AcceptOrFail

Acceptance or Failure?

“Jack, I cannot live in your world forever! I weakens me so! If you love me, truly love me, you’ll make the choice of coming with me to my dimension or loosing me forever by staying here!”
It was a difficult decision indeed. All of his friends and things where here in this dimension. Jack looked to his best friend, Megs who just stared right back at him. What would he choose? Love for a woman...or love for a friend??! He could always go and visit Megs! “Megs, don’t think I’m a bad friend, but you know you already have your own life now! Now it’s my turn.”
“You can’t go! Who will I pick on!”
“You and Veggie n Liquy can do that.”
“It won’t be the same!”
“I know that, but…we got along without each other at one point, didn’t we?”
“But I’ve gotten so used to you being around!! You’re like a brother to me!”
Ouch, that was going to make parting even harder!
“Megs…oh geez,” Jack gathered his best friend in his arms and hugged him for a long time.
The gray and black cat spoke up, ruining the moment. Demons sure had awful taste in timing. “Jack, now’s the time. Who will you go with?”
The stress to was too unbearable for him. Upon breaking down in tears and breaking away from his best friend, Jack’s girlfriend whisked herself and him away to her home dimension. The room was empty with Megavolt left standing there.

*************************************************************

It was a normal day in DemonVerse at the Quackerwitz residence. Jack’s invent and moping. Katalina came up to him. “Are you alright, Jack? You seem down.”
He sighed. “Oh, it’s just that…I miss home a little.”
“Hmm, I can understand that. New place, you’re not used to this environment,”
“Yeah,”
She kisses the side of his bill, her fur tickling him. “We go to the Demon Counsel soon, are you prepared?”
“Yeah. Ready as I’ll ever be.”

He thinks back to when The Glorious Fearsome Five were still together. Seems like ages since they were at the pinnacle of their success. Now all married and fathers…except him. After this dreaded meeting with the horrifying Demon Counsel then he and Katalina could marry and have kids and a life… That is if they approve of him. If not, then he’d be like those six before him…*gulp* cat chow. Why oh WHY did he have to fall in love with this beauty. The dangers definitely seem to outweigh the benefits. What love can do to a man. It’s quite pathetic sometimes, really.
This dimension he was living in was rather boring. White, silky, never ending, identical. He missed the back allies of St. Canard, dark and dank. He missed his warehouse and he missed Megavolt.
“Oh my friend, how are you today?” he asked over the great distance.
A polar bear in a snowstorm, only his bright orange hair, orange bill, and orange webbed feet stood out in this colorless environment. “How can Kat stand it here?!” Now he was starting to get angry; frustrated.
“Darling? Are you ready?”
Jack calmed himself down. “Yeah. Let’s get this over with.”

He found himself in the darkest room of this dimension, shrouded with these dark figures of different species. Katalina had prepared him for this meeting to the best of her abilities. Now the only thing she could do was hope the Counsel accepted Jack.
The glowing eyes creeped him out and made him doubt himself. He couldn’t do this! This was suicide!! He didn’t want to die! Not like this certainly!! I mean, he’s been in more dire situations with Negaduck and Megavolt! But this, this was nuts!!
He broke down. Dropping on his knees he begged the Counsel to spare his life and simple confessed his sincere love for Kat. There was an evil glow from the demons. They were going to kill him! An eerie glowing ball of energy was hurled toward him…
“We’re here, Jack…”
He snapped out if his daydream.
“Good luck.”
“Thanks. I could sure use it,” They kissed and he turned to enter the non-existent room. The non-existent doors silently slammed behind him, locking him in there with nothing. Jack looked around, not being able to tell distance in this dimension, so not knowing where the walls were simple sat, and waited. If there’s one thing Jack learned in The DemonVerse it’s stay where you are until you know where you are or if someone comes for you. He waited for hours and upon getting bored and fed up with waiting, took out Mr. Banana Brain. “What are we doing here, buddy?”
He imitates, “This is borin’, Corrin!”
“Yeah, I know, but we have to wait until the Counsel shows up…”
Mr. Banana Brain flops over in despair and then back up. “Let’s go Joe!”
“We can’t. I have to stay here and be evaluated by The Counsel!”
Jack slouches over to make his plushy toy dance on the floor.
“Do you miss Megs, Mr. Banana Brain?”
“Dude’s luede crude and rude!!”
“Well I miss him! I mean, sure he was a little touchy at times, but it was someone to talk to!”
“You’re desperate, res-pit!”
“Well sucks to you!

Time Passes on and Jack lays down in various positions through out his stay. Eventually he resorts to self-entertainment. “Counsel, Counsel, where for art thou? Room, room, plain and white, gives me such a fright. Walls, walls where are you? I’d rather be in the vast Bayou. Pretty Kitty Katalina, better than an ocarina!!”
Bored out of his skull, Jack placed his toy where he sat and started jumping around, exercising his acrobatics. Next came singing and dancing. It was be a sight indeed.
When he tired, he turned to look for Mr. Banana Brain and found him sitting in his spot…which was now moving away from him!! He tried to run after his long time friend with the gap widening even further. Jack stopped, remembering the physics here were totally different. He squeezed his eyes shut and did as Katalina always told him, “Imagine yourself there and you will be.” And he was. “Whew, you scared me there buddy!” Jack sat down in place of his toy and put the banana on his lap.
He laid on his back and looked up at nothingness white. “Mr. Banana Brain? What do you think about this dimension?”
“Plain, Blaine!”
“Yeah, I wish there were a little more color. Then I wouldn’t be thinking I’m going blind!”
There came a snicker from nowhere. Jack got up to his feet and looked in the direction it came from. And there hence was The Demon Counsel. Jack gulped, but saw they weren’t as sadistic as he thought. That was a good thing; less intimidating.
The head member in the middle; the biggest by a few inches, spoke. “Jack, you have proven to be a most interesting individual indeed. Thus upon learning the properties of this dimension you are in fact suitable for living here.”
Jack waited to hear whether there was anymore they were going to say. Nothing.
“So, “ Jack started. “This means you won’t turn me into cat chow?”
The leader looked at him curiously, then out of nowhere began to snicker and chuckle, as did the others.
“No, no. You are the only mortal who has ever proven himself! We will allow you to mate with Katalina.”
“R, really?!”
The head wolf nodded.
“Wow!! Thanks!”
“But!” echoed.
“B, but??!!” Jack’s voice quivered.
“You’ll need powers,” The whole Counsel pooled together energy and then there were twinkles around Jack and then a flash. “Woah,” was all the duck could manage. The Counsel smiled, gratified. Jack stood there mystified, checking out his hands in a whole new way of seeing things.
The head Counsel spoke, “Jack, with these powers you must fulfill the whims of The Counsel. Do you understand?”
“Yes, of course! But…I hope I, I won’t have to do anything…er…” he implied.
“Maybe,” He continued on, “But only in dire needs. Otherwise, outside our whims, you may do anything you wish within the parameters granted by The Counsel. Here,” A large red and gold trimmed book appeared in Jack’s hands. “This is the rule book we have been using since our creation. A few things may be a little out of date, but other wise suits our needs and has been working nicely for us for millennia. Today is your “re birth”. Welcome to our world, Quackerjack.”
Katalina appears, summoned by The Counsel. “Jack?!”
“Darling! Look! They accepted me!! Isn’t this wonderful??!!”
“Yes it is!” The couple looks to The Counsel.
The head Counsel spoke, “The Counsel will be expecting progress from you two within two years time.”
Katalina exasperated, “WHAT?!!”
“What’s the matter, Katalina? Doubt you can do it?”
“It’s absurd!! In only two years??!! That’s nearly seven hundred and thirty days!!”
Jack has no idea what’s going on… Which is probably a good thing… But then again…
“You have no choice Katalina, two years or we’ll assign you two someplace unpleasant. Or worse,”
“Yes sir,” she said gloomily.
“Now be off and be productive! Jack, this is your first mission! Don’t disappoint us. Katalina will brief you on it. Now, be off you two,”
And with that Katalina whisked her and Jack off to home.
Kat stomped to her nothing bed with Jack following, puzzled and confused. “Darling? What did they mean?”
She sat down, disappointed and distressed. He gingerly sat next to her. “Darling?”
She sighed. “Jack…they want us to have a kid. That’s it, plain and simple.”
“Eep! But we’re not even married yet!!”
“Things just work differently here, dear. No in breeding, no marriages, no ceremonies, no birthdays,”
“WHAT??!!! NO BIRTHDAYS?????????!!!!!!!!! But that’s my favorite part,” he whined.
Katalina laid down on he bed and looked up at the non-ceiling. “Well, you want to get this over and done with?”
“Jack looked over at her. “Katy! I can’t do that now!” he whined.
She sat up, stunned. “Why not??!”
He sighed. “I don’t know how it works for demons, but…humans are way different when it comes to having kids n stuff,”
“Like how?” She really had no clue.
“Well, first of all we’re a lot more secretive about it. It’s something that is only known by the two and vaguely by really close friends and family. And it’s not, ‘ok let’s go at it’ it’s…it just comes without warning! When the time is right for both it’ll happen on it’s own accord!”
“That is very confusing,”
“Well, not to people. We’re just born knowing that. Occasionally it’s a premeditated thing, but I won’t go into that!” He sticks his tongue out in disgust.
“You’ve never done it premeditatedly, have you?”
“Well, no!” He thinks a moment. “Actually, I don’t think any of The Fearsome Five have!! Huh! And they called us bad! That’s why we’re still alive and rapists are put to death! Actually, Megs has been on Death Roe a couple of times and survived!”
Katalina giggled to herself. “You always talk about him! You two must be good friends,”
“Yeah, I think we still are.” He looks sad.
“You miss him?”
“Yeah. Say! With these new powers of mine I can go see him whenever I want!”
“Isn’t that great?!”
“Yep! Only thing is knowing how to use them,”
“I will teach you,”
“Do you know how long this’ll take??!”
“It will take as long as it takes.”
“Oh,”

He didn’t know how long it took him to learn. Time had no meaning here. A day in his home dimension could be a Millennia in the DemonVerse or vice versa! There were no calendars here in this dimension. Time was ever on the approach but you never quite got there, yet time passed on. This world really was a conundrum!!
One fateful day Katalina was teaching Jack how to form energy bombs when he just started looking at her with lustful eyes. By the time she noticed she was in his arms being kissed ever so passionately. Upon loosing their balance, they ended up hitting a wall…or was it the floor? They didn’t care, all they knew was that love was in the air.

*************************************************************

He stretched his arms after that wonderful sleep and looked down next to himself to see his darling cat. “Pretty Kitty, Elle, Elle,” The rat kissed his wife’s cheek. Her soft, yellow fur tickling his snout. She tiredly blinked her deep brown eyes, looked up at him and smiled. That is one of the things he loves most about her, that terribly soft fur of hers on his skin. It was so sensuous he never dreamed of anything more pleasant. Well, on the other hand, anything that even measured up to his wife were his children! All four of them.
They cuddled in bed for another hour before getting up and getting dressed. Taking a double take, Elmo Sputterspark, aka Megavolt stopped to look at the framed picture of The Fearsome Four. Next to that was a framed picture of himself and his best friend before Elle; Quackerjack. Since Quacky left, it’s almost like this is the first time he’s ever seen this picture on the wall.
“Oh darling! You’ve noticed!! While you were out last night I hug them up just for you!” his wife said and then kissed his cheek and cuddled up to his back. It’s been about 20 years since that gang’s been together and nearly 10 years since Quacky left with that demon cat. How could he!, Elmo thought to himself.
The day progressed on and it was a little before. The family was chillin outside in the nice weather, the Weeping Cherry tree Reggie gave them was in full bloom in the yearly spring air. The tulips were in all their glory and the twins were running around the yard, chasing each other in a game of tag, Tory was the base and she giggled every time they used her as base. Their son Timison was working on his latest creation. He said it was supposed to be a new remote, but now looked like an expresso extension! Elle and Elmo were in the same lawn chair cuddling and watching the kids. All of a sudden the sky starts getting dark and scary, yet there are no clouds in the sky. There’s a green and yellow energy vortex forming in front of the family, the kids go hide behind their parents. Then coming forth from it is Quacky and Katalina!
Elmo jumps to his feet as the vortex closes and runs to his best friend to warmly embrace him. “QUACKY!!!!! YOU’RE BACK!!”
The orange haired duck hugs back. “Oh Megs! It’ been forever!” They hug for a little while longer than Quackerjack notices his friend’s growing family. “Oh my goodness! Is this little Tory??!”
Elmo proudly says, “Yep!”
In awe the duck says, going up to her to hold her hands, “She’s all grown up!”
Tory blushes, not remembering who this was. Then Quackerjack goes to the younger twin of Elmo. “Don’t tell me this is Timison!!!”
“Sure is,” the proud father of the nine year old.
“Geez! I remember when you brought the little tyke home! My how he’s grown! And into quite the replica of his father too!!”
Timison says, “Don’t remind me,”
“Aw, whatsa matter?” he pat the boy’s head.
“I don’t wanna talk about it!”
Quackerjack stands back up and looks at the boy shocked. “Geez, Megs! Boy’s got an attitude!”
“Yer telling me??! I don’t know what to do with the boy!”
“Send ‘em to military school!”
“Oh, so he can come back and be the next Negaduck?! No thank you!”
“Speaking of the devil, what’s up with him?!”
“Oh, Mr. ‘Family Man’?”
“Huh??!!”
“Yeah, apparently now he’s cleaned up his act a little and has three children and training one to be Negaduck and the other two are his favorites. His oldest is 19 and in college!”
“WHAT????! Woah!! What about Veggie and Liquy?”
“Oh, well, Reggie had four kids…and you know what happened with Tye,”
The duck sadly says, “Yeah, poor guy…Poor Tye for that matter!!”
“Yeah. Well, Liquy married your old girlfriend six years ago, I think it was,”
Elle nodded her head. She added, “And they adopted a little girl named Shelby three years ago,”
“Wow! And all this has happened while I was in the DemonVerse??!”
“Apparently,”
“Hey! Guess what Megs!”
“What?”
“Y’ know that vortex we came out of?”
“Yeah, I thought it was different than hers!”
“It is cause it’s MINE!!”
Elle and Elmo both say together, “WHAT???!!!!”
“Yep! The Counsel made me a demon to be with Katy!!”
“Y, yer a, a DEMON??!!!”
The orange haired duck nodded. Then he felt other life forms there with them other than the ones he mentioned. Quacky turned around and spied the twins. “Megs? Won’t you introduce me?”
“Huh? Oh! These are Elle and my twins, Emilia and Thomas! My lil’ angels!”
“YOU??! You have angelic children??!!”
He escorted the young from behind the chair and picked up Emilia. To her the proud Daddy said, “Say hello to Uncle Quackerjack, Emi! Thomas,”
Both waved unsurely, and bashfully. Quackerjack squatted down and waved back with a happy look on his face, feeling privledged to meeting these two gorgeous children. “Megs, who’da thought you’d have such beautiful children?”
“Well, I didn’t do it myself. I knew from the moment I knew I wanted to marry their mother that our children would be as beautiful as her,”
His wife blushed and cooed back at him, “Well, I didn’t do it by myself, so I musta had help from a very handsome man,”
“Elle! Oh, you darling!”
“Alright, alright you two love birds!! Geez! Make me sick, why don’tchu!!” Quacky protested.
“Aw, is Quacky still sensitive like that?” Elle taunted. “C’mon, let’s go inside! I can fix you up something to eat or drink! I can fix us up lunch while I’m at it!”
“Ok!!” Quacky said in a very missed perky attitude. The kids ran ahead and inside with the four grown-ups lagging in the rear. Elmo and Jack retreated to the dining room to talk of good ol’ times and Katalina caught Elle by the wrist to whisper, “Elle, may I ask you about reproduction, please?”
“Why of course,” She led the demon cat elsewhere for a private conversation. “Why? What’s the matter?”
“What is it like when you’re pregnant?”
“Well, you get morning sickness and you get moody. You crave foods you never did before, and to the excessive… do you…”
The demoness lowered her head and nodded.
“Oh my gosh… let’s go check, ok?”
“How?”
“Come with me, I keep it handy,” Elle took Katalina’s wrist and lead her to the bathroom to test her.
“Why?”
“I’ve already had seven children, Katalina,”
“Where are the others?”
After a solmn pause, “Dead.”
“I’m so sorry!” the demoness said with sincere concern, knowing exactly how it is to loose children. Her own kind, demons, were both hunted to near extinction and cursed with infertility. At the present moment they were working on bringing up the population, which is a hard task to say the least. Their back’s are up against the wall and genes are getting more and more scarce!
Elle helped Katalina understand how to perform the test and left the room for the demoness’s privacy sake, which she lacks, being a demon. Elle argued the point and merely stood outside the door.
“Elle?”
“Yes?”
“What does this mean when it changes color?”
The mortal cat rushed in to see, in fact, the test come out positive. “Oh my god! Katalina! Congradualtions!! You’re going to be a mother!!”
“Oh good! At first I thought it meant the opposite!”
“Wow! I bet the shock hasn’t hit yet, huh?”
“Hmm?”
“You’re going to be a mother, Katalina! You’re going to be a mother and Jack’s going to be a father,”
“Terriffic,” A rare smile began to grow on the demoness’s face. Elle rushed out of the room to go tell the others. “Oh my goodness, you guys! Katalina’s got something really important to tell you!!”
“Huh? What’s all the fuss about?!”
Katalina came in, slowly, looking at the floor. Jack asked, concerned, “Kat-ey? What is it?”
She stopped and looked up at the two guys at the table, Elle not too far away. “I’m pregnant.”
Elmo jumped up. “Wow! Congradualtions!”
Jack exclaimed, “WHAT???!!!”
“I am, I’m going to have a baby,”
Elmo joined Elle by Katalina’s side. “Wow, that’s wonderful!! Isn’t it Quacky!?”
Jack said more to himself than anything, distraught, “I can’t believe this is happening!” He was nervously running his fingers through his long orange hair. He looked up at the three. “You can’t be pregnant!”
“Er…Why not Quacky?” asked the rat.
“We’re not even married!”
“Jack,” started Katalina. “Demons don’t get married,”
“I don’t care! I was born mortal, growing up with their ways! It’s just wrong this way!”
“Aw, you’ll get used to the idea, QJ. Aren’t you happy with her? Aren’t you happy you’ll be a father?” asked Elle.
“I’m a duck! She’s a cat! We can’t possibly have kids!!”
“Hey, look at Elle and me! A rat and a cat, who’da thought we could have four surviving children!”
“Are they sterile?”
“Huh?! Oh… Uh… I…don’t know…”
“Oh crap, Elmo, what if they are?!”
“We love them all the same, don’t we?”
“Of course, honey. We always will.”
Katalina, in a blink, was beside Jack and smacked his arm. “Good work, now you’ve upset them!”
“What do you want me to do about it?!” he snapped.
“Well you could compensate by letting them know they aren’t!!”
“And how do I do that?!”
Katalina groaned and floated over to the other pair.
“Kat-ey! I’m just a baby demon!! I don’t know how to do anything!”