Peter was aloof on the way to Mermaid Lagoon; he barely said a word to Wendy but would eagerly chat with the lost boys and Tinkerbell. Wendy wondered what she had done wrong to earn such treatment. With spirits and shoulders slumped, she trudged onward.
Nibs noticed his Mother's disheartened appearance and slowed to walk with her.
"What's wrong Mother?"
Wendy looked up startled; she didn't realize she had company. Trying to appear cheerful she forced a smile.
"Nothing is wrong!"
Nibs gave her a disbelieving look. "Really Mother? Because you don't look like nothing is wrong."
Wendy silently scolded herself for letting her emotions show so plainly. She would have to do better at keeping them under control.
"Really I am quite alright Nibs. But thank you for being so concerned for me." She smiled sweetly at Nibs.
Nibs sighed in relief. "Good! I mean you're welcome!"
He took a hold of Wendy's hand and pulled her along faster. "Come on! Mermaid Lagoon is probably the prettiest thing on the island. Well...besides you Mother." Nibs blushed, but quickly recovered. "You don't want to miss it!"
Peter, who was at the head of the group, looked back and frowned. He tried to ignore the flash of annoyance at seeing Nibs hold Wendy's hand. He tried to shake it off, but it didn't sit well with him. Why though? Why would that bother him? Brow creased, he flew on, slightly lower than before.
Tinkerbell chimed What's wrong Peter?
Peter looked back at Wendy and grunted "Nothing, absolutely nothing."
Tinkerbell looked to where he was looking. It was that stupid girl again! If it hadn't been for her Peter would be just fine and happy! Tink had to do something about her now, she couldn't wait for Hook. Tink pondered in her tiny head what she could do.
Meanwhile, Wendy was charmed by Nib's words and her spirits lifted. She allowed Nibs to pull her along the path to Mermaid Lagoon, smiling at his eagerness. The trees began to thin and like a curtain opened to reveal the most beautiful place Wendy had ever seen.
Enclosed by light pink cliffs, sat a pool of clear blue green water. A sparkling waterfall splashed playfully down at the back of the lagoon. The mist created a spectacular rainbow that hung over the area. Green foliage and flowers in all their jeweled varieties decorated the sides of the lagoon giving off an enticing aroma. Scattered here and there were outcroppings of pink rocks, just perfect for lying about in the sun. Wendy noticed that on those rocks sat several very real and very beautiful mermaids! She couldn't believe her eyes! Real mermaids!
The boys, excluding Michael and John, who were used to seeing such splendor, ran to the edge of the water and started hopping from rock to rock. John was trying to figure out how such a thing as mermaids was scientifically possible. Michael just ogled at them with a great big smile.
The mermaids, realizing they had company stopped pruning themselves and looked up to see Peter and his band.
"Peter! Oh Peter is here!" A brunet mermaid announced excitedly.
A chorus of "Hello Peter's" Echoed through the Lagoon.
Peter blew on his pipes and flew to a central rock. The mermaids gathered around the rock, eager to be seen.
"Hiya girls!" Peter greeted sitting down.
"Oh I'm so glad to see you!" A dark haired mermaid crooned.
"Why did you stay away so long?" whined a blond mermaid.
A beautiful red head brushed her hair out of her face and smiled sweetly. "Did you miss me?"
"Tell us one of your adventures!" someone piped up
"Something exciting!" another one said.
Peter lapped up the attention. He grinned, surrounded by beautiful mermaids he all but forgot about his irritation with Wendy. He didn't even notice her try to balance from one rock to another to reach him.
"Wanna hear about the time I cut off Hook's hand?" Peter asked eager to put on a show.
"Oh I've always like that one!" The red head gushed.
Peter animatedly started to tell his version of the story when Wendy called out.
"Oh Peter!"
The mermaid whirled around to find the voice.
"Who's she?!" A dark haired mermaid accused.
Peter looked up from telling his story. Wendy was balanced precariously on a small rock and waving to him. Frustration from earlier colored his tone when he replied.
"What? Oh her?...That's just Wendy."
The uncaring tone in Peter's voice bothered Wendy. She frowned. The mermaids were unimpressed and annoyed.
"A girl!"
"What's she doing here?!"
"And in her nightdress too!"
An idea suddenly sparked in Tinkerbell's mind. She saw her chance and whispered to the red headed mermaid. A wicked grin spread across the mermaid's face and she nodded to Tink. She motioned for a couple mermaids to follow her. They surrounded Wendy's rock. Wendy didn't appreciate how the mermaids were looking at her. She was about to call out to Peter but he was busy entertaining the rest of the mermaids.
"I must say that is the ugliest nightdress I've ever seen!" The red headed mermaid laughed and reached up to tug on Wendy's dress.
"Excuse me?" Wendy said swatting the mermaid's hand away.
"Yes, but look at that hair! It looks like dirt and hasn't been combed!" Another one giggled.
Wendy touched her hair and her nightgown. Were they really that bad?
"And what about those eyes, so small, beady and dull!" Exclaimed a dark haired mermaid.
"I don't know how Peter can stand looking at her! She's so plain!"
"Poor Peter, having to suffer staring at this ugly creature day in and day out!"
"I think I know how to fix that! Come on dearie, why don't you join us for a swim?" The red head smirked, reaching up again and grabbing hold of Wendy's dress. Wendy tried to tug it out of her grasp but the mermaid held fast.
"I'd...I'd rather not swim right now." Wendy stated nervously.
"What too good for us?" Another one taunted swiping at Wendy's ankle and making her fall painfully to her knees.
"No, I just would rather not go swimming right now." Wendy argued trying to stand back up.
"I think little miss prude needs to be taught a lesson in manners!"
A blond grabbed the other side of her dress effectively pinning her to her knees. Another mermaid clawed at Wendy's wrists.
"Please let me go!" Wendy pleaded.
"Please let me go!" A mermaid mimicked in a high pitched voice.
"I said please, now release me!" Wendy demanded.
The mermaids only laughed. Frightened by the hungry looks in the mermaids' eyes, Wendy cast a glance over at Peter who was too entranced in telling his story to notice that something was wrong.
The red head saw Wendy's glance and laughed. "You think Peter will come to your rescue? Ha!" The mermaid leaned in and gave Wendy a good splash. "He could care less about an ugly girl like you!"
The others took that as their cue and began splashing Wendy relentlessly and clawing at her dress trying to pull her under the water. Wendy looked desperately for something to defend herself with and noticed a large seashell. Freeing one of her hands she grasped at the shell and started swinging it with all her might at her attackers.
The shell hit a target, the red headed mermaid's nose. Blood started to pour from the wound and the mermaid held her nose tenderly.
"You're going to regret that." The red haired mermaid hissed. With renewed vengeance the mermaids attacked and pried Wendy off the rock.
Wendy tried to scream for help but she was cut off as the water poured into her throat. Wendy was dragged down into the water, bubbles swirling making it hard to tell where the surface was. Fingernails clawed at her hair, ripped at her eyes and tore at her dress. Wendy struggled to kick her way to what was hopefully up.
"HELP!" She screamed between gasps for air before being pulled down again.
Peter paused in his story at the scream. He knew that scream, he heard that scream in his nightmares. He looked around for the source of the scream but saw nothing. He started to stand up to go investigate when a blond mermaid hastily pulled him back down.
"Peter you haven't finished your story!" She exclaimed. She knew what her sisters were up to and didn't want Peter to interfere.
"But someone was screaming." Peter said.
"Oh that! It must have been the wind!"
Peter looked doubtful the wind didn't scream. He started to stand up again.
Flustered the blond grabbed at Peter. She needed to keep Peter's attention away from her sisters until the job was done. So she did the only thing she could think of that would keep anyone's attention. She grabbed Peter's chin and turned him towards her. The blonde's eyes were beautiful and Peter couldn't help but stare. Then the blonde's lips were on Peter's. Peter's mind shut off completely and he was entranced. Mermaid's kisses were hypnotizing, often leading to many sailors deaths. Magic coursing through their kiss immobilizing their victims. In this case, the blonde hoped for just one ugly girl's death.
Wendy managed to surface again. "Help!" She cried. Pleading for someone to save her. She looked for Peter and what she saw broke her heart. Frustration, hurt and anger surged through her and renewed her energy to fight. She clawed and kicked her way out of the mermaids grasp and swam to the shore of the lagoon as fast as she possible could. Coughing up water, Wendy lay down on the beach and struggled to breathe. Sand stuck to her skin, hair and dress, but she could care less. She was free of the horrible mermaids, but not free from the heartbreak of seeing Peter kiss one of the mermaids.
Wendy finally managed to stand up and take a look at the damage the mermaids caused. The bottom half of her nightgown was in shreds. Her legs and arms were covered in scratches, and her knees were bruised along with her heart.
The blonde realizing that they had failed, released Peter from her spellbinding kiss. Peter stared dreamily, the magic still surging through his system. A dopey smile graced Peter's face and he flew lazily to the shore. He saw Wendy dripping wet an laughed.
"Decide to go for another little swim Mother?"
Wendy's eyes flashed in indignation. How dare he! Bottom lip trembling she forced back the tears and the confusion that clouded her mind.
"I'm going home." She said with finality and strode off into the forest.
Peter watched her go, a confused look on his face. All he did was ask if she went for a swim! Oh well she would get over it sooner or later. Peter turned back to the lagoon, the mermaids calling for his attention. He had a story to finish.