Thanks for the all the reviews, favourites and follows so far. And since it is Monday again, chapter 3 is here and there's finally some action. Enjoy the reading ;)
Chapter 3: The fight begins
Marinette and alya were strolling through the botanic garden, when they were disturbed by loud screams and a lot of people were running their way.
„Why all this commotion? What's happening?" Alya stopped the first person who was running around them.
„C-carnivorous plants." The poor woman was out of breath. „They are gigantic and they are eating anyone they come across." She said, and she continued on running away.
„Could it be...?!" Marinette's senses were telling her it was an alert but she couldn't leave just now. She had to make sure Alya will be safe first.
However her friend's eyes were shining with excitement. „Oh this is just great. Marinette you have to be an amulet of good fortune. This is the second time that I'm on the scene before Ladybug or Chat Noir and again it's thanks to you."
„Alya, this is no time to fool around! Didn't you hear that woman?! Whatever's coming, it is dangerous and apparently, it's eating people. You'll get into trouble."
„I'm a reporter. That's an occupational hazard. But you can go if you are scared."
„You're not one YET! And there's no way I'm leaving you here!"
While they were arguing, the plants came closer, and they were only meters away from them when they finally noticed them.
„Maybe you were right. This things don't seem to be very friendly." Alya gulped, as they witnessed another victim being eaten.
„I don't know about you, but I'm definitely not staying here to find out how those flowers look from inside."
Alya nodded as an answer, and they both fled as fast as they could. On their way Marinette told they should split and she told her best friend to go on a way, which led to the exit. She herself hid behind the nearest corner and opened her bag to let her kwami out.
„A new akumatized person appeared here. We've got a job to do. Tikki, spots on!"
Adrien was on his photo shoot, when he registered the sounds of screaming and panic from the direction of the botanic garden. He quickly made an excuse to distance himself and left to find a place where no one would see him.
„Plagg, come out, I need you to transform me."
„Seriously, every single day. Why can't a kwami have a free week or something like that."
„Stop saying that crap. This is serious. My senses are telling me that something's not right."
„I can tell you that too. I've been feeling this strange presence for a little while now. It's probably a new akuma."
„Then there's no time to waste. Plagg, Claws out!"
Ladybug was doing everything she could to stop the plants from eating any more people. In fact, that was probably the only thing she could do now, because the plants weren't affected that much by her attacks, and the villain was nowhere to be found, which really bothered her. Not that she wouldn't have her hands full even without him, she just had a bad feeling about this whole situation. However, she didn't have much time to think about it as one of the flowers caught another victims and was about to eat them. Ladybug managed to save them in the last minute though.
„Seriously, I'm getting tired of this." She thought and she really meant it. The plants were attacking more aggressively each time and – what was even worse – more of them attacked at once. In the next moment, Maarinnete found herself deflecting the leaves of one plant from the front, while jumping back to dodge another two. And it was too late to do anything when she realized another one was attacking from the back. She would've been caught for sure, if Chat Noir didn't jump in to deflect that attack.
„Seems like I came just in time again, My Lady." He looked back and winked.
„It's certainly great that you finally decided to show yourself." The heroin said sarcastically, but still thanked him right afterwards.
„So, what's the problem today?" Chat was looking around.
„Carnivorous plants. Beware of their leaves, they use it to attack or grab their victims. I still haven't seen the villain though."
„Kinda fishy. I don't like it even though cats are supposed to like fish."
„Stop with your stupid jokes right now. We're in quite a ..."
„Well, well...who have we got here?" Someone cut in the middle of her sentence. „My name is Gardener, and I'm pleased you came here. But, on the other hand, I knew you'd come. There's nothing that can lure a bug as well as a carnivorous plant."
„Why are you doing this?" Ladybug tried to talk to him, as she usually did with the akumatized.
„Why? To be acknowledged as the world's best botanist. They won't be able to deny my ac-complishments any more. Not with this beauty I've created." He gently petted one of the plants.
„But why are you making that thing eat other people?"
„Because, every plant needs some nutrient, of course. And besides, they were all in the way or too annoying. But it shouldn't be your concern, since you're going to join them soon."
„We'll see about that." Chat Noir grinned and grabbed his baton more tightly.
„Wanna, bet? Then come, but you won't stand a chance. Hahaha Eat them, my flowers!" The Gardener shouted, and – once again – threw around a handful of seeds.
„Is it just my imagination or these plants really grow a little bit too fast." Ladybug gulped.
„Well, if your imagination is the same as mine, then yes." Chat said before having to doge.
The next few minutes they spent mostly avoiding being hit or caught and only occasionally were they able to attempt to attack the Gardener, who meanwhile created more plants.
„There's no end to them." Chat Noir growled. „If this goes on much longer, we will be too exhausted to fight."
„True. We are at a disadvantage when we fight something, that doesn't feel fatigue."
„How about we finished this. I think I have an idea as to where the akuma might be."
„Couldn't agree more with you. And I think I know too. He's taking all those seeds out of his bag, so that's probably what we should destroy."
„So...I distract him while you use your lucky charm?"
„That would be really nice of you." Ladybug winked.
„Already on the job, My Lady. Cataclysm!" The cat hero dashed forward to give his partner some time, destroying any of the carnivorous plant that got in his way with his superpower.
Meanwhile Ladybug hid behind the nearest tree and activated hers only to be surprised when a remote control fell into her hands.
„Now Gardener, attack them while they are separate!" Hawk Moth adviced telepathically.
„As you wish." The villain answered and turned to Chat Noir. „Do you really think you'll accomplish something by destroying them. You know I can create any number of new ones." And he did just as he had said. New plants popped up from the ground, and on Gardener's command they attacked, but this time also with their roots, which none of the two heroes expected. Chat Noir got completely tangled, because he had jumped to attack, while Ladybug was caught of guard trying to find out how to defeat the enemy, and the plant grabbed her leg from underground and lifted her high into the air, causing her to lose the lucky charm. Encouraged by the situation, Gardener gave an order to the plant holding Ladybug, which then slowly pulled her closer, above it's „mouth" and then dropped her.
In that moment, the only thing that could be heard was Chat Noir's horrified: „Nooooooooo," as he witnessed his partner get eaten while being unable to do anything.
Dudududuuun. Now I've done it. I've finished a chapter with a cliffhanger. Did I ever mention I liked to use them :P Hope you liked it and that you will continue to follow the story.
Also, I know that I've posted this with the previous chapter, but maybe someone didn't notice. I've drawn a really sketchy picture of the villain and his flower for my personal reference but I'll post a link to it here if you would like to see anyway:
h t t p: slash slash sta dot sh slash 01qj889ctgd1 (sorry for this "code" but it wouldn't let me put it in otherwise :P)
As I've said, it's really sketchy, because I didn't want to work on the details when I was drawing it for my personal purpose and reference, but maybe one day I'll draw a proper version.