"The Key to The Kingdom"

(c) Rebekah L. Copeland, Aiijuin Graphics 2011

Disclaimer * Based on "Labyrinth" by The Jim Henson Company (c) 1986

"Peter Pan" and characters were written respectively by J. M. Barrie

"The Neverending Story" aka "Die unendliche Geschichte" and all of its characters were written respectively by Michael Ende.

WRITER'S NOTE: Fantastica is the English literary translation of Michael Ende's setting where "The Neverending Story" takes place, which is known by Fantasia in the 1984 movie-version of the book. My version of the story is NOT based on the movie, but on the novel by Ende, therefore – I will be calling it Fantastica. Thank you!


Chapter Seven: Oh, Fantastic!

Nobody knew who the Goblin King was, nor where to find him, except – perhaps – Tinkerbell. Unfortunately, she downright refused to help Jason find his father. No matter how much Peter had threatened her, she had buttoned her lips and became as still as a statue. It seemed getting anything more from her would be futile. Worse yet, Jaye's strength was beginning to waiver. Big Chief and his people did what they could to aide Jaye. They served him food, and provided a soft place for him to rest his head, but his urgency to seek his father was too strong for him to find inner peace.

After everybody had finished eating and the Lost Boys had fallen asleep along with most of the tribe in the village, Tigerlily and Peter Pan remained alert speaking with each other about how they could find someone to help Jaye, or Jack, as Peter had called him. Peter had thrice left to speak with the mermaids, but they couldn't tell him anything about the Goblin King, nor anything about the amulet either. Several of the other fairies also gave a cold reception towards Peter once he mentioned the name of the Goblin King. Peter even considered flying back to Wendy's nursery in London and asking her if she might know, but sadly – he remembered that Wendy was an old lady now, while her daughter Jane was married with a daughter of her own, named Moira.

Peter finally raised his hands up in the air, and said outloud to no one, "Someone somewhere must know something about this Goblin King fellow. How can your father be a great king if nobody even knows where to find him or his kingdom, after all? That's seems pretty fishy to me, Jack."

"It's Jaye – oh, nevermind," Jason shrugged. "Maybe it's hidden. I suppose that's what makes it so magic."

Suddenly, as Tigerlily was tucking her little sister into her covers, she ran over to Peter and said something in an excited tone and with a great, big smile. Peter's eyes opened wide as he nodded back to the princess. "Tigerlily says that she just remembered someone who might be able to help you, but he's very far from here."

Jaye didn't hesitate for a second. He looked at the princess and pleaded, "Yes, please! Anything! Anyone! Anywhere! I'll do it!" Williams had almost completely forgotten about Toby and Alexia Williams back at home, and what might be happening in his absence. He didn't seem to care anymore. With the amulet hung around his neck, he was more focused on finding the answers than ever before. He didn't care anymore if this all were a dream at this point. Jaye simply had to solve the mystery behind his father and the amulet before he woke up again. That is, of course, if you really are dreaming, a voice in Jaye's head resounded again.

As Tigerlily relayed another message to Peter, Peter forwarded it to Jason. He began to explain, "There was a warrior boy from the Greenskin Tribe, whose home lay within the Grassy Ocean behind the Silver Mountains. His name was Atreyu. They say that he was once tasked with finding a cure for the illness of the Childlike Empress of Fantastica."

Jaye interrupted, "Are any of those places in Neverland?" Peter shook his head and answered, "No. They're not even close. In fact, I've never even heard of any of these places until now."

"Then, how can I reach this land, and will I ever find this warrior boy?" Jaye yelped in despair. Tigerlily had not, however, finished speaking with Peter. She approached Jaye and drew a picture on the ground of two snakes entwined in a twisting circle. One snake was devouring the tail of the other one, while the other snake was doing the same to the first snake. The princess continued to point towards the snakes on the ground and then up at the skies beyond Neverland.

Peter had a confused look on his brow, and he had to ask Tigerlily several questions twice just to clarify her answers. Finally, after the silence had fallen between the two once again, Pan replied to Jaye, "Tigerlily doesn't know how to find Atreyu, or where to seek his home, but she knows of a human child who does. He lives on your planet somewhere and has been to Fantastica before. Tigerlily thinks that this boy might even know more than Atreyu, but only Atreyu knows Fantastica like no other person, because he had once traveled every inch of it during his Quest– they say."

Jaye sighed, "What's the boy's name and can you take me to him, Peter? Please."

Although Peter didn't say what the boy's name was, he agreed to take Jaye to the child. Pan called Tinkerbell to his side. He was going to need some pixie power and pronto! After all, if Captain Hook could commandeer several fairies and travel with the Jolly Roger into the middle of New York City, then certainly Peter would be able to do the same. He HAD done it before through London long ago, but could hardly recall it all now. Although Hook had been swallowed whole by the crocodile that day, things in Neverland always had a way of resetting themselves through the course of absent time. It was only the Human Realm where Wendy Darling had lived, which changed and evolved into something new and where people were always being born and where they were also always dying each day.

Suddenly, at Peter's closing thought, Neverland clouded up, and began to rain. Tink sensed the change in Peter and immediately distracted him by flittering about and acting goofy. It worked. As Peter laughed, the skies overhead cleared, and the moon shone brightly overhead once more. Jaye remembered that Peter and his emotions had great sway over Neverland. Although he was only a boy, he was hardly to be underestimated. As Williams was about to ponder over his own special magic powers, a flock of faeries carried the Jolly Roger from its sea dock, and hovered over Big Chief's village. Peter and the Lost Boys - who Tinkerbell had woken up - helped Jaye board the ship. Tigerlily also helped to see her guest off.

After the ramp of the ship was lowered gently, Pan figured that it might be a good idea to force Captain Hook back unto his own ship in order to travel with Jaye on this adventure. Peter didn't much enjoy having Hook younger than himself, and he was sure that his arch nemesis also disliked being a child. He untied the pirate captain from the totem pole, and then ushered the boy up the ramp of the Jolly Roger. Peter never lowered his golden sword for a moment from Hook's back. As soon as they were all aboard the pirate ship, Peter and the Lost Boys tied Hook onto the main mast for Jaye's protection. Peter turned towards Jaye and said, "I'm going to let the fairies guide you to the human boy who knows the way into Fantastica. Tigerlily is coming with you and so is Hook. They will be your ship mates from here."

"But what about you?" Williams asked Peter. "Aren't you coming with me on this adventure? It should be fun."

Peter looked down and said softly, "No. I've got a promise to keep to Wendy. I'm going to visit her. Ha! Don't look so glum, Jack! Tigerlily has met Atreyu before long ago. She'll be able to lead you better than I could, at least I think she can... Anyway, she's strong. Oh! And when you do find your dad, could you ask him to undo the time spell on Captain Hook? He's far too unhappy being a boy, like me."

Jaye laughed and nodded as he saw a glimmer of hope reenter the child-captain's eyes. For a moment, Williams almost thought that he saw a red glint shine from Hook's irises, but it happened too quickly. He assumed that it was just his imagination, and he said nothing to Peter.

"Good bye, Jack."

"Good bye, Peter."

The two nearly-identical boys waved to each other for the last time, while the Lost Boys flailed their arms wildly on the ground as the Jolly Roger was carried off into the sky. Tinkerbell couldn't conceal her happiness at the first sign of Jaye's departure, but part of her seemed a little forlorn once he had gone, at least - after the ship had finally vanished out of sight.

The three ship mates, Jason Williams, Tigerlily, and Captain James Hook all looked ahead at the ship's bow as it careened silently across space. Once it had reached Earth, the ship made port in the sky above a dimly lit building with the sign, "Carl Conrad Coreander Old Books." Beneath it was another sign that had the bold letters saying, "NOW UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT!"

The faeries helped lower the ramp again, while Jaye disembarked followed by Tigerlily, who was escorting a bound, over-dressed kid. As Jaye approached the quiet building, he hoped that no one would see a floating pirate ship hovering only feet above a major city intersection. The sun was only rising over the horizon in the East, and the neighborhood was bathed in a pre-dawn, hazy light of pale violet. Jaye figured that he had better move quickly before anyone caught them and called the cops.

Slowly, Jaye mustered up the courage to ring the doorbell on the outside of the store. At first, there was no answer. Then, just as Jaye was about to turn around and leave, Tigerlily pushed the little black button again and again and again, until finally a raspy voice of a man replied slowly, "Yeah? Who's there?"

Jaye stepped in, as Tigerlily jumped back at bit. She wasn't used to voices that came from little speaker boxes outside of high-rise complexes. Even Hook seemed slightly disoriented. With Tigerlily's confusion, he had many opportunities to have escaped, but never bothered to try.

Jaye responded and asked, "Um. Hi."

"Look. Is this some kind of joke? It's four o'clock in the morning." The man's voice from the other side asked, this time with an angry tone laid into every syllable.

Jaye held the button again and said, "I'm sorry, but I was wondering if you could tell us anything about how to get to Fantastica and where we can find Atreyu? You see we are looking for him. We were told that someone here might know how to reach him – I hope."

Jaye had hardly finished his final sentence, when he heard chains being drawn back, and locks being turned with amazing speed. He figured the man he was speaking to had thought that he was some sort of loon loitering on his doorstep outside. In case of the worst, Jaye prepared to run the fastest route back to the Jolly Roger. Finally, after a few seconds, a short man with mousy brown hair and hickory-hazel eyes greeted Jaye with a warm enthusiasm as he flung open the chipped, old, white-washed door bearing Mr. Coreander's name on the glass pane.

"Are – are you Mr. Coreander?" Jaye asked. The man took a minute to size up the gangly, wild-haired boy with the blue-pin-striped pajamas, the native princess with her painted face, and then the pirate boy with his oversized, scarlet coat. After a minute of studying the three, the man finally answered, "No. Mr. Coreander died last year. I'm the new store owner. Bastian Balthazar Bux. Please do come in."

"Actually, we're in a bit of a hurry – sort of double-parked and all," Jaye nodded back at the Jolly Roger floating overhead, as Bastian's eyes grew even wider than they had been earlier at his first sight of the oddly-dressed children. "Maybe you can come with us, Sir."

Bastian nodded, and whispered, "I will, but I have to be back before breakfast. I need to get my kids ready for school, and my wife will wonder where I've gone if I don't return."

Jaye nodded, and moved his arm towards the ramp of the Jolly Roger, to show Bastian that he was welcome aboard. As soon as they were on deck and the ramp was raised again, the ship returned back into the clouds, where the stars were still taking solace from the sun's burning light.