While Ladybug recharged Tikki, she glared over to where Ryuko and Fei were keeping a cautious distance from Merlin. He seemed to be making casual conversation, asking about this or that about what the current world was like since he had been trapped in Lady Justice's prison. Ladybug was thankful to see Ryuko regarding him stiffly, but Fei (although cautious) was more willing to engage with him.
"What do we do Tikki?" Marinette asked urgently. "Merlin can't be trusted can he? Lady Justice was the one who should have intercepted him at Fei's training school. How did he follow Falfalla here?"
"Merlin once was on our side, but now I'm not so sure," Tikki pondered over her macaroon unhelpfully.
"Merlin has already taken the gold ring with the pearl from the Dragon Gate back in China that Lady Justice called "the key." He claimed that we wanted to train the new Renren to channel the elemental dragons. For whatever reason he thinks that doing this will make amends for whatever he did or didn't do last time Chaos tried to take over. The question is what is the mosquito kwami of Chaos planning? Where is he in all of this and what human form has he stolen? ...and is Merlin's plan going to actually help us defeat him, or make things worse? I just don't know Tikki!" Marinette raked her fingernails through her ponytails.
"No matter what, one thing is certain, we need to get the Prodigious back right away!" Tikki counselled. "I think you're right not to trust Merlin, especially after what happened last time...but he might be able to help us reach the Prodigious in time."
"Yeah, just because he wants it himself!" Marinette pointed out, raising her hands in the air.
"True, but we are all in a lot more danger with Falfalla...or worse...the mosquito kwami...getting their hands on it!" Tikki urged. "If they destroy it, I don't think even I could restore the Renlings to this world."
Marinette's brow furrowed, and she pinched the bridge of her nose like she a massive migraine was coming on. With her other hand she pressed the icon to dial Adrien. The phone rang, and rang but he didn't pick up. Marinette bit her lip nervously. Maybe something had gone wrong with his mother, and he was dealing with a medical issue. She hoped he was okay. She wished she could just ask his advice, or find out where he was so that he could come with her. He would know how to advise her at a time like this. She couldn't wait though...the longer she debated, the more of a head-start Falfalla would have with the Prodigious!
"Tikki, Spots on," she said determinedly, and strode over to the other three, trying to appear more confident than she felt. "Alright, Merlin. You will guide us to track the Prodigious, but one wrong move, one shady detour, and I will have Ryuko over here hit you will a billion joules of energy!"
"As you wish Ladybug," Merlin bowed slightly, with a nod.
Ladybug placed the horse miraculous glasses back into Fei's hands. "Here, I'd rather you were protected by a miraculous if we end up going up against one of Falfalla's villains'. Guard it with your life, until we get your Prodigious back."
"Thank you Ladybug, by my honor I will do everything in my power to rescue the Renlings!" Fei accepted the glasses solemnly. Kalakki emerged, and greeted Fei once more.
Ryuko approached Ladybug with a pale face, and the brave young women seemed more unnerved than Ladybug had ever seen her. "Ladybug...my Mother...I wasn't able to free her from the akuma's hold on her."
Ladybug put an encouraging hand on Ryuko's shoulder. "Falfalla may still try to use her against us, but I am determined that we will free her, and return her safely to you," Ladybug promised.
"Thank you," Ryuko bowed, respectfully. "Let us be after them at once!"
"So where do you think Falfalla is headed?" Ladybug crossed her arms, eyeing Merlin sideways.
"If they truly mean to destroy it, there is only one place they would go," Merlin said lowly, with a tense air of foreboding. "Japan sits on the convergence of four tectonic plates. They will fly to one of the most active volcanos in all of Japan; Sakurajima, in Kagoshima."
"How fast could they make it there?" Ladybug turned to Kagami.
Kagami pondered to herself, completing calculations in her head before answering, "by air, about 3 hours and 45 minutes, that is unless Falfalla creates some other akumatized villain that can get her there even faster."
"We have to assume that to be the case. She came here with a plan, and if she is resolved to follow through with the destruction of her prize, we need to hurry!" Ladybug concluded. "Fei, are you ready?"
Fei perched the shades over her eyes, and channeled Kalakki's power. Her ponytail flew out behind her, and her black and silver suit rippled over her every muscle. "For now, call me Longma," she said, and created a portal onto the volatile volcanic island.
The island in south west Japan (only bridged to the mainland now by a spit of solidified lava-flow), was located in the middle of a bay...but the bay itself was really at the center of an ancient volcano named Aira Caldera formed 29 000 years ago. Most people would have taken the ferry to arrive at the island, but they skipped right to the main attraction; The Sakurajima volcano!
The surroundings seemed too peaceful to be a site of ultimate destruction. A gentle breeze tossed young pine trees back and forth, and the prominent volcano rose up gently at the center. The grey sky was a blank canvas, with not even a bird interrupting the silence.
"It...it's beautiful here," Ladybug commented in surprise, surveying the surroundings.
"Make no mistake, Sakurajima sits on the top of Japan's 'Ring of Fire.' Although this is by no means as large as Mt. Fuji, Mt Ontake, or Mt Aso...this volcano is more angry," Merlin looked towards the Volcano as if glaring at his nemesis. From the beginning of time, after many eruptions she became dormant, silent, waiting for 13,000 years. Then about 12,800 years ago she awoke again, and now every 4-24 hours the volcano creates an eruption."
"4-24 hours!" Fei exclaimed. "You mean that thing could go off while we're here!"
"It is for that very reason that this is where Falfalla is headed," Merlin commented, with certainty. "Come, we'll hike up to the Minamidake vent. We haven't missed her yet!"
"How can you be sure?" Fei asked.
"Merlin rubbed his fingers across a ancient komikan orange tree, and held up his fingers. See? No ash after this morning's dew. Sakurajima hasn't erupted yet today." Then he picked of a strong branch for a walking stick, and headed up the trail.
The three girls following him looked at each other. Even as superheroes, trailing a medieval knight up toward the mouth of a volcano seemed bizarre. The trail was well-kept and the pitch-black volcanic soil along either side sparkled in the sunlight. Even at Merlin's extreme old age, he kept pace with the miraculous powered girls. If anything he seemed to be marching with such conviction, at some points they had to trot to keep up.
What appeared to be a wisp of cloud appeared at the lip of the volcano. The girls didn't pay any attention to it. There was enough to keep their minds occupied as they walked, wondering at what point Falfalla would arrive. The 'cloud' began to grow, expand and started darkening. Then they felt a tremor in the earth, and heard a unsettling rumble from up ahead. The volcano was awake!
Thick putrid billows of black smoke poured out of the top, and with a crack stones were hurtled nearly 2km from the crater flying high overhead. Within the dark evil looking smoke lightning from the eruption began shooting thousands of meters in the air.
"Faster! This is it!" Merlin called back to the group, and hustled forward toward the doom before them.
"This is insane! We should be going in the opposite direction!" Ladybug covered her mouth, coughing as the smell of smoke filled her nostrils.
"Do you think this is truly where Falfalla is headed, or is this crazy old man just trying to kill us?" Longma yelled over to Ladybug.
"We can't give up! If there is a chance we can save the Prodigious and my mother, we've got to make it!" Ryuko said without wavering.
Ladybug and Longma nodded, and forged on.
At this point the cloud had expanded it's girth over top of them, and papery, darkened ash drifted down like hellish snow onto their hair, and shoulders.
They reached near enough to the vent that their eyes watered, and they coughed as the polluted air coated their lungs. Slowly moving neon orange lava inched over rocky boundaries creating waterfalls of molten rock, sealing everything in it's path in fire and rock.
They thought that nothing could have surprised them more than the awesome power of the volcano itself, when suddenly a smooth voice addressed them. "Hello again Ladybug. So fate has brought you across our path once more."
The four wheeled around and to their shock a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a silk kimono. It has long flawless sleeves, which reached from her shoulders all the way down to her heels. More inexplainable was the small white dog she held in her arms, with intelligent coal-black eyes.
"Pele? Lootwit? " Ladybug addressed both the woman and the dog with a low bow. "You're a long way from the Hawaiian islands."
"This is practically our second home," the gorgeous women smiled evenly at the weilders and Merlin. When her eyes came upon Merlin, she paused. "You have chosen some peculiar companions for this journey haven't you. Where is that handsome young cat weilder that held himself oh so well?" Lootwit looked back at Ladybug inquisitively. "Don't tell me you had a falling out...that he is unattached? Maybe we were wrong, and your bond was not so unbreakable afterall."
"We're closer than ever," Ladybug gritted her teeth into a tense smile at Lootwit's inquiry.
"Hmm..." Lootwit hummed. "Maybe not so close, as he is not currently at your side..." she smiled in a self-satisfied fashion.
"He...needed to...no...never mind," Ladybug started to justify, and then rounded her shoulders, refocusing on the precarious situation at hand. "My team and I have come in search of Falfalla. We fear that this new weilder of the Butterfly means to come here with evil intent."
"No evil intent? No, no...The Butterfly weilder has sent I, Ikari Gozen, to you All Powerful Pele with a gift from the kwami of Chaos himself," spoke up the voice of Ikari Gozen coming up the trail behind them.
"A gift! From my Seth-y! He always did adore me!" Lootwit's eyes sparked with interest at the huge armored red centaur that approached.
"Neither the mosquito kwami, nor Falfala bothered to even come themselves?!" Ladybug clenched her yoyo firmly in one hand. "They continue to possess an innocent woman to do their dirty work with an akuma!"
"No!" Ryuko protested toward Ikari Gozen. "Remember who you are! You are Tomoe Tsurugi. Don't do this! You must see how they are using you!"
"Oh this present must be good, if Ladybug wants it for herself," Loowit flicked her long, perfectly smooth ebony hair over her shoulder.
"It is not for me, but was stolen from the true Renren," Ladybug tried to reason with her, but everything about Lootwit and Pele that had softened back in Hawaii by the end, seemed to harden again at the lure of competition with the kwami of creation. "They mean to destroy the Renlings and their power," Ladybug tried to reason with the volcano kwami, and the phantom of her weilder she had once been torn from.
"The Prodigious?" Loowit inquired with great interest.
Ikari Gozen drew the pendent from her mouth, and held it up for them to see. "Only you, the magnanimous empress of the great volcanos of the earth should hold such a treasure. There are some who claim that it's power is above your own, that it could not be unmade by your hand. Such unbelievers, such as these slaves of miraculous', think you've grown to weak to consume all in your path," Ikari Gozen goaded her.
The bewitching woman flickered, and her eyes ignited like fire as she moved slowly towards the weilders. The dog in her arms jumped down, growling at them all. Flickering in fury and rage the two fused together, leaving a white wolf kwami, where there had once been the two of them. Her quick, explosive temperament was reflected in the explosions from the volcano itself, spewing chucks of half-molten rock outward. "We are Pele, who are you to taunt me?! As if we could not undo all of you, mow down all of creation, and build it back up in our image!" her fangs gleamed like fire under her snarling black lip.
"I have no doubt you could destroy the Prodigious," Longma stepped before the fierce kwami. "That is why we implore you to spare the Renlings such a fate. Don't take their power from this world."
"Much was taken from us without mercy," Pele spoke bitterly. "Which powers in the world defended us then?"
"Then you understand more than others the cost of using the powers of the miraculous'," Ladybug implored softly.
Pele looked at Ladybug, and then looked away. "There is some magic in the world that maybe should be undone."
"And some that should be preserved and protected," Longma implored.
Pele looked back at them thoughtfully.
"These fools think they can trick you, and hold back your power. Mere mortals can not stand in the way of the lavaflow!" Ikari Gozen strode toward Pele, with the Prodigious held aloft.
"Release the Prodigious!" Merlin drew his sword and was dwarfed by the size of the great creature looming above him.
"Aren't they pathetic! Thinking that they can channel the tide of fire!" Ikari Gozen laughed, and kicked Merlin with full force toward the edge of the volcano. He jabbed his sword into the stone, stopping himself, and Longma teleported using the horse miraculous to help him climb back up to solid ground just in time.
As soon as Ikari had landed the kick, Ladybug had swung her yoyo, ensnaring her legs. Ryuko leaped high in the air, and raised her sword against her possessed mother. Ikari Gozen weilded her own sword, and expertly blocked every attack.
"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug called out in desperation, but to her dismay only a single cherry blossom floated down to rest of her palm.
Pele watched the flower, and seemed disturbed by it, but remained a silent observer to the battle unfolding before her, seeming to want to see how it would play out.
"Lightning Dragon!" the dragon weilder called out, and her body exploded into fizzling energy that made Pele's fur stand on end.
Ryuko jumped up into the sky, and dove back down so quick that her form was indiscernible. By just as she plummeted down planning to destroy her mother's sword that held the akuma, the creature reared back, and instead Ryuko struck Ikari Gozen in the chest.
The akumatized form of Kagami's mother fell forward, with the arm holding the Prodigious outstretched toward Pele. Pele took the prodigious in her paws, and weighed it carefully.
"Mother! No! Oh...forgive me! Forgive me!" Ryuko knelt by the fallen beast beside herself with grief, bitter sobs clenched within her throat.
Longma, Merlin, and Ladybug stood before Pele, on either side of the fallen victim in horror. They had lost...lost more than they thought possible. Pele watched them closely, while lava bubbled and spirted just over the edge.
"You have witnessed the duality of our nature before," Pele focused on Ladybug intently.
Ladybug, and the others stood frozen before her, not sure of how to respond.
"Do you understand your charm?" Pele asked, and Ladybug opened her hand which still held the red and black cherry blossom. Ladybug wondered if the kwami was mocking her, but she still had no idea what to do with a simple delicate flower, so shook her head.
"Some believe this volcano's name means 'Cherry Blossom'; A symbol of beauty and violence. Of life and death." Pele said wistfully. "It was once one of the names I was called by the people here...but that was long ago. Back when there were cherry trees found here...before I destroyed them in a fit of anger."
Ladybug stared at her, wondering if the volcanic kwami intended to destroy the prodigious in the same way she had destroyed the cherry trees of this island?
Pele went directly up to Longma, and placed the prodigious in her hand. Longma was shocked beyond belief, but bowed and muttered out a hasty "Thank You!" through her sputtering.
Then Pele approached Ladybug and pressed her paw against the petals of the cherry blossom. "You are right when you said that we knew the cost of using power. We are known (even among other kwami) for our tendency to destroy everything we touch, but at our heart we desire growth and creation. You have that power Ladybug. We've envied you for that...but it is also a great burden." Pele's eyes met Ladybug's and held them sincerely. "Creation and destruction are meant to walk hand in hand. Be careful. I was infatuated with Chaos for a time, but even I know that everything in this Universe must be in balance. Your enemy is reckless and unpredictable (part of his charm," she sighed under her breath). We cannot be your ally in this fight, but are curious to see how it ends this time."
Like a blaze of intense fire, the white wolf kwami started to glow. She went over to Ikari Gozen's fallen lifeless form, and bit down onto her sword, making it break apart as if with were as fragile as chalk. A dark butterfly emerged, and Ladybug swung her yoyo up to snatch it out of the air and release it's purified form. The monster shriveled to the body of Kagami's mother, lying in Ryuko's arms. Without waiting another second, Ladybug threw up the cherry blossam lucky charm, and the magic ladybugs swarmed around Tomoe Tsurugi, and she gasped new air into her lungs.
Ryuko was so relieved she wrapped her arms around her mother. Ms. Tsurugi yelled out in protest at the affection from the strange super hero invading her personal space in such an undignified way. She shuffled to her feet, straightening her dark glasses, and pushing away the supporting arms of Ryuko. "What is all this! Unhand me! Where on earth am I?" she stiffened at the unfamiliar onslaught of senses surrounding her.
"Not to worry Tsurguisan. We will have you back home right away," Ryuko assured her, wiping away the stray tears still smudged on her cheek.
Tomoe Tsurugi nodded curtly, and allowed Ryuko to take her arm, while Longma channeled a portal back to the Tsurugi's restored home. Merlin followed after them, but Ladybug paused to look back at Pele.
"Thank you," Ladybug said sincerely. "Whether you intend to be my ally or not, you have earned both my respect and my gratitude. You may have tipped the scales in our favor today."
"They are 'scales,'" Pele replied aloofly. "They will forever be tipping one way or another. You cannot control everything young weilder."
The vision of Pele vanished as the portal closed. Ladybug, Ryuko, Ms. Tsurugi, Longma, and Merlin were standing back in front of the manicured bushes in front of the high walls of Kagami's home.
Kagami moved to return the dragon miraculous back to Ladybug, but Ladybug stopped her. "Hold on to it, and protect it for me. Times are uncertain and it is better to be ready."
Kagami looked surprised at first, but then bowed to Ladybug in thanks and acceptance of the honor and responsibility she had bestowed on her. The dragon's transformation dissolved and Kagami took her mother inside the house to recover from the whole ordeal. Ms. Tsurugi seemed more annoyed than flustered at the disturbance in her routine, and instructed Kagami to put tea on at once. Kagami stepped out quickly to say goodbye to Fey. Neither was typically emotional, but their bond had grown over their time together, and they swore to each other that they would look after each other like family from now on.
Fei's transformation also dissolved, and she handed back the horse miraculous to Ladybug. She placed the Prodigious back to it's rightful spot around her neck.
Merlin was silent throughout the conclusion with Pele, and return to Kyoto. He stood back, and waited patiently for the parting between the friends. Kagami closed the door behind her, and then he finally presented his case.
"With the prodigious returned to the Renren, you need to not waste time. The Butterfly wielder will have discovered that their plan has failed. It will only be a matter of time before the mosquito kwami finds out that the prodigious fell through his fingers. We can't let this advantage go to waste!"
"You've had your own agenda all along. Why do you think using the Prodigious is the way to beat them?" Ladybug asked suspiciously.
"Why do you think they were so determined to destroy the Prodigious?" Merlin pointed out.
Fei drew Ladybug to one side, and whispered, "We need to find out more about his plan. The Prodigious came so close to being extinguished from the world. I can't sit back and not do anything, and hide away. Isn't there anyone who could tell us more about what happened the first time Chaos attacked?"
"There is one...Lady Justice..." Ladybug thought carefully. "She was powerful enough to hold Merlin before."
"She has been keeping an eye on my school. If it has been compromised, I need to get back there and help them," Fei said determinedly.
"What makes you think that?" Ladybug asked.
"The only one who knew I was here with Kagami was one of my students...I know (Fei nodded apologetically seeing the look on Ladybug's face) I shouldn't have spoken to anyone...but that is the only way I can think of that they could have traced us...it was all my fault," she said guiltily.
"You're probably right that we can't hide from this. We need to check in with Lady Justice, and let her know what has happened," Ladybug put a hand on Fei's shoulder.
Suddenly Ladybug's yoyo started buzzing, and she excused herself to take the call.
"Hello?!" She answered
"You've got to know that isn't me!" Adrien's voice spoke out in a rush.
"What are you talking about?" Ladybug asked in confusion. "Adrien, are you okay?"
"No, I'm pinned down here, but you need to know that there is something going on! At first I thought it was Felix, but even he has never gone this far. What if they have figured out who we are!"
"What is going on?" Ladybug urged worriedly. "Who knows?"
"Wait...what do you mean what is going on? The bilboards, on TV, all over every feed. You've got to have seen...where are you right now?" Adrien asked.
"I'm sorry, I thought you were still taking care of things with your mom. I had to rush off to help Kagami and Fei. Falfalla tracked them down, and used Ikari Gozen to get a hold of the Prodigious...then Merlin showed up...then there was this whole volcanic eruption..."
"Just a second, what?! You're in Japan? Are you okay?" Adrien tried to register all of this information. "What was that about a volcano?!"
"We're fine for now, but we've got to figure out what Merlin is up to. So far he has actually been helpful, but knowing him, I need someone to keep track of him. Now tell me, what is going on in Paris?"
"It wasn't you!" Adrien said over the receiver to himself, as if breathing out a sigh of relief, but then he immediately tensed up again. "If you've been all the way in Japan, you better get back here fast!" Adrien said in a tone, that made Ladybug feel on edge. "It is worse than I thought!"
"You're scaring me! Just tell me what is going on!" Ladybug said breathlessly.
"We've got Copy Cats on the loose," Adrien replied quickly.
"No! Theo couldn't have been akumatized again. Falfalla akumatized Kagami's mom here. There is no way that her power could have reached Paris at the same time!" Ladybug said.
"Not a copy cat of Chat Noir or Ladybug, a copy of Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng," Adrien's voice lowered.
"No..." Ladybug's whispered in dread.
oooooooooooooo
Fun fact: "Longma": This is the name Fei chose for herself while weilding the horse miraculous. It is a fabled winged horse with dragon scales in Chinese mythology.
I hope that you have enjoyed my story so far. You certainly have endurance reader if you have made it so far, and I appreciate you interest in my story so much! A special thank you to those who clicked favorite or follow...and a special thanks to those like Sapyrrha and other guests who let me know that I should continue sharing this story with you all by leaving such supportive reviews!
All the very best!
Phoenix203