Authors Notes 3/3/03:
Whaaat? Don't tell me you've all given p on me! I swear I've been working on this silly piece for forever! I'm usre a bunch of you all curse the day you started reading my Fanfiction :P But I hope this will make you happier!

When Nobody Wins.

Chapter 6: Deceptive Shoulder

[PuckWorld; Post-Invasion]

Molten hazed eyes, burning with a twisted hatred, met the determined golden gaze from across the room, a challenge in their depths. Reality seemed to bow outward around the two world conquerors, pushing their followers away from them in a moment of unseen electricity. When the space in the hall righted itself, the momentum threw the pair of armies into a clash, wrenched with the grind of metal and unwavering bellows.

As his troops met the line of ducks with raised weapons, the largest of the four Saurian commanding officers never lowered his glare from the White-headed duck standing on the dais. Scales the shade of molten fire reflected his harsh certainty at reclaiming the country in the name of PuckWorld. Smoke billowed slowly from his nostrils as he tipped a nod to the aged reptile swathed in blue robes alongside him. The pupiless creature lifted a gnarled wooden staff, adorned by the ominous skull of a Puckworlder, and gestured to the Ducks surrounding the quartet. Immediately, Duke, Tanya, and Mallory were thrown backward. The giant, known as Grin, was the only duck able to retain his position, puck blaster still lifted. He began to fire at will.

A hulking Saurian, bearing an under bite, stepped in front of the group, his large, mace-like tail swinging around to meet the fired blasts, and deflect them. He advanced with all the swiftness his size allowed, mass colliding with Grin's. Their battle became that of sheer mass, the opposing forces locking arms and straining against each other as the Saurian army advanced further into the main hall.

A small, nimble-quick figure of green darted around the two colossal beings, his lizard features blending smoothly with the expensively tiled floor. The creature was almost upon the throne's platform before a glowing blade slashed across his path, effectively cutting off Chameleon's intended course. Head snapping up, the smallest of the Saurian officers flipped back in time to avoid yet another cutting blow from Duke's sword, the one-eyed duck pursuing relentlessly. However, he took a moment to draw up short as he abruptly found himself staring into the equally single-eyed image of himself. Chameleon smirked behind his clever guise, and his glowing blade, a parody of the true weapon, flashed as it met Duke's. The old Duck's gaze burned his hatred into Chameleon's and their swordplay began. Though holding his own surprisingly well, the lizard-like creature knew it was only a matter of time before his diluted carbon copy of the swordsman was overpowered by Duke's superior skill. 'I'll have to take him out before that..' Chameleon thought grimly, dodging another slice of the blade.

Careful to be subtle, the small saurian caught his larger companion's eyes. Siege gave a short jerk of his head to convey his cooperation before returning to struggling with Grin's pitted strength. Chameleon slowly began to retreat from his opponent as much as for tactics as from necessity. Sweat poured off the usually cool skinned lizard as he struggled to keep up with Duke's onslaught. '..Only a few more steps....'

Suddenly, Chameleon yelled, "Now!" while simultaneously ducking the gray headed Avian's attack. The glowing tip of the sword instead sliced through the uniform that covered Grin's back, and Duke jerked back in surprise a moment too late, having been unaware of his position in the room. Grin's eyes widened, and he released a choke bellow of pain, his grip on Siege loosening. The massive, red-fleshed Saurian took advantage, hooking a beefy arm around the burly Mallard's neck and squeezing until the creature went limp. He dropped Grin with a noisy Thud, nodding his approval to Chameleon. They both cast a glance to their eldest companion, who was warding off the blasts of Mallory's puck Bazooka. Her weapon abruptly shimmered, melting into a knot of writhing snakes. The duck screeched, dropping her gun with wide eyes, and Siege grabbed her by her upper arms, abruptly head butting her into unconsciousness.

"Ooh, that's gonna hurt when she wakes up," Chameleon sniggered, turning to seek out their leader. He stood among the wreckage of their drones and several of Tanya's mechanical inventions, his features as hard as cooled magma. Fire leapt from the depths of his gaze as it bored into the Gold masked Duck who stood upon the raise Platform tensely.

"Yield, WildWing Flashblade.. You have Lost, and Puckworld is reconquered in the name of Freedom.." The mallard only smirked, the bright rubies of his eyes flaring in defiance.

"You've yet to defeat me, Saurian Slime." Dragaunus's jaw tightened, and he began to advance on the ominous leader.

"Then let us finish this..."

Twin bellows of rage found an odd harmony in the momentary silence before the two beings came together in a blur of red and white, the clash echoing loud with the shattering of hard fought dreams. Becoming more the animals of their ancestors that the bipedal creatures they resembled, each fighter circling the other as a wolf would its prey. Blood misted the air as fists and claws connected, tearing at scales, at feathers. Both opponents were heaving with their efforts, crimson streaks as obvious on the white hide of WildWing as it was obscured by the Ruby scales of Dragaunus.

Dragaunus could feel himself slipping. His ribs ached, making it difficult to draw a full breath. He knew with a certainty that more than one of them was broken. 'I can't lose to this madman. The fate of this world lies in my strength!' But how much longer would his strength hold? Though WildWing appeared winded, he didn't look like he was weakening... 'Dammit!'

The fist caught him unaware. It drove with the force of a brick wall across the sensitive gape in hardened scales near his temple, snapping his head so hard to one side he heard it crack. A cold, sucking darkness rose up to cling greedily at the edges of his vision, and Dragaunus felt himself being thrown to the ground, sliding on it's polished marble as he internally fought the stealing unconsciousness. '..nooo... I am... lost...' The smirking face of Ducaine's golden mask swam into his line of sight, watching mutely as WildWing cocked his fist back in a blow he was certain would end him..

But suddenly, the crimson, hate-filled eyes widened in surprise and Wing's figure staggered as a smaller, slender body connected with his back, clinging. NoseDive struggled to hold back his older brother's arm, to keep him from killing the last savior for his people. 'The Mask!' He thought frantically; 'I have to get the mask off him!' His soft, blue eyes flickered down to the prone figure of Dragaunus, and he swallowed tightly, 'I must!'

"..Why you little-" Dive ignored the guttural threat of the taller Mallard, his fingers scrabbling at the edges of the Mask that hid WildWing's true features. The mask that had corrupted him. He felt it begins to give, its magic fading as its connection with his brother was severed. '..Just.. a little..more...'

Then the mask was free of its ruler, grasped tightly in Nosedive's hand. He could feel the inhuman strength dissolve within his brother immediately, and a glance at the ground revealed the rise of a determined Saurian. Dive felt the spark of hope.

"NO! ..What have you DONE!?!" WildWing was livid, his voice shaking with his fury. He reached behind him, tearing the nuisance little brother from his back with an angry roar and hurling him across the room. The blonde headed duck struck the far wall with a piercing cry, his body crumpling limply to the floor and lying there motionless, the mask still gripped tightly in one hand.

Dragaunus watched it all as if the ducks moved in slow motion. He hissed angrily around the pain in his ribs as he watched the smaller avian fight for the key to WildWing's power, 'He'll kill him... I've got to get up. -GET UP!-'Slowly, the saurian's body began to respond again, and he lurched to a crouch, the golden flames of his gaze burning into WildWing's retreating back.

Wing was breathing hard. Harder than he had only moment's before. He needed the mask, and he needed it -now.- It felt as if he were drowning without its powerful comfort on his face and in his soul. The leader's beak grated as he turned, beginning to advance on his fallen brother, "You miserable little worm! I should have killed you with our parents!

Nosedive gasped, curling his slender frame around the treasure clutched to his chest. Each breath made his ribs ache, and his clenched painfully at the reminder of his mother and father. '..How could he?.. What has happened to my... brother?' WildWing's bruising fingers suddenly wrapped around the smaller duck's throat, hauling him upright, crush his airway further. Nosedive shuddered once, knowing his feeble resistance wasn't enough, tears leaking into the feathers on his cheeks.

The crazed eyes of the oldest Flashblade glared at the defeated image of his brother. 'He's better off dead anyway..' a sneer tugged at the duck's bill, and he cocked back a fist, ready to drive it into Dive's face.

"NO!" The enraged snarl surprised both mallards, and Wing suddenly went rigid, his pupils dilating. The duck's mouth opened silently, and his hold on NoseDive loosened, letting the blonde slip to the floor again. Then he was thrown, eyes already rolling back in his head and he hit the polished marble with a sickening thud, claw slashes furrowing parallel lines in the feathers at his neck. The wound was shallow, but effective.

Hurriedly, Dragaunus dropped to a knee, leaning over Nosedive. Relieved to see him still breathing, he carefully slid his arms beneath the avian's shoulders and knees, lifting him and turning to his waiting team.

Chameleon glanced to the limp Nosedive with concern before pointing to the large window overlooking the capital's courtyard, "m'Lord... WildWing's followers have taken him to the safety of their ship. They're taking off..."

The Dragon Lord's mouth tightened determinedly, "We haven't got time to waste, then..."

*******

[Earth; Present Day]

Dragaunus feigned a sigh of regret, turning to stare up at the control panel of the Raptor, "WildWing used his advanced technology to open a portal that could span other dimensions. We had no choice but to follow.." he turns back to the rapt NoseDive, spreading his arms in supplication, "if for no reason than to make sure he cannot do what he did to Puckworld again."

Dive could only stand mutely, his eyes huge orbs of shocked disbelief. 'I have a...brother... an -evil- Brother!?' Everything inside him told him that this was wrong... 'But it -is- wrong, isn't it? I shouldn't have to fight my own brother...'

Swallowing tightly, he looked back to the ominous figure of Dragaunus, reminding himself that this dragon was his friend and that it was unreasonable to feel the fluttering of fear in his gut, "...Thank you, my....m'lord... I swear I'll do everything in my power to help you stop my brother.."

Dragaunus smiled slowly...

TBC
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As always, I'd love Feeback! Feed the Beast! As for next time... well... What do YOU think happens when Brothers are turned against each other!? Agh! -Windresss