Chapter 33)
The dark blue feather acted like self-navigating missile and hit Chat's nose.
Chat Noir started sneezing so terrible, that he finally lost his transformation. Involuntarily…
"Cheesseee…" groaned Plagg. "I need cheese and sleep…"
Adrien was shocked after that violent detransformation. Before Mayura was able to utilize her advantage, Rena Rouge and Queen Bee together jumped on her and overpowered her during short hand-to-hand combat. Ladybug removed feather from Adrien's face into her yo-yo, not touching it by her finger.
"Thanks!" was only, what he was able to say between sneezing.
Monstrous peacock squawked.
"Finish that nonsense!" ordered Adrien, who finally pulled himself together.
He did not charged anybody to do anything, but Tigresse was first to react and beheaded sentimonster peacock. Escaping dark blue feather was immediately caught by Ladybug's yo-yo.
Adrien observed his father.
"Vanitas Vanitatum et Omnia Vanitas Est,*".said Gabriel Agreste, his head still in his hands. "Everything is lost!"
(*lat. Vanity of Vanities, All is Vanity – Bible – Old Testament – The Book of the Preacher - Ecclesiastes 1:2)
"Fate has perverse sense of absurd," said Adrien, observing his father with kwami Nooroo near to him. "Fools argue. Wise men talk it over. What do you chose?"
"Don't try negotiate with Destiny!" said Plagg beside a point a little bit. "She has morality of contract killer."
Wait a moment!" said surprised Adrien, shortly looking on his kwami. "Destiny is female?"
"How else could Destiny be that much cruel?" answered Plagg by another question.
"What do you want?" asked Gabriel broken tone. "To babble me to death or what?"
"Answers!" said Adrien, turning his attention back to his father. "I need answers for beginning. In fact a lot of them. But right now, do you still want to do your Wish? Do YOU wish me dead? You can call me selfish, but I don't want give up my life. I have what to live for, whom to live for…"
Adrien made quick look on Ladybug, who gave him a smile and wink.
"Nooo…" it was evident, Gabriel did not know, what to do or say. "I want Emilie back. I want your mother back. But I didn't know, YOUR life is the price. Is that true for sure?"
"It must be tested, there still is a very small chance, but, I need you to give me your Miraculous, same as the Peacock one," Adrien observed Plagg, who quite quickly composed himself and now he levitated few centimeters from his owner's head. "We can try to make a deal, but I need your another answers. By the way, if price would be life of Chat Noir, unknown schoolboy, you'd be OK with that?"
"What?" Gabriel looked confused. "What do you ask me now? Do you need to salt my wounds more?"
"Was returning my mum REALLY your only goal?" Adrien looked rigidly on his father, hands clenched in fists. "Or are you 'I will rule the World!' kind of villain?"
"Why do you ask?" Gabriel looked confused a bit.
"If answer is yes, I have no other way, but I would have to kick your ass!" explained Adrien. "So?"
Gabriel made a bitter chuckle.
"Don't worry!" he removed Moth Brooch from his necktie, placing it on his left palm. "Nooroo, I surrender keeping you. My son Adrien is from now your Master!"
Nooroo accepted Moth Miraculous and flied to Adrien, placing brooch into his fingers.
"Master?!"
"Call me Adrien!" ordered boy still in shock. "We'll speak later, now try to be helpful and meet with Plagg. He's to explain you strings and rules…"
"First of all, find me a piece of cheese, ideally Camembert!" ordered Plagg unthinking.
Ladybug came to Mayura, who was hold by both Queen Bee and Rena Rouge in firm clench, but she still tried to break free.
"Surrender!" ordered Ladybug. "Surrender now and you'll not face police and trial!"
"Sir?" asked Mayura.
"Do it!" answered Gabriel. "Maybe it wouldn't be that bad finally…"
"OK! Duusu! Fall my feathers!"
Once destransformed, Nathalie started coughing, fatigued, and almost collapsed. Gabriel hurried to her, but Tigresse blocked his way with wakizashi ready to use.
"M'lady, be so kind please and confiscate her Miraculous, please!" said Adrien. "Seems to me… Touching it could be unhealthy for me. Tigresse, please, let him go!"
Boy observed his father with interest. Gabriel kneeled to Nathalie and hugged her, helping her to stand upright. Adrien made a two-seconds-lasting smile. Well… That's interesting…
Ladybug accepted Peacock Miraculous. She used her yo-yo as phone.
"Master, we've won! Could you come here?"
"Tell Weng Fu, we surrendered!" asked Gabriel.
"I heard it," said Master Fu from phone.
Adrien heard it thanks to his enhanced senses, enhanced even in untransformed state.
"Call to your parents and ask them to come here," he said to Ladybug. "I would need them as adult witnesses. Tell them to bring the contract with them…"
Ladybug called them and briefly invited them to Agreste Manor.
"What the heck?" asked Gabriel.
"Well father, there are things, we need to dispute. But preferably later and in more convenient place, like our dining room…"
"There are akumas there," said Nathalie, finally feeling stronger and pushing herself softly from Gabriel. "In your bedroom too."
"Nice…" Adrien frowned on her. "So… I will need answers. And changes too. But first things first. Once Master Guardian is here, we'll start our negotiations."
"I'm here," said Master Fu, still in his dragon-hero form. "I need some answers too, Gabriel. I need them now. Is life of your wife the only reason you became villain?"
"Adrien asked me the same," said Gabriel. "I wanted my wife back, so I started with this. Later I also needed to win over both Chat Noir and Ladybug…"
"Fine," said Master Fu. "Let's go to check, if I can do anything for Emilie."
"OK," said Gabriel. "Unlock security! End automatic self-defense mode!"
"Security unlocked," answered computerized voice. "Automatic self-defense ended."
In same moment Nooroo returned with a piece of Camembert, what Plagg eagerly ate.
"Plagg!" Adrien's voice was a bit angry toned. "Nooroo is your friend, our friend, not a slave or servant. So next time you use him such a way, if being not sick or wounded, you would owe him a favor service. Remember that! By the way Nooroo, what do YOU eat?"
"Something sweet, ideally honey," Moth kwami looked confused.
Queen Bee produced from somewhere a dose with honey:
"Come here and help yourself!"
Nooroo looked happily, when eating.
"I'll need something from you later, Nooroo," said Adrien.
"Yes Ma… Adrien," answered kwami, mouth full of honey…
XXXXXXX
Near Emilie's glass-coffin they made half-circle. Marinette's parents sent SMS telling, that they came to main entrance, both transformed as Queen Monkey and Beauceron. So Ladybug came to invite them in.
Unconscious Gorizilla was still laying on floor.
"I can't find akumatized object," said Ladybug.
Beauceron sniffed a bit and pointed on door to Adrien's bedroom.
"OK!" smirked Ladybug.
She opened door of Adrien's bedroom and caught all grayish akumas flying around. Her father pointed on wristwatch lying on floor. Once she stomped on it, dark akuma escaped from broken watch and her yo-yo captured escaping insect…
"No more evil-doing for you," Ladybug said, but this time she did not released butterflies nor feathers.
The Gorilla observed three superheroes with confusion and suspicion.
"Come with us!" ordered Ladybug and Gorilla just grumbled.
When Adrien's bodyguard observed secret elevator, he was surprised. But he followed Ladybug, Queen Monkey, and Beauceron there. They wordlessly joined group observing the strange glass 'coffin' containing woman recognizable as Adrien's mother Emile Agreste…
XXXXXXX
Master Fu stroked his gong several times ad observed Emilie in her glass-coffin. He finally shook his head.
"I'm sorry Gabriel, but there's nothing more I could do. Please accept my sincere sympathy with your loss."
Gabriel silently nodded and almost cried. Nathalie hugged him from right side.
"Sir, you must be strong and show no weakness, we are to negotiate…"
"Sorry to disappoint you, Nathalie, but I'm tired. Sad and tired, so terribly tired…"
"M'lady, could you, for me, please, one last attempt?" asked Adrien.
"Sure, Adrien… Lucky Charm!" Ladybug tossed her yo-yo and result surprised her only a little. It was Book of Common Prayer, opened on page with burial ceremony.
Ladybug offered it to Master Fu, who refused:
"It's not a prayer of my religion."
As second she offered the Book to Gabriel, who started openly cry, observing, where the Book was opened.
"Give it to me!" ordered Adrien.
He sounded different, like being more adult, maybe more mature man now…
He gave a Look to his father and started reading:
"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.*"
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(*continuation of story plot after next 7Xs)
"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.
We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling – hold not thy peace at my tears. For I am a stranger with thee – and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength – before I go hence, and be no more seen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son – and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be – world without end. Amen.
As soon as thou scatterest them, they are even as a sleep – and fade away suddenly like the grass. In the morning it is green, and groweth up: but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.
The days of our age are threescore years and ten; and though men be so strong, that they come to fourscore years – yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.
But who regardeth the power of thy wrath – for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure. O teach us to number our days – that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon – so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us – and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity.
Shew thy servants thy work – and their children thy glory. And the glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us – prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handywork. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son – and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
In the midst of life we are in death: of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death.
Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee.
Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of my dear mother here departed: we therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.
I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: Even so, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours.
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity: We give thee hearty thanks, for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world; beseeching thee that it may please thee, of thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect, and to hasten thy kingdom; that we, with all those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
XXXXXXX
The prayer was evidently shortened and Adrien cried on the end of it himself, so Ladybug holt him in firm hug for a moment.
"Now?" she asked.
"Now!" answered Adrien and gave her the Book.
"Miraculous Ladybug!" she shrieked and threw the Book upstairs.
Place, where they were, was changed. Now it looked rather like inside of respectable Mausoleum, well, not like in that one, where crowds gawp on Lenin's taxidermy…
Adrien observed in surprise his hand with a key, appearing literally out of Blue, same did Ladybug with file, containing several papers.
In that moment her transformation ended and Tikki flied to Adrien, patting his cheek:
"You proved yourself. In ancient times firstborn sons often had duty to perform such kind of ceremonies. Have my sympathy!" with that she returned to Marinette for a cookie.
"Let's move to dining room," said Adrien, once he found his voice again…
XXXXXXX
Nobody observed small group of ladybugs, flying to Liberty ship, where they repaired Luka's broken guitar.
Only 'blue-haired excuse of musician' found it one hour later…
XXXXXXX
Similar small group of ladybugs flied to repair wristwatch in Adrien's room and entrance door destroyed by Chat's Cataclysm…
XXXXXXX
"Everybody take your seat!" Adrien decided to take control into his own hands.
Ladybug just nodded, she finished cleaning area from akumas.
Master Fu was surprised by sharp tone, but did not object and sat down.
"Nooroo, first of all, I need to ask you something," started Adrien.
Everybody looked confused, what was exactly according his plans.
"Yes, Adrien?" the tone Moth kwami used was rather like saying Master instead of name.
"Will you need my father to face police and trial at court of justice?"
"Why do you ask me, Master?" this time kwami forgot to use name.
"I don't want abuse you, if you need justice for yourself, my father has to pay," explained boy. "But I need your answer right now."
"He was not a good Master to me," said Nooroo. "But I understand why he did that all. If nobody else needs him in jail, I do not too."
"Fine, thanks, Nooroo," smiled Adrien. "Could you do a favor for me?"
"I believe, I can, what favor?" asked kwami.
"I will need you to transform me to Hawkmoth, but I will need to look EXACTLY as my father looked like. It means, taller, than me and with blue eyes. Could you do that?"
"I could, but I would need more food, more honey, is it possible?" kwami looked on Adrien with hope.
"Queen Bee, please, could you?"
"Sure Adrien!" superheroining Chloé made sad half-smile, producing another dose with honey. "Shame on you, Gabriel, you tortured your servant by hunger."
"But…" started Gabriel, but Nathalie patted his hand by her palm to calm her boss down.
"Why do you need that, Adrien?" asked Master Fu with strange amused grimace on dragonish face.
"Later," retorted Adrien. "Now I have a declaration for you and one suggestion for future."
Everybody observed him with attention.
"First of all, I asked Marinette to marry me one day and she agreed. So she's my girlfriend now, soon to be fiancée and later wife, in proper time. I owe you my friends, I owe you a lot," he turned to other superheroes. "You can ask me for a favor service later. Well, not for something that would break my relationship with Marinette or cause me to bankrupt. I'm going to do indoor work without heavy lifting in future."
He turned to his father and to Nathalie.
"I do not trust you right now, but we'll have to cooperate in future. I'll continue in my work for you, father, but you'll allow me to be with my friends for reasonable time. Once I'm eighteen, you'll officially announce me as co-owner of Gabriel Brand, with five percent of all actives. I strongly believe, I worked for that to earn it."
"Actually Adrien, you ARE owner of SEVEN percent of Gabriel Brand, but your father is responsible to hold it in trust till you're twenty-one."
"Well, the more the better," said Adrien. "I'll need some funds in future."
"You'll need money?" asked Gabriel. "What for?"
"I wish to apply for University studies and I chose for not so easy subject, so work-study program together with being with my partner would be exhausting."
"Gabriel Branch could pay your designer study," said Nathalie. "And it's not that much time-consuming or exhausting."
"I'm not going to study how to make overpriced packaging technology," smirked Adrien. "Gabriel Brand should better pay Marinette's designer study."
"OVERPRICED PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY!?" shrieked unison Gabriel, Nathalie, Chloé, and Marinette. "Are you mad?!"
Adrien laughed, even Master Fu and Tom chuckled.
"OK!" composed Gabriel himself. "What do YOU want to study?"
"L'École polytechnique," said Adrien with smile. "Quantum mechanics of particles. With help of kwami of Destruction I could obtain some interesting results…"
"Seriously?" asked Gabriel.
"Seriously," nodded Adrien. "I could continue with photoshoot, well, less often, I could be 'Name and Face'. But OUR firm will need somebody with true creative talent. I strongly believe, Marinette is the best choice."
"If being your wife…" said Gabriel. "Yes, you're right."
"Nathalie, you offered tutor me business management," continued Adrien. "You'll tutor both of us together. You prepare my schedules and you'll continue with that, but you'll integrate into my schedule also time for me to be with Marinette and maybe, you could make agreement together about her schedule, if she agrees. For everybody from outside this room it must look normal, like nothing special changed, just I have a girlfriend. But, there WILL be one BIG change. You'll prepare also YOUR and my father's schedules and you'll mark there times, when you'll either meet with investors or have another justified reason for me or Marinette not to disturb you. During other time we both must be allowed to contact you for advice or talk. Do you agree?"
"I think, I can," said Nathalie. "Sir?"
"Sure, anything!" answered Gabriel.
"Shame on you Gabriel!" said Tom, Beauceron now. "Adrien is your only son and does he really need to blackmail you for acting like father you are to be for him?"
Gabriel ducked his head and Nathalie pathed his hand.
"And you will marry Nathalie," dropped Adrien his bombshell.
TO BE CONTINUED…