Ch22

Another good thing about Paris it has a high homeless population. Lila grinned as the red symbiote tore through the small homeless camp and feasted on the population. Blood splattered the surroundings as the last witness was taken out.

Beautiful. She had to admit her partner was strange but they were working out a working relationship. "Have you had enough?" She asked the symbiote.

Carnage stood up and cleaned some blood off his tendril. "For now yes," The symbiote hissed. "We need to find my father, he is the only one that stands in between me and the domination of this planet."

She nodded. "I see. Unfortunately I don't know much about your kind, but we'll find him. I don't let people get in my way."

Carnage laughed. "You really are a clever one. It appears that I was right in keeping you around."

She shrugged. "We could use one another."

This symbiote creature wanted to murder his father and massacre to its own content and she herself wanted to power and to cause chaos. They had a common ground and even a creature as volatile as Carnage could see it.

Such mayhem. Such chaos. Such power. This symbiote was unlike anything she had experienced before, it was exhilarating and she wanted more. The world will fear me as I play with it on the palm of my hands. She had many ideas on what she wanted to do in life. With Carnage an entire brutal future had opened up to her and no one could stand in her way.

After her partner had finished his meal the two returned to her home or what was left of it. Carnage had thoroughly destroyed her apartment and killed a few people along the way, but she was getting sick of her family anyway so it worked out in the end.

Carnage retreated in her body his red tendrils dancing around in the air. "How can we find my father?"

She folded her arms. "He's a symbiote like you correct?" Taking out her phone her brain began to think of various schemes of how to find a symbiote when she pulled an image of Cat Noir on the Ladyblog. People had been wondering about Cat Noir's new design and a few videos have showed him using strange symbiote like powers.

Carnage growled inside of her. "That's him!"

A smile spread across her face. "This cat is a menace to all, to defeat it we must be careful." Taking a deep breath she put her phone away. "Trust me if you father is with him then we'll have to plan carefully. Being careless will do us no favors."

The symbiote reverberated inside of her. "Fine. But I will wait until we fully destroy him."

"I understand but trust me this cat is a tricky cat. We'll strike when the time is right and make sure he doesn't escape." Carnage didn't respond but she could feel his begrudging approval. She had been thinking a lot about Cat Noir and the symbiote he had.

She thought of Adrien and that night he kicked her out and how she bit him out of instinct. Oh Adrien you have your own secrets. A smile spread across her face. Only you stand in my way.

The next day she decided to attend school again. Carnage wasn't hungry so they didn't go hunting on the way to school. As usual when she entered the school everyone greeted.

"Oh Lila glad you're back it's been forever!' One student said.

She smiled politely. "Yeah I was just visiting a homeless shelter I run in Africa."

Such gullible fools. They were eating right out of her hand and she loved it. She exchanged pleasantries with various students while her mind quicky formed any answers to the questions they had.

"This place is full of Vermin. I want to eat them," Carnage growled.

Just calm down we can eat them later. We shouldn't make a big massacre in public yet. She entered her class and noticed Marinette Dupain Chang sitting in the back. The young girl looked at her but quickly avoided her gaze. We have other fish to catch.

Her gaze drifted around the room but surprisingly she didn't see Adrien Agreste. He wasn't here the other day either, what is going on?

She went over to Rose who was sitting at her desk looking over some notes. "Hey Rose can I ask you something?"

Rose looked at her and smiled but she did notice a bit of unease in her eyes. "Sure what is it?"

"Where is Adrien I haven't seen him and would like to say hi," she said with her characteristically charismatic tone.

"Um I'm not sure. I heard he was sick." Rose scratched her head. "No one has heard from him in a few days."

"I see. Well thank you." She smiled politely before returning to her seat.

I wonder what he is up to. She thought of Adrien and then Cat Noir, slowly the image was getting clearer. She doubted her partner would allow to him but it might be for the better, she couldn't have a superhero stand up to her.

Carnage chuckled in her head. "Your machinations amuse me. Tell me will this boy want really be of use?"

A smile spread across her face. Everyone will be of use to us. She looked at Marinette out of the corner of her eyes, the foolish girl was looking at her but quickly looked away like a frightened cat. Though some people are more annoyances than others.

"So long as I destroy my father you can have your schemes," Carnage hissed. "When I find him I'll destroy myself."

She nodded. Ladybug and Cat Noir will be our biggest threats. Especially with your father helping Cat Noir.

"This magic of theirs will be no match for me. I'll destroy them myself and raise this city to the ground." Carnage growled lowly in her head sending a reverberation throughout her body.

Good. Just don't destroy our playground too much or you will find it hard to feast on people. Though deep down she knew there were other places she could take Carnage to hunt and find food.

She got her stuff out and put a smile on her face as Ms. Bustier entered the classroom. We'll bring carnage to this world one way or another.

Marinette tried to focus on class yet her mind was preoccupied with two things. One Adrien wasn't there again. Two Lila. Now Lila was her usual self yet something was off about her and whenever their gazes met she had the desire to run the other way as if her life depended on it.

Why am I scared of her? She knew Lila was cunning but she could handle her, even if others didn't believe in her lies.

The bigger question is where is Adrien? He was gone again and no one had heard from him with Nino saying he was dealing with family problems.

I never got to tell him how I really feel. Her stomach turned as she winced at the thought of Adrien moving away and hating her forever. Please come back. I promise I'll apologize or something, whatever you want. Just let us be something again.

Deep down as much as she knew it was wrong she did love Adrien. She wished she could make things right with him and maybe they could be something in the future. Deep down she knew it was a dream, but she still held onto the hope that he would like her the way she wanted him to.

She went about her day normally though she felt oddly uneasy whenever Lila passed her in the halls or looked at her in general.

"Hey Marinette are you ok?" Alya asked once school ended.

"Oh just thinking about things," she muttered as she saw Lila standing over Adrien's desk with a grin that made her blood run cold. "How is the Ladyblog?'

"Good want to help me work on some articles later?" Alya asked.

She nodded. "Sure I'll do some homework first."

As she walked home she tried her best to not think of Adrien but she passed a few posters advertising another Agreste fashion show and her heart sank. If only I could go, even if I can't see him I would like to watch the show.

When she arrived home she took off her backpack and went over to her desk. "Marinette you really should get over Adrien," Tikki said as she came out of the earrings. "It isn't healthy."

She looked down at her phone. "I know. But I can't just forget about him, I loved him deeply." Pulling up a few photos of Adrien she still had her heart ached as she looked at Adrien. "

"Well you have to respect him and his boundaries," Tikki said calmly. "Come on try to cheer up, Hawkmoth and Mayura are gone."

"I know." She should be happy about that, she really should but without the constant akumas her mind drifted to Cat Noir and how different he has been since he had that symbiote. "I haven't seen Cat Noir since he gave me the butterfly and peacock miraculous, what do you think he'll try to do now?"

Tikki shrugged. "You are both Paris' heroes. There are a lot more crimes in the city that need to be taken care of."

She tried to focus on class but every so often she found herself gazing towards Lila. Why am I scared of her? She didn't know what it was about it Lila, she hadn't changed her looks or done any schemes that she was aware of, but something about her was different and every part of her was telling her to run.

Yet surprisingly Lila did nothing and by that she meant nothing all. She attended class without any contention or scheming that she could tell.

"Goodbye Marinette," Lila said as they were leaving school.

She froze and slowly turned around. "Wh-What are you doing?"

Lila grinned her gaze flickering with a bit of malice. "Just going home. Be safe Marinette, I'd hate for you to get hurt."

With that Lila walked past her and out of the school. What is her problem? She shook her head and went home where she decided to patrol the city instead. "Alright Tikki Spots on!"

As soon as she jumped out of her room and felt the Parisian wind brush through her hair the realization slowly set in. What now? She stared at the city. Hawkmoth is gone. Frankly she didn't know what to do. Frankly though I wish I could've been a part of the final fight.

She and Cat Noir had been fighting him together for ages, it made sense that they fought him together but fate had other things in store for them.

Landing on a rooftop she looked at a billboard that had Adrien on it and her stomach turned. I could only imagine how it must have felt. She didn't know how Adrien felt but she could only imagine he was devastated.

"Nice to see you here."

She snapped out of her thoughts before she noticed Cat Noir was resting on the edge of the roof not far from her gazing up at the billboard. Her partner's gaze was soft and betrayed sorrow in them. "Cat Noir! Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Just thinking. You?" Cat Noir sat up his muscles he tensed under his suit. His green eyes looked as if he had been crying for a while.

"Just the same. Are you sure you're ok?" She asked half concerned. Her partner looked sad almost depressed.

"I'm not," Cat Noir admitted. "Frankly so much has been happening in my life I wonder if things can ever be normal."

"I see." She scratched her head and noticed Cat Noir's gaze was fixed on the billboard of Adrien. "Well I don't what's bothering you but I care about you and Paris does too. If you need someone to talk to I'm here for you."

Cat Noir looked at her and smiled. "Thanks. That means a lot to me." He looked at her and for once she felt as if the distance between them was never there. "I know things haven't been normal but I appreciate you deeply."

She looked at Cat Noir not knowing what to say, they were always a team even if they had their differences. "I appreciate you too."

Cat Noir stood up his form casting a shadow over her. "You probably saw those killings on the news? Be careful it might be a symbiote." With that he took out his baton and leaped into the city.

She stared at her partner with almost a sense of melancholy, Cat Noir seemed different more independent and she didn't know how to feel about that. My kitty is growing up fast. But deep down she knew he was hurting, whatever was going on in his personal life it wasn't good.

I wonder what happened to him? Did something happen with Hawkmoth? She frowned, she forgot to ask about the butterfly and peacock miraculous. He better not lose them. She doubted he would but frankly she'd rather have them safe inside the miraculous box.

After a lonely patrol she returned home. "Spots off," she muttered once she was in the safety of her room. Sitting down in her chair she was about to do some homework when she noticed a message from Alya. "Turn on the TV now, it's about Adrien."

She immediately turned on the TV in her room her heart racing as she feared the worst. Please don't be hurt. Adrien still meant a lot to her and she couldn't bear the thought of him being hurt.

Her heart raced as she watched the screen. Gabriel Agreste and Adrien stood in front of a podium with a woman. "Wait a minute," she muttered. Narrowing her gaze on the woman she recognized her from a few old photos of Adrien's family she came across.

"My wife Emilie has come back after a long time of being away with us," Gabriel said. The crowd muttered and the sound of cameras fluttering filled the air. Adrien stood in front of the crowd his gaze almost lifeless as his father spoke. "Together the Agreste family will continue our careers in the fashion world."

"She's back," She muttered in half shock. I thought she was dead or disappeared. Her mouth hung open as she watched the Agreste family pose for the photographers. They all looked so beautiful, especially Adrien who managed a small smile. Yet something deep down inside of her was telling her something was off. Adrien was anything but happy."

/

Cat Noir sat on a rooftop gripping the butterfly miraculous in his hand. He used this to terrorize the city. He frowned as he thought of his mother, yeah he loved her and was glad she was back but that didn't invalidate the damage he did to the city.

Nooroo flew out of the butterfly miraculous. "Do you need me sir?"

A cold breeze brushed through the area. "You told me a lot about my father." He shook his head pushing the emotions inside of him. "I'm sorry for everything he put you through, he really is vicious deep down."

The kwami had told him everything. How his father used him against his will and even occasionally threatened him. Sadly he knew the kwami wouldn't lie and he believed him.

Nooroo avoided his gaze. "What's done is done sir. The past can't be changed. I just hope my future users will be as kind with me as you are with Sir Plagg."

A smile spread across his face. "Maybe I can give you a taste of freedom." He gripped the butterfly miraculous in his hand. "Nooroo Plagg unify!"

In a flash Nooro's power enveloped him. The power of the two kwamis and their miraculous danced around his body. He willed the transformation to take shape around him. While Maintaining Cat Noir's main black suit he had purple highlights around his limbs and a purple mask.

As the transformation ended he looked down at the cane in his hand; it had both the cat and butterfly insignia's on it.

"Well lets see what we can do with this," he said as he twirled the cane in his hand. With that he jumped off the roof and began his patrol. Shadow Noir. Not a bad name don't you think Venom?

The symbiote reverberated inside of him. "Man these miraculous are strong. Plagg's was strong enough but combined with this one we are stronger. We are definitely worthy of the title lethal protector."

A smiled spread across his face. Venom made good company and protection when needed. Whatever the world throws at us know we'll definitely be prepared.

A scream caught his attention. Gripping his new cane he looked towards the direction of the scream and saw a group of women being surrounded by masked thugs. "Alright guys lets do this."

Using Venom's symbiote he lunged in the air and landed between the group of thugs and the women.

"Oh shit is that Cat Noir!" One of them said.

"Back off guys I'm really not in the mood," he said before charging at the men. One of them fired a bullet at him that knocked off his chest like a pebble. He laughed as he struck the man with a cane and knocked him down with a black tendril.

"We have to get out of here!" One of the others yelled as he fired bullets at him.

He effortlessly blocked the bullets and knocked the man down when he saw the other one running. An idea came to him, perhaps it was the knowledge that came from the miraculous but either way he hit a baton on his cane and a black butterfly flew out.

As soon as the butterfly made contact with the man it blew up and sent him to the ground. "Well that's new," he said as he rubbed his head. Turning he saw the three women staring at him in shock. "Don't worry ladies I'll be here before the police arrive."

They quickly nodded. "Thank you Cat Noir."

A smile spread across his face. "It was nothing."