Neb: Last chapter Vincent met a particular child named Violet. She seemed to be interested in magic and had lots of questions for Vincent. Vincent, not wanting to reveal too much, limited how many questions she could ask. Yet, that didn't seem to dissuade her from learning about magic. I do not own Ducktales.
Three years ago
Vincent swept Artifact, the magical goods shop for his new Mentor Madame Aurora. He could see all the people passing outside the window of the shop who never looked back. That was because this shop had a cloaking spell that prevented nonmagic users from finding it. Vincent still couldn't believe he was a magic user. He was just some kid who lived like a homeless child while his old man gambled away his earnings a week ago. But now he was learning to be a mage. "I have to ask Madame, what's in it for you?", Vincent wondered. "You couldn't possibly be giving me all this help just because I'm extra hands around the shop."
"Dear child," Madame Aurora responded. "Always the skeptic I see. That's good, hold on to that. People, even fellow magic users can not be trusted. We all seek power and prosperity. That's why I get so much business from fellow sorcerers and warlocks. It's just as you said, I'll need more help in the future than just cleaning and organizing my shop. I'll need you to collect ancient artifacts for me."
"So that's it," Vincent nodded. "That's a goal I can get behind, a real one. I mean, who helps people just for the heck of it."
"For now I need you to learn everything you can about magic," Madame Aurora smiled. "Once we unlock your potential, other spell casters might want to control you. When that happens, you'll need to know more about them then they do."
End of Flashback
"Of course I've heard of magical shadow beings," Vincent thought to himself. "I've been studying magic creatures and fellow mages for the past three years. Their main weakness was light magic, something as a destruction mage I could never pull off. Not that it matters anymore, Magica De Spell was defeated by the Duck family. At least those studies had shown me why Magica wanted to recruit me. Mr. Elite has control of the Sun, and if the two of them came to blows Mr. Elite would have won out with the Mask of Helios."
"Are you in brooding mode?", the green kid duck asked. Louie was seated on the couch, back at the manor, next to Vincent as they were watching an old movie about a witch fighting a witch hunter.
It had been a few months now since Vincent started becoming a regular visitor at the McDuck manor. He didn't stay over every night, in fact with Artifact gone he started living in Lena's old hiding place. He even found a few different jobs at a local coffee shop and as a fisherman. Apparently an opening of Fisher and Mann's boat had opened up when it turned out their one employed Duke Baloney was Glomgold the whole time. Vincent would be living at the manor more often if Scrooge McDuck would take rent from him. Why else would he have been working those jobs. But no, the billionaire loved money, but refused to accept payment from Vincent. At least at Artifact Madame Aurora let him work for his place stay.
"Have I been scowling again?", Vincent figured as he broke from his train of thought.
"Oh yeah," Louie chuckled. "As soon as the witch started throwing those fake fireballs your whole expression changed. Did you ever have to fight a witch? I mean, outside of your own shadow?"
"Once," Vincent admitted. "Becoming a destruction mage had caught the attention of many power seekers. When I turned fourteen and begun my first temple run, I ran into a fellow treasure hunting mage. At least that's what I thought she was."
"Nope, no more love stories," Louie responded harshly. "I just sat through a whole story about old people being all lovey dovey. Louie almost gagged as he exaggerated how awful it was. "Though there was gold in the story."
"There's gold in my story to," Vincent pointed out.
"Then why aren't you rich?", Louie wondered.
"I... I gave my earnings to my mentor," Vincent admitted. "Aside from that, finding a treasure hunting mission now in days is rare and not all of them are successful."
"Aye," Scrooge spoke up as he entered the living room. "It took me many years until my own treasure hunting started to provide positive results. Just keep at it lad, eventually you'll find success."
"Encouraging one of your rivals?", Vincent smirked. "How bold?" Much to Vincent's dismay Scrooge started laughing at him.
"Of course lad," Scrooge cracked up. "A rival he says."
Vincent glared angrily at Scrooge as the old man wiped a tear from his eye.
"Sorry my friend," Scrooge continued to chuckle as he tried to calm down. "Your a little to green to be considered on my level."
Vincent was about to retort, but a flash emerged in front of himself as the whole living room begun to change into buildings and streets where people walked around wearing clothes from the 1880s. Vincent was surprised to see the dear man Mr. Elite standing in front of him laughing.
"Your a little too green to be considered on my level kid," Mr. Elite spoke up. "But keep trying McDuck. I look forward to our future battles."
Vincent came out of his trance as he stared at Scrooge stepping out of the room and Louie going back to watching tv. "What was that?", Vincent wondered. "Did Scrooge know Mr. Elite?"
Webby had finally gotten back from training with her granny, and the two of them hung out for the rest of the day. Webby show Vincent her new martial arts moves and Vincent showed her some of his magic books. He was apologetic that they didn't provide any information that would help Lena, given she was still lost in the shadow realm.
"It's ok Vincent," Webby smiled. "It's all going to work out, I'm just going to keep hitting the books and eventually we will find something."
"I hope your right Webby," Vincent nodded. "I'll keep checking the corner for Artifact to come back. There might be something in that shop that can help us. Anyways, I should head off, it's getting late."
"Oh," Webby nodded. "Are you sure you don't want to spend the night again? It's no bother for Scrooge or Granny, honestly. The two of them like you."
"Like me," Vincent chuckled to himself. "Yeah sure."
"They do," Webby pushed. "Scrooge was impressed when you came back with a rent check. He said that in all of his years he's never had a visitor do that before."
"Scrooge doesn't respect me Webby," Vincent shook his head. "He sees me as another kid running around his manor. I can't live in someone's place for nothing. I've never done that before in my life."
"I... I understand but," Webby continued.
"No buts Webby," Vincent shook his head. "Until Mr. McDuck can accept that I don't want charity, I'm spending my nights by the docks."
"Webby," Mrs. Beakley spoke up. "Why don't you go inside and wash up? Supper is almost ready."
"Oh, um ok," Webby nodded. "See you later Vincent." She hugged him before heading inside.
"Things haven't been the same since Lena sacrificed herself Vincent," Mrs. Beakley spoke up. "She was like Webby's sister, and Webby has been working hard every day trying to bring her back. The Triplets have each other, but Lena was the one friend Webby had that was outside of this family. At least until you came along. Perhaps you should stay? We have plenty of room."
"Trying to guilt me," Vincent scoffed. "Webby is my sister also, ever since we hit it off at the Temple of Helios, but that doesn't change that I crave independence of some sort. Not from her, but for myself."
"I understand you want to be the grown up among the kids of the manor," Mrs. Beakley nodded. "You are the oldest of them after all, but that doesn't change that you are still a child yourself. It's ok to let others help you."
"Not for free," Vincent shook his head. "I can't do it for free. I hadn't lived like that since." Vincent tried to remember his mother, the time before she became sick. It felt like ages ago, and the memory of when she took care of him was fading. Through most of his childhood he took care of her. Then he wound up taking care of the old man. Then he wound up taking care of Madame Aurora. At least Madame Aurora took care of him back. "You can't do something for nothing."
"You protected Webby for nothing," Mrs. Beakley pointed out. "You could have turned her in to your fellow mercenaries, but you chose not to. Because a part of you believes you can selflessly help someone else. It's OK to let others do the same fore you."
"I'm leaving," Vincent decided. He didn't want to hear anymore of this. "I'm not a Vanderquack, I'm a Tailfeather. We rarely do something for nothing. I'm sorry Mrs. Beakley, but I'm not ready to hop into your Duck family. I've got debts to pay and places to go."