MIRACULOUS

Chapter 45

FOREVER TODAY PART 1

"I had no idea you were even in Paris, Mitch," Mordecai was on the phone.

"Skips ain't too thrilled about what's going down here in Paris either," Mitch explained. "This really got heated up since you left. These brainwashed Blue Mustang losers have been walking on the street like they own the town."

"It's been tough there?"

"He and Benson are out there recruitin' but too many kids are buying into their crap too. The Colorado and Beach City teams are on the same boat."

"Speaking of Colorado, have they already retrieved Cartman?"

"Ehh… Too much riff-raff I'm not botherin'" Mitch dismissed.

"Guess I gotta look into it," Mordecai muttered. "Anyway, why did Skips send you here, again?"

"He's already sent a bunch of us all over. I just came here cause you bros are here."

"How come?"

"Apparently, some old hag is also looking for the Blue Mustang big bad. But Skips said she's only doing it to take over for her own, so who knows."

"Right," Mordecai acknowledged. "Anyway, well let's keep an eye out, but right now we have this big deal here in Paris."

"About Adrien's mom going koo-koo? I heard…"

"Huh, guess that explains your lack of 'my mom' jokes," Mordecai said.

"Oh, and guess what. Gabriel and Nathalie came to the Pizza Joint today."

"For real?" Mordecai asked.

"They seem to be into each other whether Gabe bro knows it or not," Mitch said with a grin.

"Sheesh, wonder what Adrien will say about this," Mordecai pondered.

"Who knows, bro…" Mitch was cut off when an explosion was heard from the distance.

"Speaking of Adrien's mom…" Mordecai said.

"Things just got real, bro," Mitch said. "Hey what the…"

"Mitch?"

"Get off my restaurant, bro!"

"Mitch!"

The call got cut off.

"Oh no, RIGBY!"

Meanwhile…

The Parisian sky suddenly clouded up. The clouds were pitch black and the sun bare shone upon the city, creating this eerie afterglow. Despite the sun piercing through the dark clouds, it was still considerably dark in the streets.

Lux rose from her sitting position as her undead army scattered all over the city. A grin on her face was unmoving as her miraculous potential finally reached its peak. Shiroi could have not been prouder that this level of power was finally reached the height that he longed for millennia. She climbed up a higher ground, spread her arms.

"No more delays," she said. "Spread out, find them!"

Agreste Manor…

Gabriel and Nathalie had just returned from their day at the old Pizza Joint. They came dashing to the mansion. Cat Noticed from his old room's window.

"Let's talk to them first," Ladybug suggested.

"Marinette!" Nathalie shouted with legitimate concern.

Cat remembered how she had occasionally called him out with real affection. In some ways, more so than either of his parents had. He and Gabriel stared at each other in dazed silence. Neither seemed quite ready to deal with each other at this point.

"Cat," Ladybug prompted. "You two need to work this out."

"I know," he said.

"Now is not the time," Nathalie butted in. "Listen, Emilie is not what she seems."

"I'll explain that," Gabriel stepped in. "I didn't want to accept it at the time, but your mother become more unhinged as time went on."

"Gabriel," Nathalie soothed.

"Mr. Agreste," Ladybug said. "You don't have to do this."

"Actually, I do," Gabriel pressed. "You two need to hear this." He gave a warning stare at Cat, who silently gulped. He made sure Ladybug wouldn't notice. "Listen, I was once onboard on her Quest to seek out the miraculous to bring our stillborn daughter…"

He went on with full clarity of he and Emilie once didn't have any interest in her family ties with the Blue mustang and how she finally sought them out. How he became weary and disillusioned he was and begged her not to go further to how he was tricked into becoming Hawk Moth. Now for the stuff they didn't know…

"Emilie's family came from devout followers of the Blue Mustang's cause but once she and her sister resisted them is what caused the rift in their family. Do you see where I'm going with this? Lux doesn't give a damn about the Blue Mustang, nor they for her. She only sought them out to get the info she wanted. They were only a means to an end."

"If what Cat Noir's kwami said is true, then she must not get her hands on your miraculous. Do you hear me? Even if you manage to tell her, she will not stop and she would rather watch the world burn than to prove her parents right of her apparent failure to the family."

"Is that what it was about?" Cat asked. "Just to be at the high ground?"

"I don't believe that was the case," Gabriel said. "It was the incident when she gave birth to our children. Something within her changed… Something broke. She will stop at nothing but to either bring Emma back or destroy the world. For her, it makes no difference…"

"Mr. Agreste," Cat prompted gently. You don't have to say anymore…"

"No, I do," Gabriel insisted. "Another thing about what Cat Noir's kwami said…"

"There is some truth to what your mother did," Nathalie stepped in.

"Nathalie?" Marinette asked. "You do know what happens if she tries both our miraculous, right?"

"Yes," she affirmed. "But there is more. Overstraining yourself with the power of the miraculous may result in the user being in eternal sleep. So even if you succeed in thwarting Emilie's plans, you may not make it through…."

"What?"

"That is why everyone was fooled by her deception. There was more truth to the story."

"The best lies are with a hint of truth in them," Cat observed.

"Exactly," Nathalie said. "Whatever it takes, don't combine the miraculous. Do whatever it takes to stop her. Please!"

She stepped closer, more towards Cat than to Ladybug, putting her hands together on her chest as if in prayer.

"You know me too well, Nathalie," Cat thought. He still had a specific individual in mind and he intended to do it at some point. He had hoped to do it before his mother began her insurrection. Alas, it happened way before he expected it.

"Nathalie, I can't…"

"We promise," Ladybug said, cutting Cat Noir off.

"My lady, how can we…"

"We'll stop her!"

"But if we don't free…"

"We'll stop her, and we will get her to free the people of Paris," she insisted. Ladybug then made her way to the door. There was still so much he wanted to say, things he wanted to talk about even though he knew it would compromise his identity, but he knew it would have to wait.

"Go, my son," Gabriel prompted softly, with a piece offering. Low enough so that Ladybug wouldn't hear him.

"Later, dad," he soothed back, accepting his offer. He went off with Ladybug.

"Please…" Nathalie whimpered. Gabriel gently coaxed her cheek to face him.

"Enough dwelling on it, Nathalie."

"But…"

"If there is anything I have learned from how I have treated Adrien and his current behavior is that…" Gabriel hesitated. "There is no way to predict what he will do. Only what he believes is right."

"I know," Nathalie replied. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"Come on, let's hide into our shelter."

Paris…

The entire city was in chaos. The United Heroez team had taken over Montramarte, spreading new mists of the white plague and holding the survivors' hostage.

Former villains such as Mr. Pigeon, Glacier, Zombizu, and others have overtaken the St Germain des Pres area. The last one has possessed many of the Parisians in the area, causing them to spread the brainwashing and draw more people in quicker so they could end them.

"Dude, this is top levels of insanity!" Rigby yelled.

"No kidding," Mordecai yelled ad he dodged a concrete pipe lodged at him.

"Emilie must have finally gone over the edge," Duusuu growled. "She was always a jerk to Ms. Nathalie!"

"Are you with me little Bra?" Mordecai asked his kwami.

"As long as Ms. Nathalie is happy and safe with Gabriel, then I am happy to help," Duusuu chided.

"Yo, Tanuki," Rigby called.

"Yes, Rigby?"

"Finished you nuts?"

"Yes sir," he said. "Though nuts aren't exactly my preference…"

"No time!" Rigby yelled. "Now are we going to do this or not?"

"Rigby," Mordecai warned. "Remember Cartman."

Rigby quieted down and took a deep breath.

"Okay, Tanuki," Rigby. "Would you give me the strength to work together and save the day?" he asked, offering his hand.

Tanuki smiled shyly and hesitantly to his hand with his little arm.

"I would like to say, you nowhere as bad as Cartman," Tanuki said.

"I've seen what it's like to be abused by you wielder," Duusuu approached Tanuki. "Nathalie treated me so well I didn't want to be away from her. But she's happy where she is now. I'm still learning how to move on with a new wielder, together."

She and Tanuki shook their little arms as the two relatively still young and innocent kwami formed their bond. Mordecai and Rigby face each other than turn back and forth to their respective kwamis.

"Hm!"

"Hm!"

The kwamis also joined in on the 'hm-ing.'

"Hm!"

"Hm!"

Tsurugi residence…

"Where's Kagami," Older Chloe emerged from the shadows, walking towards Ms. Tsurugi sat. Beside her was Chloe's present self in an induced coma.

"She has most likely set off," she replied in her usual demeanor. "Chaos has no doubt erupted."

"Kagami can get very impulsive, huh?" Chloe grinned.

"Indeed," Ms. Tsurugi acknowledged. "I would not have it any other way."

They turned to each other.

"Her time is some time away, yet I dread the day," Ms. Tsurugi continued. "I beg you to return soon, I cannot bear the thought of her living in the distant past all alone."

"Actually," Older Chloe said. "I think she may have gone somewhere as well…"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Sorry but there is no time," Older Chloe got up on her feet I have to set off now.

Meanwhile…

"Couffaine!"

Kagami realized she was nearby the docks when the white plague victims are rampaging the city. She made her way there to attempt to make contact with the nearest teammate. She roundhouse kicked a couple of husks who were once civilians as she cleared her path as much she could.

"Longg," Kagami shouted. "Are you ready?"

"I am eating as quickly as I can, Miss Kagami!" Long spoke midst bites of his watermelon piece.

"I could only hide my dirty and wet pockets for bringing you watermelon for so long."

"Be weary, Miss Kagami," Longg warned. "You hand-to-hand skills are still at their infancy!"

"This is not the time for a lesson, Longg!" Kagami sneered as she ran. "We are surrounded by a ghost population and the last I need is discouragement!"

"But Miss Kagami, you must be aware of your limitations and not overstep your bounds. Let us not forget your anger upon losing on your last fencing match."

"My anger is not an issue," Kagami insisted. "My lack of necessity is the issue and I do not want to hear that this is how I learn, any failure may be my last…"

Distracted by her rant she was unaware that just a civilian undead made the jump on her and landed on her back. It latched on her from behind and both its arms around her neck and arms on a stronghold.

"ARGH!"

"Miss Kagami!"

"I can't, move!"

"Yo, zombie!" Viperion's voice called and grabbed the undead from behind and snapped its neck. "Kagami?"

"Couffaine! We need to reunite with the others."

"I know," Viperion confirmed. "Why were you at odds with your kwami?"

"I am not!" Kagami shot back. Her eyes widened and stepped back. Upon breathing out she now realized the anger that was eating up inside her.

"Please, control yourself, Miss Kagami," Longg begged.

"Look, whatever it's going on between you, it can wait," Viperion urged. "Hey, could you help me out here? I got an idea!"

Meanwhile… TVi Studio

"Minon, please!" Nadja begged the empty shell of Puppeteer that was once her daughter.

"Aww, now who's begging," Puppeteer babbled nonsensically as she sicked her controlled minions at her.

"NO! No Please!"

"SHELL-TER!" Carapace stepped in. He blocked the Puppeteer's barrage. Rena's mist diverted the husks long enough so that the two heroes' souls make their escape along with the reported and her crew.

"Good thing you caught a glimpse of Puppeteer on her way here!" Carapace said.

"Yeah, well, I had a pretty good idea where she was going, considering," Rena said. They made their way through the corridors.

"Yeah, well, we don't have good Chloe for these boost shots thing so we're gonna detransform any minute…"

Carapace was cut off when an Alec husk grabbed him from behind and had him on a potentially bone-breaking hold.

"Carapace!" Rena was about to help him but was quickly ambushed by more of the Puppeteer's husks.

"JUDO PUNCH!" A man with short wavy hair and glasses knocked the Alec husk off Carapace. "I never thought I would punch my predecessor in the face."

"Austin?" Rena asked.

"You said you needed to hide, right?"

"How did you?"

"The Ladyblog," Austin replied, casually. "Too much info, though."

"Yeah, I thought about scaling back a bit," Rena thought. "Haven't updated in a while."

As if on cue, Carapace's communicator rang.

"It's Viperion," he said and answered. "Carapace, go!"

"Carapace, it's Viperion! Hey, are you guys near the TV station?"

"Eeehhh," Carapace began.

"Carapace?"

"We're kinda there."

"Huh? What are you doing in a TV studio?"

"Is that important, right now?" Carapace freaked out. "What do you need?"

Meanwhile…

Pegasus was on his way to track down the others. He was about to open a portal before being caught up by Older Queen Bee

"Come on, let's go!" Older Queen Bee told Pegasus.

"I must question where Chloe is and I meant my Chloe?"

"She's fine," Older Chloe waved off.

"I find that answer vague and unconvincing."

"I promise to you Max, she's ok, she's…." she hesitated, Pegasus crossed his arms. "Fine, she's with Ms. Tsurugi."

"Why take her there?"

"To wipe of her memories of my existence."

"Why would you do that?"

"It can wait!"

"Fine, but my estimations that the others will question you are exponentially high," Pegasus agreed and opened a portal.

Upon emerging from the portal they found themselves in the halls of TVi studio.

"I always wanted to be the main attraction when I walked in these halls," Queen Bee said.

"For doing what, pray tell?" Pegasus pushed his sunglasses. Queen Bee stared back at him and had no answer.

"I didn't think you'd be this snarky, Max."

"I apologize," Pegasus said. "I'll keep my suspicions in check."

Then they heard something breaking in the distance.

"It's nearby!" Pegasus opened the path and saw that Rena and Carapace were on their last legs. They were taking the hostages down to the elevators as much as they could.

"HEALING SHOT!"

Queen Bee served Rena and Carapace their shots without another word. They were surprised but quickly pull themselves together when they saw Queen Bee's stern look. Rena gulped. She already knew this was not the Chloe she once knew, but it hadn't really sunk in until that very moment. She didn't even have to say anything but Rena and Carapace took it as a queue to get in position to join her and Pegasus.

They managed to fight off the undead but before they could hit the 'going down' button, Puppeteer came up from around the corner.

"Minon!" Nadja shouted in anguish. "Please, don't hurt her!"

Queen Bee was having none of it. She grabbed the reporter by the neck of her coat.

"Listen to me," she said. "You have to worry about yourself, now!"

"But that's my daughter!" the reporter wailed on the verge of tears.

"No, she's not," Queen Bee insisted. "Her soul is trapped within the spell, she cannot be saved, now! You have to trust us on this!"

"Chloe! You insensitive prick!" Rena whacked the back of her head.

"WHAT!"

"SHELL-TER!" Carapace bought some time before the Puppeteer husks could reach them. "Ladies now's not the time! Pegasus, could you get us to the main dashboard?"

"I could,what for?"

"We'll talk later, right now everyone out of the building!" Carapace shouted.

"Everyone let's move, MOVE!" Austin led everyone onto the stairway.

Meanwhile…

Master Fu sneaked around the alleys. He did his best to avoid confrontation. With Wayzz no longer at his disposal, he could only rely on the wits and experience to get through. He then took out his phone and started to text.

Elsewhere, Ladybug, Cat Noir, Blue jay, and Rocket were on their way to the docks as instructed by Viperion in their communicators.

"So what's this project are you actually talking about?" Ladybug asked.

"It's a long shot," Viperion admitted. "But if we can get Lux's and her army's attention, we can draw her out and hopefully stop the spread before she can possess more people!"

"Hehe, That actually sounds like someone who got akumatized," Rocket said, only to get another punch in the arm, courtesy of Blue Jay. "AAAAH!"

Cat then received a message from his personal cell phone. It was a text from Master Fu.

"Cat Noir, I have hidden the miraculous for Marinette. Only follow the coordinates. Now you have the option of whether or not to go through with your plan. Good Luck."

-Wang Fu

Cat quickly hid his phone before anyone noticed that he was looking at it.

"I don't know," Ladybug pondered. "She'll most definitively know that it's a trap."

"Yet there is no alternate way to draw her out. We have no other choice; we must confront her head on and stop her now!"

The venom in Ryuko's voice caused Cat to flinch. She's most likely trying to coax him from all hesitation. But would she really go that far? He assumed Kagami already knew who Lux was.

"Fine," Cat conceded. "So what do we do?"

"Just meet us at the docks and buy us some time!" Viperion replied.

"All right," Cat said. "You guys go on ahead, I'll catch up with you in a bit!"

"Wait," Ladybug shouted. "Where we going…?"

Ladybug was cut off as Cat abruptly kissed her on the lips.

"OOOOhhh…" Blue Jay muttered as he and Rocket looked away. Ladybug's expression went from stern confusion to blissful wonder after they broke the kiss off.

"Do you trust me?"

"With all of me…" she soothed.

"I'll be right there, my lady," he winked and bounced off. Ladybug could only smile as he went off.

Meanwhile… In the "Hole in the Wall" Pizzeria

"Some on Skips, I already lost my job when that loser idol wannabe exposed me by shielding the kid in the storage!" Mitch berated at the phone.

"There's a lot more at stake, Mitch!" Skips was on the other line. "I'm sure Starla will understand."

"Of course, she's gonna say that," Mitch countered. "She's too pure for this world!"

"Mitch," Skips began. "We may not have to wait too long to pinpoint the whole mess. I may need Muscle Man, again."

…

"Mitch?"

"You know who needs Muscle Man back?"

"Mitch…"

"MY MOM!"

Meanwhile… Kamarucho… Tokyo… Japan… Genda Law Office

Junpei Tenmeioji paced around the office, and an elderly man with business casual pants with a blue shit and tie, his roughed-up sleeves pulled up. It had been hours since any word from Yagami. It was a big office with one elder head attorney, a young man who was nervously typing on his laptop, and a woman with glasses surfing through files on her own laptop.

"Okay," the young man said. "I'd be less nervous if you just sit down."

"Now Hoshino," the elder lawyer said. "We all know Yagami has never let us down, right Saori-san?"

"Actually…" the woman with glasses began.

"Don't answer that," the elder attorney cut her off.

"I'm telling you," Tenmeioji said. "She's not some ordinary hag."

"You do know you're talking about your wife, right?" Hoshino asked.

"We've dealt with quarrying couples before," Saori said.

"Still, with all due respect, Genda-sama," Hoshino said. "Are you sure we're cut up for this? We're talking about an ancient global organization here."

"I don't think that would stop Yagami from taking the case," Genda said.

"That's true," Hoshino said, sitting back down.

The phone rang.

"Is it him?" Tenmeioji asked.

"Put him on speaker!" Genda said.

"This is Yagami."

"Kid, how did it go?" Genda asked.

"She got away."

"Got anything new from her?" Saori asked.

"I did," Yagami confirmed. "Apparently, there's been a rift amongst its leader and one of their generals and they're setting their sights for their plans in Kamarucho."

"Did she specify this individual?"

"Someone with time-traveling abilities."

"Time travel?" Hoshino shouted, he raised up from his seat but quickly sat back down again, clutching his. "This is just getting better and better…"

"What is Akane really up to?" Tenmeioji wondered.

"Kid, this may be even bigger than the Omi clan," Genda said.

"Yeah, I don't like it," Yagami agreed. "Something about this whole thing stinks."

"I couldn't agree more, for now, why don't you come on home?" Genda suggested. "Kaito and Higashi must be missing you already."

"Higashi? As if! All, right. I'll be on my agency if you need me."

Genda hung up. Saori looked disappointed.

"Shirosaki?" Hoshino asked.

"Still nothing, huh?"

Tenmeioji, why don't you head home, your grandkid must be all alone now," Genda asked.

"Eh, fine." Tenmeioji walked out.

"Don't feel bad," Genda encouraged Saori. "I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this soon enough.

"I don't mind if I never meet her," Saori said. "I guess, I just wanted a little comfort that there's more out there… huh?" she suddenly looked out the window.

"Shirosaki?" Hoshino asked, looking at the window as well. "Something wrong.

"Though I saw something out the window."

Hiding on the rooftop after looking in and listening to what they said, Ryuko took note of what she heard and jumped off.

That's all I got for you now.

Crossover Report:

Junpei Tenmeioji: Like Akane, he too is from the niche game series "Zero Escape." He was the main protagonist of the first game "999: Nine Persons, Nine Hours, Nine Doors" and a major character in the sequels.

Hoshino, and Genda- Also from "Judgment" and its sequel. Expect to see a bit more of "Yakuza" considering where this fic is heading next, both figuratively and literally.

So yeah this turn out to be another setup chapter but I hope I left a few things to think about before they can execute their plans. Luka's plan, what master Fu left him, and what Cat plans to do with it? Find out in the next chapter.

Constructive criticism is appreciated.