Disclaimer: I do not own Darkwing Duck, Scrooge McDuck or any other Disney character.
Authors Note: Reader's warning. This ties directly to my fic "The Path Chosen", it also bridges the other fics, Tracker's Story "Synthetic Hero" and "Hidden Dawn". If you haven't read those fics, I doubt this one will make any sense to you.
Meant To Be: Chapter 26. Epilogue
In a wooded area just outside of St. Canard, a small group has gathered to say a final farewell to a remarkable hero.
Darkwing Duck stands atop a small hill with his daughter dressed in her Quiverwing costume. The child holds in her hands a sterling silver urn.
At the foot of the hill are gathered a few that, for a fleeting moment had come to know the departed. Scrooge McDuck, his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, Mrs. Beakly and her granddaughter Webby, LaunchPad McQuack, and Gyro Geerloose.
All stand, hats in hand to show respect for their departed friend - Tracker.
Darkwing knew that his future self would not want a funeral, for as he said, "How can we die when we are all Darkwing Duck, Different choices, different lives, but all one soul."
All one soul?
Darkwing was unsettled by those words, somehow. Maybe because he always felt like there was something missing within himself, as though he were incomplete.
All one soul.
When Flyer, Nomad and Dark Warrior had crossed over into the vortex and, as Tracker had stated, ceased to be. Had they taken part of his soul with them? Or had there departure added to it, giving back a piece of him that had once been lost on the winds of fate.
This is getting way too cryptic, Darkwing pushes the thought from his mind, for now. He turns to face those gathered around to pay their final respects. "Tracker wouldn't have wanted to be buried here in this time, this reality, I know. He wouldn't have wanted any words spoken over him, but I will say this much.
Tracker, we commit your ashes to the winds. Here on the hill where you first crossed over into another realm of existence. Here where the vortex stood that took the others to what ever destiny awaited them on the other side. May you at long lat join them."
Darkwing nods to Gosalyn. Slowly she removes the lid of the urn and pours out the ashes over the hilltop to be scattered in the wind.
As those gathered watch on. A strong breeze sweeps low over the hilltop, catching up the ashes. For a few seconds, the ashes swirl into a small whirlwind and dances in a circle atop the hill. As it reaches the very spot the vortex had been, it rises a few inches from the ground then disperses. The ashes are scattered and gone from sight in a trice.
Those who witness it can only look on in awe. Scrooge walks slowly up to Darkwing who still gazes in the direction the whirlwind had taken Tracker's ashes.
"He's home, Lad." Scrooge says softly to the Masked Mallard.
Darkwing nods numbly. "Yes he is. At long last."
From the Author: OK, this was suppose to be the story of Guardian and how he came to be. As it turns out, I think the title should have been Tracker's Story; The Return of Tracker.
So I decided to do another short fic as a follow up, not only tying up a few loose ends from this story. But also, hopefully, a little insight to Darkwing's past and what destined Darkwing Duck to someday become the Guardian.