A/N: This is probably one of my favorite chapters to date.
"And it'll take a total of about ten days, give or take, to finish this completely," Marinette relayed through her phone.
"That works," Amaia said.
The two girls were chatting over the phone about the specifics of Marinette's newest project: a dog bed for Diego. Between homework and waiting for news about DuPont, it was starting to get increasingly boring. Marinette never thought she'd miss the school, but there she was. Marinette made adjustments to the bed's frame design the more information Amaia gave her about huskies. Huskies by themselves were big dogs. Enough they'd need a decently sized bed to lay in. Amaia said they lost the other one during the move, and the standard pet store beds were either too tacky, too pricey, or just plain not what she was looking for. So her last hope was commissioning Marinette.
Well, Marinette did need a challenge. She'd never made a dog bed before, so this would be a nice stretch for her creative muscles.
"I can embroider his name on it for a little extra," Marinette offered.
"How much will it be?"
Marinette paused to calculate the cost of the materials.
"About 1€. That okay?"
"That's perfect."
The materials she used for the filigree were easily found in her favorite stores. She wouldn't need much money to buy it since she already had some in her room. Still, better safe than sorry.
Speaking of, she was glad she had already visited Master Fu the other day. Both the call and the visit took longer than expected. More than she could accomplish in a single day. She was blessed to know such patient people.
Marinette took a glance at her current stock. "The shop is out of cotton, but they said they'll have more in stock in about two days." She made sure to mark the delivery date on her calendar. "I can work on the frame and plan out the embroidery. You've already chosen the fabric?"
Amaia paused. Then she looked over her notes on the fabrics Marinette had shown her. "That bone pattern is really cute."
Marinette had to laugh. "Bone pattern it is." Amaia's smile was small, but it was sincere. "How do you want it delivered?"
"I can come pick it up when it's finished."
That worked perfectly. Marinette wrote that down in her notebook, Amaia writing the reminder in hers. It was then Diego yawned while laying on his side. His little head lifted to show the little tongue lolling out. Then he went back to his nap. Amaia fought the urge to glare. Because he was still cute. Marinette valiantly fought back a laugh. Because Diego was cute. And he was still using Amaia's bed as his.
Amaia's annoyance was slight, but it was still funny.
"Is that everything you need?" Amaia asked, turning her attention back to Marinette.
"Let's see…"
Flipping through her notes, Marinette went through every item and topic they discussed. Bed size and shape, materials, extra details, cotton delivery dates. So far, all the bases were covered.
"That's everything," Marinette reported. Amaia smiled, glad to finally be getting a new bed for her little boy. Even better, it would be a custom-made bed just for him. What more could she want for her little boy?
They then heard Mireya calling for Amaia.
"Ah, gotta go. Supper time."
"Enjoy."
She waved bye to Amaia, then the girls ended the call. Stretching her arms and legs, Marinette checked the time.
Oh, it was supper time for her, too. She didn't notice until her stomach growled. Thinking, she mentally took note of what leftovers they had for dinner. There was orange chicken, rice, beef and noodle stir-fry, and sweet and sour pork. Right now, the orange chicken with rice sounded the most delicious.
Getting up from her chair and checking to make sure her parents were still in the shop, Marinette opened her purse to let Tikki out. Heading downstairs to the kitchen, she kept her eyes and ears open in case they came up unexpectedly. Tikki floated over her shoulder while Marinette took out the chicken and rice.
There was something quite soothing about waiting for a nice, hot meal to finish heating up in the microwave. The tart, citrus smell of the orange chicken was enough to make both Ladybug Holder and Ladybug Kwami drool. It would be even better once she could taste the chicken itself. Cooked to perfection in a homemade orange marmalade, then sprinkled with pieces of orange peel and sesame seed. As a finishing touch, she would pour it over the rice for the perfect balance between tart sweetness and slight saltiness.
An idea popped in her head seconds before the microwave dinged. Marinette carefully removed the reheated meal and packed it in a to-go biàndang box. Packing her favorite chopsticks, she turned to Tikki.
"I'm gonna try something different," Marinette said.
"Like?" Tikki asked with a smile.
Marinette carefully wrapped the little biàndang so it didn't spill. "I'm gonna try eating this outside. On the balcony."
Tikki paused. "What does that accomplish?"
Marinette only smiled. "Just doing something different." She finished packing the biàndang with a cute little bow. "I'm always sketching inside the room." So it would be nice to do something different this time around. Grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, Marinette headed upstairs. Tikki followed along to see what her Chosen would do.
"Say, Tikki?" Marinette suddenly asked.
"Yes, Marinette?"
Marinette closed the trapdoor leading to her room. "It's been on my mind since Master Fu showed me the Miracle Box. And I'd like to ask." Marinette then turned to her Kwami. "What other kinds of Kwamis are there?"
Tikki paused, tapping her chin to remember. "Well, there is more than what is just in the Miracle Box," she said. "Though I have not seen them in a long time."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Huh. That was something she hadn't been fully aware of until now. That there were other Kwamis besides the one in Master Fu's Miracle Box. Other questions filled Marinette's mind. Such as what other concepts they embodied and what other animals they looked like. Was there a Bat Kwami? Or maybe one that looked like a wolf. Maybe a kind of bird or a frog? What about a deer? There had to be a whole assortment of different animals a Kwami could look like. Maybe even a unicorn? Longg was a Dragon Kwami. Who's to say other mythical being Kwamis didn't exist?
"I remember Master Fu saying there were other Miracle Boxes besides this one," Marinette mentioned.
"There were," Tikki confirmed.
Marinette hummed while she opened the trapdoor above her bed. "Do you know what happened to them?"
"Eaten."
Marinette's eyes widened so much they looked like dinner plates. And she almost dropped her biàndang. Good thing it was closed or else it would've spilled all over her bed. No need to waste such good food. Or get her freshly changed linens dirty. Tikki, meanwhile, just somberly nodded her head. Marinette gulped. Audibly. And loudly.
"I'll refrain from asking further now." She could've sworn her voice cracked a little.
Marinette placed the biàndang on the balcony floor, then she hoisted herself up onto the rooftop. The view from her balcony never ceased to take her breath away, amplified by the mounted roses on the railing. Her plants would need a little bit of water soon. She could take care of that once she was done with dinner. Setting the biàndang on the round table she had, Marinette took in the aroma of the meal. Unpacking her meal, she took a bite of the chicken.
There was the familiar tart sweetness combined with the savory flavor of the meat. It was further complemented by the slight taste of salt in the rice. The orange peels and sesame seeds added a nice garnish and crunch to the overall meal. And oh, the aroma was mouthwatering. Marinette held a piece of chicken up with her chopsticks to share with Tikki, who gladly accepted.
From her perch on her balcony, Marinette observed a duo consisting of a mother and her child down the street. The child was playing with a yo-yo styled to look like Ladybug's. Completing the ensemble was a pair of Chat Noir-styled ears and a Ladybug-themed scarf. The child was happily playing with his mother, who was sporting a Ladybug costume mask and wearing a Chat Noir-themed scarf. Matching scarves. How cute.
Marinette didn't need to be up close to know. They were happy. Happy and healthy. She wished it could be every day they were happy and healthy. But she knew it would only be a matter of time before Hawk Moth struck again. And knowing him, it could be anyone. From her mother to her father. Perhaps even her new friend. Or Mr. Oropeza. She shuddered to think about what an akumatized Mireya would be like. She was creepy enough already.
But it was for the hope of a future without Hawk Moth, a future without terror, a world without danger, that she took the mantle of Ladybug. She knew now what she was getting into when she fought Stoneheart the second time around. Her sense of justice and duty drove her to do her best as the city's heroine. Whether or not the battle would continue long after Hawk Moth was defeated, only time would tell. For now, she knew she would concentrate better when she didn't have yummy orange chicken and rice in front of her.
Minutes passed, and she alternated between eating her meal and sharing some with Tikki. Just to see if she would try something other than cookies.
It was then she heard a whistling sound. The distinct song of a bird. Wings fluttered, then she heard it land on the railing near her table.
Marinette's eyes widened when she saw the bird. It had rich, beautiful black plumage that looked so soft to the touch. Both its eyes had an orange ring around it, matching the color of its beak. Was it attracted by the smell of the food? Marinette didn't mind much. The bird was so beautiful. Oh, she wished she brought her sketchbook up with her.
"Tikki, look," Marinette said. The bird whistled a lovely song. It was as if it were just for Marinette. "It's a bird."
Tikki froze.
SQUEAK!
Marinette jolted in alarm. Tikki dropped her piece of chicken and dove behind Marinette to hide. Question marks swam around Marinette's head, wondering what had gotten into her Kwami.
"Tikki?" Marinette asked. Tikki refused to budge, shivering with fright.
"Get it away!" Tikki shrieked. Her already high-pitched voice had gone up an octave. Marinette jolted again. What… what was going on? Why was Tikki so scared?
The bird spread its wings, then it flew over to the table. Tikki squeaked again and buried herself in Marinette's jacket to hide. Taking a better look at her Kwami, Marinette noticed how her eyes were shut tight. As though she were terrified of what would happen if she looked at the bird in the eye. The bird tilted its head, quizzically looking at Marinette. Marinette, in turn, looked at the bird, not knowing what was going on or why Tikki was so afraid.
Marinette breathed through her nose, making a decision. "Alright…" she looked the bird directly in the eye, stance firm. She didn't know what the bird did to Tikki, but she would not allow anyone to hurt her Kwami. "You are scaring my Kwami," she said to the bird. "Please get out and never come back."
The bird tilted its head the other way… and then it flew off. Just like that.
Wow.
That actually worked.
Gently, Marinette coaxed Tikki out of her hiding place. She would need to give her plenty of cuddles and cookies after this.
"Master," Wayzz said. Fu looked up from a slip of paper Marinette had given him.
"Yes, Wayzz, what is it?" Fu asked. While he was smiling, Wayzz didn't miss the slight circles developing under his eyes.
"You don't suppose it's time for a break now?" he suggested. "You've been studying that list all day."
Ah, yes. The list Marinette had so thoroughly prepared for them. Fu and Wayzz had been studying the slip of paper that had been a list nearly all day now. Since before breakfast, to be exact. The last akuma, Madame Destiny, had shown Hawk Moth was stepping up his game in acquiring the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses. It bore repeating that a permanent team of heroes was needed. And Master Fu was determined to make sure Ladybug and Chat Noir had the right allies.
"One can never be completely sure from one read, Wayzz," Fu said. "It's just like a book." Wayzz didn't find it in him to disagree. Together, he and Fu looked through the list Marinette had made for them:
Ulrich Stern. Physically the strongest and most athletic. Practices Pencak Silat. Possible Miraculouses: Tiger, Ox, Dragon.
Odd Della Robbia. Absolute goofball and monkey. Highly recommend for the Monkey Miraculous.
Yumi Ishiyama. Strong and smart. Also practices Pencak Silat. Possible Miraculouses: Fox, Dragon, Horse, Bee.
Jeremie Belpois. Smartest of the group. Served as mission control. Possible Miraculouses: Horse, Rooster, Rabbit.
Aelita Schaeffer. Most creative of the group. As smart as Jeremie. Came up with the plan to help Ladybug. Possible Miraculouses: Mouse, Pig, Ox, Dragon, Bee.
Their eyes lingered on Aelita's name. A name they had not heard in years.
"Waldo's daughter has accomplished a lot in her short time on Earth," Wayzz said.
"Indeed."
Waldo Schaeffer, a dear friend and comrade from years ago. Fu and Waldo were good friends, enough they'd sometimes have lunch together along with Waldo's wife, Anthea. They were happier times, simpler times. Fu remembered being excited when Waldo and Anthea gave him the news they were expecting a child. When Aelita was born, Fu saw how much light there was in his old friend. Then it all changed when Anthea disappeared. The light left Waldo's eyes. And then he sent Fu a note saying he was going away with Aelita for a long time.
That had been the last time they had heard from Waldo or Anthea. To see their daughter was alive and well, and still young. It was worrying.
"He was smart, I will give him that," Fu said, breaking the silence. He smoothed out the list again. "Though I haven't heard from him for a while now."
"It's rather worrying," Wayzz said. "How we suddenly lost contact. Then his daughter reappears without him." Fu hummed thoughtfully at Wayzz's words. "That aside, I'm glad she's found a secure friendship group."
"Indeed," Fu sighed. "Wayzz?"
"Yes?"
Fu pointed to another name on the list. The last name Marinette had written down. "What do you think of this one?"
Wayzz floated to look at it.
Amaia Collins. New neighbor, already proven to be extremely brave and loyal. Possible Miraculouses: heavily leaning towards Dog.
"The young lady who helped you," Wayzz remembered. It had been an ordinary lovely day, one where Fu and Wayzz could simply enjoy being out and about without having to worry about Guardian duties. Then Madame Destiny attacked. And Fu was almost crushed by falling debris. Had that young lady not helped him…
"She was certainly brave," Fu agreed. "She had no hesitation."
Wayzz nodded, his mind going back to the conversation they had with Marinette the other day. She was bursting with creative energy, discussing which Miraculous to present to who. It had been a challenge since she had only met each of them once. But since she had their contact information, they encouraged her to get to know them better. Before they made their final decisions, preferably.
When they asked Marinette her opinion on the young lady who saved Fu, Marinette… blanked. She stumbled and fidgeted. Until she told them of how Amaia helped her out of the situation with the picnic. The one hosted by the former Fox. It boggled their minds how someone who was chosen to wield the power of Illusion was so blinded by them. To the point where she attacked her own friend. Mistakes were inevitable, they had learned a long time ago.
But this time, the mistake was costly. The mistake in trusting the temporary Fox, Bee, and Turtle had cost Marinette her ability to trust. And they had seen how hesitant she was when speaking of her old friends.
"It's quite telling when our young Ladybug trusts the new person more than her old friends," Wayzz finally said. He knew he was using the word "friends" loosely regarding the former temporary heroes.
"What is quite telling," Fu added. "Is that Marinette is being strong, even with what happened." Wayzz nodded along, solemnly remembering the recent happenings in the young Ladybug's life.
"I wish Marinette did not have to go through that," Wayzz said. "But what is done is done." He bobbed in the air, thinking. "Perhaps this could be seen as a blessing in disguise."
Fu looked at him. "Explain, please." Wayzz paused, then he voiced his thoughts.
"This incident with the dishonest student showed her who she can truly trust," he began. "And, as Madame Destiny had shown us, we found a potential Miraculous Team in that young group." The young people Marinette had recommended for Miraculouses. One of which included her new neighbor and possible friend. Their teamwork against Madame Destiny was nothing short of impressive. From Aelita's creativity in planning the attack, Ulrich's strength, Odd's mischief, and Yumi's cunning. "It makes me wonder if they had been heroes at one point in time."
Fu pondered this speculation with a hum. Wayzz brought up excellent points, Fu contemplated. Their fighting ability was not amateurish or even at the level of a beginner. They had fought something evil before. What it was, Fu hoped he would never find out. Some knowledge was not meant to be found, after all.
Wayzz glanced at the clock. "Continue this after tea? We've been at it all day."
Fu rubbed his eyes, though he smiled. "That will work."
Smiling, and happy his Holder was finally taking a break, Wayzz headed to the kitchen to fetch the teacups. Fu steadily stood up, then he went to prepare the water and the leaves. A cup of fresh, hot tea sounded so nice right now. Skimming over the books on his bookshelf, he knew there was much to discuss and think about. A new Miraculous Team to form, Hawk Moth stepping up his tactics, the new Peacock Holder. There was so much to prepare for. And he couldn't do it, he knew, while sleep-deprived.
"Wayzz," he asked.
"Yes, master?"
"Two sugars, please."
"Gladly."
Wayzz flew to the cupboard where they stored the sugar. It was nice to think about something other than Nooroo and Duusu being used for evil for once. Now if only he could figure out where that draft was coming from…
Looking toward the window, Wayzz suddenly dropped the sugar.
"Master!"
Fu wasted no time running to the scene. When he arrived, he immediately observed what was going on. Perched on the counter was a black bird with an orange beak and matching rings around its eyes. Wayzz had dropped the sugar bowl, the contents spilled haphazardly. The Turtle Kwami was cowering against the jars on the counter, away from the bird. Fu realized, in a split second, what was going on.
"Hey!" Fu shouted "Shoo!". He tried to chase the bird away. The bird simply whistled, flapping its wings. "Out!" This time, he grabbed a nearby broom, thrusting it toward the feathered fiend. The bird squawked, flapping wildly before Fu chased it out the window. And when the bird flew away, Fu slammed the window closed, locking it so the bird wouldn't terrorize his Kwami again.
Letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding, Fu let himself relax. Hearing his Kwami whimpering, Fu went to comfort Wayzz. Neither of them noticed the kettle starting to steam.
Plagg never considered himself an empathetic Kwami, but even he could tell Adrien was radiating negativity. Enough for Hawk Moth to see, if he wasn't careful. Adrien was playing his "piano lesson" on his music player while he looked through the photos on his phone. The first movement of Moonlight Sonata filled the silence of the room, matching the somber mood Adrien was in.
Absently, he flipped through his phone's photo gallery, a blank expression on his face. He never stayed on any particular photo for long. So far, Plagg counted, he had scrolled past photos of himself, Nino, Alya, Marinette. Even Chloé. He barely lingered on the happier pictures of himself with his friends. It was as if happiness was now an alien concept to him.
"You're quiet for once…" Adrien muttered. Plagg regarded him with a flat look.
"Yeah?" Plagg sassed. "'Cause I was wondering when you would say something."
"I would smile if I felt like it."
Plagg said nothing. He flew over Adrien's head, glancing down at his Holder. Ever since the fiasco with Lila, Adrien had been withdrawn. The reality of the situation hit like a truck, leaving nothing but rose-colored glass shards in its wake.
"What's on your mind?" Plagg asked. Adrien numbly set his phone down.
"Everything," he said. "Weren't you able to see what happened with Madame Destiny?"
Plagg regarded his Holder with a flat, blank stare. "Kid, I felt it," he reminded. "You'd be surprised how many negative emotions I can pick up."
"Yeah, I felt it too," Adrien said, his voice hollow. "Poor Thérèse."
Plagg blinked. "Just Thérèse?"
Adrien shook his head. "Not just her," he said. "Ladybug. Marinette. Everyone."
"… do tell."
Plagg perched on Adrien's shoulder. The kid was in pain, he knew. And it didn't help that his old man was absent from every aspect of his life. Which meant his Holder was without support at home. Even that assistant of his father's was barely there. Unless she had to remind him of any lessons. Adrien was trapped once again in his own home with no support.
"Well…" Adrien said. "I don't feel like I'm the friend everyone wants." Plagg looked at him. "I don't actually do anything."
Trapped in that mindset again. Great. Plagg knew he would have to chip away at that armor his Holder built if he had any hope of helping the kid. So he pulled out his first trick.
"Being a little self-centered there, aren't ya?" Adrien's response was a questioning look. Plagg flew from his perch up to his Holder's face. "Let me level with ya. You're saying all this stuff about you without actually mentioning anyone else." For added emphasis, he crossed his little arms. "'Take the high road. It'll be fun.'"
"And the high road would be what?"
Plagg leveled Adrien with a hard stare. "Oh, I dunno. Not telling anyone about the liar." He was met with silence from his Holder. "I'm gonna be brutal. That was the dumbest thing you could've done to help Pigtails." Again, he was met with silence. "What I would like to know is why you thought it was a good idea?"
"… well…"
It was then Plagg realized. There wasn't a good reason other than the fear the others wouldn't believe him. And Plagg couldn't blame him. They tossed aside their "everyday Ladybug" for a fox who told pretty stories. And for what? For fame? Money? Power? Who's to say they wouldn't turn on Adrien for the same reason? But at the same time, Adrien did nothing.
In the end, Plagg threw his hands in the air. "Great. So you stood aside and let the liar hurt your friends, and your reasoning is that?!" Plagg rubbed his head. "I can't believe I pulled a Tikki…"
Adrien raised an eyebrow. "'Pulled a Tikki?'"
Plagg wanted to offer a decent explanation. But his anger answered for him. "It means I'm having to be responsible for your shortsighted, hair-brained idea!"
Adrien glared sharply. "And you think I've always had the 'best' ideas?"
"Your last idea ended up causing the school to shut down," Plagg retorted. "What do you think?"
Adrien was silent. So quiet was he, Plagg wondered if he had gone overboard. He took a moment to breathe in and out, calm himself down. He couldn't help his kitten if he was this angry. He had to be calm and approachable.
"Here's the thing," Plagg began, as calmly as he could. "Lies hurt, period. It doesn't matter if they're big or small. They still hurt in the long run. You saw what they did to liar girl's mom."
"I did see," Adrien replied robotically. Plagg was now centimeters away from banging his head on the nearest wall. So he tried another trick.
"… you do know liar girl's mom sent her back to Italy, right?" Plagg hoped this got a rise out of Adrien. Anything. Just so he won't kill all his emotions. "To one of those super-strict boarding schools?"
"I heard about that."
… oh…
Oh for…
"Kid, does nothing about all this stir you up?"
For what felt like forever, Adrien was quiet. Then he stood, facing Plagg. "Plagg, what do you want me to feel? Sad? Remorseful? I have all these thoughts constantly on my mind and my father is no help." He looked close to crying now. "I'm sorry for what I did because I did nothing, and now it's too late to take it back."
There it was. A little spark of emotion. It was faint, but Plagg could feel it. He just had to poke a little more…
"Are you really sorry you didn't help Marinette?"
There it was. The million-euro question. If Adrien didn't recoil at Alya's slap then, he certainly did when Plagg presented him the question now. His eyes lit up with a faint spark of emotion. Then, to Plagg's disappointment, it died just as quickly.
"Yes, I am sorry."
Plagg's heart sank. Adrien's emotions would be non-existent by the time DuPont was reopened if it ever was. Still, he had to try.
"So what are you doing still complaining? Your dad can't ground Chat Noir."
Adrien only gave him a puzzled look. "Where are you going with that last part?…"
Plagg sighed in defeat. No matter what he had done this past month to keep Adrien's spirits up, it was still slipping away. Little by little, bit by bit. Adrien's emotions were being killed off one by one. Any sign of positivity or negativity, it was quashed immediately. Adrien was trying, feebly, to reach out to his friends from DuPont. But of course, Gabriel had to tighten the leash on that, too.
Plagg was angry. And he was worried. Because if Adrien wasn't helped soon, it wouldn't be long until he turned into another Gabriel.
A sudden gust of cool wind blew through the room. Plagg and Adrien shivered and hugged themselves. It was futile, but it was better than nothing. Plagg turned to the source of the sudden draft: a previously closed window that was now opened.
"Alright, who opened the win—"
A black bird with an orange beak and matching orange rings around its eyes greeted the two with a whistling song.
Mrow!
Plagg yowled, his tail standing straight up. Adrien just about jumped out of his skin at the sudden noise. Plagg dove for cover, hiding from the bird.
"Plagg! What the heck!?"
Mrow!
Plagg's tail quivered.
"Chase it out! Chase it out!" Plagg shrieked. His voice had gone up an octave, out of sheer fright. Adrien looked at the bird, his anger rising. Because no one hurt Plagg!
"Hey! Get out!" Adrien accosted. "You're scaring my cat!"
The bird tilted its head. Adrien glared back. Then the bird flapped its wings and took flight. Plagg began screaming.
"Go away! Shoo shoo shoo!"
Like a cat, Adrien lunged at the bird. But it dodged. It whistled a strange song, as though it were laughing at him. It flew around his room, flitting left and right while Adrien tried to catch it. It flew to the top of the skating ramp. Then it flew to the bed. It jumped up just as Adrien lunged, then it flew up the spiral staircase. Adrien followed, determined to be rid of this feathered pest.
Finally, it flew towards the window. Adrien followed again, eyes narrowed and focused on his target. He lunged. The bird dodged. Then, unexpectedly, it grabbed the end of Adrien's jacket with its feet. With a sense of glee nobody knew a bird could have, it dragged Adrien's jacket over his head.
"Hey!"
With a final whistling song, the bird flew outside. Adrien readjusted his jacket so it was no longer over his head. Then he checked on Plagg. The Black Cat of Destruction was shivering relentlessly. Even though the bird wasn't in the room anymore.
"Is it gone?" Plagg asked, his voice still high.
"It's gone."
With gentle coaxing, Adrien extracted Plagg from his hiding spot. The Black Cat Kwami was still shivering, but now he was muttering some nonsense. Something Adrien couldn't quite catch. Was Plagg that shaken up by a little bird? He wasn't this afraid of the pigeons.
"Lousy, stinkin'…" Plagg muttered. "Fairies!"
What.
What on.
What was Plagg talking about?
"That was a bird, not a fairy, Plagg."
"Says you!" Plagg shrieked. Then he dove under the covers of Adrien's bed. He was still muttering incoherently. Except now, Adrien caught the word "fairies" in his ramblings. What on earth was Plagg talking about? There's no such thing as fairies.
Unknown to the Kwami and Holder, the pipes in the bathroom began leaking…
"Master!" Nooroo screamed. Right beside him, Duusu was screaming his head off. Gabriel dropped what he was doing and ran to the Kwamis.
"Nooroo! What is it!?" he demanded.
"Master! Master!" Nooroo screamed.
"Oh, it's hideous! Hideous!" Duusu wailed. Gabriel looked to the right of the Kwamis and saw… a bird. A black bird with an orange beak and matching orange rings around its eyes.
What.
A bird.
A bird?
Nooroo and Duusu, two powerful Kwamis of Transmission and Emotion, were scared witless of a bird?
Gabriel sighed. He did not set up a station in his lair for this. A station to repair the Peacock Miraculous, at that. At least, attempt to repair. The attempts to read the spells in the book did him no favors. He couldn't understand the words, and neither could Nooroo. Meaning he had to be extremely careful.
Speaking of, how did that bird get inside?
The bird hopped towards the Kwamis, prompting even more terrified screaming.
"Aaah!" Nooroo screamed.
"Stay away!" Duusu shrieked.
Gabriel's eye twitched. He did not have the patience for mishaps today. Not in the least. Straightening up, he stalked towards the bird that was terrorizing the Kwamis. Of all the things to interrupt attempts to repair the Peacock, this was not what he had expected.
"Shoo! Away with you!" he commanded. Curiously, the bird turned its attention to Gabriel. It tilted its head. Left and right.
"Shoo!" Gabriel commanded again. The bird studied him, up and down… then it began to sing. It hopped up and down. To the left and to the right. It didn't care that Gabriel was standing right there. It was dancing.
… it then took Gabriel only two seconds to realize the bird was taunting him. He growled, enraged that a simple bird would have the gall to taunt him like this.
"Scram!" Gabriel ordered. The bird bowed, then it jumped. It flew right over Gabriel's head, much to his annoyance. To make matters worse, it was now whistling a little song. Angered, Gabriel ran after it. Around and around, it lead him in circles around the lair. Still whistling its annoying song. Still flying out of Gabriel's reach. Gabriel's patience was dangerously low, almost to zero. This meddlesome bird was not doing him any favors.
"Get out!" he howled. The bird took a sharp turn. Gabriel skidded to a stop. Whipping his head to and fro, he looked for the feathered pest. Where did it go? What happened? Why was it—
He saw it land at the station with the Peacock Miraculous.
"Hey! Get away from that! That's valuable!"
The bird leaned down, inspecting the Miraculous. It pecked. Once. Twice. It was checking for something. Then, to Duusu's horror, it seized the brooch in its beak.
"Drop that!" Gabriel bellowed, chasing after the feathered fiend. The blasted bird began whistling again, singing. Again, it lead Gabriel in circles around the lair, the Peacock Miraculous captive in its beak. "Let go of it!" The bird gleefully refused, jumping out of reach just as Gabriel was about to retake the Miraculous. "Nathalie!"
What miraculous timing. The lift to the lair lowered, revealing none other than his assistant. Nathalie took one step off the lift. Looking up, she was an immediate witness to the chaos in the lair.
"Sir, what is—" she stopped dead in her tracks the moment she saw Gabriel chasing a bird. A bird, she realized too late, that had stolen the Peacock Miraculous.
"It has the Peacock!" Gabriel shouted. Alarmed and snapping out of her stupor, Nathalie quickly sprang into action.
"Oh no you don't!" she growled. Joining Gabriel in chasing the bird, she managed to trap it between her and him. "There!" She reached with both hands to grab the bird. Quicker than she anticipated, it simply pecked her between the eyes. "Oh!" She doubled over, trying to blink through the pain. Gabriel, meanwhile, managed to grab the pest.
"I told you to get out!" he bellowed. Then… the bird pecked his hand, forcing him to release it. It flew over his head. Then it started pecking him. His forehead. His nose. His face. His ears. Even shielding himself from the bird did little to help. It just pecked his hands!
Whistling a happy song, the bird decided to start grabbing Gabriel's hair. What escaped the notice of both humans was how the bird safely airdropped the Peacock Miraculous back to Duusu in all the chaos.
"Let go!" Gabriel yelled. Frantic, he thrashed to and fro. His hands hit everything in his lair. The walls, the table, himself, the supports. But none of his thrashing attacks found the bird. The bird, heinously enough, decided to keep singing its little song during its attack on Gabriel's hair. Finally recovering from being pecked between the eyes, Nathalie's eyes widened when she saw the bird tugging on her boss's hair. She stood and ran. Her hands reached for the loathsome bird attacking Gabriel's hair. But the bird continued to disrupt their attempts to cease its assault.
"Well, I wasn't expecting dinner and a show," Duusu commented. The Kwamis chose not to get involved. Rather, they found this… entertaining.
This is oddly satisfying, Nooroo thought.
Gabriel and Nathalie, meanwhile, continued their attempts to get the upper hand against the feathered invader. Without warning, it released Gabriel's hair and swooped down on Nathalie.
"Ah!" she yelped. Blinking, she realized she was missing one vital accessory. Her glasses. Whipping her head around, her eyes landed on the bird. Which was holding her glasses captive. Singing a joyful song, the bird dropped her glasses onto the hard floor, shattering them. Nathalie went dead silent, staring. Then she glared, her nostrils flaring in anger.
"That's it," she growled. Then she lunged… and slipped and fell, landing on her caboose.
"Ack!"
What the… where'd that water puddle come from?!
Laughing and whistling, the bird swiped the glasses off Gabriel's face as well.
"Hey!" he shouted. Keeping the glasses out of Gabriel's reach, they soon met the same fate as Nathalie's glasses. Gabriel was fully enraged now. "Enough of you!"
The bird kept flapping to and fro, avoiding the angry reach of the two adults. It was growing nearly impossible now to catch that bird. Their sight impaired by the lack of glasses, Nathalie and Gabriel's heads collided in one failed attempt to catch the feathered pest.
"Ow…" Nathalie moaned. They knew for sure that would leave a bruise in the morning.
"I am done with this bird…" Gabriel growled, rubbing his head. Nathalie huffed in agreement. That bird was too much of a pest to ignore. It had to go.
Looking up, still massaging their heads, they saw the bird land near the Miracle Book. It looked at the Book with keen interest.
"Step away from the book…" Gabriel warned, pointing threateningly at the bird. The bird paused. They waited. Breath bated. Nathalie glared. The bird wouldn't dare…
Singing and whistling, it closed the book with its beak. Then, to Nathalie and Gabriel's outright surprise, it lifted the book with its feet. Nathalie yelped. What was going on?! This was a simple bird, was it not?! Gabriel growled again.
"Grab that bird!" he ordered. "There's something inhuman about it!"
"Yes sir!"
Together, they worked to capture the avian beast. Chasing the bird around the lair, they cut off every exit they could think of. Gabriel jumped. And this time, he managed to grab hold of the Miracle Book.
"Let go of the book!" Gabriel ordered. Tugging on it, he was surprised when the bird tugged back. Back and forth. Back and forth. Gabriel found himself having to dig his heels into the floor to anchor himself. How was this bird so strong?!
Meanwhile, Nathalie grabbed a sheet to cover the window. "Aha!" she shouted. She turned around.
THWACK!
The bird swung the book towards Gabriel's face, smacking him with the book. Gabriel released his hold. Because now he was seeing stars. Nathalie pushed the mission to the back of her mind in favor of helping her boss stand back up.
"Sir!" she yelped. Gabriel glowered through his dizziness.
"Focus on the bird!" he bellowed. Eyes narrowed, Nathalie concentrated on the bird. Glaring, she stood, ready to capture this beast. The bird flitted over. Then it dropped the Book…
"Agh!"
… on Gabriel's foot. He hopped on one foot, clutching the foot the Book fell on. Nathalie reached out.
"Aha!"
The bird squawked while Nathalie's hand wrapped around its neck. It thrashed, helpless while in her grasp. Nathalie squeezed, payback for the torment it just put them through. Gabriel stood, panting and huffing. He then straightened himself up, giving Nathalie her order.
"Throw it outside and close the window…"
"Yes, sir—"
Hisssss…
"… what was that?" Nathalie asked. Gabriel looked around, unsure.
"I… don't know…"
They paused, the bird still in Nathalie's grip. Then they looked down, suddenly seeing the wide puddles of water leaking onto the floor. Oh. Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. What's happening? What's going on?
Checking the water pressure, they found the source of the hiss. Nathalie's poise cracked, realizing what was about to happen. Gabriel's composure, however, shattered.
"Who turned it up so high!?"
KABOOM!
At once, all the pipes in the mansion burst. Water exploded everywhere. From the ceiling to the walls to the floor. The carpets were soaked. The beds were unusable. The floor in the main hall was now slippery. Water dripped from holes in the wall, exposing the broken piping. Even the bathrooms were dripping with water, both clean and unclean. Soaked head-to-toe, Nathalie and Gabriel saw the bird happily flying away from the drenched mansion.
"… Nathalie…" Gabriel mumbled.
"… yes, sir?"
"Call a plumber…"
A sigh.
"Yes, sir…"
It would take weeks to clean and repair this mess…
"And…" Nathalie looked at her boss. "I guess have Adrien stay somewhere else until we get this cleaned up…"
Another sigh.
"Yes, sir…"
Plagg surveyed the mess that had taken over Adrien's room. What used to be dry and pristine was now covered ceiling to floor in water. Somehow, Plagg knew what had caused this.
"Well, that definitely wasn't a bird," he commented. Behind him, Adrien pulled on his wet sleeve.
"Well, if the bird wasn't a bird, then either you're hallucinating or I don't know birds like other humans do," Adrien sassed. Plagg simply held a deadpan expression. "Let's get the dryer started so we have dry towels. I'm sure they're soaked too."
"Yeah yeah, whatever…"
Good to know his kitten still had emotions.