Rise of the Riptide! | Ducktales 2017

(1) The Abandoned Lighthouse

Hi!

Welcome to my first fan-made episode/fic!!

These first few chapters are backstory stuff so they may seem a bit slow, it'll pick up soon!

Timeline-wise, this part takes place about a year after the Spear of Selene incident.

Hope you enjoy!!

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    The day Scrooge Mcduck declared as one of his worst was also the same day he ended up saving a life.

    It had been a full year since the "Della Duck incident" and he was exhausted. Even with all his resources out there searching for his lost niece, he hadn't received a single piece of evidence back on her survival. He knew he was getting desperate, but he didn't care.

    The Buzzard Brothers had called him to a meeting that day, one that ended up being a screaming match more than a productive business meeting. Bradford had decided that enough was enough, that the search for Della was a lost cause and they needed to focus their priorities on the depleting money bin.

    It took a lot of fighting before Scrooge finally resigned.

    It's not that Scrooge wanted to. He was willing to use up the entire bin if it meant bringing his niece home (which would hopefully lead to his nephew's return as well). But Bradford had been clever, hitting him with the harsh facts while Scrooge was holding on to nothing but a small bit of hope. Or maybe it was desperation. Either way, it left the great Scrooge McDuck weak to the point of resignation.

    He was on his way home from the meeting when something caught his attention outside his window.

    His plane was flying over the ocean, so there wasn't much to see. The night sky was splattered with stars and patches of dark clouds, while a few lights twinkled from a small town by the shore of the nearby mainland.

    What caught his eye was the lighthouse isolated on its own little island a few ways away from the mainland. It wasn't too different from other lighthouses Scrooge had seen before...

    ... except there was an intense teal glow coming from the window.

    Curiosity getting the better of him, the billionaire asked his pilot to land on the tiny island.

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    The lighthouse itself looked damaged and old, yet it still stood tall against the strong ocean waves surrounding it. The bricks looked quite sturdy despite the cracks and chipped paint. What concerned him most was how recent the damages looked... and the still-pulsing teal glow.

    The glow began to flicker before it dimmed completely.

    Then the sound of soft crying followed.

    Without hesitation, he raced into the lighthouse. Rushing up the staircase, he ran towards the sound with panic. When he shoved open the door, his heart sank as he gaped at what he saw.

    A baby. Newly hatched, judging by the cracked egg shells and lack of clothing. She was inside a crib, blankets wrapped around her egg.

    The pilot rushed in soon after him, wearing a similar shocked expression as Scrooge was.

    "Well?" Scrooge couldn't help but snap, panic rising in his chest. "Go look around. The lass' parents have got to be somewhere!"

    Nodding hesitantly, he raced out of the room.

    Scrooge took a moment to look at the baby. She had red hair that covered her head and blue eyes that stared into his soul. The small girl looked up at him with the saddest expression, one he could only compare to a kicked puppy. Her beak was set to a small pout and her big eyes sparkled with tears.

    The seashell in her hands caught his eye. It wasn't too much bigger than other shells, but in her little hands it looked almost comically big. It suddenly flickered with the same teal light he saw outside and his eyes widened.

    Scrooge knew magic when he'd see it. He had his fair share of magic in his life, most being used against him or resulting in the people around him getting hurt.

    The sound of footsteps made Scrooge's head snap towards the door. His pilot entered.

    "Did you find them?"

    He shook his head with a defeated expression. "There's no one else here. No boats either."

    Scrooge frowned.

    The kid had hatched alone. She was left abandoned in the lighthouse with no family to wake up to.

    ... he couldn't help but relate to her loneliness. He was all too familiar with that dark look he found in her eyes, that feeling that they were destined to be alone. It was a look no child should ever have.

    Scrooge knew exactly what he had to do. He knew he was no fit to be a father (heck, he basically robbed his nephews of their mother barely a year ago), but with his resources, he could find this girl a safe home. He could make sure she doesn't end up alone.

    He was suddenly filled with determination to make sure this child stayed safe. He could find her a safe home (away from Duckburg, away from his enemies), make sure she stays in the safest town away from the dangers of adventuring. He could find her a loving family who won't abandon her in a lighthouse.

    Without a second thought, he scooped the baby with a blanket in his arms. She was so tiny in his arms, so fragile...

    He looked up at his wide-eyed pilot and nodded, "Let's go home."

₊˚.♡༄

    As they made their way to the plane, Scrooge looked at the shell the sleeping girl cradled in her arms.

    Flashes of Magica De Spell plagued his mind, her amulet shining on her chest.

    Snatching the shell from her hands, he tossed it to his pilot. "Dispose of this, will you? We don't need another magic-wielding ninny running around."

    Scrooge watched him throw it into the sea before entering the plane, now reassured it'll never resurface into the poor girl's life again.

    He spent the rest of the plane ride cradling the sleeping child, a small flicker of hope in his chest telling him that he could finally do some good.

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