Remembrance

Chapter 17

Elmo sat in his box, tied up, moping. Gizmoduck continued his patrols around the area. It was quite a large room. The giant turbines filled most of it, as some of the reservoir's water passed. There was an open area that lead to outer damn. They must be quite high. It'd be the perfect spot fro Darkwing in his Thunderquack to come through. The plane wouldn't fit, but Darkwing could.

Who was he fooling? Darkwing saving a villain? He had been trying this for days now. He was alone, and everyone he had ever cared about was going to die, and it was his entire fault.

He looked over next to him, outside of his box, sat Drake in a chair, tied up. He was still knocked out.

"I'm sorry Drake. I'm sorry I got you into this. I'm sorry I got Quackerjack and Bushroot into this."

Drake remained unresponsive.

"I wish I never got my memory back. I wish I never knew who I was, or where I came from. Then you'd be safe, and Gosylan would have her Dad."

"SILENCE FOWL FIEND!" Gizmoduck came rolling up, weapons armed. Megavolt shrunk down a bit, intimidated by the walking arsenal. Once Gizmoduck had made his point, he rolled away.

Megavolt sat, only saying one more thing in a barely audible whisper, "I'm sorry."

Negaduck looked at himself in the mirror, straightening out his hat, or should he say Darkwing's hat. There he stood the exact copy of his mortal enemy. He had done this before, a few times actually, but this time was the one that counted. Steelbeak had to believe he was Darkwing, no evil laughs, no chainsaws, no bazookas. Just a gas gun and an ego to match.

They had relocated to the Tower in order to team-up and fill in Steggmutt. He was with Launchpad, going over the situation. Gosylan and Honker were busy taking inventory of the types of arrows they had at their disposal. And Morgana….all she could do is looked worried.

She came up behind her boyfriend's imposter, "Dark won't be too happy if you wrinkle his suit."

"Tell him to send me the dry-cleaning bill."

There was a moment of silence between them as Negaduck continued to inspect his outfit, everything had to be perfect.

Morgana finally spoke, "Steelbeak will kill Dark, won't he?"

"Probably worse than anything I could have thought up."

"Why?"

Negaduck looked up, "I told you, ask him when we…"

"…when we rescue him, I know. But that might not happen. Dark might die, and I will never know what for."

Negaduck remained silent.

"This has something to do about Megavolt."

"Figured that much out did ya?"

"Negaduck, you picked a heck of time to be a decent person right now." She turned about to walk away, until he spoke.

"Megavolt suffers from brain shock every time he gets massively electrocuted. His power lets him survive it, but his brain can't handle it, it shuts down." Morgana turned around to listen carefully.

"But the last shock triggered some memories in him."

"That was probably due to your magic, if anything."

"So what does this have to do with my Dark."

"Megavolt's real name is Elmo Sputterspark, former best friend of Drake Mallard."

"So they did know each other."

Negaduck laughed, "Almost like brothers"

"You said former best friend?"

"Until he acquired his power and lost his memory. He lashed out on the society that had created him, thus making him a criminal. Drake didn't know where he was. He searched for years, all while Megavolt was right under his nose. He finally gave up, and turned to become a crime fighter full time, to protect those who needed it. It had been a hobby before, but now it was his way of life. In some small way making up for his failure as a friend.

"He didn't let anyone in. For years I watched and studied him, knowing his every move. Then one day, when I think I got him pegged, he lets a little girl into his life, then a sidekick, and then you."

"Launchpad always said Darkwing was reluctant to take him on as a sidekick"

"He didn't want anyone to see his true self. There was Drake Mallard, the failure behind the mask, and then there was Darkwing, the hero of St. Canard. The one who could do no wrong and hurt no one he loved, because he didn't let anyone in.

"That explains why he's been so hesitant to trust me."

"And why he didn't want to join the Justice Ducks in the first place. More people to care about, like your little Gizmo Toy."

"But what does this all have to do with Steelbeak?" Morgana almost begged

"Darkwing isn't the only hero of St. Canard. Long before he showed up, Drake and Elmo saved the city from FOWL, and guess who was the rookie agent that was put in his place."

"Steelbeak!"

"Or, as he was known back then, Chanticleer Cockatoo. They stopped him, and in all the fighting and all the commotion, an explosion happened right by old Chantey's face. Chanticleer died that day, and Steelbeak was born."

"So Steelbeak's grudge is with Drake, not Darkwing. And he will kill him."

"Him and Megavolt. Probably QJ, Bushroot, and even Gizmoduck if his memories come back."

Morgana was trying to take all this in, so much she didn't know about one she loved. "There's just one thing I don't understand, how do you know all this?"

"I make it my business to know my enemies."

"Ok, then answer another, why wouldn't you tell me."

Negaduck was silent

"Why when you tell that story, there is actually emotion in your eyes?"

"I told you before; I am Drake, from my universe. His life is my life. The same thing happened to me."

"You….You saved…."

"…Let me rephrase that, the same thing, in an alternate reality. In my universe, I was the agent trying to take over the city with my partner Elmo. A punk kid, named Chantey stopped us, but we set things right….But later….The same events happened to Elmo. He lost his memory, and I lost a friend. He turned good after that, and nothing I could do or say would change it."

"Drake's going to have to go through that too, isn't he?"

"No one should have to go through it, that's why I didn't say anything. But when this is all over, and if we make it out of there with all our feathers, Darkwing is still going to be a hero, and Megavolt is going to be a villain. Nothing will ever change that, not even the past."

Launchpad approached with caution. Negaduck and Morgana were having a serious talk right now, but time was against them. "Hey guys, we should go regroup with Neptunia."

He was dreaming….

Only this wasn't the same dream that had been plaguing him. He was floating in a sea of stars. There was a cool breeze that filled his feathers and cape. It was very peaceful. There was no Elmo, or worries about being a crime fighter or a single father. There was just him and the stars….

A voice was heard from the blackness, "Careful, you might drift in full state of vegetablizum if you don't watch out…"

He looked around and saw nothing. What was going on, where was he. The last thing he remembered was Gizmoduck rambling on about something.

The voice spoke again, "Confused Darkwing? Let me spell it out for you."

And with that, the little dream goblin known as Noddoff appeared from nowhere. Darkwing, ever alert was ready to do battle. Ready to deal with whatever his subconscious and this elf had to throw at him. But nothing happened, they both drifted.

"What's going on?"

"You're knocked out cold in the real world, there's no waking up for the moment."

"Are you going back on your word?"

"My dear Darkwing! I'm hurt. I can't help it if you wonder into my territory. Plus you have Morgana on your side. With her in the real world, if I tried anything, my fun and games would be put to an end for good."

"Then what is all this?"

"I'm giving you a choice Darkwing."

"What?'

"You'll wake up in a bit, in a place you really don't want to be. Not as Darkwing, but as Drake. You'll get hurt, badly."

"I'm not afraid of whatever's out there."

"I'm not talking the physical. I'm talking emotional. You'll be hurt like nothing before. But there is something I can do about it, if you like."

"What's that?"

"Allow you to drift. You'll go into a small coma, something you can easily come out of once Morgana rescues you. You'll feel no pain, and I can assure you nothing from reality with wake you."

"You just want me to sit back and let my girlfriend face whatever's out there? While I willing take a nap?"

"I'm only warning you Darkwing. I could force it on you for your own good, but I'm giving you the choice."

"Why? I'd figure you'd jump at the chance to see me get hurt."

"Because Darkwing, Morgana chose you, not me. I love her, probably as much as you do. When I found out about you, I tried to force her to marry me, I came up with an elaborate scheme to give me enough power to keep her in dream world forever. But you stopped me, you won the fight, and her hand. I don't want to see her get hurt. That's what this is about."

"So that was your motive."

"Yes, but that's in the past. The past can't be changed. Right now you're the one in danger, and this will cripple you, quiet hard. Everyone you love around will feel your pain. If I can spare Morgana that, then I must try."

Darkwing looked into the see of stars, it was so soothing.

"I'm sorry Noddoff. If the one's I love are going to be out facing this thing, then I won't run away. Not Darkwing Duck."

Noddoff gave a sigh, "You're a stubborn one, you are. I must be honest with you Darkwing, I am tempting to force you here."

"You said the choice was mine!"

"And I said I was tempted, not that I was going to do it."

The stars began to fade, Noddoff began to fade.

Darkwing looked around, "What's happening?"

"You're waking up. Just remember Darkwing, what's in the past can't be change. Good luck."

And with that his dream world faded, and all he became aware of was pain.

Author's Note: Filler Chapter and somewhat of a recap of events from Dynamic Duo. I've been getting lots of positive reviews about Negaduck. He was absent through most of the first half of the story, but is making up for it now. I'm really happy with they way he turned out in this chapter, along with Noddoff for that matter. You'll see him again before the story is over, I promise. Someone asked me to fit in Steelminator, but I had already written about how Fenton and Drake had put an end to him back in the beginning of the story. Well I hope you all enjoyed the filler chapter, in the next one, Drake wakes and faces the truth. What will happen, only I know for now.