32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Unable to wait, Adrien left Nino's apartment and went straight to his father's. He charged through Gabriel's doors despite Natalie trying to bar his path. "Is it true?"

Gabriel didn't even look up from his computer. "Is what true?"

"That the wish the Miraculouses grant will have an opposite effect for someone else?"

His father went still, then he looked at him over his glasses. "Where did you hear this?"

"Answer the question."

Gabriel slowly stood. "I'm assuming you heard it from Ladybug."

Adrien just kept his gaze on him, ready to transform in case his father did.

"Regardless, they're lies. She's trying to trick you, to turn you against me."

"She doesn't lie."

"Doesn't she? How do you think she keeps her secret life as a superhero safe?"

"That's different."

"Is it? She lies to those closest to her everyday to protect them. She'd lie to you in a heartbeat if it meant protecting the city."

Adrien's gaze fell to the floor. Would she? If it was for a noble purpose, maybe.

"From all my research, I've yet to come across such dire warnings. If I had, I would've abandoned my goal."

Careful to keep his voice smooth, he asked, "You would abandon mom?"

Gabriel watched him for a long moment. "She wouldn't want anyone to get hurt for her sake."

Adrien breathed out. He at least answered the question correctly. Still, he wasn't certain who to believe. They both wanted something from him.

"How did you get a chance to talk to her?" Gabriel asked carefully.

"She did an interview with Alya to counter mine." At a look his father gave him, he added, "Not live. She's going to post it later. So Chat—we cant know about it until then."

Gabriel nodded once. "I'm going to increase the akuma attacks. If she's tired, she's bound to make a mistake and de-transform somewhere for you or my spies to catch her."

Ladybug said she'd tried to return her Miraculous. She didn't even want to be a hero. That was very different from his reaction to getting superpowers. Maybe she wasn't acting selfishly. Maybe the Guardian lied to her and she's the one who is misinformed.

"Adrien."

He looked at his father. "Yeah, sure. That sounds fine."

"There'll be times I'll need you to use mine while I'm at work."

"Okay." Maybe he could talk to her. If the Guardian had been filling her head with lies, then she was innocent. "Have you heard of the Guardian of the Miraculouses?"

Gabriel's eyes went all flinty. "Where did you hear about him?"

"Ladybug."

"So he's revealed himself to her," he said under his breath. "I would very much like to find him. After you get her Miraculous, bring her to me."

"What if I can get her to bring me to him?"

Gabriel's lips curled upwards in something that wasn't exactly a smile. "That could work."

"Do you know him?" His reaction was odd, to say the least.

"Yes, and I've been waiting for him to poke his head out." He walked to the large painting of his mom. "This is good news." Entering the code to unlock his lair, he mumbled, "Very good news."

Adrien followed his father through the secret passage and waited off to the side as Gabriel transformed into Hawk Moth and searched for a person to akumatize. "Plagg."

His little kwami rustled inside his coat pocket. "Yeah?"

"Did you know there was a guardian?"

A long silence passed.

"Plagg."

"Fine." He breathed out. "He's the one who gave me to you."

"How come you didn't tell me about him?"

Plagg shrugg. "You never asked."

He snorted. Figured. "Well, tell me now."

"Not much to tell. I've been in a box ever since my last wielder retired."

"What does he look like?"

"I don't know. Old."

"That's it?"

"All you humans look alike."

Now he really did laugh. His father tensed, and Adrien spoke more quietly. "How come Ladybug knows him?"

"An emergency must've came up, forcing him to tell her who he is."

"Why would he lie to her about the consequences?"

"I don't think he did. I believe them both."

"You would believe anyone, especially if they had Camembert."

"It's only the best thing ever."

Adrien shook his head and watched as a black butterfly flew out the window.

"Follow it," his father said, "wait for Ladybug, and ask her to take you to him."

"If she refuses?"

"Stick to the original plan and bring her to me."

"You won't harm her, will you?"

Gripping his cane, he said, "Of course not."

His stomach twisted with unease. He opened his mouth to ask him more questions, but his father pointed to the window and commanded him to go. The look on his face said he wouldn't tolerate anything less.

Clenching his hands into fists, he transformed and left Gabriel behind. As he leapt across buildings, he grumbled about his father.

I don't trust him, Plagg remarked.

"I know you don't."

Why do you?

"He's my father."

Not a very good one.

"He's the only family I have left."

You have me and Marinette. And Ladybug if you wizened up.

"If she's being lied to, she might actually help me now. And then I'd have my mom back as well as Ladybug." Officially excited, he picked up his pace, found the akumatized man, and waited for the superhero.

He didn't have to stand around for long.

As soon as she landed, he stepped forward and she immediately moved back. He raised his open hands to show he wasn't there to fight. "I just want to talk."

"I have work to do."

He looked at the akumatized man, dressed in a business suit and carrying a briefcase, just standing there. His father must be keeping a steel grip on him. "He won't do anything unless you do."

She watched the man for a long moment, brows drawn together, then her hard gaze landed on him. "Fine. But if you're going to ask for my Miraculous, the answer is still no."

"Actually, I wanted to ask what you know about the Miraculouses."

"They give us powers."

"And they grant a wish if ours are combined."

"And you need to save someone?"

He nodded.

"Has that person passed away?"

He kept his face free of the pain clawing at him. "Yes."

Stepping closer to him, concern softening her features, she said, "I'm sorry you lost someone close to you. But if you do that, someone else will die."

"You don't know that."

"I do."

"How? Who told you?"

She paused, considered something, then said, "The Guardian of the Miraculouses."

"The who?" He hated playing dumb, but he needed her to talk, and not wonder why he already knew things he shouldn't.

"He looks after the Miraculouses and picks their wielders. He's very wise."

"What if he just said that so no one will use them?"

"I don't think he'd lie. I trust him completely."

"More than you trusted me apparently," he mumbled.

"I did trust you. It's just." She sighed. "If Hawk Moth knows about the wish, then he has to know about the repercussions. And I know you wouldn't go through with it if he told you the truth. He's been lying to you, Chat. You have to see that."

The akumatized man shifted toward them. "Wrong."

She held up a finger at him. "Don't you start."

"What if I talk to him?" Chat asked. "It's hard to believe someone I don't know."

Ladybug tore her gaze off the man to look at him. "I can't do that. His secret isn't mine to give away."

"But—"

"I'm sorry, Chat. You either trust me, your partner and friend, or you trust the guy who has fought you from day one, who uses people and is using you now."

He looked from the akumatized man to her, his head aching. He didn't know who to believe. "I'm sure if I could just talk to him, it'd—"

"I can't!" She gripped her yo-yo, face pinched and slightly red.

Hot anger surged through him. "You won't help me at all!"

"And you won't see reason," she shouted back.

"So you'd rather just keep fighting?"

"No!" She marched closer to him. "I hate fighting you. I hate not having you at my side, spouting stupid jokes. I even miss your puns and our victory fist bumps. I miss you, Chat." She breathed out. "I miss you."

Hawk Moth, speaking through the akumatized man said, "You're just like the old man. I asked him for help once too and he refused."

The softness in her eyes as she looked at Chat sharpened when she turned to face the man. "I said don't start."

"Enough talk." He turned to Chat. "Get her Miraculous."

Ladybug took a defensive stance between them.

And he just stood there, staff still attached to his back, arms hanging by his sides. He hated fighting her too. And he missed her.

"Do it," Hawk Moth demanded.

"Chat?" she asked, hope lending a lightness to her voice.

And he missed joking around. He never punned anymore.

"Chat Noir, do not forget our deal."

"Will you stop talking?!" Ladybug threw her yo-yo at the man's head. He brought up his briefcase as a shield and blocked her attack.

He couldn't let his father resort to akumatizing a murderer. But he didn't know who to believe.

When he stepped back, both the man and Ladybug, still locked in combat, looked at him. "Chat!" they said in unison.

It was too much. And his head felt like it was in a vice. He rubbed his temples and leapt away from them. Not too far, in case his father thought he was abandoning him.

oOoOo

The akumatized man fought with his briefcase like it was a shield. It was crazy hard to work around. What more, she had to work with Chat's eyes on her. It reminded her of the first time she had to fight an akuma without his help.

Ladybug landed in the street, aware of the akumatized woman shooting at people with her weaponized yoga mat. The poor folks were forced into positions that made even her wince. Some were bent over backwards, others had their legs wrapped around their heads. The more fortunate ones were stuck balancing on one foot or holding a forward fold.

Her main focus, though, was on Chat. He sat crouched on a street lamp, watching her, his face stoic, nearly unreadable. Definitely not the light, carefree version she knew.

She tried to position herself in such a way to keep an eye on both of them, but maybe he wouldn't actually try to take her Miraculous. Maybe he was just supposed to watch. She prayed that would be the case. She couldn't bear it if she had to fight him. She didn't even think she could. Her body would certainly rebel. This was her friend. He had her back. Or was supposed to.

"You," the woman said, turning to face Ladybug. "Give me your Miraculous."

"No can do." She lifted her yo-yo and glanced at Chat. He hadn't moved an inch.

"Then we'll see how long you can stand on your head. You'll be begging me to take it."

She'd have to catch her first. Ladybug hurled her yo-yo, while avoiding the blast from the yoga mat. Rolling out of her dive, she caught her yo-yo and tossed it again. The woman batted it away and shot at her once more.

They seemed evenly matched. Neither could break through the other's defenses. If Chat worked from the side, or better yet, came up from behind, the woman wouldn't stand a chance.

"Chat!" she called before remembering he wouldn't help her. The throbbing ache in her chest turned sharp and piercing. It took her breath away. She bit her lip to keep it from trembling.

The woman laughed. No, it had to have been Hawk Moth. He was probably the giddiest he'd ever been, thinking he would certainly have her Miraculous in no time.

And he just might. She felt like half a person without Chat, definitely half a superhero.

The woman shot at her over and over again, forcing Ladybug to contort herself more than the yoga prisoners to avoid being hit.

"Ch—" She bit off his name with an audible snap of her teeth, which corresponded with another spike of pain in her chest. Grimacing, she touched the spot. Would that ever go away? Probably not. She sighed and forced herself to continue fighting.

Accepting that she couldn't do any serious damage by herself, she resorted to using her lucky charm. And even then, it took longer than it should have for her to capture the akuma.

And all the while, Chat just watched her with his guarded expression. Did he hate her now?

The ache flared and she nearly dropped her yo-yo.

"Chat, please." She didn't have long before her de-transformation started, but maybe he would talk to her for a moment, tell her what happened.

He flinched and looked away from her.

"Chat." Her Miraculous beeped and she stood there for as long as she dared before leaving him. She wiped away the tears while barely holding the ragged hole in her chest together.

Ladybug de-evilized the business man's akuma and ran. Chat had stayed out of the fight, but was now on her heels, a far cry from that first akuma attack without him.

Now, he held nothing back. And must have decided it would be easier to take her Miraculous once she was forced to transform back rather than fight.

He had to have been following her the past couple times. It was a good thing she'd contacted the police and set up a plan with them before responding to the akuma alert.

She darted around a corner and looked for the narrow alley that was part of her escape route.

For a moment there, she'd thought Chat was back to his old self. She'd thought they might become partners again, take down Hawk Moth together. But no. Why did he always choose Hawk Moth? What was this deal that gave him control over Chat?

Approaching the end of the alley, she prayed the police were there and ready to implement their plan. Chat was closing in on her. His footfalls landed faster than hers, sounding closer and closer. She didn't dare look back over her shoulder. It would be just her luck to trip over something and lose her lead as well as bungle her escape plan.

"I see you've been working out," he shouted.

She was definitely faster. A month ago, he would've caught up to her by now.

Rushing out of the alley, she saw the officers on the side holding nets, along with firemen holding a firehose, spout aimed at the opening. Not wanting to tip Chat off to something amiss, she kept going, refusing to even acknowledge the others on the street.

A sudden grunt and a scuffle had her slowing to a stop. She turned to find Chat caught in a thick net.

He laughed. "This again?" he asked, reminding her of the bug scientist akuma.

He lifted his claws and opened his mouth, most likely to summon Cataclysm. The firemen off to the side turned on the hose and water shot out, knocking Chat over.

"Go," the officers called to her.

Maybe she could take his Miraculous while he was distracted.

Chat called his special power...or tried to. It was rather garbled under the torrent of water pinning him to the ground.

"Get out of here," the officers commanded. "Now!"

Grumbling, she turned and ran away.

AN - So you might've noticed I took creative license with the story. We don't really know what happened to his mom, but, to keep it simple, she's not alive for my story. Also, I want to make it clear that Hawk Moth knows about the consequence. He's just manipulating Adrien again.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting me on this crazy journey. I love all of the reviews and PMs. Interacting with you guys is what really makes this fun. And now I can't imagine writing something without instant feedback and notes of encouragement. Lol. You've all spoiled me (and please don't stop) XDD

And here's the part where I thank my sister for helping me with the story. Dank u wel!

RebelArtemis, I live in the US. I've been staying up on the episodes on YouTube, but the first half of the season is out on Netflix here, so I've been rewatching them there. Gotta support the show!