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“Isn’t it kind of dangerous to be underwater in the middle of a gigantic thunderstorm?” Huey asked, staring out the lab window at aquatic life that looked as if they were blown away by the wind and listening as the thunder echoed outside.
Huey’s question was answered by the clopping of hooves. “--- -. .-.. -.-- / .. ..-. / .-- . / --. . - / ... - .-. ..- -.-. -.- / -... -.-- / .-.. .. --. .... - -. .. -. --. --..-- / .-- .... .. -.-. .... / .. ... / ...- . .-. -.-- / .-.. .. -.- . .-.. -.-- / -.-. --- -. ... .. -.. . .-. .. -. --. / .... --- .-- / .-. . .- -.. .. .-.. -.-- / .-- .- - . .-. / -.-. --- -. -.. ..- -.-. - ... / . .-.. . -.-. - .-. .. -.-. .. - -.-- / .- -. -.. / .... --- .-- / -- ..- -.-. .... / --- ..-. / .- / -.-. ..- .-. .-. . -. - / ..-. .-.. --- .-- ... / - .... .-. --- ..- --. .... / - .... . / .-.. .- -... .-.-.- / .. - / -.-. --- ..- .-.. -.. / .-.. .. -.- . .-.. -.-- / -.- .. .-.. .-.. / ..- ... / .- .-.. .-.. .-.-.-“
Huey and Webby stood in horror. Dewey and Louie looked at each other, confused.
“Manny!” Fenton ran over to the man-horse. “He’s joking, of course! Dr. Gearloose has coated the lab with a rubber barrier. Since rubber isn’t a strong conductor of electricity, we’re perfectly safe down here!”
“Of course, the barrier can be let down,” Gyro further explained, not looking away from the gadget he was working on, “in the event that one wants to play God and Mr. McDuck won’t let you on the roof. Again.”
Huey and Dewey looked at each other in concern. Louie and Webby looked at each other in shared interest.
“Regardless,” Fenton said, trying to ignore Gyro’s gothic statement, “The lab is as impenetrable as the rest of the money bin! Nothing can hit us down here!”
And then everything went black.
“Except a power outage,” Louie said.
“Don’t worry! I can fix this!” Gyro said. “If the power’s out in the lab it probably means it’s out in the whole bin! I just need to-YEOWCH!”
A bump, followed by a crash of things to the floor.
“Dammit! That better not have been anything important,” Gyro said, trying to feel at the ground.
“Hey uhh Dr. Gearloose,” Huey said. “Do we have to worried about that barrier being shut down during the blackout.
“What? No, don’t be stupid,” Gyro said. “I wouldn’t design something like that. If anything, the barrier just stays closed. You know, like a garage door. Anyway, I just need to get to the fusebox… If I can see anything…”
“Don’t you guys have like flashlights down here?” Louie asked. “Or, you know, something that can help us see?”
“No.” Fenton and Gyro answered in unison as if it were the most obvious thing ever.
“Wait a second,” Dewey said, pulling a smartphone out from behind him, “I have my pho-and it’s at 1%. Mhmm, and now it’s dead.”
“Wait a minute!” Gyro said. “We can use Lil Bulb to find our way around! Where are you Lil Bulb? Your creator needs you for an important mission.”
“I haven’t seen him in a while,” Fenton said.
“-- . / -. . .. - .... . .-. .-.-.-“ Manny clopped
The kids spoke in unison. “I haven’t seen him either.” “I thought he was on vacation.” “Maybe he’s hiding.” “Oh yeah, he still works here?”
“Oh no…” The distress was clear in Gyro’s voice. “Lil Bulb?! Where are you Lil Bulb? Oh God… What if I accidentally locked him in the closet? I’ve had nightmares about this but I never thought I’d actually do it. Oh my God. He’s too little to reach the door handle by himself.”
“It’s okay Dr. Gearloose,” Fenton said, trying to be calming. “He’s probably on an errand or something.”
“I can find him!” Webby said, and before anyone could say or do anything, Webby had on a pair of night vision goggles and was speeding out of the lab on her way to find Lil Bulb.
“Wait a minute,” Louie said as Webby slammed the door. “She could have just given the night vision goggles to Dr. Gearloose so I wouldn’t have to sit in the dark with a phone that needs to be charged.”
“Wait, Louie!” Huey said. “What’s your phone at?”
“38%, wh-Oh nonononononono.”
But it was too late. Huey had taken Louie’s phone and tossed it to Gyro.
“Lil Bulb? Where are you? Olly olly oxen free!”
Webby looked high and low for Lil Bulb: under the vending machine, in closets, and behind furniture, but not sign of the little guy.
At least not until Webby heard a long buzzing sound in the board room. It sounded like the sound fluorescent lights made when they were on, but the power was out so, that couldn’t have been it. The sound was also quieter, and somehow… emotional?
Webby looked under the table. And there it was. A small light crouching under the table.
“Lil Bulb, is that you?” Webby asked the bulb who was not moving. “Dr. Gearloose has been worried sick about you!”
Lil Bulb still did not move.
“Wait, are you afraid of the dark?” Webby asked.
Lil Bulb peaked up and shook his head.
“Well whatever it is you’re afraid of, I can protect from it and get you back to Dr. Gearloose, I promise!”
Lil Bulb thought for a moment and then moved towards Webby, signaling he was ready to go back to the lab.
Webby and Lil Bulb left the board room, but it wasn’t before Lil Bulb hid behind Webby pointing at some dim monstrous figure.
“This?” Webby asked, walking up to the figure. “It’s just Uncle Scrooge’s number one dime display!”
Lil Bulb pointed up.
“Hmm… It does have a rather threatening looking shadow from your bulb though.”
Before Webby knew it, Lil Bulb was jumping at pointing at a shadow of a Scrooge McDuck bust.
“Lil Bulb! That’s just another shadow,” Webby said. “Come on. Nothing can get you in the staircase.”
And as they ascended, Lil Bulb leading the way, nothing did. At least until Lil Bulb turned towards Webby and saw something behind her. Giving him a peace sign. As Webby was not currently holding up two fingers, Lil Bulb knew this was trouble. He frantically pointed behind Webby as the shadow behind her continued to chill.
“Lil Bulb! Don’t tell me you’re afraid of my shadow now!”
Lil Bulb kept pointing at it, as if to say “but... but…” however, Webby wasn’t turning.
“Not everything is out to get you, Lil Bulb, now if you’ll excuse me,” Webby walked past Lil Bulb, “I’m going to-”
Webby paused, finally seeing her own shadow. Or rather. A shadow that wasn’t hers, but held the form of-
“Lena?”
The shadow waved her hands in surprise. Webby could have pounced on her and hug her if it were not for the fact that she was on a large and somewhat dangerous starcase.
“Lena, you devilish delight! Is there where you’ve been this whole time?”
The shadow nodded.
“Lil Bulb, you were right! It’s Lena.”
Lil Bulb was in a stance where he was ready to fight.
“No, no, you remember my old friend Lena. Hmm… Wait. I guess the two of you never formally met. Lena, Lil Bulb. Lil Bulb, Lena.”
Lil Bulb went to greet Lena, but found as he got close the shadow would move around, causing the two girls to laugh.
The fun didn’t last long, as soon the power was restored and Lena seemed to disappear.
“Well, the power’s back on,” Webby said, somewhat sullen before turning to Lil Bulb. “Let’s get you back to Dr. Gearloose.”
Lil Bulb pulled on Webby’s sleeve, pointing down the stairs.
“Yes, he’s downstairs where he always-Wait! Dr. Gearloose could help bring back Lena! Now that we know where she is.”
The two dashed back down to the lab, completely unaware the elevators were in perfect working order once more.
Gyro tossed Louie his phone back.
“Finally,” Louie said, about the leave the lab. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to charge this baby.”
“I should probably charge mine too, in case of any more surprises, you know,” Dewey said, following Louie.
“Dr. Gearloose! I found Lil Bulb!” Webby exclaimed, slamming the door open.
“Oh thank goodness!” Gyro sighed in relief as Lil Bulb jumped into his hands. The two were about to return to work with Manny and Fenton when.
“Hey, Dr. Gearloose,” Webby said, “do you have some sort of invention to give one’s shadow physical form?”