Chapter Text
New Beginnings - Episode One: Part One
St. Canard. A city that never sleeps.
Constantly brustling and shining brightly like a giant lighthouse guiding the world to its luminesce glow. Stunningly beautiful from all points of view, like a golden nugget among coal. It is lively with different colors and joyful people. All happy, all safe!
It was horrible!
Where was all the crime?! Where were the monsters in the shadows? Where was St. Canard he watched every morning as a child? Where were the bad guys he was destined to fight??
Darkwing closed his eyes in frustration as WANDA once again told him there was no crime in the city.
He moved back here because, a. It was the top crime capital in the world; b. It was the setting of Darkwing Duck: the series, and c. he grew up here. This was his home, and he cared about everyone who lived there.
St. Canard was doing good...and he couldn’t help but feel upset about it! How could he be a superhero when there wasn’t anywhere for him to be superheroing?! He helped save Duckburg more than his own home!
And if he were honest with himself, they probably would have had the same results whether he was there or not. What good does he actually do for the city? He was a failure. He failed at acting, and now he is failing as a superhero.
He crossed his arms and let out a sigh. What was the point in any of this? He could be out there living a normal life. He didn’t have to be dressed up, parading around in a cape-like some everyday cosplayer. And not even a good cosplayer, one of those cosplayers who put no thought in their costumes. Ones who buy cheaply made stuff and do NOTHING to improve it! No accessories or props!
...not that he has any experience in cosplaying. he totally didn't try to be a kid's party performer like Darkwing to pay for Acting school…
...and what did that parent mean kids don't know who Darkwing is?? He's a classic!!
He let out a sigh and lifted his cape with a frown. Was it the cape?? Maybe he should get a new fabric? Polyester? Silk? No, no. That would just make him look tacky.
He let the piece of fabric go and got up with a groan. That’s another thing he was failing at, being fashionable.
He took his hat off and started to pace as he monologued internally. Why? Why did he do this? Was it for attention? Fame? Maybe even to flux his ego?
He told Launchpad he wanted to make a difference, but how can he when he is cooped up in the hideout all day long? Why??
He stopped in his tracks when he met a set of tired but amused green eyes staring at him.
Right. That’s why.
“Brooding again, Darkwing?” Gosalyn asked in amusement, suppressing a laugh.
“Gosalyn!” He cried in surprise, crossing his arms, “I was not brooding.” he grumbled.
“Could have fooled me.” The younger duck chuckled before climbing down the rest of the stairs,
“Why are you up, anyway?” He asked, looking at the young girl, “It’s late.”
“Sorry, Mom.” she said sarcastically, “But last I checked, crime fighters don’t have a bedtime.”
“Yes, but growing crime fighters need their sleep so they can grow up to be even stronger crime fighters...and can be more alert.” He tried to explain only to meet a raised eyebrow.
“You’re really bad at this.” She teased, “You hardly ever sleep. It must be why you’re never alert.”
“I do to sleep!” He frowned, “I just...don’t need as much as you because I’m an expert Crimefighter...who studied an ancient technique to function with less sleep.”
“Really?” Gos smirked, “And where did an actor learn something like that?”
“To play different roles, an actor must have many abilities.” He defended his excuse, “Plus, while you are out having milkshakes and playing HarpyGo with...your friends? do you have friends?" he asked with a frown, realizing he didn't actually know.
Did she even go to school? He couldn't believe he never asked.
"Yes, I have friends." Gosalyn rolled her eyes as he kept talking.
"I use the daytime to sleep and to learn new skills.” He continued, pushing his questions for later.
“Ahuh….right.” She nodded with a raised eyebrow and crossed the room, walking past him towards their makeshift kitchen.
“You didn’t answer my question. Why are you awake?” Darkwing asked her, watching her from his spot in the middle of the room.
“I…” she hesitated before turning to look at him, “I had a bad dream.” she said quietly, looking a lot younger than she was, “And I couldn’t get back to sleep after it.”
He frowned and walked closer to her, “Do you want to talk about it?”
She shrugged before opening the fridge, “What’s the point? It won’t change the dream; my grandfather will still be gone.”
“Gosalyn…” he trailed off, trying to find the right words to say to the young tween, “I’m doing everything I can to find him.”
“I know. I know.” Gosalyn closed her eyes as her hold on the refrigerator’s door made her knuckles turn white, “But I can’t help but worry that…” she let out a sigh and shook her head, “nevermind.”
“Gosalyn, I promised you before, and I will promise you again.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to look at him, “We will get him back.”
She took a shaky breath before nodding, "I believe you, Drake…" she licked her beak and looked up at him with a frown, "Is that why you're awake?" she frowned, "I thought you said Fenton, and you made a deal about working only in the daylight?"
He looked at her sheepishly, "Honestly, I was seeing if there was an evil plot that needed the Darkwing duck to vanquish it!"
"ah, so you were brooding." Gosalyn teased before taking his hand in her small one, "Come on, I think it would be best if we both get some sleep. Ancient fake sleep techniques or not."
"hey! it's not fake!" He protested but followed her to the couch.
"a huh, sure." She chuckled and forced him to sit on the couch and plopped down with her feet resting on his lap.
"Comfortable?" he took his mask off and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Eh, I make do." She shrugged, letting out a small yawn.
"You could sleep in your bed." He pointed out, "I bet you'd be a lot more comfortable."
"Yeah…" She mumbled, shifting on her side, closing her eyes, "Maybe."
"You're not going to, are you?" he asked, looking at the smaller duck with a soft smile.
"Nope," she mumbled into her arm.
Drake let out a sigh as he let himself relax and get comfortable on his side of the couch. He gently rubbed her legs affectionately and let himself close his own eyes.
Suddenly he heard a quiet humming from the girl, which caused him to peek an eye open and look at her.
"Gos?" he murmured, not wanting to disrupt the calm.
"hmm?" she hummed in response.
"What is that you're always humming?" he asked her, "It's pretty."
She smiled slightly before letting out a sad sigh, "It's a lullaby my grandfather would sing to me before I went to sleep."
Drake opened his eyes fully and looked at the young duck. She had gone through a lot in such a short time, and though they have become familiar with the other, she hasn't really talked much about herself or her life before her grandfather disappeared.
What happened to her parents? Did she have any talents or hobbies? He didn't know why, but he found himself wishing he knew this little girl more. If only she would let him in.
"Maybe someday you can sing it for me," Drake murmured.
"Maybe my grandfather can sing it for you." She murmured back, her mouth forming into a frown before sleep finally took over her.
"Oh, Gos." Drake sighed. He looked at the Duckling wishing more than anything to make her happy. "I will bring him back," he whispered to the sleeping girl.
They sat in silence before she gently shifted in her sleep, so she rested against his side. He looked at her in surprise but wrapped an arm around her gently.
He might not know much about taking care of children, but he hoped that she would take some comfort in his warmth and that he could fight away any nightmares that lingered. "Goodnight, Gosalyn."
---
The dust settled in the large tunnel he and his brothers dug up. At last, they succeeded in digging a tunnel under all of St. Canard. It took months, and they were sure they would be caught, but they did it.
Well, of course, it worked. It was his plan, after all.
The other moles thought he was crazy, that his plans couldn't be done, but he proved them wrong!
Soon all the gold in St. Canard will belong to them, and no one in the city would be the wiser.
With their elaborate tunnel system, they can dig up to every bank and vault in the city, and they will be able to hide their loot underground. Anyone who tried to find it would be completely lost in their maze. Only they knew the way through.
"Hey," his younger brother, Jimmy, walked over to him, "We're ready."
"Excellent!" Moilarty laughed, "Start the drill!"
His older brother rolled his eyes at his enthusiasm before pulling the lever to start the drill.
Their first target was the St. Canard National Bank. It's where most of the citizens of St. Canard kept their money.
Oh, he could not wait to see the glittering gold. Should he try to swim in it like Scrooge McDuck? or should he wait until after they stole all of the gold?
"We broke through the surface."Jim, his older brother, announced, turning the drill off.
"This is your cue, Jimmy." Moilarty pushed the younger man towards the rubble with a potato sack, "Take everything."
"Wait, you're not going to help?" He looked at his brother with a frown
"Don’t look at me like that." he huffed, "I came up with the plan, and I'm supervising."
"The least you can do is help me collect all of this. I can’t carry all these bags by myself." Jimmy pointed out, glaring.
He took a deep breath before sighing, "If you want something done, do it yourself." he pushed past his younger brother to head up to the surface with him.
Gold, money, and jewels glittered all around them, causing them both to wince and put their sunglasses on over their sensitive eyes. They shared a look of hungry greed before they shoved everything they saw into their bags.
Once their bags were filled up, they threw them into the hole and jumped in after them.
Taking that as a cue, Jim activated the drill again, but instead of breaking through, it filled the hole until it looked like they never broke through to start with.
Yes, this plan was literally hole-proof.
---
"Crime has been committed!"
"alert! Alert! Crime has been committed!"
Drake shifted in his sleep, pulling the warm pillow closer as he tried to keep the remaining remnants of his dream.
"Crime has been committed!"
"Ehh, it's too early to pull a prank, Gos," he grumbled, only to feel the warm pillow in his arms start to move and then talk.
"it's not me." a sleep-heavy voice of the young duckling said.
He peaked his eyes open before they snapped open. He looked at the girl in his arms and then at the giant supercomputer. "Not a prank...WE'VE GOT CRIME!" he cheered, pulling the girl into a hug before jumping over the back of the sofa to turn the alert off.
"Where is the crime that I, Darkwing Duck, have to fight against?" He asked the computer, "What is it, a murder? a mystery no one can solve?"
"Someone stole all the gold from the St. Canard National Bank." the computer replied
"Someone stole all the gold from the St. Canard National Bank?" he repeated in surprise, "That's the most heavily secured bank in all of the city!"
"not enough." WANDA replied, "I told you there is a crime. What are you waiting for?"
"You're right!" Darkwing gasped, putting his mask on and placed his hat on his head.
"I usually am." the computer replied
"Keen Gear!" Gosalyn cheered, rushing to grab her green jacket, "A real crime!"
"Oh no." Darkwing stepped in front of her, "You're staying here."
"What?" the duckling looked at him in shock before anger replaced it, "Why not?"
"We don't know what happened." He started,
"Yeah, that's the point of us." Gosalyn crossed her arms
"We don't know what happened, or if the person is dangerous or not." he took a deep breath, "I don't want you to get hurt.."
"I'll be fine!" Gosalyn rolled her eyes, "I can take care of myself."
"I know you can, but this is our first real crime that doesn't involve saving cats from trees…."
Gosalyn huffed in anger, "I know what this is! you just want to take all the glory of finding the bad guy yourself!" she pointed at him accusingly, "You asked me to be your crime-fighting partner!"
Darkwing glared at the young girl, "Listen up, kiddo, I am in charge here, and you have to do as I say."
"You're not my dad!" She stomped her foot, "I am your partner, use me!"
"and you are still a little girl!" he argued back, "You're not ready to fight a dangerous criminal!"
"Oh, I see, you think I'm a small child in need of protecting!" she backed away from him, "You didn't mean it when you asked me to be your partner, did you??"
"of course I did!" he softened his voice, "I just think we should train a bit more before…" he trailed off before taking a deep breath, "Gos, I just want to keep you safe...I don't want to lose you before our team even takes off."
She frowns at him, and the ground suddenly was more interesting, "But what if you get hurt while going alone?" she asked softly.
"I knew the job when I took it." he pulled her into a hug, "But you know me...I always get back up."
"Hey DW!" a voice suddenly called from the elevator, "I brought Hamburger Hippo!"
"Hey, LP." the Dark Mallard looked at his sidekick, "I'm on my way out! We have a case!"
"Gos, you said you would stop pranking him." Launchpad frowned at three Duckling
"Hey, don't look at me!" she held her hands up, "It's a real case!"
"A real case?" LP squealed, "That is so cool!"
"Yeah, and the longer I linger here, the less chance I have of catching the fowl felon!"
"You both stay here." he looked at Gosalyn expectantly, "I'll call if I need back up, okay?"
"Okay," they both replied, one bursting with excitement and the other with disappointment.
"good." The Duck Knight leaped on the Ratcatcher, "Let's get Dangerous!"