"You need to take it easy, girl," Alya said, practically shoving her friend forward. "You've been way too stressed."
"I can't just take the night off," Marinette complained, all but rooting herself in place as Alya dragged her towards the restaurant. "I need to finish planning for the fashion show, and Adrien texted me saying that something came up, and…" She dropped her voice. "And I have to train as Ladybug."
"All I'm hearing is that you need this break even more. The fashion show's not for a couple weeks, Adrien can wait until the morning, and I'm sure Chat Noir can handle patrolling until an akuma shows up."
"I don't know…"
"Which is why you have me, because I do know."
The two walked into a big Italian restaurant. Marinette looked at it, but she didn't actually recognize it, even though Alya was insistent that they come here for dinner. It wasn't a particularly fancy place. In fact, it was pretty loud, like the place was more for parties and big gatherings.
"There they are!" a high pitched voice called. Marinette turned, and a smile broke out on her face instantly. Sitting in a big booth at the back were a collection of all her old friends. Rose was already on her feet, pointing in their direction.
"Alya, did you do this?" she asked as the girls surrounded her.
"We all wanted to see you, Marinette," Mylene said.
"Yeah, but you've been MIA forever," Alix said, crossing her arms. "What have you even been doing?"
"Sorry, girls," Marinette said. "I've been crazy swamped with school and work and… extracurriculars."
"Sounds like you," Juleka said quietly.
In true Alya fashion, she was a little picky in who she brought, determined to make it a girl's night out so it ended up being Rose, Mylene, Alix, and Juleka, and Kagami. Over the next hour, the girls caught up with each other.
"I am fortunate my mother has allowed me to continue attending school in Paris," Kagami said. "She originally wanted me to return to Japan for university."
"You changed your mom's mind?" Alix asked, surprised.
"Not exactly changed," Kagami admitted. "It was more like she wants me to take over the French side of the business after she returns to Japan. Staying here made more sense logistically."
"At least you know what you're going to do," Mylene said with a sigh. "I still have to figure out what I'm going to major in."
"What are you considering again?" Rose asked.
"What aren't I considering?" Mylene lamented. "History, literature, political science, pretty much any humanities. Anything except math or science."
"Hey," Alix jumped in, offended. "Math and science are pretty great."
"Yeah, if numbers make any sense to you."
"Well, no one is quite as set as Marinette," Alya said, nudging her best friend.
"That's true," Kagami said slowly. "You're already working for a major design company while you're still in school, aren't you?"
"How is working for Adrien?" Mylene asked.
"I like it," Marinette answered carefully. "I'm getting a lot of great experience, and getting a paycheck doesn't hurt either."
"Plus you get to spend time with Adrien," Juleka mumbled, making Marinette blush.
"You probably get to spend a lot of time with him!" Rose exclaimed. "Are you two…"
"We're just friends still," Marinette said.
"They keep saying that," Alya groaned.
"Because it's true. Adrien and I are good friends now, and we're colleagues. I've been able to learn a lot about how the design world works. I'm hoping it will let me get my designs out there soon. In fact…" She trailed off, unsure if she should tell them. When they all leaned in, she knew she had to. "I may have submitted a design to the upcoming fashion show."
"No way," Rose exclaimed.
"Did Adrien like it?" Kagami asked.
"He doesn't know, but he did approve it. It's not finalized yet," she said quickly as her friends started to get excited. "His father still needs to give it his final seal of approval, but… I'm hopeful. Don't tell Adrien anything about this though. I really don't want him to know and give me any special treatment."
"Please, as if we could," Alix scoffed.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't think any of us have seen that guy in months. He's so busy, I probably only see him like once or twice a year outside of school." The other girls nodded in agreement.
"He's always been pretty busy," Marinette had to agree, although she was surprised. He always made time for her, Alya, and Nino.
"Remember back when he used to try to sneak away from his responsibilities?" Alix asked.
"Barely," Rose said. "When was that?"
"Back when Ladybug and Chat Noir started fighting Monarch," Mylene answered. "Actually, he started to get busier around the time they disappeared."
"Who didn't," Alya said, rolling her eyes. "I feel like everyone was so freaked out that they all started making us work harder in school and clubs to make up for it. We barely saw Kagami for weeks."
"My mother wanted to capitalize on the situation while people were still confused," Kagami admitted. "There were voids to be filled in business, technology, and police when the heroes vanished."
"Can we still call them heroes?" Mylene asked sheepishly. "I mean, people are saying a lot of bad things about them now."
Marinette's eyes widened, and her muscles froze. To her side, Alya looked ready to jump in, but surprisingly, it was Alix that jumped in first, slamming her hands on the table. "Of course they're still heroes," she said loudly. "I can't believe you'd just believe all that stuff about them."
"I'm just saying that we don't know much about them," Mylene said quickly. When Alix looked ready to argue, she continued, "I love Ladybug and Chat Noir. I mean, they've saved us enough times that I owe them. And I don't think they're secretly working with Monarch or anything like that, but…"
"It is scary not knowing who they are," Rose finished for her.
"I may not know their identities," Kagami said, her eyes looking off into the distance, "but I know that I can trust them."
"Me too," Juleka mumbled.
As the conversation continued, Marinette sat back and listened. According to Alya, everyone at this table once wielded a Miraculous to fight beside her, even if she didn't remember it. The Ladybug of the past felt so strongly that she could trust each one of them that she gave them one of the most powerful objects in the world.
And even their faith in her was being shaken.
She frowned and wondered what they would think if they could see her now. So far, the general public didn't realize anything was different about her, but there were already rumors going around that Ladybug wasn't as in control as she used to be. She wondered what would happen if they knew she was only a shell of the Ladybug she once was.
*F*B*
Adrien shot off a text to Marinette that they had to talk about the fashion show, even though he knew it would have to wait. Hopefully she was doing something else today. As important as it was, duty called elsewhere. "Plagg, claws out."
Chat Noir leapt over rooftops for about an hour before he stopped. He leaned idly off one of the lower rungs of the Eifel Tower, in plain sight, even if he was unreachable by the majority of people. He wanted to make sure the Guardian knew he was here.
After a few hours, all of Paris knew he was there. That was fine. Chat Noir wanted the people of Paris to know that he wasn't going anywhere after the riots. Being so visible did make him wary that Queen Bee or Volpina might appear, but neither did. Ladybug didn't call, and that was fine too. He wanted to get through this meeting before he spoke to her.
After he felt like enough time passed, he decided to move somewhere more private. He leapt into a small alley. It took even less time than he expected. "Chat Noir," Su-Han said, dropping from the roof, staff in hand. "It has been a long time."
"Too long," Chat replied, barely restraining a frown. "I was wondering if you skipped town."
"My duty is to the Miraculous," Su-Han told him sternly. "As long as they are active in Paris, I will be here as well."
"Then where have you been?"
"I know Ladybug's identity, but yours remains a mystery, even to me, Chat Noir. I thought it would be inappropriate to reach out to Ladybug, and I was unable to find you."
"And our Miraculous have been back for almost two weeks, but I had to sit around on the Eifel Tower before you came to meet me."
"The Black Cat and Ladybug Miraculous are the only two I know are safe. Active or not, my mission is the retrieval of the others, even if that means I neglect you." He looked up and down the alley. "I notice you didn't bring your partner to meet me."
"I… didn't think it would be a good idea for her to meet you," Chat responded. Ladybug was already having enough trouble regaining her confidence. He couldn't imagine that meeting the man that told her she failed as Guardian and took her memories would help with that.
"Your Miraculous are equals," Su-Han said. "Treating one as superior to the other is one of the reasons Monarch was able to steal the advantage he did. Neither of you have ever truly understood that."
"Speaking of Monarch," Chat Noir said, pointedly ignoring his advice, "I thought you were going to get the Miraculous back before they reactivated. What went wrong?"
Su-Han frowned. "Monarch is more elusive than I expected," he was forced to admit. "I have methods of tracking the Miraculous, but... Monarch seems to know more about the ways of the Guardians than I expected."
"He repaired the Peacock Miraculous after we were told it was broken," Chat Noir said.
Su-Han hummed to himself. "Repairing a damaged Miraculous is no easy feat. It would be all but impossible unless he had access to our ancient texts. That would also explain how he's been able to avoid my detection."
"We don't know what Monarch knows," Chat Noir told him. "He's always one step ahead of us, no matter what we do."
"I figured as much. But if he's making himself out as a false Guardian, then he becomes even more dangerous."
"False Guardian?" Chat Noir asked. "Are you talking about Volpina and Queen Bee?"
"There have been instances in our history of people gathering Miraculous to themselves, but none had the required knowledge or enough Miraculous to rival the Order of Guardians. It seems Monarch now has both. That means that retrieving the Bee and Fox Miraculous is of the utmost importance."
"I couldn't agree more."
"Then find your partner. We don't have any time to lose."
Su-Han started to walk away, but Chat Noir grabbed his shoulder before he could. "Wait, right now?"
"Why delay?"
"We don't even know where Chloe and Lila are," he started listing. "Even if we did, we can't just openly attack them. People are already starting to turn against us."
Su-Han swatted his hand away. "The Miraculous holders worked in secret for generations. Your duty is the protection of your Miraculous and the city, not to gain popularity. We will do what we must."
Chat Noir pursed his lips, trying to think about it. As much as he wanted to argue, there was a part of him that agreed. Even if people hated them, it would be better than having rogue Miraculous holders running around the city. If they were lucky, interrogating them afterwards might even lead to Monarch. But… the thought of Paris hating Ladybug…
"Fine, I'll do it, but we leave Ladybug out of it."
Su-Han's eyes narrowed. "No. Without her, you will fail."
"Two on one's not my favorite odds, but I understand how their Miraculous work, probably even better than they do. And I'm certainly the better fighter. I can handle it alone." And he could handle the city hating him. As long as Ladybug stayed their hero, things would work out better.
"If you fail, we lose one of the two most powerful Miraculous. I will not allow that to happen."
"And I won't allow you to destroy Ladybug's reputation," Chat said, digging in his heels. "This city looks up to her, and she does a lot of good just by being a symbol of hope. That's something worth protecting."
"Not at the expense of the Miraculous," Su-Han said firmly.
"I won't let you drag her into this."
"You would choose for her?" Su-Han asked, his voice becoming even deeper and more serious. Chat Noir was the same height as him, but with a single sentence, Su-Han seemed to tower over the younger man. "Do you think yourself so far above her that you can decide where she should go, who she should protect, and how?"
Chat Noir recoiled from the questions. Did he think he could tell her what to do? "I'm not above her," he said aggressively. "She's in charge. I'm here to support her. I take the hits for her so she can save the day. This is just another hit."
Su-Han didn't speak. His hand lashed out, striking Chat in the chest. Chat Noir tried to rally himself, but Su-Han was faster. No, not faster. Chat was significantly faster than the older man, but it was as if Su-Han knew every move he would make before he even made it. Each strike Chat made was perfectly blocked and countered. Once Chat was thrown against the wall, he realized he couldn't take it easy on this opponent.
"Cataclysm," he called, and Destruction gathered in his palm.
Unfortunately, Su-Han wasn't bothered. With a kick, Chat's leg gave out from under him. Su-Han's hand slapped against his wrist, and the Cataclysm collided with the ground, sending cracks for several feet in either direction, but not causing any substantial harm. It was a moment later that Su-Han pulled the ring from his finger.
Adrien laid on the ground, breathing hard. Despite only a short exchange, he felt exhausted battling the Guardian. "Mirakung fu," Adrien said under his breath. He forgot that the Guardian was skilled in battling Miraculous holders.
"Adrien Agreste," Su-Han said, throwing the Miraculous back to Adrien. "You must learn the nature of your Miraculous better. Why do you think I was able to defeat you so easily?"
"Because you can fight the Black Cat Miraculous," Adrien said, sliding the ring back on. He felt weird without it, even for just a few seconds. "That's what you trained to do."
"But no one taught you how to fight, did they? Then why do you fight like each Chat Noir before you?"
"I… I'm not sure."
"Your Miraculous gives you abilities that you don't even realize. Your Cataclysm is obvious, but there is so much more. Your strength, speed, and durability are one thing, but your movements are shaped by your Miraculous. Even the way you think is guided by the Miraculous you wield. That is what it means to be the wielder. But this extends beyond fighting, beyond even yourself."
"You're talking about my relationship with Ladybug."
"The Miraculous guide, but they cannot control. Monarch should be evidence enough of that. Your Miraculous is meant to be partnered with Ladybug, not superior nor inferior to her. As a partner, you must treat her as such, or you risk going against the nature of your Miraculous."
"You mean corrupting it?" Adrien asked, suddenly afraid. He was still a little unclear of what corruption entailed, but he didn't want to find out.
"Good, your kwami has started to teach you. Corruption is an extreme outcome. Your relationship with Ladybug is skewed, but not so much so that you risk real corruption on its own. However, it will hurt your ability to work together. If it gets back enough, it may even cripple your powers, weakening you and opening you both up to corrupting forces. It is only when you and Ladybug work together that you will outclass the other Miraculous."
"So what do you want me to do?" Adrien demanded. "She doesn't have her memories. She's still learning how to be Ladybug, and she's lost all her confidence. I have to help her."
"You do have to help her," Su-Han agreed. "But helping her does not mean taking charge over her responsibilities or relegating her to the side. She did something similar to you, and it created an opening that allowed Monarch to steal the Miraculous. I hope you aren't about to make the same mistake she made."
Adrien wanted to get mad, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. As harsh as the Celestial Guardian was, he was rarely wrong, especially about things like this. "I don't know if we can be equal partners. I have to protect her until she becomes the Ladybug she was before, and then she'll take charge again."
"It is that mentality that will cause us to lose to Monarch," Su-Han said. "Remember this, Chat Noir, I am not your enemy. My only duty is to the protection of the Miraculous. As much as I chastise you, you have proven yourself to be a competent Chat Noir. Now, I am asking you to become a great one."
Adrien bit his lip. He didn't trust himself to answer, but the Guardian's stare told him that he had to. "I will try," he compromised. He wouldn't admit to the Guardian that he would do whatever it took to protect Ladybug. He always had, and he always would.
Thankfully, Su-Han accepted it. "Remember, Chat Noir, our time is short. As soon as we locate the Bee and Fox, we must make our move. Even now, our enemies gather against us."
*F*B*
Mylene waved goodbye to the other girls as they parted. Seeing all of them was nice. Honestly, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, they didn't see each other nearly as much as she wanted to. It felt nice to be together again.
She pulled out her phone and shot off a quick text to Ivan. She knew he worried about her when she walked home alone. She appreciated the concern, but it wasn't even dark yet. If it were, then she would be scared too.
"Hello, Mylene," a voice said from around a corner. It was enough to make the girl jump. She considered running away, but it continued, "Please don't be afraid. I just want to give something to you."
A small object flew around the corner, and Mylene caught it in her hands. For a moment, she was afraid of what it might be, but then she felt it. Even if she only held it a few times, she could never forget the pendant in her hands. "A Miraculous?" she asked.
At that point, a man walked around the corner. Mylene was suddenly afraid she was seeing Monarch, but the person in front of her couldn't be. He was too young. If she wasn't mistaken, he was wearing the Miraculous of the Peacock.
"My name is Paon," he said with a slight bow. "I have been looking for you so that I can return this to you."
"But…" Mylene said, her brain working in overtime. "How did you get this?"
"I stole it from Monarch," Paon admitted, as though it was the simplest thing in the world. "I believe in a freer world. One that isn't constrained by the tyranny of Monarch… or Ladybug."
"You don't understand," Mylene said, her hands tightening around the Miraculous. "I… I don't want to fight Ladybug."
"You don't have to," Paon said. "I'm not here to ask anything of you."
"But then why give me this Miraculous?" she asked. "I mean, why me?"
"You were Polymouse, weren't you?"
Mylene's blood pressure skyrocketed when he said that. "What… What makes you think I used to have a Miraculous?" she asked. He couldn't know. Only Ladybug knew her identity. No one ever unmasked her.
Paon smiled. It looked friendly, but there was something sinister about it just underneath. "I have my ways," he whispered. "Ladybug chose good wielders. I am excited to see what Polymouse does in the future."
"And if I give this back to Ladybug?" Mylene asked, although she had a feeling she shouldn't. She still wasn't totally sure what Paon's goal was. Why would he just give her a Miraculous without asking for anything in return? His answer shocked her.
"It's your Miraculous. Do with it what you'd like." The pendant felt heavy in Mylene's hands. "However, if you would like some help, I suppose I could provide that as well."
"What kind of help?"
"Protection," Paon answered. "As soon as Ladybug and Chat Noir learn that you have that, they will come after you. You could just hand it over to them, or you could use it to do good on your own. And I can make sure they don't steal what's rightfully yours."
A/N: Oh now we're really getting somewhere. Things are really going to start getting crazier from here. There's so many pieces in the air right now that something's going to have to start crashing down sooner or later. The question is... what? Thanks for reading again! Please remember to review and let me know what you like and don't like. Francis Booker out!