La Red
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D/C: I own nothing.
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A/N: If anyone is interested, I have a discord for La Red. Send me a message and I'll send you a possible link.
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Plagg knew what he is doing is dangerous. Not only for himself but also for the holder of the Cat Miraculous. Using cataclysm in this weakened state makes it dangerous for everyone around. It becomes more chaotic and unpredictable. The weaker the user has become, the harder it is for them to control it and with Plagg purposely making harder for the kid to use it, that only makes it just as worse.
Nothing mattered anymore. He already failed this kitten.
-.-
Fu watched as Marinette left his shop with a deep frown etched onto his face. He and Marinette had a long talk about Chat Noir's change behavior and health. Even though Marinette wanted to talk to him about Chat's behavior, his health came first. It was becoming increasingly obvious that something is wrong and Chat Noir is doing his best to ignore it.
"Do you believe Plagg is giving up on Adrien?" Wyazz asked as he flew over to Fu.
"No… He already has given up on him, I'm afraid." Fu couldn't help how tired he felt at that instant. He should have seen it coming from several miles away. With how Chat Noir kept putting his own emotions ahead of everyone. The insistence need to get Ladybug's love and approval have blinded him massively. This would not be the first time a Chat Noir has done this, and there were so few times they were able to get out of the gutter before things become irreparable.
"That was what I was afraid of that could be happening…" Wyazz sighed, he flew over and sat on Fu's shoulder. He looked just as tired as his holder. "What are we going to do?"
"Ladybug is still worried about him, but is at her wits ends with his behavior." Wu tiredly said, he made his way back into the shop to look through his things. He has been packing everything to move to a new location and right now, he needed to finish it soon. "I wanted to believe so much in Adrien Agreste that I allowed it to cloud my mind when it has become increasingly clear his behavior is doing more bad than good."
"What are you going to do?"
"I need to speak to him… I will then decide if he's too far gone or if there's a chance of redemption."
"If there's no chance of redemption?"
"…I will follow Ladybug's plan accordingly."
-.-
Felix Lachance knew the day he would have to face Adrien Agreste once more after the last time they had faced each other. Which would now make it around… two years? Give or take. Either way, Felix never wants to deal with Agreste anytime soon. That idiot still hasn't learned a single thing from the last time he tried to protect a liar.
Let's just say, that time around, Felix decided his highroad included ruining someone's reputation forever. The memory alone brings him warmth even on the coldest of nights. It was just too bad that Adrien has a successful and rich father to protect his dreadful public image. Typical really. Using daddy's money to get him out of trouble and to continue on with his delusions of reality.
"Excuse me?"
Felix paused mid-stride, he turned around to see an old man carrying a map and looking completely lost. He turned to fully face the older gentlemen, giving him his complete attention. "Sir?"
"I'm sorry to ask… you wouldn't happen to know where…" The old man asked, laughing awkwardly while handing Felix his map. "I moved to a different shop, but I had gotten lost getting there. If you could be so kind…?"
Felix took the map and made a note of their current location to see what is the best direction to the old man's new shop. He made sure that he did not head into heavy traffic or any place that would give him trouble. "Take this route."
Felix held the map to the old man and told him the general directions to his designated location. "You're not that far from there. Perhaps a fifteen-minute walk?"
"Oh? That's not far!" The old man chuckled, seeing that he didn't get lost after all. "Thank you! Perhaps I will get there soon before the movers do. Thank you, young man."
Felix gave him a courteous nod while handing him back the map. "Get there safely."
"Thank you."
Felix watched as the old man crossed a street before disappearing after taking a left. He swore had seen the same old before, but cannon put a finger on it. Oh well, not his problem anymore. Right now, he needs to go to the library to work on a school project. Yes… school, what a way to keep in distracted from him.
"Felix? It's been a while, huh?"
'If there is a god up there…shoot me.' Felix turned around to see Adrien now standing awkwardly in front of him. Giving him a glance over, Felix couldn't hide his snort at the other blonde's appearance. Even if Adrien did not show it, he could tell that something is off about him. It reminded him as the last time the idiot tried to… well, let's not dwell on the past. "Agreste… How's life? Considering your feeble mind insists on repeating history."
For his own part, Adrien tried to smile but it looked strained. It was clear that Felix hit a nerve within him. Even so, he did his best to make the best of the situation. "How have you been? I heard you stopped modeling?"
"I now mainly act nowadays." There's no point in hiding it and instead of modeling, Felix has grown to enjoy acting. Even more so considering his girlfriend is also part of the industry. Felix gave Adrien a raised eyebrow which caused the other blonde to stammer over his words. "You still haven't answered my question, Agreste."
"I don't know what you mean by that." Adrien responded, he tightly gripped on the strap of his book bag.
"I'm Kagami's new fencing partner… and a close friend of hers." Felix deadpanned, taking inner joy when he saw Adrien's expression immediately drop at the mention of Kagami before paling massively. He took inner joy seeing this side of Adrien. "I'm surprised you are defending another liar? Didn't you learn your listen previously?"
"Felix, could we not?" Adrien physically pleaded with him. He kept looking around, expecting something or something to just appear out of nowhere. "Lila is different."
"Of course she is different! She is dragging you with her this time, congratulations." Felix let out a quick laugh that left him with a sharp smirk that taunted Adrien to no end. "Your former friends, Marinette and Nino, have informed Kagami and myself what has been occurring in that school of yours… and I have to say, I am extremely disappointed in you Adrien."
"Marinette and Nino are my friends." Adrien defended but deep within himself, he couldn't help that small voice that continually agreed with Felix's words. Squashing that voice in the back of his mind when something clicked. "You talked to them?"
"That's beside the point." Felix said impassively. "What you need to worry about is what is going to happen to that Rossi girl you are so intent in protecting. She is a manipulative liar that is going what she could to destroy everyone around her, and you are protecting her."
"She could change. Lila just needs time to understand that she doesn't need to lie to make friends. All she needs is a friend…" Adrien prattled on with his excuse that Lila just needed a friend and so on. Felix wasn't really having it as he did his best to drown out Adrien's poor attempt of an excuse to pardon Lila Rossi's behavior. Even more so when Adrien attempted to manipulate him into believing his words. The problem with that is that Felix already learned his lesson from the last time, that he should allow Adrien to sway him that easily anymore.
"How unbelievably ignorant and self-righteous you are! You forced your friend to take the high road. Which said friend has been relentlessly bullied due to all the lies which you are doing your best to cover it up." Felix finally exploded, eyes narrowed and his entire posture tense with controlled rage. He took a step back, taking in a deep breath while fixing his tie. "Not everyone shares your form of reality."
-.-
Chat Noir does not know what is wrong with him, it has been becoming increasingly difficult to maintain his transformation. Even more so after using his special attack. Falling to his knees on a random rooftop in an attempt to catch his breath, Chat clutched his chest as exhaustion overwhelmed him once more.
The last beep from his ring rung out and he had become Adrien Agreste once more. He looked up to see Plagg had plopped himself in front of him and he looked just as miserable as himself. "Plagg? Are you okay?"
Plagg slowly turned to give Adrien a look of complete disinterest before looking away again. "Yeah, just tired."
Adrien reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of camembert out for Plagg. "Here, we have to meet up with Ladybug soon. She says it's important."
Plagg turned to look at the cheese and wondered if he should eat it. He doesn't want to eat it, but if Ladybug needs to talk to him… perhaps this is his chance. "Alright kid. Give me the cheese! Let's go see what she wants."
-.-
"Ugh… when will he get here?"
"He should be here already!"
"Damn, Cat!"
Carapace tried his best to ignore her. He really did, but Bumblebee has been making it rather hard. Bumblebee, formerly known as Queen Bee, paced around the Eiffel tower waiting for Ladybug to talk to Chat Noir. They had been asked to stick around mainly to take care of any pesky akuma's decide to interrupt Ladybug and Chat Noir's important conversation.
Looking over at Bumblebee, Carapace took in her new hero's costume. Bumblebee's hair is pulled back with a honeycomb bun pin, her blonde hair has black streaks that is nearly reminiscent of a bee. She has a beige fur collar that gives it an appearance of a mane, including having matching fur on her forearms and half of her lower legs. She looks great. For Chloe.
"He'll get here when he gets here." Carapace said lightheartedly, which only earned him a glare. "It's either being here or patrol."
"Ugh…" Bumblebee rolled her eyes, she turned her attention towards the city. "He better get her soon."
"He's here." Carapace deadpanned when he saw Chat Noir arriving at the tower and landed near Ladybug. From where he stood, he could tell the cat themed hero is worse for wear. No wonder Ladybug wanted to talk to him, Chat looks like a dead man walking. "Do you still want to go on pa-"
"Shhh~ I'm trying to listen." Bumblebee hushed him and did her best to listen to the conversation down below. Too bad that it was a windy day and it just made things harder to hear. Her brows furrowed as she tried her best to figure what is being said, but it was been becoming increasingly clear that Ladybug is worried about Chat's health. Can't blame her for asking that, Chat has turned into a liability. Which was the reason she and Carapace became full time Miraculous Holders, along with Ryuko and Viperion who became part-time holders. "Hm…"
"Is he really flirting with her?" Carapace huffed out, annoyed with Chat's ever need to flirt with Ladybug.
"Don't remind me. It's either him acting like a massive baby or flirting with her none stop." Bumblebee growled out. "She wants to talk about his health and he's doing his best to convince her to go on a… oh?"
"Did… Did he just stick up for Lila?"
"He did and Ladybug isn't having it."
"…Should we intervene?" Carapace asked, wincing at Chat Noir's poor attempt to convince Ladybug to go on a date with him.
"No, he's leaving." Bumblebee glared at Chat at his sudden departure. "His time get shorter and shorter. At this rate, we might have to use plan C."
"Nah, better off we use plan F. Lila was brought up and Ladybug will probably want to clear things up on that end before making her final decision." Carapace sighed, not really knowing what their future will look like at this point in time. "Come on, Ladybug looks like she's about to blow a gasket."
-.-
'Of course he refuses to acknowledge anything is wrong.' Ladybug paced around her spot, and glaring at the direction Chat Noir had run off to. 'He refuses to acknowledge anything is wrong with his flirting, decline in health and… how dare he defend Lila! How dare he force me not to intervene!'
"Ladybug, how did it go?" Bumblebee asked as she and Carapace ran up to her.
"I know you two eavesdropped." Ladybug said, obviously annoyed.
"Hey, you could have needed our help dealing with him." Bumblebee replied with an uncaring shrug.
"In all seriousness, Ladybug. How did it go?" Carapace asked, taking a tentative step toward Ladybug.
"To sum it up… Chat Noir is refusing to acknowledge he's doing anything wrong. Claiming that if I saw things in his perspective, I would see he is right. Especially with his romantic feelings towards me and… his need to defend Lila." Ladybug's nose scrunched up in mild disgust. "He wanted me to take the high road when it came to Lila's lies. Can you guys believe it?"
Carapace and Bumblebee glanced at each other, knowing fully well that there is no return for Chat.
"I need to talk to the guardian…" Ladybug said to herself, as she took out her yo-yo. "Could you two patrol? I need to talk to someone…"
"Keep in contact?"
"Keep in contact."
TBC.
