Well, so much for subtlety. Clearly my questions and sweet facade have done nothing to aid in my efforts to get the information that I've been after since I planned this whole thing. And I planned this for months. I thought of every possibility and how to combat every problem. But somehow I didn't foresee this. And that's bothering me. 

When did things start to go wrong? I keep asking myself. A repeating chant in my head as I think through every second here. Part of me wonders if it could have possibly started with that pesky fairy right from the start. But I keep coming back to that first morning when we went to the ship. 

The pirate captain. Hook? Whatever her name really is. I refuse to call her that. She looked at me like she was dissecting my every move, trying to read my mind. She looked at my brothers as if she knew something. And she pushed Peter to get us under her control. 

I have to admit though, I admire her drive. She may just be a worthy adversary. Still, the challenge is an inconvenience. An inconvenience, but not an obstacle I can't over come. 

"Wendy!" 

My head snaps up at the sound of Peter calling my name. 

"I called your name three times." Peter has a confused yet still somehow childishly giddy smile on his face as he steps towards me. I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. After all, of all the people on this island, Peter is the most important to keep on my side, right? His grin widens. "Were you thinking of a game to play?" 

My eyes widen. Of course I wasn't thinking of a childish game to play. Is that all he thinks about? 

Apparently I didn't answer soon enough for him. "I have an idea! Gather around everyone!" Well, at least that saves me the trouble of trying to think of something on the spot. I let out a small sigh of relief. Then I glance around, hoping that no one noticed my obvious relief. 

The rest of the Lost Children seem to materialize from the surrounding foliage at his summons. "I have an idea for our next game!" Excited whispers break out among the children. "We're going to play hide and seek!" 

Hide and seek? Isn't that a little, little kiddish? I know he's childish, but really? "Hide and seek?" The words fall out of my mouth before I can stop them. 

Peter turns to me. "Yes! You've never played hide and seek until you've done so on Neverland with us!" He looks out at the excited faces of the children. How can they be so excited? It's just hide and seek after all. "The  native territory is off limits. Otherwise, go ahead!" So, there aren't any other rules? What makes it so special here as opposed to somewhere else? I really don't understand. But I will play along, I have to do whatever I can to stay in Peter's favor. 

"Who's it?!" a chubby boy from the middle of the pack calls. 

Peter thinks for a moment and looks through all the children in front of him. "The twins!" A set of identical looking boys whoop in delight and jump around in excitement. "Now the rest of you scatter!" 

There's a jumbled rush of chaos as children scramble everywhere. Jumping over each other, tackling each other, darting into the foliage or up trees. The twins start counting loudly. I realize this is my cue, and perfect chance to slip away for a bit unnoticed. I turn on my heels and bolt into the previously uninviting woods. 

Once I am a decent distance away I slow my stride. I look around and realize that without the path in sight I am hopelessly lost. Oh well, getting back is not my concern right now. 

Now is the perfect time to think. 

Clearly I have to keep my wits about me when it concerns the pirate captain, and probably the native princess. I'm still a little uneasy about Tink, but so far she hasn't shown any sign of moving against me. At least that I have been able to see. So, despite how uneasy she makes me, she is not considered a threat at the moment.

Clearly I have... inconveniences that mean I must adjust my strategy. But how? Should I abandon my facade and go with a more forceful approach? Or should I try a different method of being sneaky? Both directions have obvious pros and cons. But which one is the best move? 

Unfortunately my thoughts are cut short quickly. Peter bolts out of the trees near me and tackles me to the ground. He laughs a giddy yet loud and booming laugh. "You will have to do better than that to win a game on Neverland!" He jumps to his feet and gives a rooster call. The call is returned by numerous animal calls that are obviously made by the children. 

Peter grabs my arms and pulls me to my feet. "Come, the game is almost over!" 

What? How? We only just started to scatter. And there's nearly a hundred children that needed to be found. How can they almost all be found already? Nothing seems to make sense here. 

"We should get going. We are meeting back at camp." He strides purposefully towards the camp. I have no choice but to follow. Unless I want to be lost in the woods. 

We get to camp and the children are materializing in groups of four or five or six. The twins are still waiting in the center of camp. Peter calls to them and jumps down to join them. 

"Not the version you're used to?" Tink asks, stepping up to stand next to me. I try not to jump at the suddenness of her appearance. "Peter does things differently. The one he elects as 'it' stays and counts, timing everyone else. Anyone still within sight by one hundred is tasked with finding the others. And everyone who is found must join them in finding more. Peter picks whatever he wants to do in the game, sometimes he even switches sides in the middle of the game. This particular game never lasts long. And Peter always wins." 

I try not to let my confusion show at her explanation. I have never even heard of anyone doing a version of this game like that. It sounds both simple and complex at the same time. Though, I suppose, when you have this many children playing, you have to make a few changes or you will be looking for them all for hours. 

By the time she finishes explaining everything the rest of the children have appeared. Though it is clear Peter's need for fun is far from filled. He bounces on the balls of his feet with pent up energy. A wide grin plastered on his face. A playful twinkle in his yes as he looks over the crowd of children. 

"I want a new game!" He calls to the children who are now whooping and cheering at his declaration. "To the ship! I want to play with the pirates!" 

All the children cheer at his demand and start moving as a mob in the direction of the beech. I roll my eyes internally, but follow the large mass of bodies that are leading to the ship.