NegaTales || Season 1 ||

FFB Pt 3

The family had moved everything to the front of the plane, allowing themselves to exist towards the back without tipping. Launchpad stayed in the cockpit so someone could reach the buttons if something bad were to happen. They gathered around a single crate, the journal page in the middle. Dewey breathed heavily, waiting.

Gladdy sideglanced at Fethry, frowning. "Are you sure you should-"

"They deserve to know." Fethry stared at the page, not giving Gladdy a second thought.

Louie rubbed his arm, his gaze fixated on the ground. Huey watched his brothers nervously. Webby fiddled with her hair awkwardly, Bradford's hand on her shoulder.

Fethry sighed, preparing himself. "So, you want to know what happened to your mom. The thing is, I don't exactly have the whole story..." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Your name is on the paper," Dewey said, not bothering to look up at his cousin.

"Yes, I know my name is on the paper. I know why my name is on the paper, and I can see how this makes me look like a horrible person, and I probably am, buuuuut I'm not." The boys eyed Fethry suspiciously. He shook his head. "Let's just get to the story.

"Five years ago, your mom came to me. We had a rocky relationship then. We saw each other, but we hadn't actually hung out for years before that. I didn't know much of her personal life, and I didn't even know you boys existed. I was also an idiot, which explains half the stuff I'm about to tell you."

Five years ago...

Fethry set up a shield, which he had found on a random armor stand around the house, on the top of the stairway. His hands held it in place as he scanned the area for Bradford. Coast clear. Fethry grinned, climbing on the railing. He used his hand against the wall to support himself while he got balanced. "This is gonna look so cool." He pushed off the wall, launching himself forward. A rush of air drove past him as he slid down the stairs. He wobbled a bit, knocking the shield off place. He tumbled off the railing, rolling down the stairs the rest of the way. He landed in front of a certain vulture, in pain.

"Fethry, what are you doing?" Bradford asked, exasperation in his tone. He helped Fethry to his feet.

"Well, I was trying to go down the stairs with a skateboard, but I don't own a skateboard, nor do I know how to skate, but I thought it'd look really cool, so I-"

"You are so immature." Bradford shook his head, walking away. "Do you know any other adults that do that?"

"No."

"And do you know why?"

"Because they're boring?"

"Because they have lives."

Fethry watched after Bradford, an offended expression on his face. "I have a life! Just yesterday, you gave me a long list of things I had to do, so my life sounds pretty packed."

Bradford turned and gave Fethry a dry look. "That was last week, and you still haven't done any of those things."

"Nuh-uh, I fed the cat." Fethry put his hands on his hips, proudly.

Bradford eyed him curiously. "We don't have a cat."

"Oh. Well... I fed a cat that was meowing outside the door the other day." Fethry's face lit up with an idea. "Bradford, can we get a cat? Oooh, or even cooler, a tiger!"