I hate to sound like a prudish party killer at this point, but I'd like the comments in this thread to waver down in general unless the comments themselves are at least somewhat constructive and on topic. As much as I hate being a bitch like this, it's been almost 80 comments since the last chapter was posted, which is a tad excessive.

Oh, and about the next chapter... I'm SORRY I'm so late with it D: Life he gotten to me in the last few days... tomorrow I prommissseee D=

I'm sooo sorry it took so long. D: But good news, it's here! Celebrate good times!



Chapter 18: The Ministry of Lost Souls

“My dream’s but a drop of fuel for a nightmare.”


Never before had two sentences made so much of an impact on the team. Ace instinctually started screaming at the top of his lungs.

“Team, gather around the conference table, now!”

Luckily, most of the team were already either near or currently occupying the table. Only Slam was away – snacking in the kitchen – but he was out shortly. The five stood around in a circle, looking extremely tense. Rev, Lexi and Slam awaited to hear news as to what exactly was going on that would cause such an abrupt meeting.

“Guys, they got Duck. I don’t know who ‘they’ is, but they’ve got him. Somewhere near the Acme orphanage. We have to get there in ten minutes or… I don’t wanna think about what will happen. Obviously the guy’s not gonna just hand him over just cause we show up, so be ready for intensive combat. Acme Orphanage. Let’s jet!”

“Wait, what do I do?” cried a female voice from a short distance away. Shannon stood offside the group with a demeanor of both confusion and fear. She had evidently been in the kitchen with Slam getting the proper nourishment needed after weeks of exile.

“Shannon, there’s a high-security fallout room about seven floors down. I’d advise you to go down there and hang low for a while. Its more than likely that any fight that may ensue won’t make its way back here, but it’s not out of the possibility. So it’s probably the safest route to take,” Tech replied dryly.

“Got it,” Shannon said quickly, not wanting to hold the team up any longer than she had to, and she made her way to the elevator.

“Okay, team, let’s jet already!” And without further interruption, the team kicked off their jetpacks, or in Rev’s case, held out their arms, and they were off.

The venture towards the orphanage wasn’t exactly a long trip – perhaps only three or four blocks away from Headquarters – but the five’s nerves were so wracked that the flight was prolonged into a treacherous journey through pressure. They dreaded their arrival, but it couldn’t come soon enough. When they did arrive, what they saw really startled them.

Nothing.

There was not a single sound, a single life form outside of the orphanage or a sight of anything suspicious; only a cool, foreboding breeze.

In spite of this, the five of them stuck it out. This is, after all, where they were told explicitly to arrive, and they were well within the given time limit, since their destination wasn’t very far from the start. And yet, there was no sign of anything. Ace began to wonder if they had been duped.

“Hmm, I don’t know what’s going on here, guys. It’s so quiet. I don’t like it. Rev, Lexi - go look for any signs of the kidnappers on the backside of the building. Tech, Slam - stick around the front here. I’ll keep a lookout from afar, and buzz you if I see anything fishy.”

The others nodded in agreement and split up accordingly.

“Come on, Slam,” Tech said, “let’s start on the left side over here – there’s a lot of nooks and crannies around.”

“Grrbblb gotcha,” Slam confirmed, and the two set off on what seemed like a pointless search.

The two scanned the parameters of the building, observing each little angle and corner until they practically memorized the entire section of the building. Since there was nothing else to look out, Tech quickly took to looking inside the windows of the orphanage.

Window one: a small, confining room filled to the brim with unorganized paperwork. It must have been nearly impossible to get anything done in there.

Window two: a very bland, gray office with a solitary table in the center. There weren’t even any chairs. Perhaps they should move some of the papers from the previous room onto that table.

Window three: a rather spacious, roomy office space, festively decorated and complete with 2 couches, a computer, a television, and a packed bookcase. Must be the owner’s office, Tech thought. It juxtaposed oddly with the rest of the building’s dingy nuance.

Window four: the biggest room yet. But, judging by its occupants, not nearly big enough. Around fifty or sixty kids populated the relatively small, gray room lit with ordinary fluorescent lights. Tech gazed into this window for a particularly long time. Most of the children were humans, but there were a few anthromorphs here and there as well, particularly a dog, two cats, a wolf, a hare, and a baby roadrunner.

There were a few toys scattered around the room – not nearly enough for everyone, but even so, they lay largely ignored. The kids talked, teased or played amongst themselves or otherwise sat in solitude. This had to be a miserable existence, or at least an unfulfilling one, Tech though. It was practically a ministry for lost souls. For perhaps the first time, Tech felt sympathy for Duck. It had to be hard growing up in a place like this.

Duck – that’s right, the team was searching for Duck. Tech shook his head, realizing he had just wasted a good chunk of time and held Slam up as well, since he followed Tech’s every move. He began to set off once again when a voice from behind unexpectedly met his ears.

“Pitiful little buggers, aren’t they?”

Tech and Slam jumped in surprise and turned around. There stood a well-built man with smooth, long black hair. He held a burlap sack in his left hand that looked quite heavy.

Tech started up. “And you are –“

“Likely the man you’re looking for, yes,” the stranger finished. “And, no worries, I know quite well who you two are. But where are the other three? I explicitly asked that all five of you be present.”

Tech looked down, pressed a button on his arm gauntlet and spoke into a mouthpiece. “Rev, Lexi, Ace, we found the guy. On the side of the building facing our tower. Come quick.” He terminated the transmission.

Slam stood closely beside Tech, resembling a gigantic, scared puppy. He had no idea what would happen, or what he should do.

“Ah, these awkward silences always get to me,” the stranger spoke, “so, how about this weather?”

“And would that be Duck in the sack?” Tech asked curtly.

“My, you’re not one for icebreakers, are you? Maybe your friends will have more manners, and, ah, here they come now.”

The other three dashed into the clearing, and now formed a pentagon surrounding the longhaired man with the burlap sack.

“Lovely, you’re all here. It doesn’t look like I’ll have to kill this mallard after all,” the man said.

“Look, let’s cut the crap, doc, and get to the heart of the matter. What do you want from us?”

“Nuh uh uh, my harried hare. Remember that the fate of the duck is still in my hands. Well, my left hand, specifically,” he held up the sack, “so, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get things started at the rate of my own choosing.

“First of all, I haven’t introduced myself! I’m Vincent Cavanagh, the humble son of famous human rights activist James Cavanagh. You see, I want to follow in his footsteps, and I’m afraid you lot are getting in the way of the progression of human rights.”

The five present exchanged odd looks at this statement, but then Vincent went on.

“Now, observe, we’re gathered here today because of this fellow.” Vincent untied the rope bounding the sack, and flipped it over to empty out the contents. Duck inhumanely and rather grotesquely came tumbling out, clearly unconscious and bound by ominously green-glowing rope. He laid lamely on the ground.

The five recoiled at the sight. Lexi gasped, “is he… dead?”

“No, silly. I’ve already made it clear that he is not dead… yet. You see, this rope here is yet another brilliant creation of my brother’s. Good ol’ Danny – you’ll meet him soon. Anyway, each fiber of the rope is laced with copious amount of benzodiazepines, which are powerful sleeping agents. In addition to that, the fibers themselves are chemically altered to attach to anything tangible and warm. Since the duck is clearly tangible and warm, all of those fibers are sticking into him right now, and transmitting benzodiazepines into his nervous system. So long as he is bound in there, he’s out like a light. Even better, the rope can only be removed with an extremely specialized chemical solution, which only my brother has. Ah, there’s the genius now.”

Approaching from Vincent’s left, Dan walked into the scene out of seemingly nowhere. Tech couldn’t help but wonder how these two were managing to appear out of thin air.

Dan’s presence was far less daunting than Vincent’s was; in fact, he looked like a stereotypical geek, with huge glasses, short hair and a lab coat. He also did not have the confidence his brother held - if anything, he looked nervous.

“Anyway, that’s Dan. Dan, everybody. Poor guy, he’s mute. Anyway, back to the situation at hand. Now, you see I could easily just take Dan’s solution and unbind the duck here and let him free unscathed so you can all go back to your little happy places. But I’m afraid you’re going to have to fulfill one teensy request of me.”

“Oh yeah?” said Ace skeptically. “And what’s that?”

“Step down as ‘guardians of Acmetropolis’,” Vincent said bluntly, “end this silly little charade, and let man run his own world.”

“And just let you take over everything?!” Lexi snapped back.

“I can assure you, miss, I have absolutely no intentions of doing anything of the sort. Power and wealth are of little importance to me. I come only in the intention of preserving man’s power in a world he created. You six are a clear obstacle to this. So, please, step down and I’ll let the duck go.”

Ace was in disbelief. “Is that really what this is all about?” he asked, “you have a problem with us because we’re not… human?”

“Bingo,” Vincent said, “look, I’m not calling for your termination or anything, just step down and go we’re you anthromorphs are supposed to go – out of power.”

Tech looked at the empty sack and thought of something. “That was some explosion at that restaurant a few days ago, huh?”

Vincent looked surprised at this sudden change of topic. “Um… yes?”

“You know, Rev here had a date with another female roadrunner there that night,” Tech continuing, gesturing towards Rev.

Vincent looked at Rev with quite an unreadable expression. “Did he now?”

“Yes I did,” Rev answered, catching on to Tech’s intentions.

“Oh yes,” Vincent said, “I do seem to recall a female roadrunner was reported missing the next day.”

“And do you know what happened to her?” Tech followed up.

“No,” Vincent said a little less confidently, “can’t say I do. It’s been weeks, though, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see her again.”

“Oh I beg to differ,” Rev said defiantly, “in fact she just came running back to headquarters to just a couple of hours ago.”

“What?! How could she have possibly esc-“

“Aha!” Tech shouted triumphantly, pointing a finger at Vincent. “Now we have you on record for two kidnaps.”

Vincent faced contorted with rage, and then suddenly shock, as if he just had a stunning revelation. He quickly cast a look at his brother, who looked more nervous than ever, then at Ace.

“So are you going to step down or not?” Vincent asked impatiently.

Ace looked at Duck, then at the rest of the team, then at Dan, and then back at Vincent.

“Afraid we can’t do that, Doc.”

“I didn’t think you would,” Vincent murmured menacingly. “No problem. I have prepared for this. Team, reveal yourselves.”

In a moment of great horror, an overwhelming swarm of villainous personas crept out of the shadows cast by the buildings around them. It was as if the undead were rising from the grave. The Loonatics looked around in panic as the super villains emerged, beginning to form a blockade around the six. There must have been twenty or so. The Loonatics, as much as they had fought, had never fought this much before. The villains then stopped moving, having successfully assumed their respective positions.

“Now then,” Vincent spoke with a devious smile, “crush them.”




-- Edited by Dragon Wing at 00:13, 2008-05-11

Whooo, constructive replies! =D

GGGAAAHHHH!!! THE SUSPENCE! THE EXCITEMENT! THE CRUELTY TOWARDS DUCK!!!!

Cassidy: *knocks me out with a pillow*

I do like this chapter. It's got a complex rhythm to it. The next Chapter is sure to be quite the fight.
You'll have to change some sentences around a bit, though. I'll run you through on it later. I'm on someone else's computer and it may take a while. x.x

-- Edited by Bandkanon at 15:16, 2008-05-05

O8

SOMEBODY SAVE DUCK!!! D8

This is SO GOOD! The tensions you portrayed are making ME tense!!! O=

I like the way you described the orphanage... And how you added how the main office was quite lavish in comparison to the children's area... Poor Duck... ;__;

If i can recall correctly... Was there not a tree in the middle of the play-room? O_o

...

DUCK!!!! D8

My god Dragon Wing!!! You are a genius! Why the hell didn't I read this story earlier? You know what man, I'm supposed to be the published writer and you're starting to make me look bad

Anyways, get the next chapter done soon and cut it out with the cliffhangers. I was up 'till midnight reading this because something big would happen at the end of each chapter. Jeez my eyes hurt...

I CANNOT WAIT! *waits anyway*

Yes, actually... Angela does have a knack for leaving us on the edges of our seats... D:

But it's a good ploy to keep us continued in her story. :3

He's just taking a nap. =3

Your STEPMOTHER, heard DUCK, say ''Nappy-poo''?!?

Nappy Poo!!!!!! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!

* picks him up and smacks Duck's face left and right* Wake up! You're friends are fighting for their lives and your taking a nappy poo!
*Duck snores*
And the villians are attacking Misty Breeze!
*Duck shoots up* TASTE MY WRATH!!!!!!!!!!

Rye wrote:

---

-ponders- Did I ever get around to reading chapter eighteen? -doesn't remember- o__o; DO YOU KNOW, ANGELA? ...'Cause I don't think I did. D:

---

I don't think you have!

Read it!

Reeeaadd it.


Also, Chapter 19 goes up today, guys!

'Effin today!

I was going to write it last night, but I ended up not getting home until 6:15 AM. XD

YES! YES! Post it! Hurry! PLEEEEEEEEEESE! The suspence! The suspence!

Duck, get back here! Misty wuill be fine but your needed for the next chapter!
Duck:But I'm already awake....
Me: Here, eat this cake...

Oooooooh! Fireworks.......

You'd better get it posted soon Angela 'cause Colours was nice enough to fire off ilegal fireworks

Aaaaw...poor Angela. Sleep all day tomorrow if you want. We won't mind. Get your sleep and then you can come up with something awsome. ^_^

She can take her time, riiiiiiiight guuuuys.......

Me: We'll be waiting.

Spyro: *eats cookie*

Hahahaha! That's hilarious! My mom did the exact same thing to me this morning! The only reason I'm on here is because everyone went out.^_^

-- Edited by lovegreenanred at 14:53, 2008-05-18

0.0 .............. *faints*

Crap. The floor will be filled with passed-out bodies by the time this is over.

Haha, I'm glad you noted the Edit, otherwise it would have looked like I ignored all of that!

Wow. I mean, I thought it was one of my better chapters, sure, but I didn't think it was "the personified embodiment of the epitome of epicness."

That'll boost my ego for at least a few days =D

Also, yeah, I always felt Duck had it in him as well. Thus, this.

Oh and if you liek it that much be sure to tell people about it! =D /shameless


Oh, and now I'm afraid I won't be able to live up to this chapter's standards from here on, or at the very least I'm afraid what all happens next will be anti-climatic. D:


-- Edited by Dragon Wing at 21:35, 2008-05-18

Of course you can be a fangirl! And a fingirl too, if you'd like! In fact, I'd actively encourage it!

I actually got shivers while writing those last few lines as well. Not tooting my own horn or anything, though.

At first I snickered at "amazing dreams" as if it were to mean "AMAZING ASPIRATIONS" or something along those lines, then I realized you were probably referring to the Dace dream Rev had. Then I snickered HARDER.


I liek it muchly! =D

Tuesday. Erm, two days.