Face In the Mirror

Alpha-Centauri Chronicles Book 2

A Loonatics Unleashed Fan Fiction

By

Pyry Cole

Hopefully I won't disappoint… make sure to send suggestions, commentary, and reviews to me. I want to make sure that the character profiles feel right, and that the statements, and language flows properly, to be easy to understand and digest for my readers.

Chapter Two: Green-Eyes

Duck stirred slowly from his slumber, finding himself in Ace's bed. He was warmed by the fact that what happened last night was not a dream. They did still care, even if there wasn't much time for him. He slowly crept out from under the covers, taking note of the rabbits that were still snuggling, fast asleep on the other mattress. Once out of the room he wandered over to the small recreation room down the hall. It wasn't much, but it had a holo-vision, a few game consoles, and some recorded shows. There was only really room for a couple people, unless they were willing to be cramped, but at least there was something.

He started up a game of Mummy Ninja Moon Raiders Five, finally trying to get his thoughts back to normal. Duck busied himself trying to play through the side-story of the "tragic hero" character, Degaré. The story was little more than a bother to him, but it was necessary to unlock his own incarnation that the producers had written into the game.

Normally he'd skip through the story, paying little attention. However, he was looking for distractions from his mood. He pushed the start button, selecting the character and beginning the tale. The intro sequence began.

In a spine chilling and eerie voice, the game's narrator spoke. "Let us begin the tale." It paused a moment before continuing, "Chapter twelve, the tale of the lost soldier Degaré. It was a warm spring day in the settlement of Archanon. However, it was cold in the heart of one inhabitant. A brave warrior had fallen victim to a cold and bitter jealousy. This soul was surrounded by friends, yet so utterly alone." Duck sighed and said quietly to himself, "Oh brother, I know how that feels." Then he proceeded to focus his attention back on the game. "Degaré, was surrounded by love, but none of that love was meant for him. Instead he would watch his comrades fall in love, and leave him frozen. It was this cold jealousy, which would turn to hatred, sealing his fate as he…."

Duck turned off the game console, talking to himself again, "Okay… that was hitting just a bit too close to home for me."

He tried turning on the recorded shows, but after surfing through them he was rather disappointed. More than half of them were Spanish soap operas, and the rest of the shows were just plain uninteresting.

After being unable to find anything to do in the recreation room that suited his fancy, he decided to try doing whatever busy work he could think up. Unfortunately this didn't last long, as the young mallard could only find a few chores to occupy his mind. The ship was almost completely automated, so there wasn't much to do with running it. And on top of that, there weren't even many menial chores to do, like cleaning, and you really couldn't take out the garbage. Normally the thought of doing such things wouldn't even cross Duck's mind. However, he was willing to try anything to stop thinking about everyone else.

As soon as he was done with what little cleaning there was to do, by which time the others started to wake up, he wandered back into his quarters and picked up a small round mirror that was in the desk across from the bed and lay down on his mattress on the bottom bunk.

He began to talk to the reflection in the mirror. "Lookin' good, as usual. It's a wonder you haven't landed yourself a girlfriend yet."

This comment wasn't to say that he hadn't been with anyone yet. It was true, even beyond his ego, he was decently attractive, and the fame of being a Loonatic, had indeed meant that girls DID line up to go on a date with him. However, none of these dates ever ended well. Either the girls would quickly become disenchanted with the young heartthrob, due to his audacious personality. Or he would grow bored himself, many of the girls missing an exciting panache that he had sought. Whether the former or the latter, it was beginning to seem that there just wasn't anyone out there for him.

Duck continued, "Heck, I don't see what's so wrong! Even I'd date me! But what is it with these girls today? They've obviously grown immune to my… devilish good looks. I wonder what their problem is… because it's certainly not yours truly…"

"Well" he yawned, "I guess since things seem so hopelessly boring here I'll take myself little nap." "Too bad you're the only one here that knows me." He said to the mirror, clenching it tightly as he readied himself for an early nap.

The mornings would continue to proceed this way for the rest of the journey, and the unsavory feelings began to tick at his mind. By the last day of the travels, Duck had started to lose his bearings. He would be permeated by loveless thoughts, his mind growing colder to itself. Without attention, or someone to validate him, the feelings turned inward.

On the last day, his lack of attention finally got to him. He was looking at himself in a standing mirror on the wall, he detested what he felt, and the emotions he saw on his own face. He tried to convince himself that he was stronger than that, that this sad image was untrue. Eventually he had become so angered at the portrayal of weakness in his face, a weakness he'd tried to hide all his life. He couldn't be weak, not if he was going to make it on his own, without his parents… he didn't need anyone. However, his reflection told him otherwise.

Unable to take it any longer, he lobbed an egg at mirror, trying to rid himself of such a despicable idea. Him? Weak? The glowing projectile impacted the mirror, causing a small explosion that rocked the room, making a hole that opened the room up to the hallway.

The mallard was snapped out of his former thoughts at the sight of a frightened roadrunner whose hand was pinned to the far wall, embedded in it a sizable piece of shrapnel. He blinked, staring wide eyed at the bird before him.

Duck quickly ran up to Rev, helping him to remove the piece of metal from his palm, apologizing. "Rev… Are you okay?! Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to… Sorry, can ya forgive me?" He continued, looking at the bleeding gash in the roadrunner's hand, "This is bad. C'mon, let's go to the infirmary and get ya fixed up birdbrain."

He grabbed Rev by the wrist and started trying to lead him down the halls to the sickbay.

The roadrunner's reaction was less than helpful, "I-can't-believe-you-could-do-something-like-that-to-me!-Why-did-you-do-that?-and-what's-this-about-the-infirmary-I-don't-need
-to-go-anywhere-it's-just-a-scratch-Duck.I-mean-come-on-does-it-really-look-that-serious,-but-you-know-that-DID-really hurt!-and-who-are-you-calling-birdbrain?-if-anyone-is-a-birdbrain-I'd-think-it's-you-for-blowing-a-hole-in-the-wall-in-a-space-ship-
of-all-the-stupid-things-I-mean-this-was-REALLY-stuipid,-you-could've-doomed-us-all-but-I'll-forget-it-if-you-don't-make-me-go
-I-really-hate-needles.-please-please-please-please-don't-make-me-go!" he protested, pulling back, trying to keep the duck from dragging him along.

Duck was quick to respond, "Look, I said I'm sorry, sheesh. But I'm not letting go until you get in that room!" he said, beginning to get annoyed at Rev's drama as he had to drag the bird down the halls, holding him tightly by the wrist.

It felt like a much longer trip than it should have been, probably because Rev was so adamant about resisting. For a few moments he could swear the roadrunner even tried to bite him.

"Aww-come-on-it's-not-that-bad-I-don't-need-stitches-really-I-mean-come-on-I-hate-needles-and-I-can't-stand-the-smell-of-
places-like-that-its-almost-like-its-too-clean-besides-my-hand-will-be-fine-don't-make-me-go-I-really-don't-want-to-go!!!" Rev shouted, struggling with all his might as Duck tried to wrestle him into the door to the sick-bay.

Once Duck had finally forced Rev in there, he locked the door so it could only be opened from the outside. He then commented, "You're such a baby! If it was ME, well, I wouldn't be making such a commotion about a few little stitches buster!"

He watched, to his mild entertainment, as Rev struggled to leave the room, pounding on the door, and trying everything he could think of to get out. This bit of silliness was short-lived as Tech soon came through the door and started to work on getting Rev to allow the coyote to administer treatment.

Duck stayed a little while to observe quietly, but eventually the other two got on his nerves. He knew they weren't, but some illogical part of him felt like they were flaunting their love right in his face.

He said snidely, "Get a room you two"

The retort was countered, by Tech, saying playfully, "Already got one thanks." Duck made his response "Okay that's it, I'm outta here." Soon after, he walked out of the room.

Duck wandered down the hall towards the stairs, slowly descending back to the hall that contained everyone's lodgings. He carefully treaded back to his and slam's quarters, stepping through the hole he had blown in the wall. He had certainly made a terrible mess. There were a few scraps of metal on the floor in the hall, as well as glass shards that littered the interior of the room.

He sat atop the bed and sighed. He's caused trouble before, but he never did anything like this. He felt even more terrible than before, but this time he couldn't lash out, restrained by the fear that he might hurt someone else. He lay down, staring at the bunk above his. And then his fingers fumbled across something on the bed. He picked it up.

The object he held before him was a simple card, reading, "Happy Birthday, a little something for you, and another something for someone you like. From Lexi and Ace." In the card was a tiny bag, with a pair of simple gem-less rings, one made of onyx, and another of pearl.

Everything about the card and the rings was simple. Nothing flashy, but the gesture got through to him. He was touched by the fact that the rabbits had once again paid some attention to him. Duck had been so occupied, that he forgot his own birthday. However, he wished they hadn't chosen such words, or even that gift. Though touching, they just reminded him how alone he was. He put both of them on his left ring finger, and sighed. That being done, he went to sleep for the last time before they would land.