Damienette arranged marriage: Part 10
Chloe sat there, not sure what to make of the discussion. She was about to say something when something crashed through the window. The three teens starred at the form of Chat Noir. He was looking different. His ears and tail were real instead of accesories and instead of bell on his neck he had only a choker with word 'Marinette' written on it.
"My Purrincess! I come to save you!"
One month ago
Adrien was angry. His lady just got married. And it wasn't with him. Something was wrong with this idea. He already had everything planned. He knew what suit he would wear, he had a general idea about the dress, he even chose the place. HIs Lady would not refuse him. And yet, he was too late. She told him several times that she was in love with someone else and now she married this someone. Someone who was not him.
He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted to punch something... someone. And not just anyone, but this one person who stole his lady from him. His mind was racing, trying to remember every single detail she revealed. The most important so far was marriage, but he decided to leave that for the last. She definitely liked the Gabriel Brand and often recognized him. She thought she loved someone, but she never revealed many details. Ladybug also...
"I know what you are doing and better drop it." Plagg sounded next to him.
"I can't. She made a mistake. We are destined to be with each other Plagg."
"Are you having a stroke or did Lila steal your last brain cell?" the kwami scolded him harshly. "If ladybug chose someone else, then you should respect her choice and roll with it. Besides, don't you need to be eighteen to marry in this century?"
"She loves me. She just doesn't know it yet! And age is just a number."
"As is the cell number she will end up in if she is with you." Plagg deadpanned.
"No. I... but... We... You said Chat Noir and Ladybug are destined to be together!"
"Yes, but not as a couple you moron. I swear I am always the one who gets the dummies..." Plagg moaned to himself. "The two miraculous are destined to be used together or they will create imbalance. There can never be Ladybug without Chat Noir for a prolonged amount of time or we risk another pompei."
"I don't care! She's my lady! We are made for each other!" Adrien almost screamed.
"Tikki help me... You are an idiot." Plagg just stated and phazed through the wall to get to his hidden camembert stash. He was too hungry to deal with mr. possessiveness right now.
Adrien huffed at the actions of his Kwami. The gluttonous cat knew nothing. He was Ladybug's perfect partner in both fighting Akumas and in life. With that thought he fell asleep.
Next day school seemed plain and boring. Just like he expected Lila made sure Marinette did not have a chance to explain herself. Why did this two girls couldn't get along. He sighted. From his place he could not really see Marinette in the back, but he was almost certain she would be okay. This was Marinette he was thinking about. She was pretty much their everyday-ladybug. He frowned at the thought. Stupid someone. If only he could punch this person in the face.
Plagg didn't talk to him at all, choosing to instead stash himself with ungodly amounts of cheese. Who needed this lazy cat anyway? It's not like he had to be Chat Noir. He could do whatever he wanted.
After classes he tried to speak with Marinette, but she just brushed him off and run to her home. He just shrugged. She was strong, smart and resourceful. She was almost like Ladybug except without powers. And she was just as pretty. Maybe even prettier because she had no mask covering half of her face. But she still wasn't his Lady. Adrien sighted as he got into the limousine. The Gorilla took him home. Like always the bulky man only grunted instead of speaking. If someone replaced him with a semi-shaved gorilla most people wouldn't notice. Adrien would, but probably no one else.
When they arrived at the mansion Nathalie was already waiting for him. She had her usual emotionless expression, but Adrien noticed the corners of her lips were slightly upward.
"Adrien. Your father wants to speak with you." She started.
"Father? What does he want?" Adrien asked as politely as possible. It was very unusual for Gabriel to demand a meeting with his son.
"It's best if he tells you himself." Nathalie did not reveal anything.
"Okay." Adrien smiled sadly. Usually in this kind of situations it meant something bad.
She led him to the atelier where his father stood by the drawing board.
"Welcome son. Nathalie, leave us." Gabriel's voice showed surprising amount of emotions for him. The assistant nodded and walked out of the room. The father and son were now alone in large room. "Come here Adrien." The older man did not need to make any hand gestures. His voice emphasized the order enough.
"What is it Father. Nathalie said you wanted to speak with me."
"Yes, but not here." Gabriel simply shut down all further questions. Adrien stood next to him curious when the older man pressed several buttons that were parts of the painting of Emilie. The ground below them lit and Adrien found himself on an elevator going down. A large hall lit in front of him. There were rows of lanterns on the walls and a single catwalk in the middle that led to some green area at the far end. There was some tube that Adrien couldn't see the content of. Behind everything was a giant symbol that looked like a flower, but the young Agreste couldn't shake the feeling it reminded him of something more malicious.
They stepped off the platform and Gabriel walked to the tube on the far end without saying a word. Adrien just followed him. It was not possible for the two of them to walk side by side so he only saw the tube again once they got to the was inside froze his blood.
Inside laid Emilie Agreste, his mother.
"F-Father...?" His voice was almost just a whisper. "Wh-What is all of this?"
"Your mother is very ill my son. This stasis chamber is the only thing keeping her alive."
"Why isn't she in hospital? Everyone believes she died." Adrien was still shaken by this. He had no idea what to think. He did not pay slightest attention to small flock of white butterflies on the edges of this green island.
"No hospital on earth could possibly help her. Only a miracle could save her. Or a wish."
The meaning behind last word hit Adrien with the speed of rushing train. The silence that fell after was so loud that he could hear the flapping of butterfly wings.
"N-No... That can't be... You... But she... We... I... She... Ladybug... Mother... Father... My lady..." Adrien started babbling incomprehensibly. His father watched his son's eyes jump between the stasis pod, himself, the ring on his finger and the window behind them. Gabriel walked to his son and gently placed a hand on boy's shoulder.
"Adrien. Listen to me. I know you are confused, but everything I do is to unite our family. I am sorry I didn't tell you before. You were still young when this happened and I didn't want to burden you. But I can no longer see you so secluded. Suffering from the ignorance. I don't want you in anymore danger. Help me son. I don't think I can do this without you. I want to see our family together." As Gabriel spoke to his son, the expression on boy's face changed. It was that of acceptance. Older man had to hold the urge to grin. It was all coming together. They would finally be one, happy family together.
"But... My Lady..." Adrien was still torn between his loyalties.
"What are you talking about?!" Father was losing patience.
"Ladybug. My Lady. She..." the boy started and Gabriel finally caught the flow. All the dots connected. He had to improvise. It could be all or nothing.
"And what did she for you my son? She doesn't care about you. In neither forms. Not really. What does Ladybug really know about you?"
Adrien grasped. Only now he realized that he revealed himself before his supposedly worst enemy. But it didn't matter. His father was right. Ladybug didn't care about him. She chose someone else and abandoned him. He didn't owe her anything. But he did owe his mother everything. He pulled off the silver ring from his finger and closed his fist around it.
"Plagg. I renounce you!" There was a sudden black zoom and the ring changed to black color with paw symbol on it. Adrien then offered the ring to his father.
"Here. If it helps bring mother back... take it." There was complete resignation in his voice. Adrien gave up.
Something in Gabriel's cold heart actually felt some guilt. He didn't want to break Adrien to bring Emilie back. Instead of taking the ring he closed boy's hand around it, cupping it in his own. "No son. I told you I can't do this alone. I want... I need your help. We can bring your mother back together."
"Thank you father. Your trust means the world for me."
