Never Moon

part 8

"'Pirates!' he cried. The others came closer to him. A strange smile was playing about his face, and Wendy saw it and shuddered. While that smile was on his face no one dared address him; all they could do was to stand ready to obey." 

Peter Pan, "The Mermaids' Lagoon"

----

The sun was setting when she and Peter emerged from underground. Turner and Strings waited with varying degrees of patience. 

Strings hurled a knife into the trunk of a dead tree with deadly, terrifying accuracy. It embedded itself there with a dull thunk. 

"Strings, you're wearing the blade down," Turner said, lazily spinning a compass in his hand. "Oh, hey, Wendy. Pete, I've marked the course of the ship. Scott likes to move it." 

"Not going to stop me," Peter said, and it was in his nature to often forget that he had help. In fact, all of his adventures would not have gone quite so well if he'd been alone. Never once was it just him. 

"Right, because you're invincible," Strings muttered to himself. 

"I can't wait until we get Mikey back," Turner said, shouldering the bow in his hand with practiced grace. "This has been pretty boring without him." 

"I hear you," Strings said. "Well, Wendy's dead interesting too, but nothing quite like Mikey to stir things up." 

Peter's group of Lost Boys evolved as children on the mainland did, you see. For one, they became less and less like his followers and more and more like his friends. For another, the power between Peter and the Lost Boys was more equally shared. On a day many years ago, before the Natives, fairies, and Lost Boys alike were slaughtered in the first battle against the pirates, we might find one Lost Boy in particular who held an extraordinary amount of power. 

It was reduced now, as Neverland was dying, but Mikey possessed twice the power of both Strings and Turner combined. He was powerful and audacious, and yet he was captured by pirates.

It explained why the Lost Boys were having trouble growing their ranks. To put it simply, they all missed Mikey dearly. 

"Is the plan set?" Turner asked. "Is everything in exact order?" 

"We've got everything," Strings replied, clapping Turner on the back. "Don't lose it, mate. We've got your backs, alright?" 

"Right," Turner said, and he slowly relaxed, his friendly air coming over him again.

"I'm heading west," Strings said, hefting a sack of what looked like ordinary fireworks. "I'll meet you lads at the lagoon." 

He turned to Char. "Keep 'em together, eh Wendy?" He said. "They're fucking idiots, the both of them." Strings shook his head in disgust, but Char found herself quite charmed by the steely note of care in his voice. 

"I hear you," Peter said. "And I agree. Turner isn't the smartest." 

Strings rolled his eyes. "Do you see what I mean? Arrogant and so far up his own arse that he can't see." 

"I'll make sure they get back okay," Char reassured Strings. 

"Right," Strings said sharply. "See you later, Wendy." With that, he flipped his dagger into the strap around his waist and pushed off from the tree branch, lifting into the air and disappearing in the clouds. 

"And now the fun begins," Peter said, and an expression unlike one Char had ever seen came over his face. A smile tugged at his lips and a sharp light came into his eyes, and, if Char had to be honest, it was slightly off-putting.