As Captain Hook's sword clashed with the dagger of Peter Pan, which was being currently wielded by one Mike TeaVee, the sky over Neverland began rapidly changing colors. It went from sky blue to blood-red to pitch black to forest green, to virtually every color in the spectrum, one after another. Of course, the change in the color scheme was going completely unnoticed by the two opponents as they fought over the fate of Neverland.
"I have destroyed everyone who has stood between me and victory!" Hook shouted as he pushed his sword against Mike's dagger, causing the boy's feet to push back into the ground as he fought to keep his balance. "The fairies; the Lost Boys; the Indians; and even Peter Pan himself has fallen under my heel! You shall be no different!" "You're not taking this land, Hook!" Mike grunted as he struggled to keep Hook's sword from cutting into him. "I'm going to beat you, for Peter Pan!" As they fought, Terrance looked up into the sky. "What in Neverland is that?" He turned his attention back to Mike, who was struggling with Hook. "Come on, Mike, you can do this, just have faith in yourself!" As Terrance sat there, he started to think about Mike's story about coming to Neverland with toy guns that somehow became real. "That's it! Mike, I know how to beat Hook!" * Atreyu was bringing Huck back to the den and looked up at the sky. "This can't be good." * In Fantasia, the Childlike Empress was standing on the balcony of her Ivory Tower as she stared up into the sky, which was also changing colors rapidly. She could feel the panic of the people everywhere in Fantasia as they saw the sky. "Bastian, what have you done?" she asked softly. * Nibs was watching the sky as it rapidly changed colors, while the wind started howling around him. He held onto his hat so it wouldn't blow away as he looked down into the waters where Bastian had dived in just minutes earlier. At first Nibs could tell where Bastian was, but because of the sky changing color it was hard to keep track of him. Now Bastian was nowhere to be found under the water. "Bastian!" Nibs shouted above the howling of the wind. "Where are you?" As he started to worry about his friend, a bright glowing light emerged from the waters, rising far above it. It was Bastian, his eyes closed and his body unmoving as AURYN changed colors along with the sky above. Slowly, Bastian was lowered toward the ground as Nibs raced over to him, covering him with a shirt to preserve his modesty. "Come on, Bastian, you need to wake up," Nibs said as he shook his friend. "I don't know what you did, but I think it might have made things-" Then suddenly, without warning, Bastian disappeared in a cloud of sparkling dust and light. Nibs jumped back, looking around for any sign of his friend. "No. Not him, too." * Terrance flew as fast as he could and landed on Mike's shoulder as he continued to clash his dagger against Hook's blade, barely able to keep up against Hook's swordsmanship. "Mike, it's Neverland's magic! It used your imagination to make your toy guns real!" Terrance told his friend. "You just have to use your imagination!" "My imagination?" Mike asked as he started thinking back to his favorite t.v. programs and movies. He wasn't just into westerns, but movies about ninjas and pirates. It all started coming back to him as his swordsmanship against Hook began to greatly improve. And that's when Hook saw the fairy sitting on the young boy's shoulder. "A fairy! I don't believe in-" "NO!" Mike reacted quickly and did frontal flip in front Hook, kicking him in the face as he landed back on his feet, twirled, and knocked the sword from Hook's hand. Using the skills he'd remembered from his favorite movies, Mike began punching and kicking at Hook, not giving the pirate any room to fight back. "Go, Mike!" Terrance shouted happily as he floated in the air. "I knew you could do it!" "Watch this!" Mike said as he had Hook backed against the edge of a cliff, and was about to finish him when Hook's sharp, pointed hand dug itself into Mike's chest, falling straight into his heart. "No, you watch this!" Hook shouted as he lifted Mike up off the ground. "No one defeats Hook!" "No one except Peter Pan!" Peter shouted as he flew in and punched Hook. "Time to finish this!" As Peter landed, a glowing began, forming a bright solid light in the sky. "No! How is this possible!" Hook shouted. "Bastian," Nibs said as he flew down and landed alongside Peter. "He connected himself and AURYN to Neverland. He can affect Neverland's magic now. He gave Peter his connection back and is fixing the damage you caused!" Hook tossed Mike to the ground as Peter picked up his dagger. "I destroyed you once, Pan, and I'll do it a thousand more times if I have to!" Hook and Peter rushed toward each other as their weapons clashed against each other. Terrance flew up to Mike and landed on his cheek. "Please, Mike, don't die!" Terrance said with tears in his eyes. "You can't die! Please!" Atreyu, Huck, and Tiny Tim finally arrived and found the chaos that was unfolding as the colors in the sky over Neverland began to stabilize, forming a solid sky nighttime sky once again. "Where's Bastian?" Huck asked as he looked around. "He sacrificed himself to save Neverland," Nibs said sadly. "He's... he's gone." "No!" Huck said as he fell to his knees. "First Tom, now this." "Neverland will never fall before you again!" Pan said as he pushed Hook back closer to the edge of the cliff. "Today it ends!" "Yes, it does!" Hook shouted as he prepared to bring his hook down into Peter's side, be he spun and pushed his dagger into Hook's arm. He stumbled and fell back off of the cliff, falling toward the water below. "You haven't seen the last of me, Peter Pan!" As Hook said that, a large crocodile emerged from the water. Hook saw it as he started laughing insanely before he hit the water. The crocodile just smiled as it went below the water to have its dinner. Peter ran together with Huck and the others as they gathered around Mike as he lay bleeding in the grass. Terrance was crying as he upon Mike's chest, his new friend having been killed by Hook. "Isn't there anything we can do?" Tiny Tim asked as he looked around. "All this magic brought Neverland back, why can't we help Mike?" "Maybe we can," Peter told them. "Everyone left in Neverland is here,, maybe we can bring him back. Everyone join hands." As everyone there joined hands, Huck slipped his hand into Nib's as the two shared a smile. Everyone closed their eyes and focused on Mike, while the sky started to glow brighter and brighter and brighter. As they focused, the ground started shaking as the biggest change yet to Neverland began. The waves began to crash the beach, and everyone nearly fell down as they continued to hold hands and concentrate on Mike. Finally, their hold was broken as the entire group fell to the ground. Soon the shaking suddenly stopped. Huck sat up and looked around, noticing a dense fog out in the water. He focused his eyes and tried to stare as the fog started to dissipate. "What the hell? Is it just me, or does that place over there look like-" "The Ivory Tower," Atreyu whispered a large shadow started to appear on the horizon. Falkor soon landed near the group as Peter looked around. "What in the world is this thing?" Peter asked, just as Mike started coughing and opening his eyes. "MIKE!" Terrance shouted as he hugged Mike with his tiny hands. "You're alive!" "The Childlike Empress wishes to speak to all of you," Falkor told them gently. "There is much to explain, and much more to do." * Peter, Huck, Nibs, Mike, Terrance, Atreyu, and Tiny Tim arrived at the Ivory Tower, where the Childlike Empress greeted them warmly. She had new clothes given to Mike, Huck, and Tiny Tim that were more suited to their further adventures when they left Fantasia. Mike was given a pair of black pants, boots, a blue denim shirt, brown duster and a brown cowboy hat; Tiny Tim was given a new blue suit with brown shoes and a red cap; and Huck decided his last fancy suit was too much, so he opted for blue jeans, a white button down collar shirt, and no shoes. "What is going on, Princess? How is it possible that we're here in Fantasia?" Atreyu asked her. "Bastian has connected the power of AURYN to Neverland's magic, and in doing so has connected Neverland to Fantasia. Neverland is but a doorway away now," the Childlike Empress told them. "What about the fairies and the Lost Boys?" Huck asked. "Can they be brought back?" "Unfortunately no," the Childlike Empress said sadly. "At least not without both AURYN and other elements that we do not possess currently." "And what about Bastian? Is he... dead?" Huck asked her. "Bastian is indeed alive, although while I can sense him, I can not tell where he is," the Childlike Empress told them. "He is not within Fantasia or Neverland." "We must find him," Atreyu said as he looked at his friends. "Only AURYN has the power to save all of our worlds from the evil that is coming." "You said I was Bastian's soulmate, I can follow him anywhere," Atreyu told her. "Perhaps I can-" "No, Atreyu, that is not possible now, Neverland's magic will block your ability to track Bastian from here on out," the Childlike Empress told them. "Until Bastian reveals himself to us, I am afraid that we can not continue without him, for only AURYN can allow travel between worlds." "That's not true, I've spent five years doing it," Peter told her. "We just have to follow the stars and we can do it. But there are thousands of other worlds, though, it'll be impossible to find him." "We have to try," Huck said as he looked at his friends. "I don't about y'all, but I'm tired of losing my friends. I'm going to find Bastian and Tom, I don't care how many worlds I have to search." "Count me in," Tiny Tim added as he stood next to Huck. "Besides, we have to get Mike home, as well." "No," Mike told them. "I want to come with you guys. Forget that chocolate factory tour, this is much more fun!" "Then I'm coming along, too," Terrance said as he sat on Mike's shoulder. "Wait," Nibs said as he thought about it. "Peter, you can't leave Neverland again, not for as long as you did the last time. We can't risk Neverland falling apart again." "But then who will lead everyone in the search for Bastian?" Peter asked him. "I will," Nibs replied as he smiled at Huck. "I know the path to get to the stars, you've taken us up there before. I'll lead everyone to the next world to start our search." "Atreyu, I need you to remain here while the others search," the Childlike Empress told Atreyu. "With Bastian missing, you are the one who must lead the people into battle should the evil invade before he is found." "Evil? What evil?" Peter asked her. "I thought Hook was defeated." "This is something much, much worse," the Childlike Empress told him. "A great evil seeks to claim AURYN's magic for their own, and in doing so will destroy Fantasia." "Then consider Peter Pan there to help you," Peter told her with a smile. "We shall protect both Neverland and Fantasia." "Okay, but how are we going to get to the stars to travel to the next world?" Tiny Tim asked. Terrance flew off of Mike's shoulder and flew around the group, tossing fairy dust onto each of them. "Everyone needs to focus on a happy thought," Terrance told the group as he floated in front of them. "Whatever makes you happiest, just keep that thought in your minds and let those feelings guide you." Everyone closed their eyes and focused. "Christmas dinner with my family," Tiny Tim said. "A marathon of my favorite cowboy movies," Mike told them. "Having adventures and gettin' into trouble with my best friend Tom," Huck added. The three started lifting off of the ground, unable to control their flying at first. After a few minutes, the trio started getting the hang of it and were soon flying around the room. "This is fantastic!" Huck shouted as he reached the ceiling. "I'm flying!" "For the first time in my life, I don't need a crutch!" Tiny Tim smiled as he flew past him. "Let's see a cowboy do this!" Mike said as he twirled through the air. "Nibs, are you sure you can do this?" Peter asked him. "I have to, Peter," Nibs replied as he put a hand on Peter's shoulder. "It's time I stepped up and stopped being afraid of everything. I hope we'll find Bastian soon." "Good luck, my friend," Peter told him as he hugged Nibs. "I'll be here for you when you return." "Come on, guys!" Nibs said as he looked up at his flying friends. "Let's go find our friends!" Nibs flew into the air, and headed out the window. Huck, Tiny Tim, and Mike flew off after, with Terrance hanging Mike's collar. "Good luck, you will need it," the Childlike Empress told them as she watched the group fly off into the sky. * "There it is!" Nibs shouted as everyone held hands, forming a chain as they flew towards the star. "Just like Peter said." "I don't believe it," Mike said as he looked at the bright lights ahead. "Is this really how we're going to find Bastian? That's a lot of new worlds." "And we'll search them all until we find Bastian," Huck told him. "He's the only one who can me find Tom. We'll search every last one of these worlds until we find our friends." "Okay, boys, let's pick and go!" Nibs said as he flew forward, dragging the others with him. They hit one of the colored lights, flashing a bright white as they charged through. * Oz "Glinda's wand is nearly drained of its power," the Wicked Witch of the SouthEast cackled as she watched her powers continue to grow. "Soon I'll have enough power to track down this energy source and claim it for my own!" Outside, Tom Sawyer and Glinda were watching the scene unfold. Tom had recently rescued Glinda from the dungeon and now the two were trying to find a way to reclaim Glinda's magic wand before it was gone. "What do we do?" Tom asked Glinda. "There's a bunch of them big ass monkeys guarding the place. We'll never get past them." "If we don't, Oz is doomed," Glinda reminded him. "As well as your worlds, and countless others. We must try." "Okay, I guess I could try to distract them while you grab the wand," Tom told her. "I'll hodl them off as long as I can." "Be careful, Tom," Glinda told him as she kissed his forehead. "Luck be with you." * Bastian felt the warm sunlight hit his naked body as he opened his eyes. AURYN was still around his neck as he sat up in a patch of grass overlooking a small pond. "Where am I?" Bastian asked himself as he pulled himself up. Finding an old blanket nearby, he quickly wrapped it around his waist as he stood up and looked around. Behind him was a small thicket of trees; to the front of him was a small sewage treatment plant. "What is this place?" A laughter was heard, seemingly coming out of thin air as Bastian spun around, clutching the blanket tightly around his waist. "Who's there?" The laughter started again, but this time as Bastian faced the sewage treatment plant, he found a clown standing there, with three balloons in his hand. He had bright red hair, a red nose, a yellow and white suit with a ruffled white collar, and large red clown shoes. "Hello there, little boy, would like a balloon?" the clown asked. "No- no thank you," Bastian said as he stepped away. "They're free," the clown smirked as he held one of the balloons out. "Don't you want a balloon, Bastian? They float! They all float!" Bastian started getting nervous as he took another step back and found he backed up against the clown, who was now standing right behind him. "You can't run, Bastian! You can't run from us!" the clown said as he opened his mouth, baring his fangs at the young man. Bastian fell backward, but quickly scrambled to his feet and started running. "See you around! Your balloon will be waiting for you! Ho ha! Ho ha!" Bastian got into the forest as fast as he could, resting behind a tree when he couldn't run anymore. "Who the hell was that?" Bastian asked, his voice squeaking with fear. "And... who is Bastian?" TO BE CONTINUED...
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Second star to the right, then straight on 'til morning.
That's how Peter Pan always returned to Neverland in a timely manner, by following those simple words. But then one night, after returning from a journey from England where he spotted a beautiful young girl through her window, Peter was making plans to return the next night to visit the girl and ask what her name was. However, that night, something strange happened as Peter was heading back towards Neverland. This time, the second star to the right wasn't where it usually was. Now there were larger, brighter stars, in several colors. Each new star as it appeared became a doorway to different worlds, each one more fascinating than the last. Peter Pan, being a boy, and therefore extremely curious, began to explore each new world. While many were the same, many were vastly different. There were worlds filled with cloned dinosaurs, worlds where outer space exploration allowed man to live on other planets, worlds where magic rings led to fantastic journeys, and thousands of other new places to explore. By the time Peter Pan returned to Neverland five years later, he had seen countless worlds, and had countless adventures. Of course by this time, he had forgotten certain things, such as the names of friends, locations, and other trivial bits of information. But he still remembered the important things, like his enemy, Captain Hook, and his best friend, the pixie Tinkerbell. He longed to return to Neverland, and after having seen so many worlds, was glad to return home, even having brought a new Lost Boy with him, which he hoped would be the beginning of many more new friends coming to Neverland with him... * The fight had ended just as quickly as it had began. Peter Pan was lying face down i n the dirt with a blade stuck through his shoulder, bleeding out onto the ground. Everything he had known had been taken from him. His friends, his dignity, and most important of all, his happy thoughts. Captain Hook hadn't left him a single thing in the world, having killed every fairy in Neverland, driving the Indians out, and dispatching the Lost Boys. All that was left was Nibs, and Peter Pan's own life, both of which were about to be cut short. "The last Lost Boy," Hook said as he held his sharpened hook hand under Nibs' chin. "I shall savor this moment." "No, please," Peter begged as he tried to pick himself up from the ground. "I beg of you." "YOU? The mighty Peter Pan, begging? Of me?" Hook laughed. "I never thought I'd see the day when my most sworn enemy begged for mercy. How the mighty have truly fallen." Bastian was still struggling with his ropes, and had managed to loosen them enough to break free. He pushed Nibs away from Hook, landing both of the ground. "So, you are one of Pan's new recruits," Hook said as he pulled out his sword. "You shall die as a Lost Boy, then. I regret the death of my new cabin boy, but it's an acceptable loss." As Hook had his focus on Bastian and Nibs, Peter painfully pulled the dagger out of his shoulder. He screamed in pain as he finally got it out. "Catch!" Peter tossed the dagger as Bastian caught it. Having never been in a swordfight, Bastian had no idea what he was doing, but luckily he was a fast thinker. "Look over there!" Hook turned to look the other way as Bastian grabbed Nibs' hand and took off running. "Get them!" Hook shouted as the pirates gave chase. * Mike TeaVee had given the bird a proper burial and was sitting on a rock, sobbing to himself. He'd taken a life, and all because of his obsession with westerns and guns. What if it had been an actual human that he'd shot? He'd grown up wanting nothing more than to own a real gun, to be like the heroes of his favorite shows, but now? He had idea what to think. He stopped his own sobbing for a moment when he heard the sobbing of... something else. "Hello?" Mike asked as he looked around. "Is someone there?" Mike got off the rock and looked around, wondering where the faint sound was coming from. He kneeled down and lifted a leaf, finding a tiny creature, less an inch tall sitting there. It looked like a boy with dark blonde hair. He was wearing brown pants, yellow boots and an open tan vest. "You- you're a fairy," Mike said as he backed away. "I thought fairies didn't-" "Don't say it!" the fairy shouted as he flew up to Mike's lips to shut him up. "You can never say that you don't believe in fairies or I'll die. Like all my friends did. Captain Hook slaughtered all of my people and I couldn't stop him." "Your friends are all dead? I'm sorry," Mike said as he held out his hand for the fairy to land on. "How are you still alive, then?" "Because I hid," the fairy told him as he looked down at the ground, ashamed of himself. "There was nothing I could do once we started to realize what was going on. Peter Pan wasn't around to protect us, and by the time we knew of Hook's plan, the Lost Boys and the Indians were gone. I'm the last of my kind. My name is Terrance, and I'm a coward for not fighting back." "Are you sure?" Mike asked as he looked around. "My name is Mike, and I'm a coward, too. I always thought I was tough like my heroes, then I took an innocent creature's life." "I've flown every inch of Neverland to get away from Hook and his pirates. There are no other fairies," the tiny creature said. "And if Hook has his way, the last Lost Boy and Peter Pan will die, too." "No, no one else dies," Mike told him as he put Terrance on his shoulder. * Huck and Tiny Tim finally climbed back up the hill, both of them still pale from seeing what was down there. "I don't believe it," Huck said as another chill went down his spine. "Who'd kill a bunch of kids like that?" "I don't know, but I don't want to stick around to find out," Tiny Tim said as he picked up his crutch. It was at that point that Bastian and Nibs rushed past, colliding with Huck and Tiny Tim, knocking all four to the ground. As Bastian hit the ground, Peter's dagger fell out of his pocket. "You're alive!" Huck and Bastian shouted at the same time before hugging. "Not for long," Nibs said as he heard the pirates coming. "We'd better get out of here while we can." "Use AURYN to wish us the hell out of here!" Huck shouted at Bastian. "I can't, it's on the Jolly Roger all the way out in the water," Bastian replied as the group stood up. "We'd have to swim for it to get to the ship, and... I'm not a very good swimmer." "I could fly out there," Nibs told them. "I still have my happy thoughts." "And I'm a powerful good swimmer," Huck told him. "I can be at that ship in no time." "Then me and Tiny Tim will go rescue Peter if it's not too late," Bastian said as he looked at Nibs. "If we can get AURYN back, I might be able to fix this. Let's hurry before we lose anyone else." * "I remember reading Peter Pan when I was little, before I got hooked on t.v.," Mike told the fairy sitting on his shoulder as he walked through the forest. "It was always my favorite adventure before I found westerns on television. I always wanted to be a Lost Boy and go on an adventure, though." "I'm sorry your wish had to come true like this," Terrance told him. "But even if we save Peter, there's a bigger problem." "What's that?" Mike asked as Terrance whispered in his ear. "Oh, no! What do we do?" "We start by buying Peter some time if he's still alive. If he dies, it's all over," Terrance replied. "We have to hurry." * Hook walked back to Peter Pan, who was laying in the grass, trying to crawl away. Hook laughed and picked Peter up by the collar. After so many years, he finally had his most hated nemesis right where he wanted him. "It's hard to imagine something as pathetic as you getting the better of me for so long," Hook told him as he smacked Peter hard across the face. "It's almost sad to end things like this." "Then don't!" Tiny Tim said as he whacked Hook in the leg with his crutch. Bastian caught Peter before he fell and started to take off into the forest. Tiny Tim used his crutch to knock Hook to the ground to give them a head start. "Where do we go now?" Bastian asked as he helped Peter run into the forest. "The den," Peter said weakly as Bastian held onto him. "It's the only place that's safe from Hook." * Nibs landed on the deck of the Jolly Roger, finding the top of the ship empty. Hook had taken all of his pirates to shore to make sure the end of Peter Pan was successful. Moments later, Huck climbed onto the deck of the ship, soaking wet. He was in his underwear, having left his clothes on the shore so he wouldn't be weighed down on the swim. "Wow, you are a fast swimmer," Nibs told him. "Told you," Huck replied as he looked around. "Where do we find AURYN?" "It'll be in the ship's cargo hold," Nibs replied as he led the way. "Do you really think that AURYN can fix everything?" "I trust Bastian, if he says AURYN can put things back, I believe him," Huck told him as they made their way down. "I'm sorry about your friends, Nibs. But Bastian can bring them back, I know it." "What if he can't?" Nibs asked as they looked around, unaware of the pirate that Hook had left behind to guard the ship. He watched as the two boys made their way into the bowels of the ship, aiming his gun steadily at the intruders. "What if Slightly, Toodles, Curly and all the others really are gone forever? What if Peter is killed? I'll be all alone." Huck slipped his hand into Nibs' and squeezed it. "You're never alone, as long as I'm here." BANG! * Bastian and Tiny Tim had returned Peter to the den, laying him on the hollowed out bed carved into the tree trunk. Bastian grabbed what supplies he could and tended to Peter's wound. "He's lost a lot of blood," Bastian said as he looked over at Tiny Tim. "But I think he'll live." "It's all over," Peter said weakly as he stared up at Bastian. "Hook's won. All my friends are gone, the fairies are dead, and I've lost my happy thoughts. I'll never fly again. My connection to Neverland is fading without my innocence." "Don't say that, AURYN will fix all this when Nibs brings it back to me," Bastian promised him. "I can wish all this away and put it back to normal. It'll be just like it was." "I'm afraid it might be too late," Atreyu said as he arrived down the slide. "ATREYU!" Bastian shouted as he rushed to hug his friend. "What are you doing here? How did you find us?" "You and I are one and the same," Atreyu replied. "We're soulmates, brothers. I can follow you anywhere and find you, even without AURYN to guide me. The Childlike Empress had sent me to aid you, but I can see that you got out of danger on your own." "We're far from out of danger," Tiny Tim told him. "Neverland's a wreck and that Captain Hook's taken over. And without AURYN, Bastian can't fix anything." "I'm afraid even with AURYN, we're still out of luck," Atreyu replied. "Bastian, AURYN can't fix this if it's as bad as the Childlike Empress told me." * Mike and Terrance watched through the bushes as Hook and his men made their way through the forest, cutting down everything that was in their path. "Pan is here somewhere!" Hook shouted. "Leave no stone unturned until we find him! Peter Pan must die so I can rule unobjected!" "We can't take on all those pirates," Mike whispered to Terrance. "What do we do?" "We even the odds, then you take out Hook," Terrance whispered back. "You're the only one standing between Hook and complete rule of Neverland. You say you want to be like your heroes, here's your chance." "I'm not using a gun," Mike told him as he rubbed his arm nervously. "I'm never using a gun again." "You don't have to," Terrance replied as he stared up at Mike. "But if Peter Pan is in danger, you might be all that's left to defend Neverland. You have to be what Peter Pan can't. Come on, I have to get you ready, we haven't much time. If the sun sets, the battle may be over." * After the gunshot rang out, Nibs was already on top of the pirate, knocking him over and rendering him unconscious. Nibs quickly tied the pirate up and kicked his gun away as he looked over at Huck. "Are you-" Huck was leaning against the wall, his arm having taken the shot. He was bleeding badly as he looked at Nibs. "I ain't never been shot before. It hurts, Nibs. Bad." Nibs quickly flew back over to him. "I'll fix you, Huck, just hang on. I'll take care of you, like you promised you'd take care of me, okay? I'll fix you, just hang on. It'll be okay." "Find AURYN," Huck told him as he tried to hold in the pain. "I'll be okay, I just need to bandage up the wound. Go, before something else happens." Nibs tried to smile at him as he flew off further into the ship as Huck looked for something to bandage his wound. * "The worlds are merging,"Atreyu told Bastian as he looked down at Peter. "The walls are coming down, AURYN is causing all the worlds to become one. If something isn't done soon, it could be disastrous for everyone. More might die, and more stories will be altered." "No, I can't believe that," Bastian replied, his voice breaking with sadness. "Neverland is destroyed because of me, I can't leave it like this. I won't be responsible for every world dying, I'll fix it." "You can still save Neverland, but the Lost Boys, the Fairies, it might be beyond AURYN's power now," Atreyu said as he put a hand on Bastian's shoulder. "I am sorry, my friend. All we can do now is make sure that Hook's reign of terror is ended before anyone else is hurt." "We don't stand a chance against all those pirates," Bastian replied as he looked at his friends. "You're the only real fighter among us, and Peter's going to be out of action until he heals. There's no one left to take on Hook, not without AURYN at least." "Then AURYN is our last hope," Atreyu replied. "With AURYN'S power, you can defeat Hook with whatever your imagination can dream up. We must get it back. Do you believe your friends can retrieve it?" "I know they can," Bastian replied. * Nibs had searched the cargo hold and found AURYN glowing brightly in the darkness. He picked it up and let it dangle in his hand as he took in the beauty of the medallion. "So, you are AURYN. I hope you're as powerful as Huck says you are," Nibs said as he flew back to Huck, who still leaning against the wall, blood still running down his arm. "Huck!" "It still hurts," Huck replied as Nibs went to work to fix his friend. "I've been stabbed and poked by the pirate's blades so many times while I've been here, a gunshot is nothing," Nibs replied as he worked on Huck's arm. "You'll be okay, just hang in there. But you're not going to be able to swim back to shore, Huck, and I can't carry someone as big as you." "I'll find a way back," Huck told him as he seethed in pain while Nibs bandaged his arm. "But you need to get AURYN back to Bastian. I'll be okay, but it's up to you now." "Huck, I don't want to leave you," Nibs said as he fashioned a sling for Huck's arm out an old blanket he found laying around. "Not when you're hurt." "It'll be fine," Huck said, trying to smile. He didn't wants Nibs to leave, but this situation was bigger than him. "I'll find a lifeboat or something. Then we'll get Neverland back to the way it's supposed to be, like it was before we came here." "Yeah, well, what if I don't want it all to change back?" Nibs asked him. "What if I want one thing to stay the same?" "Yeah, what's that?" Huck asked as Nibs leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Huck didn't resist, having wanted to do that himself, but couldn't find the nerve. Nibs pulled back and smiled. "So, that's what a real kiss feels like," Nibs told him. "I always thought it was something small, like a thimble." "Get AURYN to Bastian," Huck ordered as he tried to stand up. "I'll get a trip back to shore somehow. I'll see you real soon, Nibs." Nibs rushed back to the surface of the boat and took off flying, now having found a new happy thought to keep him flying. * Hook had his band of pirates split up to hunt down Peter Pan, but they were given explicit orders to take Pan alive. Only Hook was allowed the honor of vanquishing Peter Pan. As the group split off into three smaller groups, Mike and Terrance took the opportunity to put their plan into effect, activating several traps that Peter Pan had set up long ago, but were since de-activated by the pirates themselves in their quests to hunt down the Fairies of Neverland. Terrance was sitting on a tree branch while he watched the first group of pirates get caught up in snares, fall into covered up pits, and various other traps scattered throughout the area. He was laughing so hard, he nearly fell off the branch. It was a good thing he had wings. Elsewhere, Mike was watching the same fate befall the group of pirates he was keeping tabs on. He was hiding behind a bush, watching them all be taken out one by one by Peter Pan's old traps. By the time Mike and Terrance met up again at the agreed upon location, only Hook and a small group remained. "This is it," Terrance replied as he looked at Mike. "It'll be five against one, but we still have several traps set up to help even the odds, and you'll have a secret weapon. Are you ready? "No," Mike said nervously. "What if something goes wrong? What if I can't beat Hook?" "You have to, you're Neverland's only hope," Terrance replied as he sat on Mike's shoulder. "You're the last thing standing between Hook's total domination of Neverland. You need to find the courage you had before you came to Neverland." "I had courage when I thought I could be a real cowboy," Mike told him. "When I thought I could do what the guys on t.v. did and shoot things and be heroes. But then I took a life, and I... looked into its eyes. I'm not a hero, I'm a coward." "Mike, you have to snap out of this, Neverland is in danger," Terrance told him as he smacked Mike with his tiny hand. "In less than an hour, Neverland is doomed!" * "I can feel it," Hook smirked as he cut through the vines of the forest in his quest. "Peter Pan's grip on Neverland is fading. Everything has been building to this since that brat left Neverland five years ago. Slowly I've been turning this place against him, usurping its power for my own. The last key was to steal Peter Pan's innocence, the one thing that kept him bonded to Neverland. Soon, it will be mine!" * Bastian continued to pace around nervously, until Nibs finally landed down the chute with AURYN in his hand. "Nibs? Where's Huck?" Bastian asked as Nibs stood up with the amulet. "He was injured on the Jolly Roger," Nibs told them. "I didn't want to leave him, bu he insisted on bringing AURYN to you. Can you fix this damage?" Bastian took the amulet and put it around his neck. AURYN began to glow bright as soon as he looked down at it. "I'm going to try, but you should know that I might not be able to put everything back." "What? But the Lost Boys, the Fairies!" Nibs shouted as he looked like he was about to cry. "What about Peter? Can you fix him?" "That I might be able to do," Bastian replied as he took a seat next to Peter and closed his eyes, taking Peter's hand. "I wish Peter was healed, and Neverland was back to the way it was." AURYN started to glow brightly, but then began to dim as Bastian let go of Peter's hand. "What's going on? Why isn't it working?" "Because," the Childlike Empress's voice echoed around the room as AURYN glowed "AURYN'S magic and Neverland's magic are cancelling each other out. Within the confines of Neverland, AURYN can not affect it's residents. Only you, Huckleberry, Tiny Tim, Mike and Atreyu can be affected by AURYN's power while you remain there." "Mike? Who's Mike?" Bastian asked as he looked at Nibs. "He must be the boy Peter brought in from outside world," Nibs told him as he looked around for the voice. "Okay, so outside magic can't effect Neverland. Can Neverland magic effect outsiders like Bastian?" "Yes, it can," the Childlike Empress replied. "Because Neverland has its own magic and boundaries, it is the only place in the Literary Universe that AURYN can not affect. But Neverland magic can effect anyone who enters." "Then we have to use Neverland magic to fix this," Bastian said as he stood up. "But with the Fairies dead, where do we get that?" "It's not just the Fairies that possess magic here, it's all around," Nibs replied. "It's in the flowers, and the water. There is... one place I can take you that can give you the power you need to fight Hook. But we must hurry." "What about Huck? And Peter?" Tiny Tim asked. "Peter needs time to recover," Bastian told him as he looked at Nibs. "I'll follow Nibs to this magic place, you stay here with Peter and protect him until he's able to get back on his feet. We won't be gone long... hopefully. Atreyu, I need you to go get Huck and make sure he's safe and bring him back here." "I shall, brother," Atreyu promised him as the trio left the den, leaving Tiny Tim alone with Peter Pan. "Well, I guess it's just us now," Tiny Tim told him as he sat down. * "I can sense Peter's grip on Neverland slipping," Hook said as he came to a stop. "Even if he lives, I have still won. In a few minutes, Neverland will be completely under my control!" "Are you ready?" Terrance asked Mike as he waited on a branch. "I hate this," Mike said from a behind a bush. "Why can't I just wear my old clothes?" "Because you need to intimidate Hook," Terrance replied. "Psych him out. Now come on, we still have one more thing to do." Mike stepped out of the bushes wearing a costume made of leaves, vines, and other elements from the forest around them, making him resemble Peter Pan. Terrance reached into the pouch on his hip and flew over Mike, coating him in dust. "Now, think happy thoughts," Terrance told him. "Think of good feelings, and love and all that crap." Mike closed his eyes and concentrated on the thoughts of being like his favorite western heroes on t.v., even though he was starting to hate the thought of using guns, he still wanted to be a hero. He slowly started lifting off the ground as Terrance smiled. "You're doing great, Mike! Now go out there and save Neverland!" Mike spotted Peter's bloodied dagger laying in the grass and picked it up. "For Neverland!" Mike flew off towards Hook's location with Terrance flying after. * "This is it," Nibs said as he led Bastian upriver toward a waterfall. "Through this waterfall is where you'll find what you need to save Neverland." "Then what are we waiting for?" Bastian asked as he looked at Nibs. "Let's go." "I can't," Nibs told him. "Only true heroes are allowed to go through there, like you, and Peter. I'm just a nobody." "Nibs, you ARE a hero!" Bastian replied as he put his hands on his friend's shoulders. "If it weren't for you, Peter might be dead now, and Huck too. Start believing in yourself, Nibs. I felt the same as you did when I first read the Neverending Story, and sometimes I still do, but I know I can set things right, and so should you. Now let's go through this, together. If we can save Neverland, there might be hope for the entire Literary Universe!" Nibs smiled as he shook his head as the two boys dived into the water and swam through the waterfall, heading on through to the other side. As they both came up for air, they realized they were in a frozen wonderland. "What is this place?" Bastian asked as he swam for the shore. "Where the magic of Neverland comes from," Nibs replied as he pulled himself up onto the shore, helping Bastian after. He looked up and saw darkness was overtaking the land. "I was afraid of this. In Peter's weakened state, he's losing his connection to Neverland. It wasn't just Tink's magic that gave him his powers, it was the mineral waters of this place that made Peter and Neverland one and the same." "And since Peter Pan is Neverland, if he loses that connection altogether...," Bastian said, trailing off. "That connection is left open for anyone to take," Nibs finished. "This place will be open to anyone who wishes to gain its magic for themself. Hook will find it easily once Peter is out of the picture. If he finds the mineral waters and bathes in them..." "Then let's make sure that doesn't happen," Bastian replied. "Let's figure out how to get this magic back to Peter before he loses it for good." "That's just it, Bastian. Peter's lost his innocence. That can't be returned," Nibs replied. "It's going to take someone who has innocence in their heart to connect to Neverland." * Atreyu arrived at the Jolly Roger in one of the lifeboats and found Huck stumbling on the deck, trying to get the last lifeboat down. "I am here, my friend," Atreyu told Huck as he put a hand on his shoulder. "We must hurry, the final battle against Captain Hook will start soon." "Did Nibs get AURYN to Bastian in time?" Huck asked, feeling light-headed. "He did, and now we must hurry back to meet with the others," Atreyu said as he pu t an arm around Huck's shoulder to help him along. "You have lost much blood, like Peter. You must save your strength as well." "I'll be fine, I just to rest for a few minutes," Huck told him. "I just-" Huck finally passed out in Atreyu's arms and helped him into the lifeboat. "Don't worry, friend, I'll get you help. I just hope there is help left when we get there." * "Captain Hook!" Mike shouted as he flew over the trees and landed in front of Captain Hook, just as the sun was setting. "I'm here to end your reign of terror on Neverland!" Hook just stared at the boy and started laughing wildly. "You dare challenge me? And in the colors of my sworn enemy, no less? Are you looking to die, boy?" "No, I'm looking to set Neverland free!" Mike said as he pulled out the dagger. "Set Neverland free?" Hook asked with a vicious sneer. "I AM NEVERLAND!" * "We're too late," Nibs whispered as he looked up at the sky, which was now completely dark. "Peter's lost his connection to Neverland, we've lost." "No, we've still got one more play," Bastian told him as he looked down at the mineral water. "You say that anyone can claim this magic and become one with Neverland?" "Yeah, but-" Nibs asked as Bastian stripped off his clothes and jumped into the water. "Bastian, wait, what are you-" As soon as AURYN hit the magical waters of Neverland, the magic of both connected, and all hell would soon break loose in Neverland. TO BE CONTINUED... |
By Tobias ChristopherAuthor, luckdragon trainer Archives
November 2019
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