After I get home from Marinette's, I'm an extremely wet cat and as soon as I detransform its off to the showers. "I'd thought you'd like the publicity," Plagg tells me as he gulps a piece of cheese. "Shows you've moved on from Ladybug." I'm pulling a hoodie over my head and my blood boils. "I will never move on from her. She will always be in my heart." I yank the hoodie in my anger and storm off back into my room.
Father choose not to move on from Mother either, but I will never turn evil. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do saying goodbye to M'lady, but she's always in my heart. The room lights up with lighting and a terrific crash follows. But its not the thunder that terrifies me, its that I'll once again become Cat Blanc. I curl up in a ball, shaking, missing Mother more then ever, but gradually I grow limp and fall asleep.
"Adrien? Adrien?" A hand shakes my shoulder, and I come to slowly. When my eyes focus I see that's it Natalie. "Your father was somehow able to reschedule the photo shoot for this morning. Be ready." I nod, listening to her heels clicking then fading away slowly. I'm about to get dressed when I hear a rattling sound near the window. I walk over, peering upwards finding it squeezed between the panes.
"Ooh, who's that from?" Plagg grins, teasing me. I don't answer, intent on opening it.
"Your eyes are the softest green,
And your hair shines like the sun.
But I look past that and see your kindness and your goodness."
"Plagg, it isn't signed," I show my Kwami. "You don't think Ladybug…" we look at each other and I look again at the handwriting. "No, I would recognize her handwriting anywhere." "Adrien?" I can hear Natalie calling through the door. "Guess its just going to remain a mystery," I tell myself and put in a drawer.
Normally, photo shoots distract me enough from my problems, but today I'm so distracted I'm irritating the photographer. "No, no, get your head out of the clouds!" he yells at me. Today, that's like a slap and all of a sudden, I can't smile and I feel my eyes filling with tears. My lip trembles and close my eyes, trying to will it away. A memory flashes before my eyes.
"Adrien, I know your having a soggy day, but I need to smile and pose. Do you remember our little trick?" she smiles at me, stepping back while I go into a pose. Mother tells me a funny joke and then I'm spinning and laughing in her arms.
I snap back to reality, knowing what I have to do. I look right and left. Good, I'm alone and I quickly transforming typing out a message to Marinette.
Cat: Having a hard day. Can you make me laugh?
Marinette: I don't know many jokes, but I meow you.
Cat: Meow you?
Marinette: I love you. I'm been thinking about our friendship today, and it means so much.
Cat: My friendship with you means everything. I'll see you at the movie.
My spirits are lifted and I'm able to get the shoot. I feel better at once as I leap through the window and head towards Leo's. Every step and heartbeat is a step towards Marinette.
"Oh! Cat Noir! Glad you could make it!" Leo, the owner of Leo's Cheese Shop says. "Um, is a girl named Marinette here?" "Ah, I know her quite well. I haven't seen her, but girl who looks similar in a mouse outfit came. She's sitting in that chair over there."
My breath catches as I catch sight of Multi Mouse but I know its Marinette behind the mask. What puzzles me is why she's wearing a mask and not coming as herself. I slip into a chair besides her. "Marinette, you know we're watching Beauty and Beast and not Cinderella, right?" I joke. "Oh, hey, Cat! Yeah, I can't explain it, but I felt like needed to wear this." I rest my forehead against hers, the world disappears. "Your not in danger, are you?" "No." "Is this something to do with last's nights drone picture?" She nods, but before I can respond, the movie starts.
A bit into the movie, I find that Marinette's singing along, and I can't help thinking how this song is so similar to us. For me, everyday is like the one before and Marinette, well, she just wants a friend and to fit in.
She giggles and grabs my hand at the part where Gaston is looking at himself. "Even you couldn't be more vain, Kitty!" I burst out laughing. "Yeah, I'm no villain and I only groom my fur once a day!" Soon, tears stream down our cheeks from our giggles. I stand up. "You want some popcorn? Maybe a soda?" she grins, swinging her feet. "How about a comb for your mane?" I smile at her. "Very funny."
When I get back to our seats though, Marinette's seat is empty. That's odd, or perhaps she just went to the bathroom but my feline sense is on high alert. Something's happening to Marinette, and I need to find her. I leap down from the roof and start walking, rubbing my arms in the slight evening chill. Miraculous or no Miraculous, Marinette shouldn't be alone out here. I want to call out her name but an inner voice tells me not too.
"Let me go! What could I have that you possibly want?" I hear Marinette's voice call out and I freeze. "Oh, you have plenty, sweetheart. Now, let me take a look at your ears. Sage, should I check her bag?" "Of course, we need to eat. Nothing but trash and scraps the past few days," a rough voice comes through the darkness.
Inching along and using the shadows as cover, I get into position to pounce. "Oho, look what we have here! A Miraculous, hanging around her neck. That will fetch a pretty penny at the shop."
"Cataclysm." "Cat Noir will save me. You see." There's my girl, brave, courageous. She reminds me of… Don't think about it, Cat.
"Dare to keep fondling her, and you'll be nothing but ash." I call out leaping down into the circle. Relief washes over Marinette's face, but I give a silent signal to keep quiet. "Cat Noir. Your bad luck is our good luck. Take his ring!" "Take one more step, and your gone." I pull out my baton, knocking out Marinette's kidnappers and grabbing her hand. "Don't stop running until I tell you too."
She nods, and we're off, but I know where going. My lungs are burning after a few minutes, but luckily the hideout is steps away. Stumbling in, I lock the door behind me, Marinette staggering against the wall. "I….think...we lost them," she pants. She drops her transformation, and she's trembling all over.
I don't know what comes over me when I walk towards her. "Princess." My mouth is on hers, wanting to taste the sweetest of her lips. She's tastes salty and sweet, rements from the movie, and I nibble at her lip. "Cat," she whispers lifting her hands and placing them in my hair. Her fingernails scratch and as we kiss, and a loud purr escapes my throat. "I just had this feeling." I trail tiny kisses on her neck. "You were right to wear the suit, that way they didn't get your identity." I cup her cheek. "But it seems like they were after something. I heard about earrings?" "No, no, you must be mistaken. I'm sure it was earnings." "Marinette…." "Please, Cat." In her pleading voice, I drop it at least for now. "I care about you very much, Marinette. I never want to see you hurt."
She falls asleep in my arms and I tuck her bed, wishing I stay here in her arms. But I need to go. I pace the floor when I get home and Plagg watches me with his little cat eyes as he munches his cheese.
"It doesn't make sense, Plagg. My cat ears are hardly ever wrong. I'm sure I heard them say "earrings." ""It's late, Adrien. And its not like I can answer that question anyway." I sigh, defeated. In other words he's saying even if he had seen the whole thing its not like he can tell me who Ladybug is.
Flopping down on my bed, I wait for sleep to claim me. I read the mystery note several times, but still my eyes refuse to close, so I turn to my computer. I sigh as I read the words "Lady blog inactive."
Tears roll down my cheeks, its just like Mother. Sure, there are other videos of Mom and M'lady, but that's all they are, images, not people that mean the world to me.
A small voice tells me to be strong, and I grasp at the words like a lifeline. If anything, I need to be strong for Marinette.
As the adrenaline leaves, I soon find myself yawning and heading to bed. "Goodnight, Princess. Sweet dreams."
In the morning, its Plagg that shakes me awake. "Adrien, I think you need to see this," Plagg says, turning on the TV. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng's parents came home this weekend, expecting to find their daughter, but she has been missing since last night. What authorities are baffled by is no note, no signs of a break in. Its like she's just disappeared."
The last words are coming from a long tunnel, far away. Disappeared. No, I will not have Marinette disappear. I throw on the first things my fingers touch, and transforming.
Its a beautiful day in Paris, but for me dark clouds cover the sun. Where are you? Please come back. First I walk, and then I run, I'll search every nook and cranny until I find Marinette Du pain-Cheng. I'm coming, hold on.