Story Part 2
Lady clung to Chat as they started walking through the Fire Swamp.
"It's not that bad. I'm not saying I'd like to build a summer home here but the trees are quite lovely," Chat says before Lady gave him a look that said 'You've got to be kidding me.' They could hear popping sound before fire spurted from the ground, catching the bottom of Ladybug's dress on fire. Chat quickly tore that part of the dress off and left it on the ground to burn. "Well now, that was an adventure." They begin walking again when they hear the popping again. Chat picks up Ladybug and moves her to his other side just as another pillar of flame flamed up. "Well, one thing is for sure. The Fire Swamp certainly keeps you on your toes." He continues to lead her through the dangerous place, a Rodent of unusual size watched them for a bit from a branch before it continued onwards. "This will all soon be but a happy memory because Roberts' ship "Revenge" is anchored at the far end. And I, as you know, am Roberts."
"How? Hasn't Roberts been invading the sea for 20 years? You only left me five years ago." Ladybug was confused so Chat decided to explain further.
"I am often surprised of life's little quirks." Popping was heard and Chat picked her up again before placing her back on her feet after the small pillar of fire stopped. "You see, what I told you before about saying 'please' was true. It intrigued Roberts, as did my descriptions of your beauty." Chat uses his staff to whack down some nasty vines. "Finally, Roberts decided something. He said, 'All right, Chat Noir, I've never had a valet. You can try it for tonight. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.' Three years he said that. 'Good night, Chat Noir. Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.' It was a fine time for me. I was learning to fence, to fight, anything anyone would teach me. And Roberts and I eventually became friends. And then it happened." Chat picked up Ladybug to go over a rickety tree branch that rested over some swamp water. "Well, Roberts had grown so rich, he wanted to retire. So he took me to his cabin and told me his secret. 'I am not the Dread Pirate Roberts,' he said. 'My name is Kim. I inherited this ship from the previous Dread Pirate Roberts, just as you will inherit it from me. The man I inherited it from was not the real Dread Pirate Roberts, either. His name was Fu. The real Roberts has been retired fifteen years and living like a king in Patagonia.' Then he explained the name was the important thing for inspiring the necessary fear. You see, no one would surrender to the Dread Pirate Chat." They had finally crossed the pond and he placed her on her feet again. "So we sailed ashore, took on an entirely new crew and he stayed aboard for a while as first mate, all the time calling me Roberts. Once the crew believed, he left the ship and I have been Roberts ever since. Except, now that we're together, I shall retire and hand the name over to someone else. Is everything clear to you?" Ladybug was about to answer when the ground below her fell through. She had been captured by Lightning Sand and was quickly sinking. By the time Chat had grabbed a sturdy vine, Ladybug could no longer be seen. He dived in, the vine trailing behind him, and stayed under for a long period of time. Another rodent passes by, this one sniffing the Lightning Sand before moving on out of sight. Suddenly, Chat bursts out, Lady across his shoulders, panting for air as he uses the vine to pull them both out. They are both still covered in sand as they finally reach safety. Chat sets her on a tree branch and begins to try to clean her off. A noise catches his attention and he looks around, momentarily distracted from his lady, and sees the rodent on a low branch. Lady's eyes flutter open and Chat returns to tending to her.
"We are never going to make it out alive," Ladybug grumbles as she returns to her feet.
"That just isn't true, M'Lady," Chat protested before leading her onwards. "I mean, what are the three terrors of the Fire Swamp? One, the flame spurts. No problem. There's a popping sound preceding each, we can avoid that. Two, the Lightning Sand. But you were clever enough to discover what that looks like, so in the future we can avoid that too."
"Chat, what about the R. O. U. S. 's?" Lady asked.
"Rodents of unusual size? I don't think they exist…" The moment he finished that thought, a large rodent attacks him, knocking him to the ground. Ladybug screams in fright and freezes up as she watched Chat fight the beast. When she finally gathered her nerves again, she grabbed Chat's staff, which had flown out of his reach, and hit the creature with all her might, sending it into the Lightning Sand. They make it the rest of the way through the Fire Swamp and sees a beach in the distance. "Now, that wasn't so terrible, was it?" Chat says smugly as they quicken their pace. Nathaniel on his horse, Hawkmoth beside him. Three warriors, armed and ready, are mounted in formation behind. Ladybug and Chat Noir are at the edge of the Fire Swamp, about to leave it. They stop. Ladybug looks beyond exhausted while Chat looks far worse. However, his appearance doesn't stop him from placing himself in front of his lady.
"Surrender!" Hawkmoth orders. Chat and Lady could see the bay just out of reach.
"You mean you wish to surrender to me?" Chat says smugly. "Very well, I accept." Lady does her best to hide her laughter at her familiar's antics.
"I give you full marks for bravery -don't make yourself a fool," Hawkmoth warned, growing wary of the blond. Yet he was curious about the cat ears on his head.
"Ah, but how will you capture us? We know the secrets of the Fire Swamp. We can live there quite happily for some time. So, whenever you feel like dying, feel free to visit."
"I tell you once again - surrender!"
"It will never happen!"
As the males argue, Ladybug took a look around and noticed a hidden armed guard with a crossbow aimed at Chat's heart. No. Two men. No. Three.
"DEATH FIRST!" Chat yelled, catching Ladybug's attention again. Her heart lurched and she spoke before she could stop herself.
"Will you promise not to hurt him?"
"What was that?" Nathaniel asked, having been too preoccupied with the argument.
"If we surrender, and I return with you, will you promise not to hurt this man?" Ladybug said more calmly this time. Nathaniel nodded, answering for Hawkmoth. "He is a sailor on the pirate ship "Revenge." Promise to return him to his ship."
"It will be done, Princess Ladybug," Prince Nathaniel answered. Ladybug and Chat turned to each other as the guards gathered and exited the trees.
"I thought you were dead once, and it almost destroyed me. I could not bear it if you died again, not when I could save you," Ladybug said to her love. Before either could say any more, Nathaniel pulled her onto his horse and rode off. Hawkmoth and Chat just stood there, staring at each other for a while.
"Come, sir. We must get you to your ship," Hawkmoth said.
"We are men of action. Lies do not become us," Chat answered back.
"Well spoken, sir." Chat took another look at the advisor and noticed a purple butterfly brooch holding his collar together. The cat man could also sense a dark power with the man, making him very wary. "What is it?"
"You wear a purple butterfly brooch. I met someone recently who was looking for you." Hawkmoth clubs him on the head, knocking the familiar out.
"Take him back to Florin and throw him in the Pit of Despair," Hawkmoth orders his soldiers before following the prince and princess. When Chat woke up, he was chained to a table in the Pit of Despair. A woman in rags with black hair tied in a bun and red bangs entered the room with a bowl and rag. She walked up to him and began to clean his wounds.
"Where am I?" Chat asked.
"In the Pit of Despair," she says in a husky voice. She coughs and clears her throat. "Don't even think about trying to escape. The chains are far too thick. And don't dream of being rescued either. The only way in is secret. And only Hawkmoth and I know how to get in and out," Natalie said, continuing with her medical treatment.
"Then I'm here until I die?"
"Until he kills you, yes."
"Then why bother curing me?"
"He always insist on everyone being healthy before they're broken. It's a torture thing."
"I can cope with torture." Natalie shakes her head. "What? You don't believe me?"
"Oh no. You came through the Fire Swamp. You must be very brave… but no one can stand Hawkmoth's machine. It's magically together too." Meanwhile, Ladybug walks through the palace corridors in a daze. She so desperately wanted to return to her kitty and was thinking of ways to do so. As she passed an intersection in the corridors, she also passed Nathaniel and Hawkmoth.
"She's been like that since the Fire Swamp," Nathaniel observed.
"It's because of your father's failing health," Hawkmoth reassured.
"Of course," the prince said, not believing a word. He knew the look she and the man in black shared. It was the same one his parents gave to each other. Nathaniel could tell they were lovers and, based on the cat ears, he suspects he was her familiar before she turned him humanoid.
MLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLML
"The King died that very night, and before the following dawn, Ladybug and Nathaniel were married. And at noon, she met her subjects again. This time as their Queen. Nathaniel began his announcement: 'My father's final words were…'" Adrien interrupted Plagg's story.
"Hold on a minute, Plagg. You've got to be telling the story wrong. Ladybug can't marry Nath! Sure Nathaniel is a good guy and all but still! Lady and Chat love each other! It wouldn't be fair!"
"Kid, I never said and will never say that life is fair. Life isn't always fair, kid. Now do you want me to continue the story or not?" Adrien nodded and Plagg continued. "Nathaniel began his announcement: 'My father's final words were "love her as I loved her, and there will be joy." I present to you your Queen. Queen Ladybug.' Ladybug emerges into the courtyard where a very large crowd, this one much larger than the last, had gathered. Ladybug watches with a blank stare as everyone began to bow before her. Booing is heard and Ladybug begins to track down who it was. She found a headstrong woman named Alix as the source of the booing. 'Why do you do this?' Ladybug asks. Alix replies with 'Because you had love in your hands, and you gave it up.' Ladybug became confused at her remark. 'They would have killed him if I hadn't done it,' Ladybug protested, but Alix fought back. 'Your true love lives and you marry another,' Alix complains, 'True love saved her in the Fire Swamp, and she treated it like garbage. And that's what she is, the Queen of Refuse! So, bow down to her if you want. Bow to her. Bow to the Queen of Slime, the Queen of Filth, the Queen of Putrescence. Boo! Boo! Rubbish! Filth! Slime! Muck! Boo! Boo!'"
"Come on, Plagg. Alix would never say anything so mean," Adrien defended. Plagg just shushed him and continued, making the boy roll his eyes.
"Alix began to advance on Ladybug, her booing growing louder. Nobody moved to stop Alix as Ladybug began to panick. Alix then reached for the witch's throat when Ladybug woke up from her nightmare. It was ten days till the wedding. The King still lived, but Ladybug's nightmares were growing steadily worse."
"SEE!" Adrien cheered. "Didn't I tell you she wouldn't marry Nathaniel?!"
"Yes, you're very smart. Now shut up."
MLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLML
Ladybug burst into Nathaniel's chambers, Hawkmoth standing beside the prince. Ladybug never liked Hawkmoth since the beginning. She could feel the evil mixed into his powers and didn't like, or trust, him one bit. However, she did not enter this chamber because of the wizard.
"It comes to this: I love Chat Noir," Ladybug announces. "I always have. I know now I always will. If you tell me I must marry you in ten days, please believe I will be dead by morning."
"I could never cause you grief," Nathaniel answered. "Consider our wedding off. You returned this Chat Noir to his ship?"
"Yes," Hawkmoth lied.
"Then we will simply alert him. Beloved, are you certain he still wants you? After all, it was you who did the leaving in the Fire Swamp. Not to mention that pirates are not known to be men of their words," Nathaniel said, not knowing if his suspicions are right about this Chat guy.
"Pirates may be so, but familiars can never lie to their witches. My Chat will always come for me," Ladybug said with much confidence while confirming Nathaniel's suspicions.
"I suggest a deal," Hawkmoth intervened. "You write four copies of a letter. I'll send the prince's four fastest ships. One in each direction. The Dread Pirate Roberts is always close to Florin this time of year. We'll run up the white flag and deliver your message. If Chat Noir wants you, bless you both. If not ... please consider Prince Nathaniel as an alternative to suicide. Are we agreed?" She nods but knows that if Chat did not come for her, she would die. Whether it be by her hand or a broken heart, she did not know. Later that day, Hawkmoth went out and met with Natalie in woods filled with heavily knotted trees.
"The Princess is really a winning creature. A trifle simple, perhaps, but her appeal is undeniable," Sabrina said, following Hawkmoth.
"Oh, I know. The people are quite taken with her. It's odd, but when I hired Chloe to have her murdered on their engagement day, I thought that was clever. But it's going to be so much more moving when I strangle her on their wedding night. Once Guilder is blamed, the nation will be truly outraged. They'll demand we go to war," Hawkmoth schemed as they moved deeper into the woods. He stops at one tree and begins searching. "Now, where is that secret knot? It's impossible to find." Finding the knot on the tree he hits it, and it opens, revealing a staircase leading underground. "Are you coming down into the Pit? Chat's got his strength back. I am starting him on The Machine tonight."
"Hawkmoth, you know how much I love watching you work. But, I've got the country's five hundredth anniversary to plan, the prince and princess's wedding to arrange, your schedule to murder his wife, and finding a way to frame Guilder. I'm swamped," Natalie complained.
"Get some rest - if you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything," Hawkmoth advised before bolting down the stairs just before it closed. Hawkmoth quickly wired up Chat to the machine he had created. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Hawkmoth says, coming to stand next to Chat. "It took me half a lifetime to invent it and place the proper magical symbols on. I'm sure you've discovered my deep and abiding interest in pain and emotions. At present I'm writing the definitive work on the subject. So I want you to be totally honest with me on how The Machine makes you feel." Hawkmoth turns to a dial that ranged from 1 to 50. "Since this is your first time, we'll start with the lowest setting." He cranked the dial to one and the machine begins to move. Hawkmoth started fiddling with his Machine a moment more. And then he opens the floodgate, water pours down the chute, turning the wheel, which in turn really gets The Machine going. A terrible sound comes from his throat, an incessant gasping. Meanwhile, Ladybug was staring out the window when she suddenly felt unbearable pain that left her gasping for breath. Her eyes widened as she realized that Chat was in trouble. Back in the pit the sound continues on until Hawkmoth switches it off before sitting in a chair, paper and writing utensil in hand. "As you know, the concept of the suction pump is centuries old. Well, really, that's all this is. Except that instead of sucking water, I'm sucking life. I've just sucked one year of your life away. I might one day go as high as five, but I really don't know what that would do to you. So, let's just start with what we have. What did this do to you? Tell me. And remember, this is for posterity, so be honest - how do you feel?" Chat made a cat like whimper as a response. "Interesting."
"Sire," Natalie says, entering the prince's office. "I have received information that assassins from Guilder are infiltrating the Thieves' Forest and plan to murder your bride on your wedding night."
"Thank you Natalie," Nathaniel, who is swamped with paperwork, says gratefully. "Please send some of the guards to look for them." Natalie nodded and left just as Ladybug enters.
"Any news from Chat?" She asks. She's been trying to regain her powers ever since she sent the letters so that she could defend herself and Chat more when he came for her. However, Ladybug noticed Nathaniel furrow his eyebrows in confusion and disappointment.
"Not yet but it's still too soon to worry about it," Nathaniel explained. "We just need patience." He did not voice the bad feeling he's been having lately. "Ladybug, I wish for you to be careful until after the wedding day. I have received news that you are currently being targeted." She nods her head in understanding.
"He will come for me," Ladybug reassured the prince before leaving.
"She will not be murdered. Juleka, Rose." The two women entered the room quickly. "On the day of the wedding, I want the Thieves' Forest emptied and every inhabitant temporarily arrested for the safety of the princess." He knew these two always listen. They were his best spies.
"Many of the thieves will resist. Our regular enforcers will be inadequate," Juleka informed.
"Form a Brute Squad then. I want the Thieves' Forest emptied so that Princess Ladybug stays safe. Inform them that the arrest will only be temporary," Nathaniel urged. He wanted to make sure she lived to see her familiar again.
"It won't be easy, Sire," Rose added sweetly.
"Try ruling the country," Nathaniel said with sympathy. The day of the wedding soon arrived and Juleka was helping the enforcers gather the thieves from the ground while Rose continued to shout from the top of a covered wagon.
"Has it been cleared out yet?" Rose asked Juleka.
"Almost. There is a fencer giving us trouble," Juleka said with annoyance.
"How is he giving you guys so much trouble?" Rose asked, curious. Meanwhile, Max was standing in front of an officer, a half empty bottle of apple juice in one hand and his sword in another.
"I am waiting for you, Chloe. You told me to go back to the beginning. So I have. This is where I am, and this is where I'll stay. I will not be moved," Max said. He takes a long drink from his apple juice but stops when one of the Brute Squad officers stands in front of him.
"The prince gave orders-" The officer, Roger, started.
"So did Chloe - when a job went wrong, you went back to the beginning. And this is where we got the job. So it's the beginning, and I'm staying till Chloe comes." Roger was about to argue more but stopped when something behind Max caught his eye. "I am waiting for Chloe."
"You are truly a bully," a deep voice said behind Max. A large hand lands on Max's shoulder and Max begins to compare his hand to the one on his shoulder before turning around.
"It's you!" Max said in happy surprise.
"True!" Ivan rhymed. Roger calls for assistance and Ivan begins to fight them with ease. He soon knocks out the brutes and takes Max a little ways away from the fight. "You don't look so good," Ivan commented. "You don't smell good either."
"Probably not but I feel fine," Max said. Then faints. Ivan takes him to an Inn where he spoon feeds Max stew. Ivan and Max were reunited. And as Ivan nursed his inebriated friend back to health, he told Max of Chloe's sudden disappearance and the existence of Hawkmoth, the man with the purple butterfly brooch. Considering Max's lifelong search, he handled the news surprisingly well. He fainted again. This time into his stew. To wake up his friend, Ivan filled two buckets of water. One filled with steaming water, the other with water clearly of an icy nature. Without a word FEZZIK stuffs Inigo's head into the icy water, then, after a reasonable amount of time, pulls him out, ducks him into the steaming stuff, and, a short time after that, puts him back in the cold again, then back in the hot - "That's enough! That's enough!" Max shouts. "Now where is Hawkmoth so that I may kill him?"
"He is with the prince and princess at the castle that's guarded by thirty men," Ivan informed.
"How many can you handle?" Max asked, trying to calculate how to win.
"Probably no more than ten." Max groaned, not used to thinking up strategies. He silently promises to study strategies more if he killed Hawkmoth.
"That leaves twenty for me and I can't even do that at my best. We're going to need help," Max said. "Chloe's strategies almost always worked.
"But no one knows where she disappeared to," Ivan said.
"I know that, but perhaps we could find someone else that's good at think up stuff?" Max's face suddenly lightens up. "Like, say, the man in black?"
"What?"
"Look, he bested you with strength, your greatness. He bested me with steel. He must have outthought Chloe, and a man who can do that can plan my castle's onslaught any day. Let's go -"
"Where?"
"To find the Man in Black, obviously."
"But neither of us knows where he is."
"Don't bother me with trifles; after twenty years, at last, my father's soul will be at peace. There will be blood tonight." Meanwhile, Nathaniel was busy in his study again as Juleka and Rose came in with a bow. The prince told them to rise and report their findings.
"The Thieves Forest has been emptied," Juleka states.
"And thirty men now guard the castle," Rose adds.
"Please double the guards. I wish for the princess to be safe," Nathaniel orders.
"The gate has but one key and I hold that, your highness," Juleka informs.
"Nathaniel," Ladybug says, barging into the room. "I left to the harbor to see if they have brought back any letters from my Chat but they said they were never ordered to do so." Nathaniel glared at his papers on his desk.
"I will speak with Hawkmoth on the matter princess. He was in charge of sending out those letters," Nathaniel said. Ladybug nods before leaving the room. She was about half way back to her room with she bumped into Hawkmoth.
"Greetings, princess. Tomorrow morning, your men will escort you and the prince to Florin Channel where every ship in the armada waits to accompany you on your honeymoon," Hawkmoth says, not noticing his slip.
"Every ship but our four fastest, you mean," she says, pretending not to know about the ships.
"Yes. Yes, of course. Naturally, not those four."
"You never sent the ships. Don't bother lying. It doesn't matter. Chat will come for me anyway."
"You're a silly girl."
"Yes, I am a silly girl, for not having seen sooner that you were nothing but a coward with a heart full of fear."
"I-would-not-say-such things-if-I-were-you" Hawkmoth growled out.
"Why not? You can't hurt me. Chat and I are joined by the bonds of love. And you cannot track that. Not with a thousand bloodhounds. And you cannot break it. Not with a thousand swords. And when I say you are a coward, that is only because you are the slimiest weakling ever to crawl the earth," Ladybug says, her voice slowly raising higher.
"IWOULDNOTSAYSUCHTHINGSIFIWEREYOU!" Hawkmoth shouts before grabbing her hair and dragging her the rest of the way to her room and locking her in. Then breaks into a wild run. Destination: Pit of Despair. Natalie was busy transferring his chicken scratch into neater handwriting. Hawkmoth runs straight to Chat Noir and leans over the poor cat man. "You truly love each other, and so you might have been truly happy. Not one couple in a century has that chance, no matter what the storybooks say. And so I think no man in a century will suffer as greatly as you will." He then whirls to the lever and grasps it.
"NO!" Natalie shouts. "Not to fifty!"
Meanwhile, Nathaniel had helped Ladybug free from her room with the help of Rose and Juleka. She then proceeded to tell the prince of her encounter with the wizard. Nathaniel was furious and probably would have started to shout had Ladybug not suddenly keeled over, pain etched into her face. Her mouth was open to scream but no sound came out. She eventually fainted because of the pain. In the distance, with Ivan and Max, they can hear the screams made by the black cat. They stopped in their place at the market to listen to the screams.
"Ivan, Ivan, listen, do you hear? - That is the sound of ultimate suffering. My heart made that sound when Hawkmoth slaughtered my father. The Man in Black makes it now," Max said, confidence in his voice. "His true love is marrying another tonight, so who else has cause for Ultimate Suffering?" Max begins to try to rush forwards, hoping to track the scream before it disappeared. Max wasn't loud enough to make the other people move and didn't get very far until Ivan boomed at everyone to move. Max thanked his comrade before they both rushed forwards in search for the man in black. They made it to the grove of trees before the screaming stopped. Max took his sword out and knelt to the ground. "Father, I have failed you for twenty years. Now our misery can end. Somewhere ... somewhere close by is a man who can help us. I cannot find him alone. I need you. I need you to guide my sword. Please." Max then rises and closes his eyes. "Guide my sword." Max, eyes shut tight, walks forward, the great sword held in his hands and Ivan following close behind with a worried expression on his face. The sword suddenly hits a knot in a tree and the staircase appears. Max opens his eyes and turns to Ivan, who had a shocked look on his face, before they both raced down the stairs. They found the unconscious Chat Noir and Ivan listened for the cat's heartbeat before shaking his head at Max.
"He's dead," Ivan said.
"It's just not fair," Max said with disappointment. "Well, we Kantes don't give up so easily. Grab the body, we're going."
"The body?"
"Do you have any money?"
"A little. Why?"
"Hopefully it's enough to buy a miracle." Max, Ivan, and Chat approach the door of an old hut and knock. From inside the hovel a man's voice is heard.
"Go away." Max knocks on the door again. A small window opens and you could see eyes peering out. "What? What?" Tartaruga says, annoyed.
"Are you the Miracle Fox who worked for the King all those years?" Max asked.
"No. Now go away." The little window shut and everything was quiet. Then murmurs could be heard inside before the window opened again to reveal a different set of eyes. The eyes widened when they caught sight of Chat and the window closed immediately before the door itself was opened and a woman was standing before them.
"Come in, quickly," she orders as she rushes inside to clear off a spot on the table. "Place him there." Tartaruga, who had a shell like structure on his back, was glaring at the new comers. "Stop your glaring and get me the medicine, turtle boy," she scolds before turning to Max and Ivan as he left. "I'm Volpina, the Miracle Fox. I recognize Ladybug's magic anywhere. How is it that you have her familiar?" Volpina questions. Max then tells her the story of kidnapping the princess, fighting Chat, and then later searching for him but finding him like this. "The King's stinking son fired me. And thank you so much for bringing up such a painful subject. You know this could kill him-"
"He's already dead," Ivan said. Volpina raised an eyebrow and began her inspection.
"You got any money?" Tartaruga asked as he re enters the room.
"Sixty five," Max said. "Are you able to quicken this up?"
"Rush magic and you get bad outcomes. And I've never worked so little before," Volpina said.
"Except that one time but that was for a noble cause," Tartaruga interrupted.
"THIS is a noble cause. He is in love with his witch and she is being forced to marry another tonight!" Max says. Tartaruga fidgets. He too is a familiar, a turtle familiar, and he had fallen for his witch, Volpina. He could only imagine Chat's desperation.
"Well, you're in luck," Volpina said. "Your friend is only mostly dead. Not all dead. Now open his mouth." She grabs a bellow that is usually used to help fires grow and stuck it in his mouth after Ivan opened it. After several pumps, Volpina stopped. "Hey! Hello in there. Hey! What's so important? What you got here that's worth living for?"
"tr ... oooo ... luv…"
"True love. You heard him. You could not ask for a more noble cause than that," Max said.
"Sonny, true love is the greatest thing in the world. Except for a nice MLT, a mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe. They're so perky, I love that. But that's not what he said. He distinctly said "to blave." And, as we all know, "to blave" means "to bluff." So you're probably playing cards, and he cheated," Tartaruga said only to be interrupted by Volpina.
"LIAR!" She walked away from Chat and the table as she began to advance on her familiar.
"Back witch!" Tartaruga shouts before trying to run from her. She caught him by a part of his shell and pulled him back to her.
"'True love.' He said, 'true love,' Tar. My God -" Tartaruga was about to interrupt but Volpina beat him. "Just shut up." She turned to their guests. "He's afraid. Ever since Hawkmoth fired me, his protectiveness has risen."
"Why'd you say that name?! You promised me you wouldn't say that name!" Tartaruga shouts as he covers his ears. Volpina then starts to shout Hawkmoth's name over and over again as she chases him around the room.
"He is Ladybug's true love! If we can get them together, Hawkmoth will have to let her go! Especially if we can convince the prince to wed them himself!" Max said. Tartaruga quickly covered his witch's mouth, a happy glint in his eyes.
"So you're saying that if we fix him up, it'll annoy Hawkmoth?" The turtle familiar asked. Max and Ivan nodded. "Well what are we waiting for?" He takes the sixty five and helps Volpina make a miracle. After several hours, Volpina covers a white lump with chocolate. "Miracle pill," the familiar explained to the two visitors.
"The chocolate helps making it go down easier. Ladybug taught me that," Volpina explained. "But you will have to wait fifteen minutes for full potency and don't go swimming for at least an hour. Now, when you boys are done, bring Ladybug and Chat Noir back here. I have something that Ladybug asked me for years ago." The boys thanked them, grabbed Chat, and left for the castle. "Bye bye Boys!"
"Have fun storming the castle!" Tartaruga calls after them. They made it on the top of the outer wall of the castle. They look down to the front gate of the castle where sixty Brutes are visible. Ivan is thunderstruck by how many Brutes there are. Upset, he turns to Max, who is concentrating unsuccessfully, trying to prop Chat against the wall.
"There are more than thirty,"Ivan tells Max.
"What's the difference? We've got him. Help me here. We'll have to force feed him," Max says.
"Has it been fifteen minutes?"
"We can't wait - the wedding's in half an hour and we must strike in the hustle and the bustle beforehand." During this, Ivan, using all his strength, has managed to get Chat into a right angled sitting position, while Max brings out the miracle pill. "Tilt his head back and open his mouth."
"How long do we have to wait before we know if the miracle works?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Max says, dropping the pill in Chat's mouth.
"I'll beat you both apart. I'll take you both together," Chat says, eyes open wide.
"I guess not very long," Ivan mutters.
"Why won't my arms move?" Chat asks.
"You've been mostly dead all day," Ivan explains.
"We had Miracle Fox make a pill to bring you back," Max said.
"Who are you? - Are we enemies? Why am I on this wall? - Where's Ladybug? -" Max quickly give him the shortened version of what they needed done.
"Ladybug is marrying Nathaniel in a little less than half an hour, so all we have to do is get in, break up the wedding, steal the Princess, make our escape after I kill Hawkmoth," Max said.
"Well that doesn't leave that much time for us to lay around," Chat comments.
"Hey, you moved your finger," Ivan said.
"I've always been a fast healer. Now what are our liabilities?"
"One working gate that is guarded by sixty men," Max says.
"Assets?"
"Your brains, his strength, and my steel."
"That's it? Impossible. If I had a month to plan, maybe I could come up with something. But this…" Chat shakes his head.
"You just shook your head - that doesn't make you happy?" Ivan says, trying to brighten the mood.
"My brains, his steel, and your strength against sixty men, and you think a little head jiggle is supposed to make me happy? I mean, if we only had a wheelbarrow, that would be something."
"I saw one in the forest," Ivan informed. "And Tartaruga gave me this fireproof cloak."
"Great! Grab the wheelbarrow. I have a plan!" They helped him up. "I'll also need a sword eventually. No one else knows I can't lift it." With that, they scurried around to gather the things they needed. Meanwhile, Ladybug was in her wedding gown as Nathaniel clasped a pearl necklace around her neck.
"Are you sure you are up for this?" Nathaniel asked. "You only just recovered."
"Yes. My magic is stronger now, Nath," Ladybug responded. "He's coming. I can feel it but it's weak." Nathaniel had been taking care of Ladybug himself since she collapsed in pain and hadn't talked to Hawkmoth about his behavior yet.
"I only hope he will make it in time so that you and he will be happy," Nathaniel said, moving to stand in front of her and bowed. "I must go now. I have to get ready as well." Back with the trio as the looked at the gate again, they see Juleka and Rose flanked by sixty men. The ceremony has started inside, Xavier Ramier was performing the ceremony. The guards outside began to become frightened as a giant seems to be floating toward them out of the darkness, a Giant in a strange cloak, and with a voice that would crumble walls.
"I AM THE DREAD PIRATE ROBERTS. THERE WILL BE NO SURVIVORS." Ivan shouts, scaring the men little bit at a time. "MY MEN ARE HERE, AND I AM HERE, BUT SOON YOU WILL NOT BE HERE"
"Light him," Chat told Max, who was carrying the familiar and pushing the cart. Max set fire to the cloak, which didn't burn as the fire surrounded the cloth.
"THE DREAD PIRATE ROBERTS TAKES NO SURVIVORS. ALL YOUR WORST NIGHTMARES ARE ABOUT TO COME TRUE." All of the guards ran with the exception of Rose and Juleka.
Meanwhile, Ramier droned on and on. The ruckus from outside could be heard easily by the occupants of the room and it was making Hawkmoth nervous. Especially after Natalie had told him earlier that day that the familiar's body had just disappeared.
"Can we just hurry this up?" Hawkmoth growls at Ramier.
"Continue," Nathaniel said, ignoring the wizard's glare.
"Skip to the end," Hawkmoth insisted. The screams outside were slowly growing louder. Nathaniel and Ladybug spared each other a quick glance, both thinking the same thing. Chat was here. He was coming for her.
"Have you the rings?" Ramier asked. Hawkmoth handed the rings over, urging them to hurry. Outside, Ivan pulls off the cloak as he, Max, and Chat all surround Rose and Juleka. Well, technically Chat was on Max's back.
"My Chat is coming," Ladybug says, excitement lacing her voice.
"Your cat is dead," Hawkmoth says. "I killed him myself."
"Then why is there fear in your eyes?" Ladybug says with a smirk.
"Give us the key," Chat orders the two girls. Rose suddenly squeals and jumps up and down.
"You're Chat Noir, aren't you?" Rose asks with excitement. She had quickly noticed his cat ears on his head and knew he had to have been a familiar. Juleka simply smirked at the boys' shocked faces, Juleka then took the key from around her neck and tossed it to the boys.
"Have fun saving the princess," Juleka said as she and Rose stepped out of the way. They stood frozen for a moment before the boys went in to look for Ladybug.
"Man and wife- say man and wife," Hawkmoth ordered. Ramier did so, tired of the interruptions from the wizard. "Escort the bride and groom to the Honeymoon Suite - I'll be there shortly to ensure their safety." Nathaniel and Ladybug were furious at Hawkmoth's behavior. Hawkmoth and four guards are racing through the castle, and as they reach a complex intersection of several corridors, Hawkmoth stops. There, Chat, Max, and Ivan were moving toward them. Actually Ivan is dragging Chat, who is, in turn, dragging Rose's sword like a stiff dog leash -Chat simply hasn't the strength to raise it. "Kill the dark one and the giant, but leave the third for questioning," Hawkmoth orders the guards. And as his Warriors attack -Max goes wild, and maybe the Warrior's are good, maybe they're even better than that - but they never get a chance to show it because this is Max gone mad and his father's sword has never flashed faster and the fourth warrior is dead before the FIRST ONE has even hit the floor. There is a pause. Then -
"Hello. My name is Max Kante. You killed my father. Prepare to die." For a moment Hawkmoth just stands there, sword in hand. Then he does a most unexpected thing. He turns and runs away. Max is momentarily surprised, then taking off after him, leaving Chat and Ivan to exchange curious looks and Hawkmoth, running through a half-open heavy wooden door, shutting it and locking it just as Inigo throws himself against it. He tries again. No kind of chance. "Ivan! I need you!"
"I can't just leave him alone!" Ivan shouts back.
"He's getting away from me!" Ivan sighs and hangs Chat on a nearby armor set.
"I'll be right back," Ivan says before running after Max and helping him with the door. After thanking him, Max rushes through while Ivan went back to where he left Chat. Except Chat was no longer there. Meanwhile, Max continued to chase Hawkmoth through the corridors. Hawkmoth made it to a large room as he pulled out a dagger. When Max entered the room, Hawkmoth threw the dagger and hit Max. Right in his stomach. He hurtles back helplessly against the wall of the room, his eyes glazed, blood coming from his wound.
"... Sorry, Father ... I tried ... I tried…"
"You must be that little sword brat I taught a lesson to all those years ago. It's simply incredible. Have you been chasing me your whole life only to fail now? I think that's the worst thing I ever heard. How marvelous."
Meanwhile, Nathaniel and Ladybug were locked in the honeymoon suite. Ladybug was panicking over the rushed wedding.
"We never said 'I do' so we aren't really wedded. You can still go with your familiar when he come," Nathaniel said. "I'll even wed you two myself!"
"Thank you for the offer, Prince Nathaniel," a voice said from the bed, making the two gasp and turn to look.
"Chat!" Ladybug shouts, rushing to him and covering him with kisses. He tells her about what Hawkmoth tried to do and how Ivan and Max fixed him up and why he couldn't move to hold her. Back with Max and Hawkmoth, Max was trying to gather his strength again.
"Good heavens. Are you still trying to win?" Max, struggling feebly, pulling the dagger from his
stomach. Holding the wound with his left hand. Hawkmoth is pushing off from the table, sword in hand, moving in to kill Max. "You've got an overdeveloped sense of vengeance. It's going to get you into trouble some day." Max watches the wizard approach, and the wizard flicks his sword at Max's heart, and there's not much Max can do, just kind of vaguely parry the thrust with his sword and Hawkmoth's blade sinks deeply into Max's left shoulder. Max doesn't seem to feel it, his other agonies are so much worse. Hawkmoth steps back to strike again. And as this blow comes Max is trying to use the wall for support in forcing himself to his feet, and it's not a roaring success of an attempt, but he does at least make some progress, and again he manages to parry the thrust, as this time Hawkmoth's sword runs through his right arm. Again, Max doesn't seem to mind, doesn't even feel it. Hawkmoth is stepping back for just a moment, watching as Max continues to inch his way to his feet and then, just before the wizard is about to strike again, Max manages a little flick of his own and Hawkmoth hadn't expected it, and he jumps back, makes a little involuntary cry of surprise and Max slowly pushing away from the wall.
"Hello. My name is Max Kante, you killed my father; prepare to die." Hawkmoth suddenly goes into a fierce attack, striking with great power and precision for he is a master swordsman, and he forces Max easily back, drives him easily into the wall. But he does not penetrate Max's defense. None of the wizard's blows get home. Max pushes from the wall again. "Hello. My name is Max Kante, you killed my father; prepare to die." Again the wizard attacks, slashing with wondrous skill. None goes through Max as he slowly begins to move forward. "Hello. My name is Max Kante, you killed my father; prepare to die."
"Stop saying that!" Retreating more quickly around the table. Max drives for the wizard's left shoulder now, thrusts home where the wizard had gotten him. Then another move and his blade enters the wizard's right shoulder, the same spot Max was wounded.
"HELLO! MY NAME IS MAX KANTE. YOU KILLED MY FATHER. PREPARE TO DIE."
"No."
"Offer me money."
"Yes"
"Power too - promise me that -"
"All that I have and more please -"
"Offer me everything I ask for -"
"Anything you want"
"I WANT MY FATHER BACK!"
Max's sword flies through the wizard's body one final time. He with drawls his sword and Hawkmoth collapses. Max stares at the fallen wizard and smiles before racing off to find Chat Noir and Ivan.
"I thank you, prince," Chat said, still laying still on the bed.
"For what?" Nathaniel asks.
"For taking care of M'Lady when I was unable to."
"Anyone with a good spirit would do it." Suddenly, Max rushes into the room after unlocking it.
"Where's Ivan?" Max asks.
"I thought he was with you," Chat shoots back. He slowly rises to his feet and Ladybug helps steady him.
"Max!" They hear Ivan call. They follow the sound to the window. "Max, where are you?" Ivan looks up and sees them all at the window, reigns to four white horses in his heads. "Ah, there you are. Max, I saw the Prince's stables, and there they were, four white horses. And I thought, there are four of us, if we ever find the princess - hello, princess - so I took them with me, in case we ever bumped into each other. I guess we just did." Chat turns to Nathaniel to ensue the horses were okay for them to take and he nodded.
"Ivan, you did something right!" Max says to his friend.
"Don't worry-I won't let it go to my head," Ivan teased. Ivan holds out his arms to catch everyone and Ladybug is the first to step onto the window sill.
"Wait!" Nathaniel says, pulling off his wedding band. "Obviouly you both will say 'I do' so I will just say 'I now pronounce you man and wife.'" He hands the ring to Chat, Ladybug already wearing her's. She and Chat give a quick kiss before she jumps out the window and into Ivan's arms. Ivan then places her on one of the horses and waits for the next person.
"You know, it's very strange - I have been in the revenge business so long, now that it's over, I don't know what to do with the rest of my life."
"Have you ever considered piracy? You'd make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts."
"That certainly sounds interesting. Oh! By the way, Volpina wanted you and Ladybug to stop by later," Max informed. The boys then jumped one at a time.
MLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLML
"They rode to freedom. And as dawn arose, Chat Noir and Ladybug knew they were safe. A wave of love swept over them. And as they reached for each other...Since the invention of the kiss, there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind. The end."
"Hold up, Plagg! That doesn't tell me Ladybug's identity at all," Adrien complains. Back in Marinette's room, Tikki begins to giggle.
"You know, Plagg probably made this the ending," Tikki says with a giggle. "That silly kitty always tries to take the short way out."
"Then how does it end?" Marinette asks.
"Well, Chat and Lady went to visit Volpina and Tartaruga. Ivan and Max tagged along too because Max had accepted becoming the new Dread Pirate Roberts and Ivan was to be his first mate after Chat showed him the ropes."
MLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLML
"You figured it out?" Ladybug asked Volpina, who nods.
"Figured what out?" Chat asked.
"I had asked Volpina to design a spell that will trap our powers into some kind of jewelry back before I thought you were dead," Ladybug explained.
"Yes but it won't just effect the two of you," Tartaruga cut in. "Because you two are so close to each other and the most powerful, it'll all Miraculous wizards and witches and their familiars."
"That means the four of us and Hawkmoth will be changed too," Volpina continued on.
"You don't have to worry about Hawkmoth-" Max started.
"You cannot kill a Miraculous wizard or witch with ordinary steel," Tartaruga informs. "He was probably messing with your emotions in order to get away. That is what he does."
"Anyways," Volpina interrupts. "The spell will basically split your personalities. Queen Bee and Pavone, her peacock familiar. For Queen Bee, she split into a human like girl named Chloe and a kwami named Buzz. Pavone became Lily and Duusuu."
"Wait, Chloe?" Ladybug questioned. "She kidnapped me!"
"Yes, well…" Volpina started.
"Queen Bee was being distracting during the spell," Tartaruga said. After a little more discussion, Volpina performed the spell on Ladybug and Chat Noir, knowing it will be her last spell. Now in Ladybug's place stood Marinette with Tikki on her shoulder while Adrien with Plagg on his shoulder stood in Chat's place. Where Volpina stood now stood Alya with Trixx, the fox kwami, on her shoulder. Where Tartaruga sat on the table now sat Nino with Wayzz on his head. After more talking, they said their goodbyes as they left. Adrien, Marinette, their kwamis, Max, and Ivan all returned to Ladybug's farm where Marinette and Ivan were told to wait until they returned. When they did a year later, Ivan took the place of first mate and Adrien stayed with Marinette at the farm house. They grew up and raised a family together with Ivan and Max visiting from time to time. Max stayed as a Pirate for quite some time but Ivan met a girl named Maylene that he quickly fell in love with. Later, when they grew old, Nino sent his Kwami out to look for a new holder to protect the rest of the Miraculous gems. Wayzz soon found a boy named Fu, a reincarnation of an older Dread Pirate Roberts. Ever since then, the turtle miraculous would switch between the two souls to protect the rest of the miraculous. At one point, a future reincarnation of Ladybug and Chat Noir found out that Hawkmoth had split into Gabriel and Nooroo.
MLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLML
Marinette was freaking out. Adrien and Chat were the same person. Meanwhile, Adrien was very happy. His princess and his lady were one and the same. Although, Plagg's clue from before now made sense. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Marinette after she finally calmed down.
"Tikki? What were their original names?"
"Buttercup and Wesley," Tikki answered. Once Marinette thought about her crush and partner being the same person, it calmed her enough to fall asleep. Adrien on the other hand, began to freak out. She always shot down his flirts when he was Chat Noir and could barely say a word to him when he was Adrien. He thought that she might hate him but still had hope because of what his kwami told him. Alya nearly fainted when she found the rolls switched the next morning. Marinette was a few minutes early and was already sitting in her seat while Adrien was a few minutes late and looked exhausted. During lunch, when the four of them were having lunch together, Nino and Alya stared with jaws dropped as Marinette easily spoke to Adrien and even flirted with him a little while Adrien was the stuttering mess.
"Seriously, what happened?" Nino asked Alya after their friends were out of earshot. "Did an akuma suck us into an Alternate Universe when we were sleeping?"
"That's what I've been thinking," Alya said. During patrol, nothing changed with the exception of the stuttering stopping. Adrien had finally gotten over the initial shock and was now flirting back with her. The flirting intensified for weeks before Adrien finally asked Marinette to the movies and Paris didn't find out about Ladybug and Chat Noir's relationship until two weeks later when they gave Alya an exclusive interview.
THIS ONE IS DONE! YAY!
Okay, so the majority of the people who commented said that Marichat is their favorite. Personally, it's my favorite too because it's a strong friendship that slowly grows and I love those types of relationships.
Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments in the reviews! It makes me happy that you all like these one shots and it boosts my motivation to write these and makes me feel like my writing is actually good.
RuthieRypes: I'm glad you think they're funny and cool. I don't think I've ever had any of my writings be called cool so that makes me really happy. I prefer writing funny stuff because I like to try to make other people's days just a little bit brighter if I can. (I have a lot of friends that go through hard times so me trying to cheer them up kind of shows in my writings I guess.)
Here is the plan for the next two chapters. Both were requests.
Reveal 16: Nino finds out and tries to get them together.
Reveal 17: Adrien accidentally calls Marinette 'princess' in front of the entire class.
I hope you all liked the seconded part! Let me know what you all think in the reviews! Now, without further adu, here is the chapter quetion.
Who would you pair Chloe with romantically?