Serket bounded up the stairs and threw open the door to Adrien's room, where she found Nathalie, red-faced and on one knee, frantically trying to stifle the coughs that racked her body. Adrien had hidden under his bed and was doing his best to use breathing techniques to calm his racing heart.
Nathalie held up her hands and cowered. "Serket -" cough "- please… you have what you came for. Don't hurt anyone."
"I didn't come for one Miraculous! I came for the Guardian! Where is he?"
"The… Guardian? I don't know what you are talking about!"
"I have been here multiple times and have sensed multiple Miraculous in this mansion. I am leaving here with one… where are the rest? Where is the Miracle Box?" A second chirp sounded from her bracelet. With a frustrated yell, Serket turned on her heel and marched out of the room. "I will be back!"
Nathalie made to close the door but collapsed in another coughing fit.
A green flash came from under Adrien's bed. Chat Noir emerged, pressed the button next to his desk that deactivated the security features in his bedroom, and ran after Serket. He leaped off of the staircase, twisted in midair, and landed between Serket and the front door, blocking her exit. "Your time is short, Serket!" he snarled. "Leave this family alone!"
"Chat Noir! What an unexpected pleasure… for me! I'm going to make quick work of you!" She assumed a fighting stance, which Chat Noir mirrored. Serket immediately advanced rapidly, charged sceptre whirling in a flurry of feints, lunges, and thrusts.
She's good… better than me, Chat Noir thought as he desperately parried and blocked Serket with his baton. Faster, too. I may have bitten off more than I can chew here, but she's going to transform back soon, so all I have to do is hold her off long enough for everyone else to get to safety…
Serket's sceptre struck Chat's baton, and Chat parried her again. The momentum of Chat's parry carried Serket over and behind him, where she landed on her feet and thrust her sceptre into Chat's side before he could react, Stinging him!
She knew she had hit her mark when she heard Chat scream. Her bracelet chirped again as she raced out of the mansion. Leaping, she covered several blocks in a series of jumps, de-transforming as she landed in a garden courtyard. She entered her house. I recovered a Miraculous, but was unable to find the Guardian! I was certain that he was there! Balling her fist in frustration, she lashed out and struck some pottery, shattering it.
Footsteps descending on the stairs silenced her inner rage. "...Hello?" a girl's voice asked, tentatively.
"I'm OK, Kagami. Go back upstairs."
"Yes, Mother."
Chat Noir lay on the ground, groaning and holding his right side. The Agreste family bodyguard had rolled Chat onto his back and was watching him closely. Gabriel was on Chat's other side, regarding him with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.
"Don't de-transform if you can help it, Chat Noir. That was my downfall when Serket Stung me. You'll be better able to resist the magic transformed."
"Like… you… deserve... to know... who I am," Chat gasped.
Gabriel harrumphed. "Very well. You only have a few more minutes of agony before the Sting wears off. You may see yourself out afterwards." He turned to leave.
"Fa… wait." Chat took a deep breath and attempted to sit up. "What was it you gave to Serket?" he forced out.
"I gave her the Peacock Miraculous. It's damaged and anyone who uses it will eventually get very ill. It's what happened to my assistant and to my wife."
Chat tensed, but it wasn't from the pain of the Sting. Nathalie used it? I guess that explains her cough over the past few months. "Your… assistant?"
"Yes. During the Heroes Day battle, she wore and activated the Peacock Miraculous to save me."
"And… your wife?"
"She wore the Peacock Miraculous for a while after we first obtained them. We tried to create champions and protectors for our family… for all of Paris, and maybe even for all the world, eventually. We were unaware of the damage to the Miraculous and the side effects that it would have."
Chat Noir gaped at Gabriel, who continued. "When she fell ill, I hid the Peacock Miraculous and used the Butterfly to make supervillains to draw out the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. I believed that using the Wish would save my wife's life. Now, without the Butterfly, I'm forced to rely on your good will… which it appears you have none of for me." He turned and started back to his office, then paused. "I used to go to bed at night knowing that one day I would defeat you and get my wish. Now, I will have to resign myself that I will never see my wife awake again. Good night, Chat Noir."
Gabriel went into his office and shut the door behind him.
Chat pushed himself upright and staggered toward the ruined front door. I can't tell if how I'm feeling is from the Sting or from what Father just told me, he thought. Stumbling his way out into the dark night, he found his way to a secluded alley and waited until he was sure the Sting had worn off. He de-transformed and snatched a shivering Plagg from the air.
"Kid…" Plagg started.
"I know, buddy. I've gotta get you to the Guardian. It's late… how are you holding up?"
"I can make it through the night… and you should probably get home before too many people notice you're missing. How are you? That was pretty heavy."
"I… I don't know how I am. I'll talk with Ladybug about it when I visit her tomorrow."
He pulled out his flip phone and sent a quick text.
[CN] Hey, Bug… my kwami's hurt. Need the Guardian tomorrow. Let's work out how to do that.
He pocketed the phone and made his way back home. Sneaking through a service door, he closed himself in his room, and pulled the phone out again.
[LB] bad? We can do tonight
[CN] He says he can make it through tonight. Text me where and when to show up tomorrow. =^.^=
[LB] ok I'll think of something /(%)\
Adrien put Plagg gently down on his bed and laid down next to him. He stared at the ceiling and drifted off to sleep, his mother's face dancing in his dreams.
Adrien's Sunday morning started with his flip phone buzzing loudly on his desk. He bolted out of bed and read the text message that he had received.
[LB] I've got it. Leave your kwami on a bench at the Place des Vosges this morning, and I'll pick him up there. You can wait in the park while I figure out what's wrong. Sound good?
[CN] It will have to work. I'm worried about leaving him alone though.
[LB] Don't worry, I'll be nearby. Text me when you get there and I'll come get him. Don't let me see you though!
[CN] Be there in ten. =^.^=
Marinette closed her phone. He said he'd be here in ten minutes… I'll give him less than five. She retrieved the gong and mallet from behind her mannequin and placed it next to her computer, where she had already loaded a copy of the grimoire from the flash drive Master Fu had given her. She put a small pillow on her desk. Satisfied, she nodded and called for her transformation. Ladybug grabbed the flip phone and climbed up to her balcony to wait.
As she expected, not two minutes later her phone buzzed again.
[CN] I'm at the park. How close are you?
[LB] I'm right here. Leave Plagg on the second park bench from the entrance, and go hide.
Ladybug counted the seconds while she waited for a response. She got to eight when the phone buzzed again.
[CN] Done, my Lady. Come quickly.
[LB] omw
Ladybug leaped from her balcony and landed in the center of the park. She ran over to the park bench, where a small shoebox was placed. Glancing in it, she saw Plagg laying on top of a couple of socks. Ladybug smiled, picked up the box with Plagg in it, then carefully leaped back to her balcony.
[LB] I've got him. Stay close.
[CN] that won't be a problem
Ladybug carried Plagg down into her bedroom, set the shoebox on her chair, and de-transformed. She looked at the kwami more closely and was shocked to see that his usual jet black color was slightly faded.
The flip phone buzzed again.
[CN] My Lady… can I be on speakerphone when you do this?
Marinette paused to consider Chat's proposition. If I close my eyes, I can see him giving me that kitten face! Well, it's not like we'll be face-to-face as Ladybug and Chat Noir without our costumes on. And, we've talked with each other as Ladybug and Chat Noir without the masks, too! At least it won't be in a sewer this time. What's the worst that could happen?
She gently placed Plagg on the pillow, thumbed the "Call" button and turned speakerphone on.
Chat answered before the first ring had finished. "My Lady? Oh, thank you… I'm so worried about him. Can you heal him?"
"One thing at a time, Kitty… and you've got to let me concentrate a bit, so if I go quiet, just let me have some space, OK? I've never done this before."
"No, of course… sorry."
"Tell me what happened. How did Plagg get hurt?"
"Serket Stung me while I was transformed, and…"
"What?! You fought Serket and didn't tell me? What on earth were you thinking?"
"Easy, my Lady. I was… um… at the Agreste mansion, and she had showed up, and everything happened too fast for me to contact you. I…"
"Hold on, back up! What were you doing at the Agreste mansion? You weren't there to fight Gabriel, were you?"
"No, nothing like that! I was… um… out getting some fresh air and I usually pass the mansion on my regular route. I saw that the front door was kicked in, so I went to investigate. Serket was standing there in the foyer when I got there."
"Was anybody else hurt?"
"No… but Gabriel gave her something. The Peacock Miraculous."
"Whaaaat?! You mean to tell me that Gabriel had the Butterfly and the Peacock Miraculous? And he only gave us one? And the other one is in the hands of a supervillain now?"
"Technically it was already in the hands of a supervillain, Bug, but yes. Serket has it now."
Oh, no! Marinette thought. This is a disaster! Hang on… I need to keep it together and focus. Heal Plagg first, then talk more later. "That's… not good. OK. Hang tight. I need to recite an incantation to help Plagg." She waited for a response from Chat, but was met with silence. Hey, he can actually be quiet! Who knew? She smiled and scrolled to the page in the grimoire with the strengthening incantation on it. Reading over it, her smile was quickly replaced by a frown. "Kitty? I've got some bad news."
"What?" A note of panic rose in Chat's voice. "You can't do it? Please tell me you can do it," he pleaded.
"I can do it, Kitty… but I'll need your Miraculous. Can you leave it at the same place? No, put it under the bench this time. I'll be right over. Don't hang up."
Adrien spoke into his flip phone from the park, "I don't like giving my Miraculous up, but I understand." He removed his ring and put it where Ladybug had asked. "OK. It's under the bench. Swing on over." He heard Ladybug call for her transformation and closed his eyes so he wouldn't see where she arrived from. Concealing himself behind a tree, he heard a light thump as she landed. C'mon, my Lady…
His phone squawked again. "OK, I'm back. Thanks, Kitty. I promise to have him up and running quickly. Spots off!"
Adrien stared at his phone in amazement as the realization that yes, he was talking to Ladybug's civilian identity struck him full force. He blushed and grinned as he heard Ladybug recite an incantation in what sounded like Chinese. She really is amazing. I don't know if I'll *ever* get over her. A gong from Ladybug's side of the phone stirred him back to awareness.
"OK, Kitty, I've done the best I could. I'll keep him here today to see if he's getting any better and if I need to do the incantation again."
"You mean I can't take Plagg back now?"
"I'm sorry, Kitty… like I said, this is my first time doing this. Plus, if Plagg's feeling the effects of Serket's Sting, I want to keep an eye on him to see if there are any after effects we don't know of."
"What if Serket strikes again?"
"I'll figure something out, Kitty. OK? You sound like you need some rest, too. How are you doing, by the way? If Serket Stung you in costume, you must have been hurt too! Do you need anything?"
"I'm fine, Bug. It was like I had the wind knocked out of me really bad for a few minutes. The worst part was Gabriel monologuing to me while I was laying there helpless. I really don't understand that man," Adrien said through gritted teeth.
"Monologuing? What did he say? He can't still be trying to get the Miraculous, could he?"
"Well… I think he is. And, Bug, I think we should consider using the Wish for him, too."
"Wait… what?!" Ladybug screeched. A muffled "Sorry!" quickly followed.
She must have scared whomever else is over there, Adrien figured. "Yeah. He told me he had the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous so he and his wife could help others be superheroes. But the Peacock Miraculous is damaged somehow, and his wife got sick from using it too much. That's why she's in a coma somewhere." His voice quieted. "That's why she disappeared."
"So, he thought being a supervillain was the answer? I'm sorry, Kitty, but if he thinks that the answer to his problems was making people's lives miserable, I don't think he deserves a second chance!"
"Just… think about it, OK, My Lady?" Tears welled up in Adrien's eyes, and his voice caught. "It seems like there's an innocent life we could help save."
Marinette flipped the phone closed after reassuring Chat Noir that she would consider using the Wish. That's weird… considering how he reacted when Gabriel surrendered the Butterfly to us, I would think he wouldn't want anything to do with him. I wonder what caused the change of heart?
She tucked the flip phone in her purse. "Tikki…" she said. "Are all of my decisions as Guardian going to be this hard?"
"You're doing great so far, Marinette. Nothing about this is going to be easy, but you are handling it very well so far."
"Thanks, Tikki. Plus, I have the best friend in the world I can share this with," she said fondly.
The moment was interrupted by the Akuma Alert app on Marinette's regular phone.
BREAKING NEWS: Supervillain Serket has been spotted at the Trocadero. Please avoid the area until further notice.
She put the phone on her desk. "Here we go again, Tikki! And we're one Miraculous user down," Marinette sighed.
"Will you be bringing me again?" Sass said from over Marinette's shoulder.
"Waaaagh! Sass, you have to stop startling me like that! ...What are you doing out of the Miracle Box, anyway?"
"You still haven't replaced the bangle," he said with his typical sly smile.
"Oh my goodness, I totally forgot! What else could go wrong?"
Wayzz floated into view from behind Marinette's dresser. "You never put the bracelet back, either."
Marinette thumped her head on the desk and groaned.
"Chin up, Guardian," Plagg said cheerfully. "At least you haven't accidentally destroyed anything yet."
"Thanks, Plagg… I think," Marinette replied without raising her head.
"WHAT THE -?!" her father's voice came from the kitchen below. "How did the candy thermometer manage to dissolve in the pot? I thought these things were indestructible! Sabine!"
Marinette froze, eyes wide. That must have been a side effect of focusing Destruction energy to strengthen Plagg. I wonder if it's too early for me to get my own place... a padded room would be nice right about now. She shook her head to clear it and opened the Miracle Box. She replaced the Turtle Miraculous and called for her transformation.
"Not today, Plagg," she smiled. "You'll be back with Kitty in no time, I promise." She scratched him under the chin, then placed him back in his shoebox, with the Cat Miraculous next to him. She stowed the gong, mallet, and shoebox behind her mannequin and locked her computer.
The phone on her desk rang. Ladybug glanced at it only to see Luka Couffaine on the screen. She went to pick it up, then decided against it. Paris is more important right now… and besides, I'm going to see him in a couple of minutes anyway. She leaped out of her skylight, ignoring the continued ringing of the phone on her desk.