Tales of Derring-do, Bad and Good Luck Tales!

The Most Dangerous Game!

~ Studies show that relationships built at times of high adrenaline don't last. This explains why this family fights so much. ~

I hadn't told Louie not to tell his brothers that we time traveled, but as far as I knew, there had been no sudden breaks in the Della case in the few weeks after our return. The boys checked the Bin, as planned, for shredded documents and found nothing. Huey had been suspicious at first that they found nothing until he went back and found that over half of the McDuck Enterprises' files were in the wrong place. He spent three solid days digging through papers before finally passing out in them. I made it my responsibility to carry him home and make sure that he didn't return until he promised not to do that again.

Over the last few weeks, I had settled into a nice routine of ignoring Beaks (mostly), eating breakfast with Scrooge, then stocking up for the next adventure. However, it was taking a toll on Louie's mental state, and I was right there with him. If the constant danger wasn't bad enough, ever-growing consistency at which Dewey and Webby harmonized was.

"I wish, for once, we could have a night in." Louie grumbled as I wrapped a bandage around his head. Our last adventure had left him almost crushed by a bolder and I was patching him up on the plane home.

"Do you want me to sit the next one out?" I offered, tying the bandage in a knot.

"You would do that?" His eyes grew wide, then he tried to play it cool. "I mean, uh, I thought you liked adventuring as much as the rest of 'em?"

"I mean, learning about new places and fighting baddies is fun, but if Dewey and Webby sing one more thing, I might throw something at them." He laughed, but I was serious.

"Yeah, why do they do that?"

"I'm twenty-eight percent sure we unlocked a curse in that underwater sea cave and this is the consequence," he laughed again, and the plane jolted to a stop. "But hey, we're home now, go get some sleep."

He ran out of the plane and into the mansion. I grabbed my gear and went to follow, only to be stopped by Scrooge.

"Oi, I wish lad would enjoy himself a little more," he said, while publishing the golden statue we just got.

"The adventures have become predictable to him. No one likes to do anything they know the outcome to, especially if they're the butt of the joke. And unfortunately," I didn't finish.

"Ah, he just needs to toughen up is all," Scrooge said, while walking off the plane.

I let out a low growl that no one heard before heading into the mansion. I found Louie sprawled out on the floor.

"I didn't mean in the entryway," I chuckled, nudging him with my foot.

"I'm just gonna lay here forever." He groaned, and Mrs. B vacuumed the dirt off of him.

"Kid! Kids, I found a hidden compartment in the idol!" Scrooge rushed back downstairs. "There's only a treasure map inside. Let's go."

The others cheered and ran off to repack. I went to say something to Louie, then changed my mind. He was throwing a tantrum and hitting the ground with both fists.

"You look like you're going through your own thing so I'm gonna," I pointed to the stairs and walked up them to Scrooge. I didn't want to talk to him, but I had to say something. "Did you put the map back in the compartment to be dramatic? Maybe you are related to Dewey."

"I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult," he said, confused. I was still walking upstairs but thought about it called back down over my shoulder.