Megavolt liked being with Drake for two big reasons. The first was that he didn't need to worry about the others. When Bushroot got nervous or angry, it wasn't Megavolt's job to comfort him, and he didn't have to pull the other boy back when he started to go too far. Drake was the one who kept him calm.
When Quackerjack had his bad days where he would laugh until he cried, and he wouldn't stop pulling on his feathers and hurting himself, Megavolt didn't have to force himself out of his comfort zone to keep the duck sane. Drake wasn't the most empathetic, and it was clear that he didn't completely understand what was wrong with Quackerjack, but when he couldn't calm or distract the boy, the adult could sit with him as he waited it out.
While the knowledge that he didn't have to take care of his friends by himself was a weight off his shoulders, the other thing that Megavolt liked about this situation was that he had the opportunity to help them if he wanted to.
Negaduck had put him in an impossible situation. Megavolt had felt like he'd had no choice to protect the others, but any time he did so he was punished, humiliated, and threatened. He was reminded over and over again that he couldn't save them. Without the threat of Negaduck looming over his shoulder, Megavolt could take care of his friends if he so wanted to, but he didn't have to.
That didn't mean that Megavolt felt fine all the time. Most mornings he would wake up and have no idea where he was. His memories were unreliable at the best of times, and they were worse really early or late in the day. He was usually sure that he was back with Negaduck, and if he so much as made the bed creak then his tail would get chopped off.
Megavolt would cower under his covers, hardly even breathing, and he didn't dare to move until somebody came to get him. At first that somebody was Drake, but Megavolt's frazzled brain couldn't remember the differences between him and Negaduck, and he just freaked out. After shocking Drake so badly one morning that he left the grown-up's feathers singed, the task of reminding him that he was safe fell on Gosalyn and Quackerjack.
Gos was probably the most straightforward about it. She would yank the blanket away from him and just started talking about what they had done the night before and the plans they had made for that day. The more she talked, the more Megavolt remembered. The details were still shaky and wouldn't come to him until later, if at all, but he remembered enough to at least know that they were safe.
Quackerjack helped in a completely different way, in that he was able to provide solidarity without even trying. The young duck also had a hard time knowing just what reality was right after he woke up.
It wasn't the same situation. While Megavolt struggled with his memory, Quackerjack struggled with insanity. When he wasn't distracted, the young duck began to spiral, and it was really bad first thing in the morning. Not only were Quackerjack's dreams still fresh in his mind, but he was still convinced that there was some miniscule change in the world around him, and every morning he was determined to find a difference that didn't exist.
Just knowing that he wasn't the only one who struggled with his own mind was comforting in a way, even if it was also scary to consider. Megavolt helped Quackerjack look for these small changes, which helped both of them. Reading the notes that he had helped Quackerjack make the night before helped to kickstart his memories, even if it wasn't as efficient as Gos slamming it into his head.
Megavolt wished there was more he could do to help Quackerjack. He felt completely out of his depth, and he knew the others were too. They were safe from Negaduck, and the rest of them were doing better because of it, but Quackerjack somehow seemed to be getting worse. He still saw things that weren't there, and none of them, not even Drake, could figure out why or how to make it better.
Despite his struggles, Quackerjack was having fun here. When his head wasn't messing with him, he would run around, play, laugh, and cause all sorts of trouble. Megavolt knew that Drake was on his wits end, but he was more relieved about this than anything. When Quackerjack was playing, he wasn't spiraling. Megavolt had to see that as a good thing, even when things maybe went too far.
Drake slowly started to trust them more and more, giving them small tests so they could have the chance to show that they wouldn't get up to something the second he loosened the leash. It had started with small things, like leaving them at home with Launchpad, and later with just Gosalyn to watch them.
Drake took Quackerjack and Megavolt shopping with him, which the rat had first thought was because he didn't trust them enough to let them out of his sight. He soon realized that he did this specifically because he was starting to trust them, as he would let them browse the toy and candy aisles on their own, giving them the chance to prove that they wouldn't steal anything.
Drake was genuinely giving them a chance, and Megavolt knew he wasn't the only one who didn't want to let him down. Still, it was hard to know sometimes just when things could go too far. Liquidator had barely gotten a slap on the wrist when Drake found out he'd stolen from the neighbors, but the moment he found out that the dog had flooded the living room he had gotten so mad that one would think the boy had killed somebody.
Megavolt thought that Drake just didn't like their powers. He acted like he was fine with it, but as soon as any of them did the smallest bit of mischief with it he would overreact. Trying to figure out the man's motivation was frustrating and confusing, and it made it so much harder to figure out how to avoid letting him down.
About a month after they had started staying with Drake the man decided that they could be left home alone for a bit. He, Gos, and Launchpad were invited to a barbeque next door. Drake promised to bring them back some food, and he warned that he was just going to be next door, and he would know it if they caused any trouble.
Megavolt had planned on keeping his head down while Drake was gone. This was a test, and Megavolt was determined to pass it. He just sat on the couch reading a book while Liquidator watched television next to him. The peace was suddenly broken by a crunching sound immediately followed by the power going out.
The room dimmed as the lights went out, leaving it lit only by the natural light behind the curtained windows. Megavolt didn't waste time being curious or confused. He dropped his book and ran into the kitchen where he saw Quackerjack and Bushroot looking amused and alarmed at the grappling hook in the young prankster's hands. The hook had been shot straight into the fuse box, basically ruining the whole thing.
"What did you do?!" Megavolt stormed to the others. He took the grappling hook out of Quackerjack's grip and slammed it on the table.
"It was an accident." Bushroot said quickly.
"Those sparks were so cool." Quackerjack's eyes had an excitement in them that made it difficult to believe that this wasn't done intentionally. Still, Megavolt didn't blame Quackerjack. For some reason the other boy had a really hard time understanding the concept of safety. If he thought something would be fun, he tried it, even if it was obvious to anybody else that it would turn out bad. No, Megavolt blamed Bushroot, who should have kept Quackerjack in line.
"What were you thinking?" Megavolt hissed. It was directed at both of them, but his gaze was focused on Bushroot. The plant boy pouted, and he looked ready to start defending himself, but then they heard the front door slam open.
"Megavolt!" Drake shouted. The boys jolted and turned towards the front door. The grown-up sounded so much like Negaduck when he was angry. Megavolt really didn't want to go up to him. Every instinct in him told him to hide in the closet until whatever this was tided over. He knew that nothing angered Drake more than being ignored. Feeling dread build up inside of him, Megavolt trudged towards the front room where Drake was waiting impatiently.
"Do you want to explain to me why our power's out?" Drake asked. Megavolt blinked.
"How do you know already?" It had just happened. Drake gave him an unimpressed look.
"We heard the crash and saw the sparks from the Muddlefoot's yard." Drake said grumpily. "I'll give you one more chance to confess. What did you do?"
Megavolt was a little confused. He didn't think he had done anything. Quackerjack and Bushroot had been the ones responsible, hadn't they been? He was sure of it, but he also couldn't remember just what they had done. He thought there might have been a grapple involved, or maybe a gun, but why would that cause sparks?
His memory was failing him. He didn't think he had done this, but Drake sounded so sure, and he couldn't remember what the others could have done. Was it actually his fault? He didn't want to confess though, so Megavolt said, "I didn't do anything."
"Oh, really?" Drake crossed his arms. "Do you see somebody else with electric powers?"
The sarcasm went right over Megavolt's head. He actually found himself wondering if one of the others actually did have electric powers that he'd forgotten about somehow. "No?"
Drake's face went red as he grew more frustrated. He pointed at the stairs. "Go to your room. I'll take care of you later. I've gotta fix this mess of yours."
Megavolt felt a rush of fear and frustration. He pouted and stomped towards the stairs. When he looked towards the kitchen he saw Bushroot and Quackerjack watching him anxiously, and it took a lot to make Jackie nervous like this.
He knew this was their fault, even if he couldn't remember how. Still, he didn't call them out. He didn't think Drake would believe him, and he wasn't in the mood to not be believed. Even if Drake actually listened to him, that would just mean that Quackerjack and Bushroot would be the ones to get in trouble, and he couldn't bring himself to do that to them.
Bushroot looked up to Drake and was desperate for any compliment he could get from him. It would ruin him to be punished for doing something bad. Quackerjack didn't seem to care what people thought of him, but he would not be able to handle even the simple punishment of being sent to his room.
Quackerjack had been locked up by Negaduck. He panicked whenever somebody so much as closed their bedroom door. He was already struggling. Megavolt didn't want to rat him out and set him back all over again. He deserved better than that.
Still, just because he was willing to take the fall for the others didn't mean that he wasn't hurt that Drake's very first thought was to blame him. Megavolt slammed the bedroom door closed and threw himself onto the bed, shouting into the pillow until he was breathless and his throat hurt. At that point he just started crying.
He sobbed into his pillow, hugging it tight to him. His brain was so frazzled that he had a hard time actually remembering why he was upset. Even if he couldn't remember things right, the pain in his chest was real, and it was enough to show him that there was something worth being upset about.
He looked at the scar on his hand, and he remembered Quackerjack and Bushroot. This pain was for them. Better him than then, but as soon as that thought crossed his mind he started crying even harder.
As much as he had a hard time remembering things, he could remember what Negaduck had said to him. He wasn't a hero. He couldn't save or protect the others, and if he tried he was just going to end up hurting himself or the others. He was reminded of that every time he glanced at the palm of his hand.
He was trying. Megavolt was trying so hard. He'd risked all of their safety to try to get them to a safe place, but what if it wasn't enough? What if it just made everything worse?
They were still more-or-less prisoners. They still had somebody watching their every move, waiting for the smallest mistake to call them out for. Drake didn't hurt them the way that Negaduck did, but this feeling of betrayal, and the fear that he would never be able to be good enough for him, almost seemed to be even worse.
Megavolt didn't know how long he cried for. He didn't feel any better. There was no bittersweet closure that is supposed to come after a good cry. He just felt scared, and frustrated with himself, and his chest hurt. He could feel the sparks coming off his body, making his fur stand on end, and he couldn't bring himself to care.
He heard a knock on the door. Megavolt whimpered and rolled over so his back was to the door. He didn't want to see anybody. He pulled the blanket over his head, even though it made it a little harder to breathe in the slightly stifled air.
"Hey, uh, Megavolt?" Drake opened the door. He didn't sound red. He actually sounded a little contrite, but that didn't make Megavolt want to see him any more. He stiffened and refused to turn around. "Kid, can we talk?"
"Why?" Megavolt asked, his voice cracking with emotion. "So you can punish me before you even know I've done something?"
Drake sighed. There was the sound of footsteps, and a long moment later he felt the bed shift as Drake sat on the side of it.
"I-I'm sorry, Megavolt." Drake said. It sounded physically painful for him to say. "Bushroot told me what happened."
That got Megavolt's attention. He sat up and turned around, looking at Drake with wide eyes. He clutched the blanket tightly to keep his electricity from shocking the duck.
"Don't punish them!" Megavolt said desperately. "I-I'll take it instead."
Drake looked shocked at his outburst, and the look turned to one of horror. "I'm not hurting anybody. I thought you guys knew that by now."
Megavolt shook his head. Drake hadn't laid a hand on them, but he still hurt them sometimes. "Bushroot would break down if you yelled at him."
Drake looked ashamed. "I shouldn't have gotten so worked up so quickly. I-I should have heard you out." He ran a hand through his head feathers. "Every time I think I've gotten a hang of this guardian thing, I completely mess up in a new way."
Megavolt felt tears fall, and without the pillow to smother them they fell down his cheeks and fizzled painfully. He flinched. Drake gave him a sad look and wiped the tears away, though it caused him to flinch himself when he felt the sparks that Megavolt was letting off.
"I can relate to that." Megavolt looked at the scar on his hand. "I keep trying to help the others, but I just hurt them more." He sniffled and clenched his eyes shut tight to keep any more tears from falling. "Negaduck was right. I can't protect the others. I'm not a hero."
"Hey now, in my experience, there's very little that Negaduck is right about." Drake said. "What could you have done that is so bad?" It was an odd thing to hear Drake say when he always seemed to be looking for the smallest reasons to call them out.
"I lied to Quackerjack." Megavolt said quietly, for fear of being overheard. He knew he should tell the truth, but he was terrified of how his friend would react. "I don't know why, but Negaduck did a bunch of things to make him think he was losing his mind." Megavolt squeezed his eyes shut tight. "He made me do some of the stuff."
"What did you do?" Drake said not unkindly.
"There was no light when Quackerjack first got locked up, and when he was asleep Negaduck made me put a light in, and then he acted like it had been there the whole time." Megavolt confessed. It felt like a weight was lifted off his chest, but acknowledging his guilt also made him feel bad all over again. "And later he made me replace the light with a weird blue one, and then changed it back the next day, and then he pretended that nothing had changed."
Megavolt clenched his fingers so tightly that it hurt. "Negaduck broke Quackerjack's mind, and I-I helped him, and I hate myself for it." He sobbed and buried his face in his hands. "I-I made Quackerjack think he was all alone. All he wanted was somebody to talk to, and I promised I would give that to him, but instead I lied to him and made him think that I'd never talked to him in the first place, and that he just imagined the whole thing."
Drake was quiet for a long time, and Megavolt was terrified that he was about to be called out and scolded for messing up. He knew he'd messed up, but it would be so much worse for somebody else to point it out to him.
The adult sighed and put a hand on Megavolt's shoulder. Because he still had his blanket pulled up over his head, Drake didn't come in direct contact with his skin, so he didn't get shocked.
"Kid, it's not your fault." Drake said slowly. He sounded serious and gentle, like he was desperate for the boy to understand him. "I know it wasn't nice, but I'm guessing if you hadn't helped Negaduck, he would have done something even worse to both of you?"
Megavolt nodded. He couldn't remember just what Negaduck had said to him to hammer the threat in, or if he'd even said anything at all, but the threat was clear. He didn't even want to think about what Negaduck would have done to the two of them if Megavolt hadn't cooperated. It didn't make him feel any less guilty though.
"I know you're not going to believe me, but you did what you could to keep your friend safe." Drake said. "That kind of thing takes guts, and a lot of people can't do it. This is the kind of hard choice that heroes make." He gave Megavolt a small smile. "Maybe it'll be a little ambitious to immediately jump into being a superhero, but if you ask me, you're pretty good at being your friends' hero."
It was cheesy, and Megavolt knew that Drake was just saying it to make him feel better so he'd stop crying, as the grown-up really didn't know how to handle tears. Still, he couldn't help but find comfort from the reassurance. He sobbed and leaned against Drake, crying into his chest. The duck held him close, awkwardly, but protectively.
He felt like such a failure, messing up no matter how hard he tried. For Drake to acknowledge his efforts and recognize that he was doing his best, and especially for him to say that it could be good enough, it brought the walls down. He cried for a long time, and Drake just held him, only occasionally flinching when the sparks and shocks got too strong.
"You're okay, kid." Drake said soothingly. "You're all going to be just fine. I'll make sure of it." And Megavolt couldn't help but believe him. Drake hadn't given him any reason not to.
