The dark silhouette of a female flew into the flowered and dark clearing. It let out a high pitched shriek- causing Rose Red to cover her ears and curly hair with a cringe. She opened her eyes and saw the shadow now hover in front of her. Reluctantly she began to speak.
"I need your help," Her voice was strong and reluctance laced her words.
The shadow mockingly laughed, "I knew it, come to beg on your knees." Rose Red could hear the smirk that would have been on her face had it been real.
She sighed, looking down at the ground before shaking her head and looking back up, "I truly need your help."
The shadow tilted its head at the slight plea, "Why should I? Why do you even want to?"
Rose Red stumbled back slightly. Why should she want to rescue Thea? She didn't with Leslie and she sure wouldn't do it with the other girls. She opened her mouth to say something, before shutting it. Why should she care so much?
"Look," The shadow sniped in that deep voice of it's, "I'll help you on one condition."
"And what would that be?" She questioned boldly.
The rough bark of the tree scrapped against her legs and hands, but her eyes didn't wince once-too focused on watching for the Lost Boy's or even Peter Pan to show up. A slight tingling flowed through her body, reminding her of the magic that was coating her. Basking her in a sheer purple glow, which once it disappeared took the magic with it. Of course the shadow would give her a deadline, even after her condition was promised to happen. She almost sighed in annoyance remembering the deal she made, but quickly silenced herself as she heard a twig snap in the near distance. Eyes narrowed in determination and breath was bated as she waited. A quick sharp glance assured her the leaves that were purposefully placed still stood. A smirk lifted up on her cheek and her heart began beating faster in anticipation. In mere seconds a boy emerged from the shadows of the trees, walking with purpose and dirt covered cheeks. She observed his scraped hands and dirty arms, smirking as she raised the blood red rose in her hand.
"Arg!" She yelled out, swiftly jumping out of the tree and in front of the boy, throwing the flower with precision and then disregarding it on the floor. The dark red powdered rapidly swirled his body in an almost sinister way, curling around each limb and as he opened his mouth to scream it streamed in there.
"Hmm," She mumbled contemplatively, "That's new."
With a shake of her head she dismissed any thoughts of it, looking straight into his red clouded over eyes.
"Take me to the girl you've hidden." Her voice cut like steel despite it being a whisper and was as cold as it.
The boy nodded deftly and jerkily began moving. She followed behind him, glancing every few seconds around her and her surroundings, tightly holding the other flower she brought-this one peach- in her hand. Her jaw clenched as the mini-journey began to take longer than she thought it would, the idea of using her escape flower to fly now sounded appealing. Still, she couldn't use her only way off and waste it and ruin her whole plan. The both continued walking; occasionally she would pull both into a near bush if she thought someone else was too close. It felt like she had walked by the trees more than once-though she knew it was just her impatience telling her that.
Finally, they reached an opening-a cave. The boy paused before continuing his awkward motor movements, leading her inside the car. Her shoulders tensed slightly, as if she was prepared to be ambushed and her eyes glared in front of her. The rock floor and dirt dug into her bare feet, but she paid no mind to it. Choosing to slump her shoulders, widen her eyes, and leave her mouth agape at the sight before her- shock just radiating off her. In the large cavern gray rock patterns lined the walls and there was a gaping drop a few feet in front of her. What shocked her the most was the rock pillar of sort in the middle of it-with a cage placed on top of it. A flash of blonde hair reflecting of the scarce light that shined inside it made her narrow her eyes again- knowing deep inside that Thea would be there the moment she arrived.
She let out an exasperated sigh, turning to the monotonous boy besides her.
"How exactly am I supposed to get over there?" She asked him in annoyance- a huge contrast to the soft accent and tone her voice naturally held.
"Reveal your secrets," He said flatly, staring at the wall next to them. Rose Red almost snorted in amusement if the situation wasn't so serious, she sighed again moving forward.
"I-"She paused, hesitating in revealing her secrets. Thea's lack in reply made her speak again. "I resent my mother, but I can't stop feeling love towards her."
Suddenly, much to Rose Red's obvious surprise, the ground shook slightly and out jutted out a thin bridge from where Thea's cage rested.
"Part of me doesn't want the girls to pay for what they did back at the orphanage," She whispered unsurely. The cave seemed to accept it slightly as it moved forward; however being less than it did before.
"You reveal your secrets," She snapped to the boy. His cloudy eyes drifted over to the bridge.
"I miss my mother and father," He flatly stated, the rock bridge moved forward, now almost halfway there.
"More," She commanded, watching the rock bridge.
"I don't like Pan," He stated, the red powder swirling over his green eyes. The rock now reached more than halfway.
"Continue," she urged softly, a spark of interest lighting up her eyes at the magic.
"That's all I have,"
She groaned out, gritting her teeth, all softness now gone. She pursed her lips knowing what she had to say, with all reluctance opening her mouth.
The words tumbled out of her mouth rapidly, and she deftly noted the ground shake with much more power as the rest of the way was filled. She ran across the bridge, the rock scrapping her feet and her hands pulling at the cage. She noted it wouldn't budge and yelled out in realization.
"Seriously!?" She chuffed, rolling her eyes. "Thea is the only one I consider my friend. I don't want revenge on her as much as the others."
The cage fell apart with a clatter, Rose Red seeing the sleeping blonde in the corner of the cage. With rapid movements, she shook the peach flower on the both of their forms, grasping Thea's upper arm and dragging her out as the light feeling settled on her and magic lifted each cell in her body. They flew out of the cage- well Rose Red flew and Thea admittedly was dragged along.
She didn't spare a glance at the boy who resumed staring at the wall with no interest, not caring what happened to him. Trees soon were below them and she flew over the dark forest, the tingling rapidly diminishing and the glow fading away. She flew as fast as she could, jaw clenched and determination flowing as she crossed the border of his island and entered her own. She didn't allow herself to feel relieved just yet, even as they entered the clearing.
Despite it being dark on Neverland, she cast sunlight over her island as she dropped Thea's body to the floor. Foreverland was basked in a mornings light sun, its warmth hitting their bodies as she turned away and headed for her own tree.
In Neverland-hidden away between lines of clothing, surrounded by tree shacks, and basked in dark light and provided with warmth from a large fire- stood Pan and some of the still up Lost Boys. He was pacing near the length of a log, anxiously waiting the group of three he had sent out earlier. One of the lost boys had decided to play games and not return- Pan chuffed at the thoughts of the punishment he'd have to deal out. None of the few Lost Boys dared to look at Pan-settling for sideways glances instead; which weren't as sneaking as they thought. Finally, the sound of shoes crunching against the islands floor entered the clearing and he saw all three of the group, one further ahead and two holding onto something Pan couldn't see.
"Um, Pan?" One of the older boys called out, "We found Remy."
"Where is he?" Pan asked with annoyance in his voice. The younger Lost Boy was supposed to be checking on their prisoner, then report back to Pan. Not just disappear for hours. Pan didn't take kindly to those actions.
He watched the lost boy hesitantly approach him, before settling for moving sideways and revealing Remy. Or what was now Remy. The boy that stood before him was covered in a moving deep red powder like magic, it streaming into his mouth, blanketed his eyes, and swirled around each strand of hair and each individual limb of his body, dipping with his cloths and on each strand of cloth. His expression was blank and unwavering- he didn't even blink as Pan briskly approached him and hit the back of his head with the handle of his dagger.
He chuckled in slight amusement and mostly annoyance, "Looks like Rose Red decided to visit."
The present Lost Boys shared an uneasy glance with each other, not liking the tone Pan took.
Rose Red sat against the end of her bed on the floor, Bear settled his face in her lap and she was absently running his coarse fur near his ears. The previous conversation with her shadow filled her mind and she pursed her lips- looking like the unsure young girl she was and not like the evil dictator front she used.
"And what would that be?" She questioned boldly.
"There are few conditions needed to be met to keep these islands, girl." The shadow told her, "While slight, they are very hard to achieve."
"What?" She chuffed, not what she had expected hearing.
"Peter Pan, for example, needs the heart of the truest believer-an achievement needed to be met in a certain amount of years." She informed the girl, opting to fly up once around her and let out that terrible shriek.
"What happens if he doesn't?"
"He loses it all," She laughed out sinisterly, suddenly right behind Rose Red's ear.
"What do I need?" She asked, drawing her eyebrows together.
The shadow screeched again before hovering in its previous spot.
"You need someone to truly love you," It said before laughing mockingly, "We all know there's only one person to fill that space."
Rose Red glared up at the shadow as it spoke again. "Oh? You don't know, really it should be obvious."
She ignored its statement, "What happens if I don't?"
"Then this is all gone," The shadow said with a laugh, before sobering up, "Now what about this 'help' you need?"
She pressed her eyes together as another flashback to earlier events flooded in front of her eyes, this one in the cavern.
Rose Red took a breath, stepping forward another step. Her words coming out rapidly, as if she spoke fast enough then it wouldn't be true and she wouldn't have to believe it or hear it herself.
"I need Peter Pan to fall in love with me."
Rose Red Shut her eyes and squeezed her fists as the rock shook.
The memories faded away from her eye sight, letting her eyes rest on the new addition to her room. On the wall directly in front of her bed an hourglass now decorated the wall, bright red powder settling in the top part and deep green and rose carvings decorating the frame of it. It glowed magically and she wished for another memory to seize her so she didn't have to see what had welcomed her when she entered her room. It didn't happen, and she stood up fast, shaking Bear out of her lap, and ripped the flower band off her head and threw it towards the glass of the hourglass with a wet cry. It bounced off the glass and landed pathetically with a small thud-not at all satisfying the anger and resentment she now felt.
"I can't do it," She whispered to the room before sinking down to meet the floor with her knees, watery eyes glaring at the red glowing powder in the glass.
Please review or give criticism or whatnot.
(Also, sorry I changed the summary again- I promise not to do it anymore as I actually really like this one.)
