Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust

An Adaptation of Peter Pan (A Time Before Wendy)

               When the very first baby laughed, the very first fairy was born. Fairies are born with all the innocence and the selfishness babies are born with. They only follow their heart and it alone, disregarding everything. This is because it is the only thing that they posses since they’re so tiny nothing else can fit. They are creatures of pure emotion, maybe the purest that the universe has ever seen exist, but sadly most of them do not survive very long, most never reach seven for seven is the age when children normally cease to believe.

                Fairies are born by magic and without it they cannot survive. Mortals fuel magic, they are the reason why it exists and why it does not.  They were born with magic flowing through their body. It is strongest when one is very young, when everything is possible and there is nothing that can stop the mind but it becomes weaker when we grow up and are taught to choose what to accept as true and this usually devastates a person when they are seven, the age when they are sent to school. Lucky for Tinker Bell one boy never grew up and this boy is named Peter Pan.

                Peter ran away from home when he was seven and wound up in Neverland after. How he ended up in never Neverland? Only the stars know for they were watching and no one else was. Dreams come true in Neverland so if children got the chance to go to that magical place, he or she might find it familiar for he or she might have just created some of it or it is also possible that he or she might have dreamed of it. Sadly, only some dreams have the chance to be born because sometimes one wakes up before a dream is finished and thus, it was never born. Lucky for Pan, he often dreamed of the wondrous place so when he came, he felt at home instantly.

                Tinker Bell liked Neverland, in fact she liked it a lot. There were lots of places to explore and this meant adventures, adventures galore for her and Peter Pan. They spent their time doing just that, exploring and exploring, never wasting a day being idle. It took them very long to cover the whole island, Peter’s feet got sore every once in a while so they had to stop for rest but then, they would get stuck with mini adventures inside that big adventure. Why would they walk, you say? When Peter and Tink know how to fly? Simple, Peter doesn't know how to fly, Tink does since all fairies do but Peter is a boy. Why do you keep on insisting that Peter knows how to fly? I’m telling you that he does not, but he can fly he just doesn't know it yet, actually we all can if we just knew the secret and since you all seem very interested in the adventures of charming Peter Pan, I’ll tell you the story of how it came to be, how Peter learned to truly fly.

                Tink and Peter were surrounded. They were in a clearing in the heart of the forest surrounding Cannibal Cove and the night was all around them. Shadows were watching, stars were watching, trees were watching and the whole island was watching. The wolves were big, vicious and hungry; their pupils were slits in the middle of their mad yellow eyes, they were snarling and baring their fangs at the two with saliva dripping down their chins and Peter and Tink, they were smiling terribly.

                “Tink watch my back,” whispered Peter as he removed his dagger from his side and then that was when all the fun began.

                The wolves started to advance all at once and Peter and Tink sprang into action. With a loud merry cry, Peter jumped on one of the wolves’ back, dagger held in his left and maneuvering the wolf with his right. His dagger was dancing in his hand, glinting underneath the moonlight. Peter was on fire, he had already slit five throats within 10 seconds, including the wolf he was riding. He knew there were lots more to come and this made him shake with excitement.

              “Two wolves at three o’clock, got it Tink! At twelve! Two more approaching directly behind! Tink, fly higher, see how many more there are. Whoa! That many? This will be a lot of fun. Tink, hold them at bay for a few seconds, let me just take care of this.”

              Fairy wings are a lot like those of hummingbirds, they can fly in any direction and most importantly, they were incredibly fast. So Tinker Bell flew straight for the farthest ring of wolves and within a fraction of a second, she was dancing between their noses. Distraction was Tink’s specialty; she was fast, agile and witty. No one can catch her, especially not a dumb pack of wolves.

              Tinker Bell was driving the wolves crazy. She would kick them in the eyeball, pull out their fur, bite at their tails and pepper their noses with so much pixie dust that the wolves would produce funny wet howls that would send Tink reeling with laughter. Tinker Bell was having so much fun with what she was doing but unfortunately, the wolves would not have any of it. They would try to catch Tink but they obviously cannot. They, instead, end up driving into one another with skull-cracking force that can make anyone cringe or end up being extremely tired and give up the chase with their tongues hanging out their mouths.

              “Hey Tink, how are things looking up? Great! I’ll be there in a few,” shouted Peter from a few meters back.

              Peter finally ended the misery of the wolves under Tinker Bell’s torment. Those who were watching weren't sure if the wolves were thankful or devastated of the fact that they were killed. I wouldn't be sure myself if I were in wolves’ position. 

              After the fight, if you just happen to be Neverland �" if you get to be that lucky �" you’ll find that scene in the forest quite queer for there was a boy and a fairy laughing so hard in the middle of the night, surrounded by dead wolves but I’m pretty sure that you’ll feel a little cheery yourself since Peter’s laugh is a most contagious thing.

              “Bloody hell! Boy, you will pay for what you have done! You have slaughtered my pack and now it’s time for you to pay!” one horrible gravelly voice bellowed from behind a tree and then three big wolves came out from hiding and surrounded Peter and Tink.

              “Oh, so you’re the alpha male and you’ve been hiding with your body guards while your whole pack was dying, very heroic,” answered Peter with a snort.

              “You insolent little brat! Do you not know the way of the wolves? The weak go and die first. I am the strongest and I am their leader and now I will be their vengeance!” shouted the alpha male as he and the other two wolves came charging at Peter.

              “On-guard,” whispered Peter with a wicked smile.

              The alpha male has reached Peter but before it can do anything, Peter held on to its snout and propelled himself upwards, somersaulted and landed behind the wolf with a bow. Tink gave Peter a clap for it was a truly magnificent performance and went to work.

              Tinker Bell was pretty confident that Peter can defeat three wolves single-handedly, in fact she’s pretty sure that the work will be easy, so now it’s has become her job to make the endeavor a bit more fun and she knows exactly how to do it. Tink flew high and surveyed the forest; she found what she was looking for.

                              The forest was dense with climbing vines, so Tink just had to go to the nearest ones and pluck them off. Now, fairies are tiny creatures but they can do whatever they wanted as long as they put their minds to it, so Tinker Bell had no problem carrying a piece of heavy long vine and dropping it on Peter.

                              “Thanks Tink, this would be a lot of fun,” shouted Peter. Tink flew down into the clearing and in a few seconds, she had the three wolves chasing her and Peter had his lasso ready for action.

                “Yeehaw,” shouted Peter like a true cowboy as he threw the lasso over the wolves. It was a direct hit. He had the wolves at their throats and tied them to a tree. It was a ridiculous sight, three big panting wolves tied to a tree while a little boy in cute little green pajamas gives them a lecture about wandering in the woods during the night. It was hilarious; everyone watching was enjoying it �" well except the wolves, who have come to hate Peter with a passion. And that night the whole of Neverland became Peter’s.

                After the unforgettable encounter of the night, Peter and Tink were worn-out, so they climbed a tree and slept there. The next morning, the two were moving again. The jungle was dense. The ground was covered with undergrowth, vines were hanging about everywhere and you can really only see 15 feet in front of you without trees blocking the way, so it was a real surprise what the two suddenly heard: water and a whole lot of giggling.

                Peter ran straight for the sound and Tink was right behind him. A few seconds later, the two were staring at mermaids. Mermaids are a magnificent sight; their tails glisten underneath the sun and their features are lovely.  Mermaids were brought about by the marriage of the land and the sea, therefore adored by those who naturally dwell in these parts but creatures from the air care not for them. This was not a problem for the beautiful sirens for they have a natural aversion for creatures of the sky also but they also did not like everything that lived on land and in water; they were particularly particular.

                They knew of everything that has happened last night, the island had told them and they were very intrigued by this boy named Peter Pan. Naturally, Peter was enchanted by the beautiful sirens but Tink hated them and the fact that they were all goggle-eyed over Peter wasn't helping. Peter ran straight to the sandbar around the lagoon, forgetting everything about Tink, and was immediately surrounded by mermaids. Tink couldn'tget close to Peter, tails were flailing everywhere and water was reaching tremendous heights �" fairies hate getting wet �" it was like the mermaids were doing it on purpose and here I am to tell you that they, in fact, were. This little problem forced dear Tinker Bell to do something naughty.

                No one would want to anger a fairy. Fairies have to be one thing or the other because being so small, they only have room for one feeling at a time. So if a fairy is angry, he/she knows only anger and with anger comes ugly revenge.

                Tinker Bell has very quick hands and crafty ones they are indeed. Tink managed to fly her way behind the heads of the ring of cooing mermaids and made the longest braid of hairs there ever were without the mermaids suspecting anything fishy. Tink now only had to think of a way to make the mermaids swim so there she stood, beside the ear of a red-headed mermaid and made a big wet PPPBBBLLLLRRRRRHHHH that started pandemonium.

                That particular mermaid instantly became furious and tried to swim after Tinker Bell who was already about 30 feet away. The mermaid’s force managed to pull all the other mermaids’ heads forward but fortunately she wasn't able to pull them all under water. All the pretty heads of the sirens banged against one another, all of them were tearing at the majestic link of hairs to undo the braid but none succeeded, some of them even started to cry; it was indeed a very chaotic sight and Tinker Bell was enjoying every second of the chaos. Tink's anger was completely replaced by joy, she was glowing brighter than ever, she was teary-eyed with laughter and was doing cart wheels in the air but Peter was having none of it.

                “Tink! What the heck? Remove the braids now!” demanded Peter.

                Tinker Bell was incredulous; why was Peter mad at her when she was the one who was suppose to be mad, she was only having fun while Peter forgot and didn't care about her. So she flew at the top of the nearest tree and shook her head with all her might. Now she was incredibly mad at Peter.

                “Tink! Tink, would you please remove the braids. Please Tink!” begged Peter.

                Tink was not budging; the mermaids were becoming more and more frantic by the second and Peter knew of only one way to keep them from drowning completely. So Peter took out his dagger from its sheath and cut the mermaids’ hair one by one. That was the day that all mermaids of Neverland had hair just long enough to pass their ears, that all the mermaids of Neverland went to the bottom of the lagoon to cry for their lost tresses and that was the day that all water surrounding Neverland became salt-water. It was a truly sad sight to behold, Peter Pan was broken-hearted but Tinker Bell felt neither guilt nor pity for the mermaids, she only felt mad, mad at the mermaids for making Peter mad at her and mad at Peter for being mad at her. After a few minutes of sulking on the sandbar, Peter stood up and started walking again, he didn't bother calling after Tink for he was also mad, very mad indeed.

                Peter has been walking for a while now, he had no idea where Tinker Bell was and he didn't care. He came to a little forest of trees that had leaves of all colors and if hit with light, the leaves form colorful patches on the ground. These patches guide one out of the forest for they form multicolored pathways that one can follow but when evening comes, one can get hopelessly lost since the pathways will vanish and will be replaced by awful confusing shadows, and this is exactly what happened to our beloved Peter Pan.

                Peter was still quite mad so he didn't really look at where he was going. He was just blindly walking around the forest, kicking leaves under his feet and mumbling curses under his breath, and sadly it was time for the moon to don the sky and the bright cheery glow of the forest disappeared and instead, the forest was bathed in eerie light. Peter was so preoccupied by his thoughts that he didn't notice the surrounding growing dark until it was a little too late and he was already lost.

                Peter started to panic, he was wild-eyed and was breathing hard; it was his first time to get lost and his first time to experience the dark without Tinker Bell’s glow. He didn't know what to do �" he had grown very dependent on Tink when it came to these things. It was a most horrible feeling, the thing that Peter felt and Tinker Bell saw all this happen from a distance.

                Tinker Bell’s anger was now replaced by worry; he hated seeing Peter unhappy since he’s the only person, other than herself, that she truly cared for. She knew that Peter still hasn't forgiven her but even so, she needed to help him. Peter was terribly frightened and she will use this to her advantage, so Tinker Bell wrapped herself with leaves to hide her light and ran around the forest floor.

                “Who-who’s there!” stammered Peter. “Show yourself. I’m not afraid of you!” Tink's plan was working perfectly and she was already warming her legs up to prepare for what Peter was going to do next.

                “I said show yourself!” thundered Peter with his cheeks all puffed out and his hands making fists at his sides. Tink knew that this was going to happen, she knows Peter too well, and Peter’s anger is the perfect tool to make him do what she wants and so she started running like there was no tomorrow because she knew that this was the perfect time to lure Peter out of the forest.

                “Ha! So you've decided to run away huh?” smirked Peter. “You know you’re only delaying your capture!” And right there and then, Peter started running after the thing that he didn't know was Tinker Bell.

                Peter was chasing Tink at full speed for a good five minutes when Peter realized something; he was out of the colorful forest and was now standing on rocky terrain; the sky was clear of clouds, the stars were plentiful in the night sky and in front of Peter were mountains. Peter was filled with so much joy about being out of the forest that he forgot all about the thing he was chasing. He ran around the open air while yelling with pure delight but then he remembered what it felt like being lost.

                Peter’s face changed in a split second and his expression darkened. His temper exploded and his hands immediately found and broke a tree branch. He started hitting the air, the ground and everything around him, and he started to shout in the top of his lungs.

                “This is all Tinker Bell’s fault! Stupid Tinker Bell!” screamed Peter. “I wouldn't have gotten lost if not for that stupendously stupid fairy! AAARRRRRGGGGHHH!” He kept screaming and flailing his arms like a madman while Tink hid behind a rock receiving his anger without Peter even knowing. She didn't know what she was going to do or going to feel, so she just felt nothing and sat there dumbstruck.

                When Peter finally calmed down, he started hiking the rocky elevations ahead and Tinker Bell decided that she would not follow him for the first time and said goodbye to Peter in her head.

                Peter was still mumbling to himself as he made his way up the top of the mountains. The terrain was covered with trees that reach towering heights; the canopy was among the clouds and light hardly reaches the forest floor so undergrowth was scarce but there was something else that was odd about the forest, it was filled with deep gouges and scratch marks that Peter saw but did not care for.

                Peter hated feeling so small, and among the trees this is exactly what he felt so his egotism was once again afire. He bet he could climb the top of the highest tree in that immense forest and that was exactly what he intended to do. He sprinted to the top; it was a mad dash, his feet would step on jagged ends of rocks, branches would cut and hit him and he would stumble and fall every now and again. He reached the top scratched and bruised but he simply didn't care. He was mad and frustrated, he needed to liberate himself from the feeling and this was the way to do it, by climbing the highest tree in Neverland.

                With a devilish smile he started climbing. Peter’s dagger was an extension of his body, it would feel unnatural if he didn't have it with him; he uses it for everything �" for eating, for fighting, for playing, for fishing and now he’ll use it for climbing a colossal pine.

                It was a slow climb; there were no footholds so Peter had to heavily depend on the strength of his arms. His left hand and his feet were aching from digging on the bark and his right arm was sore from the strain of the climb, but he didn't mind, he had something to prove to himself and that was all that mattered at the moment.

                After a good long while, the first branch was just a few feet away �" it was massive, ten people can easily fit without having to worry of falling down �" Peter swung his feet back and forth, somersaulted and landed perfectly on top of the great bough. He was beat and decided to rest for a while and during this break, Peter’s thoughts started to wander. At first, the thoughts that entered his mind were random, like the vastness of Neverland, the height of the tree and all things of nonsense and then his thoughts started to point to Tink.

                “Huh, Tinker Bell, I wonder where she is now,” pondered Peter Pan while regaining his breath.  “Well I don’t care! Stupid Tinker Bell, didn't care about saving the mermaids, didn’t care about what I said and exceptionally stupid Tinker Bell, having fun without me. Well she could have all the fun she wants, I don’t care; I’ll have my own fun.” And with a huff, Peter started climbing again, one branch after the other.

                Just outside the gigantic forest, Tinker Bell heard a loud thunderous howl and then another one answered and soon enough the air was filled with the awful sound of cold vicious wolves. The first howl seemed to be familiar �" the alpha male! �" Tinker Bell thought, and then she immediately came zooming to the peak of the mountains where the sound seemed to be coming from but at one point, she suddenly just stopped. She knew that the sound had something to do with Peter �" she felt it in her wingtips �" but why should she come rushing to him when he left her and called her stupid.

                The wolves surrounded Peter; they were snarling and pulling their lips back, snapping their fangs together and howling like it was a full moon. They arrived from all directions with the alpha male leading the pack and they got Peter cornered to a tree.

                “And so we meet again boy!” bellowed the ever familiar wolf. “I told you that I would have my revenge! You thought you've killed my whole pack? Ha! You've thought wrong Peter Pan! Oh, how wrong you were! Now my brothers, attack!”

                The wolves started to slowly advance forward and then, in a blink of an eye they all started running faster and faster and faster, then they started to leap from one tree to another, quickly gaining altitude. This reminded Peter of the gouges on the trees, gouges that he now understood were made by wolves. The hopelessness of the situation started to dawn on him, he was tired, alone and stranded in a tree, what chance had he against numerous wolves who knew how to climb and were all well-armed with vengeance, but nonetheless, Peter was going to fight, he was going to fight hard, he just doesn't know if that will be enough to keep him alive.

                The wolves have already reached Peter; with his dagger prompt in his right hand, Peter was trapped in a tiring dance with the beasts. They were coming from all sides, hurtling at him from all directions. Peter managed to injure, decapitate and even kill those of the first wave but they kept on coming, it was an endless surf of fur, teeth and claws trying to reach him. Peter’s resolve was diminished, he was feeling weak and exhausted, he couldn't find his focus and was lost in all the chaos. One of the wolves managed to reach Peter and sink its teeth into his left foot, Peter managed to relieve the wolf of its head but it was too late, the damage was already done and his foot was now useless dead weight.

                Peter’s injury gave the wolves momentum. He could hardly fight back and the wolves just carried on destroying him, they clawed, they bit and they tore him. Peter was in the near state of being irreparably broken and worse still, the alpha male was now on the far edge of the branch with a wicked smile fixed on his horrendous face and with his eyes glinting with joy as he advance on dear Peter Pan. The wolf started running and in a fraction of a second, he was upon him. Peter tried defending himself but the wolf was too heavy, too quick for a boy ever growing weary, so this time Peter lost, he was crushed beneath the pressure of the beast and started falling towards the ground.

                The thought of Peter in danger still won over Tinker Bell’s heart and fury was quickly replaced by worry. She quickly rushed to the top and as she got closer and closer, she started to hear the chaos. When Tink reached the point of all the action, she saw Peter falling. It would be a long drop, Peter was almost at the top and the tree he was on was towering. Tinker Bell immediately rushed to Peter, she tried to lift him but the weight of his despair was something Tink could not carry, the only thing she can do now is teach him how to fly.

                “Oh, hi Tink! I’m not sure if you’re glad to see me but I’m sure glad to see you! Make sure to make wolves extinct here in Neverland Tink. Please do it for me,” smirked Peter. In the face death, Peter refused to show sorrow, he was resigned and this made Tinker Bell gravely sad and so that was when she told Peter the thing that would save him.

                “No, Tink, I can’t fly, I’m just a boy, I’m not a fairy or a bird or a bat, I don’t have wings,” explained Peter.

                “What? You’ll teach me how? I could fly?” exclaimed Peter with his eyes lighting up and his face coming alive with a new joy. And right there and then, Tinker Bell whispered to Peter the secret of flight. Peter learned and understood, he positioned himself like a bullet, swiftly falling head first to the ground; everyone was holding their breaths, the wolves, the trees, the island, everyone except for Peter and Tink. Peter was just 10 feet from the ground and then he suddenly burst out with a crow and started to soar upwards.

                “Ha! I can fly! I can fly!” boomed Peter. “And now it’s time to teach these wolves a lesson to never ever mess with a boy named Peter Pan and his fairy Tinker Bell.”

                Peter and Tink beat the beasts effortlessly, wolves were flying everywhere and this was not the kind of flight Peter had just newly discovered. The howls from earlier turned into pitiful whimpers and some of the wolves have already started to flee. Peter and Tink were having the time of their lives kicking wolf-butt, they were at it for a good long time for the wolves were many and Peter and Tink enjoyed every bit of it.

                Neverland was rid of wolves when morning came, they were either dead or have moved out of the wondrous place and what replaced their reign were Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, ever playing may it be on land, water or air.

                I know that you want to know the secret to flight but sadly, I don’t have the answer, you better ask Peter or Tink themselves. If I knew the thing that could give me wingless flight, I would have flown away a long time ago to magical Neverland where dreams are born and time is never planned but sadly I don’t and I’m stuck here telling stories about adventures that I could've had myself. All that I overheard during that impossibly charmed moment was that flying involves a lot of faith, a lot of trust and just a bit of pixie dust.