A/N: Howdy Team!
Been prepping myself to get my first tattoo(s). I can't do my first one until next February, and cause I'll get kicked out of the house if my parents see it, I'm thinking of getting it on the back of my neck so my hair will cover it – just a smallish cross.
BUT, I've also had sudden inspiration to get a Peter Pan one. *Yays*
I'm thinking of getting two stars behind my left ear; the second star to the right. Excitement!
And after watching that episode – OHMAHGERSH! All the Hook feels. I feel like Swanfire will destroy me because, whilst I love Neal's cuteness, Colin O'Donoghue is downright sexy; and Irish.
Thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter; apparently a lot of you loved it. And that makes me happpppyyyy. =]
Anyway, here's the next chapter. Quite literally had to re-write in the last three hours, so it hasn't been edited. But meet Ariel; a long time before she met Snow.
The Little Mermaid
The Enchanted Forest – 293 Years Ago…
"Hey Ariel."
"Indigo!" the sound of splashing surrounded her as she came swimming for Indigo sitting on the shoreline. Her hair swirled about her in the water as she waited there, her face downcast. "What's wrong?"
Indigo sighed as she looked over at the mermaid.
"I keep trying to fly into Neverland like Tinkerbell told me," she began, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. "And every time I try, it's like someone is leaving a wall there. I've swum through a lot more ocean than I'd care to admit and threatened a lot more black market dealers than I'd like to say – but no one can get me a way into Neverland."
"You don't want to be there Indigo," Ariel warned. "It's a bad place. The mermaids there…it's almost as though they're tainted by Pan's magic."
"So the shadow is moving?"
"He's going to take the echo caves," Ariel murmured, "He's taking over the island. There's no way to stop him. You know, it's probably his power that's keeping you out."
"I heard he was just a boy," Indigo breathed, looking up at Ariel is astonishment, "how can he keep me out?"
"You clearly haven't felt his power Indigo," Ariel replied, shivering as though she herself had felt it. But she never ventured into his reach, into Neverland, yes, but never close enough for her to be harmed.
"I'm sorry Ariel," Indigo sighed once, as an idea came to her, "But I'm going to need to start calling in the favours you owe me."
Ariel nodded, knowing that having Indigo as a guardian angel could only last so long. "I'm going to give you a single power," Indigo continued steadily. "When you touch dry land, your fins will turn to feet outside of the one day a year that Ursula allows. And I'm sorry – I'm so, so sorry – but I need you to bring me back something from Neverland."
"What could you possibly want from there?" she asked, terrified at the prospect of stepping foot on Pan's Island.
"I need a poisonous plant," Indigo replied, pulling a page she'd ripped from a book from her pocket and holding it up to the mermaid. She quickly made it impervious to the water before handing it to Ariel quickly. "In ancient times and other worlds, it's called Mors Somnium. But in the common tongue, it's known as dreamshade."
"You want me to travel to another realm in order to get you the deadliest plant known to man?" Ariel asked in astonishment. "You'd better be on hand if I swim back here about to die because Pan catches me."
"Oh, that won't be a problem," Indigo replied with a quick wave of her hand, "You'll also be invisible."
Present Day
Indigo woke up to the sound of the lost boys packing up their things into bags. Looking out the window after quickly pulling on her clothes she saw all of the younger boys moving about as though preparing for travel.
"Meron!" she called finally, spotting someone who would talk to her. "What's going on?"
"We're moving out to a makeshift camp in the south east," he replied loudly. "Pan's got the boy."
Indigo's brow furrowed for a moment. What boy? He hadn't said anything –
And then she realised something. She realised that Wendy's plan had been stupidly flawed. She assumed that Pan would just keep sending the shadow to bring back boys until he had the right one. But all this time, he had been actively seeking him.
Pan wanted the heart of the truest believer – and now he had it.
Indigo grabbed her sword from the desk and found herself rummaging through Pan's drawers until she found where he'd hidden her dagger. With its intricately carved handle, she slipped it into the side of her boot, feeling the comfort of its position once more.
In that same drawer she found her silver bracelet, glittering with charms alongside a second bracelet that surely didn't belong to her. It was plaited and carried a single charm on it. She recognised it, but couldn't remember where from. And so it was with that curiosity that Indigo slipped it into her pocket with hers and jumped down the ladder.
She landed silently with a smug smile, meeting the boys with their bags. At least half the camp was empty already, the tree houses abandoned for another, less homely place.
"I take it you boys know where we're going?" Indigo inquired.
"Pan sent out a message this morning via telepathy," Meron said curiously. "You didn't get it?"
"I was asleep," she said defensively, trying to remember if perhaps Pan had spoken to her in her dreams. But Indigo really had slept well last night. "Either way, I'm going to head off."
"Follow Hayden," Meron suggested. "I know we're the lost ones but that doesn't mean we want you falling into any of the mysterious rock cuts on the island."
"Thank you Meron," Indigo said, "I'm glad to see you have so much faith in me."
"Oh I do," Meron replied with a wide smiled. "But Neverland's a dangerous place. Even for us."
Neverland – 293 years ago…
Ariel swam easily into Neverland, finding herself surfacing in a cave on the coast of Pan's Island. It was with hesitant eyes that she looked around before jumping onto land and watching her tail turn into a scraggly skirt. Within a few seconds her hands had begun to turn transparent and eventually her entire body faded from sight.
As Ariel heard shuffling from a few metres away, she turned, her feet surprisingly steady as she prepared to run. She spotted there, a young looking boy, no older than his late teens, searching with his eyes, undoubtedly, for her. When he couldn't see her, his eyes narrowed as his hand sent out a pulse of magic designed to tell if anybody was there.
"Someone's invisible," he said finally, taking a few steps forward before looking directly at her. "But why?"
Ariel refused to say anything, although evidently the boy – who she assumed to be Pan with this power – already knew exactly where she was. It was only a few moments before he'd removed the mirage of invisibility that Indigo had placed upon her and eyed her up and down saying, "You evidently haven't paid heed to my warnings. It's only a matter of time before your kind is expelled from Neverland for good. Trust me. When I have my army, you will never return to these caves."
"I'm not from here," Ariel said suddenly, her hands up in a surrender. "I'm from another realm where-"
"You met an incredibly powerful witch," Pan finished, taking a forward step with the last three words. "You wouldn't be here voluntarily mermaid – at least not with legs. So who sent you?"
Ariel bit her tongue. No matter what Pan asked of her, she would not reveal Indigo's plan.
"Oh," Pan's eyes widened, "A mermaid loyal to a witch. Now there's a first. Tell me your name girl."
Her silence was met with Pan's hand moving over her mouth. Not of her own volition, she finally found her voice speaking monotonously, "Ariel."
"And who's the witch?"
Ariel's lips remained tightly shut, Pan's magic not being able to find that information by coaxing it from her with persuasion. It intrigued him that this witch had a failsafe in order to protect herself. Pan's eyes narrowed as he began to walk around her slowly. "What are you here for Ariel?"
"I came for the poison," she answered at the same pitch. "Mors Somnium."
Pan looked at the girl curiously. "No one has called the plant that it over four centuries. How old is your witch Ariel?"
Again, Ariel's lips remained shut. Pan was growing frustrated by the lack of information he could draw from her. Finally pulling his sword from its sheath, he held it to her throat. "The most basic of human instinct," Pan began as his magical hold on Ariel was broken by her own fear. "Survival."
She was on the edge of the rocks, the water right behind her and Pan's sword before her. Ariel's heart beat faster in fear, her survival instinct battling with the magic Indigo had placed upon her to protect herself.
And in the end the magic won out. Pan grunted in frustration, taking Ariel's shoulders harshly in his hands and shaking her roughly. "Who is she!"
"Evidently more powerful than you," Ariel replied, shaking his intrusions from her head, channelling a little of Indigo's defiance before she twisted out of Pan's hands, turning out to the ocean and whispered into the shell from her bag, "Help."
Pan knocked it from her hand into the shallow water. "What did you do mermaid?"
"Oh, you're going down Pan."
"You think that the mermaids are going to come back," he laughed. "Clearly you're living in a dream Ariel. If the mermaids were willing to fight me again for the echo caves-"
"Do you want to know what's going to happen if I lock you up there?" Pan threatened. Ariel's eyes looked upwards seeing the endless rock faces above her that went on beyond what she could possibly see.
"I'll most probably die," Ariel said, trying not to let Pan see the fear in her eyes.
"That you will," Pan smirked. "But I'll make you a deal Ariel. I'll give you what you need, if you promise to keep your kind off my island."
"I have no power in that."
"Well," Pan sighed, "Apparently you have some power." The sound of rippling water alerted Ariel to the arrival of her help in the form of innumerable mermaids surfacing from the depths. "You've called the family."
"Leave her Pan," one mermaid hissed.
"You know Sirena," he commented, feigning real consideration. "No."
"You have brought the ocean upon yourself Pan."
He let out a sigh, waving his hands over the mermaids and freezing the water momentarily.
"You want them free?" Pan asked, seeing Ariel's horrified face.
"Free?" her face dropped in shock as he disappeared and reappeared before her with a jar. "Concentrated dreamshade. Take this, and make sure your witch gets it."
"You're giving me what I want?" Ariel asked in astonishment.
"If you promise me one thing," Pan replied, holding the jar just out of her reach. "Tell her to cease trying to get into Neverland. Every time she does, I reinforce the shield that keeps her out. This is my world Ariel. Warn her; if I ever meet her, I will kill her."
Ariel nodded slowly as Pan tossed the jar to her. Clicking his fingers, he melted the ice around the mermaids within a split second saying to Ariel, "We're done here."
Turning to the mermaids he threatened, "Stay away from here or Felix and I will wipe you out."
With that he turned around. By the time he climbed up the stairs out of the cave, Ariel and her people were gone. Felix came traipsing through the foliage quickly.
"Felix," Pan said, seeing him. "We need more recruits. I want an army. As soon as we get rid of those tribesmen, we're heading back to The Enchanted Forest. I want the Echo Caves in my hands and those mermaids gone."
"How do you intend to do that Pan?" Felix asked.
"You remember that pan flute that Rumplestiltskin made for me?" Pan said, reminding Felix of the events of seven years ago, making him flinch slightly and nod in acknowledgment. "I've infused it with a certain power inspired by a gift I was once given. I think we'll find a lot more people like us now Felix." He looked out on the sea and smiled. "This island's going to be ours."
Present Day
Pan had the boy walking around the camp with guards posted at all exits. When Indigo arrived with Hayden, the new kid looked up at her curiously, the first girl he'd seen in a while.
"Indigo," Pan said suddenly, jumping down from the tree above her and handing her a flower, kissing her on the cheek. "Morning."
The flower was natural, untainted by magic as he walked away. It sat in her hand, its pink hue bright against her tanning skin.
"Lost boys," Pan said, rallying them all to him as they stood in a circle around Henry. Indigo was standing by a tree, joined quickly by Felix, standing aside from the pack. "Meet the truest believer, Henry."
"Now boys," Pan continued, "Henry is our honoured guest. Let us treat him as one of our own. Start building him a place to sleep."
Pan split from the group, turning round to Henry, "Welcome Henry. Last night was perhaps not the best meeting, but under the light of day, it's time for you to meet Neverland."
The Enchanted Forest – 293 years ago…
Ariel arose from the water, choking on it for the first time ever. Her lungs found it hard to breathe as she landed on the beach. Indigo quickly appeared as though she had sensed the mermaid's return and with the soft glow of healing magic, calmed Ariel's breathing and healed the small cuts across her arms.
"Who did this?" she demanded. "How did they find you?"
"I warned you," Ariel panted, the journey out of Neverland having done her more harm than good, "I warned you about the boy. He is pure evil Indigo. He isn't even human."
"How did he see you?" Indigo asked in astonishment.
"It took him all of a minute to undo your spell," she said, before coughing loudly and continuing, "You can't beat Peter Pan, Indigo. It's best that you stop trying."
Indigo stepped back from Ariel in shock. No. The girl was lying; how could she know. It was impossible…Peter of Panenai could not still be alive. It had been 850 years…
"Peter Pan," Indigo choked out.
"Have your dreamshade Indigo," Ariel almost spat, throwing her back at her forcefully. "And I don't care where you go. But please; don't send me again. He warned you too. Stop trying to enter Neverland."
"I won't," she promised sadly, "I'm so sorry Ariel – I thought I was strong enough to protect you."
Ariel began to wiggle back into the ocean with a small wave to Indigo. "Thank you for healing me Indigo. But know now what you face." She held out her hand, Indigo grasping her forearm in farewell, as she did so, feeling a jolt of magic up her arm. Indigo knew that, as a mermaid, Ariel had certain powers, but this was more than that. This was something she could read – easily – as rebirth.
"I'm glad that you didn't turn out evil this time," Indigo smiled as Ariel's face furrowed in obliviousness of what she meant, asking, "What?" edgily.
"Oh," Indigo's eyes widened. "Never mind. I'll see you soon."
"Not too soon," Ariel reminded softly as the mermaid swam off into the sea. Indigo blinked a few times as she left before she murmured to thin air, "She's as strong as you'd hoped Merlin." The girl who swam off into the distance didn't know it, but in her was the spirit of Nimue reborn. Merlin was long dead, Indigo looked to the stars as she finally understood what she had to do. She had to get to Neverland to defeat the shadow, but she had to do it in a different way. She couldn't keep fighting this boy…this boy who obviously could not be her Peter. This person was a monster.
Present Day
Pan sat on the ground before the open fire as Indigo came to meet him, night swift upon the day's heels. He opened his arm for her to curl into him, feeling the warmth of his arms as she breathed out in relief.
"What will you do with him?" she murmured quietly.
"Well, soon enough his family will come for him," Pan replied, looking into the fire, "But we'll take care of them easily. All we have to do is make sure our newest member doesn't try to escape. Or want to escape."
"You don't just want him," Indigo surmised, "You want him lost."
"Isn't it better that way?" he asked, looking down at her and kissing her lightly on the forehead, tracing his lips down her nose until he found her lips. "Isn't this better?"
"Mhmm," Indigo murmured, holding him tightly as they kissed. Felix came walking into the camp at that point, averting his eyes from the couple who were sitting there in plain sight making out. He coughed loudly to get Pan's attention. He pulled back and sighed as Indigo leaned back into the log looking at Felix upside down.
"Yes Felix?" Pan asked.
"There are adults here. The shadow's been on the lookout. They just touched land."
"Yes," Pan replied, "I felt a mermaid's storm a few hours ago. Which obviously means there is dissension amongst the ranks. Also I felt the power of a Dark One who I am incredibly interested to meet. Do we know who these people are?"
"I gave them a quick once over with my magic. One is the boy's mother, three others his family, and the last, you really won't believe Pan. He's back."
Pan's eyes widened as a gleeful smile spread across his face. He glanced over at Indigo with a smirk, "It looks like your ex-lover has returned Indie."
"Hook?" she asked in astonishment. Somehow Hook had ended up chasing after the truest believer as well. That was not welcome news. Her brow furrowed as she questioned herself. She remembered telling him that he wouldn't be back for a while, and she knew that to be true. Her magic didn't lie. So what was he doing back here?
"Indeed," he replied, turning back to Felix, "Neverland itself will keep them at bay for tonight. But I'd put Lainor on watch. If he spots anyone; he's quickest with a knife."
Indigo knew that the thought of killing people should have made her flinch. And yet, Pan said it so easily and she realised she'd grown used to it. She'd grown used to the rampant violence – she'd grown used to being here…Indigo Tigerlily…
As Felix began walking away, Pan turned back to her and muttered, "Did you want to go somewhere else?" Her eyes followed his to where, up in the sky, houses lined the leaves of the extremely tall trees. It was a lot higher than before, and a lot easier to cover with a mirage, she realised. Taking his hand they both pushed off the ground, using their magic to float through the window. In this room, there was no door, knowing that neither of them needed it.
"Did you build this?" Indigo asked, landing lightly as she looked around, spotting the same furniture from before. His hand gave a small wave, lighting up the candles around the room. "But this was from the other camp…"
"Magic," Peter grinned, spinning her around as he pulled her in closely, looking into her eyes deeply. In them, he saw his own reflected – wide and honest. "You're beautiful Indie," he muttered genuinely. Indigo's face looked up at him curiously, a small smile forming at the corners of her mouth as she leaned up on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck and feeling his heart beating steadily with hers. As he kissed her back, his hands tightening on her waist, she pulled away momentarily.
"What's the matter?" Pan breathed softly.
"Nothing," she breathed, a full smile upon her face. "Nothing at all. No one can hear us now. This…this is our time."
Pan smiled and pressed his lips to hers gently, the night still and silent – the aura of the calm before a raging deadly storm.