Welcome back to the second part of "The Exam Called Life"! I'm so happy and excited to share this new adventure with you. And to all new readers: Welcome! I hope you enjoy my story. Please make sure you also check out the first part, "Attachment Theory".
As always, any kind of feedback is super appreciated, so let me know what you think!
And now let's dive right in. Have fun!
Assignment #3: Discussion – Reflect the years that have passed
There is a lot that can be said about metropolises. They're the places where everything is possible. They are influential and promising. They're the places where the future is made. They are melting pots and gateways to the world. They never sleep. Like a good mother, they make sure to provide their children with everything they need to grow and thrive. They want them to be well-educated, tolerant and are always attentive to their needs.
All of this held true for the city that lay spread out in front of him. From his watchpost high up in the tower of Audubon Bay Bridge, he watched the flow of vehicles going to and coming from the softly illuminated heart of St. Canard. It was a bustling, colorful hub with a rich history, home to impressive cultural sights, many of the most important institutions in the state of Calisota and a good number of notable residents who had given the city a fabulous reputation and status in the past decades.
Then again, nothing of this held true for it. St. Canard was just as rich as it was poor. Trying to please the ever-growing population, a good deal of people was left behind nevertheless. The effort to increase and improve the city's facilities had moved job opportunities and the overall attention away from certain neighborhoods, leaving them to decline. Exploding living costs had done the rest. The city had become fast-paced, hard-hearted and blind to its problems.
St. Canard could be your fortune or your downfall. It was a gem and a monster at the same time, and he loved it with all his heart. It wasn't so much the fact that this was his hometown, but the purpose he had found here. The citizens counted on him. He was their protector. He was Darkwing Duck.
Crime was ever-present in the city. Keeping it at bay was an obligation he had long since assumed. Fifteen years ago, he was prompted to take on the role of the masked mallard for the first time, and even though it was a heavy duty that rested on his shoulders, he found it to be a rewarding task at the end of the day.
A fresh breeze from the bay swept across the water, carrying the distinctive flavor and smell of the maritime area. He gazed into the distance, to the center of the city. Sure, this part of St. Canard was never asleep. Always active, always pounding. But these days, it was eerily quiet.
Usually at this time of the night, he would be patrolling the streets or already be engaged in a fight with one of his adversaries. And sure enough, Darkwing had a lot of them. In this respect, St. Canard had another attribute that defined it. It was the city of supervillains. Throughout the last years, more and more of them had appeared and caused mayhem and devastation, leaving him hardly any rest. A longer period of peace and quiet was more than suspicious.
A soft rustling reached his ears. He was able to ignore it for a moment, but when a chewing noise was added and slowly drawing nearer, he started to lose his composure, growling.
"Launchpad!" He whirled around to see his trusted friend and sidekick feast on a huge bucket of popcorn.
"Sorry, DW." The taller duck looked somewhat sheepish. With a smile, he offered his snack to the hero. "You want some?"
"No, thanks." Darkwing rose an eyebrow. "Where did you get that, anyway?"
"The fair. It started today. Haven't you heard?" Launchpad asked, shoveling another handful into his beak. "Gee, I love the food they're offering this year. Twenty-five different popcorn flavors! I've got honey mustard here and they also had chocolate chip cookie and pepperoni pizza and –"
"I hate to interrupt your rhapsody, Launchpad, but I'm trying to think." With these words, Darkwing turned back to the huge window and rested his chin on his hands. The fair was an annual event, of course he knew about that. What surprised him was that a mass gathering like this usually attracted pickpockets, thugs and all kinds of other miscreants like a magnet – but nothing came in by radio.
"What's wrong?" Launchpad joined him, the popcorn bucket next to him, but he kept his hands out of it for now.
"Nothing's wrong, that's the thing!" Darkwing replied. He looked at his partner for a moment before realizing that his tone was unusually harsh.
"But isn't that what we want …?" the sidekick pointed out tentatively.
Darkwing released a deep sigh. "Actually, yes. But I've got a hunch that something isn't quite right. You know what they say about small children? That you can be sure everything is fine as long as you hear them play, but should feel suspicious once they fall quiet?"
Launchpad shrugged. "Maybe the child is just enjoying a good picture book?"
"Or they're up to something!" The mallard rose a warning finger. "Shaving off their brother's eyebrows, painting the living room walls or sneakily emptying the cookie jar!" His gaze seemed to shift inwards for a moment before remembering something. "Speaking of sneaky, where's Gosalyn?"
"I dropped her off at the Muddlefoots earlier. They wanted to attend the fireworks together."
Darkwing huffed. The fact that his daughter spent the evening under Binkie and Herb's watch rather than potentially getting herself in danger when she was with him should appease him, but it didn't. He knew Gosalyn all too well, she would probably find a way to steal away and drag Honker along on an adventure he hadn't asked for. Enough for Darkwing to make a decision.
"Come on, Launchpad, we're leaving!" The hero turned on his heels swiftly. His cape brushed the popcorn bucket and almost sent it flying out of the window, but Launchpad saved it.
"Where are we going?" the taller duck asked, quickly following his partner to where the Ratcatcher was parked.
"The fair. Let's check if we can stop some sinister scheme or break up a brute brawl or ... anything, really." Even if it's grounding Gosalyn for making a getaway, Darkwing thought and replaced his fedora with his helmet. He revved up the engine as Launchpad jumped into the sidecar and they dashed off into the night.
Thunderbolt. What a ridiculous name for a rollercoaster.
He looked up at the steel construct, the numerous slopes, loops and corkscrews that guaranteed its passengers the thrill of their life. It was the fair's main attraction and sure, it looked impressive, but obviously its designers didn't know a thing about electric phenomena.
However, he did.
The fairground was mostly deserted and dark by now, most visitors had gone down to the lakefront to watch the fireworks. That was good. He didn't need an audience. Instead, they'd be in for a neat surprise tomorrow.
The male rat grinned to himself as he walked around the Thunderbolt. While he found the physics of rollercoasters fascinating, he couldn't for the life of him understand what people found so appealing about experiencing the sensations that the different forces exerted on their bodies. What he did understand, though, was that the energy that was wasted to operate and, furthermore, to decorate them was a horrendous crime.
He found the main power supply. As always, the sight of the sign in yellow and black rose a lofty smile from him. Authorized personnel only. He adjusted his rubber gloves, flexed his fingers and set to work.
"Oooh, now look at this mess," the lanky figure said after opening the door. He looked at the pliers in his hand and struck a dramatic pose. "Do I cut the red wire or the blue wire? I always forget!"
He shrugged. "Oh well … Who cares?"
Wire after wire snapped in two, sending showers of sparks down on the villain's face. He enjoyed the soft tingling on his skin and a gleeful chuckle found its way up his throat. A few more flicks of his wrist later he eyed his work, nodding in contentment, and slammed the door shut. He then made his way up to the nearest light display, unfolded a bag at his feet and began to unscrew the light bulbs.
"My precious little babies, how dare these morons torture you like that? They don't care about you. But don't you worry, I'm here to save you now." Bulb after bulb was delicately put into the bag, like children tucked up for bedtime.
A loud bang could be heard in the distance and the rat turned around to see the show had started. Perfect. He was right on schedule.
"This is a bad idea, this is such a bad idea …" The nervous, nasally voice kept repeating these words over and over again, like a mantra that would ultimately avert the trouble its owner was sensing.
"You're wrong, Honker, this is the best idea I've ever had!" the other voice responded in a confident tone. Gosalyn was a teensy bit anxious herself, but she didn't let it show in front of her best friend. Instead she kept rushing towards the Thunderbolt, Honker in tow. Without all the lights on, it looked even more intimidating. She stopped in front of the rollercoaster and stared at it in awe.
"Keen gear ..." she whispered, then squealed with glee, bouncing up and down. "This is so cool!"
Honker looked like he was about to faint. "This is bound to end in disaster …"
"Will you stop already?" the red-haired duckling responded, finally releasing his arm. She gave his shoulder a comforting pat. "I know what I'm doing."
"You … do?" the boy asked, frowning. He pushed his glasses further up his beak. "Remind me again – what's my part in this?"
"The most important one. You're the operator!" Gosalyn stepped up to the sign that read You must be this tall to ride and passed under it like it was a limbo bar. Honker gulped given the girl's indifference to the safety regulations. He knew it was no use trying to tell her that he wouldn't do it, since she would find a way to put her plan into action anyway, so he made one last try to stop her from making a fatal mistake.
"I don't even know how this thing works!"
"Oh, don't worry. You don't need a college degree for that." She had already reached the station and checked the control panel. "See? It's just a push of a button."
Honker caught up to her and examined the big red button that Gosalyn was eagerly pointing at.
"Super easy!"
"Super dangerous."
The girl's arms drooped. She sighed. "What are you so scared of?"
Now Honker was starting to grow sour. He folded his arms across his chest and looked at his friend with an incredulous gaze. "Is that even a question?"
"Honk, seriously … is it my safety or your parents that you're more concerned about?"
The duck boy didn't answer, but the shift in his expression told her everything. Gosalyn gently nudged him with her elbow. "Hey … trust me. They're too busy oohing and aahing like all the others, they won't realize we're gone."
That didn't seem to soothe Honker, on the contrary. The frown on his forehead deepened.
Gosalyn sighed. "Okay, okay … If anything goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility for it. Cross my heart." She rose her hand in a solemn fashion as if she was swearing an oath. Honker made sure she wasn't secretly crossing her fingers behind her back.
"Fine," he finally gave in. "But there's one more thing I need to ask of you."
"Anything you want."
"Promise me I'll never have to do your homework again." Honker looked at Gosalyn with all the sternness he could muster. It seemed to work. She nodded, hesitantly at first, but when she added a quick hug he knew it was the same as giving him her word. A peculiarly large rocket exploded in the background, showering the night sky with a cascade of golden willows. They both smiled.
"All right, let's do this!" She let go of him and rushed to the other side of the station where the train stood waiting. The show was the same every year and the willows where the end of the first part. They had another two before they needed to get back to Honker's parents. Gosalyn hopped into a seat in the first row and waited for the restraints above her head to come down, but Honker couldn't bring the rollercoaster to life. True, it didn't seem like a big deal, every button was properly labeled. But no matter what he tried, nothing happened.
Gosalyn turned around in her seat. "Honker, we don't have forever!" she hissed impatiently.
"I know! Don't rush me, it's not working!" he complained.
"Don't try to trick me, we have a deal!"
"I'm not trying to -"
Thud!
Honker turned around, in anticipation of catching hell from a furious adult, but what he saw was even worse. On the platform below one of the light displays sat the figure of a man, hunched over a bag and half-hidden by the Thunderbolt sign, yet he recognized the yellow jumpsuit immediately. He muffled a scream forming in his beak and stared at the villain in shock. Fortunately, he hadn't noticed the terrified boy. He picked up the light bulb he had dropped and carefully put it in his gloved palms.
"I'm sorry, my dear, I didn't mean to do that," the rat spoke affectionately. He held the bulb up against the fireworks in the otherwise indigo-tinted sky. The colorful sparks glistened gorgeously on the glassy face and body.
"What a beauty you are," he remarked, a fond smile emerging on his face. "Would you mind telling me your name?"
He held the bulb close to his ear.
"Gloria! That's a lovely name for a lovely lady like you."
The bulb seemed to giggle and blush slightly in his hand.
"Awww, no need to be shy. Now, what would you say if I bust you outta here, together with all your brothers and sisters?"
"Honker! This is not funny!"
As if jolting out of a dream, the duck boy left the scene and ran, meeting an upset Gosalyn halfway, feverishly indicating her to keep quiet.
"What? What's wrong?" She caught her trembling friend.
"It's M-m-m-me-me-meg-"
"What are you talking -"
A shadow started to tower over them, silencing the two children with its mere presence, the sound or rubber boots against the wooden floor carrying it closer to them. Gosalyn was familiar with the way this person walked. The shadow stopped and the girl dared to look up, her eyes coming into contact with the silhouette of St. Canard's supercharged supervillain.
"Megavolt …" she gasped.
"Well, well, well. It seems that my reputation precedes me." The rat looked down at the ducklings, his expression unreadable. "What are you doing here?"
Gosalyn and Honker started to back off as the villain drew nearer again. The mismatched eyes behind his goggles formed into slits. A spark flew from the prongs on his helmet, crackling dangerously as it dissipated.
"Two small nosy children, out and about way past their bedtime, without any parental supervision, trying to sneak into a rollercoaster they aren't allowed to ride. This will interest the police, don't you think?"
"Wrong! The police is more interested in you!" a voice thundered from behind.
Megavolt turned around, frantically searching the surroundings. "Who said that? Who else is here?"
"I am the terror that flaps in the night!"
Realization washed over the rodent's features and was quickly replaced by fury. He whipped out his electro-gun, ready to fire.
"I am the free ride that you've already paid!" A cloud of blue smoke puffed up on top of the nearest corkscrew, revealing Megavolt's loathed archenemy. "I AM DARKWIIIIING DUCK!"
"Oooh, YOU! I should've known." The rodent pointed at Gosalyn and Honker accusingly. "I knew you two rugrats looked familiar!"
"Leave the children out of this, you current-consumptive companion of calamity! This is between you and me!" the masked mallard exclaimed, his own gun now aimed at the villain. "Suck gas, evildoer!"
Megavolt's reaction was as quick as Darkwing's shot. The bolt of lightning collided with the gas canister, the result engulfing both opponents. The rodent coughed and tried to fan away at least a bit of smoke. He felt a webbed foot tackle his boots. Megavolt toppled over, the gun slipped out of his hand and skidded out of reach. He still couldn't see, but the movement in the smoke above him boded a new attack. He grasped into the air and caught hold of a leg. Now Darkwing was the one to lose his balance and crash down next to Megavolt. The rat rolled over and pinned down the hero's leg, sending a surge of electricity through it.
"D-d-d-don't let him-mm-mm get a-w-w-way!" the duck panted out through spasms. Launchpad, who had guided the children away from the fight, rushed to the aid, indicating Gosalyn and Honker to hide in a nearby snack stall. He reached the top of the stairs the same moment Megavolt did. The collision with the sidekick's bulky chest hurled the rat backwards, making him once again lose his gun. He shrieked out in frustration.
"I've had enough of you!" The villain leaped to his feet and aimed for Launchpad's feet. He dodged the attack, but Megavolt sent a second one after him, directed at his right arm this time. The tall duck twisted his torso, then cowered and jumped as the rodent shot bolt after bolt at him. Megavolt cackled, enjoying the amusing dance for a while, until his fun was spoiled once again by the caped nuisance coming at him from the other side.
"Two versus one, that's not fair!" he yelled, stopping the cartridge that approached him in midair and flinging it away.
"I beg to differ, you're the one who's not playing fair!" Darkwing rebuked him. He set about recharging his gun quickly, but found he was still trembling. Megavolt snickered at the sight, a smug smile spreading on his face. He raised both his arms, the right one facing Launchpad, the left one Darkwing.
"And I beg to inform you that I'm just playing by my own rules!" For a moment, the Thunderbolt lived up to his name as a blinding flash of light illuminated the scene and struck both hero and sidekick backwards several feet away.
"I bet you didn't see that one coming!" Screams of maniacal laughter filled the air as Megavolt took to his heels. "It's called ambidexterity, Dipwing!"
He rushed back to his light bulbs and shouldered the bag carefully. That very moment, the sky started booming with sound and light. The grand finale, time to get away from here.
He made two steps forward when something caught hold of his legs and wrapped around them tightly. The lanky rat yelped in surprise and tried to break his fall, but lost his grip on the bag in the process. He watched it fall in slow motion, unable to do something as hundreds of lives shattered on the hard concrete. Megavolt cried out in horror. He sent a fierce zap at the hindrance around his legs – a grappling hook – and climbed down to where his newfound fosterlings lay. Amidst the shards he found her, severely damaged. He carefully picked her up and spoke soothingly to her, but it was too late. She drew her last breath in his hands.
"It's called cover, Sparky!"
He slowly turned around to see Darkwing holding up his gun triumphantly, pulling the rope back in. Hero and villain stared at each other for a moment before the tension between them burst forth in a volley of electricity. It missed the duck and crashed into the rollercoaster track, leaving a scorch mark and a hollow echo where the steel had been hit.
"Don't. Call. Me. Sparky!" Megavolt was breathing heavily, his hand still raised. "YOU MONSTER! I just met her! And you KILLED her!"
"Her?" Darkwing arched his eyebrows. When he realized whom – or rather: what – his enemy meant, he tried to suppress a snort, but failed. "You should really get good guidance to ground yourself and your game of grandeur."
Megavolt cocked his head, disgust and disbelief present in his expression. "You're so conceited." He laughed out loud. "Have you ever wondered who's actually the villain and who's the hero?"
Now the duck couldn't restrain himself any longer. He propped himself up on his knees, trying to catch some breath between fits of laughter. "C-conceited … Who-who-who's the hero … Did you hear that, LP?" He threw a glance at his companion, who looked a little helpless. "He thinks I'm the villain!"
"That's because YOU ARE! I was just trying to help these poor creatures! They can't fight for themselves. It's my mission to be there for those in need! How can you stand there and talk big when you've just committed mass murder?" Static charge was building up on the rat's skin once more, creating a blueish aura around him.
"EXCUSE ME?" the masked mallard hollered, his voice cracking fiercely. "Do you even listen to yourself when you talk?! I'm not the one who regularly rampages St. Canard, raiding the righteous residents of their rightful rest and relaxation! I'm not the one who cooks up cataclysmic crimes and causes chaos everywhere he sets his crooked constitution! I'm not the one who mercilessly misuses the mighty means manufactured by those mitts! No, Megavolt! The roles have been distributed a long time ago! The day you first showed your felonious face, I knew who I am. And I know who you are."
Megavolt could only stare at him. He rose to his feet and took a few steps back towards the station, but the glow around him started to fade. Keeping his eyes glued to the pompous orator, he snarled, "You don't know a thing about me, duck."
"You run around saving soulless somethings from so-called slavery, that's all I need to know!" The caped crusader pointed his gun at his rival once more. "And now surrender, scoundrel!"
The rat smirked and moved away from him. "Never."
"HA! COWARD!" Darkwing called after him and laughed until he realized what Megavolt was heading for. The masked mallard sprinted down the stairs and followed his nemesis to the snack stall, where Gosalyn's head had just poked out. She noticed the rat too late. He grabbed her and before she could even try to struggle in his arms, she felt a numbing sensation crawling up her limbs.
"Lemme go!" she managed to croak out, but Megavolt shook his head.
"You wanted a thrill ride, so that's what you get! This one looks promising, don't you think?" He lifted the girl's head so she could see what he meant. Gosalyn's eyes widened. She made one last try at freeing herself, but it was futile. As he placed her in one of the cars and wrapped her arms around the safety bar, all that was left for her to do was hope that she would survive this.
"Have a nice ride!" Megavolt called, his hand placed on the centerpiece. With a humming noise, the ride was activated and the platform started to rotate.
"Twister …" he mumbled, hopping off. "Gee, what is it with all these weather-themed rides?"
The hubs on which the cars were mounted rotated in the opposite direction to the platform, quickly speeding up. Gosalyn was holding on for dear life, and when the cars themselves started to spin freely, she screamed, her weak voice drowned out by the howling of the wind underneath the platform.
"GOSALYN!"
Megavolt turned around to see Darkwing running up to him. The rodent rose his arm, electricity already crackling in his palm. "Stop right there!"
Darkwing did as he was told. He lifted his hands over his head. "Megavolt, listen. I'm sorry what happened to your light bulbs."
The rat gave a sardonic laugh. "You want me to have mercy on you? Why didn't you show mercy when it was appropriate?"
"This is an innocent child over there! You're putting her life at stake! You're the only one who can stop this madness. I'm begging you!"
"Save your breath, duck, it's too late. What goes around, comes around!" Megavolt's eyes fled to the ride. "And speaking of which, here she comes!"
Darkwing saw his daughter lose her grip, the centrifugal force hurling her high up in the air. He took advantage of the villain's momentary distraction. "NOW!" he shouted.
The rat turned back around in bewilderment just as the duck tackled him to the ground. Before he could return the attack, a gush of water hit his side and sent waves of pain and a powerful convulsion to travel up and down his body. Through narrowed eyes, he spotted that sorry excuse of a sidekick and the bespectacled boy in a booth not far away, a water gun targeted at him. Megavolt cursed under his breath and watched his archenemy speed down the aisle, gas gun at the ready. Darkwing aimed and fired. A net shot out, clinging itself to a lamppost and a ticket counter. It caught Gosalyn, but bounced her back. He made a U-turn, stretched out his arms and absorbed her fall. They collapsed to the ground.
"Touchdown," Gosalyn murmured, a faint smile on her beak. Darkwing wrapped his arms around her tightly, then released her to Launchpad and Honker who carried her to safety.
The masked mallard walked back to Megavolt. The weakened villain stared at him defiantly and said, "You're a liar and a hypocrite."
"Not quite, Megsy. Just like you, I like to play by my own rules."
The rat clenched his fists and growled, but only a few weak sparks emitted from them. Darkwing moved forward to grab his defeated nemesis by the collar, but a sound rising in the background made him stop. He drew his hand back and took out his gun instead, looking around carefully. It was a sneering giggle, and it seemed to originate from the house of mirrors. Knowing that Megavolt couldn't get far in his current state, the hero approached the attraction slowly. The laughter stopped abruptly.
"Did someone say 'play'?"
Before he knew what was happening, a yo-yo shot out, tied around his beak and pulled him closer. Darkwing tried to yank if off, but a second yo-yo came at him and wrapped around his hands. The giggle set in again, accompanied by a jingling of bells. The tip of a beak appeared in the mirrors to both his sides, followed by an insane, wide grin. Darkwing turned his head back and –
"BOO!"
The masked mallard yowled through the constraint around his mouth and slumped backwards. High-pitched chortles sounded as a brightly colored character swept through the air in a somersault and landed at his feet.
"It's playtime!"
Megavolt's face lit up upon seeing his favorite partner in crime. "What are you doing here?" he asked, trying to sit up, but his legs gave in.
"Oh, I'm here just for funsies. Did you watch the fireworks? They're amazing!" Quackerjack chuckled.
"Not really. I was too busy fighting him." The rat nodded towards Darkwing, who was thrashing about, unable to remove the toy traps.
"I see. But say, did I miss the shower of rain?" The toymaker pointed at the water surrounding his friend. "You look like you're a bit under the weather." He exploded with laughter and Megavolt found himself wishing he had a little juice left to make him stop embarrassing him further.
"Just help me already," he brought himself to request.
"There, there." The crazed duck bounced over to the rodent and lifted him up, giving him a piggyback ride. "You can count yourself lucky I came to check the fairground in the first place. There was something I needed to attend to here, you know?"
"Which is?" Megavolt asked curiously.
"Oh, I installed a new toy. You're gonna like it. Watch this!" Quackerjack fetched a small remote from the pocket of his jester pants. He pushed a button just the moment Darkwing finally managed to free himself and aimed his gas gun at the two villains. A claw, attached to a mechanical arm, appeared right behind him, its fingers tapping on the hero's head. He looked up and – realizing what it was – bolted, but the claw grabbed him by the cape and stuffed him in the glass cabinet it belonged to. The lock snapped shut.
"Playtime's over for you, Ducky!" Quackerjack laughed and clicked his heels. A pair of roller skates emerged below his soles and the two of them dashed off, cackling wildly.
"That was brilliant!" Megavolt wiped away tears of laughter. He stretched out his arm and grabbed something from a counter in passing. It was a gingerbread heart.
"Hey, is that for me?" the jester asked merrily.
"Nope, for me. I'm hungry," Megavolt answered and showed it to Quackerjack. The duck guffawed and swerved dangerously, just managing to catch himself. It was then that the rat noticed the lettering in shock pink icing.
Sorry, I'm taken.