Chapter 9 Match

Eyes locked on each other, unbroken apart from steady blinks, the two slowly walked around each other, every step Niji took, Annamarie took, ready for his strike. His hand was on the hilt of his sword, held to his side but he had yet to draw while she held her fan closed in her hand.

She watched him, waiting for the moment.

His lip flickered and he drew, already moving towards her, sword going for her heart.

Ready for it, she side stepped, lifted her fan and engaged the blade, pushing it away from herself, Niji's own strength carrying on, only the target moved.

He redirected the target, swinging at her from the left but Annamarie ducked down and let it go over her head, opening her fan in the process and swinging for his middle, making him jump away to avoid the strike.

Niji didn't hesitate in bringing his blade back down, aiming for her shoulder this time but the open fan came up and stopped it before it came too close, the teen pushing back on his blow before spinning on the spot sharply so her back was to him and brought back her elbow to his chest, knocking him away slightly but she continued her manoeuvre, bringing herself fully around and lifting her fan up until it came under his chin, pressing the wood against his neck.

The master froze, chin lifted high to avoid contact, his sword helplessly at his side, his eyes locked on Annamarie's as she stared at him in amazement before stepping back and collapsing the fan. "Did… did you just let me win?" She asked timidly.

He smiled. "I never _let_ anyone win, Annamarie. If you beat me, it is because you have earned it."

"But… you were going easy on me… right?"

"Perhaps. We will see." He returned to the starting position. "Let's see you do it again."

She nodded and resumed but this time she began the attack.

Spring was around them now and Annamarie was getting a little anxious. She'd been at the temple for five months, all of the winter passing in that time, seeing the New Year in at the Miraculous Temple. It had been an amazing experience, one she'd never forget; watching the temple be cleaned of every drop of snow and decorations themed around each kwami put up. They invited the people of the village up to them and had a massive feast that made the meals at the temple seem like scraps in comparison.

She could still remember Master Dawa coming to her room the night before the festival with two other young girls, carrying a large box that turned out to hold a robe, similar to Dawa's normal wear but far more formal.

As was expected now, it was themed around the peacock, with a turquoise green base and green trim, topped with a dark blue sash with golden eyes on her shoulders. Her hair had been styled so it hung down and a tiara like head dress had been fixed into place.

She had been so embarrassed by the whole set up, even more when she stood beside Niji and Dawa who were dressed just as formally. Everyone, even Pipp, was dressed like it was a royal ball. They sang songs in another language that Annamarie had never heard before and gave offerings to the temple, dancing and drinking all night until nearly dawn.

It had been a wonderful night but the next morning, Niji had decided to increase her training, pushing her further, getting her to attack and fight back. That was four weeks ago and now he nodded as they finished a round and turned away from her. "That's enough for today."

She bowed her head and left the ring, rolling her shoulders as she did and went to find Dawa in the kitchens. "Evening master Dawa."

"Evening Annamarie. How did your training go?"

Washing her hands in a bowl, she shrugged casually. "Alright, I guess. What are you making?"

"I was going to make some dumplings."

"Great! I love those!"

"But I'm out of spring cardamom." She sighed. "I'll go to the village tomorrow and get some."

Quickly looking outside, the teen shrugged. "It's still light. I can make it down and back again for you."

The woman turned to look at her with a frown. "Are you sure?"

"I'll take Pipp. He knows the mountain well as anyone. Please master, I won't be long."

Dawa laughed then nodded. "Very well. But be quick."

"I will!" She promised, hurrying out of the kitchen, running to find her companion and then heading out of the temple, down the precarious path to the village but after going up and down it for so many months, it wasn't so precarious.

While she went to speak to the herbalist and get the item she needed, Pipp spent the time playing by the fountain in the middle of the village, throwing stones into the water. She chuckled at him then turned away, buying some cardamom and leaving, intending to head back up to the temple.

"Pipp! Time to go." She called on leaving the hut before dropping the bag she'd been holding.

Pipp was by the fountain, as she'd left him, but he wasn't alone. Stood before him was a masked man in a formal suit with a butterfly design on the lapels. He smirked coldly at the girl. "Hello Feathers."

Heart pounding, the teen somehow stood her ground. "How did you find me?"

"It was easy enough." Hawk Moth explained. "I knew you would come here eventually. I just had to wait for you to leave the temple's protection." His eyes lowered to the boy, holding him firmly by the ponytail. "Cute pet you have here."

She stepped forwards with determination. "Let him go. It's me you want."

"Yes. It is. But I promised you I would make everyone you care about suffer. And I am a man of my words." He lifted his cane high above his shoulder, ready to strike down on the boy but she sprinted across the space between them before he had chance, lifting her arm and using it to block the blow.

Her arm ached at the sharp contact and mentally she swore, sure she could feel her bone crack from holding him off but she grabbed the cane with her other hand and held tight. "Do… not touch him."

"You want to fight me again Peacock? You know you won't win."

"I will never let you hurt another soul Hawk Moth." She glared at him, pushing the cane back with all her strength. "Not now, not ever."

He glared at her with fury but then his eyes widened in amazement while Annamarie's did the same, watching as her body glowed blue, as if…

In a flash, it happened.

Annamarie was gone and there stood Royal Peacock, her suit returned, her fan in hand and her mask concealing her identity. She looked up in amazement but Hawk Moth just snarled, swinging for her head but she opened the fan and blocked it easily.

From there the two fought, blow after blow glancing off one another, Hawk Moth kicking and striking out for her but she jumped away as he did. She frowned at him as he tried to catch her side but instead closed her fan down, blocking his attack and pushing him back. "You won't defeat me Hawk Moth. I'm not the weak little child I was when we last fought. I've grown."

"But you still have me inside you, don't you Peacock." He sneered, backing away and dramatically twirling his cane. "You still have that darkness in you."

She nodded softly, placing her hand on her heart. "Yes. And I may never be rid of it. But as long as I stand, I will fight you _and_ it." Snapping her eyes up to him and spread out her fan once more, throwing through the air, the strike knocking his cane from his grip, startling him while she backed up her attack by sweeping her leg out under his and knocking him to the ground.

Quickly she put her foot on his chest and pinned him down, fan magically returning to her grip and she stood with it raised, ready to deliver the final blow. The man lay below her and stared up. "Go ahead. Finish me. You deserve it."

She stared at him for a bit, hand ready to do it. "You're right. I do deserve it." she whispered then closed her fan in her hand and backed off. "But it is not my place." She let out a breath as her enemy stood up. "Your judgment will come at the hands of the masters. Not mine. But…" she said, reaching out and grabbing the brooch on his chest. "I will take this back."

Her hand closed around the purple stone and pulled it away resulting in a blinding flash of light that, when it disappeared, she looked to see who Hawk Moth was behind the mask but before her was Niji and Dawa, the two of them smiling softly at her. "Peacock."

She stared at them both. "Niji? Dawa? Wha… what just happened? Where's Hawk Moth?"

"He was never here Annamarie." Dawa explained. "The man you just saw was created by us, as a final test."

"Test?"

"To prove your heart is pure." Niji spoke calmly. "To prove you are worthy."

She blinked then felt her body glow once more, brighter than ever and she winced as something passed over her chest and released a pressure she hadn't noticed was on her heart, lifting it away. When it stopped, she looked at the masters as they stepped to the side, revealing a mirror behind them.

The reflection was her own and she looked almost the same apart from a colourful collar of feathers around her neck and stomach, just like Sophia's had been but while Sophia had a trail of feathers from her back, Annamarie had three feathers in her hair.

"T…The Change?" She said, looking at the two masters for some kind of explanation.

"Yes. And now, it is time for you to meet the Sun and Moon Kwami." Niji said with a smile and waved his hand over them all. The village suddenly dissolved, like a pebble thrown in water and she found herself stood in the room with the miraculous seal, not missing that the blue peacock styled one were glowing.

Niji and Dawa were stood before her but then, as she watched the man and woman she had known for months, slowly faded away to reveal two small familiar shapes.

Kwami.

Dawa was a pale white with a dark round crescent moon shaped mark on her forehead and little stars going up her arms while Niji was a dark burnt orange with a sun pattern on his forehead. The two of them smiled at her and bowed. "Royal Peacock." Niji said calmly, his voice more powerful than his small form would indicate. "You have proven yourself a worthy holder of the Peacock Miraculous. You have upheld and represented the ideas and qualities we would expect of you."

"What? You mean… self-esteem?"

"Yes. But do you know the second element?"

"Second?"

"Luck and Creation. Independence and Freedom. Guidance and Wisdom. Bravery and Cunning. So… what is the second element of the Peacock?"

Annamarie thought, thinking back on the pages of the books she had poured over. "Protection? But that's the role of any miraculous."

"True." Dawa said with a nod. "But you, as the peacock, take that role far more seriously than any of the others. You are the protector. When you are in or out of miraculous form, you cannot help but put yourself in danger if it means protecting others. And today, in your test, you faced your fear and engaged Hawk Moth to protect your companion."

"Pipp." She gasped, looking around for the boy. "Where… where is he?"

"He has been at your side the whole time." Niji explained, holding out his tiny paw and Peacock faded away to leave Annamarie and a small boy with long blue hair. But gone were the robes and instead he stood in a dark blue jacket with a pale blue shirt below, dark pants, all of which being trimmed with gold.

He turned on the spot, one leg confidently bent and put a hand on his hip, winking at her. "Knew you wouldn't cope without me."

Her jaw dropped as she recognised that confident yet oddly frilly voice. "Frou!"

'Pipp' nodded and slowly faded into nothing, leaving only the small peacock. "Hey." He chuckled and winked again, flying into her neck for a hug. "It's been a while birdy."

"So… all this time…"

"A bond with your kwami can never be broken, Annamarie." The moon explained. "It is bound eternally until your death. While they may move on, find another chosen, the bond between you will remain forever."

"Why didn't you tell me it was him?"

"It was part of your recovery." Niji clarified. "To see if your bond was strong enough that you would seek him out. Even without knowing it, chosen and kwami will always search for each other, no matter the form. When you chose 'Pipp' to be your friend, it was because it was really Froufrou."

She looked down at the bird as he sat in her hands. "So… what does all this mean for me now? I mean… my split soul…"

The sun kwami shook his head once. "Is healed. Feathers is no more. She is gone. Your soul mended itself when you decided to show mercy to Hawk Moth. That in turn earned you the right for the next level of your powers." Niji said with a proud smile. "Annamarie Tolrana, Royal Peacock." He bowed forwards. "It's time for you to go home."

To be Continued in Feather's Flight

So yeah, that is the end of Recovery. I hope you enjoyed it! Peacock is returning to Paris and Soon I will be publishing Feather's Flight!

Also horseg27 yes, you got it right, Pipp was Froufrou. But you didn't notice that both Niji and Dawa had double letters as well.