Well, this month has been crazy. Moving to a new house, settling into TWO new jobs! I'm also trying to fulfill my New Year's resolution and finish the original novel I've been working on. First draft almost finished!
But, back to this. This chapter was so complicated to write, writing characters from another fandom I've yet to write for! And one other thing...
Lita dreamed that she was six years old again. It was more of a memory than a dream, really, as she remembered waking up in the middle of the night to shouting. Her younger self slowly crept out of her room and to the staircase as she listened to the voices of her parents.
"You stole that watch, didn't you?!" her mother shouted. "Unless you spent thousands of dollars you don't have!"
"What do you expect me to do, Linda?!" her father exclaimed. "We're behind on the rent and Lita will be starting school soon! We barely get by with your salary!"
"If you're so worried about money, then get a job!"
"You know no one will take me with my record!"
"Damn it, Rick! I thought we agreed you wouldn't do this anymore! If not for my sake, then for our daughter's!"
Lita sat on the stairwell, peering through the bars into the living room. She'd never seen her parents so furious.
"This is for our daughter!" Ricardo shouted. "I want her to have a better life than I had and get an education! How do you expect us to be able to put her through college? Do you know how frustrating it is being a man who can't provide for his family?!"
Linda grunted as she pulled on the front of his shirt. "You won't be able to do anything for your family if you end up in prison again!"
She held him there for a while, before releasing him and burying her face in her hands. Ricardo took a deep breath.
"I'm not a good man, Linda."
She sniffed. "I…I know that. I knew that the moment we met." She lifted her gaze towards him. "I know why you did it, but…you have to start thinking about the consequences of your actions. You're not just my husband anymore. You're a father. And as a father, you have to be here for your daughter."
Linda hung her head. "My father…wasn't there for me when I made my decision to marry you. I…I don't want that for Lita."
Ricardo sighed. "My father was never there for me at all."
"I know…I know you don't always make the best decisions," Linda said, laying a hand on his shoulder, "but…can you try to be the best man you can be for our daughter, at least?"
He pulled her into an embrace. "I will try, mi amor."
As they hugged, Linda's eyes fell upon the eavesdropper. "Mija, shouldn't you be in bed?"
Ricardo broke away to see Lita on the stairwell.
"You were yelling," Lita said. "Did…did you do something wrong, Papi?"
With a heavy sigh, Ricardo walked up to her. "Yes, mija." He scooped her up into his arms. "But Papi promises that he will do better."
Sleepily, Lita snuggled into his shoulder, her face feeling pleasantly warm. But something was strange about her father's shoulder. There were creases in his clothing that felt like he was wearing a vest of some sort. Her father never wore vests.
Confused, Lita opened her eyes. She wasn't at her childhood home, but in a hotel bed. Next to her was a pair of legs in black trousers. Her eyes widened when she realized whose shoulder she was lying on.
"Good morning, Miss Gris," Black Hat said casually.
Yelping in shock, Lita sprang backward and tumbled off the bed. Black Hat was laughing hysterically and slapping his knee.
"What the fuck?!" she cried, jumping to her feet. "Why…why didn't you wake me?!"
"You just looked so comfortable," he said tauntingly.
She glanced between him and the space she'd been lying in. "Did you…were you there all night? Awake?!"
"Maybe," Black Hat said innocently as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.
Her hands clutched into fists as she glared at him furiously. "Why?!"
"Because I wanted to see the look on your face when you awoke." He stood and turned to face her. "And I can see that it was worth the seven hours."
Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.
"You really are adorable when you're flustered like that, darling," he said as he strolled by her. "Now get dressed so we can have breakfast before meeting with Mr. Agreste."
She continued to glare at him as she went to fetch her new outfit from the closet. "If you tell anyone what just happened—"
"Tell them what?" Black Hat said as he put his jacket on. "That you used me as a pillow while you slept at my side in the honeymoon suite? Really now, Miss Gris." He grinned toothily at her. "Do you really think I'd tarnish my reputation so foolishly?"
"Right." She stomped over to the bathroom. "For the record, it wasn't on purpose! I was just tired!"
She slammed the door.
"And for the record," he shouted back playfully, "you snore like an elephant!"
"And I thought your place was big," Lita said as she looked up at the Agreste mansion.
Black Hat huffed. "Much too…white for my taste."
He pressed his glove finger on the button next to the intercom. A panel opened above and a camera lens poked out into their faces. Startled, Lita gripped her disguised boss' arm. He didn't even blink.
"Dites vos intentions," a female voice spoke through the intercom.
"Je m'appelle Monsieur Chapeau," Black Hat said, tipping his fedora. "J'ai un rendez-vous avec Gabriel Agreste."
Lita could understand what he was saying from context. She flinched as the camera turned in her direction.
"Et qui est elle?" the female voice asked.
"Mon associée," Black Hat said, putting his arm around Lita to bring her closer. "Je n'entrerai pas sans elle."
The camera focused on them a moment, before disappearing back into the panel. There was a buzzing sound as the gates opened.
"Wow, the tabloids were right about this guy being a recluse," Lita said as they walked up to the front door. She nudged her boss playfully. "Guess you two have a lot to talk about."
Black Hat groaned inwardly. "When we get there, Miss Ladrona, I expect you to—"
"I know, I know." She rolled her eyes. "Don't speak unless spoken to."
He glanced sideways at her. "I was going to say don't hold back your opinion."
She looked at him in surprise. "Really? I thought—"
"You have a keen mind, Miss Ladrona," he said as they walked up the steps. "Make it known."
Her cheeks reddened as the front door opened up. A white woman in a dark purple blazer over a red turtle neck stood there. Her black hair was up in a bun, a streak of red highlighting her bangs. Her blue eyes studied Black Hat and Lita through her spectacles, lingering on the latter in particular.
"Entrez, Monsieur Chapeau," the woman said, opening the door further. "Nous vous attendions."
Lita took note of how clean the checkered lobby looked. The house certainly was massive, but much more pristine and less foreboding than Black Hat's place. One certainly wouldn't guess that a supervillain lived here.
"Puis-je prendre votre chapeau et manteau, mademoiselle?" the woman asked.
Lita glanced at the hand the woman held out towards her, and realized she was asking if she could take her hat and coat.
Smiling politely, Lita gave the best response she could in what little French she knew. "Non, merci. Je suis bonne."
The woman's eyebrows shot up, as if shocked. Black Hat facepalmed himself.
What the hell did I say?!
Lita decided it was best to stay in her comfort zone. "Um…parlez-vous español? English?"
"Ah, of course," the woman said in perfect English. "I take it you don't know French very well, do you, mademoiselle?"
Lita sighed in relief. "No, sorry."
"That is quite alright." She turned to Black Hat. "Mr. Agreste was not aware that you'd be bringing…company."
"Given the…complicated matter of this meeting," Black Hat said, glancing at Lita, "I thought my assistant, Miss Ladrona, could lend a fresh perspective."
The woman looked at Lita unsurely. "Mr. Agreste made it perfectly clear that this matter was to be kept discreet and that no other outside parties should be involved. Your assistant can wait here."
Black Hat frowned. "Miss Ladrona is a valuable asset to my organization. I can assure you, mademoiselle, that she is quite discreet and is well-informed on the matter."
"I'm sure she is. However, Mr. Agreste is only prepared to meet with you alone, Monsieur Chapeau."
"Then prepare him to meet with us both," he said, tightening his grip on Lita's shoulder. "I'm not going in without her."
His action and his words caused Lita to blush. This did not escape the woman's notice. Her expression seemed to soften.
"W-Wait one moment," she said. "I will discuss this matter with Mr. Agreste."
Turning around, she went up the grand staircase to the next floor.
"You…didn't have to do that," Lita said, still unbelieving that her boss had stood up for her.
"Of course, I did," Black Hat said. "If you weren't allowed into the meeting, I would have brought you halfway across the world for nothing." He leaned in to whisper to her. "Next time, leave the French to me."
"Why?" She frowned. "All I said was, 'No, thank you. I'm good.'"
"That is…" He cringed. "Not quite what you said.
"'Bonne' is 'good,' isn't it?"
"In some situations, yes, but…when referring to yourself, it's better to say, 'Je suis bien.'"
"What's the difference?"
Black Hat appeared very uncomfortable. "Well…to say 'Je suis bonne,' it means that you are 'good' in…another sense."
She turned to him. "Meaning?"
Clearing his throat, he stretched out the collar of his shirt. "Good…in bed."
"Oh." Lita blushed. "No wonder she looked so confused."
"I think she understood your mistake once she realized you didn't know French very well."
"Still, I'm so embarrassed!"
"Oh, relax, will you?"
Though Black Hat found it difficult to hold back his laughter at how flustered she looked.
The assistant appeared at the top of the steps a few minutes later. "Mr. Agreste will see you both now. Right this way, please."
They followed her up the steps. The large portrait above them caught Lita's eye. It was of a man and woman dressed in black. The man was Gabriel Agreste, with his platinum blond hair, blue eyes, pale skin and spectacles. The woman's hair was a darker blonde. She had a dazzling smile and big green eyes. Lita recognized her from the file as Gabriel Agreste's wife, who had disappeared a few years ago. Shortly after that, Mr. Agreste went into seclusion. Wouldn't even appear at his own fashion shows.
I know how he feels, Lita thought. When Mom died, I didn't leave my room for a week.
The assistant opened the door to Gabriel Agreste's office. Black Hat shielded his eyes from the pastel colors accenting the checkered floor. Noting the pink, cushioned benches that surrounded a miniature runway; Lita could understand her boss' reaction. It made her chuckle a bit.
Mr. Agreste stood behind his desk, the back of his white suit to them as he faced the wall.
"Monsieur Chapeau and Mademoiselle Ladrona, sir," the assistant said.
"Thank you, Nathalie," he said, still staring at the wall. "Leave us, please."
With a bow, Nathalie exited the office and shut the door behind her. Mr. Agreste turned and his eyes widened at Black Hat.
"When you said you were coming in disguise," he said, stepping towards his guests, "I didn't expect you to look so…"
"Human?" Black Hat said with a smile. "It pays to be a shapeshifter."
"Fascinating." Mr. Agreste's blue eyes directed at Lita. "And has your assistant been briefed on our…business?"
"She is fully aware of my identity and yours."
There was a pause. Stepping out of Lita's grasp, Black Hat cleared his throat.
"Oh!" Lita held out her hand. "Lita Ladrona, sir! Pleasure to meet you!"
"Charmed," Mr. Agreste said in an uninterested tone as he shook her hand. "Nathalie told me you only speak Spanish and English. Do you have a preference?"
"Your English sounds good, so let's stick with that." She smiled widely as she retracted her hand. "Might I just say, I'm a big fan of your work! I used to work at a clothing store, you see, and I'd always recommend your designs!"
"Ah." He seemed slightly more interested now as he looked her over. "A woman of fine taste, I see."
"Before we discuss our business," Black Hat said, glancing around. "Is this room…secure?"
Mr. Agreste looked around as well. "I do have cameras that only I have access to. However, if you'd prefer somewhere more private…"
He turned back to the wall. It turned out he'd been staring at a jeweled painting of some sort, depicting a woman that resembled his wife. After he touched some spots on the painting, it moved upwards, revealing a secret elevator.
With a bow, Mr. Agreste gestured inside. "Ladies first."
The last thing Lita would've expected to see in a secret evil lair was a kaleidoscope of white butterflies fluttering around. Then again, they somehow looked eerie in a darkened room.
"This place is secure," Mr. Agreste said, "if you wish to take off your disguises. Nooroo." It was too dark to tell, but Lita could've sworn she saw a small, purplish figure floating around him. "Dark wings, rise!"
It took Black Hat half a second to shapeshift back into his demon form. It took Hawk Moth nearly half a minute for his costume to appear on his body. Lita had to shield her eyes from the bright purple light that was coming from him.
"Does this…light show happen every time you transform?" Black Hat inquired in an unimpressed tone.
"Unfortunately, yes," Hawk Moth said, bringing down the silver cane that had appeared along with the costume. "As I did not create the Miraculous, I don't make the rules." He turned to Lita. "Are you going to transform, mademoiselle?"
"Me?" Lita scoffed. "Oh, no, no, no! Just a human here! No, uh…fancy costumes or anything!"
"I see." He scrutinized her. "Mademoiselle Ladrona, exactly what is your role in the organization?"
Lita glanced sideways at her boss, who nodded for her to respond. "I'm his…errand girl."
"So you fetch groceries," Hawk Moth said bluntly.
She forced a laugh. "Yeah, sure. Really, really expensive groceries…without paying for them."
"Ah. A thief then." He nodded slowly. "Well, there are certain items that need retrieving."
"You mean those Cat and Ladybug Miraculouses-es-es…?" She stumbled. "Those things? Because I could totally pinch them for ya, if you'd like." She held up her hands to show them off. "They wouldn't even know I was there."
"I appreciate the offer," Hawk Moth said, his attention turning to Black Hat. "Unfortunately, as I do not know the identities of Ladybug and Cat Noir, I could not tell you the location of their Miraculous. The only way I can lure them out is if the city of Paris is threatened."
"Using these…akumas here," Black Hat said, gesturing to the butterflies.
"They're not akumas as of yet," Hawk Moth explained. "I raise these butterflies in a greenhouse below this room, so that when I detect potential prey experiencing negative emotions, I have an endless supply to corrupt to my will."
"Right," Lita said, glancing around. "You fight heroes using…butterflies."
Black Hat coughed to cover his laughter. Hawk Moth sent the woman an unamused look.
"Perhaps," the butterfly-themed villain said, "a demonstration is in order."
"This guy's angry all the time," Lita said, pointing her thumb at her boss. "If it's possible to make him any more OP."
Black Hat raised an eyebrow at her. "OP?"
"Overpowered." She leaned in to whisper. "Don't deny that you are."
"Hmm." Hawk Moth rubbed his chin as he looked the demon over. "I'm not sensing any negative emotions from him at the moment."
"Really?" Lita glanced between the two of them. "Sure that brooch of yours isn't broken?"
"A demonstration is not necessary," Black Hat said, holding up a hand. "I've seen enough on the news." He settled his hands on his cane. "What I would like to know, Mr. Hawk Moth, is why you insist on using the same plan time and time again, even though it has proven to be a failure!"
Hawk Moth was taken aback. "I…I do not use the same plan over and over!"
"Really?" Black Hat's hand circled the air as he spoke. "You find some poor sap who's upset about…I don't know, dropping their ice cream or something! You, as you put it, 'akumatize' them, thus taking control of their minds and granting them powers in return for the retrieval of a ring and a pair of earrings."
Hawk Moth opened his mouth to protest.
"Oh, sure!" the demon continued. "You may give different powers to different minions, but the method remains the same! A method you've applied at least twenty times already!" He sighed. "You should've called for my services ages ago! Or were you waiting in a chrysalis along with your butterflies?"
Hawk Moth was at a loss for words. Lita smiled proudly at her boss. Along with being the master of villainy, he was also the master of the burn.
"W-Well…" Hawk Moth cleared his throat. "There's not much else I can do. Granting powers to others is the function of my Miraculous."
Black Hat groaned. "That's no excuse for a lack of creativ—"
"Why not just give those powers to yourself?" Lita said without even thinking.
Hawk Moth scoffed. "I can't just…wait." Wearing a thoughtful expression, he began pacing back and forth. "I suppose if…if I used my own negative emotions…but my Miraculous…I could renounce it! Temporarily." He grinned deviously. "Even better, it would throw any suspicion off Gabriel Agreste being Hawk Moth!"
He stopped pacing and turned to Lita, a look of respect on his face. "Now I know why you were so insistent on bringing her, Lord Black Hat."
"Naturally," Black Hat said, glancing at his protégé with pride. "What she lacks in style, she makes up for in brains."
"Excuse me!" Lita darted her eyes at him. "But who helped you come up with that disguise?"
Ignoring her, Black Hat turned to their client. "I hope you realize, Mr. Hawk Moth, that our services do not come for free."
"As you can plainly see," Hawk Moth said, gesturing to their surroundings, "money is no object."
"Oh?" Black Hat chuckled. "You thought I was referring to money? Oh no, Mr. Hawk Moth. I make enough of that from weapons and slave trafficking. But you see, I simply can't invest money in a plan that isn't guarantee to work. No, I need something a little more…insuring."
As the demon put his arm around the other villain, Lita could tell where this conversation was going. She didn't think he was going to bring up the soul contract so soon. With Megamind, Black Hat had insisted on payment after the hero's destruction. She hoped Black Hat had a good reason for asking for the soul before they could conduct their services this time.
"What I really want to know, good sir," Black Hat said, spinning his cane beside him, "is how far you're willing to go with this."
"As far as I have to," Hawk Moth said with determination. "I will do anything to have those Miraculous in my grasp!" He raised his gripped hands. "And then, once Ladybug and Cat Noir are no more, nothing, nothing will stand in the way of me getting what I want!"
Geez, this guy can monologue, Lita thought.
"Well, with the help of Black Hat Organization," the demon said, "you can be easily rid of those pathetic heroes, and harness the power of the Miraculous you so greatly desire."
"Yes." Hawk Moth nodded. "I will get those confounded pieces of jewelry, and I will get my wish!"
Lita remembered from the file. Legend had it that when the Cat and Ladybug Miraculous were brought together, a person could wish for anything in the world.
"You will, monsieur," Black Hat said, a parchment materializing in his hand. "And all it will cost you is—"
"What's your wish?" Lita asked abruptly.
The demon frowned at his assistant. "What does that matter? Obviously, Hawk Moth here wishes to achieve ultimate power or rule the world or some—"
"No," Hawk Moth said quickly. "I have no desire for world domination."
Black Hat stepped away from him, the contract burning his grasp. "What?"
Lita was surprised too. World domination was the usual MO for supervillains. Or at least city domination. That was what set villains apart from common criminals. Looking at Hawk Moth, she could see a sadness in his eyes.
She'd seen it before. In her father.
"You, um…don't have to tell us," she said, hanging her head apologetically. "If you don't want to, Mr. Agreste."
"No, he doesn't," Black Hat said quickly. "Villains don't need a reason for anything. Now, about that fee—"
"It's for my wife," Hawk Moth said quietly.
"Oh." Lita looked up. "That's right. She disappeared, didn't she?"
He shook his head. "That's what I told the press. In reality, she…well…" He walked towards the platform they'd come through. "Perhaps it would be best to show you."
Lita was about to follow him, when Black Hat pulled her to the side.
"I was seconds away from gaining his soul!" he whispered harshly. "Why'd you have to open up your big fat mouth?!"
"You told me not to hold my opinion back," Lita replied. "Besides, didn't you want to find out as much about your client as possible?"
The demon growled. "Why a client asks for my assistance is unimportant."
"But if he's willing to tell us why he's doing this, doesn't this mean he trusts that we'll do the job right?"
Black Hat stared at her hard. "If I lose this deal, I'll be feasting on your blood tonight."
Her hand went to her arm. "F-Fair enough."
They joined Hawk Moth on the platform. They were lowered down, much further than they'd gone up. After what felt like ten stories, the elevator came to a greenhouse. Through the glass tube of the elevator, Lita could see several butterflies fluttering around.
The elevator opened up onto a metal walkway. As Black Hat and Lita followed Hawk Moth, she noticed hundreds of cocoons dangling from metal rails on either side. So this is where he gets all the butterflies from. But that wasn't nearly as impressive as what lay at the end of the walkway.
A cylindrical, glass coffin. Inside lay a blonde woman in a white pantsuit. It was the same woman that had been in the portraits.
"Your…wife?" Lita asked.
Hawk Moth nodded. "Emilie."
She immediately understood what his wish was. "What happened to her?"
"When we were in Tibet, Emilie and I discovered the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous." He hung his head. "But the Peacock Miraculous was corrupted, broken. I don't know what caused it, but the more Emilie wore it, the more she used it, the weaker she became. Until…"
He couldn't continue.
"I know how you feel," Lita said reassuringly. "I lost my mother. My papi…took it the hardest."
"Then you know why I must bring her back," Hawk Moth said. "I miss her so much, and I know my son misses her too."
"Unless you mean to summon a zombie army," Black Hat said, his voice startling Lita after being quiet for a long while, "I do not recommend raising the dead."
"He…has a point," Lita said. "Exactly…how long has she been…like this?"
Hawk Moth gestured to the coffin. "I've ensured the preservation of her body, so there will be no damage to her internal organs once she has awoken."
Black Hat's hands tightened on the hilt of his cane. "The dead do not always return the same."
His cold tone confused Lita. She did not understand how her boss could warn others about raising the dead, when he provided many services for such a thing. She was about to question this, when she saw his face. It held a look she had never seen in him before.
He appeared…upset. Not angry upset, but…troubled. He was trying hard to keep his emotions under wraps, yet his cane was splintering in his grasp.
"Boss?" Lita said cautiously. "What's…?"
A purple glimmer out of the corner of her eye caused her to trail off. She turned just in time to see a butterfly fluttering towards Black Hat. But it wasn't white like the others. It was a dark shade of purple. An akuma.
Sure enough, as Lita turned to Hawk Moth, there was a malicious grin on his face. His intentions were clear.
Without hesitating, Lita sprang at Hawk Moth, tackling him to the ground. Before he could defend himself, she whipped the blade out of her right boot and held it to his throat.
"What are you trying to pull here, you hijo de perra?!" she growled between her teeth. "Was this your plan all along? Did you call my boss here just so you could brainwash him?!"
"It was an opportunity I couldn't resist," Hawk Moth said with a smirk. "To have the most powerful being in the world under my control would ensure that I get the other Miraculous!"
And to think she'd been beginning to sympathize with this guy. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't slit your throat right here, right now!"
"What about your freedom?"
Lita blinked. "What?"
"Black Hat has some hold over you, doesn't he?" He grinned further when the pressure on his throat lessened. "That's right. I heard of his reputation of swindling people into selling their souls, abusing everyone under his rule. But if I'm the one controlling him, you won't have to listen to him anymore."
Lita didn't back off, but she didn't follow through on her threat either.
"Let me akumatize him," he whispered. "In return, I'll give you the Cat and Ladybug Miraculous once I'm done with them, and you can wish for your mother."
This caused her to stiffen. Could the Miraculous really bring her mother back? It had been fifteen years since she had lost her, and honestly, she was way past the point of hopelessly wishing her back. But the idea of being free from Black Hat, free to do whatever she wanted, free to…to…
What?
Before Lita could decide what to do, Black Hat's dark chuckle came from behind her. Hawk Moth's smug expression turned to one of terror. Lita turned her head to see her boss standing there, the akuma fluttering helplessly in his hand.
"Did you really think that would work on me?" he said, effortlessly crushing the akuma into purple dust. "You're an even bigger fool than I'd thought."
Picking up Lita by the collar, he tossed her aside. Not very harshly, but far enough so that she was out of his way.
"You dare to try," Black Hat said, his voice becoming more growly by the second, his stature increasing, "and gain control over me? Me?!" The room took on a red hue as his claws sprouted from his fingers. "I AM THE PUPPET MASTER HERE!"
Hawk Moth wasn't allowed any room to escape as Black Hat swept him up into his claws. The smaller villain was too stunned to struggle. Not that he could with the suffocating grip on him. Lita stayed quiet, leaning on the rail for support as she gazed up at the monster.
She'd grown accustomed to his tantrums. When he was like this, there was no stopping him. But Lita wasn't afraid, especially since this time, his anger wasn't directed at her. And she didn't plan on interfering. Not only would it be pointless, but she wasn't happy with what Hawk Moth had attempted either.
"I SHOULD DO TO YOU," Black Hat bellowed, bringing Hawk Moth close to his now enormous set of fangs, "WHAT I DID TO YOUR PRECIOUS BUTTERFLY!"
Lita cried out as her hand slipped on the rail. Black Hat's one eye snapped over to her. She accepted his gaze, not taking her own eyes off him.
Something in his monstrous expression changed. She couldn't pinpoint what it was, but he seemed…calmer, for some reason.
"But," Black Hat said, his voice quieter, but still demonic, as he turned his attention back to his victim, "the bed you've made for yourself is far more torturous than anything I could ever do." He scoffed, sounding like a disgruntled dragon. "Go ahead! Continue your futile quest to revive your wife! I'll enjoy watching you fail!
"And, on the off-chance you do succeed," he said, glancing at the coffin, "be prepared for the inevitable disappointment that will follow."
Hawk Moth cried out as he was dropped to the ground.
"But if you ever," Black Hat bellowed as he loomed over him, "contact Black Hat Organization again, the only service we'll be providing is YOUR HEAD ON A SILVER PLATTER!"
Covering his face with his arms, Hawk Moth cowered beneath the demon, his confident demeanor shattered. Black Hat looked unamused as he shrank back to his original form.
"Pathetic," he murmured as his cane flew back into his hand. "Come, Lita. We're finished here."
Instead of stepping around the cowering villain, Black Hat stepped right on top of him, not even batting an eye as Hawk Moth screamed in pain. Keeping her gaze on Hawk Moth, Lita rushed up to her boss and took his arm. While Black Hat had gotten used to her touch by now, he was surprised she was still so willing to do so after that display.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
This, too, surprised him, though he didn't show it. "Peachy."
Lita turned to him and whispered, "What you said about…what did you mean—?"
"We'll discuss this matter," he said gruffly as he shifted into his human disguise, "once we're on the plane home."
Black Hat kept true to his word. He didn't say anything as he and Lita walked out of the mansion. Not even when a teenage girl with black ponytails bumped into them as she rushed past. Not on the walk back to the hotel, not on the cab ride to the airport.
By this time, Lita had removed her new hat and coat, finding them hot to wear inside the plane.
She glanced between the disappearing view of Paris and her boss, waiting for him to say something. Anything. Even a lecture on learning when to keep her mouth shut. She would've even settled on that promise to feast on her blood. But Black Hat sat in silence, staring vacantly out the window with that unreadable frown on his face.
They'd been in the air for half an hour, when Lita decided she'd waited long enough.
"So…" She bit her lip awkwardly. "I suppose we're not doing any more business with Hawk Moth, huh?"
"No," Black Hat said bluntly, still not looking at her.
She expected him to say something further. When he didn't, Lita shifted uncomfortably.
"You think you could…do me a favor, and," she said, touching her right arm, "not take too much?"
His eye rolled towards her. "What are you talking about?"
"W-Well…" She looked down at her feet to avoid his gaze. "Y-You said if…you didn't get this deal, you'd…"
Glancing at the arm she was clutching, Black Hat sighed. "Fortunately for you, I'm no longer in the mood for blood. Besides," he said, crossing his legs, "in this case, I don't consider this little incident a loss."
"Really?" she said, lifting her gaze. "But…you were so insistent on keeping a low profile and…digging up all that dirt on him and…you're really okay with this?"
He snorted. "I didn't have much faith in Hawk Moth from the beginning. Villains who possess the ability of mind control are difficult to trust. I'd…underestimated his ambition, I'll give him that." His tone dropped an octave. "But anyone with the gall to attempt to overthrow and or mind control me is not someone I'd trust in my organization! I will not make the mistake Caesar did in trusting a Brutus!"
"So…you're not mad at me?"
He shook his head, causing her to sigh in relief and let go of her arm.
"Despite the…outcome of today's meeting," Black Hat said, touching his fingertips together, "you were…useful." His fingers twiddled, as if he were uncomfortable admitting this. "That idea of Hawk Moth…using the Miraculous to give himself powers was…imaginative."
Lita's cheeks flushed at the compliment. "How much you wanna bet he's gonna use that idea without giving me a lick of credit?"
That got a chuckle out of the demon. "I already have your soul. I don't think you're in a position to be making bets." His face then became serious. "You…were able to detect Hawk Moth's attack before I did. Thus, you alerted me before the akuma could…do its work."
Her eyebrows shot up. "So…he really could've akumatized you?"
"As you've so blatantly pointed out, Miss Ladrona," Black Hat said, gesturing to his face, "no one experiences negative emotions more than I." He paused. "You'd…probably supposed that, didn't you? That…it would take effect on me." He looked away, as if embarrassed. "And yet…instead of…allowing me to be akumatized, you intercepted Hawk Moth."
"Why would I have let you be brainwashed?" Lita said, appalled that he would think that of her.
"I wasn't certain of your loyalty to me." Black Hat met her eyes again. "Now I am."
He was right. Lita was surprised to realize it, but she'd come to care for her boss. Come to care for Black Hat! Enough so that she had nearly killed a man for him! The moment she'd seen the akuma, her first thought had been to protect her boss. Before Hawk Moth had brought it up, the possibility of being free hadn't even crossed her mind! And when it did, she had hesitated!
Why? Why would she protect the creature who'd kidnapped her father and kept her on a tight leash? That leash would've been broken, if she'd let Hawk Moth take control of Black Hat.
But then her boss had also brought her to Paris, showed her all its wondrous sights even though he didn't have to, listened to all she'd had to say. Even before they'd come to Paris, she'd unexpectedly enjoyed all their time together. He'd become less of a villain, and more of an employer she respected and valued.
That's why she'd been concerned. Not just about the akuma, but why it had targeted him.
"So…" Lita said after another long period of silence. "What was it that made you upset?"
"Excuse me?" Black Hat said.
"Earlier," she said, leaning forward, "Hawk Moth said you weren't experiencing any negative emotions, but when he showed us his dead wife, you…looked like you had something on your mind. And then the akuma showed up."
He gripped his hands together. "I was simply…annoyed at Hawk Moth's motives." His attention returned to the window. "He's too…attached to his family, which is a dangerous Achilles heel for a villain to have."
"So, he wants his wife back. What's wrong with that?"
"What's wrong," he said with a growl, "is that this obsession of his will lead to his downfall if he doesn't let it go. Not to mention there's that son of his still living. One threat to his son, and he'll do anything to protect him. Ergo, he won't think clearly and be finished."
Lita didn't like his tone. "You don't know that'll happen. His love is what made him turn to villainy, after all."
The demon snorted in disgust. "Then he's in this business for all the wrong reasons."
She'd put up with his anti-love nonsense for months, but it was getting on her last nerve. After all, she was in this business to protect someone she loved. If anything, this trip had affirmed her belief that people could do terrible things for the right reasons, that even villains had loved ones. Why couldn't Black Hat see that? Why did he have to be such a prick?
"Well," she said firmly, crossing her arms, "just because you've never cared about anyone in your life, doesn't mean you have to go and spoil it for the rest of us!"
Turning away from him, she pretended to be focused on the clouds outside. Black Hat studied her frustrated pout, a stabbing pain in his chest from her words.
There were so few people he could trust in this world. That was why he put all his subordinates and clients under soul contracts, some of them before he could provide a single service. If anyone turned on him, he could get them back in line with a snap of his fingers. Not to mention there was a special clause of the soul contract that eradicated any inclination the person might have to betray him, but some souls were more resilient.
She could've freed herself today. She could've ignored the akuma, let Hawk Moth do what he liked with Black Hat. But she hadn't. For this, she had his complete trust.
For this, he had the inclination to tell her something he'd never told anyone.
Glancing downward, he spoke softly. "I…cared about my mother."
Lita turned to him with wide eyes. "You have a mother?"
"Of course, I have a mother!" he said with a growl. "What, you think I just came into existence from nothing?!"
"Well…to be fair," she said, blushing, "I don't know much about…demon creation." She paused. "Was your…mother a demon too?"
"No." He shook his head. "She was human." He rested his hands on his lap. "As…was I."
She knew it. "What…what was she like?"
"She was…troubled." His voice became quieter. "Given that she belonged to the world's oldest profession, it was a given."
"World's oldest profession?" She caught his look, and slowly came to an alarming realization. "Oh. She was a—"
"Prostitute," he said bluntly. "Naturally, my father's identity was unknown, even to her. But her fate wasn't of her own making. She was poor, she was unmarried, she had no other way to provide for herself…and for me."
His eye took on a heavy look. "She never complained to me about her work, but…I could tell she hated it. The men of Pompeii would ogle at her on the streets, and she'd smile at them," he said as his fists tightened, "but in her eyes was pure hatred."
"Pompeii? Wait." Lita stiffened as she remembered something from History class. "Wasn't that where—?"
"Would you like to tell the story?" Black Hat asked gruffly.
"Sorry." She lifted her feet onto her seat in a cross-legged position. "Continue."
"Anyway, I didn't want my mother to have to continue in a profession she despised, so I tried to bring in money from elsewhere. Of course, being a young boy of low birth, the best way to get money…was to take it from others."
He was once a common thief like me? Lita thought, leaning forward in interest.
"But in the end, it wasn't enough to save my mother from ruin." He looked away from her. "She…she became ill. At that time, a proper diagnosis couldn't have been made, but I imagine it was a result of her many sexual partners. I…I ran to fetch a doctor, but…they wouldn't help. Doctors were meant to heal the sick, and…they wouldn't help a common whore. Unless they were paid."
He gritted his teeth together. "I demanded that pimp my mother worked for that he do something. Pay for her treatment, give her a proper meal, anything! But all he said was that if she didn't bring in any more money, he'd throw her back out onto the streets!"
As Black Hat took a moment to compose himself, Lita could tell he was doing his best to hold back his emotions. The lid over his eye tightened, as if he were preventing a tear from escaping. He didn't need to continue for Lita to know the fate of his mother.
"How old were you?" she asked quietly.
"I was eleven years old," he said under his breath.
Not much older than she'd been when she'd lost her mother. "And you were…all by yourself?"
He nodded. "My mother's pimp took me under his wing for a while. Thought I could help bring customers in. Taught me all there was to know about running a business."
"Explains your authoritarian attitude," Lita said before she could help herself.
"He also taught me that no matter what I did in life, I would always be regarded as…trash. But if I made a fortune, I could at least be wealthy trash. So long as I didn't let anyone stand in the way of my ambitions." He smirked mischievously. "He was my first kill."
Lita didn't blame him for this crime. "What did you do then?"
Black Hat knew he was revealing too much. And yet, it felt good to let all this out after keeping it inside for two thousand years. After all, Lita had already confided in him about herself. Now, he found he couldn't hold back about himself to her. Besides, he could tell in her big blue eyes that she was the most likely person to understand.
So, he continued. "By that time, I was seventeen. I looted that pimp's corpse and hopped on the next barge out of Pompeii."
"You wanted to get as far away as possible," she said, remembering a conversation from before.
He nodded. "And not end up like my mother. Penniless, helpless," he said with a snort, "dead."
She could see where this story was going. "Is that why you became immortal?"
He gave no answer, but it wasn't necessary.
"How?"
Black Hat stared at her a moment before continuing. "I didn't want to die like my mother, so I traveled the known world, studying other cultures in hopes of finding some cure for death. The Egyptians weren't of much help, as I had no interest in mummifying my body for the afterlife. The Christians, who were just coming about, talked of a man who had risen from the dead, and in turn had made everlasting life possible for all. Of course, I soon realized they were speaking in the metaphorical sense. The Hindus had the idea of reincarnation, but being born again also meant dying again. The Buddhists had some idea of never having to die again, but that still involved dying, and they couldn't seem to agree on where their souls would end up after the fact!
"But with every culture I came across, there was some idea of an afterlife, one that could last from a few centuries to an eternity. Call it what you will. An Underworld, a Heaven, a Hell. And that in that afterlife, you became some sort of new being. And being dead already, you wouldn't have to die at all. I wondered…what if I could be that sort of being, but in this realm, and never have to die in the first place?"
He saw her bewildered expression. "Is this too complicated for you to follow?"
"Kind of," Lita said with a shrug.
"Well, to sum it up, I came across these ruins in the middle of…you know? I'm not quite sure, but it was somewhere in what is now the Middle East. On the wall was an incantation in some language I didn't recognize. And yet…I could read it. It was…as if the words were calling out to me. I read them aloud, and next thing I knew, I was in some other realm. There was a demon there, but it had no definitive shape.
"It wanted to make a deal with me. It wanted to take a physical form in the mortal world. To do that, it would take possession of my body. In return, I would attain its powers and immortality."
"So, you took it," Lita said, even though it was obvious.
Black Hat shrugged. "It seemed like a fair trade."
"So…you're actually…two people? Like…Jekyll and Hyde?"
"I have no split personality, if that's what you mean. Let us simply say that once the deal was made, two beings ceased to exist that day and a new being was born, but I possess the memories of both."
Lita was at a loss for words for a long while. "How…how do I know you're not making all this up?"
Black Hat frowned. "Now why would I make something like this up?"
"I don't know." She shrugged. "To…gain my sympathy or something?"
"Come now," he said bluntly. "Don't you think I'd come up with a backstory that's a bit more glamorous? Besides, your sympathy is the last thing I need."
"Then…why tell me all this?"
"Because I, too, Miss Gris," the demon said, leaning forward, "came from humble beginnings." He locked gaze with her. "And I see myself in you."
The information was a lot to take in. Lita had heard all the theories and speculations: that Black Hat was a demon that had escaped from Hell, that he was Satan from the Bible, that he was the Anti-Christ, that he was an amalgamation of other people's vices and sins. The idea that he had once been human was unpopular, as most people refused to believe there was any humanity in that dark soul of his.
But Lita had suspected it for a while. As much as he tried to hide it, there was a part of him that was still human, a part she could identify with. But never had she imagined that Black Hat, the greatest villain alive, had started out as the bastard son of a prostitute. No wonder his backstory wasn't public. It would certainly make it hard for other villains to take him seriously.
And yet, it explained so much. He'd started out at the bottom of the heap, and once he'd obtained power, he had worked his way to the top. That was why he treated everyone else so poorly, so that he would never be treated that way again. It didn't excuse his behavior, but it at least explained it.
The abused had become the abuser.
But that wasn't the part of the story Lita focused on. At a young age, he'd lost an important person in his life, and had been forced to make adult decisions before he'd even hit puberty. Didn't help that everyone had probably treated him like dirt, for nothing he'd done, but because of who his parents were.
He was right. They were the same. That was why she felt so comfortable around him.
In fact, she hadn't felt the need to copy his moves all throughout this trip.
"So…" Lita leaned back in her seat. "You really were human once? Did you…have a name?"
He glanced to the side. "Cyrus."
She regretted making fun of him earlier. "It's a nice name."
He sent her a warning glare. "Don't make a habit of calling me that! And don't go spreading this around! If my clients or enemies hear about this—"
"My lips are sealed," Lita said, making a zipping motion across her mouth. "If you'll just answer one more question."
The demon sighed. "What?"
"Pompeii was that Roman town that was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius, right?" She crossed her arms. "You wouldn't happen to have something to do with that, would you?"
Black Hat's usual evil grin returned. "What do you think?"
Lita shook her head, unable to hold back the smile. "Gotta say, boss, you've really got vengeance down to an art."
"And someday you could do the same to all those who treated you like trash," he said with a gleeful growl.
Her smile dropped. "What…exactly do you mean by that?"
"Come now, Lita," Black Hat said with a knowing smirk. "Don't deny you've thought of taking revenge on those who bullied you at school, or those employers who fired you for your background. Don't you want to make them suffer as they made you suffer?"
Lita bit her lip unsurely. "Um…maybe a little?"
"I thought so," he said with a chuckle. "I thought so. Well, once you've made a name for yourself, you can fulfill those sadistic fantasies." He leaned towards her. "And there will be no one to stop you."
She didn't know how to respond.
"You're already working with villains, Lita. Why not take advantage of your situation?"
She blinked up at him. "You…called me Lita."
His grin vanished. "Yes? What of it?"
"It's just that…" She cleared her throat. "You've only ever called me Miss Gris or Miss Ladrona, or used my full name or something formal like that."
"Ah, yes," he said, equally surprised with himself. "Well…that was before."
"Before what?"
He straightened back into his seat. "You earned my respect."
Am I dreaming, or is he actually serious? She'd never heard of Black Hat respecting anyone, let alone admitting it! But to hear it from his lips caused Lita's heart skipped a beat, which alarmed her.
"Don't tell anyone I said that either!" Black Hat said rapidly.
There was the boss she knew.
"No problem," she said with a mischievous smile. "So long as you don't tell anyone we shared a bed for the night."
His cheeks took on a darker color, which made her laugh.
"W-Why don't we play a round of chess?" Black Hat said, unable to take any more embarrassment today.
"Okay," Lita said, unbuckling her seatbelt. "If I win, you get to tell me something else about yourself."
"Oh, feeling cheeky today, are we?" the demon said, grinning in spite of his annoyed tone. "Well then, the same goes for you if I win!"
"Deal." Lita stood up. "Don't come crying to me when you lose."
Black Hat chuckled as he followed her to the chess set. On the contrary, my dear, I feel like I've already won.
Of all the Black Hat origin theories, I liked the one about him being human once the most, and it seemed like the best way he could relate to Lita. Seeing that brief image of Black Hat destroying Pompeii in the orientation videos gave me the idea that he could be Roman, maybe even Anglo-Saxan to explain his obsession with Britain. I'm sure Alan Ituriel came up with something different, but hey, this is a fanfic. Hope I didn't rush the details though, but he had been bottling all this in for a while.
Anyone see the theme I'm going with here on these villain cameos?