by: Laserbeak
Disclaimer: The Macawber Family, Darkwing Duck, Megavolt, etc. are property of Disney. But Mayhem Sybil Macawber and her pets are alllllll mine!!! MWAHAHA!!!!
“And furthermore, Young Lady, even if you don’t care for the Archduke’s son, their family has been very close to ours for over five milleniums and I expect you to be courteous! The very idea…putting garlic on the poor fellow’s food...you KNOW how vampires react to that….”
Mayhem rolled her topaz tinted eyes as her father paced back and forth in front of the gothic ebony couch she was currently lounging on, repeating his speech for perhaps the millionth time. Her gaze slowly drifted to the window and the full moon hanging like a silver Christmas ornament in the velvet sky, calling out to her, drawing her into its promising magic.
“Mayhem Sybil Macawber, are you listening to me?!” The older were-duck suddenly demanded, pausing and crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at his only daughter.
She jerked back to attention, smiling sweetly in her most innocent manner, staring up at him with those beguiling eyes and replied in her most humble tone. “Yes, Father.”
Malice Macawber sighed, the anger slowly draining from his face. How could he stay mad at her when she looked at him that way, so much like her mother? His voice grew gentle. "Dearest, you know I hate to scold you but really…it’s time you put away these childish inhibitions and dreams and set your sights on finding a nice immortal to settle down with and raise a family of little monsters...URF!” He stumbled as a blurred bundle of white fur streaked between his feet and leapt into Mayhem’s lap.
The young were-duck cooed to the white mouse as it curled in her lap, its chibic-blue eyes wide and so adorable it would have made almost any monster flinch. It did just that to her father.
“This is precisely what I mean! Really, darling, why must you insist on keeping such a repulsively..” he barely choked out the world, "CUTE creature? Why couldn’t you have a nice bat or a creepy little spider like your Cousin Morgana?”
“Oh, Father! You’re hurting Dusky’s feelings!” She scratched the furry little mammal behind its absurdly large ears and it made a soft trilling sound. “And speaking of Cousin Morgana, at least Uncle Maloculo allows her to date Normals! I mean, what if the one I’m supposed to be with isn’t a monster at all???”
“Which I don’t argue with, as you well know…” he trailed off at the puppy look on her face. Her large golden eyes welled with tears and her button lip trembled. And his resolve wavered. The very idea of his daughter with a Normal…he shuddered at it. But surely there was a way around that...some way he could salvage the family name AND appease his only child.
He was silent for a moment, and then his eyes slit and looked almost diabolical. He took her hand and pressed it between his. "Dearest, you know I could never deny you anything…but this is asking a great deal, so let us make a bargain. If you journey into the world of the Mortals and can find one who catches your eye before a week has passed, then I will relent and allow you to choose him. If NOT, you must abide by my choice of a proper young Immortal. Do we have a deal?”
Her eyes lit up and she nodded. Malice smiled, knowing his daughter too well. She wasn’t really spoiled…but she was a rather picky girl. There was almost no chance that she would find a mortal that she could even stand, much less care for in that way! He couldn’t lose…
* * *
Dusky peeked out from under Mayhem’s trench coat as the young duck walked down one of St. Canard’s main streets. She didn’t know exactly why she’d chosen to look here, but if it worked for Morgana, who knew? Although she’d truthfully never been that close to her cousin or liked her Normal boyfriend. He was rather off even for Mortal!
It was still night and would be for a few more hours…now she supposed she just had to find a place to rest for the day.
She glanced around and noticed a hardware store that looked to be closed but the lights in it were sparking off and on for some reason… She crossed the nearly deserted street to the shop and tried the door. It was open and she slipped inside and walked toward the back.
* * *
Megavolt tucked his “newly liberated light bulb brothers” in the pack at his side, crooning to them as he retrieved the last one in the store. “Soon, My Little Friends, you’ll be able to run free and frolic with all the wild light bulbs as you were meant to!”
He froze as a sound caught his attention. Approaching footsteps. He grabbed for his electro-gun and whirled, “You won’t foil my plans this time Darkwin…” the rat’s voice trailed off at the sight of the female duck looking at him with her head cocked to one side curiously. At least… he THOUGHT she was a duck…Canine ears spouted from the midst of her thick black hair, which had violet and lavender highlights in it. Her eyes were different too…wild looking with golden irises. His gaze wondered down to the figure outlined in the almost form-fitting coat. Nature had been generous. Not grotesquely so, but generous enough. Well proportioned, too. The hit of a wolf-like tail protrudes from the coat and he could clearly see her hands were paws despite the gloves she’d attempted to mask them with. Her feet were the same way. He gulped loudly. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
She blinked, studying the odd-looking rodent in his yellow jumpsuit, pronged hat and goggles. “Who are you?” she asked at last. Her voice was soft, almost melodic, and for a moment Megavolt’s notoriously bad memory threatened to betray him.
“uh..I’m..uh..Dimbulb..no, that’s not it….Megawatt…close but that’s not right..uh, give me a second..don’t give me any hints!!” His eyes squeezed shut and he paced around for a moment, slapping his head. He was getting so frustrated by now veins were standing out on his head. “What is it, what is it...ohhhh...MEGAVOLT! That’s it, yah!”
She laughed softly. "You’re funny...I like you.”
He blinked. He couldn’t recall anyone saying that up to even before high school…but then again he couldn’t remember what he’d had for lunch that afternoon. “You…you do?”
“I just said I did, Silly. My name is Mayhem. What are you doing in here? This store looks like it’s been closed for hours...do you work here?”
He was about to reply with smoke exploded in the front room and a voice rang out, “I am the Terror that Flaps in the Night!!! I am the power man who’s shutting your electricity off! I am…DARKWING DUCK!!!”
“Soon to be Dark-Roasted Duck!” Megavolt shrieked, firing at the vigilante with his electro-gun, but the hero darted out of the way, then flung himself forward, throwing the villain back with a double-footed web kick to the chest. Megavolt stumbled, dropping his weapon. "That wasn’t fair..”
A frown creased Mayhem’s face. "That wasn’t very nice either. Get him, Dusky!” Like a flash the little white mouse scurried down his mistress’s leg and sunk his teeth into Darkwing’s unprotected feathered fanny. A comical look of shock and pain came over the crime-fighter’s face as his eyes widened to the size of baseballs and he yelped, grabbing at his rear-end and dancing around, trying to dislodge the small attacker.
Megavolt blinked, also surprised, then looked at his new ally. “Um…thanks.” He grabbed his sack of lightbulbs and gestured for her to follow. “We better get out of here before the cops arrive!”
Sprinting after him, Mayhem whistled and Dusky let go of a still dancing Darkwing and scurried out after her. The duck raced into the bathroom in the back, filled the sink up and dowsed his tail-end in it with a deep sigh of relief. He stiffened as he heard the sound of tires burning rubber as the criminals streaked away in Megavolt’s car and sighed, “You just can’t win them all…”
* * *
Mayhem stared in fascination at Megavolt’s collection inside his lighthouse hideaway. She’d never imagined there could be so many different kinds of light bulbs! All colors, shapes, and sizes! She ran her hand over a light bulb that was almost as big as her head while Megavolt watched in rather dreamy, dazed approval from nearby. “You..saved all of these?”
“Huh? He blinked, started back to the present, “Oh, yah! Isn’t it just sickening to think of how many oppressed light bulbs there are out there? Being used and used for months of service without any favor in return and then when they burn out they’re unceremoniously tossed in the trash as if their lives of torturous assistance meant nothing! I’ve created a haven from that here…they’re my family.”
She picked up a purple tinted bulb, turning it over tenderly in her hands. "That’s really noble of you.”
Noble??? No one had ever said that before! “Most people think it means I’m nuts..”
“I don’t. My family never uses light bulbs. We don’t like light…when we need it we use dim candles.”
Wow. Finally someone who understood. "S..so where are you staying?” his heart was hammering in his chest.
“I don’t have a place yet…I need somewhere to sleep during the day for a week. That’s how long I’m staying her.”
Only a week? He fought his disappointment down. “Do…you want to stay with me?” He was certain she wouldn’t and at the glance she gave him he added quickly, ”I’d sleep on the couch, I mean! You could have my room.”
She smiled a bit. "I’d like that...but I’ll take the couch. This is your home. I don’t want to impose.”
He perked up. She’d actually stay?? COOL!! “Deal!!”
* * *
Megavolt sat tinkering with one of his inventions the next sunset as he waited for his guest to wake up. He thought it was a little eerie that she wasn’t active at ALL during the day, but to each his or her own, right?
He tightened a screw on the gadget, the scratched his head. Something was missing. “Where’s that pulsator circuit…” Something moved across the table and he jumped. Dusky pushed the piece of circuitry into his hand, whiskers twitching. “Uh...thanks again.” He stared at the mouse. It wasn’t an average mouse, that was for sure…it was the size of a kitten and had an almost chibi look to it, complete with the big-blue-Tweety-Bird-eyes, the large ears, and the big feet. Almost too cute.
Mayhem stirred, then got up, folding the electric blanket he’d given her up on the couch then, stretched and yawned a little, smiling at him. “Whatcha up to?”
“Something for my boss…another doomsday weapon,” He sounded slightly bored with the task, as if he’d done it a lot before.
She blinked, then turned and stepped out onto the balcony-like structure that rimmed around the light house, gazing out at the first star as it emerged. Already five days had passed and while she’d been out and about mingling with the Mortals, talking to a few now and then, she had yet to find one that piqued her interest. On the other hand, she and Megavolt had gotten to be rather close friends, but a friend wasn’t what she really needed…she needed a boyfriend. She sighed and blew a strand of hair out of her face.
Just then there was a small explosion behind her and Dusky climbed up her back, burying himself down the neck of her shirt. She rushed in, waving her hands to make the smoke disperse faster, coughing. “Megavolt???”
Someone wheezed nearby and a hand brushed hers, then caught a hold of it, drawing her closer to try and find something familiar in the confusion. “I’m here…where are you?” Suddenly her beak bumped something and as the smoke faded she found herself staring into two started eyes behind a pair of blue goggles. They were nose to nose. Both of them blushed intensely but neither moved.
Finally in unison they both broke their gazes away, clearing their respective throats, neither looking at the other as they began to babble.
“You okay?”
“Uh...yeah…just a bit singed…actually it cleared my sinuses.”
She coughed politely to stifle a giggle, then looked at the remains of his experiment. “Why were you building that awful thing anyway?”
“Well…it’s my job. I told you about the Fearsome Five before, right?” he asked. She nodded. “Well…I’m the only one who can create that sort of thing..Quackerjack just builds toys and Bushroot is a botanist so this assignment was up to me…Negaduck isn’t going to like it when I tell him I don’t have the parts now…” He grew very pale.
“Will..he be mad?” She was concerned now.
“In two words..OH YEAH….”
* * *
Mayhem crept along the edge of the warehouse. It was her second to last night there. Still no luck in her search but currently that wasn’t her top priority. Megavolt had spent the entire rest of the other day trying his hardest to repair the thing he’d accidentally blown up. And from the dark circles under his eyes tonight before he left for this Fearsome Five meeting, he hadn’t had much success either.
She hadn’t ask to go with him when he left, as she assumed one didn’t just take anyone with them to the meeting of a gang of the most wanted criminals in the world…still, it had been egging at her that he might need her help. So as soon as his car pulled away she followed, tracking him on foot with her keen canine sense of smell. And ended up at this old condemned warehouse.
It was a full moon. Something in her stirred and she had the urge to howl. The wolf inside wanted out. She ignored it for now. Her danger senses tingled as she crept closer to a rusted opening in a wall just big enough for her to squeeze through and she slowly slipped her head inside, taking in the odd scene before her.
The Fearsome Five looked more like the Freaky Five to her. But then she was used to dealing with oddities. She was a Macawber after all, and after you saw cousin Globby trying to burp the Alphabet Song, nothing really struck you as odd.
The group was made up of a rather jittery but strangely cute green duck with purple blossoms for hair, a snickering jester duck in a red and blue harlequin suit, and a dog that appeared to be made completely out of water. And Megavolt, of course, who was cowering on the floor with his hands over his head as he lay in the shadow of a short duck dressed in a yellow suit, black cape and red fedora. The duck in question had his back to his intended victim, but the sound of his cold, raspy voice alone was enough to chill Mayhem’s black blood.
“You..Knobs….all of you. I allow you the honor of working under me..ME. Negaduck. And what do I get in return? Failures! You losers!!! Morons!! Idiots!!" He whirled and kicked Megavolt, pulling a massive chainsaw that was nearly as large as him from the depth of that flowing cape and revving it. “I should kill you all!!!! But for now I think I’ll just use Sparky as an example of what you get when you disappoint Negaduck.”
Mayhem had seen all she needed to. Her anger coursed through her veins and she felt her feathers replaced by black fur. Her beak grew into a slender muzzle and then the change was complete. The wolf’s golden eyes narrowed…strong, quick, powerful. The wolf wasted no time on thought. She burst into the warehouse, nearly knocking a portion of the wall out with the force of her entry. Her lips curled back to show her fangs as she stalked toward the startled Negaduck.
“What the…?!?” He tried to whirl and get the chainsaw in front of him to fend her off, but in one second the wolf was on her haunches, and in another she was in the air. The power tool went spinning away as she pinned the crime lord to the floor, snarling, her teeth inches from his throat. “Help me, you Knobs!!” Negaduck yelped, but the other member of the Five had scattered, screaming in fear. All but Megavolt.
“Mayhem??” He blinked, totally confused, but he knew it was her somehow. Then the sound of sirens in the distance interrupted the confrontation. “C’mon, we gotta go!”
The wolf glared down into Negaduck’s eyes, snorted once, then leapt off him and disappeared out the way it had come in.
* * *
“So...you’re like a real werewolf...er were-duck, huh?”
Mayhem blushed, leaning back on the couch, staring down into her glass of Bloody Mary. “Yeah…basically. Is…that bad?” Her lupine ears drooped slightly.
“Uh…I don’t so,” Megavolt replied a bit nervously, sitting next to her. Dusky had fallen asleep on his lap. The mouse had taken as much of a liking to the super villain as his owner had. “Actually it’s kinda cool.”
She blushed, smiling, and finally brought her gaze up to meet his. “It usually only comes out when I’m in danger…or when someone I care about is.”
He gulped, lost in her smoldering topaz gaze. “You…you really care about me??”
She rested her head on his shoulder in reply and he swallowed hard. Wow. His fingers timidly wove themselves in her hair, sending a slight shock of electricity through her, but she didn’t flinch. Taking courage from this he leaned over a bit and suddenly kissed her. Mayhem stiffened, a little stunned, then her arms slipped around his neck and she found herself kissing him back. A charge ran between them and they jumped, pulling apart, but when they looked down they saw they had at some point subconsciously laced fingers together, holding hands.
Mayhem felt her heart warm. Wasn’t that always the way? Just when you’d given up looking for something you found just what you wanted and it had been under her beak the entire time.
Megavolt blinked, his brain a bit muddled y the kiss, but certainly not in an unpleasant way and he couldn’t seem to get a grin off his face. “So...does this mean we’re like…a couple?”
She smiled. “Well that depends..how do you feel about a trip to Transylvania?”
