[100prompts] Six Hands Are Better Than Two - Darkwing Duck
“Hammer?”
“Hammer.”
“Screwdriver?”
“Screwdriver.”
“Detromaxometer?”
Honker looked around frantically among the assorted tools and gadgets. “Uhh…”
Sara Bellum pulled herself out from underneath the large machine. She smiled wide-eyed through her thick glasses at Honker and gave him a wink. “Gotcha.”
Honker blushed. “I knew that.”
“I’m sure you did,” Sara said, sitting up and stretching, happy to hear her spine realign itself, “You’re very smart.”
“Hey, what about me?” demanded a pigtailed redhead who had been focused on the tennis match she was having with the wall. At Sara’s comment, she stopped, and the tennis ball came flying towards the pair of mechanics. It hit the machine, but Sara caught it before it could do any more damage.
“Sorry!” Gosalyn said quickly, mostly out of sheer habit. As she came over, her concern became more sincere. “Did I hurt anyone?”
“Oh no,” said Sara, laughing, “We’re fine. And so are you,” she said, handing Gosalyn the ball, “You’re a very talented athlete.”
Like Honker, Gosalyn felt slightly embarrassed at Sara’s praise. She too blushed. “Aww shucks, I’m not that great.”
“I beg to differ. You’re both quite skilled, just at different things.”
“That’s why we’re friends!” said Gosalyn, grabbing Honker, “I’ve got the moves and he’s got the brains.”
Sara smiled. “It’s a perfect pairing.”
Gosalyn nodded. “That’s like you and my dad too, huh? He’s all brawn, but you’ve got the brains.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. Your father is very smart. He’s intelligent and has an excellent sense of justice.”
“Tell that to my allowance,” muttered Gosalyn as Sara slid back under the machine. She laughed at Gosalyn’s comment and it reverberated up through the machine. Gosalyn and Honker giggled.
“See? The machine agrees with me!” said Gosalyn, rolling the tennis ball in her hands.
“Yes, well, this machine is going to be scrap unless it starts working soon.”
“Maybe it would if its insides weren’t all over the floor,” said Gosalyn, looking at the masses of wires and thick cables that had been pulled out.
“What’s wrong with it anyway?” said Honker as Gosalyn sat amidst the mechanical carnage.
“Chisel, please,” said Sara. Receiving the item, she continued, “Well, according to your dad, the machine is spitting out pieces of toast with hieroglyphics burned into them.”
Gosalyn frowned. “What’s it supposed to do?”
“It is supposed to print out criminal case files. Instead it’s making food.”
Gosalyn brightened as a thought struck her. “Hey! Maybe the wires are getting crossed from Dad’s breakfast obstacle course!”
“That’s the theory.”
Honker handed them to her.
“I think I’ve got it,” Sara groaned, trying to turn something inside the machine. She handed the pliers back to Honker, blindly. “Wire cutters?”
Gosalyn dropped them into her hand and then disappeared inside the machine. “There,” said the machine. After a moment, Sara pulled herself out.
“How is it?” asked Gosalyn.
“Let’s find out. Honker?” said Sara, holding up the power cord, “Would you do the honors?”
Smiling, Honker scrambled over to the outlet, power cord in tow. At a nod of Sara’s head, he plugged it in.
The machine roared to life. The excited cheers and whistles of the mechanics team soon drowned it out. Sara, Gosalyn and Honker all swapped high-fives and Sara began to start tidying up.
“You’ll have to be sure, Gosalyn,” said Sara as she took a pair of pliers from her and placed them in the toolbox, “To tell your father that the next time someone comes up here to fix it, not to attach the two wires together with duct tape. Electrical tape should be used.”
Gosalyn laughed. “Oh, that was probably dad. He never lets anyone come up here.”
Sara stopped and looked at the two children who continued to help tidy up. “Never?”
“Nope,” said Gosalyn, “Mostly it’s just him, me, Honk and Launchpad. I mean, there was the time the Justice Ducks had to come up, and I may or may not have brought a few friends…” she said, winking at Honker at the memory of the fan club, “But no, Dad never invites anyone up here. He always does the work himself.”
Gosalyn smiled up at her with her arms full of collected tools. “He must like you an awful lot to trust you up here. Especially with all these toys!”
Sara smiled and took the tools, admitting that she had been more than excited at the technology that was hidden away in Darkwing’s tower. She was glad to know she wasn’t alone in the temptation to play with all of the gadgets he had. She’d always thought that it was S.H.U.S.H. who was sharing their technology with the masked mallard. Now she considered that it might have always been the other way around.
“Hey, I know!”
Sara looked at Gosalyn, who’s excited squeal had knocked her out of her thoughts. She beamed up at Sara. “Since Dad’s not back yet and we’re done early, maybe we can show you around!”
“What do you mean, we’re done early?”
Darkwing Duck stood in the doorway with Launchpad, dripping wet and wringing out his hat. “From where I’m standing, it looks like Doctor Bellum is doing all of the work.”
“Hey, we helped too! Didn’t we, Sara?”
Sara looked down at the girl and nodded. “Yes, they were a great help, both of them! I can’t imagine how I would have done it by myself.”
“You’re brilliant, Doc. I’m sure you would have found a way. Just like these two,” he said, staring down the two kids, “Are always finding a way out of going to bed. Launchpad?”
Launchpad stepped forward, grinning at the two kids. “I’ve got them.”
Darkwing crossed his arms. “Say goodnight to Doctor Bellum, kids.”
“Aww, but Dad, we were going to show her around!”
“Gosalyn-”
“But it’s not-”
“Goz?”
Sara was surprised at how his voice had suddenly softened. Gosalyn, knowing defeat, rolled her eyes and sighed, but her response was as soft as her dad’s. “Okay,” she finally said, giving in. She turned to the S.H.U.S.H scientist. “Good night, Sara.”
“Good night Sara,” said Honker.
Darkwing cocked an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t that be Doctor Bellum to you two?”
“No no,” said Sara, looking at him, “I insisted, it’s all right.” She returned her gaze to the two kids. “You two have a good night. Get extra sleep for those of us who can’t. And thanks so much for all the help.”
“No problem,” said Gosalyn, who continued saying goodbye to Sara with Honker, until finally Launchpad was forced to pick them up and carry them out. Sara waved as they left.
When she turned back around, Darkwing had disposed of his hat and cape, and was now standing at a large semi-circular console, pushing buttons and turning dials.
Sara packed what little was left scattered on the floor. As she rose and turned to bid goodnight to the crusader, he spoke.
“Thank you, by the way.”
She stopped. “For what?”
He motioned to the machine without turning around, his back to her, “For fixing that.”
She nodded even though he couldn’t see. “You’re welcome.”
There was an admirable pause before the hero broke the silence.
“You know, if you wanted,” said Darkwing, pushing buttons on the console, still not turning, “I could show you around.”
She didn’t get to respond as he turned quickly to face her. His expression had softened visibly. “That is, if you want to. I mean, I don’t have my daughter’s distinct narrative style, but I am able to give better descriptions than ‘that thingamajig that shrinks stuff’.”
She smiled at him. “Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind…”
“Not at all.”
She nodded. “I’d like that very much.”
He smiled in response. “Well then,” he said, motioning towards a machine as they approached, “We’ll start here. This is a thingamajig. It shrinks stuff.”
She laughed. He smiled at her and continued. “Actually it’s a hydrocarbon destabilizer unit. But I have a feeling that it’s going to break soon. It’s been acting up on me for days.”
She smiled. “Well, I’d be happy to fix it if it does.”
“Would you?”
“Sure.”
He smiled thankfully at her. “Excellent,” was all he said.
She had to admit, she was surprised at this side of him, this quieter side that was now modestly showing her his machinery and crime-fighting inventions. She’d never seen this shy side of him. She’d only ever seen him before with a puffed chest whenever he came marching into the S.H.U.S.H. labs to pick up a new gadget. It was now a completely different story when he was showing off his own. It was impossible to see this awkwardness behind all the bluster he gave off all of the time. And it only seemed to come out really when he was in the tower, his own element.
She didn’t mind him so much like this. And if the only way she could see him calm and approachable like this was in the tower, then she’d have to get herself invited back.
She wondered if there was anything she could do to help the machine break down sooner.
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“Hammer.”
“Screwdriver?”
“Screwdriver.”
“Detromaxometer?”
Honker looked around frantically among the assorted tools and gadgets. “Uhh…”
Sara Bellum pulled herself out from underneath the large machine. She smiled wide-eyed through her thick glasses at Honker and gave him a wink. “Gotcha.”
Honker blushed. “I knew that.”
“I’m sure you did,” Sara said, sitting up and stretching, happy to hear her spine realign itself, “You’re very smart.”
“Hey, what about me?” demanded a pigtailed redhead who had been focused on the tennis match she was having with the wall. At Sara’s comment, she stopped, and the tennis ball came flying towards the pair of mechanics. It hit the machine, but Sara caught it before it could do any more damage.
“Sorry!” Gosalyn said quickly, mostly out of sheer habit. As she came over, her concern became more sincere. “Did I hurt anyone?”
“Oh no,” said Sara, laughing, “We’re fine. And so are you,” she said, handing Gosalyn the ball, “You’re a very talented athlete.”
Like Honker, Gosalyn felt slightly embarrassed at Sara’s praise. She too blushed. “Aww shucks, I’m not that great.”
“I beg to differ. You’re both quite skilled, just at different things.”
“That’s why we’re friends!” said Gosalyn, grabbing Honker, “I’ve got the moves and he’s got the brains.”
Sara smiled. “It’s a perfect pairing.”
Gosalyn nodded. “That’s like you and my dad too, huh? He’s all brawn, but you’ve got the brains.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. Your father is very smart. He’s intelligent and has an excellent sense of justice.”
“Tell that to my allowance,” muttered Gosalyn as Sara slid back under the machine. She laughed at Gosalyn’s comment and it reverberated up through the machine. Gosalyn and Honker giggled.
“See? The machine agrees with me!” said Gosalyn, rolling the tennis ball in her hands.
“Yes, well, this machine is going to be scrap unless it starts working soon.”
“Maybe it would if its insides weren’t all over the floor,” said Gosalyn, looking at the masses of wires and thick cables that had been pulled out.
“What’s wrong with it anyway?” said Honker as Gosalyn sat amidst the mechanical carnage.
“Chisel, please,” said Sara. Receiving the item, she continued, “Well, according to your dad, the machine is spitting out pieces of toast with hieroglyphics burned into them.”
Gosalyn frowned. “What’s it supposed to do?”
“It is supposed to print out criminal case files. Instead it’s making food.”
Gosalyn brightened as a thought struck her. “Hey! Maybe the wires are getting crossed from Dad’s breakfast obstacle course!”
“That’s the theory.”
Honker handed them to her.
“I think I’ve got it,” Sara groaned, trying to turn something inside the machine. She handed the pliers back to Honker, blindly. “Wire cutters?”
Gosalyn dropped them into her hand and then disappeared inside the machine. “There,” said the machine. After a moment, Sara pulled herself out.
“How is it?” asked Gosalyn.
“Let’s find out. Honker?” said Sara, holding up the power cord, “Would you do the honors?”
Smiling, Honker scrambled over to the outlet, power cord in tow. At a nod of Sara’s head, he plugged it in.
The machine roared to life. The excited cheers and whistles of the mechanics team soon drowned it out. Sara, Gosalyn and Honker all swapped high-fives and Sara began to start tidying up.
“You’ll have to be sure, Gosalyn,” said Sara as she took a pair of pliers from her and placed them in the toolbox, “To tell your father that the next time someone comes up here to fix it, not to attach the two wires together with duct tape. Electrical tape should be used.”
Gosalyn laughed. “Oh, that was probably dad. He never lets anyone come up here.”
Sara stopped and looked at the two children who continued to help tidy up. “Never?”
“Nope,” said Gosalyn, “Mostly it’s just him, me, Honk and Launchpad. I mean, there was the time the Justice Ducks had to come up, and I may or may not have brought a few friends…” she said, winking at Honker at the memory of the fan club, “But no, Dad never invites anyone up here. He always does the work himself.”
Gosalyn smiled up at her with her arms full of collected tools. “He must like you an awful lot to trust you up here. Especially with all these toys!”
Sara smiled and took the tools, admitting that she had been more than excited at the technology that was hidden away in Darkwing’s tower. She was glad to know she wasn’t alone in the temptation to play with all of the gadgets he had. She’d always thought that it was S.H.U.S.H. who was sharing their technology with the masked mallard. Now she considered that it might have always been the other way around.
“Hey, I know!”
Sara looked at Gosalyn, who’s excited squeal had knocked her out of her thoughts. She beamed up at Sara. “Since Dad’s not back yet and we’re done early, maybe we can show you around!”
“What do you mean, we’re done early?”
Darkwing Duck stood in the doorway with Launchpad, dripping wet and wringing out his hat. “From where I’m standing, it looks like Doctor Bellum is doing all of the work.”
“Hey, we helped too! Didn’t we, Sara?”
Sara looked down at the girl and nodded. “Yes, they were a great help, both of them! I can’t imagine how I would have done it by myself.”
“You’re brilliant, Doc. I’m sure you would have found a way. Just like these two,” he said, staring down the two kids, “Are always finding a way out of going to bed. Launchpad?”
Launchpad stepped forward, grinning at the two kids. “I’ve got them.”
Darkwing crossed his arms. “Say goodnight to Doctor Bellum, kids.”
“Aww, but Dad, we were going to show her around!”
“Gosalyn-”
“But it’s not-”
“Goz?”
Sara was surprised at how his voice had suddenly softened. Gosalyn, knowing defeat, rolled her eyes and sighed, but her response was as soft as her dad’s. “Okay,” she finally said, giving in. She turned to the S.H.U.S.H scientist. “Good night, Sara.”
“Good night Sara,” said Honker.
Darkwing cocked an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t that be Doctor Bellum to you two?”
“No no,” said Sara, looking at him, “I insisted, it’s all right.” She returned her gaze to the two kids. “You two have a good night. Get extra sleep for those of us who can’t. And thanks so much for all the help.”
“No problem,” said Gosalyn, who continued saying goodbye to Sara with Honker, until finally Launchpad was forced to pick them up and carry them out. Sara waved as they left.
When she turned back around, Darkwing had disposed of his hat and cape, and was now standing at a large semi-circular console, pushing buttons and turning dials.
Sara packed what little was left scattered on the floor. As she rose and turned to bid goodnight to the crusader, he spoke.
“Thank you, by the way.”
She stopped. “For what?”
He motioned to the machine without turning around, his back to her, “For fixing that.”
She nodded even though he couldn’t see. “You’re welcome.”
There was an admirable pause before the hero broke the silence.
“You know, if you wanted,” said Darkwing, pushing buttons on the console, still not turning, “I could show you around.”
She didn’t get to respond as he turned quickly to face her. His expression had softened visibly. “That is, if you want to. I mean, I don’t have my daughter’s distinct narrative style, but I am able to give better descriptions than ‘that thingamajig that shrinks stuff’.”
She smiled at him. “Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind…”
“Not at all.”
She nodded. “I’d like that very much.”
He smiled in response. “Well then,” he said, motioning towards a machine as they approached, “We’ll start here. This is a thingamajig. It shrinks stuff.”
She laughed. He smiled at her and continued. “Actually it’s a hydrocarbon destabilizer unit. But I have a feeling that it’s going to break soon. It’s been acting up on me for days.”
She smiled. “Well, I’d be happy to fix it if it does.”
“Would you?”
“Sure.”
He smiled thankfully at her. “Excellent,” was all he said.
She had to admit, she was surprised at this side of him, this quieter side that was now modestly showing her his machinery and crime-fighting inventions. She’d never seen this shy side of him. She’d only ever seen him before with a puffed chest whenever he came marching into the S.H.U.S.H. labs to pick up a new gadget. It was now a completely different story when he was showing off his own. It was impossible to see this awkwardness behind all the bluster he gave off all of the time. And it only seemed to come out really when he was in the tower, his own element.
She didn’t mind him so much like this. And if the only way she could see him calm and approachable like this was in the tower, then she’d have to get herself invited back.
She wondered if there was anything she could do to help the machine break down sooner.
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