Foxhunt
Chapter Seven: Spoils
Lying on her belly, her right cheek pressed to the lakebed, Alya remained still and immovable in silent slumber. The slow, gentle current pulled on the young woman's long, red locks as her left hand lightly clenched the sediment. Suddenly, separate ripples appeared on the water's surface, drawing closer to the fallen Miraculous. As the final ripple flowed outward and between her fingers, the vixen appeared before Alya, crouched down, and gently touched its snout to the young woman's hand before nudging it more forcefully. Warm breeze passed over the area as the lukewarm water graced its guest. The girl's hand twitched, clenched around the mud and sand, and provided her enough support to lift her face out of the water. Their eyes meeting, the fated duo gazed at one another for a moment, until Alya saw the truth, nodded her head, and stood up to depart from the limbo that had given her rest.
Her eyes tired and hazy behind heavy eyelids, the young woman attempted to focus on anything as her weak, cold, tender, and nauseous body struggled to move itself. She was sick. She was no longer Volpina. Even though her fingers were numb and her arms as heavy as bricks, Alya still attempted in vain to clench her fist. Soon, the pain of restricted blood became too great, forcing the hero to give up and lie still. Speaking felt much like choking as she attempted to utter something, anything. After releasing a series of shrill gasps that, after what felt like an hour, finally formed a high-pitched cough, Alya forced herself onward until her weak, hoarse voice managed to screech, "Trixx." The call was quiet at first, but she refused to give up. "Trixx," she wheezed with all her might yet again. "T-" she choked through her painfully dry throat. Resting and regaining her breath, the redheaded young woman readied herself yet again. "Trixx!" she managed to call out, though her voice was little more than an audible whisper. "…Trixx!" Alya cried out louder, ignoring the pain welling up in her throat. "Trixx!" she finally managed to scream. "Trixx! Trixx, where are you?!"
"She's gone, Alya," the voice of nightmares answered from a very short distance. Alya forced her throbbing head upward, only to gaze into the metal face of The Hunter. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. You weren't shot, Alya…just tranquilized." Taking his time, the man pulled up a withered, wooden, back-facing chair, squatted down on cracking knees, and took a seat with his arms resting atop the back. All the while, Alya glared at her abductor with absolute disgust and disdain. "I know who you are…and I know what you are…You're like me. You're a pawn in someone else's game, being pushed past their limits for a goal that's not even your own." The cold visor continued to gaze into the young woman's hazel eyes, as if The Hunter's soul could connect with hers. "…It's too late for me, Alya…This will probably end in my death, but it's worth it to set you free."
Alya's glare grew tighter as the strange being before her rose onto his feet, seemingly out of anxiety and restlessness, and slowly walked around the nearly empty room. Her body still too weak to respond, the young woman could only watch her opponent, fearing what his next move would be. "It's too late for me," The Hunter declared just above a whisper, as if reassuring himself. "What did they tell you about the Miraculous? That they make you strong? That they make you a hero? Did they say it was to save the world or something like that? The truth is, it's a gilded cage. They promise you everything, but when it's over, and they don't need you anymore, you'll be broken. The Miraculous aren't here to save the world. They're like everyone else: They have their own agenda, and they need people to carry it out…What they seek is to rebuild this world in their image… But it's not too late for you, Alya. All this time, I've been using Hawk Moth. He wanted me to capture you as a ransom to get Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous…only for him to kill you all once he got what he wanted. But I won't make you a prisoner, or a sacrifice. Your Miraculous is gone, and now, you can finally live." The Hunter turned and faced his hostage once more. "You are the newest child to be forced into their battle, aren't you? Volpina has only existed a short while. It hasn't been long enough for her to consume Alya Césaire yet. That's why I agreed to work with Hawk Moth. With his powers: with the power he wastes trying to fulfill his own selfish wishes, I knew I could get to you, and save you from becoming like me."
Images began to flash through the unhappy man's mind, calling him back to the moment he was forced to kill the wounded animal, the day he ran from his mother and father, the day he was forced to smother them while they slept, and to every life he was forced to take. A life destined for hope and joy was dashed and mutilated into a waking nightmare of death, loss, and pain so great it rendered the sweet child something other than human. As days turned to years, the toll of death, the burden of murder, and the brand of mercy burned so terribly for so long: Flesh, once soft and clean, seemed to melt and drop off weak, chilled bone.
"…It's too late for Ladybug and Chat Noir, though…" the hunter gravely and sorrowfully declared. As he spoke, Alya shifted her head toward her abductor, her neck trembling with each movement. "They lost themselves so quickly…And I know they won't come for you, even if they could." Taking a seat facing away from the young woman, The Hunter let out a heavy sigh as his weary body slowly settled.
"…What did you do?" Alya demanded, her voice so weak and hoarse it barely resembled its true self. "Hey! …What did you do?"
Struggling to his feet, Chat Noir faced his attacker as Ladybug and Queen Bee touched down at his side. Standing before the three, snarling and hissing, a grizzly Akumatized resembling a wolf stood on two legs, its red eyes burning like fire, as steam rose from its nostrils. Its bluish-silver fur flowed with the wind as long claws extended from its hands and back paws and the Mark of the Akuma glowed upon its unhappy face.
Beneath Queen Bee's mask, Sabrina trembled as she stood before the being that filled her nightmares. She felt naked and afraid, all without Chloé to chase it all away and comfort her. Turning to her allies, Queen Bee looked at Ladybug, standing so strong and still, and began to feel inspired, just as she had all those years ago. Clenching her fists, the youngest Miraculous spread her wings and prepared to fight. Make me like you, she prayed.
"Another Miraculous?" Hawk Moth roared from within his lair. "But how?" Images began to flash through the tortured man's mind, reminding him of the day he and his beloved wife were given the power of gods. "…Was it not enough the angels took her from me…Now they come to take all that was left?" Lowering his head in anguish and sorrow, Gabriel felt burning tears well up in his weary eyes, only for them to fall to the cold ground as black droplets. "…My Akumatized, kill Ladybug and Chat Noir…but leave the new Miraculous alive. I intend to find the source of her power."
Closing his eyes in submission, the Akumatized shed streams of tears down its cheeks. Letting a vicious snarl pour from its mouth, the wolf creature charged forward while his claws jutted out into small daggers.
"Is it crying?" Chat called out as he prepared to evade and counter the strike.
"Something's wrong," Ladybug replied as she stepped in front of Queen Bee. "Bee, shield yourself. I'm going in."
Standing and looking up to the hidden sky, The Hunter shed tears mingled with blood. "One thousand days of sin will come to an end," he sorrowfully declared. "I cannot be forgiven, but, Alya, it's not too late for you."
"How do you know my name?" Alya demanded as she forced her sore, aching body into a seated position. Though her voice was still weak and hoarse, she refused to give in. "Who are you?"
"I am nothing," the aged hunter answered, turning away from the sky. "Once, I thought I was chosen…That I could save everyone…But it's not a warrior's job to save…Only to kill." The mechanical beast slowly approached Alya, his movements unimposing. "The only life I am capable of preserving, is yours, Alya…Leave your Miraculous where it lies, walk away from those you once considered your friends, and live your life in the light. Please…That, I beg of you."
"I won't let my friends die," the young woman sharply declared. "We're not wrong for fighting… We fight for each other, for the people…and we won't give up or forsake who we are…That's what makes heroes different from warriors…"
Ladybug bound the wolf's hands with her yo-yo, allowing Chat Noir an opening to take out its knees and bring him to the ground. Queen Bee searched for an opening before shooting several small stinger-like projectiles into the Akumatized, serving little more than an annoyance for him.
"Heroes choose to fight and give their lives, always knowing they could throw it away and leave it all behind…But we don't. We don't want to remake the world, but to protect it, and to show people that there's still hope."
The Akumatized thrust itself forward, knocking Queen Bee onto the ground, though Ladybug maintained her grip on the rope that restricted him. Chat Noir ran to his new ally's side, lifted her up in his arms, and carried her to a safe distance before running back into the fight.
Opening its eyes, the Akumatized focused in on Queen Bee, still recovering from the impact and fall, and paused for a moment: Her face, somehow familiar, cried out in fear and sorrow, all because of him. A whimper sounded from the wolf's throat, catching the Miraculous' attention. Ladybug slowly approached the creature, studying its face. Gazing into the face of the one he was ordered to hate, the Akumatized flinched before closing its eyes and lowering its head in shame. Hawk Moth's voice was soon drowned out by an overpowering sense of loyalty and compassion for another.
"…Chat Noir, go find Volpina," Ladybug called out, having seen the truth. "We've got it from here."
"You sure?" the feline Miraculous replied, already knowing the answer. "…Okay…I trust you two." With that, the young man lunged into the air with his staff and began making his way toward Volpina's last location.
"…You don't want to do this…do you?" Ladybug asked in a gentle voice as she slowly approached the suffering creature. "…Even when Hawk Moth controls you, you know you're not evil…and you feel bad about hurting Queen Bee, don't you?" The Akumatized tightly shut its eyes and released a loud whimper of shame. "…It's alright." The ladybug Miraculous gestured for her new apprentice to follow.
Her heart pounding, Sabrina clenched her hands together and attempted to steady her breath. "…I trust you, Big Sister," she whispered before slowly following her mentor. "It's okay, little one," Queen Bee spoke up in a stronger yet gentle voice. "…I'm alright…You didn't hurt me…But you need to stop this, okay?" The Akumatized nodded his head and continued to whimper.
"Do you know who we are?" Ladybug asked the wolf as she crouched down beside him. The young woman reached out her hand and gently stroked the tortured creature's cheek.
"…Ladybug," the Akumatized answered in a deep, mildly distorted voice. "…Friends…No want to hurt…Ladybug…Please…"
"It's alright now," the raven-haired young woman warmly declared. "Close your eyes now." The wolf obeyed, its breathing growing steady. "I'm going to take this away from you…You don't need to be a monster anymore." Placing her hands on the creature's head, Ladybug closed her eyes and focused her energy.
Queen Bee's jaw dropped as her hero began to glisten with white light that slowly blew her dark hair upward as it enveloped her body. "She's…an angel," the young Miraculous whispered with awe as Ladybug changed into Saint Ladybug and immersed the tortured Akumatized in a bath of pure, white light. Once the light faded, Ladybug dropped onto her side, holding the hand of Luka Couffaine, as a white butterfly flew into the air. Queen Bee ran over toward her friends, encased them as well as herself in an orb of yellow energy, and held them tightly to stave off all harm.
"What happened to you?" Alya asked of her captor, her voice beginning to resemble its true self once again. "…People don't just turn out like this. Tell me." Closing her eyes, the young woman reached out to her partner and friend.
"You wouldn't understand," The Hunter declared as he lowered his head. "Besides, I should be judged by my actions, not my past. That's what you will condemn me for."
His eyes penetrating the darkness of night, Chat Noir scanned the area Volpina's signal originated from. Did I wait too long? he asked himself before lunging to a higher vantage point. Down below, there were no signs of a struggle, no warm bodies, and nothing so much as suggesting where Volpina or her attacker had gone. "Damn," the feline Miraculous snarled to himself. "Hold on, Alya. I swear I'll find you."
"…You're hiding from something," the redheaded young woman insisted. "You're running from your past. That's why you wear that helmet, isn't it?" The man remained silent and motionless. "I've made mistakes too…I thought becoming a hero would take those mistakes away from me…but it doesn't work like that, does it?" Silence filled the air as The Hunter turned around. "…We never stop being human…We just keep going and try to learn something from all that mess…It's not hard to give up being human, though…Until you think about all you're giving up."
"The plan has failed," Hawk Moth's voice suddenly roared in The Hunter's ear. "Do you have the Miraculous in your custody?"
Before the tired, broken man could make his decision, something collided with his helmet, knocking him back. While he was temporarily stunned, Alya charged forward, retrieved her bracelet, and summoned Trixx. "No!" The Hunter desperately cried out, only to witness Alya transforming into Volpina.
"What is happening?" Hawk Moth demanded. "Stop her, now!"
The Hunter focused on the Miraculous standing before him, no longer allowing his mercy to stop the sacred hunt. However, as his eyes remained fixed on his target, everything became blinding. "No!" he screamed as he heard his helmet shatter against the wall. At that, the last of his strength faded, and the hunter fell to his tired, weak knees.
With Hawk Moth's voice silenced, Volpina and The Hunter stood in absolute quiet as the false image of the Miraculous faded from sight. Volpina slowly walked past the man, turned around and lowered herself onto her knees, and finally looked him in the face. His breath heavy, The Hunter looked up at his victor, revealing the toll of a life unforgiven: His skin, having melted away many years ago, left a withered yet pure, white skull exposed around tired, darkened, and tortured eyes deep with compassion and sorrow, and a mouth guarded by an oxygen mask contoured to his jaw. Beneath the man's gloves, fingers corroded to the bone attempted to clench into fists, while his weakened chest struggled to rise with each desperate breath.
"…You poor man," Volpina whispered to the hunter, who, she learned, was actually human. "…How did this happen?"
Taking in a gasp, The Hunter struggled to hold his head up, but began his forbidden confession. "…I…I did wrong…From the moment I took my first life, my flesh began to burn…Soon, my bones grew charred, and my skin melted and crumbled…until there was nothing left. But I couldn't stop…I had to bring mercy…Thought it was right…But God melted my flesh to the bone…And still, I continued, like a fool."
"…God didn't do this," the Miraculous decided as she lifted up her old foe. Slowly, she set him on his chair. "…Look, I never went to church…I've never known if I was a mistake or not…but I know, that there is a God…and He's one of the good guys…I don't know what you did, but…no matter how much I hate you for what you've done to my friends and I…" Volpina swallowed the anger and hatred that plagued her. "…But you thought you were doing the right thing…God doesn't punish like that…and He wouldn't do that over something you tried to do out of mercy…"
"…But it doesn't really matter now, does it?" The Hunter sorrowfully exclaimed between gasps. "So many are dead because of what I've done…Soon, Hawk Moth will put me to rest, if the others don't do it first." Leaning his throbbing back against the chair, the fading man let out a heavy sigh. "…Thank you for sparing me…"
"Listen to me," the fox Miraculous sharply replied, staring into the hunter's eyes. "You've got it all wrong…Ladybug and Chat Noir won't kill you. We're all here to help people…Look, I don't know what you've seen, or what Hawk Moth told you, but the Miraculous don't call themselves heroes…We're just like everybody else. We're all broken, stumbling, and just trying to do some good. Hawk Moth was the one who chose to hurt others and abandon what he was called to do…And maybe each of us has that temptation, but we fight it. That's what we do."
"…Please, Alya…the people can't tell you apart from him anymore," the man begged. "Maybe you're still human…But I'll not be fooled by the glamour of the Miraculous…In time, you'll all end up like Hawk Moth…and the people…the people…will never forgive you…I'll die, having failed my final task."
"…No," Volpina gently assured the old hunter. "No, you haven't. Listen, I can't change your mind, but you have to know, I've been fighting a battle my whole life. I thought that by becoming a Miraculous, I'd get to leave myself behind and turn into something better…Maybe you did the same thing for the same reason…But it wasn't my Miraculous that made me this way…and that's not all I can be…Trixx is my friend…Ladybug and Chat Noir are my friends…and I love them. And I love my family… And I'm fighting to give them a world to call home. I won't walk away from that…And I won't turn into something that's not human…You know you shouldn't do that, either…Tell me what you did."
"…When I was still young…my father made me kill it…" the remnant of a hopeful child forced himself to remember once again. "It was sick and suffering…so I ended its pain…and then I couldn't stop. It always felt right at the time…But all I did was suffer…Why didn't I stop? …Why wouldn't it stop?" In that instant, every reason, every lie, and every nightmare faded away.
As tears once more flowed from those sorrowful, agonized eyes, Volpina crouched down, looked the monster she had feared in its very human face, and held his broken body tightly. "What your father made you do was an act of mercy…but it wasn't right to put that weight on your shoulders. You can be forgiven…so forgive yourself." Don't worry, girls, Alya prayed, feeling Trixx resting her hand upon her shoulder. Your big sister's coming home. And Trixx…I found it.
Chat Noir sat atop a support beam above the two, knowing he had arrived just in time.