Chapter Text
––––––––––Damian––––––––––
Damian blanked, This is not a good time to be socially awkward Damian, get ahold of yourself, he scolded.
“Answer me!” she threatened. Raising his hands a bit in a placating gesture, the teen stepped out of the stone wall’s shadow.
“The gate was open,” He said and mentally facepalmed. Tt, way to go Damian, stating the obvious.
“Name,” the girl demanded harshly, seemingly ignoring his previous statement.
“Damian.” He hoped by giving his name she would become less defensive, he did not want to tick off the temple’s keeper. Especially on the first day here.
“Are you the temple keeper?” he asked, sounding curious. She seemed to think about how to answer the question, or about telling him about the answer.
“Yes, I am the Guardian of this Temple.” She faked relaxation. “What brings you here.”
“I am hiding.” She raised an eyebrow. “From my family.” He paused, how much should I tell her. “Are you the authority in this temple? Because if you aren’t I would like to speak with them.”
“I am.”
“I am hiding because my–” an alert from her phone cut him off. I guess this isn’t an isolated sanctuary. The Guardian’s eyes widened at the text on her screen. She waved her hand at the corner of the room and a horse-like sprite zoomed from the shadows. Or was it from the tapestries.
“What do you need, Guardian,” the sprite stated.
“Kaalki, this is Damian. Please watch him until I return. Make sure he doesn’t wander.”
“Of course, Guardian.” Kaalki said with a little bob. And the girl ran out of the room.
Looking around the hall, all the tapestries and paintings appeared to have been made over a hundred years ago; yet, not a single one was faded. Was the gate a portal through time? That would explain why there is no mention of a temple in these mountains despite its size. Could be an alternate dimension as well.
“Was your name Kaalki?” The sprite nodded. “What is this place called and what year is it?” Kaalki sighed and floated closer to him.
“This is the Temple of Miracles and the year is 2021.” It paused. “Are you rich or famous?” Damian choked and started coughing. That came out of left field.
“Why do you ask?” he sounded a bit strangled. Kaalki scoffed.
“Because I have high standards.” It’s a sassy little thing, what did Jon call that… a– diva! It’s a diva. Damian only nodded and began to inspect a nearby tapestry. It was made of tight woven wool. The artwork depicted a red-and-black figure tossing a red-and-black wooden wheel into the air. The object was being engulfed in light and exploding with thousands of ladybugs. In the background to the figure’s left was a burning thatch village while to it’s right the village was repaired without a mark.
At the sound of running, the heir turned around to discover the Guardian, I really need to learn her name or Jon and Alfred will kill me, was returning. The temple must be larger than I thought. Trailing the girl was another sprite, a fox.
“Kaalki, I need you. Trixx will take your post.”
“Of course, Guardian”
“Tikki! Spots on! Tikki, Kaalki! Merge!” The Guardian was enveloped in bright, multi-colored light. In her place stood a masked girl dressed in brown, black, and red. Her hair was in a long braided ponytail that extended to her knees. Is it moving on its own? The outfit mimicked that of an equestrian rider, minus the helmet.
“Voyage!” a light blue portal opened and, without any hesitation whatsoever, the girl walked through leaving him alone with the fox. I wonder if this one’s a diva too.
“Trix was it?” They nodded.
“Just watch.” Trixx pointed at the Guardian’s phone, still on, resting by the fruit bowl. Damian walked over to the table and sat to watch a livestream from some website called, “Bug Out!” What an odd name for a blog. Is that Paris? The portal! Damian picked up the phone to watch more closely.
––––––––––Marinette––––––––––
Marinette did not feel good about leaving Damian, a stranger, without supervision, in a temple full of miraculous… over one-hundred miraculous. What am I thinking. I could leave Trixx with him. Reaching her quarters, marinette lunged for the miracle box and opened the compartment for Trixx.
“Trixx, can you watch our guest for me? I don’t want him wandering around the temple.”
“Sure, Guardian.” Trixx looked around. “Where are they?”
“Follow me.” Marinete took off down the hall. Why is this place so big?
When she returned, Damian was examining the tapestry of the Miraculous Cure.
“Kaalki, I need you. Trixx will take your post.” The boy didn't look thrilled about this.
“Of course, Guardian.” Kaalki responded before she called her transformation and went to take on Hawkmoth's first akuma since Miracle Queen.
The akuma was more violent than the typical akuma. Furnace, the names get even more stupid by the day, was after Gabriel Agreste. It was Adrien; apparently his father had ordered Nathalie to throw all his Ladybug merchandise into the fireplace because it is “too childish.” For Pete’s sake, he’s sixteen!
“Ladybug.” The akuma smiled, too wide. “Have you come to surrender?”
“Surrender?” The heroine laughed. “Tell Hawkmoth his old age is making him go senile.” The one thing Chat was better at, was taunting. The purple glow appeared around his face and he nodded.
“We don't have time for ungentlemanly goading. We need you to surrender your miraculouses or Paris will burn!” He yelled, embers spitting out with his rage. Overdramatic as usual.
Looking at the bonfire that used to be Paris, Ladybug inferred that the akuma had been growing larger over time. If he had started small, the akuma alert wouldn't have been tripped so late. I need to take more precautions. The creature before her was a living ember, surrounded by fire, I need to get him away from any fire, he will burn out on his own. Maybe I need to get Paris wet.
“Tikki, Kaalki! Merge! Voyage!” She appeared in her quarters and dropped all her transformations.
“Eat up, guys!” she gestured to the table of kwamii snacks. “But hurry! We’re on a time limit.” While the kwamii ate, Marinette crossed to the miracle box and retrieved Longg.
“Are you all ready?” At their affirmative answer, Marinette transformed and returned to the battle. And began to lead the akuma towards areas that had already been burned.
“You’re so slow! How do you even expect to be able to get my miraculous?” She laughed at him. One of the bonuses of knowing the victim is knowing how to press their buttons.
“I’m not slow! I burned most of Paris before you even arrived!” Furnace growled. Smiling, Ladydragon just swung out of reach and stuck out her tongue.
“Oh please, even a toddler would be faster than you.” She smirked. “You’re just a child, Adrakins!” She finished in baby-talk.
“I am not a child!” He screeched, his voice cracking.
“Water dragon!” And away went his fuel. She grinned. It was almost too easy to break the akumatized object and cast the cure after that. I didn’t even need my Lucky Charm!
“Adrien Agreste, if you akumatized yourself on purpose, there will be nowhere you can hide.”
“Come on Milady, you don’t think I’m that petty, do you.” She scowled calling voyage and returned to her quarters to feed the kwamii again. Once they were done. She returned to the dining hall.
Damian just stared at her as she entered the room. Causing her to shift a bit in her spine.
“The tapestry makes more sense now.”