The Doll

Chapter 3: The Shadow

Negaduck watched the security monitors closely, sitting in his control room. The biggest difference between the worlds was the way they'd developed; Posiverse had better magic, Negaverse had better tech. Going between them let him have the best of both.

He watched Quackerjack find the box he'd knocked over. His original plan had simply been to give him the stuff to remake his doll, but he decided to see what would happen if he just left it visible. Besides, too much kindness right off the bat freaked slaves out, made it harder to decondition recondition them.

Quackerjack's reaction to his hat had been interesting (he'd have to teach him that it was fine, if he wanted a way to keep the clown calm), but his reaction to this was much more fascinating.

He'd pushed himself away, tensed up, and started a conversation in two voices. One was mumbled and meek, the other excited and high-pitched.

"What's he doing?" Megavolt asked, fiddling with a broken computer console. He'd only even known about electronics for a year and a half, but was already much better at them than Negaduck. It was both annoying and useful.

"Talking with an old friend." Negaduck muttered, watching as Quackerjack suddenly lunged at the box, his hands moving in near-blurs as he worked. Negaduck made careful mental notes each time the other seemed displeased with one material or another.

"So that's Quackerjack, huh?" The console beeped to life, and Megavolt patted it happily before leaning on the control panel to watch the screen. "Stealin' doesn't seem like something a broken slave would do."

"Seems even Paddywhack can't break some things." Negaduck chuckled. He'd explained everything to his lackeys already.

"He was with Paddywhack?!" Or, almost everything. Megavolt frowned, watching Quackerjack on the monitor. "Poor guy..."

Negaduck hadn't told the rat about their counterparts being friends, he wanted to see what would happen if their connection developed naturally. So far, the results were interesting.

"What are you going to do with him?" Megavolt asked, something dangerous hiding under his tone. "I mean, he'll be more obedient than the rest of us, but I don't he'll be much of a fighter-"

"Do you really think I'm just gonna leave him like this?" Negaduck asked, growling. Megavolt shut up, leaning away slightly. "He's wrong, Sparky. You know how I feel about that."

Megavolt hadn't ever heard of a lightbulb. Negaduck had given him computers.

Bushroot had grown up in a mining town. Negaduck had taken him to a rain forest.

Liquidator was a stuttering mess with stage fright. Negaduck had shown him a new way of speaking.

He didn't like when the counterparts were wrong. It had nothing to do with how miserable they were, he felt no pity for any of them. It was purely self motivated.

Keep telling yourself that. His Shadow chuckled, but he ignored it.

Megavolt hadn't heard it (he never did). He just stared at the pitiful duck in the storeroom, hugging his doll with hurried whispers and poorly stifled sobs. "...So you'll fix him?"

"I don't know if he can be fixed." Negaduck sighed. "But I'll try. We can't be the Fearsome Five without our- the Clown."

The intercom buzzed, Bushroot's voice coming clearly through, <Guys, it's nearly time for dinner.>

"We'll be there in a minute, Melonhead." Megavolt said fondly. With a challenging glance at Negaduck (or as challenging as he could get when talking to Negaduck), he added, "And don't forget to add an extra place setting."

"Don't tell me you like him already?" Negaduck grumbled, shaking his head. "Well, I guess Chuckles can join us. This time."

As if that hadn't already been your plan. His Shadow smirked. He mentally told it to Shaddup!, but didn't deny its accusation.