Chapter Text
"A g-greenhouse?" Liquidator asks in surprise, looking out at where Negaduck parked. At a glare from Negaduck, he sheepishly melts a bit and tries again. "Need to grow plants? Want to keep them safe from poor environmental conditions? Hate people? Then try a greenhouse in the middle of nowhere! Caution; may not be suitable for hibernating bears, weapons testing, or housing major villains!"
Negaduck gives him a look that Liquidator might be offended by, if he didn't agree that it isn't his best material. He's going to have to get better at this...
"Trust me, Mutt, this is exactly where we need to be." Negaduck sends a dark look at the unassuming building, before strolling through the door as if he owns the place (as far as Liquidator knows, he actually might).
Liquidator follows after him dutifully, getting almost immediately distracted after entering; it definitely isn't a normal greenhouse, he has to admit.
It's filled with the most colorful and tropical plants Liquidator can imagine, the kinds that he's certain most greenhouse owners dream of getting their hands on, covered in dazzling shadows and soft sunlight.
The interesting part, however, are the plants he's mostly sure aren't supposed to exist: Flowers with mouths, panting tongues, and giant fangs; trees that seem to move their claw-like branches a bit too much; bushes that bear uncanny resemblance to animals, calmly milling about, occasionally turning to stare at the new visitors with bulbous eye-things.
Liquidator can't stop himself twisting to see as many of the bizarre flora as possible as he follows Negaduck along the dirt path that runs through it all. Small bits of dirt and rocks get caught up in his water as he moves, and he momentarily draws his focus inward to filter out the contaminants before they can become mud — Sparkling Crystal Pure Flud Water had always been the best quality possible, and he's determined to make sure Liquidator Brand Water won't be anything less.
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!" A baritone voice draws Liquidator's attention back outwards, a quality to it he can't really place. It is deep but doesn't really sound deep, is the best way he can think to explain it. It does, however, sound rather panicked. "Where is it? Spike, have you seen the Rose Petal Extract? Spike? Oh, where'd he go this time? Spike!"
The path twists past some plants, who helpfully lift their large leaves out of the way to reveal what looks like a makeshift chemical lab, set up around the broken-down remnants of a giant machine. Gently patting the plants, Liquidator moves closer to the lab, staring at the man who's moving in the middle of the space.
At least, he thinks it's a man. He's a duck, incredibly tall and thin like a Monster, and looks like he's half plant. His vine-arm-things are full of glass beakers, chemicals sloshing out as he rushes between different tables, reading printouts and mumbling to himself.
"Doctor Bushroot?" Negaduck asks with a sneer, crossing his arms and glaring menacingly at the duck for no real reason other than the intimidation factor. Liquidator mentally applauds him for pulling off the overdramatic move.
"Yah!" The duck — Doctor Bushroot — yelps and jumps into the air, barely managing to catch his beakers before they can spill everywhere. His previously straight posture loosens as he pulls into himself, eyes wide with anxiety but slightly dazed as he tries to focus on them. "W-w-who-?"
A beeping from one of the many machines connected to various bubbling concoctions distracts Bushroot, making him jump again. "Oh cluck! Uh, here, hold these!"
Liquidator suddenly finds the duck's beakers shoved into his arms, forced to focus his energy on remaining solid enough to hold them or risk getting contaminated. He stammers, trying to think of a way to say 'I really don't want to hold these' in salemanese.
Four out of five dentists... No, that doesn't make sense.
Side effects may include... No, doesn't really fit the tone.
It slices, it dices, it... No, no, no, that doesn't work at all!
He growls — bubbly and gargled and more like a rushing tide than anything — in frustration, resigning himself to holding the probably-volatile chemicals while Bushroot adjusts something or other, the beeping getting increasingly urgent before it stops completely.
The doctor breaths out a sigh of relief, turning back to them with a much more focused gaze. Sharp blue eyes study Liquidator for a seconds before flicking over to Negaduck, recognition flaring at the sight of the Masked Mallard. Almost predictably, the duck panicks, dashing behind the ruined machine.
"D-d-darkwing! C-come on, I haven't even done anything recently!" Bushroot pleads, visibly trembling. "Give m-me a, a break, won't you?"
Liquidator shoots Negaduck a look that he hopes says 'this is the next member of the team? This guy?' but keeps silent, remembering the rule against arguing. He watches in mild fascination and not a little anxiety as Negaduck stalk closer to the panicking plant.
"I'm not Dipwing." He hisses, baring his (still too clucking sharp) teeth.
Unfortunately, Liquidator doesn't really hear much more of the conversation. At that moment, the beakers start sinking through his arms, and he has to focus completely on holding them up. Sound and light become distorted, random, nonsensical as he stops actively processing them. He's in a world of blue, the only information from the outside being the feel of the beakers as he molds himself around them, almost certainly not humanoid at this point.
Seconds, minutes, hours — time loses meaning, but he eventually feels stable enough to divert his focus back to, well, everything. It's like resurfacing from a deep pool, a comparison that sends rather mixed feelings through him. The patterns of light and color sharpen, revealing the greenhouse once more, as well as Bushroot standing right in front of him.
"-ou okay?" He's asking, the noise of his voice shifting into recognizable words.
Honestly? He isn't. He haa no idea what just happened or that he could even lose himself like that. But a good salesman (and a 'good' Supervillain) always projects complete confidence, so he just grina charmingly and announces "Liquidator Brand Water is always in tip-top shape! Call for all your watering needs." He winks, realizing a second too late that he's slipped into the more flirtatious tone he used to use to get women to buy makeup when he was younger.
"I, uh–" Bushroot stammers, looking both confused and flustered, before he catches sight of one of the beakers. "Hey, my Rose Petal Extract! Where'd you find it?"
"You handed it to him, Weed." Negaduck growls exasperatedly. Oh good, they're all getting disparaging nicknames. Fun.
"Oops, looks like I sorta loaded you up. Here, let me just..." Bushroot takes the beakers, stretching his arms to put them down on different tables. He smiles sheepishly at Liquidator, tiny fangs flashing briefly. "S-sorry, I get a little, um, a little distracted sometimes. Y-you know, when I'm working."
"Can we please go now?" Negaduck asks, his tone making it very clear that it isn't really a request. He stomps back down the path, towards the exit and the van.
"Oh, already? I didn't even have time to pack!" Bushroot looks around his lab, muttering. "Then again, it's not like I actually have anything to pack... Charlie, you're in charge while I'm gone!" He shouts, one of the trees saluting him in response, before hurrying after Negaduck.
"Oh, I'm Dr. Bushroot. Reginald Bushroot." The plant introduces himself nervously, sticking out a leafy hand as they both move along the path.
Liquidator reaches out his own hand to shake, but both of them immediately pull back a second after they touch, panicking as some of Liquidator's water is pulled in by Bushroot's skin. Curious, Liquidator reaches out slowly to feel the other's arm, marveling at the bizarre feeling.
"H-hey, stop that! It tickles!" Bushroot laughs, and Liquidator can't help chuckling along with him even as he creates some distance between them.
"The Liquidator is pleased to make the acquaintance of such an interesting business partner." He announces, gesturing to himself.
"Do you always talk like that?" Bushroot asks, receiving a shrug and a smirk in return. "Okay. Uh, I think you said it's nice to meet me, and you're called Liquidator?"
Liquidator blinks, not expecting the duck to actually try to clarify, then nods. "The old 9-to-5 getting you down? Need to take over a city fast, fast, fast? Then try the Supervillain services of Bushroot and The Liquidator! (Subsidiary of the Fearsome Five)."
"F-five? So there's two more?" Bushroot pales, hunching over as nervousness clouds his face again. "W-who are they?"
"That information has not been released to the public at this time." Liquidator shrugs. Then, something occurs to him. "I hope I'm not misbranding..."
"Misbranding?" Oh, how is he going to say this?
"Monster plants, mad experiments, and beautiful greenhouses — for all this and more, call Bushroot?" Liquidator's voice lifts into a question at the end, barely managing to avoid stuttering. Not that he really thinks the other would mind, considering his own anxiety-induced stutter, but still...
It takes Bushroot a few seconds to figure it out, eyes widening a little once he does. "Oh! Yeah, I, uh... I don't really have a villain name, I guess? I've always been Bushroot, and it fits, so..."
"No need for unnecessary rebranding!" Liquidator agrees, enjoying the way the duck's demeanor subtly brightens when he does so. They share a smile, but neither can say anything more before loud barking fills the air.
What looks like a giant Venus flytrap with orange hair comes bounding down the path, tongue lolling half out of its mouth. Out of the corner of his eye, Liquidator sees Negaduck tense and reach for his chainsaw, an angry kind of wariness crossing his features.
"Spike!" Bushroot shouts happily, kneeling to hug the creature. "Oh, look at you, you naughty thing — covered in dirt! Were you sneaking extra fertilizer again?"
Negaduck relaxes slightly, confusion showing only briefly before his normal scowl takes its place. "Great, you found your pet. Now LET'S GO!"
Liquidator chuckles lightly as Bushroot sent 'Spike' off to watch the Greenhouse, then follows him into the van. The plant duck starts rambling about a new mutation his pet has undergone recently, smiling as he explains science that is far above Liquidator's understanding.
Liquidator listens with a smile of his own. He still doesn't think the guy is cut out to be a Supervillain, but he is certainly interesting.
Honestly, if the other two are half as bizarre as Bushroot, Liquidator might just decide to stay after all...