Chapter 124: Rattle the Stars

Everyone attended. Everyone.

Tony locked his pizza parlor. Edna Mode clicked her ballpoints shut. Tiana left the gumbo pot with suds. Mulan abbreviated her evening run. Flynn wore a clean shirt. Aladdin wore a clean tie. Genie of course wore nothing at all. Rapunzel packed three tissue boxes. Merida and Robin came bushy and red. Pixies lined the sky. Mermaids lined the shore. And students cluttered the space in between. Flounder's fishy friends watched from waves. The blue whale spouted a sigh. Brigades saluted at Captain Amelia's command. Merlin donned his owl and hat. King Arthur donned his sword and crown. The evening bled with sunset and stars. And Headmaster Mickey lead the procession with Donald, Goofy, Minnie, and Pluto aside.

Everyone had come to bid hello and farewell to the guardians of Fantasia.

Everyone.

Everyone except Jim Hawkins.

"Rat Tail was just here." Peter squeezed Wendy's hand to keep his from trembling. "Where is he?"

Wendy squeezed back. She was trembling. "We let him go."

"We?" Peter spoke accusingly at Ariel. "Let him go? Why?"

Ariel looked at Wendy. Then, she pointed to a fiery triangle spitting along the ocean.

"It's only for a little while." Wendy felt Peter's shadow wavering against her back. Sadly, she watched Jim crank the solar surfer. "Just a little."

Peter glared. Envy hardened his unsettled nerves. "Coward. He's gonna run. Hey – ouch!"

"Peter." Wendy lowered Ariel's trident. "Peter. He will be back. Soon. Jim wouldn't run away. Ever."

Resentfully, and unconvinced, Peter rubbed where Ariel jabbed her trident.

"How can you be sure?" His voice skipped. Peter hid the fear with derision. "Let me guess. The best friend thing?"

The sunset boiled Wendy's blue eyes. "No. Because his father ran away."

The solar surfer roared distantly in their silence.

"So then…" Peter said, "…what is he doing?"

Ariel and Wendy shared one sigh.

"Catching time."

Above Pirate's Point, the Wishing Star dithered in pink clouds. Cornered at the edge, Peter, Wendy, and Ariel watched the solar surfer disappear across the sand.

"Well…" Peter said. Breaths held, they waited as King Arthur approached with Merlin and Headmaster Mickey – the Magic Bag of Tricks, Once Upon a Time book, and circlets prepared. "Well. There isn't much time left."

Time. A non-renewable energy driving the word's healing and carnage. We pretend to understand it, but only understand that time is the most fleeting and valuable of all commodities. Truly; time is short lived.

Jim felt his time running out. So with his world colliding into the unforeseeable, Jim sought the familiar. He flew his solar surfer. The engine gunned and the sails seized energy from the sun. Burning holes through the air, Jim flew with wind ripping away his worry.

But time brings all things to an end. The sky turned dark red with orange ridges and wisps of blue where daylight had been. And the sun, as it has and will always, set. Power gone, the solar surfer sighed to earth.

Jim sagged gracefully. The solar surfer nosed to quiet docks; the same docks Billy Bones had anchored in his descent from the Outer World and to Fantasia. Maneuvering through mast forests, Jim landed.

"Land ho." Dragging the surfer, Jim checked the backup battery tank. Working through distance calculations, he slowly attuned to a voice. Mixed naturally with the salty tide and calling gulls, Jim hadn't noticed. The voice blended perfectly with the sea. Even though…it was half robotic.

Jim raised a hand. The sky was glowing now, with black striations from the ship spars. And blended behind, unmooring a cutter, was Long John Silver.

Jim stared. He made a fist. He uncurled. Palm open, he gazed at the red scar. The mark of a pirate. On his right hand. The same hand as Silver's robotic arm.

Jim looked at the cyborg. He rose. Then, disguised in the sunset, he strode silently across the deck.

Morph noticed. Excited, he twittered and fluttered like a pink humming bird.

"Morphy!"Silver scuffled the anchor line. He glanced urgently seaward, begging the tide to wait. "We gotta make tracks!"

"You never quit, do you?"

Silver dropped the anchor. It thud on deck. "Ah Jimbo! Ha ha!" Covering his surprise with a smile, Silver quickly retied the anchor knot. Loosely. "I was merely checking to make sure the good Admiral Triton's longboat was safe and secure." Very loosely.

Jim massaged his jaw. "Mmm. Well..." kneeling, he took the rope. Scar flashing, he zipped the knot tight.

Schwick! Jim looked up. He couldn't stop the smile. "That should hold it."

Silver grinned. Laughing wearily, he rose. "I taught you too well." surmised the cyborg, hands on his hips and head angled cockily.

Jim said nothing. But he angled his own head, meeting Silver's stance.

Silver gazed at Jim. Jim stared evenly back, anchor line held fast. The ocean heaved, waves pulling on Silver's soul.

"If you don't mind," Silver leaned, cupping a hand secretively. "We'd just as soon avoid prison. Little Morphy here he's…"

Silver's voice sailed as Morph spiraled around his head. "…he's a free spirit! And…"

Silver stretched a finger. As Morph settled, Silver clawed him within his metal hand.

"Being in a cage…" Silver sadly held his hand. "…it'd break his heart."

The unasked question fell between the cyborg and the boy. Silver waited, without threat and without aggression. He only beseeched Jim with the one thing he had left; friendship.

A second passed to make Jim's mind. And in that second, Jim gazed at the man with the metal hand. The one who saved his life long before the battle for Fantasia. The one who saved Jim's life on his first day of detention…in a dirty kitchen.

Smiling, Jim cut the anchor and freed the sails.

Silver gasped as wind caught the sails. "What say you ship out with us, lad!" he beamed, punching Jim's chest.

"Ship out with us!" Morph piped, transforming into a tricorne and plopping on Jim's head.

Silver turned Jim towards the indigo sunset, growling with giddiness. "You and me! Hawkins and Silver! Full of ourselves and no ties to anyone!"

Silver swiped his arms. And when they lowered, the horizon was there. Waiting.

Jim breathed. The salty air tingled through his body. When he opened his eyes, the Wishing Star twinkled over the waiting horizon.

"You know…" Removing the tricorne, Jim tickled the brim. "…when this whole taking Fantasia thing started, I would've taken you up on that offer in a second. But, uh…"

He waited as Morph squiggled into original form.

"I met this old cyborg…" Jim gazed at Pirate's Point. Peter, Wendy, and Ariel were there, warm specks in the darkening night. "…and he taught me that I could chart my own course."

Gently, Jim addressed the Wishing Star. "Well that's what I'm gonna do."

Silver brushed beside him. "And what do you see? Off that bow of yours?"

Jim turned. And when he spoke, he finally, at long last, felt at peace. "A future."

Heart heavy, Silver smiled. His soul soared with the sight before him. "Why. Look at ya. Glowing like a solar fire."

And he was. Jim Hawkins radiated at the crux of a shadowy past and mysterious future. He had turned into a man. Just as their adventure ran out of time.

"You're something special Jim." The cyborg's heart bled. "You're gonna rattle the stars, you are."

Jim felt tears as Silver pulled him close. Unashamed, he embraced the cyborg like a son holding his father. One last time.

Silver grunted. "Got a bit of grease in this cyborg eye of mine." He turned, granting both the opportunity to clear their eyes.

Jim wiped a tear. When he looked, Morph sobbed himself into a puddle.

"Oh, hey, Morph." Jim cupped the pink critter. "I'll see ya around. Ok?"

Morph sniffed. "See ya around." He nuzzled Jim before chirping distraughtly to Silver.

Silver bit his lip. Then, glancing between them, he bolstered. "Morphy. I got a job for ya."

Morph cheeped. Anything for Silver.

The cyborg leaned close. He squinted at Jim. "I need you to keep an eye on this here pup. Outer world's a big place for a little guardian."

Jim's heart leapt. Outer world? He looked up at the stars. Could it…could it be? Could he be the guardian of the Outer world? Gaze lowered and hope high, he started to ask. Then, seeing Silver, he stopped.

"Will ya…" Silver beseeched his lovable Morph through trembling lips, "…will ya do me that little favor?

Morph saluted. "Aye, aye!" he nodded, sinking Silver's brave face with a kiss before attacking Jim with cuddles. Unbelieving, Jim caught Morph against his cheek.

"Oh! And one more thing!" The cutter drifted away. Halfway to sea and touching freedom, Silver searched his pocket. "This is for your dear friend. To pretty that hair of hers!"

Silver tossed a blue crumple. Jim caught it. It was Wendy's ribbon.

Silver winked.

Jim sighed. Holding the ribbon, he raised his right hand. "Stay out of trouble. Ya old scalawag."

"Why! Jimbo lad!" Silver lifted a Ziploc bag. The last specks of Michael Darling's pixie dust glittered as Silver sprinkled the sails. "When have I other done otherwise!"

Jim smiled. And Morph perched on his finger, he watched Silver fly the sailboat into the stars, laughing only as a buccaneer can.