Chapter 2: Discoveries in Never Land (Began: 6/28/2005 2:00:03 PM; Finished July 7, 2007, 12:31:14 AM)

Faber, like his companion, was old to the island and world that is Never Land. He was in the crow's nest keeping watch on the sky. As was his duty for that day. He was lounging nonchalantly when he noticed something in the air. Something extraordinary was about to happen. A smile crept across his face. "MR. FABER!" Smee yelled. Faber snapped to attention.

"FOR PITY'S SAKE MR. SMEE I HAVE EARS! I CAN HEAR!" He yelled back down. Smee wrinkled his nose and delivered his message. Faber growled under his breath and leaped down from the crow's nest.

Now, Faber was not as the other pirates, who enjoyed their drinking, and card games, no he enjoyed the hunt. He landed lightly on his feet. He surveyed all that was around him and began the short walk to the poop. Quietly he sauntered up behind the ominous figure that belonged to Captain James Hook. "Aye Captain" Faber said in a loud voice. Hook shook a little, startled. "Do you think it time I go and find Miss Vashti then?" He said. Before Hook could even turn around to reply, Faber was gone. The Captain took out his spyglass and looked at the iced water. He spied a lone figure of a man wearing black boots a cream-colored shirt a brown vest over it and grey tights.

Faber ran away from the Jolly Roger. He sighed and began to think. It would take a day to find which Indian camp Vashti had stayed. (She was on Never Land far before the Indians or anyone else for that matter. Therefore, the Indians thought her the creator of their present world and were always inclined to see that she was well cared.)

It came the time for Vashti to leave. Peter Pan had rescued Princess Tiger Lily, and more that likely he would be celebrating with the Piccaninnies all night. She sighed; she would rather not try to make up for her absence on the Jolly Roger by bringing the Captain the body of Peter Pan. She watched for a moment from her own silent teepee. In the medicine woman's there was chanting and drumming emitting. She scoffed silently and went to find Faber.

After Teddy's head was sewn back on, the Indians started to dance. Wendy joined them. In the corner, she noticed a squaw holding a papoose. If there was one thing that she loved, more than a good adventure was a baby.

She ran over to the woman. "May I?" She asked holding out her hands. The squaw furrowed her brow. Wendy chuckled delighted and took the baby any way. When she pulled back the covers what lay beneath shocked her. It was a pale-skinned baby boy. He opened his cat like eyes and stared up at her. They were forget-me-knot blue! She thought nose was incredibly familiar, but the lips were large and pouting. The hair was not the dark blue black of the Indians, but the black of a white baby. She shuddered to think who or what this came from. She ran to tell Peter of her latest discovery. Just was she was going to tell him, he beckoned her into the woods. She followed him; meaning to tell him, her new information, but she forgot, as Neverland makes one do. She forgot and started to follow, but he pulled her into the undergrowth.

Vashti carefully chose her way through the foliage. She could saw the line of fairies on their way to the nest. She watched quietly and followed making sure that her high heals did not break any twigs. Suddenly something caught her eye. She saw Peter Pan and a girl. She had a strange feeling that this girl was extremely important. She climbed a tree to get a better view.

Not far from where she was perched, James Hook watched as Peter and Wendy danced. "Oh evil day" He murmured. "He has found himself a…" The faire next to him finished his sentence. Vashti heard the last word roll off his tongue. "Wendy" Her gaze immediately returned to the girl dancing. This was the famed Wendy Darling, Hook's creator. She did not know what hurt worse, the thought that Hook's creator was still writing grand stories about him or that he was in want of a love. Was she not enough? She hinted at him that she loved him. Vashti felt something wet going down her face she reached up to wipe it away only to discover they were tears. Something was greatly wrong, Vashti never cried, and even thought that she couldn't. She climbed down out of the tree and went to Dead Man's Ledge.

Hook had set up a splendid dinner. Tonight felt sure that his plan would work and he would rise victorious. Neither Faber nor his companion had returned and the thought worried him, but he put it to the back of his head. He had the tone set and thought out what his plan was. He sat down at his harpsichord and played his song.

Wendy woke up to the feeling of rocking. She went outside the little house and looked around. She was on a pirate's ship, the Jolly Roger to be exact. She went to Captain Hook's cabin. (I will not insult your intelligence by relaying the details of the happenings between Hook, Wendy, Peter, and the Lost Boys.)

Vashti stood on the ledge over the water. It was becoming icy. She could see the Jolly Roger from where she stood. "He must be dead," Faber said from behind her.

"No, just terribly upset. If he were dead, it would all be over. The sky would be pitch-black and there would only be cold." She said.

"Ah" Faber breathed. There was a brief silence. "Something is troubling you?" Faber said putting his arm around her to warm them both up.

She nodded. "I saw her Faber." She turned towards his arm pressing blonde curls everywhere. "I saw the Wendy girl, Faber, I saw Hook's creator, and he saw her." She began to sob uncontrollably. "And he loves her and I love him!"

"Now there, how can you be sure it was love?"

"Faber I have seen that look before. It was love. I nothing but a poor man's Wendy." Vashti buried her head into his shirt, again bawling hysterically. Faber patted her back gently.

"No, she's a poor man's Vashti." It suddenly became much warmer. "I see you were right."

In the distance, the sound of shouting could be herd. "I do believe in fairies I do, I do!"

"OH FABER, how can you bee so cruel!" She wailed. "She is better than me!"

Faber took her by the arms and gave her a good shake. "Here now, I'm not talking about that! I'm talking about the sky."

Vashti looked up at the sky that was going from stormy clouds to the bright never land sky. The thought comforted her slightly. "He shall never receive her love now!" Vashti said triumphantly. The two companions watched as the epic battle between Pan and Hook took place. Suddenly things became cold again. Her eyebrows knitted with worry. "He's dying Faber, his precious Wendy is killing him!" Again, there was a dramatic change in the weather. They both looked into the distance and saw Hook raised high in the air about to fall in to the gaping jaws of the crocodile.

Dead Man's Ledge had its name for a reason. There were several hundreds of very sharp rocks at the bottom, and a swarm of evil mermaids at the bottom. At the thought of the one that Vashti loved so much dying, made her heart jump in the air. She left the safe grip of Faber and ran towards the sharp rocks below. "Vashti!" He shouted his arms wide open expecting her back. "What are you doing?" A wind picked up.

"I'm going to save him Faber, that stupid croc won't be the cause of his death." She growled hotly pulling out her saber. Faber only looked at her slightly exasperated and shook his head, knowing that his words would never reach her. "I love him Faber, and I won't let him die!" She yelled then carefully dove off the cliff. The sudden motion scared the giant standing across from her. He rushed towards the end and waited looked. He wasted no time in wondering if his life long companion was dead or not, he dove in and prepared to save her himself.

James Hook felt as if he had finally met his end. "Old, alone, done for" those were his cursing words and he gave in. After the giant reptile clamped it's massive mouth shut, Captain Hook's survival methods took over. He clawed at the beast throat and dare it to swallow him. The sanguine liquid filled the throat cavity of the behemoth. He saw a glint of silver protruding somewhere from inside the neck and drew his own to help it cut.

When Vashti hit the water, she immediately opened her eyes to search the murky water. She started toward the crocodile with a murderous intent. She pushed herself harder than she ever had. She had to reach her Captain, her love, before he died at the hand of a senseless beast. She could feel herself passing out and waited only a few moments before the evil mermaids came to help her. They respected and revered Vashti and Faber as they were there when the world was created, before the mermaids. A dark haired one grabbed the companion roughly by the hair and dragged her towards the objective. Vashti did not complain as she pulled herself upward to get some air, just as she did, her large green eyes fell on the malicious reptile. Their eyes locked momentarily, and she mentally vowed to see it dead and eat its meat.

Faber saw his dear little Vashti sinking. Nearby he heard a group of mermaids singing. He motioned them to help Vasthi. He knew that she would accept the help. Vashti may have been hard headed, but she wouldn't kill herself unless she was saving Hook's life. She was so far from him, that Faber watched the mermaids pull her to the top of the water. Vashti's blonde head burst through the thin layer of liquid. She gasped for air and shook herself free of the mermaids. Faber and Vashti reached the crocodile at nearly the same time. She stabbed the creature's neck and sliced quickly and carefully. She felt her blade pierce the soft underbelly of the creature with a disdainful satisfaction. She would rescue him, if it killed her.

That momentary feeling defeat that washed over Captain James Hook fell away as he felt himself slide into the slimy gut of beast. He was James Hook for pity's sake, he did not give up just because a bunch of children wanted him to. He did not let go of freedom that easily. He started trashing in the neck of the giant monster. His hook clawed at the red insides and refused to let go. Everything restricted Hook as the reptilian beast tried to force him down. Hook would not give in, he continued to flail his limbs wildly, striking his hook where ever it landed. It dug deep cutting filling the chamber with blood. Suddenly, a sharp knife stuck through the skin. It started cutting through trying to make a gash large enough, but it wasn't working. Hook reached up and started helping the blade cut with his hook. Both patterns were erratic, as the animal continued to fight for his life.

Then, everything was still. The monster stopped moving, but it's body fell. Vashti thought that her Captain was lost to the great depths of the ocean. Her eyes widened and she tried to swim after it. Soon, however she would run out of air; she knew that, but it wouldn't stop her from trying. Faber also knew that. He knew that she wouldn't stop trying until her dying breathe. He saw a pod of mermaids nearby and commanded them to save the crocodile and his friend. They listened. Neverland listened when Faber gave a commanded, because with out him or Vashti, there was nothing. Salvation was near at hand for both of them. He swam to the top and gasped for air. Fighting under water was difficult, but he achieved his objective. The ticking crocodile was dead, and his hide would make a fine pair of boots for the companion. He swam towards the Jolly Roger. Neverland was never going to be the same.