Second Favor, A New Lesson
Taylor and Vortex Training Days
Milestone: Second Favor, A New Lesson
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*In the Endless Void on a white platform.*
Taylor: What is this place? It seems kind of creepy.
Vortex: Just setting the stage. Before we try to help you build up any more favors, I thought you might benefit from a more practical lesson on how it's done.
Taylor: Really? Are we meeting with some sort of primordial being from beyond my comprehension? Because this seems like something from a bad movie.
Vortex: Nah, just a overly powerful, extremely vain Sorcerer who has run into some unexpected trouble. It's a bit of a low hanging fruit situation, and should properly outline some appropriate tactics for your next attempt.
Taylor: Okay, now I'm really curious.
Vortex: Well, don't worry. We're about to get started. Oh, and don't say anything. It will ruin the impact.
Taylor *sighing*: Fine...
*A small portal opened, revealing a raven with an odd coloration of both it's eyes and head. With a wave of his hand, Vortex transformed the bird into an anthropomorphized green duck with dark hair and piercing golden eyes.*
Unknown Figure: Magica, No!...What in the world?
Vortex: Hello, Poe De Spell. It seems that you have had a bit of trouble.
Poe De Spell: Who are you? What is this place?
Vortex: I am called by many names. You may refer to me as Vortex. Where are we? Well, it's a place I created for meetings such as this. I thought we should have a little chat.
Poe De Spell: What of my sister? Is she here as well?
Vortex: I'm afraid that she's having a bit of a crisis Mr. De Spell. If you would turn to your left.
*The wall transformed into a giant screen. Poe, Taylor and Vortex were treated to the sight of Poe and another, clearly related anthropomorphized female duck working together to raise an army of shadows. An older duck with a strong accent came in and riled up the girl who started blasting away. The older duck reflected a beam, when Poe intercepted the attack, changing into the bird from earlier. Breaking down, the woman begged her brother to change back, since reversing transformations was an ability she did not have. However, without his mind, the raven just flew away. The woman screamed at the older duck, who was filling his pockets with loose treasure. She offered everything she had and everything she could do if only he would help get her brother back. He scoffed, saying that she should have known better than to go against him, taunting her efforts as the transformed Poe disappeared into the evening sky. A heartbroken sister was left to stew in her growing rage while the other duck walked away, pockets filled with gold coins.*
Poe De Spell: Oh no...poor Magica...
Vortex: In the normal course of events, your sister would scour the globe and never find you. There are a lot of ravens in the world after all. This will still happen, because there is little that I can do to stop Destiny. Magica De Spell's hatred and grudge against the man you saw is essential to the time line of your world.
Poe De Spell: Do not speak to me of such paltry things as Destiny and Fate! That monster taunted my dear sister while I was a mere beast! He must be punished!
Vortex: Which your sister will devote her life and the combined might of your power to for many years to come. This grudge shapes both her and her opponent in a number of ways.
Poe De Spell: Then what is the point of all this drama and pageantry? Why even change me back?
Vortex: Time works differently here, and gives me some rather interesting insights. That man has a family. Said family will grow and thrive, becoming one of the greatest forces on your world, for both good and bad. This helps to inspire enemies, and one of them will do something monumentally stupid. That leaves a gap in the timeline where I can properly return you to your sister's side. However, such things are not free.
Poe De Spell: Whatever it takes to get back to my sister. Magica did not deserve such horrible treatment!
Vortex: I understand that you both care for each other very much. To earn your return, I require one hundred years of servitude. Your magic was taken when Magica grabbed your amulet, so you are going to have to do what you can as you are. If you wish to regain or replace your power, that will be done on your own time. Complete this service, and I will return you to your sister as promised. Fail, and I undo what I have done and you can live out your days as a raven in the woods.
Poe De Spell: ...Very well, I have no real choice, do I? I am yours to command.
Vortex: Then we have an accord. Your first task awaits you. We will talk about additional work later.
*A Portal opened up, which Poe entered without hesitation.*
Vortex:...and he is supposedly the level headed one. Ah well, that just means he will be more useful.
Taylor *gaping*: Okay, what the hell was that?
Vortex: That, Taylor, was all about using the appropriate force to obtain the aid of a fairly intelligent agent for a century before reuniting him with his sister. Like I said, low hanging fruit.
Taylor: But he was Evil! Not for using negative sources of power, but instead for stealing from innocent people and unleashing apocalyptic armies! Why deal with him at all?
Vortex: *sigh* Poe and Magica De Spell are both naturally capable of pretty amazing magical accomplishments. But they were born with these powers and, like many natural magic users without guidance, let it go to their heads. They are dangerous, amoral and all that fun mostly from their circumstances, not some inborn darkness.
Taylor: And that makes it okay to work with them?
Vortex: They are part of the natural order of their world. Denying that is counterproductive. Besides, it's not quite as bad as you are suggesting. After all, you were labeled a Villain, and we are working together.
Taylor *shoots him an unimpressed look*: Apples and Oranges, Vortex.
Vortex: Horse flies and fruit flies, Taylor. Besides, it's a net positive as far as I am concerned. Multiple favors, a capable servant, and I barely had to do a thing!
Taylor: What are you talking about? You are going to unleash a powerful, evil Sorcerer with a grudge for just a hundred years of servitude?
Vortex: Oh, Taylor. You are thinking much too small.
*An image of the older duck with an accent appears on the wall. He is wearing some sort of camping gear crossed with military surplus while carrying a pick axe.*
Vortex: Meet Scrooge McDuck. He is a legendary adventurer and treasure hunter. He got where is today by being, and I quote, "Smarter than the smarties, tougher than the toughies, and sharper than the sharpies." He became the richest duck on his world by building a fortune up with hard work, determination and an unrelenting desire for more.
Taylor: He sounds pretty heroic.
Vortex: Ah, he is an Adventurer, not a Hero. He could do heroic things, but his main goal was seeking out treasure and excitement.
Taylor: So, what was wrong with that?
Vortex: Do you know who else could be considered Adventurers? European colonists. He goes around the world, seeking hidden cultures and mysteries and plundering them for his own wealth. Most of his earliest years involved having the empathy of an office fern. He could defeat his enemies sure, but doing so just added to their number.
Taylor: Shit! That's horrible!
Vortex: Oh, he's not a complete monster. He started bonding with his family in his later years, and it really helped him grow up. Plus, he makes an excellent target for the darkness in his world.
Taylor: Okay, now I'm lost.
Vortex: Let's see, if Scrooge didn't exist, the De Spell siblings would have expanded their operation because no one could stand up to them. Attempts at world domination would not have been off the table. Instead, the absurdly powerful magic users are fixated on the single person who can stop them. Then, if they manage to get too strong with time? His family covers the possible weaknesses. Scrooge acts as a lode stone for people and organizations like this, and their interactions help drive the various elements that make up his world.
Taylor: Okay, so most of that makes sense, but how does it lead to you getting favors for enabling an evil Sorcerer?
Vortex: Scrooge might be a necessary element to that world, but his arrogance has managed to piss off nearly ninety seven percent of the various Mystical and spiritual beings on said planet. Taking this step stabilized his cycle of conflict after that stupid plan I mentioned earlier. It also gives him a karma dope slap, which many such creatures would pay to see. Anyone left wants to keep the McDuck Clan sharp in case they are ever needed for a conflict. So now, they all owe me at least one favor, not counting Poe's own efforts to repay my help.
Taylor: So, the last time I tried to get a favor credit, I ended up in a secret lab for two weeks with threats of vivisection. You agree to take on a skilled Sorcerer for a hundred years of servitude just to stick it to some arrogant old duck and you get hundreds of favors?
Vortex: Thousands actually.
Taylor: Fucking hell. Say, what was the stupid thing you keep bringing up anyways?
Vortex: Oh, one of his enemies created their own two bit version of Cauldron that was trying to control Scrooge McDuck to prevent his adventures from destroying the world. To that end, they built a device that could negate matter from reality itself. Doing something like that has consequences. It also escalated things so that the next incarnation of his enemies, if I hadn't interfered, would have involved an intergalactic invasion of sentient plant people.
Taylor: Huh. I honestly don't know what to say to that one.
Vortex: Well, it's better than dealing with the magic potion that weaponized bouncing.