Chapter 26: Conceal, Don't Feel

Jim stood without gasping. He left the aisle without pausing. He climbed the stairs without wondering. He reached inside The Magic Bag of Tricks without wishing.

Jim was – in all respects – a cyborg. Human yes, but operated with a robotic emotionality. His father's betrayal had a rewiring effect: Jim attacked every obstacle before fear or hope attacked him. As a result, Jim was never pleased or disappointed. He simply was. Never was there a surprise.

Jim had only been surprised by fate three times, since. The first was by a little girl name Wendy Darling, who understood his pain. The second was by Ariel Triton, a girl that made his heart stop. The third…was when he reached into The Magic Bag of Tricks.

Tidal waves of urgency, joy, and pain surged through Jim. Rapt in emotion, Jim lost sight of the mouse and the wizard. A galaxy of stars raced through Jim's mind, as if he was solar surfing through a tunnel of stars, turning sharply at the last, unpredictable moment.

Overwhelmed, Jim staggered backwards. The vision stopped as he tore away. Heart struggling against a constricted chest, Jim looked at the object held in his hand.

Billy Bones' metallic orb.

Jim didn't need to hear Peter and Wendy gasp to be surprised.

"Hmm…" Headmaster Mickey reached for the bronze orb. Reflexively, Jim shifted away. Untroubled, Headmaster Mickey opened his hand.

"Try twisting it, Jim." Headmaster Mickey recommended. To Jim's raised eyebrow, the headmaster clarified. "See the deep lines cut into the orb? Different patterns and combinations may unlock the orb. It's a puzzle. Like a Rubrics cube."

Jim looked down. A mechanical problem. Interested, Jim studied the fissures crisscrossing over the bronze orb. Brain turning like an engine, Jim placed his fingers gently over the orb.

A red light reflected off the metal. Jim paused. He saw Silver from the corner of his eye.

Jim lifted his hand. "I'll work on it." he said, pocketing the orb and exiting the stage. Purposefully, he glared at Silver. The cyborg smiled back.

"Jim Hawkins…." Headmaster Mickey recited to the quill. Disappointedly, the mouse watched Jim shuffle offstage. "Magical Item: Metal Orb. We'll keep tabs on your progress, then. Who knows what that will unlock. Well…"

Headmaster Mickey consulted the Once Upon a Time book. Walking over the last step, Jim looked for Wendy. As Headmaster Mickey called the last student – Arthur Pendragon (Wart) – Jim slid sideways across the aisle.

Feeling the cyborg's gaze, Jim bent over Wendy.

"Here." Furtively, Jim stuffed the orb under Wendy's hoodie. "Take it."

"Jim - ?"

"Meet me later." He said, shaking away her hand. "Whatever you do, keep it safe."

"—but –?"

Jim turned, leaving Wendy's questions unanswered.

Residual fears from the Magic Bag of Tricks held Jim like a vice. Billy Bones had given him that little metal orb. The exchange cost the sailor his life. Somehow, Billy Bones had known something about the Wishing Star.

And so had someone else. The person that set the Benbow on fire. The person that attacked the school. The person that murdered Billy Bones.

Jim increased speed, trying to outpace his beating heart. Conclusions and extrapolations burned inside his head. Something was not right. Evil forces must already be moving. And whether or not the Headmaster knew, Jim was sure he and the rest of FantasiaSchool for the Magically Skewed were closer to danger than they knew.

And whatever that metal orb was, someone was willing to kill for it. And Jim was sure that somehow, Billy Bones' enemies would know the Wishing Star had gifted him with it.

Jim passed Silver's red eye. With Wendy safeguarding the orb, Jim could be comforted that Billy Bones' enemies would not find it on his person. Jim knew he couldn't endanger Wendy with the metal orb forever, but right now he didn't want to worry about it…he didn't want to feel anything at all…

…right now, he just really needed a smoke.

Wendy shook her head as Jim disappeared. The metal orb bulged under her hoodie. Glancing to both sides, she waited as Wart ascended the stage. Crouching down, Wendy slipped the orb into her backpack as Wart reached into the Magic Bag of Tricks.

Nothing happened.

"Try again." suggested Headmaster Mickey after five agonizing minutes.

Biting his lip, Wart tried again. He replaced his hand ten more times. Still, nothing happened.

"Do you feel anything?" prompted Headmaster Mickey, noting the growing impatience.

Massaging his hand, Wart shook his head. "I…I don't." he said truthfully. He winced as Kay, Facilier, and Gaston started to laugh. "Is that…bad?"

Headmaster Mickey consulted the Once Upon a Time Book. "Not bad. But unprecedented. Don't think it's ever happened before. Merlin?"

Intrigued, Master Merlin scratched under his hat. White hair stuck up as he regarded Wart. "Befuddling, to say the least." replied the wizard after a pause. Kindly, Master Merlin gestured Wart from the Magic Bag of Tricks.

"But perhaps, Headmaster, the war games will reveal powers unseen?"

"Ah…ah yes." Still pondering over Wart, Headmaster Mickey about-faced. "Yes I think –oh…"

Headmaster Mickey was met with a staggering silence and horrified expressions. Mention of 'war games' had slapped each student speechless.

"Yessssss…now, there's no need to worry." Attempting to placate the situation, Headmaster Mickey raised both hands. "But tomorrow – "

"Cool it, Headmaster, I can take it from here." Protein shake and jelly doughnut in hand, Coach Phil clip-clopped onto the stage.

"So kiddles, it's like this." Taking a swig of his shake, Coach Phil dove into the game plane. "We gotta sort you into groups so we can teach you to use this magical crap. But, we can't do that without getting an idea of your skill set. So…"

Coach Phil brushed doughnut crumbs from his beard. "So tomorrow in phys ed you're going to fight each other to the death in a mock war. Hence: war games. Everybody against everybody. Mano il mano. Kah-peesh?"

"Not to the death!" Headmaster Mickey immediately stepped forward as the auditorium reared into panic.

"What?" Coach Phil objected as Master Cogsworth reprimanded him offstage. "What? I was getting them psyched!"

"Students!" Headmaster Mickey repeated as each sector exploded into a mix of objection and blood-lust. "Students: no one is going to die! This is not a real war. It's more like a game of tag! Oh everyone, please listen!"

"Ala-ka-ZAM!"

"Buck up!" Archimedes called through the fumes of blue smoke. "Pinfeathers!"

"No one!" Headmaster Mickey promised through wringing hands. "Is in danger. No one will be in danger. You – our students – are the protectors of Fantasia, now. But, we need to teach you how to use the gifts granted by the Wishing Star. The war games – "

Again, Headmaster Mickey held up his hands as several students whimpered. " – the war games will help us see what you can do. Specifically. Elementary students will not participate…"

Wendy sighed, utterly relieved. Eyes on Headmaster Mickey, she cradled Michael protectively.

"…and everything will be all right. Just be strong and resourceful. Use your wits. Stretch your imaginations."

"And eat your Wheaties." added Coach Phil, grouchily finishing his jelly doughnut. "Might help you survive."

"After physical education…" Headmaster Mickey said, glaring at the satyr. "…classes will resume. You will be separated by magical capabilities. Classes will include those specific for Warriors, Healers, Scouts, and…"

Headmaster Mickey paused. His lips moved, as if he was unsure which word to use. "…and Others." he finished, still dissatisfied.

Panic was resolved with confusion and bewilderment.

Headmaster Mickey felt the Magic Bag of Tricks tingling beneath his fingers. It had been a long day. And the students were exhausted.

"Tomorrow." said the Headmaster, resting his eyes on Minnie. "Let us leave it, until tomorrow. Now…before I dismiss you…" Mickey turned the Magic Bag of Tricks over his hands. "…how does everyone feel?"

Long John Silver grunted. Wickedly amused, the cyborg turned. Leaving the auditorium, his red eye swept over every young petrified face: including the headmaster's.

Silver returned to his kitchen. The innards burned with the heat of a secret about to bubble over. Quietly, the cyborg punched a code into a metal band encircling his orbit. Morph zipped from under a muffin pan as Silver's mechanical eye clicked. A triangular screen swelled from a red laser wired to Silver's optical nerve.

Silver smiled as a projection of the assembly re-played on the red screen.

"How do they feel, Morphy?"

The cyborg rest his biological eye on the red image. His eye color was so deep, it was discernible from any hue. Still, it gleamed with fierce intent watching Peter, Wendy, Ariel, Jim and their classmates pick from the Magic Bag of Tricks.

"Well…" Silver paused the video recording, focusing on a single student. "Well…I'd say they'd be a might scared. And well they should be Morphy. Well they should be."

SURPRISE!

I decided to post again because (1) It's almost St. Patrick's Day and it is my favorite holiday, (2) because Dancer who loves Westerns asked me to, (3) because I really didn't feel like writing about discogenic pain diagnosis and intervention, (4) and because you guys have been so patient and supportive!

Also, I wanted to ask if anyone had heard about SOPA. I usually do my research, but this seemed way to terrible to be true. Apparently, SOPA will cause all fanart and fanfictions to be deleted from the internet. Guys, I need this. It keeps me sane and really does help improve my writing. So, does anyone know if it is true? .gov/petition/stop-sopa-2014/q0Vkk0Zr

Hope the link worked. In the meantime, Happy St. Patrick's Day (you don't have to be Irish to celebrate) and keep writing everyone!

(post in next weekend for the next chapter)