School ends Friday and Marinette barely drags herself home and to her room before collapsing on her chaise. As the week had progressed she had been struggling to stay awake more and more. She had fallen asleep at least three times that day and nearly a fourth if Ayla hadn't tapped her shoulder first.
Lying on the chaise she let her mind wonder back over the last five days. She was happy Adrien had seemed to have forgiven her. Tikki's idea of passing notes had really helped and she couldn't help but wonder if he was close to working out who she was under the mask.
Marinette turns over and looks towards her trap door, frowning. Thinking of Ladybug she remembers how she had been racing over the rooftops of Paris trying to find The Sandman, even if Chat Noir wasn't with her.
All her searching had come up with nothing, it was like the akuma had vanished but at the same time she felt watched. She just couldn't put all the pieces together and it was starting to annoy her.
"Tikki I feel like I'm missing something, something big and important."
Tikki flew over.
"I'm sure it's nothing Marinette and if it is I'm sure you'll work it out."
Marinette smiled before letting out a large yawn, her eyes already drooping.
"Maybe you should get an early night, all that running around you've been doing seems to have made you really tired."
Marinette doesn't reply and she turns on to her side and quickly falls asleep.
The Sandman stood on top of the Eiffel Tower, looking over the city below, his gaze fixed on a building easily blending in with the ones around it.
"Hmm… it seems the sleeping beauty has worked herself in quite a state. Poor, tired, sleepy, little princess. Back to the castle with a pricked finger before the sun has even set. See Hawkmoth. Patience is the key to situations such as this one."
"Yes, yes. Patience is better than being brash! Now! Go. Get. Me. Her. Miraculous."
The Sandman sighs.
"Yes Hawkmoth."
With that he summons a cloud of sand, stepping on it he floats through the air closing in on his target.
"Seems time's up, Ladybug."
Adrien slams his door shut before releasing a huge sigh of relief and sliding down his door.
"Hey! If you got time to fall down the door maybe you should get your hungry Kawami some cheese!"
Adrien sighs and lets his head fall back and hit the door. He opens his shirt allowing the little black annoy-cat to escape.
"You know where the stash is Plagg. Go feed yourself."
"Hmpf … I can see I'm appreciated!"
The little black kawami quickly dove of in search of food. Adrien sighed again before picking himself up and moving across his bedroom towards his sofa. Once he was sat (sprawled) he reaches for the notes that had been passed to him from his lady.
Rereading each he quickly makes a mental list.
Has a tendency to ramble.
Has been watching/observing me.
Has an overactive imagination and quickly jumps to worst case scenarios.
Fears she maybe be a disappointment once identified.
He frowned at the little information he had collected over the week. Then he starts adding what he already knows about Ladybug.
She quickly comes up with plans and takes control with little hesitation.
She aims to keep everyone safe.
She's brave, kind, confident and smart.
She is observant and has an eye for small details.
Raven hair and sky blue eyes.
He can't help but feel like he's really close to her and what was that whole 'you saw me as Ladybug before I had the mask' line mean. After all he hadn't met that many people before meeting Ladybug, he'd just snuck to school for the first day.
The only person to show a Ladybug like personality had been Mar…
A bang interrupted Adrien's thought process. Startled he looked towards the sound and found a small red creature shaking and rubbing their head. Plagg, surprisingly, was the first to move.
"Tikki!"
The usually lazy and uncaring black kawami rushes over and opens the window. 'Tikki', obviously Ladybug's kawami, just as quickly rushed in and clung to Plagg.
"Plagg! You have to help her! I'ts happening and there is nothing I can do to stop it! We need you and your Chat to help us! Get it back! Before it's too late! Please Plagg! You know what happens if your…"
Suddenly the kawami disappeared. Adrien blinked, surprised by what had just happened,and nearly fell over as something pulled in his chest, the only thing that proved it did indeed just happened was Plagg's voice cutting through the air.
"TIKKI!"
The black cat looked more emotional the Adrien had ever seen him. He was clearly panicking, floating around, zooming circuits around the room before his wide panic filled landed in his chosen.
"ADREIN! We need to go… NOW! Come on! Quickly say it! CHANGE NOW DAMMIT!"
Adrien surprised said the two words without even thinking.
"Claws Out!"
Once the transformation was complete, Chat found himself filled with a wave of panic and fear. He figured it was Plagg's but he felt it so strongly it almost knocked him over. He looked out of his window in the same direction Tikki had appeared, the need to get out and run along the roofs of Paris almost too strong.
He walked over to the open window and almost fell out as something pulled in his chest once more, this time stronger. He was confused for a second before it pulled again and a single image filled his mind… Ladybug…
REalisation washed over him like he had been thrown into a freezing lake.
Ladybug was in trouble and she needed him… NOW!
Paris quickly passed beneath him as he followed the pulling sensation, panic and fear of both him a Plagg driving him to run quicker and with more urgency he had ever known.