Generations
As Della grew from a duckling into a fine young duck, she started longing more and more for other girls to share her hobbies with. Finding friends who shared your interests was surprisingly a lot harder if you were her. For one thing, most girls didn't like scaling buildings, and most would rather go biking or to the gym rather than sailing or deep sea diving.
Not that she'd blame them for the last bit of course, as it takes money to go on extreme adventures and sports, and only her Uncle Scrooge could afford expensive trip after expensive trip. Still, she wished she had at least one girl who would be a regular on her quests and (mis)adventures.
She got her wish one day when she was playing soccer in the high school courtyards one lunchtime. She had given the ball a powerful kick that sent it over halfway across the field. The only drawback was that her accuracy was a bit off, and the ball looked as if it would hit a senior student doodling on her notepad under a big shady tree.
But surprisingly, the senior had leaped and rolled out of the ball's trajectory without even looking. The ball rebounded off a trashcan and landed right in her hand.
"Is this yours, junior?" the student asked with a smirk as she eyed Della.
Della squirmed a bit in abashment when she saw that the student she had almost hit was two years above her.
"Yeah… sorry," Della answered, "But that was so cool how you Matrix-dodged that ball!"
"It comes with being an heir of the Foray family," the older student replied.
"No way! You're Catherine Foray! The best teen gymnast in the country!" Della gawked, "How come I've never seen you before?"
"I just transferred here on Friday. I must say, Duckburg is a bit less exciting of a place than Cape Suzette, but this city is known for its successful businessmen, and my parents wanted in on that opportunity," Catherine answered, "Now, what's your name?"
"I'm Della. Della Duck."
"Della Duck? Hold up – as in the niece of the famous billionaire Scrooge McDuck?"
It was Catherine's turn to gape.
"Actually, he's a trillionaire, but a lot of misinformed folk make that mistake," Della corrected, before returning to geek mode, "Oh boy, do you know how much of an honour it is to meet you?!"
"It's always nice to find a fellow rich child wherever I go to school," Catherine grinned, "Though I have to admit, that is NOT very frequent."
"Well, how would you like to go on a hang-gliding trip with me, my twin and my uncle this Saturday?" Della squeaked in excitement.
"Rolling out the red-carpet invitations, I see?" Catherine chuckled, "What, you wanted to make amends by overcompensating?"
"Nah, well maybe," Della flushed a bit in embarrassment again, "But mainly it's easier for rich kids to change timetables to hang out with other rich kids. I figured it could be sort of a girl's day for us two."
"I was joking," Catherine laughed, "Tell your uncle to count me in."
"Really? Yes!" Della whooped, jumping up and pumping a fist in the air.
The bell rang for class.
"I'll see you on Saturday, tiger," Catherine winked as she packed up her schoolbag and headed to the torture known as Calculus.
"See you later, new friend!" Della called back as she sprinted off to Geography class.
Even years later, Magica still reflected on her once-vibrant friendship with Della. It probably could have lasted beyond a lifetime if it weren't for her family's legacy calling her to her true purpose – stealing Scrooge McDuck's #1 dime.
Of course, Della wouldn't allow that, and despite a heavy heart she confronted Magica.
"You lied to me! You're really a De Spell! How could you?!"
"Your uncle doesn't deserve that fortune! You do know that he ultimately values it over your own life, don't you? It should be shared around instead of collecting dust in a vault!"
"You only say that to justify your family's crimes of theft and trickery. It runs in your blood."
"But your uncle's greed does not run in yours, Della. Join me and together we can change the world!"
"I'm not sure if I want to do that with you, Catherine. De Spells bring nothing but pain!"
"Fine! Let me test your claims! Let's see if your family isn't ultimately more miserable than mine! As I speak, your uncle has decided to go on a little family excursion – to find the Spear of Selene!"
"You're not implying that–!"
"Your uncle will steal that accursed spear, with no care for the consequences. I can bet you that he wouldn't give a damn about the safety of his offspring!"
"No… no, that's not true! I'll go with him. He won't choose that spear over his family."
"Go on! Go on, and see! I'll be waiting here for your return – IF you return!"
Della never did return though, and despite a surprisingly painful pang of guilt in her heart, Magica decided that she would go after McDuck's dime. She didn't reckon on a bitterly vengeful McDuck waiting to trap her soul in an amulet, though.
Now, she could only watch and act from the shadows as the cycle of faux friendships began again in her family, with the next of her kin.
Minima's friendship with the young Vanderquack was puzzling, to say the least.
Minima had no real grasp of the power that she had inherited from her predecessors, yet was willing to throw herself into a deep and complex friendship with a rival.
That act was more dangerous than just striking up a mere companionship. Acting like an acquaintance was a much easier habit to break out of – to betray and take the pragmatic route, the route that would ultimately benefit the De Spell line in the long run.
But getting into close friendships before one's powers were fully developed tempted the user to forgo their heritage, and instead choose their "friends" over their family.
That was something that Magica found repulsive and unacceptable.
Why bother having friends when you could gain the power to shape the world? To change history and mould the future? That is a more valuable thing to possess than a mere friendship.
Besides, even if Minima didn't realize it yet, that was their family's destiny – to be heralds of a new, powerful age in time.
If Magica were completely tangible, she'd take the necessary steps to forbid Minima's relationship with the Vanderquack and instead take up the duty of training her niece for her true purpose.
But the fact is that Magica wasn't tangible. And her niece did have a point in getting close to Webby so as to obtain access to McDuck Manor, even if it was a flimsy one.
So for now, Magica tolerated the friendships that the next generation in her family struck up with the enemy.
Drabble is based on the recent idea that's been floating around the fandom that Lena (Minima) and Webby's friendship is actually a reflection of a friendship that Magica had with Della in her younger days.
Oh, and the alias that I gave young Magica was made by combining June Foray and Catherine Tate's names.