Summary:
Fear, is not a virtue.
But courage is.
And it takes true courage for someone to face who they've become when gripped by fear.
Chapter: Virtues Of The (Un)Yielding P.3
It takes them a moment to collect themselves when they see what Marinette's done and that's them not having yet seen what the sweet Dupain-Cheng has truly become. They needed a moment to truly process the scene before them once they exited the school and began jumping from roof to roof. It's heart wrenching and unnerving. It's silent, no people walking around, no birds chirping. Everything seemed to be still.
"They're stone...all of them.", Noir breathes, she sees a few familiar faces below them. All wearing expressions of terror. All frozen in place.
Kagami grimaces and clicks her tongue, she turns away, keeping her gaze ahead of herself, not wanting to continue to see the people turned stone statues. "Let's just hope those idiots weren't caught yet.", deep down, Kagami certainly wanted them to get caught and receive their punishments. Reap what they sowed.
As both teens run and leap from roof to roof, the trio of kwamis followed the humans, each becoming more and more unnerved by the situation, each, starting to feel dread as they began to truly take in what was happening. The fact that Marinette was akumatized was surprising, she was a Ladybug, Ladybug's were special. Just like how Black Cats were.
"I can't believe Marinette has become akumatized…", Wayzz says sadly, "Master was surprised as well.". Fu was certainly taken aback, afraid even. Tikki rushing to them, telling them about Marinette finally and truly hitting rock bottom, shook Fu to his core. The man knew that without Ladybug, nothing would be fixed.
"Don't worry too much, Wayzz.", Kagami says the Kwami's name, "Together, we can do this.", she speaks with confidence.
Chloé merely follows behind Kagami, listening on.
There were questions. Many in fact, but the primary one both Chloé and Kagami had was, who was this 'Master', the Kwami's spoke off. Marinette hadn't mentioned anything about another party being involved in her life and now that both girls think about it, neither even knew where the kwamis came from and how Marinette originally got a hold of the Ladybug miraculous, although both figured that whoever this 'master' person was, clearly, he had all of the miraculouses. After all, Tikki had gone off, to tell him what happened to Marinette, and suddenly she returns with more kwamis by her sides. Clearly, there were more people behind the miraculouses, more people that knew the truth. There was more at play here and both couldn't help but wonder how all of this came to be. How did it all begin.
"Both Nino and Alya cannot know of Marinette's true role as Ladybug.", Wayzz speaks again, his miraculous was hugged against his chest, "We must protect her identity and save her at all costs."
"Yes, certainly. Without Ms. Dupain-Cheng nothing will truly be fixed. We must somehow save her first.", Longg pipes up.
Longg's words catch both teens attention. "What do you mean?", Chloé finally speaks up, eyebrows furrow as she turns to her side to look at the kwami directly. "Doesn't Kagami have to just capture the Akuma and purify it?", she says, a little confused. The kwamis were making it seem like saving Marinette was more important than capturing the akuma itself.
And that's when the situation suddenly becomes almost impossible to fix.
"That's the problem.", Trixx speaks now. "Tikki didn't tell you did she? Oh gods, of course she didn't.", Trixx groans. "Kagami capturing the Akuma would do little for us.", he says. "You see. Only Marinette can bring fourth the miraculous ladybugs after purification of an akuma, she is the original Ladybug, Tikki's original Chosen and Bond Master, she is apart of the balance between Creation and Destruction.", the fox kwami explains. "Only two people can be apart of that very fragile balance, the Ladybug and the Black Cat."
Kagami and Chloé begin to slow their pace and come to a halt on the roof of a building just across from Alya's home.
"You're shitting me right?", Chloé curses, eyes widen. "Are tell me that we can't do anything about...everyone being turned to stone and the city getting fucked up?", the blonde continues to curse, her heart began to pick up. Anxiousness and fear begin to gnaw at her, she feels a tugging sinking feeling in her stomach. There was nothing Kagami being Ladybug could do.
The kwami all look at each other. There's a moment of silence between the Kwamis and the humans.
Trixx sighs deeply, "There's nothing the both of you can do to reverse this. You can purify the akuma, but it will not bring fourth the miraculous ladybugs."
Kagami practically sinks down to her knees. "Then...what's the point of this...of...any of this…", the little confidence and hope she had left was starting to fade.
"Tikki believes Marinette can be reached with reason.", Comes a voice suddenly.
Both teens jump and turn to look back, both were startled.
"MASTER!", the three kwamis all called out in unison, the trio flew passed Chloé and Kagami, they got between the teens and the man using a familiar miraculous.
"Xuppu was certainly surprised when I removed him from the miracle box, but I figured that I would be more useful out here than at home.", the man says to the kwamis. He smiles slightly, his gaze then removes itself from the hopeful kwamis to the confused Teens. "Hello, I do not interact much outside of Marinette and the passed Black Cat miraculous holder. For the safety of the miraculous of course. But today I chose to come out here to assist however I can.", he bows slightly to greet the two girls.
Both Chloé and Kagami turn to give each other looks.
"So...you're the 'master' that Wayzz and the kwamis refer to…", Kagami says, she sighs and bows down for a moment, her manners getting the better of her, even in this messy situation.
Chloé merely narrows her eyes, she remains standing, tall and stiff. She had quite a few words in mind for the 'master'. She certainly wanted to give him a piece of her mind. Her lips tug into a firm tight frown.
The man instantly notices the dirty look the Black Cat holder is giving to him. He knows the girl is internally blaming him. "May I ask what are your names?", He says, ignoring the angry look on The Black Cat's face.
Kagami stands up straight and nods, "Yes, I am Tsurugi Kagami.", she introduces herself, she then turns to Chloé and she knows by the way the heiress is frowning that the blonde isn't interested in responding. She sighs deeply and gestures to Chloé. "And this is Chloé Bourgeois.", the teen says.
The man is visibly taken aback.
Chloé rolls her eyes. "You sure know who I am.", the blonde says with a bite. She takes note of the way the man's facial expression changed dramatically.
Kagami narrows her eyes and brings a hand up, placing it over Chloé's tense shoulder. "Chloé.", she says with a slight warning tone.
The man collects himself and turns to Wayzz.
"Tikki has informed us that Chloé has had a change of heart.", Wayzz shrugs as he explains to his master.
"The both of you know about Ladybug's duel identity?". The man huffs slightly, taking in Wayzz's response, clearly feeling uneasy now. The man didn't trust either of the teens, after Adrien ended up being a spoiled apple, Fu began to doubt everyone and little by little, his faith in Marinette was beginning to dwindle. Marinette's judgement was muddled, Fu couldn't help but think. "So she revealed herself to the both of you?", he can't help but ask, he wants to know how her identity came out.
"No.", both teens respond in unison.
And Fu raises an eyebrow, the kwamis are all silent. They're all eager to also know how Chloé Bourgeois and Kagami came to find themselves here.
"Tikki revealed herself to me.", Kagami explains.
Chloé nods and crosses her arms over her chest. "Tikki also revealed herself to me as well."
Fu is wide eyed for a moment. So, it wasn't Marinette that outed herself. It had been Tikki. He's slightly confused, he wonders what may have been going through the kwami's mind when she revealed Marinette's secret.
"Marinette was furious.", Kagami suddenly adds. She sighs again, she remembered their conversation then, she remembered how angry and frustrated Marinette was when Tikki exposed her. "Marinette wasn't planning on letting me in on...this…", she gestures to the Ladybug suit she wears.
Fu feels confidence suddenly. His doubts whisked away. If there were living beings he could trust, it were certainly the kwamis. "I see. Tikki must have a logical reason behind her actions then.", he would say nothing more about this to either girl. He didn't trust them fully, but he did trust Tikki, she always did things for reasons. He comes to a conclusion. He knows that in order for them to work out, the girls would have to truly be informed, to be in the loop. "Well then. I guess I must disclose who I am and what purpose I serve.", he says, making his mind up, maybe this was for the better. Revealing himself, opening a path to a better and clearer way of communicating. He sighs softly and suddenly says those magic words, in a flash of light, he stands before the two teens as an old man.
The kwamis are all surprised, they all gasp, even Xuppu gasped.
Kagami tenses, she feels Chloé tense as well. They both remain silent.
"I am Wang Fu, The Guardian of the miraculous. For the past one hundred and seventy four years, I have been trying to locate the Peacock and Butterfly miraculouses. My journey has brought me here. Marinette and a boy were the first chosen I tasked with stripping our enemies of their miraculouses. Now only Marinette, the wielder of the miraculous of creation remains.", Fu feels the gazes of the kwamis and the humans upon him, he remains still. "Marinette is the one I've put in charge of distributing any and all miraculouses in my possession as she sees fit so that I wouldn't have to expose my role to unknown people."
"You're...the person that holds them all…", Kagami says thoughtfully. "Why choose Marinette in the first place", she asks suddenly, feeling the need to know. She brings her gaze up to meet Fu's own. She was angry, angry that Marinette had been thrust into this whole ordeal from the beginning.
"She was younger when I first chose her, I took a chance on her and the boy I chose, I knew then that I was not exactly fit to continue to run around. I am but an old man. All I can do is offer words of wisdom or assist in reactivating the hidden powers of the miraculouses. I made the wrong choice with the boy I chose. But Marinette continued to prove herself worthy of being a chosen. Marinette was determined to help those in need, to protect those that couldn't protect themselves. I chose her because I saw hope in her, I saw potential for more.", the man explains, his hands resting on his cane. "Marinette is strong, she's made it this long without being akumatized, she's fought against her basic human emotions for so long now.", Fu sighs, he knows how hard Marinette was trying to hold herself together in the face of everything that has happened lately, he understands that Marinette is human, she's still a child in his eyes. "She is a person of conviction. Tikki believes that Marinette can still be reached and I as well hold some belief that Marinette can still come out of this, break free from Hawk Moth's control.", Fu says, "But we will need to work together."
Chloé sighs and nods, she takes in all the information, some questions running through her mind. "What happened to Marinette's first partner?", she asks without thinking. "Was he killed?", she continues with her questions.
Kagami freezes, she knows the truth about Chat Noir, Marinette's done nothing but have guilt and regret about him.
Fu's expression becomes forlorn. He gave an honest answer. "Marinette was no longer safe with him. He...strayed.", the man looks down to the tiles under his feet. "Marinette hasn't had a proper Black Cat since myself and her stripped the boy of the miraculous."
Chloé raises an eyebrow, this was certainly not an answer she was expecting. "Why…what did he do?", she asks another question. Curiosity getting the better of her.
This time, Kagami answers, a firm frown over her lips. "He was forcing her to reciprocate his advances.", she removes her hand from Chloé's shoulder and waits for Chloé to react.
Which Chloé does. Teeth gritting for a moment, nostrils flared and fists ball up. "He did what?", she turns to Kagami now. She was trying to process this new information. Hell, everything, she's never felt so out of the loop until now. Marinette's hurt was more deeper than she thought and it was scaring her that Marinette had gone through the worst at the hands of Plagg's previous master.
Kagami knows that Chloé has thought of the worst possible scenario, she's quick to calm her. "Relax, Tikki and Plagg both intervened. They protected her.", she says.
But Kagami's words fall onto deaf ears for a moment. Chloé begins to ponder, think. Why hadn't Marinette told her. If Marinette had even spoke of all of it, of what she really went through with Chat Noir. Chloé can't help but wonder if there was more that Marinette wasn't speaking of. Why was it that Marinette had to deal with so much and such a shitty partner at the same time. Chloé feels her chest ache. Marinette's hurting more than she could possibly imagine, there was a weight of pain there, a pain Marinette silently carried with her.
Kagami and Fu see the heiress fall into a thoughtful silence. They both knew that Chloé was taking it in. Processing it for what it was.
"Nothing happened.", Kagami breaks the silence again, wanting to make sure Chloé understands that Marinette wasn't...forced into anything too drastic.
Chloé is tense, but calms down. Marinette had so much on her plate, all the time, she couldn't help but think, she also couldn't help but acknowledge that she too was also a part of Marinette's problems...back then, when they were just mere 12 year olds…she cringes. She had a lot to make up for before even thinking about her feelings for Marinette. She truly was such a pain in the ass. "So you're going to stay with us...through this shit storm?", Chloé finally speaks, her eyes flicker to where Fu stood. Arms falling to her sides.
Fu smiles lightly, he nods. Such fowl language he thought to himself. "Yes, together I'm sure we can snap Marinette back to her senses."
Kagami crosses her arms over her chest. "Together than. Now. We need to get these kwami-"
"Wait.", Fu raises a hand, stopping Kagami mid sentence.
"Yes?", Kagami asks. Pausing.
"We will need three wielders,Alya Césaire is one of them, but she will not be paired with Trixx. There is also someone for Xuppu.", Fu begins.
Chloé raises an eyebrow, "So…", she trails off, beginning to think about how they would go about pairing the other kwamis with someone.
Fu sighs, he continues. "I will be taking Wayzz. As for Longg, I believe he and Césaire should be paired. Xuppu, will go find his previous temporary holder and inform him of our need of him.", the man then proceeds to take off the monkey miraculous, he gives it to Xuppu. "Go now, time is of the essence."
Xuppu gave the man a firm nod. "Yes, Master, you can count on me.", the kwami says and quickly makes off in another direction.
3 of the 4 kwamis were now paired. Trixx was the odd one out. "What about me?", Trixx asks, confused as to what part he would play, if he even had a part.
"I'm placing you in permanent circulation.", Fu says. "I will leave Kagami and Chloé to hand pick an ally they can trust and one that will work alongside Ladybug and…", Fu turns to Chloé. He raises an eyebrow once the heiress looks his way with a confused expression.
"Noir?", Kagami says a little unsure. She turns to Chloé. "Noir, right?"
"Uh…", Chloé shrugs, unsure. "I mean...yeah...it's the name Marinette took on when she used Plagg."
Fu smiles lightly again. Marinette was no longer going to be playing the role of Black Cat. That role was never hers to stay with. "Tell me something, Ms. Bourgeois.", he begins to slowly take steps towards the blonde, his eyes not leaving hers. "How long are you willing to hold onto the miraculous of destruction?", he asks carefully as she stops just an arms reach away from her.
The heiress's eyebrows furrow for a moment. She hadn't thought much about it...although, Ladybug had offered the ring to her months back...when were starting to build something together, her and Marinette. Chloé knows that once this is all over and once (hopefully) they manage to find a way to fix everything, Marinette will once again not have a Black Cat for constant support. Marinette would have to continue shuffling the ring between herself and that other person that played Noir when she didn't. She takes a deep breath in and gently exhales it out, "For however long Marinette needs me to.", she answers sincerely. She certainly meant what she said, she wanted nothing more than to just be there for Marinette in however way she was needed. She would support Ladybug and she would support Marinette.
Fu nods. "Than I believe the miraculous of destruction has it's holder at last. I look forward to seeing you grow.", he says.
"As for you, Kagami, you will be given the dragon miraculous, but only after I modify the outward appearance it takes with you, I'm well aware that you've taken Longg before but your identity had been quickly compromised.", Fu says, He looks between the two teens and sees they've become more confident.
Longg and Wayzz both smile lightly. Trixx however, was a little upset. He'd be separated from the box and his friends. He'd be thrust into the hands of another stranger. He became somewhat attached to Alya, she had used him quite a few times over the years. He certainly hated that she made such a mess out of her friendship with the Ladybug hero. He hated the fact that she played a part in what is happening now.
"Wayzz.", Fu turns to Wayzz and reaches out.
"Of course, Master", Wayzz nods eagerly, he draws closer to his master and drops the bracelet into one of Fu's hands.
Fu wastes no time and immediately slips the bracelet onto his wrist and he says those magic words. "Wayzz, shell on."
And it begins.
"No- Pl-Please!", a familiar voice shrieks.
It's echos carries itself around in the darkness. It surrounds her.
"Oh God! Please wait! Marinette-!", another voice comes, echoing like a clap of thunder during a storm.
She tries to scream 'stop!', she wants to stop, she wants this to stop. Her words come out muffled, she can't hear herself clearly.
"-Marinette, stop this please! This isn't you!", the voice of a woman she looked up to once upon a time, cuts in, coming in like another clap of thunder. "Marinette, please!". The woman speaks again. A woman who she's grown up being taught by, a woman that failed her despite knowing her for so long. Despite knowing that she was always such a good student. "We can talk about this...work through whatever this is! There's always another way!"
And the hurt begins to grow, the fog in her mind begins to thicken and the darkness she was struggling to swim in, began to grow thicker and heavier.
"Talk about it?", a voice speaks and suddenly the cries and panicked shrieks of everyone else begins to die down.
And she gets this sick feeling washing over her.
"Oh, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk-", she hears the sound of a tongue clicking, "how could you even say that to me?", the voice carries a dark ominous tone. It's unsettling and unnerving as she listens closely, "How could you even say that, knowing full well how much I tried to talk about it. How could you say that when you were one of the first people to tell me to just let it go.", anger begins to make the voice quake. She feels her heart racing as she begins to fully realize that her mouth was moving. "How could you say that when you just stood by and let them hurt me.", the last part comes out as a whisper, it passes through the darkness like a sharp breeze of cold air.
"M-Marinette…", the woman's voice shakes. "I-", and before she can speak another sentence, the sound of air being cut silences her.
Nothing more comes out of, Ms. Bustier's mouth. Not a single sound.
"-Oh god, run!"
"Everybody run!"
"-Ms. Bustier!"
The voices began to flood back in, panic and screaming accompanied them.
She feels herself sinking deeper and deeper into the darkness that surrounds her, she feels herself losing the last bit of will she had left. She feels herself surrendering completely to the darkness. She closes her eyes, ready to turn in. She stops fighting it.
"Yes, Hawk Moth"
Suddenly eyes open.
"Marinette...honey, please!", a man begs with her, a man that was none other than her father. Marinette feels her heart clenching slightly, her chest tightens. Here she was, having embraced Hawk Moth's Akuma. Standing among a few stone statues. She looks away from the man and her mother who cried for her too. She brings her gaze down to the sword she wields in her left hand, then turns her gaze to her other hand, a white blindfold was in the grasp of her right hand. She's processing what she's done.
"What are you waiting for, my dear princess? You've exacted revenge against those who have dealt you wrong.", Hawk Moth's voice is now in her head again. "Go and fetch the miraculouses.", he speaks again. His tone was coaxing and slightly cajoling.
Marinette had a single thought of saying 'no', but as she thought this, her, Princess Virtue's lips parted and answered a soft, "Yes, Hawk Moth."
"Perfect. Now make use of your knights, drag the heroes out from wherever they're hiding.", The man suggests.
Princess Virtue nods, she raises an arm up, pointing her sword up in the air before saying a soft command.
"Knights, advance.", Princess Virtue says.
And Marinette can't help but fall further into despair when she sees said knights begin to walk past her, marching in sync.
"Marinette!", Her mother suddenly calls out to her, nearly running up to her, but she was cut off by two knights clad in white armor, both grabbing the woman, stopping her from reaching her, only to shove her back into her father's arms.
The two knights began to back away, standing close beside her, then four more came and surrounded her, protecting her, boxing her in from all sides except the front and she began to move alongside them, ignoring the cries from her parents, she stepped over some of the statues of people she knew. She turns her gaze to the blindfold in her grasp, slowly she brings her hand up and she cautiously wrapped the blindfold around her head, covering her eyes once again.
"I don't know what it is, but I feel as though something about this girl is truly...different.", Gabriel says to Nathalie. "Her emotions rule her in a way I have yet to witness in the others I have akumatized.", the man continues, awe in his tone. He had been waiting for her, waiting for Marinette to become overwhelmed. "Yet...despite her being emotionally fragile...it's taken me this long to finally grasp her.", eyes narrow. He's never waited this long for someone.
Nathalie nods from behind the man, she understands, she's come to see Gabriel's odd growing fascination with the girl, a girl Gabriel has finally come to identify as the Dupain-Cheng girl. She's taken notes from the handful of times Gabriel has tried to send an akuma out in time to akumatize the highly emotionally charged person, only to see him recoil in slight frustration when said person managed to once again calm themselves down. It was truly different, odd even, it became clear that the person feeling those raw emotions was purposely fighting against them. Why? She and Gabriel have yet to discern the reasoning.
Gabriel had grown anxious everytime he sent an akuma out only for it to akumatize someone else, he didn't know what it was, the tugging he got when he felt that sharp pain of raw emotional distress. He couldn't help but want to grasp onto the person that felt things so intensely, so strongly. It was truly fascinating. The girl was going to be something else at first, Lady Woe, he believed that she was very unhappy, so deeply miserable, but as each time her emotions exploded, he believed there was something else going, multiple things factoring in on this girl's suffering. He couldn't help but feel as though she was being...wronged. Gabriel balls a fist up and keeps his gaze forward. Yes, she was being wronged. The world had a tendency to do wrong by good people. The girl wasn't craving happiness. She was craving justice. Thus, as a girl of many virtues indeed, he would give to her the ability to punish those that have hurt her and wronged her. "She's doing well so far, we just need the heroes to finally come out of wherever they're hiding from.", he says.
Nathalie nods, eyes narrowing slightly, a part of her was growing concerned, wondering where Ladybug and her new sidekick were and why it was taking them so long to appear. "Ladybug has never taken this long before."
Gabriel nods in agreement. "I agree, but I'm sure she's due to show up...she has to, maybe she's just picking up her stray cat.", he murmurs the last part. Ladybug was becoming more and more unorganized, this much Gabriel has realized and noticed. He couldn't help but wonder what became of Chat Noir, the boy had just up and vanished, Ladybug has yet to publicly even comment on the matter. "I wonder which stray she'll bring this time."
Nathalie sighs softly from behind the man, "You're guess is as good as mine, Sir."
Chloé sucks in a breath as she anxiously awaits Kagami's return. She had let Kagami do the choosing and handing out, she didn't exactly trust herself to make wise decisions at a crucial time like now. The last thing she wanted to do was make a mistake.
"Relax.", Master Fu says softly. He stands a few feet away from the anxious teen, he noticed the way Chloé anxiously shook one of her knees.
Chloé blows a breath out, "It's easier said than done.", she says, trying to keep her sass in check.
Fu turns his gaze away from the teen and merely looks around the large abandoned area they were in, they managed to find a good hiding place in a warehouse of sorts, one that was still under construction. He couldn't help but feel anxious himself, but he knew that now wasn't the time to allow himself to be weighed down, Chloé and Kagami needed to be directed and he had to be the one giving those directions. He needed to keep both girls together and also keep Alya and whoever else Kagami brought back with her in check along with the boy that would now hold Xuppu.
Things needed to be cleared out before midnight and although Fu knew they seemingly had more than enough time to figure this mess out, he also knew that time had a habit of moving like water when desperate times arose.
"Master.", a voice comes.
Chloé tenses as she hears Kagami's voice. She sighs deeply once again, preparing herself to see Alya again and also the two other holders
Fu turns to the four teens that had appeared, he hums as he takes in the appearance of the small group. He focuses on the brunette, The Fox holder and the Monkey holder.
While Fu internally scrutinizes the teens, Kagami remains on a knee, merely awaiting what Fu's plan was now and how they'd execute it.
"This is...so surreal.", The Fox holder suddenly speaks up, breaking the silence, hands clasped together and a look of awe on her face despite their correct predicament.
Chloé raises an eyebrow and scoffs. "I get why we need monkey boy and her.", Noir points to Alya wielding the Dragon Miraculous as she said the word 'her' with a bite. "-but a noob?", She says as she brings her finger over to the awestruck blonde that was quite frankly gawking at her.
Kagami rolled her eyes, "Oh? You think you could do better?", Kagami sent a small glare Chloé's way.
Chloé sneered and was going to speak again, but Fu quickly cut her off.
"Enough, both of you!", Fu says firmly.
Both Kagami and Chloé apologize a little begrudgingly.
"We will fail if the both of you cannot function properly. The world as we know it may very well be in danger.", Fu continues. "You two must set aside your differences and cooperate."
"Yes Master.", Kagami sighs.
"Yeah, yeah…", Chloé groans, arms crossing over her chest.
"Good.", The man sighs out and returns his gaze to the trio behind Kagami. "You three have been called upon, all three of you chose to be here and aid us in this dire situation.", he gets to the point. "Two out of the three of you have wielded miraculouses before. So I expect you both to watch over each other and watch over the fox.", he continues. "Ladybug and Noir must not fall during this battle. You three will have roles, each of you is to keep the enemy off of the both of them, at all costs."
The trio all look at each other and then back at Fu, they nod.
"Okay.", King Monkey nods his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "But...don't you think maybe...we're still a little undermanned? The fox here doesn't really count, she's new.", Kim says, bringing up quite a point as he slowly began to step forward, he got beside the kneeling Ladybug.
Kagami sighs for what seems like the hundredth time. The boy was certainly right. "There's a whole army of knights out there.", she adds.
"Getting to Marinette is going to be difficult, we don't know where she is.", The boy continues. "There are others no?", he asks, referring to the others that wore miraculouses the same day he wore his for the first time.
Fu nods. "Yes, but we are very thin on options and time. Most of those who have once wielded the miraculous have already fallen victim to whatever it is Marinette has done to them. We are all that's available."
The atmosphere of the room suddenly gets heavy.
"Shit.", The boy curses and raises a hand to rub the back of his head. He certainly didn't expect this, especially after he was akumatized. He was a little iffy on doing what Xuppu was asking of him, he didn't feel right, he didn't believe he was fit for this kind of situation, after all, the akumatized was Marinette, someone he knew that he had wronged. But Xuppu had told him to use this chance to try to rectify things, to ease his conscience. He, reluctantly agreed, he wanted to save Marinette of course, he just didn't feel like he was worthy of wielding Xuppu once more.
Meanwhile, The Fox Hums softly, bringing a hand up to her chin, she was certainly new to this, just moments ago she was in her bed, waiting for her girlfriend to come back from making them some snacks, next thing she knows, the Ladybug fill in pops her window open and practically pulls her out her window while also handing her a 'miraculous' and giving her a speedy run down of why she was suddenly chosen for the role of the fox. She had asked about Rena, the original fox hero, but got no answers. She was still feeling quite lost and a little anxious. She felt ill prepared.
Fu looks between the teens, searching their gazes, reading them. "Are you all ready to take on this mission? If so, then step forward, if not, then turn back now and hand the miraculous over."
The room falls silent for a moment. Everyone's eyes shifting, looking around at each other. Neither wanting to back out despite knowing they had valid reasons for doing so if they so chose to leave.
Fu nods, "Alright then. Let's begin."
It's dark and Princess Virtue is silent again, the only things that can be heard is the distant shouts of people and the sound of marching boots.
It echoes in her head.
Marinette is aware and emotional distraught, but she is unable to do anything, she's stuck, trapped in her body, a body that moves without her permission. She's afraid. She doesn't know how this will end, if it will even end. She messed up, she fucked up. Her mistake may never be rectified. She failed.
So many thoughts ran through her head.
"Marinette!", a voice calls out from a distance.
It snaps Marinette out her thoughts, she feels her body stop walking, she feels her neck turning towards the source of the very familiar voice.
"Finally, they've shown themselves and it seems they brought company.", Hawk Moth says eagerly. "Throw everything you have at them my princess and bring me their miraculouses!"
"Yes, Hawk Moth.", lips move in response.
"Up there!", a deep voice from one of the closest knights to her rumbles.
Marinette feels anxiousness begin to gnaw at her.
"Marinette, this isn't you!", another voice joins in, and Marinette feels her despair growing and deepening. She recognizes the other voice.
"Finally!", Gabriel says as he balls a fist up tightly, "They've come, with others, but I'm sure the Knights can do away with them.", he says.
Nathalie nods. She feels herself growing anxious.
Gabriel chuckles darkly, the anticipation was definitely something.
Chloé balls her fists up, her shoulders trembling and her knees were like jelly. She clenched her jaw tightly, gritting her teeth, as much as she wanted to look away, she couldn't. She had been suddenly stricken with awe upon laying her gaze over the teen's form.
They finally found Marinette.
"Marinette.", The Fox whispers softly under her breath.
Fu feels his chest tighten, his lips pressed into a tight line as he took in the sight before him.
Kagami felt her heart break. Her eyes scanning her best friends form.
Before them, what was once Marinette, stood, straight and intimidating among a good amount of Knights. Her hair was loose, her eyes covered with a white blindfold, she was clad in a white dress of sorts, parts of the material were see through, her right leg and shoulder weren't covered by the material, her stomach exposed. Through the material of the dress, one could very faintly make out the white underwear just underneath the thin fabric. There was also a faint glow that surrounded her.
She was-
"Beautiful.", Noir whispers under her breath. Completely and utterly mesmerized. Something unknowingly wrapping itself around her. It was as if tunnel vision was setting in, something began to cloud over her thoughts.
Fu's eyes flicker to Chloé, he notices immediately that something's wrong. "Noir?", he suddenly speaks.
Noir doesn't respond. She's transfixed on the akumatized Dupain-Cheng.
Fu's eyes begin to widen, worry setting in. He breaks his gaze off the teen and looks to Kagami in fear, only to find her wearing the same expression that Chloé was wearing.
"Look away!", Fu suddenly yells out to the trio of heroes that had yet to become fixated on the sight of Marinette's form.
And the trio instantly do as they are told, breaking their gazes off from Marinette. They turned to look at the older man.
"What!? What is it?!", Kim says, fear evident in his tone, his eyes wide.
"Noir and Ladybug are in some form of trance, Marinette's appearance seems to be able to enthrall those who look at her just long enough.", Fu explains quickly. "Quickly, grab Noir and Ladybug-", and just before Fu can finish his sentence, Noir suddenly jumps off the building. "NOIR!", the man yells.
The teen had jumped off, landing in a small crowd of knights.
"Yes! Of course! Of course they're heroes!", Gabriel laughs darkly. "And what do heroes usually have?", he asks to no one in particular.
"Morally good traits.", Nathalie speaks.
"Yes. In other words-", Gabriel grins, "-Virtues."
Princess Virtue's lips begin to curl upwards and Marinette feels her heart remaining in the pit of her stomach, she's afraid. "Come, come, hero of Justice.", Marinette's voice echos in her ears, she feels her hand with the sword in its grasp extending outwards, towards someone.
"Good, good my Princess, turn Noir into one of your Knights and get me her ring!", Hawk Moth's voice is filled with excitement and triumph.
"Of course Hawk Moth.", Princess Virtue responds without skipping a beat. "Kneel before me bearer of Valor.", she speaks again.
"I don't think so!", comes another voice. A deeper one.
And Marinette feels her body move backwards, as if dodging something.
"Grab Noir!", Another deep voice calls out.
And Marinette suddenly hears the sound of metal meeting metal and multiple feets shuffling about.
"Snap out of it, Noir!", another voice joins in, this one was familiar, but Marinette couldn't exactly place it.
"That's not Ladybug.", Gabriel suddenly grumbles, "What is going on with Ladybug? Has she abandoned our battle?", a sense of disappointment began to set itself in.
"Ladybug isn't among them?", Nathalie asks in surprise.
"A Ladybug is there, but she isn't the original. This one's different, her hair and eyes….", the man grit his teeth in anger, Chat Noir leaving was one thing, but Ladybug suddenly being switched out. Now that was unacceptable. "Enough, End this now!", his delicate tone from earlier was replaced. He commanded Princess Virtue with a deep tone.
Kagami grunted as she leapt over a few knights clad in black armor, she managed to avoid the swords swung her way.
"Ladybug, keep your gaze down.", Fu says as he lands beside her. He did not anticipate what Marinette would have become, he didn't expect this turn of events. The effect Marinette had, was a lot more difficult to get by.
"It's a little tough to keep looking at the floor.", Alya commented as she flipped a knight onto their back. The brunette was struggling to avert her gaze from her former best friend, a gnawing in the back of her head was making it difficult for her. Guilt.
Kim jumped over a few knights, carrying a dazed Noir over his shoulder. "Guys, Noir's not snapping back!", he said with growing panic.
"She's staring at Marinette!", Kagami yells out as she lifts her gaze for a second, only to see that Chloé's gaze was still in fact transfixed on Marinette. "Take her away from here, give her a chance to snap back. Then come back.", she suggests to the boy carrying Chloé.
"Yes, take her away from here.", Fu adds, "Ladybug regained herself once she was no longer looking at Marinette. Noir should be able to do the same."
The heroes all begin to fall back, all wanting to retreat to better plan out their advancement against Marinette and her forces. But it wasn't going to be that simple. No, it wasn't.
Princess Virtue's lips part, "No one's going anywhere.", She said in a monotone voice."Knights, capture them", her hand with the sword raised up high.
And the knights scattered, all charging towards the heroes from all sides and things very quickly fell in Hawk Moth's favor once the heroes are all of a sudden overwhelmed by the numbers surrounding them.
The Fox is quick to try to flee, quickly scrambling to create distance between herself and the knights, but she's caught by her legs and quickly pulled down to the cold concrete ground, four knights take a hold of her and pin her down to the ground.
Fu quickly unleashes his barrier, providing shelter for the heroes close by, Kagami, Kim and Chloé.
Alya was the other odd one out and she too was caught and grabbed despite her efforts in fighting back, she took a few knights down, but it was futile, in taking one down, two more came, then in taking them down, three more came at her and fairly quickly the brunette had been beaten down brutally, her sword tossed askew. She had been grabbed, tied up and kicked to the ground.
"Oh shit!", Kim cursed, he was kneeling on the ground behind Noir, his hands covering Noir's eyes while he looked on at what happened to both The Fox and The Dragon.
Kagami grit her teeth, "No...Tsk", she clicked her tongue, her eyes narrowed as the knights suddenly stopped beating against the barrier Fu had created. Anxiousness begins set itself inside her once more, fear and uncertainty followed suit as the knights suddenly parted, making a clear path to where Marinette stood.
"Marinette, you must fight it! This is not you!", Fu began, he turned away to avoid looking at Marinette directly. "You are better than this, snap out of it, Marinette!", he clenched his jaw for a moment and continued, "There is always solution to everything, Marinette, you must trust-"
And suddenly something in Marinette snaps for the third time in the passed few months. Anger, betrayal and hatred all begin to brew at the same time.
"-Trust in what?", lips part, the words come out ice cold and hollow, knuckles turn white as Princess Virtue suddenly grips the sword in her hand with a strength that nearly startles Marinette, she can feel it, her grip tightening to the point where she feels her hand going numb.
Gabriel's eyebrows furrow for a moment, he listens in, a part of him feeling a little overwhelmed by the fact that today may just be the day that he finally strips the heroes of their miraculouses, but another part of him feels strangely off. He couldn't put a finger on it.
"What's going on?", Nathalie asks, quite curious to know how everything was going due to how silent Gabriel had fallen.
"She's caught two miraculous holders and cornered the rest of those fools.", Gabriel merely responds. "I think today may just be our day.", he sighs.
Nathalie raises an eyebrow, she falls back into silence.
"How many times have I been told that phrase. How many times has everyone told me that there was a solution to everything.", Lips part and pearly white teeth become visible. "Yet, how many times have I been dealt the shortest straw."
Kim winces as he hears the sudden hurt in Marinette's voice. He keeps his gaze to the ground in front of Marinette's feet.
Fu also winces, grimacing, he knows, he knows that Marinette was hurting, "I understand-"
"No, you don't!", Princess Virtue's voice suddenly raises and cracks, it's like a clap of thunder among the silent crowd of knights. "No one does.", her voice begins to drop to a more normal tone.
"No! Get off me!", The Fox's voice suddenly comes in, the sound of her kicking and shuffling about in vain echos among the crowd.
Alya's protests followed closely.
Both heroes were thrown to the ground in front of Princess Virtue. Both grabbed by the knights and forced to kneel before her.
Fu can no longer avert his gaze, he turns his full attention to the scene that was unfolding before them. "Marinette, do not do this.", he pleads, desperation in his voice as he meets her blindfolded gaze.
A small malicious smile curls pink lips.
Kagami slowly lifts her gaze, she doesn't look directly at her best friends face, but she looks at the backs of both the Fox and the Dragon. "Marinette please!", she yells, her voice cracking. "Don't give in! Don't let Hawk Moth control you!"
"Huh? Wh-What's going on?", Noir suddenly speaks as she begins to move in Kim's arms. She was confused.
"You were under the Akuma's control, relax and keep your eyes down, don't look at Marinette directly or you'll fall for it again.", Kim said as he slowly began to remove his hands from the girl's eyes.
"O-Ok.", Noir merely mutters as she regains her sight again, she quickly stares at her boots. She wonders what she's missed. But very quickly, she learns.
"I never mattered did I?", Princess Virtue suddenly says, stepping forward she raises her free hand and grabs her blindfold, she pulls it off and gazes upon the two heroes kneeled before her, both had screwed their eyes shut. "It was never about me. It was never about how I felt or what I wanted.", her jaw clenched as she snapped her fingers and once she snapped them, two knights forced The Dragon holder to her feet, they held her up. Princess Virtue's smile faded away, a firm frown settling in as she handed a knight beside her, her sword. With two hands, Princess Virtue strips The Dragon miraculous off of the brunette. Alya now stands before her.
Alya grimaces, she opens her eyes and is quickly face to face with the coldest gaze she's ever met. "Marinette.", she utters in fear. Regret and guilt washes over her suddenly, it almost hurts.
Princess Virtue's expression changes, hurt and sadness breaks the cold distant expression she wore.
And there it is again, another snap. But it stings just a little more.
"Please, don't.", Longg speaks as he floats beside the teen who was holding his miraculous. "Do not let yourself be weighed down."
Princess Virtue ignores the kwami, "You-", she cuts herself off for a moment, she bares her teeth to the brunette quite viciously now, "-are a pathetic excuse of a friend.", her voice begins to break once again, it begins to shake, her eyes teared up, "You don't deserve a miraculous. Much less...the ability to walk away from this.", she concludes, she brings her right hand up to Alya's face and places it over her face and before Alya can respond, she's turned to stone.
"Alya!", Kim's voice cracks, eyes wide.
The heroes are all shocked to their core. All gasp at what just happened.
"Marinette's gone.", Kim says brokenly, "She, she doesn't...she's not there anymore…", The boy releases Noir and sits on his knees, giving up, he couldn't see a way out of this, they were surrounded and he knew eventually the old man wouldn't be able to keep his barrier up.
The Fox opened her eyes, she winced at the sight next to her, "No!", she yelled, "Marinette! Marinette!", she began to plead over and over as the knights began to lift her up to her feet, she recoiled when the girl turned to face her with her empty watery gaze. "Please! No!", her voice begins to crack as she struggles against the knights holding her up. Her heart was racing in her chest, thumping wildly in her ears. "You're better then this!".
Princess Virtue silently reached out, but just before she could touch the blonde's necklace, Fu put his barrier down and Noir's staff extended, hitting her hand before Noir moved the staff towards her in an attempt to swipe at her, which forced her to move backwards.
"Stop, stop this, this isn't what you want to do, Marinette. This isn't you.", Noir spoke now, her staff now reverting to it's regular size. "You don't hurt people, you aren't a villian.", she sat on her knees, she kept her gaze on the teen's feet. "You, you're-"
The last bit of composure Marinette had deep down, finally disappeared. 'This isn't you', the phrase was getting under her skin.
"ENOUGH!", she snaps violently, fists balled up, "You can't tell me what to do or how to feel!", the girl screams back, tears spill, rolling down her cheeks, "No more! No more!", she stomps her foot on the ground furiously. "I always tried to do what everyone wanted me to do! But what about what I wanted to do!?", her voice echoes, the air grows thicker by the second. "Why do I have to feel things I don't want to feel! Why do I have to pretend! Why do I always have to hold back!"
The heroes are all struck silent, neither knowing what to say.
"Why me! Why is this suddenly my life?!", Sapphire eyes continued to spill tears, "It's like this isn't even my life anymore! It hasn't been for such a long time…", Marinette's cracking shaky voice begins to lower. She pants softly, shoulders trembling. She turns her gaze to Fu, "I didn't choose this. This...was done to me.", Marinette raises a hand and slams it once against her chest.
Fu grimaces sympathetically, guilt weighing heavily upon him. Marinette's words weighing heavily upon everyone.
Kagami sucks in a deep breath, she knew this wasn't going to be easy, she knew that the pain, anger and frustration Marinette felt was deep seeded, but she hoped and continued to cling to that hope, hoping that Marinette was still within reach.
The akumatized teen huffed and puffed, she reached out and a knight gave her, her sword back. "I'm done losing.", she concludes. She wanted to win, to defy the odds just once, despite it being for the wrong cause. It was sickening to think about, but she was through with everything, losing, hurting and holding back, she could finally let it go.
Kim releases a shaky breath and stands up, he gripped his staff tightly.
Fu sighed deeply and came to a conclusion of his own. Concluding that Marinette was indeed gone.
Kagami got into fighting stance, yoyo in hand, she mentally prepared herself to do whatever it took to bring her friend back. As for Chloé, slowly but surely, she brought her gaze up, she gave Marinette a quick glance, she felt her chest tighten. She didn't want to give up, she wouldn't, she would do whatever it took.
"Crush them.", The Akumatized teen commanded darkly.
Sorry about any typos.
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Be safe guys! :D