Chapter 3
Chat Noir's fist slammed down into the terracotta roof tiles as he watched Luka's figure move further and further away. Chat's feeling were conflicted, he wanted to comfort his lady and reassure her that who she is under the mask that there was nothing to be afraid. On the other hand, he was so angry that Luka not only knew her secret but put her in the position that she was scared. I need to think, I need advice. Chat thought to himself. But the options on who to talk to were pretty much no one. Any one he spoke to he would have to speak in half truths and riddles unless he spoke with Plagg or Master Fu. Either option realistic option had it's draw back, Plagg will bring things back to cheese and Master Fu would presumably tell him that he needs to focus on his duty to protect. Chat sighed deciding to sit on the roof and see if he could sort out his own thoughts. After thirty minutes of sitting and flipping his staff back and forth in his hands. It was no use though he just kept repeating the same thoughts he had started with. Deciding that he needed to get his brain off of the repeat loop he had it stuck in Chat found a tucked away balcony and released the transformation.
"Why did you stay as Chat Noir so long…." wailed Plagg. "I thought I need some space to think which really isn't an option when I am Adrian." Pulling a piece of cheese from his jacket Adrian said. "But I found that I just don't know what to do." Plagg grabbed his beloved cheese and ate it in silence as he considered thing. When Adrian is Chat Noir, he is aware of what is happening even if he is unable to provide any guidance or ask for cheese. He really hated these sorts of serious conversations; humans really do like things the hard way. "Where are we any way?" Plagg asked in an attempt to buy time, unsure if he should do what he was thinking about. "Not really sure, but the house has a for sale sign so I figure we could talk here without the risk of some one coming in mid way." It seemed a little sad to Adrian as he looked in to the house, the large windows giving view to the beautiful homey interior. Nothing like his own house but even though it was empty gave the same vibe he felt when it visited Marinette's home. He guessed a loving family must have lived there before they decided to move. Resting his arms on the rail looking out at the stunning view of the Seine waiting for Plagg to polish off his cheese. Plagg would most likely be chattier if he isn't bemoaning how hungry he was. Plagg settled on to Adrian's shoulder "What am I going to do Plagg, I admit that I wasn't fond of Viperion from the beginning but now I don't know if I can keep it from affecting my judgment. Luka is a good person I know that but he is also a danger to Ladybug and I…." Adrian sentence drifted off as he grasped that what he was about to say was selfish. Adrian internal struggle was written all over his face and Plagg could take it anymore. "Okay kid, Master Fu is going to have my tail for this but maybe this will help you understand a little bit of your reactions." Plagg pushed off from Adrian shoulder and the pointed to the boy to sit down and the built in bench. "I wish Tikki was here, she is so much better at this sort of thing." Plagg said half to himself.
"Did you ever wonder why you ended up with the Cat miraculous instead of the Ladybug?" Plagg enquired. Already knowing the answer. "I guess I never really thought about it." Adrian responded as Plagg had expected. "As Master Fu told you before he chose you based on your actions but never told you why he gave you my ring instead of the Ladybug ear rings. When a guardian feels there is a need for the miraculous, they test them of course to ensure that they will up hold the ideals required to help but the guardians also needed to know that they would be compatible with the Kwami." Plagg paused to see if the boy was following. "Compatible" Adrian repeated to himself. Plagg nodded. "While we can work with any human it doesn't mean that we work well or that our full powers are available to the holder. A Kwami requires compatibility for the best result but that often means that the guardians pick people of a similar nature for each miraculous." Plagg looked up at the starry sky and thought about his previous holders and was sadden that so many friends were gone. He had promised himself again he wouldn't get attached to his miraculous holder and again he failed. "You know from the Ladyblog that Ladybug has been needed before but did you ever think about your own predecessors?" Plagg asked. Adrian contemplated it for a moment then shook his head. "I haven't seen any evidence of other Chat Noir so I didn't think about it too much." Plagg hovered for a moment. "Adrian, as long as there has been a Ladybug there has been a Chat Noir to which you share a lot of traits just like your Lady shares a great deal in common with her predecessors." Adrian followed Plagg's gaze to look at the stars. "Plagg I am not quite sure where you are going with this." Plagg flew straight into Adrian face and grab his nose. "Think boy! If you are like the prior Chat Noirs and YOUR lady is similar to the other Ladybugs then don't you think in some ways their relationship with each might be similar as well?" Understanding dawn into Adrian green eyes. "You mean I am not the first Chat Noir to love a Ladybug. Plagg fell back to float on his back. "And the boy finally gets it! But that also mean that your reaction to Viperion as well as his to Ladybug are also comparable as well!" Adrian face went from joy to anger in less than a second. Plagg had always thought that Adrian was one of the gentlest of his holders but was seeing that Adrian tendencies for hiding his emotions might have also fooled him into believing that there was little intensity to the boy. "Does that mean that Ladybug will return Luka's affection instead of mine?" Adrian voice sounded more controlled than his expression. "History doesn't mean destiny. I want you to learn from it though. There have been times when Ladybug embraced Chat Noir, others when she chose Viperion and there have been times when she has rejected them and love all together." Adrian stood up and began to pace but Plagg could see he was in deep thought which hopefully would help the boy cool down. Adrian reach one end of the balcony, pushed off from the rail to pace to the other side. Back and forth Adrian went trying to control his feelings, he knew that if he was reckless now like when he told that artist that he and Ladybug where a couple it would blow up in his face.
"You said that there have been Ladybugs that have rejected love completely. What did you mean by that Plagg?" Adrian probed. Plagg's green eye soften with sorrow. "The Ladybug miraculous holder are always dedicated to the mission and some time that devotion costs dearly even to the point it cost them everything." Plagg hated thinking this and hoped that Adrian would stop asking about those times. Even if his holder's never met Ladybug without the spots he had or would speak with Tikki and would come to know them through he. Miraculous holder lives longer than the average human, Master Fu proved that but, in the end, they still died and it hurt the Kwami when the bond broke. "By everything I am guessing you mean that the mission cost some of the Ladybugs lives." Adrian question was phrased rhetorically the question hung in the air between them. "I am never repeating this story again and you can not ever tell Ladybug, Master Fu or anyone. Some things are lost to the sands of time for a reason. Back in what you humans call the dark ages the Guardians felt the world needed the miraculous. Nearly all of them were given to worthy hero and together they helped the men, women and children who were hunted killed as because they were believed to witches as well as fight the enemy." Adrian opened his month to speak but Plagg held up a paw showing that it was not a question he would answer. Adrian closed his month; he had heard of the witch trails from his history class but it hadn't seemed real to him that people could be so terrible to each other. "The Ladybug of the time was close to Chat Noir and Viperion of the time but knew to keep the focus of the witch hunters off of those she cared for most her fellow miraculous holder some one had to be in the spotlight. So, while the others worked in the shadow, she would make bold rescues for all to see so the others prison breaks would also be blamed on her. When the Guardians where calling the back the miraculous as the enemy was defeat and the witch trails were coming to an end with out the enemy's influence Ladybug knew that she would still be hunted if for no other reason than vengeance and there would be no peace for her." Plagg voice had been getting hoarser as he remembered the pain his holder had felt. "Ladybug had arranged two meetings, one with a guardian and the other with Chat Noir and Viperion. She never intended to meet with my holder she wanted to ensure that he and Viperion were too far away to try and save her. She meet with a Guardian just after allowing her transformation release was seen and gave the Guardians her miraculous then I am guessing allowed herself to be taken and killed." Adrian had gone pale his eyes wide, swallowing over and over like he was fight the urge to be sick. Adrian visibly pulled himself together and gathered his composure around him like a cloak. "I don't think Ladybug rejected love at all Plagg. I think she loved them so much that she didn't want to risk that at some point for her stint as Ladybug to cause them to suffer."
