Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug And Cat Noir- Season 4, Ep. 18.7 Mister Noir

the Present: part 3

Mister Noir cut the interview with Nadia sorter than the journalist would have liked and turned to Ladybug. "We'd better get out of here before you change back," he shared in an undertone.

"Right," Ladybug agreed, and pulled out her yoyo.

They leapt away, while Nadia and the camera crew huffed behind them.

They slipped up over the rooftops, until they reached a favourite roof with a large, wide chimney stack. Mister Noir leaned against one side, pulling out his Cat phone. "Do you have any food for Tikki?"

Ladybug ran to the opposite side of the stack, just in time for Tikki to peel off, exhausted into her hands. "I have food, thanks for asking." She slipped a maccaron out of her bag and let Tikki eat it. "Tikki, I don't know what to think! Isn't it dangerous for someone to have both Miraculous?" She asked softly to her little red friend.

Before Tikki could finish chewing and answer, Mister Noir interjected, "I keep thinking about that too. I think it's safe for me to do it tonight, partly because I know it was safe, from when I was sent back in time. I remember reading the news article, which is why I stopped and spoke to Nadia Chammack."

Marinette frowned. "I guess I forgot you would have Cat's hearing powers."

Mister Noir laughed, finishing with his phone. "Yes, sorry about that. I guess I should have left you be for a moment. I just don't want you worrying now. I really do want to help you through this."

Marinette slid to sitting, finding she was quite tired herself. "What is 'this' exactly, Mister Noir?"

"Ugh," sneered Noir. "I thought that was a great name until I heard you say it. Now I feel like a middle school teacher."

Marinette laughed genuinely for the first time all evening.

Mister Noir smiled at the sky to hear it. His heart really went out to her, seeing how young she was. He couldn't remember it being frightening not having a grown up around to help them, but he had been used to that, he thought bitterly. It was different for Marinette. She'd had Tom and Sabine and teachers at school. She'd always been surrounded by adults who cared about her. She'd always been surrounded by people at all.
It gave her so much strength. If only he could have had some of that..

He sighed. "This is not about me," he murmured to himself.

"What was that?"

"This. This that you're going through is not about me. You're worried about getting your Cat Noir back, and that's natural. But tonight is about getting you both ready to face the next stage. Shadow Moth is getting closer and you both need some encouragement and a secure network to help you."

Marinette felt grim and she hugged Tikki to herself. Tikki patted Marinette's arm while she continued eating.

"That's what I should be doing tonight, really, isn't it?" Noir was saying. "Shadow Moth has accidentally given us an edge where I know what's going to happen, where he is, and why he's doing all this. But I can't tell you or risk ruining the timeline. And worse, getting Bunnyx on my case--" and here, Marinette swore there was the tiniest 'again' to be heard. "But I can't waste this chance to do something with the knowledge I have."

"But surely telling us about Shadow Moth could only help us defeat him more safely?" Marinette wondered.

Mister Noir sighed. "Shadow Moth and Cat Noir are the keys to each other, M'lady." Marinette's eyes grew large to hear it.
"I didn't see the Cat Blanc timeline, though you told me about it finally." Marinette's heart pounded so loudly, Noir could hear it. Just remembering Cat Blanc always made her upset. He felt more sure of his plan because of it.
"That's at least one instance where Bunnyx had to help us get back on track because the odds between Cat Noir versus Shadow Moth are stacked against you in ways neither of you can see yet. And that's actually best for now, oddly. It's your youth and innocence that really unlocks the full potential of the miraculous and your role as guardian."

Marinette and Tikki stared hard into each other's eyes.

"You'll need each other to beat him. But you'll also need friends. If there's one thing you and Kitten Noir have that Shadow Moth doesn't, it's a whole force of good people surrounding you."

Mister Noir stepped away from the chimney. "So that's what I can do tonight. Build on those friendships, lay a foundation for Kitten Noir to come back to."

He hopped on the roof further along from where Marinette was hiding, not intruding on her privacy.

"Wait!" Marinette called. "Where are you going?"

"Don't worry, Marinette, I'll find you soon. Head home for now. I'll need to go there next anyway." And he was gone, leaving Marinette gaping behind him.

"Did he just..."

"He never looked," Tikki confirmed, "and he called you Marinette."