Back in the Normalverse, Launchpad called up his former boss to warn him about Magica and Lafayette. "What?! Launchpad, is that you? You're telling me that Magica DeSpell will be making another play for me number one all too quickly?" Scrooge McDuck asked over the phone before sighing and saying "I haven't heard from that sorceress in almost a month, so I might have known she was due. I've handled Magica before, but this half-super-vampire warlock accomplice you're telling me about is another matter entirely."
"Well, don't worry, Mister McD. I'm going to be calling up Gyro next. With any luck, he's cooked up SOMETHING that might be able to help against those two," Launchpad said assuringly over the phone.
**************************************************************************
Meanwhile, back in the Negaverse, five figures gathered in front of Nega-Hooter. In addition to Nega-Bellum, there was also a duck clad in black armor with a tank tread wheel at the bottom and nasty-looking silver spikes on the shoulders and glove knuckles. On the chest plate were the letters "D.D." in large, blood-red lettering. Next to this black-armored duck was a large green, red-haired dinosaur garbed in a dark red pinstripe suit reminiscent of a 30's B-movie gangster and a normal-brimmed white fedora. Next to the dinosaur was an almost equally large black fish. Finally, there was a large (though not quite as much so as either the dinosaur or the fish) middle-aged, but still quite tough-looking bear with dark brown fur. This bear was garbed in a manner similar to that of the dinosaur, except that his pinstripe suit was dark BLUE and his fedora was BLACK.
"Very well, I'll get right to the point. Negaduck is back in this universe after two years and he has brought alternate reality versions of Quackerjack and Megavolt with him. Negaduck WILL be trying to climb his way back to the top, but with the help of all five of you AND our foot soldiers, I'd say WE'VE got the edge. Still, I'm not about to take Negaduck lightly; I've spent too long competing with him for control over Saint Canard to make that mistake now that he has returned." Nega-Hooter commented.
"I can vouch for that. I can remember when he and I were BOTH trying to steal the EGRET right out from under the noses of the F.O.W.L. agents assigned to guard it. Neggie-boy can be pretty tough; I know that for a fact," the black-armored duck commented.
"Yeah, I also know how vicious a competitor he can be. We were BOTH trying to shut down this clean-energy-source-research lab on this beach in Saint Canard; of course, I wanted it destroyed because clean energy sources reduce pollution and I absolutely LOVE toxic waste and Negaduck wanted it destroyed because he didn't want Saint Canard to come to anybody but HIM for their energy needs," the black fish added
"Yes, Destructo-Duck and Neptunia. Then again, your past experience with Negaduck was partially WHY I picked you two up for this group. In the two-and-a-half years since her last encounter with Negaduck, Neptunia has become significantly larger and more powerful through further exposures to toxic waste." Nega-Hooter commented matter-of-factly.
"Well, several of those further exposures to toxic wastes WERE with your help, Hootie, which is why I'm a member of this gang." Nega-Neptunia commented.
"With the improvements Doctor Bellum has made on Destructo-Duck's armor, he is ALSO more powerful than he was the last time he and Negaduck encountered each other." Nega-Hooter added after Nega-Neptunia finished.
"Well, just tell us what to do and we'll get the job done," the dinosaur said with an evil smile as he slammed his right fist into his left palm.
"Well, Negaduck and his two allies have split up, Stegmutt. Therefore, you, Destructo-Duck and Neptunia will split up too and each take two dozen of our troops with you. The three of them will all be traveling alone, but if they turn out to be TOO MUCH trouble, use Doctor Bellum's teleportation devices to get out of there. I have a feeling that, if they succeed in gathering their intended allies, It'll take all of us to deal with it." Nega-Hooter commented factually.
"Well, the one that looks like Megavolt is near the dock-areas and the water is MY territory. With my telepathic control over all sea creatures, mixed with my power to emit sonic blasts with my vocal cords AND my ability to control the movement and temperature of any water within my immediate area, that soon-to-be-drowned electric rat won't stand a prayer, ESPECIALLY with two dozen of our troops backing me up," Nega-Neptunia volunteered.
"I'll handle Quackerjack's dead ringer." Nega-Stegmutt said grinningly.
"Which leaves me to my little rematch with Neggie-boy." Destructo-Duck cackled.
With that, the three chief enforcers of Nega-Hooter's super-gang took off after their targets.
*****************************************************************************
In another part of the Negaverse, Megavolt grumbled "I can't believe that, when I tracked down Launchpad's Negaversion's last known address, it turned out to be in THIS area. Well, I'd better get this over with; all this water gives me the creeps."
****************************************************************************
Back in the Normalverse, Launchpad dropped in on his old friend, Gyro Gearloose. "Launchpad. How are things over in Saint Canard?" the eccentric inventor good-naturedly greeted.
"Can't complain; except for why I'm here in the first place. DW and the other Justice Ducks, along with the Fearsome Five got trapped in two vortexes between the ten of them and I have no idea where they might have ended up. To make matters worse, Magica and a really powerful ally are going to be making an attempt at Mister McD's ol' number one. I was wondering if you could have some way to help with both problems," Launchpad explained.
"Well, let's see if my global monitoring system can find the Justice Ducks and Fearsome Five anywhere in the world. In the meantime, I DO have something that might be able to help with the other problem." Gyro explained as he opened up his "super-top-security, emergency-use only, gadgets vault", revealing several super-high-tech devices.
"Whoa. Pretty neat-looking stuff, Gyro." Launchpad admitted.
"Thanks, Launchpad. Just look around until you find which gadgets you think will be the most useful and pick them out." Gyro offered.
************************************************************************
Back in the Negaverse, the Friendly Four finished taking Darkwing and Morgana to police headquarters and just in front of the Negaverse Bulba's office. "Welcome, Darkwing Duck. My allies, the Friendly Four, told me to be expecting you and YOUR Ms. McCawber. Come on in to my office." a familiar-sounding voice greeted over the intercom, albeit in a slightly friendlier tone than Darkwing was accustomed to hearing from the source of the voice.
"Easy, Darkwing. This is the NEGAVERSE version of Taurus Bulba." the masked hero silently said to himself as he and his fiancee` opened the door and entered
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(The Posiverse)
Posiduck sat down at a mahogany desk and faced his three visitors, who took seats in front. "Reginald Bushroot, eh?" He reached into a drawer, drew out a folder, and opened it. "Does he look like a plant?"
"He practically is one," replied Neptunia.
Posiduck showed his allies a photograph. "This is the Reginald Bushroot I've been dealing with for quite some time." He grabbed a newspaper clipping. "You see, he was once one of St. Canard's most respected scientists. But two of his coworkers were jealous of his success, so they...pardon the pun...planted a bomb in the Dean's office. The dean was so angry, he fired Dr. Bushroot on the spot. Humiliated, the botanist broke off his engagement to Dr. Rhoda Dendron and began to conduct his experiments on himself. Pretty soon he managed to merge plant DNA with his own. Drs. Gary and Larson were dead. Hemlock poisoning. "
Gizmoduck whistled. "Glad that our Bushroot's not like that."
"He's kind of wimpy," commented Neptunia. "Though he controls poisonous plants, I doubt he'd be able to use them in that way."
"He's kinda accident-prone too," added Stegmutt.
"What about the other one?" asked Posiduck.
"That was the Liquidator," explained Stegmutt.
"Bud Flood," Posiduck reached into his desk again and drew out another case file. "Pretty much had a monopoly on the bottled-water biz. Whenever another company would start, he'd poison their water to discourage sales. If that didn't work, he'd run them out of business. The Better Business Bureau eventually broke his stranglehood on the market, but Flood tried to poison Audubon Bay. He was almost successful, but I cut him off. Unfortunately I knocked over his bottle and it spilled all over him. I called EMS and tried to rinse it off, but it was too late. He was pronounced dead on the scene, but a few days later a tidal wave nearly wiped out the city. Apparently the poison had been watered down so it wasn't lethal, but in the process it converted his molecular structure to water."
"The Liquidator we know is made of water, too," Stegmutt informed.
"And he does try to get rich quick," Gizmoduck added.
Neptunia shrugged. "He's got a hangup -- he still talks like a salesman."
There was a knock on the door. "It's open," called Posiduck.
The door opened, and the Posiverse's Morgana McCawber entered. She was the same height and weight, but she was clad in a floor-length pink gown that was much looser than the red form-fitting dress the Normalversion wore. She wore white gloves trimmed with pink ribbons. Her raven was pulled up in a bun. Green eyes gazed at the three guest.
"They only look like Gizmoduck, Neptunia, and Stegmutt," explained Posiduck. "They claim to be here from another universe, and two of their enemies from their universe are in our St. Canard. We've got to weed them out--"
Stegmutt laughed. "Bushroot -- weed!"
Posiduck blushed. "That was completely unintentional."
Posi-Morgana mulled the thought over. "I suppose I could create a portal back to their universe. Once they locate these two, of course."
"Speaking of which," Gizmoduck began. "When we do find those two cads and go back to our universe, would you mind coming with us to help out?"
"I'm sorry," answered Posiduck regretfully. "I have a responsibility here in my city. And as much as I fight for the ideals of justice and freedom, I cannot leave it."
****************************************************************
(The Negaverse)
Quackerjack approached an old house. "This must be the place." He felt a shadow pass over him. Spinning around, the toymaker noticed Nega-Stegmutt standing over him. He leaped aside, barely escaping the dinosaur's spiked tail. The jester ran toward the door and banged. "Let me in! Let me in!"
The door opened. The Negaverse's Morgana poked her head out. She raised her hand and fired a mystic bolt at Nega-Stegmutt. There was a puff of smoke.
When the smoke cleared, the Nega-Stegmutt gaped at himself. He was a duck -- as he had once been. He was still wearing the red pin-striped suit, but it fit much bigger.
The twenty-four foot-soliders gaped in awe. Most of them turned and fled. Nega-Morgana zapped several of the ones who weren't fast enough into pudding.
The former dinosaur turned and fled as well.
Quackerjack breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks." He gulped when he saw green energy crackling from Nega-Morgana's hand. "Negaduck sent me!"
"Do you expect me to believe that lie, Quackerjerk?" The sorceress snapped.
Quackerjack held out the paper with the address scribbled. "Really! He asked me to track you down!"
Nega-Morgana took the note. "It IS Negaduck's handwriting. But he's been missing for quite some time--"
"He'll explain later. He wants you to meet him tonight."
**************************************************
Megavolt knocked on the door. A bazooka poked out. "Yikes."
Nega-Neptunia stepped out of the nearby water. She signaled for her own troop of foot-soldiers to move in.
Megavolt spun around and fired several electric bolts. Some hit and others missed.
Several marine creatures poked out of the water. The electric rat fired a ball of pure electricity into the wall, which shocked most of the animals -- except for the electric eels. The downside was that it took half of Megavolt's current.
The door opened, and a red-haired duck carrying a deadly-looking machine gun stepped out. He began firing.
The foot-soldiers fled, or at least, those who hadn't been knocked unconscious by the electric shocks.
"Looks like they're tougher than Hooter thought," mumbled Nega-Neptunia.
*************************************************
(The Normalverse)
"Be careful, Dah-link," commented Magica. She and her rooster ally were in front of Scrooge McDuck's money bin. "Scrooge has got the best system money can buy."
Lafayette chuckled. "He's never had to face somebody like moi, ma cherie."
"There's a first time for everything," muttered the Scottish duck from his position at the defense system controls.
(The Posiverse)
"Gosalyn!" called Posiduck.
A nine-year-old duckling came in. She was wearing what looked like a minature military uniform -- green slacks, light-blue shirt, tie, and green jacket. Long red hair spilled from underneath a green cap."Yes, Father?"
"Get Honker in here."
"I can't. He's got some sort of test tomorrow, and you know talking to him when he's studying is like talking to a brick wall. I don't know why he bothers. He knows he'll get a 100."
"Fine," answered Posiduck. "I'll check the monitors."
Posi-Gosalyn saluted and left.
"Nice kid," commented Stegmutt.
"Where's Launchpad?" asked Neptunia.
Posiduck didn't bother asking how this Neptunia knew his sidekick's name. "He's um...holding the fort...elsewhere." He didn't want to give up his identity, Drake Mallard -- St. Canard's chief of police and chief justice. Whenever he'd go out as Posiduck, Launchpad would hold the fort at the office.
Gizmoduck hissed to the green-coated duck. "What am I like in this universe?"
"You're Duckburg's greatest asset; besides Scrooge McDuck's fortune, which he donates portions of to charity."
"Mr. McDuck donates to charity?! How much?"
"Last year, he gave several of Duckburg's orphanages million-dollar grants."
******************************************************************
(The Normalverse)
Magica blasted the large doors to the money bin, which flew open. She and her partner in crime walked through.
Scrooge watched them through his monitor, and pulled down a lever.
A pillar leaned over and rolled toward the two burglars.
Lafayette yawned, gripped the heavy marble, and threw it out the door. "Ees zat zee best they can do?"
"The best is yet to come," whispered Scrooge, punching a button.
Several wooden stakes popped out of hidden wall cannons. The sorcerer and sorceress dove down, successfully avoiding them.
Lafayette wiped his face with a handkerchief. "Now zat was a little more frightening."
*************************************************************************
(The Negaverse)
"Sit down," said the Nega-Bulba. "As I understand it, you and your universe's versions of Morgana, Megavolt, and Quackerjack as well as Negaduck were sent here?"
"Yes," replied Morgana. "I tried creating a portal back, but my powers were partially drained and it'll take a while for them to regenerate to their fullest extent."
Nega-Bulba glanced at Darkwing, who was sitting stiffly on a stool. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," mumbled Darkwing. "Just getting used to you, I guess."
"Oh, yes. You're from another universe."
"Yeah, and you're a criminal mastermind who hates my guts back there."
"I see," replied the Nega-Bulba.
Darkwing glanced around the office. Medals of honor and certificates of achievement were hung on the walls, and the bull was wearing a blue uniform. "So you're a cop?"
"Chief of police, actually. So naturally Negaduck's return concerns me."
Darkwing noticed that several of the Nega-Bulba's appendages were encased in steel. "Let me guess -- you were severely injured in an explosion?"
"Right. I was trying to rescue one of Negaduck's hostages on Canard Tower, but it went up in smoke before I could make a getaway."
"How did you meet Negaduck?" asked Morgana.
"We go way back. Before he appeared, St. Canard was under the iron fists of Ruddy and Anatina Mallard. They had started their criminal careers as high school sweethearts. Small things -- graffiti, shoplifting. However, their crimes grew in severity over the years until they were practically on a killing spree. Until their arrests, that is."
"You were the one who caught them, weren't you?" asked Morgana.
"Correct, Ms. McCawber. However, they weren't in prison long. They were broken out. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard haven't been seen in St. Canard since. However, Negaduck took advantage of the situation. I was only able to stalemate him during his reign of terror. Nowadays I work with the Fearless Organization for World Liberty to block the offenses of J Gander Hooter and his gang."
"And now Negaduck complicates the equation," observed Darkwing.
"Right. You're the only one who can beat Negaduck. And perhaps with your help, we'll be able to topple Hooter." The bull leaned forward. "Will you help us?"
"Well, don't worry, Mister McD. I'm going to be calling up Gyro next. With any luck, he's cooked up SOMETHING that might be able to help against those two," Launchpad said assuringly over the phone.
**************************************************************************
Meanwhile, back in the Negaverse, five figures gathered in front of Nega-Hooter. In addition to Nega-Bellum, there was also a duck clad in black armor with a tank tread wheel at the bottom and nasty-looking silver spikes on the shoulders and glove knuckles. On the chest plate were the letters "D.D." in large, blood-red lettering. Next to this black-armored duck was a large green, red-haired dinosaur garbed in a dark red pinstripe suit reminiscent of a 30's B-movie gangster and a normal-brimmed white fedora. Next to the dinosaur was an almost equally large black fish. Finally, there was a large (though not quite as much so as either the dinosaur or the fish) middle-aged, but still quite tough-looking bear with dark brown fur. This bear was garbed in a manner similar to that of the dinosaur, except that his pinstripe suit was dark BLUE and his fedora was BLACK.
"Very well, I'll get right to the point. Negaduck is back in this universe after two years and he has brought alternate reality versions of Quackerjack and Megavolt with him. Negaduck WILL be trying to climb his way back to the top, but with the help of all five of you AND our foot soldiers, I'd say WE'VE got the edge. Still, I'm not about to take Negaduck lightly; I've spent too long competing with him for control over Saint Canard to make that mistake now that he has returned." Nega-Hooter commented.
"I can vouch for that. I can remember when he and I were BOTH trying to steal the EGRET right out from under the noses of the F.O.W.L. agents assigned to guard it. Neggie-boy can be pretty tough; I know that for a fact," the black-armored duck commented.
"Yeah, I also know how vicious a competitor he can be. We were BOTH trying to shut down this clean-energy-source-research lab on this beach in Saint Canard; of course, I wanted it destroyed because clean energy sources reduce pollution and I absolutely LOVE toxic waste and Negaduck wanted it destroyed because he didn't want Saint Canard to come to anybody but HIM for their energy needs," the black fish added
"Yes, Destructo-Duck and Neptunia. Then again, your past experience with Negaduck was partially WHY I picked you two up for this group. In the two-and-a-half years since her last encounter with Negaduck, Neptunia has become significantly larger and more powerful through further exposures to toxic waste." Nega-Hooter commented matter-of-factly.
"Well, several of those further exposures to toxic wastes WERE with your help, Hootie, which is why I'm a member of this gang." Nega-Neptunia commented.
"With the improvements Doctor Bellum has made on Destructo-Duck's armor, he is ALSO more powerful than he was the last time he and Negaduck encountered each other." Nega-Hooter added after Nega-Neptunia finished.
"Well, just tell us what to do and we'll get the job done," the dinosaur said with an evil smile as he slammed his right fist into his left palm.
"Well, Negaduck and his two allies have split up, Stegmutt. Therefore, you, Destructo-Duck and Neptunia will split up too and each take two dozen of our troops with you. The three of them will all be traveling alone, but if they turn out to be TOO MUCH trouble, use Doctor Bellum's teleportation devices to get out of there. I have a feeling that, if they succeed in gathering their intended allies, It'll take all of us to deal with it." Nega-Hooter commented factually.
"Well, the one that looks like Megavolt is near the dock-areas and the water is MY territory. With my telepathic control over all sea creatures, mixed with my power to emit sonic blasts with my vocal cords AND my ability to control the movement and temperature of any water within my immediate area, that soon-to-be-drowned electric rat won't stand a prayer, ESPECIALLY with two dozen of our troops backing me up," Nega-Neptunia volunteered.
"I'll handle Quackerjack's dead ringer." Nega-Stegmutt said grinningly.
"Which leaves me to my little rematch with Neggie-boy." Destructo-Duck cackled.
With that, the three chief enforcers of Nega-Hooter's super-gang took off after their targets.
*****************************************************************************
In another part of the Negaverse, Megavolt grumbled "I can't believe that, when I tracked down Launchpad's Negaversion's last known address, it turned out to be in THIS area. Well, I'd better get this over with; all this water gives me the creeps."
****************************************************************************
Back in the Normalverse, Launchpad dropped in on his old friend, Gyro Gearloose. "Launchpad. How are things over in Saint Canard?" the eccentric inventor good-naturedly greeted.
"Can't complain; except for why I'm here in the first place. DW and the other Justice Ducks, along with the Fearsome Five got trapped in two vortexes between the ten of them and I have no idea where they might have ended up. To make matters worse, Magica and a really powerful ally are going to be making an attempt at Mister McD's ol' number one. I was wondering if you could have some way to help with both problems," Launchpad explained.
"Well, let's see if my global monitoring system can find the Justice Ducks and Fearsome Five anywhere in the world. In the meantime, I DO have something that might be able to help with the other problem." Gyro explained as he opened up his "super-top-security, emergency-use only, gadgets vault", revealing several super-high-tech devices.
"Whoa. Pretty neat-looking stuff, Gyro." Launchpad admitted.
"Thanks, Launchpad. Just look around until you find which gadgets you think will be the most useful and pick them out." Gyro offered.
************************************************************************
Back in the Negaverse, the Friendly Four finished taking Darkwing and Morgana to police headquarters and just in front of the Negaverse Bulba's office. "Welcome, Darkwing Duck. My allies, the Friendly Four, told me to be expecting you and YOUR Ms. McCawber. Come on in to my office." a familiar-sounding voice greeted over the intercom, albeit in a slightly friendlier tone than Darkwing was accustomed to hearing from the source of the voice.
"Easy, Darkwing. This is the NEGAVERSE version of Taurus Bulba." the masked hero silently said to himself as he and his fiancee` opened the door and entered
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(The Posiverse)
Posiduck sat down at a mahogany desk and faced his three visitors, who took seats in front. "Reginald Bushroot, eh?" He reached into a drawer, drew out a folder, and opened it. "Does he look like a plant?"
"He practically is one," replied Neptunia.
Posiduck showed his allies a photograph. "This is the Reginald Bushroot I've been dealing with for quite some time." He grabbed a newspaper clipping. "You see, he was once one of St. Canard's most respected scientists. But two of his coworkers were jealous of his success, so they...pardon the pun...planted a bomb in the Dean's office. The dean was so angry, he fired Dr. Bushroot on the spot. Humiliated, the botanist broke off his engagement to Dr. Rhoda Dendron and began to conduct his experiments on himself. Pretty soon he managed to merge plant DNA with his own. Drs. Gary and Larson were dead. Hemlock poisoning. "
Gizmoduck whistled. "Glad that our Bushroot's not like that."
"He's kind of wimpy," commented Neptunia. "Though he controls poisonous plants, I doubt he'd be able to use them in that way."
"He's kinda accident-prone too," added Stegmutt.
"What about the other one?" asked Posiduck.
"That was the Liquidator," explained Stegmutt.
"Bud Flood," Posiduck reached into his desk again and drew out another case file. "Pretty much had a monopoly on the bottled-water biz. Whenever another company would start, he'd poison their water to discourage sales. If that didn't work, he'd run them out of business. The Better Business Bureau eventually broke his stranglehood on the market, but Flood tried to poison Audubon Bay. He was almost successful, but I cut him off. Unfortunately I knocked over his bottle and it spilled all over him. I called EMS and tried to rinse it off, but it was too late. He was pronounced dead on the scene, but a few days later a tidal wave nearly wiped out the city. Apparently the poison had been watered down so it wasn't lethal, but in the process it converted his molecular structure to water."
"The Liquidator we know is made of water, too," Stegmutt informed.
"And he does try to get rich quick," Gizmoduck added.
Neptunia shrugged. "He's got a hangup -- he still talks like a salesman."
There was a knock on the door. "It's open," called Posiduck.
The door opened, and the Posiverse's Morgana McCawber entered. She was the same height and weight, but she was clad in a floor-length pink gown that was much looser than the red form-fitting dress the Normalversion wore. She wore white gloves trimmed with pink ribbons. Her raven was pulled up in a bun. Green eyes gazed at the three guest.
"They only look like Gizmoduck, Neptunia, and Stegmutt," explained Posiduck. "They claim to be here from another universe, and two of their enemies from their universe are in our St. Canard. We've got to weed them out--"
Stegmutt laughed. "Bushroot -- weed!"
Posiduck blushed. "That was completely unintentional."
Posi-Morgana mulled the thought over. "I suppose I could create a portal back to their universe. Once they locate these two, of course."
"Speaking of which," Gizmoduck began. "When we do find those two cads and go back to our universe, would you mind coming with us to help out?"
"I'm sorry," answered Posiduck regretfully. "I have a responsibility here in my city. And as much as I fight for the ideals of justice and freedom, I cannot leave it."
****************************************************************
(The Negaverse)
Quackerjack approached an old house. "This must be the place." He felt a shadow pass over him. Spinning around, the toymaker noticed Nega-Stegmutt standing over him. He leaped aside, barely escaping the dinosaur's spiked tail. The jester ran toward the door and banged. "Let me in! Let me in!"
The door opened. The Negaverse's Morgana poked her head out. She raised her hand and fired a mystic bolt at Nega-Stegmutt. There was a puff of smoke.
When the smoke cleared, the Nega-Stegmutt gaped at himself. He was a duck -- as he had once been. He was still wearing the red pin-striped suit, but it fit much bigger.
The twenty-four foot-soliders gaped in awe. Most of them turned and fled. Nega-Morgana zapped several of the ones who weren't fast enough into pudding.
The former dinosaur turned and fled as well.
Quackerjack breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks." He gulped when he saw green energy crackling from Nega-Morgana's hand. "Negaduck sent me!"
"Do you expect me to believe that lie, Quackerjerk?" The sorceress snapped.
Quackerjack held out the paper with the address scribbled. "Really! He asked me to track you down!"
Nega-Morgana took the note. "It IS Negaduck's handwriting. But he's been missing for quite some time--"
"He'll explain later. He wants you to meet him tonight."
**************************************************
Megavolt knocked on the door. A bazooka poked out. "Yikes."
Nega-Neptunia stepped out of the nearby water. She signaled for her own troop of foot-soldiers to move in.
Megavolt spun around and fired several electric bolts. Some hit and others missed.
Several marine creatures poked out of the water. The electric rat fired a ball of pure electricity into the wall, which shocked most of the animals -- except for the electric eels. The downside was that it took half of Megavolt's current.
The door opened, and a red-haired duck carrying a deadly-looking machine gun stepped out. He began firing.
The foot-soldiers fled, or at least, those who hadn't been knocked unconscious by the electric shocks.
"Looks like they're tougher than Hooter thought," mumbled Nega-Neptunia.
*************************************************
(The Normalverse)
"Be careful, Dah-link," commented Magica. She and her rooster ally were in front of Scrooge McDuck's money bin. "Scrooge has got the best system money can buy."
Lafayette chuckled. "He's never had to face somebody like moi, ma cherie."
"There's a first time for everything," muttered the Scottish duck from his position at the defense system controls.
(The Posiverse)
"Gosalyn!" called Posiduck.
A nine-year-old duckling came in. She was wearing what looked like a minature military uniform -- green slacks, light-blue shirt, tie, and green jacket. Long red hair spilled from underneath a green cap."Yes, Father?"
"Get Honker in here."
"I can't. He's got some sort of test tomorrow, and you know talking to him when he's studying is like talking to a brick wall. I don't know why he bothers. He knows he'll get a 100."
"Fine," answered Posiduck. "I'll check the monitors."
Posi-Gosalyn saluted and left.
"Nice kid," commented Stegmutt.
"Where's Launchpad?" asked Neptunia.
Posiduck didn't bother asking how this Neptunia knew his sidekick's name. "He's um...holding the fort...elsewhere." He didn't want to give up his identity, Drake Mallard -- St. Canard's chief of police and chief justice. Whenever he'd go out as Posiduck, Launchpad would hold the fort at the office.
Gizmoduck hissed to the green-coated duck. "What am I like in this universe?"
"You're Duckburg's greatest asset; besides Scrooge McDuck's fortune, which he donates portions of to charity."
"Mr. McDuck donates to charity?! How much?"
"Last year, he gave several of Duckburg's orphanages million-dollar grants."
******************************************************************
(The Normalverse)
Magica blasted the large doors to the money bin, which flew open. She and her partner in crime walked through.
Scrooge watched them through his monitor, and pulled down a lever.
A pillar leaned over and rolled toward the two burglars.
Lafayette yawned, gripped the heavy marble, and threw it out the door. "Ees zat zee best they can do?"
"The best is yet to come," whispered Scrooge, punching a button.
Several wooden stakes popped out of hidden wall cannons. The sorcerer and sorceress dove down, successfully avoiding them.
Lafayette wiped his face with a handkerchief. "Now zat was a little more frightening."
*************************************************************************
(The Negaverse)
"Sit down," said the Nega-Bulba. "As I understand it, you and your universe's versions of Morgana, Megavolt, and Quackerjack as well as Negaduck were sent here?"
"Yes," replied Morgana. "I tried creating a portal back, but my powers were partially drained and it'll take a while for them to regenerate to their fullest extent."
Nega-Bulba glanced at Darkwing, who was sitting stiffly on a stool. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," mumbled Darkwing. "Just getting used to you, I guess."
"Oh, yes. You're from another universe."
"Yeah, and you're a criminal mastermind who hates my guts back there."
"I see," replied the Nega-Bulba.
Darkwing glanced around the office. Medals of honor and certificates of achievement were hung on the walls, and the bull was wearing a blue uniform. "So you're a cop?"
"Chief of police, actually. So naturally Negaduck's return concerns me."
Darkwing noticed that several of the Nega-Bulba's appendages were encased in steel. "Let me guess -- you were severely injured in an explosion?"
"Right. I was trying to rescue one of Negaduck's hostages on Canard Tower, but it went up in smoke before I could make a getaway."
"How did you meet Negaduck?" asked Morgana.
"We go way back. Before he appeared, St. Canard was under the iron fists of Ruddy and Anatina Mallard. They had started their criminal careers as high school sweethearts. Small things -- graffiti, shoplifting. However, their crimes grew in severity over the years until they were practically on a killing spree. Until their arrests, that is."
"You were the one who caught them, weren't you?" asked Morgana.
"Correct, Ms. McCawber. However, they weren't in prison long. They were broken out. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard haven't been seen in St. Canard since. However, Negaduck took advantage of the situation. I was only able to stalemate him during his reign of terror. Nowadays I work with the Fearless Organization for World Liberty to block the offenses of J Gander Hooter and his gang."
"And now Negaduck complicates the equation," observed Darkwing.
"Right. You're the only one who can beat Negaduck. And perhaps with your help, we'll be able to topple Hooter." The bull leaned forward. "Will you help us?"