PART 4: CHAPTER 1:
There was very little in this world that could send me spiraling, send me back into the dark corners of my mind, very little that affected me, that turned me back into the innocent girl that arrived on this island all those years ago. After almost two centuries in this place, I learned to cut myself off from my emotions, shut them out, and bury them deep within my subconscious. It was the only way I knew to survive here, to not let the darkness consume my heart, to not let the pain weaken me, turn me into another Wendy.
In this moment, after doing what I did, the darkness, the hurt, the pain, the sorrow broke down the walls that I had built up, turning them into nothing but rubble at my feet. The one thing that made me special, the one thing that made me whole, that had saved me countless times from death, was used to bring death to others. I knew that with my help, with my gift, the mermaids could easily destroy whoever had arrived on this island, they could pulverize them, using their very emotions against them, their anger, their rage, fueled by their emotions a typhoon like they had never seen would hit them and leave them with nothing.
Using what the moon, the earth, the universe had granted me against another being especially for pan made me sick to my stomach, I could not handle the guilt that filled me, the utter disgust for myself. How could I do that to someone else?
"Would you stop it?" I heard a voice say behind me and I jumped in surprise, I whipped my body around to face Tink, a small ex-pixie, her hands on her hips, attitude rolling off her in waves,
"Stop what?" I whispered looking down, wishing that I could become so small that I would cease to exist,
"Blaming yourself," she said grabbing my shoulder, "There is nothing you could have done,"
"I could have-" she shook her head,
"No, you couldn't have," she replied, "Because even if you wanted to, even if you had said no, he would have destroyed the ship anyway, and then he would have punished you," She grabbed my face gently, "you need to get over it," I looked down, "Emotions have no place on this island," I took a deep breath, "We just do what we need to do to survive,"
"Ok," I whispered, she nodded in satisfaction before turning to walk away,
"Besides I have a feeling that the story is far from over," she said turning back around a smirk on her face, I looked at her in confusion, and she chuckled shaking her head, "By the way Felix is looking for you," she said walking deeper into the forest, "Something about the boy," I took a deep cleansing breath quickly rebuilding the wall, that turned me into a numb stone once again, I walked into the forest my eyes closed, letting my muscles guide me back to camp.
When I arrived at the clearing, the boys, young and old were standing weapons in hand, prepared to fight, I shook my head knowing that whatever Master Peter had planned, many of these boys would not survive. Many of these boys would die alone, with nothing as Master Peter could care less what happened to any of us as long as he got what he wanted. Hearing me approach, Master Peter turned around his arms extended in a twisted welcome,
"Welcome back," Master Peter hissed a sick smile on his face, "How did it feel?"
"How did what feel," I growled,
"Killing those people on that ship?" I growled again and he laughed grabbing my face, "Good you're angry," he said squeezing, "We're going to need that today," he let me go pushing me backwards roughly, I clenched my fist and bowed my head,
"Whatever you need," I hissed, "You know I will do whatever you ask of me," he walked forwards, grabbed my face again and planted a rough kiss on my lips,
"Good girl," he turned around to face our clan of lost children, "Felix," he growled,
"Sir?"
"You know what to do," he said loudly, "And take the bitch with you," he pushed me towards the group of boys Felix had assembled, "She may prove to be useful,"
"Yes sir," Felix said nodding, he handed me a bow and arrow, "You know what to do," he said softly, I nodded, he looked towards our group before shouting "Boys! Let's go hunting!"
The ground seemed to tremble with the force of our feet; every animal on the island seemed to be in hiding, sensing the destruction that was about to ensue. I wished in that moment that I could do the same that I didn't have to play a part in whatever evil Master Peter had planned for us.
We arrived at the opening of a small clearing and slowed our pace, so that our prey would not hear us coming, Felix turned to me and pointed towards the trees, I nodded signaling a small group of archers to follow me high above the ground, hidden by foliage, the archers and I had a clear view of who we were hunting.
Down below I could see a man and a woman accompanied by a boy his hands restrained by something that I could not place. The man was of average build, a dark shirt and pants, the woman's hair was wet, she looked stressed or confused, the boy was wearing a dark jacket, I could tell by their clothing that they were not from my time, or even my world, but from an entirely different one. I could smell the smell of smoke, as the man lit a small fire,
"He's just a child," I hissed under my breath as the young boy asked,
"We making s'mores," The man got up,
"No," he said scowling; he wiped his hands "We're building a signal," he stood up wiping his hands, "help me gather some dry leaves, we need to let the home office know we're here,"
"Home office?" I asked under my breath,
"What if that's not enough?" the woman asked her arms crossed across her chest, "What if the empty communicator wasn't an accident?"
"Don't let the kid get in your head," the man growled,
"They have no idea who they are working for," I said shaking my head, I looked down at Felix who nodded at me, "Are you guys ready?" I whispered to the hunters behind me, they murmured in response,
I saw the foliage down below rustle as Felix and his group emerged from the bushes, his club over his shoulder, his stance menacing, and ready to attack, we aimed our weapons,
"Who are you?" the man asked confusion crossing his features like a tidal wave,
"We're the home office," Felix said extending his hands, a smile on his face, he was enjoying this hunt, "Welcome to Neverland,"
"The home office…" The woman said looking around "is a bunch of teenagers?"
"They're not teenagers," the young boy said, "They're the lost boys,"
"Smart kid," I muttered at the same time Felix said,
"Look at that,"
"Why do the lost boys want to destroy magic?" he asked his voice small, filled with innocence and confusion,
"Who said we want to destroy magic?" Felix said looking down his eyes wild with thirst; he was itching for a fight,
"That was our mission," the man said walking to stand in front of the boy almost as if he were to protect him,
"Idiot," I hissed the hunters murmured in agreement behind me,
"So you were told…yes" he smirked taking in the reactions of the pair, "now the boy, hand him over,"
"Not until you tell us the plan," the woman said walking to stand in front of the boy as well, "For magic, for getting home," Felix bared his teeth, scoffed and looked down, he licked his lips and walked closer to the pair,
"You're not getting home," he said his face becoming cold, I knew he had turned it off, in that instant the Felix that was my friend no longer existed but instead a cold killer in his place. The man stood up tall, trying to make himself as large as possible, just like a caged animal,
"Then you're not getting the boy," he hissed,
"Of course, we are," Felix said smirking,
"Now," I hissed, as my team and I dropped down from the trees, at the same time that Master Peter's shadow appeared in front of the man ripping his shadow from his chest killing him instantly, he dropped to the floor the fire growing bigger with one less shadow snuffing out its light. The shadow roared carrying what was once a man away to this islands version of purgatory,
"Run!" the woman yelled to the boy who took off running into the woods,
"Get the boy," Felix said calmly, most of the boys nodded running after Master Peter's new play thing "Rosalie," he said turning to me, "Take care of the bitch will you," I nodded drawing my weapon, and firing a single shot through her back, into her left lung, she gasped falling to the ground, I walked over to her wheezing body and pushed the arrow in further, leaning down beside her,
"Better a quick death than a slow one on this island," I whispered in her ear, "You'll be dead soon," I said caressing her face, "don't worry," I got up and whipped my hands, "She'll die soon," I said to Felix, he nodded,
"Come on," he said softly, "We have to pay someone a visit,"
"Who?" I asked
"An old friend of Pan," he said walking into the jungle, "a crocodile,"
"Wait a crocodile?" I called running after Felix, he looked down at me and smirked, "What do you mean?" he cocked his head, "The crocodile from the ship?" he smirked ,"I thought they all died in the storm," he laughed,
"This coward left before the storm," I looked down confused, "And besides there are very few things that can terminate that crocodile, your storm in unfortunately not one of them,"
"Great," I growled under my breath, and started walking quickly letting anger and sadness flood my system like the tidal wave that was supposed to kill the crocodile,
"Rosalie," Felix growled again, grabbing my hand and forcing me to look at him, "Wipe your face," he said, "You're crying again," I cursed and wiped my eyes with my hands, "Your emotions are showing," he rumbled
"Yeah well, I don't enjoy killing like you," I jeered, he raised his hand slapping me across the face and I hissed in pain,
"Watch your tongue," he snarled,
"Sorry," I whispered, he sighed and picked up my bow that had fallen when he hit me,
"Rosalie, I don't enjoy killing," he said softly, "It's just something that doesn't affect me anymore," he grabbed my hand gently, "life and death are one and the same Rosa, if we cry for death we must cry for life as well, it just a natural part of existing," I nodded and looked down,
"I know," I turned away and starting walking again not sure where I was going but no longer wanting to stand and talk about my sins,
"I know you don't want to hear this, but good job Rosa," he called, I turned around, "You've turned into the hunter I knew you could be," I nodded again as he lead me through the jungle.
Just as we arrived at a clearing on the other side of the jungle, we heard a voice call out, "Come out and say hello dearie,"
"Is that…" Felix put his finger to his lips and smirked,
"Stay here," he whispered, before walking out to face the crocodile,
"Hello Rumpelstiltskin," Felix said, I peeked out from my hiding place and gasped recognizing that face from my land,
"Shit," I cursed making sure I was well hidden, the Dark One waved his hands in a sarcastic gesture,
"Pan welcomes you to the island," Felix said walking closer, "he wanted me to tell you he is excited to see you,"
"Yeah, I'm sure," the dark one scoffed,
"He wanted me to let you know," Felix said walking closer, "That you are welcome in Neverland, as long as you wish to stay," he took a dramatic breath, "with one caveat,"
"There is always something with him," the dark one grumbled
"If you're here for the boy, well…" he took a breath, "that makes you Pan's enemy,"
"Then nothing's changed," Rumpelstiltskin sneered,
"If you go against him…" he sucked his teeth, "you will not survive," the dark one smirked
"Well the question isn't will I survive," Rumpelstiltskin said getting up, "Because we both know I won't,"
"Careful Felix," I hissed under my breath drawing my weapon,
"No, no, the real question is…" He grabbed Felix by the collar roughly and growled, "How many of you I take with me," I growled, getting ready to shoot my arrow, "Tell your pet to put it away,"
"Rosalie," Felix said dully, I lowered my weapon slowly, "So is that your answer?"
"That's my answer,"
"Well I suppose that means I'll see you again," Felix rumbled "in less friendly circumstances,"
"Count on it," the dark one snarled walking away,
"One last thing," Felix said turning around slowly, reaching into his cloak and pulling out what looked to be an old doll, he tossed it at the dark ones feet, "there is something he wanted you to have" Rumpelstiltskin sucked in air quickly in shock, before falling to his knees, as he clutched the doll close to him, "Isn't it funny, how things we haven't thought about in years still have the ability to make us cry," Felix snickered before getting up, "see you around dark one," he walked back into the forest with a smirk on his face,