This here is my longest chapter! wh00t! Yay! This, well, this chapter is a chance for the characters to wind down a little bit. A little more fluff, and smilee5888, you be sure to tell me the second it becomes cliche! XD Now, I would like to dedicate this next story arc to firefarire93. Why, you may ask. Because were it not for a fierce (XD) competition I feel with her, this next story arc would not be. The story would have ended this chapter in an admittedly anti-climatic way, with an epilogue, too. But, because her story is not stopping any time soon, I feel I should at least try and have more chapters than her! ;P And, oh, yeah, it is WAR! But we'll still review for each other! Okies, on to the fic!

Disclaimer: You know, right?

Peter lifted the door to my entrance to the home under the ground. I smiled, sliding into the perfect-fitting tube. I tried my best to land as softly as I could, but I tumbled out. My neck had bent back, I could feel the gash on my neck splitting back open. The cloth around my neck becoming wet. I clutched at it, the pain was unbearable. Forget the women and their child birth, I'm sure they never had their throat slit. Tears coursed down my face, pathetic whimpers erupting from my throat, making the pain worse.

"Kino." Toriko rose to his feet, rushing over to me.

I shook my head, I knew talking would only make it worse. I pointed to my throat, feeling so utterly pathetic.

Toriko gave me a pained expression, taking my shoulder and directing me to sit on the floor near a corner.

I moved my hand from my throat. It was covered in blood. I was scared, I was losing too much blood.

Toriko sat across from me, holding his hands to my neck. Gently, he reached over it, untying the knot at the back.

The other boys crowded around me, Peter standing behind Toriko, watching with the eyes of a hawk.

Toriko began to pull the fabric away from my throat.

I winced, the blood had caused it to stick to the wound. The pain was similar to ripping a bandage, only a smidgen more painful.

Toriko chewed on his lip, slowly pulling the fabric off of the wound, the scab sticking to and lifting my skin. Finally, it was off, blood running freely from the slice. Toriko had seen me tumble in, I did not need to explain. He held a cotton ball to my neck, sopping up the blood. The cotton filled quickly. He rubbed another cotton ball across it, but this one held some sort of liquid on it.

I hissed, the cotton ball must have had some alcohol on it.

"Sorry." he mumbled, tossing the soaked cotton ball away.

Niko looked like he might cry again, it must have looked bad.

"Why does it have that yellow crust around it?" Luep asked his brother.

"I think it's called pus." he whispered back.

Great, simply wonderful.

He handed me a rag, ensuring me it was clean. He told me to press it on my wound, to clot it.

I pressed it against my throat, hoping it would not stick. I stood to my feet, scurrying over to a corner. I scooped leaves from the pile, squeezing them in my free hand. They secreted a thick, milky white liquid. It was always used it to sooth sunburns, it worked fairly well.

I returned to Toriko, plopping down in front of him. I squeezed the leaves in my hands so the liquid would leak out. I took his arm, rubbing the leaf up and down his burned, pink skin. I grabbed the other, repeating the process until his exposed skin was completely coated in the liquid. I then took my hand and began to rub it in.

He used the other arm to rub the liquid in on his neck and face. He grinned at me, "Thanks."

I smiled back. Once his hands were clean, I pointed to the rag held at my throat.

He carefully peeled it off.

The twins crowded around me, itching to get another glance at the pus-crusted wound.

Niko peeked at it through his hands.

Peter leaned over Toriko's head, looking intently at the rag.

The wound had clotted.

Toriko grinned.

I smiled back at him, I was glad to see Toriko loosening up around the rest of us.

He took clean, white bandages wrapped around his hand and oh so gently wrapped them around my neck, tying it in a bow at the back.

I stood up, helping Toriko to his feet as well. How funny we must have looked. Toriko was coated in white goop and I had a bandage tied in a bow around my neck.

The twins and Niko ran over, hugging at my legs.

I looked down at them, a smile crawling to my face. What sweethearts they were.

"Kino." Niko looked up at me with big brown eyes, "You don't have to tell us a story tonight." he mumbled.

Luep and Mota nodded, black hair bobbing.

I smacked my forehead with my palm, their story! How could I tell it now? I looked down at the boys, they were so sweet. I mouthed a 'Sorry' bending down to touch my forehead to their heads. I straightened up. I knew how I could make it better. I ushered them to bed, it was very late in the night.

They all obliged, after my ordeal, they would not put me through any trouble. The all lay in the order they always had: Toriko and Luep at the edges, Niko and Mota on the insides.

I lifted the blankets in my hand, pulling it over their still forms. I tucked them in. I gave it a thought, then decided I would be a mother, at least for the next thirty seconds. I leaned over them, and one by one, I kissed them lightly on the forehead.

Wide grins were plastered their faces, even Toriko's.

I brushed a lock of hair from his face, one of the many that hung in his face despite his red mohawk. He had really come a long way, he had finally began to warm up to me. I strolled to the lantern, unleashing a small gust of air, sinking the room in pleasant darkness.

There was Peter, his leg draped over the arm of his special chair, waiting for me, as always.

When he saw me coming he stood up groggily, giving me a sleepy half-grin. He must be exhausted.

We walked together to the room we shared. I had lost track of how long I had been here, and yet I still had not received a proper room.

He flopped down on his bed and turned down the blanket of animal furs, "Come, sleep in my bed tonight. That way if your injury re-opens in the middle of the night you can tell me."

I smiled hesitantly, I did not want to be a bother, and at the moment, sharing a bed with him felt horribly awkward. He did have a point, though. If my throat were to bleed in the middle of the night and I could not rise from my bed there would be no way for me to alert anyone. I crawled on the bed next to him, curling up in a little ball. I sneaked a glance at him.

He was staring at the ceiling, his eyelids becoming too heavy to keep at bay.

I rolled over, reaching for the pan pipes he had laid carelessly on the floor. I held them out to him, a smile on my face.

He took the hint, bringing them to his lips, he began to play.

My eyes widened. It was the same tune I had played for him my first night in Neverland. The only difference was that he played it with much more authority and talent than I could ever even hope to accomplish. I smiled that same goofy smile I had my first day, Peter's aquamarine eyes dancing in my grey ones. When he had finished, he smiled at me, his eyes half-closed. He yawned, tossing the pan pipes next to him on the bed and flopping down.

Within moments, he was out, lightly snoring.

I sat there, knees curled up to my chest, my back against the wall, and I watched him. He was a pretty boy, lanky figure, shaggy auburn hair and the cutest ears I have ever seen. The tips were pointed, like an imp or a fairy.

Fairy.

Zephyr, where was my little buddy? And Tinker Bell, where could she have gone?

I grinned when my eyes traveled out the window, two glowing lights approaching. Zephyr, you charmer, you!

A whimper cut through the silence.

I glanced down at Peter, the nightmares again.

I was a little more prepared this time. I quickly pulled his head into my lap, his hair splaying on the tattered trousers Toriko gave me to replace the dirty ones covered in blood. I smoothed his hair, making sure it did not become tangled in the rope belt I wore. My fingers made pathways through his hair, tickling his scalp in an attempt to soothe him.

It did not seem to work. I could not speak to him, I could not coo in his ear. What else could I do? I tried to hum, but a pain shot though my throat. It even hurt to swallow. I heaved a heavy sigh, then, it hit me.

That did not hurt, very much, at least. I swung my head around wildly, looking for my harmonica.

It was clear across the room.

I could not leave Peter, I don't think I would be able to rid myself of the grip he had on my long, tattered shirt. My eyes rested on a small instrument threatening to fall from the edge of the bed.

Pan pipes.

Peter's pan pipes.

I picked them up, would he mind if I played them? I hope not. I gingerly raised them to my mouth, unleashing a small puff of air into a random pipe.

A note cut through the air, it sounded sour.

I tried again, blowing softer this time.

It sounded a bit better.

I tried tooting a few notes in a row. Doo-doo-doo.

I stopped. It sounded so familiar. I think it was the short string of notes he played before rescuing me.

I winced at the memory, my neck throbbed at the thought.

I tooted those notes a few times, Peter's whimpers dying down with each repeat. He had almost ceased to cry when I put them down.

"Shhhhh," I whispered, cradling his head in my lap, "It's okay." I croaked softly.

His cries slowly stopped, his grip on my shirt never loosening. His breathing became steady. He was asleep.

I leaned my head back on the wall, heaving a sigh of relief. I ran my fingers through his hair, he looked so peaceful when he slept, so serene. I closed my eyes, trying to get some sleep myself.

(---.::. ADVeNTuRe AWaiTS! .::.---)

Peter groggily opened his eyes, sunlight streaming in through a make-shift window. He attempted to get up, two soft hands resting on his torso. He glanced up.

There was Melody, her chin resting against her chest, asleep.

Peter stared up at her, she looked a different from the first night he had watched her sleep, that fateful night he brought her to Neverland. Her cheek had a dark scar running across it, but that was not all. She looked younger, almost. There was something else, something he could not name. Her hair was choppy and tangled, dirt smudging her face, and scratches galore. Peter shook his head, becoming bored with the thought. He wiggled in her lap, blowing quick bursts of air from his mouth, mussing her hair, trying to wake her up.

She began to stir.

Peter grinned, ready to have more fun today.

(---.::. ADVeNTuRe AWaiTS! .::.---)

I opened my eyes, boy, was I beat. I looked down to see those aquamarine orbs staring back at me. I jumped, startled, but quickly regained my composer. I grinned at him.

"Morning." he smiled.

"Mor-niiiiiing." I hissed, it was the only way I could get it out.

"Training!" Toriko sang out, barging into the room. He took one look at Peter and I in our compromising position and doubled over in laughter, "What the heck are you doing?" he choked out between laughs.

Peter just looked at him funny, "Well, we were just sleeping."

Toriko nodded, holding a straight face, only to explode in another spurt of laughter, "J-j-just come on." he giggled, exiting the room.

Peter hoisted himself up on his elbows, yawning.

I wiggled out, rolling off of the bed. I landed with a thud on the floor, but, luckily, my neck was no where near the area I landed on. I looked to Peter, "Just go back to sleep."

Peter needed no convincing, for he flopped right back down and soon enough, was snoring softly.

I stood to my feet, searching around the room. The short sword I had grown to be accustomed to was no longer with me, it was in the forest somewhere. I shrugged, venturing to the designated training area anyway.

Standing there was Toriko, who's skin looked severely sunburned from Hook's evil goop. He held his own sword in one hand and my short sword in the other.

I grinned, the overwhelming urge to hug him hitting me full force. But, I found it in his best interest not to. If his skin was anything like sunburned skin, it would hurt.

He tossed the sword to me, and after fumbling around with it in my hands, I was able to grasp it.

"You are not going to stand a ghost of a chance against Hook." Toriko spat, drawing his sword, "All my training has done nothing. You were caught like a regular girl out there." he raised his hand to his eyes, "I am beyond mortified."

I glared at him, what a brat! I drew my short sword and pointed it out to him, I scowled, hoping to look a bit more intimidating.

Toriko snorted, "Scary!" he mocked.

That's it. I charged at him, taking a swing at him with my sword.

He skillfully reflected it, without batting an eye, "Don't make me laugh." he growled, pushing me off with his sword.

I stumbled back, Toriko taking full advantage as he swung at me, narrowly missing my head.

A few strands of hair fell to the ground. I stared at Toriko wide-eyed. That was my hair, this kid was serious. I pretended to swing at Toriko, but jabbed him in the side with the hilt of my sword instead.

He gripped his side, he had moved at the last minute, missing most of the damage from my blow. He smirked, a devilish look overcoming his features. He lunged at me, swinging his sword with so much force that he flung mine from my hands. He then dropped his sword and stretched his fingers out. With that he ran towards me.

It was then that I realized he wanted a fist fight. I put up my hands, reading myself for the fight.

Toriko knocked my arms away with his elbows, taking a swing at me.

I ducked quickly, popping back up. Toriko continued to pummel me, I blocked his fists with my forearms, knocking them back. I could tell Toriko was going easy on me, why, I could not tell.

He did not stop until my forearms were sore, bruised and just a bit bloody.

Toriko smiled triumphantly, bringing his sore, split knuckles to his lips.

I huffed, thoroughly worn out. I gingerly rubbed my forearms, blood smearing on my hands. I wasn't quite sure how much was my own and how much had come from Toriko's knuckles, and it made me feel kind of sick.

Toriko wiped sweat from his chin, smearing blood over it, "I know what your problem is."

I raised my eyebrows, feigning interest, my mind currently on my throbbing forearms.

"Sword play is not for you. You need something different." he sucked on his knuckles, becoming annoyed with the sensation of blood on his hands.

"Like what?" I asked, becoming rather annoyed. My throat hurt from the exertion.

"Have you ever seen these metal things? You hold onto a handle and these appendage things come out to cover your forearms. That way you can totally pummel your opponent at a close range."

I nodded my head, "Like those night-sticks the policemen use, right?" I rasped, becoming a little excited.

Toriko stared blankly at me, "Sure."

I rolled my eyes, "Where?" I rasped, oh my throat hurt! The sweat coating the bandage certainly was not helping

Toriko grinned, "I stole a pair, when Peter took me to London once."

I shook my head, what a klepto, "Where?"

"I've got them in the hideout, c'mon." Toriko walked off, motioning for me to follow.

I trotted after him, hopefully Toriko was right and this new weapon would be easier for me to wield.

(---.::. ADVeNTuRe AWaiTS! .::.---)

A dark lair, flames all about, unbearable heat, an unnerving moaning fills the air. A figure paces back and forth, a look of fury staining his face. Black lips turned downward in a fierce scowl, a pointed, crooked nose leading to yellow eyes. The dark skin of the figure clad in black robes burned with fury. He clasped his pointed fingers behind his back, his rage building with each passing moment. "What does a guy have to do to get rid of someone around here?" he mumbled.

His attention shifted when another figure entered the room. Black curls perfectly coiffed, a white shirt frilled in the front and at the cuffs on the sleeves, perfectly pressed trousers and a fine coat of a brilliant red. He removed a large red hat, adorned with a plume, from his head, his hook gleaming in the faint light.

Captain Jas. Hook.

The dark figure turned to the one who had just arrived, his eyes burning with the sight of him. He rushed over, taking the neat collar of his shirt into his hands.

"Why isn't he dead yet?" the man growled.

Hook kept his composure, prying pointed fingers from his collar, "We had a bit of a problem."

"Like what?" the blue flame on the man's head was beginning to blaze.

"Pan got away with the girl, I was not able to apprehend him." Hook replied calmly.

"You WHAT?!" the man screamed, the blue flame on his head turning to a blazing red, spreading to his shoulders in a fiery rage.

"Now, Hades, this is a way in which only a child would act." Hook chided.

Hades glared at Captain Hook, "How could you let Flyboy get away? After I was kind enough to give you a second chance." Hades pinched the bridge of his nose, "The girl, what about her?"

"Peter, quite the gallant little wretch, rescued her, but not without her sustaining an injury."

Hades nodded, "I bet he'll be more careful now." he snapped his fingers, a spark generated between them. Hades looked to Hook, slapping him across the face.

Hook did not flinch, but instead of black goop seeping out if the newly acquired gash, a warm, red liquid trickled out.

Blood.

"I gave you this new power, I gave you this life," Hades said in a low growl, "I can just as easily take it away."

Hook felt the warm liquid in his veins instead of the cold goop. It was a feeling he was not used to.

"I trust you will not fail me again." Hades glowered.

The red liquid ceased to be secreted and was soon replaced by black goop.

"I assure you, Lord Hades." Hook bowed gracefully, replacing his hat on his head and leaving the Land of the Dead to return to Neverland.

Dun-Dun-DUUUUUUN! XD So, that answer your question smilee5888? And, in case you wondered, I am using the Hades of Hercules fame. I decided to use it because: 1. It's Disney 2. He is my favorite Disney villain and 3. I didn't want Hook's powers to be from Satan or anything like that, plus, I like Meg. Let's see if any of you got that! XD On a side-note, I'm thinking of changing my pen name. What do you think? Should I stick with Koki-chan? Anyways, R&R! It speeds my typing fingers!