A foe from years ago stepped onto the planet's surface, looking out from over the cliffs near Anaheim.
Her shadow ran up her shoulders and sneered, "At long last we can both have what we want. You will have the drake as you always longed to, and I will have that girl and her magic. Do you remember the plan?"
Vulpina stepped forward, placing a foot on the ledge of the cliff. Eyeing the city, a toothy grin crossed her face, as she let out a chuckle. "Get you the necklace. I got it. Trust me... I always get my target... always..."
"Once it is in your hand I will cast my spell, and in good time we will get what we crave for," her shadow snickered.
At the pond Heart cradled Flynn in her arms as she sang to him while her twin played with Avery.
"They're both getting so big," he said with Grin behind him waving at the small duckling, "then again it's still hard to believe you're a mama."
"Really?" Heart laughed softly.
"Yeah, I mean, just 4 years ago we came to Earth and you were our little sister..." Dive smiled at her.
"We all have come a long way," Grin agreed while offering to hold Flynn. Heart smiled as she handed her son to him.
While they looked after the two Heart slipped into the hallway when she thought she saw someone walkby in the hallway.
"Mal?" She called to get no answeras she turned the corner.
Behind her she could hear his footsteps from downthe hall, but was certain someobe had gone ahead.
As Heart walked down the corridor of her home, Vulpina pressed herself against the wall. Awaiting her prey, as soon as Heart turned the corner, she lunged at her from behind. Covering the human's mouth, she grabbed for the necklace. "Sorry, but I need this alot more than you do."
Heart struggled to get free, energy charging around her. She shocked Vulpina's hand enough for her to call out, "Duke! Dive! Grin!"
Soon several footsteps were heard racing down the hall. Heart noticed as Vulpina grabbed the sapphire.
Yanking it from Heart's neck, she took her blaster and buffaloed Heart in the back of the head. As the others approached, she lowered the gun down, a sadistic glint in her eyes. "I oughta finish you right now, for principle's sake... but, well, I won't have to worry about you in anycase soon enough"
Everyone had their weapons trained on the fox immediately.
"Back off lady!" Dive warned.
Yet before anything else could be done, they heard a chant begin as wisps of magic swept around them.
"Heart!" Duke called out, "Heart wake up!"
Time undone from before your bond had begun, woven threads now severed, memories forgotten, and hearts no longer won...
Heart awoke to find herself standing in the cold snow in the darkly lit streets.
"W-Where am I?" She asked trying to look around.
Meanwhile Duke found himself on the rooftops of the capital city of Puck World breathing in the familiar cold air.
On the rooftops, making her way to where Duke was, the vixen found him soon enough. Hopping over the alleyway to the one eyed thief, she made her way to his side, putting an arm around him. "What's the matter Duke... looks like something's bothering you.."
Duke looked to her with a slight as he shook his head, "Jus' a lot to worry about with Falcone loose...my gang has been worried about me doin' solo missions, but I still have jobs to do."
Nuzzling up to him, she smiled, her fluffy tail swishing behind her. "Well... you don't need to do it know that I'm just as talented as you..."
Patting him on the shoulder, she walked around him, her tail wrapping around his torso. "So... what do you say?"
Meanwhile Heart looked upon a statue of a drake looking over those he wishes to protect. Then she began wandering down a lonely street.
Duke stepped back slightly, "I'm not sure how safe it is with Falcone out an' after my life as it is."
It was then that something caught his eye. Looking down at the street below he could see a young woman walking alone in a torn tunic and leggings, her arms folded over her chest to keep warm as she shivered.
"What in the world?" Duke breathed as he watched her from the rooftop.
Eyeing the human, her lip curled back for a moment... before, taking a deep breath. "... you worry about your job, I'll take care of that lost kid."
With that, she approached the ledge, and hopped her way down.
Duke grabbed Vulpina by the arm, "What are ya doin'?"
Just then Duke noticed as the girl was grabbed and pulled into the alley across the street from them. She cried out for help, fighting her attackers as much as she could.
"We gotta help her!" Duke said as he quickly went to the ledge to climb down.
She grabbed Duke by the shoulder, pulling him back. "With your job coming up, you can't risk getting hurt. Like I said... let me handle this."
And with that, she hurried down to confront the girl's attackers.
Heart fought against her attackers, growing panicked as no one answered her cries for help.
"What kind of girl are you?" One questioned as energy began to spark around her.
"Let go of me!" She pleaded as the electricity rose, striking at them as she tried to get away.
Duke hadn't stayed on the rooftop, but was just coming up to the street behind Vulpina. Suddenly a burst of light struck out from the alley, as it did Duke pulled Vulpina back, shielding her from harm.
Looking up towards him, she smiled towards the thief... but advanced afterwards, drawing her blaster at the ruffians. "So, you guys wanna have fun with a woman who can handle you all?"
When Vulpina and Duke looked into the alley they found the two drakes unconscious against the wall. Looking down they found the young woman gasping for breath, panicked and frightened as she looked up at them with feral like eyes.
"Did she do this?" Duke asked in disbelief as he stepped towards the girl, "Are you alright sweetheart?"
Heart didn't answer him.
Vulpina's fur began to bristle with irritation at Duke's remark to the young girl.
Putting her arm before Duke, she looked over Heart. "Duke.. she might be dangerous... you might want to give the girl some space."
"She was just attacked Vulpina, why are ya so worried about me?" Duke asked while watching the girl.
Heart backed away from them cautiously, getting to her feet.
"Easy," Duke attempted as she tried to keep her distance.
"Yeah, and look at what she did to those guys. We don't even know what she is, look at her!" She warned Duke, trying to pull him back, "I don't want her to hurt you."
Heart tried to push back the panic that rose with the woman's words. Before Duke could step closer to her Heart bolted down the alley as fast as she could.
"Wait!" Duke called after her, but she didn't turn back.
Duke wanted to follow, but felt Vulpina holding onto his arm, "Ya think she'll be alright?"
"Judging by these guys... I think she can handle herself." She replied, holding him by the arm still. "Don't you fret about her... now... about that job.."
Duke looked to Vulpina concerned, "Of course...let's get goin'..."
Duke paused briefly to look after where Heart had disappeared, but soon started walking away. Something about this felt off, but with his friend nearby he tried to ignore it. Before long they found the museum they were heading towards.
Feeling confident in changing the timeline, Vulpina went along with Duke to the museum, and readied herself for the job ahead of them. "So, what are we getting now?"
Duke tried to think a moment, "Ya know...I'm tryin' to remember...I think it was a diamond " He then noticed the sapphire Vulpina wore, "The sapphire, how did ya...?" Duke tried to remember.
She smirked, taking the sapphire on her neck in her hand. "Lemme just say... I have my ways."
"So, if I can slip it from you... you know I can handle a simple museum job."
"Very funny Vulpina, but if ya have it that means I gave it to ya...But I feel I would remember. I gave a bit of myself for that one after all," he commented with a slight, uneasy, smile.
She blushed under her fur, as she drew closer to him. "Well.. it was rather late, and... you were telling me all sorts of things that night~"
Duke looked to her a little bewildered, "Even still..."
He then shook his head and smiled a bit, "jus' be careful with it sweetheart. Don't get caught with that one."
With that he started to jimmy the window open before slipping inside the hallway of the museum.
"You know me... sly as a fox." She answered him, slipping it back under her shirt, and following after him.
While elsewhere Heart continued through the lonely streets of Puck World's capital. As it began to snow Heart took refuge beneath the statue she had found earlier as it covered her from the cold weather and she tried to calm down.
She huddled beneath the statue to try and stay warm in the cold night.
"Why did I come here?" She wondered while watching the shadows of the night carefully.
As the long night went on Heart found it impossible to rest as thoughts swam in her head. Her wide, weary eyes continued to watch the shifting shadows of the night transition from the morning light. She trembled from the frigid air wrapping around her, curled into a ball of sorts beneath the statue.
With the sun coming up it became a little easier for her to see around her at least. Though still on edge, she was able to ease her concerns over the shadows disapating nearby. Getting to her feet she looked up at the statue curiously, "Drake DuCane? Where am I? Why did I come to this realm if things would just be the same here?"
She then noticed as other inhabitants came out to the ice rink near the statue. Others were headed to their jobs, but many young ducks were out to skate it seemed. Heart remained near the statue, her nerves getting the better of her. Her hand rested against the base as she looked out over the rink, using the statue as a cover.
Among the crowd were three teenagers, one seemingly close to her age. She watched as they interacted, playing a game of some sort it appeared. Yet Heart shook her head as she stepped away and headed down another street.
As the morning went on Heart's fatigue began to take it's toll. Her steps grew shaky, and her vision blurred at the edges. She thought about turning back and asking someone for help, but fear kept her away. It was too easy to look back on the events of the previous night. Her mind briefly thought of the drake that had spoken to her, but she had been too panicked to hear him. Had he been concerned? She had been too afraid to find out after being jumped.
She then looked at her own hands as she recalled what she had done herself.
"What is this...is this why I was told to leave? Couldn't I use this to protect them?" Heart asked not looking where she was going.
As Heart pondered over things she had nearly stepped out onto a street among the crowd ahead.
"What in the world?" One duck exclaimed as Heart looked up startled.
"What is she?!"
"Where are her feathers?"
Heart froze as these and other questions were aimed at her, but not to her. She looked around at the ducks stairing at her in disbelief and confusion. Attempting to step back she didn't see the road behind her, nor the patch of ice at her feet. Suddenly Heart slipped and began to fall back into the busy street as cars came up on her.
Just as she began to fall a strong hand gripped her arm and pulled her back up, evading the oncoming traffic. Catching her breath, Heart looked to see a very tall drake still gripping her arm to steady her. This dark feathered drake towered over her by two feet exactly with a bulked up frame to go with his height. Yet despite his overwhelming strength and stature, the drake smiled calmly at her, "Are you alright young friend?"
Catching her breath a bit still she tried to nod her head. However her frail frame gave her away. He gestured for her to follow him, "Let's get you taken care of."
"What do you mean by that?" Heart asked nervously.
He paused and looked over her a bit puzzled, "You need help don't you?"
"I...I don't want to...I mean..." Heart wasn't sure how to answer.
Heart's isolation was apparent as she tried to speak to the drake. Yet he remained patient, causing her to follow beside him. While others still questioned the sight of her, the one beside her remained unphased somehow.
"I'm Grin by the way," he finally said to her in a friendly tone.
Heart looked up at him as he seemed to wait for her answer, "Oh, I'm Heart, and thank you for your help back there."
"You are new to our world it seems, and I don't mean that due to how you look," he pointed out.
Heart nodded while shivering still, "Where I'm from it's a bit warmer."
Before long they were in a clothing shop as Heart was told to pick out clothes that weren't torn up.
"You seem to have been through quite the journey thus far," Grin commented as she tossed her torn clothes over the changing room door.
"You could say that I guess," Heart agreed as she pulled on a teal turtleneck that clung to her small frame, "Though I'm not entirely sure why I was brought here."
"At times we can not see the reason behind the path we are forced to walk, but we must continue our steps to seek any answers that we need," Grin told her just as the door swung open.
Over the turtleneck Heart now wore a black jacket vest to better protect her from the colder weather. Instead of leggings she wore black cargos. Her boots were now replaced with sneakers. At her hands were fingerless gloves. Her burgundy hair was now tied back into a loose ponytail.
"Are you sure this is alright?" Heart asked as she looked up at Grin.
He smiled good naturedly, "I wouldn't want you to freeze. How can you skate in torn up clothing anyway?"
"Skate?" Heart asked as she noticed a burgundy vest instead of the black one, switching them out before they paid.
"I'd be happy to share our favorite past time here on Puck World once you've rested and recovered," Grin told her.
"And that's skating?"
"Part of it, but what I really mean is the noble sport that is hockey," he explained a bit eager.
Heart gave him a puzzled look before she followed him out to the rink again. He gestured towards the teens she had noticed earlier and how they skated with sticks while batting a puck back and forth.
"That's hockey?" Heart asked curiously.
Again however others began to notice the strange girl beside the drake. A few backed away, others commented on her featherless skin. Heart did her best to ignore them though as she listened to Grin. Until he noticed her shaking, this time from hunger and exhaustion.
"This can wait," he smiled as he gestured for her to follow him again.
This time he brought her to his home it seemed, or at least where he stayed. A dojo with an apartment above it that he seemed to rent out. Once there he began prepairing food while instructing her to take a seat. Heart sat at the low seated table upon a pillow as she was told to. While she waited she looked around the apartment to see hockey gear kept carefully in place unless it was being used. Meditation chimes hung in the window nearby.
"I feel like I'm being a burden," she commented as he brought her the food he had prepared.
"I would hardly call a friend a burden," Grin smiled as he sat across from her.
"You don't know me," Heart's eyes widened slightly.
"I would like to, if you are willing to share," he insisted patiently, "but first eat and rest. I know you are probably weary of others right now, but I assure you that you are safe in my home."
Despite knowing him for mere hours, Heart sensed his words to be true. She found herself giving in and eating the food offered to her. When she had finished Grin had prepared a bed for her and told her to get some sleep. Heart looked around uneasily, scanning the room of it's shadows it seemed.
"There is nothing here to harm you," he assured her.
"It may seem that way, but shadows are tricky," Heart commented, "but I don't think he was able to follow me here."
"He?"
"The reason I was forced to leave home," she admitted, "The reason I am here now."
"Is that the reason for your wounds and distrust?" Grin asked.
"He's a part of it," she sighed.
Seeing she didn't want to say much more on the subject Grin told her to get some rest. Heart had little choice but to obey. Soon she unwillingly drifted off to sleep with Grin meditating nearby.
When Heart opened her eyes again the morning light of the next day was coming through the window. She sat up quickly before remembering where she was. Looking around she did not see her new friend nearby. Heart then noticed a bowl of food on the table with a note beside it. Upon reading it she found the food was meant for her and that Grin would return soon to check on her.
Before long she found this to be true as he came into the apartment with a few bags. Heart hurried to assist while he gave a bit of a laugh, "So is this your true aura Heart?"
Heart glanced to the side, "I just wanted to be helpful."
Grin smiled while handing her a bag, "I thought I should pick up some things to prepare for a long term guest."
"You didn't need to do that, I don't have to stay here," Heart protested.
"While this is true the offer stands, and at the very least I will be ready if you wish to stay or at least visit," he told her.
He then handed her a cloth bag, "This however is a gift."
Heart looked at him a bit bewildered before looking inside. She gave a slight smile as she pulled out a pair of skates and a helmet, "You weren't kidding?"
Grin looked to her puzzled now, "Why would I kid when it comes to hockey?"
Heart's smile strengthened, and she soon found herself following Girn to an ice rink. This time it was less crowded as many of the young ducks were at school it seemed. However this did not save Heart much. Years of living on the mountains had not prepared her for the slick terrain that was ice. Grin was patient, and gave advice, but Heart slid more than skated that first day.
"Give it some time friend, with practice it will seem like you were born here," he assured, "In the meantime there are other things you can learn, and I can learn from you as well."
"Are you sure you want me to stay? I don't know when I'll be leaving, or even if I can leave," she mentioned.
"It is not my way to turn away a friend in need, especially one with such an uncertain path at the moment," he assured her.
"I am grateful for your kindness," Heart told him as she followed him back to his apartment for the time being.
A few weeks passed, turning into a month, and Heart had remained staying with the gentle giant that was now her sole acquaintance. Other ducks generally avoided her out of confusion or disbelief. Fortunately Grin didn't seem to be bothered by any of this and his offer for her to stay with him held true.
However his lessons in skating had not had the same affect. Heart still slipped and slid along the slick surface, falling frequently. Even daily practice seemed to prove useless.
"You need to relax my friend, you're constantly trying to run from something we can't see," Grin advised one morning.
Heart looked at the snow at her feet with growing frustration, "That's because I have to be ready to run."
By now Grin had heard of the realm of magic Heart had emerged from. While he was surprised to hear this initially, he had accepted it in stride. Though Heart had not told him of the dragon mother and how she'd nearly died protecting her. No, for Heart it was too painful to remember how she had failed in every way back home. All Grin needed to know was that she had come from a world with magic, was running from a monster that couldn't reach her currently, and that she couldn't go back. However the urge to run continued to pull at her.
"I think this is enough for today," Grin suggested while leading her back home.
Vulpina & Duke
Late that evening Heart felt her frustrations boiling to the surface. Thoughts of home kept her from eating, fears of what was chasing her stopped her from sleeping. Grin had tried to talk to her, but she was unwilling to confide in him at the moment. Then she noticed her skates in the corner and focused her anger on them. She sat on the sofa that was her makeshift bed and pulled at her hair while holding her head.
Getting to her feet she grabbed her skates and slipped out the door with Grin still sound asleep. Now knowing the streets better Heart was able to make her way to the ice park safely. She then laced up her skates and walked cautiously over to the edge of the rink. She paused while looking up at the statue, as though asking for approval of some kind.
Then she looked out at the ice, noticing a silloute beneath the full moonlight. She nearly ran when she recognized his frame from when she'd first arrived on Puck World.
He in turn froze a moment to see someone else was in the park with him. He'd hoped to skate a while before having to head back to the hideout. Late at night was the only time he had for such things anymore, and it was hard to get to do that anymore with Falcone after his head.
However, he soon recognized her beakless face from across the ice. A bit of relief came over him, from realizing he probably didn't need to leave just yet, and...to see she was alive.
Though as he stood he watched as she tried to venture onto the ice, seemingly avoiding him. Yet even from afar he could see her shaky stance as she nearly slid. He found himself quickly sliding over to her as she began to fall back again. This time he swiftly caught her hand, keeping her from falling as she looked up at him startled.
"Easy sweetheart," he said as he helped steady her.
Heart felt she should pull away from him, yet didn't. Though her small frame remained rigid before him as she said quietly, "Th-Thank you?"
For the first time it seemed she really looked at him. A darker feathered drake than Grin, Duke's feathers were a worn charcoal gray. Through his hair was a premature white streak brought on from the loss of his eye she guessed when she noticed his eye patch and the red light showing from it. He wore dark slacks and a form fitting burgundy shirt that went up to his throat, concealing his lean frame. At the base of his neck was a short feathered ponytail. He stood close to a foot taller than her, looking over her with a brown eye that remained and touched with a warmth that tugged at her.
The drake before her gave a charming smile and a polite bow, "Duke L'Orange at your service Miss?"
Heart wasn't sure if she should answer him, but heard her voice give in, "Heart..."
"A lovely name," he told her as he then turned her hand in his, bending forward still, and kissing her hand gently.
He looked up in time to see her cheeks turn a soft pink and he couldn't help but tease her slightly, "Did I steal your first kiss sweetheart?"
She finally pulled her hand away while he stood up straight. Then Heart suddenly remembered she was on ice and realized she couldn't get away quick if she wanted to. Duke tilted his head slightly, looking at her uneasy stance, "You're too tense there. Ya need to loosen up a bit."
Duke skated around her as though looking over her curiously. Heart watched him carefully, turning before realizing her skates were twisting up her feet. The drake noticed and quickly caught her at her arms to keep her from falling, "Relax a bit, I'm not gonna hurt ya, I swear."
Duke then thought to their initial sighting of one another and offered, "I really did want to help ya that night. I jus' couldn't get there in time, I'm sorry. But I am glad to see you're safe."
Heart's eyes widened to hear this.
"Mind if I help ya a bit to make up for it somehow?" Duke offered a hand to her.
Heart hesitated while looking up at him. Yet his hand remained steady while she reached for it. Grasping hers securely Duke pulled her carefully along the ice.
"Ya gotta relax, stop tryin' to run an' jus' trust your blades a bit more," Duke suggested.
Heart watched Duke's movements closely, trying to mimic his movements. After a bit he was able to release her hand and skated in front, sliding backwards with grace as he looked over her, "That's it sweetheart, ya got it now."
Heart couldn't help but feel a slight smile coming over her as she looked up at him. However as he came to a pause she realized she hadn't quite gotten that down yet, thus she wound up sliding into him. He quickly caught her, chuckling a bit, "Well, at least ya got movin' down."
"Thank you," she said.
"Not at all," he smiled while watching her blush a bit from him catching her, "So...is this the real you?"
Heart wasn't sure how to answer that question. Though some part of her wanted to say it was, but at the same time knew it wasn't...not as she remembered it anyway.
"I'd like it to be," she said softly.
Coming up from behind Duke, Vulpina was intending on surprising him with a hug from behind... but saw the human girl. Skating to the side, the fox leaned against the statue of the planet's hero, and raised a brow. "Oh, look who it is... you doing alright?"
Duke spun around on his blades with Heart still holding Heart's hand to keep her steady.
"Vulpina, what are ya doin' here?" Duke asked a bit surprised.
Heart looked ahead to see the fox like woman standing against the same statue that had been her shelter a month ago. She wasn't sure how to answer her question.
"Just thought I'd suprise you with a visit.. but... I see you already have another visitor..." She eyed the human, pulling herself between the two. "I certainly been worried... between what you did to those thugs and being out by yourself... Perhaps we should find somebody to take care of her... "
Heart tried to balance herself as Duke released her hand. Heart easily recalled her first night on Puck World, looking at her hands uneasily while shaking off her fears for the moment. "No, I've been staying with someone that was kind enough to take me in," she mentioned, "The morning after I got here he found me."
Duke noticed again her nicer clothes and healthier complexion, and he couldn't help but smile.
"Oooh... well, that's very kind of him. Well... I hate to cut this short, but, Duke... I just heard about a new... 'job' for us, and I would like to talk to you about it. It looks like it's going to be big." She said, turning towards the duck, a sly smile crossing her face.
"A job?" Heart asked while trying to keep steady.
Duke was also a bit confused by this, "We kinda need to be careful right now don't we? There's the others to consider, an' with him still out there we really need to watch ourselves before takin' on another big job."
Heart tried to step back, keeping herself steady.
She laughed, waving a hand. "Ooooh.. trust me, it's nothing he would be interested in. He likes things that are... flashy, gaudy... this is something only somebody of true taste would appreciate."
At the words true taste Duke glanced at Heart for a moment as she tried to step back. A part of him wanted to go ahead with Vulpina on this job, but the other side made him pause.
"What are you talking about?" Heart asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. For the first time Duke didn't know how to answer this, while usually proud of his reputation, with her he grew concerned.
"Oooh... well... let's just say, we are... professionals. And we take care of very valuable items. Nothing that you need to worry about." She grinned, answering the girl.
Heart, remembering these terms before when dealing with self proclaimed treasure hunters felt herself grow rigid.
"Professionals huh?" Heart raised a brow.
Duke winced as her eyes narrowed at him, "A shame I don't have anything but a kiss on the hand for you to take?"
"Heart, that's not-"
Heart stepped back on her blades, remaining steady as she knew she couldn't just run. She then recalled how she had first seen Duke and the stealth suit he had been wearing.
Behind Duke, Vulpina put on her most menacing grin, placing her hands on her hips. "It's getting late... how about you head back to your friend's place? We got work to do."
Heart shook her head before looking to Duke, a fire rising in her as energy sparked around her slightly, "So you're just like the thieves I dealt with back home? You're no different from them, and I almost fell for it!"
Duke's remaining eye widened a bit to hear this as Heart managed to skate away from them, and rather quickly. As soon as she could she removed her skates and ran, leaving Duke and Vulpina alone on the ice. Duke felt his hands ball into fists, unsure of why the girl's words had cut deeper than they should have.
Coming up to Duke, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't giver her too much thought... she's just some self righteous freak who can't show a lick of gratitude to somebody who went to help her."
Duke relaxed his shoulders slightly, but said, "Ya know...I don't think that's it. Somethin' tells me that girl's been through somethin'. When we were skatin' a bit ago...I saw she jus' wanted to run, but didn't until jus' now...but..." Duke looked to Vulpina, "But I guess there's not much more I can do can I?"
He tried to laugh it off, "At least she can skate now an' we can do our job now?"
He then started to skate to the side, pulling off his blades, and then waiting for Vulpina to follow him.
"Don't worry... we're going to have some fun with this job... and, perhaps afterwards, we can go by a cafe and get something together." She said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
Meanwhile Heart had sprinted back to the apartment, but paused just outside the door. She looked at her hand before punching it into the wall as she asked, "He seemed so genuine...I'm such an idiot!"
Heart noticed the energy sparking around her now and looked at her hands in frustration. Her head swam with battling thoughts of her home, where she was now, and...to just an hour ago with just him on the ice. She had given her trust so quickly to him.
"I'm such an idiot..." she repeated before stepping inside of the apartment.
She never did go to sleep that night. The thoughts of that thief kept her awake. When morning came Grin found her trying to cook something for them to take some edge off, but found it to be a fruitless feat.
"Are you alright my friend?" Grin asked when he noticed her eratic aura, and the energy sparking around her here and there.
"I'm fine!" Heart lied as she zapped herself with the energy now, "Ow!"
"Calm down Heart, what happened?" Grin pushed while taking the pan from her as she nursed her hand, the one he hadn't kissed.
"Are you the only one I can trust here?!" Heart finally demanded.
Grin gave her a confused look, "I'm afraid I need to know more to understand your question."
"Others look at me like I'm a freak, even a month later they ask where are my feathers! I go out to learn how to skate better, and I let him help me without knowing who he was!" Heart tried to gather her thoughts to no avail.
"You went out last night?" Grin asked.
Heart nodded her head, folding her arms over her chest now.
"And someone offered you aid while skating?"
"Yeah, to see what he could find on me while he did I'm sure," Heart knew she was getting angrier, or at least it felt like anger, either way her face was red, "Turns out he was a thief, and his partner came looking for him."
Yet even as she said this, Heart felt the truth stinging less. Yet her anger, now at herself, continued. Her dealings with thieves back home had caused her to initially erupt from shock, as they had only ever been after what she was trying to protect. However this one, had seemed different. She knew that, but also didn't.
"Perhaps you were fated to meet this thief for a reason?" Grin suggested calmly, "Not everyone, no matter their past steps, is as good or as bad as their label suggests. He still helped you it seems?"
Heart nodded her head, trying to calm down, but still saw in her reflection how red her face was, "He did."
"I don't know all that you went through in your steps before we met, but you need to remember to give new meetings a chance to let relationships grow," Grin advised gently.
Heart shrugged, a part of her sinking inside, "Well...with him I don't think it matters much now, I doubt I'll see him again."
It was then that Heart noticed the energy sparking around her just before coming to a stop. Her eyes then widened as she noticed something along her wrists that shimmered in the morning light. Brushing her hand over them she felt what seemed to be sapphire blue scales hardening over her pale skin.
"What is this?" Heart asked.
Grin looked, but had no answers for her as she quickly hid the scales.
As the next few weeks passed Heart made sure to wear long sleeves to hide the slowly growing scales now up to her elbows. Grin practiced skating with her a bit more over this time. Though Heart had seemed to be right when it came to Duke. For he remained doing jobs with his partner, gaining further infamy as a duo now. Occassionally Heart would hear of him on the news, but had nothing to say in response.
However as Heart was out one day she was listening to a news caster, learning of another successful heist, when she bumped into another young duck. She looked up apologetically finding one of the three teens she had noticed at the park before, "Sorry!"
His feathers were a tan shade and he wore a vest over his t-shirt and a pair of slacks.
"It's okay," he assured in a friendly tone.
His two friends were with him, following behind him, when they saw Heart bump into him.
"You okay there girly...girl?" The younger of the three asked when he really looked at her.
"I'm fine," she replied while nearly stepping back.
"Um,...where are your..?"
"Feathers?" Heart asked for him.
"Well yeah, sorry," he shrugged.
Heart sighed while glancing back at the news that played.
"So what exactly are you anyway?" The third drake enquired.
Heart shrugged while glancing at her covered arms, "I'm not really sure anymore."
The three shared a puzzled look before looking back to Heart. She stepped back slightly again.
"Well whatever you are, you wanna hang out with us?" The youngest asked.
Her blue eyes widened a bit.
"Dive, I'm sure she's got places to go," the white feathered duck shook his head.
"Well then she can tell us that," the one named Dive said before turning to the girl, "Well what do ya say?"
Heart felt a smile coming over her as she answered, "Sure, that is if you don't mind?"
Dive shook his head, "Not at all girly-girl!"
"Oh, it's Heart by the way," she then mentioned.
"I'm Nosedive, and this is my big bro, Wildwing!" Dive answered while throwing an arm around the white feathered duck's neck.
"And you've already met Canard," Wildwing laughed good naturedly.
Before Heart could resist Dive let go of Wildwing and pulled her along in the same nature. His arm around her shoulders he began showing her their favorite hang out spots. This included the now familiar ice park. Eventually she followed them out onto the ice and joined in a casual game of what Grin had called hockey, she played as Canard's goalie, while the two brothers ran as the opposing team. Heart, while protecting creatures in her home world, could not defend the net to save her life. The ice was still a bit too unfamiliar to her, but they remained patient with her and gave her what pointers they could.
"So where are you from? I get the feeling you're not from Puck World," Nosedive commented as they ate their lunch.
"It's...it's a long story, and probably isn't very believable," Heart said.
"Try us," Wildwing prompted.
Heart, looking back on two months ago, tried to figure out how to explain things.
"All I can really say is I had to leave, and somehow a door opened an brought me here. What I was running from got stuck in my home world, so I don't know if I can ever go back," Heart said a bit distantly.
"What was your world like?" Canard asked curiously.
Heart again felt unsure how to answer. Would they even believe her? Wildwing looked Heart over a moment and then said gently, "It's okay. We understand if it's a lot right now. You can tell us another time."
"Next time?" Heart asked a bit surprised.
"Well yeah, we're buds now right?" Nosedive grinned.
Heart couldn't help but smile at this.
Over the next two months Heart would find herself mostly between Grin's home and company and that of the three teens. At times Dive would suggest she start going to school with them, but she would always decline.
For despite her beginning bonds, Heart could feel something in her shifting. Her scales were now up to her shoulders, and she couldn't bring herself to talk of her home to explain what might be happening. In fact any time she thought of her home, the more she felt like she had failed. Her urge to run made her legs itch from time to time, and shadows still haunted her at night. This seemed to speed up the growing process of her new scales. So she simply didn't talk about it, no matter how much Nosedive begged to know.
"Is there a reason you won't tell us still?" Dive asked one day.
"I'm sorry Dive...but I'd rather not talk about it," Heart said.
"Don't you trust us by now?" Dive pushed.
"It's not that Dive..." Heart said as pressure built up in her.
As it did she could feel the scales spreading to her back along her shoulder blades. They had been hanging out after their school day. Wildwing and Canard had been practicing while Dive skated around talking about Drake DuCane and his legends. This was the first time Heart had heard the story behind the statue at the park and had listened intently. However this had eventually lead to Dive talking about other worlds and wanting to ask her once again.
"Dive let her be," Wildwing warned as they started to head home.
"But I don't get it," Nosedive scratched his head.
"I'm sorry..." Heart repeated.
Looking away she let out a sigh, "I think I'm going to head home guys...I'm sorry."
"We'll see you soon right Heart?" Wildwing asked a bit concerned.
"Tomorrow at the park?" She suggested.
"Sure thing," Canard nodded with a smile.
Heart then looked at a disappointed Nosedive. Her shoulders sank to see her friend looking so let down.
"Dive...I..."
Dive shook his head and gave a smile, "Well maybe after another month right? I mean we're not going anywhere, I can wait!"
Heart smiled, a bit surprised by his turn around. She couldn't help but laugh, "Perhaps."
With that Heart headed back to Grin's apartment to find him meditating.
"How are you my young friend?" He asked upon hearing her come in.
"I'm alright," she said.
"You saw your friends?" He prompted.
"Yeah," she answered while leaning back against the counter.
"You need to be honest with them my friend, it's the only way you'll be able to be honest with yourself as well," Grin told her.
Heart winced at this advice, for she hadn't told him about her scales either.
"Come meditate with me, perhaps it will help?" Grin offered as Heart sat beside him.
She followed his stance, her legs crossed, and her hands in her lap but not folded as his were. She then took a deep breath and listened to the wind chimes gently cling against each other with the early evening breeze.
"You have been wound so tight to wear you walk the edge of closing entirely. Yet something has kept you slightly open. Perhaps the few connections you've made are the cause?" He said calmly.
Heart again thought of her life before all of this, her home realm, and the nightmares she had escaped. Yet for what? To wander? To be afraid of others getting near her? Her scales on her back met in the middle along her spine.
"I don't know Grin...when I think of home...I feel like I just ran away...I almost wish I could just forget and start a new, but I can't entirely," she said looking at the floor.
"Heart, it's never too late to start fresh if that's what you want. Instead of running, take those first steps towards the life you want to have. Give others a chance, and perhaps you can give yourself the chance that you need as well," he told her encouragingly.
Heart took in his words, as well as another deep breath. She thought of Dive's persistance, but also how he had remained cheerful towards her. A smile crept over her as she thought of her three friends, and as she looked to Grin as well. Though she had met few ducks directly through this time, those few had reached out to her somehow. That is exept...no...even he had at least briefly.
She then sighed and said, "I think I'm going to get some rest Grin, but thank you."
With that she went to the sofa and began sketching things out in the journal Wildwing had given her a week or so ago. He had seen her drawing on a napkin at a pizza parlor and was trying to encourage her. Dive had given her the pens she drew with. She found herself drawing her memories that she had tried to force away, of the land she grew up in, and those she had tried to protect, and...of her mother that had told her to leave. As she drew she pulled up her sleeve on one arm to look over the scales that shimmered in the lamp light, "Mother...is that what happened?"
She shook her head before closing her book and covering her arm again. Then she thought of Grin's words once more. A wave of courage rushed through her as she said, "Tomorrow...tomorrow I'll tell them."
With that she drifted off to sleep for the night.
When she awoke the next morning she found that Grin had left elsewhere for the day. She decided to head out to the ice park to meet with Dive and the others, and would tell Grin when she returned home.
After getting dressed she hurried out towards the ice park. Along the way she passed a window full of televisions and she couldn't help but notice the news playing as she did. Again his name came up as it turned out another diamond had been stolen recently. No footage of the culprits had been found, but Duke's name came up once more. Pausing for a moment she wondered about Duke and his partner she had met before, and she thought back to what she had said to him. A rush of guilt and frustration tugged at her as she looked at her hand. Taking a breath she said quietly, "I wish I could tell you I'm sorry...I knew you weren't like others..."
Finally Heart continued on her way towards the ice rink. Ahead of her she could see her three friends waiting as they started to get their skates out of their packs.
"Dive! Wing! Canard!" Heart called to them, feeling a wave of joy hit her once she saw them.
"Hey girly-girl!" Dive waved to her.
Once in front of them Heart gathered all the courage she had. Taking a breath she went to pull up her sleeve, "So...you wanted to know where I'm from?"
Dive looked to her surprised, "Yeah!"
"Well...I know this is going to sound crazy..." Heart said nervously as she tugged at the end of her sleeve.
Just as she pulled up her sleeve to reveal her scales a scream could be heard nearby as overhead shots were fired from a large crimson ship. The group looked above them to find several matching ships firing upon their home as ducks around them scattered in fear. Heart looked up in shock with them as one of the ships shifted, transforming into a giant marching, metal lizard. It patrolled the city as smaller drones were soon noticed with them taking aim at civilians and letting out a warning, "Puck Worldians, you are now under the control of the Saurian Overlord Dragonus! Bow to him and do his bidding or be destroyed!"
"The Saurians?!" Wildwing exclaimed.
"I told ya it wasn't a legend bro!" Dive said in shock somehow.
Then the young teen looked to Heart and caught sight of her scales. His blue eyes widened in confusion and disbelief, "Is that why you wouldn't tell us?! Is that what you are?!"
Heart turned to him, "What are you talking about?"
"The Saurians, they're supposed to be lizards!" Dive said as they ran for cover beneath a bridge nearby.
Heart looked at her scales and realized why he was asking this, "Dive, I-"
"That's why you wouldn't tell us! I thought you were our sis, our bud! You were sent here to..." Dive couldn't finish, as though his own disbelief were betraying him.
Heart shook her head, panic gripping her as it had months ago. Energy began to spark around her defensively, "Dive that's not it!"
Wildwing pulled his brother back from her, "Woah, back up Heart!"
Heart looked at them in schock, feeling the scales spread down her legs now.
"Guys, I would never..."
Wildwing and Nosedive both looked to her in confusion. Canard had gone ahead to help other civillians evade the drones. Heart backed away from her two friends, seeing the schock in their eyes. Looking away from them she bolted down the street. Panic continued to rise in her as her scales spread down to her ankles. What was happening to her? What was happening to her new home? Had her few friends really turned away from her? Where was Grin now?
Ships continued firing upon the city, more drones emerged, and ducks were being lined up by force to create workers for the invading Saurians. She didn't see Dive or Wing among them yet, nor did she see Grin, or the two partners in crime she had met before.
Suddenly she was spotted and drones began to aim at her. Heart froze, panic rose further. Electricity sparked dangerously around her.
"Freeze Puck Worldian!" The drones commanded.
"Jokes on you, this isn't my world! I don't have one!" Heart snapped as she stood her ground.
They began firing upon her as the electricity shielded her from their blasts.
"Back off scrap metal!" Heart shouted as a burst of energy rushed from her and overcharged the crimson bots.
The drones crumbled into malfunctioning pieces on the ground at her feet. Heart breathed rapidly as she watched this and looked around for an escape. Yet before she could make her first step she heard someone snicker, "Interesting...are you a lost decendent of ours perhaps? Or some strange mutation of our kind hidden on this forsaken planet?"
Heart looked to see a wisp of smoke emerge before revealing a wizened lizard mage standing before her. In his hand was an old staff with a shrunken duck's skull placed at the top. He stepped towards Heart cautiously before saying, "Such a unique energy, one of magic is it not? And such shimmering scales. You must be one of us."
Heart shook her head as she tried to step back from him, "No...that's not what I am! I'm not one of you! I wouldn't hurt these people!"
"Then why were you running from them?" He asked.
"I...that's not...they..." Heart tripped over her own words.
Everything she had come to know in the last few months was unraveling. If she had just opened up to them before they would know and trust her now. Yet now she had lost what bonds she had forged with everyone...first with Duke several months ago, and now the rest. She doubted that even Grin would understand at this point. Tears welled in her eyes and her footing nearly faultered.
"Come now, you belong with us. Your scales are proof of that, don't throw in your lot with these ducks," he offered.
Heart still shook her head trying to figure out an escape. Yet before she could move he gave a laugh as an aura was emmited from his staff and it wrapped around her, forcing her to stay put. Once she was bound he snapped his fingers to tighten the bindings. Then he placed a hand on her shoulder and teleported away with her still in his claws.
The young woman that had traveled worlds now found herself on the lead ship it seemed, a large crimson war vessel that soared through the air over Puck World now. Looking ahead she saw it heading for the outskirts far from the city. Still bound by magic Heart was forced to wait beside the elderly mage as he snickered, "Lord Dragonus will want to see you. I'm sure he'll be quite pleased to have you as our guest."
Overseeing the battle from his command chair, Dragonus savored what looked like an overwhelming victory. Licking his lips, he let out a dark chortle as he watched their terrible machines destroy and demolish the cities of the planet. "Yeeees... yessss. I've been waiting for this for all these years... it is splendid!"
Wraith, with Heart forced to follow behind him, approached Dragonus's command chamber and called for his lord. Heart froze, unsure of what would happen. She could feel her scales spreading to her cheeks, no longer able to hide them beneath her clothes.
Letting out a snort, Dragonus kept on eye on the havoc his focuses unleashed on the unsuspecting avians.
"Wraith... I am trying to enjoy this... whatever causes this interruption better be good." Turning around, he eyed the near skeletal warlock... and the young woman besides him. Raising a brow, he looked over towards his right hand. "... what is the meaning of this?"
"She appears to be one of our own Lord Dragonus, I found her wandering the Duck Planet alone. She has magic it seems, and perhaps would be fitter with us?" Wraith explained with amusement in his voice.
Heart looked up at the Saurian Overlord with widened blue eyes, unsure of what would happen at this point. Dive's words from fear and shock echoed in her ears.
Arising from his seat, the red scaled overlord towered over the two, looking down at the girl over his snout. Raising a brow, he approached her. "What were you doing alone? And you can harness magic? How interesting... tell me, what is your name, girl?"
Heart looked up fearfully, energy sparking around her here and there. Gathering her courage she answered, "...Heart..."
"Heart... and, Heart, what were you doing alone on this planet? Wraith is one of the few, if not only one that still carries our ancestors magics, so, I would know about you if you were already in my forces. Where did you come from?"
Heart didn't want to tell him any more than she wanted to tell those she considered friends.
Yet fear forced her to say, "Another realm...of magic...I was born there. It appears I carried magic with me to this world. I am not from Puck World as I said before."
However she wished desperately that she was, for then perhaps things wouldn't have turned out this way.
He rubbed his chin, pondering... "Some of us did try to escape Dimensional Limbo before... perhaps a few broke through..." Looking over towards the mage, he narrowed his eyes. "Find a place suitable for her. She will be joining us, her ancestral kin. One can imagine the torment she suffered at the hands of those wretched ducks."
Heart looked up fearfully, panic rising as she thought of those she had met...Grin, Wing, Canard, Dive...and Duke...
"That's not it! They didn't do anything to..."
Nosedive's words echoed again..."they...didn't...hurt me?" There was doubt in her words and tears in her eyes.
Wraith rested a bony hand on her shoulder, "Then why were you alone?"
"Don't worry about those birds... now, if you don't mind... I have a conquest to oversee." He grinned, as he went back to his seat, and watched as his armies overtook the pitiful resistance.
Heart watched as people ran from the ships, and the raptor then headed out to the outskirts of the city where Dragonus planned to build his master tower. Meanwhile Wraith lead Heart to another chamber where his comrades prepared for the tasks ahead. Heart wasn't sure of what to make of all of this. She looked to see Wraith's companions, standing rigid as Wraith released her from the magic binds, "We have a new recruit it seems."
"Welcome on board, kid." Siege bellowed, as he polished his blaster, getting ready for an upcoming conflict. "Get some armor, grab a blaster, and get ready to attack."
Chameleon, popping up from behind the much larger lizard, snickered. "Hey, big guy, give the girl a moment to breath! She's a new arrival after all!"
Quickly, he transformed, making himself resemble a game show host. "So! Tell us your name! What are your interests? What do you see as the perfect date?"
Heart wasn't sure what to make of anything. Her head swam a bit from Chameleon's questions, "Heart? Interests...I draw...?"
What was she saying? At the last question she nearly froze entirely as she was shocked to recall skating with Duke before pulling away from him. "I've never really been on a date?" She looked over at the weapons and armor hanging along the wall. She walked over to it unsure of what to do.
Wraith snickered to himself before slinking over to her, "It seems you need a bit of a push for now."
He placed his hand over her forehead and looked into her sapphire eyes, "Forget what was and know you belong here...you belong as one of us, forget those you thought you belonged with..."
Heart's eyes swirled with yellow and orange light before settling back to her sapphire blue. Giving a slight smile she felt her scales spreading over her hands as claws emerged at her finger tips, "I think this feels right."
Not fully understanding what Wraith did to the girl, Chameleon came up to her, and smirked. "You see! You're one of us!"
Transforming once again, he made himself appear as a two headed freak, "Gooble gobble gooble gobble one of us one of us!"
Siege let out an annoyed grunt, and shook his head. "Don't mind him. I personally think he was dropped on his head as a hatchling."
Heart turned to them with her new claws still out and smiled a bit. All her reserves from moments ago seemed to be gone. She then went about choosing her armor for the upcoming battles with her new allies. Her armor was of a deep blue, darker than her scales with a dark stealth suit underneath. As she changed a tail soon emerged, whipping around her until it settled like a belt around her hips.
"How's this?" She asked standing before them.
"Looking good there, goirly!" The green lizard exclaimed, as the more brutish of the duo rolled his eyes.
Lumbering towards her, he looked over their armory, and gave a grin, grabbing a large glaive, and thrusted it at her. "Don't know why, but, it seems like the right choice for you."
Heart took the glaive in her hands and smiled, "Thanks."
She then went with them to begin preparing the master tower, forgetting all that she had known, including the last four months, to begin her new life it seemed. Over the next month it was built and they settled into their new Master Tower.
Meanwhile on Puck World things had grown to be rather grim for the people of the planet. Work camps had been formed, and the ducks had been put to work. However a few brave souls had ventured out to begin fighting for their home. Duke found himself joining the cause, disbanding the Brotherhood of the Blade and venturing forward with Vulpina to steal back food and supplies for his fellow ducks.
Vulpina had anticipated the invasion in silence, and had prepared an emergency shelter out in the middle of the frozen wastelands of the planet... under the excuse of it being a hideaway for the two of them in case the law was getting too tough to handle in the city. However, when Duck went as a hero for the downtrodden, she aided him, joining him on his attacks on the Saurian invaders.
"Ya don't have to go with me Vulpina, it's dangerous," he warned her as they approached the warehouse, "You can hide if ya want."
He looked around the corner of the wall to see a few hunter drones patrolling nearby. He drew his saber with Vulpina beside him, "I don't want ya to get hurt sweetheart."
"And just what am I supposed to do if you don't come back?" She answered back, her hand already reaching towards her blaster. "We gotta watch each other's backs. I know you certainly like that..."
Duke gave a smirk. With that they went in, taking out hunter drones and breaking into the warehouse. From there Duke climbed up onto a few crates while Vulpina watched his back. Then Duke again drew his saber and swung down, dismantling more drones before landing on the ground safely.
Once it was clear he sheated his saber and declared proudly, "This food belongs to the people, not that tyrant Dragonus!"
For a moment Duke felt a rush of pride that came and went as he turned to Vulpina.
She blushed under her fur, but quickly drew her blaster, knocking back a hunter drone that was about to strike the thief, before flashing him a smile.
It was then that Duke noticed someone approaching from behind Vulpina and thus he quickly rushed by her with his saber drawn.
Yet the stranger quickly put up their hands and said calmly, "Easy there, I've come with a proposition friend."
Duke looked to see a young tan feathered drake approaching in military garb, "My name's Canard Thunderbeak, I'm what's left of the military. We're trying to form a resistance of special forces to take out Dragonus and his men. We've had our eye on you since you started using your skills to help others."
Duke listened carefully, "So ya want me to join?"
Canard nodded, "And know that this comes with a full pardon as thanks for risking your life to save our home."
Duke gave a smile as he glanced at Vulpina, "She comes with us."
Canard eyed the woman, an odd feeling briefly washed over him, but he found he had to give in, "Alright. She comes too."
She gave a nod, and drew herself close to Duke. "So, what do you want us to do then? Got any plans?"
"We'll be meeting at the site marked on this form," Canard handed Duke his pardon and other papers, "Once we have all that we need we'll be headed out to take out Dragonus himself and his master tower. We're still gathering a few members to join us...which...by the way, you haven't seen a featherless girl around have you? She goes by the name Heart, I haven't seen her since the invasion hit, she has abilities that may aid us in this task?"
"Oooh... that girl?" She raised a brow, placing a hand to her chin. "Seen her awhie ago, but... not since all this broke out. But... from what I understand, she isn't exactly the most... stable of individuals. Might be too much of a threat to keep alongside us."
Canard raised a brow at this, "Heart's a friend of mine actually. She got separated from us when the Saurians first attacked. During the chaos she used some magic to fend off some drones, but then she vanished."
Duke was surprised to hear all of this as he did recall his brief encounters with this girl. He then said firmly, "I'll keep a look out for her while we prepare things."
Duke remembered the girls words...yet, perhaps now he could prove those words wrong?
Canard gave a nod, "We'll meet up as soon as we can, keep a look out for the signal to meet."
Duke gave a nod himself.
With that Canard was gone to look for his next recruit. Leaving Duke with Vulpina, "I hope the kid's alright..."
"Would be a shame if something happened to her... or if she did something to somebody.." She grimaced, placing her blaster back in it's holster.
"That's a bit harsh," Duke commented a bit surprised at her, "I know we didn't have the best...interaction with her...but..."
Duke thought of how Heart had been when it was just them, before she found out, "Ta be fair she did find out what I was...I think most would have turned us in. You're not jealous of her are ya?" Duke teased slightly.
She laughed at that, shaking her head. "Not at all, just... the kid seems dangerous herself. You saw what she did to those goons. I mean, thank goodness she was able to fight them off, but... that power in somebody like that.."
"Like that?" Duke raised a brow, "Vulpina she might be able to help us with that power...Besides, I'm jus' glad she was okay after that night."
Duke then shook his head and waved for Vulpina to follow him back to their hiding spot for now.
Another month went by before Canard was ready to signal them. Soon Duke and Vulpina found themselves at a hidden base underground preparing for the attack on Dragonus. Among them were five other ducks along with Canard. Grin, Mallory, Tanya, Wildwing, and his kid brother Nosedive. All were getting their gear ready. The young teen was exceptionally excited, while his brother seemed more worried than anything.
"No sign of Heart?" Canard asked.
Duke shook his head, "Haven't seen any trace of her."
Nosedive heard this and looked over, "Heart? Was she supposed to be here too?" Canard nodded, "She was, but we can't seem to find her anywhere. She has abilities that could have helped us. But we can't wait any longer to try and find her."
Dive's shoulders sank hearing this as he recalled his last words to Heart, "I shouldn't have yelled at her...I knew she wasn't really one of them...I was just in shock..."
Wildwing rested a hand on his shoulder, "We'll find her after this is over and we can apologize then."
Nosedive nodded with his excitement returning.
Rolling her eyes at everyone going on about Heart, she cleared her throat, and placed her hands on her hips. "Well... howdy everyone. We're your new partners."
They turned to Duke and Vulpina. Mallory gave an uneasy glance at them before shaking her head and preparing her blasters.
Wildwing approached however and answered politely, "It's nice to meet you I guess, though I wish it were under better circumstances. I'm not really sure why I'm here...but if we can bring an end to this nightmare I suppose it's fine."
Duke nodded while leaning back smoothly against the wall and watching the others prepare. He had what he needed ready. The few personal belongings he had were tucked away on the ship already.
"Hopefully," he agreed.
Soon after they were off and Canard had placed the mask over his face to begin leading them towards the tower.
Meanwhile Heart was helping Siege with a few tasks as they finished up the tower. Lugging about a large hunk of machinery, Siege placed it down, clapping the dust off his hands. "Alright Heart, you got the crystals we need to get this up and running?"
Heart nodded her head while bringing them over to him. After finishing up their job they made their way to their rec room. Heart watched the lizards interacting with one another. The last two months hadn't pulled her towards any direction over the other, though she was still there. It were almost as though she were drifting at points, but stayed with them out of not knowing where else to go. Siege followed after the young woman as they headed to the rec room, in which Chameleon was reading some of the Puckworld's comics.
Letting out a chuckle, he looked up at Heart. "Hey, goirly, looks like something eating you? I know Siege has an appetite, but, didn't think he'd resort to cannibalism." "Real funny... just stick to your impressions..."
Heart raised a brow at this, shaking her head.
"Just a bit restless I guess," she answered while taking her seat across the room from them and watching them interact.
She picked up one of the comics and vaguely thought she remembered someone showing her them before, though she quickly shrugged that off as well.
Coming up behind her, Siege placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look, kid, this invasion, while a glorious victory for the Saurian race, still takes quite a toll. We've been doing alot, and there's a massive amount of pressure on us. Just take that restlessness, and channel it at our task at hand."
Heart nodded again and took in the calm while it was there. Yet looking out the window she thought she saw something on the horizon, but wasn't quite sure as it veered to the side.
Meanwhile the ducks had made it to the tower thanks to Canard's lead. They were filing out of the ship ready to enter the tower when Nosedive was told to stay behind and guard the ship.
Duke again turned to Vulpina, "Maybe you should stay with Dive? This is a bit risky even for us?"
Duke looked up at the opposing tower with his arms folded over his chest before resting a hand on her shoulder, "A lot will change after this. We don't have to go back to the life we had. We'll be free to start fresh."
"Look, as long as I'm with you Duke, any life is worth it. And I'm not letting you go alone. You know I'm more than capable as well." She smirked, taking out her blaster and twirling it. "And, since it's more dangerous, more of a reason for us to work together."
Duke stepped back a bit at the first part, but smiled appreciatively, "Alright then. I guess we'd better get goin' with the others then."
With that they headed into the tower, Duke quickly made an opening for them. Before long Mallory and Tanya were told to set the explosives while the rest of the group went on to try and challenge Dragonus. Yet after Wildwing was sent ahead the doors to Dragonus's chamber sealed shut, leaving Canard, Duke, Grin, and Vulpina outside of it.
"Well, so much for your plan Canard," Duke commented with a shrug before they heard a strange sound behind them as four reptilian fighters appeared before them taunting them.
Siege forced his way in, rushing in and ready to clobber the lot of them, as Chameleon used his shame shifting gifts to perturb the group, before turning into a form more suitable for hand to hand combat.
As the goons encircled them, Vulpina gripped her blaster, keeping back to back with Duke. "So... I'd say I'll take the ugly one, but, I should probably specify."
Along with them Wraith snickered, "I've got a better idea Siege,...let's roast them!" With that he conjured up a fireball and tossed it at the group. Duke and the others dodged the hit. The rogue quickly pushed Vulpina out of the way.
"Ya alright?" He asked before looking up in a bit of shock as the fourth fighter made herself known, drawing her glaive with energy sparking around her.
"It can't be?" Duke breathed while pulling Vulpina up to her feet and looking over still. Grin and Canard had noticed by now as well. Both in shock as well. Heart stood before them ready to join the fight in her new armor, "This might help that restless feeling I had."
"Thanks Duke... don't know what I would do without you!" The fox told Duke, before noticing Heart.
"Yeah! Let all those bad vibes flow out... and into them!" The green lizard joked, before grabbing a hunter drone and hurtling it at the group.
Vulpina ducked under it, taking aim at Heart. "Told you I had a bad feeling about her! She's on their side!"
Duke thought briefly of his meeting with the young woman, but couldn't argue with what he saw now either. He drew his saber ready to fight. Heart held out her glaive, noticing the fox woman's blaster while giving a laugh.
Grin looked over in shock before engaging in battle with Siege, "What did you do to my friend?"
Duke's remaining eye widened when he heard this, stepping towards the young woman steadily, "Heart...?"
Heart didn't say anything to him, as though she were even trying to remember him. Just then Wraith appeared behind Duke and laughed while summoning a blade of flame.
"Care to fight fire with fire?!" The wizard then lunged at him, his blade searing Duke's chest as he cried out.
"Duke!" Heart cried, her eyes widening a bit to see him grip his chest in pain.
Yet then she stepped back in confusion, shaking her head. Duke had looked up, still gritting his teeth in pain, but surprised as well. Though Heart already had her glaive ready to fight again.
"You know these ducks, Heart? These the guys who gave you trouble?!" Siege yelled out, as he charged forward, and went to bowl over the ducks.
Chameleon joined in, grabbing at the fox. "How about we take care of them for you, goirly? Oh! I can make you a new coat!"
"Unhand me you ugly varmint!"
Heart's head swam a bit as the fight unfolded around her. Wraith continued his duel with Duke. Grin was soon spinning as Siege whirled him around in the air. Duke, seeing Vulpina in trouble, tried to push Wraith back to get to his ally. He quickly dodged the blade of flame and lunged at Chameleon to get Vulpina free, hitting him in the side.
Yet Heart soon snapped to attention and blocked his blade with her glaive before he could attack again. Duke's eye widened as she pushed him back a little, "Heart what are ya doin'?"
Chameleon toppled over, as Siege was busy fighting off the duck's muscle, Grin. Vulpina grimaced, and started blasting at the shapeshifter, making his hop and dance to avoid each bolt.
As Grin was thrown aside Canard hurried to join in the battle against Chameleon.
While Wraith began fighting Vulpina, tossing fire balls at her, "How would you like to dance instead?"
Duke remained trading blows with Heart, their weapons clashing with sparks emitting as they made contact.
"What happened to ya?" Duke asked her, "This can't be who ya really are...is it?" Heart gave a smirk, "Maybe it is now?"
Then she noticed the burn on his chest just as she slashed at him, and faltered. Duke, seeing his chance, wrenched the glaive out of her hand and knocked it aside before catching Heart's hand as he had before to keep her from running, "Are ya really sure about that sweetheart?"
"Sorry bone bag, but, I already got a dance partner." She snark, firing at the staff in his hand. Turning around, she saw Duke and Heart.
Gritting her teeth, she raised her blaster up, and let loose a volley at her. "Duke! She's with them now! She probably came here to spy on us, and took on that strange form to trick us all!"
"Vulpina wait!" Duke said before turning and swiping away the blasts, sending them flying towards the wall.
Heart's eyes widened to see this, "Why are you...?"
Duke looked over his shoulder at her, "Ya alright?"
He noticed her blushing slightly and smiled, "Are ya sure you're on the side ya want to be on?"
Heart stepped back from him before he could catch her hand again.
Snarling, her tail fluffed up in irritation, as she leveled her gun at Heart again. "Don't let her trick you! That's what she's been trying to do all this ti-" Her warning was interrupted with a scream, as Chameleon came up behind her, jabbing her in the back with an electric zapper.
"Vulpina!" Duke called out as he hurried to her.
Grin nearby noticed a fallen Canard as Siege towered over him. He quickly grabbed the lizard's tail and swung him into Chameleon, knocking them both to the ground while Wraith appeared beside Heart and pulled her back from Duke. Duke wanted to grab Heart's hand, but also needed to get to Vulpina. Then suddenly the tower began to tremble violently.
Duke hurried to Vulpina, "Are you alright?" He gripped her shoulders to look over her.
"I'll be alright, that little creep just got the slip on me." She sneered, shaking her head as Duke helped her up.
Looking around, her eyes went wide. "Looks like this place is coming down!"
Duke looked as the four fighters were told to retreat by Dragonus himself. Duke rubbed her chin, pondering, "I'm thinkin' maybe that was a little too easy?"
Canard shook his head, "Forget it, we've gotta find Wildwing!"
They then hurried down the hall after there friend, finding him being dragged down by a platform towards a set of rays to be incinerated.
"Wildwing!" Canard called out.
Duke quickly looked up, shot out his grappling hook, and swung down with his saber drawn to cut Wildwing's bindings and quickly carry him back up to their allies with a triumphant laugh in his throat. Just as they stepped onto the ledge the tower trembled again and Duke had to steady himself to keep from falling back.
"Duke, we need to get out of here!" Vulpina excalimed, looking around in fear. "This place is bound to blow!"
Just as she said this Mallory and Tanya ran up to the group, taking cover as the wall burst open behind them. The group looked down from the tower to see the Aerowing missing. Canard began to excuse Nosedive of taking off just as the lights of their ship shined in their faces as the teenager cheered, "Yee-ha-ha! Nosedive to the rescue!"
With that everyone hurried onto the ship as they hurried after the raptor.
Inside the crimson ship Heart stood near Dragonus as they heard Siege announce that they were being followed, thus bringing about the gateway that Dragonus opened to escape the ducks.
Wildwing ordered Nosedive to follow through the gateway. Duke looked to Vulpina for a moment before glancing back at the raptor they were chasing.
Then as they gave chase, Dragonus released a strange creature out into the tunnel. Heart watched in horror as the worm wrapped around the following ship, somehow unnoticed by the others.
While inside the Aerowing the group tried to figure out what to do.
"Hey if that thing gets big enough it could swallow the entire ship!" Duke shouted.
As Wildwing tried to figure out what to do he heard the door open and found Canard standing there.
"Canard, Canard, what are you doing?" Wildwing exclaimed while hurrying over to him.
"You heard Tanya, I'm going to close this thing down!"
"Are you crazy?!"
Canard shook his head while removing the mask and trying to hand it to his best friend, "It's the only way, take it Wildwing! Take it!"
Just then the worm's tendril wrapped around Canard's leg and began pulling him in. Wildwing tried to pull his friend back. Looking into his friend's eyes, Canard gave his final command, "Take it, you're team captain now!"
With that he let go of the mask and was pulled into the creature as it released their ship. Wildwing sank to his knees while Duke closed the door and solemnly stated, "He sacrificed himself to save us?"
Grin nodded, "Truly an evolved soul."
Vulpina leaned against the opposite wall, crossing her arms and letting out a sigh.
While inside the raptor, Heart watched, and in an instant she felt tears streaming down her face.
Siege pumped a fist. "We got one of them!"
"Yes... Just one of them!" His commander yelled, slamming his fist on the control panel, causing the green crony to cower.
Nosedive quickly turned to the group, "Uh guys those dino creeps are getting away!" "Oh no, they must have passed through the other end of the gateway!" Tanya exclaimed.
Wildwing, hearing this, got to his feet and placed the mask into the satchel on his hip. Then he looked ahead and declared, "Then that's where we're going! Punch it Nosedive!"
With that he charged forward, breaking through the gateway just before it closed them inside.
Now emerging into broad daylight they soared over a city as Mallory demanded angrily,"Where's the raptor?!"
Wildwing looked around before they landed, "More to the point, where are we?"
Duke looked ahead, also seeing the raptor had vanished and found himself wondering aloud, "An' there goes Heart with them too..." he muttered before glancing at Vulpina with concern.
Soon the group landed and began venturing out to explore the new realm they had found themselves in. Before long they came upon what they soon learned to be a human sitting beside the ice rink they had been pointed in the direction of. After a quick display of their skills they were signed on as an official hockey team on the planet they found to be Earth. Not long after they used their proceeds to build a headquarters beneath the pond, making it their home. All the while things had been rather quiet on the battle side of things, giving the team time to adjust to their new life and world.
However questions remained among them. How would they get home? Where were the saurians? How would they move forward as a team?
One evening Wildwing was helping Tanya work on some gear in her lab. Nosedive and Mallory had ventured to the mall for their individual interests. Grin had just finished meditating when he came across Duke in the rec room.
"Evenin'," Duke greeted with a casual wave.
"Am I interupting anything?" Grin asked when he noticed Duke's book in his hand.
Duke shook his head, "Not really, hadn't really started anyway."
"Where's your friend?" Grin asked.
"I think she went with Mallory to do some clothes shoppin'," Duke said.
"It seems our youngest teammate went with them," Grin noted.
Grin took a seat across from Duke on the other sofa and leaned back. After a bit of pondering he looked over at the darker feathered drake and prompted, "I've been meaning to ask you something Duke?"
"What's that friend?" Duke replied curiously.
"During the fight in the tower, you deflected an attack by your own friend directed at Heart, despite knowing she was on the other side," Grin mentioned, "I was wondering why that was?"
Duke thought back on the fight and tried to casually shrug, "I'm not really sure. Jus' somethin' felt off about her. Maybe she used magic on me or somethin'?"
Grin raised a brow at this, "You think so?"
Duke paused and then shook his head, "Nah...not really."
Duke then looked at his gentle giant of an ally, realizing, "Wait, ya knew her by name. Did ya know Heart?"
Grin nodded his head with a mixture of a smile and grimace on his beak, "She was my friend back on Puck World, at least I'm pretty certain she was."
"Vulpina's pretty convinced she was a Saurian in disguise tryin' to trick us," Duke mentioned, "But...I'm not so sure about that."
"What makes you say that Duke?" Grin enquired.
Duke sighed, "I met Heart once on Puck World, it was at the ice rink near the statue of Drake DuCane late one night. She was tryin' to practice skatin', an' I offered to help her."
The now ex-thief smiled as he recalled Heart blushing because of their interactions, "She got so flustered...but it was short lived. My partner showed up an' let on to what we were at the time. Heart...she didn't take the news too well."
Duke recoiled a bit remembering what Heart had said to him. Yet then he saw Grin's steady smile and asked, "What's so amusin'?"
"Funny, I remember her coming home that night," Grin mentioned, "And I would say there was more to her reaction than what you think."
Duke raised a brow at this, "How so?"
"She was quite lively when she got back home, and she kept glancing at her hand," Grin explained, "She mentioned meeting a thief that she wasn't sure if she could trust or not, but was rather troubled by the idea of the latter option."
Duke gave a chuckle as he recalled kissing the girl's hand, "Hard to believe she's a hardened villain hearin' this."
Grin shook his head, "I believe something was done to her to create the Heart we saw at the tower."
"Ya think we can help her somehow?" Duke asked.
Grin sighed, "To even try we need to find the Saurians and then her. I doubt they would let an ally like that wander far alone."
"Vulpina's been on edge around Heart since we met her, but I'm not really sure if I can blame her. We also saw Heart when she first got to Puck World I think. Some thugs attacked her, an' before we could get there she used some sort of power to fend them off. Vulpina's been worried that she may do that again, but the poor kid had jus' been attacked when it happened. When I met her on the rink she was much calmer 'til she found out what I was...but..." Duke realized, "She never attacked us as she had the thugs."
Duke looked to Grin, "Is there anythin' else ya know that can help us if we do find her?"
"All I know is that the world she was originally from was a realm of magic. She mentioned something chased her out of her home, but she would never tell me what it was. It was as though she wanted to forget her past so she could start a new present."
"She mentioned havin' to deal with thieves before, but that's all I really know..." Duke grimaced, "Told me I was jus' like them."
Grin winced for Duke, but then offered, "Perhaps you can show her the truth soon enough. You may be the friend she needs to break away from past shadows that haunt her?"
"But we still don't know why she joined those creeps in the first place, or much else for that matter," Duke sighed.
"For now all we can do is try to find them so we can all go home, perhaps in doing that we can find answers for Heart as well," Grin offered encouragingly.
A few days later Wildwing lead most of the group on what started as a patrol for the Saurian ship. Tanya stayed behind to work on their master computer. Leaving the remaining six to head out.
Yet as they drove in their newly built Migrator Duke happened to be looking out the side window when they passed by an alley. He was alerted to see a couple being surrounded by a bike gang, laughing with menace in their voices as the two clung to each other fearfully.
"Man those people are in trouble, we've gotta help 'em!" Duke proclaimed as he quickly got up from his seat.
"No!" Wildwing projected, "Finding Dragonus is our first priority!"
Nosedive then asked sourly, "Yeah besides, why should we get involved with the humans' problems?"
Duke stood firm as he spoke, "Hey I've been on the wrong side of the law, an' if we don't find evil, where ever we find it, we're no better than Dragonus himself!"
For a moment he glanced at Vulpina as he said this. He noticed a look of pride from her and smiled a bit himself.
Wildwing gave a sigh before stating, "He's right, let's go!"
With that they quickly turned around and gave aid to the couple, allowing them to escape while they dealt with the gang.
This was not the only battle of theirs that night as they found a couple of bank robbers to tie up, and other foes throughout the night. From this their reputation to the public only grew.
That next morning they returned to see Tanya's master computer was built, calling it Drake One. She mentioned that they could look for Dragonus anytime they wanted. Though Wildwing quickly shared his doubts, Duke found himself attempting to encourage their young leader.
Just then an alarm shattered the calm, alerting them to a signal given off from the mountains. Tanya mentioned quickly that it could be the Raptor.
"If you're right then we've found Dragonus!" Wildwing said as he gave the wave for everyone to head out.
Phil, their manager now, tried to protest to only be dragged along to emphasize the importance of this. He attempted to get out of going, but to no avail.
Soon they found themselves in the mountains, wandering what seemed like a calm scenery of gentle wildlife just outside the city.
However the calm was soon shattered again as the mountain beside them shifted, becoming the raptor that soon began firing upon them. The team hurried back to their ship with Wildwing taking the controls. With him at the helm they managed to land atop the larger crimson ship and made their way in, leaving Phil inside the Aerowing cowering in fear.
"Tanya, you and Grin get to the control room. We'll have to get to the cockpit!" Wildwing ordered with the rest following him.
"That'll mean engaging Dragonus and his goons!" Mallory stated while punching her fist eagerly into her hand.
Just then a shimmer of energy was heard across from them as the four fighters emerged once again. Duke looked again to see Heart among them as she had been at the tower. He grimaced to see this, but quickly shook it off.
As Wraith shot out another fireball at the group Heart watched as Duke deflected it away from them. Chameleon leapt out of the way as he was nearly hit.
As the fight took place Heart found herself holding back watching them. Duke ran up and began dueling the mage, saber to staff. Mallory took on Chameleon. Nosedive made short work of Siege. As Duke dodged the staff he looked over to see Heart just as he dodged Siege being thrown into Wraith.
Suddenly a voice boomed, "Enough!"
The group looked to see a barrel hit to the side, as though clearing the way for something they couldn't find. Yet then Dragonus made himself known, dropping his invisible cloak as he ordered his fighters, "You four take the controls! When we're over the city blast it into rubble! I'll handle these pests!"
At this Duke stepped forward with his saber drawn as he shouted bravely, "Not without a fight Dragonus!"
Heart hadn't left the room just yet when she had heard this. She paused and looked to him as she felt something tug at her, a warm sensation touched her face as it did. Yet it was sort lived as Dragonus laughed, "Don't be so sure!"
With that he shot a blast at them, sending four of the group flying into a stack of large metal containers. Then with a second blast he caused them to fall upon the group. Leaving Wildwing to stand up to Dragonus alone. Heart watched still as her three companions hurried to the control room as ordered.
"Good idea, you stand guard if anyone tries to get by," Wraith snickered before leaving her be.
Heart was watching, but not for that. Her sapphire eyes were focused on the fight, but also glancing nervously at the pile of cannisters as she held her breath a bit. She had seen Duke and Nosedive, two ducks that had seemed familiar to her, go flying and get trapped beneath them, as well as two of their companions. Then the pile began to shift as the group of them pushed the cylinders away from them, seeming unharmed. Heart couldn't help but give a slight smile seeing this, to the point where she had unknowingly stepped away from the doorway to watch everything unfold before her.
"Your leader is gone, and you're a poor substitue!" Dragonus mocked their leader as he knocked Wildwing to his hands and knees.
"No! I'll find Canard, no matter what it takes!" Wildwing swore.
"Deal with it duck boy!" Dragonus scoffed proudly, "Canard is trapped for all eternity, along with the mask!"
By now Wildwing had pushed himself to his feet and looked around taking in these words. His expression hardening he looked to his satchel as he opened it and pulled out the mask before putting it on, proclaiming with more confidence, "Wrong Dino-Breath!"
Suddenly he charged forward, grabbing the device allowing Dragonus to fight him unseen. With Dragonus visable Wildwing quickly tackled the overlord and raised his fist to punch him in his jaw when the signal of the intercom went off.
"The city is in range Lord Dragonus! We are ready to commence bombardment!" Siege announced.
Heart by now had wandered towards the fight.
"Heart?" Dive attempted when he looked to her, "Heart are you really sticking with these guys? Can't you hear what they're trying to do?!"
Heart looked away, gripping her scaled arm with her clawed hand as her head swam.
"Heart, come with us," Duke said quickly as he approached her, "Ya don't have to be with them. We'll help ya..."
Before Duke could say more they felt the ship tremble violently. The group all stumbled. Dive fell back against a stack of crates. Heart too felt herself stumble back beside him as Duke steadied himself, his hands on either side of her arms as though shielding her in a way.
"Uh...guys you won't believe this...it seems we're sorta...gonna...crash..." Tanya said as she and Grin emerged with charred clothing and soot covered feathers.
"What?!" Wildwing exclaimed as he disengaged from the fight.
"Well we sorta destroyed the main engine with a little...miscalculation," Tanya tried to laugh.
As she said this the group had turned to her as Dragonus quickly grabbed Heart by the arm and rushed towards the cockpit.
"Heart!" Grin called after her.
"There's no time!" Mallory shouted as they hurried back to the Aerowing.
Soon they were back in their ship. The group rushed to the windshield to see the raptor quickly plummeting towards Anaheim.
"It's headed straight for the city!" Duke exclaimed.
Yet suddenly the ship seemed to vanish out of sight, somehow leaving the city untouched it seemed.
"What happened?" Mallory questioned in disbelief.
"Why they must have switched to auxilery power," Tanya realized.
"Then we've gotta search for them!" Wildwing ordered.
"Uh...no...sorry Wildwing, like we don't have much fuel...ya know...like none, almost," Tanya explained while gesturing towards the fuel gauge reading E.
As Wildwing's shoulders sank in dispair Duke quickly rested a hand on one and said encourgaingly, "We'll find 'em again! 'Cause now, we have a leader!"
Wildwing turned to his ally with hope and pride showing through his mask while the others all gave their encouragement as well.
With that they headed home to get some well earned rest.
A few days later Heart stood in the rec room with Siege, Chameleon, and Wraith. Dragonus had scolded her for her actions during the fight, thoroughly reminding her how the ducks had treated her back on Puck World. Yet still her thoughts wandered to the fight and...how they had tried to reach out to her. She now watched as Siege fixed one of his blasters while Chameleon practiced some new forms he had seen on the television. Wraith was practicing some spells on the other side of the room. While she looked at some scrap pieces of paper on the table, crouched down, and began sketching with some charcoal she had found.
As Heart was in thought, Chameleon snuck up behind her, snickering to himself. Making his face a double of Heart's, he stretched it out. "Hey, why the looong face there? Did old sulfur breath get under your scales?"
Heart winced recalling her interaction with their overlord.
"I'm not really sure what came over me during that fight?" She admitted trying to shrug it off.
Beneath her shoulder blades she could feel a slight pressure, but ignored it for the moment.
"They wanted me to go with them, but I'm not really sure why," she shrugged, "Lord Dragonus told me to make sure I tear them apart whenever I see them next..."
"Trust me, as a guy who knows a few things about trickery, that's something I'd try to do with them ducks." In a wink, he made his face appear like that of goblin. "Tricksy little ducks..." Siege looked over his shoulders at the two, raising a brow. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get a chance at getting them soon. After we're done with those birds, you don't need to worry about them messing with your head anymore."
Heart gave a slight smile before looking out of the ship's windows.
"We still don't know a lot about this city we're in. Perhaps I should scout around to learn what I can to make up for things? I can mostly get by if I cover up most of my scales."
Heart shifted a dial on her comm to make a set of more casual clothes that she had kept appear. She grimaced when she realized they were the colors of burgundy, teal, and black; but it's all she had.
"I can also get something else to wear..." she muttered while getting up and leaving her sketch on the table. It was that of a furred dragon.
The larger of the reptiles looked over at her, crossing his arms. "Like heck you are. Going out by yourself on an alien world? What those ducks catch you by yourself?!"
The green one popped up by Heart's side, shape shifting into a skatere dude. "Like, what if she, ya know, had a chaperone to watch her back? We could totally gather intel on the humans!"
Heart couldn't help but laugh at her ally's antics and looked to Siege for approval, "Is this better? Besides, we can teleport back if there's trouble can't we?"
She then gestured for Chameleon to follow her out, "Come on, let's get going then. I want to see what the city's like!"
"Suppose that'll be fine... just don't be out long! We have alot of work to do when you get back!" Siege added as they headed out, before going back to fixing their weaponry. Keeping alongside Heart, Chameleon turned his cap backwards, and swaggered with each step. "So, like, where to first? Movies? Bite to eat?"
Heart raised a brow at this. "I just wanted to see a bit of the city we landed in."
As they stepped out onto the street Heart couldn't help but feel a wave of deja vu wash over her, "It almost looks like my home...but not quite at the same time."
For one it had vehicles, not as advanced as Puck World's, but they were there none the less. They soon found themselves near the Anaheim mall, about a block or so away when they heard someone scream in the distance. Heart immediately spun on her heel and began running in the direction of it, not realizing two others were running their as well.
"Hey, whoa, wait up goirly!" With that, he chased after Heart, flannel shirt wrapped around his waist flowing in the wind.
Heart sprinted down the street to find a mother shielding her two children from a few thugs cornering her. Without a second thought Heart rushed in, drawing out the staff of her glaive and knocking the leader of the three thugs to the side, "Back off creeps!"
Cringing at Heart's heroic escapade, Chameleon ducked behind the dumpster, and turned himself into a body builder. Flexing his massive bulk as he walked to the confrontation, he pointed towards the thugs. "How bout you guys pick on somebody your own size?"
The two remaining thugs looked at the two and stepped back nervously.
Heart then waved for the mother to run with her children, as she did the mom exclaimed, "Thank you!"
Heart felt a rush of pride run through her before turning to the thugs as the leader lunged at her. Heart leapt back out of the way.
Grabbing the leader by the arm, Chameleon hucked him into the nearby dumpster. Seeing that the woman and her kid were gone, he decided to have some fun. He further transformed himself, his spine twisting, teeth jutting out eyes bulging, and his knuckles dragging on the floor. "You made me angry... you wouldn't like me when I'm angry!"
Heart laughed a bit just as the other two jumped at her. Heart quickly slipped to the side and swung her glaive again into one of them. The two then saw Chameleon change and let out a scream as they ran from the scene, leaving their leader in the dumpster.
Catching her breath Heart smiled while turning to her ally, "Well that was fun!"
Letting out a deep laugh, he nodded, before turning back to the skater punk form. "Yeah, but, what you doing sticking your neck out like that. We're trying to go unnoticed."
Heart shrugged, "I guess instinct kicked in. Besides they didn't get the best look at us anyway...and they were just kids right?"
Heart made sure her sleeves were at her wrists, noticing the colors she wore she said, "I really need some other clothes."
"Well, let's hit up some stores. I'll got get us some cash while we're out. Let's say I have.. sticky fingers" He chuckled, wiggling his fingers, now with suction cups on the tips.
Heart couldn't help but laugh a bit at this. Then she began heading towards what looked like the mall with him when they noticed a few figures among the crowd. Heart froze when she saw Nosedive, Grin, and Mallory shopping among the clothes. Mallory seemed to be looking for a dress. The young scaled woman ducked behind a row of clothing to avoid being seen by them.
Chameleon shortly came up behind Heart, snickering to himself with his newly acquired wallet. "People here pay no attention to their surroundings... say, what's up Heart? Looks like you've seen a ghost!"
Heart gave a nod to the nearby row of clothes, making sure to not be seen. The three ducks had so far not seen her. Seeing Grin and Dive twisted her gut a bit as she recalled their days back on Puck World before the invasion. She noticed as Mallory showed them both a dress and the two shrugged at her unsure of what else to say. Heart looked to Chameleon unsure of what to do.
"Ooooh... I see..." Narrowing his eyes, a grin crossed his face. "Say... you wanna mess with them?"
Heart shook her head quickly, "That's not a good idea. You can hide yourself, but remember they'll recognize me. You see the big guy? Back on Puck World I lived with him for a few months...and the blonde beside him...he was..." Heart trailed off with a touch of frustration in her eyes, "He and his brother...I thought they were like my own..." she admitted sadly before shaking her head, "We should get out of here..."
Snapping a finger, he shook his head. "If you say so... come on, let's go see a movie. I'll cover it." Flashing his new wallet, he smirked, and lead the two of them off.
Heart gave a nod before following behind him quickly.
Back at the Pond Duke was in the gym sparring with no one when Vulpina had found him. He turned to her with a smile before stating, "Jus' keepin' my skills sharp. Need to be ready for when those lizards show their faces again."
She chuckled, strolling up to him, watching his moves. "Like a razor's edge... and, glad to see you back to your old self. I was getting worried!"
Duke tilted his head slightly, "Worried? What for Vulpina?"
Duke sheathed his saber and grabbed up the nearby towel to wipe the sweat from his neck and face. "An' I hope I'm not too much like my old self," he smirked while looking to her again.
Raising a brow, she placed her hands on her hips. "Now, what's wrong with your old self? What I'm seeing is that you're just changing your targets."
"Ya know what I mean," he chuckled at this a bit, "But why were ya worried though?"
"Oh... it's nothing, forget about it." She waved it off, as she took a seat on a bench, and watched him. "Say... the others went out. Perhaps we could do something together as well?"
Duke looked at her a bit curiously, "Ya can't fool me Vulpina, we've been partners for far too long now. What are ya worried about?"
He wasn't dropping it, "You've seemed bothered since the fight the other day on the raptor? Were you hurt an' didn't tell me?" He looked concerned now.
"Nah, nah... just, don't want those rotten lizards getting in your head."
Duke caught on quick, "She's not one of them Vulpina, I've told ya that. If there's a way for us to help her I'm gonna try with the others when we see her. Grin says he lived with her before the invasion an' she was nothin' like that."
"Baah..." She waved her hand dismissively.
Clicking her heels together, she got up, and started to head to the door. "... you sure you don't want to go out? We can find a nice place to eat, and perhaps do a little bit of... window shopping~"
Duke looked at her a bit perplexed by this response.
He then shook his head and said, "Alright, I guess I don't mind goin' out for a bit."
He gave a slight smile, "Might be fun. Though I wish you'd listen to what I've said..."
He smirked as he teased, "Ya act so strange when Dive, Grin, an' I mention wantin' to help get her out of there. Don't tell me your jealous of her Vulpina?"
"Of course not. You just know how I feel about Saurians... can't trust them." Letting out a sigh, a smile returned to her face. "So, Phil said something about... Etallan food? Perhaps we could give that a try!"
Duke shook his head, a tad frustrated from this. "Ya know Vulpina...others would normally say the same about us wouldn't they? Yet here we are with a new life. I don't get why you're so against givin' her the same chance. If Grin or Dive reach her will ya treat her this way still?"
She narrowed her eyes at him, her tail twitching behind her. "We haven't enslaved the natives of this planet, have we? We're stranded here, while they invaded. There is a world of difference between them and us."
Duke stood his ground though, "I'm not arguin' that Vulpina, but I also trust Grin now too. If he says they did somethin' to the girl we met before then I believe him. If there's a way to help get her out an' fight them back I'm goin' to try 'cause it's the right thing to do!"
Taking a deep breath, she turned back around to Duke, clasping her hands in front of herself. "Look, I just don't want those lizards to hurt you. You remember how we thought Falcone was our friend, and then he back stabbed us... to me, it looks the same with that lizard girl. She helped them attack us, take your people and put them to hard labor. I don't want her to manipulate you and do something down right awful to you... I care about you Duke... I don't want to see anything bad happen to you."
Duke sighed, "Vulpina...I know ya do, an' as partners I do understand...but...don't ya trust me too though? We don't know for sure what happened, Canard said she disappeared durin' the initial attack. What if she was taken an' they did somethin' to her? Look...I know you're worried about me gettin' hurt again, but I need ya to trust me. If there's a way to find what Grin says is true then I want to give her that chance."
"I just think it's mighty convenient that she up and vanished during the attack... like she was a distraction we use when we're pulling a job." Shaking her head, she placed a hand to her face. Heading to the door, she gestured for him to follow.
Duke looked after her a bit unsure at the moment. A part of him wanted to follow her, yet the other side had grown frustrated. If they did get her out of there what would happen.
Finally he simply said, "I guess we'll see what happens now won't we when we try? I'm goin' to give her a chance whether ya do or not. I believe the girl we fought an' the girl I met on the ice that night are not quite the same."
"Think Phil said something about some P.T. Barnum guy or something..." She shrugged, before nuzzling up to him. "Let's just put this behind us now, and enjoy some time together. Just you and I~"
Duke looked to her and sighed, "I guess we can get somethin' to eat...Jus' try not to worry so much about this...if you're right on this one I'll believe ya...but I need ya to trust me too...okay?"
With that he walked with her, took a detour in their rooms to change, and met out in the hall again. Then he followed her as she lead the way to the restaurant she wanted to try.
And so, the two of them headed to the restaurant. Vulpina was dressed nicely, in a little black dress. After putting in their orders, she sipped from her glass of wine, as she looked at those... who couldn't keep their eyes off them. "You'd think they've never seen a couple on a date before."
Duke raised a brow at this, "I jus' thought it was dinner? Vulpina...I've told ya before I don't like the idea of datin' a partner, I've seen how it can go for others in our old line of work. But it is nice havin' a friend I know to eat with at least."
He gave a smile before sipping his drink. He himself was dressed in a nice burgundy button up shirt and black slacks.
He too had noticed the looks they were getting, "Still not used to bein' out in the open like this..."
He then looked to his partner and asked, "Do ya miss it?"
"I suppose at times... but... since we're no longer partners in crime, well... that opens up our options now, doesn't it?" She smiled, taking another sip.
Duke shook his head slightly, "Vulpina...Look..."
He wasn't sure what to say to her. He had tried to tell her gently over the years.
"I'm sorry..." was all he could manage softly before he gathered his thoughts better, "but as I've told ya, I see ya as a good friend. I trust ya, an' we work well together...but that's as far as I've seen it, an' still do right now."
She gritted her teeth, and rapped her fingers on the table before her. "... is that so? Well... I'm sorry you feel that way..."
She quivered her lower lip, wringing up the table cloth before her. "I... I just thought we had something... after all we've been though... the jobs we've done... fighting in the resistance... and getting stranded on this alien world... I thought we had something... special..."
"Vulpina...I'm sorry...I did try to tell ya before...an' this was what I was worried about," Duke said grimacing a bit, "Please don't...I hate seein' a lady cry, ya know that..." He offered her his handkerchief, "I'm sorry..."
She took it, but composed herself. "Just... know that no matter what... I'm always here for you Duke."
Duke nodded appreciatively, "An' I've got your back too Vulpina, ya know that."
With that they ate their dinner and afterwards Duke noticed Mallory and the others still shopping.
"Here," he offered her some money, "Why don't ya go shop with Mallory for a bit? Might cheer ya up at least?"
"Hmmm? And where are you going?" She asked as she took the cash. "Not up to your old schemes are you? And without me?" The vixen said with a wink.
Duke raised a brow at this joke and then shook his head, "Nah...I jus' know ya like lookin' at dresses with her. Besides, I think I'm jus' gonna walk around a bit before headin' back to the pond."
He still wasn't used to calling it home yet. With that he headed towards the park, taking in the slightly cooler night air as he did.
"Okay... just don't be out too long. And please... take care out there." She then went to join the others, her fluffy tail swishing behind her.
Meanwhile in the movie theatre Heart couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in her shoulder blades. It made her squirm in her seat. Beside her Chameleon was shifting to match the actors in the movie as they sat in the back of the theatre. Yet finally Heart slipped away with a promise to return shortly. She found herself wandering up to the roof of the theatre taking in the air.
"I guess I'm still used to high places," Heart commented as she looked out over the ledge of the roof.
She was up there for a good while trying to get her shoulders to loosen up from how tight they seemed to be. While doing so she didn't hear someone coming up behind her.
"Well look who it is!" A voice laughed as a thick hand grabbed her arm and spun her around.
"It's one of the freaks from earlier! Not so tough without your buddy huh?!" The second thug mocked.
"Let go creep!" Heart snarled while trying to reach for the staff of her glaive.
The leader caught on and grabbed her other wrist. When Heart went to kick him he quickly kneed her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her a bit. Then he tossed her to the side as she tried to catch her breath. She didn't have much time to do this as the third thug rushed over and kicked her in the ribs.
"You'll wish you never messed with us!" The second growled as he hurried over and grabbed her arm, keeping her from getting to her com.
She tried to summon some energy, but found herself unable to do so. The leader walked over and grabbed her by her shirt front to hold her up, his grip like a vice as it tore the cloth a bit. Heart tried again to kick him, getting him in the side as he dropped her over the ledge. Heart desperately gripped the edge of the roof with her claws, digging in to keep a good grip.
While this went on Duke found himself walking along the street when he heard a commotion above him. Looking up he saw someone hanging off the ledge with the three men looming over them. He hurried over as the lead set his foot over their fingers, causing their grip to loosen, causing them to let go of the ledge. The thin figure tried to scramble back up, but the other two blocked the way. Without anything to hold onto they began to fall towards the ground below.
Just as they fell Duke had run over to the alley beside the theatre beneath them, reacting quickly.
"I've got ya!" He assured as he caught her in his arms.
The young woman breathed rapidly, stabilizing herself as she held onto him fearfully. It took her a moment to realize she had been saved from hitting the harsh ground as she clung to his dress shirt. The two then got a good look at one another as he still held her.
"Heart?!" "Duke?!"
Panic gripped Heart's chest as she scrambled to get free.
"Hey! Easy sweetheart, I'm not goin' to hurt ya," Duke told her as he secured his grip.
When she winced in pain he eased his hand on her side, but didn't let go of her entirely.
"What happened?" He asked her.
Heart looked up to see the thugs had run from the scene, "I guess I made some enemies tonight."
"From earlier?"
"At least they learned not to pick on kids..." Heart commented while wincing again as her shoulder blades shifted slightly.
Duke looked at her a bit surprised to hear this. A slight smile came over him, "Thought ya were busy helpin' those lizards?"
Heart stiffened in his arms at this, making sure her scales were covered. Though she couldn't hide the ones that had spread to her cheeks and hands.
"Heart...that's not what I meant...but why are ya out here alone anyway?"
Before she could answer they heard one of the thugs yell from behind them, "There she is!"
"Ya weren't kiddin'," Duke commented as he set her down carefully and drew his saber.
"Ya gotta problem bud?" Duke asked while keeping Heart behind him.
"We sure do, that freak there needs to be taught a lesson!" The leader hissed while tightening his fists.
"I suggest ya walk away instead, ya don't jus' have this lovely lady to contend with anymore," Duke gave a confident smirk.
Heart wanted to bolt from the scene, but felt her side hitch up from the kick she took on. She grimaced while gripping around her ribs on the left of her.
"Are you kidding, it's three against one!" The second scoffed.
"Don't say I didn't warn ya guys," Duke shook his head.
With that the third, picking up a loose pipe, quickly lunged at Duke. He swung at him while Duke effortlessly blocked the attack. With a twist he kocked the metal pipe out of the thug's grasp. Then he punched him, knocking him to the side just as the second came swinging with a chain. It wrapped around Heart's arm as he tugged sharply, pulling her closer to him. The thug grinned with sick glee as the woman was forced to her knees. Yet this was short lived as Duke turned and with a quick swipe cut the chain in half and grabbed it himself. Pulling the thug over he glared at him, "Don't ya know how to treat a lady ya cretin?"
"You think that freak's a lady?! Her and her buddy are monsters! We're doing the city a favor!" The leader scoffed as Duke had kicked the thug he had into his friend.
"Coward," Duke growled as the leader pulled out a knife and lunged at him from behind.
Before Duke could turn around to face him he heard the leader cry out. Spinning on his heel he could see Heart with her hand out as she gasped for breath quickly, as well as the leader twitching from the jolt of energy she had sent through him. Duke quickly disarmed the leader and pushed him back into the heap with his friends. Then with a shot of a bola puck the three were bound together to await the authorities that would arrive soon.
Duke could hear the sirens approaching and quickly turned to Heart, "We'd better get outta here."
Heart hesitated while looking up at him. She was holding her arm with her clawed hand tightly. Duke looked over her, seeing her hesitation as she simply looked at his offered hand. Not giving her the chance to run this time he quickly grabbed her hand and ran with her from the alley. He didn't stop until they reached the park, far from the scene.
Now catching their breath a little Duke gave a light laugh, "Well that was certainly fun!"
Heart looked up at him a bit bewildered. Duke in turn glanced over her and smiled, "Thanks for the help back there sweetheart."
Then he asked, "But why help me if we're enemies?"
Heart stiffened, holding her arm still. She winced as she did. The drake looked at her with concern now, "Hey, are ya hurt?"
Before Heart could step back Duke swiftly, but carefully, grasped her left arm and swept her sleeve up. He was a bit surprised to see the shimmering blue scales, but also felt how her arm tensed up in pain at the elbow, "An' you were holdin' your side before too?"
Heart nodded her head, giving up at this point at trying to get away from him, "Their leader kicked me, it's not broken, but..."
Duke ran his hand carefully along her side, "Could be cracked a bit though."
"Heart, come back to the pond with me an' we can help ya," he then said to her.
Heart's eyes widened a bit to hear him offer this.
"Why are you doing all of this? I attacked you in the tower, I'm one of their fighters!" Heart exclaimed.
Duke raised a brow at this, "Are ya really though?"
Heart looked at him a bit bewildered by this, "I...that is..."
"As I recall ya didn't really fight us much, an' weren't those thugs after ya 'cause ya helped protect some kids?" Duke questioned.
Heart glanced away from him, still gripping her arm. Beneath her shoulder blade she could feel something shifting soon and the pressure was building.
"I don't know what happened to ya sweetheart, but we want to help ya," Duke mentioned.
"We?" Heart asked.
Duke nodded his head, "If ya come with me you'll see what I mean."
He then offered a hand to her. Heart looked up at him unsure of what to do. In the back of her head she heard Dragonus's harsh words, but even then she knew she never wanted to be there. She hated what they were trying to do, her core burned from wanting to protect others, yet her scales reminded her of how she had ended up with them in the first place.
"They won't understand," Heart stated quietly as she recoiled from noticing her scales, "I don't understand."
"Are ya sure about that darlin'?" Duke asked her while keeping his hand steady.
"Ya don't have to stay with them jus' 'cause ya have those scales," Duke then added.
Heart glanced up at him as she placed her hand in his. He gave her a friendly smile as hie lifted it, bending forward slightly, and kissed her hand as he had when they met. He couldn't help but chuckle to see her blush from this, "See, ya haven't changed that much from when we met."
"Neither have you..." Heart said before catching herself.
Duke winced and Heart quickly said, "That's not...I mean..." She gave a sigh and said, "What I said...I never should have...you're not like others I've met, at all..."
At this Duke gave a smile, "Well, in either case I think you'll see I have changed a bit."
He then began leading her towards the pond. However after a few steps he noticed her grimacing as walking seemed to aggrivate their injuries. Without warning he quickly swept her back up into his arms, "Here, this should help."
Heart tried to protest at first, but felt her side buckle in protest of her.
"Jus' take it easy, you're back with us an' safe now," he assured her.
When Duke and Heart arrived at the Pond he found that Vulpina was still out with Grin, Dive, and Mallory. He sighed with some relief, as he wasn't prepared for what his partner would say right about now. This would give Heart the chance she needed to settle a little bit and get the aid she needed without being glared at.
Before long he found Wildwing and Tanya in the lab.
"So Tanya, ya think ya can give us a hand?" Duke asked with a nervous laugh as he held Heart in the doorway.
Both turned around and looked at him in shock.
"Heart?!" Wildwing exclaimed upon seeing her.
Heart again felt the need to run and get away, but Duke secured his hold on her and said, "Remember you're hurt?"
Tanya walked over and looked over the girl, "I don't get it, what's going on?"
"I'm sure we'll get answers in a bit, but first she needs some help. Some thugs jumped her an' she's pretty hurt from the attack," Duke explained somewhat.
Heart couldn't bring herself to look Wildwing in the eye, even with the mask over his face. The panic from their encounter as the invasion hit returned as she desperately tried to hide her scales.
"Let's get you to the infirmary," Wildwing stated with a stern expression.
Duke followed the two with Heart reluctantly being carried along. She was afraid of what would happen when the others came back. Though for the moment she was told not to worry and let Tanya look her over. While she did Duke and Wildwing waited in the hall.
"So she was just out and about?" Wildwing asked.
"Seems so," Duke shrugged, "I thought it would take a bit to get to her again too. But she kinda jus' fell inta me."
Duke gave a slight chuckle at how literal that statement really was.
"She mentioned one of the lizards was in the theatre, but he never came lookin' for her. Either way she came of her own will," Duke assured.
"This is going to be hard to explain to the others," Wildwing said, "We still don't know enough about what happened to her. This could be a trap."
Duke shook his head, "Wing, didn't ya say she was your friend before all of this happened?"
"But she was with them afterwards," Wildwing pointed out.
"Before all of this I was the best jewel thief on Puck World, now I'm standin' here before ya as a freedom fighter. Life changes, Wing," Duke said firmly, then he eased up a bit, "I don't think she's really with them."
While inside the infirmary Tanya ran a few scans over Heart. Looking over the readings she affirmed, "You have two cracked ribs, a pulled arm, and a good bruising in both places. There's also something strange going on with your back, but I can't detect what it is. There's definately pressure though."
She then helped Heart with her bandages. As she did she paused for a split second and said, "Odd...had a wave of deja vu even though I don't think we've ever really met. I wasn't there for the combat they had with you."
Heart shook her head, "No, you were the one that took out the crystals in the engine."
Tanya laughed, "That's one way to put it."
"I'm glad you did though. I know I would be torn apart for saying this, but I didn't want them to hurt anyone...but there wasn't much I could do alone..."
"Then why did you stay with them?" Tanya asked, "Is it really just because you're one of them?"
Heart shook her head, "I'm not a Saurian, but they seem to think I am."
Heart grimaced as she saw her scales while Tanya wrapped the bandaging around her torso to hold her ribs steady.
"They seem to think I am because I have these scales...during the invasion they grabbed me and took me to their ship. Then their mage used some sort of persuasion spell on me to keep me from wanting to leave at first..." Heart explained.
"You know you're very open to someone you've never met," Tanya pointed out while finishing her bandages.
"Sorry..."
"Oh, no, I'm glad you're telling me, but I think the others need to know about this too," Tanya told her with a smile.
"Why do you believe me then?"
Tanya looked at the monitor that Heart was attached to and laughed, "Because if you were lying that monitor would give it away."
Heart looked at the ground a bit sadly before Tanya quickly added, "But I also have little reason to doubt you."
Heart couldn't help but smile slightly to hear this.
Then Tanya mentioned, "It's a good thing Duke got that chain off your arm, any more strain and it might have snapped."
After that Tanya called Wildwing and Duke in with them. Heart explained to their leader all that had happened to her since the invasion. To her surprise he listened to every bit and then looked to her with uncertainty for a bit. Her gut twisted again, fearing what he would say. She glanced at the floor feeling the pressure in her back again.
"I want to believe you Heart, I really do," Wildwing then said to her, "But we still don't know where you're really from, or how you got to Puck World in the first place. It looks really bad how things played at."
"I know how it looks Wildwing...but I am not trying to trick you. I never was," Heart pleaded.
Heart remembered Nosedive's words once more and she gripped the bed sheet she was sitting on tightly. Duke watched as she grew tense. He couldn't blame Wildwing for his concern, but something tugged at him seeing her like this. Then he noticed something about her clothing, and the tears made in her shirt from the fight. Looking closer he realized that they were the same clothes she had been wearing when they met at the ice rink, the ones Grin mentioned he'd bought her. Sure it could be a ruse...but still...
"I'll be right back," he mentioned quickly, leaving Heart with Tanya and Wildwing.
Heart watched as he left out of the infirmary. Her form grew more rigid being with the two as they discussed things with and in front of her. She didn't know how to prove to them that this wasn't a trap, that she had never been placed before them as a trick.
Before long Duke returned with a jersey in his hands. Unfolding it a bit he offered it to the girl, "I thought ya might need somethin' else to wear?"
Wildwing and Tanya both looked at him a bit surprised, but not as much as Heart did. Her sapphire eyes widened as he held out the clothing piece to her.
"It'll be a bit big for ya, but it's better than that torn shirt," he mentioned as she accepted it.
Heart then went behind the changing screen and came back out wearing the jersey. Dropping her hands to her sides caused the sleeves to go over them a good bit, the collar exposing one of her scaled shoulders a bit as it hung from her thin, but curved, frame. She looked up at Duke with a shy smile, "Thank you..."
Duke smiled seeing her a bit more relaxed, "Don't mention it sweetheart."
When Heart tried to readjust it to hide her scales Duke rested a hand on it and said, "It's alright."
Arriving with the others, Vulpina laughed with the group she was with, carrying a large bag of newly bought trophies of their excursion. Searching for Duke, Vulpina looked around the base at his usual spots... the training hall, the rink, his room... to no luck. Growing a tad worried, she decided to check the infirmary. The doors slid open, as the fox walked in.
"Duke, you had me scared silly! Did you hurt yourself training o-" However, as she opened her eyes, she dropped her bags as she saw Heart there. Her lips curled into a snarl, as her fur bristled. "What is that lizard doing here?!"
Heart winced at the term as she glanced at her scales. Duke looked up however and stood slightly between them, as though offering Heart some support, "Take it easy Vulpina, she's here 'cause she needed help."
Tanya tried to ease things herself by asking, "Did you have fun shopping? I would have gone for more supplies myself but I had work to finish here."
Heart gripped the edge of the infirmary bed nervously, "I know how bad this looks...but...I'm not one of them Vulpina...they took me from Puck World when the invasion hit."
Her eye twitched, as she clenched her fists. "This could be a trick! Trying to find our location so they know where to strike! Duke, how could you put us all at risk like this?!"
Duke took a deep breath, "If you would bother to give her a shot you'd know she was hurt an' needed some help! She's not one of them."
"Besides they can't get in here due to our teleportation shields remember?" Tanya reminded her in a calmer, helpful tone.
Heart watched Duke and Vulpina nervously.
The fox like woman crossed her arms, wrinkling her nose as she glared at Heart, giving a look as if she caught a whiff of something rotten. "Fine, believe her, if you want to. It just seems fishy to me."
Walking over, she bent over, eyeing the jersey Heart was wearing. "If you try something, I promise, you're going to regret it, cold blood."
Duke's remaining eye narrowed looking at his partner, "Vulpina ease off will ya?"
He then looked to their leader, "Wing, I'll take responsibility for her okay? If that's what it takes to give her a shot I don't mind...I know how it feels to not have someone trust me at first," he glanced at Vulpina as he said this.
Then Tanya chimed in again, "It's funny you mention that, I ran some tests, Heart's actually warm blooded. I ran a scan on it when she got here, she had a nasty gash in her arm from the chain that caught her earlier."
"I don't care if she bleeds rainbows." She sneered at Tanya's 'um actually', before turning around and grabbing her bags.
Looking back at the group, she let out a huff, before storming out, muttering to herself. "I'm sure Phil has a bridge he'd want to sell you.."
Duke's hands balled into fists out of frustration before following after her, "I'll be right back Heart, okay?"
"Duke...you don't need to stand up for me. It's okay, I know how bad this looks..."
"It's not okay..." Duke said as he found Vulpina in the hallway.
"Vulpina you can be mad at me but don't take it out on her, do ya really think I would just bring her here if I thought she was a danger to us?!" Duke questioned trying to keep his temper in check.
"That's the problem, you don't see her as a threat. You're letting her get into your head, acting like someone who needs a hero. She can tell you want to be a hero, and she's playing you like a fiddle. I know you're a hero already, but, you can't let her take advantage of you like this by pretending to be the damsel in distress!" She answered as she whipped around to him. "You brought her here, in our sanctum, and she's even wearing the clothes off your back," Vulpina punctuated this as she pointed her finger at him.
Duke stood firmly, "Would ya want me to act any differently Vulpina, to ignore someone that's hurt, to ignore our teammates who are also tryin' to help? An' for the record, she used that power of hers earlier to save me as well. An' as for my jersey, her clothes were torn so I gave her one of mine like any gentleman worth his salt would. An' if it is some sort of trick, then you can be proud an' say ya were ya right. But it'll make ya look awfully foolish to be proven wrong, not to mention jealous."
Gritting her teeth, she turned her back to him. "You really know how to hurt a girl, you know that Duke? I hope you're proud of yourself..." With that she marched off, leaving the thief by himself.
Duke shook his head as she walked away. It was never his intent to hurt anyone, but he couldn't shake the feeling he had about this one. Despite this growing rift between his friend and him, he held firm and went back to the infirmary. Duke opened the door to find Heart waiting with Tanya and Wildwing.
"Well can't say things are much better, but I'm back at least."
Heart glanced at the ground, "I'm not trying to cause a problem Duke...I don't need to stay here..."
"It's fine, isn't it Wing?" Duke asked for her.
Wildwing looked to Duke, then to Heart, trying to take in everything, "Heart you do know we can't leave you unwatched for a while. I want to believe you, but as leader my first priority is the safety of everyone here."
"I understand Wildwing," Heart agreed a bit down hearted.
Duke then walked over and rested a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, give it some time an' things will work out alright?"
Heart wanted to smile, but couldn't bring herself to at the moment.
Meanwhile, as the movie finished, Chameleon was laughing a fit, and went to nudge Heart. "Hey, what a show! Man, that fat bald guy was funny!"
Realizing his elbow was just hitting the chair next to him, the lizard's eyes bulged out, and he began frantically searching for her. "Heart? Heart?! Where are ya?! Oooh... oh this is not good... I'm a deeeead lizard.."
Back at the pond Wildwing was trying to figure a place for Heart to stay when Nosedive came looking for him.
"Hey bro, I wanted to show you the comics I got to-" Nosedive looked to see Heart sitting on the infirmary bed still.
"Heart?!" The teenager exclaimed before running over to her, "You got away from those creeps?"
Grin was right behind his friend and was just as surprised to see his old roommate in their home.
"Dive! Grin!" Heart lit up at the sight of them, even smiling a bit.
"What happened to you?" Dive asked her.
Heart then explained to them what she had told Tanya just a but ago. Duke and Wildwing took this in as well. Mallory did too as she came in looking for everyone. Heart told them about being taken right as the invasion hit after using some of her awakening magic, and how her body had been gradually changing since before the invasion.
"Why didn't you tell us about your scales before?" Nosedive questioned.
Heart wasn't sure how to answer him. She knew how bad things looked. Her hands gripped the bed sheet again. She tried to think about her life before Puck World and why she wanted to hide from it so desperately. Shame washed over her as she recalled things, creating the pressure pushing on her back again.
"You being here is a bit of a risk," Mallory mentioned, "And no matter what you tell us about your life before won't help much. We won't know if you're telling the truth or not at this point."
"I realize that," Heart sighed.
"So what do we do then?" Tanya asked Wildwing.
"I'm not sure," Wildwing said as he looked over Heart.
"If you don't want me here I can leave," Heart said as pressure continued to build, "I can find somewhere else to stay."
"Don't make her leave bro, I thought we were trying to get her back?" Nosedive pushed.
"She could've been sent here," Mallory pointed out.
"Vulpina mentioned that as well," Wildwing noted.
Duke had been quiet for a bit, taking in things around him and thinking it over without his temper getting the better of him this time. As he leaned back against the counter behind him he looked over Heart, noticing in her rigid frame. She looked around to everyone as though unsure of what to say to sway them at this point. No matter what she said, it could be taken as a mark against her, and she seemed to know that. The ex-thief tried to read her somehow. Her eyes held no tears to persuade them, she wasn't begging them to stay, and she was even offering to leave at this point.
As it stood Duke, Nosedive, and Grin were in favor of her staying. Mallory and Vulpina were against it. Wildwing and Tanya both seemed torn.
"I don't like the idea of you leaving injured," Wildwing admitted, "But you being here, if you're not telling the truth, is a huge risk to everyone here."
"I don't know what else to say Wildwing..." Heart said a bit distantly as she looked at the ground.
"Couldn't we take turns keeping watch?" Nosedive suggested.
"You did mention that before," Tanya reminded their leader, "She stays with someone at all times until we're sure?"
Heart then looked up at the group, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Duke noticed this, looking straight at her from the side. Her voice remained steady, sparking with determination as she said, "I'll do whatever it takes Wildwing, if that means being watched then I'll do it."
At this Duke stood and walked over to Heart. She looked up, a look of confusion blending with that hope she held onto.
"Back home if Canard hadn't given me a chance, Vulpina an' I wouldn't be here as a part of this team," he mentioned looking to his teammates, "I think she deserves that same shot."
Wildwing took in what was being said to him from all sides. Concerns and advice alike. He then watched as Heart looked at her wrist, pulled off the communicator she was wearing, got up, walked over to him while pushing past her injury, and offered it to him, "It got damaged during the fight, but please take it and do what you want with it. Perhaps take it as a sign that I don't wish to be apart of them even if I can't be apart of things here?"
Wildwing hesitated and Heart added, "I know I have to earn your trust, even saying this probably doesn't help me right now. But I do not want to hurt the innocent with them. While two of them have tried to make me feel as one of them, it doesn't erase what they were trying to do with their leader. I am not going to be apart of it!"
"It's your call Wing," Duke said from behind Heart.
"Where will she stay?" Wildwing asked.
"She can stay in my room bro," Dive offered quickly, "We can make a bottom bunk to my loft bed real quick."
"And for tonight she should really stay in here to rest her injuries," Tanya pointed out, "We can take turns keeping watch."
Duke noted that it was already close to midnight at this point, "I'll take the first watch."
"No way!" Dive chimed in, surprising the ex-thief, "I'll take the first watch, I want to catch up with my friend a bit!"
Heart's eyes widened to hear this. Striken speechless she turned to the teenager for him to smile back, "You'll be in safe hands with me here Heart, and in no time we'll figure this all out!"
"Dive it isn't a slumber party," Wildwing reminded his brother.
Dive shrugged, "I know that, but still!"
"If it's all the same to you I'll stay up with them for a while," Grin offered.
"Alright, but remember this is to keep watch over her," Wildwing stated firmly.
"We got it bro," Nosedive insisted.
With a sigh Wildwing looked to Heart, took the communicator from her, and said, "Heart, I hope you're telling the truth, for our sake and yours."
Heart nodded her head, but knew this wouldn't convince them on it's own. All she could do was repeat, "I will do what it takes to earn your trust...somehow..."
"Everyone else go ahead and get some rest. Things are going to be interesting for a while," Wildwing instructed as he headed out of the infirmary.
Mallory looked to Heart with a stern expression in her eyes, though she said nothing to the scaled girl before following their leader. Tanya double checked to make sure Heart's bandages were secure before heading to her own room.
Heart stepped carefully back to the infirmary bed. She gritted her teeth as she climbed up onto it. She then looked to the three in the room with her still. The three that had vouched for her she realized.
"Thank you..." was all she could think to say to them.
"Thank us by getting some rest young friend, the truth will sort itself out in time," Grin assured her.
Heart nodded her head as she rested against the pillows of the bed. The pressure in her back seemed to ease off for now, and her ribs stopped protesting as she relaxed. Before much longer the adrenaline of everything finally slipped away and she found herself nearly falling asleep. She had used her magic earlier, and though she still didn't understand it, she knew using it drained her own energy. She vaguely wondered if her former comrade had been scolded for losing track of her, but couldn't worry about that now.
Turning her head she found the three drakes still nearby. Nosedive and Grin found some seats and a deck of cards to play games with while they kept watch. Duke on the other hand seemed unsure of what he wanted to do.
"Get some sleep girly-girl, we'll catch up when you've rested up," Nosedive assured her in a friendly tone.
"I don't think I have much choice," Heart admitted as her eyelids grew heavy.
For a moment she glanced at Duke as he watched her in turn from the doorway he had stepped towards. Pausing at the door he turned to give her a quick smile, "Sleep well sweetheart."
Heart couldn't help but smile slightly hearing this from him before finally closing her eyes and whispering to him, "Thank you..."
When he was sure she was asleep Duke went to his own room. At the door of it he paused and looked towards Vulpina's door, briefly wondering if he should check on her. Yet something told him that it wasn't a wise decision at the moment. She wasn't going to be persuaded overnight, and he knew he wouldn't be able to make things any better with the night they'd already had. With a sigh he gave up and went to bed.
Heart opened her eyes to see Tanya checking some monitors. Glancing at a nearby clock she could see it was well into the morning, close to noon.
"How're you feeling?" The blonde duck asked her.
"A bit sore," Heart admitted as she tried to sit up.
"Well just rest up, that's all that will help right now," Tanya instructed.
"Where are Nosedive and Grin?" Heart enquired while looking around.
"Oh, they went to the mall to pick up some things," Tanya told her with a smile, "Nosedive did say once you were healed he would take you there."
"How long will it take anyway?" Heart asked a bit anxiously.
"Well that's just it," Tanya pondered over the monitors, "You're ribs and arm are still a bit injured, but your bruising has started to fade already. You heal pretty quickly it seems."
Heart looked at her clawed hands in bewilderment, "Could it have something to do with my magic?"
"Maybe, I don't know enough about magic to tell you though. Science makes much more sense to me," Tanya admitted.
"I don't understand it any better myself," Heart agreed.
Tanya took a few minutes checking over Heart's bandages before Wildwing entered the infirmary. Seeing Heart still there seemed to ease some of the concern showing through the eyes of his mask, "That's a good start. Then again I doubt a good spy would try something on the first night."
Heart winced at these words, but couldn't blame him either.
"It's almost time for practice, Dive and Grin need to get back soon," Wildwing noted.
"Grin won't let them miss practice Wildwing, you know that," Tanya assured with a chuckle.
"Practice?" Heart asked curiously.
The two turned to Heart with puzzled expressions. Then Tanya laughed again, "Oh, our hockey practice. You haven't heard of us much outside of combat I take it?"
"Hardly even that really," Heart reminded them.
"Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to have you watch," Wildwing smiled encouragingly, "Seeing how you need to be around one of us at all times anyway for now."
Heart nodded in understanding.
Before long Nosedive and Grin returned, but didn't say much on what had taken them so long to pick up. With everyone at the pond Heart found herself being helped up to the stadium, Nosedive offering a shoulder to lean on as they walked. Heart winced a bit, but pushed herself to reach the seats near the rink. Tanya had tried to offer to make up practice later, but Heart refused to let her; and they all knew that asking Vulpina to watch her was out of the question. Duke hadn't even seen her yet that morning.
"It's fine. Besides, I want to see your practice," Heart insisted with optimism.
Mallory raised a brow at this, but still didn't say anything to her. Though she did stay with her while the others changed. Nosedive soon came out of the locker room to allow her to swap and get ready herself.
"So you finally got to be the hockey star you wanted to be?" Heart said with a smile as she noticed his jersey and gear.
"Sure did!" Nosedive beamed with pride.
Shortly after his teammates returned all ready to practice. Nosedive gave a thumbs up to Heart before hurrying after them. Heart watched with curiosity as they played together on the ice, taking shots, blocking them, and trying out plays. A smile crept over her as she recalled skating with Nosedive and Wildwing back on Puck World, as well as Grin teaching her when she'd first arrived...and...
Heart found herself watching Duke as he swiftly stole the puck from Mallory and took a shot, slipping it by Wildwing. With a confident smirk showing on his beak he skated smoothly to the side. Then she noticed as Nosedive nudged Duke's arm, gesturing with a nod towards her. What the young woman didn't realize was how she was blushing as she watched him. However he did, and he gave her a full smile. He chuckled as this only made it worse as her cheeks turned red.
A while later, as they were finishing up, a human entered the stadium as he called Wildwing, "I've got a few things scheduled to run by you, Wildwing!"
Heart tilted her head slightly as they met eyes. The heavyset man in a leisure suite gave her a puzzled expression, "Aren't you one of those lizards?"
Heart's shoulders sank as she tried to explain things a bit. Phil scratched his head as he listened.
"Well if they're okay with you being here, I guess I won't argue?" Phil shrugged before placing a hand to his chin as he began pondering something.
Looking over her he said with a smile, "Need a manager? You'd be great for promoting some things."
"You don't waste time do you, Phil?" Mallory raised a brow as she skated up, "Besides, she's not a permanent resident as of yet."
Heart didn't expect anything different from the red head yet. Though she had at least been calmer than the fox like woman from the night before. Recalling Vulpina Heart realized she hadn't seen her that morning either. She guessed she had a lot to do with that and couldn't do much about it at the moment.
Soon the buzzer went off, signaling the end of their practice.
"Phil would you keep an eye on our guest while we change?" Wildwing requested.
"Sure I guess," their manager replied as they headed to the locker room.
Phil turned to Heart, noticing the jersey she was wearing, "So are you a fan of Duke's?"
Heart's face nearly matched her burgundy hair at the question. She then quickly explained, "I...I was in a bit of trouble last night, and Duke saw my shirt got a bit torn up and was just trying to be polite..."
Phil pondered this before nodding, "Yeah, that sounds about right. I haven't known him or the others for very long yet; but from what I've seen he tends to stand up for those in need."
Heart was unaware that she was gripping the ends of the sleeves that fell over her hands.
Then he stroked his chin a moment before adding, "Better be careful around Vulpina though, keep blushing like that around him and she might get a tad jealous."
Heart tried to take a deep breath to regain her own composure before asking, "Wait, jealous?"
"Yeah, I mean, I know they were partners. And the way she acts I think they're more than that at this point," Phil mentioned.
"That's why..." Heart realized as she rested a hand over the emblem on the jersey she wore.
She then quickly shook her head and said, "Well she doesn't really have anything to worry about. It's not like that...he just helped me out a bit is all..." Heart knew he had helped more than a bit, but was trying to fool herself for some reason, "There's nothing to be jealous of."
Before long the team had returned for Heart.
"Alright girly-girl, we've got something to show you!" Dive could barely hold back.
Heart looked to him a bit puzzled by this declaration. Before she could resist Duke offered her a hand to help her up. The young woman winced as she gripped her side as her rib seemed to resist moving still.
"Ya need some help?" Duke asked while offering his arm to her for support.
Heart found herself unable to turn him down so she could walk. She then followed them back down to their headquarters and along the hall to Nosedive's room. Mallory and Tanya had both broken from the group to do their own tasks. Wildwing followed out of curisoity. Nosedive and Grin seemed rather eager to get Heart to what would be their shared room for a while. When the teenager put in the code to his door it slid open revealing a bottom bunk already built and prepared. The comforter was of teal and burgundy to match the sheets and pillows. Beside the bed was a white wooden end table with a drawer. Tilting her head curiously Heart carefully walked over to it and opened the drawer.
"Dive what did you do?" Wildwing asked, trying to hide that he was happy to see Heart look over things with a shy smile.
"Just watch bro," Dive insisted with a grin.
The young woman's sapphire eyes widened to find a sketchbook, pencils, pens, and markers waiting to be found inside. A wide smile quickly lit up her face as she looked to them.
"I take it you don't get to draw much with those lizards?" Dive prompted.
Heart shook her head, "Not unless I find some scraps of paper or broken pieces of charcoal."
"Well draw to your heart's content young friend," Grin encouraged.
The draconic girl before them hugged the sketchbook close to her chest with tears welling in her eyes, "Thank you guys!"
Then Dive added, "In the bottom drawer is some clothes. We just kinda went by the size of the outfit that got torn up last night. Let us know if they don't fit or aren't your style."
Heart, crouching down with a sharp wince of pain, opened the drawer to find leggings, shirts, and even a skirt waiting for her.
"This is too much," Heart protested.
Nosedive shook his head, "Not really. Besides, we wanted you to feel at home here. You're not a prisoner."
When Heart tried to stand her side buckled and protested until Duke stepped up to her and aided her.
"Thank you..." Heart said to him before glancing at the jersey she was still wearing.
Looking back up at the drake she offered quickly, "I can change into something else so you can have your jersey back."
Duke looked at her puzzled by this, "What are ya talkin' about?"
"It's yours...and I don't want to cause a problem between your friend and you," Heart explained, "I can change into one of these shirts and give this back to you?"
Duke gave a slight chuckle and shook his head, "No Heart, that jersey belongs to you. Don't let anyone tell ya otherwise. Consider it a gift okay?"
Heart tried to keep herself from blushing again by digging her claws into the palms of her hands slightly, poking them a bit, "I don't want to cause a problem between you and Vulpina."
Duke smiled softly still as he assured her, "Ya aren't sweetheart. Don't worry about it okay? You jus' focus on healin' those injuries of yours an' earnin' the trust of the others."
Dive and Grin both looked to each other a bit puzzled after having been witnesses to this interaction. Wildwing was a bit surprised to hear this as well, especially having heard how Duke and Vulpina had spoken to one another after the girl's arrival. Heart looked to each of them, dedication in her voice, "I swear I will do what it takes to earn this kindness."
"Well first rest up and we'll take it from there," Wildwing kept a stern expression and a firm voice.
Heart nodded her head before Duke helped ease her into the bed.
"So I guess I'll keep watch while she rests," Dive said.
"It looks that way," Wildwing agreed before turning to leave, "I'll ask Tanya to check her injuries in a bit."
"Wildwing?" Heart attempted.
Their leader paused and turned to her, "What is it?"
Heart looked up at her once friend and sighed a bit. She remembered something that had burrowed itself away from while she was in the raptor, what she had seen from their ship when passing through the gateway. Looking to him she wanted to say something...but found her courage to be lacking at the moment. So for the moment she simply said to him instead, "Thank you...I know it isn't much at the moment, but thank you none the less."
Wildwing gave a slight nod and then left the room.
The next week and a half was spent in a similar fashion. Tanya would check on Heart's injuries periodically to find she was healing rather fast. Heart would watch their practice. She kept her sketchbook with her at all times so she could draw to pass the time. At least one of the team members would watch her as ordered and Heart never complained. Eventually she would see Vulpina here and there, but the fox like woman never spoke to her. Even wearing other clothes she never gave Heart the time of day it seemed, even when she began having meals with them in the galley as it grew easier for her to walk on her own again. Everyone's stances on the draconic girl remained about the same thus far. Though she knew it wouldn't be that easy after all that had happened.
"Well you're all healed up Heart," Tanya smiled as she removed Heart's bandages.
"Thank you Tanya," Heart said as she then pulled her shirt back over herself.
Heart was wearing a pair of black leggings with a team logo t-shirt that was a bit loose on her small, but curved frame. She grimaced nervously when her scaled arms were revealed and she wondered if she should get an undershirt.
As Heart walked towards the hallway she opened the door expecting to find Grin as it was his turn to watch her. Yet instead she found their leader waiting instead, "All injuries cleared?"
Heart nodded her head nervously as she became more aware of her bare arms. Even through the mask she could see the pain in his eyes when he noticed as well.
"I'm sorry..." she heard herself say.
Wildwing shook his head before gesturing for her to follow him, "Come on, it's almost time for practice. I'll take you upstairs."
Heart's shoulders sank as she realized she would not have a chance to get another shirt. Taking a deep breath she followed behind Wildwing as he began leading her to the rink.
"Wildwing?" Heart heard herself attempt again.
"What is it Heart?" Their leader replied while pausing and looking over his shoulder at her.
With another breath taken and released she looked up at the white feathered drake clad in armor. Her hands balled into fists as she shook slightly before forcing herself to say, "I...I'm sorry...about what happened in the gateway...to Canard I mean..."
Wildwing turned to face her completely now, stunned at the mention of his best friend.
"I saw from the Raptor that he got pulled in by that thing...I'm so sorry..." she said solemnly, "I can only imagine what you've been going through..."
Wildwing looked away from her, but he didn't move beyond that.
"I...I know he would be proud of you...he knew you would be a good leader," Heart offered.
Wildwing glanced at her, wanting to say he wasn't always as sure; but then her scales reminded him of the caution they still had to practice with her. So instead he said to her, "Thank you, Heart."
Heart nodded quietly before following behind him again.
During practice Heart worked on a drawing in her book. She would look up here and there to watch them try out new plays and tighten familiar ones. When turning back to her paper she found she was sketching out the ones before her, jotting down what she knew about each of them by this point. She realized that this might look odd considering what she was trying to prove to them, but it was a way for her to understand them as well. All she could do was hope they saw her good intentions going forward.
Each of them, at least the six that made up the hockey team, had a page she had drawn out for them. Beside their image was a list of things they liked, interests, foods, and such. She added possible ways she could learn more about these interests or give aid to them in some way.
For instance she wanted to ask Tanya is studying her magic would be useful to her, or offer some energy if she could to practice gear she was building for their team.
Nosedive was a bit easier as he wanted to play games with her and explore the mall now that she had recovered.
Grin had already invited her to meditate with him as he had when they lived together back on Puck World. He also offered to reteach her how to skate when she was ready.
With Wildwing it seemed to be a bit strained between them. At times she could see hints of him wanting to talk to her as he had before, but his role as leader kept him at a cautious distance it seemed. She wasn't quite sure how to bridge this gap just yet. In fact mentioning Canard had appeared to make things even more rigid around him.
She knew Mallory would be a bit harder. The red head had remained steadily cautious around her. She was at least polite towards her, but beyond that she had made no progress. She seemed to like training, but Heart doubted that offering to spar with her would be a good idea right now. Anything that looked confrontational wasn't wise for the time being.
Vulpina, though Heart hadn't been able to sketch her like the others, was an even harder puzzle. Any time she saw her Heart thought she might try to tear her to pieces, thus making her wish to avoid the fox like woman as much as possible. She knew she liked Duke, but Duke hadn't been speaking with her as much as far as she could tell. This made it harder for Heart to reach her, even though she had opted for wearing the jersey late at night so Vulpina wouldn't see it.
She even had a page for their manager. Phil was quite friendly, but kept trying to make deals with her with contracts at the ready. Each time one of the team stopped him before he could even hand her a pen. Aside from that he was pleasant enough to talk to at least. He offered assistance with understanding the world they had come to at least.
Finally there was the drake who had brought her here in the first place. She had seen him occasionally reading adventure novels or even sparring in the gym with his saber. He had remained friendly towards her, checking on her as she healed as well as talking with her. At times he would ask about her drawings and seemed interested when she would show him.
"Ya got my smile," he suddenly teased her as she jumped, nearly causing her to ruin her sketch.
Duke couldn't help but chuckle as he watched her jolt and then look up at him, "Easy sweetheart, it's jus' me."
He then placed his hand over the emblem of his jersey, changing into his street clothes. This consisted of a more casual jersey and dark slacks. Beneath the jersey was a form fitting undershirt that went up to his throat. Heart wondered if he ever felt warm dressing this way in Anaheim, but never asked.
Once he'd quick changed, Duke took a seat beside her. He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees while glancing at her sketchbook still. She had quickly flipped it to other drawings she had done.
"May I?" He asked while holding out his hand.
Heart found herself giving in as she handed him her sketchbook to look through. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears it seemed as she watched him turn the pages carefully.
"This world that ya draw out, the mountains an' such, is this your home world?" Duke asked as he looked over the carefully done sketches.
Heart sighed before answering, "Would you believe me if I said yes?"
Duke turned to her and simply said, "That's why I asked darlin'."
Heart knew she was blushing again, for her face was suddenly warm. Glancing quickly at the open pages she leaned to the side of the chair, tucking her feet beneath her to prop herself up better, to show him as she pointed, "These are the caverns I lived in before I came to Puck World. My siblings, mother, and I all lived up at the top."
Duke looked to her surprised, "Your family and you lived in the cavern itself?"
Heart nodded her head, "We had to...it was the only way to keep them safe..."
Duke's brow set into a puzzled expression, "What do ya mean by that Heart?"
The young woman found herself wanting to tell him. Yet something tugged at her, causing her to look away with a grimace.
"Heart...the night ya came to Puck World, what brought ya there? If you can tell us it might help prove things better," he attempted.
"No matter what I say about my past at this point it won't matter. It'll look made up either way...I need to focus on proving who I am now rather than who I was..." Heart reaffirmed while fighting the pressure in her back again.
Duke sighed when she said this, "Alright Heart, but if ya do want to tell someone about it, I'm willin' to listen."
He then continued to look through her drawings, seeing depictions of actual dragons as opposed to the Saurians they had fought. One in particular caught his attention when he read the notation beside her, "Mother?"
Heart held her breath as he looked at her again, as though trying to put a puzzle together. When he saw she wasn't ready to explain further he continued on, allowing her to breath again.
Soon he found the pages she had just been working on.
"I know how it probably looks," Heart commented with her shoulders sloping a bit.
Duke looked to her once again, "It looks to me like you're tryin' hard to bridge the gap you're tryin' to get across."
Heart's eyes widened hearing this. A bit stunned she asked him, "Why are you so willing to give me a chance? I understand Dive and Grin...but you and I only met once on Puck World...and it wasn't the best encounter..." she recoiled as she remembered what she had said to him.
Duke smiled still as he said, "I don't know, for the most part it was kinda nice. Skatin' with a lovely young lady in the moonlight almost sounds like a date to me."
Heart was convinced that he was doing this on purpose by this point. He gave a slight smirk to her before finding what appeared to be his page.
"An'...there's somethin' about that night that always kinda stuck out to me..." Duke then mentioned quietly to her.
"What's that?"
"Ya coulda turned us in. Ya knew who I was, had my face an' name. New comer or not they would have jumped at the chance to get that info from ya an' throw me behind bars...but ya never did. Considerin' what ya said to me, I thought it might happen."
"If I was like the thieves that ya dealt with in your home, why let me remain free?" Duke asked her.
Heart wasn't sure what to tell him. She remembered going back to Grin's apartment that night feeling so frustrated. She hadn't even thought about turning him in. Looking back on it she wasn't even sure if him being a thief had really bothered her...so then why had she reacted in such a way. Then she recalled the interaction itself and how she had found out. Yet she still didn't want to cause a further rift between Duke and his partner, so all she said was, "I realized you weren't like them...you had helped me despite not knowing me...you risked your freedom doing so in fact."
Duke listened to this partial truth and chuckled knowingly to himself. Heart was not a good liar, even when telling a half one. He believed what she said, but knew there was more to it than that.
"You really aren't like them Duke..." Heart stated before taking her offered book back from him, "And I'm thankful for that."
Before Duke could answer Nosedive had run up in his casual street clothes with Grin running up behind him.
"Alright girly-girl you're going with us!" The blonde teenager proclaimed.
Heart looked to him a bit surprised by his sudden enthusiasm, "Going where?"
"It's time we showed you around the city! We're taking you to lunch and the mall! It's going to be fun, I can't wait to introduce you to Thrash and Mookie!" Nosedive explained while waving for her to follow along.
Heart got to her feet, as did Duke, to follow them. Duke however decided to stay behind and let Heart hang with the two of them for now. Though when she paused to look back at him he gave a smile and a wave, "I'll see ya when you guys get back. Jus' go have some fun sweetheart."
Nosedive was surprised to hear this, nudging Heart's good arm before pulling her along with them, "Better watch it, talking like that might get you in trouble Duke."
Duke shook his head as they left in response, "I already am..." He then headed back down to their headquarters to begin a needed sparring session.
Heart was surprised to see that their mall was actually just across the street from the pond. She had only seen the city once at night when she had been brought to their headquarters after the fight. Seeing it in daylight was much different. Nosedive immediately dragged her to the comic shop he had mentioned it. When his friends saw her draconic like form their jaws dropped.
"She looks straight out of a fantasy comic!" Thrash exclaimed as her scales shimmered in the sunlight.
"Can I touch your scales?" Mookie asked as Heart held out her arm.
"And she's not like the ones you fight?" Thrash questioned.
Nosedive rested a hand on Heart's shoulder before she could shy away, "Nope. She's one of us but with scales instead of feathers is all."
"Dive, why are you so certain?" Heart asked a bit later as they browsed the shelves of the shop.
Nosedive shrugged, "Because you were our friend before all of that weren't you?"
"Of course," Heart answered without a second thought.
"Then unless you show us otherwise I will treat you as I did then," Nosedive reaffirmed.
"Same with me," Grin assured her, "While your outer shell may have gone through a transformation, your core has as well...but not in the direction you think."
Heart looked to him a bit puzzled by this.
By now they were walking along outside.
"That's not all that has changed if you ask me," Nosedive nudged Heart in the arm again.
Heart raised a brow at this. Grin shook his head as though amused.
"When you came to Puck World you were quite withdrawn, burdened by a past you hid from us. Time around us seems to have lifted that weight off of your shoulders enough for you to breath," Grin stated.
"How do you know that I wasn't from limbo like the Saurians? I could have escaped somehow and..."
"And what did you do? You tried to get by on your own and lived around four strangers for four months rather than try to seek out any weaknesses in our world," Grin pointed out.
"Yeah, when you really think about it and how you were you really don't seem to be a threat at all...at least not an effective one," Nosedive teased her.
"I wish I could convince the others the same thing...I want to protect others from what those lizards were trying to do," Heart told them earnestly. "
"Give it a bit more time," Grin assured her.
Soon they were at a parlor ordering some food. While they waited for it Heart took in things around her. Out the window she could see many different humans walking by. Then she would begin sketching in her book again while listening to Grin and Nosedive discuss upcoming games. Then Nosedive game a playful smile as he mentioned, "That shot Duke made the other day was pretty smooth wasn't it Grinster?"
"I'd say so," Grin agreed.
They noticed as Heart looked up from her book.
"It's almost like he knew someone might be watching him," Nosedive mused.
Heart's soft pink in her cheeks was enough. Grin nudged his friend's shoulder, "As I recall he got her attention back on Puck World too."
"Wait you both met before?" Dive asked genuinely surprised by this.
Heart nodded her head, "It was after I'd been on Puck World for about a month. Grin had been teaching me how to skate...to...mixed results. I went out one night to practice on my own and Duke was on the ice..."
"So what happened?" Dive enquired.
"He helped me learn how to skate," Heart answered, but then recalled how that encounter had ended, "Until Vulpina came looking for him and hinted at what they were at the time."
"A couple or thieves?" Nosedive asked quietly.
"Both I think?" Heart guessed, "But I was referring to the latter."
"As I recall you came back quite upset," Grin pondered aloud.
Heart shrugged, "I guess he threw me off is all...I don't know, maybe if he'd told me himself it wouldn't have bothered me so much."
"Well Vulpina was probably trying to get you away from her partner. As far as I know they've walked the same path for a bit now," Grin mentioned.
"I don't know why she's so worried in the first place," Heart said.
Nosedive shrugged, "Maybe her and Duke aren't as close as she thought they were. She has been pretty irritable the last few days."
"She doesn't believe me like you two do. I guess I don't blame her, but..."
"Again, give it some time," Grin suggested, "It may take others longer to see the aura you're giving off."
"I know Duke sees it though," Nosedive winked at her playfully.
Heart gave a slight smile, "So it seems..."
After lunch they continued exploring the mall across from their home. In the crowd Heart noticed a familiar red head walking towards the clothing shop.
"Mal!" Dive called to her.
The young woman turned to face them a bit surprised. She waved back at first before noticing Heart with them. She shook her head before turning back around.
"Wait girly-girl!" Nosedive attempted while pulling Heart along.
"What is it Nosedive? I'd like to get some shopping done before the game tonight," Mallory retorted.
"Why don't you take Heart along with you?" Nosedive suggested.
Heart froze hearing this will great alarm. Mallory raised a brow looking her over again, "Why?"
"Come on Mal, you need to give her a chance too or we'll never get passed this," Nosedive said with a hand on his hip.
"Dive it's okay...she clearly would rather me not go with her," Heart protested nervously.
"But you've only got the clothes we picked out for you, maybe going with Mal here will help you find things you like to wear. It would be good for both of you," Nosedive pushed Heart towards Mallory.
Mallory's eyes narrowed as she looked at Heart. Heart tried to back away but to no avail. Finally the red head sighed and said, "Let's go."
Heart obediantly followed behind Mallory, though not before looking over her shoulder to Nosedive and Grin for help. Nosedive only urged her to go with their teammate before they headed back to the Pond themselves.
"So, how long do you plan on staying with us?" Mallory questioned as they wandered through the isles, "Surely you don't plan on living with us forever?"
"I hadn't really thought that far ahead," Heart admitted, "I just know I don't want to be with the Saurians anylonger. I hated what they did to Puck World, and I couldn't stand that they were attempting to do the same to this world. I want to protect others, not destroy them."
"Why didn't you stand up to them back on Puck World then?" Mallory questioned sharply.
"I told you what happened Mallory," Heart reminded her, "I didn't have much of a way to fight the persuasion spell Wraith placed on me."
"And suddenly you do?"
Heart winced at her distrustful tone. She wondered why Nosedive had thought this would be a good idea. Finally she attempted, "Maybe seeing those I knew helped it fade out?"
"Sure it did," Mallory shook her head.
Heart's shoulders sank again, but she continued to follow behind her.
"Man they're getting pretty leniant with their pet policies aren't they?" They both heard someone scoff from the side of the isle.
Heart and Mallory glanced over to see a few humans gathered together, each of them leering at the two young women.
"First these ducks and now a lizard," one of the women with the group mocked.
Heart eyed her scales a moment before looking back to Mallory. The red head was looking through the dresses along the isle, not paying the group much mind at all.
"Why bother looking? Dressing like us won't hide what freaks you are!" Another young woman taunted while walking up to Mallory and eyeing the dress she was looking over, "It doesn't go with your style anyway does it?"
Mallory still didn't speak to the girl, nor did she even look at her.
"What even goes with feathers?" One of the guys questioned, "Those jersies sure don't."
"And what would work with them?" The girl prompted.
"I don't know," he laughed while reaching for Mallory's arm, "Aren't you listening freak?"
As he reached for Mallory Heart grabbed his wrist quickly, "Why don't you back off creep?"
"Let go you monster!" He ordered while pulling his arm from her, "You think a scaled mutant like you belongs here any better than she does?"
"I might not, but without her and her teammates people like you wouldn't be very safe would they? They're heroes, especially seeing what kind of people they're trying to protect!" Heart assured them with energy sparking around her slightly.
"You little witch, how dare you?!"
"Witch? That's a new one," Heart commented.
Mallory's eyes widened hearing and seeing this. Now the two men stepped up together, looking down at the duck and dragon. Both looked up with contempt in their eyes.
"We're trying to shop here," Mallory said dryly while picking out another dress and holding it up to Heart now.
"Seems to me you'd have better look at a circus or perhaps a barn?" The second man taunted looming over Mallory, "That's where animals like you belong isn't it?"
"And yet they're saving your hydes everyday!" Heart bit back with a glare in her eyes.
"I've had just about enough of you! You know what I do to actual lizards like you? I put them in a cage where they belong! Maybe we should do the same to you!"
At this Mallory stepped forward and with a set glare of her own looked the man dead in the eye, "It's really creeps like you that need to be locked up you know that? Now if you don't mind my friend and I would like to shop!"
Heart looked to Mallory a bit surprised by this. She was further startled to find the red head grasping her shoulder and leading her away from the group.
"They're not worth the trouble," Mallory insisted as they walked to another isle.
"Mallory you didn't need to stand up for me like that," Heart tried to say.
"Maybe, but then you didn't need to stand up for me either. I can't say that I fully trust you yet; but you at the very least deserve respect as any lady does," Mallory said firmly before holding up another dress against Heart, "What do you think?"
"I think I'm lucky to be around someone as strong as you are...back home...I..."
Mallory gave a light laugh, "I meant about the dress."
"Oh...sorry...I don't know much about this sort of thing," Heart admitted, "As long as I can get around easily it doesn't matter what I'm wearing really."
"Well...we're having a party after the game tonight to celebrate some things. You have to be there anyway so you may as well dress up with us," Mallory told her.
"But I'm not a part of your team, I don't need to..."
"Aren't you trying to be though?" Mallory asked, "Look, it's going to take a bit to get everyone on your side, including me; but while you're trying you may as well dress the part for things."
Heart rubbed the back of her neck nervoulsy, "I don't know..."
Mallory gave a light smile before Heart recoiled from her own scales.
"You know, they're actually rather pretty when you really look at them. They certainly stand out," Mallory offered, "But you don't seem very proud of them."
"All they do is remind others of what I'm not," Heart mentioned, "And...I'm still not sure how I even have them in the first place."
"Wildwing mentioned that when he met you you appeared to be human," Mallory noted.
Heart nodded, "But when I got to Puck World they started growing. I have an idea as to why, but I don't know if I believe it myself..."
"What do you think happened?" Mallory asked while holding a pink dress up to Heart and shaking her head.
"It's a bit hard to explain..." Heart said.
"You do realize sounding like that is making it harder for us to believe you?"
Heart sighed, "I do."
"You want us to trust you, then you need to trust us too," Mallory told her.
"I do, more than I've trusted anyone," Heart insisted, "I just know how it'll sound if I talk about where I'm from."
"Is it really stranger than us coming to this world?" Mallory tried to get her to laugh while gesturing towards the window with humans shopping outside.
Heart laughed softly, "I guess not."
"How about this one?" Mallory suggested while holding up a soft teal dancing dress to the young woman.
"It shows my scales..." Heart protested nervously.
"Again, they themselves aren't the problem, we just need to know that we can trust you," Mallory tried to tell her.
Mallory then looked over and snapped her fingers at the sight of something. Tucked away was a tunic styled dress with flared sleeves, it's color matched Heart's hair. Synching it together was a teal ribbon, with the same color accenting the dress at the wide cut that allowed the dress to drape over Heart's shoulders a bit. The skirt went to just above the girl's knees and spun with her as she moved.
"Did Dive give you any money to shop with?" Mallory asked.
Heart shook her head, "I don't think he did?"
Mallory sighed as she took the dress from Heart and paid for it with her own.
"You didn't have to," Heart said.
Mallory shook her head, "Don't worry, Nosedive will pay me back."
The red head then looked up at the clock outside the shop, "We'd better get back. The game will start in a bit."
Heart nodded before following her back to the pond.
"Thanks by the way," Heart quickly said.
"Just don't make me regret this okay?" Mallory told her.
Heart gave a hopeful smile.
Before long the stadium above their headquarters filled up with fans ready to watch their game. Heart found herself sitting beside Phil to watch them play officially for the first time. For the occasion she allowed herself to wear the jersey Duke had given her. Vulpina sat on the opposite side of Phil to avoid being close to the draconic girl. Heart tried to ignore this and focused on the game starting in front of her.
Though Heart had never been good at playing herself back on Puck World, there was something about watching them that resonated with her. It were almost like watching memories she knew had never happened. A proud smile came over her none the less as they made their winning goal with Nosedive behind the shot.
Heart jumped up, as she had several times through the game, and cheered them on. She watched as they met in the middle, clashing their sticks together while shouting, "Ducks Rock!"
Then they skated out of the rink, waving to the crowd as they did. Heart looked to see Duke waving to her, causing Vulpina to give her a glare as she waved back.
"That was a good game," Phil grinned as he noted the score board.
Heart nodded her head as she got up to follow him back to their headqaurters. She noticed Vulpina hanging back near the locker room. A part of her wanted to wait as well, that part of her won over. Though she avoided standing near Vulpina wearing the jersey she had on. Phil waited nearby as well to keep watch over Heart as ordered. Though he was starting to wonder why at this point.
"Let's get ready to party guys!" Nosedive proclaimed as he rushed out of the locker room in his casual jersey.
The teenager quickly hurried over to Heart to throw an arm around her, "I saw you cheering us on out there!"
"You guys were amazing!" Heart smiled as they all filed out of the locker room.
"Of course we were!" Nosedive beamed with pride, "But I'm glad you had fun still!"
Heart couldn't help but give a light laugh from his enthusiasm.
After heading down below and changing in their rooms, Heart soon found herself stepping out into the hallway where Nosedive was supposed to be waiting. However she instead found Duke leaning back against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. Seeing her he smiled and stood straight up to greet her. Heart froze looking up at him while standing there in her dress.
"Mind if I escort ya Heart?" He offered.
Heart hesitated, knowing the looks she would get from Vulpina if she accepted. Duke, still offering an arm to her then looked her over a moment.
"Quite strikin' by the way sweetheart," he mentioned to her with a charming smile.
He watched as she blushed a bit from this remark. She then took in how nicely he was dressed with his burgundy dress shirt, black jeans, and a black casual dress vest over the top.
"I don't want to cause another problem," Heart protested while stepping back.
"Don't worry about what she might think," Duke added.
"But aren't you two...?"
Duke shook his head, "Not like that, no. But our parntership has nothin' to do with the one you an' I are tryin' to build. Now come on darlin', the others are already gettin' started. We should be there with them."
Heart looked up at him wanting to accept, "You didn't have to do this..."
"No, but I would like to none the less," he said as she finally reached for his arm.
"Well if everyone's at the party and I have to be watched at all times it doesn't give me much choice now does it?" She tried to say.
Duke gave a chuckle, "Even still, I wanted to. Now let's go join them."
Soon they were in the main room with everyone enjoying food and music. Nosedive had gotten a hold of the cds and was playing some rock n roll for everyone. Each of them were in casual dress including Vulpina who had seemed to come out to join them for the first time in a while.
Vulpina leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, as she listened to the strange Earth music. She kept her eyes closed, tapping her finger against her arm.
"Haven't seen much of you lately Vulpina, you doing okay?" Tanya asked with genuine concern.
"Yeah... I'm alright..." She replied to the tech of the crew, keeping mostly to herself during the little get together.
When Duke came into the room with Heart Nosedive waved them over, "There you are girly-girl! Welcome to the party!"
Heart, letting go of Duke's arm, walked over to look at what Nosedive was setting up.
"You like rock 'n' roll?" Nosedive asked.
"It sounds interesting," Heart mused while listening.
Duke then noticed Vulpina as well and with a deep breath walked over to her, "Hey...ya alright?"
When Duke approached her, she looked off to the side, and let out a huff. "Guess I look jealous, don't I?"
Duke looked at her with a bit of frustration, "I was tryin' to let that all go an' move on Vulpina. Ya know I didn't mean to hurt ya that night. Our first time talkin' since an' that's what ya open with after all these years bein' partners?"
Duke glanced over to see Heart learning with Nosedive how to set up the next few songs. Wildwing and Tanya were talking about the game they'd just played, Mallory was dancing, and Grin was enjoying some of the food they had ordered for the occasion, even Phil seemed to be enjoying himself as well.
"Things don't need to be like this between us, we can all be a team together Vulpina," Duke offered calmly.
Letting out sigh, she looked down. "... perhaps I have been a little harsh... looks like everyone's enjoying having her around.."
Duke looked at her a bit surprised, giving a smile to hear this, "Jus' give her a chance Vulpina."
He watched as Dive pulled Heart into a dance to a fast paced rock n' roll song. Poor Heart wasn't sure what to do.
"I don't know where she came from before Puck World...but I have a feelin' she didn't get to live around others the way she acts. She showed me bits of it threw her drawings, but I haven't gotten much more out of her about it," Duke then said.
He looked over his partner, "Ya look nice by the way, been a while since we've hung out hasn't it?"
Duke then sighed, "I know I can't offer ya what ya really want from me, an' I am sorry for that; but I still consider ya a valued friend."
She forced a weak smile, and nodded. "Thanks... that still meas alot to me.." Letting out another sigh, she looked towards the group. "She say anything about me?"
"She doesn't have much to go off of yet. Though she did say she didn't want to cause a problem with you an' I, despite my tryin' to encourage her that it would be okay. Then again she has been mainly around Nosedive and Grin since gettin' here. I've only gotten to talk to her one on one every once in a while," Duke admitted.
"Though when I went to bring her to the party she was afraid of what you might think," he added while watching Heart try to dance and winced when Dive stepped on her a little.
Glancing towards the girl, Vulpina held back a grin at hearing Duke didn't get much of a chance to talk with her, "Look... if it means that much to you, I'll be nicer to her. Heck, I might go and talk to her a little bit, friendly like."
Duke looked after Heart wincing again as she tried not to get stepped on once more. "That might save her," Duke chuckled lightly, "If you don't, I might."
With that, she started to head over towards Heart. Fighting the disgust and fury building inside of her, she approached the scaled girl, and gave a smile. "Well, hello there."
Heart looked to the woman a bit startled, "H-Hello, it's Vulpina right?"
Dive was just as surprised as Heart was, but had released her from their dance.
"Is everything okay?" Heart asked a bit nervously while making sure most of her scales were covered, though she couldn't really hide hands and face.
"Look... kid... I'm sorry for being so harsh in how I treated you before. Just... war kinda puts you on edge." She stood there, keeping her arms crossed as she addressed Heart. "Hope you can understand that..."
Heart nodded with a solemn look in her eyes, "I do understand...but I swear I'm not here to hurt anyone. I want to be a part of this team. I want to protect others as all of you do."
She gave a nod, and smirked. "That's fair... guess I should give you a better chance. Let's just put the past in the past, and, we can try this again. I'm Vulpina."
Heart offered her hand out, "I'm Heart, and that sounds great to me."
Taking the hand, she shook it tightly, and smirked.
For a bit everyone enjoyed the music playing and food.
Though Duke noted as Heart avoided dancing further, and seeing her all dressed up and trying to still enjoy the music, found himself walking up to her. With a swift bow to her he offered a hand, "May I have this dance sweetheart?"
Heart felt something in her chest skip a beat as he did this, "I don't think that's a good idea, Duke..."
Duke smiled, "Of course it is, jus' trust me."
Heart found herself unable to resist as she reached out her hand to him. He then pulled her into a dance, carefully leading her, "That' it. See?"
Heart listened as he instructed her, but found eventually that he stopped and she just followed his lead. He then had her spin beneath his fingers. Then he spun her back into him. Heart looked up at him blushing quite a bit as he caught her.
Watching as the two danced, Vulpina walked over to get herself a drink, and tearing off the tab, chugged it down aggressively. Looking over towards Dive, she smirked. "So, kid, she's staying with you?"
"Yeah, she's really kinda become like my little sister lately. Her, Grinster, and I have become quite the trio," Dive answered with a smile as he noticed the two dancing.
He then realized Vulpina could see them too and winced slightly, "Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering... what would you say she's like then?" She asked, twitching her tail behind herself.
Nosedive thought for a bit before answering, "Well she's always drawing in the sketchbook we got her. So I would say art stuff, she likes hanging out with us, and..." he stopped himself before slipping, almost biting his beak a bit and saving himself, "And she seems to like music. Why? Thinking of a peace offering?"
"You could say that." She grinned, watching Duke and Heart dance, burying down her irritation at how close the two were.
"Say... Dive, perhaps we could play one of those video games you like. The one with the space man and the demons? Think I have some venting I need to do."
Nosedive shrugged before glancing at what was possibly giving her the reason to vent. Then he gave a smile before having her follow him over to the television in the room and setting up games for them to play.
While he was surprised to hear she wanted to play, he was also trying to give Heart a chance to be around Duke without being glared at. As he glanced over at the girl he considered his sister, and seeing her forget about her troubles for a bit with him, Dive didn't mind running distraction. Who knows, perhaps this would help both Heart and Vulpina after some time?
"Here you go!" Dive said with a wide grin before taking a seat and offering her the first controller for once, "I'll follow your lead Mam!"
A little surprised at him taking player two spot, Vulpina took the controller, and went on to play with the teenage duck, mowing away demons. She needed to get her frustation out somehow... and, it was fun playing with him.
Eventually the party began to wind down, but Heart found herself a bit reluctant to say good night to everyone.
"Ya alright?" Duke asked her as he noticed her watching the others quietly.
Heart nodded, "This is the first time I've been alright in a long time..."
Duke looked to her curiously, noticing as she hugged her arms over her chest anxiously. Looking around the room with her he could see everyone easing up finally after a tense few weeks.
"Just a bit more time an' things will work out, jus' relax for now," Duke assured her while looking back to her.
She gave a slight smile hearing this, but still seemed a bit uneasy. She tried to relax her arms though, dropping her hands to her sides. Duke took a chance and took her by the hand as he said quietly, "Come with me."
After ripping and tearing a literal legion of demons, Vulpina put the controller down. "Well, I think that's enough for me tonight. Had alot of fun though!" She said to Dive, before getting up.
Heading out, she spotted Duke and Heart leaving the room together. Gritting her teeth, she returned to the couch with Dive, and picked back up the controller, "One more level."
Dive noticed as well, and quickly handed her the controller. Grin too sat with them and tried to give advice, but wound up just watching them play.
Heart followed alongside Duke as he lead her up through the pond. Eventually they came to a door opening up to the roof of their home.
"I know it's probably not like the caverns of your home realm, but I thought maybe you'd enjoy the view," Duke said to her while gripping her hand and stepping out with her.
The draconic young woman's breath escaped from her as she looked out over the city, taking in the lights as though they were stars fallen upon the Earth.
"Look up sweetheart," Duke then said as Heart did just that.
Heart smiled as she gazed up at countless stars glistening over their heads.
Still holding her hand, Duke walked with her along the roof. Soon they found a steady place to sit together and look out over the city. As they did Duke noticed Heart shiver slightly and placed his vest gently over her shoulders, "Here."
"Th-Thank you..." she breathed looking up at him, knowing at least her face was warmer now.
He smiled and looked back up at the stars.
"I was trying to protect them.,,my family..." Heart attempted after sitting quietly for a while, "But...I wasn't strong enough on my own..."
Duke looked to her a bit thrown off by this.
"Back home, in the caverns...and the reason I have these scales, I think they were the result of something..."
"What happened, Heart?"
She hugged her legging covered knees to her chest.
"I was trying to protect the dragons of my home, their magic is important to it and if they go extinct so will that magic. But they are also not as they are in fairytales here, nor are they like the Saurians that you fight. Yet people fear them none the less, and they are hunted still. So I stood to defend them...with my own magic manifesting..." Heart explained nervously.
"Heart, stop worryin' whether I'll believe ya or not an' jus' tell me okay?"
"During a fight with some poachers and..." she paused while wincing a bit, "...thieves..."
"It's okay Heart."
"Something happened, triggering my magic, and...something noticed and took interest...ever since it has been following me, trying to take my magic, and make me into it's puppet...it almost did once, but I managed to get it off of me...but...it followed me back to the caverns, where mother and the other dragons were..."
She hesitated, grimacing as though reliving some sort of pain.
"What happened sweetheart? Please tell me so I can help ya...?"
"Shadow, a creature of just what it sounds like, fought with me, and it struck me hard...that day I nearly died...but Mother returned and encased me in some sort of crystal and her magic saved my life...but I think it changed me as well. When I woke up months later she ordered for me to leave and not come back. She told me to find someone, to find a new home, where Shadow couldn't follow me...but she didn't tell me that this..." she looked at her clawed hands, "...would happen..."
Heart then burried her face in her hands, "I know how this sounds...but I swear this is what happened...I didn't tell anyone before because I..."
Duke saw her trembling and quickly placed his hands over her shoulders, "Heart...it's okay."
"How is it okay?! I failed them! If I had been able to fight it back I..."
"Would have gone on bein' alone in those caverns?"
"I wasn't alone...I had the dragons with me..." Heart attempted.
"Heart...it sounds to me like your mother saw what you were sacrificin'...what ya almost did for them, an' maybe she wanted to save you too?" Duke offered.
Heart looked up from her arms. He in turn smiled while still supporting her.
He then thought back to the night they first met, the night she had come to Puck World and grimaced, "I'm sorry I didn't reach ya that night ya arrived...if I had gotten to ya maybe we could have helped ya sooner somehow, an' kept ya from their claws...no wonder ya ended up with them for a while..."
"Why do you believe me? Through all of this why have you backed me up when a few of the others, including your friend, have doubted me?" She asked him.
Duke glanced away for a moment with a sigh of his own, then he said, "'Cause I know how it feels to not have someone believe me. The others may trust me in battle, an' I've since earned a bt more of their trust...but I still get looks occassionally from the others that I might slip up, or backtrack. I can't say enough how gems don't interest me, an' I enjoy protectin' others now, but the life I had before follows me still."
Heart then asked him, catching him off guard, "Would you tell me a bit about it Duke? Your life before all of this?"
"Did somethin' change?"
"Please?"
Duke gave a slight smile and told her about some of the adventures he'd had before the invasion. He mentioned how he was once the leader of his gang, and talked about his partnership with Vulpina a bit.
"So what brought you to all of that?" Heart asked with genuin curisoity as she listened intently.
A soft chuckle escaped Duke's throat, "Well...I always wanted a life of adventure, but I was too wild for the military at the time, nor did I want to be an officer. Then when I was a teenager, I found I had a knack for sleight of hand an' stealth, an' I got an adrenaline rush from it that I enjoyed. So I started sharpenin' my skills over the years an' finally rebelled to join the Brotherhood of the Blade. After a few years I was deemed their next leader."
"But...doesn't it bother ya knowin' this?"
"Actually, it sounds exciting, and those experiences made you who you are now," Heart admitted with a strengthening smile.
"Excitin' huh?" Duke asked as he noticed her blushing softly, "Do ya wish maybe you could have gone on an adventure with me?"
Duke couldn't help but chuckle as she tried to answer this. Then he offered, "Maybe if ya stick with us we can? That is...if ya trust a thief like me?"
Heart smiled, "Of course I trust you Duke."
"Ya know, you're quite cute when ya blush, sweetheart," he teased her, making it much worse.
He then noticed how late it was getting and got to his feet. Holding his hand out to Heart he helped her up and began leading her back through the pond. Still grasping her hand he escorted her to her and Nosedive's now shared room.
"Back safe an' sound," Duke said with a smile before releasing her hand and gesturing towards the door.
Heart felt a reluctance creeping over her as she looked up at him. Something about him kept her calm, and the pressure in her back was kept at bay.
"Thank you for believing me, Duke," she finally said to him.
"No problem Heart, an' try not to worry okay? You're safe here with us an'..." he paused as though catching himself as he looked into her sapphire eyes.
Heart tilted her head curiously as though noticing this. Duke gave a soft laugh as he shook his head at his own thoughts. Then, looking at Heart still, he bent forward slightly and whispered to her, "An' you're safe with me sweetheart." And with that he swiftly kissed her cheek before standing up again with a charming smile over him.
He watched as her cheeks nearly matched her hair while she stumbled over her words, "Duke...?"
"Thank you for trustin' me," he said to her simply, "With your past an' from my own."
With that he gave a polite bow to her with his hand placed over his heart. Then he headed down the hall towards his room, trusting her to go into her own room unwatched. And she did with a hopeful smile washing over her.
The next morning Heart awoke to find Nosedive had already left for breakfast. She wondered briefly if he had forgotten their rule and quickly got dressed to hurry after him. Yet entering the hall she noticed another drake down the hall heading towards the galley. Hearing the door open behind him he turned to face her. Duke waved to her and then waited for her to meet up with him before continuing down the hall, talking with her as they walked. As they did they both felt a brief wave of deja vu wash over them, but quickly dismissed it.
Soon they were in the galley where they found the others all having breakfast. Wildwing was scolding Nosedive a bit for leaving Heart unnattened, but eased up when he saw one of their teammates was still with her at least.
"I told you it would be fine," Nosedive nudged his brother playfully before escaping a stern glare in return.
"Give it a bit more time," Duke assured Heart when they heard this.
Peppering a hard boiled egg, Vulpina took a bite before heading out of the kitchen as she spied Heart. Going down the halls, she made sure to duck into a portion of the base that was rarely frequented. Letting out a deep breath, she looked down at the shadow the florescent light cast from her figure. "... we have a problem, Shadow. We need to talk."
Shadow's eyes peered from her shadow as he stretched up and stood before her with his feet still dipped in it.
"A problem? Are you not a part of this team as you asked for, are you two not partners...?" he paused taking in his senses, "She's here isn't she? I feel her magic, but it's not quite potent enough for me to partake in yet...what has happened?"
"Apparently she was with the Saurians, and Duke found her after a few of the planet's natives attacked her. I tried telling them that she's a spy, that she's dangerous, that she's a threat, but, they have no sense!"
"I see...this is tricky isn't it? You want your man and I need her apart from him. They're bond is what made her start fighting back, but I also need the rest of her magic to manifest before I pounce...We need to form a plan to keep them from forging that bond...but it sounds as though that's difficult..." He looked Vulpina over and pondering, "You said she was with the Saurians? I wonder if they would be looking for their lost comrade?"
"Hmmm... they could... I'll got see if I can find them and perhaps... persaude them to take her off our hands." She let out a dark snicker, grinning ear to ear.
"We'll need a way to keep her from running back though...to shake their growing connection, and to make him turn to you instead...As they are apart she grows further into being what I crave for her to be and soon she will be the vessel I was meant to own..."Shadow snickered greedily, "And he will look at you as he always should have. I've never understood their "bond" to begin with."
"Perhaps you could give her a little.. push when it's needed? Shove her towards being what you want?" She asked, pondering their options.
"A push? How so? I'm open to suggestion..." Shadow grinned a wide ear to ear smile.
"You can mess with people's perspective... perhaps a little rumormongering would be helpful."
"Reach into their shadows? Convince them of the monster she really is? That might be fun to do while I wait," he mused as he began splicing pieces of himself off and sending them off through the headquarters.
"Their memories are so fragile right now as it is," he cackled before growling slightly, "Though the time they've spent with her was beginning to undo all that we have worked towards, she's a quick one isn't she? The younger one and his giant friend will be more difficult with how much time they have been around her. And your drake...seems to be quite stubborn."
She gritted her teeth, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms. "You can say that again... And it's getting on my nerves." Letting out a huff, her tail swished in agitation. "You'd think it would be easier after Falcone.."
Shadow pondered still before mentioning, "He knows of her past, and she now knows more of his, this may be more difficult to pull off."
He peered into Duke's memories with his scouts tapping into their shadows, "There's a piece we're missing...an aspect of him that bonded with her rather than you, what could it be? You were his partner, this time you remained at his side and kept him from rescuing her? What are we..." He suddenly let out a laugh as though he found something hidden away..."Missing?"
She half growled, her fur sticking up in irritation. "Yeah, just rub it in there... you got an idea?"
"When we find those Saurians, I shall tell them of what she's done and make sure to tell their leader that the way to keep her from leaving again is by making sure they know not to trust her. I will tell him what she has learned from the memories I see, making it appear as though she told him, and I will make sure their view of her gets twisted into seeing what she really is. Even that thief of yours will wish he'd never caught her when she should have given up and fallen!" He gave a wicked laugh.
"I like the way you think." She smirked, as she gave a nod. "I'll con the lizards, and you take care of the birds."
With that Shadow slunk back into her shadow, but left his scouts lingering the halls unnoticed until the time was ready, "Once she sees that they no longer trust her, and he turns his back on her, she will crumble and will become mine, and he will be yours as your reward my dear."
"Excellent..." With that, she headed out to the master computer of the compound, and started looking for any... suspicious activity that might be from the reptilian invaders.
Meanwhile, both Seige and Chameleon slunk through the city, the larger of the two still furious at the smaller for letting Heart vanish, "I swear, if we don't find her before the week is up, I'm going to wring your neck!"
Taking a nervous gulp, the shapeshifter rapidly nodded. "I swear, she just left the theater without saying anything! And I thought we were having a good time.."
"Well, it'll be the last good time you'll have until we get her. Dragonus was about to boil us both alive for your blunder!"
However, they both came to a halt when they saw the figure of the alien vixen approaching them.
Bringing up their blasters, Siege bellowed. "Stop right there, you duck loving mutt!" Raising up her hands, Vulpina gave a grin, and chuckled. "Actually... I think we want the same thing... and, I think we can reach an agreement..."
While back at the Pond Heart watched the team practice for the next game. Even with the one won the night before they never took a break. She watched contently while occasionally working on a sketch in her book. Something about all of this, though still new, seemed familiar to her.
At one point Nosedive waved to her and she went to the rink to watch closer out of excitement, "Enjoying the show girly-girl?"
Heart nodded with a cheerful smile as she watched Duke make another shot.
"So you two vanished on us last night?" He teased her, "Could my new little sister be letting herself get stolen away already?"
Heart couldn't keep herself from blushing any more than she could stop breathing it seemed. It didn't help that Duke glanced at her with a charming smirk.
"Wing was talking about easing up on you soon," Dive encouraged before going back to practice.
Heart wiped away the tears misting in her eyes at this news before watching them some more.
Suddenly, their alarms on their comms went off, the klaxon blaring at the news of some message being forced into their system. Siege, trying to the communicator to work, finagled the machine. "Is this thing on?"
Everyone hurried over together, gathered around the side so Heart could hear too. "What are you creeps up to now?" Wildwing questioned sharply.
Heart grew rigid at the sound of Siege's voice, causing Duke to look over at her and rest a hand on her shoulder while they listened.
"Ya see, yeah, we want the girl back yeah..." Chameleon popped up, taking on the appearance of an old times gangster, only to have Siege push him aside. "... what he said! We want you to turn Heart back over! We know you miserable mallards captured her, and we're demanding you let her go."
"They didn't capture me Siege, I left on my own!" Heart said as Duke held his wrist out so she could use his com, "I don't want to hurt anyone. I know you two tried to be comrades towards me, but I can't do what you want me to! I want to protect others, even from you!" Wildwing looked at Heart a bit surprised to hear all of this.
The orange reptile blinked, taking a moment to process what she said. His eyes narrowed, before continuing. "They obviously are manipulating you! Treat you like garbage back on Puck world, but now they're trying to fish information out of you! Well, we have a captive of our own..." Panning the camera to the side, he revealed Vulpina bound and gagged, letting out distressed muffled cries. "You give us Heart, and we'll give you back the fox."
Duke's remaining eye widened to see his partner captured. Everyone looked to one another to try and figure out a plan.
Heart attempted once more, "They're not manipulating me! I want to be here! Please let her go Siege!"
"Man you guys are asking for a fight!" Nosedive growled back at Siege, "You're just sore that Heart didn't want to stick around, maybe it's because you creeps do this kinda stuff!"
Duke, who had been silent through this, looked at Vulpina and then to Heart before saying, "They're not tokens ya cretins."
Obviously irked by this response, he scowled. "You have one hour to make your decision.."
Chameleon butted in, taking on the appearance of a wealthy starlet. "Or I'll have a wonderful new fur coat!"
With that, the transmission ended, and the screen turned to static.
Duke's hands balled into fists at this. He then quick changed with the others as they tried to figure out a plan.
"We could go and look for her!" Nosedive suggested.
"That could take too long," Mallory pointed out, "And I doubt they're playing this time."
Heart listened to this, seeing their worry and frustration. Finally, taking a deep breath, she said, "I'll go."
"What?!" Nosedive exclaimed, "You can't give into this Heart!"
"But we also can't let your friend be killed! If I go back I can make sure they let her go!" Heart pushed back.
"So then what you go back to fighting against us just when we're starting to trust you?!" Wildwing snapped.
Heart's eyes widened hearing this, "...No! I won't fight against you either, but this will buy you the chance you need to get your friend back. Then we can figure something out later, I got away from them once I can do it again."
"We can't give into them Heart," Nosedive said worriedly.
"Dive...I don't want to go, but I don't want your friend paying the price for this freedom..." She then looked up at Duke, "But I will find a way back to you guys once this is settled...please...trust me..." Duke turned his com on to try and reach Vulpina to give an answer without addressing Heart.
Chameleon took off Vulpina's gag, and set her back up right.
"So, you sure they're gonna do it?" He asked, curious about this woman willing to help them get Heart back.
"Of course they will... she's one of you guys right?"
"Yeah, and you're one of them, right? So, why should we still trust you?" The large lizard replied.
"Cause, frankly... I don't want her with them, and and neither do you."
With the comm buzzing, Vulpina went silent, and grinned. "Think you might wanna take that."
Chameleon snatched it up, and chuckled. "This better not be another telemarketer."
Duke again offered his comm towards Heart, but without looking at her this time, "Where's the meet up point Siege? I'll come back, but you have to promise to let her go!"
"And we're sending someone to make sure the trade off happens," Wildwing said firmly. "I'll go," Duke answered quickly. Wildwing gave an understanding nod.
"Meet us at the city dump in an hour. Make sure it's just him and the girl. Try anything funny, and your friend will be joining the endangered species list.!"
"Alright," Heart replied before Duke cut the signal with a nod of his own, "Got it."
He knew threatening them wouldn't do any good. He then looked to the others and said, "I guess we'll be headin' out then won't we?"
"Duke this is dangerous, especially with the two of you going without back up," Wildwing stated.
"We'll be fine Wing," Duke assured while glancing at Heart, "Ya ready?"
He noticed that she was wearing the jersey he'd given her. She reluctantly nodded her head and with that they were leaving the pond.
For a bit it was quiet between the two of them. "We're almost there."
"Duke...I don't want to leave..." Heart attempted, "As soon as I can I'll find my way back to you guys. But I don't want Vulpina to be hurt."
"An' ya think I want you trapped instead?" He asked her, "What is your plan?"
Heart tried to think fast before looking to him, "They're not goin' to let ya out of their sight any time soon after this one."
"If I can get a hold of a teleporter I can..."
Duke smirked and slipped a hand into his shirt front and retrieving the one she had given Wildwing, "Like this one?"
Tanya had repaired it as well. Heart looked to him a bit surprised, "It won't get ya to the pond due to our shields, but tell me where to meet ya an' I'll be there."
"Then why were you so quiet before?" Heart asked.
Duke looked to her, "I guess I was worried about you bein' back in their claws...that maybe you wanted to go back, but..." he paused and looked into her eyes to read her, "I think I know better" he gave a slight smirk.
"Where should we meet?" Heart asked. Duke looked around and snapped his fingers with his idea coming to mind, "The park maybe?"
Heart gave a smile, "Alright, we'll meet right at midnight at the park."
Soon after they found Vulpina and two lizards waiting just as they said they would be. Heart had long tucked her communicator into her boot to keep it hidden for now.
With her hands tied behind her back, Vulpina was pushed forward, whispering under her breath. "Not so rough!"
Looking back at Duke, she smiled, forced tears to well up in her eyes. "Oh, thank goodness you came!"
Siege lumbered towards Heart, and took her hand. "Let's get you away from these fowls..."
Turning towards Duke, he grinned. "Smart for you to come alone, otherwise things would've went down hill for you real fast."
Duke glared at him but carefully took Vulpina from his grasp. He quickly set her free of her binds, "Are ya alright Vulpina?"
"Yeah, I'll be alright... especially since you came for me.." She answered, as she was brought away from the Saurians.
Heart, pulled forward from him, turned to look over her shoulder at Duke. He noticed and gave a quick smirk as she did as well, too quick for the two lizards to notice, before looking away from one another.
"You're lucky ya didn't lay a finger on my friend here," Duke assured in a stern tone. Heart reluctantly followed behind Siege.
Siege rolls his eyes, as Chameleon let out a raspberry at the rogue.
"Well, we'll be seeing ya at the next get together! Remember to bring me a present!" He exclaimed, before hitting their teleportation device, sending them back tot heir base.
Heart, before they vanished, risked one last look back at Duke as he gave a quick smile to her. Then they were gone.
"I couldn't leave my partner with those lizards...but...it's important ya know that Heart made the decision to swap back for ya. She didn't want you hurt anymore than we did," he told her.
He then walked her back to the pond while telling her his and Heart's plan for midnight.
She took a deep breath, as Duke told her of their plan... hoping that Shadow was paying attention, and keeping up with their side of the deal.
While Heart stood before Dragonus and the rest of the Saurians still in her jersey and cargos they'd given her. She looked up at the crimson scaled Overlord a bit nervously, but took a deep breath to try and remain calm. She also didn't speak to either of them just yet as she waited for whatever happened next. Chameleon looked on nervously, as Siege stood by, cold as stone.
Dragonus, eyeing the girl, curled his upper lip in disgust, "Just because those birds captured you, it doesn't mean you must wear that hideous outfit anymore."
"I want to wear it...it's comfortable..." Heart said glancing at the emblem for a moment and placing her hand over it. Anyway, you wanted to speak to me Dragonus?" She accidentally dropped saying "Lord" as she addressed him.
Again the pressure began to build in her back as it had before, until now it had almost vanished. As she spoke, Shadow relayed information to Dragonus through his shadow, giving what he needed to ensure Heart never wanted to leave again, almost as though he were able to read her mind. Though it wasn't much more than Nosedive starting to warm up to humans, Mallory dealing with distrust, Wildwing missing his best friend that they had lost, and a bit about Duke's past...it was enough.
"You leave the Raptor without my permission, and end up in the base of those accursed ducks! And on top of that, you were fraternizing with them, as if they were your friends. Do you not remember their treatment of you on Puck world?! How they reacted when they learned what you are?! How dare you have the nerve to wear their emblem in my presence!" He slammed his fist on the armrest of his seat, fire flaring from between his teeth.
Heart tried to stand her ground, "I don't want to hurt anyone! Scales or not I'm not one of you!"
Energy began to spark around her, her back building pressure as she gritted her teeth, "They helped me while I was injured...and he..." she paused..."he saved my life...I'm wearing this because he..." she bit her lip nervously, "I..."
Shadow proceeded to give Dragonus the intel he needed to make sure Heart never wished to leave, especially in regards to the drake she was referring to.
Rising up, he pointed at her, fury in his eyes. "You're a traitor! That's what you are girl. We rescued you, and you betrayed us... But no matter. Before you decided to run off with your rogue boyfriend, I made sure your gear had a tracking device on it. Now we know where there base is, and we'll level it flat!"
Letting out a snarking laugh, he turned around. "Take her to the prison cells, Siege, while I decide what to do with her..."
The large brute solemnly nodded, as he began to lead Heart away. "Sorry about this little lady..."
Heart, glaring at them with energy sparking around her, didn't notice Wraith quickly slipping up to the Over Lord with a slimey smile over him, "My Lord, that may be a bit too...brash...She is clearly confused, charmed by their rogue as only a thief knows how to do I'm sure, but why not persuade them and her that they are not the group they think they are? Tell them you sent her and use the intel you recieved to make sure they never wish to see her again!"
Heart's eyes widened hearing this and she struggled against Siege's grip, "Don't! Please Dragonus, don't do this...!"
She was panicking as Wraith waved a hand towards the communication console, "Why not give them the message they need now? They're trust in her can't be that strong to survive such a truth?"
"Hmmm... that is an excellent idea..." Manipulating the communicator machine, he pulled up the team.
Seeing the ducks on the other side, he smirked. "I see that you've keep my subject in good condition. Very kind of you... especially with how gregarious the lot of you were with her. So many delectable tidbits you had to share with her..."
"What are you talking about lizard lips?" Nosedive questioned from beside his brother.
Everyone had gathered around Drake One to listen. Heart from behind Dragonus tried to plead for him to stop, but was silenced by Wraith with a quick spell, momentarily muting her voice. Duke noted Heart standing quietly still wearing his jersey while standing behind the Over Lord, what he didn't see was how she was being forced to stand in place without her voice.
Pulling a tracking device from his pocket, a nasty grin crossed his face, "We know your location, your secrets... everything, you wretched feathered upstarts. Now, it's just a matter of time for you before we deep fry all of you."
Heart tried to fight against Siege's grip.
"You planted it on her!" Mallory tried to say in disbelief.
"Or you could be lying to us, why should we even believe you creepasuar?" Wildwing asked, giving Heart a shred of hope before seeing Dragonus's grin.
"All we have to go off of is that you have a bit of machinery in your claw," Grin stated.
Gesturing towards Wraith, he grinned. "Would her confession be enough then? Come now, Heart... do take pride in your work."
Heart bit her lip tightly, refusing to speak even if she had a voice.
Wraith laughed, "It was so amusing to hear of your concerns, how you all are bonding or not with those of this planet..." He looked to Dragonus, after eyeing Heart's jersey that she wore proudly while trying to look to Duke, hoping he could read her.
"What was it she said about their rogue Lord Dragonus? She seems a bit tired out from her long mission."
"Oh. Yes... how easy it was to wrap him around her fingers. How he so desperately wanted to be a hero, and she played him like a fiddle." He let out a sadistic laugh, wringing his hands together. "As Chameleon would put it, you deserve an Oscar for your performance."
Duke listened to this, his remaining eye widening from disbelief to hear this. Before Heart could alert him to the lie it was Wraith laughed and moved her from the screen, "She's too worn out from pretending it seems to take a bow Lord Dragonus."
"Heart how could you do this to us?!" Mallory demanded just before Heart was pulled away.
Heart had seen Duke's expression, she saw the hurt in his eye. She wanted to scream, she wanted to fight back. Yet she was forced to stay back from the screen now.
Dragonus could even see the shock in Wildwing's eyes through the mask, "Well, at least we were able to trade for our true comrades then right?"
The bite in his voice struck Heart's core, and Duke not saying a word nearly shattered what had been beating in her chest for him...
"But no matter what we'll be ready for your plan Dragonus, that won't change!" Wildwing assured firmly before ending the communication.
"Oh, I'm sure you think that... I'm sure you do." The red overlord mocked, before cutting off the transition.
Leaving Heart sliding to her knees as she was released and the spell pulled from her. "Guys...I didn't...it wasn't me...I wouldn't..." Everything she had built for the last two weeks had crumbled apart before her very eyes.
And thus she too crumbled in a way as she started to cry even before them, her scales spreading over her face as she did.
"Duke...I wouldn't do that to you..."
Turning back to the others, Dragonus narrowed his eyes at Heart.
"Siege... take her to her chambers. I think she's done enough for now."
The soldier gave a nod, and started to lead her away back to her room. He took care not to look directly in the face, before leaving her in the chambers. "I'll bring you food when it's ready..."
Heart didn't speak to him, nor did she look at him. In her back her shoulder blades shifted a bit, and he could see something trying to break out. Tears ran down her face as she tried to regain her composure, but to no avail. Slinking to her knees she continued to cry.
Chameleon slowly approached Dragonus, after Heart and Siege left. Taking a nervous gulp, he wrung his hands together. "Boss... perhaps that was abit harsh? I mean, she is one of us..."
The overlord glared down at him, letting out a puff of smoke from is nostrils. "Don't question my decisions, Chameleon... she is the one that apparently left us... left you... that I do not further her punishment is a mercy that I do not give generously."
Chameleon meekly nodded, and slunk away.
While Heart fought the pressure in her back, watching the time closely for the shred of hope she held onto.
Meanwhile back at the pond Wildwing shook his head in disbelief. "We never should have trusted her," Mallory growled.
"I...I can't believe this..." Nosedive said to Grin.
"Could I have misread her aura?" Grin asked with lowered shoulders.
Duke looked away from the screen, he could see Vulpina nearby, but couldn't speak...his hands balled into fists as he tried to find his composure.
Vulpina came over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders, "I'm sorry... I really wish I was wrong..."
Duke pulled away from her before muttering, "Sure ya do..."
With that he walked away and down the hall towards his room.
Nosedive looked after him and shook his head, "I just can't believe this..."
Before Duke got to his room he passed by the gym, paused, and walked inside drawing his saber as he slashed at a training dummy, cutting it clean in half.
Vulpina let out a sigh while others were watching, but quickly went to her own chambers. Grinning ear to ear, she called for Shadow's attention. "I think we finally did it."
"I can feel her losing herself, just a bit longer my friend. For now I will rest until she crumbles apart!" Shadow snickered.
A bit longer, late into the evening, Duke was still sparring alone in the gym. Nosedive had attempted to talk to him, but the ex-thief hadn't been willing to talk or even listen. He looked up to see it was nearly 11.
Pulling out a training sword herself, Vulpina approacheed Duke. Swinging it around in her hand, she came up to him. "So... that girl's still getting to you?"
Duke turned quickly, and Vulpina could see a few practice bots dismantled. Frustration continued to boil, "I don't need to hear how I was wrong Vulpina. I don't need to know how foolish I was for bringin' her here an' trustin' her..."
He gripped his saber before slashing at another bot, "So why do I keep askin' myself what happened? What did I see in her?!" He slipped.
"I wasn't going to say anything else about her... just let you talk to me about it." She added, raising up her blade. "Besides, looks like you need somebody with some actual skill to spar against."
Duke looked at Vulpina and then glanced at the clock, "It's gettin' close to midnight isn't it?..."
He wasn't sure what he should do. Sparring and forgetting about Heart would be easier. "Why do I want to see her? To not believe what was right in front of me? Why did I..." he thought of the night before, "Why do I...?"
He couldn't finish his sentence as he sheathed his saber and looked to Vulpina, "I need to know somethin'..."
Giving him an odd look, she furrowed her brow. "And where do you think you're going. After today, it's too much of a risk to head out right now. Do you really want to fall into her trap after today?"
Duke shook his head, "I know I shouldn't...I know what I heard...but I also know what I felt lookin' at her last night, an' I know you'll hate me for it...but if I am wrong,...I'll forget about her as I probably should..."
"What you felt looking at her?! How you felt looking at her while she had you wrapped around her finger?! Haven't you learned anything?!" She snarled, her fur standing on end. "She said she did it! You heard her! You saw her say it!"
Duke thought about Vulpina's words and then said, "But she didn't. Heart never spoke durin' that transmission!" He then headed towards the door, sheathing his saber, "I jus' need to see for myself!"
About to pull out her hair, she hissed at her own Shadow after Duke left. "I thought your little imps were going to take care of this... blast it, I'm gonna have to do it myself!"
With that, she followed after Duke, tailing behind him.
Shadow awoke, "Follow him, and we'll pull them apart when he sees what she's about to become! Don't worry, all will be as it should be soon enough!"
Duke ran fast, running by Nosedive and Grin in the main room who watched him leave with Vulpuna right behind him. The two wondered what was going on, but decided to let them be.
"Urrrgh... it's like some external force is just too stubborn to see them apart." She growled, as she kept going after Duke.
Vulpina could feel her shadow shaking it's head somehow as Shadow hissed, "As a being of such things I assure you there isn't...it doesn't make it any less infuriating."
Meanwhile Heart made sure she had her teleporter still and tucked it away to keep it hidden from the others. She still hadn't changed out of the jersey, as though clinging to something.
Chameleon snuck up to Heart's chamber. Giving a knock on the door, he grimaced. "Hey there kid... you doing alright in there?"
Heart barely answered, "No...I don't know where I'm supposed to be...why did I leave my home realm for all of this to happen? Why did I leave this place?...Why am I still wearing this?" Her head swam and her back shifted and ached still.
Chameleon let out a sigh, shaking his head. "Heart... you're one of us! Don't worry about those ducks... they can't understand us."
"They accepted me with or without these scales! He..." she fell silent as she looked at the clock, "please..." Before Chameleon could open the door Heart grabbed her teleporter and hit the button, transporting herself to the park.
Chameleon grabbed at his head, as she vanished. "Oooooh... not again!"
Now Heart waited quietly in the park, turning off her communicator so the Saurians couldn't find her. "Please..." she begged as her back screamed in pain.
Heart waited still, crumbling unwillingly to her knees as her back writhed.
As they reached the park Duke looked around quickly. Then across the way from him a bit he saw her. Heart tried to stand, but found herself unable as she started to panic. She had dropped to her hands and knees breathing rapidly as her pupils became slitted like a serpent's.
He hurried to her, "Heart?!"
Yet she couldn't hear him...the pressure built with her panic. Her claws dug into the sidewalk, as though trying to grasp something, anything!
"Heart...?" "Duke...?" They breathed as he stepped towards her and knelt down before her, gripping her shoulders. Finally she looked up into his remaining eye with fear in hers.
"Please..." she begged him as she now tried to hold onto him, "I wouldn't...I didn't...Duke..." Tears welled in her eyes as she tried to tell him, "...I..."
Suddenly Heart felt an immense pressure and heat run up through her. She bit her lip until she finally let out a scream as a pair of wings ripped through her back and her jersey. Duke looked to her stunned, holding her up as he supported her, while she gasped for pained breath before finally looking up at him.
"Heart..." he barely heard himself say in shock as he pulled her close to him, "Heart it's okay..." He was being careful not to pull on her new wings now unfolding over her.
As Duke arrived, and after beholding that awful sight, Chameleon and Siege took this chance, and jumped the duck. Grabbing onto the thief, Siege looked over towards Heart as Chameleon carefully pulld her to her feet. "Don't worry, we'll get you back and taken care of."
"No guys! Please stop!" Heart attempted before they vanished back to the raptor, once more before Dragonus.
And with that, the activated their teleports, and went back to the Raptor...
Vulpina, seeing this unfold, grimaced. "Oooh... that wasn't supposed to happen."
Heart tried to get to Duke as they reappeared, but he was held kneeling before the crimson overlord with Heart standing to the side held up by Chameleon. The ex-thief glanced at Heart, seeing the fear in her eyes, before looking up at Dragonus as he turned towards him.
"So... I see you've chosen to redeem yourself, Heart? This gesture will not go unnoticed... now, toss him into the prison... I have some plans for him..." Dragonus commanded, enjoying his new prize.
Heart shook her head in horror as Duke glared at her before speaking bravely, "No prison has been able to hold me yet Dragonus, this one won't be any different!"
He glanced at Heart before looking way from her.
Heart looked to Dragonus desperately, "Let him go, Lord Dragonus! I swear I won't leave again, please just let him go!"
Duke would have laughed, but he was too angry, and he refused to look at her.
"Let him go? Oh,dear girl.. I don't catch and release. I play for keeps!" He sneered, before letting out a laugh.
The brute of the group dragged Duke away, tossing him into a holding cell.
Chameleon kept her from following after. Heart looked up at Dragonus with anger in her eyes before Chameleon lead her to her room.
As Duke was shoved into his cell Wraith assisted by binding him back with shackles holding him against the wall. Then the door was slammed shut and locked several times over.
"I guess my reputation still proceeds me," he forced a laugh while trying to think of a plan.
While Heart walked with Chameleon back to her room. She couldn't bring herself to speak.
Wraith returned to Dragonus, "So what is your plan for the thief, Lord Dragonus?"
Dragonus grinned, pleased with himself. "Why... use him as bait of course..."
Wraith snickered, "and it seems our little Heart has finally shown him that she is one of us, and that should keep her in line for you my lord."
"I wouldn't be so sure Wraith..." Dragonus pondered, "I want you to plan accordingly in case she decides to step out of line once more."
"Understood, Lord Dragonus," Wraith assured before vanishing.
Meanwhile, Vulpina rushed back to the pond. Gasping from running all the way, she stormed in, "Those blasted lizards got Duke, and Heart helped to lure him into a trap!"
"What?!" Wildwing exclaimed.
"Vulpina what happened? How did they even do this?" Their leader asked. Nosedive shook his head while glancing at Grin, knowing why Duke went, but they waited to hear from Vulpina.
"Duke went to met up with Heart in the park! I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen! He never listens! He's just too dang stubborn!" She exclaimed, pulling at her hair. "We have to get him before they do something horrible to him!"
"I knew they were getting close, but I didn't think after what we found out that he would try something like that," Nosedive sighed.
"Well we have to try and get him back," Wildwing tried to think of a plan.
Tanya checked their comms to find Duke's signal, "They haven't shut off his comm yet."
Wildwing realized through frustration, "They're setting a trap. So we can't just rush in."
He turned to Vulpina, "If we go and run distraction can you and Nosedive sneak in and get Duke out of there?"
"Absolutely. We'll get in, get out, and we'll make sure we get him back safely." She nodded, placing her hand on her blaster. "And if that lizard girl decides to cause more trouble..."
Nosedive winced seeing her gesture. Regaining his confidence he gave a nod.
Yet Wildwing said calmly, "Just focus on finding Duke and getting out. We can deal with Heart later."
"Of course.. of course..." Vulpina replied, removing her hand from the blaster. "You know how to get to them then?"
Duke, in his cell, tried to pull one of his lock picks from the compartment over his wrist to try and get free, but the energy binds held tighter, making him grit his teeth with frustration.
Letting out a deep breath, Chameleon lacked his usual humor as he spoke to Heart, "... look, kid... things will get better... I know the boss can be ruthless at times, but, it's for the best of our kind.."
"What will get better? What's for the best? Betraying those I care about?" Heart shook her head as she tried to think of what to do. But she couldn't act until she was alone.
He let out a sigh, and looked around. As he walked away, but stood on guard nearby.
Heart, before moving, changed into gear as she had before her stay at the pond, and better suited for her new wings. Tears welled her eyes as she held the torn jersey in one hand and ran the other carefully over the emblem, "I swear I'll make this right to you...no matter what it takes..." her voice echoed words that were and weren't familiar to her.
Then she started down the hall towards the holding cells, finding Siege outside of it. She leaned against the wall trying to remain hidden even with her new wings folded behind her.
Meanwhile, Duke's teammates were on their way in the Migrator as they followed his signal. Soon they were outside what appeared to be a tall sky scraper.
"That's the raptor?" Mallory asked.
"It must be a disguise," Tanya said as Wildwing scanned it.
"Alright everyone, let's get ready. Dive and Vulpina, be careful okay?" Wildwing ordered.
While Duke in his cell had pain stakingly slipped his hand from the magic bind and was now trying to pull the other one free. He thought he could hear footsteps outside the door and didn't care to know who it was. Yet the magic manacle seemed to hold his wrist tighter, biting into his feathers and flesh a bit. Still he continued to try and pull free. Gritting his teeth while he worked he thought of how he'd gotten in this mess to begin with. They'd grabbed him so quickly he hadn't had time to react, but...that wasn't normal.
Then Heart's wings emerging flashed in his head. Only now did he realize her claws had torn a bit of his sleeves up around his shoulders as she had held onto him. He growled as he thought of what Dragonus had said, how Heart had lured him in with the plan he had made with her.
"Why didn't I listen?" He asked himself as he remembered Vulpina's warning to him.
Spotting Heart, Siege raised a brow, before letting out a huff. "... so... you want to taunt the new prisoner? I'll give you some time then."
With that, he headed off, leaving the two alone.
Heart stepped from the hall and opened the now unlocked cell door. Sliding it mostly closed behind her she looked ahead of her through the dimmly lit room at the drake still chained to the wall.
"What do ya want?" Duke asked her while trying to make it look like both his hands were bound still.
Heart grimaced at the bite in his voice, but stepped closer to him none the less. He braced himself for a strike from her, or to hear her finally confess what the Saurians had said...yet...he also hoped...hoped that he was wrong, or right? Heart looked up at him before glancing at his binds.
"Duke...I..." she barely had a voice, "I know you won't believe me...but...I..."
As she said this, her voice now shaking, Duke swiftly used his free hand to grip her shoulder and pull her close to him, pulling her up a bit and bending his head forward just enough to kiss her. Heart's eyes widened in shock before closing as she leaned into him. Energy sparked around her as she reached up to pull at his binds, the energy pulling them apart to free him so he could hold her. As he did now, grasping her by both shoulders to sink further into that kiss.
Turning the corner with Dive, Vulpina already had her blaster ready in case they came into any trouble.
"Over here, Dive! It looks like the prison cells are this way!" She yelled back to the younger duck, before turning back around.
Coming to a halt, her eyes went wide at the sight of the two kissing. Her blood boiled, as her hand began to tremble in fury. She fought so hard to be with him. She did everything in her power to make sure that they would be together. Yet somehow... just somehow, the two of them were together, as if there was nothing to stop it from happening or veering off course. Letting out a yell, she darted at the cell, ready to blast the girl to dust.
Dive also seeing this saw Vulpina and quickly grabbed her arm to pull her back a bit. As he did he looked up to see as a wisp of smoke rushed towards the two, a deep chuckle emerging from it as Heart was pulled from Duke quickly and they both teleported away. Leaving Duke alone, but free, in the cell.
"Heart?!" He exclaimed as she and Wraith vanished.
Then he looked to see Vulpina and Nosedive as he hurried to them, "Vulpina! Dive!"
Vulpina rushed in and grabbed him by the collar. "What the heck were you doing with her?! Why the devil were you two kissing?!"
Dive scratched his head as he listened to this, knowing she would not be happy with Duke's answer whatever it was. Duke looked to Vulpina, "She's in trouble Vulpina, I need to get to her! Wraith took her back to Dragonus!"
"I don't care if he took her back to Puckworld! You're coming back with us!" She snarled, tightening her grip on him. There was pure, seething rage in her eyes as she stared him down. "Unless you've turned traitor like Falcone did. Did that Heart turn you to their side?"
"Of course not!" Duke snapped with a firm tone in his voice, but then he added, "But I love her...an' I have to get her back..."
Dive wasn't shocked to hear this, but he quickly looked to Vulpina nervously, ready to hold her back again if needed.
"... should've known... you turned your back on your own gang, and now you're turning your back on us. On me...!" Her lips curled, as she began to raise up her blaster, her hands shaking and her eyes starting to water. "There's only one thing to do with somebody like that!"
Dive was quick though, grabbing Vulpina and holding her back. "Go get her Dukester! We'll sort this out later!"
Duke winced as his partner was grabbed, "I'm sorry..."
Then with a nod of thanks to Dive Duke took off down the hall towards the control room. While in the control room Heart stood with Wraith holding her in place before Dragonus once again. The crimson overlord hadn't turned to face her yet as Wraith shook his head, "It seems you were correct in worrying Lord Dragonus. One of those drakes has charmed her away from us."
Heart stood frozen from the spell and from fear.
Dragonus narrowed his gaze at her, tapping his fingers together as he contemplated her fate. "A pity, really... we took you in, provided you shelter and sanctuary, and took you as one of our own... but, despite your heritage, you to toss your lot in with those ducks. It is an embarrassment, really... and, I can not stand embarrassment."
Rising up, smoke bellowed from his maw, as he let out a chuckle. "I will make an example of you then. As a reminder to those who would betray us."
Heart looked up, eyes wide with fear as she braced for what ever was about to happen. She tried to get free, summoning energy out of desperation. This caused Wraith to release her, but Heart could only manage a step or two back from Dragonus.
"Ya won't lay a claw on her Dragonus!" Duke shouted bravely, catching his breath quickly from sprinting down the hall. There he stood with his saber drawn and ready. On the monitor he could see the others outside putting up a fight against the hunter drones.
Putting an arm out, Dragonus waved Wraith back, and smirked. "You again? Well, looks like I'm going have to deal with you first. But, that's even better... that way Heart can watch as I burn you to a crisp."
Duke stood firm, holding his saber ready for the fight ahead. He knew it wasn't smart. He knew he was outnumbered and Dragonus towered over him with a smug grin on his face. Glancing at Heart though he knew he had little choice. If he left her now he'd lose her one way or another.
"I'm not that easy to get rid of, an' I won't leave empty handed either," he smirked at Heart who watched with worried eyes.
"Such bold last words!" He mocked, before taking a shot with his wrist blaster at the thief.
"Let go of me! Dive!" She squirmed and fought against the duck holding her back, as she watched as Duke ran off... as he always did... to some other woman. Raising a foot, she stomped onto Dive's, and as he recoiled in pan, she speed off, giving chase to Duke. Nosedive quickly forced back the pain and rushed after Vulpina, "What are you trying to do?! I know you care for him, but this won't make him love you!" He then tackled her, rolling with her to try and get the upper hand, using his build to hold her in place.
At Dive's words, what facade of composure she had left snapped, and as he tried to hold her down, she snarled and snapped at him, clawing fighting back with all of her might. "You don't understand what I've done for him! And he tosses me away to be with that lizard girl?! He broke my heart twice, so I'm going to tear his out!"
Dive, hearing how she referred to Heart felt his own temper reach a point. "Did he really toss you aside?! Or did you just not get what you wanted?! If you would bother to look you would see how happy they are around one another! Maybe she sees something you never bothered to look at, something he even kept from you! But I won't let you hurt my sister either way!"
Dive's grip grew like a vice gripping the woman's shoulders, keeping her pinned while trying to avoid her claws. Dive then noticed something sparking around Vulpina's neck, a necklace no longer hidden from the scuffle, with a sapphire heart glistening as Dive had shouted back at her.
Struggling beneath Dive, Vulpina took a swing, clocked Dive across the face. Pushing him off of her, she rolled back to her feet, blaster in hand. "It's really a shame... I liked you kid."
Dive had drawn his as well as he rolled from the punch, standing at a match and stairing the other down with their blasters, "You don't need to do this stuff Vulpina! We're still teammates! I know you're upset but this is insane!" "I've been with him for so long... but, he doesn't want me! What did I ever do that he would rather be with her?! I've been with him through all the hard times, but when he gets to be the hero, he decides to be with somebody else?! It just isnt right!" She exclaimed, her fur on end.
"Maybe it's not about what you did or didn't do! I don't have all of the answers! All I know is that they're happy around each other! He opens up and she doesn't look like she's about to...run?" Dive's blue eyes widened as he said this, as though trying to remember something and shaking his head before gripping his blaster and refocusing.
"Why can't I have that happiness?! Why does she get to be the one he finds something in?! Why is she good enough?!" She yelled, her finger wrapping around the trigger.
"I don't have those answers girly-girl...but is taking hers away really the answer here? Do you think hurting her would make him turn to you instead?" Dive couldn't believe what he was saying, nor how calm he was. It were as though years of maturity were coming back to him somehow despite being clearly younger. "And I doubt that Duke would think it has anything to do with being good enough or not; but watching them, I can tell he needs her as much as she needs him! As her big brother, I won't let you rip them apart, friend or not!"
"She isn't your blasted sister! She's just squeezing herself in for her own gain! And I need him! At least... I used to..." She sneered, pure malice crossing her face. "I hate to be cliche, but, if I can't have him..."
Dive snapped hearing this, but simply shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the fox like woman in disappointment, "Man, you just don't get it!"
He again noticed the energy sparking around the necklace around her neck, as though calling out to him somehow. There was a looming shadow from behind Vulpina now as a pair of firm hands gripped her shoulders, clamping on them tightly.
As Duke was struck by the blast and knocked back a bit, he managed to stay on his feet as he slammed into a wall behind him. His back buckling, he looked up to see Dragonus readying another attack.
Raising his blaster, Dragonus towered over Duke, letting out a cruel laugh. "Such big talk for such a little duck. And, and if you're worried about Heart... she won't miss you for long."
Duke glared at the overlord bravely. Yet as Dragonus went to attack, Heart hurried forward and tried to pull him back, using her energy to burst at him to at least throw him off, "Duke, run please!"
Struck by the blow, he turned around towards Heart, "How dare you, you miserable little creature! Perhaps I should depose of you first... I'm sorry duck, but it looks like I'm going to have to break your Heart." Heart held onto Dragonus's arm to keep him from blasting Duke again, now digging in with her claws as she glared up at him bravely, "I won't let you kill him! His team needs him to help protect others!" Duke steadied himself as this occurred before him.
"Protect them? You mean from me?! They couldn't protect their own homeworld, let alone this one!" He bellowed, flinging her off of him. "And he won't be able to protect you!" As Heart was thrown into the console, knocked to the floor on her hands and knees, she looked up in fear as Dragonus towered over her with menace in his expression. Seeing this Duke rushed up and slashed at Dragonus's arm from the side, glairing at him as he did.
His blade was blocked by Dragonus's thick red scales, and the overlord turned back to him, swiping at the Duke with his own claws, hurtling him back.
"Duke!" Heart cried as the drake was struck, falling into the other side of the console he gritted his teeth.
His saber had flown from his hand. Heart watching this in turn felt energy sparking around her, striking at the overlord. Yet his scales took on most of the hits, but distracted him enough for Duke to scramble over to her despite feeling a sharp pain in his side. Glancing down he could see blood staining his stealth suit from the gashes Dragonus's claws had just made. Heart's eyes welled with tears to see this, but he forced a smile and said, "Don't ya cry, love."
Heart was stunned to hear this, but managed to sob, "love...?"
Duke nodded his head, a brave, but sweet smile still on his face.
As though she may not get another chance, she said to him shakily, "I love you."
None the less Duke pushed himself to reach Heart as the overlord towered over both of them now. Duke looked up bravely while making sure Heart was shielded behind him.
"Oh... how touching... you both get to go out together..." Dragonus snarked, before raising up his blaster, taking aim at the two.
Vulpina's eyes went wide, as she looked up at the topknot haired behemoth standing over her. Narrowing her eyes, she spat out. "You gotta be kidding me..." "You need to mellow out," Grin warned while holding her steady in his hands. Nosedive walked up to her carefully and reached out to touch the necklace that echoed familiarity to him, "This...this isn't yours is it?" Shadow, sensing his chance for Heart's magic, slipped quickly away, darting down the hall along the walls to reach his prey.
"Don't you dare touch it! Don't you dare!" She yelled, kicking and flailing in Grin's grip.
Nosedive, not willing to listen to her much more, took the necklace from Vulpina's neck. As he did a wave of energy rushed over him and he looked up in shock at everything around him.
"Sis!" He breathed before darting down the hall, noticing the shadowy creature ahead of him.
Grin dropped Vulpina in the confusion and hurried after his young friend.
Left behind, Vulpina pulled herself up, her legs shaking. Doing everything in her power to stop herself from crying, she followed after the two, her grip tightening on the blaster. "Why... does... everyone leaves me..."
Duke remained steady while Heart held onto him now.
"Back off Dragonus!" A voice shouted. Duke looked to see their leader holding out his blaster on his arm towards the overlord with a stern expression showing through his mask.
"Oh, so their brave and bold leader, do you care to join them? The more the merrier...!" He snarled, turning his attention towards Wildwing.
Wildwing had noticed Duke shielding Heart and shook his head, but at the same time...it seemed to look familiar. Mallory and Tanya had rushed in after him by now, keeping Siege, Chameleon, and Wraith from aiding Dragonus. Siege and Chameleon could see Duke defending Heart from their commander, willing to die for her it seemed as his suit was soaked with more blood now. Heart's head swam, trying to figure out a way to help, to stop this. Her core burned.
Then...she saw him...slinking towards her and Duke along the wall. Her eyes widening as he leered at her with empty ones and an ear to ear hollowed grin. Duke felt her grip him tight and saw why, "I won't let him touch ya Heart, I swear it."
Both Siege and Chameleon looked at Heart, a mix of concern, confusion, and shock across both of their faces.
Dragonus shook his head, and tsked. "All this for a traitor... how remarkable. No matter though, you all will be destroyed by my claws." With that, he went to slash down at Duke and Heart.
Vulpina, nearly caught up with Nosedive and Grin, launched herself at the two, only to miss by inches, desperately grasping at the necklace.
Grin quickly grabbed her again, holding her firmly, but carefully by the arm. "Sis, catch!" Dive shouted desperately as he saw Duke and Heart in danger.
He smiled seeing how Duke remained steady before her, even without remembering, and tossed the necklace to them. Duke, holding onto Heart to shield her, loosening his grip enough to let her get her arm free. She risked reaching out her clawed hand as she clasped the necklace. Pulling it back into her grip swiftly, energy sparking around her as she looked around the room and up at Duke finally. As Dragonus's claws threatened to claim Duke's life, Heart felt his grip on her remain steady as she prayed, "Please..."
"No! No! He's supposed to be mine!" Exclaimed Vulpina, as he busted into the room, firing her blaster with abandon.
Heart seeing this, simply reacted. Gripping the necklace in her hand, she swept her arm around Duke's neck, pulling his head closer in a shield of her own as Dragonus's claws came towards him. Again the image of a crashing clock tower flashed around her and him this time. Just as they had that night, they held onto and shielded the other, and smiling through it together, as they always did. With or without knowing. A light then swept through the room, wrapping around their teammates and Vulpina, and blinding the Saurians left bewildered by this. Shadow shrieked as he scurried away through realms and time himself. Or at least, what appeared to be time they began to realize as their memories returned?
Then it was quiet as Heart stepped through the snow of the darkened streets of Puck World once again. Duke found himself up on a rooftop trying to escape the growing pressures of the Brotherhood of the Blade when he looked over and saw a strange girl across the way.
While nearby, unseen by them or time itself, was Grin holding Vulpina back from them with his memories restored, and Nosedive beside them.
All Vulpina could do was scowl, held by the Goliath's massive mitts, as she was forced to watch the two of them get together.
"Man...somewhere in this city I'm at my own house, probably in bed..." Nosedive scratched his head.
Grin shook his head, "Duke would have saved Heart this night regardless because he is a noble drake. If you are his friend, you know this don't you?"
They then watched as Heart was grabbed by the two thugs and cried out for help. This time Duke had managed to reach her, but not before Heart lost her memories. Nosedive winced as Heart's head hit the hard brick and concrete as he knew it was bleeding upon impact. Then they watched as Duke tended to the injured girl and then carried her away, to find her a home. Wildwing and Nosedive's home.
"You might look at it as some unseen thing that has happened again, but consider the fact that the two of them are already together and they were simply mending the tapestry they already worked hard to weave together."
"Easy for you to say, you benefit from it..." She snarled, trying again to pull away.
"You could have too," Dive shot her a look, "Being one of Duke's friends, like his old gang, Heart would have been your friend too!" Dive was trying not to get angry, but it was getting harder, "Instead you made a crazy deal with that creep! Did you really think you would have gotten what you wanted?!"
Grin shook his head as another light wrapped around them as time was seemingly repaired.
She had averted her eyes as well, seeing the two just made the anger inside of her boil hotter.
Then they were back. Nosedive and Grin held Avery and Flynn in the nursery as they had been. Only now they held them protectively as they watched Heart disappear out the door.
"Sis!" Nosedive breathed worriedly, but Grin kept a steady hand on his shoulder while supporting the small child in his other.
Duke snapped to attention from the gym where he'd been sparring with a bot and quickly sprinted down the hall. Wildwing and Tanya in the lab looked to each other before embracing the other as their memories returned. Mallory ignored a confused Phil as she hurried to find the others. And Heart now readied herself for who she knew she would find. Gripping her necklace in her hand and drawing her glaive Heart turned the corner and glared at Vulpina with darkening eyes. She didn't even speak to her as rage fueled her from what she had nearly done.
"Aw... shoot..." Was all Vulpina could let out, before firing a blast at Heart, and making a run for it down the hall. "Dang it... guess I know now he ain't worth my time..."
However, Duke was at the other end with his saber drawn, "Goin' somewhere? Sorry, but I can't let ya jus' run this time Vulpina..." Heart had used her crystal shield to deflect the blast and was now chasing after her.
"You tried to stop him from helping me that night! You tried to shove me towards a side I didn't want to be on! We nearly lost our children from this! All so you could try and be with him instead?! Did you really think that would work?!"
She gave a shrug, a twisted smiled crossing her face, "You can't blame a girl for trying, can you?"
The smile turned into a frown of disdain, as she eyed the two on both sides. "... tell you what, after today... you don't need to worry about me anymore. Infact, you don't need to worry about anything else!"
Going to her belt, she pulled out a cluster of grenades, and activated them, tossing them about the floor. Letting out a maniacal laugh, her ears twitched as they began to beep rapidly. "Like I said.. if I can't have you... nobody will."
"Duke!" Heart cried out as he was knocked back as she tried to summon up her magic.
She managed to get a shield over his heart, but the force still knocked him back into the wall, causing him to nearly slide into it until he managed to stable himself. Using the smoke Heart darted forward, wielding her glaive tightly in her hand, as she knocked Vulpina back a bit away from him. Heart's scales threatened to emerge as her temper rose, but she kept them at bay as she gritted her teeth. "You, nor anyone else, will rip us apart! I've stood at his side these years, and I will not back down now!"
"You you you, it's always about precious Heart! Oh, poor Heart! Wonderful Heart! Dedicated and loyal Heart! If I hear that one more time I'm going to puke!" The vixen snapped back, before shoving against the glaive, pushing Heart back.
Grabbing the laser whip from her hip, she lashed it out, the end wrapping around the hilt, and yanked on it.
Heart's glaive now pulled from her she felt her hands ball into fists. Then a further rage sparked in her as she recalled the years spent alone before the team. She glanced at Duke as he heard these words and his glare at the woman hardened. Her claws emerged now as her scales spread up her arms a bit and energy sparked around her.
"Then what do ya want to hear at this point, Vulpina?" Duke asked, "Ya want me to go back to what I was? Takin' gems 'cause I didn't know what I wanted? Hidin' aspects of myself from even you an' them?!"
"You never needed to hide it from me! I was always there for you until you decided to just ditch us all!" She answered harsh, a fiery heat behind her voice. "At this point, I don't want to hear anything from either of you! I just want you two to be gone! Permanently!"
"Ditch you?! Our planet was invaded! I left to help the resistance, but you vanished before that happened!" Duke snapped, "You vanished before the invasion hit...an' when I saw ya again you were after my head for Dragonus!"
Heart looked to Vulpina with a frustration and anger of her own burning as she tried to remain calm, remembering those days. She remembered the lines leading to the work camps, seeing her new home destroyed, and the shreds of hope they clung to before Canard found them.
"You abandoned them, and you talk about him leaving you; but it sounds like you left him!" Heart said with a strange calm in her voice.
Pulling back her whip, she snapped it again at Heart, grimacing. "Quiet! Just quiet, both of you!" She yelled, taking her laser pistol and blasting it towards Duke. "I don't want to hear from either of you anyore! I just want you both gone!"
Duke flipped back, swiftly avoiding the shots. Heart, meanwhile, took the strike, recieving a gash over her arm as she lunged forward, dancing with the whip in a way as it was lashed at her. Showing how clear it was that she had been with him these last four years.
"I tried to tell ya I was never interested in ya that way, but ya wouldn't listen! So ya turned your back on me entirely instead, provin' exactly why I didn't give in! I wanted someone I could trust more than anyone I knew!" Duke finally snapped before admitting, "Includin' myself!"
"That's enough! I don't want to hear your excuses anymore!" Yelling at him, she continued her barrage, ignoring Heart now as she fired without restraint, her blaster growing hotter and hotter with each blaster.
Duke tried to step out of the way of each blast. At first he was able until she gave up attacking Heart. As this happened and the barrage grew more heated Duke let out a growl of pain as a blast grazed his chest, burning the front of his stealth suit and singing his feathers and flesh. He gritted his teeth while placing a hand over the burn. He looked up to see Vulpina stairing him down with a glare and with her blaster. "Then what do ya want, besides my last breath?" He nearly demanded with a growl in his voice still.
"Just that at this point." She said with a coldness in her voice, lowering the barrel of the blaster down at his head. Grinning maniacally, she slowly began to press on the trigger.
Duke gave a smirk, "Sorry to disappoint ya again."
With that Heart had grabbed Vulpina and shoved her back a bit, using her tail to lash at her and knock the blaster out of her hand before standing ready to fight the woman herself.
Grasping her whip, she lashed out at Heart, before rushing her. Slamming into the scaled woman, she snarled, nearly feral in her attacks.
Heart took another strike before twisting her wrist to grab hold of the whip and pull it out of Vulpina's hand and tossing it aside. As she slammed into her Heart slid to try and remain stable, but stumbled back slightly. Yet her eyes remained focused and oddly calm still.
Disarmed, Vulpina sneered, spitting some blood out from her mouth. "Think just cause you took my stuff you got the upper hand?"
With that, she took a swing at Heart.
Heart felt the sting of the woman's strike before glairing back at her. "No...that's not it...I won't back down because I have two children to protect, friends to support, two brothers that took me in when they didn't have to, and..." she glanced at Duke quickly as he got to his feet still grimacing from the injury he'd taken.
Before she could continue, the half crazed fox spun about, kicking Heart in the side. Landing on her feet, she scoffed. "Yeah, and Duke, I get it."
"Do you though?" Duke wondered sharply as Heart was struck, grimacing for her as she was knocked into the wall from the kick. Yet she then used the wall to push herself off of it and leap back into the fight.
"You're not the first to question why we're together, and I'm sure you won't be the last,"
Heart said as she rebalanced herself and dodged the next hit struck at her.
"If so many people question it, maybe it's not them... but it's you two that are the problem?!" She snarked, taking another swing, growing weary and desperate.
Heart's eyes sparked with a cold anger as these words drifted to her, "Is that so?"
Heart grabbed at Vulpina's wrist now before glancing at Duke again, "No, being with him has never been a problem. It's worth every scar I bare to stay with him. I can't change that you got heart broken, but I can't give up the heart he gave me either," the light came back to her eyes and voice.
"Ooooh god, it's so corny. How the heck did he get roped into this?!" She cackled out, placing a hand over her face, her tail swishing behind her. "I... I just can't believe this... hearing you say something like that... It's just nauseating. It's about time I put you out of my misery." Jumping at her, she brought a fist back to deliver another blow.
Heart shook her head as she caught the fist in her hand and gripped it trying not to dig into her with her claws. Her scales began to revert back, "It's a shame, had you not done all of this I would have loved to have a friend that could tell me stories about him and who he was back then a bit more."
Duke gave a slight smirk hearing this.
Grabbing at her own hand, she kicked and shoved, trying to break loose of Heart's grip. "Let go of me, you horrible creature! Dang it!"
Heart reverted back entirely now, her scales and claws gone. "I'm afraid I can't let you simply escape this time...not after what you nearly did..." Heart said firmly looking at the woman, "When you and I were swapped in the past you tried to create, what did you really see?"
"I saw the Duke I knew, before he left for you." She sneered at Heart, reaching for the lightblade on the back of her utility belt.
Duke, seeing this, swiftly grabbed his saber up off the floor and rushed over to knock the blade from Vulpina's hand as she swung at Heart. "I didn't leave the Brotherhood for Heart! I left to defend my home, an' through that I found a second chance! An' that's what she saw in me!"
"Oooooh, everything became so much better after you joined them! How wonderful things are without me!" She spat out, backed up into a corner. "... I hate you... I hate every single one of you...!"
"I never said anythin' like that Vulpina, you keep twistin' it that way. Jus' 'cause I found love through her, doesn't mean I didn't see value in our partnership too. But then ya came after my head, an' I had to run from another friend I let too close, an' I wasn't goin' to lose another eye 'cause of you!" Duke snapped before feeling Heart grip his hand as she stood beside him.
"..." She looked to the side, and let out a deep breath. Clenching her fist, she fell down to her knees, glaring at the two. "... I just wanted to be with you..."
Duke remained steady with his saber in hand. He shook his head, "I'm sorry Vulpina, but I can't change this, nor do I want to."
Heart looked up at Duke, seeing the frustration in his remaining eye.
"An' what ya did this time...I can't forgive ya." His voice shook slightly as he took in all he'd nearly lost this time around, "I don't want to fight ya, but I can't let ya slip away to risk losin' them again 'cause of you."
"Then do whatever... I don't care anymore..." She replied, utterly defeated, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Duke..." Heart said softly while pulling his hand back.
"Duke, back up," a firm voice ordered as they looked to see their leader aiming his puck launcher at Vulpina with a stern look in the eyes of the mask he wore, "Don't even bother trying to run, Vulpina!"
With that he walked over and pulled her carefully up to her feet, using a bola puck to tie her wrists back to keep her from attacking. Duke sheathed his saber and turned to Heart to look over her injuries while she in turn brushed her hand over his worriedly.
Throughout all this, Vulpina remained silent, occasionally glaring at the couple, but never said a thing.
Duke risked a glance at Vulpina, catching her glare, but only shook his head. While Wildwing remained beside the woman as Kleghorn soon arrived to take her away. Duke was surprised to see this. Wildwing though, seeing the two of them hurt said, "This is getting off lightly if you ask me for what you attempted."
"Trust me... seeing them together is punishment enough..." she grumbled, as she was took away in cuffs.
Duke pulled Heart close to him as this was said, but not because it was said. It was never about how good or not good either of them were to him. He held her, as he always did, because he wanted to be with her regardless of what anyone said, including his own past. He watched as his former friend was taken away, not saying a word as she left.
Wildwing turned to them once it was calm and quiet once more and asked, "Are you two okay? I mean..."
Duke nodded with a light smile as he spoke, "We will be. This was a rough one."
Wildwing nodded in return before glancing at his sister, "It certainly was. Thank goodness you're both so stubborn, or things may have been very different this time around."
It didn't take long for them to meet the others outside the nursery as Grin and Nosedive handed the two parents each one of their children to hold close to them.
Wildwing then turned back to Tanya and pulled her into an embrace of his own. With a sigh of fear drifting from him he said, "She nearly set everyone of us and everything we've put together back. Every step, and nearly twisted it on top of it."
Duke then noticed the ring on Tanya's finger and gave a smile, "Good thing we're all so stubborn then right Wing?"
"That's one way to put it," Mallory teased while eyeing a very tired Heart at this point.
Nosedive and Grin looked to one another before the blonde turned to his sister, "Even in that warped reality I ended up remembering?"
"You saved us Dive," Heart said with a smile as she pulled away to hug her twin, "You and Grin really did this time."
Dive then gave a wide smile while hugging his sister, and looking over at Duke, and their kids, "Well that's what big brothers, and uncles, are for aren't they?"
Heart smiled warmly as he gave her a tight hug, relieved to know they were all home together again. Then he released her so Duke could slip his arm around her as they held onto one another and their children. With this they all gathered into a group hug before Heart could ask them.
While by now in the Anaheim City prison Vulpina was lead through the halls down to her cell and locked securely in with all weaponry removed. Across from her was another cell, and from within a crooked beak grinned at her as the owner stated, "It certainly has been a while hasn't it Vulpina?"
Sitting down in her own cell, she looked across the hall, at the cell. Raising a brow, Vulpina crossed her legs. "... certainly has... Falcone..."
As morning greeted him Duke awoke to see his children sleeping soundly in their cribs wheeled into the room with them. Yet turning over he found Hear to be missing. Sitting up quickly he grabbed one of the baby monitors and attached it to his hip before venturing out into the hallway. Down the hall he could feintly hear voices laughing as he ran along. Catching his breath he found Nosedive and Heart sitting on the sofa and talking in the rec room. Both in their casual clothes they were laughing about how Flynn had tried to tug on Nosedive's hair and gurgled sounds at him that mimiced his uncle in the moment. Then Heart turned to look at Duke with a cheerful smile that made the drake's heart skip.
Walking up to her now Duke leaned slightly against the back of the sofa and rested a hand on his wife's shoulder.
"We're all still here Dukester," Nosedive assured his older friend, "Everyone's back in the place they should be."
"I know..." Duke replied with a smile of his own, "Thanks to you, kid."
Nosedive gave a casual shrug, "Like I said, it's what a big brother is for."
"And younger brothers," Wildwing commented when he found them.
Tanya was standing beside their leader with Mallory and Grin coming up behind them. Nosedive gave a playful nod at this. Then he looked back to his sister and her thief and sighed when he noticed Duke glancing away with a worried expression, "I think in a way we all knew something was wrong though."
"Shadow's getting more adament," Heart realized, "To do all of this with her. Making that warped reality with all of our memories."
"We realized it wasn't time itself that had gone back, but he placed us in a bubble of some sort, somewhere in between that blended what we all remembered. He made even Vulpina think that time had been rewound to build on again. It would have kept spiralling had it not been fixed to us. The key was the sapphire, and the lock was Duke setting things right that night according to us."
"As weird as that sounds," Mallory winced while glancing at Heart, "Losing your memories fixed our own?"
"Still, this was a a close one..." Wildwing stated a bit grimmly.
"But it didn't work," Grin said firmly, "And nothing of that nature ever will. Vulpina was convinced it was some predetermined force; however the way I see it is we all have made these bonds already, not just the two of you, but our whole team. The past already happened, and we knew that somehow, we just had to fix it to come back to the present with everyone."
"Had we failed, then things would have spiralled out of control, allowing Shadow to claim Heart...?" Mallory looked to their friend with worried eyes.
"Either I'd be fighting to get away from the wrong side, would have been killed in that moment...or Shadow would have finally had me and my magic," Heart said grimmly, "Everything was spiralling out of control so fast..."
Nosedive looked as Duke gripped Heart to hold her close to him, sliding beside her.
"We don't know exactly what would have happened back there...all that really matters is we made it, right?" Duke attempted.
"I wonder if the Saurians will remember any of this?" Tanya pondered.
"I don't think so, I think we remember because of Heart's magic, we're directly linked to her," Mallory mentioned.
"That's what also kept us from giving up, isn't it?" Wildwing realized as he looked at his sister, "At least a part of it? Not the magic in it of itself, but our real memories seemed to be fighting us every step of the way. We all knew Heart was on the wrong side, we knew things weren't where they should be."
Their leader glanced at the ring on Tanya's finger and then her face, "And I knew there was something I had just done that I was trying to return to."
Grin cracked a smile before giving a slight laugh, "I will say, it was elightening to have such a lively roommate for a little while though."
Heart gave a slight smirk of her own at this. Her gentle giant of a friend looked to Duke as the ex-thief teased her, "I imagine it was hard crushin' on your own husband, wasn't it sweetheart?"
Heart's face turned bright red at this as she looked up at him. The quick breath she let out in a huff as she raised a brow at his comment only made him chuckle more.
"And you were any better?" Nosedive commented, "Even with all signs pointing in the other direction, heck they had you captured, and you still went for her!"
Duke smiled fully now remembering this and said, "As I've said before, I'll do what ever it takes to keep her with me.."
Nosedive smiled, as he realized Duke was right. Even without his memories, Duke had been willing to do anything to protect her and fight with her. He'd almost risked his own life to keep that promise. Then he shuddered as he recalled Shadow's claws drawing near them.
"It seems we need to be ready with Shadow growing stronger and more desperate," Wildwing noted.
"Well if it's anything like this time, I think we'll be just fine!" Nosedive laughed while leaning back with his hands folded behind his head casually.
"You think so, huh?" Mallory raised a brow.
"I sure do."
"What makes you so sure Dive?" Heart asked.
"Because we simply won't let him take you, and we just won't lose!" Nosedive assured.
They all looked to one another bewildered for a brief moment before smiling. He was right. In some way they hadn't let this happen. Shadow still didn't have Heart in his claws. They all knew one another even when they didn't think they did by this point. They were all in the room now because of this. Nothing could change what had already happened. All it had done was strengthen their resolve and tighten them as the team they were at this point.
"We'll see this through," Duke agreed while tightening his hold on his wife.
"No matter what it takes, right?" Wildwing agreed.
With that they began their day as they usually did, attending practice and taking on challenges together. Just as they had in their past, the past thaat made them the team they were now.
