MR-MD-01 Flashbacks are Hellfire

[Aragh Darktalon]

Maverick Rhone
"a Mighty Ducks - the Animated Series universe adventure"
Mighty Ducks characters and concept owned solely by Disney
Darkwing Duck characters and concept owned solely by Disney
C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa characters and Concept owned solely by King World Productions
Maverick Rhone aka Hellfire Duck owned by Darrel Vanwinkle (writing as Aragh Darktalon)
All other characters owned by board members (at The Legacy @ fanfichero.com)

MR-MD-01 Flashbacks are Hellfire
By Darrel James Vanwinkle (Aragh Darktalon)
January 22nd, 2016

Starring:
Maverick Rhone, male adult duck, hero, Alias "Hellfire Duck"

His Allies:
Wheeler Leighton, male human teenager, aspiring filmmaker; Maverick's number one fan

Enemies:
any television producer

Chapter One: A Brief Introduction.

Maverick Rhone didn't have the problem most legacies had. Instead, his problem was the reverse: Every damned producer around was always trying HARD to get him on the set of some TV show or into a commercial. He liked working behind the scenes as in off-camera where he could just be himself. He wore a Western C.O.W.-boy outfit that the C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa had picked out for him. But wouldn't you know it... the ensemble made him into one of the sexiest ducks that had ever walked the planet.

"Hey Maverick! Could I get your attention for a moment?"

He knew it was the voice of a producer, so rather than turning to see what was going on, he stayed in the crouched over position where he had been repairing one of his Darkwing Duck's stunt cycles and he lifted one arm and gave all within view the 'bird'.

"Now that's not very nice," said the producer. "Don't you want the ladies to see your best side?"

Maverick grinned as he kept to the task. "So you want me to do Pr0n now? Have you mentioned that idea to my guardians?"

"Your guardians would kill us if we did and you know it. Come on, Maverick... just one little picture. What would it-"

And the producer ended up on the other side of the set with an inner tube around his neck buried under a debris pile of camera equipment. "...-hurt-... owwwww...."

Then to the camera man, Maverick growled, "Get that damned camera away from me before I shove it up your ass!"

The camera man wisely turned the large set camera OFF and rolled it off away from himself. Then he approached the duck and quietly said, "Just tell me why you don't want to be on any TV shows."

PUNCH!

And the camera man slowly crumpled to the floor holding his privates from where the Anasian mallard had punched him in the groin for daring to ask that question. "I just don't want to do it. Now leave me alone." And he resumed working on the stunt bike.

Sometime after the filming day ended, there were a whole BUNCH of reporters and freelance cameramen outside the studios who were there for a legitimate reason -- to interview one of the actresses who was in the show. All of sudden, riding what looked to be a black nightmare stallion shrouded in flames was a masked and quite villainous looking version of Maverick as he charged straight through their midst. His exit was so sudden that 99.9% of the reporters and cameramen never had time to lift their cameras.

But sitting on a nearby building top with a camcorder was a teen aged human boy who got the most perfect shots of Maverick and his stallion as they rode through the parking area and made good their escape down the street. "Camera Shy Maverick and his Nightmare Stallion. He doesn't know how dreamy he really is."

But the cowboy duck didn't care how dreamy people thought he was. All he wanted to do was get himself home and beyond the security fence that his guardian had installed just for him. It was damned fine security, too. A large construction fence surrounding a barbed wire fence which surrounded a moat full of swamp sludge and that was around the perimeter of a twenty foot tall hedge wall which was ten feet thick. In the center of all that was Maverick's galactic rodeo styled ranch. Unless your name was on the approved list, no entry. No ifs, ands, nor buts.

Not long after he was home there was a knock on the door. "Maverick? It's Wheeler. I brought dinner. May I please come in?"

Opening the door with his face covered partially by his cowboy hat, the young human was allowed into the home by Maverick who then secured the door firmly before locking it again. "No one followed you?"

"Who would want to? I just told any nosy people that I was getting dinner for Fat Frieda and she wants a He-Man." He winked. He set the dinner down on the dining table and then he sat in a chair as he brought out a packet of developed photos. "As per our agreement, you get first look at all photos I take of you when you're in your other identity." He handed over the envelop to Maverick before he unpacked his own dinner to dine upon.

Maverick always felt bad when he looked over the photos Wheeler took of him. He hated having to scrutinize the youngster's skills like that. "You do good work. You used the zoom feature on your camcorder, didn't you?"

Wheeler replied, "Um, yes, although I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I was thinking about giving up the skill altogether since the only person I feel is worth my skills hates to be photographed and-"

Maverick reached across the table as he latched on to Wheeler's arm. "No. You keep right on doing what you do, Wheeler. My situation is an unfortunate one that I have been trying to forget about. But it seems that all I am doing is running away from something that I should have no reason to fear. My guardian would obviously be disappointed in how I've turned out."

Wheeler glanced across the table at his hero as he smiled gently. "They say that sometimes talking about your problems is a good way to learn how to overcome them. Just how horrible can your past be compared to the mess you saved me from?"

Wheeler patted on Maverick's arm with his own free hand. "Please... recount your origin for me. What you say will not leave this table."

End of Chapter One

[Aragh Darktalon]

Chapter Two: How it all Began.

Maverick had a blank expression for a few minutes, then... he hung his head so his eyes were covered by the brim of his C.O.W.-Boy hat.

"I was 7. It was supposed to be just a simple birthday party with me and a few of my friends I had invited. My parents went a little overboard and arranged for a single photographer to be there. Unfortunately, the agency they called to get the photographer from spread the word all over Studio City that the son of a Mighty Duck stunt double was having a birthday party. My friends and I were having a good time and mom had just brought out the cake with the candles on it. My friends were all singing happy birthday to me. She had no sooner put the cake down when the backyard was swarmed by photographers, TV crews, and reporters. At first I thought they were there to interview mom; she's the stunt double whom wears the Mighty Duck costume in the family. But then when I made a wish and went to blow out the candles, the flash bulbs started going off. Then I heard them saying my name. Then I knew."

"I tried to ignore them when I learned they were there to photograph me. But then... a fight broke out between two rival TV news reporters and... they fell on the cake. And... broke my presents. I cried and they took pictures of me crying. I ran away and didn't look back. I later learned that my mom creamed them for ruining my party. She put all of them in the hospital. Serves them right. The two who broke my presents... she about killed them."

"I sneaked aboard the space train bound for Moo Mesa on Planet Starknight that night. Actually, I didn't know where the train was going; I just wanted to go as far away from that horrible memory as I could get. By morning, the space train was being robbed by the Masked Bull and the C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa were there trying to stop him. The train wasn't supposed to have had any passengers on board. So when Cowlorado Kidd saw me peaking out of one of the storage cars, he grabbed me, put me on his horse, and he got me back to Cow Town in Moo Mesa where he introduced me to Cody and a few of his friends. I spent the next few years there."

"I never used my last name while in Moo Mesa; only my first name. The locals thought it sounded normal to them. Best part of being there... no one had a camera. At least I didn't think they did. When I turned 12, I had been out with Cody and when we rounded a corner, I saw Marshal Moo and Sheriff Terror-Bull arguing with a producer while a camera crew stood nearby. None of the cameras were rolling. But I froze in place when I saw them. They weren't pointed at me, but old memories were starting to come back right then. The argument was about a change in their script that neither of them liked. I never knew my mom to argue with the producers, at least not where I could find out, so this was the first time I'd ever seen stars defending themselves versus the bosses. I liked what I saw. Back talking the producer made me smile."

"Just then, one of the script writers noticed me standing with Cody and he seemed to figure out fast who I was. He walked over and asked me if I was Maverick Rhone, the boy who had been missing for the last 5 years from Studio City. Cody looked at me as I for the first time... told a lie. I said, no, I just look like him. I told him that he wasn't the first one to make that mistake. By then, I had developed the local accent so I didn't sound like I did back in Studio City. But my eyes must have betrayed me and the script writer knew it. He placed both hands on my shoulders and whispered, "Your parents are worried to death about you. They have a big reward posted for your return. If you don't contact them, then some bounty hunter is going to find you eventually and force you to go back where there is sure to be publicity you don't want." He then return to rejoin the rest of his crew members.

"Cody took me back to his place where I learned that he actually had a computer with Internet access. And his phone was hooked up through his satellite service. He told me to call home but not mention where I was nor who I was with. Instead, drop a Code of the West clue on my parents the way Marshal Moo would say it. If my parents were smart, they would figure it out fast and come by themselves. I didn't want any press fuckers ruining my new hideout. Cody left the room and I placed the call. My parents weren't there, but Wildwing Flashblade was. I told him I was safe and not in any danger. I told him that I didn't want to come home and if any of them showed up out where I was, I didn't want them to bring any press or reporters or camera men... or else I'd hang 'em. Then I quoted one of Moo's Code of the West phrases, then I ended my call."

"Two weeks passed and no one showed up. I thought I was off the hook finally."

"One morning, I'm out with Cody and the C.O.W.-Boys when suddenly right in the middle of Cow Town... the Thunder Duck Cruiser flies in and lands right in the middle of the street. The Mighty Ducks and their stunt doubles all piled out and they were decked in their gear. I had rarely ever seen them all suited up like that, but they must have had trouble figuring out the clue I left them. Old Nosedive was the one who had the brains to replay the one phone call I had made and when he heard me say, 'Like it says in the Code of the West...' he was the one who figured out where I had to be. Leave it to the comic book fan to know the catch phrases."

"Wildwing and Marshal Moo stepped to one side and spoke privately while my mother whom was a stunt double stood nearby... although she was looking directly at me. But she didn't make any move to come hug me or anything. Being in formation or maybe there was a camera fucker nearby or something. When the private talk ended, one of the Moo Mesa producers were brought in and he spoke to the producer of the Mighty Ducks show. Apparently they had come up with a way to justify the Ducks being in Moo Mesa at all. And that way involved a 5-part special team up episode that would be released later as a movie."

"Once the producers were thoroughly distracted, only then did the Ducks come over to where I was at with Dakota Dude and Cowlorado Kidd. You know its a scary thought when someone as big as Check "Grin" Hardwing can look eye to eye with someone as big as Dakota Dude. Dad emerged from the Aerowing and joined my mom and the others. My parents both hugged me and we spoke. When mom heard my current accent, she said something that I never expected her to say. She said that I could stay in Moo Mesa until I hit puberty. Then, I would be an adult and I would have to accept train either as a Mighty Duck stunt double or as a Wild West C.O.W.-Boy stand in. But then Marshal Moo said something nice. Why can't the boy learn both? We can train him while he's here, then when he returns, he can get the other training."

"It was right after that when I learned that they had prepared me a replacement birthday party to make up for the one that got ruined. And there was only one camera this time. But what a camera... it was one of those super old timer cameras with the flash powder holder and the black cloth. They only needed one picture of me for the Moo Mesa newspaper. And since it was likely to be my last party in Moo Mesa... Marshall Moo and Cowlorado Kidd had hand-picked out my own Western C.O.W.-boy outfit just for me. My own official Code of the West outfit. In fact, I'm wearing a modified version of it right now."

Wheeler said, "Go on."

End of Chapter Two

[Aragh Darktalon]

Chapter Three: The Eruption.

Maverick then continued for his human friend. "I got out of the other clothes and quickly suited up in the new outfit. But then Sheriff Terror-Bull came over and looked at me and he said that there was something missing. And that's when he brought out the official territory C.O.W.-Boy Hat and put it on my head. Yep, I'm wearing it now. He said that I looked official. Then came the official publicity shot picture. Cody and I were up front and the Mighty Ducks were on the behind left and the Moo Mesa cast were on the behind right. We posed for the picture and the flash powder went off. Then came the huge birthday cake and a gift from Wildwing himself. A custom made Puck Blaster just for me. He said that the C.O.W.-Boys would teach me how to use a gun, so I might as well have the team gun to go with the package. He even had a belt and holster made for it that was done Wild West style. Yup, I'm wearing that too."

"The next fiasco with cameras occurred when I hit puberty. Gods, the powers must have hated me when mom and dad decided to make me back then. I had been out with Terror-Bull, Dakota Dude, and the official Moo Mesa filming crew. They were polite enough not to aim the cameras at me. They had heard my story and they had promised not to do that to me. And they never broke their word until... my internal clock erupted. They say when your puberty hits, your old life ends and your new one begins. How I wished that someone else was going through what happened to me. Terror-Bull and Dakota Dude were reciting their lines without fail and suddenly, an explosion went off with me directly in the center of the blast. I was on the ground immediately and worse, I was on fire as if I had a meteorite crash into me. There was even a crater. Worse, it seemed that I had transformed into a Puckworldian duck like the rest of the Mighty Ducks."

"Emergency services were then called in and I became the biggest news story to hit the Mesa in ages. Damned press wouldn't stay away. They kept sneaking in to get pictures of me while I was in agony. A few of them got too close and I found ways to 'share' my agony with them. Lord Albert called in Doctor Warner and Doctor Tennyson, and they learned through a few tests that I was a mutant and my power was Elemental Aberration. Meaning that I would have control over the forces of Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Light, Shadow, Law, Chaos, and Unity. Yeah, the Fan Digimon A.C. elements. Except... I wasn't a Digimon. My father, whom was a script writer for Darkwing Duck, promised me that he would get Professor Xavier of the X-Men to help me and good old dad was true to his word."

"I spent nearly a year with the X-Men. I wasn't the first non-human they ever had in their school. Thing is, I wouldn't wear the team uniform; they would always find me wearing my C.O.W.-Boy outfit. So they eventually let me wear it. No sense arguing with someone who can control the elements muck like Ororo Storm can."

"When my training with them ended, Wildwing offered me a spot on their TV series. I said no. When he asked why not, I power punched him in the face and walked off. He never asked me about it again. I felt bad that I struck him but he asked the one thing that made me mad. When Dad tried to casually ask me if I ever thought about patrolling Cape Canard with Darkwing Duck, I again said no. He started to ask why not and I balled up my fist. He shut up fast. Plus my fist had element power arcs cascading around it. Then one of the producers at Moo Mesa offered me a different kind of TV series job. I was about to say no, but he quickly said the magic words... you don't even have to be in front of the cameras. That got my attention and I asked for more info."

"Some time later, I was behind the scenes working with the set coordinator as a repair specialist in training. All I had to do was help set up the props and repair things that got broken. It was an easy as cake job. I excelled at that. The only bad part was that now that I was working in the industry, the producers all had immediate access to my work area. And they kept showing up to pitch TV show ideas at me. That's when I developed my alter ego. The other side of me that didn't take guff from no producer and it was easy to do, too. My mutant power would help provide the transformation and I could even summon elemental steeds with the power. In a stupid sort of way, I was becoming the new age anime version of Darkwing Duck. But that was okay. As long as it got me out of the way... especially away from camera fuckers."

He then lifted his head with a sly smile. "However... you are the only one whom I don't mind taking pictures of me. You are polite about it; you have one of those new camcorders. No flash and it has a zoom lens and everything. You are one nice young man; you are the only one who has my permission to take my picture. Everyone else gets clobbered."

Wheeler smiled in return. "And they deserve it, too. Imagine their nerve to think they can do anything without your permission. Are you still planning on getting that new rodeo station down in QC Texas?"

Maverick smiled as well. "Marshal Moo and the rest of the Moo Mesa cast are migrating to Stampede City in QC Texas to film their shows there. Since it was a Moo Mesa producers' idea for me to get the job I currently have, they have offered me a job working for them down there. And you know, I really want to go join them. I might even break out of my no filming me fear and be in their series, if they let me. The special effects I can do is certainly special, to say the least. Are you still wanting to come with me, Wheeler?"

The young man smiled at the duck from across the table. "You know I do. Ever since you saved my life, I feel I still owe you enough to stay near your side no matter what. Do you think Moo will like me?"

"If he doesn't," started Maverick with a grin. "then I will give him a leather chaps power wedgie."

Wheeler smirked. "You wouldn't really do that to him, would you?"

Maverick shook his head. "No, I love him too much. Not to mention, Dakota Dude might whup my rear end for trying it."

Wheeler ate some more of his food before asking, "Are Dakota and Hardwing really the same size? They don't look it in their shows."

"Special effects to offset their true sizes," replied the C.O.W.-Boy duck. "You will learn how to make that work if you want to improve your filming technique in the industry."

Wheeler smiled again. "As long as you are around to point things out to me, I can't go wrong."

End of Chapter Three