Care Not, Save Lots 3 - (Magical Girl Xover, Akumatized!SI)
Marinette was losing her mind. It's been a week since they had been battling 'Angelus,' and they were nowhere close to beat this Akuma monster.
Sure, it wasn't the first time her and Chat had trouble beating a threat and needed time to find a solution, but neither of the two had been able to conjure a working plan to get this one at least 'tricked' despite how many times he said that was why he had to retreat.
It was something that had puzzled her a lot- Angelus had won a lot and yet he was unable to pick the Miraculouses off of them. Marinette had asked Tikki, but the Ladybug Kwami was just as clueless as she was. Chat confirmed the same went with his Kwami, so that meant that...
"He is lying," Tikki hummed, her voice trailing a sense of confidence within that statement. "So, it is possible he is not helping Hawk Moth."
"B-but then why would he still attack us?"
That was a big question if she had to be honest, but Marinette couldn't think of any logical reasoning behind it all. Angelus would taunt them to fight, then humiliate them, and then let them be with some silly excuse that wasn't true. And the overtly-obvious acting was... telling that he was indeed lying.
After a week of being a loser, Marinette decided to use the free hours of the weekend to check the previous encounters with what little details she could find by the taunts. He would usually gain the attention of people around, having their phones on him to remind them that he knew their real names and demand fights.
If those could really be called 'fights'. He hardly used his fists, but Ladybug had a bit of a bruise by her arm that had yet to heal to remind her that it was for the best that he didn't focus on brawling more than 'tricking' them.
What was his power? Another unanswered question. Was it something about 'tricks'? That was too generic. And the more Marinette put her brain into it, the more she left that 'fight' defeated some more. She was soon off her PC and lying on her bed.
Thinking and thinking... the girl had no clue. Heck, she was even stomped on another interesting question that had less about this foe and more about her long-time partner against crime: Chat Noir. Who was he?
The clue that his name started with an 'A' left Marinette wondering if she actually knew him at school. But the list of names was limited and some options were ruled out since... those made no sense!
Huffing, Marinette glared at the ceiling for answer. And it felt like the ceiling glared back in response, which prompted her to look away with an irked look plastered on her face. Then, her phone buzzed by her desk, forcing Marinette to slip out of bed and check who it was.
An unknown caller, she rolled her eyes at the silly expectation of it being a scam call. She still picked up and-
"Hello?"
"Oh, Ms. Dupain-Cheng! Good afternoon!"
Marinette's features softened a bit, relief washing over her at a familiar and friendly voice. Mr. Bukharin was one of the most recent additions to the Agreste Manor. He was someone that stuck around Adrien when Nathalie was busy for jobs under Mr. Agreste's direction. He was quite the kind person, and one that seemed to pick up the mood of a conversation on the spot. Very friendly, but not enough to be weirded out about it.
"Mr. Bukharin. Good afternoon."
"I am sorry for calling at this hour, but I wished to speak with you if possible. In regard to the young sir."
Her shoulders stiffened and a little nervous smile got on her lips. "S-Sure, what about Adrien?"
"I was wondering, considering the young sir is going to have a free Sunday to enjoy some time at home for the homework, if you were available to have a joint session. I don't wish to impose anything, rather I was offering this idea to you first and-"
"I am free- I mean, I am available so- so I can be there. Around when?"
"After lunch and, let me say I am glad for this. You see, the young sir really yearns for friends due to his tight schedule, so I hope you understand he may be a bit... restrained around you."
"I-It will not be a problem," Marinette confirmed, feeling flustered as she noticed Mr. Bukharin's amused tone. "So... see you tomorrow?"
"Yes. See you tomorrow, Ms. Dupain-Cheng."
The call was soon over, and Marinette face-landed on her bed's pillow. A loud squeal erupted from her lips as she turned up, a bright smile on her face and-
"W-What was that all about?" A sleepy Tikki asked, appearing beside Marinette.
"I-I think I got set up for a date. With- With Adrien."
...
...
"Oh," Tikki hummed, yawning a little. "Progress on Angelus?"
And the good mood was dampened. "Well, no- but I can't find anything even if I put my full mind onto it. Something just doesn't feel right about the topic."
Tikki shrugged. "Got it. Going back to sleep so... good nap."
Despite feeling quite giddy just moments ago, Marinette did feel a bit depleted and... a nap sounded nice.
Plus, she couldn't appear tired when she needed to be at her best to greet Adrien the next day!
A stroll in a lovely Saturday evening was not much of a worrisome thing for me to entertain considering I had been given a 'day off' as Angelus.
Gabriel got annoyed at the lack of progress, but he seemed aware that 'I was not at fault for it'. Rather, he was looking on a way to give me the edge, looking into ancient texts about Kwami and Miraculouses. He was doing something reasonably 'smart', if not for the fact that his efforts would soon be rendered futile with something I was working on.
Something that Nooroo put me to deal with after a week since we started our 'partnership', and that it was tied to a specific object I had to steal from Gabriel's hidden safe behind his semi-dead wife's portrait in the manor's living room.
A small blue brooch with red gems - the Peacock Miraculous.
Emilie Agreste once owned it, but then it got damaged and... it led her to her current comatose situation. I had retrieved it, and I brought it to someone that was willing to help because of Nooroo asking for assistance. And that person was-
"Mr. Fu. I am here as we had planned."
The old man from China, a couple of centuries my senior, gave me a flat look as I presented myself at this late hour. The flat look make me smirk nervously.
"Fine, I guess I am a hour late, but I do need to keep up appearances." I had to wait for Nooroo to confirm that Gabriel was done with Hawk Moth businesses for the day before leaving and- "Did you do it?"
I couldn't hold myself from asking this question, and he nodded at me.
"The Peacock Miraculous has been repaired. However, I wish for you to speak with its Kwami before you claim it."
An odd request, but I nodded at him as he led me inside his home. It was a mixture of modern and traditional, but while I felt intrigued to explore around, feeling the 'house of grandpa' energy calling for me to be a kid and wander off, I kept on following the old man to his kitchen.
The brooch was there, shining a new luster as I leaned to study it closely.
"So, how do I do this?"
"I thought Nooroo had told you," Mr. Fu pointed out, but then sighed as I shrugged as he turned to beckon the Miraculous. "Duusu, the person that took you to me is here now."
I blinked at the simple response, but I felt my eyes fixed above the brooch as a soft ball of blue light formed and grew before allowing for a Kwami to manifest before my eyes.
While her body was similar to Nooroo in size and frame, it was blue in color, with a pink dot on her forehead. By her rear, three feather-like tails stretched, pink decorations at their edges. Then, as she opened her bright pink eyes, I could tell that she was indeed 'as good as new'.
"Wowie! I can sense a bit of Nooroo in you alright, Mister!"
I snorted, hiding away my surprise that my Akuma form was something a Kwami can spot so easily. "Well, that's because I am allied to him through his current wearer and... we need your assistance, Duusu."
"What's your name?"
"John."
She nodded. "What's your goal, John?"
"Survive and, if possible, help people."
A big grin appeared on her face. "You're not lying. Nooroo isn't good at it, but I can tell off a good liar quite easily! So, don't lie to me, John!"
"You're cute," I honestly commented, and my words caused the Kwami to giggle. I then turned to the old man. "Will this do?"
He nodded, and soon I was able to claim the Peacock Miraculous for this crucial bit of the plan. I transformed once we were outside, my Akuma form preserved since it was inactive, but appearing like a dark-blue outfitted ninja with long colored strings leaning by my back sure felt a bit weird.
It was fitting in rushing around the rooftops in my mad dash to the manor for the next part of the plan but... yeah, it wasn't my style. Also, Duusu was beaming for most of the way but then I told her where we were going next and... she appeared crossed.
"A-Are you sure Nooroo asked you this?"
I nodded, understanding her plight as I knew this was a tad bit 'extreme' even for me.
"Yes. What I can promise you is that she will not be harmed by this. The only one that is getting hurt is someone that deserves it."
"...Fine. But I will give a good yell at Nooroo once this is all over, 'kay?"
"Kay, cutie-pie."
I got Duusu to giggle just once more, but then...
It was time to complete my set of chores before the end of the day - I still had a play to set up, and an actor to prepare for the biggest performance just yet.
AN
Next time will see... Hawk Moth defeat! And the end of the 'Miraculous Arc'. The next one is a very familiar and popular one, and it will involve two Miraculous, two magical girls on the opposite side, a dog-girl that wasn't seeing this one coming, and multiple McGuffins.