A new day, a new week, a new chapter. Just a heads up, the content warning is a little higher this week. There is a serious injury with blood involved. The description is not too graphic but there is blood spatter in one of the pictures.
Content warning: Injuries, Blood, blood spatter (pictured), hemophobia, fainting, threats of imprisonment, and stealing.
Chapter 11
The Hunter and the Hunted
Ever since Tanuki had teamed up with Shadowmoth their battle had become a lot tougher. Sure occasionally Shadow Moth would come up with a good plan every now and again but usually it was just Akuma after Akuma one after the other to the point where they were getting bored. But ever since their first encounter the attacks have been more strategic. Tanuki would sometimes join in the battle while other times he would be on the sidelines watching them. That's what he was currently doing now and it unnerved her a bit. It was also distracting. Ladybug was trying to keep Rock Slider from turning all of Paris into one big sparkling geode. Better wrap this up quickly.
"Lucky Charm!" She called out allowing the magic to give her the tool she would need to defeat her enemy. "A frisbee?" She looked around wondering how she could use such a small object to defeat such a big opponent?
"That's it." she exclaimed realizing what she was supposed to do but she wasn't the only one.
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Tanuki was patient. He'd been watching Ladybug and Chat Noir fight, learning their moves and figuring out the best way to counteract them. It wasn't long before she called upon her Lucky Charm and started to look around trying to find the best way to use it. He focused on what she was looking for and a realization hit him.
"I know what she's going to do!" He quickly ran off hoping to intercept her. His target? None other than Chloe Bourgeois.
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Ladybug had collected just about everything she needed while Chat Noir covered for her. She just needed one more thing. She hoped Chloe would cooperate willingly. But when she got to the girl she was already fuming.
"This is just ridiculous! Wait until my Daddy hears about this, he'll have the alley cat skinned alive!"
"What's going on Cloe? What did Chat Noir do?" She spun around revealing a red face and steam coming out of her ears.
"Not that alley cat! The other one!"
"You mean Tanuki?" she said with a sense of dread.
"That mangy fleabag just stole my diamond tennis bracelet!" Ladybug paled. That was the final piece she needed to defeat Rock Slider and now-
"Looking for this?" Tanuki taunted holding up Chloe's bracelet between his fingers.
"Hey that's mine! Give it back!"
"I figured out your plan Ladybug. Too bad it's not going to work without this." Ladybug clutched the Lucky Charm and the remaining items. She needed to get that back to make her plan work.
"Plan? What plan?" Chloe shrieked. "I didn't give you permission to use it!" Tanuki shoved it into the hidden pocket in his coat.
"I'm not giving you the win so easily this time." He said taking off with Ladybug following close behind.
"HEY! Don't you ignore me! Don't you know who I- '' but they continued to ignore her as Tanuki led her back to the Akuma. She nearly got squished twice trying to evade it. Chat Noir smashed a rock that was just about to land on her.
"What's going on?" She growled frustrated.
"Tanuki figured out what I was trying to do and took the bracelet I needed." Chat looked around for the Raccoon holder but couldn't see which way he went.
"Can you get another one?" he asked, pointing out a jewelry store in the distance. Ladybug looked for Tanuki as well but still no luck.
"No choice." she said, already making her way there. Only to be stopped when a giant rock landed in front of the store blocking the entrance.
"I got this!" Chat Noir shouted. "Cataclysm!" making short work of the boulder blocking their way.
"Good job Kitty." Ladybug exclaimed as they made their way inside. She spotted what she needed right away but before she could grab it a light blue orb flew past them hitting the display counter. The next thing they knew everything was covered in a thick layer of ice.
"I told you I wasn't going to let you win that easily." The two heroes spun around to find Tanuki standing by the entrance with a smug look on his face. "And now that you've both used your powers and can't use your Lucky Charm we just have to wait you out." Chat Noir growled and went on the offensive but Tanuki brought up his staff to block the blow and pushed him back.
"Love to stay but I'm on the clock now too so..." He ran out the store and whistled, signaling the Akuma to drop another rock in front of the door. Chat Noir pounded on it but with his Cataclysm used up it wasn't going to budge.
"Sorry Milady." But Ladybug didn't look upset in fact she was the one smirking now. Before he could ask why she held up Chloe's stolen bracelet. "But how?" The boy asked in amazement.
"When you attacked him by the door I used my yo yo to take the bracelet back." He smiled back at her. She was so incredible, was it any surprise he was head over heels for her? Just a shame she was in love with someone else.
"You're incredible Milady." She looked around the room but couldn't see a way out and they were running out of time.
"Chat Noir, I need you to trust me with something."
"Anything."
"We need you Cataclysm to break out of here. So if you trust me not to look-" Chat Noir took her hand in his.
"I trust you." Nodding, she turned around.
"Plagg, Claws in." She waited as the other boy took out something to feed his Kwami. Whatever it was, it smelled awful. Her eyes wandered around the ice covered walls and she gasped realizing she could see him in its reflection. She quickly closed her eyes. Thankfully he had turned his back to her as well so she didn't see his face but even so his silhouette did look familiar.
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Tanuki stood outside the store making sure there was no other way out. He then quickly slipped away and transformed back in a darkened alley.
"Eat up Ruddiger." he said, handing the tiny Raccoon an apple tart.
"Good idea resetting."
"Yeah, even though they're trapped I don't want to risk-" but suddenly there was an explosion in the background. He peeked his head out and was just in time to see a giant hole in the back of the jewelry store. He also saw Ladybug tying the bracelet to the frisbee Lucky Charm and to her yoyo. She then used it like a flying saw blade to slice open the metal ball Rock Slider was holding. The diamonds easily cut through the hard surface protecting the Akuma and victory was hers once more.
"Damn it!" Varian exclaimed. "I shouldn't have left them, I should have made sure-" Ruddiger flew up and gave him a sympathetic pat on the head.
"Don't beat yourself up, you still figured out the Lucky Charm. That's still pretty impressive." Varian just shook his head.
"I keep giving Shadow Moth grief for all his stupid mistakes and I'm the one who let this victory slip through my fingers." He saw Ladybug approaching the now deakumatized victim but he was too far away to see anything. "Hey Ruddiger, you up for another round? Maybe we can salvage this victory after all." The Kwami nodded now fully refueled. He quickly transformed back into Tanuki (taking note that the bracelet was indeed gone) and kept to the shadows as he started to follow Ladybug. He didn't notice a set of eyes peeking out of the trashcan behind him.
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Tanuki followed Ladybug as far back as he could. The tracking skills his father taught him were coming in very handy. The hunting part of the lesson was never very successful due to his hemophobia though. It was these skills that kept him alive while being hunted by the royal guards for the crime of knowing too much.
But he pushed those thoughts aside and focused on following Ladybug back to her home. He might even be able to get his hands on her Miracle Box. With all those powers and abilities he was sure he could not only find a way home but find a way to save his Dad as well.
That would be the best case scenario. Even though he was Shadow Moth's ally he was still skeptical about the Miraculous being able to grant a wish for two people. Maybe if they phrased it right but the rules were still a little unclear and he hated that.
He spotted her heading into the sewer, a labyrinth of tunnels under the city that supplied water and disposed of waste. He would love to study it but that would have to wait for another time. He slipped in just in time to see her round a corner. He quickened his pace so he wouldn't lose track but as soon as he peeked around the corner…she was gone.
"What?" He exclaimed extremely confused. He was positive she went down this way but it was a dead end. He felt the walls for any hidden doors or manholes she could have escaped from but found nothing. He retraced his steps and to his surprise the tracks that he had been following were gone as well.
He looked around knowing someone was pulling a trick on him but whoever it was was nowhere to be seen.
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"But I don't understand Chloe." Sabrina said over the phone to her best friend. "You got the bracelet back, why are you still so mad." The spoiled princess huffed.
"Because no one takes anything from me and gets away with it! When my Daddy hears-" she paused to read a text.
"Oh, never mind. Daddy just bought me a bigger and more expensive one." She tossed the trinket into a nearby trash can. "Won't be needing this old thing anymore.
"Ow!"
"What was that?" Sabrina exclaimed but the blond just brushed her off.
"Who knows, now let's talk about my new bracelet."
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Tanuki had made his way out of the sewer and found a hidden spot to transform back. He sighed as he fed Ruddiger again, now hiding in his pocket as he made his way back home. Gabriel was going to want a report when he got back and while he did learn some new information he knew the older man wouldn't be pleased.
"I'm positive I saw Ladybug go down that corridor." He muttered to Ruddiger. "I'm wondering if she's given the Fox Miraculous to a new holder. If she did, she could be using them to cover her tracks."
"A shame you didn't think to cover yours." A low angry voice bellowed as he felt his goggles being torn off his head. He turned around to see a tall Asian monk pointing a long staff at him with one hand while holding his goggles in the other. He felt a cold lump of fear in his throat as Ruddiger trembled in his pocket.
"Hey, give those back!" He tried to grab them but the monk easily swatted him away with the staff sending Varian to the ground hard.
"Silence!" He lowered his staff to Varian's pron form using it to pin him to the ground. "I am Grandmaster Zhu Han the Celestial Guardian. My mission is to subdue rough Miraculous holders like yourself." Varian tried to push the staff away; it was making it hard to breathe.
"You're crazy, those were my Mother's! And I'm not a holder either!" He exclaimed, trying in vain to get loose so he could get away.
"The googles are a long lost Miraculous protected by the rogue Kwami Ringlet. My people have been searching endless for them, where did you find them?" He applied more pressure with the staff causing Varian to gasp for breath.
"I told you they were my mother's but they're not a Miraculous." Ruddiger was fidgeting in his pocket wanting to come out to protect his boy but if he did they'd be exposed.
"Enough with your lies I've been following you and have seen you transform into Tanuki and back again." Varian couldn't help it as his eyes widened. He thought he had been careful. Still not getting an answer the monk frowned.
"If you refuse to speak I'll have no choice but to take you to our temple where you'll be thrown in the dungeon." Varian had been pretty good about keeping his panic under controle but hearing he was going to be locked up again sent him into full panic mode. He kicked and clawed and punched anything he could do to get away. He couldn't go back there, no one would ever find him! He'd be alone in the dark and left to rot. He wanted to call for help, he wanted to call Gabriel but he knew he couldn't. If he did he'd expose them both and then there'd be no one to help their families.
"Struggling is useless, you'll be coming with me whether you like it or not." Tears started to spill from his eyes as he continued to struggle.
"Nonono. Let me GO!" he screamed hoping someone would hear him but he had picked a secluded place to transform, it was supposed to keep him safe. Hearing his boy cry out, Ruddiger couldn't take it anymore and flew out from his hiding place.
"Stop! Don't hurt him!" The Celestial Guardian paused seeing the rogue Kwami after so many years.
"So you finally show yourself Ringlet." Ruddiger huffed.
"That's not my name anymore, I never liked it. You'd better let my boy go or else!" For a moment it looked like he was going to use his powers but a soft voice stopped him.
"Ruddiger…don't." As scared as Varian was, he didn't want his friend to use his powers and possibly become lost and powerless again. "Get away-cough-while you still can." Ruddiger looked sadly at his owner. He had had a lot of them over the years but most treated him like a tool even the ones he liked. It was why he fixed it so that he could choose his own partner because that was what he wanted. A partner, not an owner.
"I'm not leaving you!" he turned to the monk. "And I'm not letting you take him either." The monk just laughed.
"A Kwami doesn't get a choice. We'll curve the rebellious streak of yours and I'll personally make sure you never leave your Miracle box again." Like a mirror to Varian the thought of being locked up once again sent him into a panic as well.
"No! No, I won't go back! I hated it in the box! You can't make me!" Varian eyes his friend sadly. It seemed they had more in common than he thought.
"I can and I will!" Varian watched with horror as he placed the goggles on his head. "You will learn your place, both of you." Varian tried to hold out his hand, to warn him.
"Wait, Ruddiger's power can't be used by force-cough." But the monk ignored him.
"Ringlet, Mix it up!" Just like when Varian transformed, Ruddiger flew into the goggles but that was the only similarity. Almost immediately the monk doubled over in pain as the Raccoon Kwami fought his control. He should have given up and let go but Zhu Hun was convinced that his training and conviction would allow him to dominate this magical creature. His pride was his downfall.
"My name is not Ringlet anymore!" Ruddiger's voice echoed from the goggles. "You have no imagination, no interest in Innovation and…" The monk was still foolishly trying to hold on to the Kwami's power even when Varian was begging him to let it go. "You are…Not. MY .BOY!"
Zhu Hun let out an ear piercing scream as Ruddiger forcibly ripped himself and his power from his current human vessel. Varian watched in stunned silence as laceration appeared all over the monk's body, blood rushing from everyone of them. He had to turn away, the sight of blood often made him faint but he couldn't afford to faint now.
"Ruddiger?" He called out to his friend who was also looking at the horrific scene before him.
"What? No! No I didn't…I didn't mean to…to…no." Averting his eyes as best he could, Varian reached out for the distraught Kwami. Ruddiger immediately flew into his arms and started crying.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry." Varian cuddled the tiny creature as he braved a look at their attacker. Nausea was threatening to overwhelm him at the sheer amount of blood but he took comfort in the fact that the man was still breathing.
"It's OK, it's going to be OK. He's still alive." Ruddiger peaked his head up looking miserable.
"I…I just wanted him to stop. I didn't want to go back in the box! Sniff. I…I didn't want him to take you away." Varian looked down at the sad little raccoon in his arms. He knew what he was going through.
"You were just scared," he said, trying to reassure him. "You were in trouble and he wouldn't listen. You just…lashed out because…because you didn't see any other choice." He knew all too well.
Suddenly he heard the sounds of people coming towards them, alerted by the screams no doubt. He grabbed his goggles off the monk, tucked Ruddiger away in his pocket and ran. When he was far enough away from the scene he pushed Gabriel's emergency alert button on his phone. Within minutes Gorilla pulled up in a car he'd never seen before. He hopped in but quickly realized this was the inside of the limo. The car had a holographic illusion on the outside to mask it. Once he was safely inside his cell went off.
"You were supposed to report back immediately aft-" but he paused, noticing the blood spatter covering Varian's clothing.
"Varian what happened?" His tone instantly changed seeing the boy covered in blood with a look of shock on his face.
"I tried to follow Ladybug but…the Celestial Guardian caught me somehow."
"Are you alright?" he asked, not sure if Varian was injured or in shock.
"I'm fine-cough-but-cough cough-'' His bruises from the monk's staff were starting to catch up with him. "He tried to force Ruddiger to transform but…he didn't mean to hurt him. I swear." He was starting to get light headed. His adrenaline rush from earlier was starting to fade. He caught his reflection in the car's mirror and for the first time realized just how much blood had been splattered onto him. The last thing he heard was Ruddiger and Gabriel calling his name before he passed out.
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Marintte was relaxing in her room thinking about the battle she was just in. It was disturbing to know Tanuki could also figure out the Lucky Charm. It was her biggest advantage and the fact he was able to anticipate her plan was really unnerving. If he hadn't become overconfident and underestimated them…Her thoughts were interrupted with a phone call from Alya. They always touched base after a battle nowadays especially with Tanuki being so sneaky.
"Marinetta, turn on the news NOW!" She was startled but complied. The screen lit up to reveal a man being carried away on a stretcher. The headline read, "Monk Attacked in Back Alley." It was then Marinette recognized him. It was the Celestial Guardian.
"Zhu Han!?" The news broadcast didn't give a lot of details, just that he had laceration all over his body and he was currently in a coma.
"We've got a problem, bigger than we first thought." Alya said as Marinette tried to look up more information online.
"This must have happened after the battle. My Lucky Charm would have healed him otherwise."
"Marinette, I think Tanuki was the attacker." A shiver went down Marinette's spine, Tanuki always put her on edge. Was she seeing the proof right in front of her?
"How do you know it was him?" It wasn't that she didn't believe her best friend but this was a serious accusation, she had to be sure.
"After the battle he tried following you." Marinette gulped. This wasn't the first time he'd tried that but the fact she didn't even sense him… "I used an illusion to lead him in the wrong direction. I lost track of him but his last location wasn't far from where Zhu Han was attacked." Marinette frowned. It certainly looked like the Raccoon holder was guilty but something felt off.
"The Celestial Guardian is in charge of hunting down Miraculous Holder that have gone rogue. He might have been the one on the attack." Alay was skeptical but couldn't really disagree.
"Even so that's a pretty extreme reaction." Tiki peeked her head out of Marinetta's bag and gasped at the picture of the injured monk.
"Oh Dear!"
"What is it Tiki?"
"I think the Celestial Guardian tried to force the Raccoon Kwami to transform."
"How can you tell?"
"The wounds are the same pattern the magical energy a Kwami uses when someone transforms."
"And if one is fighting to keep it in and the other out…" Marinette said realizing Tiki might be onto something.
"If that's the case we not only have a rogue holder," Alya said with a hint of concern in her voice. "But a rogue Kwami as well." Marinette hoped that wasn't the case but her gut told her otherwise.
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Varian awoke to several muffled voices surrounding him. For a moment he thought he was back in the dungeon in Corona and the guards were debating how much they could hurt him before he passed out again. He bolted straight up and attempted to run to the door but a gentle hand from Nathalie brought him back to reality.
"Varian calm down." she said softly, afraid he was going to hurt himself. He saw Ruddiger hovering over him as well, which was a little unusual since he didn't like coming out around Gabriel.
"What happened?" He asked, his throat as dry as sandpaper.
"We were hoping you could tell us." He looked to the side as saw Gabriel on the other side of his bed. Realizing he was safe Varian took a deep breath and told them everything. If he was honest he was ready for them not to believe him or say he was lying. Everyone else did. But much to his surprise, they believed him.
"I knew the dangers of misusing a Miraculous but I admit I didn't anticipate such a violent reaction," Gabriel said as Ruddiger looked ready to cry again.
"But it wasn't his fault." Varian said, defending his friend. "We both told him not to do it but he just wouldn't listen." Gabriel held up a hand.
"I wasn't blaming him. I was just baffled that a so-called expert of the Miraculous would ignore a warning in the book written by his own people." Varian and Ruddiger blinked. They weren't being blamed? Nathalie went over to Varian.
"How are your bruises?" Varian lifted his shirt to see a large ugly multi-colored bruise forming on his chest. "You were lucky he didn't break any ribs, some of them are bruised though." She handed him some medication and instructed him to stay in bed for a few days. Varian's first instinct was to argue but the slightest movements sent a wave of pain through his chest.
"Take the medication, it'll help you sleep as well as heal." she said in that soft voice that just took all the fight out of him. After she left Gabriel stayed behind.
"I should have warned you about the Celestial Guardian." Varian shook his head.
"He was in the files."
"Yes but I'm not usually out in the field, he has no way to get to me. But with you being out in the open…" He clenched his fist. "I think we both need to strategize. If Ladybug has another partner using the Fox Miraculous our own secrets could be in jeopardy." Varian nodded trying to hide a yawn, the medication was working fast. Gabriel left telling him to get some rest leaving him and Ruddiger alone.
The little racoon curled up under his arm like he did when he was just a powerless regular raccoon. Varian smiled as he started to drift off.
"Don't worry Ruddiger. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. And I promise, no one is taking you or anyone else I care about away from me ever again." Ruddiger smiled as his partner finally fell asleep. If there was one thing he could count on it was a promise from his boy.
To be continued…
Next time: There's a big festival in town and Varian is helping Max run the Science Club booth for his school. He even brought cookies. Everyone is having fun but why are people being so brutally honest today?
