The Lure of the Saurian

Written by Zelda

 

                Dragaunus rummaged through his storeroom, tailed by his henchmen.

                "Whadda ya looking for, boss?" questioned the Chameleon.

                "Wraith, you're the one who's been arguing all along that we should be using our Saurian powers to defeat the Ducks." he replied, turning to him.

                "So you are finally going to agree?" he asked, perking up.

                "No, but I'm going to do something even better." Dragaunus smiled, opening a crate and tearing through it. "That little dragon Zelda has been a thorn in my side the very day she joined up with the Ducks.....but she is part Saurian."

                "Yeah, so what?" asked Siege. Dragaunus held up a small glass container, which held a glowing green liquid.

                "This is a chemical designed to react with and enhance the Saurian blood in one. It was used ages ago on my ancestors, and might just do a little touching up on Zelda herself." he grinned. "If I'm right, this formula will send her Saurian blood raging, making her turn against all of her allies in a way they could never have imagined." Dragaunus clutched the vial, and stood back up. "Now, all we have to do it get it to her."

 

                Mallory picked up a comic book, and held it out, reading the cover to Nosedive.

                "Super Mutant Space Commanders! Defenders of universal justice!" she read.

                "Nahhh." scorned Dive, holding up another one. "Check this out! Radioactive Slug Boy, volume #33!" Zelda laughed.

                "Teenagers..." she chuckled.

                "Hah, you guys want awesome, check these out!" yelled Thrash, standing by a large truck outside. "Look! The first shipment of a braaaaand spankin' new comic series!" Nosedive ran outside, to see a man unloading a huge box from the truck.

                "Oh yeah, what's it called?" Mallory asked, as Mook began to cut through the tape, and wipe away the styrofoam. Suddenly, a huge cloud of smoke exploded from the box.

                "Your fiery doom!" yelled Wraith, revealing himself and sending a fireball flying towards the two Ducks. Mallory and Nosedive ducked, while Thrash and Mook ran for cover. The trucker morphed back into the Chameleon, and Siege emerged from the back of the truck, brandishing his laser gun.

                "We've got trouble guys!" yelped Mallory into her com, as the three backed away.

                "You think that's trouble?" laughed a voice that was hideously familiar. Dragaunus came looming out of his cloaked state, carrying a dart gun with him. Suddenly, Wildwing, Grin, Tanya, and Duke came skating up on their jetblades. "Take care of them all!" roared Dragaunus. "But Zelda is MINE!" The three henchmen went forth, firing, as the Ducks met them with their own force.

 

                Wildwing leapt in front of his brother just in time to split a laser fire into streaming pieces. Grin rammed powerfully into Siege's side, sending him sprawling away. Wraith hurled a huge fireball a between Zelda and Tanya, causing them to leap off to opposite sides as the searing winds overcame them.

                "Not a very good shot, are you?" scorned Zelda.        

"Depends on where he was aiming." growled Dragaunus, looming over her, out of the shadows. Zelda yelped and ran off, taking up ground in front of Wildwing. "If I can just get one good shot.." Dragaunus muttered, raising his gun.

 

                Wildwing was trying to get at the Chameleon, but was held back by the strength of his fire. He knew Zelda was beside him, but he suddenly saw her go flying. He looked up in alarm to see Dragaunus marching towards him, holding the smoking dart gun in his claws.

 

                Zelda's back slammed against the asphalt as she screamed in pain. Looking up, she saw a large green dart protruding from her right flank, just behind the shoulder. Wincing, Zelda reached forth and yanked it out, clutching it. She tried to stand, but could only power herself up on her forearms, dragging her hind legs behind her. She felt weak, dizzy, and lethargic. Finally, her forearms gave way, and she crashed to the pavement, crimping her claws in feeble frustration.

 

                Tanya ducked behind a palm tree, getting a few shots in response to Wraith's fire. Suddenly, the commotion stopped, and Wraith disappeared. Tanya stepped out of cover, to see all signs of Dragaunus and his goons gone.

                "Zelda!" yelled Duke, and he ran over to her, kneeling on the ground beside her. The team regrouped around her, as Mallory leaned down for a closer look. Zelda breathed in irregular, gasping pants, as she struggled to make an effort at getting up, but couldn't move.

                "Look!" said Nosedive, as he gently took the dart from her weak grasp.

                "Poor Zelda. We should get her back to the infirmary." sighed Tanya.

 

                As the Medicom's scanner circled around Zelda, Tanya was examining a sample of the liquid in the dart with her Omnitool.

                "Okay, there were two sorta chemicals in that dart. One was an ordinary animal tranquilizer, but the other one's weird...I mean, It's not like anything on this planet." She stepped over to the Medicom, and started to punch in code. "I'm reprogramming the Medicom. It should help that tranquilizer wear off." And it did. Seconds later, Zelda opened her eyes, snorted, and leaned up, rubbing her flank.

                "Zelda! You okay kiddo?" asked Duke. Zelda got up and stared about her.

                "Whoa, this is weird...." she started, backing away slowly.

                "What?" asked Grin, concerned.

                "It's something within me...it just feels ..strange." hesitated Zelda, lowering her head, as if trying to fight off a bout of nausea. Zelda placed a paw over her stomach, curling up further.

                "I bet it's that chemical in the dart...." started Tanya. Suddenly, Zelda became wreathed in a very faint green light, growing stronger by the second.

                "I know what it is...!" she snarled, shaking her head violently. "The small part of my blood that is Saurian...I can feel it...growing stronger, taking over ...." she mumbled. The glow became stronger, until it bathed the room in an eerie green light. the Ducks backed away warily, as they noticed Zelda was growing in size! "It's twisting my thoughts...turning them evil!" snarled Zelda, frustrated and desperate. As she became lost herself in the green light, her outline grew larger by the second. Finally, the light swirled around her like a hundred comets as she reared up, screaming so loud that it hurt the Ducks' ears. Suddenly, the light died away, leaving a slight luminescence about, as Zelda, who was almost as big as the Aerowing, glared down at them with gleaming green eyes. She opened her jaws, and let out a bellowing, rattling blast of stale air that nearly knocked the Ducks off of their feet.                         

"Let's get outta here!" yelled Mallory in sheer panic, and the team ran through the doors, turning for the main entrance to the Pond. Grin looked back in alarm, to see Zelda burst through the closed metal doors, and explode into the tunnel. Zelda bellowed again, and charged after them. The Ducks burst through the main doors to the Pond, and ran across the parking lot, backing up against the brick wall of a building, just in time to see Zelda ram through the glass doors and rear up powerfully. Grin stepped forwards, not believing his eyes. Zelda glared evilly at him, through a malicious grin.

                "Zelda....just calm down..." he started cautiously.

                "Grin! Get back here!" called Wildwing. Grin still approached Zelda slowly. Zelda lowered her ears, eyes blazing, and suddenly lunged forth. Grin yelped and tried to run back, but Zelda snatched him up in her jaws, and reared high up into the air. She shook her head back and forth violently, and then threw Grin sideways, into an alley. The others instinctively moved to help him, but were stopped by Zelda's roar. She powerfully raised her wings, and flew off into the heart of the city.

                "We've got to follow her!" yelled Nosedive. "Who knows what she could do!?" The team ran over to Grin, who lay in a dumpster, torn and bruised, moaning weakly.            

"Tanya! Stay with Grin, get him back to the infirmary!" yelled Wildwing. "The rest of us'll take the Migrator and see what we can do about Zelda!" The team turned, and ran back into the Pond.

 

                The Migrator screeched to a halt in front of a huge, scaly tail that lay across the road.

                "I think we found her..." muttered Duke. The team leapt out of the Migrator, armed, not knowing what to expect. As soon as they had all filed out of the Migrator, they heard a loud bellow, and Zelda slammed her claw down on top of the Migrator, the roof sinking and denting under her weight.

                "Fire the pucks! Get her off of there!" yelled Mallory, running back inside, as the vehicle rocked violently. Setting the Migrator in battle mode, she aimed the cannon and fired three shots at Zelda's left shoulder. "Sorry kid, but this is for your own good!" she yelled. Upon impact, Zelda reared up and screamed, so loud that the Ducks covered their ears in pain. As the scream continued, the windows in the vacant buildings nearby shattered, hailing down onto the street below. She withdrew from the Migrator, and stood, rubbing her flank in seething rage. The anger seemed to be increasing her power, as her eyes blazed green and the light swirled about her. Wildwing ducked and ran into the Migrator, ripping out of the back hatch on a Duckcycle.

                "Hey Zelda! Over here!" he yelled at Zelda, who's back was turned.

                "Wildwing! What on earth are ya doin' Bro.?!" yelled Nosedive.

                "Trying to buy us some time before we all get killed!" Carefully, he aimed his launcher at Zelda's near flank, and fired one glancing shot. Zelda roared in fury, and turned to glare at him. In rage, she swiped her tail across the ground, sending a building falling into rubble. Wildwing turned the Duckcycle around, ripped the motor, and took off. The ground shook with the first slow and heavy, and then quick and light footfalls of Zelda. She was chasing him! Quickly, he led her out of the city's most populated areas, and into the desert hills beyond. She ran powerfully, eyes glowing, wings pumping, while Wildwing kept just ahead of her.

                "Wildwing, I can see you! Punch it, Zelda's gaining!" yelled Tanya, over the com. Looking back at Zelda and then up, Wildwing saw Tanya flying just behind her in the Aerowing. Wildwing gunned the roaring motor, and the cycle launched ahead faster. Suddenly, he felt Zelda's claw swipe the Duckcycle to the left, while he flew off of it and fell to the right. Wildwing could only watch as the ground came rushing up to meet him.

 

                Wildwing hit his head hard on the pavement. Falling backwards, he landed hard on his side, and could feel his armor scraping against the asphalt. His feathers grated abruptly against the rough gravel on the shoulder, and then he went tumbling down a softer, grassy incline, coming to rest at the bottom of a steep hill, at the base of a willow tree. Lying on his side, tangled in the branches, bruised and torn, Wildwing tried to raise his head, but was met with an overcoming feeling of dizziness, along with an intense pounding and throbbing sensation. He sank back down, feeling the pain run along his side and in his head. Finally, he opened his eyes, to see his Duckcycle lying on it's side at the top of the hill. Suddenly, Zelda loomed up, and slammed her right claw down on the cycle. She brought her head to the front part of the machine, twisted it, and tore it in half, the front end hanging raggedly from her jaws. She roared loudly, the wires sparking and flashing. Wildwing realized that she was looking for him, but not seeing him.

                "Wildwing? Wildwing, where are you!?" yelled Tanya, distressed, over the com. Zelda immediately jerked her head up, as if agitated. Wildwing hastily switched his com off, and then froze. Zelda was staring strait at him, but seemed as if she couldn't see him. Suddenly, a loud whoosh from overhead distracted her, as the Aerowing flew about. Snarling loudly as the Aerowing darted back up behind the clouds, Zelda pumped her wings and leapt up in pursuit, leaving Wildwing alone. As he watched her go, Wildwing switched his com back on, and tried to reach the others.

 

                The dented, but not seriously damaged Migrator screeched to a halt beside the Pond, as the Aerowing made a hasty landing. The entire team, including Grin and Wildwing, was transported onto the Aerowing, seeing as they would be safer there. Suddenly, the ground rattled near them, as Zelda plummeted from the sky. But instead of making the great, swooping landing usual of her, she fell flat on her side, moaning loudly. The green light started to fade from her eyes as she struggled up, gasping for breath. Nosedive knew what it meant.

                 "Zelda! Tell us what's wrong!" he yelled, as she struggled to stay on top of the spell.

                "The ancient blood of my ancestors...rages within me...controlling my thoughts...my actions..!" she gasped raggedly. "Go! Go my friends...before it's too late!" she snarled, starting to slip again. The Ducks turned and ran, as Zelda reared up, howling in rage once again.

 

                Zelda flew after the Aerowing in hot pursuit, as it sped through the sky on full blast. Wildwing was still struck dizzy, having avoided a concussion, but still in a bad way. As Duke and Nosedive tried their hardest to pilot the plane, Tanya continued to examine the second mystery chemical in the dart.                 "This chemical is composed of a high amount of an hormone called rysalea...What it does is increase the manufacture of a certain type of blood cell in the body."

                "And that certain blood type would be Saurian, now wouldn't it?" questioned Nosedive.

                "Rysalea is extremely rare, I thought it died out long ago, but this is a nearly pure source!"

                "So what do we do about it?" asked Duke.

                "Well, we need to find a real potent amount of it's counter, another hormone called Isolasa. As a matter of fact, I think we just might have some in the chemical storage box...." Tanya went over, removing a metal panel on the wall, and rummaging through various glass bottles and containers. Suddenly, the Aerowing lurched to the side, as the unsecured occupants slammed into the wall. Duke raised himself back up, gripping the controls.

                "Well I think we're gonna need it!" he yelled.

 

                Zelda flapped hard, veering away from the right side of the Aerowing. Pumping her wings, she lifted herself high into the air as the ship regained itself, and then came plunging down, slamming onto the roof.

 

                Seconds later, the Aerowing fell downwards, then jolting back up. Tanya yanked out a small vial of the hormone, as well as another chemical.

                "There! I found it!" she yelled, and stood up. Mallory handed her an orange missile, much like the one they had used to defeat a certain overgrown Alterian Creeper. She opened the missile and attached the needle-like tip. Tanya leaned in, pouring the two chemicals into one glass tube. "I'm combining the Isolasa with a little tranquilizer. We can deactivate it after we make sure the hormone has worked. Might be a little uncomfortable, but is should do the job." Finally, the missile was ready. Mallory closed the hatch, and popped it into the launching chamber. "Missile ready!" she reported. Nosedive punched the thrusters, trying to get far enough away from Zelda. Duke swiveled the controls, spinning the Aerowing around. In the cockpit view, they could see Zelda flying strait at them.

                "Time for a booster shot!" yelled Duke, as he positioned himself, and fired.

 

                The missile plunged strait into Zelda's neck. She screamed in an intense wave of pain, and fell from the sky, feeling herself regaining her senses, and finding them hopelessly numb. She slammed into the ground, bouncing slightly, and lay still as the Aerowing's braking thrusters bellowed and hissed nearby.  She could feel her blood cooling, as she shrunk back to her normal size. The team ran out of the Aerowing, and stooped over her. Tanya scooped her up gently, rubbing her head.

                "Guess it worked." she sighed. "Let's get back to the Pond."

 

                Slowly, drowsily, Zelda opened her eyes to see a foggy version of the infirmary. Blinking to clear her vision, she leaned up slowly, rubbing her neck, now sore with the wound.

                "Zelda...you okay?" asked Grin, leaning forwards. Zelda jolted her head up, starting as if she didn't know what was going on. Slowly, her memory of the whole incident returned to her. She propped herself up on her forelimbs and shook her head slowly.

                "Yeah....I'm okay now.." she hesitated. "Looks like that was just what the doctor ordered." joked Nosedive. Zelda slowly rose and jumped off of the table. She went over to where Wildwing sat, his head bandaged. "But what have I done?" she sighed, dismayed, glancing back at Grin, who was still pretty torn up himself. Wildwing grinned, reached forth, and patted her on the head.

                "Yup, she's okay." he chuckled.

                "Look Zelda, all you've done is acted as an indicator of how mean the Saurains can REALLY be." assured Mallory. Zelda looked about her, guilty and hesitant. Suddenly, Duke remembered something.

                "Hey, wait a minute! What if there's more of that chemical stuff? This episode could become a rerun of itself!" he asked. Zelda nodded alarmed.

                "Well, you know what this means....another trip to the Raptor." sighed Wildwing, standing slowly. Zelda jerked her head up, remembering the hard and tiring fights that had been put up in the Raptor before.

                "No, wait." she whined. "I'll go. Alone. This is of my interest, and not of your concern."

                "Zelda, I think that chemical messed with your head in more ways than one!" replied Nosedive.        "Of course it's of our concern! We wouldn't want this to happen to you again." agreed Tanya.         "No. This is my fight. If I was never here, you wouldn't have this problem. I'm gonna be the one who solves it, without exposing you to an equal risk." Zelda replied.

                "But you're gonna need some help..." started Duke. Zelda swiveled around, snarling.

                "Alone!" she growled, as she paced towards the door.

                "Oh, don't bother." laughed a familiar voice. "You won't need to go anywhere." Siege loomed up from a green shadow, followed by the other two henchmen. "That was the last of our chemical, dragon, but it doesn't mean we can't kill you..." he pulled out his laser gun and started firing. Zelda roared and darted out of the way, wheeling off to the side. She bounced back up and charged, ramming forcefully into the Chameleon. He fell over as she leapt off of him, and turned to face Wraith. By now, the Ducks were helping also.

                "Silly animal, you think that because you an descendant, you're further evolved!" laughed Wraith.

                "I have ways of proving it, too!" snarled Zelda, as she charged. Wraith sparred off with her, using his staff as a block. With a block in place, he had enough time to rear up, and send a fireball hurling towards Zelda. She yelped and leapt away, but was not far enough. She was knocked away by the searing winds, taking ground up by the Ducks. They pushed forth together, backing the three henchmen against the wall.

                "Let's get outta here!" yelled Siege, as he pressed his teleporter, and the three disappeared in a great green shadow.

                "Well, that solves that problem!" said Nosedive, getting up, and dusting himself off.

                "Feel better now, Zelda?" chuckled Duke. Zelda cocked her head warmly.

                "Oh, I suppose so." she said.

                "Zelda, you really woulda went into the Raptor alone?" asked Grin.

                "Sure." she sighed.

                "But you might have been killed!" argued Wildwing. Zelda lowered her head. She wasn't gonna argue. Duke grinned.

                "Aww, Zelda just doesn't wanna see us get hurt." he said sympathetically, kneeling beside her and patting her head.

                "Relax, we can take care of ourselves, man." said Nosedive, getting slightly bored with the entire mushy scene.

                "Still doesn't mean I can't worry." smiled Zelda, trotting away. For now, they could rest again.

 

The End

 

Mighty Ducks-The Animated Series, including all logos and characters (except mine) are copyright and property of Disney. You may copy, print, or whatever with this document, so long as it is not altered and I (Zelda) am credited. Thanks!