Sorry for the long wait. I was on break, which I badly needed. Updates won't be as regular as they have been, but we'll see. Thank you. :)

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Parker Dooley's House

Dragon's Hallow

8:00 a.m.

-x-

Rose DeWitt Bukater sat on the second-floor balcony, painting, on a thick canvas, an orangish-red sunset over a green pine tree forest. She painted a white snow-capped mountain in the background, with shades of brown serving as its base. Yes, she was proud of this painting, if she said so herself!

Rose was a fair, seventeen-year-old woman with curly, flaming red hair, pale skin, and wearing a blue dress with gold floral embroidery sewn into the fabric. She sat on a red chair, with a floral-patterned cushion embedded to the seat.

She sighed. Yes, the painting was complete. She looked around in excitement and awe. The yellow hay strapped to the roof gave a nice feature, nicer than she first thought. Parker Dooley had such a beautiful house with beige walls and open windows, fitted with their own dark oak doors. The interior of the house was half-clean and half-messy. There was junk and also dragonoid statues littered over the place on the first and second floors. She didn't understand why the red dragonoid would live in a place so untidy.

Rose had started dating Parker since they met on the Titanic, a cruise ship that she learned was doomed to hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage. She didn't know when this event would occur. She just hoped she was ready to return to the Titanic. Otherwise, she would stay with the red dragonoid in this village.

Of course, there was the hobbit Frodo Baggins, with his soft, thick, curly dark-brown hair and those bright blue eyes that looked like the clear blue sky. She sighed at the thought of the gentle-hobbit fancying her. It was nice. She just didn't know who she liked better: Parker or Frodo? Both men – even though they weren't human – had a fondness for her, almost like they fought for her hand in marriage. She honestly had no idea whom to choose. In the end, her heart would decide who was right for her.

"Well done, Rose," it was that voice again, clear as daylight. Jack Dawson, whispering tender words in her ear. Rose looked this way and that, searching for his voice. She couldn't find him. Jack was gone. She was alone and already feeling loved. A love so fair and kind she hardly understood it.

However, as she stood up, she was approached by the Druid Allanon, the same Druid who spoke to her about Parker and Frodo's past. Rose looked at him, determined to ask what was wrong. "Allanon," she said, stunned but impressed, "what are you doing here? Are you here to see Parker or Frodo?"

"We have an urgent matter. We must leave," Allanon said, heading back into the house and down the stairs. Rose set her paintbrush down, darting after him in angst.

"What's going on?" Rose asked, concerned.

"We must find a boy and bring him to this land," Allanon said, serious.

"Okay. What sort of boy?" Rose asked, confused.

"You will see," the Druid said, mounting his horse and extending a hand to her. "Come with me."

Rose didn't hesitate. She grabbed his hand and mounted his horse, sitting behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, ready for the next task.

"Are you ready?" Allanon asked, curious.

Rose nodded. "I am."

"Let's go," Allanon said, riding off out of Dragon's Hallow. He only had two hours of sleep, but this ride was important. They had to find Peter Pan. Find him and convince him to come with them to the Land of Dragons. He hoped the boy would accept his offer and accept it. Otherwise, their worlds were doomed.

~o~

Peter Pan's Home

Neverland

9:00 a.m.

-x-

Peter Pan sat on a stool in his underground home. There was a bathtub in one corner, a window in another, seven doors for the Lost Boys, and beds embedded to the wall. He played a tune on his new panpipe. The wood was polished with a gold letter P painted on the wood. He had an inkling what the letter P stood for, but the instrument was now his to take, to play whatever notes he wanted. Ah! It was so blissful being the boy who never grew up. He lived up to that title and kept it, so he wouldn't become a man.

That would be the end of his existence if he dreamt it. But he didn't want to dream it! He wanted to stay young forever. He was the boy of youth and joy. No one could defeat him! He was an adventurer and a legend. That was how he would stay. Forever.

Peter had short blond hair, ruffled from the wind. He wore green clothes, the kind of clothes he made by himself. On his belt was a silver dagger that he kept on him at all times. It hadn't been too long ago since Eretria, a human woman with straight black hair and who wore a brown jacket, a pair of grey pants, and a dark shirt with a shoulder strap. Ah, Eretria! His distant cousin. She didn't understand how much he knew about their family history, the one Tinkerbell brought up to him one day. She was a fairy, but fairies brought up tales of the past and the mysterious First World, a world that exploded and brought about the other worlds in the universe… or so the stories had told. Yes, his bloodline was murderous, but he had a fair share of battles and bloodshed. It was nothing new to him. What difference did it make? He was glad that Eretria escaped Neverland.

She wasn't fit for the island life. She was too worried about heading back to the Four Lands, a post-apocalyptic land he only just visited. He sighed, hoping he would see her again—

Three knocks protruded from the third of the seven doors. Peter jumped from his stool, stowing the panpipe on his belt, before rushing to the third door and opening it. He jumped upon seeing a Druid enter his estate, along with a flaming-haired young woman. My, my! He was intrigued by her – but he didn't know why that was! What was this feeling and why couldn't he simply ignore it?

"Who are you?" Peter asked the woman, confused and enthralled by her beauty. "What is this feeling? What's wrong with me?" He blurted out in frustration.

"What are you talking about?" Rose asked, confused.

"Ahem!" Allanon got their attention. "Rose DeWitt Bukater, this is Peter Pan. He's the boy who never grew up, or so they say."

"I live up to that title!" Peter said, planting his fists on his hips with pride. "I'm the best boy there ever was!"

"I'll have to question that," Allanon said with a smirk.

Peter smiled. He relaxed, asking the intruders, "What are you doing here? How did you get to Neverland?"

"Your jungle is not far away from the Land of Dragons. You may have noticed a barrier opened up in your jungle. It explains why the Rover girl Eretria vanished, or so it seemed," Allanon explained.

"Yes, I saw her disappear," Peter's brow furrowed, quizzically. He pulled out his dagger, ready to fight the Druid! "What is this? If you're here to fight, you've got another thing coming!"

"Put that dagger down, boy! I'm not here to fight you. I'm offering you a job," Allanon said, getting the boy's attention.

Peter kept his dagger out, confused by everything that was going on. "What job?"

"I said, put that weapon down. Let's not make this situation messier," Allanon told him, serious now.

Peter shrugged, sheathing his weapon. "Alright, but you better be telling the truth."

Allanon smirked, liking this boy. "The dragonoid Mordru uncovered a box. Pandora's box. We need it back, to restore it to the Fafner Prison before Mordru opens the box and unleashes Hope. It is crucial we return this box to Fafner Prison. In order to do that, we're putting together a team. You have been chosen to join this team." He added, showing Peter a picture of Pandora's box. "The Shadow Squad needs you. We need your help."

"Where am I going?" Peter asked, worried. "I won't grow up, will I?"

"We'll ensure that doesn't happen, unless you choose it," Allanon said, precisely.

"That won't happen!" Peter said with pride.

"I'm sure it won't." Allanon took the picture away, stowing it in his pack. He looked at the boy, telling him, "Are you coming? Your quest awaits you."

"Wait. I didn't agree to this!" Peter started, confusion seething. He looked at Rose, wondering, "Do I have to go?"

Rose whispered, "Just do as he says. The Druid tells half-truths, but he wants you to come. I wouldn't turn him down."

Peter growled. The last thing he wanted was to follow this Druid. No matter where Allanon took him, he hoped he wouldn't have to grow up. He didn't want to! He wanted to stay a boy forever! Well, if he truly was leaving Neverland, then he would fly. He grabbed Rose's hand. "Come with me." He led her outside, back to the jungle with its green leafy plants and its bright green grass. He let go of her hand, asking the Druid as Rose mounted behind Allanon. "Where are we going?"

"To the Land of Dragons," Allanon told him, sharply. "Are you coming? Or would you prefer to stay here?"

Peter shook his head. Did he have a choice? "I'm coming."

"Good lad," Allanon said, rearing his horse and darting off through the jungle.

Peter watched Allanon take off on his grey spotted steed. This was it! He was leaving Neverland under his own charge. What would he tell Tinkerbell? Surely, she would stay here with the fairies. But then, they were close friends.

Yes, there was the glowing ball of light, floating towards him. It was Tinkerbell and she was mad. Her light changed from gold to red. It was as if she knew what was happening. He sighed, fearing he might not come back.

"You can come if you want, Tink. I won't stop you," Peter said, encouraging her.

Tinkerbell's light returned to gold. Tinkerbell darted around him, dusting him with pixie dust. Peter smiled, laughing joyously as she spun around him, making her usual bell sounds. He nodded to her, grateful she was coming.

"Friends forever, right Tink?" Peter asked, smiling.

Tinkerbell sang her bell song, swirling around fast as the blond-haired boy climbed higher into the sky, searching for Allanon. It took the boy and his fairy some time before they found him heading straight for a barrier, close to the waterfall and the cave where he found the panpipe.

He flew down to where Allanon was. Just as the Druid galloped across the barrier, Peter zoomed through the barrier, heard a ripping sound in the air, and entered a world with a plain nearby and a grassland in the distance. He flew on until he, Tinkerbell, the Druid, and Rose reached the green grassland, where the boy witnessed a village made out of thatched houses and stone walls.

This was their destination. Now, the adventure could begin. But where was he supposed to meet Allanon? And who was this Shadow Squad? He had a feeling he would find out soon enough.