The story you know always ends the same. Flynn Pan says goodbye to Rapunzel, who promised that she would always believe in him...
And she did, even as she left childhood behind and came to have children of her own; her pre teen daughter, Daphne and her little son, Elroy.
"There it is" Rapunzel said softly. "Second star to the right and straight on to morning."
"Never Land!" cried Daphne.
Our story continues in difficult times. England is threatened with war... and many men have been asked to leave their families to protect their country.
One night, Rapunzel's husband, John Smith (from Pocahontas) was called to leave for war.
"It's all right" Smith comforted his wife. "I'll be home before you know it. I promise."
The soldier then noticed his daughter sniffling.
"Now, now. What's all this?" he cooed.
"I don't want you to go!" Daphne cried.
"I need you here to take care of your mom and Elroy. Can you do that for me?"
Daphne nodded sadly, but John smiled and kissed her forehead.
"Be safe, John" Rapunzel said nervously.
"Look after each other, now" John called out as he left. "I love you all."
"Good-bye, Daddy! I love you!" Daphne cried.
Daphne then joined her mother and brother, entering their home.
But the war lasted much longer than anyone could have imagined.
Bombs fell from the sky and tore at the very heart of London. In an effort to protect its children, the government decreed that they all be sent to the countryside for safekeeping.
In times such as these... it is no wonder some discard childish things like Flynn Pan and Never Land.
Even in the fantasy land, no one was safe. Changelings attacked and the Druun multiplied by the day, draining love and turning innocent lives on land into stone.
The only survivors so far were Flynn Pan and his band of Lost Boys, Muttley, Namaari and Tong, the merponies and the fairies. They surround their homes with water and dragon gems available in Never Land.
It is said that the daughter of a previous Never Land visitor would be born with powers inherited when Sisudatu gifted their parent with temporary magic. Those powers were so strong that it could destroy any darkness in all of Never Land. But only those who are true believers of Flynn Pan can obtain the gift.
One night, all alarms were sounded in both worlds, loudly into the night and families ran to their shelters.
In London…
"Mom, where is she?" Elroy panicked.
"Don't you worry, Elroy" Rapunzel comforted her son. "Your sister will be along shortly. I hope. Okay, here we go. Into the bomb shelter."
Mother and son immediately ran for shelter as bombs were heard falling from the sky.
In Never Land, Namaari panicked as changelings were approaching her, Tong and Muttley. And they seemed hungry!
"To Mermaid Lagoon, quickly!" ordered Namaari.
They ran across the river, dodging incoming Druun, who nearly missed them, and jumping over the petrified fairies and animals.
The pirates jumped over a waterfall and splashed into Mermaid Lagoon.
The Druun sniffed the lagoon, but shrieked as it tried to enter.
In a cave, the pirates emerged, coughing.
"Hey!"
In the cave with them was Tempest Shadow, one of the fairies/ponies from Twilight's home.
"Sorry" gasped Muttley.
"It's alright" Tempest replied. "Being in here is better than being out there."
Namaari checked her maps, confused.
"Ok, we're not out of the woods yet" Tong said.
"We have to get back out there!" Namaari protested. "We must know if Sisu still has our captain before we turn to stone!"
Tempest loved Namaari's courage, reminded her of herself back when she was a guard at Pixie Hallow. But Muttley snorted in disgust.
"Look, wise guy" Tong frowned. "Who do you think is in charge here?"
"Rasm frasm me" answered Muttley.
"No, me, silly dog" chuckled Namaari, scratching his head. "But you're such a good boy."
Screaming was heard outside.
"Let's move, men!"
The three pirates jumped out of the cave and swam underwater while seaponies were screaming at incoming rocks thrown by changelings.
In London…
"Mom, I don't like bombs" Elroy complained, hiding under the covers. "I like planes, but not ones that drop bombs from the sky!"
Rapunzel knew it was a time to be scared, but she had to cheer Elroy up as much as she could.
"Is that what it is?" smiled Rapunzel. "For a moment, it sounded like cannons... on a pirate ship."
"Leaping lasers, you're right!" Elroy smiled eagerly. "It's Captain Dastardly! I hear him coming!
Just then, the door flung open and Daphne entered, out of breath.
"Daphne!" Rapunzel gasped, hugging her daughter tight. "Oh, Daph, where have you been? Why didn't you-"
"Mom, I'm fine!" Daphne replied.
"You made it past the pirates!" Elroy cheered as he was nearly off the bunk bed.
"Elroy, be careful!" Daphne tried to warn him.
But Elroy fell off the bed, but thankfully wasn't hurt. He landed on his sister instead.
The blonde hair boy laughed as he got up and then noticed the package in Daphne's hands.
"Hey, is that for me?" Elroy asked.
"Happy Birthday, Elroy." Daphne smiled at her younger brother.
Elroy cheered as he sat happily and opened the package. He opened it to see two mismatched socks and groaned in disgust.
"Socks. Two of them."
Rapunzel was quite surprised of how Daphne got something very… practical.
"Got them a size each large so he can grow into them" Daphne said to her mother.
"Look, Elroy," Rapunzel put the green sock on one hand and the red on the other to play with him. "Pan and Dastardly, see?"
"Curse you, Flynn Pan!" Elroy laughed.
"Oh, Mother..." Daphne sounded embarrassed, but she handed two more packages.
"From Uncle Agnarr, Aunt Iduna and Uncle Shaggy."
Elroy cheered and ripped the packages. Agnarr and his wife, Iduna made a wooden ship with the flag of Britain. Shaggy got him one of his old toys from childhood; a teddy bear.
"I wanna hear a Flynn Pan story!" begged Elroy.
"All right then," Rapunzel smiled. "How about the time Flynn Pan and the Lost Boys captured Dastardly's ship right from under his nose?"
"Ooh! That's a good one!"
Daphne was too busy coloring on her notebook.
As Rapunzel told Elroy a made up story for him, the boy imagined how it would have happened.
It was late one misty evening and Dastardly was sure once again that he'd found Flynn's new hideout. Dastardly and his bloodthirsty crew went ashore leaving the Jolly Roger unguarded.
That's when Flynn Pan arrived! He and the boys slipped aboard... and there they found it- Dastardly's remarkable treasure!
Flynn told the Lost Boys they'd hide it... and Dastardly would have to hunt them down to get it back. It was all a great game for Flynn. And then, from out of the mist, he was there- the evil Captain Dastardly A fierce and ferocious sword fight was fast underway.
"Give up, boy!"
"Never!"
And at that moment, a shimmering magic covered the ship. It was Twilight Sparkle and the Jolly Roger lifted into the sky... as Flynn and the boys escaped with the treasure.
"So, you see, Elroy," Rapunzel said, deep in Elroy's eyes. "Dastardly will never win. As long as there's faith, trust, and pixie dust."
"Oh, poppycock..." Daphne mumbled to herself, seeming sour.
Elroy grabbed his wooden sword.
"Ha! Slow down, you old codfish!" he then jumped from his spot, accidentally knocked Daphne over as she had her notebook and it landed into a pitcher of water.
"Oh, my notebook!" Daphne cried, then picked up her dripping book. She then got hit by her brother. "ELROY!"
"Sorry about your book, Daph." Elroy said excitedly. "But come on! We'll beat old Captain Dastardly together!"
"Elroy, please! I have no time for fun and games!"
"You used to. You got to be one of the first official Lost Girl!"
"That was a long time ago."
"Yeah, back when you were fun."
The two siblings sticked out their tongues at each other.
Rapunzel chuckled at first, then shook her head.
She needs to know she thought to herself.
To be continued…