Mara walked quicker than Peter, making him fall way behind her, she just wasn't in a mood for a lecture or to be scowled at. It was quite a little scare what just happened in the lagoon, how quick-tempered mermaids were for refusing to 'swim with them'? Or were they only eager to drown someone? If Peter Pan never showed up, Mara would've been under the waters by now all lifeless.

Stupid you, Mara frowned at herself.

She was about to pass by a tree trunk before the boy suddenly came out as Mara halted, scaring her that she gasped before he uttered, "What were you doing there when you should be in training?" He just twenty feet behind her seconds ago.

"Curiosity had taken me away" she shrugged as she wasn't quite honest then proceeded to the training grounds. "Is it a crime to slack away from training?" she was derisive.

"Would consider it as 'breaking the rules'" He was at her heels.

"Well I had no clue that there were rules for a place where we could do whatever we want like we're free" she reminded, "Maybe you should've given me a warning about mermaids living here or that there were rules in the first place"

"I thought you were smart enough not to wander off, especially not all by yourself" he said.

"How was I suppose to know about the lagoon back there?"

"Maybe the moment you notice a mermaid, you would immediately knew how unfriendly they were and you'd just walk away without question or go all flabbergasted by them"

Of course she knew how unfriendly mermaids were, she said nothing back which she hated that she had nothing to say because he was right. "Oh well I apologize for wandering off without guidance or permission, I promise it won't happen again" she replied half-heartedly as she rolled her eyes and went on to the training grounds.

Neither of the leader of the Lost Boys and the newly Lost Boy, or in that case; Girl had spoken the rest of the walk to the training grounds. She imagined him smirking or frowning at her once, she wouldn't dare to glance over shoulder at him, it was probably the most uncomfortable walk she had for a long time.

When arriving the grounds, no one stopped when Pan was in sight, but Mara caught a sight of James sitting with Slightly across the grounds, he looked at her across the grounds and gave her a disappointing look. Mara guessed he was mad at her for wandering off when he was supposed to look after her and be her guidance while Pan was absent.

"Clear the ring!" Pan ordered, walking pass her and went in the middle of the grounds. There was a circle drawn on the ground where the small boy who's name is Thomas, Mara remembered his name because she knew that boy was the youngest, according to James. Thomas and the one of the twins had stepped out of the ring and let Pan take over. He stood in the middle of the circle, "Why won't you all take a break? Except the two of you, and the rest will watch"

Mara watched almost every boy sitting down, withdrawing their weapons while some did not and remained on their feet.

Pan then was eying at Mara, smiling almost in twisted way, "You--" he knew he meant her, and everyone turned and gazed at her, "--come here"

She heard chuckles as if they knew what was about to happen, she was hesitant, remained where she stood for a moment while feeling almost anxious. She forced herself forward, rather slow, every eyes in the grounds made her nervous and a bit shy. She stopped once she stepped into the circle.

Pan's right-hand boy, Felix came forward with a staff, tossed it at Pan, caught it then came toward Mara. For a second, she thought he wanted to fight her but instead, he raised it toward her for her to take it. She wrinkled her brows in confusion before reluctantly took it. His twisted smile remained before turning away, gazed around then called out "Thomas!"

She gazed right where the youngest Lost Boy had stood, picked up his staff and proceeded forward to the ring. She finally came to realization what was happening, she was going to fight Thomas. Was Pan punishing her again since she had broken one of the rules?

"I have a game for you, Mara" Pan started, turning at her as he kept his ground in the middle of the circle, "every training, you will be fighting him, until you beat him"

Every training, she frowned. Was this Thomas boy that good? She imagined him he had been doing this for a long time, thinking about what Killian Jones said about these Lost Boys, how long that these boys had wielded a weapon than any man out there. She predicted that she'll be fighting Thomas for a long time. A boy who looked to be few years younger than Mara, James who said Thomas may look young but he is fierce and cunning and that makes him one of Pan's favorites.

Before Peter Pan stepped out of the way, he stepped forward at her, she dared not to look at him as he said "Don't worry, I'm going easy on you this time" she could see his smug look in the corner of her eye while kept her eyes on Thomas before Pan walked off.

Mara grabbed the wooden staff with her other hand to prepare. The young boy didn't look so anxious at all, he was sternly as usual. The sternly-looking Lost Boy stepped forward until he was in the middle of the circle, awaited for Mara. She didn't want to fight, of course, not because that this boy was younger but because she knew he'll win.

Thomas drew his staff when Mara went forward, she prepared to fend for herself with her wooden staff. There weren't any cheering or any noises that the boys would make. She could feel smirks shooting at her, making her confidence to drown.

He came at her first, both hands on his stick, shoved her but met her weapon when she shield herself. She didn't fall or trip but took a step back. They both circled around once before Thomas came at her again, swung at her left, she barely guard herself, he hit at her right and this time, got her at her hip. The pain wasn't much, felt like it would barely form a bruise from the hit.

She circle around again while the boy stood in the middle and eyes kept on her. Twice she went around until he moved toward her, he confused her when he swung left to right which she guard herself until he hit her down on her leg by the knee. Made her fall on her knee. There were no noises at all but the two moving, their weapons meeting each other, her yelps and grunts.

She went back up on her feet, she didn't want everyone who were watching her to think she was weak, that she would give up that easily, or too easy to be knocked down. She was going to try to fight back on this one, she didn't care how too young the boy was but the boy was truly older than her, the many years he had lived longer than her. This time, she lunged at him, both hands on her staff as the boy did the same, she shoved him back as the boy pulled two steps back.

He titled his head, looking vicious than before, he lunged at her on this one, swung his staff right to left, left to right as Mara barely kept her guard up. She could only shield herself as the boy went on with couple more swings until he finally hit her on her face. Pain stung her cheek, stumbled sideways and barely remained on her feet.

Still silence around them, still feeling the grins and smirks shooting at her. With two dozens of boys watching her being near beat down by a young boy, she still believed there was no possible to beat this boy, least not today, or the next, or the next training. She felt that this punishment was meant to humiliate her.

She avoided the sting on her cheek, she didn't give up, not yet anyways. When Thomas came at her again, circling his staff forward like a propeller as if to confuse her until he swung at her left, hitting her arm, didn't hurt her much that she recovered quickly then swung at her right but was quick enough to guard herself with her weapon. With the butt of his staff hitting her leg, her guard was down as she nearly collapsed on her knee until Thomas thrust his weapon onto her stomach, she grunt loudly, lost her breath for a second there before he swung from below, hitting her face near her jaw and finally, she fell back.

She didn't get back up on her feet this time, those hits on every of her body pained her, as if every itch of her body finally cried out in pain. She didn't cry out though, she just stood there, catching her breath, and not wanting to get back up to try. Did she even try? She couldn't recall of trying to fight back even when she tried earlier but she didn't try harder, it was like she gave up already since the start of this fight. Maybe she just knew she'd lose.

I'm going to lose, she thought, I'll never win.

She heard footsteps retreating away, it was the boys stepping away as if leaving her alone now but one approached her. Her gaze still up at the grey skies before her view was blocked by Peter Pan's face, looking down at her with a smirk plastered on his face. "Good thing you don't get knocked down that easily." he said "Training's done for now"

***

Sorry for the long wait for an update, this story is on 'slow updates temporarily' atm, I update this when I feel like it and sometimes it depends on the comments too.

anyway, keep your chin up and keep smiling everyone ^_^