I'm so sorry for the wait. I am also sorry for the small roles of everyone in this chapter, for it is mostly about Melody/ Kino, for the origins of the chapter called for it. Special thanks to Miss Snake of Medusa, whom gave me the idea for this chapter. Thank you.
On a side note, I just finished reading Peter Pan in Scarlet today. It was not nearly as good as the original. But, then again, no one could compete with J. M Barrie in my book. It was quite disappointing and anti-climactic, but the last few lines made me smile.
Disclaimer: I like to think that you know what I own and do not own by now :D
"You sure look happy, Zephyr." I giggled as I poked my favorite fairy.
"Hm?" Zephyr asked, a glazed look in his eyes, a goofy smile on his face.
I giggled again, happy as can be. Just moments before, Peter applied some ointment Mota made from a plant he found out in the wilderness (quite the clever boy he was, though Peter took the credit, of course). It dulled the pain of my injury and I could speak a little easier now. Certain words still hurt to say, like 'orange' and other words that had 'uh' sounds. "Did you get anywhere with Tinker Bell?"
Zephyr stiffened, a light shade of red overtaking his face, "Maybe." he said smoothly.
My smile grew wider as I watched Zephyr float off, humming a happy tune. I loved to see the little guy happy, and it certainly looked like Tinker Bell was the one who made him so giddy.
"Hey!" Toriko yelled, coming from the corner they kept the weapons.
I turned my head just in time to see two metal objects flying straight toward my head. I put up my arms, catching them with my fingers. I shot a glare at Toriko, putting my arms down.
Toriko heaved a sigh, "At least your reflexes aren't too bad, maybe I will be able to show my face to the others."
I stuck my tongue out at him before inspecting what he had thrown at me. They were long and smooth, a handle jutting out toward what I assumed to be the top of the object.
"They're tong-fa." Toriko replied, walking over to me, "You hold them like this." he put the handle part in my hand, the rest of the smooth metal covering my forearm.
I grinned at Toriko, loving the cool feel of metal on my bruised forearms.
Toriko wiped the sweat from his brow, sneaking a glance at my forearms, loosely wrapped from elbow to wrist in white bandages.
I quickly covered my arms with the tong-fa, obscuring Toriko's view of my bandages.
He sighed, giving me a weak smile before walking off.
I heaved a sigh, blowing my choppy bangs from my forehead. That boy was so hard to please. I walked over to the table and plopped down. I was not very hungry, seeing all the blood in our fight had sapped my appetite.
The boys quickly and eagerly plopped down around me at the table, Peter strolling in leisurely after them.
He plopped down as well and stared at the empty plate-leafs in front of him. He grinned at everyone, then reached a hand onto the plate, scooping invisible food in his mouth.
The boys held in their sighs as they followed suit, scooping invisible food into their mouths, slurping invisible liquid from their cups.
I stared at them for a moment before it hit me. I shook my head slightly, thankful that I was not hungry that morning.
Peter had decided that today would be a day of 'pretend meals' in which everyone was to pretend to eat or receive a beating.
I picked at my imaginary food, bringing my fingers to my mouth every once in a while to give the illusion that I was pretending to eat.
Peter pretended not to see the imaginary tea next to his plate and flew from the table to his quarters.
The boys took this as a sign that they could leave and quickly scurried off, leaving me alone at the table. I flopped backwards, my arms over my head, my tattered, forest green shirt riding up on my bruised belly. I closed my eyes, enjoying the rare silence and hating it at the same time. I tilted my head to the side as a falling sensation overtook me, my eyelids becoming too heavy to keep at bay.
(---.::. ADVeNTuRe AWaiTS! .::.---)
I was flying, the wind whipping my short, choppy hair all around, the cold biting at my cheeks. The stars ran past me as I continued to rocket forward, nothing standing in the way of me and my destination.
I stopped so abruptly that I almost flipped over. I looked around to try and get my bearings. The area I had stopped over was quiet, streetlamps flickering dully over the empty streets, not a single person it sight. I turned slowly, a light catching my eye. It was a window, a large, double-door window leading out to a balcony. I blinked, staring at the strange object floating in the air above me. I looked down, I looked up, I looked left and right. I gasped, taken aback. The streets below me had disappeared, the stars hiding under the blanket of night.
I glanced at the window warily, finding it very peculiar that the window and balcony had nothing but air supporting it. I wanted to leave and fly around this deserted street more, but I could not tell which way was left or right in the darkness.
I glanced at the window once more. It was a nice looking window, very clean and it looked inviting. I inched my way to the window, a warm light streaming through the window. I reached out my hand, wrapping it around the doorknob. I gave it a quick pull, but it did not budge.
I pulled and tugged and twisted the doorknob, but to no avail. I sighed, it was locked. I walked back to the balcony railing and settled myself upon it, my hands gripping the railing as I absent-mindedly kicked my feet. I looked through the window again and was startled to see people. I flinched, thinking myself to be caught, but the people did not acknowledge me. I assumed that they could not see me due to the darkness of the night.
There were two of them behind the window, a man and a woman. I could tell they were talking, their voices hushed.
I leaned forward, my hands and bottom still on the railing. I could just barely catch their words. I could tell she had once been a beautiful lady, but now she had dark bags under her eyes, her hair uncombed and her face unwashed.
"Have they got any leads?" a woman asked a man hopefully.
The man shook his head sadly, heaving a sigh as he collapsed onto a bed, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion.
The bed is just my size. I mused.
The woman buried her face in her hands and a sob cut through the silence, "What did I do?" she whispered, her voice shaking, "What did I do to drive her away?" she sobbed.
The man jumped up and enveloped the woman in his arms, "It's not your fault." he whispered, "She did not leave because of you."
"She hated school, she hated that high school." the woman continued, her voice muffled, "Why didn't I listen? Why didn't I pay more attention?" she wailed, sobs wracking her form.
The man patted the woman's back, his grey eyes glistened with sorrow as he placed his chin on the top of the woman's head, stroking her hair as she sobbed.
I screwed up my face as I watched this. What was wrong with them? Why was the woman crying so much, why was she so sad?
And the man. Why did the man look so familiar?
His hair was the colour of sand, a dirty sort of blonde, trimmed neatly at the bottom but with fringe tumbling into his eyes. His eyes startled me so thoroughly that I almost fell forward from my perch on the balcony railing.
Those eyes, full of sorrow and regret, held the twinkle of a child, a child that knew something he should not and wanted to tell someone.
But that was not the startling part, no, that was not it at all.
Those eyes the man had, those grey eyes so full of emotion.
They were my eyes.
I shook my head fervently, my short, dirty blonde hair flying in all directions. I opened my eyes once more to look at the man, but nothing had changed. I could see myself in that man's face, and it was starting to frighten me. My grip tightened on the balcony railing, I wanted to run, but I was transfixed by the man who looked so much like me.
"Where could she have gone?" the woman asked, her voice quivering, "Nothing was missing from her room except for a single outfit."
The man's eyes were glazed over as he held the woman. He closed his eyes and parted his lips, a single word tumbling out, "Neverland."
The woman stopped crying to look up at the man, anger in her eyes, "Don't be stupid." she hissed, "Now is not the time for your jokes."
The man did not open his eyes but small tears trickled from the corners. He held the woman close and wept like a small child clinging to his mother, "That has to be it." he whispered.
I leaned forward, their voices getting harder and harder to hear.
The woman's tired face softened as she held the man, leading him to a chair to sit down, "Now, now." she cooed, tracing soothing circles on his back, "You must stay strong."
It was startling how quickly the roles these two adults played had changed. But, what I did not understand was why Neverland had made this man so sad. It had its moments, but Neverland was a wonderful place, certainly not something to cry about.
"He has taken her." the man croaked, wiping his tears on his sleeve.
"Who?" the woman asked, startled.
"Peter Pan."
My heart jumped into my throat with such force that I fell backwards, my grip slipping on the railing. I was falling, falling backwards into the darkness of night and away from the floating window.
(---.::. ADVeNTuRe AWaiTS! .::.---)
I woke with a start, flinging myself upright so quickly I slammed my knee into the table I was sitting at. I cursed under my breath as I rubbed my sore knee, my mind racing.
Who were those people?
Who was that man?
Why did he have my eyes?
I shook my head, trying to shake those thoughts along with it. It was a dream, nothing more and nothing less. One would always have dreams in Neverland, and some were bound to be stranger than others. I nodded my head, convinced that this was true.
I rose to my feet, the pain in my knee dulling, but the sight of those grey eyes still fresh in my mind.
I hope to update soon, but I still have my share of work.
I am also trying to get a date to the Sadie Hawkins dance, so wish me luck.
Much love to all my readers, reviewers and silent readers alike, tu tiene mi amor por vida.
&& Review speed my typing fingers profoundly :D &&