Symbiotic Whiskers

Chapter 10

One thing proved itself time and time again, from the beginning when Hawkmoth unleashed his first akuma, to every one after that, finding its way to corrupt anyone. No matter their position or their influence, none were immune. All his officers were useless when it came to facing those with superpowers, including capturing Ladybug and Cat Noir.

"We can't use lethal force sir." Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix, one of his best and most diligent officers relayed.

"Why not?" Mayor André Bourgeois, who could barely manage to keep up his appearances and hygiene, questioned the Lieutenant. His body was tired, but his emotions continued to fuel him. No rest was possible until he delivered justice. "Is it a matter of can't, or won't?"

"Sir." Taking off his hat to show the utmost respect to hopefully let his words reach through the dark cloud clouding the mayor's judgement, the father of a depressed daughter spoke up. "As much as I hate to confess our incompetence, not only are we struggling to catch the heroes, we are helpless against Hawkmoth's attacks. I don't even know if the military-"

"I tried, multiple times." Running a hand through his sweaty and thinning hair, the mayor felt a new wave of stress run over his mind just thinking about it. "Both the President and the Prime Minister are both putting the citizens of Paris at risk by relying on heroes to handle Hawkmoth. But they refuse to see they're a bigger threat than the villains!"

They had been over this many times, but all the Lieutenant could do was clench the hat in his hands. Hawkmoth at several points had easily overpowered all of Paris, taking control, but it was always Ladybug and Cat Noir to free them. One casualty so far in this war of powers, it was seen for most as a miracle more lives haven't been taken. But to those close to the death, one was still too many.

He had to oversee his daughter struggle to get ready, no longer needing to wake up early to do another set of homework, or to run over to assist in helping her friend pick out an outfit only to have Sabrina sent out to buy another. Chloe by no means was kind to his daughter, but Sabrina still cared so much for the girl even after death.

The man loved his daughter, and it pained him to see her so down and the mayor he served going mad by how useless his authority was proving.

Their leader, their commander, sat back down at his large leather seat as he pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes. "I can't even get enough support from the people I work so hard to serve. The world continues to be so cruel to my Chloe, even when her murderer confesses to-"

The wall exploded inward, rubble raining over everything as the men shielded themselves. They coughed as the dust filled their lungs, choking them with every breath as the air slowly cleared itself. That's when a third coughing voice could be made out, a figure in black standing up in the center of the crater of broken furniture and walls.

"C-Cat Noir?" The mayor spoke up with a rage filling the whole room.

But it wasn't him, it was the young woman, Black Cat who gathered herself together.

"Da- Mayor Bourgeois." Black Cat sputtered as she wiped away the clutter in her eyes. "Listen, they were lying, Chloe wasn't akumatized!"

It didn't even need to be true, he just wanted someone to say it to give him every right to feel the way he did. But if Black Cat was saying it, it gave him every reason to amass whatever forces he could to pursue the heroes. "Black Cat, I will pardon you if you help me bring these criminals to justice."

"Easier said than done, it's two against one and they have more experience and-LOOK OUT!" Black Cat lunged to shield the mayor with her own body as dozens of shingles were thrown rapid fire towards them, Ladybug twirling her yo yo against the rooftop to use the pieces of it as ammo.

Bringing up her staff, Black Cat used it to bat against as many as she could. "Get to cover!"

"This way!" The Lieutenant pulled the mayor away from the danger, already on his radio to report the situation. "I need all available units to be on the look out for Ladybug and Cat Noir, and back up at my position to cover Black Cat."

"Mayor." Black Cat called out as the barrage eased up, the girl looking back to the man. "I'm sorry that I couldn't be there when you needed me."

Before he could reply several black strings of yarn launched out against Black Cat, yanking the girl outside into direct combat.

Rolling out into the street, Black Cat used her claws to cut herself free and hold herself in a defensive position. She was out in the open, buildings far enough away to where she should be able to spot anyone trying to sneak up on her. Or should she try to take cover, ambush them and fight them one on one?

Too late, Cat Noir landing out of nowhere ahead of her. Ok, one on one, maybe she could get in a good hit and so long as….so long as Ladybug didn't just land behind her.

"Come on!" Ladybug begged as she called out to the two. "We can still talk this over, figure something out so we don't have to fight."

"There's only one way this fight is ending." Cat Noir growled out as he dragged his claws against the ground as he stalked forward. "And it's gonna cost this pretty kitty all nine of her lives."

"I don't need nine." Black Cat aimed her staff forward at the more aggressive of the two. "Just one is enough for you."

"Good." Throwing up his hand, he sent sparks out towards Black Cat as he rushed towards her. "I don't have all day."

Black Cat ran towards him, side stepping the yarn that shot out from his outfit as she drew in closer. Using her staff to quickly vault towards him, Black Cat screamed out as she began to swing wildly with her staff to try and hit him. He blocked with his arms, batting aside the attacks as Black Cat pressed on. Just as she thought she was able to use this to her advantage, a yo yo wrapped around her weapon and yanked it away.

"LADYBUG!" Black Cat cursed the girl's name, but was forced to duck under the claws that swept overhead. She responded with her own, slashing against his chest as he hissed out in pain. Cat Noir flipped backwards, to gain some distance but Black Cat ran after him.

A yo yo swung under to try and trip her up, Black Cat jumping over to launch herself with a handspring and dodging the string. Spinning around to kick repeatedly at Cat Noir, a clawed hand latched onto her foot, the sharp appendages digging against her super suit and slamming her into the ground.

Again, and again, and again the pounding of the concrete rang through her head. Black Cat lashed out with her claws, trying to cling herself to something or someone. When the assault stopped, she was kicked out where Cat Noir began to shoot out several strings to try to tie her up. Adrenaline or just pure contempt, Black Cat snatched them out of the air with her hands and yanked Cat Noir towards her before kicking him in the head.

The yo yo came from behind, Black Cat stomping on it with a snarl towards the girl. "I haven't forgotten about you yet."

The strings in her hand yanked back, and they were still stuck to them, pulling Black Cat forward and rolling across the yarn that stuck her arms to her body. "No, NOOOO!"

She tried to break herself free, writhing in place as Cat Noir huffed as he came closer. "Get away from me!"

"Oh I'll send you somewhere you will never return from." Cat Noir picked her up by her white hair with one hand, his poisonous green eyes only an inch away from hers. "The grave."

She could feel his claw digging against the unprotected part of her neck, pushing more and more as she could feel a trickle of warmth run down her neck. "Unless you give me your miraculous."

Glaring at him, seething with pure malice against him, there was only one dark desire that flooded her heart.

"Fine." She uttered, rolling her knuckle over to his view so he could see the ring. Taking his claw away from her neck, Cat Noir kept her lifted up in one hand as his other reached towards his prize, that Black Cat would guarantee his demise.

Hell better be real because he deserved far worse than what she was about to do. Once his fingers wrapped around her hand, she squeezed tightly and yelled "CATACLYSM!"

"BLACK CAT!" Cat Noir's voice, calling from the distance yelled out, and she looked over to see another Cat Noir sprinting on all fours towards her.

What? No, no it couldn't be.

"Ahhh!" The man in her grip began to turn to ash, holding his disintegrating stump of an arm up as he looked at it in panic. "AHHH!"

"You killed him!" Ladybug charged forward, calling upon her lucky charm to summon a rather massive gun. Without hesitation she fired at Black Cat still bound in her restraints, the real Cat Noir sending out a quick line out to the girl to pull her away from the slaughter. Her body dragged across the pavement before resting behind a booth someone had set up, Cat Noir landing atop of it.

"You ok?" He asked from his perch, flipping over to the side before a rain of bullets could kill him.

It was a copycat, a copy cat the entire time and she fell for it, they tricked her and she FELL FOR IT! Slamming her forehead against the cement, Black Cat shut her eyes as it all came crashing down on her again. Reality had been turned over twice in one day, her mind shutting down the world around her as it was just too much now.

She was a failure, the approaching sirens arriving to let the cops try and take over. Only they hesitated, seeing two Cat Noirs.

Cat Noir came as fast as he could, but it clearly wasn't fast enough to spare Black Cat from the decision she was forced to make. Hawkmoth toyed with her, used her, and again he kept using people instead of doing it himself. What a despicable person.

"I already know who the copy cat is." Cat Noir landed out in the open, facing off against the other who was slowly falling apart. His eyes went over towards Ladybug, who seemed just as shocked about everything that happened. "Now the question is, are you really Ladybug?"

Peacock

The bizarre image entered his mind, pressed against it as his senses directed him somewhere else. Up onto one of the rooftops, some blue feathers ducking out of sight before he could quite catch what it was or why his suit alerted him of it.

Hearing the gatling gun wind up was enough to let it go, focusing on the fight to not be turned into swiss cheese. "Alright you two, try to keep up with a pro."

The bullets went wizzing by, Cat Noir leaping on all fours in a zigzag pattern. The copy cat, despite his arm falling apart by the shoulder, sent several strings out from his suit in a wide net, Cat Noir leaping through the gaps to get closer. "You picked up my new tricks!"

"Anything you can do I can do!" Copy cat rushed him, presumably a fake Ladybug yelling at him to stop. He brought up his one working arm to try and scratch against Cat Noir, the hero grabbing it and flipping him onto his back. Copy cat grinned as his suit lashed out its tail on its own to wrap around Cat Noir. "Shoot him now!"

"You have no idea what I can do." Cat Noir warned before several green claws erupted from all over his suit, slashing the tail holding him apart before whipping out his own to snatch the gun from the other Ladybug's hand.

Twirling up into the air, he pulled the gun into his own hands before landed hard on one knee, bringing the barrel over his other knee to snap it in half. Throwing the two pieces to the side, he looked over to the copy cat struggling to keep himself together as cracks began to run up along his face.

"You don't have much time, give up and maybe we can-"

"Hawkmoth's will is the only thing keeping me together!" Copy cat sent out a tendril to whip out towards his head, Cat Noir bending back easily to limbo under it as a yo yo came for his legs. Pushing up with his toe, he flipped backwards to avoid both before tendrils shot out from his suit to latch onto both pulling his enemies towards him.

Ladybug let go of her yo yo, Ladybug grabbed onto what was left of the barrel and charged with the front end towards him.

Ladybug

He smiled as he saw the girl leap off of the nearest building, flinging out her magical tool to trip and entangle the fake's legs. Ladybug, the real one, rolled along the ground before standing tall. Her confident yet skeptical gaze landed on Cat Noir, the boy flinching slightly under the silent accusation, until she smiled. "Hey kitty."

"Oh thank goodness." With a thwip of his hand, several lines threw themselves out to bind the two fakes back to back. Cat Noir and Ladybug stood over the two, the girl gasping when she saw the deteriorating copy cat.

"Got touched by a cataclysm." Cat Noir explained to the woman.

"Isn't it usually faster?" Ladybug watched as the two fought their restraints, copy cat getting more desperate as his face began to fall apart, wincing by imagining how much pain he must be going through.

"I'm stronger than you think!" The copy cat's voice came out desperate and dry as his throat coughed up ash. Cat Noir's eyes widened as he realized what would follow.

"No wait don't!"

The copy cat unleashed several claws from his suit, slicing everything touching him from the ground, the restraints, and the girl pressed up against his back. The fake Ladybug had the air driven out from her lungs as she was torn up, the copy cat hobbling away as his legs broke apart.

Ladybug crouched down to the lookalike who fell onto her side, blood pooling out from her back. There was so much. "Hold it together." Ladybug uttered as she rolled her onto her chest, Cat Noir coming forward to inspect the damage.

It was deep, too much that a patch job wasn't going to cut it. Still he tried, his arms going out to help bind up the injuries. She wasn't Ladybug, he knew that, but it still looked like her and she was dying. "No, don't give up yet!"

His arms moved out on their own, fingers pushing into the flesh as he could feel his suit expanding deeper inside the body.

"Cat what are you doing?!" Ladybug demanded.

"Get UP!" Cat Noir gave into whatever it was doing, the suit taking control while he was awake this time. "Fight it! I'm not letting you die on me!"

"CHAT!" Ladybug pulled him away, the tendrils seeping back into his suit and out of Ladybug. "It's too late."

He focused on her touch, keeping grounded as he took it step by step reminding himself of what was going on. It was too late for them, maybe a lucky charm could help but there was someone else they needed to check on. "Let's check on Black Cat, I left her over-"

Peacock

The suit relinquished control and redirected his attention back to the rooftops, seeing a figure in blue leap up and away from the fight. They were carrying something, no, someone!

Zoe

"Someone's got Black Cat!" He grabbed Ladybug's hand, jumping up before launching her ahead to give her a head start. Throwing his hands forward, two black yarn strings whipped out to latch onto the edge of the nearest rooftop and pull him towards it.

Nathalie knew it was only a matter of time before the real Ladybug and Cat Noir showed up. Their plan accounted for it, and it worked. Tire out Black Cat, overwhelm her enough to be desperate to use her cataclysm and begin the time out. While it would have been ideal to have been at Hawkmoth's side for this, in order to keep an eye and command her sentimonster she needed to observe in person.

This also granted the opportunity for her to intervene as Mayura, while Hawkmoth's returned akuma of copy cat and her sentimonster of Ladybug kept things distracted she could go in to handle Black Cat one on one.

It was even easier now that she was tied up.

"Let me go!" Black Cat kicked away as Mayura kept running, altering her direction, doing everything to make sure no one was on her tail.

"Soon." She assured as she stepped closer to the edge of the top of the tall hotel, that just happened to be owned by the mayor. "Why not now? I hear cats can land on their feet."

Holding Black Cat over the large drop, letting the girl freeze up as she realized the position she was in, Mayura was happy the threat carried its weight enough to keep her still. Her miraculous was timing out, she was restrained and alone with her powers spent.

But when a pinching sensation clenched against her spine she lost her grip, the girl falling several stories. Trying to regain control of herself in time, Mayura pushed herself to look over to see if it was too late.

A glob of black smacked her face, the woman reeling back to scrape it off as Cat Noir landed with the grace of a circus performer on the railing, Black Cat in his arms.

"You're not Hawkmoth." He said as he ripped Black Cat's bindings apart, the girl falling to her knees.

"No, I'm not."

"Get home right away!" An obnoxious voice yelled out, the two looking back to see Mrs. Bourgeois on the phone. "I need you to kick a drag queen and two teens who can't work leather off this rooftop right away!"

With a stern wave of her feathered fan, the villainous woman blew the distraction back into the hotel as Cat Noir sent several bindings out to keep the door closed.

"With that out of the way." Cat Noir leapt forward to crouch beside Black Cat, who seemed to shaken up to participate. "You made the other Ladybug, didn't you?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because depending on how you answer is how much I'll rip you apart." He revealed his claws, growling out with no hidden aggression.

She didn't want to call his bluff, because she knew very well how far he would go. "That Ladybug was never alive if you must know."

"SHE WAS ALIVE TO ME!" A guttural roar came from something savage inside Cat Noir, Mayura reeling back as Cat Noir went on the attack. His claws shot out in several tendrils, the woman leaping above before she could be shredded apart.

A tendril shot out, wrapping around her leg and slamming her back down on the rooftop. Mentally she dismissed the previous sentimonster, grabbing a feather in hopes of possibly making another as she batted away several tendrils that began to wrap themselves around her limbs.

Struggling to break free, she was being dragged back towards what had become of the hero. His suit was less defined, his size increasing as it stirred all around him. She couldn't sense any emotions to use from him, so she used her own skyrocketing fear and used the same keychain from earlier.

The monster that continued to bind her limbs pulled her closer, a mouth opening of shadow like teeth with a ethereal green light inside of his mouth brightening and threatening to engulf her.

"What is that?!" The mayor yelled from inside, seeing the scene and bearing witness to the monster that had become of Cat Noir.

"NO!" A kick came across his face, Black Cat spinning around to slash at the tendrils. "Please, no more deaths today!"

Cat Noir's suit spasmed in annoyance, a low groan coming from his throat as the claws overcame his fingers. One of the tendrils still attached to Mayura tightened around her throat, choking the woman in place as she tried to form the sentimonster to save her. Her focus was slipping, her vision going dark, and she desperately needed something to save her.

The ring finally timed out, Black Cat reverting to Zoe with her arms still spread out to keep Cat Noir from closing in.

"Zoe?" His suit calmed, Cat Noir becoming more recognizable as he released Mayura. The woman entered into a fit of coughs as she fought the quakes overpowering her body.

"Zoe!" The mayor was banging against the door, trying to force it back open with his employees lending their assistance. Zoe ran over, undoing the tangle mess that was keeping them inside.

"Cat Noir!" Ladybug's voice called out in desperation from below, rushing through the street with rollerblades on while using her yo yo to increase her speed.

"Ladybug!" The hero yelled out from the top, the heroine zeroing in on his voice before flinging herself up to him. She crashed into Cat Noir's embrace, squeezing him tightly before releasing her hold on him.

"The other Ladybug vanished, where's Black Cat?"

Cat Noir looked over to Zoe, seeing the girl was ok and still fighting to get the door open. Ladybug followed his sight, and realized what he wasn't saying.

"Did the villain see you?" Ladybug asked, Zoe pausing from her task as her kwami peeked out from her jacket.

Cat Noir made eye contact with Plagg, surprised by how plush it looked. So that was a kwami? It looked a lot like that one toy in Marinette's room he saw one time.

"It doesn't matter!" Plagg yelled out to the Ladybug. "Zoe's a great holder! She-"

"Was seen by that one woman. The one working with Hawkmoth." Cat Noir finished, sagging his shoulders as he came to the same conclusion as Ladybug.

While Zoe could hear the men inside yelling, between police yelling at Ladybug and Cat Noir, to others arguing about how to get the door open, she realized what this was coming to. Holding up her ring, giving a sad smile to Plagg, she gave the kwami a kiss on his forehead. "It was fun while it lasted, and I'm so grateful I was given the chance to work with you guys. But I messed up. I was way too quick to believe that you two were that awful."

"You barely know us." Cat Noir tried to come to her comfort, but she wouldn't let him get close.

It felt like ripping her future away when she took off the ring, Plagg clinging to Zoe's cheek to give her one last hug. "You were a great holder, I just bring too much bad luck."

"Are you kidding me?" Zoe leaned into his touch. "You were the best thing to happen to me. I was the one who screwed up my chance."

The girl held it out to Ladybug, the heroine accepting it as Cat Noir watched the exchange silently.

"We thank you for your service." Ladybug wasn't sure if she was supposed to salute or not, but she bowed her head in some respect. "I wish I could have worked with you more."

"Me too." Zoe rubbed away her moistening eyes, looking over to Cat Noir before remembering what he was for a moment. It scared her, but she also knew that he was still someone she had so much fun with. "Take care of each other."

"We will." Cat Noir promised as he stepped up to the edge alongside Ladybug, who stored the ring away in a pocket before throwing her roller blades up into the air.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" The world was fixed back to how it was, the carnage left behind in the initial battle across the city, the claw marks and bullet holes left in several places, and lastly the bindings keeping the door shut.

Zoe heard all the men come crashing into a pile once their obstruction gave way, turning around to see her step father rush to her. Regret and guilt kept her from being able to look at the man. "I…I'm so sorry. I tried to help but-"

His wide arms captured her in a tight embrace, the man clutching the girl, his only family who tried to help him. He had neglected his duties as a father ever since Chloe died, blinding him from others right beside him. "You were a true hero today. Thank you."

Mayura nearly collapsed as she entered Hawkmoth's chamber, the man immediately rushing to her side as she struggled to keep herself up. Both transformed, Gabriel hoisting Nathalie up as he could hear her struggling to breathe. "I nearly came after you. You're getting worse."

"It wasn't-" Her speech was interrupted by a few coughs, forcing herself to lean onto Gabriel. "It wasn't the peacock miraculous."

"It wasn't?" The small chipper kwami Duusu asked with some hope, before backing off from the warning gaze of Gabriel.

"Cat Noir." Nathalie scowled just mentioning the name. "He is becoming more dangerous."

Mentally strangling the unknown factor that only seemed to delay their work, Gabriel turned back to the task at hand. "Did our plan work?"

Hesitant to announce her failure, Nathalie hoped he would not be as disappointed as she felt. "I'm sorry."

He didn't curse, he didn't yell, he didn't even scold her. Gabriel just supported her as he brought her away from the window. "I'm just glad you managed to return. Come, get some rest. It has been a long day."

Master Fu had been waiting expectantly after watching the news, keeping updated on the most dangerous events was a must. Times had changed, and technology had become very impressive. So when he saw on live television that Black Cat had engaged both Ladybug and Cat Noir he knew it would be a struggle for the girl. Right away it became obvious that this Cat Noir and Ladybug were imposters. They fought separately, hardly working together until they found their rhythm towards the end of the fight.

It got, heartbreaking seeing those so young have to take a life. Her dedication to keeping the miraculous out of the wrong hands was to be commended. When Cat Noir and Ladybug arrived to give aid, unfortunately it was too late. Her spirit had taken a painful injury and it would take more than time to heal it.

Hopefully she would come here to receive a healing, or Plagg would have her visit. He did care greatly for this wielder despite the very little time he spent with her. How special she was, and he wished to see how much she could grow.

When the knock came at the door, Master Fu got up from his seat to go answer the door.

But when he opened it and saw Marinette instead, his heart went out to Zoe.

"Her identity got exposed to a villain." She kept her voice low, Marinette clearly upset about it as much as he was. The girl held out the miraculous, Master Fu wishing he didn't have to take it back so soon.

"I understand." He nevertheless took the ring from her, wishing to take some time to meditate on things before going to bed.

"Um." Marinette piped up before he left. "Are you going to assign a new partner so soon?"

She made a good point, her dynamic with Cat Noir was built over many months. Adding a third temporarily interrupted things, and Hawkmoth took advantage of that.

But Cat Noir was too much of an unknown, and something about him, more so his powers, were unnerving. Luckily it wouldn't take much time to find a worthy holder, because he already had one selected. "Cat Noir is still an unknown to me, but do not worry. The one I have in mind should work very well with you."

While she was obviously uneager for a new partner, she kept it to herself. Her growing fondness for Cat Noir was charming, and Master Fu hoped it wasn't misplaced. As Marinette left with her own thoughts, Master Fu was alone to contemplate his next move.

He would talk with Plagg first, get his thoughts about Cat Noir.

Ladybug took her time going home, wanting to just think about how things have gone or where they're going. The biggest relief was finding out her miraculous ladybug worked, it brought back the artist who was akumatized in the copy cat again.

As for the other her, nothing. Ladybug witnessed her body vanish before her eyes.

A death undone, a person who might never alive left dead, and Black Cat thrown through the worst of it. No wonder Cat Noir got along with her so well, the two needed one another.

But didn't Cat Noir like her? Marinette, not Ladybug. But he did confess to Ladybug, but he visits her as Marinette every other night.

So many thoughts and all they did was jump from one to another in a cycle of questions.

She wished Black Cat didn't have to go through what she did, or Cat Noir, and she really wanted to know who she wanted more.

Ladybug didn't realize it, but her thoughts brought her right to Adrien's door. Standing across the street atop the high building, she looked down towards the house, seeing inside one of the glass walls. It was Adrien's house, his room.

Months he had repeatedly invited her, so many times she turned it down instead of just going there. She daydreamed of it, imaging all the kinds things he would keep in his room realistic or not. Alya was right, she spent all her time thinking about Adrien instead of talking to him or getting to know him.

Not memorizing his schedule and collecting his magazines, those were things fans did.

Even the desperate ones would go to his house and watch from afar, just like she was right now.

Adrien was her disease, and she needed a cure.

"Um, Ladybug?"

"AH!" Caught in the act, Ladybug jumped up as she saw Cat Noir right there behind her. "Cat Noir, w-what are you doing here?"

"I uh, just went to stop by Marinette's for some chocolate again but….she wasn't there. I've been looking around to see if I could find her."

Well she had good news for him that she wished she could share. But his tracking was that good? He went to stop by her, and she wasn't there and spent all night looking out for her. "I'm sure she's fine. If you want you can get some sleep and check by in the morning."

"I don't know if I'll get any sleep tonight." He confessed, taking a seat next to her.

"Still thinking about Black Cat too?"

"Yeah." He sighed, leaning back to try and get a look of the stars through the light pollution. "She was learning fast, doing some good. But Hawkmoth and this new woman just ruined all of that."

Cat Noir stopped himself, hearing the cracking of the concrete under his tightening grip. "Crap. Sorry."

"It's ok." Ladybug wrapped her arm around the hero for a side hug, feeling torn over it all. Especially how she was staring at Adrien's room hugging Cat Noir, like she was somehow cheating on him. "At least no one died this time, or, not for long."

"The other Ladybug still died, and is staying dead." Cat Noir reminded, as much as she disagreed.

"We don't know that she was ever alive."

"We don't know that she wasn't."

"She was under someone else's control the whole time."

"So was that artist, so is everyone else who is akumatized, and sometimes I'm not even in control." The conversation was getting nowhere, both of them dropping the subject until Cat Noir spoke up again. "Will things ever calm down?"

"I hope so." Ladybug agreed, feeling the day catching up with her and a hard decision to make. "See you tomorrow kitty."

Leaving Cat Noir, Adrien's home, Ladybug decided it was time she figured out who was best for her heart. Though once she was clear of the area, she never saw Cat Noir sneak back into his own room as his mask peeled back to reveal Adrien.

Adrien yawned as his suit crawled off his body, giving him a moment to think without something else probing his thoughts or adding their own on occasion. He walked over towards his bed, the whole day hitting at once as his eyes felt heavier than ever. But before he could go to bed there was a note left there, including a little familiar box. Didn't he give that to Zoe?

Picking up the note, he gave it a quick read in the dark.

'This gift of great power comes with much responsibility.

I trust it to you, Adrien Agreste.'

Weird note, and weird box.

While he was curious he was more tired than anything. This would be left for morning Adrien, tonight Adrien needs some shut eye. Seeing the mystery super sludge sliding its way towards the underside of his bed, Adrien set the box on his nightstand as he slid under the blankets.

"Goodnight black suit."

Zoe was alone, in her massive room again, just like before.

It might have helped if Ladybug and Cat Noir yelled at her, reprimanded her and just took it all away. It's what she deserved, but the fact that they wanted her to stay a hero alongside them despite what she did made her feel even worse. They were good friends that she didn't deserve, even if she was scared of what Master Fu warned her of.

She knew Cat Noir was a good person, but his powers were still dangerous.

Master Fu warned her, gave her a task to look into this. Right now it felt like it was all she had left to give something back to the heroes.

A knocking at her door startled her, Zoe looking back towards it wondering who would try to visit her this late.

"Zoe?" Her stepfather's voice came through with concern. "I know it's late but, I wanted to know if you wanted to have breakfast together in the morning. Your mother is going out and I can book the finest restaurant or have the best chefs bring some room service."

Chloe was a very lucky girl to have a father go so far for her, but she didn't need all of that. Just the chance to spend some time with a dad. "I'd love to but, we can keep it small. I know a bakery we could go to that has some pretty good stuff."

"I'll make sure nothing gets in the way." He promised, leaving her with the hope that now she could begin to fix her own life as Zoe instead of running away into another life.

Still, she would miss Plagg, whatever he's up to. She hopes he would have a nice wielder who would look out for him.

Hours passed, until early in the morning in the room of a famous teen model, a little black box with crimson symbols was opened. The kwami was released, a magical being capable of granting unique powers to whoever held it. Plagg emerged in a bright light, his form materializing as he blinked his eyes open.

"Well hurray to you, you got chosen to be my wielder." He cheered unenthusiastically, still wishing he could have convinced Master Fu to let him stay with Zoe.

Though his cat eyes adjusted immediately to the dark, noticing a few things that weren't right.

It was night, the room was pretty much empty, there wasn't any cheese waiting, and the only person besides him here was in their bed.

Sleeping.

So who opened the box?

Looking down towards where his ring was resting inside the miraculous box, he saw something he didn't think he'd see in a long time. The symbiote was crawling all over his ring, and when it noticed Plagg it jumped right towards the kwami.

Bonding with Plagg, and his miraculous.

Life is all about change, and this story is meant to reflect that.

Our time with Zoe as Black Cat was short, but I didn't want it to last long because then it would interrupt the dynamic of Ladybug and Cat Noir too much. Still Zoe will continue to be in the story, just not as large of a role as before.

At least that's the plan, let's see if our New York girl can help figure out Cat Noir's powers. If they aren't changing into something more formidable than before.

Kamen Rider Sentry: This story isn't about Chloe, so stop trying to get me to make it about her.

Planar-Walking-Entertainment: We don't have a Lila….yet. Still trying to figure out how to work her into the story.

edeath756: Was Chloe's death scene not brutal enough? Keep in mind I'm really stretching this K+ rating as is.

MrMateusz: His plan almost worked, and it almost failed horribly. Overall, the only thing he did was get the ring into someone, or something else's possession.

AlterInk: A certain doctor? Are you talking about me potentially bringing in Doctor Strange?

Fire turtle: Maybe after I post this one the other link will fix itself? It also might be what you're reading on.