(A/N: Thank you for reading the first chapter and teaser note that the teaser is in a much later chapter so you will have to wait for but if you like what you are reading me and my brother will be happy to hear from you. Now stolen hearts is about Cat and Marinette aka Ladybug who will be making her big debut and confront the irritating tomcat but undenounced to her he falls head over heels for her and later Marinette will fall head over heals for Adrien, now who didn't see that coming?)
Chapter 2: Stolen hearts
Three years later Adrien, or rather Cat Noir had made quite a name for himself as he sailed, fought, pillaged and plundered other tribes he found worthy of raiding, but no matter how many foes he fought or how much loot he plundered he never felt satisfied for himself, he felt as though something was missing from his endeavors. "Well looks like we pulled off another successful job, nice work kid your really getting the hang of this." Plagg congratulated his owner as he sat atop a pile of gold coins and gems eating a wedge of camembert. But all Adrien did in response is sigh as he slumped into his cot looking somewhat depressed as he just stared at the wall. "What's the matter kid? You look like something that I dragged in." Plagg joked trying to get his owner to crack a smile.
But it was no use as he simply payed it no mind. "Plagg, I think something is missing." He said as he took one look around the room.
"Like what?" Plagg asked with slight confusion mixed with annoyance. "You have literally more gold than you know what to do with, so what could you possibly need that you don't already have?"
"That's the problem, I don't know." Adrien replied as he laid down in the bed and stared at the ceiling boards over his head.
Plagg just groaned and said. "You are a riddle, and a total buzz kill."
Adrien perked up his head and asked with confusion. "I'm a what?"
"I don't know it's something the oracle says to people who ruin other people's good moods, says it's apart of getting drunk off your ass." Plagg admitted as he finished off his cheese.
"And you say I'm the riddle?" Adrien asked finally allowing a smirk to curl onto his face. "You're the one who's stuffing that foul smelling blob down your greedy gullet all day."
"This coming from a guy who disembowels people for fun on a weekly basis?" Plagg countered as he raised an eye brow.
"What ever you say you little freak of nature." Adrien replied as he turned over on his side. "Now let's get some sleep, Sven says there's another village on the horizon and I want us both rested up for tomorrow's raid."
On the shores of Etteugab, the home of the great and well respected Thomas the vast the patriarch of the clan Dupain the viking chief's only daughter was staring out onto the open sea simply taking in the view atop the outer wall of the village. Marinette rarely took moments like this as she spent most of her time preparing herself for battle to prove to her people that she needed no man by her side. Undenounced to her, Alya her best friend and second in command of her crew had snuck up on her in the attempt to pull a prank by dumping a bucket of slugs on her, only for Marinette to say with a cold voice. "You do it and you're going over the wall."
Alya then halted her attempt at a prank as she just groaned. "Damn it, how do you do that?" She asked rhetorically.
"It would help if you didn't try the same stupid prank every day, it'd also help if you didn't do it in full dress." Marinette pointed out as she could clearly hear the chainmail rattling as she walked.
Alya then sighed as she came to realize that the only reason for her down fall was her armor. "Done in by the one thing I love the most, fashion. How ironic that what keeps me alive is gonna get me killed by you."
"Alya, that one thing is the only thing that's gonna keep me from killing you." Marinette joked as she punched her friend playfully. "So what brings you up here this morning, other than another failed attempt to pull a prank on me."
"Well now that you mention it…" Alya began to strike up a conversation. "There is one thing that's been on my mind these past few days, or should I say YEARS." She laminated flatly.
Even though she already knew what she was going to say she still asked just to humor her. "And what might that be?"
"Marinette, you are one of if not the most desirable girls of Etteugab and your still single at the age of twenty-one, you have every single man your age and older in fact following you like a mob of star dazed puppies and you won't even give them the time of day, I'm starting to think that you swing your sword for another army." Alya voiced her concerns for her friend.
Marinette just glared at her with distaste. "Say it again Alya and you'll be eating the ball of my flail with those words." Marinette threatened as she began to swing her weapon around at her side.
Alya just raised her hand and said. "Okay-okay I get it, but just tell me…just tell me why you don't at least pick one."
Marinette just sighed as she put her weapon down and returned her gaze out to the ocean. "Because I've never met one worth picking, let alone worthy of me."
"Marinette you set your standards way too high." Alya argued with her friend.
"No I set them up just high enough." Marinette replied in disagreement. "I won't just settle for second best like most folks around here are willing to do. If I'm ever to find a man worthy of my hand he'll have to win my heart first."
Alya just leaned her back up against the wall and said. "I really don't get you sometimes, you say you don't want a man one minute and the next you say your open to the possibility of a man, which is it?" But instead of answering her Marinette just remained silent. "Marinette? I'd like an answer please." But Marinette's eyes were fixed on the horizon. "Hey I'm talking to you, just because you're the chief's daughter…" Marinette then interrupted her sentence as she grabbed Alya's chin and forced her to look out onto the horizon to see what she saw. It was a long ship with a sail decorated with the face of a black cat with emerald green eyes.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe that's the ship of the raider Cat Noir sailing for our shores." Marinette stated as she walked off. "Prepare the crew, we're going out there to give him a good old fashion Etteugab welcome." As she made her way down the stares she headed off to report to her father of the danger heading for their island.
"Absolutely not…" Thomas stated putting his foot down. "Under no circumstances are you to go out there and fight him."
"And what would you have me do father?" Marinette retorted shaking her hands in his face. "Just wait until he lands on our beach and leads a raid against the village? My shield maidens and I can over come him, name one group of warriors on this island better than my girls."
"This is different from our usual enemies coming to raid us Marinette, this is Cat Noir we're talking about, he literally has the power to destroy anything he touches, how do you even begin to plan to fight that?" Thomas asked her knowing that she most likely had no plan of attack ready as she had never dealt with anyone quite like him before.
Marinette just shrugged and said. "I'll just improvise."
"Improvise? You think you can beat a man who's never lost a fight just by improvising?" Thomas asked in disbelief.
"Well it's better than just sitting on your ass and waiting for him to come to us. I refuse to let him come to our island and act like he owns the place." She said with a stern look. "I've made my decision; my shield maidens and I are going out there and we're going to drive him back." She declared as she turned around and marched out the front door of her home.
Thomas just closed his eyes and sighed, then he turned toward the wall and simply stared at a painted shield on the wall with a portrait of his wife painted on it. "What would you do?" He asked feeling the sting of losing his wife still after so many years of being without her.
Down at the docks Alya and the rest of Marinette's shield maidens were aboard her ship preparing for battle. "Come on Rose put your back into it, get that sail flying high. Juleka get those explosive bolts up here already. Alex tighten down that catapult, I don't want to risk another strong breeze like the last voyage. Milan get those anchors weighed, come on girls we need to be ready like yesterday, Cat Noir is coming to these shores and he's not gonna wait until we're ready to fight him." Alya barked orders to her fellow shield maidens. All of them it would seem were still very groggy from just waking up but they still performed their duties just as effectively as they would any other day.
Eventually Marinette had finally arrived to the ship and began to address the crew. "Alya, how soon until we're ready to depart?" She asked as she boarded her ship.
"We still need to ready the ores and load the ballistas, we're also still waiting on Ivan with our new order of swords." Alya replied sternly.
"That's not good enough, we need to get out there before he get's close to the docks." Marinette frowned knowing that without those weapons they would fail sooner than most folk would.
"Pardon me young lady…" A voice announced from the dock, Marinette and Alya turned around to see a druid with a long beard wearing a hood standing on the docks. "But you don't really intend on going out their to face Cat Noir as you are do you?" He asked with a mystic tone.
"I don't want to no, but it may not be up to me as we've all heard tales of his deeds from across the sea. But I must try to defeat him if I can, with the help of my girls of course." She replied just as she began to turn back around.
Then the druid asked again. "What if you had something for you that could rival his power? To make you his equal and opposite at the same time?"
Marinette then said unconvinced. "Sounds like your just trying to hustle me."
"Did I ask for money? I ask for nothing in return, this is a gift my lady…a gift that will change your future." The druid replied to her as he tossed a jewelry box to her.
Marinette then caught the box and asked. "What is this?"
The druid smiled under the hood and said. "A miraculous tool in which you can use to defeat Cat Noir, if you use it wisely that is."
Marinette then opened the box and frowned as she saw that the only thing in the box was a pair of earrings. "Is this some kind of a joke?" She asked the druid, but as she looked up she saw that he was gone. "Uh…where did he go?"
"I don't know…" Alya announced. "One minute he was there and then the next…poof…he was gone."
Marinette simply stared down at the pair of earrings, they were red with black spots decorating them. "How are a pair of earrings supposed to make me a match for the likes of Cat Noir?" She asked rhetorically as she shook her head at the jewelry.
Alya then thought about it and guessed. "Maybe their magical?"
Marinette then rolled her eyes and said. "Oh please Alya, don't be so childish magic is nothing more than a fairy tale to entertain children before bed time."
"Still though…" Alya objected. "What's the harm in seeing if I'm right?"
Marinette knew better than to just pass on Alya's theories as she knew she was relentless until she got her way, she groaned and said. "Fine, I'll humor you…but they're not going to work I assure you." Without anymore hesitation Marinette took the earrings out of the box and fastened them to her ear lobes, then in an instant a small sphere of pink light emerged from one of her earrings startling both shield maidens something fierce. "AH! WHAT IN THOR'S NAME IS THIS?!" She cried as both girls shielded themselves from the blinding light.
Slowly the sphere turned into a small red black spotted figure with bright blue eyes. "Hello…" She greeted with a smile.
Marinette wasn't usually startled by anything, natural that is, but this creature was anything but natural for a number of reasons. "AH! A BUG! A-A-A MOUSE! A BUG-MOUSE!" She cried with fright, with all the commotion going on her crew then turned to see their captain in a slight panic as she pulled her flail and began to swing it violently at the small creature.
"Don't be afraid..." She announced calmly as she dodged her attacks. "I'm your friend Marinette."
This scared her even more. "AH! BUG-MOUSE TALKS! AND IT KNOWS MY NAME!" She cried again as she kept on swinging.
Eventually Alya stopped her swinging as she was about to hit the mast. "Girl, I know you're having a moment with this…whatever this thing is." She said in a soothing voice.
Then the tiny creature stated politely. "I'm a kwami, I grant powers, yours is the power of creation Marinette."
"How do you know my name?" Marinette asked as she didn't let her guard down.
Tikki then stated very casually. "Because you are my chosen, the master told me about you before he brought me to you, I promise you have nothing to fear from me."
Marinette was skeptical about this tiny flying fairy like creature, but she sensed that she wasn't hostel so she put her flail back on her hip and said. "Alright, if your 'master' told you about me then what is it you're here to do exactly?"
"I'm here to help you…" She said with a bubbly voice. "But you're the only one who can defeat Cat Noir, or at least you will be, that is if your willing to accept me as your ally."
Marinette then crossed her arms and asked. "Let's say I agree to this alliance, what's the cost."
The creature then replied with a smile and said. "Anything sweet and sugary will do thank you."
"What?" Marinette voiced her confusion as if she were joking with her.
"I'm not picky, anything like cake or cookies will be enough for me." She said again.
"Your serious about this?" Alya added as she was also confused by this little creature. She simply nodded her head yes, both Marinette and Alya then exchanged a look as if to say 'we need to talk privately.' "Could you please excuse us for a moment?" Alya asked as she lead Marinette away. Once they were far enough away from the mysterious floating fairy Alya then whispered to Marinette. "You're not actually taking this thing seriously are you?"
"Why not?" Marinette asked back. "It's not like we have any other options, besides she seems to be very nice."
"That's what we all thought about those leaves that we brought back to the village last summer, but that just turned out to be poison oak!" Alya growled with disapproval.
"Well I didn't tell you to rub your face with them now did I Alya?" Marinette fired back. "Look, if that druid trusts her than that's good enough for me."
"You didn't even know who that guy was!" Alya quietly shouted at her.
Before they could finish their argument Alex then cried out. "SHIP! A THOUSAND YARDS OFF!" Marinette and Alya quickly turned and saw she was right.
"We don't have a choice Alya, we have to trust her." Marinette stated as she walked back over to the red and black kwami. "Tell me what I need to do." She asked plainly.
The kwami then said. "All you have to do is say Tikki, spots on. You also have a secret weapon call the lucky charm, use it when the time is right."
"Tikki, is this your name?" Marinette asked, the kwami nodded yes to her, she smiled then added. "Nice to meet you, I'm sure we will be unstoppable together." Marinette then turned to her crew and shouted. "CAST OFF! ALL ORES AND SAILS OUT AND READY!"
"But what about the new swords?" Milan asked with confusion.
"No time, cast off NOW!" Marinette ordered, both Rose and Juleka untied the ship from the dock and shoved off, then they all started to row as fast as they could toward the enemy ship at full speed. Then Marinette narrowed her eyes at the enemy ship and said. "To death or glory we sail, may Valhalla smile upon us this day. Tikki, spots on!" With a single flash of pink light Marinette was then clade with a black chest armor, with red shoulder pads with five black spots on each. Black leather boots and gloves then appeared. Also a red and black spotted leather skirt that came to just above her knees. Finale a Black leather band came around her head attached to a red mask with, her regular weapons at her side.
Once the transformation was complete her entire crew just gasped at the sight of their captain as she had transformed into a warrior similar to one they'd heard of through tales told by their parents sense they were children. "Marinette…you look…just like…Ladybug." Alya announced as she recognized the attire she had donned.
Marinette gave herself a once over as she saw that she was right. "I…I don't believe it, your right Alya, I do look like her, so this is why she was so invincible, she had been given the power of the gods just like the tales said." Marinette then smiled as she looked out over the horizon. "Girls, I think the odds are in our favor, full speed ahead!" She ordered as she grinned and marched to the ship's dragon figurehead and climbed to the top where she hung off the side and just awaited for the chance to due battle with her new foe.
Aboard Cat Noir's ship he was fully transformed as he was smiling as his ship ventured forth. "Such a lovely day…for some pillaging, eh boys."
"Captain, enemy ship off the starboard." His first mate announced as he looked over the side of the ship with a spy glass.
Cat Noir then held out his hand and ordered. "GLASS!" Then one of his crew handed him a spy glass, Cat extended it fully and looked through it to see a ship full of shieldmaidens, he smirked and said. "Well-well, how do you like this boys, that ship is just dripping with fair maidens sailing straight into our tender embrace." His men chuckled as they all readied themselves for battle. "Ready crossbows and wait for my command." His men then began to load up their crossbows and lit the arrows on fire, but just before he gave the order to fire that's when he caught sight of one maiden standing on the rail covered head to toe in black and red armor, his jaw just dropped as he was stunned by her vision. "Who…is…that?" He asked completely dumbfounded, but he quickly snapped back to reality as a volley of arrows came hurtling towards him and his crew. "SHIELDS!" He bellowed as he started to deflect on coming arrows. Just as his men were about to return fire Cat raised his hand and said. "HOLD YOUR FIRE!"
"C-captain?" His first mate asked with confusion.
Cat then turned back to his men and ordered. "Drop your weapons now!" His men just exchanged dumb looks as they slowly did as he commanded. "Ready the hooks, we're going out to meet them."
"You mean to board their ship sir?" The first mate asked.
Cat then said with a smile. "That's exactly what I intend to do. It's time for this tomcat to introduce himself to the ladies." He then stood on the railing while leaning on his sword and called out to his red clade counterpart. "Good morning to you my fair lady." He flirted with a mock bow. "Tell me, what might they call you in these fine waters?"
Marinette instantly felt her blood boil as she locked her eyes onto her foe. "I'm the woman who's going to mount your head on the front of my ship." She called back to him as she pointed a finger at him.
Cat simply smiled and asked again jokingly. "Would you settle for dinner and a drink?" Marinette just clenched her teeth as she ran towards the foolish cat ready to end him then and there, she ran for the railing of her ship and just leapt into the air towards his vessel as she swung her flail wide. At the last second cat dodged out of the way of her attack then added once again jokingly. "Oh I get it; my lady wishes to dance instead. Well then I'd be more than happy to oblige."
She swung her flail about trying to take off his head but he simply side stepped just in the nick of time. Blow after blow Cat simply continued to dance around her attacks. "Hold still you insufferable feline!"
"Insufferable? Perhaps when I'm drunk maybe, but mostly I 'purrrfurrrr' to think of myself as witty and charming." Cat retorted just before he ran in at her as she made another attack and with a devilish smile he locked his arms around her figure and stole a quick kiss from her much to her disgust.
She then delivered a single punch to his face freeing herself before spitting out every last bit of the taste he'd left in her mouth. "How dare you?!" She bellowed as she swung her flail yet again hitting nothing but air.
"But my lady how could I not?" He asked with a mixture of humor and flirtation. "Your charms are so tempting that not even my poor heart could resist." She then rushed in at him again, this time she leapt into the air as she swung her flail high over her head bringing it down just in between his feet causing two planks he stood on to shatter and him to fall over. She then spun her flail fast at her side as she stood over him with a satisfied smirk knowing she was the first ever to force him down. But it was short lived as he quickly tripped her causing her to fall right on top of him. "Back for seconds are we?" He asked mockingly just before he rolled them over with him on top of her. "Has anyone ever told you that you have beautiful eyes?" Feeling fed up with his flirting Marinette quickly thrusted her knee into his groin, Cat quickly thought to himself. Thank the gods for this magic armor, but it still hurts like hell.
With another quick thrust of her knee into his stomach Marinette had finally forced him off of her. She then rolled over and hopped back onto her feet then turned to her crew and shouted. "OPEN FIRE!" In a split second she ducked down and raised her shield to protect herself from the volley of flaming arrows flying at the ship, but instead of ducking and dodging out of the way of the arrows Cat Noir simply stood tall on the deck of the ship and simply blocked arrow after arrow with his sword swinging it in a figure eight pattern.
Once the arrow stopped flying Cat paused for a moment and smirked at his foe and said. "Thanks for the warm up my lady."
"Oh think nothing of it." She replied sarcastically as she made ready to fight again.
Cat then leaned forward on his sword and said. "But I'm afraid this is where we must say…adieu." Then with one quick dash he kicked her square in the chest and sending her back to her own ship as she rolled over the rail. "Forgive me my lady, I'll make it up to you with our next meeting. CATACLYSM!" He said summoning his powers of destruction, he then made a dash for the ropes mentally saying to himself, nothing but the ropes nothing but the ropes nothing but the ropes. Once the ropes had dissolved into nothing Cat then cut the rope to a rigging and he zipped up to the top of his ship's mast. "Fair well my lady, until we meet again. But you still never gave me your name and I'm 'feline' rather neglected that you would be so rude as to deny me a proper introduction. I mean sure I came here in the attempt to rob you but that's hardly an excuse for poor manners."
Marinette stood back up and marched for the rail of her ship just as she was about to tell him her name she then thought to herself that she'd rather he didn't know her under the mask, so she chose to give him a new name better suited to her persona. "I am Ladybug the fallen Valkyrie, may my name be one to bring you fear in our next meeting." She said with confidence.
Cat simply smiled and said back. "Fallen you say? How fitting as I have fallen for you." With a mock salute he then fell backwards and down to the deck below landing square on his own two feet, and just as a final act of flirtation he blew her a single kiss and just as quickly as they'd appeared they were gone.
Alya then walked up to 'Ladybug' and said to her best friend with a enthusiastic tone. "Ooooooh girl he has it bad for you!"
This quickly snapped Ladybug out of her trance and said. "What in the name of Odin are you talking about?"
Alya then pointed out. "Girl, YOU, HIM, HE likes you. It couldn't be more obvious; do you need a divine sign from the gods like Thor's hammer upside your head?"
"What are you implying?" Ladybug asked as she rested her fists on her hips.
"Didn't you notice? He didn't use his sword on you once during that fight, which means he was holding back so he wouldn't hurt you, which also means he's in LOOOOOVE with you girl. Also he stole a kiss from you on the battle field, I think to him this whole fight was a date, I honestly don't know how else to point it out to you." Alya stated as she found this entire encounter both rattling and unsettling as she'd never seen her friend lose a fight let alone to a man. "Think about it girl, you have knocked every man who's ever come your way on or off the battle field flat on his ass, but this guy…even when he was on his ass he just came back for more."
Ladybug just glared at Alya with annoyance and said. "He's just some stupid tomcat nothing more."
Alya then grinned at her and said. "Well you say that but somehow I don't believe it."
Without so much as a warning Ladybug grabbed Alya's face with one hand and shoved her off to the side and said to her crew. "Alright everyone get this thing moving back towards the harbor."
"But not too fast ladies, she probably doesn't want to be too far away from lover boy." Alya added jokingly earning a laugh from everyone other than Marinette, who just glared at everyone and earning their silence just before she disappears to the lower decks to her quarters.
"Spots off…" Marinette said ending her transformation, she then marched over to her bed and collapsed into it and let out an exhausted sigh. "That was humiliating." She said as she stared up at the ceiling.
"I thought he was kind of sweet really." Tikki added as she hovered near her owner's head.
Marinette just looked up at her kwami and asked. "What are you talking about?"
Tikki then folded her arms and asked back. "Would you be satisfied with only a small bit of the truth?"
Marinette thought about it for a moment and said. "I suppose so."
Tikki then said with a sheepish tone. "Cat Noir is basically your polar opposite, you're his good luck and he's your bad luck, but together you two could become unstoppable."
Marinette then asked curiously. "So if he were to actually join me in battle instead of fight against me we could become an elite team? Is that what your trying to tell me? That we should just team up?"
Tikki then shrugged and said. "It's up to you Marinette, but in the past fifty thousand years I've never known a Cat Noir who hasn't pursued a Ladybug."
Marinette's eye's shot open then she asked. "You mean there have been other Ladybugs and Cat Noirs like us?"
Tikki then nodded her head and said. "For thousands of years the chosens of both our miraculous have been partners, and hopefully the two of you will be no different." Marinette then began to think back to the Ladybug before her, but she didn't remember any of the tales about her mentioning a partner let alone a previous Cat Noir. But she chose to worry about it later as she was tired and simply wanted to rest.
Meanwhile aboard his own vessel Adrien had transformed back and was barking orders to his crew. "Pull the line, drop all sails, hart to starboard, bring us back around to the far side." He said with a dominating tone.
"So were going back captain?" His first mate asked as he helped the crew set the sails.
Adrien just looked over to him and said. "I am, you're not."
His crew all looked at him with confusion, his first mate then asked. "Come again captain?"
"Men…" He began to speak to his crew with a calmer tone. "For three years now I've searched far and wide for the greatest treasure that these lands could possibly hold, but today I have seen the greatest treasure with my own eyes, and the only way I can win that treasure is not with a sword but to give away everything I have to her, which is why you are all to drop me off on the far shore tonight when the moon is at its peak."
The crew just gasped with shock upon this order. "Captain, surely you don't mean that?" A crewman asked.
"I mean every word…" He replied as he leaned on the rail of his ship looking out over the ocean. "There is no greater treasure than that woman. I will do anything it takes for her to love me, even if I have to fight the three children of Loki themselves all at once or even slay the frost giants of Niflheim I will not rest until I have won the heart of the fallen Valkyrie Ladybug Odin as my witness."
One of his crew off to the side then leaned in towards another and said with a whisper. "I think the captain may have hit his head during the fight."
But Adrien heard him clear as day, he then marched over to this crewman, grabbed the collar of his shirt and pinned him to the mast of the ship and said aloud. "If any of you has a problem with what I'm about to do say it to my face and say it now, otherwise keep it to yourselves or I'll throw you over the side of the ship myself." He then let the crewman go and headed for the lower decks of his ship and returned to his quarters. He then flopped onto his bed and let a giant smile grow onto his face. "She's perfect Plagg." He said as he breathed out a love filled sigh.
Plagg just rolled his eyes and said. "Oh boy here we go again, just like every other idiot in black armor before him." He then floated over to his stash of camembert cheese and began to dig in.
"I've never felt this way about anyone before Plagg, she's amazing, and did you see the way she fights? She is truly a force to be reckoned with…and her name…is Ladybug." Adrien said as he just grinned from ear to ear.
"Every time…" Plagg shouted with annoyance. "Every time I get a new owner they always fall head over heels for some chick dressed in red and black polka doted armor with a pair of big goo-goo eyes! I mean seriously, if I had a piece of cheese for every time this happened I wouldn't need cheese until Ragnarök! I mean it was adorable the first few hundred times but after a while it got old! I swear these kids would be the death of me if I hadn't already died!"
Adrien then looked up to this kwami and asked. "What do you mean by the first hundred times?"
Plagg then paused just as he was about to eat another wedge of cheese as he came to realize what he'd said. "Uh…did that really just come out of my mouth?"
Adrien then asked again. "Plagg, are you saying there've been others before me to wear your ring?"
"Well it's been a long day time to hit the hay GOODNIGHT!" Plagg said quickly as he turned onto his side and began to fake snore in a vain attempt to fool his owner into thinking he was asleep.
But Adrien knew better, he then walked over to his kwami and asked yet again this time with an authoritative tone. "Plagg, have there been other wearers of your ring or not?"
Plagg then began to groan as he sat back up, he then turned around to face Adrien and said as he extended his hand. "First feed me cheese, then we'll talk." Adrien then held out a hand full of cheese and dropped it at his feet, Plagg's eye shot open with delight and his mouth began to water as he gobbled up each morsel, once he'd finished he let out a hearty burp and smiled as he rubbed his stomach with satisfaction. "Yes kid, there have been hundreds before you, thousands even, and every one of them has been just as love drunk and stupid over who ever it is to wear those earrings, it's like a twisted quark of fate and it gets on my nerves every single time I see you guys do this."
Adrien was shocked at this sudden reveal of information, for him to know that there were others before him was amazing to him, which also meant he was a part of a legend far older than the one he had become on his three year journey. "So have any of the other Cat Noirs and Ladybugs fallen in love with one another?" He asked with a hopeful look.
Plagg then sighed and said. "Not gonna lie to you kid, whenever our owners get together as more than just a partnership 8 out of 10 times it doesn't always end well, usually meaning that they just don't match up with one another as well as they'd hoped."
"And what about the other two?" Adrien asked still hopeful.
"Welllllll…one of those two is that they become a couple and live happily ever after, while the other always ends with…" Plagg then began to trail off for a moment.
"Don't keep me out of the loop Plagg what happens?" Adrien asked with a dire need to know.
Plagg then finished somewhat reluctantly. "They end up…killing….one another. Basically kid the odds are stacked against you, so if I were you I'd just give up while I still can and just burry your misery in whatever makes you feel good, for me…it's the cheese, for you…I don't know or really care."
Adrien then narrowed his eyes and said with a sarcastic tone. "Wow, your so helpful Plagg, I'm so fortunate to have you."
Plagg then smiled and said not even acknowledging his sarcasm. "Glad I could be of use to you, now if you'll excuse me I'd like to get some shut eye because I already know your not gonna listen to me and your just gonna head after her." Plagg then rolled over on his side again this time actually trying to get some sleep.
Later that night Adrien's ship pulled in onto a misty shore far from the view of the village. "Captain your sure about this?" The first mate asked for what would seem to be the hundredth time.
"Commander…" Adrien said as he turned back to his crewman. "You and the men split up and claim all the gold we've collected over the past three years, I never really wanted it anyway, and don't worry about me…" He paused as he looked back towards the shore with a smile. "I've finally found something worth fighting for. Is Raven ready to go yet?"
"Saddled and waiting sir." The first mate replied.
"Good…" Adrien looked down at a massive black warhorse crossbred from horses of the Arab sands and the warhorses of the north, this horse was truly Adrien's oldest and most trusted friend. Adrien jumped from the deck of the ship and landed beside him without so much as a whinny from the stallion. "Tonight my friend we ride towards a new battlefield, to conquer the heart of the one who calls herself Ladybug, either glory or Valhalla awaits us."
Plagg then flew next to Adrien's head and began to complain. "Why do we have to ride this thing everywhere? He never let's me carry my cheese on him."
Adrien then turned to Plagg and asked back. "What are you complaining about? You can fly you don't need to ride him."
"True…but that doesn't mean I don't like to take a little break from flying every now and then." Plagg replied as he sat down onto Adrien's shoulder.
"Come on, let's go and find my lady." Adrien stated as he gave the horse a good nudge with his foot, the horse then stood on it's hind legs and let out a loud whinny just before it took off running into the misty night with Adrien and Plagg leaving his ship for the last time.
Back in the shield hall Thomas was shouting at his daughter for pulling such an insane stunt, even though he was overjoyed to see she'd returned alive and safe and that Cat Noir had left he still felt the erg to scold her for heading off without proper preparation. "What does it matter father?" She asked screaming back at him. "We drove him away, now he knows better than to cross swords with the people of Etteugab."
"Don't you think it was a little convenient that your crew drove him off so easily?" He asked back also screaming at her.
"No I don't…" She answered flatly. "And even if he does come back I'll be ready for him." Thomas of course hadn't learned yet that Ladybug had been involved with their 'victory' because Marinette had chosen not to tell her father about her new secret and had sworn her shield maidens to secrecy never to reveal her identity as Ladybug.
"Marinette you don't seem to understand Marinette, this is a common tactic." Thomas began to point out. "He was sizing you up to see what you were made of so when he comes back he'll be better prepared and you wouldn't have to worry about that if you'd taken the fleet with you instead of just your crew."
Feeling tired of hearing him rant on Marinette shoved her chair out as she stood from the table and said with a venomous tone. "I'm going for a ride." Then she collected her flail and headed straight for the door.
"Don't think we're done talking about…" Before he could finish the door slammed shut cutting him off. "This." He ended with a saddened tone. He hated to scold his daughter even when she proved that she could handle any foe and Cat Noir was as of this day no acceptation.
At the stables Marinette was saddling her red maire Freya in a fit of rage, she hated to do this to her father but she hated being treated like a child even more, ever sense the loss of her mother whom she had hardly any memory of her father was so overbearing that it drove her mad. She mounted up quickly and road off into the night gaining as much distance from her village as she could.
Not far off from her position Adrien was still out wandering dressed in a green leather shirt, black leather pants with black leather boots to match and a black fur cape with a gold chain pining the cape around his neck with a chieftain's sword on his left hip. Plagg was tucked around near his neck complaining about the ride. "Could…you…slow…this…thing…down…please?" He whined as the horse's movement was causing his stomach to grow upset.
Adrien then said to him in response. "Plagg, if you don't like it you can walk." As he rode on a heavy fog was beginning to roll in from the sea.
Marinette was riding along side the beach as she saw a figure not far off riding towards her. She squinted her eyes in the attempt to get a better look at them but the fog proved to make this difficult without a torch in hand. It would seem at this point in time Adrien had seen a figure as well not far from him, he too tried to get a better look at them but couldn't see very well in such dense fog. "Tikki…Tikki wake up." Marinette whispered as she started to shake the hood of her cloak where her kwami was sleeping ever so soundly.
"Huh…wh-what…what's happening?" She asked as she yawned and started to float out of the hood rubbing the sleep form her eyes.
Marinette then pointed one arm out to the figure not too far off from them and said. "Over there, a stranger on horseback."
Tikki then squinted her eyes to see this stranger then asked Marinette. "Well why don't you go see who it is?" She asked plainly.
"Because if he's an invader then it could be a trap, he could have an army waiting for me just behind him just waiting to snag a hostage." Marinette replied and also feeling the bitter taste of her father's own wisdom.
"This coming from the woman who fought off Cat Noir?" The kwami asked again with a smirk. "Just go take a quick look."
"I don't know Tikki." She said back to her kwami.
"Marinette are you afraid of a simple shadow when you have the power of the gods on your side? You could easily level an army all by yourself just use the same level of confidence you used earlier today…oh." Tikki paused for a moment for some reason.
"Oh? Oh what?" Marinette asked twice.
Tikki then answered quickly. "Oh it's coming this way." Marinette turned to face what ever it was that was coming, she pulled her flail ready to strike but was halted when she caught sight of a young man baring the likeness of the gods. She slowly gasped as she became mesmerized by this young man while at the same time loosening her grip on her weapon which fell to the ground with a thud.
"By Thor…" She mused to herself. "He's beautiful."
"Excuse me?" Adrien had finally gotten close enough to see a fair young maiden a stride a red maire, so close in fact that he was right next to her and somehow she hadn't noticed until he spoke.
This then startled her greatly, she then yelped with fright and tried to justify her words. "I mean…night beautiful…I mean it's a beautiful man…I mean NIGHT it's a beautiful NIGHT I say." She stammered all over her self until she finally stopped talking and gave a very embarrassed and nervous smile.
All Adrien said in response took the form of a question almost. "Alright? Anyway do you know the way to Etteugab village from here? You see I'm a little lost and don't know my way around these parts."
Even though it was a simple task Marinette began to choose her words very carefully. "Uh…yeah, we just need to turn around here really, it's a quick trip over words…I-I mean it's a quick over, just follow me." She then said to herself inside her head. Why am I stammering?
Adrien didn't say another word as he rode beside her, as they rode both Tikki and Plagg poked their heads out of their hiding places and began a conversation in a special sign language they'd developed. Plagg then pointed to Marinette with a questioning look as if asking if she was Tikki's knew owner. To which Tikki simply nodded and did the same in response to Adrien. Plagg then nodded his head yes then he performed a gesture showing that Adrien was in love with Marinette, or at very least Ladybug. Tikki then began to snicker softly as she tried her best not to catch the attention of Adrien. But because Marinette was paying more attention to the young man riding beside her she didn't notice the low hanging branch which she was currently ridding towards, as soon as she made contact she then tumbled backwards off of Freya's back hitting the ground hard with a loud thud. Adrien the jerked Raven hard to a stop, then he quickly dismounted and rushed to her side. "Are you alright?" He asked concerningly as he helped her sit up right.
Marinette the rubbed the front of her head as it began to throb with pain. "I'm alright…" She claimed. "I've been hurt far worse on the battle field."
Adrien then said with a calm but firm tone. "That may be but either way you're going to ride with me back to your village miss…I'm sorry I don't think we introduced ourselves. My name is Adrien." He slowly helped her on to her feet then picked her up bride style as he carried her to his horse. Normally Marinette would protest any man who would dare treat her as if she we're a helpless maiden, but at this point in time she was far too entranced by his vision to care as he sat her atop his warhorse then mounted himself after her. "And your name is...?" He trailed off for her to introduce herself.
"Marry me…" She said in a love drunken tone.
"Come again?" He asked as he didn't quite hear her.
It was in that moment that she snapped back to reality and said a little too fast. "MARINETTE..I mean I'm Marinette Dupain…I mean…"
"Whoa-whoa-whoa slow down miss, I just needed your first name nothing more." Adrien said interrupting her while at the same time trying to keep her calm. "Anyway it's nice to meet you Marinette, now just relax and I'll worry about the riding from here."
Marinette then rested her head on his chest and breathed in a deep breath as she sat and listened to his heart beat gently lulling her to sleep.
Thump-thump…thump-thump…thump-thump.