A/N - Hey guys, welcome back to the story! Sorry for the delay, but school has started back up again, and now I've got a ton of work to do :(
Guest - I'm glad you didn't find it too boring. I hope this chapter is more interesting for you.
Miraculous Panda - I actually already have plans for this fic stretching all the way up to the third season, so I will most definitely do that! Haha, and I don't think I'd like to be in any form of battle at all!
Resa - I hope you liked Adrien's reaction last chapter, then!
GuardianAngel1234567 - Don't worry, there will most certainly be a Marinette and Hawkmoth encounter... I can't make any promises about tea, though :)
Enjoy the chapter!
Marinette frowned as she examined the schematics of the Akuma ship.
"That's a pretty big ship," She observed. "How are we supposed to find the Ladybug?"
"Well, it's not a matter of we, it's a matter of you." Alya corrected her.
"Alya's right, dude" Nino agreed. "Once we get it in you'll be able to, like, feel it's presence and track it down."
"Remember how Adrien felt that crazy energy while we were in the desert?" Chloe reminded her. Adrien frowned.
"You made fun of me for that." He pointed. Chloe sighed fondly.
"And I'm proud of that, but it turns out it's exactly like all of that nonsense."
"Marinette, remember that the Ladybug is temperamental," Tikki chimed in. "You'll have to earn its respect."
Marinette breathed deeply. This was almost too much to take in. But she was the leader now. She couldn't show her uncertainty. She had to be strong.
"All right," She said. "Here's our plan of attack."
"The Akuma Empire knows about the Bee and the Turtle mechas, but they don't know that we have the Fox mecha too. Chloe, Nino, you'll act as a decoy by pretending to give yourselves up."
Nino tried to contain his nervousness as he and Chloe piloted their mechas towards the Akuma ship. The ginormous, intimidating Akuma ship that could probably blast them to pieces.
"Attention, Akuma ship," Chloe announced into her microphone. "Do not fire. We're surrendering our Miraculouses."
Nino slumped back in his seat. It was too late to go back now.
I hope this works.
"While Stoneheart is distracted, Adrien, Alya, and I will sneak onto the ship in the Fox mecha. I'll do my best to focus on finding the Ladybug, with Adrien and Alya covering me. Chloe and Nino, you'll need to find a way to take down that ion cannon."
Alya piloted the Fox to the side of the ship, using its claws to create an entrance for them. Disembarking quickly, the trio made their way into the ship. The room was empty. As they approached the door, Alya cast one last look at her mecha through the wall. Exchanging quick glances with Marinette and Adrien, they stepped through the entrance and the door slid shut behind them.
They were officially in enemy territory.
Nino gulped nervously as the top part of the ship opened up before them.
"Alya, what's your ETA?" Chloe asked over the coms. Nino could hear the slight hint of fear in her voice, as much as she was probably trying to hide it.
"We're in." Came Alya's reply.
Stoneheart gazed at the mechas before him. He tried to contain his sense of pride and satisfaction… after all, it wasn't over yet. But when it was, Hawkmoth would be very pleased.
"Activate tractor beam."
Nino's eyes widened as the top of the ship began to glow with purple light.
"Uhh, dude? What is that thing?"
"I think that's our signal to get out of here!" Chloe yanked the controls to the side, barely getting out of the way as a beam of purple light shot past them.
"They lied to us," Stoneheart roared. His aides flinched as he smashed his fist into a wall. "Launch fighters!"
Chloe smirked as she saw fighters emerge from the ship.
Now this was going to be fun.
"Nino, you dismantle the ion cannon while I take these losers on a space ride."
"You got it, dude."
Adrien cautiously peered around the corner, before motioning to Marinette and Alya that the coast was clear. So far, they had been lucky. This part of the ship seemed to be empty, but he was certain that it wouldn't stay that way forever.
He didn't notice at first that Marinette had stopped in the middle of the hallway. She was frozen, rooted to the spot, as she gazed down what seemed to be a familiar corridor.
A series of images began to flash through her mind.
A padded cell, with doctors shining bright lights into her eyes...
...a girl dressed in orange, with a sultry voice and olive green eyes.
...and a man in a grey mask, tapping his fingers on a cane as purple butterflies swirled around him.
Clutching her head, Marinette fell to the ground with a cry of pain.
Adrien and Alya were immediately by her side.
"Marinette, are you alright? What's wrong?"
She lifted her head as the pain subsided, meeting Adrien's gaze. She marveled at how cat-like his eyes had become in his transformation, with dark green irises and oblong pupils.
"I… I've been here before," She said finally, tearing her eyes away from Adrien. "After I was taken by the Akuma cruiser off Kerberos, they brought us here."
"So, do you remember your way around, then?" Alya asked. "Because that would be helpful."
" I remember… I remember where we were kept. The prisoners." She turned frantically to Alya. "My other crew members could be here. We have to free them."
Alya winced. She should have known this would happen.
"Marinette, we don't have time," Adrien pointed out. "We have to get the Ladybug and get back to Arus."
Marinette spun back around to face him, and the anger in her eyes surprised him.
"We can't just leave prisoners here!" She argued. Adrien paused. He didn't like having Marinette mad at him. It gave him a strange, unpleasant feeling.
"I'm sorry, believe me," He told her gently. "I want to help too. But this is war. We have to make sacrifices. We need to get moving."
Adrien turned away from her, trying his best to conceal his guilt. He hated the idea of leaving prisoners here, but there was a bigger picture.
"No!" Marinette shouted. "My fellow crewmates… are Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng. My mother and father."
Adrien stopped in his tracks. Turning back, he saw Marinette looking after him, desperation written all over her features.
"I haven't even had time to take it in," She whispered, almost to herself, before lifting her head with a determined glint in her eyes. "I'll go find the Ladybug. You two go find the prisoners and free them."
"By yourself?" Adrien asked, concerned.
"I'll be fine," She replied dismissively. She looked towards Alya, who had remained silent. "You know I'm not going to compromise on this."
Alya offered her a small smile.
"I know, girl. Just be careful."
"But-" Adrien started, but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.
"I have to go," Marinette told them. "The cells are that way."
"Wait," Adrien called, catching her arm. They locked eyes. He swallowed nervously. "Patience yields focus. Remember that."
Marinette nodded in understanding, offering him a tiny smile. Then she was gone.
Adrien stood frozen for a moment, until Alya grabbed him by the hand and dragged him away.
"We've got Akuma soldiers on our ass, lover boy. Save the longing for later."
Nino steered the turtle towards the Akuma ship, accelerating as much as he could. He was going to hit this thing, no matter what it take.
But just as he reached it, an invisible force bounced him back, sending the turtle flying.
Nino hit his head on the wall and scowled. Looking towards the ship, he could make out faint a purple light surrounding it.
"What is that, some kind of forcefield?"
Marinette groaned in frustration, staring at the symbol on the wall with despair. Four times she had managed to end up back where she started. Back in front of this same wall, with the glowing figure of a purple butterfly.
Marinette took a deep breath. She remembered what Adrien had said.
Patience yields focus. Remember that.
"Patience yields focus." She whispered to herself, letting her eyes close.
Suddenly, a series of images began to flash through her mind at lightning speed. They were… directions.
She opened her eyes, a smirk gracing her features.
"Gotcha."
A/N - Hey, hope you liked this chapter! Once I adjust to school and my new schedule, hopefully I'll be able to post more consistently. In the meantime, I'll try to write whenever I can.
Anyways, please leave a review with your thoughts, suggestions, and predictions, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
~ Elizabeth (FanOfDeliciousFlavour)
