Hiya! My name's Piper-Rose, but you can just call me Piper. It sounds cooler. Don't ya think? I do. Anyways, today is going to be great! Nothing has been happening lately in the small village that I live in, but just last night everything changed! Can you believe it? I can't! Do you wanna guess what happened? I bet you couldn't. Did I mention that I have A LOT of energy, cause I do.

But back on topic. So, like I was saying, the village I live in is pretty lame and boring. Everyone is so quiet and serious. I mean, take a break people! Live life for once instead of doing stupid chores all day! Nobody cares about those! That's for dumb dumb adults who have...responsibilities. Even just the word made me shiver.

Still, normally, I can sometimes get a few of the willing kids to play with me after they come home from school. It's normally only about four or five of them, and mostly guys, but I'll take whatever I can get these days.

When they would hang out with me, we would toss balls, and skip stones, and just the overall lot of it. We'd chase each other around and around and through the woods until we couldn't breath, and then collapse in a heap of bodies on the ground. And when it was fall, in a pile of leaves.

The boys were good company, and occasionally, a girl my age named Lillian would come along as well. She wasn't as much fun, but she was company, and that was all I was asking for. That was all I EVER asked for. And all I ever got was squat. The parents thought I was a bad influence on their children, and chances were that I very well could be, but I was also only teaching them how to have fun and not turn into spitting images of their parents. That would be a travesty. No one deserved to be like those old, grumpy, bumpy grouches except themselves. I'm sure that my parents would agree with me, though they are gone with the angels. At least I think they went with the angels. They always told me to live life to the fullest, and since my father was an archangel who absolutely adored tricks and pranks, I learned from the best. Trickster blood ran through my veins like liquid fire and it was always, always burning.

I'm so off topic though! I'm supposed to be talking about what happened last night! Silly me!

Anyways, last night was like any other night. People were indoors and all the windows and doors were locked because of the missing children cases that had been popping up throughout the month. Unfortunately, many of the missing kids were my playmates and therefore I had a lack of them. All I had was Lillian now, and she wasn't as much fun as the boys were.

For once in my life, I felt a bit sad. Not so sad that it turned off my desire for pranks and tricks, but just enough so that I wasn't always smiling and skipping along the road. I could fly, but that would give away some slip that I was not completely human. Or really human at all. But I'll talk about that topic later. It's a really cool one.

Nonetheless, I was stuck with no playmates and wandering the streets after dark like a measly rat looking for scraps that would serve as his dinner. Of course, that wasn't my goal though and definitely wasn't a rat, but I was looking for something. And that something happened to be a new playmate. Even if it was after dark, I was hoping that I could find someone, or anyone really, to play with. Pull some pranks and trick some people into our devious traps. That was the life, and almost all that I lived for. Of course, I knew when to stop pranking and tricking, though it was soooo very hard to do so. I would never ever want anyone to get hurt because of something that I did. That would make me sad, and I hate, hate, hate being sad. It's so lame.

As I was walking through the streets, I came to the edge of town and kept walking. My house was back in the village, but no one would ever dare go inside without my permission because of the reputation that my father had assumed when he was alive. They respected him, but also in a way secretly feared him because of the mysterious things that happened around him. People loved him nonetheless, and the had mourned his death, just as I had. He was the only one that I would ever change my happy-go-lucky attitude for a teary, mourning, and sad attitude for. Other than that, no one controlled me and no one told me what to do. I was my own person and that was a fact that nobody could change no matter how hard they tried. I wouldn't let them change me. Not for all the souls in Heaven.

When I came to an opening in the woods where the boys and I had held many bonfires before, I noticed that smoke was wafting my way. It was thick, warm smoke and smelled of only fire, not marshmallows and chocolate like we would normally roast. When I looked ahead, I found that I could indeed see smoke and the bright yellow-orange color of a fire burning. But who would be burning a fire at this time of night? Maybe I would, but not without the boys.

I decided to sneak closer to where the fire was, since curiosity always got the best of me, though it never killed me like that poor cat.

As I got closer and closer to the open area, I began to hear the sound of cheering voices and stomping feet. What in all the worlds was going on over there?

My questions were answered though, at least a few of them out of a million, once I reached the tree's edge. I stayed hidden, flying up to a branch in one of the trees. Conjuring up a telescope, I zoomed in on the crowd below me. And to answer another one of my questions, I came to find that the crowd that was dancing around the fire below me were made up of the missing boys.

My heart overflowed with happiness and the feeling of achievement. Most wouldn't be able to tell that the boys behind the masks were indeed the boys they were looking for, but I was able to see past that. One of the many qualities that made me an expert trickster: wearing a mask and being able to tell when someone else was wearing one. Basically, I was an expert in pretending. It was great!

I was so caught up in watching the boys dance around the fire in a crazy manner and listening to them chant incoherent words, that I didn't even pay attention to keeping my balance. Before I knew it, I slipped from the branch I was on, but right as I was about to hit the ground I caught myself and held my body up while levitating. Phew, that was a close one!

Luckily, none of the boys had noticed me.

Looking at them again, I was drawn more to the allure of fun and crackling fire. Not the music that they boys were hearing and I wasn't. To be honest, which is one of the attributes my personality lacks, I was confused on why the boys had been gone so long. Why hadn't they told anyone? Why hadn't they told me? They always invited me to events like these. It kinda hurt me to realize that they were having fun without me. I was the flipping definition of fun!

I decided to forgive them though, and just join in without asking. The least they could do was let me join in on their fun. Still, I was going to have a strict talking to with whoever had arranged this bonfire and not invited me. I'd pull pranks on them for a whole week if I had to! Which I probably would do just for the sake of it, and because I loved the expressions on their faces. They were always priceless; every single time!

Conjuring up an animal mask of my own, along with a fur cape and pair of musical sticks, I went into join the boys' fun. Little did I know though, was that they weren't having fun upon their own free will. They were in more of a trance due to a figure that I hadn't noticed. He was sitting on the outside of the circle of dancing boys, a hood over his face, while he blew over the opening of a reed pipe. Who even owned those anymore? Maybe my uncle Castiel, but he was kind of old fashioned and traveled with the Winchester brothers who worked on the other side where magic didn't exist. He visited sometimes, but normally during big events so that no one suspected anything due to his odd clothing that the Winchesters gave him to wear or whatever his vessel was dressed in.

I was always dressed in dresses and skirts that I hated, but it was naturally frowned upon for a young woman such as myself to being wearing boy's trousers. They were so less confining in the things you could do in them though, so sometimes I would bring a pair with me into the woods and change there and then change back when I went home. It was one of the many things that I did in secret, but those are meant to be kept secret among other things. The piper's identity however? I was solidly determined to find out who he was beneath that hood, because whatever he was doing to these boys (he just seemed kinda suspicious.) was ruining my life and I wasn't going to have that. I would arrest him for the theft of playmates. That is one of the highest crimes in my book. One that wouldn't slide with my courtroom and laws. I wouldn't let it.

So, I pretended to blend in with the other boys, dancing wildly and making random animal noises. My long hair was covered by my fur cape so I didn't worry too much about being found out. Because whoever was stealing my playmates was foolish enough to choose MY playmates of all the children, and now he was going to pay the price. Of course not in a violent way, at least I don't think what I consider to do to him violent. My father had a very mixed up version of violent, so I wasn't too sure on the actual meaning of the term. But either way, some punishment had to be laid down and I was going to make sure it happened.

Continuing to dance around and around, I found that I was also dancing to one of my closest friends, Rumplestiltskin's son, Baelfire. He was one of the very few boys that wasn't allowed out of the house, so I visited him from time to time and we would have great fun together inside. He was the only one who knew what I really was, but he kept it a secret. Just between the two of us. He knew almost everything there was to know about me. Even the part about how I wouldn't age once I turned sixteen. It was because of my mother's worries that she cast a spell on me that would cease my aging cycle and leave me forever young. It wasn't something that I was happy about, but I knew that as I became more and more experienced in the fields of magic and trickery that my father had taught me in, I would be able to find a way to reverse the spell and allow me to age once again. Then I could grow up, get married, have kids, the whole package that came with aging. I mean, who would ever want to stay young forever? That's crazy talk...

Bae looked so content and happy to finally be out of his house and spending time with the other boys. I was a bit jealous to see him hanging with other kids besides me, but I knew that I couldn't be his only friend forever. He was bound to find some way out of his house eventually. Just hopefully, he'd return before his father found out that he'd left. If he didn't, Bae would be in for a world of trouble. His father wasn't one to take things like not knowing Bae's location lightly and would probably put a curse on the whole village through his anger. Or maybe just set it on fire and watch it burn to the ground. I'm not really sure which is worse.

I decided that if Bae wasn't going to return home himself, that I was going to make sure that he did. The last thing I wanted for him was to be in trouble with his father. Of all the fathers he had to have it just had to be the sly, sneaky, and cheating Rumplestiltskin, didn't it? Of course it did!

Sneaking closer to Bae, I reached out to tap his shoulder, but he made a turn and danced further away from me. C'mon Bae! Don't be so bloody difficult!

When I tried again, he danced even further away from me! It was like he knew that I was trying to get his attention and just decided to swerve out of my way. That wasn't like him though, it just wasn't.

Turning around and blending into the line of boys, but in the opposite way, I began to try and prepare to jump in front of my friend. It was all going according to plan until a hand from behind reached out and pulled Bae forcefully out of his place in line.

What the heck?

I continued to dance in the circle, trying not to raise any suspicion. Once I reached the spot that I had come out of, I teleported myself over to my previous hiding position. When I peeked my head over the edge of the bush, I finally saw who had pulled Bae out of line...

His father rudely yanked off Bae's hood and knocked the sticks out of his hand. I could see the shocked and upset look that appeared on Bae's face and immediately walked out of my hiding place and over to Bae as his father scolded him.

Grabbing onto my friend's arm, I yanked him away from his party-spoiling father.

"Go on Bae! Don't listen to him, he's just being a party pooper! Go and have some fun!" I urged him, pushing away from his father and back into the circle of boys, which he happily joined without hesitation.

"He shouldn't be here!" his father yelled at me and I scoffed.

"You never let him have any fun!" I yelled back, but found that his father wasn't looking at me anymore. He was looking behind me.

Turning to see who Bae's father was looking at, I found that he had already teleported over to the other side of the bonfire and had snatched the pipe from the piper and snapped it in half. How rude! I teleported after him and stood behind him, watching as the piper removed his hood.

Underneath, the piper appeared no older than myself and Bae. He had light brown hair and darker eyebrows. For such a young boy, he had a rather smug look on his face. It was very clear that he knew he had ticked off Rumplestiltskin and was proud about that. Very proud indeed.

"You seemed surprised to see me Rumple," he said with a thick accent lacing his voice. British, I think. "Well I don't blame you. I'm a little surprised myself." he was definitely feeling smug.

"Look you all grown up and become the Dark One. Good for you," the piper sneered.

"What are you doing here?" Rumple, his new nickname, asked in a worried tone.

"It got lonely in Neverland," he replied. "The only friends I have are the ones who visit in their dreams."

'Woah, woah, woah. Hold on a wink. Did he just say Neverland? Like in THE Neverland? The place where boys never grow up and live a life of carefree nothingness? If so, that could only mean that...the man Rumplestiltskin was talking to...was from Neverland. And the only person who lived on Neverland was...oh jeez!...Peter Pan!'

Peter Pan? Why the heck was he here? Of all places! I wasn't going to let him take my playmates and steal them away and never return them! That would be absurd! Doesn't he even know who used to live in this town? My father would never let him take something so precious from me! But neither would I! Not if I could help it and stand against one of the most feared and powerful beings in all of the realms. A bloody demon, they said he was. (Yoda talk.)

"They can't stay," I heard him say. "But the boys that I take back will," and I knew that he was talking about Bae and the others.

"You're here for my son," Rumple said. He took the words right out of my mouth, minus the 'my son,' part.

"I am," Pan confirmed and I was fuming now.

"It's going to take a lot more than a magic pipe to take my son," Rumple hissed, and suddenly I grew a fondness towards Bae's father. (in a friendly way, of course.)

I knew that the pipe was weird! It was doing something to Bae that was going to make him leave! I didn't want that! I'd snap every extra pipe that Pan had just to keep my friends here.

"The only thing magic about this pipe is that only certain boys can hear it," Pan explained.

'What was that supposed to mean?'

"Boys who feel unloved, boys who feel LOST," he said with venom in his voice.

"This is why you can hear it, isn't it Rumple?" he asked and Rumple tensed.

"Don't pretend to know me. You don't. Not anymore," Rumple growled and I could tell Pan had hit a nerve.

"Oh, I think I do. Beneath all that power, you're nothing but a lonely, lost boy," Pan shot back, but then something dawned on him and he laughed. "Hey, I like the sound of that. That's what I'll call my new group of friends! The Lost Boys! Has a nice ring, don't ya think? he waved out one arm in a proud fashion.

"You can call them whatever you like. Baelfire will not be a part of it," Rumple stood his ground, and for a moment, I thought he was winning.

"Oh, he's already a part of it," Pan told him. "The question is, what are you willing to do to get him back?" he asked and that was when Rumple really seemed taken back.

"I'm going to make you regret ever asking that question," Rumple said, but his voice wavered.

Clearly, Rumple wasn't going to win this verbal fight against the so called 'bloody demon,' but I knew that I wasn't going to let him get away with that. Rumplestiltskin and I shared one thing, and only one thing, in common with each other. We both cared deeply for Baelfire and would do anything in our power to keep him from leaving for Neverland. And only this time, I promised myself, I would stand by Rumplestiltskin's side and argue along side him for the same cause.

"You'll regret ever even coming here," I said, walking out from my hiding place and standing next to Rumple.

"A girl? That's new," he turned his attention to me and I glared at him.

"That's right. And I'm not letting you take my best friend to some lonesome island just because you're a loner whose only friends come to play when he's asleep and never stay," I snarled, the fire crackling higher because of my anger.

"Who are either of you to say?" he asked the two of us. "Oh, I understand. Most parents, and friends, fear is that their children, or playmates, are going to be taken from them," and I nodded. "But that's not your fear, is it Rumple?" he asked. "You're fear is not that Baelfire will be taken from you. You're afraid he'll leave," and I knew that was the last straw by the look on Rumple's face.

"He won't leave. Not with someone like you," I hissed, pointing my finger and poking his chest violently.

"Course he will. He feels abandoned. And isn't that what's your best at Rumple? Everyone you've ever known has left, haven't they? Bae's mother, Mila, not to mention your own father. Why should Baelfire be any different?" Pan asked.

"Because he knows who cares about him! He smarter than that! And if he was going to leave, he wouldn't leave with the likes of you!" I was beyond angry now.

"You're wrong," Rumple supported me.

"Well let's find out shall we? You ask Baelfire if he wants to stay here with you or come to Neverland with me. If he wants to stay, I'll leave and never return. Deal?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I don't have to make any deals with you," Rumple argued, but Pan wasn't having it.

"Why wouldn't you? If you're so sure he'll stay," and for a moment, I knew that Pan was right.

The tension between the three of us was rough and thick, but my temper was the one thing really heating it up and I wasn't sure if anyone would be able to stop me. Things just kinda...happened when I got angry and I was never sure of what to do except let things work themselves out and tire myself out until I was empty. This time though, Pan would be lucky to get out of the village and back to Neverland with all his parts attached if I was feeling merciful.

"He. Will. Not. Leave," I made sure each word was on its own.

"Why don't we find out then," Pan suggested and gestured towards the circle of boys.

Rumplestiltskin went straight over to where the boys were, pulling off each of their masks, then putting them back on if the boy wasn't Baelfire. When he finally came across the right boy, a look of relief washed over his face.

"Baelfire," he breathed, and I smiled. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he stated, stealing a glance at me, then back to his father. "Why are you here?" he asked him.

"I know you don't think that I care about you son, but I do. And I'm here to prove it," Rumple rushed with his words, hoping to take Baelfire home quickly.

"How?" Bae questioned his father, and once again, Rumple was stuck.

"Go ahead Rumple," Pan teased, and I could tell that Rumple was about to do something on drastic measures.

I caught Bae's gaze and silently pleaded to him to come back with his father and stay in the village. Neverland wasn't the place that he belonged. He belonged here. He wasn't a Lost Boy. He was a loved one. I cared about him, his father cared about him, and we cared about him more than anything in the world. What more could he ask for that one of us couldn't possibly give to him?

Suddenly, Rumple grabbed Bae by his shoulders and pulled him away from Pan.

"Rumple, what are you doing?" Bae asked in fright, but he didn't dare move.

"I'm protecting you," his father replied, and I watched in horror as Rumple used magic to send Bae back home.

"No!" I cried, but they were already gone.

"You're going to regret not taking my deal Rumple," Pan swore, watching as they disappeared.

"He IS going to regret it," I whispered to myself, not even caring about anything that was going on around me anymore.

'Poor Bae,' I thought to myself, standing on the outside of the circle with my animal mask in my hands. He was going to be furious when he and his father arrived home. Bae was never one to accept lightly the fact that his father could teleport him without his permission whenever he wanted. I never found it fair either, but then again, nothing was ever fair in love and war, like they said it was. Everyone wishes that it was, but we all know the ugly truth. Only one will walk out alive and the other will be left for dead. There can only be one winner after all. A battle doesn't have two winners.

Right now, there were more battle going on then I could count. Bae and his father. Me and Rumplestiltskin. Rumple and Pan. And myself and Pan. The outcomes of those many battles was yet to be discovered, but whoever won in the end surely wouldn't let their opponent go unpunished.

We'd all have to choose a side in the end, whichever we pleased. It would be hard, but I already knew what side I was fighting for. All I could hope was that Bae would see things the same way and fight alongside me like the friend that I knew he was. The boy that I had been proud to call my bestest and closest friend.

Pan would never be worthy of a friendship like the one that Baelfire had given me. He wasn't worthy of the love and kindness that he showed others without thinking. Pan would never be able to take control of the flame that was the boy named Baelfire, and I would do everything in my power to stoke that fire until Pan was completely obliterated.

Besides, everybody knows that villains don't get happy endings.