Monk at McDuck Manor

Please refer to my note at the bottom regarding Sharona and this chapter's plot developments.

The ride in the old limousine was nothing like the ride in Launchpad's biplane. To Monk's enormous relief. The old butler drove dependably and predictably, Scrooge not in pursuit of anyone in particular, nor on his way to the bank or his money bin.

Monk's pulse, which between revolver pies, crashing planes, and lethal hallways, had been racing ahead, now slowed as much as it possibly could.

Sharona, who used the opportunity to call Benji and her sister on her cell, realized this. She was happy Monk had a chance to relax. She was even happier to find that she now had a chance to relax from him.

Disher was going over his notebook, trying to solve the case, and getting nowhere.

Little did the three of them realize their enemies waited in ambush, in the foyer of McDuck manor itself.

At McDuck Manor, somewhere by the balustrade looking down toward the front entrance

"We've got to get rid of this guy," said Huey. "Why's Uncle Scrooge hiring him? He ought to let us go and solve the case. We have the advice the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook gave us."

"When you can't find any suspects," quoted Dewy, "Look at the clues and try suspects you've already ruled out."

"Probably because we were getting nowhere," shrugged Louie. "We got Shedlock Jones to help us in London, the case of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. McDuck."

"Yeah, but that was different," Dewy replied. "He was an honorary Junior Woodchuck."

"Right," said the other two nephews.

"But Uncle Scrooge is paying through the beak for this guy . . . who was kicked off the police force. I have some stuff on him right here," said Dewy, holding up something he printed off of wikipedia.

"He went crazy and yeller," said Huey, looking it over.

"Why?" asked Louie.

"His wife was killed and he couldn't solve the case," said Dewy sympathetically. "Now he's afraid of practically everything."

"Jeepers. Maybe we should go easy on him?" suggested Louie.

"Na," they said in unison, and completed their plans for an all out war.

Sometime later

McDuck and company entered the mansion. Sharona impressed by the size, Monk altering a portrait that was slightly crooked, and Disher looking around, once again, like a tourist.

"Ah, Mrs. Beakly, and wee Webbigail," said McDuck, introduced the rotund housekeeper and her small granddaughter, Quackie Patch doll in hand.

"Hello," said Mrs. Beakly politely, "I have dinner ready."

"If she didn't eat it all," Disher whispered to Monk.

Sharona ignored Disher, and greeted Webby.

They proceeded to the dining room, passing under the second floor hallway.

Some water balloons, or rather mud balloons, fell to the first floor hall.

Monk found himself suddenly muddy.

"SHARONA," he called.

Sharona left off telling Webby about her job as a nurse, and rushed to Monk's aid.

"What did you do, Adrian?" she asked, shocked.

"I was attacked," Monk said looked up suspiciously, while squirming and trying to maneuver his way out of the jacket.

Five minutes later

Monk had dressed in clean clothes, was looking suspiciously around for McDuck's nephews, and thrown out his 'irredeemable' clothes. Unknown to him, Scrooge McDuck had recovered it, and ordered Duckworth to alter them to fit himself.

Monk sat with the others in the long dining room, to the left of Sharona, the right of Disher, and directly across from Huey, Dewy and Louie. McDuck sat at the head of the table, Mrs. Beakly sat beyond Webby, on Huey Dewy and Louie's side.

"I'd like everything on separate plates," Monk told Duckworth.

"Very good sir," said Duckworth, with an eyebrow raised.

Sharona rolled her eyes. More worrying, the nephews exchanged significant glances.

"We like our food mixed together," said Huey.

They mixed their potatoes, beef, applesauce, and corn together in a multicolored paste. They dug in, right in front of Monk.

Monk lost his appetite.

"More meat," muttered Disher.

"It'll cost you extra," said McDuck. "It's not included."

Disher helped himself to Monk's plate.

"Do you have any Sierra Springs water?" Monk asked Mr. McDuck.

"AWK!" McDuck started. "ME, waste me money on bottled water. Of course not."

Sharona glanced at Monk.

"Why?" he said quietly. "I only asked."

"I can't believe you didn't realize he wouldn't buy water like that," Sharona responded.

"I expected he wouldn't, but it would have been good if he had."

"Don't worry," Sharona spoke up. "Adrian packed his own."

"I should hope so," McDuck scoffed, storming into his study. "Curse me kilts. Bottled water!"

"You know what you should have," said Dewy. "Milk."

With that the three nephews sprayed milk at Monk.

Monk, who had come through the biplane, the mallets, the long ladder, was paralyzed in fear from the thought of being covered in that messiest of all beverages, milk.

Disher was overcome with laughter, Mrs. Beakly with rage.

"ADRIAN!" yelled Sharona. "I"m telling you three . . . .

It was unnecessary. Mrs. Beakly had escorted them from the room.

Ten Minutes Later

Monk had been put in the cleanest room in the mansion, was resting on an armchair, having given McDuck another new jacket.

Sharona had a room nearby. Disher had been put in the attic.

"I swear Adrian," said Sharona. "You have to solve this case. Prove you are a great detective, and you'll have no more trouble from McDuck's nephews."

"I don't know," said Monk, exhausted.

"You have to," Sharona reminded him.

Monk thought about it. He did not, he could not, give up on a case. It was his case, and he was going to solve it. If he could. No matter what sort of animated illogical escapade he'd fall into next.

"I have to," he agreed. "Tomorrow we're going to visit Flintheart Glomgold.

"As long as it's not tomorrow night," said Sharona, cheerily. "I have a date."

"Not with . . . he's a duck," Monk objected.

"He's not really a duck. He walks, talks, can't fly by flapping his arms, and wears clothes. He even grew up in the MidWest."

"He has feathers and a beak."

"And orange hair," said Sharona, rolling her eyes. "Don't be so intolerant. It's just one date. Nothing serious. Just a talk with a real adventurer."

"I'm being reasonable," scoffed Monk. "Besides, he's completely incompetent."

"Launchpad's picking me up a six," said Sharona, glaring at Monk. "If we pick up a really good lead we can postpone."

Monk leaned back into the chair.

"What are you doing?" Sharona asked him.

"Rolling my eyes," Monk explained.

He was, in a sort of precise, squarish movement that was as exact and jerky as could be found on the traveling deadlights of a clock shaped like Felix the Cat.

"Grow up," Sharona suggested, and retired to her room.

Explanation:

In several episodes of Monk, Sharona dates the villain, or someone dishonest. If the person's honest, then her dates goes wrong.

Before anyone panics - this is a just going to be another disaster for Sharona. It's also an excuse to have another chapter starring Launchpad.

There's also an episode of Ducktales where Ma Beagle cons a judge into declaring Scrooge and her man and wife. So it's not completed unheard of by the show's standards. And it's only one 'date.'

One more thing. In case you' re wondering, I chose Sharona instead of Natalie because:

-personally, I like her better than Natalie

-I believe that Natalie wouldn't be as interesting in a story like this. Sharona's more, well, animated.