Author's Notes: Another TwistedFairytale!AU but Nicercy. I want to dedicate this to NicercyPercico who asked me first about a twisted fairytale AU of Nicercy. This one will be based on Peter Pan. Although, compared to my other fics, this may not be as dark. I wanted to put in twists here and there but it wouldn't seem likely. Also, did you know in the original version of Peter Pan, he killed the Lost Boys? I just didn't want to kill them here 'cause, y'know, feels. I'll try to make other Nicercy fics based on fairytales and twist them.
This fic will have a total of two chapters only and I may post the next one sometime later or tomorrow. I dunno. I might rewrite this into something darker. Or not. Opinions anyone? But I won't take this down or anything.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. All rights go to their rightful owner.
A Taste Of Neverland
"The musical lyre Orpheus possessed could move the fiercest of storms, overwhelm the alluring voices of the Sirens, and even bring peace to quarrels. Nothing could resist the power of his music. He then found a maiden, Eurydice, who became his wife. Their happiness was short-lived, however. After their wedding, she was stung causing her death," a small gasp was heard from the room.
Percy Jackson enjoyed the stories Athena Chase told her daughter, Annabeth Chase. He could see the striking resemblance through the window of their house. Both mother and daughter had blonde hair and similar stormy gray eyes. Percy floated beside the window where it was left open. He avoided being seen by both girls and listened in.
"Orpheus sang a song to the Lord of the dead with his lyre. His music moved even the coldest and darkest of hearts. The Underworld silenced for the amount of time Orpheus played his sad melody. The Lord of the dead granted him one chance. Eurydice were to follow him to the land of the living but he must not turn back." Athena told the girl tucked in bed.
"Not turn back? Then how could he see her?" Annabeth worried her lip.
"That's the point. He's not allowed to. Or else, she'll be sent back to the Underworld with no chance of seeing her husband again." Athena stroked her daughter's face. She pushed a stray blonde strand from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "It's time to sleep, Annabeth. I'll continue the story tomorrow." She smiled.
The girl who looked no older than twelve frowned. "But—"
"No buts, young lady." Athena tut-tutted.
Percy frowned as well when the lights to Annabeth's bedroom dimmed. He heard the girl sigh softly and shifted in her position. Percy leaned against the wall away from the window where he sat on the roof of the house. The boy wore a short-sleeved green tunic with dark brown tights. He wore a small cap with an attached red feather to it. He was barefoot but it didn't seem to mind the boy. He had a belt where it held the sheath for his dagger, Riptide. His green eyes contrasted well with his outfit and his windswept black hair.
He stared into the starless night where the moon illuminated the blank canvas of white clouds. Darn, Percy was expecting another story from the older woman but it turned out that small girls needed their sleep. Unlike the Lost Boys in his place, they could sleep whenever they wanted.
Percy stood up unaware of his shadow separating from him. When the movement caught his eye, he spun around to see the tail of his shadow enter the room through the window. "Oh crap," he swore under his breath. He contemplated flying back and leaving his shadow but that was arguable. He frowned and tiptoed inside the girl's room. The walls were decorated with a light purple color. On the left, a bookshelf piled with books of different sizes and shapes stood.
Percy glanced at every corner of the room but found nothing. He grew worried and while walking, he bumped into the bookshelf. "Oof!" He fell. Several books fell and lay scattered around his feet. He was rubbing his head when the lights shone on his face. He covered his eyes with his hand and blinked rapidly.
"Who are you?" a girl's voice asked. Percy couldn't believe the luck he was in. He removed the hand from his face and stared at the twelve-year old girl. Her big bright gray eyes glinted with curiosity. Percy sat up and stood. She wasn't small for a girl her age. She was at least a foot from his height which was saying something. Through all the years he lived, he couldn't determine how old he was but in human years, he looked around fifteen to sixteen.
"I'm Percy Jackson. The Lost Boys call me Peter Pan for some reason. But call me Percy," He smiled. The girl smiled back and extended a hand out in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you, Percy. I'm Annabeth Chase! My mom calls me Annabeth, so I guess you can call me Annabeth." She said. Percy stared at her hand and shrugged. He grabbed the offered hand and shook it enthusiastically.
"Well Annabeth, have you seen a shadow around? My shadow, specifically." Percy asked, taking a seat on the bed. The girl looked around her room in wonder. "Your shadow?" To prove his point, Percy stood and levitated in the air.
"See? No shadow." But Annabeth was astounded at the miracle she saw.
"You can fly!" She said. Percy shrugged his shoulder like it was no big deal. It probably was for a guy who spent his life soaring through the skies and clouds. "Yeah. Pretty cool. But anyways, my shadow?" Percy asked, looking around the room. At the corner near the wardrobe, he spotted a slight movement and motioned Annabeth closer.
"See if you can corner my shadow through that side and I'll block it off from the opposite side." He whispered. The blonde girl nodded and carefully stalked closer to the wardrobe. Percy followed and once he was within reach, jumped for the shadow. He caught it by the foot and forced it down. "There, that'll keep you from straying about," Percy blew a breath of relief. The shadow settled and finally stayed close to him.
Percy took one last look at Annabeth and headed for the window. But the girl had other intentions. "Wait!" She called out to him. Percy turned around before a body collided with his. "Where are you going? Leaving so soon already?" The small girl frowned. Percy grimaced and crouched on one knee.
"I came to hear the wonderful stories that were told. But I need to get back to my friends too. They would love to hear new stories." Percy said. At that point, Annabeth's eyes widened. "I know some stories! Ones that my mother hasn't told because I read them in story books. I can retell these stories to you and your friends. But will that be okay?" Annabeth shyly twiddled her fingers. Percy blinked at her offer then smiled.
"They'll be ecstatic about it! They're almost as old as you so I doubt you'll have any trouble getting along with them." Percy grinned, now fully standing. Annabeth smiled widely and followed the boy to the window. Then she frowned.
"But I can't fly." She said sadly.
"You will in a minute." Percy reassured her. He placed two fingers in his mouth and blew, imitating the sound of a whistle. From afar, a dark spot was seen headed towards them. Annabeth's eyes gleamed at seeing a flying dark horse. "M'lady," Percy bowed and lifted Annabeth on the horse's, Blackjack, he called him, back. "Hold on tight, yeah?" He gave her a thumbs up before the horse sped off. Percy laughed giddily and followed along. They soared through the night, going pass clouds and tall buildings.
"Where are we going?" Annabeth yelled through the wind rushing pass them.
"To Neverland!" Percy shouted back.
By then, he was late at mentioning one flaw. Where once they step foot, they were never allowed to leave. 'Cept him, of course, since he had the ability to fly. Percy pushed that thought aside and grinned through the flight. Pushing past several clouds later, they entered a new valley of white clouds and a colorful sunset. They dived in and a place never before seen by Annabeth was in view. The girl gasped and looked at the whole of it.
Where it was once nighttime, here it was morning. The forest was a huge green scenery of trees and off in the coast, crystal white sand separated the land and the ocean blue sea. Percy smiled at the sight of the ocean. He loved the ocean and had a desire to spiral down towards it when they reach ground. As they neared the land, Annabeth could see various colors illuminating in trees' shades. She wondered what it could be.
Her happiness was cut short as a pointed arrow whistled through past the wind and knocked her off of Blackjack. Her face contorted into horror as she stared at the sky above. She screamed on her way down. Percy stopped in his tracks and raced down to capture the falling girl. He almost barely caught her by the leg and settled her down carefully on the land. She lost consciousness long before Percy caught her but she was alive.
Percy sighed in relief and sat back. He began to carefully treat the wound but found that he couldn't bring himself to pull the arrow out. The leaves on the left of him rustled and out came the younger boys who whooped happily around Percy.
"We caught it! We caught it!" They repeated. Blackjack landed beside the boys and whinnied softly.
"Specifically, I did. You guys stink at shooting arrows." A blonde who looked at the age of thirteen scoffed. He was third to being the oldest after Percy and Jason, another blonde Lost Boy at the age of fourteen. Will Solace neared the girl and peered down on her cautiously. "What is it?" He asked. The other Lost Boys followed his lead.
Percy gently pushed them away from the girl. "It's a she. A girl. She came with me so she could tell you all stories. Now, look what you've done." Percy narrowed his eyes at all the Lost Boys. He casted a glance at every one of them starting from the smallest to the tallest. Leo Valdez, Grover Underwood, Connor Stoll, Travis Stoll, Will Solace, then finally Jason Grace. They bowed their heads to show they were sorry.
"Will, you're good at treating wounds. Help her up and bring her into the lair. Connor, Travis, you two make a room for Annabeth to stay in. Treat her good. She's one of us now." Percy gestured to the girl laying down unconscious. Will was off to work while Travis and Connor sped off towards their "Underground Lair", as they dubbed it.
Now, all Percy had to do was find food for them. It was easy, as long as he doesn't run into pirates, tribes, or wild animals.
...
"Avast! Anchor down!"
The ship groaned as it landed ashore. The owner of the voice belonged to no other than Captain Nico Di Angelo, a known pirate all throughout Neverland. He had a fearsome crew that consisted of his best mate, Reyna Ramirez-Arellano. She and Nico were the closest of friends. Aside from her, there were Hazel Levesque, his adopted sister, Frank Zhang, a good company to his sister, Calypso, and Piper McLean. He didn't take the time to know the others but he became close with the other four.
"Captain, I can assist you on your journey. Frank and Hazel took charge of the ship." Reyna approached the teen who was eighteen years of age. He had black messy hair and dark brown orbs. His body was fit to fight off enemies when needed. He wore a long black trench coat and a matching pirate's hat with skull and crossbones imprinted on it. He had a loose fitting shirt underneath and pants buckled with a huge black belt. At his side lay his sheathed stygian black sword.
Nico raised a hand and shook his head. "I'm fine, Reyna. I'm just going 'round for some fresh air. All that sea is getting real tired to look at." Nico excused himself and trudged through the forest without another complaint from the slightly younger girl.
Once he got away from the crew, he sighed and rubbed his face. He frowned at the dirt and muck that littered his hands. Walking got him a view of a nearby river. Nico removed his hat and bent forward to clear his face from dirt, washing his hands in the process. It had been a long time since he saw the great "Peter Pan" or Percy, for short. They rivalled each other but it couldn't have been less of a real fight.
Nico knew it was all a playful banter between his crew and the Lost Boys' leader. But he played along his games. He sometimes found it an annoyance and would therefore cast the boy aside but not so much as hurt him. Nico could never hurt the innocent face that belonged to Percy Jackson.
He groaned as he washed his face and dried his hands afterwards. A small splash caught his attention and he was alert. He grabbed his hat from the ground and looked around the river. The small splash was heard faintly so Nico had to follow the source. He walked carefully and avoided the crunch of dried leaves as to not make a sound.
He entered a clearing where on the other side of the small river, a boy sat on a rock with a fishing pole in hand. He seemed to be fishing. Nico took a closer look and a small grin made its way on his face.
It was Percy sitting on the rock. The captain walked towards the nearest edge and eyed the boy on the other side. He was so concentrated that Percy barely even saw him there. "Well, look who we have here." Nico drawled.
Percy was thrown off balance at hearing the low voice. He yelped, slipping and falling into the river. Nico chuckled darkly and leaned on a nearby boulder. Waiting for the boy to emerge, he placed the hat back on his head and hummed softly. The loud splashing interrupted him as he watched the boy crawl towards land and onto the rock he had been previously sitting. Nico couldn't help but stare lewdly at the way Percy's tights showcased the roundness of his arse.
The boy threw his hat off and wiped his face with his hands. Upon reaching land, he threw a glance at Nico's direction. "Pleasure seeing you here, too." Percy chirped oddly for a boy who just fell into a river. Nico dragged his eyes down Percy's dripping form before looking straight at his green eyes. If the boy noticed, he didn't acknowledge it.
"Oh trust me. The pleasure is all mine," Nico growled lowly. He could see the green-eyed teen gulp and reach for the bucket that had been keeping his catch from the river. "Whatever reason you have for visiting, I wish you a safe trip back!" Percy mockingly smirked and jumped off the rock with the bucket of fishes in hand, throwing the fishing pole aside.
"Leaving so soon, Percy?" Nico grinned.
The boy stopped in his tracks and turned around. Unknown to Nico, the way his voice said Percy's name had sent delightful shivers down his spine. He seemed to contemplate on something before he let out a wide grin. "I would love to stay and chat, Captain, but there's this girl I have to take care of. I'll see you soon," He winked and without waiting for Nico's reply, he flew off. Nico stared at the place Percy had once occupied.
There was a girl? Who was this girl Percy was taking care of?
Jealousy bubbled inside of him and his mood dampened. "Well, there goes my catch for the day." Nico grumbled under his breath. He trekked down the path leading him to his ship and his crew. He was determined to catch the boy once and for all and show him where he belongs. Under Nico's command. And quite possibly on his bed.
...
Percy slid down the tree trunk and fell onto the soft mattress that cushioned their fall. He gripped the bucket in his hands and made his way towards what was close to being their kitchen. He noticed not one Lost Boy was in sight so he figured they were busy being fascinated by the human being called Annabeth Chase. Percy cooked the fish with a few sticks and an ignited flame. Not too raw but not too burned. He wrapped it up in big leaves and went to find the girl's room.
He heard small chatters coming from Connor's room so he assumed they were there. "Hey Annabeth, I got you some fish." Percy announced. The Lost Boys spun around and tried to tackle the fish out of Percy's hands, which they failed at, of course, as the boy levitated a few feet from them and landed beside the girl. Annabeth thanked him and ate the food.
"No fair. I want some fish!" Leo pouted. The other Lost Boys chorused in agreement.
"Are you alright and well?" Percy asked Annabeth. Seeing the girl nod, he smiled and got up. "Lost Boys, it's time we show Annabeth 'round Neverland!" He said. The boys cheered and all but grabbed the young girl's hand and led her out and into the forest. Percy followed and smiled at the scene before him. The boys were laughing and playing tag along the trees. Grover made a mud pie and threw it at Annabeth's face which was an unpleasant experience for the girl.
But the boys didn't pay mind and started their own war of mud pies. Percy dodged and threw one of his own. After making a mess, they all headed to a place Annabeth was sure to never leave again. It was like a waterfall with the sunlight glinting off the watery surface, creating sparkles against the water. The boys dived into the water and it came off as mucky. Annabeth jumped in after them and giggled as she washed herself free from dirt.
Percy rested on a nearby boulder and washed his own face. He couldn't get the thought of the captain out of his head. Nico was haunting his thoughts and that sent weird feelings in his stomach. Percy was scared at this new discovery. Whatever the older boy did had an effect on him and Percy didn't know whether to like it or hate it.
He was startled out of his stupor when he was hit with a wave of water. It had been Travis, Connor, and Annabeth. "If it's a war you want, it's a war you'll get." He grinned evilly as he sent a huge wave of water towards the trio. The girl yelped all the while the twins chortled.
"Funny. Very funny," She smiled.
"Indeed it is, wise girl." He countered.
Annabeth smiled and went to play with the other Lost Boys. The leader of the Lost Boys jumped up and approached the bundle. "Next stop, the trees of wonder!" The boys cheered all the while Annabeth stared at them in confusion. "The what?" she was pulled by Grover and the other boys followed.
"Let's go," Travis and his twin raced ahead. Annabeth couldn't prepare herself for what she was about to see. Percy swung the vines that hid the area and Annabeth gasped. From where the sunlight can't reach, here, it was irradiated by supernatural insects. Butterflies of bright colors illuminated the forest. So this was what she saw from afar when they were flying. Travis and Connor jumped at a tree, the butterflies scurrying about in colorful patterns. The trees' shadows lingered around the corner. Plants seemed to look taller as the trees grew higher. It was like a different universe.
Percy sat on a branch where several butterflies scurried off. A few landed on his feet and he smiled. He watched the Lost Boys roam about the area.
Percy remembered a skeletal cave somewhere near the corner. He glanced at the Lost Boys who seemed occupied with what they were doing. The green-eyed boy flew towards the cave where a treasure chest lay in the middle. A small river-like pond encircled the cave and within. He gingerly touched the lock and called out to the Lost Boys.
Their footsteps were accompanied by giggles and laughter when they found the cave. "What's that?" Grover asked, pointing at the treasure chest. "A chest, silly. But the real question is what's inside it?" Connor smiled mischievously.
"Let's find out." Jason heaved a huge rock he found and launched it at the lock. To his dismay, the lock remained.
"Oh!" Said the youngest in their group. "I found this when we were playing by the shore," Leo produced a small key from his pocket and gave it to Percy. The teen looked at the key then at the lock. He held up the bronze key and eyed Leo curiously.
"Where'd you find this?" Leo only shrugged.
He tried it on the lock and to his surprise, it opened. Golds in all form came spewing out of the chest. The Lost Boys grabbed a handful of each and wore them as accessories. There was a crown, a ruby necklace, a golden goblet, a pearl ring even, and a huge pile of coins which Percy didn't mind leaving. All was well and fun when they heard a loud whistle. Although, this one was different. It nearly broke their eardrums and they covered their ears.
"That was horrible," Leo threw the whistle in the farthest he could in the small river. Something about it unnerved Percy. The sound seemed eerily familiar to him before.
Jason smacked him upside the head. "That was awful! Where'd you get that whistle anyway?" He scolded. Leo frowned and pointed at the treasure chest. Will sighed and shook his head. "Leave it to Percy being an expert at blowing a whistle." He mumbled.
Just then, a low thumping of boots resonated through the walls of the cave. The Lost Kids stared horrified at the incoming pirates that now raided the cave. Percy backed up and tried to fend them off but they were too many.
He dropped his dagger when a rope tightened around his wrist. Being distracted only gave the pirates a benefit as they looped another rope on his left wrist. "Let him go!" Annabeth yelled. The Lost Kids yelled identically but was silenced by a low hiss.
"So nice to see you again," a dark figure emerged. Nico grinned at seeing Percy being bounded and tied. The boy couldn't escape the tight ropes that held him down. "Captain Nico," Percy spat.
The eighteen year old scanned their small group, his eyes landing coldly on the girl with blonde hair. "Well, hello." He didn't hide the snide in his voice. The girl narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything. Nico came closer to her but the Lost Boys formed a circle around her. It was an endearing view to say the least but Nico had the last of his patience. With a snap of his fingers, the pirates pulled the Lost Boys away. They shouted at him to not touch the girl and to leave her alone.
His veins throbbed as he faced them. "Shut up!" He yelled. To his satisfactory, they did. He turned back to the girl, ready to reach out and pull her hair back if it weren't for Percy.
"Stay away from her!" He yelled, ineffectively pushing himself forward. The ropes were already marking red lines and Nico frowned at that. So he backed off.
"Fine. I'll take these instead," He ordered his crew to collect the chest as well as carry the Lost Boys who were tied up in the same rope used on Percy. Percy was yelling profanities as he too was brought in. He caught sight of Annabeth reaching out for him until everything went black.