Chapter 14: Recon Raid

The Agreste mansion wasn't far from the bakery. As Mulan she only had a sword, no good for transportation like Ladybug's yo-yo or Chat Noir's staff. She ran and leaped from roof to roof, trying to stay in cover so that Gabriel Agreste would get no warning from the news. Her bright red costume with the black and yellow dragon-tail pattern was conspicuous, but when she was close enough she could use the Wind Dragon and be virtually invisible.

She didn't know if Master Fu had found a new Ladybug and Chat Noir yet. There hadn't been any more akuma attacks since her interview with the Mayor. That might mean that Gabriel knew he was under suspicion and was keeping his attention close to home.

The car was not in the driveway. She hoped the bodyguard and Nathalie were out on some errand.

Mulan landed behind the back wall of the mansion. "Wind Dragon!"

Moving slowly to avoid creating noticeable gusts, Mulan slipped into the open window of Adrien's bedroom. He looked despondent as he practiced playing his grand piano.

"Poor guy!" she thought. "I'm going to help you."

Nothing was likely to be hidden in this room, so she flew down the hall to look into Gabriel's upstairs office.

Gabriel was there, so she couldn't pull desk drawers open with air pressure. Maybe she should look for his bedroom...

Gabriel stood up and walked to the stairs. Wind Dragon followed him, cautious not to make any extra stir in the air.

Gabriel walked into his atelier and stopped in front of a picture of his wife with elaborate golden inlays and peacock designs. He pressed five places on the picture, pushing them in like buttons, and a shaft beneath his feet began to descend with a hum.

She followed him into the elevator. It was narrow; she found it difficult to avoid being detected as increased air pressure. She compressed herself against the ceiling, straining with the effort. The elevator made its slow way down into a huge room below the mansion with a circular garden, with something like a coffin in the middle of it.

Gabriel got out and strolled down a walkway towards the garden area. Wind Dragon slipped to the side of the elevator and resumed her human form. She was out of energy for the wind form.

How could she keep spying on Gabriel now? As they descended, she had seen the roots of a large tree below the walkway, roots that were in water like a hydroponic garden. It was huge pool, so a small increase in the water level wouldn't be noticed.

"Water Dragon," she said softly.

She oozed into the water, blending with it, and swam below the deck where Gabriel was. He was speaking softly, but she could hear him clearly.

"Soon, my dear Emily, we will be together again. It has taken longer than I anticipated, but Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous will soon be mine, and I will get my wish."

Nobody answered. Who in the world was he speaking to? He said "Emilie," his wife's name. Mulan had glimpsed a coffin-like shape in the garden. Was his wife dead, or in suspended animation somehow?

"We should never have used the Peacock Miraculous. That is what put you into this state. That mistake must be undone. We can reset time and have a child the regular way. With strict parenting, he can be just as perfect and just as under our control as Adrien is now. He will claim the Prodigious for us."

Gabriel planned to wish Adrien out of existence? Mulan shuddered, causing a small ripple in the pool. It went unnoticed.

"For now, Adrien is my ace in the hole when Ladybug and Chat Noir show up. I expect them here very soon, now that our foolish mayor has blabbed to Ladybug. I sense that Adrien will make an excellent akuma, fighting at my side."

Gabriel went silent. It seemed he was occupied by some task she couldn't see. Mulan went back to the elevators and transformed back to normal form.

"Lightning dragon," she said softly.

She flowed through the electrical system and back up to the atelier. She disabled the elevator as she left it, so that Gabriel wouldn't interrupt her by coming back into the room. She was careful not to disrupt other circuits that powered a life support system.

In the circuitry of the room she found a power connection leading to a security camera, and she disabled that. The camera was pointing at the picture. Was it just to watch the entrance to the secret elevator, or was there something more? A little probing found the electronic lock of a safe. She overrode that so that the safe would open freely.

Mulan resumed human form. Now she had only five minutes to search and get out.

There was a peacock-shaped brooch in the safe. The Peacock Miraculous! There was also a large leather-bound book. A quick riffle through the pages showed it had illustrations of Miraculous users. This was the book Master Fu had mentioned!

Mulan planned to take both. One more thing to try while she was here.

She picked up the pin and said, "Duusu?"

There was a flash and dark blue kwami appeared, with a long feathery tail.

"Ooh, it's me!" said the kwami. "So exciting to be picked up again. You are new to me, friend. I'm the kwami of Emotion. Duusu. How do you do?"

"I'm Mulan, the holder of the Dragon Miraculous. I have a question for you. A few years ago you were used to create a boy sentimonster. Do you know what object is used to control him?"

"Indeed, but there are two. Two rings, one worn by my Holder and one by her husband. Each gives half control."

"How can there be two? I thought there would be just one."

"The amok feather was divided. The rings are magic, giving extra power to magic used by a couple. If one wears both they cancel out."

"You know Nooroo, right? I heard that you and he have been used together in the past, to make a hero and his steed."

"Yes, like Perseus and Pegasus. I recall when Perseus was empowered. Bright wings, rise!"

"Is that your transformation phrase?"

"No, that's for Nooroo. Mine is 'spread my feathers' to start, and 'fold my feathers' to end."

"Nooroo is here, too. Do you know where his Miraculous is kept?"

"I do not know. If the Butterfly was used, it was not while I was active. If there is a Holder they would probably wear the pin at all times."

"I have to leave soon, and I will take you with me. But I wonder if I could leave a small sentimonster behind to help me to get something. Is using the Peacock Miraculous dangerous? I heard something happened to your Holder."

"So sad! Yes, there was damage from using the Miraculous to create a living, growing boy and using the rings to boost my magic. It was too much for me. She got weaker over the years as she kept using me to guide his growth. She went into a magic sleep. That is why I have been put aside."

"I think it would be safe to make one small sentimonster. I'll take the risk."

"It would be wonderfully exciting to be used again. But take care."

"I will," said Mulan. "I will be Le Paon."

"Or you could be Mayura, which is peacock in Sanscrit."

"I like that."

Her choker necklace was beginning to flash and beep. "Longg, clear skies."

Marinette put the tired Longg in her purse where there was a piece of watermelon in a plastic bag. She opened the bag so Longg could get to it.

She pinned the brooch to her shirt. "Duusu, spread my feathers!"

Mayura felt the magic transformation creeping across her skin, leaving her pale blue hands holding a feathered fan. She knew instinctively what to do. She plucked a feather and charged it with her feeling of determination, shutting out the anger she was sensing below from Gabriel, who must have just discovered the broken elevator.

Adrien was in his room, playing a sad piece on his piano. He missed the freedom of leaping around the city with Ladybug.

A purple mask outline appeared around his eyes.

"There is an intruder in the house," said a voice in his mind. "I am stuck down below. I give you the power of... strange, why do I see you with cat powers? Tell me!"

Adrien felt that he must obey. "I was Chat Noir, Hawk Moth."

"What!? You were under my nose all along? Once you transform, make a hole in the floor and come down with your pole to get me out of here."

"Yes, sir."

Purple magic swirled around Adrien and he became a copy of Chat Noir with a white costume and brilliant blue eyes.

"We'll go after the intruder together," said Hawk Moth.

"Yes, sir," said Chat Blanc.