Pan

Old Friend

"Let's start with your grip."
Pan held his sword up and I copied.
"You want to yield it firm but not too tight," he added. I got in a ready position and we begun, in three strokes he knocked the sword out of my hand.
"This is no use, I'm just wasting your time.", I said as I picked the sword back up.
"C'mon you can do this, and besides, time is all we have. You're quick and clever, that trumps strength. Step in with your lunges to give it more force."
We aligned in ready positions again. Clashing sounds echoed out with each collision of our swords. I quickly swiped my sword at him, mistakenly cutting his side.
"Oh my god! Pan!"
He didn't seem concerned though, and with one wave of his hand the wound healed.
"I'm okay, relax.", he said grinning.
"See? I told you you could do it. One walk like that and your opponent's dead."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Didn't you just?"
"True, but in addition."
"Perhaps, depends on the question."
"Where did you get your magic?"
"It's kind of hard to recall, all I remember is I got it here, when I was the only one on the island...I kind of remember someone else but..."
"Oh...could you teach me that too?"
"Never."
"Why not?"
"Trust me, you don't want this magic."
"Why? Did something happen-"
"I don't want to talk about it!"
He stared at me dead in the eyes. I looked at the ground and he sighed.
"I'm sorry.", I said softly.
"I have to go."
He flew off above the trees as I stood still, staring at our swords.
I made my way back to our camp and saw the lost boys standing in a circle.
"Guinea Pig! Come look there's a new one!", one shouted.
I ran over and saw the confused new boy in the center of the circle.
"Jacob?"
"___!"
He ran and hugged me.
"I thought you got caught!", he said.
"No, I got brought here. What happened to the others?"
"Not quite sure but I'm glad to see a familiar face."
He hugged me again and I heard,
"Ahem."
I looked up and saw Pan.
"I'm assuming you too have met before? ___, care to introduce?"
"Oh...this is Jacob, a friend of mine."
"Well then Jacob, now you're a lost boy. Try not to get killed."
He walked away tense and Jacob whispered to me,
"He's not a very friendly personality is he?"
"Yeah, try to stay on his good side."
"His good side?"
"Yep, and that was it."
Jacob and I may not have been the closest of friends, but he was definitely the closest I'd had to a real friend back in London. I wasn't sure if Pan was still upset about our conversation earlier or if it was something else.
I couldn't sleep that night. I climbed up onto the roof and looked at the stars, hoping they'd provide some source of comfort.
"Who is he?"
I looked behind me and saw Pan floating there.
"Jacob? He's just a friend."
"School?"
"No, ...adoption center."
He looked at me and nodded in understanding.
"I get it, that whole feeling lost thing. But here you have a home, that's something I can promise you."
"Thanks, but I don't need your pity."
"That wasn't pity, it was kindness."
"Never Peter being kind? Now who's got the crush."
"Watch it Guinea Pig, I still got that knife."
I smiled and he smiled back, and we looked back up at the starry sky.