Ch2

Adrien as Cat Noir felt the symbiote as it latched on to various trashcans. "Cataclysm!" He felt the energy of the attack pass through the symbiote and watched as the various trashcans were incinerated.

He exhaled as his heart raced in his chest. "Well we are improving that's for sure." The past few days he had been doing his best to train with Venom's powers. He had been practicing in secret in various secluded areas such as abandoned alleys and dump locations.

The symbiote seemed to strengthen the miraculous in addition and there were a lot of possibilities he wished to explore. "Man Venom this upgrade of yours is really cool," he said as he looked down at the symbiote on his suit and flexed his arms.

Venom's head emerged from his side. "This miraculous of yours is different from anything I've seen before."

He nodded. "Yeah even I'm still trying to figure it all out." Tracing the symbiote on his suit a sense of excitement washed over him. Hawkmoth won't stand a chance against us, maybe even Ladybug will be impressed? "Come on lets see what else we can do."

"That's the spirit!" Venom quickly went back into the suit.

Taking a deep breath he willed the symbiote on his suit to shift and take the form of two large blades on his arms. He slashed a pile of bricks and debris and effortlessly cut into them. Nice.

The symbiote on his arms reacted to his thoughts as they turned into large hammers. He swung them with ease as he crushed the rubble on the ground. Looking around he jumped onto the wall and began to climb it with ease as the symbiote supported him up.

Upon reaching the top of the building he looked out at the city of Paris. Taking a deep breath his heart raced as he leaped off the building and extended the symbiote onto another building. It worked and swung off that building before swinging onto another.

He laughed. "This is amazing!" His heart raced as a sense of freedom and exhilaration washed over him as he swung himself from building to building before finding a quiet place near his mansion. Taking a deep breath he willed the symbiote into his body and looked around before jumping back into his room. "Claws in."

Alright now time to work out. Taking off his shirt he walked over to the weight bench in his room and with Venom's help put on the weights on the bar. After doing a few stretches he rested on the bench and lifted the weights.

Taking a deep breath he lowered and then raised the bar with the heavy weights. Venom had enhanced his body but he still had to get used to his new strenght and luckily Nathalie got him the weight set without any problem. After a good hour of workouts he took a shower and collapsed on his couch his body aching from the exercise.

Venom appeared from his side. "So you seem to be rich and have everything why do you hate being here?"

He frowned. "I don't hate it here." His gaze drifted towards the picture of his father on his desk. "My father is just very strict."

Plagg came out of the ring. "Yeah his father controls every aspect of his life."

"Hey! He considered protesting but he didn't really have a good counter. "I mean he just is very strict and not very personal."

Though deep down he was sick of how his father insisted on controlling each and every aspect of his life and he'd be lying if said he never dreamed of being fully free of his father. He loved him but he also wanted his own life.

"Don't worry with me we'll definitely hang loose. I never had a rich host before so I plan on having fun." Venom said with a grin. "Now tell me where can I get some brains?"

He his best to not sound disgusted, Venom had been very insistent on getting some and the symbiote wasn't joking. "Why do you need them?"

Venom raised an eyebrow. "Nutrients. Come on you're rich don't tell me you don't have access to brains."

"Yeah but my dad isn't the illuminate," he sighed. He shook his head. "Come one lets go I have to practice piano."

"Fine but when we get the chance I needs brains," Venom pouted.

Flicking his wrist he summoned a symbiotic tendril to close the window before sitting down at the piano. Venom strangely had a good taste of music though he quickly learned that the hard that the symbiote didn't like high pitched sounds.

After a few minutes of practicing he heard a knock at the door. He sat up and quickly withdrew the symbiote as the door opened and Nathalie came in. "Adrien your father will be busy and can't make it tonight."

He stopped and frowned. "Oh. Well tell him I'll miss him." His heart ached for his father, it had been ages since they had eaten together and more than anything he wished that they were closer.

"I will," Nathalie said giving him a sympathetic look. "Be ready for the photoshoot tomorrow."

"I know," he said.

Nathalie nodded before leaving the room.

"You feel sad," Venom said his head appearing next to his. "Does your father neglect you often?"

He frowned. "I mean he's busy. I just wish he had more time to be with me, especially since my mom died."

"Yet he keeps you on a tight leash." The symbiote shook his head. "You are too young to be cooped up in this gilded cage. You should have some fun."

Plagg nodded. "That we can agree on."

He chuckled. "Thanks guys." Looking at them both, an alien symbiote and a supernatural creature he honestly thought it was cool to have both of them by his side. We'll show Paris what we can do. A smile spread across his face as he began to play the piano.

"Oh what of your mother?" Venom asked. "Is she around?"

He froze his heart sinking as he looked at the piano. "She's gone."

"Oh my apologies," Venom said sincerely. "Were you close to her?"

He cleaned his eyes. "Yeah. I'm still processing it all but…I miss her and think about her."

It was hard for him just as it was for his entire family. His mother was his entire world and now she was gone. I'll always have the memories we shared. His gaze drifted to the photo of her on his desk. "My father became colder after she left. I hardly see him these days."

"I see. Well so long as he doesn't annoy me we are good," Venom said.

He laughed at the symbiote. "Oh my father is definitely something alright."

Marinette sat at her desk and looked over the photos of Adrien on the wall. "Something was different," she muttered. Today at school Adrien seemed off and for some reason she could've sworn that he put on muscle which wasn't a bad thing.

"What's wrong Marinette?" Tikki asked.

"Just thinking about Adrien, he looked good today." She sighed as she relaxed in her chair. Then she remembered Cat Noir and shiver went down with his spine. "What was up with Cat Noir's suit? Did his kwami give him some upgrade?"

Tikki frowned. "I'm not sure. Plagg always kept some of his darker powers a secret but I never heard of him having those sort of abilities he used yesterday. But I don't know."

"Yeah it was weird." She shook her head. "It was like he was wearing something over his miraculous, and that weird spider symbol on his suit was odd."

"It was. But he seemed ok with it so I say just let it be for now and maybe you can ask about it in the future," Tikki said.

She nodded. "Sounds good." With a sigh she looked at where she hid the miraculous box. "I still don't know how to manage being the Guardian."

"Don't worry you're doing great. Besides you aren't alone," Tikki said.

She nodded trying her best to make herself feel better. It won't be easy but I'll do my best to be the best Guardian and defend Paris against any and all threats.

As she was doing her homework she got a notice of an akuma attack on her phone. "Tikki spots on!"

As soon as she transformed she leaped out of her room and into the city. She could see a familiar akuma in the distance, Mr. Pigeon. Not again. It seemed he was akumatized every other day, he was nice but just need to learn how to control his emotions more.

"Lets make this quick," she landed on a chimney and was about to attack Mr. Pigeon when a dark figure struck first.

"AHH!" Mr. Pigeon yelled as a black figure landed on top of him.

Is that Cat Noir? She stared in shock at her teammate's new upgrade. Symbiotic tendrils restrained Mr. Pigeon as Cat Noir repeatedly pummeled him with his fists.

What the hell. She stared at them with her moth agape, Mr. Pigeon's screams reverberated throughout the area as he fell to the ground. "Cat Noir!" She quickly jumped of the building and landed on the ground.

"Cataclysm!"

A powerful wave of energy reverberated throughout the area breaking a few windows and causing the alarms of cars to go off. His attacks weren't this strong before.

"Ladybug the akuma!" Cat Noir yelled.

She shook her head and swung her yoyo. "Miraculous Ladybug!" With that the area was restored and Mr. Pigeon turned back to normal.

"Pound it!" Cat Noir smiled at her, his gaze was still the same even though if something about him unnerved her.

She smiled as the two fist bumped. "Cat Noir. This power where did you get it from?" Looking him over she couldn't help but noticed that whatever was covering his body made certain areas of his body look more defined. Then there was that large white spider on his chest.

Cat Noir grinned. "Just an upgrade. Got to go." With that he leaped into the air as symbiotic tendrils latched onto the roofs of buildings.

She frowned. What is going on with you Cat Noir?

As soon as she returned home she sat on her bed. "Tikki what's up with that suit he's wearing?"

Tikki frowned. "I'm not sure. Plagg never told me of any upgrades and I've never seen him with those powers before."

She sighed. "What's going on with him?" Her gaze drifted to one of the various photos of Adrien in her room and her heart fluttered. "Good thing Adrien wouldn't keep anything from me," she said wistfully.

"Well Marinette we do keep things from Cat Noir," Tikki said.

She frowned. "That's different. I'm the guardian now I have a right to have my secrets." Picking up one of the pictures of Adrien on her desk she kissed it. "One day we'll be together I know it!"

Standing up she hugged the picture and twirled around her heart racing in her chest. "Oh Tikki I can't for when we get together!"

"Uh yeah I'm sure anything can happen," Tikki said politely.

She set the photo on her desk and pulled down the copy of Adrien's schedule she had. "Ok tomorrow he should have Chinese class after school. I can't wait to watch him tomorrow."

Seeing Adrien always brightened her mood, it was literally the main event of her day. She had it all planned out on how she would get Adrien to fall for her and ask her out and soon she'd be the happiest girl in the world.

With Adrien on her mind, she pushed Cat Noir's mysterious new powers out of her head as she retired for the night. The next morning at school she found Alya and Nino talking. "Hey guys!"

"Hey Marinette! Did you see this new video of Cat Noir and Ladybug?" Alya showed her the video of the previous day's akuma attack. "I wonder what's that new ability of his?"

"Yeah its so different than usual," Nino said.

She smiled awkwardly. "I guess he has a powerup." Geez people are already noticing him. A part of her was hoping not many would take notice of Cat Noir's new powerup less it attracted the wrong kind of attention.

"Looks kind of cool," Nino said as they walked to class together. "I guess he and Ladybug are both getting powerups."

"Y-Yeah." They entered the classroom and she sat down next to Alya who was talking about various things she wanted to do with the Ladyblog.

Then he entered and she gasped. Adrien. His smile was a bright as always but something seemed a bit different, for one his clothes seemed tighter and he appeared to have grown some muscle.

"Wow Adrien must be working out," Alya said.

She could only nodded. Watching Adrien sit in front of her made her heart flutter. I didn't think it was possible for you to get more attractive. Closing her eyes she imagined her handsome prince charming holding her firmly as they danced across a ballroom.

"Marinette you drooling," Alya said as she lightly elbowed her.

Her face reddened as she shook her head, thankfully Adrien hadn't been watching. "Thanks."

Alya smiled. "No problem. Just try to be yourself."

Myself. She looked at Adrien, even from behind seeing him made butterflies go off in her stomach. Mrs. Bustier soon came in and started class. She did her best to concentrate but found herself staring at Adrien repeatedly and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't help but stare at him.

Later that day she was patrolling the city when she noticed a familiar figure approach. "Hey my lady!"

Cat Noir grinned at her. That new suit of his made him both look menacing and sort of cool at the same time. In addition he also looked as if he had been working out a lot.

She frowned. "Cat Noir what's up with your suit?"

Cat Noir shrugged. "What do you mean?"

She frowned at the sarcasm in his voice. "You know what I'm talking about."

"Oh it's just an upgrade for now. I'm still figuring it out," Cat Noir said casually. "Why do you like it?"

She scoffed. "I just want to know what's up with your new powers. How did you get them?" Looking over the suit she couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. The black material looked almost other worldly and she could've sworn she saw a bit of it move.

"Don't worry about it," Cat Noir said with a grin. "Come on lets just patrol."

She frowned but said nothing as she followed her partner around the city. Well at least he seems happy. Cat Noir seemed to be patrolling with renewed vigor as he leaped from building to building adding.

Increasing her pace she tried to keep up with him but Cat Noir sped up his pace with a wicked grin across his face. I'm really not in the mood for these games. But if you want to play fine.

Taking out her yoyo she swung it around before latching it onto a surface. She leaped ahead of Cat Noir but to her surprise he summoned some weird black tendril that flew from his arm and grabbed onto a building.

That's new. She watched as her partner flung himself in the air and did a summersault before landing up ahead. Two can play at this game. She swung her yoyo harder and flew through the air as she tried to keep pace with her teammate.

Yet as she ran Cat Noir only seemed to be going faster as he leaped farther and farther ahead. She latched her yoyo onto one more building and flew through the air as they approached the end point of their patrol.

Come on almost there. She dived in the air but to her surprise Cat Noir landed on the ground before her.

"Nice little race my lady," Cat Noir said with a grin.

She frowned as she found herself staring at his body, in particular how his muscles seemed more defined beneath that suit. "How did you get faster?"

Cat Noir winked at her. "Just a trade secret. Now sorry but I got to go now."

Her face reddened as she watched him run off into the city. Stupid sexy Cat Noir.