An Author's Note: Warning, there is some icky stuff in this chapter. Should still be teen rated but it did make me uncomfy and I wrote it.
Chapter 18
Showtime
Rain lashed against the window of the car as it slowly drove down the street, being careful to avoid any large puddles. It was a large, expensive looking car, not exactly a limo, but it did have aspirations towards that. Despite the darkness outside the car's destination was clear due to the bright lights. It was a welcoming, bright beacon in the shadows, the roof dominated by a large wooden sculpture of a white draconian head with long fangs and sharp horns on its head. The thing's expression and facial structure gave the impression of a noble creature. Below the thing's chin was a sign with bright blue lettering: Snowy's Showtime.
One of the three ducks in the back of the car groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Do we really have to do this?"
"Oh stop complaining Rob. This is the last time I get to do this!" The younger duckling glowered at the teenager.
"You're ten. You're to old for this. This is so stupid..." The teenager growled.
"Are you going to tell that to Uncle Alan?" The younger one snorted. "I just want one more try and I'll stop, okay? Is that really so much to ask?!"
"Whatever. Brat." The teenager glared out the window as the third duck, a male, handed the younger duckling an umbrella.
"William, go talk to your uncle. I'll be right there."
"Okay. Sure." The younger duckling gave his older brother another glare, but then got out of the car, racing into the building.
"You spoil him to much, Dad. He's a brat."
"Robert, you're kinda acting like a brat yourself right now." His father sighed.
"Ever since Mom, you-"
"Robert. Please."
"Fine. Just-ack!" Robert jumped as a large shadow suddenly sprung from below the car window, slapping a black clawed hand on the glass. The door was flung open and the creature slapped a hand on the teenaged duck with a howl.
"Yoo, Rob! You sulking?"
"Dar, don't do that!" Robert snarled at the huge, teenaged black wolf grinning down at him.
"Aw come on. Uncle Alan is watching over the squirts. Me and Del are going next door to the pizza place. It's got that new Sea Invaders game cabinet thing! I got enough coins to distract us while the squirts play around."
"Sounds good to me." Robert slipped out of the car, ignoring his father sigh.
"One hour, Robert! You don't turn ten every day! I won't let you spoil this for your brother!"
"Oh come on, Dad. He'll be wasting all his time with those overgrown toys. He won't care!" Before his father could say another word Robert was out of the car and racing down the street, along with a pair of almost identical twin fifteen year old black wolves.
William Quacker Sr. sighed again and shook his head, staring out into the rain where his eldest son had vanished.
When the morning patrol started, Megavolt had taken no notice of the two shadowy figures that were tailing the Four. Just because a person was a shadowy figure didn't necessarily mean they were shady. But after the third robbery of seeing the two figures following them and keeping pace with the Four and Megavolt was getting suspicious.
"Hey, don't look to suspicious, but we are being followed." Megavolt growled quietly, jerking his head towards the two figures who managed to dart into an alley.
Quackerjack, meanwhile, had tilted his head and was grinning slightly. To Megavolt's annoyance he began to lag behind the others, and it took all of Megavolt's self control not to yell at him. He wasn't the only one frustrated with their friend. The Liquidator was openly frowning at Quackerjack's lack of haste and Bushroot simply looked concerned.
Without warning one of the cloaked figures suddenly leaped out of the alley with a yell, and Quackerjack suddenly turned and wrapped an arm in the general place where a neck should be. To his teammate's confusion he started to give the hooded figure a noggie, laughing like a child in the middle of a fun game. The other figure lunged from the opposite alley, and Megavolt would have blasted him if Quackerjack hadn't spun around and gently as one could slammed the first figure into the second one. He then grabbed the both of them in a huge bear hug.
"I know it's you two, don't even try to hide it! You both are out of practice. Really, Carl? What have you been eating?" Quackerjack laughed and the two figures managed to wiggle themselves out from the crazed clown's grasp.
"Well I don't have hoods to practice on, and acrobatics isn't my role anymore." One of the figures dropped the cloak, revealing a lanky black furred wolf wearing what Megavolt could only describe as a ringmaster's uniform. The wolf even pulled out a fancy looking top hat and placed it on his head with a little grin. "How you been, Bill?"
Megavolt gritted his teeth. Something about the way this stranger just casually tossed out Quackerjack's real identity grated on him. "Does the phrase 'secret identity mean anything to you, Barnum?" Megavolt stalked up to them with a stern glower. "Who the hell are you two and what is going on?" He could feel the other two following behind him, and he could just imagine what their expressions were.
"Ummm, sorry. They're...kinda sorta my cousins? Kinda?" Quackerjack replied. The other three blinked in various stages of confused at him. "Okay, not blood related, but our families go way back."
"What, alumni in clown college?" Megavolt snarked, his annoyance growing with how casually the two strangers were standing next to Quackerjack.
"You aren't far off, Megavolt right?" The second person took off their cloak and smiled at him. He blinked. Wolves were pretty rare in St. Canard, but this person was even more rare. She was a tall snow leopard, a people who normally lived in the far north. "Our grandfathers actually used to be in the same circus together, until his grandfather decided to make toys and founded their company." She pointed at claw at Quackerjack.
"That's actually why the mascot of the company was a clown. It was my grandfather's act." Quackerjack shrugged. "They stayed in touch."
"Uh huh." Bushroot's gaze ranged from wolf to snow leopard. "And the stalking and ambushing is because...?"
"Childhood game." The wolf grinned. "Oh sorry, I haven't introduced myself. "Carl North. Current ringmaster of the Night Circus. Which is currently in Duckburg. No offense, but I'm pretty sure that crazy yellow duck of yours would try and blow us up if we got to close."
"...yeah, that's fair." Quackerjack growled. Then he broke back into a grin and gently elbowed the snow leopard. "This is Aria."
"Nice to meet you guys." Aria smiled gently at the three, and Bushroot was the only one who smiled back.
"Nice to meet you too-"
"Yeah, great, family reunion, wonderful." Megavolt stepped forwards and grabbed Quackerjack by the arm. "Can we get back to patrolling, we got a job you know? One that doesn't involve tightropes and carnival games?"
"Actually, I need to talk to B-" Aria blinked as Megavolt practically snarled at her.
"Hero! Identity! Secret!" He spat.
"Okay fine." The snow leopard rolled her eyes. "I need to talk to Quackerjack."
"You couldn't talk to him when we're off duty?" Megavolt snarled again.
"Well I don't know where he lives anymore. They sold where he used to live and he didn't exactly leave a forwarding address." Aria grumbled.
"Umm, okay, how about this." Quackerjack pulled his arm away from Megavolt with a wince. "How about I meet you two tonight at five. Hamburger Hippo sound good enough for you two?"
"Sounds good to me...honestly I should probably go find something else to wear. Gonna be straight with you pal, I'd rather not get shot by the thug brigade." Carl pulled the cloak he had be wearing around himself like a security blanket.
"I get it." Quackerjack laughed and gave the wolf a hug. "Seeya, freak."
"Seeya, weirdo." Carl let go of Quackerjack and headed down the street. Aria followed after giving Quackerjack a quick fist bump. As she pushed past Megavolt she gave him a little sharp toothed sneer of dislike. He glared at her in response.
He was a bit surprised when Quackerjack also moodily shoved past him with a little snort. "Well, let's go. Megavolt seems to think this patrol is life or death or something." Quackerjack snorted as he marched down the street, clearly frustrated.
Megavolt glared at his friend's back and began to mutter as he followed. "Freakin' clowns and circuses and grrr..."
"...it's going to be one of those days with those two." Bushroot shook his head with a resigned look.
"I think we both need a vacation, Reggie." The Liquidator nodded at Bushroot.
"If I wasn't convinced the entire town would be a giant crater when we got back I'd agree with you."
That annoying rat and his stupid paranoia, we haven't seen them since...
Since your father died, Billy.
Yeah Headboss.
Megavolt worries about you. He cares about you.
Yeah, I know, but I'm not a child. I can take care of myself, and they are my friends.
...they were your friends.
Oh don't you start, Headboss.
I'm not saying you shouldn't meet with them, but still be on your guard.
Yeah...yeah.
Quackerjack's eyes darted around the restaurant, making sure he stayed alert enough even though he was arguing with himself. Or whatever Headboss really was. He was nervous, for some reason. It was true what Headboss said. The last time he saw Carl and Aria was when his father died, and back then Carl hadn't spoken to him. He wondered if Carl was still upset about...
Should I bring up the twins?
...not unless he does.
But the game-
NO BILLY.
...okay.
To his relief both wolf and snow leopard chose that moment to walk into the Hamburger Hippo and Aria spotted him almost as once. She gave him a little wave and whispered to Carl, who nodded to her. He got in line while she made a beeline for Quackerjack's table. All around them people muttered. While most people knew who Quackerjack was, no one really interacted with him unless it was to ask for his help as a hero, and that usually didn't happen in a restaurant. Quackerjack hoped that Aria wouldn't get on Negaduck's bad side. Maybe an eatery wasn't a good choice for this.
"So I guess we just stick with Quackerjack for now?" Aria whispered.
"Yeah...this should probably look more like you've got business with me. I don't want anyone to think we're emotionally close, you know?" Quackerjack said, just as quietly. "Plus I'll get an earful from Megs."
"Is he always that high strung?"
Quackerjack rolled his eyes. "All the time."
"Damn, guy's going to die from high blood pressure." Aria snorted
"Tell me about it."
"I'm just going to guess you still like strawberry milkshakes with your burgers. If I'm wrong feel free to dump it on my head." Carl muttered just as quietly as his friends as he placed the fast food in the middle of the table. Quackerjack noted he was now wearing a black shirt and blue jeans.
"Dumping a perfectly good shake on your fool head?" Quackerjack chuckled. "That's valuable ice cream there."
"Might help his brain wake up." Aria smiled as she grabbed her burger. "It can't be good for those poor little cells, asleep all the time."
"Ha." Carl rolled his eyes. "Next time I'll put pickles in it. For both of you."
"Pickles in a milkshake? And they say I'm demented." Quackerjack laughed and shook his head.
For a few moments they chatted like that, and Quackerjack started to relax slightly. Not enough that he wasn't aware of his surroundings. There was always a chance an enemy might show up, but so far it was peaceful.
After a few moments Quackerjack noticed Aria's expression change to a more serious demeanor, and he nodded at her. Speaking at a normal tone he smiled.
"So, Miss Snowy. What is it you need me for?"
Carl blinked at the both of them before catching on. He chewed a fry, expression blank.
"They say you are the best toymaker in this city." Aria grinned. "And I'm sure you've heard of Snowy's Showtime." She grinned even wider.
Quackerjack felt his gut begin to tie itself into knots. He gripped his burger, headless of the juice that began to drip down onto the table. "...are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Her grin was as wide and big as a waning moon. "I'm bringing it back. I need someone to-"
"Absolutely not." Quackerjack went to stand up. "No way." He turned to leave. "Not after what happened."
"But you can make sure it doesn't happen again!" Aria moved to stop him.
"If you have to use them, get some actors. You can probably afford it. Or ask him to help." Quackerjack jerked a thumb at Carl, who shrunk down in his seat. "Those aren't good toys."
"I know you loved them." Aria said quietly, though Quackerjack still heard her. "I bet you still do, deep down."
"I can't believe you'd agree to this, Carl." Quackerjack glared at the wolf, who lowered his ears. "Are you both insane?" His voice was gentle, but firm.
"You sound just like Robert." Aria said, still quiet. Quackerjack looked at her, for a moment so enraged he wanted to punch her, friend or no. He didn't.
"The answer is no." Quackerjack turned and left the restaurant, not daring to look back.
He winched as he heard someone follow him and grab him by the arm. He was yanked backwards till they were leaning against the building, and Quackerjack turned his burning gaze into Carl's frightened eyes.
"Bill, I don't want to bring them back. Trust me, I don't. But...Aria is obsessed with this. She isn't going to back down and honestly it's scaring me. It's why I came here. I wouldn't even be here if she didn't keep phoning me. Her calls are creeping me out and when I saw what's going on in the old place I..."
"What are you talking about, what's going on?" Quackerjack asked.
"...you aren't the first person she asked to rebuild them. Do you remember Claire?"
"Who?"
"Duckling girl. Kept following you around the restaurant. Staring at you. You never noticed?"
"I...no. I have no idea who you are talking about."
"Threw a fit when you won the last game on your tenth birthday."
"You really aren't ringing any bells at all." Quackerjack shook his head, ringing his own bells.
"Cute, Bill. Aria hired her. I don't think she recognized Claire either, but I did. She's...I just want you to check the robots, man. It's freaking creepy. I feel like they are staring at me every time I go look at them. Their eyes follow me everywhere, all the time. It's worse at night. Aria isn't listening to me and Claire keeps giving me these looks and talks about those inner locks in the robots and...dude, please."
"It'd be better if she destroyed them." Quackerjack said.
"After what happened to my brothers...you owe me." Carl snarled.
"...that's not fair."
"It's still true."
"I didn't do anything!"
"You ran, and you hid. And I lost my big brothers." Carl glared at Quackerjack. "And now you run around in your grandfather's old getup, acting like you're some sort of hero. We both know that's not true."
"I've fought countless crooks in this city. I've fought Negaduck! How dare you come here and start throwing this in my face!"
"Then prove me wrong 'hero'." Carl snorted and turned to go back into the Hamburger Hippo. Quackerjack watched as he sat down across from Aria. He sighed.
This is a bad idea, right Headboss?
Silence.
Headboss?
More silence.
Fine. I'll make my own choices.
Quackerjack turned and went back into the Hamburger Hippo. He sat down next to Aria again.
"I'll check the robots for you. Make sure they're safe this time. But if any kid gets hurt again, Snowy, I'll take them apart myself." He gave her a stern look. "Are we clear?"
Aria grinned and gave him a hug. It was the coldest hug he ever felt.
"So, how'd the meeting with your circus friends go?" Megavolt glared at Quackerjack as he met them back at the greenhouse, and Quackerjack snorted at his friend.
"Great. Peachy. Just here to let you know I'm going to be busy tonight."
"Uh huh. How many nights are you going to be busy?" Megavolt clenched a fist.
"As long as I need to take." Quackerjack shot a look at Bushroot. "I'll be back in the morning."
Bushroot nodded and opened his beak to say something, but Quackerjack was already turning to head right back out, teeth clenched and eyes still narrowed in frustration.
"And you aren't even going to tell us who these people are and what they want with you and what is going on?" Megavolt asked, his own teeth clenched.
"You know what? Look up Snowy's Showtime." Quackerjack glared over his shoulder at Megavolt. "It's not like you're not going to follow and spy on me anyway. Just don't start interrogating my friends. I don't need that shit tonight." With that Quackerjack marched out the greenhouse, the only reason he didn't slam the door was because it was glass and he still had the presence of mind not to hurt Bushroot's home.
After a long pause Megavolt sighed. "I could have handled that better."
"Oh yes" the Liqudator deadpanned with a small frown at Megavolt.
"But we all agree those two are really shady, right?" Megavolt turned to Bushroot and the Liquidator, who both nodded.
"So we are following him?" Megavolt asked. "And do either of you know what he was talking about with the snow and stuff?"
"Oh yeah, I remember that place. It was a kids themed restaurant back when I was a kid. My own father used to take us there. It had this mythological monster theme. Weird robots that were modeled after monsters like dragons and griffins and..." Bushroot's eyes widened.
"Wait a minute, robots?" Megavolt's eyes widened. "I...think I remember that place now. I was really little though. Didn't they have some sort of birthday party thing where the robots chased you around the field?"
"Yeah, they did, through a corn maze." the Liquidator nodded. "I was to old for that place when it closed down. I remember hearing about it though. It was all around high school that year. Something about some kid that went to our school getting all mangled and another kid going missing..." now it was the Liquidator's turn to widen his eyes. "...I didn't know the victims but I do remember they were a pair of twin black wolves, and if I remember correctly the owner of Snowy's was a snow leopard. I mean, you don't get that many of them here so he stood out to everyone."
"Oh we need to follow Quackerjack, no question." Megavolt said. "I'm getting a bad feeling."
Quackerjack's eyes were narrowed almost to slits as he stalked into what at first looked to him like an empty building. There was almost nothing here. Just four bland walls and a large metal panel on the floor. He turned to Aria with a frown.
"What is this? It looks like you gutted the place."
"I decided to build the new place underground. That way if Negaduck blows up the foundation, the guests will be safe and we can rebuild over it. I installed several sheets of metal between the old foundation and the new roof. Even if the entire place gets hit by a missile the real stuff down there will survive." Aria grinned.
"...eh, that's not a bad idea..." Quackerjack admitted reluctantly.
"Also we can monitor everything." Aria grinned. "We got camera's everywhere. I can see everything that goes on here. No kids are going to go missing here. Hell, I can probably track the cockroaches if I wanted."
"...great idea, Big Sister." Quackerjack grumbled. Aria frowned at him.
"You really are getting negative, aren't you?"
"Whatever, let's go look at what you've built so I can do what I came here to do." Quackerjack said, still clearly in a foul mood.
"Alright, okay, come on." Aria went to stand in the middle of the metal sheet on the floor, followed by Quackerjack and Carl, whose eyes kept darting around as if he expected to be jumped. Maybe he did. Getting jumped at this place was supposed to be what attracted children to Snowy's. A chance to be chased around like a game of hide and seek or tag with large friendly robots that would offer both a challenge and protection to the children. You couldn't bribe a robot.
But they can malfunction. Like on your birthday.
We don't know if the robot was responsible for that.
Then why do you hate them so much, Billy?
If Robby and Dar and Del hadn't gone to that dumb pizza place to play with those stupid video arcades...
How would they have known? They were teenagers. You were ten.
Then who is responsible, Headboss.
The ones who killed him.
The robots.
That's not what I said, Billy.
While he was arguing with Headboss, Aria had punched in a code into a raised panel in the middle of the floor. All of a sudden a guard rail popped up around them and the floor started to lower. Ah, it was a large elevator. Quackerjack studied it critically. The rail were to narrow for little fingers to fit through, and high enough that only a person big enough to know better could grab the top and lift themselves upwards to get crushed. He couldn't complain.
As they finally reached the bottom floor, Quackerjack couldn't help but find himself impressed. The hallway they found themselves in was huge and welcoming, large and wide enough to not be claustrophobic. Painted a brilliant light blue and white, with icicles decorating the walls and ceiling. It gave the impression of walking down a tunnel of ice, ending in a large cavern. The tables and chairs were similarly ice themed. Across from the entrance into the main room was a giant white dragon head, a stage in its mouth. Somehow, despite the fact that it looked like the dragon was going to eat the stage, the sculpture had managed to make the dragon head look friendly and welcoming.
"We still have some posters to do of the robots, but we got a lot of the main decorating done." Aria said, sounding annoyingly smug. "Hey...you want to take a detour, Bill?"
"What kind of detour?"
"I rescued them." Aria grinned and walked to the left, towards a door marked 'staff only.' "Come on, I want to show you!"
"Aria, I don't-" Quackerjack groaned as she disappeared through the door. "Okay, fine..."
He didn't noticed that Carl wasn't there.
"Aren't they wonderful, Bill?" Aria was gazing up at the...things with eyes filled with adoration.
"...they need a lot of work." Quackerjack folded his arms, trying to figure out how he felt. Once he had loved these robots. Built by his grandfather for the only son of one of his best friends, a snow leopard who Quackerjack would one day call Uncle Alan. They had played with him throughout his childhood. Some of his fondest childhood memories featured these robots.
As well as one of his worst.
In the middle was the main 'star' of the attraction. Icewing the dragon. A creature that stood on its hind legs, long scaled arms open as if inviting a hug. Its four fingered hands were now missing two on its left hand, and the right one was now missing its cloth covering, exposing the wires and servos beneath. Its face had been half ripped away, making its usually happy grin look sinister. It only had half of its once spaded tail. The white cloth that had once been its hide was stained grey with age. The wings were tattered and moth eaten.
Quackerjack's heart broke at the sight.
Goldenclaw the Griffon stood on Icewing's right side, beak falling of and looking more dirty brown then gold. On the left was Magic the Unicorn, who had completely lost her head and now had only the skeletal remains of her frame. The horn was still there though, as well as the faded remains of her rainbow mane.
Quackerjack looked around the storage room they were in. "Where's Leonard? And Ozzie?"
Aria let out a strangled little chuckle. "Oh, you know them, Bill. Always the hardest to spot..."
"...Aria?"
"It's a lot of rubble to go through. But I'll find them. I'll find them all." Aria suddenly grabbed his shoulder, and grip was far to tight. "Come on, I'll introduce you to our new robotics specialist. And our new friends!"
"...yeah. Right...friends." Quackerjack allowed himself to pulled back into the hallway.
He didn't notice when three pairs of red lights suddenly blinked on in the robot's skulls and turned towards the door.
Quackerjack was getting a rather bad headache the further and further they went. He almost heard a buzzing, unlike the voices he was used to. It was like some sort of radio broadcast in his head. He didn't like it. It was distracting. He kept his hands behind his back, clenching his fists behind him so Aria couldn't see them shake. He sort of leaned forwards and stalked behind his childhood friend, unable to keep the annoyed expression of his face. Something was wrong. He was being watched. And the buzzing was hurting so much.
Fortunately, they finally came to a door marked 'Robotics', and Quackerjack struggled not to sigh with relief. He was already done with this entire thing. He was emotionally drained and wanted to do something that didn't hurt so much. But he had committed to this, and if whatever this Claire person had built in there ended up hurting a kid by accident he would never forgive himself. All he had to do was make sure everything was okay.
"Hi, Claire." Aria grinned and practically shoved Quackerjack in the room. "This is the friend I told you about. Ah, looks like Carl went off somewhere. I better go find him. Have fun you two!" Aria's almost manic sentences baffled Quackerjack, and at least half of his brain stalled on the question 'what'. Before he knew it Aria had shoved him into the robotics room, slammed the door and her footsteps faded away. He blinked in confusion.
"What was that about." He muttered. He turned around and nearly jumped out of his feathers.
The woman, Claire, was right there, about an inch from his beak and giving him an unreadable stare. Her grin was huge, way to huge, like a crocodile's. He instantly didn't like it.
"Hi Jacky. Nice to see you again."
He studied her more closely. Carl had said she knew him, but he still couldn't recognize her. In fact, to his mild confusion he couldn't really make out her features at all. Then he realized why. It looked she was wearing a porcelain doll mask, modeled after a duck, over her face. Normally Quackerjack was all for a bit of dressing up, but the doll face this woman was wearing was strangely off putting. He couldn't even see her eyes properly under the glass that covered the eyes of the doll mask. She was also wearing what looked like some sort of big floofy Victorian style dress, pure white and lacy and for some reason oddly terrifying to Quackerjack. It shouldn't look so creepy to a guy like him, who loved toys and dressing in fun costumes. Then he realized what it was. It was the grin. It was off.
And then she placed a hand on his cheek and started rubbing it against his feathers like she was trying to preen him or something. He ducked away and held his hands in front of him in an effort to ward her away.
"Yeah, it's Quackerjack. I'm here to look at the robots."
"Oh I know why you're here, Jacky. In face, I'm the reason Miss Snowy reached out to you. I just had to get you down here to look at my work! She didn't want to at first. Something about not wanting to hurt you again. But you and I both know that toys don't hurt people. People hurt people! Toys and dolls are harmless! That's why I love them so much! That's why I do what I do!" The way her face never changed was bone chilling.
"Yeah, umm, nothing better than the face of a child with a favorite toy. Yep. Sooo..." Quackerjack's eyes darted around the room. He noticed that she had indeed created three new versions of Icewing, Goldenclaw and Magic. They were no longer bulky, cloth covered endoskeletons. Now they were shiny and almost plastic looking, like toys. He would have approved if Claire wasn't in his personal bubble breathing on his neck, hand twitching towards him as she wanted to continue stroking his feathers like she was his girlfriend or something. He slipped away from her and slid over the Icewing. Throwing himself at the toylike model of his favorite robot he began to examine it, trying to ignore the weird woman hovering behind him like a ghost.
He reached out to touch a strange looking button on the robot's left shoulder, and to his shock a huge panel opened up in Icewing's chest, revealing a huge compartment.
"What...is this?"
"It's to keep a child inside. Just in case we need to protect them a bit more...personally."
"...not that I disagree with the sentiment, but a kid could get hurt if he didn't get in here right. Or if he was to tall. And wait...are these claws?" Quackerjack examined the thing's hands. "These are way to sharp...and what do all these other panels do?"
Quackerjack began to examine more and more panels. Gripping metal tentacles, robotic claws, then gun like objects and other weapons hidden within panels and compartments. Quackerjack was half impressed and half horrified.
"Okay, these would make really good weapons but...this is supposed to be a children's restaurant. They don't need all this hardware. Someone could get hurt."
"Someone's a stick in the mud." Claire was practically purring at him, and attempting to breath down his neck again. He stepped quickly to the left. What was wrong with this woman?
"You really need to loosen up, Jacky. No one likes a party pooper."
"It's Quackerjack." He slid away some more. "You're acting very inappropriately. Please stop. I'm just here to examine the robots. And now that I've seen what you've done, I'm not going to let Aria open this place with robots like these. They could hurt someone." Quackerjack slid over to the door and attempted to open it. "Nice to meet you, but I don't think we're going to get along."
"You're not going anywhere. Not when I just got you back."
"Got me back, what are you talking about? I don't know you."
"You know. You just don't remember. I don't blame you. There was so much blood after all." She giggled. "But don't worry, Jacky. All you have to do is stay here like a nice doll and do exactly what I want you too, and you'll be safe from them. I'll keep you safe."
"What are you babbling about?"
"When I lured the twins and you out past the maze, I didn't realize you'd run and hide like that. You never got to see. Not really. Just a glimpse, but it was enough to make you...you. I can see how you look at me. Like I'm a freak. But look at you. Look what you are. You're just as cracked as I am. But it's alright. That's why we would be great together. Just sit down like a good boy."
"Yeah. No. I'm leaving."
Claire snapped her fingers and Icewing suddenly moved. From out of the robot's shoulders two of those long metallic tentacles Quackerjack had just examined lashed out and wrapped around his arms, pinning them to his sides. The tentacles yanked him further into the room, even as he kicked at them and tried to loosen them. To his horror the tentacles retracted until Quackerjack's back was pressed up against Icewing's chest. Two grabby claws emerged from more panels and grabbed his ankles, so now he couldn't even kick, or reach his toys to combat hers.
And she was coming closer. She was so close now. Her beak was practically rubbing against his own and he wanted nothing more than to push her as far away from he as he could but by now he could barely move.
"Let me go! I don't know what you want but this isn't the way to get it!" He snarled at her, but another claw came out and pressed his bill shut.
"I want you. Now I have you. Don't worry. You'll love living with me. Eventually." She was reached out for him again and he had a very bad feeling about what she wanted.
Then a vent panel above the both of them moved, rattled and fell to the ground. A dark figure suddenly leaped from the vent, swinging an iron pipe at Claire's head. The deranged woman only barely managed to look up before the pipe met her head, cracking the mask she wore into spidery lines as she fell to the ground. With a whirl the figure turned and slammed the pipe into the new Icewing's head.
"Run Bill!"
"Don't have to tell me twice, Carl." Quackerjack yanked a ball of expandable silly putty and threw it at the robots and Claire, sticking them to the floor as the two of them ran out of the robotics room. "Where's Aria? I'm going to strangle her after I get her to safety!"
"I...don't think she's here anymore." Carl pointed to the left and Quackerjack looked down to the hall to see a broken twitching robot. A robot of a snow leopard.
"...was she ever really here?" Quackerjack asked.
"I don't know man. I've been checking the security footage, but I can't find her. I think that lunatic did something to her."
"We need to get my friends. They'll help."
"Aria is with the twins now, Jacky. I could take you to her." Claire's voice echoed behind him. "Just come to me and it will all be okay..."
"You murdered her!" Carl snarled, tail lashing back and forth. "How could you! She wasn't a smart person but she was my friend!"
"Your brothers miss you, Carl. Metalfoot. I can chop off your leg and make you a much better one. Much better than your Grandpa's foot."
"Are you sure the real Aria isn't here?" Quackerjack's voice lowered as he whispered to Carl.
"Positive."
"Then let's get out of here."
"No argument from me." Carl turned and fled down the hall, Quackerjack behind him.
After a few moments he could hear the metal scraping of robot feet along the hall.
Quackerjack was grateful the layout of the building wasn't as complicated as the old corn maze. All they had to do was head down the hall, into the main dining area, through the entrance hall, and to the elevator. They managed to make it halfway up the tunnel before Goldenclaw 2.0's head burst through the floor and started to snap at them like a crazed piranha.
"Carl, fork over the pipe!" Quackerjack grabbed the pipe from Carl and began to smack at the griffon robot's head like it was a game of whack a mole. To his annoyance as soon as he thought that Magic's head popped up and then Icewings. Quackerjack grunted as he continue to wack robot heads until they were finally at the top floor. The two of them ran from the elevator towards the door.
With a scream of metal and the sound of firing rockets Icewing flew from the hole on wings that had rockets attached. Quackerjack had missed that. Icewing spread his wings and lifted his claws.
Quackerjack growled and charged. "Get to the door, run!"
"But!"
"Go! Get the other Four! I'll handle this."
"Bill!"
Quackerjack gave the wolf a look over his shoulder. "I don't hide anymore, buddy."
Carl looked stricken, but he ran for the door all the same. Quackerjack grinned as his friend burst through and ran into the night.
Quackerjack lifted the pipe and grinned at Icewing. He could hear the other two robots behind him. No doubt the crazy robot lady would be here soon. That was fine with him.
"It's playtime, boys."
Carl didn't even manage to make it across the street before the Liquidator blocked his path.
"Do not collect two hundred dollars before you tell us what is going on and where our friend is." The Liquidator glared down at Carl, who cowered.
"Crazy robot lady wants to kidnap Bill and keep him in her crazy robot basement!" Carl babbled. "And Aria is gone!"
"Umm...what?" Bushroot blinked.
"All I need to hear is crazy robot lady and kidnapping and I'll get the rest of what he's saying later." Megavolt's whiskers sparked as he charged into the building. He was quickly followed by the other two.
The three of them slid to a halt at the sight before them. Quackerjack tossed a pipe behind his shoulder as he stood proudly above the mangled remains of three robots. It was hard to tell from the pile where one robot began and the next ended. Quackerjack grinned at the rest of the team.
"You guys are late to the party." He chuckled, then frowned slightly. "We need to get down the tunnel. I don't know what that lunatic did to Aria, but we need to search for clues.
"Right...who did what to Aria?" Megavolt asked.
"I'll tell you on the way down."
Hours later, back at the greenhouse, Bushroot handed a still shaking Carl a calming cup of chamomile tea. The poor wolf looked like he was getting a few grey hairs from this.
"All I know is that Aria wanted to revive her father's restaurant. The Snowys used to be part of my grandfather's circus troop. So was Bill's family." Carl nodded at Quackerjack, who was glaring at the pile of robot remains on the table. "But at some point they built that restaurant. The three of us played there all the time. Until the incident."
"The one where two kids were hurt." The Liquidator nodded.
"...they were my big brothers." Carl closed his eyes.
"It was my tenth birthday. They weren't there because they went off with my older brother to play arcade games." Quackerjack gritted his teeth. "I remember I went to look for my brother after I blew out the candles because he wasn't there and I missed him. I followed them outside the corn maze. I don't know why they weren''t in the pizza place with Robert. But they were following...someone...and then." Quackerjack shook his head. "All I remember after that was my father hugging me and telling me how worried he was and asking me where the twins were."
"All I know was there was this creepy girl called Claire. She was always following Bill around but she never talked to him. She just...stared. The night of the party she had some weird fit when Bill won the robot chase game in the corn field and she left. I never saw her again until two weeks ago when I finally met with Aria and she introduced me to her new robotics expert."
"Was she the real Aria or the robot one?" Megavolt asked.
Carl buried his hands into his head fur. "I don't know! Maybe it was the real her? I have no idea when she was replaced. It was so seamless!"
"She felt and acted and sounded just like the real Aria." Quackerjack growled. "This woman is obsessed with me. I don't know why or what her deal really is. Yeah, she apparently stalked me when I was a kid but I have no idea why or what her motivation could be. She...was talking nonsense."
"And she's loose out there somewhere." Bushroot frowned. "All we found in that lair was bare walls and broken equipment. Even the original robots were gone."
"We're going to have to keep an eye out...Quackerjack do you need one of us to hang around your lair?" Megavolt shot his friend a concerned look. "If she's after you she'll come for you soon."
"...yeah, I think so. You don't mind?" Quackerjack asked.
"No problem. I can handle being roomies for a while." Megavolt gave Quackerjack a gentle smile.
"...I'm going to do some digging of my own into this woman." Carl stood. "She knew Metalfoot's name. I don't like that."
"Metalfoot...why is that name familiar?" Megavolt rubbed his head.
"My grandfather, the original ringmaster of the Night Circus, had a metal leg." Carl said. "So they called him Ringmaster Metalfoot."
"No, I've heard it somewhere else, I just can't think of where..." Megavolt shook his head. "Gah, I'll figure it out!"
"Course you will, Megs." Quackerjack sighed and walked over to Carl. "You going back to the circus?"
"For now, but I'll contact you if I find out anything more about Claire, okay?" Carl gave Quackerjack a little hug. "I'm sorry about what I said before, Bill. I wasn't thinking."
"It's fine. You're the only family I have left." Quackerjack sighed. "Other than my friends here."
"Yeah, same." Carl sighed and broke away from Quackerjack. "I'll be in touch."
"You better be." Quackerjack smiled as Carl left the greenhouse, then his expression slowly changed into a frown. He dug into a pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.
"What is that, Quackerjack?" Bushroot frowned at Quackerjack. The clown sighed and offered it to him.
"Found it in the robotics room."
Bushroot looked down at the paper, and though he no longer had a spine he felt a chill run down his body.
See you again soon, Jacky.
Love, Dollface.
A/N:
So, the robots were based off Fnaf. Probably very obvious where that came from. There is not going to be any of the complicated weird fnaf lore, just the idea of being chased by malevolent robots. I felt that, for an anthropomorphic society, robot animals wouldn't have the same impact. So I had them be dragons and unicorns and such.
Claire comes from the 2011 ish Darkwing comics, I think the second one I've had in this fic? I started with wondering what, say, Harley Quinn would be like if the Joker was a hero but she was still unhealthy obsessed with him. Since comics Claire was QJ's girlfriend and he's sort of one third Joker, one third Toyman and one third that weird ventriloquism Batman villain I figured that would work.
It was a bit icky writing her, but that was kinda the point.
Next, the water based villain. Then, if all goes well, a return of another villain.
Let's ride this horse all the way home.