Chapter 4: Some Things Don't Change

Light filled Darkwing's vision, obscuring everything around him. He covered his face automatically. When the brightness faded, he found himself inside a different building far from the carnage he had just witnessed. Darkwing stopped and pleaded with Jacob. "Send me home! I don't want to see any more!"

"I can't right now."

"Well of course you can! All you have to do is wave your hands around and presto!"

"You don't get it, Drake. I am not in control of what happens. All I did was grant you a wish."

"A wish?! What kind of idiotic psychopath would wish to see his friend murdered!?" "That was merely a result of your choice. Many others you have yet to see were affected as well."

"'Others'? Like I should care about 'others'! What part of 'my friend was murdered' didn't you understand?!"

"That was the result of you choosing not to become Darkwing Duck. Granted, these were extreme cases, but you've clearly seen how, even as a child, you were affecting the wellbeing of St. Canard..."

"Okay, okay, I get it." Darkwing crossed his arms. "My life directly affects my family. Tell me something I don't already know. No! Make that, send me home so that I can get back to 'protecting' my family!"

"Darkwing...there is more to being a hero than protecting just the ones you love..."

"I know! But—" Before Darkwing could finish his retort, they both heard a door open and a light flipped on. They blinked in the sudden brightness.

Darkwing then made out the shapes around him. "Hold the phone! This is the Koo Koo Kola factory! I had a case here—" He broke off as they heard footsteps coming toward them.

Bud Flood paused beside a vat and started pouring a bottle of toxic waste into the water.

"Well...at least there's one guy who got the better end of the deal. I was the reason he became the Liquidator." Darkwing said dryly.

Bud finished pouring the poison and turned to leave, but he dropped the empty bottle and slipped, falling into the vat on his own. Darkwing covered his ear slits. He didn't care to hear that transformation all over again.

A few minutes later, the Liquidator emerged. He was understandably disoriented and it took him a few minutes to gain his equilibrium. He looked at his hands and feet. "What the! What happened?! Is this some sort of dream?!"

The newly transformed Bud Flood experimentally punched the side of a nearby vat of regular water and flinched as water suddenly spewed from the hole his fist had created. The jet of water formed an arch over him and flowed to the floor, puddling at his feet.

Liquidator gazed up at the arch in confusion. "How in the world did that happen?" He reached up to touch the arch and started when the water flowed into his finger. "Hmm. This may prove profitable in some way... Let's see what these babies can do!" he wiggled his fingers and the water danced at his command. He laughed and commanded a flood to wash him through the factory doors to the streets outside.

Darkwing stared after him. "I don't believe it! He's still the same Liquidator!"

"Yes. There was nothing you could do to prevent it." Jacob answered.

"So does that mean Bushroot...?" Darkwing started.

Jacob took them to the greenhouse. Darkwing saw Bushroot kidnap Dr. Rhoda Dendron. With no one to stop him, Rhoda became a mutant herself.

At first, it looked like Bushroot finally had the friend of his dreams as Rhoda fainted into his arms at the sight of her transformation. But then Rhoda woke up and started clawing at Bushroot, trying to get away from him. A thorny rosebush sprouted from the ground and grabbed Bushroot. Bushroot called the plant off, but Rhoda's fear was confusing the plants.

All the plants in the greenhouse swarmed around the pair until finally a tree picked up Rhoda and started carrying her away. Bushroot ordered another tree to carry him and follow her. Both trees rampaged through the city, causing tons of wrecks and property damage.

The police tried fending off the plants but ended up getting plucked up and tossed aside. A SWAT team was assembled to set the trees on fire. This set half the block on fire. Then Rhoda and Bushroot started working together to fend off their attackers.

Darkwing turned to Jacob. "We can't just stand here and watch! They're going to destroy half the city at this rate! And where is S.H.U.S.H.? Shouldn't they be here lending a hand?"

Jacob, whose form had started changing again during the rampage, clapped his golden paws and Darkwing found himself in a desert, surrounded by ships half sunken into the sand.

"Ships?" he puzzled out loud, looking up at his now ursine companion.

The bear arched a furry brow at him. Darkwing stared back before it hit him. That was FOWL's fleet. The same one Steelbeak and his Eggmen had built so that they could storm the impenetrable fortress of Oilrabia. From the looks of things here, the ships hadn't been used in a while.

"What about the princess? And the oil?" Darkwing asked.

Jacob changed the setting so that they were now inside the aerial palace. Eggmen and Eggwomen were running the place and various villains relaxed on the silk cushions. The princess herself was chained to the floor like some exotic pet on display.

"So if FOWL succeeded here, does that mean...?" Darkwing asked hesitantly.

Jacob changed things around again so that they were inside Phineas Sharp's resort. Sharp was overseeing operations as usual, but the resort was ten times more plush and crowded. There were FOWL Eggmen here too, and Hammerhead was relaxing in a chaise with an Eggwoman fanning him with a palm branch. Jacob tapped Darkwing's shoulder and pointed to a long row of photographs on the wall. Each one of them had a red "X" painted over them. This included a photo of Derek Blunt and...

"J. Gander Hooter? Dead?!" Darkwing croaked disbelievingly. "And Dr. Sara Bellum! But why?"

"Because she refused to give up the operating code for a weapon of mass destruction..." Jacob said softly in a voice reminiscent of Gryzlikoff's.

Darkwing looked again at the photos and found his picture marked as well. Poor old Griz... Then Darkwing saw another photo next to last agent that had not been crossed out. "Donald Duck? The actor from those Von Drake documentaries? What is his picture doing here?"

Jacob didn't reply. He simply pointed to another picture. This one was a map of the world. Islands, states, even whole countries were circled and labeled.

Darkwing read some of them and nearly choked. "Flintheart Glomgold owns Africa?! Shere Khan the second owns half of China and India?! Phineas Sharp owns the Salad Sea! And Steelbeak has a claim on Mexico?!"

"Bulba hasn't been in a generous mood for a while..." Jacob replied, his voice changing as his muzzle lengthened and his ears sharpened. "He runs the whole western hemisphere from St. Canard."

"This is outrageous! Complete lunacy! Why hasn't anyone stopped this from happening?!"

"Many tried, but just as many failed. After FOWL took over the oil reserves and Bulba appointed financial managers, every government agency lost resources, funding, and field agents. S.H.U.S.H.'s list was not the only list of names. Members of the police department, FBI, CIA, SWAT, and Coast Guard have all had death threats against their families."

"So you're saying that, because I stopped FOWL, Bulba, and Sharp, I essentially saved the world from becoming..." Darkwing gestured distastefully at the map."This?" He puffed up a little at his own self importance, and then raised an eyebrow as he thought of another place even more wretched than this world. "What about the Negaverse? And Negaduck?"

"Well, naturally the Negaverse as you know it does not exist in this realm," Jacob said as he causally scratched his whiskery chin. He had finished turning into a wolf and Darkwing jumped when he saw him. The wolf had long, milk-white fur and glowing red eyes. It was creepy!

Jacob perked his ears and blinked at him curiously. Then he flattened his ears and chided himself with a sheepish grin. "Oh. Sorry about that. I haven't found a form that suits me yet. I keep trying out different ones to see how they fit. As much as I like the ears and the..." he glanced back and waved his plumy tail before continuing. "I don't want to upset you any further. Here," He changed his eye color to amber and took on the shape of a rotund little owl. "Is this better?" the owl hooted in a strangely high-pitched voice.

"No! Will you quit doing that?! It's driving me batty!" Darkwing snapped.

Jacob got a thoughtful look on his face. "Hmm. I've never tried a bat before..."

"Don't," Darkwing warned flatly, rubbing his head wearily. "I don't want to be reminded of Morgana right now."

Silence...

Darkwing looked up and saw Jacob pursing his lips. He palmed his face. "Don't tell me..."

Jacob shrugged. "Hey. I didn't make the rules. But first, there's something else you're supposed to see..." He took Darkwing back to Canard Tower and paused. "See anything different?"

"Compared to MY world, or compared to the way it was ten minutes ago?" Darkwing asked testily.

Jacob sighed and pointed up. There was a flag on top of the building. Fresh, crisp, and brightly colored, it hadn't been up there long. Darkwing didn't recognize the insignia on it, but something else looked familiar. It was gold, depicting something furry. What was familiar about black masks and the long ears and...

The pieces clicked in Darkwing's mind. "The Cute Little Lost Bunnies rule the Negaverse!?"

"They may be short, but they're every bit as fearsome as Negaduck. Of course, having sharp teeth and bad tempers does help with the intimidation factor..."

"So this world still has a Negaverse and Nega...Bunnies?"

Jacob's blue eyes looked into Darkwing's and put his hands on the crime fighter's shoulders. "Darkwing: no matter where you go or who you're with, evil is always a factor. It will always find a way into even the most impenetrable fortress and the most steadfast of hearts. It never stops. It merely adapts."

"You're telling me that even if I didn't exist, St. Canard would still be overrun with the likes of Negaduck..."

"Precisely."

Darkwing thought things over for a moment. "Then everything would be different. Morgana would still be...?"

Jacob changed the scenery to a dark room, lit by a single overhead bulb. Morgana sat in the center of the room with her arms crossed in front of her, a stubborn expression on her face.

Steelbeak was with her, trying to coax her into doing magical services for FOWL. "Morgana, babe. Look at this from all the angles. We're not asking for much. Just a simple dimensional portal for our army to walk through. For that one teensy favor, you'll have..." He gestured to some Eggmen who brought in fake palm trees and a map of the islands in the Salad Sea, plus props. "An all expense paid vacation at the bee-you-tiful Salad Sea Spa and Resort. Comes with exclusive privileges such as private movie screenings, a personal chef and valet, open invitations to every FOWL Ball (costumes and dancing optional), and, best of all, your own private patch of beach for soaking up some sun..." he grinned wickedly.

"I HATE sunlight," Morgana growled under her breath, not even looking at the props.

"Did I say sunlight?" Steelbeak stepped back. He looked questioningly at his men before recovering from his brief slip-up. "I meant, uh...'moonlight'! Moonlit walks on the beach, star gazing, a bonfire, and whatnot... This is your chance to do what ya want, when ya want, without worrying about commoners calling the cops. And all this is just part of the bonus you get for signings up with us. The more you do for FOWL, the more we'll do for youse. Like...pay off those pesky student loans...?"

"H...how did you find out about that?!" Morgana asked nervously.

"Comes wit' da territory, dame. See, FOWL has been keepin' its collective eye on youse since you sic'ed those carnivorous mushrooms on that door-to-door salesman."

"I didn't release the mushrooms! It was an accident!" Morgana protested nervously before seeing Steelbeak's smirk. She patted her hair and put on a calm demeanor. "An unfortunate and rather messy turn of events, yes, but he had been warned to stay away..."

"Well, from the sounds of it, he won't be sales pitching anyone anymore."

"Oh don't be ridiculous." Morgana waved her hand dismissively. "The fat fool simply ran home with a few less bulges. If his wife hadn't already been arrested for being a public nuisance, she might have even been pleased with the slimming results. It was only a matter of time before some other...misfortune fell upon him."

"Oh yeah, sure..." Steelbeak chuckled. "Singing to flowers is SUCH a public nuisance..."

"Arrested for 'singing to flowers'?" Darkwing turned to Jacob. "Did I miss something?"

In answer, Jacob morphed into a golden retriever and disappeared for a second, returning with a rolled-up newspaper in his mouth.

"Uh...thanks." Darkwing grimaced as he took the paper with a disgusted expression on his face. Shaking off the dog drool and muttering about unnecessary theatrics, he looked over the headlines, promptly ignoring his "canine" companion. Jacob kept the floppy ears and face of the retriever while morphing into an anthropomorphic version.

Darkwing read a couple of lines before his eyes practically popped out of their sockets.

"'Binkie Muddlefoot'?!" He mumbled through most of the brief article. "'After repeated complaints from neighbors, police arrested the housewife and mother of two for singing to her flowers as late as ten pm and as early as five am. Although singing off-key is not a crime, Muddlefoot has been charged with disturbing the peace. Police are also looking into accusations of entering homes without owners' permission'..." Darkwing wadded the paper up. "This is ridiculous! (Although painfully accurate.) Since when has anyone paid attention to noise ordinances around here!"

"Those are not the only things that have changed..." Jacob commented.

Darkwing eyed him warily. "Are you saying that was Herb who was attacked by those ferocious fungi?"

"Quackerware is all he has." Jacob said softly. "Tank joined a gang and Honker ran away soon after his mother's arrest..."

"'Ran away'! But he's smarter than that; he's..." Darkwing's voice faded as he realized something. Gosalyn was Honker's first friend. Without her... "Hoo boy..." Jacob went on to explain.

"Without his mother to reassure him, Honker couldn't escape Tank's bullying, or the other kids at school. He is headed for Twin Beaks..."

"And let me guess..." Darkwing crossed his arms. "I can't do anything to help him."

Jacob nodded slowly.

Suddenly Morgana shouted, drawing Darkwing's attention back to her. "No! I will not work for FOWL! I don't care what your employers offer me, I will not help your army. Think of all the innocent lives that would be lost!"

"Yes!" Darkwing cheered for Morgana.

Steelbeak chuckled. "'Innocent.' Right. Get with the program, here, sister. Those 'innocent' people youse mentioned are all living for themselves. Just like you and me. The only difference is, we don't have to answer to the likes of Taurus Bulba..."

The Eggmen laughed. Morgana glowered at all of them.

"So...do we have a deal...?" Steelbeak asked with a suave smile.

Morgana considered it.

"Don't do it, Morg! Don't fall for it!" Darkwing pleaded.

Morgana stood, placing some distance between herself and the rooster. "No. I've done some shady deeds and worked with less than innocent people, but I'll never work for FOWL!"

"'Never' is a looong time to go without backup..." Steelbeak warned. "Trust me... You don't want to go up against Bulba on yer own."

"I'll take my chances..." Morgana replied icily, heading to the door.

Two bulky Eggmen blocked her. She glared at them. "Move out of the way." They grinned, daring her to make them. "Have it your way, then." She wiggled her fingers and the men were swept off their feet. They conked helmets and slumped dizzily to the floor.

Morgana unlocked the door and pulled it open magically. Suddenly the sound of a gun being cocked distracted her. She turned around to find Steelbeak aiming a derringer at her.

"I'd reconsider if I were youse, Lady. High Command doesn't take 'no' for an answer..." he warned.

Morgana's face darkened. "You have no idea who you're dealing with...!"

"Oh yeah...? Well considering who I's work for, I tink I'll take my chances wit you!" He fired. Morgana conjured a force field to stop the bullet. Steelbeak grinned. "See? Dat's exactly why FOWL needs ya! Now stop playing around and let's get down to business, shall we?"

Morgana growled and zapped a spell at him. Steelbeak ducked. The spell hit the table, turning it into a yak. The yak lowed in bewilderment. Steelbeak eyed it warily before shoving it aside and yelling for his men to grab Morgana.

"Just try it!" she snapped, zapping their guns and charring their uniforms.

Reinforcements arrived. Morgana tried zapping them all with a spell, but two of them held up a large mirror and she narrowly missed hitting herself. Furious, Morgana conjured a storm and floated in the air, sending lightning bolts to scatter the Eggmen. Some of them raised rubber-coated shields and fired laser cannons at her. A beam grazed her shoulder. She gasped and clutched the wound before turning her fiery gaze on the unlucky soldier. He realized he was in trouble just before he was turned into a slug.

Familiar with her tactics now, the soldiers armed themselves with protective gear and weapons. A battle ensued.

Darkwing turned away as men were turned into disgusting blobs of slime, toads, bouncing balls, or something resembling monster food. Worse was when Morgana turned a weapon into a monster and it started chasing the men.

Finally, a blackened Steelbeak rose from the carnage, challenging Morgana to do her worst. She clapped her hands together and the whole facility was reduced to ash by a mighty lightning bolt. The wind from her storm carried her away, leaving the men in various states of consciousness and confusion with charred uniforms.