Author's Notes:
So this chapter is the second to last of my "buffer" chapters, meaning that, after the next chapter, I would be out of pre-written chapters. So the weekly updates may slow down a bit since I will have to write out the next chapters and update them one by one. These chapters were also tricky to write, not because of the subject matter, but because of all the hidden plot details that had to be carefully placed here and there, as to not spoil anything. Enjoy.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, nor the Disney and Square Enix characters. Please support the original works.
Chapter Six: Neverland
"Ouch!"
Riku sat up. Groggy, and with an ear that pounded from a thousand tiny needles, he was too disoriented to sense his surroundings. Scents reached his nose, but his concentration was too haywire to process them. He was a sitting duck, too confused to feel for what, or who, was nearby. Then a tiny foot kicked his nose.
Riku's hand went from rubbing his injured ear to his covering his face. Through the confusion and pain, he could somehow heard muffled voices in the distance. There was no way to tell if they were friend or foe.
A low, nasally voice spoke over what sounded like ringing bell.
"Calm down, Tink. I can't understand a word you're saying."
Another voice, this one higher, more excitable, spoke next. "Who's that guy? A pirate?"
The ringing bell became louder.
"Tink says that he's an enemy! Come on, Cubby! Let's get him!"
A pair of soft, fluffy bodies slammed down on top of Riku's chest, pushing him down onto the rocky ground. Still too focused on breathing and pain, he had no idea what was going on, and couldn't fight back as what felt like two pint sized kids wrestling him to the ground. Before he knew it, the two fur covered kids coiled a rope around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides.
"PULL!"
The ropes tightened, pulling him up to his feet. More ringing sounded in the air. Frustration bubbled in Riku's stomach. He dug his heels into the ground, resisting.
"He's strong," cried the high pitched voice.
The nasal voice grunted. "Don't give up! Pull!"
"Tink! Help!"
More ringing. Then a soft, silky dust showered on Riku's head and shoulders. He sneezed, and his whole body felt weightless. Wait. No. He didn't feel weightless. He was weightless! He was a balloon, floating in the air, tethered to the ground by the ropes around his chest. And if that weren't bad enough, the soft dust tingled on his skin, making him giggly, which was a weird emotion to have while kicking one's feet in total panic.
"What's going on? Why am I floating?"
The nasal voice squeaked. "He can talk!"
"Don't let your guard down! Remember, he's with the pirates!"
"Sorry, Slighty."
Footsteps. Riku dipped his chin downward. Someone was standing below him.
"Listen here, pirate! You are now a prisoner of the Lost Boys. Don't try anything funny."
"Yeah," agreed the nasal voice, Cubby. "We're taking you to Pan! He'll know what to do with you."
For the first time since his feet had left the ground, Riku stopped struggling. "Pan?"
"That's right. The one and only Peter Pan. The boy that never grows up. He'll teach ya what for."
"I'm in Neverland?"
"That's right, prisoner," barked the high pitched voice, Slighty, trying to sound tough but his voice, even lowered a pitch, was still too boyish to be taken seriously.
The ropes tightened as Riku was tugged forward. He wriggled in the air, trying to reactivate gravity on his body. No luck. Worse yet, the two peewees that had captured him had somehow wound the rope around his body so that it tightened the more he struggled. Eventually he had no choice but to stop moving or risk cutting off his air supply.
That left him with nothing to do but be pulled like a kite toward wherever they were going. Riku closed his eyes. Taking several deep breaths, he tried to get a feel for his surroundings. It wasn't easy. The dust all over his body made his sense of touch useless. Floating in midair muddled his thoughts. It was like trying to spot a penny on the ground while spinning in a tornado in the middle of a sandstorm. Slowly, ever so slowly, his ears, nose, and head stopped pounding long enough for him to concentrate on the light and darkness around him.
There was sea salt on the breeze, but the scent was distant. Lush green scents of a jungle rejuvenated his lungs. Pushing his senses out farther, Riku heart the rustling of leaves, the blades of grass swaying in the wind, and the breathing of his two would be captors. Then, he heard a bell ringing.
Something jingled by his ear. Riku focused on it, and felt a glimmer of sparkling light. A sweet and sour scent reached his nose. It matched the tingly dust on his head and shoulders. He sparkling light flitted about him. It was small and fast, like...a pixie?
There hadn't been a jungle or a beach on Riku's first trip to Neverland. Back then, the only part of this world he had seen had been the sea and Captain Hook's pirate ship, where he had listened to the old coot harangue on and on about Peter Pan this, Peter Pan that, blast that Peter Pan, bla bla bla. Back then, all Riku cared about was the blinding, all consuming jealousy he had felt toward Sora, Donald and Goofy. That was back when he been on a power high from being given the ability to control the heartless from Maleficent. He hadn't cared who had lived on Neverland. So, the pixie and the so called "Lost Boys" were a total surprise.
The two boys finally stopped. One of them, Riku sniffed, was wearing a bear skin. The other boy wore a fox's pelt. The musky smell of fur made the two of them feel more like oversized pups then Lost Boys.
The fox one, Slighty, sneered. "See that sign, Pirate?"
Riku forced down a snide remark. No one would believe it if they saw how confidently he walked, but he truly was blind. Abusing the darkness had cost him his sight. Yet, even though his eyes no longer functioned, Riku still had some form of vision. He couldn't see patterns, colors, details, or faces, but he knew where things were and how they moved. Everything in the worlds had an aura of light and darkness. He used those waves of energy to create a mental landscape of his surroundings, as well as sense who was nearby. Add to that the fact that Riku's mastery over his own darkness gave him heightened senses of sound, touch, and especially smell, and Riku was in now way hindered by his loss. Still, if you asked him to read something, you were sorely out of luck.
"Uh, no. I don't see the sign," Riku said lamely.
"It says 'no pirates, allowed!'" Slighty walked around Riku. "So, what are you doing on our island, pirate?"
"I'm not a pirate."
"Tinker Bell says ya are!"
The pixie flew around Riku's head, jingling shrilly. Riku had no idea what the ringing meant, but it sounded furious.
"I can hear you for miles, Tink," said a new voice. A voice that was coming from the sky. "What are you going crazy about?"
Riku tilted his head up, toward the voice. The scent of feathers reached his nose, along with the light of youthful confidence. A boy was floating down from the sky. Then, there was a gasp, and the sound of a weapon being removed from a belt. The point of a knife tapped under Riku's chin.
"You," the floating boy hissed.
"You know him, Pan?"
"Sure do, Cubby. This codfish is Sora's enemy."
Riku kicked his feet. "No I'm not! Sora is my best friend. Just let me explain."
"Liar! I saw it with my own two eyes. You attacked Sora with some kind of shadow creature that looked exactly like him, back on Hook's ship. Plus, you're an adult. Not trustworthy at all."
"Uh, Pan?"
Riku bristled. "An adult? I'm only-" He shut his mouth. Ozone tickled his nose. The bright light around him weakened, making the air feel colder. The oily stink of darkness moved along the floors beneath him. "Uh oh."
A shriek, followed by stomping footsteps, and the scratching of claws. Riku heard the sounds of slicing and smelled moist dirt flying in the air as Slighty and Cubby ran around like panicked ants. He felt pressure points of darkness all around them. Neoshadow and shadow heartless footsteps thundered along the ground, surrounding the boys, biting, scratching, and shuffling closer to get a piece of them.
Peter Pan turned around, and swooped down toward the heartless. "It's those creatures again!"
He raised his knife, ready to attack, but then a new trio of heartless came down from the sky. Bigger, muscular, winged, with a white hot sword in their hands, the new heartless sliced at Peter, forcing him to twitch targets in order to defend himself, leaving Slighty and Cubby completely open for attack. Riku flinched. Slighty and Cubby grunted, going down, buried under shadow and neoshadow heartless. They pulled at the boys' arms and legs. Peter was panting, barely able to keep up against the three invisibles he was facing.
Tinker Bell jingled near Riku's ear. She zipped off but stopped in midair when Riku called her name.
"Tinker Bell! Hey! If you can get me out of these ropes, I can help them!"
She faced him, poking his nose in an accusatory way.
"I know you don't trust me. But I also know a thing or two about heartless. Please. I don't want anyone else to fall to darkness like I did."
Tinker Bell poked his nose one last time. A warning. Then she fluttered over his back and pulled on the knot that had been jabbing into his spine. The ropes loosened, falling off. Summoning his soul eater, Riku tried to charge into battle. Except he was still stuck in midair, waving his arms and legs around like a fly caught in a spiderweb.
"Come on! Move! How do you stere this thing?"
Tinker Bell rang angrily in his ear.
"I have no idea what you're saying. Just get me down down from here!"
Tink flew up to his face, tugging hard on his bangs.
"Ouch! Okay, okay!" He flapped his arms, trying to fly like a bird, but all that did was made him feel like a floppy idiot as he didn't move a single inch. Frustrated, Riku could do nothing, other then extend his senses. They were in a forest clearing. There wasn't anyone behind him. He had an idea. Pointing his soul eater over his shoulder, he bellowed.
"Firaga!"
The force from the spell propelled him forward and he flew, like a comet, toward the invisible heartless that were attacking Peter. Riku sliced through two heartless. He couldn't control his flying however, and he kept careening forward until he crashed into a tree. Groaning, Riku floated in the air, listening. Peter, now that he wasn't under the pressure of fighting three opponents at once, took down the last invisible. Then he flew toward the heartless that had dog-piled on top of the Lost Boys. In seconds, Slighty and Cubby were free.
The last spec of darkness had cleared. Riku would have sighed in relief, if it weren't for the fact that he was hanging, upside down in the air. He tried not to feel sick as Tinker Bell's excited jingling overloaded his sensitive ears. She flew in front of his face, her light darting back and forth, too excited to be still.
"You're welcome, I think?"
Tinker Bell must have noticed the strain in his face, because she quieted down and rubbed his cheek. She moved away when Peter flew by.
"That was a surprise. I thought you would attack us the first chance you got."
Riku crossed his arms. "Yeah well, a lot has changed since the last time I was here. Are you all right?"
"Better then you. You're turning green."
"I don't think I'm very good at flying." Riku swallowed, pushing down a lump in his throat. He flapped his arms, trying to get back right side up. His forehead and cheeks were starting to ache. "I used to dream about flying when I was little. This isn't as fun as I thought it would be. Am I going to stay stuck like this?"
Peter chuckled. "You look like a chicken. Come on, it's easy. Anyone can fly. Just think happy thoughts."
"That's it? How do I stere?"
"Lean right, fly fight. Lean left, fly left."
Riku wrinkled his nose, feeling stupid. Of course it would be that simple. Focusing, he thought about Sora and Kairi, and how he had found them even after he had been lost in the realm of darkness. He remembered King Mickey's reassuring words after he had mastered his own darkness. He remembered going home and seeing his parents again and playing on the beach again with his two best friends. So many good things had happened, even after all of his mistakes.
His body began to slowly turn in the air. Finally, right side up, he leaned forward, trying to get his feet to the ground. He spared a moment to wonder if flying wold be easier if he could see. Then he shrugged off the idea. The blindness was permanent, there was no point in what-ifs. He leaned too far. Suddenly he was jerked forward, crashing face first into the ground with a loud, "oof!"
Peter, Slighty and Cubby, laughed.
"Wow, you really are bad at this," said Peter as he came to stand next to Riku. Helping the other boy stand, Peter clapped Riku on the back. "You'll get the hang of it. Eventually."
Riku rubbed his sore nose. "Thanks."
Peter put his hands around his mouth. "Attention!"
Slighty and Cubby lined up, saluting.
Peter stood straight, feet apart, hands behind his back. "All right men. We're putting our rounds on hold. For now, we're guiding our guest back to the hideout. Move out."
Riku was happy to walk on the ground behind Peter, Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys. While the rest of the party flew slowly ahead of him, he took in his surroundings. He breathed in the rich, earthy scents and the slight tang of the distant sea. When he asked Slighty and Cubby about it, the two boys began bragging, telling Riku about Neverland's jungle, the lagoons, the mountains, the coves, cliffs, and even Skull Rock, a cranium shaped cave that sat out in the sea. The Lost Boys took turns telling stories about their treasure hunts, their fights with Captain Hook and his pirates. When Peter asked what Riku did after his last run with the old captain, Riku explained how he and Sora were back on good terms.
"That's a relief and a shame," said Peter. "I would have loved to cross swords with someone other then Hook for a change."
"Let's not," said Riku.
Peter huffed. "What's with you? What kind of man turns down a challenge?"
"I wouldn't want to put you in danger."
Peter pulled out his knife. "Me? In danger? I'll have you know I can beat you man-to-man, with one hand behind my back!"
Riku raised an eyebrow. "You sure are confident."
"I'm Peter Pan. I never lose."
"Okay, okay, I'll take your word for it, but let's not talk about that right now. I want to know if the heartless have been a problem on the island before?"
Peter grunted. "So serious. Fine. They only started popping up on the island a few days ago, some time before we found you. Before, they would only appear on Hook's pirate ship."
"Hook's ship? Are there still heartless there now?"
"Haven't checked. Why? Is there another girl on that ship you want to see?"
"Girl? Oh. Do you mean Kairi?"
Peter must have been talking about the last time Riku had visited Neverland. Back then, Kairi had lost her heart. Her unconscious body had been on Hook's ship. Riku and Hook had also captured Wendy, Peter's friend. It didn't surprise Riku that Peter didn't trust him much. After all, Riku had used the power of darkness back them to turn Sora's shadow against him. Then he took Kairi with him to Hollow Bastion, leaving a confused and hurt Sora behind to fight his own shadow.
"Kairi's fine," Riku explained. "I was traveling with her and Sora just before I came here. I don't sense them nearby, but it might be a good idea to keep an eye out, just in case."
Peter's aura lit up.
"Wait, wait, wait! So Sora found her after all? That's fantastic."
Riku smirked. "More like she found us."
"She sounds like a tough girl."
Tinker Bell buzzed angrily by Peter.
"Aw come on, Tink. Calm down."
A series of complicated jingles reached Riku's ears. Whatever Tink said made Peter shrug. Though, when he spoke, his tone had a level of sternness in it.
"What does Wendy have to do with any of this? I told you, I'm just showing her around the island."
Riku stopped walking. "Wendy's here?"
Slighty scratched the fox ear on his hood. "Wait a minute, Pan. I thought she said her name was Alice." Cubby shoved Slighty.
"Naw! That's Wendy!"
"NO! Her name is ALICE!"
Cubby pounced on Slighty. The two boys fell from midair, rolling on the floor as they tried to pound their point into each other. Tinker Bell pointed and laughed. Riku reached down, grabbed the boys by their hoods and pulled them apart. Even though they were held back, they still swung at each other, struggling in Riku's hold.
"Knock it off, blockheads!" Peter barked.
Slighty and Cubby froze, standing to attention right after Riku let them go.
"We'll just ask Wendy what she prefers to be called. Let's hurry to the hideout. It's rude to keep her waiting."
Tinker Bell pulled on Peter's ear. He swatter her away.
"Relax, Tink. Wendy isn't going to cause us any harm."
Tinker Belle jingled shrilly. As if she'd enough of Peter, she fluttered down onto Riku's shoulder, crossing her arms and legs in a huff. Riku frowned, his shoulder felt warm for a moment, as Tink reddened with anger. She cooled down quick, before her fiery tempter could burn a hole through Riku's white and yellow shirt.
Riku suppressed a sigh. Why did it feel like he was always around the dumb couples? Still, watching Sora and Kairi fumble about, awkwardly flirting when it was so obvious that they were into each other was a lot easier then listening to Peter densely ignoring Tinker Bell's ridiculously clear jealousy.
"There it is," said Peter, pointing at something. "Hang Man's Tree. Our one and only hideout."
The oaky scent and the shifting of light and darkness told Riku that the tree in front of them was not like the others. Withered, the tree was hollow, its branches cut off, leaving stumps that were, in fact, secret openings that led into the tree. The Lost Boys opened the wooden flaps on the stumps and slide down into the underground base beneath the roots. Peter went down after them.
Riku paused before he followed them down.
"Hey," he said to Tinker Bell. "Peter cares about you, no matter who he is spending time with. Take it from someone that knows. Jealousy is not a good feeling. It's easier to make mistakes when it's there. I hope he realizes how important you are to him."
There was a small peck on his cheek. Trying to ignore the rushing heat in his face, Riku entered the hole behind the biggest tree stump. He whooshed down a slide, skidding onto the earthy hideout floor. Riku sat on the ground for a moment. He steadied himself by putting his hand on the dirt wall. The rough surface of a tree root met his fingertips. All around him, roots from the withered tree above decorated the walls of the base. Furs covered the floors like mats and blankets. There was single, king sized bed, which Riku guessed belonged to Peter. A girl was sitting on it.
Just then, Riku wished he could slide back up the tree. Unfortunately for him, Slighty and Cubby grabbed his arms, hauled him to his feet, and pushed him toward the girl.
"Here he is," said Peter. "Wendy, you'll never believe who's here."
The little girl stood, putting her hands on her hips. "Oh dear. Must we go over this every time, Peter? My name is Alice."
"I told you," said Slighty to Cubby.
"And I am very sorry, but I am tired of waiting beneath this tree," continued Alice. "If you would be so kind as to-"
Peter interrupted Alice so that he could shove Riku before her. Having no idea what to do, all Riku could think to say was a weak, "hi."
Alice tapped her finger on her jaw. "My, how curious. You are somehow familiar to me. Now when was it." She sighed. "Goodness. I can't seem to remember things as I used to."
"It'll come to ya, I'm sure," Peter offered.
Cubby lifted a wooden club from off the ground. "How about a bonk on the head? That gets me going."
Slightly waved his hand dismissively. "That's dumb! What she needs is a good flick on the nose."
Alice clapped her hands. "Oh! Now I remember! I thought I felt a familiar touch of darkness! Ansem was his name and-oh my!"
Riku pushed Alice. He jerked her away from the others so quickly that Tinker Bell flew off his shoulder.
"Excuse us, please," Riku said hastily at a bemused Peter, Slighty, Cubby and Tinker Belle.
Across the room, he leaned down to whisper to Alice. "I'm not under Ansem's control anymore." A rush of hot fear filled Riku's chest. He wished he could have looked in Alice's eyes. "W-wait, you said you sensed a familiar darkness? Is it Ansem's darkness? Is it still lingering on me?"
Alice patted down her dress. "My, I didn't mean to frighten you. I did feel a faint pinprick of darkness that reminded me of my time in Hollow Bastion, but it is nothing compared to the overwhelming pressure I felt back when I was taken prisoner there. What I feel now is no more the darkness of any other regular person."
Riku let out a breath that had been swelling painfully in his neck. "Oh good."
"I don't believe I've ever seen your face before, and yet it seems you know me. How curious."
"You're one of the seven princesses of heart," Riku explained. "So you've met my friend, Sora."
"Indeed I have! Tell me, is he still a mouse?"
Riku brows came together and the corners of his mouth twitched upward. "What? A mouse?"
Alice waved her hand as though chasing away a stray thought. "Oh, never mind. I'm terribly sorry, Riku, but I simply must get to the bottom of something that has been troubling me for quite a while."
She moved around him, walking with purpose until she was in front of Peter. "Now, about that armor-"
"Ah yes!" Peter flew up toward the ceiling. "The armor! We've got some investigating to do men! And now that we've cleared the path of heartless, we are more then ready to begin our 'expetition.'"
"'Expedition,' Peter," Alice corrected.
"That's what I said. Now then, the map!"
Cubby ran to one of the many shelves that had been dug into the walls. He pulled something out and handed it Pan. Riku heard the sound of paper unfolding. A moment later, Peter snapped his fingers.
"Crocodile Creek and Rainbow Falls. These are the only areas around the island that we have not yet explored."
"But that will take all day," the Lost Boys whined.
"Then we better get started. Riku! I hereby appoint you as Wendy's escort."
"Okay, but her name is Alice."
"No back talk. Men!" Peter pointed to Slighty and Cubby, "Let's move out!"
With Peter leading the way, the group quickly found themselves back outside. Single file, they walked through the forest. Riku brought up the rear, right behind Alice. She marveled at every new discovery on the island, occasionally breaking formation to stare at some new rock, flower, or bird, leaving Riku to go get her and direct her back.
"What a strange place I've found myself. First Wonderland and now this. I never knew there were so many worlds connected to my own."
"Why are you here?" Riku asked. "Were you blown around to a different world too?"
"Oh no," said Alice. "You see I ran into Peter in my own world, and I just had to see a place where children never grow up, so I flew with him here. I've been here for quite some time, and I can't seem to find that strange suit of armor."
"You mentioned that before. Just what is this suit of armor?"
"While exploring the island with Peter, you see, I spotted it. I've never seen such armor before, and why on earth would someone be wearing such a thing in such a hot place? What's even more curious is that Peter had never seen armor of that kind either. I simply must find out who is underneath that helmet. Peter, the Lost Boys and I searched Blindman's Bluff, Pegleg Point, and Mermaid Lagoon, but there was no sign of it. Then those troublesome heartless appeared."
Alice turned to face Riku, her light shining. Even though Riku couldn't see, her aura was so bright that he had blink from the intensity of it.
"The keyblade master is your friend, yes? I have noticed something bizarre. Perhaps you can give Sora a message for me."
"What is it?"
"Well, there have been some items washing up on Neverland's shores. Slighty and Cubby have been collecting them. I have the strangest notion that none of these items belong in Neverland."
"So things from other worlds are getting blown around?"
"It seems so. But how can that be? Sora's efforts should have kept the worlds separate from one another. And yet, I am here. You are here. The heartless are here, up to something wicked, no doubt."
"No kidding. There's something else you should know."
He explained to Alice about Ariel, the raft, Monstro, losing his friends, and Kairi's last words to him before he woke up in Neverland.
"Curiouser and curiouser," Alice mused. "Well, as soon as I find that suit of armor, it might be good advise for me to join to you on your quest. Besides, I do enjoy exploring new worlds. Do you think I would enjoy this Disney Castle you spoke of?"
"Definitely."
Crocodile Creek had no crocodile to speak of, or suit of armor for that matter. Alice wasn't too upset by it, hustling the party to inspect Rainbow Falls next. Peter led them to a series of cliffs that overlooked the cove. Cubby ran to stand at the edges of the cliffs.
"Look, Pan! The pirates!"
Cubby leaned too far forward, and tipped over the edge of the cliff he was standing on. Riku yelped, diving forward to catch him. Tink zipped by, and then, a moment later, Cubby flew back up, completely unharmed.
Peter rested on his back in the air. "So, the pirates have moved the ship closer to the island. Keep an eye out men!"
"You should keep an eye on your men! Cubby almost fell into the sea!"
"Don't worry about it," Peter waved Riku off. "My men can take care of themselves."
Before Riku could retort, Alice came to stand at his side.
"The ship is quite close, isn't it?"
Riku extended his senses, but couldn't make out the shape of a ship in his mental landscape. His senses had a certain range. If something were too far out of his radius, he couldn't feel, smell, hear or sense its darkness.
"Oh my!" Alice exclaimed.
"What is it?" Peter pulled his knife from his belt. He turned in the air, searching for an attack.
"I could have sworn I just saw a canoe out in the sea, beyond the ship."
"You sure?" Peter pressed his hand on his forehead, looking out into the horizon. "I don't see anything out there."
"That's odd," said Alice. "It was such a small canoe, and it sailed by so quickly." Alice shrugged. "Well, perhaps it was indeed my imagination. I mean it is silly. No canoe has a light that powerful."
Alice wondered off, but Riku stood, facing the sea, imagining Hook's ship out there. He wondered about the canoe that Alice had mentioned, but shrugged it off. It wasn't like he could feel its presence anyway and thinking about meeting Hook again made Riku nauseous. So he focused on what he could sense nearby.
They stood under a series of cliffs. The rock wall was so high that Riku couldn't really get a feel for the top. The smell of freshwater reached his nose, the distant swish of waterfalls tingling in his ears, the light of rainbows caressing his heart.
"Ready of fly, men? And gentle lady."
Alice giggled, curtsying to Peter. "Oh course. Oh, I do enjoy flying."
Riku grimaced. Tink moved around the party, sprinkling pixie dust on the Lost Boys and Alice. When she got near Riku, he stepped away. She flew in front of his face, stomping her foot in midair.
"Sorry. I'll just climb the old fashioned way."
"Goodness, are you sure?" Alice fluttered by. Her dress flared out like an open umbrella. Riku felt the hem brush by his arm. "Those cliffs look terribly bleak."
"I'll be fine," Riku assured her, walking up to the rock wall.
"Well, if you insist," said Alice. She waved at the Lost Boys. "Come now. We have armor to find!"
Peter, Slighty, Cubby and Tink began their leisurely flight up Rainbow Falls. Down below, Riku touched the rock wall, breathing in the cool scent of sturdy stone. He felt the sprinkle of the waterfalls rumbling over the rocks overhead and realized that the water had carved a relatively easy trail up the mountains. There was the occasional long jump, but nothing Riku couldn't handle, especially after the perilous, ever shifting layout of the realm of darkness. Making careful note of where each platform was, and keeping his senses open, he began his climb, quickly catching up to Peter and the others.
"Come on, Wendy," called Peter, "race you to the top!"
"My name is Alice. And do remember that we're searching for the armor, not racing."
"I'm in the lead, Wendy!"
Alice shook her head. "How much repeating is required for one to learn another's name? I suppose it might be difficult for some more then others, but I learned Peter's name rather quickly. Oh, I'm being silly again. Here I am, flying up the side of a mountain and I'm pondering about learning names."
Alice continued muttering to herself as she flew upward. Riku kept his mouth shut, unsure about how Alice would feel if he told her that Peter was mixing her up with some other girl. He was about to jump to another platform when something landed on his head. Riku stilled for a moment, but then Tinker Bell's annoyed ringing reached his ears.
Riku chuckled. "Keeping me company? I don't think Peter will be jealous of me much."
Tink patted his head roughly, as if to say, "be quiet and climb!"
Slighty and Cubby roared. "PAN! LOOK!"
Alice gasped, quickening her flight. "The armor! Peter, hurry!"
Riku chased after the party, trying to pinpoint the armor Alice and the Lost Boys had seen. He breathed in deep and focused his hearing. He didn't hear any clanging, nor did he smell metal. As he climbed higher, he didn't feel any tingle of light and darkness from said suit of armor. Eventually he had to shift his attention back to climbing before he could slip off the cliffside. Still, it was weird. Why couldn't he sense what everyone else could see?
The next thing he knew, he had reached the top of the falls. There was still no suit of armor nearby, but he did catch up to Alice and the others. The summit of Rainbow Falls was a winding path that towered high over the cove. Because of the way the road meandered, certain angles of the summit were hidden behind tall, rounded boulders. If a seeing person were to round a corner, they may have been surprised by what they would have run into on the other side. But Riku's senses warned him. When the dark stink of obsessive vengeance reached his nose, he ducked behind a boulder.
"Quick! Hide!"
Peter, Alice and the Lost Boys took cover next to Riku. Tinker Bell hunkered down on Riku's head, using his silver hair for cover. A second later, Captain Hook rounded the corner of the trail just ahead. Peter peeked over the boulder, spying on the pirate captain. Riku listened as Hook ranted to the short, round pirate that was scampering after him.
"I know it's here somewhere, Smee." Hook's voice was gruff, low, angry. "I'll have that helmet on me trophy wall, I will."
The portly man following Hook shivered, wrinkling his pointed hat in his hands so harshly, it was a wonder that the fabric didn't rip. "B-b-but Cap'n, you saw the way that metal monster moved. It's a spirit is what it is! A ghost!"
Hook stopped walking and turned to face Smee, his voice smooth, like honey. "What was that, Mr. Smee?"
"I was just saying, sir, that perhaps we shouldn't mess with such a creature?"
Hook spread his arms wide. The smell of silver reached Riku's nose. He sensed the anger in Hook's body. It vibrated along the pirate's left arm, collecting into the sharp, silver hook that had taken the place of his left hand.
"Why, Mr. Smee, perhaps we should head back to the ship and simply forget this matter."
Mr. Smee bounced excitedly. "Grand idea, Cap'n. Let's head down to the harbor."
The captain swung at Mr. Smee, his hook barely missing the shorter man by an inch.
"WE'RE NOT LEAVING, YOU BLATHERING IMBECILE!"
"B-but, Cap'n, you just said-"
"We're staying the course and destroying that thing! Blasted suit of armor! Making a fool of me on me own ship! No one mocks James Bartholomew Hook and gets away with it! Now, make yourself useful and scout ahead!"
Mr. Smee scampered down the trail of the summit, away from both Hook, and Peter's party. Behind the boulder, Peter turned toward the Lost Boys and snickered.
"Did you hear that? The armor got Hook!"
"Maybe it's on our side," said Slightly.
"I don't know," said Cubby. "What if Smee is right and it really is a ghost."
"Don't be ridiculous men! This is our chance to make an ally. Anyone that humiliates Hook is a friend of mine."
Riku listened as Peter described all manor of mischievous pranks to the Lost Boys, but his attention quickly shifted to Tinker Bell. She was getting oddly comfortable in his hair, lying down on her tummy, with her feet kicking in the air, as though she were having the time of her life. It wasn't until Riku heard Alice's voice, that he realized just why Tink was so happy.
"Excuse me, Mr. Captain, sir."
Riku's stomach dropped into his knees. Peter covered the Lost Boys' mouths before they could scream. Meanwhile, Hook whirled around, stiffening in response to the little girl that had shuck up behind him.
"What on earth?"
Alice curtsied. "You mentioned a suit of armor. You see, I am also searching for such a thing. Isn't it curious? I can't imagine why one would be wearing armor, on this island of all places. Would you kindly point me in the direction you last saw it?"
Riku knotted his fingers in his hair. "What is she doing?"
He was about to run around the boulder, but Peter jerked him back.
"Wait. She might get information out of him."
"Are you crazy? This is Captain Hook!"
"And I'm Peter Pan. Let him try to hurt her. I'll cut off his other hand before he gets the chance."
Before Riku could snap back at Peter, Captain Hook's darkness flared, sizzling like a rock in the desert.
"My dear girl, where did you come from?"
"From London."
"Ah, I see. And you've come here by flying, have you?"
"Why yes."
The hook snagged on the bow on the back of Alice's dress, lifting her up.
"Then you've met Pan! Where is that bilge rat, girl?"
Alice kicked her legs. "Oh dear! Mr. Captain sir, would you please put me down?"
"Answer the question, girl!" Hook roared directly into Alice's face.
There was no way Peter was going to stop Riku now. Summoning his soul eater, Riku charged at Hook, but Peter was faster. He swooped down over Hook, plucking the captain's hat right off his head. Floating above Hook's head, Peter waved the hat around like an owner dangling a treat over their cat.
Hook shook his fist at Peter. "Scurvy brat! Give that back!"
"Aw, what's the matter, Captain? Is your head feeling cold?"
"I'll make you neck feel cold if you come back down here!"
Peter tsked. "Why Captain, what a vulgar thing to say in front of the little lady."
"Quite." Alice agreed, putting her chin in her hand, swaying back and forth on the hook. "Seems to me like he could learn a thing or two about manners."
"You want your hat back, ya codfish? Come and get it!"
Peter held the hat inches above Hook's head. The pirate tried to swipe the hat back, only for Peter to pull it out of his reach.
"You blasted flying buffoon! When I get my hands on you-"
While Hook's attention was on Pan, Riku got close to Alice, and snatched her away. The captain twirled around, unleashing the rapier at his hip.
He froze. "What? You?"
Riku put Alice back on her feet and then turned to face Hook.
"Hey there Captain," Riku drawled. "Miss me?"
"Indeed." Hook thrusted his rapier at Riku. "I've been waiting for a chance to get revenge on Maleficient's brat! Have at you, boy!"
Riku jumped back, away from Hook's sword. Pan took that moment to attack. Hook had no choice but to turn around and block Peter's knife before he lost his head.
Alice gasped. "Look! The armor!"
Everyone faced the direction Alice had indicated. Except Riku. A sudden, cold evil pinched his skin. He sensed a tall, slender, metal shell nearby, but was quickly distracted by a gut punching darkness. The scent of loneliness and despair hit him. His muscles seized, rooting him in place. He couldn't hear the sound of Alice's retreating footsteps, couldn't chase after Hook and Peter as both of them moved after Alice. All he could do was stand in place and gasp for air. The atmosphere was thick with misery. His lungs burned, the darkness pressed down on his chest. Then, light. The stench of darkness was pushed back by a touch of...hope? The feeling was so powerful that the whiplash of the two opposing forces had stupefied Riku long enough for Alice to escape!
He sucked in air, his muscles waking up, the darkness fading away almost as quickly as it had come. Slapping his hands on his cheeks to get a hold of himself, Riku moved to chase after Peter and Alice. He had only taken a few steps when something tugged on the back of his shirt. Slighty and Cubby's grunts met Riku's ears. He turned around.
"What?"
"We have to go back down Rainbow Falls," panted Slighty.
"Why?"
"Tink," whimpered Cubby. "She got mad when Peter ran after Alice so she flew down the cliffs. We went down after her but more of those monsters appeared!"
"WHAT?"
Slighty and Cubby flinched, flying backward.
Riku pushed down another cry of frustration. He rubbed his temples. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. Just, give me a second."
Breathing slower, he tried to think. For such a logical little girl, Alice's unending curiosity pulled her in every direction. She was a princess of heart, and the idea of her being hurt by the heartless, or Hook, filled Riku's chest with icicles of dread. However, Peter had also chased after Hook and Alice. He could sense them all going the same direction. There was no way Peter wouldn't protect Alice, Riku was sure. Sora didn't make friends with people that wouldn't come through in a pinch. Tinker Bell, on the other hand, had no one, and if he didn't help soon, she was going to be heartless dinner!
"You two stay here! Don't move!"
"But-"
"DON'T MOVE!"
There was no time to make sure that the Lost Boys listened. Riku raced back toward the cliffs, skidding to a stop before he fell off the edge. He felt darkness below. A whole swarm of darkballs were darting about, trying to swallow a tiny spec of light that was desperately zipping around in the air, trying to escape. The heartless moved close together, turning into a tightly packed sphere, trapping the spec of light inside.
Riku jumped off the cliff. The air whistled in his ears. Straight ahead, the darkball sphere tightened. Through the globe of heartless, Riku heard Tinker Bell's terrified jingling. He concentrated on Tink's fiery light, readying his soul eater. The darkballs began chewing. Tinker Bell shrieked. The darkness pressed on Riku's skin.
He sliced. The sphere of darkballs cracked down the middle. Reaching out, Riku grabbed Tinker Bell and held her close to his chest. He cut through the bottom bowl of heartless.
He fell.
Stabbing his weapon into the side of the cliffs, Riku felt his soul eater grind through the stone. Then, he jerked as the soul eater snagged on a harder section of rock, leaving him hanging in midair.
Releasing Tink from his fist, Riku took a moment to catch his breath. She grabbed his hand and lifted it, making him point his finger upward. Growls reached his ears from above. The surviving heartless were diving down toward them. Riku lifted his arm, opening his palm.
"Thundaga!"
Bolts of lightning shot up from his hand. The heartless exploded, leaving nothing but dust to sprinkle down onto Riku's shoulders. Tinker Bell did a backflip. She landed in Riku's palm, hugging his forefinger.
"Thanks for the warning." Riku panted. "Now if only I could figure out how to get down safely."
Tink huffed. She flew in circles over his head and Riku felt the warm tingle of pixie dust on his hair. He pulled his soul eater from the cliff and nervously floated in the air.
"I'm really not good at flying."
Tink tugged on his hair, pulling him upward.
"Okay, okay. I'll try. Happy thoughts, right?"
He tried imagining Sora and Kairi again and slowly, he rose upward. Then his thoughts shifted, worrying about Alice and the strange darkness he had felt. Suddenly, he bulleted through the air, tumbling upward, spinning like a baseball until he crashed onto the summit of Rainbow Falls.
"Ow!" Riku growled. "I really don't like flying!"
Slighty and Cubby surrounded him. Each boy took an arm and hauled Riku to his feet.
"You okay," they asked.
"Yeah. But this is so dumb! Why can't I fly? It shouldn't be this hard. If Sora can do it, why can't I?" Riku slumped. "Maybe I'll never get it."
"You'll get it," Cubby laughed. "Just remember: faith-"
"Trust," said Slighty.
"And pixie dust," the Lost Boys said together.
Riku rubbed his behind. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. Right now though, I want to go after Peter and Alice. The two of you should head back to the hide out."
Slight and Cubby stomped their feet. "We want to help Pan too!"
As if to say, "there's no way you're getting rid of me that easily," Tinker Bell slammed her feet down in Riku's hair, crossing her arms.
Riku was starting to get a headache. The longer he tried to convince the Lost Boys to head home, the farther away Alice was getting. Then again, if he didn't babysit the Lost Boys, who knew what trouble they could get into?
"All right, all right. You can come. But you have to listen to everything I say. Got it?"
Slighty and Cubby saluted. "Yes sir!"
Alice often gave herself very good advice. However, she very seldom followed it. She should have waited for Riku, Peter and the Lost Boys to catch up. Instead, she had chased the armor from the gully back into Neverland's jungles, right cross the clearing in front of Hang Man's tree, and quickly found herself back in Mermaid Lagoon with no suit of armor to be found.
"Oh dear," Alice sighed, looking around. "I was so sure I saw the armor coming this way. What a pity."
"Did you say something about armor, m'dear?"
Alice looked down. She was standing atop a cylinder shaped boulder overlooking the lagoon. Pink cliffs created the crescent shaped rock formation that housed the lagoon. A waterfall cascaded down one side of the cliffs, splashing gently into the saltwater below. In the middle of the semi-circle, there were boulders rising out of Neverland's crystal clear ocean. Normally, there would be mermaids sitting on those rocks, preening themselves. However, at that moment, the only person there was Mr. Smee. He was sitting in a row boat, directly underneath Alice.
Leaning down over her cliff, Alice waved at Mr. Smee.
"Do you know where the armor went, sir?"
Mr. Smee nodded. "It's just terrible, miss! It flew toward the ship! Oh, the Cap'n will not be happy for the trespassing, that's for sure!"
Alice looked toward the ship and then back at Smee.
"Are you certain?"
"I saw it with me own eyes, miss."
"The suit of armor can also fly? How very curious."
Without wasting another moment, Alice flew upward from her rock, sailing through the sky, straight to Captain Hook's ship.
Mr. Smee, grabbed his oars. "Wait! Miss! Oh, the Cap'n is not going to like this."
Smee rowed after Alice like his life depended on it, which, considering Captain Hook's temper, it may as well have. Not once did he look back. If he had, he would have spotted the suite of armor he was so worried about. It stood on the rock Alice had just vacated, watching the girl and the pirate return to the ship. Then, slowly, it lifted its head, as if sensing something nearby. Turning toward the jungle, the armor vanished into the trees.
Jiminy's Journal
Peter Pan (First Appeared in Peter Pan, 1953): The boy that never grows up and the daring leader of the Lost Boys of Neverland. On one of his many trips to London, Peter ran into Alice. Believing her to be Wendy, he brought Alice to Neverland so that they could go on new adventures together, much to Tinker Bell's annoyance. His favorite pastimes are pranking Captain Hook, and leading the Lost Boys on "expetitions."
Slighty and Cubby (First Appeared in Peter Pan, 1953): The Lost Boys. Slighty wears a fox skin while Cubby walks around in bear fur. The two boys idealize and respect Peter Pan. Always willing to go on an adventure, both boys have a penchant for getting into trouble.
Tinker Bell (First Appeared in Peter Pan, 1953): A small pixie that is Peter Pan's best friend and sidekick. Her pixie dust gives people the ability to fly. She has a fiery and jealous streak, getting annoyed at Peter whenever he gives any other girl attention. However, it seems that Alice and Peter are completely oblivious of her feelings. Tinker Bell has taken a liking to Riku, though she does get annoyed that flying doesn't come too naturally to him.
Captain Hook (First Appeared in Peter Pan, 1953): Peter Pan's emotionally volatile and cunning sworn enemy. Hook has had it out for Peter since the boy cut off his left land. Replacing his lost hand with a hook, this pirate captain is constantly challenging Peter, trying to get revenge. His grudges extend to Riku as well. Back on Sora's first adventure, Hook had no choice but to follow Riku's commands. Now that Maleficient is gone, Hook's is out to get Riku for ordering him around on his own ship.
Mr. Smee (First Appeared in Peter Pan, 1953): For a pirate, Mr. Smee is surprisingly polite. Bumbling and always eager to please, even though Hook bullies him more then anyone else, he is ever loyal to his captain. He's also rather superstitious, fearing that the armor Peter and Captain Hook are looking for is possessed by an evil spirit. Could he be right?
