Neb: The last chapter Vincent was captured by the Shadow Syndicate to be used for ransom. But Webby and her granny Beakley had broken into the Shadow Syndicate's layer and fought them in order to save Vincent. Vincent intended to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect Webby, but the two Vanderquacks convinced him not to martyr himself. The three managed to escape and the Shadow Syndicate seem to be defeated for now.
Vincent was now in the last place he wanted to be. Scrooge McDuck's mansion. Not that he had anything against Scrooge, but none of his parental figures cared for Scrooge and his antic. Madame Aurora saw him as a rival to Artifact and an enemy to those with magic. His father sees Scrooge's wealth as an unattainable goal and despite Scrooge being one of his idols, he sees him as the reason poverty had befallen many people in Duckburg. Then there was his mother. Though Vincent's memories of her fades every time he grows another day older, he does remember that she didn't care for Scrooge either. She believed he led a bad example to those who wanted to attain fortune. Given the path his dad went down, Vincent was no longer surprised why she felt that way.
Still, Vincent decided to at least spend the night at the mansion. Since Webby insisted anyway. Though he didn't plan on staying long, even if others accept him, he couldn't bare the thought of accepting a handout after all the work he had put in trying to scrape by. Instead of sleeping, Vincent had found books and maps inside the spare bedroom he was given. He was using them to locate his next temple run. "Temple Run," Vincent thought out loud. "Maybe that'll be the name of the next book I write." Vincent was working on a series of books dedicated to his research. One which he referred to as The Logic in Destruction, which was about his element being destruction despite his path being Order. To be fare he hadn't gotten very far in that book. The other ones he had written were translations from other great alchemists and spell casters on the usage of crystals. He listed that one as just Notebook because none of the knowledge in it was really his own. Not that the crystals ever helped him learn new elements like he originally wanted. Instead they became a way for him to focus his power. Vincent started putting away the maps and books once he decided on his next location.
Though Vincent did feel bad about leaving Webby so soon. "I guess I'll hang out with her and her friends for a good minute and then bounce," Vincent figured. "I can't leave without saying goodbye at least."
The next mourning breakfast was already on the table. There was more food then he had ever eaten in the past ranging from pancakes and eggs, to waffles and bacon, to hash and sausage. There were tons of different fruits in the fruit bowl as well, pineapple, berries, melons, and bananas.
"You'll get use to it," the green one patted him on the back before sitting at the table. The red and the blue boys headed in with Webby, Lena, and the Elder Duck Scrooge McDuck. There was another duck in a sailor outfit already at the table cutting into a grapefruit with a newspaper in hand.
"Ok time to introduce you to everyone," Webby smiled. "The triplets are Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Huey's wears red, Dewey wears blue, and Louie wears green. This is Lena."
"Hey," Lena shrugged.
They had already met, but she didn't want any of them to know for some reason. She had her finger over her beak telling him to be silent.
Vincent nodded, and then turned to the duck wearing the news paper.
"That's Donald, you've met granny, and this is the head of the house Scrooge McDuck."
"Welcome to my humble estate lad," Scrooge nodded. "I didn't expect to see another one of you young ducks running around my manor."
"Webby's good at making friends," Vincent figured.
"That she is," Scrooge nodded before heading to the table. "As I recall from the last time we met, you were a mercenary?"
"What?", Beakly, Donald, and Lena all responded at the same time.
"Treasure Hunter first," Vincent assured. "Mercenary when I've run out of options."
"His mentor is also a local gypsy," Webby pointed out when she was stuffing her face with pancakes.
"Outing me already," Vincent chuckled.
"Oh, sorry," Webby responded.
"Magic," Scrooge grumbled as he grabbed the paper from Donald and stuffed his own face in it.
"Hey," Donald yelled.
"My house, my paper," Scrooge pointed out.
"She does mainly parlor tricks," Vincent assured, but it fell on deaf ears.
"I'm really sorry," Webby sighed. "I forgot that Scrooge doesn't like all kinds of magic. Even fake stuff."
"Well it isn't fake but yeah," Vincent admitted. "I see what you mean. Doesn't matter, I wasn't looking for his approval anyways.
Scrooge lowered the paper and glared at Vincent.
To witch Vincent stared back at him and pressed his finger to his lower eyelid and pulled downward.
"Be respectful you two," Beakley ordered the both of them.
Scrooge looked back at the paper and Vincent turned back to Webby.
"This was a mistake," Vincent sighed. "But it's a pleasure meeting the rest of you."
"Yes," Lena nodded. "For the first time."
"Stop doing that," Vincent mumbled to her. "Alright, well I suppose I can stay and eat since I was was invited. Then I'll get out of all of your feathers."
"Nonsense lad," Scooge waved his concern away. "It doesn't matter how I feel about magic. You are Webbigail's guest and you may remain as long as she wants."
"That could mean forever," Webby said with glee.
"That wouldn't be right," the red one(Huey) pointed out.
"Yeah kind of weird there pink," Lena nodded.
The rest of the group sat at the table. The three triplets were sitting by each other, Lena was seated by Webby, and Vincent took a seat next to Donald.
"So have you been to any more temples recently?", Dewey asked Vincent with his mouth full of pancakes.
"Chew Dewey," Donald responded.
"Not since the last one," Vincent replied. "There were some interesting markings in the Shadow Syndicate's cave referring to the herbs of Glaucus. I've read about magic herbs and how their healing properties can cure the body, mind, and soul."
"And I've read they make you immortal," Scrooge pointed out. "Is that what your after lad?"
"Living forever?", Vincent wondered. "No, I don't think I'd care for that."
"Maybe Uncle Scrooge had eaten some of those herbs," Louie pointed out. "The dude is hundreds of years old."
"I'm only a hundred and fifty-six," Scrooge waved it away. "That's only from being trapped in hellish landscapes and also being frozen in Ice. I didn't eat any magic herbs."
"Well herbs or not," Vincent brought the subject back to the temple. "It's probably worth exploring just to find whatever roman artifacts that might be lying around."
"What do you use these artifacts for?", Scrooge pressed.
"Usually I give them to my mentor," Vincent remembered. "But given we aren't on speaking terms, I'll probably find a storage for them and sell them."
"I like him," Louie grinned. "Can you be my mentor?"
Scrooge scowled at Louie who nervously went back to eating.
"Never mind," Louie responded.
"So why the animosity?", Vincent decided to break the ice.
"No animosity from me," Scrooge assured. "I'm just curious about the treasure hunting mage that Webby wouldn't stop talking about. It's good to build a reputation lad, but using magic is a shortcut. Being a mercenary puts you in unnecessary danger."
"Not all of us have private jets and submarines," Vincent pointed out. "Some of us have to find allies and even employers who can provide those modes of transportation. As for magic, choosing not to use magic is easier said then done. The threads of fate had turned me into a mage. It's who I am, not what I choose to be."
Lena looked somewhat understanding, but didn't say anything. She couldn't reveal who or what she was at this moment.
"The threads of fate have no control over me," Scrooge pointed out. "I make my own decisions and do whatever I want. Besides, why let some tarot cards tell you what to do?"
"I don't," Vincent shook his head. "I merely walk the path of order. I don't let it control my destination, I just prefer to walk a path I'm familiar with."
"Now I like him," Huey spoke up next. "It's the same with my junior woodchuck guidebook. I like reading other books and can do it more often, but I prefer the book I know by heart."
"I suppose that is similar," Vincent scratched his head surprised.