Chapter 21
The Great Battle
Panchito was not having a good day.
To be fair he wasn't having that great of a year. Or several years, in fact. Between what happened to his old gang, his family, and getting tangled up in a crazy lunatic's scheme that resulted in him and his only remaining friend being stranded in a foreign city with monsters and mutants running around it was shaping up to be a pretty miserable month.
The only good part of the entire deal was Jose had managed to find some abandoned apartment that had been easy enough to break into and take shelter in. It was small with only a kitchen, a small dining area, a bedroom and a bathroom. It appeared that whoever lived here before had left in a hurry, or had probably died out in the city and no one had bothered to check in. They still have their stuff in the apartment and some food left in the fridge. Of course they could also be on vacation, but Panchito figured they'd cross that bridge when they came to it. There might only be two of them but at the very least Panchito had managed to get himself stranded with the one member of the old gang who knew how to find the best shelter and bolt holes. Not that he'd say it to the parrot's face, but things would be a lot worse without him around. Panchito was more of a fighter than a thief, and while that had worked well enough when it was his job to be an enforcer, it didn't worth that well when subtly was required.
Just as the rooster was contemplating his relatively good fortune the parrot that had been occupying his thoughts gently slipped in through the door. Panchito was just about to say something to him when to his shock and utter horror a small child followed his friend. A small, maybe eight or so, male duckling with white feathers and wearing a blue hat.
Panchito hissed angrily at Jose in Spanish. "What the hell is that?" He pointed at the duckling, who blinked and took a step back, backing against the door as Panchito glared at the both of them.
Jose sighed and looked down at the kid. "You mind going in there for a few minutes. I need to talk to my friend here." Jose pointed his hook in the general direction of the apartment's single bedroom.
"Yeah, sure." The duckling said, and Panchito froze. It wasn't exactly the same voice, but it did have the same certain quacky quality that was very familiar to the rooster. He stared, wide eyed as the duckling slipped into the bedroom.
Finally, once the door had closed, the rooster glared once again at Jose. "What the FUCK? !" He was still speaking Spanish.
Jose sighed and switched to his friend's native tongue. "Maybe don't shout so whoever lives in these apartments realizes that we're squatting?"
"Oh don't change the subject." Panchito lowered his voice, gritting his beak. "That voice, I only know of one person with that voice and you-"
"How do you know ducks up north just talk like that?" Jose folded his arms.
"Oh don't give me that crap. He was my friend to. He told me just as much as you! That kid-"
"Claims he doesn't know where his family is." Jose said, his voice lowering to almost a whisper, as if he was worried the kid might be bilingual. "At least, that's what he told me when I met him."
"How did you meet him."
"Found him trying to snatch some food from a cart. Didn't know they really had those up here, but they do. He was using innate magic to try and distract people so he could snatch a hotdog. Almost made it out but they spotted him. I helped him get away. Then he opened his mouth and talked and I just..." Jose shrugged. "...you are right. He was the only person I know with a voice that distinct."
"And the last time we spoke to him, he told you he didn't want to talk to either of us again. Need I remind you the reason we lost the rest of the gang was because you-"
Jose grabbed a random bit of discarded knick knack that the previous owners of the apartment had left and threw it at Panchito's head. "That is not my fault and you know it. I didn't do anything wrong."
Panchito snatched the item as it almost hit him. He looked down at what had once been some sort of plastic unicorn head. He looked up to the see the twisted, pained expression on his friend's face. Panchito sighed and shook his head. "Look, I know it's not really you're fault. It's just...you know who's not here for me to blame."
Jose rubbed his forehead. "The boy has magic, and it's not the kind you get from a spellbook. It's not even the kind that needs to be invoked through songs, like mine. It's the kind that comes from inside somewhere. I can't just leave his potential kid out there in this crazy city with magic. You know what kind of attention that will bring. You know they will be looking for kids like him." Jose's eyes narrowed. "After your friends abandoned us here with that Negaduck monster...what do you think they'd do with a child?"
Panchito growled. "I know much better than you what S.H.U.S.H does to kids...and you're right." Panchito looked at the door. "Does he know you know..." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Donald?"
"I asked him about him. He claims he doesn't remember anything before about half a year or so ago. He just knows he can do things other people can't, and he's positive the people he was living with before weren't his real family. So he ran away."
"How much of that do you buy?"
"Eh, if he did know he's related to Mr. Richest than why would he be here robbing hot dogs?" Jose shrugged.
"And what's your plan? Call up the guy that got us in jail and tell him you're pretty sure you found a stray kid that might belong to him?" Panchito snorted.
"How much do you think Mr. Rich will pay a guy for finding his kid?" Jose smiled.
"Honestly, nothing because he'll say we kidnapped him and are holding him for ransom, then have the city freakshow throw us in jail." Panchito replied.
"Not if I start teaching the kid magic until his memory comes back, that way he'll be able to tell the duck family that we helped him. Think about it. We help the kid get his memory back. He goes back to his rich relative with the very true and accurate story that we helped him, he gives us a reward and we get out of freakville?""
Panchito sighed. "...and what if he just tells us he won't call the cops and to just get off his lawn?"
"Then boo hoo, I helped a little mage get control of himself and we are no worse off than before. Buuut, if we ever run afoul of them again after that, we can remind them they owe us."
"...not sure if the reward is worth the effort." Panchito sighed and looked at the door. He should throw the kid out. It was to risky, and he didn't buy the amnesia angle at all. It could easily be a trap, and while he was a good thief and decent at conning people, Jose did have a soft side that frankly irked Panchito. He would bet his guns the only reason the parrot was talking about schemes was because he needed an excuse to cover what he really wanted. Panchito knew Jose had just been thinking of protecting the kid before any thought of payment had crossed his mind.
They should really get rid of the kid.
"I hate this." Megavolt took a deep, calming breath. "I hate everything about this day."
"Is there a specific reason, or is just because Stegmutt is standing right over there, grinning at us and waving like a jerk?" The Liquidator smiled slightly.
"Mostly that." Megavolt admitted. "I mean, he's right there. Staring at us. Mocking us. And according to the dumb rules we can't do anything about it."
"It only happens once a year, settle down." Quackerjack shrugged. "Just have to make sure a gang fight doesn't break out and we can go home."
"I think it's nice that once a year the cops and the gangs can stop fighting and agree to just have a nice event together." Bushroot said.
"...yeah, that event being a wrestling match with no rules." Megavolt snorted.
"Oh come on, there are rules." Quackerjack smiled. "Honestly I think they only reason we are here is in case someone like Negaduck takes advantage of it."
"Yeah, I know, and it's nice in theory but..." Megavolt continued to glare at Stegmutt, who by that time had managed to reach the front of the long sign up line. "He's right there and if I could corner him for a few minutes maybe we can learn what Negaduck is planning."
"Honestly, if Negaduck hasn't told me what he's planning, and he doesn't, he defiantly won't tell Stegmutt."
Megavolt fought not to leap in the air and shock the thug that had apparently just walked up behind him. He whirled to glare at Launchpad, who had obtained a large pretzel from the arena vendors and was happily dipping it into a cup filled with melted cheese.
"...you aren't fighting?" the Liquidator asked mildly.
"Naw, with all the superpowers going on down there I'd rather let the organizers pay me for keeping the peace. Someone had to be here to represent the gangs after all." Launchpad grinned at Megavolt's expression. "Relax, Sparky. I always do the job I'm paid to do."
"Yeah that's what I'm afraid of." Megavolt grumbled.
"Sheesh, such suspicion. Here I thought you do gooders were supposed to be trusting and believe in like, the good in all mankind or whatever." Launchpad, after coating one half with cheese, bit down and swallowed the entire half of his treat with no sign of swallowing.
"That's really more my job." Bushroot smiled while Megavolt tried hard not to snap at any of his friends.
"Eh, whatever. I know where I'm not wanted. Pound you tomorrow, losers." Launchpad swallowed the rest of his pretzel and wandered off.
"...one could almost admire his work ethic were he not a criminal."
"Well at least there is one person here we can trust who's not actually on our team. Hey, Bulba, how you been?"
"The usual things. Met a woman who can create living things out of whatever she draws. Recruited her. Now she's a rookie and is participating in the game." Bulba pointed his thumb at the sign up table, where a young dark haired duck woman in a police uniform was signing up. Instead of a gun or a police baton she apparently had a paint brush and a sketch pad at her side. "She wants us to call her Splatter Phoenix on the job. Not sure why, but no one is going to argue with her."
"So you guys are recruiting superbeings?" Asked the Liquidator.
"Not specifically but if we find someone with otherworldly abilities we are going to recruit them if possible."
"Yeah, that makes sense." Megavolt admitted. "You going to recruit wizards too?"
"Know any free ones?" Bulba asked hopefully.
"No, but I'll let you know if we do." Megavolt said.
"...you know, speaking of magic." Quackerjack growled. "Take a look down there."
The others looked towards the sign up area again. Bulba and the Liquidator both tensed up.
"It's that Mexican rooster from before." Bulba growled and clenched a fist. "And it looks like he's signing up."
"Excuse me, I have questions I have to ask that-" Quackerjack was just about to head down to the sign up area, fists clenched and beak set in a dark glare. Unfortunately (or fortunately if you were Panchito), Bushroot grabbed him by the shoulders.
"You can't just go over there and interrogate him now that's in participating. Much as I don't like it if we are responsible for breaking the rules here that will give all the real criminals here an excuse to do it too. Or at least it will give Launchpad an excuse to attack us."
"You know, if you think he and his partner are up to something, we could see if we can find the parrot." Bulba said. "We can't interfere with the fighters, but we can perhaps search for his friend."
"Right, but we still have to keep an eye on the stuff going on here." Megavolt pointed out.
"Hmmm, I could look for Jose. I am pretty sure I've been seeing through his magic stuff and if it's true I might be able to spot him."
"I can go with him and make sure it's official." Bulba said. He took out a spare walky talky and gave it to Megavolt. "Here, let me know if something happens."
All of a sudden a voice rang through the auditorium. "Hello gangs, lawmen and citizens of St. Canard! Tonight is the yearly Great Battle! Here's a reminder of the rules before we start the brawl! No fighting unless it's in the ring. No schemes to interfere with the other fighters. Peace truce is maintained at least three hours after the winner is declared so everyone can go home without being shot or trampled. All proceeds for your tickets go to last fighter standing and that winner falls under the three hour grace period. After that, we will not be held responsible for any ambushes or extortion that might happen to that winner. Hope you got a nice bolthole for your loot because I've been doing the announcing for this for the last fifty years and man can I tell you some stories!"
Quackerjack attempted to drown out the announcer, who was now pointing out a few stand out fighters and going down a list of their more interesting attributes pointing out things like the fact Stegmutt was a dinosaur, apparently there was also a hippy who could shoot fire named Hotshot (Quackerjack had no idea where he came from), someone who was calling himself the Rubber Chicken, a few other random goons from random gangs, Bulba's new recruit and by that point Quackerjack had stopped listening completely. He was to busy looking around the St. Canard baseball field, now converted to a wrestling ring, for any sign of a thief parrot.
"You think he might be with the other fighter supporters?" Bulba asked, frowning.
"Maybe." Quackerjack shrugged. "But I think he does something so other people don't see him. I swear there's been times I've seen out of the corner of my eye and...wait, Bulba, don't turn your head, but try to look to the left of that popcorn seller."
Bulba snorted, but attempted to look out of the corner of his eye. "...huh...for some reason my eye wants to just slide from that space."
"Right, give me a second." Quackerjack sort of slid that direction, eyes trained on something Bulba couldn't see. For a moment the bull wondered if Quackerjack was just seeing things, but then the clown suddenly turned and leaped forwards, tackling something to the ground. In a blink Bulba finally noticed the familiar one eyed parrot, now pinned against a pillar. He had apparently also acquired some new clothes, a straw hat and an umbrella now attached to the end of his hook. Jose cringed as Quackerjack grinned above him.
"Ha! Got you!"
Jose swore something at them in Portuguese. At least with the amount of venom in his voice Bulba guessed it was probably a swear.
"How do you keep doing that?" Jose finally said something that both Bulba and Quackerjack could understand.
"Honestly, I have no idea. Just keep spotting you." Quackerjack grinned. "Now, I have a few inquiries."
"You can't just jump me here. We both know you people have rules for this...thing." Jose attempted to wiggle away, but Bulba grabbed his arm.
"True, but as official security, and as a detective, I have every right to search you for anything. You technically are supposed to follow the rules here as well, even if your friend is participating."
"You can't prove anything, I have nothing on me!"
"We'll see." Bulba smiled.
"And let the battle begin!" The announcer bellowed. "First up, the Negaduck gang's Stegmutt vs the Rubber Chicken!...and wow he knocked the chicken out of the ring with one swipe of his tail! That didn't take long, folks! But look at that nice guy bringing that poor chicken a drink! Nice try, dude. Better luck next year! Try to go for two seconds!"
"...police in the North Americas hold questions in broom rooms?" Jose glanced at Bulba, slightly confused to find himself being shoved onto a metal fold out chair in what indeed was a broom closet.
"We are asking you the questions, not the other way around." Bulba growled, looming over the much shorter parrot. A quick search of the man's pockets and an investigation of the umbrella he now was carrying around with him resulted in nothing. No stolen property or anything like that. It was infuriating, but there wasn't much they could do right now other than ask a few questions. Anything more would be stepping over a line that Bulba wasn't willing to cross.
"Look, I really want to watch Panchito out there, alright? I'll do the best I can if you let me out to watch him, okay?"
"Yeah, I don't trust you to not be up to something out there." Quackerjack folded his arms and glared.
"What would I possibly be up to! Do you realize how much that prize money is?"
"About...five thousand, I think." Quackjack looked at Bulba, who nodded.
"That is about how much they raised." The bull nodded.
"Look, you can apparently see through the magic I use to hide myself. I don't need that." Jose said. "We also don't need to be in a city with monsters and...whatever you call your friends. Panchito is a good fighter. Has some thing about being a luchador or something. He isn't going to cheat while doing luchador things. It's some sort of weird code he has. He has every intention to win this fairly so we can get out of this crazy town. That's it. That's the story."
"Yeah, even if I believe that." Quackerjack snorted. "You also are involved with that sea monster business. Negaduck ran off with one and the other is out there in the ocean somewhere." Quackerjack didn't want to let Jose know that Fathom was connected to Scrooge, just in case. He wasn't sure in case of what but it seemed to be a bad idea to blab that around a crowded arena. "We know that you and your partner were bandits down south, but how did you two get involved with Negaduck?"
Jose growled under his breath. "Okay, when we got out of...there, Panchito contacted some people his parents knew."
"His parents?"
"They led the gang. I'm not talking about that." Jose sighed. "But after we got out he contacted some people that his parents knew, like I said. We had nothing and we needed to get money somehow. They told us they had a friend up here that needed us to help set up that sea monster thing. I have no idea why that lunatic wanted it all set up the way he did but we really weren't interested in asked to many questions. Only Negaduck didn't pay us. Left us stranded here. That's why we are still here."
"Who were these friends?" Bulba asked.
"I don't know, he won't tell me." Jose said.
"Ever hear of S.H.U.S.H?" Quackerjack asked as Bulba gave him a somewhat surprised look.
Jose blinked. "Ummm, hmmm." He shrugged. "Rumors, once or twice. Nothing concrete."
"What kind of rumors?" Quackerjack asked.
"I know I heard rumors about them back home, and they apparently operate here as well. I know that kidnap people, but I don't know anything other than that. It's possible that they're the ones that Panchito contacted, but he didn't tell me outright if they were. You'd have to ask him and he won't say anything if they were." Jose sighed at them both. "Can I go now?"
Bulba pulled Quackerjack back a little and lowered his voice. "We can't just keep him locked in a closet when he hasn't done anything. He has nothing weird on him and we can't take him in because of the sea monster thing because of the truce. We can only do something if he does something here and now that we can prove."
"I know." Quackerjack growled and marched over to Jose. He grabbed him by the arm and hauled him up. "Alright. You can leave. But I'm coming with you."
Jose blinked and then suddenly gave a sly little grin. "Ah, I see what is going on now. I know I'm irresistible, but you don't have to go through all this to get my attention."
Quackerjack snorted. "That's not what I mean and you know it."
"Keep telling yourself that."
Bulba sighed. "You keep the radio, Quackerjack. I'll let the others know about this...development."
"Right." Quackerjack did not stop glaring, even as Jose sort of dragged him off back into the arena.
Unhappily, even though this was his idea, Quackerjack went with Jose to the area set aside at the bottom of the arena for 'relatives' of the fighters. Half the time 'relatives' meant their gang, and it was restricted to only three people for each fighter. Quackerjack wasn't sure if he counted now, but either way he was here. In a perfect world he would have wanted to sit behind Jose so he could stare at him and make sure the little conman didn't pull anything, but somehow Jose had managed to get enough control of the situation that Quackerjack found himself sitting next to the still smirking parrot. He wasn't sure how that happened.
"Oh good, he's up now. Glad the police nonsense didn't take as long as I thought." Jose, still smirking, attempted to lean closer to Quackerjack. Suddenly nervous about people invading his bubble Quackerjack growled and jerked away.
"Don't do that."
Jose, for the first time in five minutes, stopped smirking and gave Quackerjack a considering look. He then slid away until Quackerjack relaxed. "Sorry. Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"You're a conman and a thief, what do you care?" Quackerjack snarled.
"I may be both things, but I'm also a gentleman, thank you." Jose frowned, clearly offended. Now completely put out Jose leaned his umbrella against his leg and folded his arms, not exactly pouting but close to it. Next to him, but not to close, Quackerjack adopted a similar stance and simply seethed. Most of the other 'family' took notice of the local hero seething next to a parrot, drew their own conclusions, and gave them space.
Meanwhile, Panchito was indeed on stage. Even with the silly looking cape and the mask Quackerjack recognized him. He was apparently squaring off with a man and his alligator. Or maybe it was a crocodile. He wasn't sure as the large swamp lizard was circling Panchito, snapping his jaws at the rooster's legs. Panchito leaped up, bringing his hind legs down on the gator's head. The small man howled in anger and leaped on Panchito's shoulders, attempting to hit Panchito on the head with both hands. Panchito turned his head and let out a high pitched shriek in his foe's ear. The small man yelled and clamped a hand over his ear as Panchito shrugged him off. Panchito then darted to the still dazed gator's tail and yanked it. The gator turned to snap at Panchito, but the rooster dodged as the gator bite down on his own tail.
Quackerjack winched. "Ouch."
"I am not sure if anything he does is legal for a luchador, but he's very good at kicking things in the face." Jose said with a small laugh.
"I suppose if you only have one talent you should find something productive to do with it."
"Oh, he has at least two. He's also very good at shooting things."
"I'll keep that in mind." Quackerjack gave a small snort of laughter. Jose grinned.
"Ah, got you to laugh."
"Oh like that's hard." Quackerjack gave a small snort again.
"I don't know, you've been very grumpy for the past thirty minutes or so." Jose shrugged.
"You haven't met Megavolt yet. You do that then come to me about being grumpy."
By this time Panchito had manged to kick both gator and the gator's master out of the ring entirely with another loud yell.
"And with that we say goodbye to Jambalaya Jake and Gumbo! Good luck next time, boys!"
By this time Panchito had leaped off the stage. Quackerjack blinked as a small figure dressed in jeans, a tee shirt and a jacket with a baseball cap rushed over and offered the rooster a drink of something in a clear bottle. Panchito looked down as if considering it before his eyes landed on Quackerjack, who smirked and waved at him. He took some demented pleasure in Jose's sudden awkward shifting around. Panchito pushed the small guy away, who took one look at whatever was going on and rushed off.
...did we know that person?
Eh, Headboss?
Something is wrong with that.
...remind me later, the rooster is about to scream at either me or Jose.
Alright.
Panchito and Jose exchanged a series of angry words to each other, all in what Quackerjack assumed was either Spanish or Portuguese. He supposed that if these two were going to be hanging around St. Canard at least one of the Four should learn those languages. Probably should bring that up with Megavolt. Either way, he simply watched as Panchito pointed at him and said something. Quackerjack didn't know what, but he fairly sure it wasn't something like happy birthday.
With a grumble the rooster sat down next to Jose, now also with his arms folded and looking fairly murderous. The rest of the families, now drawing even more conclusions, slid even further away from the group of angry looking avians. Quackerjack grumbled and drummed his fingers in agitation.
"Oh what is your deal now?" Jose asked.
"I hate just sitting." Quackerjack said. "Makes me antsy."
"You could buzz off and find a cat to rescue from a tree." Panchito retorted.
"Yeah, and the moment I do you two will pull whatever it is you're trying to pull."
"Excuse me, I'm the best fighter here, even with all these super powered crazies!" Panchito bragged. "I don't need to pull a con here!"
"You know, I've been wondering. How did this all start anyway?" Jose asked, as if desperate to keep the two from arguing in public. "We don't have anything like this back home."
Quackerjack was relieved to have something to talk about other than the con these two were (or weren't) pulling. "Well, it all started with a guy named Granpappy Beagle. Now, the Beagles are a big deal in Duckburg. In fact, they founded the place, originally called it Beagleburg. But Granpappy had a lot of kids, and one of those kids wanted to expand and make a new town just across the bay."
"This town?" Jose asked.
"Yep. Only probably was that he wasn't the only one claiming the land. There was the natives who were living here, a gang of bandits, and a bunch of refugees from another place. The four groups fought and bickered over the land until the natives had enough. They brought all four sides together and told them they were going to do it their way. Each group would chose a champion and whoever won the fight would win the land."
"And the Beagle won?"
"Oh no, the natives did. But the before the Beagle and the refugees were going to leave the bandits attempted to riot and take over by force. So, the Beagle and the refugees banded together with the natives and drove the bandits out. The natives agreed to let the Beagle create St. Canard, but only as long as they agreed to let the natives have the rest of the land. And that's how St. Canard came to be, and why there are so many militias around the city. Some of them aren't really militias but the tribe that lives here. They never attack travelers though. They mostly keep to themselves."
"And they use this event to celebrate that?" Panchito asked, now interested.
"Yep. It's also why we have the rules we do. They are the tribe's rules, not ours, though they haven't sent anyone here to fight in ages. Although they do say if you break the rules you get a native curse for your trouble." Quackerjack shrugged.
Meanwhile, the next set of fighters had just entered the ring. It was Bulba's recruit, Phoenix. However, when Quackerjack saw the second fighter he nearly fell out of his seat.
"Beware, little girl! The Dingo shall swallow you whole and use your hair as teeth floss!" The crazed kangaroo grinned and cracked his knuckles as Phoenix gave him a disgusted look.
Quackerjack swore. "Shit, it's Dingo...and where Dingo is..."
You thinking what I'm thinking, Headboss.
Unfortunately, I am.
Quackerjack turned on the radio. "Hey, anyone. Look at the stage. It's Dingo."
The radio cracked and Megavolt's voice emerged. "Yeah, I see him, you are in the family area, Quackerjack. You see Doctor Dim Bulb?"
"Not a hair, and that worries me."
"Worries me too. We will look around. Keep alert down there."
"You got it, Megsy." Quackerjack turned the radio off with another visual scan of the area. Still no sign of Dr. Khola.
"Umm, what is going on?" Jose asked.
"This fight may just get...messy." Quackerjack replied.
The young duckling called himself Blue. Oh, that wasn't his real name. It wasn't even the name his weird foster family had given him. He had been told the reason he didn't remember anything was because of his head injury (he could actually see a scar on his head when he parted the feathers in the right way) but he didn't believe them. He wasn't sure why he was so sure that there was something wrong, but he felt all the time that there was something missing, or someone. It was like chunks had been carved out of his soul, and he knew it wasn't because of his memory loss. There was something else.
Then he discovered that, with a thought, he could make fireballs, and his foster parents had started whispering and giving him some very strange looks.
He decided to run. He knew it was wrong. Everything was wrong.
Unfortunately he found himself on the streets in a strange city that he didn't know how to survive in. He also wasn't sure if the fosters were looking for him. He wanted to avoid them at any cost. Oh sure, the strange powers he seemed to have helped him, but lighting things on fire could only do so much.
Then he ran into Jose. He didn't fully trust either Jose or Panchito, but they were his best options so far. It was either them or nothing, and at the very least they were helping him get food and shelter.
Even if he had to help them steal things.
It made Blue uncomfortable, and he knew that this was wrong. On the other hand, he didn't really have a choice in the matter. Or he had choices, but they were not very good ones. He couldn't trust anyone, and at the very least the two thieves were teaching him how to use what he now knew was magic. He could only hope they were being honest with him.
Blue briefly touched the cash that Jose had slipped to him before shoving him behind the pillar and telling him to lay low until the battle was over. He had watched as the clown hero and the big bull cop had cornered his teacher and started to question him. A part of Blue wanted to intervene, but in the end good sense prevailed. He knew that Jose was using him to hide the money he picked from the audience, and even though Blue knew it was wrong, he wasn't going to betray Jose. Not unless the parrot showed signs that he was going to stab Blue in the back.
Still, for now the clown guy was apparently occupying Jose's time, so Blue had little to do other than hang around the crowd and watch the fight. He sort of slid in near the family area, on the edges and peering between people who were now absorbed by the screaming kangaroo in the arena, punching that poor cop lady in the face, skillfully dodging past her drawn creations to sock her directly in the beak. Blue couldn't help but be impressed as she flew out of the ring and onto the ground.
Blue watched as Phoenix shook her head and backed away towards three other officers, who began to reassure her as they gave Dingo nasty looks. Blue noticed that the same guy who kept running around giving people drinks darted to the officers and offered them some as well, which they accepted.
Blue tilted his head to the side and hummed to himself. There was something very odd about that guy, but he couldn't place it. Well, he had nothing better to do right now, even though apparently the next fight was between Panchito and the kangaroo (who was now talking about plucking Panchito bare and covering him in tar and his own feathers), Blue was to curious about what the drink giver was doing to care to much. From the way the announcer kept going on Blue assumed this wasn't a planned event. Technically it wasn't Blue's business, but something about it was bothering him.
And Jose did say that sometimes your magic would tell you things through your instincts, and it was a good idea to listen to them.
So quietly blue began to follow the drink giver, carefully keeping out of sight as the man slipped into a bathroom. He snorted. Maybe the weird man was trying to sell people sink water? Still...
The bathroom didn't really have a door, instead it had a hallway that twisted around to the left. Blue cautiously slid around the corner, keeping low. He was not surprised to see a mirror across from the entrance, and if Blue had been standing a bit taller he could have been spotted as he rounded the corner.
Blue had been half right. The weird guy was indeed filling bottles of water from the sink. He was also taking vials of something from a box next to him on the sink and pouring it into the bottles. Were the stalls should have been sat a large round vehicle that sort of reminded Blue of a metal donut. It sat on three crab legs, blinking ominously.
Suddenly the man turned and Blue finally got a good look at his face. It was a koala, and he looked pretty mad.
Dr. Khola grabbed a remote next to him and pushed a button. The metal transport suddenly lashed at Blue with two long grabby claws and attempted to scoop him up. Blue squawked and, just as Jose taught him, summoned two fireballs. He threw one at the machine and one at Khola's face. Khola, who actually wasn't that bigger than Blue himself, fell back on the tiled floor of the bathroom. Blue darted forwards and scooped up a bottle of water a filled vial of...something. He wasn't sure but he was sure that it wasn't good.
As he ran out of the bathroom he collided with the Liquidator, who had been circling around the arena, looking for any sign of the scientist that Blue had just encountered. Blue squawked again and slipped backwards.
"Quackarooni, your'e the Liquidator!" Blue yelled in surprise. It was one thing to hear about a mutant water dog, it was something else to slip in his water after running from what Blue was pretty sure was a supervillian.
"Yeah, you okay kid?" The Liquidator leaned down to help Blue up. "Were are your-"
"There's a man in there putting whatever is in this." Blue shoved a vial into the Liquidator's hand "Into the water and he's giving it the fighters!"
The Liquidator frowned at the vial in his hand. "What is-"
"You know I wanted to try to be a BIT subtle this time, as much as you can when that moron is your henchman, but I guess SCREW THAT IT'S GONNA GET LOUD!"
Blue scrambled backwards as the Liquidator put himself between the boy and the sudden emergence of the large metal donut. Perched in the middle of the donut was Dr. Khola, having discarded the baseball cap and was now pulling levers and pushing buttons on his new vehicle. A laser blasted the vial in the Liquidator's hand, and whatever it was in the vial covered him, and sank into his water.
"Alright, Operation Insta-gang is a go! DINGO! Stop punching the rooster!"
"Aww, but the Dingo was having fun!"
"Well, it's time to pack it in!" Khola pushed another button and threw a few more switches as Megavolt and Bushroot began to head their direction. Meanwhile, Quackerjack was turning to face Dingo, figuring that the other fighters would probably help with the two rule breakers.
"Hey! You coward, get back here and fight me!" Panchito, offended his foe was snuffing him, shook his fist as Dingo reluctantly bounced to his partner.
Suddenly, Blue felt someone grab his arm and lift him up. "Let's go, kid. We don't want to be in the middle of this." Blue looked up to see that Jose had used Dr. Khola's entrance to slip away from Quackerjack and was even now pulling him away as the crowd of civilians backed away from the area. Nobody was really panicking, as most people had been around super being fights before, and most knew that panic just led to more injuries. They were carefully, but quickly, getting out of dodge as fast as they could without starting a riot. Except the announcer, who seemed almost gleeful.
"What's this? One of the fighters has apparently been working with some little koala man to cheat during our Great Battle! I think there is going to be a few fighters down there willing to lodge a bit of a complaint down there! This just turned from a series of matches to a...what, twenty on two free for all? Unless you count our brave local superheros and the other volunteer security! Let's watch! Should be good for a laugh!"
"Fools! It is I who will have the last laugh! For you see, I finally figured out why I lose every time to those pathetic do gooders down there!"
"Because you're so pathetic that not even Negaduck has bothered to recruit you?" Launchpad yelled up. "Trust me, I know. You aren't on the roster to be recruited, fluff head!"
"SCREW NEGADUCK!" Khola yelled at Launchpad who chuckled.
"That's it, sign your death card, dumbass." Launchpad laughed. "And they call me stupid!"
"Stop interrupting me! Minions! I need minions!" Khola bellowed.
"...what is the blunder not from down under, then? Your nursemaid?" Launchpad laughed again. He was clearly having way to much fun.
"...guys, did the evil henchman just take over smack talk duty?" Bushroot asked.
"...Yeah, kinda looks like it." Megavolt replied. "Honestly, I kinda like it. Sometimes it's hard to come up with good quips."
"Dingo is my henchman! I can depend on him!" Dingo blinked up at Khola, as if touched by this statement. "No you dumbasses! All you fighters! You've been drinking my nanites all day!"
There was a long pause form the fighters, then.
"Drinking his what?"
"The hell did he put in the water?"
"Eww, tell me it didn't come from him, if you know what I mean?"
"Nanites are tiny robots that...wait...oh shit!" Megavolt tensed.
"In this case, they are tiny robots that WILL MAKE ALL OF YOU MY MINIONS!" Dr. Khola let out a nice, long cathartic mad scientist laughed and pushed a button on his ride. Every fighter, save Panchito who hadn't drank the stuff, tensed to attention. For a moment the Liquidator flashed white like a light bulb, then he two was standing at attention.
Launchpad looked around, read the room, and turned away. "Welp, I'm off to make a call."
"Make a call, the hell!?" Megavolt yelled after him, but had to dodge away as the Liquidator attempted to grab him. "Likky! Snap out of it!"
Meanwhile, Panchito found himself surrounded by his fellow fighters, the only other person in the area not mind controlled being Quackerjack. The rooster took a few steps backwards until he was pressing up against Quackerjack's back.
"Truce until this over?" Panchito asked.
"Yeah, good idea. Your buddy ditched us."
"Maybe focus on the dinosaur and the lady that can make things with paint?"
"Yeah, good point."
Panchito let out a battle crow as Stegmutt attempted to sweep both him and Quackerjack off their feet, but Panchito grabbed Quackerjack and, in a show of strength, leaped into the air with the somewhat startled clown hero. As Panchito's feet met Stegmutt's skull Panchito swing Quackerjack like a man sized mace and threw him at Phoenix, who didn't really have the mental capacity at the moment to use her abilities that well. It's hard to be creative when you're being mind controlled. Quackerjack pulled out a yo yo and wrapped it around the young officer. With a swing he flung the yo yo around a pillar, tying her against it for now. He then turned and leaped at Rubber Chicken, who was trying to ambush Panchito from behind.
Meanwhile, Jose had gotten Blue mostly to the door and was attempting to shove him through it when he heard Panchito's battle cry. He turned his head and saw the only real friend he had, surrounded by crazed mind controlled super beings, his only ally a clown that hated both their guts. Jose groaned.
"Met us back at the hideout, Blue. I have to go save my dumb chicken." Jose smiled down at Blue, who nodded. "Promise me you'll go straight home."
Blue sighed. "I don't like it, but I'll do it."
"Good kid." Jose nodded and turned back to the arena. He twisted his umbrella until it was securely clamped in the grip of his hook. As he reached the edge of the fight he lifted the umbrella and set the top part of the handle against his mouth. He, for all intents and purposes, seemed to mime playing the umbrella light a wood instrument. However, actual sounds began to emerge from the umbrella, or perhaps it was coming from Jose himself. It sounded like some sort of heavy metal music, the notes echoing through the battlefield.
All of a sudden the Four (minus the Liquidator), Bulba (who was attempting to fight his way over to help Bushroot and Megavolt), and Panchito felt a surge of energy and courage as the music played. Quackerjack looked up, puzzled.
"What is he doing?"
"Music magic. Helps people fight. Don't know how it works, just does." Panchito grinned and gave his friend a wave. "Knew he'd come back. He's a bit of a coward, but he won't abandon his gang."
"Two people count as a gang?" Quackerjack snorted.
"We do in my book. A gang is your family, and he and I are all we have." Panchito's smile flickered, but the mournful expression was soon gone as a random thug attempted to break a chair over his head. He grabbed the chair and wrestled it away, managing to rip it from the thug's grasp and slam it into its previous owner's side. "HAHA!"
Meanwhile, Bulba had managed to completely attract the Liquidator's attention away from Megavolt. Grateful that he didn't have to fight the one guy who could really hurt him, as well as his friend, Megavolt turned his electricity on the big machine that Khola was riding. To his irritation, Khola laughed in his face as the electricity bounced off the machine.
"FOOL! You think after being shocked by you before I wouldn't plan ahead this time! I made sure to shield my baby before I brought it battle!"
"How'd you get this thing into the arena anyhow!" Megavolt yelled.
"SCIENCE!"
"You can't just yell 'science' to explain bullshit!" Megavolt retorted.
"WATCH ME!" Khola turned his lasers on Megavolt, who had to dodge away. "This entire city will bow to me! I WILL BE THE RULER OF ST-"
There was a loud boom and all of a sudden a part of the roof crumbled and fell to the ground. To everyone's shock and horror a certain metal suited duck dropped down. To add to the horror of everyone in the arena, perched on Gizmoduck's shoulders, heedless of the look of mild disgust on Gizmoduck's bill, was Negaduck.
He didn't look happy.
Negaduck leaped off Gizmoduck, who rolled away from him a few paces, as if he was a mangy and possibly rabid raccoon. Negaduck, however, chose not to comment on his new minion's expression. Instead he glared up at Khola, a stern frown on his face.
Launchpad walked up to Megavolt, who was staring open mouthed at the two of the most dangerous enemies he had ever faced.
"Hey, finished that call." Launchpad laughed.
"Why. You. GIZMODUCK!" Megavolt yelled. Gizmoduck looked over at Megavolt and Bushroot, his expression unreadable.
"Seriously, you've teamed up with him!?" Bushroot shook his head. "Surprising as it seems I thought better of you."
It was only through a lot of practice of appearing emotionless that Gizmoduck's wince wasn't as obvious as it could have been.
"The dog only barks for me now. Speaking of barking." Negaduck glared at Khola, whose eyes were darting from Negaduck to Gizmoduck as if he was trying to decide how to escape this situation with his fur on. "Now, I usually don't involve myself in these things. I hate stupid traditions. But, you see, I also hate when people take things that are mine. Like, my men." Negaduck nodded at Stegmutt. "So, Dr. Fuzz. I have a question for you."
Negaduck snapped his fingers, and Gizmoduck aimed his rather vast assortment of weaponry at Khola and the machine he was riding.
"WHERE DO YOU GET THE GALL!" Negaduck snapped his fingers again, and Gizmoduck fired all the weapons at Khola's ride. The now terrified scientist let out a squeak as Dingo leaped up, grabbed him out of his ride and hopped away from the explosion. Gizmoduck fired more missiles at the retreating kangaroo, but missed every time.
Negaduck clenched his bill and glared up at Gizmoduck. "...you want to try aiming, tin can?"
"Smaller target then I'm used to." Gizmoduck's voice had, to Megavolt's shock, somehow managed to become in flatter and colder then before.
"We are going to work on that." Negaduck glared down at the twisted rubble that was once Dr. Khola's ride.
Fortunately, as soon as the thing had been destroyed, the people that had drank the nanites began to come to their senses, including Stegmutt. He grunted, nodded at Panchito in an almost friendly way, and stomped over to Negaduck's side.
Negaduck rubbed his chin, then grin. "You know, I think I'm the last fighter standing. Can, grab the loot and let's go. Stegmutt, Launchpad make your own way back to the base." He looked at Four, who looked like they were planning to launch an attack on him. Even the recovering Liquidator was giving him that glare he knew well.
"Aww, not today, losers." Negaduck laughed as one of Gizmoduck's metal arms grabbed the briefcase of cash that had been sitting at what was going to be the winner podium and brought it over to him. Negaduck climbed back onto his unwilling ride and smirked at the Four.
"This is just a preview, knobs. If you knew what was good for you, you'd skip town. Or, stay and die. Either way, see you next crime!" Negaduck laughed and kicked Gizmoduck in the head to get him moving. With a mild growl Gizmoduck did so, his helmet helicopter blades raising him into the air and out of the hole in the roof without another word.
There was a very long pause, then finally Megavolt spoke.
"So, now he has Gizmoduck on his side." Megavolt sighed and shook his head.
"Yeah, that's weird." Bushroot said. "Unless they've met other times the last time I saw them both it looked like Negaduck hated Gizmoduck."
"Yeah, and I can't imagine someone as feared as Gizmoduck would let himself be kicked around and ordered like that." the Liquidator noted. "I don't like it. Something is off."
Quackerjack looked around and blinked. "...and they vanished again."
"Who?" Megavolt asked.
"Jose and Panchito. I mean, I'm grateful they helped, but now they vanished again." Quackerjack sighed.
"Honestly, I'm more concerned with the Negaduck Gizmoduck team up." Megavolt said. "He is gathering powerful people and I really don't like it."
"I know, you're right, it's just..." Quackerjack sighed. "It's very annoying."
"Aww, it's almost like you're pinning for me, eh?"
"Gah!" Quackerjack turned to see Jose behind him, smirking again. "You little, stop doing that!"
"Eeeeh, maybe." Jose shrugged. "I just wanted to see if you heroes were okay?"
"We're fine, but I have some things I'd like to ask you about-" Megavolt stepped forwards, but Jose just laughed again.
"Sorry, tired of questions. But hey, better luck next time!" He took a step back and waved at Quackerjack, who glared. "Bye." Then, he seemed to vanish in thin air.
Quackerjack sighed. "I really hate that..."
Back at their apartment hideout, Jose, Panchito and Blue laid out the money that Jose had pick pocketed and slipped to Blue before Quackerjack and Bulba had grabbed him.
"Well, we didn't get the prize." Panchito sighed. "Because of that Negaduck again! Really starting to dislike him. But we got about five hundred here! That's at least worth a good meal or two! Maybe a few other things."
"...can I get a book, or something?" Blue asked. He wanted a game system too, but he was afraid that something that expense would be out of the budget. Or the two would just tell him to steal it. He didn't want to do that.
"Isn't there a library?" Panchito asked.
Blue sighed. "It's not the same as owning your own book."
"Oh come on. He helped smuggle the money out. He earned it!" Jose argued.
"Oh, fiiine." Panchito peeled out twenty dollars and handing it to Blue. "Save the change, kid."
Blue let out a small whoop and gave the rooster a hug. Panchito looked away, hoping to hide his reaction from both Blue and Jose.
Jose laughed and ruffled the boy's feathers. "You should go to bed. Bookstore will still be there tomorrow. It's been a long day and you need to rest."
"Okay...yeah." Blue separated himself from Panchito and headed for the bedroom. Before he went in he paused and looked back at the two. "Thanks for...helping me find my family."
"Save the thanks for when we do find them." Panchito attempted to grumble his way back into sternness. Judging from Jose's annoying grin he was failing.
"I know but...I'm thankful you're trying." Blue disappeared into the bedroom.
Panchito groaned and buried his face in his arms. Jose laughed gently and poked him with his hook.
"Admit it, you're glad we kept him."
Panchito thought of how stupid it was keep a relative (at least he was fairly certain that Blue was related) to Scrooge McDuck around. Gizmoduck, from what Panchito had heard, was after Scrooge. Who knew what he'd do to one of Scrooge's kin, and the people that sheltered them? Who knew what McDuck himself would do? It was stupid, it was dangerous, not worth the risk. They should kick the kid out.
And yet.
"Yeah." Panchito finally admitted. "I am glad."
A/N: I have no illusions. I think everyone probably figured out that Blue is Dewey fairly quickly. The question is, will he remember his real family? Will he be reunited with his brothers? Where did the magic come from? Did he inherit it from Donald or did it come from whoever had him for a time?
Only I know the answers to those questions. Well, most of them.
The triplets in this are primarily based on the original DT Huey, Dewey and Louie. AS such they are less distinct from each other then the new ones, though they are different from the 87 versions in personality. Like how Nega Gos is girly and polite, but not evil, the Nega triplets are quiet and thoughtful, unlike their more adventurous and mischievous dimensional doubles. In a way the two sets exemplify the first two traits that Scrooge always boast about. While the Ogs are tougher than the toughies, the Nega triplets are supposed to be smarter than the smarties.
We will see how well I do that. I'm not that smart myself and they say you can't write someone smarter than you already are. Eh, we will see.
I am basing some of the magic system in this series from my experiences playing DnD, though I am not sticking to a strict interpretation of it. Just sort of a basic overview on how different people do magic. Morgana is more like a wizard as she uses spellbooks and intellect to cast spells. Donald and Dewey are more akin to sorcerers as they have a more limited pool but can cast instinctively. Jose is sorta a bard with a few extra spells mixed in, but they all are based on him having to do something physical like dancing or singing to activate. As such he actually knows more music than canon Jose because if you're going into battle you want war drums and heavy metal. Or at least I do when I'm fighting a boss in a video game I want heavy metal.
Anyway, not sure about the next chapter. It's either going to be one that might be controversial, or the one where we finally see the Injustice Ducks in action.
We will see.