Hi again!  Thanks to everyone who reviewed!  I have found that authors who respond to individual reviews tend to keep the reviewers, so using a sneaky tactic I shall ensnare you all! Ha ha! *coughs* anyway:

Abby/Angie: so glad you see the potential! That's probably one of the most important things to see when finding a new fic like this that's gonna be long, so believe me, stick around for a while and you won't be disappointed! (And I just want to know- are you two separate people? Or like a person and a muse thing? Cause some people try to pass off muses as people or whatever, so I need to know which person I'm addressing if there's two of you. Thanks)

Dreamingofflyingaway: yeah, this IS going to be long. I'm on my 6th chapter and they've only JUST arrived on the RLS Legacy. That's only like, 10 minutes into the movie lol. So you'll have plenty of checking back to do! And by the way- I LOVE John Rzeznik and the Goo Goo Dolls (my favorite band XD ). This movie is great, but John's talented music makes it better!

Tallemera Rane: I was actually really worried when I posted that there would be fics like this, but I figured that they wouldn't be exactly the same, and obviously you saw something special in mine, so thanks!

Hidden_in_shadows: a sweet and simple review- wonderful! I'm glad you like the idea, and please continue to read and review! I know the beginning is "cute" b/c of the little kid thing, but it's gonna have some serious literary merit later on, so it can only get better!

I hope you all feel special now, and you'll continue reviewing cause you feel so loved and warm n' fuzzy inside.

I updated early today b/c my computer had some viruses earlier, and I don't want to risk not updating tomorrow, so you're lucky! Again, to old readers, hope it measures up, and to new readers, review, and enjoy!

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"There are nights when the winds of the Etherium, so inviting in their promise of flight and freedom, made one's spirit soar!"

12 years later

            15 year old Jim Hawkins was skimming along the rocky terrain of the cliffs edge when the ground dropped out from under him.  Adjusting the solar surfer to catch as much sun as possible, he shot up through the clouds into the sky.  With a quick step, the retractable sail folded back against the surfer, leaving only the sleek metallic body to support him.  Jim reached the crest of his ascent and closed his eyes as the momentary feeling of weightlessness overtook him, brief and deliciously tantalizing.  Suddenly from above him, another surfer, this one a silver bullet in the sunlight, streaked down and passed him at a breakneck speed.  It spun and twisted as if in challenge, which Jim met by beginning his own sets of flips and rotations.  The two figures descended down the side of the cliff, plunged towards the canyons floor, and at the last possible second, both riders released their sails to catch a patch of golden sunlight at the bottom, giving the necessary boost to pull up before it was too late.  Hovering only feet above the ground and rocketing down the chasm, Jim and Skye let out twin cries of exhilaration as their paths crossed and re-crossed.

            Reaching the end of the trench, Jim broke through a barricade, setting off an alarm.  Skye followed, but looked away quickly, hearing something in the distance.

"Jim!" she yelled, but he couldn't hear her.  When Jim finally glanced back, she was gone.

            No matter.  This was such a rush- grinding off the machinery, avoiding the overhanging parts.  Up ahead, he saw the rotating turbines used to remove rock.  Perfect.

            "Come on!" Jim yelled.  Once again, he retracted the sail, and speeded up to the spinning gears...if the timing was just right...

            "Whoo-hoo!"  Yes!  Jim had slipped right between the slats, bursting through with a yell of triumph.  Letting out another holler of elation, he leveled off, intending to move on.

            That was when he heard the sirens Skye had noticed earlier.  Except these were much closer.

            "Oh, great."

            It was a busy morning at the Benbow Inn, and Mrs. Hawkins had been running to and fro trying to serve everyone at once.  She was glad for a little relief when Skye finally showed up, taking several tables out from under her charge.  Sarah had had no idea when she had taken in the girl she would be such an aid.  A little rambunctious, of course (how could she not be, growing up with Jim as her best friend?), but still- recently, Sarah had needed all the help she could get.

            "Sorry, Delbert, it's been a madhouse here all morning," Sarah apologized to her friend, the dog-like and "noted astrophysicist" Dr. Delbert Doppler.

            Delbert was about to tuck in to his favorite dish (Alponian chowder with extra solara seed), when a small toad-like child, presumably a girl, approached him with wide eyes, and snatched a bit of food off his spoon with her tongue.

            "They're so adorable at that age," Sarah commented with a smile.

            "Oh yes, deplorable-ah, adorable.  Speaking of which, how's Jim doing?"

            "Much better," Sarah began.  Skye looked up from wiping a table,  curious to see how she would play into this conversation.  "I know he had some rough spots earlier this year, and he did a fine job of getting Skye involved too, but I really think he's starting to turn a corner."

            The door banged open to reveal Jim standing between two Robo-cops.

            There was a crash from dropped plates as Sarah exclaimed, "Jim!"

"Ooh, wrong turn," Delbert winced.

"Okay, thanks for the lift guys," Jim attempted to shrug off the cops, one of whom clamped him firmly on the shoulder, bellowing.

"Not so fast!  We apprehended your son operating a solar vehicle in a restricted area, moving violation 9-0-4, section 15, paragraph...um..."

"Six," both Jim and Skye muttered, one from the doorway and one from a table across the room.

"As you are aware ma'am, this constitutes a violation of his probation.  Due to repeated violations of statute 15-C, we have impounded his vehicle.  Any further slip-ups will result in a one-way ticket to juvenile hall, kiddie hoosegow, the slammo."

"Thank you, officers.  It won't happen again."

"We see his type all the time madam.  Wrong choicers.  Dead Enders.  Losers."

Jim snapped his head up to glare at the cops.  When he looked over at Skye, she mouthed silently "I tried to tell you," but when the cops looked over, she bent over and pretended to clear another table.  After all, she was just as guilty as Jim was.  She just hadn't been caught.

"Take care now!"  The Robo-cops turned on their gears and wheeled out the door.

Sarah and Jim Hawkins both turned to see the entire restaurant gaping at them.  In a moment, the normal chatter resumed, although slightly embarrassed.

Sarah turned on her son.  "Jim, I have had it.  Do you want to go to Juvenile Hall?  Is that it?"  Jim turned away and moved to join Skye clearing tables near the kitchen door, avoiding eye contact with his mother.

"Jim, look at me.  It's been hard enough keeping this place afloat by myself without you and Skye going and-"

"Mom, it was no big deal, there was nobody around, those cops just won't get off my-" He stopped.  His mother was glaring at him with the look that told him arguing was pointless.  Besides, she had figured out Skye had been there too- not that that was much of a secret- and there was nothing to be gained by fighting.

"Forget it," he ended sullenly, and turned to resume gathering plates.

A customer's request for purp juice distracted Sarah, and when she turned back to Jim, she said, "Jim, I just don't want to see you throw away your entire future," and left to tend to the customer.

"Yeah, what future?"  Jim breathed as he leaned heavily against the kitchen door.  Skye watched him deposit the dishes in the sink, sighed, and returned to waiting tables.