Take Back What's Mine

Chapter One: Job Applications and a Very Pretty Girl

~22 years ago~
Donald T. Newton looked warily at the big welcome sign spelling out "Monongahela National Forest" and sighed.

It had been a rough morning.

The past few days had been filled with weird visions of an ethereal red figure foretelling a time of when he must defeat a greater evil and fulfill his destiny. Donald had first thought he had been smoking a little too much, but even after cutting it, the visions still returned.

Really, this was the last thing he needed before he applied for a job as a forest ranger, but he pushed it aside for today and tried to focus. This job was his only really plan. He had graduated a few weeks ago, and college was absolutely not an option. After first hearing about an opening as park ranger in the Monongahela, Donald was ecstatic. A job where he just has to wander through the forest and direct lost tourists? It was perfect.

Sure, the wifi would be spotty, so he wouldn't be able to play Tony Hawk anymore, but hey, you can't have it all.

Donald continued driving through the forest, making his way to the Rangers Office. He parked his car on the gravel road, and rolled his eyes at the sight of a small cabin adorned with a bright banner reading,
"Ranger Recruitment Day!"

He gathered his few papers that made up his less than professional resume and looked into the rear view mirror, quickly straightening his tie and attempting to fix his newly cut hair, it now far shorter than he would have preferred.

After stepping out from his Pontiac Grand Am, a present from his parents for his sixteenth birthday that wasn't exactly welcomed, he walked up the path to the office. An older woman stood at the door and greeted Donald kindly.

"Why, hello there! You must be Donald. I'm Delilah, but you can just call me Dee. How are ya?'

Donald gave a nervous smile and replied,
"I'm doing alright. Yourself?"

"Well I'm doing wonderful, sweetie. I'm so excited for all the new rangers. And you're just in time! Mandy is already here!"

"Oh.. who?"

Dee just smiled and lead Donald inside to the cozy office. A wooden desk sat in the corner, it's top completely covered with stacks upon stacks of paper. Some dirty windows in need of a cleaning looked out into the forest, and a bulletin board filled with flyers and photographs hung crooked on the wall. A stone fireplace in the center of the room held a crackling fire, and near it was two worn and torn armchairs. In one sat a girl at about nineteen in two brunette braids, with honey eyes and scattered freckles across her olive skin.

She stood up as Dee and Donald came in and walked over, a bright smile encompassing her face. She reached out her hand towards Donald and quipped,

"Hi! I'm Mandy."

Donald met her eyes and felt his heart stop.
Oh no.
Oh hell no.

He felt his mind get foggy and his face erupt in pink. A gang of angry butterflies tore apart his organs and he felt himself get lost in her golden eyes.

Never in his life did he believe in love of any kind.
A high school burnout and self proclaimed bad boy didn't really scream "romance", but here he was, getting tripped up over a very, very, very, pretty girl.

Mandy looked worriedly at Donald, seeing him frozen and staring at her, and waved her hands in front of his face, calling,

"Hello? You good there, bud?"

Donald snapped out of his trance and sputtered out,

'I- uh- sorry... I'm Donald."

He reached out and shakily shook Mandy's hand, averting his eyes.

Mandy pulled back her hand and started laughing loudly, nearly falling over. Tears filled her eyes and she choked out,

"D-Donald? Like Donald Duck?"

She got caught in a laughing fit and crouched down, trying to catch her breath. Dee chuckled and added,

"Well, y'all seem to be gettin along. I'm goin get some paperwork together while you two chat."

She scurried away, leaving a breathless Mandy and a lovestruck Donald.

Mandy finally got herself together and declared,

"Well, I think I know what I have to do. You're new name is Duck. I think it fits pretty well, if I do say so myself."

She patted Donald, or by her new decree, Duck on the shoulder. He looked quizzically at Mandy and opened his mouth to speak, but Dee popped up and intoned,

"Hm... Duck T. Newton. Sounds like music to the ears. I like it!"

Mandy smiled at Duck and chimed,
"I think this will go just fine, Duck. Just think, you and me as fellow rangers, protecting the forest side by side!"

Duck simply smiled back and replied, a quick flutter in his heart,
"Yeah. I think we'll be more than fine."