Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 16: When The Music Changes, So Does The Dance
Tom and Sabine glanced at each other, a little uneasily, as the object of their worry reached the front door of the bakery. He entered quietly, with a small and enigmatic smile on his face.
He doesn't seem particularly agitated, Sabine thought, as she finished ringing up the other customer in the shop. This could just be a big coincidence. And I could be the Queen of Sweden...
As the other customer collected her purchases and left, the new arrival scanned the shelves and display cases casually, in no visible hurry at all.
"May I help you, sir?" Sabine called out, once it was just the three of them in the front room.
"I do hope so," Gabriel replied. "I came in with one thing in mind, but there are so many tempting choices available... where do I even begin?"
"Take your time, then. My husband and I will be glad to answer any questions you have," she added.
"Good! I was hoping you'd say that," he answered, with a tight smile. "My son has told me all about your boulangerie; he's stopped here several times and brought home some amazing cream puffs, among other things. It seems that he's taken quite a liking to what he's found here, and I can see why."
"If your son is who I think it is, he is a familiar sight, and a welcome one. Would you be Gabriel Agreste?" Tom asked, from across the room.
"I am," said Gabriel. "And you would be Tom and Sabine, the store's namesakes?"
"We are. It's a pleasure to meet you," Tom answered, a trifle nervously. A lot might ride on how I handle this conversation, he thought, and left it at that. Let him make the first move.
"Excellent! I'd been hoping to meet the two of you at some point," Gabriel continued. "It seems that my son and your daughter are classmates this year at Françoise Dupont! It's his first public-school experience, and I'd worried quite a bit as to whether he'd fit in. He took an instant liking to... Marinette, isn't it?"
"That's her," Sabine replied, brightly. "Our one and only."
"He's had nothing but wonderful things to say about her from the beginning. As a new friend, she made quite the impression on him, and Adrien doesn't impress easily."
"Good! I've met Adrien here at the store several times, and I'm equally charmed. He's obviously a fine young man, and I hope they'll continue to build on that." Sabine snuck a peek at her phone, anxiously. What are you two waiting for? she begged it silently, we're flying blind out here!
On the other side of the kitchen door, two teenagers were frozen in place, listening to the conversation and trying not to have panic attacks.
"How good are your parents at improvising?" Adrien gasped, as softly as he could. "My father's an expert at reading people. If he thinks they're lying to him..."
"They won't lie to him, but they WILL get caught by questions they don't want to answer!" hissed Marinette. "And we're heading for those right now! Should they say you're staying here or not?"
Adrien wobbled, unsure of what to say. He glanced at the back door to the kitchen and ventured, "Or..."
"I think you've done enough running away for one week, Adrien."
Her words stung him at first, but he looked into her eyes and saw caring there, not admonishment.
"If you're not ready, you're not ready. But I'm not letting you run off alone and I'm not leaving my parents hanging," Marinette said, softly. "I can go out there holding your hand, or I can go out there alone, or we can text my mom instructions and wait here and see what happens next. I think those are our choices." She handed him her phone and added, "You can pick one or I can. But it has to happen now."
Gabriel wandered along the displays aimlessly, pondering how to proceed. I do not wish to push too hard if I do not have to, he mused. What I just said certainly opened the door for them to reply, "Why, yes, he's staying with us!" Which, obviously, they did not.
Could I have been wrong, and he is lodging with someone else? Or could these two be covering for him, simply respecting his wishes not to tell me? I could understand that, and respect it. Or perhaps he is here and these two simply do not know about it? With Chat Noir's powers, I would imagine that if Adrien does not want to be found, he has ways of accomplishing that.
"I'm thinking about a dozen cream puffs... my driver could not stop raving about the last batch Adrien brought home. I barely got any myself before they were gone. That, and... is that raspberry mille-feuille? That looks absolutely divine! Certainly some of that. That opera cake looks equally delicious, but if I order everything that looks good here, I'll need a rental truck to get it all home." Gabriel smiled disarmingly as Tom's face brightened at the praise of his handiwork.
"You have a good eye for pastry, Mr. Agreste," Tom noted. "We'll get those bundled up for you..."
"Gabriel, please," he replied. "No formalities! If your daughter is as captivated by my son as he is of her, I sense that we will be getting to know each other much better soon. And if my first impression of her was any indication, it is no wonder that Adrien seems entranced."
He watched Tom raise an eyebrow, questioningly, and continued. "Oh, I met your daughter the other day. An utterly charming young lady! Allow me to explain..." He watched both Tom and Sabine go to full alertness, and reasoned, Time to speak most carefully, and see where it leads.
"My son and I are having a... rough patch at the moment. He decided that he would take off on his own for a while, sadly not the first occurrence of that, and I have been combing the city for him since. Someone at his school passed on word that they'd been in contact with him, that he was all right and in a safe place, and so I came out to see what information I could find. And since your daughter was the subject of half of my son's sentences once he started school, she seemed to be a logical choice to contact."
"I'm sure that she knew you on sight," Sabine said, cautiously. "She has a talent for fashion design and many full sketchpads to prove it. I know that your company is one she'd hoped to approach one day, when she felt ready to pursue her career."
"Oh?" Gabriel asked, caught slightly off-guard. "We do keep an eye out for budding young talents; we have groomed some of our best designers that way! I would be happy to take a look at some of her work sometime, and see where her potential could lead her."
"I'm sure that she'd like that very much," answered Sabine, "once she recovered from the shock of being invited." They shared a small laugh as Sabine snuck another glance at her phone. Still nothing. Come on, kids!
Marinette watched Adrien's face as it ran through a wide variety of expressions. Panic, concern, and "Someone please teach me how to teleport away" were clearly among them.
I should just go out there, right now. I can spare them from getting picked apart like this. I owe the two of them that much, he thought.
But if I do that, am I blowing their cover, making it obvious that they've been sheltering me? That they're avoiding the subject? What would my father think of that?
Is he unsure of what's going on, or is he just toying with them? I... I...
Adrien's face abruptly went pale, making Marinette reach out to him. "Are you alright?" she whispered. "What is it?"
"My hand..." he mumbled. "The power... it's... twitching. It's getting worse all of a sudden, like a bad itch coming on in waves. I don't know why!"
Marinette did some quick mental math. "If Gabriel is here... Nathalie's probably close by, too. Maybe the powers can, like, sense each other?" she wondered.
Adrien gulped. "I can... run for it. Won't... fight with her here... wreck your place..."
"Nobody's fighting anyone today. Got it?" Marinette guided him to a chair, kissed him on the forehead, and ordered him, "STAY HERE." He looks TERRIBLE all of a sudden! she thought. WHAT is going on?
He watched with big eyes as his girlfriend took a deep breath...
"At any rate," Gabriel continued, striding towards the cash register, "I was most impressed by Marinette when I met her. Her concern for my son, someone she had met only a week before, was obvious and sincere. If she is the same way towards him in person, it's no wonder that she charmed the socks off of him without even trying."
"Be that as it may... Gabriel..." Sabine struggled for a response, then was distracted by the sound of the kitchen door opening and a figure stepping through it.
"That concern, Mr. Agreste, hasn't changed a bit," Marinette said in a mildly shaky voice.
Gabriel didn't skip a beat. "Miss Dupain-Cheng! A pleasure to make your acquaintance again," he called over to her, warmly.
"Likewise, Sir," replied Marinette. "How are things going?" She walked over to him, trying to get Gabriel to face away from the kitchen door without making it obvious.
"As complicated as ever, I am afraid," Gabriel responded. "I am still waiting to hear from Adrien directly, though word has reached me that he is in comfortable surroundings."
"Oh? Who from?" she asked.
"From Ladybug, the superheroine, of all people! I knew she was watching over our fair city, but I had no idea that she was so thorough."
Gabriel looked Marinette up and down, carefully, and she tried hard not to squirm. Plain black earrings, he thought, not ladybugs... but, of course, a true Miraculous would be in disguise if worn. "May I assume, from my phone's lack of ringing, that you have not heard from Adrien yourself?" he queried.
Marinette gathered up all of her remaining willpower. "Actually, Sir, I have... very recently. He had a story to tell about a very wild scene last night, and he said he'd seen you there, so I assumed that I wouldn't need to tell you what you saw yourself! He said that he is planning on calling you soon to discuss things."
"Do you know where he is now, Marinette?" Gabriel asked, his voice remaining calm, but while bringing all of his formidable presence to bear on her. Tom considered interrupting, then stopped himself, unsure.
"I... do," she managed. "But I'm weighing that against his own wishes, how he told me he'd like to resolve things. I've texted him that you're here now; if he decides to come here, that's his own decision."
"I see..." muttered Gabriel. "And he is not exactly busting down the doors to reach me, is he?"
Marinette held onto her emotions with an iron grip. "Sir... I know how hard this must be for you, but can I ask you not to judge him too strongly yet? If even half of the things he's told me are true, about... magic and costumes and craziness in the city... I'd imagine that he's completely overwhelmed by everything that's happened. And I have some personal reasons to believe that they are true. It's hitting him like lightning crashing over him."
Gabriel stared at her with some wonder, and a hint of a smile. Touche, little one! Only I would know that reference to Firefly's hidden power. You must have deduced my own secret as Papillon! You have a greater role to play in this saga than your brief turn as Firefly, I see.
He thought back to Ladybug commenting on his brooch the night before, and considered the girl standing before him now, seemingly unafraid, matching Ladybug in build and hairstyle. Possibly a far, FAR greater role.
Tom and Sabine stood silently, unsure of what they could possibly add to this.
The front door of the shop opened, abruptly, breaking the tension. A woman in professional attire stepped through it, a bit awkwardly.
Gabriel turned to her. "Nathalie? Is... everything all right?"
"I don't know," she whispered. "It's... building again. Too soon. Too MUCH."
Quickly, seeing the distress on her face, Gabriel considered their options. Something nearby is triggering her disorder! If Adrien IS here... could his proximity be affecting Nathalie? If it is, do I dare even CONSIDER bringing him home right now?
The look on the face of Marinette screamed out Please don't do this here. Not HERE! as plain as day.
Gabriel moved to the register with smooth steps. "I think this will have to hold us for today. My assistant has just informed me of a pressing matter I must attend to," he noted. "Mrs. Cheng, could you ring me up?"
"With pleasure," Sabine replied, going through the motions as quickly as she could.
Gabriel looked at her, then at Tom with a gracious smile. "Your shop is absolutely marvelous, and I know that everything will be delicious. Might I assume that two people who take such exquisite care of a place such as this... would take equally good care of other things under their watch?"
Tom blinked, twice, then answered, "Absolutely. No one who comes through our door in need leaves unsatisfied, if we can help it."
"A job well done, then, as you've satisfied me and then some." Gabriel turned back to Marinette. "Enchante once more, Marinette," he offered. "If there are new developments with my son, please do not hesitate to call. And if your fashion designs are as good as my son and your parents have described them... reach out to me sometime and we'll look at them together."
"I... I will," she stammered, overwhelmed.
With packages in hand, Gabriel guided Nathalie to the front door. "Until we meet again?" he called, with a regal smile.
"Hopefully soon, Mr. Ag... Gabriel," Sabine smiled. "Do enjoy your pastries!"
The door closed, and the family watched the sedan pull away from the curb. A few seconds passed in silence.
Tom scratched his head and asked, "That just happened... right?"
Marinette took a series of deep breaths. "Yep, and I may need a change of pants. I did NOT... just stand up to Gabriel Agreste... did I?"
"Not only did you," her mother marveled, "but I think you impressed him when you did! You weren't being rude, you were presenting facts he needed to know."
And trying to hide one huge fact that he shouldn't, she thought. "Okay! So..." Marinette began, trying to regather her thought process. "Gabriel knows that I know where Adrien is... and the fact that he came straight here means he knows that that's here. But he seemed satisfied by that."
"He knows that? I mean, if he'd come right out and asked me, I'd have told him. I had no intentions of lying to him. But he didn't..." puzzled Tom.
"Tom, I think he could've plucked just about anything from us if he'd wanted to," chuckled Sabine. "He's a very clever man. He figured out as much from what we didn't say as what we did."
"Yeah," agreed Marinette. "I think we just passed a kind of test."
"Marinette... that woman, who came in after him... that was Nathalie, the one you were telling us about?" Tom asked, with a thoughtful expression. "The one who was caught up in Adrien's accident?"
"Yes... and she didn't look very sturdy right now. And neither did... ADRIEN! I have to-"
"Go to him, now," assured Sabine. "Make sure he's okay."
Marinette burst into the kitchen at high speed. Adrien was right where she'd left him, with Plagg hovering over him.
"Adrien! Are you all right?" she worried. "Plagg? You're out in the open like this?"
"Who's here to see me?" the Kwami shrugged. "And I had to be ready. If I'd had to, I'd have Cataclysmed the ground between him and Nathalie to keep them apart."
Adrien shook his head briefly as he regained his full senses. "You... can do that?" he marveled. "You WOULD'VE done that?"
"Never mind that now. How does the power feel?" Plagg asked him, insistently.
"Still... itchy? But not nearly as bad as it was a few minutes ago," replied Adrien, rubbing his hand. "That was... I was... dizzy, I couldn't think straight for a minute there. All of a sudden, it got stronger, and then it faded."
Dizzy like you were last night, when I pulled you away from Nathalie's grasp! But as Marinette, I shouldn't know that! she thought. Marinette gave Plagg a meaningful look, and the Kwami closed his eyes in frustration. "Plagg, it got worse when Nathalie was near him, and faded when she left, didn't it?" she asked, knowing the answer already.
"Of course it did." Plagg circled in close. "Adrien, listen to me and listen good. Marinette, you listen too. I'll need you to get a message to Ladybug, because this is something Ladybug needs to know," he hinted as broadly as he could. "Got it?"
"Got it," she replied, with increasing panic. What could be so important that he'd even HINT at my other identity right in front of Adrien?
As the car headed into downtown Parisian traffic, Gabriel focused his attention on Nathalie, who was visibly uncomfortable. "What happened back there, Nathalie?" he asked her. "You looked like you had seen a ghost when you walked into the bakery."
She shuddered, involuntarily. "The hunger intensified, suddenly. The longer I sat there, the worse it was getting. I had to get up and move around or I was going to scream! And then when I walked in the door, it got even stronger."
Gabriel frowned. "And now?" he asked.
"A little better. But worse than it was an hour ago. Much worse." Nathalie squirmed in her seat. "That... pulsing feeling is starting again."
Their bodyguard glanced over at Gabriel, questioningly. "Now would be an excellent time to drive faster," Gabriel ordered, and the car promptly lurched forwards.
Gabriel went silent, consumed by his forebodings. My son was in that building, I'm convinced of it. I could have pressed the issue... but to what purpose? The Dupain-Chengs seem like decent enough people; he certainly would not be mistreated there, especially since the girl seems highly protective of him.
"The girl." I can just say it now, can't I? LADYBUG is watching over him. She may well have fallen for him, unless I have misread her emotional state, and I do not think I have. I doubt that a better protector for him could exist.
The fundamental absurdity of the situation struck him, and for a moment he chuckled to himself. I spent years trying in vain to track down the Ladybug Miraculous, and my son's charm has drawn its host to him in a matter of days! The combined power to reshape the world may be sitting side-by-side at their dining-room table, quietly asking 'Please pass the mashed potatoes.' Power that I could bring under my oversight, that I could influence, that I could...
Stop, Gabriel ordered himself. That kind of juvenile thinking is how you landed where you are today. How SHE landed there. You have far greater concerns than your fantasies of mystical power.
And yet a vision of a beautiful blonde woman, slumbering peacefully and unceasingly, continued to haunt his mind.
A groan from Nathalie roused him from his introspective state. Focus on what is important now, Gabriel, he thought.
"Faster, if you can!" he snapped at the bodyguard, who grimaced and whipped the sedan around several slower cars. "We are getting you home," he said in a soothing voice towards Nathalie, "and we have the other vial Mr. Wang gave us. Perhaps it will help."
"And then what?" Nathalie murmured.
"We'll think of something."
Plagg looked more serious than Marinette had ever seen him. "It's as simple as this," he began. "Adrien, you and Nathalie have to stay as far apart as you can. You're going to feel drawn to each other, wherever you are, and the closer you are, the stronger it'll get. If I could put you or her on a plane to Timbuktu right now, I would."
Adrien tried to focus. "That's what caused the flare-up just now? That Nathalie was nearby?"
"It's going to get worse over time no matter what, but yeah, she was here and you both flared up. Just like last night, when she'd have killed you if not for Ladybug," replied Plagg.
"Killed me?" Adrien boggled. "I can be a pain in Nathalie's neck sometimes, but..."
"This isn't about who she is or was, or any kind of rational thinking, get that straight!" snapped Plagg. "She had no control over herself. That accident put some of my power into her, and it wants to recombine with the rest. It's overwhelming her! And it won't stop until it does recombine."
"What happens if it does?" asked Marinette, very quietly.
"If the powers are under control, so to speak, it'd still be really touchy. It'd probably draw all of the power from one of you, and their entire life force with it. We'd need a Guardian to monitor the process to have a chance of saving both of you, and even then I don't know what the loser would be like afterwards."
"But the powers aren't under control, are they?" Adrien said, in a resigned voice.
"Not even close," Plagg grumbled. "That... wild state Nathalie was in last night, when the energy was throbbing all around her? If she'd grabbed you like that, you'd be dust now. And if YOU were throbbing like that, too, and the two of you collided..."
The Kwami trailed off, not wanting to finish.
"Say it. What would happen to me?" demanded Adrien.
"Not just to you. The magical explosion would take out you and her. And everyone nearby. And probably all of Paris. And probably all of France. And maybe just most of Europe, if we're lucky."
"Is this just theoretical, or has this ever happened before?" asked Marinette, looking completely horrified.
Plagg sighed. "Ever heard of Atlantis? This is why it's not a tourist destination any more."
At the Agreste mansion, Nathalie gulped down the iridescent vial quickly. "Urggh," she complained. "Tastes worse than green NyQuil."
"Rest, please. Let us know and we will bring you anything you need," Gabriel soothed. He watched as she closed her eyes, attempting to take a nap, and left as quietly as he could. He paused, standing in the hallway outside her room.
This is presumptuous of me... but I have to know, he thought, as he pulled out his phone.
"What can we DO?" begged Marinette. "We can't let that happen. Any of it! I can't risk any of that, and I can't lose him."
"I'd rather not lose me, either," whispered Adrien. "Plagg, what can be done?"
"If I knew, don't you think I'd be doing it?" Plagg replied. "I talked with Tikki. She knows who and where the Guardian is. He may be our only hope."
"I see," Marinette said. "I guess I know where I need to go, then."
"I don't," parried Adrien, looking confused. "Who or what is a Guardian? And how are you familiar with him, Marinette?"
"I..." she stammered...
A sudden burst of noise from her phone distracted all three of them. "ADRIEN! Your father is texting me!" she gasped. I'm not sure that I want to read it, but bless you for your timing! she thought.
She scanned the incoming messages quickly...
[Gabriel Agreste] I believe that we know much about each other that must and will remain unspoken.
[Gabriel Agreste] But there are two more questions to which I must have honest answers. Can you do that for me?
[Marinette] Yes, I can.
[Gabriel Agreste] Is my son suffering from a disorder, a progressive hunger of sorts, related to a Miraculous accident?
She showed the phone to Adrien, who nodded, silently.
[Marinette] He is. It comes and it goes. It hasn't gone out of control yet.
[Gabriel Agreste] I assumed as much, and hoped that I was wrong. Secondly...
[Gabriel Agreste] Did it get worse just now, during my visit, and ease off after we had left?
[Marinette] It did. I'm guessing it affected Nathalie the same way? What can either of us do?
[Gabriel Agreste] ...For now, protect him for me. You may be uniquely qualified to do so.
Adrien read the message and asked, "What does he mean by that?", but did not get a response.
[Gabriel Agreste] I will investigate why Nathalie's affliction is worse than Adrien's.
[Gabriel Agreste] For now, I believe it is imperative to keep the two of them apart.
[Marinette] I can't say how I know that, but I agree completely.
[Gabriel Agreste] Thank you. You are a remarkable young woman... but I've told you that before.
Gabriel's precise words from the night before echoed in Marinette's brain. Bye-bye, little secret identity, AGAIN, she grumbled. Master Fu's not going to like this... but I have much bigger worries right now.
[Gabriel Agreste] I will remain in touch.
Satisfied with the exchange, Gabriel retreated to his private office. "Nooroo... may I speak with you?" he asked, quietly.
The tiny purple Kwami floated out, visibly agitated. "Gabriel... this is... I don't know what this is turning into, but I REALLY don't like it," Nooroo whimpered. "This is getting really dangerous! Your assistant does not look good at all."
"I know that, and I fear that Mr. Wang's assistance won't be enough to fix it," Gabriel agreed. "That was the last dose of his makeshift remedy that he had available." He pondered what few options he had left. "Let me ask you something, Nooroo... I am told that Adrien is faring better with his side of this malady than Nathalie is. Adrien wears a Miraculous. Could that be part of the reason why?"
Nooroo floated in a small circle, considering that. "It's... possible?" he chirped. "Plagg would know better than any of us how to manage Cataclysm energy. He can't stop it, but perhaps he's providing some stability."
"I presume that asking Mr. Wang to let Nathalie borrow HIS Miraculous would be out of the question." The look on Nooroo's face gave him his answer. "Fair enough. Then there are a few other things I could try, if you think that either could help."
"And those are?"
"One," Gabriel ventured, "would be to send a butterfly to Nathalie, to 'power her up,' so to speak. To boost her energies, or even transform her into something temporarily that the disorder would not affect! It would involve cheering her up to the point where it had any chance of selecting her, of course..."
"...And I don't know what would happen if you did," countered Nooroo. "I could see how it might help... or with Miraculous energies already in flux around her, it could be quite unpredictable."
"Another would be to give her... you." Gabriel saw Nooroo's shock and replied, "Not permanently, I hope! But could hosting a Miraculous provide her with some stability, like Adrien's may be doing for him?"
Now Nooroo really looked agitated. "I... I just don't know, Gabriel! My own powers interacting with Cataclysm are part of what caused all of this! It might help, or it might blow everything up that much faster!" he burbled. "I'm sorry... I don't..."
"Calm yourself, my little friend. This is why I am weighing options before attempting them," Gabriel reassured him. "I have a third option in mind, one that does not involve your DIRECT contact with Nathalie..."
Marinette considered the expression on Adrien's face, who was looking at her with growing confusion. "Do you two know something that I don't?" he asked.
She looked at Plagg, who shrugged. "He's YOUR boyfriend," the Kwami snickered.
"Before I answer that, Adrien... I need to check one thing." She pulled up her contact list and found the one marked IN CASE OF CHAT BREAK GLASS that Tikki had entered a while back.
"If you're in a spot where Chat agrees to being helped, you're alone and you're Ladybug, call that number. Hint that you're Ladybug and tell him what's happening," Tikki had told me. Well, I think we're beyond the hinting stage, but...
"Do you trust me? I have an idea," she asked, and at Adrien's firm nod, she dialed the number. After a few rings, she heard a familiar voice say "Fu Wang's studio."
"Hello! This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I have a certain young man with me right now who I really think you ought to meet. As soon as possible."
The voice paused for a moment, then replied, "I agree. Be careful coming over."
"I will." She hung up and knelt down in front of the seated Adrien. "This person is someone that I think can help us. That time you zapped me by accident, his herbal treatments were part of what fixed me up quickly. He's a Chinese herbalist that my mom knows. Are you willing to let him look you over?"
Adrien replied, "I'll try just about anything once, and if you think that he can help... I could really use some of that about now."
"Do you feel up to transforming? It'd be faster if we went by Chat Express." She turned to Plagg and asked, "Would that be safe right now?"
"If he's up for it and he doesn't Cataclysm anyone, it should be okay. Just watch his right hand," Plagg said.
"I'll be careful with it. If I'm going to knock you off your feet, Marinette, I'd rather do it with my smile." With a grin, Adrien added, "Plagg, claws out!"
Inside the shop, Tom and Sabine did their best to calm themselves after the confrontation. They heard the kitchen door open, saw Marinette peek out to make sure that no customers were watching, then saw her dart upstairs, followed closely by a young man in a leather cat costume.
"Should we at least pretend that things are getting back to normal around here?" asked Tom.
"It's worth a shot," Sabine replied, with a small shrug.
Through the front window, they saw a young woman approach the store's front door. She stopped abruptly, watching something overhead, then shook her head in disbelief. Slowly, the girl opened the door and walked inside.
"Hi there. Can we help you?" Tom called to her.
"Sure... My name is Alya Césaire, I'm one of Marinette's classmates..." she said.
"Oh, yes!" Tom responded. "She's told us a lot about you, and said you were a new friend of hers."
"I'd talked to her yesterday and said I'd come by today to check on her. I was going to ask if she was home, but..." Alya trailed off.
"...But?" asked Sabine.
"I could swear that I just saw her carried off her roof at high speed by a... blonde catboy?"
Sabine didn't skip a beat. "What day is today, honey?" she asked Tom, in an even voice.
"Um... Saturday?" he replied.
"I think she just stepped out, but I'm pretty sure that Marinette only travels via catboy on Wednesdays. Can I tell her you stopped by?" smiled Sabine.
"...Sure," said Alya, haltingly.
After the door closed, Tom smirked, "Well, that didn't last long."
Sabine sniffed, "When they start pretending, I will, too."
"Nooroo, tell me," mused Gabriel. "When the butterfly finds a host, it does so only partly from my own desires. I can guide it to an extent, but there are other forces at work. How are the powers chosen for the host? Is it guided by my wishes, or by the recipient's nature? Or both?"
Nooroo hesitated. This... this is a dangerous topic, he thought. This is where hosts can figure out just how much power I truly manage... and how easily it could be misused.
"It... varies, Gabriel," said Nooroo, finally. "Much like the choice of recipient. You can guide it to an extent, but ideas in the recipient's mind often influence how it manifests. For instance, I doubt you'd planned turning a schoolgirl into a five-meter rock golem with dreadlocks."
"Not the first image that had popped into my mind, no..." chuckled Gabriel.
"But while the form she chose was unusual, the function was what you wanted. You wanted a sturdy messenger, someone who could not be ignored, who was protected from harm. And that is what the girl became," explained Nooroo. "So instead of pushing for a specific person or power, you'll often fare better focusing on a general idea and letting it manifest however it will."
Please don't pursue this too far, Gabriel, Nooroo worried. Going down this path often leads to ideas like 'I grant you the power to increase MY power,' and nothing good ever comes from that...
"I see. So if I wanted someone who could fight a raging fire, I might get a host with powers over weather, or to create waves of water from the air, or cold and ice, or to smother the oxygen around the fire... but any of them might be effective." Gabriel considered this, with a curious expression on his face. "I think that may serve my purpose just as well..."
"What do you have in mind?" asked Nooroo, genuinely curious.
"I'll show you! And I do think that you will approve. Nooroo... SPREAD YOUR WINGS!"
Following Marinette's directions, Chat Noir landed in an alley near Master Fu's studio, then transformed back to Adrien once they made sure they were alone.
"I'm still not sure what this is all about, my lady, but I trust you. We're close to our destination?" he asked her.
"Very close. I think you'll like... Mister Fu. He worked wonders for me," smiled Marinette, a little nervously. I raised some suspicions in Adrien right before we left... I need to watch my step here.
The pair emerged from the alley and knocked at the front door. Momentarily, Master Fu opened it, showing no signs of surprise.
"Hello, Marinette! It is good to see you again. This is the friend you had mentioned?" he asked, dryly.
"I am. I'm Adrien, Mr... Fu, right? Nice to meet you." He extended his left hand for a handshake, keeping his right hand behind him.
Fu shook his hand, then motioned for them to come inside. "You're not left-handed, are you, Adrien?" he baited the young man, as they made their way into the main room.
"No, I'm not, but that's, um, part of my problem. I really wouldn't recommend coming too close to my right hand at the moment. It's hard to explain."
"Show me, then." Adrien held his right hand up, and Fu's eyes lit up with recognition and alarm. "Oh, yes. Please come with me, young man. Immediately."
Adrien kept walking, mostly because Marinette was by his side and a gentle hand on his back was guiding him forwards. "I'm, um... sure, I will," he mumbled. "Do I need to fill out any kind of paperwork? Do I need a referral from my regular doctor? This is all so sudden..."
"Relax, Adrien. The only referrer I need is next to you right now," smiled Fu. "Free of charge. I do participate in the national healthcare system, but I also answer to... other authorities."
Papillon took the nearest butterfly into his hand, gently, then cast his awareness over the city, looking for just the right kind of potential host.
"Little butterfly, I have a special task for you this time," he said. "Find me someone brimming with positivity, a protective nature, a desire to heal. Someone looking to spread love and compassion in this world. Someone who will spread healing vibrations with a touch, or with a gesture, or with a thought. A soothing, mending, peaceful will to counteract the force of decay controlling Nathalie and Adrien."
It took some time and considerable concentration for Gabriel to settle on a handful of candidates. One in particular seemed... just right, but several had potential.
"Go, my little friend!" he called, releasing it towards his open window. "Bring me an ally who can dispel this curse... whoever they may be. Much like you are, the decision is out of my hands."
Dutifully, the butterfly took to the skies and fluttered out over the rooftops of Paris...
Marinette sat anxiously on a comfortable chair, one room over from where Master Fu was analyzing Adrien's current condition. She'd offered to help about a dozen times, in any way that she could, until Fu had good-naturedly shooed her to the main room to wait. "I will return him to you in just as good condition as he is now. Hopefully better," he'd teased her. She trusted him, of course, but that didn't make staring at a half-closed door any easier.
"I did the right thing here, didn't I?" she whispered, and Tikki rustled in her purse to let her know that she'd heard that.
"Absolutely, Marinette. Getting Master Fu to examine Adrien is vital right now, and you did it about the only way I can think of. He's curious, but it all makes just enough sense to him that he probably won't put the pieces together just yet." Tikki gave her what she hoped was a soothing smile. "It's okay. This is what Master Fu wanted to happen."
"Do you think that he can help him?" Marinette asked, and in response to that Tikki wasn't quite as bright-eyed.
"I... I know that he will do as much as he can, with what he has here," the Kwami replied.
"That's not much of an answer," chided Marinette.
"It's what I've got right now, Marinette. We won't know until Master Fu's sure of what he's dealing with."
"I know, I know," Marinette replied, slumping down in her seat. "He's in the best of hands. But what if it's beyond his power? What if it's too late? What if-"
"YOU are doing everything that YOU can, and you know that," Tikki reassured her. "Think of what his life might be like right now if he hadn't landed on your balcony. If you hadn't taken him in... twice! If you hadn't given him all of the warmth and compassion and caring that you and your family did. If you hadn't been there for him last night! He is happy and mostly healthy and not dead right now because of you, Marinette, and you should be very proud of that."
That got a smile out of Marinette. "So take a breath, calm yourself, and we'll know more soon, okay?" continued Tikki.
"Okay."
A rustle at the door sent Tikki flying back into Marinette's purse, in case it was Adrien coming in. Master Fu tiptoed out and sat by Marinette's side.
"How is he?" whispered Marinette.
"Sleepy. Very relaxed. I examined him thoroughly, and gave him... you could call it herbal sedation therapy, to quiet his spirit. He's getting some much-needed rest," replied Master Fu. "He'll be awake again in a few minutes."
"That's a good start, but what about his problem?" insisted Marinette.
"I now have much more information to work from," the old man said, which was a far cry short of the He's fixed! she'd hoped to hear. "I've examined both Nathalie and Adrien now. As I expected, Adrien's condition is far more stable, mostly because Plagg and the Cat Miraculous are helping his energies as much as they can."
"So Gabriel did bring Nathalie here?"
"Yes, AND he brought me the Book of Lore that I'd spoken of! That was a very pleasant surprise. I didn't think he'd part with that without a court order," Master Fu smiled.
"Wow," Tikki whispered, poking her head out of Marinette's purse. "That says a lot about Gabriel."
"Or at least that Gabriel recognizes just how serious this situation is," Fu replied, his smile fading.
"Plagg gave us a rundown of how dangerous this is and how many lives are at stake here. That was quite an eye-opener!" worried Marinette. "Once I heard that, I had to get Adrien here as soon as I could, one way or another. Plagg also said you MIGHT be able to manage some kind of process to restore Cataclysm to its normal state, but that even with your help it could have terrible side effects..."
Master Fu sighed, slowly. "He has more faith in me than I do, these days. Understand this, Marinette. I promise you that I will do everything possible to - hey! Please be calm for me," he interjected, seeing her eyes start to well up. "It is not yet time to give up hope. I have what I wanted: the book, access to Adrien, access to Nathalie. I will do everything I possibly can to find a safe way to juggle all of these concerns... to restore Adrien and Nathalie AND protect the people of Paris. If such an answer can be found, I will find it."
"I know, Master Fu," Marinette managed. "But, it's just... Adrien and I have gone through all of this and found each other. It would be so unfair if..." she trailed off.
She leaned forward and accepted a hug from Master Fu. "With you by his side, his chances are much greater, Marinette. He is quite lucky to have found you. But luck is every Ladybug's secret weapon, is it not?"
A rustle from the next room caught their attention. "I think he's waking up now. You can go see him, if you like," offered Master Fu, which sent her flying through the door.
Master Fu sat down and gave Tikki a tired smile. "There really is hope, Master?" Tikki whispered up at him.
"Where there is life, Tikki, there is hope. You of all beings should know that well," he replied. "But the events of this week have run up quite a karmic bill... and it will take all of my strength AND a lot of luck to help keep someone from having to pay it in the end."
Silvery wings fluttered over Paris, their diminutive owner wandering to and fro, seemingly aimlessly. Did it drift wherever the wind chose to take it, did it have a specific destination in its tiny mind, or was some combination of the two at work? Only the butterfly knew for sure, and it wasn't talking.
All at once, it still wasn't talking... but it was diving.
Next time:
* Adrien could get used to waking up like this.
* Does the butterfly's desired host make house calls?
* "I could try to explain, but I wouldn't succeed."
* "Do we even HAVE another option?"
* Changes can be small... or dramatic.