This is a fan fiction based on Fox's Peter Pan and the Pirates, in turn based upon J.M. Barries Peter and Wendy. I do not own the characters of this beloved classic… with the exclusions of Mau, Tsekani, Menkaura, Hondo and Khalid. They are my characters who I worked hard to create, don't take them from me.

All comments and constructive criticisms are welcome. But don't flame me, it's not nice and they are pretty useless, I'll probably just delete them. If you have something to say, please, think before you type.


101 REASONS NOT TO TAKE A DARE
SPIDER, SPIDER (Part Four)
******
The crypt was completely still, as it had been for the entire day and drawing
into the night. The coffin was still sealed up and the feline guardian still
unconscious on the floor. Slowly, the small bronze cat began to stir. Her
head throbbed in pain, begging her to sleep some more, but she ignored it.
Twitching her tail, she casually approached the sarcophagus, sniffing it
twice. She then proceeded to leap up onto the lid and stretch out her
muscles, raising up. It even appeared like she cracked both sides of her neck
before leaping back down.
Next, two slender hands slid under the lid of the coffin. Abruptly, the
sarcophagus's top somersaulted up and onto the floor with a thundering boom.
Slightly started awake from his lonely sleep to see a hand holding a dagger.
The dagger came down and slipped away the bandages that imprisoned his body.
The boy quickly sat up and shook off the sticky bandages. He gasped heavily
for the fresh air. A hand gently rubbed his back and he looked to see a girl
kneeling besides the coffin.
His eyes couldn't focus on her feature, but it was a girl and she had the
most intoxicating scent.
"Thank you," he gratefully expressed to her for being freed. She nodded
before saying, "You're welcome."
Slightly leapt out of the sarcophagus and headed straight for the banquet
table. With both hands he peeled off some meat and some bread and literally
shoved them into his face. While he stuffed his mouth, the girl walked around
the coffin and lifted the lid back on. Her action caught Slightly's
attention; she must have been quite strong to lift that by herself. She used
the top of the coffin as a seat and waited for Slightly to finish.
From her perch, she studied the boy carefully, with a curious smile on her
lips. This girl had never seen anyone like him before, well except for
Tsekani, but he didn't count. She was amazed, fascinated and awestruck by the
boy. When she was the cat, she could sense his presence and against her
better judgment, had originally allowed him into the crypt.
"Who are you?" Slightly inquired her name while chewing.
"My name is Mau."
"Meow?" he questioned after swallowing hard.
"No... Mau." she more slowly pronounced the word.
"Oh, Mau. That's a nice name." She smiled just a bit, still studying him,
"And you are?"
"Slightly."
"I like that, Slightly, it's nice to meet you." She offered her hand in a
handshake and Slightly accepted happily. While Mau studied Slightly, he was
doing the same.
She was a pretty girl, as girls go, but then again she wasn't exactly a girl
either. Yes, she had the face of a girl, and the body of one, yet something
seemed improper about her. Her eyes were different; they seemed to twitch
excitedly. Not at all gentle like Wendy's, but they weren't unwelcoming
either. Slightly determined she certainly wasn't mother material. Her body
movement was unnaturally quick, fluid and curiously active.
She wasn't shy or conservative, especially in reference to the outfit she was
wearing. It was a long simple white cloth draped over her body and tied at
the waist, leaving her backside completely exposed. Dozens of gold collar
neckpieces adorned her neck, each with a charm attached to them. Her neck and
wrist were wrapped in bandages underneath even more jewelry.
Her dark obsidian hair was tied in five long braids, one looped in the back,
and two loops on the side, the rest freely hanging down. Her skin was very
tan, but not nearly as dark as Billy Jukes'. Her face wasn't really sweet or
incredibly beautiful, it was just the right face for her. Slightly wondered
if someone had been unkind to her because of the large bruise on her cheek.
Lastly he found his eyes on her exotic, familiarly charming green eyes.
Slightly realized, "You're the cat!"
"Yes I am. I am the sacred guardian of this tomb," she confirmed with a
proud, broad grin. Slightly now saw that underneath her braids were large cat
like ears. They were folded down because of the heavy weight of her earrings
and the braids. It was silly that Slightly could have even missed them in the
first place. How magnificently strange it was that a girl would become a cat,
or perhaps it was that the cat became the girl. How terrible, Slightly
thought, that this mysterious cat-girl had to be locked away in a tomb as its
eternal guardian. Curious why she had just now revealed herself and not
earlier.
*****
Above the crypt, the moon slowly rose into the dark night air. It was bright,
but barely gave enough light for any nighttime travelers. One such as Billy
Jukes, who was mere feet away from the tomb. Although he still hadn't located
it, still wandering cluelessly within the dark forest. Billy cursed himself
for having to be out this late looking for Slightly. Too much time had
passed, and he wished he'd gotten off the ship earlier.
While he searched, he thought about what might have happened to Slightly. He
also thought about what would happen to him when the Captain found him AWOL.
A slight death wish followed so he wouldn't have to suffer punishment.
Billy's search had started from the place where he'd first scene T'sekani. He
tried his best to retrace his steps. Though if T'sekani flew then Billy had
no way of tracking him.
The only knowledge in Billy's possession was to look for a cave. If there was
a cave entrance around here, it was hidden damn well.
"Maybe I haven't gone far enough. If only Wendy would have known more," Billy
sighed, rubbing the back of his neck
A large rock provided him a seat and he looked up at the moon and stars. He
thought about a wives tale Mullins would say about the moon. "Never look at a
full moon boy, it's full because of madness."
"Yeah, I'm mad all right Robert," Billy laughed to himself. A chill breeze
passed over the gypsy boy and he quickly sat up. He shook his head and
reminded himself, "Gotta keep going."
He was about to continue when he realized how warm it was out tonight and
very still. That cold, frightening wind had to have come from somewhere and
it wasn't from outside. He listened to the wind, which was steadily coming
from an unseen location. Jukes cautiously followed the breeze around the bend
and was lead straight to a cavern.
"I found it!" Billy almost cheered but something about it made him weary to
near it. His eyes began looking in all directions but the cave. Finally Jukes
swallowed his fear, and on shaking knees, entered the cave.
*****
Since Neverland is such a compact little island, it is rather easy for one to
quickly get from one place to another. It was only a short while after Billy
had abandoned the Jolly Roger, that the crew discovered his absence. And
about the same instance that Billy had discovered the cavern, the pirates
were well into the same territory as he. It would have probably taken them
only mere minutes to catch young Jukes, if he hadn't entered that cavern.
Hook violently slashed through the over growth of the forest, his keen eyes
thoroughly scanning the darkened landscape. At his heels was the rest of the
crew, gauchely tearing through the greenery.
"Fan out! Find that unfaithful dog Jukes so that I may dangle him like a
floundering fish on my claw!"
"Aye-aye sir!" Most of the crew echoed with quaking voices. It was far too
late, they were all cranky and tired, but far too obedient to even groan a
complaint. Well, all but Robert Mullins, who was just irritated and forever
cranky. He'd sunk to the back of the party to begin his own search when the
chance arose.
What was that half-witted pup thinking, Mullins growled to himself, jumping
ship in the middle of the night? Some half-cocked notion swimming around in
his head. Yet the boy had been acting strange all day, asking non-sense
questions... about lost boys!
No matter how upset Mullins was, he knew he needed to find the boy first,
before any of the other men could have their way with him.
As the men scattered, Hook looked down at his bosun and sighed heavily.
"I tell ya Smee, I shoulda done away with Mr. Jukes long ago. There's a
brazen, cocky youth in there just waiting to strike out at me like a viper.
Again and again he takes leave of his senses and then leave of my command.
The boy's a loose cannon!"
"And he's quite an unstable one too," Smee agreed.
"It's a wonder to me why I let the curr continue to live."
"Oh, because he's useful sir."
"About as useful as another hole in your head Smee."
"Aye, can never have too many of those." A pained noise escaped the Captain's
lips as he looked away from his dimwitted bosun. He motioned for the Irishman
to follow him into the woods.
*****
"So, you've been here the whole time?" Slightly inquired taking a seat next
to the girl. She quietly nodded and Slightly cried out, "Then, why didn't you
let me out slightly sooner?"
"Because I couldn't!" Mau raised her tone, insulted of being accused of
neglecting him. "Besides, you're the one who opened T'sekani's sarcophagus."
"Sarcophagus?"
Mau lightly knocked on the lid to indicate that she meant the coffin.
"Well, I didn't know what it was."
"Then you should have left it alone."
"You could have been a slight more help in warning me."
"I did warn you, you just ignored me." Slightly reflected the past events for
a moment, recalling the cat hissing at him. He was about to argue with her
when she interrupted, "Now let me ask a question. What were you doing down
here?"
"Exploring."
"All by yourself?"
"Well, I was the scout, for my friends." Slightly confidently explained.
"Oh," Mau nodded, her voice trailing, "They dared you didn't they?"
"Just slightly... okay yes, they dared me."
His expression was annoyed with Mau, but she thought it was the most adorable
thing she'd ever seen. If she still had her cat tail, it probably would be
flicking back and forth. Slightly slid down off the coffin and started for
the exit.
"Where are you going?" Mau quickly asked, leaping off the coffin. She seemed
quite terrified as her arm stretched out to heed him.
"I'm going home. Thank you for letting me out."
"You can't," she warned, but Slightly didn't hear it that way. He glared at
her angrily and she quickly continued, "If you try to leave, you'll die."
"That sounds slightly like a threat?"
"No, it's the truth. T'sekani switched places with you, he stole your life.
The only way he could leave the tomb was to trade places with another. It's
the only way you'll be able leave either. It's this tomb's curse."
"Well... why can't you stay in my place?"
Mau smiled, shaking her head, "Doesn't work that way. I'm a just a cat, this
has to be a human."
Slightly looked down at the floor, folding his arms together like he was
cold. Mau tried to reach to comfort him, even if she was too far away. The
cat girl started when she realized what she was doing and quickly tucked her
hand in her lap. Jade eyes stared pitifully down at the ground too as she
admitted, "Slightly, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known. Besides,
I'm the guardian, and I let you inside."
"So we're slightly both at fault?" he inquired. She nodded again, looking
rather ashamed, then grinned, "But you never heard me say it."
"So I'm trapped down here, until someone else takes my place." Slightly
sighed heavily as his shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Pretty much, unless that guy wandering in the labyrinth wants to take your
place..." Mau began, her nose detecting the new scent in the stale air.
"... but I doubt it." She casually finished just as Slightly leapt out the
room into the maze.
"Wait for me!" she called and chased after him. Her body sparkled as her arms
lunged forwards to the ground. Her human form shifted and became the sleek
bronze cat again.
*****
It took the cat only a few moments to catch up to the boy and she quickly
took the lead to find the interloper. Her nose had no trouble detecting him
over the dried old smells of this maze. The scent was of a boy, mixed with
grime, sweat, gunpowder and sea salt air. Mau could also deduce that he was
lost because of the smell of fear and frustration she got wind of.
Billy Jukes tried his best to follow Slightly's path, but many of the torches
had gone out which left him quite literally in the dark. It didn't help
either that he had to retrace all the wrong steps Slightly had made as well.
A flickering light caught his eyes as he reflected a shadow nearing him. It
was coming around the corner fast, and Billy prepared himself to fight it
off. The bronze furry creature pounced into his view and Billy relaxed.
"A cat?" he questioned the beautiful animal's presence in such a place as
this. She looked back down the path she had come and meowed loudly. Another
shadow approaches and Slightly revealed himself to the gypsy pirate.
"Slightly!" Billy cried out in triumph.
"Billy Jukes!" Slightly joined in, surprised but relieved to see him instead
of one of the Lost Boys.
"Meow?" Mau questioned looking back and forth at the boys as to say, "you
know each other?"
"This is Billy Jukes, Mau, he's a friend." Slightly assured her and Billy's
jaw dropped.
"Slightly, you're talking to a cat. You've been down here way too long."
"But this is Mau. Mau, say hello."
She responded with a pleasant purr, which was quickly cut off as the feline
recalled her current state. Light and energy glittered around her again as
she quickly grew and became the cat-girl again.
"Oh," Billy gasped, taking in the mysterious girl... and her lack of
clothing."It's nice to meet you Billy Jukes."
"Nice to meet you too ma'am." Billy politely said, but his eyes refused to
look upon her. Instead he sternly turned his attention to Slightly, "What
happened to you?"
"I've been slightly trapped down here."
"Well you're not trapped now. Come on, I've come to get you out." Billy
stretched his hand out to Slightly, but he and Mau frowned at the gesture.
"Listen there's some cully up there parading around as you, he's stealing
everyone's memories! They've all forgotten you Slightly."
"You remember him though," Mau pointed out.
"So that's why no one came." Slightly solemnly understood.
"Makes sense to me. T'sekani always was one for mind tricks."
"You know about him?" Billy inquired to Mau.
"Well sure," she casually shrugged her shoulders as she explained, "I'm the
guardian of his tomb. I am to prevent the immortal demon from ever escaping."
"I think you should be fired." Billy dryly told her and she softly hissed.
Before their words could get ugly, Slightly inquired, "What do you mean he's
parading around as me?"
"Well not really... he's pretending to be a lost boy, and no one seems to
know the difference or they just don't care. Everyone thinks I'm insane,
except for Captain Hook and Miss Wendy. But I fear that she will have
forgotten all about you again."
"Well why? What is he doing with my life?"
"Living it." Mau plainly answered and Billy directed his next question to
Mau, "You said you're his guardian... for his tomb? Why does he need a guard
in the first place?"
"Because he's the blackest evil and cannot be destroyed. So the gods locked
him away instead."
"Then he escaped because I opened his sarcophagus." Slightly sadly explained.
"His what? Never mind." Billy quickly corrected himself.
"Here, T'sekani is a really, really old villain. He was a royal prince of the
desert lands and not a very nice ruler either. He was a paranoid bloke and
feared a lot of things, especially mortality. He was rotten enough that he
assumed the gods would weigh foul judgement on his soul. T'sekani was really
obsessed with control too. That's how he first got into black magic, to learn
to control men's minds." Mau further explained, pointing at her own head for
emphasis.
"He then made a deal with the dark lord so he could live forever. By doing
this he bound himself to the blackest evil and instead became a pawn of
darkness."
"Nice." Jukes commented.
"So he gets locked away until someone releases him and takes his place."
"So he's slightly immortal and very powerful?"
"So he joins the Lost Boys. What could he possibly want from the eternal
youth and his band?"
"T'sekani craved immortality and his youth." Mau repeated.
"But this is Neverland. No one grows up in Neverland." Slightly innocently
said, understanding the basics of this land.
"That's only if you believe in its magic. Besides, it's not just the growing
old, it's the being impervious to harm, to death, being invincible."
"Maybe he doesn't know that," Jukes shrugged and Mau's eyes lit up. Billy
backed away from her excited glance, not realizing what he had said.
"Why Billy Jukes, I think you may have something there."
"I do?" he asked, just as surprised as Slightly.
"I'd never considered, but T'sekani might not know he's immortal. He may mean
to steal the youth of the children of Neverland. There is a spell to do that.
It would explain why he's gone to all the trouble."
"We have to stop him!" Slightly chimed in, receiving a new sad look from Mau.
Loosing himself in the excitement, Billy took Slightly's arm, "Come on then.
An adventure awaits."
"Slightly." Mau quietly spoke. The boys stopped and Slightly recalled her
words from before.
"Billy, I can't leave."
"What?"
"I'm slightly trapped hear because of T'sekani. I can't leave unless someone
takes my place."
"Nonsense."
"It's not!" Mau firmly interrupted, "If you take Slightly away from this
sacred place he'll die! T'sekani stole his life to escape the prison of this
tomb. Do you understand? Slightly is dead!"
Both boys lost color from their skin as she yelled. Mau herself had gotten
quite frazzled as she yelled. She was so passionate about this, she didn't
know why. It was just a silly mortal.
"Well why can't you stay?" Billy softly asked, trying not to upset her any
further. She replied rather oddly as she scratched behind her ear and dryly
sounded, "Meow me-ow, meow."
Her wry sense of humor didn't seem to translate very well and she sighed, "It
has to be another human."
"She's slightly just a cat."
"So there's nothing we can do?" Billy was visibly irritated by this nonsense
and these endless complications. The cat-girl shook her head in
disappointment and Jukes nearly left then.
Breaking the tension Slightly gently took one of Mau's hands. "Mau, you're
the guardian. Isn't there anything you can do?"
Her heart shrank, almost guilty feelings overtaking her soul. Her face
scrunched up in pain and she couldn't meet the boy's hopeful eyes.
"Please." Slightly beseeched.
"There is one thing," Mau sighed heavily and started to remove one of her
charmed necklaces. She carefully placed it around Slightly's neck and
instructed, "This charm will give you a temporary window of life. Once the
time is up, if you're not back in the boundaries of the crypt, you'll die and
there's nothing more I can do about that. You'll have until noon tomorrow and
then the power of the charm will be destroyed."
"That must be in less than twelve hours." Billy estimated, folding his arms.
"Well then I suggest you hustle and get T'sekani back here before then. Won't
be a walk along the river."
"Thank you Mau, you're a big help." Slightly kindly told her and she
nonchalantly said, "It's the least I can do. It will protect you where I
cannot be."
"You're not coming?"
"No, someone has to be here, to guard the crypt."
"Come on cully, we're wasting moonlight." Billy pulled his friend towards the
exit. Mau cleared her throat and pointed in the opposite direction the boys
were going to head. Billy timidly smiled, "Thanks."
Only moments later, the boys were out of her site and she folded her hands
together in prayer.
"Good luck, Slightly."
****End Part Four****

PS

If anyone would like to see an image from my story go here:

http://www.geocities.com/jason41680/minako/CRYPT.jpg