Weakness

Chapter 22: The Game Begins

Ace found herself surrounded by lost boys asking her questions. One boy, Diego, if she remembered his name right spoke very loudly how being in the camp was cheating and cheaters never win. Slightly had then decided to point out that Pan said Ace could go anywhere or do anything to avoid getting caught. Diego looking for a fight decided that was a good time to sock Slightly and that's how Ace found herself in the middle of a fight.
"Slightly!" Ace yelled as said boy punch Diego back. Deigo lunges at him grabbing him by the waist knocking him off his feet. They rustle on the ground each trying to pin the other. Diego gets the upper hand Strataling Slightly he began to punch him repeatedly in the face. Ace stepped in grabbing his wrist. Before he could throw another punch.
"That's enough." She demanded. Diego turned to look at her angrily.
"Stay out of this." He replied.
"Considering the fight was started because of me I don't think I will." She retorted pulling back on his arm roughly making him fall off Slightly. Ace helped Slightly to his feet as she checked him over.
"It doesn't look like your nose is Brocken." She informed a she'd checked it, "you may have a little concussion though. You might want to go lay down." She replied as Slightly stood in front of her a little dazed. Rufio was by her side in seconds as she handed slightly over to him.
"Take him to the medical tent, I'll come in in a minute." Rufio nodded as he led Slightly away.
"You want to come play Doctor for me." Diego asked smirking cockily.
"As a matter of fact." Ace replied turning around she marched up to him gripping the back of his neck harshly holding her hand in front of his face, "how many fingers am I holding up?" She asked.
"Are you serious?" The boy asked questioningly.
"Very." She replied stoically.
"Two." Diego complies.
"Good, And here." She asked moving her hand his eyes fallowing her fingers as his head couldn't move because of the way she held his neck.
"Three."
"Good and over here?" She finished moving her fingers to the other side of his face.
"Two."
"Oh good you don't have a concussion." She smiled as she let go and stepped back before she decked him. He stumbled back.
"Next time I say that's enough I mean it. Are we clear?" She asks the boy who was rubbing his jaw.
"Crystal." He replied spitting out blood.
"Good." Ace finished as she marched towards the medical tent to go check on Slightly who she was quite certain did have a concussion. She made her way over to the medical tent and disappeared behind the flap. Pan gave the rest of the boys a glare that meant get back to work before he disappeared into his own tent.
"How is he?" Ace asked as she made her way to Rufio who was tending to Slightly.
"Conscious." Slightly spoke up, but he sounded disoriented. Ace made her way over to him.
"Slightly, can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?" She held her hand out she watched as he squinted his eyes and blinked.
"Three." Slightly answered he sounded confident despite the fact he was wrong.
"Are my fingers blurry at all?" Ace asked, "I need a light and some ice." She said quietly to Rufio who ran off to find a candle and get some ice from the kitchens.
"A little." Slightly admitted, "Do you even know what your doing?" Ace gave him a duh look.
"I'm a trained assassin of course I know emergency medical procedures." Ace replied with a scoff.
"Alright from one medical professional to another, how bad is it, Doc?" He joked causing Ace to smile.
"I think you have a concussion so rest, I'm gonna place ice on your bruise when Rufio gets back, but the fact your sense of humor is returning is a good sign. All in all, you'll live." Ace replied smiling as she felt his pulse finding a steady heart rate.

Rufio hadn't returned before a shout caught Ace's attention. She ran out of the tent looking around frantically before she heard terrified screaming. To her horror she realized it was coming from above her. She looked up to see a boy moving fast towards the ground. She screamed herself as Pan rushed to where she was about to try and catch the boy. He held her back and Ace looked up horrified before the boy fell to the ground with a thud. Ace ripped herself from Pan as she ran toward the boy. She froze when he groaned and rolled over before standing up. He looked around himself dazed for a moment before his eyes landed on Ace. He looked over the red head his eyes widening in recognition, "Ally?" He looked at her hesitantly as she looked confused. Ally was the name she used as a cover. She narrowed her eyes mostly anyone who would know that name is dead or supposed to be. Then her eyes widened at the familiar grey eyes and tousled blond hair that reminded her of his brother.
"Miki?" She questioned amazed. He had aged so much, sense she last saw him. As soon as his name left her lips a grin broke out on his face as he ran to her and hugged her tightly. With a laugh she hugged him back. She pulled back a little looking up at him.
"Miki your taller than me now." She commented laughing as he laughed as well. The sound was joyous and filled the clearing everyone looked on curiously as the two friends embraced except for Pan who narrowed his eyes at their close proximity. A knot settling in the pit of his stomach, a knot he hasn't felt sense he became Pan. He knew what it was although he wouldn't admit it to anyone. He was jealous.
"What are you doing here?" Ace asked confused reminding Pan that this was a new lost boy.
"I don't know." Micki replied as he looked around him now cautiously this wasn't the enchanted forest and the fact that he was just kidnapped by a shadow came to mind, "where is here?"
"Well Neverland of course!" Pan spoke up breaking up the reunion that was making his blood boil. Ace watched him warily as she realized he wore an expression she had not seen on him. He looked like the Cheshire Cat with a large grin that had no joy behind it. She scanned him warily an action that did not go unnoticed by Pan. The surrounding boys held their breathes as for a moment it seemed the two were seizing each other up. Ace would protect the boy behind her just as she had when he was little, and Pan didn't like the defiant look in her eyes as she stood her ground.
"What is your name boy?" Pan spoke up grinning as his eyes shifted from Ace to the boy who was almost hiding behind her.
"Micheal." He spoke softly before clearing his throat and saying it again with a little more power.
"Well Micki," Pan began using the nickname Ace used to get a rise out of them. It worked on micheal but Ace seemed uncaring. She knew what battles should be fought, and which should be left alone, "What brings you to Neverland?" Pan asked.
"A giant shadow!" Micki snarked back causing a small smile to form on Ace's face as Pan broke out laughing. Though it wasn't his normal childish laughter. This one sounded colder, darker.
"I mean why did the shadow take you my Boy?" He questioned as he passed between Ace and Micki. The latter watching like a Hawk. He noticed Micki shift uncomfortably as he glanced at Ace. Pan began to walk around the boy like he was a predator, "Ace can't help you." He whispered into Micki's ear, "She swore loyalty to me." Pan deliberately looked up keeping eye contact with Ace as he spoke.
"You gained my respect Pan don't throw it away now." Came Ace's calm reply. There was a subtle challenge in her voice and the flash of anger on pans face, let her know he caught it. Pan disappeared from his place appearing instantaneously in front of Ace. She knew that he was mad though she wasn't quite sure why.
"Is that supposed to be a challenge?" Pan asked indignantly.
"A warning." She spoke calmly not breaking eye contact, "you don't want me as an enemy Pan."
"What do I have to do to get you to trust me!" He demanded an angry fire in his eyes.
"What is that supposed to mean?" She questioned in disbelief.
"you think I don't know, you've been lying to me!" He retorted raising his voice a little.
"I've been lying to you? Mr. There's no way off the Island! Did you forget to add the But by me part in there or did you just not want me to know you didn't want to let me leave! Admit it, you have been trying to manipulate me from the moment I set foot on your bloody Island!!" She yelled angrily.
"Me being manipulative? What happened to the little lost girl routine, Assassin?" Pan retorted angrily. Ace ignored the fact that he knew who she was as she narrowed her eyes at him angrily.
"Hey, I never pretended to be weak. I recall asking to train." She spoke up angrily. They were now standing toe to toe. Eye to eye. Neither backing down. The lost boys in the area had scattered or were watching at a safe distance because the next insult thrown was probably going to be fallowed by a fist. And no one wanted to stand in the way of the Ace of Spades and Peter Pan going at it. Pan smirked that smug smirk of his as he leaned back a little assessing his opponent.
"That's okay, I know you will trust me eventually it's just a matter of time." He smirked leaning back in.
"I will never trust you!" Ace replied angrily.
"Then lets make it a game." Pan spoke up the sick smirk on his face, his words making Ace scoff, "By the time I am done with you. You will trust me so much You will give me your most prized and guarded possession, your heart." He finished placing his hand gently above her heart. The challenge embedded in his words set off a fire in her eyes.
"I'll make you a deal." She spoke her voice returning to the venomously sweet it was the first day he met her, "whoever falls in love first and trusts the other person enough to admit it, loses." She whispered the last part in his ear as she ran her finger tips up his arm lightly. Letting it ghost over the skin on his arms.
"Deal." Pan replied softly as he nestled his face into her neck the tip of his nose touching her skin his lips ghosting over the sweet spot on her neck. Before he felt a hard shove and stumbled back a few paces. He looked shocked for a moment before he recovered himself.
"Something tells me you don't like it easy." Ace smirked as she sent him a playful wink and sauntered off. Pan watched her go smirking, this was going to be fun.

Hello Everyone,
Thank you to everyone who has been reading my book! I'm so thankful. It's been really hard for me to work on it lately. I've been so busy and my writing style has changed so much sense I began the book that sometimes it makes me cringe. But now that I'm back into it I'm hoping to be giving you guys a lot more chapters. I have a direction for the book now so hopefully I'll be able to finish off strength and weakness and then work on my new projects!
Thank you all again for reading! Also leave a comment and let me know your thoughts. I love hearing ways I can improve the book and become a better writer!