Warning: This chapter will have slight cursing and slight violence. It's not a lot but it's still enough. If you are uncomfortable with that or under the age of 16, please skip this chapter. Otherwise, read on.
Marinette froze as the hooded figure lifted Max up off the ground. She felt like her body was frozen and she couldn't even breath as she watched the figure squeeze Max's throat tighter. Ben and Gwen tried to move forward but the figure stopped them.
"Not another step. Or this old man will take his last breath here." To prove his point, the figure tensed his grip further, making Max gasp for air. "Now. Where is Vlad?"
"We don't know. He's always secretive from us." Gwen said as she kept her eyes on him.
"Blah blah blah! We won't tell you so let Grandpa Max go!" Ben said, ready to hit his watch. The figure smiled and slowly scan the small crowd.
"You don't have to. One of you is thinking about it." His line of sight fell on Marinette in the back of the crowd. She felt her mind was being invaded and nothing could stop it. Marinette did try to mentally push him out but it was to no use. He was able to find it. "You."
He dropped Max and charged at her. She tried to dodge him but was too slow. Everything around her became a blur. In three seconds, both the figure and her were in a different part of the school. The figure grabbed her arm and pulled it behind her back. She tried to struggle but the figure wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her close to his chest. The pain in her arm intensified as she tried to break free with her other.
"You're going to lead me to Vlad and I won't rip your arm off." Marinette tried to escape but the pain in her arm screamed so loud, she could hear her heartbeat echoed in her ears. "Don't even think about it. If you try anything, like call your friends for backup or let Vlad know, blood will be spilled."
Marinette was so scared for her friends. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't activate her Miraculous or mentally call for Vlad. She wasn't even sure if he knew anything about her.
"Let go of her!" A voice rang out from above. Marinette knew who it was and prayed he wouldn't do anything rash. The figure tightened his grip and started to back up, forcing Marinette to follow. Before they could disappear further into the school, a black blur rushed towards them, claws extended and ready to strike.
"Chat, no!!" Marinette screamed. But it was too late. Chat was already a few feet away, his claws ready to shred someone apart. His handsome face twisted with an anger she had never seen. His eyes were so animalistic that she didn't even recognize the person she loved so much. He was five feet away when the figure stumbled back, taking Marinette with him. It caused a small gap between them and his grip loosened a bit. This was enough for Marinette to slip out and fall into Chat's arms. She would have felt safer in his arms if he didn't have such a terrifying expression. Chat created some distance before turning toward her.
"Marinette! Are you okay?" Chat said as his face softened greatly.
"I'm fine. Thanks, Chat." Marinette steadied herself on her feet and faced the figure. Time for Ladybug Mode. The figure muttered under his breath and was about to charge again but was stopped by Chat's baton being extended to his stomach. Chat charged again, swinging his baton, trying to hit the monstrous figure. But the figure just dodged, not even landing a hit on Chat himself.
"Back off cat boy!" He yelled as he sidestepped.
"Marinette! Go get help!" Chat yelled. Marinette was going to object but realized that she couldn't do anything until she transformed into Ladybug or until help came. Plus, the figure would be too busy with Chat to notice her contact the other heroes. She quickly nodded and turn the corner. She was about to transform when she remembered Vlad. The figure wanted to find him and from the way he talked about Vlad, they might have some history. So the first thing Marinette did was contact Vlad telepathically.
Vlad! Vlad! Can you hear me?! Marinette wasn't completely sure if Vlad could hear her but she kept trying. VLAD!!!!
Ow! Marinette what are you doing? Are you trying to give me a headache?
Vlad! There's someone here looking for you!
That's no reason to start-
He tried to hurt Max and threatened to kill me if I contacted you! Vlad didn't respond back immediately. Marinette started to panic at the silence. Why wasn't Vlad responding back?
What did he look like?
He's covered up so I don't know. All I know is that he has fangs. That last word was what made Vlad panic.
Are you still alone with him?!
No. Adrien is fighting him as Chat.
Don't leave him alone!!! Transform, call for more back up, and stall him until I get there!
But how-
JUST DO IT!!! The moment Vlad told her that, Marinette's body and mouth just moved on its own.
"Tikki! Spots on!!" And then she activates her GPS setting in her ear communicator.
Chat's body felt like it was on fire, his body unable to stand up. The figure was faster than he thought and while he did mostly miss, his punches did have some sort of force to it. He wasn't sure if he could keep going but he knew he had to. For his Lady. For his friends.
"Why don't you just stand down? You're just making things worse." The figure said confidently, despite the fact that he was in worse condition.
"I won't let you hurt anyone else. I will stop you." The figure scoffed. He limped forward and grabbed a handful of Chat's hair. He lifts him up, making Chat see him eye to eye. His green cat eyes looking at hazel eyes.
"You can't even stand. How can you defeat me?" The figure pulled back and landed a powerful punch on his stomach.
Blood escape Chat's mouth. The only thing Chat could hear was his Lady's scream.
Ladybug could only watch in horror as Chat fell back down on the ground, clutching his stomach, whimpering quietly. The figure scoff again, slightly kicking Chat again in the stomach.
"Guess you weren't all that tough. I don't understand what Hawkmoth and Mayura were warning me about. You're all talk and no bite." Ladybug's blood started to boil. This monster was hurting her friend.
Her Chat.
Her Adrien.
"Hey! Why don't you leave him alone and fight me!?" Ladybug swung her yo-yo and wrapped it around the figure's wrist. She pulled, making the creature shift toward her. The figure hisses and yanked the yo-yo string. Ladybug lost her footing and was flung forward. Luckily, she was able to flip above him and landed a kick on his head. As his body started to bend down, she landed another kick behind his knee, causing him to kneel. She released her yo-yo grip and created distances, hoping to buy some time to make a plan. But that was hopeful thinking. The distances were covered very easily by the figure, running as if her kick did nothing to him. He kicked her stomach, almost piercing through her body, then punched her face. Then he quickly grabbed Ladybug's throat and lifted her up off the ground. Just like Max. The air slowly left her lungs and the world started to blur. Her brain slowly shutting down her senses as she choked on her own blood.
"I honestly really don't want to kill you or your friends. I just want Vlad the Pravus for my mistress. But if I have to spill some blood just to find him, then I will." The figure said, his voice waning.
Before he could crush her throat, a clear-blue blur engulfed the figure. He let go of her, causing her to land on her back and was lifted in the air. Ladybug gasped lightly, the air returning slowly in her lungs. Her vision blurred but she was able to make out an outline of a tall male with jet-black hair and golden armor. His name barely on the tip on her tongue.
The golden boy yelled something as he flung the figure. He landed on his back and skidded for five foot, his cloak ripping apart. The figure stopped headfirst against the wall, causing a crack on it. Blood dripped down his forehead, his body limped.
Ladybug felt a hand on her shoulder, tough yet gentle. She slowly moved her eyes to see a green-eyed boy with auburn hair. Next to him was a little girl with giant pink eyes and long orange hair. Both of them had a worried look and tried to move Ladybug to a sitting position.
Everything hurts. He only landed two hits. How is she in so much pain?
"---move----wait---inside---" The boy said, his voice fading in and out. Ladybug tried to speak but only a cough came out.
"----throat-----slightly----need-----both----to go."
The golden boy approached Chat and slowly pick him up, his sea-green eyes filled with worried. He carried Chat over to the small group and Ladybug was finally able to hear him clearly.
"We have to get these two out of here."
"What about the intruder?" The little girl asked.
"He's not going anywhere." That was the last thing she heard before the world went black.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Vlad thought as he ran at full speed. He didn't expect a rogue vampire from home to find him already. And if this is the vampire he thinks it is, then both Ladybug and Chat Noir were in trouble.
Vlad turns the corner to find, and to his relieve, Ladybug and Chat saved by the classes leaders: Percy, Hiccup, and Blossom. His eyes drifted to find a familiar face and near scoffed.
Eddie. Vlad's old stalker classmate. The coward to run away one year ago after trying to kill him. At least he's not here with Em.
"Vlad!" His attention snapped back to reality as Percy called him over. Vlad only took five steps before the smell of blood engulfed him.
Blood.
Blood.
Vlad quickly covered his mouth and nose, trying to stop his fangs from popping out. He didn't know if he should take another step or not but he knew he couldn't let his vampire side out. He cautiously but quickly walked over to the group.
"Sorry if you're uncomfortable about blood, but we need to get them to the infirmary. You're the only one who knows the shortcuts around the school." Percy said as he adjusts Chat on his shoulders.
"Right," His eyes drifted back to Eddie. His unmoving body leaving an uneasy feeling. "What about him?"
"With a throw like that, he'll be lucky to breathe. He won't be going anywhere." Blossom said as she hovers above them all.
"I don't know. Maybe we should make sure someone stays with him or bring him with us to give to Headmaster Max," Hiccup said, holding Ladybug in his arms.
Vlad walked over to the figure. He stood proudly over Eddie even though he pitied the poor boy. How was he going to be able to tell his mother about this?
No. That's not the question he should be asking.
"Vlad?" Hiccup's voice barely reached him as he picked up Eddie's limp body by his shirt.
"I know you can hear me, Eddie. Where is she?"
Nothing.
"Vlad. Percy threw him pretty hard towa-"
"Blossom," Vlad said in his most threaten voice. "Let me talk."
He turns his attention back to Eddie. "I know you can hear me damnit! Where is she?!"
A small gasp of air escaped from Eddie's mouth along with some blood. He muttered quietly and slowly.
"Your...Pravus...eyes..."
"That's not what I asked." He didn't care if his eyes were a bright purple. He didn't care if everyone saw them.
He needed answers.
"Salem...knows...Em..." That was all Eddie could say before passing out in Vlad's hand.
"Hey! Wake up! What about Em?!" Vlad tightened his grip and started shaking Eddie's body. "What is she?!"
"Vlad!" He felt a pull on his shoulders and he whirled his head back to see Percy with fear in his eyes. Vlad soon realized he was losing control. The one thing his uncle told him not to do. He slowly relaxed his body but still held his grip on Eddie.
"Vlad. Calm down. He can't speak at the moment. Let's take him to Headmaster Max." Vlad grinds his teeth, cursing how he lost his temper so easily.
"Thank you for stopping him. He'll be placed under lockdown and get treated." Max said as the two school nurses strapped Eddie on the stretcher. Vlad wanted so badly to wake Eddie up and squeeze the answers out of him. But that would get more attention on him which he couldn't afford to get. He would just wait until Eddie was alone to ask again.
"No problem, Headmaster Max. While we were able to stop him, we had two kids injured and they need to get treated first." Percy said as his sword turned back to its pen form.
"Anything else happened?" Vlad's heart pound loud enough for the dragons to hear. Percy, Hiccup, or Blossom would have to tell Max about his outburst. Then his uncle will know about this and God knows what he'll do.
"No. There's nothing else to report." Hiccup said. Vlad was surprised by what the Viking said but he didn't show it on his face. He knew if Max saw, he would press on more. Max give them one more look and nodded.
"Okay. I want the three of you to tell your classmates that everything has been dealt with. Vlad?" Vlad jumped slightly, panicking that Max figured something out.
"Yeah?"
"I would like to speak with you later in my office." Shit. Max smiled softly and started walking with the two nurses as they take Eddie away. Maybe if he followed them, he could know where-
"Vlad?" A tug on his hoodie stopped him dead in his tracks. He turned to see Blossom, not hovering, but standing next to him like a scared little kid. Vlad didn't have to read her mind to know what she or the two other leaders was thinking.
"Vlad, can we all talk about what happened?"
"What was that about? What happened with your eyes and what is your relationship with this guy?" Hiccup said as the four of them enter the close by alleyway. Vlad couldn't believe he was going to do this.
"It's nothing-"
"It's not nothing. Your eyes turn purple. You became hostile to Blossom. You were ready to kill the guy." Percy said as slightly paced back and forth. "Out of everyone in this school, I'm one of two people to know you and that's a big stretch since I only know a fraction about you. But I know you would not hold anything back."
Vlad looked at Percy and flinched. His sea-green eyes soften like a baby seal. With that and Blossom acting her age, there was no way he could lie to them.
"Do you want the long version or the short version?" So Vlad told them. A short version of his messed-up life story. The real reason he's here. Who Eddie is to him. Why he kept his heritage a secret.
"So. You're a powerful being named the Pravus, a half-vampire half-human being who could control both the living and the dead. You're in this school because the last president, who is also your great-grandmother, Em, is somewhere in the multiverse and you're looking for her to stand trial. Otherwise, the secrets of your world could be exposed to the enemy? Not to mention, you're still learning how to control your powers because you had fully unlocked them one year ago and you've never used them once during that time?" Percy said in one breath. Vlad only nodded sheepishly and rubbed his arm.
"And not only that, your uncle, who is the current president, told you to never tell anyone about who you are because he didn't trust anyone here and don't know what their relationships are with vampires?" Blossom said as she tilts her large head.
"Yup."
"And only Headmaster Max knows the whole truth?" Hiccup asked.
"As far as I know." As soon as he said that, silence engulfed the alley. It was stressful not knowing what they were thinking about. Vlad even expects a punch to the face. Why not? He did deserve it.
Percy took a deep breath and slightly turn away. Vlad didn't want to read his mind but he was sure something was going to happen. Percy whirled back and punch Vlad square in the face. Blood dripped out of his nose but it recovered just as fast.
"Percy!" Blossom yelped.
"I needed to do that. Besides, he slightly deserved it and he has a healing factor."
"Funny enough, that's not the first time one of my friends punched me in the face. Same spot actually."
"Can we please focus?" Hiccup said as he created distances between Vlad and Percy.
"Right. Like Vlad's secret."
"Right," Hiccup turn to Vlad, who was just rubbing the blood off his face. "Vlad. I understand you were just following orders from your uncle. Trust me, I get it. But you should have trusted that we would understand. I mean, right now, you're talking to a child of a god-"
"Demigod."
"-A child made out of alchemy-"
"Chemistry."
"-And a one-legged Viking who can train dragons. Why would you think we wouldn't understand about being...unique?"
Vlad didn't respond at first but thought about what Hiccup said. Sure, there are a few students who didn't care about his heritage. Some were half dead like him. But the experience with Rose reminded him that one thing.
Not everyone trust monsters like him.
"We'll talk more about this later. But know that we'll keep your secret from the rest of the school, even from our personal friends until you're ready. Let's get back." Hiccup said, the first to leave the group.
"My sisters are probably wondering where I am," Blossom said as she floats behind Hiccup. "But just like Hiccup said, I'll keep your secret."
"Come on, Vlad. We need to go back. Also," Percy looked over at Vlad, his eyes lit with mischief. "Sorry about punching you in the nose."
Vlad chuckled. "Don't worry about it. I'm used to it. And sorry I didn't tell you everything about me."
"Forget about it. We may not be close but I do hope you can trust me soon enough to tell me anything."
Knock. Knock.
"Come in." Vlad peeked his head from between the open doors. What was it Max wanted? Vlad fully entered the office and sat down across from the retired plumber.
"Headmaster Max. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Please don't ask about Eddie.
"Vlad. Has your class chosen a leader to represent them?"
"Um...no. But we've only known each other for about a week. They weren't told about the positions or the meetings."
"I see." This felt off. Max had waited for the three classes to get to know each other before choosing a leader. So why was he asking if the rookie class choose one already? Vlad had to know, even if he didn't want to invade.
"Don't even think about it." Max's voice stopped Vlad from wandering in his mind. "I'm going to tell you why."
"Sorry."
"It's alright." Max took a deep breath and exhaled. "I have this feeling that our enemies are getting stronger and getting closer to our school. We need all hands on deck. But I don't believe the rookies are ready just yet. I need a small distraction for them."
Vlad was getting more nervous. "You're not doing-"
"I will tell them when they're ready. But for now, that is not what we are talking about."
"Right. So what am I doing here?" Max leaned forward, with a serious face Vlad would see in his uncle.
"Vlad. Would you like to be leader of the Rookies?"
A/N: Okay! This chapter was a doozy! This was originally chapter 11 but was pushed back to chapter 12. And I was still struggling to write this chapter because I had to push myself to write some scenes!
However, this semester is ending soon. And I hope to get a better schedule for this story than Ladybug's season 2 release dates.
...
Too soon?
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I already started the next chapter but I might not release it until late December or January.
See you guys next time!
-Rainy!