[ Briefly, Pan has to wonder what regular person would be outside when the air is so moist and so prepared to for an downpour of heavy rain... but maybe that's just what people do, get out and be prepared for the storm. Fire's not going to do anything to these vines in this kind of humidity, and his dagger isn't suited for this kind of work. Granted, if he tried really hard with his magic, he might be able to get some work done.

But this is Peter Pan. Aside from being the boy (demon) king of Neverland, the best thing he's at is be utterly lazy. Felix should really have been here for him, and he's going to have to give him a reminder who he belongs to later.

For now, the unexpected help is more than welcomed. He gives him a once-over, from head to toe, as though analyzing just how helpful he might be just from one look. In actuality, he's trying to determine his age -- he can be either be a young adult or an adolescent. Not that it matters, but for someone like Pan, it's important to note. Then, he notices the knife. Pan tilts his head, chuckling lightly. ]

Have you descended from above to lend me a hand? Your timing is impeccable.

[ Which he doesn't mind. Really interested in what he can do with a butter knife, though... ]

[ pan observes him for a moment, lets the surprise run its course so that he can actually form a complete, understandable sentence. he had expected the other (adolescent? young adult? he can never tell these days) person to have been one of those who had tried to follow home, but from the looks of it, the guy's reaction is as genuine as a deer caught in the headlights. when he finally make sense of what he's saying, a brow lofts, intrigued. ]

So you're a cartographer, huh? [ the stranger's a nervous guy, pan decides, but one that might prove to be useful company. he pats on the space on his log; there's enough room for the two of them to sit. ] Well, it's late, and you'd best rest your feet. I hear there are monsters that lurk in these parts.

[ monsters like pan, but let's be real, as of now, he's a non-issue compared to many others (COMPASS, to name one). ]

It's getting far too busy in the city remain inside its limits. It's dangerous out here, yet somehow quieter.

[ Pan nearly jumps at the sound of her gentle voice. Must have been too occupied with the problem before him to notice she'd arrived, but when he finally comes to, he finds himself laughing lightly. ]

Kaguya. Do you happen to have a sixth sense for detecting my distress?

[ He's smiling, glancing back at the vines before him. ]

The vines are blocking a store I'm trying to gain access to. Not that I know what's inside, but that doesn't stop a guy from being curious.

[ considering rumplestiltskin, emma, baelfire, and henry are here, even though he'd only seen one of them (little 'ole rumple), he figures that word of his presence will get around and he will get someone to trail after him. of course, he never notices it - he doesn't know who's onto him and who's not, so he resolves to "behave" as well as a boy can when kidnapped the way he had.

so he doesn't at all suspect that the man that had found him could be someone who's keeping an eye on him.

pan regards the man as a child would when a parent catches him awake past his bedtime, and his brows knit, putting aside his pipes and peers at him curiously. ]

It's getting too crazy within the city, you know? Too chaotic for a woodlands dweller like myself. [ he pats the spot next to his log. ] Anyway! If I were to run into any trouble, it seems I've someone to protect me now.

[ s m i l e. ]

Won't you join me?

[ Pan's magic allows him remove the blood without much difficulty, so Pan, luckily, is still able to dress in his regular attire without so much trouble (aside from his boots. He's still annoyed that his boots reeked of blood. Once he steps out of the forest and back to the concrete, he's certain the moisture from the earth will have drawn some specks of blood out and leaving trails on his footsteps - which is what happens when you have boots made mostly of patched up, thick fabric).

And when he finally sees the intruder, he had to wonder if the boy had forgotten to wash the blood out of his hair from the morning. Upon closer inspection (when the light seems to have adjusted to the new presence), he sees that he'd been wrong. That's about the most interesting hair color he's seen since the pink on that girl from earlier.

Pan may have appeared defensive at first, but he relaxes when he senses there's no hostility from him. Not that he would have reacted differently in the face of hostility, but that's besides the point. The point is, he doesn't have to fight for quiet and that's a nice enough thought. Pan grins. ]

I feel more at home out here. They told me not to venture too deeply, so here I am... Care to join?

[ Wendy has always had a way of avoiding trouble with Pan, and for that reason, he never had any reason to use any force on her. And that's likely why she doesn't run away from him; the consequences of that wouldn't be too pretty. It's been more than a century since she'd stepped on the shores of Neverland, so she knows better than most how to deal with the monster that is Peter Pan.

What she says resonates with him enough, and he follows his gaze where her eyes are fixed upon, squinting a little at the sight of the blood there. He leans and hunches, trying to catch as much of her line of sight as he can without getting too close.

Pan scoffs then, straightening himself as he then decides to peer over at the empty bed on the other side of the room. ]

You're not entirely off base with that assumption. But I happen to know you've been talking to the heroes. I have every reason to believe you're going somewhere, and if that's the case, I assure you, whatever this COMPASS has in store for your new and old friends, it will pale in comparison to what I have planned for them.

[ And that exactly how Pan operates with Wendy, who's kindhearted and careful of others. He doesn't threaten her -- she's selfless, but if he threatens her friends. Well, that's a whole new ballgame, and she knows that. ]

[ Pan heard a funny story once.

A princess, separated by her prince, eats an apple and falls into a deep sleep. Her true love, by unknown means (okay, not really), still somehow manages to reach her and break the curse, and she wakes up, smiles, and says "You found me." Of course, now their grandchild lost their heart to him, but that's not the point of the story. The point is, there is an unknown force that brings those who should remain together, together, like magnets, no homo. And that's why when Pan realizes who's speaking, the corners of his mouth spread wider and wider, tooth by tooth and the first thing that comes out of his mouth is -- ]

Well, you found me.

[ To be sure, if Felix was truly lost, Pan would be offended. Because that means he'll be able to hear the music again, and that in turn means that he's lost his faith in Pan. That isn't okay. He knows that Felix jokes, though, however deadpan it is. ]

Just in time. We were due for a little chat, don't you think?

[ Gold's first mistake was to not have striked at Pan when he'd crawled out of that train car, when he's damaged and weak. Where he is now, he's completely healed after a nice long week of exploring and laying low... but even at full power (or as full as COMPASS allows it), he's unable to use basic magic to do much to the vines. He's certain that, if he'd tried other techniques, he would have -- but that's effort he's not willing to put out. It was so much easier when he had a dozen boys to do all the work for him, but no more. He only has one boy now, and he's not even here.

The man shows up at the worst time. He could have any other day of the week, but of course, the moment he's in apparent distress, the geezer and his geezely gold cap has to show his face, strut and pose. He glances to Rumple, exasperated but not to be defeated just yet. ]

Not so much trouble than a... minor inconvenience. [ His grip on his dagger tightens. This just means he's going to have to make a show out of it, and how fun would that be? ] Who'd want to deal with all this foliage?