Disclaimer: The Mad Doctor claims no ownership to the Kingdom Hearts franchise. It belongs to Disney and Square Enix.
Notes from the Mad Doctor: Greetings readers! Before we get to the story, a moment of seriousness if I may. I'd just like to say that I hope each and every one of you is doing all you can to keep yourselves healthy and safe during this time. I know things have become pretty abnormal lately. But let's not lose heart and keep hoping that they will get better in time. We all just have to do our part. Now without further ado, the next chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter 11: Hook's New Grudge
Never Land
Anchored in the waters off the shores of Never Land was the dreaded pirate ship the Jolly Roger. Once the terror of the seas, it now sat collecting barnacles due to its captain's obsession with getting revenge on the boy who cut off his hand.
The pirates had just returned to the ship. Currently, they were disembarking the lifeboats and proceeding onto the main deck.
"Lash the prisoner to the mast! And string up that mutt of hers as well," ordered Hook as he climbed out of his lifeboat with his first mate by his side.
"Aye-aye captain," said a big burly pirate covered in various tattoos as he reached into another lifeboat and picked up the still bound and gagged Kairi. Slinging her over his shoulder, he proceeded toward the mainmast with several of his crewmates carrying Pluto behind him.
As the pirate carried her, Kairi squirmed and kicked while uttering several muffled threats from her gagged mouth. But the pirate was unfazed and simply continued on.
Hook wore a look of absolute glee on his face. "It certainly has been a red-letter day for us today, Smee."
"Oh yes, Captain. Indeed, it is," said Smee.
"Who would have thought that when we investigated that mysterious fireball that shot out from Mermaid Lagoon that we would learn that Never Land had a special visitor? And who'd would've thought that it would turn out to be her of all people?"
Then a pirate dressed in a pink shirt, red shorts and wearing a red bandana named Mr. Starkey approached them. "The prisoner's been tied to the mast as you ordered, captain."
"Very tightly I hope, Mr. Starkey?"
"Aye-aye, captain. She's a feisty one and she tried to fight us off. But she's not going anywhere."
"Excellent. Now all of you attend to your duties while Smee and I extend a proper welcome to our guest," said Hook.
With that, the other pirates spread over the deck and began to do various things while Hook and Smee travelled over to the mainmast. Kairi was now tied to it and was currently glaring daggers at the two pirates.
Nearby, Pluto had been strung up, so he was dangling by his bound feet from a rope tied to one of the beams of the sails. Though his mouth was still tied shut, he growled at the pirate captain.
With a cruel smile, Hook raised his hook and inched it toward Kairi. Her defiant eyes became fearful as he reached under the gag and undid it.
"Well, Miss Kairi, it appears that I was wrong about you. Why, the last time you were onboard me vessel, you had lost your heart and I was telling your friend Riku that reclaiming it was a lost cause. I even said I'd stake me other hand it was lost forever. How fortunate I never made that wager official. But in any case, I bid you welcome aboard the Jolly Roger," said Hook as he raised his hat and bowed to Kairi.
"Oh yes. I feel so welcome. Is this how you treat all your guests, Hook?" snarked Kairi.
"Only those who may prove troublesome. You and your mangy cur best get used to your current situation. You're going to be with us for quite some time."
"What do want with me, Hook?" asked Kairi.
"With you? Oh, nothing in particular, girl. I be having much bigger fish to fry and you're simply the worm on the hook."
Kairi gasped. "I'm bait? For what? For Peter?"
"I'm afraid you are incorrect on that notion, my dear. For once, that accursed boy is not in me sights. Besides, why would he come for you? Especially after what you said to him and those wretched friends of his. Although, I must commend you for calling out those boys on their notorious bad form. It was high time someone recognized their behavior for what it was."
If Kairi had any hopes of Peter and his crew coming to her rescue, Hook had definitely dashed them. 'He's right. Why would they come for me after the way I yelled at them?'
"No, my dear. Me true quarry is none other than your friend, Sora."
Kairi gasped again. "Sora? But why?"
"You didn't think a self-respecting pirate such meself would let such humiliation go unpunished, do you? Once he hears that I've got in you in me clutches, he'll come right here faster than Pan can fly. And that's when he'll meet his doom!" exclaimed Hook with an evil chuckle.
Kairi's blood boiled as she listened to the captain. 'Not again! How many more villains are going to use me to get to Sora?'
"Oh yes. When he comes, he'll find no mindless Heartless that he so valiantly defeated when he was here last. Those creatures proved to be a great disappointment. Instead, he'll be facing the most blackhearted cutthroats that ever sailed the seven seas!" announced Hook eliciting a cheer from all the pirates on deck.
"Sora's faced a lot worse than this bunch, Hook!" exclaimed Kairi.
"Well, should fortune smile on him and he manages to survive the crew, I happen to have a secondary plan. Once he sees you at me mercy, I'm sure he'll gladly leap off the plank to spare you any harm! No matter what happens, he'll finally meet his end!" said Hook with a maniacal laugh.
Kairi's heart sank. 'He's right. If Sora was here and saw me in danger, maybe he really would. It's all happened before. It seems all anyone has to do to get Sora is to get me first. Why does this keep happening?'
"Quite a brilliant plan if I do say so meself. Am I right, Smee?"
"Oh, yes sir. It definitely won't be a repeat of last time. I mean, tossing that boy into the hold seemed like a good idea at the time. But he and his friends were more than a match for the Heartless. They were even more than a match for you, Captain," rambled Smee before he caught a glimpse of Hook threatening to clobber him with his namesake.
"Of course, he probably just got lucky," said Smee cowering before his boss.
"Of course, he got lucky, you idiot! I could've easily defeated that boy if it weren't for the interference of that blasted Peter Pan. So, I'll thank you not to bring that incident up unless you wish to walk the plank yourself. UNDERSTAND?!" shouted Hook with the intensity of a gale force wind that nearly knocked Smee off his feet.
"Y-yes sir! A-aye-aye sir!" stammered Smee with a salute.
"You're wasting your time, Hook. Sora won't be coming for me," muttered Kairi.
Hook chuckled. "Don't think you can pull the wool over this captain's eyes, missy. I remember how relentlessly he fought through me ship to get to you before Riku so rudely left with you. He will come. I have no doubt."
"He would come. If he were still alive," said Kairi as a tear dripped down her face.
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Hook and the rest of the pirate crew.
"You heard me, Hook. Sora's already gone."
Hook gazed at Kairi with anger. "Don't you lie to me, girl!" he shouted while waving his hook in her face.
Smee took a closer look into Kairi's eyes. He could see all the pain and sorrow reflected in them. A twinge of pity shot through the first mate. "Captain, I don't think she's lying."
Hook himself then looked at Kairi. Upon looking into her eyes, he realized that she was indeed telling the truth. No person could fake that kind of genuine hurt. But instead of pity, all he felt was annoyance.
"Blast! I was looking forward to ending that boy meself. But apparently somebody else beat me to the punch!"
Hook suddenly found himself surrounded by his crew. They immediately started bombarding him with questions.
"So, what are we supposed to do with her then, captain?" asked Mr. Starkey.
"Yes. If the boy she is to be bait for is already dead, then what good is she?" asked Damien Salt, a chubby pirate with a fez and a moustache.
"She's useless!" exclaimed Bill Jukes, a short pirate with a peg leg.
As the pirates continued to debate her fate, Kairi sadly gazed at Pluto and reflected on what an utter disaster her quest had been up to now. 'Useless. That's the word that sums me up perfectly. Nothing's gone right for me on this quest. I couldn't fly. I couldn't stay friends with Peter, Tink and the boys. And now I'm captured once again. What is wrong with me? Why can't I do what Sora did when he was adventuring?'
"Why don't we just let her go?"
Kairi's head turned in the direction of whoever said that unusual phrase. So did Hook and the pirates. They were shocked to see that it was Smee.
"Let her go?" asked Hook incredulously looking at his first mate as if he had sprouted a second head.
"Well, captain, she really hasn't done anything to you personally not like Pan or Sora and the poor girl seems so heartbroken. Can't we show a little mercy just this one time?" asked Smee nervously.
Hook grit his teeth in anger. But then his frown vanished and was replaced by a smile.
"You're right, Smee," said Hook causing the rest of the crew to look shocked. "The poor dear does look like she's been through a lot. So, we'll show some mercy and let her go."
"Really, captain?" asked Smee.
"Yes. We'll let her go. Right off the edge of the plank!" roared Hook causing the pirates to cheer and immediately set off to prepare their favourite method of execution.
"Since the opportunity to send the boy to Davy Jones' Locker has passed us by, I supposed we'll have to settle for doing it to his faithful friend. That should make the day not a complete waste. Smee, fetch one of the spare anchors so we can tie her to it before we make her walk the plank. She may have failed at flying but let's not take any chances, right?"
"Yes, captain." Smee then gazed at Kairi who was shocked at the turn of events. All he could do was shrug and then he left.
Hook approached Kairi and smiled at her. "You'll be reunited with your friend Sora very soon, my dear. You should thank me for mercifully relieving you of your sorrow. But before we make you walk the plank, answer me this one question: who was the one responsible for Sora's untimely demise? I would love to shake their hand."
Kairi lowered her head and, in a voice barely above a whisper, said, "It was me."
"Speak up, girl! What was that again?" Hook asked as he glared at her menacingly.
Kairi was about to repeat her answer. But just then, a very familiar sound rang through the air around the ship.
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
Right before Kairi's eyes, the menace left Hook's expression. It was replaced by a look of abject terror.
"Smee!" cried out the terrified captain.
"Yes captain?" asked Smee as he dragged a large anchor across the deck.
"Do you hear that? The crocodile is near! Drop everything! You and the crew chase it away! I'll be in me cabin hiding under me bed until it's gone," said Hook as he swiftly ran across the deck to a door. He quickly opened it up, entered through it and slammed it shut.
"You heard the captain! Let's find that crocodile and send him on his way," said Smee as he dropped the anchor.
"But where he be?" asked Damien Salt.
"The ticking seems to be coming from the bow side," said Mullins, a pirate wearing a bandana and an eyepatch.
Smee and the pirates quickly charged to the bow of the ship. They immediately looked over the sides for any sign of their captain's reptilian nemesis.
Kairi couldn't believe how things had turned. 'Amazing how Hook can change from the most threatening man in Never Land to a screaming coward the moment he hears a ticking sound. I suppose its lucky for me the crocodile showed up. But it won't matter if I can't escape and I can't see how to do it. I'm tied too tightly so even if I could summon my Keyblade, I don't think I'd be able to cut myself loose.'
"Psst! Kairi!" whispered a familiar voice followed by a tinkling sound that seemed to be coming from the other side of the mast.
"Peter? Tink? Is that you?" she quietly asked.
"Yes, it's us. Don't worry. We're going to get you and your dog out of here," said Peter as he began to cut through the ropes with his dagger.
Kairi glanced upward to where Pluto was and saw that Cubby, Nibs and Toodles had climbed onto the beam and were untying the rope. Once they finished, they carefully lowered the dog to the deck.
As he continued to slice through Kairi's ropes, Peter muttered, "Rotten old codfish. I hate it when he does this. I'm fine with him keeping it between me and him. But capturing my friends to get at me? That's when he goes too far!"
As Kairi listened to Peter's quiet ramblings, she felt oddly touched. 'Peter may be a little off about why Hook captured me. But after what I said to him and the boys, he still considers me a friend?'
Finally, Peter was finished. The cut ropes fell to the deck and Kairi moved away from the mast. Peter immediately flew over to Pluto and started to cut through his bonds.
"Peter, Tink, boys, I can't believe you all came for us."
"Well, of course we camed for you, Kairi," said Cubby as he the other boys jumped down off the beam.
"You're our friend," said Nibs as Toodles nodded eagerly.
"Yeah and we're certainly not going to leave a friend in Hook's clutches," said Peter.
"How did you know I was in trouble?"
"Tink followed you after you left. When she saw the pirates ambush you, she flew back and told us what happened," said Peter.
Kairi gazed toward the fairy, the one member of Peter's crew who had made her dislike of her pretty clear. To her surprise, Tink was smiling in the most genuine way. The Princess of Heart gave her a grateful one in return.
"Lucky thing the crocodile showed up just now so you guys could rescue us."
"Heh. We make our own luck, Kairi. The crocodile's not even here. Those ticking sounds are actually coming from Slightly and the Twins. We've actually been practicing our ticking sounds so we can really drive Hook crazy. And thanks to you, now we know they work," said Peter.
"Uh, you're welcome. You certainly convinced me," said Kairi.
Peter finished freeing Pluto. The dog got to his feet and immediately ran up to Kairi. The Princess petted her companion.
"You'd better take Pluto and run for one of the lifeboats now, Kairi. We'll make sure that Hook pays for what he's done," said Peter as Tink and the boys nodded.
Kairi ran past Peter and toward one of the lifeboats with Pluto by her side. But then she stopped.
"No."
"What was that, Kairi?" asked Peter.
Kairi turned around and gave Peter and his group a determined look. "I'm not running away from this fight. You were wrong about why he captured me, Peter. It wasn't to get at you. It was to get at Sora."
Peter, Tink and the Lost Boys' jaws dropped in surprise. It was likely that the thought of that notion hadn't crossed their minds.
"Kind of surprising that your archnemesis is plotting revenge against someone else, isn't it? And Hook's not the first villain to do something like this to me. In fact, being captured by an evil villain who needed Sora to do what he wanted is what lead to him being lost. Well, I won't stand for it any longer. This time, I'm going to make sure my captors get the message that they messed with the wrong girl!"
Peter, Tink and the boys were surprised by Kairi's bold declaration. Pluto however regarded his friend with admiration.
Peter smiled. "Well, if it's that important that you join us in the fight, Kairi, then we'd be glad to have you. Let's show Hook and his pirates once again why it's not a good idea to capture and use friends as bait!" he declared as the small group gathered in a huddle to discuss a battle strategy.
While Peter outlined the plan, Kairi gazed over to where Smee and the other pirates were still looking for the nonexistent crocodile. Very soon, she would be engaging in battle with those cutthroats and in spite of her apparent confidence, she still felt a twinge of self-doubt.
'I certainly hope that this battle goes better for me than the last one I was in,' she thought with memories of the disaster at the Keyblade Graveyard running through her mind. Hopefully, now that she had six months of better training and was fighting alongside allies who had experience in defeating the current enemies, the upcoming fight would end more favorably for her.
Notes from the Mad Doctor: I'm sorry I didn't start the battle like I had said in my notes from the last chapter. But as I was writing, I realized that it was better to end it here and start the battle next chapter because it was dragging on too long. Sorry again. I plan to be doing a lot more writing during this time. I'm going to try and get a new chapter posted every week (without sacrificing quality of course). Right now, my current goal is to try and get Kairi out of Never Land and into the next world by the time things get back to normal for me. I also am currently preparing a story or two for SoKai Week this year, which will be my first participation in the event. Wish me luck! Reviews are much appreciated! Stay tuned!