Wait, what's this? An early update? Yes, yes it is. My work schedule is all over the place this week and I no longer have Tuesdays off. I'll be updating on Monday next week as well. After that…we'll see.
I don't own the song, "Crossing the Line" but I did rewrite some of the lyrics for this chapter.
Content warning: Hyper fixation, delusions, stealing, betrayal, and guilt.
Chapter 10
Crossing the Line
Ladybug was finding herself more exhausted these days than she'd cared to admit. She wasn't sure what happened but Shadow Moth went from a truce, to a joke of an Akuma, to an all out war. She had thought with Tanuki easing up and helping them before he might have turned over a new leaf. Maybe he had left and Shadow Moth was angry at losing his partner. She didn't see him during any of the battles. Alya was having a hard time locating him as well. He'd either gotten really good at hiding or maybe he really had given up.
She couldn't be sure but even if he did quit it didn't seem like he was interested in helping them. He could still have some loyalties to Shadow Moth that kept him out of the fight or maybe Shadow Moth…she shook her head. If the villain had gone that far he would have taunted them with it.
Right now she needs to concentrate. Shadow Moth's newest Akuma was extremely dangerous and she needed to end this as soon as possible.
"Lucky Charm!" she stared at the object in her hands and quickly looked around seeing how she could use it. "I've got it!" she called in her partner Chat Noir.
"You've come up with another brilliant idea Milady?" she smiled at his flirtatious jest. She was happy with Adrien but her partner still had a special place in her heart and she in his. Last she heard he had found someone special and she couldn't be happier for him. Even after everything they were still partners.
"A simple one really. Here's what I need you to do." As she explained she didn't realize there was someone listening in. Someone who had a plan of their own.
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Tanuki watched hidden from sight as Ladybug called for her Lucky Charm. His breath hitched as he saw what it was and saw what she was planning to do. This was it, this was his chance. He had been waiting patiently over the last few days waiting for the right moment to strike. Shadow Moth had been pulling out all the stops lately knowing his partner had a plan even if he didn't know what it was.
"Alright," he said to himself. "I just need to wait for Chat Noir to do his part. He'll be passing by here after that." He got himself into position needing to wait for the perfect time to strike. He had a small explosive device made from his bag of tricks ready the moment the black cat crossed his path but something made him pause.
"It's not too late to stop you know." it was that nagging voice inside his head. The one that had been trying to talk himself out of this crazy plan. He saw himself in his normal street close looking at him with pleading eyes. Maybe he was going crazy, just a little.
"And then what? Waist the best chance we've had." he answered back. OK, more than a little crazy. The normal Varian put a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't feel it, there was nothing there. Just his conscious trying to trip him up again.
"This has to stop now!
I know it hurts what you're going through
But step back and think what we should do
Just like we're always done."
Oh great, now his inner voice was singing. Well, two can play at that game.
"No, this has to stop now!
Always tripping at the finish line
Cause we're too afraid to take what's mine
Just like we've always done!"
His inner self looked sad but it was still trying to get through to him.
"Varian listen (fine I'm listening)
It's not the same as before (I know that)
We got real friends and a new life here (that's true)
Please think before you close that door (well…)
"Varian listen (still listening)
You know the price you'll have to pay
So before you do something you'll regret
Please let's just find another way."
"Another way?"
Tanuki looked up. He almost had him, he was almost swayed by those pretty words.
"No, there's no other way."
His inner self's hand dropped. He was losing himself.
"For so long I've strived to be selfless.
For so long I've been just brushed aside
Everytime I think I found a safe space
I'm reminded to stay in my place
Always used and discarded
While I'm constantly denied
Sure I feel the love of those around me
But it'll hurt so much more if I stay
Once they know truth and the real me
I'll get what I've had coming
They'll all turn they backs, you'll see
Well I can't say I'd blame them anyway
I'm crossing the line
My last hope I will spend
No turning back no backing out
He'll be free!
I'm fixing my crime!
Everything I will give
And If I must lose myself
Then c'est la vie
But I'm crossing the line!
His other self no longer having a strong enough voice faded into the background
"And if there's hate in his eye
Then that's fine
I'm crossing the line."
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After their anticlimactic entrance to the strange house the Brotherhood began their search. The house was a lot bigger on the inside than out which made navigating a little tricky. Even if they could cover more ground if they split up, this maze of a house was likely to try and pick them off one by one so the King had ordered them to stay together.
As they searched Adira updated her brothers about Quirin's fate and about his son's actions that led to him being arrested. Only it seems as if the boy had managed to escape the corrupt Corona system and was possibly making his way to the Princess. Hector scowled at his sister.
"You should have broken him out yourself instead of following a fairy tale! He's one of us, the last of our clan!" Adira couldn't blame her brother for being angry. She still had the letter intended for Varian and she chose to leave him behind to follow the Princess. A part of her regretted that decision. It was her duty as a member of the brotherhood to look after the younger members after all. But she had been searching for years for the Sundrop to finally put an end to the Moonstone's destruction once and for all.
"In hindsight I should have brought him with me but with his hatred for the Sundrop I feared what he might do once we caught up." Hector frowned.
"At least Quirin's spawn knows not to trust in fairy tales. Our future may be bleak but at least the last of us is strong. Taking on and almost winning against an entire kingdom at 14 then escaping from prison? He'll make a fine knight. If we survive this we'll have to find him and take him in. Quirin would want that for him."
Adira on the other hand wasn't so sure. She didn't know Varian personally but Quirin had all but cut off any contact with his family shortly after he was born. She thought about the note in her possession. More than once she had been tempted to read it but she owed her brother for leaving his child.
"Varian might not want the life we lived. And once the Sundrop and the Moonstone are reunited he-" but she was cut off by her King.
"Your obsession with the Sundrop has done nothing but put everyone in more danger. You realize if you are wrong the Brotherhood will fail and cease to exist." He pointed a finger at her, almost regretting asking for her help on this mission. "When I gave you the order to leave you were supposed to bear or take in the next in line for the Brotherhood. You were supposed to train them to take your place and learn alongside my son and Quirin's. Now my son is lost and Quirin is dead, unable to raise his own child to take his place. Your choice to follow a dream has left us vulnerable with little hope of any future. Who will guard the Moonstone once we are gone?"
His words hurt because they were true. She knew she was taking a risk putting all her faith in the legend. She never expected the prince would be lost or her brother would die before his son came of age but even so she felt guilty for jeopardizing the future of the family she'd known for most of her life.
The King said nothing more as he and Hector moved on ahead of her. As painful as it was It was already too late. She had made her decision and the only way she could redeem herself was to prove she was right and stop the Moonstone's destruction once and for all.
Because she was right, she had to be.
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Varian-no Tanuki tuned out all unnecessary distractions as he waited for his cue. He was in an abandoned building, one of many since the rocks invaded. Ladybug's plan was now underway. Chat Noir had just used his Cataclysm to distract the Akuma and was fleeing the scene allowing his partner to make her move.
He would be passing over and second, he had to time this just right. Ladybug used her Lucky Charm and was finally able to free the Akuma and Chat Noir was just a block away.
'NOW!' He threw the miniature bomb at a support beam. Causing the structure to collapse just as Chat Noir landed on the roof. The Hero yelped in surprise as he fell through the roof landing in a pile of rubble. Pieces of the roof landed on top of him enough to trap him, but not hurt him.
Tanuki had to admit that it took some skill on his part as well as a lot of math. But he could pat himself on the back later he only had a few moments before Ladybug used her Lucky Charm to fix everything.
Chat Noir reached out with his arm trying to pull himself out. "Well that was embarrassing. Hope nobody saw that."
"Don't worry." Tanuki said as he grabbed Chat Noir's arm and yanked off the ring before the hero realized what happened. "I made sure we were alone."
Adrien was stunned. It happened so quickly. One minute he was under the rubble and the next his ring was gone. Without his suit the weight of the rubble was starting to weigh down on him, nearly crushing him. But Tanuki wasn't cruel, he timed it so the Lucky Charm would free him in just a few seconds and would heal any injuries. It was the least he could do.
"Who's there? Tanuki!" He called out but couldn't see the raccoon villain which meant he couldn't see him either.
"You'll be free in just a moment. I don't need your identity, just your ring." His hand was still reaching out desperately for his missing ring and also his friend.
"Give it back! PLAGG!" Tanuki turned away already seeing the magic from the Lucky Charm healing the city.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." A moment later the building was restored and Adrien found himself on the ground floor unharmed save for his ring. He tried going after Tanuki but he was long gone and Adrien had no way to catch up.
He sank to his knees in disbelief. How could this have happened? Ladybug said Tanuki was changing his mind about working with Shadow Moth. He clenched his fist as tears streamed down his face. It was obviously a lie, it was one big ploy to get them to lower their guard and they fell for it.
"Ladybug." he whispered, running towards the area where the Akuma attack happened but by the time he got there she had already left. This was bad. He had no way to warn her his ring was stolen. That slippery Tanuki probably planned that part out too. He had no way to contact her either. The only holder he knew was Luka and he hasn't woken up yet. Nino was one too but he did let it slip that he was Carapace and Alya used to be Rena Rouge but…as much as he loved the guy he wasn't sure he could trust him with his secret identity. Not after he gave up Alya's so easily.
Still there had to be a way to let her know. They had never been so vulnerable as they were right now and Ladybug didn't even know.
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Juleka quietly watched as the salvage crew brought up what was left of their home. Her mother wanted to see if any of their valuables were intact. She kept a waterproof save for a lot of her important documents and she was hoping it wasn't punctured by one of those rocks.
It was a little surreal for the teenager. She had lived her entire life on this boat and now all she could make out was debris. Staying in the hotel was fine but it was only supposed to be temporary. Even though she saw the wreckage before it was only now sinking in that she had no home to go back to. If she was honest she wasn't sure she wanted to stay on a boat any more even if that was familiar to her. Seeing her brother almost drown had left her more than a little shaken and a little afraid of getting on a boat again.
The crane had lifted the largest part of the boat. If there was anything that could be saved it was in there. She knew most of her things were likely damaged or corroded by the seawater but she was still hoping her bass guitar could at least be found. It had been her father's once and he passed it on to her. His first real gift from him after it was finally revealed he was their father. Even if it couldn't be played, maybe Luka could-she stopped herself.
Luka was still in a coma and it was really starting to worry her. She was comforted that at least his homemade instruments were at the Expo that weekend and not on their boat. Her Dad had claimed them and left them in storage, high storage, until his son could claim them again.
The crane touched land but just as she was about to make her way over something caught her eye in the water. It was an envelope with a wax seal bobbing as the waves brought it closer to her. She plucked it out recognizing the seal from that nautical kit Luka had gotten for a birthday gift a few years ago. She didn't think he actually used it.
As she took a closer look she thought she could faintly make out her name on the letter.
"Juleka! Come over here, I think I found your jewelry box." She shoved the letter into her pocket. She'd try to read it later if she could dry it out.
It probably wasn't very important.
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Rapunzel shielded her eyes from the light as she passed through the door. Slowly she opened her eyes and gasped at the sight. She was in some strange city with tall buildings larger than the tower she grew up in. The large metal structure she had seen in the distance was even larger than she realized but that wasn't all.
Strange metal carriages flew by her at unbelievable speeds. Large paintings with words were everywhere with images so realistic it made her feel a little self conscious about her own work. Then there were the colorful windows enchanted with moving lights, images some of which even moved and spoke.
She felt a rush of excitement seeing all the new and wonderful sights and was itching to explore. A shame the place was marred by the black rocks. In fact, there seemed to be a large number of them here like Old Corona and the Capital before she touched the rock and the path to her destiny was revealed. Maybe that's why she was here, maybe this is where her destiny was leading her. Just wait until Eugene saw…she turned around and to her dismay realized the door she had just come through was gone.
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Shadow Moth sighed heavily as he entered his lair after another agonizing defeat. He had put so much effort into that last one and Ladybug still managed to defeat him with ease. He transformed back and as he did he noticed Varian silently standing in the corner looking at him nervously.
"I don't suppose you had better luck with…whatever it is you are doing." He didn't answer with words. He silently held up the black ring. Gabriel stopped in his tracks not believing what he was seeing.
"Is that? Did you really?" Varian just nodded, still not talking. "AT LAST!" Varian flinched at the raised volume of his voice and looked away like he was ashamed about what he had done.
"We finally have one of the Miraculous and with it we can-." He had been moving toward the boy overjoyed at finally achieving a victory over the heroes. Varian pulled the ring back and held it protectively afraid Gabriel was going to take it away from him.
Gabriel stopped seeing the fear in his partner's eyes and let himself relax. "Congratulations are in order Varian." Varian looked away again, still looking a bit frightened. "As promised, any Miraculous we gain is yours to hold onto until we decide how to use the wish." Varian looked back up genuinely surprised.
"It…it is?"
"Of course. I promised, didn't I?" Varian nodded.
"Ye-yes you did." He honestly didn't expect Gabriel to keep that promise. Was he really not going to take it from him?
"You wanted the ring to help you father right?" Varian nodded, finally starting to get over the shock of having actually taken the ring from Chat Noir.
"Yes, but I have to make sure I can use it without hurting him." Gabriel smiled slowly, coming up to the young genius who just did the impossible.
"Take all the time you need and whatever resources as well." Varian gulped.
"He knows it was…it was Tanuki who took his ring. He's going to come after me."
"And Ladybug?"
"I don't think she knows…yet. But it's only a matter of time." Gabriel put a hand on his shoulder now that Varian had calmed a little.
"She doesn't, does she? I think I can use that to my advantage while you do what you need to do to help your father." Varian looked back up with a grateful look on his face.
"Thank you, I…I was a little nervous about fighting them after I…" betrayed them. But he left that part unsaid.
"You've done a wonderful job." Varian let a small smile escape from his lips. "Leave the rest to me, no need to put yourself at risk."
"I…I want to start right away!"
"I know you do but get some rest and start fresh in the morning. We'll get everything set up then." Varian still wanted to start right away; he was still high on adrenaline from the theft and doubted he'd get any sleep tonight. But it would make more sense to start in daylight. He had a lot of testing to do. He finally had something that could break the black rocks and he couldn't afford any more mistakes.
"Alright, I'll see you in the morning." Gabriel nodded as he guided Varian out of the room.
"Rest well my boy. I'm so proud of you!" Varian didn't stop but his face fell after hearing those words. Words he had longed to hear from his Dad for so long. Coming from Gabriel, while sincere, should have sounded just as lovely. Instead they sounded like static in his ears.
He looked down at the ring again. He had done it. He had what he wanted and he knew he would be paying the price for it. But there was no turning back now. If he was going to pay such a heavy price then he was going to make sure it was worth it.
Because it was worth it, it had to be.
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Adrien slipped back into his house unnoticed. His Dad and Varian must be busy again. Varian said something about a breakthrough with the project, the one that could help his Dad so he hadn't seen him very much lately. He wished he was here. Varian or his Father.
He opened a small box he had hidden away with a duplicate ring inside. He had it made in case his ring was ever lost or…He closed his eyes as he slipped it onto his finger. It felt foolish but even though it looked the same it didn't feel the same. It had no power, no protection, it was just a pretty piece of jewelry. Much like he was now.
More than the ring itself, he was already missing the strange little creature who had become his companion over the last year. He sat in the silence of the room disturbed by how quiet it was, how lonely it was. He had forgotten this was his life before he became Chat Noir. It wasn't just a ring that Tanuki took away, it was a part of his identity.
He didn't know if he could ever get that back but one thing was for sure, he wasn't going to just sit around and let the villains take what they wanted. He would fight back, somehow.
He lay back exhausted both mentally and physically but he doubted he'd be sleeping much tonight. His arm still hurt.
To be continued…
Next time: With the ring now in his possession Varian pushes himself to the limit to achieve his goal. Meanwhile, Adrien must warn Ladybug about the theft before Shadow Moth can take advantage of their weakened state.
