Oh my, finally, a new update! It's been some time since I touched this little story. I've been preoccupied with life priorities, studies, and other things. But, I told myself, I have a goal. That goal? It's to finish a new chapter for 3 different fic before the new year hits. This story is definitely one on my list. If you're into KH, that's a second one I'm working on. The third is either a new one shot, or a continuation of one of my DetCo stories. Again, if you're into any of those series, feel free to check out my other fics!

We're back with Scrooge and the children, for what will be the end of the little trip down memory lane. Let's see what everyone has to say about the Phantom duo.

Oh before we get started, responding to, TyTylerBarela100's review: that's amazing! Have fun getting into the Donald Duck stories and going through his Duck Avenger / Paperinik comics! Enjoy all the adventures and fun and thanks for leaving a review!

Now I give to you, Chapter 10!

Date: December 12, 2024

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Chapter 10: And Bidding Farewell To What Was

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"So, after all that, they made off with the telescope in the end. They got their promised item and you got your reputation fixed. End of story, right?" Louie states rather matter-of-factly.

"Well, they did get what we agreed upon. But that wasn't all they ended up stealing away that night." The two ducklings looked questionably, as Scrooge continued to explain, "Other than that useless Spyglass, they took the Arrow Of Waze, and the Gecko Stone of Warmth. They had sent an apology letter a few days later, but still had the gall to say they were keeping it because of reasons they couldn't disclose."

"Thieves and con-artists, what did you expect Uncle Scrooge?" Louie smirked knowingly toward his uncle, thinking of a certain aunt who acted similarly to the elusive duo.

Huey simply looked at his brother, shaking his head in disapproval of his attitude and then looked at his uncle, "That must have made you rather upset, Uncle Scrooge. After all, you kept your word and they ended up taking more than agreed upon."

"It's true they got away with more spoils than they should have, but I cannae even be mad at them." He speaks as his expression becomes rather fond, "Their spontaneous actions and challenge that night reignited that spark I was lacking for awhile. I had even reached a point of boredom from my usual adventures. It may have hurt my dignity to see them get away, but their meddling ways brought a sense of renewal to my passion for adventure and fun."

Louie looked bored with the answer as he began to munch on some popcorn, while Huey grew more curious with questions, "So what were the events that transpired post-heist?"

Scrooge thought a little, "Ah yes, the day after the heist thankfully brought my reputation into a more positive light. I had gained more support and several new business partners and willing benefactors who were eager to offer their product and funds to taking down the elusive duo. As for the naysayers," he shakes his head disapprovingly, "They still had their negative opinions about whether my efforts were truly as grand as they were. Even though I was smart and also spared no expense, showing them the receipts of my spendings, they were still unconvinced."

Huey shrugs, "Well, there is just no pleasing some. They'll always find a way to oppose no matter what you do, Uncle Scrooge." He shakes his head before remembering something. Searching his person for a certain object, he becomes upset.

"Looking for this?" Louie holds up a red phone as he throws another piece of popcorn into his mouth.

"You had my phone the whole time? Wait, when did you get that popcorn?"

"Yerp. Was getting somewhat bored listening to the story, so I thought to just record it. Oh and, had it the whole time in my pocket. Can't enjoy a story without something to munch on."

Huey looks genuinely surprised, "Of course! Why didn't I think to record this moment? Thank you Louie!"

Louie tosses the phone to his eldest brother as he looks thankful and immediately checks the recording.

Meanwhile, Scrooge is narrowing his eyes at the younger boy, "Lad, where did you get that bowl?"

"This weird dog-shaped popcorn bowl? Oh, from the cupboard. Was the first thing I grabbed and just poured my popcorn into it. Was saving it for the rerun marathon, but here I am. Surprisingly haven't run out it yet."

Scrooge rubs his eyes, tiredly, "So that's where the Hunger's Bottomless Pit Bowl went."

"The what?" Louie looked lost.

"A bowl that was said to be imbued with the the ability to supply endless amounts of any kind of food when poured into it. Unfortunately it didn't work no matter what they did and it was thought to be a dud. It seems to work for only one kind of food, popcorn. Which you have just discovered."

Louie's face lights up, "Sweet, free unlimited snacking! Now I wonder if this would work for Pep?" Scrooge just sighed.

As Huey is listening to the recording, he becomes skeptical that his brother did this just for him, "Wait, why didn't use your own phone to record?"

Louie shrugs, "Eh, takes up too much space on mine. So I used yours."

"Actually Louie, audio recording are significantly smaller in size than the average video recorded on a phone. An hour's worth of audio can still be even smaller than your smallest installed app on your phone. It would hardly take much space." Louie shrugs as Huey becomes thoughtful, "Still, even though I don't approve of your decision to not ask permission, what you did is quite considerate of you."

Louie smiles, "Well, it was no big deal. Though you also had a bit of a space problem, so I just deleted some unnecessary stuff so it'd fit."

Upon hearing this, Huey rapidly exits the app to swipes through his phone and quickly scan each and every piece of data. He's horrified by what his brother considered, "some unnecessary stuff," which were all completely necessary in his book. In fact, saying some stuff was an understatement, Louie had deleted far more than he claimed. His "Useful Tools For Scouts On The Go" app, "Seeing Seas & Stars" maps app, his "Daily Dose of Definitions" app, and even his pdf project of digitized Junior Woodchuck Guidebook scans from 1934 up to 1987. His little brother at least had the decency to leave his social media apps alone, of all things, and his photo albums seemed untouched. Though, knowing Louie, he probably either didn't have enough time to delete all his JWC related pictures or he just didn't care to, focusing on the apps that weren't considered preinstalled into the system.

It's always a good thing that a Junior Woodchuck is always prepared, cause he made sure to back his data in up into sevearal separate hard drives, SD cards, USBs, and even to the cloud. So if he were to lose either one, he had various backups elsewhere. But for now, Huey returned his focus to the recording, making sure everything was sound. Once he confirmed it was well, he started a new one and decided to ask his Uncle Scrooge some follow-up questions.

"So Uncle Scrooge, I know you told us this is how you met the thieves, but also you mentioned that you knew Fantomallard. I take that to mean that you knew just who mallard under the mask was?"

Scrooge turns to Huey and a gentle smile, one fond and quiet graces his beak, "No, Huey. I may have known the thief, but I never had the pleasure to meet him unmasked. I did have my suspicions on several occasions of who those two may have been, but they were nothing more than dead ends. It never brought me anywhere, especially since those whom I suspected had solid air tight alibis and multiple eye witness accounts during those times."

Louie looked their way and pipped in, "You ever considered false alibis? Doppelgängers? Stand-ins? Artifacts being used to throw you off the track?"

"Aye lad, but never could I prove it. It was as if they were often several steps ahead. If they had such an artifact, I never discovered what it was. Any artifact that I suspected turned out to be a dud, as they never found nor owned it. They're either now stored in the Money Bin or in the Other Bin."

"I see." Louie began thinking to himself, smirking.

"Whatever you're thinking lad, it'd be best you stop. I doubt you'd find anything useful for whatever plans or schemes you have in mind. Also, you'd hardly find anything of the thieves now anyway."

Huey was now curious, "Why's that Uncle Scrooge?"

He sighs, "Remember what you asked me before I shared this tale?"

"About asking who they were and about the last time you met them?"

"Yes. That final time, it left a terrible taste in my beak. Something just felt different about that night, and I was too naïve to see the truth."

Louie sighs as he counts with his fingers, "Oh buoy, here we go, again."

"It was a quiet night, on the 18th of September, 1988…"

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-DUCKTALES 2017-

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The scene begins to change as they can envision Scrooge sitting at the desk of his dimly lit office of in the Money Bin.

"The day was one of my rare peaceful days, one in which there wasn't much work to be done. So I decided it was high time to relax with one of my favorite hobbies, polishing coins by the candle light. It often reminded me of my childhood in Glasgow, staying up late in the wee hours of the night and taking relish in earnings from the shoe shining business."

The children could see the scene, as he happily smiled while polishing every coin, both relics and recents. They could almost hear the squeaking sounds of the rag against the coin and see how shine and luster returned from its once dulled state. Scrooge was smiling contently as he gazed upon the old coin currency retrieved from one of his earlier adventures. He fondly remembers how he earned that through selling some certain goods that were unwanted by the masses until he made them aware of a new use for them. As he shined up the coin to the point where he could see his reflection, a familiar scent of a candle burns and wafts through the air. Scrooge recognizes it and speaks familiarly, "Fantomallard."

"Scrooge."

"I thought we were past the unannounced arrivals by now, old cape?"

"Oh where's the fun in that, old money mallard?"

Scrooge chuckles, at the reply. Since their many run-ins and challenges, they had created various names to tease and taunt each other by. Over time, the names took on a sort of familiarity and friendliness, that neither minded and all instead found humorous.

He then looks around, curious, "Is Lady Paprika not with you?"

"She is not. I," he pauses before speaking rather somberly, "I came without her tonight."

Scrooge, taking a moment to jab at the old Phantom Thief speaks, "Ah, am I not a challenge for the two of you come as one anymore?"

The thief smiles, but it is not as cheeky as his usual persona dons, "No, you are still as every bit a challenge. Smarter than the smarties, tougher than the toughies, and sharper than the sharpies. Ah Scrooge, never cease to be a challenge."

"Hmm… Sharper than the sharpies. I quite like that. Might even use that someday. But… Why have you come alone?"

"Scrooge," Fantomallard pauses as demeanor becomes serious while being soft spoken, "Tonight is about something important. I wanted to come and thank you, Sir Scrooge McDuck."

"Thank me? For what?"

"Every challenge, every puzzle, every escape out of your money bin. It's been an honor."

"Hold it now, sounds like you're trying to say goodbye."

He chuckles lightly, "No, never. Never a goodbye. Maybe, a see you in the future. But not a goodbye."

"Why are you telling me all this, lad?"

"It may seem like a big thing, but it really isn't so. Dolly and I, we're getting on in age."

"Well, so am I lad, but you don't see me retiring anytime soon." He jokingly replies.

The old thief shakes his head, "This world is changing Scrooge. You may be able to keep with the times, but Dolly and I, our time is coming. Those who once chased us are now getting on in years, people are leaving left and right. Most of all, Dolly and I, we love what we have done. But now, we simply wish to lead a quiet life and spend what time we have left, together."

"Ya cannae even be that old thief. Yer both still just a couple of ducklings in my eyes. You've hardly reached old age as I."

"Not everyone can prolong their life and find ways to keep it going, Scrooge."

"I'm sure you'll be back at it."

Fantomallard can only smile, "I admire your faith in our return."

"I just have a feeling, and I'm hardly ever wrong about these certain instincts. I'll definitely be seeing you again. You said it yourself, not a goodbye, but a see you in the future."

Fantomallard smirks, "I can't convince you otherwise, huh?" To which Scrooge humbly shakes his head no. "I see, but keep this in mind Scrooge. Should there ever come a day where my name does resurface, just remember, our legacy will return anew."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

The scent of the candles begins to fade and Fantomallard's grin turns into a small frown, "My time is nearly up."

"So, you're serious." The masked duck quietly nods. "A shame. My greatest mystery I guess will remain unsolved."

"And that is?"

"Having never never discovered the thief of the night's true identity."

He looks up, playfully rolling his eyes, "I too have my regrets, and one of my greatest is that I was not able to challenge you a final time, to take the one thing that we could never do so from right under you."

Scrooge quietly snickers, knowing very well what he aimed to take. Then he asks, "And your other regret?"

"That I will not be able to see your reaction to it."

Scrooge looked up puzzled, "Reaction? Reaction to what?"

Fantomallard tips his hat, "To the future..." As the thief spoke this, the wisps of smoke fade away and he along with them, leaving Scrooge in the quiet office alone once more.

"That night was the last time I would see Fantomallard. I tried searching for him, but there was not even a single clue. The news gradually stopped covering the thieves, even the chasers and fan fever faded to being, just a fad. Then there came a point where one would even say,

"Oh remember those old thieves that stole around Duckburg?"

Then another would respond, "What thieves? Are you making this up?"

Eventually, nearly everyone forgot about it, becoming a thought so far and so inconsequential, residing in the back of the mind, like a dream vague and hazy. Any trace of the admiration others had for them, gone, evaporated, painted over, with the only evidence stored in the archives of the libraries or in the homes of people as stacks of waste or kindling. Even the specialized police division soon dissolved and focused their attention once again to the Beagle Boys and other modern day menaces around the city.

Their deeds were forgotten, lost to the world and to my own self. I focused and invested more of my time on business ventures and less of thrill adventures. That excitement that they had rekindled waned once more, until, I found joy again in my family. But that's another story for another time."

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Can you tell, this chapter kind of got away from me a bit. I'll have to come back to this and fix it up later. For now, this part was more so to give us a bit of Huey and Louie interaction, their responses to the story told, and the last bit of Scrooge's story.

Louie reacted bored with it, probably because the drama was lacking in places he wanted to see it. This is no Asian Drama Louie, it's a story of the past. But then again, he did decide to record the story, so maybe he is interested after all?

As for Huey, he's still as inquisitive as ever, wanting information on what was and what could be learned for the now. Also we get a little glimpse of what kinds of things he keeps on his phone. I got carried away with that one, but it was a tiny fun break before the next part with Scrooge.

So that night, what a mystery huh? Why wasn't Dolly with him? Why such a mysterious so long? But it's good to see that Scrooge holds onto hope that he'd get to see his challenger who became like a friend again. Though, Scrooge may not know what he meant about, "his reaction to the future," you all have an idea of what that means, right? Though for now, this story seems to be coming to its end soon. A few more chapters to go, depending, before this episode's tale closes out. What will be in store for these final chapters to come?

I always say this, and I will never stop repeating it! Thank you everyone! To you who have given favorites, follows, views, and reviews for this story! Also, to all your quiet readers out there, thanks so much for stopping by to read! Hope you enjoyed yourselves!

If you've got questions or just want to know something, or even leave your thoughts, feel free to drop it in the reviews!

Well, this may be the last chapter for this story this year. To all of you, hope you have a Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! Happy New Year too you all too! See you with a new chapter soon or in the new year! :D