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Ladybug's P.O.V
Chat Noir bumped into my back. I glanced over my shoulder at him to see what the matter was.
"Is everything alright?" I asked him.
He did not reply which made me worry. I returned my gaze ahead of me. I was planning to make sure there was nothing before going back to helping Chat Noir again. Yet, I spotted the silhouette of a person with pearl-white eyes staring at me.
I was getting an ominous sensation from the figure in the mirror. I kept my guard up so whatever it was would not get the jump on me.
"Marinette."
It felt like a bucket of icy water washed over my body. My eyes expanded in shock. My muscles tensed so much, my yoyo stopped spinning and fell onto the ground with a clatter.
It was funny how a million questions spawned within my mind but I could not utter a single word.
"Marinette," the voice spoke again, sounding familiar in my ears. I know that voice but...why?
Why does this voice sound so much like my mother's?
Now that I get a better look at the figure in the mirror, even it was shaped and the same size as her.
"Did Chat Noir hear?" I thought, panic drilling into my chest. I did a quick look but Chat Noir seemed to be distracted with his own thing. I followed his gaze to see what he was staring down with such speechlessness.
But I did not see anything.
I returned to my mother's shadow to see she had not moved.
"Could this all be in our heads? I seem to be the only one reacting to my mother's form and calls. Chat seems to have his own problem as well but I do not see or hear any existing phenomenon," I thought.
I blinked.
That is how long it took for me to lose track of the entity imitating my mother. I speedily scanned around the room for any sight of a shadow.
I heard Chat's breathe hitch. I assume something happened to his problem too.
"Chat Noir," I called, "Are you seeing someone you know too? If you do, do not worry. I cannot see or hear whatever you are dealing with, nor can you to mine."
"I...maybe?" He answered, sounding very unsure. I wonder why that is. This house continues to confuse me more and more. Its trickery is very cunning and it seemed to know our inner demons the moment we landed inside.
"I as well," I replied, shakily, "What would happen if you used your power on the house?"
"The Akuma will lose control and cause more destruction than it already is," he explained.
"Then, it would be unwise to cause physical harm on the Akuma's form," I mumbled to myself.
I do not want to use my Lucky Charm again. I only have one macaroon left in my ordinary clothing. I need to save it for a bigger emergency than this.
"Think, Ladybug! What do I do? How can we stop this thing?" I thought, yelling at myself.
I blinked.
My mother's silhouette stood right in front of me.
I screamed and jumped back. I collided with Chat Noir, making us both fall onto the floor. I immediately returned my gaze to the spot my mother's dimensional imitation stood. I was heaving for air, unable to steady my breathing.
"Ladybug! What is the matter?" Chat Noir asked but I gave him no response. I was too busy watching the figure to see what its next move would be.
She stared down at me before her face where her mouth should be cracked apart up to the temple of her head.
A mouth.
Her lips were jagged as they were kept in a devious smile.
I blinked again.
She was now knelt right above me. I gasped when my body felt immobilized. My stomach churned to the point I wanted to throw up.
I thought I was not afraid of my mother. I have rebelled against her wishes multiple times and stood my ground against her.
I always felt angry when she did some redundant thing. I wanted justice for the innocent servants trying their best to meet mother's high standards. I wanted revenge for all the tears she made me shed from her cruelty and abuse.
I wanted...
I wished...
I wished my mother would treat me like an actual loving mother would to their child.
But...the only thing I am in her eyes is a tool to improving her reputation.
She will never love me...
...and I have to accept that.
Suddenly, my airflow was cut off. I felt myself suffocating and desperately tried to rip off the blackish-purple hand wrapped around my neck. The shadowy figure just stared at me with a void of emotion in those white oval-like eyes. That smile she wore seemed to mock me as if she was enjoying my conflicting pain.
"Ladybug!" Chat Noir yelled, dumbfounded. He tried to help me by attacking the threat (it being invisible to him) and tearing me away from the grip. Yet, it was not working. Was there even anything Chat could do to stop this from happening?
Whatever this thing is, it was much too strong.
Is this something I have to do alone?
I was in distress, a mixture of different panicked emotions surging. Anxiety. Confusion. Sickliness.
"Darling."
I do not know why but I was taken aback by her voice. I knew she could talk. Before though, she had no mouth. Now that she does, her mouth only sat in the same wicked smile that made my stomach nauseous without moving. Her voice sounded of sweet poison.
I felt myself starting to quickly lose consciousness from lack of air. My mind was growing hazier by the second. My vision was wilting away in and out. Chat Noir's desperate calls were starting to sound miles away.
Was this what people go through being choked to death? Whether it be by drowning or inhaling smoke inside a burning building or hands tightly gripping around their throat...or even being smothered by a tight-packed schedule daily.
"You have disgraced me for the last time." my mother's shadowy figure hissed with a chilling tone.
"I cannot believe something as degrading as you has my blood coursing through your veins. You will never measure up to be worthy of anything, whether it be my daughter or a heroine."
Each word stabbed at my very soul over and over and over again. My wounds bleeding sorrowfully as if they were tears running down my cheeks. The sheer anguish throbbed in my heart, leaving me a mess on the ground to suffer.
Feeling worthless.
Feeling disgraced.
Feeling alone.
Feeling like I am...
"You are nothing," she finished, squeezing even tighter than before. I let out a choked yelp, very close to passing out. My eyes began to close and the world was growing closer to darkness.
"LADYBUG!"
I heard Chat Noir's voice through the muffled thicket. He was still trying.
"Why?" I thought with a foggy headspace, "Why is he still trying to reach out to me? What is the point of saving someone like me? I will never live up to be the hero the original holder of the ladybug miraculous was. He did not want me as a partner in the first place. I am worthless."
A memory swam up from the depths of my brain in an instant and replayed behind my eyelids like a film. I could hear Chat's voice on the breeze of that night after we finished our sword fighting training.
"I want a good partner. A partner who lives up to no one's expectations or is egotistical."
He seemed genuine when he said that. Although, I do not know what genuineness sounds like. I only know what lies sound like.
Yet...why would I keep such a line tattooed to my memory and held close to my heart?
Was that when...
Was that when this odd sensation within me started?
But why...
"I BELIEVE IN YOU! YOU CAN FIGHT THIS DEMON, LADYBUG!"
Yes...yes, that is right! He has faith in me. He believes in me. He trusts me with this responsibility to protect Paris and has stood by me through those tough challenges. He has helped be grow stronger and become who I have dreamed to be.
And I cannot think of a time he has not been truthful with me.
I may not think I am very worthy of wielding this power but Chat Noir seems to believe I am.
He believes I am worthy in more ways than just one.
I trust Chat Noir's judgment.
So, I should trust myself to be worthy of being a hero—of being myself—without letting the words of the shamed plant a seed of doubt in me.
With whatever ounce of strength I have left in me, I use it to clasp my hands on the one choking me. I glare down at the demon, who stared back with monotonous eyes.
I begin to fight back. My teeth clenched together as I tried to loosen the shadow's hold.
"I..." I gasped out, voice raspy. My mother's silhouette imitation mockingly tilted its head, interested in what I had to say. Once I gathered my breath again, I defiantly spoke with pure belief in what I am going to say.
Some people accept me. People who have never treated me like an outcast. People who have helped me without question or hesitation.
They have done more for me in these last few months than my parents have since the day I came into this world.
My friends...my family...never thought anything less of me, flaws and all.
"I am worthy," I stated with full authenticity. With one last surge of strength, I broke free from the hold and the chains that held me down for so long. My mother's silhouette's smile turned into a frown, knowing she was losing the battle now.
I smirked.
I know her weakness.
Her power came from my negativity. She siphoned on my despair like a misquote feasting on blood. Now that I am feeling better, her strength is weakening.
She let out an inhuman screech and was about to bite my head off. I dodged to the side and swung my yoyo. I glanced over at Chat Noir for a split second. He was turned away from me in a battle-ready stance. His weapon was prepared as he sharply stared at something I could not see.
I heard quick-moving steps coming right at me and returned to the shadowy woman. I swung my yoyo in front of me to shield her kick.
If she is anything like my mother, this victory should be easy. My mother does not know how to fight. Although, she does not have inhuman strength either.
I stopped spinning my weapon and raveled it up as fast as I could. Then, I launched it with all my strength at the figure's head. The monster was not expecting it. It hit directly on the forehead and knocked over the creature.
My mother's silhouetted figure fell to the ground. She lay there knocked out cold. I let out a sigh of relief. I watched as she began to melt into the floor until there was no trace of her left.
I did not have time to settle down and celebrate my win quite yet. After all, the Akuma was still active. My eyes drew over to my partner. If his was just as bad as mine, I need to support him through it just as he did for me.
Much to my surprise, he was now laying on the floor in a fetal position. He was curled up into a ball and covering his ears.
This was just like when we were in the mirrored hallway with the whispering. Again, there was a hurt-filled expression on his face.
"Chat Noir!" I called, rushing over to my blonde partner. I placed my hand on his arm, making him jolt. He was gasping for air and sweat laced his forehead.
My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. Concern made itself known as I worried over Chat Noir's current problem. What was he even experiencing right now?
"Kitty?" I called out again, feeling useless. I unfortunately could not help him through whatever he was going through. I can only be here for him and hope that he can hear my words of encouragement. I need to let him know that he is not alone in this.
I will be here and remind him of that.
I leaned down and rested my forehead on his shoulder. Then, I spoke in a soft voice.
"I believe in you too."
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Chat Noir's P.O.V
I released a breath I was unaware of holding. Ladybug managed to win against whatever was choking her. Now, she stood with confidence and enflamed with a fighting spirit against the enemy.
A swell of pride settled in my chest. I even cracked a grin at her astounding accomplishment.
"Adrien."
I immediately stood in a fighting position when hearing the voice of that woman once again. My eyes grazed the room for any signs of where the voice came from. She was really starting to irritate me.
"Why will she not just reveal herself?" I grumbled in my mind, glaring at everything I looked at. I catch a flash of a shadow crossing along the mirrors from left to right. A giggle echoed in the room, bouncing off of every surface.
I fell into confusion while swiftly trying to locate the source of it.
"Why are you so frightened?" she asked in a silky tone, "You have nothing to fear, my child."
"Who are you?" I growled out the question, pointing my weapon every which way.
"Now, darling," she started with a mocking scold laced in her voice. This only made me more annoyed. I could feel her smirking from wherever she is cowardly hiding. I am very unsettled and agitated by these mind games.
And why does she sound so darn familiar?!
"Why do you not show yourself? Why not face me?" I snapped, teeth practically grinding together.
"My my," she faked a gasp.
I blinked. In that split moment of vulnerability did she appear in a dimensional form right in front of me. Her eyes were level with mine, catching me off guard. I stumbled back in shock.
A crooked smile appeared on her face.
I fixed my stance and regained my steeled nerves.
"Who are you?" I repeated, coldly. This only widened her smile. I was not sure if it was to irritate me more or if she rather enjoys toying with me.
"After all this time..." she stared once again.
"...is that really how you greet your mother?"
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Seven years ago...
Third Person's P.O.V
"Master Fu, may I be allowed to enter?"
Master Fu looked up from the Grimoire and over at the door. He heard his eleven-year-old pupil on the other side. Placing the book aside, Fu smiled.
"Yes, you may," Fu allowed. Adrien opened the door and stepped into the room.
"You do not need to ask permission to enter, young one."
Adrien did not respond to the statement and settled down on the pillow across from Fu with a serious look in his emerald gaze. Fu wondered what could be on the boy's mind with such an expression.
"Do you know who my parents are?" he asked out of the blue. Fu was not fazed by the question in the slightest. In fact, he was waiting for the day the blonde would ask. It had taken quite longer than he expected though.
"I apologize, but I am unaware of the identities of your mother and father," Fu answered before letting a question slip, "May I ask what brought upon this question?"
There was an evident disappointment on Adrien's face but he shook it away. He returned to his serious face that brought out more of an adult look rather than a child.
"My curiosity had finally caught up to me. I blame Plagg for that," the young boy tutted.
"I heard that!" a muffled reply came from Adrien's pocket. Fu had an amused look on his face, knowing very well that Adrien was naturally curious even before he acquired Plagg.
Though the blonde had said he did not want anything to do with his parents, there was always some form of lingering on the topic shown on his face. He denies wanting to know anything but deep down, the questions continue to bug him.
They must have bothered him so much that he finally broke and began to search for answers.
Of course, he came to the first person who might have the biggest lead or information. Unfortunately, Fu only had the last two things that remained from Adrien's parents. The basket he came in and the blanket that was wrapped around his tiny body at the time.
There was nothing else. Fu had checked for some sort of letter or clues. He asked around for anyone who might have caught a glimpse of a person dropping off a baby at his front step.
Fu stood from his seat and walked over to a cabinet. He opened it and pulled out the basket and blanket.
"This is all that I have," Fu informed the young boy, handing it over to him. Adrien took the basket with a neatly folded blanket inside. His gaze immediately locked onto the embroidered name on the blanket. His name.
"I wish I could tell you more about your past but even I do not know everything," Fu guiltily said.
"There are some mysteries that we may never solve in our lifetime. Sometimes, it is for the better that we do not seek the answers to our questions or trouble ourselves with the search that only leads us to madness."
"So...I should just give up?" Adrien asked with poison in his voice, "Are you telling me that it is pointless to search for my parents?"
"What I am trying to say is, you already have a good home and people who care for you. Do not put it all at risk for answers you crave but possibly ruin you in the end," Fu explained, "You may not like what you find if you do discover them."
"You are making it sound like you do know something but are hiding it from me," Adrien spoke with suspicion, narrowing his eyes.
"You have my honest word as the Guardian and Master of the Miraculous that I do not have any knowledge left to give," Fu said, genuinely. Adrien knew he was being serious when he placed his title on the line.
Releasing a breath, Adrien nodded and left the room.
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