{CHAPTER 4: Storming Through}
Kurama strolled down the street, hands in his pockets, taking it all in.
He turned a corner and found himself in a wide plaza. At its center stood an ornate fountain, water cascading down in glittering arcs.
As he wandered through the plaza, a sudden chill brushed against his skin. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He paused, looking around.
The sky had begun to change. The blue had darkened, a rolling wave of gray clouds sweeping in as if summoned. The chatter of the crowd faltered, people glancing upward with furrowed brows.
"Une tempête comme ça... si soudaine?"
The wind picked up, tugging at his clothes. Somewhere in the distance, a rumble of thunder echoed.
"Storm's coming," Kurama muttered. He scanned the horizon, trying to pinpoint the source. The sudden shift in weather felt too precise, too deliberate.
Far off, beyond the city's edge, a single bolt of lightning split the sky.
The plaza fell silent, all eyes turning toward the distant strike.
Lightning storms didn't behave like this. A single strike with no accompanying rainfall or scattered flashes?
Kurama debated his next move. He wasn't sure what kind of world this was yet, but if the lightning strike was anything to go by, it wasn't a mundane one.
[Warning: Unusual energy signature detected.]
"No kidding," Kurama muttered, glancing toward the horizon.
He decided to head toward the strike. If it was a natural phenomenon, he'd confirm it soon enough.
But he had no time to react. The first crack of thunder echoed through the streets, loud and sharp. A sudden gust of wind howled past him, almost knocking him off balance.
Kurama stopped in his tracks. The air around him grew colder, and the storm clouds seemed to press lower, closer to the ground.
And then came the rain. First as a light drizzle, then in heavy sheets.
The once-bustling plaza emptied as people rushed to seek shelter, their umbrellas popping open in unison.
"Okay, this is escalating way too fast,"
As he moved through the drenched streets, he caught glimpses of strange flashes of light amidst the rain. He paused beneath an awning, squinting through the storm.
The flashes grew more distinct, accompanied by sounds that weren't thunder. A sharp clang of metal, followed by a bright red streak cutting through the gray sky.
Kurama's eyes widened as two figures came into view, darting across the rooftops.
The first was dressed in red and black, moving with an agility that defied logic. A long yo-yo-like weapon zipped through the air, anchoring to a distant building before the figure swung effortlessly across the gap.
The second figure followed close behind, clad in black with cat-like ears atop his head. He leapt with incredible strength, using a staff to vault himself over obstacles.
He didn't need the system to tell him who they were.
"Well, looks like we know what world this is." said Kuroshio, observing through Kurama's eyes.
---
The storm raged on as Kurama stood motionless under a soaked awning, water dripping steadily from the edge above him. The sight of Ladybug and Chat Noir darting across rooftops in the middle of this chaos had frozen him in place, awe and unease fighting for dominance in his mind.
This wasn't how the world was supposed to be.
He recalled Stormy Weather from the original series—a relatively straightforward villain with localized powers over the weather. Yet here, the storm was far more destructive, the skies darker, and the winds relentless. It was as though Stormy Weather's powers had amplified to an unprecedented level.
---
Back in his original world, Kuroshio Kushou was facing a different storm altogether. His absence from class had not gone unnoticed.
When Kuroshio returned home from his walk, he barely made it past the living room when he heard his mother's voice.
"Kuroshio Kushou!"
He winced at the sharpness in her tone. His mother's footsteps approached quickly, and he turned to see her standing there, arms crossed and face flushed with a mixture of anger and worry.
"Uh… hey, Mom," he said, attempting a weak smile.
"Don't you 'hey, Mom' me,"
"Where have you been?" she demanded. "And why aren't you wearing your uniform? What is this, some kind of joke?"
Kuroshio glanced down at his casual hoodie and jeans, a half-hearted shrug already forming in his response arsenal. "It's... comfortable?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Comfortable? Comfortable? You're supposed to be at school, not a mall!" She took a step closer, eyeing him up and down like a detective interrogating a suspect. "Where have you been, Kuroshio?"
He opened his mouth, about to make excuse , but she wasn't done.
"You know what? Don't answer that yet. Let me guess." She held up a hand, cutting him off. "You skipped school, didn't you?"
"No, I—"
"Don't lie to me!" she snapped, her voice rising. "The school called. They said you left after lunch and didn't come back. And now you're walking in here like this, looking like—like—" She gestured wildly at his outfit. "Like someone who's been out drinking or—or doing something illegal!"
Kuroshio blinked. "What?"
"Don't even try to explain yourself!" she interrupted, her finger jabbing the air. "Were you drinking?!"
"What? No!"
"Smoking?!"
"No!"
"Drugs?!"
"What—no! Mom, come on!"
"Oh, don't play dumb!" she shot back. "I'm not stupid, Kuroshio. You've been acting weird lately—staying up all night, spacing out during conversations, and now this!
Kuroshio stared at her, completely thrown off. "Smoking? No. Drinking? Definitely not. Drugs? Do I even look like I know where to get drugs?"
Her eyes narrowed further. "That's exactly what someone who's guilty would say."
He sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "Mom, I'm not doing anything illegal."
"Don't lie to me, Kuroshio! I've seen enough crime dramas to know how this starts. First, you skip school. Next, you're meeting shady people in alleys, selling who-knows-what for pocket money. Then, the cops show up at my door, and suddenly, I'm on the news as the mother of a delinquent!"
Kuroshio pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mom, it's not like that. I just—"
"Oh, so you admit there's a 'that' to begin with!" she snapped. "What's next? Are you going to tell me you've joined some underground fight club? Are you secretly leading a gang? Kuroshio, I swear, if you have tattoos I don't know about—"
"Mom!" he shouted, exasperation finally breaking through.
She gasped, clutching her chest. "Don't you raise your voice at me, young man!"
Kuroshio sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I just needed a day to clear my head. That's all. No gangs, no drugs, no tattoos, no underground fight clubs. Just me, walking around and thinking."
His mother studied him for a long moment, her sharp gaze scrutinizing every inch of him. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly.
"Fine," she said, though her tone was far from forgiving. "But don't think this conversation is over. Tomorrow morning, you're marching straight to school, and if I hear even one whisper about you skipping again, you're grounded. For life."
Kuroshio nodded, eager to end the interrogation. "Got it."
She gave him one last suspicious look before turning and walking away.
"teenagers these days"
---
Back in the other world, Kuruma followed their movements from a distance, careful not to attract attention. Ladybug was battling Stormy Weather directly, her yo-yo flashing through the rain. Chat Noir provided support, his staff extending and retracting as he fended off gusts of wind and flying debris.
Stormy Weather stood atop a tall building, her laughter carried by the howling winds. She wielded her umbrella like a scepter, each movement sending another surge of power into the storm.
He ducked behind a corner, using the limited cover to shield himself from the rain as he analyzed the battle.
Despite the chaos, Kurama wasn't here to fight. He wasn't a hero, and he had no intention of drawing attention to himself.
The original has given him a singular goal—find the Miracle Box.
From what Kurama remembered, Master Fu operated out of a small massage shop in Paris.
He remembered seeing one when he first got here, and hopes that's it.
As he moved, the storm intensified. Debris littered the ground, and strong gusts of wind threatened to knock him off balance. The sound of shattering glass and distant cries echoed around him, but Kurama remained focused.
Finally, he spotted the shop. It looked deserted, as expected. Kurama broke in inside, the bell above the door jingling as the door open abruptly.
Fu was nowhere to be found, Kuroshio thinks that Fu might be preoccupied watching Ladybug and Chatnoir.
They didn't remember were the box was exactly, so Kurama moved quickly, knowing time was of the essence. He searched the reception area first, pulling open drawers and checking beneath the counter. Nothing. He moved to the back, pushing aside curtains to reveal a modest living space.
His heart raced as he scanned the room. The Miracle Box could be hidden anywhere. He checked shelves, opened cabinets, and tapped against the walls, listening for hollow sounds that might indicate a hidden compartment.
Finally, his persistence paid off. He found it—a wooden box adorned with cool looking carvings. The Miracle Box.
Kurama's fingers trembled slightly as he lifted it. The box was heavier than he'd expected, its craftsmanship even more exquisite up close.
As Kurama turned to leave, a voice broke the silence.
"Arrêtez!"
He froze, his grip tightening instinctively. Turning slowly, he saw a young woman stood there, her red-and-black suit unmistakable. And just from looking at her, he already concluded she's from the future.
"Arrête," she said again, firmly, her tone brooking no argument.
Kurama blinked, uncomprehending. "Uh... sorry, I don't speak French."
She frowned, her blue eyes narrowing. She pointed to the Miracle Box, then at him, and spoke again in rapid French.
"Yeah, still not getting it," Kurama muttered, shifting his grip on the box.
Her frustration was evident, but she didn't let it slow her down. She advanced a step, her yo-yo spinning at her side.
Ladybug didn't hesitate any longer. She flung her yo-yo toward him, and Kurama barely dodged, ducking behind a shelf for cover. The weapon retracted with a sharp whip, and Kurama peeked out, his heart racing.
The room was too small for a proper escape.
He held the box out toward a window, his expression turning serious. "One step closer, and I'll throw it into the storm."
Her eyes narrowed, her steps faltering.
"That's right," Kurama continued, taking a slow step toward the window. "You might not care about the box itself, but if I throw it into the street, the Miraculouses will scatter. You'll have to find them in this chaos, while Stormy Weather is out there tearing the city apart. How many will you lose before you can get them all back?"
Her expression darkened, and she said something else in French—likely a threat of her own—but she didn't move.
She was stalling, trying to gauge his next move.
"Still don't understand you," Kurama replied, his smirk returning. "But let me guess—you're saying something like, 'Don't do this.' Or maybe, 'You'll regret it.'" He shrugged. "Sorry, can't help you."
She stepped forward cautiously, her hand outstretched, a gesture of compromise. Kurama's grip on the Miracle Box tightened.
"Nice try, but I'm not falling for that."
Ladybug's eyes darted toward the window, then back to him. She was calculating, trying to anticipate his next move.
Kurama's heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to stay calm.
Ladybug's yo-yo shot out again, faster this time. Kurama ducked, the weapon grazing his shoulder as he dropped low. He didn't wait for her to retract it.
"Sorry, but I've got other places to be," he called, the smirk still plastered on his face. "Better luck next time, Ladybug."
Her eyes widened as a light enveloped him, and in an instant...
He was gone.
{Chapter End}