At the gate of the children's park, the security man knelt down to the child and asked with a raised brow
"Are these really your parents?"
The child titled his head and said with a wisdom that startled even Athena, "My parents aren't the ones that gave birth to me. They're the people who put food on my table and take me to children's theme parks.
Donald gave the fakest, most nervous smile known to man, sweat already glistening on his forehead.
Just as they were about to gain entrance, another security guard squinted at the child.
Wait… I know you. Aren't you the kid who shoplifted from the snacks bar a few days ago?"
Donald tried to act fast. "No he isn't!"
As chaos stirred, Donald mumbled nonsense in panic and Athena growing irritated snapped her fingers. The child instantly began clucking and flapping like a chicken, making chicken noises mid - sentence.
"He's just excited!" Athena said, waving it off.
The guards stared at each other, utterly baffled. That confusion was all the need. Donald grabbed the kid, Athena held his flapping hands, and they slipped inside.
"What did you do to him?" Donald whispered
"He's fine. I'll just snap my fingers again and he'll be back to normal." Athena replied.
But before she could, the kid bolted flapping and clucking through the park, drawing a ridiculous amount of attention. Donald and Athena ran after him in a frenzy.
Once they caught him and Athena snapped at him, the kid believed he was a gorilla. He beat his chest leapt at swings. The park descended into madness
He was later contained.
"We need to split up" Athena said
"No! Someone needs to watch this crazy kid before he goes bananas again" Donald replied
Let's take turns. I'll watch him first, you investigate, you'll watch him later while I investigate." Donald continued
Tag Team Child Duty
When it was Athena's turn, she tried to keep him from climbing too high and ended up yelling
"Child! Get down from there!"
A woman nearby raised an eyebrow. "Who calls their kid Child? Doesn't he have a name?
"His name is… Paska." Athena said stiffly
Donald joined them. The woman smiled at him and said, "your child's a wild one "
Donald smiled. "You mean… Larry?"
Athena gave him a side glance, he fumbled "I call him Larry but my wife. Call him…uh … honey. What do you call him again, dear?
"Paska," she said glaring.
"Yes! Papa!" Donald grabbed her waist to sell the lie. She immediately stepped on his foot.
"Oh, honey," he groaned
He touched her again and she smacked his stomach. "She loves rough things, " he explained to the woman.
"You two are. a strange couple," the woman said before walking off
Meanwhile the child started the animalistic behavior again, "what did you turn him into now? Donald whispered.
"I didn't turn him into anything! Athena snapped watching him prepare to jump off the jungle gym.
They rushed to catch him before he broke something - either his bones or the park's equipment.
The Real Mission Unfolds
After too much madness, they gave up. "Let's just go home," Donald muttered.
But just the child ran up to them and whispered,
"I overheard some men talking. They said they're waiting for a drug dealer to show up "
Donald's eyes lit up. "This could be it."
He pretended to be the drug dealer and was led to a hidden part of the park. His deception worked until the real dealer showed up. Busted
He sighed, dropped the act, removed his top and revealed the DonGold attire
The fight was swift. Martial arts against thugs - he took them down with precision and fury.
He held the leader in a submission hold and asked, "Where are the relics?"
The man stammered, "We're just here to sell drugs. That's all?"
Athena stepped forward. "He's lying, look at his feet - it's tapping"
Donald tightened the hold "start talking."
The man whispered and confessed. He didn't know about the relics but he revealed that they had a factory in a remote part of town, where their supplies come from and how secretive the people in charge are.
The Weight of Guilt and a Child's Future
After turning the criminals in anonymously, they were about to leave when Athena hand trembled over the child's shoulder, a shadow crossing her face.
When Nagasaki happened, a woman who was not there but lost her entire family due to the bombing - prayed to her for Vengeance for her lost family, Athena was so heartbroken because she was the cause of the poor woman's family death. She remembered this as they were about to leave, the man they interrogated cursed them:
"May Athena's rage be upon you."
A New Home
The child they'd dragged through the madness - still energetic and wild as ever - was given to a family who couldn't have children
Athena without a word gave the couple a pouch of gold
As they sat quietly by the corner of the street catching their breath from everything that had happened, a woman walked up to them.