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Chapter 8
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With a poof of magic, Magica appeared back in her lair.
"Nyeheheheheheheh! Plan is working out so perfectly!" Magica cackled, pushing her hair out of her face. The small jar that contained Fenton's blood was held tightly in her hand.
Negaduck watched with a raised eyebrow from where he was sitting and cleaning his beloved chainsaw, his eyes narrowing.
"McDuck has no idea what he has coming to him!" Magica continued with glee, ignoring the other duck altogether.
"Ahhh, so you got the accountant's blood?" cawed Poe from where he was perched on a ledge above Negaduck.
Magica nodded. "Indeed!" She set the jar of blood down on the table near where she was keeping Bushroot's blood.
Negaduck frowned and set aside his chainsaw. "You're collecting blood already? I thought you said that wasn't until later."
"Things are progressing quickly, little mallard!"
With a growl, Negaduck snapped back, "Stop calling me that! And you haven't collected Darkwing's blood yet, have you!?"
Magica shook her head. "I was leaving that for you, dah'ling."
A devilish grin appeared on Negaduck's face. "Just say when, toots. I'll give you all the blood you need and then some..."
"No! You cannot be killing Darkwing!"
"Care to run that be me again!?" snarled Negaduck in a dangerously low and menacing voice.
Ignorant of Negaduck's death glares, Magica repeated herself. "You cannot be killing Darkwing! Not until potion is complete and my plans have come to fruition!"
Negaduck growled in frustration and pulled down on his fedora hat.
The sound of boiling bubbles reached their ears and Magica gave a cackle of excitement before rushing over to a smaller cauldron that she was not using for her master potion. She peered inside and saw that the green liquid contents were now bubbling and swirling. With a flick of her wrist, an image appeared. It was like watching a video. Negaduck walked over and was in awe to see that it practically a live feed from inside Scrooge McDuck's manor.
"Are you spying on McDuck?" he asked incredulously.
"Always!" huffed Magica distractedly, her eyes never leaving the bubbling contents.
They both watched and listened as McDuck spoke with Drake and Fenton.
Seeing the sight of Darkwing in his civilian clothes made Negaduck scoff. "He's such a dweeb." Magica glanced wordlessly between the two identical mallards as Negaduck continued to insult Drake. "I mean, seriously. The sweater vest and tie? What the hell kinda fashion taste is that!? None, that's what!"
Without any further interruptions, Magica and Negaduck watched the scene before them.
The potion focused in on Drake as he crossed his arms and tapped his foot. "Alright, fine, gramps!" Drake's voice echoed slightly from the cauldron. "I'll go and get Bushroot. But I doubt he's going to be very much help."
Negaduck's frown deepened and turned to one of confusion. "Bushroot? What do they want Bushroot for!?"
"SHHHH!" hissed Magica as Scrooge slammed his fist down on the coffee table. "Trying to listen!"
"Tarten me feathers! Don't yeh get it!? It's less about whether Dr. Bushroot will know how t'help us an' more about figurin' out what Magica WANTED from him! Magica is an enchantress! She's creatin' something!"
"She DID mention a potion" piped up Fenton.
The two of them then heard Drake's reaction. "An enchantress? Pfft, pleeeeease. You don't want to talk to Bushroot. You need to talk to the lovely Miss Morgana McCawber! She might know how to help!"
"That flimsy floof knows NOTHING" grunted Magica.
"Fine then" they heard the old miser relent. "She did seem quite pleasant the other day. Invite her as well, Mr. Mallard."
"Gladly." Drake's response echoed and faded away as Magica had chosen that moment to whisk the video away.
Negaduck clucked his tongue and gave Negaduck an unimpressed look. "Alright, so what does any of that mean?"
Magica was rifling through a few things on her table ingredients and didn't respond until she picked up what looked like a small elephant horn and tossed it into the other larger cauldron that was brewing her master scheme. "It means that ol' Scroogey is grasping at straws as he attempts to figure out what I'm up to! But he shall NEVER figure it out! Nyeh heh heh heh heh heh!"
Negaduck rolled his eyes. "Hell, I'm WORKING with you and I don't even fully know what you're plannin'!"
Magica pointed a warning finger at him as she glared. "Do not get mouthy! You shall know soon enough! Soon the potion will be ready for Crackshell's blood and then he will really start to feel it!"
"Feel what?" groused Negaduck.
"The curse I put on his heart!" she laughed victoriously. "Nyeh heh heh heh he-" Her laugh was cut off midway by the sound of loud heavy metal emitting from Negaduck's coat pocket."What is that noise?" demanded Magica. She hated it when her maniacal laughter was interrupted. It ruined her mood.
With a roll of his eyes, Negaduck opened his jacket and pulled out a cell phone from his breast pocket. "My phone." Without glancing to see who it was, he clicked the button and put it up to his ear. "This is the phone of Negaduck and unless you want to be skinned alive, this had better be good."
"Oh, believe me, Negaduck, you's is one a da last person on d'is Earth I wants t'be talkin' to's, but you've gone and upset my superiors!"
Negaduck's eyebrows scrunched together in shock and confusion. "Steelbeak!? What the hell do you want!?"
"I'll tell ya what I want. I want yous to stop your lackey Megavolt from hackin' into all the Dapple cell phones! You of all people should know that F.O.W.L. is always keepin' tabs on stuff like that!" came Steelbeak's voice on the other end of the line.
Shooting Magica an irritated look, Negaduck replied back, "Sorry, iron beak, but I don't hack and tell. Not my style. Besides, since you obviously don't know, I don't communicate with those knobs anymore. The Fearsome Five is long gone."
"Dat's a real shame" mocked Steelbeak over the phone. "Stop him anyways!"
"Watch it, Steely" growled Negaduck. "You may work for F.O.W.L., but that means nothing to me! I'll still destroy you if I must."
At the mention of the dastardly organization's name, Magica's eyes widened. "He works for F.O.W.L.!?"
Negaduck raised an eyebrow; clearly irritated that she was speaking to him while he was on the phone. To her he snapped, "Yeah, what of it!?" In the phone he said, "No, no. I'm talkin' to the broad-"
Magica turned, her eyes frantic as the wheels in her head ran at top speed. With a devious grin, she turned back to Negaduck. "Where is he at!?"
Negaduck blinked. "What?"
"Tell me where this Steelbeak is at! He may be useful to plans!"
Negaduck groaned in annoyance as Steelbeak demanded on the other end of the line, "What is goin' on over d'here!?"
"Ugh, where are you at, Steals? My..." he regarded Magica coldly. "...associate won't shut up till she knows your location."
"Pfft, like I'm gonna tell yous!"
"Just tell me!"
"Fine! Have it your way! I'm in de Clam Islands of d'Carribean!" snapped Steelbeak.
Negaduck repeated his location to Magica, who instantly cackled with glee and whirled around to face her spell book. Negaduck watched, only half-listening to Steelback's angry complaints. Lowering his phone, Negaduck demanded, "What are you doing!?"
"SHHH!" hushed Magica as she flipped through the pages of her spell book. Once she found the page she was looking for, she laughed haughtily. She began moving her hands and arms erratically as she mumbled words from a long ancient language.
"Are yous listenin' t'me, fedora brain!?"
Steelbeak's angry demand and insult snapped the yellow clad villain out of his thoughts. Raising the phone back up to his ear, Negaduck replied coldly, "Insult me again, Rusty, and I'll be sure to make your life a living hell. If it hasn't crossed your tiny mind, some of us have better things to do than sip martinis in the Caribbean!"
"I AM pretty partial d'vodka, now that yous mention it" snorted Steelbeak offhandedly.
Negaduck rolled his eyes, wondering why he was even allowing this phone call to continue. He glanced over at Magica, who was still muttering the incantation to a spell. Purple mist began swirling around above her.
On the other end of the line, Negaduck could hear Steelbeak shouting in alarm and panic. "Hey! Wha's goin' on here! A purple tornado!?"
Negaduck's eyes widen as he puts two and two together. Before he can say or do anything however, he hears static on the other end of the phone, making him pull it away from his ear. Magica cried out at the same time and the purple mist began intensifying and surrounding her before it disappeared altogether.
When it was all said and done, Steelbeak was standing there in the middle of Magica's hideout, his cell phone up to his ear in one hand and, just as Negaduck had predicted, a martini in the other.
Steelbeak was dressed in his usual high class white suit and polished shoes and currently wore a gobsmacked expression on his face.
Clicking his phone to end the call, Negaduck shoved it in his pocket and smirked at the taller fowl. "Heh, I guessed right. A martini." He swiped the martini from the other's hand, drank it in one gulp, then threw the glass over his shoulder.
Steelbeak didn't even seem to register that Negaduck has stolen his drink, he was too busy staring with wide eyes at his sudden appearance at Mount Versuvius. "What in d'hell!?" he swore under his breath.
"Greetings, Steelbeak! I have been hearing about you!" announced Magica, gaining back both of their attention.
Steelbeak snapped back to reality and his anger along with it. "Hey! Are yous the one who brought me here?!" He put away his phone and marched over to her angrily. "I don't now who's d'ink you are, but yous is messin' with the wrong guy, lady!"
With a flick of her wrist, Magica made it so that Steelbeak's metal beak solidified together so that he couldn't open his mouth at all. Steelbeak grunted loudly as he noticed this and tried in vain to open his mouth.
"It would be nice if you stop making empty threats" she warned. "Now, since you can no longer cluck, you shall listen." Steelbeak stopped his efforts to talk and glared daggers at her. "Glare at all you like, but I have proposition for you!"
Negaduck and Steelbeak both crossed their arms and listened to what Magica had to say.
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Liquidator silently slid into the Greenhouse via the front door; actually using it properly instead of sliding under it in a puddle since he had a bag of Hamburger Hippo take-out in one of his hands.
He frowned when he noticed that Megavolt and Quackerjack were no where to be seen. They had been poking around the Greenhouse for the last two days, popping in and out as they pleased; much to the chagrin of Liquidator and Bushroot. The two crazed villains had been there messing around in the front yard when the liquid canine had left, but now they were no where to be seen.
"Reggie?" he called out to the quietness of the Greenhouse.
When he didn't immediately hear anything in return, he tried not to worry. There was then a rustle from the bushes and Spike came bounding over to him happily, large long tongue wagging in his large toothy mouth. "Hey, Spike." The ex-salesman patted the Venus fly-trap on the head. "Where's Reggie, boy? Hmm?"
Spike made some little grunts as he jerked his head towards the back of the Greenhouse. Without waiting, Spike took off, leaving Liquidator to follow him. As he stepped further into the lush green plants and towards the back, he began to hear the familiar mutterings of his favorite botanist.
"No, no, no-I have it, its right here! Just a touch of this-and then some of this-" Bushroot was talking to himself. A bad habit the mutant had picked up on early on in his life.
"Reggie?" asked Liquidator quietly. Bushroot was facing away from Liquidator and the last thing he wanted to do was startle his friend. However, his soft approach seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
"Oh, goodness me!" Bushroot cried out, holding up a vial of liquid. "I nearly forgot one of the most important ingredients!" He gave out a nervous shrill chuckle that confirmed Liquidator's fears: Bushroot was on the brink of a panic attack.
Liquidator sighed as he watched Bushroot frantically try to pull together the elixir that he had once used to mutate himself all those years ago. "Reggie!" he said louder. "I'm back with some food. Stop what you're doing and eat something. Please!"
Bushroot paused in what he was doing, his back facing the other mutant. Bushroot swallowed thickly before saying, "Oh, Buddy, you're back!" He was hunched over the table, the collar of his white lab coat sticking up and hiding half his face.
Liquidator held up a bag from Hamburger Hippo, reaching around so that Bushroot would see the bag. "Craving fatty foods? Want to eat lots of grease? Hamburger Hippo is the way to go!"
Bushroot flinched and took a step back from the bag, clutching onto the vials tightly. "Oh! Umm...Well, I suppose I COULD stop for a moment..." He looked down at the vials in his hand as though he had no clue as to how they got there. He gingerly set them on the table before turning to face Liquidator and wringing his hands together. "So...what did you bring me?" He wasn't sure he was prepared to flat out take whatever was inside the bag.
"Ahh, a curious entrepreneur! Won't just accept, instead needs to see the finer print! A man after my own heart!" gurgled the watery canine before giving Bushroot's cheek a chaste kiss. He opened the now soggy bag and pulled out a wrapped sandwich, some chicken tenders, and french fries. Raising a finger, Liquidator reached back into the bag. "Also! The cashier at the joint was completely terrified of me and was ever so kind to give me 20 packets of ketchup and everything that was currently in the cash register!"
Bushroot watched in awe as his partner in crime waved the cash out in front of him. "Wow! Always nice to make a profit, I suppose!"
"Indeed! A whole $300! Who knew they kept that much money in there at a place like that!" scoffed Liquidator as he set the money aside. "Now" grunted Liquidator, his voice becoming more serious. "Eat, Reggie. You need something in your stomach. You haven't eaten anything since you turned back into a normal duck. That's been nearly three days now."
Bushroot nodded, though he was looking quite skeptical of the food that had been placed in front of him. He opened the sandwich with his newly reacquired fingers and grimaced at the greasy and sloppy burger that met his eyes. "You know, years ago, when I first mutated myself, I would have KILLED to be able to eat one of these, since fertilizer didn't interest me much at the time, but now that I can...Can't say I want to."
Liquidator opened his mouth to verbalize his objection over that statement, but promptly shut it as he eyed the food in question. He had to admit, it wasn't the most appetizing food he had ever seen; but the fact of the matter was, Bushroot needed to eat something! Trying to muster some humor out of this, he said, "What? No love for grease and carbs?"
Bushroot, who had picked up and chicken strip and debating whether or not it was edible, looked up and shook his head. "Not particularly." He sighed and took a bite out of the chicken. After a bit of chewing he nodded in satisfaction. "This is good!"
Liquidator beamed. "So, x-nay on the hamburger but a win for the chicken tenders! One outta three is better than none!"
After his second bite, Bushroot closed his eyes and sighed. "It really does feel good to know I'm eating regular food again..."
Liquidator hated to bring it up, but he was rather curious as to how the scientist's efforts into becoming a mutant again was coming along. "So, how is everything going with the re-vegetation of Reggie Bushroot?"
Bushroot rolled his eyes at his friend's choice of words. "Not good. I mean, I was able to remake the formula I used, no problem!" He stuffed a piece of chicken into his mouth before moving over to where the examination table was behind his work desk. He moved to pull the lever that would rise the table up to the ceiling, but nothing happened. "Firstly, my table no longer goes up and down! Don't know what happened there! I mean, I haven't used it years, sure-Not since my last run in with..." he paused, as though afraid to say the same. "Rhoda...But, sometime time between then and now, it broke. I blame Dandren. He broke a lot of my stuff several years ago when he and the plants went crazy."
Liquidator nodded solemnly, remembering the particular oak tree. Dandren had once been a loyal friend to Bushroot; his trustworthy confident, before something snapped inside the sentient tree and he went insane with power. "You never did find out why he turned on you, did you?"
Bushroot shook his head. "No. I DO remember finding some kind of purple substance mingled in his charred remains, but it was washed away in the rain before I could save some to analyze. Even then, I was too distracted and would have forgotten about it anyways. That makes me think something may have gotten into his roots? But I've looked in the Greenhouse and its clean of anything like that. Oh well, I guess."
"MEGSYYYYY!" came the high pitched whiny voice of their fellow jester villain.
Both Bushroot and Liquidator turned to see an angry Megavolt stomp his way towards them and collapse into a chair behind Bushroot, who popped another piece of chicken into his mouth. "I'm done speaking to you, Quacky!"
"Ahh, is the sight of alarmingly bright colors straining your eyes? Do you find yourself drained from the sound of jangling bells? Then, my dear sir, its time you find yourself in better company!" announced Liquidator.
Bushroot didn't seem at all bothered by Megavolt's arrival. Rather, he seemed uninterested for he turned back to his work after eating another piece of chicken.
Megavolt, fowl tempered at ever, stopped his way over to the two of them, placing his hands on his hips. "I can only take so much!"
"Wait five minutes. You'll forget your annoyance" suggested Liquidator candidly.
The electrical rodent glared at him. "Oh, ha ha! Very funny! That's right! Make fun of my bad memory why don't ya! How ORIGINAL!" There was a beat before he looked over at Bushroot's hunched over form at the table. "What are you up to, Bushy?"
"Trying to figure out how I'm going to re-mutate myself! My operating table no longer moves up and down and..." he looked up to see a clear blue sky and a bright sun shining down at him. "And not a cloud in the sky, which means NO thunderstorms. Or better yet, no LIGHTNING! Its the last part of the process back to a mutant plant duck!" He shouted in aggravation. More quietly he added, "Still find it hard to believe I'm so desperately trying to become a mutated outcast once again." He took a fresh syringe and filled it with the concoction he'd been slaving over the last few days.
Liquidator stepped in and wrapped an arm around the scientist. "Ahh, but as a mutant you were finally able to be at peace with yourself and could thrive, more than before at least, and that's all that matters!"
"I just don't know how long I'm gonna have to wait for a thunderstorm for that lightning..." he mumbled dejectedly.
"Gotta hand it to ya, Bushy, the light bulbs in here are surprisingly happy" commented Megavolt. "They're not whining about being used too often. They say you keep them shut off most of the time to-"
"YOU!" screamed Bushroot in excitement, pointing at Megavolt.
Megavolt took a step back in surprise. "Say what now?"
"Megs, I need you to electrocute me!"
Megavolt scratched underneath his plug hat before saying, "I'm sorry, I just want to make sure I'm hearing you correctly. You want me to WHAT now?"
"Electrocute me after I inject this into my arm!" clarified Bushroot as he held up the concoction he had brewed.
Megavolt squinted at him, as though waiting form the punch line. "You're giving me PERMISSION to electrocute you?"
Bushroot's shoulders sagged impatiently. "Yes!"
"Wow. This is new. Never had this happen before. Someone WANTS me to electrocute them" Megavolt was muttering to himself.
"Say, Megs, where's Quackerjack?" voiced Liquidator, interrupting the conversation.
Megavolt scowled. "Oh, the guy who just made fun of my bad memory actually expects me to REMEMBER where I left Quacky?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the three of them could hear Quackerjack's maniacal and gleeful laughter coming from outside the Greenhouse. They all turned in time and watched through the glass windows to see Quackerjack bouncing up and down on an enormous rubber duck inflatable and chasing Spike around the yard. The poor Venus Fly Trap was doing its best to stay away, but each bounce from the rubber duck was several feet, causing the dog-like plant to yip and cry in alarm.
"YEEEE RIDE 'EM COWBOYS!" they heard Quackerjack scream happily.
Bushroot and Liquidator turned back to Megavolt. "We can see why you couldn't take any more of him" deadpanned the liquid canine.
Bushroot shook his head before grabbing Megavolt's gloved hand. "Come on, Megs! Please! As soon as I drink this, I need you to electrocute me! That should trigger the chemicals in my body and change me back to a mutant!"
"Alright, have at it" shrugged the rodent.
Bushroot pushed aside some feathers in the crook of his elbow and carefully pressed the needle of the syringe into his arm. With a grunt of pain after the initial pierce, he pushed down so all the liquid inside entered into his blood. He then sighed and pulled it out, tossing it in a trash bin. He looked up at Megavolt expectantly as he rubbed at his now slightly irritated arm. "Alright, Megs. Hit me with your best shot."
Worriedly, Liquidator was only able to watch. "Uh, Reg, are you sure about this? This won't hurt you will it?"
"Oh, it'll hurt" replied Bushroot nonchalantly, much to Liquidator's horror. "Which is why I'm trying my best to hold back my fear and get this over with. But, I also have to remember, I've always had a low tolerance for pain anyways, so..."
Megavolt grabbed hold of Bushroot's hand as though they were shaking hands after a business agreement. "Do ya want me to count down or...?"
Bushroot shrugged. "You can."
"From ten?"
"Or five, whatever, I don't care!"
"So, counting down from five or ten?"
"I don't care!"
"I just wanna know how far down I have to count!"
"JUST DO IT!"
"FINE!"
Without further prompting, Megavolt sent a strong current of electricity from his gloved hand to Bushroot's white feathered one. The reaction was instant, the scientist's whole body going rigid as the electricity coursed through his body. Bushroot's eyes were blown wide open, his pupils dilating till they were tiny dots. After a few seconds, Megavolt let go of his hand and the other immediately fell to the ground in a smoking heap.
"Reggie!" cried out Liquidator in alarm.
The mutant dog pulled Bushroot close and pulled him into his lap. Bushroot coughed and cleared his throat with a deep grunt. "Okay...Now I just need sunshine. Direct sunshine. That's what happened last time."
Looking to Megavolt, who simply shrugged, Liquidator rose uncertainly, carrying Bushroot with him. He guided the weakened duck outside with Megavolt trailing behind.
All three of them winced at the brightness of the sun, which started making Bushroot twitch and spasm uncontrollably. "Ooooh" moaned Bushroot. "The sun feels so good!" He fell down on his knees and ran his hands through the grass beneath him. He watched as his fingers and the rest of his feathery body slowly turned green; darkening by the second. His fingers started to meld together into the leafy digits he was now accustomed to. His floral hair and anthers grew thickly on his head and his webbed feet separated back to the roots they once were.
After several minutes, Reginald Bushroot was back to being a proper mutant plant duck.
Bushroot looked down at himself happily and began laughing slightly hysterically. "I did it!"
Watery arms encircled his shoulders before Bushroot found himself being assaulted with wet kisses on the neck. He laughed and squirmed. "Buddy, you know I'm ticklish!" he squeaked in his baritone voice.
"Ahh, there's my favorite floral duck" said Liquidator lovingly with a sigh.
Bushroot gasped just then, pushing Liquidator away slightly. He made a slight hush sound before listening intently to something. Gasping in joy, Bushroot clapped his leafy hands together. "Oooh! I can hear my plants again! Awww, they're all saying hello to me! I missed hearing you all!" He paused. "Except you, Bushland!" He turned and pointed an accusing finger at a small bush beside the Greenhouse. "You're STILL complaining! I'm tired of hearing you COMPLAIN!"
It was then that Spike collided into Liquidator and Bushroot, yipping fearfully and kicking his root legs and digging them into Bushroot's torso. "UGH! SPIIIIKE!" whined the mutant plant duck. "Get off me!"
"Uhh..." groaned Megavolt from where he was standing near them. "We have company..."
"INCOMING!" screamed Quackerjack at the top of his voice. They could hear the sound of the rubber duck squish against the grass but before they could move out of the way, Quackerjack landed on top of Megavolt, Bushroot, Liquidator, and Spike in one big dog pile. "Ha ha ha ha hah hah hah hah hah hah!" Instead of getting off them, Quackerjack stayed above them, trying his best to look around the girth of the rubber duck to see them below. "WHOOPSIE!"
A tirade of angry and furious complaints came from the four of them. Liquidator was able to get out from beneath without problem in his liquefied state. "Let this be a lesson, folks. Quackerjack and large rubber duckies do NOT mix and are hazardous for one's health!"
The jester dramatically shook his head, causing the bells at the end of his hat to jingle loudly. "Maybe for YOUR health! Not miiine!"
As Bushroot and Megavolt slowly squeezed their way out from the rubber ducky's surprisingly heavy weight, none of them noticed the cloud of purple smoke appear.
"I am the terror that FLAPS in the night! I am the sewing needle that pops your balloon!" On cue, there was a high pitched sound of air hissing out of the side of the rubber duck and a second later, the whole thing collapsed in a loud hissing sound. Quackerjack squeaked as the air shooting out from the rubber duck sent him flying several yards away before falling to the ground with a thump.
"I am DARKWIIIIIING DUCK!" The purple smoke evaporated and Darkwing was seen standing there dramatically.
"HEY!" cried Quackerjack indignantly from where he was still on the grass several yards away. "You ruined my FUN!"
Darkwing rolled his eyes.
Megavolt crossed his arms. "What do you want? We haven't done anything in ages!"
Darkwing looked to the electrified rodent, always wondering if Megavolt remembered they once were friends and even on good terms in the last few years. He assumed by Megavolt's snippy question, that he didn't and a small part of him felt heart broken at the thought. "Look, I'm just here to deliver this to Bushroot." He pulled a letter out from the inside of his jacket.
"Me?" piped up Bushroot in surprise.
Quackerjack, who had walked back over to them, tried intercepting the letter before it could reach the flowery mutant.
Darkwing snatched it back and held it tightly to his chest, glaring at the jester. "Watch it, Chuckles! Is your name Bushroot?"
Showing all his teeth, Quackerjack replied, "My name can be whatever you want it to be, Dorkwing."
Darkwing made a face of absolute disgust, his feathers even turning a shade green. "UGH! Never say that again. Ever." He continued to watch the jester warily as Bushroot took the letter and opened it.
Once he scanned the letter with his eyes, Bushroot looked up at the fedora wearing duck with wide eyes. "Scrooge McDuck wants to meet with me!?" He didn't even seem phased when Liquidator peered over his shoulder and snatched the letter out of his hand, which immediately ruined the paper from being readable.
"Oh...eh...sorry..." mumbled Liquidator as he dropped the now soppy and soaked paper to the ground.
Darkwing sighed deeply. "Sadly. For whatever reason, he's got in in his head that he needs to talk to you."
"About what!? What could a duck like him have anything to do with me!?"
"He thinks there's a connection between what happened to you and what happened to-" he paused. "Oh, I just now realized you're still a mutant." He looked to Liquidator. "I thought you told Morgana that Negs un-mutated him."
Liquidator grinned. "Ahhh, she told you that, huh? Well, I'm a man of my word! That really did happen! But the brilliant mind of Reginald Bushroot didn't allow that to stop him! He mutated himself back!"
Darkwing looked Bushroot up and down before shaking his head. "Well, anyways, Bushy, he wants to talk to you. He has it in his head that with your help, we might be able to figure out what Magica is up to."
"Who's Magica. Have I met her?" inquired Megavolt. "Wait. Isn't she the tall magic lady with the bats who dates Darkwing?"
Without even thinking, Darkwing snapped back in reply, "We're not dating." There was a beat of silence before he cleared his throat, his face now cherry red as he pulled at his collar. "And no, that's Morgana, dim bulb." Before any of them had a chance to comment, he pushed on. "So, are you coming or not, Bushy?"
Bashfully, Bushroot rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "I guess so? Do we have to leave right now?"
Liquidator then stepped forward. "I'm coming too!" he declared.
Darkwing shook his head. "No chance, sewer drainage. McDuck only wants to see Bushroot."
"Don't care! Scrooge McDuck has been an idol of mine since I was a young pup just starting his first lemonade stand! The way he does business is inspiring and I've always dreamed that someday he would want to meet up with me and partner up in one of my businesses that I started from the ground up!" explained the canine with a look of nostalgia on his face.
"Oooh, that's right! I forgot you told me that once!" said Bushroot.
Feeling out of the loop and hating every minute of it, Quackerjack stomped his foot down. "Why do THEY get invited but Megs and I don't!?"
Face palming, Darkwing groaned. "The only one INVITED is Bushroot so Bushroot is the only one GOING!"
Liqquidator then stepped up into Darkwing's face. "How exactly do you plan on stopping me from going, Dorkwing?"
Refusing to be intimidated, the vigilante scowled and said, "I'm sure I could quickly find some quick dry cement around here somewhere." Taking a step back, he said louder and more confidently, "Besides! I only have room for one extra person on my Ratcatcher!"
"Then what's the limo for?" came Megavolt's question.
Darkwing blinked owlishly before turning around and looking to see that a limo was in fact parked right next to his Ratcatcher. He groaned, "His butler tailed me. The old coot had his butler TAIL me!" Growling in frustration, he looked over and his mood only soured by the way the Fearsome Four were now marveling at McDuck's limo. Duckworth then chose that moment to step out from the driver's side. A moment later, Morgana stepped out. "Oh! And he's already picked up the other half of my currently complicated dating life! Why doesn't he just do my job FOR me!?"
"Mr. McDuck wanted to make sure you didn't run into any trouble or experience any...detours" Duckworth called over stiffly.
"Hello, Dark!" waved Morgana.
Feeling his face heat up, Darkwing just wanted to melt into the ground as he awkwardly waved to Morgana.
"Looks as though there is plenty of room for us all NOW, Darky!" sneered Quackerjack gleefully.
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Back in the depths of Mount Versuvius, Magica was currently alone as she worked on her masterful potion. She had sent Negaduck and Steelbeak out several hours ago to get a few things prepped for the rest of her upcoming plans. It was perfect, for now was the time that she needed to concentrate.
Poe was perched near her on a little tree stand on her work table. He watched as she went two and fro around her space finding this and that and checking and re-checking her spells for the potion.
"Did you remember the black grass?" he asked her.
Magica raised a finger in the air. "Ahh! Thank you, Poe! I knew I was forgetting something!"
"Eh" shrugged Poe. "You always forget the Black Grass, in any potion!"
She grabbed a small wooden box and opened it, checking to make sure it was what she needed. Nodding to herself, she tossed in the black grass and the potion hissed and bubbled louder. "Now I should be ready to start the REAL fun!" She walked over and grabbed a vial of blood from her tray of vials. "It is finally time to get things ROLLING! Once I add in the little accountant's blood to this potion, it CANNOT be undone! Nyeh heh heh heh heh heh heh!"
Poe flapped his wings up and down cheerfully. "One step closer to being a duck again!"
"Yes, Poe! Soon you shall be my real brother again and soon I shall be the most powerful witch in all d'world! Heh heh!" bragged the enchantress.
Uncorking the vial, she carefully held it over top of the potion and watched as the blood slowly trickled to the end of the glass and fell into the potion. "It is the beginning of the end for Fenton Crackshell! Nyeh heh heh heh heh heh!" Her laugh echoed throughout the cavern as the last of his blood was poured in and red steam poured out of the sides of the cauldron and onto the floor.
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"I have a bad feeling about this, Scroogey. Inviting a member of the Fearsome Four is serious business!" Gizmoduck was saying as he and Scrooge stood outside the McDuck mansion waiting for everyone to arrive. They had thought it best that Gizmoduck be present, not to mention Fenton refused to have it any other way.
"I know what I'm doin' Fenton" chided Scrooge softly. Gizmoduck made a grunting noise, causing Scrooge to glance up at him warily. "Everythin alright Fenton?"
"Hum..." replied Gizmoduck uncertainly. His voice was more Fenton's voice than the robotic hero's. "Just a wave of tiredness..." He said this a bit more deeper to keep his regular voice hidden.
The sound of Duckworth pulling into the lane pulled away his attention. Scrooge turned his eyes to the limo and watched it like a hawk. He waited for Duckworth to open the doors to see Bushroot.
However, much to his annoyance, it was quickly obvious that more people had arrived than he had wanted.
Quackerjack didn't even bother waiting, instead he kicked the door open with his foot and cried out in glee. Jumping out and throwing confetti all over McDuck's immaculate lawn, he cried out: "Let the party BEGIN everyone! Hahahaha!"
Scrooge scowled at the colorful jester and whirled around to glare at Darwking, who had stepped out from the other side of the limo to stand next to him. "This was NOT what I told yeh t'do, Darkwing! I told yeh to bring Dr. Bushroot here! Not this eyesore of color!"
Darkwing rolled his eyes. "Don't whine to me, gramps! You wanted Bushroot, I BROUGHT you Bushroot. Not my fault his idiot friends had to tag along!" They watched as everyone else filed out of the limo, Megavolt and Morgana being the last.
Scrooge looked murderous as more villains he had not invited stepped out of the limo. The last one stepping out being Bushroot; the person he actually wanted to see. It didn't help that Quackerjack took that moment to wrap his arm around Megavolt's neck and point the old miser out. "Look, Megsy. It's the World's Richest Duck in the FLESH!"
Megavolt peered around Quackerjack to see who he was referring to. "Sorry, wait. Who now?"
Quackerjack laughed and stepped over to tap Scrooge's top hat as he grinned at Megavolt. His lack of attention made him jump when Scrooge's cane slammed into his arm. "OUCH!"
"Don't yeh dare touch me, yeh confetti riddled clown!" snarled Scrooge.
Gizmoduck moved to intervene, rolling over closer to McDuck. "Cease, you criminal fiend!"
Liquidator cut him off before the metallic hero could continue. "Now now! Is that any way for new partners of business to be introduced!?" Quackerjack crossed his arms and backed off as Liquidator turned to Scrooge and offered his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. McDuck! The Liquidator, at your service! I've always been a fan and marveled at your skills at business! You are quite the genius of business!"
McDuck eyed the liquid hand with caution, having no intentions to shake it. His dark eyes turned up to meet where the ex-salesman's should be. "Ahh, Liquidator. Once known as the thieving crook known as Bud Flood."
Liquidator was only startled for a moment before he gained his suave confidence back. He ignored the 'thieving crook' comment and focused on being flattered that his economic icon knew of him. "Ahh! It would seem my history of successful business proceeds me!" he praised himself. "I remember looking up to you, Mr. McDuck! Even early on in my entrepreneur and business owning days!"
Scrooge's eyebrows raised up in mock interest. "Did yeh now?"
Liquidator nodded.
"So, yeh admired me hard work and fair tactics in t'stock market, hm?"
"Most certainly! It was quite inspiring!"
"That's odd. As someone who was a big fan of mine, yeh certainly didn't listen t'any of my principals of business. For wasn't it lyin' and cheatin' yer way t'the top how yeh got so far ahead?"
Liquidator suddenly looked crestfallen.
"And how did tha' end up workin' for yeh?" sneered Scrooge, looking Liquidator up and down. Without giving the watery canine a chance to react, Scrooge pressed on. "D'not insult me with flattery, Mr. Flood. I remember yeh from yer days before villainy very well. If yeh recall, my water bottle factory was t'only one that didn't get contaminated back then. It's because I didn't HAVE one. Instead I was the one owning all t'factories that made the filters to decontaminate the water before it were even put into bottles. Not to mention my chemical factories that yeh bought the chemicals from t'begin with!" He angrily pointed his cane accusingly at Liquidator. "Yeh used MY chemicals from MY chemical factories t'contaminate all of St. Canard's water sources! And who do you suppose the city turned to when they learned which chemicals ruined t'water? ME! They tried t'sue me for YOUR crimes since it was MY chemicals yeh decided t'use! Didn't think of THAT before yeh tried weaseling yer way t'me good side, did ya!?"
Liquidator was, in a word, gobsmacked. "I-I...Why-Why did they try to sue YOU!?"
"Because, yeh moronic marauder, its a bit difficult to sue the actual person t'blame when they're nothin' but a slippery puddle of drain water! And fer someone who claims t'be a great businessmen like yerself, yeh ought t'know that people will sue anyone s'long as they get their money!" argued Scrooge. "Thankfully, being the 'Genius of Business' as you so eloquently called me, I was able to refute and argue my case against my charges. So I suggest, Mr. Flood, that yeh stay far away from me."
Darkwing let out a long grieving sigh. "Oookaaaayyyy" he groaned, stepping in front of Liquidator who looked like a kicked puppy. "Listen, while we're all still young here!" This earned him a pointed look from the older miser. Darkwing had the decency to look guilty at that look. Shaking it off, the vigilante continued, "THIS is the guy you wanted to see!" He gestured to where Bushroot had quietly stepped up next to the now cowed and embarrassed Liquidator.
Bushroot shook with nerves as Scrooge's eyes landed on him. "Ahh! Dr. Bushroot then?"
Bushroot nodded. "T-that's me, M-Mr. McDuck. Honored to meet you!" He offered his hand out of politeness and habit, though wasn't surprised when Scrooge simply blinked in surprised at the leafy appendage. "Oh! Sorry! Lycium Nycantropies such as myself don't have the luxury of fingers! Heh!"
Seemingly more calm around the green mutant than he was around Quackerjack or Liquidator, Scrooge nodded. "Understandable. And it is lovely t'see yeh again, Miss McCawber" he nodded to Morgana. "I see there are several unwelcome guests who have showed up." He peered around Morgana. "Ahh, yes, Megavolt. I've of course heard of you and all the power outages yeh cause."
"Yeah, that sounds like me" shrugged Megavolt, who still didn't quite know what was going on. "I swear they're not always intentional! Well, sometimes they are. Okay, they almost always are unless they're accidental. I'm trying to save my poor luminaries from slavery, alright!?"
Scrooge raised his eyebrows but didn't comment. Instead he changed the topic altogether. "Thank yeh all for comin' despite having not been invited."
"We're party crashers!" Quackerjack pointed out jovially.
"This is not a party!" snapped Scrooge. "Negaduck and Magica are up t'somethin' and we need to figure out what that is! And I'll say this once and only once, I want you -" He stopped mid sentence when he heard a groan from Gizmoduck.
Fenton slumped forward inside the Gizmoduck suit and nearly lost balance on his unicycle. That was when the shaking began. The metallic pieces of the suit clattered against each other as Fenton found himself shaking uncontrollably. "Scroogey..." He whimpered. "Something is definitely wrong in Denmark..."
"Denmark?" echoed Scrooge in confusion. He placed a hand on one of the metallic arms. "Fen-" He warily looked to the Fearsome Four who were curiously watching. "Gizmoduck" he corrected himself. "Are yeh alright?"
"What's the matter, Bolts? Outta battery?" sneered Megavolt from behind Quackerjack. His sneer suddenly morphed into empathy as he mumbled, "I know that feeling ALL too well, buddy..."
Darkwing looked nervously back and fourth between Gizmoduck and the Fearsome Four, who obviously didn't know it was actually Fenton underneath the suit. He also didn't like the fact that, once again, he was out of his element. "Uhh...Giz? You gonna be okay?"
"I-I don't know! I can't stop trembling! I'm suddenly so exhausted! It doesn't make any sense! I overslept this morning! Which means I shouldn't be tired from lack of sleep! If anything, I had too much!" whined Fenton, his voice no longer Gizmoduck's.
It was then that the shaking became so violent that a gloved hand fell to the ground, revealing Fenton's feathered hand.
Scrooge gasped as he watched the Gizmoduck suit fall off Fenton piece by piece. "Darkwing!" he hissed quietly. "You of all people know how important keepin' one's secret identity secret is! Help him!"
Darkwing gave the billionaire a gobsmacked expression. "What do you expect ME to do, gramps! I can't stop him from falling apart!"
"Cheese and crackers! I'm sorry, guys, but the suit is too heavy!" whimpered Fenton. "I can't keep this thing on anymore! I feel like last week's soggy newspaper! And my heart is starting to beat painfully in my chest! Like someone is kicking it around like a soccer ball!" The unicycle wheel fell and Fenton fell to his knees with a loud clang, his hands going up to his helmet as sparks of electricity began circling him. The Gizmoduck suitcase burst through the front door from where it had been sitting inside the door.
"OOOOH! Are we gonna get to see the duck behind the machinery!?" giggled Quackerjack. "The super top secret identity of Gizmoduck himself!? Where's popcorn when you need it!?"
Scrooge grunted in panic, his eyes darting to the bewildered looks the Fearsome Four were giving them. "Darkwing!" He hissed. "DO SOMETHING!"
"Oh, dear!" cried Morgana from where she was standing. "I could try a disillusion spell! That might help!" suggested Morgana as she watched everything happen.
"No time, Morg!" snapped Darkwing, huddling close to Fenton has the last pieces of the Gizmoduck suit fell off. "Kneel down and whatever you do, don't let your helmet come off!" he hissed into Fenton's ear as he used his cape to block the view of the Fearsome Four.
"I-I'll try!" Fenton did just that, holding on tightly to his helmet as best he could through the heavy shaking. All the pieces of the suit where magnetically being pulled back into the suitcase it was kept in and the helmet was hell bent on going back in with the other pieces. With the help of Darkwing, the two of them kept the helmet in place while he and Scrooge started pushing Fenton through the front door to the mansion and away from the Fearsome Four.
"Keep the Four distracted, please, Morgana, sweetie!" called Darkwing over his shoulder as Fenton, Scrooge, and Darkwing all rushed inside and slammed the door behind them.
Crickets were the only thing that could be heard in the aftermath of what had just taken place.
"Heh..." began Quackerjack nonchalantly. "Wardrobe malfunctions, am I right?"
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Finally pulling off the helmet now that it was safe to do so, Fenton groaned and fell to the floor. His entire body was shaking uncontrollably and he leaned on his arms, his legs underneath him.
Scrooge knelt down beside Fenton and felt his forehead. "Fenton! Me treasure, what's wrong?"
Fenton shook his head. "I don't know, Scroogey, dearest, but I just can't stop trembling! And my heart...its beating so erratically!" His voice sounded slightly hitched from the shakes.
"The tremors 'ave gotten worse laddie" commented Scrooge in worry. "Yeh've been having them for days now. Don't think I didn't notice!"
Fenton sunk in on himself, looking ashamed and guilty. "I didn't say much about them, cause I didn't think they were that serious! Honest, Scroogey!"
"Do yeh 'ave any pain in your chest?" was Scrooge's next question, his expression caught between sorrow and heavy guilt.
Fenton shook his head. "N-Not pain...exactly...Just feels like my heart is trying to learn how to play the drums against my rib cage!"
Darkwing cleared his throat loudly. "Would someone PLEASE tell me what is going on!? Right now seems to be a mighty bad time to be having an identity crisis! You nearly revealed your secret identity to the Fearsome Four of all people! Tell them something like that and the whole criminal world might as well know!"
Scrooge scowled at Darkwing's lack of empathy. "Can yeh not see Fenton is clearly sick, ya caped buffoon!? If yeh must know, Fenton has been wracked with slight tremors in his hands and arms for days now. It appears they just got much worse!"
Darkwing scratched his head underneath his fedora. "Should I suggest some nerve medicine then?"
This only worsened Scrooge's mood further. "Yeh can take yer remarks somewhere else, yeh insensitive swine! Go and make yerself useful by watching after the Fearsome Four! You were the one who brought all four of them here to begin with! I had only asked for Dr. Bushroot! Instead yeh bring me a circus!"
Darkwing grunted at the insults. "I didn't bring them with me WILLINGLY! Those four are like fleas! Once you have one of them on you, you have them all!"
Scrooge growled in anger as he guided Fenton's hunched over form closer to him. The accountant's forehead was now resting on Scrooge's chest. Taking an arm and pointing to the door, McDuck yelled, "JUST GO!"
Thoroughly intimidated, Darkwing raised his hands up in surrender before darting out of the mansion, but not befor saying, "Geez, someone needs a nap!"
Ignoring the vigilante, Scrooge turned to Fenton, who seemed to be half asleep. "Fenton? Fenton, are yeh gonnae be alright?"
Fenton shrugged the best he could in his current position. "I guess? I don't know. I can't stop shaking!" He looked up at Scrooge. "I am trying REALLY hard not to shake and I just can't! And I just feel so drained all of a sudden! Like I have no energy! I feel like I should be in my spaceship pajamas and sleeping!" He curled in on himself a bit before pulling himself up into a sitting position and looked at his paramour in the eyes.
Scrooge gulped, not liking how serious Fenton was being. A serious Fenton was never a good thing. It left a bad taste in his mouth, for the young lad was usually so bright and innocent and filled with life. Scrooge didn't like any of this and it didn't help that he knew he was most likely the cause of Fenton's troubles.
"What's going on, Scroogey? I have a feeling you might know what's happening to me. Does this relate to what Magica said to me? About the Golden Heart?"
Scrooge looked like a cornered mouse about to get eaten by a large grinning cat. His eyes darted back and forth as he pulled on his collar. "T'be honest, laddie, I think it does..."
Fenton groaned as Scrooge helped him into a chair. "I was afraid you were gonna say that Scroogey, my paramour..." He looked away and Scrooge awkwardly and guiltily stood there and waited. "R-Remember the time we went out into the Klondike with G-Gladstone and I kept messing things up because I was so nervous around you?"
"Aye, laddie. I remember."
A particularly strong tremor went up Fenton's spine before he continued, a hand on his chest. "B-Back then...I didn't really know what I was feeling about you. Gladstone h-helped me figure it out, in his own standoffish way. And...A lot of the stuff that happened out there could have been avoided if I'd just told you the truth."
"Aye. But if I recall correctly, when ya finally DID tell me, it was in public and everyone thought ya t'be heavily drunk and yeh went and made a fool of yerself" laughed Scrooge in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Fenton sighed. "And I learned that keeping secrets didn't help. It was better once I told you everything..." He raised a shaky hand to his head and rubbed at it. "Though, I'm pretty sure I still have a soft spot from where you hit me on the head with your cane."
Scrooge made a sound between a laugh and huff and ran his fingers through the tufts of hair on Fenton's head.
"I had a point to this..." confessed Fenton, blushing as he looked at his paramour sheepishly.
Scrooge nodded. "I understand what yer tryin' t'say, lad. That this old coot should 'ave told yeh sooner what happened in France. Since we both think that whatever is currently ailin' yeh, seems t'be connected."
Fenton nodded and the older duck pulled a blanket off another chair and threw it over the accountant's shoulders. "I didn't even realize I didn't k-know until Magica brought it up."
Scrooge nodded and continued to run his hand through Fenton's hair. "I never told you because, I'm not proud of what I allowed t'happen, Fenton."
Fenton looked up at Scrooge with big shiny eyes, and for a moment, the old miser wondered if the younger duck was going to cry. But instead, Fenton scooted over and made room for Scrooge to sit down. It was a tight squeeze for them to both be sitting in the large cushioned chair, but neither of them minded it.
"We found the Golden Heart. But it wasn't what it was cracked up t'be. Long story short, laddie, is, you, being the heart sick fool ya are, sacrificed yerself so I could get that Heart." whispered Scrooge. His voice was low and filled with regret and sorrow.
"I sacrificed myself? But how? Y-You make it sound like I gave my life up for it" questioned Fenton. "Which, yes, that does sound like something I would do. Anything for the apple of my eye!"
Fenton's joke fell flat for that only made Scrooge wince and look away. "Laddie, yeh did sacrifice yerself. I honestly don't know how yer still alive, but I thank me lucky stars every day that you are."
A heavy and tense silence filled the room as the two just stared at each other while Fenton processed this. Finally, Fenton squeaked, "What?"
Scrooge pulled his hand away from where it was still resting on Fenton's head and pulled off his glasses, rubbing between his eyes. "There was a part of t'legend no one knew about. We found ancient texts on t'wall down in the caverns that explained it but at t'time I was too treasure driven t'care. But they said in order to obtain t'Golden Heart, one had t'sacrifice someone they loved." He stared at Fenton. "And that person was you, Fenton. And you knew it was gonnae happen. Yeh even tried t'warn me. But I didn't listen and..." his voice broke. "Yeh wanted t'make me happy so badly, that ya gave up yer life so that I could have that cursed Heart!" Scrooge seemed to be holding back some tears which he quickly wiped away.
"So, how am I alive? What happened to the Golden Heart?"
"Glomgold took it. It didn't triple his fortune like it claimed to do, but I believe that's only because he didn't sacrifice anyone he loved to get it like I did. As fer how yer still alive? I don't know. Yeh were so cold for so long, Fenton...No life to yeh...And then yeh just started breathing again."
"So...I'm technically dead?"
Shaking his head quickly, Scrooge was quick to hush him, wondering if he would be needing to calm himself or Fenton down more. "Nae, Fenton! Nae! I -I mean, technically you WERE dead or...eh, appeared to be dead! But, you're alive now! See!?"Scrooge placed a hand on Fenton's chest, just over his heart. "See? You have a heart beat. Pumping blood! That wouldn't be the case if yeh were dead!"
Fenton thought about it for a long while, neither of them speaking."But I still died..."
Scrooge groaned and pulled Fenton closer to him. "Not a day goes by where I'm not wracked with guilt, Fenton, me treasure!" He pressed a kiss to the accountant's forehead.
"Well, I mean...You say I knew it would happen to me, so...I guess I brought it upon myself, right?"
The old billionaire shook his head. "No. I brought it upon you by not listening to yer warnin's. Instead I snapped at you and treated you horribly." He sighed. "Let me go get yeh a glass of water."
Scrooge quickly went and got the accountant a glass of water. As he walked down the hallway towards the kitchens, he pulled off his top hat and groaned. He had been stupid to believe this wouldn't eventually come up. Not talking about it had just been so much easier!
When he returned with the water, Fenton looked up at him with love shining in his eyes. "Awww, Scroogey!"
Perplexed by the sudden change in mood, Scrooge gawked at him. "What?"
"It was true love that brought me back!" Fenton gushed.
There was a small part of Scrooge that wanted to cringe. He was never the type to believe in such things as true love. But it appeared to be the only explanation to what had happened down in those caves all those months ago.
"Aye, that could have been it" he replied quietly. "But do yeh see why I didn't want t'bring it up? I was willing to risk yer life fer treasure laddie! It might as well have been one of me nephews I was sacrificing! I told myself years ago, when Donald came t'me to watch over the boys, that I would never take them fer granted. I messed up several times on t'way, but I knew they were worth more than all the treasure and money in t'world! And what I did in France was inexcusable."
Getting on shaky feet, Fenton pushed himself up and hugged Scrooge tightly. "Thank you for telling me, Scroogey, my dearest. I mean, I can't say I'm completely without anger and hurt that you'd allow that to happen, but, I REALLY feel awful right now and I just want hugs from my paramour because I love you, Scroogey!"
Scrooge chuckled nervously and held onto him tightly, trying hard not to let the unrelenting shivers bother him. "I love yeh too, Fenton. We'll sort all this out, I promise."
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