Miraculous: Service No Longer Required


Credits: Service No Longer Required

Written by: ScriptMaster77

Miraculous created by Thomas Astruc

All rights go to Zag Entertainment


"The cat does not offer services. The cat offers itself. Of course he wants care and shelter. You don't buy love for nothing. Like all pure creatures, cats are practical."- William S. Burroughs


Adrien Agreste paces up and down the grand entrance of Agreste Mansion. He seems unusually agitated.

Nathalie Sancouer enters the hallway, a cold and indifferent look on her face.

Adrien turns to her in anticipation.

Adrien: Where is he Nathalie?

She adjusts her glasses.

Nathalie: Your father's attending to some very important business right now.

Adrien is unimpressed.

Adrien: He knows what today is. Why does he have to take care of it now? Why can't he be here?

Nathalie furrows her brow.

Nathalie: He hasn't forgotten Adrien. This is hard for him too. Don't think that he doesn't care.

Hawkmoth sulks in his lair, ready to strike.

Nathalie: He cares more than you'll ever know.

Adrien sighs.

Adrien: I know Nathalie… I'm sorry. It's just… I miss her. I feel like, now that she's gone, he's become distant. It's as if he can't bear to be around me because I remind him of her.

Nathalie gives him a slight smile.

Nathalie: We all miss her Adrien. Give it time… Things will change.

Nathalie walks away, leaving Adrien alone.


Adrien now sits at the piano in his room, concentrating on the melody in front of him.

He becomes frustrated and stops.

Adrien: Damn!

Plagg hovers over and inquisitively looks at him.

Plagg: Hey, why'd you stop? You sounded good.

Adrien lowers his head.

Adrien: I messed up that movement. It's father's favourite piece…

Adrien turns to Plagg and smiles.

Adrien: He'd think I was butchering it the way I was playing.

Plagg tilts his head.

Plagg: Well it sounded alright to me.

Adrien: Mom would think so. She'd always tell me how she was always proud of me. Father, on the other hand? He can never say that he's proud of me. He'll always find some flaw and correct me on it. He can't accept it if I'm not perfect.

Adrien looks at his ring.

Adrien: Sometimes I wonder if I should tell him that I'm Chat Noir. If he knew if I was saving Paris, maybe he'd actually give me recognition for once. Then again, he'd probably be disappointed that everyone considers me second to Ladybug.

Plagg: Is that a bad thing?

Adrien rises in protest.

Adrien: Of course not!

He sits back down and thinks about the times they've fought together and patrolled the city.

Adrien: She's incredible. There's no one I'd rather follow than her.

He then thinks about the times she's rejected him.

Adrien: But sometimes I can't help but feel that she's deliberately pushing me away. She refuses to acknowledge how I feel.

He then thinks about Master Fu, surrounded by Rena Rouge, Carapace, Queen Bee and Bunnix.

Adrien: What's more is that she won't trust me with things. All this stuff with the Guardian and the other Miraculous users? She knows who they all are and knew this great big secret about the Miracle Box whilst I was kept in the dark. I still don't know anything. Even then, Master Fu hasn't let in on what's really going on. Does he not trust me either?

Plagg: You know two out of four of the additional holders. I'd say that counts for something.

Adrien: Fair enough. I know we'll need the help and I'm grateful for that but it still feels like I'm no longer good enough to handle things alongside her by myself. But who's to say that, when more heroes come along, that she won't go to them instead of me? Will I even have a place in all of this?

Plagg gives Adrien a look of incredulity.

Plagg: You're being overly melodramatic kid.

He becomes slightly more relieved.

Adrien: Yeah… You're right. I'm just venting. This morning's just been stressful. That's all.

Plagg rubs his stomach.

Plagg: Yeah. How about we grab lunch, it's nearly two in the afternoon. I'm starving for some Camembert!

Adrien jumps up out of his seat in shock.

Adrien: Oh no! I completely forgot! I promised Ladybug we'd meet up for patrol at noon! I'm so late!

Plagg scoffs.

Plagg: So what? You've lost track of time and are behind schedule. It's only been a couple of hours. What's the worst that could've happened?


In the streets of Paris, a large Akuma in the form of a Minotaur is terrorising the streets.

Carapace uses his power to shelter civilians from the villain's rampage.

SLAM!

Carapace: Ugh! I can't hold it any longer!

Chat Noir leaps up and smacks the Akuma with his baton, knocking him back.

The villain recovers and stares down Chat Noir.

He waves a red cape in front of him.

Chat Noir: Toro! Toro!

The enraged Akuma prepares to charge.

Chat Noir sticks his tongue out and blows a raspberry, angering the villain further.

The Akuma rushes Chat Noir but trips on a thin wire resting at his feet.

He turns to see Ladybug holding her Yo-Yo.

Ladybug: Queen Bee! Now!

Queen Bee leaps from the villain's other side, calling on her special power.

Queen Bee: Venom!

The stinger pierce's the Akuma's skin, paralysing him.

Ladybug breaks the ring off of the Minotaur's nose, releasing a black butterfly and the victim from Hawkmoth's control.

Ladybug: Time to de-evilise!

She catches the butterfly in her Yo-Yo and releases a pure, white creature from within.

She waves it goodbye as it flies into the sky.

Ladybug: Bye bye little butterfly.

Ladybug takes the red cape from Chat Noir, throwing it into the air.

Ladybug: Miraculous Ladybug!

Millions of magical ladybugs swarm around the city. The damage is repaired and peace is restored.


The four heroes leap to a nearby rooftop where Rena Rouge is already waiting for them.

Ladybug looks at her teammates.

Ladybug: Good work guys.

Suddenly a hand pushes itself through Chat Noir's chest. The illusion disappears into a puff of smoke.

The real Chat Noir, Adrien, is revealed once it clears.

Chat Noir: A copycat, huh? I could barely tell the difference.

Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee look at him with anger and contempt whilst Ladybug just seems disappointed.

Rena Rouge: You've got some nerve showing up now!

Carapace: Seriously dude, where were you?!

Queen Bee: Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!

Adrien is taken aback.

Adrien: Now, I know you're all mad but-

Ladybug interrupts him, shaking her head.

Ladybug: What happened Chat? I called you so many times but you never answered! I was worried that something had happened! We were lucky that we could take care of it without you.

Adrien rubs the back of his neck in shame.

Adrien: I know. I'm sorry. It won't happen again.

Rena scowls at him whilst Carapace folds his arms.

Rena: Well? Why were you so late in the first place?

Adrien hesitates.

Adrien: I- I can't say.

She groans in frustration. Carapace puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Queen Bee rolls her eyes while Ladybug pinches the bridge of her nose through her mask.

Queen Bee: Seriously!?

Adrien becomes increasingly irritated.

Adrien: Look, if I could tell you I would but it's private.

Ladybug furrows her brow in frustration.

Ladybug: Chat Noir, we were chosen to protect Paris from Hawkmoth. We have a duty to the people and because of you we almost let them down.

Adrien begins to fret.

Adrien: L-look… Can't we just forget about this M'Lady? Just for today? I-

He is interrupted by the sounds of the Fox, Turtle and Bee Miraculouses.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

Rena looks at Ladybug with concern.

Rena: Ladybug, we don't have time for this! We're going to de-transform soon!

Ladybug nods at her with approval.

Ladybug: Go. I'll catch up with you guys later.

The three honorary heroes leap away, leaving Adrien and Ladybug on the rooftop alone.


Adrien attempts to walk away but is stopped by Ladybug.

Adrien: I don't want to keep you waiting. Take a rain check on this M'Lady? I've got some things I need to take care of myself.

Ladybug: If you think you're leaving without giving me a proper explanation you've got another thing coming. Why were you late?

Adrien turns around and faces her.

Adrien: Why the sudden interest? I thought you wanted to keep our secret identities separate?

Ladybug folds her arms into a disapproving stance.

Ladybug: I need to know if it's going to be a problem. I can't have you losing focus like this and-

Adrien grits his teeth.

Adrien: And what? Mess up like usual!? I'm glad that you have enough faith in me and my abilities. Don't you trust me at all?

She glares at him.

Ladybug: How can I when you're actively trying to hide something from me!?

Adrien furrows his brow.

Adrien: So, you can have your secrets but I can't have mine? Is that it?

Ladybug pauses.

Ladybug: What are you talking about?

Adrien: Every time I've asked about you, the real you behind the mask. You tell me no. Why is that?

Ladybug: I told you already. It's too dangerous! We can't know anything that could give away our secret identities away!

Adrien folds his arms.

Adrien: But now, you expect me to do the same for you? How is that fair?

She scoffs at him.

Ladybug: I've tried to be as honest as I can, you know that.

Adrien: You and I both know that's not true.

Ladybug: And how's that?

Adrien starts counting on his hand, becoming increasingly irritated as he does.

Adrien: You wouldn't tell me about Master Fu for starters, you actively try hiding things from me, that time you kissed me during Dark Cupid comes to mind, and the biggest one of all is the fact that you know who Rena Rouge and Carapace are and I'm not allowed to! I bet if Chloe didn't steal the Bee Miraculous and you chose someone else, you would've kept that from me too! How is it that you won't trust me with your secret identity but I'm supposed to trust you with all of theirs!?

Ladybug shakes her head, refusing to take him seriously.

Ladybug: What's the point to all this Chat?

Adrien explodes with anger.

Adrien: I'm tired of the double standards between you and me! I thought we're supposed to be a team?

Ladybug is taken aback.

Ladybug: Chat, you're my partner. I value you so much. You know that… Right?

Adrien: Hardly. Partners are supposed to be equals yet you refuse to treat me like one! I'm sick of it!

Now Ladybug becomes angry.

Ladybug: Well I'm becoming sick of your attitude you stupid cat! It's always the same with you! Whenever I don't give you an ounce of the attention you want you flip out into these funks that nearly mess everything up! Stop being so immature and for once think about something other than yourself!

Chat Noir is speechless. He thinks back to his mother and what day it is. He looks as if a great pain has overcome him.

He soon regains composure as Ladybug feels a small pang of regret spread across her face. She reaches out to him but he backs away.

Ladybug: Chat, I-

Adrien: No. It's alright. You said what you wanted to say. That's fine. I'm sorry if I'm such an inconvenience to you Ladybug…

He turns around and begins to walks away.

Adrien: I can't do this anymore. I think it's best that you have a partner you actually respect.

Ladybug looks at him in confusion.

Ladybug: W- what? What are you doing?

Adrien: What I should have done a long time ago…

Adrien turns his head and looks at Ladybug from over his shoulder.

Adrien: I quit.

Ladybug's eyes widen in shock.

Adrien jumps from the rooftop, leaving Ladybug.

End.


Back when I watched Miraculous Season 2, I noticed plot threads that involved Chat Noir's insecurities in his relationship with Ladybug. Particularly that he felt that she did better without him and that she would inevitably replace him with another Miraculous hero. Syren proved to be the most interesting for me as Adrien was willing to walk away from all of it because he felt undervalued. Too bad it seems to have been dropped for now.

There are not too many stories of Adrien quitting as a superhero, even though it could be a good concept in theory, so I thought I'd try my hand in it. Feedback for my work would mean a lot so let me know what you thought of this and please leave a review.

ScriptMaster77