Chapter 8

"Don't make me laugh, Webbigail."

Webby was getting irritably frustrated. She could see, hear, or feel anything.

Not to mention she's been walking around for hours and already she's slipped through what felt like tar and lost her night vision goggles, chased by Shadow Crows that clawed and pecked at her whenever she got close to a portal, and had little luck finding the right one that would lead her to Louie.

Webby fuddled around in the darkness as she thought of the first time she ever entered the Shadow Realm. It was only for a few seconds and she had almost gotten lost.

The very reason she and Lena had been practicing Shadow Magic was to prevent things like this happening to her family. She figured this way if anything happened to them while she was on one of her missions then she'd be able to pop in, pop out and get them home safely.

Lena wasn't for it at first. She wanted to stay as far away from the realm as possible, but Webby begged her, after what happened last time with Soran she didn't want to take any other chances that something like that would happen again.

Violet didn't like it either. She was the one who explained the risks for using such magic. The two sisters had tried reasoning with her many times and the only thing Webby could get them to agree on with her was that her family would be a lot better off if she could use the Shadow Realm as a smoke screen against her enemies.

How Lena couldn't do what Webby can was because she was an actual Shadow. Not someone living and breathing. When she banished Magica De Spell in the Shadow Realm she had to reverse her into a shadow to make sure she couldn't escape.

She was so lost in thought that she almost didn't notice a void had popped up in front of her. She studied it, not likeing the fact that it had just appeared in front of her. Like it was beckoning her to it. The portals in the shadow realm usually avoid living things. Finding one was hard, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Webby slowly took a step towards it. Something about that void made her blood run cold.

In the end thought, she decided what choice did she have? It wouldn't let her pass it, for it kept blocking her way. She sighed deeply, closed her eyes and stepped through the void.

"Well, it's about time." Said a familiar chilling voice.

Webby's eyes snapped open and stared at Magica De Spell.

"You." Webby snarled. Her heart was racing. She had a feeling it would be something like this. Why else would the protal had been purple? Or had pratically been stalking her since she arrived. It was because Magica De Spell was controlling it.

"Me." Magica agreed.

She looked almost the same as when Webby last saw her, her image was more brighter then Webby's was. She no longer had her staff or her powers so Webby wasn't at all worried about her using that on her, but she still didn't relax.

"I really don't have time for this," Webby said with bitterness in her voice, "what do you want?" She asked.

Magica had been sitting on a black throne that was made up of crystilized black spikes but she got up and strolled over to Webby before answering,

"I heard through the grape vine that you've gotten yourself into quite a jam since we last seen each other." She began.

"How'd -?" Webby asked.

"Don't tell me you forgotten that we shadows can still be a part of the outside world?" Magica told her cooly. She said the word shadow as if she wasn't one.

Webby stared at her. She did forget.

"Okay, fine." Webby snapped at her. "Yes. I'm in a bind and I don't have time to chat with you, so if you don't have anything else to say -." Webby turned away from her, about to take a leap back through the portal.

"I can help you know." Magica interupted.

Webby froze and slowly turned back to face her. Magica smiled at her slyly. Webby narrowed her eyes at her.

"Help? How?" She asked.

"I can help you find the right portal to that arrogant nephew of Scrooge McDcuk." Magica told her. Webby crossed her arms. "I seem to have complete control over these portals here." She told her.

"In exchange for what?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at her. "You don't 'help' anyone unless you want something."

Magica snickered.

"Oh, nothing much really." Magica replied, as casually as she could. "I'd just like to get out of here too is all."

Webby blinked.

"T,That's not possible." She stammered.

"Oh, but it is. You done it once before. Remember?" Magica reminded her.

Of course Webby remembered. But from this day she still had no idea how they were able to do it, and she told that to Magica who only scoffed at her.

"It's the bracelets." Magica told her.

Webby looked down at the friendship bracelet she still wore around her wrists. All of them still had theirs; Violet, Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

"T,The bracelets?" Webby whispered. She looked back up Magica.

"Lena unknowingly tainted them with magic." She explained. "I only need one to get out of here." She told her. "Give me yours and I will take you to the portal."

Webby swallowed hard.

"Unless, you don't want to save your husband." Magica added, her eyes shining brightly.

Webby looked back down at her bracelet. It was like giving up a part of herself if she went through with it. She could already see the look on Lena's face when she finds out what happened if she went through with it.

Giving up a friendship to save her family?

She looked back up at Magica who was smiling smuggly at her as if she knew what she'd choose.

"How do I know you won't just back out of this deal?" Webby asked, finally, trying to stall this situation until she could come up with something else.

Anything else.

"You don't." Magica told her. "But from where I'm standing, Webbigail. What choice do you have, really?" She snickered at her.

Webby knew this was true. Her stomach tighteend as she found herself slipping off the braclet. She felt oddly naked without it.

Sorry, Lena. She thought.

Magica snatched it out of her hand and gripped it tightly.

"Follow me, then." She told her.

"Don't worry, Louie." Webby tought. "I'm coming."

A feeling of dread overwhealmed her as she followed the Enchantress through the portal and back into the dark void of the shadow realm.

It was just getting dark as they flew through the air in the Rocket Launcher, and as they got closer to the island Hope felt her heart pound hard against her chest. She didn't think she had to be back here, of all places, so soon.

As her Aunt landed the plane safely and well hidden. Hope quickly grabbed a backpack that hung near the mouth of the plane and put it on her shoulders as the memory of Luca's sacrfice was still fresh in her mind. She tried pushing the memory back as the mouth of the plane slowly opened and she stepped out onto the beach and was like stepping back in time and reliving the entire senerio all over again.

Hope inhaled sharply but couldn't exhale.

She was having a panic attack, again.

Dewey noticed and quickly rushed to her side while Gosalyn helped Garret off the plane.

"Breath. Just Breath." He told her as he studied her face. He saw her eyes roll to the back of her head, and her body was shaking violently. Hope closed her eyes as she felt Dewey pulled her into a tight hug. He didn't let go until she stopped shaking and slowly open her eyes.

"Better?" He asked.

She nodded, then looked out towards the castle that stood on a hill over looking the island, and swallowed hard.

She was so determined back on the plane to save her family, but now, she so scared that she could barely think straight.

"Okay," Dewey said. "Don't take this the wrong way, but why don't you and your brother stay on the plane with Gosalyn? While I take over?"

Hope shooked her head but looked over at Garret who could barely stand. He stared at her and nodded understandingly.

"It's fine, Uncle Dewey." Hope insisted. She took her uncle's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Garret and Aunt Gosi should stay on the plane."

Dewey looked back at his wife who raised an eyebrow at him. They silently argued about it for awhile before Gosalyn sighed, picked Garret up and carried him back inside the plane while riding on her back.

"Okay, kid." Dewey said with a sigh, as they disappeared inside thee plane. "This is your rescue mission, what do we do?" He asked.

Dewey of course didn't like the fact that his six-year-old neice was in charge of the rescue mission, but he felt like the kid was about to loose it and this was the only way he can show her that it was all going to turn out okay. Even if Dewey knew he had to take over for her had to go all Turbo on the bitch who had put his family through Hell the last couple of days.

"I hate to say it, Uncle Dewey." Hope told him. "But, we're gonna have to split up."

Dewey opened his mouth to protest, but Hope was ready for this arguement. She had come up with the plan while looking through the Grimore Dulock.

"Look," She began, "you got to be the one to keep Soran busy while I find Dad. Mom is in the Shadow Realm and this all has to come out smoothly so she doesn't get cought in the crossfire once she is out. I looked to the Grimore and if all goes according to plan, she'll come out right at the same time as we escape with Dad. You, You have to help Mom out once she's out make sure you defeat Soran once and for all." She finished her speech reminding Dewey so much of Uncle Scrooge.

He still didn't like it. But what Hope was saying made sense. She really did have both her parent's traits in her. Webby's fire and Louie's planning skills and reasonings.

"Okay." He said, again. "Let's Dewey this."

Hope gave her uncle a small smile at the silly catch phrase he always used. She nodded and looked out at the dark looming castle ahead and wished she felt a lot more braver and confidant then she felt as she and Dewey made their way towards it in seperate directions.

Webby glared at the back of Magica's head as they trudged through the Shadow Realm. She couldn't stand the witch no more then she can stand Soran. If she had her way she'd have gotten rid of the both, save her and her family from all the heart ache and pain from these two.

But her goal was her first and foremost important thing to her at the moment. Saving Louie. The love of her life.

Soran and Magica would have to wait.

For now.

Magica suddenly stopped in front of her making her almost bump into her. She peered over her shoulder and saw the portal. Webby's heart raced. She was about to rush towards it when Magica stopped her.

"Don't make me laugh, Webbigail. It's not that easy." She told her as Webby glared at her. But stopped when she heard a loud screeching noise just behind them. Webby slowly turned and her blood ran cold.

A tall shadow loomed over them, and Webby stared into two, yellow peircing eyes. Webby glared at them. She had, had enough of this. She was more angry and frustrated then scared. It fueled the rage inside her.

"I'll make it easy." Webby growled and leaped up at the shadow.

Hope trudged along the dirt path towards the castle. She hoped that she could find her Dad before her uncle finds Soran, get him out of harms way when Mom showed up and she and Dewey take on Soran.

She came along a clearing and saw the tunnel she and Luca found. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as she heistated to step forward. She had to stay focused. She had to rescue her Dad. But something was was pulling her towards the tunnel. The feeling felt urgent, more familiar as if Luca's presences was still there, on the island, with her.

In the end, she decided to trust it and quickly darted her way towards the tunnel avoiding the security bots with graceful agile and headed inside the tunnel.

She came to the conclusion that it had to be Luca guiding her. How else would she explaine this feeling?

"Luca," She whispered into the darkness."what are you trying to tell me?"

The light was dim, but it got brighter as she walked slowly up ahead, and onto a soild, steel plate. She stumbled as it moved under her, pulling her towards a large blank screen over head. She saw a large control panel with buttons, and knobs, and when her hand slowly reached out on its own towards a unlabled button, as if something was guiding her towards it.

She gently pressed it and the screen turned on.

Her heart nearly stopped with what she saw.

Plans.

F.O.W.L plans to destory not only her and her family, but also to merge the supernatual with the agents of F.O.W.L use them to rule over the world. There was a list of all the supernaturals (including Soran) who are currently working for them and a list of those undetermined.

It wouldn't be the first time F.O.W.L plotted against her family. It was way back before she and Garret were born. Her Uncle Dewey's stories about how her family came out on top though, but not without high stakes.

Now, it looks like they were taking exstream measures in trying again.

Something (Luca) tugged at at her to press the button near the top. She did and a list of the supernaturals that weren't working for F.O.W.L yet came out of the slot near it. She looked back at the plans, then at the list, as an idea was slowly starting to form in her head.

Yes.

This was what Luca was trying to tell her.

She clinched the list closer to her chest She slowly backed up onto the steel plate and it moved her back to the enterence of the tunnel.

"Thanks. Luca." She whispered as she left the tunnel, and headed towards the castle, feeling a bit braver then whe she had arrived.

Louie slowly put down his son's journal. He had just got done reading it and for the first time in his life hated himself even more for giving the kid such a hard time. He has had it rough since the moment he stepped into this world. It made him feel even quiltier of how he had treated him in his last few hours of his life.

If anything good had come out of it, he at least was able to find a friend in Hope. That made him feel a little better. His daughter had that certain charm about her that reminded him so much of Webby.

Webby.

He missed her.

He was right when he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep.

He got up from the cot and looked out at the window. It was three stories high. To high for him to jump out of. There wasn't even a tree nearby to climb down on.

He looked up at the starry sky wishing he was anywhere but here. He wouldn't even mind being in the Shadow Realm with Webby, even if they got lost and never made it back home, at least they'd have each other.

"Dad?"

Louie blinked and looked down. His eyes widen when he saw his daughter. She looked pale against the light of the full moon.

"H, Hope? What are you doing here?" He asked in a angry whisper.

Hope took out something from her backpack and pointed it up at the window. It shot through the air and clamped onto the edge of the window. Louie watched in amazement as Hope climbed up the wall of the castle until she reached the window.

She was glad she hadn't left the plane without her mother's survival bag. It had everything in it from bandages, emergency food, and a grappling hook.

"Saving you." She shot back.

"Don't tell me you are alone." Louie said, his heart racing a mile a minute, as she opened the window and climbed through it.

"Uncle Dewey, Aunt Gosalyn and Garret are here." Hope told him.

"Garret's here too?" Louie asked, angerly. "He's barely recovering from last time!"

"Don't worry, he and Aunt Gosalyn are on the plane waiting for us. Uncle Dewey is looking for Soran, and once Mom is out of the Shadow Realm they are going to take her down. While I get you out of here." She explained

She stopped short when she saw who's room they were in and looked around, her eyes brimming with tears. She still had the list of the undertmined F.O.W.L agents and gripped the paper more tightly.

Her Dad noticed.

"What's that?" He asked.

Hope slowly unclinched the paper and handed it to him. Louie took it gently and looked over it as Hope spotted the journal on Luca's cot. She walked over to it and slowly picked it up.

"T,This isn't good." Louie said. "F.O.W.L is recuiting the supernaturals now?" He asked. He looked up at his daughter and his heart sank when she found the journal. He slowly walked up to her as she continued to stare at it.

"D, Did you read this?" She asked.

Louie nodded grimly.

"I, I think he'd want you to have it." Louie told her gently. "H, He was a good kid, considering who his Mom is."

Hope sniffled.

"Yeah. Yeah he was." She replied. She straightened herself up and put the journal in her backpack as she noticed her Dad's wounds. She sighed deeply, took out the emergency bandages and started patching him up.

"I, I'm proud of you, Hope." Her Dad told her as she did her finishing touches to his wounds. She stood up and Louie gently stroked her cheek, beaming at her. Hope blushed.

"Thanks. But remind me to yell at you once we get you home." She said, stepping back away from him and pulling him towards the door.

"Yell at me for what?" He asked as she took out a bobby pin and started picking the lock to the door. She heard it click and slowly creaked it open while looking back at him.

"For getting us into this mess, again." She snarled at him.

Louie started to protest, but shut his mouth when she saw her putting a finger to her lips and grabbing his hand. He should be angry with the way she talked back to him, but he couldn't help but smile as she pushed open the door a bit wider and pulled him out of the room and into the hallway. She had grown up so much in the last couple of days, it just showed how amazing his family really was, he only wished it was as easy as Hope said for getting him out of here.