Huck was the first to climb out of the hidden entrance to Peter Pan's secret hideout, before helping Tiny Tim come up. The sky was still dark as the two looked around.
"So much for gettin' some rest," Huck said with frustration. "I wanted to sock it to that Peter! Who chains up their friend then takes off for five years?" "You don't know what he's capable of," Tiny Tim replied as he stood up on his crutch. "Did you see that knife he had? He could have cut you!" "I ain't afraid of a knife, I've been cut before," Huck assured him as he heard a mumbling. "You hear that, Tim?" "It's coming from that bag that's strung up in the tree," Tiny Tim said as he pointed to the tree behind Huck. "I wonder what's in it?" "Bag's not that big, probably a defenseless critter," Huck told him as he put his hand on the rope. "I'm gonna let it loose. Stand back." "Be careful," Tiny Tim said as he backed up. Huck untied the rope as the burlap sack hit the ground. A muttering was heard for a few seconds before a boy crawled out it. He had sandy brown hair and was wearing a pair of blue and white striped cowboy themed pajamas. He was also wearing a gun holster around his waist with two plastic toy pistols with a red cowboy hat on his head. "Bandits!" Mike TeaVee shouted as he fired the guns at them. "Take this!" To his own shock, real bullets started flying out of them. * "I'll never help you kill Peter Pan!" Bastian shouted as he was held back by Captain Hook's pirates. Bastian was currently a prisoner on the Jolly Roger, Captain Hook's ship, where he'd been forced into working as a cabin boy. "Are you sure he's not one of the Lost Boys, Cap'n?" Smee asked nervously. "Perhaps it is possible, given what we found on our lost mission to shore," Hook replied as he put his hook under his chin to think about it. "And since Pan has returned, he's sure to bring more cannon fodder from the outside world, which is why we must stop him before he leaves again." "Lost Boy? I'm not a Lost Boy, I'm just--" Bastian's cries were muffled by one of the pirates putting his hand over Bastian's mouth. "Tie him down for the night, we'll go to shore at first light," Hook ordered as Bastian was dragged away. He pulled Smee closer. "Minus the rogue Lost Boys that Pan brings back with him, there should be only one Lost Boy left. Here's what we do..." * Fantasia "You're letting the potion overcook again!" Engywook the Gnome said to his wife in a frantic tone as he rushed toward the cauldron. "If it overheats it won't be fit to remove a stain, much less a curse!" "Oh, stop it, you old worrywart!" Urgl, his wife, replied as she continued to stir the potion. "I've been doing this for 700 years and I've not messed up a potion yet!" "When you've been doing it for 800 years, I'll believe you!" Engywook replied as a loud pounding came at the door. "It's a quake!" "No, you old fool, someone's at the door!" Urgl told him as she smacked on the behind with the wooden spoon. "Don't be rude, go answer it!" Engywook rushed toward the door and opened it, finding the giant sized Atreyu kneeling down to look inside the tiny door. "Why, it's Atreyu! My, how you've grown since last I saw you!" Engywook replied. "Hello, Engywook, Urgl," Atreyu told them, trying not to speak so loudly that it would hurt their ears. "I'm sorry to arrive without announcing myself, but I've come in need of your assistance." "Why, of course, my boy!" Engywook said excitedly. "What can I do for you?" "What can WE do for you?" Urgl corrected. "Well, it started when Bastian returned to Fantasia earlier today," Atreyu said as he began telling them the story about how AURYN was now allowing travel between various worlds. Minutes later, Atreyu was sitting there with his arms around his legs as he finished his tale. " And now the Childlike Empress believes that a war could be looming, and I must prepare the army to defend our world." "Then you'll need a lot of magic potions," Engywook replied as he pulled out a book. "Protection potions, healing potions, transformation potions, just name what you need!" "For right now, just whatever you can prepare quickly," Atreyu replied. "The Childlike Empress believes we don't have much time, so I must go inform the others. I shall return as quickly as I can for whatever you have for me." "We'll get to work right away!" Engywook replied as Atreyu stood up and looked out into the distance. He still had a long way to travel, and lots more Fantasians to see. * Huck pushed Tim out of the way as Mike TeaVee fired off several shots at them before he realized there were actual bullets coming from his guns. "What the hell?" Mike asked as he ran off into the forest, wondering where he was and where his kidnapper had disappeared to. The last thing Mike remembered was going to bed the night before to get some rest. In the morning he was supposed to be taking a tour of a candy factory where a prize was being offered, which he was sure to win. As he drifted off to sleep, he saw something fly in his window, and the next thing he knew, Mike found himself waking up inside of a burlap sack. "That kid is insane, he is!" Tiny Tim said as Huck helped him up. "Think we should go after him?" "HELL NO!" Huck told him. "I'm not riskin' my ass going after that loon! He's got a gun! Gettin' stabbed is one thing, I ain't about to take a bullet! We're gonna find Bastian, come back for Nibs, then get the hell out of this place!" * Bastian struggled with the ropes that held him strapped to the mast as he stared out into the water. He hoped Huck and Tiny Tim were safe, but as long as Hook had AURYN hidden in the hold of the Jolly Roger, none of them were going anywhere. "Why couldn't I have just taken Correander's advice and just went outside to play?" Bastian asked himself. "Now the entire literary universe is in danger, and it's all my fault. I have to get AURYN back." Bastian looked around for something, anything, that could help him get free. He saw a sharpened piece of wood that had broken off of the ship's railing. It looked sharp enough to cut the ropes, given enough time. Bastian reached out for the piece of wood with his bare foot, grabbing it between his toes after a minute of stretching over to reach it. Now he just had to get it up to his hands. * Atreyu was riding his beloved horse Artax through the land, arriving at the Swamp of Sadness. He pulled the reign of his horse and pulled back. "No, we'll go around," Atreyu told the horse. "I lost your father in these swamps, I'll not lose you as well. We may lose a day, but I'll not risk losing another friend. Let's go!" The horse let out a huff before backtracking to find an alternate path around the swamp. * Peter Pan yawned and stretched before jumping out of the bed, ready to start the day. "Good morning, Nibs! Hey, why are you wearing that chain around your ankle?" "You put this on me, you were punishing me," Nibs replied. "Remember? Five years ago?" "Nibs, you silly boy," Peter laughed. "I didn't punish you, now stop playing games. I want you to meet our new Lost Boy." "New Lost Boy? But what about the others?" Nibs asked as he slid the chain off, Huck and Tiny Tim having freed him the night before. "What others? It's just you and me, my friend," Peter giggled before he flew toward the door. "Now come on, we have things to do and adventures to go on!" Nibs paused for a moment, hoping his new friends were alright. He hadn't flown in five years, so it took a minute to get off the ground and get the hang of it again. He pictured his happy thought of flying through the air with his friends, and feeling the wind against his face as he lifted off the ground and flew after Peter. Up above in the forest, Peter found the empty burlap sack where Mike TeaVee had been placed in the night before. Nibs arrived in time to see Peter flying around to look for the newest Lost Boy. "He was right here!" Peter said as he looked at Nibs. "He must have gotten loose and is lost in the forest. We must find him before he gets himself into trouble!" "Who are we looking for?" Nibs asked as he flew toward Peter. "The new Lost Boy, his name is Mike," Peter replied. "I found him on my travels to the outside world. You should see it, Nibs, I've found all new worlds to explore! I'm going to bring more Lost Boys here and start a whole new family for us!" As Peter took off, Nibs just stood there, staring up at his leader, who was out of earshot by then. "But... but we already had a family." * Dawn was approaching as Bastian had finally managed to get the piece of wood into his hand and was trying to cut the rope. As the sun had finally risen, Hook burst open the door to the Captain's quarters and greeted the new day. "Rise and shine, men! Today is the day that we bring Peter Pan to his knees!" Hook gleefully said as he walked over to Bastian. "And this is the lad who is going to bring us victory!" "I'm not going to help you!" Bastian shouted again as he finally broke free of his ropes, only for the Captain's hook to pierce his shoulder, pinning him back to the mast. He screamed in pain as Hook twisted into the wound deeper. "Oh, you are going to help me, boy," Hook said in a calm voice. "Nothing will stop me from bringing Peter Pan to justice. Get the boats ready, men! We leave at once!" Hook pulled his blade out of Bastian's shoulder as the young man fell to his knees in pain. He clutched his wound, trying not to completely break down. * Mike was continuing to wander through the Neverland Forest, hoping to find someone who could help him get home. At this point he realized he wasn't dreaming and just wanted to get out of this place. He still had time to make it home to win the prize at the factory, he just needed to get home quickly. A rustling noise was heard as Mike looked around in a panic. He didn't know what was out there, but he wasn't about to show fear. All the westerns he watched on television and he never saw anyone show fear in the face of danger, and Mike Teavee wasn't about to show it, either. He pulled out his toy pistol and aimed it. "Show yourself, varmint!" Mike said nervously. A loud snap was heard as Mike fired his pistol in a random direction, still wondering why his toy pistols were able to fire live rounds. A loud shriek was heard as an innocent multi-colored bird hit the ground with a loud thud. Feathers gently floated down around the bird as blood seeped out onto the ground all around it. "No, no, no! What have I done?" * "I think we're lost," Tiny Tim said as Huck carried him on his back once again. "I've seen that tree three times in the last hour, I have." "Dammit," Huck said as he stopped to rest. "This is getting us nowhere. We need a map or something. Or a guide. We need Nibs." "Well, there he goes now," Tiny Tim said as he pointed upward at Peter and Nibs flying over the threes. "People can fly in this place?" Huck asked as he scratched his head. "We're gonna have to follow 'em. They might lead us to Bastian." * Hook's crew rowed to shore, bringing Bastian along with them. His hands were bound in front of him as he was forced to walk after leaving the boat. "We'll find a nice open spot to leave the boy where Pan can find him," Hook said confidently. "Then we'll spring our trap." "Peter Pan is way too clever to fall for a trap like this," Bastian told him. "I'm not a Lost Boy. Why would he stop for me?" "Because he's rebuilding his ranks," Hook assured him as they walked along. "He has no Lost Boys left to command, so soon he'll be bringing fresh blood to Neverland. He'll see you and try to recruit you to his side." "Wait, how is that possible?" Bastian asked. "You're still alive, so this must be early in the book. How are there no Lost Boys left now? I've read this story a hundred times, the Lost Boys only leave Neverland at the end of the book to grow up and live adult lives well after you've been defeated." "What madness are you speaking of, boy?" Hook asked. "What book?" "Something's changing," Bastian said as he looked down at his bound wrists. "AURYN. The Neverending Story changes everytime someone reads it. AURYN's spreading the same effect to every world it's coming into contact with. That means Tom and Huck's world, and Tiny Tim's world, they must be changing, too." "He's got the madness, Cap'n," Smee told Hook nervously. "We should put him down before it spreads to the rest of us." "Not before Peter Pan is brought before me to pay for his crimes!" Hook said as he bared his sharpened hook at Smee's throat. "The boy may be losing his mind, but he's still of use to us. Onward, men! Victory is close!" * "Where are we going, Peter?" Nibs asked as they flew over the trees. "To check up on Hook. We haven't played with him in ages," Peter said cheerfully. "I want to see how Captain Codfish is doing these days." "Peter, where are the others?" Nibs asked nervously. "Slightly? Toodles? The twins?" "Never heard those names before in my life," Peter said as he tried to remember. "Nope, don't recall a single name. It's always been just you and me, but that's going to change. After we're done with Hook, I'll show you the doorway and we can bring more Lost Boys back to Neverland to play with us!" Peter flew on ahead as Nibs wondered what happened to his fellow Lost Boys. * "I'm sorry," Mike said as he cried over the body of the bird he'd killed with his toy pistol. For all his anting to own a real gun and shoot it, he wasn't prepared for taking a life. "I was just playing. I didn't mean to kill you. Please, don't be dead." Mike wiped the tears from his eyes as he realized the bird's blood had gotten onto his hands and cowboy pajamas. He looked down at the blood and started to panic. He picked up the toy pistols and tossed them as far away as he could, now realizing how deadly his obsession with guns and cowboys is. He heard rustling coming from further into the forest as he got to his feet and looked around for a place to hide. He started climbing a tree as Hook and his men started to come through with their captive. "Look, Cap'n, an Aunt Jamima Bird," Smee told him as he saw the dead animal. "Aren't those supposed to be extinct?" "Well, I suppose they are now," Hook told him as he looked at the bird's body. "This bird couldn't have been killed by Pan as he doesn't possess a firearm. It's been shot. And since I know none of my men are stupid enough to do something like this and kill such a majestic creature, that means that there must be a new player in our little game. Keep your eyes peeled, men, we're dealing with a vicious and remorseless killer. One who takes delight in killing innocent animals." Mike swallowed hard as he sat in the tree, taking in Hook's words as a tear fell down his cheek. * "That should be just about everyone," Atreyu said as he sat atop his horse after a long journey throughout Fantasia. "That just leaves the Rockbiters and we can start our defense of Fantasia against the coming evil. Go, Artax, to the Rockbiter's home!" The horse huffed as he got ready to travel to the last destination, just as Falcor landed infront of Atreyu. "I bring a message from the Childlike Empress," Falcor told Atreyu as he motioned to a charm around his neck. It started to glow as an image of the Childlike Empress appeared in a hologram in front of the young man. "Atreyu, as I feared, the walls between our world and the worlds beyond ours are growing thin," the Childlike Empress warned him. "A great evil is working their magic through AURYN and causing the worlds to merge." "What about Bastian? Is he alright?" Atreyu asked. "Bastian is in great danger, and has been separated from AURYN," the Childlike Empress told him. "I can not contact him, or anyone in his group. Return to the tower, Atreyu, the time has come for you to join Bastian on his adventure." * "I think I saw them fly this way!" Huck said as he tried to run as fast as he could with Tiny Tim on his back. Since Tiny Tim was crippled and needed a crutch to walk, carrying him just seemed faster. "I wonder where they're headed?" "Who cares? They can get us out of this forest and to where ever Bastian is!" Tiny Tim told him. "If he's still alive." "Don't talk like that, Tim," Huck told him as he skipped over a log without losing his balance. "Bastian's still alive, and he's going to get us home. You'll see." "Shouldn't you be paying attention to the path?" Tiny Tim asked as he saw Huck continuing to look up. "I need to keep sight of Nibs," Huck told him. "If we lose them, we'll never get out of here." "Yeah, it's just that-" Tiny Tim said as Huck jumped over another log, but this time there was a drop. A steep one, at that, which caused the two young men to hit a hill where they began rolling and sliding for well over a minute before they hit the bottom. * Mike had climbed down from the tree as soon as Hook and his crew had left the scene. Mike walked over to the bird and kneeled down to touch its dead body. "I am so sorry," Mike told the creature. "I swear I will never touch another gun as long as I live." Mike then looked up and saw Peter and Nibs flying overhead, heading to who knows where. He stood up and recognized Peter as the shadowy figure standing in his window the night before as he was drifting off to sleep. He took one last look at the bird before tossing his hat and gun holster away before running after the two flying boys. * After arriving back at the palace, Atreyu rushed to find the Childlike Empress. "You sent for me?" Atreyu asked as he bowed before her. "Rise, Atreyu, we haven't much time," the Childlike Empress told him as he walked behind her. "You must find Bastian and aid him on his quest." "But how? AURYN is with Bastian," Atreyu told her. "And only its power can travel through worlds." "You and Bastian are different sides of the same coin," the Childlike Empress told him. "You are brothers, twins. Kindred spirits and soul mates. Where ever Bastian goes, you can follow him, no matter where he is, even without AURYN as your guide." "Then I shall go to him at once," Atreyu told her. "I will rescue my brother." * "This is second time I've been tied up in the same day," Bastian said as he found himself attached to a large oak tree. "I hope this doesn't become a running gag." "You're sure this is where you want to do this, Cap'n?" Smee asked nervously. "Once Pan learns what this place is-" "Why do you think I brought him here?" Hook asked with a gleeful smirk as he held up his hook hand. "It has been five years, Smee. Five long years since I have seen that brat's face in Neverland. And I have used that time to prepare for his return, and plan well I have. Once Pan arrives here, he'll see that Captain James Hook is not one to be messed with. Peter Pan's last stand will be made here, Smee. Because I'm about to pull his wings off. Permanently." Bastian looked out at the Jolly Roger, which wasn't too far from the shore. He was sure he could make the swim if given the chance, he just had to get free of the ropes holding him. If he could get to AURYN, he could get to his friends and then get them to where ever the source of evil is. Then things could be put back to normal. Peter and Nibs were getting closer as Smee watched them through a telescope. "Here he comes, Cap'n! Peter Pan is coming!" "Into hiding, men!" Hook shouted. "Get ready to strike when I give the order!" The pirates started hiding in the trees and behind rocks, ready to emerge when Hook gave the word to do so. Hook hid with Smee behind a bush as they watched Peter flying over. "Peter, look!" Nibs said as he pointed to Bastian, who had a rag shoved in his mouth to keep him quiet. "Is that the boy you brought here?" "No, but I am curious as to why he's tied to a tree," Peter told him as he flew down and landed just a few feet from Bastian. "How did you come to be tied to a tree, boy?" Bastian mumbled incoherently with the rag in his mouth as Peter tilted his head. "I didn't catch that." "Maybe if you took the rag out of his mouth," Nibs suggested. Peter just shrugged and grabbed the rag, pulling the rag out as Bastian spit out onto the ground. The rag wasn't exactly clean. "Get out of here, it's a trap!" Bastian told him. "It's Hook, he's-" "NOW!" Hook shouted as a net fell on top of Peter and Nibs, trapping them underneath. As Peter reached for his blade, Hook dug his bladed hand into Peter's arm and grabbed it from him. "Not today, boy. You'll not be escaping my wrath so easily." "You still haven't learned," Peter laughed at him, wincing a little from his stab wound. A little magic from Tink once her found her would fix him right up. "I always win, Hook. I'll get out of here and defeat you again!" "Not. This. Time," Hook said as he dug Peter's blade into the young man's shoulder, pushing it in nice and deep so that Peter could feel the entire blade go through his body and out the other side. Peter cried out in pain as the pirates laughed at his misery. "You should have never returned to Neverland, boy. Especially not after the long time you've been gone." "I'll kill you!" Peter shouted through the tears in his eyes. "I'll cut off more than your hand this time!" "Such empty threats from a powerless child," Hook told him as he stepped away. "Remove the net so that young Peter Pan can get a good look at what's been going on in his precious Neverland since he's been away." The net was removed as Peter and Nibs were pushed to the ground. As Peter's head hit the soil, he noticed something small in the grass. A tiny skeleton with a pair of faded wings attached. It was a fairy, and it was long dead. As Peter raised his head, his vision caught more and more tiny skeletons, all littering the ground for as far as the eye could see. "Welcome to the resting place of every fairy in Neverland!" Hook said as he raised his hands in victory while his men cheered. "You see, Peter, for the last five years me and my men have hunted and we have hunted and we have hunted, searching every nook and cranny for every last fairy we could find. Under rocks, in the trees, in the flowers, we left no stone unturned. And every time we caught one, it was brought here. And do you know what we said? DO YOU!?" "I don't believe in fairies," Peter whispered with nonstop tears falling down his face as he looked at the slaughtered fairies all around. "I DON'T. BELIEVE. IN FAIRIES!" Hook shouted right at Peter's reddened face. "Selfish, spoiled, brat! Did you really believe you could leave Neverland for five years and nothing would change with me around? I have spent your time away, molding and twisting this place to fit me! It is I that Neverland answers to now!" "Tink." Peter sobbed as Hook just laughed. "She was the last to go," Hook told him with a sneer. "Even though she was the first one caught. I pulled her little wings off just so she couldn't escape," Hook reached into his shirt and pulled out a necklace with a tiny bottle tied to it. Inside was a tiny skeleton. "I kept her as a momento." "You monster!" Peter shouted as he tried to stand up, but was quickly pushed back down. "The Indians would never--" Hook laughed harshly in Peter's face. "The Indians? It took a long, hard battle, but they were the first to go. They weren't killed, mind you, but Neverland is no longer there home. I don't know where they ended up, but they shall never disgrace my Neverland with their presence again! And then after they were banished, we took your precious fairies away from you. One by one. And now, with no fairy magic and your innocence fading in the loss of all this chaos, I will allow you to try to strike at me." Peter got up and angrily rushed at Captain Hook, attempting to fly as he did. As he jumped off the ground, he fell face first into the dirt as the pirates laughed at him. "Wrong, this is all wrong," Bastian cried as he looked around. "This doesn't happen in the book. What have I caused?" "You have lost all of your worldly powers," Hook said as he reached down and picked Peter up by the hair. "You are now nothing more than a mere, powerless boy. And you are completely at my mercy." "And what of the Lost Boys?" Nibs asked as Hook shoved Peter's face back into the dirt, kicking him over onto his back. "Foolish, child, you are the last of the Lost Boys. We could never find you after Peter left," Hook smirked as he ran his hooked hand under the boy's chin. "I don't know how you managed to hide from us for so long, but now Peter can watch you die right in front of him." * Huck opened his eyes and saw Tiny Tim laying unconscious next to him. Huck picked himself up and gently nudged his friend. "Tim, wake up. We have to get out of here and find Nibs." "Where are we?" Tiny Tim asked as he got up and looked around. The ground was covered in fog as he looked around for his crutch. "I think I see my crutch over there." Huck reached down to pick it up, but instead pulled a skeleton arm up. "What the hell?" Huck fell backward, landing on top of another skeleton as the fog started to clear due to him moving about. The more fog that cleared, the more skeletons were revealed. "Huck, these were children," Tiny Tim said as he looked around at the small skeletons. "I think we just found the Lost Boy's Cemetary." TO BE CONTINUED... Next: Is Neverland doomed? Or is there a new hero waiting in the wings to set things right?
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By Tobias ChristopherAuthor, luckdragon trainer Archives
November 2019
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