Get your own Free Home PageDarkwing sighed from the sidecar of the Ratcatcher. Ever since Gosalyn had become Quiverwing Quack full time(I AM 20, Dad, was the argument she had used to convince him) he’d been feeling less and less useful. He watched as Quiverwing punched the air. “Yes! A bank robbery! Come on Dad, let’s get ‘em!” She spun the Ratcatcher 180 degrees and speed off.
When they had gotten to the St Canard National Bank, Quiverwing jumped out immediately and burst through the window to stop the robbers before Darkwing even had a chance to think. He tried to jump out of the sidecar, but the sides really were slightly too big for him, having been designed for Launchpad, and he tripped and fell into the gravel. By the time he’d spat it all out and had righted himself, Quiverwing was surrounded by the press. She always had more publicity than he’d had, the public seemed to have a thing for young, slim girls in lycra. Darkwing grumbled and climbed back into the sidecar to wait.
“Hey, thanks for letting me handle that alone Dad!” Quiverwing grinned happily. “It was a cinch!”
Darkwing put his elbow on the side of the motorbike, and leaned on it. “No problem, anytime sweetie.” He said lowly.
“Really? Gee, thanks Darkwing! How about this one? It’s a jaywalker!” She wrinkled her beak when she realized what THAT meant. “A JAYWALKER? Hey Dad, you can have this one. I mean, it’d look pretty bad if Quiverwing Quack started arresting people for that. It’d totally wreak my image!”
“Okay dear.” Quiverwing stopped the Ratcatcher and Darkwing slowly climbed out. The jaywalker stared at him, then at Quiverwing. Darkwing held out his hand for him to stop, but the jaywalker ran straight past him to Quiverwing.
“Oh wow! Quiverwing Quack! You are soooo gorgeous in person! May I?” He started kissing her hand. Quiverwing giggled, but pulled back and put on a serious face. “What’s your name?”
“My name’s Leonard, but you can call me whatever you like.” The curly-haired college student was in love.
“Heh heh. Gee, thanks. Now, Leonard, you musn’t jaywalk.” Quiverwing decided to take advantage of the situation. She lowered her face to his and put a finger under his chin. He gulped. “Now, Lenny dear,” she said, making her voice husky. “Promise me you won’t jaywalk ever again. Please?” She looked straight into his eyes, green to blue.
“I..I..er..ah..ye.yeah, sure.” He was mesmerized.
“Thank you.” she gestured for Darkwing to climb back in. “Maybe I’ll see you around.” She winked and drove off, leaving Leonard waving slowly.
Quiverwing laughed. “What a geek. Can’t you even stop one lousy student Dad?”
Darkwing was getting quite annoyed. “See here...”
He was interrupted by Quiverwing bringing the Ratcatcher to an abrupt halt. He froze as he saw Negaduck standing about a metre and a half in front of them, pointing a gun at them.
“Hi kids.” he said with a grin as he cocked the gun at Darkwing.
Darkwing stared, but Quiverwing leaped down in front of Negaduck, and kicked the gun out of his hands, hitting him on the underneath of the bill, knocking him out. Quiverwing reached into the back of the motorcycle and brought out some hand cuffs. She slapped them on him, making them extra tight, and hit him over the head with a lead weight arrow for good measure. She smiled with satisfaction and threw him into the back. She jumped into the driver’s seat and started the engine, she turned, laughing to Darkwing. “Next stop, St Canard Police Station.” He was still staring where Negaduck had been only seconds ago.
“You caught Negaduck.” he stated dimly.
“Sure did! Come on, let’s get rid of him.”
Darkwing suddenly tried to jump out of the sidecar, again tripping. He jumped up and threw his hat on the ground. “THAT’S IT!!” he yelled. He started jumping on his hat. “I’ve HAD it!” He picked up the hat and threw it in a bin. He pointed his finger at Quiverwing. “I QUIT!”
Quiverwing stared at him in shock. “What?”
“You heard me! I QUIT! You don’t need me! I WON’T play pet monkey to my daughter!”
“Dad! Come on Dad, don’t be dumb. Of course I need you!”
“Oh yeah? What for?!”
“Well, I need..I need..I need your experience..and,er..your company! I don’t wanna get lonely!”
Darkwing rolled his eyes. “Then take Launchpad! I can’t do anything anymore! I can’t even get out of the stupid sidecar!”
“That’s just because it’s too big! LP can make it smaller!”
“FORGET IT! Have fun, Quiverwing Quack! You can deliver Negaduck to the police and get the glory you so richly deserve.”
Quiverwing folded her arms. “So THAT’S what this is about? You’re jealous because everyone likes me more! Dad, don’t be so immature!”
Darkwing started walking backwards, peeling off his costume as he went. First the cape, then the gas gun, then the jacket, throwing them down on the pavement as he went. He stood still staring at her. Then he ripped the his mask off, and threw the shredded purple material to Quiverwing. She caught it and stared at it. Drake Mallard met her eyes for a second, then melted into the shadows.
Quiverwing numbly started picking up his costume. How could he quit? He made it sound like she was in charge! She played back the nights events and suddenly realized who had done the sidekick role. She put the costume in the side car, and the gas gun in the glove box. She went and dropped off Negaduck at the police station, escaping before the media got there. Typical, she thought furiously. I beat the best crook in St Canard, and Dad spoils the whole thing for me!
Drake sat on a dark kerb near Avian Way. He was sure he’d done the right thing, and he couldn’t figure out why Gosalyn disagreed. He knew he wouldn’t have if he was in her place. She could have all the credit, be the hero she always wanted to be.
Drake sighed as he looked at the back of his hands. For all his hard work to stay in shape, he was still getting old. Of course, he was good for a 50 year old, he looked and felt about 40. But even 40 was really to old for this job. Launchpad didn’t understand, though he would soon. Launchpad really was 40, but HE looked like a 30 year old. He grinned suddenly. He guess that this meant that Gosalyn ought to look 10, and he knew that that wasn’t true.
Drake wondered what he’d do now. He wasn’t really qualified for much. He supposed a security guard was possible. A policeman maybe, but to join up with those fat lards...maybe he could be a detective! Or a spy! He was a pretty good “master of disguise”.
Or maybe he should just pick a totally new occupation.
His good points-fit, good fighter, honest, not afraid of overtime, can work nights.
His bad points-impatient, no people skills, no office skills, no experience, egotistical(although this HAD dropped the last few years...), couldn’t stay still for long.
Maybe he should be a vigilante.
He cast this last thought out, he’d already done that to death. Maybe he could be an author, and write stories about his adventures. Maybe they’d make them into a cartoon series or something! Nah, cartoons were little league. He could be an actor! He could fake his way out of almost any situation, surely he could do a little acting!
Drake slapped a hand over his eyes. Who was he kidding! There was NOTHING he could do except be a vigilante, and he couldn’t even do that anymore.
He gave up, walked home and went to bed.
Gosalyn collapsed into bed. She smiled again at the look on Negaduck’s face just before she’d kicked him. She’d decided that no way was her Dad going to wreck this, she’d enjoy it. She’d gone back to the police station for the media after she’d had a think about things, and she’d been welcomed warmly. A reporter had asked where Darkwing was, and that was the only question she’d ignored.
So, Dad was giving up. Well, OK, he wasn’t as spry as he used to be, but that was no reason to give up! I don’t care, she told herself, it’s his problem.
Late in the morning Gosalyn came down for brunch. She eyed Drake warily. When Launchpad’s back was turned she mouthed “Does he know?” and Drake had quietly shaken his head. “Don’t you think you should tell him?” she continued. Drake shrugged and pushed the morning paper over to her.
“Dad, I don’t read the paper.” She looked at the picture on the front. “Hey, it’s me! They must be covering the Negaduck story.”
Launchpad choked and spat out his coffee. “You guys caught Negaduck last night?”
“I caught Negaduck last night.” Gosalyn said proudly. Drake ignored her and tapped his finger on the headline.
“Quiverwing No 1 Hero!” Gosalyn read. “Quiverwing Quack last night captured Negaduck single handedly. When asked about her tutor, Darkwing Duck, she changed the subject. Could it be that Darkwing’s thirty-year “crusade against crime” has ended? Darkwing was seen around Quiverwing last night, but had no active hand in any of the accomplishments. It appears Darkwing has turned the status of city vigilante over to his protege. Many think that Darkwing had been around too long anyway, and were large supporters of Quiverwing when she made her debut six months ago. Most of these are, interestingly, males. Well, so long Darkwing Duck, it’s been swell. All hail the Quiverwing Quack, the new protector of St Canard.”
Gosalyn looked up and saw the expression on Drake’s face. “Oh, Dad, I didn’t mean it to happen!”
“I know.” Drake said quietly, staring into space. “But I told you that it was time for me to stop.”
Launchpad looked from face to face. “What’s going on? DW, you aren’t really quitting are you?”
Drake nodded. “I am, LP. You’re Gosalyn’s new sidekick.”
“But you weren’t her sidekick!”
Drake got up and rinsed his coffee cup in the sink, and left without another word.
“I’ll tell you later.” Gosalyn told the confused Launchpad. She rushed after him, and saw him disappear into his room. She ran upstairs and went in.
“Let me ask you something. Were you really my sidekick?” Gosalyn questioned.
“Yes.” Drake mumbled from his closet, where he was trying to find something.
“Why?”
He stuck his head out so he could see her. “Because I knew that I couldn’t do it forever. I just didn’t think it would be so soon. I just hope you’re up to it.” He put his head back in the closet, and continued rummaging. “Why else would I let you drive the Ratcatcher?”
She felt strangely uncomfortable. “Oh Dad, I’m pretty sure I can do it but it’d be more fun with you.”
He closed the cupboard doors, holding something in his hand. “I _know_ you can do it Gos, or I’d stay with you. I think Launchpad will keep the fun quota up for you. Here, this is something that my mother gave me when I first started this job, much to her despair.” He chuckled, and gave her a little four leaf clover charm. “For luck, you know.”
She examined it closely. It was a little silver metal shape of a clover, with a glass bubble in the center. In the glass bubble was a real, tiny four leaf clover. It had a little chain on it, which she assumed Drake had put on so she could wear around her neck. She slipped it on. “Thanks Dad, it’s pretty. I’ll wear it, but not for luck. I make my own luck.” She grinned and kissed him on the beak. Drake watched her run out of the room. He wished with all his heart that he could still be Darkwing Duck, but he would have just gotten in the way, like Gosalyn used to. He realized what he was thinking. Gee, a change from last night. Last night he hadn’t wanted to see another cape or mask ever again. He had the fickleness of a teenager! Too bad he didn’t have the body to go with it.
Months later Drake watched the TV proudly as Quiverwing was shown delivering an assortment of thugs and punks to the police. Boy, she was good. He could feel his ego puffing with the thought that he had trained her. He laughed as he saw Launchpad waving at the camera from the Ratcatcher. He started to wave back, then caught himself. “Oh, what the heck.” he shrugged and waved happily.
He always waited up for them. He didn’t feel comfortable sleeping when he knew they were out there. He couldn’t figure out how Gosalyn had done it.
He’d gotten a job at SHUSH. Apparently they didn’t mind “older bodies”. They still had Gryzlikoff, for example. Too bad he had J. Gander’s old spot. Working under Gryz wasn’t Darkwing’s favorite pastime but hey, they never had this much money coming before! And Drake could show off in front of Gryzlikoff, because Gryz had let himself get fatter and fatter, while Drake was still able to do fieldwork. Not as Darkwing, though. Drake Mallard, International Spy. Had a certain ring to it, Drake always thought.
Story Copyright Rachel Baker ‘98. All characters copyright Disney, and used without permission.
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