Chapter Two: Darkwing Tower
As Darkwing careened through the streets, trying his best to avoid the night traffic and get back to the bridge, Robin Hood was busy thinking. He could not help but let his mind turn to Marion and Little John, the only two people in the world that he cared enough about that he would stop time if such extreme measures needed to be taken.
"What I would not give to hold you close Marion" Robin said to himself, "What I would not give to hear you laugh John. To see you both would mean everything."
Darkwing, who could not help but overhear, mostly because Robin was a terrible whisperer, leaned to his left, in part to contribute to the conversation and in part to avoid a slow moving car.
"Who's Marion?" Darkwing asked, "She a friend of yours? And furthermore is she available?"
Robin rolled his eyes, annoyed that Darkwing was getting into personal details; as far as the fox was concerned, they were still in the small talk stage, and thus had no business discussing personal lives outside of their vigilantism.
"It's none of your concern" Robin answered, "And if you ever mention it again I'm putting an arrow in your head."
Darkwing cringed, the thought of a grisly death such as that was not something that he had in mind.
"Alright no need to get touchy" Darkwing continued, "Just a question that's all."
Robin huffed and shook his head in disbelief, slightly hating himself that he was actually considering continuing the conversation. He assumed that it was out of a deep desire to vent his feelings to someone other than himself, but the reality, like all things, was much more complicated than simple displays of feelings. It was, in actuality, the first time that anyone had shown any concern for him since Little John, on a psychological level it served as an outlet for venting without becoming overtly attached to anyone.
"We all have people we're fighting with" Robin declared, mostly talking to himself but allowing Darkwing to participate indirectly, "Some of them just aren't here anymore."
Darkwing, surprisingly, found himself able to relate, not in terms of just Gosalyn and Launchpad, his sidekick, but also in the literal sense of the statement, for he too had people that had left him. It was painful to think of their names and see the faces flash through his head, but assumed that was simply how it went.
"There's nothing to do but keep fighting" Darkwing replied, trying to be encouraging and failing, holding back his own tears as he thought about Gosalyn and Launchpad, the ever increasing possibility of them being alone in the event of his death, "Justice will see them through in the end."
After that not much was said between them, each lost in their own private worlds. By the time they had reached the Tower, the night had already passed and had entered early morning. It was well past whatever time Drake should have been home, still, Darkwing figured at the very least that he could be hospitable to his guest. Walking into the common room of Darkwing Tower, Darkwing casually led Robin Hood around, who immediately took notice of every vantage point that there was to be had in the entire complex. While he was counting the fox also noticed that the space as a whole was entirely much too spacious to serve as headquarters for one individual and that it could easily serve a better and more practical purpose for the headquarters of an organization.
"Have you considered leasing this place?" Robin asked as he strolled about, allowing himself to hear his own echo for the sake of it, "You could make some real use out of it if you wanted to."
Darkwing huffed and brushed off the idea, finding it as ludicrous as Launchpad's belief in Howard the Duck.
"Right" Darkwing exclaimed sarcastically, "The sooner I do that the sooner I lose everything that makes me The Masked Mallard. Darkwing Duck is many things- a clown, a deadbeat, and even a menace to society- but if it is one thing he is not it is a sellout."
Robin shrugged and shook it off, for it was obviously a touchy subject matter and he did not want to risk an uncomfortable conversation lest he come off as being a hypocrite. Making his way to the nearby couch, Robin aired himself with his hat and made himself comfortable to the best of his ability.
"Do you have a place to stay?" Darkwing said from around a corner along with the clamoring and shuffling of pots and pans intent on cooking.
"I have a place" Robin answered promptly, "It's on the East side near Meadowbrook Park, you heard of it? Beautiful, right across the way from the city center."
Darkwing nodded, for he heard of Meadowbrook Park, for Drake had taken Gosalyn there on many occasions. It was one of the few bonding experiences that they had that did not involve crime-fighting in any sort. It was easily one of the happiest memories the duck possessed and the pinnacle of his life up to this point. Robin, in turn, smiled and said nothing, guessing that the silence was Darkwing's answer. Stretching and yawning slightly, the fox rose and rolled his neck. He casually began counting arrows in his quiver, a grand total of forty-two, and then, for no particular reason, moved towards the nearest window.
"I thought you said you were here on business?" Darkwing pried, getting himself back on track and remembering the conversation from earlier.
"Yes" Robin answered, "But all of that took months. What you think I've been living in dumpsters this entire time?"
Darkwing laughed and shook it off, partially annoyed at his own ignorance, still, at the very least he now had a point to pin Robin Hood on, should he ever become a problem. It was doubtful, but it was always a good idea to be prepared for the absolute worst.
"So do you always work alone?" Robin continued as he stared out into the city, scanning the area even though he had already partially checked himself out for the night, paying particular attention to the skyline, taking note of the buildings and their average heights, "It must get lonely up here, all by yourself."
Darkwing smiled and nodded, remembering the days before Launchpad, and how every waking moment was spent patrolling the city and doing work that no one asked for or even necessarily needed.
"It's easy to do things alone" Darkwing admitted, "Less arguing, more doing. As far as the silence goes, you either get used to it or you go crazy because of it."
Robin turned, his eyebrows raised and face full of indifference, glaring at Darkwing with all the impatience in the world.
"I said it must get lonely up here" Robin reiterated, at the same time scolding him.
Darkwing smiled and walked nonchalantly to Robin, after which he leaned against the window frame and gazed vacantly out into the city.
"The first few years were hard" Darkwing exclaimed, casually looking to Robin to make sure that the fox was paying attention, "Started off small. A robbery here, carjacking there, easy stuff. Hated every goddamn minute of it. Half the time I was the one getting beaten up: it was the mask, thought I was one of the bad guys. Been arrested a few times- technicalities, misunderstandings."
Darkwing casually laughed as if he were talking to an old friend, for a moment he had forgotten that he was in recent company and instead thought that Launchpad was next to him; he did not forget himself entirely, for he knew that Robin was there, but his heart was somewhere else, at home, where he should have been in the first place. Still, Darkwing did not regret where he was or any of his actions of the night, for that would imply that he was something he was not.
"It's getting late Darkwing" Robin said, yawning loudly, "Best get home. Drop me off at the park, I'll walk from there."
Darkwing raised his eyebrows, slightly concerned, for he was under the impression that Robin was spending the night at the tower. Now he was going to have to make the extra trip to the park, easily a twenty minute journey, only to return to the Tower and ultimately go through the secret entrance to his house instead of cutting out everything entirely, taking the secret entrance and going to bed.
"You sure?" Darkwing exclaimed, half hoping that Robin would change his mind, "I really don't mind. I keep an extra bed."
Robin shook his head indifferently and rubbed him off, not because he was refusing the hospitality but rather as a result of was being overly polite.
"Perish the thought" Robin returned, slipping into his old tendencies, "I wouldn't dream of it. Besides its better this way, I have been known to have night terrors. Scream like banshee so I'm told."
Darkwing laughed and nodded, rolling his eyes slightly; it was beginning to sound like Robin would get along with Launchpad nicely, for he too was known to have the occasional night outburst. More than once it woke him up in his sleep, a few times it resulted in a visit to the local hospital. Still, despite it all, Darkwing wouldn't have traded it for anything.
"You know" Darkwing said, trying to ease his way into weaseling out of Robin's request, "It's sometimes okay to take advantage of people a little bit. Especially when they're offering things to you."
Robin sighed and shook his head knowingly, all too aware of his overly chivalrous nature.
"Forgive me" Robin apologized, "But from where I'm from hospitality isn't exactly put in much practice. I guess I'm just used to people pushing me away."
Darkwing gestured over to the spare bed and pointed to the kitchen and bathroom off to the left down a small hallway.
"You need anything" Darkwing said in parting, "There's a red button under the nightstand."
Robin did not get a chance to ask what the red button was for; for as soon as he opened his mouth Darkwing was gone, a small cloud of smoke dissipating where he stood moments before. Laughing to himself and honestly amazed that Darkwing had been so trusting of him, Robin Hood began whistling and moseyed around the room, ultimately making his way to Darkwing's computer at the top of the lair.
Sitting in the large computer chair that was always two sizes too big, Robin, after turning the computer on, was faced with a login screen. It didn't take him long to figure out the password; taking what he knew of Darkwing and coming with his own personal analysis in his head, Robin easily and correctly deduced that the password was his secret identity spelled backwards.
"Only an idiot or a complete genius would have something as stupid as that" Robin thought to himself, "Now, the only question is- who is Darkwing Duck?"
Rolling the chair over to the other side of the large platform, in which was there was a series of bookcases, Robin scanned the volumes of crime novels, how-to books, collections of newspapers, old police records, a Yiddish dictionary, several maps, and a photo album, only to find among them all The Complete and Total History of the Mallard Family by Cornelius Mallard, one of Darkwing's many ancestors, who besides writing the book, did nothing of particular interest. Flipping through the next few hundred pages, Robin being a notorious speed reader, he eventually came upon Drake Mallard, underneath of which was a moniker- Darkwing Duck. Taking this, ripping out the page and traveling back to the computer, Robin typed the name backwards into the computer and folded up the page. Pulling out a flash-drive and plugging it in, Robin scrolled through several more files until he came one called Contingency.
The Contingency file, which contained valuable information mostly pertaining to Robin Hood's activities, was full of various sub-files each under a different alias that the media had so graciously used; apart from these however, was a video. Opening and pushing play, Robin saw and heard himself talk about his own death, that being the only way that another living soul would ever see the video; as well as his confession of his vigilantism. Taking this video and placing on Darkwing's computer, Robin then did a full scan, searching for any security protocols and flaws, unsurprisingly finding nothing of the kind. Sighing and shaking his head, Robin rolled his eyes and pulled all the information relating to Darkwing that he could find. Most of it was rubbish and worthy of automatic deletion, but some of it, especially those mentioning Gosalyn, Launchpad, any of his numerous enemies, and Drake, he placed in a file and immediately began constructing dossiers around them all; this was accomplished due to an algorithm he placed for his own work at his own hideout. Once this was done, Robin then closed the flash-drive, removed it, and changed the password.
Standing up and remembering the torn page that was in his pocket, Robin pulled out a lighter and promptly burned it, throwing it in the garbage can, after which he made his way down from the platform, took off his clothes and fell into the bed, bare as the day he was born. Although the sweat and the heat from the warm summer air bothered him, it did not bother so much more than the thought of seeing the Sheriff of Nottingham, the man responsible for all of his misery and pain.
His dreams were nightmares: the sound of Marion and Little John, their necks breaking as gravity took its toll, allowing the rope to crush their larynxes, cutting off their air supply to the brain, killing them instantly. It was a sad and undeserved fate, a fate that Robin himself had been running from for years. He was many things- a thief, a vagabond, an outlaw- but all of that was under the rule of a tyrannical king; now, Robin was nothing, a shell of his former shelf, although he did not show it.
Outside on the bridge, the Fearsome Five- which consisted of Negaduck, Megavolt, the Liquidator, Bushroot, and Quackerjack, Darkwing's major enemies- gathered on the sidewalk enacting their latest plan. After months of scouting and scanning, eliminating all possible outcomes, Negaduck, the unofficial leader of the group and easily the most ruthless, had finally found the location of Darkwing Tower. In truth he was surprised he didn't find it sooner, for it was the most obvious place that anyone could think of for a secret hideout; then again, perhaps it was because he was too busy trying to take over the city to bother with simply following Darkwing home on occasion.
"So tell me-" Bushroot began, rather inquisitively, "Why are we here again?"
Negaduck growled and sneered in response, not giving a verbal answer, for he had told them numerous times their intention and was in no mood to repeat himself. Megavolt, who was much more forgiving, mostly because he was partially confused himself, divulged him, lowering his voice to prevent Negaduck from overhearing.
"Darkwing's hideout is at the top of the bridge. Blow up the bridge, blow up Darkwing."
Quackerjack, being mentally insane, jumped with the excitement of a jackrabbit, the thought of so much destruction at the hands of one of his finest toys, a large bomb that conveniently shot confetti as well as producing an explosion, making him giddy and incredibly irritable.
"Yes!" he declared victoriously, "As soon as the bomb explodes not only will the bridge be gone and Darkwing destroyed, but the whole city will be layered in hundreds of feet of my little party favors! Oh, it'll take them weeks, if not years to clean it up. Meanwhile, I can all the fun I want!"
Negaduck turned around sharply, having been looking up for the past few minutes, trying to find the best location to place the bomb.
"Will you shut up?" Negaduck screamed, refusing to have any more nonsense for the night, "Get up there and plant your damned bomb so we can get on with this thing! Northeast corner should send that tower down."
Quackerjack nodded and comically pulled out the bomb from his pocket; it was easily the size of a semi-truck, making it impossible for anyone but an insane lunatic to place in something as simple as a pocket. Bushroot meanwhile, raised his hand gently as if he were in the middle of a classroom.
"Want me to take care of it?" Bushroot said, "It really wouldn't be a problem. I could just grow up there and place it. It'll be easy."
Negaduck nodded, well aware of Bushroot's ability to grow indefinitely; however, that was not the point.
"Yes" Negaduck replied, doubling the sarcasm necessary, "But if you do it, it wouldn't really be a punishment would it? Now shut up and keep watch. Quackerjack will handle the bomb."
The Liquidator, who was getting impatient, without being told what to do, took his position in the river and proceeded to build a massive wave, ultimately holding it just before the bridge. Negaduck, satisfied with the Liquidator's initiative, as well as the fact that they had a fail-safe in the event that the bomb failed, chuckled to himself and slapped Megavolt's back, if only because he was the only available person to both physically abuse and who would appreciate his genius.
"Watch it!" Megavolt said as he regained his balance, electricity surging through his hands, "I didn't come all this way just to be pushed around you know. I want to see some action!"
Negaduck groaned and rolled his eyes, annoyed, Megavolt's nasally voice and constant complaining getting on his nerves. Looking around and trying to find something for him to do, Negaduck thought more than once about simply shooting him, thereby ending his problems. Megavolt however, still had his uses, and thus wasn't worth killing.
"Alright Sparky" Negaduck exclaimed, using an old pet name that he knew Megavolt despised, "Take out all the lights in the bridge. We want this to light up the night sky like a damn firework!"
Megavolt huffed and folded his arms, insulted that his only contribution was going to be spectacle; still, he could see the merit in it, if only for the ultimate satisfaction of relishing in his old enemy's final defeat and so, griping and grumbling to himself, complied with Negaduck's demeaning request.
As soon as the lights went out, seemingly all at once, Quackerjack had returned, the trigger in hand. Negaduck then motioned to the side of the bridge, whereby the Liquidator had picked them up and set them down in a nearby boat only to return to his duty, holding the wave at bay.
"Alright ladies" Negaduck declared, mustering as much authority as possible, "Tonight is the night that St. Canard says goodbye to that goody-two-shoes Darkwing Duck. Anyone wish to say any final words of endearment?"
He was met with silence. Glancing over them he could see excitement and nervousness in them all: Quackerjack's eyes were bloodshot and bulging with anticipation, on his shoulder was his puppet, Mr. Banana-brain, who said nothing; Bushroot, for his part, could only think about how many friends he would make once Darkwing was finally out of the picture, joyfully counting in his head all the things he would do; Megavolt on the other hand, hung his head in silent contemplation.
"What's the matter dim-wit?" Negaduck said, in his usual fashion, "Something on your mind?"
Megavolt looked up, his eyes tired and afraid; as if the desire to see Darkwing destroyed had suddenly dissipated. This was not the case, for he did indeed wish to see Darkwing dead, but not at the cost of innocent people. Why he had suddenly grown a conscious was beyond him, if he had to guess he would say that it was because it was difficult for a population to fear you if the population was dead. As far as he was concerned there was no real reason to blow up the bridge other than for the spectacle of blowing up a bridge, thus a meaningless waste of life.
"I am many things" Megavolt declared, "But I'm not a killer."
Negaduck only laughed in his face and shook him off, for they had come too far to simply back out of it now; there was only one direction left to take. Grabbing the trigger and placing his thumb over the button, Negaduck sighed and took a breath, relishing in the moment.
"Soon it will all be mine" Negaduck said to himself, "St. Canard will bend its knee. Who knows, I might even run for President."
Quackerjack slowly came out of his lunatic trance and laughed, for Negaduck was not a good whisperer and the thought of him becoming President amused him.
"That's a good one!" Quackerjack replied, laughing his ass off, "The day you become President is the day I become the Supreme Justice of the Peace."
Negaduck sneered and raised his hand, threatening to give Quackerjack a decent backhand, only for him to retreat and return to the matter at hand.
"If we're going to do this let's do it" Quackerjack continued, "Push the trigger. Push the trigger and let the playtime begin!"
Negaduck chuckled, amused by Quackerjack's enthusiasm. Tossing the trigger back to Quackerjack and nodding, Negaduck turned towards the bridge and waited.
The resulting explosion and the subsequent collapse of Darkwing Tower caused most of the people on the bridge to flee in mass hysteria; alas, some to no avail, the falling debris killing hundreds and causing a gigantic hole in the bridge; the structure itself still remaining. It was then that the Liquidator finished the job, releasing the tidal wave resulting in complete collapse.
"Search the river" Negaduck ordered, berating to his colleagues, "I won't be satisfied until I see a body. Find Darkwing Duck!"
While The Liquidator, Bushroot, and Quackerjack were searching the river, wading through the shallow banks where any bodies would most likely wash up, Megavolt, who had opted out of the search in order to avoid shorting himself out, sat down in the nearest chair he could find and breathed. No sooner did he let out a single breath of air did he feel a hand cover his mouth, the body concealed in the shadows.
"I'm going to remove my hand" the disembodied voice began, "When I do you are going to stand and push that loudmouth into the river. Nod if you understand."
Megavolt nodded and the hand disappeared. Standing up, Megavolt sharply turned around and blasted a charge of electricity directly behind him, revealing Robin Hood, draped in little more than the spare sheets, his loaded bow in his hand, quiver on his back, standing above him on top of the captain's cabin.
"Nice try" Robin declared as he jumped down onto the deck, inadvertently causing Megavolt to turn away in disgust, "But you won't get away that easily. Not with that stunt you just pulled."
Megavolt cringed and gagged, refusing to believe what he had just seen and slightly overreacting.
"Seriously?" he returned, "Who sleeps like that! What the hell is wrong with you?"
Robin smirked and rolled his eyes, firing his arrow directly into Megavolt's leg; after which he proceeded to do the same to Quackerjack, Bushroot and Negaduck, using the distraction to his advantage in order to line up his shots.
"The first rule in this line of work Mr. Sputterspark is to know thine enemy and their weaknesses."
Megavolt, at the sound of his actual name, jeered and pointed an accusatory finger, at the same time charging himself up.
"You don't know anything about me!" Megavolt defended, "You're nothing fox, nothing but a crazy madman with a bow and arrow."
Robin huffed and fired yet another arrow, this one into Negaduck's left shoulder.
"Don't just stand there!" Negaduck said, withering in pain as he fell to the ground, slowly pulling out the arrow in his leg, "Get him!"
Robin laughed to himself and notched three arrows at once, freezing everyone on the boat, including the Liquidator, who remained untouched.
"I know that you were once Elmo Sputterspark" Robin continued as he stepped forward, forcing Megavolt back, "A child prodigy. But something went wrong didn't it? An accident. Like all good men who walk the line between genius and insanity and are pushed too far you went over the edge. You became obsessed."
Megavolt began shaking, nervousness and fear overtook him, he began stammering, and as he stammered he began to lose focus, unaware that he was charging and directly behind the Liquidator. Robin, smiling to himself at the tactical advantage he had achieved, fired two of his arrows, one into Bushroot and another into Quackerjack for good measure. The third arrow he saved, slowly and discreetly tying a line at its end.
"It slowly drove you mad" Robin said, his voice getting more demanding, hurting Megavolt on a psychological level, "You are not the man you once were. Now you are something else. Now you are Megavolt. Now, you're the fifth wheel; the spare tire. Useless, even to yourself. Look at them, they blew the bridge. It's their names that will be in tomorrow's paper. Where will you be? Sitting on the sidelines while they take all the glory."
Megavolt was slowly getting angry, for he was tiring of Robin telling him who he was, especially considering he knew nothing about him. He wanted to destroy Robin in that very instant, and had not been for the arrow in his leg, a fact he was just now aware of, he probably would have. Instead, the rat simply forced himself onto the ground, resigning to his pain only to receive significantly more, accidentally running into the Liquidator's leg hurting them both. Negaduck, who recovered relatively fast from his wounds, jeered and slowly brought himself to his feet at this, for now it had become personal.
"Hey!" Negaduck exclaimed, "Just who in the hell do you think you are? You think you can stomp all over us and we won't do something about it?"
Robin laughed and took a step backwards, casually looking up, searching for a decent vantage point in order to make his escape. Upon finding one, the closest available building being a clothing store near the river bank, Robin- calculating the shot in his head and judging it to be a long one- given the low lighting, the distance, and the current company, had no choice but abandon the plan. Resigning himself to the fact that he was going to have to swim, again, the fox slyly made his way over to the edge of the boat, shouldering his bow.
"I'm counting on it" Robin answered as he leaned back, this time making Quackerjack uncomfortably, whereby the fox immediately countered with a laugh and a quick whim.
"What the hell did you expect?" he said, "You blew up everything else. Just be glad this sheet survived."
Negaduck limped forward, undeterred by Robin's appearance; for he was too enraged about the arrow in his leg and the sting in his ego, to care about such things. He demanded answers.
"Answer my question num-nut" Negaduck declared, "Who are you?"
Robin gave a slight bow in response and readied himself for a dismount. Lifting his head slightly he answered the question.
"I'm the Hood."
Back-flipping into the water if only for the show of it and unintentionally abandoning the sheet, Robin Hood swam into the St. Canard River, assured that he would not be followed; for his arrows and the combined suffering of Megavolt and the Liquidator would be more than enough to allow for a quick and undeterred escape. Coming back onto dry land twenty seconds later, soaking wet Robin ducked behind the nearest alleyway in order to protect himself and finding a nearby rag for which to cover his hand, punched through the glass of the clothing store. As the silent alarm was triggered, Robin smiled to himself; for although he was partially ashamed that he had to commit a burglary, it was a small price to pay given the circumstances at hand. If anything he rationalized that it would lead the authorities closer to the Fearsome Five, and thus justice for the bridge explosion. After clothing himself, he began to plan his next few steps. It was obvious that Darkwing Tower was permanently out of commission, at least until it could be prepared, if such a thing were possible. The only other option he could find was to find Darkwing's house and inform him of the destruction that had been wrought.
"Damn this day" Robin said, cursing himself, "First Darkwing, then the Sheriff, now-"
It was then that Robin allowed himself to cry. As he buried his head into the sleeve of the purloined white collar shirt, he thought about all the lives that had been lost in the span of a few minutes. It pained him, to think that he could have done something to stop it from happening in the first place: if only he had been faster, stronger, more vigilant, then perhaps the bridge would not have been destroyed. Of course, Robin knew that he could not entirely blame himself, but he did it all the same, if only because it hardened his resolve to stop those responsible.
The sound of police sirens brought him out of his silent misery and caused him to move. Taking up his bow and running down the nearest street, Robin, thinking of no other option, made his way to Meadowbrook Park where he knew there was always an open park bench to lay upon. Tomorrow, he figured, he would find Darkwing. Tomorrow, he would begin his revenge quest in earnest; but for today, at least what remained of it, he would sleep.