Battle in Neverland

Pirate Princess Awakes

CH.1: Wake of Disaster

Izzy clutched onto the wheel with white knuckles as she stared at the ships assembled in the distance. It was a fleet like none other and she wasn't even aware of Neverland having that many ships to begin with. Her stomach felt like it had dropped out from under her and her legs were so weak they were like jelly on the deck. Peter was gone, she wasn't sure which way the wind blew him…then there was Amber who was also missing. Hook and Smee abandoned ship and Skully was lying on the deck.

"Crackers…I need…crackers…" Skully panted as his green chest pushed out.

"I'm afraid…I don't have any…" Izzy took a breath and through bleary eyes she noted a storm in the distance and a man called 'Cedric' according to Amber. The guy wore what appeared to be an Amulet, which must've been her eyes telling her she needed them checked.

The Jolly Roger was still afloat even after the devastating turn of events and most of the crew had left leaving it derelict. A lot of water had gotten into the holds and it was a miracle they had not been swallowed whole by the Never Sea. First order of business was getting them to safety…far away from the trouble those ships presented.

"I need to check the sails…we need them…if we're going to survive." Izzy said mostly to herself but by now Skully was up.

"Izzy…who do you think our foe is?" Skully asked as he recovered slightly.

"Last I checked…everyone over there. Skully…I need you to do some scouting for me, see if you can find any survivors from the crash. If you should find them let them know we will be at the hide out on Pirate Island."

"Yo ho…and away I go…oh…" Skully groaned as he flew off into the sky. It was a troublesome task, but, Izzy had a plan so he would follow.

"Yay hey…we're off once again!" Izzy said cheerfully. It was rather quiet without Cubby or Amber for that matter. Hook was likely off licking his wounds or perhaps the interest of much of those pirates over there. Hook's reputation, while spotty at times, held much revere among the older pirates. Cedric's interest in Neverland though confused her as Neverland was peaceful, on its best days.

With the ship sailing they coasted by unknown to their foe, her nervousness running high as she expected trouble soon. Once she reached Pirate Island she found a safe place to set anchor and a breath of relief flooded her worn out body.

Izzy was about to head into their hide out when she spotted Skully setting in for a landing.

"Ahoy Captain Izzy…I found some survivors of the crash." Skully nearly fell over but lucky for him Izzy was there to help him out.

"That is great to hear Skully…are they heading this way?" Izzy felt hope spread in her at the sign of possible survivors. In this dilemma they needed to rally together against the odds now facing them.

"Ahoy!" Cubby was rowing on a raft along with a distraught Amber. Both of them were drenched from head to toe, but for the most part they seemed unhurt from the crash.

"Cubby…and Amber…your both here!" Izzy ran over to them and helped them out one by one. Amber seemed clammy to the feel and as she found her footing she held herself. "Amber…what's wrong?"

"I can't find Peter…where is he?" Amber looked over and saw Izzy for the first time. "Izzy…why was Cedric here?"

"We'll find Peter…just take it easy ok?" Izzy led her inside and went to fetch a towel. "Now back up for a bit…who is Cedric?"

Amber pulled the towel close to her and sniffed. "Cedric is the royal sorcerer who oversees the teaching at the castle for young aspiring sorcerers to be. For some reason he is always fixated on Sofia's dumb amulet, and he can at times make a fool of himself. I can see why father doesn't speak highly of him at times."

"And you're telling me that was him out there?" Izzy tapped her chin as she walked over and looked out the window. The Pirate ships had not moved at all and the storm was beginning to quell. That was a huge amount of power, in fact; she didn't remember a time a storm like that had hit Neverland.

"Yes…and judging by the immense power he held I could tell he finally got his hands on Sofia's amulet. I never really knew what it did, but, well…a small part of me questioned why he wanted it if it was just a plain old amulet."

Cubby wringed out his bandana as the two talked, not really concerned…until a loud boom was heard in the distance. "W-What was that?"

"Cedric, sorcerer; what can a small crew like us do against that?" Izzy had already proven she was a horrible pirate captain…and long as the Jolly Roger was in her possession it wasn't easily passed off to another.

"Izzy you can't give up hope. We need you…and crackers to bits if you give up now we might as well let Neverland be this Cedric's playground for good." Skully flew over and landed on Izzy's shoulder with a smile on his beak.

"Skully is right…c'mon Izzy show us the way out of this mess. We are all behind you…right Amber?" Cubby looked over and found Amber still out of it.

"He was my first boyfriend…now he is gone…" Amber ran a hand through her hair and let out a sob. "And to top it off…my hair is a complete mess!"

"Ok, well, when Amber comes to I am sure she will be behind you as well." Looking around and then at the Jolly Roger he wished Bucky was here. They had lost Bucky before, and now Bucky was nowhere in sight.

"Ok…first order of business is to find Peter. I know Amber won't be much use to us until he is found, and I am sure it would boost our morale. Until Bucky comes back we will stick to the Jolly Roger for the time being. Look sharp mateys…yay hey and lets go."

The trio set off with Amber in tow, boarding the Jolly Roger they set sail and looked on in positive note. The wind was with them and Izzy held the wheel with a fresh spark of determination, her mind free of any doubts she had before. She had song in heart and spinning the wheel she felt the Jolly Roger respond to her well. Someday she did dream of being a Captain, of course when that day came she would wish for a ship of her own.

"Cubby…any sign of Peter?" Izzy yelled up.

"No…but it looks like, Aw coconuts…we got company!" Cubby looked out and saw one of the pirate ships breaking formation and heading their way.

"Skully…think you can fly out and see who our pursuers are?" Izzy gripped the wheel gritted her teeth as each wave they met sent them up.

"I'll see what I can do." Skully took to flight, his wings beating in time with his heart as he saw the ship below. It bore a flag he was not familiar with and as he looked down he was aghast at what he saw. "No way…I got to get word to Izzy!"

Down below incoherent words were thrown out until the sound of a rushing cannonball cleared it all up.

"Crackers…they spotted me!" Skully managed to doge the first one as it brushed against him. Righting his course he struggled against the currents of the wind.

Again some words down below were shouted. Their aim changed and soon the roar of canon fire filled the air with an acrid smell.

"Wings don't fail me…ouch…I'm hit!" Skully felt the cannonball press into his wing and he began to spiral down to the sea below.

"Izzy…Skully has been hit!" Cubby watched in helpless horror as his good friend was heading for the sea.

Izzy knew this was an emergency…but she didn't have any pixie dust on her. Seeing some rope she went to fasten it around her waist and tied it nice and firm to the mast. "Cubby…make sure the line holds…I'm going after Skully."

Cubby nodded his head as she dove overboard. Standing there he looked down at the ripples formed by her descent. "C'mon Izzy…you can do it."

"Why can't she…use…that dust," Amber noted as she stood by Cubby.

"Well…part of the reason is she doesn't have any on her. Most of it was used to make the Jolly Roger fly. The other part, the personal reason, I would take a guess and say she doesn't trust herself with it."

Amber looked on in confusion. "In English please."

"Izzy is afraid that the other side of her will reemerge. Pixie dust doesn't work on those with negative feelings or a wrongful heart." Cubby saw bubbles and went to tug on the rope as Izzy came up with Skully.

"You're safe Skully," Izzy managed as her air was nearly out. Once on deck she laid him down and noticed his feathers were coated in red.

"I'm going to get something for the wound," Cubby was about to leave but felt his ankle grabbed by Skully's good wing.

"Wait…I have to tell you…what I saw." Skully waited till they were all around him and coughed. "The ship that is pursuing us…they have Peter."

Gasps came from them and that is when another shot was fired.

Authors note: Cedric's power has certainly caught the attention of Izzy and her friends and certainly most of Neverland as well. Skully is badly hurt and Peter seems to be in about the same condition, or worse. Next chapter will find Captain Izzy faced with a perilous rescue mission and a little backstory will be provided for Captain Hook. Sorry for the wait.