Origins

Origins IV

I wish Criciro had told us how big the sea was before telling us to just go to the sea. It was full of ships, some of which were flying, which I could hardly believe. The water was full of mermaids, which I also couldn't believe. I felt a tug on my hair again. I'd been feeling a tug ever since we'd left, but I assumed it was just branches, but there were no branches here. I reached into my hair, and there, in my hand, was the fairy that had blown me a raspberry on my shoulder before. "Hello, I thought you were supposed to stay in the city," I said.

"You were interesting, you were arrogant and you seemed fun. I decided I'd rather come with you," she said.

"Do you have a name?" I asked.

"Of course I have a name!" she chimed indignantly.

"Which is?" I asked back.

"Tinkerbell," she said back.

"Fair." I looked back up. The others were looking at me like I was crazy.

"You understood that?" Nico said.

"Yeah, it was clear. I don't know how you didn't understand it!" I shot back.

"It just sounded like bells," Tanner said. That explained her name at least.

"Whatever, let's just try and find our guy. Criciro said his ship was called Thatcham," I said. Tinkerbell had taken to sitting on my shoulder by now. Eventually we found our ship.

"Hello?" I called.

"Who's there?" a gruff voice responded. Then a man in a wide brimmed hat peered over the edge.

"Are you the captain of Thatcham?" Nico asked.

"Who's asking?"

"Criciro sent us, he said maybe you could help us," Ralph said.

"Fine, I'll send down a rope, but if I don't like you, I'll toss you over the edge," he said. A rope came down a moment later, and all of us began to climb it, me in the lead, of course. No one else was fit to lead us, after all.

"What are your names?" he asked.

"I'm Peter," I said, then I felt Tinkerbell punch my cheek. "And that's Tinkerbell on my shoulder."

"I'm Nico."

"Ralph."

"Jason."

"I'm Tanner," said Damien.

"I'm Damien," said Tanner.

"They lied, they switched themselves," Nico said.

"The name's Hook. Jim Hook," the man said.

"We know," I said.

"Criciro said you might be able to help us get back to where we're from," Ralph said.

"I might be able to. But I won't just take you back. You have to prove your worth to me first," he said.

"I'll never prove myself to you," I said.

"You will," Hook said.

"No I won't. I have no reason," I said. Anger flashed across Hook's face.

"I hope you know how to swim," he said, then he threw me over the edge. I was terrified. I didn't know how to swim! I was about to break the water's surface, when I felt myself stop. I opened my eyes, and I was floating an inch above the water. I willed myself to go up, and I shot up, and then back down, and landed lightly on the deck of Hook's boat.

"I think I've proven myself, don't you?" I said, grinning, fists on my hips. Hook turned around.

"My God, Criciro finally sent the right ones. You guys don't have to worry about proving yourselves anymore, we're setting off straight away!" Hook said, and with that, we cast off from harbour and set off into the open sea.