Miraculous Mini Stories

Nightmares: Part Three

-In Collaboration With Irwined-

"Chat Blanc?" He questioned, looking more confused than ever. "Who on earth is Chat Blanc? And why was he calling you 'his love?'"

"Well, you were right about one thing, he is an akuma. It's just that he was already beaten in another timeline, which you wouldn't remember because- uhm, you weren't with me." Ladybug stated matter-of-factly.

"Okay...but, why wouldn't you have told me about him before now? As your teammate and a hero of Paris don't you think I should be in the know about things like this too?" Chat Noir questioned.

"I just didn't want to bother you with it, everything turned out fine."

Ladybug's vacant response did little to quell his curiosity and instead confused him more. They told each other nearly everything, so why would she think it would bother him to discuss an akuma he had missed? It was their job to discuss such matters.

"Ladybug, you're doing anything but bothering me by informing me of an akuma I've missed. I need to know about it so I can be better equipped if we need to fight the akuma again in the future." Chat Noir tried to get her to look at him as he spoke gently.

Something about this was bothering her, and it seemed that she was being too stubborn to tell him what.

"Like I said, it was fine, I beat him in another timeline so he won't be coming back. He won't." She stood firm, her argument unconvincing due to the events that had already taken place.

"But Ladybug, he is back. He's right here, right now; so how do we deal with it?" He still had so many questions, but they could be saved for later. All that mattered was saving Paris first. Paris was first always.

She nodded, apparently chewing it over. "Okay. But he's not a whole other akuma. If we want to take him down, we need to take Sandboy down." Ladybug got her yo-yo out, searching for the most recent news broadcasts in hope of finding Sandboy's approximate location.

  "Okay. We can at least do that." Did that mean this "Chat Blanc" was Ladybug's worst nightmare? It bothered him that someone with his face seemed to frighten her so much. But she would definitely tell him if it had gotten that bad, wouldn't she? Wouldn't she?

________________

Ladybug crouched next to her partner, partially hidden behind a chimney as they surveyed the area in silence. Sandboy's trail of victims and news reports had lead them to the approximate location of the Louvre.

She was still set on edge from the appearance of Chat Blanc. Just the thought of him sent a heavy panic through her chest, constricting her breathing and holding her in place.

Chat must have noticed her sudden stiffness, speaking in a low voice to avoid alerting nearby dangers, "Are you sure everything is okay, Ladybug?"

She bowed her head and turned away from him, now was not the time to be weak. "Everything is fine, Chat Noir. We need to focus, now is not the time for distractions."

She could tell he wished to say more, but he ultimately respected her wishes, shrinking back to keep a lookout the other way.

He spoke up again, this time opting for a safer subject. "Shouldn't we have come across Sandboy by now? I mean, we should have at least heard his awful song on our way over here."

"Now that you mention it, yeah. What's taking him so long?" Ladybug stood, circling around to get a better visual.

Everything was so...quiet. Too quiet.

They made their way down to the street tentatively, scanning for any movement. Ladybug paused, hearing a distant, chilling melody .

"Little kitty on a roof, all alone without his Lady. Little kitty on a roof a- aha, ahahaha!" Chat Blanc's laughter flooded the streets, a broken and melancholy sound.

Ladybug jerked around to find him jumping down from a nearby rooftop. Chat Noir lunged forward, placing a protective arm in front of her.

She would usually be frustrated with his self sacrificing idea of "heroism" but today she was thankful for the excuse to step down. That did not, however, mean that she wouldn't play her part in defeating the akuma and defending Paris.

Ladybug used her lucky charm, a bean bag landing in her hand. "What am I supposed to do with this?!" She grabbed Chat Noir's wrist and dashed away from Chat Blanc, ignoring his yelp of protest.

"What are you doing? The fight is that way!" He gestured behind them towards the white leather-clad cat beginning his pursuit.

"We can't waste our time trying to fight him, I only have five minutes left and I have no idea what to do with my lucky charm. We need to find Sandboy!" Ladybug let go of him, letting him run by her side on his own.

The first beeps of her miraculous went off, signaling four minutes until her transformation was undone. Her and Chat Noir rounded a corner, listening for any sign that Chat Blanc was still in tow.

He walked right past them, seeming unsure of where to go. He was nearly out of sight when the three minute mark went off on Ladybug's miraculous, the loud beeps echoing through the still air. Chat Blanc whipped around, a sick grin on his face.

"You thought you could hide from me, Bug? After all that has passed between us, you wish to run away?!" He extended his clawed hands, glowing white cataclysms crackling with feral energy.

Chat Noir snatched the bean bag from Ladybug's death grip and wound his arm back. "Miraculous Ladybug!" He called as he whipped it at Chat Blanc's face in full speed with all of his strength, sending the opposed reeling backwards and hitting his back flat against the pavement.

"Ladybug? Ladybug, listen to me!" Chat Noir grabbed her by her shoulders. "I've got this under control, go and feed your kwami and recharge. I'll buy you all the time you need. Go!" He called again as she finally snapped out of it. She nodded and dashed away, slipping unnoticed into an empty alleyway.

                          _______________

Marinette watched as Tikki finished the last of her macaroon, tapping her foot impatiently against the alley floor.

"Are you ready, Tikki? We need to get back out there."

"Yes, Marinette. But just make sure you keep a level head. He isn't real, just defeat Sandboy and everything will be fine. I'm sure this is difficult for you, but you have Chat Noir by your side, and he will stand with you through anything!" Tikki's reassuring words were a helpful but small comfort.

"Thanks, Tikki. I'll keep that in mind." Marinette frowned. "Now let's go take care of Sandboy so we can end this nightmare, Tikki, spo-"

Before Marinette could finish, she was interrupted by Sandboy's infamous chant; "The Sandboy just checked in, now nightmares can begin!" She turned to see the akuma on his floating pillow above her, hovering over the top of the alleyway. He caught her eye just after Tikki hid, a wide and malicious smile covering his face.

"What do we have here? You seem much too at ease, let's give you something to run from!"