A/N: I don't own Gravity Falls or Miraculous Ladybug
Chapter One: The Lone Gunman
As Marinette approached the crime scene as Ladybug, she felt cold chill run up her spine. Even in her superhero persona she had never really done any interaction with the police in a way such as this, but tonight was different. Earlier in the night while the young hero was busy studying for her science test, the TV program she had on as background noise in her room suddenly cut off to show breaking news of a recent police investigation involving a mass shooting at a local bar. The detective on the scene pleaded for Ladybug and Cat Noir's aide in this particular case. Confused yet still intrigued, Marinette transformed in Ladybug and headed down to the crime scene, not knowing what to expect.
Neither Ladybug nor Cat Noir really worked side-by-side with the police. Even when they restored a person from the affects of an akuma, they merely explained that the person wasn't acting on their own control and that was it. As much as Marinette wanted to help to the police with other matters outside of fighting Hawk Moth's minions, she simply wasn't able to assist with every single case that the Paris P.D came across. Besides, she and Cat weren't exactly liked among the police force, which saw them as costumed vigilantes who did more harm then good.
As soon as she reached the now destroyed bar, she found the cops swarming over the area. There was a barrier that kept the media and on-lookers at bay while the police kept the crime scene clear as they searched for any evidence for what exactly happened at the bar. The young hero was still uncertain as to why the police needed in the first place; as tragic as this shooting was, this seemed more like a gang shoot out then a super-villain attack. Just then, an officer came up to Ladybug with a grim expression on his face, like he was dreading the girl's arrival.
"Glad you could make it, Ladybug" the officer said glumly, as if he had to force himself to say those words "Detective Philip is waiting for you inside the building"
Marinette nodded in understanding before following the officer toward the now bullet-ridden bar as the reporters and on-lookers turned their full attention to the hero of Paris. While the young girl enjoyed the attention she got as the champion of France, she had to tune their cheers and questions for now in order to keep head focused on the now more then ever before.
The moment Ladybug stepped into the bar, her eyes widen in shock at the sight before her. Bar was littered with broken glass, shredded furniture and shell casings from fired bullets that scattered the floor. But what Marinette noticed first and foremost was the pools of blood that drenched the hardwood floor of the bar. She let out of sharp gasp of surprise and fright at the sight of the blood that was splattered all over the floors and walls. There chalk lines in shapes of people who had been slain in the shooting littered the ground around the young hero as she continued to follow the officer further into the bloodstained bar.
Marinette had no idea as to why she was asked to be part of this investigation; this looked more like the work of a rival gang then a super-villains. Soon the young hero was lead to middle aged woman with blonde air and a badge around her neck. The officer nodded to the woman before leaving Ladybug alone with the woman.
"I'm glad you could make it, Ladybug. I'm Detective Joan Philip" the woman greeted coldly before looking behind the girl "Where's the other guy?"
"You mean Cat Noir?" Marinette inquired "I'm sorry, but I don't know where he is. He just shows up whenever there's trouble"
The detective grunted in disapproval before taking out a carton of cigarettes and removing one from the box.
"That a fact?" she scoffed as she put the cigarette in her mouth before taking out a lighter "And here I thought you two we're fucking when you weren't beating criminals"
Ladybug's cheeks instantly turned red when she heard that—is that what people actuality thought of her and Cat Noir? The very thought of kissing the boy was bad enough during that whole 'Dark Cupid' fiasco, but the thought of actuality being with Cat…like that made the girl want to vomit.
"Wait—were not—I'm not—he's not—n-no!" Marinette was a blabbing mess
"Save it" the investigator said in an uncaring fashion "I really don't give a shit"
The young heroine ignored that comment and instead wanted to know as to why she was summoned to this bloody scene in the first place.
"So what happened here?" she asked "And why did you want me and Cat Noir to be here?"
Joan took a puff of her cigarette before speaking.
"Two hours ago, we received a call about shots fired at this bar" she began "When police arrived in the scene it was a total bloodbath. Eighteen were found dead and one was critically wounded…he died about a half-hour ago from his injuries"
"Oh my god…" Ladybug gasped at the news "That's terrible!"
"Don't waste any tears over these losers. They were all gang-bangers and thugs with criminal records as long as my arm" the detective corrected "these assholes were murderers, rapists, gunrunners and child molesters. In fact these pricks were making a deal to sell a huge shipment of weapons out of the bar"
Ladybug was once more shocked. As much as she hated seeing the sight of all this carnage, a part of her felt little pity over the death of these men. However, despite how she felt about these thugs, it was still no excuse for someone else to take the law into their own hands and pass judgment on them.
""I say good riddance" a familiar voice mentioned from above them
The two women looked up to see none other then Cat Noir sitting on one of the ceilings rafters. He leapt down and landed next to the girl who held his affection with a look of confidence on his face that it seem like the warzone around them had no affect on him whatsoever.
"How could you even say that, Cat?" his partner snapped "Whoever did this had no right to take the law into their own hands!"
"Don't get so high and mighty, Ladybug" Joan remarked in an icy tone "you do the exact same thing whenever one of those super-freaks shows up"
"But that's different!" Marinette defended "Those people are forced to become villains; we save them from themselves!"
"And yet they still keep coming" the detective commented "It seems like you two do more harm then good; and tonight's proof of that"
The two heroes where confused by that statement. They saved the city from the villains that Hawk Moth created two hunt them down, how could they have any connection to what happened here? The woman took another puff of her cigarette before continuing on with her claim.
"This isn't the first time we've found a bunch of scumbags dead" she started off "a few days ago, we found the body of a sex offender that had just been released from prison with his brains blown out and his dick stuffed in what remained of his mouth. Before that we found a gang of drug dealers we'd been investigating for months cut to pieces by armor piercing rounds; what was left of them was put in a pile and lit on fire. And just the other night we discovered the body—or at least the pieces of a body—of a high-ranking member of the Russian mafia who was accused of human-trafficking in his dog's food bowl with the remains of his face stapled to his wife's own face. She was found hung in her bedroom with an extension cord"
Ladybug wanted to throw up more then ever as she heard the story—who could this sick and brutal? And how could the detective even say that whoever had committed these atrocities was connected to her and Cat Noir? They protected the city from the forces of evil, not going around killing people with some wrapped form of justice!
The super heroine glanced over to her partner, whose expression changed from one of cockiness to concern. It was clear to Ladybug that her fellow crime fighter was shaken by these killings as well.
"These killing were all done by one single guy" Joan furthered, her tone more sullen now "an independent shooter whose not interested in money or drugs; he just takes the guns and ammo from his kills and leaves. The low-lives on the street have been calling him 'The Reaper'"
"Do you have any leads on him?" Cat asked
"Just what the last guy here alive said before he died" Joan replied "He said that the shooter was dressed in some sort of body armor that they couldn't pierce no matter how many times they shot him"
"Anything else?" Ladybug added
"Yeah…he said the guy had an American accent" the detective mentioned
"An American with guns, what a shock" Cat snidely commented before getting elbowed in the ribs by his partner
"We'll help you in any way we can" Marinette offered
"No. You won't" Joan answered coldly
"Wait, what?" Cat Noir asked clearly confused "But you said you needed our help!"
"Yeah I do, and you can help by staying out of our way!" the older woman snapped back "It because of you two that this guy thinks he can just take a gun and kill whoever he thinks is guilty! You created this monster the second you put on those masks!"
Before either hero could defend their actions, she went on.
"I swear if I catch either of you trying to catch this guy on your own I will personally see to it that you're thrown in prison for obstructing justice!" she practically shouted in their faces before her tone became lower and sharper "Do you understand me?"
What else could Ladybug say? As much as she wanted to find and catch this guy, she had to respect the law above all else. She glanced over to Cat Noir once again and could just see the seething anger in his eyes. She knew that Cat wouldn't let this go no matter what the police did to try and stop him, but for now he would pretend to play along.
"Fine…" he muttered
"We understand" Ladybug answered in a defeated voice
"Good" Joan spat as she put out her cigarette "Now beat it"
Without another word spoken, the duo departed the bar and stepped back outside and we're nearly blinded by the flashing lights of camera flashes. Normally Cat would be eating up the attention, but after seeing the seen and hearing about the other killings; he was stoic as a stone. Marinette didn't need to be a psychic to know what was going through her friend's head right now.
"Cat..." she said softly "Please...don't anything stupid"
His façade instantly changed from cold to warm in under a second.
"I would think nothing of the sort m'lady!" he assured her in soothing voice "But sadly, I have to dash for now; until we meet again, princess!"
With that, her partner suddenly activated his staff and pole-vaulted over the crowd in to the darkness of the city streets. Ladybug was about to follow suit, but was stopped when her eyes found themselves looking at a member of the crowd. Unlike the press or the fans around her, the man had his arms cross and was glowering at her with pure hatred in his eyes. He was a man in his mid to late fifties and dress in a brown trench coat and black boots. For all Marinette knew, this was just some grumpy old man who just didn't care much for Ladybug, but deep down she had this feeling there was more to the old man then met the eye.
After a few more seconds of looking back at one another, the old man moved into the crowd and vanished. Not wanting to stay any longer then she had, the heroine zipped out her weapon and swung from rooftop to rooftop back home, unaware there was another person watching.
On a building across the bar, there stood a lone figure clutching a bolt-action sniper rifle in his head. For nearly the entire time that Ladybug was at the scene of the crime, he had the scope of his rifle trained on her head with his finger on the trigger. He wanted to pull it so badly—even a voice in his head was egging him on to fire and put an end to the girl's life. But he resisted the urge…for now at least.
Ever since he was given his new found powers by his mysterious benefactor, the gunman had been doing what neither the police nor the two so-called heroes were unable to do: deliver true justice to the scum of Paris. Even though he was a foreigner, he wanted to become the true protector the city needed. Ladybug and cat Noir were not heroes in the gunman's eyes, just idiots who believed justice was just a slap on the wrist. He swore that he would make the filth of the city would be wiped out and that two heroes would be begging for death after he was done with them.
He'd do all of this…for her
"Nightwatch to Reaper" a voice in his earpiece said in concern "Are you there?"
"Yeah, I'm here…" The Reaper answered without any trace of emotion, lowing his gun as he did
"Oh thank god!" Nightwatch sighed in relief "I was worried when you didn't reposed earlier"
"I was doing my job" he growled "I'm returning to HQ"
"I'll have dinner ready when you get here" Nightwatch informed him "I hope you like beans and tuna"
The reaper said nothing; he merely switched off his comm.-link and walked into the shadows around him, letting them overtake and consume him until he vanished within their embrace.