Marinette was peacefully asleep when Chat arrived, looking in through her window. Using his claws, he deftly clicked the lock and climbed through, boots softly thudding on the carpet. Marinette murmured and rolled onto her side, snuggling her pillow. Chat surveyed her room, dimly lit by the slither of moon. He padded towards her, a ghostly white leathered hand resting on her shoulder, giving her a rousing shake.
"Mari." He whispered. She moaned and turned away. "Mari, wake up."
"I didn't break it..." She mumbled sleepily, facing him again. Bleary-eyed, she frowned at him. "Chat?" He grinned and something clicked in her head, startling her awake. She sat bolt upright like an electric jolt up her spine. "What happened to you? You're supposed to be a black cat!"
"Let's just say I'm the cat that's got the cream." Her brow wrinkled, confused. With a shake of her head, she rubbed at her face, disposing of the last of sleep. "Your friend Alya runs the Ladyblog, right?" A nod. "Do you think Alya knows where I can find her?"
"Find Ladybug? Why?"
"Just some business."
"Chat, what's going on?" Marinette bundled her bedding about herself. Chat's grin was almost unmissable in the darkness, wicked and sly, his eyes cruel yellow slits gleaming from behind the new white mask. He was kneeling on the edge of her bed, uncomfortably close. He said nothing, sidling further onto the bed to sit nearer to her. Marinette squirmed, leaning back. His expression softened.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Mari." His hand brushed her cheek. "You've done me no wrong," He continued, voice gentler as he sensed her unease, "once I've settled my qualms with Ladybug, I'll come back for you." His fingers looped around hers, a tender kiss on her knuckles. A blissful, kindly smile and then he was gone, a white shadow up and out the window. Marinette scrambled up, tangling her foot on her bedding and landing heavily on her floor.
"Tikki!" She hissed. Her kwami swooped before her face. "Did you-?"
"I saw and heard everything, Marinette!" Tikki was trembling, distressed. "He's been akumatised."
"But... I thought his Miraculous would protect him from that?"
"Under all conditions, but one." Tikki anxiously flitted to and fro. "Love is one of the most powerful emotions, a broken heart one of the most weakest states. Ladybug broke Chat Noir's heart and now he's Chat Blanc!"
"What can we do? He won't hurt Marinette, but Ladybug..."
"Ladybug is who he's after. She needs to capture his akuma. And quickly- I can't sense Plagg."
"Plagg?"
"My brother. The cat Miraculous. I'll explain later, we've got work to do!"