Chapter 2! And so soon, I wouldn't have thought :D
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand this story is kinda skyrocketing. I never thought it would become this intense but uh... Let's roll with it! Hell yea!
Also, TRIGGER WARNING
MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH
Sorry for the spoiler there but even if this story is set on mature, I don't want someone claiming I didn't warn enough. So, there you have the ugly, ugly spoiler.
Enjoy~
Ladybug didn't even fully wait to drop the transformation as soon as she was through the window which caused her to bump her head on the frame.
But she didn't care.
"Master Fu! Master Fu!", she yelled, running into the private room of the old man's shop. He just stirred out of sleep as she fell to her knees, tears already flowing down her cheeks, "Master Fu, something-… Something happened! Something's wrong with Chat, I-… I don't know what! He said he was loyal to Hawkmoth now and something is inside him and it's turning him and-"
"Ladybug.", Master Fu interrupted her as the old man sat up, eyes wide and eyebrows furrowed, "Find peace first, then your explanations will be clear. What has happened?"
She breathed through and let herself fall to the side, sitting down on the floor and pulling her knees close, burying her head in her folded arms that she rested on her knees, feeling more tears spilling as she heard the old man throwing over a blanket and some slippers.
"I-… This evening… I was out with Chat and-… He a-asked me if we could be together…", her breath got shaky and her back began trembling, "I r-rejected him. I-… I told him we couldn't be together. He-… He left and-… I waited for him to get back."
A warm hand rested on her shoulder and she looked up to see Master Fu's worried eyes, asking her to stand up with him. She got to her feet, following the Master to the room where they normally talked.
"He-… He didn't show up anymore so I d-decided to go home… But just when I had dropped the transformation he-… He came to my balcony… H-his movements, Master Fu, they were so-… So-…"
She began trembling more intensely and Master Fu gestured for her to sit down. She did and almost miraculously she very quickly got a hot cup of tea handed by the man.
"Breathe, Ladybug. You had a wild evening, you have to calm down."
Tikki pressed herself against her cheek and encouraged her to concentrate on calming down first, then the tiny Kwami flew towards Master Fu.
"Could I see your tablet, Master Fu? I need the book."
As the man nodded and got up to get the tablet from a nearby shelf, Marinette had controlled her breathing and taken a sip from the tea.
"Master Fu, he seemed so different…", she resumed quietly, squinting her eyes at the memories, "He seemed so much more like a predator than usual… And he said these weird things…"
Master Fu returned with the tablet and unlocked it for Tikki to skim through the photographed pages, then he turned his attention back to the shivering girl.
"What happened then?"
"He-… he attacked me and I had to transform… He was so scary, Master Fu…"
The man nodded and pulled the blanket from his form, standing up again to place it around her shoulders. She gratefully nodded at him to offer her comfort. The blanket smelled pleasantly like tea and a little like dust so she cuddled into it, feeling safer than before.
"He said he was loyal to Hawkmoth…"
"You already mentioned that, Ladybug."
"Yes, it just-… It stood out. I mean-… Who says that? It almost seemed like he was akumatized but-… He wasn't…", she sighed, "I sound so insane if I say it like that…"
Wayzz settled on her hand, shaking his head so rapidly that his antenna shook.
"Not at all, Ladybug. I think Tikki and I know what Hawkmoth has done to him. After all, what you're describing pretty much sounded like that."
She gave Wayzz a tired smile and clenched her hands around the warm tea cup, hunching over her shoulders.
"I'm relieved it doesn't sound as insane to you as it does to me… I still feel like this is a nightmare."
Tikki gave a high-pitched yelp and pointed to the screen of the tablet, nodding.
"I found it! This is what Hawkmoth most likely did to Chat. He used this spell to trap Plagg inside the Miraculous and forced his will upon him. This spell should've been banned an eon ago but apparently hawkmoth has been able to revive it.", her gaze turned worried, "Oh, poor Plagg… And poor Chat… If he won't be released in time there'll be huge consequences…"
Marinette tilted her head, fear crawling up her throat once again, making her voice hoarse.
"What-… What kind of consequences?", she croaked, her hands starting to tremble so that Master Fu reached over and eased her grip from the cup.
"He-… Well, if the magic stays trapped within the holder he'll-… Turn."
"Turn-… Turn into what?"
Tikki didn't give an answer and just as Marinette was about to ask her again, the Kwami faced her. Her gaze was so full of pain and regret, somehow, that she didn't even dare asking another time. After all, she could imagine what that meant if Tikki was looking at her like that.
"… He won't be able to return…", she concluded, nodding slowly, "So we need to be fast enough. But now that Chat's been forced to side with Hawkmoth I'm all alone. Can-… Can I-… get help?"
She shot Master Fu a hopeful glance, furrowing her eyebrows.
"I can't do this alone…", she mumbled and he got up, aiming for the gramophone that stood on the shelf. It contained the Miraculous.
"It'll probably be wiser if you have a companion, yes…", Master Fu hummed, opening the gramophone and putting the box on the table in front of her, like all those years ago when she first chose Alya.
"Ladybug, this time you have to choose one again but I will give you another companion on your way. I feel like the time has come."
Wayzz nodded as Marinette already grabbed the fox necklace, cradling it close to her chest.
"Another Miraculous?", she questioned, confusion welling up in her as Master Fu and Wayzz exchanged a conversation over gazes that she couldn't understand. Then, the old man touched his bracelet, the turtle Miraculous, as she knew.
"Yes. As I see you chose the fox again?"
"She was a great help last time, yes."
Master Fu gave her a small smile.
"Ah yes, I remember Rena Rouge.", he nodded, turning his hand so that his palm showed up, "You are right, she will be a great help in this fight."
The old man grinned to himself and sighed.
"Master Fu, are you alright?"
"Ladybug…", he began, "I've fought many battles. I've done a lot of mistakes. And I've gotten old."
She furrowed her eyebrows as he talked like this, almost as if-… He tiredly smiled at her as her eyes widened. He couldn't possibly-
"I have watched you and Chat Noir grow with your powers and I have chosen a fitting successor for my place. You have to know, the turtle as the steady one out of the Miraculous, has to be the guardian. And I have held that place for long enough now."
She opened her mouth but he merely shook his head, speaking softly.
"Do not fear, Ladybug. You will never be alone. I have my utmost faith in you and believe me, I speak of experience when I say that you are an exceptional Ladybug wielder.", he heavily sighed, pushing the turtle Miraculous up to the bas of his thumb, "This is goodbye then, it seems… But do not worry. I have chosen a trustworthy wielder to keep the Miraculous and you safe."
Marinette blinked her tears away and swallowed the lump in her throat.
"M-Master Fu, please-…"
His eyes turned warm and comforting as he leant over the table, gesturing for her hand and placing his hand with the Miraculous on her palm, the other cupping her hand from beneath.
"You will be fine. You have strong allies and an even stronger heart. You will succeed.", he winked as he pulled the bracelet over his hand and brushed over the base of her thumb with his, "I believe you know who will take my place."
With this he dropped the Miraculous in her hand. It felt heavier than she expected.
Wayzz dropped his head as he vanished in a green flash, being pulled to the Miraculous and put to sleep inside the stone. Her eyes, though, didn't leave Master Fu as he smiled at her.
"Listen to your heart, Marinette.", the whisper almost didn't reach her ears as he said it. She heard it with her heart, she knew.
Before she could react in any way, he began glowing. It wasn't that the room lit up or anything. But she felt him glowing, felt the life blooming up one last time before he would go.
The hands that cupped hers got lighter and colder until they were merely a light brush of a breeze against her skin. She didn't dare looking down as she held Master Fu's gaze, her mouth slightly opened. She first saw the lotus petals when his shoulders turned. Her shocked gaze flew down to her hand and she realized that his hands had made room for the radiant pink petals to stay hovering in the air, still cupping her hand.
She gasped and looked up again, catching his gaze one last time as he finally closed his eyes, leaning his head back. His chest and neck followed to turn into lotus petals, covering, no, becoming his whole body, until only his face stayed. The petals made their way over his cheeks and forehead, taking his chin and mouth. With a sudden, soft blow of wind, the petals released the form and brushed over her forehead before being carried out the opened window through which she had entered the shop and into the night.
She looked after them, watching as they became smaller against the dark of the night outside, with brushed back hair. Her hand sank to her lap as tears slowly rose in her eyes, one coming lose and rolling down her cheek.
The feeling of the breeze still washed over her skin and suddenly sent a shiver down her spine, snapping her out of her trance. Her eyes slowly, hesitantly, broke off the window and she looked down at Tikki who watched her carefully.
"… What-…?"
"The guardian is gone…", Tikki mumbled, nodding, "That is-… Unfortunate? No… He must've planned something… Hm…"
More tears rolled down her cheeks and Marinette had trouble seeing clearly.
"… Tikki, please talk to me. What just happened?", she forced out, the turtle Miraculous in her hand seeming to weigh more and more the longer she held it, "Where and-… And when-…"
Her Kwami sighed, flying up to her to get her attention.
"Marinette, you had a troubling evening, I would like you to sleep a bit over that but seeing that Chat Noir needs every single second of us to take action you can't rest yet. And, well, you have to focus. Master Fu can be grieved over later."
The serious tone of her Kwami surprised her. She didn't know Tikki could be so calculative and logical. The Kwami had always been more of a responsible type, a caring friend. Seeing her urging Marinette to keep going instead of resting was-… Kinda new. But necessary. They had to get Chat Noir's Kwami out of the Miraculous before it was too late.
"Do you know who Master Fu meant as he gave you the Miraculous, Marinette?", Tikki pushed on, careful but determined, "Think and listen to your heart. Who is it?"
Marinette swallowed, trying not to focus on what had just happened but she couldn't clear her mind. All she got was the impression of red and a young male voice, nothing more.
"Uhm-… Tikki, it could be anybody… I just-… I can't concentrate."
Her Kwami nodded and although she seemed disappointed she did her best to keep her expression soft and comforting.
"That's okay Marinette. You already went through a lot, it's okay. Let's bring the fox Miraculous to Alya first and then let's see. Can you transform?"
The girl numbly nodded, getting to her feet, both Miraculous in her hands.
"Okay, Marinette, I want you to do two things now, okay? Are you listening?"
She did her best to give her Kwami the most motivated nod she could, squaring her shoulders and trying to ignore a few lost lotus petals lying on the floor.
"Yes, I can transform. What do you want me to do, Tikki?"
The little Kwami smiled and flew closer, briefly snuggling against her cheek and giving her a little peck there before hovering in her vision again.
"You're so brave, Marinette… I'm so proud of you.", she gave her a comforting nod, then she cleared her throat, "Alright, the guardian is gone. There are a few laws and stuff that we kinda need to give to the new wielder but let that be my business. I've been present for that a few times already and I know what the new guardian has to know what the old one couldn't tell him. At least a summary should do. So! I want you to grab the box with the Miraculous and the tablet that Master Fu left here and go to Alya's place, got me?"
Marinette nodded, furrowing her eyebrows in concentration. Transporting the Miraculous and a copy of the book through the city while trying to avoid Chat Noir would be dangerous.
"Yes, go to Alya and take these two things with me. And the second thing?"
Tikki briefly wrung her tiny paws and looked to the side, then she breathed through.
"You need to reveal to her."
"What?!"
"You need to show her who you are, best would be if you did that before you gave her the fox Miraculous again. Got that? Someone needs to know who you are so that you can safely try to fight against Hawkmoth."
Marinette's head was swirling and she felt dizzy as she tried focusing on her Kwami hovering in front of her.
"F-Fight Hawkmoth-… But why reveal? Tikki, it's worked with Chat Noir without revealing the entire time and nothing happened. I just don't understand…"
Her Kwami nodded again, her expression turning sympathetic.
"I know, I know. It's very confusing. But believe me on this one, you will want someone to know what could happen to Marinette Dupain-Cheng while the balance of the Yin and Yang is disturbed. It's just-… I'm taking precautions… No, don't be scared, it's-… You felt how hard it was to fight against Chat Noir, right? It's the unique bond between the Black Cat and the Ladybug that's weakening you. Chat doesn't feel this because he is under Hawkmoth's control so he won't hold back. I'm just trying to protect you, Marinette."
The girl clenched her teeth and tried calming her racing thoughts with no success.
"But-… You were the one telling me I shouldn't tell anybody who I am…"
"That was when the key Miraculous were still on the same side. When Yin and Yang were still together. Now that Hawkmoth's robbed you of your partner, the balance isn't stable anymore. You need to tell Alya who you are, it'll be safer for you."
Marinette groaned, putting the hand with the fox Miraculous to her head, trying to ease the aching feeling that all of this was just going too fast.
"… So… I'll take all the Miraculous and the table to Alya now and reveal. And-… Then we'll continue."
"Then we'll have to find the new guardian, yes."
The girl heavily breathed through a few times, then she decided that she had to hold on, at least until Alya knew. Even if this was going to be hard, she would feel better after she shared her secret and told someone everything that had happened this evening.
"Alright. We can do this. Tikki, spots on!"
