Ladybug sat atop a building that overlooked the city of lights as the night fell, his legs dangling from the edge. The only sound that surrounded him was the bustle of the city and a voicemail that kept on looping on his bug phone.
The hero sighed heavily as the weight in his chest seemingly couldn't be lifted, no matter how many hours of meditation he invested into his day. Emotions were a hassle, more so as the Celestial Guardian's words kept ringing in his head like the bells of Notre-Dame. Over and over again, the more he thought about it the more anxiety he felt. And even when he tried to think of something else- clearing his thoughts, or distracting himself with fashion designing- his mind just kept throwing it back in his current thoughts like a boomerang. The black-spotted hero was so focused on the voicemail, thinking about whether or not he should call Chat Noir, that he didn't notice the sound of approaching steps.
"Buga-BOO!"
"AHHH!" He screamed reflexively as he grabbed whatever was touching his shoulder and threw it without a second thought. But the second he realized that he hurled his partner right off a building his hands reflectively covered his mouth- instinctively silencing his scream of horror at what he had just done. His mind raced for a few seconds at the thought that he un-alived his partner on accident- only to be met with Chat Noir rising from the ground using his staff; with a confused, but annoyed expression on his face.
"Well, that was rude."
Ladybug was stunned in place, forgetting for a few seconds that Chat Noir was by no means delicate. Yet he still couldn't bring himself to calm down his racing heart.
Chat Noir's ear twitched at the sight of his partner as he stepped onto the roof of the building. "So-" Chat Noir clicked his tongue as he spoke in a more gentle tone. "I see that I may have been interrupting something." He said just as the voicemail rang out again, filling the silence.
"Hey you, Bugaboo! Well, here I am, your faithful companion at our rendezvous point just like always. It's time for our daily patrol, I hope you haven't forgotten!"
Ladybug immediately scrambled to shut it off, almost dropping his yo-yo in the process before placing it back on his belt. "I'm-It's- Something..." Ladybug stumbled over his words trying to figure out a way to explain himself without actually explaining himself.
"Okay, I'm just going to stop you right there." Chat Noir said empathically, cutting through what was clearly a troubling time for his partner. "I just swung by to check up on you. You've been avoiding patrols for a while and here I find you sitting by yourself when it's almost midnight?"
"WHAT?!" Ladybug opened his yo-yo again to realize that he had spent too much mulling over. "Ohhh crapcrapcrap! Sorry Kitty I have to go back and check on the Kwami's!"
"Yeah sure." Chat Noir said easily, knowing full well the connection his partner had with the small fairies. "Call me later?"
"Promise!" Ladybug responded quickly, throwing out his yo-yo into the city fully focusing on checking on his wards.
Marin was trying his best to appear composed. He was doing his best to smile while he held his phone in hand, standing on the patio above his room with Adrien on the other end. He could see that Adrien was in his family's limo and was incredibly eager as he told him his story.
"We were tied for the final point, then she cheated and sneaked a kiss to distract me. She stole the point." Adrien chuckled at the memory. " Our parents even let us study together at my place unsupervised. Last time she was over I taught her to play foosball."
"Sounds like it's going well. I'm happy for you two." Marin said sincerely, ignoring the thumping of his heart as he tried to sound as convincing as possible.
Adrien grinned sheepishly at the praise. "It's been great having someone to spend time with. I don't get to see you guys as much as I want to. I've honestly gotten a little lonely at times. It was the same with Kagami for a while, but now we're there to always keep each other company."
Oh, it hurts. But he's also really happy. Adrien is really happy now.
Marin reminded himself over and over again.
"You're coming to the show tonight right?" Adrien then asked. "Kagami and I have a tournament beforehand but right after we're going to sneak away."
LIE.
Marin felt his heart sink and said the first thing to come to mind. "I…don't think so, I've got a lot of sewing to do. My grandpa's mice need…hats."
LIE BETTER!
"Aw, I was hoping you were coming tonight. I want to introduce Kagami to all of our friends properly. It's really important to me that she feels comfortable with everyone." Adrien's expression fell after hearing that one of his best friends wouldn't be around. He was disappointed that one of his best friends wouldn't be at the concert. "I know you two get along really well, she'd feel better if you were there."
"Psh- You don't need me for that." Marin said absent-mindedly. "There's no way everyone won't adore her the second they realize that she's a sweetheart under that icy exterior."
Adriend brightened up at Marin's words he smiled bashfully. "Yeah, I sure did."
Critical hit.
"Alright well, I'll see you later. Say high to everyone for me!" Marin ended the call abruptly, unable to take any more of what was pure emotional torture. He groaned aloud, tightly grabbing the railing as he sunk down, and then plopped onto his back. Immediately he switched to a texting app and pulled up his and Alya's chat log.
[Cutie Pie: Not coming tonite.]
He didn't have to wait long to see Alya furiously texting back at record speed.
[Cupcake: R U okay? Do you need me to come over for cuddles and snacks?]
Marin smiled to himself as he read the text. He knew that Alya would drop everything and run over to him if he asked. She was the best friend anyone could ask for.
[Cutie Pie: Your so sweet but it's okay.]
[Cupcake: you're.]
[Cupcake: Is this about Adrien?]
Marin stared at the screen before his eyes, reading the text over and over. He went back and forth continuously trying to keep up this facade that it was draining. Adrien had his head up in the clouds these days. There was no way he would ever in his life tell his crush that he liked him- especially not when his girlfriend was also a friend. But with Alya it was different. She had always been a good confidant no matter what the circumstances were. Aside from her, there was only one other person he was comfortable talking to.
[Cutie Pie: …Yeah.]
[Cutie Pie: He said that he's bringing Kagami to meet you all. I just can't deal with it right now.]
[Cupcake: Understood.]
[Cutie Pie: Promise to make her feel welcome. Kagami is tough, but she's also a little shy when around new people.]
[Cupcake: I know I know. But say the word and I will passive-aggressively tell her that her shoelaces are lame.]
Such a dangerous threat could only come from a pure-hearted person. He pushed himself up, feeling his mood improving, and replied.
[Cutie Pie: They should lock you up for even that.]
[Cupcake: Only if they catch me]
When his phone dimmed and went into silent mode, it reminded him of how isolated he was. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. Above it all he had to choose between everything and set boundaries; Using all his free time to take care of the Kwamis instead of spending time with his parents; Studying the Grimore instead of making new designs; Transforming into Ladybug and saving Paris at any second rather than having the choice to properly plan out his day; Choosing to be a supportive person to both of his friends instead of telling them how he truthfully felt.
Kagami and Adiren were perfect together, they were 2 puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. Whatever had been missing from their lives was fulfilled by being with each other in a way he could never be. In comparison, Marin had to remind himself that he was okay with how everything was. His master had made difficult choices as well and he could do the same. The Miracle Box and the Kwamis were now everything. Anything else…he would be fine without.
Luka was resting on his bed, looking up at a dangling necklace he held above his head, as a classical record was filling the room with music. It was meant to be calming, something he could focus on to clear his head before the show. He sat up from his bed, smiling fondly at the memento of his first concert. It was a Jagged Stone Guitar pick that he treasured. His mom didn't allow him to attend by himself, so he enlisted his sister's help and they rode their bikes to the faraway venue. The show was almost over and there were no proper seats left. But the ticket vendor accepted their scraped-together change and allowed them in with a complementary memento. There was only one song left but it was magical. The image of Jagged Stone walking on stage with his guitar in hand stood vividly in his mind. Everyone thought that the rockstar was going to do another one of his signature Rock and Roll songs, but instead- he played a soft ballad. A song that resonated with him; it was so unexpected but he couldn't take his eyes off the stage.
Butterflies filled his stomach as he thought about the upcoming concert that his band was going to hold. Everything was set, and all he had to do was go with the flow. As the door opened, he was pulled from his wandering thoughts as his mom popped her head into his room.
"Luka your bandmates have been welcomed aboard it's time you do the same. I have to make sure the sound system is just under the city decibel limit. " His mom informed, popping into his room for a moment while he sat up.
"No problem." Luka sat up from his bed, crossing his legs together. He shoved the necklace into his pocket and smiled in excitement at the upcoming band practice.
Luka passed by the kitchen on his way to the main deck, but something on the table caught his attention. It was a formal letter- one that came every month since they were kids. He knew it was the same one as it had the same emblem on it every time, a black record followed by his mother's former stage name. He stared at it for a few seconds before picking it up. His eyes widened as he read over the information- recognizing the address of the most prestigious hotel in the city
"Yeah, he just texted me that he's not coming."
Luka froze in place at the sound of Alya's voice outside the room.
"Wait really? Is he sick again or something?" Nino asked with concern.
"No, nothing like that. He's just not coming. There's nothing to worry about." Alya said reassuringly as Luka pondered to himself curiously. His friend always had this air about him- he was a tangled mess of noise of sounds all playing at once, but the longer you listened the more melodic it sounded. Luka checked the time on his phone and quickly discerned that he had just enough time to bike there and back. He folded the letter in his pocket and ran up to the upper deck. He slowed down when he saw his sister talking to Rose and, for a moment hesitated- wondering if he should ask her to come along.
Luka then shook his head at the idea, not wanting his sister caught up in the matter. He was the one making the first move, so he would be the one to handle what would come next.
"Jules." Luka pulled his younger sister aside much to her surprise. "I have to do something, if I'm late for the concert will you cover for me?"
Juleka was startled by her brother's sudden task but then nodded, thinking nothing of her elder brother going on his own for a few hours.
Marin took a deep breath, slapped his cheek to perk himself up, and then headed down the ladder onto his bed. Of course, his Kwami's were all scattered across the room, each playing with the various activities he brought them. Some were reading books, playing board games, or even playing chase in the doll house he bought them. Looking at all of them happily eased his heart. They could be little gremlins sometimes, but were also very cute so it evened out.
"When are you leaving?" Tikki appeared close to his face the second he entered the room. She had waited with her siblings as per the new rule; No Kwami's on the patio. He loved them, but he at least needed one space to himself.
"I'm not." Marin replied bluntly as he jumped off of the bed, nearby where Xuppu and Kalkki were slashing in the sink, having made a small pool for themselves.
"But you have to! Everyone's expecting you there!" His kwami pleaded while Marin walked over to his new sewing box. Opening it up he pressed down on a few threat spools which clicked open to reveal the Miracle box. Right next to it was a tablet that held all the information Master Fu had translated. There was another copy that Fu had intended to gift to Chat Noir, unfortunately, it was missing when he went back to the scene of the crime. For now, this was his only guide to unlocking the secrets of the Miraculous. Marin's eyes wandered back to the Miracle Box. He brushed his hand against the Emblem of Protection- Wayzz's cubby. It was the only one that remained sealed while the rest of his siblings roamed free. He gently touched the emblem, stopping himself from pressing it open.
Marin!" Tikki called out, once again trying to garner her friend's attention. Marin in turn sighed heavily, placing the tablet back into the box and locking it.
"No one is expecting me anywhere Tikki. I can't just go out whenever I want to anymore. I have to look after you guys while also trying to study how to be the best guardian while also trying not to think about if Grand Master Su is watching my every move!" Marin took a breath while Tikki and the other Kwami's gathered around him, attracted by the distress of their guardian.
Marin held the bridge of his nose, trying to think about the best way to explain his situation. "I can't have any distractions. Right now my priority is you all."
"But you've had your heart broken!" Dazzi was openly crying and promptly dove into a hug. "You want to be loved but you can't because you're afraid that no one will like you back! Then- you'll fall into an eternal sleep that you can never wake up from because you'll never be awakened by true love's kiss!"
"...What?" Marin asked, flabbergasted at the little piglet's reasoning while also patting the Kwami's back." You realize that the fantasy movies on the TV aren't real right?"
"They're real to meeee!" Dazzi retorted back while Marin placed him down for a well-needed nap.
"It is indeed unhealthy to remain in one place for so long. Even our former Guardian had his regular outings while we remained behind." Sass pointed out. "You should spend time with your loved ones."
"Yeah! We'll all be really good! You can go out and be happy again!" Roaar boldly exclaimed as the rest of the Kwamis unanimously agreed. Unfortunately, their current Guardian was not so easily swayed.
"You guys. I'm staying here no matter what. Nothing short of an Akuma, Amok, or my mother is going to get me out of this room. End of discussion!" Marin said firmly, standing his ground against the small fairies hovering before him. Just before Tikki was about to rebuttal his stubborn stance they both tensed up at the sound of footsteps on the stairwell and then knocked a few times.
All reacted immediately, scattering to their hiding places. Marin then quickly scanned the room to make sure no Kwami and then slowly opened the trap door leading out of his room. He was met with a familiar face awaiting him, and stepping up once the door opened.
"Luka?" Marin was surprised to see his friend at his house of all places. But then stumbled backward as Luka closed the trap door behind him. With a serious look in his eye, he took out a folded envelope from his back pocket.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you." Luka said apologetically as he looked at all the power tools on Marin's desk that at one point- only had craft supplies. A smile drew on his face, "Alya said that you were busy with work."
Marin's eyes widened slightly at the partially blatant lie. But he did wonder what Alya had told everyone else exactly the reason he flaked out.
"It's uh- no big deal. It was just something that I was asked to make. It's not done so I better get back to fixing it!" Marin insisted. His smile masked most of the anxiety he felt with anyone his room as he had a family of flying fairies in their hiding spots. "Sorry, my room is a huge mess." He added before quickly placing the box under his desk and then hiding it from sight by using his chair.
"Trust me, your room isn't messy," Luka responded, amused by his friend's definition of the word. "Do you think that you'll be able to make it to the concert today?"
Marin's stomach sank at the thought of being confronted on his own flakiness. Internally, Marin screamed at his past self for not taking his future- very stressed- self into consideration. How could he not peer into the future and remind himself not to make plans?
"Oh- I uh..." Marin checked the time on his phone. In his mind, he ran through how long it would take to walk over to the boat, make small talk with his friends, hear the music, and then run back to check on the Kwamis. He wondered if he could even afford to spend time on a social outing with the Kwami's back in his room possibly running into his parents. On one hand, his responsibility as the Guardian, on the other- disappoints his friends. But then, another thought crept to the forefront as he recalled an unpleasant fact.
"Adrien is part of your band now, right?"
Luka nodded, placing his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, he's playing the keyboard and bringing Kagami. Does that bother you?"
Immediately Marin whipped around, not freaking out. "Nope. No Way. Why should it? Adrien is my friend. Kagami is my friend. They're together now so it's like having double the friendship!" Marin laughed away the unpleasantness, ignoring that stinging feeling in his chest.
"It's okay if you don't want to come. Alya didn't exactly go into detail."
Oh boy.
"So you came by to check up on me?" Marin inferred as he leaned against his desk behind him, crossing his arms. His friends meant well, but at the end of the day, they all had their confidants. It made sense that Juleka would tell her brother. Marin wondered if Ivan and Nino were also privy to his secrets now as well.
"Sort of." The concern on his friend's face was evident as Luka placed both of his hands in his pockets, lowering his head in disappointment. "We planned this for weeks. I was hoping- I finished a song that I wanted you to hear." Marin swore the room started to spin the longer he looked at Luka's face. Here he was standing up to one of the nicest people in Paris and he couldn't even muster the will to feel guilty. "I came by because I need a favor, and you're the only one I can turn to." Luka's tone turned more serious. "Mar, I think I found out where my father is and I need your help to see him."
Marin blinked a few times in stunned silence. He opened his mouth to say something out of courtesy but quickly realized there was no retort for a situation like this. Whatever stubbornness he held previously disappeared as a calm acceptance washed away.
"...Yeah okay."
Luka's shoulders fell, relieving any tension he held, and immediately hugged his friend. Though Luka's gesture was sincere and Marin hugged him in return- he couldn't help but wonder what exactly he had gotten himself into.
Ah well, it'll probably be fine.
Luka biked the two of them to the address on the envelope, and it led them to a familiar hotel that was bustling with people entering and leaving. He chained his bike to a nearby streetlamp and looked at the tall building while gripping the letter in his hand.
"The Grand Hotel?" Marin asked hesitantly, worried about his friend. It was true that Luka was known for being level-headed and rarely raised his voice. Seeing him looking so serious was offputting as Marin had no idea what he could say to try and comfort him. He never asked about his or Juleka's home life, it wasn't his place to ask about matters that didn't involve him. But as Luka was now, there was no doubt that whatever was in that envelope was igniting strong feelings.
Strong feelings that could lead to an Akuma fluttering by.
"Let's go." Luka suddenly said. Marin watched him taking a deep breath as they walked into the hotel together." The return address was the hotel in the pent suite on the highest floor"
"Okay so, the only way to access the upper levels is with the keycard that the front desk has. If you can grab that, you can have access to the upper floors." Marin informed they both casually walked in together.
"What about the stairs?" Luka asked, looking at the stairway door.
"It's key card protected as well. When it comes to security this hotel is generally on top of it. But I think all we need to do is make a distraction and then you can bolt."
"How exactly do you know so much about this place?"
"I used to have...work meetings here?" Marin explained slowly. "It's kind of a long story."
Luka looked around for anything that they could use as a ploy. But the more he looked around the more suspicious he looked. It was already weird that two kids from the street walked in, more so if were just sitting around talking.
"Are we looking for a big distraction?"
Luka hesitated for a moment, narrowing his eyes. Many people thought of Marin as more of a calm and docile kind of person. To an extent he was- but he also understood that Marin was the kind of person to go to great lengths to complete a task- crazily so.
"Probably?"
"Okay well, see those Lilies sitting over there?" Marin pointed directly at the bouquets that were sitting in the lobby. There was an abundance of them to brighten the room. Immediately the flowers set off some alarm bells. It was easy to discern what the plan was considering, as Lillies were one of the many flowers that Marin was highly allergic to.
"Actually- I think I have a better idea." Luka placed a hand on Marin's shoulder.
"We're the delivery boys for the Dupain-Chengue bakery." Luka said to the man behind the lobby desk.
Marin tensed up at the mention of his parent's establishment but caught on quickly.
The concierge looked between the two of them, and then at Marin directly. "I received no notification of a delivery."
"That's because it was a last-minute thing!" Marin explained, taking a macaroon box out of his messenger bag that had the bakery logo on it. It was something that he always kept on his person even before Tikki came into his life.
The concierge pondered for a few very long seconds, then crossed his arms. "And who exactly is this delivery for?"
"Fang Stone. Jagged Stone's pet gator."
"That checks out." The concierge sighed heavily as he picked up the phone. "I shall let them know you have arrived."
"Ms. Fang Stone is located on the roof." He said, walking them to the elevator.
"How many macaroons can a crocodile eat?" Luka questioned while Marin chuckled under his breath.
"Let's just say that the amount she eats could be its own catered event."
Luka took a deep breath, crushing the envelope in his hand. His heart was beating faster each time he watched the elevator ascending higher and higher. He must have looked the part as just then he felt Marin grasping his hand.
"Last chance to bail," Luka warned trying to break the tension, unable to look at his friend.
"Hey." Marin took Luka's hand in his own and spoke sincerely. "I'm not leaving, no matter what."
He then felt a pang of guilt for dragging Marin along with him. This was an ambush in every sense of the phrase. Silently he told himself to apologize later.
Finally, the elevator stopped at the roof and the doors opened to the bright sun. They stepped out into the pool area to see a rock star and his crocodile entourage sitting nearby. Fang's tail was already swaying to the strums of Jagged Stone's guitar, but then immediately went wild as she smelled the closing proximity of snacks.
"Oh hey! It's the baker prince and a rock and roll dude!" Jagged Stone exclaimed in excitement as Fang immediately tried to jump on the person holding snacks. Marin reflexively tossed the box aside, not wanting to get tackled by Fang before hiding behind Luka. As soon as Fang had jumped into the pool Marin lifted his head to Luka's ear.
"I'm sure Mr. Stone will help us out if we asked. He's generally a really nice guy." Marin suggested as he spoke from previous experience. He had met the rock star on various occasions, and each time he was surprised at how nice and chipper Jagged Stone was. He was certain the singer would help them once they told him of the situation.
"Ah, sorry to trouble you sir." Marin said formally, stepping out of Luka's shadow. "We got off on the wrong floor, were just wondering if you could help us-"
"Jagged Stone, are you my father?"
Adrien smiled when Coffaine houseboat was fully in their sights. He and Kagami walked together from their fencing practice, the two ditching out on their next activity to spend time together. Next to him, Kagami held her formal neutral expression but that broke once Adrien grasped her hand. "I'm happy you're here to watch the concert with my other friends."
Kagami nodded, "I'm glad your friends are alright with my presence."She said looking out over the small gathering of students. But Kagami's small smile sunk the longer she looked around. "Is Marin not here yet?"
"Oh, uh he's not coming. Something came up on his end."
"I see." Kagami said to herself, lowering her head in disappointment.
Adrien tilted his head, noticing his girlfriend's more sullen expression. "Are you worried?"
Kagami hesitated for a few seconds before looking back at her boyfriend. "Perhaps I am overthinking this, but it feels like Marin is avoiding me and perhaps you to an extent."
That surprised Adrien immensely. He had never known his best friend to go out of his way to avoid anyone, much less a close friend. "What makes you say that?"
"Haven't you noticed that whenever you or I attend a friendly gathering Marin isn't present? He always has an excuse lined up as to why he's busy even if he has informed others he will be present beforehand."
Adrien thought about the conversation he had with Marin just that morning. He was disappointed that his friend wasn't going to see the concert but he hadn't thought much about the reason why his friend wasn't attending. "I guess I just assumed if he didn't show up then he had a good reason."
"Perhaps. Or perhaps he's a little off-put by our relationship." Kagami suggested as they approached the houseboat together. Her suggestion took Adrien for a loop but before he could respond Kagami shook her head. "Nevermind, forget I said anything." She walked ahead of Adrien who was stunned in place. He felt removed, watching Kagami being greeted by his friends while he hung back thoughtfully.
It was a spontaneous question, one that triggered everyone around him to stop and stare. Marin felt himself going into fight-or-flight mode out of sheer anxiety about the situation at hand. Jagged Stone on the other hand was worse off. Not expecting confrontation the rockstar was caught off guard in the worst way possible.
"F-father? That's, I mean-" Jagged Stone stumbled over his words as he fell over trying to get to his feet. "I'm not exactly the dad type-"
Luka waited for a few moments and then turned away, seemingly disappointed at the outcome. Marin was unable to speak as he looked between Jagged Stone and his friend. Automatically he ran towards Luka, stumbling at first but ultimately failing as the last thing he saw was his friend leaving, holding something in his hand. Marin slammed against the door, banging it once and then rapidly pressing the elevator button to the point where it got stuck in place.
"MR. STONE YOU HAVE TO GO AFTER HIM!" Marin exclaimed after failing to catch up to Luka. He knew very well that he wasn't part of the Couffine family matters- but Luka was the one who dragged him into it- so he might as well play his part.
Jagged Stone stumbled over his words, and became the complete opposite of the smooth-talking wild musician he always portrayed. "Y-Ya think? I don't know if I should. I'm not really supposed to be around them. Anarka would probably strangle me if I got anywhere near the kids without her knowing."
It took a second for Marin to process Jagged Stone's words.
"YOU'RE JULEKA'S DAD TOO?!" Marin was in disbelief at the man sitting before him. A few months ago he would have hyperventilated being near the rock star. But reality had its ways of shattering preconceived notions.
Jagged Stone tensed up at his slip of the tongue, shrugging his shoulders with a wry smile that said 'oops'.
"You. Have. To. Go. After. You. Son." Marin slapped his palm with each word.
"But I really can't." Jagged Stone hung his head, looking more downtrodden than anything. "The only thing I'm good at is making music and traveling the world doing shows and being the spiritual leader for millions of artists."
Marin groaned heavily, dispersing the outrage he felt. He tried to keep a level head amidst the bubbling outrage he was feeling. It was hard not to think about the numerous times Jagged Stone was actually around his kids. Always pretending everything was okay, saying nothing, pretending that he wasn't their father. Moreover-
"None of that matters now that your son knows! What are you going to do about it?" Marin asked bluntly. He then caught his breath, quickly picking on that all his yelling wasn't productive.
Before Jagged Stone could respond the Rockstar spotted something flying towards them at high speed. He pushed the young kid out of the way as he was caught in a spotlight.
"Lighteye!"
The sent monster captured Jagged Stone in a trance that prevented him from moving. Marin backed away and then dove for cover, trying to reach the staircase nearby.
"Jagged Stone, I am the Truther! And you will tell me the truth of why you abandoned me and my sister!" Truther ordered, turning the rockstar's lips white.
"The truth is that I wasn't ready to be a dad. I tried staying for a few years, but Anarka and I had to choose; Our dream or our family. I told myself they would be better off without a deadbeat like me, bouncing around on tours, and hanging out with reptiles. But it all made for a really good song though, have you heard my first solo; "My Guitar my only fam-"
"ENOUGH!" Truther threw Jagged stone across the roof and into the pool where Fang was already swimming.
Marin saw the situation unfolding and immediately knew he was in hot water. He couldn't risk transforming while Truther was too close. Not wanting a repeat of what happened the last time Luka was akumatized he sprinted towards the only other exit. Just as he was about to reach the staircase he heard the villain yelling out.
"Lighteye!"
Marin was stopped in place and was forced to turn and face Truther. He screamed internally as his akumatized friend stood before him, for a moment seemingly hesitating as he snapped his fingers and released him. Marin stumbled forward, reflexively grabbing the villain's outstretched hand to steady himself.
"Marinus Dupain Chengue." All the blood drained from Marin's face as the villain clutched his wrist, preventing him from escaping."The truth will set you free. So I ask you; Do you still have feelings for Adrien?"
Now he wanted to escape for different reasons.
He could feel his ears burning as he still tried to escape but his scrawny arms were moot against a powered-up villain. It was strange that Truther wasn't forcing him the same way he did Jagged Stone, but now was not the time to waste this chance. He had an inkling that perhaps Juleka or Rose may have spilled some secrets to Luka in passing on accident. His mind told him to lie outright, but it was weak against the embarrassment he felt.
"Seriously Luka?!" Marin exclaimed bluntly purely pissed off than mindful of the situation. The plan was simple; lie to the lie detector, but his suppressed feelings overtook reason.
"Do you still have feelings for Adrien Agreste?" Truther repeated, pressing down against his wrist.
"Wha-Nope. No Way. Why should it? Adrien is my friend. Kagami is my friend. They're together now so it's like having double the friendship!" Marin laughed away the unpleasantness, ignoring that stinging feeling in his chest.
The Miraculous holder grumbled under his breath, getting more annoyed with Truthers' continued silence.
"YES. OKAY? I STILL LIKE ADRIEN. BUT I WON'T EVER DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE KAGAMI IS ALSO MY FRIEND AND THEY ARE VERY HAPPY TOGETHER, AND I AM HAPPY THEY FOUND EACH OTHER! " Marin wondered how red his face was, saying those words aloud.
However, Truther narrowed his eyes and Marin's heart sank.
"You're still lying."
The world slowed down all at once. Marin looked down and quickly realized that Truther's hand was on his wrist, checking his pulse.
"Your words say one thing but your heartbeat is telling me a different story."
Curse his heart, betraying him in his time of need by keeping him alive.
"Well- that's uh, that's because of my anxiety! High anxiety, is bad for my heart. Leads to so many terrible things that I avoid thinking about because then I forget to breathe!"
His mind ran through several scenarios, the most serious one being that Truther would reveal that he was the guardian and that he was housing an entire family of magical Kwami's whose location would be revealed to Hawkmoth who would steal them away, resulting in the Celestial Guardian removing Tikki and deeming that he the worst Guardian in history.
He didn't even want to think about how his removal could affect Chat Noir.
"You've become such a splendid liar you've started to deceive even yourself."
Hearing an Akumatized Villain, his friend, of all people trying to talk down to him, not knowing the whole story only served to make him more irritated. He scowled at the villain, throwing caution to the wind as he turned the villain's grip against himself- dragging him forward so he would have to look him in the eye.
"I don't need to be lectured by the person who deceived me in the first place. Try looking at yourself in the mirror."
Surprisingly, Truther appeared to smirk at his outburst. "My sights are set on only Chat Noir and Ladybug, and the truths that they selfishly hide. You are the only one I would ever spare." Truther then pushed him back and then leaped off of the roof into the city.
Marin believed his heart would burst out of his chest, starting to think that he would pass out. He fell to his knees while his heart threatened to burst out of his chest.
"You're okay!" Tikki tried to comfort him, hugging his face as Marin closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing just like Master Fu showed him.
"Ohhh this is bad." Marin rasped aloud, trying to pull himself together, unable to comprehend his stupidity. What kind of superhero in their right mind would ever think to speak against an Akumatized villain with the power to reveal all their secrets. "I swear Tikki, I'm going to give myself a heart attack one of these days." Marin remarked before transforming into his hero form.
Adrien stood on stage, helping to set up his keyboard while everyone else started to take their seats.
"Hi, Adrien." Zoé girl greeted with a smile. "Do you need any help setting up?"
"I think I'm alright for now," Adrien said awkwardly trying not to sound unfriendly. He hoped that his hesitance didn't show but being around Zoé was surreal. For as long as he had been acquainted with Chloé's family there had never been a hint that they had another family member. Chloé's mom was in New York for a long time, but it was still very weird that she wouldn't mention having another child. For a moment he wondered if his father knew about Zoé's existence but then was pulled from his thoughts as he remembered that he was still in the middle of a conversation.
"Kagami, this is Zoé. She uh- she's a new transfer student one year behind us."
"Ah yes, you're Chloé's half-sister isn't she?" Kagami stated bluntly, eyeing her curiously. "My condolences."
Zoé sheepishly chuckled at Kagami's quip, appearing uncomfortable. "Yeah, it sounds like my step-sister is quite the character- from what I've been hearing from everyone. I don't think we've been acquainted yet. You're Kagami, Adrien's girlfriend, right? I love your uniform." Zoé was friendly towards Kagami, holding out her hand in greeting as Kagami returned the gesture.
"Thank you. I attend an elite academy within the city."
"That sounds prestigious. If it's for the eliete how come you and Chloé don't attend? Aren't all of your parents friends?"
"I used to be homeschooled. I went to public school because Chloé went there."
"Quite a shame. If Adrien and I attended the same academy we could spend more time together." Kagami said more playfully as Adrien blushed at her teasing.
"That would be nice. But I also like going to public school, that's where I met all my friends. There I can just goof off and really be myself." Adrien chuckled.
Zoé sighed in relief at his words. "I feel the same way. At my old school, I felt like I had to pretend to be someone else so everyone would like me. I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in that regard. She then received a text on her phone and looked down in surprise. "My mom sent me a text. She says that there's an Akuma at the hotel and not to come back for a while."
Adrien tensed up at Zoé's warning and immediately started to back away, trying to figure out a way to escape.
"There's no need to worry. Chat Noir and Ladybug always beat Hawkmoth." Kagami said reassuringly, placing a hand on Zoé's shoulder.
"I guess you guys would know. Adjusting to the idea that there are magic butterflies that are attracted to negativity is just so weird."
"But you're from New York, right? They have their superheroes."
"Sure but no supervillain was going around to possess random people. Though there are some weird stories about haunted academies having ghosts pop out now and again."
"I'll bet. Hey, Kagami I have to go find Luka real quick."
"Oh, Luka's not here." Zoé quickly informed. "Juleka said that he ran off a few hours earlier. But-" Zoé smiled cheekily, lowering her voice. "She and Rose think that he went off to personally invite Marin to attend the concert. I hear that he had some special surprise all planned out. So we have no idea when he'll be back."
Not good.
"Kagami, could you show Zoé around and introduce her to the gang? I have to run back to the school really quick."
"Why?" Kagami promptly asked.
"Because... I forgot my homework. Really gotta get that homework." Adrien said promptly, and without waiting for an answer he sprinted away off the boat. He ran under the bridge, hiding himself away from sight.
"Plagg."Adrien opened his shirt releasing his Kwami who was cross at him. "What's wrong?"
"You missed your chance to make your move on the Baker boy! Do you know what's at stake here?!" Plagg complained, clearly thinking about Marin's specialty Camembert loaf that he always specially made for him. Adrien just shook his head at his gluttonous Kwami.
"Focus you little gremlin. Just because I have a girlfriend doesn't mean that you're going to be cut off from your special treats."
"That's what you think! Glad you've been more progressive about your love life, but did you think how your relationship would affect me?!" Plagg sobbed dramatically much to Adrien's amusement.
"Sometimes I wonder if having a normal cat would be less or more work. Plagg, Claws out!"
"Like some peasant feline can hold a candle to a handsome tomcat like me!"Plagg exclaimed before being absorbed into the ring.
"I don't think he's coming," Ladybug admitted aloud to himself as he stood atop the skyscraper of the broadcasting station. He texted and called Chat Noir too many times while also keeping both the villain and his Sentimonster in his sight. He sent one last text before closing his yo-yo and returning his focus to the task at hand. He could only hope that the reason why he wasn't answering his calls was that he was in danger. There was a high risk involved if he were to slip up even once. So instead, since Chat Noir was nowhere in sight, he had to go with the backup plan.
Truther can make someone reveal their innermost thoughts. That Sentimonster's purpose is to capture the target in the spotlight and prevent them from moving...
Ladybug converted his bug phone, opening up his device and pulling out the Miraculous of Intuition. He placed the bracelet on his wrist and summoned Sass.
"I am at your service Guardian."
"Much obliged." Ladybug nodded, he looked out again but quickly realized that Lighteye was flying right at him "Oh no-"
He then felt the impact of a giant eyeball hitting him off his feet. Ladybug tumbled backward and landed on his feet just as Truther activated and caught up with his Sentimonster. "Tikki. Sass. Unify!" Ladybug exclaimed, transforming into a hero with the power of Creation and Intuition. He didn't miss a beat before diving towards the roof entrance and running to the studio floor.
Seconds after running into the studio he heard the villain sprinting in after him. "Ladybug, I command you to real your identity-" Truther exclaimed, but was cut off as the hero threw his harp directly at his head. Unlike Ladybug, his new alter was more agile, and more graceful as he skilfully threw his lyre at Lighteye, stunning it as he then jumped atop it- retrieving his instrument in the process.
Truther shook away the impact and summoned Lighteye back to his side. The villain scoffed at the new appearance that Ladybug now held. "I know how that Miraculous works. Do you really believe that looping 5 minutes in the past will make a difference?"
The Hero shrugged his shoulders. He once again threw the Lyre directly at the villain but while Truther evaded it the Hero's yo-yo was thrown at the lightbox. The impact short-circled the room leaving it entirely pitch black.
Truther's gaze intensified, reacting quickly to his new environment. "Lighteye!" The sentimonster's spotlight was directed at the sport where the hero previously stood but now was void of any trace. With no other light source, Lighteye was a sitting target when using its spotlight ability.
"That a dark room can't save you!" Truther yelled out, attempting to prompt the hero into revealing his location. Truther looked around for a few seconds before realizing that he was at a disadvantage. "Lighteye!" He called out, summoning his Sentimonster to his side The beast rushed above itself, making a new light source by making a hole between the studio and the floor above them. With the new source of light, Truther jumped through it, now ensuring that there was only one exit that the new hero could escape through.
"You've trapped yourself Ladybug! It's only a matter of time before Lighteye shines its light on you!" Truther exclaimed victoriously, believing in his tactics.
The hero on the other hand had a separate idea in mind. Just like Chat Noir had night vision, the snake Miraculous had it's own perks, one of those being Heat sensory abilities. Tasting the air with his forked tongue, the hero singled out that Truther was standing on the second floor while Lighteye was acting as a floating drone, shining its spotlight in random places before shutting off and looking in another direction. Getting to Truther was his main priority but getting past Lighteye was his main obstacle.
The hero quietly crept his way into the sound booth that overlooked the stage and hid behind the wall of sound equipment. Tasting the air he discerned that Lighteye was approaching steadily but surely. With his little vision, he felt for a roll of wires that were sitting nearby and an idea quickly formulated in his head. With some difficulty, he managed to shape it into a makeshift lasso. Just as he was about to put his plan into motion something else caught his attention. For a few seconds, he could sense a third entity but before he could narrow down the location, a bright light shot through the glass and he was stunned in place.
Chat Noir cursed himself for missing that barrage of messages his partner had left him as he sprinted over the rooftops. While running he activated his staff's GPS function; luckily Ladybug had left his tracker on and the hero was led to the broadcasting station. Swiftly, he extended his pole high enough to reach the roof of the broadcasting station's roof.
He easily made it down to the floor where Ladybug's tracker was beeping and he opened the door to see that the akumatized villain and a sentimonster successfully captured his partner. Quickly he recognized the merging of the Ladybug and Snake Miraculous, though Chat Noir was unsure to what end that particular combination had. He made no sound as
"Ladybug, reveal the secret that you've kept from the entire world! What are yours and Chat Noir's secret identities?!"
Chat Noir tensed up at the question the Akumatized villain asked. He was already poised to attack but was met with a silent room. His partner remained in place, frozen under the spotlight of the sentimonster.
"Che-" The villain cursed, "Your identity changed when you merged the two Miraculous. But it doesn't matter when I take the Snake Miraculous off of you." Just as the villain was about to take the bracelet Chat Noir jumped up into the air. He kicked the circular monster like a ball directly at the villain who was batted away. Without the sentimonster his partner snapped out of his trance, but noticeably his lips were white.
"Dolling yourself up this evening my fair-fanged friend?" Chat Noir smiled as his partner came to. He was familiar with all of Ladybug's transformations. In this case, the merging of the Ladybug and Snake Miraculous gave forth the hero Fuxi.
"The villain is Truther. He can reveal anyone's secrets if you're hit with his ray. His Sentimonster can lock you in place if you're under its spotlight." Fuxi threw up his yo-yo above his head. "Lucky Charm!" From it fell a bulky ladybug-printed pen. Chat Noir watched his partner fiddling with it, taking note that it was also a flashlight. While he could see his partner's mind formulating a plan Chat Noir took the initiative to garner the enemy's attention. He jumped atop the railing of the cubicle, resting his staff on his shoulders.
"You think that if you bite either then you can poison them?" Chat Noir asked playfully, pretending his claws were pseudo-fangs. He was met with a deadpanned expression as his partner was looking around for something on the desks.
"I don't want to bite anything or anyone." Fuxi retorted back just before the two split up to evade an attack by Truther.
"If I can't get Ladybug to talk, you're the next best thing!" Truther shouted back letting loose numerous blasts from his forehead, aiming for Chat Noir while Lighteye zeroed in on his partner.
"Hey!" Chat Noir shouted out. A cheeky smile drew on his face seeing Lighteye respond to his call. "Ever play billiards?" A second later Chat Noir's staff extended out faster than the sentimonster could dodge. Lighteye bounced like a beachball against the wall and fell to the ground- stunned for a few seconds. "How's the plan going Lady Snek?"
"Lady Snek?!" Fuxi shot him a glare and a flicked forked tongue, then called out once more. "Is there any chapstick on your side?!"
"At least it's not as bad as Rabbit's foot! " Chat Noir dove under cubicles to evade Truther's blasts. After being sheltered by the thin walls a few office supplies were knocked right in front of him, one of them being the item his partner was looking for. Chat Noir grabbed it without missing a beat. "I still stand by that Bugs-Bunny was the best name! AND CATCH!" He threw the item across the room where Fuxi was shouting back at him, in turn, he easily caught the small tube.
"I DON'T THINK THAT'S LEGAL!"
"WE CAN BUY THE RIGHTS TO THE NAME!" Chat Noir's call was cut shot as Lighteye came around, shining its spotlight on Chat Noir to freeze him in place. Truther in turn had his perfect shot. But just as the villain was about to shoot him, a red light was aimed square at Truther's forehead. The laser burned the villain's eye who stumbled back while Fuxi then aimed the laser at Lighteye. The sentimonster blinked away the burning, freeing Chat Noir to make his move.
"Cataclysm!" Chat Noir poked the emblem on Truther's chest, vanquishing the possessed item and freeing the akuma that resided within.
"No more mischief from you little Akuma. Time to purify!" Fuxi said as he swung his yo-yo towards the possessed Akuma, capturing it in one motion. Then opening it once more, watching the newly purified Akuma fly away. "Bye-bye, little butterfly. Miraculous Ladybug!" Fuxi called out, throwing up the lucky charm as everything turned back to normal.
Luka blinked a few times as he came to. His prized pick was placed into his hand as he looked at Chat Noir and another who he assumed was Ladybug- just wearing the Snake Miraculous as well. He hung his head shamefully as he quickly recalled the events leading up to his possession.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't sweat it Luka. Everyone in Paris has had their turn at being possessed." Chat Noir remarked trying to be helpful. However, Luka became more distressed, now fully ashamed of himself.
"No, it's not that. I...I'm just a hypocrite. I lied to my friends and deceived them all for my selfish agenda." Luka looked down at the pick in his hand and sighed heavily, having it back to Ladybug- much to the hero's surprise. "Keep it. I don't want it anymore."
"But, it's important to you isn't it?" Ladybug pressed, looking at him with concern in his voice.
Luka couldn't bring himself to look at the heroes of Paris, people who had trusted him with a Miraculous. What did he have to show for it? A pile of lies and an akumatization. "I've troubled you two enough." Luka walked past the heroes to leave the building, hanging his head all the while.
Fuxi was at a loss for words as he held Luka's necklace in his hand. It was his Jagged Stone pick, his prized possession that was signed by his idol. But after today's events, he couldn't blame Luka for not wanting anything to do with Jagged Stone. Fuxi clutched it in his hand fully intending to catch up with Luka but something caught his attention. A chill went up his spine as he sensed something in the air, and saw something flickering before it disappeared.
"Chat, did you see that?" Fuxi asked, his eyes trained on the spot where the head signature was.
His partner followed his line of sight but only saw a promotional poster for the sequel of the Miraculous movie; soon to feature Rena Rouge. "A date opportunity?" His partner said out of habit. "For- me and my special someone." He hastily added but Fuxi was too focused to properly respond.
"Something's not right. I could have sworn that there was something that was there..." Fuxi's brow was furrowed, his entire body tensed up as the two heroes Miraculous beeped to signal the end of their transformations.
Chat Noir dove into the cove of the cubicle while Fuxi remained in place. "What happened to not revealing identities?" Chat Noir asked just as he transformed back into Adrien. Plagg fell on his hands and was all too eager to receive his favorite cheese.
"I didn't use Second Chance. I merged with Sass because I needed to use his more unique traits to keep track of two moving targets. Just like how you have night vision like a cat, Sass has heat sensory like a snake. Just now I saw a small heat source disappear right as Luka left."
"So? Could just be a small animal." Adrien responded, thinking logically.
"A small animal- or a sentimonster."
Marin was having a headache with the day's event all swirling around like a mixing bowl that was overfilled with batter. He sat by the river's edge under the bridge, holding the necklace in his hand and looking at his reflection in the water. He turned back when he saw Luka's reflection right next to him.
"You're okay!" Marin sighed in relief, standing up immediately to greet his friend. He noticed Luka's sullen expression and so held back on a hug. "Well, maybe not okay. But I'm happy you're not injured- physically, that is." His cheeks heated up in embarrassment at his own stumbling but then shook it off. "Here, Ladybug gave this to me." Marin said holding out Luka's necklace.
Luka in turn looked at the piece of jewelry and gently pushed Marin's hand back. "Keep it. I wanted you to have it anyway."
Marin was taken aback by Luka's lack of response. He looked down at the Jagged Stone pick which now served as a symbol of a very complicated family dynamic that he honestly should have had no part in. Yet...
"Why didn't you tell me about the real reason why you wanted to...you know see your dad."
Luka avoided eye contact, his normally calm exterior was now troubled but resolute."I don't have any excuses. My decision was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I didn't plan it but it's something I thought I wanted for a long time so I took my chance. I know the truth now and I don't regret it, but at the same time...I'm really sorry about dragging you along. It was incredibly selfish of me. There aren't any second chances when it comes to stuff like this. I made my choice, and I will move forward with it."
Marin crossed his arms and grumbled under his breath. He was cross but at the same time... "I'm sorry too. If I knew that you needed some support I wouldn't have been so distant. You listen to my venting all the time, I would honestly be happier if you leaned on me more." Luka looked at him in surprise, looking like some of his spirits returned. "I should also tell you-" Marin said more reluctantly. "This is the second time you've been akumatized. It's a strange change of pace when you become more straightforward and abrasive with your advice."
"What exactly did I say?" Luka asked gently, becoming more flustered at the thought of his villain form hurting one of his close friends. "I hope I didn't scare you."
"Nothing I didn't need to hear." Marin admitted, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"You've become such a splendid liar you've started to deceive even yourself."
"Mar?"
Luka snapped him from dwelling on Truther's statement. He was trapped in a web of lies ever since he picked up the Ladybug Miraculous, maybe even before that. Even so he didn't want to trouble his friend any further so he brushed off these newly dwelled feelings and tried to appear more plauful. "So, is there anything I should know about, or is there anything you want to know about me while we're apologizing? There's no other huge secret that you've been keeping from me that I don't know right?" Marin laughed off the last part, fully trying to lighten the situation but immediately regretted it. "Ah, I'm just joking around, you don't have to say anything more, no obligations, no need! Friend!" He added hastily, growing more anxious and equally unhinged.
"I like you Marinus. I've had a crush on you for as long as our friendship." Luka said looking out over the river, placing his hands in his pockets. "When I'm around you I feel lighter and fuller. Being around you can be peaceful or chaotic or warm, sometimes all at once in a harmonious melody of feelings.
Marin was stunned in place upon hearing this new information. He snapped out of it for a second upon reflecting upon his entire relationship with Luka. "Oh my god, I've just been talking about myself this entire time that you've liked me?!" He was horrified. Horrified and sad and emotional and completely and utterly inconsiderate.
"I didn't mind."
"I USED YOU AS PRACTICE TO CONFESS MY FEELINGS TO ADRIEN." Upon saying that aloud Luka laughed to himself, breaking into a smile- much to Marin's chagrin. "Why aren't you upset at me?! I've been so wildly inconsiderate!" Marin's eyes started to water as he felt empathetic, thinking about how his absent-minded selfishness affected his friend. But instead of being scolded or corrected, he was met with a hug. Luka wrapped his arms around him and rested his head on his shoulder.
" You didn't do anything to hurt my feelings because I never did those things with the expectation of a romantic relationship. I don't mind that you have feelings for Adrien. I listened because I am your friend. I wanted to help you because you always go out of your way to help other people no matter how inconvenient it is for you."
Hearing too many nice things at once is too overwhelming.
Marin was sure his face was bright red right down to his neck. His first response was to be outraged to hide his embarrassment. "I'M SUPPOSED TO BE COMFORTING YOU HOW DID IT END UP LIKE THIS?!"
Luka shucked him and ended up consoling him for the next half hour- the two of them completely forgetting about the concert.
"Hel-meow. How are you?" Chat Noir asked, sitting down next to Ladybug as they looked out over the city of lights. "A little ladybug told me, that you wanted to chit-chat?"
Ladybug let out an exasperated sigh. He held his head in his hands and tried to shake off the day's overstimulation. As the city calmed down, he was grateful that Chat Noir wasn't someone he had to be overly worried about. "Have I ever thanked you for being easy to handle?"
"I don't think there's such a thing as "easy to deal with".We all have highs and lows, but I do think that I'm at a high right now. Everything is going pretty well on my end-not to brag or nothin'." Chat Noir remarked smugly, he stretched out his arms and rested his back on the ground behind them- fully relaxed.
"Oh to be a carefree black cat in the city of Paris." Ladybug chuckled, for a moment he was at ease with the weight he was carrying. Somehow Chat Noir brought out that side of him. Looking at him lifted his spirits no matter what situation he found himself in. With this more at-ease temperament, the hero spilled the words he had been dreading to say. "The Celestial Guardian is in Paris."
This snapped Chat Noir out of his relaxed state and he then sat up immediately, his ears perked up and were fully alert.
"The Celestial Guardian, as in Master Fu's teacher?" Chat Noir clarified. But before Ladybug could answer Chat Noir narrowed his eyes, thinking through the events of the past few days. He knew his partner's mannerisms through and through, and there was a distinct tick Ladybug had when he had something heavy on his mind. "You two already met, haven't you?"
"...yeah." Ladybug looked down at his yo-yo, his connection to the Miracle Box. He thought back to Su-Han's foreboding words, and a trial that was meant to determine if he was worthy. "He told me that...he said that I need to prove my merit as a Guardian. My ascension was sudden so Master Fu didn't have the chance to properly teach me of what constitutes a good Guardian."
It saddened Ladybug to think about what Master Fu had been thinking in his final moments as his teacher. Master Fu was his teacher, his friend. He always feared for the safety of the Miracle Box, and that led to selfish choices- but when he had always been there when his alter ego needed him; the scars on his face were proof enough of that.
"You constitute a good Guardian." Chat Noir said immediately, placing a hand on Ladybug's yo-yo. "If this so-called Celestial Guardian is worth his salt then he's going to realize that you're more than worthy."
Hearing Chat Noir of all people saying that was a relief, but even if his partner believed in him- there was no taking away from the gravity of the situation. The true penalty for failure was that Ladybug would be erased. All of his memories about the Kwamis, Chat Noir, and even some of Master Fu would be wiped away the second Su-Han determined his fate; and Ladybug wasn't ready to tell Chat Noir about that just yet.
"Chat Noir I don't know when this trial will be or even when the Celestial Guardian will make his judgement. But if worse comes to worse I want you to know that I have a series of backup plans to ensure the safety of the Kwami's, Paris, and even yourself."
"What do you mean plans?"
"Worst case scenario plans." Ladybug clarified. "Master Fu and I went over them in full as a precaution. He had his own as do I."
"So am I privy to these plans as well?"
"Of course you are. We're partners." Ladybug bumped his shoulder playfully and then opened up his yo-yo. From the glowing void, he took out a sheet of paper and handed it to Chat Noir. Once you're done memorizing them burn the paper so there's no trace. No one can ever know about these plans unless they're trusted with them."
Chat Noir opened the paper and his ears flattened in displeasure reading through the worst-case scenarios his partner had thought up. "So you've covered a lot of ground. But what happens if something happens to the both of us?"
"I have a few contacts outside of Hawkmoth's reach whom I completely trust. If anything happens to us they'll step up."
Chat Noir tilted his head curiously. "Do I know them as well or are these secret friends?"
" You've already met them. Well, except for one but she's eager to meet you someday." Ladybug informed briefly. "Remember, these plans are only for the worst possible case scenarios regarding us and the Miraculous. Master Su-Han isn't the only reason I'm telling you about this. Now that the part-timer's identities are revealed I believe that they may also become targets in the future for Hawkmoth to exploit."
"Isn't that overthinking it a bit? If that guy wanted to do something wouldn't he have already?"
Ladybug turned his head away and narrowed his eyes, thinking back to earlier that day when he thought he saw something trailing Luka. "He may already have. We just may not be aware of it. Hawkmoth and Mayura already have a copy of the translated grimoire, who knows what they'll be capable of with that knowledge. Always keep your guard up Chat Noir even when you think that you're alone."
"Alright, Bugaboo. Ladybug knows best right?" Chat Noir said with a smile, trying to prompt a reaction from his sullen partner but was met with silence as Ladybug looked out over the city. Chat Noir wouldn't say it aloud, but there were times that he was scared of the amount of responsibility on his partner's shoulders. It irked him to even think about this supposed Celestial Guardian making his friend's life harder. He always knew that Ladybug held back information when explaining affairs with the Guardians of the Miraculous. Chat Noir said nothing more as they both were tired, rather he held himself back from comforting his friend further. He was normally a touchy-feely kinda Cat. But things were different now, they were different now. All he could hope for was that their differences wouldn't come between them, and he had a feeling that Ladybug was thinking the same thing.
Notes:
- The rebellious phase begins for both protags
- Marin has many specific allergies, he always carries multiple allergy meds
- Fuxi is the name of a Chinese snake goddess of Creation.
- Concept Art: the-angst-lord/737203682691678208?source=share