Author's Note:

WARNING - This does not end well... for anyone.

We must all remember to be careful with the narratives we tell ourselves. It seems way too easy to believe the bad thoughts than the good thoughts. This might be an extreme example, but certainly not an impossible one.

Please remember that just because something bad happens that it's rarely your fault. Life sucks sometimes and people get hurt. Children are especially good at figuring out how something bad happening is their fault. We need to keep in mind that positive feedback is needed in these scenarios. We need to reassure the children that none of it is their fault.

For this story, keep in mind that Adrien is only 14 (per canon) and is dealing with a mother who disappeared (with no explanation as to why) and a father who's distant (certainly not affirming to Adrien that his mother's disappearance isn't his fault) and a crush that is continually rebuffed. He's certainly old enough to be able to reason with himself, but still young enough to not have the experience needed to understand he's not at fault. Given the circumstances in this story, it will be clear that Adrien has a break with reality at some point. Couple that with the power of destruction and nothing good can come of it.

I do not own any of the characters.


Adrien opened his eyes that morning. It was the one morning he dreaded most. The morning that marked the one year anniversary of his mother's disappearance. Tears began to flow.

"Are you alright, kid?" Concern was etched onto Plagg's face. It was an unnatural sight for Adrien to witness.

However, instead of comfort, Adrien felt something dark stirring within himself. "I don't need your pity... not today." Adrien felt the slightest twinge of guilt mixed with surprise at the words that seemed to involuntarily fly out of his mouth.

Plagg knew Adrien was just mouthing off. He knew what day it was. He knew Adrien was hurting. He had been around humans long enough to know all too well how someone will lash out when hurt. He also knew better that to say anything else that even remotely seemed like caring words. "It's no skin off my nose. I just wanted to make sure I was going to get my camembert this morning."

Adrien's softened a little. It was the opposite of what he expected to happen. He expected Plagg to try to force the issue. He expected to get into a fight the first thing this morning. But, instead, Plagg just short-circuited it. But something inside him still wanted a fight... a part of him that needed to get all these mixed up emotions out. "You know where it is. You don't need my permission to get some." Adrien tried saying it as harshly as he could, hoping to coax Plagg into a fight.

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." With that, Plagg flew off and didn't turn back to look Adrien's direction with even a hint of sadness in his eyes until he was sure he was out of Adrien's line of sight. This was going to be a very, very bad day. If there was any good luck to be had, Adrien would be able to stay locked up in his room all day, away from the world. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be such a good Cat Noir if he didn't have as much bad luck as Plagg himself.

Plagg hid when he heard Nathalie enter the room. "Adrien, you have to get ready for school today. You have a photo shoot today at 16:00 and your Chinese Lesson at 19:00. Your father will not be joining you today."

"Naturally." Adrien filled that one word with as much disgust as he could. The one day he needed his father the most, it's overly obvious he'd disappear on him too. He'd been doing that for the past year now.

Nathalie left the room and Adrien sat up on his bed, facing the large wall of windows. His eyes widened as the first thought pierced his consciousness like his epee. He blames me.

That thought played over and over in his head until Adrien was certain it had to be true. It's the only thing that made sense. It's the only thing that explains the change in his father's attitude towards him. And the next logical extension to that thought then popped in his head. Mother left because of me.

Adrien got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. Those thoughts replaying over and over in his head. Over breakfast, the third thought started. What's wrong with me?

All three thoughts jogged around and around in his mind as he rode to school in the limo.


Adrien somehow managed to make it into the classroom without talking to anyone. He even managed to avoid Chloe's usual assault by glaring at her. Thankfully, she understood immediately. She nodded and turned her focus towards another unsuspecting victim. Adrien was hurting today and she was on a mission to make sure no one had a good day so that Adrien didn't have to deal with any cheerful people.

"G-good morning, A-Adrien"

Adrien looked up from his history book. "Guess again."

He saw the shock on Marinette's face... even perhaps a little hurt. The trio of thoughts in his head starting chanting louder at the sight of Marinette quickly taking her seat and trying to avoid direct eye contact with him. Another thought joined the chorus in his head. See? Even Marinette knows I'm not as nice as people think.

Over lunch, he could see the trio of friends huddled in a tight circle and occasionally glancing his way. They're talking about me. Why can't they just LEAVE ME ALONE? The thought shouted inside his head. What is it that they know about me that I don't?

The more he mentally yelled for them to stop, the more it seemed they looked at him. He was actually starting to sweat. He glanced around the room. It seemed like everyone was staring at him. Like they knew what he was... but somehow had been sworn to just act like he was normal instead of... whatever he was. He threw the remainder of his lunch in the trash as he exited the lunch room. He knew everyone was watching. He could feel the weight of their gazes. Every eye, every whisper, weighed him down. He felt like he was being crushed.

Something of a weight was lifted as he left the lunch room. But it wasn't much. Even the sun shining down through the courtyard seemed to be mocking him. Like it expected him to burst into flames at any minute. Like... he wasn't even human.

Adrien walked out of the school and down the steps. He found a dark alley. "Plagg! Claws Out!" He ran across the roof of the school, making sure Alya saw him. He ran faster and faster across roof after roof. His planned had worked. His baton dinged and he checked it. Sure enough, Alya had posted a sighting of Cat Noir followed by the question, Akuma at large?

All he knew was that he needed Ladybug. He needed his lady. If anyone could calm the voices in his head, it'd be her. If anyone could bring him back from the edge. She could do it... only she could.

He stopped at the top of a random roof to catch his breath, and to see if Ladybug would show up. With the sound of a zip and the patter of her feet landing on the roof, he turned around.

"Is there an akuma, Cat?"

"Not that I know of, My Lady. I just... I just needed to see you."

"Cat?" Ladybug sounded frustrated. "I have somewhere I'm supposed to be. I'm betting you do too."

"I do. Right here... with you, Bugaboo."

"Stop calling me Bugaboo! This was highly irresponsible. People are scared right now... because you just... wanted to hang out?"

"No... I..."

"What, Cat? You what? Just wanted to see if I would come? Just wanted to flirt some more? Just what?"

Ladybug was visibly upset. I've even made Ladybug mad at me. It must be me. It has to be. Ladybug was still staring him down, flailing her arms, and asking questions... none of which Cat Noir heard at the moment.

Then she said it. She said the one thing that cut him the deepest. "We're not a couple. We never will be. I've told you countless times that I like someone else. I can't just sneak off because you want to spend time with me."

Cat Noir turned and leapt away... leaving Ladybug shaking her head. He looked back just long enough to see her heading in the opposite direction. He turned and followed her from a distance. He was going to find out who she was and who she liked. He was going over what things he could do to eliminate the competition.

His eyes widened as he saw her drop into the alley by the school he had used. With a flash of pink, he knew she had detransformed into her civilian identity. He perched on a roof like a gargoyle and waited to see who would exit the alley. Who was this girl that had just ripped his heart in two... again.

He nearly fell off the roof when he saw Marinette exit the alley. Instead, he forced himself to fall backwards onto the roof. Tears began streaming down his face. Marinette is supposed to be my friend. She is supposed to care for me. She even said she loved me once. It was all a lie. She was just playing me. "Luka," he muttered out loud. He doubled over at the pain in his chest. They must've gotten a good laugh at my expense. I'm sure he even knows she's Ladybug even though she swears no one's allowed to know. I've been such a fool.

Cat Noir didn't return to school. Instead he made his way home. Almost there, he noticed an akuma heading for a target. I think I'll let Ladybug handle this one alone. Then he noticed it was coming for him. Cat Noir tried to out run it. He certainly didn't want to be Hawk Moth's puppet. Not again. He realized he couldn't head home. Hawk Moth could likely see what it saw.

He stopped and turned to face it. He knew it was going for his ring so he held his hand out with his palm up. As the akuma neared the ring, he whispered, "Cataclysm." It didn't have time to change course and was turned to dust. That felt good. That felt really good. It looks like there is more than one way to stop an akuma.

Cat Noir entered his room and detransformed. Plagg huffed at him. "That's not how you deal with an akuma. It's not the butterfly's fault it's being used for evil. You just destroyed a living creature."

"Eat up, Plagg. Be sure to get your fill... in case we have another one come for us."

Plagg's eyes bulged. He was now really, really worried about Adrien. The last time a Cat Noir had started using cataclysm on akumas, he turned evil and Ladybug had to defeat him and take his ring. However, he flew off as instructed. He knew that arguing with Adrien was useless. Why did he have to learn it today... of all days?

Adrien put on the radio. Imagine Dragons' Monster had just started playing. Adrien listened and studied the lyrics... internalizing them... connecting with them. That's it. That's why no one loves me. That's why mother left. That's why father knows it was my fault. They all know. They all know... I'm a monster.

Plagg was flew back into the room towards the end of the song. Stupid bad luck. He did not need to hear that song today of all days.

Adrien turned off the radio once he saw Plagg. Plagg cringed at the look in Adrien's eyes. He'd seen it before. He had hoped he wouldn't see it in Adrien's eyes. Adrien opened the canister of power ups. Holding up the purple cheese wedge, he looked at Plagg. "Infinite Cataclysms, right?"

"Yes... but please, don't. I know today's a bad day, but that..."

"Plagg! Power Up!" Adrien threw the cheese in the air before Plagg could finish.

Plagg twirled around and his eyes turned purple. "Plaggfinity!"

"Plaggfinity! Claws Out!"

Cat Noir looked in mirror. Everything was the same except for his eyes being purple. Well, that'll be noticeable. But first... we have to take out Ladybug's ability to call in reinforcements. If they already know I'm a monster, then I'm going to be the monster they always knew me to be. Cat Noir slammed his fist into the mirror, shattering it.


Wayzz flew up to Master Fu. "Master! I sense something terrible! I sense a negative aura has just taken over Plagg!"

"Oh No! We must act quick. He knows where we live!"

No sooner after those words left Master Fu's lips, they heard it. "Cataclysm!" The wall disintegrated in front of them. Master Fu's eyes widened as he looked at Cat Noir's purple eyes.

"An akuma?" Wayzz asked.

"Worse... infinite cataclysms," Master Fu was just able to respond before Cat Noir placed his hand on Master Fu's back and whispered his power again, turning Master Fu into coal.

Cat Noir took the bracelet off of Master Fu's now ashen wrist and Wayzz appeared before him. "Where's the Miraculous Box?" Wayzz pointed to the gramophone. "As I understand it, if I destroy your miraculous, it doesn't kill you. It just prevents you from materializing or interacting with our world, correct?" Wayzz nodded. "Cataclysm," Cat Noir whispered and touched the bracelet, turning it to ash and causing Wayzz to disappear.

Cat Noir walked over to the gramophone and called on his power again to get to the Miraculous Box. Each compartment opened and Cat Noir could see the empty spaces for the Ladybug, Cat, Moth, Peacock, and Turtle Miraculouses. One down. He cataclysmed each miraculous in turn. First the Fox Miraculous and then the Bee Miraculous to finish off the top of the box. He made his way around the other twelve miraculouses one by one. Finally, he destroyed the Miraculous Box itself. No one can help you now... Marinette.

Cat Noir found Marinette standing on her balcony... which seemed like the norm for whenever he'd seek comfort with her after being rejected by Ladybug. You must be so proud of yourself for fooling me. Reject me as Ladybug and then comfort me as Marinette. What a hypocrite. He landed softly behind her. She didn't notice as she was on the phone with Alya talking about how worried she was about Adrien after he left and didn't come back.

Cat Noir looked at his hand and mentally invoked a cataclysm. He smiled as he felt the ring power up. He had something special in mind for her. He grabbed both of her earrings and dropped them onto his ring at the same time, destroying both of them instantly. Marinette was so shocked by the sensation of her earrings being pulled off that she spun around and her phone went flying over the edge and burst upon impact with the ground.

"Cat Noir! What did you do?"

"I stopped you from transforming into Ladybug."

Marinette obviously noticed his purple eyes. "No Cat! Fight it. Fight Hawk Moth. He can't get our miraculouses!"

"Oh... I'm not akumatized... My Lady. The purple eyes are from the purple power up."

"Purple..." Marinette gasped. "Infinite Cataclysms?"

"That's right. And now... you're no longer Ladybug. No one is. No one can ever be again." He held out his hand showing Marinette the rusted and broken earrings.

Marinette's hand flew up to cover her mouth as she started crying uncontrollably. "Why?"

"I'm just being the monster you always knew I was." He grabbed her and leapt over the balcony before she could protest his statement. He took her over one roof and then another until they landed on a house boat. "And now... we're going to settle the score with the boy you like."

Marinette sunk to her knees in utter shock. She was obviously replaying her last conversation with Cat Noir over and over trying to figure out what made him think she thought he was a monster. She was pulled out of her thoughts by Luka's voice, "Cool eyes. Why the change?"

Marinette couldn't even get a word out before Cat Noir smiled at her and leaned over to Luka whispering in his ear with his ring hand on Luka's shoulder. "Cataclysm." Luka's eyes widened as he was consumed by Cat Noir's power.

Cat Noir blew on Luka's ashen body and he slowly blew away into the wind. Marinette yelled at him, "I might not have thought so before... but it's clear to me now. You are a MONSTER!"

Cat Noir bowed deeply and then grabbed Marinette again, taking her from one roof to another. He landed in front of the demolished remains of Master Fu's house. "Recognize it?"

Marinette broke down... falling to her knees. "No! Not Master Fu!"

"Sorry, Bugaboo... But no one can help you now. There are only three miraculouses left... mine, Hawk Moth's, and the Peacock. And after I'm finished with you, I'm going after the other two."

"Finished with me?"

"Just one more stop... Princess." Cat Noir grabbed her again and took her up to the Eiffel Tower, to the level where she first vowed to protect Paris. It wasn't long before the news showed up. "Smile for the camera, Marinette. I'm sure your parents are watching." Cat Noir pointed out Alya in the crowd recording the event on her cell phone for the Ladyblog. Marinette never took her gaze off of Alya. "People of Paris! Behold! Your Ladybug!" Cat Noir bowed towards her dramatically. "Or at least... she was."

Cat Noir stood behind her with both hands on her shoulders. "Here's your 15 seconds of fame," Cat Noir whispered into her ear. "I know how it feels to be so famous. I am the famous model Adrien Agreste after all." Marinette's eyes widened and a single tear had only made it halfway down her cheek when she heard him whisper, "Cataclysm." Screams were heard as Marinette turned to ash and the winds carried her away. As Marinette's head disappeared, Alya's eyes landed directly into Cat Noir's purple eyes. Cat Noir leapt away, leaving the crowd behind him in shock.

Cat Noir returned to the Agreste Mansion. Time to settle things with father. Then, to hunt down Hawk Moth. He snuck up to his father's office and overheard him yelling at Nathalie.

"If that girl really was Ladybug, then where are her earrings and why has Cat Noir gone rogue? I need those miraculouses!"

Two birds with one rock. Cat Noir walked calmly into the office.

Gabriel gasped. "I didn't akumatize you. Why are your eyes purple?"

"It's a power up. It gives me Infinite Cataclysms, Hawk Moth."

"I knew you had special formulas to boost your powers. I want to know what they are! But first... where are Ladybug's earrings if that girl really was Ladybug?"

"I destroyed them before I destroyed her."

"No! You fool! I could've fixed everything with her earrings and your ring! Why? Why did you destroy them?"

"To keep them from being used against me. I've destroyed all the other miraculouses also, except for yours and the Peacock Miraculous. I get a feeling you know where it is."

"I won't tell and you'll never get mine! Nooroo! Darkwings Rise!"

Hawk Moth lunged at Cat Noir and swung at him with his cane. Cat Noir grabbed the cane with both hands and winked at Hawk Moth... internally calling on his cataclysm and causing the cane crumble. Hawk Moth fell back in surprise. Cat Noir reached out and pulled his miraculous off, forcing him to detransform.

Cat Noir grinned at Gabriel. "Cataclysm!" Gabriel gasped watching the broach disintegrate and Nooroo disappear. "One to go."

"What happened to you? What caused you to turn evil like this? What..."

"You did... father."

Gabriel's eyes widened. "Adrien?"

"You want to hear a funny story?" Gabriel just blinked. "I was coming here to settle things with you before I went to find Hawk Moth." Gabriel's mouth opened and shut several times with no words coming out. "What a pleasant surprise it was to find out that I don't have to look for Hawk Moth any more. Thank you."

Cat Noir placed both hands on Gabriel's shoulders and he looked deeply into his father's eyes. "Say hello to mother for me. Cataclysm!" Nathalie screamed as Gabriel turned into coal. Cat Noir tuned around and glared. "I know you were just doing your job. But I have a feeling... you know where the Peacock Miraculous is. Tell me, and I won't kill you." Nathalie pointed to the large portrait of Adrien's mother. "Ah... the safe. Thank you Nathalie. You may go now."

Cat Noir destroyed the painting... and then the safe... and then the Peacock Miraculous. He also noticed the Miraculous Book and grinned. One cataclysm later and the book was a pile of ashes.


Cat Noir pondered what to do next. Killing his father hurt more than he thought it would... even after learning his father thought he was a monster and blamed him for his mother's disappearance. He considered cataclysming himself, but then thought the ring would survive and someone else would be able to become Cat Noir.

"Plagg! Claws In!"

"I've destroyed lots of things in my time, but kid, you take the cake... that was absolutely heartless."

"How do I destroy the ring?"

"Why would you want to do that? I mean we have a great thing going."

"Because, it's the last of the miraculouses and I don't want anyone else being able to use it. No more magic powers... for anyone."

"Can you twist your index finger over to your ring finger?"

Adrien practiced a few times and then nodded.

"Well, just let me get some camembert and then you can have one last cataclysm." Plagg flew off to go refuel and Adrien decided to turn on the radio again.

This time, Halsey's Control was beginning. Adrien listened intently. It's like the radio knows how to answer my questions today. Who is in control? Who is in... I am! I'm in control. I'm going to make sure no one can ever use any miraculouses ever again. I'm going to finish what I've started. But the song's right, they are going to come for me.

Adrien sat down and contemplated what he would do after destroying the ring. Monsters aren't meant to survive the story. They're supposed to be taken out by the heroes. But, there's no more heroes. There never will be any more heroes again. Everyone deserves to know it's over also. That they have nothing left to fear. That this monster has taken his last victim.

Plagg flew back in and smiled at Adrien. Adrein turned off the radio and asked, "Why are you so cheerful about all of this?"

"I'm the kwami of destruction. Remember?"

"Yeah. Plus I'm sure you're anxious to join the other kwamis instead of being the only one stuck here tied to a miraculous."

"That too..." Plagg nodded and smiled at Adrien.

"I'm certain everyone will be coming for me now. I need to end this. I need to be the one who decides how this ends."

"How are you going to do that?"

"Shock and awe... of course. Would we do it any other way?"

"That's the attitude, kid."

Adrien's eyes widened as the plan solidified in his mind. "I know exactly how to do it too. Plagg! Claws Out!"

Cat Noir, sporting his normal green eyes, headed to top of Maine-Montparnasse Tower. The one he had voluntarily jumped off when Ladybug asked Adrien to jump. How ironic. I trusted her so much. She should've just let me hit the ground last time. Then maybe she'd actually still be around to save the next Cat Noir. Then Cat Noir remembered it was also the location of their kiss. What a fool I was. The only way she'd ever love me was for her to have lost her memory and just assumed we were already a couple because she couldn't remember Luka.

He made sure the television crew was there and filming live. "It's over!" he yelled before jumping over the side far enough out to make sure he wouldn't stop until he hit the ground. "Cataclysm!" Cat Noir's ring powered up and he felt the energy in his hand. He reached over and twisted his index finger over and touched the miraculous... causing it to crumble and him to detransform.

Alya was on the ground filming and gasped in horror as Cat Noir changed into Adrien Agreste. Tears filled her eyes and she twisted around and into Nino's arms, refusing to film the finale of this story, even for her beloved Ladyblog. She pounded Nino's chest with her fists as the sound of Adrien hitting the sidewalk echoed loudly.

Somewhere, hidden well below the Ladybug's Dead headline, was an article under the Fashion section about it being the one year anniversary of Emilie Agreste's disappearance. Unfortunately, no one ever tied the two events together... not even Alya, despite her vow to not rest until she could make sense of how things could deteriorate so badly in under 24 hours. She finally decided there must've always been some kind of evil within that finally surfaced.