2nd Date - Chapter 18: A Real Boy

Chapter 18: A Real Boy

"Peter. Peter wake up."

Peter rolled his head. Wendy's fingers were in his hair. It felt good. But everything else…

"….wowwww."

"Peter?"

Wendy's hand crossed his brow. Peter inhaled. Wendy smelled lovely. He hadn't noticed before.

"Peter?" Wendy shook his hand. "Peter? Are you awake?"

"I think so."

"Can you open your eyes?"

Peter tried. His lashes were stuck. Heavy.

"Um. Lemmie try…"

Peter lifted his arms. They were heavy. Everything was so heavy. Thickly he pried open his lids.

He was on the ground, laying quite unceremoniously on his back. Wendy was above him, fingers in his hair. Blurry figures hovered above her, one of which looked suspiciously like Captain Hook.

Peter squinted, trying to focus. Vision returning, he traced a line from Wendy's acorn necklace all the way to her lips.

Then, Peter understood.

"You lied."

Wendy peered. The faces over her became perplexed.

"Peter? I what?"

"You lied." Peter reached for her acorn necklace and tugged. "You lied to me, pretty girl. And now…"

Peter jabbed at her cheek. His arm was heavy and flopped behind his ear. But he smiled all the same. "And now you're turning pink."

"What the Hell is he saying?" Jim knelt by Wendy. He did not notice, but her blush nearly reflected off his skin.

"Yo, Pan." Jim tapped Peter's temple. "Open your eyes. Pan. Pan! Hm. Wendy look away."

"Why?"

SLAP.

"Jim!"

"Ow!" Peter's eyes popped. "That hurt."

"What's wrong?" Wendy and Jim eased Peter upright. "What's wrong with him?"

"His magic is gone." Captain Hook said. They all turned. Captain Hook was ashen, and tiny white wisps curled from his hair. "Peter Pan is flightless…and no longer ageless."

"No longer ageless?" Wendy held Peter like a mother bear. She had expected Peter would lose his flight, but never his youth. "He, he can't. He's Peter Pan. We have to change him back – where is Mickey Mouse?"

"Sweet mamma and sunnyside-up. Look." Flynn was cradling Rapunzel. Her hair was still long, but brunette. Shifting, Flynn pointed at Peter. "Look at his ears."

Wendy smoothed aside Peter's hair. Jim did likewise on Peter's opposite.

"Holy crap." Jim said. "They're…"

"…round." Wendy traced Peter's ear. The auricle was no longer pointed like an elf's. It was smooth and circular.

"Well." said Captain Hook. "It appears that Master Pan, in the words of that dratted Pinocchio puppet…is a real boy."

Peter blinked. He pulled his ears. Then he exclaimed. "Cool!"

"Cool? Oh wait! Peter wait!"

"Look at me!" Peter scrambled to his feet, using Wendy as a ladder. He nearly toppled back down. "Look at me! I can't fly!

"Peter!" Wendy caught Peter as he stumbled like a newborn chic. Despite her concern, she laughed. "Peter! Peter hold still!"

"This is weird!" Peter seized Wendy's shoulders. Laughing, he bounced up and down. "This is so, so, SO weird! Look! Watch! I go UP and dowwwwn, and UP and dowwwn, and UP – "

"Hey! Bungee Boy!" Flynn bunched Rapunzel onto piggy back. She was still a little drained from losing her magic. "Come on! Look the gates! They're open! The real world is on the other side! So let's move! The night is young – "

Squeezing Rapunzel's thighs, Flynn sprinted for the taxis. "—and so are we! Date night! Here we come baby!

"Mush!" Rapunzel said, brown hair streaming behind. "Mush! Mush! Mush!"

"C'mon!" Merida dragged Jim. "C'mon ye doobers! Let's go!"

"To infinity." Jim trotted after. "And beyond."

They piled into taxi. The cushions were small, but Jim took the floor and Rapunzel fit easily on Flynn's lap.

"Wendy Baby! Panster!" Flynn waved. "Get in! Hurry up! Or – are you not taking the fun cab?"

"No." Captain Hook shut the door. "They will be taking the un-fun cab with me."

They all looked sympathetic. Flynn made a face. "Ohhhhhhh-kay. Well…um. Have fun?"

"Sorry." Rapunzel added, shrugging at Wendy. "Maybe we'll see you later?"

"Oh don't worry." Peter said. Again he winked at Wendy. "We'll catch up."

"I hardly think so." Captain Hook signaled the next cab. Testily he opened the door. "All these lovesick idiots running around? Children having the times of their lives. It's enough to make me sick."

Peter led Wendy to the door. He kept an eye on Flynn, Rapunzel, Merida, and Jim's taxi cab. "Well Codfish, you don't have to go."

"Quite the contrary." said Captain Hook. "You see I've planned our evening, and it consists of trip to the Orlando Museum of Regional History and quick stop at a local gas station for supper. It will be fast, it will be painless, and it will be very, very boring."

Peter and Wendy grimaced. Boring was a gross understatement.

So." Captain Hook flourished to Wendy. "In you go my dear. Ladies first."

Peter skipped to the door. He offered Wendy his hand. "Miss? Need a boost?"

Wendy accepted. "Why thank you, kind Sir."

"By the devil. This is sickening…" Captain Hook looked pained. "...shoot me dead or have me regurgitate my spleen."

Peter grinned. "That's the idea, Codfish. Wendy?"

Wendy paused, one foot inside the cab. "Yes?"

Peter lowered his voice. "The sneakers look cute. But…you wanna know what they're really good for?"

Wendy tilted her head. "What?"

Peter gestured and followed Wendy inside. Then, grabbing Captain Hook's trench coat and slamming the door, Peter shoved Wendy out the opposite side. "RUNNING! SNEAKERS ARE FOR RUNNING! SO RUN!"

"What the – blasted!" Captain Hook made to chase. He lurched backwards as his coat caught in the door. "Get back here! Get back here you blasted Peter Pan!"

"Oh!" Wendy hit the driver's review mirror as she passed. "Go! Go, go, go!"

The cabbie saluted. Merrily, the taxi drove away with Captain Hook puttering behind.

"Yes!" Peter swung Wendy in circles. He forgot about gravity and almost fell. "Yes! We did it! We outsmarted that ol' Captain Hook!"

"I did a bad thing!" Wendy said, converse sneakers whirling in the air. "I told the taxi to drive!"

"I know!" Peter took Wendy's hand. Together they ran across the street. "That codfish will be roadkill in no time! Way to go Wendy!"

"Oh!" Wendy's acorn necklace danced across her chest. She tried to stay apologetic but the excitement was electric. Peter was holding her hand, and the possibilities were endless. The Disneycharacters might have lost their magic, but there was magic in the air!

"Hey! Love birds!"

A taxi cab flashed its lights. Flynn hung out the window.

"Come on! Night's a canvas and we're gonna paint the freakin town red! Last one in is a rotten egg!"

Wendy and Peter exchanged looks. Then, giggling, they raced for the cab.

Ariel lingered on the sidewalk. As Peter and Wendy stuffed themselves into the overcrowded taxi, she glimpsed Jim Hawkins. Jim saw her, then vanished as the taxi revved its engines for the real world.

"All right. So, I have our date night plans."

Ariel turned. Eric approached, nose in an agenda.

"We start with dinner, movie," Eric checked items from his list. "Maybe a little kissing, and if everything goes according to plan we should be home by ten thirty. Oh…"

Eric lowered the agenda.

"Ariel. Sweetheart. You're a little under-dressed, aren't you?"

Ariel frowned, although comparatively she couldn't argue. Eric was decked in business casual. Ariel, however, was wearing jeggings, asymmetrical earrings, and a purple crop top.

"This is what Edna Mode gave me." she replied. "I like it. And, Eric, we don't have to be back until midnight."

"I know. But with the curse, and the curfew, and the turning into pumpkins - "

"Eric." Ariel tried to smile. She flagged a taxi. "It's okay. We'll make it back in time. Let's just go."

"Right." Eric tapped his agenda. "Right. First stop dinner. I found an all you can eat sushi buffet – "

"Sushi?" Ariel stopped, hand on the taxi. "Sushi? Eric. I don't eat fish."

Eric laughed. "But you're a mermaid!"

"Yes. It's called cannibalism."

"Well we have reservations."

"Well we can cancel them."

"Cancel them?" Eric shook his head. "Ariel! We can't cancel! It's in the agenda! It's in the plan!"

"Well gosh Eric!" said Ariel. "Could you be a bit more flexible?"

"Ariel. I am a sailor. I love fish."

"ERic. I am a mermaid. I don't. Fish are friends not food."

"Well." Eric crossed his arms. "Maybe you shouldn't go."

Ariel wrenched the cab door. "Well maybe I don't want to go!"

"Fine! Fine! Wait!" Eric grappled the handle. "Where are you going?"

"Out!" Ariel slammed the door. "On a stupid, lonely date!"

Eric was appalled. "Well! Good then! Go! Be alone! I…" Eric flipped through his agenda. "I still have reservations!"

"Need company? Dearie?"

A slinky white arm coiled around his. Eric smiled as a beautiful redhead, one of the mermaids of Peter Pan, cozied to his side.

"Because Dearie…" she twirled her hair. "…I'm available. Very available."

Eric lifted his agenda. "It's sushi. Isn't that…cannibalism for mermaids?"

The redhead sucked a nail. "Not for the naughty ones."

They left together, mermaid and prince. Mickey Mouse waved the last taxicab goodbye, and retired for a candlelit dinner with Minnie. The Magic Kingdom sighed, waiting for its magical members to return.

Everything was peaceful…

…for about three seconds.

Captain Hook clawed down the road. His taxi cab excursion had been most unpleasant. Cursing, he slumped beneath the Magic Kingdom arches.

"Blast you!" he growled. "Blast you Wendy Darling! Blast you Peter Pan!"

"Pa-thetic."

Captain Hook turned.

Tinkerbell smiled at him. Her wings and pixie dust had vanished but her smirk was exactly the same.

"Hello Captain." Tinkerbell crouched. Her lime-green mini skirt pinched most indecorously. "Ready for a little revenge?"

Captain Hook smiled. "Call a cab, Miss Bell."