(Monday)
Ring Ring Ring. Waking up for what is another day of school I get ready and head out the door with Pluto snoring away inside my bag next to a bag of jerky. Nothing eventful happened on the way to school except I saw a person wearing a fan made Ruff Rider shirt which of course I had to keep myself contained which nearly caused me to explode, leaving me with a stupid grin plastered on my face for the longest time. Arriving at school right before the bell I enter class and sit in my usual spot in the back of class "Class today and maybe for the rest of the week we will be learning about American lifestyles and customs in honor of Caleb" "And why would we do that" Chloe asks with her usual sneer "We are doing this because everyday after school Adrien stays with Caleb and teaches him French and I would like to reward his progress by having his peers learn about his what he did back in the states that is of course if he is alright with this" the teacher asks looking at me "I don't mind if you want I can probably help" "That would be great thank you so what are some differences" "I noticed that France has butcher shops for meat, bakeries for bread and sweets in America we just had one big store with all that we needed plus more" "Is there anything else" "Yeah, America has bigger cars and more hunters and" my voice cracks as I start to remember my old home and my old friends and everything I left behind. "Can I be excused" I ask walking out the classroom with my bag not really going anywhere in particular "Caleb what are you doing" Pluto asks flying out my bag "I'm sorry Pluto but I was able to handle the move by shoving everything down under a rug and trying to forget" "That's not a healthy way of doing it Caleb" "I know it just seemed like the best thing to do" "So what happened" "When I started talking about America it's like the rug was moved and suddenly I was looking at everything I tried to hide away." "What did you see when the rug was removed" "My old home, my old room, my old friends who I haven't tried to stay in contact with trying to forget them. I lost everything during the move...even apart of myself" "It's okay one day it won't hurt as bad I promise" "Thank you Pluto." Pluto is forced to go back into my bag to avoid the risk of being seen, leaving me by myself again.
(Hawkmoth POV)
"I can feel the emotions you kept hidden within you but no longer are they contained, so use them and show everyone that this place isn't home" Hawkmoth sneers thinking about all the grief this city has caused him.
(Caleb/Ruff Rider POV)
Sitting on the steps of the school I hear someone calling my name but I pay it no attention, looking at the ground and wondering if I should go back to class. "Caleb there you are" looking behind me I see Adrien, Marinette, Alya, and even Nino "Where you guys looking for me" "Yeah are you okay all of a sudden you froze up there and then you just left" Nino says, all four of them looking concerned "I'll be fine just had to get some fresh air that's all" I say dismissing them with a wave of my hand "Okay but we're here for you if you need to talk" Adrien says looking serious "Thanks let's just go back inside" as we start walking back inside the black akuma hits my bag. I instantly freeze "Hello my name is Hawkmoth and I can help you get home. All you need to do is get me LadyBugs and Cat Noirs miraculous" home he promises I can go home and be with my friends and be somewhere where I understand the native language where I fit in, wouldn't it be so simple just get their miraculous I bet if I ask nicely they will understand. "Caleb are you alright" Adrien asks looking back but it's too late the blackness is already swelling around me transforming me "Caleb don't listen to him" Marinette yells realizing what is happening but I ignore her what would she know "Caleb snap out of it" Nino screams but he doesn't know me he doesn't know what's it like not to belong. I can feel it the power I can do so much now I look at the four in front me, Adrien and Marinette leaving like everyone I know, Nino running away, and finally Alya who is standing there with a determined look reaching out touching my shoulder. The moment I see Alya the blackness transforming me stops for a second "Caleb you can do this snap out of it" "I am no longer Caleb, Caleb thought this place could be his home but he was wrong" I say with a voice that isn't quite mine "This is your home, what about Adrien who tutors you every weekday, think about Marinette who bakes the macarons you buy at the bakery, think about anything." And I do I think about the time Alya got Pluto food when I trapped myself in a shed, I think about the day I got her phone fixed and bought the camera attachment, I think about the day in the park. "What are you doing don't you want to go home" I hear Hawkmoth say inside my head "I'm already there" I say trying everything in my power to refuse his power, falling to the ground I clutch my chest in agony as a searing pain blossoms throughout my body. "You will get me their miraculous you can't resist" "I can and I will" I say through gritted teeth yelling in pain as Hawkmoth tries to force me into submission. LadyBug drops in looking confused at the scene before her "What's happening" she asks Alya "He is resisting Hawkmoth I think the Akuma is in his bag" "Thanks for the help." LadyBug ripping the bag off of me allows me to exhale a breath I didn't know I was holding as she rips the bag the Akuma flies out "Time to Deevilize" after the Akuma is gone LadyBug leaves in a hurry. "Caleb are you okay" Alya asks concerned "Yeah I just need some rest" I say trying to stand up but not having the strength to do so "I've never seen that happen before what did you do" Alya seeing me struggle to stand helps me up and lets me lean on her shoulder "It was all you Alya, you reminded me where I belong" "Where do you belong" "Wherever i'm happy, so I heard your friends with Ruff Rider" "I am why does that matter now" "Because just like him you help people that's evident enough even if you don't include what just happened" "Caleb do you need help getting home" "No i'll just call my parents, you should get back to class i'm okay really."
Alya leaves me by myself but not without double checking I was okay "Pluto where are you at" "I'm right here Caleb" Pluto says flying from where he was hiding "Are you okay weren't you in the bag" "I was but I escaped before the transformation happened" "Did you know I would overcome it" "No but you are the wielder of the Dog Miraculous and you know what that means" "No" "It means you are loyal and brave and that you possess the strongest spirit out of everyone never letting anything hurt your friends even if it means you get hurt" "How do you know that" "Because you were chosen for a reason." With that last sentiment I call my parents...and no one picks up great although I really wasn't expecting them to answer, steadying myself I use the rest of my energy to half walk and half stumble home of course with the help from Pluto carrying my bag. Getting home I collapse on my bed "Hey Pluto let's never do this again" "You know it shouldn't be possible for you to resist but you did" "That was all Alya" "Maybe but you could've succumbed to the pain and you didn't" "I knew that if I succumbed that I could never look at Alya again without feeling like a disappointment" "Caleb you're not a disappointment no matter what" Pluto says looking at me sternly to get his point across. "Maybe not but sometimes it feels like whatever I do nothing changes" "Even the smallest of stones can make big ripples" "Pluto what does that even mean" "Someday you will know" "Whatever" I say grinning at Pluto's attempt at being wise before falling asleep.
I may not know it now but everyone has a destiny, I just have to find mine.
(It seems Caleb has a few skeletons in his closet that he wasn't ready to face but he is now. If you enjoy the story please follow or favorite and if you have a suggestion or want to say something all you have to do is comment. And can you believe it's already chapter fifteen it's insane)