No sooner than Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Ember arrived on the Caribbean island Of Trinidad for their next Miraculous trial a hummingbird flew up in front up them. He buzzed to and fro, barely giving them time to focus on him.
The handsome little fellow then zipped up to them confidently. "You sure took your time! I've been waiting for ages! Common' then let's get started! Let's go!" the humming bird squeaked. His voice was so high pitched it sounded like someone sucking on a helium balloon (or like Alya and Nino after that visit to Hotdog Dans NY hotdog cart). Chat Noir nearly had to hold his breath to keep from laughing. Ladybug held back from saying "aaawww" at the risk of offending the wild kwami, but he was just too cute!
The hummingbird didn't seem to notice though. He was too busy talking a mile a minute about everything he had been up to and flitted this way and that to refuel on some nectar (which seemed to sugar him up even more).
Ladybug and Chat Noir did not get a word in edgewise. Ember just flew up ahead with outstretched wings, sighing now and then at the hummingbird's endless chatter. The hummingbird whizzed by and beat his delicate wings as fast as chopper blades so they were a mere blur of emerald.
"We're here! Let's start!" he exclaimed upruptly.
"Hum, you haven't even told them their trial," the Phoenix reminded.
"Taking action! Seizing the moment! Taking the chance! Trusting your instincts!" the tiny bird buzzed. "Let's get started! Common' let's go!"
"But what are we supposed to do? Ladybug asked, more confused.
"Just make it to the stone!" the hummingbird said impatiently fluttering his wings in front of himself.
Ladybug and Chat Noir squinted into the trees and brush in the dense tropical foliage that gave way to a wide flat black desolate plane. It spanned out a hundred acres. Chat Noir's keen eyes could just barely see a small pedestal topped with a gem gleaming in the sun at the far end.
"We just walk to that rock?" Chat Noir asked sceptically, sensing that there must be some twist they were missing.
The hummingbird twittered a squeaky, high pitched laugh, "Well I wouldn't suggest walking!" Then noticing their puzzled stares he added "Obstacles will "present" themselves, so just make it to the rock quickly. The longer you take the harder it will be to accomplish your goal!"
They felt curiously isolated approaching the quiet dead zone, yet the verdant fringe lay only a couple of hundred meters all around. The flat expanse looked like a dry lake bed, that had been parched by the sun or scorched by fire. The tall deep green reeds and grasses that surround it didn't contradict their guesses about what lay ahead. On the far opposite shore, there appeared to be some industrial warehouses, pipes and hoppers, but all were silent at the moment.
The hummingbird churned his wings and the dim parking lot-like surface started to ooze and undulate in patches.
"He is speeding everything up around us!" Chat Noir watched as if within a time bubble. The hummingbird seemed to slow, while everything else sped forward. Across the parched lake they realized the pedestal with the stone had already begun to sink.
Tentatively Ladybug stepped forward, and instantly her foot sunk into the soft crust, with a sticky slick dark goo sealing over her toe.
"It's a tar pit!" Ladybug breathed, drawing back for foot with resistance.
"If you cross the road before Buckingham Palace in England, if you speed across the runway of La Guardia in New York, you will have already unknowingly touched a piece of Tierra de Brea!" the hummingbird laughed again.
"A lake of living asphalt?!" Chat Noir scanned the blackened clay that slowly filled in the gash in its surface Ladybug had made with her first step forward.
"See you on the other side!" The hummingbird peeped, and flew forward, flanked by Ember. "Don't keep us waiting!" he called back.
"If we stop we could end up stuck!" Ladybug cautioned.
"Then let's no stick around!" Chat Noir grinned widely.
Ladybug stared back at him with a deadpanned expression.
"Get it?! Stick around?!" he elbowed her in the side. "What?!" he asked as she rose an eyebrow.
"I never realized before! Oh WOW! I so want you right now!" Ladybug said with a straight face, and then broke out running across the precarious terrain.
"Wait! What?! Really?!" Chat Noirs ears perked up, tryiing to catch up to her. "Wait are you teasing me?!" Chat called after her.
"Who me?!" Ladybug asked back coyly , "no never! Remember I'm the serious one!I..."
But she was interrupted mid taunt by a explosion of pitch that spewed out from beneath them.
A shiny ebony slime mass projected through the surface. It coated a massive creature the size of a car, that thrashed around and bucked. It's bulky head was coated in ooze, and it's engaged roar was suffocated by the stick seal of viscous asphalt.
Ladybug and Chat Noir rode the wave of sediment, acrobatically avoiding the monster that clawed its way to the surface.
"We've got to make it across now!" Ladybug called out urgently, grabbing Chat Noir who had frozen in awe at the tar creature that had emerged before them.
That was when Chat Noir noticed the heavily armoured tail of it weilder. It was flexible, with rings of bony plates; a agile weapon! "Look out!" he called to Ladybug and they narrowly dodged the impact of it. It was two tons of fury with thousands of thick bony scute plates encompassing it in a protective shell.
"No way!" Chat Noir blew out a whistle. "I've only ever seen those in palaeontologist textbooks! They're supposed to be extinct!"
"What is it?!" Ladybug asked, ducking the creatures bulky swinging head just in time.
"A glyptodon! A massive one at that!" Chat Noir pointed to its arched protective shell with armour platting. "Think of it as a angry supersize Godzilla-like armadillo!"
"That's not a very comforting picture!" Ladybug said, before swiftly grabbing Chat Noir out of the way of the creature's clawed forearms.
"I like how you just jump at any opportunity to get your hands on me now!" Smirked Chat Noir, nose to nose with Ladybug.
Ladybug instantly dropped her hands, going beet red.
"What's the matter Bugaboo?! Am I too hot to handle?!" Chat Noir grinned.
"Aghhh! You're too much to handle right now!" Ladybug splayed out her hands in front of herself fusteredly. "There is a prehistoric tar monster after us, and you're...you're...distracting!"
"Distracting huh!" the cat straightened the his full height, and then leaned in closer than before.
"Chat!" groaned Ladybug.
"Alright, alright! I will go distract this fellow for a while, but I can't help it if I look really daring while I'm doing it. You'll just have to keep your hands to yourself for now!" he winked at her, and gave her an infuriatingly devilish grin.
Ladybug bit her lip, not sure herself if she wanted to toss him into the muck or swoon all over him again. In the end she didn't get the chance to do either...the unsettling creature before them plunged beneath the surface again, stirring up a fresh pit of tar that sucked their lingering legs into itself. Although the lake appeared quiescent the asphalt was constantly shifting. The flow lines on the surface gave away the ominous progression of the depths...and monstrous creature below.
The vile crude filled volcanic crater showed no remorse. It tightened its grip on them, sucking them slowly deeper into the suffocating realm of Hades 250 feet down. If they gave up now it would have relentlessly dragged them under, only to spit them back after a millennia or so.
Chat Noir was not caught off guard though! As quick as anything we had extended his baton, and quickly grabbed hold of Ladybug to propel them from their fate. Landing on a corner of more solid crust Ladybug coughed, trying to rid herself of the over powering tar that permitted their senses. Chat Noir touched her arm gently. "You okay Mi'Lady?" He asked with concern written all over his face.
"Thanks Kitty!" she panted. "I'll be just fine once we get out of here! This is our chance! We can't hesitate! We've got to make a brake for it while that thing is..."
She did not even finish her grand plan before once more the armadillo-monster broke through the gritty surface once more with a grinding groan.
"Not again! Come on! We've got to get out of here! Run!" Ladybug threw up her hands and turned on her heel ready to sprint.
Chat Noir did not move though...not that he was stuck (yet)...but he stood watching the glyptodon writhe and struggle against the sticky death trap.
"Chat! We've got to run!" Ladybug urged.
"No creature deserves to be trapped!" Chat replied, without taking his eyes off the straining beast.
"Chat! What are you..." Ladybug turned back.
It was the moment off decision.
I'm going in!" Chat Noir declared and propelled himself over the monster, and angled himself to the opposite end where the back legs were held tight by tight bands of ooze.
"Argggh! Chat!" Ladybug groaned, but leaped right after him without hesitation, unwilling to abandon her compassionate, but reckless Kitty.
"Cataclysm!" Chat Noir called, and struck the dark binds that held the monster at bay. It's spiked club tail snapped upward catching Chat Noir and slinging him flying though the air.
The glyptodon swung around and came face to face with Ladybug and Chat Noir. It's steaming hot breathe was toxic and thick like newly poured ashphalt. They shook frozen before it, as a low sigh escaped its lips. Then it seemed to reguard them carefully and raised itself up. Ladybug and Chat Noir grabbed hold of each other bracing for its attack...but instead the Glyptodon stretched like an old man getting off a low bench. Then it look itself, flinging tar in all directions. Then it looked down at them again lowering his head to their level.
"So mercy is your path," the great prehistoric creature spoke with a gravely voice. He regarded them with a piercing intensity before speaking again. "Ironic that it was a black cat that trapped me here, and now cycles later another frees me."
"You mean someone with a black cat miraculous was the reason you've been stuck this whole time!"Ladybug said, and looked from the giant armadillo-like creature to Chat Noir, wondering if they had unknowingly unleashed something that was meant to remain buried in the past.
"I've never been a friend to you mortal beings...I could just crush you...but I suppose you did just risk loosing the power of the trials to turn aside to free me...so I guess I won't squash my rescuers."
They both looked startled, and then dejectedly across the wide expanse that still lay between them and the jewel on the pedestal that had almost sunk beneath the surface
"Well thanks...I guess... for not squishing us..."Chat Noir shrugged with a raised eyebrow at the creature, before turning with slumped shoulders toward Ladybug. "...but he's right Ladybug, we are never going to make across this in time now.
"Well..." there might be a way the Goliath armadillo hovered above them. "...since you set me loose, there is nothing I've missed more than a chance to stretch my legs," he offered, rotating to his side to tilt his mighty shell towards them.
"What the heck...I guess it is worth a try!" Chat Noir nodded his head in thanks, and extended his hand to Ladybug. "You with me?" he asked her.
"Like you have to ask," she winked, and climbed up in front of Chat Noir. "No turnning back now!"
"Hold on tight puny humans," the creature warned, and before they could second guess their plan he had bolted across the blackened terrain.
The base of the pedestal was now fully submerged, but their mount flashed onward with breakneck speed. They could see the gem getting swallowed up by the pit. Ladybug braced herself over the glyptodon's neck, and swung her yoyo like a lasso. Chat Noir held her hips to steady her, so she didn't bowel over the ridged armour. The yoyo managed to loop around and dislodged the gem just before it was swallowed up.
"Yes!" shouted Chat Noir as he wrapped his arms around Ladybug, squeezing her tight. "You did it!"
"We did it!" she grinned at him over her shoulder, holding the gem up.
Their bright smiles dampened when they saw the expression on the Phoenix and the hummingbird kwami faces; Both of which had a mix of horror and awe seeing them astride the glyptodon.
"I never thought I'd see the day..." Ember murmured taking on a tone of dry amusement.
"You never expected me to rise again?!" the glyptodon growled.
"No, I knew you would one day...I meant I never thought I'd ever see Hum at a loss for words," Ember looked over with a smirk at the stricken humming bird.
All of them looked at the hummingbird who was huffing and puffing without making a sound.
"Are you okay?" Ladybug asked sympathetically slipping down to solid ground, followed closely by Chat Noir.
Finally the tiny bird's voice came out in a rushed humming of syllables to fast for anyone to comprehend.
"Sorry, what was that?" Chat Noir cocked his head to one side, making his cat ears poke out comically.
"Now you've gone and done it! Just get to the gem I said! Get across quick I said! Avoid the obstacles, not drag them up with you!" The furious tiny bird buzzed.
"An obstacle! An obstacle!" The lumbering armadillo bellowed angrily, stomping the ground. "I'm betrayed by my own and trapped cycle upon cycle, and that's what you call me!"
"You made your choice the instant you waged war on the weilders!" The tiny bird flew up face to face with the mammoth creature, not backing down an inch. "You were the one who betrayed us!"
"The mosquito betrayed us all," the armadillo turned sullen. "He didn't bother to free me either if you hadn't noticed...even after everything I had done for our cause...and after all that, the only one to bring me back into this world was this little boy!"
"Achem, I'm more of a man than a boy," Chat Noir muttered under his breath, causing Ladybug to stifle a awkward giggle (which earned her a glare from Chat Noir).
"Yes, this tiny man was the only one to give me a second chance," glyptodon continued, still staring down the humming bird.
"Hey! No...not...I'm not tiny!" Chat Noir protested with ignignation, turning to Ladybug for support. "I'm not!"
"You're my big strong kitty," she smirked scratching him behind the ear.
"I know you're just patronizing me," Chat Noir said crossing his arms, but then sighed, "but that feels way too good to get you to stop."
Ladybug giggled, leaning her face towards him, and whispered, "these two are about to reignite old wars thanks to us, and you're not worried?"
ChatNoir whispered back, "well he hasn't stomped us yet," he nodded to the prehistoric creature, "plus as weilders we're supposed to be the bridge and the protectors of both humans and kwami...maybe it was the right time...in the moment I just knew it was the right thing to do."
"How can you always see the best in everyone!" Ladybug shook her head in admiration and kissed his cheek.
Ember listened silently, observing stoically.
"Aren't you going to say something!" the hummingbird demanded, shooting a glare at the steady orange flame of the Phoenix.
"Time," the Phonix replied matter of factly.
"What?!" The hummingbird asked, and the glyptodon also appeared stand-offishly perplexed by Embers response.
"Maybe the time is right, but only time will tell," Ember neatly placed his first wings back decidedly.
"You may be the kwami of wisdom, but you speak all in riddles," the hummingbird huffed.
"Then let me speak plainly," Ember's fire sparked. "The trial tests the weilder in using intuition,and not hesitating in using their judgement. The weilders made a call, and I intend to respect that. Too much has been lost already dwelling on the past. We've got to allow a chance to hope for better!"
"You'd risk everything on hope?!" the hummingbird glared at Ember.
"Yes," the Phoenix responded plainly , meeting the hummingbird gaze.
"Now that the cat has freed you aren't you at least going to fight on our side this time?!" The hummingbird demanded turning his attention to the glyptodon.
"I'm done with sides! the glyptodon shook his thick head. "I've been a captive long enough. My alliance is to myself alone!"
"If it hadn't been for the kid you'd be still suffocating in the tar, and you won't even..." the tiny bird hummed accusingly, but was interrupted by Chat Noir.
"No, no, it's fine. He doesn't owe me for his own freedom...freedom should be...well free!" Chat Noir said stepping up beside them. "Feeling trapped by oppression and restrictions suffocates you." Then Chat Noir looked up at the massive armadillo. "I don't want to control you, your life it your own, but we are facing others whose is trying to take control over many lives! We could really use your help!"
The glyptodon studied chat Noir, then quietly commented, "you were once imprisoned yourself weren't you?!"
Chat Noir did not respond, but shifted on his feet, digging a toe into the soft turf.
The armadillo watched him, and took a step closer. "Even if the body is free, your mind can still be trapped. I guess you and I just have to decide if we stay imprisoned or if we truly break free of our past."
"So you're saying you'll help?!" the hummingbird puffed up his chest.
"I'm saying I won't stand in your way," he shrugged, and with a thump of his tail he suddenly shrunk down to his kwami form. Then he added with a wink, "at least for now!" Then he flew off into the trees and out of sight.
ooo
A special thanks to Jadeana and Alisa who suggested Trinidad and Tobago as a location for my story! There are more trials to come featuring some of the unbelievable sites in this amazing country! Now that Ladybug and Chat Noir's identities have finally come to light the next chapter they spend on the beach is bound to be fun;)