Laura followed Sebastian heading back towards the dark tunnel. Everyone was watching them. She shivered under their gazes, subconsciously heating the fire so she was warm.
They paused in the tunnel leading to good, leaning against separate walls.
"I want to apologize for what I did." Sebastian started. Laura raised an eyebrow.
He inhaled. "I crossed a boundary without really think what the consequences were, and how it might have affected you. I realized that you spent years hiding that, and it was probably really upsetting, and I'm sorry that I did what I did. Please, forgive me?"
Laura bit her bottom lip, pulling it in between her teeth. She crossed her arms.
"I won't ever mention it again, but I need your help. This magic is itchy, and I don't feel great. I want your help, and I'm willing to forget that you were ever royal, if it means you'll help me."
"I'm not all that mad at you." Laura started, somewhat unsure with her honesty. Sebastian blinked in surprise. "I was madder at myself for what I did, and you bringing it up brought me back to that moment, and it was terrifying, and I reacted and didn't think."
"What happened?" Sebastian began cussing, and Laura giggled, turning pink. "I'm sorry, I have a natural curiosity. If you want to punch me, I'll let you."
"It's alright. I was ten or so, and I lost control and burnt down half of the castle. My parents shunned me, and I left. I made it to neverland and I was trained. I've been there since."
Sebastian nodded. "Okay, so I'm guessing you prefer the name, Laura?" She gave him a deadpan look and he continued. "I'm sorry."
A shadow appeared at the end of the tunnel. Both of them looked as Beatrix began to make her way down the tunnel, sashaying.
Laura snicked as Sebastian groaned. "Merlin help me."
"Oh, Sebastian!"
Laura stepped back, digging her toe into the ground. Sebastian's face had gone pink. He looked cute when he was embarrassed. Laura blinked in surprise at the stray thought.
"I was just checking up to see how you were doing. I didn't want you getting hurt by this monster."
Laura flinched, and turned around to defend herself, but froze as Sebastian looked daggers at her.
"I think you should leave Beatrix."
Beatrix scoffed. "I was just going to ask if you had figured out who you were going to ask to the snowball?"
"I have, and now you should leave before I do something that we will both regret."
Beatrix laughed, somewhat annoyingly, and left.
Laura was shaking so hard she thought she was going to burst.
"Are you crying?"
Laura burst out into giggles and Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Really?"
"It's about time someone put her in her place."
~~~
Laura stood outside the gate to the blue forest and inhaled deeply. Her blue cloak drifted loosely around her legs, and she was thrumming with excitement. She was the last ever to go in, accompanied by Hester. She could almost imagine she was back on Neverland. Sebastian had gone in fifteen minutes ago, and he had cast her a wink before he went in. Both Tedros and Sophie had gone in earlier.
Now, students from good and evil were beginning to drift together, sharing blankets and food and waiting to see if their historic couple would survive.
Laura clenched her fingers around her necklace, slipping her handkerchief into her pocket. Dovey had told her earlier to try to keep her magic to a minimum, so no one would come out charbroiled, but she hadn't told her she couldn't use it, which was good. The boys, Sebastian included, got swords, which was sexist and unfair, leaving the girls to get help from animals or princes.
The last cannon went off, and a cheer rang up as the gates opened. She threw her hood up over her braided hair. Laura jogged in, beginning to smile.
It felt like home, and despite the unfamiliar setting, Laura found herself weaving in and out of trees like it was second nature. She quickly separated from Hester and found a quiet spot to pause.
Laura glanced around once, making sure nobody had followed her, before she uncorked the vial of pixie dust at her neck for the first time since arriving at this school, and left a tiny bit of it out, before corking it up just as quickly. Letting it fall back to her neck, she took the small golden grains in her hand, running her thumb over them once.
She inhaled, and blew gently on the grains, and beamed to herself as she felt her body begin to get lighter and she floated over the forest. She hovered just over the foliage, before heading along, looking for nevers.
She found two lurking in the northwest tulip garden, and with one look at the glowing flames dancing across her fingers, they dropped their handkerchiefs.
Laura let out a satisfied laugh, and tugged her cloak around her shoulders, before jumping, and taking off again. The night was peaceful and she floated above, looking for more nevers.
Then she spotted a group of them, lead by Kendrick. She unconsciously hissed at him; the damned pirate. They were sprinting after an...elephant?
It was Sophie, Laura soared lower as the nevers chased Sophie through the pumpkin patch. Where was Tedros?
Suddenly, Sophie vanished, presumably into something smaller that couldn't be seen. The nevers grumbled and took off into the forest.
Laura let out a sigh, and relaxed on top of a tree, watching the pumpkin patch as a mouse made its way out. She didn't remember Sophie being so good at mogrifying.
A shout sounded, and Laura's head snapped southward. A red shock flew up, meaning one of the nevers dropped their handkerchief.
She took off and soared through the sky, only to find six nevers surrounding Sebastian, who was holding his sword and slowly being cornered.