Here is the 29th oneshot in my Miraculous Revelations series. As with the last oneshot (and several future ones) this prompt was suggested by the same follower who has provided me with so many amazing prompt ideas for me to turn into oneshots in this series. This is another Epic Class oneshot, hopefully the penultimate on of this length but no promises. There will be a reappearance of a character from a previous oneshot, though as each oneshot is a separate entity, the main characters haven't met him/her before. Also, with the recent dropping of the 'Frozer' trailer this oneshot feels very apt right about now. Anyway, enough rambling, sit back and enjoy my latest oneshot in this series, Wraith.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to this show.
Wraith: - On her way back from patrol, Marinette is stopped by Luka who is seeking Ladybug's aid as he is dealing with a recurring problem. Luka claims that he is being haunted by a wraith. This wraith, in between inexplicable and impressive odes to cheese, is telling and threatening Luka to not pursue Marinette romantically as her heart belongs to another. Intrigued, Marinette decides to help Luka the next night in trying to catch this mysterious wraith. When the time comes, Marinette is shocked at what she catches and all the consequences that come from her decision to aid Luka.
Wraith
Marinette was swinging along the River Seine on her way home from another routine and uneventful patrol of Paris. She did these regular patrols with Cat Noir to show the city that its heroes were always vigilant and looking out for them, even if nothing much more than mundane aid was given. It was their presence that mattered. They reassured Parisians that they were safe from anything that might harm the city.
That was why Marinette literally fell from the sky, and right into the damn river, when she heard a voice calling out to her, asking for her aid. It was so rare that the citizens asked for her aid when there wasn't an akuma attack that she had lost her rhythm and gone for an unscheduled swim. This was not something she had planned for today and the Seine was not a great river to fall into, though not the worst.
Wet, disheveled, likely smelly, and not very heroically, Marinette swam to the edge of the river and began to haul herself out via a convenient ladder on the embankment. As she was doing this, a masculine hand with black nail polish reached down and on instinct Marinette grabbed it. The person helping her hauled her over the edge of the embankment wall to face first on the stone ground in a spluttering, wet, undignified, heap. At least she wasn't Cat Noir, he would be hissing right now if he had gone for an unscheduled swim.
"Sorry Ladybug, I didn't mean to startle you." A male voice that was familiar to Marinette but given her current state she couldn't quite place. "I just saw you swinging and called out. I could use your help. I have a bit of a situation that I think only you or Cat Noir could aid me with."
"What…for." Marinette said as she got to her feet and saw the teal tipped hair and gauged ears of the boy who had called out for her. It was Luka.
She had met Julia's older brother a few months back when she had been on the houseboat for the music festival in Paris, right before the Captain Hardrock incident. They had connected in a way that Marinette had only ever felt with one other person, Adrien. It wasn't as deep as her love for Adrien, but there was certainly a small crush there, a teenage infatuation if you will, and one that she was determined to hide and crush eventually.
It was wrong to her love for Adrien to have feelings for another guy, no matter how handsome, unique, and talented he was. It wasn't fair to Adrien and the chance she had with him to settle for someone else until she knew that Adrien didn't like her back, despite her feelings towards Luka. It also didn't help that Luka was friends with Adrien and that they were in the same band together, that was just uncomfortable for her and could cause a rift between her and Adrien if she started dating Luka. Regardless of her conflicting feelings, Luka was a citizen of Paris and needed her help, so she was going to help him.
"I've been having a slight problem and I think that you could help me with it." Luka repeated and that was when Marinette realized that the musician had been trying to speak to her for a few seconds as she stared blankly at him while her feelings ran rampant inside her. "After you helped my mother and my sister when they were akumatized, I thought that you would be able to me now."
"What's the matter, Luka, right?" Marinette as quickly as she tried to hide her blush. It didn't help that she was still soaking wet and dripping in front of him. "I am here to help all the citizens of Paris who are in need, no matter the problem."
"Thank you, Ladybug, and yes, it is Luka, I'm pleased that you remember me." Luka said with a soft smile that made Marinette's heart race just a little faster. "My problem is that for the last few months something strange has been happening to me, pretty much ever since my mother was akumatized."
"Ok, you have my attention." Marinette said both confused and intrigued as to what was going on. Luka sounded like it was really strange and given what Marinette had seen as Ladybug, strange almost always meant something supernatural.
"This will sound a little weird." Luka said hesitantly.
"Luka, I am a superhero whose power comes from a magical item called a miraculous that turns me into a ladybug themed heroine and who fights powerful villains created based of negative emotions by a moth themed super villain." Marinette pointed out bluntly. "I can handle weird. Can't really be any weirder than I have already seen."
"Ok good to know." Luka said before taking a deep breath. "Well, I'm pretty sure that I am being haunted by a ghost of some sort."
"Alright that is weird even for me." Marinette said her eyes widening in surprise. This was not what she had been expecting, not that she had been expecting anything. "I've never come across a ghost before. Troublemaker could go intangible and Vanisher was invisible but otherwise that's it, no truly ghost themed akumas. Are you sure that this is a ghost?"
"Well he calls himself a wraith and not a ghost but from what I understand it is roughly the same thing." Luka said as his usual calm demeanor returned despite the odd conversation topic. "Once you get through all the supernatural and fantasy RPG lore that has been created over the last few decades surrounding wraiths and get to the core of what a wraith actually is, which is just a dead spirit that haunts people, you see that wraiths and ghosts are effectively the same thing with the former being seen as more sinister and the latter more neutral. I believe the word is from one of the old Gaelic languages across the channel, Scotland or Ireland most likely but my research has been limited."
"Huh, yeah I don't know much about the term wraith other than that it is usually associated with death and horror." Marinette admitted and the shudder she suddenly felt was not from the cold water on her. "And as I don't like anything to do with the horror genre, I stay away from anything tied to it. What does this wraith want?"
"For me to stay away from this cute, sensitive, kind hearted girl in my sister's class." Luka said, and Marinette knew who Luka was talking about, but she had to ask.
"Who?" Marinette asked as neutrally as she could.
"She's called Marinette, do you know her?" Luka answered.
"Vaguely." Marinette replied as she tried to keep her conflicting emotions and feelings in check. "She hasn't been akumatized but has been the target of an akuma once or twice, if I recall correctly. Why does this wraith want you to stay away from her?"
"I think its cos I have a small crush on her." Luka said causing Marinette to try very hard not to react to the words. Her self control was waning with every statement Luka made, thankfully this was Luka and not Adrien or else Marinette would have lost her self control a long time ago.
"And she on me but I know that the romance would be fleeting." Luka continued as he brought Marinette back to the conversation at hand. "I can tell her heart already belongs to another. He is her soulmate, even if he hasn't realized it himself, and as such I would never get in her way like that. It wouldn't be fair or right for me to do so."
"Have you told this wraith that?" Marinette asked. She was almost certain that her heart couldn't beat any faster than it was at this very moment.
She didn't know how to feel about the fact that Luka liked her but knew that she was in love with someone else and was meant to be with him, with Adrien. It was sweet and kind of Luka to consider her love for Adrien. She knew that no matter what happened, she would always see Luka as a good friend and owe him for this. Still she had to find out more about this wraith and do whatever she could to help Luka.
"I have but he, and I am pretty sure that it is a he, doesn't care." Luka said shaking his head slightly. "He just keeps popping up every now and then, it's kind of hard to predict when he will show but it is at least once a week, and tells me to stay away from Marinette. The wraith keeps letting me know that he has several very powerful friends who owe him a few favors and who would 'fuck me six ways to Sunday' if I did anything to get in between Marinette and her one, true love. That's not all he does but it is a portion of it, the rest is just weird and wrong on more levels than I can count."
"Ok that is very strange." Marinette replied as she tried to figure this being out. She knew Luka to be an honest guy, so she would trust him, but this was still an odd tale and she had no idea what this wraith could be. "What else can you tell me? Size, color, anything would help."
"He's small, fast and black from what I can tell." Luka replied instantly. "I've never gotten a truly good look at him because he is so fast, basically just a black blur, and he can phase through items at will, hence why I think he is telling the truth about being a wraith or at least being a ghost of some sort. Normally he is hidden when he talks to me and whenever I try to film him nothing show up on my camera. I get the whole Marinette thing, I respect her to much to stand in the way of her love, and the wraith seems to have cooled down on that front, it's the other stuff that he does that is annoying me."
"Like what?" Marinette asked curiously. "What else other than asking you not to pursue a girl could he be saying?"
"Cheese." Luka replied.
"What?" Marinette asked stunned and confused at what Luka had said. "Cheese?"
"Yup, he is constantly ranting on and on about cheese." Luka said with a heavy sigh. "I wasn't a big fan to begin with but now I can't even look at the stuff. The wraith always reeks of Camembert, that scent lingers for a long time let me tell you, and when I asked about that he proceeded to recite an epic poem on that particular cheese to me, for 7 hours straight. That's not including the equally long sequels to that epic poem. The wraith constantly recites his various odes and dedications to the food product. Sometimes it is an epic poem that he claims puts the Iliad, Odyssey and Aeneid all to shame and is longer than the trio combined. Sometimes it's a play to cheese written in the Shakespearean style of iambic pentameter, or the play is a Greek Satyr play, or a musical, or god forbid an opera. Sometimes it is incredibly dirty and disturbing limericks about cheese, or haikus, or a song. I must admit the songs are good, but the wraith sings off key and in all genres; rock, jazz, country, opera, rap, blues, older styles that don't exist anymore, everything. It all depends on his mood when he shows up."
"That sounds very strange." Marinette said as she thought about it. She had no idea what this wraith was, but she was determined to find out if for nothing else to find out what the fuck it was and why it loved cheese so much. "Anything else?"
"Yeah sometimes when he shows up, on these occasions its always in the early hours, sounding very drunk." Luka said thinking for a moment. "Though never high. That is when he starts ranting about Hades, or Hel, or Osiris, or Tartarus or some being tied to bones or ghosts or the very night itself, along with other names that I think are underworld gods from a plethora of different mythologies, for some reason. Says that he was just partying with them and that they are the friends of his that he likes to hang with and who will fuck me up if I pursue Marinette. That's when he starts to rant about not pursuing Marinette and then devolves into a drunken, dirty, expletive laden, sailor song about cheese and the god who apparently created it."
"That sounds very weird and frustrating." Marinette replied once she had processed what Luka had said to her. She believed the wraith existed but she didn't believe any of the mythology claims, after all they were just myths.
"It is." Luka said with a nod. "It's why I need your help. I want to ask if you and Cat Noir will help catch and stop it."
"Of course I will help you." Marinette said kindly. "But I can handle this on my own, Cat Noir is too busy and this is something to small to bother him about. I will come tomorrow night and see if this wraith shows up and then we can catch and interrogate him."
"Thank you, Ladybug." Luka said gratefully.
"I am here to help any citizen that is in need." Marinette said as she began to swing her still wet yo-yo. "Until tomorrow."
Without waiting for a reply Marinette launched the yo-yo at the nearest building and swung away, leaving a trail of water behind her and likely on Luka as well. It had been an odd but enlightening conversation with Luka, one that both made Marinette feel relieved that her love for Adrien wouldn't be cheated on with Luka and made her curious about the strange wraith apparition. However, that was a problem for tomorrow. Right now, she needed a hot shower and bed, she was cold and tired. Tomorrow night was going to be an interesting one, of that Marinette was sure.
Marinette had no idea what to expect when she had arrived at the Couffaine family's houseboat that night, but she was determined to find out about the alleged wraith. Tikki had been less than helpful that day when she had grilled her kwami on the idea of wraiths and ghosts, saying only that Cat Noir's kwami would know more as ghosts were associated with death and destruction not life and creation like her. Tikki had warned her not to go to Luka's and investigate as the kwami had a bad feeling about it but Marinette had ignored Tikki.
The mystery had intrigued Marinette all day. The more she thought about it, the less she understood. The idea that there were ghosts in the world was laughable, or at least it would have been laughable a few years back and prior to her getting her miraculous. Now, though, Marinette was much more willing to believe in strange, supernatural, and unexplained occurrences. There seemed to be a lot more to the world than she had originally thought. After all, magic in at least some form was real, the miraculouses were proof of that, so why couldn't ghosts be real as well.
As soon as night had fallen, Marinette had transformed and headed out of her room and to the houseboat. She had arrived at Luka's in a few minutes and he had let her in. Apparently, his mother was out at some anarchist meeting that would take all night and his sister was out on a date and likely not going to return from it.
Marinette had asked about the latter, ostensibly under the guise of polite curiosity, but in reality to find out more about one of her close friends. As far as Marinette knew, Juleka was not dating anyone and probably had a crush on Rose but had never admitted it to any of the girls at school. Luka had just said that Juleka had been tight lipped about it but seemed happy and excited for the date, so he wasn't going to question it. That was all Marinette was going to get out of him, so she had to settle for being led into the houseboat to conduct her stakeout for the wraith.
As nervous as Marinette was around Luka because of her slightly confusing feelings for him, she was determined to help him with his current problem. His confession yesterday that he wouldn't stand between her and her true love, even if he hadn't known it had been a confession to her, had helped reassure Marinette's conflicting feelings about the two boys she had feelings for. That was good as it meant that she could now do her job free of mental distractions.
Luka had hidden her under his desk as there weren't many places to hide her on the houseboat, despite the mess. Now it was all a matter of waiting to see if the wraith showed up. Marinette didn't know how long she would have to wait but Luka had said that the wraith hadn't shown up for a few days, so it was about time for another appearance from the mysterious being.
Luka was right. After only about 20 minutes of uncomfortably hiding under the desk while Luka meditated, Marinette heard a zooming sound and then the first few lines of a song.
"Cheese, glorious cheese. Hot Camembert and crackers."
The voice was singing in what Marinette was certain was Cajun French of all dialects and horrifically off key. Almost instantly the song changed to a country song glorifying cheese and the cows that made it on a cattle ranch in south Texas that if Marinette was hearing correctly, and she had to admit that Cajun French wasn't the easiest region dialect to understand, dated back to the days of the Alamo if not before. Marinette had to hand it to Luka, he wasn't wrong about the odd obsession with cheese that the wraith had.
"You're back." Marinette heard Luka say with an exhausted sigh at the arrival of the wraith. "I thought I told you already that Marinette is just a friend. I will not get in the way of her and Adrien sharing their love for each other. Those two are destined to be together forever, I can feel it in the universe."
"Yes, yes, I know that you are touched by the gods." The wraith replied keeping the strange and obscure French dialect for some reason, it was an exceptionally localized one almost never heard in Paris and on the brink of extinction so Marinette had no idea why the wraith was using it.
"Any child of Apollo should be able to sense the future in some manner, though you have inherited your father's prodigious musical skill and not his gift of prophecy or archery." The wraith continued, its words confusing Marinette as she wasn't aware that Luka had a father in his life. "Perhaps I can persuade you to write that four part cheese themed opera I want, your father won't no matter how drunk I get him."
"I've told you, I never knew my father." Luka said clearly annoyed at the wraith's words. "Neither did Juleka."
"I know, and I am telling you, son of Apollo, that I can sense your godly half, as a divine being I can sense divine blood even when that blood is mixed with that of a mortal." The wraith said. Marinette was confused at what the wraith was going on about but decided to ignore it and focus on trying to catch it. "Juleka is also a demigod, your mother must be something special to attract two different gods, but I cannot figure out her divine parent so I assume it one I don't know well enough to know his, or hers, divine essence. That is all beside the point of why I am here. You still haven't confirmed what you would do if Marinette asked you out."
"She won't ask me out and I won't ask her out." Luka replied. As much as Marinette wanted to spring, the time wasn't right, and she wanted to hear what Luka had to say on this particular subject. "She is conflicted between a teen infatuation with me and her deep and unbreakable love for Adrien. She believes that if she was to pursue me then she would be cheating on Adrien. I can tell that much from when she acts around the band, it is one of my gifts to be able to read people without the need of being told what they are thinking."
"And it would be cheating." The wraith said. "One day she will learn the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help her gods. So will Adrien, and then they will at last be together. Your ability to read people comes from your father, Apollo is very good at reading people though he tends to only focus on those he finds attractive."
"Truth?" Luka asked.
"None of your concern, the truth only concerns Marinette and Adrien and that they are." The wraith said dismissively. "Just remember my warning and that I have many, many, powerful friends. Now that I have your undivided attention, I have a brand new poem on cheese, it's 17,889 stanzas long. You get the pleasure of hearing it all. I expect it to take at least 4 hours, maybe longer as I am doing this from memory."
"Oh, the joy." Luka moaned.
The wraith didn't get a chance to begin however. At that moment it had, while zooming around the room, flown through the side of the desk and right into Marinette. Marinette didn't think, she relied on her heightened reflexes afforded to her by her miraculous to grab the small, black, so called wraith and leap out of her hiding spot with it in clasped in her fist in triumph. That was until she looked down at her fist and blanched at what she had captured.
In her hand, looking really pissed off but otherwise unharmed, was a jet black kwami with the distinctive features of a cat. There was no doubt as to who or what this wraith was. It wasn't a wraith or ghost at all, it was Cat Noir's kwami.
"Merde, looks like I've been caught." The kwami said resignedly as Marinette struggled to remember the name, she had heard it once before, back during the Dark Owl incident. "Well Ladybug, what do you have to say for yourself? Here I am helping you and you have gone and busted me for no good reason."
"Plagg, right?" Marinette asked and the kwami in her hand just nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, Marinette could see Luka just staring in confusion at what was going on.
"That is my name, a name that has been sung of in epic poems for millennia, so don't wear it out." Plagg confirmed. The kwami had finally switch to Parisian French like the rest of them. "Now please leave, me and Luka here have a poem to go over and your love life to look out for."
"Yes, about that." Marinette said coolly, not picking up on the fact that Plagg was addressing her as if she was Marinette. "Why are you trying to mess with my love life?"
"Because you love Cat Noir and he loves you back." Plagg replied simply. "Don't fight it and don't let this soon to be douchebag working as a barista at Starbucks while he fails to have a music career take you away from your one, true, love."
"Did Cat Noir set this up?" Marinette asked as the anger grew in her voice. She didn't know how her superhero partner had learned about her small crush on Luka, but she was damn sure that she would find out, he was not going to mess with her love life just because he couldn't have her. "Cos if he did then I will be very pissed. Just because I am not into him romantically, doesn't mean that he can prevent me from being with anyone. You're lucky that you are only messing with Luka, if you had been fucking with Adrien then we would have had some serious words."
"I would never do anything to harm Adrien or prevent him from being with you." Plagg denied though for some reason the kwami wasn't panicking. "I am trying to help you too and protect Adrien from losing you to this loser."
"Hey! Don't I get a say in things?" Luka asked reminding them that he was still there.
"No." Both Marinette and Plagg said in unison before Plagg added. "Now that Ladybug is here, this is between us, you have gotten the hint I hope. If not, well you may receive a visit from a man call Fracture who has a very unique skill, he can break any bone in your body and I mean any bone, he has a unique way with bones."
"Luka, just ignore this." Marinette said trying to sound more reasonable for him but still furious at the kwami in her fist. "I have to sort this out with Plagg and I am sure he didn't mean what he said."
"Oh, I meant it, the guy is uniquely talented when it comes down to bones, though he is limited to bones and some power over dead souls and shadow manipulation from his father." Plagg called out defiantly. "Though, admittedly he doesn't owe me any favors at this very moment, in fact I owe him a few favors and an ungodly amount of cash. That's beside the point here though. We are here to ensure that Ladybug's love life is looked after properly."
"Yes, it is." Marinette said turning her gaze to Plagg. "You were trying to deny that Cat Noir had any knowledge of this. I highly doubt that he is innocent in this, you are his kwami."
"Yes, well, this was all me, I take full credit for it. Cat Noir had nothing to do with it." Plagg said with a smirk that showed his pointed teeth. "I am protecting my human from having his heart broken because you decided to settle for this nobody when you could be with the boy you love. He loves you and you love him, it is as simple as that. I have been protecting him from losing you to a passing crush just as I have been protecting you from his passing crush. You and he are soulmates and I will do everything in my power to ensure that you two are together and not with partners who won't last. You think this textbook case of almost everything that is wrong with the millennial generation is the only person I have pretended to haunt. Think again sister."
"What do you mean?" Marinette asked glaring at the kwami. Even if he was telling the truth, and she highly doubted he was, she was still going to rip into Cat Noir when she next saw him if for nothing else then the fact that he couldn't keep his damn kwami under control.
"He has a passing crush on that fencer and all around brilliant girl who you got akumatized, Kagami." Plagg said which caused Marinette to pause. As far as she knew Cat Noir had no feeling for Kagami, even if Kagami didn't like her very much, a feeling Marinette reciprocated given how she had caught Adrien's eye. "She's basically the female, Asian, version of him. Smart, talented, right, determined, from high class society and a powerful family, and socially ignorant of everything around her. I have been haunting her and dodging a sword for the first time in over 300 years, so as to keep her away from your love just as I am trying to keep Mr. dye job and nail polish away from his love. Cat Noir had nothing to do with any of this. So if you have to take your anger out on someone, then do so on me and not Cat Noir, he doesn't deserve to be punished for my independent actions."
This entire time, neither Marinette or Plagg had been paying much attention to Luka who was still sitting on his bed watching their exchange. As such, neither had noticed that Luka had been clearly listening too, and while confused, thinking about what they had been saying and come to a conclusion. It was a conclusion he suddenly blurted out.
"Marinette, I'm sorry for anything that I may have just caused." Luka said. As soon as Marinette heard her real name she glanced over at Luka and glared at him. Based on the feel of Plagg's head swivel, the kwami was also staring at Luka.
"I'm Ladybug, not Marinette." Marinette said trying to sound annoyed and not scared that her secret was suddenly out. Of course, the kwami in her fist had other ideas.
"Looks like the pretty boy with the ear plugs over there has more brains than I gave him credit for." Plagg said from her fist. "He deduced that who you were, well done pretty boy."
"You're not helping." Marinette said looking furiously at the unabashed kwami she was still holding.
"Marinette, it wasn't hard to figure out." Luka said soothingly, clearly trying to calm her down. "That black thing in your hand, the wraith or kwami or whatever it is, basically just gave you away."
"I did?" Plagg said surprised as his cat eyes began to dart around nervously as if he was expecting something or someone to come for him. "Merde. That probably won't be good for me in the near future."
"It wasn't hard to figure out." Luka said with a shrug. "You were coming here for months telling me not to pursue Marinette romantically and then, when caught today by Ladybug, and again I am sorry for all this as I was the one who asked for her help, you addressed Ladybug as if she was Marinette. You clearly knew who she was under the mask and it took only a little bit of listening to you two to deduce who she was. I may have dropped out of school at 16, but I am very observant of those around me."
"Clearly." Plagg grumbled.
"Tikki, spots off." Marinette said as she continued to glare at Luka while her transformation fell, her grip slightly tightening on Plagg but not enough to hurt the kwami. "Luka, you are to no breath a word of this to anyone understand?"
"I, I do." Luka replied with an audible gulp at the ferocity of Marinette's words. "I swear I won't tell anyone that you are Ladybug."
"I say we make him swear on the River Styx." Plagg said helpfully from his position in Marinette's fist. "That way we can ensure his secrecy on pain of punishment for breaking a magically binding oath, I can personally attest to not wanting to break one of those oaths. I would suggest he swear on his trough or make an unbreakable vow but those might be a bit extreme."
"You think stinky socks." Tikki said as the pink kwami floated over to glare at Plagg. Marinette hadn't noticed Tikki going over to glare at Plagg but Tikki had and Marinette decided it was best for the kwamis to sort this out between them. "Breaking either would cause death while the Styx will just punish you badly, as you know full well. Expect that to occur again by the way after this little stunt of yours."
"I'll plead my case when the time comes but if I am found guilty of breaking my oath then I will accept whatever punishment I must face." Plagg said stoically. "Though given my, er, obligations to various dangerous deities and monsters, that punishment could be anything and will certainly be unpleasant."
"Don't you mean your debts to said deities and monsters." Tikki said reproachfully. "And the punishment is supposed to be unpleasant, it's designed to stop you from doing it. Why do you think that I have only broken the oath twice."
"Er, Tikki can we get back on track?" Marinette asked her kwami. "I know Plagg knows who I am, so he should know I love Adrien and not Cat Noir. What makes him think that I love Cat?"
"Because you have pictures of him all over your wall, desk, and computer." Plagg said before anyone else could speak. "And under your bed, and in your chaise, and in your …"
"Alright I get it Plagg." Marinette snapped before her eyes went wide. Was Plagg implying what she thought he was implying?
"Adrien is Cat Noir?" Luka blurted out confirming what Marinette already suspected. "If so, that explains a lot."
"Damn it Plagg, you have really gone and done it this time." Tikki snapped at him. "There is no way that you can get out of punishment now. You have clearly broken your oath and divulged both the secret identity of mine and the secret identity of your human to a third party who has not been cleared for such information. Even by your incredibly high standards for fuck uppery, this is high."
"I do try to outdo myself." Plagg said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "But you are right, I did fuck up and for that I would apologize, though had Luka here not watched that reality TV show fiasco that showed the pictures he wouldn't have known that I was referring to Adrien."
"Plagg, everyone saw that garbage fire of a show." Tikki said angrily. "That does not get you off the hook here."
"Fine but at least I have finally got all the secrets into the open." Plagg retorted defensively. "Well almost all of them anyway. At least now Marinette knows that Adrien loves her back which is a good start in my book. If I have to pay whatever price Hades, Pluto, Osiris, Fracture, Phantom, Nox, Kisin, Morpheus, Hypnos, Anubis, Sobek, or any other of the multitude of underworld or destruction deities I owe a debt to call in that price as part of my broken vow, then it will be worth it to see our humans happy and finally together."
"Yes, well you will deserve any punishment you get." Tikki said irritated at Plagg's clear lack of remorse. "As you did the last 18 times you broke our oath of secrecy."
During all of this Marinette was freaking the fuck out on her own. Adrien was Cat Noir! There was no doubting that after all the evidence she had just heard from the kwamis. That meant that he loved her just as much as she loved him. They really were soulmates who had been prevented from being with each other due to their secrets. It was just like a bad love story with the exception that it was real life. She knew that she should be happy about this but all she could do was panic and worry about all the implications that came with this sudden revelation.
All of this, Marinette's panic and worry and the argument between the kwamis was broken by Luka's sudden laughter. This caused all of them to look over in surprise at the older boy as he was laughing at the whole situation unfolding in front of him.
"Something funny hipster." Plagg called out. "Tikki and I are discussing what punishment I am likely to face and let me tell you, nothing in the Fields of Punishment matches this. What will be in store for me will make that place look like Elysium by comparison."
"Sorry it's just the who situation." Luka said as he recovered from his laugh and resumed his usual neutral expression. "I never thought any of this would could happen, but it has and now y'all have a chance to sort all of this out."
"How so?" Marinette asked, her panic subsiding for a moment as she looked over at Luka.
"Well I just texted Adrien asking him to come by and pick up some piano music I have laying around." Luka said as if it was something he did regularly and Marinette felt her eyes go wide and the blood drain from her face from fear at what Luka had just done. "And Adrien said he will be here as soon as his dad gives him permission to come. Fortunately, the music is classical stuff that we've had for years but never used so he can make use of it and his dad should say yes given that it is one of his extra curriculars that his father makes him do."
"Why?" Marinette asked confusion replacing fear at what Luka had done. "Can't you see that this situation is already fraught enough as it is, why add to it by inviting Adrien over."
"Because it is time you confessed everything to him Marinette." Luka said seriously. "And I mean everything. This is for both yours and Adrien's own good. It is time you tell him both how you feel about him and that you are Ladybug. He will accept you, you just have to be honest. Also, so that he knows what Plagg has been getting up too on his watch."
"I'm a big kwami, I can do what ever I want be it drink, gamble, or recite cheese based literature to a fellow fledgling poet who is vastly inferior to me." Plagg said indignantly. "Adrien knows that, he won't care what I have been up too so long as I am present when he needs me to transform."
"But what about you?" Marinette asked Luka, deciding that it was for the best to just ignore the annoying kwami in her hand.
"I will be fine, thanks for asking." Luka said with a small smile. "Yes, I have a small crush on you, and one on Adrien if I'm being honest, but that's just it, a small, teenage crush. It wouldn't last, it would be a fun and fleeting romance that ended amicably but that is it. We will always be friends Marinette, but you and Adrien have something special, something few couples ever truly find. You two are made for each other, I know it. The love you share, even if you didn't know it until you both learn the other's secret identity, is true and eternal. Nothing will ever get in the way of that. Plagg may have forced all y'alls hands, but honestly I don't think you would have done it had you not been forced. This is your moment Marinette, take it."
"Th-thank you Luka." Marinette said before walking over and kissing him on the cheek, she was still holding a very indignant Plagg in her hand. "For everything."
"You're welcome Marinette." Luka said with a smile as his phone went off. He glanced at it for a moment before looking up. "Adrien's dad said yes but he will only have an hour at most as he needs to check the music over. He will be here shortly."
Marinette just nodded. Now that the time for confessions was at hand her throat had seized up. She didn't know what she was going to say to him, only that it had to be the truth, the full and honest truth. Marinette knew that this day was coming, she had dreaded and prayed for it in equal measures, but now that it was imminent she just felt nervous.
In a few minutes all the secrets would be out, and she would know what Adrien thought of all of it. If there was any time for her Ladybug confidence, now was that time. It was time to face this head on and deal with the consequences once and for all. Marinette just prayed that the outcome would be the one she had always dreamed about.
Adrien had no idea why Luka had suddenly wanted him to come around to pick up piano music at this late of hour, but he wasn't going to complain if it got him out of the house and see a friend for a little bit. As usual Adrien had been forced to stay at home after school and not spend time with any of his friends after class. Fortunately, piano was one such thing his father understood and when it came to picking up music that he didn't have, Adrien had some leeway, providing he played it for his father tomorrow after practicing it tonight.
Adrien could handle that provision if it meant getting out and at least being a normal kid for a bit, something he really wanted to be able to do more. For some reason Plagg hadn't been present that night, saying that he had business to attend to, so Adrien was alone with his bodyguard, not that Plagg could show himself anyway even if he was present.
Now, Adrien had been dropped off at the Couffaine houseboat and was walking down the gangway to the ship, Luka had said that it was open and to just come in as soon as he arrived. Luka usually had some good, modern, piano music so Adrien was looking forward to seeing it and Luka before getting home, even if the music today was apparently classical in nature. He didn't know Luka well, but the guy was decent and treated Adrien like a human when they were at band practice together, not like some elitist asshole that everyone assumed him to be because of who his father was. A nice, routine, meeting with a friend was just what he needed.
Naturally, Lady Luck did not favor Adrien as the sight that greeted him when he entered Luka's room was about as far from the routine sight he was expecting. Instead of seeing Luka on his bed playing his latest song or meditating as usual, Adrien was greeted by one of the most bizarre sights he had ever seen and that was saying something given his other life as an akuma fighting superhero.
What greeted Adrien was Luka on his bed as usual, that was to be expected, it was also the only normal sight that greeted Adrien as what else greeted him shocked him. Marinette Dupain-Cheng of all people was standing in the middle of the room pointedly trying not to look at Adrien as he arrived and appearing very nervous at said arrival. Over her shoulder was a pink kwami with three black dots and a resigned look on its face that Adrien had certainly not been expecting.
Yet still all that was nothing compared to what, or more precisely who, Marinette was holding in her right fist. Plagg, someone Adrien absolutely did not expect to be here, was clutched in her fist looking as if nothing was amiss, like this was a natural occurrence for him that he was being held by Marinette in front of Luka as Adrien walked into the room.
"Sup Adrien." Plagg said breaking the stunned silence that had fallen upon the room as soon as Adrien had arrived. "Glad you could come join us, we were just having a lovely chat about life and the secrets it contains."
"Er what is going on?" Adrien asked hesitantly as he walked into the room. "And why is that thing in Marinette's hand talking to me."
"Thing!" Plagg exclaimed with mock annoyance and rolling his head to be dramatic. "Adrien. I am your kwami, you know me very well."
"What's a kwami?" Adrien asked trying in vain to play dumb. He was hoping to get out of this but knew in his heart that it was futile, they all clearly knew that he was Cat Noir. "Is that what is floating over Marinette's shoulder as well?"
"Adrien you bloody well know what the fuck a kwami is so stop playing games dumb games, the secret is out." Plagg snapped finally getting bored of Adrien trying and failing to act as if all this was new to him. "Your love has been holding me for a good half hour and while this isn't the worst situation I have ever been in, not by a long shot, it's not exactly comfortable either. There is no point in denying anything anymore, they all know the truth."
"They only know because of your stupid actions Plagg." The other kwami snapped in a feminine voice. "Had you not decided to mess with Luka then you wouldn't have been caught and none of this would have happened and all the secrets would still be secret."
"I also messed with Kagami too." Plagg said helpfully. "Though she cared more for trying to skewer me than catch me alive. Remember, I did all this for a very good reason, to protect Adrien and Marinette."
"Ok what is going on?" Adrien asked finally dropping his pathetic act and staring at the scene in front of him seriously. "I admit I know who Plagg is and what a kwami is, which means it is clear that y'all know that I am Cat Noir. Now judging by the fact that the other kwami here looks like a ladybug and is with Marinette I am going to assume that Marinette is Ladybug. Now we can circle back to that massive revelation in a bit. First can someone tell me what the fuck is going on and why do I get the feeling that all of this is Plagg's fault?"
"Long story short is that I was protecting you for the last few months." Plagg said not denying that he was the guilty party, his predicament in Marinette's hand was enough proof that he was behind whatever had just happened. "This stay at home hipster here was inadvertently stealing Marinette's heart from you and seeing as you love her back and are meant for each other I thought it would be best to prevent him from pursing her, or you for that matter. I did the same with Kagami but that was so that she wouldn't steal you from Marinette but you were much more oblivious to her than Marinette was to Luka."
"Only Marinette, while I do like Adrien I know he isn't bi." Luka said from the bed. "No offense, Adrien."
"None taken." Adrien said. "At least 30% of the fan mail I get is from LGBT guys who either assume I am into them or at least want me to be, I am used to it and while it is flattering I am not into it. I'm also not into any of the girls who pursue me as there is only one girl for me but if y'all know I am Cat Noir then you know who I am talking about."
"We are born how we feel, it cannot be changed or forced upon us, it should be respected and left alone as part of our right to privacy." Luka said with a nod. "No matter what either side of the issue says."
"Great, can we get back on topic so that Marinette can release me and confess everything to Adrien." Plagg said to which Adrien just nodded so his kwami continued. "Anyway, as I was saying, I came here to haunt Luka by pretending to be a wraith and get him to not pursue Marinette, just as I did the same to Kagami regarding Adrien. I also used them as a sounding board for my various cheese themed works, be it literary or musically based or both in the case of my musicals. I may have threatened them with retribution from some of my powerful friends as well, even if none of them would help me out short of an emergency due to my many debts to them."
"I am so, so, sorry you had to experience that." Adrien said sympathetically to Luka.
"It's ok, it is impressive that Plagg can come up with all of these works about a single type of cheese but the 7 hour long epic poem about Camembert, and it's 6 subsequent and equally long sequels, that was a rough week." Luka said wincing at the memory.
"You know you loved it." Plagg said winking at Luke who shook his head vigorously in the negative.
"Plagg, is that all you did?" Adrien asked sternly as he pulled the topic back to the issue at hand.
"At first that was all, but after a few months of my wonderful and sporadic presence, teal boy over here finally got fed up." Plagg said nodding at Luka. "So, he contacted Ladybug and she came to spy and catch me. After she caught me, and a few shall we say ill-advised statements on my part, Luka put two and two together, a surprise for a musician from his age group, and figured out who Ladybug was. Then a few more ill-advised statements later, they figured out who you were. Now that we are all here and caught up with the situation, I think Marinette has something to say to Adrien."
"Marinette, is it true?" Adrien asked softly, and she finally looked at him and he saw fear, hope, panic and love in her bluebell eyes. "Are you Ladybug?"
"Y-yes." Marinette admitted.
"Marinette, it's time for the other confession." Her kwami said softly floating near Marinette's cheek to reassure her. "This is that right moment that you have been waiting for for so long."
"I, I'm not sure Tikki." Marinette said glancing at her kwami. "I know it's the right moment but, well, I'm still scared to say it aloud."
"Just do it Marinette or else I will." Plagg called from her fist. "At this point pissing off every single love goddess that is still active on top of the punishment in store for me for breaking my oath of secrecy is nothing more than a parking ticket, even if those damn broads are the most sadistic punishers of those who piss them off."
"Very well." Marinette said with a sigh as she turned to Adrien and hesitantly spoke something Adrien had never expected to hear. "Adrien, I, I l-love you. I h-have ever since the umbrella and gum incident. Th-that's why I have all those pictures of you all over my room. It's a-also why I never gave Cat Noir a chance, to me it would be cheating on you and my love for you if I did. The same was for Luka. Now that I know that you are Cat Noir, well I only have one question. Do you still love Ladybug now that you know I am the girl beneath the mask?"
Adrien didn't respond, instead he acted on instinct, despite his limited skills with the fairer sex. He could see Marinette's fear and worry on her face and he had to abate it. In a few steps he had reached Marinette and had pulled her into his arms in a loving hug.
"Shh, Marinette, shh." Adrien said softly into Marinette's ear as he rubbed the back of her head. "When I fell for Ladybug on that bridge, I fell for all of her, both the mask and the girl who was beneath it. The girl who was trusted with the Ladybug Miraculous had to be worthy of it and that girl is you. I always knew that I would love the girl under the mask and that is you so yes, yes I do still love Ladybug and that means that I love you Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
Marinette looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears of joy as a small smile played across her lips at his words. Taking that moment, Adrien bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. In seconds they were locked in a passionate embrace, dead to the world and the highly embarrassed beings in the room with them who were now forced to watch their passionate embrace.
"Hey, I do not want to make this a ménage a trois." Plagg called out. "When that happens I prefer it to be me and few very fine pixies. Release me now! You've gotten what you wanted, I demand my freedom this instant."
Adrien felt Marinette's right palm on the back of neck and knew that Plagg had been released. That didn't distract him and Marinette from their blissful moment together however, nor did what Plagg said next.
"Ha, in your face your future genius counter employee." Plagg said and Adrien had a feeling that Plagg had flown over so that he was right in Luka's face. "I have succeeded in protecting my human and making sure he is with his soulmate."
"Well done and I agree they belong together." Luka said calmly. "Can y'all now go, I have a good song idea to write down about Adrien and MArinette's love, minus the whole Ladybug and Cat Noir stuff of course. Therefore, now that this is all sorted out, y'all can leave."
"Oh, but it's not all sorted out son of Apollo." Came a new voice from the middle of the room, startling everyone present. "There is still the matter of Plagg's punishment."
The surprise caused the new couple to break apart in surprised and in Marinette's case fall onto the floor. Likewise, Luka was on the floor having clearly jumped at the sudden arrival. Only the kwamis appeared to be unaffected, though seeing as they could fly it was hard to tell if they had reached to the sudden apparition, and apparition it was.
The man who had suddenly appeared in the center of the room and spoken in American accented French was floating a few inches of the ground. Adrien noted that he was a distinctly average, fair skinned, translucent, man, the translucence being not average at all.
The man looked to be in his late 20s, maybe early 30s, and stood around 6 feet tall. He had close cropped dark brown hair with matching scruff as if he hadn't shaved in a few days and matching eyes that appeared to have seen way too much for a man of his age.
Then Adrien saw what the man was wearing, something years of modeling and living with a fashion mogul had caused him to reflexively do. The man was dressed in a simple pale green t-shirt that seemed to glow with an ethereal light that Adrien usually associated with the paranormal from low-budget, cheesy, horror films, dark blue jeans, and black boots.
For some reason the man was armed. Strapped to his right thigh was a simple straight dagger with a handle that seemed to be made a green, translucent material. Hanging on the left side of his waist was a strange metallic, cylindrical device that looked oddly like a lightsaber from the Star Wars films but that was just ridiculous to Adrien, those didn't exist except as toys or replicas for collectors. Despite the weapons, the man's hands were raised and empty in a non-threatening gesture. Though Adrien did not doubt that this man was very lethal when he wanted to be, he had clearly come in peace.
That was when Adrien noticed the strange tattoo on the man's right forearm. It was written in English, one of the several languages that Adrien was either fluent or proficient in, so he could easily read it. The tattoo said PHANTOM 27, written in the same glowing ethereal green color and slight light that his shirt was gave off. In fact, the man seemed to glow slightly with the ethereal light, in addition to his translucent appearance, all of which struck Adrien as odd. He had no idea who this man was, but Adrien had a gut feeling that he was important and incredibly powerful.
"No, I will not go with you." Plagg said flying right into the man's face. "I have not broken any laws Phantom. You cannot take me away to be punished."
"Phantom?" Marinette asked as Adrien helped her up and held her close. "I heard Plagg say that name earlier, but it was with a bunch of other mythical names, so I assumed that he was posturing and that it didn't mean anything."
"Plagg does posture and exaggerate a lot." Phantom said with a slight smile as he brushed Plagg aside to look Marinette and Adrien. "But in this case, he was not lying. I and all the other mythical deities are very much real, even if many have faded over the millennia."
"Yes, well I have not broken the oath." Plagg said closing his eyes, turning around to show Phantom his back and crossing his arms.
"Yes, you have Plagg." Tikki said with a knowing smirk before flying over and respectfully bowing to the man called Phantom. "And Phantom is here to ensure that you are punished accordingly. I am sorry for the lack of formal greetings, Phantom, Guardian of Ghosts, but as you can see, this is an unusual situation."
"Isn't it always with Plagg." Phantom said with a smile. "Trust me, this is not even in the top 10 unusual situations that I have seen Plagg in."
"I'll give you that, I am an expert at the unusual." Plagg said still not looking at the sudden arrival. "It is one of my many exceptional talents."
"Anyway." Phantom continued looking at Tikki. "It is ok to be informal right now, this is just me serving as a messenger and not in any official capacity so no need for pointless formalities, especially because you are older than me. However, given my arrival and the task I have to complete, you are going to have to explain to these two miraculous holders and the demigod over there the truth. Fortunately, the magic of the miraculouses keeps the monsters at bay so the son of Apollo won't attract monsters even as his scent increases upon his realization of the truth of his heritage."
"Of course, Phantom." Tikki said with another bow. Clearly this being was important as he commanded the complete respect of Tikki and kwamis were powerful beings from Adrien had gathered. "They have already learned so much today, a little more won't hurt. Even if it is world changing truths."
"Good." Phantom said before turning to Plagg. "Now Plagg, are you ready?"
"I still deny all the charges against me." Plagg said not looking at the man while Adrien, Marinette and Luka all stared at the exchange in confusion.
"Be that as it may, you are still guilty." Phantom said sternly. "Styx, upon who's river you swore, is the sole arbiter of broken oaths when it comes to her river and she has deemed you in violation of your oath and thus in need of punishment. Remember, she is a goddess that no one, not even the Master Guardian, Zeus, Jupiter, Ra or Odin, want to piss off, despite all of them doing so repeatedly throughout history. Furthermore, the Guardian of Magic, to whom you made the damn oath in the first place, has also classified this as a breach so you will be punished for your recent actions."
"Er, sorry to be rude but what the hell is going on?" Adrien asked, finally unable to handle the confusion of what was going on.
"Mr. Agreste, that is a not rude but a very fair question to ask given the circumstances." Phantom said turning to Adrien. "However, the auction for Plagg's punishment is happening soon and the Guardian of Time is a very busy man and can only create the time bubble if he is present which will be a brief window. Tikki will explain all once I am gone. I apologize for this but Plagg's recent actions have consequences and as such he must face the music."
"Very well, if Styx is saying I violated the oath then I will listen to her." Plagg said with a sigh and turning around. "She is not someone I want on my bad side, again. Though I still deny doing anything wrong. I was just protecting my human's love interests and got a little carried away that's all."
"Duly noted but that still won't save you." Phantom said with a slightly bored note. "Your actions still revealed the identities of Ladybug and Cat Noir to a party not cleared for the information, as well as Adrien's secret to Marinette. Those are breaches and you will pay for it. Now, Luka is it." Luka nodded when Phantom turned to look at him. "Good, I need you to swear on the River Styx that you will not reveal the identities of Ladybug and Cat Noir to anyone who is not cleared to know."
"Er, how will I know who is cleared?" Luka asked clearly confused at who Phantom was or why he was suddenly in his room. "And what does the oath entail."
"The oath is a magically binding oath that has dire, but normally not fatal, repercussions if you break it." Phantom said as if it was nothing. "It's designed to ensure that you keep your mouth shut or don't do a specific action, in your case it will be the former. The identities of the Miraculous Holders, at least those charged by the Order of the Guardians, no relation to my, for a lake of a better word, pantheon, to wield miraculouses, must be kept secret at all costs. As for cleared individuals. Those who are cleared will be notified of your addition to the list, as well as Adrien's and Marinette's additions to each other's respective list, and will let you know that they are cleared by telling you who the holders are. I highly doubt that other than Master Wang Fu, you will ever meet anyone who is cleared to know who Ladybug and Cat Noir are under their masks."
"Very well, I can do that." Luka said with a nod. "I feel like I owe them that much given that I found out their secrets and sorta helped Plagg with revealing all this. How do I swear by the River Styx?"
"Just say that you will keep the secret and that you swear by the river Styx to do so." Phantom said simply. "It is a straightforward, magically binging, oath."
"Very well." Luka said with a nod. "I swear by the River Styx that I will not reveal the identities of Ladybug and Cat Noir to anyone unless they let me know via proof that they are cleared to know the information."
As soon as Luka spoke there was a sudden thunderclap and Phantom nodded. The sound caused all the humans to jump but otherwise it was as if nothing had happened.
"It is done, good." Phantom said with a smile. "Now Plagg are you ready to go this time?"
"Wait!" Marinette said. "Who are you?"
"I am the Guardian of Ghosts, one of the Guardians of the Elements." Phantom said looking at her, though Adrien felt that that explained absolutely nothing. "I cannot explain further but Tikki will once I am gone."
"But why were you sent here?" Marinette asked confused. "I'm still not sure what is going on but I will let Tikki explain it later, I am just confused as to why you were specifically sent to take Plagg away for his punishment."
"Because Guardians, as well as sometimes gods, change their names to fit the culture they are in, most of the time." Phantom began. "When the flame of the west left Rome and moved to western Europe, England to be precise, I took the name Wraith from the Scottish word for Ghost. So, by using my former name and acting as a ghost, which is within my jurisdiction, Plagg ensured that I would be the one who came to collect his dumb ass when he fucked up. We all knew he would, it was just a question of when."
"Merde." Plagg swore. "I forgot that when I saw you during the Scottish Rebellions you went by the name Wraith. I can see why you are here. Who won the bet by the way?"
"What bet?" Phantom said feigning innocence.
"I know y'all too well to know that several of you put bets down on when my little escapade with Luka and Kagami backfired and caused at least one of the Miraculous Holders' identities to be revealed to either Luka or Kagami." Plagg said. "I should have been part of that bet."
"Now that would be unethical." Phantom said with a wide grin.
"Y'all aren't known for your ethics." Plagg retorted.
"Very well, we made the bets back when you drunkenly told us of the plan down in Fracture's Ossuary." Phantom said with amusement in his voice. "I had a month and lost. Shard had 5 months, the longest time, and so he won."
"Great." Plagg grumbled as the trio of humans continued to look perplexed at the higher beings and their conversation. "The Guardian of Glass won, he won't let me forget that anytime soon. Very well, I am ready to accept my punishment and repay whatever debts I owe you."
"Oh, you aren't repaying me, well at least not directly." Phantom said with a smirk at Plagg.
"What!" Plagg exclaimed shocked. "If you are not the one calling in the debt then who is? The last 18 times this has happened, the being who is using my punishment to make me pay off a debt to them is the one who collects you."
"Not this time." Phantom said with a wry smile. "This time I got to collect your cos you used my old name and as such I am getting something out of this later. No, your reputation precedes you and in the 452 years since your last violation of the oath, a record for you by the way though the 240 or so years of dormancy helped you, you have amassed a shit ton of new debts. I must admit, I am impressed at the number"
"So, what is happening?" Plagg asked warily. "And thanks, when I apply myself I do excel at what I do, even if it making dumb bets with powerful beings."
"Your punishment is officially up for auction." Phantom said with a smile to which Plagg's and Tikki's mouths fell open and the others just continued to stare in confusion at the scene unfolding in front of them. "I did mention that little detail earlier but you clearly weren't listening."
"Auction?" Tikki asked surprised. "Phantom are you sure that is a good idea?"
"Not my call." Phantom said with a shrug. "Styx suggested it and we all tend to listen to her when she is talking about an oath violation regarding her river. Honestly it makes sense. There are over 200 immortal beings ranging from major gods and Guardians, including 4 of the 5 Original Guardians, to minor gods, spirits of nature, and powerful monsters, who are in attendance at this auction. They all want to be the one to execute Plagg's punishment and thus have him work off a few debts in the process."
"Which Original Guardian isn't present?" Plagg asked. "Cos I am pretty sure that the Master Guardian and I have no debts right now."
"The Guardian of Light is not there but given that this is happening in the underworld and he's persona non grata down there it makes sense." Phantom said with a smile. "The Master Guardian is just there to oversee the Guardian of Time as he is still new by Guardian standards and a little unsure of the full extent of his new powers and we need the Guardian of Time to ensure that you serve your punishment while remaining true to you duties as a kwami. I can sympathize with Percy as I have been there myself. Becoming a Guardian is a great day but it takes a while to get used to the power and what you can do with your assigned element."
"He's there to slow this shit down so that it can be done in a night, right?" Plagg asked looking intently at Phantom.
"To be more accurate he will create a time bubble around the location of the punishment that will speed up time within it." Phantom said. "To you it will feel like however long it has to feel like until Styx is satisfied that you have been thoroughly punished, and the deity punishing you is satisfied that you have payed of your debts to him or her. To the rest of the world it will be a few hours at most."
"Very well and the proceeds of the auction?" Plagg asked with a note of resignation in his voice. "I must admit I like this a little better than just being grabbed by Anubis and thrown into some cleaning job cleaning the boat of the dead down in the Duat or something. I expect I will get the proceeds of my auction."
"With your extensive debts, hardly." Phantom said with a chuckle. "Everything up to what you owe me, monetarily that is, plus my commission will go to me as the auctioneer and the one who's name you used, that's what I am getting out of this deal. Anything left over, and there should be a fair bit left over, will go to repaying your other debts in order of seniority of being you are indebted too. Now are you ready to go?"
"Do I have a choice in any of this?" Plagg countered.
"None." Phantom said with a cool smile.
"Very well let's get this shit over with." Plagg said before looking at Phantom dead in the eye and raising his head as high as he could given his small stature. "But let me make this clear, I would do this again in a heartbeat. 11 of my now 19 violations of the oath have been to protect my human in some way and that have not been covered by the exceptions clause that the Guardian of Magic and Styx have regarding the oath. I have successfully protected Adrien and ensured that he and his soulmate are finally together. I can go to my punishment with my head held high, knowing that I did what I did out of love for my human and for the right reasons, even if it violated a sacred and magically binding oath."
"Noted." Phantom said with a nod. "But the law is the law and you must face the punishment for breaking it. Let's go and get this over with. You will be back in the morning."
Before anyone could say anything, Phantom and Plagg turned translucent and then just disappeared into the thin air. Adrien just blinked at where he kwami had been seconds ago. He had no idea what had just happened, and he was pretty sure than other than Tikki, the others didn't either.
They all turned to face the remaining kwami in the room, Adrien still holding Marinette close. It was time for answers.
"Please sit down, this will take a while as I have a lot to explain to you all." Tikki said kindly but with a hint of tiredness in her voice. They all did, Adrien pulling Marinette into his lap as he sat at Luka's desk and holding her close to him, her head resting on his shoulder.
"I guess I should start at the beginning and by beginning, I mean the very beginning, back when the universe was first created." Tikki said with a sigh. "In the beginning there was a …"
Couldn't resist an ending like that. This is hopefully the second to last Epic Class oneshot but I will not promise that. It is fitting that this is being released within 24 hours of the Frozer trailer dropping and all that that trailer teased at, naturally this series makes my stance on the ships in Miraculous Ladybug very clear. Also, as of right now, this is the last planned appearance of a Guardian, however they do tend to occasionally show up during my outlining process in order to make a oneshot work ('Fanfiction' was such a case) but if people want them to appear more, I am more than happy to include them. Nothing more to add here, so as always please keep your suggestions coming as the more prompts I get, the greater variety of oneshots I can try and write in this series. Keep letting me know what you think of my work in your reviews. Until next week.
Stringdog
