Adrien stepped onto a large puddle as he exited the portal "ugh, this future is gross" Steer floated next to him "so this is the place Chronoa is hiding out in?" Adrien nodded "yeah" Adrien looked up and saw a sprawling city of pipes and concrete, this future was one of industry and pollution. Adrien snuck onto the city streets, trash littered the streets and rats overpopulated alleyways, everyone was crowding the sidewalks and the honking of cars filled the air "this future is disgusting, I can taste the gasoline in the air" Adrien put on his disguise and began to walk the streets "Bunnix' intel says Chronoa should be at the Adromedus Hotel, but where is this Hotel?" Adrien spotted an outside eatery and stopped at it "howdy stranger, what'll ya have?" Adrien responded "just need directions friend, need to get to the Andromedus Hotel" the owner whistled "the fanciest Hotel in the city, sure I know where it is, just head South and if you get to an open area you should see it, pure qhite and gold with spotlights around it" Adrien nodded "thanks".
Adrien made his way and sure enough, there it was, the building glowed an eerie ghost white and the gold made it look alien in the sea of metallic grey and brown "that's the place" for some reason Adrien felt as if he were being watched, he looked up at the rooftops, the reflective metal shimmered implying someone was there. Adrien slipped into an alley, he saw the shimmer follow him, he knew that he had been made, he quickly transformed and jumped up onto the roof to see a soldier looking at him, he quickly took him down "start talking, before I crush your windpipe and make sure you don't spill to whoever you're working for" the soldier stayed stern "no way, what Chronoa'll do to me would be way worse than what you'll do" Adrien slammed the soldier knocking him out, he then threw him into dumpster. Adrien de-transformed and made his way to the hotel, he stood before it's entrance and took a deep breath and entered, he approached the front desk where a woman was working "okay, Steer, take this and follow my lead" Steer took a device from Adrien's hand "why do I think this is gonna be a bad idea" Adrien walked up to the desk "hello, I'd like a room" the girl looked up at Adrien's smiling face "o-oh, of course, for how many?" Adrien put up one finger "just one, but if I had some company then I'd be willing to pay extra for a two person room, I can afford it ofcourse but, who would be my company" Adrien smirked at her "hey, what time do you get off?" The lady giggled while Steer got to her computer and plugged in the device "this is gonna make me sick" Adrien looked at Steer and with Steer whirling his hand for Adrien to keep stalling for time "ahem, y'know I've been all over the world to gain inspiration for my fashion designs and-" the lady interrupted him "are you...Felix Agreste, the world famous fashion designer?!" Adrien felt a vein popping in his head and mouthed under his breath "that fucking prick took my dad's name" Adrien flipped his hair slightly "oh boy, I've been made, but please keep it a secret, I'm trying to lay low" the lady nodded and propped her elbows on the desk while Adrien talked.
Steer finished and signaled by flying to Adrien's ankle and hit it "oooh, man, well, I'll just retire to my room, put my name as Donovan would you?" The receptionist nodded "and...would you like company tonight?" Adrien thought "I'll send for it, personally". Adrien made his way to the elevator but stopped to plug in the device into his phone, it mapped out the entire hotel, along with an access shaft "third floor, that's where the access shaft is..." Adrien boarded the elevator along with several other men, Adrien had a bad feeling about them, they were all dressed the same and they just exuded suspicion "okay boys, let's do this quietly, don't wanna wake any of the sleeping guests". Adrien exited the elevator, transformed and the seven men laid sprawled out on the elevator floor, he looked up and spotted a security camera "of course, they'd be on the lookout for me" Adrien destroyed the camera and made his way to the access shaft and entered it making his way up and to the Executive Suite. As he was ascending he felt a warmth below him "the hell?" Adrien looked down to see a blinding white light encroaching on him "oh shit!" Adrien picked up the pace but the light was inching closer and closer, Adrien spotted a vent and kicked it out making his escape, the light filled the access shaft and Adrien barely managed to evade it, Adrien looked into the access shaft to see it barren, no features at all, just, nothing, as if it were all disintegrated. Adrien took out another camera and kept going, he found himself crawling through a vent to the top floor "this is degrading, but not the dirtiest place I've been in surprisingly" Adrien heard a slight clatter behind him, he moved a bit and it was clear, it wasn't him "awww, looks like I've been found out" Adrien looked behind him to see the same white light and he bolted turning a corner and opening the grate before placing it back to cover his tracks "dammit, lost him" the voice in the vent said before moving away "phew" Adrien said before checking his phone "perfect, map says I'm in the Executive Suite" Adrien looked to see a curtain leading to a balcony, he looked through the velvet curtains to see individuals circling a table, Adrien quickly brought out a pen and paper, he could hear their voices "how many shards are in New York?" One of them asked with the one at the head of the table answering "there are ten in total, and once all of them are gathered no one will stand in our way, I get what I want and all of you get a do over" the one at the head of the table looked in Adrien's direction and he hid "that concludes our business for today" Adrien sighed in relief but that relief was cut short by a voice next to him "any thoughts, Mr. Agreste?" Adrien lept back throught he curtains and onto the table where the mysterioud figures surrounded him, they were all on the circled balcony looking at him.
One of them spoke "looks like we have an eavesdropper" another quipped at him" he's dressed like a bull but he's more like a rat!" A larger figure spoke in a thick New York Mob accent "quit foolin' around, let's smoke this bull and get on with it" the one at the head of the table emerged, it was Chronoa, but she looked different, she no longer wore a dress, instead she sported a leotard with crystalized armor on her limbs and she wore a cowl and a mask in the shape of a bird "Chronoa, you've got a new look I see" Adrien bantered with Chronoa flipping her now dark black hair "you noticed? Well, this host does have an eye for fashion" Adrien spoke up "tell me, who'd you nab this time?" Chronoa responded "wouldn't you like to know" Chronoa motioned her hand and the others revealed themselves, Adrien couldn't believe his eyes. There stood, The Pangolin, a white version of his own Cat Noir costume, Mayura, a mysterious man in a hood, and Ladybug, but her colors were inverted "do you like my new roster? I've chosen those who have been a real problem for heroes of the past and present" Adrien looked around "this is worse than I thought" Adrien moved quickly and smashed through a wall and made it outside but was quickly intercepted by Ladybug "not so fast" Ladybug wrapped Adrien in her yo-yo and pulled him before kicking him sending him plummeting into a rooftop below.
Adrien got up and was quick to react when the White Cat pounced him, Adrien grabbed him by the collar as he was falling and circle threw him but he recovered "so...who are you?" Adrieb asked with the White Cat answering "you can call me Cat Blanc, I'm from a time where I destroyed the world with my powers and just wanted to fix it but thanks to Ladybug I was robbed of that chance!" Cat Blanc struck at Adrien with his staff landing solid blows but Adrien countered by grabbing Cat Blanc's costume throwing him off the building. Adrien made a run for it hopping from building to building until he was struck by a gigantic fist that sent him to the side and into the wall of pipes "it's dat easy people" Pangolin said while cracking his knuckles, Adrien hung onto a pipe trying to catch his breath, the hit was brain shaking in power and he had to remember where he was, he had little time as Ladybug was on him, Adrien jumped away but his ankle was caught by her yo-yo, Adrien summoned his weapons, a pair of gauntlets that had horn-like spikes on the sides, he cut the string with them and kept running. Adrien began to think about Chronoa, she had gotten a new host, but who? Just as he was thinking this Cat Blanc descended upon him striking him in the face and knocking him to the ground, Adrien felt his whole body nearly shut down from the strike, it was filled with the intent to kill. Adrien fought off the pain and did a handstand while spinning his legs causing Cat Blanc to back off, Ladybug and Pangolin joined and they surrounded him.
Adrien began to quip "I don't feel comfortable calling you Ladybug, someone I respect so much shouldn't have her name sullied by a person like you, so how 'bout Darkbug?" Darkbug reached into her yo-yo and summoned a large sword "doesn't matter what you call me, you won't live long enough to say it twice!" Darkbug rushed Adrien with a barrage of slashes which he blocked but the impact and weight of the blade made him back away. Cat Blanc rushed in and struck Adrien multiple times making him drop his guard while Pangolin moved in hitting Adrien with a right hook that sent him flying, Adrien stabbed into a roof and caught himself, they were relentless, he tried to block and parry but they were too much, Pangolin swung a mighty fist but Adrien smirked and grabbed his arm, using his momentum against him he threw Pangolin into Cat Blanc and sent them off the building and into the streets below, Adrien turned his attention to Darkbug, they rushed at eachother colliding blades, the impact caused a blinding light and they had both passed eachother, Darkbug fell to her knees "heh, that was a gamble but ut paid off, ofcourse not without consequences" Adrien said, Darkbug turned around to see that Adrien had lost his right gauntlet...and his right arm, blood dripped from the stump "you're crippled now" Darkbug attempted to move but she dropped to her knees from the pain in her right thigh, she looked and saw a horn lodged in it "dammit!" Adrien jumped away and continued his escape, he finally had time to think "okay, Chronoa...that's it!" Adrien stopped in an alleyway that had a broken mirror propped up in it, he took out his notebook and placed it under his chin, he looked at the mirror and began writing on it "this would've been much easier if I hadn't lost my dominant hand" he finished writing and put the notebook away, he looked around and then kept moving once he thought he was safe.
Adrien made it to the docks where he saw multiple concrete pillars erected in the water, he jumped onto one and put his finger to his ear "Bunnix I-" he was cut short when a laser pierced his chest, he didn't make a sound, he merely fell to the ground. Chronoa dusted off her hands and turned to the others "you see? That's how you take down a hero, quick and easy" Adrien's vision became blurry, he felt his limbs grow cold, he had failed.
Paris, 15 years agoCat Noir sat on a rooftop holding an ice cream in his hands, there were two spoons in it but he had no person to share it with, suddenly someone tapped him on the shoulder "hey Kitty" Cat Noir looked to see Ladybug "hey there Bugaboo" Ladybug sat next to him "I told you not to call me that" Cat Noir looked at his ice cream "I got this from André" Ladybug looked at the ice cream, it was black and green on one ball and red and black on the other one "Cat Noir, I told you never to get your hopes up on us, it'll never work" Cat Noir offered her some "it doesn't have to be romantic, maybe we can be close in a different way" Ladybug gave him a warm smile and grabbed a spoon, they enjoyed the ice cream together.
Back to where Adrien wasAdrien snapped back to reality and began to move again, he pulled out the notebook and removed his Miraculous, Steer looked at him "Adrien?! What are you doing?!" Adrien spoke "Steer, I renounce you" Steer got sucked into the Miraculous before he could protest, he put his finger to his ear "Bunnix...I'm ready" he put the bolo tie in the notebook and a portal opened up infront of him, he threw the notebook in "make sure that gets to Benjamin Williams Adrien shouted into the portal, Bunnix was on the other side holding it "Adrien no!" She screamed with Adrien falling back down, his body had given out but he was still concious "Ben...I leave it all to you" Chronoa turned her attention to the dying man and the portal "Ladybug, take care of him" Darkbug responded "I honestly prefer Darkbug now" she summoned a Bazooka from her yo-yo and fired it into the pillar "dad...I'm coming home" the missle made impact and destroyed it sending Adrien into the water where he sank."man, I didn't even get to finish my book, oh well, I guess no one will know the true story of Adrien Agreste, I think I'm gonna make the sequel about Cat Noir, maybe I'll finally get to let that cat out of the bag, hehe" Adrien drifted off into the ocean.
Chronoa looked around the rubble "he managed to get that notebook to Bunnix...I'll be back" Chronoa thrusted her arms and began to reopen the portal and jumped in encountering Bunnix sobbing, Chronoa pursed her lips "looks like you've lost a comrade" Bunnix looked at Chronoa with fury in her eyes and charged at her. Chronoa stepped out of a portal and re-joined her group "so? What happened?" Darkbug asked her "Bunnix is dead, but she got that notebook to Beowulf, I have no idea where it is now, but what I do know that it's somewhere in present day New York which is also where the shards are..."
Ben walked the streets of New York on his way to his apartment when he felt a warmth on his shoulder, as if a hand was there, there was a brief flash of reassurance that swept over him, he looked at his shoulder to see nothing, but the fabric on his jacket had a clear indent of a hand. Just then a white light appeared above him and a small red leather-bound notebook hit him in the head.
