Miranda, now seven years old, prowled curiously through the mansion's hallways, inspecting every potted plant that sat despondently on top of small tables, her small green eyes alight in wonder as she pushed the plants leaves away from the plant's base.

Frowning at the lack of whatever she had been looking for, she pulled away from the pot and moved along to the next, unaware of the shadow that slowly crossed over her form.

She pulled away from the pot once again, the look of disappointment resting on her features before she was aware that there someone behind her.

Miranda slowly turned to face the person before her eyes lit up in happiness.

"Miss Canary!" She squealed happily, hugging the maid's knees happily as she jumped up and down, her short black hair bouncing along with her.

The small duckling's nurse smiled at her antics before taking the girl's hand and leading her back to her room.

"And what have you been doing this morning little miss?" The maid asked the Miranda as she sat the girl onto a small chair before handing her some pens and paper.

The ebony haired duckling frowned, doodling silently on the paper she was given before answering, making sure not to look at her favourite nanny as she did so.

"The Beagle boys told me they had lost something really impor...importe...special to Uncle, they asked me to help them find it."

Miss Canary frowned instantly and shook her head, she was about to tell the small duckling off for trusting the obviously lying crooks when the small duckling came out with something quite unexpected.

"They also told me I would be pretty useless in a robbery, but I'll prove them wrong."

The elder Duck gasped and quickly marched over to the duckling, taking the smaller duck's hand in her own as she kneeled beside her, her expression one of anger.

"Now you listen to me Miranda Glomgold, you will do no such thing! You will grow into a normal duck with a normal life and you will put these foolish ideas out of your head understood?"

Miranda nodded wildly in fear before stopping for a moment and giving Miss Canary a questioning look.

"But Uncle said that when I was old enough I could help in one of his jobs."

Miss Canary growled angrily before letting go of the small duckling's hand, left her room and marched down the hall to her employer's office, knocking only once as she entered.

"Mr Glomgold." She said hastily as she neared her employer's desk.

Glomgold sighed and hung up on his secretary before settling his attention on his employed maid and nanny of his niece.

"It seems that ever since I adopted my niece you have taken accustom to breaking down my office door and telling me off." The elderly duck said sarcastically as he gestured for his maid to take a seat.

Miss Canary sighed and settled in to the offered seat and glared intently on the floor, knowing full well that if she settled that glare on her employer then poor Miranda would have nothing to stop her from her being the crook not only she but everyone else but this maid wanted.

"I am sorry Mr. Glomgold, but your choice to include Miranda in your little robberies someday is just unacceptable." She spoke clearly, doing everything she could to not sound insulting or in any way suggested so. She was just saying her opinion with every bit of patience she had left in her for this elderly duck that was sitting in front of her.

Glomgold shook his head and chuckled, acting as though she was nothing but a misunderstood duckling than the full grown woman that she was.

"Miss Canary, I believe how I raise my niece is my choice, correct?" Miss Canary sighed and nodded, sadness weighing down on her heart.

"But, Mr Glomgold, at least give her until she is a teen, let her have the childhood she deserves. Let her be a child sir."

Glomgold pondered over his employees words and tried to think of a way that would keep her on the staff role, after all, she was the only maid he had and Miranda's only nanny.

Finally, Glomgold reached a decision and looked back up at the Nanny before sighing and delivering his final offer.

"I will not allow Miranda to take part in these robberies until she is ten years old, and even then, it will only be a small part away from any of the danger...Is that good enough for you?" Glomgold finished holding out his hand for a final shake.

Miss Canary said nothing but shook her Employer's hand and left his office again, thinking only on how she could raise Miranda into someone who would deny any involvement in crime...

If only.

Later that day, Miss Canary was getting Miranda ready for her afternoon nap when they heard a knock at the Mansion's main door.

Miss Canary briefly looked back at the small child before holding up her hand.

"Wait here." She said simply, quickly walking out of the girl's room, accidentally leaving the girl's door open as she did so.

Miranda, never being one to give up the chance for adventure, quickly tip toed out the door and into the hallway beyond, stopping only to check for any tricks.

Satisfied with her new grant of freedom, Miranda quickly ran down hallway after hallway, her small webbed feet doing their best to lead her to rooms or hallways that she had never been in.

Eventually the small duckling found herself completely lost. Miranda took a good look at her surroundings before deciding to go back to her room before Miss Canary found out she was missing.

She turned, about to start running when she crashed right into one of the many Beagle Boys.

"Well looky here Burger, it's the Shorty herself!" Bigtime laughed, pushing the small duckling off of him and onto the carpeted floor.

Miranda growled angrily at the stupid nickname, getting back onto her feet and slapping away Bigtime's finger from her face.

"Watch where you're going genius or I'll put you out, capeesh?" the seven year old duckling hissed, doing her best to sound like the Beagle's mother, trying and failing.

The Beagle boys laughed loudly at her words, jeering her with flicks and pushes to the floor. Fortunately, Miranda was use to this so she stayed strong, hitting them back with as much force as she could muster into her arms.

Sadly this only made them laugh more, they're jeering however, downgraded to just petty words, but they were enough to hurt the small child.

"You'd be useless in a robbery Shorty; in fact if I were the Boss, I woulda left you in the rain!"

That comment left Miranda more hurt than she had ever been by they're words. What if she was useless in a robbery? Would Uncle keep her if she wasn't? What would she do then?

Miranda glared fiercely at Bigtime, her voice growing completely serious, the most serious that she had ever been in her life so far. That day she made a promise to not only those crooks, but herself as well.

"I'll show you, I'll be the best crook there ever was, and best niece! Someday I'll steal great big diamonds the size of your fat head Bigtime! Then after I prove you wrong, I'll make you eat the damn thing!"

After her outburst she turned and left the group of crooks in complete silence, a sense of anger following her where ever she went.

Something that would follow her for the rest of her life.

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