AN: Hello everyone, It's been an odd ride for the Miraculous series. I do believe there's been a lot of injustice, sadly. Many plot holes and poor writing; however, I'm sure we can all agree we love the concept, but not fans of the poor execution. But that's what Fanfiction is for! So from this point on, a lot of things will be un-canon, except for character personalities. Much of the main series concepts will either be fleshed out more, or removed (I am not sure how on earth the writers thought to reveal their identities so willingly and give miraculous out like candy...ugh..I can't) So, yes, I will be correcting that part, at least. Events and actions will have consequences, and the story will be geared more for late teens. So, I will introduce darker/mature themes as the story progresses.
Of course, suggestions, comments/critiques are welcomed! I would love to know your opinions thus far in the series, and what fans would love to see in the series itself. That way, at least us writers can incorporate it in our stories for you all to enjoy.
Thank you and happy reading!
Chapter 4: Guardian
Cherry wood stairs creaked achingly beneath her feet. Slowly, and with much reproach, Claire stared insistently at Adrien's back. With each step they took up the stairs of the residential quarters, the louder her heat beat within her chest. The third floor appeared, and Adrien reigned his pace in front of a particular apartment unit. With an odd look about the teen boy, his eyes beckoned her closer, "We're here," Adrien cleared his throat, before tentatively knocking against the front door.
"Come in, it is open," came a sage-like voice, riddled from a distant time and land.
The teens motioned themselves inside. Claire was greeted by the warm air wafting in from the large veranda window open to all of Paris. Timeless Chinese knick-knacks and green florals decorated the quaint apartment, bringing a sense of mysticism. In the middle of the living room, Claire's enchanted eyes fell upon an older gentleman, adorned in plain islander clothes and taking thoughtful sips of his afternoon tea. The scent of ginseng was immediate, and calmed her senses as she tailed dolefully behind Adrien.
"Master Fu," Adrien bowed according to the man's title. "I have something important to talk to you about."
Claire gasped, witnessing a doll-like green character whiz into the air. A horrified expression crossed it's peculiar features, with it's small appendages flailing about, "Master Fu! What has Adrien done? To have brought some stranger here could only mean-"
"Wayzz, I understand what it means," the older man breathed out a breath of ginseng tea. Slowly, his aged eyes shifted, creasing slightly at the pair. Although the air was thickened with heavy connotations, the older man smiled gently, deepening the lines of his face, "Please, have a seat with me...both of you."
Adrien nodded stiffly, and Claire followed suit. At the opposite end of the coffee table, the teens sat upon their folded knees. Claire swallowed hard, noticing Adrien's hands balled tightly against his thighs; body language tortured with anticipation. Claire was beginning to understand that perhaps, her knowledge would soon have consequences.
"Master Fu, I'm so sorry. I didn't know what to do, so I brought her here," Adrien couldn't help the guilty verbiage spew from his mouth.
"You know," Master Fu began, methodically taking his warmed teapot and pouring himself another cup. "This tea is one of my favorites. The flavor is subtle, but you can taste the notes of root and honey." Lifting his gaze, he motioned the teapot in their direction, "Here, let me brew another pot for you two. Tea is always better with company."
"Master Fu, it's fine, we don't-"
Before Adrien could finish, Master Fu picked himself up with a few cracks and pops in his knees. With a humming tune, he shuffled to the kitchen with Wayzz close behind. With subtle chatter persistent in the kitchen, Claire allowed her attention to drift towards Adrien. There he sat, appearing tangled in a fog. His emerald hues caught sight of her gaze from their periphery, and the young male model straightened his shoulders to attention.
"Ah, sorry, I was just daydreaming about something," his voice wavered with insincerity, trying his best to conjure a pleasant smile, "I guess, I should tell you that Master Fu is my mentor. He's the one who trusted me to be Cat Noir, and also trusted I would keep my identity a secret, but now…"
"Adrien," Claire started once Adrien's words drifted into silence. "Will everything be okay?"
Adrien's lips parted, but hesitated to oblige. Pressing firmly against them, he recovered with assurance, "Yeah, of course. Master Fu will know what to do. You'll be fine Claire, I promise."
"That's not it. What I meant was, will you be-?"
"I apologize for keeping the both of you waiting. I hope it was not long."
Before Claire could pose the question, Master Fu pronounced himself at the coffee table. In his grasp, he balanced a tray containing two delicate porcelain cups. Carefully, he served the two teens and resumed his comfortable position at the coffee table across them. Nodding quietly to himself, he picked up his abandoned cup and took a careful sip, "Now, tell me, what is your name young girl?"
"It's Claire," she answered, dipping her chin a little to avoid direct contact. Although the elder man had been hospitable so far, the awareness of knowing something she shouldn't, weighed like stone in her chest. Instead, she focused on the rippling pools of tea inside her cup. "Clair MacLiam, sir."
"Very pretty name, it suits you well," Master Fu complimented with an accompanying smile. "From what I understand, Claire, is that you are aware of Adriene being Cat Noir. Is that correct?"
"Yes, sir," the pain of admission was transparent as glass across her features.
"I am certain you understand that Adrien cannot continue to be Cat Noir, now that his identity has been compromised," Master Fu lowered his cup, anchoring his experienced eyes against hers; round and doe-eyed. "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
The tips of Claire's fingers turned cold, and her cream complexion drained at the harrowing statement. Rigidly, her attention sought Adrien next to her. There sat the young male teen, with his own pallor lifted from his cheeks. Adrien's vibrant meadow greens were shaken, and his hand anxiously fiddled with an ornate ring she hadn't noticed before on his finger.
"Adrien, I had entrusted you to hold and protect the Miraculous, and due to your carelessness, you placed your own kwami and Ladybug in potential harm." Master Fu lowered his tone, relinquishing his previous warm reception. "I will rectify this by asking you to return your Miraculous," there was a pause that could stop the heart of any living creature. "And to return your memories as Cat Noir."
"Alright, now wait just a sec," a familiar mischievous voice squeaked in protest from Adrien's pants pocket. Phlagg, the charcoal-cat kwami zipped into the air, evident fear and frustration in the bend of his whiskers. "C'mon Master Fu. Adrien's a good kid. Sure, he messed up, even after I told him not to transform, but that's besides the point! All kwami holders can make a mistake like this. That, and I have a wife and cheese kid back at home. I can't be that cheese dad that says he's leaving for milk and never comes back, how messed up is that!"
"It is not your place to decide, Plagg." Wayzz interjected. "Master Fu is the current guardian of the Miraculous. It is with all our best interest to listen and obey, to ensure the safety of us all. kwami and holder."
"Hmph! 'Obey'?" Plagg bared the grit of his feline teeth, "That just sounds like a bunch of scaredy-cat talk to me."
"Plagg," Adrien spoke up, clasping the ring tightly in his hold. He gathered the fragmented pieces of his resolve, and placed the ring on top of the coffee table. "You, Master Fu and Wayzz are right….I messed up. If I have to do this to protect you, the kwami's, and...Ladybug,`` At the mention of his partner, treasured memories which only they shared flooded his senses. An instant wetness formed against his eyelids, "I'd give up being Cat Noir over and over again."
"Adrien…" Plagg's ears and tails lowered at the sincerity of his holders confession.
I don't understand anything...nothing at all, but this can't be right. Claire's thoughts ensnared her, trapping her in this moment that seemed far from her reach. So misplaced, her own presence felt insignificant, as if she wasn't even in the same room. Yet, this was the curse of her knowledge. The punishment was being delivered; the guillotine set, but her head wasn't the one being laid.
I-I don't want this.
Master Fu lowered his eyes against the fragile porcelain cup placed deliberately in front of Adrien, eyeing the fragrant puddles wafting into the still air. His century long gaze pulled Adrien to take note of the fine China, reticent with an ominous aroma. A hitched breath caught inside the teen's parched throat; it was the remedy. Every passing second felt like fingers closing around Claire's throat, and it started to strangle her. With no words able to escape, she watched in silence as Adrien lifted a pale and trembling hand to take the offering.
Wait, don't….please.
Claire's pounding heart bruised against her ribs, with her own tears screaming to come forth. The fear of doing nothing, and at the same time, doing anything shackled her inside an emotional prison. Would she just mutely watch Adrien commit to losing everything, right in front of her? Would she witness the vanishing of Cat Noir so passively? Had she no sense of anything, but the comfort of staying perfectly still in her own little world?
I-I can forget….I can forget…!
How absolutely dreadful it was; the love letter, going to the park, searching for Cat Noir to please her own desire of being acknowledged. For what….this? The porcelain cup reached the tip of Adrien's lips, the tonic pooling as his lips began to part open.
Claire was out of time.
The teen girl latched against Adrien's wrist, ripping the teacup from his mouth. Like an arm reaching for her insides, panic lurched her forward. Claire crushed her mouth against his, drawing out even the most insignificant drops staining his lips and teeth. Claire paid no mind to the tingling pain and sweet taste of metal on her tongue. Without acknowledging the calls of protest from her surrounding company, she forcefully drew Adrien's wrist and served herself the entirety of the brew. Clenching her teary-eyes shut, she gulped and gulped until nothing remained. After an exhausted breath she weakened her hold on Adrien, and wavered in balance. Slumping over, Adrien was quick to catch Claire in one arm. Her consciousness fluttered; bleary sighted, her vision of Adrien and the ethereal creatures spun in circles, melting into the apartment ceiling. Soon, they all collided into one canvas of blurred colors.
I hope Adrien…doesn't need braces now…because…of…me
At her last fading thought, Claire went limp. The voices disappeared. There was nothing.
"Master Fu… the presence…a kwami."
"Where, Wayzz?"
"There….inside…"
"That is….not possible…"
"How could…?"
From the darkness behind restful eyes, Claire's senses began to rekindle inside her. Warmth returned to her fingertips and toes, regaining their sense of touch. Her breath filled the pit of her empty belly, giving rise to her abdomen. Claire's lashes tickled her cheeks, stirring the movement of her eyes. Carefully, she opened them to the world again. At first, they stared off into the empty space above her. A white ceiling, draped in the warm hues of a setting afternoon sun from the open veranda. The sounds of evening life filtered from the streets of Paris outside the apartment; cheerful conversation of those returning home to rest after a full day. A pleasant waft of cool air graced her face. She turned over a cheek, viewing Master Fu settled beside her lying form, waving a decorative fan.
"I see you are finally awake," Master Fu was first to speak, with an air of amusement. "You had quite the nap there. I suppose it was much needed after today's events."
"How did I…" Claire blinked against the grains of sleep sticking to her golden hues. At the mention of what previously transpired, the young high schooler rose to a seated position. Claire realized she had been placed on a floor futon. She gripped the sheets that covered her, and whipped her head to bare her full attention against Master Fu, "Adrien—is he ok? Is he still Cat Noir? Does he still remember Ladybug?"
Claire gasped, and hushed at her own questions. Her pink fingertips brushed against her bottom lip, and winced at the painful touch.
"I still remember," she announced quietly, unsure if she should proclaim it so honestly. However, she yearned for answers to her questions, "How can I still remember?"
"Oh, Claire. There was nothing special about that cup of brewed tea," Master Fu chuckled at the flustered teen. "I had to lead you both to believe that, in order to test Adrien's commitment to take personal accountability. I am aware that Adrien revealing his identity was an honest mistake. However, it was a powerful learning opportunity for him…there will always be those hiding in the dark. Waiting to catch Cat Noir and Ladybug at their most vulnerable."
"Now, what I did not expect was for you to willingly sacrifice your own memories to protect Adrien's secret," Master Fu smiled graciously, unveiling the warmth that was introduced to her before. "Adrien wanted to thank you personally when you awoke, but unfortunately, he had to leave on the account of his father. He hoped you would forgive him."
"Of course," Claire nodded, bringing the sheet to cover her mouth and bashful expression.
"However, the fact still remains that you have knowledge that is very dangerous." Master Fu drew on a serious note. "It could very well be the end of Cat Noir and Ladybug if that information were to be shared or forcibly taken from you. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Claire lowered her sight, clenching the white sheets. "I don't mind...losing my memories." Briefly, her father came to her mind. A strong hand in the vast night sky, guiding her eyes to watch the descent of a falling star. Claire bit the bottom of her lip to withhold her sentiments, "Even if I forget, I want to believe my heart won't. And I'll know when I feel them. Somehow, I think." Exhaling, she succumbed to a predetermined fate, "That's why, if forgetting will help protect Ladybug, Cat Noir and Paris...I'll do it, Master Fu."
"Claire, an orphan often meets their destiny on the path they choose to avoid it," Master Fu spoke. "If you wish for me to erase your memory, then that is what I will do. I will take the ones of Adrien and Cat Noir, and the most painful ones hidden within the depths of your mind and body," Master Fu paused, and Claire blinked as his hand graced an item beside his kneeled form. There laid a mystical book, withered by time but still lustrous with ancient power. "Or, you will choose to carry the burden of your memories, and in turn, serve to protect Ladybug and Cat Noir."
"I-I don't understand," Claire stuttered, unable to grasp the concepts thrown against her. "What's my other choice?"
"You will train as my disciple," Master Fu pronounced, eyes burning with intensity. "You will be a Guardian."