Everyone surrounded the hurt Daphne, who laid there in the shade. Rapunzel gently touched her, worriedly.
"Oh, Daphne" she cooed.
For a while, Daphne was still, then she coughed.
"Mom?" groaned Daphne.
Everyone was relieved.
"Thank goodness" sighed Rapunzel.
"Mom, I'm sorry" Daphne began. "I didn't mean to hurt you or Elroy. I didn't know -—"
"Oh, no, no. It's not your fault, darling. It's alright. You're here, safe and sound."
Rapunzel pulled Daphne and Elroy into a tight, warm embrace.
Flynn and the Lost Boys smiled at each other, then they cheered loudly, circling around the island, singing "No Zhan Tiri! No Zhan Tiri! La la la la la!"
Dastardly scanned the moment, then thinking deeply into his thoughts.
Rapunzel's unconditional love for Daphne and Elroy was the one thing he knew that Flynn and the boys could never have: a kind, loving mother. And Daphne wasn't just a child, she was someone's child.
Just as he and the pirates were about to leave, Dastardly heard a splash in the ocean.
Rising from the ocean was Sisu! She was a water dragon again.
"Sisu!" cried Daphne.
She and the boys raced to the water dragon, who shook the water off her fur.
"I… am… so hungry" Sisu finally said.
"You could eat Dastardly" joked Boun.
"Not that hungry."
The kids laughed and embraced Sisu tightly.
"Aw, it's good to breathe in that glorious dragon stench again" sighed Tong.
Muttley stared at Tong with confusion.
"What? It's a compliment!"
Flynn then aimed his dagger at Dastardly.
"Hello to you too" Dastardly said sarcastically. "I am fallen. Give me my dignity. You owe me something."
But Flynn didn't move. He still saw Dastardly as the same monster he tried to stop years ago (though he forgot that Zhan Tiri was responsible for Dastardly's hand). Likewise with Dastardly, every time he saw Flynn, he just couldn't forget all the things he had done to him.
"You are old" he said to Dastardly. "Mean, sour, crafty and cruel. You don't belong here anymore."
"Strike, Pan. Strike true" the captain growled.
Sisu suddenly began to hack, much to everyone's concern.
She then spat out the alarm clock that was ticking, which Muttley immediately broke using a large rock he found on the beach.
Then, a gentle hoof lowered the dagger.
"Flynn" Twilight said calmly. "Captain Dastardly has nothing left. He's old, alone and done for."
"Not completely alone," Tong corrected.
Muttley nodded in agreement.
Then Rapunzel, Daphne, Elroy and Sisu stood by Twilight.
"He's just a mean, old man without a mother" Elroy pleaded.
"Yeah, Flynn, come on, he can't hurt us anymore" added Daphne.
Flynn was clearly impatient with Dastardly, but he didn't know what to expect from his friends.
But Twilight and Sisu knew one thing: Dastardly was just a poor, pathetic victim who clearly made wrong choices in his life and trapped in his obsession for revenge. And he obviously won't let go of his own hate.
Daphne couldn't help but feel sorry for the captain, despite everything he's done and after trying to kill her mother and uncles.
With a reluctant sigh, Flynn lowered his weapon.
"Just take your crew and go" he said to Dastardly. "I never want to see your face in Never Land again. Ever."
Dastardly felt hurt and weak than he ever did before.
"I suppose it would be the best place for me to retire" he said sadly. "Come, Muttley."
The pirates slowly made their way to the last lifeboat.
"But where will he go?" Elroy asked, genuinely feeling concerned for Dastardly.
"I don't know, son" answered Rapunzel.
Then Daphne remembered the hook, it now laid on the shores of the island. She picked it up and ran for the lifeboat which was slowly departing, the ocean up to her ankles.
"Captain Dastardly, wait!" she called. "You forgot this."
Dastardly felt generous of Daphne's kindness, but he respectfully refused the hook.
"But don't you…?" Daphne began to ask.
"Drat it, Daphne" replied Dastardly, with regretful tears in his eyes. "I do not need that anymore. You taught me to overcome my fears. My past. You're honest, brave and true. You didn't even learn that from anybody."
"I learned it from looking inside myself, Dastardly."
With a slight tremble in his lip, Dastardly unexpectedly hugged Daphne, his only hand touching her head as if she were his own child. Daphne broke down in tears herself.
"Is she allowed to do that?" frowned Boun.
The other Lost Boys shrugged.
Dastardly couldn't bring it in himself to speak to Pan, let alone look at him. So he ignored the boy, but he waved Daphne farewell as he, Muttley and Tong rowed off into the horizon.
Daphne was still crying until Elroy stood by her.
"Leaping laser, Daph!" he said. "Dad would be proud."
Then Rapunzel remembered something.
"We've got to return home now before the sun rises and you'll miss the morning train" she said.
Flynn and Twilight understood, but the Lost Boys were sad.
"But... But... But... - But... But..." stammered Lance.
"We'll miss you" cried Luca and Alberto finishing for Lance.
"Yeah. A lot" agreed Boun.
Rapunzel hugged the Lost Boys one last time, promising that she will remember them. Daphne and Elroy even said goodbye to their new friends.
Flynn realized that yes, Rapunzel has grown up and Daphne will one day too but they will never forget him. He then bowed to the family.
"Madam, it would be my pleasure... to escort you back to London" he said formally.
"The pleasure will be all mine, good sir" Rapunzel smiled, bowing back.
Daphne playfully pushed Flynn, who pretended to fall and laughed.
Twilight smiled and lowered her muzzle to Daphne's level. The girl petted her.
"Twi, you know the way" Flynn said. "I'll be just behind you."
"Well, it's a long way home" she said. "Give me your best shot, Twili."
The alicorn shot pixie dust from her horn and Rapunzel, Elroy and Daphne were flying in the air. She then led them away from the island.
Flynn stayed because he had one thing to do.
"Well, boys" he said. "We may have lost Angry, but her legacy will live on."
The boys nodded in agreement.
"Now, who will be her successor?" he continued.
Closing his eyes, Flynn moved his pointer finger in-between boys until he finally picked… Boun.
The boys gasped.
"I want you to take care of everyone who's smaller than you" Flynn said.
Boun nodded with understanding.
"Then who do I look after?" Lance asked.
"Never Bugs" answered Flynn. "Little ones."
"That was a great game."
"Now, I'll be right back, make sure everyone is alright."
Sisu and the Lost Boys watched as Flynn took off into the air and straight toward the star that would take him to London.
To be continued…