Metanoia - Peter Pan OUAT

Chapter Twenty Two

WARNING: This chapter contains violence.

Metanoia snorted and jolted upright in bed, her eyes pried open and her mind still asleep when the door to her treehouse was swung open in sheer force and banging itself against the wall, its hinges rattling.

"Your laziness never ceases to disgust me."

That all too familiar cold tone with snarky insults being barked her way sobered Metanoia up from her lethargic state, and she rolled her eyes while clutching her chest in attempt to slow her heart rate back to normal.

"Yeah, morning to you too, jerk." She mumbled groggily, her voice still hoarse as a result of just waking up.

"Get up. Your second trial awaits and you're not allowed to have breakfast." Peter Pan demanded, making himself very clear when he rapped his knuckles aggressively against the door to force her eyes to open once again when she found herself slowly going back to sleep.

"Get up." He hissed impatiently. "I'll grab your foot and drag you out myself if I have to."

Metanoia frowned. "Did you say no breakfast?"

Pan rolled his eyes and marched inside, yanking the blanket off her.

"Hey!" She cried.

"Of course your only concern is food, when your skull has no brain in it." He easily offended her, and Metanoia shot him a scowl.

"How can I do my second trial with no food in my system?" She shot hotly, and her hand reached for her blanket across the floor, but Pan swatted it away.

"Ouch, Pan! Stop it!" She yelled angrily, but Pan ignored her.

"These trials are there to prepare you for what's to come by living here. When pirates infiltrate our camp in the morning, will you ask the pirates to kindly wait for you until you're done eating before fighting them?" He spoke in a sickly sweet tone, as if speaking to a child, and she glared heatedly at him.

"No. You don't. Now get your arse up." He barked.

As soon as Pan had Metanoia out of her tree house and into the forest, Metanoia confessed, "I really hate you."

Peter glanced back at her as he walked ahead of her to lead the way, and he shot her a sinister smile. "I quite enjoy the fact that the feeling is reciprocated."

Metanoia rolled her eyes. "Where is my second trial located, then?"

Pan nodded in front of him and they arrived at the mouth of the caves. "The Echo Caves."

The Lost Boys were already sat in the area, waiting for their arrival, and Metanoia's eyes instantly searched for and found Theodore. He gave her an encouraging smile, and she felt her heart swell with affection for him.

"Your trial is to enter the Echo Caves through here, and make it out from its exit on its other side. There are no forks in the tunnels, just a straight path - so you shouldn't get lost in there." Pan briefed her, and Metanoia cocked her head to the side.

"That's too easy." She mused suspiciously, and both Denzel and Felix scoffed as a result.

"Isn't it?" She hesitantly added after hearing them.

Pan smirked cruelly. "The Echo Caves are no ordinary caves, Metanoia. Many have ventured into them and never found their way out as a result of ... distractions in there."

Metanoia's eyes narrowed. "What kind of distractions?"

Pan stared at her for a moment, before claiming, "Allow me to offer you a word of advice which I expect you to follow should you wish to succeed."