Author's Note: I'd like to say thank you to any of you who are also reading Disney Princesses: Extermination. That story isn't getting the same attention that Miraculous Contempt is, (YET) but I still consider it worth writing. I'm pretty sure the Disney fandom doesn't get as much traffic as the Miraculous Ladybug fandom. But I'll keep writing other stories and I'll keep asking for my readers to give Disney Princesses: Extermination a chance. To the few of you who are reading both stories; don't worry because it's not going to be discontinued. I know a lot of fanfic writers leave a story unfinished, but I'll always try to see a story through to the end.

Chapter 8

Marinette woke up alone on the couch. She looked around and called out, "Adrien?" The lack of a response was troubling. She took a look around the room and found nothing. She took a look around the house and found nothing. She returned to Adrien's room and dialed his number into her phone. It started ringing and then . . .

THUD!

Marinette screamed and whipped her head around to face what ever made that sound.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you." Cat Noir had jumped through the window and landed hard. He was responsible for the sound that made her jump.

Marinette sighed, being frustrated at herself for being startled by him. "It's okay, Kitty. I'm just kind of jumpy now that Hawk Moth knows my identity."

Cat Noir detransformed as Marinette asked him, "What were you up to?"

Adrien held up the bags he was carrying. "I was grabbing breakfast for us and your parents."

Adrien gave her a quick kiss and started walking towards the door. "We should try to figure how to beat Hawk Moth today, but it can wait a little bit. After breakfast, we should probably take a shower."

DID HE REALLY JUST SAY THAT!? Did he really just invite her to take a shower with him!? Marinette couldn't breathe. Was she ready for that kind of intimacy? They were both so young and they just became a couple the previous day. What would Adrien do if she refused? What would her parents think if she went through with it against her better judgment? What was she going to . . .

Adrien said, "You can go first. I have a few things I'd like to do while you're showering."

Marinette deflated, finally able to breathe again. She clutched her chest, panting and thanking God that Adrien meant they should take showers separately.

Adrien, Marinette, and her parents sat down at the table where Adrien had set the food. Tom said, "You didn't have to buy us something. We could've made breakfast to thank you for letting us stay here."

"Nonsense. You're my guests and it's my job to be a good host. Besides, I'm sure you two would rather have a break from all that baking," Adrien said.

Marinette and Adrien hadn't told Tom and Sabine they were a couple, but they guessed that that was the case and they just happened to be right. They each looked at Adrien approvingly, glad for their daughter's decision.

"I wish your father could have had breakfast with us," Sabine said.

Adrien said, "Trust me, it's better that he not be here."

Tom and Sabine looked at each other, wondering what he meant by that. Marinette wasn't sure if Adrien has implied that he was disrespectful or if he had implied that his father was Hawk Moth. Both options had Marinette wishing he didn't say that. She said nervously, "Whahahat Adrien means is that Mr. Agreste has very important work to do." She turned to Adrien and said almost aggressively, "Isn't that right, Adrien?"

Adrien looked at Marinette without saying anything for a little too long before he finally said, "Yes, he's a very busy man."

After the awkward silence had passed, Sabine said, "So, Adrien, if you don't mind my asking, I heard you and Kagami broke up. What happened, exactly? Did she turn out to not be the girl you thought she was?"

"Honestly, it was really my fault."

Marinette quickly said, "Tell us the specifics so our imaginations don't run wild."

"I made her think we had something real, but we didn't. So I told her I couldn't do it anymore."

Desperate for a less dangerous subject, Marinette started stuffing her face and said with her mouth full, "Adrien, this is really good! Where did you get this again?!"

After breakfast, Adrien and Marinette sat down in Adrien's room and played video games while talking about super hero business and Hawk Moth. "What do you think Hawk Moth is going to do next?" Adrien asked.

"The same thing he does after all his think-out-side-the-box-plans fails; go back to the rinse, repeat formula until he thinks of another one."

"Sounds about right."

Marinette said, "I know you don't like keeping these secrets, but we probably shouldn't let anyone know we're dating until we've defeated Hawk Moth. He told you not to hang out with me and he might think Ladybug and Cat Noir are a couple already. If he finds out about us, he'll be able to figure out that you're Cat Noir."

"I understand wanting to keep it a secret from Hawk Moth, but could we let our closest friends know and tell them it's a secret?"

"I'm sure if Alya found out, she would get so excited she would tell everyone she knows," Marinette said.

"Not if you make it clear how important it is to keep it quiet. Isn't that why you should tell her and make sure she doesn't spill the secret, rather than let her find out on her own and blab to everyone before you've had a chance to talk to her?"

"Uh . . . that's actually a good point," Marinette admitted.

"I have a sneaking suspicion that your parents already know. We should definitely ask them not to spread the word."

"Maybe you're right. But we are going to have to be selective about who we tell."

"Alya and Nino are going to find out eventually; so definitely them," Adrien said.

"Alright, but definitely not Juleka. Luka went to Juvy because of something he did, thinking I was cheating on him with you. There's no telling what Juleka would do if she found out that . . ."

"Adrien and Marinette are dating!?" Juleka shouted, staring daggers at a picture of them together on her phone. "That little backstabber really did cheat on him!" Juleka threw her phone at the wall in a fit of rage. She stormed over to her dresser and flipped it onto its side, trying to satisfy her fury. Her eyes caught on something that fell off the dresser. A helmet; her brother's helmet. She knelt down and held the helmet with both hands, so sad to be separated from her brother, so angry at Marinette for "pushing him to do it". Maybe the dark butterfly embedding itself into the helmet would help.

Juleka heard Hawk Moth say, "In the past, you were transformed into Reflekta by such petty and small annoyances that could only shatter someone as fragile as you. Poor little Juleka didn't look good in the class photo. Poor little Juleka didn't get to play dress up. Poor little Juleka got a mean video sent to her. Now, you have truly suffered. Now, you have real hatred and despair strong enough to turn you into something far more powerful than you've ever been before. Your so-called friend, Marinette has betrayed you. Shouldn't she suffer too?"

"Give me the power to kill her," Juleka demanded.

"From this day forward, you are not Reflekta. You are Night Hollow."

Their gaming session was interrupted by the sound of Marinette's phone ringing. Adrien paused the game while Marinette answered. "Hello?"

Alya asked franticly, "Marinette! Are you okay?!"

Marinette put her on speaker phone so Adrien could hear. "Yes. I'm okay. Why do you ask?"

"You don't know? A super villain just wrecked your house!"

Marinette wasn't surprised. She thought, "Good thing we brought Mama and Papa here." She said out loud, "Do you know who it was?"

"No. It was too dark to see."

"Too dark?" Marinette asked as she looked out the window to the bright, sunny day. Marinette said, "Thanks for calling me, Alya. I'll be right over there."

"WHAT?!"

Marinette said in panic, realizing she slipped, "I mean I'll stay away from there! Gotta go. I need to get further away from my house. Bye Alya!"

"Very smooth, muh lady," Adrien teased. For that, Marinette groaned at him.

Ladybug and Cat Noir arrived at Marinette's house and it looked horrible. Giant holes in the walls, baking ingredients and tools were scattered and spilled. The counter, among other things, was in two pieces.

Cat Noir called out, "Hello in there!" After waiting for a response that never came, Cat Noir said, "We must have missed them."

A shadow crept across the concrete without them noticing. From the shadow, someone emerged: someone dangerous. Night Hollow wore a cloak over black armor. The right side of her mask was a metal replica of Juleka's face while the left was smooth and void of details. The rest of her head was covered in a formfitting helmet, but her translucent hair was right where it would be if there was no helmet.

Ladybug and Cat Noir heard the rippling sound of Night Hollow creating a ten-foot-long blade made of darkness that extended from her palm. They turned to face her and quickly did backflips as she swung. Ladybug and Cat Noir stood with prepared weapons, having evaded the attack. Night Hollow's blade quickly dissipated. Apparently, her blades wouldn't last long. Night Hollow stood casually and calmly. She slowly clapped her hands twice and the light of day snapped to the dark of night. From where the stood, it looked like it was midnight, except the street light and house light weren't on. They could even see the stars. In the darkness, Night Hollow blended in. She was reabsorbed into her shadow and she zoomed away. Night Hollow reappeared behind them and said, "Boo."

They tried to hit her, but she was gone again. She reappeared, standing on the wall and asked monotone, "Did I scare you?"

She reappeared across the street and asked, "Did I convince you that everything is hopeless?"

At yet another location she asked, "Did I put you further back in the shell you were just starting to claw your way out of? Did I make you feel what you've made me feel?"

"What are you talking about?" Ladybug asked.

Night Hollow appeared not far in front of Ladybug. But it was too dark for Ladybug to see her. "Don't play dumb, Marinette!" she growled.

Ladybug winced, hoping no one was around to hear that name. It was too dark for Ladybug to see her, but Cat Noir had night vision. He swung at Night Hollow, only for her to reveal another trick of hers. All the pieces of Night Hollow's armor flew off and held still in midair. Underneath all that armor, she was translucent and intangible; she was hollow. Cat Noir's staff passed right through her like she was a ghost. The pieces of her armor flew right back on and she extended a blade from her palm that struck him and blasted him away. Ladybug shouted, "Kitty!" she couldn't see Night Hollow, but she had heard Cat Noir scream in pain.

"You told me we were friends," Night Hollow said.

"We are friends."

"LIAR! You and Adrien are dating! You cheated on my brother!"

That sounded bad. If she knew Marinette and Adrien were dating, that had to have meant that Hawk Moth knew, too. But she had to be smart about this. For all she knew, Hawk Moth just told Juleka that they were dating to upset her, not knowing himself that they actually were dating. "Juleka, listen to me. I did not cheat on Luka. We weren't right for each other, but I would never do that to anyone!"

"I already have evidence. I don't want to hear your lies; just your screams."

Ladybug thought, "Evidence? What kind of evidence could she have if I didn't do it?" That thought echoed until she was struck down by a blade made of darkness.

"You took my brother away from me."

"I know it's hard. I know it's easier to point fingers at someone else. But Luka is responsible for his own actions."

There was short lived silence until Night Hollow said, "I'll take the easy way out of this pain." Night Hollow swung a blade downward, but Cat Noir defended Ladybug with his staff. Night Hollow swung at him instead, but he kept up his defenses. He rushed forward, but she grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. Cat Noir felt something being drained out of him. He resisted at first, but then he started wondering why. He stopped moving and dropped his arms to his sides apathetically. She took him with her into her shadow and appeared on top of Marinette's house. Then the light came back and Night Hollow said, "This, I want you to see." Cat Noir was awake, but limp. The day light had come back, but Cat Noir looked dark, as if he was in the shade. Night Hollow grabbed his leg with her other hand and lifted him up while bending her knee, ready to break him.

Author's Note: Aside from the two heroes, Juleka is my favorite character in Miraculous Ladybug. I never thought that her super villain identity did her justice in the show. Hopefully you'll all like Night Hollow better.

(This next part was added in later.)

I have a YouTube Channel now. I review fictional couples, talking about how well their written, how good their chemistry is and the story of how they get together. My first video is –

Spider Man and MJ (Homecoming and Far From Home) - Couple Reviews by MVPKnight

My second video is –

Cortana and Master Chief – Couple Reviews by MVPKnight

My third video is –

Spider-Man and MJ (2002) – Couple Reviews by MVPKnight

And my fourth video is –

Spider-Man and . . . EVERYONE (Spectacular Spider-Man) – Couple Reviews by MVPKnight

I would provide a link, but that's actually against the terms of service here.

My channel title is the same as my penname here, so you might be able to find me by typing it into the search engine.