Review. I own nothing. Not even this computer.
"Does everyone have a partner? Good. Now we will meet back at the busses in an hour and a half. Don't wander off and remember that this is supposed to be a fun day!" Madame Bustier announced to the students as they exited the state of the art bus. Nino kicked a clod of dirt in response as he side eyed the teacher.
The class was uneven with Adrien missing. There were now a few groups of three. Such as Nino, Alya and Marinette who were all paired together. Other classes had come along with their own which was lucky for Nathaniel and his boyfriend since they were paired together. And were instantly setting off towards the ferris wheel which was arguably the most romantic spot at any circus ever.
"So...Where did you say we were going to meet up with Kagami?" Alya asked Marinette. Marinette glances between her two friends. They were acting weird. Incredibly weird. Sure she was not too happy herself ever since Adrien had disappeared, but Nino was acting like his entire world had ended and that we was going to die alone. He had been moping and giving everyone the silent treatment. It had gotten so bad that the entire class was worried about him.
And Alya had been avoiding eye contact with everyone, fiddling with her thumbs and her phone. Which wasn't too weird since she was normally always on her phone. But it was weird since she did not seem to want to gush about her latest obsession or fixation. Marinette honestly felt like she was out of her depth with both of them.
"We were going to meet at the entrance, and knowing how punctual she is she should be arriving right about- Now." Marinette said with a smug little smile as the red limo pulled up and deposited the young adult in front of them. Marinette cursed herself for a second the moment that she saw the look on Kagami's face. That was not a happy look, or even the Japanese girls content look. That was Kagami's absolutely miserable look. Marinette had memorized them since Kagami had such a strict range of facial expressions that they were normally incredibly limited.
"Marinette. Alya. Nino Lahiffee." Kagami spoke to each of them with a formal nod of her head. Marinette smiled as best she could. She felt a strange tickling in the back of her head and wondered why. It was Nino who figured it out.
"This is the same circus that we came to with Adrien. The last time we were here he was also here." The bummed out dude said kicking at another piece of trash that the wind kicked by. Marinette stopped to think and then facepalmed. Of course! That was why this all felt so familiar! That was why this was all so weird! Adrien! He should have been there with them!
"Correct. I remember that night fondly." Kagami said touching her lips for a second before lowering her hands again. It had been quick, almost as if she had slapped her chin very quickly and then thought better of it. Marinette took a deep breath and glanced around at the small group of friends.
"Well? Are we going to go in there or stand around here feeling sorry for ourselves?" Marinette said with as much gusto as she could manage.
"Stand around here and feel sorry for ourselves?" Nino snarked. Kagami nodded in agreement.
"I'm all for that plan." Alya agreed as she checked her phone for the sixtieth time that morning.
"Nope! We are going to go in there! Eat some over priced deep fried food ride on old rides that are probably super dangerous and watch people perform back breaking stunts that are impressive yet concerning!" Marinette said before clapping her hands together. "Now let's do this!"
Alya smiles softly before shaking her head.
"Girl you are something else." She mumbles as she starts heading in. Nino and Kagami following after her. Marinette opens up her purse to look down at Tikki who is shrugging in response to the anticipated question.
"Well it wasn't the worst speech in the world. But you do sort of forget that you're all probably going to be traumatized by the time this is all over." Tikki rightfully pointed out. Marinette frowned down at the small red and black creature in irritation.
"You're no help." Marinette mumbles before reaching past Tikki to grab some money for a nearby stand. They were serving churros, and Marinette wanted to get her freaking churro on.
"They're here Plagg!" Adrien whispered to the small black creature floating on his shoulder.
"Looks that way." Plagg responded as he deposited another chunk of cheap circus cheese down his expansive stomach. Adrien grins sadly as he watches their backs as the quartet make their way into the circus grounds.
"Do they look happy to you? I mean Marinette looks like she is trying her best to be happy." Adrien said nervously as he taps his chin. He had on large fake sunglasses and an orange wig. As disguise's went it was actually pretty good, but he still felt like someone might recognize him if he wasn't careful.
"I couldn't tell you. What do you think?" Plagg asks snarkily as Adrien began to ease out of his hiding place behind a tent and start walking down the main walkway. Tents, fried food, and the smell of cotton candy clouded the air. Adrien followed after the four of them at a slow pace, just managing to keep them all in sight. He had never seen the circus this busy before. Except for maybe when he was a customer. But now he had an entirely new way to look at it.
He felt lucky, not a lot of people got to see a circus from two points of view, as a worker and as a customer. He pauses beside the entrance to the hall of mirrors and glances back at his friends. He had to get their attention! He had to say goodbye somehow!
Or at least one of their attention. Adrien grabs a ring from a nearby ring toss and nods gratefully to the worker there. They new a carnie when they saw one. Adrien took careful aim and let the ring fly.
Nino was going around the corner still pouting and dragging his feet. Marinette was trying to get everyone excited about the field trip, which must be rough on the poor girl. She was always so optimistic and tried to constantly raise everyone's spirits...Nino felt like a real jerk for not even putting in any effort. But he was just too sad! His best bro was missing!
Marinette had grabbed Alya and Kagami's hands and pulled the two squawking girls down the aisle towards a game that involved winning overpriced stuffed animals that would probably be adorable as heck in Alya's room. But Nino didn't think he could get interested enough.
A round metal ring bopped into the back of his head and made him pause and turn around with a frown. He rubbed the back of his head and ground his teeth.
"KIM! If this is some dumb prank I am seriously going to beat you back into the nineties bro!" Nino snapped, his fists up, he didn't care if he got in trouble for fighting he hadn't slept in days, he was nauseous and he was pissed off!
He paused. A clown was waving at him. But a very very...recognizable clown...Maybe it was the way he waved, or the way that he stood, or even just the way his eyes brightened up when he noticed Nino looking at him. But whatever it was, probably a combination of all of these things, that caused Nino to freeze. Rub his eyes. And then step forwards.
"Adrien? Bro?" He says breathlessly as the clown nodded and pointed towards the hall of mirrors before sprinting in. Nino sprinted down the strip of grass, past the tents, past the usher and tossing a few tickets at him without even bothering to stand in line or to stop. Nino runs rapidly through the doorway and runs face first into a mirror. He moans and pulls back, rubbing at the smudge that is forming.
He groans and glances to his left, and sees another mirror.
"Rats! Adrien! You in here dude!" Nino called out before stepping deeper into the maze. The place felt weird, it didn't help that the floors moved every which was and he would find himself going past another mirror and still another.
"ADRIEN!" Nino cried out rubbing his eyes. There were some tears prickling there. He chuckles in amazement. When had he started crying.
"Hey Nino." A voice said softly from behind him. Nino spun around and saw him. The head was bald and he was holding a orange wig, his face was covered in make up and he had some bicep action going on. And the clothes looked absolutely insane. But Nino recognized his best buddy in the whole wide world instantly.
"Adrien." Nino says as he lets the tears fall. He sprints forwards. The clowns eyes widen and he holds up his hands.
"Nino! Wait!" Nino runs face first into the mirror and bounces back with a moan holding his nose and face.
"Oh man! Are you okay?" The Adrien reflection asks guiltily as it moves forwards and then pauses. Nino glances up and just sees an ocean of Adrien. All of the faces were concerned. But he couldn't tell who was the real one.
"Adrien? Bro? Where are you? What's happening bro?" Nino got up and leaned against a mirror as the Adriens all looked guilty and sadly studied their feet.
"This is goodbye Nino. I'm sorry that I couldn't have been a better friend. But I am leaving now. Forever. It's not my choice but..." The Adrien's all stop talking and rub at their eyes. Nino spins around in a tight circle, trying desperately to find the real Adrien to pick out the mirrors from the original. But it was just more and more confusing. He rubbed his head. He worried that he had a concussion.
"Adrien? What are you talking about bro? What do you mean leave? Why are you leaving us? Who is making you leave?" Adrien smiles sadly.
"I wish that I could tell you, but I can't. It is too dangerous. I just want you to know that I am sorry. And that you are my best friend and will always be my best friend. And I want you to know that I will try to get back to you guys one day. But I can't right now. I just want you to know that I am safe. And that I am sorry. Please. Tell everyone. The class, Kagami, Marinette, everyone that cares about me. That I am sorry."
Adrien's clowns all turned away from Nino. Nino took a step forwards and froze in place. A pair of arms wrapped around his body and hugged him tightly.
"Goodbye Nino. Thank you for being my friend." Adrien whispered into his ear before giving it a little kiss and stepping back.
Nino whirled around and ran at the first mirror that he saw. It shattered when he hit it. Nino came down hard and gasped, he glanced around but the entire maze seemed empty. There were mirrors everywhere, leading nowhere. It was just him, alone, in a massive field of broken mirror pieces.
"Adrien!" Nino shouted helplessly. "BRO! ADRIEN!"
He got up and ran with his hands outstretched searching fruitlessly, his hat fell off, his glasses fell off, and he was certain that he lost a shoe. But he ran on deeper into the maze. Desperate to find his bro.
"Wow. That was pretty cold of you." Plagg said in amazement as Adrien crawled out of the secret underground escape hatch, there was a trap door built in every one of the fun houses and tents in the circus. Adrien had been shown them by Hazel a few days back.
"Don't. Please Plagg. Just don't." Adrien said softly as he stood up and wiped his face, there were tears and sweat griming him up. He sighs before he starts walking towards the big top.
"It's almost time for the clowns to go on. And I need to look happy for everyone." He said as he sniffed along. Plagg floated beside him before floating off back towards the ring.
Nino is curled up on the floor holding his ticket stub. It wasn't fair! He had just found Adrien again! He couldn't lose him! But it felt like the entire weight of the world was pushing him down and he couldn't move, he couldn't get up. But he had to find him!
Across Paris in a small hide out. A massive window opened and Hawkmoth breathed in in delight.
"Ah yes. Finally! My patience has paid off! The perfect victim for my akuma!" He said ripping a butterfly out of the air and infecting it with his evil before sending it on it's way. He closed his eyes and followed it's progress over the city, through the alley's until it reached the circus ground, circled high above the milling crowds before zeroing in on it's location.
It slowly began to float downwards, slipped between the cracks of the funhouse and alighted on the ticket stub. Nino's eyes opened with an overwhelming blaze.
"Tracker, I am Hawkmoth, I am giving you the ability to find the one that you have lost. In return for this glorious ability you will give me something that rightfully belongs to me. The miraculous of Chat Noir and Ladybug. Do we have a deal or will you remain in this twisting maze forever?"
Nino sat up, his eyes were red from crying, his teeth ground together.
"We have a deal."
Alya paused outside the doors to the big top and glanced back over her shoulder. The wind had just picked up and she shivered. She wondered where her boyfriend was. Normally Nino would be all over her putting his arms around her, teasing her about forgetting a jacket even though he wouldn't have one either. She frowned.
"Alya? Are you coming in?" Marinette called to her best friend. She and Kagami were already half way down the main hallway. "The show is going to start soon."
"I'll be there. It's just...Where's Nino?" Alya said worry clear in her voice. She gulps. The knowledge of a supervillains secret identity mixed with a missing Adrien and now a missing Nino? She didn't like this.
Alya didn't like any of this at all.
Review. I own nothing not even this computer.