S1: E2: Pilot Part Two (Back In The Hood)

Chapter 2: Act One

"This is bad, this is bad, this is sooo very bad." Goz whispered harshly, pacing through Tank's livingroom.

"You've said that already." Honker pointed out, holding his phone to his ear. "My parents still aren't answering. What about yours?"

"I dialed them like fifty times, Honk." Goz shook her head. "I can't get a hold of anyone, not even SHUSH."

"What about the Justice Ducks?" Honker asked. "Launchpad's Duckburg friends? The Four?"

Goz shook her head again. "No-one, Honk. She must've gotten to them."

"It might just be the phones." Honker tried.

Goz dialed a random number, shoving her phone at Honker.

"Uh, I-I'm sorry sir, misdial." Honker stammered, hanging up. "Alright, not the phones."

"I can't believe she's- How is she back?!" Goz groaned, plopping onto the couch. "Lynn left. She disappeared. And now she comes back? Years I searched, and now she comes back..."

"What do you think she wants?" Honker asked quietly, sitting next to her.

"I... Destruction, chaos, the screaming of innocents." Goz shrugged, bitterly adding, "What else could you expect from the daughter of Negaduck?"

"You were close, once." Honker pointed out. "You never told me what happened, why she went to the dark side..."

"That's because I don't know." Goz sighed. "One day, my dad just showed up with another me for a playdate. She was a disgustingly proper little lady, but I liked her, we got along. Then she shows up crying, babbling about the Friendly Four 'going away'."

"Going away?" Honker asked.

"She never explained what that meant, but I always figured it was something really bad." Goz hugged herself, then hugged Screech when he jumped on her lap -- purring loudly. "She was a young teenager all by herself, another family just gone." Goz snapped her fingers.

"I remember she lived with you for a while." Honker said, after a few moments of quiet.

"Yeah. But she didn't like it." Goz shook her head. "She was breaking, Honk. Going crazy, ranting and destroying things, then crying. Then she ran away. Next time I saw her, she was back with Negaduck. Daddy's little girl. She'd gone from wanting to make the world a better place to terrorizing St Canard."

"And then they both disappeared." Honker thought for a second. "Do you think this means Negaduck's back?"

"I don't know, I don't care." Goz breathed deeply. She stood up, heading for the front door. "Come on."

"What? Where are we going?" Honker asked, following her.

"I don't know, I just need some fresh air." Goz put Screech on her shoulder. "I need time to think and I don't want to leave you alone while Lynn's on some kind of vendetta."

"What about my brother?" Honk asked, looking at his brother's bedroom door. Light snoring could be heard.

"Don't worry." Goz chuckled darkly. "Trust me, the one person she'd never hurt is Tank Muddlefoot."

--

"Welcome to Starduck's, how can I- Goz!" Melody smiled, brown eyes twinkling. "I'm so glad to see you again!"

"Hey, Mel." Goz sighed. "Can I get two hot chocolates, a cookie, and some milk? Oh, and water."

"Coming right up, Goz!" Melody nodded. She frowned, eyeing the goose critically. "What's got you so down?"

"It's just some family drama." Goz shrugged.

"Say no more, I know when not to pry." Melody hummed as she made the drinks. "Did you hear about that explosion earlier? It's already on the news."

"Uh, yeah." Goz leaned on the counter. "An entire park was destroyed, so many lives..."

"Wait, people died?!" Melody spun around, horrified. "I didn't hear about that, though I guess it's only been a few hours..."

"Not- not people." Goz coughed, embarrassed. "I meant the, uh, the plants."

"Oh. Yeah, that's a shame they all burned." Melody raised an eyebrow. "You one of those nature nuts or something? No offense, but..."

"No, I just..." Goz thought about how to phrase it. "I feel a certain connection to plants, you could say. They're calming, peaceful but resilient."

"Yeah, I get that." Melody chuckled, handing over the order. "I feel the same way about the stars, sometimes."

Goz took the order, but didn't move away. "Mel? I know we don't really know each other well, but can I aak you something?"

"Shoot." Melody nodded.

"If you had a family member that did some bad things, like really bad," Goz started, "bad enough that if they were anyone else you'd want them locked up forever, but you still cared deeply about them -- what would you do?"

"I don't really know." Melody answered. "On the one paw, if they're dangerous they need to be dealt with. On the other, family's family."

"And if some of the bad things they did might've been to other members of your family?" Goz asked. "What then?"

"There's no easy answer answer for that, sweetie." Melody smiled sympathetically, as if she somehow could understand, and patted Goz's hand. "But if someone you care about is being hurt, you've got to protect them. Even if the person doing the hurting is someone else you care about."

"Thanks, Mel." Goz gave a small but real smile. "Sorry for going weird on you."

"No problem." Melody waved her hand, dismissing it. "You come to me if you ever want to talk, alright? I'm a chatterbox, but I'm a good listener too."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks." Goz chuckled, going outside to sit with Honker and Screech. Something tight in her chest loosened upon seeing them still there rather than kidnapped.

"Thanks." Honker took his hot chocolate.

They sat in contemplative silence for a few minutes, before blurting out at the same time, "I think we should-"

"You first, Honk."

"Q, I think we need to investigate this ourselves." Honker started. "Your cousin's dangerous, and anyone else who could stop her is missing. We're the only one's who can do anything."

"I completely agree." Goz nodded.

"I know you didn't want to suit up, but I think we really to-" Honker cut himself off, blinking. "What?"

"I agree, mostly." Goz explained. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "After your brother leaves for work, we'll gear up and start investigating. But we aren't doing this by ourselves."

"What?" Honker asked, confused. "Who's left we can ask for help?"

"I've been getting visions, Honker. That means it's not just Normie business." Goz pulled what looked a blank piece of paper of her pocket, seemingly reading it. "The local Coven meets in three nights. When it does, we're gonna officially request help dealing with a rogue witch."

"Rogue witch?" Honker asked.

"If I'm a witch," Goz explained, standing up, "chances are that Lynn is too. We just have to find proof."

Night in the city...

"See ya guys later." Tank waved. "Be careful, I heard there's some loon blowin' things up."

"Silly Tankard." Goz grinned. "We're always careful."

"Love you, bro." Honker called as Tank left.

As soon as the door closed, Goz's face fell into an angry, determined expression. Green energy flickered across her body, eyes going solid green. "Birth form lost, found as a mask..."

"At least wait until I've got the curtains shut!" Honker complained, rushing towards the window to do just that.

"A disguise finer than I could ask." Goz ignored him, raising her arms as magic swept over her and Screech, changing them. "But now mine form must be true, a mere mask will not do."

Goz took off her scrunchie, let dark green, shoulder-length hair fall loose over light green feathers.

"Mutant form I claim my own," Goz said through a wooden beak, "change mine skin, change mine bone."

Honker raised an eyebrow. "I still say that spell's a little overdramatic."

"It's the only way I can keep my Normie disguise up without focusing all the time." Goz rolled her still-solid-green eyes. "Besides, it's cool. Now come on, we still need to get changed and we're burning starlight."

Goz had gone into her room, but Quiverhood had stepped out. A black mask covered her eyes, matching her utility belt. She wore purple pants and a purple turtleneck in homage to her father (though her bullseye-Q logo was proudly displayed on it), with a dark green cloak to add her own flair. The bottom of the cape was torn, and the inside was bright yellow. Dark green boots and clawed gloves with yellow webbing completed the look.

"You ready, Q?" Honker asked from the living room. No, not Honker -- Arrowhead.

He wore a dark blue, skintight suit with black gloves and boots that showed off the shape of his feet, spurs included. He had a utility belt of his own, and a ridiculous red arrow-shaped hat/mask that had started as a joke, but he fell in love with the design. A labcoat was thrown on over the outfit, gadgets stuffing pockets both visible and hidden.

"Just about." Quiverhood nodded, whistling for Screech. Screech jumped on her shoulder, white pupils shining in purple eyes, yellow cape falling over dark green fur. "Now I'm ready. Let's go."

"Where are we investigating first?" Arrowhead asked, fiddling with a round drone.

"Where else?" She smirked, climbing out a window. "Exactly where my cousin wanted us to."