My Lady

Chapter 4: I Know You

      It was 6:30 when Adrien got home. He went straight to his room and turned on the TV. As usual, it was on the news.
      "This is Cadice Dugas reporting live from Paris, France where sightings of a 'Sergeant Angst' rampaging the city are causing wide-spread panic."
      "Oh no. I'll have to part with my cheese," Plagg whined
     "Hey, I'm the one who does all the work," Adrien shot back.
      "Where do you think you get am the energy from?"
      "It just comes naturally. Transform! Black Cat."
      Adrien transformed into Black Cat in his room and turned off the television. He leaped out the window, grabbed on to the nearest street light and swung around the corner landing perfectly on his feet.
      "Now if I was an angsty sergeant, where would I be?" he asked himself.
No more than five seconds later, he heard a tiny voice call it for him.
      "Cat. Cat!"
      "Who's calling me?" He spun around and darted his eyes back and forth, looking for his summoner. A little red flash zipped around his head and stopped in front of his face.
      "Woah! A kwami. Are you the Ladybug kwami?"
      "Yes, I'm Tikki, the Ladybug kwami, and Marinette's in trouble." Tikki broke into tears.
      "Wait, Marinette? If you're Ladybug's- Marinette is Ladybug!? What's wrong? What happened?" He cupped out his hands for Tikki protectively.
      "She snapped after she got home, and I can't blame her. She was sad and lost and frustrated, anything but angry, but Hawkmoth still got to her. She's Sergeant Angst. She took her miracle stones to Hawkmoth. I ran away because I needed to find you, and he can't use it without me."
      With one hand still holding Tikki, Black Cat made a fist. His eyes started welling up with tears.
      "I knew they both reminded me of someone but I never, they really are the same person. I've always wanted to know. I wanted to know who I was so madly in love with. I wanted to know who my lady was. But never like this!" He fell to his knees and put Tikki on his shoulder. He punched the ground with his right hand, then covered his face with the other. Crying turned to sobbing
      "I'll save her. I have to I, I can't imagine being without her."
      "Cat," Tikki managed to say past her own sobs.
      Marinette strolled down the street with a crazed smile and wide eyes while Black Cat was on his knees crying with Tikki. She used her gloves to materialize a sword from nothing. She took it by the hilt as she continued down the road. All of the plants and trees that lined the street wilted as she passed by. When a confused woman rushed out of her house, she fainted as soon as she got too close to Marinette.
      "Oh, how awkward that I've run into my own pity party. Hahahaha." Marinette laughed while admiring the sword.
      Cat snapped up and froze. He was locked in a gaze with Marinette.
      "Tikki, run," said Cat without breaking his stare.
      "What? I can't I have to-"
      "Yes Tikki. Stay, and we'll have a little FUN!"
      Marinette lunged at Tikki, but Cat took her to his chest and took a large stride to the sidewalk.
Marinette looked back at them and her smile creeped farther across her face.
      "What's the matter, kitty cat? I thought you loved shiny things. Hahaha." She jabbed the tip of the sword at Cat's bell, but he dodged.
      "Tikki, I said run!"
Marinette rolled under Cat's legs and drew her sword by his neck.
      "You're making this too hard for yourself. Hahaha."
      "Marinette, please-"
      "Marinette's not here and neither is Ladybug. Hahaha."
      Cat took his staff and dragged it from the inside of Marinette's arm to the end of the sword sending out flying from his neck. He spun around and locked in on Marinette's eyes once again. He looked even more shocked than ever.
      "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Hahaha."
      "Please-"
      "Please what? Hand over Tikki and your miracle stone and I can make this easier for the both of us. Hahaha."
      Tikki hid into Cat's hair while Cat got his staff ready.
      "I don't want to fight you, my lady, snap out of it."
      "It's not much of a fight if you don't swing back. Hahaha."
      Cat was feeling light-headed and his vision kept blurring. He wouldn't let that stop him, so he stood taller and looked stronger.
      "No one can stand me long. I'm surprised you made it out this long. Hahaha."
      Cat drew his staff.
      "I'm sorry."
      "How about we make amends later? Hahaha."
      Marinette leaped in Cat's direction, but he used his staff to guard. She drew her sword back, then dived to Cat's free hand. Cat jumped back, but Marinette charged him. She had her left foot on his right foot, her right hand over his right fist, and her sword was crossed with his staff.
      "I'll be taking this. Hahahaha." She began sliding her fingers to his ring.
      "Ancient Destruction!" He used his free foot to trip her, ducked under her arm, and destroyed the sword.
      "Hahahahaha. You think that would stop me? Hahaha!" She made another sword with her gloves.
      Cat looked at his hands, then at Marinette, then the gloves, then the sword.
      "The akuma is in those gloves," whispered Tikki from Cat's hair.
      "This is getting boring. Why don't I have a little fun in my own. Catch me if you can. Hahaha!" Marinette left Cat and headed for the Eiffel Tower.
       Hawkmoth wasn't pleased.
      "What are you doing? Black Cat will turn any minute, and Tikki was right there!"
      "Hahaha. I know Cat better than anyone, and I have a plan of my own. I'll succeed where others have failed. My past with Cat is key, and you've just unlocked it. Hahaha!"
      "Listen to me. You are under my-"
      "I won't be controlled. My life has been out of my control for too long. You want our miracle stones and you want our kwamis. I can get them all and you can't without me. Ha."
      "I can find another to send my akumas to, if that's what you want."
      "Where will you find someone who knows Cat and Ladybug as well as I do? Where will you find someone who Cat cares about as much as he cares about me? I'm the perfect lure for Tikki and Cat. They'll come to me. They just need a reason to chase me. Haha."
      "V-very well. Just make sure you make ends meet in your plan."
      "That won't be too hard. Hahahahahahaha!"