwing!" Duke's voice broke his concentration.

"Huh? What?"

"You're spacing out!" Duke said.

"More proof that he and Nosedive are related…" Mallory said with a sigh. Canard added that remark to a long list in his mind.

TO BE CONTINUED…