"But you, my dear darling Artie will have to stay here. On Neverland. Forever."
"Do we have a deal?"
"Yes."
They say new beginnings are a turning point, a welcomed change that should be met with a positive attitude; which is exactly how Artemis decided to start her day.
This technique worked for about 5 minutes, before she attempted to strangle Pan. Which unfortunately for her, did not work. "Is this really necessary?" she moaned, leaning against one of the trees surrounding the Lost Boy's campsite. "Initiation is important-"
"But I'm staying here forever." Artemis said, cutting Pan off. "Doesn't that mean I'm automatically 'in?'" she asked, air quoting the word in. They were near what Pan labelled the 'training ground'.
An area of the camp where the boys could 'rough it' and 'train' as much as they liked. The area reminded Artemis of a knights training ground, targets to shoot at, swords in barrels, spears, sharpening tools. In short the works.
"No. Just because you live in Neverland, doesn't mean you stay with the Lost Boys, you could go off and live alone or with that wreck Tinkerbell-"
"Who?"
"Disgraced fairy, long story." Pan said, bending down, opening a chest. "You'll need these." he said, handing her a bow and sheath of arrows.
"Not worried I'll shoot you?" Artemis asked lightly, clipping the sheath to. Pan scoffed, shutting the chest with a light snap. "Darling, I'd love to see you try."
Artemis rolled her eyes, trailing her fingers lightly over the bow. "Beautifully crafted, strong; solid." she said, twirling it around, not noticing Pans's low smirk. "Figured you'd like it," he mumbled, making her glance it him. "Rea-"
"Ready to go?" Pan said suddenly, already walking away. Artemis nodded, sliding the bow over her shoulder. "Wait up!"
"Listen up boys!" Pan yelled, jumping up on a log. Instantly the Lost Boys gathered around him like a flock of birds. Artemis rubbed her arms, looking around, never feeling so out of place before. "Initiation; as always is a Lost Boy tradition. And it will not change, even when we might," Pan said, catching Artemis's eye, making her shift uncomfortably. "Welcome our first, Lost Girl."
"So, let's see if she's up to it. Any suggestions?"
Instantly the boys starting shouting out: "Cat and Mouse!-Capture the Flag!-Hide and Seek!-Tag!"
"Wh-Hold it!" Artemis called out suddenly, sharply cutting off the yelling. "We're playing a game?" she asked, looking up at Pan.
His eyes were glittering with mischief. "Yes, yes we are."
"All right! We all know the rules: 2 teams, the first one to get the other teams flag, while protecting their own wins. Anything goes and I as always will be the Gamemaster-" Artemis rolled her eyes at that.
"-Rufio and Felix will be the team leaders, so split accordingly." Pan said, instantly the boys starting shifting into 2 teams a mixture of big and small, leaving Artemis standing awkwardly in the middle.
Pan jumped off the tree stump, walking slowly towards her, his usual smirk growing on his face. A look that made Artemis want nothing more than to slap it off his smug face. He stared at her his eyes flickering between the two groups.
"Hmmm." he hummed, looking her up and down, making Artemis use every inch off her willpower not to squirm under his strange gaze. "Rufio!" Pan shouted suddenly, making her a few other 'Lost Boy's' jump. "You take the newbie."
A tall red haired boy, in the middle of the group on her right nodded curtly, looking at her from the corner of his eye. The second Pan glanced at Felix's group, Rufio rolled his eyes, shooting her a deathly glare.
Artemis looked away calmly, pretending she didn't see it. Swallowing hard, she couldn't stop herself from looking at Pan, the cold understanding of Neverland entering her system. It seemed that Pan wasn't the only dangerous being on Neverland.
Just as Pan disappeared, Felix's group charged into the forest disappearing into its embrace. "Jack!" came a shout from behind her. "Take lead, Alpha formation!" Rufio ordered, handing a smaller boy the white flag with a vine scribbled on it. "Jack, White Peak Mountain. Newbie and I will be right there."
The boys instantly fell into 'Alpha formation' disappearing into the other end of the forest. Artemis paused, staring a Rufio. He like the rest of the Lost Boy's wore brown, though Rufio's wore more leather, sleek and shiny with bits of animal skin and a few sharp knives stuck in his animal skin boots and in his belt.
"So, girl." Rufio said, staring at her, his dark eyes staring into hers. "Girl?" Artemis repeated, folding her arms. "Girl." Rufio said, looking her up and down. For some reason, when Rufio did it; Artemis instantly felt as if he was insulting her. "Problem?"
"Yes." Rufio said, his red hair looking like flames in the shining sun. "You shouldn't be here. Girls aren't allowed on Neverland." Artemis scoffed. "Talk about old-fashioned ideology."
"You don't get it, Pan doesn't like girls, never did. And suddenly you show up with your bow and your disobedience and suddenly you're staying."
Artemis shook her head, tucking some hair behind her ear. "Believe me, I wanted to go home, it was your 'leader' who wanted me to stay, you got a problem. I suggest you take it up with him." Artemis replied, walking into the direction of the boys.
Rufio suddenly caught her arm. "I'm not the only one who, disagrees with Pan. He's going soft. Accidents happen in Neverland, mysterious disappearances. Someone ending up in an Aedafal nest. You never know. So I suggest you fall in line and watch your back." he growled, letting go of her arm.
"Get moving, we're already behind." Rufio said, walking off into the forest. Artemis sighed, shutting her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she followed Rufio into the forest, his words still ringing in her ears.
The walk was silent, as Artemis and Rufio's group of boys made their way to White Peak Mountain' where they (Artemis guessed Rufio) made a plan of action. They were in a single file line with 'Jack' (about 14 or 15) in the lead.
The younger boys in the middle (the smallest holding the flag proudly) with the rest flanking them with Rufio in the back and her a few spaces behind him.
Artemis stroked the end of the bow with her thumb, Rufio's occasional death glare being shot her way every five minutes. Now that she had seen it about 30 times it lost its effect, but his threat was still there, so she had to withhold her eye rolls when it was directed at her.
"Having fun?" came a voice in her ear. Artemis smiled, despite everything feeling a little lighter than she was five minutes ago; she shrugged. "Well, thought the game was Capture the Flag, not the Prison March." she whispered back. Pan grinned, falling in step with her.
"What you doing here anyway oh, magnificent Gamemaster?" Artemis said, batting her eyelashes, clasping her hands together. "Here to bless us with your wisdom?" she teased.
"Oooo, I could get used to that." Pan hummed. "I must say, I'm surprised, Artie." Artemis furrowed her eyebrows. "You, taking orders, being quiet. Submissive, if you will. Rufio giving you a hard time?"
Artemis paused Rufio's threat ringing in her ears. "I can take care of myself." she said after a couple of seconds, keeping her eyes locked on the path in front. Pan said nothing as a harsh cold wind blew in their direction, making her shiver.
"So, what is a Gamemaster exactly?" she asked, glancing up at him. Pan smiled, though in her opinion it looked a little forced. "Gamemaster controls the game, the rules and can even offer help to the teams, keeping in mind that I could tell the other team anything I want."
"So essentially, as usual you have complete control of everything." Artemis said. Pan nodded, staring at Rufio's brown leather waistcoat. "Yes."
Artemis chuckled. "You have some serious control issues, you know that right?"
Pan paused. "Control issues?"
"Yeah, you got major control issues."
"Artemis." Pan said suddenly, making her stop. "If Rufio is giving you trouble, you should tell me. Rufio can be dangerous and he might not be acting alone. You don't Neverland like I do. He could really hurt you."
"And you'd just love that." Artemis spat, glaring at him. "Help poor, poor Artemis, the only girl on Neverland. She can't handle herself, she can't save herself."
"That's no-"
"Yes it is. You want a damsel to save to make you feel like a hero, even though we both know you're not." she snapped. Pan stared at her, folding his arms, his shoulders slumping.
Artemis sighed. "Look, I understand you trying to help me, but if I'm going to stay here, for the rest of my life. I'm going to have learn how to protect myself; without your help. Show them I'm just as capable as they are. And I can't do that if you're constantly hovering over me."
"But-"
"But nothing. You don't know me, but I've being taking care of myself for a long time. And I…appreciate you trying to protect me, Peter I really do. But I have to do this on my own." Artemis said, turning around and jogging over to the rest of the group (well behind them)
Pan watched her go, his eyes flickering over to Rufio who turned around, glancing unsurely at him.
"Alright, you know the rules." Pan said, revealing himself to the group, jumping up on a rock. Artemis leaned against the tree truck keeping a good distance from Rufio and the boys, who were occasionally glancing at her, before whispering among themselves.
"3 questions only."
The boys whispered together, Artemis watching them, hoping Pan didn't find it too suspicious that she wasn't joining in. After about 10 minutes, the boys broke apart. "Where is the other team hiding their flag?" Rufio asked.
"Somewhere near Crocodile Creak." Pan answered boredly. It seemed like this question was often asked. "Next."
'Often asked questions.' she thought. 'If they were asking the same boring old questions, the other team probably doing the same.'
"Who's guarding it?"
"Will and Furs. As usual." Pan answered in the same bored tone. Artemis straightened up, smiling. She had a brilliant idea. Which would either make her or break her. "Next."
"What's the most beautiful flower on Neverland?" Artemis called out suddenly sharply cutting of Rufio. The boys whipped around, staring at her, wide eyed, jaws dropped. Rufio looked as if he was about to pull all his hair out.
Pan stared at her, trying to stop himself from laughing. "The Asterian Flower in my opinion. It only grows in places it deems worthy. Good luck." he said, jumping off the rock, disappearing into the forest.
Artemis smiled to herself, unfortunately her joy didn't last long.
Rufio slammed her into a tree, his knife pressed against her neck. Artemis rolled her eyes. "A little overdramatic. Isn't it?"