Olivia opened her eyes slowly and after a few seconds of adjusting she sat up and threw her legs to the side of the bed and stood up. She looked around for a few seconds, remembering all the events of the other day and she walked out. Her eyed trailed over the quiet camp. Someone jumped and she snapped her head to look at Felix who looked like he hadn't slept in ages. He sprang to his feet.
"Olivia!"he called out overjoyed. The young girl immediatly turned away from him and sat on a log with other boys. Felix bit his lip, hurt and walked to his tent.
She looked around and spotted her brother. She slowly strode to him. His back was facing her and she tapped his shoulder. Whirling around Liam exclaimed in surprise and threw his arms around her, wrapping her small frame in a tight embrace.
"I was so worried about you!! How are you feeling ? Are you tired? Do you need anything to eat? To drink? Maybe you'd like to sit down? Or y-
"Yeah I'm just going to sit. "She said slowly and carefully sat down on the log next to her brother. One by one the boys seemed to wake up and actualy realise she was back. They all came to her, cheering, and asking tons of questions until Liam stepped in and told them to back off, since she still was quite tired. She needed space. Olivia sent them a tight smile and her eyes gazed back to the flames. Her brother waited a few minutes before asking carefully.
"O, what happent? Tell me.
"Don't bother Liam. "She cut off gently but firmly.
He took her hand gently and leant closer
"No matter what, you know that I'll always be there for you, right?
"I know that. Thank you Liam."she said grateful.
Suddenly Pan appeared and called out
"All right boys I need you all to-"he froze as his eyes met hers . There was a long and heavy silence. Several emotions passed through his eyes : surprise, glee, tenderness and hope. Hope that she might let him apologize and explain everything.
Olivia suddenly stood up and walked away. Felix quickly reacted and called out the boys to the training field. Pan hesitated. Should he go after her... or should he leave her some time? She clearly didn't want to see him. He sighed and opted for the second option.
From that moment it went on like that. Whenever he arrived, she left. Felix could not go to her either. She spent her days mostly with Dodger, who didn't understand the situation but simply knew he shouldn't ask question.
Olivua felt empty inside. The more the days flew by, the more she felt that way. There wasn't sadness nor pain anymore. She was feeling numb. Her mind was foggy and she didn't know where she was or what she was doing exactly, well she did but it seemed like someone else was doing it for her.
Pan kept trying to talk to her but she refused and pushed him away every single time. Why? She hated him. Did she? She didn't know actually. Wbat about Felix? She had no idea. Neither love nor hate. Worse. Complete indifference. Deep deep down she hated it, but she couldn't even see that. Liam noticed how different she was being and it worried him. Olivia was acting strange. He had gone to ask Fekix about his involvement in the matter. The only answer he got was something close to 'none of your business '. When he then argued with the fact that she was acting strange he would look away and say all this was due to the shock. But to Liam, this was something else.
And he would find out what it was. No matter the cost. He approached Felix in a moment of confidence and pointed his finger to his chest accusingly, and glared at the blonde boy.
"I don't know what you've done to her but I will find out. And I will make you pay. That I swear."he growled and Felix stepped forward and muttered
"Keep trying."
Liam shook his head and watched as he walked away whispering
"I'm already paying the price."
______________________
Dodger's POV.
"You okay?" I asked Olivia, sitting beside her. She started at the sound of my voice but soon relaxed and nodded
"Yeah, I'm fine."she answered briefly and before I could say anything else she cut me off
"I'm tired, I'll go to bed now.
"... okay. Night.
"Yeah. Night."
I sat there, puzzled at her attitude but then again I tought she must have gone through a lot so I decided to just leave it there. I sighed, wanting my friend back but I guess it will take some time. She was just shaken a bit.
But then once again.... the next day proved me wrong... well kind of.
Olivia held her sword tight, and after a few seconds she lunged at Will, and fought like she had never fought before. There was rage and precision in all her actions and it surprised me. Will was taken aback at how she didn't stop assaulting him, barely clashing his blade with hers to stop the blows. She then kicked him in the ribs and watched him stumble before lifting her sword as if to strike but she suddenly stopped herself as she noticed Will shielding his face with his hands, terrified. She frowned for a second and her sword went down slowly.
Her look had darkened during the fight but it went back to its usual softness and she stepped back surprised herself. She helped Will up and the lost boys cheered, shrugging it off. We all got carried away once in a while. I could see she tried to smile but it came out as half a wince.
I walked up to her.
"Hey Livy you okay?"
She looked at me suddenly with eyes wide and shook her head stammering.
"No.. I mean yeah.. I don't know... but yes I'm fine."she said with a tight smile and walked away. Sooo that didn't make any sense... I frowned, my eyes following her.
Back to 3rd POV
The next day before training, Pan appeared before Olivia. She jumped and immediatly turned back. This time he didn't let her and grabbed her wrist. She turned to him outraged and jerked her hand out of his grip.
"Stay the hell away from me Pan"she hissed. Pan winced at the name she had called him.
"Not this time, love. This time, you're going to listen to me. Very carefully, until I am finished and then you decide if you can forgive me or not.
"Forgive you what?!"
He frowned shocked and rubbed the back of his head embarrassed.
"The fact that I lied to you all this time.
Olivia struggled but he kept her firmly in place "listen to me Olivia Just LISTEN!"he cried out obviously tired of it all. She glared daggers at him but stopped fighting.
"I took you to this island for your powers. So I could be immortal and much more powerful. Shadow created this token for me, the bracelet, containing the spell of the Phoenix. It holds such a name because the item sucks the power out of the person's very soul and body and it would kill you... and I would rise after that, new and mighty. At first I just wanted the plan to work so I made you trust me. But then... I realised I did actually care about you. That I couldn't let you go. I realised I was falling for you, that I loved you. And more than I could admit. Then so many things happent and I forgot about the spell and the bracelet, simply focused on you... on us. "
Olivia watched him completely emotionless. He went on
"Then I remembered when you started having those nosebleeds. I was desperate and I tried everything to have my Shadow work with me on finding the cure, but it wouldn't. So I went to Tinkerbell to ask her help and she told me a way. But then you found out... I didn't want you to know until I could show you I had a cure... then you thought I was still going on with the plan. But I wasn't. There's no need for all this. All I want is you. You mean everything to me. I've changed. You know that... thanks to you. Now please believe me and tell me if... you forgive me or not.."
He noticed her look soften and a small spark on her eyes. She opened her mouth to tell him she did. He could see it in her eyes that she did and it made him feel overjoyed. But then she said something else.
"It's too late."
Pan looked at her puzzled
"What do you mean it's too late? What is??"
She didn't answer, and seemed to look for the words, struggling. The small spark vanished and her expression hardened.
"All of it. It's too late.
It's too late Pan."
The boy frowned, obviously not following but she stared at him for a long moment. Her eyes held undefinable emotions.
Anger. Nothingness. Was it also some sort of plea?? However he didn't understand it and she pushed his arm away, and he could only watch her stride away, helplessly.
Olivia went to training with a shocked expression . She looked lost. She breathed in and out, carefully and decided to clear her mind with training.
Roy was presiding training today. She wrestled against Lion and Tootles. Easy for the second one but not the first. Then after shooting, came challenge fights. Olivia was called in. The boys cheered and she prepared herself, waiting for her opponent.
Then Roy made one big mistake...
"Felix you're up!"
Olivia snapped her head to look at him and in a second her look darkened. She shook her head, evacuating the negative thoughts and cleared her mind.
Felix focused and steadied himself. He unsheathed his swords and watched as Olivia did the same with hers. She flipped it and stood there, legs flinched, ready.
Their eyes met a split second and then he attacked, attempting a first blow but she blocked and pushed him away only to have him swing his sword and try nother blow, missing her by inches. Olivia shook her head and lunged at him, clashing her sword to his but he easily blocked and at one point he slid a cut on her arm. Blood drew from the wound. At the sight of it, Olivia's look suddenly darkened. She inhaled deeply and suddenly assaulted him like a fury. She set out all her best blows, attacking him endlessly, and precisely. It felt as though she knew all his weaknesses. Felix avoided as best as he could but she left him no opportunity to fight back. The blade came in contact with his leg and cut a deep gash along his left leg. He groaned and kept the fight going but she then ducked and leapt on him, punching him in the jaw, and tackled him to the floor. He swung his sword at her and she blocked, grabbing ahold of his wrist and twisting his arm, and shoving him to the ground. The blade dropped from his hand and the boys cheered.
She didn't stop there. The girl then kicked him in the ribs as he tried to stand up and threw a few hard kicks in his stomach having him double up in pain as the boys then fell silent.
"All right Olivia that's enough now!" Roy warned but she didn't listen to him and kept on punching and kicking. She took ahold of her blade and lifted it above her head. Felix was staring at her, all bloodied and bruised, torn and suddenly terrified. Olivia held no glimmer in her eyes. Just pure hatred. She ignored all the boys panicking around her and her friends pleading her to stop. She smirked at Felix's terrified face and pushed the blade down to strike when a body collided with hers and sent them both rolling to the ground. She groaned and lifted her head to see Dodger groaning as well. She scrambled to her feet and looked around. There was complete silence. The boys were standing there, staring at her in shock and also fear. Her eyes flickered to Felix on the ground and a pang of guilt hit her hard.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT OLIVIA ??!?!"Dodger yelled and gripped her shoulders firmly, spinning her so she was facing him. She frowned, surprised at first. She opened her mouth but closed it immediatly sending him a confused look and he exclaimed.
"You were going to kill Felix !!! "
Olivua slowly turned to her friend and there was a long silence.
"Oh."was all she said. Dodger looked at her in disbelief and snapped his fingers before her eyes.
"Hello?! Neverland to Olivia?! Care to explain?? Livy he's your best friend and you almost killed him!"
She turned back to him.
"But I didn't ."
Dodger backed a step, shocked, his eyes desperately scanning her face to look for at least the tiniest sparkle of guilt . But nothing.
"What's happening to you?"he whispered in a breath and she looked away, silent.
She walked to the boys who were now around Felix and stammered.
"I...um... I'm sorry I don't know what happent... I ... I'm sorry..."and she vanished. Felix stood up and left back to camp. The other boys looked at each other, stunned at what had just happent. They went back to training and Dodger passed a hand through his hair.
The night at the bonfire, Olivia came up and there was suddenly a big silence. Pan frowned at the sudden change of atmosphere and Roy quickly lightened the moods by organising challenges. All the boys instantly followed. Olivia sat on a log alone for most of the night, desperate as she caught all the boys sending her confused, scared or harsh looks.
She then felt someone sit beside her.
Dodger.
"Why are you here Dodger."she said angrily. "Aren't you running away from the monster I am becoming?"she scoffed. Dodger shook his head and spoke up.
"I want to know what's happent to you. You were out for five days and then you come back and it's like you're not you anymore."
Olivua said nothing. Simply staring at the flames.
"Olivia, you almost killed Felix today. He's your best friend!"
She scoffed, making him frown.
"Yeah, I'm lucky to have such a caring friend aren't I?"she said sarcastically.
"What do you mean?
"You don't know do you?
"No I...
"The bracelet Pan gave me. It was never meant to protect me but to kill me, so Pan could have all my powers and I'd die. Problem solved. He lied to me... all this time. And Felix knew all about it from the beginning he knew it would kill me, and he said nothing about it, pretending like it was fine! When I found out... I couldn't feel anything anymore, it was like the pain was too great for me to embrace. I couldn't. It made me numb. I begged them to kill me.
Death sounds sweeter than living knowing that your whole life is a lie.
But they even refused that."
Dodger had been listening carefully and glanced at his best friend being healed by Isaac. Then he looked back at Olivia who added.
"Tell me why I shouldn't hate him.
"Because that's not who you are. Felix I'm sure has an explanation for this. He must've been sure it wouldn't come up in the end. Or maybe both he and Pan changed their minds after a time and then they couldn't tell you because they cared about you and wanted to find something to help. Felix always does like that."
Olivia's look was harsh . Dodger insisted.
"Listen to me sister... you can't let this cloud your mind. The Olivia I know would forgive and still see the best in people.. what you're doing , what you did today was not Olivia's mind commanding it. You're letting yourself go. Please don't take that path, don't venture there. "
The young girl was still emotionlessly watching the flames, but she was listening. Dodger went on, insisting.
"Be careful of the darkness... it is so easy to get lost. I talk with experience trust me. My mother went there and it was ugly, then my brother followed and it didn't end well. You'll lose everything. Please, Olivia... you're a sister to me and my dearest friend, please don't go there."
The girl turned to him this time and said in a breath.
"It's too late..." Dodger swallowed and took her hands in hers.
"No no it's not too late! It's never too late I know you can resist this."
Olivia's eyes locked with his and for a moment there she almost gave up, her look softened and her mouth opened to say something but then she closed it quickly and turned away, her expression hardened once more.
"It's too late.
"No it's not. The Olivia I know doesn't give up so easily, she is a fighter and she has light. She is kind and sees the best in each and every one of us. Where is she now? You have her in you, somewhere."
Olivia then said flatly but harshly.
"Olivia's dead. She died five days ago."
Dodger gulped and his eyes filled with sadness. Pan squinted his eyes, watching her as she stood up and left the bonfire. He had heard the last words she exchanged with Dodger and gritted his teeth. He needed a plan B.
As for Felix, he was staring at his friend, he had heard the whole conversation and he wished things had been different. He remembered the crazed look in her eyes as she fought him earlier and the hate he recognized in her eyes.
It wasn't her anymore... the Olivia they all knew, the one singing joyfully at the bonfires, the one singing the lost boys to sleep, or being marveled at all the things around her or encouraging the boys, leading the games and hanging out with Pan, looking at him with such love it brought smiles on everyone's faces. The Olivia bringing peace on the island was gone...
He had no idea how to deal with this new Olivia ... none of them had any idea...