Days passed and each one was a day of excitement or adventure and once the day ended they would all listen to Marinette's stories or songs. Nino, Erik, and the lost boys would spend most of the day hunting in the jungle however they were warned to avoid the Indians and the pirates unless Adrien permitted it of course.
"Nino I'm tired can we go back?" Erik complained.
"Not yet we haven't caught anything." Nino responded.
"But we've been here for so long."
"Fine." He groaned. They started to walk back. "I swear Erik sometimes you can be such a- Ahhh!"
The two boys had stepped in a trap and were hanging upside down by their feet.
"How humiliating." Nino said with his shirt covering his face.
"Nino I think we're in trouble." Erik said.
Nino pulled his shirt out of his face to see Alya the eleven year old Indian princess sitting in a tree. She had reddish-brown hair with a feather in it,, her face was painted, she wore typical Indian clothing, and she held a knife in her hand. She had been hunting for a bear but when she saw she had caught two boys instead she fell out of the tree laughing.
"Get us down from here lady!" Nino demanded.
"How could you two not see the trap?" She chuckled. "Oh God! Ha! Ha!"
Her exploding laughter attracted the attention of Hawkmoth and the akumas. She tried to run but Pharroh and Pixelator grabbed her and brought her to the captain. The pirates did not see Nino and Erik so the boys kept quiet.
"Princess Alya so good to see you." Hawkmoth said. "And here I thought I would have to go all the way to your camp to find you."
"Release me at once!" She demanded.
"Relax we only want you to answer a simple question." He said. "Where is Adrien Agreste."
"Don't know." She lied. "Now let me go you black toothed, beer breathe, slob!" She spat in his face.
The akumas shook thinking he was going to go off and kill her but he merely wiped the spit off. "My hook thinks you know, princess." He said putting his hook to her neck.
"Unhand her at once you savage!" Nino called.
The pirates looked up to see the two boys hanging. Hawkmoth recognized them as allies of Adrien and a new idea formed in his mind.
"If I can't find Adrien then I'll make him come to me." He said. "Cut those boys down! Set a course to sea! We are going to set a trap for Adrien Agreste."
...
"It's sun down and my brothers still haven't come back." Marinette said. "I'm getting worried."
"I'm sure they're fine." Adrien reassured her.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that mate." Kim said. "Max and Nathaniel spotted the akumas in the jungle."
"Do you think they were captured?" Ivan asked.
"I hope not!" Marinette cried.
"Okay let's start a search." Adrien said. "Ivan, Kim, go check to the pirate ship, Max and Nathaniel search the jungle."
"Aye-aye!" The boys said.
"Don't worry Marinette we'll find them." He took her hand. "Come with me."
"Where are we going?"
"Mermaid lagoon."
Now mermaids are not like in fairy tales. They are dark creatures who are interested in all things mysterious. They also could see and hear everything on the island. If Hawkmoth had captured Marinette's brothers the mermaids would know however they only come to the surface at night.
Adrien and Marinette sat on the rocks of the lagoon and waited for the moon to come out. When it did, Adrien began playing a pan flute and four mermaids rose up to the surface.
"Oh how sweet." Marinette said.
"Not as sweet as you think." He said. "They're actually quite mean."
"Well they are certainly lovely."
"Oh yes they're lovely alright and deadly too." Adrien warmed. "Don't get too close or they'll drown you."
They all had scales on their arms and around their faces, they had fangs, and their hands had talons and thick webbing between their fingers. They swam toward them and looked at them curiously.
"Wait here." Adrien said.
He flew closer to them and began talking to the first three, the first had long black hair with a purple streak, the second had short blonde hair, and the third had orange hair.
"No, Rose and I haven't seen the pirates." The dark haired one said. "But Sabrina might."
As he talked with the orange haired one, the fourth mermaid swam toward Marinette. She had light brown hair and olive green eyes, this particular mermaid was especially cruel and had also taken a liking to Adrien. She raised her scaly arm up and grabbed Marinette's hand. The girl was so amazed by seeing such a creature that she didn't notice the mermaid gently pulling her toward the water. But Adrien did, he sheilded Marinette away from the mermaid and hissed at her. She shrieked angrily at them.
"Leave them be Lila!" Sabrina called.
"We have better things to do!" Rose said.
The mermaids swam away and disappeared below the surface.
"Hawkmoth has your brothers and Princess Alya." Adrien told Marinette. "At the black castle."
The black castle was a half sunken palace that was place used to maroon people which is what the wicked pirates planned to do with their hostages.
"Put the children on the rock." Hawkmoth ordered.
Mr. Pidgeon, Pixelator, Guitar Villain, and Pharoh forcibly pulled the three children on to the marooner's stone.
"Sorry your highness." Mr. Pidgeon said to Alya. "Any last words?"
"Beg for your lives!" Pixelator said to Nino and Erik.
"Sir! My brother and I are English gentlemen!" Nino retorted. "And English gentlemen do not beg!"
But Erik was too young and afraid.
"Please! Please don't kill us!" He begged. "Please!"
Soon enough Nino abandoned his pride as well.
"Please don't kill me!" Nino pleaded.
Alya rolled her eyes, annoyed by their lack of dignity. Their cries of mercy were ignored and the children were chained to a rock, gagged, and left to drown when the tide came in while Captain Hawkmoth waited in secret with a loaded musket ready to fire.
Meanwhile Adrien and Marinette had just arrived, luckily Adrien figured Hawkmoth was planning a trap so he had a little trick of his sleeve.
"Can you use a sword?" He said handing her one. She and him engaged in a practice sword fight, he was surprised that she was a pretty good fighter. "Promise me one thing, leave Hawkmoth to me."
"I promise." She said.
"Okay follow me." They left in through the back of the castle and hid behind a large stone. Marinette was horrified to see her brothers and Alya up to their ears in water. Adrien then flung a rock outside.
"What was that?" Hawkmoth asked. He left the castle and went to where the sound was.
"Perfect." Adrien whispered as he watched him leave. "Watch this my lady, I have a knack for throwing my voice."
He flew in closer but kept himself hidden then he spoke in a voice that sounded like Hawkmoth.
"Mr. Pidgeon!" He called.
"Is that you captain?" He asked.
"E gads man! What on earth do you think you're doing?"
"Well we're marooning the kids."
"Well set em free."
"Set em free? But what about your trap?"
"Ser them free or I'll plunge my hook in you!" Adrien ordered.
Marinette giggled quietly at how funny Adrien's little joke was. Mr. Pidgeon and Pixelator un chained Nino, Alya, and Erik who swam away. Once they were gone Hawkmoth returned.
"Where are the children?" He asked.
"Don't worry captain we let them go." Mr. Pidgeon said.
"You what?"
"We let them go."
"You let them go?!" He shot his musket at Pixelator sending him into the sea.
"Mr. Pidgeon!" Adrien called in his Hawkmoth voice.
"Who are you stranger?" Hawkmoth asked.
"I am Captain Hawkmoth!" He said.
"If you are him then who am I?"
"You are a codfish!"
It took all of Adrien's will power not to burst out laughing. Hawkmoth was confused as ever about the voice that mimicked his. Wait a minute! Codfish? Only one person called him that. He heard a snicker from up behind a stone. He cocked his musket and began to walk up to it.
"Tell me have you another name?" He asked.
"Aye!" Adrien answered unaware of the danger he could be in.
"Are you animal?"
"No."
"Vegetable?"
"No."
"Mineral?"
"No."
"Man?"
"No!" He said in his real voice.
"Boy?"
"Yes!"
"Ordinary boy?"
"No!"
"Wonderful boy?"
"Yes!" He said flying out from his hiding spot. "Do you give up?"
Hawkmoth snuck up behind the boy and aimed his gun at his head.
"I am-"
"History." The pirate whispered.
"Adrien look out!" Marinette cried.
A shot rang out, Adrien flew out of the way causing the bullet to miss. He grabbed his sword and it clashed with Hawkmoth's.
"Ready to lose the other one?" The boy asked smirking.
"Not this time!" The pirate growled.