A young woman of about 19 years old stood forlornly on the white, sandy shores of Mermaid Lagoon dressed in tan breeches, a torn and ragged cotton shirt, and dark tanned leather riding boots. Her appearance of youth concealed the years of physical and mental travail and tribulation induced by the litany of the lengthened days on an island where time remained motionless. The beautiful young woman's wavy yet messy brunette hair was pulled back in a tangled braid, revealing her delicate features: long, dark eyelashes, high cheekbones, plum, plump lips, and warm honey brown eyes filled and congealed with an ambience of untold melancholy and gloom. Andrea Lux the Assassin of Neverland.
She was otherwise known as simply "Andy" to those on the island; Pan insisted on the other Lost Boys addressing her only by this name. It only seemed an apposite fitting since she was the first and only ever Lost Girl of Neverland in a coterie of Lost Boys. Her wispy eyelashes fluttered, closing and obscuring her bright, honey eyes. She focused her energy and thoughts on a single object, which she needed in order to commence her mission.
I believe. Her heart pounded as the blood coursing through her veins travelled to the plains of her cheeks, warming and coloring them a rosy hue, which was unseen due to the darkness of night. Heart pounding, she felt a cool breeze greet her face; the magic of Neverland flowed through her veins and streamed throughout her body. The corners of her mouth pulled upwards when she felt the object form upon the palm of her right hand. Eyes wide open and ready, Andy firmly gripped the wooden handle of her sharpened steel dagger with her frozen fingers, which were still callused and raw from a day spent hauling boxes into the camp from this month's shipment. Sometimes, Andy wished that Pan would realize that her job title as "assassin" was not synonymous with the duties of a pack mule. Nevertheless, she released an agitated sigh as she gazed sharply with hardened, deep brown eyes at the ship docked in the Mermaid Lagoon, her wispy frozen breath disappearing into the darkened sky. She was ready.
Night had fallen, blanketing her in the safety of the shadows. Only the pale moon radiated a ghostly, lonely light over the black waves of the lagoon. Pulling a forest green hood over her tangled brunette locks, she disembarked her wooden row boat from the lagoon's sandy shores. It was time to carry out her mission. The mermaids tended to be active at night, but luckily Pan had requested them to move further out to sea for tonight. In actuality, rather than requesting, Pan threatened. No one, including Andy, ever questioned or challenged his authority because doing so would result in either torture or death.
Silently, Andy rowed herself to the side of the ship which was concealed in the darkness of the shadows. In all its glory, it was the Jolly Roger. Andy remembered seeing this ship frequently years ago when its captain was in contract with Pan. By contract, she really meant that Pan had some sort of leverage over this captain in order to carry out his tasks for whatever master plan he always had. Andy never had the opportunity to formally meet this captain, but she remembered his defined face and brilliant yet empty blue eyes through the safety of the Neverland jungle's camouflage. However, she remembered his voice most of all; it was deep and demanded attention. It never failed to send chills down her spine. How could a complete stranger have that effect on her? She wondered why Pan had never let her associate herself with this captain. Perhaps, this was her chance.
Gracefully, she hauled herself up the side of the ship like the expert she was. Years in Neverland and time spent climbing its myriad of trees quickened this physical process. Pulling her head above the side railings, she tuned her ear in to the conversation on deck. She could see a group of about five, drenched in salty ocean water from their ordeal out on sea. Andy had watched their predicament from the sands of the beach with a humored smile across her face. It was a rookie mistake, pissing off a mermaid.
Despite the darkness of night, she spotted him right away. Her throat closed up from excitement, and her cheeks warmed and brightened. The captain stood out in all black leather. Nothing about him had changed. His messy black hair and scruff remained identical as did his hard demeanor. The only thing that seemed different was his blue eyes; they weren't as empty and forlorn as Andy remembered them to be.
"Why the hell did you decide to dock in Mermaid Lagoon? If you couldn't recall, we nearly died because of one!" a woman with medium length brunette hair berated at the captain in leather at the wheel, poison and ice dripping from her voice.
"Last time I checked, I don't think you were the captain of the ship. Would you have preferred us docking in Cannibal Cove?" the captain at the wheel spat. "If you didn't recall, we nearly died because you provoked the damn beast!" His dark blue eyes were furious and filled with fire. Andy remembered Pan's association with this certain one. In truth, he was no sailor; he was a pirate, an infamous one to be exact – Captain Hook. She could determine this fact from the steel hook serving as a replacement for an absent left hand. It smiled menacingly under the pale glow of the moonlight. "Let's keep in mind who's been to Neverland before and knows the island just as well as the demon who inhabits it."
"Enough of this!" a woman with a pixie-cut hairstyle pleaded. "I am sick and tired of always fighting."
"Listen little miss doe-eyed devil," the feisty brunette seethed. "We wouldn't have had this problem if you weren't so damn righteous."
"Regina, I'd like to remind you of who actually started the problem. Killing her was not the solution!" the pixie-cut woman criticized.
"Oh I'm sorry if I'm trying to get things done around here," Regina mocked. " I could say worse about the rest of you. And stop acting like you're the victim. You've been the problem since day one!"
"You are so hateful. You are absolutely wretched!" the pixie cut woman spat, with every ounce of her resentment towards Regina filling her words and soul.
"Thank you!" Regina laughed loudly.
"Stop it!" a woman with blonde hair demanded from the heated group. Silence and tension filled the ocean air. "I would like to remind everyone that we nearly died because of our differences. We may not like each other. Villain or hero, it doesn't matter. I am here for one thing only, and that is to get my son back. So, if you're with me then we're going to do this my way. No magic. None of that. We need to stop believing in magic and start believing in one another." The group remained silent.
"Fine," Regina grumbled, pushing her way past the blonde as she made her way down the deck, heels clicking against the wood of the ship.
"Aye," agreed Hook and followed after her and the pixie cut woman. The blonde and the other man remained on the upper deck.
"Thanks Emma," the man started. The tension in the air was gone. "You know you're a natural leader."
"Am I?" Emma questioned, obvious doubt filling her voice. "There's just so many expectations being the savior, and I absolutely no idea where to start or what to do."
"Hey, don't worry about it. No one ever said the savior had to be perfect," the man comforted the distressed blonde. "Leadership isn't something you can rehearse. Take your mother and I for example. It's not like we expect to know the answer to every problem existing out there. It's hope that keeps us going."
Emma slightly rolled her eyes. Although she appreciated her father's help, she couldn't stand to hear one more second of all this hope crap. "Ok, thanks David," she said curtly, quickly standing up from the crate she was sitting on to join the rest of the group in the quarter. David sighed sadly and followed in after his daughter. He was trying so hard to reach out to her.
So this was the savior that Pan was so interested in. Andy tilted her head, confused. What was so special about this blonde? She was no practicer of magic. As a product of true love, the strongest magic in existence, I expected her to be a bit more impressive. For a split second, Andy felt a twinge of guilt for possibly ruining a nice family moment, but this feeling was quickly axed. She didn't have time to spend worrying about the condition of another. Neverland was all about survival; thus, she couldn't afford to look after anyone else but herself. She may be selfish, but she was also smart.
While everyone was situated in the quarter, preparing themselves for the disembark, Andy took the opportunity to board the ship. She stealthily made her way over to the door of the quarter and placed four barrels in front, barricading the entrance. Making her way to the pole of the sail, she pulled out a piece of parchment from the inside of her cloak and posted it using her dagger, a message from Pan. She had to work quickly as she heard the voices of the group returning to audio. Pulling a single match from her headband, she smirked and dropped it on the rope attached to the four barrels of gunpowder barricading the entrance to the Captain's Quarter. Only four barrels wouldn't kill anyone. Hopefully, this wouldn't damage the handsome pirate's face too much. She made her way back to the railings of the ship and hoisted herself over, waiting for the spectacle to begin.
She listened to the banging of someone's hand against the door of the quarter.
"What the hell?" Emma's muffled voice said. "Hook, unlock the door."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you love, but why would I lock it? If I could open it, I would," Hook responded, continuing to try and pry the door open. "Somebody's barricaded it." He let out a frustrated sigh and chuckled darkly.
"Somebody's on board? That's impossible," she heard Regina's voice interject.
"Then he knows we're here," the other male's voice, David, commented. On that note, the barrels detonated, releasing a plume of bright orange flames and scraps of wood into the cold Neverland air, disrupting the scene of darkness in the act of night. The glow of the explosion sent a wave of friendly warmth to Andy's cold face, brightening her eyes and sending an electricity of excitement throughout her body. The explosion sent a wave over the upper deck, swaying the entire ship so violently that Andy had to bear onto the railings tightly to avoid a plunge into the black ocean.
Waiting for the flames to dwindle down, Andy counted to three and jumped over the railings, returning to the deck of the ship. She surveyed the damage, taking pride in her destruction. Not bad Lux. Not bad. Heavy smoke and delicate embers filled the salty air. It was satisfying to carry out the duties that were in her actual job description. Small, separate fires had started around scattered pieces of wood across the deck, spreading an opaque black layer of smoke over the upper deck of the ship. Before concluding her messenger mission, she made her way to the wheel of the ship, acquiring the one item Pan promised her if she completed her assigned task – the magic compass. This compass had the power to navigate one throughout different realms, meaning that one could leave Neverland. In short, it was Andy's one-way ticket out of Neverland. Pan knew that Andy wanted her freedom more than anything, and of course, he would never fulfill that wish of hers, but he had to maintain his authority over her, even if it meant feeding her small fragments of false hope.
Lost in a cloud of success and confidence, Andy turned away from the wheel, bumping straight into the firm chest of a certain pirate. She staggered back and let out a gasp of surprise, but he grabbed her and kept her in his possession with his arm wrapped around her small frame. She shielded her face from his cerulean gaze. Hopefully the layer of black smoke would conceal her true identity.
"Well, well," he chuckled darkly. "Who do we have here?" He traced his hook down her cheek and neck. Andy flinched at the cold metal against her warm skin. His hook pulled her hood down, the orange glow of the flames revealing her young and beautiful face. His eyebrows furrowed. This was no Lost Boy. This was no assassin. "You're a girl."
Instantly vexed and offended, Andy met his puzzled expression with narrowed and fiery brown eyes, fully revealing herself with a certain pride. "Woman," she corrected and took the fleeting opportunity to grasp her escape. She brought her knee up with a tremendous amount of force to the captain's manhood. Hook let out a pained cry and released his grip on Andy, falling to the wooden deck of his ship with a loud thud. High off adrenaline, Andy jumped onto the railing and flashed a charming smile to the pained pirate. "Good luck captain," she grinned sweetly before plunging into the dark, unfathomable waves of Mermaid Lagoon.
Cold and wet, Andy found her way through the Neverland jungle to Pan's compound. She followed the rowdy yells and cheers of the Lost Boys through the darkness of the jungle. She felt the warmth of the fire caress her cold and wet face as she neared the camp. Making her way to the fire, Andy was greeted by a certain Lost Boy with a jagged pink scar over his right eye.
"What do you want Felix?" Andy demanded, vexed. "I'm finished for today. You can tell your boy Pan that I'm too busy for whatever other plans he had for me tonight."
"Oh but he won't like that at all. Not one bit," Felix returned with a bit of amusement in his monotone voice.
"Does it look like I care?" she asked, flashing a sour smile at the blonde. She sat on a nearby log and began to dry herself off.
"You do realize your contract, don't you?" Felix questioned slowly. He inched in closer to her territory, testing her authority. He eyed her dangerously. "Or did all that salt water in your brain make you stupid?"
"At least I'm not pathetic," she shot back, eyes burning with fury. She loathed when the pretentious git questioned her abilities. She could take him down within a single swipe.
"Never said you were, tiger."
"Wow. You really are relentless in irritating me. I admire your tenacity," she commented sarcastically.
"Hmm," he grinned confidently. "Pan's expecting you."
"As always. Like I didn't know that," she snapped. "I don't need you reminding me every second of every day. I already know, so can you just stay the hell out of my business."
"Woah, calm down tiger. No need to act incendiary. I'm only relaying the obvious," he chuckled. Sometimes it was difficult to restrain herself from placing her hand around Felix's neck and squeezing as hard as she could. Pan would definitely terminate her if she killed his right-hand man. "Besides, as Pan's most trusted Lost Boy, it is my business. If it soothes your woes, I'm only inquiring about your quest towards self-deprivation. You should be indebted for my concern and munificence."
"Oh so now you think you're a big boy now because you learned some big words from the big boy dictionary?" she mocked. She literally wanted to take that imaginary dictionary and slap him across the face with it. Anything was possible in Neverland, so the idea of imagining up a dictionary didn't seem like such a bad idea... "From where I'm sitting, your throne means nothing to me. You're no king of Neverland; you're nothing but a puppet of Pan's. Yet here you are, parading through the camp like you're some worshipped god. I see right through you Felix, and I absolutely refuse to be enamored by any adulation. Where's your dictionary now? You're just like the rest of us Felix: lost and unloved."
Smirk disappearing from his scarred face, he grabbed her arm forcefully and pulled her ear near his mouth. "You do know what happens when you disobey Pan. Don't you?" he whispered threateningly into her ear. "Do we want a repeat of your first time here? Huh? Lost girl." He shoved her forcefully from his presence and walked away to lean on a nearby tree. "I hope that you don't forget your place in this world sweetheart," he called out to her across the fire. "I may be Pan's Lost Boy, but at least I'm not Pan's slave."
Hot, angry tears threatened to spill from Andy's eyes, but she forced them to remain still. Felix eyed her challengingly, hoping to see her break her tough attitude. He loved seeing her squirm under pressure. She could act as indifferent as she liked, but Felix saw right through the seams of her facade; she was weak.
"A!" she heard a voice call from the highest tree house in the compound. Andy sighed sadly, her fiery spirit numbing and descending back into its cold cage. As always, it was time. Felix grinned triumphantly and mockingly at the Lost Girl. She wasn't as tough as most people thought. As mentioned, he saw into her hard, fortified brown eyes and found a certain and peculiar emptiness, which meant that she had been broken a long time ago.
Andy climbed the ladder of the tallest tree in the compound. Awaiting at the top balcony with a smug smile on his face was her boss, the boy she was indentured to, the demon himself - Peter Pan.
"Quite a display tonight A; truly I am impressed," he praised with a mischievous gleam in his eye as Andy followed him into his surprisingly neat room. "I saw the beautiful fireworks from the comfort of my own balcony. Think you can surprise me further tonight?"
Andy's stomach churned with anxiety. Was she scared of Pan? Absolutely not. Not anymore, anyways. Usually, they were both accustomed to her acting hostile towards him and his immature innuendos. She wasn't afraid of speaking her mind in front of him, but she was always cautious about causing an obstruction in whatever scheme he had mapped out. Like she said, no one ever questioned Pan's authority. However, despite her years trapped in Neverland and bound to Pan's bidding, she never grew to enjoy being in his presence; why would she? He was unpredictable like a winter storm. She moistened her lips to speak, but her throat was scratchy and dry from the nervousness of her request. "I think I'm all out of tricks for tonight. Do you think I can have the night off since I carried out my task with such success?" Behind her back, she had two fingers crossed tightly.
Amused, he furrowed his brows and eyed her, observing her with curiosity. "Come on A. How long have you been here?"
"A long time," she answered vaguely, quietly. Wasn't that obvious enough? He began to circle her, like a lion surveying its prey.
"A long time," he repeated with a grin. "And you always tend to forget our agreement."
Yeah right. It's not necessarily an agreement if force is involved.
"Pan," she began.
"I've always admired your manners to stand on ceremony," he observed. "A long time and you still call me Pan? Come on A. I think you and I both know that our relationship extends beyond the formality of last names." He began to walk towards, increasing the beat of her heart out of uncertainty of the future events. "I saved your life A. You've been my trusted partner in crime. Out of anyone else on the island, you've never failed to impress me." Andy felt the wall against her back; she was trapped. "And you've got fire; I like fire. After all these years we've spent together, I highly value our relationship." Sure because I'm your slave and you're my master. "I'm not just the Lost Boy, Pan, or The Pan." Pan's face neared hers. His darkened green eyes bored into hers with a devilish glint. Andy's breathing hitched and the corner of Pan's mouth curved upwards into a triumphant smirk. "I'm Peter. Peter Pan."