Episode 23: One Wish
Nighttime had fallen, but the Ducks and the two princesses were wide awake.
Tanya was at Drake 1, doing a scan check on the city of Anaheim.
"This doesn't make sense, I'm getting readings at the mall and at the high school, but they're not strong enough, the spell must've passed them," the science Duck explained.
"It's because it had granted someone's wish," Pearl replied and everyone looked at her.
"The 'Wish' is a powerful spell, perhaps the leader of the spells; it grants anyone's ultimate desire, but it only grants one," the princess explained.
"So, we only have one shot in bringing Canard back from Dimensional Limbo?" Wildwing asked, but Pearl shook her head.
"No, *you* have one shot," she replied, "The 'Wish' will grant you only one, but everyone else might have something else on their minds."
"Where is this spell now?" Mallory asked.
"I'm not sure; the mall and the high school are the only places I can lock on, so it might've left—" Tanya stopped when Drake 1 had alerted on another sighting, in the wooded area of the high school!
"Quick! Let's hurry and capture it!" Wildwing ordered and they hurried to the Migrator.
The truck burned on the asphalt and it raced off towards the high school.
()()()()()()()
The school grounds were deserted and dark and the Ducks and the two princesses began to search the wooded area.
Wildwing's heart was pounding and many things were rushing through his head.
'This has to be it! This is the spell that's going to bring Canard back!' he thought, using a flashlight to look through the blackness.
Pearl had found a path and followed it towards north. Then, she came to a clearing that was filled with soft light and she walked towards it.
When the princess got close, a woman appeared in the middle of the clearing.
"'Wish,'" Pearl whispered.
The spell had the features of a young woman wearing white and gold robes and a medieval hat.
"Pearl?" someone called and the others entered into the clearing.
"Shhh!" she warned. They got quiet at that moment as Pearl opened the spell book.
Suddenly, a dark spell hit the princess' feet and she fell to the ground.
"PEARL!" Wildwing cried out.
Then, the two dark wizards emerged from the blackness. "I'm afraid I can't let you take what's rightful mine," Louran said to the group.
"The spell's ours, Black Beard!" Nosedive angrily yelled back.
The 'Wish' looked at the two dark wizards with an angry look, but turned to her princess, who had a bruised foot.
The Ducks were shooting their puck blasters at the dark wizards, but they easily blocked them. Then, Louran lifted his staff and slammed the tip to the ground.
"Look out!" Pearl cried out as the group was thrown into the air and they hit the ground, hard.
The 'Wish' looked helplessly at the Ducks and the two princesses and saw Louran walked towards her.
"Spell page, I command—" "NO!" Wildwing shouted and body slammed himself into Louran.
The wizard fell backwards and the leader Duck tried his best to choke him with his staff.
"Time to roast you!" Wraith shouted and summoned a fireball and hurled it at Wildwing.
"Bro, look out!" Nosedive called out and watched helplessly.
Pearl quickly opened the book and shouts, "'Shield'!"
The spell jumped in front of the fireball and protected the leader and, unfortunately, the dark wizard, too.
Grin charged at Wraith, slamming his fists into the ground as the Saurian leapt out of the way.
Wildwing pushed Louran into a tree, but the wizard gave a punch to his gut and the mallard fell backwards.
The others held up their puck blasters and Subria held up her spear, cornering the two wizards.
"Any last words, Louran and Wraith?" Wildwing asked, holding up his blaster.
"We can't let them defect us," Wraith said to his comrade, but Louran's eyes were empty of emotion.
"We'll let you take this spell, but hear my word," Louran said in a threatening tone, "We're going to take something that is valuable to all of you and destroy it and we'll watch you suffer." The two wizards teleported away, leaving the group in an uneasy setting.
It got quiet, but Pearl turned toward the spell and walked towards it.
The 'Wish' gave a curtsy to her princess, as she opened the spell book. "'Wish', I command you to return to the spell book from where you came," Pearl calmly said and the spell obeyed, taking residence in an empty page.
"What a night," Duke said and Subria placed her arms around him.
"Wildwing," Pearl replied and the leader mallard came forward, "Are you ready?" she asked and he nodded, "Take off your mask, the 'Wish' must see your eyes."
He obeyed, taking the mask off and handing it to Nosedive.
"My heart is pounding like crazy," he admitted and Pearl placed a hand on his shoulder, "Mine is too, but it'll be okay, I promise."
She turned to the spell and commands, "'Wish', someone wants to make his ultimate desire, grant his wish."
The spell appeared and she looked at Wildwing, "What is your wish?" she had spoken.
He took a deep breath and answers, "I wish for my friend, Canard Thunderbeak to come back to us."
Then, the memory of Canard's sacrifice filled Wildwing's mind and the 'Wish' nodded.
Suddenly, the wind picked up dust and dirt and it swirled into a twister and a bright light floated down.
The twister vanished and everything grew calm and the 'Wish' spoke, "Your wish has been granted," and she returned to the book.
Tanya was the first to gasp and pointed to the ground and everyone gave looks of shock and amazement. Lying on his back, Canard appeared to be sleeping, but he was alive.
"Canard, buddy?" Wildwing asked, gently shaking his friend's body.
He gave a moan and his eyes squinted open and he stared up at his comrade, "Wildwing?" he spoke, but then, he laid his head back.
Tanya checked his vital signs, "He's fine, just passed out, but we should get him to back to the Pond. My gosh, I can't believe it actually happened," she replied.
Then, Wildwing looked around for Pearl, and spotted her at the edge of the clearing.
"Grin, carry him to the Migrator, we'll be right behind you," the mallard ordered and walked towards the princess.
"Pearl?" he asked, taking her hand and leans into her ear, "Thank you and…" he stopped for a moment and finishes, "Thank you for everything."
Pearl gave a smile, but deep down in her heart, she was disappointed that Wildwing hadn't spoken of his feelings to her.
They walked back towards the Migrator, but Subria had stopped Wildwing from going in.
"Just to let you know, I'm very disappointed in you, and I can feel it in my princess. She gave you this opportunity and all you have is to say 'thank you'?" the African warrior princess asked, bitterly.
'Oh no, now she'll think I'm a real jerk,' Wildwing thought and slapped his face with his hand.
"If you don't tell her, I think she's going to regret coming here in the first place," Subria replied and got into the truck.
Canard was laid down on a bed in the back of the Migrator and Tanya turned on the heart monitor, checking his heart rhythm. The Migrator quietly left the high school grounds as the sun rose to a new day.