My Kitty

9| Lady Misfortune

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. This is Nadja Chamack and today, Paris is witnessing a villain like never before. Our famous superhero has fallen victim to one of Shadowmoth's akumas!" The camera shifted to show Lady Misfortune, her suit pitch black and dotted red, her eyes as dark as coal.

With swarms of magical ladybugs soaring through her yo-yo, they wreaked havoc and created evil. Everyone received their exact definition of evil from the person dearest to their hearts, damaging the string of trust between them. "Trust is a lie." She laughed. "Who needs it anyway?"

Adrien had just gotten back into his room, head hung low. His kwami has left to recharge, and as he flipped through the TV with his butt, he froze at what he saw. "Uuuh, Adrien? I think you need to come see this."

"Plagg, I'm not buying you a wheel of camembert on sale," he groaned. He had no emotions left in him to deal with his kwami's indifference.

"As much as I'd love to, but you have another thing that's on sale. A free villain, come shop."

"What now? I don't want to see her. Or fight along her side."

"I don't think you're gonna be fighting by her side. Why do that when you can- FIGHT HER?" He shot up into the air, panicking.

"Huh?" Adrien rushed to stand from his bed, eyes wide with terror.

"The guardian of the miraculous has been akumatized because of some alley cat, and now what are we gonna do?" Plagg, at that point, was screaming, spinning in circles all around the room, with his tiny arms over his cheeks.

"No, Ladybug..." He whispered, shaking his head in denial. His attention returned back to his still screeching kwami. "Plagg," he called, only for his voice to be drowned out. "Plagg!"

He came to a halt, similar to a statue, as if nothing happened.

"We've got to do something." Adrien clenched his fist, determined to erase his mistake.

"And how do you plan on doing that, genius?" He placed both his arms on his hips. "Only she can capture the akuma."

"Yeah... But I can destroy it. Plagg, claws out."

Hopping from one roof to the next, Chat Noir made it to the scene. The mess happening in broad daylight left him in utter shock. People were harming each other, yelling and hunting down one another, their love impaired. Parisians were marionettes between her fingers. She controlled them, and exploited her powers to make everyone pay for a heartbreak he'd caused.

Ladybug's eyes fell on him. A smirk made its way to her face, her gaze vengeful. "Hey, kitty, kitty." She marched towards him, her weapon spinning in sharp circles by her side. "I'd say I've missed you but that would be a joke. All I want to do is rip you to shreds," she growled, swinging the yo-yo straight at his chest.

Chat jumped back, flipping into the air and skidding across the pavement on all fours. He rushed to stand, picking up his staff. "Another one of your lies, I see."

She took in his words with a flow of disgust. Grunting, she released her wicked ladybugs, who gathered around the superhero, biting into the skin of his neck.

He whimpered, flailing his arms ahead of his face. He only cared about shielding himself, because he knew they'd have no effect on him. "Jokes on you, Ladybug." He spun his stick in a skilled manner, settling into a fighting stance. "I've already gotten my trust broken by the one I love."

"You little mangy—" She gasped, dodging his staff just in time. It flew back to him like a boomerang, and he firmly grabbed a hold of it once more.

She lunged at him, thrusting her yo-yo in his direction. It wrapped around him, and rendered him immobile. He struggled against her, but all his efforts were futile as she yanked him forward and into her reach.

"Need a little hand?"

He turned at the familiarity of the voice. "Rena Rouge?" How did she get her miraculous when Ladybug has always been the one to lend it to her? It could only mean one thing...

Alya was a permanent holder of the fox miraculous.

He growled; furious. Another betrayal added to the list. Anger has been a prominent friend of his, recently. It seemed it was the only thing he's ever felt since all these lies began warping their way into his life, and infecting his relationships. She was the guardian, she had every right to give out any miraculous at any given time, however she pleased. But she could've told him! Let him in on it so he'd at the very least know of their new team member.

With all his might, Chat Noir jumped up, and his feet collided with her stomach. She flung back and slammed into a lamp-post, her face contorted with agony.

The yo-yo loosened, and he broke free. "Catacl—"

"No, wait!" Rena stopped him. "Come with me."

The two sprung upward, desperate to escape Ladybug's wrath. She hurried after them. "Run all you want. But I will get my hands on you, Chat Noir. And I am not leaving without your miraculous," she yelled, panting.

Rena pulled him into an alley as the now supervillain skipped over them. "I have a plan," she whispered. "But you have to cooperate."

Adrien hated himself for feeling such contempt towards his friend. He just couldn't help but feel replaced and crazy useless next to her. He's always been no more than a side character. Be it by Ladybug's side, Rena's side, or even the entire team.

"I need you to tie your belt around your eyes. You can't see where I'm about to take you."

He nodded, reluctant.

Anything to save Paris.

And his lady.

With his belt secure, covering his vision, Rena led him to follow her. After a short while, she pulled him down a trap-door and into what he assumed was a room. "Chat Noir..." She guided his hands along a box. "Pick the miraculous you wish to help you with this mission."