"Launchpad, I'm pretty sure we've been going in circles for a while now. Do you know where we're going?" Louie crossed his arms, starting to get fed up with the pilot.
"Yes, but it was funnier to take us in circles and see how long it'd take for you to notice," Launchpad said smirking.
Louie rolled his eyes and kept walking. He used the little putter patter of his feet to stay sane. It was really hard, being the only responsible one in the group. Webby kept humming, but sweet as she was, it was really loud and out of tune. And then there was Huey, who wouldn't stop talking about his toaster. Her favorite foods, her favorite games, her favorite animal, her favorite person (Huey of course).
Just when it seemed like he would finally stop, Launchpad had to go and ask what the toaster's favorite movie was. Louie began screaming internally. What was this guy's problem? Did Launchpad just enjoy Louie's torture? Louie loved his brother and all, but there was a point where he had to draw the line. But he would never let Launchpad see that he got to him.
They continued walking, Louie's hand against the wall so they wouldn't get lost.
"Hey! I think I see the jewel of Atlantis up ahead!" Launchpad said.
"Really! Where!" Huey beamed, completely dropping his sentence about Bready's (Was that what he had called it?) favorite types of grass. He ran up ahead, until Launchpad tripped him with his foot. He face planted into the rock floor. Louie gasped.
"Oops," was all Launchpad said.
Huey stumbled to his feet. "I think you accidentally tripped me. But I'm okay." He wasn't, he had a scrape on his knee, but Huey's optimism wouldn't let him complain about that. Launchpad ignored him and kept walking.
Louie frowned and clenched his fists. He would let people bully him all day rather than see it happen to one of his brothers. "Hey Launchpad, I think you dropped something!" Louie called. "Yeah, I think you dropped your manners. Oh wait, never mind, you never had any." It wasn't great but it was the best he could come up with. He thought he heard Webby snicker, but when he looked back at her she avoided eye contact.
"I'd watch it if I were you kid," Launchpad said without glancing back.
"Well... uh... maybe you should watch it!" Louie was trying, okay?
Webby shook her head, but a small smile crept on her face. Launchpad spun to face them, and immediately her smirk disappeared. "Look, kid, you're only here because your cousin wanted to be charitable for once. Because he felt obligated to do so. So I'd remembered that next time the idea crosses your head that you actually matter. Cause you don't."
Webby and Huey glanced between them nervously. Louie narrowed his eyes at the adult, deciding whether or not he should fight back. Webby mouthed the words to him, Don't. Louie sighed, releasing his fists.
Launchpad scoffed. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He then licked his hand and proceeded to ruffle Louie's feathers with it. He walked on, Huey and Webby following. Huey stole a said glance at his brother.
Louie stuck out his tongue in disgust. He fixed his hair, anger still rising up inside him. At least it was him and not one of his brothers.
...
Feathry beamed as he and Dewey came upon the chamber with the Jewel of Atlantis. The chamber was open, the ground covered in gold. In the middle of it all was a statue of a hand holding up a blue gem. The gem Feathry presumed was the jewel.
Dewey smiled and ran towards the jewel. "We found it! Now we can get out of here! I've had enough close encounters with death today, thank you." He gave a little laugh and tried to pull it loose.
But Feathry stopped him. "Wait. Don't you think this will have a trap too?" He moved to stand behind him, looking over the gem.
"Oh, you're right." Dewey let go of the gem and turned to face his cousin. "Alright so how do we go about... d-d-doing this..." The duckling took on a scared appearance, his gaze looking past Feathry.
Feathry raised an eyebrow and spun around, following his gaze. And that's when he saw him.
"Sup, Cous," Donald said, standing at the entry way of the chamber.
Feathry took a step back, tensing up. "Donald? What are you doing here? It's... been a while."
"Yeah." Donald avoided eye contact with his cousin while Feathry rubbed his arm nervously.
"Don..."
"I know she went to you," Donald said, a tinge of bitterness in his voice. It only took Feathry a moment to realize who he was talking about. Della.
"It wasn't my fault. She tricke-"
"Whatever," Donald said, interrupting him. "Anyways, I've come to get my kids. Dewey, come here." He narrowed his eyes at the blue triplet.
Feathry glanced at Dewey, who looked more worried than Feathry had ever seen him. And that was saying something. Dewey blew his hair up and took a step from out behind the older duck. The boy looked up at him then to Donald.
"Come on, Dewey, you don't want to make things worse than they already are." Donald crossed his arms, focused on the duckling. Dewey kept his eyes locked on the ground, walking across the chamber to his guardian.
Anger sparked in Feathry. "Wait." Dewey froze, still not nothing to look at either of them. Feathry took a step forward. "Donald, you can't take them. I know how you treat them. If you keep it up, you're no better than Della." That made both Dewey and Donald look up. Dewey stared at Feathry, his eyes worried and his mouth parted. But he said nothing.
"Don't say her name," Donald said, glaring at Feathry. A moment of silence passed between them. Then Donald took a deep breath. "Fine, I'll leave two of them alone." Feathry tilted his head. Why only two? "If Dewey tells me which one of them called the cops on me. I'll keep that triplet. Either that or I'm taking all three."
All eyes focused on Dewey, which only made the duckling tremble more. Feathry bit his beak. Donald couldn't do this. It wasn't fair to put the fate of his brothers in Dewey's hands. He was scared enough as it was. But it seemed there was nothing Feathry could do. Donald still had legal ownership of them.
When Dewey said nothing, Donald pressed on, "Dewey, just tell the truth and I'll let two of you go."
"N-none of- We didn't- No one called the cops," Dewey said, shutting his eyes. Hs voice cracks felt like a punch in the stomach to Feathry.
"Liar! Who did it?"
"We didn't!"
"It was Louie, wasn't it? That brat!"
"He didn't! None of us did!"
"Quit trying to be brave, Dewey! Just tell me who-"
"Stop!" Feathry shouted. He glared at the older duck, his hands tightening into fists. "If it was none of them, just accept it! Maybe you just suck at being a criminal! Now leave them alone!" Feathry ran in front of Dewey, spreading out his arms like a human shield. His heart was racing and his thoughts were swimming. He couldn't let this go on for any longer.
For a moment, the only sound was their heavy breathing. But it was broken by a laugh from Donald, catching the other two off guard. They exchanged a worried look.
"Oh, Feathry." Donald began to circle them, like a shark watching for prey. "You're so stupid, man. You didn't even know they existed until, like, last week, and now you want to play hero? Pft, dude, you only want to be in their lives now because it's convenient for you." Donald put a hand on his hip and smirked. "Don't think I didn't see that little status update."
A pang of guilt hit Feathry in the stomach. It had been true that the only reason he had taken them in in the first place was because it would do good for his image. But now, it seemed like there was something deeper than that. He was their only hope right now. Which wasn't great, considering it was Feathry. Now he just wished he could've been there for them 10 years ago.
Feathry's heart jumped as he felt a small, warm presence in his hand. He glanced down to see Dewey, clutching his hand closely. A small smile crept on Feathry's face.
"And you're buying it," Donald said with an eye roll. That had been directed toward Dewey. The boy let go of Feathry's hand and he pointed his index fingers together nervously. Donald looked around the room, his eyes landing on the jewel. A smirk crossed his face. He walked towards it and set his hand over the blue jewel.
"Donald, what are you doing?"
"I assume this triggers a trap or something?"
"Donald, don't-"
"Whoops." Donald shoved the gem out of it's spot, landing on the ground with a hard thud. Dewey pulled closer to Feathry as the temple began to shake violently. Donald picked up the jewel. "Well, I'ma go give this to that Glomdork, who knows? Maybe he'll let me back into his stupid program!" He walked past Dewey and Feathry to the entrance of the chamber. Before leaving, he spun around to face them. "Well, later idiots." A rock wall fell from the ceiling, blocking off the rest of the temple from the chamber. And trapping Dewey and Feathry inside.