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"I think it's pretty weird guys…" Alya said slumping over in the outdoor café chair, resting her forehead in her arms – phone sliding away, unlocked on her Ladyblog site, into the middle of the table.
Marinette glanced down at the phone, shuffling uncomfortably in her chair. It was opened in the search tag labeled, "WhereIsChatNoir". Nino, who sat beside her grabbed onto the phone and began scrolling through the various posts that other users had created.
The blue shirt hiked higher on his shoulders as he lifted them in a shrug and placed the phone back down on the metal table. "No idea where that guy is." Nino picked up the cappuccino and took a small sip of it, "At least Ladybug's still around, right?" his cappuccino splashed around in the white mug as he nudged Marinette with his elbows.
Marinette, already zoned off into space, snapped her attention back to the two teens that were staring at her, waiting for a response, "Huh? Oh... Uh... Yeah, at least Ladybug's still around…" she fell silent.
It had been about a month since Marinette and the gang had graduated from secondary school.
About a month since Alya and Marinette had decided upon moving into an apartment-
Almost about a month since Marinette pulled through and found a cheap place for the two of them.
It had been about a month since Adrien left for University and work in Milano.
It had been about a month since Chat Noir disappeared.
And lastly, it had been about a month since Paris's famed duo had captured the infamous Hawkmoth, sending him to a high security holding facility in Paris called La Santé Prison.
As Ladybug, she knew that she should have gone at least once to see Hawkmoth, to question him but – as Marinette, she was terrified because now she had to face him alone. She didn't have Chat to lean on.
I'm coming for you Ladybug.
I'm coming for you Ladybug.
I'm coming for you Ladybug.
It echoed in her mind, the last words that Hawkmoth had said to her before he was detained.
Sure, Ladybug was the 'team leader' but she needed Chat. Without him she felt like she was on a teeter-totter, sinking slowly into the ground waiting for someone on the other end to lift her up but there was no one there. She was alone with no one to help her and her legs weren't strong enough to keep both ends up on her own.
"Hey Nette, you feelin' alright?" Nino asked leaning on the table, trying to catch her gaze.
Marinette slowly eased her eyes over to her friend, who adjusted his hat by turning the bill backwards, "Yeah I'm fine, I just… zoned out I guess." She said picking up the white mug of Chai tea and taking a sip of it.
"You sure, cos something's been off lately…" Alya added in reaching over and placing her hand on Marinette's arm.
"Really I'm fine, I guess I'm just a bit tired from backing up my room and a little stressed out to not be living with my parents anymore…" Her phone vibrated in her pocket against the metal chair and she pulled it out.
Master Fu: Marinette, if you have time I need you to swing by the parlor. We need to talk about the current situation. Stay strong my Ladybug, you will get through this.
Marinette could feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she locked her phone screen and slid it back into her pocket sobering up before looking back up at her two friends.
"Hey guys I've got to go." She said standing up and pushing her chair in, "Mister Fu just texted me, he has the keys for the apartment ready, and I need to go pick them up." She said then grabbing her bag from around the chair back and slung the strap across her chest.
"I'll come with! It's my apartment too!' Alya said cheerfully standing up and grabbing her bag.
"Well shit, I don't wanna be stood up by two girls, I'll tag along too, Mister Fu always has these weird enlightening conversations with me." Furrowing his eyebrows as he recalled their last discussion, his expression growing comically blank, "I have yet to get any of them but I soon hope to understand one day…. One day…" He commented jokingly, but trailed off at the end.
"No!" Marinette practically yelled causing the heads to turn at near by tables, "I mean you can't come. I have some stuff I have to take care of a-alone. I-I'll meet up with you guys later. Sorry…" She said in a panicked tone waving them goodbye and rushing out of the café's courtyard before any protest could be mounted.
Alya and Nino exchanged glances and shrugs before continuing down the street trying to steer clear of Marinette.
Marinette heaved in a large breath before grabbing the clasp of her purse and cracked it open to see a concerned Tikki staring wide-eyed up at her. Marinette gave her a small crooked grin of reassurance before closing it back up.
She arrived at the massage parlor within a matter of minutes, knocking at the wooden door as she placed her head close to the wood to hear through it. "Master Fu..? It's me." She called out before hearing his response through the door:
"Ah yes, Marinette, please, come in."
Marinette opened the door to see Fu sitting at the small table in the center of the floor. Wayzz sat beside him with a small cup of green tea that matched Fu's and the one sitting across the table from him – presumably Marinette's and beside her cup, a plate full of chocolate chip cookies which was safe to assume was an offering to Tikki.
"Please, have a seat." He gestured before taking a sip of the green tea and replacing it on the table. Marinette tucked her legs beneath her as she laid her hands against the heated mug, "As you know, the butterfly miraculous is still in custody of one of Paris's high security prisons awaiting your arrival. As the Guardian, it is my duty to watch over the butterfly, but they are not about to let an old man, with no real ties to the miraculous, waltz in and secure it." He said, cracking a grin at the ridiculous image.
Marinette looked down at the wisps of steam that rose from her mug and nodded, "I know… I just-"
"You're nervous without Chat Noir. You've lost your confidence as Ladybug –." He stated, his expression unchanged as he continued taking sips of his tea.
"I-…" She stammered and furrowed her eyebrows, "Yes." Her expression grew flat. Why should she have confidence in herself? She couldn't even manage to hold on to her partner, someone who she thought she'd have forever. Chat was her best friend then out of nowhere- Poof. He was gone. No last word, nor a goodbye. Her delicate fingers clenched around the tea mug as she let out a sigh, "I just don't understand... Why would he just leave…?"
"Those are questions beyond our reach, both you and I. While you have grown used to the presence of your Black Cat, we can no longer afford to wait for him to return to us.." Master Fu said flatly not making eye contact with Marinette, "But know that this is not your fault. Chat Noir has vanished for reasons beyond you or I, and now more than ever Paris needs it's only remaining hero to stay strong for them." Fu hated to admit it but he was disappointed in Chat Noir. Never in his time as a guardian of the miraculous has he seen a Chat Noir disappear on his Ladybug like this one has. The old man knew that Ladybug would be fine on her own without the Black Cat but he also knew that she didn't want to do it on her own, and he wasn't about to force her to do so, "It would probably be best to get this over with, the sooner we retrieve the Butterfly, the sooner this pain will be over." He said trying to crack a smile for her sake.
Marinette shuffled in place, laying her palms on the table before standing up slowly on shaky legs, "I'll go tonight then. I can swing by after to drop it off before I head home." She sighed before looking at Tikki with a nod. "Alright then, Tikki... transform me." Marinette was engulfed by the bright red light appearing before Master Fu in her superhero attire.
Master Fu stood up from the table, Wayzz floating over shoulder, and walked Ladybug to his alleyway entrance, "Before I forget, I'm getting the apartment key copied for you and your friend tomorrow. I will contact you when I am ready for you to pick them up."
Ladybug smiled and clutched her yo-yo before tossing it out, letting it latch onto a nearby chimney, "Thanks again, Master Fu. The two of us really appreciate it."
Master Fu placed his hand on her shoulder with a smile, "No, thank you. I needed to get that space off my hands anyway, and what could be better than having Paris's number one superhero living nearby." He gripped her shoulder tightly and smiled before letting go, "Good luck, Ladybug."
Her footsteps traced along the red Parisian rooftops, she was moving slower than usual. Chat was the one that promised her that he would retrieve the miraculous after seeing how much Hawkmoth had made her uneasy, but he was gone now. She never wanted to do this on her own but she had no choice but to follow through, after all, it the butterfly miraculous would be much safer in the hands of Master Fu than any prison. Part of her wished that Chat noir would just magically return to her from his hiatus on her walk to the prison but that never came true. He wasn't coming back and would never be able to know what happened to her kitty to keep him away.
Ladybug dropped down from the rooftops into an alley before exiting out to an unpopulated city street. The prison wasn't too far now, but it was too close for comfort. The raven haired girl dragged her foot along the pavement in attempt to slow her movement, she could feel her heart beating against her chest and it echoed in her ears, too loud to allow her to think and calm herself down. Ladybug sucked in a large breath and tucked her stray hairs behind her ears.
You can do this.
She thought to herself,
Paris won't be safe until I get the miraculous back, suck it up Marinette.
"Ladybug?" A voice called out to her.
Her head turned quickly, startled from having her thoughts interrupted.
"It is you! Would you mind doing a quick interview!" She smiled being greeted by her familiar, bouncy haired, friend. Whither she was Ladybug or Marinette, Alya always tended to give off an aura that calmed her no matter what.
"Oh-um… Sure! I guess I have a few moments to spare." She managed, making her smile a little more genuine this time.
Alya took out her phone, this time using her recorder in an attempt to be able to write down the interview that she had with Ladybug instead of recording the action as she usually did, "It's been almost a month now, do you have any idea where Chat Noir is?" She asked switching the microphone of her phone from hers mouth to point at Ladybug's.
The masked hero's mouth opened and shut a few times before she was able to gather her words, "Somewhere safe, I hope…" Her eyes averted away and focused on the surrounding areas.
"Do you think that he's abandoned Paris-"
"Chat Noir would never abandon Paris. He lives to protect this city as I do." Ladybug interrupted, the last thing that she wanted to do was spread rumor that Chat no longer cared for the city they loved. She was sure that no matter where he was, he still loved Paris and the people within it.
"How can you justify that when he's disappeared? There has been no sightings of him in Paris- let alone France in the past month." The brunette scrunched her face at her statement realizing how It came off like she was spitting daggers at the hero's partner and she could see how much it bothered her, "Not that this is what I want to believe, but – how can you be sure that nothing bad has happened to Chat Noir." She re-stated, her ton deep and quiet. Sure, she had thought about it plenty of times but to hear it said out loud? That made it real.
Ladybug's jaw clamped shut and it felt like it took all of her strength to get it to open, "I can't know. I can only hope." She responded shifting uncomfortably on her feet. Still trying to suppress the reminder of retrieving the miraculous.
"Are you going to see Hawkmoth?" Alya asked, letting her phone sink down to her side. She could see the confidence shrinking in Ladybug's eyes, something that she'd never seen before in one of their interviews.
Ladybug managed a nod.
"Why?" Alya said in a sort of spitting tone. The name 'Hawkmoth' was not said without it within city limits.
Ladybug bit the corner of her bottom lip, "I need information…" She paused for a brief moment, standing up straight, " I need to know how he got the butterfly miraculous, it was not ever given to him but rather stolen. It has been out of our Guardian's protection for quite some time now, several generations actually. It's my job to retrieve the butterfly and find the best way to keep it secure." She inhaled calmly trying to keep her composure. She remembered that it was people like Alya that she needed to protect; she couldn't just let another Hawkmoth run loose around Paris. She could never forgive herself if that happened.
The reporter locked her phone and slipped it back into her pocket. She cracked a smile for the hero's sake, "The people of Paris will always be on your side, Ladybug."
A smile crept across the spotted hero's face, "Thank you, Alya…" She paused, taking a step backwards trying, "I really needed that right now. I've got to go though, I can't wait out all night." She stated looking off in the direction of the gated building a couple blocks down the road.
Watching her leap off down the row, "Good luck, Ladybug."
Ladybug approached the gate, guarded by two men carrying large weapons. Ladybug was shaken to the bone, not only was she about to meet Paris's most wanted villain but being surrounded by extremely intimidating men who towered over her, it was something that Chat usually took to his advantage when trying to push her buttons.
Ladybug took a step forward and cleared her throat, "I'm here to see Hawkmoth." She said trying to push her confidence, something that was not easily raised by herself without her partner.
The guard rolled his head to the side speaking into the radio on his shoulder. With a nod, the gate behind him rolled open and he lead raven-haired girl into the eerily empty yard of the prison.
She was lead through two large and heavy metal doors, which slammed behind them upon entrance. The echo of the slam rung off the metal cell walls. Already she could hear the hollers of inmates but found it easy to tune them out while trying to focus her energy. If she were to show any signs of doubt in the presence of Hawkmoth was surely going to take advantage of it.
She couldn't let that happen.
After walking down the long stretch of cells she her singular guard was joined by one more, then another, and by the time they had reached one of their most secure cell rooms they were joined by a fourth. Then entered a darkened hall way, she could see one small light at the end but her attention was taken to a door that was near the entrance that had been unlocked by one of the guards.
"I trust that this will be in safe hands." The guard spoke handing her the dulled purple butterfly pin.
"This is something that I can promise. The Guardian and I will be sure that no one like Hawkmoth will ever bring terror to anyone, ever again." She reached out grabbing lightly onto the pin and slipping it into a small black box, similar to the one she had received her miraculous in, that Master Fu had given her. The small light at the end of the hall again took her attention after leaving the room. She inhaled slowly and exhaled, "Is that…"
"Yes." The guard interrupted, "We've attempted to get answers out of him but he refuses to talk to anyone other then- well, you."
Ladybug nodded clenching the black box tightly, "Then I'd like to speak with him." With gritted teeth and her fingers beginning to grow numb because of how tightly she had been holding onto the box.
She could hear her footsteps echoing in the dimly lit hallway and she watched them each time she took a step. As the hero moved closer to the light she looked up and could see what she assumed was a clear, bullet-proof, casing as the face of the cell that was held together by two cold cement walls.
In the center of the room she could see him standing, waiting, almost as if- as if he somehow knew she was coming. There was a deranged look in his eye that matched the look he had in his eyes the day he was placed into Paris's finest custody. The four guards remained out of sight, attempting to give the two their privacy and hoping to get the answers from him that they had been determined to get since day one.
She looked at his eyes. Blue. Constricted pupils. His lips perked in the corner upon her arrival.
If Ladybug had thought before that the sight of Hawkmoth in his costume had looked intimidating, she was wrong. She found it hard to look into his eyes, or even at him. After having spent so much time with her classmate, becoming very close friends, it destroyed her to know that she could not find the courage to look their father in the eye. His expression though, did not change.
Her mouth went dry and she attempted to swallow what she could in order to moisten her mouth; her lips stretched apart trying to help her attempt to create a sentence, but he had beat her to it.
"Good evening." His deep voice uttered through the small holes at the top and bottom of the glass. His expression remaining the same throughout, "I expected you earlier, but I suppose I have the time to meet with you now."
Ladybug nodded in acknowledgement, "Mr. Kubdel." She began, "I can assume then you wouldn't mind if I speak with you." She attempted to lie on a rather cold expression, not wanting him to be able to see through her.
"Please. Come closer." The deranged man remained in his place, "It is so hard for me through these walls."
Ladybug had finally pinned what made this man so terrifying. It was how he remained so calm and collected, in almost a sane sort of way. A way that made her second-guess that he truly was insane- but she knew deep down it was there.
She took a small step towards him.
"Closer, please." He said kindly, a grin growing across his lips.
She took another step.
"Closer." Elongating his vowels.
Another step.
In return he took steps closer to the glass, now only a few feet away from the hero and the only thing keeping them apart was the cell.
Her breath beginning to tremble, she attempted to keep it under control before she spoke, "I-I," She cleared her throat, "I would like to ask you a few questions, if you wouldn't mind." Ladybug attempted to match his calmness but he was still very unpredictable.
"I almost welcome it." The historian ginned.
"You were in possession of the butterfly miraculous." She began holding indicating to the box by holding it up, "How did you get it."
Mr. Kubdel shrugged making his expression longer, "It was a gift."
"From who."
"From him."
Master Fu? It couldn't have been, in his time of being the guardian he had never had possession of the butterfly miraculous, neither the guardian before him. That's why he was so desperate to get it back.
"Who is him?" she asked beginning to get more frustrated with his empty answers.
His eyebrows rose at her influx of temper, "I am not permitted to say, My Lady." He whispered
A shiver ran up her spine, "You don't call me that." Her teeth inched forward clamping down tightly on her lip until there was a feint taste of blood.
"Ah, yes." His head turned from side to side looking around the visible area around, "Because the one that calls you that is still around." Mr. Kubdel grinned sarcastically, "So I see he really has gotten rid of him."
"Who?" Her voice growing more enraged, hands beginning to shake fro both terror and anger. So something had happened to Chat and this man – Kubdel, he knew where he was. Ladybug did not intend on leaving until she got that information out of it.
The Villain wagged his finger, "I have already said that I am not permitted to say." His head lifted into the air and sucked in a large breath through his nose; fluttering his eyes opened, "You smell of pastries and fear. What an interesting combination, Ladybug."
Her jaw locked, "Stop… Just – stop…" she said through her teeth. She soon began to regret even meeting with him.
"Oh no," he tisked, his smile now showing more teeth, "You were doing so good," the psychopath began pacing his cell, "You have been courteous, very receptive and now this?" he tisked a couple of times before continuing, "You are much better than this Ladybug, you have grown weak."
Her mouth quivered, "You don't know anything about me."
"Do you know what you look like to me? Standing there with your cowardice and shaking hands?" He spat, "You look like a fake. You are useless on your own, are you not? You can't even manage the simple task of extracting information from me, let alone keeping a partner" he paused, amused by the growing fury stretching across the hero's face, "No wonder Chat Noir complied to his request." Kubdel's grin grew more Cheshire; "I can see why he found it so easy to leave you." A chuckle slipped out.
She could feel herself growing numb but could not do anything about it. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak but she was growing more furious by the minute. Like hell did he have any place to tell her that she this, he didn't know what sort of friendship her and Chat had; if there was one thing that she did know about Chat it was that he would never leave her.
Right?
Ladybug couldn't restrain herself anymore. She brought her fist down in a swift motion against the glass, "Shut up! You know nothing about Chat Noir!"
"Oh but I do, My Lady, and he is never coming back."
"I SAID TO STOP CALLING ME THAT!" She screeched pounding her fist against the glass again. It wasn't soon before the guards approached her, taking her by the arms to lead her away from his cell.
"He's coming for you, Ladybug..." Kubdel whispered. A purple halo of light flickered like a dying light bulb around the frame of his face. It took the shape of-
Ladybug's eyes widened, it couldn't be, it was impossible.
It took the shape of an akuma. A shape that over the years Ladybug had come accustomed to seeing in her years of defending her home city.
"No…" she uttered out quietly between her lips, "Where is he!? Talk Kubdel! Where is he hiding!"
The deranged man spurted out into laughter, "All good things to those who wait, Ladybug!" He called out continuing his maniacal laughter.
She could feel her eyes glazing over, was Chat Noir safe? How was she to know if he was even alive? Her mind went into a blur as she was escorted out of the prison flashes of white shot towards her as dozens of reporters shrouded her with questions. Many of which were shot passed her ears it all sounded muted. All of their voices molding together into a blur.
Ladybug pushed her way through the crowed not paying any mind to their questions. She wasn't in the mood to answer. She wasn't in the mood to have her picture taken and she wasn't having any of it. She hadn't tolerated many reporters in the month since Chat's disappearance; all of their questions were the same.
Her feet dragged against the sidewalk and she slowly picked up speed seeing as the reporters decided to continue pressing her with question. Her fingers latched around her yo-yo and whisked her self away from crowed. Her feet gently touched down on the rooftops and it was almost immediate that she had begun running. Not home, not to Master Fu, but to someone she could trust, someone who had supported her throughout everything with and without the mask and she refused to stop running until she reached her.
Alya watched Ladybug head off towards the prison; she could tell that there was something off about her. You don't exactly follow someone's every move for years and not be able to read their expression. Alya turned from the masked hero and started her way down the street back to her home. She carried her phone in hand feeling it vibrate against her skin. The brunette glanced down at the caller ID that showed a picture that she had taken with her mother.
"Maman?" She answered, holding the phone up to her ear.
"Just wondering where you are, sweetheart. We weren't expecting you to be out so late."
"Oh, I'm on my way home now, something came up!" She said with a smile looking across the street where she laid eyes on a very dazed and confused looking Mister Fu who seemed as if he was pacing the sidewalk in search of something.
"Alright, well I have dinner made and it's starting to get cold. Let me know when you're almost home and I'll reheat it, okay?"
What was he doing – and why was he out so late? She took a few steps onto the street, looking both ways, and continuing to cross it.
"Sweetie?"
She crossed the street and continued to look towards him. Hadn't he lived in Paris since before Mari was born? He was only a few blocks away from the massage parlor, maybe he got lost? He was getting sort of old.
"Alya, are you there?"
"Oh – Huh?" she sputtered out realizing that she had still been on a call with her mother before having gotten distracted by her future landlord, "Yeah I'm still here, I'll let you know when I'm on my way home – gotta go, bye!" She said quickly hanging up her phone and stuffing it into her pocket before approaching the old man. As she got closer she got she could hear him muttering under his breath like he was talking to someone. Alya raised her hand slowly before placing it on his shoulder feeling the old man jump at her touch, "Ah – sorry!" she said with a jump in return.
"There is no need to be sorry, my girl, I am just a bit jumpy in my old age it seems." The whiskered man responded this his hand gripped firmly on his cane.
She thought for a moment, she didn't want to say anything to offend the man or accuse him of losing his memory so the reporter tried to play it off as nonchalantly as she could, "So… Where are you heading?" She asked pulling her hands behind her back and twining her fingers together.
Fu let out a soft chuckle, "You've caught me," he grinned, "I was out checking up on an old friend of mind but she seems to be doing alright now and when I went to head back home it seemed that I was all turned around." He laughed, "So, it seems I've lost my way back to the parlor, there is a reason us old folk don't go out at night."
"Well you don't live far from here," Alya started, in fact she could see the street that he lived on from where they were standing but she wasn't about to tell him that, "I can walk you back, I was going to stop by the Dupain-Cheng bakery anyway." She smiled. She didn't plan on going there in the first place but she certainly never regretted visiting Tom and Sabine.
"You live near the Dupain-Cheng's?" He asked starting to take a couple steps as they walked up the sidewalk towards his street.
The brunette pursed her lips, "Somewhat?" She lived a couple blocks in the opposing direction but she wasn't about to let him wandering the street until he found something he recognized and there was no telling how long that would take him, "But I'm in no rush to get home." She took a few long stride steps considering their height difference.
"Then I must thank you for helping this old man out." He said with a wide smile picking up his pace a little bit. He may have been old but he was in no way out of shape and he wasn't about to take advantage of the girl's kindness of walking him home.
Alya nodded and pressed on a smile as they reached the crosswalk, looking both before walking she'd remembered that Marinette mentioned that she went to see him earlier, "So Marinette picked up our keys today?" She asked feeling a bit awkward for her out of place question, though she thought that it would be better to continue on any sort of conversation rather then having a dulling silence between them for the next couple of minutes.
Fu nodded, "How embarrassingly clumsy of the both of us. When Marinette arrived this afternoon we began discussing other things and it must have slipped our minds." He smiled clicking the bottom of his cane against the cement.
"There isn't any hurry, Mari and I could always swing by late on this week to grab them!" She smiled reassuring the old man.
They slowly but surly arrived to his street, his parlor was insight and he patted the pockets on his pants and jackets in search for his keys, "Since we are almost here why don't you just stop in and grab them, it isn't such a problem." He suggested.
Alya nodded; there wasn't any harm in stopping by now. If she got the keys tonight the two girls would be able to start moving tomorrow if they wanted. Alya's room was already almost packed up anyway, "Sure! I'm in no rush." She smiled.
The two walked down the street for a couple of moments until reaching the parlor. Fu rattled his keys in his hand before unlocking the door and inviting the young girl in, "Please, have a seat, I will be right back with the keys." He smiled gesturing her into his living area before walking off to another part of the parlor.
Alya sat on the small mat on the floor and crossed her legs tracing her fingers along the wooden table. She glanced up at the bamboo-coated walls. No wonder he always had so many clients. This wasn't even his workspace and yet the room reeked of calming energy. Alya thrived off of the thrill of adrenaline, which was probably why you'd always see her getting up close and personal to her favorite superheroes and akumas. Being in a room as calming as it was made her somewhat anxious for some reason. Calm wasn't exactly something she was used to feeling.
Fu slid the door open and approached the girl holding out two small silver keys, "here we are then! One for you," He listed placing one in the palm of her hand, "And one for Marinette." He ended placing the second key in her hand.
The reporter smiled tucking the keys safely into her pocket, "I should probably be heading out though, my mom's waiting with dinner." She smiled taking a couple of steps towards the door.
"Just one more moment, I have one more thing for you." He smiled walking over to what seemed like an old-fashioned record player. The top lifted to reveal a small black box that he took very gently in his hands. The old man walked over to her and holding out the box, "Take this with you. It's a… lucky charm of sorts. I wouldn't want to send you off into the night without some form of protection." He smiled.
Alya stared for a moment at the intricate red designs nestled at the top of the box and hesitantly reached for it.
"Go on, my girl, take it. Consider it my gift to you for escorting me back home." He smiled pushing the box into her hands, "and a gift for sticking by Marinette in these times."
Alya's ears perked up and she gripped the black box a little tighter in her hand, "What do you mean?" She asked. She didn't recall Marinette ever telling her about going through any sort of rough patches, and Marinette told her everything.
"It seems I've said too much." He signed putting more pressure on his cane as he leant against it, " You'd best be off now, it is getting quite late." He said moving Alya towards the door, "Make sure that you hold onto that lucky charm. It will be a great deal of help for you in the future." He smiled seeing her off down the couple of steps from the parlor and making her way down the block with a wave.
Fu closed the door quietly and leant his cane up against the wall; he was in no need of it anymore. He moved into the living room taking his seat at the table and poured him self a small cup of tea.
Wayzz slowly drifted over to him and rested down on the table, "Do you think you've made the right decision."
"Alya is someone that both Ladybug and Marinette trust a great deal. If I want Ladybug to continue to be successful in her efforts then I cannot allow her to continue on her own. She needs support." He took a small sip of his tea, "And I believe that Alya has enough confidence and support for the both of them."
Alya shifted uncomfortably on her feet as she stood outside the massage parlor still looking at the door. Was there really something wrong with Marinette? She knew that something was wrong this afternoon at lunch, there was something just… off about her today. If there really were something wrong wouldn't Marinette tell her? She'd tell her – right?
The brunette turned, looking across the street in the direction of her best friend's bakery. Knowing that they were closed she could still see Tom and Sabine cleaning up after their busy night. Quickly she peered both ways and started a quick jog across the street. She cupped her hands around her eyes and pressed them to the glass, trying to get a good look inside the bakery. She could see Sabine's head pop up from behind the counter and tapped her knuckles on the glass window.
Sabine smiled rushing over to the door to unlock it for her daughter's friend.
"Isn't this a surprise? What are you doing out so late?" Sabine said ushering the girl in.
"I just thought I'd drop by," She reached into her pocket tugging out a small silver key, "I was also going to give Mari her key to the apartment. Is she home?" she asked peering around the woman to try to get a good look around the bakery to spot her dark haired friend.
Sabine's eyebrows furrowed and she pursed her lips; "Tom and I thought that she was still with you she said she wouldn't be home until later." She said with a hint of concern in her voice.
Alya clutched the small black box in her hand, "She, uh, must be on her way to my house then." Sure, there were times when Marinette would drop by unannounced but it was never this late at night and if there really was something wrong, if there was something bothering her then she didn't want to leave her alone.
"That's interesting…" Sabine said reaching down to grab Alya's wrist. She pulled Alya's hands up and peered at the black box that rested in her hands, "Marinette has the same one." The small woman said with a smile taking the box from Alya's hands and examining it, "Just such an intricate design…" She trailed off slowly and gently lifting the lid of the box to reveal a small curved, foxtail necklace that glistened on what ever light it could catch. Sabine held the box in her hands and gasped at the necklace that it held; "This is a beautiful necklace, Alya, where did you get it?" She asked closing up the box again and handing it back to the girl.
Alya stared at the necklace feeling slightly guilty having taken it from Fu without really knowing what it was, "I got it as a gift from Mister Fu, across the street, and he said it was a good luck charm." She murmured taking the box back from Sabine only to stuff it into her bag paranoid that if she kept it in hand that she would loose it on her way home.
The brunette walked to the entrance of the bakery with Sabine following close behind, "Are you sure that you don't want Tom or I to drive you home? It is pretty late." She offered, "You could spend the night here, I'm sure that Marinette will be home soon."
Alya shook her hands in protest, "No it's really okay, should be heading back any way. If I see Marinette out I'll tell her to head home!" She smiled leading out the door and onto the sidewalk with one last goodbye.
She started off down the sidewalk wanting badly to take out the small box given to her from Fu but her paranoia of losing it or even getting stolen at this time of night overwhelmed her. She gripped onto her bag tightly biting the bottom of her lip. Why would Fu give her something like that? He barley even knew her and he was giving her an expensive looking gift. Passing by a small ally way she urged past her resistance and reached into her bag to pull out the box. Her finger traced over the intricate red design on the top. She dragged her bottom lip through her teeth, should she return it or would that be too disrespectful?
She looked around seeing not many people on the street, as at this time of night most people were crowding streets with bars and clubs and this one was relatively quiet. Her fingers drifted down to the crease between the lid and bottom half slowly cracking it opened, "It'd be rude not to wear it… Right?" she said to her self, cracking the lid opened further. Instead of staring at the necklace she had before with Mrs. Dupain-Cheng, instead she was shot with a large beam of light. Alya dropped the box and shielded her eyes away from the light, "What the hell?!" she yelped taking a few steps back and opening her eyes once again. Did a car drive past without her realizing? She bent down and grabbed onto the box lightly still squatting over where she had grabbed it. Her fingers ran over the smooth surface of the necklace and tugged at the charm pulling loose the gold chain that it was attacked to. She unclasped the back of the necklace and clipped it back around her neck letting it hang gently over her chest, "I'll admit he's got a good sense of style." She grinned.
"So you like it…?" A small, slightly squeaky voice said quietly from behind her.
The brunette leapt quickly turning to see standing on the ground a small foxlike creature, gripping onto its tail tightly. Alya smacked her hand up quickly to her glasses pinching the bridge of her nose, "This is it. I'm going crazy. This is where it ends." She began ranting to herself continuing to clamp her eyes shut, " Well, I had a good run, graduated school, didn't get a boyfriend but hey- I guess that will never work out-"
"Please Alya! It's alright!" The timid voice interrupted. The small fox floated up gently and placed her paw on her hand, trying to calm her, "You really aren't going crazy!"
Alya slowly removed her hand from the bridge of her nose, she had accepted it, she was ready to face her fate, ready to head off to the Looney-bin and say goodbye to her family, "If I'm not going crazy then what am I supposed to think you are?" The brunette placed her hands on her hips and pursed her lips to the side, "You're clearly are a hallucination, that's the only rational explanation, but hey, I had a pretty good life, definitely wanted to be a journalist but hey, if only's a just's" She shrugged pushing the glasses back up on her nose.
"Alya please~" The small creature begged before taking cover in the girl's long thick lockes, "You aren't going crazy, just trust me..!" Her voice grew quieter as a few reporters rushed past with camera's in hand.
"She was just over here!"
"Spotted leaving La Santé, Ladybug had an exclusive meeting with the infamous Hawk Moth!" One of the reporters shouted into the camera as he rushed off.
"Ladybug…" Alya murmured. The only thing that she could think of was how lost she looked, almost desperate to have someone next to her. She started instinctively walking towards the scene and reaching for her phone.
"Alya…" The small voice called out, this time closer to her ear.
Oh right. She almost forgot. She was going crazy. There was hallucination that was hiding in her hair.
She came to a hault and tilted her head down feeling the soft ears of the creature brush up against hers.
"Go… Over there…"She muttered floating briefly out of her hair to point to the alley way that was near bye.
Alya sighed, why was she even listening to this… think? What even was it? But she went anyway reluctantly moping into the alley. The small fox drifted out from the safety of her hair and into the shadowed area.
"She needs help… She needs someone…" the small fox uttered out pulling her ears down against her jowl, "All you need to do is put on that necklace, say 'transform me' and I'll take it from there. You need to go to her… she needs it…"
"You're telling me that the only thing I need to do to get rid of –" She placed one fist on her hip and pointed the small fox up and down with pursed lips while latching the silver chain of the necklace around her neck, " this whole thing, is to say 'Transform me' and-" suddenly she found herself shrouded by a ray of blinding orange light surrounding her feet and slowly making it's way up her body sending shivers up her spine almost feeling paralyzed.
Her arms were coaxed in black gloves that turned white at her palms, her arms ran orange up the side, "What-" she mustered out feeling a twitching above her hair. Her hands slowly reached up slowly feeling something fuzzy, "the-" her fingers continued gliding across the fuzzy surface following the trail to the tip of the long… Her fingers wrapped around them gently tugging them down, trying to see… Ears..? "Hell?!" She quickly jumped hitting her back against the brick wall. A small pipe-like object pressed between her shoulder blades, she hesitantly reached back pulling it over her shoulder and examined it, "A… Flute?" She rose one eye brown, "What the hell am I supposed to do with this? Don't even play flute." She pursed her lips and dropped the bamboo instrument by her at her side.
You need to find Ladybug… She needs someone…
The small voice echoed through her head causing her to jolt around looking for the small creature.
I'll explain everything later. Just find her.
The brunette nodded taking a step forward. She couldn't go out on the street dressed the way she was she knew that she'd only be crowed or at least given strange looks from her get ups. The only way she could go was – well,
Up.
"I'll have you know that I had the weakest vertical jump in my class so I don't know how you expect me to get up that." She complained not receiving a response, "Hello?" she called out pursing her lips while rolling her eyes through her surroundings, "Well fine, I'll try but don't get all mad at me when I can't make it up." Alya sat there and lifted her leg pressing it against the faded paint on the green dumpster. She began to grumble under her breath and jumped a couple times between both feet before crouching into a squat letting the fluffy tail attached to the base of her waist droop against the ground. She quickly sprung up feeling her feet leave the ground quicker than she had thought she would.
With a yelp, she kicked her feet in the open air she had sprung from slowly approaching on the roof of the building with a somewhat graceful fall tumbling and tripping over her feet as she caught her balance with arms outstretched and wobbly. The fox-tailed brunette stood up tall dusting off the orange spandex suit seemingly glued to her body.
"Where did my clothes go?" She murmured to herself tugging at the spandex lining, there was no way that they were fitting underneath that skintight costume.
She took a step feeling the tiled roofs underneath her feet. Around a couple of buildings she spotted a significant amount of flashes reflecting off the windows making the lights up to the Parisian rooftops. There was one thing though that she couldn't shake: where was Marinette? Why had she lied to her parents about spending the day with her and Nino? She'd obviously been with Fu and then… Well after that not even Alya knew where she was. But there was something troubling her, Fu said so himself. Thinking about it Marinette seemed to be off for a while now, always zoning out, her eyes always seeming so sad like somehow she was alone. It seemed like she started getting sad around when Adrien had left for Italy, which was understandable since she had such a whopping crush on her but Alya and Nino helped her through that. The only other significant thing that had happened was…
Alya's eyes glanced down to the ground, Chat Noir's disappearance, sure Marinette had always been a fan of the black cat but being this torn up about the hero was a little excessive she thought. There is no way Marinette would be sadder about Chat Noir than Adrien. Marinette also started seeing Fu a lot during that time, she'd never really mentioned him in the years past then out of nowhere, and Fu – she picked up the necklace that drooped underneath the spandex and pulled it out, he was the one that gave her this and now she looked like that stupid akuma.
Was Fu Hawkmoth!? She panicked in her mind, no, there was no way he was because he'd given Marinette the same box that she had and Marinette had never been-
Her thoughts trailed off.
Marinette had never been akumatized.
Marinette had the same box as Alya did.
Marinette was seemingly torn up about the disappearance of Chat Noir.
Marinette was always arriving late.
Marinette had never been at the scene of an akuma during an attack but always somehow managed to be there afterwards.
Marinette was always talking to herself – Well into her purse.
The gears began shifting and turning in her mind – Was? No, there was no way.
Her feet began moving in a faster pace against the building's panels still nervous to move to quickly in fear of falling off. She moved towards the flashing lights she tightly gripped the bamboo flute in her hand taking off into a slow run. The masked girl's lips fell open mouthing, "Marinette…" as she paced quickly to the lights. Getting closer she didn't stop until she saw a familiar rounded yo-yo latch on to the chimney she had been beside and was soon met by the famed masked hero's body collapsing her body into hers.
The two girls let out a yelp as they fell to the rooftops. Ladybug picked herself up leaning over the girl.
"Sorry I-" She paused taking a look at the girl she had fallen onto, there was no way that she wouldn't recognize that hair. All of her emotions clouded her mind. It was that feeling that you get when you see someone you have such an emotional attachment to that when ever you see them you just seem to lose control of everything that you had under-wrap. Alya was that person to her.
"Girl, you have a lot of explaining to do." Alya held herself up on her elbows with a warm and welcoming smile. She could see the tears welling up in the raven-haired girl's eyes. There was no mistaking her identity now. How was it even that it took so long for Alya to notice? She spent every day with Marinette and she hadn't even in the slightest considered the concept of her friend being the superhero that she idols and ever founded a blog about. She'd never really sat down and thought about the fact before and really all she even needed to do was, well, sit down and think about it.
The masked hero rubbed away her tears with the base of her palm trying to hide her bloodshot eyes. She recognized the girl from the second that she saw her and there was no doubt that the fox miraculous didn't suit her perfectly. She inhaled a shaky breath and lunged arms out to cling to the girl seated on the rooftops across from her. Ladybug buried her face into the crook of her neck holding onto her friend tightly. She couldn't think of what to say, she didn't know how to say to her best friend that her most treasured partner someone that she felt so greatly about was gone, probably forever and that wasn't something she was quite ready to come to terms with.
Alya held onto the girl reaching up and de-tangling one of her pigtails, "I take it your meeting didn't go to well…" She murmured resting her head against her friend's.
Ladybug slowly shook her head around the girl's thick mane.
The girl shifted back sucking in a large breath and bit down on the corner of her lip, "Chat Noir didn't show up…" Some part of her knew the answer to her own question and the other part knew that she shouldn't have even asked it but she was at a loss for words.
Alya could feel her taking a shaking breath against her and continuing to shake her head, "He's… Chat Noir is never coming back…"
She murmured hearing the sadness on her voice Alya pulled away from her to stare into the girl's masked face with tears dripping over the plastered on red and black spotted mask, "Let's… Just get you home…" She stood pulling the girl up with her.
Marinette tugged back on the girl's arm, "Wait- Alya…?" she mustered out.
The ears that rested atop of her head drooped down against her hair, "That's my name and you probably shouldn't wear it out while I'm like… Well this." She said letting out a small laugh.
"No… How did you-"
"It was a gift, you needed help and guess that I was the right one to help." Alya smiled continuing to tug at Ladybug's arm.
She could see the continuing flashes of light shining up on the building still trying to get a look at Ladybug. When suddenly it came to the reporters surprised the infamous Volpina, who had attacked their city in the earlier year, was taking Ladybug hostage.
"Volpina is that you!?"
"What do you plan on doing to Ladybug?"
"Are you still under Hawkmoth's control?"
Reporters began shouting causing the two girls to try to take cover on the empty rooftops. Alya hesitated going forward, she'd never really been on the other side of the camera before and she didn't realize how daunting it was; she even hesitated to go forward.
"Are you taking Hawkmoth's place?"
"Are you the reason Chat Noir is gone?!"
"What have you done with Chat Noir!?"
A sudden shortness of breath came over her. So she was the bad guy now? Fu knew that this would happen why would he send her off looking the way that she did knowing the lash back she would receive. She felt a shot of vibration shoot up her spine reminding her of the bamboo instrument that rested between her shoulder blades. She slowly reached for it pulling it in front of her. She felt a squeeze on her hand being gripped by Ladybug.
"Don't let them get to you, you know who you are, you know what you stand for." A soft smile grew across her lips, "Don't let them define you… Volpina."
The masked girl gripped onto the instrument bringing it up to her lips. She was never really exceeded at anything musical related but she had to try. The brunette pressed the opening of the flute to her puckered lips. Her fingers took position on the openings along the pipe. She sucked in a large breath gently shutting her eyes and letting out a slow breath. Her fingers seemingly took over for her gliding across each opening. The air seemed to go silent and stiff as the music played through the base vibrating against the buildings and alleyways that surrounded them. Along following the sound wave sprung a black mass slowly surrounding the fox and bug. Volpina remained unphased by the dark shadows emitting from the base of her flute. Though Ladybug found it hard to be in a panic as well, the music that she played sounded so calming, so safe. Volpina slowly opened an eye to look over at her new partner before lowering herself to her knees on the ground with Ladybug following her movements. The last note echoed off what ever surface it found, still enticing the reporters and cameramen down below them. Alya moved the flute from her mouth, slowly the shadowed cloud began to disappear and from it emerging Volpina dragging Ladybug by her arm across the Parisian rooftops in what ever direction they could find to get away from the reporters but to no avail, the reporters attention was caught my by the two evading heroes and chased after them swiftly seemingly leaving their area deserted.
The fox placed the instrument in its rightful place between her shoulder blades and placed a hand on ladybug's shoulder, "I think we're safe now." She whispered watching the illusions she created vanish off in the distance. By then the shadowed cloud was gone and Volpina helped her friend back to her feet, "We'll deal with them later let's just get you home."
Within the next week Marinette found her way to Fu's parlor with the butterfly miraculous in hand.
"Maman?" she called out through the bakery before slipping a sweatshirt over her head, "I'm heading over to Mister Fu's for a little bit! He needed some help around the parlor." She called out.
"Oh- before you leave, I have some extra pastries." Sabine began to pack them into a small box, "Take these to him, please." She asked handing her the light pink box.
Marinette nodded, "Of course, Maman." She said with a smile before leaving and heading across the street. She felt the black box that contained the miraculous bouncing in her pocket against her hip just having the miraculous so close made her nervous. She knew that it wasn't the Kwami's fault but she could never shake the feeling that the longer she had it the sooner something bad might happen.
From her purse her familiar kwami popped her head out, "Marinette, everything is going to be alright, Nooroo is finally safe thanks to you and Chat…" She murmured.
Marinette nodded with a smile down at the small kwami, "Thanks Tikki, I don't know what I'd do without you." The two approached the parlor doors and pushed them opened, "Master Fu? Anyone home?"
"We're in here Marinette!" a small voice greeted before poking his little green head out of the door.
The raven-haired girl softly smiled and followed Wayzz letting Tikki drift out of her purse. Marinette stepped into the room greeted by Master Fu who was pouring her a small cup of green tea.
"Please have a seat." He said gesturing her to the small cushion next to the table.
Marinette sat and pulled out the small black box. She didn't want it any more she couldn't take holding onto it any longer. She placed it on the table and slid it towards him silently.
"What did you and Hawkmoth speak of." Fu asked grabbing the small black box and examining it.
Marinette bit her lips and shrugged, "Nothing important…" she murmured watching Fu take out the butterfly pin and held it in his hand getting no reaction from it, "There was something that bothered me though…" She murmured, " Kubdel- He had the akuma mask it was… flickering I've never seen that before…"
"Just as I suspected." He said releasing a deep sigh.
Marinette's eyebrows furrowed and mouth dropped to say something but was interrupted by Fu's fist slowly closing around the pin shattering the wings in two. Marinette watched the rest of the pin turn to dust.
"What are you doing!?" Marinette yelled trying to gather up the remains of the pin, "What about Nooroo, you cant just-"
Fu held up his hand, "It's not real. It was just as I suspected." Marinette's mouth hung open, "You said the akuma's mask flickered around his face. The real Hawkmoth is running out of power. Possessing Kubdel must have taken a lot out of Nooroo."
Wayzz and Tikki's heads sunk, "Will Nooroo be alright?" Tikki said in a somewhat whispering tone.
Fu shrugged, "There is no way to tell, right now he is in critical danger. If Hawkmoth truly does have a heart he will lay low and let his kwami rest but at this point there really is no way to tell, we can only hope."
Tikki's eyes glazed over, it had been so long since she had seen Nooroo, it felt like generations of evil Hawkmoths since she had seen him last. Nooroo didn't deserve what he got; he deserved a chosen that truly cared for him, some one with real kindness in their heart.
"You mean he's still out there, he's still coming to get me, he's-"
"You just need to remember that you are not alone anymore. You have Volpina, now and from what I have seen she will go through hell and high water for you." He explained, "She may be new to the hero experience but if you don't put your faith in her the people of Paris won't either."
Marinette nodded letting her head sink and hands fall in her lap. Words evaded her, sure she had Alya by her side with and without the mask but there was still something missing.
From that day on Volpina and Ladybug became the newest icons for Paris. Though it took rather long for the people to get used to the fox-themed hero after seeing her pillage the city earlier in that year. After seeing the trust that Ladybug shared with the girl people's faith began to restore on the fox. Though it did take some getting used to it was sort of hard for Alya to clear the Volpina name without danger in Paris.
For the most pat the city was safe, it almost made Marinette think that Hawkmoth did in fact have a heart by letting Nooroo take a rest. Years upon years of evil doing surly would start to drain the life out of someone.
As the next year progressed they held a service on the day of Chat Noir's disappearance, Ladybug hated how the city so quickly considered him dead. Chat Noir was stronger than that, wherever Hawkmoth was hiding him she knew that he could fend for himself until she arrived. Though during those services she couldn't help but feel a part of her slowly fading into the thought of: What if Chat Noir never comes back. The services would leave her a bit depressed for a while but there was no doubt that her trusty partner and best friend wouldn't come to rescue.