Chapter 5: Pig
Adrien's POV:
Adrien paced around the apartment later that afternoon. He wondered what he would need to do to further his investigation into his father's villainous form without breaking into his house. He could pretend to be Felix. No. That could risk his father finding out that he was onto him. Especially if him and Felix were already in contact. He could sneak in as Chat. It wouldn't be so bad to fight him even if he was caught, hmmm maybe not to Ladybug though. He'd have to plan it out better than this.
Just as he sat on the couch for a break his phone beeped. A message from Marinette?
"Hey, checking in! how's the trip?"
He smiled. Marinette was such a sweetheart. He had the upmost admiration of his classmate and hoped they could have become closer in school. They had been better friends in his super hero form. Nonetheless he still wanted to stay in contact with her. She was someone worth keeping around. He also hoped she would be safe. For some reason, Adrien felt protective of her. He sighed. He didn't particularly like lying to a friend but he needed to stay hidden for longer. She must think I'm on my trip. He thought. He typed out a response and hit send.
Thanks for checking in! You're always so kind Mari. I'm doing ok actually! Thank you for listening to me that day, it meant a lot. I'll tell you more when I get back.
p.s don't worry I'm not becoming friends with Lie-la over this. No matter how it looks ;P
He put his phone down next to him. Suddenly a loud sound erupted from outside. "Come here if you dare! I'll show you what you most wish for! No catch" a menacing voice sounded from outside. Hmmmm show you what you most wish for. This could mean one thing. The pig miraculous. Adrien transformed.
Ladybugs POV:
She heard everything Chat had heard, only she also saw it with her own eyes. A girl who looked almost exactly like Rose, only slightly off, dressed in a little pink suit, stood before another girl as she held a box open, showing her a vision of her winning prom queen. While the girl stared into the vision, the pig girl grabbed hold of her earrings, tearing them from her ears. The girl only cried, while the pig girl released her, and dropped her earrings to the ground muttering curses under her breathe. He really thinks this will work on me? Ladybug thought.
"It appears Pigella has found the wrong girl. And to think I've spent days watching you. You may go." She kicked the girl on the ground with a tiny pink shoe and the girl scurried away, still distraught.
Pigella? She couldn't be Rose, could she? Maybe she's akumatized and transformed. Thoughts raced through Ladybug's mind, trying to understand the situation. She stalked someone? This really was an unsafe time for her and Chat. The girl disappeared running in the opposite direction. Maybe she was recharging her Kwami. Ladybug circled around to find a girl who looked exactly like Rose, transforming behind a building.
"Do you really think I'd make it that easy for you?" Ladybugs voice sounded confident against the new silence in the air.
"Ah! the bug girl I've been looking for. Don't worry, I only want to talk to you. Its me!" Her large eyes batted innocently in a coy way Rose never really did.
"If it's really you then you wouldn't need powers to talk to me. Please, you expect me to believe that Rose would take a miraculous from Shadowmoth willingly? I know you've accumatized her Shadowmoth. I know you can hear me." Her teeth grit slightly at the sound of his name.
"Don't give him the satisfaction of your words my lady." Chat appeared next to her, his baton pointed outward in case of a battle.
"I really don't want to fight you two. I just want to show you how we can work together. What you really wish for! What can make you happy! What can make us all happy!" she bounced in the air
Chat walked towards her, a slight smirk on his lips and his baton tucked over his shoulders. "Alright then Rose. Let's talk a little. How'd you get this miraculous? Where did you find him?" he questioned. Just as he moved towards her, she called out her miraculous "Jubilation!" and a white light shown from a box that she held in front of Chats face. Images of Ladybug flying through Paris appeared. The imaginary Ladybug spoke words of love. Suddenly, the vision changed to Chat saving Marinette from a beam of light and landing her safely on her balcony. The vision flashed again to him saving Ladybug.
Wait is that me in both forms? Aw my sweet kitty. Before any more visions could distract him, ladybug pushed him out of the way. Pigella had been reaching for his arm. Ducking under the magic box, Ladybug rolled onto the ground making sure Chat snapped out of it. He shook his head momentarily and was back into focus.
"Her anklet" ladybug noted getting up from the ground and swinging her yoyo at the girl's ankle.
"Cataclysm" he called reaching for the jewelry. Without warning, Pigella stomped on ladybugs foot, causing her yoyo to loosen and allowing the small girl to escape from right under their noses. Shoot. She went running towards the street and they could sense real fear in her eyes. Was Rose really in there? Why was she so scared of them?
Chats POV:
Chat watched her carefully, she was faster than most akumatized villians and it took him real effort to keep up with her. The race however, came easily to him as they were on an oddly familiar route: right towards his house. She must be running to get back to him.
Just as they reached the Agreste mansion Chat scowled "I know you're here somewhere. I know this is your house" He shouted, glaring around him. Suddenly Pigella widened her eyes and gasped.
"NO NOT YET!" she shouted
Confused, Chat cocked his head to the side "Rose? Are you back to yourself? I won't hurt you"
"NO not you! Him!" she cried and just as she was about to open her mouth again, she disappeared, leaving the pig miraculous on the ground and a feather floating above where she stood.
"A sentimonster." Ladybug spoke behind him. "He must've created one to ensure the miraculous would be used in the way he would want. And to trick us into thinking he had Rose on his side. But we are outside the Agreste mansion so your theory may be correct. He could have heard you and released her out of fear of her bringing you to him." She lifted her hand to touch the feather lightly before frowning. "How cruel. Bringing someone into this world only to take them out yourself" She shook her head.
"Yeah…." Chat stared at her, his stomach churning with thoughts of his father doing this to the poor beings. Doing this to hurt innocent people, to hurt his lady and his own son. "But hey…there's one down." He picked up the miraculous and smiled softly.
"You're right. One miraculous is better than none. I couldn't have found this without you. Thank you" she placed a hand on his back resisting the urge to kiss him. Her eyes softened and she nuzzled him lightly. He motioned his head towards a nearby alleyway where they could speak more privately. The headed there together.
"it's not going to be easy to keep my paws away from you" he nuzzled back whispering as he handed her the anklet.
"hmmmm you won't have to for long. Nino's having some sort of party, you know, I told you he was Carapace remember? Well, we are both invited. His parents reserved a whole hotel for all of his friends and since we were friends with him when he was Carapace, we're on the list too. Some cousins and stuff are going as well. We could figure out a way to share a room if you'd like" she blushed slightly.
"I would… love that" he sighed thinking of her in his arms again. He then thought of how ironic it was that Nino invited him to this party as Chat when Adrien couldn't go, and he didn't even know it. "Would you want to stay again tonight though? With me?" He looked slightly desperate though he didn't want this to show.
"Sounds purrfect." She leaned in and kissed his nose gently. He blushed setting his hands on her waist.
"My my, the lady has become more of a punster than myself" he joked
"Maybe so but only because you've been lacking in that department. Has everything been, ok?" Her blue eyes grew concerned
He thought of everything that was hurting: his father being the villain they were up against, the fear of being caught, the betrayal of his cousin, the fear of losing her, the fear of losing Plagg, the loss of the father he thought he had, the loss of his mother… a lump formed in his throat but he swallowed it.… now wasn't the time.
"I suppose sometimes I have a lot on my mind. You know with everything going on. Today was a step though. And I guess it's hard to be to upset when I know I can hold you again tonight" he sighed dreamily distracting her from his saddened expression.
"You mean I have to wait till tonight? Why not now?" she pouted playfully
"I suppose I wouldn't want to keep you waiting" he shrugged pulling her into an embrace and resting his chin on her head. She closed her eyes and relaxed. Not everything was fixed but it was certainly getting closer. And she had him to lean on. Literally.
A few minutes went by before she broke the hug. She remembered that she had to bring the miraculous home to talk to Daizii in private.
"Shoot, I'll have to meet you there a little later than usual. I've got a miraculous to take care of first." She spoke sternly
"Of course, my lady, whatever you need to do." He kissed her hand and winked. "Don't keep me waiting too long" he flirted as he jumped into the air, spinning his baton to guide him home.
She watched carefully as he flew through the city. Sighing, she thought about how quickly he had gone and how much she wished he could have stayed. But alas, she had more important things to focus on. She headed home to her room.
Chats POV:
He made his way through Paris with haste. He didn't want to linger too long with ladybug, or she would see the panic in his eyes. Tonight, after talking to Daizii, she would confirm what he already knew. Shadowmoth was his dad. But where was he? Chat recharged on the roof of his old mansion. The night sky crept in, and he blended into the dark walls. He reached his old window and shuddered. It hadn't been long since he snuck out of this very window, but it seemed so foreign to him. Carefully, he pushed it open. The entire house was dark aside from a nightlight in his room he forgot to unplug. Nevertheless, he could use his night vision.
Over the past couple of days, Chat had checked his father's work building, his favorite restaurant, the hotel he typically stayed at, and he'd been surveying the entire city, all to no avail. He was nowhere. He had to be in here somewhere even if he hadn't seen anyone go in or leave since he'd been watching. Although it was unhealthy, Chat had even stayed up for entire nights watching his old house, when ladybug wasn't staying with him of course. It was only this night however that he decided to go inside. Blood coursed through his veins as he crept around the place. Nothing. No one. It was as if no one had been there since the day he left. And there wasn't a trace of his father anywhere. Dammit. Why was he even trying anymore? It didn't matter. Nothing did. No. Stop that. He swallowed.
He made his way back up the stairs feeling defeated. If he could just get him alone then he could put a stop to all of this. He entered his room once again, feeling like it never belonged to him. He moved his hand along the edge of his old foosball table with a lump in his throat. No. Not now. He inhaled for a while and held his breathe. Five, four, three, two, one. He counted the seconds as he exhaled. Keep it together. He reached his window and gave his room one last look. Inhale, five, four, three, two, one, exhale. He clenched his jaw tightly and faced the window. With a single push it opened once again and he was out again, heading towards his new place, his only place.
Ladybug's POV:
Her shoulders tensed as she reached her bedroom. The first miraculous was in her possession. She would need to find out once and for all who was behind all of this.
Landing on her bed she took the miraculous out of her yo-yo and detransformed. Tikki flew onto her shoulder and gave her a small nudge.
"You can put it on Mari" the small voice encouraged her. Marinette carefully put the anklet on and Daizii appeared before her.
"Oh, thank goodness you're okay ladybug!" she cried flying towards her face. "I thought I'd never see you again! How's rose?" she began to stammer
"She's perfectly safe! But I do need to know one thing." She paused. "Shadowmoth… is he… is he Gabriel Agreste?" she swallowed.
The little pig closed its eyes. "Yes Mari. That's him. And he's only hawkmoth now. He's given the peacock miraculous to someone else. I don't know who though. He's a new guy. Really young looking" She spoke sullenly.
Her heart sunk. Poor Adrien. He would be crushed if he knew. She'd have to stop Hawkmoth to help the city and to help her friend. Poor Adrien. She would text him again soon. And the Peacock miraculous…. Could it be Felix? She thought. She'd have to discuss it with Chat later. But it was already pretty late and she felt drained. She transformed into ladybug and messaged Chat.
Hey kitty, I'll talk about what I know tomorrow at patrol okay? I think I'm just going to sleep at home tonight.
xoxo.
She waited a minute for his response to make sure it was okay. He was a fast responder so she figured it wouldn't take long.
sound good love. I'm also pretty drained. I may have been getting myself into some mischief but we'll talk about that later k? ;)
She shook her head. What did you get up to silly kitty?
