One-Shot: Bury a Friend (Darkwing Duck)
Author: patriciatepes
Fandoms: Darkwing Duck
Story Title: Bury a Friend
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Darkwing Duck or any related character. That all belongs to Disney. Making no money here.
Word Count: ~2300
Warnings: Canon Divergent AU; Major Character Death
Characters/Pairings: Gosalyn Mallard/Quiverwing Quack, Negaduck,
Summary: Gosalyn receives some shocking news in the worst possible way.
Author's Notes: Set within The Queen of St. Canard series. Set after "A Whim of Fate," "Opportunity Knocks," and "Retribution." Title based on the Billie Eilish song of the same name.
Bury a Friend
Apparently, the squeaky wheel really did get the grease. Gosalyn, still chained to the bed, had been given a couple of concessions by Negaduck. She dared not think of them as gestures of good faith, but… They sure as hell made a difference.
Firstly, he had let Morgana lengthen the chain, allowing Gosalyn to walk around a small perimeter about the bed. It could still only be removed from either her or the bed by that key that Negaduck kept on him. So since he, obviously, wasn't going to be letting her go any time soon, he gave her one other thing. The remote to the damn television. Gosalyn had tried, and failed, to hide her astonishment from the Mallard Menace. She had even shocked herself in thanking him-and not being sarcastic about it. He had shrugged it off, leaving her alone for the day-as per the usual.
She had looked like a woman possessed those first few days. She flipped tirelessly between channels, soaking up as much news as she could. McDuck had launched a new security force in Duckburg-to assure its citizens that what happened to St. Canard would never happen there. Gosalyn was proud to see that it was a roaring success, as she had had a hand in designing it-as Quiverwing, of course. Her resistance was still going strong in the city. And… there were no reports of her.
Sure, maybe it was a tad arrogant to be looking for news on yourself. But she had been missing for a month-a month and two weeks, she realized once she caught the date on one of the news shows. Maybe she had just missed the hype? Maybe… maybe they really did all think her dead. That was a sobering thought. She wondered, vaguely, if this was how those lost on uncharted islands or on hikes felt.
Gosalyn kept the television on nearly twenty-four hours, only shutting it off when Negaduck growled that he couldn't sleep. She had snapped back that she was surprised he could even hear it over his snores.
Yes, they were still sharing the bed.
He had responded by threatening the death of the remote. She had relented, both angry and ashamed that she did, for fear of losing her new outlet into the world outside Negaduck's tower. Besides, sleep in an actual bed was a luxury her body was finding hard to ignore. So, if he wanted the television off, off it went. Those were the times she usually slept.
Negaduck spent most days gone, so it wasn't like she didn't have plenty of time to pour over the news. It was on one such day that she finally caught something that made her pause in her channel flipping.
"Sources confirm the body of the Arrow Kid has indeed been found. Out of respect of the family, his true identity will remain out of the media. Our city mourns another hero, after the nearly two-month long absence of the Quiverwing Quack," said a well-dressed brunette anchorwoman.
Gosalyn forgot how to breathe. Surely, she hadn't heard that correctly. The Arrow Kid's body? Honker… Gosalyn's limbs felt numb as she slipped off the bed to stand, partly lean. The anchorwoman was speaking again.
"Other heroes are stepping forward to speak about the Arrow Kid, one's testimony especially heartrending. As we here at WCBN understand it, the heroine known as Blue Steel was romantically involved with Arrow Kid, Quiverwing Quack's known sidekick. We go to the steps of our former city hall as she shares her words."
Blue Steel… had she and Honker been dating? Gosalyn's brain was fuzzy. She did vaguely remember seeing him spending a lot of time with her. Gosalyn had made a joke that her name was funny, and Blue Steel hadn't gotten it. Yes… now that Gosalyn was mulling it over, she did remember. Honker must have been seeing her-real name Cecilia Feathers. The cameras were now focusing in on her, in her metallic, midnight blue outfit, her blonde hair flowing freely in a slight breeze. Her face was hidden by a simple domino mask, the same material as her outfit. Even with the mask, Gosalyn could tell she had been crying.
"When Arrow Kid went missing, in search of his partner, the Quiverwing Quack, we held out hope. Just as we hold out hope that Quiverwing is still with us. But now we can unanimously confirm that the body found on the coast is…"
Blue Steel paused, obviously getting choked up. Gosalyn could see the tears she was fighting so desperately to hold back. Gosalyn was doing the same, despite not being on camera. Her throat hurt from the effort, and her hands were cramping as they reached back and wound themselves in the bedsheets. She shook her head slightly as Blue Steel cleared her throat, silently begging her not to continue. Not to confirm what everyone watching must now know as the truth.
"The body is that of Arrow Kid. We have not confirmed cause of death as of yet, but there are signs of foul play. Arrow Kid did not go down without a fight. And we, my fellow vigilantes and I, have decided not to release his real identity to the public. Not now nor in the future. Thank you."
She turned and launched a grappling hook before any of the reporters could get any closer, skyrocketing upward to the city's rooftops. Gosalyn felt her body shake. Her eyes were burning. Honker Muddlefoot, her best friend since… since she had moved into Avian Way with her dad… her best friend, her confidant, her first love… was dead. Because he had gone looking for her.
A fire kindled deep within her chest, and she released it out as a long, loud roar. She whirled, pulling at anything her hands could grasp-which was mostly bedding-and hurled it about the room, raging all the while.
It was all her fault. And it was likely all his fault.
As if summoned by her thoughts alone, Negaduck entered the room. He slammed the door in his usual manner as she whirled on him, eyes blazing. He seemed confused by her at first, until the anchorwoman on the screen repeated the headline for any person just tuning in. The Arrow Kid was dead. With a deep sigh, Negaduck closed his eyes, shaking his head.
"I was going to tell you," he said.
Gosalyn's heart stilled so much that her chest felt hollow. She snarled at him.
"You knew? How long?"
Negaduck took a few steps into the room, bent, and retrieved the remote that Gosalyn had had no idea she had hurled. He pointed it at the television and turned it off. He then chucked it onto the couch. He shrugged.
"A day. Two at the most."
Gosalyn leaned on the same post of the bed her chain was attached to. Her breathing was heavy, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't slow it. He had known for that long. For that long! There was, of course, another, inevitable question.
"Was it you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Negaduck eyed her for a moment. "Are you asking if I personally killed him? If so, then the answer is no. But if you mean the gang of thugs, then yes. They are one of my gangs. But, really, Gosalyn, all the gangs in this city are mine."
Gosalyn howled in rage, screaming nonsense as she pulled as hard as she could on the chain around her ankle, putting the full force of her weight behind it. She could feel the metal biting into her flesh, but she didn't care. She continued to pull, and it must have been quite a sight, too, since Negaduck even looked a tad concerned. In a couple of quick strides, he crossed the room, bent, and shoved the key into the lock of her ankle cuff. It dropped away, and Gosalyn stumbled back against the bed. She blinked, shocked to have her freedom suddenly restored. She lost no more time. She leapt over the Mallard Menace, headed for the door. The sharp crackle of electricity stilled her, and she whirled, seeing the tiny remote for the weaponized door in his hand.
"Nuh-uh," he said, wagging a finger at her before placing the door's remote inside his yellow jacket.
Gosalyn growled and made her way around to the decanter of liquor always kept out. She lifted the bottle of it, smashing it down onto the table as hard as she could. Negaduck's eyes were wide. The decanter didn't break, so she lifted it and tried again.
"Gosalyn, stop! Calm down! Breathe!" Negaduck yelled at her.
But she was a force of rage and hatred that wouldn't be tamed. Her best friend was dead, because of her… because of him. She was going to make someone pay… and it would be better for all if Negaduck was the one who settled that debt. It took three tries, but she finally managed to shatter the decanter. She lifted the largest piece of glass from the wreckage and held it like a knife. Negaduck shook his head, and, most surprisingly, didn't say a word.
She flew at him, brandishing the broken glass-the edge surprisingly smooth-at him. He ducked under her assault, sweeping a leg out toward hers. But Gosalyn knew this move. It had been one of her father's favorites. She was ready. She hopped over his leg, and he rolled backward to his feet. She stabbed at out the air with one hand and threw punches with the other. Negaduck dodged and blocked every move of hers. She screamed and rampaged, moving less with the grace of battle that she had been taught, and more with the grace of a bull in a china shop. She messed up, punching outwardly too slowly, and Negaduck managed to catch her arm. She swung wildly at him with the broken glass, but he ducked it, putting a palm to her chest and shoving her back.
"Fight back!" she roared. "Fight me!"
"You don't want that," he answered.
She screamed, coming at him harder than before. Still, he threw no returning punches or kicks. He made no move to actually harm her. It was infuriating. Gosalyn wanted a fight. She needed to fight him. She leapt off the side of the bed, aiming a kick at his head. He rolled underneath, and she landed hard-too hard-on the ankle she had injured while yanking on her chain. She grunted, momentarily taking a knee. Negaduck rushed at her, and she shoved herself upright just a moment before he could reach her, bringing her good leg all the way up. She landed a kick right in his chin, knocking him backwards.
She balled up her fist and swung upward, the force of the blow landing causing him to fall back. He managed to catch himself, much as Gosalyn had, by taking to his knee. Gosalyn rushed over to him, holding the tip of the shard of glass to his throat. She tapped the underside of his beak, and he looked up at her. Gosalyn grinned, triumphant in her defeat of the Mallard Menace. That was, until, she caught the look in his eye as he met hers. There was a glint there, just a little something.
He was enjoying this fight. And he found her amusing. She could see it. Nothing of what had just happened, even the blows she had landed on him, had fazed him in the least. She moved, ready to step back and deliver another hit, when he caught her hand, the one with her make-shift weapon. He devested her of it quickly, whirling her about until he had both her arms held tightly behind her back. He shoved her forward, until she was bent over the side of the bed, her face turned and smooshed into the remaining sheets.
She felt him lean forward, putting his beak to her ear. "That was refreshing. I haven't seen that kind of fight in you in a while. We needed this."
That hollow feeling was back in Gosalyn's chest, but for an entirely different reason. She felt the tell-tale sting of tears come to her eyes, and she fought them back. There was no damn way she was gonna give him that kind of satisfaction.
"You're a monster," she muttered.
"I am sorry, for what it's worth, that his death hurts you. As you can probably tell, I really don't want to hurt you."
He let her hands go with a shove, and they immediately rose to rest on either side of her head. Gosalyn didn't move. Vaguely, she knew she should feel fear. Should fear the position she was in and where she was at. But… she didn't. She felt… numb. She felt nothing. Behind her, she both felt and heard when the metal of her ankle cuff was reattached, and then the distant crackle of electricity disappeared with a beep.
"Rest," Negaduck said, and she felt his cape sweep her backside as he turned away from her. "You need it."
Gosalyn dug her hands into the sheets as she heard the door open and slam shut. She was alone. The remote to the television was on the couch, just out of the range of her chain. Gosalyn gasped out a sob, still fighting the tears that were so desperate to go along with it. Honker was gone. Her team was sure she was dead. Her father was long gone… and now her best friend had joined him. Not to mention her biological family. Dully, in the back of her mind, she recalled the words Negaduck had said to her, just before Larry had entered the room and broken her bones.
What I love… it never comes back.
Gosalyn was beginning to understand the sentiment.