Miraculous Ladybug: The Longest Day

Ch 4: Danger

"Hyah!" Lloyd grunted and connected his sword with Ray's. It was a sunny day in Everest, which was quite unusual. The mountain should be cold at all times. Something must be causing this change in climate.

"Don't forget to raise your sword. Your swings are good, but they lack strenght and agility." Ray advised.

Lloyd grunted and leapt away from her. With a determined face, he dashed toward her and attempted to deliver a swing at his master, but failed as Ray made leaned back and dodged the sword. Lloyd immediately held his sword at her throat from behind her.

"Got you!" He declared.

"And I got you." Ray stated. Looking down, Lloyd saw her sword close to his stomach. A tie.

Sighing, he put his sword on his back. "That's not fair..." he complained.

Ray put a hand on his shoulder. "A real fight is never fair, Lloyd. While us two fight with honor, some enemies will not see it that way. Especially if you fight a miraculous user." she said.

"I suppose... I just wish some things were easy. But I suppose nothing is easy."

"Hehe... Nothing worthwhile ever is." Ray giggled softly.

"Hey, what was your friendship with Reality like?" Lloyd asked out of the blue. Ray raised a brow at the sudden question, stabbing her sword into the ground and leaning on it.

"Why the sudden question?" she responded.

"I just want to know you a little better. When people share the same kind of pain, they can trulu have a bond."

Ray sighed with a smile. "Well, it was... Perfect. We connected on a deep level. Shad was bullied and was alienated as a child. That is why he was always an emotional wreck. He tried to make friends, but all he had ever known before meeting me was plain rejection. To be honest, I really don't know why he was bullied. When I met him, I had no desire to make his life a living hell. All I saw in his eyes was a young boy desperate to be free."

"Free? From what?" Lloyd tilted his head.

"Himself. He was destroying himself every day because he believed whatever anyone said about him to be true. But I was his first friend. If I could go back and find another way out and help him, I would." Ray explained.

"Did you get a chance to talk to him again? At all? After your fake death?"

Ray did not reply. Instead, she looked down at the ground. An image in the snow appeared for her. An image she knew rather well...

Flashback

"LOOK AT ME!" Shad yelled, shocking Ray. She did not expect him to lash out with such hatred and venom in his voice, "There is nothing in my heart! I don't even feel pain anymore. And you should not feel quilty, Ray. This hole was opened up by this world of hell. Even when with you, I only had pain inside here, but when you think about it, is there any meaning in that? So, I abandoned all of it. Meanwhile you? You've suffered all this time."

Ray shed a tear. The monster Shad had become was truly heartbreaking...

Present

"... Yeah..." Ray finally replied.

Lloyd turned his back on her and overlooked the mountain, taking in the story.

"Suppose there is no thinking about a past that can't be changed..." Lloyd began.

Ray, noticing how low his guard was, silently took her sword out of the ground and snuck her way toward him with an angry look in her eyes.

"But... Even if the past is painful, at least you have people who are here now. You have family and friends who adore you. And you have a good life. And who knows, maybe someday you two will be reunited." Lloyd smiled.