Chapter 21: A Pirate's Life
"First the Tower of London, arr!
The guards won't know what hit it
We swoop right down and take the crown
And the crown jewels with it"
"And when we fly to Paris
All the treasures I'll be grabbin'
The Mona Lisa will look lovely
Hanging in me cabin"
"Hey, ho!
Imagine the places that we'll go
No one can stop us when we're so high
In the stratosphere"
"Hey, ho!
We'll be the freighter that plunders
Every one of the world's Seven Wonders
When we're up in the skies
For who can fight a frigate that flies?
No one can fight a frigate that flies"
Early morning on the Never Seas. While one may have expected it to be quiet and serene after so beautiful a night, it was actually quite alive with music as the Jolly Roger sailed toward Neverland proper. Despite their nasty expressions and dirty appearance, the men of Captain Hook's crew could still belt out a song at the drop of a hat. And out there on the open ocean their voices carried clear and far.
"Next we'll roam to Rome, me lads
And here's what I'll be stealing
I'll rob the Sistine Chapel
Of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling"
"And for all the folks in Egypt
It will be a dismal day
They'll be crying for their mummies
When we take their mummies away!"
"Hey, ho!
Imagine the places that we'll go
No one can stop us when we're so high
They will all cower in fear, arr!"
"Hey, ho!
From Delhi to Rio to Venice
There's no city that we will not menace
When we're up in the skies
For who can fight a frigate that flies?
No one can fight a frigate that flies"
And after the crew learned that Xion had taken dance classes it wasn't long before they were egging her on to show off right there on deck. She was convinced eventually, but not about to do it alone roped Roxas in to joining her too despite his lack of even basic dance lessons. But soon the voyage had a whole show going under the morning sun as the crew played music, sang, clapped, and cheered.
"Hey, ho!
Imagine the places that we'll go
No one can stop us when we're so high
Givin' a pirate cheer, arr!"
"Hey, ho!
We'll be the freighter that plunders
Every one of the world's Seven Wonders
When we're up in the skies
For who can fight a frigate that flies?"
"Hey, ho!
There's not a town or a county
That will not yield its bounty up
When our ship draws near"
"Hey, ho!
There's not a city or village
That we will not plunder or pillage
When we're up in the skies
For who can fight a frigate that flies?"
"And every nation
Will give a donation
When they see us sail the skies
In a frigate that flies!"
The music came to an end and Roxas and Xion spun around one final time before striking a pose. Their dance had been rough and impromptu, and their faces were slick with sweat as they caught their breaths, but the crew didn't seem to care one bit. They applauded the duo, wrapping their arms around their shoulders and firing compliment after compliment.
"We've got a couplea' right talented new sailors, we do!" declared one.
Roxas slipped out of the grip of a larger pirate who was attempting to give him a noogie. "Come on now, you guys were the ones doing all the singing. And that was a pretty catchy song!"
From the upper deck near the wheel, Mr. Smee chuckled. "Why, it's an old favorite of Cap'n Hook's from his boyhood–" CLANG!
Mr. Smee was cut off by Captain Hook smacking his hook into his first mate's head. "It's no such thing, Mr. Smee." Then Hook dismissively he waved his hook as if to shoo Smee away and turned his attention back to steering the ship. "Now check with the lookout. Where are we?"
Dazed, swaying, and with stars in his eyes, Smee still gave a salute. "Aye, aye, Cap'n." He quickly shook his head, his cheeks flapping at the motions. Once he had recovered from the captain's beating, Smee ran to the railing on the upper deck and called to the crow's nest high above. "Ahoy, Mr. Lookout! Any sign?"
The crew, Roxas and Xion included, all turned their attention up to the lookout as he peered through his spyglass. After a moment the man gasped and called down below: "Land ho! Neverland off the port bow!"
"Neverland off the port bow!" Smee repeated back to Hook.
"I heard him loud and clear, Smee." Hook spun the wheel, causing the ship to lurch toward port. "All hands on deck! Make ready to drop anchor!"
Smee repeated the orders to the crew. "All hands on deck! Make ready to drop anchor!"
Immediately everyone scrambled, leaving Roxas and Xion in the eye of a storm as pirates ran back and forth, this way and that up and down the deck. They tied some ropes and untied others, furled some sails and unfurled others. And those two poor kids, having never been on a ship before, were left standing in the middle of it all hopelessly confused.
"Set a course for Cannibal Cove, Smee!"
"Set a course for Cannibal Cove, Smee! …Oh, yes. Aye aye, Cap'n!" With another salute Smee hurried and took over the wheel.
With his arms behind his back Hook slowly and deliberately moved down the steps toward the lower deck, with the pirates continuing to move and hurry for landing but swerving around him without him needing to do so much as glance in their direction. He approached the still-bewildered Roxas and Xion and draped his good arm over their shoulders while tugging at his mustache with his hook.
"My dear children, I take it this is your first time seeing Neverland?"
"I've been to the smaller islands near here, but never Neverland itself," Roxas answered.
"It's my first time here at all," Xion added. She looked a bit nervously at everyone running around. "Is there anything we can do to help with preparations?"
"Nonsense! If this is your first time seeing Neverland, then it should be one to make a memory of! Come, this way." His arm still over their shoulders, Hook directed Roxas and Xion up to the bow of the ship. He pulled out a spyglass and peered into it for a moment. "Yes, you should be able to see the island with the naked eye any minute now. It really is quite the beautiful sight, you know."
As the Jolly Roger continued its way through the Never Seas and behind the three of them the crew continued their preparations, Roxas and Xion eagerly looked out over the horizon. Sure enough, soon a point of green began to come into focus in the middle of the endless blue. As it got closer and they could begin to make out details, Xion gasped.
"It's so pretty!"
And that it was. Neverland was a lush island, covered in vibrant green jungle from the shore to the mountaintops. They were approaching from the south, and it appeared that elevation on the island rose the more you moved toward the center of the island. Though the shore closest to them was at sea level, the mountains further back reached up into the clouds and had rainbows dancing between their peaks.
Hook leaned down between their heads. "Aye it's pretty, and as captain it is rightfully my domain. But my claim has been challenged time and time again. Not only by these recent usurper pirate crews, but more importantly, and more numerously, by a certain upstart young brat who lives in the jungle."
The ship moved toward a natural harbor which must have been the Cannibal Cove Hook mentioned earlier. It was certainly ominously named, but it didn't look the part. The water was crystal clear, revealing vibrant coral and bright, colorful fish beneath the surface. The golden sands surrounding three-fourths of the cove shined brightly in the sun, and the calls of monkeys and parrots could be heard coming from the jungle just a few yards from the water. But if they listened closely, they could hear something else beneath the animal cries. A soft, monotonous sound.
Tick-tock, tick-tock…
Xion would have thought she was hearing things if Hook hadn't frozen up behind the two Keyblade wielders. His body was rigid, his grip on her shoulder tight, and his eyes wide; but actually, on a second glance, he wasn't completely frozen. His mustache was moving in time with the faint noise, up with the ticks and down with the tocks.
Roxas craned his neck to look at Hook behind them. "Um, Captain..?"
Xion pried herself out of Hook's grip and peered over the edge of the ship, where she could hear the ticking coming from. The sight that greeted her certainly wasn't one she had expected! Lounging on a rock that stuck out of the water was a large green crocodile, its tail wagging in time with the ticking. Was… was it the source of the sound? The crocodile licked its lips as it eyed the Jolly Roger, and then noticed Xion watching it and winked at her.
What in the world?
"S-S-S-SMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Screaming at the top of his lungs, Hook bolted off without warning. He dashed toward the back of the ship as if the devil himself were at his heels, knocking aside crewmen without any regard for their own safety.
"What is it, Cap'n?"
Hook didn't even acknowledge the question. Instead he shoved Smee aside, sending the tubby first mate tumbling onto the lower deck, and gripped the wheel tight in his white, clammy fingers. His whole body shook, his eyes were wide as saucers, his teeth chittered, and his mustache continued to move along with the tick-tock, tick-tock.
Speaking of which, the ticking was moving. Xion turned again to look out at the water, where the crocodile had slipped off its rock and began swimming toward the rear of the ship. Its tail and eyes stuck out of the water, tail wagging and eyes bopping up and down in time with the ticking.
Hook screamed bloody murder again and spun the wheel, lurching the entirety of the Jolly Roger to the right super suddenly and threatening to capsize it. But it was a tough old boat and righted itself out quickly as it turned on a dime, now pointing out of Cannibal Cove. Hook tugged on a rope to unfurl all the sails, and with another lurch forward the ship took off – fast! The old galleon moved as if it was suddenly a motorboat.
As Xion, Roxas, and the rest of the crew held on to anything they could to avoid falling overboard, Smee slowly climbed up to join the two Keyblade wielders. Roxas coughed as seawater splashed his face. "Mr. Smee, what's gotten into the captain?!"
Smee chuckled, but there was a hint of exasperation behind his voice. "Oh, that was ol' Tick-Tock Croc! Don't mind him, he just chases the Cap'n on account of eating his hand way back when. He liked the taste, y'see."
Xion could feel the blood drain from her face, and knew her voice would shake even before she spoke. "Pardon?"
"Oh yes, Peter Pan chopped off Cap'n Hook's hand and fed it to the crocodile! But not to worry, we always know when he's comin' because he swallowed a clock too. That's why you hear the tick-tock, tick-tock…"
Smee trailed off, and Roxas and Xion stared at each other as they continued to hold tightly to the ship. Cut off Hook's hand and fed it to a crocodile? Just what kind of madman was this Peter Pan anyway? The concern lingered on their minds as Hook's hysteria died down and, eventually, he stopped in the waters somewhere near the western end of the island and dropped anchor. There was no good way for the ship to reach the shore without a deep-water port, and so the crew set about getting a dinghy ready while Smee spoke to a shaking Hook in hushed tones, trying to calm the rest of his nerves.
They had spotted Neverland in the morning, but after all that chaos and changing of plans it was past noon by the time Roxas and Xion set foot on dry land. They were at the base of an unbelievably tall cliff, the Jolly Roger visible but distant out at sea, and the dinghy bobbing in the water beside them with Smee holding the oars.
"Cap'n, are you sure Chief Great Big Little Panther won't notice us?" As he asked the question Smee stared up the cliff. Xion could just barely make out cheering and singing coming from the top.
"Is that one of Pan's friends?" Roxas asked.
"I suppose he is, yes. He's the chief of a tribe that lives up on top of these cliffs."
"Aye, and any friend of Peter Pan's is an enemy of mine." Hook adjusted his hat and took a quick look at their surroundings, then one more glance up the cliff. "I'm positive we'll be undiscovered, Mr. Smee. We're surrounded by rocks and cloaked in the shade. Besides, we'll only be here for a few minutes. Now then, Roxas, Xion."
The two started and stood at attention. "Aye, Captain!"
"As you recall, the terms of your employment were providing me the use of your Keyblades. I take it you're curious to know just what for?" Hook grinned wryly at the two of them as he reached into his coat and pulled out a rolled up parchment. He handed it to Roxas who slowly unfurled it, careful not to tear it given its obvious age.
"This is…"
"A map of Neverland, yes. And we're here near the Indian Camp." Hook tapped the map with his hook and then dragged it upward. "Your target, my dear children, is here to the north: Hangman's Tree. That is where Peter Pan has made his home base."
Xion frowned ever so slightly. Okay, so what did that have to do with their Keyblades? "Do you want us to unlock his front door?"
Hook chuckled and shook his head. "No, no. Your goal is inside the tree, in Pan's hideout. He has stolen something of mine, you see. Something very precious, very valuable – irreplaceable, even! And it has been locked in a chest. That is where your wonderful keys come in."
Roxas rubbed his chin as he examined the map. "Okay, I think I get it. So we sneak in to Peter Pan's hideout, unlock this chest, and take what's inside?"
"But how do we know if it's the right chest?" Xion asked.
"Clever girl, aren't you? But it's a simple answer! The treasure Pan stole from me glows, you see. The chest that contains it will have a blue light visible through the keyhole."
Roxas rolled the map back up and put it in his coat pocket. "That sounds easy enough to find to me. We're happy to help, Captain Hook, but don't forget we do have a deal. You need to help us find what we're looking for once we get your treasure."
Hook's smile was warm as he held his arms out. "Why of course! And if anything, what you retrieve will make it easier for us to find what you're looking for. Once you have my prize, meet up with the ship at Mermaid Lagoon on the eastern end of the island. We're safe here for now, but Smee is right – it's better not to risk the chief spotting us."
"Aye, aye." Roxas saluted, then looked to Xion and held out his hand. "Arr, ye ready for an adventure?"
Xion laughed and took his hand. "Always, you scurvy dog! Let's go find us some buried treasure!"
x-x-x
As it turned out, Neverland was a lot bigger than it looked from the water and wasn't all that easy to traverse. And the hardest part? Well that had to be their challenge right at the start: scaling the cliff that Hook had left them at. It didn't help that the rocks were slick from the waterfalls. It was almost like this place was made with flight in mind–
Oh yeah.
About halfway up their climb, Xion stopped on a wide enough foothold to allow for it. "Roxas, no one is around to see us if we want to use our Keyblade Gliders."
Xion's realization came when Roxas was just about to jump to his next platform, and he nearly slipped and fell back down to the sea when she said it. He flailed his arms and leaned back from the edge to regain his footing, then after a moment's pause called his Keyblade out without a word, his bright red face the only commentary needed.
And so the second half of scaling the Rainbow Falls was easy going, but they chose to walk once they reach the top just in case any natives to this world saw them. The land leveled out quickly and they followed a thin river further inland, crossing a bridge formed from a fallen tree as they did so. The river eventually settled at the base of a gulley, and the familiar sounds of partying could be heard coming from one of the canyon exits. Roxas peered around the rock wall, catching sight of the village which they had been beneath earlier. Their detour during the journey up the cliff had taken them to practically right above where they'd started.
"Let's try the other way," he said with his finger held in front of his lips.
North was where Hook and the map said Hangman's Tree was located, and so north was where they went. Gradually their rocky surroundings gave way to dense jungle, which certainly made the trek easier, but marching through a jungle was still no afternoon stroll.
"You doing okay?"
In the middle of wiping the sweat from her forehead, Xion glanced over at Roxas who was watching her curiously. She brushed her hands on her skirt and gave a nod. "Yeah. It's just humid is all."
"Like we're back on the Destiny Islands," Roxas agreed with a grin.
Xion ducked under a low-hanging branch and then held it aside for Roxas to pass by. "This world almost doesn't feel real, because it definitely wasn't tropical by that village."
"I know what you mean. I mean, I guess I'm not an expert, but pine trees and palm trees being so close together is kind of weird. It's like this whole island is a patchwork." Roxas looked through the trees and caught sight of a grizzly bear trying to climb a banana tree, as if nature was proving his point. "Like it came from a bunch of different ideas that some kids had while playing pretend."
The jungle began to thin as they approached a clearing, and Xion slowly came to a stop at the edge of the tree line. "Speaking of which."
If there was one single thing that came from kids playing pretend, it was the sight in front of them: a large tree smack-dab in the center of the forest with small round doors all over the trunk. That had to be Hangman's Tree, and frankly it wouldn't have looked out of place on the play island back in the Destiny Islands.
They approached the tree warily; if this was Peter Pan's hideout, then it was possible he left some lookout. But no one had jumped out at them by the time they reached the tree, and even when Roxas slowly opened one of the doors there was no alarm or anything. No guards even when the pirates knew exactly where this place was? Was this Peter guy confident he'd be okay, or was he just an idiot?
The two of them peered inside the small round hollow, which was just barely big enough for them to squeeze in single file. Turned out the entire tree had been hollowed out, with a system of makeshift stairs, lifts, and ladders leading down underground. With a look back over his shoulder Roxas gave Xion a nod and then went in first. Xion looked back behind her to make sure they weren't being followed, then quickly went in after him and shut the door behind her.
So as it turned out, they were actually too big for the staircase. "Does Peter Pan have gnomes working for him or something?" Roxas muttered as he just jumped the few yards down into the earth, skipping the system of ladders and steps entirely. Xion landed soon after him. It was cool and damp in here, as to be expected from an underground cave. They traveled through a short tunnel and under a pond that was on the ceiling instead of the floor, the colorful fish within watching them with interest. That was probably the weirdest thing Xion had seen so far today, and yet somehow it fit right in with what she'd seen of the rest of Neverland. Down another few steps, and they finally emerged in what had to be Peter Pan's hideout.
"Okay, let's look for that chest," Roxas said.
Easier said than done, this place was a mess. There was clutter everywhere, just random things like wooden swords and pottery and bear skin rugs scattered all over the place. Maybe they were keepsakes or something, but to an outsider it all just looked like junk. Xion moved aside an oversized headdress made of feathers, revealing a stuffed bear underneath.
"You know…" She picked up the bear and set it on a nearby hammock. A noticeably small hammock. "This place doesn't exactly seem like some wicked enemy's stronghold." The small beds, the scattered toys, the almost whimsical idea of living inside a cave under a hollow tree… She couldn't imagine someone who cut off a pirate's hand and fed it to a crocodile living here. It was more like a children's playroom. "Are we sure we're in the right place?"
Roxas scratched his head while he looked up from a wooden chest he was digging through. "We followed Hook's directions, so I think so." Then he let out a breath and looked around the room with a shrug. "But yeah, something isn't right here."
"…Let's ask Hook for the truth after we get back to him. He clearly isn't telling us everything."
Roxas stood up and dusted off his legs. "What about our deal with him? Should we leave the treasure he's looking for here, do you think?"
Xion bit her lip. Good question. She looked around the room again. They needed more information what was going on with this Pan guy, but as far as their own issue was concerned… "Hook recognized our Keyblades, so he's still our best bet to find the Keyhole for now. Let's keep our deal, but if something goes wrong, it's not like we can't fight him off. He's just a pirate – we've handled worse."
After a moment, Roxas nodded. "Okay, then that's the plan. Let's keep looking."
Xion moved aside a bear rug hanging on the wall, revealing a door leading to a single room behind it. And there, sitting in the dark next to a makeshift chair of wood and animal hide, was a small chest with a faint blue glow coming out of the keyhole. Just like Hook said. Xion turned back to the main room. "Roxas, in here!"
The chest wasn't very large, it was maybe a bit bigger than a shoebox. It was made of wood with golden leaves decorating it; not gold leaf, but literal golden leaves. Clearly magic of some sort. With a glance at Roxas, Xion held the box up to him and he tapped it with Oathkeeper. A chime sounded from the box and echoed throughout Peter Pan's hideout before the lid slowly creaked open. Xion and Roxas peered inside.
"This is all it is?" Disappointment dripped from Roxas's voice, and Xion had to agree.
They set the chest down on the chair and lifted its contents out of it. Nothing but a simple brown sack tied shut by some rope, with the blue glow coming from within. "Some buried pirate treasure this turned out to be." She'd been expecting gold and jewels; maybe lapis lazuli or sapphires, since it was blue. You know, something pretty, something she could maybe make a necklace or bracelet out of. The sack sure wasn't much to look at, and it was way too light to be holding metals or gems. In fact, as she squeezed the sack, it felt like sand was all that was in there. Glowing blue sand, woo, how impressive.
"How lame. Well, we got Hook's 'treasure', so I guess let's get out of here."
"I guess so," Xion said. Man, what a disappointing way to end their first day as pirates.
Past the ceiling-pond and up the ladders and stairs, they made their way back outside. Xion climbed out of Hangman's Tree first, then turned around to help Roxas out. She tied the sack to her waist while he pulled the map Hook had given them out of his coat. "Hook said to meet up with him at Mermaid Lagoon. We're way at the north point of the island, but it looks like it's just a straight shot southeast through the jungle."
"Sounds good."
Xion turned to move back toward the edge of the clearing, but as soon as she took her first step, a sound something like fwick came out from the trees. Xion froze in place as an arrow narrowly avoided piercing her leg, instead landing arrowhead-first in the soft earth. Without needing any more warning both Roxas and Xion were immediately on the defensive, backs pressed against each other and Keyblades at the ready.
"Do you see anything?"
"No, I– there!"
In the trees, standing on a branch, was a girl a couple years younger than them, wielding a bow and glaring daggers their way. She had darker skin, black hair, and if looks could kill they would easily be dead by now. Was she from that village? Had they been spotted after all?
"Good job, Tiger Lily! That'll stop those pirates!"
A boy's voice called out from the trees, and suddenly a blur of green flew into the clearing. Flew! A kid around the girl's age pounded his chest and let out a rooster crow, hovering in the air while gold dust sparkled off his body. Still on the defensive, both Xion and Roxas took particular notice of the dagger hanging on the boy's belt.
"Good goin', Pan! You caught 'em!" Dozens of light footfalls followed the flying boy as a small army of even younger kids dressed in animal pajamas emerged from the jungle. A couple of them were carrying clubs, but even the oldest of them couldn't be older than like eight years old, what in the world was going on here?!
Roxas and Xion backed up against the tree, keeping their Keyblades out and pointed toward this sudden surprise party. They were surrounded, and while the kids were surely no threat, the boy and girl could be trouble. Especially if he was Peter Pan, who he certainly had to be.
This was bad.
The song that the crew was singing at the beginning is "The Frigate that Flies" from The Pirate Fairy, one of those Tinker Bell movies that take place before she meets Peter. The movie in general and song in particular served as the inspiration for this Neverland visit, but it doesn't tie in directly and enough will be explained that I don't think you'll need to watch it to understand. I do recommend watching it just for the sake of watching it though; I haven't seen any of the other Tinker Bell movies but The Pirate Fairy is pretty good.