The story below is based on the characters from Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. I own nothing of the show. This is purely fictitious and written for the enjoyment of my readers and myself. All rights go to the proper parties.
NOTE: This story takes place before the events of Optigami. Spoiler: This means that Alya doesn't have her miraculous full-time.
Another less important note: Cat Noir goes a bit out of character here. He says a word I could never picture him saying in the show. I used it here because it added weight and fit well within the context. You'll see what I mean once you get there.
She doesn't know? Ladybug doesn't know what to do. She always knows what to do. Cat Noir panics inwardly.
"I'm sure we will think of something." Cat Noir says confidently, contradicting his panicked thoughts.
Ladybug fidgets, "if we could only talk to the civilians, then we could ask them if they saw the akuma."
Cat Noir ponders, "How can we talk to them? They're tiny, plus, there are way too many Parisians to talk to. How can we find the few that may have seen the akuma?" He rubs his chin in consideration, "we also have to be careful of revealing ourselves above ground. We don't know where the akuma is or how they shrink stuff. What if they catch us by surprise and shrink us?"
"All good questions Kitty." Ladybug responds, flicking Cat Noir's bell. "I think we need the mouse miraculous. Mullo's power will allow the wearer to shrink and go into many buildings at once. We can't be seen being large, but a smaller hero may do the trick." She finishes.
Cat Noir hums, using the mouse miraculous should work, "Okay Ladybug, good plan, but how are you going to get the miraculous to Polymouse?"
"I'm not. Polymouse has no doubt been miniaturized already. We have to use someone else, and I know who." Ladybug says preparing herself to take off.
"Wait. Ladybug, who do you plan to get? Are you sure they're not small already too?" Cat Noir questions.
"I'm positive. I um, I saw Marinette come in here with Adrien Agreste before I found you, I'm sure they're both hiding down here safe." Ladybug explains.
"You plan to use Marinette?" Cat Noir gasps.
"She's our only option, Cat. She used it before and she's not already effected by the akuma." Ladybug states, annoyed that they're wasting time. She needs to get away so she can transform into Multibug and Multifox again. She needs to be able to create an illusion of herself so that Cat Noir isn't suspicious of her identity. It's risky, but she doesn't know how else to handle it.
"You said she can't be Multimouse again. You said it's not safe. Are you forgetting that? Are you really going to put her in danger like that?" Cat Noir seethes.
"We don't have time for this Cat. We don't have another choice. I'm sure she'll be fine," Ladybug finishes, moving to leave once again.
Cat Noir grabs her arm. "No, Ladybug. We are not putting Marinette in danger," he grits. "She told me what could happen and I won't let you gamble with her life like that." His grip tightens on her arm. Keeping her firmly in place and preventing her from finding Marinette.
"Let me go, Cat." Ladybug grits.
"No! Why can't you combine your miraculous with Mullo's?" He yells.
"The miraculous is limited to one transformation. Only one of the multimice can combine with my miraculous. And we need me to be at normal size in case the akuma is normal sized." She explains.
"Then I can use -" Cat Noir begins.
"No." Ladybug interrupts. "We especially need you at a normal size. We need your cataclysm to destroy the akumatised object."
Cat Noir seethes. He's angry at Ladybug for even thinking of putting Marinette in danger. He's mad at himself for not being able to protect Marinette and stop Ladybug from using her. He's mad that he knows Marinette will accept the responsibility and the potential consequences without question or concern for herself. But most of all, he's scared. He's scared for his princess. He's afraid of what could happen to her if she uses a miraculous. He's afraid to lose her.
Ladybug steps away from Cat Noir as his grip on her arm loosens. He's shaking. He looks terrified. Ladybug looks away from him, guilt overwhelming her. She did this to him. She told him that lie. She put this fear and concern into him and there's nothing she can do to help him without revealing herself.
Ladybug watches Cat Noir shake in fear. She reaches for him, he steps back. He's mad at her and she deserves it. Ladybug sighs, "I'm going to find Marinette. I'll call you with the plan once she's ready." She pauses, "I'm sorry, Kitty."
Cat Noir doesn't acknowledge her. His eyes sting and his stomach is twisted in knots. He feels sick, miserable, and dejected. There's nothing he can do but wait for Ladybug to direct him. He can't even be there to help Marinette or watch over her. He sinks to the ground and places his head to his knees, desperately trying to hold back his tears.
~Ladybug~
Ladybug sighs as she makes it to the locker room she was supposed to be hiding in as Marinette. She looks around to make sure no one else is around and prepares to call Cat Noir with her plan. She'll call him before she switches to being Multimouse so she only needs to make an illusion once. She opens her yo-yo and removes the mouse, fox, and horse miraculous. She won't be using as many miraculous as last time she was Multimouse, but four will still take a bit of a toll on her. She dreads the aftermath of her decision to do this once again. She sighs and places the miraculous on the bench beside her. She holds her yo-yo once again and calls Cat Noir with her plan.
~Multimouse~
After discussing the plan with Cat Noir, Ladybug detransforms, and then transforms into Multimouse. Tikki eats a macaroon before flying to hide in one of Multimouse's buns. Multimouse puts on the horse miraculous glasses and the fox necklace before running to find Cat Noir once again. She told Cat that Ladybug would be scouting the rest of the sewers for civilians while also noting the different exists so she could easily pop out where she's needed for the battle. She made up the excuse that they would be better separate for this battle. One on each side of Paris due to the uncertainty with where the akuma is located. She hated lying, but she needed an excuse for Ladybug to be absent while Multimouse is around.
Multimouse comes to a stop down the sewer from Cat Noir. She's shocked by what she sees. He's sitting on the floor with his head to his knees, his hands are on his head, pulling at his hair, and he's visibly shaking.
Multimouse cautiously walks towards him, "Cat? Are you okay?" She cringes at her words. Of course he's not okay. He's shaking.
Cat Noir looks up, eyes red and wet from tears. He sniffles before getting to his feet. He smiles halfheartedly at Multimouse, "Hey Mar- I mean Multimouse," Cat Noir greets. "I was just, um, thinking over the plan." He mutters.
"Oh Kitty," Marinette says as she reaches her hand to grasp his face. She rubs his cheek with her thumb and softly says, "everything will be okay, Kitty. I'll be careful. I'm not wearing nearly every miraculous this time." She reassures and smiles as Cat Noir's eyes brighten a bit. She continues, "I'm just going to use a few."
Cat Noir narrows his eyes at Multimouse, stepping away from her hand. His eyes catch on the glasses and foxtail necklace she's wearing. Rage flows through him like lava before he erupts, "What the Hell is she thinking?!" He yells, "why would she give you more than one miraculous? She knows the risks!"
Multimouse flinches, "Calm down Kitty. Ladybug told you we may need the fox and horse miraculous too."
"She didn't say you would be the one wearing them!" He yells.
Multimouse fidgets, unsure how to take Cat Noir's anger. Her stomach churns as her guilt builds. She's hurting him so much and all she can do is stand there.
Cat Noir's anger cools as he watches Multimouse fidget. He shouldn't have yelled at her. She's just trying to help save Paris. He sighs and pulls Marinette in for a hug. He holds he close and places his chin on her head.
"I'm sorry, Marinette, I mean, Multimouse. I shouldn't have yelled like that." He says as he hugs her tighter.
Multimouse smiles softly as she hugs him back before she reluctantly pulls away and says, "I'll be okay, Cat. I just have to be careful. Using more than one miraculous is easier when using the mouse miraculous too. Ladybug thought that it would be best that I have them with me even if we end up not needing them."
Cat Noir nods, still unhappy with the situation, but utterly hopeless to stop it. "Let's get this over with then" he mutters.
Multimouse nods and climbs out of the sewer. Cat Noir follows but stops at the entrance, remaining in the sewer for the first part of Ladybug's plan. Him and Ladybug are both sidelined until Multimouse is done scouting the situation; something Cat Noir hates. This whole plan is making him miserable.
He grabs Multimouse's ankle before she calls her power. "Be careful, please," he begs.
Multimouse smiles softly at him, "I will," she says confidently before calling, "multitude!"
Cat Noir watches as all the multimice scatter and two become Multifox and Multihorse.
He watches as Multihorse walks toward him and says, "I'm going to stay here with you, Kitty. The other multimice and I can feel one another. It's weird and hard to explain, but I'll be able to sense everything going on with the other multimice and I can teleport us directly to the akuma when the time comes."
Cat Noir smiles and reaches his hand out for Multihorse to climb on, "Multihorse I presume?"
Multihorse giggles, "Yes Kitty, Multihorse." She confirms as she climbs into Cat Noir's hand and onto his shoulder as he guides her. "Let's get back into the sewer now," she says.
Cat Noir smiles as he climbs down the ladder and back into the dank sewer. "As you wish, Princess."
