MIRACLE QUEEN'S AFTERMATH
Chapter 12: Goal Achieved
by Bill K.
"At least we saved everyone. Good work!" Ladybug told everyone, trying to be upbeat in the face of events.
"Sadly, Hawkmoth escaped," Viperion replied.
"Yeah, thanks to a few 'unfortunate incidents'," Queen Bee added, glancing suspiciously at Lila.
"I hope you don't think I was helping that horrible man escape!" gasped Lila. "He was controlling me! I want to be as far away from him as possible!"
"Hmm," Viperion remarked, staring at the girl. "I'm thinking you are an AB."
"W-What?" Lila asked, hopelessly confused.
"It can't be helped," offered Ladybug. "Cat Noir and I don't have a very good track record at capturing Hawkmoth. We'll get him next time." She glanced around. "Um, where's Cat Noir?"
"He made a quick exit," Queen Bee replied. "I think he was about to transform."
"WILL SOMEBODY GET ME OUT OF THESE STUPID WEBS!" bellowed Chloe. By now Kim had slithered out from under her and was over at the wall, trying to pull Max away from it.
"Allow me," Ladybug said. The others noticed that she still had the telescope in her hand. "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!" she shouted, tossing it into the air. Black and red energy exploded from the telescope and moments later the damage to the loft was repaired and the two akuma victims were free.
"Hmpf! It's about time! And after all I went through to help you, even if you DON'T deserve it!" snapped Chloe. She then got up into Queen Bee's face. "Just because Ladybug was foolish enough to give you Pollen DOESN'T mean you'll be a better Queen Bee than me! Nobody will ever be a better Queen Bee than me! And besides, that brown and orange hair with that yellow and black suit just makes you look ridiculous!"
"Careful. I still have my stingers," Queen Bee replied contemptuously.
"Help me?" Ladybug asked. "What do you mean? And why did Hawkmoth have you two anyway?"
"I had an idea to use Markov's sensor readings as a means to track Hawkmoth's telepathic communications via electromagnetic spikes," Max spoke up. "Chloe was going to finance a prototype - - if I managed to perfect the process." He sighed forlornly. "But Anansi destroyed Markov and my computer before I could test my theory."
"Well," Ladybug began, "maybe - - and I'm not promising anything - - but maybe my miraculous energy restored Markov and your computer."
"And if it didn't, I'll buy you a new one," Chloe added.
"And you could rebuild Markov, couldn't you?" Ladybug persisted. "After all, you built him once."
"Oh, no question," Max replied. "I have his schematics at home and a backup of his hard drive stored on several flash drives." His shoulders slumped. "It just means it'll be that much longer before I can even find out if I'm able to track Hawkmoth's telepathic communications."
"Then the sooner you get started, the sooner you'll finish," Chloe said, one eyebrow raised. "Daddy's waiting to write the check." She turned to Ladybug. "You might as well retire, Ladybug, for all the good you've done. I'll be the one who destroys Hawkmoth."
"Let's hope it's soon," Ladybug smiled. At that moment, Cat Noir perched on the window sill.
"What did I miss?" he asked.
"It was nice of you to let Queen Bee and Viperion keep their miraculous," Cat Noir said. The pair were perched atop the roof of the loft. Everyone else had departed for home.
"Well, Hawkmoth is still out there," Ladybug replied. "We may need them on a moment's notice."
She noticed him smiling at her. Ladybug felt her cheeks grow hot.
"And they didn't reveal their identities this time, so it should be safe," she continued. "I always thought Master Fu was being overly cautious by making me reclaim the miraculous. It would be kind of nice to have back up at a moment's notice."
"You don't think I'm enough?" Cat Noir teased.
"You're more than enough, Kitty," Ladybug smiled cynically. "Sometimes you're too much." She yawned. "Oh, this was a tiring two days. I'll be glad when we finally beat Hawkmoth and put an end to this."
"Maybe Max's theories will pan out," Cat Noir suggested. He noticed Ladybug was about to swing off. "If it does happen - - if Hawkmoth is finally neutralized and we don't need to worry about him anymore," and he paused for a pregnant moment, "do you think it would be all right - - for us to know each other's identities then?"
"Cat . . ." she sighed.
"I know, you saw something when Bunnix showed you the future," Cat Noir cut off the protest. "But that was for Hawkmoth. I just - - I like what we have now. And you know how I feel about you. I just want to know more about you. I want to know everything about you."
"We're a good team," Ladybug replied. "I'd like to keep it that way. And knowing each other's identities could ruin that."
"Oblivio says differently," Cat reminded her. "There's even pictures."
"Honestly I'm going to kill Alya for posting that," muttered Ladybug. "Bunnix sides with me. And I trust Bunnix over anything Oblivio caused. Just because our trust in each other and our team chemistry may have - - inspired - - something else - - doesn't mean it'll last. It might be the road to breaking us up."
"This is about that guy you love, isn't it?" Cat Noir murmured and she could hear the pain in his voice.
"No, it's not," Ladybug replied. "That's past. I waited too long to try to tell him how I felt. Now it's too late."
"I'm sorry," Cat Noir said. "Even if it is good news for me, I'm sorry if you got hurt by it. I never want to see you hurt. You'll find someone else - - someone better."
"I doubt he'll be better," Ladybug mumbled. Then she spurred herself to stand. "Just like I doubt I could find a better partner than you, Cat. Get some rest. There's no telling when we're going to be needed again."
And she swung off before he could reply. Cat Noir watched her swing off.
Almost got her.
Blocks away, Ladybug landed in an alley behind a dumpster. A wave of fatigue washed over her, forcing her to sit against a wall.
"Spot's off," Ladybug said. Moments later, Marinette cradled Tikki in her hands. "How are you doing, Tikki?"
"Ready for a long rest," the kwami sighed. "But if you need me . . .!"
"No," Marinette breathed, her eyelids drooping. "It was a pretty long fight, though. And maybe Cat is right; maybe Max . . .will. . ."
Tikki looked up and found her mistress sleeping against the wall. She wondered what, if anything, she should do. It reminded her of the incident in the twelveth century; but her train of thought was interrupted when she heard footsteps in the alley.
Marinette's eyes opened. It took a moment, but she realized that she was being carried. She remembered that she had been sitting in an alley and was overcome by a wave of fatigue. A glance told her that she was Marinette and not Ladybug. Anxiously she tried to slide down out of the arms that carried her.
"Relax, Marinette," Tom said gently. "I have you."
"Dad?" Marinette asked. "What happened? Where did you . . .?"
"I was out looking for you," Tom said, unsuccessfully swallowing his emotion. "Thank God I found you."
Marinette nuzzled in against her father's broad chest.
"I'm sorry if you were worried," she mumbled.
"How did you end up in that alley?" he asked.
Marinette remained silent, wondering what to tell him.
"Do you remember anything?"
"I was walking home from school," she began, "with Luka. Is Luka all right?"
"Yes. He had a brush with that Hawkmoth fellow, but he's all right now. He was asking about you. What else do you remember?"
"There was," Marinette proceeded carefully, "this woman in white. She made Luka disappear. And then," and her mind began to edit, "and then I was in your arms. Have I been gone long?"
"Far too long for your mother's taste and mine," Tom told her. "It's been over a day."
"Sorry," Marinette whispered.
"Don't be sorry," Tom assured her. "It's that Hawkmoth who should be sorry. Disrupting people's lives like this; it isn't right. It's gotten so that a-a man can't even protect his little girl anymore." They walked on, Marinette still in his arms. "One day - - one day a reckoning will come and then we won't have to worry about him anymore."
"I hope it's soon," murmured Marinette. "Dad, you can put me down now. I'm perfectly capable of walking."
"You're not that heavy," Tom grinned.
"Dad," she sighed.
"I've lifted sacks of flour that were heavier than you," he maintained. His smile grew nostalgic. "It's just like the old days, isn't it?"
"Just like the old days," she said, laying her head on his chest. "I'm sorry I worried you."
Tom turned a corner and the bakery was in sight. Looking out the window was Sabine. When she saw them, her face lit up with joy. It was a sight Tom always lived for.
Alya entered her apartment not knowing what to expect. The first encouraging sign was the front windows being good as new. Good old Ladybug.
"I'm home!" she called out. Seconds later Ella and Etta came piling out of the kitchen. They ran straight for her and grabbed her around the thighs, nearly sending her toppling. Moments later, Otis stood in the kitchen doorway.
"What was school like?" gasped Ella.
"Did you fight an akuma?" exclaimed Etta.
"What's Ladybug like?" Ella queried.
"What did you bring us?" added Etta.
"Girls, sit!" Otis said gruffly. The twins ran into the kitchen, laughing. "Are you all right, Alya?"
"Yeah," Alya sighed. "I just came home from school. It's not like I was in an akuma fight or anything."
"Excuse me for worrying," Otis huffed. At the mention of Ladybug, the twins roared out of the kitchen again and began chasing each other around the living room.
"Thank you for worrying, Dad," Alya said patiently.
"Hey, Alya! Glad you're back!" Nora said as she entered the apartment. Alya could see she had been sparring.
"You, too," Alya replied. "How are you doing?"
Nora shrugged. "I sparred it out. One of these days I hope I get my hands on that Hawkmoth. I'd like to go ten rounds with him - - and I wouldn't need ten rounds."
"I feel you," Alya nodded, reflecting on her own growing phobia about being akumatized. Then she felt her father's arm around her waist. He gestured to Nora and pulled her in.
"We stay together," he told them. "That way we stay strong. If it happens again, we handle it, just like our family always has. Whether its here or in Martinique, we handle it."
Alya patted his head, since she was taller than him. Nora did, too, since she was taller than them both. Then she felt her phone go off.
"Hello?" Alya said. "Oh, hi Nino." She saw both Otis and Nora make a face and stuck her tongue out at them. "What was that? I can barely hear! Hold on!" She turned to the twins, still chasing each other around the room. "Would you two be quiet!"
"NO!" they said in unison and continued to chase each other.
Kagami and Adrien walked up to her residence. The two waited awkwardly for a few moments while each one waited for the other to say something. In the Agreste car, The Gorilla waited patiently for Adrien.
"Thank you for bringing me home," Kagami said finally.
"It was no problem," Adrien told her.
"Now to explain to Mother," Kagami sighed.
"Do you want me to come in with you? I can give you some support. I kind of know what having a strict parent is like."
"No," Kagami replied. "Thank you for the offer, but your presence may do more harm than good."
"Doesn't she like me?" Adrien asked.
"Don't take it personally," Kagami grimaced. "Mother . . . you are gaijin and Mother does not fully trust gaijin. She deals with your father, but that's strictly business."
"OK," Adrien replied and she could tell he was disappointed. "See you at school tomorrow. And let me know if I can do anything."
"You are very kind," Kagami said, turning slightly to hide her blushing cheeks.
Opening the door, Kagami found Tomoe sitting in a chair in the living room. Tomoe's head turned the moment the teen entered.
"Kagami?" Tomoe asked.
"Yes, Mother," Kagami replied.
"You are well?"
"Yes, Mother," Kagami replied. "There was some trouble at school, but Ladybug and Cat Noir were able to handle it."
"They captured Hawkmoth?"
"No. He escaped."
"Allowing an enemy to escape?" Tomoe remarked. "Most inefficient. Were you able to practice while school was shut down?"
"No, Mother."
"Then you have time for a short session," Tomoe replied. "I will have dinner prepared."
As Tomoe rose from her chair, Kagami bowed and headed for their private gym. All the while, she wished Adrien were training with her. And she wondered if he really was Cat Noir.
The next morning, Adrien picked up his backpack and headed out the door to his room. As he headed for breakfast, he wondered if his father or Nathalie would be there. Breakfast always seemed better when one of them was there, no matter how distant they were.
It had been a long day previously. Adrien had barely gotten his school work done before nodding off. As such, he'd missed piano practice. Hopefully his father had been too busy to notice. Fortunately Nathalie had been out, because she would have.
As he turned a corner, Adrien spotted his father in the hall, and Nathalie was with him. They seemed to be engaged in a very serious conversation. Assuming it was more stuffy financial concerns, Adrien approached them.
"I'm glad to see you back, Nathalie," Adrien smiled timidly.
"I'm glad to be back, Adrien," Nathalie replied. If you looked hard enough, one could almost detect a hint of a smile on her lips. "Did you finish the piano lesson I left for you?"
Adrien grew uncomfortable. "No," he admitted. "I was really tired out from yesterday and I kind of dozed off after my homework." He grinned shyly. "Dodging akuma villains will do that to you."
"Were you threatened?" Gabriel asked.
"No more than anybody else," he replied.
"I see," Gabriel nodded. "I'll speak to your bodyguard. Perhaps he needs to wait by the school in case it's attacked."
"I don't want any special treatment," Adrien protested.
"Nonsense. His job is to protect you. Now go down to breakfast."
"Yes, sir," Adrien nodded. Once again he ran up against the brick wall that was his father. The only thing that buoyed his spirits was the knowledge that he'd be in school soon with his friends.
"Perhaps the akuma villains could be a little more," Nathalie suggested, "discriminate?"
"If possible," Gabriel replied. "But that mustn't interfere with their main task. And I doubt that Adrien was in any real danger. Perhaps I need to be a little more discriminating about who I choose."
"Lila?"
"Her lack of competence is annoying," Gabriel said, " but her - - 'enthusiasm' - - is concerning."
"Particularly if she decided to turn that 'enthusiasm' against you?" Nathalie wondered out loud.
"I have enough to concern myself over with Ladybug being the new Guardian. I don't need Lila Rossi making a play for my power," Gabriel assessed. "Anyway, the last mission was merely to keep Ladybug and Cat Noir busy while I repaired the Peacock Miraculous and you recovered." He smiled a predator's smile. "And now that both have occurred, we can begin."
Conclusion