¥ - Lost and Found - Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) - ¥

¥ 10 - Unlikely Friends ¥

The next morning Aria followed the same routine she had made for herself. Wash, eat, scavenge. Afterwards, she had the day to do as she wished, explore the forest or stroll the beach. Feeling unpracticed at her archery still, she stood with her bow and arrows in front of the homemade target she strung from a branch. Her aim was pretty decent now she had been forced by Pan to shoot those arrows and she was still angry at him after last night. Never once in her life had she imagined that the cheerful boy she imagined him to be would be a heartless teen.

Trying to calm her rage which she had relit from last night, the arrow that would've hit the target slipped sideways into the forest. She growled in frustration and threw the bow on the ground, storming towards the spring to splash her face with water and calm herself. She sat and counted to ten, using the familiar trick to lull herself back to normal. Taking a deep breath she found a clear spot on the floor and laid down, staring aimlessly at the sky.

She was completely alone now, none of the great friends and family she had before. She missed them, but she didn't miss the world she was from and the fear she felt every time she went outside. She had always felt isolated by her anxiety when she was surrounded by people, but now she was isolated by choice, she worried she would be alone forever. Tears slipped from her eyes as she fell into one of the down moments of her mental illness, wondering if this was what she deserved for not being able to survive the world like everyone else. She wondered why she existed, if there was any point in her creation. She was flawed and weak. Pan had called her out on her cowardice and she knew it was true. She would not be so confident and bold if she did not have the island's protection.

"Lose something?" A voice came from the forest.

Aria bolted upright and stayed sat where she was. She quickly wiped her eyes and cheeks from where the tears had fallen and looked up at Pan. He held the arrow she had lost into the jungle.

"Just leave it and go," she told him. She did not need to see him right now. She wanted to be alone.

Pan sent the arrow towards where the others were before watching Aria a little closer. "Are you crying?" He asked, confused as to why the island's chosen girl was upset.

Aria blinked and snapped back at him, "no, what do you want anyway?"

"I understand that we got off to a bad start. I want to apologise, for treating you like that," Pan said sincerely.

"Sure, you're just glad you had someone to make an example of," Aria retorted, still defending herself whilst she recovered from the thoughts that caused the tears.

"I come with only good intentions," he assured her, holding up his hand for hers to take.

Aria, being too trusting as she was, took Pan's hand up.

Immediately she felt something on her hands and on examination saw it was some black goop. She panicked wondering if it was poison, but Pan quickly spoke up. He seemed to be frozen in place but was well aware of it.

"What is that? What did you do?" Aria demanded to know.

"Squid ink. It stops any type of magical creature or user. I thought I'd try it on you, but of course, it didn't work," Pan explained.

"But you're frozen, why aren't you moving?" Aria warily questioned.

"Didn't I just tell you? That's what it does, it immobilises me because I'm magic."

"And you'd let yourself get like this...when you know I hate you." It seemed too good to be true. Aria was beginning to see the conviction the Lost Boy had in starting over. To leave himself open to her wrath like this was not like him at all.