Chapter 18: Conch

"Peter? Peter?!"

"Mother of Pearl!" yelled Conch, seizing Wendy and pulling her back from the fray. Shocked, he watched as Peter and Brine pummeled each other with their fists. Bewilderment quickly giving way to a protective instinct, Conch lifted his trident.

"Oh no! You stay right there, Squirt!" ordered Conch, stopping Wendy at trident point. "Don't move! I'm not finished talking to y— OW! HEY!"

Conch buckled and swung onto the seabed as Peter pounced over his shoulders, slapping the merman with an emerald green tail.

Loosing control in his haste, Peter catapulted over Conch and slammed into Wendy.

"Ooof!" Wendy blinked as Peter grabbed her head.

"You ok?"

Wendy was speechless. She could only gawk at his fins.

"Peter?!"

"Come on!" Grabbing her hand, Peter wrenched forward with his tail.

A backwards wrench later, Peter and Wendy were hooked under Conch's arms.

"Get off! Get off!" Peter wriggled and slipped in Conch's grip. Angry as a hornet, the boy lunched across the merman and seized Wendy's wrist. "Get off, you Codfish! Get – ahhh!"

Incensed, Conch threw Peter against an iceberg. Peter made to retaliate, then staggered back as Conch threw Wendy into his chest.

"Conch!" Brine sprinted forward. His lip was bleeding. "Conch! Conch don't!"

Wendy suddenly felt warm. She felt hot. She started to rise, as if pushed upwards by a cloud. Looking down, she saw tiny, silver bubbles jetting upwards around her fin. She looked at Peter. His cheeks were red. Almost…raw.

Horrified, Wendy suddenly looked at Conch. The merman's hands were extended and his fingers were clawed. He too was red as a lobster and rising with the hot buoyancy.

Wendy's heart thundered.

Conch was boiling them. Conch was going to boil them to death.

"Conch!" Brine shouted, raising a trident over his head. "Conch! STOP! This is the girl! The human girl! The one I kissed!"
Wendy and Peter collapsed. The heat dissipated off their bodies. Wendy thought the icy water was the most wonderful, refreshing thing she ever felt

"Oh." Lowering his hands, Conch waited as Brine rushed forward to Wendy. "Why didn't you say so before? Oh mother of pearl -!"

Zig-zagging around Wendy and Brine, Conch intersected Peter with his trident.

"I'm getting a little tired of this, Red." said Conch as Peter grabbed at the shaft of the trident. Holding Peter out of reach, Conch turned partially to Brine. "I see you made lots of friends in Neverland. This one a human too?"

"Codfish!" Peter snarled, slithering his tail across the seabed. "Hand over Wendy! Now! You dirty, rotten Codfish!"

"Uh – huh." Conch said, raising an eyebrow at Peter's belligerence. "Yeah… definitely human."

Vigilantly, Conch lowered the trident. Peter was still breathing hard, but stopped maneuvering as Conch knelt. Setting an arm over his metallic bittersweet fin, the merman spoke in a soothing voice.

"How'd you get to be merman then, Red?"

Peter's black eyes darted to Wendy. "Her fault." he finally said, glaring back to Conch. "I saved her. Then…" Peter's tail twitched. He looked disgusted. "...then this."

"Good rescue." grinned Conch, then quickly raised apologetic hands. "Okay. Okay. I'm sorry, relax it was a joke. Little ice-breaker. Pardon the pun…" he said, turning to wink at Wendy.

Wendy smiled a little but stopped as Peter frowned.

"Peter." Wendy slid forward. Brine helped her lower to the seabed. "Peter. Peter I am so awfully sorry. Truly I am. For everything. It was an accident. The spell wasn't suppose to hurt you – "

"Spell?" Brine and Conch said together.

"Spell as in curse?" Conch asked, fingering his trident. "Great, that's all we need. Who was it this time?"

"The sea witch." guessed Brine, remembering their last adventure "The one that cursed Nixie."

Conch made a face as Brine took Wendy's hands. "Wendy was it the sea witch? Why did she curse you? Did she hurt you? Are you all right?"

"She's fine." Wendy sagged as Peter took her shoulder and pulled himself upright. Swerving forward, Peter pushed at Brine. "And she doesn't need you."

Brine's eyes flared. "My rescue worked, unlike yours. So it seems Wendy doesn't need you."

"I'm warning you, Codfish –"

"Look at yourself! Who's the Codfish, now?"

"I'm goanna –"

"Okay! Clam it! Both of you!"

A current of heated water waved between Peter and Brine. Crossly, Conch separated the two

"Bunch of dumber rock fish I've never seen." Mumbled Conch, twirling aside his trident and swimming next to Wendy. "Talking up a storm instead of explaining what is going on! Okay…I want both of you to clam it and stay clammed until I get the whole story! Then, when we're all in the same tide pool THEN you can kill each other."

Conch held up a hand as Wendy, Brine, and Peter all protested. "Got it?" He glared until there were three nods, however begrudging.

"Good enough." Conch said, turning to Wendy. Wendy cast a worried eye to Peter, who was smoldering at Brine. Startled, she jumped as Conch approached.

"First things first." said Conch. Bending at the hips, he peered into Wendy's face. Suddenly, his face broke into the warmest smile Wendy had ever seen.

"Hi." said Conch, waving a hand.

Wendy blinked. "Oh…um…hello?" she said uncertainly, with a little dip.

Conch looked utterly flabbergasted and delighted at her attempt to curtsey.

"I don't know what that was!" he smiled, discarding the trident, "But it was adorable!"

Wendy rubbed her arm, shyly. She stiffened as Conch placed a hand gently on her head.

"Okay, Squirt, hold still. Let me see…"

Wendy held her breath, waiting as Conch's fingers brushed across her head. The warm water spouting from his fingers felt like heated massage.

"You're right." Conch called over his shoulder to Brine. "You're right. I like the hair. Different, but I like it. Annnnnnd…"

Conch leaned, glancing over Wendy's shoulder. "Cute little set of fins here."

"Hey!"

"Pipe it down, Red." Conch dismissed Peter with a wave of his tail. Slowly the merman sunk to Wendy's level. The effort seemed taxing, and Conch grasped Wendy's arms to anchor himself as he peered closely into Wendy's face. His black-green whiskers tickled Wendy's nose.

"Wow." Conch spouted, unable to resist bringing his hand to Wendy's face. Delicately, his finger rested at the corner of her lid. "Wow. How about these eyes!"

Brine beamed at Wendy. "Told you."

"Huh…" said Conch as Peter glowed cherry red. "Huh…mesmerizng. Huh. How about that. The little Neverland girl that stole my little brother's hidden kiss."

He grinned as Wendy and Brine blushed. "Okay Brine, you win. She's a keeper."

Blocking Peter with an outstretched hand, Conch gestured to Wendy. "Got a name Squirt?"

"Wendy."

"Pretty." grinned Conch as Brine swam forward. Releasing Peter, Conch surveyed the three. "So you're the famous Neverland girl. Well then, I already know how you and Brine met. But…"

Conch's eyes narrowed on Peter. "But…what's with Red, here?"

"I am Peter Pan." said Peter, forcing himself between Wendy and Brine. "I rule Neverland. And I don't take orders from Codfish."

"…sure…" Conch scratched his beard. "Brine, isn't he the…oh the flying whatever with the knife? That tried to…kill...you…?"

Brine glared at Peter. He crossed his trident across his chest. "That's him."

Conch joined Brine. He flicked the trident across his throat. "Should I…?"

"No!" Wendy held out her hands. The three male mer seemed surprised at her insistence. The situation had complicated itself, but Wendy was growing frustrated in the wasted time.

"No more fighting, please! Please just listen! This was all a terrible mistake. Oh well –" Wendy circled her hands, trying to rephrase her words. "—well not a terrible mistake but – for Peter. Peter wasn't suppose to be changed into a merman – I didn't know or else I never would have – then he never would have – what I mean to say - Ohhh!"

Shaking her head, Wendy made eye contact with Brine.

Understanding her nervous loquaciousness, Brine smiled and held up his palms. "It's all right, Wendy. Slow down. From the beginning. Tell me first…are you in trouble?"

Wendy opened her mouth to say 'yes.' But nothing happened. Instead, a bubble came out.

Embarrassed she tried again. Again a bubble.

Brine and Conch traded worried looks.

"What?" asked Peter. Hand over her mouth, Wendy felt his hand against her back. "What's wrong."

"The bubble coming out of her mouth." said Conch, considering Wendy sympathetically. "It means she's been cursed. And she's made a bargain. The bubble keeps her from breaking a secret…saying too much."

"Well…" Peter racked his brain. "…shake or nod your head, Wendy!"

"Won't work." Conch said solemnly. "Unless you want her decapitated."

"Decap…" Peter suddenly straightened. "Hold on. Wendy. Who did you make a bargain with?"

Realization dawned in Peter's eyes. "Hook. It was Hook! Who else could it be?"

Wendy threw up an arm as Peter grabbed her. "You made a deal with Hook?"

Shaking, Wendy pushed away. Brine was at her back.

"You did!" Wendy accused uncharacteristically. Tears brimmed in her eyes. "You did, and you banished me from Neverland! What was I suppose – "

"The pirate said he wanted you for Tinkerbell!" Peter bellowed, slamming a hand into his fist. "You lost her Wendy! I made the bargain so I could get Tinkerbell!"

"And I!" Wendy cried, pulling against Brine. "Made the same bargain! That is why I am a mermaid, Peter! So I can find Tinkerbell!"

Silence.

Wendy turned. Brine caught her under the arm and held her. The merman's expression was hard as stone. He stared at Peter Pan with utter loathing.

"Banished?" Brine said, squeezing Wendy's arm. "You banished Wendy?"

"It doesn't matter." Wendy whispered. She looked into the iceberg, ashamed at the frozen tears on her cheeks. "Nothing matters. I just want to find Tinkerbell."

Brine looked at Conch. "You hear any of that?"

Conch nodded. Business like, he shouldered his trident. "Lot of bubbles, lot I didn't understand – what in the mother of pearl is a 'Tinkerbell?'"

Conch grinned widely, hoping to cheer Wendy up. "But I think even with the curse, we can help. You need to find something, it sounds like. A…" Conch worked the word over his mouth, "…Tinkerbell?"

Peter nodded. "Wendy lost her. She's my fairy."

Conch tried very hard not to smirk. "Um…okay, Red. Whatever you say. But Wendy…?"

Rubbing her cheeks, Wendy looked at Conch. The merman was very tall and very muscular. His brawn would easily intimidate a sea monster, let alone a little mer. But Wendy could also make sense of Conch's relation to Brine. Conch had identical silver eyes; but unlike Brine's, they were always crinkled into a smile.

"Wendy?" Conch asked. "Wendy. Do you want to find Tinkerbell as well?"

A thousand thoughts whirled in Wendy's head. Tinkerbell's hostilities. Peter's resentment. The danger ahead.

But Wendy did not pause. Instead she – and very carefully – nodded. "Yes."

"Heard that one!" whooped Conch, punching a triumphant fist into the water. "Crabs and sea-snails we have a winner! Tinkerbell it is!"

"You'll help!?" Wendy exclaimed. Suppressing the urge to smile at Peter, Wendy ecstatically thanked Conch and Brine.

"No problem, Squirt!" laughed Conch, ruffling Wendy's curls. He smiled at the strange golden highlights. "After all we have a lot in common – I'm banished from my home too."

"Oh?" Wendy's face fell as Brine and Conch gathered their tridents. "Oh how dreadful. Why?"

Conch laughed and held up his hand. His palm was red and raw. "I'm cursed." Conch said. Snapping his fingers, he suddenly summoned a column of boiling water. "Heat. My core temperature is basically a billion times hotter than everyone else's."

Conch snapped again. The column dissolved but a hole had bubbled through the surface ice. Again, Conch struggled to keep himself from floating upwards.

"Definitely not a plus when your home is an iceberg." continued Conch good naturedly. "So when I was cursed – I was banished."

Wendy looked at Brine, unbelieving.

Brine grinned. Playfully he punched Conch in the shoulder. "It's true Wendy – I told you all my family was cursed."

"Speaking of which…" said Conch, knuckling Brine in the forehead. "Are you planning on asking Mom and Dad for help?"

Brine nodded as if the answer were obvious. "Shouldn't I?"

"Oh well, no…they can definitely help. And they'd probably figure it out anyway. Ruling the kingdom and all."

Taking the lead, Conch unstrapped a necklace from around his neck. Five thin, crystal like pendants hung from the cord. Peering closer, Wendy gasped: the crystals were dead icicle fish.

Unnoticing, Conch broke an icicle fish in half. Quickly, he emptied the glittering white fish oil into his mouth. Swallowing, he belched.

"Sorry." Shaking his long hair, Conch wiped his mouth. Slowly, his body turned a shade bluer. Placing a hand over his heart, Conch closed his eyes.

"Good." he finally said, picking up his trident and heading into the iceberg. "Icicle fish oil. Works wonders to lower by body temperature every time! Maybe this time Mom and Dad won't throw me out in a panic that I'm going melt the kingdom. Brine – you got the troops?"

"Come on." Brine smiled, taking Wendy by the hand. Unenthusiastically, he watched for Peter to follow. Flicking his fin, Brine guided Wendy and Peter into the iceberg. "Come on. I want you to meet my family. They can help find your fairy. And…"

Excitedly, Brine rubbed Wendy's fingers. "I can't wait for them to meet you, Wendy."

Conch laughed ahead. "All except the she's-really-a-human-part, Brine. I doubt that will make Mom and Dad happy."

"Why?" asked Wendy as they passed under the iceberg and into darkness.

She heard Conch's voice in the distance as Brine pressed against her.

"Well ever since Nixie…let's just say humans don't ever get out. Alive."