Remembrance

Chapter 24

Negaduck stood stunned. He leaned over to Quiverwing, "Did he just do what I think he just did? Or am I hallucinating from too much lose of blood?"

Quiverwing, who wasn't exactly sure what was going on, simply said, "I'm not sure myself."

The two former best friends just stood starring, one was too stunned to say anything, and the other just couldn't think of anything. Steelbeak remained on the floor, unconscious.

Megavolt finally spoke, "Y…You….You're Darkwing Duck?" He said flatly.

Drake was for first time, in a long time, completely unsure of himself. He had just revealed his secret to a mortal enemy. Someone proven to be unstable and could in fact destroy everything that he had sought out to protect. "Yeah." He simply said.

"It was you at prom." It wasn't a question, just a statement

"That was the first time I ever wore the mask. I knew Drake the Dweeb couldn't defeat a super villain, but I remembered how great Darkwing was, when we were kids, so I…"

Megavolt cut him off with a slight amount of anger in his voice, "You've been Darkwing this whole time?"

Drake, being the defensive person he is, argued, "Well now you know how I felt. Imagine the shock I had when I found out Megavolt, member of the Fearsome Five, criminal at large, was my best friend from school."

"I guess you're not the world's greatest detective after all."

"You didn't exactly make it easy! Did you at least try to remember who you were?"

"Maybe I would have if I wasn't being electrocuted by you every time I walked out the door."

"Excuse me for standing up for morals and trying to make a difference for this city. These citizens have no one to protect them from you."

"Well maybe you should stop caring about people you've never met, and start caring about the people around you." A tear came down Megavolt cheek, it wasn't much, but noticeable. He continued on, "You were my best friend, and when I thought Steelbeak kil…kil…"

"Stop. Just stop. Meg…Elmo, you disappeared 9 years ago. I spent 3 years trying to find you. I can't tell you the pain and suffering I went through for all those years. I thought….you had died, and I had only myself to blame. I lived with that until now. You've lived with it for maybe an hour. I'm sorry you know this pain, but it's nothing compared to how long I've suffered."

Megavolt looked down, imagining for the first time what Drake must have went through for almost a decade with the guilt he himself had just felt. It must have been agony. "You….You spent all that time…thinking about me?"

"Well not all the time, after all I had a city to protect and a daughter to raise." Quiverwing came up beside her Dad.

"Gosylan?" Megavolt asked

"In person, but don't tell anyone." She said with pride

Drake continued, "I'm honestly revealed your ok, you can go on hating me, and if necessary I'll change my name so you'll never hear the words Drake Mallard again. But you had to know the truth. I owed you that much."

"I don't hate you…I just….don't know what I'm supposed to feel."

Negaduck, who had been left unattended at this point, started to get dizzy, "Um…do you two think….maybe….we could rap this up….and get me to…a doctor? Hmm?" And with that final statement, the mighty Negaduck collapsed.

Drake ran over him, "Negaduck?" He said.

Megavolt took this as a surprise as he came up with Quiverwing, "Boss? Negaduck's back?"

Drake took off his cape and wrapped his arch enemy in it, "Yes and he's going into shock."

Quiverwing spoke up, "He stopped Ammonia from shooting me, he…he took a bullet…in the arm."

Drake had already been inspecting the wound "It's hit the bone, and he's lost a lot of blood. We have to get him to a hospital."

Quiverwing continued, "Launchpad is bringing SHUSH, they should've been here by now."

"Let's get Negaduck to the surface, maybe they'll be an ambulance…I hope." Drake put on his mask again and picked up the villain.

Megavolt brought up a point, "What about Steel…" He said while turning to where the roster was. But, to the surprise of everyone, Steelbeak was gone.

Darkwing stood holding Negaduck, "If SHUSH is here, he won't get far, especially with the amount of medical attention he needs. Now I remember Gizmoduck leading me through that passageway, I think I can find my way out from there." He turned to his former friend, "This Dam must have various exits, I can stall SHUSH from searching the place to a point but…"

"Wait, I'm not coming with you?"

"You're a super villain with a record. You'll be arrested on sight, so will Negaduck. But in his case it's a matter of life and death. You can escape."

"Drake I…"

"Hey. When the mask is on, it's Darkwing, got it 'Megavolt'?"

"Yeah, Darkwing. But I don't understand, you're letting me go?"

Negaduck groaned in pain, "We don't have time, just get to an exit. Either take it as an act of old friendship or an act of professional curiosity, but just go!"

"Drak…Darkwing, I…"

"Go! NOW!"

Megavolt, feeling torn, looked the duck dead in the eye. Even his face told Megavolt to run, as fast as he could. So that's what he did. He turned around, and headed through another passageway, holding back as many tears as he could.

Darkwing and Quiverwing made a break for the passageway that looked familiar, hoping that they would reach the surface before it was too late.

Steelbeak could barely stand. He was practically crawling through his underground secret escape route. It was dark, very dark, but he knew the way. It was damp; he kept stepping in puddle after puddle. He would escape, and then he'd find Megavolt and finish it once and for all. If he could kill Drake, he could kill that clown.

All of sudden, lights turned on right in front the rooster, blinding him temporarily. They were police search lights. Steelbeak adjusted his eyes and he made out a few figures, one of them, a short one, was heading his was.

Neptunia spoke up, "Honestly, you land dwellers and you're underground passageways. Don't you know how many sea creatures observe you building these things?"

Behind her, three familiar SHUSH agents appeared, Gyro, Grizzlekoff, and Director Hooter.

Grizzlekoff slapped on a pair of handcuffs, smiling, "Just wait till I get you down to station, we have fun time there, eh?"

The old owl simple said, "Now, now Agent Grizzlekoff, remember that everyone is entitled to their rights, and should be treated respectfully even after their conviction." He then whispered, "Just make sure you turn off the security cameras, old friend."

Griz smiled and he hauled the roster away.

Gyro looked down at his old boss, "Thanks for coming so quickly Director."

"Thank you, my dear boy. I was against making you a freelance agent back in the day, but I can see it was far worth it to keep contact between you and the agency."

"We should get back on surface, Launchpad is worried and we still have the others to find."

"I couldn't agree more." Hooter looked at Neptunia who, for the most part, seemed not interested in their conversation, "Are you coming Miss?"

"If its all right director, I'd like to stay down here for a little bit, I'll meet up with you up top."

Hooter eyed the young fish, she was hiding something, he could tell. Or was it someone? "Very well, just don't take too long with your goodbyes now." And with that Hooter left without another word.

Neptunia smiled, the old owl figured it out. She guessed he didn't think it was worth pursuing at this point. Tomorrow was always another to day to catch another criminal, but for now…

A nearby puddle started to move, and soon took on the form of the super villain, "You could have said something."

"I owed ya. Neptunia of the sea isn't one to leave a debt."

"Do you think the others are alright?"

"I hope so. But if I catch that boss of yours impersonating Darkwing again, he'll feel the real wrath of the sea."

"Negaduck did it for a reason; he's always working out a plan."

"Yeah, I noticed….Listen there's a small stream up ahead, you can escape to the reservoir and then blend in till everyone leaves."

"Sounds like a plan the Liquidator can approve of…Thanks…"

"I know…this time around we were fighting together and all…but next time…well I just want you to understand, I'll never stand by and let others get hurt."

"I understand, and I must say I enjoyed my little vacation away from being a villain. Granted it was more of a vacation then I had planned for…but….I won't hold back either…next time…"

"Next time…"

Liquidator nodded and splashed his way toward the stream Neptunia had spoke of. Neptunia smiled and turned back to were the agents had exited.

Gizmoduck, Steggmutt, Morgana, Quackerjack, and Bushroot were making their way to the surface as well. Gizmoduck led everyone, since he knew the way. Quackerjack had used an Eggmen's helmet for a pot and planted his friend in it. The clown now held the flower with an almost motherly protection.

The group was getting close, but they stopped when they reached the final door. Morgana spoke up, "If Launchpad brought help, then they'll arrest QJ and Bushroot."

QJ panicked, "Hey I was good; I helped! I don't wanna have to escape from prison again."

Steggmutt leaned over, "Hey Morgana, why not use that invisibility spell you used on me?"

"Steggmutt that's a great idea, they should be able to get far away enough before the spell wears out. Just be careful not to touch anyone."

Gizmoduck spoke up, "I know I'm not one to comment on the situation due to my lack of memory, but aren't they villains?"

"Yeah?" Steggmutt responded simply.

"Then shouldn't they be arrested?"

Morgana came up, "Giz, they risked their lives to save the city and possibly the world. They deserve a head start. After all, didn't you aid a known felon?"

"Yeah but that's different, he manipulated my loss of memory with lies."

"Id doesn't matter in the law's eyes."

"You're right, I'm a criminal. What would M'ma say?"

"Calm down Giz. We'll find out when we meet her later. But right now we have to get QJ and Bushroot to safty."

"I'm going to trust you know what's right in this situation."

Morgana made her incantation and the two villains disappeared from sight. The group then opened the door the surface.

Author's note: So sad… cry cry Thanks for the reviews, keep'em coming and I'll keep the chapters coming.