MIRACLE QUEEN'S AFTERMATH
Chapter 11: Ultimatum
by Bill K.
"Anansi!" Ladybug declared as Queen Bee looked on in fear. "She's taken Chloe - - probably to Hawkmoth!"
"Did you see which way she went?" demanded Tiger Noir.
"No," Jean shook his head.
"What do we do?" Queen Bee asked with a hint of desperation in her voice. "She could be anywhere and Paris is a big city!"
"I don't know. If only there was a miraculous with tracking abilities," Ladybug moaned. "I should know that! I'm the Guardian! Oh, why did he ever pick me?"
"He picked you because you're the best," Tiger Noir told her. He was honest and earnest and it was oh so very endearing. Ladybug smiled timidly at him, even if she didn't quite believe it.
"Is there an area of the city that he seems to frequent?" Viperion asked. "Some place where he has been seen more often?"
"The Eiffel Tower," Queen Bee said suddenly. "That's where I've always," and Queen Bee got suddenly uncomfortable, "um, read in that blog on you. The one that's always posting stories about you."
"It's a little public," Viperion argued.
"It's the only place I know to start," Ladybug said. "If he's not there, maybe we can find a way to trace him from there." She started forward, but Tiger Noir caught her hand and stopped her.
"Your earrings are flashing," he said. Ladybug's hands went to her ears. "Take a break and rest your kwami. We'll head over to the Eiffel Tower." He winked at her, that confident wink and smirk that always irritated her. "Join us when you can."
The three leaped off, leaving Ladybug behind. She watched them as they bounded over rooftops. Funny how that confident smirk didn't irritate her now.
"Concentrate," Ladybug muttered as she leaped over to a rooftop to find cover. "You love Ad . . .um, well . . .Luka's nice." Finding a shaded spot behind a chimney, Ladybug sat down. "Spot's off."
Tikki appeared in her cupped hands.
"You look exhausted," Marinette gasped.
"I haven't had to hold a transformation that long in a long time," Tikki sighed. "And you were pretty active when you were Dark Ladybug."
Marinette's expression clouded over.
"Don't feel responsible," Tikki told her. "Once that akuma magic hit you, you couldn't help yourself. Just like Cat Noir couldn't help himself that one time."
"Our first kiss," Marinette mumbled ruefully. "Oh, why am I feeling this way! Cat has so many bad traits to him! He's over-confident and reckless and . . .!"
"Honest," Tikki suggested, "and caring and dependable."
"Be quiet and eat," Marinette said, shoving a macaroon at the kwami. "Everything you said about Cat could apply to Luka, too. And he doesn't have any of Cat's bad traits."
"No, he has his own," Tikki said between bites. "They're both human. You humans aren't perfect, no matter how much you wish to be. Even you, Marinette."
"I know," she sighed. "I'm the world's worst Guardian."
Just then the cell phone in her pocket sounded. Pulling it out, she saw her mother was calling her, probably frantic with worry.
"Just like I'm the world's worst daughter," Marinette sobbed as she put the phone away unanswered. Tikki looked up at her with sympathy.
In a loft atop a nondescript building near the Eiffel Tower, Chloe Bourgeois hung from her heels in the center of the room. Her body was cocooned with webbing, a thin but strong strand extending from her ankles to the ceiling. Blood was rushing to her head as she swayed slightly to and fro and it was giving her a headache.
But not as much of a headache as the four people surrounding her. Behind her was the horror that brought her here, Anansi, crouched on a wall like a spider waiting for prey. It was enough to make her skin crawl, if the webbing on her bare arms already didn't. To her right was Kim Chien Le, transformed once more into Dark Cupid. He stood blankly, waiting for orders, and Chloe couldn't help but think it was his natural state.
On her left was someone she couldn't recognize in her villain guise, though she overheard her called Catalyst. What she did recognize, from some intuition, was that it was Lila Rossi. It was small comfort to Chloe that she'd been right about Lila from the start. Her main concern, though, was standing in front of her. His normal violet and gray suit and cowl had a scarlet tint to it. He leaned on his cane, drinking in his power over her.
It just made Chloe so mad.
"You'd better let me go, Hawkmoth!" blustered Chloe. "My father is the mayor of this city and . . .!"
"Your father is a simpering idiot. I have no fear of his position. I could akumatize him at any time, or I could have one of my minions neutralize him with a simple snap of my fingers," Scarlet Moth replied with a superior smile. "And the name at the moment is Scarlet Moth."
"Like I care," huffed Chloe. "What is this all about? I already told you that I'm not going to join you!"
"That offer has expired," Scarlet Moth replied. "You don't seem to realize that in this augmented form I could akumatize you against your will if I chose. In this form, you would have no power to refuse me. Particularly since you've already surrendered to the power so many times in the past."
Chloe swallowed.
"But another mindless akuma drone is of no use to me," Scarlet Moth continued. "Now if I wished, I could have Dark Cupid shoot you with one of his arrows. What do you suppose that would do? Would it make you sweet and generous? Or would it make you even more of an insufferable egomaniac than you are now?"
"Just wait a minute!" fumed Chloe.
"But that's not why you're here, either," Scarlet Moth said. "I understand that you're financing a project. One that would be capable of tracing me. Is that right?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Chloe huffed.
"Anansi heard everything," Scarlet Moth told her. Chloe tensed. "And we also have confirmation from your - - partner?"
Dark Cupid reached out blankly and grasped Chloe's lower legs. Turning her, he pointed her back at Anansi. Plastered to the wall next to Anansi was a nearly cocooned Max, staring at her with fearful eyes.
"The research has been destroyed," Scarlet Moth told her, "as have all potential working models. There will be no tracker." He leaned in close to Chloe's head. "All we need to do now is convince you and the gentleman over there to abandon thoughts of pursuing this further. So, do we have an understanding?"
"I," Chloe began, then hesitated.
She didn't want to give in. She hated giving in, had always hated it since she was a little girl. And she owed so much revenge to Hawkmoth for everything that had happened to her. He was why she was despised now. He was why she had to constantly look over her shoulder in case there was a butterfly stalking her. He was why she wasn't the popular, respected person she deserved to be.
But she was clearly at a disadvantage. There was no telling what he might do to her if she said no. And no one was there to protect her; not her father, her mother, Jean, Adrien, or even Ladybug.
"Yes," she murmured.
Ladybug perched on the third floor of the Eiffel Tower, with Viperion and Queen Bee crouched next to Tiger Noir.
"Glad you could join us, M'lady," Tiger Noir smiled.
"Any luck finding any indication about where Hawkmoth is?" Ladybug asked.
"About that," Queen Bee began. "I was wondering: When Chloe was Miracle Queen, she was able to control swarms of wasps to do her bidding. Can I do that as Queen Bee?"
"I," Ladybug began. "I don't know. I'm sorry. I'm not turning out to be much of a Guardian."
"Maybe we need to try your Lucky Charm," Tiger Noir said. "We're pretty much out of ideas. And we could use a little luck."
"Whatever finds Chloe," Ladybug nodded. Her yo-yo shot up into the air as she shouted the activation phrase. In an explosion of red and black energy, an object landed in her hands.
"Is that a telescope?" Viperion asked.
"Maybe it's a special telescope that can locate snobby brats," Queen Bee suggested with a smile.
Ladybug put it to her eye. The lens magnified the buildings ahead of her, but all she saw were buildings, streets and the people traveling them. She scanned to her left with the telescope. When she focused it at Tiger Noir and Queen Bee, though, Tiger Noir began to glow with a red and black pattern. Pulling the telescope away from her eye, Ladybug saw Tiger Noir was no different than normal. But when she looked through the telescope again, he again glowed in the same manner.
"That's it!" Ladybug exclaimed. "The telescope can see people who have been upgraded by Catalyst!"
"Well we already know where I am," Tiger Noir replied.
"Hawkmoth wouldn't resurrect Catalyst unless he was going to use her on himself!" Ladybug said. "How else were there five akuma villains at the school? Hawkmoth has become Scarlet Moth again!"
"Doesn't that make him more formidable?" Viperion asked.
"But we can also track him with this!" Ladybug replied excitedly.
Leaning over the railing, she pointed the telescope north and looked through it. As the others watched in anticipation, Ladybug scanned east and then south. Curious tourists at the tower stood in a corner and watched in hushed tones, snapping pictures with their cell phones.
"I've got something!" Ladybug exclaimed. "Come on!"
Her yo-yo shot out and Ladybug was off. Her three fellow heroes weren't far behind her. The group of on-lookers clapped.
As they leaped, Ladybug glanced at her team. "OK, Chloe is the main objective. We need to make sure she's safe."
"And she hasn't been turned by Scarlet Moth," Viperion added bitterly.
"I don't think we have to worry about that," Tiger Noir said, eliciting a look of disbelief from Viperion.
"If we can disable Scarlet Moth's akuma villains, great," Ladybug continued. "If we can capture Scarlet Moth, super! But if he gets away, at least try to follow him or get his direction. Ready?"
They nodded and started forward, but Ladybug stopped them.
"You three have been a big help to me," she said. "I really appreciate it. And - - maybe we can do this again."
"I would be honored," Viperion replied.
"Just call," Queen Bee added with a smile.
"I'll always be there for you," Tiger Noir said. Ladybug felt her chest swell.
And then they were off.
There was no telling what Scarlet Moth might do to her if Chloe said no. And no one was there to protect her; not her father, her mother, Jean, Adrien, or even Ladybug.
"Yes," Chloe murmured.
At that moment, Tiger Noir crashed through the far window, followed by Ladybug, Viperion and Queen Bee.
"Oh, sure! You couldn't have gotten here two minutes sooner!" fumed Chloe.
"Cataclysm!" Tiger Noir yelled, landing and leaping in one motion to touch the web holding Chloe to the ceiling. "Get Chloe out of here! I'll get Scarlet Moth!"
"I think not, boy!" Scarlet Moth snarled. Swinging his walking stick, the villain knocked Tiger Noir to the far wall.
"I think so, Scarlet Moth!" Ladybug countered, throwing her yo-yo at him. Scarlet Moth deflected it with his walking stick.
"We've got a second victim!" Queen Bee yelled, nodding to Max as she cradled the cocooned Chloe in her arms.
"Who are you?" demanded Chloe. "And what are you doing wearing MY costume!"
"Quiet or I'll leave you here!" snapped Queen Bee. A somersault spun her over a shot of webbing thrown at her by Anansi. But her leap landed her right in front of Dark Cupid.
"I have her!" Viperion shouted, throwing her lyre like a discus.
The spinning instrument struck Anansi on the neck and shoulder. It didn't dislodge her from her perch, and Anansi turned to resume her attack. But Viperion had followed the lyre, leaping at Anansi with a kick aimed at her legs. Viperion, though, underestimated the speed of Anansi. Four arms shot out and seized Viperion by her two arms, holding the heroine at bay. While she held Viperion, Anansi shot a web at Ladybug and snagged her foot, throwing the heroine off balance. Ladybug crashed against the far wall.
"Here!" Queen Bee said as she handed Chloe off to Dark Cupid. With his arms occupied, he was a sitting duck when she leaped up and kicked him in the face. "Get her helmet off!" she shouted, her exclamation punctuated by Chloe's squeal of alarm as Dark Cupid fell.
Viperion swung her legs up and locked her ankles on either side of Anansi's headgear. Twisting with more power than she ever had as Kagami, Viperion pulled the helmet off. Instantly Anansi reverted to Nora Cesaire and toppled off of the wall. Viperion landed expertly on the floor and turned to the others.
"Look out, Queen Bee!" Viperion shouted, reaching for her bracelet.
Catalyst was creeping up behind Queen Bee, brandishing her baton as a club. But Queen Bee turned and lashed out with her fist, knocking the baton into the air.
"I've had enough of you ruining people's lives for your own ends!" Tiger Noir snarled, crouching to lunge at Scarlet Moth. "Nothing could be worth the pain and suffering you've caused!"
"You have no idea what you're talking about, Cat Noir!" Scarlet Moth seethed. "And you have no concept of what pain and suffering is! I could tell you stories - - but instead I'll just take that miraculous!"
"Yeah? Can your miraculous stand up to my power? Would that put an end to everything?" He leaped at Scarlet Moth with the strength and speed of five tigers. "CATACLYSM!"
But with speed born partly of his augmented state and partly out of desperation, Scarlet Moth again batted Tiger Noir away. The trajectory of his hand altered and drove it right into the path of Catalyst's baton. The two touched and the baton disintegrated. But his hand slid down further, brushing against the false fingernail that held Catalyst's akuma.
Cat Noir landed along the far wall, his altered state of Tiger Noir gone. He looked up for the others. Dark Cupid was at that moment fading back into Kim Chien Le. For a moment he wondered why Chloe Bourgeois was sitting on his chest. Then he decided to just enjoy it. Catalyst faded from view, replaced by a highly distraught Lila Rossi. She looked down, aghast at her familiar body, and then anxiously at the other heroes.
"No!" exclaimed Hawkmoth. For a moment he agonized at the loss of his enhanced power. Then he crouched into a defensive posture.
Cat Noir started to get up, but stopped when he heard his ring signal. Looking down, he saw only one dot left.
"Don't let him get away!" Cat Noir shouted. He, though, ran the other way and dived out the broken window so no one would see him transform back. Queen Bee and Viperion started forward. Unexpectedly, Lila threw herself up against the two heroines.
"Oh, help!" she shrieked as she grabbed both Queen Bee and Viperion. "Oh, no, it's that awful Hawkmoth again! Save me! Please protect me!"
Taking advantage of the distraction, Hawkmoth bolted out the door to the room. Ladybug spurred herself up and got to the door, then cautiously peered through it. By the time she was certain there was no ambush, Ladybug lunged through the door and out to a stairwell. But there was no sign of Hawkmoth.
"Did he get away?" Queen Bee asked, finally prying Lila off of her.
"He's slippery like that," sighed Ladybug.
"Perhaps not," Viperion replied. Then she held up her bracelet. "It does not have to be permanently. Second . . .!"
Viperion stopped and stared at the bracelet. The snake had been reset. Viperion looked up and her gaze focused on Lila.
"Did I do something wrong?" Lila asked innocently. "I apologize. But at least that horrible man is gone! I'm so grateful to you both for freeing us all from his control!"
"Did you at least see where he went?" Queen Bee asked, ignoring Lila and putting a reassuring hand on Viperion's shoulder.
"Down the stairwell and out the first floor door," Ladybug said. "Beyond that, no."
"Um, hello!" yelled Chloe. "Do you think you can get THESE WEBS OFF OF ME SOMETIME BEFORE I TURN TWENTY-ONE?"
Max murmured a loud assent.
Concluded in Chapter 12