Marinette gripped the claws that held her tightly, head pressed against coarse scales as the world became a blur below her. It didn't help how the dragon jerked with every flap, and Marinette could feel each and every dip and rise it made. Tikki hugged her neck, comforting whispers coming from the fairy all the while as they waited this out. She seemed to believe this would end soon. That they wouldn't stay in the dragon's hold for much longer.
Marinette hoped so.
She felt like a mouse, in the clutches of a hawk. With talons wrapped around her, the light point of claws just on the edge of her skin.
It would be so easy for them to pierce her.
It would be so easy for those talons to unfurl and drop her.
The possibility frightened her.
It kept her still in the dragon's grip, afraid that any move would displease it and she would find her doom.
But when she felt it them start to tilt down, she instinctively tightened her grip on those claws. They gave a reflexive squeeze back, a light gesture, almost comforting if it weren't for the ground coming closer. And the unknown reasons why the dragon took her. Marinette could only cling and wait, squeezing her eyes closed as air swept and shoved at her shoulders. The wings beat heavily as they started to come down, slow and sure and loud in her ears. Marinette didn't dare peek as they drew near, keeping her eyes shut tight as she waited for the landing.
It came in a big jerk, and Marinette squeaked when she was dropped to the ground, her back bouncing off it hard. She groaned from where she lay, feeling a bruise pulse along her spine. She cracked her eyes open when she felt a slight shuffle on her stomach, seeing that Tikki had lost her grip and was now set on her stomach, grimacing as she rubbed her big head.
Hot breath blew over Marinette's face and she jerked back as the large, squared snout hovered near, narrowed green eyes glaring down at her.
She was very surprised when it spoke, it's voice a deep rumble that tickled her bones. "Perhaps you can answer me some questions, girl." It took a step closer. Marinette hurried back, shrinking down in the dragon's shadow. Keeping it's gaze on her, it continued, "You came in my glamour, stinking of Chat Noir."
"Your glamour?!" Tikki proclaimed on Marinette's stomach, rounding on the dragon.
Before she could dive up to it, Marinette grabbed her, hissing her name.
The dragon only spared the fairy a curious glance before turning it's eyes back to her, snorting smoke. "You come back," it continued, "with a monster on your tail."
"I-I didn't mean too," she uttered.
"That is out of your control," Tikki snipped, squirming in Marientte's grasp, shooting a glare at the dragon. "Glamours are for public use!" TIkki scolds, "I may not like what it's always used for, but it's not just for you!"
Now eyeing the fairy in her hold, the dragon finishes, "And now you have the Miraculous Ladybug in your hands." Those green eyes slid up to her, it's jaws clacking in slight agitation. "What is going on with you?"
"Um," she uttered.
The dragon hissed at her. "I suggest you answer girl."
"Or you'll what?" Tikki returns, ignoring Marinette's alarmed squeak. Turning to her, the fairy reassured, "He won't burn you, not while I'm with you." The dragon snorted some more smoke, but otherwise didn't make any move to hurt her. Though he did keep his gaze locked on the dark haired girl.
Nervously, Marinette stood and released Tikki, a little relieved to see that the fairy floated in front of her, acting as a barrier between her and the dragon.
It was strange to see a creature so small stand up to a creature so big.
Gulping and fiddling her fingers, Marientte answered, "I-Chat's my friend! He helped me!"
The dragon simple blinked, emitting something between a hum and a growl.
"Th-that monster, I-I don't know why it's after me, or what's up with th-that." She pointed to the fairy, "Sh-she's with me because she wants to meet Chat. I can find, I, I need to find him. He's in trouble."
The dragon rested on it's belly, eyeing her contemplatively.
Tikki crossed her arms, glaring at the beast.
Marinette peeked past her, eyeing the dragon.
The dragon finally asked, "How is Chat Noir a friend of yours?"
Shrugging sheepishly, Marinette confessed, "I fell on him."
Surprise flared in those green eyes, before they closed. Marientte jumped when the dragon bellowed out, sides heaving as he laughed. "How dangerous for you! Falling on Chat Noir, and able to make a friend of him! I'm surprised he didn't kill you for it."
She frowned at him, while Tikki huffed.
"What do you..."
"You smell strange," the dragon cuts in, crawling closer and sniffing loudly. Tikki gave that near snout a warning smack, not that the dragon was bothered. Instead he just kept his eyes on Marinette. "Could it be...? I wonder girl, do you even know about Chat Noir? About his deeds?"
"I know he did a lot of damage to the capital."
"Dear little girl," the dragon lightly scolds, shaking his big head, "he's done far worse than that."
"No!" Tikki clips, giving that snout another smack. "That's all he's done! I'd know better than anyone!"
"Then, Ladybug, what explanation do you have for the queen?"
Marinette stiffened, eyeing the two. "The queen?" she asked.
The dragon turned to her, stating, "Last year, King Gabriel Agreste has put out an order for the capture of Chat Noir. An order for him to be brought to the capital, an order that he would be met with justice."
Marinette eyed the dragon oddly, demanding, "Why?"
Green eyes flickering to the scowling fairy, the dragon said carefully, "It's believed that Chat Noir killed the queen."
There was nothing more unsatisfactory than a fruitless effort. After a whole day and night spent trying to find this girl, Marinette; they've come across nothing. They haven't even found the monster that was hunting her and Chat Noir. They saw the signs of it trumping about, leaving damage in it's wake, but couldn't locate it, no matter how long they followed it's trail.
Much like the girl, the creature persists to be elusive.
Maybe it even already had the girl.
Upon his horse, Felix was tired, sore, and miffed.
He had nothing for his hunt.
And still no answers to his questions.
The creature was gone, and so was the girl.
The only consolation he had was that he held Chat Noir captive. After about eight years, they finally had him. The danger of him could be put to rest.
"Prince Felix!" the guards greeted as he rode back into town, a slight frown on his features.
Glancing down at the near guard, he asked, "Has anything happened?" Or reappeared?
"No Your Highness."
He gave a disappointed hum.
"Have everything ready," he ordered, "we'll be departing at dawn tomorrow."
"Yes Your Highness!"
Clamoring off his horse and passing it off, he drew near Chat's cell, hearing the rattle of chains as the hellion struggled. The two stationed guards made room for him as he stopped by, meeting the bright green eyes that turned to him.
Chat gave him a cheeky toothy smile. "Back from your hunt?" he asked.
Felix hummed his confirmation, waving the two guards away so the blonds could talk in solitude.
Chat was unphased by the lack of guards. Just kept that shit eating smile in place. It seemed to grow as he asked, "Fruitless?"
"Frustratingly so."
Chat laughed, twisting about and rolling on his heels as he faced the prince. "How unfurtunate for you."
Felix wrinkled his nose at Chat. "Always got to be so cheery," he grumbled.
"Maman would flick my nose if I got dreary."
"She's not here to flick it now."
Chat hummed, tail twitching in the shadows.
"...What happened to her?" Felix wondered.
Chat blinked, then tilted his head, eyes squinting as he considered the prince. "Don't know," he said, "woke up one day and she had up and left me. Couldn't find her anywhere." He grinned. "Guess she got tired of being with bad luck all the time."
"That must've hurt," Felix surmised.
Chat didn't reply, rocking back and forth on his chain.
Felix moved to leave, when Chat voiced, "I think she found herself a nice glamour to hide in."
Felix glanced in.
Chat met his gaze. "Can't sniff those out, no matter how good your nose is," Chat said.
Felix offered another hum, not too sure what to say to that. Eyeing Chat, he warily questioned, "Did you ever come back to the capital? Back home?"
"Aw," Chat gushed, leaning back and letting the chain hold him. "You still think the capital is my home? How sweet! You knew you liked me!" He rocked and leaned to the side, coming closer to the prince. With a devious grin, the hellion said, "But that isn't home. That hasn't been home since I was seven. So no, I never went back. I slipped away in the wilds." Jumping up, Chat locked his feet around the chain, letting himself rock back and forth as he hung upside down.
Felix narrowed his eyes. "And that's not a lie?"
"Well you're going to assume I'm lying one way or another, so I'm not going to bother answering." Chat dropped his feet, letting them hit the cell hard. Tilting his head back to eye the prince over his shoulder, he asked, "Was there something you wanted to tell me?"
"Come morning we're departing back home."
"Oooh! Is it as lovely as I remember?"
"It's gotten lovelier."
Chat chuckled, turning away and facing the opposing wall. "I'm sure I could wait on seeing it."
"I'm sure you could," Felix agreed.
Marinette stared at the dragon.
Tikki grumbled incoherently beside her, buzzing about in agitation.
The dragon sat patient and still, observing the two mildly.
Finally, Marinette skeptically repeated, "Chat Noir killed the queen?"
"He did not!" Tikki exploded, jerking in the air as she snapped. "Chat Noir never would!"
The dragon was unaffected, calming watching the fairy whiz about. "This isn't your Chat Noir Ladybug," the dragon voiced.
Tikki rounded on him, sputtering, "I've been watching out for this Chat Noir for nearly eight years! I can say in full confidence that he has never gone back to the capital since!" To Marinette, she insisted, "He didn't kill the queen. Someone else did, but it wasn't Chat Noir. Not even Prince Felix is sure that he did."
"The king is," the dragon declared with a snort, "and I ask again, what explanation do you have for the late Queen Amalia?"
The fairy huffs, floating down to perch on Marinette's head with scowl. She had no answer to provide. Marinette tilted her head curiously as she squinted at the dragon, asking, "What happened to the queen exactly?"
Turning to her, the dragon shrugged, "No one really knows, besides the king. She was found by him, I heard as a pile of bones and ash. Chat Noir is known to make ash from a single touch of anything, it's reasonable to think that it was him."
"He has not been to the capital since," Tikki repeated. "I know he slips from my sight time to time, but I know he's never been back in the capital. Not since he left."
The dragon's maw opened to reply, only for Marinette to jerk forward, waving her arms about as she cut in. "Ok, ok, big mystery going on, I get it. But, we," she waved to her and Tikki, "need to go. Need to go see Chat." Peering back at the dragon warily, she asked, "Was there something you wanted? Why'd you take us...?"
Rumbling, the dragon peered back with contemplative eyes.
Marinette jerked back when the dragon shook himself, scattering green smoke all over the place. Blinking wildly, she sought the smoke, feeling Tikki dive down and press against her neck. Something shifted in it, and Marinette took a few steps back. A man slipped out, with bright purple hair and dark eyes. Marinette met his gaze, uttering, "You really are a witch..."
He tilted his head, gaze flickering to the nearly hidden fairy. "I guess she told you huh?"
"She did," she said carefully, looking him up and down. "So, I, I answered your questions. What do you want?"
"Well," the witch started, setting a hand on his chest and giving her a slight bow, "first off, I'm Jagged Stone. Also known as Purple Fang. I'm a witch in hiding. I don't care to be in the king's service, I don't care for getting killed for refusing it. And what I want is something that little fairy can provide." He stood up, eyes locked on Tikki.
Tikki ducked further away, hiding in Marinette's hair.
The noirette echoed her leeriness, taking another set up steps back from the witch.
He didn't look offended by their caution. He flashed them an amused smile, eyes glinting. "Don't you worry," he eased, "I'm not going take her from you. I know what happens to those that force fairies to do things they don't want." Tilting his head as he eyed her, he bid, "And it looked like you had her willingly on your side."
"So what do you want?" Tikki demands, peeking her head over Marinette's hair. She gave the witch a big, scowling pout. "You cut into our precious time Jagged Stone! If you waste our time, you may never be blessed by another ladybug ever again!"
He laughed, putting his hands up and waving for the fairy to calm down. "Easy there," he bid, grinning, "I do need your help though."
Tikki hummed.
"Ladybug," the witch pleaded, seating himself on a near rock and making sure that there was still space between him and Marinette, "I need your help in finding someone dear to me. She's been missing for a month. And I'm tired of waiting for her. In return for helping me find her, I'll take you to Chat Noir... or wherever you need to go."
Marinette and Tikki exchanged glances.
"Fair deal?" the witch asked.
Turning back to him, Marinette took a few steps closer, asking, "Who are you looking for?"
Slouching, Jagged answered, "Her name is Penny."
Marinette's eyes widened in surprise. "Penny?" she repeated.
He perked. "You know her?"
"That man you took us from, he shouted that name. I think he's the one that has her?."
Alert, the witch stood up and approached, easily towering over her as he stared down. "You sure?"
"Ye-yeah," Marinette uttered. Maybe?
She could've sworn that he had shouted out the name Penny.
"I don't want to go back to that witch," Tikki voices, drawing both human attention to sunk down to hide in Marinette's hair. "He's a trapper!"
"Tikki," Marinette started to ease.
Jagged cut in, "If he has her, we need to get her back."
"I don't want to go!" Tikki repeated, tangling herself in Marinette's hair, like she was trying to hide. "I don't have a good feeling about this!"
Snorting out smoke, he drew away with a cross of his arms, squinting down at them. "Do we have a deal?" he asked. "Help me get her back, I'll take you to Chat Noir. Or wherever you want to go!"
Marinette considered him, then slowly drew the fairy from her hair, meeting her big blue eyes. "It'd be faster?" she offered weakly.
"It may not be worth it," Tikki returned weakly, antennas limp. She turned to the witch, stating, "All it would take for him to catch you is to get you to look at a shard. And he'd trap you. He'd keep you for as long as he desires. And you have no way out after that."
"I'm not scared," Jagged declared.
Giving the little fairy a small smile, Marinette quietly pressed, "Didn't you say that I have the best chance with you? Even if I don't like the situation?"
Tikki sagged in Marinette's palm, a clear pout on her face. Then straightens with a nod. "We'll have to be careful," she said, waving her arms about. "You have to make sure you don't look into the glass he carries, or that's it. You get caught, I won't be able to save you. Especially if I get caught as well."
"We'll attack from above," Jagged reassured.
"And separate him from his shards," Tikki said. "That is most ideal if you want to get out unscratched, and save them." To Marinette, she instructed, "Since it was a human that trapped them, it'll take a human to free them. I doubt he," she points to Jagged, "will be human when we get those shards. You'll have to break them."
"Got it," Marinette said.
Pointing to the witch, Tikki warned, "And you, you better hold your end of the bargain."
"I swear on my breathe and lucky days I will," the witch promised, resting a hand over his heart. "Only if we do save her."
Content, Tikki floated up, declaring, "Then lets reunite these lost Children with their loved ones!"
"Are you sure it's ok?" Marinette asked, leaning out to meet the green eyes of the dragon waiting for her.
"Believe me kid," the dragon said, "there's very little damage you can do. Come on up."
"It'll be ok," Tikki backed, floating near the dragon's shoulder. "Think of it like riding a horse."
Jagged gave a displeased snort.
Pursing her lips, Marinette set her hand on warm scales, feeling the coarse surface beneath her hand. "I was never that good with horses," she warns.
"Well good thing I'm not a horse. You'll be fine," Jagged insisted. "Just hold on. You're not going to fall off me." To back the claim, he crouched lower, tilting his side so it'd be easier for her to climb up. Marinette gulped at the gesture, then straightened her shoulders, determined. Reaching forward, she clasped the forelimb and started to scale up. Jagged stood still, allowing the girl to clamor onto his back. He didn't move till she was set behind his head, clutching the horns above his brow.
"I-I'm ready," she squeaked, sure that she was going to be as secured as possible.
Tikki offered the girl an encouraging smile before darting under her, and pressing against her neck.
Shuffling on his feet, Jagged crouched lowly to the ground, spreading his purple pinkish wings. "Let's catch a witch!" he roared and pushed off. Marinette squealed into the rush, pressing her face against the rough scales on the dragon's head. Much like before, his wings thundered in her ears with each and every beat, lifting them higher and higher into the sky.
"It's ok to look," Tikki eased as Jagged paused, scouring the forest below for the witch.
"I don't wanna," Marinette mumbled into those scales.
"You're doing good, girl," Jagged comments as he slowly flew, narrowing his eyes as he glared down. Tikki slid down till she was at the end of his snout, joining him in the search. Marinette just clung to his head, waiting for this to be over with.
Jagged found him first.
"There he is," he growled, his only warning to them before he dove down, locked on the witch. Marinette clutched his horns tightly, pressing hard against the dragon. She was barely aware of Tikki diving back and grabbing her hair, using it as a lifeline as the air screamed around them.
Jagged released a furious roar and Marinette squinted up, watching through watering eyes as the blond witch jump and whip around to see the diving dragon coming for him. She watched as he turned and sped away, shouting something she couldn't hear over the rush of air, the beat of Jagged's wings, and his impatient cries.
They were almost upon him when another large mass tackled the dragon's side, sending them toppling away, and Marinette went flying with scream. Grunting as she hit and rolled on the ground, she lay stiffly for a moment, groaning from the toss. Faintly she could feel the ground shake and shudder beneath her, snarls, snaps, and growls filling the air as the two monsters fought and wrested.
"Marinette!" Tikki cried, squirming out of her hair and jumping down and patting her cheek. "Wake up! You need to get that belt! Marinette!"
She groaned, blinking slightly and turning to the struggle.
Her hunter was pushing at the dragon, a twisted smile on it's lips as it growled.
Jagged's jaws kept snapped, his body twisting and jerking as he struggled to get around the creature's hold, furious green smoke coming from the dragon's maw.
And there creeping up around them was Vincent Aza, grinning madly as he took in the fight.
"You finally showed!" he cried excitedly, pulling out a blank shard. "After all this time, you came to me!" Pointing the blank shard to them, he cried, "Out of the way beast! That dragon is all mine! It must only be him!"
A wild shot of green flames nearly hit him, and the witch scrambled to grab the shard that flew out of his grasp.
"Marinette," Tikki pleaded, wiping some dirt off her cheek.
Shakily, Marinette stood and stumbled to a near tree, grasping it as she took in situation, wincing as her body throbbed. "You got to get the belt from him," Tikki repeated, hovering near her shoulder and peering up at the Child worriedly.
"I know," Marinette managed out, watching the witch shout and scream at the two.
All he wanted was Jagged. None other would do.
Not that the two fighting creatures cared.
Glancing down at Tikki, she asked, "I got a good chance?"
"You got a good chance," Tikki echoed.
"Nothing is certain?"
"Nothing is certain."
Squeezing the round rim of the tree, Marinette took off, ignoring the sharp bruises and scrapes that protested against her move. She charged towards the witch, keeping her eyes on the ground lest he try and catch her. Tackling him, she sent them both toppling over, the glass shard sliding away from him and stopping, right in both of the creatures' view.
"No!" Marientte and Vincent cried as a pale blue light, almost white in color, sucked the two in. Jumping up, she scrambled to it, picking up the shard and freezing when she saw the two frozen in battle. The monster's arms were high up, ready to pound down on the dragon's head, and Jagged jaws were open wide, ready to snap at that soft stomach in read.
Narrowing her eyes, she moved to throw and smash the stone, only for a hand to grab her wrist and jerk her back, holding her up so her feet barely brushed the ground. "You stupid girl!" Vincent cried, holding her up above the ground. Marnette gritted her teeth as he held her, gripping her wrist hard as he glared down at her. "Because of you I got them both!" he screamed. "I wasn't supposed to have both! I don't want both!"
"They're not your's!" she snapped back, digging her nails into his hand as she tried to claw her way to freedom, her legs swung out, trying to kick the witch. Vincent kept her a safe distance away, shy out of reach of her legs.
"I'm going to trap you," he declared, moving for his satchel of shards. "I'll trap you, and melt you down. Secure that you'll never see the light of day agai-"
He squawked when something small and red flew at his eye. Dropping Marinette in alarm, he stumbled back, reaching for his small assailant. Taking advantage of his distraction, Marinette tackled him again, using the shard of monsters to cut into the belt.
"No!" he cried, reaching for her, only for the little red blur to attack his eye again, earning a yowl from the witch.
Marinette fled away, rushing off through the trees, not stopping till she tripped on a root and slid to the ground.
Hissing at the sharp pain in her knees, she scrambled up to a tree, checking the damage. Gingerly she touched the fresh, gritty scrapes, wincing at the bright red blood dribbling down her legs. Looking up at a faint, distant cry, she sat still, breathing hard as she tried to gauge just how far away Vincent was.
He sounded far.
Looking over, she spotted his little bag of shards, and the monster shard lying near it.
"Marinette!"
She jumped, looking up to see Tikki hover close, a big relieved smile on her lips. "You did it!" the fairy cried, diving down to hug her cheek. "You did it! It's done! You saved them!"
"I-I did?" she uttered dumbly.
"You did," Tikki reassured, rubbing against her cheek.
"B-but Vincent-"
"Isn't our trouble anymore," Tikki eased, floating away and going to the bag. To Marinette she explained, "There is a price going against a fairy. Going against me, he'll have the worst luck of his life. And his fate depends on it." Cracking the satchel open, she leafed through the shards, squinting down as she sought for those caged. "He'll never find us, even if he was close." She flashed Marinette an encouraging smile. "You did good. You were brave."
"It still hurts," Marinette whispered, slouching against the tree, earning a laugh from the fairy.
"We'll get those cleaned," Tikki promised, perking when she found the captured. Pulling them out, she bid, "But first, let's free them."
They agreed to free the humans first.
With one being a witch, there was a good chance that they could help with the two frozen monsters, just waiting to pursue their brawl. One specifically Tikki had her eyes on. "There's something I'd like to try with it," Tikki told her, eyes locked on the strange creature that was ready to pound down on Jagged. "But I'll need the witch's help."
They needed him free.
So the mysterious man was first in who got to be free. Marinette smashed his shard to the ground. In a burst of bright light, he stood and stumbled, the crow haired girl quickly catching him before he toppled and held him up.
Blinking dazedly down at her, he uttered weakly, "Myli?"
She shook her head, holding him steady as she answered, "No, Marinette."
"M-Mari?"
"Maybe he should sit down?" Tikki suggested, floating close as she looked him over.
Marinette followed the suggestion, leading the man to a stump, letting him sit down. "You ok?" she asked, giving his clammy hands a squeeze.
"I, I don't..." the man mumbled, running a hand over his face.
"Do you know your name Child?" Tikki asked gently, resting a paw against the man's cheek.
"N-name?" he repeated, squinting, his eyes flickering about as he took in his surrounding. It almost felt like he was scrambling for an answer. "My name... Fred. Fred Haprèle... My Mylène, where's... where's my Myli?"
Tikki shushed him, nuzzling his cheek. Giving his hand one last squeeze, Marinette went to the other shard, letting the fairy comfort the man while she held up the other shard. The lovely dark skinned woman peered back, still frowning. Much like the man, she threw that shard down, and broke it, freeing the woman. Marinette caught her as she stumbled, flashing her a small smile as the woman blinked in dazed confusion.
"I got you," she eased.
"W-who?"
"A friend."
Marinette lead her to another stump, keeping a hold on her hand. "You're Penny?" she asked as the woman sat down.
"I-I am," Penny confirmed, blinking at her, frowning.
"Your friend Jagged Stone missed you," Marinette told her.
"He did?"
"Yeah, he came to save you."
"Marinette?"
She turned, facing Tikki as the fairy floated over. Pointing into the woods, the fairy instructed, "There's a river over that way. Clean up and bring back some water for these two."
Marinette raised a brow. "With what?"
"You'll find something," Tikki promised, floating over to Penny and cooing soft as the woman started to slowly wake. Marinette got up and followed the fairy's instruction, discovering the stream like the little being predicted. And a bucket left by it. Picking it up and taking it with her in the water, Marinette scrubbed the sides clean of dirt as she stood facing the current, letting it wash away the blood and grit that dotted her legs and arms, and numb the sore scrapes on her knees.
Feeling the bucket was going to be as clean as it was going to get, she went back with a full pail, smiling softly when she met the wide eyed stare of the two adults, and the calm fairy floating between them. "Thirsty?" she asked them, offering the bucket to them.
Marinette sat close to Penny, letting the woman look over the shard that held the two monsters while she waited for the witch to be ready to help them. Since they revealed they had no idea where Mylène was, the witch was left alone to cope with his daughter's disappearance. Tikki didn't press for his help, and busied herself with looking Marinette over, eyeing every scrape and bruise she found.
"I almost want to go back to my spring," she murmured, frowning at each blemish. "Some of these will stay and scar."
"I don't mind," Marinette reassured, lightly running her finger over Tikki's head.
"I do," Tikki pouts, "it's always sad to see Children so battered."
"You're soft Ladybug," Penny voiced, tracing over the snarling dragon.
"It's my nature to care," Tikki returned, unbothered by Penny's jab.
The woman looked up, eyeing the moping witch with a frown. Tikki floated into her few, lightly scolding, "Give him a moment! He's just woken up after a few months, and woke to his daughter gone. A far as he remembers, she was just with him."
Leaning against the trunk of a tree, Marinette asked, "Any idea where she is?"
"Nope," Tikki sighed. "Not long after I blessed the bind between her and a boy named Ivan, she disappeared." Tikki turned to stare into the woods, frowning. "He's been very sad ever since."
Penny huffed aloud, pursing her lips.
"I know," Tikki said gently, turning her blue eyes to her.
"What's the plan?" Penny demanded, eyes locked on Marinette.
The noirette jumped and stammered out, "W-well, by the reaction of you two, it's likely both of them are going to be dazed when free. We use Fred to stop the monster. He's Mime right?" she asked the fairy.
Tikki nods.
"She said he can manipulate space with his imagination, I think. He restrains that thing and Tikki does whatever she wants to try. If it goes well, we'll all be reunited with our friends soon."
"If it doesn't?" Penny asked.
"We got two witches on our side," Tikki pipes in.
"I'm not much of a fighting witch," Fred calls out, moving to eye them over his stiff looked utterly exhausted.
"that's ok," Tikki said, floating over to him. "I just need that monster held still."
"What do you even plan to do with it?" Penny called to her.
"You'll see," she said cryptically, "if it works."
Taking the shard from Penny, Marinette drew near the witch, showing him the two raging purple monsters. "Are you ready, Monsieur Haprèle?"
Blinking at the shard, he sighed and hunched forward, running a hand over his face. "Yes, the sooner I do this, the sooner I can find her." He glared at the ground, grimacing.
Marinette took a few steps away, eyes locked on a tree looming across from her. "I'm going to throw it," she called out.
Penny slid away, leery.
Tikki flew closer to Marinette, ready.
Fred stood up, waving his arms as he faced forward, nodding to Marinette to free the monsters.
She threw it hard against the tree, and stumbled back when their large, hulking forms burst forward in a flash of light. As Marinette predicted, they paused, dazed and baffled from the sudden shift of scenery and reality.
Fred wasted no time locking onto the monster, pushing it back and keeping it still.
Blinking sharply, Jagged moved to snap at the monster, only for Penny to rush out, calling for him.
"Penn?" the dragon uttered, turning to her, green eyes widening in relief. "You're ok!"
"Yes you overgrown salamander! What were you thinking!" Her scolds flew over their ears as the others locked on the waking monster, struggling against the binds and snarling.
"Tikki?" Marinette pressed, slowly coming to stand behind Fred, who was shaking as he tried to keep the monster at bay.
The fairy didn't responded as she hovered over it, looking over the monster critically. "Keep her steady," Tikki called, going down closer to the creature.
"Hurry," Fred stressed, arms straining as he tried to keep the struggling beast contained. Tikki stopped over the monster, meeting it's three amber eyes. She remained stoic as they narrowed and it hissed at her. Her eyes stayed locked on it's head, specifically to a small, almost hidden black brooch attached/ to the blue tentacles. Diving for it, she pressed a kiss to the jewelry.
Pinkish red light flared from the monster, and all drew away from it in surprise.
When it faded, Tikki was floating over a small girl with wide confused amber eyes. She clutched at her worn jacket, looking over everyone before her as they gaped back at her. "P-Papa?" the girl whispered.
"Mylène!" he cried, rushing forward and scooping her up in arms in a tight, shaking hug. "Mylène! Bless the stars you're alive!" His voice was heavy with relief, soft cries bubbling out as he stammered and croaked and babbled. The girl echoed her father, face pinching up as she pressed against him, crying in relief and uttering words Marinette could barely made sense of.
Looking away from the two, Marinette reached forward, catching Tikki as she floated down into her palms.
"That was exhausting," the fairy sighed, laying back in her hands.
"What was that?" Marinette asked, running her thumb over Tikki's head.
She flashed the Child a small smile. "Healing and happy reunions fall under good fortunes." Sitting up, the fairy glanced at the embracing two from over Marinette's fingers. "The magic felt familiar, and it felt like a curse. I felt like I could break it."
"And you did," Marinette finished.
Tikki smiled, and settled in Marinette's palm, nuzzling the soft skin. "I did."
Eyeing the embracing family, then turning to glanced at Jagged and Penny, the woman clutching the dragon's snout in a tight hug while he rumbled happily, nuzzling her stomach. "You did," Marinette repeated with a proud, relieved smile.