On our way home from a rare adventure with Uncle Donald, we fly into storm clouds. Thunder crashes, and we all scream, and I anxiously rock back and forth in my seat as Uncle Donald holds my hand trying to calm me down even though I can tell he's worried, too.

Launchpad says, "Aw, come on. A little lightning never killed anyone."

Huey says, "Statistically speaking -"

Launchpad swerves around the storm clouds, then says, "See? Nothing to worry about."

Webby asks, "What about that flashing red light?"

Launchpad says, "Huh? That's probably the... 'everything is fine' light."

Dewey asks, "Okay, but hypothetically, what if it's the 'everything is not fine' light?"

Launchpad gasps, exclaiming, "Oh, no!"

I close my eyes as the Sunchaser crashes, and cautiously open my eyes once the plane stops moving to see Uncle Donald shielding me with his body. I hug him tightly, and the back hatch of the plane opens.

I hold Uncle Donald's hand as we exit the plane, and I ask, "W- where are we?"

Huey opens his Guidebook, explaining, "According to the JWG, we're off the tip of Greece, and- Wait, this can't be right. I thought this place was a myth."

Louie asks, "What? What is this place?"

Uncle Scrooge growls, "Ithaquack."

Uncle Donald exclaims, "What?!"

Louie exclaims, "It's gorgeous!"

Dewey points at something, exclaiming, "Look at that!"

Uncle Donald pulls me into the plane, exclaiming, "No, no, no, no. We gotta go now!"

Uncle Scrooge orders Launchpad, "Get this plane in the air!"

Launchpad says, "Sorry, Mr. McD. Gotta figure out what this flashing light means. I always say, 'better to be safe than... whatever the opposite of safe is'. Yeah, I do say that."

Uncle Scrooge exclaims, "When have you ever said that?!"

Webby says, "Hmm... Might as well take a look around."

She runs off with Dewey and Huey and Louie run off in separate directions.

Uncle Donald exclaims, "No, get back here!"

Uncle Scrooge orders, "Everyone, stay on the plane!"

Louie says, "See ya!"

Huey adds, "Bye-bye!"

Uncle Donald and I race around the island, trying to find my brothers. I find Huey cataloguing the lion-crabs and grab his hand, pulling him along with me back to the plane, where Uncle Donald is bringing Louie back.

He says, "We have to get back to the plane. You don't know what's out there."

Louie asks, "What could be dangerous about a beautiful Grecian vacation island?"

Just as he says that, a large blur tackles Uncle Donald.

When they stop moving, the blur is revealed to be a large, muscular stork guy in a toga hugging Uncle Donald as he exclaims, "Haha! Hyah! Haha! Huzzah! Kyah! Oh, glorious day. May the fates sing of your return, friend Donald, sailor of the seven seas!"

Uncle Donald reluctantly says, "Hiya, buddy."

The stork gasps, his excited glare going back and forth between me and my brothers and Uncle Donald, asking, "Be these colorful creatures your kin? By Hephestuses's Hammer, half-grown heroes in the making! Why, the one in orange looks just like Della!"

I ask, "Uh, who are you and how do you know my mom and Uncle Donald?"

The stork responds, "Your Uncle must have told tale of Storkules! Colossus of Corinth, hero of Heliopolis, and my proudest accomplishment, best friend to Donald Duck."

Storkules is real?! I thought he was just a myth, like those stories Mom told me when I was little about Selene, the goddess of the moon. Is she real, too? She must be, if her brother is real. Are Zeus and other Greek Gods real, too?

Huey exclaims to Uncle Donald, "The Storkules of Greek legend is your best friend?!"

Uncle Donald responds, "Uh, more like an acquaintance."

Storkules exclaims, "Haha! Thine tongue be as quick and mighty as, well, me."

Uncle Scrooge whisper-shouts, "Donald, get the kids on board! We can't let him know we're here."

Louie asks, "Can't let who knows we're here?"

Just then, a tall duck floats to the ground on a cloud, sounds of lightning crashing following him as he yells, "Scrooge McDuck! You dare defy the will of Zeus?!"

I confusedly ask, "What the heck is going on? Did I die in the crash and I'm stuck in some kind of fever dream?"

Huey exclaims, "The King of the gods?! Get out! So many questions. Do you control all storms, or just lightning? Does being immortal also make you impervious to pain? Do you cry?"

He stomps on Zeus's foot, and I pull him away before he can ask any more questions to possibly piss off a GOD.

Louie asks, "You know where I can get a good gyro?" He then whispers to me and Huey, "Always ask the locals."

Huey yells, "The myths are real! This place is amazing!"

Zeus growls, "It used to be amazing, until Scrooge and his mortal riff-raff showed up and ruined it!"

Huey, Louie, and I exclaim, "What?!"

Zeus explains, showing us painted pottery depicting what he's saying, "Ithaquack was the secret vacation spot for gods and heros, and I was the God of Hospitality, the King of the Beach!"

I confusedly say, "I thought you were the god of the sky and lightning."

Zeus ignores me, adding, "Everyone loved me. Then Scrooge showed up, defeated the unkillable Gorgon, found the lost treasure of Troy, was really good at building sand castles... Bah!"

Louie says, "Seems pretty fun."

Storkules exclaims, "T'was!"

Zeus exclaims, "No, it t'wasn't! Scrooge showed up like he was so cool and ruined it!"

Uncle Scrooge mutters, "Ach, jengs. Leave it to an immortal to whine about 'the good old days'."

I say, "You do that. Literally, all the time."

Uncle Scrooge says, "Yeah, yeah. So, where is everyone?"

Zeus responds, "They all left when you did. Said they didn't want to party with a 'lame god' who couldn't even best a lowly mortal."

I highly doubt that. I pick up a pot and show him a depiction of himself unleashing a lightning storm on a large crowd.

Zeus mutters, admitting, "There may have also been a year-long lightning storm."

Storkules says to Uncle Donald, "But now that you have returned, Storkules, noble Donald, and his fiery sister- Halt! Where is Della?"

We all have sad expressions on our faces as I quietly say, "She's... gone. She's been gone for a decade."

Storkules says, "I see. Then we shall embark upon a rousing adventure to honor our fallen compatriot!"

Uncle Donald says, "I don't... adventure... anymore."

Storkules exclaims, "What?! But adventure is the very blood in your veins! Well, we must at least hold a feast to celebrate your return!"

Zeus and Uncle Scrooge exclaims in unison, "What?!"

Storkules explains while petting Donald on the head like a cat, "Father, surely the God of Hospitality would not cast out a crew of weary travelers."

Zeus mutters, "Well, no. I guess not."

Storkules exclaims, "Haha! It shall be a bacchanal for the ages! Beach party!"

Zeus reluctantly goes inside the temple while my brothers and I introduce ourselves to Storkules. Zeus comes back with a few party hats, a cooler full of melted water and a few Pep cans, some chips and dip, and some purple grapes. I'm sipping on a Pep while Louie scarfs down the grapes as a pegasus plays a harp above us.

He exclaims while smacking his lips, "Mmm! These are the best grapes ever!"

Uncle Scrooge scoops some dip onto a chip and eats it, then mutters, "Dip's a little salty."

My eyes widen in shock and I drop my Pep as Zeus sweeps the chips and dip off of the counter, yelling pointedly at Uncle Scrooge, "Dip not good enough for you, mortal?! You offend Olympus!"

Uncle Scrooge yells back, "Maybe people didn't leave because they liked me, but because they didn't like you!"

The pegasus stops playing the harp and flys away, whistling inconspicuously.

I mutter, "I'm starting to see why people left."

Storkules nervously says, "Haha! Perhaps some festive beach games will lighten the mood."

Zeus agrees, "Yes! A contest! Your family versus mine in a series of heroic trials. Yea, all will know that we are the superior party hounds and return to the island!

Uncle Scrooge tries ushering us away, saying, "This is exactly why we stopped vacationing here."

I say, "Yeah, I'm all for leaving. He seems... unstable, to say the least."

Huey exclaims, "But guys, epic trials! Zeus!"

Louie adds, "Delicious grapes!"

I say, "Yeah, no. I'm outta here. Meet you on the plane!"

I start walking back to the plane, but before I can go much further, a wall made of lightning appears right in front of me.

Zeus growls, "You're not going anywhere."

Huey and Louie exclaim, "Woohoo!"

Uncle Scrooge, Uncle Donald, and I mutter in unison, "Aw, phooey."

Storkules hands us four tunics, one with a blue belt for Uncle Donald, one with an orange belt for me, one with a red belt for Huey, and one with a green belt for Louie. After we get changed, I realize how chilly it is on the island. I'm usually wearing a sweatshirt or sweater, so my arms start getting cold fairly quickly without any sleeves.

Louie says, "I love these tunics. So breezy, so comfortable!"

Huey adds, "And surprisingly slimming!"

I say, "I just wish they had sleeves."

Uncle Scrooge quietly says to us, "Storkules may have brute strength, but he's also an idiot. You kids can use that to your advantage. I believe in you all!"

Zeus announces once Storkules, Uncle Donald, Huey, Dewey, and I are in the makeshift arena, "Whoever claims Aeolus's Bag of Winds first wins. Understood?"

Huey says, "Five or six questions."

Zeus ignores him, saying, "On your mark. Get set!"

Thunder crashes, and the Bag of Winds opens, blowing Uncle Donald and I away as Huey and Louie dig their fingers into the ground. I try crawling toward the bag as Storkules powers through the strong winds.

Louie exclaims, "We're never gonna beat him like this!" His tunic bottom fans out and starts blowing him further away from the bag, and he adds, 'Ah! Too breezy! Too breezy!"

Huey notices that, and says, "Idea!"

He uses his tunic as an umbrella, and glides through the air to the bag, closing it just before Storkules could get to it.

Storkules exclaims, "Hahaha! Well done, nephews and niece of Donald! What ingenuity! From henceforth, you shall be known as Hubert: Tamer of Winds, Llewelyn: Fighter of Storms, and Izzabelle: Champion of Gales!"

I say, "Uh, thanks?"

Huey exclaims, "Awesome!"

Louie mutters, 'Please do not say my real name out loud."

Scrooge chuckles, asking Zeus, "Satisfied?"

Zeus responds, "Doesn't count! They cheated! Best two out of three!"

He then puts us all through more 'trials'. Uncle Donald wins a chariot race by being launched off of his chariot by a rock and landing on the finish line. The next challenge is a discus toss, and Uncle Donald tosses his with zero effort, landing it a mere 2 feet away. I toss mine like a Frisbee and it lands about 4 feet away.

Huey and Louie try spinning before tossing and spin into each other, dropping their discs and breaking them as they fall into each other. Storkules tosses his so hard it catches on fire literally goes all the way around the world before landing halfway between the finish line and Uncle Donald's disc, meaning that I won. The final challenge is a sculpting challenge.

Huey and Louie make matching sculptures of themselves high-fiving, I make a blob shaped like a bread loaf and put small cat ears and a cat face on it, Uncle Donald's sculture is just a blob of clay he didn't even bother sculpting, and Storkules made a gigantic sculpture of a tall, muscular Uncle Donald with a singular leaf 'clothing' him.

Zeus exclaims, "Enough!"

He then sets up the final challenge in the arena, where a little girl is holding golden fleece.

Zeus explains, "Now comes the ultimate challenge. Steal the golden fleece from this small child."

Uncle Scrooge asks, "This is your ultimate challenge?"

Louie exclaims, "There's no way we're gonna beat Storkules on this one!"

Storkules starts pacing back and forth, a conflicted expression on his face as he mutters, "Steal? From a child? But if I were to do such a thing, could I ever truly be called a hero? Donald, I am in need of your wise counsel. Donald? Donald!" Uncle Donald starts walking away, and Storkules follows him, asking, "Oh, companion Donald, where are you going?"

Uncle Donald says, "Uh, look. You're a nice guy, but -"

Sorkules interrupts him, saying, "The most nice guy, for I am Storkules! Pure of -"

Uncle Donald explains, "No, no, no! I'm through with adventure! Someone always gets hurt!"

Storkules confusedly says, "But getting hurt is part of the adventure! What would fierce Della say if she could hear you now?"

Uncle Donald exclaims, "Well, she can't!" He then walks off, muttering, "Ugh... Someone always gets hurt."

I follow Uncle Donald, and find him getting shocked by the lightning wall as he tries to get back to the plane.

He yells, "Let me through, you no good- Ow! Never- Ow! Adventure- Ow! Again! Ow!"

I tug at his arm to pull him away from the lightning wall and exclaim, "Uncle Donald, please stop! I know you don't want to adventure, but you need to stop hurting yourself! Whatever happened to Mom, it wasn't your fault!"

Uncle Donald starts tearing up, and he hugs me tearfully.

He mutters, "I don't want to lose you too."

Just then, we hear Huey and Louie yell, "Help!"

Uncle Donald exclaims, "Boys?!

I exclaim at the same time, "Huey! Louie!"

We race back to the arena, where we find the little girl singing a siren song and Storkules' eyes are glowing.

His arms are raised and poised to strike my brothers as he regretfully says, "I must apologize in advance for crushing your tiny bodies. I want you to know that as my best friend Donald's family, I consider you my second-tier best friends. Farewell!"

Uncle Donald exclaims, "Hey, you big palooka! Nobody gets hurt today!" He jumps on Storkules' shoulders, and starts beating on him, yelling, "Wait 'til I get my hands on you!"

Storkules starts fighting Uncle Donald back, and Uncle Scrooge joins in the fight.

Storkules tearfully says, "Know that I regret this most bitterly."

Uncle Scrooge asks, "Seems like old times, eh lad?"

Uncle Donald responds, "Yeah!"

Storkules sweeps them both off their feet with one swing of his arms. I don't know what came over me, but seeing that sent me into a rage. I tackle Storkules, surprisingly knocking him over, and I start tugging on his hair as he gets up, trying to shake me off of him.

I exclaim, "Nobody hurts my uncles! Nobody!"

A moment later, the singing finally stops, and Storkules' eyes return back to normal just as I fell from his back. Uncle Donald catches me before I hit the ground.

Storkules blinks for a moment, looking dazed and confused, and his eyes land on Uncle Donald and I.

I stand back up on my own as Storkules scoops Uncle Donald into a hug, exclaiming, "Huh? Donald! You an your kin have saved me! Oh ho ho, come here!"

Zeus yells, "Don't hug the enemy! What are you doing?!"

Uncle Scrooge says, "They're best friends."

Uncle Donald corrects, "Acquaintances!"

Uncle Scrooge says, "Perhaps we've been letting our pride get in the way for decades, and it's our families who suffer. What do you say, peace?"

He holds his hand out, but Zeus just crosses his arms, huffing.

Uncle Scrooge asks, "Does beating me really mean that much to you?"

Zeus responds, "Yes. Absolutely."

Uncle Scrooge says, "Oh, fine. One final challenge. Winner gets all the glory."

They set up a ball tossing game similar to Pool, where their goal is to get one of their balls into a circle on the other side of the board. On the last round, Uncle Scrooge just drops his ball instead of rolling it.

He fakes being upset, saying, "Oh, I- Oh, I cannot believe I choked on the last round."

Zeus excitedly exclaims, "Yes! I win! In your face, McDuck!" He then dissipates the lightning wall while gloatfully singing and dancing, "I win, say it out loud. I win, you love it. Yeah, go, I win!"

Storkules finally released Uncle Donald from his hug, saying, "You may think you're done with adventure, but it will never be done with you. You're a hero, whether you want to be or not."

Uncle Donald responds, "I do not. But thanks, friend Storkules."

Storkules' face lights up as he exclaims, "He called me his friend! He said it back! Haha! This is the most glorious day of my entire life!"

Dewey and Webby finally meet back up with us, and Uncle Scrooge says, "There you two are. Quick, let's get back to the plane before he comes up with another cockamamie contest."

Dewey accidentally drops a large sphere on the game board, and it rolls directly onto Zeus's circle.

Zeus yells, "No!"

Webby whisper-shouts, "The wrath of the gods!"

I say, "We should probably go. Like, now."

We finally get back to where the plane should be, only to find a pile of junk and Launchpad holding a single screw.

He exclaims, "Okay, I think I found the problem!"

We have to spend the next 6 hours painstakingly putting the plane back together so we can go home.

~2.9k words