Chapter Thirty-Eight
Ladybug leaned against the wall of the tunnel, taking in a ragged breath.
"Ladybug?" A soft voice asked, and she wasn't even sure who was speaking to her. "Are you… okay?"
She let out a bitter laugh. "Okay? Oh, we're just walking straight towards Hawk Moth's house without even a plan and we don't even know if they'll be there or not. And we're on a timer before Adrien Agreste is literally offered up as some human sacrifice by his own family and that's like so messed up that I'm barely processing that?"
"Which is why we need to get moving–"
"And I can't get a hold of Master because he can't stay transformed for long and he's probably not going to see the news until it's too late because you know, he's on an isolated mountain temple on the other side of the world! So we're on our own and it comes down to us and we can't mess this up and one of our identities has already been revealed and what do you know Nino is Silver Paw meaning there's one less person willing to help take down Hawk Moth than we thought!"
Silver Paw winced slightly. "I'm… I'm sorry, Marinette."
"And I guess you know my identity too," Ladybug whispered, closing her eyes– not even having the energy to be surprised.
"Um, if it means anything the Guardian dude knows that I know?" Silver Paw offered. "I kind of spilled everything with him back with Feast, I couldn't really do it any other way–" He shook his head. "We can't stop and talk though– we have to keep moving– for Blue."
Ladybug wanted to ask for one more minute– just to breath and process, but she couldn't do that. So she pushed herself away from the wall, looking down the long tunnel. Her mind felt like it was working in overdrive, having been stuck in 'hero mode' sense the akuma first struck. And even after the fight was over she had to keep it up with the media, the fact an identity was revealed, then the police, then the mayor–
"Ladybug, if you need to rest then let's stop," Panthera said, grabbing her shoulder. "It can't be for long– but we need to be ready."
"I can rest my mind while we walk," she replied, shrugging her shoulders, and pulling out her yoyo, looking at the map that was showing up. She traced her finger across it as they walked– from what the mayor said following this main tunnel would lead to safe rooms that would be located here, so they'd need to branch off into the catacombs, which the mayor said would be marked off by their own locked doors, but he had given her the key to get through them...
Ladybug closed her eyes, pressing said key into Panthera's hand. "We're going to go through the catacombs. There should be a marked door to get through them."
"And we're going to get through them how?" Silver Paw growled. "We should have left through the hotel, and I'd use my illusions to hide–"
"And tire out you and Trixx? We don't know what this fight is going to be like, let alone how many times we're going to need to end up recharging!" Ladybug said.
"And you think the catacombs are going to lead us to Gabriel Agreste?" Silver Paw snapped. "It hasn't been fully explored!"
"Actually, we have a map of the catacombs," Panthera replied, showing the map on her own screen to Silver Paw. "While a lot of the catacombs haven't been fully explored, there was a former Black Cat that mapped a good chunk of them– and I have all that information in my baton. After she died her son, her Ladybug, carried on their work– and have a look at this."
"Part of them extend under the Agreste manor," Silver Paw muttered as he looked at the map.
"We might have to Cataclysm our way through to get to the surface, but this will give us an element of surprise," Ladybug said, coming to a pause outside of a small unassuming silver door. She glanced at Panthera, who pulled out the keycard the mayor had given them.
A musty scent reached their nose as the door opened, all of them recoiling as it washed over them. And the fact that their Miraculous gave them all a heightened sense of smell did not help. The three exchanged glances, the full weight of what exactly navigating the catacombs implied seeming to hit them at once.
Silver Paw was the first one to enter the tunnel, modern hallways fading to what might as well be a cave. "Send the map to my flute– I'll take the lead first."
They followed in after him, trying not to think about the mass gravesite they were walking into. A story all its own, but that was not what they had time to focus on. Right now they couldn't waste even a minute, needing to keep one more life from joining the millions that were already down here.
Nino told the girls his story as they made their way through the catacombs– of his first encounter with Blue Wing back when he was Papillon and so desperately looking for someone to akumatized, to how he had stolen the Fox Miraculous after the Peacock's first appearance. It made walking through the tunnels a bit easier, rather than the silence and the weight of what was ahead of them combined with the haunting echo of rushing air and dripping water, giving them something to focus on besides the bones that surrounded them.
Besides, it was important for them to know, to understand what he did and why he had fought against them at times. The heroines were already ready to stop Hawk Moth and to free Blue Wing from his grasp– but they didn't know him like he did. They hadn't spent the same time with him, they hadn't seen the pain on his face as he told Nino what happened at home, they didn't fully realize his loyalty to one that hadn't even loved him.
There were some things he didn't tell them, however, moments that would forever be just his and Blue's... Adrien's.
"I met him," Silver Paw realized. "I met Blue. He was right there at the fashion show, he came and talked to me– if only I had just realized– If I had recognized him–"
"It wasn't your fault," Ladybug said. "The glamour is powerful, it's there to keep you from connecting any dots."
"...Can I just say that I called it?" Panthera asked after a moment, a hesitant lightness in her voice. "At that Gabriel show I totally called that Adrien Agreste had a crush on Nino."
"I can't believe that my piece was shown at Hawk Moth's show," Ladybug whispered, gritting her teeth.
"Same, dudette," Silver Paw whispered.
"Don't think of it as Hawk Moth's," Panthera said after a moment. "I mean, you were probably chosen because of Adrien, right Nino? And Adrien is the one that wore your hat, Mari– so if anything it was at Adrien's show?"
"That's how Mellifera knew who I was!" He cried in realization, standing straight up. "She must have been that woman that came to my house before the show! She was talking to my mother and– and that's how she knew her name, that's how she knew!"
He fell silent, the realization that Mellifera and Hawk Moth knew his name, his house– his family– making him sick.
"Nino, they're safe," Ladybug said quietly. "I promise, that was the first thing I had the mayor do– they're not going to be found."
"Why?" He whispered. "I– I lied to you. I stole a Miraculous from you, I–"
"Nino, you're our teammate," Panthera said. "And stupid Fox holder or not, you're our friend– on both sides of the mask."
"You're a good person," Ladybug replied. "Even if you did make my anxiety ten times worse at times... I know you did it all for a good reason."
He couldn't manage a smile, but was able to give them a grateful look. "...Thank you, dudettes."
"Also of course we wouldn't let Hawk Moth target your family whether we were mad at you or not!" Panthera snapped.
"I know, I know," he muttered. "I just–"
They paused as they turned a corner, looking at the dead end in front of them. All eyes fell to their weapons, where the map of the catacombs was pulled up, which said that the path should keep going forward– but instead a giant cement wall was in front of them.
"Impossible!" Ladybug said. "It hasn't been wrong yet, it should keep going!"
"Something must have changed since the former Ladybug and Black Cat have been in here," Panthera muttered, laying a hand on the cement. "Modern construction?"
"No!" Silver whispered. "Turning back will take too long! The nearest exit is far from here– we can't–!"
"What was built this deep underground that they had to go through the catacombs?" Ladybug muttered. "Nino, where would the nearest exit take us above ground? How long to reach it?"
"Too long," Nino muttered, switching the map from the catacombs to the map of the city above. "It will– wait. We're... here?"
"What?" The girls asked together.
Nino turned his flute about so they could see the holographic map straight on. "We're at the Agreste manor, we're almost right below it."
"That means..." Ladybug muttered, looking at the cement wall again. "This is part of the manor?"
"The manor doesn't have anything underground though," Panthera said, looking at her baton. "At least from the information the mayor gave us–"
"There's a basement," Silver Paw whispered, stomach tightened. "I– I heard Mellifera talking about it, back when she and Blue were awakening Feast. She– she said... she threatened Blue with going there if he didn't wake up the avatar..."
They were all quiet at this.
"Plagg, claws in," Panthera said, and with a flash of green light she was detransforming.
"Cheeeeese!" Her kwami exclaimed the moment he came flying out of the ring, landing in Alya's outstretched hand.
"We need to save our cheese for when you actually need to recharge, Plagg," Alya replied, and she pointed at the wall. "I need you to fly through this and tell us what's on the other side."
Plagg eyed the cement. "You do it."
"I can't phase through solid objects!"
"Get the Owl Miraculous then."
"Plagg!"
Ladybug crossed her arms. "I'll detransform and set Tikki on you."
"Back in a second!" Plagg cried– zipping off and going straight through the wall.
The three of them sat there in silence, not knowing what else to do but wait. Those few minutes that Plagg was gone seemed to stretch on, no words being exchanged between them. When Plagg came flying back through the wall, he wasn't looking as lax as before. The Black Cat immediately rushed to Alya's shoulder, paws digging into her shirt.
"They're straight ahead. Both Hawk Moth and Mellifera. It's this huge weird room with a pod and this thing connected to it and there's water below these metal walkways and–" He closed his eyes. "Didn't see any sign of Wayzz, Duusu, or Blue Wing."
"No," Silver Paw whispered, eyes wide.
"If the other Miraculouses aren't there then they can't be far," Ladybug cut in.
"Or maybe Blue Wing was able to get away...?" Alya said uncertainly.
Silver Paw's eyes widened at the possibility, not having thought that would have been possible with him weakened and outnumbered– but what if it was? What if the Miraculous Ladybugs had freed him from the Venom? And while he couldn't transform without Duusu recharging, Wayzz had been right with him, and if the two Miraculouses they couldn't find were the ones he had...
"I don't want to be the bearer of bad news," Plagg said, tail curling. "But I usually am anyway– but Hawk-face and Melli-feral looked to be in decent spirits, ya know? Not like someone who could sell them out had just escaped."
"We have to find Blue," Silver Paw whispered.
"Was there any way out of the basement, Plagg?" Ladybug asked.
"There's an elevator, I didn't see an exit of any other kind," he replied.
"We'll head to the surface," Ladybug said, pulling away from the cement wall, looking up at the catacombs around them. "Panthera will Cataclysm us a path, and we'll search the manor. We... we can call the mayor, get him to order the shut off the electricity in this area, maybe? If there's only an elevator we can effectively trap them in the basement."
"You call the mayor, I'll get us to the surface," Alya said. "Plagg– claws out."
A flash of green lit up the tunnel, Ladybug turning her yoyo into a phone, making her way farther down the tunnel. Panthera held out her ringed hand, laying it against the wall, hesitating– before moving a bit away from the cement wall. Silver Paw didn't think it would make much of a difference either way, Hawk Moth and Mellifera would probably hear the Cataclysm either way. So he put a hand on Panthera' shoulder, and she looked back at him. "Wait until after she's done with her call– then we can rush in before they know what hit them."
The thought of waiting even just a minute was horrible, but Hawk Moth knowing that they were coming would probably be much worse.
He tried not to think of the fact that the Black Cat hadn't been able to see Blue Wing.
"This... this doesn't feel like it's happening," Panthera whispered, looking at Silver. "The fact that Hawk Moth is right there... for so long he's just felt like a faceless figure. A vague idea. But now it's just all even worse than I had ever imagined."
"He's insane," Silver agreed.
They fell into silence after that, neither able to carry on the conversation, instead waiting for Ladybug to return, faint murmurs of her voice echoing down towards them. Her call was short, heading back there way with a set expression on her face.
"Cataclysm," Panthera whispered, placing her hand against the wall as dark energy crackled about it– and the whole cavern began to shake. Silver Paw tensed, everything telling him to run, but he knew that he had to trust the Destruction that Alya was guiding.
Blackness spread out from where she had touched, eating away at stone and dirt crumbling to mere dust as it pulsed deeper into the wall, twisting upwards. It was almost hypnotic to watch as the tunnel formed in front of them. Dirt fell from the ceiling as the rumbling came to a stop, leaving them standing there in the silence. Ladybug was the first to move forward, stepping into the tunnel with no hesitation, making her way upwards. Silver followed after her, Panthera bringing up the end of their small group.
The Cataclysm-ed tunnel had shattered right through the front steps of the Agreste mansion, chunks of cement littered about the outside of the hole. They pulled themselves out into the fresh air, the neighborhood around them silent. They looked up at the mansion that stood before them, dark and haunted. A glance at the large houses around them showed that the power turned out just as the mayor had promised.
Silver Paw started to make his way forward, but Ladybug grabbed his shoulder as a flash of green light flared behind them. "Panthera needs to recharge– we can't run in there on a timer."
"I'll go ahead," Silver said, shrugging her off, but she grabbed his arm in a powerful grip. "We've wasted enough time!"
"Silver Paw, we can't take any risks–"
"The longer we're out here the longer Blue is stuck with them in there!"
"Hawk Moth isn't afraid to kill, Nino!" Ladybug shouted, and he stiffened up in her grasp, and her voice softened. "We will find Blue, but we're going to do it together."
"I–"
"I have already finished recharging, actually," Panthera said, walking past the two of them. "I only have one piece of cheese left, though."
"I stole a bunch of mints off of the mayor's desk," Silver said, digging into his pocket and pulling out a handful of said mints, pressing them into Ladybug's hands as he hurried to catch up with Panthera. "That should be able to keep us going for a while."
"Looks like Trixx has rubbed off on you," Panthera said, giving a small smile as he handed her another handful of mints. "You know Plagg won't touch these, right?"
"He'll survive," Ladybug said, tugging on the grand double front doors– but they were of course locked. Panthera pulled out her baton, expanding it before slamming it into the door, which immediately splintered under the pressure of the weapon, wood fracturing. She twisted the baton about, and he pulled out his flute to help her widen the hole she was creating.
He was thankful for the protective suit and gloves, the splinters and jagged wood not even hurting as he tore chunks of door away. He was the first to crawl through the moment it was big enough for them, stepping into the large dark foyer of the mansion. He looked about, the place tall and eerie.
The moment they had all passed through the creaking sound of metal filled the mansion– large metal panels seeming to slide out of nowhere, covering all the windows and doorways with an echoing thud, locking them in. They all jumped as darkness closed in on them, hearts racing as the security system kicked in– something that should have been disabled alongside the electricity.
"...I guess we should have seen that coming, seeing how rich they are?" Ladybug offered quietly.
"They probably have a backup generator for situations like this."
"Don't worry, my powers can get us out of here if needed," Panthera said, her hand grabbing Ladybug's. "You can see in the dark too, right Silver?"
"Yeah," he said, looking about uncertainly. His senses weren't as enhanced as they would have been had he been a perfect Fox holder– he knew just how entwined he was when wielding Wayzz. But at least he could still somewhat see through this darkness, which he was guessing Ladybug didn't have.
They all, however, could hear the sound of footsteps echoing above them in the darkness, all of their eyes whipping up towards the grand staircase above them– where two figures stood. One was tall and hulking, clad in thick armor. The other was much more familiar– with shriveled wings sagging at his sides.
"Blue," Silver whispered, heart thumping.
Blue's wings flared open as if in response to his words, and the two figures wordlessly made their way down the stairs. The movements were stiff, and Silver knew that something wasn't right, that it couldn't be right, but that didn't stop him from moving forward, just needing to reach him.
"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug bellowed, a burst of pink light surrounding her. A giant flood light came falling down, which immediately lit up as Ladybug caught it, illuminating the dark room.
Silver stared up at the stairs, watching as the two figures continued their way down the steps, not even blinking as the light washed over them. His throat tightened, because it was indeed Blue Wing he was seeing coming towards him, though his eyes looked blank, faintly glowing an eerie yellow.
Ladybug took in a sharp intake of breath, hands tightening around the floodlight. The figure walking next to Blue Wing was an unfamiliar one, a large and burly man with ripping muscles, cloaked in green scales. His eyes also glowed that same yellow, the only thing that was familiar on him being the bracelet on his wrist.
"Wayzz," Silver said softly, guilt twisting in his stomach.
"...Mellifera knows about Sting," Ladybug whispered in horror as she watched them.
Panthera stiffened up, while Silver Paw risked a glance at them. "...Sting?"
"The third power of the Bee," Panthera muttered. "That's what the glow in their eyes is."
"It pits the holder's will against the target's," Ladybug explained quietly, as if a loud noise would make the lumbering form of Blue and the man charge at them. "And if the holder's is stronger... then they gain complete control over the target. It's like mind control, but even more extreme than what happens to akumas."
"But she was able to use it twice?" Panthera whispered. "Keep control of both at once?"
"Mellifera is a perfect holder for Subjection," Silver Paw replied, his gut tighten as he took this in. Blue and the Turtle weren't rushing towards them, their steps echoing as they came down the steps.
"According to the mayor there's one other person who spends a lot of time at the mansion, a bodyguard," Ladybug said.
"So that's Turtle here then?" Panthera said, splitting her baton into two.
"Why aren't they attacking?" Silver asked, staring at the two Stung akumatized holders. They had been keeping their voices down, as if anything loud would provoke them into striking. "How aware are they?"
"They can process things through their senses, and follow orders– but there isn't much human thought behind their actions than that," Ladybug replied. "If I had to guess they will attack when they reach us, or if we charge them."
"Or if we go deeper into the mansion, I'm guessing," Panthera added. "They're probably meant to keep us from interfering."
"Or maybe to keep us from leaving– if they are still after your Miraculouses," Silver Paw glanced at the metal barriers that surrounded every exit. "Ladybug, put that spotlight somewhere where it will let us see, Panthera and I will cover you."
"You have a plan?" Panthera asked as Ladybug shouldered the giant light, wings flaring open.
"Go for the Miraculouses?" He suggested– before he sprang straight at the Turtle holder. The lumbering man seemed to instantly come to life as soon he came bearing down at him, swinging his shield straight at Silver. The sharp rim of the shell hit him straight in the gut, sending him flying back, but like any akuma attack he took the blow and rolled to his feet. He stared at the shield for a moment– which looked like an actual turtle shell.
He guessed it wasn't surprising for a bodyguard to be another perfect holder of Protection.
The Turtle holder jumped up into the air, leaping at Silver Paw, swinging the shield down like a hammer. Silver rolled out of the way, the floor shaking as the hulking man landed, and he pounced onto his back, bringing his flute down onto him. The blow itself didn't do much, but it did keep the Turtle's focus right on him.
"Don't hurt him!" Silver Paw yelled over his shoulder, watching as Panthera ran forward to engage the Stung Blue Wing– who instantly began attacking as she came close.
"Trying!" Panthera grunted, dodging several swipes of his fan– but when trying to play both offense and defense she wasn't getting a chance to strike. A yoyo zipped through the air, the yoyo catching Blue Wing by the wrist as he raised his arm to attack, allowing for Panthera to tackle him to the ground.
Silver felt like he was trying wrestle a bull, the man below him bucking and thrashing. It didn't take him long to toss him off his back, the Turtle charging forward with a snarl, forcing Silver Paw to retreat. He couldn't afford to split his attention between the Turtle and Blue, not with the powerful attacks coming his way– and he would have to trust the girls that they wouldn't hurt Blue Wing as they tried to disarm him.
The Turtle came charging once more, which he dodged with ease– it seemed that under Sting he had no sense of strategy, or at least he couldn't adapt to his opponent's movements. Silver Paw retreated slightly, eyes straight on the Turtle as he rushed at him once more, shield raised above his head. Once more he rolled out of the way, landing in front of the wall, letting the man come charging one last time.
Instead of rushing away he instead dove straight forward, aiming for the man's feet. He made him stagger in his step, sending the Turtle falling straight into the wall. Drywall cracked as he rolled out of the way, and Silver Paw sprang for the man's wrist as he struggled to pull himself out of the hole he had created, ripping the Turtle Miraculous from him. A surge of green light flashed through the room, Wayzz appearing as Silver Paw slipped the Miraculous back onto his own wrist.
"Wayzz, unify!" He called, pulling the kwami back into a transformation as soon as he formed. He felt the familiar turtle-shell shield appearing on his arm, his costume turning scaled and sturdy as the aura of Protection fused with it. He lowered himself into a charging position as the bodyguard pulled himself free, not even looking fazed that his Miraculous had been taken– just charging once more.
This time Silver didn't dodge, raising his shield to meet the blow. The man was powerful, but with Miraculous magic pulsing through Silver Shell he now had the edge. He threw his whole weight against the charge, easily knocking the man onto his back despite their size difference. Eyes swept through the foyer, trying to look for anything that could help him, and he raised his voice.
"Panthera– give me part of your baton!" He called, rushing towards one of the rooms that branched off from the foyer. Panthera didn't question him, throwing one of the split weapons his way.
He held out his hand, grabbing it from the air as it arced towards him, before charging straight across the room– eyes locked on a door on the other side of the foyer. It looked to be a sitting room of some kind, small and simple, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that there was only one exit from here, and that was the one that the bodyguard was now running straight through as he came at him once more.
"Sorry big guy," Silver Shell said quietly as the bodyguard charged into the room. "But you're going to be staying in here."
No matter how powerful the man was, he doubted that he would be able to get through the walls and reinforce windows without a Miraculous. As the man barreled towards him he dodged one last time, rolling away and running straight for the double doors. The bodyguard turned, ready to continue his pursuit– but Silver Shell was slamming the doors shut, wedging the baton he had been given through the door handles to lock it just as the bodyguard crashed into them.
The doors shuddered, but held firm– leaving only a Stung Blue Wing blindly fighting the heroes, golden eyes seeming to pulse with light.
"You two go on ahead!" Silver Shell cried, running towards where the heroes were engaging Blue Wing. "Find Hawk Moth, get the Miraculouses– I'll take care of Blue!"
The two heroines looked his way for a moment, before sharing a glance. No words needed to pass between them, just a single nod being turned his way. Ladybug took to the air, taking Blue Wing's attention with her– his own fragile wings spreading open as if to follow after her. Panthera moved forward first, however, placing her baton against his chest, sending him flying back as she expanded the weapon.
He rushed to meet Blue, catching him in his arms. Feathered wings brushed against his face, and he could feel Blue's form almost trembling. Weakened to a point where he should not be standing, yet the magic compelled him onwards. Instantly his form began lashing out against him, forcing his gentle grasp to tighten into a restraining grip as Ladybug and Panthera retreated deeper into the mansion.
"Just you and me," Silver whispered softly– and Blue Wing's elbow was jabbed straight into his gut.
Silver Shell let out a pained gasp, his grip loosening just enough for the Stung Blue Wing to twist about, kicking at his legs as he pulled free. Silver Shell was quick to regain his balance, but the Peacock holder was already on the move, jumping up into the air with his wings flaring out. Once it would have carried him straight into the sky, but already the boy was descending down on him, Silver raising his shield to block the kick coming at him.
He hated himself as he shoved Blue Wing away, knowing that he had to be far past his limit, probably in pain as he was forced to keep fighting, and he wondered if Blue was conscious deep down, if he could see what was happening.
He hoped not.
"Blue Wing, I'm going to save you," his voice shook slightly. "It's almost over, I promise."
It wasn't, but with Hawk Moth known it was closer than ever. Blue Wing raised his fan overhead and charged, and Silver Shell raised his shield, letting the fan class down into it.
He swept his leg under Blue's feet, sending him falling to the ground, reaching out to grab his arms to keep him from crashing into the floor. He had no time to gently lower him to the ground, Blue Wing twisting to continue the fight. He was forced to let Blue fall the rest of the way, laying his shield on his chest to pin him down, who struggled against his weight.
Silver's hand reached out, grabbing that cursed Miraculous from his chest, ripping it away. Deep blue light worked about him, the energy fading. It was the very thing he wanted to do when he first learned about the broken jewel. Silver choked as he looked at the trembling figure beneath him, the fragile form of Adrien Agreste, now with no magic to help him even stand.
"Adrien!" Duusu cried as she materialized, descending down to her holder, who was still struggling against Silver Shell. "Adrien, stop, stop please!"
It was easy to hold him down in this state. Duusu frantically zipped about, paws pressing against Adrien. Silver looked down at the Miraculous, which crackled with magic as he held it.
"Duusu, take the Miraculous and get out of here," Silver said, tossing the brooch to the Peacock, who fumbled to catch it.
"No!" The kwami screeched, feathers puffed up. "Not my chick! I'm not leaving my chick like this!"
"You're the reason he's like this!" Silver snarled, making the kwami recoil, and a heavy feeling settled in him. "N-no, Hawk Moth and Mellifera are, I'm sorry, I'm–"
He didn't get to finish his sentence, one of Adrien's hands pulling free, a curled fist slamming into Silver's face. He grunted, trying to wrestle the arm back into his grasp without hurting him.
"I wanna help!" Duusu cried. "I need to help him! Don't hurt him!"
Silver lifted his shield, aiming it towards the doors. "Shell-ter!" He cried, a blast of green light hitting the wall, forming a dome that sliced straight through the metal barriers trapping them in. He called off the force shield instantly, and part of the wall crumbled away. "There, go!" He told the kwami. "If you want to help then go find help, just get that Miraculous as far away from Hawk Moth as you can!"
Sunlight flooded the room, and Duusu quivered in the air, zipping back and forth. She threw one more glance at her pinned holder, desperately struggling as the Sting glowed vibrantly in his eyes.
Duusu dropped the Miraculous, driving down towards Adrien. She tried to curl up against him, but one of his hands lashed out, attempting to strike the incoming figure. Duusu managed to swerve away, pulling back in shock, tears falling from her eyes.
"He's still under her control," Silver whispered, grabbing Adrien's free arm. "And if they force him to transform again like this…"
He couldn't finish this sentence, and the small kwami covered her mouth. She stared at Adrien, clearly wanting to do something, and she looked at Silver desperately. His eyes flickered down towards the fallen Miraculous, and she drifted down and scooped it up in her arms.
Then she turned, rushing out of the crumpling opening, Miraculous clutched to her chest.
Silver Shell shivered– because he didn't know what else to do. He had freed Adrien from his Miraculous, gotten it away from him, but the Bee's power still clung to him. His eyes flickered to the bracelet, remembering the Turtle's other power, but both Trixx and Wayzz seemed to protest within his mind.
Barrier provided mental protection– but how could he provide protection to someone who was already inflicted? He knew he wouldn't work, but that didn't stop him from trying. He pressed his wrist with the Miraculous against Adrien, a whisper on his lips. "Barrier."
Green light flashed out, and he looked into those golden eyes, wishing for green– whether it be from Barrier or Adrien's own gaze. But that hollow yellow continued to stare blankly up at him, weakly struggling to free himself, to keep on fighting as he had been ordered to.
"Blue, please," Silver whispered to him, pressing the shield against his chest to keep him down."You need to snap out of it, you gotta snap out of it."
It pits the holder's will against the target's is what Ladybug had said about Sting– it meant that this was Millefera's will that was overpowering Blue Wing, forcing him to fight past what he could– and if it had been any other day he would have accepted that answer. He had seen Blue Wing fold too many times to the ones he considered his family, and had put them first even before himself.
But today he had seen Blue Wing turn against them. Stand for himself once he had learned the truth. Give up his own safety just so the heroes could get away. He had given himself up to protect them.
"Blue, if you can hear me, you gotta fight it," Silver said to him. "Blue– Adrien– please. I can't get you out of this– only you can."
Blue Wing had always been the only one that could.
But he hadn't gone through that alone, and he wasn't going to now. Silver Shell laced his fingers between Adrien's, which dug and scratched at his gloves as he pinned him down. He reached out with the Protection he had given him, sensing the Barrier within Adrien's mind– trying to will it to the surface. If there was even a moment that Sting would falter, then he would be there, ready to make sure it couldn't take hold of him again.
Those Stung could use their senses– that meant some part of him had to hear him.
"You're going to come home with me after this," Silver told him softly. "You're going to meet my mom without a mask on, and she's going to love you. She found out about me having the Miraculouses, even before I was forced to reveal it all. She knew why I was doing this, she understands."
Steely yellow eyes stared up at him.
"I know you haven't met Chris, but he'll love you. He'll want to play with you, Trixx and Duusu too, I'm sure. We... Trixx could show you his Pokemon game. He's beaten the champion now... you guys could battle, we all could... what about Duusu, do they like Pokemon too?"
There were tears falling from Silver's eyes, a fear washing over him. What if this was all too late? What if this future he was talking about was never going to happen?
"You... you have to tell me all your middle names," Silver Shell choked out. "You have four, you said you have four, Adrien– you have to tell me all of them! Adrien Hugo... Adrien Hugo…"
He just wanted to hear Blue's voice.
"I... I need you to be okay," Silver Shell choked out. "Adrien, please, we're almost there, you're almost there. You need to snap out of this, you have to, I need you to… I need you. I... I love you! I know you know that, that you probably knew it before even I did!"
Adrien gave no sign he had heard him, golden gaze bitter as he tried to pull free of Silver. It was far too easy to keep him still, to hold him back, and he hated every moment of it.
"You found me when I thought I had no one and... and I just don't know what to do now. I don't know."
He leaned down closer, closing his eyes so he wouldn't see those yellow eyes anymore.
"It doesn't matter what I say." Silver whispered. "I... I don't think you can hear me. They took everything from you. Even your freewill. They want to take your life. They won't take me though, okay my dude? I'll be right here, whatever happens next."
If Hawk Moth rose and the heroes fell, he would be here. If Adrien's heart kept beating, or if that last flicker was snuffed out. He had failed him one too many times, had let him be alone, and it wasn't going to happen now. He gently pressed his lips against Adrien's forehead, before just laying there, holding him tightly so he couldn't get hurt further.
"...Nino?"
Silver Shell's eyes snapped open at the small voice, the world blurred– but the figure next to him was no longer struggling against him. Instead he just laid there, voice just a small whisper as green eyes looked up at him.
Beautiful, wonderful green eyes.
"Blue," Silver choked out, before bringing him into a tight hug. "Adrien."
"I'm... I'm still alive?" Adrien whispered quietly, coughing.
"Ladybug and Panthera are fighting them now," Silver Shell said, sitting up, and he grasped Adrien's hands. "I– I'm going to get you out of here, I'll get you to a hospital, we–"
"Doesn't matter," Adrien whispered, shaking his head.
"It's almost over–"
"Yeah," Adrien said, tugging at his shirt. "It almost is."
Silver Shell watched as he exposed his chest, showing him right where his heart would be– but instead something dark clung to the boy, seeming to sink straight into his skin, pulsing in time with his heart. Silver reached out, touching the cold slick mass, trying to remove it– but there was nothing to pull away, it was like it was a part of him, fused to pale skin.
"What... what is that?" Silver Shell whispered.
"Leech," Adrien said. "It's an avatar... a sentimonster. One part is on me, the other... the other's with Mom."
"They're draining you," Silver Shell said in horror. "They're– they're doing it right now."
"I don't think I can go far," Adrien said. "Leech tightens when I– it will– I think it will keep me here." He let out a small cough. "I... you, you need to go help the heroes, you need to–"
"I'm not leaving you!"
"I can't even stand," Adrien whispered. "And– and I don't think I'm– I'm not going to be enough to bring back Mom, Nino."
He looked up at him pleadingly, and a horrible feeling came over Silver Shell. "They– they wouldn't–"
But they would. Hawk Moth wasn't afraid to let his own son die– the heroes that stood against him would be nothing to him. Just another life for Leech to cling to and drain away.
"You can't let Leech touch them," Adrien whispered. "Na-Nathalie has the amok– Mellifera. You have to destroy it, you can't let anyone else be–"
"Wayzz, divide," Silver Shell said– green light surrounding him. He pulled a mint out of his pocket, offering to the tired Turtle kwami, who watched him. He hesitated, before pulling off the Turtle Bracelet, pressing it into Adrien's hands. "The magic should give you enough strength to move. I'll get the amok, and as soon as Leech is... when it's gone, run. You have to run, don't wait for us."
"Nino, shouldn't I come with you?" Wayzz asked as Silver Paw held his flute.
"Protect him, Wayzz, keep him safe," Silver Paw whispered, before closing his eyes. "Mirage."
He let the illusion surround him, hide him– before moving deeper into the mansion.
What wasn't shown between chapters: Gorilla suspiciously following Nathalie and finding the basement and going feral to protect Adrien before he was Stung.