"Who are You?"

Chapter three to My Story

By Me, Mirage

When I awoke I was ready to die. I couldn't move without having pain shoot through my body. Heck breathing hurt, but I couldn't stay. I had outworn my welcome so it was time for me to go. It took me a while to come to a sitting position, but I finally got there. That was the hard part. Slipping off the bed and walking to the door was easy. Well so I thought. I started to leave the infirmary when I ran into Mallory and fell to one knee. The pain was excruciating and her pulling me to my feet and pushing me back into the infirmary didn't help alleviate it.

"L'Orange," she barked. "I thought that you were suppose to be watching this!"

Duke, who had fallen asleep in his chair, sat up startled by the intrusion of his nap. "What?"

"You're pathetic!" she told him then she turned to me, "sit!"

"Make me!"

Of course, I should have chosen my words more carefully. She pushed me forward and I felt my arm pop when I slammed into the foot of the bed.

"Whoa, Mal calm down," Duke said as he jumped to his feet. "Are you okay, kid?"

"No," I choked back tears. "I think I think my arm just popped."

"Get Tanya," Duke ordered Mallory.

"You get her, after all she is your"

"GET HER!"

Mallory didn't argue any farther. She quickly left the room and left Duke to help me back to the bed. Tanya appeared a few minutes later with Wildwing and Mallory in tow.

"What's wrong?"

"I think Mal may have reinjured her arm."

"I did NOT! She was trying to escape!"

Duke let Tanya help me before he went to confront Mallory face to face. Wildwing jumped in the middle of the argument and tried to stop the fight. I personally was trying to ease the pain in my arm any way I could. Nothing I did seemed to work.

"Are you okay honey?"

"No."

She turned and went to a cabinet and returned with a syringe and a vile of clear colorless liquid. She filled the syringe with the liquid and looked me straight in the eye. "This will make you feel better, but it will also put you to sleep. Do you want me to give this to you?"

*Of course not stupid* I thought. *I just love being in pain.* I nodded my approval and she smiled at me.

"Okay, lay down."

I struggled to do the task myself. I didn't want any help, but I soon realized that I had no choice in the matter. Well actually I had a choice, but when Duke joined Tanya's strike force I had little say in the matter. I quickly returned to a sitting position when she tried to pull off my pants.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"What do you think your doing?"

"I need to give you the injection in"

"I don't want it!"

"But"

"Not if you are going to shoot me up the butt."

Duke started to laugh at my protest. I turned and looked at him and found Mallory and Wildwing snickering as well.

"Stop that!" Tanya scolded them. "Listen, uh, I'm sorry, but what is your name?"

"Uh" I looked around for an escape route. I couldn't tell her my name. Jack taught me that. A thief never should reveal his or her true name.

"What's your name sweet heart?" Duke asked.

"She doesn't have one," Mallory laughed.

"Of course I have a name," I shot back.

"Then what is it?"

"None of your business, oww!"

I looked back at Tanya, who withdrew the needle from my backside and smiled.

"No fair."

Everyone laughed at me.

"All right, Raven lay down," Tanya smiled.

"Raven!" I was appalled by the name.

"What else are we going to call you? I think it fits. What do you think guys?"

They all agreed with her. Just because my hair is jet black. "My name is Mirage!"

"Mirage, eh," Duke scoffed. "Mirage what?"

"Mirage. Just plain and simple Mirage."

"Oh I get it, it's like Madonna. You only go by your first name," Mallory teased.

"No, my name is Mirage. I just choose not to use my last name. Besides who is Madonna?"

"So you have one? A last name that is?"

"Yes."

"Then what is it?"

"None of your business."

"Okay, Mirage, I think you and Mal have established your points," Duke said. "You need to get some rest."

"And I need to take a look at that arm," Tanya added.

Of course I refused to let her touch me. I'm pretty sure that she did after I fell to sleep. Whatever she gave me was some pretty powerful stuff.

I spent the next few weeks in the infirmary in a drugged out stupor. If I so much as winced at a loud noise Tanya was there ready to stick me in my butt. My backside was so raw I'm pretty sure that if I wasn't sleeping I wouldn't have been able to tolerate the throbbing coming from my buttocks.

Somewhere during my imprisonment, Nosedive and I became good friends. I always looked forward to seeing him. He was always so cheerful and ready to crack a joke. The thing I liked best about him was his confidence in himself. He wasn't afraid of pulling a prank on Mallory. Of course some of his tactics were childish and redundant. How long had he known Duke? Whatever the length of time, he should have picked up a few pointers. Good thing I was there. I would just have to show him some trademark secrets.

Soon, with Tanya's permission I was allowed to leave the infirmary, but under Wildwing's orders I was to have a constant escort. I guess he was afraid I might betray them to someone. (Like whom would I betray them to? I don't know anyone else but the ducks on this good for nothing lump of dirt, no offense, but I miss my home.) The worst thing was not having to be babysat, but that I was stuck there. I could practically go anywhere in the Pond, but outside. Why couldn't I? Nosedive was eighteen and he got to go out. It's probably because I'm a thief and Wildwing's afraid I might steal something. Now isn't that a contradiction. Duke's a thief and he's not held prisoner.

Well I guess I should count my blessings. My arm was healing, I am alive, and I was starting to fit in, I think. When Nosedive wasn't out with friends, on the phone or at practice he hung out with me. I think Mallory was now regretting having expressed her distaste for me. Dive and I pulled some of the most interesting and embarrassing pranks on her. Nosedive wanted me to help him pull one on Wildwing, but ever since the pants incident I try to avoid any and all contact with him. He won't say anything to me except Blah, blah, blah, that's an order!' Order hmm, chili cheese fries, hot tamales with extra halapino peppers and a large coke to go please. =) Okay so Wing thinks I'm a bigger smart alike then Dive. No wonder we get along so well.

Dive and I hung out as much as we could. For the most part Wildwing and Duke kept him away from me, once they found out how much time we were spending together that is. I was very lucky to have found a good friend in Grin. We spent a great deal of time talking actually I spent the majority of the time complaining about my life while he sat quietly. Every now and then he would offer me some helpful advice, even though I still didn't understand a word he said. The best thing about Grin is how he doesn't judge me. You have no idea how many times I have fallen asleep in his arms while he was comforting me while I cried. If Duke and Wildwing knew how much time we spent together I'm sure they would forbid that as well.

***

One day they were practicing, and as usual, I was stuck on the bench watching. BORING! I hate hockey. For heavens sake I grew up on a planet that lived for the accursed sport. My mom detested it, so she had me take ice-dancing lessons. Yes, I ice skate. I'm not THAT deranged! Now, here on Earth I couldn't even do that. My skates were back on Puckworld. Anyway, after the ducks finished practice we walked into the dressing room where Wildwing became extremely serious. "Mirage, I need to talk to you."

"What did I do now?"

"Nothing," he smiled, dropping the tone of voice he reserved for me when he was going to scream.

"Then why do you want to talk to me?"

"Because of this," he said as he handed me a box with a very large red ribbon on the top.

"What's this?"

"Open it."

"It's a bomb, right?"

"No," he laughed.

The more I held out, the giddier he got. If I hadn't been so worried I might have enjoyed his squirming

"Open it."

By now the others were interested in the strange package and they each insisted that I open it. Since they were not running and hiding I knew that it couldn't have been a bomb. That is unless Wildwing has one sick sense of humor. I opened the gift and was surprised to find drum roll please

"Shoes?"

"They are just like ours. Put them on."

I did as I was told, but I was very unenthusiastic about the gift.

"Here, let me help you," Wildwing said impatiently. As soon as the footgear was strapped to my feet he activated the ice skates. He just smiled at my bewildered expression. How did he know I wanted ice skates?

"How? Why?"

"Grin said that you were upset about not having a pair, so I had Tanya make you one. They also have built in rocket rollerblades."

"Cool!" So the gift was turning out to be better then I had first thought, I couldn't help myself. In my excited state I jumped up and gave Wildwing a hug. I think he was just as surprised as I was. Everyone was surprised by my reaction. "Can I try them out?"

"Sure."

"Now?"

"Go for it."

I raced from the room and hit the ice. Man did it feel good to stretch my legs. I didn't do much in the ways of stunts, but I did try a few skating drills. (Just to make sure that I hadn't lost my edge.) I looked up and found all the ducks standing at the bench watching me. I must have looked foolish, acting like a five-year-old who just received a new toy. Who cares! I had skates!

"So how are they?" Wildwing asked when I approached the bench.

"I had better." He frowned slightly. "They are great Wildwing, thank you. I never thought that you guys even cared."

"Of course we care," Nosedive said cheerfully.

"You are part of the team now, that is, if you want to be," Wildwing clumsily said.

"Sorry Wing, I hate hockey."

"Hate Hockey!"

"Yeah, my mom didn't like it so she had me take ice dancing lessons."

"That's cool," Nosedive said after a very long and awkward pause.

"Well, we have to go get changed," Wildwing said.

"Can I please skate for a little while longer?" I asked. He was about to say some other time', I could tell, so I gave him my famous puppy dog face. It worked.

"Not too long."

"Thank you."

I skated off as the others went into the dressing room. Duke was the last to leave. He just kept glaring at me. Oh well, he could glare all he wanted I was going to skate. When he finally left, I retrieved my CD's that Nosedive had given me, from the bench. I keep them there and listened to them on Dive's portable CD player while the others were practicing. I played the music on the stadiums loudspeakers and performed the all too familiar routine. I grew up listening to this song. My mom had performed it a dozen times. As a matter of fact it was her routine. Okay so I didn't have a partner to help me with the jumps or lifts, but I could always improvise. I was so concentrated on the techniques that I did not even notice someone skate up and place his or her arm around my waist. We performed the dance' perfectly. I even added new more difficult jumps. The music ended and we slid to a stop at center ice. His arms were tightly wrapped around my waist. My back was to his chest, yet I still was able to reach up and caress his beak (like the routine was supposed to end). We were so caught up in the moment that neither one of us moved. He shifted his weight behind me and I awoke from my daze.

"You skate that routine about as well as your mother."

"How long have you known?"

He smiled, "the instant I laid my eyes on you."

"I was wearing a ski mask."

"True, but not when I took it off."

"All right then, why didn't you say something?"

"I wanted to be sure."

"Now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going to tell the others?"

"No."

I was shocked to say the least. He wasn't going to tell the other's my true identity?

"Listen kid, it's for the best."

I turned my back to him and skated away. "I understand." My voice was filled with pain and agony from being rejected.

"They are just getting to know you. I'd rather them like you for who you are then because"

"We are related," I cut him off.

He nodded.

"I told you I understand. Your embarrassed that I'm a girl and because I didn't do what you and mom wanted me to."

"Vadie!"

"My names Mirage!" I screamed at him as I skated further away.

"Vadie Airella L'Orange, come back here!"

I left him alone on the ice. As soon as I could I deactivated the skates and ran in the shoes. I didn't go down to the living quarters, instead I went to go outside. I didn't care if Wildwing had forbidden it; I couldn't stay there any longer.

"Mirage?"

I turned around and found Wildwing talking with Phil and some other human. *Great.*

"Where are you going?"

If I stayed I got into trouble. If I ran I got into trouble, so I ran.

"Mirage, wait!"

I didn't get very far. How was I to know that Wildwing was a fast runner?

"Mirage, what's wrong?"

I burst into tears and buried my face into his chest. I didn't care what he thought. All I wanted at that moment was someone to hold me. My entire life Duke had been rejecting me. I should have been use to it, but I realized that day that I was not over the feelings of abandonment.

"Va Wing?"

"Duke, what happened?"

I spun around to find Duke looking at me. I tried to run, but Wildwing wouldn't release me.

"Duke, what happened?" Wildwing asked again.

"I don't know. She just took off."

"Mirage?"

I don't know what came over me at that instant. My knees buckled and my legs collapsed from underneath me. It was like I had jello for legs. I probably would have hurt myself if it weren't for Wildwing. As I slid to the floor he tried to help me stay upright. When my descent to the floor was complete, he stood in front of me holding my hands.

"Mirage, what's wrong?"

"I I don't feel so good."

"I'll take her down to the infirmary, Wing."

"No."

"I'll be down in a minute, as soon as I deal with Captain Kelgghorn."

Duke heaved me to my feet and tried to make me walk, but my legs just wouldn't respond. Even if I could have freed myself from Duke in order to run away, I wouldn't have been able to. Once we were out of earshot, Duke spoke harshly, "come on Vadie, stop goofing around."

"I'm not. My legs won't work."

"Vadie, I'm warning you."

"Just toss me into a pile of garbage. That way I will feel at home."

Duke stopped and lowered me to the floor. "Vadie, what's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem."

"Why are you giving me such a hard time?"

"I'm not giving you a hard time. You and your friends are the ones who are giving me a hard time."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah! I can't go out. I have to be watched constantly. I can't have friends. Everyone hates me."

"We don't hate you."

"Mallory does."

"She doesn't like me either. That's why I don't want the others to know"

"Okay so Mallory has a problem."

"Yes and no. She's just very head strong like someone else I know."

"Very funny."

"Come on let's go."

We finally made it to the infirmary where Tanya did an exam. She couldn't find anything wrong with me and she became worried and had me put back on restrictions. In other words, no skating or physical activity for a week. That night I was quarantined in my room. Oh I forgot to tell you, when I was released from the medical watch I was given a tour of the base and given my own room. So I guess that was the first gift that the ducks gave me. Back to my second imprisonment Duke came in several times that night to check on me. I thought that it was unnecessary, but his concerned face told me otherwise. I fell to sleep that night in his arms. HA! That should make Tanya jealous!