CHAPTER THIRTY
After watching Terra take off, I walked out of Skull Rock and back into the luscious plains.
"Hey!" I turned to see the two Lost Boys that I met earlier, Slightly and Cubby.
"What is it?" I said, leaning over so I was leveled better with them.
"We found someone over by the cliff edge. He just fell out of the sky! He won't wake up." Slightly said. "He looks kind of like you and that other guy you were with."
"Fell out of the sky...?" I said. "Ventus!"
"So, you know him?" Cubby said.
"Yes. Please, take me to him."
The Lost Boys lead me to the cliff edge, where I first met Captain Hook. Ventus laid on the ground, and he appeared to be sleeping. I knelt by his side.
"Uh... he ain't movin'..." the bear boy said.
"Let's try kickin' him!" Slightly said.
"What?! No!" I said, covering Tinker Bell and allowing her foot to drive into my hand. I winced and shook away the pain. "We're not going to wake him up that way!"
"Then, how do you suggest we do?" Slightly said, placing his fists on his hips.
"The right way." I said. I turned back to the sleeping blonde. I gently placed a hand on his arm and leaned closer, bringing my voice to a whisper. "Ventus... wake up!"
Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, and his ocean blue irises met with mine. He yawned and stretched, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He sat up and immediately stared at the tiny fairy and the two children dressed up like animals. He glanced at me for answers, but I shook my head and helped him stand.
"Who are you?" Slightly said.
"My name is Ventus. Call me Ven." Ventus said.
"You know, I never actually introduced myself either." I said. "My name is Hallie."
"I guess when I sat down to rest, I must've fallen asleep." Ventus snickered.
"You hopeless sleepyhead." I rolled my eyes.
"But where'd ya come from?" Cubby said.
We glanced at each other, unsure of what to say, but Tinker Bell flew over and tugged on Slightly's ear.
"All right, all right, we're goin'!" he grumbled.
"So long, Ven and Hallie!" Cubby said.
"Hey, where are you guys off to?" Ventus said as the three walked away.
"Tink saw a shootin' star and we're gonna go hunt it down!"
"A shooting star?! Mind if we come along?"
"Course not. But ya gotta agree to follow us!" Slightly said.
"Yeah, it's, uh... right over..." Cubby said, then turned around down the pathway. "That way! By the Indian Camp!"
"Ready, men? Forward march!"
That's the second time someone's mentioned that shooting star. I should find out what in the world they're talking about.
We followed the Lost Boys down the jungle path. We came up to a big hollow tree. We paused at the sound of a strange bird call.
"Peter Pan!" the Lost Boys cried as Peter Pan flew down to us.
"Hey, Hallie!" Peter Pan said, floating extremely close to me. He flew around Ventus and examined him. "Who's your friend?"
"I'm Ventus. Call me Ven." Ventus said.
Peter Pan landed on the ground and cupped his chin in his hand. "Well... if you say so." He walked over to the Lost Boys. "Ten-shun! Now then, men. I don't suppose you'd wanna capture some real pirate treasure?"
"Real pirate treasure?!" Cubby said.
"Sure!" Slightly said.
"Well, guess who caught sight of Hook right when he was stashing his treasure? Whaddaya say we sneak in and grab it?" Peter Pan said.
"Oh boy!"
"Let's go! Let's go!" the two boys chimed, but Tinker Bell swooped in and kicked them in the cheek, then flew in front of Peter Pan and threw a mild tantrum in order to communicate to him.
"Tinker Bell, what's gotten into you?" Peter Pan said.
"We were all supposed to go hunt for a shooting star together." Ventus said.
"Forget that. Pirate treasure is way more fun. Tink, you're comin' with us!" But Tinker Bell crossed her arms and flew away. "Well, that's no way to respond to an invitation. C'mon, Ven, Hallie, you're better sports than her, right?"
"As fun as stealing from a creepy old man sounds, I'd rather look for that shooting star." I said.
"Yeah, me too." Ventus said.
We continued down the path, leaving Peter Pan with a flabbergasted look on his face.
Tinker Bell led us to the Indian Camp, where we saw something shimmering in the center of the tee-pees.
"There!" Ventus said.
We ran over to the glimmering object, and when we got a clear view of it, we gasped. I bent down and picked up the small, blue, and yellow star with a lightning bolt sticking out of one of the points.
"Mickey's Star Shard..." I said. "What's it doing here? Where's Mickey?"
Suddenly, something sharp hovered dangerously close to my throat, and a hand grabbed the Star Shard. Tinker Bell rushed to my side, but a pair of big, sweaty hands seized her. A phlegmy cackle filled my ears.
"A shooting star, a pixie, and a girl with a mysterious Key weapon! Must be me birthday!" Hook said.
"Hallie!" Ventus said. He summoned Wayward Wind and struck his battle stance. "Let them go!"
"Ah, another one of Peter Pan's brats. Well, tell that cowardly sparrow if he wants his precious Tinker Bell back, he'd best meet me at Mermaid Lagoon!"
I grunted and shoved my elbow into Hook's stomach. He cried out and doubled over, clutching his stomach with his real hand. The Star Shard flew into the air. I jumped in the air, grabbed the Star Shard, and landed at Ventus's side with my Keyblade.
"Blast you! Let's go, Smee!" Hook said.
"Hey, get back here!" I said. Ventus and I chased after Hook and Smee, but a horde of Unversed appeared, blocking our way. After we defeated them, we took off after Hook and Smee. We stopped and looked around the area, but they were nowhere to be seen.
"They're gone..." Ventus sighed. He looked up at a tree as the sun shone through its leaves.
"Look out below!" a voice called. We turned as Peter Pan floated down to us.
"Peter, help! Tinker Bell's been pixie-napped!"
"Then I'm too late. Hook's gonna pay for this!"
"He said to meet him at Mermaid Lagoon." I said, shaking off the fact that Ventus just said pixie-napped.
"It's gotta be an ambush. That old codfish thinks he's clever." Peter Pan took off into the air.
"Hey, let us help!" Ventus said.
"Well, we have to hurry. Can you keep up?"
"I was gonna ask you the same question." I said.
We arrived in Mermaid Lagoon and saw Hook's pirate ship in the distance. I heard something whistling towards us. Suddenly, something smashed against the ground and exploded, causing us to temporarily lose our balance.
"Cannon fire! Where's it coming from?!" Ventus said, summoning his Keyblade.
"On the waters!" Peter Pan said, pointing to Hook's ship.
Another cannonball zoomed towards us. We ran out of the way as the ground where we once stood exploded. Something sparkled from the smoke and flew over to us.
"Tink! You're all right!" Peter Pan said. Another cannonball exploded. "I gotta stop that cannon!"
"We'll go after Hook." Ventus said.
"All right. Good luck!" Peter Pan and Tinker Bell took off towards the ship.
We entered Mermaid Lagoon, where Hook's cackles bounced off the walls.
"At last, that scurvy brat will never trouble me again!" he cried.
"Are you through talking to yourself, Hook?" I called. He whirled around and scowled at us.
"Swoggle me eyes! No, don't tell me!" Hook ran over towards the sea and pulled out a gold telescope and pointed it towards his ship. Seeing Peter Pan on the ship, he growled and threw his telescope to the ground. "Blast that Peter Pan!"
He turned back around towards us and ran towards the lagoon. He leaped across, landed on the next rock, and drew his sword. Suddenly, I heard a familiar ticking sound, and so did Hook.
"That sound!" Hook cried. He turned around to see the green crocodile. "No! Not again! S-stay away from me!"
"Let's get the jump on him." I whispered. Ventus nodded, and we jumped over the lagoon onto the same rock. We shoved our feet into Hook and sent him flying into the water.
The crocodile grinned and lunged at him with gaping jaws. Hook cried and swam off into the ocean as fast as a speed boat, practically running on water.
"Help me, Smee! Smeeeeee!"
I giggled as Hook disappeared over the horizon.
"Ahoy! Look what we brought!" We turned to see the Lost Boys rowing a canoe over, with Tinker Bell and Peter Pan hovering beside. A treasure chest laid in the back of the canoe.
"Treasure!" Ventus cried excitedly as we gathered around the giant chest.
"Yup! The same chest I told ya about." Peter Pan said. "We snatched it right from Hook's hiding place."
Peter Pan bent down and opened the treasure chest.
"Huh?!" he cried, sticking his head inside the empty chest. "How come it's empty?!"
"Uh, sorry, but... we losted all the treasures." Cubby said.
"Oh, well... That's too bad." Ventus said.
"Aw, who needs it? It was prob'ly just full of dumb old jewels or doubloons or somethin' anyways." Peter Pan said.
"Hey..." I said, staring at the empty chest. "Remember what Terra told you guys? Why don't you fill up the chest with your own treasures? Things that represent what's closest to your heart."
"Yeah, that's a great idea! Instead of fillin' it up with jewels and gold, we'll put in what's truly special to us. The real riches!"
The boys placed items inside the chest, mostly wooden swords and tools.
"What are you puttin' in, Ven?" Peter Pan said.
"I don't know…" Ventus said, tapping his finger to his chin. He pulled out Terra's wooden Keyblade. "How about this?"
"What is it?"
"It's... just something that one of my best friends gave me."
"So, it's like a keepsake, huh? You sure you wanna part with somethin' that special?"
"Yeah. I don't need it if I've got Terra, Aqua, and Hallie." Ventus moved his ocean blues eyes to me and smiled. A shock of frisson rushed down my spine. "Our best memories are still ahead."
Ventus placed the wooden Keyblade inside the treasure chest. Tinker Bell hovered over the chest with Mickey's Star Shard.
"Hey, Tinker Bell, that belongs to someone we know." I said. "Do you mind if we hang onto it?"
Tinker Bell shook her head vigorously.
"Now, Tink!" Peter Pan said sternly.
Tinker Bell sighed and placed the Star Shard in Ventus's hand.
"Thank you." Ventus smiled.
As Ventus stared at the Star Shard, it suddenly lit up, casting an intensely bright light everywhere.
"Ventus?!" I said, shielding my eyes from the light. When the light subsided, I blinked several times to get rid of the spots dancing in front of my eyes. I waved my hands in front of me, but Ventus was no longer there. "Ventus!"
"He... he's gone!" Slightly said.
"Look! The light!" Cubby pointed up to the sky, and my eyes followed the bouncing trail of light that rose to the sky.
"Don't worry, men." Peter Pan said. "No matter where that light takes him, Ven will always have friends waiting to meet him."
I watched the stream of light disappear and placed a hand over my heart.
"See you later, Ventus." I said quietly. "I wonder where that Star Shard needs you to be."
