Fantasy The dark side of Neverland

[Kaya]

The Lost

R

equisite.

name

Peter Pan

a.k.a.

Pete

age

19 years

hair c.

messy, blonde-brown

eye c.

gray-green

Height

5'9 ft

Body

slender, just a little trained

p

syche.

Hotheaded and impulsive

, Peter appears to be the life of the party. He's

charming, so very alive

, but his bright, child-like behavior just hides something way darker. Maybe he was a sweet, good person sometime... But the spirit of Neverland took hold of his heart and corrupted him. He's

controlled by his emotions

and won't hesitate to make people disappear if they say or ask the wrong things.

♡coded by uxie♡

The Enemy

R

equisite.

name

Captain James Hook

a.k.a.

Jas

age

29 years

hair c.

long, black, wavy

eye c.

forget-me-not blue

Height

6'3 ft

Body

athletic, missing his right hand,
covered in countless scars

p

syche.

The long time (over 200 years) of conflict with Peter Pan have left him

bitter

. He often tried to get newcomers among the lost boys to listen to him, understand how dangerous Peter truly is, but after literal centuries of nobody listening to him, he's given it up. He's a

gentleman

, but whatever it is about the damn boy's charm... it seems like he can't compete with it. After all, if he could, at least someone would listen to him, right? He's resorted to saving men washed ashore in Neverland, people Peter dragged to the island for reasons he doesn't know. He's an

excellent teacher

at swordfighting and handling a ship, though not the most patient.

h

istory

Previously the boatswain of the Queen Anne's Revenge, serving the famous Blackbeard, life soon enough took a turn to the worst for him; they were attacked on Ocracoke island, and despite the captain's, James' and the crew's fighting skills, the legendary Edward Teach fell, struck by three bullets and twenty swords before he did his last breath.
Severely injured but still alive, the very few remaining crew members fled and took off another ship that was docked nearby; the Jolly Roger.
A natural leader, James made sure to reorganize the crew and sail to safety.
What they hadn't expected was that a storm would drag their ship into the strange, never-changing waters of Neverland, never to return.

♡coded by uxie♡

The Problem

R

equisite.

name

Wendy Darling

a.k.a.

Wens

age

20 years

hair c.

auburn

eye c.

honey brown

Height

5'6 ft

Body

a little underweight
but has some muscle one

p

syche.

Compassionate and headstrong

. Wendy had always played a major role in raising her brothers. She is

motherly

and makes sure they are taken care of. Telling stories of fantasy worlds to keep them distracted from the terrors lurking outside. She cares deeply for those close to her. Willing to do anything to keep them happy, healthy, and safe. She often

wears her heart on her sleeve

but it doesn't mean she can be taken advantage of. She had always been someone to

keep her guard up

. Be wary of things that seem too good to be true.

h

istory

The Darlings had three children. Wendy, their eldest daughter. John and Michael. She grew up fast, but still kept a childish charm for the sake of her brothers. Reading them stories and making up games to keep them laughing and smiling. When the war started, her father was drafted and would never return home to the family. They had thought London to be safe, but soon the war started to get closer and closer. Panic would set in and the Darlings would quickly learn how to survive in a war torn world.

Their mother would get injured when she sought out supplies one time. Wendy caring for the woman and doing her best to keep the infection from spreading but it proved to be difficult. Their mother would succumb to injuries and Wendy would tell John and Michael stories to keep them distracted. Of a mystical land far away, where they could be children forever. Playing games, laughing, and not having a care in the world.

That was when Peter would come knocking on the door of the shelter. He offered the Darling children paradise. Wendy couldn't deny her brothers a chance to be free from the war. So they went with him. Not knowing the trouble that would come as they fled to Neverland.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[ZoneyGirl]

"John, Michael get your stuff now!" the sirens blared throughout the city as Wendy tossed a few canned goods, half a loaf of bread, cheese, meat, and a few canteens of water into the worn brown satchel near the back door. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark heavy duty canvas jacket. The green scarf wrapped around her neck had been soaking in water to help keep any smoke and gas from being inhaled. The other two ready to be grabbed by her brothers once they gathered their things. She tore open the lid of a coffee tin and pulled out the various bits of cash, jewelry which included their parents wedding rings, and other valuables. She didn't know if she would have to pay someone off if they were found. She was ready to do that. "Come on bo-"

The entire house shook as a bomb hit the city. Her head snapping towards the covered windows as she could hear the war. The guns and shouting. Her brothers running into the kitchen and she grabbed the scarves and wrapped them around their necks and pulled them over their mouths. Doing the same with her own and pushing the back door open. Peaking around before making the dash to the garden shed that doubled as their bomb shelter. Ripping the hatch open to let them into the basement. She was the last one to slip in. Latching it with several locks before a variety of pillows, blankets and other things were use to block it off.

"That was a close one. Seemed like it was only a few blocks away," John muttered as he turned on the single lantern that lit the small shelter. They made it as cozy as they could. A mattress on one side for their bed. Pictures from a happier time. Books and board games. It was the best they could do. Wendy pulled out the food and made a few sandwiches for them as they listened to the war rage above them. Michael and John playing a game of cards as she sat on a chair and tried to calm her nerves. Tried to tell herself that everything would be okay. That they would make it out of this alive.

A knock from the hatch and she shushed the boys quickly. Praying if it was enemy soldiers they would move on. Even if they were allied or British soldiers she had heard stories of what war made them into. Another knock, this one seemed almost playful and followed by a flickering gold light weaving its way through the barricade. The bell like sound and the latch was opened. Wendy grabbed a piece of spare wood and pushed her brothers behind her as the strange young man entered their shelter. A smile on his face and hand extended. Telling of a place free from the war. Where they could laugh and smile. They wouldn't have anything to worry about.

Neverland.

That was three months ago or maybe it was four. No, five months. Wendy wasn't sure anymore. Time passed different in Neverland. Peter always said it was because no one aged so it was hard to keep track of the days. Or maybe it was just that it felt like she always had work to do in the place they called home. Cleaning, cooking, and keeping the group of young boys in good spirits. It was worth it. To see John and Michael not worrying. To see them smile and hear them laugh. To not worry about the war, they couldn't be touched by it.

She woke up early. Changing into clean clothes for the day and braiding her hair as she slipped out of her room. A few of the Lost Boys were up and grinning about a successful morning hunting. They had already butchered the animal and the meat was sitting on the table in the kitchen ready to be prepped for food. Some fresh vegetables and eggs with it as well. "Least it will be a good breakfast, thanks," she smiled and wandered into the kitchen to heat up some water to make tea. Peter had found her some decent tea shortly after she arrived when she told him she missed it.

"Wendy!" Michael smiled as he woke up and ran over to his sister. "Peter says we are going to play hide and seek today. Its going to be so much fun, even said we can go to Hangman's Grotto to play!"

The name was still morbid, but it suited it as well. "Sounds like a good time. I might take the time to get some flowers or something to liven this place up," she leaned down and smiled at Michael. "And to cover up the smell of boy," she chuckled and tickled the youngest of the Darling siblings. Standing back up and pushing Michael towards the bathroom. "Now go clean yourself up. You need a bath, water is ready to go."

She turned back to start cooking breakfast. It was always a lot of food with the group of boys. Peter and his Lost Boys always had large appetites' she didn't mind. It would just be nice to have more help when it came to cooking, she wouldn't complain. It was the least she could do. Peter had saved them, he was giving her brothers a chance to be kids. She was grateful to him, even if a few things felt off. Just small things she picked up on and didn't know how to ask the questions.

Taking a sip of the tea she made, Wendy leaned back against the counter as some of the food cooked. Listening to the chaos that came with living with a group of young men. Tinkerbelle making her appearance and taking a seat up towards the ceiling. Watching Wendy with a curious yet wary gaze.

 

[Kaya]

Peter... Peter....
PETER!
I'm hungry...
Hungry...
So hungry...
PETER!

"Gah!"
Panting, the leader of the lost boys shot up in his hammock and stared ahead, his gaze distraught and far away, empty of all life.

More... I want more....
I want more!
Give me more...
Today... Right now...
Now!

"Yes", he breathed quietly. "Today..."

It was still the middle of the night, but the hungrier Neverland got, the louder it spoke to him, to the point of sleep being impossible. And it was impatient. If it didn't get what it wanted, things would start to happen. But it didn't want to harm anyone, no, it was protecting them, Neverland, their home sweet home. After all, everything came at a cost, right?
As the leader of the lost boys, it was his duty to pay. To make sure Neverland would forever stay the paradise it was.
And he would, of course he would.
He was Peter Pan, after all.
Both Neverland and the lost boys needed him, so, as a good leader, he did what had to be done. He payed the price, gave up one of his precious boys.
It was hard to choose; a god had to consider every possibility before making a decision, but oftentimes fate or Neverland itself gave him a clear sign of who was to be sacrificed.

The urge to visit his oldest friend made him quietly fly out of the window.

It was near Hangman's Grotto, hidden behind a large rock up high in the scarp that was hardly reachable for anyone who couldn't fly. So for anyone but him. The fairies knew better than to lend anyone their pixie dust around this place, and the lost boys all knew that they were only allowed to come here if he said so.
They loved him, he was their god.
They never disobeyed.

Peter slipped through the narrow gap and followed the long, winding tunnel, cloaked in complete darkness.
He'd walked this path so many countless times, there was no need for light for him here. His feet found the way even if his eyes couldn't see it.
After a few minutes walk, the stench of rotting flesh hit him like a brick wall, but there was no disgust showing on his face. Instead, he took a long, deep breath in, like someone else would do on a medow full of fragrant flowers.

Soon enough, the narrow tunnel opened up into an wide cavern, lit by glowing crystals in the walls. The ceiling, however, was shrouded in an unnatural darkness, a blackness so void of any light it seemed like something had torn a hole into reality itself.
He felt it watching, waiting.

"I'll bring you what you want, later today", he spoke to Neverland's black heart, but despite the size of the underground cave, every sound seemed to die the second it was made, warped around itself and dragged into the all-embracing nothingness, devoured, like it devoured the life of Peter's sacrifices;
A pile of gray, lifeless, rotting bodies on the ground, all in various different stages of decay. Some bones had already fallen to dust, while other bodies were still bloated, oozing fluids, but not a single fly or maggot dared to feast on them. This was Neverland's banquet, and it didn't know mercy.

One corpse, though, was different. Sitting on a small, golden throne, mummified for centuries, his wild, red and black hair still the only speck of color in this place, though it didn't do enough to distract from the twisted, tortured expression on the corpse's face.

The swing left Peter's step as he went to squat in front of him.
"Rufio", he whispered as he reached out to caress the corpse's leathery, gaunt cheek as a look of adoration crossed his face and made him smile lovingly.
"It's time again. But you know, I always make sure to tell them how they're giving up their life for the sake of everyone else. Just like you did...You understand I had to do this, don't you? It had to be one of us. We both have our destinies. You died a hero, my Rufio... To save me. Neverland needs me."
Had he been a little more aware of his surroundings, maybe he would've noticed how the cavern seemed to vibrate with amusement. Neverland didn't need anybody; Peter was a mere food delivery boy, but as long as his delusions made him such a loyal servant, there was no sense in bursting his bubble.



A couple of hours later, Peter came strolling in through the entrance door, a ray of light and brimming with optimism as always.
"Good morning, Wendy!", he greeted her with his sweetest grin and, making the most innocent face, snatched some of the breakfast she was making.
"Mmmh", he hummed warmly. "I really have no idea how we ever managed to live without you. Forget the pirates' gold, you're this island's true treasure. Invaluable, I daresay."

As Michael left the bathroom, squaky clean and his hair still wet, he floated across the room on his back, arms crossed behind his head as he grinned at Wendy's little brother.
"Well look at you, all clean and pretty. Don'tcha worry, we'll get you mudded up again soon enough."
He winked at Wendy playfully as he straightened up. "So I'll be off to Hangman's grotto with the boys soon. You got anything planned for today, sweetheart?"
There was no real interest to his question, but with Neverland demanding the next sacrifice, he wanted to make sure she'd be anywhere but nearby. With someone taking care of the cooking and cleaning, he had more time to play with the boys and visit Rufio, so she really was, in a way, invaluable to him. He just needed to make sure she wouldn't become a problem. But till now, his charm had always been enough to make her forget the questions that he could see were trying to spill from her lips.

"Wendy wants to go pick flowers", Michael answered his question for her, his high-pitched voice lacking any understanding for how someone would want to pick flowers instead of learning to fight or going on a treasure hunt.
"Oh! I think flowers sound like a good idea", Peter threw in with his sweetest smile. Manipulating people was so, so easy.
"You see, Michael, we are boys, we don't care about flowers, but she's a girl. We need to respect that. If she wants some flowers for this place, she should have them, with everything she's doing for us."
Turning go Wendy, he added "The most beautiful ones I've seen grow near Mermaid Lagoon, by the way."

Mermaid Lagoon. The farthest place from Hangman's grotto. He had no idea if there were any flowers at all, but this way she'd be out of the way so he could take care of his beautiful Neverland.

 

[ZoneyGirl]

Wendy looked over as Peter came back into the hideout. He must have left when everyone was still asleep. Perhaps he was being a pain to the pirates that called the island home again. He had warned her about them, said they had killed off a few of the Lost Boys for their own amusement. They would harm them any chance they got. Their leader, the dread Captain Hook was cruel and merciless. At least that is what Peter told her. Stories of pirates never made them favorable characters. She had been taught about Captain Kidd, Blackbeard and other infamous pirates who were made out to be villains.

She smiled a bit, slapping his hand away from the breakfast. "I picture you all would starve or at least have anything tasty to eat," she told him and added a bit of spice to the potatoes she was frying up over the stove. An old cast iron piece that was in good condition for its age. "And in filth of course, you boys always make a damn mess," she watched Peter as he greeted Michael after he was clean. A half awake John slipping into the main living area and pouring himself a cup of tea as he sat down on a bench by the table.

Michael answered Peter's question before she could. "This place needs to look a bit better, tired of all the furs and trophies of things you all killed," she looked towards the stuffed head of a warthog that sat on the ceiling. Shaking her head a bit and turning to make sure nothing burned. "Mermaid's Lagoon sounds good. I am pretty sure I can find my way there." Peter had showed her all the sights, taken her to meet the mermaids that lived in the lagoon. She missed the private dates between the two of them. They had been frequent when she first arrived, but they were slowing down to nearly nothing now.

"Well, breakfast is done, you all dig in," Wendy always made herself a plate before the Lost Boys would rush into the kitchen and grab their food. Taking a seat at the table next to John and giving her other brother a smile. "All good John?"

"Think just allergies," he sniffled and got up to grab whatever food he could. "Still not used to the flora here, always makes me stuffy in the mornings."

Wendy looked over at Peter. "You know might be easier for me to find the Lagoon if I could fly there. Just saying, last thing I want to be is lost and my sense of direction sucks here," it wasn't London. She didn't have named streets and buildings to use to her advantage. She barely knew which was was north here. "Just a thought. That way you all can head to Hangman's Grotto and not direct me in the direction of the lagoon."

 

[Kaya]

The moment John came in, sniffling and talking about allergies and how the local fauna made him stuffy in the mornings, Peter suppressed an annoyed eye roll.
That kid barely did anything bit complain about his one thousand allergies, lecture them on how something could be dangerous, bla bla bla. If it hadn't been for his high-pitched voice and lack of height, the guy could have easily passed as an adult, with how he behaved.
His eyes narrowed just a fraction, barely enough to be noticed, while a hint of cold malice crossed his face. The second it appeared, it was already gone again, replaced by an uplifting smile.
"Oh, I'm sure your problems will be over soon", he said warmly. "You'll see, the longer you're here the more you become one with Neverland."
What a way to describe being killed and sacrificed to the dark heart of the never-changing island. But, hey, it was true, so to say- a dead person was sure to have no problems with allergies anymore, after all.
Oh yes.
The next sacrifice was chosen; the sooner he'd get rid of this annoying party pooper, the better. If he wanted to hear constant complaints about dangers and health issues, he would've brought adults here, goddamn.

After nineteen years of being handed down from one distant relative to another, he'd had enough, back then, had beat his recent custodian to a pulp after eavesdropping on him talking to another relative, and gotten the hell out of there.
Luckily, the fairies had found him and taken him in.
And he had risen to become Neverland's king and guardian.
It was his goddamn right, no, his destiny, to be the judge, jury and executioner, and he wouldn't allow anyone to taint his paradise by behaving like one of those untrustworthy assholes.

He was torn from his thoughts by Wendy, who suggested to let het fly to the lagoon.
Peter furrowed his eyebrows for a moment. He needed to keep her in a good mood, and, more importantly, he needed to make sure she'd stay as far away from Hangman's Grotto as possible.
She'd be way faster if he'd get Tinkerbell to help her, but he'd also risk her finding out about his dark deed if she was to spontaneously decide to visit him there.
What a predicament...

"Hmmm", he hummed and gave her his core-melting puppy eyes. "Let's say I'd get Tink to share her fairy dust with you. You'll have to promise me two things; promise me to not go anywhere near the Grotto. I'm preparing a surprise there and I don't want you to spoil it for yourself. And-"
He scooted a little closer to brush a streak of hair behind her ear, his touch light as the wing of a butterfly. "Just to be on the safe side; please make sure to fly and land where the pirates can't see you. They're anchoring near the lagoon sometimes to watch the mermaids. I don't know what I'd do if they tried to hurt you."
I'd have to cook again. Blegh.
"Tinkerbell?"

The fairy gave him the stink-eye, as always when he asked her to help Wendy, but she knew that messing with him was something she'd be sure to regret, so, she flew over to sprinkle some of the glowing dust over her.
"And don't forget; if you and to fly, think a happy thought", Peter said smiling, a perfect facade of friendliness and innocence.
And tomorrow, or maybe the day after, he'd have to take her out for a picnic near Hangman's Grotto, to make his lie about the surprise he was preparing believable. Maybe it was a little macabre, to have a picnic just a few hundred feet away from where her brother's corpse would be rotting, but hey; what her eyes wouldn't see, her heart wouldn't grieve over.

 

[ZoneyGirl]

"I hope so," John muttered as Peter mentioned that the longer he was in Neverland, the more he would get used to it. Become one with the island. Not hearing any bit of threat or malice in Peter's words. He would never think Peter meant him ill harm, after all he had plucked the from the war torn home. They were free from that and he was happy for that. "Just would love one day where I didn't wake up with my sinuses feeling so damn heavy."

Wendy gave John a bit of a glance as he was trying to deal with his allergies. But she was focused back on Peter as she was trying to get the ability to fly again. It would just make things easier.

He wanted to make a deal, rather a promise. Wendy smiled at the idea of a surprised being fixed up at the grotto. Peter as good at pulling the veil of her eyes, she failed to sense danger. "Well, I won't ruin a surprise. Can't wait to see it," she smiled. A bit of pink flushing to her cheeks as Peter got close, his fingers just barely grazing her ear. "I'll be safe, I don't want to deal with a bunch of dirty pirates myself."

She looked up as Tinkerbell flew over her, dusting her in the glowing, golden dust that would give her the chance to fly. "I know, luckily its hard not to think of happy things when I'm here," it was bright and full of life. She looked over at Michael and John as they were eating with the Lost Boys. Or rather starting a small food fight which was all too common.

Wendy just shook her head. "You boys make more of a mess and I'll have you cleaning it up," she warned with a slight laugh.

"Thank you Peter," she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Ever the sweetheart," Wendy stepped back into the kitchen to put her plate in the pile that would have to be washed when she was done with her little outing today.

"And I am sure whatever surprise you are working on will be good."

She stopped to grab a basket she could put the flowers in. "Just take care of my brothers for me," she told Peter from over her shoulder. "Have fun at the grotto."

Wendy slipped out of the house and it was easy to float up towards the sky and make her way to Mermaid's Lagoon once she saw the bright, turquoise blue water. Making short time to get to it and landing near the waters, close to a bush of colorful flowers. Picking one and placing it behind her ear.

She could see the mermaids relaxing in the waters. Beautiful women, at least the upper torsos. For now Wendy was focused on finding some flowers to make the hideout smell better. A few more of the hibscus flowers in the basket and followed a small game trail towards the beach. Finding flowers scattered along the tree line she could grab.

 

[Kaya]

Not long after Wendy had left to collect some flowers, Peter and the Lost Boys were on their way, too, to Hangman's Grotto.
It was a relatively long flight, across the north-western part of the island, where the mountains sloped into the windswept, steep cliffside, the bang of waves crashing against the rocks sounding almost like Neverland had its own heartbeat.
The Grotto was very much off the beaten path; just a narrow, overgrown trail led to it, and it didn't look particularly trustworthy. Luckily, with Tinkerbell's help, they didn't need to risk falling to their death as they trekked down along the rough cliffside; they could just fly.

As he waited for the right moment, Peter watched as the boys played in the Grotto, protected from the waves by the stone walls around them that only opened towards the north.
The tides created a small pond in the middle that kept growing and shrinking as the water pushed forth and back. And right beside it sat an enormous tree with countless ropes dangling from its gnarly branches.
There were no skeletons anymore, they had fallen apart and been carried away by the ocean long ago, but some rags, probably old remains of clothing, were still there, waving in the wind like macabre banners. They looked old, very, very old.

Uncle Cornelius, Peter remembered at the sight of a dark brown rag.
Great-aunt Phyllis, Great-grand cousin Wynona, Grandpa Roger...
The time of bringing his family members here was long over, it was too much work to hide the bodies, and Neverland had made it clear that it didn't want its sacrificial chamber used as a dump yard for his deceased relatives. By now, whenever he got his hands on a remaining descendant of those dirty traitors, he just resorted to dragging them here and leaving them to drown in the ocean.


Little did he know that many of them had been saved.


"No, don't just stand and watch, mind your footwork!"
James darted forward, wielding a wooden cutlass, and jabbed it into the stomach of a young, blonde man, who slumped over with a groan in response.
"Aren't we just practicing?", he panted, but the captain looked utterly unimpressed as he pushed the blunt weapon into his belt and crossed his arms. "We are. Else you'd be busy spreading your guts across the deck now ", he noted flatly.
Daryl was the newest victim of Peter's kidnapping and, even after two months, still sucked at being a pirate, let alone wielding a sword. He was no warrior, James was well aware of that, but the man needed to be able to defend himself, at least. A crew was only as strong as its weakest member, and weakness was a luxury they couldn't afford, with Peter Pan looming over their very existence like a dark omen.

"I didn't desert the army to be fighting here now..."
The man's words had barely been more than a low grumble, but loud enough for the captain to hear them and snap.
With an impressively swift motion, he unsheathed his actual and the wooden cutlass and crossed them right at the guy's throat, who backed away until he was bent backwards over the railing, suspended over the dark ocean.
James' mechanical hand was emitting thick clouds of steam as it gripped the handle tighter.
"If you'd rather give up for life than practice, be my guest, but not on my ship, where your decisions will affect every single member of my crew. Stay and learn-"
He moved his sword to point at the island, looming in a few miles distance, "- or leave and die. You have till sunset to make your decision."

Turning his back to the newcomer, he addressed his first mate, a stocky man with graying, dark hair and a beard that made him look like an oversized seal.
"Mr. Gilbert, help me lower the dinghy, will you?"
He really needed some alone time.

It didn't take long for him to reach the beach near Mermaid Lagoon, were he regularly headed when he just... Needed to get away for a while.
After he had fastened the dinghy to a heavy piece of driftwood lodged between two rocks, he took off his long, red coat and dropped it into the small vessel. He'd better not wear something as eye-catching as that piece here.
For a moment he considered leaving his cutlass, too, but just in case one of the little monsters would show up, he'd be better of carrying it with him.

And then he just walked along the water, leather boots gaining some more water stains, not that he cared.
His thoughts were with Daryl. He couldn't just leave him to die out here, no matter what he had said a couple of minutes ago, but he also couldn't let the rest of the crew carry his weight for him, so to say.

With a beaten sigh, the captain sat down on a flat rock and let the ocean spray sprinkle his face, breathing deeply to relax. It was exhausting, honestly, to constantly be surrounded by people, no matter how deeply he cared about some of them. Sometimes he just really needed some alone time.

That's when he noticed something moving behind him, emerging from the tree line.

He'd been so preoccupied with his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed the other person, resulting in her startling the living daylights out of him.
Instinctively, he jumped up, but slipped on the rock and ingloriously landed in the water.
His shirt was clinging to his frame, hair plastered into his face as he scrambled to his feet.
"Oh dear, that's what you get for daydreaming", he muttered under his breath.
How utterly embarrassing...

He was just running his fingers through his hair to comb it back when he stopped dead in his tracks, hand flying to the handle of his sword, but not yet unsheathing it.
Forget-me-not blue eyes darted across the girl in front of him
She looked too grownup to be part of Peter's group of lost souls, but he hadn't seen her being dragged here by the monster to drown, either.
Curious... Very curious.
And curious he was, too.
She was unarmed, as far as he could tell, and instead holding a bag of flowers, so she probably wouldn't form much of a threat.
Slowly, he let go of his sword and dropped his hand back to his side.
"Ah-... Hello?", he finally brought himself to regain his composure. " I don't think we've met? I'm Jas. And you are, Miss-?"

 

[ZoneyGirl]

Michael and John were eager to follow Peter on another adventure through Neverland. The Lost Boys were the definition of freedom to the young men. Leaving the war torn London where they had been forced to hide, to laughing, pulling pranks, learning to fight, and being young boys. Getting cuts and scrapes from jumping on dangerous rocky paths or getting caught by a wooden sword when they are practicing.

He had successfully enchanted them into believing they were in a magical place where all their dreams would come true. Already loyal to Peter and ready to follow him, wherever he would lead them. Even if John was dealing with allergies or worried about their safety from time to time.

As Michael was chasing after the other Lost Boys on the rocks. John was curiously looking around Hangman's Grotto. His eyes glued to the tree that gave the places in name. "Have to admit, Neverland still has its surprises," John said to Peter and gave him a smile. "Suppose every place will have it dark history, would love to know more about it. I mean there are pirates so maybe it where they hang traitors?"

Peter had warned them plenty about the pirates and while John always wanted to meet one, he didn't want to meet one that might try to kill him for just being one of the Lost Boys. Though adults did tent to ruin the fun.
*** ***
Wendy hummed to herself quietly as she was finding a variety of colorful and strong smelling flowers. A few pieces of fresh fruit tucked into the bottom of the basket as she idly ate a few sweet berries. She didn't know what they were, but Peter had pointed them out, saying there was nothing better to eat on the island. He was right, they were a delicious bright purple berry that took on flavors she hadn't had before.

She almost didn't notice the man on the rocks, until she heard the splash in the water and snapped her head towards the now soaking, dark haired man. Taking a step back as he seemed to notice her as well.

She was too nervous to think a happy thought right now. Her and Peter were the only two adults in the Lost Boys. All the other adults were pirates, as Peter had explained. Not to be trusted.

This man hardly seemed a threat as he stumbled over his words and fell into the ocean. Her hand tightened around the basket and she was still caught a bit wide eyes as he introduced himself as Jas.

"Uhh....Wendy..." she looked around for anyone else. "Are you alright?"

She shifted her weight on to her left leg and pressed her lips together. She wasn't sure what to do right now, but the man didn't seem like a threat. Rather the opposite, the idle feeling of safety in a place she still wasn't fully sure of.

"I haven't come across anyone else here. Well that isn't part of the group I'm usually with..."

 

[Kaya]

- Peter, Hangman's Grotto -

Peter was floatung idly in mid-aur as he watched the lost boys play. Internally he made a list. Tootles, Nibs, Slightly, Curly, The Twins, Michael... who of them would be sacrifice to Neverland once it got hungry again, presumably five or six months after it's soon to be delivered feast called John?
Maybe Curly. The kid was rather dull, though his kindness made him an easy to handle follower.
Maybe he'd rather go for one of the twins.
He really had no idea what exactly twins were, and the way they were like, two versions of the same person just weirded him out. One of the rules here was that the lost boys weren't allowed to know anything he didn't know, and the twins somehow always knew what the other was thinking.
Or maybe he'd go for Michael... he liked the kid, really, but he still had to earn his place among the lost boys.

As John approached him with a question about the hanging tree, Peter's face remained coldly unmoved.
"You're about right", he said as his gaze wandered across the playing kids once more. They were all busy and in their own world; the perfect moment.
"Did you know that Neverland has a king? He arrived long ago, after he had been betrayed by those closest to him. He turned this island into the paradise it is today and guards it tirelessly. This tree is where he hung those who betrayed him."

He mustered a playful, conspirational smirk as he looked down at John and raised one eyebrow.
Pointing towards the hidden have entrance, he lowered his voice as he mumbled in a hushed voice
"And I might just happen to know where he is right now. Would you like to meet him? And see the biggest secret of Neverland?"

Peter was a proud young man as is, but right now he would've loved to kiss himself. Luring that boy by using his own curiosity and thirst for knowledge against him was pretty damn clever, in his humble opinion.
"Come on!"
He flew up to the entrance, where he waited for John to follow him.
"All we need to do is follow this tunnel. Don't worry, I'll be right behind you."



- James, Mermaid Lagoon-

Soaking wet, James quickly wiped the last few steaks of hair out of his face, while a bright smile formed on it.
The only adult people he could interact with were his crew members, and although Peter still dragged a new victim to Neverland now and then, it just really wasn't the same as meeting a grown-up stranger somewhere else than on his ship.

But what group was she talking about? The only two groups living on the island were the naive kids Peter brought from the outside world to become food for Neverland at some point, and the natives who had been terrorised and decimated by the self-proclaimed king of the island to the point of living so hidden from everyone that he had no idea whether or not they even still existed.
She couldn't be one of the latter, he figured; none of them would ever walk around here this openly. So the Lost Boys were the only group left...

His eyebrows knitted together, smile faltering as he realized- it made sense.
What was the last thing a child would ever care about? Healthy eating and cleaning up. And Peter was way too arrogant to do it himself, not of he had a chance to manipulate someone else into playing his servant.

You poor, unfortunate soul...

But he didn't speak out his thoughts. No one believed him anyway, Peter just was too good of a manipulator, and he was so tired of trying.

"Well, Miss Wendy, it's a pleasure to meet you", he hummed instead, and forced the smile back onto his face as he took a small, gentlemanly bow.

His mechanical hand puffed out some unusually big clouds of steam as the ocean water that had entered it evaporated. He shook it a little to get some sand out of its joints, and what little was left was crushed between the gears as he flexed its fingers.
Sometimes, smaller pieces of gravel would get stuck and force him to manually remove them, which seemed to be the case with the base joint of the thumb; it remained in a half bent position after giving off a spine-chilling grinding noise.
"I'm okay overall. Just got some gravel in there, but I'll get it out eventually", he concluded his examination. Removing the small stone would be a pain in the ass, but it wasn't the first time he was fishing gravel out of his prosthetic.

"The group you're usually with?", he picked up what she had said as he waded out of the water. "I suppose you're with the Lost Boys then? They aren't the only group out here. The fairies, the natives... most people hide, though, from a lost man who thinks he is a king."
The look on his face was somewhere between playfully conspiratorial and dead serious; an odd mix, or rather the imperfect facade of someone who didn't want to hide the truth, but knew that he wouldn't be believed anyway if he told it.
"You'll find that, for every fairy tale told, there's a horror story, too."

 

[ZoneyGirl]

John raised an eyebrow for a moment as Peter spoke. Talking about a king of Neverland? It was something new to think about and it was hard not to be intrigued by this news. He wanted to know more, even if there was a darkness to the story.

The tree held the very people that betrayed the would be king. "Bit of a dark story, but I would love to know more about this king," he had always been the one to strive for knowledge. Neverland was full of wonders he wanted to learn about. From the exotic plants and animals, to the pirates that hung around the endless blue waters, and he had even seen the remnants of what seemed to be villages scattered around the forest and other parts of the island. Signs that other people had lived here before they came.

And then Peter offered a chance to meet the king himself. A smile appeared on John's face. "I would love to meet him," he was eager to find out more. Meet this king that Peter was talking about.

He kicked off the ground to get to meet Peter at the entrance of the cave. Peering in the dark tunnel ahead of him. Swallowing a bit and giving a nod to Peter as he started to walk down the tunnel. "I'm just curious as why this king doesn't just show himself. I mean if he is the one in charge of the island, why haven't we heard about him before this? Or even met him?"

There was a slew of questions that John wanted to ask Peter as they walked down the aisle. He paused for a moment as a smell hit his nose, groaning a bit as he raised a hand to try to block the smell from his nose. "Think the king needs to clean up a little bit."

They broke into the open room and John stopped where he walked. The color draining from his face and his heart fell into his stomach as he saw the corpses. "Peter...." his head snapped back to the leader of the Lost Boys. "What is this..." no happy thoughts to have him fly out of this room now. It was just him, Peter, and a pile of rotting corpses.
**** ****
Wendy's attention was caught by the sound coming from the mechanical hand. Tilting her head with curiosity. A grown man, missing his hand, and the sword on his hip. It couldn't be. Peter had said Hook was dangerous. The man soaked from the ocean hardly seemed dangerous, even more when it seemed the hand has some minor malfunction. Or maybe a bit more than a minor malfunction from the noise that came from the hand.

Jas was correct when it came to who she was with. She knew of fairies, but there was another group? "I am with the Lost Boys. Peter rescued us from a war torn London. Better than hiding from the bombs falling from the sky," as she said it, being in Neverland was the right choice. It wasn't as dangerous. She didn't have to listen to all the explosions. "I didn't know there were other people here or a wannabe king?"

Wendy took a seat on a fallen tree. "Can't say I've asked much about the island, I mean outside of what might kill me if I eat it," she chuckled a bit and chewed on her bottom lip a bit. "What would even drive people to hide here. I mean I haven't seen much danger. Outside of the pirates offshore," she could see the ship on the horizon. Lingering not far from Mermaid's Lagoon like Peter had said.

"I mean I'll still take being here. I haven't slept through the night for a while until I got here."

 

[Kaya]

- Peter, sacrificial cave -
As he emerged from the tunnel after John, Peter's expression had gone from playfully mischievous to dead serious. Hinim standing in the only way leading out of the cave, the glowing crystals in the walls painted a crown of sanguine light into his hair as the darkness settled around his shoulders like a cloak, invisible claws dug into his waiting, willing soul, for God knows how many centuries.
"What do you know about the spring of eternal life?", he asked, but didn't really wait for the boy to answer.
Instead, he headed further into the cave, revealing that where the tunnel had been, now was a mass of slimy, fleshy substance blocking it, pulsing slightly, like it was actually alive.

Peter went to take a seat on Rufio's corpse's lap, his head leaning against the mummy's shoulder peacefully as he caressed its leathery hand.
"Why are you still standing there? Take a seat, come, right here at Rufio's feet, while I tell you a story-"
With a wave of his hand he beckoned the boy closer.

"It was some time ago. Well, a lot of time. I'd say count the bodies and double the number to know how many years ago, but some have already fallen to dust so it wouldn't be very accurate, I suppose... anyway."
Waving a hand around dismissively, he shook his head. It didn't really matter how much time had passed, honestly, and his sense of time was non-existent anyway. If it wasn't for the regular sacrifices, he wouldn't have a clue for how long he had already been here.
"You know, I never had a home. I had a bunch of relatives that'd hand me down to each other, but they didn't want me. Whenever I tested their loyalty,they failed. So one day I decided I didn't need them, punished that one guy whose name I don't remember and left. The fairies found me and brought me here. But, you see, back then, Neverland was just another island. Full of fairies and hidden from the rest of the world, but nothing special. But it told me the legend. The legend of the spring. This very island, it is the spring of eternal life, but it cannot create time out of nothing. It needs time, lifetime, to work. You see, back then, I had a friend here on the island. He was one of the natives, Rufio. Neverland was going to give us the gift of eternal life, but they fought it, the whole, ungrateful lot of them."
The last sentence had been a condescending scoff, ending in a furious snarl, but the boy regained his composure as quickly as he had lost it, and continued, completely unfazed.
"Only Rufio understood what a great gift it was offering to bless us with. But it needed us to prove our loyalty, so it told us that the first sacrifice needed to be one of us, provided by the other. It had to be him... Neverland needed me. So i did what I had to do and bid my loved one goodbye."

The moment Peter got up, he seemed to grow, a warped figure that look no different, yet like something else entirely, at the same time.
Movements stiff and a little jerky, he pulled a golden dagger from his belt and approached John.

"I'm sure now you understand. It has to be done, John, and you will be a hero, like everyone who came to this place with me before you. You will be one with Neverland, you will be the reason your sweet sister and your brother will be safe for another couple of months, and won't be bothered anymore by your complaints. You will be a real, lost boy."

In the blink of an eye, Peter was suddenly standing behind the boy, blood running down the hilt of his dagger and staining his hand.
"Tell Rufio I love him, will you?", he whispered, before he pulled the blade back and the darkness shot forward, through the hole, to feast on the life of John Darling, while Peter walked out of the cave, cutting his cheek with a regular dagger.
Once he'd be out of the cave, he's sneak through the bushes to make it look like was coming from the beach. Then he'd claim a pirate had attacked him while he had been seeking for John, who had disappeared. He'd say that it must've been the pirates, that they must've kidnapped him, and as always, everyone would believe him without a second of hesitation.


- James, Mermaid Lagoon -
A frosty look of frustration crossed James' face as Wendy mentioned the Pirates being dangerous.
It was just the very same lies, every time, and for some reason no one ever got the idea to question what this homicidal lunatic was spewing.
They were far from the being the actual enemy here, or even dangerous-
Neverland itself was the most dangerous thing, followed by Peter, that-
"Careful, Miss Wendy- do not underestimate him. He might be more lost than all the boys together, but trust me when I say that underestimating him will kill you quicker than any bomb raining from the sky."

He took a deep breath, eyes closed for just a moment, before he watched Wendy from the corner of his eye.
What had made her fall for Peter's schemes?
His charm? His mastery of manipulating people? The fact that he had seemingly rescued her?
Every attempt of trying to warn people from Peter had failed, every single time, so maybe he needed to change his strategy...

"Oh, yes, there's a group of Natives living here", he explained and tried his best to slap a mysterious smile into his face. "Or there was. No one really knows if they're still around, but if you ever want some other company than those kids you're welcome to accompany me to where we might be able to catch a glimpse at them."

Taking a seat on the tree next to her- With a respectful amount of space between them, of course- he watched the waves for a while, thoughts wandering to what she had told him about her home.
A war, hm? Bombs raining from the sky...He could relate, in a way; the pictures of cannonballs flying straight at him and his crew were still fresh in his mind, even though it must have been over 200 years ago.

Slightly tilting his head in her direction, he nodded a little. "I understand, I really do. I haven't experienced a full-blown war, but... let's just say that there are things even two centuries won't make you forget... the world is a rough place. But I can only advise you to stay vigilant. I've seen hundreds of people paying too much for their trust in the wrong person."