Chapter 2
Back at the inn, Mrs. Hawkins turned on the blinds until it was the one with a springtime backdrop as she sighed "Thanks for listening, Delbert." She sat down, whilst placing her hand against her forehead "It helps." Dr Doppler had his books on his hand and ready to leave for the night. He placed his other hand gently on Mrs. Hawkins shoulder "It's going to be ok. You'll see…" he said reassuringly.
She held a golden locket and opened it, revealing Jim when he was younger in holographic form, switching from a baby, to a curious child watching a floating toy, to a preteen holding onto a purple pet. "I keep dreaming that one day I'll open that door, and there he'll be just the way he was. A smiling happy little boy, holding a new pet, and begging me to let him keep it." She smiled as she cherished his naivety. When Delbert opened the door, it revealed Jim, Donald, Goofy, a wounded stranger, and I.
"James Pleiades Hawkins!" Mrs. Hawkins said in shock, running to aid the stranger immediately.
"Mom, he's hurt. Bad!" said Jim. We set the drenched stranger down on the floor as he continued to pant in pain. "Our potions aren't working on him. The wounds must be severe." Goofy explained.
"Me chest, lad." Bones panted. I pushed the chest over to him and he reached out, dialed a password to the three buttons and the chest opened to reveal an object wrapped in cloth. "He'll be coming soon. I can't let them find this…"
"Who's coming?" Jim and I asked in unison. Jim was jerked forward again as Billy Bones grabbed his shirt. "The cyborg…beware, the cyborg" he whispered into Jim's ear as he took his last breath, releasing his grip on Jim's shirt. Mrs. Hawkins gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, whereas my gang notices that there are glaring lights coming from the window, along with a low rumbling noise. Jim quietly approached the switch for the blinds and opened it ever so slightly, only to reveal silhouette figures of weapon wielding pirates. My keyblade came into my hand. "Heartless!" Donald shouted.
"Quick! We've gotta go!" Jim acted out and grabbed his mother by her hand and fled upstairs. Dr. Doppler on the other hand tried opening the door, but even before he tried, laser beams shot out and burned the doorknob and its hinge. He then turned to run as well saying "I believe I'm with Jim in this one!" Only to stop halfway up the stairs as he notice that we were still standing downstairs. "Come on! We have to leave!"
"We'll hold them back while you guys escape!" I shouted back. Donald, Goofy and I were in battle stances, anticipating the enemy's movements.
The door slammed open and heartless in the form of pirates gushed into the inn, swords and guns in hand, tipping everything over. I swung my keyblade and slain a few of them, but their overpowering numbers managed to tip over a fire pot and set the lobby ablaze. "Fira!" I used the fire to my advantage and set some pirate heartless on fire. But more of them still poured in and some were scouting Billy's dead body. I caught some of them going up the stairs; they were still trying to look for the object that Billy was protecting with his life. I shot thunder magic at those who went upstairs as my team continued to retreat up the staircase.
"There's too many of them!" Donald shouted. "The place is also gonna go down soon!"
"Sora, we have to retreat and find a way to escape!" Goofy agreed with Donald.
Doing as the team suggested, I went up the stairs.
Jim saw the shadows of the heartless moving upwards quickly as we ran upwards as well. Mrs. Hawkins and Dr. Doppler were at the edge of the windowsill, hesitating.
"Don't worry, Sarah. I'm an expert in the laws of physical science." He held Mrs. Hawkins's hand. "On the count of 3. 1-"
Without thinking, Jim pushed them both over shouting "3!" as they landed on Delbert's wagon. I lunged forth, Donald and Goofy followed suit and we landed on the backseats. "Go, Delilah, Go!" the doctor yelled as he whipped. "Yah!" Sarah looked back at the burning building that was once Benbow Inn with her eyes wide and jaws agape. She then turned back and gave a moan whilst covering her head with her hand.
I extend a hand to touch her shoulder "I'm sorry." Meanwhile, Jim unwrapped the object to reveal an odd-looking golden sphere with cryptic carvings and signs that I couldn't comprehend.
We reached Dr. Doppler's home a few minutes after. We were in his cozy fireplace with a giant telescope pointing up to the stars. I felt guilty for not being able to save the Inn in time. Goofy tried cheering me up "Don't worry, it's not your fault."
"Yeah, Sora." Donald placed a hand against my back. "We'll be able to get them back next time."
I sighed as I gazed out into the night, placing my hands against the cold surfaced window, while Dr. Doppler explained to Mrs. Hawkins, who was seated on a red velvet armchair. "I just spoke to the constabulary," he told Sarah "Those blasted pirates fled without a trace." He knelt next to her "I'm sorry Sarah, I'm afraid Benbow Inn was burned to the ground."
Sarah pursed her lips and closed her eyes, leaning forward after Jim placed a towel over her shoulders. Jim hesitated on trying to say something, but walked away with his hands tucked into his black jacket's pockets. I turned over and leaned against the window, crossing my arms and looking downwards at the intricate floor tiles.
"Well, certainly a lot of trouble with that odd little sphere." Delbert commented. By that time, Jim was already handling the golden sphere, tossing hand to hand nonchalantly, then pressing a few buttons. Dr. Doppler continued, "Those markings baffle me, unlike anything I've ever encountered." The sphere now has been activated in some way and now Jim was turning the segments of the sphere like a rubiks cube. Delbert continues talking in the background "Even with my vast experience and superior intellect, it would take me years to unlock its-" he was cut off when the sphere blared and little 3-Dimensional grids start to form in the entire room. My group couldn't help but to walk towards the sphere curiously, intrigued by its function, whilst scanning the grid that was projected towards the room.
"Why, it's a map!" Dr. Doppler said. "Wait, wait, wait!" he then pointed out at a planet "This is us, the planet Montressor!" As I took a look around, I notice that the map didn't show Destiny Islands, or Hollow Bastion, or any other worlds we've visited. When Dr. Doppler pressed the holographic planet, all of the outer space objects started whirling past us, faster than before, and Dr. Doppler continues to point out other things like the Magellanic Cloud, the Coral Galaxy, the Cygnus Cross, the Kerian Abyss, until eventually it stopped at a huge planet with space debris orbiting in two criss-crossing lines intersecting at acute angles. "Wait, what's this? Why it's…it's"
"Treasure Planet." Jim finished his sentence.
The doctor, still gawking, denied, "No…"
"That's Treasure Planet!" Jim said reassuringly.
"Captain Flint…" I muttered under my breath. Goofy looked at me with reassuring eyes, knowing about what I was thinking. This must be where most of Organization XIII's activities might be, and we must get there before this world becomes shrouded in darkness.
In the background I continue to hear Dr. Doppler to talk in a baffled tone, while Jim started suggesting that it is just a boat ride away. Afterwards, the map shut back into the sphere with a click.
"Mom, this is it! This is the answer to all our problems!" Jim said with excitement.
"Jim, there is absolutely no way-" Sarah was cut halfway.
"Don't you remember, all those stories?" he tried arguing his point.
"That's what they were – stories!" she argued back.
"Mrs. Hawkins, we'd like to go there too!" I butt into the conversation.
"We could rebuild the Benbow a hundred times over!" Jim continued.
Mrs. Hawkins began to stammer as she tried to use the correct words to deny us from going. "Delbert would you please explain to them how ridiculous this is?"
"Well", Dr. Doppler straightened up, "It's preposterous!" Mrs. Hawkins nodded to that statement and smiled. Delbert continued "Youngsters traversing across the galaxy alone..."
We whimpered, slouching over. "Now we hear some sense at last!" Mrs. Hawkins added whilst eyeing her son.
"…which is why I'm going with you!" Dr. Doppler said with renewed enthusiasm, running off to pack his things. "Delbert!" Sarah bellowed, not believing her ears.
Smiles then lit both our faces up. We were grinning from ear to ear.
"I'll use my savings to finance this expedition," Delbert said as he swept his lab equipment into his luggage bag, and running off to another direction "I'll commission a ship," he stuffed his jacket into the bag, then reaching on top of a pile of book for his toothbrush "hire a captain and a crew…"
"You're not serious…" Mrs. Hawkins groaned.
"All my life I've waited for an opportunity like this," he slid down from the pile of books, "and here it is screaming!" He proceeded to do a little dance, fists pumping forwards, while in singsong "Go Delbert! Go Delbert! Go Delbert"
"Ok, OK! You're all grounded!" Mrs. Hawkins held her hands up like a beaming red light. She then sighed whilst putting her hand to the back of her neck.
"But we need to go there and-" My voice raised an octave higher gradually, along with my pointing index finger as I tried to beg her to let us go to Treasure Planet "-uhh…get to see Captain Flint with our eyes" I couldn't help darting my eyes back and forth, coming up with a lame excuse like that. How could I explain to them that I need to stop the heartless and the Organization from taking over this world without getting weird stares?
"Mom, look," Jim continued to plea. He sighed, and explained, "I know that I keep messing everything up. And I know…that I let you down." Mrs. Hawkins then began to sympathize with her son. "But this is my chance to make it up to you," Jim continued to explain himself. "I'm going to set things right."
Dr. Doppler signaled Mrs. Hawkins to have a private conversation, while I whispered to Jim "Hey, you could always use my Gummi ship,"
"Sora?" Goofy and Donald said in shock.
"What? It solves the transport problem if he wants to come along."
"It can't travel across a galaxy you blundering fool…" Donald mumbled and quacked under his breath. "It's only made to travel between worlds! It would run out of fuel and we'll be stuck here-"
Meanwhile Jim was still giving the cute look to his mother, silently appealing to go.
"Jim…" his mother approached. "I don't wanna lose you," she sighed as she swept Jim's bangs away from his face.
"Mom," he said whilst holding her hand reassuringly. "You won't. I'll make you proud." They both smiled at each other, believing full heartedly now.
Dr. Doppler then cleared his throat "We'll begin preparations at once. Jim, and-"
"Sora!" I introduced my name, "along with Donald and Goofy."
"Yes, soon, we'll be off to the spaceport." the doctor waved his hands in front of the window like a visionary while I cheered a loud "Yes!" with my squad.