The rich duck walked over to the knocking door and opened it, revealing a rabbit, with black and gray hair, tied into a bun gray fur, and aqua eyes, wearing black glasses, a gray button-up shirt with a pale purple tie, a black skirt reaching her knees, a brown pantyhose, and red not-so-high heels you usually see from women, oh, and an inch shorter than Scrooge McDuck, holding a handbag.
"Ah, Rabecca Hopps, you came a little late but thanks for coming over to be my new assistant.", welcomed Scrooge.
"Yeah, I-I know I did a little bad on the application", said Rabecca, walking inside the mansion, "but I think this is a good opportunity to start a little fresh for you... Your..."
"My life without adventures or family.", said the rich duck, sighing, remembering what happened.
Remembering the Sunchaser incident where he had to tell his grandnephews about what happened to their mother.
Remembering how he told Webby she isn't family.
Remembering how he told them all that they're nothing but trouble.
Remembering how the plane fell but thankfully didn't crashed far to the ground.
Remembering how everyone left him alone, even Duckworth left him.
Remembering everything that happened a long time ago.
Now, all he has left is Launchpad McQuack, Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera, and Gyro Gearloose, and now, Rabecca Hopps might be a replacement for Bentina since she and her granddaughter will be taking those vacation days. Doubt she wouldn't mind it.
The rich duck just had to accept the fact that he got what he deserved for keeping Della's disappearance a secret and that his grandnephews won't need him in their lives anymore and want nothing to do with him.
"Look, I know you miss Della Duck, but sometimes you just need to let go of the past. I mean. Based on your adventures, you seemed alright and you- you don't seem to be affected by her disappearance.", said the female rabbit.
"That is until Bluey, whatever his name is, found some info and a piece of a picture of the Spear of Selene...", sighed Scrooge, "I knew Della's fate would break them and they found out anyways."
Rabecca felt bad for him. She knew how that felt. A child, or more, learning the truth of their parents' fate.
The boys must be in the anger stage, she thought, "Look, why don't you visit them and try to help them cope? Maybe during... The eclipse?"
"Why would I do that? They'll probably get Donald to put a restraining order against me if there's a chance, or maybe would get the authorities on me. But the worse part, the eclipse...", the rich duck gulped as he looked at his number one dime. "15 years ago, a rival of mine, tried to get this dime of mine during the lunar eclipse, thankfully, I got the upper hand and had her trapped. But I'm worried that someone might find this dime and release her, but what are the chances? No one's even after me dime."
"Wait, she wants a dime? Just a dime? Who would want a 10 cent coin for world domination!?", asked Rabecca, in an irritated voice, before calming down back to her soft, lollipop voice, "I mean, she could've at least use some artifact or maybe a magic wand or something..."
Scrooge didn't answer, only silence. Rabecca sighs as she decides to get the tea ready. The shy hare pours two cups for the rich duck and herself and adds a single tulip petal to one of them. She takes the tray to the dining room where Scrooge looks down on the table, thinking of retiring from adventuring again.
"I'm starting to think I was right about the part of the family being nothing but trouble...", said the rich duck.
"Don't you think it's a little harsh?", asked the soft rabbit, "I mean they are your family."
"Were my family", corrected the rich duck, "After all, I'm to blame for Della's disappearance. Even Donald, me own nephew, blamed me for her disappearance."
The hare assistant handed the tea to the rich duck, seeing how he lost nearly everyone after they found out about Della's disappearance. Thankfully, Launchpad was willing to forgive him, but Scrooge wasn't sure about Webby, not after what he told her.
"Mr. McDuck, there must be a way for them to find in their hearts to forgive you. It won't be hard-"
The rich duck got up from the chair, angrily walking towards the young hare.
"Won't be hard? WON'T BE HARD?! How would you know?!", shouted the rich duck, grabbing the soft hare's shoulders, "Are you the one whose niece stole a rocket that was meant to be a surprise to celebrate the birth of three eggs? Are you the one whose nephew decided to stop talking and contacting you and take the eggs away from you?! Are you the one who spends a long time in Demogorgana after a love interest stole it from her, forced to stay with the Demogorgon leader, who is suffering from what happened to her princess?! Are you the one who was left for dead after the glacier, you and your love were stuck in, melt?! Are you the one whose musician ended up ending his fiance and turned to end other's lives?! Are you the one with an arch-enemy who-... Who..."
The rich duck looked at his new assistant in shock, seeing her rosy bunny nose twitching in fear, her bunny ears lowered, and her whimpering quietly. No... I mustn't lose another one and turn them against me... He let go of the rabbit assistant gently, before dropping to the floor, covering his face from what he has done to her.
"I'm sorry Hopps. I didn't know what came over me... I-I..."
The hare looked at the rich duck, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Mr. McDuck, no need to apologize. I know this is hard for you to deal with this guilt you've been dealing with for years. But if I help you with the coping skills from my therapy class, we'll try to get this guilt out of the way. What do you say?"
The hare looked confused as to why the rich duck is so quiet. I guess that a yes. Out of curiosity, she decided to ask Scrooge a question.
"So... Back then, do you have any attempts at getting your niece back?", asked the hare.
"Well, I... I risked bankruptcy building rockets to find her, having to go to the shadow realm to find anything, hell! I even thought of freeing Magica. But how would she help me get Della back if she's a villain and might have the power to release shadows and take over Duckburg?! But if I were to become as powerful as Magica but with a different power...", the rich duck got up from the floor.
"Mr. McDuck", the hare looked nervous.
"I could use that to bring Della back! I could bring her to her kids. I could even bring her to Donald!", the rich duck began to get more eager.
He went to get a book of mysterious gems. "The boys will forgive me! Donald will finally forgive me! We'll be a family again and we go on adventures again and nothing will tear us apart ever again!", beamed Scrooge, flipping the pages to find anything that could help him.
"Mr. McDuck, I don't think it's a good idea. I mean, what are you going t-to do with a gem?", questioned the hare rabbit, now worried.
The rich duck flipped the pages until he found a certain page, "Oh, you'll see. You'll see..."
It was late at night at the Duckburg Museum. It was about to close, security is assigned to keep watch of the artifacts, including a particular one.
The car stopped at its location, as its door opens to reveal the duck and the hare.
"Mr. McDuck, I don't think this is right. I mean, yes building rockets nearly end you up in bankruptcy but having to steal an gem to bring back-", the soft hare tries to talk him out of it but no prevail.
"No need for more questions", interrupted the rich duck, "So, what if I'm stealing something that wasn't mine. I mean, Goldie steals other's loot, so I shall steal that gem."
The two walked up the stairs and then the entrance door.
Opening the door, he looked for any security guards. There were none.
"Alright, I need you to turn off all cameras. We don't need any witnesses in here.", insisted the rich duck.
"But Mr. Mc-"
"If anyone finds us, one of us will be paying the price."
The hare sighs and nods as she heads to the cameras, before looking at Scrooge. "Just think of some good memories you have with anyone in your life. Maybe it'll change your mind."
As the shy rabbit went to turn off the cameras, the rich duck thought of memories of anyone, just like she said. But the good memories turned to bad memories, the bad memories flashed around him as he remembers every bad thing in his past. Even the Sunchaser incident. Every step he takes, the bad memories replay themselves, over and over again and again, as his blood boils hotter than a lava pit or the liquid gold.
Meanwhile, the rabbit assistant walked over to the security office where she noticed a sleeping pig next to the cameras. Sneaking past behind him, she turned off all of the cameras to prevent any witnesses. "Sorry, I have to do this for my boss...", the shy bunny apologized.
She ran out of the room and walked through the hallways to find the rich duck. She felt guilty for doing something like this, considering she hasn't done anything like that before and has always been a good girl her whole life. But stealing a gem from this very museum just to get someone back from being lost in space. But, how could someone be in space for over a year? Wouldn't they be dead from the lack of food and water and oxygen by now?
But who knows. The soft cottontail just hope that Scrooge might change his mind and will get over his guilt and grief of his niece-
"Over here!"
Spoke too soon.
The cottontail runs, while in heels, to where Scrooge is currently waiting by the opened door.
"Sorry, Mr. McDuck, it's just these darn heels-", said the cottontail, before being interrupted again.
"Save your apologies, Hopps", said the rich duck, "We're about to uncover the greatest treasure of all! In the end, it'll all be just a funny memory."
The rich duck and his hare assistant opened the doors, to reveal the most powerful gem known to man.
"There it is... The Crystal Eclipse...", grinned the rich duck, "Just try to stay away if anything happens."
The humble rabbit nodded and stood still, only to noticed a label next to the door.
"This gem contains every amount of power that even some fear for its worse side. No one knows what could happen if it fell in either right or wrong hands. Some say that if the amount of negative emotion is too high, the consequences will end up in endangering anyone near the holder.", the statement frightened the hare, realizing what might happen.
Her boss might use it for evil, JUST TO GET HIS NIECE BACK!
"Mr. McDuck! Don't touch it! It's too powerful! Even for you!"
The rich duck didn't listen. He was too attracted to the white crystal. Besides treasure, besides riches, besides adventures, and gold, for all of the things he wanted, he truly wants his niece back. His sanity started to slowly lower. His mind is flooded with the memory of the day Della disappeared.
He couldn't bear remembering that horrible day and the Sunchaser incident, but his mind kept replaying them, over, over, and over again.
"There must be another way! Please! Don't do this! You don't know how much power it has!", pleaded the poor rabbit.
The rich duck ignored all of the hare assistant's pleadings as the memory of the day of Della's fate continues to take over him. "I don't care who I hurt..."
He raises his cane to the glass where the crystal is, aiming at it.
The hare has no choice but to run up to him and stop him before he grabs that gem.
"I don't care what I destroy..."
The rabbit runs as fast as she can but trips since she wore high heels.
"I don't care how bad its power can be..."
Rabecca got up and attempts to run again, nearly tripping at each step she took.
"I don't care who's injured or dead..."
"NO!"
"But I WILL do anything to get her back. Even if it means dangering Duckburg or the world..."
The rich duck closes his eyes and slams his cane to the glass, breaking it into little pieces.
The crystal glowed bright white light, temporarily blinding anyone who was in the museum.
Fading to white.
The white light flashes slowly died down, as we see the poor hare, unconscious.
"Mmm?", the hare woke up, barely seeing anything since her glasses fell to the ground, "Mr. McDuck?"
No answer.
"Mr. McDuck, are you okay?"
Still, no answer.
"Mr. McDuck, are you... Are you hurt?"
Again, no answer.
The gray cottontail starts to get worried, as she couldn't hear the Scottish duck's voice. Only small chuckles. She tried to get up but was stuck for some reason.
"What the..."
She looked down to noticed her arms and legs are stuck into a pool of black liquid, slowly taking her over. Rabecca begins to freak out, screaming for help, anyone to save her.
But there's no one.
She continues to hear the small chuckles, later normal chuckles, then insane laughter.
The hare looked up...
To see a tall curvy yet slim man with faded peach skin, with a white crazy hairstyle, with a black and yellow streak, and yellow eyes, wearing his coat as a cape, now with ribbons on it, a half brown half faded red suit coat, a red full bodysuit with a faded dark red tie, and dark blue and light blue boots.
He looked at the frightened cottontail, struggling to get away from him but was stuck in the black liquid.
"Don't you be afraid, Becky...", the mysterious man, speaking in his Scottish cold yet soothing and alluring voice, crouch down to the hare.
Becky?
"It's just me. Your boss. Scrooge McDuck..."
Wait, that strange monster is Mr. McDuck...
"Well, most likely not a duck anymore..."
The now rich dominant figure holds the now black crystal, as he lets it go, leading it to his white hat, putting it on.
"Now with the crystal in the palm of my hands, we'll be starting our plan to find Della, bring her back home, and getting the family back together."
We?!
"Now, for phase one, we'll gather allies and remove any opponents that come my way..."
The dominant sorcerer heard a zapping noise, coming from a security guard, holding a taser at him.
"Stay back and let go of the crystal!", she warned him in a scared tone.
"Starting with you...", said Scrooge as he grabs the security guard by the torso, dropping her taser. Using his new powers, the security guard's eyes turned black, fully black, dropping her to the ground, thus turning her into a black statue version of herself, vanishing her to who-knows-where.
Scrooge turns around as he summons a baton onto his hand, walking out of the museum-like nothing happened, as the hare, now taken over by the black liquid, says a few words before transforming, "Scrooge..."
End?
Read the next chapter. If you're curious.