He Can Fly
"I see it!" Sora shouted.
Peter covered his mouth and help him back giving a small hush, yet there standing a few feet in front of them was the Jolly Roger in all it's terror. Hook and the Heartless had already arrived yet they were still getting ready to set sail meaning there was still time left. On the main deck he could see Riku staring out into the distance, his eyes staring at the horizon, perhaps looking for Sora himself. It wouldn't surprise him, if there was one thing Riku knew about Sora was that he wa stubborn especially when his convictions were true.
"We have to be careful." Pan whispered looking around, a few feet away he saw the ruffling of some trees. "This way."
Sneakily he tiptoed to the bushes taking out a small dagger just in case. He leaped pulling down the leaves as a loud screech caused him to jump back. Sora, Donald and Goofy taking out there weapons-but the Keyblade did not come.
"Pan wait!" Sora yelled causing Pan to freeze.
He looked down and saw Wendy not only that but several other boys a few of them wearing what looked to be animal shaped pajamas. Some had buck teeth and one in the bear costume was particularly chubby. Pan slowly stepped back putting his finger to his lips signaling to keep it quite. Heartless could be watching anywhere.
"Guys!" Peter said looking annoyed. "Careful, I could have hurt you."
"Gosh, sorry Peter." The big one in the bear costume said. "We just wanted to be sneaky."
"Peter." Wendy got up and hugged him causing him to blush. "You are okay!"
"W-why wouldn't I be...Wendy." Pan said gently pulling her off. "Now that we are all here let's go get my shadow back."
"How are we going to do that?" Goofy asked.
"Well with the most boys and Wendy's brothers Michael and John of course."
Sora looked at Wendy's brothers. Michael was the tallest, wearing a white evening gown glasses and top hat. John was smaller wearing pink body covering pajamas and teddy bear in hand.
"So kids?" Sora asked.
Michael looked offended. "That's the pot calling the kettle black now."
"Touche."
Donald huffed folding his arms. "Well I don't like it."
"Okay troops, here's the plan."
Peter gathered the others together as they got ready for the assault on the Jolly Roger. The plan would be simple, Pan, Wendy and the boys would distract them while Sora, Donald, and Goofy sneak aboard get the shadow and rescue Kairi. Pan would particularly lead the charge against the Hook and the Pirates for personal and fun reasons. The plan didn't seem much of a plan and more of a range of chaos and hoping for the best-but most of the plans Sora had been apart of had pretty much been that and at least he wouldn't be on the forefront and instead be on the backburner. Yet part of him felt that no matter what he and Riku would have to clash one more time before he could get back Kairi.
Yet Sora agreed and headed off.
"Okay guys-get ready, wait for Pan's signal."
"Captain Hook!" Sora heard Pan shout out over at the distance, the young boy approaching the ship without fear. "I've come to take back my shadow!"
From the deck Sora saw Hook, surprised even shocked to see him. "Peter Pan! So you think you can take your shadow back?!"
"You and me Hook! One on one-otherwise I unleash my lost boys!"
Sora began climbing the deck of the using one of the ropes as Hook and the other pirates were distracted. Hook had gone down to meet Pan head on, sword in hand, waiting for a duel that he had so desperately longed for.
"You and me Pan!" Hook shouted. "Man to Man."
Sora was nervous, he could heard the pirate crowd cheer, for getting his lost boys Pan seemed determined to do this on his own. Perhaps it was a way to protect them-or perhaps he was just egotistical. Sora wanted to go with the first option, sounded nobler. Something he'd do at least. Yet the distraction at least meant the ship was empty. While down below, Peter and Hook when on one one-Pan with his tiny dagger and Hook with massive sword, it was bizarre duel. But Pan wa holding his own, even if he couldn't fly. But Hook was still the superior swordsman.
"We gotta hurry up." Sora muttered as the looked around the ship. "The shadow has to be somewhere."
Sora, Donald and Goofy looked around the ship for the shadow, avoiding the pirate gaze as they traversed the main deck. The looked under every box, ever crack and ever nook of the ship's main deck Yet all over there was no sign of the shadow anywhere. Sora was also surprised to see that there was no sign of Riku or his own shadow anywhere, a thought that troubled him deeply.
"Sora." Goofy whispered. "Maybe the shadow is inside the ship somewhere."
Goofy pointed to the door where Captain Hook had emerged from when he first arrived on the ship. Sneaking through Sora quietly opened the door and peeked inside, and there he saw it. A tiny bag shaking on Captain Hooks desk. Peter's Pan Shadow.
"You might wanna hurry, Sora. Pan's not looking to good." Goofy said, Pan at this point was on the ground and looking tired.
Quickly Sora entered the room about to unleash to shadow before feeling a massive blow back to the wall. Looking up he saw it-his shadow form and behind it, Riku standing there Kairi in hand.
"R-Riku." Sora groaned trying to get up. "Y-You need to stop this."
Riku shook his head, his cold eyes glaring at his friend as a dark vortex emerged behind him. "Sorry it had to be like this."
"Riku-if you'll do this, you'll-you'll end up like a evil Keyblade master named Xehanort!"
"Who?"
"X-Xehanort-I found out, he is the reason there are no Keyblade Masters."
Riku shrugged. "I don't care, sounds like just a silly old fairy tale to me."
Before Sora could say another word Riku vanished without a trace leaving his shadow self behind.
Again the shadow leaped forward and attacked, it was vicious and monstrous, it's movements quick and hard to discern. But Donald and Goofy held him back allowing Sora to get back up and summon the Keyblade. Sora however new better-there was one thing he needed to do and that was get that shadow back no matter what.
He would get that shadow.
He wouldn't lose.
Yet the shadow was more powerful and far more cunning.
As he faced off against it Sora could not help but feel this hard sense of dread. Like every negative emotion or feeling he had ever felt spawned from this dark form of his. All the bad days, mixed emotions, unhappy thoughts, it all came from this Shadow.
The power was too much.
The negativity was too much.
-000-
"Finally, I'll have my victory against Peter Pan." Hook sneered pointing the sharp edge of his sword towards Peter's neck.
Peter had fought gallantly trying to give Sora enough time to find his shadow. His lost boys were by his side and Wendy as well. Waiting to jump in case the other Pirates and Heartless joined in. But so far Hook really wanted to take him down himself. He couldn't blame him, the two had been rivals for a long time. Ever since he cut off Hook's hand and fed it to the crocodile. All those times he had faced the Captain he had his ability to fly, all those time he had the confidence and happy thought to get him through those adventures-none of that was there this time.
For the first time ever Pan felt nervous, all the confidence he normally tried to portray was gone-the swagger vanished. Instead he was actually nervous, not just for himself but for his lost boys, for Wendy- even for Sora. If he was gone who would protect Neverland his home. The Island was still a mysterious place even for him. Those with lesser intentions would definitely want it's power for a dark purpose and Hook would definitely be one of those people.
He had to win.
He couldn't let himself be so easily defeated this way.
"No!" Pan shouted as quickly sliding under Hook and getting up behind him. "I'm not letting you win that easily."
Hook snickered. "Oh Pan, let's face it you are nothing if you can't fly then you are nothing, and that shadow will be safe and secure no matter what."
"Captain!?" shouted. "Look!"
Hook and Pan turned around, up on of the taller planks of the ship Sora was along his own Shadow struggling to get lose. By the looks of things -his mission to get his shadow back didn't seem to be quite as successful as he had hoped.
"Sora!" Peter shouted.
Hook could only smile. "Oh-ho, the Keyblade Master gone, now that is a pity. And now I get to bring a end to the Keyblade Master as well. Oh, Maleficent will be most pleased with the result. Alright Shadow! Get ready on my command!"
"Sora!" Peter shouted again so he could hear. "You need to fly!"
"How can I -I don't have a shadow remember."
"I still believe shadows aren't needed-the only reason I can't fly without my shadow is because I'm worried about it. It's been one of my closest friends. You just need to have a really strong happy thought!"
Sora still couldn't believe it. "It's kinda hard to have a happy thought right now!"
"No it's not-just think of a happy thought! It doesn't have to be real-it doesn't even have to be something that's happened-just think of something, someone, someplace, anything that makes you happy-what is your dream Sora. That's what Neverlands is all about-fly Sora! Just believe and you can do it."
Push
Sora fell his eyes closed, with nothing left to do Sora imagined what his happies thought could be. What would be the one thing that could make him happy above all other things? And then it came to him. Home, with Riku and Kairi-his mother at his house, all the calm and comfort of HIS Island-Destiny Island. From the warm tropical days, to the warm sandy beaches he used to nap in. His friends by his side as they would play and have fun.
Thus he thought and he thought and then something happened-he felt the wind below hi back.
Sora opened a eye and looked up and then looked down, he wasn't lying on the ground at all, he was floating he was flying.
"I-I'm doing it." He said, his voice starting to shake with excitement. "I-I'm flying! I'm flying!"
"He can fly" Peter shouted.
Donald looked shocked. "He can fly."
"You can fly." Goofy beamed.
John pointed towards Sora and smiled. "He flew."
Sora was flying, actually flying, he felt a wave of excitement grip him at once. Without wasting a moments notice his Keyblade emerged and swung down and knocked back the Heartless that were in there path, the lost boys took the moment to charge without mercy and clobber the Pirates and Heartless. With such a distraction Sora raced his own shadow back into Hook's office and released Pan's shadow. Sora's own tried to stop them but the two shadows tussled with one another.
Jumping in-Sora managed to use his own Keyblade struck his shadow with the Keyblade, a bright light emanating from it causing the shadow to vanish without a trace.
Pan's shadow held out a hand and Sora high fived it. "Alright-let's go help the others."
In a flash Pan's shadow headed towards it' owner and re-attached it to himself. With a sudden rush Peter Pan felt himself floating up again into the sky-he too could fly.
"Alright you old codfish!" Peter shouted down as Hook looked nervous now. "Time for you to finally walk the plank!"
Sora looked up and snickered, Hook was defeated and there was no way for him to escape. Apparently, Hook thought so too for a black vortex came under him as two arms dragged him down. It was Sora's own shadow dragging him down into the darkness until in a inch he vanished leaving now the other pirates to there own devices.
A few headed into the island while others roaded out to sea.
The lost boys and Wendy cherred. Sora continued to zoom around, enjoying this sense of flight.
"Enjoying it, huh?" Peter asked giving a wink.
Sora nodded beaming. "This is amazing-I-I never felt like this before."
Sora continued to zoom around he wanted to fly all around the Island, see it all, and Pan must have guessed as much for he looked at Tinker Bell and gave her a bit of a nodge. Agreeing the Pixy once again got Donald and Goofy covered in pixie dust as they two now began to float around. Just like Sora they were shocked yet excited to be floating around.
"Come on-I'll give you a small tour of the Island before you go." Peter said.
"Alright let's go!" Sora zoomed off ahead of them now his excitement so large he could thing.
Sora
I can fly like never before
I can fly with happy thoughts once more
I can fly, I can fly, I can fly
I can fly, I can fly, I can fly
Peter Pan
You can race the shadows now across the clouds below
Thanks to you, my pirate crew
Sora
Watch me, here I go
I can fly like never before
I can fly with happy thoughts once more
I can fly, I can fly, I can fly
I can fly, I can fly, I can fly
Peter Pan
Anything is possible in Never Land, you know
Anything is possible with happy thoughts once more
Sora
I can fly like never before
I can fly with happy thought once more
I can fly, I can fly, I can fly
Donald, Goofy Peter Pan
He can fly, he can fly, he can fly
Sora
I can fly, I can fly
I can fly
-000-
With Hook and the other pirates gone the lads decided to make way on board the ship, the lost boys in particular wanted to take whatever treasure they had stolen abroad. All except Wendy who just walked around casually the place, Sora noticed that her mind was deep in thought. Looking almost a tad sad. Instinct kicking in, Sora decided to walk over and see what was the matter.
"Hey-" He said giving her a polite wave.
Wendy seemed startled but calmed. "Oh-Sora, it's you, quite a battle earlier wasn't it."
"I've seen worse." Sora said grimacing. "Um-are you okay, you seem a bit distracted."
Wendy shook her head. "It's nothing important."
"Everything important." Sora chuckled. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want too."
"Actually, it does have something to do with you-but in a bad way." Wendy said hoping she did not offend him. "It's just, you seemed so keen on going home and it got me thinking about the day that I would have to leave Neverland and grow up myself."
Sora nodded smiling sympathetically. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Neverland is an interesting place, wish i could see more on the ground. Though it's a bit-strange for my taste. Personally I prefer my home Island-that's where my mother is and Kairi and even Riku."
"Your troubled friend?" Wendy asked.
Sora nodded. "Yep, even after all of this I just want him to come home too. We've been through too much that I can't just give up on him, not yet, I don't think I ever could. There has to be a chance he can make up for what he's been doing."
"You are very optimistic person Sora."
Sora blushed. "Thanks."
The two remained silent for a while before parting ways, Sora taking a brief second to look up at the sky seeing all the stars, remembering how Riku said about how each was a star, Neverland was no different. Already he had scene so much and yet there was so much to be discovered. Every world with a different make up, rules, magic, no magic, villians and heros. So much to see and so many grand adventures to be had. Just thinking about this-Sora had another wave of excitement. A old nostalgic feeling washed over him-for the first time he felt ready to see more of it now.
"So how are we gonna get back?" Donald asked realizing one little minor detail. "We don't have our Gummi Ship."
Sora remembered that as well, his heart sank-they were stuck here
Peter walked around the main deck of the Jolly Roger a idea coming towards him. "Well, we have a pirate ship. How about you take it?"
Sora looked taken aback. "Take it? You mean drive a pirate ship back to Traverse Town?"
Peter nodded. "Yeah, I don't see why not."
Sora took a moment to think about it, there was something tantalizing about taking a Pirate ship and being the captain of it for a time. Plus it wasn't like they had any other ways to get back, at least not that he was aware of. Then a thought came to him.
"Oh wait, what about the Keyhole?"
Peter scratched his head, The what?"
"Keyhole-you guys have a Keyhole right? It's the Heart of your world, Neverland probably has one right."
Peter shook his head. "No no. Neverland doesn't work like that-it's a construct, a place built of the dreams and imagination of others, stuff like that can't easily be taken out by those silly old Heartless. Trust me Neverland can never die."
"But-but-"
"Just trust me okay." Peter said patting Sora's shoulder.
Sora wanted to argue but thought against it. "Well okay-but uh-how do we fly this thing?"
"Tink-you think you got one more in ya." Peter chuckled.
Tinkerbell sighed but agreed, with a woosh she flew up into the air and began to go around and around sprinkling her pixy dust all over the ship so that every inch of it was covered. The effect was slow but effective for soon it began to rise into the air, becoming pure gold beam of light. It was breathtaking.
"Here take this." Peter handed Sora a small bag from his pocket. "I've been wondering who i could give this too and I think I found the right person."
"What is it?" Sora asked.
"Pixie dust, just enough to get you to fly a little bit-so long as you have that happy thought."
Sora smiled. "Thanks Peter-I owe you one."
"Of course you do." Peter snickered. "Oh and uh-I hope you find that friend of yours."
"Me too...Me too." Sora looked at Peter Pan and hugged for a few moments before letting go. "Thank you-for everything."
"Eh, no sweat-we guardians gotta look out for one another." Peter snickered. "Oh and before I go here's a little tip someone once told me a long time ago?"
"What's that?"
"Don't remember who-but he said-may your heart be your guiding key."
"My heart be my guiding key." Sora muttered in his head.
Peter floated back down where Wendy and the other lost boys were on the beach of Neverland. Sora waved goodbye as they started to rise up into the air the stars starting to get closer to one another.
"Sora! A little help here!" Goofy shouted trying to hold onto the wheel.
Sora rushed over to take command.
"So how do we get back?" Donald asked looking nervous.
Sora just looked up into the sky, closed his eyes and smiled. "Second Star to the right guys-and straight on till morning.
That saying alone it reminded him of another song that his mother would sing to him before he went to bed, as he used to dream of a place where anything was possible. Where happy thoughts reigned and where one could truly be a child at heart. With this in mind he kept that happy thought strong, for it along with the return of his home would be his shining key.
When there's a smile in your heart
There's no better time to start
Think of all the joy you'll find
When you leave the world behind
And bid your fears goodbye
You can fly!
You can fly!
You... can... fly!