Call Me Launch-Dad

Chapter 1: What Are Friends For?

An alarm rang within a room that doubled as a garage.

Launchpad sat up from his couch and turned off the alarm. He did his normal morning routine. He took a shower, brushed his bill, put on his normal attire, popped a loaf of bread in the toaster and waited… he waited… and waited… he then drummed his hands against the counter, still waiting for his toast to be ready.

…

…

…

… The toast popped out.

He took it, juggled it in his hands as it was too hot for him to hold, it fell on a napkin, he took a butter knife, put it in jam, spread the jam on the toast, took a bite, screamed as he burned his tongue, quickly drank tap water, sighed with relief… then bit into the toast again.

This process repeated until the toast was all gone.

He got into the limo, started the engine and drove right through the garage door as he does every morning.

After a while, he returned back to the garage with the front bumper and hood crushed in.

"Nothing like a nice drive and morning crash to get the ticker working properly for the day." Launchpad said with a smile as he got out of the limo.

He headed back into the kitchen, grabbed a bowl from the sink, and then grabbed a box of chocolate cereal, poured it into the bowl followed by milk.

As usual, Launchpad ended his morning routine by sitting on his couch and popping in a VHS tape of Darkwing Duck.

"Nothing beats Not-Saturday Morning TV Shows. Oh! Except Saturday Morning Cartoons!" Launchpad cheered with his mouth full before swallowing the chunks of cereal. "Wait, is it Saturday?" Launchpad asked himself.

"Hey Launchpad!" Dewey called out as he walked through the hole within the garage door.

"Hey Dewey! Hey, is it Saturday?"

"I wish. I'd be watching Saturday morning cartoons right now if it was. You can't beat cartoons airing on a Saturday." Dewey said. "Anyway, guess what I have."

"A jetpack!" Launchpad said with excitement.

"Nah, Beakley took my jetpack-ing privileges this month." Dewey said with a frown. "But I do have a letter! It's addressed to you! For some reason your mail keeps ending up being delivered at the mansion." Dewey said with a bright smile as he showed Launchpad the letter he got in the mail.

"Neat-o!" Launchpad cheered as Dewey handed him his letter. Launchpad looked to the cover of the letter, but he suddenly stopped smiling as he noticed the name of the sender written on it. He suddenly gasped with shock and horror.

"Hey, do you have any more cereal left?" Dewey asked.

"No…" Launchpad said breathlessly with wide eyes.

"Aw man, really?"

"It's the End of the World!" Launchpad scream as he fell to his knees before grabbing his couch's pillow and covering it over his head.

"Or~ you could just buy more at the store." Dewey said.

(I suppose this would be the place where you put the theme song.)

Launchpad moaned with depression as he continued to press the pillow deep against the top of his head.

"Launchpad, what's wrong?" Dewey asked.

"Everything!" Launchpad exclaimed as she slammed the pillow against the ground by his side. He sighed looking down with shame. "Dewey… this letter… it's from my family."

"Wait, I'm confused. Isn't that a good thing? I mean the whole 'family is everything' motto is pretty much a recurring thing around here so I fail to see the problem." Dewey said in confusion.

"The problem is me~!" Launchpad cried before slammed his head against the table.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, no need to act like that. I'm sure you're over-exaggerating." Dewey said placing a hand on his best friend's shoulder.

"Or~ I'm not exaggerating enough!" Launchpad countered as he quickly sat up straight.

"No, no, I think you're doing enough already."

"You sure? I haven't flipped the table yet, so~-"

"Launchpad, why don't you explain everything from the beginning." Dewey suggested.

"Uh, okay. It all happened thirty one years ago. I was just born on the fateful date of-"

"No, no, I mean the problem you have with your family."

"Oh, that's easy. You see I come from a family of stunt pilots called the Flying McQuacks-"

"The Flying McQuacks?! You're related to the McQuacks?! I mean I always thought it was just a coincidence, but this makes things even cooler! How cool is your dad?! He's super cool, isn't he?! Is it true your mom actually flew through the arctic in a biplane while flying upside down?! Did your sister really write the national anthem in smoke in less than a minute?!" Dewey asked constant questions as he was fanboy-ing out.

"Yes." Launchpad answered. "Dewey this might freak you out, but I'm not the best pilot."

Dewey blinked his eyes.

"What~? No, it can't be true." Dewey said, trying to sound surprised so as not to hurt his best friend's feelings.

"But it is." Launchpad said looking away, staring far off into space as he recalled his younger years. "My parents were the best stunt pilots around… still are. When the time was right, my sister and I got behind the wheel of a biplane to carry on the legacy of McQuacks. For generations going as far as a really, really, really long time ago we have been known as Kings and Queens of the Sky. Sky Royalty. While Loopey was amazing I actually lacked the skills my family had. Sure I could fly, but the one thing that has alluded me from being great like my father, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him, and-"

"Launchpad, what was the problem?" Dewey asked.

"I… I Always Crashed!" Launchpad cried as he then grabbed the pillow from before and started to weep into it.

"So? You've crashed all the time. You've kind of turned it into an art." Dewey said.

"Yeah, I did!" Launchpad said with a smile, but then he became sad once more. "But it's different, Dewey. Sure, I can crash with the best of them, but there's just something about it. At least when it comes to family." Launchpad said hanging his head in shame, before looking back to Dewey. "Do you know how it feels trying to be amazing in front of your family so they can always love you, only you slip up and you feel like the whole world is against you?" Launchpad asked.

Dewey blinked his eyes.

"What~? No~." Dewey chuckled nervously with an anxious grin.

"Well you're lucky. Every time I got into a plane I was always so determined to land it! Not crash! Land it! Like a McQuack!" Launchpad leaned back, shoulders slumped with his back pressed against the edge of his couch's seats. "But every time it ends the same. I crash into a tree, I crash into a building, I crash into other planes, I crash into a cloud-"

"Wait, how can you do that?" Dewey asked with surprise.

"I don't know! But it's happened every time!" Launchpad cried with despair.

"No, I mean how were you able to crash into a clou- … never mind."

"No matter what, I always crashed. I wanted to prove myself to my family, stop humiliating them, and then maybe I could be considered as great a McQuack as my dad, and his dad, and his dad, and his-"

"Launchpad, you're doing it again." Dewey said with a dull expression.

"Doing what?" Launchpad asked.

"Anyway, if you were always so determined, why'd you stop?"

Launchpad looked away with an inhale through the nostrils and teary eyes.

"It all started thirteen years ago. I was eighteen. It was time for my first air show. I was prepared for it. My whole life was leading up to that moment and I had come up with the most perfect stunt imaginable. The Triple Decker Treetop Bebop Tuck n' Roll."

"What~?! That's considered the most impossible air stunt of all time! No one's ever tried it and lived to brag about it! I mean there was one guy who lived, but even he never could do it!" Dewey exclaimed in amazement, until realization hit him. "Wait, so you were the Tripler Decker Ninny?" Dewey questioned pointing to Launchpad.

"Yep. I managed the triple decker, I managed the treetop bebop, but I never was able to finish the tuck n' roll." Launchpad said with a frown as he placed his hands against his cheeks.

"Well to be fair, the Tuck n' Roll is the hardest part." Dewey said.

"I failed. I flew too close to the sun and got popped like popcorn. The shame, the humiliation, sure people laughed at me, but that's nothing compared to the looks of shame on my family's faces." Launchpad said as he covered his face with his hands.

"They looked real disappointed, huh?"

"Yeah. They smiled at me and said 'Don't feel so bad, Launchpad. It was your first show and you did spectacularly', but their eyes said it all. Warm and full of energy… like the Flames of Disapproval!" Launchpad then proceeded to cry into his hands.

"Um… maybe you might have misread the situation?" Dewey suggested.

"No. There was no mistaking it. It was shame." Launchpad said.

"Um~…"

"After that day, I packed up my things, put a paper bag over my head and flew off looking for a new purpose. After crashing into Duckburg I started driving. I was surprisingly better at it than flying. After a while, Mr. Mc-D hired me and I became his driver for ten years straight. Now here I am, sitting in my home which is also the garage, you coming in through that hole, giving me this letter and telling you my whole story."

"Man that was surprisingly a lot to unpack." Dewey said.

"Yeah, thirteen years' worth. I haven't wrote to them for ten years. I wonder what they wrote to me." Launchpad opened the letter and read it. "Oh no… Oh No!" Launchpad cried as he quickly stood up from the ground.

"What is it?"

"They're coming to visit me!" Launchpad screamed. "They say that there's going to be an air show next month and they decided to come and stay in Duckburg for an entire month!"

"That great news! You can catch up!" Dewey said with a big smile on his face.

"But what am I going to do when they show up? What am I supposed to say? What can I say? 'Hi mom, hi dad, how have you been? Me? Oh I've still been crashing planes'." Launchpad whined as he fell back onto his couch.

"You're overthinking it. Which isn't really something you do." Dewey said as he hopped onto Launchpad's couch. "Launchpad, if your family really does love you then it doesn't matter what happened in the past. They'll love you just the same, crash and all."

"You really think so?" Launchpad asked with surprise.

"I know so." Dewey said with a supportive smile.

"I hope so." Launchpad said looking to the letter. "It has been thirteen years though."

"Then you should make up for lost time!" Dewey exclaimed with vigor.

"All in a month?"

"Yeah! Just fly around with them and-"

"I don't know. I don't think I'm ready to be a Flying McQuack yet again." Launchpad said with doubt.

"Launchpad, you're always flying. You are a Flying McQuack." Dewey corrected.

It took Launchpad a moment or two… or three, to finally understand.

"Yeah, I am! I fly all the time! And my last name is McQuack! I got nothing to fear!" Launchpad cheered with a smile as he stood up from the couch with his fist thrust into the air.

"That's the Spirit!" Dewey cheered, lightly punching the air in excitement.

"Except not having a wife and kids!" Launchpad exclaimed, still smiling.

"… I'm sorry, what?" Dewey questioned in surprise.

"You know, when I said that the last time I wrote to them I said I found the woman of my dreams and I was going to marry her and maybe have some ducklings of my own. Remember?"

"… No… because you didn't mention that." Dewey said with wide eyes.

"Oh, sorry. Let me start over again. It all started thirty one years ago-"

"Launchpad, why did you write that?" Dewey questioned.

"Huh? Oh, well you see twelve years ago I thought I found the love of my life. Oceanica." Launchpad suddenly developed a dreamy look on his face. "She was amazing. Brave, curious, sweet and she loved dogfish. Who doesn't love a mermaid who loves dogfish?"

"I'm sorry, mermaid?" Dewey questioned.

"But sadly, it was not meant to be. She was royalty. Next in line for the throne. Her father said she could not waste her time with me. He didn't trust dirt walkers. I would have fought to stay, but her father was king of the ocean. The ocean needed a ruler or else there'd be chaos. Evolution would go out of whack, and we'd be the ones in tanks while fish swam around us while feeding us the treats. So I backed off. The ocean needed its queen, not another young maiden who threw it all away for love." Launchpad looked to the ground with a sad expression.

"… You have the strangest adventures when we're not around." Dewey commented.

"Anyway, I was so heartbroken I couldn't even hold a pen in my hand. After years of trying to move on, I finally felt at peace after I watched the sunset one morning. Although I totally forgot to tell my parents it didn't work out, so they think I probably married her and had kids." Launchpad finished explaining.

"Okay~, I think I'm all caught up. So why not call up your old girlfriend and-"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. We had our time, and our time is over. Besides, that doesn't solve the 'having kids' problem." Launchpad said.

"Oh yeah. Hmm… we need to think of something." Dewey said as he rubbed his chin.

"Well while we're doing that, I'm gonna write my family back." Launchpad said as he grabbed a pen. "Now where do I keep the paper again?"

.

.

Later at Scrooge's manor, Webby hummed as she headed down the stairs. She headed for the TV room, but when she did she was surprised by the sight of Dewey and Launchpad were sitting upside down with their heads hanging off the seat of the furniture.

Louie was there too, but he was just bored, sipping his lazy troubles away with a can of pep.

"Why are you sitting like that?" Webby asked, before gasping. "Are you two doing some sort of Zen training method?" Webby asked with excitement.

"Nope. Just trying to get the blood to rush to our heads. It's to help us get ideas." Dewey answered while Louie opened a new can of pep.

"Ideas for what?" Webby asked.

"My parents are coming and I need a wife and kids." Launchpad answered.

Louie suddenly spat out his drink of pep.

"Ew. Diet." Louie complained before putting the Diet Pep to the side.

"Why not just tell them the truth?" Webby asked.

"Because it's too hard! I already disappointed them enough as it is!" Launchpad cried out as he covered his face in shame.

"We just need to find a way to make Launchpad's family happy while they're in Duckburg for a month." Dewey said.

"Just hire actors. Simple as that." Louie said with a snap of his fingers.

"Nah, that doesn't sound right." Webby said.

"She's right. Way too much effort, plus Uncle Scrooge would never pay for them." Dewey said.

"Plus it's kind of weird to call people your family for a month before they become complete strangers again." Launchpad said.

"See? We need to come up with a simpler solution." Dewey said as he rubbed his chin.

"Good luck. Other than that there is no way you are getting people Launchpad is comfortable with to call his family for a month." Louie said.

"True. It wouldn't be the same like it is with us." Webby said.

Dewey's eyes widened as a ding was heard.

"There goes my taquitos." Louie said.

"Oh I love taquitos! Can I have some?" Launchpad asked as he sat up right.

"Sure. You got five bucks?" Louie asked with a smile.

"Louie." Webby looked to the youngest triplet with a disapproving frown.

"What? If I share, I'll be hungrier. I need compensation for my partial starvation." Louie retorted.

"That's It!" Dewey cheered with a big grin.

"See? Dewey agrees with me." Louie said with a smirk.

"We'll be Launchpad's kids!" Dewey exclaimed as he sat up straight.

Louie, Webby and Launchpad stared at Dewey with wide eyes.

"If I give you the five bucks Launchpad is going to give me, will you promise never to bring that up again?" Louie asked.

"No, see this is perfect! We're also Launchpad's family, so it won't be so weird. We just pretend he's the best dad in the world, his parents will love us, they'll be so proud and everything will be alright." Dewey explained, but everyone just stared at him. "This is the part where you all say 'Great plan, Dewey!' Thanks guys. I don't know how I Dewey it!" Dewey said with a proud grin.

"… If they think we're their grandkids do you think they'll give us gifts?" Louie asked.

"What grandparents wouldn't?" Dewey rhetorically questioned with a smile.

"I'm in. Great plan, Dewey." Louie said with a smirk.

"I still think telling the truth is the right thing to do, but who am I to pass up a chance to try improv?" Webby said as she developed a big smile.

"Improv?!" They all heard a voice scream. In came running Huey. "Who's doing improv?! That's an optional Junior Woodchuck badge! It's not required, more for a personal sense of self improvement, but I must have it!" Huey exclaimed with much excitement as he showed off the optional page for the specific merit badge. "Who's improv-ing?" Huey asked.

"Us!" Webby cheered with a smile.

"Launchpad needs a wife and kids to impress his family, so we're going to be the kids." Dewey said.

"Dewey's idea." Louie spoke up, pointing to the middle sibling.

"Mine. My idea." Dewey said pointing at himself with pride.

"Hmm~… normally I'd say telling the truth is more important… but when will I ever get another chance to earn my improv merit badge?"

"You could just sign up for drama classes at the rec center. They love improv." Webby answered.

"I mean with people that I know." Huey clarified.

"So it's official! We're all in! Launchpad, congrats! You're now the proud father of three adorable children and one handsome son who's named Dewey." Dewey said to Launchpad with a big proud smile.

Launchpad's eyes widened, before they got teary eyed.

"I never thought this day would come." Launchpad said as he was feeling so many emotion.

Pride, surprise, gratitude, confusion, a sense of fear, but most importantly joy.

"Well that solves the children problem, but what about the wife issue?" Louie asked.

"Hmm~." Dewey rubbed his chin in thought, before he got another idea followed by another ding.

"Yeah, yeah, give me a moment. Appliances. Wish they could think for themselves." Louie complained.

"That is a terrible idea, and I have a list of reasons why." Huey said.

"But Dewey has a great idea! We already have the perfect woman to be Launchpad's wife!" Dewey exclaimed.

The rest of the kids stared at him for a moment before realization struck them, causing looks of disgust to appear on Huey and Louie's faces while Webby suddenly became super excited.

"No. No! Ew~. No." Louie interjected.

"I agree with Louie. That does not sound like a good idea. At all." Huey said.

"Okay, then if you have any better ideas, I'm all ears." Dewey said with his arms crossed.

Louie and Huey stared at him for a moment before looking to one another with worry.

"Um~…"

.

.

Della was busy detailing her pride and joy after her children, brother and rest of the family: The Cloud Slayer.

After buffing up the wheel, she sighed with satisfaction.

"Yep. Nothing like getting some one on one time with my baby girl." Della said with a smile.

"So the plane's a girl?" She heard a young female voice questioned.

Turning around she found her children, Webby and Launchpad.

"I knew it!" Launchpad exclaimed with a smile.

"Hi kids. LP. What's up?" Della greeted the five.

Louie rubbed his arm looking to Huey, who was drumming his fingers nervously against the cover of his Junior Woodchuck Guidebook, which he does from time to time when he's super anxious.

The two brothers pushed the middle child of the trio forward.

It was his plan after all, so it was his responsibility to ask their mother for something that… definitely wasn't going to sit well with her.

"Hey mom~, you mind helping us out with something?" Dewey asked.

"You need me to explain something to your Uncle Donald again?" Della asked.

"No, not this time." Dewey said. "It's more of a really big favor."

"Launchpad needs help impressing his family that he hasn't seen in years so we're acting as his children and we were hoping you'd pretend to be his wife while they're here." Webby answered for Dewey.

Della stared at the group with wide eyes. She then suddenly laughed.

"Good one!" Della continued to laugh, but once it died down she noticed they weren't laugh along. "Oh you're serious." Della said with a nervous smile and wide eyes. After a moment, she suddenly slapped herself. "Ow! Well I'm not having a nightmare. Again."

"Oh boy, I knew this was going to happen." Louie said rolling his eyes.

"Uh, look LP, you know you're my friend and all, and I am flattered by, uh… the opportunity, but I don't think this is at all right… for anyone." Della said, trying to be gently decline the offer.

Launchpad sighed with a frown.

"No, I understand. It is a lot to ask." Launchpad said.

"Oh come on mom, it's just a month. It'll be a breeze compared to your time on the moon." Dewey said, trying to convince his mom.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just tell them the truth?" Della asked.

"That's what I said." Webby said.

"But How Can I?! I've Failed Them So Many Times Already!" Launchpad cried as he fell to his knees. "Oh, I'm a failure as a Flying McQuack."

"Wait… the Flying McQuacks? You're Part of the Flying McQuacks?!" Della questioned with shock. "I thought your names were just a coincidence, since you're-"

"A terrible McQuack? Yeah I know." Launchpad said looking to the ground with a gloomy expression.

"No, no. I mean sure you-"

"Are a terrible flyer who always crashes whenever he's behind the wheel of something made of metal."

"Wow. You really are torn up about this." Della said, surprised that Launchpad admitted what everyone thinks of him. Mostly thinks, at least the first time around.

"That's why he needs our help." Dewey said placing a hand on Launchpad's shoulder.

"Yeah, I mean, you know how it feels to, well… want your family to be proud of who you are." Huey pointed out which really tugged at Della's heart strings.

"Just a month, that's all we're asking." Dewey said with a hopeful expression.

"Well…" Della looked to the side, rubbing her arm. "If it's for a friend, I guess… b-but I want to meet your mother! I've been a fan of Birdie since I was a little girl."

"Done! She always said she hoped I'd end up with a pilot as great as her." Launchpad said with a smile.

Della squealed with an excited grin at the thought.

"Whoa, got to calm myself there." Della said trying to ease herself from fangirl-ing.

Launchpad looked to down to find a lug nut on the ground, walked over to Della and got on one knee.

"Della Duck, would you do me the honor of being my wife?" Launchpad asked with a smile.

"Don't do that Launchpad." Della said backing away a bit with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry." Launchpad said as he flipped the lug nut out of his hand and landed onto Della's.

"Cool! 'Operation: Family Month' is a go!" Dewey cheered with a fist pump.

"Awesome! Just call me Launch-Dad!" Launchpad said with a bright smile as he stood up from the ground.

"Don't." Della said with a dull look.

"This is going to be great!" Dewey cheered.

"And new. We never had a dad before." Huey said rubbing his chin.

.

.

Back at the manor, Donald was resting on a hammock, only to let out a pained quack as he held his heart and fell to the ground.

"Ow."

.

.

"Hmm~. Now what is it that dad's do?" Launchpad wondered as he rubbed his chin.

Louie suddenly developed an idea after a moment.

"They~ take us to the amusement park and pay for everything!" Louie exclaimed with a smile.

"Alright! First one to the limo gets to ride shotgun with dad!" Launchpad exclaimed with a big smile.

The rest of the kids cheered.

"It's going to be me!" Dewey cheered as he ran off, but Webby suddenly hopped over him used her grappling hook to swing away.

"Eat my nonexistent dust!" Webby cheered.

"Hey no fair! We don't have grappling hooks!" Dewey shouted as he tried to catch up.

"And so starts rehearsal. A perfect first step to being authentic. That badge will be mine!" Huey cheered as he and Launchpad headed for the door.

"I think I just found a silver lining to all of this." Louie said with a smirk and rubbing his hands together before following.

"Oh boy, none of this is going to end well." Della said with her shoulders slumped.

"Hey, you coming Ms. D, uh I mean, wifey, uh, no wait, um… what do I call you?" Launchpad wondered to himself.

Della sighed, but she had a small smile on her face.

"Just call me, Della." Della said as she followed the others lead and headed for the door. "Uh, Launchpad, you do know how to drive a car properly, right?" Della asked.

"No worries! I was always better at driving than flying." Launchpad said with a proud smile.

.

.

In the streets of Duckburg, everyone was having a calm day. It was nice, but as they say all things must come to an end.

This ended with a limo driving at fast speeds, causing people to quickly rush onto the sidewalks, while cars stopped and honked with their drivers filled with road rage.

Launchpad was humming a tune as he drove the limo with a carefree attitude and a simple smile on his face.

In the front seats with him with him were Dewey and Della, with the latter hanging onto the seat for dear life.

"Don't worry, you get used to this after a while." Dewey said to his mother with a smile.

"I don't know whether that's a good thing or not!" Della cried with fear for her and the children's lives.

Meanwhile in the back, Webby was cheering as she felt she was on a roller coaster while Louie was actually just enjoying being driven around and having some pep within a glass filled with fancy limo ice.

Huey hummed as he was reading his Junior Woodchuck's manual.

"Okay, from the 'Family Sitcom' chapter of the Drama section within the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook it says that characters usually fall into specific categories depending on their part." Huey started out. "Launchpad, being the dad, falls into the category of either 'the incompetent well-meaning dad who is often the butt of the joke' or 'the hard working stressed out father who might need to learn some meditation practices'."

"Well Launchpad is never really stressed out, in fact he's usually the opposite most of the time, but he is a hard worker, so maybe he's both." Webby said.

They all looked to Launchpad to see that he was singing the Darkwing Duck theme, before ending it with pressing the top of his Darkwing Bobble Head that said the oh so famous line: Let's get dangerous!

"Mostly the first one." Louie said.

"And mom would be either be the worrywart who is supportive of her husband and is understanding whenever the dad makes a mistake." Huey said.

"You just ran a red light!" Della shouted.

"What's that?" Launchpad looked to her.

"Keep your eyes on the road!"

"Okay." Launchpad said smiling as he looked back to the road.

"Or just the worrywart." Louie said to Huey.

"So now we just have to determine our archetype." Huey said rubbing his chin.

"Simple. You're the nerd, Webby's the outspoken one, I'm the rambunctious little scamp and Dewey is… Dewey." Louie said.

"It was the role I was born to play." Dewey said with a bright smile and proud tear in his eye.

"Okay, I think the amusement park was down this road." Launchpad said as he turned left. "Or was it back down that one?" Launchpad wondered pointing the road behind them. "I'm gonna need the map." Launchpad opened the glove compartment, took out the map and opened it up with both hands, which were now off the wheel.

"Launchpad!" Della shouted as she quickly took the wheel and started to dodging cars and trucks.

"I think maybe it was down that way? What do you think, Ms. D? I mean, Della?" Launchpad asked looking to Della.

"I think you should pay attention to the road!" Della shouted.

"Huh?" Launchpad pulled down the map, only to see a big red beaten up bus with a big license plate with many numbers on it. Launchpad let out a yell of shock before grabbing the wheel and managing to avoid the bus, which swerved out of control before hitting a light pole.

Coming out of the bus were none other than the Beagle Boys: Big Time, Bouncer and Burger. All three carrying bags of money.

"Dang it Bouncer, that's the last time you're driving!" Big Time shouted at his physically larger brother. All three were suddenly surrounded by police cars. "Dah, nuts." Big Time frowned.

Back with the limo, after taking a hard right down a road and spinning around, Launchpad somehow managed to park between two cars.

"Hey we're here!" Dewey cheered as he and the other kids looked out the window to see the pier where the amusement park and Funso's was located at.

"Yes! Perfect Driving!" Launchpad cheered with a proud smile.

"Far from perfect." Della said with wide eyes, trying to compose herself.

"Aw man. I spilled my pep." Louie said with his arms crossed and a frown, staring at the spilled beverage and glass on the seat of the limo. "Hey Launchpad, can buy me a slushy?"

"Sure! Because that's what good dads do." Launchpad said with a big smile and thumbs up.

"Exactly." Louie said with a smirk before leaving the limo with the rest of the kids.

"Best family car ride ever!" Webby cheered with a big smile and fists thrusted into the air. "I got to ride with Launchpad more often."

"Let's get on the bumper cars first!" Dewey exclaimed with excitement.

"Maybe not get on bumpy rides for while… especially cars and roller coasters." Huey said with a terrified wide eyes as he tightly gripped his Junior Woodchuck Guidebook in his hands.

Launchpad got out of the limo then turned to Della to see her still in the passenger's seat with wide eyes and a stoic frown on her face.

"You coming?" Launchpad asked.

"Give me a moment." Della said before managing to rip her hands out of the seat, along with pieces of the seat. She got out of the limo and walked over to Launchpad's side. "I'm driving us back when this is over." Della said.

"You got it! Family's all about fairness." Launchpad said still smiling.

"Speaking of family, does Uncle Scrooge know that you took his limo?" Della asked Launchpad.

"Don't worry, I left a note." Launchpad said with a reassuring smile.

.

.

Currently an irate Scrooge just got off the bus grumbling to himself.

"I can't believe this. Three times I called, that's three separate payments put into my phone bill. Now I've had to ride the blasted bus with too many people not knowing the value of personal space." Scrooge complained as he made it to Launchpad's home and noticed the hole in the garage door. "Launchpad! Launchpad! Pick up your blasted phone when people are calling you!" Scrooge shouted as he walked through the hole to find the place empty. "And he's not here. Great." Scrooge said with slumped shoulders.

He noticed an envelope on the table that was addressed to him.

Walking over to it, he picked it up, opened up the envelope and read the note inside.

Dear Mr. Mc-D,

If you're reading this, you must be wondering where I am. I just took the limo out to spend time with my temporary family at the amusement park. I'm the dad! I'll bring it back soon. Until then if you need a ride I put change in the envelope for the bus. Well, I'll see you later. Don't worry about Della and the kids, I'll take good care of them.

Love,

Launchpad McQuack

World's Best Temporary Dad!

Scrooge blinked his eyes with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm confused on this whole thing." Scrooge said with a dull expression. He emptied the change from the envelope into his hand. He sighed with a frown. "I better not be stuck with another tourist."

.

.

Back with Launchpad and the others, they entered the amusement park.

"Alright, the first thing to do as a family is find an activity we all can do together." Huey said reading out from his Junior Woodchuck Guidebook.

"Bumper Cars!" Dewey shouted as he ran off.

"I'm going to the squirt guns!" Webby exclaimed as she followed Dewey's lead.

"I'm going… wherever." Louie said as he casually walked away.

"Wait! This is not how family fun should be conducted!" Huey shouted before turning to Della and Launchpad. "You two are supposed to be the parental authorities. Shouldn't you be doing something about this?"

"Aw, but isn't fun always the top priority when it comes to family time?" Launchpad asked with a smile.

"No! Safety is the top priority! It always is!" Huey responded with slight anxiety.

"Oh. I got a lot to learn as a dad." Launchpad said rubbing his chin as he developed a thinking look on his face.

"Let me show you how a mom does things." Della said with confident smirk. "Kids! Get back here!" Della called out, causing Dewey, Louie and Webby to stop what they're doing and head back to the others. "We can't just split up or else we'll get lost. We'll just do this the old fashion way. Drawing straws!"

"But none of us have straws." Webby pointed out.

"I do." Louie said taking out several straws from the pocket of his hoodie.

"Where did you get those?" Huey asked.

"Got 'em from the limo." Louie said with a shrug. The rest just looked at him in silence. "What? They were complementary."

Della took the straws and snapped some apart to make them different lengths from the others.

"Everyone take a straw."

"Alright." Launchpad said about to take one himself.

"I meant the kids." Della said pulling the straws away from Launchpad's grasp.

"Oh. Right! The children matter first." Launchpad said as he tried to put on a serious and determined expression.

Each of the kids took a straw.

"Huh, I got shortest one." Louie said, before tossing it away. "I didn't know what I wanted to do anyway."

"I got the longest! Dewey for the win! To the bumper cars!" Dewey cheered as he ran off.

"Great~. More bumpy rides." Huey said with a tired expression and slumped over body before he and the rest followed.

"Alright, I love bumper cars!" Launchpad cheered before he hurried up after the kids.

"I probably should have thought this out more." Della said as she followed after the rest.

.

.

After waiting on line, the group was finally riding the bumper cars.

Some were having fun with it.

"I'm going Turbo!" Dewey cheered with a fist pump as he drove around and did a loop here and there.

While others… not so much.

"Ow! Hey! Watch it!" Huey complained after being crashed into, only for more kids to bump into him. "Ah! I'm not having fun here!" Huey cried.

"Just bump someone." Webby said as she stopped next to Huey.

"I don't know if I can. Despite all of our adventures, I'm not really one for violence." Huey said.

"But you're not really hurting anyone." Webby said, but then she was bumped into. "Hey! Get Back Here!" Webby shouted as she drove off.

Huey suddenly gained a look of slight fear and worry as he saw Webby get her vengeance by slamming into her assailant, causing them to spin rapidly away and strike three more riders on their way.

"It's all in fun! Just let loose! Like Della!" Webby called out to Huey and gestured over to his mother.

"Ha, Ha, Ha! Eat my dust amateurs!" Della exclaimed with a bit too much excitement as she slammed into people left and right. "I am the queen of all that rides!" Della cheered.

"Here comes the prince!" Dewey cheered as he drove by and struck another rider. Dewey laughed with joy, but he was suddenly struck himself.

"Hey! No one touches the prince!" Della shouted as she chased after her son's assailant.

Launchpad in the meantime was having a hard time trying to 'start' the vehicle.

"Uh... where's the key in this thing?" Launchpad wondered before being hit by several people. Luckily one of them was Louie. "Louie, where's the keys?"

"There are no keys." Louie said.

"Where are the buttons?"

"There are no buttons. You just use the pedal." Louie said pointing to the pedal in his bumper car.

"The pedal?" Launchpad looked down to his feet to see a pair of pedals in the bumper car. "Oh~." Launchpad grabbed the wheel and then pushed one of the pedals, only to shoot back then he floored it forward at top speed.

"Oh boy." Louie said, knowing how this would end.

Launchpad let out a yell as he started hitting everyone who was unfortunately in his way.

"Sorry! Excuse me! I'm new at this! Not at driving, just these cars!" Launchpad shouted as he tried his best to control the bumper cars.

"Hey here comes Launchpad!" Dewey said with a smile.

"Uh oh." Della said with wide eyes.

"Brace yourselves!" Huey screamed before they all got knocked away.

Launchpad let out a scream as he started spinning out of control, literally knocking everyone in a bumper car before he actually crashed out of the arena and slammed into hot dog cart then into a lamp post, stopping him in his tracks.

Launchpad blinked his eyes.

"Huh. I guess you can't be good at driving everything." Launchpad said.

Back into the bumper car arena, everyone was trying to regain their bearings.

"Can we get off now?" Huey asked with a frown, feeling drained of energy.

"That was amazing!" Dewey cheered shooting up from his seat, but then he barfed over the side and onto the metal floor. "Less amazing now, but still great!"

"Well that brought a whole new level to the game of bumper cars." Della said leaning over the side.

"Leave it to Launchpad." Webby said with a smile.

"In hindsight, we all should have seen this coming." Louie said.

"Attention families and other groups of companionship, I regret to inform that the bumper cars will be temporarily shut down for repairs." The ride vendor said into the intercom, causing all who wanted to ride the bumper cars to whine in disappointment.

"Now that's one way to start out the day." Della said as she and kids got off.

"Where'd Launchpad drive off to?" Webby questioned.

"Just follow the destruction." Louie said pointing towards the path Launchpad made from his accidental joy ride.

"At least Launchpad makes it easy to find him." Della said as they all followed the path of collateral damage.

Launchpad was humming as he got some hotdogs from the hotdog vendor. After paying for them, along with the damages caused by it, he turned to find his 'family'.

"Oh hey! Look what I got for us." Launchpad said with a smile.

"Yes! You read my mind!" Dewey cheered as he and others took a hotdog.

"What? No drinks?" Louie questioned, but he was nudged by Webby. "I mean, thank you Launchpad."

"No problem. It's what a dad does." Launchpad said with pride.

"Okay, from the looks of it we just finished a comedic moment that had a very dangerous level of slapstick. A classic scene from a family sitcom." Huey said reading from his guidebook. "Next I think we should-"

Webby suddenly gasped as she saw something.

"Look!" Webby shouted, pointing at a large blue tent with yellow stars all over it. It had a banner atop the entrance that said. "Monster Hunter Cyrus' Gallery of Fantastical Monsters! We have to see this!" Webby exclaimed with excitement.

"Let's not. These things are just cons that bring in suckers who want to see something weird, but all you get are a bunch of normal animals put in ridiculous get ups." Louie said with a frown. However from the look of super excitement on Webby's face, she probably didn't hear him. "And you're still going to go anyway, aren't you?"

"Launchpad, can we go?!" Webby asked her 'temporary dad'.

"I don't see why not." Launchpad said with a shrug.

"Yes!" Webby cheered before eating her whole hotdog and running off.

"Maybe we'll see something cool, like maybe a rabbit with antlers!" Dewey said with equal excitement to Webby.

"Jackalope." Huey said.

"What?"

"Jackalope. That's what a rabbit with antlers is, but I agree with Louie. I highly doubt anyone with decent common sense would ever-"

"Let's go see a Jackalope!" Dewey cheered as he ran towards the tent.

"I'm not going in there." Louie said, shaking his head.

"Well if you want I can go with them and you can stay here with Huey and your mother." Launchpad said.

"There we go. Thinking like a real dad now, Launchpad." Louie said with a smirk.

"Yes! Score one for Launch-Dad!" Launchpad cheered.

"Hey you mind lending us some money for other rides?" Louie asked with his hand open.

"Yeah sure." Launchpad handed Louie a stack of cash before hurrying off towards the tent. "Don't spend it all in one place!" Launchpad called out.

"I think I'm starting to like having a dad." Louie said with a smile as he counted the stack of cash, but it was then taken from him by Della. "Hey!"

"He said don't spend it all in one place and we all know your track record." Della put the money away, causing Louie to pout with his arms crossed.

"Normally in Family Sitcoms when half of the main cast splits from the others that leads into the development of plot B. Now we just need to find out what it should be." Huey said looking through his guidebook.

"Real life isn't a sitcom." Louie said.

"I know that, but given our situation, they are the best source of information. In fact, I think there have been several sitcoms that had blended families created through a personal crisis from a certain individual in the cast." Huey explained, but then suddenly Louie grabbed his brother's Junior Woodchuck Guidebook and tossed it away. "Hey! Why did you do that?!" Huey shouted.

"To make a plot C. Huey goes off on his own to find his dorky book and learns that not everything works like a sitcom." Louie said with a smirk.

"Shows don't have plot Cs! There'd be no time for them in the half hour mark!" Huey shouted.

"Boys, boys, calm down. We're here to have fun, remember? Louie, apologize to your brother and get his book back." Della said.

Louie groaned.

"I'm sorry for tossing your book away. I'll go get it for you." Louie said with an obvious lack of sincerity before walking off to retrieve his brother's book.

Huey grunted with his arms crossed.

"Huey, honey, you know Louie's right. Life doesn't work like a sitcom. Even if we do have some wacky hijinks here and there." Della said to her eldest triplet.

"I know, but they're pretty much the only real source I can rely on right now. We've never been in this situation before. I mean, I have gone to fun places before without the constant thrills and dangers of adventure, but that's just usually Dewey, Louie, Webby and I. We've never done this before with you, mom." Huey explained. "And we've definitely never done anything with a dad before." Huey looked to the side with a frown.

Della had a saddened expression on her face.

"Yeah, I'll admit this is pretty weird for everyone, but maybe that doesn't make it bad. Granted making a fake family to lie to our friend's actual family isn't a good thing, but that doesn't mean some good can't come from it. Like experience. Just consider this another adventure. Go to places we never went before as a family, learn some things and feel better from the experience. The only thing is there's no danger, hopefully, but an adventure doesn't always have to be dangerous." Della said with a soft smile as she comforted her son with a hand on his shoulder.

"Well admittedly, it is nice to have a normal quiet day without any life threatening occurrences." Huey then he glanced back towards the mess Launchpad made a few moments ago. "For the most part. If anything this isn't a half bad way to start the day." Huey said with a soft smile towards his mother.

"That's the spirit." Della said with a smile patting her eldest on the back. "Now if I remember correctly from the straw it's your turn to choose something for the family to do. So when Dewey, Webby and Launchpad get back you're the one to choose the next thing we do."

"Thanks mom."

"Here's your book back." Louie said handing his brother back his Junior Woodchuck book.

"Thank you. Now I think you should apologize to it." Huey said extending out his manual.

"What?! No way! It's just a book!" Louie argued.

"It wasn't just the book you hurt. You hurt the spirit of the Woodchuck itself." Huey said with his head held high and book close to his heart.

"Ugh." Louie groaned.

"Louie~." Della narrowed her eyes at her youngest, causing him to sigh.

"I'm sorry Junior Woodchuck Guidebook." Louie apologized with a dull expression. Huey cleared his throat. "And spirit of the Woodchucks. There!" Louie said with his arms crossed. "Can we get slushies?" Louie asked his mom.

"I could go for a slush." Huey said with a smile.

"Yeah. Let's get some for everyone." Della said with a smile.

.

.

Meanwhile, Launchpad, Dewey and Webby went into the tent to find a booth inside in front of a large curtain.

Rising from behind the booth was a male duck wearing beige flak jacket, long sleeve black shirt that had some tears in it and an English hunting hat that was scorched a bit with an arrow sticking out of it. He also had a bit of a stubble on his bill.

"Welcome curious ones to Monster Hunter Cyrus' Gallery of Fantastical Monsters! I'm Cyrus!" Cyrus introduced himself.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Dewey asked.

"Oh these? They're just damage to my clothes that I got during my many journeys to capture these exotic animals for the world. I decided to keep them this way because of all the stories they tell." Cyrus explained with a smile and arms crossed.

"Wow, you're passionate!" Webby said in amazement.

"And I can see you are too."

"So what kind of monsters did you collect?" Dewey asked.

"Well I'll gladly show you, but the pier manager makes things kind of tight for continued business."

"I see where this is going." Dewey said with a dull expression.

"How much?" Launchpad asked.

"$10 for the kids, $20 for adults." Cyrus answered.

"Here." Launchpad said as he handed Cyrus forty bucks.

"Welcome explorers!" Cyrus exclaimed as he opened the curtains allowing the three to walk in.

When they did, they suddenly saw something shiny fly by them, causing them to gasp. Then another shiny thing flew by. Then more. When they looked around they found the whole room was full of shiny flying things.

"What are they?" Dewey questioned. Suddenly one of these shiny things landed upon Dewey's shoulder revealing a butterfly with shiny green stones on their wings.

Webby gasped with an amazed look on her face as she noticed it was a butterfly with emerald studs in its wings.

"Emerald Wing Butterflies! But these are only in Guatemala!" Webby exclaimed with amazement.

"Ah, a keen eye, I see." Cyrus said with a smile. "Yes, these little ones I collected in Guatemala, near a forgotten Mayan temple."

"The Temple of the Blind Sun?" Webby questioned.

"Yes. You've been there before?" Cyrus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Once to help Uncle Scrooge to collect the some treasure." Dewey said.

"Oh, so you're Scrooge McDuck's family. Well then let me show you more of the wonders that he himself no doubt had seen with his own eyes." Cyrus said with a smile as he guided the three through the room

"So why have these guys first?" Dewey asked.

"Simple. Always start with a little razzle before you get to the dazzle." Cyrus answered with a smirk.

"That's exactly what I live by!" Dewey said with cheer.

"Come. I have more to show." Cyrus said as he guided the three.

Cyrus led the trio into another section of the where they came across a glass window that led to a bit of a grassy room. There inside were a pair of kangaroos with a pair of antlers, a scaly underbelly and a long scaly tail and a row of gold fur down its back and tail.

"Are those kangaroos with antlers and a lizard's tail?" Dewey questioned with shock.

"Meet the legendary Ryu-roo. Ryu being Japanese for Dragon." Cyrus introduced the beast.

"Dragon Kangaroos?!" Dewey exclaimed with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.

"I know these! They're found living in mountains near ancient forgotten Shinto shrines in Japan!" Webby said with excitement.

"Exactly. My you are well informed." Cyrus complimented with a smile. "It is said that these creatures were ancient guardians to keep ancient mystic creatures away from holy Shinto lands. They're kicks are powerful enough to break apart stone and send objects as heavy as gold the size of boulders flying through the air. Now a days they only just stay near these forgotten lands. Still defending it from time to time, but have no purpose otherwise."

One of the ryu-roos suddenly had a baby ryu-roo appeared out of a pouch from its underbelly. It only had nubs instead of real antlers like its parents.

"A joey!" Webby exclaimed.

The male of the two suddenly shot a stream of fire out of its mouth.

"They can breathe fire?!" Dewey exclaimed.

"Yep. That's how my hat got burnt." Cyrus said tipping his hat a bit, reminiscing on the scorched damage.

"Cool! Can they fly?" Launchpad asked.

"No, but they can jump over a hundred feet into the air. Great for traversing mountains." Cyrus said.

"Then what's stopping them from jumping away?" Webby asked.

"Like I said before they lost most of their purpose with their lands being forgotten, so they've gotten more laidback. So long as you provide them with sustenance and an area to graze through they will be calm. I have to take them to an open field every day after and even before the amusement park opens so they don't get restless." Cyrus explained.

"Makes sense. Everyone loves fresh air after a job well done." Launchpad said.

"Exactly."

"What else you got here?" Dewey asked.

"Jade tusked pandas, golden scarabs, neon rainbow howler monkeys-" Webby suddenly hopped up and grabbed Cyrus by the collar.

"Show me~." Webby said with an intense tone and wide excited eyes.

.

.

Huey hummed to himself with his eyes squinted. He was reading sign that was a large map of the amusement park, looking through all the rides. It also had a stain on a part of it. A stain of what? Nobody probably wants to know. He rubbed his chin as he thought over what ride to go on.

"Maybe… no. Perhaps… no that would be more a problem than fun. That too." Huey said to himself.

"Can you just pick something already?" Louie complained as he then sipped from his green apple slushy.

"It's not that easy." Huey said.

"Yes it is. Just point to one and say 'Let's try that'." Louie said pointing at the sign.

"It's not that easy. I not only have to choose a ride that is safe and efficient while still being fun, but it has to be one that Launchpad can't crash." Huey said looking to his brother.

"Yeah, good luck with that." Louie said with a dull frown as he sipped more from his slush.

"You know, Huey, you could just choose a game to play instead. We don't have to just go on rides." Della said.

"Hmm. True. We'd avoid more potential lawsuits that way." Huey said as he looked back to the sign. "How about a squirt gun game. Water guns are always fun." Huey suggested.

"Ain't that the true?" Della said with a smirk.

"Cool. Better than staying here doing nothing." Louie said.

"I thought you loved doing nothing." Huey said looking back to Louie.

"Not when we're at place like amusement parks." Louie said with a smirk.

"Well let's get back to that tent to meet with the others." Della said.

As they all headed out, Louie suddenly felt something as some of his slush fell onto his hoodie.

"What the?" Louie looked down with surprise.

"Oh, honey, you got yourself dirty." Della said, noticing the mess on Louie's hoodie.

"You got to be more careful." Huey said.

"Did no one else feel that?" Louie questioned.

"Feel what?" Huey questioned.

"The pier. It just moved." Louie said.

"I didn't feel anything." Della said with a shrug.

"Maybe you're just feeling the effects of sugar. I've been there." Huey said as he remembered all his sugar rushes from just one sprinkle of sugar.

"I know when I'm starting to get a sugar rush. I haven't had one in years since I'm so used to eating junk food." Louie retorted.

"Maybe it was just a small wave that hit a support beam then. You're most likely standing on top of one so you're the only one who felt movement." Huey said.

"Stupid waves." Louie complained as he, Huey and Della walked away.

Unknown to them, though it was caused by disturbance to a support beam, it was not from a simple wave.

.

.

Dewey, Webby and Launchpad has seen all types of mystical beasts within tour.

Large panda bears with long tusks similar to mammoths with golden tips at the ends of them all the way from China, scarabs from Egypt with exoskeletons and wings made of gold with eyes that shines as red as rubies, howler monkeys that though in the light look like normal howler monkeys when in darkness their just was that of stripes and spots of several different colors glowing like neon lights, and much, much more like that.

"I can't believe you have an Aracuan bird. How did you managed to get it?" Webby asked.

"With a lot of hard work and a lot more patience." Cyrus said with a frown and slumped arms as he hunched over a bit, remembering the extremely mentally torturous experience he had just attaining one. "Now I'm afraid I only have one last creature. This one I found very recently." Cyrus said.

"Oh, what is it? What kind of creature is it? Is it from the mountains? Sky?"

"Sea, actually." Cyrus said with a smile, answering before Webby continued to get inquisitive. Cyrus guided the three through one last room. There in the center was a podium with a curtain over it. It was covering something spherical underneath. "This one I had collected from the seas. I had caught it when I was fishing. Just a normal day. I never expected for something like this to suddenly come my way."

"What is it?" Dewey asked as he, Webby and Launchpad got near the podium,

Cyrus grabbed the curtain and gently pulled away the cloth to unveil a hamster ball filled with water with a little creature inside.

The creature had light blue skin, a long tail, a small long dark blue dorsal fin that started from the back of its head all the way down to the tip of its tail, three pairs of red violet eyes on its smooth head and small little nubs around the bottom of its body above the tail area.

"What is it?" Dewey asked as he, Webby and Launchpad stared at it.

"I'm not sure. I found it while I was fishing near the Drake Barrier Reef." Cyrus answered.

"Drake Barrier Reef? That's near Atlantis!" Webby said.

"Atlantis? You've been to Atlantis?" Cyrus asked.

"Yeah, everyone knows that. It was on the news like a year ago." Dewey said.

"I don't really watch the news. Not enough time when you're traveling from one corner of the world to another." Cyrus said before looking back at the small sea creature swimming around in the hamster ball. "This little one being a creature from the lost city would explain why there isn't much text on it. I did read once that Atlantis did like to keep certain species unknown to the world."

"Maybe there's a reason for that." Webby said.

"Yes. After today I'll have to do some more exploring. Figure things out." Cyrus said rubbing his chin. "Nonetheless this little treasure is the last creature on the tour."

"Why have it as the last if he's just a little fish thing?" Dewey questioned.

"Take a look. It seems he's prepared to show what he can do." Cyrus said with a smirk.

The three looked closer as the sea creature scrunched its body up before it then let out something from its mouth. It was a small diamond.

"No way." Dewey said with amazement.

"What is that? Some sort of hair ball, but without the hair?" Launchpad asked.

"It's a diamond. This little one can create small ones from time to time." Cyrus said.

"Diamond fish. Cool." Dewey said, still amazed.

After a few more moments with the little diamond making fish, Cyrus walked the three out of the tent and said goodbye. Sadly today was the last day he'd be at the pier so they were lucky they got the chance to see these creatures before he packed up.

Launchpad, Dewey and Webby walked out of the tent and met Della, Huey and Louie outside with slushes.

"Let me guess, it was all fake." Louie said as he scrolled through his phone.

"Actually, no. We saw things like a fish that was able to spit out actual diamonds." Dewey said.

"What?!" Louie shouted with shock at the idea of such a creature that had the potential to make anyone richer every day of its life.

"Oh~, slushes!" Launchpad exclaimed with joy as Della handed him a blue raspberry that he sipped up. "Hey you know what you should try next time? Mix Sweet Strawberry and Electric Blueberry together. They're the best flavors!" Launchpad said with a smile as he continued to sip.

"I'll keep that in mind." Della said with a smile.

"There were Jade Tusked Pandas, Ra Scarabs that had shells made of gold, Emerald Wing Butterflies-"

"You're telling me this guy found animals that have riches attached to them and instead of cashing them in he's just using them for a traveling zoo?!" Louie exclaimed, flabbergasted that something would not cash in on the gold mine this Cyrus guy collected.

"How did he even get permission to even display them here?!" Huey questioned in shock.

"Something about a poker game." Dewey said.

"The amusement park manager allowed him to open his tent after he won with a royal flush. Good thing too. If he lost the manager would have gotten the animals for himself." Webby explained. "Who knows what he would have done."

"I can think of a few financial fulfilling reasons what!" Louie shouted, still shocked by the wasted opportunity in the red and white striped tent.

"So where to next?" Webby asked.

"Well since you and Dewey already made your choices, it's my turn and I suggest we-"

"Hey look! Planes!" Launchpad pointed towards a flat ride that is a spiraling tower with rods sticking out that were connected to planes that fitted up to two passengers. "Oh~." Launchpad's interest was piqued as he tried to go towards the ride, but Della stopped him.

"No. Kids choose first, remember?" Della said with a slightly stern expression.

"Right." Launchpad said with a nod, putting on a more serious and determined expression. He was determined to be a good fake dad. "Hey squirt guns!" Launchpad noticed the game with a big smile on his face as he headed over, causing Della to sigh.

"Well that is what Huey chose to do next." Della said with a dull expression as she and kids followed.

As Launchpad was in front of the game he looked up at all of the prizes with a long 'oh' sound, but then he noticed something that caused him to gasp.

"A Darkwing Duck Sweet Pistol?! I thought those were banned since the candy shot out hurt too many kids!"

"It was, but thanks to that guy going around trying to be Darkwing Duck and stopping crimes, they brought it back for marketing purposes. Now twenty percent less lethal." The game vendor informed with a smile.

"Must. Win. Prize." Launchpad said with new determination as he stared at the candy gun with wide eyes. He suddenly heard a gasp, catching his attention.

"Oh my Gosh, is that a house of mirrors?!" Huey exclaimed, pointing to a building filled with mirrors inside. "I didn't notice that on the map!"

"Maybe that's what that stain was covering." Louie said.

"Must try and beat record!" Huey exclaimed with a grin.

"Record?" Della questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Huey likes to test his brain power, so he keeps records for each brainy thing he does. Finding his way out of a house of mirrors as fast as he can is one of them." Dewey explained with a dull expression.

"But… Darkwing Sweet Pistol." Launchpad said with a frown.

"Oh, um…" Huey looked to the house of mirrors then back to Launchpad's sad expression. "I guess we could do house of mirrors another time." Huey said with a frown.

Noticing Huey now having a sad look made Launchpad decide to take a different action.

"No. Today I'm a dad, which means that you guys come first. Huey, we're doing what you want now." Launchpad said as he had a more serious and determined expression, surprising the kids and Della.

"Really?" Huey asked with surprise, before smiling. "Thanks, Launchpad."

Launchpad smiled and gave a thumbs up.

"You let your kid call you by your name?" The game vendor questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Well actually-"

"Hey kids, how about you go on ahead. You're big enough to try out a house of mirrors by yourself. Launchpad and I will meet you there in a bit, okay?" Della suggested with a smile.

"Okay mom." Dewey said with a smile before he and the other kids headed towards the house of mirrors.

"Webby, if any trouble happens you're in charge to deal with it." Della said to the sole girl of the four, earning a salute before she rejoined the triplets.

Della walked over to the water gun game and looked up at the prizes.

"That's the one you're talking about, right?" Della asked Launchpad as she pointed at the candy filled gun.

"Yeah."

"Allow me." Della said with a smirk as she cracked her knuckles.

"But what about the others? Should we be with them?" Launchpad asked.

"They've faced stuff like thugs, giant Aztec robots and an alien invasion. If they can survive that they can survive five minutes without an adult." Della reassured with a calm smile. "Besides, I don't think you'll like it in there. You might keep hitting every mirror while trying to get out."

"That has happened before." Launchpad said as Della paid the game vendor.

"Okay, rules are simple, targets pop up and it's your job to shoot them down. The more targets you nail, the higher the points which means you'll get a chance at a much higher prize." The vendor explained the rules. "Ready?"

"Let's get this started!" Della exclaimed with a determined look and smile. Once the game vendor started the game, the targets popped up and low and behold they were designed as space aliens. "Oh boy, good thing Penny's not here to see this." Della said before she regained her determined composure and started firing at the targets nailing each one.

She was so good at the game that she even nailed a special golden alien target which was worth twenty points, while the rest were worth a single point.

Once the game was done, Della's score broke the original record.

"Wow!" The vendor said with shock.

"Yup. Still got it." Della said with a confident smirk. "I'll take that Darkwing candy gun please."

"How'd you get so good?" The vendor asked as he took down the Darkwing Duck Sweet Pistol and handed it to Della.

"I've been playing these since I was a kid. Also target practice was always my favorite thing to do in the backyard." Della answered as she took the toy and handed it to Launchpad. "Here, LP."

"Oh wow! Thanks! I've always wanted one of these things since I was a kid!" Launchpad cheered as he aimed the candy pistol to the side and pressed the trigger, which nailed someone in the back of the head and caused stumble into a trash can.

"Uh, maybe hold off on using it for now, LP." Della suggested.

"Oh, Dewey's gonna love this!" Launchpad exclaimed causing Della's eyes to widen as she thought of her own son using an almost lethal candy gun. "Thanks Ms. - uh, Della."

"Anytime. Just make sure Dewey never uses that in crowds." Della said as they both headed for the house of mirrors, but on their way there, Launchpad noticed something.

"Hey look!"

"What now?" Della looked to where Launchpad was pointing towards a glass bottles game. "Another game?"

"Look what it's got." Launchpad pointed toward a large stuffed toy rocket.

"A toy rocket." Della said.

"You love rockets, don't you?" Launchpad asked with a smile.

"Love is… kind of a strong word, but despite the whole being trapped on the moon thing I don't have a bad opinion on them." Della said.

"Then it's perfect!" Launchpad exclaimed as he made his way over to the game.

"Perfect for what?" Della asked as she followed.

"Well you got me this Sweet Pistol, so it makes sense I get you something you love." Launchpad said, surprising Della by his kind gesture.

Launchpad gave the vendor money, who gave three baseballs in return.

"Launchpad, maybe not this game. These bottle ones are usually fixed." Della said to Launchpad in a low tone.

"If it's not broken any more than it's fine by me." Launchpad said with a smile.

He then threw his first ball, which nailed the bottles directly, but the ball bounced off of them instead of knocking them down and struck Launchpad's eye, causing him to fall right after the ball ricochet off of his eye and hit a beam from the roof of the game booth, breaking something off which led to the beam to swing from above and nail all of the bottles; not just the one Launchpad was aiming to strike down.

Della helped Launchpad up to her feet as he had a new shiner covering his right eye. They noticed the damage caused while the vendor's jaw was dropped.

"That means I won, right?" Launchpad asked.

"Well… technically since the bottles are no longer standing-"

"Then he won. No arguments." Della said with a smirk.

The game vendor sighed and gave Launchpad the prize he asked for.

"Here you." Launchpad handed Della the large stuffed rocket.

"Thanks, LP. This is really sweet of you." Della said with a sincere smile as she held the large stuffed toy rocket.

"So is this." Launchpad said as he took out his Sweet Pistol, fired into the air and opened his bill wide to eat the piece of candy coming down, but it just landed on his new black eye. "Ow! Maybe keeping my eyes open will help next time." Launchpad said as he rubbed his right eye.

Della laughed a bit at Launchpad's casual behavior.

"Hey, what happened to your eye Launchpad?" Louie asked as he, Huey and Webby walked over to the two adults.

"I got it from winning a prize I got for your mother." Launchpad said with a smile.

Louie looked over to the prize in his mother's hands.

"A stuffed rocket, huh? Well I guess it fits."

"Wait, where's your brother?" Della asked.

Louie pointed back to the house of mirrors where Dewey was still inside trying to find a way out.

"It's this way!" Dewey exclaimed as he rushed forward only to smack into a mirror. "Okay, maybe this way." Dewey headed to a different direction, but he bumped into a mirror again. "This way, definitely!" Dewey said but once more he bumped into another mirror.

"And none of you went back to help him?" Della asked.

"I wanted to, but since I ran out of my allowance I couldn't get back in." Webby said.

"You went in nine times. What did you expect?" Louie pointed out.

"She was just showing off." Huey said with a frown and arms crossed, miffed that his record was broken in an instant by Webby.

"Sorry. I love going through mazes. Plus I also like testing my reflexes and memory skills. I couldn't help, but keep going in trying to be faster each time." Webby said with a hint of embarrassment as she had her hands behind her back and twisted her foot side to side.

"I'll go help him." Launchpad said.

"No." Della stopped him. "I mean with that eye it might be a little hard for you to see properly in there." Della said, trying to make an excuse to avoid insulting Launchpad's awareness in puzzle games.

"I guess so. Half the things at this place are spinning around too much. Same with Louie." Launchpad said, causing Della to be real concerned with Launchpad's health.

Suddenly they all stumbled a bit as they felt what could have been described as a tremor, but on a pier?

"I wasn't the only one who felt that this time, was I?" Louie asked.

Suddenly a large light blue tentacle burst out of the wood of the pier near the group.

"Oh boy." Louie said with a new sense of dread.

More tentacles suddenly burst from under the pier.

Everyone at the pier looked around with shock and fear at the sudden appearance of the tentacles, but then within the water started to rise a beast. Everyone looked to see a water from out the deep looming over the pier.

It was a colossal with light blue skin, a serpent body with a white armored underbelly, tentacles sprouting from its body beneath the surface of the ocean, a long dark blue dorsal fin that started from the back of its head and went down the spinal area of its body and its head looked similar to that of a dragon's, but it had three pairs of red violet eyes with a crimson iris within the center. It also had two mouths with one atop of the other.

Everyone stared up at the growl creature with wide eyes and looks of fear.

"Yes! I finally made it out!" Dewey cheered as he hopped out of the exit of the house of mirrors, but then he noticed the giant beast looming above the pier. "Oh."

The sea monster let out a giant roar with its top mouth, scaring everyone, causing them to scream and panic as they ran away.

The sea monster was starting to rip the pier apart, mainly the attractions.

"What is that thing?!" Dewey shouted as he joined the rest of the gang.

"A giant sea monster! It's kind of self-explanatory here!" Huey shouted. "Nothing like this ever happened in any Family Sitcom on TV!"

"We got to get off the pier!" Della shouted as she and the rest then ran away.

However Webby heard screaming, making her turn to see a young boy hanging from a roller coaster the sea monster was holding up high and looking over with its large eyes. Her heroic instincts kicked in as she with rushed over to help.

That's when Della noticed she wasn't with them. When she saw where she was heading, she felt a pit in her stomach.

"Webby!" Della cried out as she dropped her stuffed rocket out of fear for the young girl's life.

Webby used her parkour skills she had built up over the years to hop atop of what was left of torn structures to then land upon a tentacle of the sea beast. She ran along the tentacle and once she was in range, she took out her grappling hook and fired it at the roller coaster, latching onto it.

The sea monster's eyes widened as a little duckling whizzed up into the air thanks to the grappling hook and landed upon the roller coaster car and grab the hanging passenger. It roared at the two, causing a strong enough force that made them fall off, but Webby quickly used her grappling hook once more, only this time hooking onto one of the tentacles and swung down to safety.

Webby let the boy go, allowing him to run away to find his mother, and retracted the wiring to her gun, only for the hook to be ripped out of the tentacle, tearing off a piece of the sea monster's skin making it roar in pain before glaring at Webby with new anger.

"Uh oh." Webby said with new worry.

The monster roared as suddenly a hailstorm of sharp objects shot out of its top mouth and headed down towards the pier.

Webby made a break for it, dodging as many of the sharp projectiles as possible, but she tripped over one. She groaned with slight pain, but then she gasped as she noticed one of the tentacles were raised up over her, ready to come down. Luckily for the duckling, Della rushed over in time to grab her and get away from the tentacle slam in time.

The sea monster roared again, sending sharp projectiles out its mouth, forcing Della to dodge them with Webby in her arms.

Luckily Della found some cover behind a wrecked metallic ride.

The sea monster stopped roaring and was ready to crush the two hiding behind cover with its tentacle, but something was tossed at it, smearing its body with a small splat of red, and then yellow.

"Hey you!" A voice shouted causing the creature to look down to find three young boys and a tall man with condiment covered hot dogs in their hands. "Leave our mom and temporary sister alone!" Dewey shouted as they all started throwing hot dogs at the sea beast.

The sea monster just narrowed all six eyes at them as then three smaller tentacles shot from below the pier and grabbed the triplets.

"I knew that was a bad idea!" Louie shouted as they were all lifted into the air.

"Hey! Let go of my fake wife's kids!" Launchpad shouted with a miffed look as he charged at the tentacle holding Dewey, but he was smacked away by another tentacle, sending him flying into a ride.

"Launchpad!" Della called out her friend's name with fear and concern.

Webby noticed some of the projectiles near them. When she got a closer look she realized something.

"I've seen these before." Webby said with wide eyes. She then ran off towards a certain direction.

"Webby! Where are you going?!" Della shouted.

"Mom!" Della heard Huey scream as he and his brothers were lifted higher into the air.

Della's eyes were wide and jaw dropped at the sight of her children in peril. She then got very, very angry as she then grabbed a nearby metal pipe from a destroyed ride and ripped it out.

"Let Go of My Kids!" Della screamed as she charged forward and started bashing tentacles with her pipe, aggravating the sea monster as it roared with annoyance.

Launchpad rubbed his head to ease the pain. He noticed his family was in peril. He had to think of something. When he looked around he noticed he had crashed into the spiraling plane ride he saw earlier.

Crash… plane… he knew what to do.

Della bashed the tentacle holding Huey, forcing the sea monster to let him go and fall into Della's arms.

"I got you sweetie." Della said with concern for her son, but then they both were grabbed by another tentacle that came from below the pier.

"Um… now who's gonna get us?" Huey asked with fear.

"I always knew I'd fall in a tremendous battle. Okay actually I always hoped that would happen when I'm Uncle Scrooge's age, but now that it's happening, I just want to live and go home!" Dewey shouted.

"Someone! Anyone! Help Us!" Louie cried.

"Hey Monster!" A voice shouted causing the monster and the Duck family to turn their heads to see Launchpad in a fake plane from a ride flying through the air. "Leave my family alone!" Launchpad cried out before he crashed into the monster's face, causing it to roar in pain and let go of Della and the triplets. Launchpad managed to hop out of the fake plane right before it fell down towards the sea.

The sea monster roared as it shaking off Launchpad, but he held onto it tightly.

"Launchpad!" Della called out her friend's name with worry.

Suddenly tentacles started to thrust and slam around the pier, tearing it apart, forcing Della and the boys to retreat to safety.

Launchpad was feeling dizzy, but he managed to recompose himself quickly enough.

"Alright big guy, let's get dangerous!" Launchpad shouted as he took out his new Darkwing Duck Sweet Pistol and shot candy into the sea monster's eyes, causing it to roar in agony and thrash around more violently. "AH! Too Dangerous!" Launchpad shouted as he tried holding on for dear life, but he lost his grip and flew through the air until he crashed into one of the game booths.

"Launchpad!" Dewey shouted as he and the others saw him crash nearby.

They all ran over and hopped over the booth window to find Launchpad on a pile of stuff animals and baseballs in his mouth, which he then spit out and gave them a thumbs up.

"I'm fine. Although I think I swallowed a baseball."

Suddenly the roof of the game booth was torn off making them all look up to see the sea monster glaring down at them.

"Man this thing is persistent!" Huey shouted.

Right as the monster lifted a tentacle up to crush the group of five, it heard a voice call out to it.

"Hey You!" The monster turned to see the female duckling from earlier. "Leave my family alone!" Webby shouted with her hands behind her back.

The monster took its attention off of the five and focused on the one girl.

"Webby! Run!" Della shouted.

Webby stood her ground as the monster lifted its tentacle. She then pulled from behind her back the little sea creature within the hamster ball from the Cyrus' tent.

The sea monster stopped as its eyes widened. It gently lowered the tentacle away as it stared down at the creature within the hamster ball that also stared back at it.

"Wait, is that it's…" Huey said as he stared with surprised.

The sea monster brought a tentacle close to Webby, who opened the hamster ball and handed it to the beast's tentacle, allowing it to wrap it around the ball. It brought the hamster ball closer, letting out a small moan with the small creature gurgling in return. The sea creature opened its mouth to reveal a tongue filled with blue spots, but the spots were actually more of the small creature.

The small creature hopped out of the hamster ball and went into the sea monster's mouth. Once it was inside, the monster closed its second mouth before returning back into the sea.

"Oh, so that's why it was destroying everything. It was just looking for its baby." Dewey said.

"Are you guys okay?" Webby asked as she rushed over to them.

"Yeah. All thanks to you. Great job, Webby." Della said with a proud smile, making Webby smile brightly at being complimented by Della Duck.

"Well, looks like family day's over." Louie said with his hands in his hoodie pockets.

"Let's go home." Della said as she helped Launchpad to his feet.

As they walked away, Launchpad noticed something on the floor. The prize he won for Della. He walked over, picked it up and made his way over to her.

"Can't forget this." Launchpad said with a smile, handing it to Della, who smiled back at him.

"Okay, so day one as a family was… actually a success. If you don't count the giant sea monster attack that almost cost us our lives." Huey said as they all headed for the exit. "Although in hindsight that's a normal occurrence for us, so I suppose that makes it a complete success."

"So how did you know that the little fish creature Cyrus had was the monster's baby?" Dewey asked.

"Simple. After getting a better look at those sharp shiny things it shot at us, I realized it was shooting diamonds out its mouth just like the little guy." Webby explained as they all exited the pier.

"Wait, you mean those things were actually giant diamonds?!" Louie shouted with shock. Louie turned around and tried to run back into the pier to collect some diamonds, but after one step upon a creaking board, the rest of the pier collapsed in on itself. Louie managed to back off in time, but had to watch all those beautiful large diamonds since into the sea. "NO~!" Louie cried as he fell upon his knees.

"There you are!" They all turned to see Scrooge making his way over.

"Hey Mr. Mc-D." Launchpad greeted his boss with a smile and wave.

"Uncle Scrooge, what are you doing here?" Huey asked.

"I was just waiting for the bus when a crowd of people ran by screaming about a monster at the pier." Scrooge explained. He looked ahead to the remains of the pier, or more accurately lack thereof. "Which last I recall used to be at this spot?"

"Yeah, that monster did a real number to the pier… and Funso's." Dewey said.

"It was just looking for its baby that a monster hunter accidentally collected." Webby explained.

"And it fired out huge diamonds from its mouth! Now it all sank to the bottom of the ocean!" Louie cried with despair as he held his head with his hands.

"… Did you say, huge diamonds that are now at the bottom of the ocean?" Scrooge asked with new intrigue and excitement.

.

.

Scrooge hired fisherman to fish out the huge diamonds from the sea where the pier once stood, collecting millions in the process.

Right now he was being interviewed by the news about the event, saying that he will donate a sum of the proceeds to rebuild the pier, hopefully better than ever.

Launchpad, Della and the kids were waiting by the side next to the limo while Scrooge handled the interview.

"Great. The diamonds have been saved, but now they're going to Uncle Scrooge. We almost died! Don't you think we deserve something for all our hard work in fighting that literal money maker?" Louie complained.

"How pizza?" Launchpad suggested.

"Pizza's a good idea." Dewey said with a smile.

Louie sighed.

"Yeah, I guess. Not as good as millions of dollars' worth of diamonds, but still something good." Louie said with a frown and shrug.

"I'll pay for it." Launchpad said with a smile.

"Launchpad, you've been paying for everything all day." Della said.

"Not true. You paid for the squirt gun game. Besides, paying for the family is what a dad does." Launchpad said.

Della smiled at how sweet Launchpad was. Despite the idea of a fake family to impress one's actual family is still a very terrible one, maybe there are things about the experience that actually can turn into something good.

"And a mom helps the family whenever she can. Including her husband." Della said.

"Ugh. If I wasn't so hungry I'd almost feel like not being in the mood for pizza. Bleck." Louie said with slight disgust at his mother calling Launchpad her 'husband'.

Scrooge made his way over.

"Well now that that's over and done with, let's head home." Scrooge said with a smile as he entered the limo. "Who spilt their drink all over my seat?!" Scrooge shouted.

"Whoops." Louie said with wide eyes.

The kids entered the limo, with Louie entering last and trying to act innocent, but when Della was going to as well, she noticed Launchpad open the driver seat door and gesturing for her to enter.

"It's your turn now, remember?" Launchpad said with a smile.

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot thanks to all the excitement today." Della said with a slightly embarrassed smile as she tossed her large stuffed toy rocket into the middle of the front seats.

Now Della was in the driver's seat with Launchpad in the passenger's seat.

Once everyone buckled up, Della started the engine.

"Time to go home and order that pizza." Della said with a smile, but when she pressed her foot against the engine, the limo sped forward at a fast speed.

"Della! What in blazes are you doing?! I thought you knew how to drive!" Scrooge shouted.

"I don't know what's happening! I didn't even press my foot halfway into it!" Della shouted as she tried to avoid other vehicles and guide the limo onto the proper roads. "Why is this thing so fast?!"

"Oh that's because it has a race car engine." Launchpad said.

"What?!" Della exclaimed, looking at Launchpad.

"Mr. Mc-D is always in a hurry so I asked Gyro to help build a fast engine for the limo. He made one out of a race car engine and some green glowing stuff. Said it still needed to be tested. I've been using it for years now." Launchpad said.

"WHAT?!"

"Hmm~… I think I forgot to tell him that it works just fine." Launchpad said rubbing his chin.

"Aw, Phooey!" Della shouted as the limo continued to speed down the road.

End of Chapter 1

Author's Words:

Thank you all for reading my first ever Ducktales story!

I've always been a fan of the Ducks of Disney with my personal fave being Donald.

This idea just came to me when I remembered the episode "Top Duck" after seeing a DelPad drawing of Della meeting Launchpad's family made by queenie-draws-stuff, who drew the family in the reboot series style.

She is actually really talented at drawing Ducktales characters in the reboot style. Or perhaps queenie is a he? I don't know.

What I do know is that this idea popped into my head.

Originally this was meant to be a remake of sorts of the classic 1987 series episode, but then it suddenly evolved into something greater.

When left with enough time I can think of some interesting things for a story.

Now this story is about Launchpad, Della, Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby bonding from this experience, growing closer as a family by pretending to be an immediate family. All in classic Ducktales fashion with adventure bringing them closer together.

So yeah, this story pretty simple and it's a lot of fun to write.

If anyone is wondering if this story end with Della and Launchpad officially being together, I'm not a hundred percent sure, but it is still possible. Depends how well I write this story and their interactions in the long run.

Won't lie, I am a DelPad fan, but I want this story to feel natural. At least as natural a Ducktales story can get.

I know DelPad most likely will never happen (I say most likely because of the old saying 'never say never'), mainly because people might find the idea of Launchpad being Huey, Dewey and Louie's step-dad as a bit strange, and possibly given Launchpad's personality 'seemingly' not meshing well with Della's ('seemingly' not 'factual'), at least on a romantic stand point, but I personally find merit to it.

It wouldn't be the first time someone having problems with an idiot ends up falling in love with them.

If it happens in my story, it happens. If not, well I hope I at least made an enjoyable reading experience for people throughout the whole thing.

Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you'll stick around.

Takeshi1225, Out!