You're The Music That's Been Playing In My Head: Book 2

Robustus: Part 4

"It's down to us, Rusto-bot," Chat Noir says, summoning his cataclysm before slamming his palm on the robot, telling him to analyze it. 

The robot immediately rusts and falls apart, Ladybug instructing us to protect Max. 

"You're making this hard only for yourself, Ladybug, Chat Noir, (s/n), I'll always be one step ahead of you," Robustus claims as he flies high into the sky.

"Speaking too soon is a human weakness, Robustus."

She throws her yoyo at him, the wire tangling in his rotor blades, and she pulls him down into her palm. 

"What was that?"

"That was wits and a little bit of luck." 

"You're wrong, Ladybug, the game is not over—" 

Ladybug cuts him off by inserting Max's anti-virus program into him. Markov's original look comes back, and the cars charging at the three of us stop just a few inches from us. Thanks to the anti-virus program, the akuma finds its way out of Markov without us needing to destroy him, and as usual, Ladybug takes care of it. The three of us pound it before handing over Markov to Max. 

"Here's your friend." 

Max only stares at his friend before muttering, "Perhaps it's best if I don't." 

"Everyone can feel negative emotions from time to time. It's important to accept that and forgive," Ladybug says with a reassuring smile that even makes me smile. 

If she's offering this advice to Max, then there's a chance she and Chat will forgive me and help me find the confidence I need again. 

Max turns Markov back on, who looks around, confused.

"Max, my friend, where are we? What's going on?" 

"You were akumatized." 

"Akumatized? Could you please define that word?" Markov asks as his eyes turn into question marks, and the four of us laugh. "Did I say something funny?" 

We don't have time to answer, so we take off.

°❆⋆.ೃ࿔*:･  

"What was Robustus talking about when he said he was going to make a wish with your guy's miraculous?" I ask during our afternoon patrol. 

"I dunno, but it could be what Hawkmoth wants. I originally thought he wanted our miraculous because the power of creation and the power of destruction sounded like the most powerful miraculous to have, and then wanted to take over the world with them or something," Chat theorizes, and Ladybug nods with her arms crossed. 

"That's what I thought too." 

"Really? Mine was a little different. I thought he wanted to get as many miraculous as he could and started with us because we were the first to show up and because our powers combined stop his akumas."

"Well, it's clear now that whatever previous thoughts we had as to why Hawkmoth wants our miraculous was wrong," Ladybug points out.

"So then what does he want? We can't exactly stop him if we don't have a general idea of what he wants besides all three of our miraculous."

I start tuning myself out of the conversation as I start thinking, my finger curling over my chin as I recall the time I was akumatized. When Hawkmoth was speaking to me, he never specified what exactly he wanted or what he'd do with Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous just specified wanting theirs, he didn't even mention mine, which was probably why I never handed my miraculous over. In fact, the more I thought about he only ever seemed interested in taking my miraculous if the opportunity was presented, such as if I was trapped by the villain. So clearly, he wanted theirs for something, but never specified why to anyone until now. 

I guess Markov was the first one to ask, but if telling his intentions led to Robustus going rogue, there was no way he'd tell anyone else his plans.

I make this known. "Well, whatever Hawkmoth wants, it probably has something to do with this wish Robustus mentioned, and the only way to get this wish has something to do with the ring of destruction and the earrings of creation." 

"Yours too, he's asked for your miraculous too," Chat starts to say, but I shake my head and correct him. 

"No, he just wants both of yours."

"How do you know?" 

I jump at the question, and again I recall being akumatized. I can't tell them that well, at least not Chat Noir; unlike with Marinette, there isn't any exception to know my identity. 

"Think about it, the villains always go after your jewels before my gloves. The only time they go after my miraculous is if it's a prime opportunity to get it. He most likely just sees my miraculous as a bonus because if he can get ahold of it, then that means more magical powers to use against you two, and one less hero to deal with."

Ladybug hums in thought before stating, "Alright, I think I need to do some research." 

"How? The most knowledge found has been on the Ladyblog or through our own discovery," Chat asks, and she bops him on the nose. 

"Silly kitty, don't you remember the book of spells that I found? I'll have my kwami help me read through it and see if it can give us any new information about this wish." 

"Promise to keep us updated?" 

"Of course."

°❆⋆.ೃ࿔*:･  

After patrolling Marinette and I head straight for Master Fu, and I explain to her what Hawkmoth told me, which seemed to make her more determined to find answers. 

"There are things you haven't told us about yet, aren't there?" 

"What do you want to know?"

"Well, today's akumatized victim, Robustus, talked about taking Ladybug's and Chat Noir's miraculous to make his wish to be human come true. So what would happen if someone possessed the ring of destruction and earrings of creation?" I explain to Master Fu. 

After things had calmed down, I realized the wish had sounded familiar from Grandma's story, but she never explained the wish further.

"If the bearer had both, they could use them conjointly and with a special invocation, obtain ultimate power. They could shape or re-shape reality." 

"Ultimate power? Shape reality? What does that mean?" Marinette asked as she blinked in confusion. 

"Basically, it can make any one wish come true."

"That's amazing! So why don't we use it then? We could ask for so many good things like end all wars, eradicate poverty, or beat Hawkmoth." 

"The universe must always stay in balance. For every action, there is a reaction. For every wish a price to pay in return. Here's an example: if Robustus had wished to become human, someone would've lost their humanity in return. Not only that, but to allow the wish to come true, the universe would need to be destroyed and rewritten to change the original fate."

"I hadn't thought of that..." Mari trails off, and I chime in.

"No one really thinks of the consequences when something too good is presented to them."

"That is why Ladybug, Chat Noir, (s/n), and any other possible future holders must not lose their jewels. Hawkmoth or anyone else could use those powers to try and get the correct jewels to make their wish come true. The universal balance is at stake." 

"Neither Hawkmoth nor anyone else will ever get their hands on any miraculous without your approval, Master. I promise," Marinette says with a contagious confident smile. (This statement aged well...)

°❆⋆.ೃ࿔*:･  

On our next patrol, Ladybug relays all that information back to Chat Noir, so he understands the stakes here. I can't help but frown as I look at my two friends who glance worriedly at their miraculous. 

The burden of having the cat and ladybug miraculous just increased tenfold for them...