Beyond our masks.
Summary: As far as the Mcduck clan know there are no more secret between them, or at least that's what the triplets and Scrooge thought. Now, shortly after Magica's defeat more troubles arrive, and in the middle of this is a parrot, a rooster, and an android.
Notes: English is not my first language... so excuse my errors, I will try my best. This fic it's actually a mash up of several concepts of Donald's adventures and alter egos, such as the duck avenger (Paperinik o Pk) or the legend of the three caballeros.
And also I can't write Scrooge's ascent, sorry.
Post shadows war.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ducktales
"No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true."
Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter.
Chapter two: Right hand man.
Donald has to admit that Mrs Beakley was right, he did feel a lot better with her cream. It smelled like hell, but worked like heaven. But it's not hard to say that despite the relief that the ointment gave him, Donald could not deny that the effectiveness of the remedy she gave him, made Donald nervous. He spared one last glance to his bandaged wrist before returning his attention to his dinner, Beakley kept her word, she brought dinner to him, around an hour later after they had their talk. To him, what matters most wasn't the dinner the maid served, but her promise to make sure he was excused from joining the rest of the family at the table. He must eat quickly, because even through the ex-spy promised she won't pry any further on his business, she threatened to spoon feeding him if necessary if he dare to skip meals. Annoyed but grateful at her concern he stabbed a chunk of meat with his fork, chewing slowly, letting its meaty juices. Beakley can absolutely cook, her beef stew is unbelievably delicious, the meat was soft, perfectly chopped, tasty. The stew has a special mix of spices, vegetables and milk, making it creamy, a great combination.
Ending his food, drinking his milk along with his meds he put the dirty dishes aside. He lazily looked at his clock on his nightstand, it reads 8:50, almost time for patrol so he better get ready, unless he wants Uno beeping his ass off. Donald was standing up off bed when a knock on the door interrupted his train of thoughts, not fully interested on who may be he mumbled a " it's open"
The door cracked open, revealing to be Louie. Donald smiled tenderly to him, sitting down on his bed and motioned him to do the same. Strangely timidly the green loving duck obeyed, hopping up his uncle's bed, his head hung down.
"What's wrong, Louie?" He asks, concerned. He desperately needed to leave, Uno will call at any moment, but he can't just leave now. Uno can rant all he wants later, the only thing that mattered now was solving the problem his child was having before it went out of hands.
Louie sat quietly, his usual suave demeanor gone, replaced by a nervous, frightened energy almost palpable, suffocating. The child was fiddling his thumps, his eyes distant, Louie opened his beak several times to say something, but then closed it again. Even though none of them said a word, Donald knew that the quiet in the bedroom was his nephew's equivalent to a wailing scream of help.
This odd behavior send alarm to his brain, he was about to say something to his boy when without another warning, Louie doubled over and began sobbing, harder than the few times he saw him before. Donald moved over and sat the trembling child down on his lap, looking at his boy sadly.
"Shhhh, it's okay... my boy," he kept holding him, caressing his back " it's okay, I'm here, you know you can tell me everything, my boy?"
He keeps whispering soothing words above his head, into his top feathers while rubbing slowly circles on his back, just like when they had a nightmare as a toddlers. Eventually, after five minutes his boy stutters his confession through his teary eyes.
"Remember w-what I sa-said earlier a-about having a nightmare...?"
He nods, humming as a wordless indication for him to go on.
"I told you that it was just a childish nightmare... that I was okay, but... but..." His voice broke, Donald shushed him, muttering more comforting words to him, kissing his forehead softly " I'm not okay, uncle... what I- I saw was unbearable..."
Donald began rocking the boy back and forward, waiting patiently for his boy. "You don't have to, Louie. If you're not ready to tell then don't."
Louie shook his head desperately, hiccuping his next words." No, I have to, I need to warn you."
Donald looked down confused." Warn me? Warn me from what?"
Louie chokes out a long sob as he buried his face deeper into his chest. "From your death. I- I- in my nig*sob* ni-ghtmare s-someone s-sta *sob*bbed your side, y-you b-leed out and... and... and I couldn't help you."
His nephew broke back in tears, and Donald's face morphed into a heartbreak, now he's sure his fate is sealed, but not only his but his nephew's as well. He lets his tears fall, but he's not crying for the knowledge of his imminent doom, no, he's not afraid of death anymore. Yet, he's afraid how his death will affect his family, and more importantly, what this will mean for Louie, his heir of the caballero's mantle. Louie's just showed the signs, he'd have a vision of his death just like José, two prophecies pointing towards his passing, his stomach dropped.
He didn't wanted this burden on Louie's shoulders so soon, so young.
He then, remembers that time, their last adventure as caballeros, and the one that almost ended in tragedy.
They finally found a way to break Xandra's curse, and obviously they went all the way towards that cure. The famous cure consisted in a sacred fountain, just like the one Ari pushed them in on their last battle against Felldrake. The magical fountain located deep under several tunnel in a crypt called "crypt of ordeals"
And truly it was.
Even though the rotten fame the crypt has, and that both, José and Donald already had an immense responsibility at the time. Both having to raise their sister's children. Minerva, that's his sister's name, she always liked the carefree life, wanting to eat the world didn't think twice of abandoning her unborn children. She left the eggs on the doorstep of a neighbor's house, Nestor, not yet wanting to have that kind of life, the domestic life. And then Della, unlike Minerva, Della loved her boys, and she wanted to give them the stars, he begged, trying to reason with her, telling her they needed a mother not the stars.
They both were had to raise them, but when Panchito and Xandra came and told them about the cure they couldn't say no. They owned Xandra at least that, and well, after defeating Felldrake a creepy and potentially deadly crypt sounded like a piece of cake. Both, Donald and José left the children with a person of confidence, after that, all of them met outside the cabana to teleport to the site.
It will be easy, they said.
It wasn't.
José almost died.
...
The four of them were in circle, José laying in the middle with terrible injuries. Donald, the healer of the group tried with all his might to heal the parrot's injuries, but just as everyone else, he's extremely exhausted.
They had to use almost all the magical water of the small vial the sorcerer gave them as a reward for completing successfully the task just to broke Xandra's bound to the atlas, and If she had realized the seriousness of José's injuries before using the water, she gladly would've sacrificed her own freedom for him.
But now it's too late, and Donald is consuming what little of energy he has. Frustrated, he snapped cut the connection between him and his injured partner.
And what about the rest of the vial, you may ask? Panchito was believed to be most injured, as José's injuries went unnoticed until it was too late. Said cowboy was now playing the blaming game with Xandra, which infuriated the duck beyond his limits, José's doesn't need someone to blame, he needs medical attention.
Still kneeling down, a second time he placed a hand on José's brow and another over his heart, directing his limited magic into both, a look of full concentration on his face. He could feel the blood loss receding within him and with a small whine leaving his lips, her eyes slipped closed and he promptly passed out peacefully.
Donald felt a thrum of odd, wicked satisfaction run through him at the triumph of his healing magic, proud that at least he knew it worked even without him being at his fullest.
"Xandra!" Donald called, scrambling to his feets, but as soon as he did he stumbled, his vision blurring momentary, but Panchito quickly grabbed his arm to steadied him.
"Donald you- " Xandra tried to argue with him, but he raised his hand to stop her.
" I'm all right. It's José the one who need attention, I've managed to stop the bleeding, but he's not out of the woods."
Donald was now fully relying on Panchito's support to not collapse, but he's the only one who can help José. "José's well enough for us to teleport to the cabana without the risks of worsening his injuries. Once there... I can try again to help him"
Xandra almost protested at his plan, she knew Donald was at his limits, and his almost collapse only helped to frighten her more. She already failed José and Panchito, she simply couldn't bear the thought of further harm to the last standing member.
She saw Panchito having a inner discussion of what to do next, she knows the Mexican rooster have a deep connection with his two friends, she dares to say he's more connected to Donald and José than he with his own brothers. Panchito could tell Donald was overdoing himself, maybe, and just maybe he could convince Donald of taking a break, he has to. Otherwise... No, he can't let that happen, José is stable enough to be moved around, Donald say it himself, they could just take him to a hospital.
Xandra always said to herself and others she's the most bravest warrior, but now she was helpless to voice her thoughts loud, Donald can be creepy when angry. Fortunately or not Panchito wasn't afraid, with a deep breath he firmly said.
"Donald, espera. Tú necesitas descansar." Panchito said in his native language, apparently too nervous to speak in English.
Donald, who could perfectly understand the rooster merely shook his head. "Él nos necesita mas"
After saying that Donald nodded to Xandra, taking the hint, she knelt placing a hand on José's shoulder, and with a snap on her fingers they were gone. Arriving softly on the carpet of the cabana, Xandra breaking José's fall while Panchito broke Donald's. Shaking, Donald came over to Panchito motioning for him to carry José over the couch. Panchito laid his friend's mangled body on the couch, supporting his head carefully. Then, he watched as Donald's hands moved over José'sm body assessing the damage.
Thankfully, and with the help of a little spell José invented, the armor they have to wear to do their duty will disappear or reappear if needed, for example the armor will magically assemble when the one who wield the amulet summon it. Or in the worst case scenario, if the owner it's defeated, lose consciousness or needs to retreat the armor will disappear. Thanks to that, he's able to treat José more easy. Now that José placed on a comfortable surface, Donald had stripped him off all of his clothing leaving the gruesome wounds visible. Xandra blushed visually, turning her head to the side.
"What happened to him?" She asked, avoiding looking at José or Panchito. "Last time I saw him he was fine."
Panchito sighed, hiding his face with both hands. "A-a giant attacked him during the last trial, he was trying to protect me." The cowboy said, fiddling his hat anxiously. "I was distracted due the pain, I didn't... I didn't see the club coming. Oh dios, es mi culpa."
"DON'T!" Snapped Donald." Don't you dare to blame yourself."
Panchito lowered his head in shame." Donaldo... yo, sí él muere...yo... yo"
"Francisco, listen to me" Panchito flinched at the use of his full name, but doesn't look up " José wouldn't want you to blame yourself, I'm doing everything I can, if he di- dies then, you must honor his sacrifice by living for the both of you, by helping me to raise his children."
Though Donald's words were hard and crude, deep inside him, Francisco Gonzalez knew he was right. The twins Zico and Zeca will need them if the worst happens, and yeah, Donald have said it in a neutral tone of voice, but the Mexican knows Donald is dying inside. Panchito unashamedly broke down in tears, whispering apologies and shaking, Xandra was immediately at his side.
"Xandra, can you take Francisco to someplace where he can rest?" Donald asked the goddess. Xandra solemnly nodded before they were transported to one of the few bedrooms of the cabana.
After a few minutes Xandra was back in a flash.
"I put him to sleep." She informed. He only nodded, not turning back.
The adventurous goddess grimaced at the sight of her friend's wounds, the gravely injured bird had fallen prey of unconsciousness before they left the crypt, which in Xandra's opinion, was probably for the best.
Donald stroked José's sweat damp feathery hair, watching his surrogate brother's face screwed in agony. Donald painfully stopped, his breathing coming out in hard gasping, healing José's external wounds had taken a lot out of him and he did not even have started with the internal fractures. Worst of all, Donald doesn't know if even after this whole ordeal José would make it anyway.
But no matter what, whether José survives or not, he will make his best effort to save him, and to do so he'll use his last resort.
"Xandra" he calls.
"Yes? What is it?"
"I need your help"
Xandra nodded "Whatever you need, you just have to ask."
A pause.
Then.
"led me your magic."
Xandra's eyes widened, face snapped as if slapped. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me well, led me some of your magic." He repeats " I can heal him, I know I can, but right now I'm not strong enough."
Xandra bit her lower lip before nodded."what I have to do?"
The corners of Donald's lips moved slightly upwards. " All you have to do is touch my shoulders with your hands, and think about your magic moving from you. I'll do the rest."
Xandra hesitates but obeys Donald, praying for this plan to work.
Donald closed his eyes, concentrating as he can feel a new energy melting within his own. As for Xandra she felt her magic flow out of her, running through Donald and then sink into José's feathery skin, the damaged flesh knitting over together.
She watched in utter astonishment as the blue caballero's magic began moving the broken ribs bones back into place. That made Xandra wonder, how much Donald knows about healing magic and what his limits are, she's starting to worry about the future consequences.
Donald glanced at Xandra with the corner of his eye, while he worked deep in concentration. He's growing frustrated, never in his life, not even during his service in battle had seen someone with wounds so grievous, let alone try to properly heal it.
He's doubting he can fix it, at least not without draining himself, and well... dying. Normally people would be already dead if the wounds were this bad, even a sorcerer, but José was a Warlock so he guessed that made him much hardier than normal magic users such as himself and Panchito. Still, the 'all mighty warlock' as they jokingly call him had been incapacitated severely by the attack. If any healing powers José may possess, since he's more an illusionist than a healer had been badly weakened to just keeping him alive long enough for Donald to do something.
By the time he was done the sun was already gone, and the moon slowly made its way to the highest spot. Donald was still kneeling in the floor next to José, his skin ghostly pale, drenched in sweat.
"Donald...? " Xandra said concerned, she softly shook him.
He didn't respond, when Xandra shook him. Only emitting a soft moan, then a chocked groan escaped his dry lips.
"I- I ... f-fi-fixed... the...the... w-wor-worst b-breaks and c-losed the m-most s- s- severe w-ounds, I-I am... not... ab-le t-to d-do... more... m- m-my... magic is... gone." Donald sighed deeply, his breath heavy with fatigue.
"Donald... you saved him." She said, her eyes shining.
The caballero took several breaths, trying to not lose what little of consciousness he has, but in the end he's failing. "He still will need meticulous care, also he is not to moved from this couch until he regains counsiusness."
He clumsily wrapped his own wounds with bandages, and then pulled a blanket over his fellow caballero's body. He wanted to clean José's face, which is all bloodied, but his hands are shaking so bad that is Xandra who performs the task. The brunette gently wiped the blood from the parrot's mouth and face with a wet cloth, and when she's done, she gives him a small kiss on his cheek. Awkwardly, Donald muses about it, knowing about the Brazilian's crush on her and how much he's gonna suffer when he tells him he finally got a kiss from a goddess, and he wasn't even awake to enjoy it.
Then, when he's all better they would have to hear Panchito's whining, Xandra's scolding and his own temper tantrums. He'll angry, and Panchito guilty, but in the end they'll be happy, yeah, both José and Donald will have another day to raise their nephews, they will be at peace in a matter of time...
But now.
Right now the only thing he's feeling is the extreme tiredness, the inky darkness slowly overwhelming him.
He didn't even remember Xandra's fearfully cry.
His eyelids became too heavy, and he gladly sank into a restful sleep.
When Donald woke up, he felt disoriented. A faint smell of posole reached his nostrils. Tirelessly he smiled, imagining Panchito at the stove cooking, if Panchito's in mood of cooking that means José is okay. As if in cue of what he'd just thought José entered the room, and when his eyes fell on his the parrot gave a scream, a joyful scream. Five seconds later Xandra and Panchito rushed into the room, in a defensive stance but just as José before when they noticed Donald they cheered.
They told him he successfully saved José, but it cost him a lot of magic, he'd been asleep in a healing trance during a week. He almost chocked on the posole Panchito brought him. According to what Xandra had told them, they were unconscious for a long time. Panchito was out of combat for two whole days, not only the exhaustion being the major reason behind it, but also the emotional breakdown. José was the more unnerving of the three, with a high fever that didn't broke during days. The parrot lost and regained consciousness at least twice a day. When he was awake his eyes were dull and he could not say anything coherent due to his fever, miraculously and thanks to Ari, the aracuan bird managed to break down the fever with a special tea. It had been five days since the parrot's fever broke, and a day since he was finally deemed well enough to leave the bed.
And as for Donald, He is still bedridden, though, and goddess didn't miss the way Donald's hands shakes as he reached for the cup of water along the table beside his bed, shaking heavier as he lifted it unsteadily to his lips and tipped it slowly, drinking carefully almost painfully.
After eating and drinking in relative silence Panchito broke the awkward atmosphere making it even more awkward with only a single question.
"Xandra, what would've happen if José died that day."
The brunette glared the rooster with fierce intensity, she seems to be struggling with her own tongue. Finally she answered.
"it's hard to say, and it depends."
"Depends?" Questions José.
"Depends if you're still needed or not?" She says.
"Needed or not?" Half yelled Donald. "What do you mean?"
Xandra sighed, nervously cracking her knuckles. " You have a duty, remember? You're the guardians of this dimension, and you must protect it from any threat. You know like Felldrake or any magical maniac."
"Entiendo.." Panchito said. "We get it. Go on.
"You know the good guys can't always win or... sometimes the victory demands a sacrifice. I've been reading Clinton Coot's writings and well... the gods did warn me about this."
No one dared to move.
"There were a lot of generations of caballeros and according to Clinton's writings some of them fell in battle. Don Dugo among them." She let a few tears fall and Donald could feel pity for her, recalling how close the first caballeros and Xandra were."And well... as I said you're guardians and if one of you fall another must take the empty place."
"what!?" José shouted, his hands turned into fists. " But you've said it yourself, only a descendant can inherit the mantle."
"cierto." Chipped Panchito. "And as far as I know, neither of us is a father."
Xandra brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear before saying.
"Please, let me continue." Panchito nodded " As I was saying, if you're still needed as guardians then somebody else will take your place. Of the fallen warrior does not have a son to hand over the mantle then the most closer capable relative will take the role."
Donald and José already know what she mean, and that alone sent shivers down their spines. Panchito the always gullible of them didn't get it, but by the looks of pure terror of his friends he knows for sure is not good what Xandra is going to say.
"Panchito, to answer your question of what would've happened if José didn't survived that night is simply... one of his nephews would've inherited the duty of his deceased uncle."
"But they are only babies!" He yelled, tears pouring from his eyes. And Donald too wanted to lash out to Xandra, but he couldn't, his throat too tight to emit a sound, but he finds himself crying.
"I didn't wrote that rule." She snaps back. " And there's another part of the rule, if the selected heir is not in age then a regent must take his place until the rightfully heir is ready. In your cases, José's regent could be his friend, Nestor. For Panchito it would be your younger brother, Junipero. And as for Donald... believe it or not, your cousin Gladstone is the most suitable candidate.
Donald wanted so badly to puke, he's so scared that this kind of responsibility could possibly fall on his cousin's shoulders and even worse in his nephew's. He then asks.
"And what... what if we're not needed anymore?"
Xandra only said." Then you simply died. Your grand grandfather's journal says the generation before yours suffered the lost of a member, but they brought peace with that sacrifice, the caballeros were no longer needed until your generation, guys."
Then, later that night the three of them sworn that they will make sure that their last battle will be indeed the last, not wanting to burden anyone with this duty.
...
And now he's breaking that promise, not willingly obviously.He wept silently while holding his son nephew close, but he's not crying for himself, but for his future failure, raging for letting such burden on his youngest boy. He allowed himself to cry a little more before pulling away and wiping Louie's eyes with his thumb.
"Why are you crying uncle?" Asked Louie
He forced a small smile " I'm just honored, my boy. Honored to know you love me that much."
"Of course we love you!" Louie said, looking a little bit offended " what make you think otherwise!?"
"My own insecurity."
"Uncle Donald, can I tell you something?" He asked his uncle.
"Of course you can!"
"I'm scared" Louie admitted "I'm scared about the adventure we're supposed to have the day after tomorrow. What if my dream come true?"
Playfully, Donald pinched Louie's cheek, much to his annoyance."I'm serious uncle!"
"And I'm flattered, truly, but I must remind you I was in the militia, so I'm perfectly capable of defending myself." He lies.
"I know, but also I must remind you that mom was great and adventuring and she still got hurt!" He said without really thinking, but he's not done. " remember those fairy tales you used to read us when we were around five? In that stories and well in our adventures, the bad guys always lose, and the good guys always wins, we always win. "
Donald remains silent, remembering how naive a child can be, not fully knowing how hard, how unfair real life is. And to that, uncle Scrooge is at fault, with all the treasure hunting and all, they never got to know a real threat. Well, exempt for Magica, and because of the lack of a real enemy, someone who truly wants you dead Scrooge thinks himself unstoppable, and sadly his sister got that from him, her extreme self confidence was her own doom. Not fearing about the consequences, something he learned during his service as a marine, in the battle field there's no turning back, any decision you take can be the difference between life and death, not only yours but also several more.
What most fears Donald it's that currently his nephews already thought themselves indestructible, especially Dewey, who's the vivid image of Della at that age, the same daring, the same reckless, the same stupid. And Louie, the loveable lazy is the most aware of the real perils of adventuring, that's why he's the worthy one, his heir.
Suddenly, Louie jumped off bed, throwing his arms to the air in frustration." So tell me, why did Mom have to die? Why couldn't she get a happily ever after? Why didn't she succeeded!? Just like us! Like uncle Scrooge! They were always solving mysteries and rewriting history."
Donald sighed and sat down on the floor, his nephew glaring and listening intently, his eyes red.
"Llywellyn" Louie grimaced at his name, but says nothing. " Death doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints. You see, sometimes good people die too and someday we might lose."
Louie frowns, and his uncle put a hand on his shoulder.
"We only want listen to stories about the bad guys getting the hell kicked out of them, the victory, because we don't like the failure. Sadly, my boy fate sometimes doesn't work that way, and we don't like it much. Or sometimes a sacrifice is necessary for the greatest good. We only tell the children the good ending story because they're not ready to hear the bad ending or the bittersweet endings. You wouldn've wanted the good guys to die, would you? But like I said sometimes happens."
"I guess you're right" Louie conceded. " But I don't like it."
"Nobody does." He responded
"I still don't understand mom." Louie confessed " why did she wanted so bad to give us the stars? Why couldn't she just wait? "
"Your mother was an Icarus" he said firmly " You don't have to be like her, nor your brothers. You're you."
"Uncle Donald?" Louie asked
"Yes, my boy?" Donald said
"You're hiding something, don't you?" That was more an statement than a question.
Donald gulped, deciding to play stupid. " Of course not. Remember our promise."
Liar.
Liar.
Liar.
"Are you gona die, uncle?"
Donald sighed deeply through his nose. Now he's convinced Louie is his heir, Donald can sense the magical signature in him. The tortured duck wanted to tell his nephew the truth, all the truth, but he simple can't, right now that truth will destroy him.
"I might. Someday." He responded, dead serious. " But, if that happens before you're old enough to live on your own, you'd all go to your Uncle Scrooge."
"But I don't want you to die!"
"I'm not going anywhere for awhile yet, you silly" Donald told him, standing up to reach the duck, and ruffling his head feathers, much to Louie's annoyance. Donald giggled at the young duckling's expense, Louie walked to the door and stood for a moment "Good night Uncle Donald" and he began to close the door.
"I love you, uncle Donald. We all do, even though we don't say it often." He said with a small voice.
Donald paused. "I love you too," he said quietly. His nephew half smiled before the door was closed with a click, and all was quiet, he was alone, again.
[••••••]
Louie went directly to his bunk, his brothers babbling around about the new adventure they're going to have soon, guessing and almost wanting the time to go faster just to see their uncle. Louie's back was facing his brothers, his face towards the wall, pretending to be asleep. After a while his brothers went to their respective bunks, turning off the lights.
As minutes went by Louie wondered if he would get some sleep that night, part of him not wanting, since he could have that nightmare again. He waited in vain for sleep to claim him with no avail, the minutes turned into hours, and he's still wide awake. Then, in a voice just above a whisper spoke to him within the tallest bunk.
"Louie, are you still awake?"
Said duck sighed, there was no point in lying, so he said harshly "what?"
"Do you want to talk about your nightmares? I'm your older brother, you can trust me."
To be honest, the little chat with his uncle didn't let him satisfied, he needed this conversation, but he doesn't know how to start, and well since he couldn't sleep, he used that time to think. Every member of the manor was sleeping soundly, except two little boys, Huey and Louie. The latter was now sitting in the mattress, staring at the burning moon with all his being. He was staring at the fiery moon with such intensity that its light was reflected in his eyes. His flesh tears were reflecting so many colors, mainly the stars. In his young mind, his train of thoughts was running, he was now reliving everything that was happening in his life. He reflected about the past shadow war, about his brother Dewey whose tendency on following their mother's footsteps was more evident each passing day, and that alone scared him a lot, the recklessness possessing his mind like a nasty curse. Louie wanted to lie his way out of the little conversation, keeping his feeling bottled close on his chest, but a certain red-capped boy who is the oldest brother of the three head him tossing and turning in his bed.
"Do you want to get something to drink? Maybe there we can talk."
A drink sounded good, and yeah a distraction would probably trigger his sleepiness.
"Okay, let's go for a Pep" said Louie.
Normally Huey would've actually scolded Louie about drinking such beverage at this hour, but at least he could get to know what's bothering his brother that much.
They creeped downstairs, taking special care not wake anyone, moving towards the kitchen to get their drinks. Louie loyal to his word took a Pep from the fridge, opened it and took a gulp down his throat. Huey being the healthy one poured himself a glass of milk, with that done, both turned around to sit on the chair. Huey had noticed how weird his little sibling acted today since morning, or how he searched for uncle Donald's advice, to talk with him alone without telling them. How did he knows this, he overheard their conversation.
To say least, he was as just scared as Louie with that kind of nightmare. After dinner he went to his room to get a towel for a quick shower, but he saw light coming from his uncle's room. At first he decided to ignore it but curiosity got better of him when he heard Louie's muffled voice so he pressed his ear to the slightly open door. Listening everything, and to be honest, when his uncle called their mother an Icarus, he couldn't agreed more. The three of them reacted quite differently at the spear of Selene fiasco, with Dewey extremely loyal to a mother that didn't hesitate a moment to leave them behind. Huey himself being maybe the more neutral, not taking sides. But Louie? None of them knows for sure how the youngest feels, he's so secretive when he wants to. Huey took a long sip from his milk, glancing up his glass and found his little brother sitting on a chair across the table. He was staring back at him with a blank expression on his face.
The red loving duck tapped the table with his fingers, seeking on the back of his mind for some random topic to start a conversation. When he was about to open his beak to speak, but Louie beats him.
"Huey, do you know what an Icarus is?" He asks.
"An Icarus?" He says, playing dumb. "Why do you ask?"
Louie raised an indifferent eyebrow. "You know damn well why"
Huey flinched, not used to his brother's new attitude. " well... Icarus was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus, the creator of the Labyrinth..."
Louie didn't have any idea what labyrinth or whatever is Huey talking about, all he wants is to know why his uncle compared his mother with this Icarus thingy.
In the end, lets Huey go on his history class.
"like I said, Icarus and his father attempted to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father constructed from feathers and wax."
"Really!?" Interrupted Louie.
"Yeah, really." Huey replied a little bit exasperated. " Icarus' father warned him first of complacency and then of hubris, asking that he fly neither too low nor too high, so the sea's dampness would not clog his wings or the sun's heat melt them."
"mmmmm, it makes sense" concedes the green duck.
Huey nodded " Sadly, Icarus ignored his father's instructions to not fly too close to the sun... when the wax in his wings melted he tumbled out of the sky and fell into the sea where he drowned, sparking the idiom "don't fly too close to the sun". "
Louie bit his lower lip, before saying. "Well, if you think about it, uncle Donald's right. Mom pulled an Icarus."
Huey chuckled, drinking the remaining of his glass of milk. "I agreed. But don't let Dewey hear you, he still defends mom's motives like crazy."
Silence fell upon them while Louie was too busy drinking his can of Pep.
"SO..." Louie began again. " You heard about my nightmare."
His brother nodded.
"Huey, I want to know more about mom, I love her and all, but... uncle Donald was more a father than our own mother. I can't lose him, I can't lose my father." Tears were glistening in his little brother's eyes, he had not admitted this to anyone else before, obviously.
"Yeah, I understand." said in a soothing and comforting voice. " Sometimes I'd love to call uncle Donald "dad" but you know how he feels about it."
"Yeah, I guess so." Louie shrugged
"Come here baby bro." Huey spread his arms wide, Louie hugged and Huey said," I promise, brother. Uncle Donald will be okay, I'm sure uncle Scrooge will keep him safe. Don't worry, remember we've got each other's back."
After hearing this promise, tears were streaming down her face freely, full of relief and he hugged Huey back tightly. The older brother broke away from the hug and kissed Louie on the forehead and cleaned his tears with his hands.
"Now, go to sleep, baby brother." Huey said with a smirk to lighten the mood.
Louie understood that his older sibling was awkwardly trying to lighten the mood and glared at him playfully "Don't call me that , you're not that old! Besides you only hatched 20 minutes before me."
Huey stood up laughing and gave him his hand to Louie to stand. " I'm still the oldest and the smartest."
Louie rolled his eyes before pulling out his tongue. "Nerd"
"Now, let's go to sleep. Uncle Donald will have our heads if he finds us here." Huey said starting to go upstairs. "And you can sleep in my bed if you like."
"I'd love that"
"Come on then," He added playfully, "Baby brother".
Louie shook his head, smiled and slowly whispered "thanks, big bro."
They went to their room and got under the covers of Huey's bed to sleep peacefully.
[•••••••]
Meanwhile, somewhere in the city.
Paperinik ran across the rooftops in search of any crimes, still salty for the reprimand his partner gave him for being late. Jumping across the breaks between buildings didn't seem like much fun without any real purpose, it felt lonely. However, he wasn't supposed to have fun anyways. Fun was for noobsters, and Paperinik was not a noobster. He made his way across the rooftops of the city in the darkness of the night, keeping his eyes open for any crime, and boy he found it.
All the way down found Gizmoduck being surrounded by Beagle Boys and his mother, well time for revenge. He jump from roof to lower roof to get where his fellow superhero is. When he got a good aim he jumped off and swing kicked the biggest Beagle Boy.
"What!? Who dare to touch one of my boys!?" Screamed Ma Beagle.
"Good evening Madame." He salutes with a mockery " I'm afraid I have to crash the party."
Ma Beagle was about to say something to her enemy when a girlish scream, startling both the superhero and the villainous mother.
"Oh mi Dios! Es el vengador!" Gizmoduck said in Spanish, not understandable for the criminals. " I'm totally your fan!"
Paperinik sweat dropped, and not only him but his rivals as well.
"gracias" he awkwardly said, then he turned to Ma Beagle. " please Madame, it's almost midnight and we all want to go to sleep. Can't you just return the stolen values back and go home?"
Ma Beagle sneered. "Ha! Why would I do that?"
The avenger smirks. "Because I just have to push one button and the whole Duckburge's police department will be here in less than 2 minutes"
He even raised his shield to make emphasis in his threat, but he's not done." And not only that, but agent Cabrera will be here, and you all know her. She doesn't have problem hitting an old lady if she's a criminal."
That's true. Admitted Ma Beagle, stiffness palpable within her boys, with a frustrated growl she ordered retreat.
"You win this time avenger, but next time I get you I'll snap your neck instead of your wrist."
Gizmoduck gave a loud gasp while Paperinik barely manages to keep his cool, knowing full well that the old lady it's capable to fulfill her promise. Now wondering if she's the reason of his future demise.
"Paperinik." He turns to Gizmoduck, whose expression, barely visible behind his mask is on him. "Are you okay?"
Instead of answering, he asks the other duck another question.
"Gizmoduck, are you good keeping secrets?"
To say he was shocked by that question is nothing, he was astonished. Why the most veteran hero in the city was asking that kind of questions.
"O- of course I can!"
"You sure?"
"Yes sir!"
Donald smiled, ready for another round of ranting from Uno, but something tells him he'll need all the help he can get.
"Then I need you to follow me, I've just found my right hand man."
End of the second chapter.
Note: sorry for the long wait.
Gladstone's arriving next chapter.