Chapter Six

After leaving Jake and Skully on Pirate Island, Peter Pan didn't head to Hangman's Tree to rest, as he had claimed. A small pang of guilt hit him for not telling Jake the truth, but he shrugged it off.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him." he muttered to himself, trying to keep up his usual bravado.

Instead of resting, Peter spent the rest of the day and all night trying to fly, pushing himself to leap into the sky repeatedly. With every attempt, he strained to understand why he couldn't manage more than a couple of feet off the ground when they'd encountered those two strange pirates. It had taken him three tries just to get off the ground on Pirate Island, and that nagging failure was something he couldn't shake.

His mind raced with confusion—he had his shadow, and he was thinking of happy thoughts, but he still couldn't fly like he used to. It scared him, a feeling he despised and wasn't supposed to experience. Fear was something for other people, not for Peter Pan, who was also never supposed to get tired. Yet, here he was, exhausted and grounded.

After countless failed attempts and frustration building, he finally made his way to Hangman's Tree the following morning. The sight of the familiar hideout had never been more welcome. He trudged through the tunnels and slides, eventually landing in the main room of the underground hideout.

Utterly spent, Peter collapsed into his hammock, curling up. As he let out a heavy sigh, he allowed himself a rare moment of vulnerability, feeling the weight of his exhaustion settling in.

Just as the boy who would never grow up was about to drift off to sleep, a bright yellow ball of light zipped into the hideout, buzzing around his face like a persistent fly. With a groggy swipe, he tried to shoo it away, but when he opened his eyes, he saw a familiar tiny glowing face.

"Tink!" he exclaimed, sitting up with a grin as Tinkerbell darted around him, her light brightening the dim room. "I'm glad to see you too."

Tinkerbell twinkled with joy, swarming around him in excitement, happy to see that he had finally returned.

"Hey thanks for watching the hideout and the boys while I was away with Jake," he said, and the fairy nodded in response. Speaking of the Lost Boys, he asked, "Where are those rascals, anyway?"

Tink jingled in response, explaining that they had gone exploring on the mainland again. Peter sighed, hoping they weren't getting into too much trouble over there.

"Well, as long as they're not turning the whole place upside down, I suppose it's fine," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. But the fatigue pulled at him, and he collapsed back into his hammock with a heavy sigh.

Tinkerbell flitted over his face, her tinkling voice filled with concern as she asked if he was okay. Peter moaned, knowing that out of everyone in the entire Neverworld, he could always be honest with her.

"Well, if I'm being honest, Tink, no, I'm not okay," he admitted, his usual bravado slipping away in her presence. "In fact I feel awful!" Tinkerbell landed gently on his knee, ready to listen. Peter explained how he was more tired and exhausted than ever before. "Sure, five months of constant exploring and adventure is a lot, but I've done that for year-long stretches, and I've never felt this way before. You were there with me that one time and I looked fine didn't I?" he asked. Tink nodded her shaggy blonde head.

He hesitated, not wanting to admit the truth, but knowing he had to.

"And Tink, I... I can't believe I'm saying this but….," his voice drowned out in silence. The little fairy flew into his face, her big blue eyes wide, as if to say "What!? What!?" Peter sighed, before letting it out. "I….I can't really fly anymore."

Tinkerbell's eyes widened in shock, and she shed a shower of pixie dust as she fluttered in alarm.

Peter nodded at her horror, quickly adding,

"But don't worry. I think I'm just a little sick. That's why I'm feeling so down," He tried to sound reassuring. "It'll pass. Just don't say a word to anyone, okay? Our little secret."

Tink nodded reluctantly, watching him with worried eyes as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

As Peter's breathing steadied, Tinkerbell hovered nearby, sadness in her heart. He couldn't fly anymore? This was serious, and she knew she had to get help. And she knew just who to turn to. With a determined sparkle, Tink flitted out of the hideout, leaving a trail of shimmering pixie dust in her wake.

Back on Pirate Island, Cubby was lounging in a hammock, soaking up the sun and the ocean breeze, while sipping from a coconut drink. He sighed contentedly as he adjusted himself, thinking about their recent journey. He was still wondering what might have happened to Red Jessica and where she was, but knowing her, she could be anywhere, up to any pirate business so it was probably best not to panic. He shifted in the hammock, his back and pudgy legs sore from the hard work he and his mates had just completed.

"Boy do I hate scraping barnacles," he muttered, letting out a heavy sigh. "But at least I can relax now," Just as he was about to drift off into a nap, a jingling sound interrupted his peace. He jolted up, scanning the area to find the source of the noise. "Coconuts!" he exclaimed as he spotted a shimmering ball of light flitting around him. "W-w-w-what kind of bug is that?" he wondered aloud.

The light drew closer, revealing itself to be Tinkerbell, Peter Pan's loyal little fairy friend.

"Oh! Ahoy there Tinkerbell!" Cubby greeted her warmly, but immediately noticed the worried expression on her tiny face. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, concern creeping into his voice. Tinkerbell jingled in response, but Cubby scratched his head, confused. Only Peter could understand her tinkling language.

Not knowing what to do, Cubby decided to call for Jake, Izzy, and Skully. "Hey, Jake! Skully! Izzy!" he shouted, hoping they would come quickly.

Inside the grotto, Jake was putting away the cleaning supplies they'd used to scrub Bucky clean. Hearing Cubby's voice, he cupped his hand around his ear.

"That sounds like Cubby," he said to himself. He turned toward Bucky, giving the ship a satisfied nod. "Glad we got you all cleaned up, Bucky." he said. The ship dinged its bell in response, and Jake hurried outside to see what Cubby needed.

Upstairs, Izzy was in the bedroom, though not doing her usual activities like reading her pirate princess book or making seashell necklaces. Instead, she was stashing fireworks and dynamite under her bed, carefully hiding them with books and toys.

She jumped when she heard Cubby calling her name, momentarily panicked that she'd been caught. But relief washed over her when she realized the voice came from outside.

"Phew!" she breathed, placing the last book in front of her secret stash. "Now you stay there….and try not to blow up while you're at it." With a quick glance around to make sure everything was hidden, she dashed down to the beach to join the others.

They all gathered outside, with Skully joining them. Jake gave Izzy a pointed look.

"Did you get rid of all those fireworks?" he asked.

Izzy hesitated, panicking as she fumbled for an answer.

"Uh, well—" she started, but was cut off by the urgent voice of Cubby,

"Guys look! Tinkerbell's trying to tell us something! I think it's important!"

"Hey, Tink! What's going on?" Jake greeted with a friendly wave while Izzy silently let out a big dramatic sigh of relief behind him.

"Tink's upset about something, but, um, we can't really talk to her." Cubby quickly explained.

Tinkerbell, seeing their confusion, started to draw in the sky with her pixie dust. The sparkling dust formed a picture of Peter looking unwell, lying in his hammock, and she added a little exclamation mark for emphasis.

"Uh oh, is Peter sick?!" Cubby exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.

Jake's expression turned serious.

"I knew there was something wrong with him," the green eyed leader mumbled before looking up again. "It looks like he needs our help." he added, understanding the urgency of the message.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Skully squawked. "You ho let's go!"

The three young pirates followed Tinkerbell to Neverland aboard their newly cleaned ship. Tink jingled loudly, urging them to hurry as they navigated through the wilderness. She led them to Hangman's Tree, and Cubby perked up.

"Hey! I remember this place from our adventure with Wendy and her brothers!" Cubby said, excitement tinged with a hint of nervousness.

"Is Peter in there?" Jake asked, glancing at Tink. She nodded in confirmation.

The little crew slid down the familiar tunnels until they landed in the underground hideout, where they spotted Peter in his hammock. They gasped at the sight of him. Peter was pale, looking awfully weak, with small bags under his eyes. He moaned and sat up, pushing his red fringe out of his face to see his visitors.

"Jake? What are you guys doing here?" Peter asked groggily, trying to muster some of his usual energy.

"Tink told us you were sick, so we came to see if we could help." Jake explained.

Peter shot a weak smile at Tinkerbell.

"I told you not to tell anyone." he said, attempting to sound playful. Tink jingled in response, her expression both guilty and concerned.

"What's wrong with you, Peter?" Cubby asked, worried.

Peter shrugged, a little frustrated.

"I have no idea. First I was practically passing out while Jake and I were on our way back to Neverland. Then I could barely fly anymore and now, I feel liek I can barely walk! I've never felt this way before."

"Izzy, you're the closest thing we have to a doctor here. What do you think?" the little pirate in the dark blue vest asked.

Izzy rubbed her chin, observing Peter thoughtfully.

"Sure doesn't look like you have a cold," she said, climbing up on his hammock to feel his forehead. "And you don't have a fever either."

She ran through a list of symptoms:

"Nauseous?"

"No."

"Cold?"

"Nope."

"Congested?"

"Not even a little," Peter replied, sounding a bit exasperated. "I'm none of those things, just tired and exhausted."

"Well…it doesn't seem you have an infection or virus."

"Aw, coconuts!" Cubby exclaimed, looking bewildered. "Maybe he doesn't but something has to be wrong."

"Aye. You look terrible too, Peter! Like all the magic's been drained out."

Izzy snapped her fingers.

"That's it Skully! Maybe this is some sort of magical problem! Maybe that's why you can't fly."

"You think so?" the redhead asked. Izzy nodded. "But, I've never had any magic related problems with me before. Well, not any that made me feel like this."

"There's a first time for everything Peter," Jake said gently. "And right now, that's the only reasonable explanation we've got. Only question is, what can we do about it?"

Izzy grinned

"I know just who to go to for a magical problem: Misty!"

"Yeah!" Cubby added. "I'll bet she's got books about all kinds of magical problems, Peter."

"Well….," Peter said, scratching his head nervously. "I suppose it's worth a shot."

"Good thinking, Izzy," Jake said, rallying the crew. "Alright, mateys, to Misty's we go!"

In the early afternoon, Jake, his crew, Peter, and Tinkerbell arrived at the floral-covered cottage of Misty the Wonderful Witch. The vibrant flowers cascading down the walls of the cottage seemed to dance in the gentle breeze, creating a welcoming yet mystical atmosphere.

Inside, Peter sat on a table, looking weary but hopeful. Tinkerbell hovered beside him, her glow dimming with concern. Jake stood nearby with Skully perched on his shoulder, all eyes on Misty, the magical woman with dark hair, blue eyes, and a turquoise robe adorned with silver stars. Her pointy hat added an extra touch of whimsy to her enchanting presence.

"Stick out your tongue, Peter." Misty instructed, leaning forward with a thoughtful expression.

Too tired to argue, Peter obliged, sticking out his tongue. Misty examined it closely, then nodded, signaling for him to close his mouth.

Peter blinked at her, puzzled.

"No offense, Misty, but how is looking at what Captain Codfish calls 'the bottomless pit'," he says, pointing at his mouth. "...supposed to help me fly again?"

Misty giggled softly.

"I just wanted to make sure you really don't have an infection or illness, and it sure does seem like you don't," She straightened up, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Now, what's the problem again? You feel slow? You feel exhausted after hours of rest?"

"And I can't fly!" Peter added, concerned. "I don't know what the problem is. I've got my shadow. I'm thinking the happiest thoughts possible, it's just…not working anymore."

Misty's brow furrowed in thought.

"This does indeed sound like a magical ordeal that we're deaing with," she mused. "But don't worry Peter, I'm sure I'll be able to help you. But first, I have a question to ask you."

Peter cocked his head.

"When did you first start feeling tired?" the witch asked.

Peter went deep into thought, his brown eyes narrowing as he recalled.

"I started feeling teency weency amounts of tiredness about a month ago, when Jake and I were out on missions beyond the Neverseas. We found this deserted-looking island."

"I remember that place," Jake recalled. "And boy was it deserted as ever. No name, no inhabitants. Nothing but dark forest and wilderness."

"Interesting," Misty said, rubbing her chin. "Go on."

Peter began trying to piece together the memory.

"Well….when Jake and I were exploring different sides of the island, I got thirsty and stumbled upon a stream. It looked clean and fresh—not some bubbling, magical-looking pond or fountain—so like a clean source fo water I'd find on any other island, I drank from it. Right after, I felt a little off, but just a little. I figured I was just hungry or something, so we left the island."

Meanwhile, Cubby wandered over to Izzy, who was standing at the other side of the cottage, staring intently at a shelf full of books. She was rubbing her chin thoughtfully, her eyes scanning the spines with curiosity.

"What are you doing?" Cubby asked, joining her by the shelf.

Izzy gestured toward a particular book that had caught her attention.

"Just looking at the names of these books, Cubby. Look at this one," She pointed to a title that read, "I Am the Psycho Pirate."

Cubby raised an eyebrow.

"Coconuts…sounds spooky."

Izzy shrugged, a hint of intrigue in her voice.

"I dunno, it seems pretty interesting. I wonder who it's about. What kind of crazy pirate would call themselves a psycho?"

She reached out, fingertips just brushing the spine, when Jake's voice called across the room, interrupting her.

"Izzy, Cubby, come over here! Misty thinks she might know what's wrong with Peter!"

Izzy dropped her hand and exchanged a quick look with Cubby before hurrying back to where Jake, Skully, Peter, and Misty and Tinkerbell were gathered.

"So, have we figured out what's going on with Peter?" Cubby asked, glancing up at the group.

Jake nodded.

"Yeah, it seems that when we were out exploring that island, Peter drank from a stream that must have had something in it. That's why he's been feeling this way."

"From what I can see and from what you've told me, there's a possible chance that someone put a potion in the water that's made him feel so fatigued, but I can't be too sure." Misty agreed, her voice thoughtful.

"Is there anything we can do about it?" Izzy asked.

Misty thought for a moment before replying.

"Well….I suppose a pixie fruit could probably snap him out of it, but it would take a couple of days to work."

Jake, Izzy, Cubby, and Skully all cocked their heads in confusion, clearly unfamiliar with the term.

"Crackers! What's a pixie fruit?"

Even Peter seemed confused, but Tinkerbell jingled excitedly, her glow brightening as she produced a large amount of pixie dust, bouncing up and down.

"Woah, what is it Tink?" the former flying boy asked, only to be met with more jingles.

Jake looked to Peter.

"What's she saying, Peter?"

"Tink says….," Peter says, trying to translat. "She knows what that is. It's a magical golden fruit that the healing fairies back in pixie hollow, use on other fairies when they're not feeling well or their spirits are really down."

"But Peter's not a fairy. How do we know this will work for him?" Cubby asked, still skeptical.

Misty responded with a gentle smile.

"Look at him. He's got the ears, he can produce pixie dust, and he can—or could—fly. He is like a fairy, just a lot bigger and without wings." She ruffled Peter's hair affectionately.

"Do you think the fairies would let us borrow this pixie fruit so we can use it for Peter?" the girl in the pink bandana asked.

Tinkerbell's mood suddenly dropped, her light dimming. Peter translated again, "Tink says that a pixie fruit is very rare, and the fairies don't share it with anyone, and even if they did, it probably wouldn't be enough to heal me."

The group sighed collectively, the weight of Peter's predicament settling over them. Peter looked down, feeling defeated.

"This is worst than when I lost my shadow!" he moped. "I'll never be able to fly again!"

Jake clapped a reassuring hand on Peter's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Peter. We'll figure this out. Misty, is there a way we could find another pixie fruit just for Peter?"

Misty stood silently for a while before alas speaking again

"Have any of you heard of the old Neverland lighthouse?" she asked, her eyes flickering with a mysterious light.

Skully squawked skeptically, flapping his wings for emphasis.

"Ah, that old thing!? It was abandoned ages ago! I'll bet a box of crackers that it's probably just a legend!

"He's right, Misty," Jake adds. "Nobody's seen that lighthouse in..forever! We've never even seen it before."

Peter nodded in agreement.

"Well…I do remember it from a long, long time ago. One night, the forest grew so thick that it disappeared from sight. I tried finding it, but the wilderness was too dense. That's why Tink and I built a new one."

Cubby pulled out his map, scanning it for any signs of the lighthouse.

"It's not even on my map, and my map's got tons of old places on it! And even if it were here, what's it got to do with finding a pixie fruit?"

Misty went quiet again, contemplating. Then she spoke.

"Because, atop the old lighthouse grows a tree—a tree that bears the most magical fruits and plants, capable of unimaginable feats, like curing legendary heroes." she said, her gaze settling on Peter.

"So you're saying this minnie Forever Tree could have a pixie fruit?" Izzy asks, with a skeptical shrug.

"It might, but I cannot be certain."

Peter's eyes sparkled with renewed hope, and Jake stood up confidently.

"Well it's the only option we've got right now. So if finding this old lighthouse is what it takes to get that fruit for Peter, then that's what we'll do."

"Wait a minute Jake," Izzy interjected. "If Peter couldn't find this lighthouse, what makes you think we can find it?"

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Misty squeaked. She hurried to a flower vase filled with scrolls, tossing them aside until she found the right one. It was a faded, ugly green scroll that looked as old as Neverland itself. Misty handed the scroll to Jake, who unrolled it to reveal a very old but still legible map of Neverland. He traced a dotted line leading through the deepest parts of the forest to a small sketch of a lighthouse. Inside the lighthouse window was a tiny yellow drawing of a tree.

Peter leaned over Jake's shoulder, staring at the map.

"Where did you find this?" he asked Misty.

"I found it in an old book, back when I lived far beyond the Neversea," Misty replied, glancing out the window at the setting sun. "It's getting dark, my little friends. You better get a move on if you want to find it," she added, noticing the gathering clouds that threatened rain later that night.

Jake thanked Misty, and the group prepared to leave. He turned to Tinkerbell.

"Tink, take Peter home and make sure he rests."

Tinkerbell jingled her agreement, tugging at Peter's red locks to follow.

"Alright! Alright Tink! I'm comin'!" Peter chuckled at her insistence before sighing heavily and following her, disappearing from view.

"So you're saying if we follow this map, will it really lead us to the lighthouse?" Jake asks, tucking the map into his vest.

Misty shrugged, a hint of mystery in her eyes.

"Like I said, I can't guarantee anything, but it's worth a try isn't it?"

Jake glanced at the darkening sky.

"We better make this quick." he mumbled.

They all thanked Misty once more before vanishing into the forest.

Misty waved goodbye for a few moments longer, then suddenly, she felt a ribbon or cloth pulled tightly around her eyes, blinding her. Rough hands covered her mouth, preventing her from calling out. She couldn't use her magic wand, for she couldn't touch or see anything. But she could hear—and the voices she heard were rough and scratchy, belonging to no one she knew.

"Atta lad! Only half left to go now!"

To Be Continued….