Chapter 8 - I Know Something You Don't Know
Captain Hook was growing more and more impatient by the second. Hadn't they reach Crocodile creek YET? Smee had assured him that they had searched every island in Neverland for that blasted chalice, and still nothing! Well, he thought to himself, I'll have it soon enough. And that wretched Peter Pan will finally be at my mercy! Yes, it won't be long now, it's all a matter of time…
Though Hook and the pirates had only just left Pixie Hollow, they were far from it by now - for you see, the Jolly Roger was no ordinary ship. It was a flying ship. How and why exactly it could was unknown to all but Hook- but the answer to this and other riddles held the key to unlocking Hook's dark past in Neverland. Hook intended on keeping his secrets to himself, for there lied all his power.
He twisted his hook in his right hand in anticipation, a crooked smile creeping across his face. He just couldn't wait to get to Crocodile Creek and reclaim his lost power. The mere thought of his filled his already black heart with greed and lust for glory. Finally, he fixated his eyes on Smee, who was swabbing the deck.
''Tell the boys to stretch her sea-legs, Smee! Faster! I mean to have that chalice!''
''Aye aye, Cap'n!'' Smee stammered with a crooked salute. He scurried off to deliver the message. Once Smee was gone, Hook let out a sigh of energy. Indeed, Peter Pan had been hiding the chalice from him for ages by anybody's guess, and he had become the laughing stock of all Neverland. But now, once he held it in his hands, nobody would be laughing. Nobody would be able to stand in his way. Not even the gallant Peter Pan. These evil thoughts kept Hook content for the time being, as he continued to twist his hook in his hand.
Meanwhile, a frazzled Terence wasn't having much luck finding what he was looking for, either. He, Queen Clarion, and the royal guard were all getting very close to the beach, and he wasn't seeing a single sign of that ship. It had been right there! He stayed silent, as the royal guard talked amongst themselves, basically saying what Terence was thinking - that this was bad. Bad in every way.
The small band of heroes all flew closer toward the beach in silence- that is, until Queen Clarion took on look at Terence. He was wringing his hands and looking quite nervous. She softly smiled as a happy memory surfaced in her mind- he reminded her of someone she once knew long ago. However, the thought left as quickly as it came, and she placed a reassuring hand on Terence's shoulder.
''Don't worry, little one. I believe you.''
Terence turned at the feel of her touch, a little shocked to say the least. He looked up and smiled at her, whole-heartedly. She returned the gesture.
''We will get to the bottom of this.'' Clarion lifted her hand from his shoulder as she saw they had reached the beach. The guards kept a careful distance behind the two of them, but the looks on their faces said it all. Nothing. Not a soul on the beach. There was absolutely no sign that there had been anyone there- at all. It was perfectly peaceful, perfectly calm, the only sound anyone heard were the waves crashing against the shore.
A confused Terence sprang forward and flew up above the shoreline. He did this to see if he could see any trace of the ship, either coming one way, or going another - but it was a lost cause. The ship was nowhere to be found - and now he looked crazy. Just like everyone thought.
Terence's head drooped downwards. He was trying so hard not to cry. ''But, it was there,'' he said to himself.
''As I said, Your Highness,'' Stella blurted. ''There's nothing here, and I don't think there ever was. Terence here,'' she pointed at him and said his name in an ever-sarcastic tone, ''must have simply been dreaming.''
''For the last time, I was NOT dreaming!'' Terence flew right up to her and was about an inch away from her face. '' and I'm NOT crazy! Now I'm telling you for the last time, I saw something out there! And it may be gone now, but that doesn't mean it won't come back. Everyone knows that pirates always cause trouble for pixies. Always.''
Stella scoffed. ''Yeah, everyone who believes those baby stories.'' That tore it. Terence's anger reached a boiling point. His fists clenched, and his face turned crimson. And, for the first time in Terence's young life, he raised his voice.
''You know what? I've had just about enough of you! Why don't you-''
''Terence!'' Clarion firmly called. She flew over to the two feuding youngsters, and pulled them apart. ''That will be quite enough.''
Terence wanted to protest and speak, but he knew it would be unwise. Still, he glanced over at Stella, giving her a look that was anything but friendly. Clarion caught it and gave him a look of warning. Reluctantly, Terence headed it.
''This is what pirates do, my pixies,'' Clarion warned. ''They breed insecurity and fear, and cause us to turn against each other, to turn against everything that Pixie Hollow stands for. For centuries, pirates and pixies have been the worst of enemies,'' she turned to Stella, '' in stories as well as in truth.'' At this, Stella looked away from Clarion, feeling slightly sheepish. Terence, however, gave her a look as if to say, ''See? I told you.''
Clarion continued, '' Long ago, the pirates stole fairies from Pixie Hollow and enslaved them. Since then, pirates have always felt somewhat entitled to our powers and gifts, and to use them at their disposal. That's why fairies should always know that the presence of a pirate, is more dangerous than any other creature - for the pirates can destroy us all.'' Clarion said this in a low tone, almost a cryptic tone, and it set all ears listening on edge.
The guards looked at each other as if they had just been told a ghost story- to even include Stella. For Terence however, this was all the encouragement he needed. He stepped forward, ever so cautiously, and bowed.
''Your Majesty, permit me, but, how do you know all this? About pirates, I mean?''
Clarion came close to Terence, and leaned in, for her response was meant for his ears only. ''Dear one, I know simply because - I was there when it happened. And that's why I believe you.''
She came back upward, again that always soft smile on her face. This smile was probably because of the shocked look on Terence's face - a look that didn't seem to wipe off of his face at all. So it was all true - and he wasn't crazy! Pirates did have a history with Pixie Hollow! But what did Queen Clarion mean when she said she was there? What exactly happened? These thoughts and more swam through his brain as he processed what Clarion had just said.
While Terence was processing, Clarion sussed about the island. She touched a nearby tree - just a simple touch- but she withdrew her hand almost immediately. She gasped and moved away, while the guards raced to her side.
''What is it, Your Majesty?'' one of them said. She didn't answer at first. Rather, she continued to study the tree as if it had bitten her, or something of the like. Truth to be told, she almost looked, well, scared. She looked at her hand again, turning it over, then gently putting it down.
''I feel- an energy here. An evil energy. A dark force.'' She looked up at the guards. ''Continue the search.''
''But Your Highness!'' Stella objected. ''There's nothing here. We've all seen it for ourselves.''
''Stella,'' Queen Clarion warned. ''You have already attempted to defy my orders once, don't think that it will be tolerated twice.''
Stella stepped back from the Queen, curtsied, and sighed deeply. ''Yes, Your Highness.'' She gave the order to the guards, and off they went toward the other side of Pixie Hollow.
''Whoa,'' was all Terence could say. ''You mean, you can feel pirates?''
Clarion turned to him and chuckled. ''In a matter of speaking, yes.''
''Well…cool!'' Terence exploded into excitement, if only for just a moment. He never knew she, or any pixie for that matter, could do that! Could he?
''Indeed,'' Clarion said. ''Now we shall go back to the Pixie Dust Tree and join the others.''
''Right,'' Terence said uncertainly. He still wasn't really sure of what just happened. It was still a little bit weird, but kind of awesome. He looked back at Stella and the guards, who were not too far off, yet still he wondered and drank in everything that has just happened. What exactly did pirates have to do with Pixie Hollow? And how could have Queen Clarion been there? And how about this special power she seemed to have?
''Strange,'' he muttered to himself. ''Really strange.'' Coming out of his collage of thoughts, he saw that the Queen was way ahead of him and by all rights, leaving without him.
''Queen Clarion!'' he called. ''Wait up!'' He fluttered over to her, staying a respectable distance away beside her. The first thought that came to his head was that he couldn't wait to tell Tink what he had found out - Tink.
''Hey, can you teach ME how to do that?
''All right,'' Tinkerbell called. She held up her clipboard.
''Iridessa, are all the light fairies here?''
''Here and accounted for,'' she jovially answered.
''Great! Thanks, Des!'' she made a tick next to light fairies. ''Sil, how about the water fairies?''
''All here,'' Silvermist said in her ever mellow voice.
''Flitterific!'' Tink chimed. She went down the list and continued to ask Fawn, Rosetta, Fairy Gary, Scout, the Seasonal Ministers, and Fairy Mary if everyone was accounted for, the only exceptions of course being the royal guard, Queen Clarion, and Terence. All were present. Finally, she came to Vidia.
''How about the fast flying fairies, Vidia?'' she cheerily asked. Vidia, however, looked anything but impressed by Tink's display of leadership.
''All here, cupcake. You can come down from your power trip now.''
''I'm not on a power trip!'' Tink objected. ''I'm just trying to do my job.'
''And it's done, sweetie. Relax. But I have noticed that there's one you left off your little list.''
Frantically, Tink perused it, going over check after check, but seeing no mistakes.
''I did? Who?'' Vidia grinned with a nasty smile. ''Your little boyfriend, of course.''
Tink turned red with embarrassment.
''He -he's searching with Queen Clarion. Th- That's why I didn't put him on my list. And he's not my boyfriend! He's my best friend. Big difference!''
Vidia was not convinced. '' Uh-huh. Whatever lifts your wings.'' She crossed her arms in amusement. Tink narrowed her eyes at her and stared her down.
''You're just jealous because you don't have friends at all - much less a best friend.''
''I have plenty of friends!'' Vidia spat back. ''All I'm saying is this ''best friend'' stuff is not exactly what I heard, but if you're going to sit here and insult me -'' and with that, Vidia started to fly off. Tinkerbell put a hand out to stop her, slightly running after.
''Wait!'' Tink yelled. Vidia turned around, still suspended in the air, her arms crossed, and that same smirk on her face. Her eyebrows were arched in a way that said, ''Well?''
Tink stepped forward, rubbing one arm with the other. She looked up at Vidia, and asked the seemingly innocent question : ''What exactly have you heard, Vidia?''