Author's Note~ Thanks for the reviews, keep em coming! Enjoy~
After their father had departed, Nosedive had fainted onto the floor. WildWing remained silent for the rest of the night, just staying with his sleeping brother. They were in their room now, as were all of the ducks. However no one could sleep, especially Canard. So Canard went to see his best friend.
"Hey Wing".
"Hey Canard."
"So…"
"Did you know that you can't kiss or reach your elbow with your mouth?"
"WildWing", sighed Canard.
He knew his best friend too well. WildWing didn't like talking about problems; he always tried to disguise them with some type of stupid cover- up.
"What", snapped WildWing.
"Wing come on", said Canard more gently.
"It's not fair", said WildWing, "It's just not fair."
WildWing sank his head into his hands. Canard placed a reassuring arm over his buddy.
"It'll be all right", he comforted, "Just let it out Wing. You have had to play the strong parent role-model for Nosedive your entire life. You need to talk about this, you can't keep it inside."
"I c-can't."
"I beg to differ."
"It's just not fair! I forgave my father, I tried to have a relationship with him when I was a kid! I did I really did! But then he hit Dive with that bottle, and it wasn't worth it anymore. I couldn't forgive him anymore. It's not fair, we get a chance to set things straight, and…this happens! How is this fair?"
"It's not."
"You're right its not. My dad was never at my hockey games, or anything! My mom was mental half of the time, and he was just him, and it was so hard to live in that house Canard. I couldn't bear it! But what he said was true; I'm a runaway, as is Nosedive. Thanks to me. Did I make the right choice with Nosedive? Should I have taken him?"
"What do you think?"
"I think I should have left him."
"You're absolutely right. You should have left him so he could be traumatized, and beat both physically and verbally. Yeah you're right". (All said sarcastically).
"It's not fair though."
"You're right its not Wing. But it's life, and life is supposed to bite, right?"
"Yeah. Canard thanks."
"What are best friends for?"
"You're more than a best friend. Man you have helped me through everything. Thanks."
"No problem, man. Look why don't you get some sleep?"
"That doesn't sound half bad."
So WildWing fell asleep, and Canard went back to his room to sleep, Nosedive had awoke screaming once more in the night.
~*~
"You guys okay", asked Duke, as the ducks stayed by the entrance.
WildWing was rubbing his brother's back, and "ssshing him".
"Yeah I got it guys", said WildWing, "Go back to bed."
~*~
So everyone went back to bed, and now it was ten and neither of the Flashblades had awaken.
"Okay", said Canard, "I'm officially canceling practice, and all publicity stunts."
Phil didn't even protest. An hour later the brothers walked into the room.
Nosedive's face was blank; occupied with fright, and panic. WildWing was disgusted with everything, and his face showed it.
No one knew what to say to them. What kind of things can you say?
Canard decided to keep it cool. "Hey guys, want breakfast?"
"Yeah", mumbled WildWing. Nosedive nodded.
The entire morning WildWing was moping around, and Nosedive remaining silent. Eventually WildWing returned to himself, he accepted his father was a jerk regardless of what he did. Nosedive however did not see it this way.
"I'm worried about Nosedive", said Canard.
"Why", asked Tanya, "It's quite normal for him to be upset."
"But the last time something like this happened, he didn't talk, for a long time. Wing has been tending to Nosedive ever since they ran out. Eventually Nosedive lost his shyness and started talking, when he turned thirteen he started talking more often to WildWing, and even to me. When he turned fourteen you couldn't shut him up, he was a regular chatter box. However he was quiet after the incident."
"You mean like he is now", asked Tanya now worried.
"Yeah."
The other ducks gathered into the room as Canard started to tell his story:
~Memory~
"Hey there Nosedive", said a 17-year-old Canard as he entered their apartment.
A twelve-year-old Nosedive waved, he liked Canard.
"Watcha doin kid?"
Nosedive held up a math book.
"Oh homework, ugh! Need help?"
Nosedive nodded.
Canard walked over. "Okay this is easy, I'll show you how to do this in a sec."
After a few minutes of explaining Canard finally asked, "Got it?"
Nosedive gave him the thumbs up sign.
"Good job short stuff."
Nosedive smiled.
"Is WildWing home?"
Nosedive pointed to a room.
"Thanks kid."
Nosedive gave him the thumbs up sign again.
"WING", hollered Canard, "Come on I got us dates tonight.
"Yeah", replied WildWing, "With who?"
"Some hot girlies. Come on! We're eating out at a restaurant. Come ooonnnnn let's go!"
"Okay I'm hurrying, thanks for the short notice."
Canard turned to Nosedive, "Okay kid go dress up, come on it's a nice place."
Nosedive nodded and left.
~Reality~
"You let Nosedive go with you on dates", asked the astonished Duke.
"Well yeah", replied Canard, "I didn't have much of a choice. WildWing wouldn't leave his brother, and Nosedive wouldn't' leave WildWing, except to go to school.
"Wow", said Tanya, "Well continue with the Flashblade story. Tell us more after this."
"Yeah you kinda have to now", said Mallory.
Canard sighed but continued.
~Memory~
"They're they are", cried the girls, "Come on!"
They were supposed to meet at the restaurant, Canard had offered to pick them up, actually had insisted but they said they had other plans and would just walk over from where they were. So they did.
"Hey ladies", said Canard. "Shelby you already know me, but Pansy this is WildWing."
The girls frowned looking at Nosedive.
"Something wrong", asked WildWing.
"Yeah get rid of the tag-along", said Shelby.
Nosedive looked hurt and sank backwards.
"Hey", cried WildWing ready to lead a rampage.
"WildWing", snapped Canard, "They're girls, and that girl is my date, so chill." Turning to Shelby, "Shelby this is Nosedive, WildWing's younger brother. WildWing and I invited him to come along. He's not a problem. Now is everyone okay with the setting?"
"Yeah", cried Pansy who was already playing with Nosedive's hair. "He's so cute!"
Nosedive blushed.
"May I take your order", asked the waiter.
"I'll have a plain pizza", said Shelby.
"I'll have a mushroom pizza, please", said Pansy.
"I'll have a pizza with olives, mushrooms, sausage, and double cheese thanks", said Canard
"I'll have an onion and sausage pizza", said WildWing. "And he'll (pointing to Nosedive) will have an onion and pepper pizza with sausage, please. And Cokes for all of us."
"Aren't you going to ask him what he wants", asked Pansy.
"Huh", asked WildWing.
"Don't order for him, are you sure that's what he wants."
"Yeah, I know my little brother, right Dive?"
Nosedive nodded. So the waiter left, and Pansy and Shelby observed Nosedive.
Nosedive's coke had finally run-out so he walked up the re-filler where he saw a few kids from school.
Now Nosedive didn't speak much, heck he didn't speak at all in school. WildWing had cleared that up with the teacher, so he didn't have to talk, and so the teacher understood what was going on. But the kid didn't understand. He had been transferred to a new school, since they were almost out of the area. He would attend this school for a year, and then go back to another school both of his schools would be mixed together. With his old friends. He and his friends still kept in touch. They understood Nosedive didn't want to talk, and they had never applied any pressure.
However these students didn't, and mocked Nosedive.
"Hey there quiet boy", said one of them.
Nosedive remained silent.
"What's the matter aren't you going to say something?"
By now a few more of the kids started piling into the restaurant, and started forming a crowd around Nosedive. Some of the kids told the teasers to lay off, mostly girls thinking Nosedive was cute. It was true, Nosedive by far the best looking kid, and the best built kid. Many boys envied him for those reasons, and in a result started to ridicule.
"What's going on over there", asked Canard.
"Aw man those are kids from Dive's school", said WildWing.
"You going to say something?"
"I don't want to embarrass him."
"Well do something, it's getting physical look!"
The older boy swung at Nosedive, Nosedive dodged the boy's incoming fist, and then retaliated. Nosedive was scared and petrified of having to re-live the incident, so Nosedive attacked. The ducklings started to cheer, "Fight, fight, fight, fight!"
Nosedive was all over him. Finally WildWing came and broke it up pulling his brother up by his shirt.
"Nosedive", he hollered, "Stop this at once!"
Nosedive immediately shrank backwards; he didn't like WildWing yelling at him. He adored his brother, and cherished their relationship. WildWing was all he had left.
"Ooh", said one of kids that had sided with the fighting kid. "Look Nosedive is getting in trouble from a cop!"
Then WildWing realized that he was still wearing his uniform.
"You're going to jail now Nosedive", cried one of the kids.
"No he's not", cried WildWing in ultimate frustration.
"Why not", shouted the attacker who was being helped up by Canard, "What did he pay you off or something?"
"No", said WildWing in the same rude tone as the child, "He's my brother."
The ducklings started to admire Nosedive. "Fine", said the opposing child, "Than I'll tell his parents!"
"He doesn't live with his parents", cried WildWing.
"Oh? Then I'll tell his legal guardians you smart butt!"
"You're looking at him!"
"Huh? Your Nosedive's legal guardian?"
"Better believe it."
"Oh my gosh", said the children, "Nosedive lives with his brother, how cool is that! Nosedive lives with a cop!" Nosedive is cool! No wonder he can fight so well, his brother is how tall, and how large?"
Nosedive was gaining popularity by the second. Finally parents of the children came over and apologized to Nosedive, for they had seen everything and could not side with their children's acts of violence. Finally they returned to their table.
"Nosedive", said WildWing glaring at his brother, "You didn't have to punch him that much. That was uncalled for."
Nosedive looked down to the floor remained silent.
"However", said WildWing, "Those were pretty nice shots."
Nosedive smiled, and beamed with pride.
"Come here and give me a hug", said WildWing.
"That was cool", said Shelby and Pansy, "The two of you are really cool."
~Reality~
"So can you all see why I'm worried", asked Canard.
The other ducks nodded.
After their father had departed, Nosedive had fainted onto the floor. WildWing remained silent for the rest of the night, just staying with his sleeping brother. They were in their room now, as were all of the ducks. However no one could sleep, especially Canard. So Canard went to see his best friend.
"Hey Wing".
"Hey Canard."
"So…"
"Did you know that you can't kiss or reach your elbow with your mouth?"
"WildWing", sighed Canard.
He knew his best friend too well. WildWing didn't like talking about problems; he always tried to disguise them with some type of stupid cover- up.
"What", snapped WildWing.
"Wing come on", said Canard more gently.
"It's not fair", said WildWing, "It's just not fair."
WildWing sank his head into his hands. Canard placed a reassuring arm over his buddy.
"It'll be all right", he comforted, "Just let it out Wing. You have had to play the strong parent role-model for Nosedive your entire life. You need to talk about this, you can't keep it inside."
"I c-can't."
"I beg to differ."
"It's just not fair! I forgave my father, I tried to have a relationship with him when I was a kid! I did I really did! But then he hit Dive with that bottle, and it wasn't worth it anymore. I couldn't forgive him anymore. It's not fair, we get a chance to set things straight, and…this happens! How is this fair?"
"It's not."
"You're right its not. My dad was never at my hockey games, or anything! My mom was mental half of the time, and he was just him, and it was so hard to live in that house Canard. I couldn't bear it! But what he said was true; I'm a runaway, as is Nosedive. Thanks to me. Did I make the right choice with Nosedive? Should I have taken him?"
"What do you think?"
"I think I should have left him."
"You're absolutely right. You should have left him so he could be traumatized, and beat both physically and verbally. Yeah you're right". (All said sarcastically).
"It's not fair though."
"You're right its not Wing. But it's life, and life is supposed to bite, right?"
"Yeah. Canard thanks."
"What are best friends for?"
"You're more than a best friend. Man you have helped me through everything. Thanks."
"No problem, man. Look why don't you get some sleep?"
"That doesn't sound half bad."
So WildWing fell asleep, and Canard went back to his room to sleep, Nosedive had awoke screaming once more in the night.
~*~
"You guys okay", asked Duke, as the ducks stayed by the entrance.
WildWing was rubbing his brother's back, and "ssshing him".
"Yeah I got it guys", said WildWing, "Go back to bed."
~*~
So everyone went back to bed, and now it was ten and neither of the Flashblades had awaken.
"Okay", said Canard, "I'm officially canceling practice, and all publicity stunts."
Phil didn't even protest. An hour later the brothers walked into the room.
Nosedive's face was blank; occupied with fright, and panic. WildWing was disgusted with everything, and his face showed it.
No one knew what to say to them. What kind of things can you say?
Canard decided to keep it cool. "Hey guys, want breakfast?"
"Yeah", mumbled WildWing. Nosedive nodded.
The entire morning WildWing was moping around, and Nosedive remaining silent. Eventually WildWing returned to himself, he accepted his father was a jerk regardless of what he did. Nosedive however did not see it this way.
"I'm worried about Nosedive", said Canard.
"Why", asked Tanya, "It's quite normal for him to be upset."
"But the last time something like this happened, he didn't talk, for a long time. Wing has been tending to Nosedive ever since they ran out. Eventually Nosedive lost his shyness and started talking, when he turned thirteen he started talking more often to WildWing, and even to me. When he turned fourteen you couldn't shut him up, he was a regular chatter box. However he was quiet after the incident."
"You mean like he is now", asked Tanya now worried.
"Yeah."
The other ducks gathered into the room as Canard started to tell his story:
~Memory~
"Hey there Nosedive", said a 17-year-old Canard as he entered their apartment.
A twelve-year-old Nosedive waved, he liked Canard.
"Watcha doin kid?"
Nosedive held up a math book.
"Oh homework, ugh! Need help?"
Nosedive nodded.
Canard walked over. "Okay this is easy, I'll show you how to do this in a sec."
After a few minutes of explaining Canard finally asked, "Got it?"
Nosedive gave him the thumbs up sign.
"Good job short stuff."
Nosedive smiled.
"Is WildWing home?"
Nosedive pointed to a room.
"Thanks kid."
Nosedive gave him the thumbs up sign again.
"WING", hollered Canard, "Come on I got us dates tonight.
"Yeah", replied WildWing, "With who?"
"Some hot girlies. Come on! We're eating out at a restaurant. Come ooonnnnn let's go!"
"Okay I'm hurrying, thanks for the short notice."
Canard turned to Nosedive, "Okay kid go dress up, come on it's a nice place."
Nosedive nodded and left.
~Reality~
"You let Nosedive go with you on dates", asked the astonished Duke.
"Well yeah", replied Canard, "I didn't have much of a choice. WildWing wouldn't leave his brother, and Nosedive wouldn't' leave WildWing, except to go to school.
"Wow", said Tanya, "Well continue with the Flashblade story. Tell us more after this."
"Yeah you kinda have to now", said Mallory.
Canard sighed but continued.
~Memory~
"They're they are", cried the girls, "Come on!"
They were supposed to meet at the restaurant, Canard had offered to pick them up, actually had insisted but they said they had other plans and would just walk over from where they were. So they did.
"Hey ladies", said Canard. "Shelby you already know me, but Pansy this is WildWing."
The girls frowned looking at Nosedive.
"Something wrong", asked WildWing.
"Yeah get rid of the tag-along", said Shelby.
Nosedive looked hurt and sank backwards.
"Hey", cried WildWing ready to lead a rampage.
"WildWing", snapped Canard, "They're girls, and that girl is my date, so chill." Turning to Shelby, "Shelby this is Nosedive, WildWing's younger brother. WildWing and I invited him to come along. He's not a problem. Now is everyone okay with the setting?"
"Yeah", cried Pansy who was already playing with Nosedive's hair. "He's so cute!"
Nosedive blushed.
"May I take your order", asked the waiter.
"I'll have a plain pizza", said Shelby.
"I'll have a mushroom pizza, please", said Pansy.
"I'll have a pizza with olives, mushrooms, sausage, and double cheese thanks", said Canard
"I'll have an onion and sausage pizza", said WildWing. "And he'll (pointing to Nosedive) will have an onion and pepper pizza with sausage, please. And Cokes for all of us."
"Aren't you going to ask him what he wants", asked Pansy.
"Huh", asked WildWing.
"Don't order for him, are you sure that's what he wants."
"Yeah, I know my little brother, right Dive?"
Nosedive nodded. So the waiter left, and Pansy and Shelby observed Nosedive.
Nosedive's coke had finally run-out so he walked up the re-filler where he saw a few kids from school.
Now Nosedive didn't speak much, heck he didn't speak at all in school. WildWing had cleared that up with the teacher, so he didn't have to talk, and so the teacher understood what was going on. But the kid didn't understand. He had been transferred to a new school, since they were almost out of the area. He would attend this school for a year, and then go back to another school both of his schools would be mixed together. With his old friends. He and his friends still kept in touch. They understood Nosedive didn't want to talk, and they had never applied any pressure.
However these students didn't, and mocked Nosedive.
"Hey there quiet boy", said one of them.
Nosedive remained silent.
"What's the matter aren't you going to say something?"
By now a few more of the kids started piling into the restaurant, and started forming a crowd around Nosedive. Some of the kids told the teasers to lay off, mostly girls thinking Nosedive was cute. It was true, Nosedive by far the best looking kid, and the best built kid. Many boys envied him for those reasons, and in a result started to ridicule.
"What's going on over there", asked Canard.
"Aw man those are kids from Dive's school", said WildWing.
"You going to say something?"
"I don't want to embarrass him."
"Well do something, it's getting physical look!"
The older boy swung at Nosedive, Nosedive dodged the boy's incoming fist, and then retaliated. Nosedive was scared and petrified of having to re-live the incident, so Nosedive attacked. The ducklings started to cheer, "Fight, fight, fight, fight!"
Nosedive was all over him. Finally WildWing came and broke it up pulling his brother up by his shirt.
"Nosedive", he hollered, "Stop this at once!"
Nosedive immediately shrank backwards; he didn't like WildWing yelling at him. He adored his brother, and cherished their relationship. WildWing was all he had left.
"Ooh", said one of kids that had sided with the fighting kid. "Look Nosedive is getting in trouble from a cop!"
Then WildWing realized that he was still wearing his uniform.
"You're going to jail now Nosedive", cried one of the kids.
"No he's not", cried WildWing in ultimate frustration.
"Why not", shouted the attacker who was being helped up by Canard, "What did he pay you off or something?"
"No", said WildWing in the same rude tone as the child, "He's my brother."
The ducklings started to admire Nosedive. "Fine", said the opposing child, "Than I'll tell his parents!"
"He doesn't live with his parents", cried WildWing.
"Oh? Then I'll tell his legal guardians you smart butt!"
"You're looking at him!"
"Huh? Your Nosedive's legal guardian?"
"Better believe it."
"Oh my gosh", said the children, "Nosedive lives with his brother, how cool is that! Nosedive lives with a cop!" Nosedive is cool! No wonder he can fight so well, his brother is how tall, and how large?"
Nosedive was gaining popularity by the second. Finally parents of the children came over and apologized to Nosedive, for they had seen everything and could not side with their children's acts of violence. Finally they returned to their table.
"Nosedive", said WildWing glaring at his brother, "You didn't have to punch him that much. That was uncalled for."
Nosedive looked down to the floor remained silent.
"However", said WildWing, "Those were pretty nice shots."
Nosedive smiled, and beamed with pride.
"Come here and give me a hug", said WildWing.
"That was cool", said Shelby and Pansy, "The two of you are really cool."
~Reality~
"So can you all see why I'm worried", asked Canard.
The other ducks nodded.