And I'm back with another chapter of Akumatised. Sorry for the delay, I was actually done with chapter 2 a while ago but started working on chapter 3 (which I'm almost done with) before uploading chapter 2. But I'm finally uploading it!

Hope you enjoy the chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir


Chapter 2: Trust

The black clad hero was ready to give it all up. The more he looked at his ring the more he wanted it gone, just so he could forget everything he'd just heard. The sun had just set taking the remaining light with it. The lights around the city began to turn on, all flickering dots from their view so high up.

Ladybug could see the turmoil he was going through, she walked closer and stood next to him. She looked at him forcing his eyes shut and slightly shaking, she put her hand over his and rubbed her thumb over his ring.

"Cat..." she started

"I don't think there's anything that can change my mind"

"We still don't even know what happened, can't we at least figure it out first before you make your decision?"

He finally opened his eyes and looked at her for what seemed like an eternity before looking back to the city.

"I—I should go. We should go, it's getting late" he sounded defeated as he turned to walk away but Ladybug caught his wrist.

"But we're still going to talk about this, tomorrow" he remained silent

"Cat, promise me I'll see you tomorrow"

He sighed before nodding then climbing on the ledge with his staff in hand.

"I'm sorry, Ladybug" he said before jumping off and propelling himself with his staff

"I'm sorry too, Cat Noir" she watched him disappear before swinging off the building

It was just after nine p.m. and Adrien had just showered and changed into his sleepwear

"So you're just not going to tell her the reason you were Akumatised in the first place?" Plagg asked while enjoying a slice of Camembert while Adrien was laying on his bed

"I can't tell her. Not yet at least" he was looking at the ceiling

"How is that supposed to work out? You're meeting her tomorrow. You know how she feels about being lied to"

"It's not lying..." he tried to defend

"No of course not, it's just keeping the full story from her" Plagg retorted sarcastically

"Can we drop this, please?" he sat up

His tone made Plagg put down his cheese and look at him.

Adrien was hurting.

"I just don't know how to feel about all this. These are your powers but I was the using them to do all those terrible things to the city, the people...and Ladybug. I know I wasn't in control but I still did it" he brushed a hand through his hair and lay back down on his back.

"You can't blame yourself for how you felt, Adrien. Everyone experiences negative emotions from time to time. It's because of Hawk Moth that they get exploited, that yours got exploited especially since he's..., well never mind that part. I get negative emotions too you know, like I get really sad or angry when my precious Camembert is gone but it disappears as soon as you replace it"

Adrien rolled his eyes and smiled.

"You're really going to compare my situation to you wanting more cheese, really Plagg?" Adrien rubbed the top of his head with his finger with a smile and like the cat he is, Plagg enjoyed the moment of affection.

"Just trying to cheer you up" he admitted

And with that Adrien turned off the lights and climbed into the blankets while Plagg settled on the pillow next to him.

"Are you alright, Marinette?" Tikki asked looking at her

Marinette was sitting with her chin resting on her knees, hugging her legs.

"I'm really worried about Cat Noir. He didn't seem to keen on us meeting up tomorrow"

"You think he won't show up?"

"No he'll definitely show up but asking him relive and remember what happened might not be such a good idea" she felt a wave of guilt wash over her

"Putting the pieces together will hurt both of you-you didn't exactly come out of it unscathed- but it's necessary to know why he was Akumatised and make sure it doesn't happen again. Ladybug and Cat Noir need each other."

"Yeah you're right Tikki, we need to do this to move forward" she said while climbing into her blankets and eventually nodding off to sleep.

The sky was blacked out by plumes of smoke, buildings on fire, debris everywhere, frantic and terrified screams filled the streets.

Beads of sweat ran down his face as he struggled to breathe the hot air around him, running down the chaotic Parisian streets. Adrien was looking around him for the source of all this destruction. Unlike everyone else who ran away from the explosions and toppling buildings, he ran towards them, he needed to stop whomever was attacking. Even though nobody would stop and stare or even notice if he transformed right where he was, he still went to find a place to hide to transform.

Once clad in his hero outfit he raced to the rooftops, following the path of destruction. There was someone just ahead of him covered in a black cloak, he'd just reduced the Eiffel Tower to a pile of rusted metal, not caring in the slightest about the people still on it. Their screams followed by the thunderous crash and deafening silence would haunt him forever.

How could someone do such a thing? He could feel the anger rising inside him, almost trembling with rage. Just as he jumped to the next building a streak of red whizzed past him.

Ladybug.

He felt relief wash over him as she'd caught up to the mysterious villain and began fighting him, buying time for people in the area to escape. Cat Noir put in all he could to catch up. He launched himself forward and extended his staff to hit the enemy but he jumped out the way just in time.

"Any idea who this is milady?"

"I have no clue but he needs to be stopped" they both stood ready in a fighting stance

They both raced in to fight at the same time. Their enemy was ready as well blocking every kick and punch and evaded with ease. This way of fighting looked very familiar to Cat Noir and filled him with a sense of dread. He re-focused and lunged with his staff but he cloaked villain grabbed on to it and kicked Cat Noir back. What a powerful kick that was, Cat struggled to get back up again.

Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around him and he fell to the ground without a struggle. Ladybug slowly moved in closer.

He didn't even try to avoid her yo-yo, he just stood there and let her wrap him up.

Something's off.

He concluded as he stood up and looked over to their enemy. Beneath the hood of his cloak he could see a smirk.

"Ladybug, stay back!" he yelled but it was too late

The yo-yo was close enough to his hand that he could grab it and it turned to ash, the string around him crumbled as well.

"That looks like a Cataclysm!" he looked in shock at the black energy around his enemy's hand

"It's about time you noticed" the hooded enemy stood up and grabbed Ladybug and pinned her arms behind her back and held his Cataclysm hand close to her face. She tried to struggle free but it was no use.

"Get your hands off her!" Cat Noir charged forward

"But you're the one who's really hurting her, Cat Noir" he took off his black cloak and underneath it was him, another Cat Noir but with red eyes

"What is this? Copy Cat again or someone else?" all the fear and dread he'd suppressed earlier came right back. He was looking at, himself. How could he be in two places at once, granted he knew he was dreaming but it did little to comfort him

"That would make you feel better wouldn't it? If it was someone else but I think we we both know you know it's really you. Under this you're, or rather, we're Adrien"

"I don't understand"

"I'm just reminding you of what you're so desperately trying to run away from, what you're trying to forget. You were Akumatised, you did all this, you hurt all those people and you enjoyed all of it" he brought his hand even closer to her face and singed some of her loose hanging hair.

"Stop it, please!" he begged and saw the fear in her eyes before she squeezed them shut

"You need to understand, Cat Noir, you're a monster..." he turned her around and kissed her then pulled away "And innocence has no place in the presence of monsters" he raised his right hand

"No, don't do it!" he screamed and ran for him but he wasn't fast enough, his evil counterpart struck Ladybug with his cataclysm fist right in the stomach. She let out a loud pained cry before falling to the ground doubled over in excruciating pain.

Cat Noir felt tears stinging the corners of his eyes as he couldn't seem to move fast enough like something was keeping him in place. He'd been running for so long but he hadn't moved at all, forced to watch himself strike the woman he loved with his devastating power. And he knew first hand what a Cataclysm to the ribs felt like.

"Pay attention Adrien, this one is for keeps" he turned Ladybug over so she was lying on her back. She was unconscious but the tear streaks could be seen even from the distance the real Cat Noir was at.

"Just leave her alone, please. You've already hurt her enough" he was on his knees trembling, trying to catch his breath, he couldn't stomach watching anymore of this.

"You don't know the half of it. I'm surprised she's just unconscious but I'll fix that" he got down on one knee and raised his hand again, made the Cataclysm bigger then dropped his hand at an incredible speed.

"No, Ladybug!"

Adrien shot up in bed and looked around him, he was panting -his chest was tight, desperately gasping for air- and he was soaked in sweat. He was in his room, the floor to ceiling windows, the couch and the TV, his computer desk. He was in his room.

Safe.

He took out his phone from under his pillow, almost two a.m.

He got out of bed and went to the bathroom and splashed his face with cold water. He looked into the mirror at his dripping reflection, his cheeks were slightly flushed and his eyes red. He held up his hand, he was trembling. He sighed heavily before sinking to the floor and letting his tears, he'd been fighting back, flow.

The sounds of his sobs woke the little black kwami.

"Adrien, what happened? Are you alright?"

"It was a nightmare, a really bad one" he leaned back against the cabinet "It felt so real" he stood up and walked out and headed to the window. "I think I need to get some air" he looked down at his ring for what felt like the longest time. He was his own antagonist in that nightmare and the very power he was about to access just caused him so much pain.

"Adrien..." Plagg was troubled by the serious look on his chosens face

He took a deep breath before saying his command and transforming. He looked at his reflection in the window, at himself as Cat Noir staring right back at him. He felt nauseated at what the evil nightmare version of himself was capable of. He tried to shake off those feelings before leaping out the window. The cool air flying over him felt good, he definitely needed this.

Marinette woke up abruptly, her hand clutching her stomach.

"Marinette, were you crying?" a concerned Tikki asked, floating right in front of her

Marinette looked at her in confusion before wiping her cheek and indeed feeling tears escape her eyes.

"I think I was having a nightmare but I don't remember any of it now"

"But the way you were holding your stomach just now..."

"Yeah I know, it's right where I got hit...by Cat Noir while he was Akumatised. I think I was having a nightmare about yesterday, I wonder if he was too. He was so scared and hurt when we talked" she got out of bed

"Where are you going?" Tikki asked following her up to her balcony

"Back to the top of the building where we fought. I feel like I have to" she looked at her kwami before transforming and off she went.

Neither knowing they were headed to the same place. Ladybug and Cat Noir were about to meet.


And that is the end of chapter 2, hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to leave a review, fave and follow if you want more.

Well that's it from me,

Please stay safe and stay inside

Ketsui Tasogare :-)