Submitted Prompt: Poor Choice or Poor Teacher?
AU set before the events of Syren:
(Contains some Fu Salt, with Fu redemption)
During an akuma battle, Master Fu happens to be grocery shopping or running errands when the Akuma first shows up, and is caught up in the battle, swept up in the crowd as civilians flee, screaming and in terror, from the supervillain.Â
Fu is not as young as he used to be, and while he can ride a bike for miles with no issue, apparently running is a different matter entirely, and before he knows it his legs are aching and he is out of breath within two blocks of the attack as the crowd around him pushes and shoves, and it is all he can do to avoid being trampled as Wayzz is frantically worried for his safety from the pocket of his coat.Â
Chat Noir arrives on the scene first, bounding out of an alleyway nearby, and Fu is relieved that one of his chosen has arrived to protect the civilians and defeat the akuma.Â
After all, Adrien Agreste is a smart boy, he would know how to defeat an akuma by now so that Ladybug can purify the tainted item, right? Or, failing to fight the akuma, he would focus on getting the akuma contained to avoid harm to civilians, right?
Only, when Chat Noir lands on the scene, he⊠doesnât fight. Not properly.
No, for some reason, Chat Noir seems content to mock and taunt the Akuma, dancing around the rooftops and occasionally batting at the akuma with his baton while quipping puns and jokes instead of moving in and dealing damage the way a heavy hitter like the Black Cat Holder is supposed to.
Fu watches Adrien Agreste spar with the akuma for a few minutes, huddled with the other defenseless civilians in a scorched shop as loud cat puns and flat jokes echo around the destroyed alleyway. Chat Noirâs fighting style seems to be exclusively focused on using his baton as a⊠sword? Instead of pairing it up with his claws for close range attacks.
Now, every wielder has their own unique style of fighting, but it seems like Chat Noir only uses his claws for his last-resort power of Cataclysm.Â
âThis is all my fault, I never should have been a coward! I should have stepped up, been a proper instructor and teacher from the first day! This is all so wrong, this is my fault, no wonder they have not defeated Hawkmoth yet, itâs because I have failed as a teacher and left them on their own to flounder!â
Convinced that Chat Noirâs behavior is due to Fuâs lack of teaching, Master Fu is considering finding a place so that he can attempt the transformation to help out his floundering fledgling whenâÂ
Ladybug arrives on the scene.Â
Swinging in over the rooftops, Ladybug launches herself into battle, halting the Akuma in its tracks as it sends Chat Noir flying with a swat after the boy tried to bat at it with his baton once again.Â
Chat Noir goes flying through the air, andâŠÂ
Instead of adjusting his angle to land cleanly, cries out for Ladybug, forcing her to release the Akuma and instead focus on âsavingâ her partner from hitting the ground, slinging her weapon out to create a net for him to land âsafelyâ inâŠÂ
As though a tumble like that would have actually hurt him, even if he didnât land on his feet?
Mystified and even more concerned, Fu wonders if perhaps the Black Cat Miraculous was damaged at some point since he granted it to the young Agreste, and that that is why Adrien does not fight at close quarters the way his suit is designed for, why Marinette Dupain-Cheng is constantly having to divert her attention away from the battle to engage with 'rescuingâ her partnerâ perhaps Adrienâs is not protected by his suit like he should be when he is transformed?
But even as Fu is fighting to extract himself from the crowd, even as he hobbles with aching knees to find a spot hidden enough that he can transform, he still keeps a concerned eye on the battle, and the pit in his stomach that is full of guilt begins to fill with a deeper dread.
He watches the way Chat Noir spends the battle flirting with Ladybug, and hears her ever-more adamant exclamations begging him to focus on the fight and leave her alone. He watches with wide eyes, taken aback, as Chat Noir is 'rescuedâ once again and swoops in to kiss Ladybug on the cheek, only failing to do so when she pushes him away, even as the Akuma is rampaging down the street, all Adrien Agreste can focus on is asking Marinette Dupain-Cheng out on a date.
Stumbling into a house that is nothing but four barely-standing walls, Fu looks at Wayzz, nearly crying as he gasps out, âOh Wayzz, I have made a terrible mistake, more than one. I should never have left them on their own, and I should never have given them only a single test. Even if there is something damaged with the Black Cat Miraculous, it would not effect Adrienâs behavior; my friend, I chose wrong. Please, let this work, so that I can correct my mistakes.â
In a burst of green light, the Jade Turtle appeared for the first time in decades; and Fu knew in his heart, as determination filled him, that he would be around as long as he could.
He owed it to the next generation of Miraculous Holders.