DAY ELEVEN: CUPID'S ARROW
Monday.
February 13th.
One day left.
With frost-cold butterflies whirring like a storm in her stomach and chest, Marinette marked the day with an X on her wall calendar. She took several deep breaths, clipped the pen lid back on, and dropped the marker on her desk. It rolled loudly across the wood then clattered on the floor.
"One more day," she muttered. "One more day. Then it's tomorrow. Then...oh, Tikki, I can't do this."
"Why not?"
"I'm scared. It's going to go wrong, again."
"Marinette." Tikki's sharp tone and unimpressed glare was enough to shut her up. "What happens will happen. Even if it goes wrong, it doesn't matter. Would you rather not do it at all and have to live with the regret?"
Marinette pursed her lips. Honestly, not doing it at all was sounding more and more appealing, but she knew that Tikki was right. She would regret it. And even if she didn't, Alya and the others would be sure to change that.
Even so, usually when cooking up a confession scheme, the trepidation was overshadowed by daydreams of romance and hope. But this time the trepidation was stronger, and no amount of hopeful romance could overpower it. Instead, there was a distinct lack of conviction, supported by an undercurrent of nausea.
"I'll do it," she mumbled. "Even if it goes wrong. I'll do it."
All in all, the day had been unremarkable. The final lesson, history, consisted of a long, dull lecture about the Franks and Charlemagne and possibly something else that Marinette hadn't paid attention to. She had been too busy staring across the room at the window where a couple of older students were lounging beneath a tree. At one point during the lecture, the couple stood; one walked away, and the other lingered for only a few more minutes before slumping out of view.
The scene made a sick feeling bloom in Marinette's stomach. It looked too much like an omen; a confession going wrong, leaving one party embarrassed and awkward, and the other in despair.
Or, she told herself, forcing her eyes back on the teacher, they were just friends going separate ways for the day, or a pair of lovers who had other engagements.
However, when the lecture had finished and she was finally free for the day, she suspected that her first thought had been correct. No sooner had she stepped through the door into the winter sun than an arrow shot past her nose and buried itself in the grass several feet away. Unless King Charlemagne had finally awoken to take back France and Germany, there was only one explanation.
Akuma.
Marinette attempted to turn around and go back inside so she could find somewhere private to transform, but a solid wall of students trying to leave stopped her. Chloé was among them, and by her rapidly pinking face she was growing frustrated.
"What are you doing, Dupain-Cheng? Stop blocking the door!" She shoved, hard, and Marinette tumbled out onto the pavement. Students poured out around her, unaware of the danger. She almost thought she'd imagined it, but there was the arrow, gleaming weakly. So where was the…
Another arrow, bright silver but glinting red, slammed into the pavement next to her foot. This caught the students' attention, and all of a sudden they became a stampede; some trying to run as far from the school as possible, others struggling to get back inside to relative safety. Marinette could barely get up in the rush, let alone find somewhere private. If she wasn't too careful, she would end up getting injured before she could transform.
Then, suddenly, she wasn't on the floor anymore but instead sailing through the air, crushed against a warm chest. Chat Noir, she thought. He'd arrived, thank goodness. But she realised the arms were wrong. They were slightly larger, more padded with muscle, and clad in teal instead of black. When she looked up, she found Viperion's serious face above hers, lips pulled taut as he vaulted away from the school, arms wound tight and comforting around her body.
It must be nice to be a civilian instead of a superhero. That way she could enjoy this little ride then go home and daydream about the handsome hero without instead having to double back immediately and join in the fight.
Her face flushed; was it betraying Adrien to think Viperion handsome? To distract herself, she squirmed a little to peer over his shoulder, looking for signs of the akuma.
Viperion may have taken this as a sign she wanted to be put down and stopped in a quiet side street. He placed her gently on the ground, his vibrant eyes flicking up and down, searching for signs of injury. "Are you alright?" he asked. She suddenly noticed that his face was bleeding from a long, thin cut across his cheek. He also looked slightly unwell; pale-skinned and bright-eyed.
"Are you alright?" she retorted. "You're bleeding!"
He nonchalantly wiped the cut, smearing blood. His bracelet had been activated; why hadn't he gone back in time to stop himself getting hurt? "I'll be fine once Ladybug gets here," he said. "Speaking of, I need to go back. I haven't seen either of them yet. I think maybe they're in a class or something. This one's pretty dangerous."
"If I see them I'll tell them," Marinette promised. Viperion flashed her a smile, nodded, and turned to leave, but stopped when she called out, "Wait!" She fished a pack of plasters out of her bag—her emergency stash for the small cuts—and offered him one. "Sorry about the colour."
Surprise flashed across his face along with a faint blush as he took the plaster. "Thank you," he said and swiftly departed.
She waited until he was out of sight before opening her purse to give Tikki a wide-eyed stare. "How long has this akuma been out?"
Tikki shook her head. "I don't know. You'd best transform and help Viperion. He isn't used to close combat."
"You're right. Spots On!"
With her outfit donned, Ladybug swung out of the side street and practically flew back towards the school, eyes darting around for the akuma or one of her teammates, but she saw no sign of either until she landed on the roof of Françoise Dupont. Arrows littered the area, and she just caught sight of something leaping down into the courtyard. She sprinted across the roof, just as someone else joined her. Chat Noir with his ever-present grin.
"What's it today, milady?"
"I'm not sure. An archer judging by these arrows."
Chat Noir stooped down as he ran to scoop up one of the weapons. "Hmm, why do these look familiar?"
"Have you ever seen an arrow before?"
"Yeah."
"That's why."
As one, they leaped off the roof and landed elegantly in the courtyard. Students were huddled around the edges, pressing themselves against the walls as if this might afford them some protection. Viperion and the akuma were in the centre, locked in combat, too close together for the akuma to shoot.
The akuma was a male figure, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, wearing a toga. It was fastened on both shoulders by golden heart-shaped pins, and he wore matching sandals with straps winding up his calves. A large quiver was slung across his back, filled with silver, scarlet, and black arrows. His bow, he was using as a staff in his attempts to hit Viperion, who was defending himself with his lyre.
"Hawkmoth's struggling, isn't he," Chat Noir commented, leaning nonchalantly on his baton and shaking his head. "We've already had a cupid one. Who are you...Dark Cupid 2.0? Electric Boogaloo?"
"Very funny," Viperion grunted. "Could you guys help now?"
Chat Noir vaulted across the courtyard, foot extended, and landed a hard kick on the akuma, sending him careening across the tarmac. Viperion used the opportunity to sprint to Ladybug, breathing heavily. He looked a little more his colour, and his cut was covered by the pink plaster.
"Sorry, I'm not so good on my own," he panted. "I saw him turn outside the school. Tried to shoot someone with a red arrow, but I missed. Silver arrows are like, well, arrows. Real arrows. Not sure what the red ones do, then there are black ones."
Ladybug nodded as Chat Noir grappled with the villain. Although she felt a little guilty leaving him to fight alone, she needed to gather information to devise a strategy. "This isn't the first cupid-themed akuma, but the other one made people hate each other. Have you still got your Second Chance?"
He shook his head, as expected. "Had to use it earlier. He set himself up by the school entrance, to shoot students as they came out. Silver arrows. They do real damage—I think Hawkmoth's aiming to kill with this one. Or at least he's not above it… Had to make sure I could stop him. I know your Miraculous Cure would probably...I didn't want to take the chance."
Dread flooded her insides like a bucket of ice. Her eyes flickered to the plaster. "Did you stop him from attacking students?"
His eyes dulled; his lips tightened. "The second time," he murmured.
Another helping of ice as Ladybug realised it was her who'd walked out the door first, and that arrow hadn't missed by much. And if he'd only stopped him the second time…
She coughed and swallowed down the nausea clawing up her throat. "Right. Good. Okay. So silver arrows are like real arrows. Red arrows...he tried to shoot a girl?" The couple outside the window; the boy walking away dejected. "Maybe they induce love or something. Black arrows could be hatred again."
"We might find out," Viperion said, nodding towards the akuma, who'd put enough distance in between himself and Chat Noir to pull a black arrow from his quiver, only to turn suddenly and aim it at Ladybug. "Look out!"
She didn't move fast enough, but Viperion did. He shoved her—hard—to one side then collapsed as the arrow hit his shoulder. There was no blood; the arrow disappeared into his skin as if it were merely smoke and mirrors. Ladybug watched him ease himself onto his arms and knees, face blank. She half-expected his lips to turn black, but they didn't. Instead, the whites of his eyes darkened, making the bright green irises stand out like a blazing ring of light.
"Viperion?" She stood and offered a cautious hand.
He looked at it, confused, then his face crumpled into disgust. He roughly grabbed her hand but instead of standing he tugged her down and pinned her to the ground. Despite his lack of experience, he was still physically stronger and soon had her squirming beneath him, lyre above his head, ready to slam it into her head…
"Ladybug!"
Viperion was swatted away like an insect by a rolled-up newspaper and skidded across the floor. Chat Noir flipped into view as Ladybug clambered to her feet, yoyo swinging, ready to defend herself. "You remember when Dark Cupid got you?" she asked.
New Cupid loaded a new arrow, silver, and Viperion stood with his lyre ready to throw.
"No," Chat Noir replied.
"That's what you were like. Hold him back for me, but don't hurt him."
"I would never."
"Go!"
Chat Noir kicked off to meet Viperion again, hand-to-hand whilst Ladybug sprinted towards the akuma. The arrow flew; she ducked to avoid it. Another arrow; she swung to the side. A third arrow; she ducked again and flung out her yoyo. It wrapped around his legs, and with a tug he crumpled.
"Good offence," she said, closing the distance and kicking the bow out of his hand. "But your defence is lacking. Now where's the akuma…Oof!"
Apparently, he still had some fight left in him. He delivered a two-legged kick which knocked her off her feet then grabbed a new arrow. Without his bow he was forced to use the arrow as a dagger which he tried to stab her with. Ladybug caught his hand, grunting at his brute strength. Hawkmoth was getting cleverer; he'd given this akuma a good weapon and enhanced strength.
With a second, louder grunt, she pushed New Cupid away, dislodging the yoyo from his legs, and made a run for the bow, glinting in the sunlight nearby. Ladybug managed to snatch it up, but moments later was tackled by a teal blur.
Viperion. Again. She needed to snap him out of it, but how? Using the bow to hold off his attempts at pummelling her, she thought back to Dark Cupid. A kiss had been what saved Chat Noir, but it was Viperion's eyes that had changed, not his lips. Would it still work? Or had Hawkmoth closed up that loophole too?
"You need to snap out of this!" she hissed. Even if a kiss would work, there was no way she could land one on him when he was so intent on hurting her. Chat Noir, ever the posturer, and had taken time to taunt when he was infected, but Viperion was like a man possessed.
Speaking of, what was Chat Noir doing?
With one teammate missing, and the other in a murderous rage, Ladybug had no choice but to summon her lucky charm. Awkwardly, as she was still holding off Viperion's assault, she threw her yoyo to the side and evoked the power.
A mirror materialised in her hand. In desperation, she held the mirror in front of her face, scrambling for some way of using it to either cure Viperion or get him off of her. Then, suddenly, both happened at once.
"Ladybug?"
He stopped trying to attack, and when she lowered the mirror she found his eyes had turned back to normal. "Viperion?"
He quickly climbed off of her, raising a hand to gingerly touch the plaster on his cheek. "What happened? Was I-"
"The akuma. Where is it? What object?" she interrupted. New Cupid had done enough damage as it was. "You saw him turn, right?"
He nodded, still looking dazed. "Bag. He had a bag…"
"The quiver," she muttered, standing. "It must be the quiver."
But the akuma had disappeared, and Chat Noir was...chatting to one of the students? Growling, Ladybug marched over to him and grabbed his shoulder to spin him around. "Chat, what are you-"
She stopped abruptly. His eyes had turned pink. "Ladybug? Sorry, can I just finish this-"
"No, Chat! Akuma! Come on!"
He sighed dramatically and reached for the hand of one of the students. "I'm sorry, mademoiselle, but I have to just save Paris real quick."
"Chat!"
"I'm coming!"
They eventually found the akuma behind the school, pointing a red arrow at the face of a quivering young woman. Fortunately, he hadn't noticed them yet; he was too busy moaning at the poor girl, who was desperately trying to placate him.
"Chat, I need you to use cataclysm on the quiver," Ladybug whispered. "That's where the akuma is." She rolled her eyes when he only pouted in response. "Then you can go back to flirting."
Still pouting, he nodded and slunk forward. Ladybug prayed to whatever powers may be that nothing else went wrong, that he was able to just destroy the quiver, release the akuma, and then they could all go home.
Apparently, the powers that be heard her prayer and, more outstandingly, granted it. The quiver disintegrated, the akuma slipped free, and Ladybug snapped it up in her yoyo. With one hand she set it free, purified, and with the other she threw her mirror into the air to reset everything.
New Cupid dissolved into a dishevelled teenager, Chat's eyes turned back green, the plaster disappeared from Viperion's face.
Finally, it was over.
