CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

SECOND RATERS

Nino swore he felt a slight chill in the air, but when he opened his eyes and squinted up at the sky, the sun was still up. There wasn't a single cloud to be seen.

He sighed and leaned back on his hands to soak in the warm rays. C'mon, Nino, you're always jumping at everything, he scolded himself. Stop worrying so much. Aly's fine.

He heard Tikki sighing happily from her spot on the picnic tablecloth. She rubbed her tummy from all the cookies she ate. "I never would have thought that being lazy could feel just as good as being free," she mused.

Plagg yawned beside her. "Yep. This is the life, eh, Sugarcube?" he said, glancing over at Tikki.

The ladybug kwami sat up straight and frowned at him. "Plagg, I've already told you not to call me that," Tikki complained hotly. "Do you ever hear me calling you Stinkysock in public?"

"No, but you should," the kwami of mischief said with a flirtatious, fanged grin. "That would be delightful, Sugarcube."

Tikki let out a small, "Ughhh..." and fell back onto her back before rolling onto her side.

Nino chuckled. And I thought Adrien and Mari were an adorable couple.

Wayzz was humming to himself on top of Master Fu's head, while the Guardian was sipping peacefully at his tea.

Nino caught the old man's jade bracelet glistening in the sunlight, and a thought occurred to him. "Hey, Master Fu?" the boy asked. "I've been meaning to ask you about that bracelet."

The Guardian paused and looked over at him curiously, waiting for Nino to continue.

Nino sat upright, placing his hands in his lap. "You seem to wear it all the time, and it's the same colour as Wayzz," he noted. "Is it a Miraculous too?"

Master Fu smiled and held the bracelet out in front of him. "It used to be," he said. "I was not that much older than you when I first met Wayzz. He was once bound to this very bracelet, forced to obey his masters' wishes."

Wayzz bent his head down slightly, as though the memory of that time still haunted him.

Tikki was listening in on the conversation, and she nodded grimly. "I know how that feels," she murmured.

"I saw such a power as an abuse of Wayzz's knowledge and abilities," Master Fu went on, "so I took the Miraculous... and I set him free. It was the first and only wish I ever made."

Nino's eyes widened. "Really?" he asked. "And Turtle Man stuck with you ever since?"

Wayzz's green-and-yellow eyes brightened, and he hovered over to the boy. "Actually, no," he explained. "I left Agreste to explore other parts of the world. But over the years, I never forgot Master Fu's kindness. By the time I came back, he was much older... and much wiser. Apparently, his act of releasing me inspired him to become a Guardian. That's when I decided to stick with him."

"Wow..." Nino breathed, moved by the turtle kwami's words. He looked over at Master Fu again. "Is that why you chose Marinette to wear the earrings? Because you knew she would be the one to set Tikki free?"

Master Fu shook his head. "I did not choose her, Nino – the Miraculous did." He set his teacup down and stared up at the sky as though he could see something Nino couldn't. "Destiny is like an invisible string that pulls and tugs at you of its own volition." He smiled at Nino. "All we can do is go along with it, and decide for ourselves how we want to make the most of it."

Nino looked away, deep in thought. "Hmm... Maybe it was Alya's destiny to become a hero," he said as he leaned back on his palms. Something like gloom appeared on his face. "Just like Adrien and Mari."

"And you," Wayzz added.

Nino snorted. "C'mon, Turtle Man. I'm no hero. I can't fight to save myself, let alone my friends."

It wasn't a topic he liked to bring up: the night he tried to stand up against Volpina. He could still remember hearing Alya screaming at him to run, feeling every bone and muscle in his body being turned to stone, and watching his whole world go dark and cold.

Then he recalled what Alya had said the previous night: I try to be a hero, and it... blows up in my face.

Nino had almost told her then, that he knew what it felt like to fail his friends like that.

Wayzz patted him on the shoulder. "A hero isn't determined by their strength and skill," he said, "but by their courage and the love they bear for those they protect. And you, Nino, have always been a protector."

Nino blinked at that with surprise. "I have?"

The turtle kwami nodded. "When Adrien ran away, you went with him. When Marinette almost drowned, you saved her life. When Alya decided to keep Trixx a secret, you stood by her. See? You don't have to be a fighter to be a hero."

Master Fu nodded in agreement. "He's right, Nino," he said softly. "A shield can have as much power as any sword."

"Huh..." Nino said, his mouth curling with amazement. "I never really thought of it that way before." He dipped his head at Wayzz. "Thanks, little man."

At that moment, Plagg flew up between them, carrying a fat chicken leg. "So, uh... Who wants a drumstick?" he asked casually.

"Ooh, don't mind if I do." Master Fu happily accepted the leg from the black-cat kwami.

Nino was about to reach for one himself when something caught his eye: a little, black bulge with several legs crawling onto an apple.

Another one appeared on the teapot, followed by a few more on the plate of cookies.

"What the –?" Nino began before he saw something that made him cry out in terror.

A massive wave of black spiders emerged out of nowhere, making their way over the picnic towards the group. They swallowed every bit of food and crockery in their path.

Tikki screamed and flew up into the air, pupils thinned. "Spiders!"

Nino leapt to his feet and quickly helped Master Fu do the same before the swarm reached them. Plagg and Wayzz flew up beside Tikki, panicking.

"Oh, my goodness!" Master Fu cried startlingly.

"My cheddar cheese!" Plagg wailed before his eyes went all feral. Then he rubbed his paws together, and they blazed with electric-green light. "Stand back! This could get ugly," he growled.

Nino was more than happy to obey.

He, the Guardian, and the other two kwamis watched as Plagg unleashed a wave of destructive magic from his paws. They disintegrated the spiders instantaneously in one broad sweep, turning them all into nothing but shimmering black dust.

"Eww," Tikki shuddered.

Nino smiled with relief... until he saw the dust move. On its own.

Like tendrils of smoke, they drew away from the ruined picnic spot and curled up together into a small twister.

The sun vanished suddenly, pitching the gardens into darkness, and the sky dimmed from bright-blue to bruise-purple... then red. Red like rubies, or blood.

Wait a minute...

Nino knew what was coming with a horrific pounding in his gut before the twister morphed into the shape of a human being. It was a woman, with long, brown hair and hateful, green eyes that seemed to flare with fire beneath that orange mask.

Tikki and Plagg shrieked and dove behind Nino. At the same time, the former manservant shoved Master Fu behind him, his brown eyes growing cold despite the shock rippling through him.

No way!

Master Fu was the first to say the intruder's name, and he spoke it with calm contempt: "Volpina."

The evil sorceress smiled at him sourly. "Master Guardian," she hummed. "I never got the chance to thank you for directing me to the Chosen One all those months ago." Her dark-green eyes narrowed with displeasure, and she started picking at her claw-like nails. "Though, personally, I would have preferred a different girl with a heart of gold... and far less ambition."

Nino tried to keep his head cool and his voice even. "What do you want, you witch?" he bit at her.

Meanwhile, his thoughts flew to Adrien. He was still inside the palace, probably exchanging jokes with Marinette's parents. He has no idea! I have to get to him, before –!

Volpina tsked at Nino. "Still disrespectful to your superiors, I see," she noted as she began pacing around the group.

Nino pivoted around to keep himself between the sorceress and his friends.

"Sorry to spoil your little picnic," Volpina continued, "but I have major plans underway: a certain blunette to get revenge on, a kingdom to conquer..." Her tone lowered to that of a snake-like hiss. "... and I can't have any free kwamis mucking about ruining my plans."

Wayzz quivered. Plagg gulped. Tikki sounded like she was hyperventilating.

Sweat beaded down Nino's brow, but he smirked. "Well, hate to be the one to uphold your "major plans"," he said, folding his arms, "but Marinette's not here. You just missed her."

The sorceress giggled at that. "On the contrary, I'm the one hosting the party for her and our gracious king. Oh, and that snivelling street rat you're apparently dating, but who's counting her?"

Nino's blood froze over. "What?" he gasped. "You know?"

The answer hit him so suddenly it made him reel back. No, she couldn't... She didn't! But it was the only way it all made sense.

Plagg was the only one brave enough to speak it into being. "Trixx!" he hissed. "That sneaky fox set them up!"

Tikki gasped behind Nino.

Master Fu didn't seem fazed at all by the new revelation. "I sincerely doubt she had much of a choice," he said, glaring at Volpina.

The sorceress scoffed at him. "So what if she didn't? It won't change a thing. Now then..." She looked down her nose at Nino. "Where, pray tell, is my darling Adrikins?"

"Once again, you underestimate me," Nino snapped, raising his fists at her. "I'm not the kind of person who sells out friends, especially to psychopaths." He hoped Master Fu and the kwamis would take the hint and flee back to the palace to warn Adrien while Nino held the sorceress off.

Volpina's look was venomous. "You would be wise to reconsider those words, serving boy," she snarled.

Tikki huffed and flew up in front of Nino. "Rule Number One," she stated bravely. "A kwami bound to its Miraculous can't kill anybody."

Volpina acted before Nino could do anything.

The witch's hands turned into the faces of twin dragons, and they shot a combined stream of fire at Tikki.

Nino spun around to shield Master Fu from the searing heat. Thankfully, his back didn't get burned, but he was more worried about Tikki.

When he turned back, the ladybug kwami was completely charred and black, and her three antennae were crinkled.

Tikki let out a violent cough, and rings of smoke blew out of her mouth. "But you'd be surprised what you can live through," she wheezed before she fainted.

Nino caught her gently in his conjoined palms.

An amused cackle sounded from Volpina, and she placed her hands on her hips. "You always were good for a laugh," she mused at Tikki with a sneer.

Nino glared up at the witch, wanting so much to wipe that grin off her face.

But Plagg beat him to it. "Oh, yeah?!" he bellowed as he flew up front, his entire body charging up with green-and-black light. Then, like a storm of terror and destruction, Plagg struck.

BAM! SCHTZZ! KABOOM!

One black bolt after another hit Volpina, who cringed as smoke and fire enveloped her. Thankfully, it only took three strikes, and then the witch was gone. All that remained of her was a sizzling, black scorch-mark on the grass.

Plagg panted heavily, as though the attack had drained him.

Tikki, who recovered instantly thanks to her magic, flew over to him and patted him on the back in comfort.

Nino glanced around. The sky was still red, and an eerie feeling was creeping up his spine. Something wasn't right here.

But Plagg didn't seem to think so. "Aha!" he called out triumphantly, puffing out his chest and showing off the muscles in his little arms. "Who's laughing now?"

"Plagg," Wayzz said with a warning in his tone, "I don't think you –"

Everyone stiffened when a nightmarish, wicked laugh resounded across the garden. Then, in the blink of an eye, Volpina reappeared out of a pillar of orange flame.

"– got her," Wayzz squeaked.

Nino crouched back into a defensive stance, glaring back at the sorceress.

"You kwamis are more amusing than I thought," Volpina stated. "You can't destroy me anymore than I can destroy you." She took a step forward, and the others stepped back simultaneously. "You can try to zap me with all your power, snap me in the hardest trap, or cut me down to ribbons... and I'll just keep coming back at you."

Behind Nino, Master Fu spoke in the faintest whisper, "When I say "now", get him out of here."

Nino kept looking straight at Volpina, but his thoughts raced. Does he mean me?

"I may not have been a kwami for as long as you three have," Volpina continued, glancing between Tikki, Plagg, and Wayzz, "but I have learned quite a lot during my... absence. For instance..." Something pink and bubble-like appeared in her open hand. "... how best to trap a kwami."

"Now!" Master Fu shouted as he shoved Nino aside.

"Master, no!" the boy cried before Tikki's magic enveloped him and lifted him off his feet.

Thunder cracked through the air, and a blinding, green flash erupted between the Great Guardian and the evil sorceress.

At the same time, something like hard concrete wrapped itself around Nino's body, freezing him in place and squeezing him until he couldn't breathe. He cried out in pain, and he heard Tikki screaming. Plagg and Wayzz sounded like they were try to fight off the spell, but their efforts were futile.

The ice inside Nino melted into water, and he stared incredulously at Volpina, who had her hand raised to shield her from Master Fu's beam of light.

She managed to defend herself... and stop Nino and the kwamis at the same time!

Master Fu's eyes were wide with shock, and a drop of sweat ran down his brow. "How...?" he breathed.

Volpina laughed again, her eyes hysterical. "You were foolish to think you could overpower me, old man," she boasted to Master Fu. "I have ultimate, unlimited power, and you..." She shook her head at him with pity. "You're only second rate."

Nino gritted his teeth, and not just from the painful magic keeping him in place. "Leave... him... alone!" he yelled.

Volpina acknowledged him coldly. "You never learn."

She lifted one finger... and the world exploded.

Then, everything went dark.

When Nino awoke, he caught the scent of death in the air.

Panicking, he jerked upright, only to wince at the tug of iron against his wrists, both of which were hanging up over his head. His legs were cramped from having stood on them for so long.

Nino tried to steady his breathing as he took in his new surroundings: a dark, dank room made entirely of black stone. Iron-barred windows let in some of the afternoon daylight, but the place still had a wicked feel to it. Torches hung on the walls, and a single wooden door sat on the far side of the chamber. The roof went up into a pyramid-like triangle, reminding Nino of a gaping mouth.

He knew where he was: the palace dungeons, or one of them, at least. Nino and Adrien had snuck in once, on a dare. Nathalie had never been so furious at the boys, but it had been worth it.

It wasn't until Nino's vision adjusted to the shadows when he saw a table not far from him. A large, pink orb sat upon it, secured within a metal holder that looked like three dragons holding the orb with their tails.

Something tapped at the orb from the inside, and that's when Nino saw them.

"Tikki!" he cried. "Plagg! Wayzz!"

The three kwamis stared at him from within their prison, their faces gloomy and frightened.

Newfound panic arose in Nino's stomach. "Where's Master Fu?" he said, his voice echoing off the stones.

"I'm right here," came a soft, dismal voice from the adjacent wall across from him. When Nino looked, the Great Guardian was also chained to the wall.

Nino sighed with relief. "Are you all right? I saw that light, and then Volpina..."

"She used her power to transport us all here," Master Fu explained with a defeated tone, "and the force of it knocked us both out. She probably meant to do that, so I couldn't use my magic to save the kwamis." He glanced over at the orb with sadness. "Forgive me, my friends. I've failed you... again."

Suddenly, the door screeched open, and a cold laugh reverberated off the walls.

Nino stiffened. That was not Volpina. It sounded like...

"Despairing, isn't it?" came a tenor voice with a thick accent, and a slim figure stepped out of the shadows. "To realize that all your efforts led to nothing. Now you know my shame."

Nino recognised that voice long before he saw the man, and his brown eyes blazed with hate. "D'Argencourt," he growled.

The figure bowed, his black-and-red armour clinking as he moved. Though Nino couldn't see his face beneath that helmet, he knew it was him.

"I prefer Darkblade, if you don't mind," D'Argencourt said.

Nino shrugged coolly. "Nah, I prefer traitor."

The black knight harrumphed. "If we're exchanging opinions, I'd say your king and his princely brat are the real traitors," he spat. "Them and their ancestors, and all their righteous ways. That crane-woman probably never told you, but Agreste was founded on the grounds of war and conquest. My family shed their blood in the name of their kings, and how were they repaid for it? Honours, meagre titles, sometimes a bit of gold on the side."

Darkblade's voice darkened. "But we were Agreste's rightful leaders, undefeated and unmatched. Gabriel's ancestors took that glory from us." He leaned closer to Nino, his red visor glowing. "And tonight, I intend to take it back."

Nino tried not to look concerned, but he did anyway. Adrien, he thought. If he wasn't here in the dungeon, perhaps he had managed to escape.

"Ahem..."

Nino and Darkblade looked over to see Volpina leaning in the doorway.

"This is all very enlightening," the witch said with a yawn, "but it'll have to wait. Come, Darkblade." She glanced over at her prisoners with glowing, yellow eyes. "We have many more lives to ruin."

Darkblade bowed one last time before heading for the doorway.

Tikki, Plagg, and Wayzz were batting and slamming against the inside of the magic orb, but they couldn't make a dent. Their mouths opened and closed furiously, but no sounds came out.

Nino, however, would not be silenced. "Get back here, you jinx-flinging weasel!" he yelled, stamping his feet hard onto the stony ground. "If you do anything to my friends, I'll –!"

The witch sneered at him. "Relax, lover boy, you'll see your girlfriend again soon enough." She turned her back to him and said lowly, "The same won't be said for Adrikins and his beloved, I'm afraid."

Her throaty giggle vibrated long after the two villains slipped back into the darkness and slammed the door behind them.

Nino's thoughts flew to the king... and Alya. Astruc damn me, I should've gone with her!

And Marinette... Nino knew what it would do to Adrien if anything happened to her.

But there was nothing he could do, save for wriggling around until the skin peeled off his wrists.

MB: Bits of Volpina's lines were inspired by the song "You're Only Second Rate", sung by the one and only Jonathan Freeman from The Return of Jafar (I do not own any of it).

Now... time for the real, evil fun to begin. Mwahaha!