This chapter is in two parts since I didn't want this be an intimidating, super long chapter. Also, I thought having the battle scene in its own chapter would be better (part 2).
~ ~ ~
Ariel wanted to tell him that she loved him... but he didn't let her. He wouldn't, not until he and Silver came back. How long would that take? They would have to find some way to see Ursula, and then they would have to fight her. How would they be able to do all that without swimming to the bottom of the ocean? What did she do before? She told Sebastian and Flounder to go down and let Ursula know that she wanted to talk to her, and Ursula met her in a cave. Could Jim and Silver do that? How would they be able to even find Flounder and Sebastian without going into the ocean, though? Also, would Ariel be able to get through the portal? She doubted she would be able to. But who knows? Maybe Ursula's powers extended to just that one shell portal.
These thoughts wondered through Ariel's head as she finished getting ready in her room the next morning. Once she was ready, in a blue dress that Sarah loaned her, she left her room and headed downstairs. Once near the kitchen doors, she heard voices coming from inside. They sounded like Silver's and Sarah's voices. She leaned closer to the door, hoping to hear Jim, but she couldn't hear his voice. Maybe he was still up in his room? She about left when she heard Silver say, "Don't ya worry yer head about us, Sarah. We'll go and come back in no time at all."
"I'm just worried. I always worry for Jim's safety whenever he goes on one of his grand adventures. I know this is all for Ariel, and you both are trying to help her, but still..."
There was a pause for a moment, and Ariel's curiosity, as well as her impulsiveness, got the better of her. She opened one of the double-doors a smidgen and saw Sarah standing there against the island counter with a hand over her forehead, and she had a weary look on her face. Silver, who was over by the stove, walked around the island counter and stood in front of her. He put his real hand on her shoulder and she put her hand down and looked up at him. He gave her a small and sure smile.
"I'll watch over Jimbo, Sarah, I promise ya. He won't get himself into any danger if I have anythin' to do with it. Plus, we all know how tough that lad is."
"It's just... that witch sounds horrible. I worry that..."
"She won't stand a chance with Jimbo and me! You should've seen us on the way to and from Treasure Planet. We were a right team, we were."
A smile crossed her lips and she nodded. "Yes, you two are two seeds in a juberry. I can see it even now. He hasn't left your side since he found you."
"And I wouldn't want 'im to leave me side. He's like the son I never had." Sarah looked up at him with wide eyes after he said that, and he cleared his throat in embarrassment. Ariel swore she saw his cheeks turn a bit pink. "Um, well... I wasn't meanin' for that to come out. It's the truth, though. Jimbo is a special lad, and he's special to me. So ye can believe it when I say that I'll make sure that witch doesn't do a thing to 'im."
Ariel noticed tears gather in Sarah's eyes, and Silver looked a tad confused as to what he should do, now that Sarah had covered her mouth and started to whimper. He took hold of Sarah's other shoulder and brought her to him, and she leaned her head onto his chest. Ariel put a hand to her heart, herself feeling her throat tighten a little at how tender the scene was. She figured that this would be a good time to shut the door. She didn't want to spy on them more than was necessary - they needed privacy.
Ariel turned and gasped when Jim stood right there in front of her. "Gosh, Jim!"
He laughed. "Sorry to startle ya. Where's Silver? We need to leave."
"Um... he's in the kitchen." Jim about went in, but she blocked him. "But don't go in."
"Why not?"
She might as well tell him. She whispered, "Silver and your mom are having a special moment. Don't interrupt them."
"Seriously?" He grinned. "It's about time. What's going on? Did you see?"
"She's just worried about you and how you might be in danger. He's just trying to calm her worries... and, well... he said that you're like a son to him, and because of it, he won't let anything happen to you. That caused your mom to burst into tears. I think she was just touched, considering your own father left a long time ago. Silver's holding her against him right now."
Ariel was surprised to see tears gather in Jim's eyes. "He... said that I'm like a son to him?"
He didn't know that? Ariel thought that Silver would have told him that already! She just revealed something that Silver himself needed to reveal to him! Her big mouth... "Um... I'm sorry, I didn't know that he hasn't told you that."
Jim sniffed and wiped his eyes with is uniform sleeve. "Don't be sorry. I'm just happy, that's all."
The doors suddenly opened, and Sarah stood there, her eyes a little red and puffy. "Jim! Ariel!"
"Hey, Mom." She opened her mouth, and before she could reprimand him for standing there while that tender scene took place, Jim said, embracing her, "We'll be alright. Love you, Mom."
She wrapped her arms around her son's back. "I love you, too, Jim. I know you'll be okay, but I'm your mother. It's my job to worry about you."
He held her for a few seconds longer, and then let go. Silver came up to them behind Sarah. "Well, Jimbo, lass. You both ready to get goin'?"
"We sure are," Jim said, and they all went out to the main dining room and stood near the front door. B.E.N. said his goodbyes and good lucks and then headed off to the kitchen to take over the role as cook until Silver came back. Jim, Ariel and Silver left the inn and took a carriage pulled by that same animal Delbert had and they made it to the academy. They soon stood in front of General Flughoust's door, and Jim was hesitant to knock, just like the last time.
"Well, go on, Jimbo," Silver urged. "Or do ya want me to knock?"
"Sorry, I just... it's going to be weird going back to Earth. I mean, I know it was less than a week ago when I was there, but... it'll just be weird. Plus, we never really made an actual plan."
"The plan is to blow that witch up." Silver held up his arm and changed it into a large gun. Ariel stared at it, fascinated.
"Alright, but how are we even going to meet with that witch if she's at the bottom of the ocean?" Jim asked.
They both looked atAriel. "Well..." she started, "I had the idea earlier that you could find my friends Sebastian and Flounder. If you want to find them, they may be in one of the tide pools, like the one I always sat near, Jim, when we were last there. They can understand you if you talk to them, but you won't be able to understand what they're saying since only fellow sea creatures can talk to one another. Gosh, I really hope they're at the surface when you get there."
"There's only one way to find out if they're there or not," Jim said and knocked. A "Come in" came from the other side of the door and the three entered the office. General Flughoust sat there at his desk, and he looked up at the three persons who came into the room. He eyed Ariel.
"I was told that it will just be you and Mr. Silver, Cadet Hawkins," said the rock man in a white uniform with gold tassels on the shoulders and colorful buttons and tags adorning his front.
"Yes, but we believe that she will be a lot of help if she is able to go through the portal," Jim said. "If she can, then she's coming with us."
The general stared at Ariel for a moment, and Ariel had the urge to step behind Silver and be hidden from the intimidating rock man. After a few seconds, the general said, "Very well."
He stood up and went to a locked wardrobe off to the side. He took out a key, unlocked the lock on it, and opened the door to reveal a few objects on shelves. One of which was a metal box that he took in both of his hands and set it in a clear space on his desk. Ariel cocked her head. That was the portal? It looked so different than the shell that she was given. Well, things on Montressor were far more advanced than on Earth, so of course this portal would look a little more nifty. He pressed a button on it and a light shot out of it, but it spread into a circle. Ariel stared wide-eyed at the light-orb that was formed and was filled with little dots. She took a step up and noticed that the dots were other little balls of light.
"What are those?" she asked as she pointed to a single little ball of light in the orb, her curiosity piqued.
"Those, Miss Triton, are planets," General Flughoust said. "When I touch one, a door appears right in front of the globe. Now step back, if you would."
She did so and saw him press one of the little circles. She let out a gasp when a door suddenly appeared right there in front of the general's desk. She saw what was inside of it - sand. And she heard ocean, as well as felt a warm sea breeze. "How..." she muttered in awe. "Is that the right beach?"
"The coordinates are set from the last time we opened this portal to Earth, when Cadet Hawkins went there to start his test."
"I stepped out onto a beach when I first arrived," Jim explained. "It's the one right next to Eric's castle. Lieutenant McHillen was there to greet me, but this time... he has no idea."
"He does," corrected General Flughoust. "I informed him of your arrival today. He will be expecting you near the castle's back entrance."
Jim's eyes widened. "Really? Then... Eric knows we're coming, too?"
"If he was told, then yes."
Ariel loved the smile the crossed Jim's face. She was indeed happy to see Eric again, if she was able to, but Jim seemed all the more. To her, they had a similar relationship to that of brothers. She looked into the portal and took in the sea breeze coming through. Oh, how she loved it! She put a hand out, but the moment she attempted to put her hand through the portal, it was like a wall was there, and she got zapped. She pulled her hand back as disappointment filled her heart. She wasn't surprised, though. "I can't go through. I knew it. Ursula's powers are stronger than I thought."
"Not to worry, lassy," Silver said. "Jimbo and I will stop 'er and you'll be able to come home again. Now, Jimbo, let's get a move on."
"Right," Jim said, and Silver stepped through the portal. Jim looked at Ariel and took her shoulders. She stared into his blue eyes as he said with conviction, "We'll be right back, alright? We'll stop that sea witch. Just go on back to the inn - you know the way. Keep busy with B.E.N. and my mom so you don't get sick with worry."
She nodded and embraced him, and she loved the feeling of his warmth and strength as he held her. She kissed his neck below his ear and whispered, "I'll be waiting."
General Flughoust cleared his throat and Jim released Ariel. Ariel stood there as Jim looked back at her once, then he walked through the portal. The general pushed a button on the metal box and the door and the orb of light disappeared. The office became silent and still, void of the sound of waves and the feeling of the sea breeze.
~ ~ ~
"Well, would you look at that, Jimbo?"
He and Silver stared up at Eric's castle as the sea wind blew at the both them with quite a bit of force. "Yep, that's where I lived for two months as a palace guard," Jim said.
"You sure lived the high life, didn't ya?"
Jim laughed. "I was a guard. It wasn't exactly the high life." They trudged on in the sand. How wonderful it was to be there again, to take in that familiar scent of the ocean that he became so accustomed to. He would venture to say that he loved the scent of the salty sea air. It was comforting.
The duo came up the path that led directly to the castle and which was surrounded by trees. As they walked up the path, Jim eyed Silver, and what Ariel said she overhead near the kitchen doors came to his mind. He wanted to ask Silver about it, but would now be the right time to do so? He pursed his lips, debating with himself. If he asked about it, then it would bring him to reveal his own opinion about Silver. His throat tightened at the thought, and he cleared his throat.
"Eh, what be the matter with ya, lad?" Silver asked, looking over at Jim as they came up to the white gate that led into the castle's back gardens.
"Nothing, just... I guess I just want to say something..." He grabbed hold of the top of the gate. "You know, before we go and fight that sea witch, I just..." He took a breath as his emotions started to elevate in his throat. "Well, earlier this morning, Ariel overheard you and my mom talking in the kitchen. You said that you think of me as a son. Is that true?"
Silver's brows rose at that, and he put a hand behind his head in embarrassment. "The lass told you that, huh?"
"Yeah..."
He put his arm down and gave Jim a serious look. "Well, if it was heard from me own mouth, then it's the truth. To be honest - and this is somethin' I haven't told a soul, mind you - I was always busy with lootin' treasure and sailin' the skies since I was a lad younger than yerself. I never had time to settle down and have a family. Never wanted to as a matter of fact, but after I was put in charge of ya, Jimbo, that first day on our voyage to Treasure Planet, me mind started to change. I started to see ya not as the cabin boy or the lad that I wanted to teach a lesson... you became somethin' more. It was like I was talking to me own son when I was talkin to ya, Jimbo. Even now."
Jim couldn't stop the tears from coming and falling. He embraced Silver's large belly and said in a cracked voice due to his emotion, "When I talk to you, and when you teach me things... it's like I'm spending time with my own father. You're more like a father to me than my own father was."
Jim felt Silver's hand on his back, and Jim let out a sob. "Hey, there, there, Jimbo." He cleared his throat and sniffed. "I'm glad to hear it."
Jim let go and wiped his eyes of the tears, and Silver did the same. The two stood there for a moment, allowing these new revelations to sink in. After a minute, Jim said, his emotions at bay, and with a sly look in his eye, "Yeah, well, hopefully if things go well with you and my mom..."
"Now just stop right there, James Hawkins..." he cut him off haltingly. Jim laughed.
"Oh, c'mon, you can't blame me for hoping. I mean, you're already like a father to me, and you're crazy about my mom. You asked her out, even, and I told you that Ariel saw everything that happened in the kitchen earlier. Where are you taking my mom on your little date with her, anyway?"
"Now's not the time to be talkin' 'bout that." He walked on passed Jim and opened the gate. "Let's get a move on. We have a mission to complete."
Jim smiled and shook his head, and Silver walked into the castle's back gardens. Jim had never seen Silver so red-faced before. He couldn't blame him - he basically said that he wanted Silver to marry his mom. Of course the cyborg would be flustered.
Jim stared at Silver's back as he walked ahead of him. He felt that now that the truth was out, and he knew that Silver thought of him in such a personal way, he would be able to take on Ursula with more confidence. Of course, the fact that Ariel waited for and cared about him, and he had her to come back to, gave him enough confidence in himself. With both, he was set.
"Jimbo, hurry up!"
Jim jumped from his thoughts and caught up to Silver. They both made it to the castle's back entrance, and as expected, Lieutenant McHillen was there on the veranda, standing tall, with his hands clasped behind his back, and in uniform.
"Cadett Hawkins, welcome back." He looked to Silver. "And Captain Long John Silver, it is an honor to finally meet you, after hearing so much about you." He extended his hand and Silver took it with his cyborg one.
"Hopefully all good tings. And it's Mr. Silver. I'm no longer a captain."
"I see." He took his hand back and put it behind his back again. "Well... let us get straight to it, then. You want to defeat this sea witch. What is your first course of action?"
"Well, we have to find her first, Sir," Silver said, and Lieutenant McHillen quirked up a gray brow. He was about to respond when Jim saw someone running up behind Lieutenant McHillen. Jim grinned as soon as the person came out onto the veranda.
"Hey, Jim!" Eric boomed and ran up to Jim and embraced him. "It's good to see ya again! You wouldn't believe how ecstatic I was when I found out that you would be coming back."
Jim patted his back. "Yeah, it's good to see you, too." Eric still had a hold of him. "I was gone not even a week, you know."
"I know, it's just good to see you." Eric let go, and he staggered back when he saw Silver. His eyes widened in alarm, and Jim snickered at his friend's shocked reaction to Silver. He figured he would have such a reaction. Jim extended his arm towards Silver.
"Eric, this is Long John Silver. I've told you about him."
"Whoa... you weren't kidding when you said he was half metal."
"It's more like a fourth," Silver said and extended his cyborg hand. "Good to meet ya, lad. Jimbo here has told me a lot about his best friend from Earth."
Eric smiled and took Silver's metal hand. "I'm sure he's told you all the embarrassing stuff."
"You bet I did," Jim said, and took Eric into a choke hold. The two guys started shoving each other, laughing as they did so. Lieutenant McHillen cleared his throat, and Jim stood at attention, with Eric standing next to him.
"Now, as I was saying," the lieutenant said, "what is your course of action after you find the sea witch?"
Jim and Silver looked at one another and smirked. Jim nodded, and Silver changed his cyborg arm into his bazooka gun. He aimed it at a tree down in the garden and fired. Eric ducked for cover as the tree completely exploded, sending wood bits in every direction. Silver turned to the lieutenant and blew smoke from his gun, and bits of tree landed on the veranda. "Any more questions, Lieutenant?"
McHillen smirked. "Impressive. Now, come with me. You will see the castle's armory."
"Armory?" Jim questioned, then he realized it. "Wait, you're going to help us?"
"Indeed. When that sea witch makes her appearance, you're going to need all the help you can get."
Jim and Silver looked at one another, and Jim could sense that they thought the same thing-Ursula was as good as dead.
~ ~ ~
That girl has been gone for a few days and her father hasn't come to inquire about her yet.
Ursula snickered as she sat at her vanity mirror and stared at her grinning reflection. At any time, King Triton would come into her cave, demanding that Ariel be set free.
That girl being set free... that is never going to happen.
Unless he traded himself for his daughter, and Ursula could take over the ocean and every creature in it. Only by those terms, would she release that little slip of a mermaid from her grasp, and the girl could move freely between that strange world and this one. Ursula had to admit, it was difficult finding that world, and creating that portal, but she was willing to do it in order to finally bring down King Triton.
Ursula heard her eel minions talking with someone just outside of her cave. No, there was more than one someone considering she heard four voices instead of just three. Neither of them were King Triton's voice. She got up for her rock stool at her vanity desk and went to the entrance of the cave. She saw that same yellow fish and little red crab from the last time. They were there again? What were they up to now? Alarm jolted Ursula's heart. It couldn't be possible! There was just no possible way that that girl was back. Ursula made sure that there wasn't any way possible for her to come back - no portal or other means. She blocked all the transportation usages to other worlds.
She went to where the small sea creatures were. "What is it this time? You want me to show my beautiful face above the surface again?"
The yellow fish that Ariel had called Flounder was visibly shaking. Poor thing... not really. She loved how intimidating she was. The red crustacean stood there on the rock, his head held high. He said, yet his legs shook a bit, "Yes, in fact."
"Is our precious girl here?"
"No, but odders have come on her behalf. They want to speak wid you."
"Is that so? Am I to go back to that ridiculous cave?"
"No, not dis time, madam. They want to meet you at the beach in front of Prince Eric's castle."
She leaned against the side of the cave entrance with her shoulder. "And why will I be showing myself there? Meeting these friends of Ariel's? Are they going to beg me to set her free? If so, then you both have wasted your time and mine. She is stuck in that other world for good."
And the only way that girl could be set free is if the curse is broken - and the only way that could occur was if Ursula willingly stopped the curse, or if she died. Both were impossible.
"I am afraid you will just have to see," Sebastian said. "King Triton will be dere as well."
Her brows rose, her interest piqued. Now the color of this has changed. "Is that so? Well, I think I may have some time to make a little trip up to the surface. When will I be expected?"
"This evening when the sun is half-way below the sea's horizon."
"I see. You can go now."
She waved her hand and went back into her cave. The fish and crab quickly vacated the premises, and Ursula grinned cynically as she sat back at her vanity mirror.
King Triton would be there? Well... she would love to see King Triton grovel and beg for his daughter.
"The time has finally come. The ocean will be mine!"