The island was flush shade of tropical green and its scent was that of the never far off sea breeze coming from the ocean. Another breeze that came out of the sea was swept up from the shore reaching the dense jungle before getting lost in the foliage that covered it. From there it could only be traced by the ruffling of the individual leaves or vines that jostled from it. The swaying of the leaves all made the same sound as the wind passed through them. A calm slithering or jingling as they brushed up against each other. Until one shrieked.
"Eek!" one let out and the rustled further even though the wind had long passed. Then a small pale leg, one as small as the stem holding the lead stepped out from behind it and stumbling after it was the rest of the body; one hardly larger than the leaf that concealed her. "brr." Rikku shook her wild and long yellow hair out as she stood there on the small branch "It's breezy here." she said lively.
"Because we're getting closer to the water." a calm more lifeless voice called out behind another leaf. Turning to her side Rikku saw Paine emerge, being as dark as the shadow beneath the leaf even as she came to the light. Her arms were crossed and her demeanor was indifferent, but she was here looking for something, no different than her.
"Then that means we're getting closer!" Rikku declared as she threw her hands up and what was in them, an aged, old brown piece of paper hardly largaer than a stamp to most others, but big enough for them to carry. And one that lead to untold and endless riches. Just what the three Gullwings we're looking for.
"Then let's not wait any further?" a third, lighter yet cheerful voice called out and the two turned to see Yuna land beside them as the three now faced each other. "Where to next?" she asked as she turned to Rikku specifically. Paine cocked her head to her as well.
Ditzilly Rikku let her head fall to one side and her hair with it, as if it was shadowing her entire body. "Oh!" she then let out "Let's see here." she then picked the paper up, unfolded it and buried her head in it. It was only there for a few moments before she turned it upwards to peak beyond the tree leaves to the sky.
Looking up, she saw countless multicolored lines; rainbows that arched all over the sky connecting one edge of the horizon to the other. The water was calm and listless, but sparkling in its place. Reflecting the sunlight and making it twinkle as it they were stars in the sky that brought them here.
"This way, we have to go this way!" Rikku declared and pointed off. The other two fairies cocked their heads off to where the third had pointed, but all they ended up seeing was a hazy blue horizon. They all starred off for a few minutes before turning back to Rikku.
"Get serious." Paine said blandly, but there was criticism evident in her voice.
"What?" Rikku blurted out "You don't believe me?!"
"There's nothing over there." she told placidly.
"That's what you think! But look! It says so here!" she pointed hitting the map again with her finger "Look at the X! It's not even on the island!"
Yuna and Payne fluttered over to her sides and peered over her shoulder to see where he pointed, her little finger placed on the upmost point of the map in the top right corner practically falling off of it.
"That's the compass." Payne said blandly, her arms crossed.
"Huh?" Rikku let out.
"It's down here silly." Yuna leaned in and pointed down further. A big 'X' set somewhere in the lush green jungle set between the Mermaid Lagoon and Hangman's Tree.
"And where are we?" Paine asked, her arms still crossed not even bothering to look at the map when she asked. The three then rotated their heads around to see them off the edge of a cliff and some formidable mountains above them, nearby a stream flowed which the map identified as 'Crocodile Creek'.
"We're nowhere near it." Yuna said.
"Center mass." Paine tapped the center of the map.
"No that can't be right!" Rikku said burying her head deeper into the map.
"That's what we get by giving it to you." Paine nagged, turning her back to her.
"Hey!" Rikku popped up "What's that mean?"
"What do you think it means?" she didn't even bother to turn her head back to her when she answered.
"Let's not fight amongst ourselves" Yuna cut in between the two.
"Fine." Paine sighed "You deal with it."
"But I thought-" Rikku started and then was cut off when another.
"Tinkerbeeeellll!" a young boy's loud voice cried out amongst the trees and leaves as if the wind had come at them again. The three stopped their argument to look over to where the voice seemed to be coming from. It sounded like it was coming from high in the sky "Tinkerbell!" he shouted again, this time on the ground and closer to them. They would hear the movement of the brush and vines being torn away, by something large and coming their way. "Tink!" he suddenly exclaimed loudly "Where are you?" he asked to the sound of another tree branch rattling "If this is hide and seek you know you'll loose." he warned mischievously as four digits as large as each of them were suddenly wrapped around a tree leaf that would have otherwise hid the Gullwings and was then suddenly torn away "Ah ha!" he let out initially, but his face recoiled when he looked down and saw only them.
The three of them only looked up to him with wide eyes, knowing that they weren't the one this boy was looking for. And who ever he was, he was a giant- at least compared to them- but was full of youth, adorned in all green with a red feather stuck into the cap on his head.
He then brought a hand up to scratch his head, moving the cap from its position to reveal some red hair to match the feather.
"Huh?" he let out curiously "Whadda know?"
"Know what?" Paine asked defiantly looking up to him.
"What do we know?" Rikku asked "We know where the treasure is-" Paine suddenly uncrossed her arm and grabbed ahold of Rikku putting both her hands over her mouth, but it seemed to do them little good.
"Oh!" the boy let out and crossed his arms "it's the treasure your after is it?"
"Nice going." Paine said releasing Rikku, not hiding her scorn.
"But we do know where it is." she protested.
"Not if your looking for it here." the boy said shaking his head and getting the three's attention again "It's long gone."
"Gone?" Yuna perked up, taking her question to the air to fly up to him "gone where?" she asked before his face.
"How do you know?" Rikku flew up following her.
"I better know." the boy proclaimed proudly "I know all about this island because I'm Peter Pan." he pointed to his chest.
"Well if you know so much," Yuna asked politely getting Peter's attention "can you tell us where it is?"
"Well that's easy." Peter dropped his hands to his hips "It's over with Captain-" a suddenly jingling sound was heard, growing louder and more uncontrollable as it got closer. Before they knew it there was a bright figure that came between them and Peter and unfortunately for Yuna it was much more her size.
This new Fairy got aggressively close to Yuna, who no matter how much she backed up, she still intruded on her personal space. She didn't say anything, but she could tell by the scrunch up anger in her face that she was made and that she was glowing red. Every movement she made was to the accompanying sound of bells.
"Easy Tink." Peter said as he reached forward, grabbing ahold of her wings and pulling her back closer to him though she fidgeted in his grip still glaring at Yuna "I thought they were your friends." he admitted looking down at her. That assumption certainly didn't do anything to calm her down, and she turned to glare up at him and moved more wildly in his grip. As she moved around in his grip sparkles of gold dust sprouted out of her "Whadda mean you don't know em?" he asked and Tinkerbell seemed to ask him something else through her jingling. The three Gullwings didn't catch what it was, but watched on. Though they weren't sure of what Tinkerbell was saying, Peter seemed to have an easy time understanding and answering it and that was how they followed the flow of the conversation. "I don't know, we just met." he told with a shrug. Tinkerbell moved furiously and asked something again, pointing back to the three "I don't know where their wings are." he told and then responded to more angry jingling "I think that one doesn't have any happy thoughts." he moved a hand and pointed to Paine, causing Yuna and Rikku to do the same, the usual indifference on her face giving way to confusion. So much so that they didn't hear Tinkerbells next question, but they heard Peter's answer "They said they were looking for treasure." Peter told Tinkerbell.
"Yes." Yuna interjected again getting both Peter and Tinkerbell's attention "I'm Yuna. And the three of us are the Gullwings." she told.
"Yuna's enough." Peter waved his hand as his other released Tinkerbell from his fingertips. She didn't confront Yuna this time, but lingered by Peters side floating by his shoulder and kept a watchful eye on Yuna.
"Alright, " she nodded "now about that treasure." Peter's head then swerved around her and then ducked under to look up before coming back before her.
"I guess that treasure must be your happy thoughts." he scratched his head as Tinkerbell, with her back to them now merely pouted behind his ear.
"Yes," Yuna agreed "very much so" she nodded. Rikku and Paine then come up to her side "Now about that Treasure?" she asked again.
A boyish grin came over his face "Well that's easy." he told.
Settled in Pirates Cove a ship was at anchor. A blood red hull, with skulls adorned across it, but the most iconic was the pale white one on the flag surrounded by two white swords on a pitch black background. This ship was crewed by the saltiest and cruelest pirates to ever sail the stars. And they took orders from only one man.
He ruled this ship with an iron fist- or rather... hook.
Captain Hook stood before the bridge, a double barreled cigar extending from his mouth, overlooking what was at the time sorry state of his ship. He exhaled and let out a puff of smoke which rose up, but got trapped beneath the dark rim of his hat and curled back down into his face. Curling formlessly it overtook the devilish moustache he had and the anger growing in his eyes as his crew scurried around below him, hauling the lines or hoisting the flag. Others meanwhile swabbed the deck while some aloft in the lines or mast laid lazily, hanging comfortably from them. But no matter what they did they all did it to the rhythm of song.
"Yo Ho, Yo Ho, Yo Ho, Yo Ho, Yo Ho. So, try the life of a thief. Just sample the life of a crook. There isn't a boy. Who won't enjoy A-workin' for Captain Hook! The World's Most Famous Crook!" they sang in unison.
Though the Captain loved to hear of himself. He also wasn't one to take one shirking their duties. He let out a puff of smoke from the corner of his mouth that floated beyond his hat and then his voice erupted from the rest of it.
"That's enough you bilge rats!" he suddenly roared down to them "Enough of that! Get this ship shape or else!" The pirates scurried about now, hurrying more to their assigned duties. But even then, under threat from the captain, they never missed a beat or lyric.
"You'll love the life of a thief! You'll relish the life of a crook!" they sang still cheery and optimistic "There's barrels of fun for everyone and you'll get treasures by the ton!" they held the note long and loudly. Hook set the pipe back into his mouth and was ready to take a nice long calming drag from it. But that last line caught more than just his attention.
"Treasures!?" a light voice ecstatically exclaimed. Hook perked up at that, the tip of his cigar holder easing out of his slightly gaped mouth. Then suddenly it stabbed up to the roof of his mouth and then jerked to the side of his cheek poking it. "guff-" Hook let out as he winced and closed his eyes as the barrel was lopsided, leaning to far to the left.
"Not so loud." a lower blander voice spoke, and the other barrel suddenly had weight added to it as well. It jerked down to that side and shifted to the other side of his mouth before steading out and evening out. Captain Hook winced at the pain again, and when he pried his eyes opened he saw sitting atop his two cigars... pixies?
The two were having a standoff with each other right before his eyes. One was lighter and more aloof, the other despite being just as close was darker and more distant.
"We're supposed to be smart about this?" the darker one said.
"Whadda mean?" the lighter one asked.
"You're both wrong." a third voice chided before she hopped down on the stem of the cigar holder and it jostled in his mouth once again. Hook suppressed a painful moan, but steadied his eyes on what was literally before him. The standoff on each of his cigar was being joined by a third that stood the closest to his face, though with her back to him. The three continued on to jabber amongst themselves, but a fourth voice was about to enter their conversation.
"What is this?!" Hook's voice creaked and then as suddenly as he had three small confused faces turn back to look at him. Wide blank eyes blinked occasionally as he awaited an answer. "Well?!" his face curled up further, his moustache twitching up with his face into an ugly sneer.
"Well, what?" Rikku asked cluelessly.
"What are you looking at?" Paine asked.
Hooks face started to boil into a rage of red and in response to their questions, he let out a snort and the wind blew from his nostrils shot Rikku and Paine clear off of his cigar barrels and rolling through the air. Yuna, who braced herself remained in place even as her dress fluttered. But when the breeze went down she looked up over her arms and to the Captain. She lowered her arms to pat and flattened her dress.
"I'm sorry." she answered sweetly as she did "Bless you." she added in a voice just as so. Hook's nose twitched up, but he said nothing. Once she was finished, she looked back to the captain "We we're looking for the Jolly Roger. Is this it?" Hook's apprehension dissipated and gave way to confusion.
"That it is." he confirmed starting to calm down.
"Oh good!" Yuna clapped and hopped "Then we're in luck."
"So it would seem," Hook answered slowly, elegance coming back to his voice now, but suspicion as well "but what kind of luck, my dear?" he said as he raised his left hand, producing the hook that gave him his name. Yuna then floated up and then took a seat on the rounded edge letting her legs dangle off as she eased into it.
"We we're looking for this just ship." she told.
"So you were," he answered "and.. whose we?" he asked though he felt he already knew the answer.
"Oh" Yuna added with pep in her voice "The three of us. The Gullwings!" she answered as Hook took a puff from his cigars and blew smoke out of the corner of his mouth "And if this is the Jolly Roger, then I bet your Captain Hook." she pointed up to him.
Hook brought his hand up to raise his hat off his head respectfully before brining it back on top "The very same." he paused taking another longer more prolonged puff as the cigars rested lower in his mouth and the smoke rose up to his hook where she was sitting "And uh-" he began, but stopped as Yuna began to cover her own mouth and began to cough from the smoke that now engulfed her "Apologies my dear." he said as he removed the pipe from his mouth and ashed both of them simultaneously on the table behind him. Once that was gone, he turned his attention back to her as she cleared her throat and he waved the smoke away from her. Once it was clearer, he set his hand back to his side and continued where he left off "But it still begs the question," he continued as she looked up to him "why were you searching for me ship?"
"Oh that's easy." Yuna answered cheerfully "We heard there were loads of treasure here." Hook's apprehension returned and aired itself in the sound of a dark little chuckle. Yuna upon hearing it began to chuckle as well.
"Then you have heard correctly my dear." he said kindly, flattering himself in the process, but his voice grew darker the next time he spoke "But it begs another question, whom you heard it from?" he asked peering closer one eye locked onto her.
"Oh that little boy Peter Pan." she answered, but the accusation of 'little' seemed far fetched and the kindness in her voice did not bring it out in the captain.
"Pet-peter-P-Pan!" he stammered and his voice grew.
"He said you'd know him." Yuna said "Whoa-" she twirled in the air as the Hook she was seated on was abruptly taken out from under her.
"Your in league with that boy! And here for me treasure!" Hook declared.
"Of course!" Yuna said as she steadied herself in mid air "Where is it hidden?" she asked expecting he would part with it very easily.
"Not on your life! Not for all the-"
"It's down here!" Rikku's voice called up from below.
"No!" Hook's anger returned to him and he lashed out trying to snatch Yuna in the air but she flew out of the way. He lunged again, but only ended up knocking himself onto the railing he was just looking over before. Bent over and his torso hanging off of it, he swerved as his arms dangled. And beneath him he saw his treasure chests move, as if they were floating in the air out of the door and over the deck. "AAHH!" he shouted. He then pushed back and propelled himself to standing up straight though he did so with so much force that he knocked himself back into the table and his chair. His back braced itself onto the table even as it almost fell over and his arms jutted back. Knocking the chair over he nearly lost the grip on the table, only managing to steady himself off of that at the last moment.
He shook his head and the hair out of his vision as he pushed himself up.
"Mr. Smee!" Captain Hook shrieked as his voice cracked and he still held himself up by the table and the chair "There's an infestation aboard my ship!"
"How's that sir?" Mr. Smee asked as he bumbled himself up the stairs towards the captain "The boys wash at least once a week." he sputtered as he reached the top.
"Not of that kind Mr. Smee." Hook declared "It's of a different kind." he said as he saw another treasure chest float up from the deck and towards the sky, drifting farther from the ship "MY TREASURE!" he shrieked and wailed.
Then suddenly Rikku and Paine appeared at the side of his face, grabbed ahold of and tugged at his whiskers pulling them off his face.
Hook slashed his hands up, but missed them as they flew out of the way of his waving and then fluttered back down to the main deck to grab more chests of gold. Hook stampeded after them following them across the deck his arms outstretched to grab what was always seemingly out of reach. He swerved and swayed and backtracked as he was lead across his ship to follow the floating chests. Then suddenly he reeled forward and jumped only to miss them entirely.. and jumped right over the ship and splashing into the water.
He landed with a loud splash was plunged deep into the water. When he erupted up from it, it was to the distinct sound of his wailing "SMEE!" he called before his hair plopped down over his face. He moved it out of the wat to see his treasure just flying away farther out of reach, but as worse as that sight was, there was something else that overtook his attention. Not another sight, but a sound.
The ticking of a clock.
Character Appearances: Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook, Mr. Smee(Peter Pan), Rikku, Yuna(FFX) and Paine(FFX-2)
