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pidayforpi · 2 years

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Power of Berserk

"Here are your friends and family, Donald Duck."

Zondag snickered, the Evronian general calling the hero by his real name.

[Psychological Torture, Blood/Violence, Character Death, Character Breaking]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1prPTcHzmac

Paperinik stood among the ruins of the bustling metropolis once known as Duckburg, surrounded by the invading armies of Evronians and Coolflames. His masked pair of eyes widened in shock and sorrow, as he looked around the city he had called home since birth. His limbs became slacken, causing the mechanical gauntlet on his right arm to drop onto the stone-hard ground, without a sound.

Zondag smiled at his enemy's devastated expression, but his excitement was only starting to tickle, for he would soon show the duck the surprise he had in store.

"Go on. Don't be shy, Don. Go meet your loved ones."

Zondag faked a friendly smile. He ushered Paperinik forward, giving him a few light pushes in the back. The general led the hero to a crowd of Coolflames, all silent, obedient and expressionless. They stared at Paperinik blankly, and winced when their Evronian commander approached from behind the duck.

Zondag simply snapped his fingers, and suddenly there was a chain of slight movements among the horde of Coolflames. The ones in the front gave way, as a single Coolflame walked to the small opening, in front of Paperinik.

Paperinik stumbled forward to approach the prisoner of war. He took a closer inspection, hoping that the dumb Evronian had got the wrong person, and that his cousin was still free somewhere.

But however mutated his appearance was now, Paperinik could never forget that innocent face, of his pure younger cousin.

"Fe-Feth...?"

His voice was hoarse and shaking, as he placed his equally shaking hand on the now-Coolflame Fethry's face. His trademark stocking cap was still there, along with his signature red sweater. As if the Evronians had decided to keep his unique features when he was being transformed, so that Paperinik could recognise his beloved cousin at a glance. And Paperinik knew that must have been intentional.

"H-hey, Feth. It's m-me, your c-cousin Donald..."

Paperinik forced a small smile, though his mask was already wet.

Fethry didn't respond. He stared straight into Paperinik's eyes, not saying a word.

"C'mon, C-Cos! Let's g-go home...! It's getting l-late, and you k-know Grandma won't be h-happy...!"

Paperinik reached out for his cousin's hand, holding and squeezing it gently. He tried to get him to move, but Fethry stood still, firm as a rock.

"W-what's w-wrong...? W-we have t-to get h-home s-soon! Your p-parents and brother A-Abner m-must be w-worried s-sick...!"

Paperinik continued to coax Fethry into following him, but tears of despair were already flowing down his masked eyes.

Meanwhile, Zondag had to stop himself from bursting out laughing right then and there, though giggles of joy still leaked from his bill. Seeing his former archenemy admitting defeat, breaking and crying filled his malevolent heart with unmeasurable glee.

Fethry looked at the hero duck crying in front of him, holding and swaying his hand while visibly distraught. Though he could no longer feel anything, though he could no longer think about anything...

"Don..."

Paperinik lifted his head up at the call, looking at his cousin through teary eyes.

"Feth...?!"

Paperinik held both of Fethry's hands in his, staring earnestly into his cousin's eyes.

"Don...Donald...

...Cousin Donald..."

Those words escaped Fethry's bill, subconsciously whispering the elder duck's name. He didn't know what those words meant anymore, nor why he had said them in the first place.

He didn't understand why tears were streaming down his own face, as well.

"Feth...Fethry...!"

Paperinik pulled his cousin into a deep embrace, his overflowing tears staining Fethry's sweater. The Coolflame did not hug back, but did not reject as well. Cold, emotionless tears stained Paperinik's suit.

Zondag was surprised one of their Coolflame slaves still had a fragment of their memories remaining, but shrugged it off quickly, as that defect made the situation even more enjoyable. The Evronian general was grinning ear-to-ear, as he walked slowly to the duck cousins.

"Oh, Donald...You should have seen your dear Cousin Fethry's face, when he was cornered by my men. You should have heard his pleads and cries, when I personally turned him into this cute, little Coolflame in front of you."

Zondag leaned down, patting the now mutated Fethry's head affectionately. He then whispered directly into Paperinik's ears, as if he wouldn't catch the following words otherwise.

"He called for you, you know."

Zondag smiled wider when he saw Paperinik's horrified expression.

The Evronian chuckled audibly, letting the devastated hero imagine: His beloved cousin crying for help, desperately calling out for his Cousin Donald, only to be captured, transformed, and end up a mindless slave to the invaders.

However, Zondag wasn't done having fun, yet.

"Oh, don't be so sad, ol' Don!" He held Paperinik by the shoulders from behind, swaying the dejected duck gently. "At least your Cousin Fethry is still in one piece, eh? And I think he looks cuter too!"

Zondag gestured to the Coolflame in question, who only stared back meekly. Paperinik let the alien rock him to and fro, his body too stricken by sadness to react.

Seeing his archenemy numb with sorrow, Zondag feigned a sympathetic frown, against his ecstatic, pounding heart.

"Aww, Donald...But I know something that will definitely cheer you up! C'mere!"

Zondag pulled Paperinik by the arm, away from his mutated cousin to a nearby ruined building.

Again with a snap, two Evronian soldiers were summoned. They pulled out a stretcher, the person on the bed covered entirely with a white cloth. Paperinik looked with lifeless eyes, as the two aliens put the stretcher down vertically in front of him.

"Who...who is that...?"

Paperinik managed to speak out, to which Zondag smiled.

"Why, your friend, of course!"

Zondag had never smiled so widely.

Paperinik slowly got close to the makeshift bed, his hand trembling to uncover the person underneath. He already knew it was going to be worse, but he still hesitated, fearing for what might come.

"What are you waiting for, Donald?"

Zondag hurried Paperinik up, to which the duck paused, and obediently complied.

He grabbed the cloth closest to the subject's face, his hand shaking uncontrollably in dread. Slowly, very slowly, he removed the fabric, pulling it down.

Looking through overflowing tears, Paperinik really hoped his eyes were playing tricks on him.

His heart dropped down, along with his tears, as he fell onto his knees.

A chicken. With white feathers and blonde hair. A small green hat on his head. A green vest over a red dress shirt on his torso. Blue trousers. Yellow shoes.

And a pair of round glasses that Paperinik had always found cute.

His amiable partner who would always greet him with a bright, lovely smile.

But now, his eyes were closed, his beak was shut. And they would never open again.

He would breathe no more. His pulse was still, his heart was silent.

His body was present, but Gyro Gearloose was gone.

Paperinik reached out his hand, and cupped the chicken's face. He quivered involuntarily, when he felt the cold touch of the lifeless body, the feathers now void of warmth, softness and lustre.

Still, he gently caressed Gyro's blonde hair and snow-white feathers, convincing himself that his mind was just messing with him. That, if he tried hard enough, Gyro would wake up once more. And he would see that cheerful, warm smile again.

A smile that was simpler yet stronger than any gadget the chicken scientist had ever invented. Gyro Gearloose's smile was all that was enough to encourage Paperinik to keep going. His kind words were all that Paperinik needed to know everything would be alright.

Now, even that pillar of support had been taken away from him.

"Tsk tsk..." Zondag shook his head in a disappointed manner. "It is a shame. Really! If only he hadn't been so stubborn, or so protective of that blasted tower..."

He motioned to the ruined building, prompting Paperinik to suddenly notice: That the ground he had been on was no other than the site of his previous operation base - The Ducklair Tower.

A broken, emerald-green sphere could be seen buried among rubbles and metal scraps, the green liquid from inside leaking out. The electronic cables connecting to the glass container had long been severed.

"But, O' Doctor Gearloose...He just wouldn't leave the tower, even when we were already at the entrance, about to blow up this beautiful building. Poor Gyro, still waiting for his dear Paperinik to return, determined to protect their home till his demise...For the smartest inventor of Duckburg, he really was quite foolish..."

The Evronian general continued in a sing-song tone.

"If only he had just given in...Oh, I can imagine what a dashing Coolflame he could have been..."

Zondag flashed Paperinik the most maleficent grin, his sadism surging to highest upon seeing the hero's grieving expression.

"If only he had been more of a...well, chicken! Am I right?!"

Zondag let out a crazed laugher, letting all his evil humour out, paying no mind to hide his sadistic intent anymore. He could finally be the one to proclaim victory, and claim his prize of witnessing the hero languishing in pain and despair.

Paperinik's back had been turned to the gloating alien. He stayed by Gyro's side, not saying a word, not moving a finger. Tears dropped onto the ruins of his former base, and onto the body of his late partner. Until they all dried up.

Then, he slowly got up, limping towards where he had dropped his robotic gauntlet - An invention of Gyro Gearloose.

Paperinik walked unsteadily, as if he would fall at any second. He wasn't crying anymore, his face replaced with an unreadable expression.

He picked up the equipment from the ground, staring at the metallic weapon in his hands, with eyes unfocused from woe.

And then, in the next moment, the gauntlet had been equipped in his right hand, covered in and dripping with violet blood. The Evronian soldier, who had tried to stop him, was lying on the ground, a large bloody hole through his chest.

Gasps and hisses soon filled the venue, followed by the whirring sounds of charging firearms, but Paperinik's ears were deaf to those white noises. He walked towards the Evronian general, undeterred by the laser pistols or the blood all over his face and suit. He advanced, towards the one who took everything away from him.

Zondag had already predicted that would happen, as he faced the vengeful duck with his own battle gauntlet and a bloodthirsty smile, licking his grinning bill in bloodlust. That was what he had been aiming for, after all.

"That's right, Paperinik!" Zondag taunted the hero that was now only a shadow of his former self. "Fight me with all your might! Kill me with all your anger and hatred! With all your sanity lost!"

Zondag laughed maniacally, as the two fighters charged towards each other.

"Show me your power of berserk, Donald Duck!"

(20-6-2022 ~ 23-6-2022)

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