Runners of Neverland

Hook

As the sun rose higher in the sky, casting its golden rays over the island, Y/n took a deep breath, taking in Neverland. This place was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Everywhere she looked, she saw something that had to be purely magical, from the strange berries hanging from the trees to the colourful birds flying over the sea.

She turned to face the ocean. It stretched out before her, vast and infinite, its rich, turquoise colour twinkling in the sun.

She stood there, mesmerized, as the waves danced in harmony with the fading sunlight. The water seemed to beckon me forward, its rhythmic melody inviting her to become part of its eternal dance.

"First time seeing the ocean, Greenie?" Newt asked, joining her side.

Y/n nodded, unable to tear her eyes away. "It's incredible. I never thought I'd get the chance to see something so... beautiful." 

Well, she hadn't really counted on leaving the orphanage before she came of age either.

Y/n turned to face Newt, a gentle breeze sweeping through her hair. She bent down and began to unlace her worn orphanage boots, feeling the  sand, warmed by the morning beneath her feet for the first time.

She turned back towards the sea, one thought, and one thought only sitting in her mind.

But someone beat her to it, a sudden splash erupted from the water, sending droplets scattering through the air. Y/n turned to see Minho emerging from the waves with a grin stretched across his face, his laughter ringing in her ears.

"Looks like someone's ready for a swim!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he shook the water from his hair.

Newt chuckled, shaking his head at Minho. "Leave it to Minho to liven things up."

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Minho waded closer, sending another splash in our direction. "Come on, Greenie!" he called, beckoning me with a playful gesture.

With a playful grin, Y/n ran to the water and splashed back, the cool water washing away her worries.

As she splashed back at Minho, Y/n noticed Newt watching from the shore. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he rolled up the cuffs of his pants and waded into the shallows, joining in the splashing.

"Can't let Minho have all the fun, can I?" Newt quipped, a playful grin spreading across his face as he sent a well-aimed splash towards Minho.

"Two against one, Minho!" Newt announced, continuing to splash Minho.

"Bring it on, Newt!" Minho shouted, embracing the challenge.

The three had been playing in the water for quite a while now, and the sunrise had finished. The sky was now a rich and endless blue. Newt and Minho had decided on showing her around more of the island.

For a while, they walked along the shore, but sticking to the treeline that was around fifty metres away from the water. Minho was in front, and Newt behind Y/n, and as they walked, they'd point out a fancy-looking plant or an iridescent beetle every now and then.

After a while, Minho stopped abruptly, and Y/n nearly crashed into the back of him. 

"What the he--" she started, but was cut off by a loud "SHH" from both directions.

Y/n shut up, and looked around. She couldn't see anyone around other than Minho and Newt, though there was a large ship up ahead, but nothing else.

"Be very quiet and very careful, or you'll be very quiet and very dead," Minho hissed. Y/n nodded, and the trio continued to creep along just beyond the treeline.

Approaching the ship, Y/n heard the sound of creaking wood and distant footsteps, occasionally punctuated by yells and the occasional swear. Minho motioned for her to stay low and quiet. Peering through the foliage, Y/n caught sight of a figure on the deck of the ship – a man dressed in red pirate attire, a long coat billowing around him.

His large hat cast a shadow over his face, but his sharp, calculating eyes scanned the treeline  as if sensing their presence. His hat had a massive feather in it, and squinting, Y/n could just make out a ridiculous moustache. He would have looked funny, but he had this formidable air about him, and Y/n knew that despite his ridiculous attire, this was not a man to be messed with.

"That's Captain Hook and his pirate crew," Minho whispered, "You wanna look out for them because he takes people. He kidnaps them and takes them to his ship, and when they come back, they're–" He trailed off.

"They're what?" 

"They're not quite the same. They don't believe in Neverland anymore, no matter how much convincing you have, then Neverland doesn't accept them anymore. We have to take them back to the real world," Minho replied.

"What does he do to the people he takes?" Y/n pressed. What could one do to make one cease to believe in the land they were actually in?

"We don't know." Newt spoke this time, still not taking his eyes off Hook and his ship, "All we know is that it's not good. He takes them aboard the ship and they never come back the same. They go crazy. It's like a part of them gets lost at sea..."

Y/n watched as Captain Hook paced the deck with an air of authority, a hook in place of one of his hands. His gaze seemed to sweep over the island, searching for something or someone. 

Minho gestured for a retreat, his expression serious. "Whatever you do on this island, just promise me this: Stay away from Hook and the pirates."