The Ice Cream Cone

Ricianaira, the Keeper of Time sat in the Reflection chamber and felt the forces of time wash over her, trying to alleviate all the strife that surrounded her currently. Her veil about her face.

The Reflection chamber was perhaps the only place where she could figure this dilemma out.

Zali entered the room "Naira. It is The Keeper of Light. He calls you in the Communication room."

"Have you told him that I am predisposed."

"Of course Naira. He won't listen that dirty Martian halfling..."

"I'll thank you not to insult my husband and your lord." Naira lifted her head.

"Forgive me Keeper."

"Well if he wants to continue this conversation, I will meet with him."

Zali summoned the communication mechanism powering it for her mistress. Naira sat veiled and austere looking into the view screen.

"On screen Zali."

On screen appeared a roguishly handsome fox. Elmonor. Damn him for looking so good after all these years. Though his blood was frog. Anyone would have taking the great Elmonor as a great Martian warlord, because of his dubious lineage. But his pronged helmet revealed that he was the Guardian of the Faith. The Keeper of Light.

"Hail Ricianaira, Keeper of Time. May the Father of Light shine upon you, Fairest one."

Naira sighed "Make it fast Elmonor. I was preoccupied if you must know."

"But Naira, by your very nature you are preoccupied. You are the great Guardian of Time, I would not feel safe if you weren't busy."

"Speak your piece." Naira gritted her teeth.

"There is nothing else that can be said." Elmonor looked at her gravely. "Return Young Elmo."

"Never."

Elmonor stared at her coldly "A child is the future of his community. Thus a child is the responsibility to all of his community."

"Do not twist the words of the Sacred Text to fit your ambitions." Naira said. "You want Elmo back as much as I want to keep him here. You want your son back."

Elmonor flared his nostrils.

"He will be better cared here. How much time can you truly devote to him as Time Keeper."

"More than you could fetching and carrying for your Martian masters. I will teach him loyalty to his people."

That last comment stung she knew it. It was better for her if she could pretend to be angry at him.

"You want him around to fit in the grand scheme of your little war. You are every bit as Martian as your filthy barbarous father."

Elmonor didn't break the glare through the screen. Naira could almost see the white flames of lightning collect at his fingertips.

"Since when it is heretical and against the text to keep a child from war." Naira lifted her eyebrows.

Elmonor had unbelievable restraint. He blinked.

"You've been flattering Martian's too long my dear. As angry as I get or as wonderful and noble you remain Naira, you know I'm right." Elmonor returned to his throne

"Elmo must return to his home. He must be trained in the ways of his forefathers. He must be protected and watched closely. You know his powers are great."

"He is being protected."

"It is my sacred duty as Keeper of Light to train him to wield his power. I may be the only one in the universe who can appropriately train him."

"He is the Keeper of Time. And it is my sacred duty and vital responsibility to train him, for the sake of our future and our past." Naira said.

"When he is ten. He is barely 6. " Elmonor raised his eyebrows.

Only Elmonor could have noticed the infintesimal way she backed down.

"Naira." Elmonor admonished.

"I will not give you my son." Naira said blankly.

Zali gasped at the flat out heresy.

"You are making a mistake." Elmonor said looking with love from across the stars.

"Zali off screen."

The screen clicked off.

"Naira." Zali couldn't look her in the face.

"That is right Zali. Maybe I am a heretic. But my son will not go back to his father. He will not be that twisted abomination of war and conquest. He must be Time Keeper." Naira looked at her attendant.

"Well he cannot get us here. As long as the Time Shield maintains its’ integrity no force can penetrate it."

She strolled out of the room.

"But don't these boys love to try." Naira chuckled.

Elmo Voltaire Sputtersparque, born a thousand years to the day of the Father of Light's death (or so the records told on such a normally mundane occasion) ran down the hall, to his mother.

"Mommy." He called cheerfully, placing down a little stone he had dug out of his sandbox in the garden.

She kissed his little forehead. There was something extraordinary about this little boy, that accounted for so much more than his strange appearance. His looks were ancient, there was no indication that he wasn't a Rat, accept for his strange little ears. Cocked and crooked like hers. He was as white as an Albatross, despite his reptilian heritage. Maybe age would reveal a more reptilian character

It was more than his looks. He was full of energy and brightness, that none could ignore. Everyone watched Voltaire Sputterspark, with love and fear.

Ricianaira picked up her son.

"My little lightning bug."

He kissed her bill.

"Mommy why do you have a bill?"

"Because silly, I do not have a nose." She honked his little pink heart shaped nose. She ruffled his ears, which were her own really. Cocked and crooked. Despite his strange muzzle she was obviously his mother.

"Let us go and get some lunch."

She continued discussing his question in the context of his education. Naira knew she could not coddle the boy. He was bright enough to understand. She pointed to the tapestries. Most experts said that holeos were bad for children’s eyes, so she relied on books and other visual aids. "You see the great Mother of Time, Ricia had a bill. For she was a duck."

"But there are no more ducks." Static said.

"The ducks died in the great plague of 3205. Now all people of Earth are one."

"Do some people have bills on Mars?"

"I don’t know. I didn’t see any."

"Why do people have bills?"

"Because from an evolutionary stand point they help one swim easier than beaks do."

"They why don’t you swim?"

"Because there is no more water to swim in."

Voltaire continued asking questions as his mother carried him down the hall. He was easily distracted by questions. He had the attention span of a fruit fly. He had the blessing of a mind that could always find a question. She hoped this humility would branch into a healthy intellect, instead of making him weaker.

The forgetfulness of the Sputtersparks was legendary. And since he was an ancestor of Thompson, Coulombe, Ampere, and even the great Elmo, he shared it.

"Mommy I was wondering-"

An attendant interrupted him. He stared.

"Naira. The Martian's are back."

"I thought as much. Has Elmonor left yet?"

"We don't know."

"Well I shall attend to them now."

She hugged Elmo.

"Go with Zali and get some Lunch my dear."

Voltaire was tempted to ask why, but Zali lead him off.

On the screen was a tall thin man, dressed in a yellow belt. A warrior of the Vixon. He was powerful. He had a grin plastered on her face. There were few other Martian’s it could be. The Grinning Maw.

"Greeting Keeper of Time. I am Vixon Dominic, Captain of the Falcon."

"Greetings Captain."

"We come in the interest of alliance."

"And plot against my mate Elmonor."

"The way you have treated him we would have thought that you would see him dead too, Great Time Keeper." He laughed.

Naira sat back.

"I'm a Keeper of Time, and a priestess of the Faith. I would never ever contribute to the death or enslavement of another being."

The Martians needed a much less subtle approach than Elmonor.

"We have come to honor your son."

Naira took a swig of water trying to swallow her dread and disgust for the creature. Honor was synonomous in Martian for assasinate. The way these foxes twisted around their words. It was hard to imagine their languages both originated from English.

She took a deep breath and set to protect her son from their concern.

Elmo wandered into the back of the throne room, waiting for his mother.

"Elmonor's Son. I barely had anything to with it."

The fox laughed unsettlingly. There was nothing that Martians loved more than a double entendre

"Clearly the son of both Keepers would have power beyond the imagination, yes no?"

"If he were a daughter maybe." Naira clacked her toungue.

"What is this talk?"

"It is a pity he was born male. He would have made an excellent Time Keeper."

The Martians whispered to each other.

"No male can handle the responsibility of Time Keeper." Ricianaira said with a straight of face as possible.

The Martian looked at her.

"He does not contain the powers of Time Travel?"

"Don’t be ridiculous. All can travel through time. Didn’t we just pass through several minutes?"

Voltaire ran out of the room, heartbroken.

As soon as Voltaire left, the fox plunged his sword into the ground in frustration.

"Do not play your games with me. Give us the child."

"My child is not going out there. You filthy savage"

"You sound like a Martian. Time Keeper. It is a shame you were not born a fox."

"I sound like a true mother. And it is a greater shame that you were born with no honor."

"I am Vixon Domenic. Of the third house of Mars."

"Duelson scum of that scurrilous rogue."

"You have not heard the last of us Time Keeper." The screen cut off.

Naira held her face.

"I’m getting tired of these name calling games."

Voltaire ran into their room. He almost wanted to cry.

Voltaire rooted around her room.

He picked up the watch from it’s place, next to Great Elmo’s Lamp.

Everything happened on Earth. I’ll set the watch for there.

His mom had told him something a man name Einstein who said something. He tried to remember. But not only could he go back in time, but travel across the world in the blink of an eye.

He clutched the watch.

He felt the room around him swell.

He could feel his hands crackling under his gloves. It was a good thing or he may have melted the watch.

He watched splinters and cracks repair, until finally the room looked brand new. He held onto the watch.

All of a sudden the roof was ripped off. The wall started disappearing ripped apart. He was in a forest.

The forest began to shrink. The trees turned into grass. The grass began to disappear.

He looked at his feet.

The grass had changed into stone, or mushier black stone. He looked out at the stone field.

A great temple lay in this center of this stone field.

***

"Welcome to Photo Hut, Photos in an Hour." the clerk droned.

"Drake Mallard."

The clerk tapped some keys on the keyboard.

"Excuse me sir. But they aren’t ready."

"What do you mean? It says on your sign photos in an hour. I got a car full of screaming kids. I don’t have time to talk."

Gosalyn Mallard wriggled out of her seat belt.

"Gosalyn, your Dad told us to stay in the car. It’ll take less time."

"He’s going to be in there forever Honker. I’m going to go help him."

"But Gosalyn..."

Gosalyn opened the car door. She wandered around the Photo hut, until she felt a strange buzz. She had the urge to jump out of the way.

All at once, she swore she saw the outline of a body.

She blinked her eyes.

"I must have been eating too many candy bars."

But she swore she could see someone.

It became clearer clearer.

He was a kid.

She shouted to make sure it was real. "Hey. Where’d you come from?"

The kid looked up at her.

"Joo ree bas ta kiyon voulez vous."

"What did you say?"

He dropped the pocket watch he was holding. It fell apart into a million pieces.

He began to panic.

"Paerry kaen francaises vou vou."

He fell to his knees to pick up all the pieces of the watch.

"Hey it’s okay, dude. Let me help you pick-"

The kid shrunk back to her.

And started screaming his crazy language.

"Calm down, and speak so I can understand."

He started gesticulating wildly away from the site.

"Okay I get it. Keep back."

The poor little kid began crying.

"Hey don’t worry. It’s no big deal. I’m sure you can put it back together."

She touched his shoulder.

She felt a huge jolt of static electricity.

"Ow." She sucked her finger. "Boy, Megavolt’s got nothing on you."

The kid looked up at her.

"I AM A FRIEND." Gosalyn said slowly.

The kid looked back at her.

"QUI A TALLEH KA NA TU." He said slowly. He reached out to his watch

"Okay, I’ll shake your hand."

She shook his hand. The kid looked at her strangely as if she had taken a bite out of his arm.

"My NAME is GOSALYN MALLARD" she pointed to herself.

"Ti neh Pah ELMO SPOOTAIRESPARQUE" he said slowly. She obviously didn’t understand.

"Well If you don’t have a name, I’ll call you Static."

Elmo decided to call her Red. Because she didn’t have a name.

"Do you need help picking up your watch?"

He furiously shook his head up and down.

"Great we’ll get it picked up in no time."

Elmo tried to stop her. Didn’t she no the meaning of shaking your head. Up and down meant NO.

He tried to stop her but in an instant-

"Gosalyn Mallard, what are you doing back here? I can’t leave you alone in the car for five minutes."

"Hi Dad this is Stat-"

Drake Mallard grabbed her hand.

"We’re running late."

"But Dad Static has to-"

He went to the little boy.

"Come on let’s get you home."

Static wailed as the strange man dragged him away from his watch. He was trapped.

"Come on kid, I have to take you home."

"But Dad if you would just listen-"

Drake Mallard picked Static up over his shoulder.

***

Voltaire looked in wide eyed terror as the man strapped him to the strange seat.

He must have been a slaver or something, kidnapping poor kids. Voltaire was frightened.

The man grumbled to himself, as he operated the transport.

"All right you kids be quiet back there I’m trying to drive."

Red wriggled in her restraints next to him.

"Don’t you worry. My Dad is just distracted. We’ll figure this out as soon as he drives us all home."

Voltaire was afraid what this person might do to him. He had obviously captured a lot of slaves today.

He looked to his right and saw a very quiet boy.

"Upga Upga Uma, Mr. Mallard."

"Honker will you be quiet I’m trying to drive." Drake Mallard honked the horn "Look at this traffic.

Voltaire asked him how they were going to escape.

"Est-que escapeh tu vou vou?"

"Gosalyn who is this guy? And why is he pretending to speak French."

"He’s Static. He just appeared out of no where in the parking lot." Gosalyn said.

Red touched his hand

"It’s okay no one is going to hurt you." She smiled. "He looks scared."

"Gosalyn where did he come from? Look at his clothes." Honker continued. He was dressed in heavy jumpsuit with thick black almost mechanical looking gloves, and a purple cape.

"Yeah he looks like an X-monkey." Corey said showing a picture in his comic book. "See"

"He could be from outerspace." Dory said picking her nose.

"That’s preposterous." Honker said.

"Well he doesn’t speak English."

"He’s not speaking anything. It sounds like french."

Voltaire prayed to the Gods that he would escape in time. Red and the Boy were very strange. Red had a bill like his mother did. But she had the strangest fur he had ever seen. It didn’t look like fur at all. He was always curious.

He touched her face.

They weren’t fur. They were long pokey things that stuck out of her face with fur on them.

"Hey stop messing up my feathers Static." She pushed him away. She raised a fist to him.

The Boy looked less threatening. He grabbed some of the longer ones by his tail.

"Oww."

He looked at the long pokey fur thing

"Hey stop picking on Honker."

The Rouse yanked his ears. He yipped.

"See how you like it?"

Voltaire realized he had done something wrong. But couldn’t help himself. It was so weird. The boy had an apparatus on his face. Voltaire touched it.

"I don’t think he knows what glasses are."

Honker sighed.

"Well here." He handed Voltaire his glasses.

"GLASSES!" Gosalyn said slowly.

"He just doesn’t speak English, Gosalyn. he’s not stupid

Drake Mallard finally dropped Corey and Dory off.

"Bye Mrs. Jackswan. He waved."

"Oh thank you for having that slumber party Drake."

"No problem."

The evil slaver was making his first drop off and was speaking to the first buyers. Voltaire watched the other two children get unstrapped from the car.

"Bye Mr. Space Kid." Corey slapped him on the shoulder and got zapped a little.

"See you around." Dory said

Voltaire watched them run into the building unaware of there fate. He closed his eyes.

Drake looked at Mrs. Jackswan "What does that mean?"

"Probably something to do with Pocket Monsters." Mrs. Jackswan nodded.

The evil slaver got back into the transport.

"Well now all we got is your little friend here and Honker."

"Dad if you would just listen Static isn’t-"

"Mr. Mallard."

"Please don’t bother me. I am trying to parallel park-."

"DAD!"

He ran into a trashcan.

Drake screamed one long syllable and realized there were children in the back seat so he didn't finish the word. He sighed.

"So where do you live?"

Voltaire couldn’t answer the slaver’s question. He began to cry. He missed his mother, he didn’t want to be trapped in the past forever.

"I was just asking him where he lived. Where did you meet this guy?"

"DAD, Static isn’t from the party. I found him in the parking lot."

"What?"

"Yeah. I've never met him before in my life."

Voltaire wailed in his strange accent, incomprehensible.

Drake breaked the car.

"Oh no."

He rushed out of the car, and into the back seat.

"Oh no. Poor little guy. I must have picked him up by accident."

"That’s what I was trying to tell you." Gosalyn said exasperated.

The slaver came close. But Voltaire wasn’t as scared.

"Poor little guy. Don’t cry. Shh shh." Drake said. "Hey, it’s okay. Don’t worry. I’ll get you back to your Mommy and Daddy right away."

"Mommy?" Voltaire said. He began to cry. The slaver patted him on the shoulder.

"Mr. Mallard, he doesn’t speak English, either." Honker added.

"Well this is going to be tough. We’ll have to take him down to the police station or something."

"Look at the poor little guy."

******

They were eating ice cream as Drake Mallard was on the phone.

"What flavor do you-"

She looked at Voltaire.

"I better just get you chocolate."

"Yes. I found a little boy around the old Photo Hut in the Mall. Yeah. No little boys? Well he’s sitting right here. My daughter is talking to him. Well this is just great. I pick up a poor little kid and you don’t even know who he belongs to. You know it’s cops like you that really-"

Red picked up the thing.

"Don’t worry about Dad. He doesn’t like the cops."

"Da rah." Voltaire muttered.

He looked at it. It was viscous and cold in the middle, contained in a papery yellow double barreled cylinder. The other two seemed to enjoy the concept of it. The Boy picked it up in his left hand and licked the cold part.

"I love strawberry." Honker said.

Red copied him in every respect.

Gosalyn punched him in the shoulder to attract his attention "Don’t you have ice cream?"

Voltaire looked at her.

"Ice cream?"

Honker stopped eating his ice cream and his jaw dropped.

"See I told you he was an alien." Gosalyn said.

Voltaire picked up the ‘ice cream’ and put his lips on the cold part. If it were poison that would keep the poison from his mouth.

"You have to lick it. Like this."

Gosalyn licked the whole mound with her tongue.

"See."

Honker shook his head "Yeah if you want to be a pig. You lick it like this."

Honker almost nibbled at his "That way it doesn’t make a mess and you don’t drop it."

"I only dropped it once."

Voltaire decided to try it.

He flicked out his little tongue.

"Eww. What’s wrong with your tongue?"

"Cool he’s got a frog tongue." Gosalyn reveled.

"Nasty." Honker coiled in horror

Voltaire was being watched so he should try to do this right.

He put his tongue into a little.

It was wonderful.

"I think the alien likes it." Gosalyn said wiping her bill.

"I find that strange. Who knows what the structure of his autonomic sensory nervous system is? Maybe his taste buds can’t even process sugar."

Voltaire nibbled into the mound. He had never had experienced any lower sensation so wonderful. Everyone knew that sight and smell were the true senses. But he had never thought about taste. He licked into the conical shape quite eager to experience the sensation in his mouth again. It was cold though, his pace was moderated.

"Careful, or you’ll get and ice cream headache."

Drake got of the phone.

"Well as usual the police are no help. But I know someone who can, tonight."

********

Gosalyn and Honker were playing video games, as Static sat on the couch.

LP came walking in. "Hey Gos, who is your friend."

"That’s Static."

"Pleased to meet you-"

LP grabbed his hand and got zapped.

"They named you right, kid."

"Dad kidnapped Static from the Photo Hut. He took him in our car. And now we can’t find his parents."

"We don’t you just ask him?"

"He only speaks Gibberish."

"No he’s probably just speaking his own language er something." LP asserted.

"Well how are we supposed to know what he is saying."

"I don’t know. Hey little guy. What’s going on?"

LP sat on the couch.

All of a sudden Static heard a big voice that no one else could.

*Hey buddy, I’m Launchpad McQuack.*

At last he could understand.

* I’m Elmo Sputersparque. Why did you guys kidnap me? Are you going to sell me into slavery like a toaster, like the Martians do?

*Oh of course not. Don’t you worry about that We’re really sorry.*

*It’s okay. You seem nice here.*

*Thank you.*

"What are you doing Launchpad?"

"Shh" LP said.

Gosalyn stared.

"What?"

"Who told you all this?"

"He did."

"But how did-"

"Oh Telepathy works faster than regular speech."

"Telepathy? You mean he's talking to you with his mind?" Honker asked

"Keen Gear. This is even cooler than an alien."

"Won’t it work better without the- oh well. Fried brains?-Well I know you wouldn't do it on purpose. You're right- I guess you better leave on the gloves."

There was a purple flash.

"Launchpad are you okay."

They all stared at him. The Mysterious Static held out his ice cream cone.

"Do you want the rest of my ice cream?"

****

Gosalyn's jaw fell.

"So I need to return to my watch and try to fix it."

"Wow this is so cool. Do they have lasers pistols in the future, and robots that do your homework and stuff?"

"Have we discovered the secrets to an perpetual energy source. Has man traveled into space?"

"What kind of clothes do they have here?"

Static scratched his head.

"Well they don't have ice cream."

Darkwing Duck stormed in, and swooped up the little boy.

Voltaire looked up.

"Now don't you worry, little buddy. You're Uncle Darkwing is going to find your Mommy and Daddy quick as a pin."

"Quick as a pin?" LP wondered.

"but Dad his parents are- Dad why won't you listen?"

"She's right Mr.-"

He strapped Voltaire into the rat catcher tightly.

*******

"Yes Darkwing Duck patrols the city in search of young Static's parents. A simple task for all concerned."

He pulled into a corner, and looked out of his hi tech binoculars.

"Someone in St. Canard is missing their son."

Voltaire decided not to say anything. This Dad person was obviously commited to whatever he was trying to do. And he was trying to help.

A cry rose from the top floors of an apartment.

"My baby My baby."

"Ah hah." Darkwing swung his binoculars up to the apartment. "That must be where you parents are."

Darkwing knocked on the door.

"Never fear Madam for I Darkwing Duck have returned your child post haste."

"What but-"

"Here's your mommy Static. Oh isn't he so cute." Darkwing pinched his cheek.

"It was all in a days work, For Darkwing Duck."

"You moron that is not my child."

"What but you said-"

"My baby is a girl and she is crawling on a clothes line. YOU DINK."

"Oh, will you watch him for a minute."

"I’m not your baby sitter. Since when does a super hero hang out with a six year old."

"Look I don’t have time to explain. I threw him in my car…"

"Kidnapper. You sicko, you get away from my baby."

The mother and started beating Darkwing over the head with it.

"Madam I assure you… Stop. I just want to…"

Darkwing leapt outside the window. The little baby cooed innocently as it teetered on the clot

"Here baby here baby. Come on spspssps."

"She's not a cat." The Mother criticised.

Darkwing held tightly onto the line.

"Easy now easy. One false move, one unsure step and were both doomed."

Quacker Jack sat on the building across the street, holding a bottle of milk, as baby bait.

"Boy if we get them in the craddle then they'll always like our toys. Come on Baby yeah."

Quacker Jack held out his arms.

Voltaire walked out on the thin clothes line to get a better view of the action.

Quacker Jack grabbed the baby just as Darkwing did.

"So if it's not the Infamous Inventor Quacker Jack, luring babies onto the roof. Tsk tsk tsk. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Well Dinkwing Drip. Well isn't this an interesting situation."

"Give me the baby Quacker Jack."

"Fine."

Darkwing held onto the baby.

"I'll just use my Quacker Jack Craft art scissors to cut you down."

Quacker Jack took out a pair of arts scissors with red and blue handles.

Darkwing yawned. "Everyone knows your art scissors are so weak. They couldn't cut paper.

"We'll see about that Darkwing Duck"

Quacker Jack began trying to cut with the art scissors.

Darkwing Duck chuckled, and the little baby cooed.

Quacker Jack growled and continued trying to cut the line. He tried it at several differe

"Stupid scissors."

He threw them on the ground and jumped on top of them.

Voltaire walked past Darkwing and landed on the roof.

The glove exposed a little bit of his electrical conducting flesh under his gloves. Starting a small fire.

Darkwing panicked.

He tiptoed across the line holding the baby. He handed the baby to his mother, who smacked him on the head, and slammed the window on his fingers. He pulled out his fingers and looked at the rope burning away. He rushed as fast as he could across the wire before the rope would burn through. He made it to the other side, and as he stepped on the building.

The rope broke.

He grabbed Quacker Jack's bottle and fell.

Darkwing gulped the bottle.

"Aha the rope."

He grabbed onto the end of the laundary line.

It wasn't until he realized he was swinging into the brick wall of the skyscraper that he realized his error.

Darkwing smashed into a fedora like shape into the wall of the sky scraper.

"Drat you Darkwing Duck, Drat you to heck. You stole my baby bait."

Quacker Jack looked at Voltaire standing next to him.

"Hey look a fan. What's your name little boy?"

"Everyone calls me Static but my name is Elmo Voltaire Sputtersparque of Kitsune."

"Well hiya, put'er there Static." He put out his hand with a joy buzzer.

Voltaire looked at his hand, blankly.

"Come on shake, kid. You're ruining my material."

Voltaire looked up at him. He began jittering up and down.

"No shake my hand like this."

He grabbed Voltaire’s hand and he heard a huge zap.

"Ouch" Quacker Jack said.

"I sense a mental abberation in your personality my friend."

"All right you little Smarmy wiseacre… I mean heheh. Would you like a toy?"

He shook his head up and down

"Well that's great come with me."

"What is a toy? I do not understand that word."

"You don't know what toys are? Did you hear that Mr. Banana Brain?"

The man covered his mouth and held up his strange yellow thing with eyeballs in his hand.

"I sure did. What planet is this kid from?"

"I am not from a planet. I live with my mother in the Time Shield."

"Right."

"We've got to take this kid in. For the sake of the future of Quacker Jack Toys."

"Hey, Megavolt. Sup G-money." Banana Brain said.

"What's going on?"

"I got a new playmate. His name is Static."

"Elmo Voltaire Sputterspark of Kitsune."

Megavolt looked at him strange.

"Have I met you before?"

"You probably did and forgot, you knuckle head."

"Yeah I guess so."

"Where did you get that hat?" Voltaire stared at him.

"I made it."

"Only a Keeper may wear that hat."

"What?"

"Only the keeper wears the prongs. So sayeth the sacred text."

"Right kid."

"Why are you to dressed brighter and more colorful than most of the other people?"

"We are supervillains." Megavolt said putting his arm around Quacker Jack's shoulder.

"Do you need to be more visible than regular people?"

"No we commit crimes." Quacker Jack held his head

"I thought crimes were bad things."

"Yeah isn't it good to be bad." Megavolt said. "Hooohah. Rock on with my bad self." He held up his hand

"Oh yeah." Quacker Jack gave a high five, and then they bumped butts, for emphasis.

"If my father sees you with his hat on he will grind you into a paste."

"Him and what army! I got enough voltage to zap you and him and the rest of the block into ash."

"Only a Keeper will wear that hat."

"Look, Buster I've had enough of this."

Megavolt picked him up by the scruff of the neck.

He had the strangest sensation.

Voltaire felt it too.

"Hey I didn't shock you."

Voltaire said "No".

"But I shock everybody." Megavolt looked at his hands " It's a side effect. You don't feel anything?"

Voltaire looked at his hands "No."

"Maybe my zappers broken." Megavolt said. "Hold on a minute kid."

Megavolt set him down.

He charged up his fingers through the gloves and zapped a hole in a chimney.

"Zappers working fine."

He noticed Voltaire was wearing little gloves.

"Can you take of your gloves?"

"Mother said I can't. I'd hurt people."

"Hmm."

Voltaire paused and stopped to think.

Megavolt sat down.

He took off his right glove and touched Megavolt's shoulder.

Megavolt turned around and faced him.

For the first time in years, Megavolt took off his bright blue glove. He touched Voltaire's shoulder.

Something more than electrical and less than harmful coursed through them.

"You can zap things too?"

"If I would learn. My mother said I can't."

"Well you do everything your Mommy tells you?" Quacker Jack mocked.

"Shut up about my mommy." Voltaire yowled.

"Your mother loves you. Your mother loves you." Quacker Jack insulted moronically.

He stomped on Quacker Jack's toe.

"Ouch. That's it I'm going teach you a lesson." Quacker Jack rolled up his sleeves.

"Quacker Jack are you seriously going to try to beat up a little kid?"

"Let me at him. I'll moidelize him." Quacker Jack growled.

"You ever think that you picked the wrong line of work, making children's toys?"

"Oh I love toys. I just can't stand kids."

"By The Father of Light I'll rip you apart into pieces, you crazy individual."

"Bring it on Frog boy." Quacker Jack growled.

"Break it up you two." Megavolt said. Since Voltaire was more compact he lifted him up.

"All right. Quacker Jack you apologize for making fun of Static's mom right now."

Quacker Jack crossed his arms

"Don't wanna."

"Quacker Jack Q Quacker Jack's Last name."

"All right, geesh I know I'm in trouble when you use my last name."

Quacker Jack pursed his lips

"Sorry Static."

"Apology accepted." Voltaire said much more mature.

Quacker Jack stuck out his tongue.

"All right break it up you two-"

******

Quacker Jack nursed a black eye at the Ice cream cone stand, and licked his Cherry covered ice cream cone.

"Ouch."

"Don't you mess with the Holy Family. Hooha! Rock on with my bad self." Voltaire cheered.

"Does that Ice Cream make you feel better Quacker Jack?" Megavolt cooed.

"Yes." Quacker Jack said licking the cone.

"Now Static, Quacker Jack are you going to stop fighting."

Quacker Jack growled "yes."

Voltaire smiled "Of course.

"Good."

"But what about Static?"

"Hmm. What about him? Oh yeah" Megavolt slapped his forehead "Zapping stuff. I'll teach him how."

"You teach him?"

"Yeah I work well with children."

"You tried to kill Gosalyn Mallard."

"I'm talking about children, not the Anti-christ."

"You could teach me imposter?" Voltaire piped in "What do you know about Electricity?"

"What don't I know about electricity?" Megavolt picked up the little kid and carried him off to the roof top. They left Quacker Jack behind to finish his ice cream.

Quacker Jack licked his ice cream too hard and it fell on the ground.

"It's not my day."

********

"Just point and let go."

Voltaire put up his ungloved hand. He pointed it at the chimney.

Voltaire looked at the chimney.

He squinted his eyes and a tiny bolt of electricity ejected from his finger.

Megavolt stared at him "That sucks."

"Huh?"

"Boy you really suck at this." Megavolt said laughing at the child.

"I'm sorry."

"You are thinking too hard. You have to stop. Electricity doesn't work that way. It's a flow of energy through your body. Like an ocean or something"

Voltaire nodded.

'Now remember don't think, feel the flow."

A huge yellow lightning bolt hit the building, creating a huge crack in the roof.

Megavolt fell to the ground. Completely blackened by the force of the blast.

"I did it." Voltaire squealed gleefully. "I so happy." Voltaire did a sweet six year old happy dance on Megavolt.

"Okay." He lurched back up, the foundation had completely shifted due to the ferocious blast.

"next we'll work on aim."

But Megavolt soon heard a horrible all too familiar sound

"I am the Terror that flaps in the night.

I am the Ice Cream that lands on your shoe."

I am Darkwing Duck."

"Darkwing Duck?" Megavolt shrieked in surprise.

"Unhand that boy Megavolt." Darkwing grabbed Voltaire from the supervillain. He felt a huge jolt of static electricity.

"Ouch." Darkwing sucked on his finger

Megavolt laughed, "That's teaching him Static."

"Ooh It's bad enough that you commit crimes, but to encourage that kind of behavior in children. I'm going to rip you a new set of phalanges."

"Bring it on pal."

"Let's get Dangerous."

Megavolt charged up his hands and zapped the air. Darkwing flipped out of the way.

"Static get out of here. You'll get hurt."

Voltaire stared at the scene it was like something out of the Great Text.

He stared at the figure in yellow spewing forth flame and lightning.

This wasn't just a coincidence. This was in the Sacred Text.

The man who was teaching him to zap things.

He was the Father of Light.

Voltaire fell to his knees.

At this he felt tug.

It was Launchpad.

"There ya go kid. Come on, we gotta get out of here. Megavolt is a bad guy. Uh Uni tarre car ma faretteh."

Voltaire let himself be dragged off. Though he didn't understand why Launchpad would talk about French poodles and mustard at a time like this.

"Da-arkwing" Gosalyn called from the front seat from the car.

"In a minute Gosalyn. I'm trying to save your friend."

As he spoke Megavolt knocked him over.

"Get ready to fry Darkmeat Duck."

Megavolt put his deadly hands on his head.

Darkwing grunted as Megavolt charged up his hands. He pulled them off and kicked Megavolt in the face.

"Had enough?" Darkwing sprung to his feet.

"I've just getting charged up." Megavolt laughed at his pun. And zapped at Darkwing again.

Voltaire sat in wide eyed awe. He was witnessing the Great Elmo, Father of Light, Guardian of Earth fighting a great battle.

"Get him DW, get him."

"He can't hurt him." Voltaire whispered to himself.

"Get him Darkwing." Gosalyn cried out.

"He can't hurt him." Voltaire cried quietly.

Darkwing grimaced holding Megavolt by the collar.

"You're toast Megavolt."

Voltaire closed his eyes.

A huge lightning bolt hit the building and the structural integrity of the chimney gave way. Darkwing fell first and Megavolt landed on top of him.

Megavolt looked around and then looked at himself.

"How did I do that?"

Launchpad ran upstairs followed by Gosalyn, who grabbed Voltaire's hand and got another unpleasant shock.

"Hey you."

Megavolt looked up and ran.

"DW DW wake up. Megavolt is getting away." Launchpad shook Darkwing.

Gosalyn approached him.

"He's gone."

"Gone. Where did he go?"

"The big bolt of lightning knocked you off the chimney."

"How like that fiend to use lightning." Darkwing flipped back his cape.

The Dark Duck scrunched up his forehead.

"Actually It's not like him. He's never used pure lightning before. Ah well we can get him tommorow, right now we've got to find Static's parents."

Gosalyn clutched her tiny eight year old head in exasperation.

"Dad he's not-"

"Gosalyn maybe I should explain to Mr. Dad Darkwing."

Darkwing's jaw dropped to the ground.

********

Quacker Jack got another ice cream cone and licked it enthusiatically, and Megavolt soon joined him.

"Say Quacker Jack" Megavolt said with an arm brace on his main blasting hand. And licking his ice cream.

"Yes." Quacker Jack asked licking his second.

"What is your real name?"

"Huh?"

"You know your real name. Your parents didn't name you Quacker Jack." He took a strange look at him "Or did they?"

"Who would name their kid Quacker Jack?"

They continued eating.

"It's Jack." Quacker Jack said eventually after a long silence

"Well that’s pretty unoriginal." Megavolt rolled his eyes.

"It's short for Jonathon."

Megavolt kept eating

"Grandpa called me Johan."

"Oh." Megavolt ate some more. "What about your last name?"

"Yeah right. We are in public. I'm not telling you my last name where everyone can, what about the cops, telemarketers, census officials-"

"I'm you're second best friend next to Banana Brain. Who else are you going to trust?"

"We are in Public. I'm not telling you that-"

"Okay Okay. Don't be such a baby. I don't need to know."

"Yeah."

Quacker Jack crammed the end of the cake cone into his mouth and mumbled something.

"What did you say?"

"Not that I care, but what's your real name Megavolt." Quacker Jack said sarcastically.

"That's the really funny thing. The really strange thing. I have that same name as that kid. First and last."

"Ooh Big whoop."

"It is if you have my name. I've never met someone else with my name. All except the middle one. I’m Julius, he was Voltaire"

"All right enough about that little brat, what is your name?"

*******

"Elmo Sputtersparque."

A voice called from oblivion

"Mommy! It's me I'm here." Voltaire lit up like a christmas tree.

"Say since when did he learn how to speak?" Darkwing grabbed Launchpad by the collar.

"Oh Just before you went on patrol."

"But why didn’t you tell me. I trapise all over town looking for your parents fighting Quacker Jack and Megavolt, and you could have told me all along."

"Well you didn't ask Mr Darkwing Mallard. I mean Drake Duck. I mean what is the name I'm not supposed to call you again.

"Ix-nay on the Arkwing-day." Gosalyn said.

"I suppose you three think this is reeeaal funny."

"Elmo." The voice called on last time

A huge flash of light.

They all fell over.

"Elmo. There you are."

"I must have been bonked on the head a few too many time. A rat with a beak?"

"I knew it you are fooling around in the early Twenty first century." The tall large eyed rat thing tsked

"Mommy. I-"

"Voltaire I've seen everything. Don't try to talk your way out of it."

"But Mommy it was so cool. I had ice cream and I zapped a building and at first I was scared and then I met the Father of-"

"Not another peep out of you."

"But Mommy I met the Father of Light and-"

"Whatever dear. You're going straight to bed."

"But I met Elmo Sputterspark, the first. Why won't anyone believe me?"

"Parents never listen." Gosalyn said, "Especially when they are in a hurry"

"Bye Gosalyn Mallard. Thank you for Ice Cream." He bowed.

"No problem." She was tempted to shake his hand again, but she withdrew and bowed.

"The real question is if he broke the watch, how did you get back here?"

"That watch is nice isn't it." The rat duck smiled. "It's a shame that I won't need it anymore."

********

They both flashed away.

"But Mommy the watch is broken in a trillion pieces…"

"No Voltaire does that make sense to you. If there was such thing as a watch that could travel through time, wouldn't everyone try to make one."

"Yeah but."

"And couldn't you just steal another one. From the past."

"Yes."

"Then what else is a watch for?"

"To look pretty?"

"Good Boy."

Naira held the same watch before her son's eyes.

"The watch shows how all creatures travel through time. Great and small, from the King of Mars to the smallest child, and it represents all that we can fill our days with. If we know how."

She handed him an exact copy of the watch. He held in his little hands.

"But do you really think a watch could send you backward in time?"

Voltaire thought for a second.

"I don't know."

"When I was a little girl I stole my mother's watch and went to a small village in Canardia. I had a wonderful time. But then when I wasn't looking my watch fell in the mud. It was broken beyond repair. I cried so hard, sure I would never get back to my home. But then my mother came and told me what I am telling you and how she went to live in 1932 in Cape Suzzette and got her first watch. And how her grandmother went to 2056 during the war of the Commorants and broke her mother's watch. All down to Ricia who figured out the watch's true secret. The true power of Time."

Voltaire held his watch.

"You can do whatever you want with it. It's not about watches or magic or anything like that Voltaire held the watch in the light.

"It's about what you can do. You are suffered with a great burden that has nothing to do with a watch. You are will be the guardian of Time, my son. You must guard the whole world in a way you can't even imagine yet."

He tried to hand her back the watch. She closed his fingers around it.

"You are the Keeper of Time."

Voltaire looked at his mother and hooked the watch fob into his belt.

TBC