Welcome to the back (Part 10)
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Warning: I am trying not to romanticize Akumatization. Felix’s motives may be noble, but he’s still an akuma and not going easy on anybody. So don’t get your hopes up he might be a chivalrous bad boy who only punishes the evil guys.
- - -
Chat Noir had his baton at hand, camera opened and zooming in on what was happening. He didn’t want his Lady to get hurt, of course. Just to wait long enough that she truly appreciated his arrival.
“That was quick.”, Sentiquill said with raised eyebrows. “How did you...” His eyes widened. “Of course. Marinette still had her phone, right?”
He sighed and raised his quill as Ladybug swung into the room, planting herself between him and the students.
“You have bigger worries now, Sentiquill.”, the spotted heroine declared, then turned towards his terrified classmates. “You guys! Everybody out of here, and take Alya and Madame Bustier with you!”
The class hurried to comply, and Chat Noir purred with adoration. She was always concerned for others, looking out for everybody. It was so cute! Though he didn’t get why she hadn’t tried to lure Sentiquill outside. The classroom wasn’t ideal for a fight, space was limited and furniture created unnecessary hindrances. What was she thinking?
Sentiquill seemed confused as well, suspiciously taking a step back. Ladybug was known for her impossible traps and plans, it was only natural he’d be on edge.
“Felix”, Ladybug called him surprisingly gentle. Caring even. “Give me the quill. We can end this without a fight.”
Chat scowled. No fighting? Then how was he supposed to impress her? And why was she so sympathetic towards Felix of all people? She’d never talked to Chat like that! So... sweetly. It made his nose wrinkle in jealousy.
“Trying to reason with an Akuma, Ladybug? Unusual approach.”, Sentiquill commented, adopting a fighting stance. “What’s the reason for your sudden change of attitude? Gone pacifist overnight?”
“I know you can’t want this.”, his Lady continued unwavering. Did she know Felix personally? Did she visit him after patrol, now that she had forbidden Chat from accompanying her? His claws dug into the ground and bared his fangs when she continued.
“You’re a thinker.” The admiration in her voice made him sick. “You enjoy outsmarting people, you don’t like resorting to violence. Let me help you, please!”
His breathing hitched. Why was she- Why would- Didn’t she think of him at all?! She couldn’t just go around saying stuff like that! It was far too... intimate!
Sentiquill didn’t seem to share Chat’s opinion, instead of flustered, he looked furious.
“Help me?!”
In the blink of an eye he was moving, slashing his sword and shooting ink at Ladybug. She blocked it with her yo-yo, but the force of the attack hurled her through the window into the yard, where the rest of the class ran into hiding. She landed on her feet, sliding over the ground.
“You didn’t care to help Marinette either!”, Sentiquill roared. “All it would have taken was a single word of you and nobody would have listened to Lila ever again!”
“I know, and I regret this, but-“
“Then show it!”
Sentiquill followed her, attacked with his blade from every angle. Ladybug could barely keep up with blocking his slashes with the string of her yo-yo.
“Come on, tell them the truth!”, Sentiquill snarled and gave her a shove that sent her against a wall. “Tell them who Lila really is!”
The students leaned out of their hideouts, curious for what was going on despite the danger. Chat stiffened. Surely she wouldn’t... Ladybug knew how important it was to leave Lila in peace, didn’t she? She wouldn’t say anything rash now, would she?
Ladybug got up again, a fearsome scowl on her face.
“You think Marinette cares about that now? She wants her friend back!”
A bitter laugh got over her lips, so untypical for her Chat leaned back a little.
“But fine! I couldn’t like Lila less! She’s a dirty liar, we’re not best friends and I would be more than glad if she left Paris again. Happy now?”
The yard was dead silent. If Lila was still hiding somewhere, Chat couldn’t see her. He was flabbergasted. Had Ladybug just... Was she insane?! Oh fuck, he should have joined the fight when it hadn’t been too late yet. Now his carefully protected, unproblematic school life would be completely out of control!
Sentiquill laughed in disbelief.
“Why, thank you, Ladybug! I didn’t expect you to actually do that for me.”
He smiled, genuinely. If Chat hadn’t still been so rattled, he would have hissed in disgust.
“I appreciate the effort. Alas...”
His face darkened.
“Too little, too late. The damage is done, and I’ll set things right again.”
He raised his sword.
“Let’s see which dark secrets hide behind that little mask of yours.”
He pounced again, ink swirling through the air. Ladybug held her own skillfully, dodging his slices at her sides, dancing around the ink torrents he sent her way and blocking the thrusts of his blade. Before he realized it, Sentiquill was dangerously low on ink. Hectically he looked around for a potential victim and made a run for Rose, who had leaned out of the girl’s bathroom a little too far. Before he could reach her, Ladybug’s yo-yo wrapped around his foot and kept him in place. That’s when she spotted him on the roof.
“Chat Noir!”, she shouted without sparing Chat a second glance, eyes fixed on her opponent. “Finally!”
Not the greeting he had hoped for. Ugh! This whole day was a disaster, nothing went as planned! Couldn’t life go his way just this once?!
“His quill’s ink comes from negativity others carry!”, Ladybug informed him of what he already knew. “You need to get the civilians out of the way!”
That’s all she wanted of him? Not to fight by her side, to protect her from Felix, but to play savior for classmates he already protected from their own carelessness as Adrien? Who would doubtlessly create nothing but chaos now that Lila was exposed? No, he didn’t think so!
Angry, Chat stood on the roof and watched Ladybug. She really was getting arrogant these days, yelling at him to leave her alone and then expecting him to follow her every command. A decision formed in his mind and he crossed his arms. It wouldn’t do any real harm if he left her to deal with this alone, would it? Miraculous Ladybug always cured everyone anyway. So why not teach her a lesson?
“Wonderful morning to you as well, My Lady!”, he hissed sarcastically. “I thought we shouldn’t work together until absolutely necessary?”
Her face fell. She was still fighting to keep Sentiquill in place, who was hacking at her weapon with his quill. Revenge truly is sweet.
“Chat, this is not the time to-“
“Exactly!”, he interrupted her smugly. “Now is not the time it’s necessary.”
With a satisfied grin he dropped on his butt, watching cross legged as her grip on Sentiquill loosened and he ripped himself free.
Rose had started to run, abandoning her hideout to escape to Juleka. The taller girl was hiding behind the stairs and hectically waved her girlfriend closer.
But Rose had no chance to outrun an Akuma.
When Sentiquill stabbed the hilt of his quill into her back, her scream was drowned out by Juleka’s.
Chat flinched, but forced himself to stay put. He had to do this, Ladybug forced him to. If she didn’t learn to respect him more now, she’d only harm their teamwork and therefore endangered Paris in the long run.
Yes, Chat Noir was in the right. She’d understand that, eventually.
This occupied with his own righteousness, he didn’t notice his ring beginning to pulse in a green glow, reacting towards its wielder’s deeds. Fused with his chosen, a Kwami could not consciously act on their own. But every one of them could feel if their power was abused, it changed their aura in the fabric of reality itself. The change might not be noticeable to humans, but fellow Kwamis would feel it instantly, just like they had felt it with the very first akuma.
Four thousand meters away, a little green creature snapped out of his slumber and flew to his master, warning him of the danger it sensed. The guardian’s eyes closed in resignation as he stood up, ready to do what was necessary.
They had lost Nooroo.
They could not afford to lose Plagg.
-
Ladybug in the meantime was despairing. Juleka had jumped out of hiding to help her girlfriend, who was forced to whimper about being a burden to everyone as Sentiquill dragged her innermost fears to light. If Ladybug tried to save Rose, she’d make herself vulnerable for an attack and Sentiquill had the chance to go after Juleka instead. So she had to make the unfair, horrible choice and intercepted Juleka, stopping her before she could get too close.
“Stay hidden!”, she tried to calm her, “I’ll take care of everything!”
“Rose! ROSE!”, Juleka yelled, not listening. With a groan Ladybug lifted the struggling girl up and ran towards the next classroom in which she found Nathaniel and Mylène, standing protectively over Alya’s and Bustier’s unconscious bodies.
“Take care of her!”, she ordered as she pushed Juleka inside. “Don’t let her out and stay hidden! Do you understand?”
“Yes, Ma’am!”, Nathaniel hurried to assure her. According to his intimidated face, she was sounding harsher than expected. She nodded and closed the door again, turning back to the yard. There was no time to think of a plan, however, because Sentiquill’s ink was already all around her before she could fully face him. At the very last moment she managed to jump up the wall and somersault into safety, milliseconds before the black torrents crashed down on the place she had been a moment ago. She had no time to get to her bearings, Sentiquill’s blade coming at her from left and right.
“Chat!”, she screamed for her partner, desperately trying to avoid getting hit. Rose was laying on the ground a few meters away, drained and crying. How could Chat Noir abandon her like this?! “Stop this nonsense and help me!”
The other hero only crossed his arms and pouted.
“I’m not sure if you really mean that. What’s the magic word?”
She was on the brink of tears when Sentiquill started to laugh at her.
“Looks like Marinette isn’t the only one with friends who won’t stand up for her.”, he said almost pitifully as he brought his blade down on her. “You truly have a prick of a partner, Ladybug. My sincere condolences.”
She ducked to escape the blow, only to be kicked in the chest when she came up again. The impact sent her crashing into a wall again, and she had to cough a few times before being able to breathe again. If it hadn’t been for her magically strengthened suit, she would’ve had a few broken ribs.
To her surprise, Sentiquill allowed her a few seconds of calm to turn towards her par- Chat Noir. In a single, fluid motion he thrusted the Quill in his direction, creating a blizzard of ink headed straight for the treacherous cat. He barely had the time to take out one of his batons, which was promptly knocked out of his hand. The metallic clang told Ladybug it landed somewhere on the upper walkway, out of her sight. Chat Noir screamed when the ink hit him and knocked him straight into the nearest chimney. Cursing, he got up and searched for cover as Sentiquill’s attention shifted back to Ladybug.
“See this as my thanks for exposing Lila earlier.”, he stated matter-of-fact and pointed his sword at her. “Now give me your Miraculous!”
Ladybug inhaled and stood up straight.
This was going to be a long day.
-
Sentiquill was vicious. She was still shaken from being thrown into a wall - again! - and without Chat at her side she was quickly loosing ground. Her supposed partner had started to watch from the sidelines again, continuing to ask- no, demand that she apologized and begged for his help. As if she was some kind of stubborn, disobedient pet.
She was all but sobbing in frustration when Sentiquill cornered her at a wall, with no chance of cover.
“Come on, My Lady!”, Chat patronized her like a parent would a toddler. “You’ll only end up hurt if you keep this up. Just say it already!”
She’d never regarded Chat Noir as anything other than a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. Right now, however, the feeling that burnt in her lungs was dangerously close to hate.
“Please!”, she swallowed down her pride and fought back tears. “I’m sorry for rejecting you! Please help me!”
Sentiquill towered over her, his gleaming blade at her throat. He could hear their conversation, but he couldn’t see from which direction Chat Noir could attack without taking his eyes off of Ladybug - who would use every chance to escape. Behind him on the roof, Chat Noir got up and stretched.
“As you wish, My Lady!”, he beamed smugly and raised his hand. “Cataclysm!”
Sentiquill smiled, just when Chat jumped down on them. Only now she realized he hadn’t been looking at her. The Akuma had watched Chat’s reflection in his blade.
It was too late to warn him. Chat - rash as always - was already descending, his sparking claws aimed at their opponents back. In the last second, Sentiquill moved aside, just when the cataclysmic hand came down on them, not able to stop or avert its course - which now aimed for Ladybug on the floor. He was going to hit her.
She was going to be cataclysmed.
She was going to die, at Chat Noir’s hands.
She didn’t, of course. But it was close. Chat Noir, eyes wide with terror, had pulled his hand aside just when Ladybug had flinched in fear, missing her head by a hairs breadth. Instead, he touched the ground beneath them.
Ladybug recovered first from the shock, rolling aside and throwing her yo-yo around a chimney to pull her to safety. Chat Noir wasn’t as quick. He was still frozen in place when the ground and part of the wall behind them began to crumble, before breaking through completely. He screamed when he fell into the cellar, and then again when he was hit by debris.
“My jaw!”, she heard out of the newly created hole. Carefully, she inched her way foreword. The ground seemed stable enough now - Chat less so. He was back down on the bottom of the whole, trapped by the bricks and concrete debris that covered him. One piece had hit him right into the face, effectively breaking his jaw.
He was yelling and wailing, unable to move beneath all this debris. If it hadn’t been for his suit, he would be dead now, no doubt about it. His ring gave a weak blink and made peeping sounds. Time was running out!
“Take his Miraculous!”, she could hear Hawkmoth’s voice and turned around to see Sentiquill standing over the hole as well, a violet butterfly outline in front of his face. He shrugged.
“That one’s out of commission, he’s not going anywhere. Let him suffer a bit.”
His blood red eyes fixated her.
“For now, I’ll take care of the bug first.”
She had no chance. He was faster than her, and her yo-yo was a limited defense against a sword. Without any hope of back up she was as good as defeated. Still. When he finally hit her with his nib, she was surprised anyway - for a second, at least. Then, her mind and body went numb.
”Gotcha!”, Sentiquill mocked her with her own catchphrase. “Now, show us how perfect Paris’ hero truly is!”
The sensation was... terrifying. Control of her body was stolen from her as his power rummaged through her mind, finding all her dark, hidden places and tearing them out of her.
“I... I am scared... that I’m alone.”, she pressed out between clenched teeth, trying to fight his spell.
In vain.
“That I have to carry all this responsibility alone a-and mess up. I’ll disappoint everyone.”
She closed her eyes as darkness rose around her, feeding into Sentiquill’s weapon. He scoffed, before giving her a malicious smirk.
“Oh, but you already have.”, his painfully familiar voice dictated. The words seeped into her mind, trying to take root. She couldn’t let that happen, she knew it was a trick. The people he drained sank into a despair of his making, it was just Hawkmoth’s magic!
“You currently are, and you won’t stop being a single great disappointment.”, he finished, breaking through her mental defenses. She flinched, realizing he was right. She... had lost. She had been abandoned by her partner, her best friend was fighting her and she was... too weak to save him. Useless.
”You had your fun, Sentiquill.”, Hawkmoth’s voice commented. “Now take her miraculous.”
His champion nodded, but didn’t seem as if he had quite enough yet.
”Anything else you want to fail at?”, he asked her gleefully. “Keeping your identity secret, for example?” He laughed when she lowered her head.
“Come on, tell us who you really are, beneath all that false glamor!”
“I’m...”, her voice began, part of her still trying to resist. “I-I am... Ma-“
A loud clang startled her and Sentiquill’s sword was knocked out of his hand by a flash of silver. He jumped back in surprise and looked at the object that had hit him: a silver staff, clearly belonging to a certain Cat. But Chat was buried beneath tons of debris! Who had...?
She looked around and her eyes, blurry with unshed tears, focused on a splotch of yellow on the metal walkway. Was that... Chloé?
“Hey, Leanne!”, the reckless girl yelled and flung her hair over her shoulder. “Stop being such an obnoxious bastard and get away from the Lady!”
She grinned, propping her chin up on one hand and giving him her most judgmental glare.
“You’re acting utterly ridiculous.”
An angry snarl came from Sentiquill as he picked up his sword and jumped up to the walkway, cornering her. Chloé didn’t even look at him, instead leaned over the handrail to wave at her in excitement.
“Hey, Ladybug”, she greeted without a care in the world. “It’s me, Chloé! Did you see that throw?! Just miraculous, wasn’t it?”
Sentiquill towered behind her like an angry bull, but she only spared him an annoyed glance.
“Oh shoo, get away from me with that ugly hat! Who designed your outfit?! It looks like a toddler made it!”
The violet outline returned to his face.
“Stab her, now!”, Hawkmoth shrieked, having temporarily forgotten about Ladybug. Not that it was of much use to her. She was beaten and on the ground. There was no way she’d get up now. She was a failure, a lost cause.
And so she could only watch as Sentiquill raised his sword and hit Chloé with the nib of the hilt.
“If that isn’t a whole lot of dark thoughts you have. Care to share them, Bourgeois?”
Chloé contorted her face in pain, but didn’t flinch when the inky swirls rose around her.
“I don’t know how to act around the others, after all that I’ve done.”, she admitted openly, with no sign of being forced to. “I don’t want to disappoint Ladybug, and I certainly don’t want to become like my mom. But i can’t apologize either, I don’t know how. And I hate feeling vulnerable like that; to be at the mercy of other’s judgement.”
Sentiquill scoffed, ready to fill her with his poisonous words as he had with Ladybug.
“It’s in vain, Chloé, and you know it. You already are just as horrible and worthless as your mother, and Ladybug is fully aware of that. That’s why she took away your Miraculous for good.”
Ladybug knows what came next; she was experiencing it herself, after all. The doubt, the pain, the horrible knowledge to be useless.
But Chloé surprised her. Instead of crumbling under his scorching glare, she looked him straight in the eye, chin up and back straightened.
“I don’t believe you.”, she declared confidently. “I know my worth. You’ve all already seen me at my worst, and I’ve dealt with Hawkmoth and Mayura at the same day. Your ridiculous power doesn’t impress me, Felix.”
Sentiquill let go of her, visibly taken aback. It took him a moment before he could collect himself.
“Pah.”, he played her resistance off. “Your confidence is admirable, for someone this...”
He trailed off. His gaze had wandered behind Chloé and downwards, where Marinette’s earlier ink prison stood. Ladybug gulped. Now that he was on the walkway, in an elevated position, he could look right inside the cylindrical cell.
“Empty...”, he whispered, his hands clenching to fists. Then he pounced, landing right on the walls to check every angle. “Empty! Where is she? Where is Marinette?!”
He looked around, eyes rabid with fury, searching for the rest of the class.
“Who of you took her?! TELL ME!”
Ladybug flinched as she watched him slice the prison into shards of dried ink, his angry roar echoing off the walls of the yard.
“Don’t get distracted!”, Hawkmoth tried to command. “Give me Ladybug’s Miraculous, now!”
“Shut up! Where is Marinette?!”, Sentiquill yelled back, his sword hacking at bare stones now. He caught sight of Nino, hidden beneath the stairs, who was filming everything with his phone. He growled and stomped towards him, but before he could even take two steps, a flash of purple covered his hand and he screamed in pain. What had happened? Was Hawkmoth punishing him?
She didn’t have time to ponder. In the meantime, Chloé had managed to run down the stairs and shout orders at the rest of the class, before dashing over to Ladybug. The fallen heroine groaned in pain when she was picked up and pulled to the side of the yard.
“Come on, Ladybug!”, Chloé muttered, panting under the weight of her idol. “You gotta kick his ass! Get up already!”
Ladybug closed her eyes, resigned.
“I can’t.”, she whispered. “I’m sorry! I’ve disappointed you. I... can’t.”
Chloé pouted, hands on her hips.
“Don’t be ridiculous! Of course you can!”
She shook her head. Useless, worthless, abandoned.
“Okay, I’ll definitely feel bad about this later.”, Chloé sighed. Then she slapped her - hard!
“Ow!”, she yelled and sat up straight. “What the-“
”Stop the nonsense right there, Ladybug! Look at me, I’m still on my feet as well. If I can fight him, you can do it too!”
”But...”, she protested, still halfway under the spell. “I failed! I’m alone and... I failed.”
Exasperated, Chloé rolled her eyes.
“You haven’t failed yet, and you’re not alone. Look!”
She gestured at the yard, where her classmates had come out of hiding. Some were armed with brooms or mops, Markov flew around clutching a wrench twice his size while Max was carrying an unconscious Rose to safety. Kim had Alix on his shoulders, who held a spray can in each hand and looked ready to bite her way through to Sentiquill. Next to them was Nino, rotating his headphones like a lasso - or like her yo-yo! And was that a knife in Sabrina’s hand?! Where had that come from?!
Chloé flipped back her ponytail, obviously proud.
“We’re all with you. Now get up or my knees will get dusty.”
Ladybug smiled as the last bit of darkness faded from her. It felt like breathing after being underwater for too long.
“We can’t have that, now, can we?”, she chuckled and stood up. “Thanks, Chloé. You did great!”
The blonde blushed and swatted her hand through the air.
“A-alright, alright, I know I’m awesome. Do your thing!”
She didn’t have to ask twice. Now that she was free of Sentiquill’s influence, he would get his ass handed to him on a silver platter!
“Lucky Charm!”, Ladybug yelled and threw her yo-yo, only to catch a long, rectangular box.
“Aluminum foil?”, she wondered when she opened it. How would that help her?
She looked around. Her eyes fell on Ivan and Kim, on Alix’ skaters, then on a table next to the hole Chat Noirs cataclysm had caused. It was missing two legs thanks to the crumbled wall, but maybe...? She looked to the other side, then to Chloé in front of her.
Handrail. Nino’s phone case. Sunlight. Sabrina on the walkway. Quill. Chloé’s sunglasses. Aluminum foil!
“Yes!”, she cheered, then pulled Chloé closer. “I need your help! And your sunglasses!”
The blonde all but sparked with excitement.
“Aye, Aye, Ladybug!”
-
“Sentiquill!”, Ladybug called her opponent, who had only recently recovered from Hawkmoth’s punishment. Since then, he’d been busy defending himself from all kinds of objects that were hurled at him from a safe distance. Whenever he tried to attack one of the students, the others would step in with even more things to throw. They were no match for his sword, of course - it simply sliced through the stones and metals with ease - but it had slowed him down, irritated him. Now however, her preparations were complete. It was time to bring Sentiquill down and get her Felix back!
“Time to end this!”
“Finally something we can agree on!”, he snapped back, quill at the ready. She smiled grimly and put on the sunglasses, then went in for the attack. She was lighter on her feet, this time, her steps elevated by the knowledge her friends had her back. She dove underneath the first blow and jabbed at his face, but he dodged and jumped back a little. They danced around each other in a dangerous game of a fight, a competition to see who would show weakness first. He didn’t notice she was maneuvering him closer and closer to the stairway.
“Now!”, she gave the signal when she had him where she wanted. Sabrina nodded and raised her hand, Nino’s phone case in her hand. It was wrapped in Aluminum foil and reflected the sun like a mirror, blinding the fighters below. Well, one of them, at least. Chloé’s sunglasses allowed Ladybug to get the upper hand and she dealt a rapid series of blows and kicks to his torso. Enraged, Sentiquill blindly slashed in the direction of Sabrina, shooting ink at her. A grave mistake! Chloé pulled her friend out of the way in time, and now Sentiquill had left his sword hand wide open. With all her weight Ladybug threw herself against him and hurled him forwards, until his sword slipped between two bars of the stair’s handrail.
“What the-“, Sentiquill begun but never finished. He had caught sight of his impeding doom in form of three students and a table with roller blades.
“Here I come!”, Alix announced from on top of the table, which had its two remaining front legs tugged in her skates. Behind her, Ivan and Kim high-fived before giving the improvised battering ram a strong shove. It scooted down the stairs towards the exposed broadside of the Akuma’s quill.
“Razzle Dazzle!”, Alix cheered when the table crashed into the metal, shattering it in two.
Sentiquill sank to the ground as his power was drained from him and the corrupted butterfly broke free of his quill’s shards. Triumphant, Ladybug opened her yo-yo.
“Enough evil doing for you today, little Akuma. Time to de-evilize!”
She spun around herself to gather momentum, then threw her yo-yo and let it snap shut around the troublesome akuma.
“Gotcha! Bye bye little butterfly.”
Relieved, she released the purified butterfly into the sky, then she held her hand out towards Nino. Sabrina had returned his phone to him, and now he happily removed the Aluminum wrap from its case.
“That was a close one, dudette!”
She sighed and weighed the balled foil in her hand.
“It really was. Miraculous Ladybug!”
Pink and red lights flashed over the sky, then swirled around the school. Broken doors and windows repaired themselves, ink stains vanished from the walls. The hole in the ground was closed by the Cure as well, just like the adjacent wall. The door towards the other classroom opened and Nathaniel and Mylène came out, followed by a cured Alya and their teacher. Juleka flung her arms around Rose’s neck, who nearly cried into her black shirt. Everyone was unharmed again. Well... almost everyone.
Ladybug stepped next to Sentiquill the moment the purple smoke around him faded, turning him back into Felix.
“What... What happened?”, he asked confused, holding his head. His eyes widened and he jumped to his feet. “Where’s Marinette?!”
“Don’t worry.”, she calmed him, hiding her euphoria at having him back behind a soothing smile. “She’s alright. How are you feeling?”
He blinked, looking at the repaired pen in his hand.
“I’m... fine, I think. Why does Sabrina have a knife?”
Ladybug’s smile turned forced.
“I‘m afraid to ask, if I’m being honest.”
-
A floor further down, Adrien beat the dust out of his clothes and rubbed his freshly healed jaw. Miraculous Ladybug had closed the gaping hole above his head only seconds before his transformation ran out, keeping his identity a secret once again. That aside, this akuma attack had been a single disaster.
“I can’t believe it”, he muttered. “She just left me lying down here! I was hurt and bleeding, and Ladybug doesn’t even come to look after me.”
He groaned.
“This day is a catastrophe! I almost had her admitting she needs me, and then everything went south! That stunt with my Cataclysm? Lord, that was so embarrassing! A rookie mistake; I was looking like an idiot. Do you think she’s still mad at me, Plagg?”
Only silence answered him and he turned to search for his Kwami.
“Plagg?”
The tiny creature floated motionless in front of him, eyes hard as granit and his face absolutely expressionless. Adrien shrank under his burning gaze.
“Look, I know I should have intervened earlier.”, he tried to appease him. Plagg’s expression was creeping him out. “But I already got my punishment, didn’t I? Ladybug exposed Lila, and now school is going to be so much drama. Lesson learned.”
His Kwami was still silent. Slowly Adrien started to get nervous. Sweat was forming on his forehead and he was going for a shifting of blame before he fully realized it.
“It’s not like it was all my fault, you know?”, he desperately tried to fill the quietness. “If Ladybug hadn’t slapped me the last time, we wouldn’t have gotten into this mess!”
His words sounded eerily close to what he’d said about Marinette earlier, he noticed.
“I just wanted her to learn how to treat her partner better! I’ll be nicer next time.”
“There won’t be a next time.”, a commanding voice behind him declared. “And you are in no position to teach Ladybug a single thing.”
Adrien whirled around, raising his hand.
“Claws out!”, he yelled before remembering Plagg hadn’t eaten yet. There would be no transformation any time soon. Realizing his defenselessness, he swallowed and looked at the figure that had ambushed him. As if on cue, it stepped out of the shadows, revealing...
“Master Fu?”
Adrien almost fainted in relieve.
“Oh god, you gave me the scare of my life! What’s the matter? Any new potions to deliver?”
The guardian didn’t blink. Instead he raised his hand, expectantly.
“You have forsaken your partner. You have willfully sacrificed a civilian in order to punish Ladybug. You have abused your powers by choosing inaction for the sake of revenge.”
Adrien gulped when Fu came closer.
“I cannot risk Ladybugs safety anymore. Give me your Miraculous, boy.”
“What?!”, he spluttered, covering the ring with his other hand. “No! You don’t even know the whole story, it was nothing like that!”
Fu’s eyes narrowed.
“I won’t ask again.”
“But I am Chat Noir! Ladybug and I are meant to be together- to be a team! You can’t take that from us!”
He searched for his Kwami, desperate.
“Tell him, Plagg! I was just helping Ladybug grow to be the bigger person! It’s not like there’s any permanent damage anyway.”
The cat Kwami closed his eyes and breathed out. When he opened them again, there was no compassion in them.
“I’m sorry, Kiddo.”
Adrien had no time to react. Fu’s cane had jabbed at him out of nothing, swatting his hand into the air. His ring slipped of his finger and was caught on the wooden staff, just when Plagg began to blur and merge with it again.
Adrien stumbled back in shock, before fury took control of him. How dare he?!
“No!”
With a battle cry he went after Fu, fists clenched and ready to get his ring back by any means necessary.
He was taller than Fu, younger and quicker. The senile guardian wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
“Shelter!”, a voice to his right exclaimed and a green, solid barrier slammed into his side. Adrien yelped when he was thrown against a pipe and fell to the ground, breath knocked out of his lungs. He panted for air and looked up.
A tiny green creature floated next to Fu, hands raised to summon what he knew as Carapace’s superpower. Wayzz, the turtle Kwami, Plagg had mentioned once.
Adrien’s eyes widened. He might’ve had a chance to win against Fu, but a Kwami was another topic. Without his Miraculous, he stood no chance.
“Please!”, he resorted to begging, tears welling up in his eyes. “I need it! There’s nothing I can do as Adrien, I’ll be trapped at home forever! What will Ladybug be without me?”
Fu turned his back on him without hesitation, walking towards the stairs.
“Better off, I hope.”, he retorted coldly. “I regret your situation, but I can’t afford to waste Plagg’s powers on someone out of pity.”
He stopped.
“Adrien Agreste, you were granted the Miraculous of Destruction, a great honor. But you abused this privilege for selfish gains and tormented the one you were meant to protect. You will never again be worthy of its powers.”
He sighed when Adrien let out a helpless sob.
“I hope you can grow beyond what you are now, I really do. But until then... Farewell.”
With that, he disappeared into the shadows of the cellar, leaving Adrien behind.