Lost Girl: Peter Pan/Once Upon a Time

Part VII: Peter or Pan?

I run blindly through the forest, trying to find my way back to the beach where the boat had landed. The trails all look the same to me, so after aimlessly running for what seems like hours, I stop to catch my breath.

My ears are filled with the sounds of animals and rustling leaves, and then I realize it.

I'm lost.

Because I'm not familiar with the island, I have no idea where I am or where I need to go.

I take five minutes to walk to the end of the trail. Obviously the paths aren't furthering my cause, so I decide to wander through the forest without them.

Tree branches scratch my face and thorns catch my clothes, but eventually I come upon a small beach. It isn't the same one as before, but it is a beach nonetheless.

Walking to the edge of the shore, I kick at the sand with my shoes sending clumps of it - with the occasional pebble - hurtling into the water.

"I need to get off of this island," I think to myself.

Since it's dark, I can't see past the small body of water in front of me. Further out, the ocean and sky are blurs of jet-black fog, disappearing suddenly like the end of the earth lies there.

Something in me wishes Hook were here to help me defend myself against Pan, but I know he and his ship are miles away at sea by now.

Pan.

Peter Pan.

It seems that Pan is the name I associate with the evil side of him. I suppose according to Hook that is every side.

What puzzles me, however, is why Peter was so kind to me when I first arrived. If he truly was wicked, why didn't he act that way from the start? Why waste time pretending to be friendly and welcoming?

My mind races with these events from the past couple hours. No matter how much I go over them in my head, it doesn't make any sense.

Peter or Pan? Good or evil?

Maybe he is both.

Peter Pan.

Good and evil.

That wouldn't be surprising.

I let my fingers skim the surface of the water as I sit alone in the shadowy night.

How is it that I always end up this way?

Alone.

I'm always alone. It shouldn't surprise me, but it does.

Then I hear something. Cracking twigs and crunching leaves, coming from the forest behind me. Standing up slowly, I turn to face this unknown danger, as ignorant as that may be. My body shakes, but I tense every muscle to keep it steady.

To my surprise, a young woman walks out, though she appears older than me. Her hair is blonde and twisted into a bun on the top of her head and she wears clothes similar to Pan's, though more fitted to a girl's style.

When she looks up and sees me, she stops and stares. It's like she doesn't know if I'm real or a figment of her imagination.

"Hello?" she asks. "Who are you?"

"My name's Lyv. Pan's shadow brought me here," I say.

Before I can continue, she starts walking over to me and I can see her face much clearer. She is quite pretty, but marks of pain are hidden in her face.

"Nice to meet you," she says. "I'm Tinkerbell."

After this, she smiles and extends her hand out to me, so I grab it and shake it firmly. People here seem to be fond of hand-shaking.

"Hello! Did Pan's shadow bring you here too?"

"No, I came here a long time ago." She pauses. "I was banished."

Though it was disguised before, the pain shows plainly as she says this. Curiosity gets the better of me and I decide to push the subject a little further.

"What happened? Why were you banished, I mean?"

She raises an eyebrow at me as if to ask why I am asking so many questions.

Then she sighs, "I used to be a fairy, and I wanted to be good at it. But when I stole pixie dust so I could be kind and help the Evil Queen-" she stops and looks at me, perplexed once more. "Why am I telling you all of this?"

"I-I don't know," I respond. "People always seem to be comfortable with telling me things."

While this is completely true, I've never had anyone to talk to for long periods of time. Conversations only lasted for five minutes before whoever I was talking to would walk away. I guess I was never interesting enough.

"You know what? Why don't you come with me to my treehouse!" she suggests.

"Alright! Sounds great, Tinkerbell!" I grin and give her a small wink as I say her name.

"Oh please," she says laughing. "Call me Tink!"