Episode 4: Swimming Ducks
It was the day after the capture of the 'Shadow' page and the Ducks were to partake in the opening of Anaheim's new aquarium.
"I cannot believe my uncle forced you to partake in social events," Pearl said to them, "Doesn't that bother you?"
"A little," Wildwing informed as he and his comrades walked towards the ceremonial ribbon.
"It is with great pride, that we open Anaheim's First Natural Aquarium," the mayor said to the crowd and he cut the ribbon.
The people cheered and the mayor allowed the Ducks to go in first with their friends.
The aquarium was big with enormous tanks that contained tropical and non-tropical fish, sharks, dolphins, turtles, and Arctic creatures like penguins.
"It feels like I'm underwater," Subria said, amazed by the fish.
Pearl and Wildwing decided to head to the first penguin show, "Strange animals, they look like fat little men in tuxedoes," Pearl said and Wildwing had to laugh.
The penguins' trainer gave commands to the creatures and they played with floating balls and leapt through hoops.
Suddenly, the trainer cried out, "Help! Something's got me!"
Pearl could see the trainer's foot caught in a whirlpool and a penguin was caught in it.
Then, Wildwing spotted Grin jump into the pool and he swam up to the whirlpool, grabbed it and pulled it apart.
The whirlpool disappeared and the penguin and its trainer were able to get out.
"Quick thinking Grin," Wildwing commented and handed him a towel.
Grin spat out some salt-water, "There was an unusual presence in that pool," he said.
"You mean, like a spell?" Pearl asked, but Grin shook his head.
"I am not sure," he said, again and they left the show.
Pearl, Wildwing, and Grin rejoined the others in the aquarium's café and they told them what had happened at the show.
Then, Subria's spin shot up, "I feel some strange presence," she replied.
That was when everyone heard a creaking noise and the café's aquarium featured a long crack and water flooded the entire café.
Water swirled around the room, but Pearl saw that she was caught in a whirlpool and panic began to set in.
The Ducks managed to get the people to high ground, "Where's Pearl?!" Subria cried out.
Wildwing spotted her and he dived into the water. He used his mask to locate her through the murky water and saw the whirlpool.
He grabbed hold of Pearl's hands, but his strength was zapped out with all the pulling and water began to fill their lungs.
Someone swam past the two and it headed for the emergency exit door and it gave a hard kick, busting the door open.
Water emptied out of the café and Pearl and Wildwing took a much needed gulp of air.
"Are you all right?" the mallard asked and the princess nodded.
Someone gave a loud shriek; "Look at my café!" the manager of the aquarium appeared.
Wildwing gave a shout, "Something made that fish tank crack open and all you care about is your café?!"
"Yeah, did you use cheap glass?!" Mallory asked, pointing a finger at the manager.
"No, no, that glass was thick as a railroad rod!" he blurted out.
"Ducks, over here," Pearl demanded and they gathered around her, "It must've been a spell page, an element spell page."
"An element page?" Tanya asked.
"There are four element pages; Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth, they are a bit violent than the other spells, so we need to outsmart them somehow," Pearl explained to them.
"In other words, we need to cool them down," Nosedive said, but Subria stared at him with wide eyes.
"Cool down? Nosedive, for once you are a genius!" the African princess startled him as she kissed him.
"Okay listen, we need to capture the page when everyone is out, so we need to come back after closing," Pearl informed and they hurried out of the aquarium.
()()()()()
"An element spell?" Dragaunus had asked Louran.
"They are the most violent spell pages and you need to outsmart them," the dark wizard informed.
"Are they strong enough to destroy the Ducks?" Siege asked and Louran gave a nod.
"If we have all four, than we will be able to crush them," he replied and they all grinned.
()()()()()()
Evening came, but the new aquarium had closed early because of the incidents that occurred.
Tanya was the first to arrive with Subria and they found a surveillance camera and Tanya went to work.
"What are you going to do?" Subria asked, while doing a lookout.
"I am turning off the system for thirty minutes, it should be enough time to capture the spell," Tanya whispered back and asks, "By the way, how did you know the café's aquarium was breaking?"
"You can call me a psychic, but my body can sense danger even before it happens. Pearl has it, too," Subria answered and Tanya went back to work.
In the security office, the officer on duty saw that the camera system became nothing but static.
"Oh man!" the officer grumbled and picked up the phone, but it was out, too.
"Guys, we're good to go! Remember, you have thirty minutes," Tanya informed through the communicator.
The others rushed inside and they split up among the different attraction rooms.
In the penguin exhibit, Pearl and Wildwing saw the swirling whirlpool and the mallard shouts, "Hey! Come on out!"
Suddenly, the water rose from the pool and it showed its features; it had the form of a blue mermaid with pointy ears and sharp teeth.
"The 'Water'," Pearl spilled out and waved out her hands.
The 'Water' spell noticed the princess and summoned walls of water and nearly washed the two away.
"Come and get us!" Pearl shouted and the 'Water' spell followed.
"Duke, Dive, you guys ready?!" Wildwing shouted through the communicator.
"Armed and ready, bro!" Nosedive replied and pulled the door open to the freezer down in the kitchen.
The two rushed down into the kitchen, with the 'Water' in pursuit and Pearl ran into the freezer.
Luckily, the 'Water' went passed her and Pearl summoned the 'Wind' spell, "'Wind', it's time to teach this spell how to cool down."
They slammed the freezer door shut with the two spells inside. The 'Wind' summoned a cold breeze inside and the 'Water' began to freeze.
After three minutes, the Ducks re-opened the door and saw that the 'Water' was completely frozen.
"'Water', I command you to return to the spell book from where you came!" Pearl shouted and the 'Water' spell made residence in a new page.
"Yeah! I am beginning to like this!" Nosedive said, excitedly.
"Yo, Ducks! We better scram!" Duke alerted the others and they rushed back for the Migrator.
"Thanks again, Ducks, I honestly don't know how things would turn out without your help," Pearl said as the Migrator drove away.
"You can always count on us," Nosedive commented and the others nodded. Pearl smiled at them and the Migrator headed back to the Pond.