Coach Gridiron glanced at her stopwatch. "Is that right?" She glanced at the football field.
The St. Canard High School football team was sprawled on the grass, moaning in pain.
Gosalyn was standing on the endzone, holding the football triumphantly.
"Showoff," muttered Hamilton.
********************************************************
At Darkwing Tower, a triumphant crimefighter was holding a small velvet box. He flipped it open. A diamond ring winked at him. Darkwing took it out of its box. "Needs a little cleaning." He blew on the tiny piece.
"Dark?" came a sultry voice.
Darkwing jumped in surprise, the ring falling into his beak and lodging in his windpipe. He gasped and tried to cough it out.
Morgana wrapped her arms around her beaux's waist and thrusted her thumb into his stomach. The tiny ring popped out, hitting the floor and rolling under a table.
"Thanks, Morg," coughed out Darkwing.
"What was that anyway?"
"Uh...a piece of candy." The crimefighter reached under the table and tucked the ring back in its box. He withdrew the small case and stuffed in a desk drawer.
Morgana pointed to the console. "Your videophone's beeping."
The caped canard pressed a button. A screen popped out of the console.
Elsie Whipham's face appeared. "Hello, is this Darkwing Duck?"
"The one and only. What can I do for ya, Miss Whipham?"
"We've got a Code Red, sir. Director Hooter's missing, probably abducted by FOWL's cronies. We haven't heard anything from them in the past six hours. According to Gryzlikoff, you've foiled FOWL before, so it's your case. I doubt those remarks Gryz added are true."
"Rest assured they are not," replied the costumed crimefighter. "Gryzlikoff is just jealous."
"I am not!" came Gryzlikoff's heavy accented voice.
"Call me if anything turns up. Whipham out," the temp finished as the screen went blank.
"Dark--" Morgana began.
"Yes, Morg?"
"Steelbeak visited me last night."
"What? Why didn't you tell me? I would have--"
"Dark, listen to me. He said he needed my expertise on magic."
"Hmm. Steelbeak rarely involves magic in his schemes. Maybe he's working with a partner. Thanks for the tip."
"Maybe I can help," Morgana suggested.
"Of course not!"
"Why not? I'm a Justice Duck, and I've helped you before."
"You had your magic to help you then."
"I can't turn you into pudding or a rutabaga," teased the sorceress.
"Yes, but you could get hurt." And I'd never forgive myself if you did, he thought silently.
"That never stops you from letting Gosalyn--"
"Well, Gosalyn tags along without my consent."
"At least I don't have to worry about you nailing my door shut and covering it with barbed wire."
"I've made up my mind," replied Darkwing.
"All right," replied a resigned Morgana. A mischievous smile crossed her beak. "I'm the only magical being currently living in St. Canard, but I do know someone who's visiting."
"Who?"
"I can't seem to remember right now. Unless you let me help."
"Morgana!" Darkwing tried to keep from smiling. "You're a sneaky one."
"I do try."
"All right, honeywumpus. You win. Who is it?"
"My best friend from Eldritch, Shelley Ghastly. She's staying at the Black Water Inn." Morgana sighed. "I'd teleport us there, but --" She checked the clock. 5:00. "I won't get my powers back until ten thirty."
"We'll just take the Ratcatcher." I sure hope this isn't a mistake.
*************************************************************
The hopeful tryouts were lined up. Coach Gridiron passed among them, handing several of them uniforms. She stopped at Gosalyn. "Years ago, Swifty Feathers became the first female on the St. Canard High School team. I've been looking for someone to exceed that. I have today. Congratulations, fullback."
"Fullback?" squeaked Tank. "I wanted that position!"
The lean and tall Coach looked down at Tank. "Are you questioning my judgment?"
"No, Coach," squeaked the bully. As soon as the coach was out of earshot, he whispered in his neighbor's ear. "You just got lucky."
"At least I didn't fall into the mud puddle at the ten-yard line," hissed Gosalyn.
************************************************************
"What's the capital of Ecuador?" asked Honker.
"Quackto," replied Penelope. They were practicing for the Knowledge Bowl. "By the way, Professor Owl's out of town. We need an adult to supervise us."
"Oh, Launchpad..." called Honker.
*************************************************************
Morgana knocked on the door of the Oak Room at the Black Water Inn.
Shelley had been playing absently with her money. She swiftly crammed the cash into the briefcase, then opened the door manually. "Morg! Um...hi."
The visitor eyed some of the money her friend had missed. "Where'd you get that?"
"I...won the lottery?"
"Don't lie, Shell. It doesn't suit you."
Shelley blushed. "Remember the Senior Prom?"
"How could I forget?"
"Well, after you left to look for Lafayette, he showed up. Flattered me. And I went along with him. Merlock had dumped me, and you know what a shameless flirt Lafayette was. I figured what you didn't know wouldn't hurt you. I never planned to see Killer Diller again. I changed my mind at the last minute, but he started to use his mind powers." Shelley sighed. "I don't know if you ever forgave me, but I've never forgiven myself. A FOWL agent paid me to power a ray they planned to use on SHUSH's director."
"Steelbeak?"
"No. His name was Norwood Quacktenstein. Rather young. I'd say fifteen years old, give or take. I met him at his secret lab. Old brownstone building three blocks from here. Looks abandoned. You can't miss it."
Morgana smiled. "Thanks, Shell." She walked out to the lobby. Darkwing was seated in one of the plastic chairs. "We've got a lead."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get dangerous!"
**********************************************************
"So all I have to do is sign you guys in?" Launchpad asked. He, Honker, and Penelope were backstage at the St. Canard Amphitheater.
"You're also allowed to answer one question," explained the girl. "But one alone."
Launchpad read over some of the sample questions. "How many Rhode Islands could fit in Alaska? I think I'll let you and Honk-man answer them."
**********************************************************
Outside a brownstone building, Darkwing drew his gas gun and prepared to jump through the open window. "Just wait here." He tossed a smoke bomb, then climbed in. "I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the sour note in the symphony of crime! I am--"
"Norwood, meet Dipwing Doofus," came Steelbeak's voice.
The fifteen year old sat in an armchair. "I think I'll let our new friend do the honors."
"New friend?" asked Darkwing, confused. He spun around. "J. Gander?"
Standing only a few feet from the crimefighter was the Director of SHUSH, but changed. He seemed taller, younger. "I should have listened to Gryzlikoff." The voice was chillingly the same.
Steelbeak snatched a bag of popcorn from an Egg Man. "I t'ink I'm gonna enjoy dis."
TBC
The St. Canard High School football team was sprawled on the grass, moaning in pain.
Gosalyn was standing on the endzone, holding the football triumphantly.
"Showoff," muttered Hamilton.
********************************************************
At Darkwing Tower, a triumphant crimefighter was holding a small velvet box. He flipped it open. A diamond ring winked at him. Darkwing took it out of its box. "Needs a little cleaning." He blew on the tiny piece.
"Dark?" came a sultry voice.
Darkwing jumped in surprise, the ring falling into his beak and lodging in his windpipe. He gasped and tried to cough it out.
Morgana wrapped her arms around her beaux's waist and thrusted her thumb into his stomach. The tiny ring popped out, hitting the floor and rolling under a table.
"Thanks, Morg," coughed out Darkwing.
"What was that anyway?"
"Uh...a piece of candy." The crimefighter reached under the table and tucked the ring back in its box. He withdrew the small case and stuffed in a desk drawer.
Morgana pointed to the console. "Your videophone's beeping."
The caped canard pressed a button. A screen popped out of the console.
Elsie Whipham's face appeared. "Hello, is this Darkwing Duck?"
"The one and only. What can I do for ya, Miss Whipham?"
"We've got a Code Red, sir. Director Hooter's missing, probably abducted by FOWL's cronies. We haven't heard anything from them in the past six hours. According to Gryzlikoff, you've foiled FOWL before, so it's your case. I doubt those remarks Gryz added are true."
"Rest assured they are not," replied the costumed crimefighter. "Gryzlikoff is just jealous."
"I am not!" came Gryzlikoff's heavy accented voice.
"Call me if anything turns up. Whipham out," the temp finished as the screen went blank.
"Dark--" Morgana began.
"Yes, Morg?"
"Steelbeak visited me last night."
"What? Why didn't you tell me? I would have--"
"Dark, listen to me. He said he needed my expertise on magic."
"Hmm. Steelbeak rarely involves magic in his schemes. Maybe he's working with a partner. Thanks for the tip."
"Maybe I can help," Morgana suggested.
"Of course not!"
"Why not? I'm a Justice Duck, and I've helped you before."
"You had your magic to help you then."
"I can't turn you into pudding or a rutabaga," teased the sorceress.
"Yes, but you could get hurt." And I'd never forgive myself if you did, he thought silently.
"That never stops you from letting Gosalyn--"
"Well, Gosalyn tags along without my consent."
"At least I don't have to worry about you nailing my door shut and covering it with barbed wire."
"I've made up my mind," replied Darkwing.
"All right," replied a resigned Morgana. A mischievous smile crossed her beak. "I'm the only magical being currently living in St. Canard, but I do know someone who's visiting."
"Who?"
"I can't seem to remember right now. Unless you let me help."
"Morgana!" Darkwing tried to keep from smiling. "You're a sneaky one."
"I do try."
"All right, honeywumpus. You win. Who is it?"
"My best friend from Eldritch, Shelley Ghastly. She's staying at the Black Water Inn." Morgana sighed. "I'd teleport us there, but --" She checked the clock. 5:00. "I won't get my powers back until ten thirty."
"We'll just take the Ratcatcher." I sure hope this isn't a mistake.
*************************************************************
The hopeful tryouts were lined up. Coach Gridiron passed among them, handing several of them uniforms. She stopped at Gosalyn. "Years ago, Swifty Feathers became the first female on the St. Canard High School team. I've been looking for someone to exceed that. I have today. Congratulations, fullback."
"Fullback?" squeaked Tank. "I wanted that position!"
The lean and tall Coach looked down at Tank. "Are you questioning my judgment?"
"No, Coach," squeaked the bully. As soon as the coach was out of earshot, he whispered in his neighbor's ear. "You just got lucky."
"At least I didn't fall into the mud puddle at the ten-yard line," hissed Gosalyn.
************************************************************
"What's the capital of Ecuador?" asked Honker.
"Quackto," replied Penelope. They were practicing for the Knowledge Bowl. "By the way, Professor Owl's out of town. We need an adult to supervise us."
"Oh, Launchpad..." called Honker.
*************************************************************
Morgana knocked on the door of the Oak Room at the Black Water Inn.
Shelley had been playing absently with her money. She swiftly crammed the cash into the briefcase, then opened the door manually. "Morg! Um...hi."
The visitor eyed some of the money her friend had missed. "Where'd you get that?"
"I...won the lottery?"
"Don't lie, Shell. It doesn't suit you."
Shelley blushed. "Remember the Senior Prom?"
"How could I forget?"
"Well, after you left to look for Lafayette, he showed up. Flattered me. And I went along with him. Merlock had dumped me, and you know what a shameless flirt Lafayette was. I figured what you didn't know wouldn't hurt you. I never planned to see Killer Diller again. I changed my mind at the last minute, but he started to use his mind powers." Shelley sighed. "I don't know if you ever forgave me, but I've never forgiven myself. A FOWL agent paid me to power a ray they planned to use on SHUSH's director."
"Steelbeak?"
"No. His name was Norwood Quacktenstein. Rather young. I'd say fifteen years old, give or take. I met him at his secret lab. Old brownstone building three blocks from here. Looks abandoned. You can't miss it."
Morgana smiled. "Thanks, Shell." She walked out to the lobby. Darkwing was seated in one of the plastic chairs. "We've got a lead."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get dangerous!"
**********************************************************
"So all I have to do is sign you guys in?" Launchpad asked. He, Honker, and Penelope were backstage at the St. Canard Amphitheater.
"You're also allowed to answer one question," explained the girl. "But one alone."
Launchpad read over some of the sample questions. "How many Rhode Islands could fit in Alaska? I think I'll let you and Honk-man answer them."
**********************************************************
Outside a brownstone building, Darkwing drew his gas gun and prepared to jump through the open window. "Just wait here." He tossed a smoke bomb, then climbed in. "I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the sour note in the symphony of crime! I am--"
"Norwood, meet Dipwing Doofus," came Steelbeak's voice.
The fifteen year old sat in an armchair. "I think I'll let our new friend do the honors."
"New friend?" asked Darkwing, confused. He spun around. "J. Gander?"
Standing only a few feet from the crimefighter was the Director of SHUSH, but changed. He seemed taller, younger. "I should have listened to Gryzlikoff." The voice was chillingly the same.
Steelbeak snatched a bag of popcorn from an Egg Man. "I t'ink I'm gonna enjoy dis."
TBC