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runawaycatwalker · 2 years

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Part 10. Successors in the Sewers

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Viperion stands at the bottom of the ladder to the sewers.

Viperion: Sass, scales—

A close-up of Viperion’s eyes as he hears something.

Adrien, still sleeping on the ground, jolts awake.

Viperion (voiceover): —wait, who’s there?

Adrien clambers to his feet as he grabs his backpack of cheese and Plagg gets sucked into his ring.

Adrien (under his breath): Plagg, claws out!

Viperion finds Catwalker pleasantly waving at the opening of a sewer tunnel, Catwalker’s still flailing tail being the only sign of how close a call this was.

Viperion: Oh, you must be the new Chat Noir that Ladybug told me about. Catwalker, right?

Catwalker bows to Viperion.

Catwalker: Viperion, your reputation precedes you. Shall we go assist Ladybug with—?

Viperion: We just beat the akuma. I’m just here to—

Catwalker: —To give the miraculous back. Yes, of course.

Catwalker holds up a closed hand as he looks off towards where Viperion came.

Catwalker: If you don't mind, I think I should wait for Ladybug with you. She'll want to hold me accountable for not showing up on time.

Viperion: You already fought one akuma today, Ladybug won’t blame you for missing the second one.

Cut to the image of Ladybug angrily waving her arms and jumping towards Chat Noir, who stubbornly pouts.

Catwalker (voiceover): That's no excuse. Skipping battles was one of the reasons Chat Noir earned Ladybug’s wrath in the events leading up to the first time I ended up with his miraculous. I cannot afford to repeat his mistakes.

Cut back to Viperion folding his arms and leaning against a wall, one eyebrow raised.

Viperion: You don’t have to compare yourself to Chat Noir, you know.

Catwalker: As the one filling his shoes, yes I do.

Viperion puts a hand on Catwalker’s shoulder in camaraderie. Catwalker feigns a “gasp!” at what he supposedly learns.

Viperion: I might know something about what it’s like to replace another hero. Most people don’t know this, but I was actually Ladybug’s second choice to wield the snake miraculous.

Catwalker smiles sincerely at Viperion.

Catwalker: I can’t imagine anyone being a better wielder than you.

Viperion: Thanks for the compliment. But I know who my predecessor was...

Cut to the image of Aspik posing heroically, with the faces of Adrien and Chat Noir on either side.

Viperion (voiceover): ...and he definitely could have been a hero under the right circumstances.

Cut back to Viperion strumming his lyre.

Viperion: I think I had an advantage in my first time loop that my predecessor didn't: Chat Noir wouldn't arrive until after I got the miraculous. The first snake wielder must have been working with an incomplete rhythm section—and it's nearly impossible to get into the groove until all the players are there, you know?

Cut to the image of Aspik frustratedly resetting a time loop.

Viperion (voiceover): But it wasn't his fault that he couldn't figure out how to beat the akuma without Chat Noir. And it wasn't Chat Noir's fault that his civilian identity got in the way of his being a hero. So why should it be your fault that you've hit some logistical hurdles getting here today?

Cut back to Catwalker, forlornly looking at his miraculous.

Catwalker: It's not just that. Even when I am there... it's like I make about as much a difference with saving the day as your predecessor did. It's the same problem: Chat Noir is supposed to be here. But he isn't coming back this time.

Viperion smiles encouragingly as he holds his lyre against his shoulder.

Viperion: If it weren't for my predecessor suggesting me to Ladybug, I wouldn't have become Viperion. And if it weren't for you, Chat Noir would be completely vulnerable to Shadowmoth right now. You both have already made all the difference. And I'm hopeful that you both will prove your worth as heroes yet again.

Catwalker points a finger at Viperion.

Catwalker: I hope you're not thinking of resigning and giving your miraculous back to the other guy.

Viperion: Not at all. I do want him to come back, but something tells me that a different miraculous would be a better fit for him.

Cut the image of Snake Noir wielding both the black cat and snake miraculouses.

Catwalker: But if something ever happens to me? He's still the one I'd trust most to use my miraculous right.

Ladybug comes down the sewer ladder. Viperion waves while Catwalker stands at attention.

Ladybug: Hey, Lu—! Catwalker?? What are you doing down here?

Viperion: Catwalker thought this would be a quiet place to transform, but he didn't know I'd already called dibs.

Catwalker gives an elegant bow.

Catwalker: Ladybug, I apologize for not arriving in time to fight the akuma. It will not happen again.

Ladybug waves her hands about placatingly.

Ladybug: It’s not your fault! I’m the one who said you should go get some sleep!

Viperion cheerfully cups his hand to whisper at a perplexed Catwalker.

Viperion (sotto voce): (Told you she'd understand.)

Ladybug places a reassuring hand on Catwalker’s shoulder. Catwalker stares into Ladybug’s eyes in vulnerable incredulity.

Ladybug: And honestly? I'm just glad you came back at all. I got worried when you didn’t show after... you know... everything with your mom? I thought you might have...

Catwalker’s smile oozes with kindness.

Catwalker: I haven't left. I’ll be by your side as long as you still have need of me.

Ladybug smiles offers her fist out for a fist bump.

Ladybug: I still need you. Oh, and since I had to run out on you before we could do it last time... Pound it?

Ladybug and Catwalker fist bump.

Catwalker: Pound it.

Below is the same image as above, only without text:

#runaway catwalker #catwalker #viperion #ladybug #adrien agreste #aspik #chat noir #snake noir #viperion: little does he know that we both replaced the same guy #catwalker: little does he know that we both replaced the same guy and i am also that guy #sorry this took longer than expected #i started working on this and realized that it might be better to post a different comic first #ultimately decided that i should post this one first #plus i did a bunch of plot reworking #overall i'm happy with what i've got in the works #probably won't try to scar anyone for life for at least another 20 pages #so that should be nice #also i'm retroactively adding textless versions of the comic under the read more since i continue to be terrible at balloon placement #so if that's been an issue for you that should help

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