Taking Fantasia : A Disney Fanfiction

Chapter 79: By T-under!

Chapter 79: By T-under!

Jim waved Ariel away.

"Get back." he ordered, kneeling on the icy floor. The keyhole glowed red as the cyborg scanned for Jim. "I don't trust him. Could still be a trick. Get back."

Ariel frowned. Stubbornly she lifted the trident. But Silver interrupted her protest.

"Had best back away, little mermaid." The sound of a blaster revved behind the door. "Jimbo here'd hate fer ye te visit Davy Jones."

Jim hit the keyhole. It was hot – as if Silver were trying to burn his way through. "Don't threaten her! You wanted to talk with me. Well, I'm here – "

Ensuring Ariel was guarded by Flynn and Mulan, Jim crouched before the keyhole. "—talk."

The red laser abated. Jim shielded his eyes. He heard Silver laughing before he saw him through the key hole.

"Ah Morphy!" Silver chuckled as Morph wiggled through the keyhole. "I wondered where you lit off to."

Morph twittered happily as Silver leaned against the door. "Ooh." He groaned, adjusting his injured leg. Hefting the prosthesis, he smiled at Jim through the key hole. "Oh, this poor old leg's downright snarky since that game attack we had the galley. Heh, heh?"

Jim glared as Silver chuckled. Reference to the eavesdropped conversation made him sick with anger. Bitterly, Jim clenched his fists. He remembered every word,every damn, disgusting word the cyborg had said about him.

Silver remembered too.

"Ahh..."

The silence was heavy. Silver rubbed his mechanical leg. His fingers chinked over the gash where Jim had stabbed the knee joint.

Silver frowned. Angry – he should be angry! Angry, bloodthirsty, unforgiving. He should stick his blaster through the bloody keyhole and blast Jim Hawkins' stubborn head clear off his body right now. Right now! He should have slit the little eavesdropper's throat and presented it to Maleficent and Hook alongside Billy Bone's map.

He should have.

....then...

...why didn't he?

Silver's heart was nothing but a hunk of motorized metal shoved between his ribs. He was insensate as the Devil himself.

But...at that moment, the calloused, merciless cyborg pirate could not bring himself to look Jim Hawkins in the eye.

His metal heart...was not that strong.

Silver's gaze fell. Head bowed and hands pressed guiltily, Silver softly spoke.

"Whatever you heard back there...at least the part concerning you...I didn't mean a word of it."

Jim exhaled. Slightly. But the change was enough for Silver to turn to the keyhole into the boy's wide, somber eyes.

"Had that bloodthirsty lot of students thought I'd gone soft—" Silver said, desperately clenching his stomach, "—they'd have gutted us both!"

Jim's eyes turned to glass. The cyborg smiled as he struggled to control his breathing. The boy was listening. There was still an open wound he could enter.

Remembering their camaraderie, Silver leaned closer. He ushered Jim with a lowered tone.

"Now listen to me." Silver whispered, excitement tinged in his voice. "If we play our cards right...we can both walk away from this free as comets and rich as kings."

His heart roared at the willingness in Jim's response. "Yeah?"

"Ha ha!" Silver laughed gently, tapping a finger against the door. "You get me that map...and uh..."

Silver glanced over his shoulder before returning eagerly to Jim. "...and...and when we take Fantasia...an even portion of the Outer World...is yours!"

For a second, Jim smiled.

Then looking down, he sighed. And as he sighed, Silver's dream putrefied beneath every lie, deceit, and heartbreak.

"Boy." Jim breathed. "You are really something."

Shadows fell across the keyhole as Jim stared directly into the cyborg's eye. "All that talk of greatness...light coming off my sails..."

And although it hurt him, Jim spit the last three words "...what a joke."

Silver stuttered. " Now, just see here, Jimbo – " he objected, raking the door.

"—I mean, at least you taught me one thing." Jim continued, "Stick to it, right?"

Angrily, he fisted the doorknob, voice strengthening at the stunned look in Silver's eyes.

"Well, that's just what I'm gonna do! I'm gonna make sure you never see the Wishing Star or a single speck of star dust in outer space!"

Silver slammed the door. Terrified, Morph squashed under the threshold as he growled into the keyhole. "The outer space realm is OWED te me by tunder!"

"WELL THEN TRY TO FIND IT WITHOUT MY MAP!" Jim yelled, suddenly so angry he mocked Silver's speech impediment. "BY T-UN-DER!"

Silver's eyes narrowed. Dangerously.

"Ohhhhh....you still don't know how to pick your fights, do you Boy?"

Jim trembled with rage. He hated Silver. He hated Silver more than he hated his father.

But, he hated himself infinitely more...for being vulnerable... for being tricked...again.

Jim refused to respond as Morph squiggled up his boot. Gritting his teeth, he glared at the cyborg.

"Now...mark me." Silver growled, loud enough for the entire room to hear. "Either I get that map, or so help me...I'll start killin' whosever left. Startin' with the bloody she-mouse and blasted wizard!"

Jim heard Wart gasp as Silver stood.

"Morph!" Silver snarled. "Hop to it!"

Jiggling in fear, Morph looked uncertainly between the grizzly cyborg and livid boy. He had a second to consider before the door banged and the keyhole turned red.

"NOW!" Silver screamed.

Morph jumped. Squeaking, he took refuge behind Jim's shoulder.

Jim was hard as stone as Silver limped away, ordering for Master Merlin and Mistress Minnie to be brought for the slaughter.

But, had Jim gazed a second longer, he would have seen the cyborg's shoulders sadly sag.