D3 Risk It
Mira took a deep breath. If this was all about trust for Duke, then she needed to show him that she wasn't giving up.
"Duke, I don't know what's happening, but I'm not going anywhere. So are you going to help me or not?"
The section of the wall that seemed to be sucking her in grew bigger, and Mira watched as her hand disappeared through it, reflected as a dark shadow on the other side. She tensed and closed her eyes, but she didn't try to pull away.
Then, all at once, something firm gripped her, and with sudden force, it thrust her away from the wall. When she opened her eyes again, Duke was standing beside her, whole and himself again, and his hand was grasping hers. They were both away from the wall, which seemed to have resumed its normal solid form.
"Thanks," she said, drawing in a deep breath.
He smiled.
"I wouldn't have let it take you," he said. "But thanks for reminding me that trust goes both ways."
The strange force that had come for all of the other ducks now appeared again, and Duke noticed it pulling him away with surprise.
"Wait! What about you?" he said, looking at her.
"I still need to help the others," Mira said as she released his hand. "I'll see you soon."
Duke nodded once and then he was gone. Mira sighed and turned away. On the other side of the dining hall, Wildwing, Nosedive, and Mallory remained motionless in their cursed forms.
"Three down, and three to go," Mira reminded herself as she walked towards them.
As she approached, she heard a strange creaking sound grow louder. Looking around, her gaze finally settled on a heavy shield hanging from a height of about eight or nine feet on the wall. The ancient supports holding the shield in place were beginning to groan under the weight, and Mira could see that they weren't going to last much longer.
Mira looked down and realized that Mallory was lying on a bench beneath the shield. The glass figurine she had been turned into would be shattered when the shield fell.
Hurrying over to Mallory's side, Mira knew she had to act quickly.
"Mallory, I don't know if you can hear me, but I may have figured out why you turn into glass each night. If Puckworld is anything like Earth, then I'm guessing that as a girl, you had to work pretty hard to prove yourself. And even with your team, you and Tanya are the only girls."
The glass figure on the bed remained motionless.
"You're afraid of not being strong enough. Deep down, guys or girls, we're all a little fragile on the inside. And it's hard when you feel like you have to prove yourself. But this curse played on your fears of being weak. Now you're afraid that if you even move, you'll break."
One of the supports under the shield gave way, and Mira leaned forward over Mallory to try to keep it from falling on her, but it landed beside them as the shield began to tilt under its remaining supports.
"Mallory, there's no time. We have to fix this now!"
If you believe Mira should encourage Mallory to move on her own, select D3 Tell Mallory to Move.
If you believe Mira should attempt to move Mallory out of harm's way herself, select D3 Try to Move Mallory.