Watching Miraclebound

Keep Your Friends Close

"NINE!"

"THAT'S TEN!"

"I GOT ELEVEN!"

Three nearly consecutive shouts rang out through the shadows, promptly followed by a quiver of arrows, a plethora of daggers, and a gaping pit of snakes in that order. Thirteen exhausted kids collapsed on the far side of the pit trap as it slowly closed once again and the furious hissing faded to silence, allowing the bickering of the team to finally bubble to the surface.

"Ha! I set off...more traps...than you...Reine..."

"No way! I...did, Tigress!"

"I...hate you...both... so much," Mkango huffed.

"I still don't know how you guys do it" Nicholas said to his team who only chuckled

"That, " Chloe heaved as she dropped onto all fours, gasping desperately for air, "was the absolute...worst...thing...I have...ever...experienced. And how...are you two...still...arguing?"

"You and me both," Marinette groaned, falling against the wall, yoyo dropping limply beside her, having run its course three booby-traps ago with a dozen magical wooden stakes. Seriously, it was like the base was meant to kill anyone who tried to get in, Miraculous holders or not!

Reine flopped down next to them a second later. "Is everyone...okay?" she panted.

"'Okay' is...not a relative...term...for what I...am...feeling...right now," Adrien grunted as he and Alya approached, using each other to hold themselves up. Behind them, Nino shuffled, wincing every other step and eyeing a rather large gash in his suit near his elbow where his shield had been too slow to protect himself from the fourth obstacle--flaming projectiles. Whoever had designed this place clearly had a thing for sharp, fast, and flying objects. It was a passion that not one of them was expressing now.

"Dude...how are we even still alive?" he puzzled, glancing back as the others followed, most looking as exhausted as the Parisians. "And what is with this crazy place? I thought it was supposed to be on our side!"

"The Fortress was built as a safe haven for the holders in case anything ever went south," Louve explained breathlessly, helping Chloe up and pulling her along to gather with the rest of the group. "But I've never seen the traps so easily set off. They were supposed to be deactivated the moment we cleared the first three. It's almost like--"

"Like someone else is pulling the strings?"

There was a horrible screech from a speaker system hidden somewhere above them in the rafters and Nino gasped, clapping his hands over his ears, almost missing the creepy new voice's next words, but not making them any less threatening as she scanned the roof for the source of the disruption.

"You would be correct. Hello, Guardians. It's been far too long."

"Grimm," the American heroes all growled. Instantly, Cygne and Mkango sprang into a battle-ready position, all signs of exhaustion evaporating as they drew their weapons to face down the unseen enemy.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Chloe exclaimed, rushing forward now, eyes wide as though the information was just now clicking into her brain. "Grimm? As in, the same Grimm you were just telling us about? As in, bad guy Grimm?"