So are we still trying? / Or simply surviving? (magica x scrooge x poe)

[lifesa_witch]

 Their clothes still smelled like ash. Both children had wanted to bathe - if they understood what irony was, they would have noted on how they used to hate taking them before - to great rid of it, but Poe insisted they had to keep moving. Even though their feet ached and their stomachs growled and they were cold, they had to keep moving. Who knew when the Bad People would catch up to them? It had been days (they assumed) but they couldn't be sure.

But when Magica whined she really needed to stop, Poe finally relented. But only for a little while.

Magica sat under a tree, hugging her knees, while Poe kept watch. He was convinced, any second now, some hideous thing would pop out and try to eat them whole. Well, let them try. He'd protect his sister. His magic wasn't strong, but it was something. He'd die before he let his last living family come to harm.

Magica rubbed her eyes. When was the last time she slept? She couldn't be sure. And she was so hungry. How long would they have to live like this?

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[richestduck]

"Good." She stood up and said louder, "Good night, dears. Sleep well. There'll be breakfast in the morning."

[lifesa_witch]

"Goodnight," said Magica, but Poe didn't reply.

Magica didn't close her eyes until she heard the door close and the footsteps go away. Only then did she begin crying, missing her bed from home, missing home, missing everything. Poe held her, and consoled her as best he could. Eventually, she cried herself to sleep.

Poe, when he was sure his twin was deep in slumber, crawled out of bed. He sat outside the bedroom door, sitting down and hugging his knees.

He'd be her guardian and protect her all night long.

... Little did he know, outside in the dark shadows, there was something after the twins.

[richestduck]

Downy at one point got up in the middle of the night for some water. Only instead she found Poe outside his door.

"What's wrong, dearie?" she whispered, kneeling down to be on the child's level.

[lifesa_witch]

Poe jerked, but didn't look at her, keeping his head low.

"I'm keeping guard, so no one can hurt Magica."

[richestduck]

"That's a very brave thing you're doing for her," Downy assured him.

It was troubling, but she wasn't going to stop him if it made him feel better.

"Do you need another set of eyes to help?"

[lifesa_witch]

Without Magica around, the last of his emotional resistance was gone.

"What do you think YOU can do?!" He snapped, fingers curling up into fists, standing up to face her. "You're nobody! You're a mortal! You're just like the rest of them! You hate us, and you ripped everything to shreds, and you took our mother and father, and, and, and..."

His vision became blurry as hot tears flooded his eyes.

[richestduck]

"I didn't take them, darling," she said softly, "but I'm sorry someone took them from you. A good boy like you shouldn't be in this position. I know I can't fix things, but I'd like to try and help make them better in any way that I can.

"You're a good boy, and Magica's a good girl. You two deserve the world."

[lifesa_witch]

Now that the tears were finally released, they just couldn't stop, no matter how hard Poe tried - and he was trying, slamming his hands to his eyes. He wasn't supposed to cry.

"I'm not good," his weak voice broke. "I couldn't... I couldn't protect mother and father, and... and the Bad People were strong enough to take them... if mother and father couldn't stop them, there's no way I can protect Magica...!"

[richestduck]

"Oh, my wee bairn. Come here."

Downy wrapped her arms around the little boy, cooing to him softly as she held him and stroked his hair. The poor thing must've been terrified.

"You can stay here as long as you like. And I promise that I won't let anything happen to you two," she told him, continuing to pet his hair. "Clan McDuck protects our own, and that includes you as far as I'm concerned."

[lifesa_witch]

Poe had long been deprived of such genuine love and affection, even from his own actual mother, that this was more than enough to burst the last remnants of his resistance. He sobbed hard into Downy, clinging to her tightly.

Inside the bedroom, Magica moved around in her bed. She thought she heard something, but couldn't be sure what it was.

[richestduck]

Downy began softly singing a lullaby to calm him, continuing to stroke his hair. The poor, brave lad. She'd do anything to help him keep his sister safe. Poe was far too young to take the role of surrogate parent to his sister.

[lifesa_witch]

The song was like magic itself, helping to settle him down. He was still vastly upset by the cruelties of the world, but at least now it wasn't so overwhelming. His sobs eventually turned into sniffles.

"I'm sorry," he hiccuped.

[richestduck]

"Don't apologize," she told him, her smile soft. "You did nothing wrong. You're a little boy who suddenly had to step up like an adult for his sister. That's more than enough reason to cry when someone offers you a shoulder to cry on."

[lifesa_witch]

Poe wasn't sure how to respond to that... but he wouldn't have to.

First was the sound of a window shattering - then came Magica's screams.

"MAGICA!" To hell with the consequences of Downy learning they had magic - he clutched his amulet, it glowed, his hand glowed, then the door glowed before being blasted off its hinges.

"POE!" Magica sprinted off the bed, trying to run to her brother to escape what the door just hit - the figure shoved off the door with a grunt.

A tall, imposing man clad in black, save for a glowing gauntlet on his hand. "Get back here!"

[richestduck]

"MAGICA!" Downy shouted at the same time Poe did. She hardly noticed Poe's usage of magic as she ran through the blasted-open door, racing between Magica and the stranger. "FERGUS! GET THE SHOTGUN!"

Without waiting for a response from her husband, Downy blocked the man's way.

"Don't you dare come another step closer to these little ones if you know what's good for you!" she snapped. "Get out of my house!"

[lifesa_witch]

Magica ran into her brother's arms, terrified beyond belief. "H-He's the one!" She screamed. "He made mother and father...!"

The man coolly looked down at Downy, seeing no threat from her. "Stand aside, woman. These 'little ones' are the hellspawn of the most wretched hive of magic to have ever existed! The entire family line must be extinguished before they cause anymore death and suffering to the mortal realm."

He clenched the gauntlet, and it began to glow. "I will have their heads."

[richestduck]

Downy raised her fists. "I'm warning you one last time: Get. Out. Of. My. House."

So this was the Bad Man who'd hurt the children. Oh, she almost hoped he didn't leave her house so she'd have an excuse!

[lifesa_witch]

"I don't want to have to hurt you, miss." His qualm was against magics, not mortals. He walked forward, intending to easily shove her aside - after all, what could a mere housewife do?

[richestduck]

He'd been warned.

Shrieking a battlecry like that of an enraged banshee, Downy charged forward and planted her fist firmly into the intruder's stomach. Into that punch she put all of her rage at his daring to attempt to harm a child, any child, in her presence.

[lifesa_witch]

"Oof!"

Clearly he hadn't expected that, and doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. "I see you've... made your choice..."

The twins stared, shocked. She'd seen their magic, hadn't she? Then why... why was she protecting them?

[richestduck]

"Aye! I have! And I'll not be letting you have these wee ones!"

She cupped one hand around her fist as she prepared to bring her combined fists down on his bent-over head.

[lifesa_witch]

"Then you give me no choice, as well..."

He didn't want to use it on her, but she clearly was giving him no other option. He lifted his arm -

"Watch out!" Magica cried.

- But it was too late. The magic he stole made for a powerful weapon, using it to blast Downy at the chest.

[richestduck]

Downy went flying backwards just as Fergus arrived with the shotgun. She hit the ground in front of the children, groaning.

And then she started trying to get back up.

"Don't you dare touch them!" Fergus ordered, firing a shot directly at the intruder.

This man had attacked his wife and intended to harm these children. He didn't deserve a warning shot!

[lifesa_witch]

The man caught the bullet in his hand, crushing it easily. "I don't enjoy hurting men like myself! I convinced the entire village to finally stand up for itself to get rid of the Spell lineage! It's not too late for you either! But if you continue to align yourself with these demons, I will gladly-"

His sentence was interrupted by a flying bookcase.

There stood the twins, hand-in-hand, holding their amulets, their entire bodies aglow with magic. They'd been crying, yes, but now they were angry.

This woman had shown them love, kindness, and charity, wanting nothing in return. She'd risked her life for a handful of strangers. And now she was hurt.

"GO."
"AWAY."

With their combined power, they lifted the injured and furious attacker up into the air, and then slammed him hard into the main entrance of the castle.

[richestduck]

Fergus was momentarily startled. Then he positioned himself between the children and his recovering wife. He turned his head to one side where Scrooge was dragging a sword along, clearly intending to help. "Scrooge, go guard Matilda and Hortense! I've got these three!"

Scrooge looked towards his injured mother before screwing up his face with determination, nodding.

Fergus raised the weapon again, aimed, and fired.