Chapter Eight: Self-Destruct Button
How many childhoods have to be lost?
How many memories have to be forgotten?
How many lives have to be lost?
How many hearts have to break?
Just one more...
A few hours into the practice session with Shadow, Duke and Wildwing stopped and panted for breath. They looked up at the girl and saw her skating laps around the ice. There was something about the way Shadow was skating on the ice that made the two ducks watching her think of her soul was being set free once she began skating.
"Alright, Shadow. Let's get you back downstairs and get you settled into a room... And maybe some of your own battle-gear." Wildwing said in a brotherly tone; smiling at Shadow with happy eyes hiding behind his mask.
Shadow stopped skating and spun around to face the two with surprise. "Really? Me? In battle-gear? My own room?" She asked in a shocked tone; making sure she was hearing the captain of her favorite team correctly.
Wildwing laughed and looked over at the Duke before he looked back at Shadow with his arms folded across his chest. "Well, we have no idea how long Mr. Kemo will be back, and we can't just let you sleep on the couch in the recreation room or medical wing, can we?" He asked in a playful tone, trying to sound like he was serious, but his expression gave him away.
Shadow blinked at the two for a moment, and like lightining, she dashed forward and jumped on the two ducks; sending them flying onto the ground.
"This has got to be the best day of my life!" She said in an excited tone; laughing and smiling at the two as she got up to let the duo stand up again.
"Man, Shadow! Ya gotta work on the strength-ding, kiddo!" Duke laughed as he gained his feet and rubbed his head playfully.
And with that, the trio walked back down to where their bunks, and began looking around for a space for the girl to stay in. They had finally settled on an empty room next to Nosedive's bunk. The oldest duck punched in a few buttons and the door slid open with a slight hiss.
"I guess this will be your temporary bunk." Wildwing said in a blunt tone; looking around the room. "I think we'll have to get Mallory to help you decorate it, but it still has the essentials you need. Like a closet, dresser, and a cot until we can get you a real bed."
Shadow looked around the room and gasped in shock. It was a lot bigger than she was used to. It was about a third of the size of Drake 1 super computer! The dresser and cot was so small compared to the size of her room. The walls were also plain and dull, but all that was changing with all the ideas Shadow had for her room that were running wild in her mind.
Duke looked at the girl beside him, and watched her slowly walk around in the room. Her head hadn't moved once, but her eyes were widened and darting all around the room.
"So, whatdaya think, sweet'eart?" Duke asked in a hopeful tone, watching the girl wander around the room.
Shadow turned her head and smiled brightly at the two. "This is so cool! Thanks, guys!" She answered in a happy tone; placing her hands behind her back.
Wildwing let out a happy laugh, but was cut short due to their alram system buzzing into the room. He sighed and smiled apologetically at the girl, and looked down at his comminucator.
"It looks like Drake 1 picked up a robery uptown." He declared in a disappointed tone.
Shadow stepped up to the captain, and held a fist up to her chest. "I'm coming, too, Wildwing." She said in a determined tone; keeping her eyes trained on the white duck.
Duke blinked down at the girl and shook his head. "Whoa, hold up, kiddo! You ain't leavin'! It could be too dangerous!" He said in a fatherly tone; placing his hands on his hips.
Shadow looked up at Duke with a mind-set glare. "I just took on two of your worst enemies and you tell me a simple robery is too dangerous?" Shadow asked in a disbelieving voice.
Wildwing placed a hand on Duke's shoulder and turned to walk away. "She's got a point, and we don't have all day to catch the bad guys." He reasoned with the oldest duck.
Duke looked between the human and duck, and sighed in defeat. "You win. But you stay with me or Wildwing. Got it?" Duke said in a firm tone; clearing not liking losing the argument.
Shadow nodded eagerly at Duke, and followed the duo out of the door; smirking in triumph. They made their way down to the hanger, with everyone in tow. Mallory looked over at Shadow, and back at Duke. She opened her mouth to protest her coming along, but Duke cut her off by saying that she's made up her mind and to leave it at that.
On the way the scene, Duke sat up front with Nosedive behind the wheel. He had a slight scowl on his face and glared out the windshield.
"I still think this is a bad idea." He said in a low grumble; forming a dark cloud over his head, as he sat sulking next to Nosedive.
Shadow looked up at Duke with a bitter scowl of her own. "Duke, I think you should sneeze or something, your brain's getting dusty." She said in a snippy tone; folding her arms over her chest; making Nosedive snicker in response.
Wildwing sent a warning glare at the girl, and folded his arms over his chest as well. "Hey, I'm letting you tag along against my better judgement. Behave." He warned in a firm tone; making her flinch in response.
Shadow folded her arms over her chest in defiance. "You misunderstand me, Wildwing," she said in a low growl; her eyes flashing. "I've been through so much in the past fifteen years or so than anyone else you compare me to in their lifetimes. I can't explain this feeling, but I just know I'm supposed to put my cursed powers to good use. And this is the best way I know how."
The ride was a quick and silent one, too. Shadow had proven her point, and dismissed their argument.
They had arrived at the scene to discover that the robbers had gotten stuck in their own equipment when they tried to escape with their stolen jewels. Mallory and Nosedive managed to free the crooks, Wildwing and Shadow tied them up, and quickly hung them back into place, and waited for Captain Klegghorn to arrive to take them away.
Klegghorn approached the leader with concerned eyes. "Maybe this isn't the best time to tell you about that thing you wanted me to find about." He said in a rough tone; nodding over to Shadow; whom was laughing and giggling at Duke and Nosedive.
Wildwing pulled Klegghorn off to the side; making sure no one could hear their conversation. "What did you find, Captain?" He asked in a worried tone; looking back at Shadow with a concerned expression.
"I was digging around in her permanent records to see if I could find anything that would point me in the right direction towards this "Organization", but I found nothing." Klegghorn said in a defeated tone, as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "It's like it doesn't even exist."
Wildwing folded his arms over his chest plate. "Like Area 51 doesn't exist?" He argued in a rough tone; not believing what the officer was saying. "But Shadow did say she had a twin brother. What can you tell me about him?"
Klegghorn sighed and gave up. "You mean "Raymond Sohma"? He died in a middle school shooting. A shot to the back of the head while running away. The records showed that the mother went insane and couldn't take care of Allyce, and went missing while she was still in the hospital." He told the white feathered duck in a sad tone. "It's such a shame Allyce disappeared. She was the most talented figure-skater known to the world."
Wildwing chuckled and thrusted a gloved thumb over towards Shadow. "I think that case is closed, captain." He said in a playful tone; his smirk growing wider at the realization hitting Klegghorn with full force.
"Are you saying Shadow is Allyce?" Klegghorn asked in a surprised tone, as he rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
"That's right, Klegghorn. Allyce and Shadow are one in the same." He said in a mind-set tone.
"But she looks nothing like Allyce! Allyce had short brown hair and gray eyes! This girl is like a negative version of her!" Klegghorn retorted in a shocked tone; not taking his eyes off the girl laughing at something Nosedive had done.
"After some... unfortunate events, her hair and eyes changed colors. She said that she was asleep for a long time, so her hair must've grown out since then." Wildwing said in a rough tone; watching Shadow completely unaware of the two talking.
"Are you trying to tell me that Allyce was your informant?" Klegghorn said in a shocked tone; pounding on his heart to get it to keep beating.
Wildwing nodded solemnly at Klegghorn and sighed. "That's right, captain. But her name is now "Shadow Honda" now."
"I've got to talk to her and find out what she knows." Klegghorn said in a blunt tone, as he tried to walk past Wildwing; only to be stopped by a large hand on his shoulder.
"No you don't!" He said in a firm tone, "Shadow's been through a lot. It was killing her when she told us what happened. And I already told you what she knows, so there's no need to bring the past."
Klegghorn looked over his shoulder and stared up at Wildwing with disbelief. "What do you mean "it was killing her when you told you"?" He asked. "You know something, don't you?"
Wildwing let go of the donut lover's shoulder when he knew he wouldn't go after Shadow. "I could tell she never had the change to mourn for her brother's death, and bringing up the past was really stupid on our part. I highly recommend not talking to her about it." He said in a demanding tone, "It really torn us apart when she told us. I could almost feel her pain..." He said in a hurtful tone; making Klegghorn shiver in reply.
Klegghorn looked at Wildwing with a raised brow. "And you're going to take care of her I take it?" He asked in a suspicious tone; eyeing the alien before him.
Wildwing nodded. "She's like the little sister I never had." He said in a soft tone and a defeated sigh followed suit. "We'll keep her safe, I give you my word."
Klegghorn gave up this argument, and rubbed his temples in frusteration. "I'm going to go bald if I worry about this any more." He said in a rough tone; turning back to Wildwing with fire in his eyes. "You had better take good care of that one, Wildwing. I want to see her preform again someday."
Wildwing chuckled and folded his arms over his chest plate once again. "You don't have to worry about that, captain. Duke and Nosedive had already beaten both of us to the punch this time around." He said, as he nodded his head over towards Shadow, whom was running around Duke with Nosedive chasing her; laughing all the way and making the others laugh at the sight. "I think she'll do just fine."
"I hope so, Wildwing." Klegghorn said in a defeated tone; turning on his heel, and walking back to his car with the two crooks from before in tow...
N: That's it? That's the chapter we've been waiting for?
TPW: Yeah, yeah, well I am under serious pressure here! And all you're doing is eating my food and chasing after my dogs! And besides, I was thinking of making my chapters all one-shots. Like, one thing happening in one chapter and the others kinda follow it, ya know?
D: I thought ya did a good job, kiddo.
TPW: That's because I haven't done it in such a long time! I don't want to do this story right now! I can't think of anything else! Although, I am finished with the sequel "Giving up"...
W: You already have a sequel? You haven't even finished this story yet! How could you finish a sequel when you haven't even finished the first story?
TPW: That's an easy one, Wing! I wrote that story a long time ago. It's written in my notebook and all that. I just need to type it up and stick it in my account. The one where you guys first meet Shadow was lost, a long time ago, and this is off my memory. Which is really rough typing to remember 20 chapters, so I'm going to have to make this story shorter somehow...
N: *looks through the notebooks* I just found the sequel! Boy, this is some serious stuff in here!
S: Really? Let me see!
TPW: grabs the notebook from Nosedive Knock it off you two! I can't post the sequel if I don't have the first story finished and it needs some tweeking before I do anything with it!
D: Am I in the sequel?
TPW: glares at Duke You won't be if you don't help me keep Nosedive and Shadow away from my notebooks. I just might kill you off right here along with them!
Duke: clears his throat and runs away, dragging Nosedive and Shadow along with him.
TPW: Exactly. Now, I'd like to thank my readers for not giving up on me. Though, I must warn you all that I will be out for a few weeks because I have surgery and a wedding to attend to. Please wait just a little longer and I will post up a new chapter later. Right now, I want to do another story, but I don't know what to do it on. I think I'll put my Cyborg 009 up. What do you all think? Let me know and I'll see what I can do.
TPW: And always, I don't own MDTAS, that's all Disney's department. I'm just writing a story about it.
And a very special thanks to White Hunter! I love ya! And to everyone else... Smile until you stop... Peace out!