Disclaimer: The wonderful thing about writing for a really new show, and having no access to TV… I go on this crazy hunt for transcripts and decent clips on YouTube for information. Took a while, but here's part two of the first episode!

Just like with the first chapter of this story, working in Donald's personality is rough. Webby and the triplets were easy as I could bounce off my Gravity Falls story for help. Honestly, Webby is like Mabel in so many ways. Let me know if I nailed his character and if I'm missing something!

1234BlueLagoon: Thanks!

StoriesUnleashed: Louie seems to be a bit of a flirt, shown in one of the shorts of the new show. Why not use that to my advantage?

L. A Taiva: Last episode? There's been 9 released so far (10 if you count the first as two parts), and a lot more on the way. It's even been confirmed for a second season already. Due to the start of labs in robotics and comp sci, I expect chapters to be a little slow coming out. I guess that by the time I reach what's currently the last episode, more should already be out. Hiatuses might be a thing when finals and/or midterms come around, but there's no way I will discontinue this story. What do you mean by something different anyway?

RainbowCelin: :D

twilight-sweden: Seeing how I updated only a few hours before your comment, hehe, updates take time. Well, sometimes. All depends on how much time I have and how enthusiastic I am about a chapter.

ultima-owner: Who doesn't love a money bin?

WolfGirl01: Yeah, Louie fancies her a bit. With how much she hangs around Scrooge, she tends to pick up on a few of his personality traits. Taking control of a situation and Scottish speaking habits being one of them.

KaseyKay17: I think, looking at this reboot, I see a lot of Gravity Falls in it. Guess that's what drew me to writing this as GFA is slowly winding to an end. It's a good focus for my mystery-loving writing self.

"Speaking"

Thinking

"Alright. Looks like we have everything all packed up." I sat on the steps go the front door, flipping through my checklist. Scrooge was out back with Launchpad and the kids, packing up all the gear into the limo. We were going to head down to the docks soon, but I wanted to make sure we had not forgotten anything. Never hurt to double check. "Or triple check," I muttered. An engine's rumbling drew my attention upwards, and I watched as the same green car from only a few hours pull into the manor's driveway. Parking right below me, Donald climbed out and headed up to the door. He cast me a curious look, and knocked on the door. "Uh, can I help you?"

"Are the boys around?" He asked. Biting my cheek and holding back a snicker from his voice, I nodded. "Is it possible for Scrooge to look after them over the weekend?" Getting to my feet, I shoved the notebook back into my jacket.

"I don't see why not. Your uncle actually planned a fun outing for them." Raising a brow, he crossed his arms and squinted his eyes suspiciously. He, uh, suspects something, doesn't he?

"What kinda outing?" Donald asked.

"Whatever you're thinking isn't happening. It's perfectly safe. Nothing 'dangerous' or 'life-threatening' or whatever you're coming up with." Grumbling at my sarcastic answer, I decided to try and defuse the situation. I mean, he was my boss' family. I should try to be hospitable. "How'd that interview go, anyway?"

"It, uh, could have gone better. With luck this job will turn things around… hopefully." Ouch. What had been going on with him and the triplets to make him so desperate for a job?

"I can relate," I said. "An unsure future isn't a fun thing, is it?" Blinking in surprise, he nodded in agreement. "You know, we never were properly introduced. I'm April. Last name… eh, not really important."

"Donald Duck," he announced, and we shook hands. I was an inch or two shorter than him, being the same height as Scrooge. I had grown a few inches since moving in years ago. He wasn't wearing the same business suit as he was this morning, I noticed. A black sailor blouse with white trim and gold buttons, and a sailor hat to top it off. Interesting choice of attire. "A sailor, huh?"

"Uh-huh," Donald replied eagerly. "My new boss wants me to pilot his sub for him."

"That's pretty cool," I admitted. Boat travel was a rough business, depending on what seas you went out on. A dangerous line of work, but rewarding. Feeling my phone buzz in my pocket, I brought it out. "Hello, you've reached McDuck's assistant. How may I help you?"

"Are we all ready to go, lass?" Scrooge's voice came from the speaker. "The boys are gettin' anxious-Louie, put that down! No, Webby, get away fro-!"

"We're ready. Just dealing with your nephew. He was asking if we could keep the boys over the weekend due to his new job." Scrooge mumbled over the phone, before he responded clearly.

"Perfect. Make sure he doesn't know about you-know-what." The phone clicked, signaling the end of our conversation. "Wow. Your boys are a handful." I'd go into detail, but I refused to mention the fact Louie flirted with me, and all the other events that occurred a few hours ago.

Donald laughed at that. "Hehehehe. You have no idea." We stood there in an awkward silence, before I came up with another question. May as well pass the time until the limo pulls up around front.

"I don't mean to pry or anything, but you guys-you and the boys, I mean… you're desperate that this job pays off, aren't you? Try and improve your lives?" Donald nodded, scratching the back of his neck.

"I do odd jobs whenever I can; tour guide, hotel handyman. I even spent three years serving in the Navy while an old friend of mine cared for them when I was away on tour. But it's like clockwork now. I love living on the houseboat, but…" he sighed. "I need this job. I dunno what'll happen if this doesn't pay off in the end." I was left speechless. We-were things really that rough for him, Huey, Dewey, and Louie? Did Scrooge even have a clue what was going on? Of course not. If they haven't spoken in ten years, then he wouldn't have known at all. Makes me wonder even more… was Scrooge aware he had more nephews before today even started?

A honking horn drew our attention back to the driveway, and we saw the limo pull up. "Well, here's my ride. It was nice meeting you, Donald." With a final wave, I skipped down the stairs and slid into the back with Scrooge and the kids. "Take it away, Launchpad!"

"Sure thing, April," he called back. We peeled away, leaving the manor and Donald in the dust. The boys were pressed against the seat with how fast we took off, and Webby giggled madly beside them. Yeah, this is going to be an interesting weekend.

(Time Skip)

Gotta admit, despite his horrendous piloting and driving skills, Launchpad wasn't too terrible with the submarine. We haven't rammed into anything yet, and were making quick time through the ocean. The sun was already setting, and Scrooge had gone to the hatch for the last bit of fresh air before we dived. While the kids were checking out the scenery from below, I decided to see how he was doing.

"I run a multi-trillion dollar business," I heard Scrooge say above me. Peeking up the hatch at the foot of the ladder, I could make out the phone in his hand. Guess he was talking to Donald. Not surprising, seeing how suspicious he was when I told him his uncle had plans for the nephews. "I can handle a few juveniles for the weekend. You just focus on this new job of yours. Besides, we've got a pretty low-key day planned."

Dewey dashed past me, and scurried up the ladder. "Hoist the mast sail! Other boat words! To Atlantis! Dive! Dive!" He called down to Launchpad, as Scrooge tried to shout over him to not-too late.

"Launchpad, the hatch! Ah! Stop, the-!" As fast as he could, he dragged Dewey back into the sub, and closed the door. Unfortunately, not quick enough to stop half a foot of water from pouring in and soaking me and the floor.

"Woo hoo!" Dewey slid down the ladder, and ran over to the control console where Huey was. Louie and Webby were controlling the pump, draining the sub. Grumbling under my breath, I took my scarf off and wrung it out as Scrooge dumped the water out of his hat. Reaching into his coat, he pulled out the phone and tossed it to Louie.

"Talk to your uncle." I followed him up front, and stood beside him watching Launchpad pilot us through the dark sea. There wasn't much to see at this level. The spotlights didn't do much in our favor except for helping us avoid any rocks and reefs. "Launchpad, have you ever piloted a sub before?" Scrooge asked.

"I sunk a helicopter in a wave pool once. Same thing?" I slapped a hand to my face, groaning.

"I've done more with less," Scrooge sighed. Glad we were in the same boat here. "No matter, I'm back! Uncharted territory. Bold new discoveries!" I couldn't help but laugh from his excitement. This here, this was the Scrooge I remembered the most. Not the harsh, reclusive business duck, but the adventurous, thrill-seeking, and energetic duck that I first met down at the waterfront read about in old articles.

"Travel bingo!" Scrooge and me gasped at Huey's shout, not prepared for the loud noise. "I love road trips! I've got snacks…" he pulled out a blue book bag and took out a few fruits. "A playlist of traditional sea shanties… and matching family road-trip shirts!" After putting away the cassette player, he took out another copy of the red shirt he was wearing and threw it on Scrooge. A small image of the sub was stylized on front. Scrooge stared at the shirt over his coat, and pulled it off to hand to Launchpad.

"Ye-yeah. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but there's no time." He adjusted his coat's belt, while Huey looked over a series of notes.

"Uh, but according to the travel itinerary-"

"Boo!" Dewey popped up behind him from one of the seats, and tore up the notes. Climbing over to his brother, he shook his head. "Adventure isn't about planning, it's about doing!" Well, he's not entirely wrong. But he's not right either. You need a plan and action to do something grand like this. Running to the front, he grinned up at Scrooge. "So, what can I be in charge of? The buzz-saw arm?" He pressed a button on the dashboard, only for Scrooge to quickly hit it again.

"No!"

"Sonic cannons?"

"No!"

"Hyper-dense zero-point energy missiles to pierce the scaly hide of a kraken?" I laughed at that one. Scrooge blocked Dewey's hand, preventing him from hitting another button.

"None of those things are real things. This is your first expedition, so just stand back and watch an old pro… from a safe distance." A sly smirk appeared on his bill, and I wondered what he was thinking of.

"So what is the submarine equipped with?" Dewey asked. Scrooge led him back to one of the seats, pushed him down in it, and buckled him in with a seat belt.

"Seat belts. Hehehehe." Chuckling, he moved to the back and sat down in a chair, plotting out a course. Ignoring the conversation Huey and Dewey were getting into, I sat down next to Launchpad and fished out my notebook. Thank goodness this jacket was somewhat water-proof.

"Let's see here…" clicking my pen, I began to jot down a few notes. Behavioral patterns in the triplets that set them each apart, and how Scrooge apparently doesn't see Dewey as responsible enough to do something to help out. That's going to bite him in the tail feathers later. Dewey seemed like the kind of child to want to prove himself. Glancing back, I saw Scrooge exchange a look with the kids. Whatever just passed between them, I couldn't quite tell. In the end, Scrooge got up from his seat, and took the map he drew out and put it on the dashboard.

"Mr. McQuack, chart a course. Next stop, the lost city of Atlantis!" The children and Launchpad cheered, sharing his liveliness. "In about sixteen hours!" He checked his watch, adding to his statement. The kids' faces fell, and Huey pulled out his music player.

"Shanty time!" Uh… how about no? Backing over to an empty seat behind the kids, I dropped down in it and curled into a ball on my side.

"I'm making this perfect clear, okay? If there's no good reason to wake me up: don't. I will personally strangle you if you try." Closing my eyes and nuzzling the fabric of the seat, I tried to fall asleep. The sea shanties were certainly driving my nerves after three of them, but I was able to tune them out to catch… I don't know how long I was asleep for. A couple hours, maybe. Sleepily, I opened an eye, and found Webby, Huey, and Louie fast asleep. Huey was cuddling the music player, drooling on it. Dewey, meanwhile, had gone up to pester Scrooge some more. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but Scrooge smacked his cane against the wall where the map was to prevent Dewey from touching it. Then he went and hit Launchpad with it to keep him awake.

Dewey, after a few minutes, came back to his feet, looking quite pleased with himself. "Shortcut achieved! He'll thank me later."

Yeah, so… a kraken apparently does exist, and can conduct electricity through its tentacles too. Then there was the vicious quartet of sea monsters with a charged trident aimed right at our window. And whatever that cloud giant thing was that created a waterspout that sent us flying about through giant waves.

"Ugh, you kids will be the death of me," Scrooge groaned. While Launchpad was still in his seat buckled in, the rest of us were knocked around and onto the floor, sprawled about. Getting to his feet, he moved back up front.

"Dewey! Dewey will be the death of you!" Dewey called back to him.

"Kid, I swear, you will not make it to teenage years if you keep this up," I muttered. "I'll make sure of that." Huey got up and went over to Scrooge, who now had to rewrite the map Dewey destroyed.

"Can we make a pit stop? I have to use the bathroom, but it's-um…" he opened the bathroom door, but quickly slammed it shut as one of the sea monsters fought its way through the toilet and tried to claw at him. "Ah! Occupied!?"

"For the love of-it's the middle of the ocean!" Scrooge got up, clearly exasperated. "There are no pit stops!"

"How 'bout that conspicuously unmarked tanker?" I got up off the ground with Louie and Webby, and went to check out the radar myself.

"That's a little weird," I remarked. "I suppose it could work though, but we should be careful. We don't know who's boat it is. Launchpad, bring us up to the surface. We better be quick about this." Taking my words, the pilot brought us up alongside the tanker, and the triplets and Scrooge headed to the ladder. Webby remained in her seat, not needing to head out like the others. "Hurry, Scrooge."

"We'll be right back," he sighed. The four climbed out the hatch, and I went to sit down beside Webby.

"So… any one of them catch your interest?" Webby snorted, and punched me in the arm playfully. "Hey, it was just a question!"

"Be serious, April!" She laughed. "They're friends, not bachelors!"

"Maybe now, but one day soon, your body will undergo a series of-oomph!" Webby shoved me off the seat and onto the floor. Glaring up at her from my position on my back, I rolled my eyes. "I'm not totally kidding, you know. Besides your grandmother, I'm the only other female in the mansion. Who do you think you're gonna get advice from? Launchpad? You're gonna need to come to me for help one day. Because, lets be honest, telling your granny would be… awkward."

"No kidding," Webby giggled. Extending her hand, she helped me back into my seat. "Oh! Here they come!" Scrooge walked past us, signaling Launchpad to dive again. The boys climbed into their seats, and Huey looked from Webby to me.

"What were you two talking about?" He asked. Oh, Huey. Wouldn't you like to know?

"Nothing!" I replied, grinning. "Nothing that concerns you guys. Just female things." They grimaced, making me and Webby laugh. "I'm gonna go check up on things with your uncle." Scrooge was staring out of the porthole, studying the currents we were traversing. "You know," I drew his attention to me, "something tells me this isn't just for the children. You miss this, don't you? The thrill of adventure? The mystery and danger?"

"Aye," Scrooge chuckled, smiling fondly at his reflection in the glass. "It's been years since I've done this. Though, I will admit, the company is… different than before." We glanced back at Webby, Huey, Dewey, and Louie; the four starting to doze off in their seats, huddled together. "They're not what I was expectin', mind you. But all the same, it's… nice to not be alone all the time."

"It is, isn't it?" Turning back to the window, I couldn't tell if he was still looking at his reflection, the outside… or me. "Your nephew, Donald, he, uh… he seems interesting." That definitely drew his attention to me. "We talked for a while until you showed up with the limo. I just-Scrooge, did you even keep in contact at all with him over the last decade? His financial problems? Did you even know you had more nephews?"

"I… aw, lass." Scrooge looked to the floor regretfully. "I've been a wee bit of a fool, haven't I?" I crossed my arms, nodding firmly. "I've been too stubborn to let go of what happened in the past, I refused to keep tabs on him. How was I to know that he was struggling with money? Or that De-that he had children to care for?" He asked, taking a breath to correct himself. He wasn't going to say Donald there, was he? Was this another relative I have yet to hear about? A sibling of Donald's perhaps, seeing that the children are his nephews.

"Yeah, you've been a fool. But you're making an effort to change that, and that's what counts. Though, making this clear now, I will continue making this hard on you. The whole 'ignoring all family for ten years' thing is hard to get past." I patted his shoulder, and made one last comment. "Remember this though, Scrooge. This trip isn't just about you. True, it's about adventure and the search for the jewel, but you're trying to mend things with your family. Don't be pushing them away. Hehe. I'll be right here, ready when you need a good whack to keep reminding you of that."

"What would I be without my faithful assistant?" Bored out of your mind? Scrooge and me smiled, and tuned back to the ocean. "The Drake Barrier Reef. Powerful currents combined with rocky terrain make it nearly impossible to navigate… but on that rare occasion when snow falls above the reef, the currents cool, allowing safe passage to-" we turned around, waiting for the children to respond, only for them to slowly wake up.

"Huh? What? Are we there yet?" They mumbled, rubbing their eyes.

"Well, I just about to-"

"Right side or left side?" Huey interrupted Scrooge, suddenly looking much more awake.

"If you'd just let me-"

"Look!" The kids ran past him, pressing against the porthole excitedly. "There that thing is! We found it!" Dewey cried. The spotlights shone down on a triangular shaped structure under us, making it shine in a light blue glow. Even Launchpad had turned to look below; the five oohing in amazement.

"Yes, good, Atlantis. Oooh! Aaah! Thanks for spoiling the moment," Scrooge muttered. Launchpad aimed us down to an opening, and Huey tilted his head to the side.

"The whole place is upside-down!" What? Turning my head to mimic his, I saw he was right. The door we were entering-at least I think it was a door-should have been flipped around. This means this whole place, it's whole layout, is going to be even more difficult to navigate.

"Ah, well, that's a new one," Scrooge admitted. The sub rose up to break the surface of water inside, and he and Dewey went back to the hatch. It appeared I was right. The giant door that was on our left was reversed, so that meant we were on the ceiling. Taking out the keys to the sub, Launchpad headed out with the rest of us, and began to tie off the vehicle to a rock to keep it from drifting away. Louie and Webby gathered together to look at a phone, while I joined Launchpad and Huey in heading over to Dewey and Scrooge. The two were studying hieroglyphics on the wall beside the door, and Scrooge nodded in understanding. That's good. I couldn't make any sense of it.

"A-ha! Well, according to these marking, the Atlanteans were so eager to build an epic city of wonders and death traps, they didn't stop to figure out a proper support structure and the whole thing fell into the sea! You kids best stay by the sub while I scout ahead."

"Dewey ran in as soon as you said 'death traps'," Huey said immediately.

"Come on, Scrooge! We got this!"

"Boy! Ugh! What… mmrngh." Grumbling, Scrooge climbed over the door, and headed off after Dewey. Seeing that it wouldn't make sense to remain behind, and that one of the other kids might make a break for it, we tagged along behind him. Heading off down a path, Scrooge came to a halt in front of a door, and we stopped behind him. "Lad! I thought the traps would get you fur sure!" Dewey was sitting cross-legged on the floor, facing down the hall. Raising a hand and point a finger at the ceiling, we all looked up.

Buzz saws. There were… buzz saws on the ceiling-wait. No, if we're upside-down, then that's the floor up there. "Stupid upside-down temple," Dewey complained, getting to his feet. "Nothing cool about walking under buzz saws."

"From now, don't touch anything," Scrooge said, putting emphasis on the last word. Walking past him, we heard several small thunks. Looking up, a small pebble, probably kicked by Dewey in frustration, flew up to hit a tile on the ceiling. Sliding away, it let loose a large pile of snakes to come crashing down on our heads. Screaming, we booked it out of the way, and left Launchpad in our dust. Clambering over a large rock, Scrooge cracked his spine with a groan. "Phew. Maybe Atlantis was an ambitious first outing."

"Maybe a little bit." Launchpad crawled over the rock, and fell flat on his face. "Huey, check on him, would you? I'm gonna go help Scrooge." Leaving Webby and Louie to the phone, which by now I believe had something to do with Mrs. Beakley, I climbed up the ledge where Scrooge was busy shoving a boulder out of the way. "So our pilot was mauled by snakes, and I think we're gonna have to go to the hospital."

"We'll worry about that later." We moved into the new area, and I gaped at the new trap. You have got to be kidding me.

"Whoa!" Dewey ran up behind us, smiling widely. "Suspension bridge? Chasm? Glowing blue mystical blue lasers? Classic!" He went to talk onto the bridge, put Scrooge quickly pulled him back with the crook of his cane.

"Eurgh. Even a basic death trap still has the word 'death' in the title." He pointed the tip of his cane in the crossbeams, and a jet of flames flew up from the ground, nearly incinerating us if we were inches closer. "We'll find another route. It's not safe for amateur adventurers." Scrooge made his way back to the other room, and I was about to follow until Dewey decided to be an idiot.

"That sounds like a challenge!"

"I have to stress that is not a challenge," Scrooge said, turning back to him.

"… is exactly what you'd say to dissuade the weak of heart from accepting the challenge!" He whirled around to face the bridge, throwing a fist in the air. "Well, challenge accepted!"

"There is no challenge!" Scrooge and me yelled. Before we could do anything, the boy took off down the bridge, doing a silly dance and humming a song. Yet, for some reason, the lasers weren't working. "It's not working. Why isn't it working?" I mumbled quietly. Peering over the edge and ignoring Dewey, I saw almost pitch black in the chasm. Though, there was one thing I thought I could make out. A small flash of white and gold through all that darkness. I'm not sure if it was my eyes, but i-it couldn't have been Donald down there, could it?

"Nailed it!" Looking back up, I saw Dewey at the end of the trap.

"April, hold onto my shoulders." Snapping my head to Scrooge, I blinked in confusion. He wanted me to do what?

"Uh, okay?" Throwing my arms around his back and interlocking my fingers to secure my grip, I rested my head on his shoulder. "But I don't see how this is going to-AAHHH!" Scrooge jumped off the ledge we were standing on, and hooked his cane around it. Swinging himself forward, he sent us flying over Dewey and onto the ledge just above his head. The boy stared at us in shock, and then rolled his eyes.

"Sure, if you want to do it the easy way." He turned away from us, and I shakily let go of Scrooge. Oh, be still, my beating heart. I was not ready for that at all.

"Why wouldn't you want to do it the easy way? You've got to work smarter, lad, not harder," Scrooge explained.

"Ugh, 'lad'. I don't call you 'old man' or 'Scotty McTophat'," Dewey complained.

"Respect your elder. When you adventure with Scrooge McDuck-"

"But I'm not. You want me to adventure behind Scrooge McDuck, or wait by the sub!" He finally turned around, temper rising. "I might as well be back on the houseboat!"

"Because you have no idea what you're doing!" Scrooge yelled.

"So show me! Give me a chance instead of lumping us all together in the back seat while you drive!" Dewey begged.

"I'm not lumping you all together." Scrooge glanced to the left. He knew he was lying. He clearly couldn't distinguish the boys apart. To him, he saw them all as the same person.

Dewey narrowed his eyes intensely, seeing right through him. "Oh, really? Which triplet am I? And April, don't you dare help him." I snapped my beak shut, and stepped back from Scrooge. Yeah, this is going south very fast. Scrooge knew he was caught, looking from me to Dewey, wracking his brain for an answer.

"It's… Bluey?" Oh, wrong move. Dewey stormed past Scrooge, and the flames shot upwards and obliterated the bridge. On the far side, Launchpad was carried by Huey, Louie, and Webby, still loopy from the snake venom. "Eugh, fantastic. You see what I'm talking about?" He asked to Dewey, the boy pausing to look back. Turning to the others, he put a hand to his mouth. "You four find another way 'round! We're going to…"

"Push on, I'm guessing," I remarked. Dewey had started descending down the rocks beside us, not waiting for us to catch up to him.

"Apparently." I went after Dewey, and Scrooge carried the rear. Heading down into a tunnel, I managed to match my speed with Dewey, choosing to block out Scrooge's ramblings to himself. Just as I got down to where the boy stopped, I stared, stunned, at the room. Traps were displayed around the ceiling, but it was the massive pile of gold on the floor that caught my sight. Though, what really drew my interest was the red jewel in the middle of the room, pinched by a stone hand.

"Ha ha ha. There she is." A duck followed by a small group entered below us, and climbed to the top of the hand. From this height, I could make out the tam o'shanter hat, gray beard and sideburns, kilt, and black frock coat. "The jewel of Atlantis!" The duck cackled madly, and I grimaced when I realized who he was. Flintheart Glomgold. Eugh. The second richest duck in the world, and the most irritating drake I've come to know. I've run into him on more than a few occasions, and it bothered me with how much he was interested in my history with Scrooge. How I was the youngest worker he's ever had, and one of the closest to him to boot. The guy had tried to flatter me, to get me to spill any secrets about my employer… until I went and drop-kicked his sorry butt and got the lawyers involved. Never sure how he got off scot-free.

"Who's that?" Dewey asked, keeping his voice low.

"Flintheart Glomgold, the poor man's version of me. Which, to be fair, still makes him insanely rich," Scrooge explained.

"We have a rather… interesting past with the guy," I explained vaguely.

"Ah ha ha ha! Load up the sub." Flintheart jumped down to meet his crew, and Dewey gasped beside me.

"They've got Uncle Donald!?"

"What!?" Scrooge and me exclaimed, and spotted said duck himself being dragged in by two people. Dewey leaped over the edge, sliding down the pile of gold leading up to us. Scrooge, on the other hand, jumped up onto the ledge and dove into the coins. Sneak attack. Got it. I don't do gold diving. It's actually a lot harder than it looks; believe me, I've been in the money bin. But with a good running start…

"Let go of my uncle!" Dewey shouted, reaching the bottom. Flintheart turned around, the jewel tucked under his arm.

"No," he stated, glasses glinting evilly.

"I wasn't prepared for that," Dewey said, stepping back. Well, that's 'cause you ran in without a plan, dummy!

Thankfully, he distracted the duck long enough for Scrooge to burst out of the gold from behind him, hooking his cane around his ankle and knocking Flintheart to the ground and ripping the jewel from his hands. Holding the end of the cane to his face, mere inches from his eyes, Scrooge all but growled at him. "What are you doin' here, Flinty?"

"What are you doing here, Scrooge?" Donald asked, turning his words back on him. "I told you to keep the boys safe!"

"Ah, they're perfectly fine," Scrooge replied, not looking away from Flintheart.

"Oh, yeah? Where are the other two?" Donald was on his feet, arms crossed disapprovingly.

"Back safe in the room with the fire and the snakes."

"WHAT!?" Scrooge, we really need to give you lessons on what is dangerous for children. Flintheart smirked, looking from Donald to Scrooge.

"Ah, Scroogey. I see you know my newest employee." I'm sorry, what!?

"Your new job is with my sworn enemy?" Scrooge turned to Donald as Dewey ran up to him. I, keeping my plan ready for when this all goes downhill, kept to the edges of the room, surveying the scene below.

"I can't keep track of all your sworn enemies!" Donald shouted.

"Now, now, Donald has been a model employee… and an excellent prisoner. Ah ha."

"Yeah! Wait, what?" One of the wolves rested his hands on Donald's shoulders, while the tall female bird held a dagger to Donald's neck. The action was enough to let Scrooge release Flintheart from his cane and take the jewel, and the four backed up the gold pile to the exit with Donald at knife-point.

"Hirin' my own nephew in order to use him against me? Now that is good planning." Once they got high enough, I took a step back, and sprinted along the wall to where they were. Not sure if they even saw me coming, but I wouldn't deny the small part that enjoyed hearing Flintheart cry out when I rammed into him, and ripped Donald from the woman's hands.

"Taking this!" I threw Donald down to the others, and jumped back down the mound to keep a safe distance from him. Yeah, I want to stay as far away from th lady with all the swords, thank you. "Evening, Glomgold," I spat.

"April," he greeted, the same emotion in his tone. "Have fun workin' for the second richest duck in the world… for the next five minutes." Laughing, the woman threw a sword up at the ceiling, triggering a trap. The gem above our heads, this one a light blue, began to glow, and the door where Flintheart and his crew stood closed, locking us in. Water began to pour in rapidly from the holes in the walls, flooding the area and sweeping me off my feet until I landed beside Scrooge at the bottom.

"I'd like to point out that this trap was not my fault," Dewey said. The water was already waist-deep, and we looked around for an escape, a switch, anything. "We gotta stop the water!" Scrooge turned around to examine the hand, checking it over while Donald ran up to one of the holes in the wall. He tried to stuff the water itself back, and when that didn't work, he used a handful of gold coins and shoved them in. All that did was send the water and gold flying back into his face.

"Waaaugh!" I sputtered a laugh while running over to Dewey, hearing the duck's temper get the best of him. Turning around once I reached the boy, I saw Donald shaking a fist madly, hopping in the air until he somehow got himself stuck in the hole in the wall. "Oh no." Several leaks appeared around him, and with his rear still stuck, he covered them with his hands and feet. "Ugh. Ahhh. I knew it! I knew I couldn't trust you with the boys!"

"Not the time, Donald," Scrooge said, climbing to the top of the hand. The ground disappeared under my feet, and Dewey helped me up on top of the treasure chest he ran to.

"Crazy old man! All you care about is your next adventure! This is the Spear of Selene all over again!" The Spear of Selene…? Darting to look from Donald to Scrooge, I saw his face twist angrily.

"I was not responsible for the Spear of Selene!"

"Stop!" Dewey shouted as the current drifted us around the hand. "Scrooge was trying to keep me out of trouble, but I was so caught up in-why is there a lamp on the floor?"

"What?" Donald asked, confused. Looking up, we stared at the gem in the ceiling.

"Atlantis is upside-down," I murmured. "Why on earth would you have a lamp on the floor, when it should be down here..."

"… surrounded by all this treasure," Dewey picked up.

"Good, you two," Scrooge pressured. "Keep goin'."

"But why would you surround that thing with treasure unless… that's the real jewel of Atlantis!" Scrooge, me, and Dewey all ended together, Scrooge dove into the water, surfacing and holding onto the chest. "That thing lit up when the trap was sprung-I bet my bottom dollar it's the power source that runs the city!" Kicking, he guided us over to where Donald was.

"Uncle Donald, you gotta let the room flood so I can grab the jewel," Dewey told him.

Donald stared at him in shock, probably thinking his nephew had lost his mind. "That's crazy! I'm supposed to, what, let go? Trust you?"

"Well, yeah, that's kind of all you can do." Dewey put a hand to his chin in thought. "This is a surprisingly insightful death trap!" The water level had now reached Donald's neck, and he brought himself to look up at Dewey. With a smile, it was all the duck needed to take a breath and dive down. From below, we watched him release his feet and hands, and push off from the wall, releasing the final flow of water we needed. Bobbing away from him, Donald resurfaced and quickly swam over to us.

"Dewey, get ready to dive off of this chest," I ordered. This is going to be cold, isn't it? Inhaling, I threw myself off and into the water. Bursting back up, I shook my head, shivering. "Good lord, this is freezing! Cold! Cold! Cold!" Floating under Dewey, we watched him leap up to grab the jewel, knocking the chest away. Scrooge and Donald joined me in grabbing hold of it as the water was just feet away from reaching the top, and we began to pull at the gem. Breathe! Inhaling the last shred of air as my head went under, I watched with blurred vision as the jewel finally came loose, triggering the lamp at the bottom to act as a drain. Whirling around the room as the water was sucked out, I landed flat on my back beside Donald at the bottom. Dewey was clinging to the jewel, while Scrooge was on his face. "I… seriously regret… life decisions. Ugh, I am losing so many years off my life with this trip."

"Hey! We're gonna be okay!" Donald cheered, seeing the door reopen, letting us out. Before anything else could happen, we ran up the pile of gold and back the way we came. This time, we took Donald's path. Entering a room, we found the rest of the group fighting Flintheart's henchmen, and I grinned at the trouble Webby was causing for the bird.

"That's my girl," I laughed.

"Oh, yeah, those guys," Donald commented. Huey and Dewey ran past them, tripping a wolf and trapping him inside one of Huey's family road-trip shirts. "Huey and Louie," he ran up to the boys, hugging them tightly, "are doing okay!"

"Yah!" Webby flipped the last wolf and the bird on top of the other downed henchman, and jumped back beside Dewey.

"Wait! Where's Glomgold?" Scrooge asked, looking around.

"Hey, team. Wanted to thank you." The Scottish voice flowed through a walkie-talkie in one of the henchmen's hands. "For keeping Scrooge's kin busy while I escape with the jewel and blow up Atlantis with my most hated rival inside."

"But I thought employees were greatest treasure of all!" The wolf with glasses said, looking hurt by his words.

"Don't be ridiculous! Treasure is the greatest treasure of all-that's why it's called treasure! Glomgold out!" The crackling of static cut out, and I immediately sprinted past Scrooge to the exit.

"Time to go!" I hollered over my shoulder. Retracing my steps wasn't as hard as I'd thought it'd be, using the easier path Donald led us to. Making it out to the sub first, I stumbled against the wall as I torpedo hit the outside. Rocks began falling around the room, and I threw myself into the hatch. Launchpad followed next, running to the driver's seat and started up the sub. The kids and Scrooge came in next, and Webby threw the rope holding us to the makeshift dock into the corner. "Are we all-?"

Donald came down the hatch, followed by Flintheart's crew; the glasses wearing wolf was being supported by the one in the red shirt. "Go!" Donald shouted, and Launchpad gunned us back through the tunnel we came in through. Swerving to avoid the rocks falling around we, we managed to get outside of the city's limits in time as the structure collapsed behind us.

With how fast Launchpad hit the gas, it knocked everyone into a pile behind him. "That was some quick thinking," Scrooge said, smiling at Dewey from the bottom of the pile. The two were holding the jewel, and Scrooge wrapped an arm around the boy. "You just may be an adventurer yet… Dewey."

"Okay, I love family bonding and all, but I'm stuck underneath everyone, and I'd love to be able to breathe properly again." I was stuck at the very bottom of the pile, with Huey's elbow pressed against my throat and Louie's leg against my stomach. "Like, anytime now." That was everyone's cue to readjust themselves, and I gasped once my lungs were corrected. "Thank you."

(Time Skip)

It wasn't too rough of a ride back. With the medical supplies I so wisely packed, we went about treating the bruises and sprains given over the course of the trip. Besides my ragged breathing from the water that filled my lungs earlier, I was more or less agitated. It didn't have anything to do with Scrooge this time. It was all Donald.

He should have known from the start that Flintheart Glomgold was bad news. Sure, I understand being desperate for money, but there should have been alarm bells way before he even boarded that tanker.

Yes, he told Scrooge he found out about the boys and him because it was Flintheart's boat they boarded. It also turned out he was the one to prevent Dewey from getting roasted in the laser trap. So here I was, walking over to Donald who was watching the boys chat with Webby on the other side of the sub. "H-hey." I sighed, seeing he was ignoring me. Sitting down beside him, I rubbed the back of my neck. "Listen, Donald. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about this earlier back on dry land; you know, at the manor. It's just that the kids were so excited for this idea, and I knew that Scrooge would try his hardest to keep them protected, and I… I-aw, forget it. This is stupid." I went to walk away, only for a hand to grab my wrist and pull me back.

"It's been ages since I've seen Scrooge. I didn't want my family being roped into one of his adventures again." Again…? "But… it's nice to see them having fun with him and Webby here." The four laughed as Dewey retold the story of what happened after they were split up. Smiling at the pleasant sight, Donald continued. "I knew you were trying your best. And… thanks for that."

"You're welcome, Donald. Whether you appreciate him or not, Scrooge is trying to fix things. The guy's definitely a little on the excitable side, but he wants to bond with the children. Besides Mrs. Beakley, I know him the best out of all of his other employees. He wants to fix things, he really does. Just… in his own crazy old-man way." I felt a whack against the back of my head, earning a small yelp. "Ow!" We turned around, seeing Scrooge give me an unimpressed look. Donald chuckled, as I put a hand where he hit me. "Oh… I, uh, y-you know I mean well."

"Sure, lass," he replied sarcastically with a sly grin. "We're 'bout to resurface. Shall we surprise ol' Glomgold?" Grinning, I nodded furiously.

"Uh, duh!" Chasing back to the hatch, I felt the sub begin to ascend. Once I shred of sunlight was noticeable from the window, I opened the door and climbed out. Scrooge followed out behind me, holding the gem beside him. "Hey, Scrooge? I'm proud of you. Sure, there was some arguments with Donald and Dewey, but this was good for a first try at rebuilding that bond. Just don't keep belittling the kids, okay?"

"I'll try, April. Oh. Here we are." The tanker was parted on the wharf with Flintheart standing in front of a podium on a stage, the press already surrounding him. We could hear him warming up the crowd, and just as he was about to announce what the red gem was, Scrooge cut him off. "The jewel of Atlantis!" Together, we stood proudly at the top of the sub, each with a hand on the gem propped up between us. The item didn't weigh much, but it stood up to our shoulders in height.

"What!?" Hopping down off the sub, we landed with smug pride at the feet of the reporters, smiling as the cameras were aimed in our direction. The news shouted questions, and Scrooge announced a basic answer to satisfy their inquiries.

"An efficient, clean source of energy that could power Duckburg for fifty years, courtesy of your friends at McDuck Water and Electric." A tall duck with platinum blonde hair raised her hand, holding a mic at for a response.

"Ooh, Mr. McDuck, how do you respond to claims by other Scottish billionaires that they have the real jewel?" Scrooge and me smirked, casting a look over at Flintheart.

"That bangle?" I asked, giggling. "It's pretty, yeah, but that thing is obvious cursed. Like, really cursed."

"No, it's not!" Flintheart shouted, hopping over to the edge of the stage with the jewel above his head. A loud roar came from behind him, sending the bagpipers and reporters running. Standing still by the sub, we watched a tentacle rise up out of the ocean, swiping the stage to splinters and nabbing Flintheart before he could run. Ducking as it swept over our heads, we laid the jewel down to walk to the edge of the dock. Poor, Flintheart was carried out to sea, jewel in hand and trapped in the beast's slimy grip. Huey and Dewey stood a few feet behind us with Donald, watching until the man was out of sight.

"Think we ought to do something about that?" I asked. Scrooge chuckled, shaking his head.

"He'll be fine," he replied. The two of us smiled, before hearing Donald walk up to us. Oh no. "Now, Donald, don't-"

"Stop," he cut him off. "I admit, I'm a little overprotective." He pinched his fingers together, going along with his point.

"A little?" I wasn't sure which triplet said it, but the three moved over to watch us.

"No matter what I do, these boys will get into trouble, so maybe…" Donald scratched the back of his head. "You can teach them how to get out of trouble." Is he going where I think he was going with this?

"Uncle Donald?" Huey asked, hope in his voice.

"It might be okay if the boys saw you every once in a while. Hehehe." He went over to hug the three, and they whooped in excitement, asking if he really meant it. "Sometimes, like birthdays, or federal holidays. Nothing too-AAH!" A loud boom shook the dock, and we whirled around to find a boat several yards away on fire.

"That, uh… that was the houseboat, wasn't it?" I asked quietly. As a whole, we turned around to look at the kids, and found Huey and Louie glaring at Dewey. "Dewey…?"

"Ooh! I may have left the engine running on the houseboat," he said nervously. That was there house. The one thing that they had left. What do they do n-? Hmmm. I froze, an idea sparking in my head. I wasn't sure if Scrooge would go along with it, but it didn't hurt to try. I watched the boys, flickering my eyes from them, to Donald, and lastly to Scrooge, and I elbowed the older duck. Here goes.

"You know, we do have a dozen or so bedrooms in the mansion that aren't being used." Gaining their attention, I gave a knowing look to Scrooge, who secretly smiled back at me. Looking to Donald with a nod, we all turned to the boys. All it took was Donald giving a small laugh to set them off, cheering loudly and dragging Webby into the fray. Dewey was break-dancing, laughing his head off. Scrooge patted Donald on the shoulder, and I pulled out my phone. Dialing in a number, I held it up to my ear. "Let's see-hello? Duckburg Fire Department? It's April… what? N-no. It's not Launchpad again… yeah, I know. It's amazing. Listen, can you get down here to the docks? I need you to put out a houseboat for me… okay. Thanks." Clicking it shut, I grinned at Donald. "Hope that helps. It might not be perfectly habitable, but there should be enough to salvage once they douse the flames."

Donald chuckled. "Aw, thanks, April."

I grinned back, snapping my phone shut. "No problem, Don." The mallard straightened up at the nickname, and I laughed at his reaction. "No use trying to stop me. That nickname's stuck on you now, so get used to it."

(Time Skip)

I leaned against the manor's brick outside, watching Launchpad drop Donald's houseboat into the pool. Scrooge never used it that much, so when Donald begged him to let him bring it with, he let him. Of course, the top was scorched and blackened, and I wasn't entirely sure how the inside looked. But it floated, so that was a good thing. To my amusement, it had also drenched the poor duck when it landed in the water. "Did I do it good?" Launchpad asked, making me laugh. Trekking around the outside of the house, I walked into the opened garage, still with a pleased smile on my face. Huey, Louie, and Scrooge were sword fighting with canes, brooms, and a plunger. Webby had gotten hold of the possessed sword, and was floating after them. Dewey was sitting in the back, tidying up a box of random artifacts.

"Hey, Dewey." He looked up at me, and I ruffled the feathers on his head. "That the last of it?"

"Yep. We're all done." I followed behind him as he carried the box to the rest of the stacks, and he wiped at his forehead. "Phew." Walking back to me, he stopped to look at an old painting of Scrooge fighting the ghost pirate, and I noticed Donald was swinging from a rope in the corner. Dewey stared at it, before reaching up to push up the torn piece of cloth in the upper left corner. When he did, he leaned back, shocked. "Mom?"

A duck in a pilot outfit swung her sword at another pirate atop the mast, highlighted by the setting sun behind her. Mom. This was… Donald's sister? "Sweet corn," I murmured. "There's some huge mystery going on right under our bills with this family that I wasn't even aware of." And… and I'm going to to find out what.

And once again, I have gone overboard with a chapter. It might return to a normal sized chapter flow once the story gets out of the introduction phase. Who knows?

Next chapter might be a bit slow coming out. I have two labs this week due Friday, and one of them I had trouble with due to downloading problems.

Until next time, which hopefully won't be too long!

Angel