Chapter Three: Confusing what is Real
I'm as far you can go...
I'm ready to finish what you started!
If you want to get me,
then come at me with everything you've got!
You think you're so tough,
but you're in for a rude awakening!
Just try to take me down!
You can take your best shot, but I warn you:
Anything you throw at me,
I'll throw back times a thousand!
Everyone's going to get it now...
The following night, the Mighty Ducks played their game as planned. Wildwing was on fire tonight as he blocked nearly every score from their opponents, The New Orleans Werewolves. Duke stole the puck from the werewolves' right wing as Mallory and Nosedive tag-teamed their defense; giving Duke the opening he needed to score a goal. The score was Werewolves – 1, Mighty Ducks – 2. Nosedive was tripped and slightly hurt by the werewolves' left wing, and was put out of the game. He threw a fit when his older brother told him not to play for the rest of the game, and was stuck cheering for his friends to win. The ducks were down a player.
In the end, they won the game anyway (much to everyone's delight). Duke scored the winning goal at the last second and cheered as they all gathered and raised their sticks high into the air in victory. They shook hands with their opponents as everyone was gathering at the enterance of the stadium where everyone was waiting for the ducks to sign their autographs.
Nosedive was eating the attention up while the others had a pleasant time chatting with their fans and signing their things for them.
"And who should I make dis out ta?" Duke asked in a charming tone, not looking up at his fan.
"Just make it out to another compeitior." The voice responded; making the oldest duck look up in surprise.
"What are you doin' 'ere?" He asked in an excited tone; catching the others' attention as well.
Shadow smiled happily at her favorite team and folded her arms behind her back. "I've been coming to your games since I moved here last month! You all are so much better in person than on the televison, anyway." She chatted in a pleasant tone. "I mean, you are my favorite hockey team, afterall."
Tanya leaned over towards her captian and held a hand up to her face. "She must be the "number one fan" Duke was talking about last chapter." She whispered in a conclusive tone and he nodded in response.
"I never pegged you for a hockey fan, Shadow." Mallory said in an impressed tone as she looked over at Shadow, "You spend so much time with karate and all."
Shadow laughed full heartedly at the red headed duck. "I like to keep my mind open to other things outside of karate, Mallory." She told her in a kind tone as she smiled playfully at the hockey players in front of her. "Too much karate could sometimes be a bad thing.
"Are you here all alone?" Wildwing asked curiously; looking around for Mr. Kemo.
Just as Duke was about to open his beak to speak, Mr. Kemo came out of nowhere and ran straight up to Shadow and grabbed her shoulders in worry.
"Oh, Shadow-san!" He said; out of breath. "Never run off like that again! Nearly gave Kemo heart attack!"
Shadow blushed in embarrassment at the man's concern. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kemo. I just wanted to say hello to the ducks before we went home." Shadow said in an apologetic tone as she looked up from her favorite team, to Mr. Kemo.
"You no run away like that, Shadow-san!" Mr. Kemo strongly advised, letting the girl go and straightened his back. "What if Shadow-san's motha find you and- !"
"My mother is locked away in the looney bin and she can't get out!" Shadow said in a firm tone, glaring up at the old Japanese man behind her.
Duke took a step forward towards the girl; confusion written over his feathered face. " 'ey, what do ya mean your motha is locked up in the looney bin?"
Shadow waved the question off. "It's something that happened a long time ago. Don't worry too much about it." She ordered in a firm tone, not taking her eyes off of the old man behind her.
Mr. Kemo nodded to the girl and placed a father hand on her shoulder. "Mr. Kemo just worried about Shadow-san. So sorry." He said kindly as he smiled reassuringly at her. He looked up at the ducks and nodded to them. "So sorry Shadow bothered you. We be going now."
Wildwing stepped up raising his hands in surrender. "It's such a shame to let her come all this way just to go back so quickly." He stated in a reasoning tone. "How about we take her home when she's ready?"
Shadow looked up at Mr. Kemo with begging eyes. "Oh, please, Mr. Kemo? I won't stay out too late! I promise!" She begged sweetly, hoping to get her guardian to comply.
"Yeah, Mr. Kemo." Mallory spoke up, "I wanted to see how I measure up against Shadow in combat."
Mr. Kemo sneared his nose in disgust. "Fighting not good. Somebody always get hurt." He said in a displeased tone. He looked down at Shadow for a moment before he sighed and gave up. "Hai, Shadow-san can stay. But no getting into trouble."
"A true word needs no oath." Shadow said with a respectful bow to her teacher before she joined the ducks in the crowd.
Mallory looked down at the little girl in a sisterly fashion, as they all went into the locker room. "Mr. Kemo really cares a lot about you, doesn't he?" She asked as she smiled down at the girl.
Shadow smiled and placed her hands behind her head. "Now you know why I call him, "Mr. Kemo"." She said in a content tone; watching all the fans leave the Pond.
"What about your family, Shadow?" Wildwing asked in a curious tone as he looked down at the girl as well.
Shadow blushed slightly and looked away for a second. "Well, I'm not really sure Mr. Kemo would want me telling everyone his story, but he was a WW 2 vet. He had a wife who was going to be the first Kemo born, but he lost them both in child birth." She explained in a thoughtful tone as she looked up at the ducks with softened eyes, "But he once told me that I was like the daughter he never had."
"But what about you, girl? I mean, from the way you two were talkin' back there, it almost sounded like you two live together." Nosedive said in a confused tone as he folded his arms over his chest and began thinking hard.
" 'ey, don't hurt yourself now..." Duke said in a dry tone as he looked over at Nosedive with a bored eye.
Shadow giggled at the two for a moment before she answered the question presented to her. "Far from the contrary, I do live with him. He made me build an extension to his house when I moved there. I had it done within one full day." Shadow said proudly, as she folded her arms over her chest and smirked in victory at the ducks' surprise.
"He made you do what?" Wildwing asked in a stuned tone as his bottom beak fell open.
"It was part of my training." Shadow explained in an excited tone. "I learned so much through the things he made me do!"
"Like what?" Duke asked in a huffy tone as he folded his arms over his chest. "How ta build a house?"
Shadow laughed out loud. "Well, that, and how he made me do the things he did was the training."
"Care to explain it to the ones who don't understand the hidden messages?" Wildwing asked in a lightened tone as he regained his composture.
Shadow shook her head at the ducks in front of her. "No, but I can show you." She suggested, looking at Mallory. "You know martial arts, right, Mallory?"
"Yeah, I know a few tricks." Mallory replied in a slightly modest tone as she folded her arms behind her.
"Can I use your skills for a bit?" Shadow asked in a polite tone as she smiled up at the hot-tempered duck before her. "It'll only take a second."
Mallory looked over at Wildwing for premisson before she took a step forward. Shadow jumped up on bench beside her and helped Mallory up as well. "You're not going to kick me like you did that guy at the tournament, are you?" She asked in a joking tone as she got into position.
Shadow took a step towards Mallory and stood in front of her. "I want you to throw simple punches at me. Like this, okay?" Shadow instructed; showing simple right and left hooks that were aimed at her shoulders.
Mallory shrugged and obeyed the command. Shadow bent her left wrist all the way down and used it to push Mallory's left hook upwards, and out of the way. Mallory repeated the same action with the opposite fist and Shadow followed suit with her right wrist.
Shadow bowed to her partner and stood up striaght. "Mr. Kemo calls that, "paint-the-fence"." She explained in a teaching tone. She then turned on her side to avoid hitting her partner. "Now, I would like you to aim for my face using the same hooks I showed you." She said, punching the air as if she was hitting someone.
"I guess I could do that." Mallory said in an unsure tone as she watched the girl turn back around to face her.
Unlike the last time, Shadow locked all eight fingers forward on each hand and folded her thumbs over her palm and blocked Mallory's assults by making big circles with her hands; pushing each punch away from her face.
Shadow bowed to Mallory a second time and smiled proudly at her audience. "And that's what's called, "sand- the- floor"." She said as a matter of fact. "I had to sand this long, narrow bridge-like thing behind his house to learn that one. And the last one I had to paint his entire fence that stretched around the whole house."
"So that's it?" Nosedive asked in a dramatic tone. "But you're so talented!"
Shadow looked at the blonde haired teen with a playful smirk. "You haven't seen the last one yet." She told them as she turned side-ways on her heel and looked at Mallory once again. "I need you to throw a left and right hook to my shoulders again." She told her as she turned to Mallory once again.
This time, Shadow blocked the two punches by thrusting her opened fists to the sides; throwing forcefully to the sides in the direction the fists came from. (left throws to the left and right throws to the right). She stood up straight and bowed to Mallory in respect; Mallory following her example.
"But how is dat supposed ta help you?" Duke said in a doubtful tone, folding his arms over his chest.
Shadow grinned at Mallory. "Are you up for another demonstration?" She asked in a cryptic tone.
Mallory nodded and began throwing punches left from right at the girl. Shadow blocked each oncoming attack just using everything she had just showed the ducks. The ducks were amazed at the girl's preformance. Only this time, her movements were more fluid like they were somehow a part of her previous ones. She looked almost exactally as if she was back in the tournament. It was almost like a repeat for them as they all stood in shock in amazement.
Once she was finished, she stood up straight and bowed respectfully at her partner and turned her attention back to her audience.
"Those are just the fundamentals of karate. I learned them by doing simple house work." Shadow explained in a logical tone. "He taught me the basics, but I put my own attitude and style into what he learned."
"You learned all that just from doing simple house work?" Tanya asked in a shocked tone as she looked up at the girl in wonder.
Shadow nodded in reply and did a summersault backwards onto the bleachers behind her and did a no hands' cartwheel to the left side. Once she stablized herself, she flipped forward and landed on the ground behind her viewers.
The ducks clapped and praised the girl's preformance. Shadow smiled up at them and bowed respectfully at them. Duke clapped and looked over at her with an impressed eye, while Nosedive hollared and cheered for an encore.
"You put your own style into it, that's for sure!" Wildwing said in an impressed tone as he placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Thanks, Wildwing! I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I couldn't have showed you anything if it hadn't been for Mallory helping me out!" Shadow said in a polite tone as she smiled over at the right wing of the team; giving her friend some of the spotlight.
Mallory waved her off casually. "I just did what you told me to do." She said in a modest tone.
"Hey, girlie, you've got to show me some of those moves!" Nosedive said in an excited tone as he stared at her with pleading eyes.
"Yeah, maybe sometime when you're not too busy..." Shadow said with a playful wink. "Or when maybe during your off season you could drop by and watch me train!"
Shadow placed her hands behind her head and gave them her back. Just as she was about to take a step forward, she fell flat on her face with a harsh 'thud' sound. It was almost like she was completely exhausted all of a sudden! She raised herself up on all fours and began shaking slightly.
" 'ey, you alright, kiddo?" Duke asked as he ran up to the girl and placed a worried hand on her back.
Shadow shook whatever bothered her off and stood up. "I told ya I was absent the day they taught graceful." She said with a lazy smile as she dusted herself off. "I'm okay."
"You should be more careful, Shadow." Tanya said in a motherly tone as she placed her hands on her hips in concern.
"I know... it's just that..." Shadow said, but stopped herself, biting her lip in the process.
"What is it?" Wildwing asked in concern as he raised a brow at their guest.
"It's not important." Shadow said as she waved Wildwing's concern off. "I think it's time I get back home now..." She said as she made her way to the exit.
Nosedive whined in protest. "But it's not even ten yet!" He complained, "We haven't even had anything to eat!"
Shadow shook her head. "Sorry, I have practice early tomorrow." She said in a sympathetic tone, "Mr. Kemo is going to teach me a new form of karate called, 'kata'. I have to be up and about at five a.m. Sharp."
" 'ere. I'll walk ya out." Duke offered in a polite tone as he followed after the girl.
After they made it outside, Shadow turned to the ducks with a happy smile. "Thanks for a really awesome time, everyone! I'll see ya around!" She said as she smiled to the ducks and walked away.
"Be careful on your way home, Shadow!" Mallory said sisterly as she waved to the girl.
"See ya around, girlie-girl!" Nosedive said before he dashed off inside to his bunk.
Once everyone was heading back inside, Duke grabbed his leader's arm; getting his attention.
" 'ey, yo, Wildwing!" He said, "I'm gonna talk ta Kelgghorn an' see if I can find anything kind of record on her." He added in a worried tone as he looked up at his leader; almost asking for premission.
Wildwing raised a brow at the oldest duck in confusion. "You think she's hiding something, too?" He asked in a joking tone as he looked at Duke for a moment; waiting for his answer.
"Yea, and somethin' tells me it's not good." Duke replied in a worried tone as he looked back to see Shadow walking down the street; practicing her arm movements as she left his sight.
Wildwing looked at Duke for a moment longer before he sighed. "You thought so, too, huh?" He asked in a defeated tone as he watched the oldest duck's movements.
"I don' think she did anythin' bad or nuttin' like dat." Duke said in detective tone, lifting a finger to his beak. "I just wanna see if dare's anythin' that might give us a clue about who she is."
"Her record is gonna tell you all that?" Wildwing asked in a confused tone, turning his head to the side before he turned his masked gaze back at Duke.
Duke glared disappointedly at Wildwing's comment. "She's hidin' somethin' from us, Wing," he stated as a matter of fact, "the way she acts around not just us, but towards othas isn't how normal kids her age act."
"And she is a bit too mature for a girl her age." Wildwing said in a thoughtful tone as he rubbed his beak. He looked over at Duke with a determined tone as he nodded to him in comply. "Alright, Duke, see what you can do." He said as he turned back towards the Pond and headed for their lockeroom.
Duke took one last determined look at the path Shadow had taken home and headed back towards his own home; unknowingly that someone was watching the whole scene unfolding before their evil eyes...
"Lord Dragonus, I just saw those stinkin featherheads talkin' to a little girl outside the Pond." The creepy figure said into a communicator on his arm. "What should I do?"
"Get me that brat! She may be of some use to us!" The evil overlord demanded in a harsh tone as closed the link between him and his henchman.
"Alright, time to get myself a hostage!" The over-grown lizard said gleefully as he watched the two ducks go inside their headquarters; retiring for the night...