Chapter 2: Wendy is Dead

"And he thinks that I - Captain James Hook - will pay to get her back?"

Mr. Smee nodded. The red pom-pom bounced on the end of his knit cap.

"That's what it says, Capn!" Mr. Smee said, hiding behind the ransom note. Apprehensively, he watched the captain's silhouette behind the paper. "Itsa ransom note alright, it is! Clear as glass. Regular as anything."

Captain Hook swiped the air. An iron hook glinted from his left arm. "Read it!"

Mr. Smee adjusted his half-moon spectacles. "Dear um...well...I think we can skip that part…"

"By the devil Smee!" Captain Hook roared. "Read the bloody note!"

Mr. Smee sighed. As Captain Hook's boatswain and personal assistant, Mr. Smee was a nervous wreck. Well=meaning and willing, but a nervous wreck!

Never a sinner - he was born a saint - Mr. Smee's virtue was Diligence. The Circle of Diligence was a unique breed. Those with the virtue were driven by a zealous nature and careful attention to work. They were list-maker-note-taker -high energy- obsessive compulsive folks relentlessly checking the boxes and racing the cock.

Those of Diligence were devoted to their work. But they were devoted to a fault. It was well known among the sinners that hard work could blind a Diligent saint. All one needed was occasional praise and consistent results, and the hard work of a Diligent saint could be used to the sinner's advantage.

Sinners called the scheme "persuasion." But basically it was slavery.

Such was the relationship between Mr. Smee and Captain Hook. Mr. Smee's one goal was to bring order and calm to Captain Hook and his crew. And since Captain Hook and his pirates were born of the Cult of Wrath, it was hard (not to mention unattainable).

Daily and nightly, sunrise to sunset, tide in and tide out, Mr. Smee bumbled over the Jolly Roger, Captain Hook's ship. He pecked and prodded like a mother hen squabbling over her bickering chicks.

It was a challenge. And a full day's work. But if the pirates could go one day without killing each other, then Mr. Smee was happy with a job well done.

Especially if he could appease the rage of Captain James Hook.

"Capn…" Sweetly, Mr. Smee wagged a finger. "...you're having one of those nasty headache spells again! How about a nice - "

"Smee." The captain's voice was dangerous. "Read the bloody letter before I slice your throat with it."

"...dear me."

"Assuredly. Now..." Captain Hook demanded. "Read."

Mr. Smee obeyed.

"If it will unruffle you Capn! If it will blow some wind from your sails! Ehh- hemm!" Mr. Smee flapped the letter and cleared his throat. "It begins: Dear Scumbag - "
"Bad form!" snarled Captain Hook. "Disruptable thief!"

Mr. Smee tried to butter his voice. The message worsened with the next lines, and Captain Hook was already hot as a flame.

"The note continues…" Mr. Smee read, "I know you want her. You know I have her. Meet my 'wildest dreams of avarice' and we'll talk about a trade. This is a ransom note. Pay to get The Girl back. Meet me at The Crossroads on Friday the 13th at 6:66 nightfall. And it ends . Well." Mr. Smee folded the note. "That is unflattering!"

"Read it." growled Captain Hook.

Mr. Smee gulped. "Um. It ends with...Later Scumbag."

Captain Hook sliced his sword through an imaginary foe. "Rapscallion! This thief is worse than that blasted demon, Peter Pan! Mark my words Smee - this fool thief will rue the day he tangles with Captain Hook!"

Mr. Smee lifted timid finger. "Mightn't it be he, Capn?"

Captain Hook spun. "Be who? Mr. Smee?"

"Peter Pan."

"Peter Pan?"

"Aye, aye Capn." Eager to help, Mr. Smee indicated to the ransom note. " Peter Pan. Mightn't this thief who kidnapped the little lass from the Jolly Roger, be Peter Pan? After all - twas your pirates that kidnapped her from him. Plus, this message is highly disrespectful! And Peter Pan mocks you well."

Captain Hook considered.

"Pan." He growled, hook twisting over his sword. "Peter Pan. No Smee! No! It cannot be Pan! The girl was lured from his side! How could he possibly notice she was gone!"

Mr. Smee smiled. "Pan took quite a shine to her, Capn. Hid her away. Kept her for himself an' all."

Captain Hook whipped his sword, thinking. "Hardly a reason to suspect him! No! Pan is a sinner of Hubris. A sinner of Pride. In the event of rescue he would have gloated before flying away."

Mr. Smee scratched under his cap. "Well. I suppose you're right Capn. After all - the thief left his signature. And it's not Peter Pan's."

"Signature? The fool thief left his name?"

Shaking his head, Mr. Smee displayed the note. "Not his name. His birthmark."

Captain Hook seized the paper. His eyes flew to a symbol scrolled at the bottom of the page.

The symbol was a vertical infinity knot, modified with a diamond top.

"I should have known." Captain Hook pressed the symbol with his thumb. "Infinity with a diamond. The birthmark of Greed."

Mr. Smee clasped his cheeks. All saints and sinners had a birthmark indicating their predominant virtue or vice. The birthmark was tattooed by an angel or demon into the small curve of a child's lower back.

Each birthmark contained an infinity knot redesigned for the particular virtue or vice. The infinity knot symbolized unity across the fourteen traits, but the variations unified saints and sinners according to their predominant virtue or vice.

For example, Captain Hook and his crew belonged to the Cult of Wrath and they shared the same birthmark: a vertical infinity knot with two horns on the head. The horns represented extreme anger, combustive and raw as fighting bulls.

Mr. Smee's birthmark was also a vertical infinity knot. But instead of horns, the infinity loops were filled with two spirals, one turning clockwise and the other counterclockwise. The opposite turning spirals represented the unending, zealous labor that distinguished the Circle of Diligence.

Mr. Smee pressed his spectacles up his nose. He squinted at the infinity knot on the ransom note. The lower half was typically curved, but the top half was pointed like a diamond.

"Oh dear!" Mr. Smee mumbled. The diamond atop the infinity knot symbolized wealth, money, material, and treasure - all motivations for the Cult of Greed. "Capn! So it isn't Peter Pan!"

"So not, it would seem." said the captain. "Peter Pan is of the Cult of Pride. Their symbol is an upright infinity knot, adorned with a crown! Crown! Ha! What pitiful self glory is that! Crown! Kingmanship! Blast the arrogance of the Cult of Pride!"

Again, Mr. Smee scratched his head. Dandruff covered his ears like snow.

"Oh Capn! It's so confusing! If the thief is a sinner of Greed, then he'll be expecting a weighty sum!"

"Brilliant deduction, Mr. Smee."

"And he wants that we should meet him at the...the…" Mr. Smee gulped. "The Crossroads! The most northern tip of the country? The spot where West and East Illtyde meet? Where...where demons and angels…."

"Where demons and angels throw saints to Heaven and sinners to Hell! Yes, Mr. Smee! Yes!"

Captain Hook crumpled the note. "And on Friday the 13th at 6:66 nightfall. The day where sinners are protected from harm! Damn! No doubt he'll want to meet at that blasted inn. The Inn Between! A place of rest for sinners and saints. Damn!"

Captain Hook raised his hook and his fist. "We'll be surrounded by enemies from East Illtyde and West! Our greedy thief is a crafty one, Smee!"

Mr. Smee wiped his brow. "Dear me! Capn! What shall we do?"

A shadow dropped from the rigging. "Pray."

"Capn!" Mr. Smee squealed as Captain Hook's tricorn flew off his head. "Capn! A demon! A angel! A ghost!"

"Worse!" Captain Hook slashed at his floating hat. "Peter Pan!"

Indeed it was. As Mr. Smee dove for cover, Captain Hook felt his blood burning like oil and eyes turning red. Monstrous fury clawed his chest, snarling to be let out.

Captain Hook hated Peter Pan. Hated.

A sinner of Pride, Peter Pan christened himself king of Neverland, the southernmost archipelago of West Illtyde. He tolerated few intrusions, but managed to coexist with local indians (Cult of Pride), pixies (Cult of Envy), and mermaids (Cult of Lust). The boy even lead a rag-tag team of orphans captured from every corner of West Illtyde. All born of different sins, the troupe called themselves The Lost Boys.

So, all in all, Peter Pan considered himself a fair ruler of Neverland. He just didn't fancy pirates. Especially Captain Hook.

Despite his young age, Peter Pan was feared by sinners and saints alike. Little was known of Peter (he was something of a local poltergeist) but it was well verified that the boy had a supernatural ability: he could fly.

Truly, Peter Pan was a favorite character for tall tales and campfire stories. According to legend, Peter stole his smile from a demon and flight from an angel's wings. They said Peter laughed like a crow and flew like a comet. And, it was rumored that Peter threw dice with the Devil on Saturdays, just for fun.

Peter loved the attention. After all, he was marvelous, and everybody knew it.

But it really irritated Captain Hook.

"Peter Pan!" Captain Hook raised his sword to the shrouds. Moonlight cut through the sails as he insulted Peter's pride. "Come out, Boy! Come out or stay hidden like the coward you are!"

"Where is she?"

The voice was behind him. Spinning, Captain Hook found Peter perched on the bulwark.

"Who?" Captain Hook smiled through his rage. Playfully he swished his sword. "Please. Be more specific. Who is this ambiguous she?"

Peter's eyes glittered. They were dark and bottomless as black holes. Vengefully, he shred the feathers from Captain Hook's hat.

"Where…" Peter flicked his knife, "...is Wendy?"

Captain Hook could not stop his smile.

"What the Devil…" he answered, speaking over Mr. Smee's nervous hiccups. "...makes you think that I have your precious, delicate, innocent, vulnerable, helpless, little, - "

"WHERE IS SHE?"

Peter leapt. Captain Hook felt a knife graze his skull as he swerved and ducked behind the mast.

"I know you have her!" Peter attacked, insanely hacking with his knife. "The mermaids heard her crying and the pixies heard the pirates laugh! You kidnapped her, Hook! And I swear that if you've hurt my girl - "

"Your girl?" Captain Hook swung his sword. Sparks split as the pirate grinned between their blades. "I think the Devil would disagree! Don't you? Peter Pan? As I recall, His Hellishness ordered your girl dead with a stake through her lovely little heart - "

"WHERE IS SHE?" Peter propelled every ounce of strength into Captain Hook. Viciously, he charged Hook into the mast, knife against the pirate's throat.

"Where..." Peter hissed, blood slipping over his knife and onto his hands. "...is Wendy?"

Captain Hook dared not move. He tilted back his head, but Peter pushed the blade into Hook's skin.

"Wendy…" Hook whispered, windpipe bulging into Peter's knife. "...is dead."

The knife drew back.

"...what?"

The despair in Peter's voice was Heaven to Captain Hook's ears.

"Eaten by the crocodile." Hook lied, feeding Peter's nightmare. "You know the beast. The very same crocodile you threw my left hand. A beast of Glutton. And a glutton for…human flesh."

Captain Hook spit the three words in Peter Pan's face. "Wendy. Is. Dead."

Peter Pan believed the lie. Crumbling from the ship, he screamed into the stars before falling from the sky.

"Capn Hook!" Mr. Smee gazed reverently. "The lass t'aint dead. She's only kidnapped. Capn! You've out-clevered Peter Pan!"

"Yes."Captain Hook retrieved his tricorn from the deck. Haughtily he held it out. "You may dust my hat, Mr. Smee."

"Aye, aye!" Zealously, Mr. Smee brushed the brim. "Anything for the eloquent Capn Hook! Bravo! Capn, bravo! That lie might kill Peter Pan! Heavens to Betsy, it might just kill him at that!"

"Hardly." Bowing, Captain Hook allowed Mr. Smee to replace his magnificent hat. Carefully, he cocked it just so. "But, it will certainly belay Pan as we hunt for Miss Wendy...and her kidnapping thief."

Mr. Smee rubbed his nose. "Do you think we'll sniff him out, Capn? Before having to pay the lass's ransom?"

Captain Hook was silent. Gazing into the mainland, he contemplated the mysterious thief.

"We've made a deal with the Devil." Captain Hook finally replied. Reflectively, he rubbed his hook. "We have no choice."

"That…" breathed a bone-dry voice. "...is the gospel truth."

Both pirates turned to ice.

For standing at the bowsprit, the moon a silver halo against his crown, was the Horned King.

Or, as most called him, The Devil.

sultal's note:

You can see the birthmarks on my Deviant Art page (sultal-wf is my Deviant Art name), under the titles "7 Heavenly VirtuesBirthmarks: Disney/Non Disney FF" and "7 Deadly Vices Birthmarks: Disney/Non Disney FF." I've already planned all the character's virtues and vices, but I have not posted them yet bc I don't want to give anything away.

I'll have a map of West and East Illtyde in the next Jim/Wen chpt.

And it's cool to write this bc I've had to think about my virtue and vice (and it actually comes to Wrath and Diligence). Interesting self reflection, I recommend it for everyone.

keep writing