#✦ alya cesaire || ic ✦ if you need any superhero tips you know where to come

[stardustedstories]

@arcencielreve clicked the ❤️ for a starter!

There was a lot to be said for partnering with different schools to work on projects. It kept the collaboration fresh and new instead of allowing the students to choose the same partners over and over again (though the teachers did their best to encourage different partners, at the very least).

Currently, Alya was partnered with a girl named Luna, who was focusing on film at her school. And with Alya's focus on journalism, their project was gonna be amazing.

Once they figured out what they were doing, anyway.

"Your school is an art school, right? Because we could totally get some shots of the museums, and maybe even interview the director, get the scoop on what goes on behind-the-scenes." Which was just one idea she had; there were a few others that might work, but they were gonna be working together, and she wanted to see what Luna thought before doing anything else.

[lnc2]

rattle my cage

Summary: In which history, despite Alya’s best efforts, does not repeat itself.

A commission from @booyahfuruya who requested Adrienette in the panther cage.

AO3

It was all Alya’s fault.

Not that she would ever admit to it.  If pressed she would adamantly insist it was all Nora’s doing.

Never mind that the tenacious blogger should have been babysitting and not chasing superheroes across the arrondissements– no, it was her sister’s overprotectiveness that landed Marinette in this mess in the first place.

This mess being a locked panther cage, a debilitating crush, and a literal pile of animal shit.

She cast a too-wide, uneasy smile towards her stupidly attractive, blessedly naive co-captive and waved.

Adrien, confused, waved back.

Ugh.

She really needed to have a talk with Tikki one of these days about what it meant to be Lady Luck. 

Because, honestly, she was starting to have doubts.

What was lucky about having a best friend who considered unmasking her superhero alter-ego her life’s purpose?  A best friend who pawned her actual responsibilities onto her too-accommodating boyfriend.

A boyfriend, who, by all accounts, was (justifiably) terrified of said best friend’s older sister.

An older sister who would and did not take kindly to the discovery that her baby sister’s boyfriend let her run off after a magical terrorist. An older sister who, after putting the fear of god into the boy, sent him after her, neglecting to put away her other sisters’ football in the process.  

A devastating oversight that sent said best friend’s father tripping and spraining his ankle.

All of which now culminated in being dragged out of her bed by an indignant, grounded Alya, coerced into helping out at the zoo while Monsieur Cesaire was recovering.

“Please, M.” She’d said, with the biggest, brownest puppy dog eyes Marinette had ever seen.  “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

So, like a sap, she’d agreed.

Something Marinette was now deeply regretting.

Apparently, making it up to her meant pulling a Ladybug and “accidentally” locking her in the panther cage with Adrien before disappearing with her equally traitorous boyfriend.

E tu Nino?

In another life maybe, maybe Marinette could forgive Alya this so-called favor.  Another life where Adrien hadn’t just days before confessed to liking another girl.

She’s special. Very pretty. She’s got dark silky hair, deep and mysterious eyes.

Kagami Tsurugi was ladybug lucky and Marinette was the very good friend who’d volunteered to keep them company on their first date this afternoon.

She’d never dreaded ice skating more.

Even the solace of Luka’s company couldn’t stem the tide of that impending heartbreak.

And Alya, bless her, couldn’t seem to let it go.

“That could be you,” She’d said.  “You can’t give up now!”

It’d been a loud and frequent argument these last few days.  One Marinette apparently needed to revisit. Again.

“I’m really sorry about this,” She said, wiping her sweating palms against her jeans.

Akumas she could take down no problem.

Adorably earnest boys?  Not so much.

“No worries,” Adrien said, looking unfairly attractive for someone who was currently shoveling animal excrement.  “It’s not your fault Alya ran off with the keys.”

She smiled, nervous.  “Yeah. I guess not.”

��Besides,” Adrien said.  “I’ll just text Kagami and let her know.  We can always hang out another time, right?”

“Sure.”

She changed the subject then.  There was only so much a girl could take and Marinette felt stretched to the limits on her best days.  They moved on from fencing to school to his audition for the new Ladybug and Chat Noir movie when the screaming started.

Marinette froze as a woman’s terrified cry echoed through the park.  Adrien met her eyes across the cage, grimacing.

“What are the odds it’s just an escaped gorilla or something?”

She stared. He sighed.

“Right.” And then, more quietly, “Fuck.”

Marinette barely registered the epithet and his rushing towards the locked cage entrance as she whipped out her phone to call Alya.

The phone rang once, twice, three times.

“Don’t you dare leave us here while you play Lois Lane-” She growled, angrily hanging up when she was sent to voicemail.  She tried Nino next with the same result.

Fuck, shit, fuck.

“Aaaand the Ladyblog is live. Fuck.” Adrien said, echoing her thoughts.

He tossed her a worried look which she ignored.

She didn’t have time to reassure him.  She was already dialing the zoo’s front desk only to be met with the akuma emergency notification recording.

No phones, then.

Another scream followed by an earth-shaking explosion that nearly sent them both to their knees.  Adrien helped her to her feet and patted her sides. She waved off his fussing with a flustered, nervous laugh.

Now really wasn’t the time.

Reluctant but assured, Adrien tried the back entrance again, muttering a low string of curses with every useless yank of the door.

Marinette’s eyes scanned the cage for something, anything.

Maybe, if they worked together and had the proper leverage –  one of the heavier logs scattered throughout the habitat? – they might be able to fashion some sort of battering ram.  Although as the door opened inwards she doubted they’d be strong enough to do any good. And even if that managed to work the possibility of one or both of them getting hurt in the process was too risky. 

Marinette couldn’t even begin to think about what Gabriel would do if she injured Adrien by being so careless.  Her designing dreams dashed before they ever truly had a chance to take form. Adrien crippled, spending months in physical therapy, only to fall in love with his nurse.  Marinette growing old, unsuccessful, and dying alone.

Ouch!

Tikki pinched her side, sending her a look she knew all too well.

You’re catastrophizing again.

Right. Right.

So the battering ram was out.

There was some sheet metal near the exit - if she managed to unravel it they could try to catch the light and attention of any passersby.  Assuming of course there was anyone left nearby and that said people would be able to do anything in the first place.

She quickly dismissed any success there as unlikely.

She tugged at her pigtails, regretting her choice in hairstyle and its woeful lack of bobby pins even as she doubted something like that would work on the cage’s lock.

Or at least, she hoped it wouldn’t, no matter how convenient it may be in the current circumstances.

Although … Marinette met Tikki’s anxious gaze. I have something better than a bobby pin.

Tikki could get them out of here.  Preferably in a way that wouldn’t involve revealing her identity.

God, she could only imagine.

Hey hot stuff.  Real sorry to drop this extremely dangerous secret on your lap but Paris needs me. 

Yeah, no.

Marinette could do this without going that far.  All she needed to do was find a way to get Adrien away from the doors… and come up with some sort of explanation for how she managed to get them open in the first place.

Something that, upon consideration, shouldn’t be too difficult.  As ridiculous and incomprehensible as her stammering and excuses have been over the past year he always seemed to believe her.  A heart of gold and oblivious – Adrien Agreste really was the whole package.

Decision made, she nodded to her kwami who returned it with an adorable determination.

Excuse on her lips, she pointed towards the opposite side of the cage.

“Adrien I think we can use that log–”

“I’m sorry, Marinette.”

She whirled around to find Adrien much closer than before, mouth set in a firm line.  He was staring beyond the bars of the cage towards downtown and the likely akuma.

The what for was on the tip of her tongue when she caught sight of a pair of familiar, electric eyes blinking out at her from his open shirt pocket.

Wait…

“Plagg – claws out!”

Marinette reflexively shielded her eyes against the blinding flash of green light.  It was useless though– the stomach sinking feeling of shock and dread was already setting in.  She knew exactly who she would find when she dropped her hands.

Chat Noir gave a sheepish wave.

Son of a bitch.

“Um, hi."

Marinette blinked once, twice,

and then screamed.

“Wait– shh, no!” Chat (Adrien) said, ears flat, hands outstretched placatingly.  “Don’t scream. Please don’t scream, Marinette.  It’s me. I’ll explain everything I swe–”

“You...” She said, holding up a shaky finger.  “You...”

“Me.” He said, his lips quirking up into the smallest smile in spite of everything.

Oooh.  She could just kill him.

“You- You’re so stupid!” She cried and his smirk fell from his lips.

“Excuse me? ”

“We– we could have called someone!  Or jerry-rigged a battering ram! Or… or… you– we could have–” Marinette pulled at her pigtails and let out another muffled scream.  “I can’t believe you.”

“Me? ” He said, angry now.  “ You can’t believe me?”

“No,” She snapped.  “I can’t. If you had just given me a second I could have gotten us out of here!”

“With what?” He said, gesturing wildly.  “Your magic lockpicking kit?”

She stomped her foot, furious.  “I was working on it!”

“Well that’s great, Marinette.  Real great.” He crossed his arms and she wanted to smack that patronizing look right off his stupid face.  “But I don’t have time to wait around when there’s an akuma on the loose and Ladybug needs me.”

“What Ladybug needs,” She said, reaching up to poke at his temple.  “Is for you to fucking think.”

“I was thinking!”

“There are cameras, Chat.” She hissed, waving hysterically towards the blinking object in the corner of the cage.  “Oh my god.  Cataclysm that and recharge Plagg. We could have gotten out of here without the dramatics.”

Chat rolled his eyes.

“Oh I’m dramatic, she says.”

“Who’s wearing leather spandex?” She snapped before opening her purse.  “Tikki? Can you open that door?”

Chat Noir gawked as the little red and black sprite floated out of Marinette’s bag.  Tikki gave him the stink eye before phasing through to the other side of the cage. A few seconds later there was a distinct click and the door swung inwards.

Ladybug.

“We’ll talk about this later,” She said, cutting off his rising tide of gibbering, flailing, and panic.

Chat nodded, dumbstruck.  Unfortunately, his brain hadn’t caught up to his mouth and he said

“Where was that idea ten minutes ago?”

Marinette scowled.  “It was one of the first things I thought of, dumbass.  I just thought, you know, it would be best not to out myself.”

The reality of the situation had yet to set in but hearing Ladybug’s frustration come out of Marinette’s mouth was grounding.  Sort of. Maybe.

His mind flashed to their original plans for the day and he let out a mortified squeak.

Oh my god.

“How are you not freaking out about this?”

“Who said I wasn’t freaking out?” Marinette said, deadpan.  She pointed towards the security station. “First the cameras, then the akuma.  I’ll go find a place to transform.”

She shot him a familiar, scolding look that sent his heart stumbling over itself.

Oh my god.

He’d found her. He’d found her.

“Wipe that dumb smile off your dumb face.” Marinette said. “I’m still mad at you.”

Chat saluted, still smiling.  “Yes ma’am.”

“Ugh.” She grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him towards security.  “Go.”

“Okay, okay.  Just…” He looked down at her over his shoulder, eyes soft.  “We’ll talk later yeah?”

“Sure,” Marinette said, traitorous cheeks turning pink even as she pushed him away.  “We’ll talk later.”

Much, much later. 

Like, after she’d had time to scream later.

With her promise of a future discussion secure, Chat bounded off towards the security station, the very picture of caught canary. 

Marinette met Tikki’s exasperated gaze with her own.

Her kwami shrugged.

“Well… at least he’s pretty.”

[p-artsypants]

Longest Night (21) Confessing

Marinette had thought Highschool had been hard. Right now, in this moment, she'd give anything to go back to those petty arguments and gossip fueled drama. But she couldn't. Instead, she and Adrien were trapped here, being punished, humiliated, tortured, for being heroes, all broadcasted for the world to see. At least she and her kitty were in this together. For now. Whump!Fic

Ao3 | FF.net

This chapter has some mentions of Episode ‘Feast’.

—

“I’ve come to apologize. My name is Wang Fu…and I am the one that bestowed the Miraculous on your children.”

The jolly atmosphere of the room turned to ice in a second, as everyone sat too stunned to say a word.

Sabine stood suddenly, her chair clattering on the floor behind her. “You—You did this?”

He nodded solemnly. “Words…cannot express how sorry I am, for what has happened.”

Sabine slammed her fist down on the table. “They were children! They still are children!” All the fake smiles she had been holding onto all day fluttered away, and all that was left was a seething, grieving mother. “How could you think that was a good idea!?”

They waited for his response.

He waited for someone else to yell at him.

When silence passed for far too long, Master Fu finally confessed, “Hawkmoth had to be stopped. I tried to stop him on my own…but I’m far too old for that.”  He sighed, gathering his thoughts. “I’m sure, whatever excuse I will say won’t feel like enough. But…I ask you to please, understand where I came from.” He swallowed. “I was just a few years younger than them when I was picked to be a guardian. Children…they bond with the Miraculous far easier than adults. And they can drop their lives much easier than an adult. You’ve seen it. Marinette’s absence from a class, Adrien being in a different place than he’s expected to be. They get a slap on the wrist, but if they were adults with jobs? Fired, easily. Being a superhero is a full time job, one that you can’t plan around. One that you can’t use as an excuse.”

Sabine began to relax her tense shoulders, not liking what he was saying, but still understanding it logically.

“But why them?” Tom whispered. “What did our little girl do to deserve this?”

“I gave them a test. Who would be most willing to drop everything in a given moment to do the right thing? And they both passed. And most importantly, they had to be compatible. Soulmates even.”

“They…they’re soulmates?” Sabine whispered.

“Two halves of the same whole. They were made to wield their Miraculous stones. Once, Marinette picked Adrien to be the wielder of the Snake Miraculous, but it wasn’t the right stone for him. They didn’t achieve victory until he passed on the snake to someone else, and returned to being Chat Noir.”

The assembled considered this with some thought.

“Anyone could have picked up those Miraculous. But no one could have gotten this far. And…their only job was to stop Hawkmoth. Because of who they are, they took the extra initiative to stop regular criminals too.” Master Fu raised his head and looked levelly at each of the parents. “Your children are exceptional, I recognized it right away and rewarded them for it. I never wanted…never expected—“ He choked.

Sabine’s anger disappeared as she watched this old man collapse into tears.

“I mentored them. I trained Marinette to be a guardian, to be the greatest hero in the whole world…but I never expected this…this woman to…”

The room was silent, as everyone mulled over his words.

Sabine was still angry, but seeing this man so filled with regret…it eased her slightly. She was so angry and hopeless all week long, she had basically burnt out.

With a short sigh, she righted her chair. “I need a moment,” she declared, walking out of the room.

Tom didn’t move. He was in shock. And he wasn’t an angry man, so there wasn’t anything to say. ‘How could you?’ and ‘You’re insane!’ Came to the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t end up voicing those thoughts. Because Fu’s explanation made sense, and Tom was finding it increasingly difficult to blame the old man.

“This is Hawkmoth’s fault.” He finally said, his voice wavering. “If he hadn’t sent out that first akuma, no one would have been picked as Ladybug or Chat Noir. No one would be in this place.”

“I agree.” Said Gabriel, who had been eerily quiet this whole time. “If Hawkmoth wasn’t…such a monster. This never would have happened.”

The Mayor and Nadja both clenched their fists in anticipation. Gabriel was not known for his mercy, and for endangering his son, surely this man would be ripped to shreds.

But his wrath never came. Instead, he just sat at the head of the table, staring at his plate in thought.

“And another thing!” Sabine shouted, coming back into the room. “What about the other Miraculous users!? Are they children too?! Do you plan to take all these kids away from their parents!?”

“Most of the other users identities, I don’t even know. Marinette was entrusted with the decisions of bestowing the Miraculous. She chose people she trusted and people she could work with. I…would assume most of them are people her age.”

Everyone turned and looked at Alya and Chloe.

“My Chloe is Queen Bee.” Stated the Mayor, “so does that mean…?”

Alya glanced at Master Fu, trying to gauge what she was supposed to do.

He gave her a solemn nod.

She sighed, “Yeah…I’m Rena Rouge.”

At the announcement, Trixx flew out of his hiding spot. “Hiya! This looks super yummy and I’m starving!” He swooped up a brioche bun and started to tear into it.  

“I apologize, Alya, my intention in coming was not to reveal your identity.”

“It’s alright Master. I…I kinda figured since Marinette was outed, it wouldn’t be too hard to figure me out.”

“Then what was your intention of coming here, Mr. Fu?” Asked Sabine with an edge to the question.

“Well, most importantly…to apologize. And secondly, to assure you I’m trying to make it right. I…have a plan. It’s risky, but…it’s a plan.”

“Well, let’s hear it!” Jagged stated, kicking his feet up on the table. “Are you going to give us Miraculous? Because I think I’d be amazing at the Snake. Or is there an alligator? Or maybe a lion?”

Master Fu shook his head. “I’m not comfortable with giving out any more Miraculous. I enlisted Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Queen Bee the moment I saw the broadcast. But it is far too dangerous to let anyone else have that kind of power. Especially right now, when the Ladybug Miraculous is dormant, and unable to use cure.”

“Then what do you suppose we do?” Sabine asked. “We barely know what country they’re in.”

Master Fu inhaled deeply, preparing the for the reaction he was about to receive. “It would require…Hawkmoth’s assistance. We would need to lure him out, and then I could bribe him with the Miraculous—“

“You are insane!” Sabine shouted. “How dare you! My daughter has been working tirelessly for years trying to keep the Miraculous out of Hawkmoth’s hands! And you’d give them away?! Just like that?!”

The old man tensed. “I’m open for other suggestions! There’s no Miraculous that can help with this! The Horse can create portals, but only if he knows where it’s supposed to go! The Rabbit can travel back in time and stop this from happening, but I don’t even have that one right now! All the other Miraculous would require us to actually know where they are! I have nothing else!”  

“What did you expect Hawkmoth to do?” Gabriel asked, his voice completely neutral.

“How are you so calm about this, Gabriel!? Aren’t you upset?! This man endangered your son!”

“No.” Gabriel replied calmly. “Hawkmoth endangered my son. Adrien is as close to perfect as man can get. Academically brilliant, an athletic champion, accomplished in everything he does. Why wouldn’t he be picked to be Chat Noir?”

Sabine just stared at him. Rightfully unable to comprehend the insanity that just came from his mouth.

“I ask again, Mr. Fu. What were you expecting from Hawkmoth?”

Again, the old man clenched his fists. “The champions created by Hawkmoth are extremely powerful, especially the more volatile the emotions of the victim. I went through the Ladyblog, looking back at the akumatized villains and their traits. He turned Alya Cesaire an akuma named Lady Wifi, who was able to travel through wifi signals, and pause people in real time. If we can convince Hawkmoth to get on our side, we can have him recreate her. She would be able to travel through the broadcast, and find out where they are.”

“Absolutely!” Alya shouted. “I’d do it in a heartbeat! I’m totally on board with this plan!”

“Can you pause bullets?” Asked Gabriel, with a stony voice.

“W-what?”

“If there were several men with guns shooting at you in a ten foot room, could you pause them fast enough that you wouldn’t get shot?”

Alya swallowed, but didn’t answer.

“And if they simply turned off the router, would you be able to find an escape? Knowing we know nothing about the building they’re in?”

She grimaced. He made a very good point. “We have to try! We have to risk it! What else can we do!?”

Gabriel rested his elbows on the table, folding his hands in front of his face. “If I’m right, Hawkmoth is looking for them anyways. And once he finds them, he’s going to akumatize them.”

“How can you be so sure?” Asked Nadja. “He hasn’t made a single akuma since the capture.”

“He’s tried.” Clarified Chloe. “Both me and Ces—er, Alya have both almost been akumatized. I think Nino too. But Hawkmoth removed it once we told him no.”

“Still…” wondered Nadja, “there’s a lot of people upset right now. It’s amazing that he hasn’t had someone akumatized just…rampaging and looking through abandoned places.”

“Salo still has the Miraculous. I’ve had my people scouring the internet and blackmarket for any trace of them. If she does try to sell them, I will snatch them up. But until then, we have to assume that the Miraculous are wherever Marinette and Adrien are. And akumatizing them would be the easiest way to get them.”

“So, we have two objectives,” stated Alya, pulling out her notebook. “One, get Hawkmoth on our side. And two, find out an approximate location of Adrien and Marinette. And an akuma could help us accomplish that second one.” She scribbled some notes down, and then crossed them out. “We still can’t do this!”

“Alya, it’s all we have.” Said Master Fu.

“No it’s not!” She turned to the Mayor. “Mr. Mayor, you said you and the Minister of Interior are entering a plea deal with Edward Savauge, right? Does that mean a lighter sentence if he tells us where they are?”

The Mayor looked away, his cheeks becoming more and more red. “Well, I’m not sure exactly…the Minister is the one that’s in charge of that.”

Chloe slapped her hand against the table. “Are you going to save my Adrikins or not?!”

“Chloe dear, you don’t understand…there’s a lot of politics involved…”

“Politics.” Jagged scoffed. “Why bring politics into this? You know what really makes people nervous? Attention. We throw the biggest most rocking concert ever, and we really turn up the heat on these goons!”

“If these people didn’t want attention, they wouldn’t be broadcasting everything!”

“They aren’t.” Gabriel clarified. “These people haven’t said their names on camera. They wear big sunglasses so they can’t be completely ID’d. The only reason we have an idea of who Salo is, is because she let it slip that she was involved with Savauge.”

“The detective gave her name too.” Said Tom.

“Detective?” Asked the Mayor.

Gabriel shot Tom a warning look.

“I mean…yeah. There was a detective…don’t really know who he was though…” He swallowed.

The Mayor wiped his forehead with his napkin. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m not really used to situations like these. The appearance of superheroes was bizarre enough, but such a public kidnapping is so…so nerve wracking. I’m trying my best, I promise.”

“But politics.” Scoffed Chloe. “What do politics even have to do with anything? Doesn’t everyone want Ladybug and Chat Noir to come back? Shouldn’t that be something to unite over?”

“You’d be surprised.” Said Alya with a shrug. “You’d think that everyone would be grateful for them and all they do…but theres a lot of people who think the akumas and Hawkmoth are just part of Ladybug’s plan.”

“Wait so…like conspiracy theorists?” Asked Jagged. “They shouldn’t count!”

“Exactly. They shouldn’t. But they are very loud and dangerous. Like anti-vaxxers. Their stance is spreading. I see it all the time in the forums on the blog. And there’s a rumor going around that this broadcast is being staged too.”

Sabine gasped and covered her mouth. “How could they think that?”

Alya shrugged. “I first heard about it because Lila was telling it to some of our classmates. Sometimes, it’s nicer to think that someone couldn’t actually be this awful. They’re in denial.”

The Mayor stood. “Miss Sabine, thank you for the wonderful meal. I’m afraid I must be getting back to the office.”

“Andre.” Gabriel stood as well, his voice an octave deeper. “Don’t breathe a word of what’s been spoken to anyone. Do you understand me? Not a word.”

“Crystal clear, Mr. Agreste.”

“That goes for everyone. Mr. Fu and Rena Rouge’s identities must remain a secret. As well as all talk of Hawkmoth. Forget everything that you heard at this table.”

“Of course, Mr. Agreste.” Nadja agreed, getting her stuff together. “I should be going too. I will send an email to your secretary with the questions for the interview. Feel free to add or nix any you’d like.” She stooped and pressed a kiss to Sabine’s cheek. “Goodbye dear, let me know if I can do anything for you.”

“Thank you Nadja. This was already a great help.”

She shook Tom and Gabriel’s hand, and then finally Master Fu’s. “It was nice meeting you. Er—actually, I have no idea who you are and I’ve never seen you before in my life.” She shot a thumbs up back at Gabriel, before leaving the room.

The Mayor was quick to follow, only offering an awkward wave as he left.

“Well, that wasn’t suspicious at all.” Said Jagged, putting a toothpick in his mouth.

Master Fu was frowning, deep in thought, before Gabriel cleared his throat. “Mr. Fu, may I talk to you in my office? Alone?”

Master Fu cringed, but knew it was inevitable. “Yes, I suppose that would be fine.”  

“You don’t mind if I hang around a while, do you Mr. Agreste? Alya and I are going to plan that concert.”

“Not at all, Jagged. Please make yourself at home.” And with that, he and Master Fu left the room.

As they crossed the lobby in silence, Fu couldn’t help but feel like a child again. He was 150 years older than this man, but he felt like a young guardian in training, about to be scolded by his master.

“It was foolish of you to reveal your identity like that, in front of those people.” Gabriel scolded once the door closed to the office, his back turned.

Master Fu nodded solemnly. “That may be. But I had to get you to listen. This is a very dangerous time for you and Marinette’s parents. You wouldn’t trust a stranger.”

Gabriel sighed. “I understand that. But I knew who you were the moment I saw you.”

Master Fu frowned at that, still standing just in front of the door of the office. “A hunch?”

“No…from Feast.”

Fu’s eyes widened, with growing horror in his stomach. “Then, I suppose it really was foolish for me to reveal myself.” He backed up into the door. “I…I must be on my way.”

“I’m not finished with you yet.” Gabriel said with a bite. “You have to understand the position I’m in.”

Fu was immensely happy that he purposefully left the Miracle Box in the care of Marianne for the evening. He knew he was taking a risk when he came here and decided to reveal himself to them. At least he had that much forethought. “What position? I will not ease the burden of guilt you have put on your own shoulders.”

“Nor do I expect you to. Please, come away from there. Have a seat.”

Hesitantly, Fu did as the man instructed, and sat in a chair in front of his desk.

“You wanted to get in contact with Hawkmoth, correct? You wanted to persuade him to get on your side.”

“Yes, I was just…not expecting to deal with him without preparation.”

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Gabriel said with finality. “I…need your help.”

“I understand,” said Fu with a nod. “But I can only offer my assistance, not any more Miraculous. I already said this.”

“And that is something I understand as well.” Gabriel sighed. “I…I will worry about Adrien and Marinette. My plan is to akumatize them the moment I can figure out where they are. Alya and Nino suspect they’re in Germany, so I plan to take my leave and see if I can sense them.”

“I see.”

Gabriel rested his elbows on the desk, steepling his fingers. “Many years ago, when Adrien was still a boy, my wife and I took a trip to Tibet.”

Master Fu was startled by this abrupt change in topic, but didn’t comment.

“There was a jewelry artisan there, peddling his wares. Most of his pieces were garbage, but there were two that stood out from the rest. A peacock and a butterfly brooch. I bought them as a pair, the butterfly for me, and the peacock for my wife. The artisan admitted that he wasn’t the original creator, that the jewels had been discovered in a cavern nearby, along with a book. I bought that as well.”

Master Fu listened intently, not saying a word.

“Soon after returning to Paris, my wife and I discovered the truth of our brooches. The kwamis appeared one day, and allowed us to transform. I used Nooroo as a muse, taking inspiration when given. My wife, likewise used Duusuu to create sentimonsters, just of small size, to keep around as pets, and even more artistic inspiration. We, of course, hid this from Adrien.” Gabriel stood suddenly, and beckoned Fu to follow him.

The old man did so, with some level of caution.

Gabriel went to the painting of his wife, gesturing to the spot next to him.

As Master Fu stepped up to look at the woman, Gabriel continued. “While we prospered in business and bonded over this magic and strengthened our marriage, my wife became sick. It started with a cough. Then coughing fits that had her doubled over. She was extremely weak and had more and more dizzy spells. Eventually, we realized it was because the peacock Miraculous was broken, but by then, it was too late.” He reached out, and pushed a sequence of buttons on the canvas, the floor shuddering and beginning to sink underneath them.

Master Fu had to scoot closer as the elevator descended.

They took the ride in silence, eventually coming into a cavernous atrium. There were trees and a garden up ahead.

Still wary, Master Fu followed Gabriel down the steel bridge, ending up in front of a glass coffin, with the woman in the painting asleep inside.

Fu gasped at the sight.

“She’s in a coma.” Gabriel explained, with real, actual sorrow in his voice. “And there’s no way for her to wake up. I wanted the Black Cat and Ladybug miraculous…because Nooroo told me together they create ultimate power, and that I could make any wish I wanted. I could wish for Emilie to wake up. I’d…I’d have her back again. Then I wouldn’t need the Miraculous after that. You could have them back!” He swallowed. “I know the world thinks I’m selfish, awful, cruel, and they probably imagine the worst case scenario if I were to get them. I might take over the world, or destroy it…or something equally evil. But…all I wanted was my wife back…for my son to have his mother back.”

They stood there in silence, as Master Fu digested all the information he just received.

“I’m sorry.” He began. “But…even if you had both of the Miraculous, things would not go the way you’d want them to.”

Gabriel turned to face him, indicating that he was listening, but not doing more than that.

“The wish from ultimate power works in equivalent exchange. It changes what is true, but only by a step. If you wished for unfathomable riches, someone else would lose their wealth. If you wished for power, someone in power would fall. And…if you wished for your wife to wake, someone else dearly beloved by you would fall into a coma in her stead. Most likely, Adrien.”

Gabriel let out an anguished moan at the news, holding his arms over his chest.

“Further more, the Miraculous, when used together, take a toll on the body. Marinette used the mouse, the fox, the cat, and the Ladybug at the same time, but as different versions of herself, because of the mouse miraculous. If she had activated them all together at once, she would have fallen ill, or even died. It was a heavy enough burden even to wear them.

“If you were to activate the Cat and Ladybug at the same time, and survive that intense power, you’d never be the same person.”

“So what am I going to do?” He dropped his arms in frustration. “Let her go? I can’t! She’s still here! Still alive!”

Master Fu looked back to the coffin. “Do you mind if I examine her?”

With a sigh, Gabriel pressed a button on the coffin, opening it. “Please hurry. She can’t survive long without the respirator.”

Fu nodded and got to work, feeling her wrist, and her neck right under her jaw. He pressed softly on her temple, and pinched the base of her neck.

“How long has she been in this state?”

“Four years.”

He rested the back of his hand against her nose.

“Well?” Asked Gabriel, now becoming impatient.

“She can be saved.” Fu determined, backing away from her and allowing the lid to close again.

“What will it take?”

“Time, and money.” Fu said outright. “Because of you awakening the old sentimonster from Tibet, the temple of the guardians has been restored. If you were to send Emilie and the peacock miraculous there, they would surely be able to help her. But they will most likely take the Miraculous in exchange. And…I don’t know how long it will take for her to be healed.”

Gabriel breathed. A real, true breath of relief. “Money is no problem. I can send the private jet there and have a helicopter waiting on site. As for time…I’ve waited this long. I can wait a little longer.”

“You should also send whoever is currently using the Peacock too. Mayura is not well.”

“Nathalie…she would be the best to go anyways, to explain to the monks what has happened.”

“I will write a letter,” said Fu. “They don’t speak French.”

“I would go too, but I have to be here for Adrien. I…I hate that I have to pick between them.”

“Emilie will be in good hands.” Master Fu assured.

Gabriel took Fu’s hand in a firm handshake. “Thank you, Mr. Fu. This eases my mind. The thought of losing both of them…” He harshly inhaled, holding in emotion. “…is not something I’d like to think about.”

“I understand. I will prepare the arrangements for the flight.”

—

Detective Joseph Bertony. One of Europol’s best and brightest. A sharp man who lived a hard life.

He’d seen some shit.

At present, he’s at his hotel room in Le Grand Paris, reviewing the facts. Again.

There were countless coffee cups strewn all over the room, as he had been awake for days watching and noting everything in the stream.

The hotel room looked like a library had diarrhea. Papers and maps were scattered across every surface.

Among it all, the detective stood looking at the map on the coffee table. The very same map that Alya and Nino had marked a few days prior. The detective had his own map, in which he cross-referenced with theirs.

His map was covered in little red ‘X’s, of all the places his hunches had taken him to.

Given the report he had just received, he crossed one more location off.

There was only one left.

It couldn’t be.

But all the evidence made sense! Every scrap of information he had snagged, every bit of information logged from the servers in Montparnasse.  

They weren’t in Germany at all! They were—

There was a knock at the door.

The detective didn’t answer. He had put the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the handle. Why was anyone bothering him?

Another knock. “Room service.”

“I’m busy!” He shouted back, rather harshly. God, he was so tired!

The interloper persisted, and knocked again, harder.

Annoyed about being interrupted, the detective crossed the floor to the threshold. “Look, I’m really not in need of anything, so if you could just leave me—“

He opened the door, only to stare into the barrel of a gun.

And then—