Disclaimer:
I, Aslansphoenix declare that I do not own 'Peter Pan', Neverland or anything that you find familiar. Technically some of the characters did come from my head ... but I think they belong to Neverland just as much as any canon characters.
*/*/*
Author's Note
Thank-you for your patience.
*/*/*
"All Children Grow up Except One"
Everyone Knows about Neverland,
About the home of Peter Pan.
Second to the Right, and Straight on till Morning.
To the place between dreaming and awakening.
There are rules in Neverland
Rules that must be obeyed.
Boys forget much easier than Girls.
"No Girl can resist Peter Pan,
When he uses a specific voice."
One more thing, which is True ...
In Neverland, You learn all about You.
*/*/*
Chapter Thirteen
George felt smile widen, and the figure in the mirror showed friendly teeth back. Something inside clicked into place, and for the first time in George's life … George felt like he was himself.
*/*/*
There is something freeing about finding yourself, and about getting to be whomever you feel best being. George revelled in being himself, and he couldn't remember when he had so much fun … of course we should avoid mentioning that his memory was a little fuzzy about certain things. He knew he came from that the other place, so why did Mother Margaret keep pestering him about what his other mother looked like?
Apart from Mother Margaret asking some odd questions, George enjoyed himself immensely. He could play as rough as his Lost Boy brothers, got to tease and over-protect their Lost Girl sister, Angela – even if she gave as good as she got, and most of all, George just got to have fun.
George was still more of a natural observer than an active participant. He liked watching the interactions between people and the island. It was something that allowed George to learn and to understand all the native beings of Neverland.
*/*/*
Like those beautiful, yet terrifying creatures of the Lagoon – the Mermaids. George had no concerns about sitting close to the Mermaids. Of course, the only one the Mermaids were actually comfortable being around was Peter, but George and the other Lost Boys could get close enough for the Mermaids to splash them. That was more than the girls.
George didn't realise this at first. Until one day where the children had exhausted themselves playing in the shallow of the surf. It was a perfect beach day and the children had had a blast; even Eliza had been seen laughing at times. Peter had been away having his own adventure, and he returned to the group triumphantly (was there any other way for him to return?) to tell tale of his deeds.
The Mermaids rose from whatever depths they had been hiding in and gave Peter an audience he adored. He flew over to a rock further out and began regaling them with a tale of adventure, and how heroic Peter was.
The Lost Boys stayed in the shallows, half listening to Peter's words on the wind, and half playing games. Margaret, as always stayed on the land with Angela. Angela couldn't swim very well so Mother-Margaret staying with her was something George had never questioned.
Eliza usually stayed on land as well, in the shade to avoid sunburn (even though Margaret had skin that was most easily burnt). But for some reason, on this day Eliza decided to leave the shore and go sit right beside Peter and the Mermaids on a rock that poked out from the water.
George missed what exactly happened. One moment Peter was regaling how heroic he was, the next there was a cacophony of screeching and splashing.
Eliza and the mermaids were fighting.
… Eliza, the prim and proper lady, who made a fuss anytime she broke a nail. She was scratching, punching and kicking and being quite an epic uncontrollable force. She and the mermaids kept pulling on hair and screeching high pitched insults.
George stood with the rest of the Lost Boys, and Angela, on the shore and cheered for the fight. Peter floated above the rock that Eliza was hanging onto as she fought. He looked amazed and shocked – as if he had never seen this kind of thing before. And maybe for the first time; he really hadn't.
It wasn't until Margaret cried out for Peter to do something that he stopped the fight. Peter swooped down and pulled soaking and angry Eliza away. The Mermaids screeched and splashed, the Lost Boys and Angela cheered for Peter and even Tinkerbelle seemed to fly around cackling. Of Peter's group, it was only Margaret who seemed worried, she quickly gathered the children up, and ignoring their grumbling they marched back to the hideout.
The Lost Boys ran down into the hideout ready to cheer for Eliza … only to find that by the time they got there, Eliza had stopped her ranting and fighting … and was back to whining and giving the appearance of being weak. She was sobbing and holding onto a very uncomfortable looking Peter.
Peter glanced desperately at the group. The boys and Angela quickly found chores they had been promising to complete for ages - it was only right for the household to have chores for children to do, even though they usually ignored them. Margaret on the other hand stepped forward and pulled a complaining Eliza away.
Margaret first checked that Eliza was alright (some scratches, soaked through but was far better off than what she was complaining about). Once assured that everything was okay, then Margaret began to scold. The kind of scolding that she usually saved for when the Lost Boys were about to do something stupid and dangerous.
George listening in, realised that the reason that Margaret stayed closer to shore when the Mermaids were around, was not just to look after Angela with her lack of swimming skill, but because Mermaids were more likely to attack females.
It was all very dramatic.
George privately a felt rather proud that he wasn't considered female. He also felt a little disappointed in Eliza; she kept trying to show herself as being soft and delicate while she also kept denying her own strength. Angela was able to be sweet and delicate, but she could still be fun. And Margaret could be the most soft and elegant lady while still being able stand up to even Peter Pan.
And Tinkerbelle – a beautiful, truly delicate creature, but boy did she enjoy insulting them all, fher favourite being to call them "silly asses". So George couldn't understand why Eliza didn't want to be seen as both strong and soft.
After that incident though, Eliza did stay well away from the Mermaids.
*/*/*
The more interesting natives (in George's opinion) were the Indians – And George was very careful not to say that in front of Tinkerbelle; for something so small she could tug your hair really hard if she felt insulted. But to George there was something just a little bit more … entrancing about the Indians.
George's interest in the Indians may or may not have had anything to do with George's first meeting with the Princess.
The Lost Boys had been playing in the jungle, Peter was with the girls, and the Lost Boys were playing and then maybe they had disregarded a couple of Mother-Margaret's rules. And maybe they got too close to the territory of one of the more dangerous Never Creatures – that may or may not have been defending its young. And just maybe they weren't skilled enough fighters to be okay.
What is certain though, is that the Lost Boys were saved by a group of Indian Warriors. Lead by the very fierce Princess. George gaped at the figure that stood over him brandishing a staff to scare away the Beast. She was tall, with long black hair, dark intense eyes and beautiful lips.
George existed in a dream-like state, as the Lost Boys were escorted to the Indian camp. He was almost completely unaware of receiving Mother-Margaret's worried hugs followed by her telling-off. He was too busy feeling like he was floating (odd as his feet were planted on the ground – he had checked). His heart was pounding, and his stomach was a horrible twisting mess.
George wondered if he was sick, but he couldn't focus on that, all he could see was the Fierce Indian Warrior, as she diligently and impressively scared away the Beast, after that all his focus was on her dark and terrifying eyes and her rosy cheeks and her plump, pouting lips. Everything else seemed … dim in comparison.
George only started to pay proper attention to his surroundings when Peter and his crew were invited to dine with the Indians. The Wonderful Warrior was introduced as Tigerlily – Though apparently, she wasn't that Tigerlily. And yes, there was an old woman in the tribe; with skin like a sunset and hair like the stars, and she seemed to respond to the name, but George didn't pay the old lady that much.
In the back of George's mind there was some confusion. Peter Pan despised adults, but there were adult Indians, and Peter didn't hate them (unless he decided they were enemies for a day) … In fact he almost treated the Indian grown-ups with as much respect as he treated Mother-Margaret, and that was a lot. If George hadn't been so distracted by the younger Tigerlily's presence, he may have thought it odd.
As it was, George was more fascinated by how strong and imposing the young Tigerlily was. There was something about the elegant way she held herself and gazed at people with her proud dark eyes, that captivated George. And gave him the vague sense of being reminded of someone. George had never been so intrigued by a person before, and he had certainly never been so fascinated by a girl's mouth before.
Interacting with the Indian Warrior, also gave George two other things he had never experienced before – jealousy over a friend, and the decision to do what others considered to be something stupid.
End of Chapter Thirteen.
Author's Note:
Here this chapter ends.
To everyone, I hope that 2019 isn't going to bad for you so far.
I wrote and Directed an original Play! It was my first time doing such a thing, and it went really well. I am so proud of how my actors turned my ideas into reality.
By the way, I'm sorry if George's crush on Tigerlily (I know I'm so original) seems odd. But as a Grey-Asexual and a Demiromantic I've never felt an instance attraction to anyone, so can't really be sure if it is realistic … Although considering this story is set in Neverland, I'm not sure if realism is all that important.
I thank you all for your patience.
Date - Wednesday 3rd April 2019