Chapter 29: A Bittersweet Good-Bye
Out in the Etherium, the dark blue sky was filled with numerous stars. Then, a familiar triangular portal appeared, showing the view of Treasure Planet exploding! Jim and the Legacy passed through unscathed as everything exploded behind them! Luckily, in the nick of time, everyone made it out alive. In front of them was the Monstressor Spaceport!
"Wow! Yeah!" Jim cheered.
"You done it, Jimmy!" Silver cheered. "You done it, boy!"
Jim laughed, and flew past the laughing cyborg, giving him a high-five! Morph turned himself into exploding rockets and confetti.
"Didn't I say the lad had greatness in him?" The cyborg beamed.
Below, the pirates cheered that they have survived, despite the fact that soon they'll be sent off to prison.
Delbert and Captain Amelia embraced each other in a hug. But then, their eyes widened in confusion as they looked at each other. Then they both smiled, realizing that their feelings for each other were genuine.
Jim jumped off from his surfer and landed back on the ship. Morph flew over to the teenage boy, and licked his face, as if he were a puppy.
Rose hurried over towards Jim in pure joy and relief. "Jim!" she cried as she jumped onto him, hugging him as tight as she could. Jim cracked up as he hugged her back, and spun her in the air. He set Rose down, and they both looked deep into each other's eyes before sharing a kiss.
Captain Amelia and Delbert walked over to them, making the teens separate in embarrassment. The adults smiled in understanding.
"Unorthodox, but ludicrously effective," the woman said to Jim. "I'd be proud to recommend you to the Interstellar Academy. They could use a man like you."
Silver stood over by the stairs with Morph perched on his shoulder. They were both smiling with content that Jim was seen as a noble someone, capable of doing great things.
"Just wait until your mother hears about this!" Delbert smiled. But then he frowned, remembering the unpleasant events. "Of course, we may downplay the life-threatening parts."
"Right," Rose chuckled. "Even Lorraine, Hazel, and Willow."
Jim joined in chuckling, and Delbert walked away to join Amelia. He and Rose both turned to B.E.N.
"Jimmy, that was unforgettable!" B.E.N. exclaimed. "l know you don't like touching, but get ready for a hug, big guy, 'cause I gotta hug ya! Ha ha ha ha!" The robot hugged Jim. To his surprise, the boy spun B.E.N. around, hugging him back. "Hey, you hugged me back. Oh, I promised myself l wouldn't cry." The robot sobbed and leaned his face onto Jim with his arms around his shoulders. The boy smiled and patted his shoulders in comfort.
Rose joined in, giving B.E.N. a gentle pat on the back. Then, she remembered something else that she had to do. She turned and walked towards her adopted mother and the doctor.
The auburn-redhead took her adopted mother's hand in her right, and the doctor's hand in her left. The adults grew confused, wondering why the girl took their hands. Rose placed their hands together, and her pale hands held them.
"I want you both to know that I understand that you two have the right to make your choices to be happy," she said. "If you both truly want to be together, then you have my blessing."
Delbert and Amelia smiled at Rose, happy to learn that she had finally accepted them both as a couple. The adults leaned into each other and kissed; the girl watched them, smiling to know that they were in true bliss.
Jim looked up from B.E.N. and turned his head to a different direction. He was expecting to see Silver standing by the stairs; but his smile disappeared to notice that Silver and Morph were gone.
"Does anyone have a tissue?" B.E.N. sobbed.
Down at the launching bay, Silver was untying a longboat to plan his escape. Morph was flying around him.
"Morphy, we gotta make tracks," the cyborg said, nervously.
"I know," Morph chittered.
Silver began to untie the last rope, until he heard a familiar young male voice from behind him. "You never quit, do you?"
The Ursid turned back to see Jim leaning against a pillar, with Rose standing next to him.
"Ah, Jimbo! Ha ha!" he laughed, nervously. He turned around to retie a knot. "I was merely checking to make sure our last longboat was safe and secure." When Silver finished, he noticed that his knot was loose.
"Mmm," Jim examined the knot and knelt next to Silver. "Well..." the boy pulled the knot tighter, making it secure, "that should hold it."
"I taught you too well," Silver chuckled. The teens gave him a look, and the cyborg knew that he owed them an explanation. "If ya don't mind, we'd just as soon avoid prison. Little Morphy here, he's a free spirit." Silver gestured to Morph as the pink blob flew around his head. Morph landed on the cyborg's robotic hand, and Silver's fingers closed around him, his organic hand covering the sad shapeshifter. "Being in a cage, it'd break his heart."
Silver released his hands and gently petted Morph in his hands.
Jim and Rose looked back at their mentor with a stare, only for Silver to return a sheepish smile. Jim smiled and pulled the lever to open the hatch below the longboat. The hatch opens to reveal the starry sky in the colors of coral pink, red, and bright orange. Silver looked down with surprise and turned back.
Jim was down on his knees as he untied his knot. He stood back up to face Silver, along with Rose.
"Ohh! What say you ship out with us, lad and lass?" Silver asked.
"Ship out with us?" Morph mimicked, turning himself into a black hat and placing himself on Jim's head. "You two and me, Hawkins, Morgan, and Silver, full of ourselves and no ties to anyone!"
Jim and Rose smiled, considering Silver's offer. But they realized that this adventure had gave them new ideas on what they were looking for. Morph, in his hat form, looked down at the teens.
"You know, when I got on this boat," Jim said, as he took Morph off and tickled him, turning him back to his form. Jim petted the blob as it chirped. "I would've taken you up on that offer in a second."
The boy looked down at the sky. "But, uh, I met this old cyborg, and he taught me that I could chart my own course." This made Silver smile as he understood Jim's choice. "That's what I'm gonna do."
"And what about you, Rosie?"
Silver's question made Rose think long and hard, until she found her logical answer. "When I lost my parents and became a recluse, I began to think that there was no hope for me and believed that I didn't have a purpose. If it hadn't been for this voyage, I wouldn't have met any of you, face my fears, or find my purpose. Now, I fully know that hope still exists, and I've found my faith again," the girl admitted.
"And what do you two see, off t'at bow of yours?" Silver asked.
Jim turned back to his father figure and answered, "A future."
"Not just a future, but a new chance," the girl answered.
The cyborg chuckled with emotion from hearing the teen's answers. "Why... look at ya two, glowing like a solar fire. You're both something special, Jim and Rose." Silver began to choke up in tears. Both Jim and Rose felt tears emerging from their own eyes, as well. "You're gonna rattle the stars, you both are."
An emotional Silver opened his arms to allow a hug. Jim and Rose accepted the embrace, and Silver, without hesitation, wrapped his arms around them with genuine love.
"Oh Silver, I love you so much," the auburn-redhead said.
"Rose, you'll become braver than I know ya will. Yer parents would be very proud of ya today," the cyborg told her gently.
The girl felt tears of joy emerge from the corners of her eyes by Silver's touching words. She got up on her toes, and pressed a tender kiss on his cheek. The gentle touch from her soft lips caused the Ursid to blush immensely.
The three separated from their hug, and Silver touched the cheek that Rose kissed before clearing his throat. "Got a bit of grease in this cyborg eye of mine," he said, turning away as he sniffled.
Jim and Rose both wiped their eyes dry, knowing that they finally forgive Silver for the mutiny and accepted him again as their friend/father figure. Morph floated next to the teens, realizing that this was really goodbye. He whimpered and began to cry, turning into a pool of tears, and flopped down into Jim's cupped hands.
"Oh, hey, Morph," Jim said, comforting the blob. "I'll see ya around, okay?"
"We'll never forget you little guy," Rose added.
"See ya around," Morph mimicked, turning back to his form and gave a good-bye lick to Jim and Rose on their cheeks.
Artemis turned blue and chirped to Morph. The blob flew over to the chameleon and nuzzled his face against hers.
The blob sadly flew back to his master and perched on his organic finger.
"Morphy," Silver said, winning the blob's attention. "I got a job for ya. I need you to keep an eye on these here pups." He gestured to the teens.
"Will ya do me that little favor?" Silver's eye began to fill up with tears.
"Aye-aye, Captain," Morph saluted and cuddled against the cyborg's cheek one last time. He flew over to Jim and nuzzled against his face, making the boy smile.
Silver climbs into the longboat and it started to lower out of the ship. "Oh, and one more thing," he remembered, chuckling. He reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out a few objects. "This is for yer dear mother... to rebuild that inn of hers."
He tossed up a handful of gold and jewels to Jim. The boy caught and looked at them, realizing that it will cover the costs to rebuild the Benbow Inn.
Jim smiled back in thanks, and Silver replied with a wink.
"I know deep in my heart that someday, we'll reunite again," Rose said.
"Stay out of trouble, ya old scalawag," Jim said.
"Why, Jimbo, lad..." Silver laughed, as the cords released the longboat, "when have I ever done otherwise?"
Silver gave a hearty laugh and rode off in his longboat, disappearing into space.
Jim and Rose looked at each and smiled, along with Morph and Artemis. But now that their adventure is over, it was time to return home.
