shellphones | Accidental Video - Backdated To Mother's Day

Entry tags:

Accidental Video - Backdated To Mother's Day

Type: Video
Sender ID: perfpilot (Della Duck)
To: Public
Subject: missing another mother's day
Warnings: Sads!

[ The feed turns on abruptly, with the image jostling - as Della had violently thrown the device on her bed and not realized it turned on. Everyone is treated to her yelling mid-rant, as she kicks furniture and stomps about, pulling at her hair. ]

- Missed it AGAIN, and this time, it's not even MY FAULT! How is that FAIR?! Haven't I done enough? Why can't I just... why? Is this someone's sick idea of a joke?! Am I just not... allowed to be with them? In any world? In any universe? Why? Why? I... I just...

[ Her voice breaks, and she sits on her bed, burying her face in her hands. After a moment, she shuffles, and pulls out a piece of paper from her jacket. From this angle, it's difficult to tell, but it could be a drawing of three little duck boys. She runs her fingers down the image, and then begins singing softly.

Fair to say a good number of people here know Della as an adventure-loving nutjob. But here and now, her voice is filled with genuine love. ]

Look to the stars, my darling baby boys,
Life is strange and vast,
Filled with wonders and joys,
Face each new sun with eyes clear and true,
Unafraid of the unknown...
Because I'll face it all, with you...

[ Then, out of the corner of her eye - which may be tearing up - she spots the device. And can guess what happened. ]

... Aw, phooey.

[ With a swallow, she reaches over, and weakly smiles. ]

... So. Uh. Anyone know any good jokes?

[ ooc: if you'd like to tag della but not interested in something this depressing, feel free to hit me up for a quest-starter! ]

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...There will be dark days, but as long as they have each other, things will be fine. [Words that once assured him. Tomorrow will be another day. To try again. To have hope.]

Don't completely scare them off. [Don't worry Della, he'll be doing most of the fish wrangling. He lowers his net as one jumps towards the fireflies, catching it. He needs to move quick, the fish getting further tied up in the net the more it flails. Opening a compartment on the deck, he sends the fish down with a splash. A holding chamber for them. Two or three more should be enough.]

[ Della nods in acknowledgement, slowing down her sword splashing. Yes, she can obey orders and do things in a calm, organized manner! It just doesn't come out all that often. ]

... They've got a whole family they can rely on for dark days. My brother, our uncle, cousins, the folks who work and live in the mansion, Uncle Scrooge's employees, their friends...

... They've got everyone they need.

[ Just not her. And maybe they don't need her. ]

[There's a quiet sigh as he closes the compartment.]

But none of them are you. [He returns to her side, prepping the net.] Do you really think they have everyone? [Will they always be there? Or is there something only Della Duck can provide them?]

[ But they didn't need her for over ten years. Why start now? What can she give them that Donald or Scrooge couldn't?

Ah, damn. If this keeps up, she'll start crying again. She doesn't want to burden Shadow with her tragic backstory when he's trying to help her out. She pushes a palm to the edge of her eye, trying to calm down. ]

... I'm definitely not them, that's for sure. [ A tired chuckle. ] For better or worse, there's nobody like Della Duck.

[That's the thing. He doesn't know. He doesn't know if these are the words she needs to hear specifically. It just what seems right to him. If it isn't, he will adjust.

He tilts his head. If there was something to be said, it isn't his place to press her if she chooses not to say. What he will do, is reach to rest his hand over hers that was holding onto the dowsing blade. He can handle this without her assistance if she needed to step away.]

[ And that does it. He's no Iblis Trigger, but that simple physical gesture triggers her - mostly because she didn't see it coming. She doesn't think he's a jerk, she just didn't expect him to be comfortable with it.

She doesn't look at him, eyes on the water, but the tears come, dripping off her face. ]

... Ever since I was a kid... I've gone adventuring with my uncle and my brother. It was some of the happiest times of my life... so when I got pregnant, I wanted my babies to have the same kind of life... only better. The world... felt so small at that point. That we'd done everything. So I wanted to give them the stars. I wanted to go into space.

But my brother objected. He said it was too dangerous, and now that I was a mother, I needed to ground myself and think more seriously. I thought he was being overprotective. I thought I knew better. And my uncle, the world's richest duck... built the ship in private. He planned it to be a surprise... and a trip we'd all take together.

But, shortly after I laid my eggs... I found the ship. And I... I told myself it was for my kids, but...truthfully... I was so determined to prove my brother wrong. To prove I knew best. And... because I wanted another adventure. I was... so selfish. So stupid.

... And as a result... I crashed on the moon. I lost my leg. And... I was away from my home... my family... my sons... for over ten years.

[Well that was...is it really all that surprising anymore? He does not bring joy or comfort. That isn't his place. Pain, suffering, death, destruction, all things that follow in Shadow's wake. For her to suddenly start crying, it does not cause a reaction from him. His hand remains as they cry and start to tell their story, their desire, their biggest regret.

He doesn't say anything, only to set down the netting, keep his attention on her. A want to do something for another, only to fail is a familiar concept to him. But his path was already determined for him. She had the choice to step away and chose not to.]

Foolish. [They're the kind of people he can't stand. She got her just desserts and he cannot sympathsize. But letting it continue to eat at her after the fact, that won't help her or anyone.] So, that's it then?

[ She's not insulted or hurt by his words. She's told herself worse every single day for those ten years.

She needs another couple of moments to calm herself to a point where she can continue. After some deep breaths... ]

...Turns out, there's folks that live on the moon. But they didn't trust me, until I helped them stop a creature that been going after them. They helped me repair the ship, and I finally got home. I finally got the chance to at least try being a good mother... I was able to start making good memories, to repair the wounds I made...

... And now, here I am. Away from all of them again. And this time, it's not even my fault. Like my punishment never gets to end.

[...There was someone who has long since died with his past. Someone he didn't think he would ever see again, shouldn't be able to. Time marches on, things had changed since they last saw each other. Even if time hadn't moved for her, he was no longer the same person that he was back then. In this case though, she never saw her children, but he could take a guess how uneasy she must have felt. Having to prove herself to them.]

Were they happy? When you finally got to be with them. [If her feelings are true, then they will eventually reach the others.]

Edited 2025-05-27 15:43 (UTC)

[ A very good question, which results in a very good answer. She finally begins to smile, tilting her head, as she holds onto one of her favorite memories. In her darkest moments, it gives her the ultimate comfort. ]

... Yeah. Man, you should have seen their faces... Dewey, he... he ran into my arms! Knocked me right onto my tailfeathers, the little powerhouse.

... [He slowly removes the hand that was on her, picking up his net once more.]

Hold onto that memory. What you're fighting for. [He glances down at the water, returning to catch another galaxy fish.]

Yeah. Mmm.

[ She needs a another couple of minutes to collect herself. Once she does... ]

... You're a good guy. I feel like I owe you one, but I bet you're the type to turn it down.

[He isn't a good person, but she doesn't know any better. Can't see his hands and fur stained red, beyond his highlights. But he says nothing, not interested in revisiting old haunts.]

Hmph. [As good enough of a answer that she owes him nothing. It be a waste, and there's nothing she can give to him anyway. His expression remains stoic, focused on tugging the net. He pulls, feeling like he caught himself an even bigger fish.]

Help me with the net.

[ Yep, pretty much the response she expected out of him. He's a tough nut to crack, but a good friend even if he refuses to admit it. We could all use a pal like Shadow. ]

Now that, I can do.

[ Sword placed aside for the moment, she uses both hands to grip the net and pulllll as hard as she can! ]

[You can find better pals than him. When she pulls, he pulls along with in one great tug. The net is lifted up and over. The fish, actually flying out of the net and over them. It's clear galaxy-like body filling the space above them. A beautiful sight as it slowly glides pass them, onto the other side of the boat and back into the water.]

...Too big. [That one gets a pass.]

... Whoa.

[ Even though she hates fish with a huge comedic passion, she has to admit, that was a pretty cool sight. ]

... Not gunna lie. That was awesome. Dude earned his life.

[The visual still lingers in his mind, recalling a distant memory when he would look at the vastness of space with someone else.]

...The ones we catch will be going to the Cosmo Conservatory. [So this wasn't a hunting venture. He returns to prepping the net.] You can thank Professor Turo for discovering this cave.

Then I definitely will, for more reasons than one. And I'll let him know he's got a great guy working for him.

[He groans.] That isn't necessary. [There's just a mutual gain between him and the professor for doing this. There's another tug after Shadow throws the net back into the water, catching a more reasonably sized galaxy fish.]

[ After that reaction, she does have an urge to tease him... and she suppresses it. She said no jokes, and she does owe him for helping her out tonight. She can and will behave for his sake. ]

All right. Just a normal thank-you with nothing else attached. Done and done.

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Accidental Video - Backdated To Mother's Day

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