Chapter 17 – The Lost Child Comes Home
Dewey lands the plane in a secluded spot behind the cliffs of Duckburg. After making sure the plane is secure along the beach, Dewey rows a dingy, with Scrooge, around the bend to the Hookbill docks. Scrooge McDuck holds an over-shoulder bag beside him. Inside the bag are some of the notes and books on the Scythe. The billionaire stares ahead, keeping a watch for any movement in the fog while they float towards the shoreline.
The two ducks make it to the docks and climb out of the dingy onto the solid wood planks. Dewey pulls the tiny boat out of the water, and after hiding it inside one of the buildings, he prepares his sword for any attack that may happen. The younger duck scans the streets while tapping on the side of his mask. The eyes glow slightly to show the alien tech is analyzing the scene. Finally, Dewey turns and lifts his index finger to signal Scrooge to come over to him.
Scrooge walks up to his nephew and leans in to hear what he has to say.
"Stay close. I spotted a few Shadow Demons four blocks down on the east side; over another three blocks on the west, at least two Beagle Boys are heading downtown. There could be more, though. They may not be near us, but that could change." Dewey informs his uncle.
"I'm impressed. You need to tell me how that mask operates." Scrooge reaches up to touch the golden metal on his nephew's face.
"All I know, it's alien technology," Dewey replies, pushing his uncle's hand away from his head.
"In that case, I would like to know where it came from." Scrooge wonders.
"So would I," Dewey snorts. He again lifts his index finger and waves it in the direction forward. "This way," the younger duck instructs.
Within a few minutes, the two ducks reach the suburb section of Hookbill. The moment they arrive at a familiar street, Scrooge remembers which home the family is hiding out in and starts taking the lead.
"That's it, that is the place," Scrooge confirms. "The question is, are they still in there?" He questions.
"Let's find out," Dewey taps his mask once more.
With the settings on x-ray vision, the younger duck scans the home's interior. Dewey first checks the main floor but found no one. It isn't till he inspects the basement he sees seven forms moving about.
"They're there," he confirms. Dewey returns his sword into its sheath but still keeps on high alert.
The younger duck suddenly feels nervous, like a bunch of butterflies are fluttering around in his stomach. Dewey has not seen his family in over fifteen years. What will they say about him? How will they react when they find out he's still alive? With all the changes he had gone through, would they even recognize him? He debates on even telling them about his kids. No doubt they would judge him, considering the irresponsible child he used to be.
Scrooge senses his nephew's discomfort and gently places his hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's going to be alright. They will be happy to see you, I'm sure of it." He tells him.
"Okay," Dewey responds with a nod.
"Come on; the entrance is this way," Scrooge says.
The elder pushes aside the bush to reveal the cellar door. He bends down and raps gently to get everyone's attention. There are some rustling sounds on the other side before a click of the lock turns. Huey is cautious as he opens the barricade. He looks through the crack, and the moment he sees Scrooge bending over to wave at him, Huey pushes the door open wide.
"Uncle Scrooge, you're back." The red-clad duck cries out. "Where have you been? We were worried, even though we got a message that you were safe, but still."
"Dad," Webby instantly jumps out, past Huey, to hug Scrooge. "Quick, get inside before we are all seen."
Before the two younger ducks can escort Scrooge inside, Della jumps out and aims her weapon at a supposed stranger.
"Wait, we're not alone." Della barks pointing her crossbow weapon at Dewey. "Hold it right there, whoever you are!"
The masked duck doesn't want to give any incentive to cause his mother to shoot, so he nervously raises his hands in a surrender posture.
Huey instantly pulls over his bow and draws an arrow in preparation.
Louie pokes his head up and as well, prepares to be on the defense. "He's a pirate, Uncle Scrooge, I don't know why you are with him, but you can't trust him." He accuses, holding out his bat like he's going to swing it.
"Stay behind me, Uncle Scrooge," Webby growls. She stands in a fighting pose, ready to attack. "We'll handle this intruder."
Scrooge steps between Dewey and the family with his arms held out. "Ease off, everyone. I assure you he's on our side." He tells them.
The elder turns to face Dewey.
"Come now, lad, show them who you are." The billionaire encourages.
Dewey catches movement from the corner of his eye and looks over to the left. The red flickers in the eyes as the mask analysis the situation. The mask indicates that someone or something is coming their way.
In a frantic, Dewey turns back to his uncle. "Inside first," he says quickly.
Knowing that Dewey must be seeing danger approaching, Scrooge starts waving everyone towards the basement.
"You heard him, kids, everyone inside." The elder orders.
Dewey helps Huey close the cellar door and just in time as Shadow Demons float into the yard. Huey can see them through the tiny crack, while Dewey can use the mask to scan through the wood.
The demonic spirits float away, and the two ducks breathe out a sigh of relief.
"The coast is clear," Huey announces.
Mrs. Beakley, Violet, and Maria join the Duck family as the two ducks make their way down the stairs. Huey walks up to everyone and turns to face the stranger behind him. Dewey stops at the bottom of the stairs. He decides to keep his distance since everyone is giving him a suspicious look.
"Now that we are all safe, mind telling us who you are?" Della demands. She makes sure her weapon is seen, just in case.
There have been countless dreams where Dewey reunites with his family. Yet, as the years went by, the less he dreamt of them. Finally, now that is happening for real, Dewey feels more like he could throw up. Each of his surviving relatives and friends gazes at him with distrust, understandably, since he's still wearing the mask. He briefly glances over to his Uncle Scrooge and receives a nod of encouragement from him.
"It'll be alright, lad. Trust me." Scrooge tells him.
With a deep breath, Dewey slowly takes off the alien headwear to reveal his features. "Hey," he says bashfully, along with a subtle wave, hello.
It takes a moment to recognize him, but it comes as a real shock the moment the family does. The young adult before them is no ghost but is somebody they thought was lost to them.
"Dewey?" Della chokes on her breath.
She lets her weapon slip out from her grip, and before her crossbow even hits the ground, Della rushes over to her son. With tears swelling from her eyes, she instantly embraces Dewey in a hug and squeezes him tightly.
"You're here, you're really here," she sobs.
"Mom," Dewey responds as he too wraps his arms around her.
"I don't believe it," Louie gasps.
"How?" Huey asks.
"Dewey, you're alive," Webby also rushes up to him.
Dewey lifts one arm to bring Webby into the hug. Scrooge smiles with pride that his family, or at least what's left of them, are finally all together.
Huey and Louie are about to join in the reunion, but Huey suddenly stops and holds his arm out in front of Louie.
"No, wait, how do we know this is the real Dewey." The eldest triplet questions. "What if he is a trick sent by Magica to lure us into a trap?"
"Hey, right," Louie nods in agreement. "What about that explosion? How could anyone, especially Dewey, survive that?"
Della and Webby step aside as Dewey steps towards his brothers. Then, without warning, he swings a punch right into Huey's arm. The impact is so hard that it knocks Huey right into Louie. Both siblings bellow out an "ow," before staggering upright again.
"You guys always underestimate me. Do you know how infuriating that is?" Dewey growls.
The triplets glare at each other for a brief moment before their eyes start tearing up. Huey, Dewey, and Louie instantly throw their arms around each other.
"I can't believe it," Huey sniffles. "It's really you."
"Yeah, it's really me." Dewey chuckles.
"We thought we lost you." Louie sobs.
"Come on; it takes more than a missile to get rid of me." Dewey jokes as he slowly breaks apart from his brothers.
Scrooge brings his hand up to wipe a tear that has escaped from his eye. He decides to let everyone else have this moment. The elder notices Violet, Mrs. Beakley, and Maria; they also look happy for this reunion.
"How did you survive?" Huey asks.
"Are you really a pirate now, or what?" Louie wonders.
"How are you living these days? And please do not tell me that you are a pirate!" Della tells him in a motherly tone.
"Yeah, you have to tell us everything," Webby demands.
Dewey finds himself backing away from his family. He feels a little overwhelmed with all their questions.
"I'll be happy to explain everything later, I promise." Dewey insists.
"At least give us an idea of what happened to you." Violet steps forward, also curious about what happened to Dewey.
The middle triplet nervously bites down on his lower beak. He debates on what he should tell them. There is so much that has happened and not enough time to explain everything.
"You better not be a pirate," Della grumbles under her breathe.
Dewey lets out a frustrated growl. "I'm not a pirate, okay? Long story short, I've been surviving by working jobs as a pilot delivering cargo. Got my own company now, and, um, fell in love, and became a dad," He quickly explains – lowering his voice till it gradually comes out as a barely audible mumble.
Everyone does a double-take. The family wonders if they heard correctly or not.
"Wait, did you say – dad?" Huey asks in disbelief. "As in, you have kids?"
"Uh, yeah, as I said before, I'll explain everything in greater detail later, I promise." Dewey blushes as he tries to brush off this conversation.
"Oh no, you are going to explain now, mister," Della growls. She grabs her son by the collar and pulls him close. "How dare you try to keep this information from us?"
"Um, sorry," Dewey apologizes with a nervous chuckle.
"A typical Dewey response," Louie rolls his eyes skyward.
"Do you have any pictures? I want to see what your kids look like." Webby asks in a positive tone.
"Yeah, you better have pictures, at least," Della adds in a threatening tone.
Dewey lets out a sigh in defeat. "Of course I have pictures," he says, reaching into his inside jacket pocket.
Della snatches the photo out of her son's hand, and she and Webby lean in to look over the image. Their glistening doe eyes express the fondness over the twins sitting on the couch and smiling innocently up at the camera.
"Awe, they are so cute. I could just gobble them up." Webby swoons.
Huey and Louie squeeze in to look at the photo and instantly fall in love with their niece and nephew.
"What are their names?" Huey asks.
"That's Turbo and Tessa. They just turned four last month." Dewey explains with a subtle hit of pride.
"Turbo, huh?" Louie snickers, considering the history of that particular name.
Dewey blushes with a sheepish shrug.
"Trust me," Scrooge finally speaks up. "Those two are the sweetest little dickens you would ever meet. Also, Dewey here has shown to be a responsible father to them."
"Really," Webby smirks, raising a brow to Dewey.
"I do my best." Dewey's face reddens more.
Mrs. Beakley, Violet, and Maria all crowd around Della so they, too, can get a glimpse at the photo.
"Awe, what sweet little bambinos. They remind me of my boy, Fenton when he was that age." Maria swoons.
"Wow, congratulations." Mrs. Beakley smiles up at Dewey.
"Thanks," Dewey replies with a bashful smile. His smile, however, drops the second he notices Mrs. Beakley's missing arm.
The former housekeeper shrugs and shakes her head. "Don't you worry about this; I've learned to adapt."
Dewey attempts to show his support with a smile, but the guilt still ends up showing on his face.
"I can't believe it; I'm a grandmother," Della says with a small gasp, just realizing how old she feels right now. Shaking her head, Della realizes a new purpose. "We have to find a way to get out of this curse; I must meet my grandkids." She adds in determination.
"Well, that is why we are here," Scrooge says as a matter of fact. "Let's all go sit down so we can discuss the next course of action."
Everyone does as told and head through the doorframe into the next room. The only ones that haven't moved yet are Dewey and Della.
Della is still swooning over the photo of the twins. She is imagining herself playing with her grandkids and teaching them everything she knows about being an adventurer. Dewey reaches for his picture, but Della snatches it away from his hand. He rolls his eyes skyward and lets out an annoyed growl.
"Gee, mom, why don't you keep it? I got plenty back home." The younger duck says sarcastically.
"Awe, thank you. Seeing these little darlings makes me very happy." Della purrs, patting her son on his cheek tenderly.
Dewey suddenly feels a sense of warmth. He realizes that his mother probably hasn't been this happy in a long time. So what's one photo if it means that he can put a smile on his mother's face?
"No problem, mom," Dewey says with a grin.
As he follows his mom into the next room, Dewey stops to notice the rune-stone he sent for them years ago. It is good that his family is using it to protect themselves from Magica's powers.
Before anyone can notice Dewey lagging, he quickly catches up. The room everyone is taking shelter in is small and a bit run down. But, it is nothing compared to how he lived independently; at least he had a plane to call home. Seeing his family reduced to living in such conditions breaks his heart.
"Alright, there's no time to waste," Scrooge instantly commands the crew. "Dewey and I haven't snuck back in Duckburg for a normal family reunion. Instead, we are here to bring down Magica and the Beagles. If successful, we will be able to send me back to my own time and reverse this tragedy."
"No offense, Uncle Scrooge," Huey interrupts. "We have tried, several times, to beat Magica and the Beagles. Each time we failed." He finishes, slumping his shoulders forward in defeat. "We are just surviving now."
"Yeah," The rest of the group say, nodding in agreement.
Dewey and Scrooge watch as everyone has the same body language of giving up. The two glance at each other in a bit of surprise. With a roll of his eyes, Dewey turns back to the group.
"Are you kidding me? So this is how you all behave now? Just roll over and quit after a few failures?" The middle triplet asks in annoyance.
While everyone looks up at Dewey with a glare, Scrooge smirks. The elder has an idea where he is going with this.
Before anyone could say anything, Dewey continues. "You know how many times I have failed and got right back up? Too many, and that's not including after I was out surviving on my own."
"How dare you," Maria growls, stepping up to the younger duck. "You don't know what it was like here. We lost so many loved ones to that witch. But, unlike you, they are not coming back."
The former cop looks down in mourning for her son, Fenton.
Violet, being closest to her, puts her hands down on the sad mother's shoulders. "Maria's right, Dewey," She speaks up. "You don't know what we had to go through here while you were out in the real world."
"No kidding," Louie adds. "You want to know what it is like living in Duckburg these days. Having to scavenge like animals for scraps of food, crawling in the darkest corners to avoid being found by Shadow Demons or the Beagles. Life around here is not easy for us, not since this whole nightmare started."
"Well, at least you all had each other during everything; I had no one." Dewey snarls. "Yes, I too suffered, not as you have, but I was, at one time, homeless, starving, and struggled to make ends meet during my early teenage years. No one helped or supported me. I was completely alone out there. That is until I met Izzy," Dewey paused with a mournful look. "And not until after my kids hatched."
With a soft expression, Webby leaned in. "Is Izzy your kids' mother?" She asks.
Dewey takes in a deep breath and nods. "She was," is all he says, not even looking up at anyone.
Hearing the word 'was' has everyone realizing that Dewey experienced loss too. Della glances down at the photo of her grandkids and instantly feels guilty. The situation sounds similar to when she was stuck on the moon, apart from her boys. Only in this circumstance, she realizes that Izzy isn't coming home to her kids.
"Awe, Dewey, I'm so sorry," Della says sympathetically. She leans over to hug her son.
"Thanks," Dewey replies in a weaker tone.
Della sits her son down on one of the chairs, and she sits down beside him.
"Aye, kids, you've all suffered greatly during my absence," Scrooge speaks up. "That is all about to change, I promise, or my name isn't Scrooge McDuck." He assures them.
"How?" Beakley asks bluntly. "How do you purpose we win? There are only nine of us going up against an entire family of Beagle Boys, Shadow Demons, and Magica De Spell. We need an army, so unless you got one up your sleeve, you better have a good plan."
"Where is your determination, your gusto? Where is your 'failure is not an option,' agent 22? Are you going to tell me, losing an arm is the excuse to quit?" Scrooge argues.
Beakley is stunned at first; however, she is determined not to back down from this argument.
"It's not that I'm giving up, it's just…" the former housekeeper pauses for a moment to think. "It's just after seeing so many of our friends reduced to becoming stone statues is rather disheartening, to say the least. So how do you suppose we avoid the Medusa's Curse? Do you have any ideas that could get us past all the dangers and into Magica's temple? Or are you just going to 'wing' it?"
"Bless ma bagpipes," Scrooge grumbles. "No, we only planned as far as meeting up with all of you. You are right, though, about needing an army. How many citizens do you think wouldn't mind helping us out?" He admits.
"Trust me; even if we were able to convince some of the people in Duckburg, it still wouldn't be enough." Mrs. Beakley grumbles.
Dewey's ears perk. Something about hearing Mrs. Beakley and Scrooge talk to each other sparks a memory. He sits back, pondering for a moment.
"Bless ma bagp – Blessed Bagpipes," the middle triplet murmurs.
"Excuse me?" Huey asks his younger brother.
"The Blessed Bagpipes," Dewey repeats. "I remember they did something important. I just don't remember what."
Everyone rolls their eyes and lets out a groan. They wondered how the Blessed Bagpipes even fits into this conversation.
"They brought stone statues to life," Webby explains in a grumble.
Dewey smiles as his brothers and Webby perk up. All four of them glance at each other. It is as if a lightbulb had just turned on above each of their heads.
"Ding," they chime in unison.
"Wait, what is happening?" Maria asks, a little baffled by the four ducks' reaction.
"I've seen this before," Violet explains. "I think they're forming a plan."
"Please tell me we brought those bagpipes back from that Library?" Dewey asks.
"We did," Webby gleefully chimes. "It should still be down in the other bin, right, dad?"
Scrooge, too perks up, liking this plan so far. "Aye, I believe they're in room 1947, that is if Magica hasn't made any alternations to the other bin. But how will we get in? It wouldn't be easy. Surely Magica and the Beagles have every corner of ma mansion guarded." He concludes with concern.
"Ah, but Uncle Scrooge, we've got the mask. I guarantee it'll find us a back way in without being seen by anyone." Dewey explains, holding up the golden headwear.
"Okay," Scrooge can't help feeling a little nervous about Dewey's mask. He makes a mental note; if successful in going back in time, he must make sure to discover that mask and the meteor before anyone else does. In the wrong hands, it could spell trouble.
"I have maybe one or few questions," Huey comments, holding his hand up and looking directly at the mask.
Before his older brother could ask his concerning questions, Dewey points to his mask. "First of all, it's an alien mask. I found it in a meteor years ago. It can see things we can't – that includes finding secret ways into impregnable places, like Uncle Scrooge's other bin, for example. The rest I'll explain on the way, okay."
"Alright, now we're getting somewhere." Scrooge grins. "Dewey, I leave you in charge of that part of the mission." The elder pulls the bag over his shoulder and lays it on the table. "Violet, come over here, please."
Violet walks over to the table and watches as the older duck opens the bag and dumps out the notes, books, and a few scrolls.
"This is everything we got on Cronus's Scythe. Do you think you might be able to translate the spells? There should be at least one of them that can return me back to my original timeline." Scrooge asks.
"I'll see what I can do." The purple hummingbird nods.
While Violet shuffles through the papers, Scrooge turns to the rest of the crew.
"Alright, now for the rest of us, here's my plan…."