A Miraculous Tale: Storybook

Ch. 6

Cat Noir flew through the eye of the skull. He landed on a rock that was above the water below. He had a sharp intake of breath when he peeked his head over to see Hawk Moth and Lila. Kagami, her wrists tied up and a gag around her mouth, sat in the small boat. She was between the two pirates. .

"And so Smee and I will leave you to your death, Princess Tiger Lily." He smiled. "Smee?"

"Yes, Cap'n?" Smee asked.

"Sit Tiger Lily on that rock right over there." He pointed to a small, sturdy rock in the middle of the bowl of water. "When high tide comes, she will drown. And then the Indians will no longer have their Princess."

"But Cap'n, what does this have to do with Peter Pan?"

"Peter Pan believes himself to be a hero. When he comes flying in with the noble trumpets sounding, I will shoot, and we will be rid of the insolent pest forever."

"Great plan, Cap'n!"

"I know. Now you put her on the rock and keep watch, Smee. I'm going to go see if that bug has flown in yet." He stepped onto a nearby ledge and walked away. Smee rowed the boat over to the middle and sat Tiger Lily on the rock.

"Now stay put, Princess." She started to row away.

Cat Noir looked out over the rock. Then an idea struck him. "Smee!" He called in a deeper voice that sounded quite similar to Hawk Moth.

"Ahh!" Smee yelled as the voice came out of nowhere.

"What do you think you're doing, Smee?"

"I put the Princess on the rock, Cap'n, just like you said." The water was starting to rise with the tide.

"Put her back in the boat you fool!"

"The boat?" Tiger Lily's waist had now disappeared in the lake.

"Yes the boat! How is Peter Pan supposed to rescue her if she is dead?"

Smee thought on this. "Good point, Cap'n!" She rowed back over to Tiger Lily and put the wet girl in the boat. Just as she did this the real Captain Hook came striding back in.

"He hasn't shown." He said with disappointment. Then he noticed Smee.

"Smee, why isn't the Princess on the rock?"

"Oh, well she was, but I moved her back into the boat because you told me to."

Captain Hook raised an eyebrow. "I... what?"

"You told me to put her in the boat, Cap'n." Smee said with a smile, but there wasn't a trace of a smile on the Captain's face.

"Can't you do anything you incompetent fool!" He screamed at Smee. Smee cowered in the little boat.

"C-Cap'n?"

Captain Hook looked like he was about to murder the smaller character. Cat Noir thought it was time to intervene once again.

"Smee!"

"Ahh!" Smee screamed.

Captain Hook looked up with his mouth opened for a reply, but then everything went wrong.

Marinette and Michelle had wandered onto the ledge of the rock, and they realized too late that they went to the wrong spot. Captain Hook saw them.

"Looks like the brat is here." He looked up to where the voice had come from. Then he pulled out a gun and aimed it at the two girls. "Don't move or I'll shoot."

Marinette and Michelle stood stalk still. Michelle's bottom lip quivered.

Cat Noir knew he had to save them. He flew out from the rock and hovered away from the girls.

"I'm the one you want. Leave them alone!"

Captain Hook looked at him with an evil smile, but the gun didn't move.

"So you show yourself at last." Suddenly the gun fired, but it fired in Cat Noir's direction. He avoided the bullet by a second.

"Cat Noir!" Marinette screamed.

Cat Noir looked at her. Her blue eyes were large with worry. "Get Michelle and get out of here!" He yelled at her. Then he whistled. The lost boys came thundering in, and they stole the boat from Smee. Hook had moved to the ledge and climbed onto the rock Cat Noir had been on. Hook pulled out his sword.

"Let's settle this like men, eh?"

Cat Noir brandished his sword and came at the villain. They exchanged blows, but Cat Noir had the upper hand because he could fly. He twisted behind Hook and pushed him off of the rock. With a scream Hook fell into the water.

"I'll get you for this!" Hook screamed as Cat Noir and the lost boys left Skull Rock. Tootles untied Tiger Lily.

She smiled at him. "Thanks, Peter!"

He put on a smile. "You're welcome." With a jolt he remembered Marinette.

"Take her to the Indian Camp." He instructed the lost boys. "I'm going to go find Wendy and Michelle."

He flew off and found them on a corner of the island. Michelle was crying and Marinette was hugging her. Her own eyes were wide.

Cat Noir landed gently next to her. "Hey. You..." He was cut off by Marinette running up to him. She hugged him tight. He hugged her back. "Hey, it's okay."

Her voice was muffled by his shirt. "I know, but it was still frightening." They stood there for a minute, and then they pulled away.

"Thanks, Kitty."

"Anytime. Let's go catch the lost boys now. They're waiting for us at the Indian Camp."

Cat Noir went to sprinkle pixie dust on them but found that Tinker was missing.

"We can't leave without the pixie dust." He said apprehensively.

"Maybe the pouch has some?" Marinette pointed to a small leather pouch attached to Cat Noir's waist belt.

"How'd you notice that?" He asked as he unstrapped it.

"Designers eye." She replied.

He smiled and opened the pouch. "There's only a bit, barely enough for one person, let alone two. Plus, I don't know how long it'll last."

Marinette thought for a sec. Then she snapped her fingers. "I know! Use it on Michelle. It should be plenty to get her to the camp."

"And you?" Cat Noir asked.

"I could piggy back?" She suggested tentatively.

Cat Noir saw the sense in her plan. "Okay. That works. Ready Michelle?"

"Ready!" The little girl replied. Cat Noir poured the contents of the pouch onto her head, and the little girl lifted into the air. "Wee!" She giggled.

Cat Noir turned to Marinette and noticed her dress. "Uh, Mari... I mean Wendy."

"Yes?"

"Do you think piggy backing will work cause of your... dress?"

Marinette looked down and realized the flaw in her plan. "Oh, right. Well, could you just... hold me?" Her face was red.

Cat Noir's face grew equally red. He cleared his throat. "Y-yeah." He walked over to her and picked her up; her arms went around his neck. They turned to Michelle.

"Are you ready?" Cat Noir asked her.

"Yep." She replied cheerfully. "Wendy, are you guys gonna get married?"

Cat Noir's face turned bright red. "Well, looks like it's time to go!" He flew off into the sky, and Michelle followed.