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"So come with me where dreams are born, & time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever." - J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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One by one, the four humans fell asleep while the currents changed, exhausted from extensive travel and a night without sleep. Bailey, Robin, and the twins slowly came to a few hours later as the mermaids slowed their typically sprightly pace. Through the crystal-clear ocean water, they could see a massive green island. Below it, colorful and diverse wildlife, ranging from magical water imps to jumping dolphins swam between pieces of coral through a vast reef.

Aura nearly lost the breath she had been holding for the past few hours to a gasp as a fleet of sharks swam by them. She squeezed her eyes shut until they reached the land, not wanting to watch Carolyn as she reached out to touch the dangerous sea creatures. Aura made a mental note to scold her sister for that later.

The women swam until they reached a shallow bay, helping the quartet out of the water and onto the shore. Aura breathed a sigh of relief, taking a moment to bask in the fresh air that she had gone hours without.

The youngest mermaid pulled a miniature, blush pink conch shell from between the pearls surrounding her sapphire bun, placing it in Bailey's satchel as she stepped onto the island. "If you'll ever be needing help, call into this and we will come."

Aura smiled at the friendly creatures, looking at the raven-haired beauty who had first approached them in Glassimere with a curious glance. "Thank you for everything, we really appreciate it, but why did you so quickly help us escape?"

Callista smiled, looking at her friends. "We've done the same thing for your mother a few times over the years."

Carolyn's mouth was agape as her eyes darted between the mermaids. "You helped our mother? How does everyone recognize us?"

"You know you two are something of a legend yourselves," the woman replied with a giggle, gesturing towards the twins. "Just like us mermaids."

"But we haven't seen her in years," the youngest mermaid said quietly. She pointed to Carolyn. "I accidentally mistook you for her when I first saw you." Carolyn looked down at her sopping wet shoes, unsure if the creature's comments made her want to smile or cry.

Callista cleared her throat. "Be wary when you enter the jungle, loves. You never know where pirates could be hiding, understood?"

Bailey nodded, an appreciative smile on her lips. "Yes, thank you again!"

The five mermaids waved before diving under the waves, disappearing from view.

Aura rang out her hair as Robin grabbed the map from Bailey's satchel.

"We head northwest to find Pixie Hollow," he said, tracing his finger along the map.

"Hopefully the fairies will be as nice as the mermaids," Carolyn said as they ventured into the dense, humid jungle.

Tall, rubbery trunks soared above them with large palm leaves creating a canopy. Long vines slithered from the trees' branches, some of which the group was certain were real snakes.

They trudged through the muggy forest, moving slowly to chop through thick foliage blocking their path. The four had worked up quite a sweat when they decided to stop and regroup.

"We've been walking for an eternity," Carolyn complained, using the back of her hand to wipe beads of sweat from her forehead. She tried to pat down her frizzy locks before pulling them into a braid. "Shouldn't we be getting close to some sort of civilization by now?"

Bailey closely examined their map but was unable to pinpoint their location with the thick trees blocking her view. "I think we should just keep going. We're bound to reach something eventually."

"That sounds confident," Carolyn mumbled as they kept walking through the jungle. They only wandered a few steps when they heard a snapping sound from behind them. In one swift motion, the group was drawn into the air in a large net, their bodies pressed so close together that they were unable to move their limbs.

Robin craned his neck to look at the trees, desperate to find the release for the trap they were caught in. He leaned down to the three girls as figures appeared in the tree line, his eyes on the base of one of the trees suspending the dark brown net. "You need to set off that lever," Robin whispered as a band of pirates emerged from the jungle.

Even though they stood more than ten feet away from the net, the twins, Robin, and Bailey could smell their putrid stench. The men's clothes were soiled with sweat, mud, and what the group hoped wasn't blood. Some had black patches over their eyes and bandanas over their foreheads to keep their greasy hair out of their faces. They eyed the group in the net with wicked smiles, bearing their crooked, blackened, or missing teeth. They spoke to one another in gravelly voices with vocabulary that was far from sophisticated.

Aura, Carolyn, and Bailey squirmed at the disturbing looks a few of the men were sending their way. They felt violated simply by the gazes they bore.

One final man emerged from the foliage. He was the best-dressed out of his colleagues. A long, clean coat and matching pants of a vibrant red adorned his tall frame. Black leather boots with gold buckles shielded his feet and calves from the vegetation. A bright white shirt with a ruffled collar sat under his coat and a brilliant sword hung from his brass belt. A large, tricorn hat with gold trim and a large feather sat atop his long, curly black hair. A long, pencil mustache sat on his upper lip, the ends slightly pointing upwards.

The man's left hand casually rested on the handle of his sword while his right seemed to be nonexistent. In its place was a sterling silver hook.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" the man asked as he stepped closer to the net.

His beady eyes closely examined each of their faces, his sinister smile growing wider and wider. He focused on Aura's terrified face as her lower lip quivered slightly.

Of all the things she had expected to experience on their journey, being captured by pirates was by far the last on her list.

The curve of his hook lifted her chin higher, forcing her to look at his face.

"Quite the catch, men," he called over his shoulder. His hook quickly dropped before latching onto the charm bracelet on Aura's wrist. "Quite the catch indeed."

She looked to Carolyn with wide, fearful eyes. Her sister nodded her head towards the release for the contraption, and in one twist of their wrists, they sent the men flying away from the net, murmuring the defense spell they had been taught.

A shorter, older pirate, with a blue and white striped shirt and a rounded nose was knocked off his feet. The base of his head made contact with the metal lever, knocking him out cold.

The four hit the ground running, wishing to put distance between themselves and the pirates before the thieving men could rise to their feet. They must have run a mile before they pushed through another layer of branches, only for their feet to miss the forest floor as it sloped down. The twins held back the urge to shriek as they tumbled down a steep, bumpy hill. Their world went black when a sharp, mind-numbing pain filled their skulls, their rolling bodies slowing in pace as they reached the bottom of the slope.

A soft flapping rang in their throbbing heads as the four stirred awake. Cherubic, high-pitched voices filled their ears, their gentle melodies easing the aching inside the friends' brains.

"Are they alive?" one sweet voice questioned. The twins really couldn't tell themselves.

Aura tried to open her eyes but was met with a bitter, blinding white light. She felt a delicate rustling in her blonde locks as another speaker piped up. "Their hair is so silky!"

"He's so tall!" a mellow voice called.

The group slowly fluttered open their eyelids, trying to make sense of the blurry visuals before them.

"Look!" the first angelic squeak exclaimed. "Scoot back, they're waking up!"

Carolyn gripped her head with one hand as she pushed herself up with the other, sitting as straight as she could manage. The searing pain dimmed and was replaced with a flurry of confusion as she made out the figures in front of her.

A small group was crowded around them, inspecting the friends with concern. The strangers all had small, pointed noses and big eyes. Carolyn looked at them curiously, noticing their pink, grey, and green skin tones. She looked at one of the women, ready to bombard her with questions before spotting golden wings on her back. "Pixies..." the girl muttered in disbelief.

The group's eyes widened at the winged creatures, stumbling back slightly in perplexity.

Robin looked up to see giant petals covering them rather than the sweeping branches of the jungle they had passed out under. "Where are we?" he asked with as much power as he could muster but was still weak from their rocky fall. "Who are you?"

A plump woman approached them, shooing away her inquisitive companions. She smiled softly, the soft berry pink skin around her sandy grey eyes crinkling. "You're still in Neverland, dear. Things are just a bit larger than they were for you before."

"We saw you arrive with the mermaids," a fairy standing a few feet away stated. She stood a few inches taller than her pixie friends and looked the closest to a human with cream-colored skin; but had pastel green designs that swirled up her arms and around her small figure, her eyes a brilliant shade of gold. Her features were softer than her friends, but she bore the same, eager smile. They recognized her voice as the first one they heard who had questioned the state of their vitality. "And we saw your unfortunate encounter with the Captain." The young fairy giggled as she bent her finger to resemble a hook.

Bailey's gaze wandered around the flowery ceiling above them, ignoring the pixie's words. "How are we in a flower right now? Did you—did we..."

The pink-skinned woman laughed, her giggle like a soft lullaby. "You've shrunk, yes. As long as you remain in Pixie Hollow, you'll be our size." She extended an arm, helping the four to their feet slowly.

"Thank you," Bailey stated on behalf of her friends who were still cautiously eyeing the petals above them.

"Let's get you to the tree," a slim male pixie with dark green skin said.

Each of the pixies grabbed one of the friends' hands. With a quick fluttering of their wings, they rose off of the flower's surface and into the air.

Instinctively, the friends' grip tightened on the pixies' hands as they rose higher and higher into the sky.

The sunlight bounced off of their wings revealing the intricate, swirling designs molded into the crystalline film. As they flew through the meadow, minuscule, golden sparkles fell in a trail behind them.

Aura and Carolyn held in screams as the group dove toward the ground and under a log that had fallen over a wide stream. They cautiously reached their free hands into the water once they were sure they were safe, sending small ripples in their wake.

They lifted higher into the air and were met with a breathtaking view of the valley. Gargantuan mountains surrounded all around them. In the center sat the tallest, grandest oak tree the twins had ever seen. Fairies and pixies alike flew in and out of it, all with the same iridescent wings that reflected the different colors of the rainbow, like fluttering prisms.

The group finally landed in the center of the tree. Thick branches spiraled from the trunk and rose high above them. Boundless green leaves sprouted from the ends, enveloping them in a cool shade.

Golden liquid cascaded down from the tallest branch, flowing into smaller pools before collecting into a larger basin. The molten gold lit up the area in a warm, amber glow. Dozens of fairies with clothes made from brown leaves buzzed around the river, scooping up the liquid in bowls made from the tops of acorns. They poured the liquid over awaiting fairies, but it landed on their wings in small, golden particles.

"Welcome to the heart of Pixie Hollow!" the fairy with cream skin squealed, happily twirling in a circle.

Aura and Carolyn couldn't believe their eyes. Even after swimming with mermaids and fleeing from a giant snow monster, fairies remained figments of stories that their grandmother would tell them before bed.

The young fairy grabbed Bailey's hand. "Come, we must take you to see Queen Clarion! She'll be delighted to see you!"

Bailey, Aura, Carolyn, and Robin exchanged weary looks at each other's appearances before their feet once again left solid ground as they lifted up into the air. They flew through a labyrinth of branches, leaves, and flower buds as they climbed higher into the tree.

A palace seemingly made of gold came into view, situated in between a net of branches with fairies flying in and out of its crystal doors.

Carolyn's grip on her pixie's hand tightened as they entered the grand entryway. The walls soared above them, but no floor stood below them. The plump pixie giggled at Carolyn as they weaved past crowds of other pixies.

The young fairy accompanying Bailey pushed open towering doors made of jade and flew into a circular throne room. The outer walls were entirely made of glass, overlooking the bustling hub of the tree below. Chandeliers of golden flowers hung from the ceiling, painting the room in a warm glow.

A small group of fairies was gathered in the center, their backs to the door. They each had skin and clothing that matched a color of the rainbow.

"Your Majesty!" the pale fairy chirped.

The group of fairies dispersed to reveal a tall woman. Her skin was a pale gold that sparkled in the light and her eyes a warm amber. Her honey-colored hair was piled atop her head with a small crown made out of a lotus flower keeping it out of her pretty face. Unlike the other fairies, the woman's wings were large and golden, almost resembling silk. Her gown flowed around her and was made from the same golden liquid that flowed in the river below.

"Amber, where have you been?" she spoke in a low, comforting voice. A small, playful smile rested on her thin lips.

The young fairy's cheeks turned a shade of bright pink. "Sorry, Mother. But look who we found!"

The twins' eyes widened as they looked between the young fairy and the queen.

"Mother?" Aura mouthed. Carolyn gave a small shrug.

Queen Clarion's warm gaze shifted over to the twins, her small smile growing larger. She spread her arms out. "Welcome."

Aura and Carolyn curtsied as best they could while still holding onto their pixies' hands.

Amber excitedly motioned to the four friends. "They came swimming in with the mermaids—you know how picky they are when it comes to their company—and were running from Captain Hook and his gang! I know we aren't supposed to shrink people, but I just had to!"

Clarion let out a soft laugh and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "That's quite alright." Her gaze shifted back to the four humans and clicked her tongue. "You poor dears look like you could use some fresh clothes and food." She turned to the pixies assisting them. "Would you please take our guests somewhere they may comfortably stand and change?"

Before any of the four could argue, they were flown away into separate rooms with lily pads to stand on.

Aura, Carolyn, and Bailey were given dresses made from flower petals and leaves with soft, forest green tights and brown boots. They changed quickly, not wishing to keep the Queen waiting, but were sure to exchange wary remarks about their circumstance. Carolyn was given fresh bandages made from aloe leaves, cooling her agitated hand.

When they met up with Robin in a separate room, he was dressed in a simple tunic, pants, and boots. A floating table made out of rock was laden with fresh fruit and pastries was waiting in the center with small goblets filled with fresh water.

Queen Clarion smiled when the group returned. She sat down on a golden throne and with a wave of her hand, four chairs made of leaves rose from deep within the tree. "Please, sit," she said to the four.

"We hate to have accidentally intruded, but the reason we're here, Your Grace is—" Robin began.

She waved her hand dismissively. "I am well aware of your quest. Fairies live all around Fabula, you know." She leaned forward in her seat. "The tales I have heard of your adventures have intrigued me, to say the least. I must say you are quite the daring bunch, attempting what you're doing."

Bailey exchanged a nervous look with Carolyn before Clarion continued, "You will receive enough Pixie Dust for your quest in the morning. It is best to wait. You never know what to expect with Hook and his crew. They know not to enter the Hollow, but I can't guarantee your safety once you leave our borders."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Aura exclaimed. She almost jumped out of her seat to run and hug her, but quickly remembered the lack of floor below her.

Queen Clarion smiled. "There are small traveler's huts awaiting you." She waved over the fairies and pixies that had helped them earlier. "I will see you all in the morning. Good night."

The four gave her their thanks once more before being led back through the palace and into the night sky.

They dove down towards the base of the tree before landing on a sturdy, low-hanging branch. Held up by the leaves was a small community of circular huts that looked like giant acorns.

"Have a nice night!" Amber squeaked before leading her friends back towards the palace.

"Good night you three!" Bailey said before carefully walking to her hut.

Carolyn waved to her sister and Robin before entering her own hut.

The inside was quaint, with a bed made out of flower stems and furniture carved from nuts. She laughed at her peculiar surroundings, shaking her head in disbelief. If only I could use this in my ancestry project. Her thoughts swirled around in her head as she laid down on the bed. The skies grew darker outside her window, yet Carolyn still found herself a stranger to sleep.

The world around her was uncommonly quiet, with only the sound of branches swaying in the wind filling her confined quarters. Carolyn fidgeted around in her squishy bed, her restless agitation escalating until she resigned to pacing the tiny room. Her feet halted in place at the sound of a soft knock on the door.

The blonde's delicate hand pulled open the door, her sleepless hazel eyes meeting familiar greens.

"I figured you'd be awake too," Robin stated, leaning against the door's frame.

Carolyn looked to her feet. "It's pretty hard to sleep when I've had to be on alert all the time. Nights have been void of sleep back at home, too."

He nodded, a small smile brimming on his features. Robin pulled a small pouch out of his back pocket, opening it up to her to reveal a pile of soft, golden dust.

Carolyn looked at him in shock, trying to calculate when and how he could have nabbed the magical powder.

"What do you say we have ourselves an adventure?" he asked with a sly glimmer in his eye. She grinned brightly at Robin, following him down the path connecting the series of huts. As they reached the end of the branch, he reached two fingers into the miniscule pouch, tossing specs of shimmering dust over Carolyn. Robin poured some over himself before sliding the sack back into his pocket. He began to float into the air, leaving Carolyn behind.

"Why aren't I flying?" she asked in confusion.

He flew back down to her, putting his pointer finger to his lips, warning her not to wake the dark huts a few feet from them. "You have to believe and think happy thoughts."

Carolyn raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "Believe and happy thoughts?"

Robin nodded, floating into the air once more. She closed her eyes, focusing for a few moments as she rattled her brain for all of her childhood memories before growing frustrated.

"Robin it's not working—" she stopped mid-sentence as she opened her eyes. Carolyn nearly fell to the ground as she noticed how far she had risen from it.

The blonde looked up at her friend excitedly as she fluttered around in the air. They flew higher into the night sky, stumbling slightly as they got used to the pixie dust's effects.

As they hovered high above the oak trees, the glow of the golden tree had abandoned them, their faces now illuminated only by the two pale moons.

Carolyn smiled from ear-to-ear as her eyes swept over the stars. "Look." She pointed a finger at one constellation. "Doesn't it look like a unicorn?"

Robin chuckled, looking at the array of stars. She cut him off before he could reply, her eyebrows furrowed. "Wait. Are unicorns real?" Carolyn asked.

"There are old stories about them," he explained. "Only a few are left, though, residing in La Vie Meadow. Not many people get to see them, they're shy creatures."

"Does that mean I might get to see a unicorn when we go to get that 'water of life's meadow' stuff?"

"I wouldn't get your hopes up."

Carolyn laughed at his remark, continuing to make up shapes in the sky above. She smiled after some time had passed, her eyes glistening in the soft icy blue moonlight. "The stars look so beautiful, don't they?"

She turned her head to Robin to see that his greens were already on her. Carolyn turned her face away slightly, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.

"How do you do that?" he questioned, his eyes not moving from her features.

"Do what?"

"How do you see life so beautifully?"

Carolyn's eyes looked back to the sky. "How could I not when there's love?" she stated candidly.

Robin's gaze left her face, turning to the two moons. "I fear that love has left my life." His voice was gruffer now, the words flowing out in a hesitant vulnerability.

Their eyes met again in a fateful collision, neither of them quick to look away.

"I thought you and Marian..."

Robin ran a hand through his messy hair. "Maybe a few years ago, but not anymore it would seem. What relationship lasts without love?"

Carolyn let out a shaky sigh, her gaze unwavering. "Well, then you just have to find it again." She watched him analytically as gears turned in his head.

Robin's eyes broke away from Carolyn's, her words echoing in his mind. He floated back from her warily, his posture tensing.

"We should get some rest," he stated curtly, looking back down at Pixie Hollow.

Carolyn's hand brushed a wavy blonde lock behind her ear. "Yeah, we should."

Robin faced away from her coldly, stating a simple good night before flying back down to the huts, mindfully avoiding her eyes.

The girl slowly returned to her bed, fiddling with the flowers on her dress as she replayed their interaction in her head. Her brain was even foggier than before, her thoughts scrambled and undeveloped. Carolyn plotted how she would get Aura alone to tell her about the strange conversation before drifting into a light, dreamless slumber.

Aura woke up with the sunrise the next morning, stretching her arms out above her head before climbing out of bed. She breathed in deeply, embracing the rosy scent stemming from her dress. Tangerine rays streamed through the windows of her hut as the sun climbed higher in the colorful sky.

The girl smiled cheerfully as she fixed her silky locks, smoothing down her roots and flattening her skirt with her palms. After this, only four more items to get. She could only hope that the rest would be as easy to obtain as the pixie dust.

Aura made her way down the path, retrieving her twin and their friends. As they wandered towards the river of golden powder, Aura couldn't help but notice the stiffness between her sister and Robin. She took note of every shifty glance and formulated theories during each pause of tense silence.

Queen Clarion approached them in a swift motion, greeting them in a cool voice. She held out a pouch the size of a coin purse that was made from thick, rich green leaves. It was securely fastened at the top with the stem of a flower. The monarch smiled at them gleefully as the pixies they had met the day before fluttered up to the group.

Aura recognized one as the Queen's daughter. Her golden eyes were friendly and matched the pixie dust inside of the four small vials she held. "Here's some more, in case you need to get out of trouble along the way," Amber stated with a wink, passing a jar to each of the humans. Each had a delicate golden chain around it, allowing the four friends to wear the dust around their necks.

"My friends will take you to the Hollow's edge," Queen Clarion explained. "I trust you'll be safe along the rest of your journey."

They curtsied and bowed politely before departing with the pixies, flying until they had passed the flower they had woken up in the afternoon before. The four were placed delicately on the ground just before the flowers faded back into the dense jungle.

One of the pixies pointed to the trees in front of them. "The second you walk into the forest; you'll return to your normal size."

Bailey thanked the fairies profusely, being sure to listen attentively as they gave directions to disembark from Neverland. Sure enough, the friends and all of their belongings grew over fifty times in size as they walked through the trees. They waved to the now miniature pixies as they flew away and back towards the Hollow.

Their journey through the island's complex jungle was far quicker than it was before, and as their feet carried them forward, waves crashing on a rocky shore could be heard not far ahead.

Robin was quick to stop them as snores reached his ears. A few feet from them, tucked in beneath the towering trees, were Captain Hook and his mates snoozing in hammocks made of rope and fabric.

The four carefully snuck around the pirates, avoiding each branch on the forest floor that threatened to snap under their shoes. Just as they passed the men, one of them woke from his slumber. "Hey!" the pirate shouted, waking his comrades. They scrambled down from their hammocks, readying their weapons.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Carolyn groaned, pulling Excalibur from Robin's side. She stepped forward as men approached her, holding the sword above her head.

As a pirate advanced towards her, Carolyn swung the weapon around like a baseball bat, swiping at anything she could. She battled back and forth with the man in front of her until her sword lacerated his hand, causing him to release his weapon and jolt off into the jungle.

"Where are you going, coward?" Captain Hook demanded. His other men slowly lost to the group of friends before he stepped forward, aiming his sword at Aura. She yanked her weapon into the air, their metal clashing until one of his swings ripped the sword from her hands.

Aura looked up in sheer determination as he swung at her. She extended her hands in front of her, shooting a burst of cobalt blue magic at him. Captain Hook flew back, his head hitting a tree stump and sending him back to sleep.

Once all of the pirates were unconscious or fleeing from the scene, the four friends ran the rest of the way to the shore.

Bailey fiddled through her belongings to retrieve the conch shell the mermaids had gifted them.

"What's next on the agenda?" Aura asked.

Carolyn looked at her sister in a playful shock. "So eager to brave the next danger?"

Aura chuckled lightly as Bailey pulled the shell out of her satchel. "Eager to get off his island," she clarified.

The brunette blew into the small, baby pink conch shell, but was utterly disappointed when not so much as a squeak sounded from its other end. She tried once more, but her attempts were futile and blanketed in anxiousness. Just as her lips pursed together to blow through the shell for the third time, a flashy violet tail splashed in the water near them.

A dark beauty popped out of the water; her big head of kinky black locks instantly recognizable. "You called?"

The four friends smiled, all greeting the mermaids as they appeared from underneath the water.

"Can you take us to Atlantis?" Bailey asked Callista.

Aura perked up at the knowledge of their next venture, recognizing it as the lost city where they could find 'the heart of the sea.'

The ginger mermaid, who had introduced herself as Juniper on their swim to Neverland, shook her head. "Sorry, it's not safe for mermaids," she apologized before perking back up. "But we can take you to the nearest shore."

The group agreed contentedly, before the twins cast the same spell on the satchel as before, this time without Bailey's aid.

Stepping carefully into the warm water, the four repeated their ritual with the seaweed from before. They joined hands with the mermaids, inhaling deeply before sinking underwater.

Hello lovelies!

Mermaids, and fairies, and pirates - oh my! I'm not sure about you guys, but when we were writing the scenes in Pixie Hollow, nostalgia just kept washing over me!!

Question of the day: What kind of talent would you have if you were a fairy in Pixie Hollow?

Until next chapter!
♡ Melody & Rebekah ♡