The King Verse

Part Two: The Electric Green Orchestra 1

As if taking a trip with a panicky passenger wasn't bad enough, once they got to the bridge tower Phantom Duck found there wasn't a vacancy.

The occupants of the tower in this universe ... were plants.

The greenery crowded in all the places that the light reached and great mirror contraptions hung from the roof bringing more light into the once-shadowy place. Phantom Duck heard the sound of a heavy bucket land on the stone floor. He looked over to an embankment of foliage that hid the source of the sound.

"No-no, you can't bring him up here!" Bushroot's voice quacked from behind the scenery.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know ..." Phantom Duck watched the plant-duck hybrid appear. "Why aren't you at the greenhouse, Bushroot?"
"Are you for real?" Bushroot snorted, advancing on the two mallards. "Perhaps ... you ... would care to explain that one to him, Drakey Mallard?"
"The King?" Phantom raised an eyebrow. "Why would-?"
"He doesn't have a greenhouse anymore, Phantom Duck." Drakey explained quietly, "Cecile destroyed it."
"Yeah, Drakey." Bushroot said rather unimpressed. "Your boss. And up till five minutes ago, he didn't know where I'd moved to, so The King didn't come around roughing me up anymore."
"I won't tell him!" Drakey squawked urgently. "I don't tell him anything if I don't have to! Please! I only do what I'm told. I promise I won't tell!"
"Humph. Well ... okay." Bushroot shrugged and then smiled.

Bushroot ruminated. "I remember that I used to be a wash-out like you, Drakey."

"You ... used to?" Drakey looked at Bushroot in awe. "But you changed? More than just turning into a ... w-w..."
"Plant-duck hybrid. Or mutant; whatever. Yes. It's simple," Bushroot put his leafy hand on Drakey's shoulder. "You just need to change the way you think about the guy. He isn't the centre of your world; you are. You've got to tell yourself that you need to come first." Bushroot smiled, beaming with personal pride. "When I face people like that I tell them that I don't need no-one to tell me what to do. I know I'm on my own and there's nothing they can do so I don't need no one like them, to tell me what to do."
"No-no!" Drakey squawked, trying to hush him, "you mustn't! Th-that's black-market music!"
"Black-market music? I think we're far enough away from our next door neighbours up here, Drakey." Phantom Duck raised an eyebrow. "How did this 'black-market music' situation happen, Bushroot?"
"The music genre gap means the war is never won." He sighed. "All of St. Canard's radio stations play the same music-oh, what I wouldn't give to play some nice baroque for my friends ..." He pointed accusingly at Drakey, "but your friends confiscated all my CDs."

"I am sorry." Drakey blinked at Reginald Bushroot. "Could you teach me these songs you know? Please?"
Phantom Duck crossed his arms. Reginald Bushroot teaching his alter ego personal power?
"Sure." Bushroot smiled in answer. "We could even be friends."
"Oh, I'd like that." Drakey smiled, then blinked, "but, uh, is it safe?"

"You play life safe and that's not living! Keep it up and you'll never live at all!" Phantom Duck snarled at Drakey.

"The grumpy guy does have a point, Drakey." Bushroot conceded to Drakey, "I mean; I much prefer being a plant and I wouldn't be if I didn't take the chance with that experiment."

Bushroot moved past Drakey and fixed his eyes on Phantom Duck. "Who are you?"
"I am Phantom Duck. I am -."
"Yeah, okay, so what's your plan? I mean, I know Morgana's plan, but what's your song? Maybe I can help."
"St. Canard needs someone to save it from the criminal under-element. Someone who is like Phantom Duck but who in fact is not Phantom Duck."
"Are you ... g-going somewhere?"
Phantom Duck eyed Drakey Mallard. "Once this King business is resolved I want to go back home, yes."
"Well, okay if you think th-that's b-best."
"But first I'm going to help Morgana bring down this villainous vocalist ... again." He rolled his eyes. "So then what about the others, Bushroot? Are they good guys or bad guys?"
"I beg your pardon?" Bushroot blinked. "What others?"
"Let's start with Liquidator."
Bushroot shrugged. "Who?"
"Okay ... have you heard of Megavolt or Quackerjack?"
Bushroot opened his eyes up wide. "Do you mean Megawatt?"