Grim (A Peter Pan Fanfic)

Chapter 7: Doctor Knowall

"Children can see magic because they look for it." –Christopher Moore

***

Elly looks different. Peter remembers her as the small girl in polka dot socks with wild hair and a stubborn but foolish demeanor. Now, it shows that the island took its toll. The pajamas and socks are gone, replaced with a fitted tank and flexible, long pants. Combat boots cover her still tiny feet, but now she appears to walk with purpose. Her boniness is gone. Muscle is evenly distributed. Her hair is settled in a high ponytail. Her eyes still glisten.

Elly stops ten feet from him, narrowing her eyes. "What do you want, Pan?"

Peter smirks. "I thought we were on a first name basis, Elly."

She crosses her arms stubbornly. "You have ten minutes to tell me what you need to."

Peter takes the liberty of sitting on the ground, trying to show that this conversation should go smoothly. "I just want to talk with my favorite survivor."

"I'm leaving." Elly turns to go.

"Wait! Fine." Peter stands back up. "We'll play your way."

"Just tell me what you want," Elly demands. "Why is that such a hard task?"

Peter clenches his jaw. "I want to know what you're up to."

Elly raises an eyebrow. "What I'm up to?" Peter nods. Sarcastically, she says, "Yeah, I'm actually building a jet over on my side and we're working on getting out of here. We also plan to bomb Neverland."

"I'm serious," Peter growls. "Tell me."

Elly shrugs. "I don't know what kind of information you're expecting." She starts pacing. "It's not like I'm recruiting people for a mafia or assassination group. There, now you can sleep better at night."

Peter rolls his eyes. "Why did you make a group?"

Elly stops pacing. "You did. Why can't I have Lost Boys of my own?"

Peter steps as close to the line as he can without going over. "Because—"

"Wait, let me finish for you." Elly gets as close to him as she can without touching him. "You're afraid."

"That's not—"

"You're scared we'll ambush you. You're terrified."

"I am not!" he shouts. "I don't want you having your own group because I don't like having competition. I don't like sharing."

Elly frowns. "You set me up for this life, Peter. You're the one who banished me. I saw that action as an invitation into your world. I accepted, and now you want to rip it up and tell me it's invalid? You can't do that. I started my own group. So what? We won't bother you. That's not what we're about. We're not vindictive. We just want to start over. Isn't that what you wanted?"

When Peter fails to answer, Elly starts walking away again. She calls over her shoulder, "Good talk!"

***

Peter knows she's hiding something. But what? She can't just be over there with her group doing nothing. They can't be training for nothing. They can't be trading for nothing.

He tells Felix these theories, trying to get a second opinion.

"Ask yourself this," Felix starts. "What are we training and trading for?"

Peter falters. "To survive the island."

Felix shrugs. "They have to live, too. They're just like us—besides a few anatomical things—but it's not like they're building an army. I think having people that aren't under your control is getting to you."

Peter stares at the wall. "Maybe." He dismisses Felix. Something else is bothering him. Something he doesn't want anyone to know. When he saw Elly and heard her argue with him, he realized that he doesn't hate her like he should.

On the contrary, he enjoys her company.

***

"What did he want?" Sahara asks before Elly can close the front door. "Did he try to hurt you?"

Elly shakes her head. "He literally just wanted to know what we're doing. And I told him. We're surviving and starting over. I don't think he believed me, though."

"Why wouldn't he?" Joro questions.

Elly shrugs. "I feel like he wants a reason to fight. I mean, think about it." Elly sits at the kitchen island. "He's been on this island for how long? Besides surviving, there's not much excitement, I'm guessing. He might've had some ventures with pirates or whatnot, but I doubt he's had anything to think about besides his miserable life for a while. We're something new, and he doesn't know how to react."

"Let's just hope he doesn't think the correct reaction is killing us," Menthol mumbles.

Elly shakes her head again. "I really don't think he will. He only kills people if they're a threat to his boys or his magic. We're neither. We should be fine."

"He's just gonna have to learn to like us," Cyanide suggests. "Which shouldn't be too hard. We're pretty great."