“Neverland Clock?” Eirwen could feel a headache coming on.

Petra nodded. “That’s why I’ve brought you here to Neverland, Eirwen Darling. Neverland needs your help. The help of a brave knight.”

“A knight?” Eirwen shook his head. “I’m no knight. I’m just-”

“There! Look! You see, it’s Neverland! We’ve arrived!” Petra waved a hand at the expanse before her.

Neverland? Eirwen followed her line of sight and then spotted-

“Bloody hell.”

An island had appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the middle of the ocean. And it was beautiful. The green, verdant island was mountainous and there was a dormant volcano located at its very center. Eirwen recalled his great grandfather’s stories and thought he could recognize what must have been Merman Lagoon with its cascading waterfall, and the Indian encampment with its tall, carved animal totem poles, and conical-shaped teepees.

An unbidden smile had started to form on Eirwen’s face as he admired the island, but then he caught sight of something rather unsettling towards the far end of the island. His lips thinned into a stern line. If Eirwen didn’t know any better the far end of the island looked like it was…disintegrating.

At that moment, a gigantic forty-foot-long worm rose up from a hole before it crashed back down into the earth creating another hole. Dust was sent up into the air and it disappeared before it hit the clouds overhead. The worm wasn’t alone either; there were more of them. “What the hell are those things?” Eirwen shuddered and rubbed his arms.

“Time worms,” Petra explained bleakly. “Time is devouring Neverland.”

Eirwen looked away from the depressing sight, and that’s when his eyes landed on what appeared to be a pirate ship. “Wait, is that…? That’s can’t be Captain Jasmine Hook’s ship, the Jolly Roger? Can it?” A deafening boom filled the air as if in answer to Eirwen’s question. “Is that…a cannonball? Holy shit, it’s coming straight for us!”

Tinker bite Eirwen’s ear. “No swearing in front of Petra!”

“Ow!” Eirwen grabbed his bleeding ear and glared at the pesky fairy.

Petra zoomed around to the front of the bed, grabbed the rope, and quickly pulled the bed out of the way. And just in time. The cannonball went through a cloud instead - leaving a round hole behind.

“What the hell?” Eirwen demanded, his heart beating a mile a minute. “Is that Captain Hook down there? This dream keeps getting crazier and crazier! And why haven’t Joan and Michelle woken up from all that noise?” He glanced down at his sisters in concern.

“I put your sisters under a sleep spell,” Tinker informed Eirwen in a nonchalant tone. “They won’t wake up until I choose to wake them up.”

“Well, that’s…” Eirwen frowned at the fairy suspiciously. “Slightly creepy. But, thanks. I think.”

There was an excited gleam in Petra’s green eyes, and she whipped out a dagger with a wickedly sharp blade. “That’s Captain Hook’s ship alright! She’s spotted us! Tink, you take Eirwen and his sisters to the Lost Girls’ Forest. I’ll keep Hook busy!”

“Understood, Petra,” Tinker grumbled. He wasn’t too happy about being left to baby-sit Petra’s knight and his sisters.

Eirwen looked conflicted by this sudden turn of events. “You’ll…what?” He grew more alarmed when he saw the dagger in Petra’s hand. “You can’t just-” Eirwen was cut off when Petra flew over to hover directly in front of him and nuzzled her nose against his affectionately. Tinker turned red out of jealousy.

Petra smiled widely at Eirwen and winked. “Don’t you worry about me. I can handle that catfish!” Petra returned her attention to Tinker. “Keep my knight safe, Tink.”

“I will…not,” Tinker muttered the last word to himself darkly.

“Hey, wait a second-” Eirwen objected as Petra flew off, heading towards the pirate ship.

Tinker grabbed the rope that was tied to the footboard, and began to head in the direction of the Lost Girls’ Forest.

“Hey, wait, ahhh!” Eirwen was forced to hold onto the headboard for dear life as the bed shot off, flying towards the island. Towards Neverland.

***

“Hey, Hook, over here!” Petra egged as she slapped her behind with her hand. “Blast me if you can!”

Another cannonball was sent zooming Petra’s way from the cannon that was sitting on the main deck of Hook’s ship and currently being manned by Mrs. Bree.

Petra giggled madly as she easily dodged the attack and the cannonball went soaring through another fluffy white cloud harmlessly. She decided to get closer, and entertain Hook while Tinker took her knight to safety. Dodging cannonballs gracefully, Petra flew down and headed straight for Captain Jasmine Hook’s ship.

She noticed that Jasmine had given her ship another new paint job. This time the ship’s hull had been painted with red and pink stripes. The sails on the ship’s three impressive masts had been made out of a pink and red checkered material. The latticed windowpanes of the captain’s cabin that could be seen at the stern of the ship had been painted pink instead of their usual gold. The current flag that was flying was hot pink with the image of a white skull and crossbones on it. Petra squinted her eyes at the flag and thought she could see red lace decorating the flag’s edges. Mrs. Bree was probably responsible for that extra feminine touch.

Petra swooped down low and made a loop around the crow’s nest, taunting the tattooed pirate girl inside of it and that fired a pistol shot at her. Then she spotted Captain Hook just below her.

“Petra Pan!” Hook shouted up at Petra, waving her golden, jewel-encrusted hook angrily in Petra’s direction. “Get down from there so that I can gut you!”

Captain Jasmine Hook was beautiful despite her awful temperament. Her long, raven-black hair cascaded down around her shoulders in chaotic, glossy waves. She was wearing a dark green, gold, and black Victorian-style coat, tight black leather pants and boots with large cuffs. The green of her jacket brought out the dark green color of Hook’s eyes. Hook was tanner than Petra due to being out in the sun more often, and from giving orders while swaggering along the main deck. A cutlass was stuck into the gold sash belt that was tied around her waist.

“Hello, Jass,” Petra greeted casually, flying closer to Captain Hook. “Is that a new hat?” The hat sitting on Hook’s head was larger than the one Petra remembered, wide-brimmed, green, and with a giant black feather.

A muscle beneath Hook’s eye ticked in irritation. “Don’t call me that! You have no right to call me by my first name! I am known as Captain Hook now! And it’s all thanks to you!” she snarled and waved her hook at Petra threateningly.

Petra stared at Jasmine’s left hand, which was a sharp, deadly, solid-gold hook. A flash of guilt crossed her usually carefree expression. “I’m sorry. You know I never meant to-”

“Lies!” Hook cut Petra off as she unsheathed her cutlass and charged forward. She swung her cutlass through the air in a sideways slash as soon as she was in range of Petra.

Petra swiftly flew upwards so that the cutlass’s blade passed beneath her feet. A tiny frown formed on Petra’s face. Although, this was nothing new. It was always the same song and dance between her and Captain Jasmine Hook.

But for once Petra wished Jasmine would just…listen. Things could be different between them. They didn’t have to be enemies.

“I will have my revenge, Petra Pan! I will have your head on a golden platter, and then I will present it to him!” There was a manic gleam in Hook’s dark green eyes as she attacked Petra fervently.

Petra dodged the sword attacks easily. Captain Hook lunged her cutlass forward, aiming for Petra’s heart next. Petra used her dagger to block the attack and the steel blades clanged loudly as they clashed together.

Captain Hook was an excellent swordswoman. The best in all of Neverland. But anytime she encountered Petra Pan she became blinded by her hate, and her attacks became reckless and stupid. Hook let out a frustrated sound as Petra effortlessly blocked another attack that should have taken off her head.

As for Captain Hook’s loyal crew - Petra glanced around the deck and couldn’t stop the amused smile that curled her lips. The all-female pirate crew was also used to Petra and Hook trying to kill each other on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.

Since Hook had already made it quite clear that Petra was her prey (the last pirate who’d tried to interfere had walked the plank) and that no one else was to interfere during their battles, they, well, didn’t.

But, Petra thought they all looked a little too relaxed and unconcerned with the infamous Petra Pan in their midst. While reclining on ornate lounge chairs covered with plush velvet cushions several female pirates were dressed in skimpy bikinis and sunbathing. The bikinis were black and white, red and pink, red and white, or pink and white striped.

The female pirates were filing their nails, enjoying colorful alcoholic drinks and fancy cocktails, and reading fashion magazines. Petra’s eyes narrowed when she recognized one of the titles as being Cosmopolitan. Hook must have taken a little trip to Earth to pick up those magazines for her crew, Petra realized uneasily. Hook’s ship, the Jolly Roger, could fly because of the pixie dust Hook had stolen from the Fairy Kingdom during one of her pillaging raids. Hook going to Earth was never a good thing, and Petra wondered how much damage she’d done this time.

That’s when she spotted a man. Petra blinked and did a double take. A man onboard the Jolly Roger was a very unusual sight indeed. Hook and her crew hated men. And with good reason. They’d all been slaves once upon a time.

It’d been Jasmine who’d led the revolution of the female slaves to rise up against their pirate captors, and had taken over Blackbeard’s ship. Jasmine had killed Captain Blackbeard herself and most of his crew all on her own apparently. Those that had been captured alive, Hook had mercilessly forced to walk the plank.

It was obvious that Hook hated men and had forbidden them from being on her ship. Which made it very odd that there was a man on Hook’s ship at the moment.

And not just any man. He was incredibly handsome. Petra raised an eyebrow. Was he some sort of pleasure slave for the pirates?

But when Petra caught sight of the man’s face she instantly recognized him and wondered why she hadn’t realized who he was sooner. It was Prince Tiger of the Piccaninny Tribe!

Tiger was currently shirtless, showing off his tanned, muscular chest. He was wearing a pair of brown leather pants and moccasins, and like most of the other Indians of his tribe he was wearing a feathered headband. Orange face paint was streaked across his cheeks. Tiger’s long black hair was thick, straight, had orange highlights, and scattered braids decorated with feathers and colorful beads.

Goodness, what is Prince Tiger doing here? Petra wondered.

Tiger was holding a golden serving tray covered in an assortment of colorful, fancy, sweet cocktails decorated with little paper umbrellas that had definitely come from Earth. As he moved there was this clinking sound that drew Petra’s attention to the thick manacles around his wrists that had a long chain between them.

Tiger approached the sunbathing female pirates and offered them drinks from the tray nonchalantly. The pirates tentatively took the drinks offered them, and smiled in thanks. They wore guilty expressions on their faces, however, and were shooting nervous looks in Hook’s direction as if they expected her to make them walk the plank for associating with a male without her permission.

Petra couldn’t help it - she burst out laughing like a hyena at the absurd sight of the brave, proud Prince Tiger serving these pirate wenches fancy cocktails! Petra quickly got her laugher under control though. She had to help Tiger. She flew up and cut a line on one of the sails so that it fell right on top of Hook.

Hook let out a cry as the heavy sail fell over her and pinned her to the deck.

Petra then flew over to Tiger and hovered directly in front of him. There was a mischievous glint in her green eyes. “Good day, Tiger, fancy meeting you here in a place like this.”

Tiger’s dark eyes widened as he looked Petra over. “Petra…Petra Pan?”

Petra nodded vigorously. Tiger was used to seeing her in her twelve-year-old form. Not this eighteen-year-old form. “Yes, it’s me. I grew up.”

“But how?” Tiger asked, a dark scowl forming on his face. One of the constants about Neverland was that Petra and her Lost Girls had remained young girls for hundreds of years. “Why?”

“It’s kind of a long story…but actually a pretty short one. Tezcatlipoca stole the Neverland Clock and broke the spell on it. The clock has started to move again and so I started to age. But, more importantly, what are you doing here? Are you on some kind of top-secret mission? Spying on Hook?”

Tiger held up his manacles. “What does it look like I’m doing here? I was defeated and captured by Captain Hook. She’s trying to get me to tell her the whereabouts of Excalibur.”

Excalibur - the legendary sword of Kings, and the only sword in existence that could slay a god like Tezcatlipoca.

A glint formed in Petra’s eyes at the mention of Excalibur. “Speaking of Excalibur, I found a worthy knight that may be able to pull the sword from the stone.”

Tiger’s brow furrowed. “You brought him here to Neverland?”

Petra nodded, and shot a glance Hook’s way. The pirate captain had almost managed to free herself from under the sail. “Uh oh. I’d better hurry up and rescue you!” Petra wiggled her fingers at Tiger’s manacles. They became enveloped in a green-tinged mist before unlocking and falling to the deck with a loud clatter.

Petra reached into her cleavage and pulled out a small brown leather pouch next. She turned it upside down over Tiger’s head and golden pixie dust sprinkled down over the Indian prince. Petra held her hand out to Tiger and grinned devilishly. “Think a happy thought!”

Tiger took Petra’s hand, smirked, and nodded.

Petra began to rise up off the deck - Tiger along with her. Then they were flying. “Come on, let’s go!” Petra declared as she flew off with Tiger. “So long, you catfish!” Petra called over her shoulder.

Hook removed the sail just in time to see Tiger and Petra flying away, and let out a shriek of outrage. “Argh! She stole my slave! Petraaaa! Get back here! I’ll kill you for this!” The pirate captain waved her hook at their retreating backs.

Petra giggled madly. “My, my!” Hook was always so angry. It couldn’t be good for her health. The duo flew towards the Indian encampment and landed at the outskirts of the village.