Adrien could feel the excitement of the crowd, feeling it echo through him, giddy and thriving with energy. It was evidently one of the biggest events happening for their class, the chance of a lifetime, or so Alya called it.
A chance to have no more stupid challenges from Kim!
While Adrien might not have fully understood, having yet to see such a challenge from Kim set in action; he was eager to echo his classmates cheer and rush, even more so when Marinette unrolled a banner for such an event, holding it up with an excited Nino.
Before them, Max stood between Alix and Kim, laying out the rules of the race, and the costs of the loser, signaling the near start of the event. Wiggling where he stood, Adrien leaned over to Marinette, excitedly stating, "This is my first race ever!"
She chuckles beside him, dutifully holding up a banner as she beamed, sky blue eyes sparkling with jittery glee. "It's going to be something," she said, humor lacing her words. Leaning closer, she added with a whisper, "My bet's on Alix."
Adrien whole heartily agreed, the chances of outrunning a roller blader?
Slim.
Very slim.
He could as Chat Noir no problem. But just as Adrien?
Not even he was that confident.
He was eager to see how this tall French Vietnamese would manage it.
Would he even get close at all?
Kim seemed so sure that he could ace this. But it could just be overconfidence. Either way, Adrien was eager to see how this would play out. Even more so when Marinette leaned over and suggested, "Want drop by the bakery for snacks after this?"
"Yes," he said eagerly, brushing his shoulder against her, grinning at her giggle.
"Alright!" Max called, "Let this race-"
"Wait!" Alix called, coming out of her crouch and ignoring Kim's gripe. "Alya hold this for me," the pink haired girl instructed, handing a curious watch to the redhead.
"Wh-wha? But!"
Alix already went back to the starting and finish line, eyes set forward.
As Max brought his hand down to start it, Alya quickly shoved the watch into Marinette's hand, bidding, "Hold this."
Marinette stutters, "I, I'm not sure this is a good idea? Plus, I, banner-" The race went off and the surrounding crowd jumped, Nino echoing them, excitedly bouncing the banner with him. Just as the banner was jerked out of Marinette's hands, jerking the startled girl about enough that she dropped the watch, Adrie grabbed it quickly, offering the relieved girl a victorious smile.
"I got this," he reassured with a wink.
"You're a life saver," she bid with a chuckle, leaning his way and turning to watch the race, keeping a secure grip on the banner.
Watch secured in his grip, Adrien bounced with the others, watching in wonder as Alix spend by, moving fast enough that he could think she could give Chat Noir a run for his money. Maybe he would challenge her sometime...
He smirked as he watched Kim struggle to keep up.
This race was definitely in the bag.
Alix was just coming up on the last lap when Chloe leaned onto Adrien, demanding to see the pink haired girl's watch. Fighting off a growl, Adrien leaned away from the blonde's reaching, scolding, "Chloe no."
"But Adrihony," the girl pouted, stubbornly reaching for the watch.
"Chloe," Marinette hissed, cutting in sharply to glare at the rich girl, "please, this is Alix's. Maybe yo-"
"CHLOE STOP!"
Everyone jumped, whipping up to Ladybug above them, wide eyed.
And Chloe was startled enough to toss up the watch, right out of Adrien's surprised fingers, sending it into the street, right into Alix's path.
There was a resounding cringe through the students at it's shattering, wide eyes locked on the ruined watch, wincing at the roller blader's horror. Adrien knew then that he had to go, there was going to be an akuma running about in just a few seconds. He moved to shove Marinette away, order her to flee, only to find her gone, rushing up the steps towards Ladybug. Frowning at that, he turned back to Alix, watching the butterfly land on her roller blade, swallowing her up in black bubbles.
He turned at the rumble of wheels, watching as another akuma rolled up to the changing Alix, a dark scowl on her features.
The bubbles faded, revealing the same akuma, peering up at her counter, stiff and furious.
"We're Timebreaker," the akuma declared, offering her hand to the just changed Alix. "We touch people, we get more time to go back and prevent this." Adrien tensed when they turned towards him, their eyes wild and savage.
Adrien took a step back from them, hands up peacefully.
The butterfly symbol flared over one face, his father no doubt trying to convince her not to touch him.
The other didn't get that warning, and dove towards him, teeth bared in a feral snarl as she reached for him.
Shit.
Adrien turned to run, only to blink at the red blur diving at him, snatching him up and tearing him away from the akuma's reach. They rolled into the grass, far from the twin akumas. Adrien tensed beside her when they rolled to a stop, eyes going to her earings, again in his reach, before flicking his gaze to her eyes.
He gave a jolt at the pain there, the shine of furious tears.
With a tight squeeze at his shoulder and a shaky hiss, she ordered, "Run."
Leaping up, she tore after the akumas as they turned to hunt down new prey.
Adrien stared after her, shaken and unnerved.
What had... what had made her so sad...?
He gave a start when Plagg shifted against his pocket, and he jumped up, rushing to hide and transform. He was a little surprised when Plagg floated before him, warning, "Careful Kid."
"I will be," he reassured, offering a small smile to the kwami before summing the transformation.
Jumping out, he charged Ladybug, tackling her to the ground and accidentally tripping one of the two akumas.
When she turned and cast him a furious glare, he chuckled sheepishly.
Oops...
He mewed in surprise when Ladybug kicked him off with a surge of power, snarling, "Get out of here Chat!"
He blinks, rubbing his slightly bruised stomach as he eyed her. "Testy," he notes. "Who pushed your spots, Ladybug?"
She just scowled at him.
He dove at her and they danced around each other, Chat slashing at her, eyes locked on her miraculous. He was so close to getting it. Something was off with Ladybug, he could tell. She put up no fight against him, just settling for keeping out of his grasp and glaring at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world.
He'll see about that when he plucks those jewels from her ears.
One of the akumas dove at them, reaching for Ladybug, but she darted out of the way, and without thinking, Chat pursued, setting him right in Timebreaker's path.
He tensed, eyes wide when that dark glove was coming for him.
Hearing a sharp, "No!", Chat mewed in surprise when his wrist was grabbed and he was sharply pulled forward, dropping to the ground on top of Ladybug and tripping Timerbreaker once again. Cringing, Chat's wide gaze met Ladybug's furious eyes.
Hopping up and pulling Chat with her, she threw him aside, snarling, "Stay out of it!"
Chat grunts as he slides along the ground, huffing.
Very touchy today...
Seriously what was up?
What pushed her spots enough that she'd be spitting about like an angry cat? If anything, he had more reason to have his hackles up. He was getting tired of her resistance.
"Look out Ladybug!"
Chat gave a start, gawking when another Ladybug dove in, kicking one of the akumas away. They two stood in a crouch, standing back to back as they murmured to each other, planning together.
As the two summoned double Lucky Charm, Chat just sat and gaped at them.
He reached up, rubbed his eyes, then drew away to peer at them.
Still two Ladybugs, holding two different charms, and rushing off to defeat the akumas together.
Two Ladybugs.
Two.
That's it, he decided.
Chat's out.
He's done.
One Ladybug was bad enough.
He was not dealing with two today.
Sorry Père.
Dropping down on the balcony, Chat slowly prowled to the trapdoor, bone tired from today. He needed cookies. And attention. Attention he wasn't able to recieve after the akuma incident since Marinette had disappeared from him.
He could get it now.
But as he crouched down to knock, he drew away in surprise when the trapdoor flew up, revealing a very upset Marinette.
He blinked in surprise, staring at her furious, watering eyes.
"M-Marinette?" he stutters, reaching for her, "What, what's wrong?"
All he got from her was, "Stupid cat," before she dove at him, toppling the two to the terrace floor, Marinette angrily babbling into his chest as she lightly hits him. He sits stiffly for a moment, ears up in alarm, eyes wide and confused, watching her babble, listening to the shake in her wards and the sniffles coming out of her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder, drawing the upset girl close and nuzzling her head, allowing a purr to rumble out of his chest so he could comfort and ease the girl.
She struggled against his hold, muttering darkly before slumping and burying her face into him, shaking.
Chat continued to rub his cheeks over her head, eyes closed as he waited for her to calm down. "What's wrong?" he asked, when all that was left were quivers and jittery hiccups. "Why am I a stupid cat?"
"N-Nightmare," she babbled into his chest, wrapping her arms back around him and squeezing tight.
He frowns. "You had a nightmare?"
"Y-you died."
Chat gives a start.
"T-Timebreaker touched you, you stupid cat you jumped in the way just as she was about to touch me! You, you were f-fading away in my-my arms."
He stiffens, peering at the top of her head with a slight grimace. He tightens his hold her on her, burying his nose into her hair and purring all the louder. "It's ok," he mumbles into her hair, "I'm here. I'm right here."
She just gives a stiff nod, her form shaking in his arms.
She draws away, her face pink, eyes puffy, lips swollen from where she bit it hard. His claws cup her cheek, wiping away the fat tears that smeared over her skin. "D-don't do that," she uttered, "don't ever do that."
He makes no promise to her.
He just tilts her head up and captures her damp, salty lips with a chaste kiss, never giving an answer to her demand.
"Hey Adrien!"
The blond gives a slight start, looking up to see Nino waving to him, grinning. Surprised, curious, and a little excited, he drew near, happily returning, "Hey Nino! What's up?"
"How good of an actor are you?" Nino asked.
"Uuuuuuuh... decent?"
Nino hummed, squinting at the blond.
Adrien peered back, expectant and curious.
"Well," Nino starts, rubbing his chin, "Alya and I are trying out recording a little movie, we need a male lead role."
Oh. How interesting.
He's never been asked to play in a male lead role before. Outside being main lead model. But that was modeling, not acting. Honestly Adrien had no idea how good an actor he'd be. Maybe decent enough. He was able to pretend that he and Marinette were only good friends, and able to control himself around her. Mostly.
Maybe he'd do a good enough job.
Adrien grinned encouragingly, mentally adding that this was a great opportunity to interact with more of his classmates. "I could try," he reassured, pulling his backpack strap a little higher on his shoulder. Only to then frowned, a little concerned. "...Whose the lead female...?" Adrien asked warily.
"Mylène Haprèle," Nino reassured.
Oh thank god.
Nino laughed at his visible relief. "Yeah, we didn't want Chloe as the lead. Mylène was suggested to be lead female instead. Ivan Beuel's, the big guy, he's going to be another actor in it, playing the monster."
Adrien hummed, rubbing his chin. A curious proposition. "Who else is going to be in on this?" he asked.
"Pretty much everyone is going to be involved in some way," Nino said, the two slowly slipping into the school. "You, Mylène, and Ivan are going to be the main actors, everyone else is pretty much support, camera, sound effects. Alya and I are the directors, Marinette will be costume designer and assistant."
Adrien perked at the mention of Marinette.
Nino blinked at him, then grinned, amber brown eyes gleaming humorously.
Adrien looked away, cheeks a little pink.
He was up for this.
He was totally up for this.
"I'm going to be staying after school today," Adrien informed his father, handing a chunk of Camembert to Plagg, wrinkling his nose at the smell. He didn't notice the silence on the other end, continuing easily, "I think it'll be a few hours at least before I'm home."
"...What's so important that you have to stay late?"
"A movie that my classmates are recording."
Adrien blinked at the silence on the phone. Licking his lips, he quickly said, "It's a good opportunity for me to observe students, see whose most likely to be Ladybug."
"...Very well."
Adrien beamed.
"Just don't get distracted."
"Of course," Adrien bid. The line was cut, and Adrien drew his cell away, frowning at it.
"He seems crankier than usual," Plagg comments, eyeing the phone lazily.
"He's been a bit off for a while," Adrien comments, frowning.
"Maybe the stress is getting to him?" Plagg offered, then pops the cheese into his mouth, humming delight as his tail curls.
Sparing the little cat a fond glance, Adrien notes, "You seem to have gotten friendlier."
Plagg spares him a glance, humming as he considers the boy. With a rare smile, the kwami agreed, "I suppose so."
With a big grin, Adrien opened his jacket open, letting the kwami zip in. Plagg settled and hidden away, Adrien rushed in, eager to work on this film. He found everyone cluttered about in the classroom, Alya and Nino were arguing, students were talking, Juleka was going around working on makeup, and Rose was dutifully offering refreshments.
It was so busy, Adrien had to stop for a moment, going to the side and waiting till he was called.
He found that's what best with these sort of things.
Wait till it was time for him to pose.
Acting shouldn't be too differently...
"How good are you at memorizing?"
Adrien gave a start, looking down to see that Marinette had crept up on him, frowning at the papers in her hand.
"Pretty good," he said.
"Memorize," she instructed, holding a few sheets out to him.
"As you wish," he bids with a wink. A wink that was missed as Marinette prowled off, muttering under her breath. Adrien pouts at the sheets in hand, skimming over his lines. Having friendly relations with her as Chat Noir made this platonic friendship difficult.
"A-are..."
Adrien blinks, turning down to his co-actor, earning a startled squeak from the small girl. "Hm?"
"I-sorry!" the girl squeaks, "I, I didn't think you would've beard me..."
He grins. "I have good ears."
She clears her throat and turns away, her hands shuffling about nervously. "Yo-you read, ready-"
"Oh honestly!" Chloe snarls out, making Adrien sigh while Mylène jumped. Glaring down at the timid girl, the blonde demands, "How can you be lead actress with that stutter?!"
Mylène shrinks beside him.
Adrien purses his lips at Chloe. Before he could respond, Marinette pipes up, "Mylène's one of the best actresses I know." Marinette spares them a tired glance. "She'll be fine after we get rolling."
I-I'm more used to miming though..." the sweet girl uttered with a big wince.
Marinette smiled encouragingly, coming over and giving the girl's shoulder a squeeze. "I've seen you do other theatrics. You'll be fine. Plus Adrien will be there to help, right?"
He jumps when Marinette rests her hand on his shoulder, heart skipping at the warmth of her palm sinking into his skin. With a slight blush on his cheeks he quickly stuttered out, "Ye-yes!"
With a big beam, she said, "See? It'll be fine." Giving Adrien an encouraging pat, Marinette slipped away, the blond sighing happily as he peered after her.
There was a slight giggle beside him and he turned to see Mylène giving him a timid smile, her brown eyes gleaming humorously. With a blush, Adrien quickly said, "Well let's rehearse!"
Acting was easy.
It was pretty much modelling with talking. Only, he didn't have to look so pretty all the time. Though that did little to stop him posing unconsciously every now and then... or a lot, with how many times Nino and Alya called out to him.
But it was nice.
And just as Marinette predicted, Mylène slipped into her role as soon as they got started, easily breathing life into her character and pulling Adrien along for the ride, feeling like he was a detective, that he was trying to escape from a monster that was hunting them.
It was fun.
Only there were small bumps in the road.
Like now.
Ivan popped out, doing the weakest roar Adrien's ever heard and Mylène squealed out and stumbled right into Adrien, ruining their third try in this act. As loud frustrated sighs erupted throughout the classroom, Ivan lifted up the mask, shooting Mylène a concerned look as Marinette drew near, frowning. Adrien steadied the trembling girl, frowning slightly.
"When are you going to figure out that's Ivan?" Chloe sneered out, nothing this this whole recording.
"Especially since this is our third time," Nino stressed.
"I-I," Mylène stuttered, cheeks flushed and heavy with embarrassment.
"You're just really getting into it," Adrien offered, feeling sorry for the girl and giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "And we are supposed to be scared of the monster. Makes it more believable."
"But not so that it throws the whole scene out of whack!" Nino voices aloud, pinching the bridge of his nose. Beside him, Alya frowns heavily.
"How about a break?" Marinette offers, absently twirling a bit of loose hair around her finger, unintentionally drawing Adrien's eyes to it. He wanted to bat at it...
"How about we just get a new lead actress?" Chloe pipes in, peering at her nails and jerking Adrien back to reality. Oh please no!
Mylène shrunk down, wincing and hurried away. Sighing, Marinette urged Ivan after her, grimacing.
"Maybe we should work on a different scene?" Alya suggested, flipping through the papers.
"And get a new lead actress in," Chloe bids, hopping up and slinging her arm around Adrien, oblivious to his cringe and wrinkling nose. "Like me. And I say we do the kiss scene!"
"K-kiss scene?!" Adrien, Alya, and Marinette repeated.
Nino tugged his hat, sighing. "I added a kiss scene. Chloe suggested that it would add nice drama to the story."
The three stared at him.
Chloe grinned, turning Adrien to her as she said, "So let's go ahead and get that over with! We can get it done right now!" She jumped up, lips puckered for the blond. Adrien quickly leaned back, making a big face at her advances.
"Chloe..." he grits out.
"I thought the plan was that there wasn't going to be anything romantic going on between the two?" Marinette demands, gently pushing Chloe down and giving Adrien a chance to get some distance from the blonde. She continued, ignoring Chloe's furious glare, "I thought we were aiming to break that trope!"
"I thought so too," Alya adds, turning to lightly scowl at Nino. "I can't believe you changed the script without me!"
"It adds to the drama!" Nino reasons.
Adrien voiced, "Do the two even have decent enough development to kiss?"
"It matters?" Nino asked.
Well it mattered to Adrien. How was he expected to get into the romance if there was no development for it?
"Whatever," Chloe huffs, jerking Adrien close. "Let's get this kiss scene out of the way."
"Hold up!" Marinette rushed, "Mylène isn't back ye-"
Ivan slipped in, meeting Marinette's expectant and hopeful stare. He shook his head. "She's not ready to be back yet..."
"She probably doesn't want the lead role," Chloe persists.
Marinette smears a hand over her face, groaning.
With a calculating frown, Alya's gaze flickered to the noirette, then Adrien and slyly suggests, "How about Marinette takes lead?"
Marinette tenses, Adrien perks, and Chloe squawks.
"M-Marinette?" Chloe huffs, waving to the crow haired girl. "She, she doesn't-"
"She knows the script pretty well," Alya cuts in. "She and Adrien are on good terms and pretty comfortable with each other." She turned to Nino, grinning. "I think she'd be a real good replacement for Mylène."
"Alya," Marinette warns.
"What about me?!" Chloe snaps.
Rolling her eyes, Alya demands, "Do you even know the rest of the script?" Chloe didn't answer. "Then maybe you should just go. You're not helping anyway."
The blonde huffs. "Come on Sabrina," she beckons, "I don't have to put up with this."
"No you don't," the redhead dutifully agrees, trailing after Sabrina like an eager puppy.
With her gone, Adrien leapt for the opportunity. "Well then," he chimes, pulling Marinette close and shooting her a suave look. "Shall we get that scene out of the way?"
Marinette squeaks in surprise, cheeks tinting the lightest pink, adding to her beauty and just tempting him to drop down and catch her lips even more. "Um," she utters, "I, Mylène, uh, well, I think," scrambling, with her cheeks getting redder and redder under his pleased, hungry stare, Marinette rushes out, "LetmelookforMylènefirst!" Then ripped away from Adrien tore out of the room.
Blinking, Adrien droops with a pout and heavy sigh.
So close.
"Well," Nino voices, "if Marinette would be up for it, I'd be up for her being the lead actress." Sparing a glance at Adrien, and quickly meeting Alya's eyes, he agreed, "I'd be up to getting the kiss scene out of the way."
Marinette wasn't able to find Mylène and no one else knew the script as well as her, so the dark haired girl reluctantly agreed to the role. And to kiss Adrien Agreste. With a tight smile, she tried to push back the mental presence of her black cat, focusing on the reciting the lines, trying to bring just as much life to her character as Adrien did with his. And when he reached for her, she reacted how she should.
She turned to his familiar touch, letting him lift up her chin, meeting the slanting green eyes and the warm, loving smile gliding over his lips.
It was an expression Chat himself often adopted when he came to kiss her, to soak in the lovesick mood with her.
For a few seconds, she thought she was about to kiss Chat, and for this, she could pretend this was him.
But there was no black mask covering those cheeks, no green sclera that glowed in the night. The hair was too perfect, and there were no twitching ears curved down towards her.
This wasn't Chat, despite how familiar and similar Adrien's reach for her was.
Even if he faintly smelled of leather and cheese. Even if the chest curved familiarly under her palm, eagerly pressing against her fingers as he bent down for her, nose brushing against hers as he grinned, blowing warm breath on her lips and sparking a delightful tingle in her.
She almost drew away, so alarmed by this spark of retaliation to Adrien.
Only for her wide eyes to meet the slanted summer green hues, painted and lush with adoration. It drew the breath past her lips and her knees weak. "Marinette," she heard him whisper, his lips brushing against her-
A loud scream tore out, ripping the two away, heart pounding and startled.
Adrien pursed his lips, while Marinette frowned.
As everyone rushed out to check out that scream, she stayed behind.
"You ok Marinette?" Tikki asked, floating up to eye her chosen.
"Ye-yeah," Marinette uttered, half heartedly summoning the transformation. There was work to do.
Of course there was an akuma here now.
It seems like Père is set on making friend events hard for Adrien. Or maybe it was his way of making sure Adrien was searching, or maybe he thought it was a great opportunity for Adrien to find Ladybug. Either way, whatever his father's reasoning, Adrien was getting a bit fed up with such interruptions.
Especially since this one interrupted his kiss with Marinette.
Sighing, Adrien dropped one of his shoes, explaining his disappearance as he became Chat Noir. Scaling up to observe the students, watching them all huddle up, nervous and scared.
...He didn't like it.
He knew these faces now, they were his classmates, his friends; he didn't like seeing them scared.
They shouldn't be scared anymore.
Surely Père could send akumas elsewhere than here?
Chat perked when Ladybug appeared and tried to calm them and figure out the situation. He crouched low, observing them.
Ladybug had to be here after school to be here now, there was no way to get in.
So who was she?
Who was missing?
He narrowed his eyes, going through the mental list. Chloe... Sabrina... Alix... the akuma was Mylène, had to be. So who else...
...Marinette.
Chat tensed, eyes locking onto Ladybug.
There were similarities, similarities he noticed from his first glance at her but... surely there, there was... shaking his head, Chat got up and crept to the school's basement, heart pounding as his nerves grew. It was just a coincidence that Marinette was gone and Ladybug was taken. Just a coincidence how similar they looked. Mylène took Marinette while he was distracted. Yes. That was it. That's where she had gone.
But when he got down to the basement and called for her, everyone's voice rang out, pleading to be let out, everyone but Marientte.
She wasn't there.
"I've been considering," Père voices at the dinner table, sliding a newly signed piece of paper away. Nooroo spares his chosen a nervous glance before continuing eating his strawberry. On the other side, Adrien hums contemplatively, mind absent. Gabriel spares him a curious look before continuing. "Perhaps I should meet this girl you-"
"NO!"
Gabriel looks up in surprise, Adrien stood stiffly across from him, eyes wide, cheeks flaring pink at his father's surprised gaze. "Er, ah, no P-Père. We uh, we had a fight recently." Adrien looked away. "I... I don't want her over. Here. At all. Um."
Nooroo eyed the boy knowingly, pity shining in his purple eyes.
Gabriel hummed, eyeing his son for a moment before nodding. "Very well. Probably for the best. I've been ignoring your endeavors with her for the most part. If this'll be the rift between you two that leads you back to focusing, very well."
"Yeah," Adrien uttered, turning and leaving.
Gabriel didn't notice, attention back on his work.
Coming into his room, Adrien huffed, running a hand through his slick hair, grimacing.
Glancing to his waste bin, he went to it and pulled it out, meeting the lazy gaze of his kwami. "Plagg," he starts, licking his lips nervously. "What, what should I do?"
Plagg blinks at him, and scoffs. "You want the opinion and advice of a bias god?"
"I, well, uh..." Adrien fumbled, running a hand over his face. "I don't know!" he snapped. "I don't know! Marinette might be Ladybug and if she is I... that means... I'm her... she's..." He sat on his floor, groaning as he dug his fingers into scalp. "I don't know!"
Plagg peered at his human, contemplative. "I have a neutral approach," he offers.
Adrien looked up at him.
"Give up the ring," Plagg bids. "No Chat Noir fighting on either side."
"Th-that would still be going against Père!"
Plagg harrumphs. "He's not meant to have it."
"He needs it," Adrien stresses.
"Or so you two keep telling yourselves."
Glaring at the kwami, Adrien demands, "Are you saying we're pursuing a pointless mission?"
"Yep."
"I'm trying to get my maman back!" Adrien snapped.
Huffing, Plagg said, "You're not going to bring her back."
"When we get those earrings we'll have the power of god! We can bring her back!"
"The power of destruction and creation may give you the power of god, but you can't bring back the dead."
"We could!" Adrien insisted.
"You could create her, yes, defy her end; but do you really think it would be her?"
Adrien falters.
"You can create sure, make a warm body, a nice voice, make it seem like it's really her; but you can't recreate the soul Kid. That's something the earrings and ring can't do."
Adrien stares at Plagg, body going limp at the information. "You, you never mentioned this before," he utters weakly.
"Would you have listened to me? Believed me?" Plagg asked. Floating up, he said, "Sorry Kid. You want to know what to do? Get that butterfly miraculous away from him, or give up the ring. You're not going to bring her back." Plagg flies off, leaving the boy on the floor alone.
By the time Nooroo came to him, Adrien was leaning against the window, staring out into the night covered city.
The butterfly didn't breath a word to him, seating himself on Adrien's lap, rubbing the boy's knuckles soothingly. Not sparing him a glance, Adrien quietly asked, "Is... is it true?"
Nooroo peers up at him.
"We... we can't bring her back? She's, she's gone forever?"
"...You can't recreate a soul," Nooroo gently echoes. "It wouldn't be the mother you love. Not her."
Leaning heavier on the window, he asked, "What's... what's the punishment for misusing a miraculous?"
"It varies," Nooroo answers. "It depends on how it's misused, depends what your intent was." Nooroo glanced up. "Some have wound up disabled, some came across death. Some, some go through emotional trauma and pain. Living on with the guilt and regret..."
"Is that mine?" Adrien asked.
"I think you're going through it now," Nooroo said, wings fluttering. "It seems your punishment is the truth, reality, and the crossroad."
Adrien glanced down at him.
Nooroo peers back neutrally. To the distraught boy, he states, "No matter what path you choose, the pain of that choice will be there to haunt you."
"I see..."
Nooroo desired to encourage the boy, reassure him, support him in making the right choice, despite the consequences he would have to go through. But the kwami knew there was little he could provide the child verbally. This was his to suffer alone.
Nooroo drew near, leaned forward, and rested his head on Adrien's cheek, offering his silent reassurance and support. He could do this much at least.
Adrien's hand came up behind the god, cupping the small being near him while he peered out into the city, eyes distant and vague.
In the darkened room behind Adrien, Plagg peered at his chosen, whiskers twitching.
Alright, if it goes as planned, next chapter should be the last! ...I'm hoping. One or two chapters left!