(Hm, not sure what to tell you for this one. How about...use your imagination? This one doesn't really fit in a storyline or timeline like my other ones do. Sorry about that.) @aintweproud, thank you for inspiring me with your Lost Boys story. I do not own Peter Pan or any of the characters within it. Also, I'm sorry if this is absolutely terrible. It is going to be very random and I'm sorry if you hate that. I've just been very inspired to write one of these lately. Sage_Dragon and AlohaGirl27, this is for you two! I hope you enjoy it!
Racetrack Higgins wakes up in a daze. Where is he? He turns to see Flavi facedown on the sand nearby. Wait, sand? There is no sand except on the beach in Brooklyn. Race turns and sees Romeo unconscious right next to him, his head in his hands. The sound of waves pulling in and out on a shore nearby reach Race's ears. Race looks around and sees all of the Newsies. Even Davey and Les are here. Sudddenly, Race does a double take. Where are Jack and Crutchy? Did something happen to them? The other boys begin to stir and everything comes back to Race. A blizzard had just hit in New York City which is why Davey and Les slept at the Lodging House that night. It was so bad that Jack and Crutchy stayed off of the rooftop that night. Jack had been herding everyone towards bed. That was the last Race could remember of him before saying goodnight to Flavi. Speaking of Flavi, the dark haired girl begins to stir. She sits up straight and her blue eyes cloud over with confusion. Flavi spots Race and she crawls over to him.
"Where are we? Where's the city?" She asks quickly and Race shrugs.
"I'se don't know," Race says quietly, "I tink dat we'se on an island o some sorts."
"It's pretty," Flavi remarks as she looks around the island. Race takes in the view and something catches his attention. A pirate ship floats way off in the distance on the sea.
"Have youse seen Jack or Crutchy?" Race asks Flavi. She looks around quickly and shakes her head.
"No, that's kind o weird," She replies and Race nods. "But everyone else is here, even Davey and Les."
"It's like Jack and Crutchy were singled out or someting," Race observes as he looks at the sleeping boys. One by one, the boys begin to stir. Kid Blink sits straight up just like Flavi did and shouts,
"Where are we? Jack! If this is a stupid prank for messin wid Race da oddah day!" Race gets up and walks over to the blonde boy.
"Dis ain't no prank, Blink. Jack an Crutchy ain't here, but Davey is. Jack would keep Davey outta dis too if it was a prank," Race says quickly and Kid Blink nods his head in agreement. Race soon feels the arms of a younger boy attacking his waist. He looks down to see Romeo clinging to him.
"Race, take me back ta da bunk room. Please!" Romeo cries urgently and Race hugs the smaller boy.
"I don't know where we are, but dere's an ocean dere an a pretty beach an.." Race starts, but Romeo cuts him off again.
"I'se just wants da bunk room," Romeo says, his glossing over with tears. Race runs his hand through the kid's hair. Davey suddenly comes up to Race, his eye blazing with anger. Les follow him quickly, complaining that the sand is hotter than walking around selling papers all day.
"What is this?" Davey asks angrily and Race shrugs. Davey raises an eyebrow and Race puts his hands up, pleading innocence.
"I'se don't know. I'se was unconscious just like youse. Jack an Crutchy ain't here eiddah, someting's wrong!" Race exclaims nervously.
"Let's see if we can find somebody to help us," Davey states quickly. He takes off toward the jungle, but Race quickly grabs his arm.
"We'se don't know how we'se got here or why's we'se here. Just calm down an wait a minute til we can figah tings out," Race says as the boys begin to crowd around the two. Suddenly, they hear a rooster crow through the air and what sounds like a stampede of elephants running toward them from the jungle.
"Race... what is going on?" Davey asks loudly and the boys watch as a small ball of light comes toward them. Race pushes all of the boys including Davey behind him in a protective manner. Flavi tries to peek around Race, but he gently moves her behind him again. The tiny ball of light comes right up to Race and all of the boys nervously hold their breaths. Race looks closely at the tiny ball of light and notices that it is a tiny person with wings. A bell like sound chimes from its little body and Race raises an eyebrow. The tiny person appears to be a female, her tiny hair piled up on her hair in a tiny bun. She begins to jingle again and Race shakes his head at her.
"I'se sorry, but I don't undahstand ya," He says apologetically when a voice saying something that he actually understands says,
"That's okay. I do!" Race looks beyond the tiny ball of light to see a boy who appears to be his age or younger standing before him. The stampede noise comes to a sudden end as six boys tumble all over each other and onto the sand. The boy standing across from Race has bright red hair and sports a green island style outfit. Race scratches his head in confusion. This seems familiar, like it came out of one of those fairytale books that Les is always reading with the younger boys. "I'm glad you finally woke up!" The redheaded boy speaks again and Race nods.
"Just answer me one ting," Race demands politely, "Where are we'se?"
"You are in Neverland," the redheaded boy answers, "I am Peter Pan and these are the Lost Boys with me." All of the Newsies peek out from behind Race and Peter Pan's eyes light up.
"I'se Racetrack Higgins an dese are da Newsies," Race introduces. He spits into his hand and extends it to the shorter boy. Peter spits into his own hand, to the surprise of the Newsies, and shakes hands with Race.
"So, do you like Neverland? I heard New York City had a lot of boys that would be fitting to help fight pirates," Peter says to the Newsies.
"Yea, we'se can help ya soak em' if dat's what ya want done!" Elmer says excitedly as he slams his fist into his palm. Les gently socks Elmer in the arm to get the older boy's attention.
"He means sword fighting, Elmer. Like they do in the story, I don't think we get to fistfight this time," Les says, looking curiously over at Peter.
"Yes, we don't know how to fight with our fists," Peter says, "And I brought you here to make you Lost Boys. You never want to grow up, right?" The boys all exchange looks. None of them had really considered it that much since they had always enjoyed being young and at the same time being kind of grown up.
"I'se guess, I'se don't know," Race says timidly. "Where's Jack an Crutchy?"
"I decided to leave your leader in New York City and that way I would gain full control of all of you. There would be no one to keep me from you," Peter says and the Newsies all creep behind Race again. Race crosses his arms and announces not only to Peter, but to his boys as well,
"Why don't ya show us round den we'se will tell ya what we'se tinkin?" Peter crosses his arms and says,
"That's not what I brought you here to do." His brown eyes fixate on Race, who cannot seem to keep quiet. "You will do what I want and only what I want." Race frowns at the shorter boy.
"I'se oldah den you'se," Race retorts, "I'se tink I'se can lead da Newsies bettah den you'se." Peter laughs at the older boy with a shake of his head. Davey detects a hint of pity in his laugh.
"He's right, you know. Race has grown up with these boys and he knows better than you. You two should come to a compromise, not a forced decision from one side of the argument!" Davey explains to the two boys.
"Show us da island, den we'se will tawk," Race demands and Peter looks at Race, trying to think of something that will in the end get him what he wants.
"Deal," Peter says determinedly and Davey lets out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, the little ball of light from before circles around Peter and he begins to talk to it. All of the Newsies look at Race nervously. He shrugs his shoulders in return, not quite sure how to respond to their new ally's actions. Once Peter is done talking to it, he says to the boys, "My fairy, Tinkerbell, just told me that she found a place full of all of kinds of pixie dust if you would like to see that first."
"What's pixie dust?" Race asks, a little confused by what is happening.
"Pixie dust is just fairy dust, Race!" Les answers him quickly, "But I didn't know that it came in all different kinds." Peter nods his head and says quickly,
"Well, different fairies do different tasks and different jobs. So, all of the different fairies need different kinds of fairy dust. " The boys all look nervously at Race and then turn to Peter.
"We'se would like ta take a look," Race says, speaking for all of the Newsies that are huddling behind him. Peter jumps up and begins to fly when suddenly all of the Newsies look at him with wide eyes.
"You'se can fly?" Kid Blink asks loudly. Race smacks his cap against his thigh and runs a hand through his hair as the redheaded boy floats above them. None of the Newsies have ever heard of flying boys in the stories that Katherine and Davey have told them from Les's story books. Peter continues to fly and he zooms over the boys, causing them all to shove Race, who abruptly falls onto his back. Davey helps him to his feet and Race pats his back quickly.
"I played a little too much with the fairy dust and it led to a permanent flying situation," Peter explains quickly and the Newsies all exchange looks again. Who is this boy that kidnapped them out of New York City? All of the Newsies silently agree that their "leader" is an odd person who seems to try hard to be a little boy as much as he can. Peter says something to the group of younger boys that stand in a circle beneath him. Then, the boy takes off after the tiny ball of light that keeps flitting around him. The two fly off and disappear into the forest. Race and Davey watch and then turn to the younger group of boys standing before them. The tallest one approaches Race and spits into his hand.
"I'm Slightly, we're the Lost Boys even though Peter didn't tell you that. That's our name. You said you're the Newsies?" The tall boy that is wearing a fox outfit asks Race. Race nods and spits into his own hand.
"I'se Racetrack Higgins an yea, we'se da Newsies," Race answers.
"Well, Newsies, follow us! We'll take you to the pixie dust pit in the jungle!" Slightly says, a smile beginning to grow on his face. "I should probably introduce you to the rest of the Lost Boys first before we go just you know everybody," Slightly adds quickly. He points to a boy in a bear outfit. "That's Cubby and next to him is Nubs, with the rabbit suit." Slightly moves over to two identical boys in racoon outfits. "Those are the twins, one is named Bobby and the other one is named Paul. At least, that's what we think. And the last one there is named Tootles." Slightly finishes. Race smiles at the six boys and Davey looks a little nervous at the prospect of being led into an unknown forest with six boys that they hardly even know. Slightly calls over the rest of the Lost Boys and everyone walks into the jungle. The Newsies all cluster together as they walk through the jungle.
"Tink we'se gonna see a bear?" Henry asks nervously. Albert turns to him and looks him in the eye.
"Since when have youse been scared o bears? We ain't got em in New Yoirk," He says, trying to reassure his brother.
"I'se don't know. Jus tought dat meyebe one was gonna get us, Albert," Henry replies nervously as he peeks into the jungle. Suddenly, Davey lets out a startled gasp.
"What! What is it, Davey?" Finch jumps in excitedly. "Where is it? I'se will get im wid my slingshot." Finch rummages around in his pocket, looking for a marble to shoot at whatever is scaring the living daylights out of Davey. A tiny flock of ladybugs flutter around in front of Davey's feet. Finch pockets his slingshot and Race rolls his eyes at the Jacobs boy.
"Davey, someday youse gonna loirn dat hangin out wid da Newsies really ain't dat scary," Race announces. The rest of the Newsies look at Race and shake their heads at him. Davey is one of the people that will always be shocked whenever someone comes back to the Lodging House with a bruised face. Every Manhattan Newsie and even some of the Brooklyn Newsies know how skittish Davey can be. This does not stop Davey from saying,
"Or someday, you will thank me when I save you from getting your tails kicked by something terrible."
"Lighten up, David!" Les encourages, nudging his brother gently in the side. Davey rolls his eyes as they continue through the forest. Suddenly, Tommy Boy trips over a stick, causing a loud WHACK to sound throughout the entire jungle. He lands flat on his face and all of the Newsies and Lost Boys come to see what has happened. Tommy Boy sits up and glares at Pie-Eater.
"Next time, you'se trips me, Pie. I'se gonna knock ya clear ta next month!" Tommy Boy threatens his friend, but Pie-Eater shakes his head and raises his hands in the air to declare innocence.
"I'se didn't do it, Tommy. Dat wasn't dere til a few seconds ago!" Pie-Eater protests innocently. A soft, creepy cackle slips through the nearby leaves. The Newsies instantly cluster together and the Lost Boys nervously look around. Race glances around to make sure that every Newsies is accounted for.
"Race? What's happenin?" Flavi asks quietly as she stands close to her best friend. Race shrugs and glances around at the trees. Davey stands next to him, practically quaking in his shoes. Slightly carefully walks over to Race and whispers in his ear,
"Stay close. Hook is nearby. That's who just did that creepy laughing and keep an eye on the girl. The pirates like to kidnap girls in particular." Race nods and gently pulls Flavi close to him.
"Stay wid me!" He whispers gently in her ear and Flavia looks up at him with a puzzled expression.
"Why?" She mouths silently and Race leans down again.
"Slightly said dat da pirates like ta target goils for deir kidnappin victims an we ain't lettin dat happen ta youse," He whispers softly to his best friend again. Flavi looks up at him and rolls her eyes. Knowing that her friend is just trying to protect her out of the sweetness of his heart, she honors his wishes and stays close to him. The leaves rustle and Davey jumps. Race rolls his eyes at Davey and gently shoves him in the shoulder. This only causes Davey to jump again and Flavi lightly smacks Race's arm.
"Be nice," She mouths firmly and Race rolls his eyes at her. The other Newsies cautiously glance at the leaves as they attempt to silently walk through the large jungle. Suddenly, the leaves begin to rustle loudly. Someone is coming through the leaves right in front of the Newsies and the Lost Boys. Everyone clusters together and some Lost Boys and younger Newsies begin whimpering in fright. Flavi gently grabs Race's arm near the elbow and he smirks at her. A small chipmunk jumps out into the open and Les says quickly,
"Awe! Look, Davey! It's just a little chipmunk and it is not going to hurt us a bit!" But Slightly pushes Les away from it.
"It's a trap! The pirates try to get us with their cute little decoys but it's not going to work today," He says loudly and the sound of footsteps retreating reaches the groups' ears. Flavi, to Race's dismay, lets out go of his arm. He doesn't know where this sudden feeling of wanting to protect her has come from. Especially when she used to live in Brooklyn where she could take care of herself. He knows she can do it, so why does he feel the need to protect her all of a sudden? Race brushes those thoughts aside to make sure that the Newsies are keeping up with the Lost Boys as best as they can. After a short walk, they approach a large oasis filled to the brim with various kinds of glowing substances that looked like some form of a powder. The Newsies quickly learned that this was the pixie dust place that the Lost Boys had mentioned.
"Wow!" Race hears Flavi exclaim next to him. She points at fairies hovering over some of it and pouring it into a small bowl. Race is taking everything in when one of the Lost Boys, it sounds like Cubby, says,
"Newsies! Welcome to the most powerful place in all of Neverland!" The Newsies awe over all of the bustling activity over the pixie dust oasis. One of the Lost Boys reaches down into the oasis and grabs a bunch of fairy dust. The younger Newsies begin to do so as well and before long, every Newsie and Lost Boy has some kind of pixie dust in their possession. All of the boys begin to play with it when suddenly, they hear a rustling sound again in the trees. Slightly motions for the boys to come closer. Every single Newsie and Lost Boy looks to Slightly. He gestures to the pixie dust in his hands and sticks his hands into his pockets. The figure emerges from the trees and Slightly yells,
"Fire!" Right as a familiar voice shouts,
"WAIT!!!" The Newsies and Lost Boys all charge the person standing in front of them. Pixie dust flies everywhere over the newcomer and lingers in the air long after the boys have thrown it. The boys begin to shout at the intruder even though they cannot seem them. Les, Boots, Tumbler, and Jojo shower the pixie dust all over each other. Suddenly, a loud POOF sounds as all of the different kinds of pixie dust mix. The intruder's identity is revealed for a split second before they turn into a pan flute, a monkey, and then finally a fox. The dust from the pixie dust settles and each and every boys is covered in pixie dust.
"Oh no!" Davey shouts as he realizes what they have done. The person who they turned into a fox is none other than Peter Pan.
"Uh oh," Slightly says nervously. He looks at the Newsies and shrugs his shoulders in a sympathetic fashion. Chaos begins to erupt between the boys. Race joins in until he receives a hard nudge in the arm from Flavi. She nods her head towards the chaos and Race shouts,
"Ey, ya bums! Stop yer fightin or we'se ain't evah gettin home!" The Newsies and Lost Boys immediately separate. Race begins to feel sorry for the boys knowing that they just turned their leader into a fox. The new fox examines itself in the water and its jaw drops open before it takes off running into the woods. One of the Lost Boys talks with a fairy and then comes over to Davey, Race, and the rest of the Newsies.
"Well, it looks like we made an irreversible mistake. Peter cannot be turned back into a human ever again. Looks like the whole fox ordeal is a permanent situation," Nibs says, quietly looking in the direction that their former leader, now fox had run in.
"How do we get back ta New Yoirk? Since we'se messed up so bad, we'se probably shouldn't stick around, ya know," Race says and Flavi nods. New York had their leader who they desperately want to see again. Slightly and Nibs exchange confused and worried looks.
"To be honest with you, we don't know," Slightly says sadly and Nibs nods in agreement.
"Great! We are terrible at playing with fairy dust, we turned your leader into a fox who we can't change back and we are stuck on an island with no way home!" Davey says quickly and sarcastically. Tinkerbell, the ball of light, zooms over to the group and begins jingling in an animated fashion to Nibs. Nibs's eyes light up and he looks to the Newsies.
"I think we found you boys a way home!" He says and Tinkerbell begins to sprinkle them with pixie dust. Nibs puts some on too and teaches the Newsies to fly. Romeo and Albert crashed into each other and Henry had a habit of kicking his legs. Mush could not navigate very well at all and Skittery would not fly up high enough. Davey found that he could barely fly at all. Eventually, the Lost Boys got the Newsies up and flying. The Newsies hollered loudly as they flew out of Neverland and back to New York. Flying through the star, they see their home on the other side. Neverland was fun, but only for a short time. Each and every Newsie was beginning to miss the way that Jack or Kloppman woke them up in the morning or hassled them. Before long, they are landing and racing back to the Lodging House. Thankfully, daylight is just beginning to break in New York City, so Jack and Crutchy probably won't even notice that they left. The snow still piles high and Flavi smiles as Race walks with her through it.
"Thanks for da adventure," She says and Race scoffs at her.
"Dat ain't what I'd describe an adventure, but ya welcome," Race replies and she smiles at him again. They stop as they approach the Lodging House. The one place that they called home sits before them and Race has never been so glad in his life to see it. He pulls the door open as quietly as he can and holds it open for Flavi. Flavi immediately hurries to her closet, but before she does, she peeks around the door and says to Race,
"Thanks for everything, Racetrack. You'se are an amazin friend." Race feels his cheeks turning pink as he replies,
"Ya welcome, Dots. Anytime." Flavi closes the door, trying to scrounge up a few precious moments of sleep before having to sell papers. Race and the other boys quickly hurry up to the bunks and climb into bed. The minutes of sleep that the boys receive are few, but they would never trade it for the entertaining adventure that they had in Neverland.
AN:/ Oh my word. That took forever to write and I'm not sure how to feel about it. Definitely not my best oneshot. I have written better for sure. Anyways, now for some shout outs of positivity aintweproud, thank you for writing your Peter Pan/Newsies AU and inspiring me to try something similar. Also thanks to Sage_Dragon and AlohaGirl27 for giving me ideas on what to turn Peter into. I hope that was humorous. Flavi and Race make me smile. They are such good friends. I am going to get back into a oneshot with Jatherine since this oneshot is supposed to be a stand alone from my other ones. I might do another Jatherine/Peter Pan one, but I want to wait since I just did a Newsies/Peter Pan AU based oneshot. Would you guys like me to try an AU, like as a separate book? I have some ideas, but if you have any ideas that you would like to see me do for this AU, please let me know. I hope you liked this oneshot. It took longer than I typically take to write something. It was hard to fit all of this into a oneshot, because I really just want to do an AU. It would suit my wordiness better. So, what did you think of this one? Did you like it or was it awful? Feel free to express your thoughts. I might try to start a chapter of There's A Life That's Worth the Living soonish. Enjoy the story and see you around!