Chapter Eight
He needed to talk to Papillon... Blue Wing again.
Nino didn't care if they had left off on a bad note– that didn't mean that all their other interactions meant nothing. Nino was torn... and he felt like if he had one more conversation things might be a bit more clear in his scrambled mind. That perhaps he could get some answers that would make him feel less split, like he could move on from what happened.
He let out a long sigh– not sure what kind of 'answer' would help him. He very much doubted that all would be well with Blue Wing, that his father would suddenly no longer be a cause of fear– that just wasn't about to happen. But any sort of confirmation... just talking to him again... it would help. He didn't know how, but he was sure that was what he needed to do, the solution to this confusion he had been living in.
How he was going to manage to speak with Papillon once more... That was just yet another question Nino didn't have an answer to.
He was currently sitting out on the fire escape outside his window, staring up at the night sky. There weren't many visible stars, a consequence of being in a big city, but he had been out to the countryside enough times to know what he was missing.
Nino wasn't sure what he was expecting, he knew that Blue Wing was no longer going to be using the Butterfly Miraculous, so there was no point in waiting for a butterfly to come flying by– yet this was not his first night out here waiting.
...He'd figure out something.
"I'm sorry we haven't been able to hang out as much recently," Alya said, and Marinette stared at her in confusion.
"...Huh?" Marinette asked, blinking– they had just been on patrol last night– oh. "Oh, oh!" Marinette scratched the back of her head. "Oh, um, sorry. I've just been so tired the last few days... I probably wouldn't have been good company anyways. Homework has been crazy, huh?"
"Yeah," Alya agreed, even though homework had probably been closer to normal– but when you had an alter ego as a hero to take up your time it didn't feel that way. "But still, it's been so long since we've been able to hang out. I was wondering if you wanted to go grab some ice cream or something sometime?"
"That sounds wonderful," Marinette said, a smile spreading over her face. "Yes, please, let's. Maybe we could track down Andre's cart and..."
Marinette fell silent as she realized what she was saying.
"...The Sweetheart's Ice Cream guy?" Alya asked, blinking.
"Um!" Marinette squeaked, feeling heat climb her cheeks. "I... I just heard that he can, like... totally guess your soulmate? And I thought that could be fun, but maybe it would be weird to go there without a, um, date or something so just ignore me it was a stupid suggestion–"
"Sounds like fun," Alya said.
"Um– what?" Marinette said, freezing up.
"Finding out our soulmates? Sounds like fun," Alya said with a smile. "I mean, magic is real... so who says an ice cream dude can't do that?"
"Y-yeah," Marinette squeaked. "Fun will be definitely go let's–" Marinette began. "I mean– school after we could– we should ice cream cart find– no wait, mean I–"
Alya burst out laughing. "After school sounds great. There's supposed to be clues to track him down, right? It will be like a scavenger hunt!"
"Y-yeah– hunt of the scav– I mean hunting sc– scavenger hunt!"
Alya smiled at her, and Marinette wanted to die.
"...And topped with hazelnuts for her eyes," Andre declared, sprinkling the nuts on top of the ice cream, before holding it out to Marinette.
"Thank you..." Marinette said quietly, carefully taking the dessert from the man, looking at the combinations she had been given. She glanced at Alya, her heart pounding. Andre's Sweetheart's Ice Cream had always been a novelty, a fun idea laced with romance...
She wasn't actually expecting the ice cream to match who her heart longed for!
"Sooo," Alya said, nudging Marinette as she looked down at her apricot and cherry ice cream. "How accurate are we talking? Am I going to be able to guess who's stolen your heart? Hmm?"
"Um..." Marinette said, and Andre chuckled.
"A mystery is all that your heart sees– but the one you seek is close indeed," Andre told Alya, pulling out a new cup and a scoop. "Blueberry for her eyes so blue, a deep dark chocolate for her hair. Topped with strawberry slices, you see– spotted with seeds."
Alya laughed. "Thank you, Andre– how much do we owe you?"
"For those who find me for the first time my treats are free," Andre replied. "Though next time you see me, a few euros will be all you need."
"Well, then I guess I'll put this in the tip jar instead," Alya replied, placing a few notes into the jar on the cart. "Thank you, Andre."
"Y-yeah, thank you," Marinette said.
Sweetheart's Ice Cream with Alya. She was getting Sweetheart's Ice Cream with Alya. This was fine. Friends got ice cream all the time– this was just fine.
"So..." Alya said as they made their way towards the bench. "Is your ice cream a match...?"
"Um," Marinette said. "Is yours?"
Alya grinned. "What do you think?" She asked, holding out her ice cream. "Is Andre telling me I'm destined for Ladybug?"
Do you think you could be destined for me? Marinette wanted to say, but instead managed to stammer: "Well, er, I that think– I mean–"
Alya chuckled. "Honestly, I don't think we're 'destined' for anyone. A relationship is something you got to work for, you know?"
"Y-yeah," Marinette said, swallowing. "Work for." Or actually get the courage to say something. "Well, um... I think my ice cream could totally be for Rena Rouge, don't you think?"
Her friend swallowed slightly. "You do?"
"I mean, orange apricot like her costume, the cherry could be for her hair, and what better for hazel eyes than hazelnuts?" Marinette asked, taking a bite of her ice cream. Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed Alya touching her hair, looking uncertain, and so Marinette quickly changed the topic. "Mmmhhh– delicious. Want a bite?"
What are you doing?! Marinette screamed at herself as she held out her bowl of ice cream, and Alya blinked at it.
"Sure," she said, taking her spoon and scooping off a small bite. "Hmm– not bad. Never had apricot ice cream before. Want to try mine?"
"Y-yeah," Marinette said, uncertainly moving her spoon towards Alya's offered ice cream. The blueberry and chocolate ice cream were starting to melt together, and Marinette quickly took a bite with her eyes closed, melted ice cream dripping down her chin.
She stiffened up as she felt a hand on her face, eyes opening to see Alya wiping the ice cream away. Her friend paused, as if not realizing what she was doing until now, her fingers still brushing against her cheek. Marinette felt her face heating up, the two of them staring at each other.
"I–" Alya began.
"Alya, I–" Marinette said at the same moment– and both fell silent so the other could speak. Alya quickly pulled away her hand, and Marinette's skin tingled where she had been touching her.
Marinette was cut off by a loud beeping echoing from their phones, and the phones of those around them. They both jumped at the sound of an akuma alert, and Marinette's throat tightened, words she had wanted to say withering away. She took in a deep breath, ice cream tightly in her hand as she rose to her feet.
"We should go hide," she said quietly.
"Um, er– my blog?" Alya said uncertainly, and Marinette gave a short nod.
"Stay safe," she said– and without another word the two friends ran off in opposite directions. Alya's desire to get footage of akuma attacks had always helped Marinette slip away, but now she was sure that Alya was waiting to see if Ladybug was going to come to her for help, probably hidden away in a place out of sight like she was last time she had found her.
Marinette debated if she should tackle this akuma alone or not, as it would take time to go get the Fox Miraculous. She glanced at the akuma alert– and in the background of the photo she could see a winged figure. She closed her eyes, changing direction so she was heading towards Master Fu's.
She wanted her partner for this battle.
"Yeah, get him!" Chris cried as he watched the akuma battle on screen, throwing his arms up. The action knocked his glasses slightly askew, and he quickly adjusted them, before watching the news eagerly once more.
As long as the akuma stayed on TV and couldn't be heard outside their apartment, Chris usually didn't get too scared, the akuma seeming more like a movie rather than something that was actually attacking their city. Nino was sitting by his younger brother, ready to turn off the news report if the battle got a bit too intense for his brother to watch.
Instead he found his eyes locked on the blue figure on screen, wincing every time he took a blow– while his brother let out a loud cheer.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Chris chanted. "Get the big bad meanie, Ladybug– get him!"
"Ch-chris, don't say that," Nino said quietly.
His brother gave him a confused look. "Isn't Blue Wing a bad guy?"
"...Blue Wing is on the wrong side," Nino said slowly. "But you shouldn't want to see people get hurt, no matter who it is."
"But... but Blue Wing is helping the akuma hurt people," Chris said, sounding uncertain.
No he isn't. Nino wanted to say– because Blue Wing was only going after the heroes. Unlike the akumas that weren't afraid to attack the city, he never directed his attacks towards anyone that didn't have a Miraculous. And yeah, that still wasn't good, but it wasn't the same as what Hawk Moth was doing...
"That's why we want Hawk Moth to be defeated," Nino said, wrapping an arm around his brother, pulling him close. "Then the fighting will be over, and no one will be getting hurt. Hawk Moth will be in jail where no one can ever get hurt by him again."
"Blue Wing too, right?" Chris asked.
Nino's hands tightened around his brother as he watched Rena Rouge's flute make contact with Blue Wing, chills running through him.
"...There will be no more bad guys," Nino said softly instead.
Chris was silent the rest of the battle, and Nino hoped he hadn't said anything that would make the little dude nervous. He gave him a reassuring squeeze, watching as Nadja Chamack narrated Ladybug summoning her Lucky Charm– both of the heroes working in complete synchronization as they moved towards the akuma.
Neither Ladybug nor Rena Rouge stayed around to give an interview at the end of the battle– both of them running off after Blue Wing as he took flight. He seemed to have the advantage of speed while in the air, but that didn't stop Nino's stomach from being tied in knots as they pursued after him. When Ladybug detransformed she didn't have anyone after her with the akuma defeated, but Blue Wing... he had two heroes right on his tail.
The newscast remained on, waiting to catch word on if the heroes had managed to apprehend the Peacock holder.
A few minutes later Ladybug could be seen running across the rooftops, her partner nowhere in sight– nor did her posture portray any sign of victory or success– and so the report concluded that Blue Wing was still at large.
Nino let out a shaky breath of relief.
Adrien leaned against his window, coughing.
"Are you okay?" Duusu asked, the kwami drifting up to him. She looked tired from their transformation– but was only watching him in concern.
"Y-yeah," Adrien said, trying to clear his throat. "I, um, I dunno..."
"You're worried," Duusu remarked, drifting about him– and he had to guess that the kwami was just as keen to his Emotions as he was to others when he wore the Miraculous. "Why are you worried?"
Adrien was still trying to figure out how to fully control his empathy abilities– at the moment he knew how to shut out or tune into the ability– which meant he could either sense nothing, or everything at once. He still had yet to figure out how to slowly tap into it, and expand his range of 'vision', and Duusu wasn't much help when he asked– just saying that it was easy.
His father said the same thing– but Adrien had learned that the Butterfly Miraculous and the Peacock Miraculous' empathy worked in different ways. The Butterfly could help you sense the emotions around you, but for the most part it seemed to spike when it sensed something intense. Alerting you to someone's burning anger, raw sorrow– strong and potent states of mind that were like a shout in an empty room, reaching the holder with ease.
The Peacock, on the other hand, picked up even the smallest waiver of Emotions. When he let himself be attuned to the empathy he could easily sense all of his father's emotions, and Nathalie's, Ezra's– the cook, maids, the gardener– or whoever else might be at the mansion at the moment. They would all hit him at once, no matter how powerful or small the Emotions were. It was different, nothing like the Butterfly.
But he didn't know how to tell his father that, because his father didn't respond well to being told he was wrong.
"Adrien?" Duusu asked, and Adrien realized she had asked him a question.
"I... I'm just not doing as well as I should," Adrien whispered. "We outnumber the heroes, but... but they're still winning."
"If at first you don't succeed, try try again!" Duusu said. "Try try try try try try~"
"I... I just don't know how Father will react," Adrien muttered.
"Well he's not happy," Duusu said, and Adrien whipped his head up.
"What?"
"I can sense Gabby right now," Duusu said, flicking her tail. "He doesn't seem too happy." She tilted her head. "Oh, I think he's coming this way."
Adrien felt his fear sparking, his eyes falling onto one of the doors to his room– and soon he could hear the echo of his father's footsteps. Duusu didn't seem too concerned, spinning through the air, humming a song that he did not know.
He tried his best not to wince as the door was thrown open.
"Why did he do that?"
Adrien raised his head, looking at Duusu– and found that he wasn't the only one crying. Large tears were filling the kwami's magenta eyes, dripping down her deep blue feathers. Adrien shook slightly, wiping his own tears away, trying to control his breathing. His heart was hammering, refusing to calm down despite the fact that they were now alone.
"It's okay," Adrien said quietly. "I deserved it."
"B-but he hurt you," Duusu whimpered, sounding like she was fighting a sob. "Aren't... aren't we all on the same s-side?"
Adrien traced his wrists, which were still red from where he had been grabbed. "It was my fault," he whispered softly. "If I hadn't messed up, this wouldn't have happened."
"But what did we do wrong?"
"It wasn't you, Duusu," he reassured the kwami, who had buried her head into her feathery paws, seemingly to stop her tears. He move towards her, scooping her up in his hands. "It was my fault, Duusu, just mine. My avatars aren't doing what Father needs them to do, the heroes are defeating them too quickly, and... and once that happens my timer starts and so I have to leave the fight, and– and–"
He closed his eyes, trying to stop more tears. "I j-just need to do better. Father trusted me with you, and your Miraculous, he trusted me, so I can't be messing up. I can't."
"So we'll fix it next time?"
"Yes," Adrien promised, bringing the kwami in close. "We will." Duusu blinked, and her tears seemed to dry up. She leaned in close to Adrien's chest, her arms doing their best to bring him into a hug. Duusu leaned up against him as his fingers were run through her feathers, the boy trying to calm himself. "We won't mess up next time."
Ladybug, however, proved to be a skilled fighter– and it was only thanks to his wings that he was able to slip away from her and Rena Rouge.
Unlike other bruises he got, at least the ones the heroes gave him were healed by the Miraculous Ladybugs.
Ladybug was panting slightly as she landed in the alleyway, letting out a sigh as she tried to catch her breath. Adrenaline was still running through her from the battle, even though the danger had long passed. She leaned back against the brick wall, her earrings beeping in her ear, and the small box that held the Fox Miraculous was in her hand.
She considered herself pretty lucky so far, because there had yet to be an incident where Blue Wing was able to pursue her with her timer counting down and his intact. As soon as they defeated his avatar his timer would begin– and usually the avatar and akuma were defeated close together– and following Master Fu's advice she tried to get the amok first to trigger Blue Wing's timer so he wouldn't be able to follow her.
That still didn't mean that she didn't have close calls, and it was only a few moments after she landed in the alleyway that her timer ran out– a burst of pink light surrounding her as her transformation fell.
Tikki came flying out from her earrings, landing on Marinette's outstretched hand. Her kwami had one eye ridge raised as she opened her purse to pull out a cookie for her. "Here you go– you must be exhausted after that fight!"
"You cut that way too close," Tikki said, taking the cookie. "You shouldn't have spent so much time talking to Rena."
"I left with plenty of time, she didn't see my identity," Marinette said swiftly, but Tikki gave her a pointed look. "...But I'll save chatting for patrol nights?"
"That's better," Tikki said, taking several bites. "Or maybe make an effort to be with her more outside of the mask."
Marinette shifted slightly, glancing down at the Fox Miraculous in her hand. When she was with Alya... she was just Marinette. But when she had the mask on she was Ladybug– confident, a hero, someone that Alya looked up to. Besides, she was sure Alya looked forward to putting on the mask far more than she ever did to any of their normal hangouts.
"I know that look," Tikki said sternly. "And whatever you're thinking, throw those thoughts out now."
Marinette opened up her coin purse. "Here you go Tikki, there's some more cookies in here."
"...We're talking when we get home," Tikki said, knowing that she couldn't convince Marinette to have a heart to heart in the empty alleyway, and she carefully drifted into the bag. Marinette let out a long sigh, closing the purse behind the kwami, before sagging slightly, looking down at the box with the Fox Miraculous, thoughts racing.
She was snapped out of them after a moment, a flicker of movement appearing out of the corner of her eyes.
She wheeled about, catching sight of a figure– but was unable to see any more than that– instead she saw something flying straight at her face. Her eyes pressed closed as the liquid spattered across her, and she felt her fear instinctively surging. Her arms rose, partly to defend her, partly to try to get whatever had been dumped on her away from her eyes. She felt someone bump into her, and she stumbled back.
She heard something hit the ground, and one arm braced her against the wall– the other curled into a fist. She blindly threw the punch– and even without her enhanced strength she knew it would be a nasty blow. But her hand made contact with nothing– instead she heard the sound of retreating footsteps– and she felt the liquid drip into her mouth.
...Water.
She had been freaking out over water.
Her eyes fluttered open, shaking– and the alleyway around her was empty. "T-tikki?"
"Marinette, are you okay?" The kwami cried, phasing out of her purse. "Marinette?"
"D-did... did you see them?" Marinette whispered, shaking.
"No..." Tikk whispered, glancing about. "I... I didn't."
"Do you think they... saw me?"
"...No," Tikki said after a moment of thought. "We would have heard something more if they saw you detransform– like a gasp or something. They must have come later, your identity should be safe, it should be..." Tikki trailed off, before flying in close to Marinette's face. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
"N-no..." Marinette muttered, still shaken– not quite sure what had happened. Ambushing someone with water, then running off? Had she been mistaken for someone else? Pulled into a prank war or something...? "My purse isn't wet, so my phone should be okay... everything is okay..."
"They didn't try to take anything from you?" Tikki asked, sounding worried.
"No," Marinette said, letting out a shaky sigh of relief, even as water dripped down her. "Everything's okay, everything's–"
Marinette froze, fear coursing through her once more.
"Marinette?"
"Tikki?" Marinette whispered. "Where's the Fox Miraculous?"
Tikki's eyes widened, her eyes flickering down to the hand that Marinette had been holding it in– empty. Marinette's heart was pounding, and her eyes searched the ground– looking for the box that had to be there. It had to be, it couldn't be gone, it couldn't be–
She pulled aside boxes and bags that littered the alleyway, Tikki diving under a dumpster to search. Every moment that passed felt like an eternity– and her panic only grew. The one thing that she couldn't lose wasn't here, it wasn't here, it wasn't here–!
Marinette told herself that they would find it. That it would be under the next newspaper, or Tikki would see that it had rolled behind a crate.
But she found nothing.
It seemed the thief hadn't gone for her purse or any valuables in it, having been able to grab something else instead and flee. Something that was much more dangerous than anything else they could have gone for.
After her third sweep of the alleyway Tikki looked at her sadly, slowly shaking her head.
Marinette trembled, tears filling her eyes as she leaned up against the wall. She... she had failed. She had made a mistake that she hadn't been allowed to make– she had messed everything up.
Ladybug had lost a Miraculous.