Hello everyone! I am still alive and writing! Things have been progressing in my personal life which means writing for fun sometimes takes a back burner. Also, the inspiration bug has not been biting as much.
In case you didn't see the update I posted on Chapter 15, I have roughly fleshed out the remaining chapters of Miraculous: Tales! I know where we are going and I know what our destination holds. Please be sure to subscribe to the story because you do NOT want to miss what we have coming up next!
Finally without further adieu, Chapter 16: Protect Your Squad, or, "What Nino Saw"
"Nino! What are you doing here?" Adrien shifted his stance in front of Master Fu. "Did you follow us?"
"Do not be rude, Adrien." The old man moved from behind the groups of teens. He gestured to the extra pillow on the ground. "Young man, would you care to have a seat? I have a feeling you did not come here at this late hour for traditional Chinese healing."
Reluctantly, Nino and the others sat on their respective pillows. Alya moved to lay a hand on her boyfriend's should, but he scooted away. He felt her disappointment.
"Not now, Al. I need some time to process this." Nino drew his knees to his chest, resting his forehead against his thighs. He couldn't bring himself to look at her yet. Or Marinette. Or Adrien.
Adrien. His best friend. Nino tightened his grip on his legs. Once, he thought they could tell each other everything. But now…
"How did you find us?" Marinette's voice jarred Nino back to the unfortunate reality before him. Sitting up, he fiddled with his ever headphones.
"It wasn't hard. I woke up sneezing from this weird dark sand that somehow got into my room. Right after that, my phone started buzzing. It was a news alert about Alya being captured and tortured by an akuma because of her access to Ladybug through the LadyBlog." Nino's hand found Alya's as his voice began to crack. "There was no video, just an audio recording of- of her screaming." He heard her stifle a cry, squeezing her hand for reassurance.
"I ran all the way to her house just in time to see Rena Rouge jump out of Alya's window. Hoping she was able to track Alya down, I followed her." Nino met eyes with the group, swiping the tears under his glasses. "I saw the fight. I saw most of your fears."
Adrien shuffled closer to Marinette as Chloe clenched her fist in her lap. No one was eager to relive their worst nightmares.
"When you dudes had beaten the akuma, I still hadn't gotten a text from Alya saying she was okay. I was about to get you guys to check the city again for her when you just up and left. Knowing I would need the "Miraculous Squad" to find Alya, I kept following you." Nino sighed, letting go of Alya's hand. "To be honest, I was really confused when the heroes of Paris landed at an old Chinese medicine place." I was even more confused when they turned out to be my friends," He looked to Adrien and Marinette. "My girlfriend," Alya. "… and Chloe. I'm still confused at how she became a hero."
"I earned it, thank you very much." The blonde girl sniffed.
Nino shrugged. "And now… We're here." He stood, moving away from the group to the nearby window. The dark streets of Paris beckoned the boy to run from his current dilemma; if he ran fast enough, the problem at hand wouldn't be able to catch him.
Just as his leg muscles tensed to bolt, Nino felt a warm hand on his shoulder."
"Nino," Adrien spoke softly. "I really am sorry I didn't tell you; that wecouldn't tell you."
"I honestly couldn't care one way or the other- OW!"
"Shut up, Chloe!" Marinette hissed. Nino turned to face his best friend.
Adrien gestured to the group. "We were all sworn to secrecy. The only reason we know each other's identities now is because we're facing a bigger threat than just Hawkmoth and the occasional akuma now and then. Master Fu believes that we'll need more help in this fight."
"Then I want in." Adrien stepped back in surprise. Master Fu quirked his brow as Nino moved to kneel in front of the old man. "I want to protect my friends, so their fears never come to pass. And if this new threat is big enough to need this much fire power, more people than just us are in danger."
Master Fu slowly rose to standing. "That is the correct answer." He removed the jade bracelet from his wrist. "Nino Lahiffe. This is the Miraculous of the Turtle, which grants the power of protection you seek. Use it for the greater good in conjunction with your team."
Wayzz floated pasted the shocked group of teenagers as Fu presented Nino with the Miraculous. "A wise choice, Master. The boy's desire to protect the greater good will serve him well in the battle ahead against Hawkmoth and his untold allies." As Nino slipped the bracelet into place over his silicone bands, Chloe stamped her foot impatiently.
"Yay. Nino's a part of our little 'Miraculous Squad' now. Can we get back to my story now? Feels like this has taken months."
Master Fu presented Nino with a cup of tea while refreshing the others. "Yes, Chloe. You were saying that you believe Hawkmoth knows who you are behind the mask?"
She nodded her head vigorously. "It was after he had my worst nightmares capture me in my house. He had a hunch that I was one of the two new heroes; I didn't deny it because I was trying too hard to resist him." Chloe slowly sipped her tea, her face twisting into a grimace of shame. "Hawkmoth thought that after how many times he's been able to akumatize me or use me to akumatize others, he would turn me into a double agent to spy on you. That's when Pollen showed up to help me." A finger tapped her chin in thought. "He was talking to someone else, but I couldn't hear their side of the conversation. He called them Mayura… said that if they combined their powers, they could break my spirit. Hawkmoth got angry, though. He wasn't too happy with them, by the sound of it." The girl cast a loving glace at her small yellow friend. "Pollen was able to snap me out of my funk and I was able to drop the connection."
"Hmm." The group turned to Marinette. Her arms were crossed in thought. "It sounds like this 'Mayura' wasn't fully cooperating with Hawkmoth. Maybe that's our opening. Hawkmoth tried to turn one of ours…" The girl smirked. "How about we return the favor?"
I will try a Saturday posting schedule as often as I can write. Hope to see everyone next week!