Miraculous Ladybug:
The Path of Rage
Chapter 3: Explanations
The subtle sound of Berserker stirring on the now bloodied couch, caught the attention of Ladybug.
"Oh no, I think his bandages have come loose. Rena, could you hand me the other roll of gauze?"
Whilst Ladybug tended back to Berserker's wounds, Hawkmoth stepped over and cleared his throat.
"Well, I believe I have overstayed my welcome. For the time being, the truce shall remain in effect, at least until our Norse friend here is healed."
Ladybug, turned her head in confusion, and replied, "Um, thank you? How will you know that he is healed?"
"I have my sources", the purple suited villain replied, coldly.
Carapace stood up from his spot against the wall to ask a question that bothered him.
"Dude, why continue to keep the truce going after all this?"
Hawkmoth gave a stern glare at the green costumed hero and was about to reply, but was stopped by Mayura.
"Simple, boy, he needs his wounds tended to. Those axes cut deeper than I originally thought and will require anesthesia and stitches. I'm also certain that Berserker may have caused a broken rib or two."
"I also don't want his death to be hanging over my shoulders. Mayura and I may be seen as villains here in Paris, but there are boundaries that I do not ever want to cross."
Carapace withheld his comments and found himself silent, as did the remainder of the heroes. Never had any of them thought that Hawkmoth or Mayura would actually care about a citizen's life, or even that they would keep their word on an agreement.
"If that is all, then I shall bid you all farewell. However, the next time we meet, I SHALL have your Miraculous!"
Ladybug, whilst she tied another wrap of gauze on Berserker's open chest wound, meagerly responded, "We'll see, Hawkmoth. We'll see."
With final words said, Hawkmoth and Mayura gave a nod to Ladybug, whilst she gave one in return, and the two villains exited the hotel room.
Rena Rouge returned to Ladybug, "Don't you think we should follow them?"
Chat Noir, whom still had not stopped pacing, heard the vixen and replied, "We've never been able to keep up with them anyways. Besides, they deserve this one. None of us were even close to taking him down."
"What kind of power was that?!", Carapace spoke, angst in his voice.
"I remember him saying, "Berserker Rage", so maybe it has something to do with that?", said the cat themed hero.
"Perhaps...", spoke Ladybug.
The heroes glanced at Ladybug, as she knelt beside the unconscious man on the couch. Chat Noir finally realized that his love was not at all up in spirits.
"Are you alright, M'Lady?"
Ladybug didn't say a word, as she appeared to be lost in her thoughts. It wasn't until Chat Noir shook her shoulder that she was able to return back to her current surroundings. However, before she began to speak, Berserker finally sat up and groaned in pain
(BERSERKER POV)
"What the hell happened? Where am I?"
"You're safe", said Ladybug, "You took quite a hit when you landed on the concrete."
Berserker held his weary head with his right hand, most of what he could see was nothing but a blur.
"Must've gotten a concussion, everything is blurry and I feel incredibly nauseous."
Chat Noir approached the battered man with a bottle of water.
"Thanks...Chat Noir?"
"That's my name, don't wear it out!"
"Must have been, all I saw was a big black blurry object with some blonde hair."
"Dude, you really need to get to a hospital", Carapace spoke up, "You're pretty tough, but I don't think this is something you can shake off!"
Berserker felt around his body and realized that he was covered in bandages and wraps.
"Someone mind explaining what happened after our little skirmish?"
The heroes glanced at each other in a state of panic, until Chat Noir gave an agreeing nod to Ladybug. They weren't entirely sure whether or not to tell him about his attempted suicide or not, but perhaps if he knew what happened, they might be able to understand his thought process and maybe get him some help.
Ladybug hesitated at first, but finally managed to get her words straight, "When we fought, Mayura used an Amok to try and give you a form of inspiration to try and calm you down. Unfortunately, even she didn't know that it would form into a hangman's noose."
Berserker listened to each word carefully and repeated the same sentence in his head, word for word.
"I tried to end it, didn't I?"
"If you mean your life, then yes, you tried. We begged you not to jump from the light post. Chat Noir tried to catch you with his staff as you fell, but Hawkmoth threw his sword cane at the rope before you hit the ground. You landed head first onto the pavement."
The heroes were not expecting him to say his next comment.
"Nice shot!", Berserker chuckled.
Ladybug winced and fought back a tear, but swiftly recovered.
"Listen Berserker, for your own safety and ours, I need your Miraculous! I can't just have you going around and hurting innocent people of Paris, or trying to murder Hawkmoth!"
Berserker scoffed and slightly chuckled at the sound of her command.
"You know Ladybug, remember when I said you were as corrupt as Hawkmoth?"
"Yes and you're still wrong about it."
He widened his eyes and pointed at Ladybug, "Well, I don't see how I'd be wrong about it, since I'm not the one demanding to hand over my Miraculous! You know, you and he are very similar in a great many ways. Like yin and yang, you're both trying to achieve the same goal, but going about it in two different ways."
Chat Noir approached the injured man, unable to listen to any more of him insulting the love of his life.
"There's absolutely NO comparison to Hawkmoth! She does what she does to PROTECT the people of Paris from him and people LIKE YOU!
Berserker merely grinned and crossed his arms.
"Tell me something Chat Noir, what progress have you made in finding out about who Hawkmoth is, or where he hides?"
Chat Noir angrily held back his response, HE WAS RIGHT! They had made no progress in discovering that fact. Most days were spent defending Paris against Akumas or Sentimonsters and regular patrols, but never any attempt to get closer to discovering the identity of their main nemesis.
"I found and injured Hawkmoth in merely a few hours. I KNOW who he and Mayura are! Not to mention, I found this Miraculous by chance in the Seine. Anyone could have found it, even any of you, but you didn't!"
"That doesn't-"
"Tell me this, Ladybug, do you really think that Bjorn is going to just let you take him or that you can even control him? What makes you think you can even contain him?!"
"I'm the Guardian, I have the miracle box!"
Berserker finally laughed and fell back against the couch.
"What's so funny?", asked Chat Noir.
"Bjorn existed before the Miracle Boxes were created, he never had one to begin with. He can leave a Miracle Box any time he goes in one, with the jewel as well."
"You're lying! Xiong is lying!", Ladybug exclaimed.
Berserker leaned against the couch and groaned in severe pain.
"I suppose I should go to the hospital now. I'd go myself, however my head feels as though its spinning around the room.
Ladybug ignored his refusal of a response and pulled Rena Rouge aside.
She whispered, "Do you mind escorting Berserker to the Hospital? I'll owe you big, Rena."
"No problem, Ladybug, but what about his Miraculous?"
She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.
"If what he says is true, then I can't take it from him. His kwami could take all the jewels, I can't risk that."
"Alright, I'll go ahead and take care of him and meet you behind the hospital to give you back my necklace."
Rena Rouge walked over toward Berserker, curled on the couch.
"Alright, you Viking, let's get you some help", she said.
"Yes dear", he replied, before he realized his mistake.
Rena Rouge scoffed and slightly chuckled, "I'm spoken for you know, but I'm flattered."
"Sorry, I was thinking of... someone else."
She and Chat Noir lifted Berserker off the couch which caused him to scream in agonizing pain.
"Damn, I need a cigarette!"
"Not until you're treated!" said Chat Noir reassuringly.
Once he was perfectly in the clutches of Rena Rouge, she exited the hotel and carried him in her arms whilst she leapt across rooftops toward the hospital. Finally, they arrived at the front desk. As she entered, two doctors noticed the costumed heroin with a bloodied man in her arms and swiftly moved to get him into a gurney.
The head nurse approached and spoke as they wheeled him down the hospital hallway, with Rena following behind. However, she spoke in French and suddenly realized that he probably couldn't understand her.
"She asked for your name, sir", Rena Rouge translated.
"Ivar...Messer", he barely managed to speak.
(RENA ROUGE POV)
After having stabilized him, Rena Rouge sat beside Ivar in a chair until he finally awoke.
"Glad to see you're still with us", she smiled.
"Wish I wasn't, to be honest."
Rena's smile faded as he uttered his sentence. She could not fathom at why someone so young and strong would want to take his own life. Her conscience ate away at her, she NEEDED to get to the bottom of his story, like any good reporter.
She started with simple questions first.
"So, how old are you?"
"26", he responded coldly.
"Do you know any French? Just wondering since you weren't able to understand the nurse earlier."
"No, unfortunately. I'm from the U.S.A. so I don't know much else aside from English. Not sure how y'all understand me so well though."
"English courses are quite common here, so many people here are fluent in both French and English."
Ivar gave a nod in response, it seemed Rena wasn't getting much of his attention.
"So how did you find your Miraculous? You mentioned it was in the Seine?"
"Found it by chance, just saw something shiny in the water."
Rena Rouge rolled her eyes and adjusted her seat.
"You reminded me of my wife earlier, in case you were still wondering."
Rena's eyes widened in surprise.
"That's interesting, I didn't realize you have a wife! Who is she?"
"Her name was Sonya."
'Was her name? Oh my god!'
"What happened to her?"
Ivar fought back his tears, though small ones still managed to escape.
"Killed in Action, Iraq."
Rena's eyes widened again and covered her mouth with her hands.
"She was a soldier?"
"We both were...when she died, I just wanted anything to stop the pain. I got out and flew over here to join the Foreign Legion, but I didn't realize my Visa expired. I got stuck, been here ever since."
Rena Rouge placed a hand on Ivar's side.
"I'm so sorry, Ivar. I truly am, but I also don't think Sonya would want you to take your own life."
Ivar smiled through his tears, "She loved foxes. It was her spirit animal, she always claimed."
Rena Rouge finally broke and shed a few tears herself. Everyone thought Berserker was a madman, hell bent on murdering anyone with a Miraculous, but now? Now she saw him as a soldier and a broken man, who somehow got lucky enough to find a Miraculous.
"Please don't tell anyone about this, Rena Rouge. Maybe in time I may let Ladybug know, but for the time being, you're the only one that knows and I would much rather it stay that way."
She nodded, "Your story is safe with me!"
Rena noticed the time on the wall clock and realized that she needed to meet back up with Ladybug.
"I've got to go Ivar so please try not to hurt yourself while you're healing?"
"I'll do my best"
With his last words, Rena Rouge opened the window and leaped out. Unbeknownst to Ivar, someone else had been listening to their conversation. When the separation curtain next to Ivar opened, he was upset to see Nathalie Sancour, whom held the curtain, and a bandaged Gabriel Agreste on the bed.