Marinette and Adrien are free! But at what cost? What will they find on the streets of Paris? And will they find the other Miraculous holders in time? Author's Note: Fun Fact time! February 12th, 1973 is the birthday of experienced voice actor Tara Strong. Since Adrien's mother resembles Tara Strong, I'm hoping she will be voicing the missing Mrs. Agreste in the English dub.
Chapter 6: The Search Begins
Turning the security system back on from the outside, Marinette and Adrien ran away from the Agreste mansion. They could hear a banging at the mansion's front door. It sounded like a battering ram was pounding against the door.
Just as the duo opened and passed the front gate, Marinette felt the toe of her shoe catch on a cobblestone. Her arms flailing, Marinette felt her body teeter until she landed face-first on the path.
"Ow!"
Adrien stopped in his tracks at Marinette's exclamation. "Marinette!" he cried, running back toward her.
"I'm fine. I'm just more klutzy when I'm not Ladybug," Marinette sat up and brushed herself off.
Just as Adrien reached her, Marinette heard a loud bang behind her. "Adrien, duck!" she cried.
An enormous swarm of akumas bashed through the mansion door. Zooming past the still open gates, they were gone within a number of seconds.
Marinette opened her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Adrien crouching next to her in a kneeling position.
Standing back up in one fluid motion, Adrien held his hand out. "Want some help, Marinette?"
Marinette looked up at Adrien, the boy she loved, holding his hand for her to take.
However, Marinette could no longer see that boy. Nor did she see Cat Noir. Adrien had become someone Marinette couldn't identify.
Still, Marinette allowed Adrien to help her up, squashing down her conflicting emotions as she stood.
"Come on, let's get out of here," Marinette said, avoiding Adrien's gaze.
The duo sprinted away from the mansion.
…
Marinette and Adrien ran as fast as they could. But without their powers, their endurance just wasn't the same.
"I need to stop," Marinette gasped after about fifteen minutes.
Adrien slowed to a decent jog. "Where can we hide?"
Marinette felt a second wind come along. "How about my parents' bakery? My parents are too positive to be akumatized right away. I've never seen them argue."
Adrien paused a second, letting Marinette get ahead of him. "That's brilliant, my lady. I hadn't thought of... do you hear something?"
Marinette stopped in her tracks and listened.
THOOM. THOOM. THOOM.
Around the corner of the nearest building a giant figure approached. As the goliath moved out of the shadows, Marinette and Adrien happened to recognize him.
"That's Stoneheart," Marinette said. She dodged to the side to avoid the akumatized Ivan, pulling Adrien along with her.
Stoneheart stomped past Marinette and Adrien, who dashed across the street to the next block.
"Horus, give me wings!" a voice cried from a nearby building. A moment later, Pharaoh flew out a window.
"The akumas are spreading faster than I expected. Hawk Moth isn't any wasting time," Adrien muttered.
"Let's go," Marinette pointed ahead. "My parents' bakery is just a block away."
"Yeah, we should probably keep moving," Adrien agreed.
Marinette and Adrien started running toward the bakery. As they reached the door, the duo spotted Stormy Weather flying over the school across the street.
"Come on, Marinette," Adrien insisted. "Let's get inside before a blizzard hits us, or worse."
Marinette nodded, pushing Adrien aside to open the bakery door.
…
The first thing Marinette noticed was that her parents were still themselves.
Then Marinette spotted the two akumas fluttering toward the terrified Tom Dupain and Sabine Chang.
"Mom! Dad!" Marinette cried out. Tom and Sabine looked up at their daughter, fear clear in their eyes just as the akumas struck.
One akuma landed on Tom's chest, the other on Sabine's. As the evil butterflies settled themselves over their victim's hearts, they slowly phased into Tom and Sabine's bodies.
"Well, that's new," murmured Adrien.
Marinette watched in horror as Tom and Sabine stood there, fully akumatized with cruel expressions upon their faces and holding hands. In their free hands they grasped humongous baguettes.
"You two are a bad batch," Tom and Sabine said simultaneously. "So says… Deux Pain!"
"I don't know," Adrien smirked. "We still seem pretty fresh to me."
Roaring, Tom and Sabine chased Marinette and Adrien out of the bakery door. Fortunately, the two villains forgot to let go of each other's hands.
As Marinette and Adrien ran off to find a new hideout, Deux Pain struggled to unjam themselves from the doorway they were wedged in.
…
Half an hour later, Marinette and Adrien found themselves sitting along the wall of a Métro station. Nobody else was there. No trains drove through the station.
"This place is like something out of a zombie movie," Marinette groaned.
"Yeah," Adrien agreed.
Silence hung in the stale air. Then Marinette and Adrien said simultaneously "I've never liked zombie movies." They glanced at each other, then looked away and blushed.
The two were silent for a few more minutes.
Adrien finally broke the silence. "What did you do with my mother's barrette?"
"I put it in my pocket," Marinette pulled it out.
Adrien snatched the barrette from Marinette's hand. "Your pocket? Don't you think that's a little risky?" he snapped.
Marinette stared at Adrien, a little startled by his outburst. Then she saw just how carefully Adrien was holding the Peacock Miraculous.
"You really miss her, don't you?" Marinette asked.
Adrien sighed. "I don't even know if my mother is the one I actually miss." Seeing Marinette's confused expression, he explained. "First I find out my father is a supervillain, then I learn that my mother also owned a Miraculous. Let's face it, what do I really know about my parents? Who knows, my mother could have been a villain too!"
"She could also have been a superhero," Marinette reminded him. "Anyway, if you're so worried about your parent's roles with their Miraculous', then why didn't you show it in front of Hawk Moth? Why are you so quick to crack jokes?"
Adrien looked away. Marinette felt a rush of shame.
"I'm sorry, Adrien. I don't know what came over me."
"No, Marinette, don't be," Adrien said firmly. "It used to be that I was just relieving stress by cracking jokes when fighting villains. But after learning that my father is the worst of them all, I realized something.
"If I don't stop making jokes… then I'll get really scared." Adrien looked up at Marinette.
Marinette stared back at Adrien. Silence hung once again.
"Let's get the Peacock Miraculous to a safer place," Marinette eventually said. She dug through her backpack until she excavated the plastic bag gifted to her by Master Fu. Had that really only happened a few hours ago?
Adrien looked at the bag and did a double take. "Isn't that from one of my father's stores?"
For the first time, Marinette looked at the logo on the plastic bag. Indeed, it said "Gabriel's" on it.
"Did this Master Fu guy give you this as a clue? Or did he not know my father was Hawk Moth?" Adrien pressed. Marinette shrugged in response.
Opening the bag, Marinette pulled out three jewelry boxes. Opening the first, Marinette found a necklace with a pendant that resembled a fox tail.
"That looks like Lila's necklace," Adrien pointed out.
"Lila's necklace is a fake. She stole the Miraculous book before my kwami took it." Marinette closed the box.
The second box was empty. Marinette gently placed the Peacock Miraculous inside and shut the lid.
The third box contained a hair comb with a design of a bee on it. "Well, I'm out of ideas," Marinette sighed as she closed the last box. "I have no clue how to find more Miraculous users."
"But you always know what to do!" Adrien protested. "You're so clever, figuring out how to use your Lucky Charm."
"Every time I use my Lucky Charm, my mask gives me visual clues as how to use it," Marinette argued. "I just connect the dots."
Before Adrien could respond, Jagged Stone's song about Ladybug echoed through the Métro tunnel.
"Hey, that's my ringtone!" Adrien pulled out his smartphone. "I got a Ladyblog update!"
"A Ladyblog update? Now?" Marinette scooted closer to look.
…
"Hey Ladybloggers!" Alya began her emergency vlog post. "I'm hiding in the fountain at Place de Vosges with Chloé Bourgeois, the daughter of Mayor André Bourgeois.
"The villainous Hawk Moth, creator of akumas, has apparently stepped up his game. Instead of releasing one akuma, targeted at a certain civilian, Hawk Moth appears to be akumatizing the entire city of Paris.
"Despite the rapid spreading of akumatized villains old and new, Ladybug and Cat Noir have made no appearances since the attack commenced."
"Where are you, Ladybug?" Chloé whined.
"So far Miss Bourgeois and I have been able to avoid akumatization," Alya continued. "But who knows how long that will last?"
At that moment in the video, two akumas fluttered up behind Alya and Chloé. Neither akuma could touch them- it was like an invisible force field was surrounding Alya and Chloé. The two girls didn't seem to notice the black butterflies.
"If there are any other survivors out there, let us know in the comments below. Stay connected."
…
"Well, Marinette," Adrien said. "Looks like we know where to find new Miraculous users."
Marinette nodded. "Yeah. We're not too far from that park. Write in the comments section that two other survivors are on their way," she instructed.
"On it, my lady," Adrien nodded. After typing a quick message, he hurried out of the Métro tunnel. Marinette followed closely, a bit reluctantly.
On one hand, Alya was destined to be a Miraculous user. On the other hand, so was Chloé.
…
Poking its head around the corner, a bird stared at the retreating backs of Marinette and Adrien.
The pigeon cooed, and flew back to its master.
…
Mr. Pigeon was standing on top floor of the Eiffel Tower when his feathery friend returned.
The pigeon perched on his master's shoulder and cooed.
"Really?" Mr. Pigeon grinned. "We better let Hawk Moth know."
…
"What is it, Mr. Pigeon?" Hawk Moth asked through their telepathic link.
"Good news, Hawk Moth! Rrooo Rolooo! One of my friends spotted Ladybug and Cat Noir, on their way to give out more Miraculous'. I assume you'll want us to intercept them?"
"That's wonderful news, Mr. Pigeon. But remain at your post," Hawk Moth instructed. "Do not interfere with those heroes until I give the order. Understood?"
"Yes sir! Power to the pigeons!"
Hawk Moth disconnected the link. Turning to Volpina and the Assistant, he smirked.
"Everything's going to plan. Prepare for Phase Two."