Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug.

WARNING: There is blood, slight violence, and minor character death in this chapter.

Bleeding Apologies

Emerald green eyes slowly opened, allowing some of the early morning light that filtered into the cave to shoo away any remnants of his troubling sleep. Slowly stretching stiff muscles, Plagg's glance immediately fell on the back of one of the cave's newest inhabitants, Madu.

A few days ago

"My lord! Please grant us sanctuary!"

It wasn't very often that Plagg found himself speechless. He prided himself on the aloof personality he was able to maintain for anyone outside of his crowder. However, there was a first for everything especially when he had two kneeling humans before him, addressing him as their "lord", and begging him for sanctuary.

What was a black cat, father of five to do? It had all happened unexpectedly and for the first time in a long time, Plagg wasn't sure what to do. He needed to protect his family, keep his kittens safe but these two humans…

"Please, my lord! We have nowhere else to go! We have nowhere to go. Our village was destroyed and- Please! We just need a place to rest for a little," the young woman bowed down further until her forehead was pressed against the cave's cool floor. Though her body trembled, her voice was steady, strong. The young man, silent besides her slowly followed her lead and bowed until he could go no lower as well.

Plagg wanted to say "no", to turn them away. He didn't owe them anything. He didn't even know their names or why they smelled so heavily of smoke, blood, death, fear, and of...her... Every rational thought told him to send them away, to not push his luck anymore than he was already pushing it. Five pairs of kitten eyes stared expectantly at him, waiting to see what decision the one they trusted the most in their lives would make. He looked away from them guiltily.

And then, he looked at Tikki. The little ladybug fluttering above the humans and he spoke his decision, in a tone that he found way too formal, even before it had fully become a thought.

"Lady Luck is on your side. You may stay."

A soft relieved sob escaped from the young woman, as her tense shoulders crumbled, her back shaking as she silently let herself fall apart. Plagg looked away, allowing the young man to take care of the quietly sobbing woman.

Plagg nudged his kittens to the back of the cave, but not before Amata was able to pass her father, brushing gently against the female human's side. The woman choked on a sob, looking down at the little black kitten with watery, red, puffy eyes. Tentatively, she reached a hand towards the kitten. Amata sniffed it before pushing her head against it, eliciting a purr from the kitten as she was gently scratched behind the ears and a weak but amused chuckle.

"You smell like Tikki," Amata purred, not seeing the look her father gave between the human woman and the unusually quiet ladybug. He had noticed something similar between this woman and Tikki but he wouldn't allow himself to go down that road of thought at the moment just as he wasn't allowing himself to think about the odd familiarity he felt towards the young man.

"Come Amata," Plagg called. "Time to sleep."

The kitten allowed for one final scratch behind her ear before following after her brothers and sisters to where they would be sleeping. Soon after, the two new additions to their cave huddled together before they too fell into a fitful sleep.

Once the sounds of shallow breathing filled the cave, Plagg silently made his way to the cave's entrance to keep watch. It was quiet outside, almost peaceful but as the wind blew, the cat picked up the subtle smell of smoke in the air and...something dark. His fur began to rise and an angry growl began at the back of his throat.

"I'm very proud of you."

"Not this again," Plagg sighed dreading whatever sentimental drivel she was going to give him but nonetheless calming down as she landed on his nose.

"They were hurt and you let them stay. You're a good guy, Lord Plagg."

Plagg flopped onto the ground, rolling onto his back. "Please shut up. I will devour you with no regrets."

Tikki giggled, landing on the paw that he held up for her. "That threat is getting old. Besides, the humans are addressing you that way. Thought your pride would have liked it."

Plagg growled. "The humans think I'm a god. That we're gods. They can't comprehend that they're just not attuned enough with the world's magic like we are. They think we can get rid of whatever destroyed their village."

That seemed to sober the little bug and there was a part of Plagg that hated snatching her bits of optimism from her, especially as she said in a voice that was too small even for her size, "But...we can't. Can we?"

Turning his gaze up to the sky where the sun began to bleed through the fading night sky, Plagg slowly brought his paw that Tikki rested on down so that the little bug was close to his heart.

"No, my Lady. We can't."

Present

"Is something wrong?"

Not even glancing back at the human male that had seeked sanctuary with them days ago, Plagg moved forward. "Hopefully not...Amata, Tikki, and your mate are gone."

He heard the soft footed steps of Madu behind him. He was quiet for a human. "Sabah likes watching the sun rise. Lady Amata and Lady Tikki are probably with her...and she's not my mate…"

"Whatever you say," Plagg gave a look of exasperated disbelief over his shoulder at the young man before rolling his eyes and continuing on. He followed Amata's scent, memorized by heart along with the rest of her siblings and Tikki's - which he was becoming almost as familiar with.

Mind half focused on following the trail, Plagg internally groaned as he felt Madu's gaze on him. Studying him. Again. The human male seemed to do that often. Normally, Plagg would ignore it, but Madu's gaze was like an itch he couldn't scratch.

"You're doing that thing again."

"I don't know what you mean, my Lord."

"Oh, cut that nonsense out," Plagg hissed. This human male was playing a fool when he was far from being one. "We both know I'm not a god, despite whatever silly misinformation you humans rely on in regards to the world."

"But are you not powerful."

A statement. Not a question. The cat gave a noncommittal shrug as they continued to walk.

"Look, you don't seem like a complete idiot despite being human so I'll explain it this once to you. Being a god is like being an unbalanced scale. If you keep on piling power on one side of the scale that doesn't necessarily mean that for every drop of power you gain you'll also gain an equal drop of what you want."

Plagg stopped, turning to fully look at Madu, green eyes clashing with brown. If one were to look closely into the depths of the feline's eyes they would see a slight glint of hurt and resentment that had been slightly dulled, though not diminished over time. The feline had lived through much and though his clowder - even including Tikki - was the brightest aspect of his long long life, there were many things that he still regretted.

"With power, there's always a sacrifice. The type of sacrifice is different for each occurrence, each individual instance, but amongst creatures such as myself and Tikki, becoming immortal, becoming a so called "god" and making that type of sacrifice, is taboo. Many have tried to reach that level of immortality and many have failed. And those who managed to achieve it? To be freed from the chains of mortality? They were shackled by something much worse. So please, understand why I dislike being called a god. I am a simple cat that just wants to take care of my family. Understand?"

Madu looked at Plagg, and again, the cat felt that annoying itchy feeling again as their eyes connected.

"I understand...Plagg."

The two continued on in contemplative silence, ears perking when they heard sounds of a struggle.

HISTORY LESSONS

They went for Amata first, snatching up the black kitten in a sack before either Tikki or Sabah knew what was happening. Amata, howled, her little claws trying to rip through the material of the sack.

Sabah rushed forward, trying to snatch the sack out of Amata's captor's hands but a second man knocked her to the ground, landing on top of her with a knife at her neck. This seemed to cause her to struggle more, a thin shallow cut forming at her neck where the knife bit. Tikki, flew around the man's head attempting to distract the assailant enough for Sabah to push him off but despite how big she was in terms of bravery, she was still a little ladybug and was merely swatted to the side.

Tikki wanted to cry, if she could. Her friends were in trouble and she couldn't help at all. "No!" she thought. "I can't just give up!" and so, she surged forward with a sound that sounded like her best imitation of Plagg's growl. It was small and didn't have the gravelly sound that the male cat's growl had but it pushed the little ladybug forward as she released as much of the toxic smelling scent that she could.

The man holding Sabah, yelped, caught off guard by the smell but his grip on Sabah tightened as he swatted at the ladybug again. Though the swat alone merely stunned her, the foot that was heading towards where Tikki stared up dazed unable to orientate herself and move out of the way.

As the foot came closer, she thought of Plagg and wondered if he would miss her, even just a little. She allowed herself to be selfish and hope that he would. Just as she was about to accept her fate, an overpowering but familiar presence fell upon them. Chaotic energy surged around them. Tikki had felt it for months but never so wild and directed. She had thought she had experienced his anger before but now she understood: this was Plagg angry.

If the two attackers felt the change in the air around them they didn't have much time to react as a large black fur creature jumped on the back of the man holding Sabah, sharp claws digging deeply into his back. The man screamed making an agonizing sound as he released Sabah, the knife once pressed against her neck swiping wildly at the creature on his back. Grabbing Tikki, Sabah rolled off to the side away from the man. From her place in Sabah's hands, Tikki watched as the creature tore at the flesh on the man's back, paws glistening darkly with blood and power. The other attacker released his hold on the sack holding Amata to go and help his companion but he was blocked suddenly by another body.

"Wait. Madu?" The man questioned, recognition blooming in his eyes but he was given no response as the younger man used the attacker's surprise to his advantage. Pivoting on his foot, Madu crouched low out of the man's reach and elbowed him in the gut, stunning the man as he doubled over in pain. Madu ducked out from under him, grabbing the knife that was tied around that sack holder's waist. Tikki, thought Madu was merely trying to disarm the man but was surprised when the quiet young man ran the knife over the other man's throat.

In Sabah's hands, Tikki could feel the girl shaking. Looking up, Sabah's normally healthy looking brown skin looked ashen as she watched Madu move silently to Sabah's captor, the black fur creature still digging its claws in his back, dragging out the moans and jumbled cries of the man as he slowly bled out. Madu was hovering over the man, knife raised for the final stab.

The little ladybug wasn't sure whether she said it or Sabah or maybe both but a voice brokenly sobbed. "Please! Stop! That's enough you two!"

Up until this point, Tikki hadn't seen his eyes, wasn't sure she wanted to see how cold those green eyes of the cat that she considered her friend had become. However, his gaze turned towards her and for a frightful second, she feared that he was going to redirect his ire at her or the young woman holding her. Amata, who had managed to free herself from the bag she was held captive in and run towards Sabah whimpered against the human female's side under her father's glare.

"P-papa, please stop. No more. You promised, remember. You promised Mama."

The creature's eyes softened, a flash of shame and guilt, before long limbs seemed to shrink and he was the Plagg Tikki knew again. Getting off the man's back he had been mutilating just seconds before, the black feline turned his back on the three almost victims though he directed his next words to them. "Take Amata," he said lowly, voice hoarse. "Get the other kittens and start following the river north." He turned his head to look at Madu. "I'll be right behind you."

"P-Plagg?" Tikki questioned.

He ignored her, still keeping his back towards her. "It'll be about a three days trip there."

Madu neared Sabah, reaching towards her but stopped when the girl flinched away from him and his blood stained hands. A hurt expression flashed across his face before it turned expressionless. He turned his attention back towards Plagg.

"And where are we heading?" He asked.

"You'll know when you get there." The cat turned his attention towards the man with the clawed back who was still lying on the ground.

The pain had caused the man to have blacked out minutes ago. His breathing had turned a shallow and ragged and it wouldn't be long before the damage Plagg caused bled him out. So, when Tikki heard the what sounded like soft chuckles coming from the dying man she was startled. Dread and fear ran through her when his chuckles got louder and dark swirling miasma surrounded him. Madu moved protectively in front of Sabah but Plagg stayed seated where he was, watching as the man's body, obviously possessed, stood up with total disregard for the wounds on his back.

"What a mess you've caused, Papa Cat," the face of the man grinned happily as if a trickle of blood wasn't running from his mouth. "Is this how you play with other's toys?" Glassy hollow eyes swept over the group behind Plagg, dragging along each of them before landing on Madu with a sickening sort of interest. "Why don't you give us that one," he pointed towards the young human male. "He'd be a nice replacement for these two. Wouldn't that be a fair deal? Yes. We like him. Give him to us."

"I don't make deals with failed gods," Plagg spat.

The malevolent spirits tilted their puppet's head to the side, a look of disappointment on his face before it split with a wicked grin making his visage look less human. "Aw, why not? Your mate did. The kittens were saved," he glanced at Amata. Plagg hissed a warning, gaining the puppet's attention again. "And in return, your mate gave herself mind, body, and soul over to us. And what a lovely little toy she has become, though...we're afraid that we've been a bit too...rough on her. What a shame she won't last for much longer."

Plagg's hissing grew into a growl.

"Oh! Or better yet, repay us with yourself. So much chaos and destruction contained in such a small vessel. Imagine what we could do with you, Papa Cat, the Weapon of-"

"Silence you venomous pack of sh-!"

"Ah! Language, Papa Cat!" The human puppet tutted before its face turned stony. "Well, we see that you cannot be reasoned with. Do not say were never merciful. We may not be the next time we meet."

And then then the once possessed man collapsed to the ground, truly dead as the dark miasma surrounded his body and the corpse of the other man in dark flames.

Sabah jerked to the side, heaving what little was in her stomach, the burning corpse the final straw that snapped the last of her frayed nerves. Madu moved to go help her but paused, seeming unsure if he would be making things worse. Amata was curled in on herself, letting out muffled whimpers despite Tikki's best attempts to comfort her the best that a ladybug could comfort a kitten which unfortunately wasn't much.

Splitting so much of her attention between Amata and Sabah, Tikki almost missed as Plagg utter softly, "I'm sorry." But, with his back still turned towards them, the ladybug wasn't sure who he was apologizing to...or for what...

So...this took slightly longer than I initially thought. It was originally going to be much longer and actually conclude Part 1 of History Lessons but it was taking much longer than I initially thought to write and honestly, that part of the story is the part that I'm really looking forward to so I want to make sure it's done right.

And yes, I know. Lots of questions, especially in regards to Plagg and Madu. Don't worry, that's fine. More about their backgrounds will be told in the following chapters And we'll get more character development for Sabah as well. I hope the whole "god" thing made sense. Essentially, with another power, anyone can become a "god" or immortal but there's always some sort of price to pay that can sometimes seem like you're getting the bad end of a deal.

Anyway, thank you for reading this chapter. Please let me know what you think. Constructive criticism always appreciated. Thank you!