✔️ 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋, ᵗʳᵉᵃˢᵘʳᵉ ᵖˡᵃⁿᵉᵗ

🪐~Goodbye~🪐

🪐Lucy's POV🪐

I scanned the deck and noticed that someone was missing. "Where's Silver?" I asked Jim. He frowned, not seeing him on deck either. Then a knowing smile appeared on his face and he motioned for me to follow him.

We found Silver in the launch bay, talking to Morph and trying to quickly untie the last remaining longboat. "Morphy, we gotta make tracks," he whispered to Morph who was buzzing around his head. Jim and I smiled at each other.

"You never quit, do you?" Jim started as we walked out of the shadows. "Ah, Jimbo, Lucy! Ha-ha!" he laughed nervously. "I was just merely making sure our last longboat was safe and secure." He retied the boat with a poorly done knot.

Jim pretended to consider him for a moment. "Well," He reached down to tie a more secure knot, just the way Silver had taught us to. "That should hold it," he said, standing back up. "I taught yeh too well," Silver chuckled. We gave him a look, telling him that he should probably start explaining himself now.

"Now, if yeh two don't mind, we would just as soon avoid prison. Lil' Morphy here, he's a free spirit!" Silver said as Morph squeaked and buzzed around his master's head. "Bein' in a cage, it'd break his heart," Silver mumbled, stroking Morph who purred sadly.

I knew Silver was using Morph to personify himself, and so did Jim.
For a while, we just stared at him while he smiled at us sheepishly. Jim and I looked at each other and communicated the same thought without using words.

I gave him a small nod just the same though. He smiled and pulled the lever next to him, opening the hatch below the longboat. "Ah," Silver sighed happily, watching the slowly opening door reveal the sun-streaked sky.

He turned back around to see me and Jim untying the boat. He smiled at us. "What say yeh two ship out wit'
us?" "Ship out with us!" Morph mimicked, transforming into a three cornered hat before falling onto Jim's head and covering his eyes.

Then he came over and plopped down on my head. I giggled and pushed the hat up my head a bit so that it wasn't blocking my vision. "The three of us; Hawkins and Silver! Full of ourselves and no ties ta anyone!" Silver finished excitedly.

"You know," Jim started, pulling Morph off my head and tickling him until he transformed back into a pink blob. "When I got on this boat, I would've taken you up on that offer in a second...But, uh, I met this old cyborg and he told me that I could chart my own course. That's what I'm going to do," Jim concluded softly, staring out the open hatch far into the starry pink sky.

Silver smiled in understanding and turned to me. I wanted to cry, but I held it back for a little while longer. "Same with him." I sniffled. "Look at yeh! Both glowin' like solar fires! You two are somet'ing special," Silver's voice cracked. "Yer gonna rattle the stars yeh are." I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. Jim looked like he was in the same situation.

We both embraced Silver. This time the cyborg didn't hesitate and wrapped us in both of his arms tightly. We remained like that for quite a while. Silver pulled back and cleared his throat. "Uh, got a bit o' grease in this cyborg eye o' mine," he grunted, turning away to wipe the fresh tears in his eye.

Jim and I shared a knowing smile as I tried to wipe away my own tears. Jim's hadn't left his eyes, but they were still there, gathering in the corners. Morph, realizing this was goodbye, broke down into sops and melted into a pool of water in my hands.

"Aww, hey, Morph, I'll see ya 'round, okay?" I reassured the little guy.
"See ya 'round," Morph mimicked, giving both of our cheeks a lick before floating back to Silver. Silver considered us momentarily before turning to Morph.