#bushjack

[moonbeam-dragon]

Thinking about the time I made a plant mpreg fic based on a stupid idea I had and I only published it to annoy my best friend but then a decent amount of people liked it so now I gotta finish it.

[whileurmine]

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i was told by a personal trainer i intend to hire that i can in fact have the body of a lumberjack so this is a high i will riding for a while now

[moonbeam-dragon]

Mourning Dove

Moonrise! So remember how Quackerjack sort of offs himself in the comics? Well I had an idea. AU where the rest of the Fearsome Four learn of it and how they react. This won't be entirely accurate but I haven't read all the comics. So here's my interpretation. Tw: Angst, swearing, mention of su!cide, giving Darkwing Duck a hard time, Megavolt crying, Bushroot crying, blood bending, Liquidator is angry af.

Megavolt sat alone in his cell. To prevent him from making any escape, they'd made a special cell for him. He was the only one to stay in St. Canard now. After the fight involving Taurus Bulba, they'd all been locked away. Quackerjack had been his cellmate for a while before he broke out. He'd promised to come back and release Megavolt, but he didn't have high hopes after months. Bushroot and Liquidator had been moved to remote prisons to keep them from being able to use their powers to escape. Megavolt was kept in the supervillain prison, with a new cell specially made. It was lined with rubber. No electricity. Just an insulated window. Even if he escaped through it, there was nothing but water underneath. But he'd kept his powers. He was laying on his back, letting small sparks fly between his thumb and index fingers. He'd be out soon. Quackerjack wouldn't really leave him here.

It was boring here without the others. All the times they'd been arrested together and thrown here. They'd had separate cells but spent the rest of their time together, in the gardens, and ate together. He hoped Quackerjack would abduct them again soon. He couldn't believe he missed them so much. He'd never used the word "friends" to describe the others. Only Bushroot and Quackerjack said it aloud. But it was true. And Megavolt missed his friends.

There was a dulled tapping sound on the wall of his cell. The bars were wrapped in rubber. There was no metal around the cell, to prevent him from electrifying or magnetizing anything. But he could talk to guards. There was no point eating in the cafeteria without his friends, so he had meals delivered here too. He looked up to see none other than Darkwing Duck standing there. Megavolt sat up, smirking. "Old pal, old enemy. Are you bailing me out or something?" he asked.

Darkwing solemnly shook his head. "Uh, no. I just came to talk to you." He rested a shoulder on the bars, crossing his arms. Megavolt noticed something white, like a piece of paper in his hand. "It's about your old cellmate."

Megavolt's ears perked up at the mention of his friend. He stood and went closer to the bars. "Did he finally get arrested? Is- Is he here?"

Darkwing sighed, shaking his head. "He's not. He's... Something happened during his most recent caper. He launched an attack on the Quackwerks company."

"Of course he did," Megavolt said, shaking his head.

"He turned the corporation into dolls," he explained.

"Yeah, he has an issue with authorities."

Darkwing sighed, biting his lip as he thought of how to explain the next part. "He did. Well he tried to do the same to everyone online the Whiffle Boy game."

Megavolt raised an eyebrow. "That's extreme."

"I stopped it. But... I didn't quite stop him," Darkwing told the rat. He sighed, taking off his hat and running his hand over his head. "I tried to talk him out of anything irrational. But it wasn't enough. He was upset and it didn't go over well."

Megavolt rolled his eyes. "Quackerjack's impossible to talk out of things. Why do you think I robbed a museum dressed as a pumpkin? He can be persuasive when he whines."

The hero groaned, shutting his eyes. "Just listen to me! Quackerjack was found on his ex's doorstep."

"He has an ex?" Megavolt asked.

"He did," the duck answered quickly. "He'd turned himself into a toy on her doorstep. But the ray he used to do it fell and was smashed. We can't really turn him back." Darkwing held the piece of paper he was holding to the bars, letting Megavolt take it. "This was next to him after he'd changed into a doll."

The rat forgot all about Quackerjack having a former lover when he took the paper. Megavolt looked at the note, seeing Quackerjack's handwriting. It wasn't written as a scribble like usual. It was slow, like he had seriously thought about his words. The words were written at the bottom of a fold.

THIS IS THE

BEST I'LL

EVER BE.

-JACKY

Megavolt stared at the note, uncomprehending for a moment. He was hit by shock and denial so fast, he didn't understand the meaning for a minute. Darkwing reached through the bars and slipped back the note. "I'm sorry, Megs."

That confirmed it. Megavolt felt his chest tighten and his eyes got hot. "What?""

I'm sorry. He's gone," Darkwing told him softly. He pulled back from the bars, pocketing the note. "The device he used was broken. The police can't save him."

Megavolt looked up at Darkwing, clenching his teeth. "And where were you when this happened?"

Darkwing looked him in the eye. "I was helping return the victims to normal."

"How?"

"There was a different ray that Quackerjack used on them-"

"Then turn him back with it, too."

"We tried. It worked differently and he-"

"Why didn't you stop him?!" Megavolt screamed, grabbing onto the bars and slamming himself into them. Darkwing had to step a few meters back to keep from being hit by the sparks of rage enveloping the villain. "Why didn't you help him?!"

Darkwing put up his hands. "I tried confronting and talking to him. It didn't work. He got upset with me and-"

"Bullshit!" Megavolt screamed. "Did you even try? Did you even-"

"I did everything I could, okay?!" Darkwing retorted. "That guy needed professional help and I wasn't it. There's only so much I could have done."

Megavolt groaned and teared up. "We all needed professional help. And did we get it? No. We got thrown in prison. At least we used to have each other but because of you, I don't anymore!"

Darkwing pointed a finger at Megavolt. "Don't blame me for splitting you up. Mayor Owlson chose to do that."

"I'm blaming you! I'm blaming you for Quackerjack dying!"

"That wasn't my fault," Darkwing informed him coldly. "I feel guilty enough for how my efforts failed. If I could go fix it-"

"You have his time top. Fix it," Megavolt demanded.Darkwing put his hands up. "I turned it in to S.H.U.S.H. and they dismantled it. They figured it was too dangerous to keep around. Quackerjack nearly unraveled St. Canard history with it."

"You've used it. I was there-"

"I shouldn't have," Darkwing told his enemy. "My best friend nearly lost his life using it."

Megavolt shook his hands on the bars. "And what about MY best friend? He IS dead!"

Darkwing watched and he hyperventilated, backing up. "I can't apologize enough-"

"Then get the fuck away from me!" the rodent shouted, sending a bolt through his fingers that Darkwing barely rolled out of the way of. "Get out! Unless you want me to fry you to a skeleton, just! Get! Out!!"

Darkwing obeyed, running out of the hallway and leaving the premises.

Several minutes passed of Megavolt just being silent and taking it in. His breathing slowed to a stop as the realization hit him again.

Quackerjack was gone.

Megavolt gripped the bars as tight as he could, the rubber absorbing all his energy as he blasted it with lightning. He doubled over, still holding onto them. "NOOO!!" He gasped, bringing his arms back and falling to his knees. He started sobbing, tears flooding his goggles. He tore off the goggles and threw them down so the tears could flow down his face. A burning, tingling sensation hit his face as miniature short-circuits hit the tears. The rat hugged himself, gasping for air and gripping his own arms. "NOO!!"Quackerjack was dead and gone. No more capers with him. No more creative ways to disguise themselves. No more designing machines together.

"Quackerjack..." Megavolt muttered to himself, shaking with a sob. Tears continued to stream down his face.

He remembered when the two had first met. Negaduck had them meet in his warehouse. He'd had his doubts when he first saw the jester. They shook hands as they agreed to cooperate on a task. When he'd static shocked Quackerjack, the other had just laughed it off. That night, as they'd placed the electro-slave device and fought Darkwing Duck, they just clicked. They'd been the two most dangerous criminals ever. They made an electrifying team. They did so much together. Both while working and just hanging out. They'd quickly gone from associates to partners. They were close friends. Best friends. Megavolt didn't care about people. He cared about electronics. He cared about his projects. But Quackerjack? He would've given his life for him. He wished he'd gotten a chance to do just that.

"Why? Quacky... Why?"

Quackerjack was almost too pure for this world. He may have lost his marbles ages ago. But he was happy and sweet. He was friendly and bubbly. The public only saw the vengeful, destructive side of him. And he was all those things. But it was a good thing for Megavolt. They were equally as nuts as the other. That's why they hit it off.

And Quackerjack was gone. Megavolt was left alone in the prison cell. Even if he ever got out, he didn't have his Quacky to return to. He had no idea how to get to Bushroot or Liquidator. His bulbs had likely been confiscated by the police. There were none down here. He was all alone in this world.

He was alone. Megavolt felt his breath return to him in a painful sob. "WHY!?" He hugged himself tightly again, leaning over and sobbing. His sides ached. His face had mild burns from his short-circuiting tears. It wasn't enough. He had so much pain now and no good way to get rid of it. So he just screamed and banged his fists on the rubberized floor. Every volt coming from him was absorbed harmlessly. Harmlessly. He hated being useless and harmless in here.

"AHH!!"

He'd kill the next guard that came to bring him a meal. Just to do something destructive.

Megavolt already missed his playmate.

___

Bushroot supposed this place wasn't awful.He told himself that every time the sun rose. At least he wasn't being starved. He was kept in a cell with a glass door on the outside. Everything else was stone and steel. Solid stone walls and floors. A solid steel door. And a solid glass wall. All of it was thick to ensure he wouldn't escape. He didn't enjoy it. But the guards that brought him water were friendly. He got a large water bottle every morning. It occurred to him that the guards didn't understand how he functioned. He shyly brought up his use for roots to one of the guards. At some point, she had just given him a metal dish to pour it into and left him to his own devices.

He'd forgotten what solitude was like. Even before his mutation, plants were his friends. He wasn't allowed near them anymore. The police station had decided he was too dangerous with flora. His greenhouse was being taken care of by a small organization in the city. His favorite guard, who he'd never gotten the name of, brought him news as often as he could. He just wanted to know that all his friends were well taken care off.

Bushroot was well taken care of, too. He'd been provided with books and other ways to entertain himself. He was never quite bored, except when his mind insisted he should be bored. But that wasn't as often as it could have been. His favorite guard always made sure to keep him from getting too stressed. Many guard let him sit and exist. She tried to keep him living.

He even got news on the criminal activity in St. Canard. Liquidator and Megavolt were still in prison. Megavolt and Quackerjack were the only ones still in the city. But Quackerjack had broken out again, working on some grand experiment. Bushroot was eager to hear how it turned out. He hoped it went well for him. Sure, Bushroot had strayed from villainy recently. He was planning to serve his life sentence and return to his greenhouse to turn over a new leaf.

Until then, he was left out in the desert. It was a solitary prison without many other inmates. He wasn't sure who else was here. He wasn't allowed to know that. He was sure it was just some F.O.W.L. agents. He didn't care. None of his friends were locked away here. It had been decided too risky to allow them to stay in the same prison. That was fair. They had a tendency to collaborate and break out. The first few times, they'd waited for Negaduck to break them out or rescue each other. But they didn't know where each other were, except for Quackerjack and Megavolt.

Bushroot's pondering was interrupted by the creaking of a door. He looked up at the steel door, seeing it opened. "Bushroot?" his favorite guard asked. She stood there, holding it. "You have a guest. May he come in?"

"A guest? This must be my lucky day. Though I don't see any four-leaf clovers growing in here," Bushroot joked with a smile. The guard gave him a solemn, saddened look. That must have been a really bad joke. No plants grew here. The groundskeepers made sure of that. He shook his head. "Forget I said that. Let him in."

The guard gave him another look before stepping out of the room. The door shut behind his visitor. "Hey, Reggie." A short duck in all purple stood there, smiling gently at him.

"Darkwing!" the plant-duck exclaimed, grinning. "Take a seat!" he offered his single bed to his guest, backing over to the window wall. He sat on the floor in the corner to bask in the sunlight. There was lots of it beating down on the sandy land. "What brings you here?"

Darkwing took the seat he was offered and sighed quietly. "What have you heard about St. Canard since you were taken here?" he asked to start.

Bushroot hummed in thought. "A lot of news about my greenhouse. Ammonia Pine's most recent attempt to wipe down the town. Mostly small crimes. And I heard Quackerjack was at it again." He chuckled. "Something having to do with Whiffle Boy again. Is he going to burn down a new store or something?"

Darkwing rubbed the back of his neck. "That's part of why I came to you. He already committed the crime and he did not get away with it," he said. He looked firmly at something outside the window. "You see, he tried turning people at the Quackwerks into stuffed dolls. And then he attempted to attack all the people playing Whiffle Boy online. I managed to prevent the worst of it. But that wasn't the end of it."

Bushroot raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? What did he do?"

Darkwing ducked his head to rub his eyes under the cover of his hat. "I- Well you see he paid a final visit to an ex of his."

"What? Quackerjack was dating someone?" Bushroot interrupted. "Who?"

Darkwing looked up, hands gripping the edge of the bed. "A woman he knew while everyone was working at the Quackwerks company. But that's not-"

"That's great for him. Do you know why it ended?" Bushroot asked, curious what had happened with his dear friend.

Darkwing groaned. "Personal issues. Look, I'm trying to tell you something and it's not easy. Just listen and stop asking questions."

Bushroot shut his beak, taken aback by the tense tone of the hero's voice. He stared at him for a moment. Darkwing took his hand off and wrung it in his hands to fidget. "That turning people into a doll thing I mentioned. Quackerjack had another version of the machine with him. He went to his ex girlfriend's house and turned himself into a doll on her doorstep. The device he used was smashed. And we can't figure out how to turn him back. He... he wrote something and left it by himself." Darkwing pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket and stood to hand it to Bushroot.

The mutant stared at him in utter disbelief. Turned himself into a doll? He couldn't be turned back? Was he hearing all that right? Darkwing's eyes flickered to the paper, and Bushroot realized he'd just been staring at him the whole time. The villain looked down at the note, and the truth, which had been bubbling up, burst.

THIS IS THE

BEST I'LL

EVER BE.

-JACKY

Bushroot stared at the note for several minutes. The writing was legible. That was unexpected. He must have thought it out. "Sweet Gaia..." Bushroot muttered. This was a suicide note. From Quackerjack. Quackerjack-

"He killed himself?" the mutant asked, his words coming out in a sad whisper. It was broken, weak, and helpless.

Darkwing stumbled on his words. "No- Well- I... Not exactly. He just..." Darkwing never bothered to finish that sentence. He trailed off. Quackerjack wasn't quite dead. But he wasn't alive anymore either.

"Why?" Bushroot dropped the note by his feet, his leafy fingers trembling. His chest felt tight and his brain was swirling. "Why would he... What happened?"

Darkwing bent to pick up the note. He stayed knelt by the plant as he pocketed it. "I'm sure when you four united against Quackwerks, you noticed he was off."

Bushroot thought back, tucking his knees to his chest and hugging them. "I knew he was more easily provoked. He was more assertive. I thought it was weird. But he was always functioning with a few screws loose."

Darkwing sighed. "He experienced some things while working and kinda snapped. Between distrust, loneliness, and depression, he had a lot weighing on him."

"What about that girlfriend? What did she do to him?"

"She loved him," Darkwing assured the mutant. "She reached out to me to try and get me to help, okay? She was looking out for him. They broke up because he was struggling to cope. But she never stopped believing in him."

Bushroot felt tears start running down his face. "He- We- We didn't even realize. If we'd known he was, that he would... Megavolt, Liquidator, and I- Oh how did they take it?"

Darkwing sat against the wall and set his hat next to him. "Megavolt didn't take it well. He blamed me for not saving him."

"Why didn't you?" Bushroot spat bitterly. "Huh? How come?"

Darkwing put his hands up gently. "I tried. I tried talking to him. To his inner child or whatever. I don't know that it was so inner," he chuckled dryly. It didn't cheer up the villain. "It didn't go over well. He got mad. There was fighting. I wanted to-"

"Well, you didn't!" Bushroot retorted. "You didn't save him! I don't care if you 'tried!'" Tears ran down his face. He wiped them violently, rubbing at his face with unnecessary force. He sniffed loudly and turned his face to look out the window. "Maybe if you'd sent him to a mental hospital instead of arresting him, he'd be alive and well."

Darkwing groaned. "I don't need two of you blaming me for this."

"I'm not going to blame Tuskernini or something," Bushroot snipped. "When you tell Liquidator, you'll be lucky if you don't get a custom ass-kicking."

The short hero grabbed his hat and put it back on his head. "Trust me. I'm not looking forward to it. But I swore to tell each of you personally. It just seems wrong letting you find out through a literal grape vine."

"At least a grape vine has more empathy than you!" Bushroot shouted, standing up. He leaned against the wall. "Leave me alone! Just leave-"

"I have plenty of empathy, thank you very much," Darkwing said, standing with him. But he didn't nearly match the plant's height. "Look, Reggie. I'm sorry for your lo-"

Darkwing was slammed against the stone wall by a strong vine. The wind was knocked out of him. He fell on his hands and knees, trying to force his breath to work again. He was picked up by the throat, making this worse. He could feel the vines burning his skin and rubbing away feathers. "Don't call me Reggie! Never call me Reggie again!" Tears streamed down his face. "My friends get to call me that. That means Liquidator, Megavolt, and Quackerjack. NOT a pathetic excuse for a hero who couldn't save one person from himself!" He tightened his vine on Darkwing's neck. "You're no hero! One of my only friends is GONE because you couldn't save him! I had friends. Human friends. Good ones. And because of you, one of them is gone."

"Bushroot!" a female voice shouted. "Leaves off Darkwing and on the floor!"

Bushroot recognized his favorite guard and withdrew his appendages. He dropped to his knees obediently and held his hands behind his head. He didn't want to have to hurt his only companion out here. His companions were hurt as it was. Darkwing was pulled out of the cell, the guard asking questions about his condition. Bushroot heard as Darkwing started gasping again, muttering an assurance. The steel door slammed shut and Bushroot turned to look. The guard was locking him up. He couldn't even feel guilty for assaulting the hero. He deserved it.

As he heard the two leave the section, Bushroot broke down.

No more being pestered by that jester. No more getting his plants trampled by toys. No more zany laughter. No more animated antics. No more Fearsome Four. No more Quackerjack.

"Quackerjack..." Bushroot whispered the name like it was sacred. It was sacred to him. The mutant leaned against the window again and slid down it. He felt his heart twist. "NO!" He held his head in his hands, trying to block out the pain. Why couldn't it come on more slowly?? "I'M SORRY!" If only he would have noticed the signs. If only he would have helped him. If only he could have stopped him. If only he could have hugged him goodbye. The plant-duck dipped his head and whispered, "I'm so sorry!" Reggie just curled up in a shaft of sunlight and sobbed for his fallen playmate.

___

Liquidator knew he must be in a desert. There was no water around most of the time. Therefore, it would be harder for him to use his powers against his captors should he escape. But his cell was waterproof. No holes. No bars. The door was sealed glass that could only be opened from the outside. And it was extremely tolerable to temperature. He'd tried boiling and freezing himself to damage it, to no avail. He couldn't slip through the cracks. There was a sealed circle on the front that the guards used to give him food. But it didn't work from his side. Frustrating as it was, the villain appreciated the ingenuity of the patented product. Seeing as he couldn't escape, he was waiting.

Waiting for what? He wasn't sure. Bushroot, Megavolt, or Quackerjack to get him, he supposed. He missed them badly.

Bud Flud wasn't a kind person. He had few friends growing up, and none since he inherited his father's company. But working with the Fearsome Five was different. He'd expected a simple business partnership, with financial benefits and allies. Though they'd never enjoyed Negaduck's company, the others had found some comfort in each other. They were all a little lonely. They all needed support, and they all gave it. Liquidator hadn't been keen on hanging out after capers. It was Quackerjack's idea. He was always the one trying to make the team get along. Liquidator appreciated the effort.

He'd found it hard to empathize with the group. He had less in common with them. He was the one neurotypical friend. The others functioned so differently from him. And over time, he'd developed a strong protectiveness over them. They were kind to him in their own odd ways. And, being the only member that could not die, he felt that he had a duty to keep them safe.

He couldn't do that from here. The Liquidator was useless. And if he could find a way his container was imperfect, he would escape faster than you could say "Liquidator protection, 100% safety guarantee!"

His captors were not friendly. They never spoke to him. They gave him a bit of food every day. He'd eat in silence. Actually, he wasn't entirely certain what he did could be called "eating." He ate food, but it dissolved in his body rather fast. He wasn't even sure he needed to eat. But the food here wasn't awful. So he wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to eat. He knew he differed from Bushroot in that way. He rarely ate. Sometimes, when they were all free, they'd hold up a pizza joint, or steal takeout. Bushroot would eat if the rest of the group was. Liquidator, however, kept eating so regularly, he couldn't tell if he really needed it to survive.

As the canine was lost in his swirling thoughts, he heard a door open at the end of the hall. A few guards entered, escorting someone short down the hall. They stopped in front of his containment cell. Standing there, in front of the sealed door, was none other than-"

Darkwing Duck," Liquidator said. He'd been laying in a plastic tub, his body halfway in puddle form. He rose up, flowing over to the door and raising what would be an eyebrow. "To what do I owe this great displeasure?"

Darkwing sighed, twiddling his thumbs. His voice came through muffled from the thickness of the glass. "News. There's something you should know. I wish I could've told you this in private, but after my last meeting with a supervillain, I couldn't take the risks." He gestured to the guards on either side of him.

Liquidator didn't like the sound of it. A meeting with another supervillain? And it made him paranoid about having bodyguards? Liquidator burst into rude, deep laughter. "How about that? Darkwing Duck is suddenly afraid of a supervillain. One explanation is that he's losing his cool and his touch!"

Darkwing groaned, rubbing a hand down his bill. "Hoo, boy. I'm not in the mood for banter, buddy. This isn't going to be easy for you to hear. I'd rather get it over with."

Liquidator crossed his arms. "You come to my prison cell and refuse to entertain a conversation with me? That sounds like-"

"Please don't be difficult," Darkwing insisted. "You're the sane one. You are perfectly capable of shutting your snout and cooperating." He looked the villain in his bottomless eyes.

The Liquidator had to stop and think. Did he want to seek entertainment in upsetting Darkwing? Or did he want to know what this was about. He noticed how tired Darkwing was. What time was it? How had he gotten here from St. Canard? Why was he worried about security? What did he have to say? Why did he refer to Liquidator as "the sane one?" Did this have to do with the Fearsome Five?

"Hold on. Let me guess," he said jokingly. "You need my assistance to help defeat Negaduck?"

"Liquidator, please-"

"I'm not taking any part in the affairs of heroism in St. Canard," the canine said stubbornly. "I care nothing for you or what you have to say. The Liquidator inquires why he should listen to you after you locked him away from my team." He crossed his arms, a soft sloshing sound as he did so. "I owe you nothing."

"No, you don't," Darkwing said, starting to raise the volume of his voice. "But for pretty much killing you, I owe you something. So let me-"

"Oh, now you apologize for that," Liquidator said with an eye roll. "You should have apologized when you knocked me into a vat of toxic water and melted my body!"

Darkwing's pride overcame him. "Hey, hey, hey! The water was only toxic because you poisoned it!"

"It was supposed to be gross, not poisonous. If you hadn't startled me-"

"If you hadn't been committing a crime in the first- I didn't come here to talk about this!" Darkwing said, gripping his fists and holding them at his sides.

"Your exact words, I believe, were-" He shifted his form to be short and clothed like Darkwing. "'Cases are so much easier when the bad guy offs himself like that!'"

The guards gave weird looks to Darkwing, who pulled his collar and chuckled nervously. "Now, don't go mincing my words-"

"I'm not mincing them. That was a direct quote by Darkwing Duck in 1991," Liquidator mocked. "You enjoyed the thought that I'd personally jumped into the vat to off myself."

Darkwing's eyes widened. "No, I did not-"

"I bet you took credit for the defeat. As if you yourself had forced me to the point of suicide. Like that would be so heroic. Well I have a hot take for you, Darkwing Duck. It's not."

Darkwing groaned, rubbing between his eyes. "That's not what I meant. Would you believe I felt guilty for that and didn't know what else to say?"

"Of course."

Darkwing's face lit up a bit as he looked up. "Really?"

"Ha! No," Liquidator told him with a smirk. "You have no sense of empathy. And therefore, you do not posses the true qualities we're looking for in a superhero. Not to mention your lack of superpowers. Unfortunately-"

"Quackerjack is dead!"

Both of them fell to silence. The guards looked between Darkwing and Liquidator, frowning. Darkwing was breathing heavily, clearly distressed by the topic.

Liquidator felt himself go entirely still. Had he heard Darkwing right? Had he meant that? Quackerjack was dead? As if his throat had gone dry, Liquidator swallowed. "I may need you to repeat your previous statement due to a misunderstanding."

Darkwing took a deep breath. "Quackerjack. He's dead. He- He snapped and when his last caper failed, he... Well he actually..." The hero pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and offered it to the Liquidator. Since he couldn't take it, Liquidator just stared as it was pressed against the glass for him to read.

THIS IS THE

BEST I'LL

EVER BE.

-JACKY

Darkwing's voice wavered as he spoke. "He tried to hurt a lot of people in his last caper. I tried talking him out of it. I tried to calm him down and find a way to help, I did." He teared up. "It backfired horribly. I stopped him from hurting all but one person. He- He turned himself into a doll like he'd intended for..." The hero swallowed and looked up at the other. "I worked with the police department to change him back but it didn't work. He's as good as dead."

Liquidator felt his water run cold. In his horror, he didn't notice his legs frosting over. "So he offed himself?"

Darkwing nodded, withdrawing the note. Liquidator almost reached to grab it, but his hand just pressed against the glass. "Please believe me when I say I'm sorry for your loss. If only I could-"

"Save the pity," Liquidator said coldly. "And leave the premises immediately." He glared at the so-called "hero." Quackerjack was gone and no amount of apologizing would bring him back. The canine was glad he couldn't exactly cry. He refused to let Darkwing see him that way. "Congratulations on defeating another bad guy."

"Don't pull that crap on me," Darkwing said defensively. "I'm not proud of it. Despite what you and the others seem to think."

Liquidator's interest peaked. "Who else have you told this information to?"

"Megavolt and Bushroot-"

"How are you alive after facing them?" Liquidator asked. "Because if I wasn't behind this wall, I'd force my fist down your trachea and give you a patented death by drowning!" He pounded a hand against the glass, a loud thud echoing but no damage being done. His body went from frosting over to starting to boil. "You're a dead duck!"

A guard turned and nudged Darkwing to move out. As the group started leaving, Liquidator slammed his fist on the wall again. "I guarantee your doom once I get out of here, Darkwing!" he shouted. "Mark my words!!"

The door slammed shut and Liquidator only waited a moment before he broke down. "GAH!" He looked down. If he could breathe, he'd be gasping to keep himself together. But instead, he just pounded on the wall uselessly.

Quackerjack was gone. Megavolt and Bushroot must be crushed. Megavolt was the closest to the jester. Bushroot was so attached to him, all of them, really. And he could get so emotional. They were both probably so hurt. Liquidator was hurting, too. He hurt because he knew they were the only three people in the world who cared. Because he knew Darkwing wasn't capable of mourning a villain.

But Quackerjack was no villain to them. He was a teammate. He was a friend. He was company, a source of laughter, and the heart of the team. He always brought them together, up until a few months ago when he reunited them. He freed them from a living hell and they had fun together. Sure, they got arrested soon after, but oh, how Bud had missed the action. He'd missed them all so much. And now he was feeling that longing tenfold. He longed for Quackerjack to lighten the mood but he was gone! He longed to find Bushroot and Megavolt so he could hold them close and keep them safe.

He couldn't keep Quackerjack safe from here. He couldn't keep the others safe. Knowing how wildly unpredictable and unstable they were- Oh god, he had to get to them.

___

Liquidator stood and faced his guard. She was going to shove a tray of food through the sealed hole like normal. But Liquidator had other plans. He focused in on himself and then on her, feeling the movement of blood through her veins. He held his arms out and seized that movement. She cried out in shock and tried to pull her arms back. It didn't work. Liquidator bent his arms and started moving them both up and down. Her arms moved in sync with him.

"Ah!" She struggled against him but it didn't work. "What are you doing?"

Liquidator moved his legs and she walked to the seal of the door. He didn't answer, just struggling to grab onto it with the opposite movements. When he moved right, she moved left. He saw her fingers graze the lock and then reached to his hip. She pulled the keys off her belt and started meticulously using each one on the lock. The fourth one made the padlock click and fall. He dropped the keys and grabbed onto the latch.

"To answer your question," he said quietly. His voice was full of venom. "I am getting the hell out of here, and you shall be my unwilling accomplice."

Silent tears fell down the guards face as she felt her blood controlled by a supervillain. Once she'd undone the latch and swung the door open, he released her. The villain flowed out of the cell, swirling and spraying everywhere. "I apologize for any inconvenience. My intention was not to harm you, but unfortunately you came down to give me my rations while I was not at my best. I wish you well."

With that, he splashed down and out of the hall. The villain found a window and leapt out of it. He was right. He was in a desert. The alarm was raised as he sped from the prison.

Now to return to St. Canard and find the other two.

So that didn't go well on Darkwing's end. Now that the rest of the Fearsome Four know about the tragedy, what will they do? What is Liquidator planning? If you're interested, comment. I might continue this story if people show interest in it. Farewell, best of luck, avoid roasted cabbages, don't eat earwax, and look on the bright side of life! Moonset!

[moonbeam-dragon]

Fearsome Foursome

Moonrise! So I had this dumb idea. This is more of a shitpost but I thought it would be funny. It would be a comic strip but I can't draw. So little drabble it is. The Poly Four. As a fandom, we need to come up with a better ship name for them. Tw: S3xual innuendos, swearing.

The bank alarm was going off as the Fearsome Four ran off, each with a bag or two of loot. They kept in close formation while they escaped, making sure nobody fell behind or got lost. The group was blocked by a cloud of blue smoke in front of them. They slowed to a stop.

"I am the terror that flaps in the night..."

Liquidator splashed to be closer to Bushroot, also putting more distance between himself and his electric companion should a fight break out. Quackerjack and Megavolt jumped close together, getting into a fighting stance.

"I am the family disappointment that doesn't bring anything to the potluck."

Bushroot looked over at Quackerjack, who was looking at him as well with an amused face. They shared a small snicker at the bad line.

"I am... Darkwing Duck!!" The short duck spread his cape in what he must have thought to be a menacing manner. He then whipped out his gas gun and pointed it at the gang. He smirked, already amused by his next line. "Hello, Fearsome Foursome!"

Liquidator rolled his eyes, about to make a comment about how mature that was, when Megavolt spoke up.

"How did you know about that?"

In an instant, all eyes were on the electric rodent. He was staring at Darkwing in genuine confusion. His brain had stalled when he heard the remark, and he'd spat out the first thing that came to his mind.

Darkwing lowered his gun and cocked his head. "Know about wha-" He cut himself off, eyes widening as he realized what Megavolt implied. "Wait what the fu-"

"BAHAHAHAHOOHOO!" Quackerjack dropped his bags and burst out laughing, falling out of his defensive position. He put his hands on his knees and failed to collect himself. "He didn't mean it literally!" he pointed out to his partner.

A zap ran up the rat's spine as he realized, flying off his hat. "Oh-"

"Megavolt!" Bushroot yelled, hiding his face in his leaves. He let the one bag he was holding fall to the ground. His face turned dark green from the chlorophyll flooding his cheeks. Little red flowers sprouted up through his hair, a mixture of marigolds, chrysanthemums, and white peonies. He groaned into his hands, muttering something about his teammate.

If Liquidator could blush, he would have. "Three out of four supervillains agree that that was very embarrassing." He slowly sank down into a puddle so that his face couldn't be seen. The two bags he was holding just sat on top of the water. Quackerjack continued to laugh his ass off, clutching his side and falling to his knees.

"How would that even work?!" Darkwing exclaimed. "One of you is water and one is a vegetable. Can Liquidator and Megavolt even touch?"

"That's not your business," Megavolt said, crossing his arms and glaring.

Darkwing threw his hands up. "Seriously, you're together? How did that happen?"

Bushroot looked up from his hands, glowering. "It's a long story that's none of your business, dammit."

Quackerjack looked up at Darkwing and wiped tears from his eyes. "You- you can at least say you called it, ha!"

Bushroot glared at his partner. "Quackerjack, this isn't funny! What about this is funny?"

"The chrysanthemums in your hair, for one-"

"Shut up," Bushroot warned, pointing a finger at him.

Quakcerjack pulled the strings of his hat in a cross. "That and this must make him feel so alone! Unless that sidekick of yours is-"

"What?!" Darkwing exclaimed. "No! Nonono! Launchpad and I are partners in crime fighting. Nothing more. He's my pilot."

"Uh-huh," Megavolt said, lifting the bag he'd been holding over his shoulder. He was blushing furiously. "I've known you for a decade. And I know you're gayer than a bucket of wings."

Liquidator rose his head, chest, and arms out of the puddle. "Did you just quote The Prom?"

Megavolt nodded. "Yeah."

The masked mallard stuttered. "I am not gay! I have a girlfriend!"

"Is it your sidekick?" Quackerjack asked.

"No!"

Liquidator rose up all the way and flowed over to Megavolt, putting a careful arm around his shoulder. His other hand gestured grandly to the hero. "That, my dears, is a genuine homosexual in denial!"

"I'm not gay!"

"Liar, liar, pants on fire!" Quackerjack teased. He pulled a match out of nowhere and struck it on the street. He threw it at Darkwing and snagged up one of his bags. "Let's go!"

Darkwing's cape caught on fire. He shrieked and tried to take it off to stomp out, only succeeding in tripping himself. The rest of the villains grabbed their bags and ran out of the area, down an alleyway. They came upon an empty parking lot where Megavolt had left his car. They were quick to jump in, dropping the loot on the floor in the back. Megavolt got in the driver's seat and Quackerjack leaped in shotgun. Bushroot wound up behind the jester, Liquidator sitting in his own seat behind the driver's. It was covered in plastic wrap so he didn't short out the whole car. There was a moment of silence from them as Megavolt started the car and began high-tailing it out.

Liquidator looked over at Bushroot, smiling a bit. "Marigolds?"

The plant-duck plucked a couple of the flowers from his hair. They were an annoying trait he'd developed. When feeling extremely emotional, he'd blossom flowers. It was embarrassing, and often a dead giveaway his boyfriends used to read him. "Yeah, what of it?"

Megavolt glanced at him in the mirror, snickering. "What are the white ones? Peonies?"

Bushroot glared, crossing his arms and looking out the window. "Liq, tell Megavolt I'm not going to talk to him after he outed us to Darkwing Duck!"

"It was an accident!"

Bud rolled his eyes at his lovers. "It's not like we're entirely subtle about it. Especially Megavolt and Quackerjack."

Quackerjack looked at him in the rear-view mirror. "We gave him a crisis to even it out. Fair play. Besides, we got away with the loot."

"Yeah, when you set him on fire," Bushroot said bitterly.

Megavolt glanced at his jester. "Isn't that your second account of arson?"

"Second. Third. Fourth. Not sure at this point," the clown admitted.

Bushroot groaned and rubbed the bridge of his beak with his hand. "Sweet Gaia, what is your problem?"

"Us," Liquidator answered smugly.

"They're our problem," Bushroot quipped.

"Come on. You're not gonna stay mad at him, are you Reggie?" Quackerjack asked, turning around to look at the plant-duck.

Bushroot turned so he was looking out the window and not at his boyfriends. He kept his vines crossed in contempt.

Megavolt looked back at him, frowning. "Aw. I'm sorry, my precious orchid."

Megavolt's new nickname for him made Bushroot reconsider his anger. He sighed and turned back a bit to look at them. "Fine. We'll talk about this when we get home."

Quackerjack grinned in satisfaction and turned back to face forward. "Good! Hey, can we get takeout on the way home?"

Liquidator nodded, smiling at the jester. "Of course. That sounds like a lovely idea."

Megavolt made a sudden jerk to the steering wheel, turning a corner to go to a different destination in that case. "Sounds great. Come to think of it, it sounds really good. I might not have eaten today."

"It's almost midnight, babe," Liquidator noted aloud.

"I know. I had some orange juice this morning."

"I guess chow mein or something sounds tasty right now," Bushroot said. It wasn't often he actually ate, being able to photosynthesize. But hey, tasting was still an ability he had. Might as well use it.

That's it. Bad ending. This ended up way longer than it was supposed to. It was supposed to be just Megavolt outing them but hey. Fluff. So I'd rate this as suggestive crack fluff. Farewell, best of luck, avoid roasted cabbages, don't eat earwax, and look on the bright side of life! Moonset!

[moonbeam-dragon]

Monoecious

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Summary: I guess some people wanted to see this.

In the weeks after laying an egg, Bushroot has to come to terms with the fact that he's going to be a father. He also has to learn to to be a good one.

Quackerjack is thrilled to have his own child. But could he actually be a good parent?

Meanwhile, Megavolt and Liquidator don't know what to make of the situation. Or what to tell their boss...

[moonbeam-dragon]

Please Forgive Me

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Summary: Plants are monoceious. They have both male and female organs. Upon realizing this, I decided to dabble in mpreg after so long.Bushroot was born a male. When he mutated, it didn't even occur to him that that might change. But an unexpected pain changes all of that.

[moonbeam-dragon]

Positive Charge Part 1

Moonrise! I had an idea and I had to. I'm starting school so updates will be rocky but I had to. Tw: Megavolt's language.

It wasn't often the police asked him for help. Darkwing knew that to be true. So when the police called him from his patrol to check something out, he was surprised. He was glad, of course. It was about time they started recognizing his competence.

So he parked the Ratcatcher a few blocks from the Italian restaurant downtown. Sure, the police said they were concerned about loitering. Clearly, they expected worse, and trusted only Darkwing Duck with the case!

Sneaking up on the building, he hid behind the brick wall, peering around. Then he heard a voice. "All you need to do is talk to him. Make him laugh, blush, all that corny shit. We'll handle the rest." Darkwing knew that nasally voice anywhere. It had been bugging him for the last ten years.

"Thanks again for doing this, Sparky!" another voice said. "I owe ya one!"

"Quit calling me that and we'll call it even," Megavolt said.

Darkwing pulled out his gas gun, getting ready to attack. He heard a splashing noise nearby and spun around to look for the source. He heard a bubbly voice. "Coming to you from-"

"Don't do that!" Megavolt said, the sounds of zapping accompanying it. "I almost electrocuted you!"

Darkwing turned back to the wall, peering over. He saw the patio of outdoor tables that the restaurant used. One of the tables had a purple table cloth over it, patches with leaves and petals sewn on. Megavolt was around the corner, messing with the power box. Quackerjack was next to him, pulling the ends of his hat and twisting them around his fingers. Liquidator was on the other wall, grinning sheepishly.

"I apologize for any inconvenience," Liquidator said, sliding a bit closer. "I'm here to inform you that our plan is underway."

Megavolt huffed and zapped something. The stringed lights came on all around, giving the night air a more gorgeous look. "Good. We'd better get out of here before he gets here."

"Too bad," Darkwing muttered. "I'm already here." He shot off his gas gun and blue smoke puffed in front of him. "I am the terror that flaps in the night!" He said, jumping into it.

"Oh no, not now!" Quackerjack whined, stomping his foot. Megavolt snarled, one hand sparking in his irriration.

"I am the pineapple on your pizza. I am-"

"What do you have against pineapple on pizza?" Megavolt asked suddenly, just as Darkwing's smoke cleared.

The hero had had his cape held to dramatically flip, but dropped it. "I- You didn't- That's not the point!" Darkwing shouted. He held his gas gun up at the group. "Suck gas evil-" he was suddenly knocked backwards pretty roughly, seeing Quackerjack on top of him.

"No, no, no! You'll ruin my whole night!" the jester pouted, shaking Darkwing's shoulders. "Why do you have to be such a spoilsport!?"

Megavolt ran over, pulling the two apart. "Not happening, Dorkwing!" He grabbed the hero by the front of his costume and threw him over the wall.

"Megs!" Quackerjack said, going over. "I can-"

"No, not happening! I spent too much time helping you set this crap up for you to waste your time on this guy!" Megavolt insisted. "You stay here. I'll handle it."

As Darkwing got up, he saw Megavolt climb over the wall and was shoved down again. "Hey, what are you-"

"Shut the hell up!" Megavolt said running away from the restaurant and into the street. He held up the gas gun victoriously.

"You can't fight me while I'm unarmed!" Darkwing pouted.

Megavolt flipped the weapon in his hand, cackling. "Why don't you come get it, then?"

Darkwing growled, getting up and running after the rat. Honestly, he'd thought Megavolt was better than this! But without his gun, he couldn't very well take on the rest of the Fearsome Five.

When they were about a block away, Megavolt turned and threw the gun back. "You've got really bad timing, you know that?" he said.

Darkwing caught his gun and looked up at the other in confusion. "I have a great concept of time and how to use it, thank you very much!"

Megavolt rolled his eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night. A minute later and you would have fucked up everything!"

"On the contrary, Megavolt, I still have the chance to do something about it," the hero explained, shooting a canister of gas at the other.

Megavolt jumped out of the way and zapped it so it went off in mid-air. "Not if I have anything to say about it." He sent a bolt at the duck, forcing the other to roll away. The pair shared several minutes of back-and-forth squabbling.. Megavolt got annoyed with the lack of banter and decoded to pick it back up.. "You know, it costs you zero dollars to stay out of our personal business!"

"If it's a crime, it's my personal business, too," Darkwing told him, shooting a canister of water at the villain.

Megavolt leaped to the side, the liquid splattering nearby and getting his foot. "Ouch! This isn't a crime!" Megavolt told him.

"You're loitering and disturbing the peace!" Dakrwing said, pointing a finger at him.

"No peace was being disturbed until you got involved," Megavolt said. "But nosy-no-good-do-gooder Darkwing Duck had to come in. Do you know how long we've spent setting up this date?!"

Darkwing stopped where he was, staring at the other. "Date??"

Megavolt slammed a gloved hand over his mouth. "Shit. Forget I said-"

"I gotta see this!" Darkwing said, running back down the street to the restaurant. He got back to the wall and peeked over. What he saw surprised him. At the table that had been decorated, at the center of all the lights, were Quackerjack and Bushroot, having dinner. His jaw dropped. They were trespassing on private property and screwing with the security system for a date? Megavolt came up behind him suddenly, hushing him. "Since when did this happen?" Darkwing whisper-yelled, hands motioning wildly at the pair.

"Hell if I know. A while, probably?" Megavolt whispered, scratching his head. "I think Quacky said this was the first real date they've been on. So don't try and mess it up!"

Darkwing shook his head half-heartedly. "No way. So what else? Are you and Liquidator a thing, too?"

Megavolt felt a few sparks fly at his agitation. "What? No. Not my type in more ways than one," he explained.

"Oh, are you straight?" Darkwing asked, honestly curious at this point. He had gotten so wrapped up in fighting these guys, he often forgot that they also had lives behind the scenes.

Megavolt snorted, shaking his head. "Not at all! It's the electricity and water thing. And he's just too sane for my tastes."

"Did you hear something?" Bushroot's voice suddenly asked. "Behind the wall?"

"What? Come on, Reggie," Quackerjack said with a nervous laugh. "I'm supposed to be the one who hears voices."

"That he is, Liz!" Banana Brain added.

Megavolt covered his mouth and made a hand notion for Darkwing to go somewhere. Making the deduction that the group wasn't up to anything sinister and that he was close enough to interfere should they decide to try it, Darkwing followed his nemesis to the street and just walk around.

"What were we talking about?" Megavolt asked.

"So Quackerjack and Bushroot, huh? Never would have expected that," Darkwing said, trying to pick back up what they were saying before.

"Oh, yeah. Neither did I. Liqqy and I had a running bet. He won," Megavolt told him with a grimace.

"So do you have a secret relationship?" Darkwing asked, amused at the idea.

"Ha! Bold of you to assume I could be in one," Megavolt joked. Then he put a hand over his chin in thought. "Although remember something like that back in my school days." Darkwing thought back. Old Elmo Sputterspark back in high school. How would he have gotten a date? It seemed more likely now than back then. "I honestly don't know if we dated or I just liked him. I don't even remember much about him." Darkwing raised an eyebrow, staring up at the other. "I remember his name, I think. Dave- No, Drew- No, Drake! His last name was probably something like Malcolm- Mallard! Yeah, Drake Mallard, that was his name!"

Darkwing's eyes widened. He wasn't hearing this correctly. He had to have the wrong name. But, maybe some careful interrogation could help. "Do you remember what he was like?"

"A fuckin' dweeb," Megavolt said without missing a beat. He snickered. "There was nothing cool about him. He was nerdy, annoying, and short. And he got bullied as much as me." Megavolt sighed. "Maybe I'm forgetting something. But something about him was special."

Darkwing sighed. Yeah, he had the right guy. And he hated to admit it. So Megavolt had been in love with him. So what? That was a decade ago! And he didn't even remember who Darkwing was.

___

He's excused himself and left the date alone. He had a lot more to think about. His arch nemesis was in love with him once. He couldn't get him off his mind. So here he sat, in the middle of the night, on the couch, leaning over his senior yearbook. He stared at the photo of Elmo, with the faint goggles and hat Gosalyn had drawn on. It had been a huge shock finding out who his long adversary truly was. It was almost as huge to find out that there could have been something between them before he went mad.

Maybe he wouldn't have gone mad if he'd been shown empathy. Maybe he would have put his powers to good if he'd been supported more. Maybe he wouldn't be a villain if he'd been shown some love. Maybe if they'd gotten closer, they could have become heroes together.

Drake sat up sharply, suddenly wide awake. That gave him an idea...

Uh-oh. Darkwing has an idea. How will this pan out? Farwell, best of luck, avoid roasted cabbage, don’t eat earwax, and look on the bright side of life! Moonset!

[moonbeam-dragon]

Positive Charge Part 12

Moonrise! Hey, folks, I'm finally back. Sorry for the wait. School has been crazy. Let's dive into this. Tw: Angst, sad Megavolt, breakdown, swearing.

Megavolt was usually late, but he was never so late that he missed the meeting entirely. Negaduck was understandably furious about it. He'd threatened to take a power washer down to the rat, but the rest of the villains insisted on getting there first. They walked through the dark streets, glad that nobody was out and about to see them.

"Megsy has been acting so weird, lately! He's usually pretty distracted but this takes it to a whole new level!" Quackerjack ranted. "I mean, I know distracted, believe me! But he's borderline negligent. And it's not fun having to drag him around."

Liquidator nodded. "Four out of five supervillains whole-heartedly agree with the sentiment," he said. "But if something is going on with our companion, then we'll get to the bottom of it!"

"Bud, keep your voice down," Bushroot complained. "We don't want anyone hearing us!"

"On this side of town? Pa-lease!" Quackerjack mused. "Nobody living here cares what happens as long as they're not the ones getting mugged."

Bushroot looked around uncertainly. "Then it would be rude to disturb them. Let's just get to Megavolt's place." He had to be there. He hadn't been at the light house. It looked like he actually hadn't been there for a while. They could only hope he was at his other known hideout.

And he must have been. One of the apartment's windows was flashing every few seconds. There would be a sudden bright blue flash and then darkness. As the trio got nearer, they saw a wrench slam into the window. That resulted in a loud cracking noise. Liquidator, Quackerjack, and Bushroot looked at each other. Then there was a shattering sound and the window gave way, a screwdriver falling out. The metal tool sparked for a moment, and they heard an angry scream from the window.

The three villains exchanged a worried look before running to the door. Quackerjack slammed it open, startling an old man at the desk. "Coming through!" the harlequin called out, leaping over and heading for the stairs.

"Terribly sorry about him," Bushroot said as he walked through, giving a sheepish smile to the landlord.

Liquidator splashed right past. "Don't mind us, good sir!"

The landlord watched after them, frowning. He then sighed, leaning back in his chair. If they weren't mugging him, it wasn't his problem.

The group ran up the stairs to find Megavolt's apartment, which wasn't hard. They could hear zaps and shouts coming from one door.

Quackerjack took the lead, going over to open the door. As he pushed it open, a panicked Megavolt turned and shot a bolt at him, hitting him dead on. Quackerjack stiffened with the blow, but quickly regained his senses. "Hey, watch where you're shooting that stuff!"

Bushroot put a hand on Quackerjack's shoulder, looking over his face for signs of more discomfort. He didn't seem hurt, so that was good. "Megavolt?"

Said rat was standing in the center of his living room, surrounded by singe marks. Behind him, a chair and a couch were broken. He was in his civilian outfit, which was ruffled and wrinkly.

Okay. This was weird, even for Megavolt.

"Ugh. What are you doing here?" Megavolt asked, his voice hoarse. He turned his back to the others, hoping to hide his puffy eyes.

"We came here on a concern about you. You were absent from today's scheming," Liquidator explained, rising a hit to be seen above Quackerjack. "And clearly our concerns were valid."

"I have no clue what you're talking about," Megavolt said, crossing his arms. "I'm fine."

Bushroot looked around at the ruined apartment. "Yeah. Very believable," he said, flicking a leaf at the walls. "Megavolt, what's up? You're usually destructive but this is new."

"Thought I'd do some redecorating," he said, sending a sudden zap at the top of the window.

Quackerjack walked up to him, apparently not afraid of being shocked. "Come on, Megsy! Sure, you've been late, but you've never skipped out on a group play date." He looked the other up and down. He looked awful. His eyes were red and he had dark circles under them. His clothes were messy and now he noticed a stain. His hair was a mess. And the apartment smelled incredibly gross. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice rather subdued.

Megavolt looked at him, eyes soft. Bushroot and Liquidator took the silent moment to come all the way in and shut the door. Megavolt looked at the two of them, then at the door, and he teared up. "Can't a guy get some peace and quiet around here?" he asked, his voice bitter but shakey.

"This looks like many things, Megavolt, but do not be fooled! It is anything but peace and quiet," Liquidator pointed out, gesturing to the marks all over the place.

"Whatever it is, we won't tell Negaduck," Bushroot promised, his smile joking but his tone sincere.

Quackerjack got a little closer, putting a hand on Megavolt's shoulder. "Hey, Megs-" He got an abrupt hig from the sad zap zap rat and instantly returned it, squeezing the shorter. "That's the spirit."

"He lied to me," Megavolt muttered. "He fucking lied to me!" Bushroot and Liquidator exchanged cautious glances, unsure of how to help. "He lied to me and I thought someone loved me."

Bushroot moved forward. "What? That boy you mentioned?" He put a vine around Megavolt's back. "No, what happened?"

Megavolt looked over at him, his hug having gone limp, but Quackerjack's arms still tight around him. "It was all a lie. Everything was based on a damn lie."

Liquidator didn't know what to say. He wasn't empathetic like Bushroot and he didn't know Megavolt as well as Quackerjack did. He looked at the others in confusion and concern.

Quackerjack's eyes went wide with rage. "Oh, he hurt you?" the tall duck asked, his voice suddenly very level. "Do you want me to go have a little talk with him?" he suggested, thinking of some experimental toys he'd been meaning to try out.

Megavolt suddenly shoved away from the pair and put his hands over his mouth, shaking his head vigorously. Tears dripped down his face for a second, not lasting long before it dried in a frizz of sparks.

"Three out of four super villains are deeply concerned," Liquidator said. "Perhaps it would help if you-"

"You can't go talk to him because I killed him!" Megavolt blurted out. The other jumped at the outburst and sudden snap of sparks around him. "We got in an argument and I lashed out and I shocked him. I killed him. So there's no point in going to teach him a lesson."

The other three just stared awkwardly for a moment. Well, that just happened. Megavolt was sobbing over the piece of shit boyfriend he'd killed. Somehow, the others weren't entirely surprised.

"So your kill count has increased by fifty percent," Liquidator said. "Wasn't it worth that on this deceitful dickhead?"

Megavolt had never heard Liquidator swear before. "I guess. But the police will know it was me. The whole place is covered in scorch marks and he's probably got scars to prove it." He looked down. "Just when I thought life could get no lower."

"I guess Darkwing Duck's gonna have to send you to the chair again, huh?" Bushroot joked. The fact that the police thought that would work, and twice, was just comical to them.

Megavolt laughed a bit at the thought. He'd actually thought of that. There was no way he'd be sentenced to the electric chair a third time. Then he was reminded that Darkwing Duck couldn't kill him.

He'd already killed Darkwing Duck.

I'll end it there. There you go. Angst. Part two will be out soon. Sorry, I've been busy with life and stuff. Hopefully I'll finish the series soon! Farewell, best of luck, avoid avoid cabbage, don’t eat earwax, and look on the bright side of life! Moonset!