CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
DUUSU'S PROPHECY
The baker started when four glowing lights fazed through the door of Bug Bites Bakery.
He was more accustomed to customers actually opening the darn thing.
But the man brushed it off and nudged his head to the stairs. "She's up there," he said softly. "Hasn't moved or said a word all evening."
Tikki, Plagg, Trixx, and Wayzz flew up to the rooftop patio, the former muttering a quick thanks to the baker.
They found Marinette sitting against the railing, cross-legged and with her head in her hands.
When she looked up at the kwamis, she tried to smile.
"Yeesh," Trixx said. "Volpina's smiles were more convincing than that."
Wayzz glared at her. "Very thoughtful, Fox," he muttered.
Marinette didn't seem to mind the comment. If anything, she was glad she could drop the charade. She unfurled her legs and stood up, casting her dreary gaze at the tiled floor.
Tikki took that chance to hover over to her human friend. "What's wrong, Marinette?" she asked, her tone clearly indicating that she already knew the answer.
The blunette took a long breath in before answering Tikki's question with her own question: "Why is it that my family is so good at keeping lies and secrets?"
She turned to the railing and looked out towards the palace – a glowing jewel in a sea of lanterns and stars. Sadly, it didn't bring her any more comfort.
"I lied about being a princess. My parents never told me I had a sister. And Bridgette used me to get the Miraculous." Marinette folded her arms and stared down into the darkness of the street below. "Duusu was right. My sister was trapped in the world of the Forty Thieves – trapped by her own greed. I was so stupid to think I could change her."
Plagg was beside her instantly. "Trying to show your big sis a better life wasn't stupid, Mari," he insisted. Then, he covered his mouth and whispered in Marinette's ear, "Leaving her alone with the kid – that was stupid."
"Plagg!" Tikki scolded.
"What? I'm not saying it's Mari's fault. I'm just saying Bridgette might have changed for the better if that little, pink gnat hadn't come along."
Trixx dipped her head to the side in agreement. "Can't argue with that. Remember when Volpina came back and forced me to betray you guys? But then I realized that Alya was the better friend, and now I'm completely redeemed." She twirled out proudly, her bushy tail curling around her.
Wayzz chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't say completely, but it's close."
"Guys," Marinette said sharply, holding her hands up. "I appreciate what you're all trying to do, but please stop. My sister's been thrown in jail, and my wedding's been cancelled a second time. Things are really messed up right now."
The four kwamis hung their heads down, exchanging sad glances with each other.
Marinette looked away and gripped the iron railing hard, forcing herself to take a deep breath. "I'm sorry," she said with a softer voice this time. "It's just... Everything was perfect until she came into my life. Now, she'll be wasting away in a cell while I get to live in a palace with Adrien." Marinette clenched her eyes shut, probably to hold back more tears. "I just want things to go back to the way they were."
Plagg patted her on the shoulder. "That's karma for you, kid. You wanted a sister, and now you've got one."
Wayzz nodded. "You may hate Bridgette for the rest of your life," he said softly, "but she'll never stop being Tom and Sabine's daughter any more than you will."
At that moment, Marinette's eyes snapped open, and she lifted her head like a puppet being lifted up by its string.
Her newfound, focused expression made the kwamis stare at her confusedly.
"You know something?" the blunette said firmly. "You're both right."
She turned to face the ladybug kwami. "Tikki, I need my sister's clothes."
"Okay, I give up. Any idea what the kid's planning?" Trixx asked impatiently a few minutes later.
"Don't ask me. I can't predict the future like Wayzz can."
"I don't predict the future, Tikki. I predict outcomes."
"Well, can you predict what this outcome is going to be?" Plagg groaned. "My whiskers are starting to stand out."
Just then, they heard Marinette's voice coming up the stairs.
"I'll tell you the outcome," she offered, her tone mischievous and cunning. "Tonight, the Queen of Thieves will make her most miraculous escape ever."
Her shadowy form stepped out onto the moonlit patio.
The kwamis gasped, their large eyes almost going completely white (or green and yellow, in Plagg and Wayzz's case, respectively).
"My word..." the little turtle breathed.
The black-cat kwami chuckled uneasily. "Well, now there can be no doubt that they're sisters."
Tikki glared at Plagg. "No kidding!" she hissed incredulously before snapping back to the caped girl before her. "Marinette, why are you dressed like the Queen of Thieves?!"
"Yeah, did you do your ponytails up too tight?" Trixx asked, twirling her ruffled ears up until they slapped back down.
Marinette's determined gaze didn't falter as she slipped the sapphire hood over her head, darkening her face. "It's like Wayzz said," she explained. "Bridgette and I are family, whether I like it or not. And I don't turn my back on my family."
Trixx shivered at her human friend. "Kid, I get where you're coming from, but this is too much! You can't go rescuing your sister in that conspicuous ensemble!"
Tikki frowned at Marinette. "You might as well wear a big, white sign on your chest that says "ARREST ME"!" she exclaimed as a black-and-white striped jacket, matching cap, and chains appeared on her tiny body.
Marinette smirked and pulled up her face-cover. Judging from the gaping mouths of her kwami friends, she knew she now looked the part.
"The guards will never know that I was there," she said. "As far as anyone's concerned, I'm the Queen of Thieves. They'll be far too busy chasing me to know any better, and meanwhile Bridgette will slip away unnoticed."
"Wait!" Tikki cried before clapping her hands together.
POOF!
The next second, the ladybug kwami was replaced by a tiny, blue peacock with pink eyes: Duusu.
"The future of your youngest daughter is threatened by the return of your eldest daughter," the oracle kwami recited in Tikki's voice.
Then, in the blink of an eye, Tikki was back to her true self again, casting Marinette a pleading look. "What if this is what Duusu meant? There is nothing for your future if you go through with this!"
"Only if I get caught," Marinette pointed out.
"Now she sounds just like Alya," Trixx noted dryly. "Are you sure this wasn't her idea?"
Plagg zoomed up to Marinette's face. "Mari, think about Adrien," he urged gently. "If something goes wrong – and believe me, something always goes wrong – you'll never see him again. Do you really want to do that to him?"
Marinette's eyes became soft. "I know the risks, Plagg... and I know Adrien will understand."
"Adrien might," Trixx said, "but what makes you think Gabe will? You can only bend and break so many laws before enough's enough."
Tikki flew up next to Plagg, her blue eyes glistening at her human friend. "Please, Marinette, at least let us come with you," she pleaded with her hands over her tiny heart. "You'll stand a better chance of getting away with our magic."
The girl shook her head. "No. If the guards see any of you with me, they'll realize I'm not Bridgette. And if you tell Adrien, Alya, or Nino..." Marinette shot a sharp look at Plagg, Trixx, and Wayzz as she spoke. "... they'll come after me and give me away. I have to do this on my own."
"But –!"
"You can't –!"
"Marinette..."
"That's just –!"
Marinette stormed past them. "I'm done arguing, you guys," she stated with calm resolution. "I'm the only one who can control my future."
Plagg moaned. "Now she sounds just like Adrien."
Marinette climbed onto the balcony railing and stood up like a tightrope walker, her blue cape catching in the wind. Then, she looked one last time at her fretful kwami friends.
"I'm breaking my sister out of that dungeon, out of this city..." Her voice lowered. "...and out of my life."
With that, the hooded girl leapt off like a prowling panther.
The four kwamis raced to the edge, but the human girl had already vanished into the darkness.
Not even Plagg could spot her with his night vision. "Yep. She's gone."
Wayzz quivered. "Oh, I do hope that girl knows what she's doing."
Trixx wrinkled her snout. "Nah, it's the cape talking," she said. "It's gotta be."
Tikki fiddled with her hands. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't bring herself to ignore Marinette's wishes. The thought almost made her giggle.
High Masters of the cosmos, keep her safe, the Spirit of Creation prayed silently. Bring her back home to us.
Another night on the job. Another patrol through the palace dungeons.
Now came the insufferable part: meeting up with Lieutenant Roger in the captain's office to give their report.
The plump, dark-skinned guard walked side-by-side with his scrawny companion. Neither of them were looking forward to the meeting.
"If only Captain Nino was on duty tonight," the black guard complained. "He has the best jokes."
"And he's good company," the scrawny guard said, "unlike Roger." He spat at the ground. "We're never going to hear the end of his insufferable boasting."
"Yeah. Since he's captured the Queen of Thieves, there's no living with Roger anymore."
"Well... it wasn't exactly easy living with him before."
"Hmm... Good point."
A soft, fluttery sound came from behind.
The black guard turned... but no one was there. The only fluttering things to be seen or heard were the small flames of the torches on the black-stone walls.
Shrugging, the man hustled back to catch up to his companion.
If he had been paying better attention, the black guard would have realized that his ring of keys was no longer attached to his belt.
The rats seemed to be enjoying the new company.
Bridgette didn't heed their presence.
There was no point in trying to scare them off. They could just keep coming back. Alix learned that the hard way after throwing pebbles at the creatures for the fourth time in the last hour.
Both thieves were leaning against the stone walls of their cell, trying to get comfortable despite the shackles bound to their wrists. They had enough chain to allow them a few feet of room to walk, but there wasn't really much floor room in the cell to begin with. The stretched ceiling went so high, Bridgette wondered if Marinette would be able to see the tower from her chamber balcony.
Would she even want to look and see? Bridgette doubted it. It would only be a reminder of the trust Marinette had given her sister for nothing; the hope that had burned to ash.
The Queen of Thieves had played a wrong hand, and now both sisters would live to regret it for the rest of their lives.
Alix was just as dismal. She thought it was her fault for convincing Bridgette to go to Agreste with Marinette and steal the Miraculous. The pink-haired girl had said as much earlier that evening in a bummed-out apology.
"It was my choice to go, Alix," Bridgette had told her friend, "and it was my choice to betray my own sister. And I'm the one who dragged you into it."
Alix sighed. "On the bright side, we get to keep the new clothes," she had mused with half-a-smile. "We're probably the best-looking prisoners in the kingdom now. I can live with that."
After that brief chat, both ladies sat around in silence, listening to the chatter of the rats and the faint music coming from the city outside.
It was soft but rueful; possibly a love song or a sad lullaby. It certainly fit the scenario. When was the last time Mother ever sang me to sleep? Bridgette wondered.
Then, she remembered what she had told Sabine at the pavilion, and she lowered her head.
Mother, Father, Marinette...
Bridgette got them back only to lose them again. And all because of some stupid dream. Hawkmoth was right. I am weak.
CLICK.
Bridgette straightened at the sound of a key fitting into its hole, and she snapped to the door of her cell.
CLICK. KRINK. KLOCK.
The door opened, and a dark figure stepped into the moonlit room.
It was the Queen of Thieves!
Wait... what?!
Bridgette leapt to her feet, her chains jingling as she took in the perplexed sight before her. "Who...?" she began.
The figure in the Queen's clothes removed her hood and face-cover.
Bridgette's core brightened, evening though confusion and pain filled her veins at the sight of the sister she thought she would never see again.
"Ladybug?" Alix rasped.
"I've come to say goodbye," Marinette whispered coldly as she moved closer.
Bridgette quickly glanced over her sister's shoulder before hissing, "What are you doing here? Why are you –?"
"We don't have much time," Marinette interrupted. She reached down and grabbed her sister's conjoined hands before digging another key into the lock.
There was another click, and the shackles fell in an instant. Bridgette rubbed her wrists as she said, "Marinette, I –"
But the young blunette cut her off again, not meeting her eyes. "While the guards chase me, you two get out."
"What?" Bridgette grabbed her sister's arm, ignoring the glare Marinette shot at her for doing so. "I can't let you –!"
Marinette tore away. "Forget it," she snarled as she headed back for the dungeon door.
But the Queen of Thieves wouldn't back down. "Don't do this," she pleaded. "If they catch you, you'll lose everything."
Marinette looked back as she pulled her disguise back on, hiding her smirk behind her cover. "They can't catch me," she said, tossing the keys to Bridgette. "I'm the Queen of Thieves."
Bridgette stared dumbfounded at her.
Then, her brave little sister stole away from the cell, her cape billowing behind her as she melted into the shadows.
"Wow," Alix whispered with intrigue. "She even sounds like you."
Bridgette stared blankly at the open door, then the keys in her hand... and then grinned. "Well, what did you expect?" she said with a warm wave of pride. "She's my sister, after all."