Chapter 4 – A Real Nightmare
A flicker of light emerges from within a dark, bleak, empty room built of concrete walls and floor. The light grows into a purple-blue swirling portal. Shortly after, Scrooge McDuck flies through in mid yelp. He lands hard on the cold cracked floor. A bit dazed, the old duck sits up, rubbing his sore head.
"What happened?" He asks no one in particular.
After thinking back on the events before being hurdled through a time vortex, he realizes the horror that happened—he lost a battle.
"Magica," he growls, narrowing his eyes at the thought of the evil witch.
Scrooge also remembers that she wasn't alone either.
"…And Glomgold."
Feeling upset that his enemies defeated him, Scrooge needs to figure out his next step in unfamiliar territories.
"Noe, where am I?" He wonders.
Scrooge looks around the large room. The place is so dark; it is difficult to tell the dimensions. He walks straight, hoping to find a door possibly, but instead, he grazes a wall with his hand. Looking up, Scrooge can get a sense of how deep the place is since it would seem forever before he can see a ceiling. Eventually, he stops at the sight of a broken stain glass window, a weak light source. Taking a few steps back, Scrooge notices a dollar sign logo barely hanging from its hinges.
He knows where he is now.
"No!" He cries out.
Realizing he is in the same spot before being tossed into the portal, Scrooge spins around to scan his now empty money bin. Quadrillions, gone!
"My money!" Scrooge screams.
He begins to run from one end to the other in hopes he could find a single coin left, but at lass, it is bone dry. Well, except for the dampness, which is coming from the ocean outside. Unable to stand, the elder collapses down on his knees.
"Gone, all gone." He begins to sob.
The feeling grows worse the moment Scrooge realizes that his dime is no longer on him. He clutches his red jacket on his chest. He is no longer feeling the best companion he wore for over a century. It is now in possession of Magica De Spell.
"My dime, too. I am completely wiped out." Scrooge lowers his head in defeat. "I am left with nothing."
The former billionaire lets out another sob, clearly drained both physically and now mentally. After a moment of self-pity, Scrooge realizes that there could still be some hope. He lifts his head, focusing on his new mission.
"Except, my family," he addresses. "They should still be out there somewhere. No way would they give up without a fight."
Scrooge forces himself up onto his feet and struggles to find the ladder within the darkness. Eventually, he does find it and starts to do the long climb out. He can defiantly feel each step more tiring since his fortune is no longer taking in much of the space.
"Curse me kilts; this is exhausting." He pants, needing to take a brief break.
The moment he reaches the top, Scrooge lets out a long deep breath before stepping onto the platform. His foot glides in front of a sensor that is on the bottom of the railing. A small red light starts blinking, seemingly unnoticed by Scrooge.
His focus is more on any possible threats outside. Regardless of the dangers, Scrooge may encounter, nothing will deter him from finding his family. He defensively raises his cane, just in case.
Knowing the elevator is probably not working, the old duck makes his way down the stairs instead. The only saving grace is that he is descending and not climbing this time.
Ten levels down, Scrooge opens the door to the main lobby. It couldn't be possible, but the entrance seems eerier than his money bin's emptiness: papers, rubble, and broken glass scattered across the floor. Windy sound whistles down the halls and drips coming from within the walls. What was once beautiful is undoubtedly a nightmare now.
A familiar voice catches Scrooge by surprise; he spins and points his cane like a sword. The old duck stands ready for any attack, but instead, it looks like two people starting a conversation down a dark corridor. Scrooge barely makes out two figures at the end.
"Did you get what I asked for?" A tall skinny shadowy form asks a smaller one.
"I did," a young voice responds. "A rusty socket wrench from the harbor, and curly fries from Hamburger Hippo. I'm afraid they may taste a little stale, though."
"Food is food; give it here." The skinny shadow demands.
Sounds of chomping echo down the hall as the man starts eating the stale fries. Scrooge carefully strides his way to their location and is relieved to see it is someone he knows.
"Gyro?"
The sudden appearance of another duck causes scientific genius to let out a girlish yelp. Half of the curly fries fly everywhere as the stalky man falls back onto the floor.
Gyro, once a young adult in his thirties, now appears slightly older with ragged clothes. His sassy personality is weak, with his knees curled up to his chest as he attempts to use the small bag of curly fries as a shield.
The young boy with him isn't a boy, but his robot creation, B.O.Y.D. The tiny robot child scans Scrooge digitally with his eyes. Once he sees no threat from the elder duck, B.O.Y.D's young features soften.
Scrooge walks closer and manages to get a better look at his former employee and android son. Much like Gyro, B.O.Y.D.'s clothes are also ragged, covered with grime.
"Gyro, it's me, Scrooge." The elder duck pleads.
Carefully, Gyro opens his eyes to look up at the intruder. Instantly, he recognizes him and lowers the chip bag.
"M-Mr. McDuck?" He stutters in surprise. "It can't be; you disappeared over fifteen years ago."
"Fifteen years?" Scrooge repeats.
Have I been gone that long? He wonders to himself.
"Gyro, what happened?" The elder duck asks.
"As I said, you disappeared, and soon after, the Beagles and Magica De Spell took over Duckburg," Gyro explains. "They overthrew the mayor and authorities. Magica, afterward, put a curse on this town and took control of our shadows again. She even forced some of the civilians into being her slaves. No one outside of Duckburg is brave enough to come in. Those that tried are never heard from again."
"Why don't you all escape? Leave Duckburg." Scrooge suggests.
"Magica has the rest of us imprisoned here in Duckburg." Gyro sighs. "We can't leave the town even if we tried. Thanks to these bracelets, we are just teleported back here." He concludes, holding up his fist to show a black enchanted 'friendship' bracelet.
"Bless me, bagpipes," Scrooge mutters, recognizing the design of the bracelets.
The weaving of the patterns is similar to the bracelets Webby's and her friends wear. However, these bracelets don't have vibrant colors, only black and dark grey.
It is evident to Scrooge that Magica delighted in cursing the very thing that brought joy to his daughter. He looks over to B.O.Y.D. and sees that he, as well, has the same bracelet on his wrist. It would appear the curse works on androids too.
Returning his attention to Gyro, Scrooge has to know.
"My family, where are they?"
"They're around… I'm assuming." The skinny chicken shrugs. He gradually munches on the last few fries from the bag.
"What do you mean?" Scrooge demands.
"Look, I told you, I don't leave my lab, not since the second attempt to overthrow Magica and the Beagles. The money bin is the safest place I know. Since all your money has been stolen, not just by the Beagles, but pirates too, no one has a reason to be in here. Besides, I don't like leaving my workshop." Gyro whines.
"Is there any chance you might know where my family could be, at least?" Scrooge asks desperately.
"I've seen Huey by the Hookbill Harbor from time to time," B.O.Y.D. speaks up.
"You have?" Scrooge turns his full attention to the android with a hopeful expression.
"Just this morning, he was searching for food with Webby and Louie. I was picking up some spare parts for Mr. Gearloose's inventions, but unfortunately, they didn't have time to stop and talk." The artificial boy explains.
"Do you know if that is where they are staying?" Scrooge asks.
"I don't know for sure, but I think they are currently hiding out in that area." B.O.Y.D. answers. "They do move around a lot since Magica is always tracking them down."
"Then I best hurry and find them. Thanks, lad. You are a huge help." Scrooge encourages B.O.Y.D. by patting him on the shoulder.
As the elder starts running towards the exit, Gyro calls out to him.
"Wait!" He yells.
Scrooge stops to look over his shoulder to see what the stalky chicken wants.
"You wouldn't have some crackers or granola bars on you by any chance?" Gyro asks sheepishly.
"I'm afraid not, sorry." The elder honestly responds with a shrug.
With a disappointing sigh, Gyro watches his former boss disappear down the hall.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
The second Scrooge leaves the building, he stops. Instead of bright blue skies, dark swirling clouds gloom overhead. It is so thick that no one could tell if it is day or night. Above Killmotor Hill, Scrooge is stunned to see his home has changed into a temple for Magica De Spell. The building is black, like the shadows with a purple glow emanating from the windows—a carved face, similar to her features, front and center for the whole town to see. Scrooge feels ill just looking at it.
Feeling the urge to move fast, Scrooge hurries down the bridge that leads the main road of his beloved town. A list of things he needs to do runs through his mind. Find his family, beat Magica, get his dime back, and regain his fortune.
Duckburg's streets, once busy with happy shoppers, are now littered with garbage and homeless folk. Groups huddle around fire pits inside indented steel drums, trying to keep warm. Scrooge notices a few vaguely familiar faces as they look up at him. Their eyes are drained of life and without hope.
Scrooge feels sad for these people, yet he cannot help them at this time. He's on a mission and has no time for distractions.
He makes his way through the darker streets of Hookbill Harbor. At first, unnoticed by Scrooge, the street dwellers quickly sleek, cowardly into the shadows. The moment the action draws his attention, Scrooge is immediately suspicious that something terrible is about to happen.
Sure enough, from the dark allies, evil chuckles of three male figures step forward into the dim light. Scrooge's jaw drops at the sight of the Beagle Boy. Bigtime, Bouncer, and Burger Beagle, dressed in more fine clothes than their usual red shirts and blue jeans. Each of them pounding their fists into their empty hand.
"Well, well, well." Bigtime taunts. "Look who finally showed up."
"We were expecting you for some time." Bouncer smirks. "Ma and Ms. Magica want to see you."
Burger nods silently with a sly chuckle.
"You're not taking me without a fight, you pillaging poachers." Scrooge threatens, swinging his cane from side to side.
"We's were hoping you'd say that." Bigtime narrows his eyes. The smallest Beagle points at Scrooge and shouts, "Get him!"
Scrooge defends himself admirably against these three thugs. Again, using his cane like a sword, Scrooge blocks each of their punches with ease.
"Give it up, McDuck, you've lost. We not only own your town, we secured your fortune." Bigtime chuckles.
"I refuse to give up." Scrooge voices with confidence. "I shall regain everything you naisty treacherous thieving-brutes stole from me."
When it would seem Scrooge is getting the upper hand, Burger is the one that sneaks behind him and swings a small empty wooden crate down on him.
Scrooge is dazed as he hits the ground with a thud. He looks up at the Beagles. They surround him with a victory cackle. Bouncer is preparing to pick him up when someone hollers from behind them.
"Get away from my dad!" A young woman's voice shouts.