Thorns of Roses

Chapter 66 - Master Fu Arc 2: Destiny (Season 2 Finale)

A gliding sound reverberated through the statuary hall as Chat Noir exited the room and closed the sliding door - leaving Ladybug behind.

Saying that Fu wasn't a man of many words was an understatement at that moment as not a single word left his lips after leaving the room. He just waved with his hand, signing for Chat Noir to follow him.

Making their way to the other side of the corridor, they entered a small room, similar to the one they just exited.

Without needing to be told, Chat grabbed the door and shut it behind himself. Turning around, he watched his Master taking off his hood and his scarf - revealing his face - before he walked to the window and stared out at the starry night.

Realizing that his master didn't intend to elaborate to him right away about the reason behind his sudden need to talk to him privately, Chat asked concerned, "Master? Is there something.. wrong?"

He had no idea what Fu wanted to talk about but - by the looks of his apprehensive countenance and creased forehead - Chat could tell their conversation was unlikely to be a pleasant one.

The black cat's thoughts immediately wandered around Ladybug. He couldn't help but assume that him bringing her with him to the temple without his Master's consent was the reason behind their current situation. He even voiced his concerns to him, "Did I make a mistake by bringing her w...?"

"You know," Fu interjected as a heavy sigh left him.

"What?"

"You know Ladybug's identity." he rephrased sharply, finally turning away from the window and glaring at the black cat. "You know that she's the Princess."

Silence.

Felt like the air itself froze alongside the blood in his veins. His mouth slightly opened but not a sound came out of it.

His brain short-circuited, which lasted only for a second though, before it became a headquarters for the countless thoughts that were swirling in his head tempestuously.

It completely shook him to the core to hear that his master not only knew that his student exposed the identity of his partner - something Chat Noir wanted to tell him gently and under a bit more peaceful circumstances - but apparently even Fu himself, knew who Ladybug was.

"H..h..how..how did you...?" the hero faltered. Forming words suddenly felt harder to do than defeating any akuma he had encountered throughout the years.

"How did I find out?" Fu helped him out. His hands were rested behind his back in a way Chat Noir couldn't figure out if he should be prepared for being horribly scolded by the old man or if Fu just intended to have a usual "master-student conversation".

"An unspoken advantage of being a Miraculous guardian is that you can recognize a miraculous holder the moment you see them in person. It's simple as that." he shrugged.

Chat Noir muffled a gasp, slowly fathoming the words his master just said as his mind instantly searched for that particular day in his memory when this so-called first encounter between his master and his Princess could likely happened.

Surprise - or even shock - sprang into his cat eyes when he recalled that event and stared at his master in bewilderment.

He wanted to confront him, he wanted to yell at him yet he was unable to do so. He reached for a shelf - that became the support he needed to gain his composure back - as he felt like falling powerlessly into an eternal vortex of betrayal.

He was disappointed - hurt even - upon realizing that his master had been keeping this secret from him, despite knowing the turmoil his heart had been harboring ever since he was told to keep their identities a secret from each other.