Chapter 55: Beginning of the End
"They did what?"
Jim and Ariel sat helplessly as Headmaster Mickey wiggled a finger into his ear. Chained to the chairs by Captain Li Shang's grip, they silently awaited the headmaster's verdict.
"Yes. You heard me right, Headmaster. "said Shang. Ariel winced as Shang squeezed her shoulder. "This one electrocuted an entire pool of mermaids."
Headmaster Mickey's eyes were wide as saucers. He looked at Ariel. "The mermaids. Your...family?"
Earnestly, Ariel shook her head. "But I had to – you weren't there!"
Ariel tried to lean forward. Shang's fingers pinched under her collarbone. "Headmaster! Lana tried to drown Wendy Darling! Literally drown!"
Headmaster Mickey's eyebrow raised. "I see. And why isn't Lana here?"
Jim raised two fingers. "I punched her."
Mickey's jaw dropped. "You?"
Jim nodded. "In the nose."
"Broken." Shang growled, squeezing Jim's shoulder. "In three places. Miss Cascadia is currently in the Nurse's Office."
"Good riddance." Jim and Ariel grumbled simultaneously. They looked at each other before buckling under Shang's grip.
Headmaster Mickey plopped down behind his desk. Bewildered, he mopped his brow.
Jim crossed his ankles. Broodingly, he noticed a sewing basket propped on the corner of the headmaster's desk before the door swung open.
"Headmaster, Sir!"
Breathless, Silver limped to the desk. Morph revolved happily around his head as Master Cogsworth revolved unhappily behind.
"Mr. Silver is not scheduled for an appointment –" Master Cogsworth began, anxiously tapping his glass face.
"That boy!" Silver stepped back, nearly crushing Master Cogsworth. "Is innocent! Why he'd never – "
Headmaster Mickey lifted a hand. "Thank you Mr. Silver. But Jim already confessed."
Silver stopped. Awkwardly, he straightened himself from the headmaster's desk.
"By the powers, Jimbo, never outright confess w'out a fight!" mumbled the cyborg from the corner of his mouth.
"Headmaster!" Master Cogsworth tugged Silver's coat. "I really think it's time for Mr. Silver to be leaving!"
"It all right. Thank'ya Master Cogsworth. I can take it from here."
Master Cogsworth looked pained at breaking rules. Muttering under his ticking gears, he exited the headmaster's quarters.
"Captain Li Shang." Headmaster Mickey continued as Cogsworth slammed the door. "You've been helpful and efficient as always. Thank you – I'll see that they are properly punished."
Dubiously, Shang narrowed an eye. But respectfully, he joined hands, bowed, and departed.
"All righty." Headmaster Mickey said hopping off his chair. Nonchalantly, he regarded Ariel and Jim. "How shall we punish you two?"
Silver cleared his throat. "If I might say so – "
"—Maybe later, thank'ya." interrupted he headmaster pleasantly.
Silver and Morph exchanged worried glances. Ariel fidgeted. Jim didn't move.
"Ariel." Headmaster Mickey tapped his chin. "You electrocuted your cousins and sisters with the trident. Right?"
Ariel nodded. "They were trying to drown Wendy."
"Oh yes, I know that. I was just wondering..." Headmaster Mickey crossed his legs. "How do you control it?"
Ariel blinked. "Control it?"
"The trident. The energy it releases. How do you control it?"
"Oh. Um." Ariel raised her eyebrows. Intrigued she looked down at the golden trident.
"Well." she finally said after a moment of reflection. "It's only turned on when...I was scared. Or mad."
Ariel shrugged as Headmaster Mickey smiled. "I don't know if that's right or wrong."
"No, no." said Headmaster Mickey. "It's right. Spot on. Magic is a very fluid medium – like liquid or air. Many times, magic is effected by very strong emotions flowing inside us."
"So." he continued, making a note on a sticky tab. "For your punishment, I am assigning you to weekly sessions with our guidance counselor, Mr. Cobra Bubbles. Mr. Bubbles specializes in the psychology of controlling emotions, especially when magic is involved. He'll be able to help you turn your emotions on and off to control the trident's powers, so to speak."
Ariel took the sticky tab the headmaster offered. The guidance counselor's name and office number were written on the tab.
"I was going to recommend you anyway." Headmaster Mickey continued as Ariel looked up. "It was clear during the War Games that your emotions were tied to the magic. And you won't be alone! Elsa and Adam will also be in your sessions with Mr. Bubbles. Sound fair?"
Ariel nodded, still holding the sticky tab. She looked shocked. Like she had cheated death.
"And Jim." Headmaster Mickey turned. "School violence is a serious offence. I'm going to have to punish you too. So I'm assigning you detention with Mr. Silver until the end of the school year."
Jim frowned, confused. "But I already have detention with Silver till the end of the year."
Headmaster Mickey beamed. "Want more?"
"No." Jim and Silver said together. They smiled. Silver lightly punched Jim's jaw. "I'll see to it that this little pup behaves, Headmaster."
"Good." said the headmaster, ushering them to the door. "Because all I need is the PTA breathing down my neck like a dragon! Um....Jim. Can you stay a minute before detention. I'd like a quick word."
Jim paused. He glanced at Silver. Then at Ariel.
"Sure." he said, turning away from Ariel's deep, blue eyes. His heart turned to slush as she followed Silver from the office. "What's up?"
Headmaster Mickey waited for the door to close. "I noticed," he said when Ariel and Silver had left. "That you did not use your gift during the War Games. Why?"
Jim was taken aback. "..um..."
Headmaster Mickey analyzed Jim's response. "Misplaced it?"
"Sort of..." Jim said. He remembered his deal with Peter.
"Hmmm." the headmaster's tail twitch.
"But I'm getting it back." Jim quickly said. "Soon. And it's not like it would've helped me during the War Games anyway."
Headmaster Mickey looked interested. "Really? So you figured out how to unlock the orb? Discovered what it is, and what it can do?"
"Not...exactly."
"Exactly?"
"Well...whoa!"
Jim jumped. Something cold and damp touched his hand. Smiling up at him was Pluto, the headmaster's dog.
"Hey." Jim knelt. Pluto's tail wagged faster than a steam engine as Jim scratched behind his ear.
"Yeah." Jim continued, itching Pluto's golden fur. The dog panted blissfully and snuggled against his thigh. "Yeah, I figured I was just suppose to protect the orb. Keep it safe. Hidden."
Headmaster Mickey joined Jim. Pluto's tail almost wagged across the room with glee. "What makes you think that?"
Jim shrugged. "Because it probably has something to do with the Wishing Star."
"Wishing Star? Why?"
Jim paused. Then, he told Headmaster Mickey his secret. "Because...Billy Bones gave it to me first."
Silence. Pluto's tail stopped wagging. Headmaster Mickey froze mid stroke.
"Billy gave you the map?"
Jim looked up. The headmaster's brow was furrowed and pale.
"Map?" Jim asked, clutching Pluto's fur. "How...how do you know – "
"Billy Bones...had the map."
Ears wilting, Headmaster Mickey walked to his desk. He sat. He seemed utterly stunned and...sad. It was as if he had just entered a funeral.
Jim rose. He waited as Pluto laid his head in the headmaster's lap.
"Sorry." Jim said as Pluto beseeched Headmaster Mickey with shinning, sympathetic eyes. "But...you knew Billy Bones?"
Headmaster Mickey looked up. "Knew?"
Jim's stomach coddled. "Yeah." he said. He could almost hear the old sailor wheezing his final words in his ear. "He died."
Headmaster Mickey closed his eyes. Pluto whimpered. Patiently, Jim waited. But the headmaster quickly recovered after the sewing basket on his desk suddenly rustled.
"Gee. Well." Headmaster Mickey cleared his throat. "You are a lucky young man, Jim. To have met Billy Bones. Billy – you see – was the last guardian of Fantasia."
Jim frowned. "Last? Thought you said those dwarves, fairies, and gargoyles were – "
"That magical entourage guards Fantasia. But they are not guardians." Headmaster Mickey said. "Billy Bones was one of five ancient guardians. You learned about them today I believe – guardians of the Underworld, Sea World, Land World, Sky World, and Outer World?"
Jim nodded.
"Well. Billy Bones..." Headmaster Mickey explained. "...was Guardian of the Outer World. Outer Space."
"You see," he continued. "Our planet is covered by a shell of outer space. It is an enormous shell of stars, comets, asteroids, planets...Billy Bones protected all of it. And he navigated the Fantasian cosmos..." Headmaster Mickey sighed. "...with a map."
Jim shivered. "The orb?"
Headmaster Mickey nodded. "It has to be. So it seems both Billy Bones and the Wishing Star decided you, Jim Hawkins, should have the map."
Jim lowered onto a chair. His heart was beating hard. "What does that mean?"
Pluto yapped. Headmaster Mickey stroked a hand over his head. "I think it means you had best get the map back as soon as possible. Try to open it. And..."
Jim cringed under the headmaster' stare. "...try to keep it safe."
Outside the sun dipped behind the forest. Orange and pink rays slanted across the headmaster's quarters.
Jim took a breath. "Can I...tell you something else?"
"Of course."
"It's about Wendy. Wendy Darling."
Suddenly, the sewing basket twitched. Jim quickly sat back. He watched as the basket hopped up and down, until Headmaster Mickey wacked it with a silver ruler.
"Go ahead." said Headmaster Mickey sweetly. He pocketed the ruler.
Jim eyed the trembling sewing basket. Warily, he continued.
"Wendy's been taking a lot of shit – er – um – people have been giving her a hard time about the Shadow Worker thing. And not just today. Ever since – "
Again the sewing basket shuddered. Jim frowned. " – ever since the War Games."
Headmaster Mickey sighed. "Yes. I know."
"You know?" Jim searched the headmaster's face. "Soooo...what are you going to do about it?"
Headmaster Mickey glanced at Pluto. Pluto shrugged.
"Nothing." Headmaster Mickey finally said. He glanced at the sewing basket. "Nothing yet."
"Nothing!? But – "
"Jim..." Headmaster Mickey began in a fatherly tone that started to boil Jim's blood. "Jim...I know that you and Miss Darling are very close."
"She's not my girlfriend!"
Headmaster Mickey blinked twice. "Why would I think she was?"
Jim turned red. "Oh. Yeah. Whatever."
Pluto smiled.
"Regardless of your feelings." Headmaster Mickey continued as Pluto nuzzled into his lap. "I have spent a little time with Wendy. And in that small time, her personality becomes very clear."
Headmaster Mickey leaned forward, emphasizing his descriptors. "Wendy is extremely loyal and empathetic. But to a fault. She is protective of others, but she sees no reason to protect herself."
Sitting back, Headmaster Mickey spread his hands. "I need Wendy to see that she can be pushed too far. She is a Shadow Worker. And there will always be someone that does not understand. Someone...that is always after her blood. Wendy needs to learn..." Headmaster Mickey sighed. "...that she is worth protecting herself. And her magical gift."
Deep orange and violet rays tinted the headmaster's velvet black ears. He held a hand to Jim. "I am sorry. But it must be this way. For now. Does that make sense?"
Grudgingly, Jim nodded. He uncurled his fingers from the chair. "Yeah. Guess so."
Still he glared at the headmaster. "But it sucks for Wendy."
Appreciatively, Headmaster Mickey smiled. Standing up, he escorted Jim to the door. "Yes. Yes it certainly does."
The headmaster paused, hand on the knob. "But that's why she has friends like you."
Jim looked away. Guiltily, he remembered his fight with Wendy...about Pan.
The orange and violet rays receded. Jim contemplated the sun as it was eaten by the treetops.
"Hey, um. Headmaster. One more thing."
Headmaster Mickey smiled. "You're much more talkative in person." Pluto barked. He licked Jim's hand.
"It's just..." Jim said, ignoring the comment. "It's just that during the War Games. I saw something. In Petrified Forest."
Headmaster Mickey waited. He was expressionless but seemed to be holding his breath.
Jim continued. "It was by this weird grave. A sword in the stone? That girl with the cauldron was there – frozen. And...then something happened."
Again nothing.
Jim exhaled. "I think there were monsters."
The moment he confessed, Jim felt like a two year old crying about monsters in the closet. Embarrassed he reached for the door knob. "Sorry. It's probably something stupid – "
"—what did the monsters look like?"
Headmaster Mickey held the door shut. He looked seriously at Jim.
"Oh...uh. Well there were two." Jim stuttered, thinking back. "Green and blue fire. Woman and man. One of them had...horns." Feeling ridiculous, he muttered to the ground. "Scary as Hell."
The sun set. Dark blue shadows extended across the room.
"Thank you Jim." Headmaster Mickey quietly opened the door. "You had best get to detention. Good night."
Jim paused. He stood in between the doorway as if something else were nagging his mind. Then, wordlessly he walked away.
Headmaster Mickey pressed his back against the door.
"Master Cogsworth." he said, turning into his office. "Schedule a meeting for me tomorrow morning before class with Belle. Please tell her to bring her gift."
Cogsworth wound an alarm into his circuitry. "Right away, Headmaster. Should I give a reason why, Headmaster?"
"No..." Headmaster Mickey whispered. Turning, he strode to the window. Pluto trailed after like a golden shadow.
Lifting his eyes from the forest to the Wishing Star, Headmaster Mickey laid a hand on Pluto's head.
"Here we go boy..."
The little mouse closed his eyes. "...the beginning of the end."