A day late! It's awful, I hate being late when I promise to post on sunday, but I had so much to do with my kids, it was just impossible.

Here it is, chapter 2, enjoy!

So until now, Ladybug and Chat Noir have been traveling to the future in search of a time when they could borrow the Butterfly and Peacock's Miraculouses from their alter-egos from the future for the practical purposes of a ritual: according to the little information Ladybug has found. Follow them now in their last journey into the future before jumping to... 1431 ! In search of more information. You will also learn more about the overdose and the effects Marinette and Adrien are facing.

CHAPTER 2: 1431

A journey through time later and Ladybug and Chat Noir were in a different year. The year +8 after they'd been entrusted with their Miraculous. So they were four years after their current time.

When they stepped out of the Burrow they were welcomed by Ladybug and Chat Noir. Kissing. Not on the cheek. Not on the hand. RIGHT ON THE LIPS.

"We must have stepped onto another Akuma attack," Mini Bug gulped.

"Is it so hard to believe that you could kiss me of your own free will?" Chat Noir muttered.

"Yes, it is."

"It's just a damn kiss! It could've been worse. You could've fallen in love with me," he spat, a disgusted look on his face.

While they were arguing with each other, Ladybug and Chat Noir from the future were looking at them with disconcerting expressions.

"I'm sorry to have told you so many horrible things during that bad period, Buguinette," the older feline murmured to his Lady.

"Yeah, me too. But we've got a big problem now. We have to think of something to keep them away from… us," she whispered back.

"Why would you keep us away from you!" Chaton Noir suddenly asked, ears twitching on his head.

"Smooth, m'Lady," Chat Noir teased his partner.

"Shut up," She mumbled. "We just wondered how to stay away from your argument," she tried, sounding very confident.

"Ugh, we're arguing again… This situation is hopeless!" Mini Bug groaned. "Wait, there's something more important now, why the fuck were you kissing?"

"M'lady! Watch your words!" Chaton Noir gasped.

"Uh, sorry. Could you PLEASE tell me why the fuck were you kissing?"

Chat Noir from here displayed his better-outraged face, hand on his heart. "Kissing? Us? No way! Nothing has changed between us after Shadowmoth's defeat. This little bug keeps bugging on someone else," Chat Noir answered, leaning nonchalantly against the top of his staff.

Ladybug glanced questioningly at him but she quickly cleared her throat. "Y-yes… Besides, he's got a girlfriend," she confessed, pointing to her partner. "Hallucinations must have been starting," she added, coughing as if she was trying not to laugh.

"Hallucinations?" They both asked, surprised.

Chat Noir chuckled and swept his baton with his foot, stowing it behind his back and stepping toward them. "Yes, it happened to us. But don't worry; we didn't have a lot of those. It's another… consequence of the overdose," he lied.

Hopefully, they'll believe this lie. Anyway, Ladybug looked satisfied with what Chat Noir had come up with, so it was a good ploy.

"Just when we think it can't get worse… it's getting there…" Mini Bug sighed. "Let's hurry! You know why we're here, right?"

Ladybug nodded and grabbed her yo-yo, taking the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses out of it. She gave them to her younger self, who was staring intensely at the two Miraculouses she held for the first time, and smiled.

"Don't worry, you'll soon fix everything," she said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "But first, you need to find, by yourself, what's missing in order to heal you both," she explained.

"I know, I found some notes in the Guardian's Grimoire, but—"

Ladybug interrupted her before she could finish. "But some pages are missing, the ones with the solution and ingredients. Plus, Tikki and Plagg can't help you because the Miraculous Magic forbids them to talk about their previous holder and they didn't know the potion, anyway."

"Yes," her shoulders slumped. "I just have the names of the former holders who have been through the same illness… I know we need to travel to the past to find the explanations we're missing."

Ladybug squeezed Mini Bug's shoulder tighter. "So, don't waste time and go."

"Thank you," she whispered. "Let's go home now, Chaton Noir. Tomorrow is going to be a long day," she told him.

He could only agree with that and nodded as they stepped onto the rabbit's burrow again.

Adrien couldn't have had a worse day than today. It was Saturday so his father had permitted him to see his friends between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Even though he was now 18, Gabriel was still controlling his social life —whole life—. Well, at least now, he could hang out with his friends every Saturday. It was a good start. Perhaps then at 25 he could stay out between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m, and perhaps then at 30 he could leave home without a nounou.

Nevertheless, he just accepted his fate and left the Agreste Manor with the Gorilla, heading to the Liberty boat for a rehearsal session with Kitty Section. He was still part of them and was their regular pianist. His father may not have approved of their 'aggressive, noisy and urban' style, but since Adrien was practicing piano and was showing his handsome face to the public next to Jagged Stone's children while wearing Agreste Brand outfits, he turned a blind eye.

Of course, money and fame were often an easy leverage against the rich designer…

Well, whatever, his father was the least of his worries today. He had more serious concerns than that: his condition was getting worse.

Everything went wrong once he'd reached the boat. He'd been yelling at Alya because she had taken Nino's seat. Then, he'd been rude with the latter because he was telling him that it was okay since Alya was his girlfriend, she could sit at his spot. He'd thought it would be the only incident but then he'd been arguing with Marinette.

The sweet, kind and pretty Marinette, who made his head spin for a few months —years—, who made his knees feel like jello each time she was looking at him with her mesmerizing bluebell eyes. He didn't know how, when, or even why he suddenly started to see her in this way. But somewhere deep inside him, he'd always known that she was more than just a friend.

She was the sun that lit his days just as Ladybug was the moon that beamed in his nights. She was the pillar that helped him to keep his feet on the ground when everything seemed to fall apart around him, as Ladybug was the wind that gave him freedom when he needed to leave his perfect —fake— life and just breathe.

They were both amazing, brillant, altruistic, beautiful, holding a part of his heart between their caring hands and, most of all… far from his reach.

He sighed as he was transforming and jumping effortlessly out of his room, extending his staff and propelling himself to find Ladybug at their meeting point.

He was ready to argue, again. Each patrol, each fight, each meeting with her was heartbreaking. He knew it would turn bad just like it had with Marinette a few hours earlier.

The poor girl had just spilled a bit of soda on his new shirt and he couldn't help but put his foot in his mouth, chastising her for her clumsiness. In return, she yelled at him, unshed pain refusing to stay silent as he had crossed a limit with his words.

When he thought it was the worst that could happen to him, Luka had to intervene. He had physically interposed himself between them, trying to temper the situation. But all Adrien could see at that moment was jealousy. The guitarist stood —as he had done for years— between him and Marinette. To get rid of the pesky snake, he just acted like a predator, pushing Luka over the edge of the boat, straight into the Seine.

That's when he understood he'd gone too far and apologized before rushing off of the Liberty, running away from his friends and from his shame.

He couldn't hang out with his friends. He couldn't hang out with his Lady. He couldn't hang out with Marinette. Not without being a rude asshole anymore.

Chat Noir landed on top of a high roof, far from prying eyes. He took a deep breath, trying to relax and soothe his impulses while waiting for his partner. Who arrived soon after for their rendez-vous.

"Good evening Chat Noir. Ready?"

He nodded, taking a good look at her. She'd already unified Tikki and Fluff, her suit adapted in consequence and he couldn't help but giggle.

Truthfully, thinking twice about it and without taking into account the red and black of her calves, the rest of her costume looked like a rather famous rabbit.

"Eeh, what's up doc?" Chat Noir smirked.

"Are you comparing me to Bugs Bunny?" she asked, eyes shooting bullets at him.

"Were you a fan? After all, the suit becomes what you imagine," he teased.

"Maybe I was," she answered, sticking out her tongue. Then, she summoned the Burrow.

Lady —Bugs— Bunny turned the wheel of the pocket watch, the hands rotating quickly.

"Where are we going?"

"You mean, where and when. To 1431, hold onto your whiskers," she exclaimed, grabbing his hand and stepping into the portal.

"Wow! It was longer than the others; my whiskers got all bristly!"

Lady Bunny divided her unification with Fluff and turned to him.

"Shh!" She put a finger on his mouth, silently asking him to be quiet, for once. "Get down."

Chat Noir lay down, his figure skimming the ground like a feline ready to pounce on its prey. He then looked all around him, realizing he was on some kind of rooftop. No. Not a roof. A tower. "Is that a castle?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"Yes, the Castle of Rouen."

"Are you gonna tell me who we're going to meet here?"

"Jeanne d'Arc. Tikki told me once that she was a former Ladybug. I think she'd have been subject to the same problem as us," she murmured. "Now please, shut up. I'm trying to listen to what's going on just underneath," she groaned.

"Let the cat do that," he replied, his feline ears twitching. He listened carefully for a few seconds before raising his head toward Ladybug. "They will start reading her sentences," he gulped. "Didn't she die at the stake?"

"Yes, she did," she sadly replied.

"Are we here to change that?"

"No, we can't change history, Chaton. We're here for answers," she whispered. She took two macarons from inside her yo-yo and handed him one. "Eat this, upgrade, and follow me," she ordered. "It's a new power-up, I found the last ingredient yesterday."

"I hope Plagg can't taste what I'm eating. He hates sweets," he answered, swallowing the macaron. "Not that bad," he added, licking his fingers and winking at her.

"Glutton! Hurry up!" she muttered.

As Chat Noir said the words, his suit changed, taking on the same shades and reliefs as the stones of the tower where they were hiding.

"Cool, a cover-up power-up!" He exclaimed in awe. He tried it, sliding behind Ladybug, his suit becoming red with black polka dots. "Mister Bug is back," he chuckled.

Ladybug facepalmed. "Damn, Chat Noir, stop acting like a child. It's not a game," she groaned, swallowing her own magicaron.

"Fine Miss Killjoy! Let's go hear the horrible death which is awaiting this poor girl!"

He moved, using his staff, to get closer to the window below. He couldn't see Ladybug because of the chameleon upgrade, but he could feel her following him quickly, using her yo-yo to hang head down like Spiderman and sneak inside the castle.

They found themselves in a kind of small chapel, in a typical 15th century style. There was an assembly of about a hundred people. Chat Noir could see a woman, hands tied, standing in front of the crowd. His heart sank for her; he knew her legend. He knew that she'd been sentenced to death on false charges and that many of the failings of the trial had been pointed out decades later. She was a strong woman, a leader, fighting for her country and more courageous than many of the foolish men who had wrongly condemned her.

He and his Lady stayed quiet, closing their eyes each time someone was passing near them, waiting for the man in front of Jeanne d'Arc to read her sentences.

"Jeanne d'Arc born in Domrémy, daughter of Monsieur Jacques d'Arc and Madame Isabelle Rommée. The Sorbonne University of Paris holds the following charges against you: heresy, witchcraft, wearing of male clothing and of weapons, blasphemy, suicide attempt, refusal to submit to the militant church—…"

"—To make up for your crimes, you will be condemned to perish by the flames of the stake in the public square."

Chat Noir wanted to scream. To shout how much it was unfair, shameful, despicable, bullshit! But he just stayed silent as he should be, watching the famous Jeanne d'Arc being escorted out of the Chapel. Soon, the giant old room was empty.

"It's a lot for a young woman who's nearly the same age as us. Do you think she was hearing voices because of her Miraculous?" Chat Noir asked his Lady, keeping his voice low.

"That's why we are here. We're going to ask her. Walk along the walls and follow me."

They slowly slid along cold and damp stones, reaching a long corridor lit by old oil lamps.

"Can you hear which way they went?" Ladybug murmured her question.

Chat Noir closed his eyes and focused on the barely imperceptible noises that were carried away by the draught circulating in the castle. His cat ears twitched, capturing the sound of boots slamming against a wet floor, and then of a metal door—that of a dungeon, being closed and locked. He could distinctly hear the key turning in the rusty lock and the clanking of other keys swinging in a bunch.

"Left, about four floors down, in the dungeons," he indicated.

"I'm following you, go ahead."

He nodded and she followed his lead inside the castle, their power-up still protecting them from prying eyes.

They reached some stairs in a tower, and started to descend until Chat Noir abruptly stopped Ladybug, tackling her against a wall.

"Shht, someone's coming, stay still and close your eyes," he murmured in a low voice, barely audible.

He sucked his breath in, leaning back against the cold and damp stones. His heart beat like a hummingbird in his ribcage as people he supposed were two guards, speaking together, passed in front of them. The feline waited for them to be far away before opening his eyes and motioned to his Lady to follow him again.

Four floors down, just as he had well guessed, they found a long and austere corridor with a few prison cells. The ground was all muddy and they had water up to their ankles. It smelled like silt, moisture and fungus. He had to control himself not to gag because of the increased sense of smell given by his Miraculous. It really was the death row.

"Chaton, she's there," Ladybug murmured a few meters ahead of him.

Chat Noir got back to his partner quickly and when he was next to her, he followed her gaze and found that Jeanne d'Arc was sleeping in her dungeon. But before he could step toward the cell a red spot of light came across his sight.

It was Tikki.

"Shht, please let her sleep."

Chat Noir and Ladybug stopped moving.

"I saw you during the sentencing, your magical cover-up doesn't work to the eyes of Kwamis," Tikki told them. "I suppose you came from the future?" she whispered. "I'm glad to see that the Black Cat and the Ladybug will be reunited again," she sighed with relief.

"You aren't together here?" Chat Noir inquired, frowning in disbelief.

"No. Last time Plagg and I were together was approximately in 1000 AC, when our holders, Roméo and Juliette, died and we were returned to the Miracle Box. I haven't seen him since those two lovebirds…" she explained. "We've been separated. I can feel he's still active somewhere though and I know we will be reunited again," she smiled, looking intensely at the feline hero to emphasize her statement.

The shock was instant. Chat Noir eyes widened. So did that of his Lady.

"Your holder was Juliette?" Ladybug asked, astonished by this sudden revelation. "But I thought they were both fictional characters born from Shakespeare's imagination in the 16th century…"

"My holder was Roméo. I'm sorry, I don't know who this Shakespeare is since he isn't even born yet, but he hasn't imagined their story. Our holders were real."

"Wow, so it's a true legend," Ladybug gasped then shook her head. "Well, it's very interesting but we're here for Jeanne and we need to hurry up… What's going on with her Miraculous?"

"How do you know that something happened?" Tikki asked, worried.

"I wasn't sure. I just hoped I was right… You told me her name once and I know her legend. She hears voices in her head, right?"

Tikki sadly nodded, worry filling her indigo eyes.

"I told her she used too much of her power during all those wars. She used it for the greater good, alas this doesn't prevent the magic from reaching some kind of breaking point," she explained. "Is that why you're here? Something is happening to you or your partner, right?"

"Yes," Chat Noir replied. "Somehow we both have trouble with side effects."

"You hear voices too?" The Kwami asked. "I tried to tell her not to listen to them when it started and to stop using her power... But she hasn't listened to me, and now, she doesn't even listen to me anymore. I'm not even sure she hears me…" Tikki deplored, her voice filled with grief.

Ladybug opened her hands, inviting her —future— kwami to rest inside her palm.

"We're sorry about that, Tikki," she whispered.

"It's kinda different for us. Our demeanor is changing and we are mean with our friends and families…" Chat Noir explained. "And it looks like we're also starting to have some hallucinations," He added, still not really convinced by that.

Tikki lowered her head. "Yes there's different kinds of side effects… Hallucinations, behavior changing, physical transformation that could lead to revealing animal characteristics, heats… I'm so sorry, you're searching for help and I don't know how to fix what is happening and even If I knew, the magical barrier wouldn't allow me to tell you anything…"

"Shit," muttered Chat Noir.

"You need to find a holder who knows what's going on and who already found the solution."

The feline hero saw the ladybug Kwami turning her head towards Jeanne d'Arc, unshed pain and sadness shining through her eyes.

"Mine can't… It's over for her…" Tikki murmured.

To be continued...

As for Ladynoir's (my beloved ship) relationship, I know many of you are surprised to see them fighting and being quite nasty to each other. Let's just say it's kind of my revisit of "Enemies to lovers". Even if they're not enemies and never will be! I found this idea interesting and as usual, I'm doing this my way!

Also, if you read this and you're not part of our amazing Discord server already, but want to read more, maybe meet some of your favorite MLB authors and artists, or just be part of a friendly community of MLB fans: please join the incredible Miraculous Fanworks