//------------------------------// // 210. Negatron Rising. // Story: Baa-Ram-Ewe! // by Darkonshadows //------------------------------// -Equus, Airship Mauled, The Witch’s Fare, Gallus- “So yes, I’m doing fine, what are you really doing here Gilda?” I cuddled Gavin against my chest and while I didn’t know how to be an uncle, I thought I was doing well enough fitting in with the insane family that had vikings, reindeer that can jump in the air a lot, a cursed pirate parrot and a lot of other weird things that are not directly related to the Abyssinians that started all the madness here. “Just what I said, making sure your adoption is going well, also… I had to fight for the right to come here first.” Okay that surprised me a little that Gilda wanted to be here, but I was suspicious as to why. I gave her a look and she smiled sheepishly. “Mostly because the griffon who got the job of your case worker was guaranteed to end up getting free food from the ‘Witch of Good Taste’ Kurilian La Perm.” “Of course, you didn’t come for me at all.” I rolled my eyes and looked away with a huff, Kuril’s food was like a freaking magnet to people who smelled it. Kuril was also very good at cooking even if she tried to keep magic out of the equation, she could practically make a meal from anywhere in the world if she had the ingredients. “I have never met anyone who could get honey roasted sunflower seeds so good that a takeout order is inevitable for any griffon visiting.” No, really couldn’t blame Gilda, the one griffon in Griffonstone turning things around there. Gilda reached out and gentle gripped my shoulder. “Also I am here for you Gallus, whether you believe me or not. Kuril’s food is just a bonus, but can you seriously blame me?” “Not really… now if only I can find some way to get her to let go of me.” I looked over my shoulder and Kuril was cuddling up against my back and nuzzling against me, the crazy cat lady had been on me since I walked in and I was one of her new favorite kittens. “Yeah, good luck with that. I know the people here are insane like in Ponyville, but it looks like you’re happy, healthy and are working towards a good future… also I was a far better choice than Grandpa Gruff and would you rather it have been Gabriella Gums?” That’s actually a pretty good reason for Gilda to be here then, Gabby was far too chatty at times. Gilda could at least read a mood. “Somebody needed to keep Griffonstone’s moral up, even if Grandpa Gruff is not exactly the best choice for it and Gabby isn’t going to be able to do that alone as she’s got deliveries going everywhere. Also I’m still looking into a rooster for myself… but Greta is onboard with being a wing mate. Kind of sad that I couldn’t talk to Rainbow about that, her competitive streak is hot.” “Well congratulations I guess and please don’t mention my teachers being hot. It’s embarrassing to think about.” From what I knew, Greta was one of the nicer griffons in Griffonstone, we continued our meal peacefully. -Saint Canard, Darkwing Duck’s Lair, Dolly- Okay… ow… I knew I was exhausted, but why do I feel like my entire body was made of pins and need-ohh… I’m wrapped in bandages. At least my head, ears and tail were all fine… the rest of me though, yeah, death by a thousand cuts was actually worse than it sounds. Not that those ninja’s could ever take me or Shanty. Looks like we survived… I’m going to be stuck resting aren’t I? Yay. “Oh you’re awake… don’t disturb Shanty. You need to rest, I’ll get you some food in a minute.” Ocellus was at the computer screen. “Before you tap you’re bond with Pom, just know that things in the city are stabilizing, but I have a feeling it’s about to get worse.” I didn’t listen to her, I immediately grasped at the bonds I felt. Dormarch and Pom were okay in general… slightly crispy from some flaming building. “What’s going on?” It wasn’t a second later that I realized that my barks weren’t going to be translated, because both Pom and Dormarch were out there in the city and I was back at Darkwing’s secret lair. At least they were next to one another and in semi-healthy conditions. Pom, as usual, currently feels like a hot mess. It’s kind of hard to be constantly cheerful around her, but I was doing my best to send well wishes to her right now while I was out of commission. “Ugh… how many heroes are left standing Ocellus?” Lena, the magic shadow duck from Duckberg walked in with her sister the nerdy hummingbird. Kind of like my relationship with my step brother Dylan, Lena and I shared a coolness factor and Violet was a big nerd like Dylan. “You mean aside from the ones that aren’t currently tied up with other things entirely? Bentina Beakley has just caught Bianca Beakley for one.” Ocellus answered as I looked about and tried to walk. The bandages were hindering my movements, but I wasn’t about to take them off when they were stained like they were. Must have taken more hits than I thought. “Though her methods for dealing with a mass of insects makes me a shiver a little… she’s currently heading towards the hospital after beating the tar out of her relative.” Understandable considering Ocellus was a shape shifting bug horse thing and she wouldn’t want to be near the old duck after seeing something like that. “It’s weird that her family has a supervillain in it.” Lena sounded surprised about that news. “Good on Grandma Crumpets for the take down without holding back at least.” I carefully made my way over to the screen to get a look at what was going on, I got a look from Smolder as I limped my way into position. Smolder nodded at me when I looked her way, we both understood that being hurt sucked. “I can take your position as mission control.” Offered Violet once she noticed how tired Ocellus look. “You’ve been at these screens all day.” “Thank You!” Ocellus got up from the chair and transformed creating several pops as she turned into a bipedal dragon. “Aside from Beakley and Launchpad as hero assistants, we have Pom, Dormarch, Mr. Maui, Darkwing, Banana Boy and Neptunia. Most of them are currently outside the bakery. As for our allies, TOON Division has taken back most of the city and despite their lesser known members being run ragged, they are being supported by agents of SHUSH in the field. Quiverwing finally went down due to blood loss on the way to the hospital with Gizmo Duck, she’ll be fine if lightheaded for a while and Arrow Assistant is going to be helping Glue Gal and Sneeze Master hold position as many heroes and officers are being treated there.” “Not going to lie, the number of downed heroes is disturbing me quite a bit.” Lena shivered as she looked at a screen of X’s for every hero in the city that was violently incapacitated and just about every other hero was marked as tired, injured, both or worse in the case of Rubber Chicken being labeled critically injured. “Also are those Beagle Boys invading the city on rowboats or are they picking up some of their own here? Hasn’t this city had it bad enough? Though it’s understandable that they’d show up, they were always nasty opportunists.” “Unfortunately Pom’s sneak attack plan failed, she was unable to capture Negaduck off guard and he’s escaped into the city.” Ocellus pointed to the scene with a burning building with Pom and Dormarch laying on the ground behind a scorched stegosaurus biped. “Stegmutt apparently has some kind ability to heal by sleeping, but he’s been knocked out from being hit with a number of explosions. He’ll recover fine, despite being used as a shield for the blast that took out the bakery. We have no idea when he’ll wake up, but it likely won’t be any time soon.” Not many were in decent health as far as the heroes went and even Glue Gal and Sneeze Master were showing signs of complete exhaustion at protecting the hospital, yet they still held it firmly. The number of thugs taken down between them was impressive for sidekicks, not bad for two people who have double detrimental hurricane sneezing and the other touch based stickiness powers. Pom had paced herself pretty well today all things considered and got some rest when she was captured alive and possibly bled for those wolf sheep things. I was still halfway tapping into Pom’s senses and everything was moving slower around her. Whoa… I tried to do something with our bond by helping her pull back and soon Pom’s senses eventually started returning to normal. Was that what it was like for her when she was doing her Dancing Flame thing? No wonder Dormarch was so worried about it, that was really disorienting… far faster than me being in the zone with a full flow-motion going, except that was completely out of control and she was sitting completely still. Ocellus turned to me and smiled, she reached down and carefully scooped me up, I felt my stomach rumble loudly as I did so. I’ve been running around a lot today, mostly avoiding thrown weapons and various pointy implements. “Now come on, let’s get you something to eat you must be starving.” Ocellus carried me into the kitchen. “You don’t mind mushrooms right? I heard dogs could eat them if cooked well enough.” Yeah I could really use a meal. -Smolder- “Are you heading back out there?” I asked Lena as she leaned on the chair and looked over Violet working at the computer and started contacting Darkwing as the new operator in Ocellus’s place. “I’ll think about it, but I’m going to take a break here.” Lena looked at the city. “When push comes to shove, I’ll be on standby for serious emergencies. We don’t exactly have many people left that can go out there.” The screens changed and we saw Negaduck on every screen, Violet looked at them all worriedly with a large frown marring her beak. “It seems he still has the equipment to broadcast to the whole city.” That was kind of obvious Violet. “Citizens of Saint Canard, Heroes, Villains, idiots and everyone else that’s not important.” The figure on the screen said, he was in some kind of parking garage. There was a device sitting there and a large battery device reading full of energy, there was also a vial. “Now you all may be wondering what I’ve been cooking up. A small solution to give me some much needed strength to survive a transformation and the other took all day to charge up its battery. I’m sure Darkwing already knows what this device is, as would anyone who knows the Darkwing Duck show…” -Outside the destroyed bakery, Pom- “We’ll take care of things here.” Skunky Skunk told me, as he and Eddie started looking about to see if there was anything they missed. Well I was right, banana boy went to get help. He brought Darkwing here, but by the time he arrived… well… it was too later for anyone to catch Negaduck. He hadn’t been normal at all to fight. The device we were looking at was on a tripod, with what looked like a stretched out oversized futuristic looking camera on top that might have been made out of a toaster. I could tell it was anything but a camera and there was something ominous about the device and what he said about it being from the fictional Darkwing Duck show Launchpad loved. “Want some pizza?” I diverted my eyes from the fact that Negaduck was on every visible screen in Saint Canard… except on the PET Dormarch was still wearing. Fall-apart came out this way as Officer Skunky Skunk called for reinforcements. Since the rabbit was free, he apparently picked up a large vegetable pizza on the way to showing up here. “When things fall apart, you tend to get hungry fairly fast.” “Uh… sure. Is it a vegetable pizza?” I asked quietly. “Sure is, I know I may not look like that bright, but I know you’re a vegetarian and I always get pizza to share with my friends.” Fall-apart opened the box towards me. I took a slice and started eating, I looked behind me at Stegmutt and the burning bakery and nearby buildings several firefighters were working on putting out, city services were seemingly back in action for the most part. At least the fire department was on the job, but probably only as long as the smuggled weapons weren’t directed their way. I quietly took another slice of pizza and looked to Darkwing Duck who was staring at the device Negaduck pointed out. Darkwing pulled out his communications device. “Hey, Darkwing calling base, can you do me a favor…” As Darkwing talked, I turned to Launchpad who was nursing the orphaned kitten with a bottle of milk. Launchpad was staring at the device with a grim frown. “What is that device?” I asked Launchpad because he was the king of the Darkwing Duck fan club, both show, the person who is now physically Darkwing and the person who used to be Darkwing. He mourned what Jim Starling has become, but he has stated he would continue on trying to live up to the hero that the guy used to be to him. “A tronsplitter…” Launchpad stated while looking fairly pale, even so he still kept the kitten safely supported in his arms. “Where did he get a working tronsplitter?! That’s bad, that’s really, really, bad!” “And what exactly does it do that has Darkwing and you so worried?” It wasn’t good, I knew that much. Even Dormarch looked concerned as he looked into the PET and was reading something off about an episode of the Darkwing Duck show with darting eyes, a glance told me it had references to what the fictional tronsplitter was capable of and if Negaduck had a working real one. “Creator Megavolt… caused… destruction of city hall… oh no…” Dormarch eventually stated. “He can’t be serious, nobody is that deranged right?!” It wasn’t hard to guess that ‘Splatter Phoenix’ made the machine’s existence possible, given Megavolt was one of the four fictional villains that were brought to life and was at the power station. “Can someone explain please? I want to know what we’re dealing with here.” I ate another slice of pizza. Why was I so hungry, didn’t I eat a full meal less than an hour ago?! “I’m with you, I don’t know what that is or what’s going on, but it doesn’t take a genius to understand bad news when they see it.” Neptunia took a slice of pizza for herself and started eating, the mutated fish was tough for her small size and was the least tired hero. With her gills constantly provided water by her backpack keeping her fresh, Neptunia might have far more stamina than the rest of us. Fish didn’t need sleep and just had to rest once in a while to recharge, I wonder how that translated to her mutations? “You’re wondering what’s in the vial, well it’s a compound I derived from my good old friend the hero Rubber Chicken. I’m sure the heroes evacuated him before my bakery base blew up, he might live even after I happily mutilated him. How sad that I can’t watch the life leave his eyes myself if he’s actually dying. This substance will not do much, but when mixed with my device here… well… you’re heroes are about to have a very bad night.” The grin Negaduck had on his beak as he downed the odd substance was disturbing. “Ah that secret temporary strength inducing magical gummi formula SHUSH and FOWL fought over, plus what I took from Rubber Chicken and a mixture of several secret herbs and spices will temporarily make me strong enough so that I can survive long enough to permanently enhance myself when I throw that switch! You think I’m bad now, Dr. Slug will soon be barely a footnote in being evil compared to what I’m doing and most of the heroes in the city are out of commission and there’s very little that can stop me now. For tonight is going to be my night and you’re welcome to come to your doom Darkwing. Not only that, the entire city will be feeling the negativity soon enough too!” “So the tronsplitter at my base is still there, then where did he possibly get that… of course the fake megavolt from the villain maker built it for him!” Darkwing slapped his left fist into his right palm. Same conclusion I came to, but he hadn’t run into Splatter Phoenix personally. “Okay, it’s like this, from what it does in the show it splits things into positive and negative, hit a living being you get good and evil sides based on their personality. In the case of how Negaduck has set up the device… well judging by how he’s set it up, it’s going to super charge himself into something functionally close to a mortal god and if that serum he just drank does what he says it will… he’ll easily survive the process.” Dormarch scrutinized the device carefully as Negaduck got into position to throw the switch. Dormarch turned to look at me shortly after as I took another slice of pizza from Fall-apart, he was scrutinizing my body with a frown before continuing. “Any positive energy Negaduck has in him will likely be stored inside the tronsplitter, if he has any at all to begin with after the accident on the set that made him what he is, we’ll soon have a super villain made of purely negative energy running around.” “What can he do with that negative energy exactly?” I didn’t get an answer and I saw for myself when Negaduck threw the switch. “Adios Saint Canard, prepare to become dystopia of negativity!” He stood in front of the machine and was struck with a beam. He looked to be in an immense amount of pain as his body started to distort and the all the colors on his form started to darken. His whole body was glowing an ominous as it became grey and black, the only color that remained were his red pupils and he had a slight glow of sickly red and yellow that used to be part of his clothing. He started laughing as he hovered off the ground and everyone watched as raw power flowed from one hand to the other. He aimed a hand forward and the camera turn to see a building struck with a blast of energy that toppled a fifteen floor building instantly. “Now all I have to do is connect the device to the antenna and then create a negative tronsplitter wave to encompass the whole city. Now come heroes, just try and stop me... For I am the villain that keys cars in the night, I am the ingrown toenail that festers into cancer, I am the painful plague upon all who live… ” The hovering Negaduck sent a single bolt from a digit and lifted the tronsplitter into the air. “I am Negatron Duck! Everyone else is going to be too busy dealing with all the other things I have left in place that you’ll be hearing about any minute now. Clock’s ticking, come to die or become… Exactly… Like… Me.” The screens all around suddenly blanked out, he was right there was no way we’d evacuate all the civilians in the city in under the given hour. “Yeah, that guy is definitely topping my list for one of the most horrific beings I’ve seen in life.” That was an understatement Dormarch. “Also creating a tron-split wave that would turn everyone in the city into negative versions of their selves, that’s what he’s been working towards all day?!” “We have to stop him!” At least Darkwing wasn’t about to give up, I wasn’t either. While I could escape and leave this city to its fate, I would be forever disappointed in myself if I did after calling Negaduck my enemy. “What do we have to work with?” I asked because I needed to know what we could bring against Negaduck. “You’re looking at it.” Responded Neptunia with her mouth around a slice of pizza as she cradled her trident in her other arm, she waved the half eaten slice at all of us. “Unless you want the police, SHUSH or TOON Division guys in on this. Doubt they’ll survive what Negaduck became and they are already busy with everything else going on, plus the guy just knocked down a build with a single blast.” Something exploded and a building started toppling in the distance, but stopped half way in its collapse. People were likely buried under the rubble. “Not… very comforting.” I said as I looked around. We had some trouble handling Negaduck when he couldn’t fly, but now he had super powers on top of his natural fighting abilities?! Launchpad was frowning, Maui had returned to being himself, Darkwing was looking at us and then at the glowing spot of light in the sky as it flew towards the center of the city. “Right well… hey uh Violet right? Can you have your sister bring me the tronsplitter there when I call for it? We’re going to need it eventually if I’m right, so please stay there and stay safe until then.” Darkwing looked to us and clapped his hands together. “We’ve had a rough day and the end of it is about to get that much rougher. Yeah, Lena stays there until we need her to fly it in. We’ll be going right now!” Darkwing turned to us. “Can I count on all of you to help me bring Negatron Duck down?” Not like we had much of a choice Darkwing. “Do we really have a choice?” My question was met with stares. “Not really, if we’re going to continue saving people. Besides this will affect the waters around Saint Canard so I’m definitely in this too.” Neptunia crossed her arms and huffed. “Again he just took down an entire building with one hit, ONE!” “I’ll always help you D W!” Launchpad said sternly and then returned his attention to the mewling kitten that nuzzled against him as he fell to sleep. “First I have to see to the puppies and this kitten, I’ll find a way to catch up.” “I’m not exactly the greatest of super powered people in the city, but I’m behind you.” Banana Boy said with floating nod. “Your gas gun’s design was derived from my Beetle Blaster right? I might have something for you.” Maui nodded to himself as he checked his weapon. “I also have some supernatural abilities that will protect me, so I can maybe take a direct hit or two from Negatron Duck.” “You can at least make a decision.” I was looking to Dormarch as I nudged him forward. “I'm need to coordinate with Ms. Shuttle, she has the correct chemicals to create a positron burst that will weaken Negatron Duck’s power somewhat, it'll be dangerous to all of you.” We all turned to Darkwing’s vehicle and its sidecar. “Neptunia and Maui go with Darkwing, we’ll be testing how much weight Banana Boy can handle.” Banana Boy lowered and made himself horizontal, Dormarch and I were pretty light so we weren't hopefully too much trouble for him. He got into the air easily. "Let's... Get... Dangerous!" Darkwing shouted.