15CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:
ALYA'S DECISION
No sooner had the sun come out did Nino murmur, "Shell off."
Green light swirled around him, and he was back to his normal self, glasses and all. Wayzz appeared beside him, looking exhausted.
Then, Marinette felt something brushing against her feet.
Looking down, she out a tiny gasp. "Adrien, look!" she breathed.
The prince, along with everyone else, stared down at the ground... and each one let out small exclamations of surprise.
The dry, brittle grass became soft and green again, as though it had never dried up. The colours returned in broad, emerald waves. Bushes blossomed to life. Trees re-grew limbs and leaves. Everywhere the group looked, the palace gardens returned to its natural beauty. Birds chirped in the treetops. A squirrel or two bounced happily along the grass. Water trickled in the distance, indicating the grand fountain was gushing once again.
The evil magic had been undone.
Marinette could hardly believe it. A mixture of emotions fluttered inside her: relief, joy, but also pity. She's gone, she thought. Volpina's gone.
Not imprisoned. Not banished. Not disappeared.
Gone.
Marinette gasped as a memory came back to her, and she whirled back to Nino.
He was just kneeling there on the grass, cradling Alya against his chest. He said nothing, and his face was dismal and vacant.
Alya was covered in patches of soot, and her hair was frizzled and tangled. She didn't move or stir one bit.
Marinette's heart sank. "No..." She fell to her knees beside Nino and took her best friend's hand. It was surprisingly warm.
She heard the shuffle of grass and felt an arm around her shoulder – Adrien. Marinette leaned into him for support, and he pressed a kiss to her head.
"I'm so sorry, Milady," he whispered.
Marinette sniffled. Surely she had cried enough already?
Trixx sat on Nino's shoulder, looking down at Alya with droopy ears. "No," she said, rubbing her snout, "I'm the one... who should be sorry. I should've... come sooner..." Tears as big and round as marbles toppled from her eyelids, and she buried her face in her paws.
Tikki looked like she was about to cry to, but she turned away and embraced Plagg before anyone could see. The black-cat kwami stiffened at first, but then he patted his friend gently on her back.
King Gabriel was standing behind his son, his head bowed with respect.
For a brief moment, no one said a word.
Until Nino spoke for the first time since Volpina's death, "Wait a minute..."
Marinette glanced over at him, noticing that his head was perked up and his eyebrows were drawn together, as though deep in thought.
Nino looked at his friends with something like revelation. "Guys... A kwami can't kill anyone," he said slowly and carefully.
Trixx's ears shot up at those words.
Then...
"Ehe, ehe, ehe!"
Marinette nearly jumped at the sudden fit of coughing that came from the person in Nino's arms.
Then, Alya opened her eyes at Nino with a lazy smile. "You'd be surprised what you can live through," she said weakly.
Marinette covered her mouth with a joyful gasp. "Alya!"
Adrien let out a shaky chuckle.
Nino was beaming. "All right!" he cheered proudly.
Tikki and Plagg both let out a unified, "HUH?!"
King Gabriel rubbed his head with a small groan, as though all of this was too much for him to take.
The only person was clearly not happy about this was Trixx.
Her fallen jaw snapped up into a growl, and she affixed Alya with an incredulous glare. "Why... you little... jackal-headed pea-brain!" she shouted with some hint of restraint. "You could've...! I thought you were...! What was with the...?!"
Alya coughed again, winced, and then grinned at the little vixen. "Nice to know you care, Trixx."
"What? Care – me?" Trixx harrumphed rather haughtily and turned away with her arms folded. "Care is such a strong word."
Alya giggled, or tried to before she coughed again.
Nino pulled her closer. "Don't scare me like that again, you hear me?" he snapped teasingly.
She raised an eyebrow at him. "You could've used mouth-to-mouth to bring me back. I wouldn't have minded."
Marinette and Adrien burst out laughing.
Then King Gabriel was chuckling. Actually chuckling.
Tikki and Plagg were cheering and throwing fireworks and sparks into the air.
Trixx looked slightly raffled. But then, she let out a groan and said, "Oh, what the hell..." Then she zoomed over to Alya and nuzzled affectionately against her cheek. "Friends are hard to come by nowadays, you know?"
Alya just smiled.
Then Nino was embracing her. Then Marinette. Then Adrien.
They were all here. They were all safe.
They were all free.
Well, needless to say, they were so wrapped up in their happy reunion, they almost forgot about Darkblade.
Almost.
By the time someone finally went to fetch him, the black knight was still hanging by his shirt from a tree branch in the garden forest.
He looked less like a knight and more like a crook now. His black armour had been replaced with the same scraps he wore when he was the "Master of Thievery". His rapier had fallen to the ground, and his hair was covered with bits of twig and leaves from his earlier fall.
Darkblade knew what his lack of grand attire meant. Volpina was dead.
And when King Gabriel, Prince Adrien, and the palace guards appeared below him, the defeated swordsman let out a nervous chuckle.
"Does this mean I don't get my third wish?" he asked with a soft squeak.
His mustache drooped at the sides when Adrien smirked at him.
Armand D'Argencourt was sealed up in the palace dungeons to await trial.
Not long after that, Captain Roger was demoted.
Lady Nathalie returned to the palace, expressing great joy at seeing the king and his son alive and safe.
Tom and Sabine reunited with Marinette, and Master Fu commended Nino for his bravery after Wayzz told him the whole story.
As for Alya, she was sent to the royal infirmary to recover from her injuries. The blast she had taken for Marinette had left her with a slight burn on her front, and she also suffered from a dislocated shoulder and some bruised ribs. Trixx stayed by her bedside the whole time. The kwami's presence seemed to speed up Alya's recovery.
A few days after the incident, King Gabriel made a royal announcement to the public. The sorceress Volpina was forever vanquished, and Nino was declared as the newly-appointed captain of the palace guard in gratitude for his heroic actions. Alya couldn't be there for the announcement, but Trixx relayed the king's whole speech to her... in the king's own voice, of course.
A week passed before Alya was allowed to get out of bed and walk around. Her left arm had to be bound up in a sling, and her back stiffened every time she stretched, but she was otherwise good to return to her own chambers. Nino surprised her with a private picnic lunch when she arrived, and Trixx denied any involvement in setting it up.
Meanwhile, the little vixen was rather enjoying her new life as "Alya's palace pal", as some of the royal staff had grown to call her. Wallowing in luxury, being celebrated as a hero who had turned from the path of evil to save a friend... It was a dream come true.
Of course, Alya always had ways of keeping her new friend from getting too comfortable. One time, Alya turned Trixx's bushy tail into a small stub when Trixx suggested Alya should get a haircut. Nino couldn't stop laughing.
Alya wished she could use her magic to patch herself up faster, but she was only an enchantress; gifted with the power of illusion and small spells. Healing wasn't one of those skills she inherited from her pendant. But Alya didn't really mind. If anything, she was glad that her powers were limited, lest she end up just like Lila.
Once Alya was strong enough to leave her room, Nino escorted her and Trixx to the throne room, where everyone was waiting.
King Gabriel sat upon his throne. Lady Nathalie stood on the dais as his left, tall and slender and stiff as ever. Adrien was further down right with Marinette at his side, and Tikki and Plagg hovered beside both of them. Tom and Sabine were so excited, they couldn't stand still. Master Fu stood beside them with Wayzz on his shoulder.
"Hmm... I was hoping for a grand hero's profession," Trixx noted, "but this works."
"Oh, hush, you," Alya said.
When they approached the giant elephant throne, Nino bowed. Alya did her best to curtsy, though her aching back argued against it.
"Now, my dear lady," Gabriel began with a warm smile, "or should I say Chief Advisor?"
Alya blushed, and Trixx nudged her with a grin.
"Now that you are well on the mend," the king continued, "I think we can all agree that it's high time to begin preparations for the royal wedding."
Tom let out a tiny, "Yes!" and Sabine beamed.
Marinette and Adrien exchanged a quick glance before the prince called, "Father, may I be the first to make a suggestion?"
The king waved him on.
Adrien directed his attention to another old man across from him. "Master Fu," he said graciously, "Marinette and I were wondering... if it's not too much to ask... if you would perform the ceremony."
Master Fu hummed with approval.
"We know you don't have a reason to stay in Agreste anymore," Marinette added with a shy smile, "but... we would really appreciate it if one of our friends could have the honour of marrying us. After all, you are a Guardian."
Wayzz nodded. "She has a point, Master. You've got to use that title for something useful."
A few chuckles sounded from the group, Master Fu included.
The Guardian bowed his head at the royal couple. "How could I possibly refuse? It would be my honour."
Marinette bowed back with a broad smile, and Adrien pulled her into a side-hug.
"In fact," Master Fu added on with a twinkle in his eye, "Wayzz and I have talked about it, and we've decided to remain here in Agreste for the time being."
Nino's mouth fell open. "No way! Really?"
Wayzz flew over to him. "We do make a good team, you and I." Then he whispered silently, "Though we really do need to work your anger-management skills."
Alya let out a snort-like cackle, and Nino turned red in the face.
Nathalie jotted down something on a piece of parchment with her quill. "Well, I guess there's no need to hire a priest then," she said. "Very well. Now we just have a few more spots to fill in: decorations..."
"Ooh, ooh!" Tikki raised her tiny hand in the air. "Pick me! Pick me! I want to do it!"
Nathalie looked for the king's approval before scribbling. "The wedding feast shall be prepared by Marinette's parents, of course," she stated. "And... Marinette, I presume you want the pleasure of designing your own dress?"
The blunette nodded eagerly.
"As you wish. And now... ah, I almost forgot! Lady Alya, I need your opinion about the bride's maid selection..."
Alya realized that now was the time to cut in. "Hold on a minute, Nat," she said gently. "There's something I need to tell everyone."
All eyes turned to her curiously.
Alya took a deep breath. She had been waiting to speak to the king about this for days. She had refrained from telling anyone – even Trixx – so that no one could dissuade her from her decision. Now, it was time to come clean.
Alya stepped closer to Gabriel with a kind face. "Your Majesty," she said, "I'm very honoured that you've chosen me to be the new Chief Advisor..."
Marinette blinked with surprise at her friend's dismal tone.
"...but..."
Trixx gasped. "But?!" She zoomed over to Alya. "But, but... But is such a strong word!"
Alya made a shushing noise before looking back at the king. With a small smile, she stated, "I can't be Chief Advisor."
"Huh?" Nino, Marinette, and Adrien said unison.
Trixx's paws flew to her cheeks, and her pupils shrank. "What?!" she squeaked.
"Alya, what do you mean?" Marinette asked.
Her friend smiled at her. "What I mean, Mari, is... not yet," she explained. "When you become queen, I'll definitely take up the responsibility. But now is not the time. There's more that I have to do first."
Nino's expression softened with understanding.
Marinette still looked confused, but a little less than she had been.
Trixx, however, flew right up to King Gabriel and tugged desperately on his collar. "Gabe, the girl's talking crazy talk. Don't listen!" she pleaded. Then she zoomed away from the startled king and came up to Alya with a frown. ""There's more," she says... What more do you want?!"
Alya ignored the kwami's outburst and replied calmly, "The kingdom."
Everyone glanced at each other with confusion.
Trixx blinked, and then muttered, "Look, personally, I'm with you, kid... but let's take it one step at a time."
Something long and curved – a cane, Alya realized – came over and yanked Trixx away.
The cane was Tikki's work, and then Plagg stuffed a piece of camembert inside Trixx's mouth to keep her quiet. The little fox narrowed her eyes at them.
Alya laughed. "No, no... I mean I want to see the kingdom," she clarified, glancing around her group of friends. "I can't do anything useful if I just stay in a palace. There's so much to do in the city; so many people who need help and support. And even with D'Argencourt behind bars, there are still more criminals and gangs out there causing trouble."
Gabriel's eyes lifted with intrigue.
Alya looked over at Marinette, who was now smiling at her. "Marinette was the one who taught me the true meaning of compassion; of risking your own well being for others," she said. "Agreste is my home – every street, every shop, and every vendor. It's high time I start looking out for the people. Help the needy, stop the greedy – that sort of thing."
Everyone except Trixx was smiling.
Marinette nodded with approval. "Rena Rouge, defender of the innocent," she mused. "I like the sound of that."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Trixx blurted out. "Is everybody okay with this? Hey, Al! What about your boyfriend?" The fox zoomed up to Nino now, earning her a chafing look from Wayzz. "Come on, girl. Do you think this hunk of mocha-choca latta ya-ya is just going to wait around here while you venture off on your humanitarian crusade?"
A sly grin stretched across Nino's face, and he walked over to Alya with his arms folded. "I most certainly will not," he stated with a regal tone.
Trixx grinned. "There! You see?"
Alya lifted an eyebrow at her boyfriend – a challenge.
Nino winked with a warm smile. "Rena Rouge isn't going anywhere without Carapace," he said, taking Alya in his arms. "If you're going to tackle the city, I am too."
Trixx's tail straightened, and her eyes twitched. "Nnnn...?" she muttered.
But Alya was beaming at Nino, and she wrapped her good arm around his waist. "You mean it?" she asked.
Nino nodded. "I am captain of the guard now, aren't I? I can't let you take all the credit." He winked at her.
Alya snorted. "You are such a romantic," she groaned before pulling him into a deep kiss.
Trixx let out a dramatic groan. "Okay, that's it! The madness is spreading!" she ranted as she flew around the room. "Urgh – crazy talk!"
Alya and Nino didn't break off their kiss one second.
Marinette and Adrien smiled at each other before the former rested her head on the prince's shoulder, and he in turn pressed his cheek lovingly against her hair.
"Why do I keep getting hooked up with these warped people?!" Trixx exclaimed. "Hey! Shouldn't somebody ask what the brave, little fox wants to do?!"
Everyone else just chuckled or otherwise ignored Trixx's bantering, even as it carried out into the starlit sky of Agreste.
THE END
MB: Yay! It's finally finished! Thanks to all you wonderful readers for sticking around, and thanks for the reviews as well.
But we're not through yet!
Stay tuned, because really soon – either this month or Jan 2019 – I'll start posting the third and final chapter of this crossover: "Miraculaddin 3: The Queen of Thieves".
Yes, it will be based off Aladdin and the King of Thieves (which I don't own), and the focus will return to Marinette. I'm not going to spoil anything, other than there will be a bunch of familiar characters from Miraculous in addition to a character some of you might remember from my Once Upon a Time crossovers.
Speaking of which, feel free to read those: "I Will Always Find You", and "IWAFY: Before the Forest". The second one's a prequel, but you can read them in either order.
Once again, I do not own Aladdin or Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.
Thanks for tuning in. Spots off!
