sultal's note: attention everyone: happy "may the fourth be with you day" (yes...I'm a geek and i LOVE it).

Also, Taking Fantasia is officially my longest fanfic EVER and getting longer as we speak! Would NEVER have believed it - and it's all possible bc of YOU! (yay).

So, pat yourself on the back, go eat a congratulatory rice-krispie treat (that's what I did) and here is the next chapter for you! enjoy - keep writing.

Chapter 42: Son Of Sinbad

"Well…thank heavens for little miracles…few hours in the Nurse's Office and the Castle still in one piece."

Jim turned. The bandages plastered to his stomach and skull twinged. Still, with Dr. Sweet's expertise and Master Merlin's magical resin, the wounds had healed enough for Jim to loiter on the school steps and argue with the gargoyle guards that he wanted to see Wendy.

"Thank heavens." Long John Silver said again, golden caps gleaming in his toothy grin. The cyborg trudged up the castle steps. Seven dwarves trekked close behind, two frozen students carried overhead.

Jim watched. The rescue party was still searching for frozen students in the forest. As Silver approached, Jim rubbed his side. He wondered if Ariel had been recovered.

"Yer an explosive one lad."

Sitting beside Jim, Silver removed his tricorn. Breathless from the forest hike, Silver fanned himself. The gears in his elbow joint creaked. "Tis a small miracle the castle's still standin'…what a day. Dodgin' pixies, flyin' on junken contraptions, fightin' mermaids, classmates, and shadows…."

Shaking his head, Silver laughed to himself. "Oh Jimbo…if I could've maneuvered death like that when I was your age – they'd be bowin' in the streets when I walked by today."

Morph jiggled by Silver's ear. "Bowing in the streets!" he mimicked happily.

Jim stared up at the stars. "Um, look. I, uh…"

Jim scuffed his boots into the iridescent steps. "What you did today…with Wendy…and the shadow…thing…I…" He took a deep breath. "…thanks."

Silver paused. He looked at Jim. "Didn't yer pap ever teach you to pick yer fights a bit more carefully?"

Jim stiffened. He didn't move. But darkness swathed the rage in his eyes.

Realization dawned in Silver's face. "Yer father's not the teachin' sort." he said.

Jim's eyes flicked down from the stars. "No."

Jim stared down the castle steps. His hands clenched inside his pockets. "He was more of the taking off and…never coming back sort."

"Oh."

Gently, Silver's shoulder touched Jim. "Sorry Lad."

"Hey, no big deal." Quickly Jim stood, breaking contact. He turned as the cyborg gazed silently. "No big deal. I'm doing just fine."

Silver didn't respond. Jim ground his toe into the step, trying to crush something invisible under his boot.

"So what was that shadow thing anyway?" Jim said abruptly. He turned. The silence was too quiet for his screaming emotions. "And…what's…what's a Shadow Worker?"

Silver regarded Jim for a moment. Finally, he pointed to the sky.

"Ye know the legend then? About the Second Star te the Wrong?"

Jim glanced up. "You mean the Wishing Star?"

"Wishing Star is what it's called when it's unbroken, Lad." Silver's eye glinted in the starlight. "Second Star to the Wrong is the piece broken off. The part wished off long ago by the Fantasian King."

Jim took a second look at the Wishing Star. "What about it?" he asked, gazing at the two pricks of light.

"Ye know what's behind it? Tied back by celestial thread, as it were?"

"Sorta. Evil. Demons or something."

Silver leaned forward. Cogs clicked in his knee. "Shadows lad. Shadows."

Jim frowned. Curiously, he lowered onto the steps as Silver continued.

"Yer shadow is part of yer soul, Lad. The outside part of yer soul. The legends say that shadows were put on the outside te remind us of our…dark side. Evil side. Te help us remember te always be good and true and just…because every blasted creature is created evil at heart…"

Silver rubbed his metallic knee cap. "…evil and black-hearted…with prospective te be good."

Jim lowered his eyebrows. "So shadows remind people that…they're bad? Evil?" He glanced down. His own shadow shown dimly in the starlight. "Any reason why shadows can't remind people that they're good?"

Silver turned. He seemed disappointed. "Think, Lad! What was it like when ye touched that lass? The Shadow Worker? She almost took yer shadow! What did ye feel? What did ye think…about yerself?

Jim thought. Angrily he shook his head, remembering the vision of himself as his father.

"Not good, I'd wager." Silver took Jim's shoulder. "Lad. Shadows…shadows are yer dark side. Shadows are yer inner demon. An' shadows…"

Releasing Jim, Silver gestured to the starry sky. "Shadows are the evil locked inside the Wishin' Star. Creepin' out behind the Second Star te the Wrong…ready…"

The cyborg's voice was a thundering whisper. "Ready te take Fantasia."

Jim unclenched his fists. "So…when I touched Wendy."

"She's a shadow worker." Silver replaced his tricorn. "An apparently she can rip shadows from yer inner soul."

"Inner soul?"

"Aye. This part." Silver twisted a finger into Jim's chest, over his heart. "The part ye can't see. The…" a smile spread over the cyborg's face. "…the good part."

Jim allowed himself a very, very, very small smile in return.

Silver's red eye glimmered. Looking behind Jim, he placed two hands on the boy's shoulders. "Aye. The part filled with mercy, hope, happiness…."

Gruffly, Silver turned Jim around. "…and love."

Jim shook off the cyborg. He looked up.

His heart froze.

"Ariel."

Ariel smiled. Red hair blushed in starlight, she twisted it shyly, staring at Jim with disarmingly beautiful deep blue eyes.

"I…" Ariel smiled, loosing her breath as Jim crossed the steps. "I…I wanted to see you."

Jim stopped a breath from her lips. "Me too."

Ariel smiled, biting her lip. Eyes shining, she rippled her fingers. "...nice freeze. Back there."

"Oh...thanks...yeah...I..." Jim's heart roared back into circulation as Ariel inched forward. "...sorry...about that...I..."

Ariel reached for Jim's cheek. "Jim…"

"…Ariel."

"I…" Ariel couldn't stop smiling. Her heart was fluttering back and forth between the stars with excitement. "I think we – "

"ARIEL!"

"JIM!"

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER!"

"Daddy!"

Jim stumbled Admiral Triton wrenched him from Ariel. He fell backwards. Pain burst through his arm as his elbow cracked against the step. Jim clutched his elbow as Admiral Triton marched Ariel down the steps.

"—and if I ever see you with him again –"

"Daddy! Daddy stop! He didn't do anything! I came on to him!"

"Ariel get hold of your senses!"

"Daddy! You don't underst – "

"Come with me we're going home!"

"No, I'm not!" Ariel shook her arm away. Her trident sparkled at the tips. "Daddy you're not being fair!"

"Don't you raise your voice at me young lady!" Triton's face contorted. "I set certain rules and I expect those rules to be followed. Come with me. Now!"

"Hey! Get off her case – she didn't do anything!"

Triton rounded on Jim like a shark. "You. You stay away from my daughter, Hawkins."

"Chill out, I wasn't doing any – HEY!"

"Do not touch my son!" Sarah sprinted down the steps. Furiously, she took Jim's shoulder. "And what makes you think that I want your daughter anywhere near my s – JIM!"

"ARIEL! GET BACK HERE!"

"Both of you! Right now! Jim!"

"If you touch my daughter ever again!" Admiral Triton ripped Jim's hand from Ariel's wrist. "Ever again! I swear – "

"Get the Hell off me! Don't tell me what the Hell to do!" Jim threw his hand behind his back, out of the Admiral's reach. "You can't stop Ariel and me – "

"There is no Ariel and you!" Admiral Triton stepped into Jim. Jim stood his ground but Triton towered over him like a tidal wave. "And would you like to know why?"

"Thrill me." Jim snarled, lifting his chin.

"Jim!"

"No Mom, I wanna hear it!"

"Beggin' yer pardon, Sir – " Silver interjected, reaching for Jim. "But 'tis been a – "

"No!" Jim shouted. Anger pumped through his body. His ears were ringing and hot with blood. "No! No! All of you shut the Hell up!"

"James Pleiades Haw – "

"I SAID NO!"

"Like father like son." Admiral Triton laughed coldly. "Spitting image."

"Daddy!" Ariel pulled uselessly on her father's shoulder. "Daddy stop! Just stop! You don't even know him!"

"Know him? I don't have to know him! Father and son – they're all the same!"

Admiral Triton walked into Jim, forcing him down the steps with each word. "Spineless, savage, law-breaking scum of the sea! Criminals incapable of feeling anything but lust and exploit! No family! No feelings!"

Admiral Triton hissed into Jim's sunken blue eyes. "And no future."

Jim hardened. He felt like Admiral Triton had gutted through.

"I will not permit Ariel's fate to fall into despair…as you have managed for Wendy." Admiral Triton voice rumbled like waves upon the shore. "Never. Ever. Ever…see my daughter. Ever again. Jim Hawkins...

Triton's eyes flashed. "...Son of Sinbad."

Jim stepped back.

He saw Triton.

His mother.

Ariel.

Silver.

Jim faltered. And stumbling off the last step, he ran into the darkness.

Trying to escape his own.