Thank you to Khanofallorcs for beta-ing! :D
Chapter Thirty-Three
"Nino Lahiffe."
Nino jumped at the sound of his name, turning towards the bright figure who stood crouched in the classroom window. He blinked at the hero, surprised that he was there, but even more startled that he knew his name. Crimson Beetle climbed into the empty classroom, giving one glance about, before reaching for his yoyo.
It was sent flying past Nino, the end of the yoyo wrapping around the door handle, pulling it shut, leaving them alone in the room.
"Hey, Crimson-dude," Nino said as those bright green eyes turned towards him. "Everything okay? Alya still giving you the runaround? Anything I can do?"
"Her akuma is difficult to corner; she always slips away if things aren't going in her favor– this whole thing has turned into a wild goose chase," Crimson said, yet there was a smile on his face. "As for helping... well, I'm glad you asked, because that's exactly why I am here."
This wasn't the answer he had been expecting– every time he had encountered Crimson Beetle when an akuma was running about, he insisted on civilians staying out of the fight, or staying close if they needed direct protection. The hero's gaze was friendly as he watched him, yet Nino's mouth couldn't help but go dry.
"You want me to play bait or something?"
"Or something," Crimson agreed, and he came closer, setting his hands on Nino's shoulders. "Can I trust you, Nino?"
"Of… course?"
"Can you keep secrets?" Crimson continued. "Not speak a word to family, friends, or anyone about what I am going to tell you?"
"...Where are you going with this?"
"Can I trust you, Nino Lahiffe?" Crimson asked again, and Nino knew he wasn't about to relent.
"Yes, you can," Nino finally said, sitting up a bit straighter. "And if this is to help Alya, I'll do anything."
Crimson Beetle grinned, reaching into his pocket, and pulled out something within. His closed fist extended towards Nino and opened to reveal a golden necklace with an orange pendant, one that he had seen before in photos after Volpina's attack, and his eyes widened as he realized exactly what was in front of him– being held out as if he were supposed to take it.
"Nino, this is the Miraculous of the Fox," Crimson Beetle said. "Which grants the wearer the power of Deception. You will use this to help me free Alya from Monarch's control, and once we're finished you will return the Miraculous to me and tell no one of what you've done or learned."
"M-miraculous?" Nino stuttered out. "You want me to– you can–? I can–?"
"Accepting this Miraculous means telling no one anything," Crimson Beetle said, his voice turning serious. "For your safety, your family's, and mine as well."
Nino swallowed, his mind racing a hundred miles per hour. The hero trusting him was one thing– but this was Citrine Húlí's Miraculous! Crimson Beetle wanted him to use it and fight? Was the necklace what granted powers, then? Why was the hero giving it to him of all people? How was he even supposed to go up against an akuma, he had no fighting experience, let alone magic! The idea of the power he was being offered was both tempting and yet so frightening.
In the end, it was the fact that Alya was still laced with Monarch's magic that made him reach for the necklace. It was warm in his hands, and it wasn't from it being held. Energy pulsed within it, flowing and powerful, as if waiting to burst out with a wave of energy. He slowly slid the necklace over his head, not sure of what would happen– and was met with a shower of golden light surging from the fox-tail pendant. He raised an arm up to shield his eyes, the forming orb spiraling about him, before materializing into a small being in front of him.
The creature was small and fox-like, orange fur covering its form, a long tail swaying. Ears flicked towards him, and large violet eyes regarding him in excitement. Energy and shadows seemed to pulse about the creature as it regarded him, before raising its small paws up, a fanged smile cracking open, and its eyes began to glow red.
"Ah, fresh blood, I see," The fox-spirit said, echoes reverberating around them, sending chills down Nino's spine. "I deem this sacrifice acceptable, and I shall feast on his soul!"
Nino let out a muffled cry as the fox-demon dove at him, the shadows swirling about as it rushed forward. He raised his hands in fear, stumbling back, bracing for whatever this thing was about to unleash– but nothing happened. Heart hammering in his chest, he hesitantly peered out at the being, who was calmly hovering right in front of his face with a grin, the shadows and glow in its eyes gone.
The creature snapped its teeth towards him, and Nino let out a squeak as he jumped back. The Fox let out a loud laugh at this as Nino leaned up against a desk, before doing a flip in the air, while Crimson watched on– unimpressed.
"Really, Trixx?" He asked, crossing his arms. "We have an akuma on the loose, what was that all about?"
Trixx snickered, tail flicking. "It's been nearly two hundred years since I've last had a new holder– I couldn't resist!"
"Two hund–?" Crimson looked like he was about to question the Fox, before he pressed his eyes shut with a long sigh. "I'm sorry, Nino, I didn't know he was going to try to pull anything. This is Trixx, and he's a kwami, he won't hurt you– and he most definitely doesn't eat souls."
He glared at Trixx, who laughed as he zipped forward, Nino flinching slightly, heart still beating rapidly. The creature– kwami?– looked far from threatening now, like a little plush doll– but he was still something strange and foreign. The Fox took one of Nino's fingers with two of his paws, giving it a quick shake, his touch warm and soft. He looked cute, but the gleam in his eyes and the display he had just seen made him wary regardless.
"The name's Trixx, kid– kwami of Deception, and it's nice to meet you!" Trixx chirped. "I think you and I are going to get along just fine."
"What's a kwami…?" Nino asked uncertainly.
Trixx puffed up his little chest, laying a paw on it. "I'm a god– and you should bow down before me!"
"Kwamis are the physical embodiments of different forces and concepts," Crimson said, taking Trixx in his hands, scratching him behind the ears. Trixx let out a delighted little yip at this, leaning into the touch. "They inhabit a Miraculous, and grant their powers to those that wield the jewel. With Trixx here, you will gain the power to create and manipulate illusions."
Trixx slipped out of Crimson's hands, flying right in front of Nino's face. "The words are 'Mirage' to summon an illusion– which will be completely under your control. To dispel it you simply use the word 'Realty'– but you need to be careful. You're so young that you'll only be able to call for your Mirage once, and then the countdown will start until you detransform."
"How– how do I even–?"
"It will come naturally," Trixx said, waving a paw dismissively. "Bend the illusion to your will, use your mind– but remember it will vanish if someone touches it." He tapped his chin. "Well, I think that's all you need to know. You just need to say 'Trixx, let's pounce' to transform!"
"Let's pounce?" Nino echoed, and Trixx gave him a grin– before turning back into a burst of bright golden light.
The orb of energy zipped straight for the Miraculous hanging from his neck, merging with it as the golden light surged up. It blinded Nino as it surrounded him, the energy flowing and wrapping around him. It was almost like water, though not as soothing. No... it was like wind– twisting and turning about him; flowing, yet sharp, the magic engulfing him being a sensation he couldn't truly describe.
As the light faded, everything was different, and he slowly opened his eyes– which were now covered by a pair of goggles. It was as if his glasses had been off his entire life, and it was only now he had been given the right prescription. Everything was sharp, standing out with remarkable clarity, even shapes draped in shadows looking clear. It wasn't the only sense that had changed, sounds he hadn't heard before reaching his ears, and strange scents running past his nose.
"Whoa," Nino whispered, looking down at the suit that now surrounded him. It was a deep rusted red, dark, yet brilliant in its color. A hood was drawn up over his head, which Nino could feel faux-ears attached to as he reached up. The coat he wore was sleek, with a tail-coat flaring from the back with the pattern of a fox tail on it. He wore black boots and black gloves, the only item remaining from before being the Miraculous that hung around his neck. "Dude– this is awesome."
"Looking good," Crimson Beetle said with a smile. "What should I call you?"
He looked down at his outfit once more, remembering that real names would be off limits. Nino felt something hanging from his back, reaching back and pulling off a long wooden flute, made from a dark reddish wood. It was light in his hands, yet felt far from fragile. His fingers ran across it, this being an instrument he wasn't too familiar with, but it felt natural as he held it.
"You can call me Foxglove," he said after a moment, giving a small salute. "Yeah, I like that– Foxglove."
Crimson Beetle held out his hand with a grin, which Foxglove clasped as he was pulled forward. "Well then, Foxglove, welcome to the team." He gave a friendly squeeze, then paused as his yoyo began ringing. He turned to answer it, leaving Foxglove to examine his own weapon. "Hello, My Lady– is everything going okay?"
He looked up, though he couldn't quite hear what was being said on the other line. Crimson Beetle was listening closely, giving a slight nod.
"Okay, don't worry about tracking her right away– the news will send word of where she is soon enough. Meet us by the... that one park, across from the school the Ladyblogger goes to, I have a plan for cornering Lady Wifi. Okay, got it, see you soon."
He hung up, his yoyo sliding shut, and Crimson Beetle looked back up at him. Foxglove wondered if all Miraculouses came with a phone like that, though he had no idea how that would work with his flute. He looked up at Crimson Beetle expectantly, but was surprised to see his friendly expression from before was gone.
Foxglove let out a yelp as Crimson Beetle grabbed him by the wrist, a sharp tug sending him stumbling forward right into him. Crimson's mouth was near his ear, voice a low whisper as he spoke.
"I expect you to treat My Lady with the utmost respect," Crimson Beetle whispered– no– hissed. "Like the amazing and kind heroine she is, and if you so much as make her feel uncomfortable or unwelcome, I will make you regret it– is that clear?"
Foxglove's eyes were wide as he gave a frantic nod.
Crimson Beetle released him, his smile warm and friendly once more. He beamed at him, giving a small wave to follow. "Fantastic!" He headed towards the window he had come in through, hopping on the ledge. "Well, let's get going then, shall we? Don't worry about the height, you'll get used to the enhanced agility quickly."
And with that he threw his yoyo, swinging out into the streets. Foxglove slowly moved towards the window, heart pounding slightly, and for a moment he wondered if Lady Noire wasn't the one the city should be scared of.
He looked down at the drop below him, standing on the second story window. Everything told him to back away, yet there was another part of him urging him forward, an energy humming about him that told him to jump. He found himself springing from the ledge before he even realized what he was doing, plummeting to the streets below. He landed lightly on his feet, taking off running despite the fact that his legs should be broken from such a fall.
He followed Crimson Beetle into the park, where they would be waiting for Lady Noire to appear. The park was empty, but with Lady Wifi having first appeared at the school it made sense that people were avoiding the area. Beetle made his way to the carousel, landing on top. The jump looked way too high to make, and Foxglove found himself hesitating as he made his way to the base.
But there was a part of him that told him to move. A hum in his head telling him to leap forward. He found himself lowering himself into a crouch, before easily springing up into the carousel and landing near Crimson, who was looking about.
"There's something in my head," Foxglove blurted out, causing the hero to look towards him. "Like, er, feelings that are making me do things?"
"That's your kwami," Crimson replied. "When transformed, we can sense their emotions and them ours. Listen to him, he knows your powers the best."
"Is… is he going to possess me?" Foxglove whispered with wide eyes.
Crimson Beetle chuckled. "Despite Trixx's first impression, I promise you he's harmless. Everything you do is all on you." Crimson paused, tilting his head. "Lady Noire is almost here."
Foxglove glanced about, but the rooftops looked empty to him. His eyes glanced at the shadows of alleys and buildings, confident that his enhanced sight would let him see if she was approaching, but he saw nothing.
"What do you–?" He began, but he fell silent as a dark figure appeared on the rooftop of the building Crimson was looking towards.
Lady Noire vaulted down from the roofs. Her baton planted into the grass, the staff shrinking down as she spiraled down towards them. At the last second she drew her baton up, letting it collapse back into a small rod, doing a flip before landing on top of the carousel with them, tucking the weapon at her side.
"Lady Wifi is currently searching for Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the same girl from when Evillustrator was akumatized," Lady Noire reported. "She's been to several–" the heroine stopped mid-sentence, those cat-like eyes landing on Foxglove. "Who are you?"
Foxglove's eyes flickered to Crimson Beetle, who was watching him just as intently. He swallowed, before holding out his hand. "The name is Foxglove, I'm going to be working with you today."
Lady Noire did not take his hand, simply glancing at Crimson Beetle. "Haven't we learned our lesson from Volpina?"
"I'm n-not an akuma!" Foxglove yelped. "I've never even been one!"
Crimson Beetle elbowed him. "Nothing about your identity."
"But that's–"
"First rule of being a hero," Crimson Beetle replied. "Not one hint about your identity, no matter how small." He gave a smile to Lady Noire. "And don't worry, My Lady, he's a real Fox. Citrine put his Miraculous into my hands himself, and I'm the one that gave it to Foxglove here."
"He gave up his Miraculous?"
"Just for this fight," Crimson Beetle said. "Lady Wifi won't let us get close unless she thinks she has the advantage, and obviously we can't let her have that." He grinned. "But an illusion will let her think she does."
Lady Noire gave a nod. "Good plan." Her eyes then hesitantly flickered towards Foxglove. "…Welcome."
She held out a hand, her entire form stiff. Her faux ears were pinned back against her head, the pupils of her eyes mere slits as she looked at him, that intense blue looking inhuman. Her braid was moving, despite there being no wind, twitching in small flicks. Foxglove did not want to put his hand into hers, those silver claws gleaming– but Crimson Beetle was standing right behind her, his gaze even more intense.
He expected a crushing grip, but her hand was gentle as it wrapped around his, a single shake before she pulled her hand back. Her eyes did not leave him, but the ears on her head were now flicked towards him.
Crimson Beetle threw an arm over each of their shoulders, pulling them in close. "We're going to be a fantastic team, I just know it. Foxglove, you're going to stay hidden, it's your element of surprise that's going to allow us to pull this off."
"We'll all have to stay hidden if we're going to use an illusion," Lady said.
"Maybe not at first?" Foxglove said, and the senior heroes looked at him. "Because I have a limited amount of time, right? And if Al— er— Lady Wifi is wary she might be more confident if she interacts directly with you at first, and not untouchable illusions."
Lady Noire gave a single nod. "She might be suspicious if the illusions are too good at evading her."
"Well, we got to find Lady Wifi first."
Lady Noire looked across the street, where a certain bakery stood. "Well, if the akuma is still looking for this girl, maybe we can find a clue or two at her home."
It felt strange going to his friend's home while being someone they would not recognize. He wondered how the heroes did it, as Lady Noire walked up to the bakery and knocked, because surely they had to have encountered someone they knew in the time they had been heroes. Then again, maybe they hadn't, because Paris was a big city.
Mme. Cheng was the one that answered the door, her eyes widening as she saw the three heroes standing there. Her eyes flickered across them, landing on Foxglove for a moment longer, before returning back to Crimson Beetle.
"Hello there," she said softly, smiling, and Foxglove knew how she felt, he was sure he had worn the same expression when Crimson Beetle had shown up at school to talk to him. "I'm guessing you're here because Lady Wifi was?"
She stepped aside so they could come in. Foxglove glanced about, he used to come to the bakery frequently when he was younger, but not as often nowadays. He gave an uncertain smile as eyes fell on him, not sure how to greet Tom when he came into the room. Would being too friendly give him away? What if they recognized him from looks alone?
"Lady Wifi was here?" Crimson said, alarmed. "And she didn't try to freeze you?"
"She might have been considering it when we couldn't tell her much," Tom said. "Can't blame her state, however, not when Monarch is in her mind."
"You guys do have Marinette, right?" Sabine asked worryingly. "We have no idea where she is, and we can't find or get a hold of her either, but if the akuma hasn't found her, that means–"
"Don't worry, I hid her," Lady Noire said. swiftly
"You did?" Crimson asked in surprise. "When?"
"When you went to go get Foxglove," she replied simply, before turning back towards the Dupain-Chengs. "Don't worry, she's somewhere that Lady Wifi won't find her. However, we're having trouble tracking the akuma. Did Lady Wifi give any hint of where she might be heading?"
Foxglove was surprised by just how different Lady Noire was than his previous encounters with her, though they were few. She carried herself differently than when she had first encountered Foxglove. She seemed quite relaxed in the moment as they stood there with the Dupain-Chengs in the bakery, and to Foxglove, it seemed pretty foreign as he watched her.
"Where is Marinette?" Tom asked, his tone sounding somewhat off, having a slight edge to it that Foxglove was not used to. Apparently, Lady Noire wasn't expecting this either, as her eyes went wide as she looked up at the man. The two stared at each other for a time, the urgency clear in Tom's eyes.
"It's safer if no one knows," Lady Noire said after a moment.
"I think we have a right to know where our daughter is," Sabine said stiffly, clearly worried for her daughter, but the defensiveness didn't feel right as they stared at Lady Noire.
Crimson Beetle was quick to notice this as well, his gaze hardening slightly as he cut in. "What if Lady Wifi comes back looking for more information? This is both for Marinette's safety, and yours as well."
The conversation continued, but Foxglove wasn't listening. His eyes were on Lady Noire, who had been the one to lead their small group here with no hesitation, but now she seemed to be shrinking back. She didn't even take a single step back, but still she seemed to fold in on herself, black cat ears falling flat against her head, instantly withdrawing. Her expression looked unreadable, eyes flickering towards the ground, and Foxglove felt his heart thump heavily in his chest.
Lady Noire pulled her baton out, sliding it open to reveal a screen within, much like Crimson's yoyo. There seemed to be five buttons in total on the weapon, though he did not know what they all did. Her movements were slow as she scrolled through the screen; it seemed to just be a mere distraction for her, or perhaps it was simply something to do with her hands as she stood there, looking as if she just wanted to melt away.
Then that expression seemed to all fade away as she looked up, voice as neutral as it had been when she had greeted him. "Crim. Lady Wifi has been spotted– we should get moving before she moves on again."
"Of course," he said swiftly, before turning to the bakers. "We'll have Marinette home safe very soon, we promise."
With that, he turned back towards the front door, letting Lady Noire go ahead of them as they moved to leave, leaving Foxglove to trail behind them. He watched the two of them as they exited, Crimson reaching out towards Lady Noire, but she brushed it aside, voice still that neutral tone.
"Lady Wifi was spotted on the roof of the Tsurugi penthouse; however, she has made no effort to go in, and is still up there."
"Not even teleporting in?"
"No. We should head over and bait her into a fight, Monarch will want her to engage," Lady Noire continued. "We'll lead her to where Foxglove is hidden, then after he sets up the illusions, we'll attack her from behind. The akuma is clearly in the phone."
Crimson agreed with this, and Foxglove didn't comment, because he knew this was true, and he was sure Crimson wouldn't be happy if he gave away that he had been there when Alya had been akumatized.
Foxglove's eyes kept falling on Lady Noire as they made their way across the city, heart feeling heavy. It was quite clear that the persona she showed the city was just another mask on top of the one she was already wearing.
He didn't know what to think of that.
The hiding place they had assigned Foxglove was far from a glamorous one, him being tucked away at the far end of a large alleyway, hiding from sight, giving him just enough room to peer out and wait for when they lured in Lady Wifi.
The pressure was high, he was being asked to use powers he had no experience with, and if he messed up, the whole plan would be ruined. Not only did he only get one shot with his actual powers, but Lady Wifi would not fall for it again if she knew illusions were in play. So he could only stand here and wait, hoping that he didn't mess this up.
He could sense Trixx in his mind, but he had no idea if the presence was meant to be reassuring or mocking.
A sharp spike of emotion from Trixx snapped him out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see the heroes running along the roof. His mouth went dry, but he slowly reached back and drew his weapon as they dropped down into the alleyway, Lady Wifi right behind them.
Foxglove put the flute to his lips, and despite not having any experience with such an instrument he found a soft, yet almost eerie tune playing from the flute. It didn't seem to reverberate through the air, but rather in his mind, linking him to the strange energy he had felt when first transforming with Trixx.
The power was there, yet it felt unreachable. It hummed about him, waiting to be touched, and he drew his lips back from the flute, voice a whisper: "Mirage."
The energy rushed through him in an instant, an orange orb appearing at the end of the flute, twisting with his rushing thoughts. Pausing to think wasn't an option, however, and he released the orb before he brought the flute to his lips once more, the energy being drawn to the physical world as the ethereal tune hummed to life, unheard to all but him.
It wasn't like art, carefully crafting each stroke to make the image appear; rather, it was chaotic and swift, the illusions instantly responding to his thoughts. Crimson Beetle and Lady Noire were hidden away the same moment the faux forms of them appeared. They weren't still or stiff, the illusions seeming to breathe and blink as they rushed forward to take the place of the heroes, effortlessly dodging away from Lady Wifi's strikes, dancing with a grace that was bordering on unnatural. He knew this wasn't what he wanted, and he struggled to take control of what he had summoned.
Yes, they responded to his thoughts, but thoughts were not always realistic. The energy required focus in order to grant him control, or else it would spiral off into its own unpredictable tale. He played no particular tune as he played the flute, eyes simply locked on the scene before him.
The heroes needed to be tired, so Lady Wifi would attack. They had to stay far enough back so she wouldn't flee. All while playing the role of dauntless heroes so nothing seemed off.
Lady Wifi took aim, firing a pause symbol towards the image of Lady Noire. Instantly the symbol was surrounded and hidden, replaced with an illusion of one as he let the real one hit the wall behind them, the false one 'striking' the Lady Noire illusion, instantly going still.
Foxglove felt himself draining quickly, and his necklace let out a chirp. It was tiring, guiding this energy he had summoned, and he was afraid it wouldn't be enough for the scene he was staging. The illusion of Lady Noire didn't want to stay still, it wanted to churn and flow, and so the Crimson illusion gained a surge of life instead, crying out as his partner was struck.
"Lucky Charm!" The fake Crimson cried out, throwing his yoyo into the air, pink light surging out. This was easier; having flow and movement, yet this put Lady Wifi on edge. The illusion of Crimson held a red spotted flute, the first thing that had come to mind, and Foxglove could only hope he didn't give himself away.
Lady Wifi hesitated with 'Crimson' having summoned his powers, and the true heroes took that as their cue to strike. The real Crimson Beetle lashed out with his yoyo, breaking the illusion with the harsh movement. Any semblance of structure Foxglove could feel from the energy was gone, spiraling about as he lost hold on it. He pulled the flute away from his lips, watching as the wire of the yoyo wrapped tightly around Lady Wifi, who had frozen up as the ones she had been fighting vanished like a puff of smoke.
The phone was sent flying from her grasp, landing on the road. Lady Wifi struggled against her bonds, but without her phone she couldn't teleport away. The true Lady Noire bounded forward, calling for her Cataclysm as she descended down into the phone. Foxglove braced himself as the Destructive power was summoned, dark energy churning about her hand as it touched the phone, instantly turning it to dust.
A black butterfly fluttered up from the remains, stirring up the ash as it took to the air. Foxglove couldn't help but shudder as he watched, something inside of him deeming the sight 'unnatural'. It wasn't the fact that it was an akuma, but the part of him that was Trixx told him the butterfly wasn't meant to be this way. He stared at the creature as Crimson's yoyo fell away from Lady Wifi, who was surrounded in a churning energy as she transformed back into Alya. He tried to make sense of Trixx's presence as the yoyo caught the akuma butterfly before it could escape.
"Wha-?" Alya's voice echoed out as she came to, looking about as Crimson released a pure white butterfly from his yoyo. "Wait– was I–? I didn't hurt anyone– right?"
"You were akumatized," Crimson Beetle replied, holding the end of his yoyo in one hand. "As for anything that happened, that will be easily fixed– Miraculous Ladybug!"
The yoyo was thrown skyward, instantly turning into a wave of pink light, rushing over them. It swept over the ashes of Alya's phone, being returned to her hand as it was made whole. The healing light then spread outward across the city, to free everyone from Lady Wifi's powers, and hopefully to fix the school gym as well.
Foxglove leapt from his hiding spot, landing out in the alleyway with the others. Lady Noire eyed him, and he offered her a smile. She seemed to relax somewhat, giving him a small nod. His heart couldn't help but twist guiltily, because he was swiftly realizing her stoic expressions weren't her nature; but rather a wall she was putting up. A wall that fell the moment she realized an attack wasn't going to be launched.
"No. Way."
Foxglove couldn't help but freeze up slightly, because he knew his girlfriend all too well. He turned just in time to see Alya rushing towards him, phone in hand, which was swiftly flashed in his face.
"A new hero!" She squealed as she started recording. "A new fox hero! Where did you come from? What's your name? Do you have the same powers as Citrine Húlí? Are you connected to them?"
"I– er, um–" Foxglove said gracefully, mind instantly blanking. "Er– Foxglove. My name is Foxglove. It's nice to meet you, Alya?"
Alya's eyes were gleaming, and from behind her he could see Crimson glaring at him. "You know my name?"
Oh. Oops.
Foxglove scratched the back of his head. "Er, well, the BeetleBlog is a pretty awesome blog."
"You know my blog?"
"But I'm afraid we have to go," Crimson Beetle said as he approached, laying a hand on Foxglove's shoulder, squeezing it tightly. "Will you be able to get home safely?"
Alya was clutching her phone tightly, and he was sure he had made her day by recognizing her blog– and he hoped that Crimson Beetle wouldn't kill him over that. The hero was steering him away now, his necklace letting out several chirps.
"I'll be just fine, Crimson Beetle," Alya said giddily, no doubt planning her next article. "Thank you for saving me!"
Crimson Beetle didn't reply, wrapping an arm around Foxglove's waist, before throwing his yoyo and carrying them away, leaving Alya and Lady Noire behind in the alleyway.
"Here you go, sir," Adrien said, carefully placing the Fox Miraculous back into Master Fu's hands.
"I'm assuming it went well?" The older man asked with a smile. "The article on the BeetleBlog was praising the new hero."
He blinked. "She posted something already?" He pulled out his phone. "But yes, it did go well, he treated Lady Noire politely, and didn't struggle with his illusions– wait, Alya thinks what?!"
Marianne glanced over Adrien's shoulder. "What happened?"
"She– She thinks Foxglove is Citrine's grandson!" Adrien said, having seen many theories on the blog, but he had no idea how she had come up with this one. "She thinks the powers are passed down genetically."
"Not an unreasonable guess," Fu said as he placed his Miraculous back on, summoning Trixx once more, running his finger across the kwami's head. Trixx nuzzled up against him, before looking out at the humans.
"But you two look nothing alike!" Adrien cried.
Fu chuckled. "The cloaking magic of the Miraculouses is very strong, unless you know one's identity, the glamour will have a very powerful hold. You can see those are transformed, describe them, recognize who they are in that guise– but you cannot make any connections outside of that."
"But–" Adrien began.
"Remember when you saw old Fu detransform?" Trixx said with a snicker. "Citrine took you straight into the shop, you were talking about the man that healed Tikki; but you had no idea it was him under the mask until he showed himself."
"Y-yeah," Adrien said, remembering how obvious it felt that he hadn't made the connection beforehand, but the thought hadn't even crossed his mind in the moment. "Still…"
"Now look at me," Fu said, spreading out his hands. "If I transformed, I'd just look like Fu in a fox costume, would I not? Perfectly clear for you."
"Yeah," Adrien said. "Yeah you would."
"I was falling quickly for Fu when I first met him," Marianne said. "Yet I was terrified of the strange fox spirit I kept encountering– never in a thousand years would I have thought they were one and the same back then."
Adrien's brow furrowed. "Are you saying that if I ran into Lady Noire on the street, there would be no recognition from either of us at all?"
All the kwamis burst out laughing as he said this, and Fu gave them a disapproving look. "That is correct. You might get a sense of familiarity or trust, but the glamour would prevent your mind from connecting it to your partner. The magic is powerful, even when you're aware of it."
"Wow…" Adrien couldn't help but say. He'd known the magic was powerful, but still, even having it explained made his head spin.
"Speaking of identities," Marianne said. "Who did you pick to be Foxglove?"
"My best friend, Nino Lahiffe."
"He did a good job," Trixx added. "Had a good heart, from what I could sense."
Fu nodded. "Now, I'm not comfortable with putting Miraculouses out there, not when two are missing. But if the time comes where illusions are needed again, then you can call upon this Nino if I cannot be there."
Marianne glared at Fu. "You will not be doing any fighting so long as I'm alive."
"Going to keep me down for the rest of my days?"
The two shared a warm laugh, and Adrien shifted, wondering if he should go. Tikki was sitting on his shoulder, settled and comfortable. The two Guardians looked towards him, as if sensing his hesitation, and Fu sat up slightly.
"Before you leave, Adrien, have you and Lady Noire discussed our offer any further, by chance?"
"Offer?"
"To become the Guardians in our place," Marianne replied.
"Oh," Adrien said. "I, er, have thought about it, but we really haven't said anything to each other?"
"I'm not trying to rush you," Fu said evenly. "But this is a choice you two need to make together. I will only accept both of you as guardians, or neither of you. I will not subject anyone to bear this burden alone as I did for many years."
Adrien looked down at Tikki, who gave him a reassuring smile.
"However, if you two do accept, it would be beneficial for us to begin teaching you as soon as possible," Marianne said. "Especially in the long run."
"Might help you with facing Monarch, too," Roaar added.
"I'll talk to Lady Noire next time I see her," Adrien promised.
"Don't rush the decision," Fu said. "Just keep it in mind."
"We will, sir," Adrien said. "I should get going, I don't want my father to worry."
"Be safe," Fu replied, giving him a nod as he headed towards the door.
Everything sounded like a drone to Marinette the next day.
Her parents' warm hugs, Plagg's demands for cheese, her teachers at the front of the classroom, everything. She just felt exhausted, and putting in the effort to be there mentally was far from her mind. She slumped down in her chair as their last class finally ended, Alya sitting next to her, smiling, before frowning slightly. She had noticed how off she had been all day, and clearly Marinette's excuse of being 'tired' was no longer cutting it.
"Are you sure you're okay, girl?" She asked, and Marinette gave a short nod. "If you say so, but your expression says otherwise."
"Just tired."
"Well, did you read the article I posted yesterday?" She asked.
Marinette shook her head. She hadn't looked at the blog, nor had she gotten a notification, but she assumed that Plagg had deleted it. Alya held out her phone, which she accepted, a picture of Foxglove on the top.
"I can't believe that of all the times for a new hero to show up it was when I was akumatized and couldn't record," she said, leaning against her arm. "But I saw him in person–and he knew my blog!"
Marinette knew. She had been there when it all happened. She had been there after the boys had left, leaving just Lady Noire and Alya alone.
And Alya had run.
Marinette's eyes flickered across the article on the page, talking about the very limited knowledge of Foxglove. Her eyes settled on a line trying to link Foxglove to Citrine, the suggestion of him being the elder Fox hero's grandson. She knew that couldn't be true; Fu and Marianne said they didn't have any kids, but that still left her wondering who Foxglove was. How and why he had been trusted enough for a Miraculous, and why hadn't she been told?
Marinette eyes then focused on one of the lines of the article, staring. It was small, not meant to stand out, one that wasn't even important, yet it held her gaze.
A new partner for Crimson Beetle.
A heavy feeling formed in her gut as she stared at those words, barely even hearing what Alya was saying. She tried to keep herself calm, the line wasn't saying that Foxglove was meant to be a replacement, or the only one; it was just acknowledging that he was there, that he wanted to help. He had been kind, she held nothing against him, yet reading those words still hurt.
Crimson was her partner. They had been working together from the beginning, that was the one thing he had always reassured her of. So reading those words, the idea of another being called that... it made something inside of her wither up.
Sidekick.
Lady Wifi had said it yesterday, and others had said it as well. Akumas, the mayor, various articles... it shouldn't matter. She shouldn't dwell on that. Those were people she didn't know, akumas couldn't be held responsible for their reactions, it was just things she should ignore–
But it still hurt.
"Marinette?" A soft voice asked, and she looked up into Alya's hazel eyes, filled with concern. "Marinette– is everything okay?"
She realized she was crying.
Marinette quickly went to wipe away her tears. The classroom was mostly empty as they left for the day, thank goodness, but there were still people looking her way. Worried about her, about Marinette. She swallowed down several gulps of air, trying to keep herself from crying, to calm down.
"Y-yes, I'm just–" she clumsily got to her feet, stuffing her things into her bag. "Just a long day, I think I need to just get some more rest you know, get home and take a nap or something–"
That only brought up the image of the way her parents had looked at Lady Noire, and once more she froze.
Alya's hand wrapped around her wrist, pulling herself to her feet. "Is there anything I can do?"
"N-no, I'm okay, I promise, I'm okay..."
Alya brought her into a hug, arms wrapped tightly around her. Marinette choked down another sob, leaning against Alya, not realizing how much she needed this. She stood there for a moment, not wanting the embrace to end, but at the same moment she felt like she shouldn't be there. If she knew whom she was truly hugging, what mask she wore, what ring was just inches from her... what would Alya think?
So Marinette pulled away. "Th-thank you, Alya."
"Did I say something while akumatized?" She suddenly asked, and Marinette froze up.
Yes.
"No."
"Was it about what happened with the flowers?"
"No..."
"Did–?"
"Nothing's wrong!" Marinette blurted out, turning around. "N-nothing. I'm fine, there's nothing to talk about, I just need to... to..."
She reached out, grabbing her shoulder. "I'm sorry," Alya said softly. "I shouldn't press; if you don't want to talk about it, then you don't have to." She hesitated for a moment. "But... but if it was something I said... you would tell me, right? I wouldn't want anything to come between us just because I did something stupid."
"Of course I would," Marinette said softly. Between Marinette and you– because Lady Noire needed to stay separate. "I just... it's just..." She took a deep breath. "I just need some space, that's all. So much has been happening and I just... I just need a chance to breathe."
Alya pulled her hand back, and smiled softly, the worry in her gaze clear. "Of course, Mari. Just... just tell me if you need anything, and I'll be here."
"I'll talk to you soon, Alya," Marinette said quietly, before hurrying out the door as she waved goodbye.
She hurried towards the front of the school, feeling horrible. Lady Noire wasn't supposed to impact this part of her life, but she was, and it wasn't fair to let that weigh her down when no one else could know or understand. She was grateful that it was a short walk from the school to her house, bursting out of the front doors, hoping to hurry across the street as quickly as she could.
"Marinette!"
Marinette paused as she heard her name called out, and she turned to see someone hurrying towards her. She barely had time to blink before she was suddenly slammed into, going stiff as arms were thrown around her in a hug.
"L-lila?" Marinette croaked when she saw who had ambushed her.
Lila pulled back, hands tightly clasping her shoulders. "I saw you in the classroom, and I couldn't just let you walk away alone." She leaned in closer. "What happened? Did you and Alya have a fight? Do you need someone to talk to? Because I'm right here– why don't we go to your house and talk about it right now?"
"I– um– I just–" she stumbled a few steps as Lila linked arms with her, pulling her forward. "I just, er, need some time alone, Lila, that's all. Alya didn't do anything, it just hasn't been a good day for me-"
"Now is not the time to be alone," Lila said, hand tight around her. "Let me come with you, and we can talk. It will be like I'm not even there."
"M-maybe another time, Lila," Marinette managed to say. "I just... I just really want to go get some sleep right now."
"You promise we can hang out soon?" Lila asked, tilting her head slightly, and Marinette gave a quick nod. "Okay then, I'll see you real soon, and if you need anyone to talk to about what happened with Alya, you let me know– you shouldn't have to hang around anyone you don't want to, obligations or not."
"I'll be okay," Marinette said softly. "I promise."
"Bye, Mari!" Lila called, before turning and weaving her way back into the crowd. Marinette stood there, and couldn't help but feel slightly dizzy. She closed her eyes for a moment, clutching her purse where Plagg was resting, and headed home.
The bakery was busy as she entered, but still her mom smiled and waved from behind the counter. Her parents had been almost smothering with affection since she had gotten back from the akuma last night, something she usually was quite fine with, but it had felt so jarring compared to when she had seen them in the costume.
They were just worried, with the akuma after you. That's all.
"Oh, Marinette– there was a delivery for you earlier," Sabine called as Marinette slipped behind the counter and headed for the stairway that led up to their apartment. "It's on the table with a little note– can't miss it!"
"Thanks, Mom!" Marinette called as she slipped through the door, hurrying up the stairs. Plagg took this as his cue to slip out of the purse, stretching out with a loud yawn– his breath smelling like cheese.
"Gah, talk about an exhausting day," he said.
"You didn't have to do anything," Marinette said.
"Uh, yes I did. I had to listen to those teachers of yours drone on, getting history wrong and misunderstanding how the universe works with your 'science'. Eh, you humans have gotten a bit better with it over the last few decades, though. Still absolutely exhausting." Plagg eyed her. "Proud of you, though, about time you took a step back from that blogger-girl after all she's said."
"She doesn't know what she's talking about," Marinette said quietly, stepping into the kitchen, looking for the delivery her mom had talked about. "I just needed a bit of space with everything, that's all."
"You should do that more often!" Plagg replied. "Tell her that everyday and– hey, why you so stiff?"
Marinette's eyes had landed on the dining room table, a wave of chills running through her. When her mom had said 'delivery' she had been thinking of a box or package of some kind– but instead a vase sat there, a tall flower with layers of tiny petals sitting inside. She stared at the zinnia, a note tied to its stem.
"Oh," Plagg said, wrinkling his nose. "Thought we were done with the smelly gifts."
"Why did they send me another one?" Marinette whispered.
Plagg zipped forward, flying about it. "Meh, you humans really are weird. I guess we should see what they want to say." He tugged at the note, pulling it from the stem, and looking at what was written. "Let's see... 'I heard what happened to your desk, and I wanted to let you know that was not me. Every flower I have given to you was sincere, and meant to be a gift. I truly admire you and your honesty ever since I've come to Paris.'" Plagg turned it over. "No name."
She walked forward, taking the note from him, looking it over for herself. A part of her wanted to believe what was written... but she didn't know if she could. She closed her eyes, picking up the vase and moving it and the note so they were set on the counter, so her mom did know that she had seen them– before turning and heading upstairs.
"You going to keep it?" Plagg asked.
"I don't know," she said quietly. "Don't know if it's real or not."
"Smart kid. Being wary is what keeps you alive," Plagg said in approval, drifting after her. "Now, do we have any cheese?"
She took some out of her purse, which Plagg happily ate as they made the trip to her room. As soon as she opened the trapdoor, Plagg zipped off to his pin cushion, nudging it so it was in the sun, before flopping down over it, letting out a loud burp. She sighed, before making her way over to her desk, sitting down and staring up at the posters of Crimson Beetle that were plastered to the wall behind it.
"What's eating you, kid?" Plagg asked. "I have a cheese magazine if you want something better to look at."
"Just thinking about the fight yesterday," Marinette said, turning away. "I just, I don't know, didn't think the Guardians would give out another Miraculous just like that? I mean why didn't Fu just show up himself to give us some illusions?"
Plagg snorted. "Marianne probably made him give it up for the day." He stretched. "She was always overprotective of him– and it's not like that nonsense is joining forever or anything. I'm sure Fu wants the Miraculous back around his neck as soon as possible."
"Why didn't Crim tell me what he was doing?" Marinette muttered.
"Because Bugs are solitary until they're desperate, like right before winter sets in," Plagg rolled over onto his back, letting out a loud yawn. "And of course Ladybugs will favor other Ladybugs too; Fu is a biased bug, if you ask me."
"Are you saying that Fu was a Ladybug?"
"Yeah," Plagg said. "And Marianne was my Black Cat. Temporarily, at least. There was a Butterfly holder sending out butterflies like Monarch's akumas at the time, and we needed a way to purify them."
"Was that, er... Violetter Flügel? Was that his name?"
"Wrong World War," Plagg replied. "And Violetter Flügel didn't create forced champions, so no purification was needed then."
"But– but he was using the Miraculous, wasn't he?" Marinette asked.
"Yep. His champions were willing, though, so there was no negative energy in the butterflies," Plagg said. "The Butterfly Miraculous is a positive-energy Miraculous, the Miraculous of Generosity, with the ability to give someone in need powers if they accept. Warping that with forced possession and manipulation... well, that goes against what the Butterfly is– and thus we get the corrupted butterflies that need to be rid of that energy."
"...Trying to wrap my head around the fact that Monarch's powers are based on Generosity," Marinette said.
"Eh, if it was being used properly, it'd be more clear," Plagg said. "Actually, you do see some of that Generosity with the akumas– they don't keep any of their memories of being possessed. That's definitely Nooroo's work, or at least the innate presence of his aura."
"Nooroo... that's Monarch's kwami?"
"Yeah."
"And he's being forced to obey her, because of the magic?" Marinette asked quietly.
"...Yeah," Plagg's voice was hoarse. "If he even recognizes what he's being used for and is fighting it, then Monarch would have to... but with his Miraculous being broken... he might not even know something's wrong. Nooroo was always willing to help, and with the state he's in..."
Plagg trailed off, and neither of them said another word.
