Timemaster part 2

"You're Ladybug's kwami…" Adrien said cutting her off.

Adrien got back up, trying to ignore the pain. He approached the anguished kwami with confusion and worry.

"My name is Tikki, and yes, I am Ladybug's kwami," Tikki confirmed in an not to enthusiastic voice.

"But why are you here? Where's Ladybug?"

"I'm afraid she won't help you, we're on our own," Tikki concluded.

"Wait… You don't mean…" Adrien said looking up at the surface.

"Yes, she was turned into a fossil like the others. Timemaster got to her before she could transform," Tikki confirmed.

"But Ladybug is the only one who can purify the Akuma," Plagg said, butting in. Then there was a brief silence between before Adrien covered his mouth and slowly turned around.

"This is bad…" Adrien muttered.

"Tikki, you won't have the control of the power of the miraculous, you know what that means, right?" Plagg asked.

"Yes, I do…" Tikki replied.

"What? What are you talking about?" Adrien asked, turning back to them.

"Tikki…" Plagg began.

"I'm talking about my abilities without the miraculous user. I could fix all the damage done, even reversing the effect on the akumatized victim. But…" Tikki trailed off.

"There's a catch, isn't there?" Adrien concluded.

"Uh-huh…" Tikki confirmed. "The sole purpose of the miraculous is to maintain balance. Light and darkness, creation and destruction, good luck and bad luck go hand in hand. Neither can ever be without the other. As you already know, Plagg has the ability to destroy humanity as we know it."

"Sheesh, thanks for pointing that out," Plagg said, crossing his arms while looking away.

"If that happened, the balance would restore itself and life would begin anew. Of course, Plagg and I managed to learn to condense ourselves in smaller areas throughout the millennia. But the after effects will take over in that area. The same will happen once the energy of creation, the energy of destruction would later return with a vengeance."

"So if you fix everything as you said you could… what would happen exactly?" Adrien asked.

"As I said, it will be positive energy at its highest. If I were to fix everything, many random unfortunate events would happen constantly and indiscriminately. Again if one side completely dominates, the other will return to with a vengeance before it balances out again," Tikki explained.

With that, Adrien looked to his side again in contemplation. There was another brief silence before Adrien spoke up again.

"So what's the game plan?" he asked.

"If you had seen the footage when Ladybug went against Style Queen, then you know that Ladybug had to balance out Plagg's Cataclysm with her miraculous Ladybug cure,"

"Indeed I have," Adrien confirmed.

"Basically, once you expose the Akuma you have to let it expand then I'll emit my cure power upon Paris before it could do more damage. Then use your Cataclysm to balance it out to prevent those unfortunate events."

"Gotcha," Adrien affirmed as he gave a piece of camembert cheese to Plagg. "We're going back in in a minute," Adrien said to the two kwami.

Meanwhile… in the Eiffel Tower

"Alright, let's go over this one more time…" Timemaster said as he paced back and forth on the mid platform of the Eiffel Tower. "How about you tell me where Ladybug and Cat Noir are, and I don't have to have my way with you, how about it?" He asked, turning to his captives…

"I told you, I don't know. And even if I did, I would never tell you," Nino responded. As he struggled from his tied position with neon clocks floating near his wrists and feet, rendering him unable to move. Right by his side was Chloe, who was also tied in a similar predicament.

"How about you, sweet cheeks?" He asked her, which causes her to emit a light gasp.

"As if I'd tell you if I knew!" She shouted while turning away from him.

"Look, I have my reasons to get those miraculous and I know you two have some connection with them!"

"Why's that?"

"Starting with you, Chloe Bougois," Timemaster threatened while raising her chin with the edge of his scythe, causing Chloe to flinch, "I know you got that Bee Miraculous from someone! Guess you should've thought of that before telling everyone you're Queen Bee!"

"Ladybug dropped it and I pick it up, that's it! She didn't even give it to me! So no I have no idea who they are!" Timemaster simply shook his head and began pacing back and forth again.

"This is going nowhere," he muttered as he continued his pacing. He caressed his chin for a minute with a hum as he turned to his left and right, until…, "A-HA," He made a dash to the bottom where a legion of fossilized police officers are present. He grabbed one of the speakers then quickly reached the top of the tower. "Oh, Cat Noir!" Timemaster shouted in a sing-song tone. "You know the drill, I got your friends hostage, and you surrender!"

He raises his hand behind his ear with a rather lively expression on his face, his eyes wide and an open mouth smile as if he's a little boy expecting a positive answer. But there was silence…

"No?" He then jumps back down to his prisoners. "Time's ticking, Cat Noir!" he shouted as he tweaked the tiny knob on his watch. "Wanna know why they call me Timemaster and not…" he trailed off and his eyes stared aside before speaking again. "Fossil guy, eh?" As he tweaked his watch's little knob, his suit turn snow white, while he relished his prisoners struggling from their bonds to no avail. "Because fossilizing happens years after a creature dies. But what happens when I go backward!?" he shouted and started to walk backward while staying in the same place as he was on a treadmill. Nino and Chloe begin to struggle and moan in a rather sheepish manner as if they're delirious. The two then started to slowly de-age. "Now or never, Cat Noir… AH!" he shouted in pain as he felt a sharp on his back knocking him off his feet in the middle of his ultimatum. He goes over the edge but he hangs on just in time before falling. It was Cat Noir who used his staff extension again.

"You know, life isn't about going back, it's about going forward!" shrinking his staff back to its original size. Timemaster flips back up to safety.

"Meow!" a childish voice shouted. His eyes widened and they moved towards its source. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped after getting a glimpse of Chloe's six-year-old self.

"Boy in a kitty suit is funny!" Nino said giggling, apparently unaware of his predicament. Chloe, on the other hand, wasn't saying anything but actually making cat-noises such as meowing and hissing.

"Oh, Chloe…"

"HAAAA!" Timemaster charged at Cat Noir aiming the tip of his scythe towards his groin. Cat Noir then quickly deflected the blow with his staff and then locked it in place, Timemaster struggled to pull his scythe free.

"Can't touch this!" Cat Noir shouted before kicking Timemaster in the face. "This isn't a bar fight, have some class," he said as he prepared to fight again.

"Why you…" Timemaster muttered as he once again tempered with the little knob on his watch.

"The Akuma must be in his watch, gotcha," Cat Noir muttered as he set his eyes on his target. Timemaster reverted to his original darker look.

""Give me that miraculous, give it to me!" he sneers and punches the ground, releasing a bunch of black smoke, turning the captive Nino and Chloe into fossils.

"Nooooo!" Cat Noir shouted before evading the smoke. But before Cat Noir could think of his next move, he was suddenly pinned by Timemaster. Cat Noir was once again struggling to break free from his grip.

"Now, I'm only gonna ask you once, where's Ladybug?"

"Like I'd tell you!" Cat Noir tries to kick him again but Timemaster dodges it and quickly pins him again.

"No seriously, where is she? You'd think she'd be here by now, unless for some reason she can't come," Cat Noir's eyes widened and then let out an unintentional gasp. "Bingo!" he shouted and then slammed him to the ground. "Alright, tough guy," he said before grabbing Cat Noir by the neck and throw him into the elevator and seal the gate with hardened black dust. "I still need you as my failsafe." He told Cat Noir. He then once again made his way to the top of the tower.

"What are you getting at?" Hawk Moth asked.

"Don't you find it odd that Ladybug hasn't popped up?"

"It is strange, yes, what's your point?"

"Have you seen Cat Noir's reaction? Chances are she's among those fossilized!"

"How do you figure it may not be a ruse?"

"That's why I haven't taken his miraculous. If I'm wrong then I can use him as insurance to lure her out, if I take his miraculous now she may not come out and come up with a counter attack," Timemaster concluded, causing a grunt from Hawk Moth.

"I never figured you as a strategist,"

"I'm not stupid you know,"

"An undeniably flawed conclusion, but given the circumstances… If Ladybug is indeed one of the fossilized, who could she be?"

"I told you before… some comic book knowledge can go a long way…" Timemaster said with a grin.

Meanwhile… in the Eiffel Tower elevator

Cat Noir desperately tries to ram the entrance open, but the hardened dust was too strong. After ramming and kicking the door for a while he was beginning to tire out.

"I can't break free," Cat Noir shouted.

"What about the vent?" Tikki suggested.

"Sealed shut as well," Cat Noir replied while kicking the vent again. He then paused for a moment as he panted loudly. He was desperately looking around to find a way out. His frown begins to grow deeper as seconds pass.

"Cat Noir, I know what you're thinking but you can't use your cataclysm now,"

"What other choice do we have? Paris is gonna ghost town if we don't stop him!" Cat Noir replied going through his hair with his hands. He then raises his hand in and starts to inhale before Tikki suddenly stuck on his back. "Cata… Huh?"

"Shh… shh… shh…" Tikki hushed while Cat Noir quieted down, and his panting had subdued. "Breathe Cat Noir, think straight. You can't use your cataclysm yet, so quiet down and think of an alternative." Tikki said. Cat Noir closed his eyes and breathed slowly.

"Alright… what's the game plan?"

"I could lend you some of my strength but I can't give you too much or else I won't be able to restore Paris to normal. So, you will need to give as much of your own strength, the more I give you, the less likely I'll be able to use my purification…" Tikki concluded. Cat noir was silent for a moment. He lowered his head and breathed deeply one more.

"Alright, let's do it!" he affirmed while clenching his fists. With that, Tikki stuck behind Cat Noir again and began to glow. Her red aura began to spread through his body as he begins to struggle in opening the elevator door. "NNNNghhhhh…." Cat Noir struggled as he gave it his all to open the elevator. After a while, only a crack was heard. "I don't think it's enough," I moaned in his struggle.

"I can't give too much. It would be like you used your cataclysm,"

"Damn," Cat muttered. "NNNNNghhhhhh… COME ON!" the door cracked once more.

"Don't give up, Ladybug needs you now more than ever," Tikki pleaded.

"Come on Cat, if what Timemaster said was true, he might know where Ladybug is. Gotta get to her before he does!" Cat Noir muttered in his struggle. "NNNNNghhhhhh… NNNNNghhhhhhh… NNNNNNNNNNGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Both gates of the elevator door busted out of place, sending both pieces flying. He stepped out of the elevator, panting deeply like an angry ogre. After a brief second to gather himself he remembered…

"Tikki?"

"I'm alright," Tikki reassured struggling to stay afloat but Cat Noir caught her.

"I never asked but… what do you eat?"

He then went to an abandoned ice cream post where he grabbed some grinded pieces of chocolate chip cookie and gave them to her.

"Here, just hide here and rest for a bit," he hid her in the post while petting her. "He must be heading back to Belleville, that's where this chaos began, follow me later," with that he went off, leaving Tikki behind. "Hope I'm not too late."

In Belleville…

"You actually know who Ladybug might be? How so?" Hawk Moth asked

"Think about it, the superhero always hides from the rest of the confusion for them to transform into their alter ego. And do you remember a specific girl who was hiding?"

"You don't mean…"

"BINGO! That pig-tail cutesy I caught hiding? Think about it, she was hiding away from the rest and she was just standing there, I bet she was about to transform," Timemaster concluded.

"I'm not convinced. Are you really risking Cat Noir to escape just for that?" Hawk Moth asked.

"There's only one way to know for sure," Timemaster affirmed.

Timemaster then searched relentlessly, trying to remember where he caught the girl off guard. He searched around Belleville, jumping rooftop to rooftop. Trying to remember the building where he had caught his hiding victim off guard.

"Here, buggy, buggy, here bug," he taunted as he searched around his fossilized victims. He eventually made his way to one of the taller rooftops in Belleville and looked around. He finally a large hole on the wall of a building where the bus was parked. There she was, the shocked and surprised expression on her fossilized face. He grinned and makes his leap towards her. "THERE YOU ARE! Ugh!" he yelled as he was abruptly pushed off course while midair by none other Cat Noir. The two landed hard on the street pavement and began to roll. The two stopped and attempt to get on their feet.

"Sorry, Mr. Grim, but you're not getting to my lady," he gathered himself and prepared for battle.

"You should've taken his miraculous when you had the chance!" Hawk Moth yelled. Timemaster sneered in response.

"STOP TALKING!" Timemaster shouted pointing at his head, "No matter, I already know who Ladybug is!"

"Oh, I'm not worried, 'cause you won't remember a thing when this is all said and done," Cat Noir said as he span his staff.

"No mercy this time. Say goodbye to your miraculous!" Timemaster shouted as he stomped his scythe tip on the ground.

"Bring it!" Cat Noir said with a ready grin. Crouching in a rather feral position, like a wild animal.

The two went headlong at each other with their respective weapons. Then they went all out on quick attacks, attacking and blocking each other at white knuckle speed. They then jumped away from each other and Timemaster started to throw the flat neon clocks at Cat Noir which he dodged effortlessly. He made a break for the small shops in the street market for cover, anticipating Timemaster to resort to the fossilization projectiles. In a long aisle of vegetables, he hid in one side, Timemaster had then lost sight of him.

"Grrrr… Stupid cat! WHERE IS HE!" he yelled as he searched around. Cat Noir was still hidden on the other extreme of the outdoor vegetable aisle. Timemaster was taking a few more steps to the other vertical side of the aisle.

"Come on…" Cat Noir whispered as he observed Timemaster searching around. "Come on…" he repeated with a slightly elevated tension. When Timemaster was finally in position, Cat Noir smirked and emerged from the other end of the aisle.

"Yo, reaper!" Cat Noir shouted, getting Timemaster's attention.

"Huh?"

With a shout, he kicked the aisle with all his might that the aisle nailed Timemaster. In a matter of seconds, the aisle took him across the neighborhood, pinning him to a graffiti wall. He appeared to be unconscious and Cat Noir made a break for it to tear off his watch. As he desperately clutched the watch, trying to break it without using his cataclysm, Timemaster quickly regained consciousness and punched Cat Noir away and pushed the end of the market aisle off him. The two then ready their weapons and charged once again. Their weapons locked on each other and they stared at each other in the eye.

"Nice try," Timemaster teased.

"I'm not done yet," Cat Noir retorted.

Then they raised their weapons and clash once last time. With a thunderous clap, their weapons broke in pieces. The scythe blade went flipping up landing with the edge nailing a rooftop. Both men unarmed, stood in shock of what had happened. They were both distracted by their respective weapons are no more, but quickly shifted their focus back at each other. The two were slightly panting. There was then an unsettling silence among the two. Then the two just circled each other.

"I guess we're settling this the old-fashioned way,"

"Guess so, you and me, mano a mano," Cat Noir made his fists, and made a traditional old school boxing stance.

Timemaster had a rawer and more modern street like approach at his stance. More like an experienced street brawler rather than someone fighting for the first time. The two charged at each other once again, throwing a barrage of punches at each other at an even faster pace than earlier. Both were desperate to land a blow at the other. They seem to have gained even more momentum without their weapons. From what started as a superhero fight one might expect in comic books had turned into a bare-fisted street brawl. Neither appear to have much experience with hand to hand combat, they both clearly developed raw strength thanks to their respective sources of power. While Timemaster lands more powerful blows, Cat Noir had speed on his side as he dodged more than he struck.

"Stop moving!" Timemaster shouted as he resumed his barrage.

"What's wrong? Can't land a purrfect blow?" Cat Noir taunted as he dodged his opponent's blow with grace.

"GRRRR! I'll show you purrfect!" Timemaster growled as he threw another hard punch. Cat Noir quickly responded in kind. Both fists clashed with each other, causing the floor underneath them to crack. Timemaster charged another attack. "Let's end this," he said as he finally landed a blow at Cat Noir causing him to fly off spinning horizontally and land hard on the floor.

Timemaster then leaped to deliver the final blow to the face, only for Cat Noir to dodge it at the last moment, creating a hole on the floor. Cat Noir then returned with a vengeance, catching his opponent off guard and landed a barrage of successful blows at him. Timemaster was completely unable to react as he received the painful wave of fists that were coming so fast, he couldn't block or fight back. Cat Noir concluded his barrage with an uppercut, knocking Timemaster off his feet and landing hard on the floor, causing a crater.

"Well, had enough? Cat Noir shouted.

Timemaster didn't respond. Cat Noir walked towards him, he grabbed his right wrist and once again attempts to tear off his watch. But before he could try to pull off his watch, Timemaster reacted spontaneously and threw one of his flat neon clocks at Cat Noir. Sending him flying to a nearby wall. Timemaster managed to hit Cat Noir's right wrist, freezing it in its place.

"No!" Cat Noir yelled as he used his other hand in an attempt to break it free, but to no avail. Timemaster approached him, grinning as he savored the moment. Cat Noir tried to kick him off again, but Timemaster shot neon clocks on both his legs, freezing them into place.

"Not this time! Heh, looks like time wasn't on your side," Timemaster taunted.

"Ugh, and you thought my puns were bad," Cat Noir retorted. Timemaster then throws another neon clock at his other wrist. Cat Noir tried to dodge it but it his elbow in its place, freeing it in place as well. He approaches Cat noir and grabs his right wrist to snatch his miraculous. The two struggle with each other as Cat Noir resisted from Timemaster taking off his ring. Cat Noir tried to reach out for Timemaster's watch but with his elbow bound by the neon clock, he could only barely touch it with his long fingernail. Just then, Timemaster grabs ahold of his right with both of his as he's attempting to snatch the miraculous from his finger.

Meanwhile, Tikki was on her way to the area, searching for the two and where they're fighting. She finally caught a glimpse of where they're fighting and noticed Cat Noir's situation.

"CAT NOIR, NOOO!" Tikki yelled as she flew towards them.

"Cataclysm," Cat Noir whispered as he touched Timemaster's watch with his fingernail again.

"*Gasp* NOOOOOOOO!" Timemaster yelled as his watch disintegrated, releasing the black butterfly. There was nothing Cat Noir could do now as he helplessly saw the Akuma elevate up in the air, ready to multiply. The Akuma went on its way to the air…

"Cat Noir!" Tikki yelled as she approached where he stood. Cat Noir looked her as she appeared to have recovered her energy to do the cure. She didn't look too pleased, however… "Do you realize what you've done!?" She yelled.

"What was the alternative?" Cat Noir retorted. "Let him take our miraculous and give them to Hawk Moth, or purify Paris with your cure and take our chances with the rebalancing?"

"But…" Tikki began, but before she could begin to speak the Akuma had started to multiply, engulfing Paris in darkness.

"No time, we have to do this now," Cat Noir urged.

"But… Adrie…," Tikki was cut off as Cat Noir grabbed her and made his back to the Eiffel Tower.

"Too late, we have to do this!" Cat Noir shouted as he rushed up the tower while avoiding the replicated akumas.

"Adrien…" Tikki muttered in defeat, looking down within Cat Noir's grasp. There was no choice, they had no choice. The akumas were starting to take over people. Unlike last time when the victims turned into giant mindless golems, people were becoming very intelligent time manipulators. With that many people with such ability, the result could only be disastrous, he had to hurry.

Upon reaching the Eiffel Tower, he looked up and briefly had a hard making out the tip due to the darkness caused by the multiplying akumas.

"Ready for this, Tikki?"

"What choice do we have?" She answered in a very solemn manner as she mounted on Cat Noir's shoulder.

He rushed to one of the corners of the tower and free ran his way to the top. Once he made the top, he leaped from one spot to another as he finally made his way to the tip. Tikki then made her way through his arm. Once, he reached the tip, he jumped as high as he could and reached his right hand up as if he was throwing Tikki up in the air.

"Tikki, NOW!" Cat Noir shouted as she emitted her power.

With light coming out of her mouth and both eyes, a large burst of red and pink aura engulfs all over Paris. Every victim, every building and every damage in any way shape or form had been rectified. The sky was starting to clear up, reverting to its sunny blue. Citizens were looking around, confused, not realizing what had transpired. All of the black butterflies became white and there was a spectacle of white butterflies all over Paris, becoming a sight to behold. On the top balcony of the tower, Cat Noir observed the cleansing from above. He finally, gets a glimpse of who Timemaster was…

"Rigby?" He asked himself.

"Do you know him?" Tikki asked. Cat Noir sighed, looking down. "Isn't her Mr. Quintel's friend he lives with?"

"I lied to the class about him… He's my therapist. Ever since my mom was gone, I begged him to either spend time with me or let me go to a public school and to stop sheltering me as he always did. But no, the first thing he did is hire a therapist," He said with a hint of disgust. "Oh, don't get me wrong, he's actually pretty cool. Sometimes I wonder if he's even a therapist, he kind of lazy and pretty snarky. He understood my plight but he couldn't do anything about it…" Tikki was silent for a moment before changing the topic.

"Adrien, you do realize you did not use your cataclysm when we needed it…"

"I know, and I'm willing to take responsibility for whatever repercussions this may cause,"

"Let's hope for the best," Tikki concluded as she's about to fly away. Presumably to return to Ladybug, who should be back to normal by now. She paused then looked back at Cat Noir and said, "Good luck, Adrien," with that, she was off. Cat Noir sighed as he lowered his head and scratched the back of his neck.

"I screwed up, only time will tell how much…"

"Chat Noir?" he heard a familiar voice behind him, interrupting his thoughts. He turned to the source to see a restored Nino and Chloe.

"Well look what the cat dragged in," Cat Noir said back to his goofy side.

"Well thanks for saving our skins, Cat Noir?" Nino said. "I'm pretty sure Chloe is grateful too." He concluded, motioning at Chloe. Chloe rolled her eyes, causing Cat Noir to raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you expect me to believe you're the one who saved us? Where's Ladybug!" Chloe chastised, only earning her a slap in the head from Nino.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Cat noir asked, putting his hand behind his ear. Chloe frowned at Nino for a moment before turning back to Cat Noir, who raised an eyebrow again but not removing his hand from his ear nor the grin off his face. Surprisingly, she simply hugged herself and looked down with a sad face, as is she just received a scold from her mother. Cat noir took note at that…

"Oh, Chloe…" Cat Noir began when Chloe finally spoke.

"Thank you, Cat Noir," Chloe finally said. Her sad expression was changed to a smile, albeit a sad one.

"Chloe…"

"Yeah, bet the new are going to go wild with you actually saving the day for once," Nino said nervously.

Yeah, I wouldn't be too sure about that," Cat Noir said, considering the situation. Only then his ring his ring bleeped. "Take care, I'm off," he departed with a salute.

Hawk Moth's Lair

"Hmm… Maybe I got something out of this, after all." He pondered with newly found encouragement, as his observatory closed off.

Meanwhile…

Back in Belleville, the kids who were previously been fossilized were gathering themselves and each other after the ruckus. Alya, Alix, and the others have gathered themselves and made sure everyone is alright. Elsewhere there was someone probably more confused than anyone in the area right now.

"Tikki? Tikki, where are you?" Marinette was looking around the area where she was previously in her petrified state. She stepped out of the building where everyone was smiling and hugging each other in relief. She looked up again, and to her relief, the small red kwami was spotted and motioned Marinette into following her to a small discrete alley. Once she reached the kwami, she landed on her hands and cuddled each other. "Tikki!" she greeted with glee.

"Marinette! I'm so glad you're ok!" Tikki greeted as she cuddled, the two then finally stared at each other with Marinette clearly confused.

"What happened? Last thing I remember about to transform when…" Marinette began, she paused for a second before gasping while clasping a hand on her cheek. "The Akuma! Where is he?" she asked as she frantically looked around.

"Calm down, Marinette, it's gone,"

"It is? Cat noir did it? Is it safe?"

"Yes, it's safe, at least for now…" the kwami sounded troubled at the last part.

"What do you mean, Tikki?"

"I have to explain a few things, Marinette," Tikki began. "But we'll discuss this later, I think you missed meeting someone…"

Later…

The students were on the bus on their way back to school after the whole incident. The students were casually chatting away. Mordecai was asking the student if this was commonplace.

"Oh yeah, Ladybug and Cat Noir always save the day and every damage is repaired when it's all over," Alya replied casually while looking back at Marinette who was with Adrien.

"I don't know… What if something goes wrong…?"

"Seriously? A neon sign fell on top of you?" Nino asked, cutting Mordecai off from his question.

"Yeah, I thought I was hiding but it turns out he knew I was there," Adrien explained while playing his civilian persona. "Luckily, that healing thing Ladybug always does heal my injuries," he concluded while rubbing his arms where they were previously injured. He then turned to Marinette. "By the way, I'm sorry we didn't get the chance for that date…"

"Yeah, it's a real bummer…" Marinette said in lament.

"That's an understatement," Alya added in, rolling her eyes. "On top of that, I'm completely blank on what happened today. I got nothing for my ladyblog." Adrien ust rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Marinette.

"Anyway, how about this weekend?" Adrien suggested.

"Huh? Really?" Marinette asked with her eyes lighting up at him. Adrien just chuckled.

"Why not? We got some interesting stuff to discuss,"

"Interesting…Stuff…?"

"Yeah, the Chinese scrolls we found on the marketplace?" With that Marinette's heart sank. Her eyes were covered by a black and blue shade. "You okay, Marinette?" he asked, causing Alya to facepalm. Mordecai decided to break the ice.

"Anyway, I gotta get back to Rigby and see if he's alright,"

"The victim… wasn't he your friend, Mordecai?" Nino asked.

"Yeah, turns out he was fired,"

"Oh, father…" Adrien thought…

"Anyway, he said to meet up in our apartment," he concluded.

"Umm... So, what do you say, Marinette?" Adrien asked rubbing the back of his head, turning back at her. Tikki nudged Marinette from inside her purse, snapping her out of her trance.

"Oh, I uh… Sure," she replied smiling.

Later…

Back in the Agreste manor, Adrien sits on his bed in contemplation on what had happened that day.

"So what's your take on this, kid?" Plagg asked.

"Father fires Rigby for no real reason, then he's akumatized. The timing was too perfect." Adrien concluded.

"Adrien, I'll back you up whatever you do but this will change everything!" Plagg warned.

"I know," Adrien replied. "I just need a little more time… I need more information to see if my suspicions are correct," he concluded.

"By the way…" Plagg began. "Did you really asked Marinette out?"

"Yeah, I guess I did,"

"But kid, if you're really doing this why asking her out? You'll break her heart," Plagg pointed out.

"She's been crushing on me since I started sharing her class and I've been turning a blind eye because I didn't have the guts to turn her down," Adrien answered.

"So, you knew about her feelings for you," Plagg realized. "And you think asking her out now would make things easier?" Adrien sighed in response and laid back down on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

"I don't know. If I do this, she may never see me again. I want to give her something to remember me by. She deserves that much," he replied. "I can only hope she can move on, find someone else and live a happy life."

Meanwhile…

Marinette is lying in her bed, looking up at the ceiling as Tikki finished telling her what

had happened.

"I see, so Cat Noir had no choice but to use cataclysm at that point of else Hawk Moth would have taken our miraculous. If Timemaster already knew who I was."

"Thankfully, he doesn't remember anything, so it shouldn't be a problem," Tikki reassured.

"That's not what I'm worried about…," Marinette inquired.

"You mean my unfiltered cure?" Tikki asked, as she also told her the ramifications of using such power. "Good things will come up with it now but terrible things will indeed follow, are you mad at him?" she asked, Marinette shook her head.

"No, I'm actually proud of him," Marinette replied. "He had to make a tough choice and took the more preferable one. I probably would've done the same thing," she admitted.

"Marinette…" Tikki began.

"Mmm-hmm?"

"You should know that the weight of your actions as Ladybug will carry over your civilian life until the very end. The same will be for Cat Noir, so whatever happens, it will be on his shoulders," Tikki explained. "Would you be willing to carry such a burden?" she asked. Marinette didn't answer and simply just went back to stare back at the ceiling.