Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug or it's characters.
Chapter 34,
Tikki moved between the two cells, relaying messages like a carrier pigeon, until they had a well-formulated plan. Or at least, it was a good way to bust out and follow Hawkeye up to where Major General Chris was.
Of course at this point Hawk Moth and Major General Chris we're still looking for Ladybug and Cat Noir.
"Where are they?" Hawk Moth asked in announcing and Major General Chris could only shrug.
"I've checked the hospitals, they weren't wounded. I've got military soldiers up and down, north and east of here. I've got movie killers ruling the south and west. We should have found those meanies already." Major General Chris said and Hawk Moth couldn't help but groan.
All he wanted to do was to ask Nathalie for her opinion, but he hasn't been able to contact her at all. Perhaps it has something to do with all of the 1950's esq. stuff he brought to life. Perhaps it effected the cell service since they didn't really have cell phones back then.
"Major General Chris, I am prepared to give you the field report." Soldier Nino said professionally.
"Have you found them?" Major General Chris asked and Nino breathed into
"It's unconfirmed." Nino said.
"What does that mean?" Major General Chris asked annoyed and Nino looked at his clipboard.
"After communicating with our multiple bases, we have 850 individuals in captivity, and most were without their identification." Nino explained further.
"UGH! Where are those weirdos!" Major General Chris said.
"Sir, we need to discuss the distribution of our rations. Everyone is getting 599 rations, and that's too much for our smaller bases and it's not enough for the larger bases and MASH units-"
"Again with rations!?! The only food-related thing I want to see, is a tub of ice cream being sent up here!" Major General Chris said as he switched over to a Soldier player in his game.
"Alright sir, we will send that up right away." Soldier Nino said.
"Good." Major General Chris said.
"Then perform we should discuss the casualty rate. We have 600 allies who need their compensation sent, along with 750 wounded that need to be transferred to better hospitals, and then 200 wounded are being sent home on disability, so they'll need to be replaced; not to mention the 140 MIA's and the 1050 deaths that need telegrams sent to the states-"
"Can't you see that I'm busy!" Major General Chris shouted.
"Well, I understand that you're working on battle strategy along with hand-eye coordination, but we need consent and answers for things." Soldier Nino said and Major General Chris glared at him.
"Talk to me in an hour, maybe I'll answer your questions then." Major General Chris said and Nino hesitated.
"But sir, you've been saying that for the past 3 hours." Nino pleaded.
"And I'll probably say it again, an hour from now." Major General Chris said.
"But sir-"
"Ah! Dismissed." Major General Chris said, this time he pointed at the door and Nino unwillingly walked out of the room. When he stepped outside, he saw Alya walking up to him. Since Nino was a Brigadier General and Alya was a Major, Alya saluted her commanding officer and he saluted back.
"General, there is a prisoner very admit about talking to the Major General." Soldier Alya informed him and Soldier Niko sighed.
"Even if there were regulations that provided prisoners with that request, I doubt that the Major General is up to seeing or talking to anyone." Soldier Nino replies and Soldier Alya blinked.
"I understand that it might not be exactly kosher, but he seemed rather eager to speak with him." Soldier Alya said and Aoldier Nino rose an eyebrow at her.
"What are his circumstances?" Soldier Nino asked and Soldier Alya took a breath.
"Well, sir, he is a doctor. He showed up to the building with a nurse and two patients. He was singing the Star-Spangled Banner when we pulled him in." Soldier Alya said and Soldier Nino blinked.
"A doctor, and a nurse with patients? It's possible that they got lost on the way to a hospital, and they simply want to heal their patients." Soldier Nino said.
"We put the male patients with him and the female patient with the nurse. If they really need medical attention, they are technically with a professional." Soldier Alya stated.
"Yes, but still, even the most talented medical staff can only do so much without the proper medical equipment. What was the state of the patients?" Soldier Nino asked.
"The female had bandages on her leg, and the male had bandages on his shoulder. I suspect that they were shot." Soldier Alya reported.
"Ours, theirs, or local?" Soldier Nino said and Soldier Alya shrugged.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. They seem to be wearing high end Halloween costumes." Soldier Alya said and Soldier Nino blinked.
"Wow. Even if it was the time of year to be wearing costumes, rarely anyone I know can afford high end materials. They must be highly talented or very rich... any names on the dog tags?" Soldier Nino asked.
"The nurse is Margaret Houlihan and the doctor is Benjamin Franklin Pierce... the patients has no identification on them." Alya said and Soldier Nino blinked.
"Pierce? Dr. Pierce? Hmm..." He paused to think and Soldier Alya watched him carefully.
"I'll tell you what, Major. If you want go in there and convince the Major General to talk to that Doctor, then have at it. I think he's pretty tired of dealing with me anyways." Soldier Nino said and Soldier Alya smiled.
"Thank you General." Soldier Alya said kindly which made the General blush.
"You're welcome Major. And good luck." Soldier Nino said as he opened the door up for Alya.
As Alya entered the room, she looked around at the dark filthy space she found herself in. Melted ice cream splattered about, though that was hardly noticeable next to the cans of spilled soda and the mine field of chips on the ground. The only real light that was found was from the barely noticeable ledge at the edge of the room. An edge that is only accessible by a frail looking ladder.
She ascended the ladder carefully and she saw the Major General sitting in a chair with a joy stick. The table he was sitting in was round and had multiple TV's upon it. She watched him a moment playing on one screen and then he lowered his hand, spun the table to another tv and started playing the new one. A lazy susan entertainment center?
"Major General." Soldier Alya said.
"You back, stink breath? I told you to go away and leave me alone for an hour." Major General Chris Snapple's at her and she scoffed, but swallowed the words she almost said.
"Sir, there is doctor that we've captured that would like to speak to you." Soldier Alya said. The Major General turned and he was surprised to see Alya instead of Nino.
"You're not stink breath. What are you doing here?" Major General Chris said and Alya blinked.
"Well, we've just captured some prisoners and there is a Dr. Pierce that wishes to speak to you directly." Soldier Alya said.
"Well, I'm busy. Can't you see-... what was that name again?" Major General Chris asked.
"His dog tags say Dr. Pierce." Soldier Alya stated and Major General Chris paused.
"I think that's the name of that fun doctor on MASH. No wonder I couldn't find his character earlier; I wanted to play him." Major General Chris said.
"Well he wants to talk to you." Soldier Alya said again and Major General Chris smiled.
"Really? Cool. Send him up." Major General Chris said and Soldier Alya walked off.
"What do you think you're doing Chris? We still need to find Ladybug and Cat Noir." Hawk Moth said annoyed and Chris crosses his arms over his chest.
"That's Major General Chris to you Hawk Moth. I'm a big kid after all. Practically an adult." Chris said.
"An adult would be wise to remember that I gave you your powers, and I could turn them against you whenever I please." Hawk Moth said.
"Oh yeah? How?" Chris asked with a scoff. In that moment, his game turned off, and he was left in darkness. He blinked in confusion, and then he tried to turn the game back on but it appeared to be broken.
"Did you turn off my game?" Chris asked and he heard Hawk Moth chuckle.
"I can do so much more then that." Hawk Moth said.
All of a sudden all of the gaming screens turned on, and Chris winced at the bright light. He was playing as a soldier and the avatar straightened his back and slowly turned around to look at Chris. The soldiers eyes were blackish-purple and he looked possessed in a way.
"I've given you power in order to find the Ladybug and Cat Noir Miraculous." Hawk Moth said, using the soldier as a vessel to speak through, like a puppet.
"How are you doing that?" Chris asked and the soldier laughed Hawk Moth's laugh; and the entertainment lazy Susan started to rotate slowly. The next screen showed a doctor in the middle of surgery and he looked up and stared at Chris with black/purple eyes.
"There is much I can do, young Christopher." The doctor said with Hawk Moth's voice. The next screen showed an egg hatching; and out from that egg came a slimy gremlin with black-purple eyes, and a demonic grin.
"I have the power to move your body against your will." Hawk Moth said through the gremlin. Then Chris became scared when he felt his arm jerk and it knocked off everything off the table beside him. Chris tried to grab his arm and make himself stop, but it wouldn't obey.
"I thought big kids didn't get scared." The gremlin mocked before licking it's slimy green lips.
"I-I ain't scared." Chris said, but he could barely ignore the trembling of his body as he regained control of his arm. The screens started rotating faster and faster and Chris saw the soldier, the doctor, and the monster, doing the same movements and facial expressions.
"I can take the power away from you." They all said in Hawk Moth's voice, echoing in a way that made Chris' skin crawl.
"Seems like many Parisians are unaware of the power I possess because of my unfortunate choices for villains to fight Ladybug and Cat Noir." They said and Chris looked away. He told himself that he was a good person... a good boy... was he really an evil villain?
"I hold more power then both Ladybug and Cat Noir; make no mistake about that." Chris looked up and the lazy susan was rotating so quickly, the only thing Chris could recognize was a large set of eyes burning a hole into his head. Then suddenly this swirling vortex shut off and Chris was left in darkness, but only for a moment.
When the lights returned, the susan was still once more and it was back on the soldier Chris was playing before. He was not looking at Chris, but instead he was fighting among his comrades as if nothing had happened. Was it a dream?
"Of course, I am reasonable. I let others live out their dreams and revenge and such, and I only ask for the jewels. I think that's a fair trade." Hawk Moth said calmly, which almost scared Chris more then him being angry.
"If you give me the jewels young Christopher. You can remain the Major General for the rest of your days." Hawk Moth reminded him and Chris looked at his game and smiled.
"I'll find them." Major General Chris said.
Without either of them realizing it, Four prisoners locked in their different have already been planning their escape. The plan was simple, truth be told. When Hawkeye was escorted to talk to Major General Chris, Tikki would gather disguises for the rest of them and unlock their doors, so that they can follow Hawkeye.
Of course, it didn't automatically mean that the rest of this was gonna be easy. They still had to battle Major General Chris and find his akuma. But hopefully this will all be over soon.