Thursday, August 10th, 3 am-Streets of Paris
They were not prepared for what lay behind the door. Their once beautiful city had been transformed into a living nightmare scene. The skies swirled with deep violets, and rich crimsons, a dark fog blanketed the streets, constantly ebbing and flowing and it gave the fog a much more liquid like feel, which went along well with how heavy it made the air.
"It's hard to breathe out here." Chloe murmored, taking a very forced breath.
"Yeah, it's almost, sticky, if that makes any sense." Nino commented as he rubbed his arms.
"It just feels so, empty, out here." Alys shuddered, and she was right. It felt wrong that the streets were empty, the buildings seemed abandoned, it was like Paris was void of all life. Anger bloomed in Marinette's heart. This was their home. Paris was beautiful and Total Darkness ruined it, he tainted it with darkness and the city of love was now barren and dull.
She wasn't the only one angry though, she saw Adrien's jaw clench and she knew he felt the same way. The two of them had been protecting Paris for years, they were both very attached to the city and this attack hit close to home. It felt as if this was a personal attack on them, and as Marinette looked at the three others, she saw similar looks on their faces as well.
"Alright, we have to get to the bakery. That's only 13 blocks away. If we just run, as fast as we can, we can make it in five minutes." Everyone nodded once, then took off onto the rooftops. But within all the swirling of the skies, they failed to notice the inky shadows lurking around them. As they leapt from rooftop to rooftop they were followed by shadows slinking along the ground, waiting for the right time to strike.
Thursday, August 10th, 3am-On top of the Eiffel Tower
Total Darkness hummed in satisfaction. This was better than he'd expected. They didn't even notice his shadows following them, soon he'd have them all in one spot.
"Like shooting fish in a barrel." The caped villain smiled to himself, this was going to be fun. He stood from his makeshift throne, a tangled knot of twisted metal, and cracked his knuckles before he jumped off the tower, headed straight for one of the most popular bakeries in Paris. Something big, something bad, something fun was going to happen tonight that would change that pretentious Ladybug for the rest of her life.
Thursday, August 10th, 3:05 am-Tom and Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie
The small group of heroes slipped into the alley behind the bakery and all eyes were on Marinette.
"Well, here goes nothing." She bit her lip and knocked on the door softly. Locks were pulled open and the door was cracked open. A brown eye looked cautiously at them until they recognized who stood on the other side of the door. It was shut and quickly unlocked the rest of the way before swung wide and Marinette was scooped into a pair of strong, familiar arms. Tom Dupain held his daughter like his life depended on it, his shoulders trembling as he cried fat tears.
"Marinette, oh my baby. My sweet baby, I'm so glad you're here." He pulled away and smiled through his tears at his daughter, who didn't know she was crying with him until a cool breeze kissed her wet cheeks.
"I know papa, I'm here. We all are. We should go inside." Tom sniffed before he ushered the teens inside and locked the door behind him. He slid one of the large metal cabinets in front of the door as an extra blockade and led them into the bakery. The metal pull-downs were bolted into place, and 2x4s were hammered to them and the door. A few small lights were on, but mostly candles lit the room everyone was in. As soon as the group entered the room Sabine was wrapped around Marinette. Marinette saw every one of her friends from school sitting around the dim room, and Nadja
"What are you all doing here?" Marinette asked confused.
"Well, when we saw you transform from Ladybug to Marinette we all came here to see if you'd been brought home. But we couldn't leave because that Total Darkness guy had already messed up Paris." Jagged sighed, taking Penny's hand and giving it a squeeze.
"Your parents are something else, Marinette!" Rose giggled. "They're so nice, they made us all feel like family."
"They have a knack for that." Marinette smiled at her parents as she kissed both of their cheeks. It felt good to be surrounded by both sets of arms, she felt like a little girl during a blackout again.
"So, if you're really Ladybug and Adrien is Chat Noir, it stands to reason that all of you are someone we know. There's a 97.895% chance of it, actually." Max calculated. Adrien shrugged his shoulders.
"Plagg, claws in." He detransformed in a green light and was soon standing in regular clothes. Alya, Nino, and Chloe joined him.
"How long have you been keeping this from us, Marinette?" Her mother asked, a soft hand on her shoulder.
"Well I couldn't tell you, because if I did you would have been put in danger. I wanted to, I really did but-"
"Please don't blame Marinette! I was the one who told her that she couldn't tell anyone about her secrete. I'm her Kwami, and if anyone should be punished it should be me." Her parents blinked at the tiny, floating, thing, defending their daughter.
"Marinette, who's this?" Sabine asked slowly.
"My name is Tikkialiminea, the Goddess of Creation, but you can call me Tikki. After my mortal life ended I was deemed worthy to be a Kwami, and my powers were split into a Miraculous. I've had countless Ladybugs, but none as sweet, strong, and pure hearted as your daughter. When she was in trouble, I was helpless to do anything until she demiraculatized and because of that she almost died. For that, I'm truly sorry." Tom gently scooped her into his large hand and brushed her cheek with a fat finger.
"It's okay, Tikki. You must have tried your best, and if Marinette has been doing this for years, you must have protected her for all that time. I know you must have tried your best."
"She did!" Plagg burst from Adrien's pocket. "After she was free she used all the energy she had to try and stop Marinette from falling."
"I'm sure she did all she could. And you might be?"
"I'm Plaggalyemunus, Plagg, and I'm the God of Destruction. I'm a Kwami too!"
"Do all of you have Kwami's?" Nadja asked, staring wide-eyed at the floating gods. Three other tiny Kwamis flew to Tikki and Plagg and they smiled.
"I'm Trixx, this is Wayzz, and Pollen."
"Are you…"
"Gods? Yes. I'm the God of deception, Wayzz is a God of Protection, and Pollon is the Goddess of Subjection. We, ask Kwamis, enhance the natural strengths and attributes of our Miraculous holders. It is our duty to protect our Miraculous holders with everything we've got. Tikki and Plagg are the original Kwamis, the oldest Kwamis, and the most powerful. For them to reveal themselves to you willingly means you are all people we can trust, and right now we need all the help we can get."
"What can we do?" Nadja asked, her eyes sparkling with hope.
"Actually, we need your phone Nadja."
"My phone? Why?"
"Well, I'm hoping that if we can get a message to all of Paris that Ladybug is fine and still fighting, then that will raise their hopes and keep anyone else from being Akumatized. Do you think we can do that?" Nadja pulled her phone out of her pocket and put it in Marinette's palm.
"I think if anyone can make it happen, you can Marinette." Nadja patted her hand and gave her a warm, reassuring smile. "It's a satellite phone from the news company so I can broadcast anywhere. The barrier that Total Darkness set messes with the frequency, but it still broadcasts, there's just some static."
"Great!" Marinette smiled and turned on the phone. "Alright you guys, let's do this!" Determination set itself on Marinette's face and everyone in the bakery suddenly felt more at ease with their situation.
Every phone and television set in Paris went off with an urgent broadcast, and the people's hearts soared when they saw the polka-dotted mask appear on their screens.
"I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm alive, I'm safe, we all are." The camera panned to the other four superheroes. "Please, don't try to stop Total Darkness. Leave that to us. Please stay safe, stay together. If you can get into a basement, or a safe room, please do it. Stay inside, lock your doors, and please, don't lose hope. Parisians are strong, and I know we'll get through this attack. This is Ladybug,"
"Chat Noir,"
"Rena Rouge,"
"Carapace,"
"And Queen Bee,"
"Signing off for now." She flashed a bright smile, and the screens turned back to static.
Back in the bakery Marinette turned off the cellphone and handed it back to Nadja.
"Thank you."
"Do you think it'll work Buggaboo?"
"I'm not sure Chaton, but I'm sure it did something."
"I'm sure that it helped, Marinette." Myline smiled at her friend and stood up from Ivan's side. "I know I feel better already seeing you here. I'm sure others will feel the same." Marinette gazed around the room, looking at all her friends smiling for the first time since she'd gotten there. She did a mental tally to make sure everyone was there, but there was a set of blue eyes missing.
"Juleka, where's Luka?" The quiet girl's face fell as she opened her mouth, but before any words came out Adrien was pushing her down to the floor.
"EVERYONE DOWN!"
The windows exploded, sending twisted chunks of metal, splinters of 2x4, and shards of glass everywhere. Shadows poured into the room, but Marinette didn't see any of it. What she saw was much, much worse.
"Tom, Tom!" Her mother was shaking her father, hands covered in blood. His chest was mangled, a piece of metal was sticking out of his side and his face was imbedded with glass. Marinette's heart stopped, her blood ran cold, and she let out the loudest, most heart wrenching, scream anyone had heard.
"PAPPA!" She was at her mother's side, trying her best to stop the blood that flowed out of her father like a spout, but it wasn't working. Tom coughed as he gripped his daughter's hands.
"Marinette, please," he coughed again and blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth, "take care of your mother. Get her out of here. I know-" he took a deep, shaky breath, "I know you can do it. I love you both. You've got this. Sabine, I love you, protect our baby." The light from his eyes faded and his hands fell limp back onto his chest.
This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. Marinette stood up and wiped the tears away, leaving a trail of blood across her cheeks. Something had to happen. Inside herself, Marinette could feel Tikki crying, but could also feel a calm she didn't think she'd feel in a situation like this. Everyone around her was chaos, Carapace sat in the middle of the room, Shelter activated around the civilians, while Chat, Rena, and Queen Bee danced around the dome, keeping the shadows from reaching them. This was not the way this would end. She WOULD protect her friends, no matter what she had to do. Tikki whispered to her, guiding her through what she had to do next.
Marinette swiped the tears off her cheeks and cupped them in her hands. She whispered to herself, repeating the words Tikki was telling her and the tears began to glow. As Marinette continued to repeat Tikki's words, the light got brighter, and brighter, and soon it was an orb in her hands almost as bright as the sun poking through the clouds. She threw the ball as hard as she could at the shadows attacking the ones she loved. As soon as the orb hit the ground it exploded, spreading across the floor and up the walls, disintegrating the shadows.
"Take everyone to Master Fu!" She told Chat, who nodded his head as he began herding everyone outside. He picked up Tom's limp body and hefted him on his shoulders.
"Are you sure you can do this honey?" Sabine asked softly.
"I'm sure." He gave Sabine a sad smile.
"You're not going, anywhere" Total Darkness stood on the sidewalk, arms folded across his chest.
"I think we are." Queen Bee narrowed her eyes and took a fighting stance.
"No, Bee, you guys need to get them to safety. I'll handle him and meet you at Master's."
"You can't be serious, m'lady!" Chat was wide eyed.
"I think he and I have some things to discuss." She cracked her knuckles. The look in her eyes chilled Adrien to the core, making his skin prickle with goosebumps.
"Please be safe." He placed a quick kiss to her cheek before he led the way with the other three back to Master Fu's.
"What kind of idiot would stay and fight me alone, after I almost killed her before?"
"What kind of idiot would kill the father of a superhero that can, and will, kick his butt?"
"That wasn't originally part of the plan, but whatever gets my point across." Total Darkness shrugged his shoulders, and that sent Marinette into a rage. Marinette body slammed him, knocking him off balance.
And that was how the fight went. Marinette used all the strength she had to keep him from gaining the upper hand, zipping around him on her yo-yo, dancing out of his reach. She split through his shadows, and flowed around him like water, constantly landing blow after blow to the hooded villain. His chest was heaving, she had him on the ropes. Finally she had him tied up with her yo-yo, and walked to him slowly.
"Now, it's time to see who's under this hood." Glowing blue eyes met a stunned Marinette as she looked down at the once friendly face.
"Luka." She whispered, taken by surprise. The young man used this shock to his advantage and broke free of the wire.
"This isn't over. I'll be back to settle this. And when I do, I'll never have to live in anyone else's shadow ever again." He waved his cape around himself, disappearing in a swirl of shadows.
Thursday, August 10th, 6:30 am, Lounging Lotus Teahouse
"Master Fu!" Adrien yelled as he kicked on the door of the Teahouse. The door swung open quickly and everyone fell over the threshold. Master Fu quickly guided Adrien to te spare room Marinette had been sleeping in.
"What happened?"
"Total Darkness exploded the windows of the bakery, and Tom was hit by the shrapnel."
"He was saving me. Adrien knocked down Marinette but I didn't move and he, he pushed me down." Tears began flowing out of her eyes again and Master Fu was quick to get her a small pot of tea brewing. Adrien didn't know what to really do, but he whispered Plagg away and carefully sat beside Sabine. He gently put an arm around her shoulder and Sabine rested her head on his shoulder. She sniffled for a few more minutes until Master Fu came back with their tea. Sabine stared into her cup, counting the leaves floating close to the bottom.
"You know, it tastes even better than it looks." Sabine looked at Adrien and let out a choked laugh. The laugh lines at her eyes crinkled and she covered her mouth and sniffed.
"Tom used to joke like that during times like these. It was one of the reasons I fell in love with him." She sighed and looked at the young boy in front of her. He looked so innocent, but in his eyes she could see the wisdom in them, he was wise beyond his years, a little boy who had to grow up too fast. "Adrien, how do you feel about my daughter?"
"Well, I love her." Adrien said quietly. "I've loved her since I really knew her, it just took me a while to figure it out. She's so amazing, not only is she beautiful on the outside, her inside matches. Her heart is so big, and she's so determined. I know she can do anything she puts her mind to. Sometimes it scares me how determined and hard headed she can be, but once she's got her heart set on getting something, she's going to get it." Sabine smiled into her cup as she took another sip. She may have been mourning her husband, but she was glad to know her and her daughter had a shoulder to cry on. They turned their attention to the door that was opening behind them.
Adrien was up and catching Marinette as she was sinking to her knees, tears flowing down her face in a continuous stream. She shook her head against shoulder and gripped his shirt. About thirty minutes passed before she finally stopped crying. She swiped her face with the back of her hand, and noticed that at some point she must have demiraculatized because she was back in her normal clothes.
"I'm sorry, I got snot on your shirt." She muttered into his shoulder. Adrien responded with a kiss to the top of her head and rubbed circles on her back.
"It's okay, it just means that this is a Marinette Dupain-Cheng original." The girl in his arms giggled and he felt a weight lift off his heart.
"I'm glad to see you're laughing, Marinette." Master Fu smiled at the girl and placed a soft hand on her back.
"Master Fu, will my healing magic bring him back? It fixes everything else." The sound of desperation in her voice made Adrien's heart clench and he pulled her tighter to his chest.
"I-I don't know, Marinette. I wish I could give you a solid answer, but I can not." His voice broke as well as he looked into her heartbroken blue eyes. She squeezed them tight and nodded her head.
"I understand, Master Fu, it's a long shot but, I just know I'll bring him back when this is all over." She rose to her feet slowly. "But now it's time to talk to Juleka."
"Why?"
"Luka is Total Darkness, and I need to know what happened."
Marinette walked into the dining area of the teahouse and sat next to Juleka and Rose.
"What happened to Luka, Juleka?" The quiet girl sunk her shoulders into her spine and hung her head.
"Don't be mad at him, it's not his fault."
"Juleka, I could never be mad at Luka. I just need to know what happened so we can help him."
"Well... the other day he was on his way to your house, he had written you a song. He was going to tell you how he felt about you, but when he got there he saw you and Adrien together in the bakery window and he got so upset. Next thing I know the guy in the hood burst out of his room and then I saw him on the news."
"Luka likes me? Like, like-likes me?" Marinette asked confused.
"Yeah, he knew you had feelings for Adrien, but after that double date you went on with Adrien and Kagami he thought he had a chance."
"Oh my goodness! I didn't even know! I caused this akuma attack, and now one of my friends is lost in there. What am I going to do?" Marinette pulled on her ponytails in frustration.
"You're going to get help." Master Fu said as he padded into the room, Miraculous Box in hand. He set it down on the table in front of her.
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, pick an ally you can trust to fight alongside you on this mission. Choose wisely, such powers are meant to serve the greater good. Once the mission is over, you will retrieve the Miraculous from them and return it to me. Do you have someone in mind, Marinette?" Marinette held her hand above the rest of the Miraculous before she took the whole box.
"I'm going to need all the help I can get." Marinette opened the Miraculous box. "I need everyone." As Marinette was about to begin passing out the Miraculous, a knock on the door interrupted them. Master Fu carefully opened the door, whispering to the person on the other side. He opened the door and let the visitor in.
"Nathalie?" Adrien asked utterly confused.
"Hello, Adrien. Your father sent me to bring you home."
A/N
Welp, there it is. The newest chapter. Happy New Year everyone!