Akumatised

Okay I know it's been like forever since the last update but I haven't dropped this story, things just got hella hectic on my side. But enough about that, finally here's the next chapter and boy was this heavy to write. So let's get right into it.

Disclaimer: Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir doesn't belong to me.

Chapter 10: Father and Son

Adrien's mind was racing. Was he really going to do this? Was he really going to hand over the very Miraculous he and Ladybug had been protecting from him for so long? He missed his mother so much, nothing could take away that pain but, was that enough to justify what was to come and what had already happened.

Thinking back to when he first met Plagg, his first time meeting Ladybug and their first mission together; Hawk Moth, no, his father had been after them right from the beginning. Civilians had been Akumatised, his classmates, his friends, even his father himself had been Akumatised. A trick to evade suspicion sure but, it still stands, and more than anything it showed Adrien just how determined, how desperate he was to win. He'd even use his own dark power on himself.

He balled his hands to fists to hopefully stop himself from trembling, his resolve fading. Nope, he needed more time. He'd asked his bodyguard to stop the car and stepped out when it came to a halt. The cool night time air helped him calm down, if only slightly.

He leaned against the rails of the stairs that lead down to the trains. To his left was the gate to his house, a walkable distance really but, he decided to focus on the view of the Eiffel Tower on his right. The corners of his mouth turned upwards in a smile remembering the times he'd been up there with Ladybug. However, the weight in his heart never ceased.

The Akuma's, Ladybug and Cat Noir, his mother, his father, his confusion; all of them swirled around in his thoughts.

"But he'd never Akumatise me if he knew I was Cat Noir." he said out loud.

"I'm not so sure about that, Kitty Noir," a voice suddenly appeared beside him. Only one person called him that, he turned and saw the holder of the Rabbit Miraculous- Bunnyx. It had been a while since he'd last seen her and if she came here then it could mean something really serious was happening or about to happen.

"What are you doing here?"

"There are some major shock waves on my side and I came to see what was happening here," she turned to face him, an even more serious look on her face. "You've got both Miraculous there with you, right?"

Adrien's hands instinctively went to his pocket where Marinette's earrings were. "How did you… wait that's that stupid question, of course you know. Then you must know how all this turns out, what am I supposed to do?" he asked in relief, maybe he didn't have to do this all alone. If Bunnyx already knew what the right outcome was then he wouldn't need to try and possibly get it wrong.

"Listen, mini Agreste, I can't interfere, at least not directly with events of the past or at least I shouldn't but, when the situation calls for it, I show up like this. I can't tell you the full story but, all I can say is that this isn't the first time I've seen a situation like this, you and your father knowing each other's secret identities."

He raised his eyebrows, absorbing this information. There was another timeline where he and his father knew about each other? That didn't sound good and judging from Bunny's expression it definitely wasn't a good thing. Did that mean that this was destined to happen, that eventually his father would always find out about him? That his father was always going to be Hawk Moth? Would it always end in pain as well?

"Does Ladybug know about it?"

"She knows enough." she put her hand on his shoulder. "You already know what your answer is, you just have to go through with it."

"If you know all this, including what my choice is then, why'd you come here? What was the point?"

"Knowing the right answer isn't always enough, sometimes we need reassurance to move forward." she gave him an encouraging smile before leaving.

Unexpected as her arrival was, he was glad she'd come to see him. He did indeed feel sure about his answer but there was still one more thing he wanted to check. No point in dragging this out, he thought as he headed back to the car. His moment of truth was upon him.

As soon as he walked through the front door he heard his father call him to his office.

"Well…" he father stood at the end of the room, in front of the painting of his mother.

"I have them both, father."

"You defeated Ladybug?" he asked.

"She gave her earrings to me, I'd never take them from her." he wanted to make it known that he wasn't like his father.

"What matters most is that you have them, now give them to me." Gabriel held out his hand, a stern look on his face. "Your mother will be back with us soon."

Those were words he'd wanted to hear for the longest time but now they filled him with dread. Something just didn't feel right, 'this isn't the first time I've seen a situation like this, you and your father knowing each other's secret identities.' Bunnyx's words came to mind. He stopped mid-walk to his father.

"If I had refused to give you my Miraculous, what would you have done?" Adrien looked into his father's unreadable eyes. His father remained quiet.

"Would you make me hand it over, Akumatise me even?" he asked his father directly.

"I don't see how any of that matters now." Gabriel replied, losing patience.

"I need an answer, please."

"I would do whatever was necessary to get them both, as I have already done."

"So all those times I was—

"Let me make myself clear: when I Akumatised your bodyguard and sent him after you, I suspected you were Cat Noir, even back then I thought it could be you but, I wasn't sure, I needed proof." Adrien's blood ran cold in his veins. Since back then? He'd had his suspicions about me from all the way back then?

"I wasn't expecting you to leap off the building but I thought, I hoped, you'd use that moment to reveal yourself and transform. However, you didn't and so I allowed Ladybug to save you."

"That's the only reason you let her save me? Because you thought you were wrong, not because I was in danger. How could you be so sure she'd reach me in time, what if—

"She's saved you before and I knew she'd do it again." he descended the steps and walked closer to Adrien. "I would do anything to get those Miraculous."

Adrien had gotten his answer.

"And damn whatever happens to me then, right?!"

"Enough, give me the Miraculous!"

"I'll never hand them over!" he ran out the office but not before seeing his father transform. "Plagg, Claws Out!" he transformed and ran out the house, he needed to get as far away from his father as he could. And most importantly he needed Ladybug by his side. He took to the rooftops and used his staff to get even further, the wind whipping his face. As he landed once again he took out Ladybug's earrings and put them on, in a small ball of red light, Tikki appeared.

"Adrien, what's going on?" the Kwami of creation asked, confused to see him instead of Marinette.

"No time to explain, get these to Ladybug as fast as possible." he unclipped the earrings and handed them to her.

"Tikki, this way!"

"Bunnyx!" they both exclaimed in surprise.

"Do what you need to do Kitty, I'll take care of Ladybug." she said half inside her burrow and Tikki flew inside before it completely disappeared.

Relief surged up inside him when he saw them disappear but it didn't last long. From the corner of his eye he could see someone fast approaching. He just managed to block his father's sword with his staff, his father's rage was clear.

"What do you think you're doing?! What have you done with my Miraculous!"

"They're not yours and they never were!" Cat Noir backflipped away to avoid a hit before running back in to strike. "You think you can just do whatever you want and everyone would be okay with that!"

"There was no other choice!"

"Of course there was! Everything you've done was your own choice, no one forced you to be the villain."

"Naive thinking from a child who doesn't understand the true power of the Miraculous!"

"Forget about me then, do you think mom would approve of what you're doing? Would she approve of what you've become?"

"Don't you dare try using her memory against me!" he'd struck Cat Noir in the chest and sent him flying back.

Cat Noir sat up and caught his breath. Guess it's my fault for thinking anything would change. How'd I let myself believe he'd be different when he's never given me a reason to? It's always one step forward, ten steps back. He hasn't been the same since we lost mom and clearly nothing can change that…

Not even me.

He readied his staff and went in for another attack.

Xxx

Marinette was sitting on her bed but she was in no way relaxed. All she could think about was Adrien and what he could possibly be facing. All of that information he'd been bombarded with was too much for one person to face alone and yet, that's exactly what he was doing. She wanted to be there with him but he'd insisted on going alone, not wanting to risk her safety or her identity being found out. Both were great reasons she couldn't deny that but, that didn't mean she couldn't worry about him like she currently was.

A chill ran down her spine when a thought invaded her mind: that piercing, chilling, icy blue stare. His cold, broken words, the snowy white outfit, the power of infinite destruction. Her heart beat faster and slight dizziness took over. Would he become Cat Blanc? Would this event cause him to because him again. Marinette closed her eyes and took deep breaths. No, there was no way it would ever happen again, she told herself.

"Marinette! We need to go now!"

"Tikki!" she hurriedly climbed down from the bed "How did you get back? Where's Adrien?" she asked while putting on her earrings.

"He needs your help right now." Bunnyx kept the portal open for them to go through. Marinette transformed and followed her.

Within a few moments she was running on the rooftops, it began to drizzle, the battle between father and son not too far away from where she was. She could see Hawk Moth but she couldn't locate Cat Noir. Where was he? When she got closer she saw him lying on the rooftop and Hawk Moth slowly approaching him. Oh no!

The drizzle turned to rain as Hawk Moth approached his son with a triumphant grin on his face. His goal was within reach now, he wasn't a match for him after all.

He looked down at the unconscious Cat Noir at his feet. How long? How long had he waited for this moment to finally come, he'd finally have possession of one of the Miraculous he'd been after.

He reached down to remove the black ring however, before he could, he had to jump back to avoid being struck by Ladybug's yo-yo.

"Get away from him!" Ladybug swooped down and landed in front of her partner, fiercely glaring at the man in front of her. She shielded them both with her yo-yo.

"It's pointless, Ladybug. You can't fight me and protect him at the same time." she heard Cat Noir stir behind her.

"Last I checked, your son is under that mask." she shot back.

"Ladybug, you're wasting your breath." he tried to sit up but winced in pain. She turned her attention to him and draped his arm around her shoulder, and put her arm around his waist to help him stand.

"And since I know he's Adrien under there, there's nowhere you can escape where I can't find him."

Cat Noir knew he wasn't bluffing. Before he'd been allowed to go to school, his father was always checking where Adrien was. His schedule was so air tight that his father always knew exactly where he was or, where he should be and if he deviated from schedule, he'd have to answer for it. Things were comparatively better when he'd started going to school, making friends and spending time with them but, at the end of the day, if he wanted Adrien home he was only one call away from his bodyguard to retrieve him.

The only times he'd been truly free was when he'd been Cat Noir, fooling his father into thinking he was practicing piano in his room while actually travelling through the city by rooftop with his lady. And sometimes even then, his little charade was discovered and his father would find ways to bring him back immediately.

"We'll see about that." Ladybug turned to Cat Noir. "Gather your strength, we leave on my signal." she then leaned in closer and whispered her plan to him.

Cat Noir stood behind her while she faced Hawk Moth. Ladybug threw her yo-yo which he'd swiped away before swinging away with his sword. Ladybug ducked and followed with a kick which he'd blocked but skidded back due to its impact. He ran toward her and leapt over her, aiming for Cat Noir but Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around his feet and pulled him back. She leapt back, standing between Cat Noir and Hawk Moth.

"I said, get away from him." her voice threateningly low. "Cat Noir?"

"I'm good to go, milady."

He watched her run straight at Hawk Moth, the determination and readiness in her fighting clear as day. He'd never seen her fight like that before and the fact that she was doing it for his sake, the girl he loved going all out for him was something he'd never forget.

All was going according to plan. What Hawk Moth had failed to notice was that Ladybug fighting him had been a distraction to give Cat Noir enough time to extend his staff as far as it could go without Hawk Moth being the wiser. With him standing on the front end, it was just about time for Ladybug to do her part and backflip, use his shoulders as a spring board and launch herself to the other end of his staff and land on it, launching him high up into the sky.

Before falling all the way to the ground, Ladybug caught the staff and returned it to its original size before swinging up into the air and catching Cat Noir. The two of them continued travelling as far away from Hawk Moth as possible. The entire plan had happened way too quickly for him to be following them. Even if he could track Adrien, they'd bought themselves some time.

They took refuge in one of the empty trains at the station. As soon as they boarded the train they collapsed into the seats, heavy sighs escaping them both.

"Are you okay?" Ladybug started, Cat Noir rested his head on her shoulder.

"I'm exhausted in more ways than one." the fatigue in his voice was clear but not from the battle but more from the fact that he was up against his father. He laced their fingers together. "Thanks for coming when you did." he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"If I'd gotten there sooner, you wouldn't have been unconscious and vulnerable to him." she looked into his eyes when he sat up. "What changed your mind? Not giving him our Miraculous, I mean."

"Everything that's happened has been because of my father and, I thought maybe I could make him stop. I wanted to believe that he'd never force me into anything, that if I refused he'd let it end already but, I was wrong." he sighed again and looked at the floor, "He's so consumed by his pain, his obsession, his need to win that Adrien… that I really don't matter that in the grand scheme of things." he turned away from her and rather looked out the window, admitting all this was already painful enough but he didn't want her to see him like this.

"Cat…" she started but was at a loss for words.

"It's nothing I'm not used to. He's been like this for a while now but it still hurts." he took a breath before continuing, "I'm not his son any more, I'm just a means to an end."

"You're much more than that, my Kitty." she turned his head to look him in the eyes. "You're way too special to me and we're going to need each other to finish this, together."

"We can't stay at odds like this forever and your father won't stop looking for you. Either that or he'll create more Akuma's to drive us out."

"He's probably working on something right now." Cat Noir agreed.

"I think I've got an idea on how to end this for good."

Xxx

"You let them escape?" Nathalie stood next to Gabriel in his lair.

"They'll be back of their own accord. They know just as well as I do that the only way this is going to end is with one of us getting the other's Miraculous." he held an Akuma in his hand, it gently fluttered its black and purple wings. "They'll try to seize mine but I'll be the one to finally get their Miraculous and my dear Nathalie, you'll play a part in my plan." the sinister smile he had was reflected on her face.

Everybody planning something, got something up their sleeve. Sheesh, Gabriel really is the worst, and he hits his peak here. Adrien really had to decide what he wanted to do here so this was very much focused on him. He really wanted to believe in his father but in this case it just showed that not everyone deserves your faith. Well that's that, let me know your thoughts on this and I hope you enjoyed. Well...

That's it from me-

Until the next chapter:

Ketsui Tasogare :-)