Hi guys! I love my reviewers soooo much! So know that when you review you're making one girl very, very happy! ^_^
I'm upping the rating to PG-13 for violence, action, and other stuff like that.
Now for the shout-outs.
ShadySmog: It doesn't sound wrong, LOL. And I would love to try cloud diving some day too, flying must be awesome!
Raven: Do I have a crush on Peter? But of course! ^_^ I think that all girls, with the exception of Sallie, do. I mean, what's not to like? He's so cool and courageous and gentlemanly and fierce and clever and. . .*rambles on for some time.* Well, you get the idea, LOL.
Katrina: Logging in bugs me too, it's an annoying process *wrinkles nose.* And my folks probably wouldn't be ecstatic about me taking off for a premiere either. I can hear it already – "Do we know these girls' parents?" *Rolls eyes* Thanks for the websites, that one is really scary!
oi-oi-oi: I'M NOT GONNA KILL OFF YOUR CHARACTER! *Giggles* Sorry if I scared you there, 'twas unintentional. I meant that really evil characters, black-hearted pirates and such, run the risk of getting the axe. You can relax, I don't think Sallie's evil so much as a bit defensive. *Gasps with laughter* If the instructions were on the boot? That so funny! And thanks for the Tinker Bell info; I guess that's the spelling I'll use.
Zorrina: Thank you, Zorrina! I'm trying to sketch out future chapters so I can keep it going.
Sugar High5: Since I am impressed with your collection, you're the boxers girl! ^_^ And buckle your seat belt, this chapter should have enough action. I was going over my notes and realized that I never mentioned Kaela's glasses – hope that's okay.
Lyz: Love your penname! I would squeeze you in, but the story kind of won't allow for it now – I'm sorry. Thanks so much for the review! *Hug*
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The Classic Disclaimer: Peter Pan and all the characters, places, and etc. contained therein don't belong to me. I'm using them all entirely without permission. You guys all (presumably) belong to yourselves. Everything else is mine, including the OC lost boys and other characters I've created. I'm making no money from this so please don't sue!
The Added Disclaimer: Part of the charm of NeverNeverland is the presence of Indians. I just want to say that I hold Native Americans in the highest respect and that I'm not portraying any of their tribes, I'm portraying the Neverland Indians, which I like to think of as being separate and to themselves. So I'm not endeavoring to insult your culture, I'm just including a traditional part of the Peter Pan story.
The Extra Disclaimer: There will be twins in this story, and they're just about the most stereotypical interchangeable duo you ever did see. I've known several sets of twins and almost all of them were polar opposites of each other, but this set is just that way.
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Peter shoots up in the air and crows triumphantly. "I'm back!" he cries when he's finished. As if in answer sunlight stretches across the island, touching it with gold. The girls get the strange sensation that is actually did happen because Peter's returned. "Did ya miss me, Neverland?"
BOOM!
The girls all jerk at the sudden sound. Peter doesn't even flinch.
"What was that?" Madeline asks.
"Long Tom," Peter says, watching disinterestedly as a cannonball flies past about twenty feet away from his head. "The first few shots are always wide because they panic when they see me."
"So we aren't in danger?" Anna asks
"Oh no, they aren't aiming at you. It's me they want," he says confidently.
"Peter?" Nora interjects. "You just said that their aim sucks."
Abruptly Peter's expression changes. "Good point. Do you see that little mountain of boulders back there?"
"The one with the triple-split top?" Raven asks, squinting in the bright morning light.
"That's the one."
BOOM!
This cannonball is about five feet closer than the first.
"Fly to the bottom of those boulders and look for my cave, I'll stay here and distract the pirates!" He draws his sword and flashes an ecstatic grin.
"Me too!" Charlie and Anna say together.
"What?"
"We can fight!"
Peter looks at them appraisingly.
"My father taught me," Charlie explains.
"And I'm a black belt!"
Peter makes a quick decision. "Anna, stay with the others and keep them safe, Charlie, come with me!" He draws his dagger and places it in her hands. "This is all I can spare. Are you ready?"
BOOM!
"As ready as I'll ever be!"
"Then let's fly!" Peter commands in his captain voice. He and Charlie speed towards the pirate ship and the others start for the island.
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The most recent cannonball goes completely wild and veers far away from the group. Unfortunately Alicia and Sallie had done practically the same thing and are nearly hit by it. The force of the cannonball's wake blasts them off-course and they're thrown into a nearby lagoon.
Alicia moans and begins to dog paddle. "Talk about a belly-flop! Sallie?" I don't know if Sallie can swim, she realizes nervously. Where is she? "Sallie!"
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The rest of the girls, with the exception of Charlie, are staying close to the tree line and looking around with wonder.
"It's like a dream come true, Kat!" Kaela says, grinning rapturously as Neverland unfolds beneath her.
"I know. Look, there's autumn!" Katrina points out a stand of trees whose leaves are reddish-gold and falling.
"And there's some winter!" Madeline says excitedly. "Can we make a snowman later, Gracie?"
"I don't see why not," Gracie says.
"Oh! Was that a unicorn down there?" Anna asks, turning her head and peering between the trees while flying forward.
"I hope so," Nora says. "Unicorns are cool. Anna, watch out!"
Anna turns to face forward just in time to swerve and avoid smashing into a particularly tall tree. She lets out a nervous laugh. "Thanks for the heads-up."
"I hope this cave is big enough for all of us," Raven comments to nobody in particular. "I hate sharing space."
"We're used to cramming anyway," Nora says. "After the orphanage living in a cave will probably feel like Park Avenue." She rolls her eyes and snorts.
"It would be funny if it weren't true," Raven says darkly, a smile tugging at her mouth anyway.
"I don't think that space will be a problem," Gracie says. "It's easy to cram in Neverland - all the stories say that."
"Are we there yet?" Madeline asks.
"Nope Mads, the boulders are a little further ahead."
"Just stay close and we'll be there in no time," Nora tells her.
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"BOO!" Sallie cries, enjoying watching her friend jump. Alicia spins around to see Sallie treading water with a mischievous grin plastered on her face.
"Don't scare me like that!" Alicia snaps, then breathes a sigh of relief. "So you're okay?"
Sallie nods. "I think so. You?"
"Apart from the fact that you just gave me a heart attack I'm fine," she says, annoyed.
"Good." Sallie is quiet for a moment and her face contorts in frustration. "Can you fly, Alicia?"
"Of course."
"No, I mean now. I think that the water washed the pixie dust off of us!"
Alicia attempts to fly too, also unsuccessfully.
"Oh NO! What are we gonna do?"
Sallie looks around. "I guess we'll have to swim in and try to find the cave-" she is cut off by a loud splash. "What was that?"
"Sallie, you never listened to Gracie's stories . . ." Alicia begins uncertainly.
"Your point?" Sallie prompts.
"Sometimes I did, and if we're where I think we are then we're in big trouble!"
"What? Where are we?"
"I might be wrong, but if that's Marooner's Rock this is probably Mermaid Lagoon."
Sallie stares blankly.
"These mermaids kill people," Alicia adds seriously.
It's at this moment that Sallie chances to look through the lagoon's clear water for the first time. What to her suddenly-not-so-skeptical eyes should appear but a cavalcade of mermaids beginning to surround them.
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"I've always wanted to do this," Charlie says, plunging Peter's knife through the Jolly Roger's sail. She stops flying and lets her weight on the blade rip the canvas all the way down to the deck. Smirking, she lands on her feet and picks a target.
"Shoot them!" Hook orders in what sounds like an evil relation of Peter's captain voice. "Shoot them now!"
It's the first time that Charlie has heard the voice of Captain Jas. Hook. Her smirk disappears instantly.
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Anna is the first to land. The other girls touch down behind her in quick succession.
"Now all we have to do is find the cave," Gracie tells Madeline.
Nora turns to Raven. "Why do I have the feeling that that's easier said than done?"
The girls search for several minutes, endeavoring to stay together while they do it. In spite of their best efforts they drift apart slightly, and before they know it Katrina and Kaela find themselves isolated from the rest of the group.
"Should we yell and see if they can hear us?" Katrina asks.
Kaela bites her lip. "That might just let something bad know where we are. Which way did we come from?" They uneasily spin in a circle – all the trees look the same!
"I think it might have been that way," Katrina offers, pointing off into the distance. "Let's see if we can find them."
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"How do you fight off mermaids?"
"I don't know!" Alicia cries, starting to panic.
"What good are Gracie's stories if they don't tell you how to keep the mermaids from killing you?" Sallie snaps. "Uh – I've got it, get up on the rock!" Both girls swim towards Marooner's Rock as fast as they can. Alicia falls a bit behind while Sallie scrambles onto the side of the tall rock.
"Ahh!" she screams, stopping dead in the water only a few strokes from the rock. "One of them's got my leg!" She starts to struggle but can't manage to escape.
"Give me your hands!" Sallie stretches out her arms. She clasps Alicia's hands and begins to pull as hard as she can. Suddenly Alicia lets out a piercing shriek and the water around her darkens with blood.
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"I think we're going the wrong way," Kaela says hesitatingly. "I've never seen that before." She gestures to a still pool of water surrounded by trees on all sides.
Katrina comes up behind her. "Neither have I. We must have taken a wrong turn or something, huh?"
"Who are you?" a serious voice demands.
Kaela and Katrina look at each other, then turn around and look up at four very tall and fierce-looking Indian warriors.
"Um, How?" Kaela says experimentally, holding up her right hand like she's seen in Westerns. She smiles widely and waits for a response.
The tallest Indian, who seems to be the one in charge, turns to his subordinates. "Take them prisoner." They nod mutely and whip out leather cords.
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Anna, Raven, Nora, Gracie and Madeline are still having no luck on the cave front. They're just about to give up hope when they hear the sound of boy's voices.
"Where's Pan?"
"I think we should go back home and wait," two voices say as one.
"No, I heard him crowing! Peter's home and we're going to find him," one says firmly.
The owners of these voices come into view through the trees, as do some other boys. They stop dead when they see the orphans.
"What are they?" the smallest boy asks, his mouth agape. This expression of awe showcases that his two front teeth are missing.
"They don't look like pirates," two say together. These are Neverland's resident twins, not to be confused with the set from Wendy's day; they're a different pair and are both sporting a black eye at the moment.
"Well?" one of the boys asks, looking at the girls expectantly. "Who are you?"
Raven and Nora's eyes meet – together they push Gracie forward.
After shooting a reproachful glance back at them Gracie starts talking. "We're the girls from Anders Orphanage," she says. "Peter brought us here."
A golden ball of light darts angrily into view and zips around one of the boy's ears. A chimey sound floats through the air. "Tink says they're spies!"
"We're not spies," Raven says in a condescending tone, dark eyes flashing indignantly.
"And we can prove it," Anna adds with strange confidence.
"We can?" the others ask.
Anna nods and holds up her right hand, revealing a green-button ring for all to see.
"Peter told us about those," the twins say.
"I've got one too!" Madeline cries, waving around her hand. The other girls show their buttons as well.
"You lied to us, Tink!" The lost boy she spoke with says, appalled. Tinker Bell replies sharply in her own language, causing the other boys to burst into laughter.
"What? What did she say?" Madeline wants to know.
"She called Wildcat a bucket-head," the littlest boy laughs. "Bucket-head, Bucket-head!" he taunts in a singsong voice.
GRRR!
The laughter stops instantly. Something is growling in the trees and it's getting closer. The lost boys cluster together instinctively and draw their weapons.
A large wolf with fur on end and teeth bared approaches, preparing to strike.
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Peter is already facing his fifth pirate and has been calmly dodging bullets the entire time. Charlie is quite impressed; she's struggling with her second pirate and praying that nobody shoots at her.
"Shoot them, I say!" Hook bursts again. "You lad," he cries, using his hook to lift the cabin boy off the deck, "Use that pistol or I'll cut you to ribbons!"
"Yes, captain!" he chirps nervously, fumbling to get a shot ready. Hook flings him aside in disgust.
"I think we've worn our welcome out, Charlie," Peter says, dispatching his adversary with a neat thrust through the torso. "Follow me!" He leaps into the air and flies off, Charlie right behind him.
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Sallie knows she has to win this tug-of-war, and now. "One . . .two . . . and heave!" she cries, wrenching Alicia out of the mermaid's grasp. Alicia's face is twisted in pain and she can't climb, so Sallie hauls her up to the top of the rock. It's too high for the mermaids to scale without legs, although they're certainly trying.
Alicia is practically doubling over with the pain of her wound. Sallie takes as close a look as she dares and discovers that the lacerations on Alicia's stomach look a lot like something else – fingernail marks. They're deep, Sallie realizes.
"Alicia – does Marooner's Rock . . . um, sink?"
"No," Alicia gasps, "but it's completely c-covered when the – ahh! – tide comes in."
The tide is rising and the mermaid's attempts are bringing them closer and closer to the girls.
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Kaela and Katrina are certainly not going without a fight. They aren't above punching, slapping, kicking, pinching, and even biting their assailants. They do all of these things, but to no avail, and are quickly bound and gagged. The braves will have bruised shins and sore spots all over for the next week.
The Indians sling the girls over their shoulders fireman-style and head off confidently.
At least they know where they're going, Kaela thinks ruefully. Stupid screwy look-alike trees!
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Please review, guys! ^_^ For some reason a few of the people who's characters I'm using have stopped reviewing, which is kind of weird. But back to the subject, your reviews make my day! They're wonderful! But not flames, flames are like when you're on a road trip millions of miles from a bathroom and you just drank a giant soda!
And just so you can sleep at night remember that nobody good dies in this story, they just get really big boo-boos!