Chapter Text
Panchito bumps shoulders with his brother Morales they make it into the small town near their ranch to negotiate for supplies. It is his third day home from school. When the rooster had first arrived home for the summer, he had shown off some of his new skills to his family. He had changed the dirt in one of the grazing fields and the grass was growing better than it had in years. The rooster feels fairly proud of himself for being able to help out his family. He glances around the town, half interested in his surroundings. His eyes catch on a well that he had seen a hundred times, but this time he notes the writing a little more closely.
“To draw water from this well will unseal the spirts locked here by the Tres Amici.”
His mind flashes back to Attor and the rooster silently wonders how many places those three heroes had frozen things as a solution. It seems almost lazy to Panchito, but he supposes that he was not there, so he can not really say much. Morales bumps him, bringing him back from his thoughts. He flashes a smile and they make their way into the store. He quietly pays attention to what Morales is saying and doing to negotiate, making mental notes to the future. They return home successful and Panchito goes into the yard to go start working on the barn. He finds the hard work to be soothing despite the little ache in his right wrist. During the school year, it had been nice to work on the set pieces and use his hands to create something useful. He hopes that he will be able to do so in the upcoming semester. The rooster gets lost in his work, not noticing his hands softly glowing red.
Dirt has swirled over his shoulder, forming into Sierra. Absently he pats the lion as it bumps his cheek. He blinks at this and laughs at the sudden realization that he had formed his companion. The lion bumps him once more before leaping away to dash about the yard. Panchito shakes his head, going back to finish his job.
That night he calls his friends through the bowl. It was the first Friday since he had gotten home, and so it was their first group call since they had all agreed to meet on Fridays. Donald appears first giving a sad little smile that lets Panchito somehow knows immediately that his friend’s family was no there when he got home. The rooster sighs sympathetically. José joins the call and seems to immediately understand the situation. Instead of saying anything directly about it, the parrot starts talking about a song he had heard on the radio that he thought the three of them might enjoy learning. Donald pulls out his guitar and they start working together to figure out the best way to arrange the chords. Panchito works on memorizing the lyrics and strumming his own guitar. The time passes calmly but quickly as they continue to keep each other’s spirits high.
----------------------------
Donald chuckles as Tempest chews on jello. It had been a week since the first call with his friends. Since then his family had returned and they had gone on three adventures. He is enjoying some of the first downtime following him seeing his family. His door is locked and his hands are softly glowing. Donald glances at his friends, who are chatting about the value of rocking chairs. Tempest gurgles at him, causing the duck to lift another spoon full of jello to the tiny dragon. He laughs at a statement that Panchito makes about the superiority of rocking chairs. Then his door slams open. Donald flails in surprise, crashing to the floor with the bowl landing on his face. Water splashes all over and Tempest dissolves. Donald can see a lock pick hanging from her hand.
“DONALD! You were using magic!!!”
“You just pick locked my door!!”
“That’s beside the point!”
Donald curls his hands into fists, anger filling his stomach.
“It’s not! Get out Della! You can’t just break into other people’s rooms!!”
“Laddie, I heard yelling about yew usin magic?”
Scrooge joins Della in Donald’s doorway.
“His hands were glowing!”
“Are you not going to address how Della just broke into my locked room?”
“Laddie, yew know that magic corrupts, how could ye do somethin so reckless?”
Donald growls with irritation. He decides to attempt an explanation, knowing that they would probably not accept it but wanting to try anyway.
“Fine. I’ll give you an explanation. Don’t interrupt. While at college I and the rest of the Three Caballeros found out that the founders of Flighton university had some secrets. Which included magic amulets. You guys did not notice the amulet when I came home for break or the physical changes that came with it. I’ve had this water amulet for over half a year and neither of you noticed until Della here violated my privacy. That should prove that magic is not corrupting. Those who are evil and happen to use magic arent evil because of it. I have never used the magic around you two except once to save us from that storm. I’m not giving it over Uncle Scrooge and you can’t take something you can’t see.”
His family stares at him as he glares at them, ready for a fight.
“You adventured without me?”
“Yes. And you have done the same Dells. I’m not sorry.”
“I won’t accept magic in mah house! Things with dark power belong in the bin for everyone’s safety.”
“Then it’s good that this thing has no dark power. Look, I’m going for a walk, figure out whether or not you’re kicking me out of the house on your own. I’ll be back eventually.”
With that Donald grabs a bag pushes both of the other ducks out of the way and makes his way out of the house. The two are frozen in shock, allowing Donald a clean breakaway. Just one more thing to divide him from his family he thinks to himself. First, a wariness of danger, then his bad memories from the navy, and now magic. He makes his way to the ocean, deciding to go swimming.