Neb: I do not own Ducktales. Season 3 has begun, meaning we are on the final season of the story... maybe. I initially wanted this story to outlast Rage of a Red Duck, because I could feel the ending of that story wrapping up as well. Then I wound up focusing on this story for a while and ignoring the other one, so now I have both getting ready to finish up at the same time. To be fair, season 3 is a long season and I do have a few different side plots to finish as well. The Enforcers of Order, the Shadow Syndicate, Rosina, and the main story line F.O.W.L. Though I will say I wanted to stay away from the cannon for the longest time. That's not going to happen anymore, we are officially in an A.U and I've thought of many ways I can go about that. But for now I hope you all continue to enjoy the story if so far you've enjoyed seasons one and two.
The days turned back to somewhat normal after the moon invasions. A lot of the moon invaders decided to stay on Earth because the living conditions were way better than on the moon. Given that the moon was like a wasteland that also contained acid spitting spider mites, that wasn't surprising. Vincent was able to get back to work on what was important. Finding a new adventure for he and Webby to tackle together. Of course, there were the other messes that needed to be cleaned up, Rosina and the Cult of Isis, plus Mr. Elite and the Shadow Syndicate. Not to mention, Violet now wants to compare Vincent's new powers to Lena's. Still, with Quinn defeated, Vincent was feeling a little bit more confident in his own abilities. Not to mention, the last few times he faced Rosina, he was able to resist her control. Maybe he could even beat Mr. Elite with his newfound in power.
The main issue now was that finding new adventures was going to be tough. His hunt for Quetzalcoatl's Amulet was the last real adventure he had done, and even that one was more like sight seeing. At least it was until the Cult of Isis kidnapped Scrooge and Vincent. Vincent shook his head. No it didn't matter if there was profit or power in the next adventure. Sight seeing was enough, especially if it meant he could enjoy the views with his unrelated, little sister.
Vincent's train of thought was then cut off by Donald fighting with a mosquito.
"Bad attitude about nature," Della completed her statement.
The Duck family were at a convention for woodchucks, to watch Huey and Violet compete for the rank of senior woodchuck. At least most of the Duck family knew about Violet competing. Huey seemed somewhat surprised when Launchpad called out her name during the speech.
"Congratulations to my close personal friend," Launchpad begun.
Huey moves expecting to be called upon.
"Violet Sabrewing," Launchpad finished.
Vincent and everyone else clapped as Violet approached the other Woodchucks.
"Sorry I'm late," Violet apologized. "I was helping an elderly woman cross the street."
"Woah, that's my sister from a couple Misters," Lena chanted.
She seemed rather into the competitiveness of this event.
Vincent wasn't really sure who to root for personally.
"And this year we have a second candidate for senior woodchuck," Launchpad continued. "Dewey's brother!" He pointed to Huey, and Vincent then facepalmed.
The poor boy was even more nervous now. Still everyone clapped for him as well.
Della even yelled out, "That's my kid!"
"As is our solemn custom," Launchpad read aloud. "In the event of two candidates. Our competitors will go head to head in the most intense, physical and mental trial of their skills. The Jr. Woodchuck wilderness challenge. There can only be one Senior Woodchuck! Huh, neat..."
The crowd cheered Violet's name as she seemed to be the preferred candidate.
Once everything settled down, the group had gathered around Huey. At least the duck kids and Violet did. Della was busy untangling Donald and Violet's dads went off somewhere else.
"How did this happen," Huey wondered. "If I'm not the best Jr. Woodchuck, then who am I?"
"You're still a great Jr. Woodchuck," Webby assured. Then she turned to Violet. "You're also great." Then she turned back to Huey. "You're going to win this easy." Then she turned back to Violet again. "He just needs more encouragement right now."
"I think it'd be easier to just play neutral for this one," Vincent figured.
"Don't you live with Huey though?", Louie pointed out.
"That's a good point," Vincent admitted.
"Isn't Violet helping you learn about your powers though?", Lena added.
"Also a good point," Vincent agreed. "See, neutral is best."
"You know what," Huey decided. "Nothing can stop me with my trusty Jr. Woodchuck guidebook and my.."
Launchpad then took the guidebook from Huey. "No guidebooks allowed during the challenge."
"Unfortunate," Vincent added.
"Who needs a big book of rules, am I right?", Dewey rhetorically asked.
"Huey," Huey answered. "Huey needs a book of rules."
"I think what Dewey is trying to say is that you were born for this," Louie figured. "Now get out there and show the other nerds that you are king nerd."
"Come on Hubert," Violet called out. "A Woodchuck mustn't be late."
Lena started cheering Violet's name as they walked away. Vincent saw the rest of the crowd was headed that way as well and decided to follow.
Webby, Louie, and Dewey all went with Della to see what Scrooge was up to.
"Uh guys... never mind," Vincent decided. "We'll catch up another time." He wasn't going to miss Huey and Violet's big moment for a Scrooge story anyways. The next bit was just Launchpad explaining some more about the challenge.
Violet and Huey were each given flags to place on markers along the pathway. Their journey would end after hiking a mountain. Whoever finishes first would be named the Senior Woodchuck.
"Ready?", Launchpad asked.
"I was born ready," Huey responded with determination.
"If you are as prepared as a helpless baby then I will beat you easily," Violet broke character for a moment. "Apologies, Lena told me that friendly smack talk is expected in competitions such as these."
"Call him a clown," Lena ordered.
"Clown," Violet repeated.
"Yeah you're too into this," Vincent pointed out to Lena.
"Hey, may the best Woodchuck win," Huey extended his hand.
"Likewise," Violet smiled as she reached back.
"Go, go, go, go, go," Launchpad rapidly shouted, scarring the children into running.
Vincent waited for what seemed to be like hours inside the mountain where Huey and Violet were headed towards. Launchpad had a shortcut that the people who wanted to be at the finish line when the challengers arrived could take.
The Duck family went their own separate direction, which Vincent wasn't mad about. He wasn't expecting to be asked to tag along, and he probably would have said no anyways. He was more invested to see who was the winner between Violet and Huey. Both were smart and resourceful.
Violet had proven this when dealing with the Moon invaders, when their path was blocked towards the money bin.
Huey had also proven this when he translated inscriptions back at the Temple of Helios. He easily found an emergency exit, even under pressure of the temple collapsing.
The two of them were equals in Vincent's mind. They both came to visit him when he was in the hospital, and they both were there for him when his powers were turning against himself. Sure they both had their flaws also. Like the time Huey got in a fight with Dewey and got them all stuck in a painting, or the time Violet was tricked by Rosina into thinking she was a damsel in distress. No one is without flaws, and out of all the kids those two seemed most likely to overcome those flaws.
This for some reason triggered a bad memory inside Vincent. "I already told you," the memory of Madame Aurora spoke within his mind. "She was eating out of the palms of that Lena girl's hands. Her fate was decided the moment she was born gullible."
Vincent sighed as he leaned back against the cave wall. Madame Aurora was referring to Webby in that memory, before the Shadow War. It seemed like forever ago, and Vincent wasn't sure why thinking about Huey and Violet's strengths and flaws brought out that memory. Did he think Webby might still be gullible? No of course he didn't think that. Of course she's trusting, but that's her strength, not her weakness.
Violet and Huey emerged from a elevator in the mountain.
"Launchpad?", they simultaneously spoke up in surprise.
"Launchpad?", the rest of the Duck family also questioned when they entered the cave following a song bird.
"Hey I'm Launchpad," Launchpad responded. "You guys are just in time to see the winner."
"Yes," Della yelled. "That's my boy!"
"Actually... I lost," Huey admitted.
Everyone gasped.
"That can't be right," Della yelled angrily at Launchpad. "The challenge was rigged, my boy deserves to win."
"No mom," Huey disagreed. "I didn't, and that's OK."
"Yeah you lost," Lena then yelled. "Because you're a.."
"Lena, shush," Violet ordered.
"Launchpad," Huey spoke up. "I will take my failure badge please."
"Here, take one of mine," Launchpad insisted as he revealed he had a bunch of failure badges.
A few different people seemed dumbfounded by that.
"It builds character," Vincent half joked.
"And now welcome the new Senior Woodchuck, Violet Apollonia Sabrewing."
The crowd cheered and Lena hugged Violet.
"Congrats Violet," Vincent called out.
Scrooge was saying something as well, but Vincent couldn't hear him over the songbird. Scrooge became annoyed with this and yelled at the songbird to be quiet.
"Wait," Huey wondered. "That song, is that the titter twill bird of knowledge?"
"What?", Vincent responded.
"The who badu bird what now?", Louie responded.
"The legendary Mascot of the Woodchucks."
"Ah," Vincent responded. He watched the bird continue to dance as it rammed into a metallic disk on the wall, possibly bronze. The disk unscrewed and unlatched a rock that turned out to be a safe. Inside the safe was an old book.
"The treasure was a book," Louie growled. "Boo."
"It's Finches lost adventure journal," Scrooge explained. "It contains all the adventures she had, advice she left for future generations."
"She really did have the answer to everything," Webby figured.
"Well almost everything," Scrooge corrected.
"The missing mysteries?", Huey questioned. "This is a list of all the things Finch never found. The Stone of What was, the Lost Harp of Mervana, the Third Eye Diamond. This could help us find the greatest lost mysteries of all time!"
"Now that is an adventure," Scrooge grinned. "What do you say family?"
Huey, Dewey, Louie, Webby, Della, and Vincent all started cheering.
"His interference is getting out of hand," the man in robes spoke up. "The timeline is at least keeping conversations somewhat the same, but how long until it takes a completely different turn?"
"What must I do?", a girl in robes wondered.
"Even if we remove him now the damage will be done," the man in robes sighed. "I can't get the Karmic Court on his case until something far more devastating occurs. For now keep an eye on him and keep him out of those adventures. I want every sight of Vincent Tailfeather scrubbed out of Duckberg. That means his fishing job, his library check out record, his unpublished novels, and most importantly his place on Webbigail's family chart."
"If things can't go back to normal, why fight it? How did it get this bad?"
"We are currently blaming Madame Aurora for this," the man in the cloak admitted. "But we both know it was because someone stuck their nose where it didn't belong. So are you going to fix this?"
The robe wearing girl bowed and then exited the room.
"I want that one," Mr. Elite smiled pointing towards the Fountain of Youth back at F.O.W.L headquarters. "But not the whole object, just a bottle of it's waters."
"I could have sworn you've already eaten youth maintaining herbs," Bradford pointed out. "Are they wearing off already?"
"If you must know it isn't for me," Mr. Elite shook his head. "If you acquire what I seek, I will cease all Shadow Syndicate operations until your judgement day."
The F.O.W.L agents all stared at him.
"I'll let you take the first and possibly only shot needed at Scrooge," Mr. Elite translated for himself. "I will operate as normal until then."
"You must really think we can't get you this bottle of water," a bird with a metal beak laughed.
"Oh I'm sure you'll get it," Mr. Elite laughed. "I just don't think any of you has what it takes to finish the job."