Chapter 21 - Matey On The Run

Jake POV

I stood there in shock, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched Izzy and Ria disappear into the darkness beyond the temple's entrance. Titan's thick hand still gripped my forearm, anchoring me to the spot where I stood.

"Shut the door," he ordered the assistant girl, who obeyed swiftly, sealing us inside the dimly lit temple. With a sense of relief and a small hint of apprehension, Titan released his hold on me. I didn't know whether to feel terrified for Izzy or furious at her for not listening to my warnings. I also felt something nag at me when she announced I was to face this alone ad ran right out the door with no hesitation. Evidently her loyalty to the crew was not as strong as her fear of Ria's black haired assistant girl. Well, it didn't seem like it really mattered now! As far as I knew, she was already dead. "The party is over, boy," Titan's voice broke through my thoughts, drawing my attention back to him. "Or at least put on hold for a little while." I narrowed my eyes at him, swallowing the lump of fear that had lodged itself in my throat.

"Where's Cubby?" I demanded, my voice trembling with anger.

"You ask too many questions," Titan sneered in response. "Now, I suggest if you don't want to end up like him, you'll come with me. Now." My defiance surged within me.

"You mean, you tore me away from my crew and brought me all the way out here, just so I could have a pointless five-minute conversation with that witch?" I retorted, my voice rising in indignation. Titan's irritation was visible.

"Well, if your little rat didn't show up and interrupt it, I assure you it would have been much longer," he shot back, his disdain for his first and foremost impression of Izzy evident in his words. "Now come with me, boy. There is still much you, me and my beloved Ria need to discuss."

"I'll never take your side! Never!" I declared, my fists clenched at my sides.

The black-haired assistant girl let out a sigh, her voice cutting through the tension in the air.

"So you'd rather take the side of a little backstabbing, jealous, treacherous brat who burnt down your home island, tried to kill your friends, tried to kill you, and take over Neverland?" she asked, her words dripping with accusation as she referred to Izzy. Anger surged within me at her words. "That wasn't her!" I protested vehemently. "It was—"

"The spirit of Morgan Jake," she interjected, cutting me off with a chilling certainty. "I know."

"But how do you—-." I was interrupted by a sly eerie giggle from her.

"Let's just say….I know….quite a bit about Morgan, if you would." she slurred, with a conniving smile. I was still struggling to fully comprehend her riddles.

"I don't understand." I blurted out.

"That is why you are so troubled," said Titan. "However, we can help you understand. We can show you the ways of a true inhabitant of this very temple and teach you knowledge that Pan has shielded from you while you had every right to obtain it. Think of it boy, there will be no panicking about losing your first mate to the snake's venom, for you'll have gotten over it, I assure you." I crossed my arms.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Well when you fled this magical land you certainly didn't seem to think twice about her and the lad Cubby," And here we go again. Seriously, how many times was I going to hear this? First from Cubby, then from Hook and now from this complete stranger I have only been acquainted with for a little over twenty four hours. "Admit it boy, you didn't give a damn, and I don't blame you. The stuck up half wit of a wrench deserves it. All this time she has just been holding you back. Back from exploring the horizon and back from letting you help us rid Neverland of the curse Peter Pan has plagued it with."

"What is this curse you keep talking about?" I asked, in the least rude tone yet. Titan sighed hard and then turned around to face me, his fiery eyes locked right on mine.

"That, my boy, would be the curse of magic."


Izzy POV

"HEAD FOR THE HILLS!" I screamed as I made my way down the steps of the temple, skipping every two or so until I reached the hard ground and began to run for my life. I didn't know what direction I was going in or where I was running to, I just ran. I think I was discovering places in Neverland that I had never seen before as I dashed left and then right and then left and then right again. My heart pounded hard in my chest, I could feel the weight of the golden Peter Pan lantern clutched tightly in my arms. The Mistress was hot on my tail, her menacing presence like a shadow looming behind me. She had stolen my pixie dust, why she didn't just use it on herself, I don't know. But I was left with nothing but my two little legs to rely on for escape. I knew Jake and Cubby were built for fighting, but I was blessed with a thin lightweight frame that was made for running. There was just one problem though. I hadn't actually run in months, and my legs protested with every step I took.

"Move it or lose it girl!" Ria shouted from behind me.

"I'm movin' it! I'm movin' it!" I shouted back at her. "Alright Iz, make it count this time," I panted to myself, trying to pick up speed despite the burning ache in my muscles. "Because if you don't..." My sentence trailed off as I was cut off by my own labored breathing.

The lantern in my arms wasn't as heavy as a cannonball, but it certainly wasn't light as a feather either, especially when I had to carry it while sprinting through the dense Neverland forest. Images of Ria's assistant flashed through my mind-her straight black hair, dark eyes, pale skin-urging me to run faster, to escape at all costs. 'I don't believe it!' I thought to myself. 'How can she be here! ALIVE!? It was as if she would never leave me alone! Like she said, she follows me forever and she will never go away!' But there was no time to dwell on that now; all I could focus on was putting one foot in front of the other, propelling myself forward as fast as I could.

I could hear Ria's shouts growing louder behind me, a constant reminder that she was getting closer and closer. Panic shot through my veins, urging me to push myself even harder, though my body felt like it was on the verge of collapse. I wanted to die. Every step sent waves of excruciating pain through my exhausted legs, but the thought of Ria's sword piercing my heart if I dared to stop and rest-or just drop down in exhaustion, was enough to keep me going. I just kept running.

But exhaustion was creeping over me like a suffocating blanket more and more. Nausea churned in my stomach, threatening to make me throw up. My insides felt like they were on fire, but I couldn't stop. Not now. The stupid lantern, heavy in my arms, was dragging me down. Oh how I wanted to just drop it, to lighten my load and run faster. But I couldn't. It was my only way of contacting Peter. Without it, I'd be truly lost. So I pushed on, my legs burning with each step. Twisting and turning through the dense foliage, I tried to put as much distance between myself and the Mistress as possible. Relief washed over me as she seemed to fall farther and farther behind. Then, I saw it: a tall tree with a thin vine-like ladder hanging down. It looked rather familiar, until I realized it. This was one of our old spots, a place where me and my mates would come to gaze at the stars when the hills of Pirate Island didn't seem to do the trick. It would have to be my escape plan for now.

With a quick, desperate motion, I hurled the lantern up to the tree branch before scrambling up the ladder after it. Once I reached the top, I pulled the latter up with me, ensuring I couldn't be followed up the tree.

"Please work." I squeaked. An ordinary candle would hardly have an effect on the floating white world in the sky, but Misty had done something to the flame to make it shine extra bright, just what I needed. Looking up at the moon, I shone the lantern onto it, casting the silhouette of Peter Pan. I decided that I could not wait for Peter to come, he'd just have to find the temple on his own and figure out that the Mistress has returned. I on the other hand, still had to escape, to where, I don't know, but I just had to get away. Leaving the lantern perched on the branch, still projecting Peter's symbol on the moon, I began to continue running, only now I was doing so above the ground, for every tree in this forest has one or two branches that touched, forming a thin bridge like structure, making it easy for me to hop from tree to tree (while clutching a branch above so I was not to fall of course).

"HAH!" I exclaimed, my voice echoing through the forest. "Let's see you catch me now, you snail snot sorceress!" Without the burden of the lantern, it was easier to leap from one branch to the next, but my exhaustion still lingered like a stubborn shadow. Just as I was about to land gracefully onto another branch, it happened.

"YIPE!" I exclaimed as the branch gave way beneath me, snapping like a twig. My stomach lurched as I plummeted, the rush of wind whipping past my ears. Luckily the lower branches of the tree broke my fall. Unluckily, I met each one with a hard slap until I finally planted hard on the solid ground, beaten, but not broken.

"Ohhhh," I groaned, pushing myself up and shaking the hair out of my face. But my moment of relief was short-lived as I noticed something right in front of me—two black boots.

"Funny. First a camera and now a pair of boots," I muttered to myself, my gaze trailing up to the figure standing above me. There she was, the Mistress, arms crossed in a posture of menace. "And look what they're attached to!" I blurted out, scrambling to my feet in a panic. Without a moment's hesitation, I turned and bolted, Ria right on my tail as expected.

"Look Ria," I said through several heavy pants, not turning back to look at my chaser and just trusting she could hear me. "I-I-I-I'm sorry I was a little snitch! Honest I am!" I let out.

"Sorry isn't gonna do it, pipsqueak!" I heard her shoot back. "Now you just keep on running faster and faster or else I'm gonna get you!"

"Oh I am! Believe me!" I responded, wiping the sweat that was forming on my head. Something was off, other than the several elephants in the room, but there was also something else. Ria has magic. She has my pixie dust. Why doesn't she just use one of those to catch up to me? Did she want me to keep running away or something?

"Gonna have to be faster than that Izzy!" At this point I was honestly considering just dropping to the ground, allowing her to catch me, letting her slice me with her blade and then it would all be over and I'd never have to run again. But that was just it. I'd never run again. Never run, walk, eat, talk, breathe or see the light of day again. I wasn't ready to give those things up just yet. I had to hold out longer, at least until Peter came. If he came, that is.

I continued to run and run and run and run and at this point I was mentally cursing myself for ever getting out of bed and not just staying asleep forever. But then the nightmare of my corruption popped in my head and I soon felt my legs go full speed ahead again. I looked back at Ria who still looked fully charged, while I was half dead. I looked up at the moon, to see that the projection of Peter was still there, informing me that the lantern hadn't been knocked over by some wild animal. I wondered why Ria didn't curse or try to speed up and strike at me when she saw the projection on the moon, but then I remembered that she wanted Peter to come as much as I did-though for her own malignant intentions. I continued to run, though my speed had declined majorly, and I knew why. I need to rest, or else I will actually collapse, only I had to do so without getting caught. Luckily, I spotted a nearby tree, and I made a split-second decision. With the tiny amount of strength I had in my ratty arms and legs, I climbed up the trunk and nestled into the safety of its branches, hidden from view. From my elevated point of view, I watched as Ria prowled below, her expression a mixture of irritation and slyness.

"Where are you, you little freak!?" Ria's voice echoing. "The forest can't hide you all night!" I took a small moment to snap back to reality from my world of insanity to ask myself what the absolute heck I was doing in a tree, about ten feet off the ground!? How did I even climb up this!? A few days ago I was barely able to get a book down from a high shelf! How do I get down!? Well, I couldn't really back out of anything now.I had to act and fast. Gathering my courage, I dropped from the tree with a cocky grin, landing behind Ria with a thud-though my ankles felt as if they had just been smashed. Before she could react, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and my legs around her waist, piggyback riding on her like a jockey on a horse. .

"Wohooo!" I couldn't help but shout, the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins as Ria sprinted forward, my laughter mingling with the rustle of leaves and the pounding of footsteps. Ria glanced over her shoulder, her piercing red eyes narrowing in frustration as she realized my audacious move. She let out a growl and then attempted to increase her speed to shake me off, but I clung on tighter. Finally, the Mistress came to a sudden stop, and I gracefully hopped off her back, hands on hips and a mischievous grin on my face. She turned to face me, her expression darkening with anger. Before I could react, Ria lunged forward, aiming a strike at my feet with her blade.

"Get off me!" she snarled.

"Woah!" I cried out, leaping back just in time to avoid the deadly blow slicing through my lower shins. "Ah!" The pain shot through me as I landed hard on the forest floor, though I admit I'd rather plant on the ground than have both of my feet cut off. I refused to stay down though. With gritted teeth, I pushed myself upright and dashed away, adrenaline fueling my escape as I barely avoided Ria's next strike. I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up. Ria just wouldn't give up, relentless in her pursuit.

Suddenly, I came to a halt as I skidded to a stop in front of an old, moss-covered mesh fence. Of course! I thought. Just my luck! The fence stretched out far in both directions, blocking my path completely. Panic gripped me as I realized there was no way around it. The fence stood tall, too high for me to climb over, and the holes were too small for my hands to even grasp it and pull myself up. But then I spotted it—a tiny rip in the metal at the very bottom of the fence, near the ground. It was my only chance. Without hesitation, I dropped to my hands and knees and began to crawl through the hole. At first, it seemed like I might make it through, but then I felt a tug on my shirt.

"No!" I exclaimed, my heart pounding in my chest. I squirmed and wriggled, but it was futile. The metal fence had caught my shirt, holding me captive. My arms were pinned in front of me, and I was stuck on my belly, helpless on the ground. Just then, I heard a sinister chuckle and felt someone grab hold of my waist and legs. It was Ria. Fear surged through me as I realized I was trapped. She easily unhooked my shirt from the fence before pulling me out forcefully.

"NO!" I cried out. "Let go!" But my protests fell on deaf ears. Ria slung me over her shoulder like a sack of grain, and began to carry me back to the Temple in the Hills. I knew there was no chance of escape now. This witch towered over me at a good height of five foot ten, whilst I barely made it out of the four foot one to eleven inches range. I hung my exhausted head in defeat.

That was it. The chase was over. And I lost.


Jake POV

I sat there in a dimly lit dungeon, my back pressed against the cold brick wall, contemplating my predicament. It wasn't the first time I found myself in trouble, but this time felt different. Titan had thrown me into this dark, eerie room, illuminated only by the flickering light of torches mounted on the walls. The air was thick with a musty smell, and the only way out was through a rickety old staircase leading up to a door, the sole entrance and exit to this dismal place. As I sat there, my mind raced with thoughts of how I ended up here. After I refused to obey Titan and the assistant girl, he didn't bother to waste his time trying to motivate me and instead locked me down in this dark cell and said I would stay here until Ria returned (hopefully not dragging Izzy's dead corpse) so that she could, as the red headed man put it, drill some sense into me. But of everything he said, nothing and I mean nothing would prepare me for quite the fact bomb that he had just dropped on me. The unanswered question that had been gnawing at me this whole entire night, he had taken the pleasure of answering it.

Ria, a witch, the Mistress of the Mountains, was Izzy's—-

"Welcome to your new home!" a familiar evil voice let out. Before I could finish my thoughts, the heavy wooden door of the dungeon was kicked open, startling me out of my reverie. I looked up to see Ria's seventeen year old assistant, her imposing figure struggling to maintain a grip on the squirming, kicking, but still alive form of Izzy. My matey looked utterly exhausted, sweat beading on her forehead as she used whatever teeny might she had to try and wriggle free. "I don't know why you're squirming Izzy. The cellar of the castle is a rather cozy place and has all the hospitality of home."

"Oh yeah!?" Izzy objected, feisty as always as she continued to try and pull away. "Whose home? Frankensteins!?"

"Just shut up and get down there!" the anonymous black haired girl growled, her voice dripping with menace as she attempted to push Izzy down the stairs.

"Why should I listen to you!?" Izzy exclaimed. "You're not my mommy! You can't tell me what to do!"

"No, I'm not your mother–thank goodness-but you better do as I say, or else people will die!" the tall pale girl retorted sharply as she continued to try and shove Izzy downwards.

"Let go ya ugly witch!" Izzy growled as she further tried to squirm.

"For your information peasant, Ria is the only actual witch here. Not me!" she shot back, finally succeeding in pushing Izzy down the stairs. My pigtailed crewmate slammed hard on the ground but I only found myself watching, my arms crossed, instead of helping her. "And I'll let you know that my mother entered my picture in the beautiful child contest and won five dollars from it!" the teenage woman announced before swiftly closing the dungeon door behind her.

"Yeah. It's a real shame that you went to jail a few years later!" Izzy shouted up at the locked dungeon door, whilst on her hands and knees.

"Well look who decided to show up." I said, peering down at her. The girl pushed herself up and then messaged the back of her head.

"H-hi Jake." Izzy stuttered, nervously.

"Alright Izzy now that we are alone would you like to tell me what in the Neverseas is going on!?" I almost yelled. She didn't seem shocked or frightened by my boisterous tone….yet.

"Uhm….you see matey…," Izzy began, hesitantly. "I don't know how to tell you this but…"

"But what!?" I urged. It looked like it pained her to say whatever she was about to say.

"A little thing I should let you in on is….."

"Yea!?"

Izzy took in a deep breath, finally ready to spill the tea.

"Ria," she paused to swallow. "…..is my sister." Her face then froze into a wincing expression as she waited for my mouth to gape in shock or for me to deny it.

"There's a little thing I need to let you in on Iz." I said.

"What?" she asked, truly curios.

"I already know."

"What!? But-How!? You…I….No one knew!" the girl in pink exclaimed.

"Titan told me all about it just now." I said.

"Who's Titan?"

"The big red headed man," I responded. "But it wasn't just him. That girl, that put you down here….do you know her too or something?" I didn't really expect an answer from her, seeing that she ran away as fast as she could at the very sight of the dark haired, milk white-skinned, tall and slim teenage girl.

Izzy looked down at her red boots before surprisingly answering.

"I do…," she began, not taking her eyes off the floor. "And uhm….s-s-so do you." Oh no! Not her too! This was getting out of hand!

"What are you talking about!?" I let out. "Izzy I've never seen that girl in my whole life! I don't know here!"

"Jake, if you remember anything you know her quite well. You just don't know it's her because...well….you've never actually seen her in person before." she mumbled, treading softly with her words.

"Does she have a name?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"And what would that name be?" Izzy finally took her brown eyes off the cold stone floor to stare up at me. She swallowed hard, and then prepared herself to speak.

"Morgan."

To Be Continued….

Bet we didn't see that coming. Or did we? Doesn't matter, this is the chapter I've been waiting to put out since chapter 6!

No long three paragprah outro this time! Yay!

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