Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 14: Discord and Dissonance
Ladybug shook her head and took a deep breath, trying to shake the cobwebs loose. It wasn't easy.
Did anyone get the licence plate on that truck? she thought. I'm not sure what just hit me, but I'm amazed that I'm still in one piece! The magic in this suit really must be potent...
What had just happened? She tried as hard as she could to piece it together in her mind. I'd pulled Chat Noir out of danger... danger! Chat Noir was in deadly danger! Nathalie was crackling with energy and coming after him, and stopped short...
That's right! Nathalie was caught by Dreadnaught! Then Nathalie turned, and...
Mylenè?!
That shook her out of her haze, abruptly, and got her onto her feet. She scanned the area quickly and saw no sign of Dreadnaught...
...But there was Mylenè, with Chat Noir tending to her. She saw tears on his face and called out to the two of them, but neither responded. Chat's gaze was focused on a figure kneeling over who appeared to be Nathalie, but without the energy aura around her. Nathalie seemed semiconscious, barely moving in the arms of...
OH!
Ladybug gasped as she realized the implications of the staredown in progress.
The pair were wordless for the better part of a minute, as Chat Noir composed himself. He looked down as he felt Mylenè begin to stir; she didn't look happy, but she was definitely alive.
"Chat Noir, I presume," his father said, darkly.
"...I am," Chat replied. He cast a wary eye on the handful of spectators that were gradually edging back towards the scene. "Though, obviously, I have another name. And so do you. Are we-"
"Are you quite satisfied, boy?" Gabriel snapped. "Is all of this what you were hoping for?"
"You know damn well that it isn't," snarled Chat. "And you know precisely why what happened, happened. Are we doing this NOW? HERE? In front of everybody?"
Ladybug moved to his side and cradled Mylenè, gently. "Do what you have to do, Chat," she said. "I'll take care of her."
As Chat walked towards his father, Mylenè let out a low moan, regaining more awareness and hearing a familiar voice above her. "Marinette?" she whispered.
The startled look on Ladybug's face was priceless. "Nooooo... not exactly..." she whispered back. "Open your eyes."
Mylenè did so, and her eyes widened quickly with surprise. "Oh... hi," she managed. "It's you! I guess grabbing Nathalie like that wasn't my brightest move ever."
"Beyond brave is more like it," reassured Ladybug. "She could've killed you just now! How do you feel? You can move everything?"
"Y-yeah," confirmed Mylenè, flexing a few parts to be sure. "My head is throbbing, but I can move and I can think. Kinda."
"You might be concussed," Ladybug advised her, "but the fighting is over, I think. Lay still. We'll get someone to check you out, make sure you're physically okay, and we'll let your dad and Ivan know what happened. I'm sure they'll be with you soon."
"I appreciate that, Ladybug..." Mylenè then got a funny look on her face. "Wait. You know that I'm together with Ivan? You know who I am?"
"Oh! Um..." stammered Ladybug. "Maybe you're not the only one who got hit in the head. Just lie back and relax, and..."
Mylenè looked a little closer. "You ARE Marinette!" she gasped, quietly. "Did Papillon send you a butterfly, too?"
Arrrrgh! thought Ladybug. It's not that I can't trust Mylenè - I know I can - but I need to be better at this secret identity business...
"Okay," she sighed. "You got me, Mylenè. You have to keep this a secret! We'll talk about this later, but not right now, 'kay?" Ladybug looked over at the Agrestes and added, "I think I'm about to be needed as a peacemaker."
Mylenè turned her head and saw whom Ladybug was staring at, recognized Gabriel Agreste, and did some mental math...
"Hey, isn't that..."
"Yup," said Ladybug.
"So, the blonde... is THAT who I think it is?" she continued, pointing at Chat Noir.
"Yup," confirmed Ladybug, closing her eyes.
"Maybe I did hit my head," Mylenè boggled. "How is any of this happening? I thought Papillon told me he could send only one butterfly at a time... but you were both here with me!"
"I think I figured out what your other superpower is, Mylenè," smiled Ladybug, grimly. "Spotting things that we were kind of hoping you wouldn't notice."
A short distance away, the tension in the air grew thicker by the moment.
"No, this didn't have to happen here and now. But you made this happen, 'Chat Noir.' You made this happen with dozens of choices you've made this week," glared Gabriel.
"Maybe. But I've learned a lot of things that make me think those choices weren't wrong," retorted Chat. "Is Nathalie... okay?"
"For now... perhaps? She needs medical attention and likely more than that," Gabriel snarled. "This is important, boy. Have you been suffering from a similar malady?"
"Why do you want to know that?" Chat asked.
"BECAUSE I'M YOUR..." Gabriel stopped himself just before blurting out the obvious. "Because that may be part of fixing both of you and putting things right again. Among other reasons. I suppose it's too much to ask that you'll come back now to where you belong?"
Chat stood silently, trying to find an answer. The silence sufficed as one.
"For the moment... you have a roof over your head, you're safe?" Gabriel asked. "You're staying with someone whom you can trust?"
"I am, on all three counts," Chat replied. "With a friend I would trust with my life, and their family."
"Do they know that you're putting their lives in danger?"
"They do," Ladybug piped up, joining the conversation hesitantly. "I know the family, and they're aware of the situation, as much as they need to know."
"Fine," handwaved Gabriel, frustrated. "Chat Noir... you go on daydreaming a little longer, then, because we have no time to argue this out now! We have casualties. Get Mylenè to safety, and I'll get Nathalie to someone who can help her. We WILL need to compare notes, and if I do not hear from you by telephone at the very least, I will be infuriated beyond belief. And when you come to your senses, you know to where you must return."
"That's fair," Chat allowed. "Ladybug, can we head out?"
Gabriel looked Ladybug up and down. "Young lady, a moment of your time, please?" he asked, gesturing for her to approach him.
As Ladybug walked over to Gabriel's side, Chat gave her a meaningful look. Be CAREFUL! nearly poured out of his eyes.
"It's fine, Chat. I think he and I have some things that we need to talk about," replied Ladybug. She faced off with Gabriel as the two moved out of hearing range, adding, "Besides, I don't think I have anything to fear from you, do I, Mr. Agreste?"
"Not at all. I mean you no harm, and would much rather consider you an ally. Perhaps even more of one than you know. Or... given tonight's events, perhaps you are indeed aware?" ventured Gabriel, quietly.
"Perhaps, but I'd hardly say it out in public like this. By the way, that's a very attractive brooch you have on, Mr. Agreste," smiled Ladybug.
Despite himself, Gabriel grinned. "You are a clever one. But of course, I expected no less! If you know its secret, may I assume you know another, closely... related to that one?"
A tight nod confirmed that without Ladybug's saying it out loud.
"If you hadn't, I'd imagine that tonight's fiasco would've telegraphed it to you, after all... No matter. We have spoken previously about Chat Noir, and tonight should have proven two things to you. One is that I have a compelling reason for wanting him home - several reasons, obviously - and the other is that if this crisis is NOT resolved, it may have dire implications. For Nathalie, for my son, and for anyone whom they encounter." Gabriel's face was stern. "Are we in agreement on those points?"
"We are," said Ladybug. "My own... benefactor, I guess you could say, wants much the same. And the last thing I want is for anyone else to get hurt. What was that you gave Nathalie, after the explosion?"
Gabriel replied, "A concoction of herbs that an acquaintance cooked up, from an ancient recipe. He seemed to think it might help, but we won't know until we see how this first dose fares."
The phrase "a Chinese herbalist, who knows what Miraculouses are" flashed across Ladybug's mind from slightly earlier. A small, thoughtful grin crossed her face. "So there might be some progress towards a cure, for one or both of them?" she asked, hopefully.
"Possibly. We will see what effect this had on Nathalie, and if it proves helpful, perhaps more can be brewed." Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "From what you said earlier, you are involved with Chat Noir's current whereabouts?" he asked. "He is staying with you, perhaps?"
"He is in good and safe hands. That is all I can disclose right now," replied Ladybug, carefully. "I'm also keeping my own eye on him. He's a good person and I'm very worried about him."
"I'm pleased that you think so. Despite my current frustration with him... part of me knows that he's trying to do what he feels is right. Even if he is wrong about what right is," sighed Gabriel, "on multiple levels. Should you need me, you know how to contact me?"
Ladybug nodded. "I do."
"Go, then," Gabriel gestured, "and get that young lady whatever help she may need. And tell her that Papillon is quite sorry for involving her in this... and he will make things up to her somehow. That is a promise. Contact me when you can and we'll see if we can figure out this madness."
He turned his back, ending their conversation. Ladybug watched as he returned to tending to Nathalie, then retreated to where Chat waited with Mylenè.
"What did he say?" Chat asked Ladybug, anxiously.
"He's concerned for you. Obviously, he knows you and Nathalie are the two halves of the big problem," she responded. "We'll talk about this later. Mylenè, what do you want to do?" She turned to her friend with worried eyes. "How are you feeling? Should we get you to a doctor? A hospital? Home to your dad?"
"As weird as this sounds... I think I'm mostly okay," Mylenè said, seeming a little surprised at that. "I have a headache, but not a bad one. Maybe take me back to Ivan's house? I think he's waiting for me there."
Chat and Ladybug looked at each other. "Can you take her there, Chat?" Ladybug asked. "I may need to help get Nathalie to where she needs to go, whether that's to a doctor or... someone else."
"If you can direct me there, sure," Chat replied, to which Mylenè nodded. "Marinette can get word to you, right? We're definitely going to need to talk about things."
"You let her know, she'll let me know. And maybe our Kwamis can figure something out, like a communicator or some gadget like that. Now, before you go, are YOU okay, Chat?" asked Ladybug. "This night can't have been easy for you."
"One of many things we need to talk about, but yeah, I'll be all right," he said. "And thank you for asking. You're a good friend, Ladybug."
He scooped up Mylenè and made sure that she was ready for rapid transit. Mylenè looked at Ladybug, who put her finger to her lips as subtly as she could. Don't give my secret away, Mylenè! she said with her gaze as the pair left.
Once they were on their way, Ladybug returned to Gabriel and Nathalie. "And how are you doing?" Ladybug asked Nathalie, gently. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Not really, Ladybug," Nathalie replied, woozily. "Tell whoever was... butterflied... that I'm sorry and I hope I didn't hurt her! Once the hunger got that intense, I was completely out of my mind."
"She'll be all right," Ladybug reassured her. "Will you?" she asked, sneaking a meaningful glance at Gabriel.
"I have made an acquaintance who thinks he can help, as I'd said," Gabriel replied. "Do keep in touch and we will see what happens."
Ladybug nodded, then came to a decision and swallowed hard before adding, "Mr. Agreste? I just want you to know that neither I, nor whom Adrien's staying with are trying to keep him from you. That's not what any of this is about; it's obvious how hard this situation is on both of you. I want to do what's best for everyone, once I figure out what that is."
Gabriel gave her a grudging smile. "Miss Ladybug, I appreciate that. You are a remarkable young woman, and I am sincerely pleased to have you as an ally. Once things have stabilized, we have much to talk about."
"I'm sure, and thank you. Where are you taking her now?" Ladybug asked.
"Home, for the moment. If that is where you wish to go?" Gabriel asked, to which Nathalie nodded.
"A good night's sleep should help. It'll be the first one I've had in a week," she replied.
"I hope so," answered Ladybug. "In that case, good night, and be careful..."
She left, quickly. It sounds like everyone is heading to the right place. Which means that I have a place of my own to go to, quickly, before Chat gets back to my house or Gabriel goes there!
I need something big answered for me, right now. Whether he likes it or not. It's the only possible thing tying all of this together that makes any sense at all...
As Chat carried her above the rooftops, Mylenè took a moment to reflect on how insane these last couple of days had been. "So, you're the mysterious Chat Noir, hero of Paris?" she opened with.
"I am," he smiled, proudly. "Though I don't seem to be all that mysterious, now that I think about it. Just about everyone who's seen me in costume seems to know who I am without it. Like you, right?"
"Um..." Mylenè grinned. "Let's just say that you're blonde, my age, and having a public argument with Gabriel Agreste..."
"I figured," Chat shrugged. "You will keep my poorly guarded secret, the way I'll keep yours as Dreadnaught, right?"
"Sure," said Mylenè. "I seem to have a lot of secrets to keep all of a sudden. I think Dreadnaught's completely burned out of me now, though. What the heck did she hit me with? It was like grabbing onto a live wire."
Chat was silent for a moment. "It's... something that's my fault. I am so sorry about that. To you AND to her."
"It's okay. If nothing else, it's a heck of a story, even if I can't really tell it to anyone," Mylenè reasoned.
"Did Ivan see you as Dreadnaught?" Chat asked. "I'd love to have seen the look on his face..."
"Hah!" Mylenè laughed. "He looked like he'd seen a ghost when I showed him. So... where the heck have you BEEN, anyway? Everyone's been asking about you..."
"As you can probably imagine, that's quite a long story, and I'll have to leave some things out of it," Chat began...
Gabriel pulled the car up to his estate, then walked around and opened the door for Nathalie. "Should I help you inside?" he asked, concerned.
"I'm okay, I can walk," Nathalie assured him. "My head hurts, but finally... feeding that hunger helped quite a bit. That poor girl! I hope she'll be all right. Now, I'm not sure what you fed me back there, or what it was supposed to do..."
"That was from a most interesting Chinese gentleman I met today," Gabriel said, with a curious expression. "One who not only knew what a Miraculous was, but who had one of his own, and seemed to recognize some of that ancient book."
"You're joking," replied Nathalie. "...You're NOT! Gabriel, you circled the globe looking for information on Miraculouses... and it turns out someone here in town has answers?"
"Remarkable, isn't it?" noted Gabriel. "And that just might explain where our young Ladybug friend came from."
"So... wait, my head hurts. So does he know that Chat Noir is your son? Does he know that YOU know about HIM? Which Miraculous does he have?" Nathalie chattered, anxiously.
"Hold on to those thoughts! We'll talk once we're inside. Let's get you in the house and resting, first!" Gabriel insisted. "You'll meet him sooner than not, just because he's the best chance we have of easing your hunger."
The pair walked to the front door, where Gabriel's bodyguard was waiting for them with an anxious face. He lightened up considerably when he saw Nathalie walking and moving normally.
"Hold on a moment, Gabriel," Nathalie said, and moved towards the bodyguard. "That was beyond selfless, what you tried to offer me earlier," she told him. "Selfless and reckless and absolutely foolhardy! I could have killed you, easily. I wanted to say just how much I appreciated what you wanted me to do... but don't do that again, please!"
The bodyguard stood still for a moment... then responded with a shrug, and a hint of a smile.
Master Fu buzzed around his home, quite anxiously, with a worried green Kwami following him around like a floating puppy. "Can I get you anything, Master?" Wayzz offered.
"...A new brain?" the old man muttered. "The one that I have was NOT ready for today. This is chaos like I haven't encountered in a century. To think that someone literally brought the Moth right into my HOME!"
"Is Nooroo in danger?" wondered Wayzz. "Are WE in danger, Master?"
"No, and no," Master Fu reassured him. "Not yet, anyway. Nooroo and Gabriel seemed comfortable with each other, and Gabriel doesn't seem to be misusing Nooroo. He was genuinely concerned for the girl that was hosting his butterfly, and for his son and assistant as well. But..."
He clutched his head. "...That's a dangerous wild card to have on the loose like that, though we have other problems. Our first concern is getting the Cataclysm back under control, and quickly!"
"What exactly is happening with that? I can sense the wild energies at play, but it's very confusing," the Kwami asked.
"To put it simply... Cataclysm's energies are split in two, and each piece wants to be whole," explained Master Fu. "They will be more and more drawn to each other as things go - the 'hunger' of which they speak is for the missing piece. That's going to get stronger, and stronger, and stronger until they reunite. And the stronger they get, the more dangerous they get; soon, it will be like a full Cataclysm is active at all times on each of their hands. One touch could disintegrate a car, a building... a person, by accident. And if they contact each other, at full force..."
Master Fu continued, pacing the floor, "With Plagg's moderating influence and with the Miraculous on Adrien's finger... he will feel its effects, but it will be more controllable. Nathalie has no such assistance and I have none that I know of to give her." He frowned, adding, "I can concoct some temporary, stopgap remedies but I'll NEED THAT BOOK to figure out how to reunite the two! And, of course, I'll need that BOY."
"We do know where he is, at least, do we not?" said Wayzz.
"For the moment. Our Ladybug carries a bigger responsibility than she knows... I hope that she is up to the task."
Master Fu's statement faded as he saw a strange look appear on Wayzz's face. "What is it, Wayzz?" he asked, gently.
"If you like, I think you can ask her that yourself, Master. I just felt Tikki's transformation right here, in your back yard!"
Chat Noir looked with some amusement at the look on Mylenè's face. She's only gotten a portion of the story... but it looks like that was enough to blow her mind even further.
"Wow," she breathed. "So I should stay away from your right hand, huh?"
"I'd recommend it in general until I get this figured out. Though right now, it shouldn't be a problem," Chat assured her. "I don't have the feeling that it's dangerous yet."
"How are you getting it figured out?" asked Mylenè.
"I wish I knew," he said, quietly.
"I bet having a dangerous hand complicates cuddling with Marinette, huh?" Mylenè grinned. As he blushed, she continued, "Oh, don't you get shy about that, that's awesome! I don't think she's ever had a boyfriend before, and it's obvious how much you care about her. Every time you say her name, your face lights up like the sun."
"Yeah, she's... I can't even describe how much she's... her parents are... she's just... wow," Chat stammered, grinning back. "I can't tell you how blessed I am to have Marinette in my life. I don't know how I would've gotten through this week without her."
"Do her parents know about all the... superhero stuff?" asked Mylenè.
"They know about me. We had a long talk when I first showed up there, and another one when I had a minor incident or two. I don't know if they know about..." Chat trailed off.
"About... what?" Mylenè continued, making an odd face.
"Just... about."
Both teens went quiet. I can't let on that I know about Marinette's secret! each thought at the same time.
Tikki looked around with considerable alarm at her surroundings, as she realized what Marinette was up to. "We should not be here, Marinette!" she warned her young charge.
"Why not?" asked Marinette. "He was very helpful the last time that I saw him."
"His shop is, er, closed!" stammered Tikki. "It's evening now. He might be asleep."
"Or he might not. I can see lights on inside."
"Maybe he sleeps with the lights on, Marinette. Did you think of that?" Tikki asked.
"Does he also sleepwalk? Because he's walking towards the door right now," Marinette sassed back.
Oh, no, thought Tikki, darting out of sight. As if things weren't complicated enough already!
The door opened, and Marinette was face-to-face with Master Fu. "May I... help you with something, young miss?" he asked, evenly. "Your strange malady hasn't returned, has it?"
"It's returned... but not to me. And forgive me for saying so, but I can't help but suspect that you know a lot more than you've let on."
Marinette gave him a meaningful stare. "Sir... am I wrong?"
Master Fu wondered, briefly, if there was any point in spouting a hasty cover story... then thought better of it. "I knew you were special the moment I first saw you. Do come in, Ladybug," he said with a wink, gesturing for her to follow him inside.
Marinette stepped forward after a brief, open-mouthed pause. "I was RIGHT!" she whispered to Tikki.
"You didn't think that you were?" Tikki asked her.
"I was sure that I was, but it's another thing entirely to find that out for sure!" Marinette giggled.
Nathalie stretched out on her bed, relieved to be home and feeling semi-normal. "That concoction... will that fix me?" she asked her boss.
Gabriel's face fell, somewhat. "We do not know. Mr. Wang asked me to have you try that and see what effects it has. He's anxious to see you in person."
"I bet he is," muttered Nathalie. "Gabriel, how much do we really know about this person?"
"Not a lot... but what choice do we have?" he reasoned. "And cultivating some kind of relationship with him would be prudent on many levels. He knows of Miraculouses. He OWNS a Miraculous. He might have been the source for the Ladybug! What he could contribute to the research on the book might be incalculable."
"Does he know about the Ladybug - Cat combination? The wish? Its costs?" Nathalie inquired.
"Yes. He knew all that before I walked in the door, as he picked up immediately on what it was Adrien had attempted to do. He didn't say it out loud; we were playing cat-and-mouse to a significant degree." Gabriel smiled, smugly. "I can't blame him; if I suspected someone of trying to accumulate and invoke that kind of power, I'd be wary of him, too."
"ARE you trying to do that? Or would he?"
Gabriel's face was serene. "I believe that I can trust him to help, though I will be holding certain cards in reserve, of course. I also believe that he will not come after either the Moth or the Cat; he does not seem the type. There is more to him than meets the eye, however... and how we will interact once this crisis is over, time will tell."
"You didn't answer that completely, Gabriel," nagged Nathalie. "What about you?"
"Do not ask me that right now, Nathalie." Gabriel's mood darkened visibly at the thought. Could I find myself capable of doing that, knowing the cost? Could I betray Ladybug and Mr. Wang, much less my son, and live with myself and the consequences?
And yet... with Emilie at stake... OR with Nathalie AND Adrien's futures at stake...
Tikki floated up behind Marinette's head, cautiously, so that Marinette couldn't see her. She pantomimed I'M SORRY! at Master Fu as best she could.
"It's fine, Tikki," Master Fu smiled, causing Marinette to whirl around in surprise that Tikki was out in plain view. "You yourself said that there wouldn't be secrets for long from this one." He led Marinette into the main room and gestured for her to sit down. "I'll get some tea started; this might be a little while," he said.
"I'm guessing from Tikki's reaction... that whatever I've figured out about you wasn't anything that I was meant to know. Maybe ever," said Marinette, nervously.
"I wouldn't go that far," he called from his kitchen, fiddling with a kettle. "But this is sooner than I'd anticipated. Marinette, if I may ask, what is it that gave me away?"
"A couple of things," she ventured. "The main thing was when we all converged on Nathalie, Gabriel Agreste mentioned 'a Chinese herbalist who knows what Miraculouses are.' When I put that together with Tikki having brought me here when I got zapped, and the herbal treatment you gave me then..."
"I see," he grumbled. "I've known the man for an hour and he's already giving up my secrets!"
"It was more than that, sir," Marinette added. "Right now, there are three Miraculouses in use in Paris. Two of them came from the Agrestes; from what I can tell, the third one didn't. Mine! And you were at my parents' bakery the night that I found Tikki. Soooo... I'm guessing that you're not really a massage therapist?"
"Very clever, young lady... but slightly wrong in two respects. I am an excellent massage therapist! And there are not three Miraculouses in use in Paris... there are four," noted Master Fu, returning to Marinette's side.
"Four?" she replied... then her eyes flew open wide as a tiny green turtle Kwami fluttered her way.
"I'm Wayzz! I'm Master Fu's Kwami," the Kwami said. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Marinette!"
"Uhh... you too!" Marinette chuckled. "Okay, OBVIOUSLY, you are a person whom I really want to get to know. But, who ARE you?"
Tikki bobbed before her, smiling now that she saw that the tension had been broken. "Master Fu is the last known member of the Order of the Guardians!"
From the kitchen, the kettle whistled. "What's a Guardian, you're about to ask?" Master Fu grinned. "Hold that thought for a moment," he said, returning to finish preparing their tea.
Marinette looked at Tikki and whispered, "I could have stayed home and minded my own business tonight. But noooo..."
A THUMP! behind Ivan made him jump, abruptly. "What the..." he sputtered, turning to see his girlfriend with a strangely familiar catboy.
"Ivan!" Mylenè called, running over to him. "Hey! I'm back."
"And normal-sized-and-shaped!" Ivan noted, hugging her. "You changed back?"
"For good, I'm afraid. It was a temporary thing and I kind of used it up," confirmed Mylenè. "But we did good, right, Chat?"
"Very good," Chat confirmed. "Hi! I'm Chat Noir. Mylenè was a huge help to us back there, but she's a little bit knocked around, so could you make sure she's comfortable and feeling all right?"
Ivan just stared at him for a moment, then shook it off. "Oh, uh... sure! Sure, I can. I know you, I saw you on the news." He thought for a moment, then asked Chat, "Hey... that rock golem thing... where do I sign up for one of those?"
Chat scratched his head. "I'm not sure, actually. If hers was anything like mine, it just showed up out of the blue one afternoon... but I'll let you two talk that out. I've got someone I need to talk to; a couple of someones, actually..."
He waved, then leaped away. Ivan's eyes followed him with surprise, then went back to Mylenè. "Am I ever going to find out what this was all about?" he asked.
"Sure, honey," Mylenè told him, "...right after I figure that out myself."
Marinette and Master Fu discussed the evening's events, particularly the interactions between Nathalie and the Agrestes.
"I'm not sure what kind of energy Nathalie was packing, but it was a whole different weight class than what Adrien zapped me with," Marinette explained. "I don't know what full power would've done to Chat Noir and I don't want to find out. Is Mylenè really going to be all right?"
"If your description of her is accurate, I believe so. There should be no lasting after-effects," Master Fu replied. "She was very lucky that she had Papillon's power flowing through her, and that it was a particularly durable form she was in! I was pleased to see that Gabriel seemed genuinely concerned for her... not every wielder of the Moth is thoughtful that way."
Marinette looked hesitant before asking her next question. "So... Gabriel can be trusted? Adrien told me about what the Ladybug and Cat can do together... and why that's why he's not bringing the Cat home if he can help it. What do you think, uh, Master?"
"Now, THAT is a good question. And one for which I don't have an answer yet," mused Master Fu. "As long as his aim is to heal his son and his assistant... I would imagine that he will be reliable. But I do not know him well enough yet for more than surface judgments, and many questions are yet unanswered. We will take that one day at a time."
"And as for Adrien, and Nathalie? Can they be fixed?"
"Another good question," he frowned. "So far, I'm only guessing whether I'm anywhere close to that. I have asked Gabriel to bring Nathalie here, and having access to Adrien will also help. Though I do NOT want Adrien to know what you now know... not yet... which complicates things. The third element is a rare book that Gabriel has. He's shown me scans of it, but the real thing would be invaluable. Perhaps I can borrow that from him... perhaps not. Or perhaps a young man that you know can retrieve it."
His eyes danced, momentarily. "And speaking of that young man... tell me more about him. I've heard what his father had to say; I'd like to hear it from you."
"Well..." Marinette grasped that a lot might be riding on what she said next.
"He's kind at heart. His first impulse is to think of others, instead of himself," she began. "Tonight was an example of that; the moment he felt he was endangering my family, he ran away from the only safe haven he had. He was ready to shiver all night on an office building roof, and I had to beg him to come back."
"And the act that started all of this, trying to wish on the power of the Miraculouses. That was selfless, too?" countered Master Fu.
"No," conceded Marinette. "And yes, in a way. When that happened, he was in way over his head and he barely understood that the magic was real, let alone what the cost of it could be. He wanted to bring his mother back from... whatever happened to her, not to wish 'give me fifty million Euros' or something completely self-centered like that. And he is completely horrified by what he's done, now that he understands it better, and wants to make amends however he can."
"You've seen him in action as Chat Noir several times now. What are your impressions of him that way?" he continued.
"The moment he sees someone who needs help, he jumps right into it. He protected me at a time when he really didn't know much about me or have much reason to trust me yet. He's been honest with me, both as Marinette and as Ladybug."
"Does he know that you are Ladybug?" inquired Master Fu.
"I haven't told him that," gulped Marinette. "Tikki stressed that keeping that secret was important. So far only my parents know, and, um, my friend Mylenè took one look at me tonight and she knew who both Chat and I were. She swears she'll keep those secrets, and I'll talk to her later tonight about it."
Marinette looked at Master Fu, pleadingly. "Have you met Adrien yet, personally?"
"I have not," said the old man. "The Black Cat is an enormous responsibility, and I need to know that it will not be misused. Our current crisis is proof of what can happen when it is."
"I hope that you do meet him soon, and that you'll see what I see in him," said Marinette, with sincere eyes. "I kind of dismissed him at first glance when I met him in school; we had a... minor incident... and I thought he was just another stuck-up rich kid. Then he sort of fell into my lap... almost literally... and the more I get to know him, the more I find to like. I know you don't know a lot about ME yet, either, and I'm still wondering how I of all people got picked to be Ladybug... but if I'm going to be out there risking my life, he's the kind of person I trust to be by my side."
Marinette's gaze was focused on him, intently. "Does that make sense, Master Fu?"
The old man smiled slightly. "It does. And I'm glad that our opinions of him match so well."
"They do?" asked Marinette, a bit surprised.
"If I only gave Miraculouses to people who never make mistakes, they'd never leave the box," Master Fu began. "Yes, he acted rashly and he and others are suffering for it right now. But everything you've told me - and everything his father's told me - says that he's trying his hardest to learn from that and to put it right. That he is not using his power carelessly, but trying hard NOT to use it except when it's needed. And he puts others' needs ahead of his own. I did not choose him to be Chat Noir... but, given the chance, he's the kind of person I might have chosen."
"If, of course, I can trust your judgment about him, Marinette..." he trailed off. He chuckled, watching her turn a bit green at that. "...but the earrings you are wearing certainly demonstrate that I do."
"Why DID you choose me, Master Fu?" Marinette asked. "The only super-power I'd ever had was super-clumsiness."
"A little Firefly told me to," Master Fu replied. "One who helped me across a busy intersection, without any thought of reward. One who risked herself to help people in danger, and gave up her powers by doing so. And one who was courageous and positive enough for the butterfly to find her in the first place. The Moth Miraculous rarely makes mistakes."
"...HAVE I made a mistake, Marinette?" he asked her, with steely eyes.
Marinette cringed... but then sat straight up. "I hope not. I intend to prove that you haven't."
"Then once again, we are in agreement," he smiled.
"So what should I do now?" asked Marinette, visibly relieved.
"Keep me informed of things as they happen. Watch over Adrien for me; he may be a fine young man, but he IS dangerous. Be careful coming here; Ladybug must not be seen walking in my front door. No one else must know of what I represent; not even Adrien, yet. I will reach out to him in my own way, in my own time. Though I may ask you to bring him here at some point...and if I do, we'll figure out what to tell him then."
"Understood," she replied.
"...And you may wish to get home NOW, before Adrien wonders why he encountered Ladybug and now Marinette's not home," grinned Master Fu.
"Yikes! You're right!" Marinette headed for the door, quickly. "Thank you, Master Fu! I'll be in touch!"
The old man waved as she left, then looked down at the cooling cup on her side of the table. "It's a good thing I'm quite thirsty," he smiled, sipping at his own tea first.
"Claws in!"
Plagg appeared in a tiny puff of air and took in his surroundings. "Well, that was interesting," he ventured... "And I see that this cat still likes to climb to high places."
"Call me strange, but I seem to get some of my best thinking done up here, and I know I'll be alone." Adrien swung his legs back and forth, sitting on of one of the girders halfway up the Eiffel Tower. "You're not scared of heights, are you, Plagg?"
"Nah, I can fly, remember? Just be careful. Cats land on their feet, but you're not a cat without your transformation on," the Kwami replied. "So what are we doing up here, anyway?"
"Thinking. Figuring out what to do next. Don't give me that look, Plagg, I don't mean NEXT next. I mean, if I were to run off again, Marinette would cut my ears off," replied Adrien. "I'm going back to her house in a little while. But... facing off with Dad like that, seeing Mylenè get hurt, seeing Nathalie out of control like that... I thought Mylenè was dead right there, Plagg, and it would've been all my fault..."
Plagg watched, nervously, as he saw his young host's shoulders shaking as he let out considerable pent-up emotion. This is a little above my pay grade, Plagg thought. Tikki's so much better empathizing with humans than I've ever been. "Adrien," he attempted, "don't beat yourself up TOO much, okay? You're doing the best you can."
"My best isn't good enough," muttered Adrien. "Look at what I did just today, Plagg. I zapped my girlfriend, and could've killed her. I zapped her mother, and could've killed her. I hurt Marinette by running off, even if it was for her own good. A situation I created hurt Mylenè, and could've killed her. My father is furious at me, Nathalie literally tried to kill me, and I can't say that she didn't have reason."
"Melodramatic much, kid?" Plagg snarked.
"Come again?"
"Marinette BECAME your girlfriend today. She's as into you as you are into her and you know it. You had two accidents, neither one serious, and were forgiven for both. You talked it out with Marinette and her parents and worked things out. Your father knows that you're safe and staying with someone. Mylenè had a scare, but she's fine. And Nathalie didn't try to kill you so much as act out while Cataclysm had her crazy! Maybe it's just me... but that's not all bad." noted Plagg.
"No, it isn't. But I'm sure that even though my hand's okay right now... it's building again. What if I end up like Nathalie was, overwhelmed by Cataclysm energy like that? Or if we BOTH are and we run into each other?" asked Adrien.
"We can't let that happen," Plagg muttered in a low voice.
"But if-"
"WE. CAN'T. LET. THAT. HAPPEN," Plagg repeated. "Trust me on that."
Adrien's eyes widened. "Plagg, buddy? What would that do? Have you seen it happen like that?"
He didn't answer.
Changing the subject, Plagg said, "If your father met up with who I think he did... we might not have that problem. Whatever that was that he had Nathalie drink, you don't get that kind of thing at the grocery store. I don't know how your father found him..."
"Him WHO?" asked Adrien, insistently.
"I need to talk with Ladybug's Kwami," evaded Plagg. "Maybe she knows something that I don't. And in the meantime, I think your girlfriend's waiting for you..."
Plagg watched as Adrien managed a slight grin. "Yeah, she is..." Adrien said. "And boy, am I ready to talk with HER tonight!"
"Why... is that?" Plagg asked, guardedly.
"Because I figured something out tonight, Plagg... something really interesting."
Next time:
* A balcony chat before bedtime.
* Nathalie gets a checkup.
* Gabriel gets an idea... though perhaps not one of his best.
* "Heeeeere we go..."