Braced Company

A Disney Duck Fanfic:

Instead of being purely based on one entity, this story takes background from Classic Donald Duck cartoons, Ducktales, and Darkwing Duck.

Contains Major Spoilers to Double Triangle Trouble

Written By

Stef with an F

Disclaimers

Disney owns most of these characters. Dumbella's past as Bella Widgeon is mine, as are the characters of Melanie Widgeon, Cindy Ganderquack, Jeffery and Ashley Ruddy / Arachnia Ink, Ronnie Mallard, Lisa Mallard, Detective Doberman Pincher, Devin Duck, and whomever else I mention in the future. Time Setting: About eight (8) years after the Darkwing Duck series.

WARNING

This story is rated PG-13 and/or TV-14-LSDV, which means it may or may not (chapters may vary, some will be possibly PG rated only or a less severe TV-14) include references or incidents of mild/moderate language, sexual content and/or themes, mild or moderate violence, and possible other adult themes. Not a porno, or even R-rated, but be advised and please no flames.

Chapter 18

"What do you think of this dress Melanie?" Webby asked.

"It is beautiful Webby!" Melanie explained taking the dress from Webby.

Webby nodded, "Thanks, my granny gave me this dress when I was about your age. I think it will look awesome on you at your mother's wedding. Are you excited?"

"Yes!" Melanie exclaimed.

"Isn't this just a beautiful dress that Webby let me have?" Melanie asked.

Launchpad nodded. "Just like you."

Melanie giggled.

"I'm glad you are going to be my daddy," Melanie added. "It's been really lonely."

"I'm glad to have you," Launchpad replied and he kissed Melanie on the forehead. "Now you go grab Lisa and go follow your Aunt Cindy so the rehearsal can begin."

"Okay!" Melanie gleefully responded before disappearing.

Drake came down from upstairs fresh from the shower.

"You look exhausted DW," Launchpad commented.

"It's because I am. I let you sleep but I did my rounds last night."

"Couldn't let it slide for one night, couldn't you?" Launchpad replied with a grin.

"And what? Let Gizmoduck get all the glory?" Darkwing said behind Drake, a sight that caused Launchpad to jump three feet in the air.

Drake laughed. "It's just the decoy Launchpad. We can't have certain guests getting suspicious."

"Nor do we want people to say that I am such a heartless ego maniac that I couldn't even attend my sidekick's wedding," the Darkwing hologram added.

"Now whoever would say that?" Gosalyn asked as she started to laugh, "And which one of you gets to be best man?"

"Me!" both men shouted.

Launchpad grinned. "Pretty nice to have to best friends fighting over me. I will have to think about it."

"What do you mean you will have to think about it!" Drake shouted.

"I mean, how can I chose between my two best friends D...Drake? I mean you and DW are both very important to me."

The decoy glared at Drake quite amused.

"Damn S.H.U.S.H. made this thing . . . "

"Too accurate?"

"He's not real!" Drake screamed.

"I resent that!" 'Darkwing' shouted as he left the room.

Launchpad started to laugh. "Of course you are the best man."

Drake straightens. "Of course, I knew it all the time."

"So you are going to being walking down the isle with Cindy, the decoy with Morgana."

Drake feigned surprise. "I can just hear Herb now."

Launchpad grinned, "Yet you know it's only a hologram."

"Very true. Well, Groomie, it's time to get set."

Honker Muddlefoot ran down the stairs, nearly tripping. He was only half dressed, with an untucked shirt and a poorly tied tie.

"Mom?" he called.

"She's not home you moron!" Tank shouted back. "She said she forgot to buy a card for the wedding or something. I can't remember."

Honker walked down the rest of the stairs. "Well, good think it's not actually time for that actually wedding."

Tank turned around from the couch and glared at his kid brother.

"Well, I'm glad, I'm not in the wedding because there is no way I am wearing such a monkey suit. Yuck."

"Well, I was hoping mom was around so she could help me with this tie. I'm all thumbs when it comes to this type of thing."

"Yeah," Tank mocked as he returned his attention to the Monster Truck derby he was watching.

He sighed heavily when a commercial aired only seconds later.

"Hey moron, come here and let me tackle that for you," Tank offered urging his brother to come hinder.

Honker stared at Tank for a moment considering his options. "I really don't have time to get another tux Tank, so I rather you not ruin this one."

Tank rolled his eyes, "No Brain Boy, all I want to do is to tie that tie for you."

It was then Honker who rolled his eyes, "I don't have time for these games Tank, since when do you know anything about ties? All I ever see you wear is jeans, T-shirts. Sometimes you wear leather and spikes, but never anything that requires a tie."

"Ash showed me," Tank revealed, submerging the feelings of betrayal, pain, and concern the namesake craved in him. "Now get your butt over here before I drag you here with that tie?"

Honker continued to eye Tank suspiciously, somehow the anger in Tank's voice didn't really startle him," You worn a tie?"

Tank glared at Honker in warning, so after a last moment of hesitation Honker approached his brother.

Tank tied Honker's black tie. "There you go. I would tell you to tuck that shirt in, but then I would be Mom, and I think it looks much better out."

Honker shook his head, "Thanks for tying though."

"Whatever," Tank replied as his show came back on.

Honker stared at Tank for a moment. Something was up, Tank's crankiness wasn't at the same calabur as usually just as high but different. He shook his head, but he didn't have time to analyze now.

Honker grabbed the suit jack he had draped upon a dining room chair and then he out the door.

In a few minutesHonker arrivedat Mallard's household.

"Hey Honker! I wasn't sure if you were coming or not," Launchpad stated with a smile. "Great! Mom? Dad? The groom usher is here!"

"Um . . . Nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. McQuack," Honker greeted. "I'm Herbert Muddlefoot Jr. , yet almost everyone calls me Honker."

"Glad to meet you. Are you going out with that spirited girl I ran into a few minutes ago?" Ripcord McQuack greeted.

"Gosalyn?" Honker blushed. "Oh no, we are just friends. She has a boyfriend."

"Don't embarrass him Rip," Birdie McQuack saved. "It is very possible for men and women to be friends. I'm sorry, I think Ripcord is just very excited that Launchpad has finally settled down. We are really looking forward to the grandchildren."

"And now it's time for Loopy to settle down," Ripcord added. "Sure, I am glad she has that great job at the Avian college but . . . "

Ripcord grasped his wife's hand before continuing, "No matter how many miles I flew or the number of skies I looped, there were only one adventure I cherished more than any other. And that was when this classy duck agreed to be this lonely pelican-duck's lawfully wedded wife."

He kissed his wife's hand.

Launchpad nervously laughed. "Dewey's in the back with his two guests, more is coming later of course. Ronnie, would you turn on the music once they get back there?"

Ronnie nodded. "Yup! Thanks for letting me do the music!"

"Oh no problem little buddy. I told you I will get in the wedding somehow!"

Noticing that he was the only person in the family without a role, Launchpad tried his best to give six-year-old Ronnie a role in the wedding. The fact that Melanie and Lisa had roles as Flower girls, bothered Ronnie than he wanted to admit. Even though, he dropped many stubble hints. Of the rest of the kids, Huey and Louie were in the wedding as Junior Groomsmen, and Gosalyn and Webby, as Junior Bridesmaids. Dewey and Honker seeming to be the odd teens out took on the roles of the ushers, Dewey for the bride's family and Honker for the groom's. So, Launchpad was very grateful when the Wedding DJ agreed to allow Ronnie, with his supervision of course, cue the music for both the rehearsal and wedding.

Dewey escorted his Uncle Scrooge and Mrs. Beakley to their seats, as Honker took Mr. and Mrs. McQuack to theirs.

After they were seated, Ronnie changed the music as Melanie and Lisa appeared, each holding an empty basket, that were to be filled later.

"Isn't it bad luck for the groom to see his bride the day of the wedding?" Five-year-old Lisa whispered. "I heard that on TV once."

Melanie shook her head, "No, not this wedding. Mom and Launchpad are going to be fine. I know it."

Lisa smiled. "I hope so. I like your mom."

Melanie laughed. "Thanks, yours too."

Ronnie glared at the girls, his hands on his hips, and he pointed at the girls. "Hey stop talking and move it! I want to change the music again."

Lisa snuck her tongue out. "Hold your horses!"

Melanie held in a laugh.

"Ronnie, leave your sister alone!" Drake said from the other side of the room.

Ronnie looked up in compliance and looked up and nearly made a double take when he noticed the Darkwing Decoy for the first time.

Drake froze for a moment, just realizing he never explained the hologram to his two younger children. He whispered something to Launchpad.

Launchpad quickly nodded. "Yeah...Hey, Ronnie, turn off that music, for a moment, will ya?"

Ronnie nodded and turned the music off.

Sensing the tense emotion in the room, Fenton turned to Launchpad, "What's going on?"

Launchpad shook his head. "Oh nothing. Drake just has to talk to the kids."

"Oh," Fenton replied. "Would you mine if I do an errand myself then?"

Launchpad indicated Fenton to wait, as he addressed the rest of the attendants. "Melanie could you go tell your mother the rehearsal will be delayed for a few minutes?"

Melanie nodded and disappeared into the back room.

Birdie looked up concerned. "What is going on Launchpad, honey?"

Launchpad started to open his mouth, when Drake answered instead, "I just need to talk to my two kids for a moment. Make sure they behave for this afternoon. Nothing is wrong. It will just take a few minutes."

Birdie seemed satisfied and whispered something to her husband. Scrooge eyed Fenton from his seat. Fenton shrugged.

After Drake, Ronnie, and Lisa exited the room, Honker turned to Dewey, ready to make polite conversation.

"How are you doing?" Honker asked.

Dewey turned to Dewey, "Huh?" he asked, not exactly paying attention.

"I was asking how are you? But, is something wrong?" Honker redirected.

"Oh..." Dewey responded, studying Honker a bit. There was no doubt that Gosalyn shared information with him. The thing was, he did not know what and how much. Quite possibly, Honker's friendly chatter could be an attempt to fish for more info. This was a possibility that Dewey was not sure he could risk.

"Just got a lot on my mind," Dewey answered truthfully.

"Ashley Ruddy?" Honker asked. "I know you two are involved. Louie . . . "

Dewey stared at Honker. What does Louie know?

"I'm sorry, but I shouldn't have said anything. He just told me that he thinks you two are going out? And it is kind of weird because she used to go out with my brother. And I saw the two of them talking last night."

Dewey's face dropped as he surveyed Honker for any information he would provide without having to actual find the words.

Honker smiled and he patted Dewey on the shoulder. "The two are friends as far as I know."

He was stretching the truth, just a little, he knew Tank was still in love with Ashley which is amazing. He never seemed to be the type to be an one woman man.

Dewey tried to smile. The fact that he and Ashley had an one night stand, with protection, was only a fraction of the burden he carried. He was falling in love with the woman, and he couldn't tell if she felt the same. And she was in the early stages of being a major criminal. She also knew his secret identity. And probably the identities of those he loved. And he blamed two of them for the murder of her mother. It just caused him to shake inside.

Honker frowned. "You know, I am concerned about that new villainess that has been in town: Arachnia Ink."

Honker whispered, "Especially if she is who Quiverwing thinks she is."

Dewey listened, careful to discover what Honker knew without revealing anything new.

"Who?" Dewey whispered back.

"Splatter Phoenix's daughter."

To Be Continued . . .

Author Note: Okay it was revealed! Finally! And if you didn't already know... Surprised! LOL