True Bravery

By: KidHeart4 and Fids

It had been a little over a week since Halloween and their night wandering through the nightmares Dragonus had set up for them. Since that night Heart had been adjusting to the change she had undergone while taken. It hadn't bothered her in the least to be like her teammates, though it had taken some getting used to.
"It kinda makes sense," she shrugged when Duke asked her one morning.
He gave a light smile, but something was clearly bothering him. He hadn't told Heart about his own encounter as the others all had. When Heart asked he would dodge the question and ask how she was adjusting to the change. He now knew it had been his own mind, triggered by the enchantment placed on the doorway he'd walked through like the others. Yet he also wondered how Heart had triggered it without her memories, at least with the things she had seen. There was no real way to ask her either.
Then one late evening in early November they were stopping a robbery when it started. Heart went to fire a puck launcher when her hand cramped up on her. She gritted her teeth as it spread to her wrist and caused her to drop her weapon.

Seeing her compromised one of the robbers tried to take aim at her, "Back off or say good night to your friend here!"

Duke looked over to see Heart grimacing while clutching her wrist now. However when she cried out the robber stood in a bit of shock, actually looking at his gun in confusion. Wildwing took this as a chance with Duke, the former shielded Heart while the latter shot out a bola puck that entangled the brute gunman. Once he was taken care of Duke hurried over with the others as Heart tried to stand, but found herself shaking in this attempt.

"Heart what's wrong?" Wildwing asked while Duke tried to hold her up, standing behind her for support.
"I...I don't know..." Heart winced as the pain spread up her arm.
"Let's get ya home," Duke suggested while trying to help her.

As she stepped however even her footing faltered. The ex-thief swept her up as she started to fall. Then Wildwing lead them to the Migrator that Mallory was parked outside with. She had been waiting in case there was a chase to help with. Once the four were in they sped off back to the pond. By the time they were home Heart could barely move her arm. Duke wasted no time in getting her to the infirmary where Tanya had been called prior to meet them from when they had left bank.
After shooing everyone out Tanya ran some tests. Once done she called Duke and Wildwing in to start with. Mallory shook her head as Nosedive and Grin both tried to listen through the door, however she couldn't blame them either.
"What do you mean she isn't stable?" Wildwing asked after Tanya showed them Heart's test results.

She then gestured towards the readings on the monitor. "It's like her body isn't meant to hold this form and is stressing itself out somehow. We weren't there when he did this, so there may be something he didn't do correctly...or..."

"Or did it this way on purpose?" Duke asked while looking at Heart still hooked up with wires. Seeing the fear in her eyes as she sat quietly taking in things she then watched as Duke walked over to her. Resting a hand on her shoulder he forced a smile, "Hey, it's goin' to be okay. We're goin' to figure this out."
"We're going straight to the source," Wildwing affirmed, "We'll get a hold of Protorious and find out what exactly he did."

"He's not going to just give an answer Wildwing," Tanya said worriedly.

"He will one way or another," Wildwing assured. Tanya winced, but then pulled Wildwing and Duke aside a moment away from Heart.

"Is there more?" Wildwing asked. Tanya nodded grimly.

"Guys...her body is rejecting her change, but the stress is also wearing her out. I...I'm not sure what this will do to her the longer things go...or if her body will just give up. We need to reverse this or stabilize her somehow, and fast, or she could..." Duke's remaining brown eye widened in horror when Tanya couldn't bring herself to finish, and said instead, "From the readings I can see she's been trying to fight since the change, but it was undetected, probably from her body unable to process things any longer."

Duke felt his hands ball into fists, "He knew! He had to have, why else would he just do this?" "We don't know yet Duke, and if you don't calm down it'll make things worse," Tanya warned. "What?!" "Stress will aggravate things on her, and it will be harder for her to fight," Tanya explained.
"So who's going?" Tanya then asked, "I'll stay here with Heart to watch over her and keep her calm."

"Have Phil stay nearby to help you," Wildwing stated.

Tanya nodded as Wildwing went to talk to the others. While Duke went back to Heart as she sat up trying to follow them now. He rested his hands on her shoulders, but she could feel them shaking slightly as he did, "Duke?"

He quickly regained his composure and said, "I need ya to stay here with Tanya okay?"

"I can go with-"

Duke smiled knowingly, but shook his head, "Heart, we can't risk ya gettin' hurt right now. Jus' rest an' trust we'll be back soon...an' trust me when I promise it'll be okay."

Heart gave a forced smile of her own, knowing he was trying to fight something back, and said to him, "I do trust you."

Duke's heart in his chest grew tight as he replied while he hugged her close to him, "I know ya do sweetheart."

He then kissed her forehead and pulled away to rejoin the others. It was decided that the brothers and Duke would go along with Mallory. While Grin offered to stay to help Tanya with Heart if needed.
Before much longer the group was visiting the Anaheim jail, despite Kleghorn's protests. However, when he saw Wildwing's stern expression when he stated calmly, "We don't want to see him either, but it's important Captain, please."

Then the four were lead to his cell, their shadows falling over the mad doctor sitting behind bars.
Looking out the cell window, the doctor watched as the birds fluttered outside. Hearing the avian come up on the other side of the bars, he turned around, not donned din his lab coat but the orange jumpsuit that his fellow inmates wore. Taking off his glasses, he cleaned them off, as he took a moment before addressing the team. "Well, I wasn't expecting any guests. Especially the likes of you. To what can I say I have the joy of your visit?"
"What did you do to Heart?" Wildwing asked sharply, cutting through small talk.

Duke stood with his arms folded over his chest. Had he not been worried about Heart back at the pond he would have felt his skin beneath his feathers crawling when getting a preview of the fate he may have had if he hadn't changed. In a way he still felt uneasy, but focused on the immediate concern. Nosedive stood beside his brother's left side with Mallory on Duke's right.

"You changed her, but that's not all you did is it?" Nosedive questioned.
"Hmm... all that I did? I must say, working with her genetic make up was not as simple as you put it." He walked up to the bars, placing his glasses back on the ridge of his nose. Looking up at their leader, he furrowed his brow. "She was a tricky on indeed... there was quite a bit of genetic material I did not recognize, so, perhaps that's causing some complications with her transformation. Perhaps her body is rejecting her new DNA, treating her as an alien substance that must be expelled."
"What are you talking about?" Mallory questioned, "What genetic material? She's human like everyone else from this planet isn't she?"

Duke, who had remained quiet thus far, finally stated, "She's unstable, an' if we don't help her soon she could..." he couldn't finish the sentence either as he glanced at his wedding band with his arms still folded over his chest and instead asked, "What are we supposed to do?"
"Well... I can help with this. I just need her, and my equipment, and I may be able to undo the damage done to her." The spectacled bald man replied, placing his hands behind his back. "Of course, being stuck in here does prove to be a hindrance to any of that."
"Why should we trust you near her?" Duke questioned, "You did this ta her in the first place!" Mallory pulled him back a little, grasping his shoulder a moment, "Duke calm down okay?" Wildwing held the same concern however.
"Either you allow me to go to my lab, or I can stay in here... unable to help her as her body tear itself apart on the molecular level." He answered, a snide smirk crossing his face as he crossed his arm in front of his chest. "Now.. unless you are willing to help me, we have bingo coming up soon, and as trivial as that game is, it proves an amusing diversion."
Duke's knuckles were white beneath his dark feathers.

"We'll get you where you need to go, but if you slip up at all you're coming right back here!" Wildwing assured with a glare peering through his mask, "I mean that Protorious. If anything happens to her you'll be missing more than a bingo game."

Mallory and Wildwing then went to Officer Kleghorn to try and convince him to let Protorious out somehow. This left Nosedive and Duke with the mad doctor and others in their cells nearby. The ex-thief couldn't help but look around with unease.

"You alright Dukester?" Nosedive asked. Duke nodded his head, but he couldn't help but recall an early time on Earth with Heart and him as he stood in this place. Reflecting briefly he thought of when he'd first had his photos taken and cameras in his face, something he had painstakingly hard to avoid in his past, much like this place. Unlike then though she wasn't there to ease these thoughts. Then again he wouldn't need to be standing there if she were standing beside

him.

Finally he nodded his head quietly, "I will be once she is Dive."
"Oh, I promise, the chance to see what I can do to undo the damage her body is taking from it's over reactive defense is one I don't want to miss." He answered, giving a grin as he looked at the lock on the door. "Now... if you would be kind enough to get me out of this cesspit."
"I think Wing is figuring that out now," Nosedive said, "I doubt letting you out for us is anything Kleghorn wants to do right now."

Duke thought very briefly that he could certainly get him out, but knew that wasn't the way to go about it. Instead he waited for Wildwing to come back, but the longer he stood near these cells the more uncomfortable he felt.
"Serves her right!" A nasally voice butted in, as Alvin sat in a nearby cell. "Preferring your kind over good proper humans! She deserves to have her DNA scrambled!"

The doctor, leaning against the wall of his cells, rolled his eyes. "You are aware you let those lizards scramble yours, right?"
Duke and Nosedive were too close to Heart to hear these things being said at the moment. Somehow the ex-thief kept his voice eerily calm and low, "So you're sayin' she deserves to die? Tell me, do ya know anythin' about the girl you're condemnin', or was the cape ya wore so tight it cut off precious oxygen your brain really needed? Ya call yourself a hero, choosin' who you'll save an' who you'll jus' punch, while she stands with us through every fight to make sure this world is safe despite the fact she fled from it 'cause of cretins like you!"

Nosedive was silent as Duke spoke, but his blood was boiling just as much as his teammate's. Then the young drake added, "She prefers us because we were the ones to take her in regardless of whether she had feathers or not!"
The dweeb backed away from the bar, cowering as he tried to keep himself away from the ducks. "F-fine! Whatever! Stupid birds..."

"... so, I hope your friends don't take too long. We are on a ticking clock, I believe." The doctor added.
At that Wildwing returned with a grumbling Kleghorn, "If he gets loose it's on you."

"We understand Captain, thank you," Wildwing affirmed as Kleghorn opened the cell door to let the scientist step out.

"We'll have Tanya and Grin meet us with Heart to save time, just tell us where to go," Wildwing informed as they headed to the Migrator.

Mallory kept a close eye on the doctor to make sure he didn't try to run or pull anything. Before long they were at a secluded laboratory with the Aerowing landing nearby as well. Duke hurried in to see Heart forcing a smile as she heard him approaching.

Yet he could see himself that things had gotten worse. Both arms were quite rigid at this point, and she grimaced in pain when they were touched.

"Come on Heart," Duke said softly as he lifted her up carefully, "We're goin' to fix this soon." Heart clung to him tightly while biting her lip to keep from crying out as she was moved. Then Duke carried her out and followed behind the doctor and the others. Tanya stayed close while keeping an eye on Heart's readings.
Within a short matter of time, they would arrive at the doctor's remote lab, out in the middle of the desert. The doctor, now wearing his usual attire, including his lab coat, began to lead the way. Going up to a sign that read "trespassers will be shot" he uncovered a secret panel, and began to enter a code. Shifting himself in front of it, he sneered. "A little privacy?"
Wildwing backed up, but kept watch over him. The rest did as well. Though Duke, holding Heart, took note without a word or obvious sign of what the doctor was putting in. They waited for him to input what he needed and then followed him into the lab. Duke felt Heart's grip tighten as they walked in and he reassured her, "I won't let anythin' happen to ya."
The door slowly slide open, revealing a white, sterile hallway within. Gesturing for them to follow, he smirked. "It's right this way. Better not take too long, we don't know how much time she has left."
Duke looked over the entrance a moment while carrying her still. At the doctor's remark his eye narrowed looking at him. Shaking his head he followed the others into the hallway, his grip on her firm while she looked on ahead uneasily down the long hall.
As they headed down the immaculate hallway with florescent lights glowing over head, the doctor took the lead. Turning back around towards the others, he beckoned Heart to come to him. "Now... I don't exactly have a waiting room, so, if you don't mind, I'll be taking her to do my work. I doubt you want to be in to observe my techniques."
"I'm not leavin' her," Duke said firmly, "I can carry her in jus' fine. Also sayin' it like that really doesn't make me trust you with her." He felt Heart grow tense and she grimaced as the sensation spread to her legs now.
He narrowed his eyes, as he gave an annoyed look at the mallard. "I don't think you understand. It will be an intensive and grueling operation. I can not risk having somebody distracting or interrupting my work. So, either you give her to me and leave me to my work, or you take that risk."
Duke gripped Heart a moment, knowing he couldn't wait longer.

Then Tanya stepped forward, resting a hand on the drake's shoulder and offered, "What if I assist you? I know my way around a lab, and it will keep Heart from stressing herself."

Duke looked to his teammate appreciatively, she in turn gave a comforting smile and nod before Duke handed Heart carefully to her, "Don't let anythin' happen to her Tanya."

As Heart was pulled from Duke she tried to hold on from fear, he swiftly gripped her hand to pull himself from her grasp. Duke then kissed her hand and assured her, "It'll be okay sweetheart." Tanya then turned to the doctor and asked, "Does this work?"
He took a moment to consider, placing a hand on his chin. Thinking for a short bit, he gave a nod. "Perhaps I can allow it... but only her... the rest of you must wait out here. Now, come, we haven't got a moment to lose."
The rest reluctantly agreed as Tanya followed the doctor with Heart. Wildwing rested a hand on the ex-thief's shoulder, "Tanya will make sure she's safe Duke."

"But I should have," Duke replied.

They watched as the three disappeared down the hall and into what they guessed was his lab. While Tanya followed Dr. Protorious with Heart trying to remain conscious.
As Tanya followed after the doctor, he lead her down a series of corridors. Eventually, he brought her to an operating room, and pointed to the table in the middle. "Place here there, and we'll begin work..."

Far behind, the rest of the team was left alone, with just the hum of the lights overhead to keep them company. Tanya did as she was told, setting Heart carefully on the table. When her friend tensed up Tanya spoke directly, but calming as well, "We need you to hang in there and relax. You can't stress yourself too much right now."

"Tanya?" Heart asked, "What's happening to me?"

"We're going to figure that out, and we'll fix it either way. Have I ever let you down before?" Heart shook her head.

Tanya then ran a scan over Heart while waiting for instructions.

Meanwhile, out in the front hall, there was a loud clank at the lights went dim. The door they came in was slammed shut, and the one they were before wouldn't budge. The floor began to tilt, and a dark abyss behold them was reveal, which they began to slide down into.
Wildwing grabbed a hold of Mallory's hand as she began to slide while he held onto the wall at first. Grin remained steady before he and Nosedive started to slip. Duke instinctively shot out a grappling hook that dug into the wall for him to hang from. He grabbed Wildwing's hand, then Nosedive gripped Grin's, finally they hung on in a line over the open pit beneath them. Duke tried to activate his comm only to find the signal jammed. He then heard the rope beginning to tear from the group's weight. With a sudden snap they fell into the pit below in a heap.
They landed with a damp thud, as the floor above them closed back up. In the dim light of the room they were in now, they could see that the floor was covered in a layer of sludge, and around them were large, empty cages, the bars torn off.
The group got to their feet and looked around, sticking close together.

"We should have known this was set up!" Mallory snapped while drawing her blaster.

"That wacko has Heart and Tanya!" Nosedive exclaimed.

"Not for long!" Wildwing assured as he began scanning the room with his mask.

Duke and Grin were watching the cages closely.

"Didn't that cretin say he wanted to perform tests on us?" Duke reminded them cautiously.
As Wildwing scanned the room, he got an impressive heat signature, and it was coming towards them! Emerging from the darkness was a hulking, towering form, with a massive gorilla like body and the face of a boar. Letting out a squeal, it rushed forth, raising massive meaty hands to crush the intruders.
Each of them preparing for the fight upon them, they drew their weapons and their leader raised his shield.

"How many of these things does this guy have?" Nosedive questioned.

"I guess we'll find out won't we?" Mallory replied.

Grin readied himself to try and grapple the creature. Duke turned to see a camera spying on them from the ceiling as well as other scanners of sorts to monitor them.
In the darkness, more glowing eyes emerged as the swine ape bolted at them, barreling

right into Grin.

Upstairs, the doctor checked a small monitor on his watch, before turning towards Tanya. "Now... may you go fetch me some instruments from the supply closet? I need to check her vitals, and would like a hand with that."
Tanya went and found the tools he needed. Heart tried to sit up but found herself unable to remain steady, "Tanya...?"

"Don't try anything funny pal!" Tanya warned as she brought him what he requested.

As Tanya went into the supply closet, the doctor rushed, and slammed the door behind her, locking it. Giving a chuckle, he went over to the vulnerable Heart, wringing his hands. "So... now I get to see what makes you tic underneath those feathers. And... I can some specimens to compare to now!"

"Tanya!" Heart cried as she tried to get up from the bed.

Her arms and hands betrayed her, as did the strength in her legs as she tried to stand.

"Guys! Duke! Wing!" She attempted in hopes they could hear her as she collapsed to her knees. "No! I need to help Tanya!" She pleaded to herself as she struggled to try and stand.

Snapping his fingers, a horde of mechanical arms emerged from the ceiling, pinning Heart down. Pulling out a scalpel, the doctor looked over the blade, making sure it was clean and sharp. "Don't worry... this won't hurt a little bit... it'll hurt a lot!"

In the room Grin tried to push the brutish creature back. Duke with his saber drawn stepped forth prepared for the challenge from the other creatures watching them. "We need to find a way out!" Mallory said as they searched the room.
A mob of mutants surged at the group, the ape pig being the biggest and seemingly their leader. Letting out a squealing howl, it directed the other lad grown freaks to swarm the rest, before giving Grin a bash to the face.
Grin stumbled back while trying to say, "We are not your enemies!"

"Back off you zoo rejects!" Nosedive shouted while firing a blaster at the mutated beast to get him away from Grin.

Duke held his saber ready. Wildwing kept his shield up while confronting the creatures.

"Guys! Duke!" Heart screamed with panic gripping her chest. When they didn't answer her fear only grew, "Where are they?! What did you do?!" Tanya on the other side of the closet door began working on getting out with her omnitool.
"Ooh... well, they're taking a little tour of my lab. I hope they find it educational." He snarked, as he drew closer to heart.

Down in the lab's basement, a literal spider-monkey grabbed onto Mallory, while a piranha headed flock of humming birds swarmed around Duke and Nosedive. The swine-ape continued to brawl with Grin, while Wildwing had an over sized slug to deal with.

In the lab Duke and Nosedive tried to fend off the creatures fluttering around them, Duke felt bits of his stealth suit being torn by their teeth. Nosedive shot at the spider monkey so it would drop their teammate. Wildwing watched the slug carefully to wait for it to make it's move.

Grin attempted again, "You must calm yourselves and find peace. Your shells are mere vessels for your spirits!"

While the team continued the brawl beneath, a few of the creatures began to back off. Even the swine-ape backed off, a look of fear in their eyes... as something much.. much bigger began to approach from the darkness.

They watched to see as they heard something approaching. Wildwing kept his shield up, Nosedive and Mallory held their blasters ready, Grin shielded the frightened creatures, Duke glanced at the camera watching them wondering if Heart could see them and then held his saber ready.

Lumbering from the darkness, was a creature that seemed born from a nightmare. A tall, towering creature, covered in limbs in places they shouldn't be. A human mouth opened in it's torso, aligned with a ring of eyes. It less walked and more climbed it's way towards them, bellowing out in anger, pain, and hunger.

Heart tried to pull at her restraints to get away, but her arms screamed in a threat to pull apart somehow.

"Guys!" She pleaded while trying to get free.

Her heart raced as the doctor drew nearer.

"Heart listen, I'm almost out! If one feather is out of place just you wait and see buddy!" Tanya warned while working on the bolts.

Inside Heart's core she felt something beginning to burn.
Giving a look to the closet, he shook his head, and gestured for a few of the robotic arms to deal with the duck. They tore the door open, and grabbed Tanya by her arms and legs, and hoisted her up. "Either you cooperate, or I see the resistance strength of one of these ducks!"
"Tanya!" Heart cried with her rate spiking.

Wires now attached to her alerted to the rising heat in the recently made duck.

"Heart!" Tanya called out while trying to get free, she could hear the racing heart monitor and other readings on various screens gave warning.

Tanya looked to Heart torn,if she didn't fight back he would dissect her, but if she continued she would pull herself apart. Heart however saw her teammate being pulled on and forced herself to steady herself. Yet the fire in her core continued to burn quietly.
Drawing his blade closer to her, he disregarded the warnings, his dark curiosity getting the better of him. "Now... stay still, or this will be a lot worse..."
Heart tried to calm down, feeling her body growing hotter. Tanya tried to fight her own restraints and then looked to a now turned on monitor to see what was happening below now that his facade was tossed aside. They could see the creature as their friends could. Grin remained steady guarding the beasts behind him. The rest stood in horrors awe at the creature before them. Heart could see Duke shake his head before stepping forward bravely Heart began to pull at her bindings again as she watched him and the creature reaching for him, "Duke! Guys!"
The beast grabbed one of the cages, and flung it at the group, it flying over the heads of everyone. Making it way towards them, it yelled out again, spittle flying from it's too human mouth as it's arms smashed about wildly.
Heart watched this occurring, trying to break free again as the creature drew closer to Duke. Grin had punched the cage away from them. Duke held his saber ready. Heart tried to get free, begging for Protorious to let them go, and he could see the fear for the drake in her panic stricken eyes as she struggled.
The beast rushed forward, and grabbed Duke. It's many arms wrapped and squeezed around him, as it drew the duck closer to it's gaping, gurgling maw. The doctor, unconcerned with this, went to pin Heart down again, before starting the vivisection. "Oh, don't give him any mind. His suffering will be done with soon enough... yours is just starting."
As he said this Heart's readings began to sky rocket, the heart monitor raced rapidly. As Duke struggled to get free so did Heart with a fury in her eyes, sparking curiosity in the doctor.
He gave her a cruel smile, a glint of sadistic glee in his eye. He took a moment to readjust the monitor, giving Heart a better view. "Actually... let's see this together. That thing was quite a disaster... but, it may prove some use in disposing of those aliens... and I have one I can examine after I'm done with you still."
Heart could see Duke being pulled in without seeing Wildwing and Nosedive charging in to help him. As the doctor stood close with his blade in hand. Tanya watched the monitor before hearing Heart's giving warning. The wires attached to her began to over charge as she pulled free. As Duke cried out from the creature's strength trying to crush him, so did Heart trying to reach him. Her hand reached out quickly as she cried out his name.

Suddenly a burst of energy erupted from her, overpowering the wires and shorting the circuits of the lab. The doctor felt a shock of electricity knock him back from her and into the wall. The mechanical arms powered down as the lights shut down. Tanya was dropped and hurried over to Heart who had passed out in her desperate attempt to get free and help the others. The surge had reached the lair below, causing a burst of light that startled the creatures before the power went out.
The creature let out a screech, as it dropped Duke onto the floor, and it ran off into the safety of the dark. The others backed off as well, but, kept away from the worst of them.

The doctor was knocked back, prone and on the floor. Struggling to get up, he snapped at them. "You... you just have to make this difficult. I swear, I'm going to drag this out as long as I can now!"
"Heart!" Tanya tried to wake their teammate.

As Tanya looked her over quickly, using her omnitool as a source of light, she could see Heart losing feathers slowly and sweat matted her hair to her forehead now.

"Heart stay with us! If you can hear me, we're going to find Duke and the others okay?"Tanya attempted while trying to lift Heart off the table.
Grabbing his scalpel again, the doctor got up and darted at the duck, attempting to stab the duck. "Looks like I need to hasten the experiment!"

"What was that?" Mallory exclaimed while the brothers hurried to help Duke up. "Any damage?" Wildwing asked while the ex-thief shook his head, "Nah, jus' my self-regard." "What do you think caused that?" Nosedive asked looking around the dark room. "I don't know, but let's find out!" Wildwing said while kicking a door open leading to a flight of stairs that they began to climb.
As they headed up the stairs, a few of the monsters crept up after them, keeping their distance.
"Duke! Dive! You two go ahead! We'll hold these guys off!" Wildwing ordered. Duke and Nosedive hurried up the steps to the main floor.

Tanya quickly jumped back with Heart in her arms, "Woah! And just what were you trying to accomplish?" Heart continued to lose her white feathers, but remained motionless. "Heart stay with us!" Tanya attempted while backing away from the mad doctor.
"You're a woman of science... you should be able to appreciate my need to get results. I will get my results... and none of you will stop me!" He raised a brow, before letting out a chuckle.

Grabbing a nearby syringe, he quickly jabbed it into his arm. Within moments, giant spider like legs jutted out from his back, as he then climbed up the walls, and rushed after the two.
As the doctor shifted in form Tanya backed away with Heart in horror. Just as the doctor rushed overhead to them did Duke kick down the lab door as he and Nosedive rushed in.

"Tanya!" Duke called out seeing the lab in disarray and Heart unconscious in their teammate's arms.

Nosedive held his blaster ready before looking up in shock and trying to say, "Guys look out!" "Heart wake up-!" Duke attempted while hurrying over to try and reach them just as the doctor reached above where they stood. At his voice Heart had attempted to open her fatigued eyes.
As she finally did, she could see above her the mutated doctor dropping onto them, an extra pair of eyes forming, and fangs sticking out from his mouth. Letting out a hiss, he struck and swiped as the group. "You're not going anywhere!"
Duke had managed to reach them just as the doctor dropped, pushing Tanya and Heart back to take the swipes instead. Heart tried to get free, trying to reach Duke with her weakened hands grasping for him. Again the doctor could see her reacting to the drake, pushing her body passed it's limits as Duke was knocked aside.
His skin turning into a chitinous exoskeleton, the doctor reared back, about to bite into Duke, ready to inject a load of venom into the duck... until a mob of the monsters emerged from the darkness, and began to rush him. They grabbed him by all of his arms, and began dragging him back. "No! Let go of me! I created you! Obey me!"
Tanya hurried over to Duke with Heart as he started to get up. Nosedive looked at the creatures in confusion as they held back their master. Duke ignored this as he reached for the now trembling Heart who clung to him once he was holding her. Before long the others had caught up and were witnessing the exchange of the doctor and his creatures.

"Wait!" Wildwing pleaded, "we need to know how to cure Heart!"
The beasts grabbed and snatched at him, as they pulled him to the pit they emerged from. "No! Let go! Stop! "

He fought and struggled, but to no avail, as the swine-ape grabbed him by the head, and yanked him back into the darkness. "Save me, and I might be able to do something!"
Grin waiting nearby managed to grab him and pull him back with a stern look in his eyes, "How do we help our friend repair her form from the plight pulling her apart?"

Heart held onto Duke as feathers continued to fall away from her. The power was still out with tools scattered from the struggle.

"Why should we even believe you at this point?" Wildwing demanded.
"She... I need... to figure it out... I... I don't have anything right now, but.. if you give me time.." He uttered out, as the swine-ape stepped forward. "He... lies... made same promise..."
"He needs to know!" Duke snapped as Heart struggled to stay awake.

"Duke-" Mallory attempted.

Grin held the doctor up. Wildwing glared at him after seeing his sister trying to hold herself together.

"Can you fix this? No more tricks or lies! Can you save her?!" Their leader demanded angrily, "Time is something she doesn't have much of!"
His literal four eyes darted over at her, and... he couldn't help but sneer. "Things would've been so much easier if you had just cooperated. Now you'll have to deal with the ordeal of your body tearing itself apart, and I lose my precious chance to record it."
Wildwing and the others, but Duke looking over Heart, glared at the doctor.

"You know I don't generally have issues with spiders, but I think this one has wound his own web to be stuck in!" Grin said with anger rising in his usually calm tone.

He looked to the creatures behind them.

"This would be easier than explaining to Kleghorn," Wildwing agreed darkly.

Duke didn't say anything to the doctor, he just looked at Heart, caressing her cheek as she fought to stay awake, "Stay with us Heart...we'll help ya okay?...Stay...stay with me...please sweetheart..."
The swine-ape came up, and grabbed the doctor. Giving the ducks a nod, he went back to the pit they came from, as the doctor struggled in vain.

"No! You can't let them take me! Let go of me! No!" He yelled, as they vanished into the dark.
Duke shielded Heart from the sight and Grin slammed the door shut to silence the doctor's begging.

Once it was calm Wildwing walked over to Duke and Heart and said with worried eyes, "Let's get her home."

Heart continued to lose feathers as she was carried back to the Migrator. Soon they were back at the pond and gathered around her while Tanya ran her own tests, "She went through a lot of stress back there and her condition isn't improving..."

Duke remained at the head, his hands resting against Heart's face gently as she lay there. She had fallen unconscious during the ride back.
"Heart, come on sweetheart. I don't care if you're human or a duck, jus' stay with us darlin'," Duke pleaded to her.

As they tried to figure out some way to help her Duke's thoughts returned to the night this had happened, and the shadows he faced. What he was running from in regards to his past simply didn't matter.

No, what he feared far more than those phantoms chasing him was, "I can't lose ya now that I have ya Heart..." he brushed the hair gently out of her face.

Yet Heart remained unresponsive other than her heart rate now slowed down as she struggled to hold herself together. Grin rested a hand on Duke's shoulder in support.
"There's still a chance Duke," Tanya attempted, "the one thing he said with a ring of truth to it is that her body could be expelling the change."

"So what can we do to help her?" Nosedive asked.

"Hope," was all Tanya could say, "Hope she has enough left in her to endure it."

She looked to Duke, "I can't tell you not to worry, you'll do that either way. But tonight we saw her push herself far for your sake and her connection to us, maybe that can keep her stable with that same strength."
So they waited and hoped. Tanya continued to monitor Heart's readings. Wildwing explained to Kleghorn that there had been a lab accident with Dr. Protorious and gave Kleghorn the information to seek out himself if he didn't believe him. Nosedive and Grin paced nearby until growing exhausted and fell asleep in the waiting room outside the infirmary. Mallory kept herself busy by monitoring Drake One for any sign of trouble.

Duke didn't leave Heart's side, holding her hand and caressing her hair as she tried to stay together. He would talk to her to let her know he was with her.

"Duke?" He heard her ask in her barely conscious state, "Guys?"

"I'm right here Heart, it's goin' to be okay," he assured her while kissing her hand, "We're all here waitin' for ya."
Duke felt his core twist within him when she didn't respond.

"Don't give up Heart," he whispered before kissing her forehead while still gripping her hand in his.

Then he rested his head beside hers while leaning over part of the bed while sitting beside her, "I love ya..." he whispered.

Through the night Duke remained beside her with her gripping his hand. As he did Duke would witness her feathers falling away and her beaks reverting back to the soft lips he kissed often and her hand shifted in his. As these changes came and went he talked to her, trying to pull her through it.
After a while longer Duke felt Heart gripping his hand tightly as her heart raced.

"Heart...?" He attempted as he held her hand.

He could hear the monitor nearby match, but then gradually slowed. Heart's hand strengthened, gripping his.

"Come on love..." he breathed while caressing the top of her head and her hair gently.
At the sound of his voice Heart's eyes tried to open as she gripped his hand.

"That's it Heart, come on!" He encouraged with his own beating heart leaping to his throat.

At last he found her sapphire eyes looking up at him tiredly as she smiled weakly seeing him beside her, "Duke?"

Choking back tears he gently lifted her half up and pulled her close to him, "Heart!"

Hearing Duke everyone hurried in to see Heart awake and gathered around her with relief washing over them.

"Sis!" Nosedive exclaimed.

"Guys!" Heart cried worriedly, suddenly reminded of the clash in the lab, "Are any of you hurt?"

She looked over Duke remembering him nearly being bitten.

"We're all jus' fine sweetheart, " Duke assured while the brushing the hair out of her eyes.

"Then why are you shaking?" Heart asked.

Duke let out a chuckle seeing the sweet concern in her eyes despite her own fatigue and pain lingering. Shaking his head he admitted to her softly while embracing her again, "'Cause I've never been so afraid in my life than when I thought you were goin' to be taken from it sweetheart."

His grip on her strengthened when she said in return, remembering seeing him on the monitor, "Neither have I..."

Before they could say anything else their teammates gathered into a group hug around them while Tanya reminded them that Heart still needed to rest afterwards. However in the moment, they were all too relieved to be through this real nightmare still together.