Disclaimer; I do not own Darkwing Duck or Gosalyn or any other Disney character....

The Path Chosen Part 1

Somewhere outside of time and space a lone figure moves hastily through the a narrow stream of light that is a small tear in the time continuum. He runs franticly looking back over his shoulder often as if being pursued. Ahead of him a shimmering wall of light appears it is a vortex though small and unstable, it is what he has been looking for. He makes no hesitation in passing through it to the other side.

He finds himself standing on a hill in a wooded area. He takes a brief moment to orient himself with his surrounding. By his calculation he should be somewhere between 1990-1994, just where he expected to be. He turns to the vortex behind him. It looks like a wall of clear rippling water with an eerie glow of light behind its calm waves. It is not the unnatural beauty of the vortex that has his attention though, it is the disturbance in the ripples patter that concerns him, his pursuers were close. He turns to flee, daring not take the time to look back.

Moments after he had vanished from sight, five others pass through the vortex into the 1990's. Though they had emerged from the vortex together, most of them had never met until that moment, yet they act in complete unison, as if knowing each other. One of them, dressed in a dark blue trench coat kneels to inspect the ground around them. He smoothes a finger across the front of the silky mask that completely covered his face and head." Here are his footprints, he came out here alright. This way." He calls as he stands to track their quarry. A few minutes after they have gone, the vortex fades from sight.

At the edge of the woods, the lone figure stops running long enough to catch his breath. He glances down at his reflection in the river. His entire costume is dark except for the sharp spikes on his shoulder pads. He lifts a gloved hand to adjust his fedora, looking again at his reflection through the black mask that hid his face. Lifting is eyes to the destination in front of him, he could see the lights of St. Canard as darkness began to fall.

He glances behind him still fearful that he may have been followed through. There was no time to waist. He starts running again in the direction of the city. A vicious smile spreads across his bill; he had plans for the city of St. Canard.

Moments later, the small posse arrived at the riverbank, where they had followed the footprints. The one tracking him turns to the figure that they had accepted as the leader. "He's headed into the city", he reports with a grievous tone to his voice. The leader is clad in white and silver; the make of his costume was not unlike that of the one they sought after. He adjusts his white fedora and gives the young woman that stood at his side a worried look. "Then we had better act quickly, or existence as we know it may well come to an end."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Evenings twilight gave way to the darkness of early night. Above the city of St. Canard, the Thunderquack flew low through the cloudless skies. Darkwing sat in the passengers seat surveying the metropolis below them. "What a beautiful night, hey DW?" Launchpad commented from the pilots seat in his usual good-natured tone of voice.

"Yeh, LP, Real nice out tonight ...real peaceful." Darkwing answer calmly.

"Do you think maybe we'll nail some crooks tonight dad!" came an excited voice from the back seat. Darkwing cast a glance over his shoulder at his daughter, dressed in her Quiverwing Quack guise "Maybe kiddo. But just remember ...you're here to observe not participate." He reminded his daughter with a stern fatherly tone.

Quiverwing sank back in her seat disenchanted. Her father had agreed to allow her to come along as Quiverwing Quack ...to watch (from a safe distance) and learn. That was it. No getting involved or else no accompanying them on patrol.

Darkwing would not have even permitted her to go with them as Quiverwing at one time, but things had changed for him dramatically in the last several months. Ever since Christmas, since the accident that almost killed him, things were so different now. He'd even proposed to Morgana! The wedding was set for early fall.

Darkwing allowed his thoughts to drift back to that Christmas, remembering how things had suddenly changed for him so much. From the time he'd woke in the hospital after being injured rescuing those girls from a burning building, People had changed toward him. Why? He'd come close to dying on more than one case. He'd saved lives more times than he could remember. Nobody had treated him any kinder for it afterwards.

What was going on? Even he had changed since that time, He realized. His outlook was different. His over sized ego had deflated some since then; his approach toward crime fighting had changed as well. He was much calmer, quieter since that fateful night. Yes, much had changed for him in the last few months, but he had yet to understand why.

It was almost as if an unseen hand was guiding his steps.

Darkwings thoughts were interrupted when the Thunderquacks radio picked up a police bulletin. "A break in has been reported at the bubble gum factory on S. Webstreet!" The bubble gum factory as Darkwing knew was a front for a secret SHUSH lab. "Launchpad to the Bubble Gum factory!"

A few minutes later, the Thunderquack arrived at the scene. SHUSH agents were already there and The Thunderquack was arriving just ahead of the police. "Stay here, Gos." Darkwing ordered his daughter as he and Launchpad climbed from the cockpit.

"Ah Dad, can't I just.." Gosalyn started to protest but a warning look from her father hushed her quickly.

J. Gander Hooter stood as several armed agents had the "bubble gum" factory surrounded. "J. Gander", Darkwing called rushing up to the head of SHUSH "What's going on here?"

"We have an intruder Darkwing", J. Gander answered simply, motioning toward the Building.

"Yeh, I know that. I picked up the police broadcast", he looked around at the small formidable armed force of highly train agents. "But why is everybody just standing around, shouldn't you be attempting to apprehend the felon?"

J. Gander sighed heavily "We've tried Darkwing," he said gesturing toward an ambulance parked across the street. Several of SHUSH's best agents were sitting on the curb next to the Ambulance as paramedics tended there injuries. "As you can see, we were unsuccessful."

"Wow, I take it this felon is well trained in the art of self-defense!"

"Indeed Darkwing." The old director replied in a dry tone "He isn't an ordinary criminal. He knows too much about SHUSH procedures. He knew that this factory was merely a cover up for one of our best Labs. He was familiar with SHUSH procedure, our security, he knew too much."

Darkwing could read the look in the director's eyes "You think he's one of your own. A SHUSH agent turned traitor?"

J. Gander nodded solemnly. " Perhaps, or been given information by someone on the inside..there's something else about him as well. .... I was inside with Dr. Bellum when this criminal broke in. We've been working on a top-secret formula when this criminal appeared seemingly from nowhere. Before I could sound the alarm, he managed to get the formula from us. No doubt that was what he came for." J. Gander fell silent for a long moment, a bewildered look swept over his face. "I remember getting a good look at him. He was wearing a black mask, his costume was dark he had a hat much like yours; I thought at first it was Negaduck. But then I saw his eyes, they were almost unearthly. It wasn't Negaduck ...or any villain I have ever come across ... yet, ......he looked at me for only a moment as he turned to flee .......... it's as if we knew each other. I felt as if I was looking into the face of someone I once knew as a friend." again J. Gander fell silent then looked toward the surrounded building "As far as I know, we have him trapped inside, all the exits are blocked. But all agents attempting to capture him have suffered for it", he looked again at the injured agents being tended by the paramedics.

Darkwing was set aback by J. Ganders words. He knew the old Director well, he

didn't become so unnerves so easily.

"Don't worry J. Gander," he said confidently "I'll get him for you then we'll see who..."

"There he is!" shouted a SHUSH agent pointing to the roof of the Building. Darkwing cast his gaze upward. A shadowy figure stalked across the roof of the building, his dark attire making him almost invisible against the night sky.

The police shone a spot light upon the fleeing villain. The ebony cloaked criminal stopped when the light hit him. From the ground Darkwing could see the briefcase the thief was clutching to his chest. No doubt, it contained the stolen formula.

For a moment the villain stood motionless, confused by the blinding light. Then in a single leap he launched himself from the top of the building, plunging strait down, moments before hitting the ground, he pulled a small object from his cape and through it to the earth. On impact, the object expanded into a rubber sphere. The villain came down on it and sprang back into the air somersaulting over the heads of his would be captors landing nimbly on the hood of the Thunderquack. He started jump down when he heard a frightened gasp from within the plane. He looked into the front seat of the Thunderquack - their eyes met, Quiverwing - Gosalyn, sat in utter shock, staring at him. The villain too was in shock for a moment, his eyes fixed on the child, heedlessly ands almost instinctively he reached out a hand toward her when. "Stay away from her!" a voice rang out from behind. The mysterious villain looked back to see Darkwing followed by Launchpad and J. Gander charging toward him. Quickly he pulled a canister from his black cape and through it to the ground. Red smoke burst from the canister, when it cleared, the villain was gone.

Darkwing climbed quickly into the Thunderquack to check on his daughter. "Are you alright sweetie?" he asked seeing the shaken look on his daughters face.

Quiverwing shook her head. "It can't be. It's impossible.," she said almost to herself. "he doesn't exist."

Darkwing slipped an arm around her and asked gently "Do you know that guy Gos?"

"I did .... sort'a.... but he isn't suppose to exist now...or ever!"

"What do you mean Gos, he isn't suppose to exist?"

"I told you about ... the time when I got stuck on QuackerJacks time top ...and ..and.." Quiverwing looked her father in the eye "It's him dad .... Or rather ..it's you..." She turned and gazed into the darkness. "It's Dark Warrior!"

To be continued.....