Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet or any of its characters. The original ones are mine.
"Too bad it had to start raining on such an amazing night, huh Jim?" The man jerked out of his day dreaming and nodded to Altor. They were picking up the dishes and trash left over from the party Sarah had thrown to celebrate Jim's graduation. Well, Jim was cleaning, Altor was leaning back in a chair casually sipping from a bottle of what looked to be Barruge.
"Are you going to help or just sit around doing nothing?" Jim asked.
"I helped clean. I swept this room with a glance," the creature replied. He ducked as a cup flew at his head. "I guess I should take that as my invitation to leave. I'll talk to you later see ya'!" he yelled on his way out the door. Jim watched him out the window for a moment before setting down the plate he'd been brandishing. Luckily Altor's family had a house on Montressor because he probably wouldn't have been safe staying the night at the inn after that little escapade.
The plate shifted back into Morph, who promptly licked Jim's cheek. The man couldn't help but smile; he'd missed the little shape-shifter. The Academy hadn't allowed pets so Morph had had to stay back with Sarah and while he'd had plenty of excitement and fun with the Doppler's kids, he was still Jim's pet through-and-through.
"Has your friend already left?" Sarah asked as she exited the kitchen.
"Yeah, you just missed him. And so did I." He muttered the last bit under his breath causing his mother to raise an eyebrow. "Don't worry, it's nothing important," he told her, setting the bin of dirty dishes on the bar. Something caught his eye and he picked up one of the homemade cards the Doppler kids had given him. That was one of the reasons they'd had this party. No children had been allowed at the graduation under the age of ten, which had bummed the Doppler's tots. So Sarah had promised a big party when they got back. Ben, who'd become their resident chef, had been left behind as babysitter and he was pretty good at it, though everyone had had some reservations the first time. BEN hadn't been repaired quite to the standard he should have been. All parties just thanked their lucky stars that nothing had burned down. Apparently they'd also been hard at work on presents during the time their parents had been away.
"You know they worked really hard on those," Sarah said coming to stand next to her son. Jim smiled and returned the card to the pile. Over the years he'd become Uncle Jim and would sometimes baby-sit the kids when Dilbert and Amelia wanted a night off and BEN was busy helping with the restaurant.
Jim looked over to find said robot wiping the tables, though he also seemed to be dancing to some imaginary tune. That worried the pilot a little, since he still didn't know much about robots and whether or not it was possible for them to do such a thing as enjoy music.
A little Jim landed on his shoulder, mimicking the worried look on his face.
"It's okay Morph. Nothing scary here," he told his pet.
A knock at the door caught his attention and Jim moved to get it but his mother just waved him off. He heard her open it just as he set the bin of dishes in the sink and heard a scream. His heart quickening, he sprinted back to the dining room.
His mother had the door open but it hadn't been her that screamed, it had been BEN, who gave them a sheepish look. The doorway was blocked by what appeared to be a large black blob. But a flash of lightening outside illuminated the entrance just enough to separate the one figure into two. Something moved forward, dragging the other along behind it. The smaller figure appeared to be somewhat carrying the larger on its back, though it was partly hanging off the mass was so large.
"A, a bed. He's hurt," the cloaked figure grunted. Sarah seemed to regain her senses and ran up the stairs. BEN hurled himself towards the kitchen, leaving Jim alone with the monstrous thing. "A little help, please. I won't be able to get him up the stairs myself." He ran forward and caught the other arm of the massive unconscious creature. The two of them hauled it up the stairs, though it took some straining and grunting on their part. It didn't help that their companion was pretty much dead weight and his feet were dragging on the floor.
When the bed was in sight, it seemed to give Jim and his companion renewed strength and they quickly hurried over and quickly plopped the body on the bed, which gave its own cry of defeat. It was then that Jim was able to get a better look at the man. His pulse began to race when he realized the right leg was prosthetic, and one he recognized.
"Help me flip him over," he said. With their joint effort, they were able to right the cyborg and even get him better positioned in the bed. "No," he breathed.
"What? Do you know him?" the cloaked figure asked.
"Silver…" was all he said. Jim'd almost believe he were dreaming if it weren't for the fact that he'd just lugged the unconscious Long John Silver up a flight of stairs. The pirate was the worse for the wear, his left arm bloodied as the sleeve of the coat had been torn away. What had been dried blood now dripped thanks to the rain down his forehead and Jim was sure he'd find a nasty head wound. Silver's right leg looked to have been repaired since their last meeting but something had tried to wrench it from its socket as blood seeped from that wound too.
"The infamous pirate. I wouldn't be surprised if he's got a nasty fever too. We need to clean and bandage the wounds before they get infected. I wonder," the figure muttered but just as it turned BEN came in with a bowl of hot water and a med kit. They quickly got to work, his mother working on the left arm while Jim and their mysterious companion worked on the leg.
"Do you need anything else? Rags? Alcohol? An iron lung?" the robot asked.
"No but if we do you'll be the first I call," the stranger said. It seemed to position itself as if to get a better look. "I can't tell if it's detached, can you?"
"No. We'd have to go in and operate but I'm not proficient in prosthetics. Could you do it?" The figure moved the pant leg and cautiously opened the wound a little more, dabbing at the oozing blood. The stranger's face was slightly illuminated by a nearby candle by which Jim could finally determine their companion was female. Her face ran through a whole track of emotions, from frustration to anger to worry, before finally settling on determined.
"I don't think the bone has detached from the artificial socket, but I'm guessing the neuron cables have come unattached. I could probably sew it back on but I risk the wound getting infected. He really needs to get this looked at by a proper doctor, or at least a mechanic who specializes in these sorts of things. We'll leave it open and try to stem the bleeding. Hand me that bag over there," she said. Jim grabbed the discarded bag and quickly dug through. He brought out several pouches before the girl indicated which one.
"Can't see anyway," their companion muttered as she tossed back the hood. It took a moment before Jim could remember where he'd seen that face before. The girl untied the pouch with her teeth and held down the prosthetic.
"We_"
"Can talk later. Try and hold him down. This will hurt," she said. He moved to hold Silver's right arm just as she sprinkled some powder on the wound. The pirate instantly wailed and started thrashing.
"HOLD HIM!" she yelled. Jim tried to throw his weight on top, his mother mimicking him. They barley managed to hold on as she applied the antiseptic. It seemed like forever but the girl finally finished and tossed Sarah the pouch.
"His arm. Quickly," she said as she threw her own weight on top. Apparently the arm was worse, because he nearly threw both Jim and the girl across the room. It was by a stroke of luck that they both happened to be holding onto the arms that they didn't go flying. They quickly bandaged the arm and leg and their visitor cleaned and stitched the head wound.
"He's got a massive fever. Ma'am, could I ask you to make some tea with the items in this pouch?" she asked, handing Sarah a different bag. The woman nodded and left. The two young people watched the pirate thrash around on the bed, obviously in pain but not much they could do.
"You're Tabitha, aren't you?" Jim asked.
"I prefer Tobi."
"Tobi?"
"It's misleading for a reason. You need to find a doctor, particularly one who isn't too unaccustomed to keeping secrets. I suggest you go now, since the rain will keep prying eyes at bay," she said. Jim didn't have to be told twice. He was down the stairs and out the door pulling on his coat before anyone could blink.
The fire crackled in the wee hours of the early morning and although his body was exhausted, Jim's mind was too keyed up for him to go to sleep. Dr. Barri had come at his request, though it had taken some persuasion on his part for the doctor to keep his silence about treating a wanted criminal. The doctor, his mother and Tabitha, or Tobi as she liked to be called, had been with Silver for several hours as Jim waited on standby in the dining room, in case he needed to run out for something.
A yawn caught his attention and he watched as Tobi ventured over to stand by the fire. She stared at it, the flames dancing in her eyes. He noticed for the first time that she was wearing a rather nice dress, the brown vest hugging her figure. The dress itself was a moss green which did little to compliment her eyes but it was made of some fine material.
"The doctor gone?" she asked and Jim hoped she hadn't seen the little jump he'd given in surprise.
"Yeah, he left a while ago. How's Silver doing?" he asked.
"Sleeping. BEN and Morph are watching over him. Your mother went to bed a while ago, which both of us should probably do," she said.
"I would if I weren't so awake. How did you come across Silver?" he asked. The man walked over to the bar and poured two cups of coffee. Jim watched as the girl sat down in a chair and held her head in her hands. When he returned he dangled the cup and she took it without looking.
"Thank you," she muttered, taking a long sip. A contented sigh left her and Jim felt at least a little better. "I was walking home from dinner with my family when I happened to notice some movement down an alleyway. When I went to investigate, Silver was flailing around, barely able to stand and babbling like a madman. As soon as he saw me though he fainted. I was just able to catch him. I don't know why I made him faint. Maybe he was scared or perhaps he thought he could trust me," she said.
"Or maybe he was too far out of his mind to know any better," Jim replied. Tobi glared at him but he simply took a sip of coffee.
"ANYWAY, before he completely passed out, he muttered something about the Benbow Inn and figured I should bring him here. Lucky for me it wasn't too far from where I found him but he's no lightweight." She took a sip of her own coffee, letting the conversation hang in the air.
"Where do you live?" She looked at him and raised an eyebrow but Jim raised a hand in defense. "Hey, I can't let someone walk home this late on such a miserable night. If it's too far we'll let you stay here," he told her. She still looked skeptical but smiled.
"Thank you for the offer but I really don't live that far from here. Just down by the docks." Tobi reached up and took off the scarf that held back her hair. It also let her "ears" free, which again fluttered from time-to-time like they were caught in an invisible breeze. She must have noticed him staring because she reached up to cover the one closest to him.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare," he said.
"No, everyone does it. Most people hate Anglicans anyway, not that I necessarily blame them," she muttered. Without thinking, he reached out and touched the tip of the wing. It skittered under his touch but was as soft as velvet. The girl pulled away a little.
"Does that hurt?"
"N-no, I'm just not used to people touching them. Usually they try to get as far away from me as possible when they find out what I am."
"And what exactly are you?"
"Part Anglican on my father's side, a quarter Resora and quarter human on my mother's side. A strange combination I know."
"Yeah. The Anglican and human I can see but what about the Resora? Captain Flint was a Resora and I can't imagine seeing any of him in you," Jim said.
"Funny you should mention Flint. He's actually…my grandfather." Jim nearly choked on his coffee. Tobi patted his back, generally concerned. The man wasn't sure whether to find it shocking or hilarious.
"You're joking."
"Nope. Flint met my grandmother, Vivian in one of the brothels on…some planet, I can never remember. Anyway, they fell in love and he brought her back here to Montressor so they could raise their family. He of course made enough money where she wouldn't have to continue her trade and they were a happy enough family. They had three daughters, my two aunts and my mother. Mom inherited more of grandmother's human traits so that's why I don't look to have any Resora in me. Anyway, Flint apparently sailed away one day and never returned. Grandmother was never sad that he didn't return but she was…disappointed."
"Did they ever get married?" This was part of the stories and legends about Flint that Jim had never heard. He was more than a little interested.
"Are you kidding? Of course not. They were a pair of lawbreakers. Getting married would have been completely against what they believed in. Ah, the pirate fell in love with the prostitute. There's a story for the ages," she said.
"And what about your parents?" he asked. A sad look flickered through her eyes so quickly Jim wasn't sure if he hadn't imagined it.
"They met when my mom was in a wrestling tournament." Jim's eyebrows raised so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline. "Strange I know but it's how they met. Dad was visiting Montressor on an ambassador mission when some of the other men dragged him to the wrestling tournament. From what I hear, Dad fell in love with Mom at first sight, though I don't think it was the same for her."
"Why?"
"Because when he went to talk to her, she nearly hurled him into a dumpster thinking he was some annoying reporter." Jim couldn't help it at this point. He burst out into laughter. Tears started streaming down his face and he was holding his sides. Well, the best he could anyway with a cup of coffee in one hand.
"So, so your mom, this she-man, nearly incapacitated your father and he was still infatuated with her?"
"I guess that act made him love her all the more. He was able to subdue her before she actually hurled him which surprised and intrigued her because let's face it, not many guys could compete on her level. They went on their first date and the rest is history."
"And how are your parents now."
"Dead." The man was sure his heart skittered. He looked over at his companion but she was staring at the fireplace.
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. It happened when I was four. I barely remember them and what can you miss when there's nothing there and little to remember," she said. Jim could relate a little. His own father had left when he was just eight and he hadn't seen him since. Occasionally he thought of the man but it was less and less nowadays.
"So how exactly did you meet Silver," Tobi countered. Changing subjects. It was then that Jim launched into the narrative of how he'd met Billy Bones and come into possession of the map to Treasure Planet. Silver was a part of the crew Dr. Doppler had hired as well as Captain Amelia. How they'd sailed the galaxy and he and Silver had gotten really close. Then the betrayal, finding and then ultimately losing the treasure, a death-defying escape from an exploding planet and the rebuilding of the Benbow.
"After that, I left for the Interstellar Academy. I haven't seen Silver since that day, up 'til now," he said. She stared at him which made Jim squirm a little under her gaze. Tobi got up and walked over to the fire place.
"Sounds like quite the adventure."
"Yeah it was." She didn't say anything and the silence stretched on for what seemed like an eternity. Jim half considered going to bed since his eyelids were growing heavy.
"What would you say to another one of those adventures?" That got his attention.
"Where?"
"The Anglican homeworld, Marias. It's far out on the edges of the galaxy. Very few people have ever been there and even fewer have ever come back. You don't seem like the type where I could possibly persuade you with money, though I will pay. But the danger, intrigue and going to places very few people have ever been before. Does that sound like something you'd like to be a part of?" she asked. Tobi was facing him, her figure silhouetted by the fire. Jim could almost feel the passion for this coming off her. This was something she wanted, and hoped he wanted it too.
Truth be told, he did.
"Yes," he said.
Author's Note: OMG this chapter kicked my ass! It's taken me forever to get through it. Anyway, I appreciate the reviews and hope people are enjoying it. I always appreciate helpful hints to make the story better. And even I'm hoping this character doesn't turn out to be a Mary-Sue. I'm trying. Please review!!