ML Fic: Soulmate Survey Part 18
( Parts 1 - 4) (Parts 5 - 8) (Parts 9 - 12) (Parts 13 - 16) (Part 17)
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Fakes… they were all fakes!
The Adri-Knights paused as they all saw what appeared to be the two people they were driven to look for vanish from sight.
“It was a trick.” The Adri-knight Maggie exclaimed in frustration. “We need to get back to Fandoom!”
The knights turned around and began making their way back when they felt a powerful burning rage consume their thoughts.
“BURN! BURN EVERYTHING!”
The powerful thought was clearly driven by Fandoom. The knights stood as they heard this shout. Was this a command?! Was it just her anger? It was so hard to tell. It felt like it compelled them to obey.
Some of the knights stood still, processing what their leader meant. The stronger willed ones started to try and break free from control, but they weren’t strong enough to. The more obedient Knights started acting on the emotions. They started trying to make sparks.
Maggie could still feel the powerful mental screams of her leader… her friend. Vivienne needed her.
Maggie started to run back to the studio. This wasn’t about Adrien, or their group. This wasn’t a knight following orders of a queen. This was the drive of a girl running to save her best friend from being consumed by her burning rage.
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“I am impressed with your resourcefulness.”
Luka paused after hearing that comment. Kagami’s praise was unprompted and flattering.
“You are?”
“Yes, I would not have thought to try navigating through the metal ducts. It makes perfect sense, considering the knights would be too heavy to move without notice.”
“I am glad you think so. The only issue is I don’t know which way is out.” Luka confessed.
“A trivial concern. If Adrien and Marinette were able to escape, then we should be able to as well.”
Luka admired her optimism… no that wasn’t it… her perseverance. Yes, that was the correct word. Kagami definitely had that quality in spades, it was something to be admired.
Luka never really knew what to make of Kagami at first. To be honest, he never really paid much attention the first time he met her. He was more preoccupied with Marinette. But now he couldn’t help but observe. Kagami was clear. Her song was powerful. To many people, this would seem to be harsh. The musician could however hear subtler notes, Kagami’s song was something that could be described as a symphony. So many intricate details that are missed by powerful notes, there were soft notes that showed kindness, notes that showed insecurity. The song that Kagami’s heart played was not clear like with Marinette’s, but hers was complex and rewarding to those that paid closer attention. It was something new in itself. It was something he mulled over as they pressed on. He was starting to understand the reason he saw her face in that app list.
The two continued moving through the vents until they reached a fork that would take them right or left.
“Hmmm… what do you think?” Kagami inquired.
Luka put his ear to the metal floor and knocked on it, listening closely to the vibrations.
“The nearest exit is left.”
Kagami’s expression shifted to bewilderment.
“What makes you certain of this.”
“The acoustics.”
Kagami blinked, unsure of how to respond to that.
“Very well.”
The two take the left path and continue crawling.
I know I have seen his face recently, I can almost swear I saw it earlier today. A photo of some kind. Perhaps on a…phone.
Kagami realized where she remembered his photo. That list, that app she had heard about in fencing class. He was on her list. He was at the top of that list, above Adrien.
She never gave it much thought once she saw it the first time, clearly there had to have been some bug in the system. But… maybe there is more to it. At the very least, she could add him as a friend.
“Luka.” Kagami spoke suddenly. The musician leading the way stopped.
“You seem to care about Marinette and Adrien a great deal correct?”
“Yes, they are friends of mine.”
“Those two are dear friends of mine as well.”
“Yes…”
“Therefore, if both of my friends deem you worthy of friendship, you must be someone worth being a friend to.”
“Are… you asking me to be your friend?”
He had turned around and noticed how awkward the calm collected girl had seen. He had to admit, she was cute.
“Of course you are free to decline this offer and we will pretend this never…”
“Sure.”
She stopped talking.
“You are not messing with me are you?”
“I imagine you come off as cold to people at first, have had trouble making friends.” Luka spoke, his words hitting her hard. She was about to say something but he continued.
“But I can tell you are a good person, and you are friends with people I care about. You’re a crescendo of different emotions that bring out something I have not encountered, its very interesting. I would be happy to have you in my chorus of friends.” Luka assured. “To be honest, I am not great at making friends either.”
He watched as the girls anger turned into a soft smile that Luka felt made his heart beat skip for a moment.
“Thank you, Friend.”
Luka smiled back and just before he could say anything else, they heard a scream of panic.
“FIRE! FIRE! HELP ME!!!”
“Fire?” The two teens respond in unison.
The blue haired duo start making their way to the sound of the screaming girl, hoping to get to her before the fire does.
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Lila rammed into the door as she screamed.
The door was locked and there was no way she could break it down. The exchange student felt the pain in her shoulder from repeated failed charges at the door.
She didn’t have anything to pick the lock, her phone was dead so she couldn’t call for help, she was soaked in filthy mop water and she is smelling smoke. Her plan had backfired and there is no one to save her.
Her smugness from a moment ago was a fleeting memory as fear encompassed her body.
“Somebody! Anybody!” Lila cried out.
She gave one last charge into the door but it failed to open. What if Ladybug and Chat noir failed? Would this really be how it ends for her? Burned alive or suffocated by smoke? Would her mother find out? What would she say? What if people found out why she was here? The chilling fear caught up to her, making what she called out next exemplify her desperation.
“Chat noir! …. Ladybug…. Please help! I need a hero!”
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She was going to burn the building down!
Ladybug could see the frustrated akuma shoot fireballs in different locations. Fandoom was searching for her. Didn’t she remember that Adrien was in this building? Did she even really care?
“Get out here Ladybug! I will find Adrien even if I have to burn all of Paris to do it!” Fandoom cried out as her hair flared up. Her flame hair was flaring up to make her seem twice as big. “Adrien will be mine or you will burn!”
Ladybug kept low and hidden as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Fandoom was thankfully just as blind in the dark, save for her flames.
“Not even Darkness can obscure your beauty my Lady.” a familiar voice purred.
“Chat! Thank goodness.”She whispered in relief.
“So good news, power is out. Bad news, fire system is not automatic and we need to find the water valve to turn on the sprinklers.” Chat noir reported.
“I am starting to think shutting off the power wasn’t as great of an Idea as I initially believed. I can’t see anything. How can I use Lucky charm, if I can’t even see what it will work with?” Ladybug questioned.
“I will be your eyes. Activate your lucky charm.” Chat noir responded.
Ladybug shrugged. it really couldn’t hurt to try.
“Lucky charm.”
Her power activated and in her hand dropped a manual with a hard cover. Ladybug catching it on pure instinct.
“What is it chat?”
The black cat took a closer look.
“Its a book on fire safety. Its open to a page on evacuating people. ‘Make sure all people are made aware of the fire and ensure they escape.’ I guess this could be useful. But I shouldn’t read in the dark.”
Ladybug thinks for a moment before realizing exactly what the book was saying. Her eyes went wide.
“This one is a twofer.”
“Oh?”
“First, we need to call Rena Rogue and Carapace. We need to have them get everyone else out of the building. There might be a few people still stuck in the building. And… I think there maybe a girl still trapped in the closet.”
“Wait What?”
“The second thing is we need to transform.”
“My Lady, we are already heroes and I don’t think now is the time for a reveal, but of course I am not exactly…”
“The potions silly kitty.”
“Of course!”
Ladybug covered his mouth.
Fandoom stopped what she was doing and turned towards the shout.
“What was that?”
The angry akuma fired a blast of flames in that direction.
Chat noir and Ladybug quickly moved and avoided the attack.
The large attack cause the area to light up more and allowed Fandoom to see the two heroes.
“Ladybug and Chat noir. I knew I would find both of you.” Fandoom gloated.
“Chat, go check to see if there are any people still in the building. Call Carapace and Rena rouge and tell them we have more pressing matters to deal with and that they need to find the main water valve. The minions will be a non-issue if the fire becomes a threat. When your done, come back ready for a fire fight.”
“Way to fire off a good idea bugaboo.”
Ladybug exhaled from her nose, trying her best not the let him see the small smile his bad pun gave her.
Chat noir used his staff to pounce away.
Fandoom lined up her hand to fire a blast of flames at the cat.
“Time for the cat to become a toasty fur ball.”
Ladybug chucked the manual at the akuma, smacking Fandoom right in the face making her miss her shot and allowing Chat noir to escape.
Fandoom recovered to see Ladybug glaring at her in a battle stance.
Fandoom grinned as she used her flames and made a ring of fire surrounding them.
“This should keep you from leaving.”
Ladybug began spinning her yo-yo.
“Alright matchstick. Lets see if you burn out.”
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Chat noir rushed off as fast as he could. He left Ladybug alone to deal with an akuma alone. He knows Ladybug can handle herself, but she just used Lucky charm, he has less then five minutes until she transforms back. In that interval he will need to get all of the people trapped in the building out, transform into his fire!chat noir transformation and rush back to Ladybug so that she can do the same.
Chat noir stopped once he knew he was in a safe area. He fired off a quick message to carapace and Rena Rouge right before He undid his transformation, allowing his Kwami to pop out of the ring.
“Alright Plagg, time to give this new form a test drive.”
“I really don’t want to eat this cheese… wow, thats a statement I was not expecting to say ever.”
The cat Kwami reluctantly at the red cheese and his form was altered. His new form had a black lion mane adorning his neck and his claws seemed sharper, his tail having a bit of fuzz on the tip.
Adrien prepared to transform.“Fire Plagg, Claws out!”Chat noir’s costume was thicker, it felt like it was made of a tougher substance,
His belt tail was bushy at the end with a black fur. He noticed his costume now had a hood that had a black fur mane hood that he could pull over his head, His gloves had sharper claws, his boots were spiked and gave him more grip then before. and he could close an inner layer of the hood to cover his nose and mouth to avoid smoke inhalation.
“Fire Chat noir is ready for a rescue.”
The enhanced hero dashed full speed, he needed to hurry and get back to his lady. He would not let her down no matter what.
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“Are you two done?” Trixx comments with an amused smirk. “Cause at this rate I think I might need to give you two some space.”
The fox Kwami finished his chip snack and was ready for action.
The two teens stop what they were doing and turn to the fox. Both blushing, forgetting that the fox had pretty much been watching as he feasted on spicy chips.
“Breaks over.” Alya said as she booped her boyfriend’s nose with her finger.
“Sure we don’t have more time?” Carapace asked, still a bit dazed from his girlfriends impressive kissing skills.
“After the day is saved.” Alya insisted before transforming back into Rena Rouge.
Carapace sighs but is still happy he did get some Alya sugar.
“Huh… I see minions in the distance… but they aren’t rushing back here.” The turtle hero commented as he looked off of the roof.
The fox heroine walked next to him and confirmed his statement.
“ Bizarre. The illusion should have worn off the moment I transformed back to civilian form. They should all be running back by now.”
Carapace and Rena rogue notice their weapons received a message.
“Its from Chat noir.”
The fox hero begins reading the message aloud.
“ Crazy akuma is trying to burn down the building. Power is off, and the sprinkler system is a manual one. Find the main water valve, turn it on. Hurry before its too late.”
“Seems that the plan has taken quite a shift. We need to hurry down there.”
“What about the minions?”
“The minions won’t really matter if the building burns down.”
Carapace paused before realizing that was a solid point.
“Okay, should we split up and look for it or stay together.”
“Considering we might be walking into a fire fight, probably best if we stick together.”
Carapace takes her hand.
“I got your back.”
“And I have yours.”
Rena rouge plants a soft kiss on Carapace’s cheek before the two head down to assist.
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“We are getting close” Kagami noted as the two made their way through the vents.
“I think We are where the screams are coming from.” Luka answered.
The musician put his ear to the vent and listened. He could hear the desperate wails of someone below.
“Yes, they are below us. Sadly their is no exit for us to get to her. The vent turns left.”
Kagami touched the vent floor they were crawling through.
“These vents are not as durable as they need to be, we should be able to get down from here.”
“Oh? You have an idea?”
Kagami reveals her foil.
“I might have one idea.”
Luka was not entirely sure what she was implying was not a good idea. But he decided to roll with it.
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Ladybug used her yo-yo to block the fire ball projectiles. She was thankful that Fandoom was more interested in fighting then trying to make her join her side.
Ladybug capitalized on the girls anger and used it to avoid her attacks. Even with the limited mobility thanks to the large ring of fire around them, Ladybug still had plenty of space to move and avoid the akuma without getting too close.
She swung her yo-yo at the right moment and wrapped around the akuma’s feet. Causing the obsessive fan to fall over. Ladybug tried to approach to get the pouch at her hip but before then a massive burst of fire was blasted in Ladybug’s direction.
Ladybug barely avoided the attack while also saving her yo-yo from burning. The white wedding dress that once adorned the akuma had caught fire. In her panic, the akuma touched there dress with her fiery fingers causing it to burn even faster until it was nothing but ash.
“You nasty little insect. You made me ruin my dress!” Fandoom hissed.
Ladybug began backing away slowly. Only to remember the ring of fire behind her. Smoke started to become thicker as time passed. Ladybug wasn’t sure if what would get her first, her timer running out, the smoke, or the fire.
“My powers grow stronger with every person under the cause. Thousands of people are under my orders. I am far more powerful then any foe you faced. My feelings for Adrien give me the strength to fight and win. In all of the World, there is no one whose love for Adrien exceeds my own!”
Ladybug’s nerves about the fire diminished and she felt her passion and own emotions boil to the surface.
“Love? You can say that with such certainty?”
Fandoom glared at Ladybug. She raised her arm to shoot another fireball at the insect heroine.
“What are you saying? Of course I can!”
“Do you know him?”
Fandoom ready to blast a fireball at Ladybug stopped her attack.
“Know him? What stupid question is that? Of course I know him.”
Ladybug shakes her head.
“No, you don’t. You think you do, you may know his favorite food, you may know his favorite band, but you don’t know what he is like. You know of him, but you don’t know him.”
Fandoom’s eyes widened at the heroine’s statement.
“I know Adrien better then anyone! How dare you act all high and mighty! Ask me anything about Adrien and I will answer it correctly!”
Ladybug heard her earrings beep. She was running out of time. She needed to keep Fandoom distracted. This seemed to be working, she needed to keep her from attacking, she decided to start taking a page out of Chat noir’s book and start talking.
“Okay, if you know him so well. Tell me what Adrien is like? Describe to me what you love about him? If you can describe what he is like correctly, I’ll surrender.”
Fandoom smirked. She felt that she had this in the bag.
“Adrien is an incredible person. Always well behaved and the pinnacle of grace. He is confident and bold, truly someone worthy of admiration. He is handsome and socially savvy. To put it simply, he is perfect.”
Ladybug shook her head.
“You know nothing about him at all. Adrien is kind, so kind to a fault that he is willing to give even the meanest people a chance to change. Adrien is someone that wants to live a life filled with fun and friends, something he has been robbed of. He is someone that would go to great lengths to help out another friend without question. He is optimistic to the point of naive obliviousness. Adrien isn’t graceful when he isn’t a modeling, he is actually a bit clumsy and will make a cute joke when he trips. The real Adrien is trying his best to not hurt anyone’s feelings, he is so nervous about saying the wrong thing that he holds himself back. But when he knows something is wrong, when he thinks someone will get hurt, he won’t stop until he can make it right. He misunderstand social cues and he knows how to cheer people up. He is afraid of putting other people out, being stuck at home, and most of all losing those close to him. Adrien isn’t perfect, but he never needed to be. That’s what makes him so wonderful.”
Ladybug didn’t expect to go on a tangent, realizing what she had said out loud. The heat must really be getting to her. She was thankful chat noir wasn’t nearby to hear that, it would have broken his heart.
Fandoom’s smile had faded. Her face was a cornucopia of emotions fighting for dominance.
“I am not saying you can’t be a fan of Adrien, but your feelings for him are for a perfect image that no person can truly be. No one is perfect, and thats what makes people all the more interesting. How about we stop all of this? Its what Adrien would want.”
Fandoom lowered her head, processing what Ladybug was saying.
A butterfly outline appeared over her face.
“Don’t let her distract you. She wants Adrien all to herself. She is trying to distract you. Ignore her words and focus.” Hawkmoth’s voice rang in her mind. The butterfly outline vanished after he said his piece.
Fandoom raised her head, her expression had stabilized into a stern look that seemed filled with murderous intent.
“It was foolish of me to think even for a moment… that you wouldn’t be trying to steal him as well.”
Ladybug felt her spine shiver as she said that. The heroine knew her words had fallen on deaf ears so blinded by her emotions, she wouldn’t listen.
Fandoom raised her head and a psychotic smile plastered her face.
“You don’t deserve to have Adrien. You deserve to be turned into firewood. But before that, I am going to take your miraculous!”
_______________________________________________________________________Part 18 is finished and Fandoom’s emotions are burning on all cylinders. Can Ladybug survive this fiery foe’s fury while waiting for her teammates? Will Luka and Kagami escape the vents. Will Lila finally escape the closet, will anyone care if she does? Will Chat noir get back in time to allow his lady to tag out?
I really hope you guys are still enjoying the fic. It has been hectic writing it with my schedule and I am worried that it might be losing some of its pizzaz. Please let me know your thoughts on how you think it will go down.
I adore seeing those notes and comments, I will do my best with Tagging in the future, but I really wasn’t able to set up any new ones at this time either and I apologize. I will do my best to include them in the future.
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