Izzy POV
I clenched the small pouch of pixie dust in my hand, the familiar glittering substance that had been my companion through countless adventures. I took to the skies leaving Nikki alone on the beach, just looking at me the same way I looked at Jake when he was departing to go explore the Neverseas. It was a sad, guilty feeling and I did not like it in the slightest.
I closed my eyes, embracing the pleasure of flight, something only pixie dust could give me. However I knew in about four to six hours I'd be yearning for precious Mother Earth because it took FOREVER to aimlessly fly from here back to Neverland. All I did was fly towards the horizon and wait until I saw the magical world. I sighed, knowing I would be exhausted when I got home and that exhaustion would turn to moodiness that would poison anybody around me.
I looked up at the bright stars, two very bright ones in particular. And then an idea formed. I flashed back to the night Peter took me to Neverland and I asked him how we'd get there and he answered, "Simple Izzy! Look up there! It's the second star to the right and straight on till morning." And before I knew it we were there in less than ten minutes! If it worked for him then surely it would work for me!
As I soared towards the distant celestial light, a bright, warm glow enveloped me. When I opened my eyes, I found myself suspended in the familiar enchantment of Neverland. It worked! It really really worked! I let out a laugh that made me sound like a maniac, but I was overjoyed and couldn't help it.
"Why didn't I think of this before!?" I shouted, a smile in my voice. A familiar rush of relief and happiness surged through me. Away from the mainland, with its tangled emotions and unresolved family matters, I felt welcomed in this majestic land that glowed under the moonlight. That is because this is exactly where I belong.
I flew high above the lush, moonlit landscape of Neverland, the cool night air rushing through my hair as my pixie dust sparkled beneath me. The familiar sights of the enchanted world unfolded below, from the glittering mermaid lagoons to the towering trees of the mysterious forest. Yet, despite the breathtaking beauty, a heaviness lingered within me after the emotional encounter with my family.
As I hovered over the landscape, admiring the mystical glow that bathed Neverland in moonlight, I saw something rather peculiar on the beach. It was a figure dressed in cloaks as if not wanting to be seen, moving stealthily along the shore. Clutched in their hand was a strange, glowing red object, though I hadn't a clue about what it was. Intrigued yet cautious, I hesitated in my flight as I observed the figure from the sky. The red glow from their possession was both mesmerizing and unsettling, and a strange feeling gnawed at me, urging me to investigate.
However, the pull of my fellow mates on Pirate Island tugged at my heart. With a reluctant sigh, I shook off the unease and soared higher into the night sky. The distant echoes of the cloaked figure faded as I left the shores of Neverland behind, determined to return to the comforts of my pirate crew.
Jake POV
I was deep in the embrace of a peaceful slumber when the sounds of banging and clashing rudely invaded my dreams. It sounded like it was coming from another room. But what or who was making it? Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I glanced around our bedroom to find Cubby sprawled out in a contorted sleeping position, Skully tucked snugly under his pillow, his vibrant tail feathers poking out like a mischievous secret.A quick scan revealed that our other bunkmate was nowhere to be found. My initial confusion turned into a forehead-slapping realization.
"Darn it Izzy!" I hissed as I swung myself out of bed.
I tiptoed out of the room, making my way through our nearly reconstructed hideout. We had made plenty of progress since February and our home was becoming more comfortable and cozier than ever.
As I approached the kitchen, the warm glow of torchlight spilled out into the rocky hallway, casting dancing shadows on the walls. The savory aroma of some culinary creation wafted through the air, enticing my senses. Pots and pans were scattered and baking materials adorned the countertops. But then I heard something. It sounded like...singing? I couldn't quite tell because whoever it was sounded like they had something in their mouth that muffled the voice.
"Way hay and up she rises! Way hay and up she rises! Way hay and up she rises early in the morning!"
Curiosity piqued and I looked around for the singer of the sea shanty. And I soon found it. Izzy popped up with a wooden spoon clenched between her teeth and a mischievous glint in her eyes. In her arms, she cradled a bowl filled with some sugar looking mixture.
"Ahoy there, Jake!" she greeted, the wooden spoon in her teeth slightly muffling her words. The sweet scent of whatever she was concocting filled the air, blending with the 'drunken sailor' sea shanty still coming from her lips.
"What in the Neversea are you doing?" I asked, kneeling down beside her. She removed the wooden spoon from her mouth and put down the mixing bowl.
"Making a cake," she said before picking up a spoon out of nowhere and licking whatever sugary liquid was on it. "Duh."
"Izzy it is two forty-one in the morning!"
"I can't sleep." she pouted and then went back to adding more sweet ingredients to her mix.
"Have you been doing this all night?" I asked. Her face flushed red and her expression went from a playful one to an anxious one. "Is this why you're so tired all the time? Because you stay up all night making cake?"
"Y-yes. And that's all there is to it." the girl in pink answered, although looking unsure of her answer.
"What's wrong?" I asked her. She sighed, and paused from making her dessert.
"Jake there's something I've been meaning to…tell you…" she said, shifting to a timid tone all of a sudden. I crossed my arms and scoffed.
"You don't say." Izzy looked up and glared at me.
"If you're gonna be a smart alec jerk about it then I won't tell you anything." she sneered. I snickered a bit and then sighed.
"Gosh I'm sorry Iz. I know I was a bit mean to you this morning."
"And this evening." she added.
"Yeah. That too. But I don't mean anything by it, really I don't. But you've just been so tired and moody and erratic and so….not like you. Is there something wrong? Cause if there is you can tell Cubby and Skully and I. But if it's something you don't want every person in the world to know then just tell me."
"Well…when you put it that way…it's…it's more of a question now that I have to ask you. Is that ok?"
"You can ask me anything." I assured her. Izzy sighed before speaking.
"Do you ever think about your old home on the mainland?" she asked and I felt my comforting smile drop.
"Anything but that." I blurted out.
"Jake, I'm serious!" she exclaimed as I stood up.
"Oh and I'm not?" I replied, walking across the room.
"Well you said I could ask you anything!"
"Yeah well, anything in the universe of Neverland which does not include my old home in the real world."
"You mean to tell me that you're not the slightest bit curious about how much things have changed there?"
"This from the girl who constantly reminds us how much she hates that world?" I recalled.
"Forget what I said today and think about it." she said before letting out a yawn. It looked like her sugar rush had crashed and she realized that right now she should be sleeping. The lass in pink decided to finish her cake in the morning as she began to clean up her mess.
"Iz, I left that world for one reason: To leave period. And I know you did the same, end of story. That part of our lives is over now," I announced. "And how do you know if things have even changed there? It's not like you've been there recently. Have you?"
"Of course not," she confirmed, that familiar tone of uncertainty sneaking back into her voice. After she finished cleaning up, her uncertainty was replaced with a small smile as she stepped towards me, now standing a foot away. I got a good chance to really look at how much different she looked compared to seven years ago. I realized I hadn't really done so sooner because she had been bedridden for so long. Her features were the same: Feminine. Tanned soft skin. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Button nose. But she was really short. Out of all three of us she was the only one who was still shorter than Peter. Cubby and I were both a bit taller than him and we towered over Izzy. I could tell she didn't really like being demoted to the smallest one in the crew, well aside from Skully of course. "Afterall I did tear up that nonsense letter from the Caribbean, didn't I?" she spoke, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"You sure it was nonsense?" I asked.
"It was nonsense if it was from the real world. That part of our lives is over, remember?" she recalled, looking up at me with a smile.
"Yep," I said, gently grabbing her forearm and gently guiding her back to our room. "Now come on Iz. It's late. Let's go to bed."
"Ok."
Izzy POV
The gentle whisper of waves kissing the shore greeted me as I tiptoed through the early morning sand, my mates still lost in the embrace of slumber back in our cozy hideout. I admit, I didn't really like lying to Jake. And I couldn't even use a loophole to get out of this one. I couldn't say "It wasn't a lie because we never brought it up". No. It was straight forward. He asked me if I did anything else that night and I said no, loud and clear. But let's be honest. In the end, was that one little lie really gonna matter? Short answer is: Yes. Yes it would. And it was also going to ruin my life.
The sun hadn't yet made its grand entrance, and the sky was painted in hues of soft pinks and oranges, promising a new day in Neverland. As I strolled along the beach, I couldn't help but admire the progress they boys had made in rebuilding our hideout. The walls (that were not made of rocks) were standing strong, the makeshift furniture was coming in more and more, the bushes and palm trees were healthy and lucious, and it felt like a home—our home. Such a difference from the destroyed, burnt mess it was. However I felt a twinge of guilt as I realized that I was the one who made it a destroyed burnt mess.
Shaking my head to get rid of those haunting thoughts, I focused on the horizon where the sun was beginning its ascent. The sky transformed into warm colors, casting a nice glow over the Neversea. I inhaled deeply, letting the salty breeze fill my lungs, determined to let go of the past and embrace the present.
However, as I gazed out at the sparkling waters, my eyes caught a glimmer. A glass bottle, similar to the one Jake and Cubby had found just yesterday, bobbed gently in the shallow waves. Curiosity getting the better of me, I waded into the water, not minding the cold that seeped into my boots and dampened my pants and snatched it.
With the glass bottle cradled in my hands, I hesitated before opening it. The last time a message in a bottle washed up, it caused nothing but a big fat argument and may have planted seeds of distrust in my mateys' heads. Was I that curious to know what was in this bottle and risk getting into another argument if the boys found out?
Yes.
If this message just so happens to be like the one from yesterday and there's a very good chance that it won't, I just had to keep it a secret from them. I screwed the metal lid off and read the letter to see that it was indeed different from the last one, but not entirely. It wasn't from my father but instead, Nikki. And what I read broke my heart that I couldn't just forget about him now.
I was going back to the mainland. And I was going back tonight.
To Be Continued…..
Hoping this story will be as good if not better than it's predecessor. Maybe, maybe not. But all the establishing and junk for this one is done and things are gonna start getting juicy by chapter 7-8-ish.
Anyways, Happy New Year! Pls review so ik the story is being read because I cannot see any views. You can literally just write Hi or put a smiley face. Anything is good.