Chapter 2: Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes
Disclaimer: I do not own Ducktales, its characters, or the Disney afternoon cartoon characters in the show. They are all owned by the Walt Disney Company. I only own Hector Parker because he is my OC. If there are any songs that are in this story, I don't own the song or lyrics, some lyrics might be changed. If the song is a parody, I don't own the original. Anyways, enjoy.
It was a nice sunny day in Duckburg, and the Duck family was enjoying breakfast. Just then, Hector entered the room.
"Morning guys, mind if I join you for breakfast?" asked Hector.
"Be our guest lad, you seem hungry," said Scrooge. Hector sat down at the table, and began to eat the eggs and pancakes that Mrs Beakley gave him. "So Hector, what is it like in your dimension?"
"Well, back in my world the dominant species is humans instead of animals," said Hector. "Although there are a ton anthropomorphic creatures in other parts of the world."
"Have you actually met any of these creatures?" asked Huey.
"Yeah, an anthropomorphic raccoon used to babysit me, he also taught me how to become a master thief," said Hector. "Don't worry, I'm not going to steal your money, I've given up my life of crime. Besides, I only stole from other criminals."
"Thanks for the life advice," said Louie. "Speaking of which, since you were a thief, what was your biggest heist of all time?"
"Leave it to Louie to ask for criminal advice," said Dewey, sarcastically.
"That's actually a good question, Llewellyn. The answer to that is… the Queen's Crown Jewels," said Hector, causing everyone to gasp. "Pretty sure I sold it for billions on the black market."
"How did you steal from the Queen, that's a suicide mission. How did you manage to get the jewels?" asked Scrooge.
"I had a little bit of help from my ex-girlfriend," said Hector, showing everyone a photo of him and his ex-girlfriend, Emily. "This is Emily, she and I met in Spain. She was a common criminal until I came into her life, but she grew greedy and tried to ditch me on the heist of the Crown Jewels, so I made off with the loot and left her to get arrested. I never saw her again."
"You're not the only one to be betrayed by a love interest, and you certainly won't be the last. Trust me, I know the feeling," said Scrooge, remembering his adventures with Goldie. "But anyhow, if you're going to get back to this interesting world of yours, we're going to need Gyro's help to find your dimension."
"In the meantime, you can stay in Duckburg for a while," said Huey. "Also, something I noticed in those photos of you as a human is that your skin is blue, and yet your feathers are tan. Is the blue skin normal or is it a skin condition?"
"It's my natural skin tone. If you think that's weird, my cousin has a light purple skin tone. Also, I think my Latin heritage is the reason why my feathers are tanned," said Hector. "Speaking of heritage, my parents are probably wondering where I am."
"Relax, as long as you return home safely they won't worry," said Louie. "Besides, maybe you'll be able to get back to the exact moment when you left."
"You may be right, but you can discuss this nerd stuff without me. I'm going with Launchpad to a public appearance of Jim Starling," said Dewey, causing everyone to stare at him blankly. "He's the actor who played Darkwing Duck, Launchpad's favorite superhero."
"Oh yeah. Wait, that means I'm in one of my favorite episodes, The Duck Knight Returns, which is also the name of a Darkwing Duck comic in my world," said Hector. "Basically what I'm trying to say is… can I join in?"
"Sure, the more the merrier," said Dewey, as they left the dining room.
At the sofa store opening…
At the sofa store that Launchpad had mentioned, Jim Starling was showing the last episode of the Darkwing Duck show, which ended with a surprise twist.
"Woah, what a twist!" said Jim Starling, as the episode ended on a cliffhanger.
"What!? I never saw that coming," said Launchpad, who was holding a Darkwing Duck poster.
"Wait, haven't you seen this episode?" asked Dewey.
"Seventy-five times! But never in a parking lot," said Launchpad.
"Sadly, beloved TV show Darkwing Duck, starring me, Jim Starling, was canceled before we could end this story," said Jim. "But there's no end to the savings at Siesta Rick's Sofa Fiesta!" He then sighed as he cut the opening ribbon. "Let's get comfortable! Ha-ha! I'll be signing autographs for one and all! If one and all want one!"
Surprisingly, only a few crowd members stayed behind, as Jim Starling made his way to the autograph table.
"You good, buddy?" asked Hector.
"Yep. Totally cool. Thanks for being here guys," said Launchpad. "Can't believe we're going to meet Jim Starling."
"I know, but do you think my cosplay was too much?" asked Hector, who I just realized is wearing a homemade Darkwing Duck costume, which he made during the trip.
"Don't worry, you look great," said Dewey. At that moment, another fan (who looked vaguely familiar) got in line behind Launchpad.
"OK, keep it together. 'I am your biggest fan.' No. 'I have modeled my entire life after yours.' 'I wanna keep you in a big jar in my closet!'" said the fanboy.
"Calm down, buddy. Jim Starling's just a regular guy. I've been to plenty of these signings, and one day, I'm actually gonna meet him," said Launchpad.
"Wait. If you've seen him so many times, how come you never talked to him?" asked the fanboy.
"Next!" said Jim Starling, causing Launchpad to faint.
"This is why," said Dewey. After the fanboy got his autograph from Jim, Hector and Dewey carried Launchpad to the autograph table.
"What's this? Fresh-faced new fans, one of which is cosplaying as me! I knew the kids still loved me," said Jim Starling. "Who do I make this out to?"
"Our good friend, Launchpad McQuack," said Hector, as he placed Launchpad on the table.
"You know, last time I saw him, he was only a knee high to a grasshopper," said Jim Starling, as he signed Launchpad's poster, followed by Hector snapping a picture of the actor and Launchpad with Dewey's phone. "By the way kid, love your cosplay."
"Thanks, it's actually homemade," said Hector. "#DarkwingDuck." He then noticed a globe next to the hashtag. "Whoa! Darkwing Duck is trending number one worldwide."
"What?!" said Jim and Dewey, in unison.
"It says here that they're making a Darkwing Duck movie! And the studio is right here in Duckburg!" said Hector.
"They are? We am?! It is?!" said Jim Starling. "Darkwing Duck is back, baby!"
"He is?!" said Launchpad… before immediately fainting at the sight of Jim Starling.
A few minutes later…
The two duck kids offered Jim a ride to the movie studio, which he happily accepted. Unfortunately, Launchpad kept fainting while driving.
"Back on top. Arriving on set for a big shot movie in style. Thanks for the ride, fans," said Jim Starling.
"Wow, I am going to a real movie studio! Where larger-than-life big screen legends are born!" said Dewey.
"And you get to ride with a real-life movie star!" said Launchpad.
"Are you guys sure about this? It could be another Darkwing Duck hoax," said Hector. "Plus, they didn't even tell Jim about the movie or if he wants a role in it."
"They couldn't make a movie without him. Jim Starling is Darkwing Duck!" said Launchpad.
"Ya dang right he is, buddy! Heh," said Jim, causing Launchpad to faint again, as well as crash into the wall of the studio.
"Hopefully, whoever owns this studio isn't mad," said Dewey. He then took a look outside, figuring out that the studio belongs to… Scrooge McDuck. "What the?"
Inside the studio…
Scrooge was talking with the director of the Darkwing Duck movie, when Dewey busted into the room by kicking the door open. "You have a movie studio that could fulfill a starry-eyed boy's cinematic dreams. Why didn't you tell me?!" asked Dewey.
"To avoid this exact conversation," said Scrooge.
"Fair enough. But still, why didn't you tell us you were going to make a Darkwing Duck movie?" asked Hector.
"Because I knew you would meddle with production," said Scrooge. Suddenly, the lights went off.
"I am the terror that flaps in the night. I am the comeback the audience demands! I am… a huge fan, Alistair Borswan!" said Jim, as he entered the room, followed by the lights turning back on. "I mean, I've never actually seen your work, but you're British, so I'm sure that it's very classy, and… yeah…"
"Uh, yes. And you are?" asked Alistair Borswan.
"He's Jim Starling, the original Darkwing Duck. The one you possibly recast for the movie," said Hector.
"Come on, I've got five dollars saying they wouldn't recast him," said Dewey.
"You're on," said Hector.
"Aw, cool! A big-budget reboot of a thing I loved as a kid! Those are always great!" said Launchpad.
"Would you like to see the trailer?" asked Borswan. Everyone nodded and took their seats.
The trailer looked pretty good compared to the superhero movies in Hector's world. One moment that really stuck out to him was the moment Darkwing was shown. Once the trailer was finished, everyone remained silent until Launchpad spoke up.
"That is not Darkwing Duck! DW'd never hurt innocent people or set the city on fire. Not on purpose," said Launchpad.
"Relax, he's obviously fighting his inner demons about whether he's a hero or not," said Hector.
"I'm with Cosplay Kid! Grim, gritty. Shows off my dark, smoldering side," said Jim Starling.
"Yeah, but my one complaint was that the main villain wasn't in the trailer," said Hector.
"I knew he needed a mustache!" said Scrooge.
"It could use a prologue, one that would show Darkwing Duck as a little boy who has to pick pockets for survival, before realizing that heroic action is the true reward," said Hector. "Oh, and have the theme song play during the end credits sequence."
"This is your main audience. If this fiasco is gonna make money, it has to appeal to the most childish fan in the audience. Hector's in charge," said Scrooge.
"What?! Why?" asked Dewey.
"Because I don't add musical numbers to anything that bores me," said Hector, causing Dewey to pout. He then walked towards Borswan. "Let's talk… jokes. Once in a while, a snarky remark from Darkwing that makes the audience laugh."
"Go on," said Borswan, who was interested in Hector's vision. Just then, Jim Starling slowly pushed Borswan (still in his chair) close to the door.
"Don't listen to these yahoos. We're making art! When do we start?" said Jim.
"Uh, we're almost finished, actually," said Borswan.
"Ah. So we're shooting the Darkwing scenes last," said Jim.
"No, you are not playing Darkwing Duck. He is," said Borswan, as he gestured to the door, revealing the fanboy from signing.
"You?!" said Launchpad.
"Mr. Starling!" said the fanboy. "Uh, we met at the signing. Do you have any words of wisdom for the man stepping into your cape?"
Jim Starling didn't have any words of wisdom. Instead, he pounced onto the fanboy, causing him to be kicked out of the studio. Launchpad followed him outside.
"That is not the Darkwing Duck I know and love," said Launchpad.
"Yeah! It's not me!" said Jim.
"I wish there was some way we could show them how great the old—," began Launchpad.
"-Original," said Jim.
"—uh, original Darkwing is," said Launchpad.
"Hey, maybe there is," said Jim. He then got into the limo, changed into his Darkwing Duck costume, and stood up onto the limo. "Are you with me, sidekick?"
Launchpad just fainted… again.
Meanwhile, on the Darkwing Duck movie set…
The filmmakers were shooting the prologue for the movie, which had Hector starring as a young Darkwing Duck. Luckily enough, he got it on the first try.
"And cut!" said Borswan. "Great take everyone. Especially you, Hector. In all my years of being a director, I've never seen an actor get a take right on the first day."
"Thank you, Mr Borswan. I've been told I have a great acting range," said Hector. Dewey, who had been in the test audience for the film, walked up to Hector. "Hey buddy, what did you think of the film's early draft?"
"It's okay, but you're doing a great job with this project," said Dewey. "Where's the guy playing Darkwing Duck?"
"He's heading to his trailer," said Hector.
Back with Launchpad…
The fanboy heard something coming from his trailer, followed by him bursting through the door. "Fear not, helpless… Oh, hey, it's you," said the fanboy. "I heard your cries, and I freed you from my… trailer? What— what— what are you doing in my trailer?"
"Definitely not locking in here to sabotage your movie… buddy," said Launchpad, as he locked the door. The fanboy then attacked Launchpad, causing LP to knock him to the floor. "Oh, I'm sorry."
"You will be, villain!" said the fanboy.
"I've just gotta fix the movie to make Darkwing look like a hero!" said Launchpad.
"Oh, so what, you're gonna hold me hostage? Yeah. Real heroic," said the fanboy. The two engaged in a brawl, until Launchpad noticed all the memorabilia in the trailer.
"Wow, you really are a big fan," said Launchpad. The fanboy calmed down and agreed, as he picked up his old Darkwing Duck lunchbox. "Hey, I had that same lunchbox as a kid."
"Not like this one," said the fanboy. He turned the lunchbox over revealing a face imprint. "Now, shocking as it may sound, I was not the coolest kid growing up. But one day, I saw this show about this hero. He was unstoppable. No matter how many times he got hurt he fought back for what's right. Sure, they beat me up much harder, but I kept… getting… up."
"You are a true fan. We can save this movie! Get your cape, we're going to save Darkwing Duck!" said Launchpad, as he left the trailer to look for Jim Starling.
Back on the set…
The filmmakers and crew members were getting ready for the big finale of the Darkwing Duck movie. So far, things were going pretty good, but, unbeknownst to everyone else, Jim Starling was there instead of the fanboy.
"I don't know about this!" said Scrooge.
"What's wrong?" asked Hector. "Is my vision too childish?"
"No, Megavolt's moustache has to be at least twice as twirly," said Scrooge.
"We'll keep that in mind," said Hector. He then grabbed a megaphone."Alright everyone, places! Stick to the script. Darkwing confronts Megavolt, pretends to surrender, then takes a knee."
"Got it," said Jim, just as Launchpad arrived.
"Oh! There you are! Did you find—?" asked Launchpad.
"Uh, that actor kid? Yeah. Said I could film the finale," said Jim. "Stubbed his toe really badly and just quit. Movie stars. One little boo-boo and they fall apart." He then got up to the set.
"And… action!" said Borswan.
The scene began as planned. "You'll never defeat me, Darkwing. Surrender now or suffer the wrath of Megavolt," said the Megavolt actor.
"Looks like I've lost… the ability to surrender to a two-bit, ten-watt dim bulb like you! Feast on this!" said Jim, followed by him punching the Megavolt actor. Unfortunately, this caused one of the electric rods to catch fire, as everyone ran away except for the ones that were important to the plot.
"Quick! Cut!" said Borswan.
"No cuts! Jim Starling never cuts! I'll film this finale if it kills me. And everyone on this roof!" said Jim, as he aimed the electric ray gun at the remaining crew members.
"I am the terror that flaps in the night," began a mysterious voice. "I am the overstuffed burrito that spills onto the lap of crime. I am Darkwing Duck!" The voice revealed himself to be… the fanboy.
"No, I am!" yelled Jim Starling. As the fanboy got closer to the set, Jim tried to kill him with the electric ray gun, but to no avail.
"Launchpad, turn on the rain machine!" said the fanboy, to which Launchpad obeyed. "Let's get dangerous."
"Oh, he said the thing! He said the thing!" said Hector.
As Launchpad made his way to the rain machine, the fanboy made his way to Jim, dodging many obstacles in the process. "Why won't you stay down?" said Jim. Suddenly, the ray gun exploded. Jim managed to jump in time… to engage in a brawl with the new Darkwing Duck.
"Uncle Scrooge, stop the bad guy!" said Dewey.
"Which is the bad guy?! If only one had a blasted moustache!" said Scrooge. Just in the nick of time, Launchpad turned on the rain machine.
"Show's over, Dead Meat Duck," said Jim, who somehow managed to get a chainsaw.
"Stop! You're not a villain. You're a hero. Our hero," said Launchpad. He then proceeded to give a big speech about the importance of being a hero, failing to notice that the electric rod behind him was about to explode.
"Um, Launchpad?" said the fanboy.
"Hey, dummy, it's about to blow! You really can't stop him once he gets started," said Jim.
"Well, yeah. He's your biggest fan," said the fanboy. Jim looked at his reflection in the chainsaw, looking at what he had become… a villain.
Suddenly, the electric rod started to spark, but Jim pushed his two fans out of the way, leaving him in the blast zone.
After the firefighters arrived…
As the director and Hector were digging through the rubble, Borswan found the footage. "That was the perfect end! A hero grappling with his dark id. In a cleansing rain. Only to slightly reform the villain in the end," said Borswan.
Luckily, the footage seemed to be intact. "Maybe we can edit out Starling and put in Negaduck," suggested Hector. Lucky enough, everyone liked the idea.
"Well, there's still no sign of Starling. The set is ruined, we almost lost our lives, my hero tried to kill me, oh, and I blew him up," said the fanboy. "Oh, what am I going to do now?"
"What Darkwing Duck always does: get back up," said Hector, as he handed the fanboy his hat. "You know, you could do this for real."
"What? Be a superhero? I mean sure, I'm scrappy, I'm brave, I look great in the cape," said the fanboy.
"Gizmoduck does it," said Launchpad.
"And Darkwing is better than Gizmoduck," said Hector. "It's one thing to play a hero. And it's another thing to actually be a hero. Do it for Jim."
"I don't know, I— this whole thing sounds like it could get…" began the fanboy.
"Dangerous?" said Hector. He then got his cosplay hat, while Launchpad got his poster. "You've already got two fans… Drake Mallard."
Drake then signed the hat and the poster, followed by everyone else trying to fix the set.
Meanwhile, down in the sewers, Jim Starling was alive. However, his suit lost its natural purple and turned red, black, and yellow.
"It was all a setup. That hack put my fan in danger to steal the glory and humiliate me. They want grim and gritty, huh? Happy to play the part," said… Negaduck, followed by him doing his evil laugh.
Sorry this chapter is so long, I was trying to adapt the episode almost word for word, but with a slightly different ending. And yes, unlike the actual reboot I will be able to satisfy you by concluding this story. Anyways, that's all for now, see ya in the next chapter folks.