The Mistress and the Madman Chapter 5, a darkwing duck fanfic

-Chapter Five-

Muse for the Maniac

Drake stared on in stunned silence, was this really happening? The grin on the morbid face was growing closer, the banana doll was smiling on his shoulder, and Gosalyn's grip was painfully tight on his arm. This was real. He found his voice.

"Run."

"But…" Gosalyn gripped his arm tighter.

"I said RUN!"

She released him and rushed over to Honker who stood still as stone and as pale as alabaster. She shook him trying to help him regain his wits.

"Come inside little boy, we've got a ton of great games to play in here…" Sang the madman sweetly as his eyes locked on the trembling Honker.

"Get lost creep!" The fiery red head barked at him.

Quackerjack made a quick movement and too late Drake tried to stop him. A jump rope wrapped around her throat and with an effortless yank the clown pulled her into the hall with him. Drake ran feverishly after her as police cars pulled up in front of the building. Quackerjack laughed merrily as he dragged the flailing child into the main part of the restaurant. Her hands grabbed at her throat and her legs kicked out wildly. Drake bolted after them oblivious to everything else. He caught up and grabbed the jump rope and violently pulled it toward himself. With some resistance the jester dropped his end and in a failed effort to hold onto his victim he toppled over. Mr. Banana Brain landed a few feet away from his master.. His heart in his throat and pounding uncomfortably Drake helped Gosalyn get the rope off. She had tears in her eyes and was gasping horribly but she appeared to be all right. It was then he saw bodies. They were everywhere. Some hung from the rafters by jump ropes similar to the one that had tried to claim Gosalyn, some were impaled on exposed springs of the mechanical mascots, and there were a few with their heads smashed through the glass of the arcade games. Women, men, children, even infants, there was no discrimination all had met horrendous deaths. Gosalyn threw her arms around his waist and buried her face into his rain soaked shirt. She never should have seen this, now she could never forget this. Quackerjack seemed ready to pick himself up from the floor and Drake's mind snapped back to what he had to do.

"Gos, get out of here. Go now."

"But…" Her voice was choked with tears and muffled by his shirt.

"Go to the police and take Honker with you. Go now!" He pushed her off toward the door. With a brief glance back at him she started to run.

"No fair." Whined the clown straightening himself out. "I didn't know we were playing tug of war." The monstrous grin disappeared as the shattered eyes saw the girl retreat. "Simon didn't say you could leave little girl!" He shrieked and pulled out a bright red gun. Drake was upon him before he could even lift it. The rage of Gosalyn being attacked overwrote all his limitations. His pain was unimportant so he didn't feel it, his own safety was inconsequential so he ignored it, and his lack of a firearm was a minor annoyance so he improvised. With all this anger he put the arch of his foot to Quackerjack's chest with the force of a Mac truck. As the jester careened backward the trigger was pulled and a suction cupped dart that shot out stuck to the ceiling. The room was eerie and silent, which gave his mind a chance to catch up to his adrenaline rush. If Quackerjack had any of his gadgets, any of his "toys" Drake would be in an awful lot of trouble. He had nothing to defend himself, nothing to aid him in a fight. Sure his body was primed for battle with his own adrenaline boost but he was a wreck. He wouldn't survive long against more of those sponge monsters, and would be taken down with an other hit from the maniac's bat. The jester glared back at him with a terrifying look of pure hatred etched on his face.

"You don't know how to play this game right." He growled.

"I never read the rules." Drake snapped back. He could hear the police filing into the room behind him.

"You ruined my party!" Quackerjack screeched. The police swarmed in around them, for the first time in a very long time Drake was happy to see them. There was a beep from over head and the jester pointed angrily at him. "I'll get you for this…. And your little girl too!"

The monster before him smirked and the harmless looking suction cup dart exploded. Drake jumped back as chunks of the ceiling fell. The dust and debris filled the air. Coughing and shouting erupted all around him and when the chaos ended Quackerjack was gone.

After the police had finished questioning him they led him outside where Gosalyn and Honker sat in the back of a patrol car. His heart lifted, they were both okay. He sidled over to the car, its doors were open and the children were lost in their own thoughts. He crouched beside the open car door and looked at the shaken little girl.

"Oh I had hoped the day I'd see you in the back of a patrol car would wait until you were at least a teenager." He teased.

His voice broke through her daze and he found her hugging him tightly in a matter of seconds. He patted her soggy hair as she cried. Honker looked at him through his large red glasses, the boy was finally getting some color back into his face.

"You all right there Honker?" All the child could do in response was nod. "Good. Well then, I think it's about time we got out of here."

He was in the clear. He knew the police couldn't challenge his account of what happened because there were security tapes that backed him up. Though they weren't suspicious of him at all, he just couldn't help but feel like he had to prove he hadn't done anything wrong. Darkwing had instilled a distrust of officers of the law in him, and it carried over into Drake as well, it was just something that couldn't be helped. His main objective at this moment was to get the children as far away from this place before they started removing the grizzly bodies. His wounds were no longer quiet and his thoughts, against his will, returned to her. Morgana had eased his aching with as little as a small peck on the cheek, he wished she could show up and take away this blinding pain. He had provided his information to the lingering officers and was escorting the shell-shocked kids back into the car when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He blinked trying to rid the hallucination of his vision, and was stunned to see she was still there. She was hurriedly crossing the street and heading towards them. Her striped hair was pulled into a high ponytail on her head, and she was wearing a black coat and blue jeans. He blinked again to be sure he wasn't loosing his mind, by the time he had opened them again she threw her arms around his shoulders and crushed him in a hug. His head swam with her perfume and the odd sensation he had come to expect whenever she was near.

"Thank heavens you're all safe." She breathed.

"Morgana? How did you…?"

"I had the most horrible premonition last night. I've been searching for you all day Drake." She loosened her hold on him and her eyes shone with relief. He couldn't remember how to speak, how could she be so beautiful in every day clothes? She released him and looked into the car at the shaken children. "And for you and your friend Gosalyn dear. Everything is okay now, trust me."

Gosalyn nodded sniffling. Morgana stroked Honker's wet hair and crouched beside him. Her intense green eyes were turned up to him meaningfully.

"Don't be ashamed Mr. Muddlefoot, you had every right to be afraid. Don't beat yourself up okay? Everyone is fine." She gave the boy a sweet smile and his eyes looked away from her to rest on the floor. Drake couldn't take his eyes off of her. How had she known where they were? That something had happened? How did she know Honker's name? His mind flooded with questions and she turned back to him.

"Can we go somewhere to talk? I have something I really need to tell you."

"I should take Honker home." He said quickly. It was true but at the same time he wanted to distance himself from her. He didn't like to have his mind clouded with unwanted emotions.

"I don't think he wants to go home just yet…" She turned to the children again, and Drake followed her gaze. The look on Honker's face was in silent agreement with what she had said. "Would you two want to get a behind the scenes tour of the circus? They closed it down today to work on some repairs to the main tent and we're all just sitting around looking for something to do. What do you say? Free cotton candy and all the funnel cake you can eat?"

"Keen gear! Can we dad?" Gosalyn peeped, forgetting her shock momentarily. He had three pairs of expectant eyes upon him. Reluctantly he nodded.

The rain pounded on the weathered tent canvas above, the place was quiet and empty. Gosalyn and Honker were obscured from his view by the Marvels that surrounded them. The motley crew had eagerly volunteered to show them around, he wondered which lot was more excited to see the other. The Marvels started to take the kids around with an outburst of laughter. The kids were happy, almost as if what had just happened was a bad dream. They disappeared through a curtain and he was alone with Morgana once more.

"Your defenses are up again… why don't you trust me?" She said softly.

"It's in my nature." He turned to her. She looked hurt, did his trust really mean that much to her?

"Drake… I…"

"Wait I want to ask you something." He interrupted her harshly. He had to ask her this before she stupefied him again. Before he forgot how to form words. "You know who attacked us today?"

"The one who calls himself Quackerjack… yes. I saw him in my vision…"

"Is he in the circus?"

"I don't think so. I'm sure we could have noticed him hiding out here…"

"That's not what I mean. Are you sure no one who works for the circus is Quackerjack?" The look of outrage that flooded her face nearly silenced him. "A guy dressed up as a clown starts murdering people when your circus comes to town it seems pretty suspicious."

"Well you're wrong!" She shouted. "These people are like my family! We look out for each other! We trust…" she put extra emphasis on this word, "…each other! No one here would do anything like that!"

"Maybe you're right, but this madman has attacked me, though more importantly he attacked Gosalyn. I won't let him escape justice."

She grabbed his hands suddenly and his skin tingled. Taken back he stared into her wide green eyes.

"Let the police handle it. I'm begging you. You're in no condition to fight and you know it! It's too dangerous…"

"I've fought in worse shape than this…"

"Drake if you pursue this any further you will die!" Her eyes pleaded with him. He stared at her; she looked determined to make him agree. Something ignited in him and for the first time he didn't get lost in her eyes. He pulled his hands out of her grasp.

"This is all about you isn't it? The only thing you care about is your magic! It would work out quite lovely for you if I sat in a bubble all day ignoring my senses. Keeping myself away from everything so that you could go on conducting wispy butterflies for your adoring public. Or perhaps using your powers to bewitch rich bachelors into your company? Yes, it would be a shame if you couldn't keep your 'intellectually stimulating' companions interest anymore!" The words were streaming out of him like a long bitter curse. "What a horrible thing it would be if I should die protecting what I hold important, instead of sitting still acting as a resource for your finely elaborated displays of fanciful nonsense for the drones of the world!"

"Stop it!" She cried, her face red with anger and her eyes moist with the coming tears. "You have no idea who I am!"

"You're right. I don't know who you are. And honestly, 'Mistress' I'm glad I don't know what kind of woman you really are because it would break my daughter's heart to hear the truth."

Morgana looked like she wanted nothing more than to weep, to break down into heavy sobs but she wouldn't allow herself to do so.

"I'll break the little brat's neck if you speak to her that way again." Growled a voice to his left. It was familiar sound but before he could inspect it further a pair of strong hands slammed around his throat and forcefully lifted him from the ground. He heard her scream as if a mile away as the white lights swam before his eyes. The grizzly smell of blood rolled over him and he stared down at his attacker.

"John! No! Let him go!" She shrieked.

"No one talks to her that way…. 'Dad'" The shattered eyes glared up at him.

"You…" Drake croaked.

"I never thought you'd fall right into my hands so soon! You are quite a disappointment! I hoped to hunt you down on my own." The unmasked face of Quackerjack sneered up at him.

A shocking mass of orange hair stuck up all over the man's head, and the straight jacket was no where to be seen. He wore a plain black shirt that was darker in places with what Drake already knew was blood, over that he wore a pale blue janitorial looking unbuttoned shirt. He recognized him now; this was the worker that had tried to stop Tither from seeing Morgana! Though he had barely seen him at all before it came together now. Drake couldn't breathe. There was a crackle that sounded like electricity and he jettisoned his heel into Quackerjack's chest. He felt the strength fail in his captor's fingers and a searing pain shot through him. He hit the hard dirt floor his flesh burning. He blinked furiously and willed himself to stand up and stay conscious. Quackerjack was on his knees

"You electrocuted me…" The deranged man said softly. "Morgana! You electrocuted me!" He screamed as he shot her a terrifying glare. "After all I've done for you? I protected you from all those disgusting men! I made other local attractions bloodbaths so the idiots would come and see you! I've done all this for her and she goes and electrocutes us Drake!"

Drake grabbed him by the collar and pulled him off the floor. The insane eyes glanced up at him again, only this time the look they held was like a plea to a friend.

"I bet she didn't know how we resistant we are to it. What would Elmo think of what she did?" Quackerjack sneered and looked confused when he didn't return the smile.

"Don' t you talk to me like you know me you bastard!" He snarled as he released the maniac while clenching a tight fist. With a sickening crack he punched Quackerjack in the face. There was a moment when the other man was stunned, then the eyes shot back to him and narrowed in hatred.

"Oh… you're him." He dropped his voice to the serious tone he had used the night before. "In that case…" There was another loud crack as Drake received a painful head butt and stumbled backward. He blinked the floating lights away and saw the giggling maniac pull out a butterfly knife that he flicked around, the blade dancing around skillfully. Leave it to Quackerjack to perfect the playful feel of the weapon with a consealed blade. Without warning the steel swiped at him and Drake leaned back in a successful dodge.

"STOP!"

Again he found himself unable to move and apparently his attacker suffered the same ailment. Morgana approached them a scowl etched on her face.

"We took you in and this is how you repay us?" Her voice was infused with disgust and hatred. "No questions asked we took you in! You didn't want to tell us your name so we called you John Doe, we treated you with respect and equality…and you go and do this?"

"Respect! Equality! I don't give a damn about any of that!" Cackled the demented duck. He could speak? Drake could barely blink, how could he speak? "You have no idea how long I held myself back, I wanted you to see me. Mr. Banana Brain told me you wouldn't. He told me you were no good. That you only pretended to like the games I did. He was right, but I wanted to try. You have no idea how many nights I would watch you sleep; regardless of if you were alone or not. I wanted you but now… you want him!" Drake could see the duck struggling to break the spell, the knife still in his hand. There was a murderous look in his eyes and Drake wished he could move, he wanted to be ready to dodge if he could.

It happened with a sound like shattering glass. Somehow the spell was broken, Morgana stumbled slightly and before he could even move the blade was buried deep into his chest. His legs gave out and his body failed him. He took stabbing short breaths as he felt the knife handle protruding from beneath his collarbone. The insane laughter that had chilled his soul sang again and began to fade as its master fled. His chest was sticky with his own blood and he could barely see.

"Drake!" Morgana's fuzzy form hung over him. He took a sharp intake of breath as her shaky hands took hold on the knife. "Dark, darling I'm going to take it out…" she said weakly, her voice shaking almost as badly as her hands. A searing pain shot through him as the blade cut it's way back out of him. There was a heaviness pulling him down and a blindness veiling his eyes. A single teardrop splashed on his face and he winced. "Please… hold on." She pleaded and he felt her hand cover his wound. His skin crawled with intense bouts of pin and needles, which quickly escaladed into an unbearable burning. It was like his flesh was melting in a fire hotter than those in the deepest pits of hell. It was too much… he couldn't stand it anymore. He surrendered to the pain and lost consciousness.

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Aha! Bet you didn't pay much attention to the surly circus janitor in chapter two did you? - I think we're at about the half way point here… though I can't really judge for sure because the tons of pages with my chicken scratch all over them seem to differ in their digital form. And if you think Drake has had a lousy couple of days so far you ain't seen nothing yet.  Again thank you all for your support and reviews!