The Last Stand: A Miraculous Story

Chapter 6: Replaced

The two stared at each other.  They berrated themselves for not seeing the now similarities of each other so much sooner.

However, pure terror came over them.  Hawk Moth saw them.  He saw who they were.  

"W-We have to get to Master Fu." said Ladybug.

"Yes, we must." agreed Cat Noir, "He'll know what to do."

The two then nodded in agreement.  And soon began the most awkward nightly stroll the two have ever taken.

...

The two sat awkwardly in front of the Great Guardian.  They told the whole situation.  Master Fu looked most disappointed at Marinette.

"That was a very reckless move, Ms. Dupain-Cheng." he scolded, "You should no first-hand that your identity must be kept secret.  And now, Hawk Moth and Gabriel Agreste now both know your identities."

Adrien winced at the mention of his father's name.  He and Hawk Moth have been working together this whole time?  It would explain his cold attitude.

"I-It wasn't her fault." Adrien tried, "Marinette didn't know."

"And she should've thought of that before blindly accepting Gabriel's attention." said Master Fu.

"I-I know now." said Marinette. 

She felt hurt at the word "blindly."  In the long-run, he was right.  Just because of her Paris-sized crush, she accepted a invitation without hesitation.  She then tried to put on an encouraging smile.

"B-But we won't disappoint you again!" she said.

"I'm sorry." Master Fu apologized, "It's too late for that."

He then stood up as Marinette's smile faded.  He then held out his hand, looking dead serious.

"Hand over your Miraculous.  Both of you." he ordered.

Marinette and Adrien gasped.  No, they couldn't not now.  Now with Hawk Moth still roaming around.  And his akumas are getting more dangerous each and every single encounter.  And now Master Fu wants to just replace them with a bunch of possible amatuers? 

What kind of a plan is that?  Adrien and Marinette held onto their Kwamis, who even they were against it.

"N-No, you can't!" said Adrien.

"Pleaes, give us a second chance!" Marinette begged, "Not while Hawk Moth's this strong!"

Master Fu seemed to be thinking about it.  He then apparently looked as if he changed his mind.  He then sat back down, letting out a breath of slight frustration.

"Very well." he said, "Go now.  Be on the lookout however."

Marinette and Adrien then looked to each other then back at the Guardian.  Marinette seemed pleased that her mentor was willing to trust her one more time.  Adrien, however, due to having so little interaction with him (for whatever reason that is), didn't believe a word he said.  

However, he thought about giving the old man a chance.  The two then got up and left, breathing out a sigh of relief.

...

Marinette and Tikki slept peacefully toegether in Marinette's bed.  Wayzzz, however, hovered down through the open window.  

Tikki then woke up, seeing Wayzzz removing Marinette's earrings as she continued to sleep.

"W-Wayzzz?!" she panicked.

"I'm sorry, Tikki." said the turtle-looking Kwami.

Tikki then found herself being sucked into the pair of earrings once they were all removed.  Wayzzz then placed a letter by a slowly-waking-up Marinette as he flew away.

She then took the letter in her hands, ignoring Tikki (was no longer there) for a moment.  

Her eyes then began to water, tearing up.  Master Fu "apologized" for the deception, but he was going to remove her earrings from the very start.  A new Ladybug would take her place and defend Paris.

"T-Tikki?" asked Marinette.

She then began to cry to herself in her pillows once she saw that her little Kwami of Creation was no longer there anymore.  Master Fu betrayed her.  And now, he had just endangered her family even more.  

After all, if you were a maniac who had a teenaged girl as a thorn in your side for an entire year, would you think that them losing their Mirauclouses was enough "punishment?"

...

It took a while for Plagg to reassure Adrien that Gabriel was not going to kidnap him or Master Fu was willing to trust him and HIs Lady, or his Princess one last time.  However, even the Kwami of Destruction himself found it very strange that the Guardian were to just suddenly change his mind.

It took even longer to get Adrien to sleep.  Unfortunatley, the two's worst nightmare came true.  Plagg's eyes opened slowly to see a green Kwami removing Adrien's ring.

"W-What're you doing?!" said Plagg.

"This is for the best." said Wayzzz.

The black Kwami felt the ring beginning to absorb him inside like a genie coming back into his lamp once the silver ring was removed from Adrien's finger entirely.  

Adrien woke up to see the letter next to him.  He then read the letter and scoffed in disgust.

He then began to scream and curse in his pillows once he saw that his little Kwami of Destruction was no longer there anymore. Master Fu betrayed them, especially His Lady. And now, he had just endangered both their families even more.

After all, if you were a maniac who had a teenaged girl as a thorn in your side for an entire year, would you think that losing their Mirauclouses was enough "punishment?"  Like Adrien's own father would care about what would happen to him.  

But as far as he could guess: He was no longer safe in his home without Plagg around anymore.  Adrien needed to find her.  Adrien needed to find His Lady, his Princess.

"Screw Master Fu." he said.

...

The Guardian waited patiently.  It had barely even been an hour since Master Fu gave the new replacements the Ladybug and Cat Miraculouses.

He didn't regret taking Tikki and Plagg from Marinette and Adrien.  This was for the best.  Or that's what he thought until he heard Hawk Moth smashing through the wall of his workshop.

Master Fu rubbed his eyes, seeing the replacements, dead.

"No..." he gasped.

"You thought giving up your best recruits was smart?" Hawk Moth mocked, "This'll be too easy."

"And what would you do now?  Take the other Miraculouses?"

"No.  I only need these other two.  Besides, I'd like you to sit and think about what you did to these children."

Hawk Moth then dropped the dead replacements and left.  Master Fu let out a single tear, filled with regret.

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