Fight For the Future


Disclaimer: Thornroot is Jamcub's and Darkwing Snark's original character. Puppetcore is the creator of the Bud Flood politician concept used in this story. I asked permission to use these characters. Karl Fizzy is my OC. The rest belong to Disney.


Quackerjack and the members of the resistance moved as quietly as they could through the streets of St. Canard. The Muddlefoots had left to gather more allies for their cause and were going to meet them at the sight. As they traveled to their destination, the jester decided to pester Magica one last time about where they were going.

"So, you're sure this is where they're going to be?" Quackerjack asked again, desperately wanting everything to be perfect.

Magica rolled her eyes at the question she felt like she had heard a million times already. "For the last time dahlink, yes, I am sure. This is where Morgana's memory said they were bringing the Rogue's Gem. They are bringing several boxes here as a ruse to hide what they are truly up to."

"Okay..." The clown said with a sigh, hoping that the witch was right.

A few more minutes brought them to their destination and as soon as they stopped in a nearby alleyway to scope out the situation, all doubts were erased. They had arrived outside of St. Canard's Natural History museum, the same one that Quackerjack had woken up in after he had made his wish. Outside of its entrance and scattered in the empty streets were dozens of Thornroot's undead plant minions. It was an intimidating number of enemies and Quackerjack hoped that his plan was going to work. He looked around for the Muddlefoots and tapped his fingers impatiently against his arm.

"Where are those guys? We need to get moving if we want to stop Bulba and the others."

"Don't worry, Herb and them'll be here before you know it." Launchpad assured him with a smile.

"Yeah, Herb and Binkie can be obnoxious and lacking in the brain department, but they do always come through when they're needed." Drake admitted, though he looked a bit miffed at having to compliment the Muddlefoots."

Just as Quackerjack was about to add his two cents, Herb, Binkie, Tank and Honker arrived on the scene with a large number of helpers. The jesters eyes widened at the number of people the Muddlefoots had just added to their mission and he jumped for joy at the sight. He quickly calmed down again as he prepared to launch the first phase of his plan.

"Okay, is everyone equipped with their favorite toys and ready to go?" He asked, patting his own full puffy pockets for emphasis.

"Are we ever!" Herb said with a whoop. All the people behind him nodded, showing large cans of weed killer, matches, torches, baseball bats and other items that could be used to bludgeon the undead beasts before them.

"Great! Then, Magica, if you could add a few more players to this game, we would all be most appreciative." The jester told her with a low bow.

"It will be my pleasure." She told him as she closed her eyes and started casting her spell. A moment later, the shadows of all the people who had joined their cause twitched and came to life. They grew up from the ground and stood beside their respective human persona. Some of the people in the group looked a bit uneasy at this development, while others looked pretty impressed with what they were seeing.

"Quackerroonie!" Dewey cheered at the sight of the shadows.

"These shadows shall definitely help us even the odds against these undead minions." The Italian sorceress told them while admiring her handiwork.

"Perfect!" Quackerjack said as he moved towards the front of the alley. He motioned for Drake and Launchpad to join him. Drake and Launchpad moved to either side of Quackerjack, while the triplets moved in behind him. Magica rounded out the end. When everyone was in position, the toymaker beckoned Herb and his gang to get in front of them. Herb and his party did so with both eagerness and apprehension.

"You ready Herb? This is it!" Drake said to his husky neighbor with a small touch of concern in his voice.

"Doncha worry, Drakemeister! Me, the missus and my friends can handle ourselves!"

"Okay team, here we go!" Quackerjack told them before filling his lungs with air and shouting: "CHARGE!"

With that, Herb, Binkie, Tank, Honker, their friends and an army of shadows raced out the alleyway with their weapons raised, ready to take down their enemies. The sound of so many stamping feet caught the attention of the slow mutants and they began to walk towards the mob of people. Herb raised his club and hit a dog plant zombie directly in the face, knocking it to the ground. Binkie used her weed killer to spray another group of oncoming plant minions. Though they did not breathe, they were clearly bothered by the spray and tried their best to stay away from it. Tank was beating every plant creature in his sight with a baseball bat. Honker, standing away from his brother as he was afraid of getting hit with the bat, was employing more weed killer. At the same time, the smart kid was trying to coax the undead plant creatures to use their vines, so he could use them to tangle them up. Soon, the rest of the group and their shadows were embroiled in a battle with Thornroot's lackies.

Quackerjack, seeing that the resistance movement was causing little damage, but were managing to keep the undead plant mutants at bay, knew that he and the others had to act fast.

"Okay, guys, we got everything we need?" Launchpad nodded, as he picked up a large brown sack. Great! Let's go!" The colorfully clad duck said forcefully as he charged forward.

The group made it's way into the throng of plant mutants, hoping to go unnoticed. Unfortunately, a few of them inevitably blocked their path to the museum and Quackerjack yelled at the top of his lungs:

"Make a path! Clear the path! Hurry!"

Several additions to the resistance movement turned around and saw the problem. They raced towards the mutants with torches flaring and managed to push them away. Still others, began holding the other mutants back, keeping the path clear for the others to get through. The party in question continued making their way through the throngs of plant mutants.

"Don't worry about us, Mr. Quackerjack!" Herb Muddlefoot called out as he beaned another minion on the head. "We'll keep 'em busy for ya! Just do whatcha gotta do!"

Quackerjack grinned and gave him a thumbs up as he and the others ran towards the museum. They finally managed to break free of the undead minions and run up the broken steps of the museum. Quackerjack took one more look back at the battle of the resistance, their shadows and Thornroot's minions before he headed inside the entrance.


Moments earlier, Bulba and the rest of the Felonious Five had entered the museum. Mechavolt stood close to Bulba, carrying a large metal case that held the gizmo suit. Thornroot followed after him with his rake over his shoulder, while Bud and Morgana hung back sharing knowing looks. The mechanical bull stopped as he saw a couple of boxes from the Far East that had been dropped off in the middle of the floor. He laughed happily at the sight, knowing his plan was mere minutes away from being complete.

"In one of these boxes is the Rogue's Gem, a special jewel that grants wishes to those of ill-intent. Once I make my wish to become mortal again, I can enact my plan to take over the world!"

Wasting no time, Bulba started tearing open the nearest box to view its contents. A quick look from Bud told Morgana that it was time to enact their own plan. Morgana smirked as she wiggled her fingers a bit and let a bit of her magic zap each box. The spell went unnoticed by the other members of their team and as Bulba managed to get the first box open he gave out a roar of displeasure.

"What is this treachery!" He hissed, steam coming from his nostrils as he eyed the contents of the box. "There are hundreds of Rogue's Gems in here!" He turned his furious gaze on the other members of his team and shouted orders at them. "What are you imbeciles standing around for? One of these jewels must be the real one! Get over here and help me look!"

The others hastily went to the other boxes and started searching through them. Mechavolt looked nervous with their boss's temper flaring, while Thornroot merely looked annoyed at having to do such menial grunt work. Bud and Morgana traded another look as the sorceress communicated telepathically to the other dog.

That spell will hide the real Rogue's Gem in hundreds of copies that will look the same to the untrained eye. One of magical power,however,will be able to spot the real one from the fakes. Once I see it, I will snatch it and we can use it for ourselves!

Brilliant as always, Morg. Bud complimented with a rare sincerity in his tone. Soon, we and we alone will rule St. Canard!

The pairs conversation was interrupted as Thornroot straightened up abruptly and gazed towards the entrance of the museum. He closed his deep red eyes and concentrated on what his constructions were telling him.

"What is it? Speak!" Taurus Bulba commanded, not liking to be kept waiting.

"We have company." Thornroot informed him calmly, unaffected by the others foul mood. "A mob has appeared outside and has started attacking my minions. They seemed to be lead by that clown we were talking about earlier, the one that shewas supposed to take care of."

"What?" Bulba hissed, turning his burning temper on the witch, who put her hands on her hips and stood her ground. "I thought I told you to finish him off!"

"I thought I had." Morgana replied coolly, not letting the anger get to her.

Before Bulba could say anymore, the group heard the sound of pounding feet coming towards them. They all turned towards the entrance to see a small group of ducks of various sizes running at them, looking intent and purposeful.

"Looks like we have company." Thornroot said as he swung his rake to his shoulder.

When the group finally came into full view of the villainous party, they skidded to a stop. The largest duck of the group told three smaller ducklings to take their supplies and find a safe place until the time was right. The three nodded and ran off, carrying a bucket, some rope and a large sack. When the triplets were gone, the remainder of the team approached the villains, each looking confident and ready for a confrontation.

"Looks like we found you all." Quackerjack stated in a playful tone of voice. "I guess we win the game of hide and seek."

"What foolishness is this?" Taurus Bulba questioned, standing up straight and motioning to his team. Thornroot, Mechavolt, Bud Flood and Morgana came to stand in a line by their leader. "Do you know who it is you are facing, you stupid clown? You find yourselves before the rulers of this city, the Felonious Five! We crush every person who dares to oppose us!"

"This city doesn't belong to you or your pals, you sorry excuse for a can opener!" Drake shot back before Quackerjack had time to respond. "It belongs to the people who live here and we're taking it back!"

"Really?" Bulba questioned with a hint of amusement in his voice. "You and these bunch of inferior pack rats are going to defeat the greatest super villains in St. Canard? Don't make me laugh."

"If you're so sure that you'll win, why don't you come and face us yourself?" Quackerjack taunted, gesturing with his hand for them to bring it on. "Come on, I dare ya!"

"Bah! I have no time for such nonsense." The crime lord waved a hand dismissively at the jester, then turned towards Thornroot, Bud and Morgana. "You three stay here and take care of these imbeciles. You," he shouted at Mechavolt who squeaked at the attention, "come with me!"

Taurus Bulba picked up the six boxes and stacked them in two rows on his hands. He balanced them precariously as he and Mechavolt, making sure to grab the box containing the gizmo suit, took off, going up to the second floor of the museum. The clown cringed inwardly as he watched them go.

Hmm, that throwsa bit of my plan off... He thought irritably. I was going to use Liquidator's powers to short him out. Looks like I'll have to get a bit more creative. The rest of my plan should go just fine though...

"Well, Thorny, do you want to do the honors?" Bud said, not out of respect, but out of a desire to get back to the Rogue's Gem. He was hoping that the mad scientist could finish off the pests quickly so that he and Morgana could go back to "helping" with the search for the gem.

"Sure, Buddy." Thornroot said in a derisive manner. He brought his rake down from his shoulder and got into a fighting stance. His red eyes had an evil glint to them. "I could use a few more mannequins after all."

With that, Thornroot charged forward and swung his rake at Quackerjack and Drake. Both jumped out of the way to avoid being hit. The plant duck gave a short curse and continued chasing the jester across the room. Quackerjack flipped and somersaulted away from every attack with ease, to the increasing frustration of the mutant duck.

Finally, the plant doctor stopped and tried to extend one of his vine arms to wrap up the agile duck. Quackerjack did another big flip, avoiding the trap. While in mid-air, he pulled a smoke ball out of his pocket and let it hit the floor. A thick cloud of smoke covered Thornroot, blocking his vision, but otherwise having no effect whatsoever. The toymaker used the distraction to set up his toy soldiers and was able to finish the project before the smoke faded away. The plant mutant walked forward with an air of determination, patting his rake with his right hand. His eyes narrowed in suspicion at the display of small toy soldiers in front of him.

"Bushroot," The colorfully clad duck started, but Thornroot cut him off.

"Don't call me that!" He hissed forcefully.

"Is this really what you want?" The jester continued on as if he hadn't been interrupted. Thornroot cocked his head to the side at the question, wondering what the other duck was up to. "Is this really the only way to deal with your loneliness? Cutting up living people just so that you have somebody to play with? Using your new toys to terrorize St. Canard? I wonder what Rhoda would say about all this if she were here." Quackerjack told him in a quiet voice. Inwardly the jester felt a twinge of disgust with himself for using such a cruel line on the other villain. Still, he needed to provoke the mutant plant duck and he knew this was just the way to do it.

For a moment, Thornroot's expression softened into one of shock and sadness. Quackerjack was taken aback to see that the green duck now looked very much like the Bushroot he once knew. The expression faded as quickly as it came, however, and was replaced with burning, hot anger.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Thornroot spat lividly, charging towards the large-billed duck with his rake slung over one shoulder.

"Troops, attack!" Quackerjack commanded as the plant duck fell right into his trap. The toy soldiers shot out a thick, black substance that covered the fanged duck's eyes, beak, forearms and torso. Thornroot let out a frustrated cry as the substance blinded him and when he recognized the smell of the goo that was covering him, fear filled his reedy form. The red-haired duck had been hit with oil and he was now trying desperately to uncover his eyes so that he could get the rest of it off of him.

The jester, seeing that his ploy had been successful, literally jumped in front of the plant mutant to block him from view. Then, in the nastiest voice he could muster, he called out to the witch Morgana to get her attention.

"Hey, you, the woman with rat's nest for hair!" Morgana's green eyes quickly flicked over to the colorfully clad duck and a look of irritation settled on her face at being talked to in such a matter. Seeing that he know had her attention, Quackerjack continued his taunts in the most childish way possible. "Yeah, I'm talking to you, Ms. I haven't brushed my hair for seven years, I wear cheap, one dollar lip stick and get my dresses from my great aunt's closet. You're nothing more than a wound-up, no fun, miserly old lady with a few cheap magic tricks. Oh, and you stink! I can smell you from here and let me tell you sister, no amount of your nasty, stale perfume is going to cover up that smell!"

"How dare you?" Morgana seethed, her eyes turning red with anger. Nobody had ever dared talk to her that way before. "I'll fry you for your insolence, you insufferable, insipid normal!"

"Oooooh, I'm soscared!" Quackerjack shot back sarcastically, bringing his hands up to his face and shaking them back and forth in a over dramatic fashion. "Please, I've seen fortune tellers working at the circus with more talent than you! What are you going to do, pull a rabbit out of your hair?"

"Fortune tellers!" Morgana shouted at him, her entire form glowing red. "Can a fortune teller do this?" The witch bellowed as she launched two powerful shots of lightning from her fingers. The clown stayed still for as long as he could before leaping off to the side to avoid being hit. The blast went straight towards Thornroot, who had just managed to remove the oil from his eyes. He turned abruptly and his red eyes widened as he saw the spell that was coming towards him. The plant duck knew he couldn't avoid the attack.

"NO!" He screamed loudly as the lightning struck him dead on and ignited the flames. His screams were gut wrenching as the mutant plant duck writhed in pain as red hot flames engulfed him from head to toe. After several long moments of agony, the blackened form fell to the ground, twitched for a moment and then went still. The flames soon died down, leaving a charred, broken husk in their wake.

"Sorry, Bushy..." Quackerjack whispered to himself, as he continued to tell himself that what he was doing was necessary.

"Oh, well..." Morgana had put a hand up to her beak after what had taken place, clearly not knowing what to say.

Bud whistled as he came to stand beside her. "Morgana, sweet heart, I think you need to work on your aim. Four out of five morticians would say that the death we have just witnessed was not a pretty way to go."

The sorceress turned to her boyfriend with her eyes glowing red. "Did I ask for your opinion?" She hissed at him, raising a hand menacingly in his direction.

The mayor of St. Canard was quick to back off and pulled the collar on his suit in nervousness. "Well, you know how much I like to give advice and it's not like I said you were useless or anything. Come on, dear, lighten up."

Morgana was about to retort when a voice cut into their argument. "Oh, just look at this happy couple. The definition of a blissful relationship." Drake Mallard had put both hands to his face and blinked his eyes in mockery, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The short duck dropped the act and finally turned his black eyes to Morgana, a note of concern clear in his voice. "Seriously, Morgana, what do you see in this guy?"

The witch before him blinked at the question, wondering why this complete stranger would ask her such a thing. He was looking at her with an earnest expression, one she found quite unnerving. She looked away from the sweater wearing duck as Bud Flood stepped up beside her and forcibly entwined his hand with hers.

"Now, just who do you think you are, you little reject from the science club?" The former business dog said in a low, dangerous voice. "Four out four health advisers recommend that you never bother a super villain's girlfriend unless you're willing to face the consequences." Bud let go of Morgana's hand to tug at his dress shirt with an air of superiority. "After all, I am the most powerful man in St. Canard. The people of this city love me and who can blame them? An ambitious and handsome dog like me is hard not to like."

Drake was about to respond when a little voice rang out from behind him, getting both his and Bud Flood's attention.

"They don't love you!" Dewey shouted at the smug dog before him, his voice full of anger. His brothers stood beside him with the same looks of disgust on their tiny faces. "They don't even like you! They fear you! They fear what you'll do to them if you don't get what you want."

"Yeah, you're nothing more than a pig-headed, selfish, greedy old dog!" Huey said as he shook his fist at the dog.

"No one in their right mind would like you!" Louie added before blowing a raspberry.

The mayor of St. Canard laughed a little at the spectacle. "Five out five child psychologists show that you do not get this kind of honesty once a child becomes a teenager." The laughter ended abruptly and the beady black eyes narrowed as he glared at the three triplets. "Of course, nine out of ten super villain surveys show that not one of you is going to grow up to reach that age. Such a pity, but at least you'll always have that honesty. Maybe it'll come in handy to you wherever it is you're going."

The triplets eyes widened a bit at the nasty expression on the dog's face, but all three clenched their fists and stood their ground. Their legs were shaking a bit, but none of them wanted to run away. Just as the former business dog was starting to come towards them, Launchpad and Drake stepped in front of the three kids, blocking his path.

"Easy there boys. We have to stick to the plan remember." Launchpad turned his head and whispered back at the triplets in a soothing voice. "This nightmare can be over today, but you have to keep calm. Do it for your Uncle Scrooge, okay?"

"Right!" All three of them responded at once, with hopes in their eyes. The three ducklings scampered off as the pilot turned back to the mayor of St. Canard.

"The boys are right about one thing. The people of this city don't like the way your running things and want you to go into early retirement. I'm here to help put you out of office, Bud Flood. St. Canard deserves to be run by somebody the people can trust and love, not someone who they fear.

"Four out of five old philosophers show that it is better to be feared than loved." Bud Flood replied with a sinister smile. "I. for one, think it's time for you to fear me."

The tall dog wrapped his arms around himself and closed his eyes. At first, it seemed like he was beginning to sweat as beads of water appeared on his forehead. Soon, however, it was clear that water was flowing out of every pore, covering the dog from head to toe. His clothes became drenched and discolored, fading into his liquid form. Skin grew limp and malformed, until it disappeared into the blue depths that were the dog's new being.

The Liquidator stood in front of them with a smirk on his wet muzzle. "So, the new and improved Liquidator is dying to know, do you still think you can force him into early retirement? The aqua canine snickered at his own question. "Ninety-five percent of all statistics show that the outcome the peons are vying for is unlikely."

"Yeah, well, don't count out that five percent!" Launchpad said, readying his stance for a fight.

"Besides, don't you know that ninety-nine percent of all statistics are made up on the spot?" Drake inquired, imitating the canine's salesman lingo. The canine's hollow blue eyes narrowed at the jibe.

"You dare to mock the all powerful Liquidator?" He hissed out in a watery gargle. Steam began rising from his liquid form. "Five out of five criminal records files show you won't live long enough to regret it!"

The Liquidator formed a ball of water in his hand and threw it hard at the pair of ducks standing before him. Drake and Launchpad dodged to the side before it could hit them. The steaming hot water ball splatted on the floor of the museum, burning a hole in floor.

"Yeek!" The pilot shouted in alarm as he looked at the scalded floor. "This guy means business!"

"The Liquidator is all business." The canine replied with his signature smile, but spraying out more of his boiling hot water at the two ducks.

"Oh yeah? Well, we're about to put you out of business!" Drake retorted as he jumped into the air to dodge another blast of boiling hot water.

While the fray was going on, Quackerjack made his way over to the three little ducklings, who seemed to be almost finished with the device they were rigging.

"You boys nearly done?" The jester asked hastily, eying the condition of Drake and Launchpad. He pulled out Mr. Banana Brain to put in his two cents. "If you take much longer, those two will be outta luck, Chuck."

"We're almost finished," Louie replied with a grunt as they positioned their trap up on the rafters. "There, it's done!"

"All right, Huey," Dewey said to him in a firm voice, "it's time for the signal!"

Huey nodded and pulled a whistle from his pocket. He blew into it once, making a long, harsh sound come from its small depths.

"That's the signal." Launchpad whispered with excitement before waving his arms at the dog, who had perked his ears up at the unexpected noise. "Alright, you overgrown puddle, it's time to put you in your place. The people of St. Canard deserve a better leader than you and I'm gonna make sure they get it!"

The Liquidator scoffed at the comment. "You and what army?"

"This army!" Huey, Dewey and Louie shouted at once before blowing raspberries, making faces and yelling insults at the super villain.

"You done talkin'?" Launchpad asked as the aqua canine growled at the impudent behavior. The burly duck started backing towards the triplets. "Why don't you show me you're more than just talk? Come on, I dare ya!" Launchpad shouted, beckoning the dog closer.

"The Liquidator never backs down from a challenge!" The watery super villain spat back as he lunged towards the pilot. "Buyer beware! You may find yourself facing more than you bargained for!"

Launchpad quickly ran back, jumping into the air every once in a while to avoid a water ball. After what seemed like an eternity to the nervous duck, but was really only a minute, the large duck had run right under the boys' trap with the watery villain trailing behind him.

"Now!" Dewey shouted and the triplet pulled the ropes down on both sides of the bag they had positioned on the rafters. The bag tilted forward and spilled its contents onto the unsuspecting mayor of St. Canard. He halted his pursuit as he was covered from head to toe in cement.

"Take that you mongrel!" Huey spoke angrily at the wet dog. "This is for our Uncle Scrooge!"

"Hmph. What? You think a little concrete can stop the all powerful Liquidator?" The watery villain scoffed as he lurched towards the three little ducklings. "Please, all super villain surveys show that the Liquidator is immortal and can...not...be...stop..ped..." The Liquidator's mouth opened slower and slower as the concrete began to take effect. His eyes widened in fear as his body became increasingly sluggish and unresponsive. "Of course, surveys...can be...a bit...unreliable..."

The Liquidator froze into a concrete statue, his hands curled into fists and his face showing consternation at the predicament he found himself in. The triplets cheered and hugged one another at the sight of the frozen scheming dog. They collectively hoped that wherever their uncle was at the moment, he was happy at finally being avenged.

"That's two down." Quackerjack whispered to himself, relieved that the plan had succeeded without a hitch. He saw Drake and Launchpad slap hands at their accomplishment and Quackerjack gave them both a thumbs up when they looked in his direction.

"No...No!"

A shocked voice brought the everyone out of their revelry at once. The witch had hung back from the fight, thinking that the watery canine was more than enough to handle a couple of punks. Now, Morgana was running towards the Liquidator's statue, her green eyes wide with fear. She came up to the statue and faced the front of it, placing her hands against its chest.

"Bud! Buddy, no! You can't be..." She ended in a truly emotional whisper. Her hands clenched into fists as she laid her head on his chest. After a moment, she leaned up and gave the statue a small kiss. "Don't worry, sweet heart." She whispered softly. "I'll find a way to get you out."

"Morgana," Drake tried to talk to her in a soothing voice, "please listen to me."

The sorceress turned on the small duckling, her eyes glowing red again as she tore away from the statue. "Why, pray tell, should I listen to you, you wretched normal!" She waved an arm dismissively across her body, her hair flying wildly around her. "You and your little friends are the ones who did this to him!"

"We did that to him because we had to!" The shorter duck retorted. "Come on, Morgana, please wake up! Look what he was doing to St. Canard! Even worse, look what this scoundrel made you into! You never used to be like this! Now that he's gone, you have a chance to start over. You can go back to being who you were!"

"Fool!" Morgana screamed at him as she shot large streams of electricity at him, her body glowing with dark magic. Drake yelped in fear and barely managed to get away without becoming a roast duck. "Whoever said that I wanted to go back? When did I ever ask for your help? You think you and your friends can dictate my life to me? Tell the greatest witch in the world how to live?" Storm clouds began appearing on the ceiling on the museum, showering lightning bolts down on Quackerjack, Launchpad, Huey, Dewey, Louie and Drake, as they desperately tried to dodge the onslaught. "I will crush you like the insects that you are!"

"Ze 'greatest witch?'' Magica asked skeptically, her source absorber in her hand. "I always knew you were melodramatic dahlink, but this is too much!"

"Oh, I see you're still in denial, you old hag!" Morgana shot back as she launched a lightning bolt down where Magica was standing. She quickly disappeared, reappearing a few paces away from where she had been standing. A black scorch mark stood in its place.

"What the matter, Magica?" The tall witch taunted. "Have you forgotten all your counter spells? Or have you just realized that you're second rate magic is no match for mine?"

"Don't flatter yourself, you sorry excuse for a street performer. You're spells wouldn't be powerful enough to hurt an ant, much less me!"

"Is that so?" Morgana said nonchalantly, a sinister smile on her beak. "Not even—this one!"

Red sparks lit from her fingers, creating a stream of light that eventually converged into the form of a vampire bat. It quickly dove at Magica, who had not been expecting this particular spell and was not fast enough to dodge it. The bat hit her directly in the chest, forcing her to the floor. She rolled a little before finally resting on her stomach on the hard floor. The vampire bat landed on her back and took a bite out of her neck. She cried out in pain as the being began to glow blue with siphoned magic power.

"Magica!" Huey cried out in alarm. The nephews started to run towards her, but Drake and Launchpad, fearing what could happen to the children if they interfered, got in the way of their goal.

The short witch lifted her arm and used some of her remaining power to send a jarring spark of electricity through her fingers at the vampire bat. It squeaked at the shock and flitted its way into the air. Before it could return to its master with the stolen power. Magica sent a small fireball at it, which caught the bat off guard. The magical creature was engulfed in the blue fire, squeaked in pain once before completely disintegrating.

"So, what do you think of my magic now, you has been?" Morgana snickered as she watched the trembling duck get to her feet. Her legs were shaking with the effort after having her magic drained. "I must say, my skills really have improved. To make an already pathetic excuse for a witch even more pathetic really speaks to my magical prowess."

"You mean to your arrogance." Magica countered, gripping her secret weapon tightly. Morgana's green eyes suddenly widened with fear, realizing her mistake of taunting the other witch. It had given her time to enact her plan. "Such cheap parlor tricks are no match for the great Magica DeSpell!" The Italian sorceress said passionately as she a ray of light shot from her source absorber. The light hit Morgana in the chest and caused her to go rigid. Blue light enveloped her form, drawing her red colored magic away from her and towards Magica.

The drain continued with Morgana hanging in mid-air, screaming in rage and pain as her power was zapped away. Drake made a move to go towards the suffering witch, but Launchpad's grip stopped him. The pilot gave him an understanding look, but he firmly shook his head once and the shorter mallard looked at the floor. He brushed the hand off of him, but he made no move to help Morgana. Finally, her cries stopped and her head tilted forward as the red glow stopped coming from her body. The blue light faded and her limp form collapsed to the floor unconscious.

"Hmph. No one challenges me to a duel of magics without facing the consequences." Magica remarked proudly.

"Hooray!" The three nephews shouted together triumphantly. They jumped up and down, slapping hands. "The witch is dead! Nice going Magica!"

"Not dead, dahlinks," Magica corrected, basking in their praise. "Just drained and incapacitated. She will wake up again, but it will take her a while to recover."

"Are you okay, Magica?" Louie inquired, looking at her bleeding neck.

"Not to worry, little ones." Magica replied, her shaky breath revealing a bit of the pain she was in. She held up the source absorber to show them. "The magic I siphoned off that two bit sorceress should be enough to help me recover."

She gripped the instrument tightly, allowing the power to meld with her own. She used a little of it to heal her bleeding neck, closing the wound. Soon, the power she had absorbed made up for the amount she had lost to Morgana's spell and had brought her back to her magic levels back to normal.

While this was going on, Quackerjack took a quick glance at Morgana and nodded in satisfaction. That's three down.Everything's going according to plan. Now to get the last two,get the gem and get out of here!

"Okay, team let's go!" The clown shouted to the rest of the group and started to run off, but stopped when he realized that no one was following him. The triplets were still fussing over Magica, while Drake and Launchpad were standing by Morgana's fallen form. Pulling on his jester hat in frustration, he ran towards the short sweater wearing duck to remind him that time was of the essence.

"Morgana..." Drake whispered sadly as he looked down at her inert form.

A hand on his shoulder caught his attention. "I'm sorry, Drake, but she made her choice." Launchpad told him in a firm voice. "There isn't anything you can do about that."

"I guess you're right..." He said wistfully, gazing at her prone form one last time.

"Hey!" Quackerjack shouted waving his arms up and down wildly. "In case you've forgotten, Bulba's ran off with the Rogue's Gem." He pulled out Mr. Banana Brain, bouncing him up and down just as wildly. "This is no time to mope, you dope!"

Drake was about to get into an argument with the inanimate doll, but Launchpad cut him off. "He's right! What're we still standing here for? Let's go!"

"All right! Here we go!" Scrooge's three nephews said together, but Drake stopped the three young ducklings from following them.

"This is too dangerous for you three. Stay here with Magica! We'll be right back."

"Wait! Why do I have to play babysitter?" Magica demanded, but the Drake, Launchpad and Quackerjack had already sped off towards the second floor. They reached the stairs that Bulba and Mechavolt had ascended, climbing them two at a time. After a while, it was clear that Drake and Launchpad were getting a bit winded from the long climb. Quackerjack, the ever playful jester, was of course in tip top shape and was moving as quick as he could up the steps, leaving the other two several paces behind.

"Where is it?" They all heard the robotic bull bellow as they ran up the steps.

"Looks like we're not too late!" Drake said as he panted up the stairs.

"We will be at this rate!" Quackerjack said irritably. He activated his springs and jumped up the final length of the stairs. A few more bounces and he found himself staring at Taurus Bulba with Mechavolt standing a little behind him. The mechanical bull was steaming from the helmet, his eyes a deep red from his frustration. The jester's heart froze as he saw what the electrical rodent was holding in his hand. He held the green, glowing Rogue's Gem in his hand, looking between the stone and the bull as if in some kind of internal debate.

The toymaker's heart was in his throat as he saw the gem in the rodent's hand. He had to get it away from Mechavolt before Taurus Bulba noticed it. The raging bull, however, noticed the movements of the jester and straightened up in alarm.

"You? You meddling clown! What are you doing here? Don't tell me those idiots downstairs couldn't handle the likes of you?"

"What can I say? They just weren't up for playing my kind of games."

"Bahhh! Useless idiots!" Bulba growled, turning his red eyes to Mechavolt, who cowered at the attention. "What are you standing there for, you fool? Attack him!"

The clown's hopes rose a little bit as the crime lord seemed to overlook the green gem in the rodent's hand. His hopes were quickly dashed as he saw the bull's eyes widen in disbelief.

"You! What is that you've got there? Give it to me now!"

Mechavolt gulped as a large mechanical hand stretched out towards his own. Looking away from the bull, the electric rat handed over the gem he had been keeping to himself. Taurus Bulba's smirk became a triumphant grin as he realized that he had obtained his prize.

"Yes! This is the legendary Rogue's Gem! With its power, I will obtain the gizmo suit and the whole world with tremble at my feet!"

"NO!" Quackerjack screeched as he dove towards the mechanical bull. He would not let this happen! He had to get that jewel. Just as he was about to collide with the bull, one of his robotic arms extended, punching the unsuspecting clown in the stomach. He cried out in pain as he was flung backwards, somersaulting uncontrollably back through the air. For an instant, he saw Mechavolt's wide eyes on him with a look akin to horror on his face, before he did a belly flop on the hard floor. Completely winded, he lay there clutching his stomach in pain.

"Fool! No one gets in the way of Taurus Bulba's plans and lives to tell about it." The bull smirked at the glaring clown as he raised the Rogue's Gem high in the air. "Now, for my wish."

"Quackerjack," Launchpad called from the stairway as he ran towards the fallen duck. The toymaker looked at him and Drake only long enough to know that neither one of them were in a position to stop Bulba. He turned away from the sight of the burly duck and pressed his forehead to the floor in despair.

It'sover... Quackerjack closed his eyes and trembled at his own helplessness as he lay on the floor.

Suddenly, Bulba's triumphant laughter was cut short as it turned into a painful cry. Quackerjack's eyes shot open as he saw the green gem clatter to the floor, wondering what had happened. His beady black eyes caught sight of Mechavolt, steam coming from his gloved fingers, panting a little at the exertion.

He zapped Bulba! I don't believe it! Why would he do that?

His thoughts were cut off as he saw the green gem slip from Bulba's fingers and clatter to the floor.

"Quick! Somebody grab that jewel!" Quackerjack ordered, getting to his feet as fast as he could while ignoring the pain in his gut.

"RAAAAAAHHHHH!" The mechanical bull screamed in fury turning on Mechavolt. "How dare you, you pathetic little insect! Has you're fried out little brain forgotten who your master is? I'll kill you for your insolence, you worthless scum!"

Mechavolt backed away quickly, a look of true fear on his face. His thin fingers shook as the raging bull advanced upon him. The small rat tried to zap him again, but soon found his neck locked in a tight iron grip. He squirmed helplessly, his gloved hands clawing at the robotic hand, trying to free himself as his air supply cut off.

While the robotic crime lord was distracted with punishing his underling, Drake had run up to the forgotten Rogue's Gem and snatched it in his hand. "Got it!" He exclaimed happily. His happiness was short lived as he realized his outburst had caught the attention of Taurus Bulba, who's red eyes turned to him in blazing anger.

"Yikes!" Drake yelped as he tried to get away. Bulba, however, was too quick for him and snatched him by the neck with his free robotic hand. He lifted the struggling duck in the air, who gripped the gem tightly in one hand as he tried to loosen the bull's grip on him with the other.

"You dare touch what is mine?" Steam came out of the bull's nostrils as he stared down his opponent.

"I...didn't see...your name on...it, pal!" Drake retorted spiritedly as he tossed the jewel into the air. "Launchpad, catch!"

The short duck lobbed the jewel as best he could towards the pilot, who had to slide on his belly to catch the green gem. He got up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Whew! Glad I didn't let this one crash."

"Why you insolent little bug!" Bulba hissed as he began crushing Drake's windpipe. "You and your little friends will pay dearly for your interference."

"Not when we're playing by my rules!" Quackerjack yelled, pulling an electric joy buzzer from his pocket, the same kind he'd used to zap the Liquidator. He jumped up right beside the bull and slammed it against his side. "You let them go!"

The strong shock from the joy buzzer overloaded the bull once more and stopped his functions momentarily. Mechavolt and Drake were released and both collapsed to the floor, breathing harshly. Launchpad moved to help Drake get away from the monstrous bull, while Quackerjack picked Mechavolt up and carried him a few feet away.

"Thanks..." Mechavolt wheezed out as he continued to catch his breath.

"I should be thanking you," Quackerjack replied with a grin on his beak. "Why would you do a crazy thing like defying Bulba anyway?"

"Well, I've never exactly been sane..." Mechavolt admitted with a similar grin. "As for why I did it,let's just say that if Bulba gets his way, there won't be anything left to rob."

"Mayhem for mayhem's sake, eh?" Quackerjack nodded, his bells ringing exuberantly. "I like it."

"I thought you might." Mechavolt spoke quietly. "You don't seem like other people. I know I've only met you once for a few minutes, but I felt like you and I were alike."

"Why, because we're both insane?" The jester asked gleefully, happy to see that some of Megavolt's personality was still in the new version of the rodent.

"Something like that." The mechanical rat replied before coughing a little.

A heavy creaking caught the toymaker's attention and he started as he realized the giant bull was on the move again. The laser gun on top of his head was whirring and it finally settled to target the unaware Launchpad, who was tending to the winded Drake.

"Launchpad, look out!" Quackerjack shouted as loudly as he could.

The pilot looked up just as the laser was shot in his direction. He pushed Drake out of the way, but he wasn't quick enough to avoid the blast itself. The laser cut across the top of the big duck's shoulder, burning off his clothes and feathers at that point. The Rogue's Gem sprung from his hand and clattered across the floor. He cried out in agony as he fell back, searing pain overwhelming his senses. His hand covered the wound, but it was clear that red blood was seeping through the white feathered fingers.

"Launchpad!" Drake and Quackerjack yelled at the same time. The colorfully clad duck was surprised at himself for feeling such anger for the pilot's injury. Not so long ago, he would have gleeful for any hurt that could be inflicted on Darkwing's dumb sidekick. Maybe it was because Launchpad had been the only real friend he had in the world he had wished for, but he found himself taking the injury very personally.

"You monster!" Drake said fiercely as he ran up to try to punch the bull in his large gut. The blow did little to effect the robotic menace as the villain merely chuckled and swatted the short duck to the side.

"Take this, you mean overgrown tin can!" The clown bellowed taking out a toy hammer. At the press of a button, it expanded into his patented giant whamo mallet. He swung the huge mallet at the bull's metal head as hard as he could, hoping to have some effect. A loud boink sound was all he got from the first hit as his enemy didn't even flinch at the attack. He tried again and again to whack the giant bull with no effect. Finally, Bulba grew tired of the game and grabbed the hammer by the handle. He lifted both Quackerjack and the hammer into the air before twirling them both over his head, letting them fly across the room. The jester hit the wall with a loud thud and slid to the ground in pain.

"Pathetic. Did any of you really think you were a match for the top notch technology of Taurus Bulba? I have no time to waste on a bunch of delusional fools, particularly costumes delusional fools." He sneered at Quackerjack as he said this. The jester stuck his tongue out at the bull in defiance.

"Time to get rid of the garbage." Taurus Bulba said in a voice that dripped with malice.

"Ze only thing we are getting rid of is you, you collection of scrap metal!" Bulba immediately turned to see Magica DeSpell appearing from a cloud of smoke. She raised her hands, her fingers sparking with energy. "Let's see how your metal fares against my magic!"

Her hands glowed blue for a few seconds before she unleashed a powerful stream of electrical power straight at the unsuspecting bull. The attack hit him dead center, as the lightning covered his whole body, blowing his circuits and sending him back into the wall. His body jerked wildly for a moment before steam blew out of his mechanical parts and he slumped to the floor in an overheated wreak. It was clear that Bulba's body was out of commission and he wouldn't be getting back up soon.

"Like I have always said, technology is overrated." Magica said as she dusted her hands smugly.

"Wow, Magica, nice shot!" Drake complimented. He was about to shake her head when she gave him a little zap in the behind.

"Yeowch!" He yelped as he jumped a little at the sudden shock. He rubbed his tail feathers in with a pout on his face. "What was that for?" he demanded.

"That was for leaving me behind to play babysitter when I should be up here fighting bull. No one treats Magica DeSpell like a common maiden and gets away with it."

Drake grumbled a half-hearted apology and headed over to where Launchpad was to check on the wounded pilot. Quackerjack, in the meantime, was scouring the floor for the missing Rogue's Gem. He finally spotted it a few paces away from where Magica was standing. He was about to creep towards the gem, hoping that his presence would go unnoticed long enough for him to snag the gem for himself, when he noticed that Mechavolt was acting a little strangely. His hands were to his ears and he was shaking his head back and forth vehemently. He looked as though he was having an internal argument with something.

Wonder what's wrong with him? Quackerjack thought as he watched the rodent look more frustrated and frightened. I know Megavolt used to get into fights with inanimate objects, but he never got into fights with himself. Maybe this is a quirk that this new version of Megavolt has...?

A nagging feeling kept telling the jester that his assumption was incorrect and he watched as the rodent finally took his hands off his ears. The mechanical rat began to move clumsily forward, dragging his feet as if something was forcing him to walk.

"Mechavolt?" Quackerjack tried to call out to the rat as he started going towards the others, but he was cut off by Magica's victorious cry.

"Aha! Here is the gem we have been looking for!" The witch picked up the Rogue's gem and held it up in her hand. "With this in our possession and Bulba knocked out for good, I think we can safely say, 'Mission Acco—Ahhhh!"

Mechavolt had raised his hands to send a powerful surge of voltage at the unsuspecting witch. It hit her dead on and flung her across the floor, the gem clattering away from her as she released it. Magica twitched once, tried to get back up, but then fainted from the shock.

"Magica!" Drake cried out in alarm. He turned around to face the assailant, rolling up his sleeves as he walked towards the rodent. "I should have known you were up to something when you zapped Bulba, you conniving criminal! You won't get away with it, you nefarious nitwit! This is for St. Canard high school!"

The short mallard charged Mechavolt with his fists balled, intending to pummel the electric rat. Mechavolt's arms seem to raise of their own accord and he closed his eyes as his fingers began glowing a sinister blue. Another vast charge of electricity was sent at Drake, who tried to jump away from the blast. It was too large for him to dodge and he ended up being engulfed in the blast of electricity. He cried out in pain for a few seconds before unconsciousness took him. He collapsed to the floor, steam coming from his feathers.

"Dr-Drake!" A weak Launchpad called out, trying to get to his feet. He managed to do so very slowly, then limped towards Mechavolt with one fist balled. Though the pilot was trying his best to look intimidating, he only managed to look pitiful. "Leave—leave him alone!" Launchpad wheezed out in the biggest voice he could muster.

Again, shaking hands were raised and pointed towards the slowly advancing duck. The rodent gritted his teeth and shook his head a little before a small burst of energy came from his fingers. Quackerjack sucked in his breath as he watched the shock wave hit the injured pilot. It was only a tiny bit of electric energy compared to the other blasts he had let off, but it was enough to subdue the wounded Launchpad. One short cry was all he managed to give before he fell forward and passed out.

Mechavolt eyed his handiwork with no look of joy on his face as he stiffly started to move towards the discarded Rogue's Gem. Quackerjack quickly ran over to the pilot to check his pulse. Seeing that he was still breathing and that his heart was still beating, he left Launchpad and ran towards the slow moving rodent to block his path.

"Hey!" Quackerjack shouted as he jumped into the air and landed right in front of the villain. "Hold on there, pal 'o mine! Why did you zap Launchpad and the others like some kind of big meanie? I thought you were helping us!" He pulled Mr. Banana Brain to add his two cents to the matter. "What's the deal, Steel?"

The electrical rodent said nothing, though his mouth was opening and closing with no sound coming out. Abruptly, one of his arms shot up and hit Quackerjack in the side hard. He fell to the floor and rolled a little before he bounced back to his feet.

"Well somebody doesn't play fair." The jester muttered, still very confused by the behavior change he was seeing. "That wasn't very nice, Bryce." Mr. Banana Brain added as he was bounced back and forth.

All of Quackerjack's feelings were replaced with those of dread as he watched the silent rat pick up the green gem and grip it tightly in his hand. The jester hastily got to his feet and ran towards Mechavolt as fast as he could.

"Hey! That's mine!" The clown whined as pathetically as he could. "Give it back!"

"Yours?" An deep, angry bellow filled the room causing Quackerjack to skid to a stop. He recognized the voice immediately, but it was coming from Mechavolt's vicinity. "You mean mine! What could a worthless, costumed clown want with "The Rogue's Gem?"

"What? But..." The toymaker questioned in confusion and fear. The voice came from Mechavolt and yet the rat hadn't opened his mouth once. "Taurus Bulba? How...?"

Mechavolt grimaced, a look of pain on his face as a peal of laughter came from the vicinity of the rodent's right arm. He shut his eyes again as his right arm was raised slowly upwards to reveal a small screen in his metallic arm. On the screen was the face of the very angry bull, Taurus Bulba, gracing the jester with a particularly nasty grin.

"How, you ask? Why it's quite simple. After my fight with Gizmoduck, my body was badly damaged. I managed to fly away to safety, but I was in desperate need of repair. As my body failed, I discovered that I could send my consciousness into other mechanical forms. I traveled through different machines until I found one that could suit my purposes. Namely, this simpering, brain dead rat Mechavolt."

He smirked up at said rat who was now gritting his teeth angrily as the explanation went on. "It didn't take me long to overcome the will of this feeble being and move his body as if it were my own. After all, if he didn't listen to me, I found ways to punish him."

Mechavolt shuddered at the word as Bulba's nasty grin widened. "Once he was properly subdued, I brought him back to fix my battered body. When that was finished, I had him recover the gizmo suit for me. It was damaged, but I knew that he could fix it up so that I could use it." At this point, the bull frowned and his eyes narrowed. "Unfortunately, the suit was programmed with a defect that was unable to be remedied. It could only be used by a flesh and blood body and thus it didn't recognize me as a living thing.

"I was beyond frustrated at this little caveat, but then my brilliant mind came up with a solution. I did a little research into the black arts and came across a story of a gem stone that would grant wishes to those of ill-intent. After learning of this stone, I scoured the world to find it's location, finally finding it in a museum in the Far East. I persuaded the exhibitors to bring it to St. Canard so that I could have it. Of course, they could not refuse me."

While the crime lord continued talking, Quackerjack was desperately thinking of any way to get the Rogue's Gem away from Bulba. Searching his large pockets, the jester finally touched something that could help him. He gripped it tightly in his hands, waiting for an opportunity.

"Now, if you are done interfering, it is time for me to use the gem and make my wish." He raised Mechavolt's arm and cackled triumphantly as he stared up at the green gem. "The world will soon be mine!"

"Bap! Bap! Wrong!" Quackerjack shouted as he pulled out a tiny squirt gun. It only had a little water in it, but he hoped it would be enough. "Game over Bulba!"

He squirted a dose of water onto Mechavolt, who jerked and then convulsed as he started to short out. As his body convulsed, he lost his grip on the Rogue's gem, which clattered to the floor. Quackerjack slid across the floor, grabbed the gem, then hopped to his feet with a whoop.

"All right!" He said happily, dancing in place.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet, you meddling fool!" Bulba's harsh tone made him look at where Mechavolt was standing and he froze. The electric rat had pulled out his zapper gun, only this one was jet black with more gizmos attached and looked ten times more deadly. The gun was aimed straight at the jester's heart.

"I think you've been a nuisance to me for long enough." Taurus Bulba hissed, his red eyes blazing. "It's time for you to die!"

Quackerjack heart froze as he saw Mechavolt pulling the trigger. He felt numb, not believing that everything was going to end like this. He waited for the blow to strike and for his heart to give out, but it never came. The jester watched as the rodent eyed the duck with his teeth grit and his arm shaking violently.

"No..." Mechavolt whispered fiercely.

"What are you waiting for, you sorry excuse for a living thing. Finish him now! I command you!"

"No!" Mechavolt shouted turning the gun slowly towards his right arm. "I am not your slave and I will not be controlled anymore! TAKE THIS!"

The mechanical rat fired the gun at his right arm, directly at the screen that Taurus Bulba was on. A burst of white hot energy came from the gun and hit the connective parts of his mechanical arm. He and Taurus Bulba screamed simultaneously at the blow as his mechanical arm fell apart. As the blast ended, metal parts clanked uselessly to the floor and Mechavolt collapsed with them. Blood was leaking from the remains of his organic arm.

"Mechavolt!" Quackerjack screeched in shock as he came to the side of the injured rodent. He pulled down on the ends of his hat in fear."I know you're crazy, but how could you blast yourself like that? Even I wouldn't have done that."

Mechavolt smiled weakly up at the toymaker, breathing harshly. "No...choice...really...Now, hurry...Bu-Bulba, he...he could...come back...Hurry, please!"

The earnest look in the eyes of the rat told Quackerjack just how much the rodent had suffered being Taurus Bulba's slave. How he hadn't had much choice in being part of his villainous team. The smile on his tired face also told the jester that they were friends, even if they had known each other for such a short time. Quackerjack heart warmed at how his friendship with that rat had still survived his wish. He stood up and smiled at the other villain as he raised the gem high.

"Thank you." Quackerjack said simply, giving Mechavolt his best buck toothed grin. Then, gripping the Rogue's Gem tightly, he threw the gem as hard as he could against the floor. It shattered on impact and a flash of light enveloped the jester, clouding his senses.


Quackerjack suddenly felt very dizzy and his vision was quite blurry. He rubbed his arm across his eyes, willing his disorientation to leave him as he tried to remain on his feet. He attempted to open his eyes when he heard someone speaking in a sardonic voice just a few feet away.

"Great going, Chuckles. You broke your new toy."

When his vision came into focus, he saw small pieces of the green Rogue's gem scattered on the floor. Then, he looked up and recognized the purple outfit with the teal turtleneck. A familiar gas gun was pointed in his direction and the self-proclaimed terror that flaps in the night had an irritated expression on his face as he stared down the jester.

"Darkwing Duck? Is that you?" He questioned hesitantly, blinking his eyes. He almost couldn't believe it was real.

"What, are you having a memory lapse or something Quacky?" Darkwing responded with a look of suspicion at the question. "I think you've been spending too much time with Megavolt."

"Darkwing Duck! It's really you!" Quackerjack exclaimed before doing a flip for joy at seeing his old enemy again. He ran up to the duck, gripped the end of his gas gun and shook it up and down as fast as he could in the form of a handshake. "It's great to see you again!"

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, what do you think you're doing?" Darkwing protested as he pulled his gas gun away. He pulled out a cloth to clean the fingerprints off the gun as he eyed the villain suspiciously. "What are you up to, you treacherous toymaker?"

"Gee, DW, he seemed sincerely happy to see you. Or at least, that's what it looked like to me." Launchpad said as he walked up to the disconcerted hero.

"Launchpad!" Quackerjack said jubilantly. He was glad to see that the sidekick was looking just like his old self again.

"Launchpad, you're not helping." Darkwing told him grumpily as he raised his gas gun again. "Now, I'll ask you one more time, you conniving clown. What are you up to?"

Quackerjack was about to answer, when a familiar voice stopped him short.

"He's committing crimes, what does it look like, Dipwing?" Megavolt spoke dryly, raising his sparking fingers.

"Are you confused by the obvious? Need a minute to clear your head? Then, the Liquidator suggests that you flee for the nearest exit before he and his associates knock some sense into you."

"Yeah, we're ready for you, Dorkwing." Bushroot added meekly, though he seemed less ready to fight than the other two.

"Guys!" The jester jumped for joy at the sight of his old partners in crime, looking just as they always had.

"Uh, yeah, hi Quacky." Megavolt told him slowly, clearly wondering why his partner in crime was looking so happy to see them. The electric rodent pushed aside the abnormal behavior as he stared down Darkwing, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "All right guys, let's roast some duck!"

The group was about to advance on the crime fighter and his sidekick when Quackerjack somersaulted in the air and landed in front of them. They stopped abruptly as the clown put both of his hands out and shook his head back and forth adamantly.

"Now, now, there's really no need for that, is there?"

Without waiting for a response, Quackerjack cartwheeled over to Darkwing and put an arm around his shoulders. He firmly grasped the little duck in his arms and steered him towards the elevators. Darkwing struggled in his grasp, trying to get free while trying to figure out what the mad duck was up to.

"Don't worry, Darkwing. We won't trouble you anymore tonight."

"What are you talking about, you mad menace?" Darkwing queried suspiciously as the jester pushed the down button on the elevator panel.

"I mean, that me and my friends aren't going to do any more crimes tonight. We're going to relax and take it easy, which is exactly what you should do!"

The doors of the elevator opened and Quackerjack quickly shoved Darkwing inside of it. He saw Launchpad standing behind him and he made a gesture for the sidekick to join the hero. Launchpad scratched his head at the gesture, but proceeded to get into the elevator with Darkwing. Quackerjack then took the masked mallard's hand and shook it vehemently.

"Now, remember to get plenty of rest, eat your vegetables, and stay out of any and all life-threatening situations. We wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Uh, sure..." Darkwing said, now looking at the other duck as if he was sure one duck had just flown over the cuckoo's nest.

"Good night Darkwing Duck." Quackerjack told him with a big grin. "You too, Launchpad. Take care of yourselves, okay."

"Sure thing. Thanks Quacky." Launchpad responded cheerfully with a big dopy grin on his face. Darkwing just put his head in his hand and shook it. He looked up just in time to see the elevator door closing and tried to stop it, but couldn't reach it in time. His protests could be heard all the way back down to the first floor of the museum.

"And that is that." The colorfully clad duck said with a clap of his hands. His eyes wandered back to his partners in crime, who were now collectively giving him a look that said they thought he had gone madder than usual.

"Um, Quackerjack, are you sure you didn't hit your head or something?" Bushroot asked in a small, hesitant voice. "You do know that was Darkwing Duck, right?"

"Of course I do, silly." Quackerjack said with a grin and a whimsical shake of his bells. "Even heroes should take a holiday off now and then, don't you think?"

"I guess..." The green duck said, though he didn't sound entirely convinced.

"Jewel appraisers would like to inform you that the value on this particular stone has just hit rock bottom." Liquidator informed him in his familiar salesman tone.

"Oh, that old thing?" The clown inquired with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I almost forgot about it. Almost." The jester said as he went to stand beside it.

"Hmm, maybe I have some glue in my apartment that can put it back together." Megavolt thought aloud, knowing the other duck had really wanted the gem. Thus, his eyes widened as the crazed mallard took out a giant hammer and began smashing the shards into a fine powder. All three villains watched the scene with growing concern for the clown's remaining sanity.

When he was finished, Quackerjack heaved a satisfied sigh and put the hammer back into his pocket. He turned to his fellow villains and chuckled at the dumbfounded expressions they were gracing him with.

"Quackerjack, what is wrong with you?" Megavolt demanded, his hands on his hips.

"Nothing at all, Megs!" He ran up to the electric rodent and gave him a big hug. Megavolt squirmed a little in his arms as the duck continued to hug him. "Everything's perfect."

"Even without your magical, world changing wish?" Liquidator wanted to know, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"All polls show that you've come to the right conclusion!" Quackerjack retorted with a friendly grin. He let go of Megavolt and pulled the wet dog into the best hug he could manage. The liquid canine seemed to appreciate the gesture even less than Megavolt did and gave the jester an uncomfortable look. "All sales are final on that one."

"Quackerjack, are you sure you're all right?" The plant duck questioned, wringing his leaves together at the unwarranted displays of affection.

"I'm perfectly fine. You worry too much, Bushy." Quackerjack told the mutant duck in mock exasperation before pulling him into a tight hug. He leaned up to one of the duck's ears and whispered, "Don't ever change, okay?"

"Okay..." Bushroot muttered, rubbing the back of his head as the jester finally released him.

"You guys got everything you wanted from the museum?" The other three villains nodded and Quackerjack began steering them towards the exits. "Great, then let's have some fun!"

"What kind of fun?" Megavolt questioned with a suspicious look on his face.

"Halloween fun, silly." The jester chuckled as he thought of the possibilities. "We can play pranks on people, go on carnival rides, eat lots of sugary candy and all without the worry of being screamed at or chased away. Halloween is the night for out of the ordinary people like ourselves, wouldn't you say?"

"The Liquidator guesses that eight out of ten news analysts would agree with that statement." The aqua dog told him with a hand under his chin.

"Well, I guess if we won't scare the populace then, I'm in." Bushroot agreed with a shrug.

"What about you, Megs?" The toymaker asked.

"Why not?" Megavolt said nonchalantly, thinking he had nothing better to do.

"Then, what are we waiting for? Last one out of this boring museum is a rotten egg!"

With that, Quackerjack sped off with the others chasing him. The Fearsome Four spent the night out and about St. Canard, without causing the city loads of trouble for once. They four villains played a few jokes on the ordinary citizens here and there, but mostly everything they did for the rest of the evening was just good-natured fun. Quackerjack and the others enjoyed each others company until the early hours of the morning, then said their farewells.

As Quackerjack lay down on his bed to get some much needed rest, he thought over the wish he had made and all that had followed after. For a moment, he wondered if the entire horrible event had been some kind of dream or if he had just imagined it all. As he rolled onto his side, he felt something press against his large, puffy pockets. Annoyed, he reached inside of them to pull out the nuisance and found himself staring at the dolls he had made of Megavolt, Bushroot and Liquidator.

Sitting up in surprise at still having the dolls, he smiled at the images of his partners in crime. He placed the likenesses of his friends on a nearby table facing the bed and laid back down again. He yawned and closed his eyes, thinking of the world without Darkwing.

So ,he really makes that much of a difference,eh?Who would have thought that purple pest actually has his uses. I guess I'll have to be a little nicer to Darkwing from now on.Quackerjack smirked as he curled up under the covers, feeling sleep drawing him into its grasp. But only a little...


Author's Note: It's finally finished! Hooray! I think maybe this should have been two chapters as it is quite long, but oh well. I wanted to finish this story and I did. I'll admit, for a while, I wasn't sure if I'd ever finish this one. I had an idea from the start about how I wanted it to end, but it took a lot out of me to write it. Thanks to everyone who stayed with it and reviewed thus far. Your kind words and encouragement really helped me finish this story up. I hope you enjoyed this ending! I tried to make it as action packed and entertaining as possible. I hope I succeeded.

Now for some story notes. Just for the record, I always intended to make Bulba the main threat behind St. Canard's new villainous team and I also wanted it to be him who would find the Rogue's gem and try to use it on himself. I always intended him to use the Rogue's Gem to make himself human again. I decided to tie in the Boom! storyline about the gizmo suit as it seemed to give his reasoning for wanting to be mortal again more weight. Also, I'd just like to say that I really love Taurus Bulba as a character. He's such a threatening villain and I was happy to be able to write him here.

I also wanted to note that in chapter three, Mechavolt was talking to Bulba on the small TV screen in his arm. However, Bulba had vanished when Quackerjack had started talking to him, so Bulba was not aware of their conversation. Mechavolt covered his arm to protect Quakerjack just in case Bulba tried to pop back in and give more instructions.

The Morgana that I've written for this story was based off of the character Bellatrix LeStrange from Harry Potter. I modeled her attitude and dress for this story off of that character.

Other than that, I guess all I can say is, once again, thanks for reading! I'd appreciate any feedback you can leave me on the story. :)