Just Like Me
Duke ran. He had no specific place to go but the 19 year old felt the urge to be free. Life was tough as it was, and being the leader of the most notorious smuggling gang on Puck World wasn't any picnic. He sighed as he continued running, wishing for once that he could be a normal teenager... and then there was the conflict with DeCharmante.
Jake, the boy he saved from dring in the streets. Jake, the thirteen year old mastermind. Jake, the duck who claimed to be either 35 or 23. Jake, the most troubled and the most depressed duck that Duke had ever seen.
Jake unfortunately had gotten into not only a life of crime, but also a life of drugs. He often hallucinated due to this. Duke often wondered why he bothered with Jake, but some how he couldn't let go.
"That coulda been me," Duke shuddered, pausing from his long run. The BOTB was far behind him and the city straight ahead. Brushing fingers through his styled hair, he began to run again.
"Jake? You awake in there?" Randall's voice almost appeared to boom. Jake jumped up startled, nearly dropping the cigarrette he held in his left hand. Quickly, he extinguished it and climbed back through the window and into his bed. Randall walked into the door.
"Hey," Randall began, "I'm suprised you're still awake and still in your socks and boxers?" Randall was skeptical as usual.
"And I'm suprised that you actually picked a lock for once in your whole damn life," Jake replied back sarcastically.
"Listen Jake, I don't wanna fight this early in the morning... I was wondering if you wanted to come with us to Chase's Place for breakfast?"
Jake's harsh tone softened, "Sorry, but I have a lot of work to do."
"But you always do some sort of work, either for studies or practice..." Jake shrugged his shoulders as Randall rambled on. Out of the older ducks, excluding Duke, Randall was the most decent to him... especially since he usually could beg cigarrettes from him.
"Suit yourself, Jake," Randall said as he walked toward the doorway. Before he made it completely out of the door, Jake noticed a slight buldge in Randall's back pocket. He pocketed it instantly.
"HOLY MOTHER OF DUCKS!!!" Jake cried out when Randall was gone. The "bulge" was a pack of cigarrettes with only three missing and a condom tucked neatly into the side.
"JAKE!!!" Dak called from down the hall. Jake immediately shoved his loot into his boxers. He had learned that trick from being a pickpocket; if you put your prized belongings in your boxers no one will get them... unless they rape you.
"JAKE!!!" Dak went flying into the room... or more like across the room. On his mad dash into the room he had tripped on the floor rug and was sent into the air and into a wall.
"Owww," he moaned while sliding to the ground.
"Dumbass," Jake muttered as Dak collected himself once more.
"So, you comming?" Dak asked enthusiastically.
"Comming where?"
"Chase's Place... it's Brunch day! Pancakes, Waffles, Danish... come on!" Jake rolled his eyes.
"I never eat breakfast."
"Exactly! That's why we're inviting you to Brunch!" Jake knew he wouldn't win this battle so he went to the dresser across the room and pulled out his clothes. As he went behind the divider that separated their room, and created privacy, he quickly pulled on a wife-beater, baggy jeans with a brown belt, boots, the jacket Duke had given him as a presant, a gold chain, and finally put on his hat backwards. Jake hated to be seen without a hat ever. He only reserved those times for special heists in order not to trip the alarms.
Dak waited patiently for Jake. In many ways he idolized the older duck. Jake seemed cool but was very slick and could be extremely proper and polite. He lived his whole life, until the BOTB picked him up (See "Thieve's Apprentice for Reference), in the streets and there he taught himself to read and perform arithmatic... but not just simple reading and math. Jake was studying calculus, physics, Puck World history, and reading novels known world wide. Dak was into being an individualist, but soon after Jake arrived he began to dress more like Jake.
Jake returned and grabbed a backpack. Anytime anyone ever tried to take Jake out, he would always make sure to bring a backpack with him to take notes. Anything that Jake would find interesting, he would take notes on it. It drove Dak crazy to see such a perfectionist.
As the two set off for Chase's Place, they collided into duke.
"Hey Duke," Dak chirped. "Where were ya?"
"Out," Duke shifted his eyes toward Jake, "would you do me a favor and figure out our percentages of profits for the past eight months, Jake? I've been meaning to get it done and knowing you, you're probably bored out of your wits." Jake nodded his head and the two continued on their path. Duke watched the two boys quietly.
"He's a mirror image of me," Duke spoke outloud to himself.
"Don't insult yourself, Duke." Duke spun around to face Arimus.
"You weren't that stupid and you weren't into illegal substances." Duke sighed as Arimis let out his opinions again.
"He's not stupid, he just got started on the wrong track..." Duke defended his apprentice.
"We both know that is complete bullshit." Arimis recoiled as he saw Duke get tense.
"So," Arimis changed the subject, "You comming to brunch?"
"I'll catch up later." Arimis left Duke alone. He wondered about how one troubled duck could change Duke's whole life.
"He never used to think crazy things like this before... or were we just oblivious to the fact that Duke had feelings? Could it be that we are using this meer child as a scapegoat for our suffering? Or could he be some sort of omen?" Arimis wondered as he cast one more look back at Duke who had put a hand on his head. Duke would have to come to his own conclusions as far as Chase was concerned.
"Hey Jake, lets see how much coffee Heck can drink!" Dak yelled at the table to the left in Chase's Place. Jake groaned and turned his head the other direction.
"Dak, not now. I'm working on the percentages." Dak rolled his eyes at Jake.
"God damn you and your damn mathmatics."
"God damn you for making you so damn annoying and loud!" Dak flicked Jake off who didn't even notice. Jake was busy with a pencil scribbling down equations. Dak peered over the boy's shoulder.
"How the hell do you understand all that junk?" Jake looked at Dak, slightly more sympathetic.
"The p stands for profits, the l stands for loss, the x stands for the unknown gains or losses. By formulating these numbers with our quarterly reports, our outcome for the year can be determined." Dak looked stunned and Jake laughed at that, "I dare you to repeat that ten times fast, Dak." Dak stared dumbfounded and ignored Jake.
"Well atleast I'm not some freak of nature genius." Jake laughed in response to the comment. Duke walked into Chase's Place at the moment. Jake noticed the slight look of distress on his face. "Anything wrong?"
"No," Duke replied. Duke just didn't want to think about it; about what it would have been like if he hadn't picked Jake up off the streets.
I know you get lonely...
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