Thank you to Khanofallorcs for being the beta for this story!
Chapter Twenty
"Hello, Adrien," Sabine said warmly as Adrien entered the bakery. "Marinette told us that we should be expecting you– she's upstairs getting ready right now, feel free to go up."
"Thank you, Mme. Cheng," Adrien said, a smile on his face. "Um, could I buy a box of strawberry macarons before I head up?"
Sabine smiled, pulling open the glass display case where the pastries sat, placing several of the requested macarons on a plate, alongside a few other baked goods, before passing them over the counter towards him.
"Guests don't pay for food," she said as he reached for his wallet. "You and Marinette have fun– and good luck with your tournament."
"Thank you so much, Mme. Cheng," Adrien said, heading towards the door that would lead to the stairs up to their home.
"Sabine is fine, dear," Sabine replied, waving before Adrien was out of sight. As he headed up the steps towards the apartment, Tikki poked her head out of his pocket, antennae flicking up.
"Here you go," he said with a grin, handing her the macaron. Tikki let out a delighted chirp, before taking a bite.
"Thank you, Adrien!" Tikki said, one arm holding the macaron as she finished off the treat, the other reaching for another, which he placed into her grasp. "These are just the most divine! Can I have one more for while I'm hiding?"
He replied by placing two more in his pocket with Tikki, who let out an excited chirr, vanishing into the pocket to feast as he reached the door. He paused for a moment, knowing that Sabine knew that he was here, but he still didn't like the idea of intruding. So he knocked on the door, and he immediately heard the sound of footsteps from inside.
"Coming!" A voice called, and he winced as he heard the sound of something hitting the floor. "Ow... I'm okay!"
"Marinette?" He called, hand reaching for the doorknob, but before he could push it open he heard more footsteps scrambling towards the door, pulling it open. Marinette stood there, adjusting her clothes from her apparent fall, before beaming at him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just tripped," Marinette said dismissively with a wave of her hand. "Come on in, we can play up in my room– my parents will be nosy otherwise." Her eyes landed on the plate. "I see they have already decided to start fattening us up."
"Your mom wouldn't let me pay," he replied. "But I can never pass up the chance for some Dupain-Cheng macarons."
He tossed one up in the air, catching it in his mouth, his eyes flickering towards Marinette. She let out a laugh as he took a bite, shutting the door behind him as he entered. She led him towards the stairs, only giving a few minutes to look about. He had unfortunately only been able to go to her house a few times before, but was thankful that he had permission to come today. He had thought it would be harder to, but apparently the word 'tournament' had been enough for his father, even if it was for video games.
Marinette's room was always quite the climb to get to, with more stairs than one could count. Her attic bedroom was pretty awesome, though, and as they made their way through the trapdoor he found a small setup at her desk– two chairs, controllers, some soda, and some more treats. She took the plate of pastries from him, setting them in front of the monitor, where Ultimate Mecha Strike III was on screen.
"Not everyday that someone is able to beat Max," Marinette said with a grin. "It's been me and him in the tournament for the last few years now."
"Well, I get plenty of practice," Adrien said, scratching the back of his head. "A lot of my free time is gaming... it will be awesome to be able to play against someone else, though."
Marinette smiled, which made it feel like butterflies were fluttering in his stomach as they took their seats. Adrien reached for one of the controllers, but instead of his fingers wrapping around plastic his hands wrapped around something soft and warm. Marinette let out an uncertain chuckle, and he looked down as he realized his hand was wrapped around Marinette's. He quickly pulled back, face heating up in embarrassment.
"S-sorry!" He stuttered out, but she only let out another laugh. "I'll just use this one– er–"
Marinette's hands reached for the other controller the same time he did, this time their fingers brushing against each other. Both of them stuttered out a few words, and while Adrien told himself this was nothing to get flustered over, his fingers still tingled where their skin had touched. As Marinette pulled back her hand once more, he let his zip forward, snatching the closest one into his hands, quickly facing the screen.
He was fine. This was fine. He didn't need to make a big deal out of this, that would only make things awkward. His eyes flickered over towards Marinette, only to find that she was looking at him at the same moment. He felt his face heating up, and his mind was furiously screaming at himself. This was Marinettte! They hung out at school all the time! He had been in her room before! This was nothing new!
Except for there was something new in her room.
"Um... Crimson Beetle fan, I see?" Adrien asked to break the silence, his eyes flickering to the wall behind her computer screen– which featured several posters of Crimson Beetle.
He was used to seeing his face up on posters and across town, so it wasn't like he was put off. But still... Marinette had posters of him in her room! Even if she didn't know it was him... but it was! She had been nothing but kind to both Adrien and Crimson, and it was nice to see that his masked self had made a good impression in their few encounters. His gaze flickered back towards Marinette, and found a blush climbing her cheeks. This made him relaxed slightly, glad to see he wasn't the only one flustered by the controller incident.
"Yeah, I... I really admire him," Marinette said casually as they selected their mechs. "He's a pretty amazing hero."
"Well, purrsonally, I'm a Lady Noire fan," Adrien said with a wink, selecting NAD03 mech– which resembled a black cat. The red in Marinette's cheeks deepened, but a smile tugged at her lips.
"That's nice to hear," she said softly, picking mech LB-03, before moving on to select their arenas. "She doesn't seem to get a lot of... approval, sometimes. I noticed I couldn't really find any merchandise of her..." she trailed off, shaking her head. "Abandoned Runway is a pretty fun arena, right?"
"One of my favorites," he agreed as she selected it. "If you're looking for some. you should talk to Juleka, she was able to point me to some websites with Lady Noire stuff."
"She's a fan?" Marinette asked, sounding surprised.
"Yeah," Adrien replied, fingers hovering over the controllers and the countdown started and the round began.
He blamed his first loss on the fact that Tikki decided to phase through him– sending those horrible chills down his spine in the process. He had no idea where the kwami was going, but he doubted that she'd cause any trouble. He hadn't had the chance to face Marinette personally yet; in the tryouts he had beaten Max to earn his spot, but Marinette had been at the top. He had been sure he would have a chance against her... but as one round stretched out into several it was quite clear that wasn't the case.
Marinette was good.
"Oh wow," Adrien said, panting slightly as he found himself defeated for the fifth game in a row. "You're amazing, Marinette. Heh, I actually thought I'd stand a chance back at the school."
Marinette scratched the back of her head. "Well, uh, I play a lot with my dad... how about we play some online tag matches? Now that we know how each other fights we can start laying down some teamwork for the tournament."
"Teamwork?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Heh, I doubt you would even need me, you could probably solo the whole thing on your own! You're amazing, Marinette."
"What? Going to leave me to fight everyone two on one?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No!" Adrien cried, sitting up slightly, before leaning back in his chair. "I just, um..." He glanced at the screen, his mech still in its basic form while Marinette's was at level three. "I just don't want to hold you back in the tournament, that's all."
Marinette's gaze softened slightly. "Well... what if I told you I had a secret for why I was winning?"
He blinked at her, and she grinned. She reached into her pocket, pulling out some red string, on which multiple beads were stung on it. He stared down at the green and pink charm, which Marinette began to tie around his wrist.
"This is my lucky charm," she said as she tied it off, smiling. "The real reason for why I've been winning."
"A Lucky Charm, huh?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "And here I thought they were usually spotted."
She rolled her eyes. "Well, this one doesn't summon magical ladybugs, but it is my key to winning." She winked at him, and Adrien felt like he was about to melt on the spot. "Now that the odds have been evened, what do you say to doing the online tag matches?"
Adrien grinned, looking down at the bracelet. "What? Too afraid that you'll go down if you were to face me now?"
"Can't have my gaming reputation ruined now, can I?" She asked, grinning back, picking up the controller once more.
Tikki was absolutely in love with Marinette's room.
Yes, Adrien's room was pretty amazing, full of so many things– but Tikki could just sense the creativity bursting through here. Her little Bug and his friend were currently distracted by their game, leaving Tikki relatively free to drift about, looking at the sketches and crafts Marinette had made. There was nothing not to admire, Tikki humming happily as she drifted through the pink room. It was such a lovely little place, and with a bakery below the whole place smelled so sweet.
Tikki's eyes lingered on a jar of cookies, mouth watering– even though she already had eaten all of the macarons Adrien had given her. She wondered if she could snag one more from the plate... but it was right in front of them, where they would see her if she were to try.
She settled for drifting up towards the loft where her bed was, pictures pinned to a corkboard of her friends, small little plushies that appeared to be handmade. She cooed at the ladybug plush and one of Crimson Beetle, before nestling herself among them. Tikki let out a giggle, which the humans couldn't hear thanks to their game, when a scent drifted past her antennae, one that wasn't of cookies and candy.
"Cheese?" Tikki muttered, slightly surprised. It wasn't one of cheddar or brie that humans seemed to have quite often, but much stronger. Tikki fluttered up, drifting past a large cat pillow and up towards what looked to be a shelf– which had been blocked off with what looked to be a recent addition with wood, which could slide like a door. She flew up towards the small crack that currently acted as an entrance– and was met with the musty smell of cheese. "Eep!"
She jumped back as a pair of bright green eyes peered at her from the darkness.
"...Tikki?" A soft voice asked, a shadowy figure drifting out from the shelf, and Tikki's antennae flicked up.
"Plagg?" She whispered in excitement as the Black Cat came out into the light– and she let out an excited chirp. "Plagg!"
She switched from French to the musical language of the kwamis, zipping forward and slamming into him. She wrapped her arms around her other half, whose whole form was rumbling with a purr. The two kwamis held each other tightly, before pulling back and circling each other happily.
"What are you doing here?" Plagg asked, blinking, before his eyes flickered down to her Bug and Marinette, and his eyes widened. "Wait, is he–?"
"Marinette is your holder, isn't she?" Tikki asked, and Plagg said nothing. "Oh, that's so exciting! Our holders actually know each other! How fun–!"
She didn't get to finish, Plagg grabbing her arm and dragging her back towards his shelf. Together they phased through, and she found herself surrounded by cheese wrappers, scraps of material, and what appeared to be a beanbag just their size. Her antennae crinkled at the smell, but this wasn't the first time she had been in one of Plagg's dens.
"Keep it down," Plagg muttered, reverting back to French. "Don't want them to hear us or something."
"Oh, they're too distracted by their game," Tikki said, flying over to the small cushion. She pressed a finger against it, and while it wasn't hard it didn't seem to be the softest either. "What's this?"
"My rice bag," Plagg said. "My Kitten made it for me, and it's amazing." He began purring, while Tikki paused. "When she puts it in the microwave it gets all warm, and it's just like laying in the sun– except for I can take it anywhere with me, even in the dark."
"Did you just call her your kitten?" Tikki asked, and Plagg froze up. She let out a chime-like cry, before zooming forward and wrapping Plagg into another hug. "Oh! I thought you said you weren't going to do that anymore! I'm so happy for you! I knew that Master would choose a good holder for you, I knew–"
"It w-was a slip of tongue," Plagg snapped, going stiff in her grip. "The kid is a kid, okay? She ain't a bad kid, but you know we shouldn't be getting attached. We... we aren't supposed to be here for that long."
Both of them were silent.
"...You've noticed it too, huh?" Tikki said softly.
"Over four months of akumas, and no sign of them slowing down," Plagg muttered. "It looks like we're going to be in this for the long run."
"But she can't be..." Tikki trailed, peering out from the shelf, down towards where their holders were playing their game. They lingered in silence for a bit longer, before retreating back into the darkness. "Whatever happens, though, they do have each other, and they're so much closer than they realize! When it comes time for them to learn each other's identities it's going to be so cute!"
She immediately noticed the way Plagg went still next to her. Her eyes shifted towards him, and his green eyes were cold. "Who says that's going to happen?"
Tikki's heart was heavy, but she tried to keep things light. "When they're this close? I think it would be surprising if that didn't happen. My bug really does admire your kitten, he talks about her a lot–"
She was cut off as Plagg let out a snarl.
"...Stinky Sock?" She asked softly.
"The Ladybug and Black Cat are partners," Plagg said stiffly. "They don't need to be anything more than that, so don't go making unnecessary plans."
Guilt settled in Tikki's gut. "Plagg, Adrien is a really good kid, and he cares so much about Marinette– both as a partner and as a friend. I promise you that–"
"Tikki," Plagg said in a low voice. "I love you. I love you more than this world or anything in it– but that does not extend to your bugs. You have your holder, and I have mine– and I would prefer it if that separation were to remain."
Tikki opened her mouth to reply– only to be cut off as the whole apartment shook.
Both kwamis zipped out of the dark shelf, freezing up as they watched the entire ceiling be pried open like a lid, a giant robotic arm slithering in. Their holders were staring up at the giant mech with horror, Marinette having fallen out of her chair, while Adrien stepped protectively in front of her. The robot zeroed in on them, a voice cracking through speakers.
"There you two are," the voice cried. "The traitor is practicing with the thief. Well, if you two think you're better at this game than me, then let's put that to the test, shall we?"
Before the kwamis could react another mechanical arm reached in, snatching up both of them with ease. They were dragged out of Marinette's room and out into the streets– the whole building shaking as the roof was slammed back onto the walls. Wallboard crumbled and dust rained down, the mech making its way down the street.
"Adrien!" Tikki cried, racing forward, before something grabbed her from behind. "Let me go, Plagg! I need to help him!"
"You can't just race off without thinking!" Plagg cried back. "If that akuma sees you then Monarch will too, and she could piece things together!"
"But if the heroes don't show up then Monarch will get suspicious!"
Plagg's eyes darted around the room uncertainly. "Um, the akuma, it has to be that math kid, right?"
"Max," Tikki supplied. "Adrien took his place in the tournament, that's probably why he got akumatized."
"Then why is he after my kid?"
"He called her a traitor, right?" Tikki said. "He probably wasn't happy that she was playing with someone else, they've been the finalists every year, right?" She zipped about the room nervously. "I don't know what to do, Plagg, I think we need to talk to Master–"
Plagg sneered. "What good has he done?"
"Well, he helped me and Adrien out–"
"You took your Bug to see the Guardian?" Plagg cried, rage flashing in his eyes. Had she been anyone else they probably would have shrank back from the dangerous gleam in Plagg's eyes– but she could never feel fear towards her other half.
She simply crossed her arms. "I was sick, Plagg. Besides, we didn't tell Adrien anything."
Plagg regarded her, before diving back into his den. Tikki watched him as he zipped back out with some munster cheese in paw, eating it in a single bite. "Fine. You go get the Guardian and see if they will do anything, I'm going to go make sure my kid isn't going to get hurt."
"Plagg–" Tikki began, but he was already zipping off after the akuma. Tikki watched him go, eyes watery, before taking in a deep breath. "Oh, Plagg..."
With that she zipped down, grabbing one of the fallen macarons. She ate it in just two bites, feeling energized as she did so, before phasing through the wall in search of help.
It was easy to follow after the akuma, considering the trail of destruction he left. The robot had four limbs like most creatures, the arms holding his kid and the Bug, the other two legs making long strides across the city, paying no heed to anything that came in his path. Cars were crushed, and anything living was absorbed in a beam of green light. Plagg gritted his teeth as he zipped along. It would be just his luck that both of the kids were targets– what had the Guardians been thinking, picking two that could be connected?
"Um, Max?" Marinette called, being clutched in the left arm. "Where are you taking us?"
"The name is Gamer, now, Marinette," 'Gamer' replied. "We could have been partners, like we have been every year, but apparently that means nothing to you."
"It was a contest," Marinette replied with a snarl. "You lost, Max– you don't need to be a sore loser about it!"
"Come on, kid," Plagg muttered under his breath. "Shut your trap and don't provoke the akuma."
The mech paused, its head shifting to look down at Marinette. Plagg's limbs twitched, resisting the urge to blast the corrupted champion with a wave of Destruction, which would be counterproductive with his holder in range. The mech's arm tightened around Marinette for a moment, before continuing on towards its destination.
"We will see who will win and who will lose," Gamer said. "I'll even let you play with your new partner too."
"Play?" Adrien asked uncertainly.
"I could easily crush you as is," Gamer replied. "But Monarch said that won't be a true testament of my skill, so I'm not going to hurt you." He paused to zap a few fleeing civilians, causing both of his hostages to flinch. "Just a few more levels and I can put us on a truly even playing field and prove to all who is the best player!"
"Stop!" Marinette cried as his laser swept across a few more civilians, turning them into energy as Gamer absorbed them. Plagg didn't even blink at this, weaving between streets and rubble. His mind was trying to form some semblance of a plan, but was coming up with blanks. Attacking the mech would mean attacking Marinette, which he wouldn't do.
Soon, Gamer's destination was in sight, a large stadium in the distance– where the first battle against Stoneheart had taken place. Plagg decided to zip on ahead, a black blur as he hurried forward. Gamer's strides were no longer simple, robotic limbs coiling as he leapt up into the air, easily leaping over the large walls of the stadium, the whole earth shaking as they landed.
"Here we are," Gamer said happily, depositing them on the ground. Plagg lurked among the seats of the stadium, a small hiss escaping his throat as Adrien helped Marinette to her feet. He had never thought much about the model kid, but now that he knew that it was him under the mask...
Gamer held out an arm, an orb forming from the robotic arm, which then drifted over towards Adrien and Marinette. Both of them took a step back, eyes flickering about. If Tikki was going to have a plan she better come up with it quickly, because it wouldn't be long until questions were asked.
"I have been very generous," Gamer said, gesturing to the orb. "I not only gained enough EXP to get myself to level four, but also enough for you two as well. Just take the loot and then we shall have a real match to see who's the best gamer in our class."
"How about you just let us go," Adrien said, hands out. "It was just a friendly match, Max, and if this was all so important to you I can step out of the tournament. If this is something you two have been doing for years, then we can keep it that way."
"I don't want your pity!" Gamer snarled. "I've already been generous enough when she told me not to crush you where you stand! Summon your mech and get fighting– I will win and it will be of my own skill!"
Adrien looked back at Marinette, whose face was now lined with determination. She touched her hand against the glowing red orb, digital sounds like from the game echoing through the air as a ray of energy surged out from it. Plagg watched as the light materialized into a giant mech, looking like a combination of the two they played in their game. The Black Cat snorted– as there were both cat and red themes on the mech, though the irony was lost on them all.
"Come on," Marinette said. "We aren't going to get out of here just by standing. We beat him once– let's do it again."
Adrien hesitated, before nodding. "Got it, partner." He held up his wrist, where the charm bracelet sat. "Besides, we have our lucky charm, right?"
"She was supposed to be my partner!" Gamer roared as the new mech knelt down, allowing Marinette and Adrien to climb inside. Plagg's tail lashed nervously; he had never paid much attention to the game, but Marinette was good at it– so hopefully that translated to this akuma's version of it.
He hated the idea of her going out alone to fight, though, without his magic surrounding her to protect her. He winced as the two mechs charged forward, clashing in the middle of the stadium. Watching the things on screen was boring– watching actual robots clash knowing that his Kitten was inside was terrifying.
He couldn't interfere, though. Without a holder to inhibit his powers, the raw energy of his Destruction would be too much– and he knew it wouldn't take much to bring this city to its knees. And while he couldn't care less about the heartless people that lived here, he knew that it was important to Marinette, and that Tikki would gut him.
"Come on, kid," he muttered. "Find the akuma, that's what you're good at."
"Pyra-drill!" Gamer snarled, a giant pyramid forming around him as he leapt up into the air, spinning at high speeds as he came crashing down onto Marinette's and the Bug's mech.
"Force shields!" Came Adrien's voice from the speakers, a dome of red energy forming around a mechanical arm to block the attack.
"Red spotted bash!" Marinette cried as they threw Gamer's mech back.
Half of the words spewing from their mouths didn't make sense, Plagg seeing it as no more than nonsense strung together as they summoned ridiculous attacks seemingly from nowhere. Orbs of energy being launched out from the giant robots as they clashed.
Adrien and Marinette's were quick to gain the advantage, pressing in close as they pushed Gamer's robot back. With a long metallic rod in the mech's hand, Adrien was quick to put his fencing skills to use, parrying the attacks from the mini pyramids Gamer was sending out. They charged across the shield, gaining ground as they forced Gamer to go on the defensive.
"Cheaters!" Gamer snarled. "Two against one isn't a fair fight!"
"You're the one that made us fight you two on one!" Marinette countered, launching another attack, which sent Gamer's mech stumbling back. Adrien and Marinette moved their robot forward to launch another attack, when the sound of two voices made them pause.
"That's far enough, Gamer!" The female voice declared, and all eyes were drawn up towards the top of the stadium– where Lady Noire and Crimson Beetle stood ready to fight.
"Great," Plagg muttered as the two drew their weapons. "He's going to leave us to explain this."
"Wha–?" Adrien's voice cracked through the mic.
"It's about time you lousy heroes showed up!" Gamer cried. "Once I defeat you I will get the ultimate power ups– pyra-missiles!"
A barrage of gray pyramids were launched up towards the figures of the heroes, who both leapt out of the way with ease. The two of them landed down into the stands, moving forward in perfect unison down towards the field where the battle was taking place. Their arms moved with the same swing, legs in the same stride– a bit too perfectly if one were to watch closely.
"You two in the mech!" The faux-Crimson said. "Restrain the Gamer! Lady Noire, prepare your Cataclysm!"
"Cataclysm!" The Lady Noire next to him called out, dark energy bubbling around her hand. Plagg's eyes narrowed, before he rolled them– the stupid old man had gotten it on the wrong hand. Whatever, he knew his cue, and dove into the shadows as he hurried towards the clashing mechs.
It took Adrien and Marinette a moment to recover from the shock, but they didn't hesitate to guide their robot forward to engage Gamer, who was looking between his rivals and the heroes. If Monarch was giving him any orders, she was too slow– Adrien and Marinette's mech tackling into Gamer's, the two large machines wrestling on the ground for control. Plagg took a chance to hurry forward in midst of the chaos, phasing into Gamer's mech, drifting among metals and wires.
"Gah, how do humans operate these things?" Plagg grumbled, before doing what he did best– destroying.
He didn't summon his own Cataclysm, knowing that such an explosion of force would be beyond what could be handled. Instead he bit through wires, claws shredding anything that might look important. The sheer aura of his presence did the rest, the metal withering as he clawed and slashed, listening to the echoing cry of the fake Lady Noire's 'Cataclysm!', despite the fact that it had already been 'summoned'.
No matter, though– as sparks and smoke began to drift through the interior of the machine, Plagg phased out, rushing away as quickly as he could before he could be spotted, only turning to watch as Gamer's robot staggered forward, twitching and jerking about as it began to malfunction. The other mech slammed it into the ground, before the top opened up, Marinette and Adrien peering out to get a better look at what was happening.
"Go, civilians!" 'Crimson Beetle' called. "Leave the rest of this to us heroes!"
Adrien and Marinette threw one more wary glance at the fake heroes, who were circling the smoking robot– but now that they had the chance to slip away, they weren't going to waste it. Plagg slunk among the lower rows of seats, following after them as he watched them dart away, not even questioning that the other ran off in the opposite direction, clearly looking for some place they could hide.
Plagg hurried towards where Marinette had gone, catching a glimpse of Tikki as she went after Adrien.
"Plagg!" Marinette said as he zipped into the locker room. "You came!"
"What else did you think I'd do?" He asked, frowning.
"Well, considering how often you tell me we should nap instead of fight..." She gave a small smile, before glancing out towards the door. "Plagg... who is that Lady Noire?"
"Nothing to worry about," Plagg said, waving his paw. "Just a little something to keep Monarch and the Bug from suspecting anything."
"B-but the Cataclysm–"
Plagg grinned. "That was me, I shredded up the wiring in the robot."
She hesitated. "But..."
"Look, kid, don't overthink it," Plagg said. "What's important is that you don't let Crimson know that the Lady Noire out there was an illusion, okay? If he asks, that was you, no hesitation."
"I..." She closed her eyes. "Okay."
"Alright, kid, let's transform," Plagg said, drifting forward. "I want you to wait until the illusion ducks out of sight, then you can pop in. Just don't use your Cataclysm– as far as Crimson knows, it was already used."
"...Right," Marinette muttered. "Claws out."
Plagg groaned as he was drawn into the ring, turning into a mass of pure energy. His power surged out, surrounding his holder with a veil of green light. His aura fused with hers, their senses merging. His magic flowed through her as she took control of them, drawing her baton as she charged out to join the fight.
Marinette so owed him an extra wheel of camembert.
Adrien was shaking as he released his transformation, Tikki tumbling out of the earrings. He didn't seem to be the only one panting: the kwami looked exhausted as she landed in his hands. He patted down his pockets– but anything he had was back at Marinette's.
"I'll get you as many macarons as you can eat," Adrien promised as the exhausted kwami leaned against him.
She smiled. "Thanks, Adrien. You're the best."
"Marinette should be around here," he muttered, eyes flickering about the storage room of the stadium. "And her house should be fixed up from the Miraculous Ladybugs..." he hesitated, because now that the fight was over he couldn't ignore what had been nagging at him. "Tikki, that Crimson Beetle... what was that?"
Tikki didn't reply right away, the small kwami watching him.
"Tikki?" He asked hesitantly, something forming in his chest. He recognized that look– it was the same gaze Nathalie would give him when he would tell him there was nothing to worry about. Tikki seemed to recognize the uneasiness in his gaze, and she let out a small sigh.
"It... It was an illusion. So Monarch and Lady Noire wouldn't realize you were gone," she said slowly.
"An illusion?" He echoed. "How? Did you do that?"
She closed her eyes. "I... I went and got some help when you were carried away."
"Help?" He didn't know what to make of that word, because while 'help' was something more than welcome, he had never had aside from Lady Noire. "Is this like with Cottontail and Apex? Time traveling heroes?"
"...It was the Fox Miraculous," Tikki said carefully, answering a question, but not answering his question. The little kwami was looking him in the eye, but her blue gaze looked distant, and he didn't know what to make of it.
"Another time traveling hero?" He asked again. "Or... or is there another Miraculous in Paris, besides the Butterfly?"
Tikki looked away. "I'm not supposed to answer this."
His heart tightened. "Tikki, what are you hiding from me?"
"Adrien–"
"Tikki, please," he whispered. "Don't lie to me. Someone helped us today– so why haven't they helped us before?"
Tikki still looked exhausted from the battle, but she drifted up towards him, laying a paw on his cheek. "Adrien, I don't want to hide anything from you," she said softly. "But... I can't tell you– literally. There's magic I'm bound to, and one of those is identities. If I tried to tell anyone your identity, or tried to tell you someone else's, the magic would silence my words."
"Bound?" He echoed, eyes wide, he didn't like the sound of that. "But–"
Tikki gave a soft smile. "It's no different than me being summoned into the earrings, I cannot refuse you when you say those words. When you're transformed, my powers are yours to wield, and I have no say. It is simply the way it is," she paused, hesitating. "And it's more than just magic, I... I have secrets I need to keep. Just like I asked you to keep your identity hidden to protect you and those around you, I am also doing this to protect, not to hide things from you. I know it isn't easy for you, and it isn't easy for me either, but secrets are the most effective way to do so. Knowledge is power."
He knew Tikki was right, but that didn't mean that he liked it. "I understand."
"The Rabbit Miraculous cannot show up whenever they want to change whatever events of the past they please– as they are a part of something much bigger. Their holder is guided by their kwami to make sure they are creating the best possible future– one they might not even be a part of. That is their duty," Tikki took a deep breath. "This, too, is something bigger, and I promise you it won't be hidden from you forever. But for now... let it be."
"...Do you promise?" Adrien asked softly.
"Of course," Tikki said, nuzzling him. "Now why don't you go find Marinette, I'm sure she's worried about you."
He swallowed, before nodding. "Tikki... should I give Max back his spot in the tournament?"
She paused, frowning. "But you earned it, Adrien."
"I know, but... this was something Max has been looking forward to all year," he rubbed the back of his neck. "The only reason I joined was because Marinette was doing it and I wanted to hang out with her... but there's other ways I can be with her. If Max actually wants to be in it for the gaming itself, why should I take that from him?"
Tikki smiled. "That is very selfless of you, Adrien. If that would make you the happiest, then you should do it. But remember– this was something you earned. You didn't take it from anyone, and if you want to compete that's your right."
He smiled. "I'll ask Max what he thinks."
"Adrien?" A voice called from the hallway. "Adrien, are you still here?"
Adrien scooped up the exhausted kwami, hiding her in his pocket, before going out to join Marinette. She was out in the hallway, opening a closet door to see if he was hiding inside. He grinned, before slipping right behind the door as she shut it.
"Boo."
"Eep!" She yelped in surprise as he 'suddenly' appeared. "D-don't do that! I was worried about you, you jerk!"
He let out a laugh, before scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, Mari– you're just too easy to scare." He grinned as he leaned forward. "Can't help it, you look adorable."
She glowered at him, face heating up, and he couldn't help but yet out another laugh. As cliche as it may sound, she was cute even when angry! He couldn't decide if she was frustrated or amused at his laugh, her eyes lit up with a spark, but she crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at him.
"...Sorry for leaving you alone," he said swiftly. "I thought you were right behind me when I went to hide, but then you weren't there..."
Her gaze softened. "No, it was my fault, I should have said something. I thought it would be better if we weren't hiding together, in case Gamer came looking for us."
"Speaking of Gamer, we should go talk to Max," Marinette said. "Um, well, in case the heroes weren't able to take him home... if not we should go find him, it seemed like he was doing pretty well back at school, but clearly he took the loss harder than he showed."
Adrien knew that Max was still out on the field where the battle had taken place, as Crimson Beetle had barely managed to hide before his timer had run out. Lady Noire had offered to take Max home, until he had pointed out that she had used Cataclysm before his Lucky Charm and would be turning back soon as well. It would be good to talk to Max as Adrien anyways, because he didn't want any hard feelings between them.
"About that... I'm wondering if I should give Max his place back in the tournament," Adrien said as the two of them made their way towards the stadium field.
Marinette frowned. "I know Max would love that... but you earned your spot, Adrien. If you want to compete then you shouldn't have to give it up–"
"I entered to hang out with you," Adrien said, and Marinette paused. "I... I only really get to see you at school, and I thought the tournament would be a good way to get my father to let me out of the house some more..."
He could taste salt in his mouth as he swallowed, and Marinette laid a hand on his shoulder. "Is there anything we can say to your dad for him to let you hang out more?"
He shook his head. "No... honestly that would probably make things worse– but this isn't about me, this is about Max. He loves gaming, and Kim said he had been training the whole year for this. Besides, this competition is something you two have always done, right?"
Marinette smiled. "You really are too sweet, Adrien. If that's what you want to do, then let's go tell Max– I'm sure that's exactly what he needs to hear after being akumatized."
Adrien didn't have an immediate reply, his mind latching onto her compliment, but he was saved from having to answer as his phone rang. He paused, picking it up, and was surprised to see that it was his father calling. He fumbled as he rushed to answer it, flashing Marinette an apologetic look as he brought the phone to his ear. "H-hello?"
"Adrien," Gabriel said, and Adrien was surprised as he wasn't greeted with his father's normal stoic tone. "Adrien, are you okay?"
"Yeah," he whispered. "I'm fine... you saw the news?"
"I'm so sorry," Gabriel whispered. "If I hadn't let you enter that tournament you wouldn't... you wouldn't have been–"
Adrien's throat closed up– his father's concern being the thing he craved, but his words made him fearful. If his father saw this outing as something dangerous... "N-no, Father, this was no one's fault but Monarch's– you can't blame yourself!"
"Yes. This is her fault." Gabriel said, voice tense. "And the heroes... they should have gotten you out of there immediately, not asked you to use that robot to help them fight! Those cowards, they–"
"Father!" Adrien said, but flinched slightly as he cut off his father. "...Father, it's okay. I'm okay, there's nothing to worry about."
"I'm sending your bodyguard to pick you up, he'll be there soon."
Adrien took in a deep breath, and his eyes flickered to Marinette. She nodded encouragingly, and he hesitated for a moment. "Alright, I'll go with him as soon as I'm done talking with my friends."
"Adrien–"
"The akuma was defeated, Father, I'm not in danger," Adrien said. "I need to talk to Max and Marinette, and I'll come home right after. Is that acceptable?"
"..."
"Father?"
"Make it quick."
"I also need to pick up my stuff from Marinette's," he said. "Then I'll be home before you know it, okay?"
"Alright. Please, be safe."
"I will," Adrien said softly. "I... I love you, Father."
"I love you too," Gabriel said, and the line went dead.
"Adrien?" Marinette asked as he hung up the phone, staring down at the screen for a moment.
He smiled at her. "Come on, let's go find Max– my bodyguard can give you guys a ride home."
