Dragonus was elated as the teleportation pad was activated and two by two the mutant brats from across the universe were brought in. By combining what was left of the dimensional gateway with his new teleporter he was actually able to use it to transport beings to and from the Raptor from any dimension he chose. The only drawback was the fact that ships and large weaponry couldn’t be transported due to the miniscule size of the teleportation pad. But still, he had the mutants, and the ducks, were toast.

Jazz and Premnitia groggily opened their eyes and found themselves imprisoned in a large cell filled with other beings of much younger ages from what must have a dozen or so different species!

“Jazz,” Premnitia whispered as she and her friend sat up among the elementary aged children around them, “do you see what I see?”

“Yeah,” Jazz answered, “they’re all…children.”

“Welcome to my training school for mutant brats,” Dragonus announced gleefully as he entered the room and stepped up to the crimson bars.

“Dragonus!” Jazz yelled, enraged and threw herself at the bars.

She literally got the shock of her life as she was throw back by the electric pulse and toppled amidst the crowd of children.

“I highly doubt you’ll be trying that again.” Dragonus laughed, “See, you’re learning already.”

Jazz got to her feet and glared back at the black hearted lizard, “You’ll pay for this! And for what you did to our families! COWARD!”

“It would appear that certain students will be requiring a tad more discipline than others.” Dragonus said in a tone of dark amusement.

Wraith gestured to Premnitia and smiled wickedly, “That one possesses great power Lord, she can control the thoughts and will of others. The magic she wields could prove useful if put to serving our purposes.”

“Really,” Dragonus grinned as he beheld the young duck, “then I suggest you begin instructing her immediately.”

“Forget it hothead!” Premnitia shouted, “I’ll NEVER work for scum like you!”

“Let me make one thing perfectly clear,” Dragonus spoke and gestured for Siege to take aim at one of the children, “if one of you causes trouble…”

Siege fired his blaster and would’ve destroyed the child if Premnitia hadn’t pushed him out of the way.

“…you’ll all pay for it.” Dragonus finished deviously.

Jazz and Premnitia exchanged looks of bitter hopelessness as the Saurians erupted into evil laughter.

******

“C’mon man!” Nosedive shouted to Wildwing as they pulled up to the greenhouse which was actually just another cloak being used by the Raptor.

“Well,” Mallory sighed, “as least they’re getting more original with time.”

“We don’t have time for this,” Duke called and leapt out of the vehicle, “we’ve got to go rescue Tanya!”

“Charge!” Nosedive laughed as he and the others watched Duke dash off towards the greenhouse.

Mallory put a hand to her head and sighed, “Here we go, Duke’s in damsel rescuing mode again.”

Duke rushed up to the greenhouse and took out a lock pick from a pouch on his belt. “Time to teach those lizards the proper way to treat a lady.”

Inside the Chameleon had spotted the Migrator arrive. “Hey boss!” he called racing down the hall towards the mutants’ cell, “Them ducks are here to foil our plans---again!”

“For now I think it’s best that we made a tactical retreat, but later,” he grimaced at the cell filled with trembling children, “we’ll send our little recruits out to remove the ducks from our path permanently.”

******

Moaning, Tanya laid back on her bed in the castle of her sister, Princess Piyamari of Felonia. From the day they first met Piyamari and the other counterparts had gone out of their way to make their ‘sisters’ feel at home in Felonia whenever they visited. It was truly kind of them to be so generous but at the same time, there had always been something that pulled The Pride back to Puckworld. Tanya sighed as she realized how much she missed the other Mighty Ducks.

A soft tap at her door caused Tanya to come back to reality, “Come in.”

Piyamari slowly pushed open the door with her pink paw and stuck her head in to see what sort of state her sister was in. Sadly, she saw that Tanya was sprawled out on the bed, looking more distraught than ever.

“Sister,” she spoke softly, “are you well?”

“I’m fine,” Tanya moaned, “sorry to just drop in on you like this.”

“That’s alright,” Piyamari smiled and walked over to the bed and sat down at the edge, “you know you’re always welcome here. And I didn’t just come to check on you, I always wanted to tell you that-”

“Ruby’s here?!” Tanya bolted up.

Piyamari nodded.

Tanya dashed out of the room only stopping to hug her sister on her way out. In a matter of seconds she’d made her way into the main chamber and saw Ruby standing there waiting for her.

“What took you so long Tawny?” Ruby teased. “I was beginning to think you’d left already.”

“I’m not leaving anytime soon,” Tanya answered, “I can’t. The others, they don’t know about me, what I am. Until I get this thing under control I’ll just have to stay here.”

“And then you’ll go back and tell them?” Ruby asked.

Tanya lowered her head, “You know what that could mean.”

Ruby sighed, “You know, not everyone will judge us just because we’re mutants. And who better to trust than your friends.”

“My friends are all on Puckworld,” Tanya insisted.

“Then why do you miss the team so much?!” Ruby burst out. “Why did you bother to join the Resistance? What happened to pursuing your cure?!”

“You really wanna know?!” Tanya snapped, “I miss those guys because they’re the only people I’ve been around for the last two years! I joined up with them because The Pride insisted that I follow Duke to the ends of the universe! And when Duke and I finally meet up I get called ‘kid’ and I’m too uptight about this stupid mutation to stick around him long enough to discuss anything else besides Dragonus and repairing weapons!!!”

Ruby stared at Tanya sadly for a moment, “You mean, you’re afraid if you tell him about what you really are, he’ll break your heart.”

Tanya didn’t answer. Why was it that Ruby was always able to see right through her?!

“Anyway,” Ruby went on seeing that her friend was uncomfortable, “I really need you to go back.”

“Why?”

“Because Dragonus is up to something.” Ruby explained.

“When is he NOT up to something?” Tanya scowled.

“This time he’s gone too far,” Ruby insisted, “he’s captured mutant children from across the universe and plans to train them and pit them against the Mighty Ducks.”

“There’s no way they’d attack children,” Tanya murmured.

Ruby stated sternly, “That’s exactly what he’s counting on. Tanya, two of them are teenagers from Puckworld. Imagine what they’ll go through without someone there to help them. Someone who knows about Dragonus’ plan and has the skills to defeat him.”

“Are you telling me that you want ME to go save them?” Tanya asked, “Ruby I can’t control these powers anymore! I might do a heck of a lot more damage than good!”

“But if you don’t go,” Piyamari spoke up, “those poor children will surely be bent to Dragonus’ will.”

“He’ll stop at nothing to destroy the team,” Ruby added.

“Look, I’m sorry. I’d like to help, really I would, but there’s just no way I can.” Tanya tried desperately to decline, “I mean, even the Mighty Ducks couldn’t bring in Dragonus yet!”

“True,” Piyamari smiled and put a hand on Tanya’s shoulder, “but Dragonus has yet to tangle with The Black Cat.”

“So…” Ruby put a hand on Tanya’s other shoulder, “what do ya say Tawny? Will you help those kids out. Maybe train the duck mutants? They might even be willing to help out the team if you were around to mentor them. It’s not like you don’t have experience with leading mutants.”

Sighing Tanya saw she was trapped between two close friends wanting her to do the right thing. As if she hadn’t already stuck her neck out enough times for complete strangers. But, everyone had their weakness, and children just happen to be Tanya’s. Not quite as far fetched as her fear of dinosaurs right?

“Alright,” Tanya muttered, “you win. But this is the LAST time I let either one of you talk me into anything!”

“That’s my sis,” Piyamari squeezed Tanya’s neck.

“Looks like The Black Cat’s about to make one heck of a comeback.” Ruby grinned.

Yeah, Tanya groaned inwardly, only this time, she’s gotta come back to a team that doesn’t even know she exists.

________________________________________________________________________

*Tanya’s coming home! And what’s up with Duke? Will those two ever hit it off? Guess that’s where part 6 comes in…^_~ Review please, flames are for Saurians, not reviews.*

Part 4

Part 6