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The tide that night was low when Izzy docked on Neverland. She had decided that she needed time away from Pirate Island, but had not had a chance to sneak off earlier during the day.
Jake had gotten a fever a few days back, and now she and Cubby were taking turns to watch after him. Cubby had told her to take some fresh air, just like he had done earlier, but it was she who decided that, with the tide so low, Neverland would be a much better place.
After all, tide pools were probably already forming with a lot of things in them, and Izzy was eager for some new shells.
She was already tiptoeing around them. Even though the tide pools held amazing things, they sometimes also held... unwanted critters Izzy didn't want to deal with now; perhaps had Jake been better, she would've risked it.
Right now, though, she had her sight on a beautiful dark blue shell with teal spots and a white fade on its tail. That would be nice to add to my collection. Gingerly, she approached, picked it up, and inspected it for any small hermit crabs still inside; after all, she mustn't make the same mistake she did years ago!
When she deduced there were none, she happily put it inside her satchel.
"You will be nice in a pot!"
She perked up, blinking in confusion. Was somebody else there she hadn't noticed?
Carefully, she stalked forward and then peered from behind a boulder, eyebrow raised.
There, up ahead, was a pirate girl around her age. She was very pretty too, with a very voluminous, wavy hair the color of bark tied under a small bandana. Her tanish skin glistened under the moonlight, just like the pearl collar around her neck, and her torn, dark blue dress, albeit not the less tidy, moved freely under her. She did have a pirate-ish look, but at the same time, she looked... different. Something about her was throwing Izzy, not off, but in several directions.
Where does she come from? Izzy frowned. She's definitely not from around here but... she could very much be at the same time.
It wasn't on Izzy's plans to slip and fall face-first into a tide pool, but it very much happened as she tried to retreat without causing trouble. She groaned as she lifted herself up, soaked to the bone almost.
"Goodness! Are you alright?"
Izzy looked up with wide eyes. She could feel the embarrassment take over as she locked her hazel eyes with a pair of bright, orange ones, shining with concern. Izzy sighed. "Only my ego is bruised." She said as she got up, dusting off sand and whatever else had decided to stick to her.
The girl giggled. "Besides that?"
Izzy smiled. "I think I'm fine. A few scrapes over here, but other than that? In better shape than a starfish." Izzy gently washed her hands of sand and then extended one of them towards her. "The name's Izzy, I live on this forsaken island that likes to make me embarrass myself."
"I'm..." The girl looked around for a moment before nodding. "I'm Bucanneer Tide Pool. I'm not from around here, but I docked a few days ago."
"Bucanneer Tide Pool?" Izzy smirked, amused. "Ya sure you're not making fun of my fall now?"
Tide Pool giggled. "Wouldn't, for the sake of myself!"
Both laughed, enjoying the camaraderie momentarily. Izzy noted that Tide Pool's accent resembled the Darlings' much more than her own. "You come from far away, I'm guessing?" She asked gently.
"One would say so. I've been sailing for a few weeks now, the Never Sea is quite abundant with islands all around, so I made it my goal to travel through it." Tide Pool said, swinging the bucket in her hands gently. "Came across many pirates, more than I hoped for."
"And you're gonna keep going to." Izzy pointed out gently. "That fine jewelry of yours sure catches the eye. It's not quite seen around."
"Is it not?" Tide Pool asked worriedly, her fingers brushing over the pearls.
"Only as treasure, that is." Izzy eyed her for a few moments. "You haven't been on the seas for that long, have you?"
Tide Pool looked at her reflection on the, well, tide pools. Her voice quietened. "Is it that obvious...?"
"A bit."
Tide Pool sighs. "Jolly me... I thought I was doing quite well... Guess not."
"Well, you had me confused for a bit earlier, so you're almost there," Izzy says sympathetically. "I could help you. My crew and I had been doing this stuff since we could think."
Tide Pool stiffened. "Oh, um... You have a... crew?" She scanned the place around, shifting her weight on each leg. "Like, several of them?"
Izzy snickered. "We're not like that. It's kind of our famous trait." She took a step forward. "We're nice, overall. Well, my Captain's brother can be sort of an ass sometimes, but that's about it."
Tide Pool fidgeted. "I don't know... I don't really know you. Like, I do now, but not entirely.... not to be mean, of course!"
Izzy nodded. "Don't worry, you're playing safe. I get it." She smiled at Tide Pool. "You're gonna be here for a while, right?"
"It's the most plentiful island around, I might as well. It's full of resources."
"How about this?" Izzy led her away from the tide pools and into the beach far behind. Once they were among shipwreck, Izzy added: "My crew and I often visit the island, it's our home. You can watch us from afar, see us interact with the many people and creatures living here. If you think we're safe, just leave a small sign for me, and I'll come find you and present you to my crew. If not... Well, you can still talk to me without my crew being involved."
Tide Pool hesitated, looking between Izzy and somewhere towards the sea. She sighed. "Well, you're the friendliest face I've come around in a while... I trust you're not deceiving me." She said, playing with her pearl collar gently. "I will do that. If I come around, I will leave a small shell for you. But one only you'd recognise, and it's gonna be well hidden. For measure." Tide Pool's voice says firmly. "I will be watching. I might not be good at... pirateing... but I am good at other stuff."
Izzy nodded, smiling. "I don't doubt it." She stretches her hand again. "It's a deal?"
Tide Pool smiled gently before stretching her hand. "Deal..."
Izzy then turned. "I will go back to my home now, you have a safe and nice rest. It was nice knowing you, Tide Pool." After that, she walked away gently.
"Bye, Izzy!" Tide Pool waves. "It was nice knowing you, too!"
Izzy smiled at her one last time before she disappeared from sight. Tide Pool sure was nice enough... but Izzy couldn't help but feel that there was more to her. The way she seemed to not know anything of the seas, of pirate code or dangers, and how worried she seemed to want to pass as one... She's struggling with something, and I will help her.
Now Izzy needed to make sure Tide Pool could trust them.