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Some people feared the ocean. Fethry revered it. The source of all life on Earth, vast and blue and full of secrets; it was breathtaking, and as a youth, Fethry had wanted to see every inch of it. He had long dreamed of a life submersed, shining light on the sea's deepest crevices, befriending creatures no duck had seen before, sharing the mysteries of the abyss with the world. When his uncle Scrooge had offered him a position tending to the long-abandoned Sublab of the Future, it had been a sudden beam of light cutting through the dark, dreary years that followed Della's disappearance. So what if the lab was an obsolete relic? It was in the deep sea, surrounded by life, a chance to prove that he could be of use, a chance to pore over the discoveries of a decade long passed. It was perfect!
It was amazing how much could change in four and a half years.
After his nephews (and Mitzy!) had saved him from the crumbling lab, Fethry hadn't known how to cope. He had never been the most attuned to social rules, and those years with minimal (if any) socialization had left a mark on him. It would take time to readjust to life on the surface.
In a sort of unspoken apology, Scrooge had offered Fethry a paid internship under Gyro Gearloose, which Fethry accepted graciously. He had anticipated it as a way to fill the days and begin interacting with people again.
He had not anticipated it being located in another underwater lab.
Maybe Scrooge had figured his love of the sea would override any trauma those four years had inflicted, or maybe his uncle just hadn't thought the offer through. Either way, Fethry did his best to take it in stride. He didn't want to cause a fuss.
Fethry spent his first day in the lab performing mindless errands for Gyro, chatting with the exuberantly friendly Fenton, and trying not to think too hard about his surroundings. The next few days passed in much the same way, until one evening when both of his new coworkers had to step out for a few hours, leaving Fethry to watch over the lab.
It had been okay at first, as Fethry busied himself with cleaning. But there was only so much to be cleaned. Before long, Fethry found himself with nothing to do but stare out into the water that surrounded him. For a few moments, it was peaceful, even soothing. Then it struck him how utterly alone he was in that moment.
A couple of hours later, the elevator dinged and its doors slid open to reveal Gyro and Fenton had returned.
"Sorry it took so long. There was a-- oh my gosh, Fethry!?" Fenton rushed over to his fellow intern, who was curled up on the floor, arms covering his head. Fenton hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder and called his name in an attempt at bringing him around.
It was another moment before Fethry stirred. He looked up with bleary, tear-filled eyes, to see Gyro and Fenton looking at him with alarm.
Gyro parted from the two to press a button on the wall nearby. Metal shutters closed over the lab's many windows, and a set of floodlights came on, replacing the dim blue glow with a wash of visibility. Gyro came back to crouch in front of Fethry and check his vitals while Fenton held the sobbing duck and murmured reassurances.
As he calmed down, Fethry buried his face in Fenton's shoulder and haltingly apologized for his breakdown. Gyro shushed him, much to the others' surprise.
"I've heard about what happened with your last position. From now on, you will not be left alone down here. Understood?"
And from then on, he wasn't.