Chapter Thirty
"When did you wear your suit?" Lucie asked with a frown, holding up his black suit jacket, which had just come out of the dryer.
"Oh, I didn't," Nino replied, currently combing through the fridge, looking for portable snacks that his two kwamis would find suitable. "I just washed it because we have a school dance coming up."
"Going all out, I see," Lucie said with a gleam in her eyes, putting the jacket on a coat hanger. "Does that mean you're taking someone?"
"Yup," Nino said, keeping the fridge door open to block his mother's view, because he didn't want to explain why he had a bag full of lettuce and nothing else.
"Oh really," Lucie said in a light voice that made Nino pause, his face heating up slightly as he fully realized the conversation. "And who's the lucky lady, then?"
Not really a lady. Nino thought, his mind scrambling for a reply. A chick, maybe, a peachick. Son of the city's villain.
Of course he didn't say this aloud, swallowing slightly. "Um, well, they're…"
"Are you going to introduce me?" Lucie asked, tone still teasing, clearly taking his stammering as embarrassment.
"I dunno, Mom, he's in a… complicated situation," Nino began uncertainly. "Maybe the day of the dance if he's comfortable with that…"
He'll at least have a mask on then.
"He?" Lucie said after a moment, and Nino's mouth went dry. His mother had never said anything negative about such before, but still her hesitation made his heart pick up.
The contents of the fridge suddenly seemed very interesting. "…Yes, he. We started dating a few days ago."
"So when will I get to meet him?" Lucie asked, and Nino peered out at his mother. She was smiling warmly at him, and he slowly felt his shoulders relax.
"I'll talk to him next time I see him," he promised.
"My Miraculous!" Trixx chirped, flying in front of Nino. "Take my Miraculous! You've already left me behind once, so it's the Turtle's turn."
"B-but they're expecting Carapace to show up, it will be suspicious if he doesn't show," Nino said to Trixx, who crossed there small paws, tail flicking.
"But then Blue Wing will be on his own, and he'll be worrying about where you are, which could leave him vulnerable if he can't focus on the fight," Trixx said, and this of course made Nino pause.
He had been dreading the next akuma fight ever since the Turtle Miraculous had made its way into his hands, but that time had now come– and he was left trying to decide which Miraculous to wear into battle. He did not want to leave Blue Wing alone at all during the fight, but he also could not have any of the heroes come looking for him if Carapace didn't show up. He looked at the necklace in his hands, then at the bracelet on the desk.
"...Or you could just wear both?" Wayzz said, sounding quite tired, and they turned to look at them. "You can unify Miraculouses, and gain two powers– and with your illusions you could have both Silver Paw and Carapace there at the fight."
"No! I don't wanna unify with you!" Trixx huffed. "Your energy is all stiff and boring and it limits my illusions– don't do it, Nino!"
The kwami's hopes were crushed when they saw the look on their holder's face, who was looking at Wayzz curiously. "Unifying Miraculouses?"
"By wearing both Miraculouses, and saying our names with the command 'unify', you trigger a transformation with two Miraculouses, and merge both of our auras with yours," Wayzz explained. "Unifications are difficult, and dangerous to anyone inexperienced– but with your familiarity and skill with the Fox, combined with the fact that we are a perfect match, I think you will fare just fine."
"But... but I couldn't wear two Miraculouses," Nino said, slipping the necklace over his neck, glancing at the bracelet.
"When transformed the energy should be more stabilized than just freely wearing the Miraculouses," Wayzz explained. "You will probably be very tired when you do drop the transformation, however– so make your choice carefully."
"Or just use mine!" Trixx chirped.
"...Well, it doesn't hurt to give it a try," Nino said slowly, picking up the Turtle Miraculous, slipping it on his wrist. Trixx's ears went flat against their head, and Nino instantly felt weighed down– staggering forward a few steps.
"See– he shouldn't be doing it!" Trixx snapped.
"Hush," Wayzz said. "Our auras are contrasting, but not naturally draining, he should be fine after he transforms."
"You're more worried about everything else and not Nino himself! You barely know him, you just want a 'perfect' little holder to run about with–"
"Trixx," Nino said, closing his eyes as the room spun slightly. "Wayzz– unify."
Instantly both kwamis became a burst of energy– green and gold spiraling towards their Miraculouses, their auras washing over him together as the dual transformation took hold. The sensation was startling, the vast amount of power surging through him being unlike any of his previous transformations, yet the moment the kwamis had touched their Miraculouses he did not feel as drained as he had before– the natural strength that came from transforming allowing him to stand.
"...Okay dudes, this is weird," he said as he finished, looking down at his new costume. It was a dark gray-green– the main section of his suit lined with scales like when he was Carapace, but it had the jacket of Silver Paw, coat tail included. However there were no fox ears as he drew up his hood, and he had the goggles of Carapace rather than a mask. There was a black flute in one hand, and a gray turtle shell shield slung over the other.
He could feel both kwamis' energies– Wayzz's comfortable steady and firm aura, Trixx's familiar and chaotic aura flaring across him. A strange sensation that he couldn't quite describe, but it was working– and that was all that mattered. He went to the window, pushing it open, and climbed out onto his fire escape.
"Silver Shell," he said after a moment of thought– realizing that at the moment he wasn't truly Silver Paw or Carapace. "I guess I'm Silver Shell today."
The kwamis hummed in his mind, their emotions hard to read with the both of them– but he figured there was no time to waste. He made his way up the side of the building, grateful to find that he had the agility of Silver Paw that he had lacked as Carapace– yet he didn't feel as fragile as he often did when he wore only the Fox.
He had only been transformed for a moment, but he was liking this unifying thing more by the second.
"Mirage!" Silver Shell called as he reached the top of the building, summoning his illusions– instantly splitting them into two. One he willed to wrap around himself, changing his form to look like Carapace. The other half of the illusion stood next to him, taking on the appearance of Silver Paw.
Silver Shell looked at his double, the fake Silver Paw looking real as he stood there– shifting and glancing about, chest rising and falling as he 'breathed'. It would be enough to make it look like both of his egos were there– and if Silver Paw happened to be hit, no one would question him vanishing as an illusion and would only look for the real one. And if anyone collided with the illusion of Carapace surrounding him... well, he'd just have to hope he could block them with his shield before they broke the illusion.
"Well dudes," Silver Shell said quietly. "Let's go see if we can punch Hawk Moth in the face."
With that he took off, willing the illusion of Silver Paw to branch off and approach from another direction– and he headed towards where the akuma had been reported, where he could hear the echoes of a battle taking place in the distance, the other heroes having already arrived well before him– they of course not having the dilemma of deciding which Miraculous they should put on.
Silver Shell had himself arrive as Carapace first, keeping the illusion of Silver Paw a ways back so they would not arrive at the same time. Panthera and Ladybug gave a quick nod in his direction, before quickly turning their attention back towards the akuma they were fighting this time.
Silver didn't see Blue Wing in the area.
"All of you are ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" The akuma cried in an all too familiar tone. "Just stay out of my way!"
"Chloe?" Silver asked, blinking in surprise.
"The name is Spotlight," Chloe cried, golden eyes turning towards him. Her outfit was a brilliant yellow like she often wore, shimmering with gold. She was blinding just to look at, a golden staff in her hand– too much like Style Queen for Silver Shell's comfort.
But the heroes seemed willing to get close to her, so hopefully she didn't have the power to turn them to dust like her mother.
Spotlight raised her staff high, which began to glow. Silver got ready to dodge whatever beam was coming, but Panthera and Ladybug merely raised their arms as they looked away– and he quickly regretted that he didn't do the same. A flare of blinding light radiated out from her staff with a brilliance that couldn't be described, and even with his tinted goggles Silver instantly found white dots dancing across his eyes, momentarily blinded.
He raised his turtle shell as he heard footsteps charging at him, something hitting against it as he blocked the strike. He stumbled back, and found that through his slowly returning vision that Spotlight had attacked him as soon as he had been blinded. It seemed that her power itself was light, and as her staff glowed again he leapt away, making sure to keep his eyes averted this time.
"Sorry, we should have warned you," Ladybug said, fluttering through the air and landing next to him. "She always pauses to gather light before she releases it– but it's too risky to look directly at her when she does so."
"Much better than Stormy Weather," Panthera said, her staff in hand, giving a nod to 'Carapace'.
"Any sign of Blue Wing?" Silver asked. "And, er, Mellifera?"
Spotlight had raised her staff once more, and they all looked away as another brilliant flare of light surged out– all of them quickly darting away before she could charge at them. They stayed fairly close together as they moved, moving up towards higher rooftops.
"None so far, thankfully," Panthera replied.
"We can't lower our guard, though," Ladybug replied. "They may be waiting to swoop in while we're blinded or distracted, and an avatar could come to the fight as well at any moment." Ladybug looked at him. "Keep your Shell-ter ready in case we're caught off guard."
"Got it," he replied, not paying too much focus, eyes scanning the skies for Blue Wing. He could sense his illusion of Silver Paw nearby, but didn't want to bring it in too soon.
He heard no beeping from his Miraculous despite having summoned an illusion, so he could only assume he had until he used Shell-ter as well. He didn't know for sure though, and so he kept an eye out for somewhere he could dive away to hide if the moment arose. As for defeating the akuma, the girls could come up with a plan and he would follow– he had too many other things to worry about to be able to play strategist.
"He deserves a chance to shine!" Spotlight cried, and Silver risked a glance at her– and it looked like melted gold tears were falling from her eyes. "I haven't seen him in forever– and he won't let him come to the dance!"
"Who can't?" Ladybug called out to Spotlight, who threw a disgusted look at her.
"Adrikins!" Spotlight shrieked, her voice having a metallic screech to it, and Silver Paw winced slightly. "I know he wants to come, but he can't– and it's not fair!"
Silver saw a hand reaching for him out of the corner of his eyes, and he spun around and raised his shield. Panthera's hand landed on the turtle shell instead of his shoulder, thankfully, leaving his illusion of Carapace intact. She held up her hands when she saw the defensive gleam in his eyes.
"Whoa," she said. "Just me."
"Er, sorry," he said quickly. "Um, don't touch me, I don't want to accidently lash out at you."
"I think we need to lure her somewhere with walls," Panthera said. "So we can block her light from some directions– get in close without having to stay back."
"Um, like an alleyway or somewhere indoors?"
"Whatever we can manage," she replied.
"Do you think your friend wants you to be akumatized to solve this?" Ladybug asked Spotlight, though reasoning with an akuma never worked– and Spotlight sneered at her as if Ladybug was the cause of all this.
"You know nothing about him!" She snarled. "I want him to come to my dance, and I won't let anyone stop me– not even you!"
Spotlight began to glow once more.
They all scattered as the burst of light flared out, all trying to surround Spotlight, though there wasn't much they could do, as her attack went in all directions. The battle that followed truly wasn't much of a battle, as there were true no strikes delivered. If they tried to get close Spotlight would glow and force them to retreat, and they'd get far enough away so she couldn't charge straight at them without confrontation. Silver Shell could see the logic behind the akuma– blind them then strike, but it only worked once. Yes, his eyes still hurt from the first flare, but he could see and the Miraculous Ladybugs would heal it all.
He looked down at himself, it being slightly strange to have an illusion on him– seeing Carapace when he wasn't truly Carapace. Spotlight's flashes didn't cancel out the illusion, thankfully– but that did make sense, because if light could disrupt it then simply stepping into the sun would ruin it. His illusion of Silver Paw was still waiting out of sight, but without Blue here he didn't seem much reason to bring it close.
Unless...
He had told himself he wasn't going to make any plans, but here he was doing so anyways. It could be a good distraction, however– because unlike all of them an illusion could charge even during one of the flares. Of course it couldn't truly attack or break the object, but if it could hold Spotlight's focus for just long enough they might be able to attack before she could try to blind them once more.
Downsides– he couldn't exactly tell the heroes this plan.
Still he closed his eyes for a moment, and willed the Silver Paw illusion to come out of hiding. He saw the flicker of gray appear on a nearby rooftop, but no one else noticed him right away. He was just fine with that, moving along rooftops, eyes scanning the skies. It didn't make sense with three Miraculouses in their hands for the villains to only send out an akuma, but he saw no signs of the Peacock or the Bee.
Was Blue okay? Did something happen? How bad would it have to be for Hawk Moth to be to willing keep him off the battlefield? What about Mellifera? What would be keeping her back? Perhaps it was an ambush like Ladybug had suggested.
"Stay away from me!" Spotlight screeched, raising her staff high, glowing once more.
Silver Shell didn't waste a moment, turning away from the harsh light, and willed the illusion of Silver Paw forward as the attack flared out.
"How can you see?!" Spotlight cried as the light died down, and Silver looked over his shoulder, making sure the illusion was still on track, even as Spotlight tried to duck away from the Fox who shouldn't be able to see her.
Spotlight hesitated for a moment, before rushing to meet Silver, staff raised overhead to strike down at him, and he didn't let the illusion slow, changing course to be ready to pounce the moment the Mirage faded.
Except it didn't.
Spotlight swung her staff down straight at Silver, the weapon hitting it with an echoing clang! The staff was knocked from Spotlight's hands from the force she had swung with, as if she had hit a solid wall. Silver froze up in shock, the illusion mirroring him, watching as the weapon flew across the roofs.
That was all they needed, Panthera rushing forward, hand raised high. "Cataclysm!"
She brought the Destructive energy down into the staff, which instantly crumbled to dust, a small black butterfly fluttering up from the ashes. The energy vanished from around Spotlight, leaving Chloe in her place, who glanced about with teary eyes.
"Where… where am I?" Chloe asked in a shaking voice.
"You were akumatized," Ladybug said, sending her yoyo out, snatching the butterfly before it could escape. "But it's over now, you're safe." Ladybug hesitated for a moment. "Can… can I ask what happened?"
Chloe turned away. "Nothing. It's ridiculous."
"Not too shabby, fake Fox," Panthera said, turning towards the illusion of Silver Paw. "You made that an easy fight."
Silver was still reeling from what happened, that he didn't have the illusion move away as Panthera reached out– causing the image of Silver Paw to instantly flicker and vanish like smoke. She didn't seem too surprised, letting out a sigh.
"Of course he wouldn't let us get close, so much for trying to talk to him," she muttered.
The necklace around Silver's neck started beeping, his timer apparently starting now that one illusion had been disturbed– which is what should have happened the moment Spotlight had attacked, but it hadn't.
Ladybug looked slightly uncomfortable, Chloe hugging her tightly as she recounted her tell of being akumatized. "And he never lets his son go anywhere, it's just not fair! Is it too much to ask to have my friend come to my school dance?"
Considering Marinette and Chloe's relationship at school, it was a strange sight, but Silver had no time to contemplate it, because he needed to to slip away before either of the heroines noticed that he had a Miraculous beeping when Carapace had yet to use his powers.
So he slipped away before the cure was even cast, needing to talk to his kwamis.
Nino felt like he was about to faint the moment he ended the unification.
He staggered across the room, reaching for his bed before he truly registered what was happening. It felt like all the energy had left his body with the kwamis, barely listening to what they said as he collapsed into the bed, the room feeling dizzy.
"–But did you listen to me?" Trixx snapped sarcastically. "Nooo, just told him to unify without knowing how he'd react to it. He's my holder, Wayzz, I know him best!"
Trixx zipped down, grabbing the Turtle bracelet, sliding it off of him. He felt a bit of his energy returning once the Miraculous was off– still exhausted– but not feeling like it was being drained straight from him.
"You okay, Kit?" Trixx asked, hovering above him.
"That… that was something," he managed to say after a minute.
"Unification shouldn't be done recklessly," Wayzz said, drifting forward. "It is powerful, not without its shortfalls."
"Yet you told him to do it!"
"I warned him of the effects."
"What happened to my illusion back there?" Nino asked, sitting up as he tried to end their bickering before it started up once more.
Trixx crossed his paws. "I told you his powers would mess up my illusions!"
Wayzz sighed. "Our Miraculouses and auras merged, which means our powers did the same. The Mirage was able to gain a one time Protection."
"It… makes them real?" Nino said, blinking.
"Oh, no," Wayzz said, shaking his head. "Not in any form. It is simply like a Shell-ter took on the shape of your illusion, made it solid and stable after that moment of contact."
"Which isn't how illusions work!" Trixx cried.
"Why didn't you tell me that would happen?" Nino asked. "It would've been nice to know."
"Unifications are vast and rarely set," Wayzz replied. "With so many possible combinations and it being a draining task it isn't often studied or recorded."
"And the way our powers merge can vary from holder to holder," Trixx muttered. "It isn't a set ability like Mirage or Shell-ter. You didn't call for it, it was just a natural form for the illusions with Protection infecting us."
Wayzz let out a long sigh. "Are you going to be like this with Plagg and Rena?"
Trixx settled into Nino's hair. "You're just jealous."
The Turtle stared at him. "Yeah… I most certainly am the jealous one here."
Marinette looked in the mirror as she applied her makeup, feeling slightly on edge. She knew there wasn't a true reason to, adding the final touches of her cat eyes eyeliner. A bit more bold than what she usually wore, but with the dance in less than an hour she just focused on what she already had planned.
"You look beautiful, Marinette!" Tikki said, beaming. She held the mask she had made as she hovered there, which Marinette accepted. It was quite different from the one she wore as a hero, much more ornate, black and shaped like a cat face, ears and all, highlighted with gold colored stitches on the edges. Tikki zipped behind her to tie the golden ribbon in place, while Marinette used a few pins to secure it.
She looked at her reflection once more, her hair down from their signature pigtails, curls falling on her shoulders. Her dress was sleek, made of a silky black fabric that fell just past her knees. There was a silt on the left, showing the golden underskirt. The sleeves flared off the shoulders, made from a black sheer fabric. A braided sash hung around her waist, supporting a small charm with a golden paw print emblazoned within it. She had been tempted to wear heels, but not wanting to tempt fate she had gone with black flats.
"I guess you wouldn't have been a bad Black Cat!" Tikki giggled. "Looks like I'll need to keep Plagg's ring away from you."
She brought Tikki in close. "You know I wouldn't trade you for any kwami in the world," she smirked. "Not even for a cooler costume."
"I give you wings!" Tikki cried. "What's cooler than flying?"
"Ice," Marinette replied, but before the kwami could offer a rebuttal, Sabine called up from downstairs.
"Marinette! Your girlfriend is here!"
Marinette let out a small squeak, and Tikki let out a giggle. She looked at the mirror one more time, tossing her hair over her shoulders, then straightening out her dress. She scrambled for her bag, her purse over her shoulder, which Tikki phased into, before bolting for the trapdoor.
"Coming!" She called as she rushed down the stairs.
Marinette was not prepared to see Alya.
Yes, she had designed and made the dress she wore, she had seen her try it on to make sure it would fit, but she had not seen Alya in the completed outfit, all dressed up and ready for the dance. Marinette couldn't help but pause as she rushed down the stairs, staring at Alya as she talked to Sabine, eyes flickering towards Marinette.
Her ombre hair was braided with dozens of micro braids, several strands pulled back and tied in the back. Hazel eyes shone behind a black mask, which rested over her glasses, three ladybug charms on the rim. The top of her dress was black, the collar and sleeves a shining red fabric, the flaring skirt being the same color, dotted with dozens of spots, inverted pleats on the skirt. Red shoes with the smallest heals were on her feet, and Marinette felt her own cheeks turning as red as her outfit.
"Y-you look amazing, Alya," Marinette stuttered as she slowly came down the stairs. Her flushed deepened, as it had been sometime since she had stuttered around Alya.
"Have you looked in the mirror?" Alya asked, raising a brow. "Because look at you, giving the heroes a run for their money."
Alya had a hand on her hip, a smile curving on her lip, and Marinette's heart thudded. This was fine, her girlfriend dressed in an outfit she had designed, looking absolutely amazing. She most definitely wasn't overwhelmed. She could handle this.
Oh. Alya was coming closer. Alya was right in front of her, Alya was leaning in–
Marinette's mind blanked as Alya pressed her lips against hers. She closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss, nothing else mattering in the moment.
The sound of a camera filled the room, and Marinette jumped back with a squeak to see her father standing in the doorway, phone in hand. He grinned as his daughter glowered at him, signaling for them to move closer.
"I need a few pictures of you two lovebirds before we head out," Tom said. Alya's hand wrapped around Marinette's waist, pulling her in close as they smiled, several more pictures being taken. "Gah, you two are adorable!" He smiled at them. "I'll be out in the car whenever you two are ready to go– though maybe save the kissing for another time."
"Papa!"
Her father merely gave her a cheeky grin, before slipping out the door. Sabine's smile was more soft, heading back into the bakery, leaving the two of them alone. They looked at each other, Marinette opening her mouth, but found no words on her tongue.
"I got you something," Alya blurted out. "It's just little, but I thought of you and–"
"She spent hours agonizing over if it was good enough," Plagg drawled, drifting out from her hair and landing on top of her head, a cheshire grin on his face. "It had to be absolutely purrfect, she wanted it to–"
"Oh, shut up, you!" Alya growled.
"Make me," Plagg replied, flicking his tail.
Alya reached up, grabbing the kwami by his tiny scruff, holding him out. "Tikki, come get your gluttonous Cat."
"Tikki is the gluttonous one–" Plagg began, but that was enough to draw Tikki out from Marinette's purse. She zipped out, grabbing Plagg by the arm, before dragging him back down towards the bag. He grumbled under his breath as they phased into it, leaving the girls alone.
"Anyways," Alya said, holding out a hand, where a small velvet box sat. "When I saw this I just knew I had to get it for you. I hope it's okay, with identities and all, but I figured you could at least wear it tonight where we're dressed up as heroes anyways–"
She paused, as if realizing she was rambling, and pressed the box into Marinette's hands. She slowly opened it, and found a necklace inside, a charm on a golden chain. The charm was that of a ladybug, golden in color as well, with small red gems embedded where the spots would go. Marinette smiled as she slowly pulled it out, hand running across it.
"It's beautiful," she said softly, looking up at Alya. "You... you didn't spend too much on this, right?"
"Never too much when it comes to my girlfriend."
"Alya."
She bumped up against her. "Relax, girl. You made this dress and mask for me, while on top of working on your own, and that was so much work. Consider this a thank you."
"You paid for your material and stuff– so that doesn't count!"
"For the material, not the labor. Besides, I had to convince you to let me pay for even that, which I wasn't going to let you do while you worked yourself to the bone," she wrapped her hands on top of Marinette's. "Now, are you going to let me put this on you or not?"
Marinette let her take the necklace from her hands, before turning around as she reached back and pulled up her hair. Her skin tingled as Alya carefully laced the necklace around her, fixing the clasp in the back. Alya's hands stayed there for a moment longer than needed, before they wrapped around Marinette's hands so she would let down her hair, the two turning to face each other once more.
"It matches your dress," Alya said with a smile, eyes gleaming. "You look beautiful."
Marinette felt her blush returning. "Thank you. Y-you do too."
Alya held out her arm. "Shall we go, girl?"
Marinette gave a playful roll of her eyes, before laying her hand on top of her arm. "Of course, kittycat."