#scrachthat

The black silhouette of the older female duck spun around, seeing the children behind her. Quickly she ran.

“Wait!” Webby frowned, running after the figure. The triplets followed behind, much to Louie’s annoyance.

The female darted throughout the cave, hoping to lose the kids somewhere between the miles of caverns that lay ahead.

But those little rascals were fast and on her heals in less than a minute. Webby in particular was inching closer towards the woman who was racing in the shadows. Hanging a quick right then left, the figure slid into an ancient room and she couldn’t help but let a slight gasp echo throughout the area.

There within the middle of the room lay the artifact. It was an old rusted mirror. Fragments of gold still framed the aged glass. The dark figure reached out, then pulled her hand back and quickly cloaked herself as the kids stumbled inside.

Scrooge, Beakley, Donald and Launchpad weren’t too far behind. But everyone seemed out of breath once entering the room.

Webby’s eyes were everywhere, but the mysterious figure seemed to just vanish.

“I could have sworn that figure ran in here!” Webby said frustrated.

“Ye sure it wasn’t just the shadows?” Scrooge wondered.

Webby sent Scrooge a look.

“Right right.” Scrooge wandered over towards the mirror in the middle of the room.

The figure hidden deep within the shadows sighed in relief. They hadn’t seen her yet.

She cautiously watched the events unfold around her, taking care to note any anomalies within the timeframe.

Her crystal began to glow.

Eyes widening, her eyes darted around the room, looking for anything dangerous.

The cave shook a bit, causing everyone to momentarily lose their footing.

“What the blazes was that?” Scrooge growled, struggling to gain his balance back. Unbeknownst to him, a crack formed on a rather large stalactite above his head.

Mouth gaping open a bit, the cloaked figure realized no one else saw what was about to happen.

Almost on cue, as he picked up the strange mirror to study it a loud crack echoed throughout the room and everyones eyes darted upwards as a large piece of rock came hurtling down towards Scrooge.

Well, there went her stealth.

“Look out!” She cried as she bolted from the shadows. She was so quick she was sure no one could really make her out besides a pink and purple blob. As she reached out to push Scrooge out of harms way, her fingers brushed the mirror.

It suddenly expanded before their eyes, forming a barrier between the two. With her crystal shining, she was drawn inside the mirror and let out a cry as she was forced through it.

The next thing she knew she was in Scrooge’s arms as they tumbled to the left, the rock slamming into the mirror and shattering it.

“Uncle Scrooge!” Everyone was running towards them both as Scrooge struggling to sit up. Letting out a groan, he snapped his back into place and gazed before him at the figure before him. Everyone else seemed to stop, forming a semi circle around the small 12 year old girl duck who was getting to her own feet. Albeit a bit on the unsteady side.

“Wow what a rush.” The pink haired duck commented. She turned, seeing everyone stare at her.

“Uh hi.” She smiled and waved.

Webby produced her grappling hook and pointed it at the pink haired girl with narrowed eyes. “Are you friend or foe?” She asked in her scary voice.

Yelping, the young female duck clothed in purple raised her hands in surrender. “Friend! Friend!” she stumbled back, Scrooge grasping her shoulders. Turning to glance over her shoulder, suddenly she realized the height difference and let out another yelp and stumbled away from Scrooge.

“Who are ye?” Scrooge pondered.

Putting her hands on her hips, the pink braided duck looked a little offended. “You don’t remember me? I mean I know its been years..” She mumbled that last part. But as she did her face flashed across a nearby mirror. The room was full of them, something she had failed to notice when she was hidden away in the darkest corner. Instantly she grabbed the mirror and her eyes widened.

She screamed.

“Oh my god what happened to me?! I’m a kid!” she spun to Scrooge and yanked him down by the coat to her level. “I’m a kid!!!!”

“Er…yes I’ve noticed that..” Scrooge commented and the girl once more looked herself over. Her hair was now in twin ponytail braids that reached past her waist. Instead of her normal dress, she was now wearing a purple skirt, undershirt and black (rather stylish) coat. At least her crystal was still there.

Still she was touching her head, hair and having a mini freak out.

But the strangest thing she found was two stars, both purple and one smaller than the other imprinted on her feathers near her eye. Taking a hand, she tried to wipe them away. But shockingly they were stuck there. She kept rubbing at them, hoping that they would wipe off. But alas, nothing.

She continued to look over herself, fretting as the others grouped together.

While that was going on, Webby was marveling at the other girl who for all appearances was their age. Dewey took her aside and whispered with Webby and his brothers.

“Soo, what you think Webs?” Dewey asked, eying the kid curiously.

“I don’t trust her.” Louie muttered. “What is she even doing here anyways?”

“She did save Uncle Scrooge right?” Huey rebutted, glancing back.

“Did she?” Louie countered. “I just saw her emerge from that mirror and slam into him.”

Webby crossed her arms across her chest and thought. As she glanced back at the girl slowly calming down, she noticed the necklace and a brief but fuzzy memory flashed through her mind.

“I think……..we can trust her.” Webby said finally.

Louie frowned slightly.

“And what facts do you base this off of?” Huey wondered.

Webby shook her head. “Just a feeling…and I feel like she did try to save Uncle Scrooge.”

They watched the new girl pace frantically while mumbling to herself. “How can these people walk with these webbed feet anyways?”

“She is kind of funny.” Dewey grinned, laughing at bit at her movements.

“Maybe we should talk to her.” Huey added.

 The adults were also curious about the girl as well. Beakley eyed the girl with slight suspicion. Scrooge was trying to pinpoint where he had seen her before. Donald was watching the kids, noticing with alarm they began to approach the new girl with determination.

He let out a quack and started towards the kids, but Scrooge held him back. “Wait..”

“But Scrooge..” Donald looked worriedly at his kids and Beakley placed a hand on his shoulder. Shaking her head, Donald relaxed and let the kids take the lead on this.

 As they approached her, vaguely they could hear her say “ I’m not going to go through puberty again!” her arms straight up into the air with dramatic flair. Before sitting down, crossing her arms in what seemed like a childish pout.

“Um….” Dewey’s voice drew her back into reality where adults and children alike were staring at her.

She finally seemed to remember where she was and stood up instantly, backing up a bit.

“Who..are you?” Louie demanded.

The pink haired girl opened her beak to speak, then looked down and away.

“I…..”

The group looked on with baited breath.

“I’m sorry I can’t stay have a fun adventure okay bye!” She announced in a rush before her crystal shone brightly. White light soon flooded the room.

Everyone was instantly blinded and closed their eyes.

When the light faded, she was gone.

“What just happened?” Scrooge asked but no answer was received.