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Felix looked over his shoulder to the mansion. Its large white pillars, clear panels of glass, perfectly trimmed white roses, black eight-foot fence. He was ready. He’d been ready for weeks.
That didn’t mean he was any less anxious about a field trip with four of the most irresponsible people on the planet.
He looked back to the car as it pulled up in front of the mansion, its door opening to reveal the stupidest grin Felix had ever seen.
Claude got out of the car, his bangs swept to the side to keep them out of his eyes. He was wearing his navy blue sweater with white stripes across the chest, unzipped to reveal his Maneskin t-shirt and jeans. Inside the car, Marinette gave a peace sign, oversized sunglasses on her face. Alan waved excitedly and Allegra grinned at Felix.
This was going to be a disaster.
“Hey, gorgeous.” Claude winked. “Need a ride?”
Felix rolled his eyes. “Did you pack?” he asked, walking up to him.
“Eh… more or less.” Claude shrugged casually, jabbing a thumb at the backpacks and bins in the backseat of his car. “Who knew Allegra was a prepper?”
“So… you ready for this?” He asked, slipping his hand into Claude’s as they headed back to the car.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
The drive through the country felt incredibly freeing. They’d rolled the windows down and the wind was rushing through Felix’s hair as Claude played his favorite Italian rock band over the radio at top volume.
“Siamo fuori di testa! Ma diversi da loro!" He sang loudly, driving along the interstate. Marinette bopped along with the bassline in the backseat, her hair down and flowing wildly in the wind. Allegra laughed, looking over at the two.
“Dorks.”
Felix laughed as Claude skipped a few songs quickly. “‘Baby Said’ is not a song I want to listen to with other people.” He grinned.
“Oh come on, it’s not that bad.” Marinette protested.
“It’s hornier than a mountain goat.” Alan laughed. “It is that bad.”
“See? Alan gets it.” Claude grinned, turning onto a side road.
“Why are we doing this?” Felix asked.
Claude frowned. “Skipping songs? Because some of Maneskin’s music is really horn–”
“No, no, why are we going out on an off-grid escapade?”
“Because it’s fun!” Mari grinned, shaking Allegra’s hand in the air to cheer.
“I get that, but why so far?”
The group paused. “I don’t actually know.” Allegra said after a moment. “It just… felt right, so I suggested the spot and you guys loved the idea.”
“A bit strange.” Felix gave her a discerning look.
She shrugged. “It can’t be that bad.”
Alan looked out the window. “Looks like we’re about to find out, I think we’re here.”
“Yep, this is the spot.” Claude double-checked the map on his phone, pulling the car into park.
Felix took mom friend duty, making sure everyone had a first aid kit, food, things to make fires and call for help with and a map in their backpacks.
Marinette kissed his cheek. “Thanks, chaton.”
He grinned in response. “Anything for you, milady.”
“Guys, cut it out on the PDA.” Alan smirked. “Are we ready to go?”
“Yes.” Felix affirmed, catching up to the other three, who had already stepped onto the start of the patch.
“Wow, this looks… magical.” Marinette said in awe.
“It does,” Allegra grinned, “it’s so pretty.”
The girls were right. It was beautiful, with blue and green hues in the leaves and on the mossy forest ground. It seemed mythical, not like a natural phenomenon.
As they got further into the forest, the more they noticed about the forest. Marinette’s earrings seemed to glow from the light filtering through the trees. Felix noticed it too, stuffing his right hand into his pocket to disguise the light emanating from the ring.
“Something about this feels weird.” Alan frowned. “Familiar, almost.”
“I’d agree if I didn’t know we had to drive two hours to get here.” Allegra nodded. “We’ve never been here before.”
“Then why does it feel so…?” Marinette trailed off, touching a tree. Red veinlike patterns appeared on the tree, a mural forming a ladybug in the middle of the tree. “Oh, that’s weird.”
Felix tried, just to see what would happen. Sure enough, it glowed green, forming a cat before splintering into pieces at his fingertips.
“There was a tree there a second ago.” Alan tilted his head.
“Cat magic does that to you, I guess.” Allegra shrugged. “There’s something off about this.”
“Do you think it’s because we’re heroes or something?” Marinette asked.
“Maybe because we have powers?” Claude added as a possibility.
“I don’t know.” Felix hated saying it.
There was something wrong with that forest. Not knowing what else to do (and Felix having the curiosity of a cat), the group ventured further into the forest. It got darker and more ethereal. Light came from somewhere, but it was near impossible to pinpoint exactly where. It didn’t feel real.
“I don’t like it, it seems really tense.” Marinette said suddenly, holding Felix’s hand. No one had said anything in several minutes, trying to figure out what was going on and why it was suddenly so weird.
Claude nodded. “I think it’s gotten worse since we got here.”
“Maybe it’s calling for help or something.” Alan shrugged.
“Maybe we should leave.” Allegra suggested.
“Nope, we’re figuring this out.” Felix charged forward, the others at his heels. They continued following the general feeling of unease towards the center of the forest, where they reached a giant clearing.
“Thank you for meeting me here,” a voice said out of nowhere. “I’ve been expecting you.”
The group looked at each other uneasily. “Who’s there?” Marinette demanded.
A being that Felix had no words to describe materialized in front of them, hovering over the ground.
Funny, no words. Nothing. Strange, coming from Felix.
“We know you.” Marinette snarled.
“Ah yes, dear Ladybug, you do.” The eldritch being said, its voice surrounding them though a mouth never appeared or moved. “I am Null, the fae of nothing. And you all have something that belongs to me.”