11. Dragonfire

"It doesn't have to be an Akuma," Plagg rationalized, trying to calm Adrien's nerves, "It could just be some crazy arsonist."

"How can someone set fire to so many buildings and not get caught?" Adrien retorted, rubbing his arms in an attempt to stave off the cold; whether the chill was from the weather or his own apprehension, he wasn't sure. "And even if that were the case, that doesn't change anything… I still wasn't there to stop it…"

"You're just one guy, Adrien. You can't be expected to solve this city's every problem," Plagg said. "There's only one you, and let's be honest, you aren't really fit to be fighting random crimes right now. You need to take care of yourself before you take care of others…"

"They were waiting for me, Plagg…" Adrien whispered woefully, pulling out his cellphone and scrolling down the screen, his eyes watering as he re-read the messages he had missed. The messages of the many people who had plead for him. "They were expecting Chat Noir to help them…"

"Adrien, please," Plagg groaned. "Snap out of it, there's nothing you can do about it now! You can't change what's already happened! No one died anyway!"

"It's just… I just don't understand why I wasn't receiving any messages," Adrien said, ignoring Plagg as he scrolled down his phone, his eyebrows furrowed , "I had notifications on and everything..."

"W-What does it matter anymore?" Plagg said waving a hand dismissively, "Can't undo what has been done. You can go get help now!"

"Wait a sec…" Adrien said, frowning. He had reached the end of the Ladyblog, his eyes scanning the credits. "Why am I unsubscribed?"

Plagg gulped, "M-Maybe you accidentally clicked on it? How am I supposed to know? It doesn't matter, let's go get help–"

Adrien looked up at Plagg with a curious look, brows furrowed in suspicion. "Plagg–"

BOOM!

Both Adrien and Plagg jumped as a strident bellow broke the silence, followed by the sound of an explosion. The ground shook, causing Adrien to jump to his feet, his face losing all color.

"Woah, what was that!?" Plagg cried, covering his head from the pinpricks of dust falling from the walls. "I didn't hear about a storm coming!"

"That wasn't thunder…" Adrien said, his voice low.

"What do you mean it wasn't thunder? Look at the clouds, it's totally gonna ra–"

"That was a roar…"

Adrien knew thunder. It had been raining the past two weeks, and he had fought in the rain several times. He was familiar with the sound of thunder. And that sound? That definitely did not sound like thunder. It sounded like the roar of an animal…

A very large, very angry animal...

And it had come from right around the corner.

Where the bakery was.

Where Marinette's parents were.

Adrien jumped out of the alley without hesitation, running back the way he came.

"Adrien, wait! You can't face that Akuma!"

"Oh, now you are saying it's an Akuma!?" Adrien shouted back.

He skidded to a halt with a gasp as he rounded the corner, eyes wide at the horrible sight before him.

It looked like the scene out of a post-apocalyptic movie. People were screaming, running away in panic, bumping into him as they tried to take cover. The park where he and Alya had been talking at merely an hour ago was completely engulfed in flames, dark pillars of smoke rising into the sky. Trees had either been uprooted or scorched, their now bare branches a black skeleton against the orange light that flooded the area. The fountain lay cracked, water splashing everywhere from the broken pipes, the benches upended and smouldering in the sea of fire.

The road was covered in scorch marks, craters and pieces of concrete littering the streets were explosions had gone off. Cars were overturned or otherwise burning, their passengers long gone.

Adrien couldn't understand how so much devastation had occurred in such little time. Was that what the other arrondissements had had to withstand?

This was most definitely not an arsonist.

Before Adrien could get his bearings together however, another rumble echoed across the air, so loud that Adrien had to press his hands against his ears to block out the terrible sound. The wind around him picked up violently, as if a large helicopter was taking off right in front of him, whipping his hair and scarf around his face. The force of the wind was such that Adrien was forced to take cover beneath the archway of a nearby building, kneeling on the ground so he wouldn't be blown away.

"What is that?!" Adrien shouted over the roar of the wind.

He looked up to see where the disturbance came from, expecting to see a villain floating in the sky, stirring the twister, but saw nothing. He could discern a sound like the flap of wings, and with every flap, a new gust of wind came, forcing him back to the ground.

"Adrien, listen to me!" Plagg shouted desperately over the cacophony of noise, holding on to Adrien's trench coat for dear life, "You can't–you mustn't–fight this Akuma!"

"I have to!"

"It's not a question of have or not! You can't!" Plagg insisted. "You know what happened last time! You can't purify the Akuma!"

"Marinette's parents are in there, Plagg!" Adrien shouted back desperately, hurriedly untying Marinette's bracelet from his wrist. "I don't have a choice!"

"You're hurt! You won't make it!"

"I'm not leaving them!" Adrien yelled, looking back at Plagg. His eyes glistened, fearful but pleading as he looked at his Kwami. "I already failed her, I'm not failing them, too!"

Plagg hesitated, taken aback by the desperation in his eyes. He saw the desperation of a boy who had lost everything; of a boy who had been hurt beyond measure, and yet continued to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.

A boy who was afraid of dying but couldn't bear the thought of losing someone dear to him again.

Plagg's eyes softened, whiskers drooping.

At Plagg's wordless response, Adrien moved.

"Plagg, transform me!"

Plagg flew into the ring without protest, and black leather materialized over Adrien's frame, senses enhancing and limbs strengthening as his body became one with Plagg's. He grabbed the lucky charm bracelet from where he had laid it on the floor and brought it to his lips in a quick kiss.

"I'll need all the good luck you can give me, Princess…" Chat whispered, tucking the bracelet inside one of his pockets. He poked his head out from under the archway, looking up for any sign of the Akuma. His cat ears twitched frantically, following the sound of flapping wings in the sky, but no matter how hard he looked, he didn't see anything.

Another loud roar echoed in the vicinity, and Chat Noir braced himself.

He jumped out from his hiding place and broke into a run on all fours, destination set on the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. An angry growl followed as whatever was causing the destruction saw him run across the street.

"CHAT NOIR!" it bellowed in a strident voice, loud and terrible, causing the hairs on the nape of his neck to stand on end. Chat had only half a second to react before he felt movement behind him and jumped to the side. He felt the rush of wind as whatever chased him flew past him, yet, as he tried to look, he found he still couldn't see what was chasing him.

Was it invisible?

Guided by the sound of the creature's flapping, he discerned that it was turning around. It roared again, and Chat saw a pinprick of light forming a few feet above him. The ball of light - now engulfed in orange flame- started growing in size. Chat's eyes widened at the horrible realization. He barely managed to jump out of the way before a fireball came zooming past him, blowing up strepitously on the spot he had just been standing.

Oh, it could shoot fireballs, too?

Great.

The creature roared again, and Chat heard it swoop down. It seemed to touch down on the street, the ground beneath Chat's feet trembling as it landed. Chat breathed heavily, eyes frantic as he tried to catch any hint of where the Akuma was standing: a shadow, the shifting of rocks, anything!

"CAN CATS FETCH, I WONDER?!" the Akuma asked mockingly in its booming voice. A car a few feet away and to Chat's left suddenly floated off the ground before it came hurling at him. Chat ducked with a yelp, hearing the car smash against the fence behind him. He heard the sound of groaning metal, rolling out of the way as the car came tumbling down, falling wheels-up on the ground.

Chat took cover behind the car, using it as a barricade.

"HERE, KITTY KITTY!" the creature bellowed. He could feel the tremors on the ground as it walked towards him. Chat Noir quivered against the surface of the car, his limbs suddenly turning to jelly as his fear grew.

Whatever he was fighting was large and powerful. Its voice was menacing enough that even the slightest chuckle was enough to shatter Chat's bravado and send terrible chills down his body, threatening to paralyze him on the spot. Plagg was right. How was he supposed to defeat it? How was he supposed to find the akumatized object? What chance did he have if he couldn't even see his enemy? When a single utterance by it was enough to reduce him to a pile of cowering gooseflesh? He had battled an invisible enemy before, but Ladybug had been the one to remedy that.

This time there was no Ladybug, and there wouldn't be any miraculous glitter to help him.

Chat jumped when the car behind him groaned again, the metal creaking and crunching as if something was crushing it. Chat looked up, terrified, green meeting the floating, slitted, fuchsia eyes of the Akuma, which were surrounded by a glowing purple outline shaped like a butterfly.

A sinister chuckle filled the air, "I ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE, CHAT NOIR..."

...Hawk Moth?

The invisible monster seemed to open its jaws, a sliver of light appearing in thin air as the interior of a mouth materialized before his eyes, its fangs and tongue glowing yellow as a fireball started forming at the back of its throat. Chat's fight-or-flight response kicked in, and he leapt away in time to avoid the stream of fire that the monster had intended for him. The car blew up behind him, causing an explosion that sent Chat tumbling towards a nearby building in a sea of smoke and metal.

The Akuma laughed, wind and smoke blowing as it took to the sky again.

Using the thick cloud of smoke as cover, Chat Noir scrambled to his feet, using trembling hands to feel against the wall for a door or a window he could escape through. He couldn't see, his eyes watering as he felt his way through the smoke, lungs burning as he coughed.

As he heard the Akuma swoop in closer, his claws finally touched a knob and he turned it, hurrying inside and slamming the door shut behind him. He ducked behind the door as he heard the Akuma fly past, the door clattering with the rush of the tailwind.

"WHERE ARE YOU, KITTY?" the Akuma asked mockingly, "COME OUT, COME OUT! DRAGONFIRE IS NOT DONE PLAYING WITH YOU!"

A whine escaped Chat Noir, his body trembling against the door, ears flat against his head.

What was he going to do? Even with Plagg's power, his body was barely strong enough to hold him steady, let alone fight. His chest had already begun to burn with familiar, terrible pains as the potion in his system started to deplete.

He moaned in despair.

"Who's there?"

Chat Noir's ears perked. In his haste to hide, he hadn't even realized whose house he had broken into. Now that he took in his dark surroundings, he realized he was sitting in the Dupain-Cheng's foyer. Relief suffused through him and he jumped to his feet.

"Madame Cheng!" Chat called, "Monsieur Dupain!" He rushed up the stairs, three steps at a time until he reached the second floor.

"Chat Noir?" Tom asked, his head poking through the door of the living room. Upon seeing Chat, he opened the door wide, a shaken Sabine and Alya looking at him from behind Tom, who held a frying pan defensively on one hand.

"You're all okay!" Chat said in relief, his lips breaking into a big smile. Without pausing to think, he ran to them and hugged Sabine and Alya–the ones he could surround with his arms–to him. "I'm so happy you're safe!"

Chat pulled back, surprised to find both Sabine and Alya staring at him, seemingly taken aback by the embrace. Chat Noir realized a second too late that he was not Adrien, and that the gesture must have looked really strange coming from Chat Noir.

Chat cleared his throat. "Um, sorry. I-Is everyone alright?" he asked awkwardly, taking a few steps back.

"We are. The moment we heard the roar we took shelter in the living room," Tom explained.

"What's going on outside, Chat Noir?" Sabine asked. "We saw the park blow up in flames!"

"It was so sudden. No one even saw who did it!" Alya said, "It's an Akuma, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so," Chat said, "His name is Dragonfire, and he's the one who has been setting fire to buildings in other parts of the city. We have to evacuate. Smoke's starting to leak into the house. It's no longer safe for you here. I came to get you out."

"Thank you, Chat Noir!" Sabine said appreciatively.

"Are you alright, though?" Alya asked, her eyes concerned, "Where have you been?"

Chat hesitated, looking at the floor. "I'm s-sorry I haven't been around I..."

How could he explain that he had neglected his duty for something as stupid as not having notifications enabled? He was supposed to be better than that. He shouldn't need a phone app to tell him when to show up. He was a hero! He was supposed to be able to recognize danger when he saw it. To be there the moment trouble was abrew. But he had been distracted, wallowing in his own self-pity...

He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright. You're here now, so let's all focus on getting out of here, okay?" Tom said, smiling amicably and looking at Chat meaningfully. Chat returned the gesture, nodding his head, grateful for Tom's timely intervention. He didn't need more self deprecation to finish shattering what was left of his morale.

However, his little respite was short lived. Another roar pierced the air, making the flat vibrate.

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU'D MAKE ME PAY, CHAT NOIR!" the Akuma laughed as it flew overhead, looking for him. "WHERE´S YOUR COURAGE NOW? OH, THAT'S RIGHT. SHE'S DEAD!"

Sabine and Alya gasped, and all of them turned to look at Chat. Chat Noir's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the ceiling vacantly. He swallowed with difficulty, trying to appear unperturbed by the jab, trying to keep his emotional barriers up.

"We have to go," Chat said, avoiding their gazes as he moved towards the staircase. The others followed close behind, waiting for his cues to move.

"YOU'RE NOTHING WITHOUT LADYBUG!" came another rumble.

Chat Noir stayed silent, lips tightly closed as he walked decidedly down the stairs, his ears flattened against his head. Tom and Sabine looked at each other in worry as Alya tried to catch up with Chat.

"Hey, Chat Noir…" Alya tried, but Chat jumped off the rest of the steps, getting to the foyer first.

"IT'S USELESS! FACE YOUR FATE! THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO FOR THIS CITY!"

Chat reached the doorway that lead to the Bakery, his breathing labored.

"P-Please go through this door…" Chat said, voice soft and quivering. He kept his back to them, trying to hide his face, but the tension was evident in his shoulders. "Run to the S-Seine. Go down river t-till you reach somewhere safe. I'll distract him a-and-"

"YOU KNOW HOW TO END THIS, CHAT NOIR! IT'S OVER. THIS WAR IS OVER. LADYBUG HAS LOST. YOU HAVE LOST!"

Alya frowned. Chat may have been trying to hide any indication that the Akuma's threats were getting to him, but observation was Alya's specialty, and she definitely didn't miss the shaky breath that had escaped his lips just a second ago after the Akuma's voice was done echoing in the room.

"Hey, don't listen to him," Alya said, grabbing Chat's arm and gently turning him around to face them. Chat kept his gaze downcast, his expression hidden by his bangs. " None of it's true… He's just a big bully. The moment you give in to his demands is the moment Paris falls for good. You're our only hope, Chat!"

"He's trying to scare you," Tom agreed, laying a hand on his shoulder, "He's trying to intimidate you so that you'll make mistakes. It's all talk. Never give in."

"He doesn't know you and he doesn't know what you're capable of," Sabine added, her hand finding his in the dark to squeeze it reassuringly, "We know you can do this, Chat Noir. We know you can beat him."

Chat finally looked up at them. Try as he might to stay composed, moisture had already gathered at this eyes, making them glassy.

He hated that he couldn't block it out. He hated that he couldn't stop the Akuma's words from hitting home and piercing his heart where it hurt, destroying what little confidence he had left. He hated that he could not control his fear, letting it overtake him with every threatening word, making his heart beat hard in his throat, choking him, breaking his thoughts.

But he couldn't break down here. He couldn't let them see him scared. Not when Marinette's family needed him. He had to stay composed and firm, and guide them through this, like Ladybug would have done…

But he was not her…

Ladybug was gone...

And the truth was, he was so terrified of what awaited him...

Terrified of not being able to see his fate beyond today...

The thanks he had intended for them for their encouragement died in his throat, a lump forming there instead as anxiety took hold of him, ghosting past his lips in the form of a quivering breath, eyes burning with unshed tears.

He felt Sabine wrap her arms around him, bringing him close to her chest. He didn't fight it, melting into her arms, hiding his face against her shoulder. Her touch assuaged his gooseflesh, spreading waves of pleasant warmth down his cold body, the vaguest hint of an appreciative purr rumbling in his chest.

"You're going to be okay..." she said softly. A roar cracked through the sky and Chat couldn't stop the flinch that coursed through his body, making his claws dig unconsciously into Sabine's tunic, his face sinking further into the crook of her neck. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for, and braver than what that monster thinks. Okay?"

Chat took a deep breath against her neck.

"Okay," Chat repeated, pulling back and looking at Sabine with warm eyes. She surprised him by pulling his head down and kissing his forehead, which he accepted unflinchingly.

"Show that Akuma what you're made of," Alya said with a confident nod of her head. Chat nodded in return, allowing a small smile to form on his lips.

"Please wait till I have his attention before leaving the bakery," Chat told them, "The moment you see him chase me, run to the river and take cover under the bridge. On the next chance you get, run downstream, as far away as possible from here."

"Understood, Chat Noir. Good luck," Tom said as he dragged both women to the bakery to get ready to flee. Chat moved to the door on the foyer and took a deep breath.

"YOU ARE A SPINELESS COWARD, CHAT NOIR!"

"If I'm the coward, then how come you don't show your face, smokebreath?!" Chat yelled as he walked through the door, tail swishing angrily behind him. He felt the wind pick up as the Akuma seemed to shift in the air toward him.

"OH, BUT THEN, THE WAY YOU SQUIRM IN FEAR WOULDN'T BE AS SATISFYING!" the Akuma bellowed above him, seemingly circling him. He landed shortly after, the ground trembling with the impact, Chat turned around, facing where he thought the Akuma was. He breathed heavily, feet trained firmly on the ground. His stomach squirmed uncomfortably but he stood his ground.

He looked around, eyes shifting to catch any hint of his location. He could feel a rumble on the ground but he couldn't tell if it was walking around him, or towards him.

Suddenly, he felt a warm breeze on the side of his face, a breeze so hot and suffocating it felt more like a furnace. Chat looked to the side, startled to find a pair of large, pink eyes and a row of razor sharp fangs floating in the air beside him.

"OH, THE TERROR IN YOUR EYES IS SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL!"

Chat backed away with a gasp, limbs frantically flying to grab his baton before he felt something hard and strong connect with his side and send him flying over the air. He crashed a few meters away, hissing in pain as his injured chest absorbed the impact.

Even with Plagg's enhancements, his body was just too broken to fight.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tom open the bakery door a crack, waiting for Chat's signal. Chat struggled to his feet, limbs tingling with the aftershock.

"Is that all you've got!?" Chat yelled as he held his injured side. Dragonfire chuckled, and opened his huge maw, hurling a fireball at Chat. Chat jumped to the side with a grunt, feeling the heat of the explosion behind him as he rolled on the balls of his feet. "Missed me, lizard face!"

"GOAD ALL YOU WANT. YOU WILL BE PLEADING FOR MERCY SOON ENOUGH!"

Dragonfire roared, the wind picking up as it took to the skies again. Chat scanned the darkening clouds, cat ears turning to and fro restlessly to pinpoint the location of the Akuma. He may not be able to see him but he could very well hear him. Although the sky rumbled with the sound of the upcoming downpour, Chat could still hear the flapping of wings. The air above him shifted, and Chat leapt away as the concrete behind him exploded with the Akuma's landing, the sound of powerful claws scraping against the stone not lost to him.

Chat spent 5 terrible minutes in this deadly game of guess-where-the-Akuma-is-gonna-hit-next, his eyes darting to the Bakery every few seconds as he watched the Dupain-Chengs and Alya finally sneak out the door and make a beeline for the Seine.

However, on his last glance, he stared one second too long.

His body slammed against the concrete as something tough and heavy landed on his back, pinning him down against the ground. He could hear the crack of his spine as the Akuma pressed down on him, mouth gasping desperately for air as his lungs were crushed under the weight.

He felt the warm breeze against his cheek again, hot like the wind on a scorching desert.

"PLEAD FOR MERCY…" The Akuma growled in Chat's ear, fangs - the only part of the akuma he could see- glinting menacingly beside his face.

"S-s-cre...w y-you…" Chat wheezed, claws raking the concrete in an attempt to pull himself out from under him.

"WRONG ANSWER," Dragonfire rumbled, and Chat let out a scream when he felt the pressure on him increase, causing his pelvis to crack. "GIVE ME YOUR AND LADYBUG'S MIRACULOUS AND I MAY SPARE YOU!"

The moment you give into his demands, is the moment Paris falls for good...

Chat gaped, choking on the lack of air, arms flailing uselessly. "N-no…"

"I WILL SAY THIS ONE LAST TIME! GIVE ME YOUR-"

Dragonfire cut off abruptly and Chat was not sure what was happening until he heard the Akuma snicker.

"PERHAPS THERE ARE OTHER METHODS OF PERSUASION..."

Chat felt Dragonfire shift above him, but before he realized what was happening he saw the flash of a fireball being spit and heard a booming explosion, followed by the the scream of a woman.

"SABINE!"

Chat gasped, head whipping forward.

Alya and Tom had made it to the stairwell leading to the Seine River, but Sabine had not managed to get that far. She lay on the ground, staring in terror at the scorched crater between her and the stairwell, her dress singed and her face dirtied.

"NO!" Chat choked out desperately, eyes blown wide in panic, hands clawing aggressively, "L-leave her alone!"

"THE MIRACULOUS!"

"D-don't t-touch them!"

"WRONG ANSWER AGAIN!"

Chat felt Dragonfire move on top of him, the air around him shifting, getting hotter by the second.

No, no no no no no no!

Not again!

Chat growled as he took advantage of Dragonfire's distraction to pull himself out of his grasp. Stumbling on his feet, he sprinted toward Sabine's frozen form just a few meters away. Body aching, joints locking up, Chat took one running leap and pounced, pushing Sabine down on the ground and covering her with his body as the inevitable stream of fire came hurtling at them with a deafening roar.

He had no time to brace. Chat screamed in agony as hell made contact with his body. Flames licked against every inch of him, painful and terrible even with Plagg's protection. Heat blazed around him, burning the skin under the suit. Fire seared around his exposed neck and face, the smell of burnt flesh and singed hair reaching his nostrils, threatening to make him gag.

After several agonizing seconds that felt like hours, the fire let up and Chat collapsed on Sabine, limbs giving out from under him. His skin tingled in pain, his suit and hair smoking, surrounding them in a pungent smell.

"No!" Sabine cried, turning her head to see him. She trembled beneath him, her eyes, filled with tears, wide in terror, "Chat Noir!"

"M-madame…" Chat croaked, trying weakly to prop himself up on trembling limbs so as to not crush her. But his strength was quickly leaving him. His voice failed him, his eyes threatening to close, "R-run…"

But she didn't move, looking up at him with regret.

"Chat Noir…" she sobbed, cupping his face as tears streamed down her face, "Oh god your neck…"

Chat hissed as one of her fingers touched the burnt skin behind his human ear, shakily traveling up to his singed hair.

"YOU BRAZEN FOOL!"

Chat had no time to react before he was whacked away from Sabine with an invisible appendage, body arching in the air as he crashed back down against the floor with a gasp of pain. Everything hurt, his skin alight with his freshly inflicted burns and sending spark after spark of pain travelling down his limbs. He heard Sabine scream again, and Chat cracked his eyes open.

She was floating in midair, seemingly held by the Akuma. Tom had ran forward with a furious yell, trying to reach Sabine desperately, but the Akuma had tossed him away like a rag doll, and Tom rolled across the pavement with a grunt.

"ONE LAST CHANCE, CHAT NOIR!" the Akuma bellowed, shaking the panicked Sabine in his grasp. "THE MIRACULOUS! FIVE!"

"Let.. her go…" Chat choked, reaching out uselessly with a hand. "P-please…"

"FOUR..."

No.. please don't. Please… Not Madame Cheng... please!

Chat dragged himself forward, pathetically crawling on the ground towards Sabine, his sight blurring. If only he had more strength. If only he could do more...He couldn't even summon Cataclysm, his power fading even as he held the transformation.

"THREE..."

If only he wasn't such a weak, pathetic excuse for a hero… If only he was strong enough to save Sabine...

But his only chance at saving Marinette's mother was to have more power...

Chat dug within him, trying to reach his center, trying to bring forth what was left of his waning strength...

"TWO..."

His desperation increased. He dug deeper and deeper, feeling for the latent presence in the back of his head...

Help me…

He whispered inwardly, trying to reach out to the dormant power within him...

Please, help me…

He felt a soft stirring within his person, a rousing presence building in the pit of his being, like a curious creature reaching up to meet Chat's soul….

I need you…

The presence within him stirred further, tendrils of energy stretching to meet Chat's mental grasp. Chat reached back, fighting against the barriers in his mind, dissolving the chains of his self restraint…

They made contact, and he felt sizzling energy caress his consciousness...

Please, Chat called to the presence, his heart and soul put into his words, Please, help me save her!

His plea echoed in the recesses of his mind…

….And from the very center of his being, a voice replied.

As you wish…

"ONE…"

Chat's body spasmed, a cold shiver setting every hair on his body on end, energy crackling around him. His head snapped up, a guttural growl rumbling in his chest.

"You are going to regret this." Chat snarled, a dark shadow falling on his features as his pupils turned to slits and his face contorted into a savage grimace, fangs bared. He rose on all fours with a strength he didn't know he possessed, and sprinted forward, taking a running leap to where he assumed the Akuma's snout was, pinpointed by a sliver of light that had begun to form when it opened its jaws.

Chat slammed into a hard, invisible surface, clinging to it with his claws. His hands felt thick scales and soft folds of skin, and with an angry snarl, he swooped down and sank his fangs where he thought the Akuma's eye to be. Sharp incisors pierced soft flesh in a flash of fuchsia light, and the Akuma screeched in anger and pain, dropping Sabine as it trashed around.

Tom quickly lunged forward, catching his falling wife on his arms before he turned tail and ran back to the stairwell, finding refuge from the clashing duo.

Chat Noir held on viciously as the Akuma trashed, claws digging into scaly skin and teeth sinking deeper and deeper, fueled by the searing rage that consumed him, his senses finding sick delight in the taste of copper on his tongue.

Dragonfire tossed his head with terrible screams of pain, crimson drops raining on the pavement from where Chat Noir had mangled the Akuma's eye. With a resounding roar, Dragonfire swooped down head first, slamming his forehead - and Chat - against the pavement with zealous rage, cracking the ground underneath.

Chat's jaws slackened, his bloodied mouth opening up in a gasp as his back was crushed against the stone. Before Chat could get his bearings, Dragonfire slammed his head against a nearby building, over and over again, until Chat's arms had started trembling from the shock, claws retracting.

With a savage toss of his head, Dragonfire flung Chat off his face. He flew through the air, body crashing against the pavement and rolling across the ground until he skidded to a halt over the bridge, body twitching, mouth gaping like a fish out of water.

"YOU LITTLE, SON OF A–"

Boom!

Dragonfire paused, looking up at the sky. Had his body not been going into shock, his vision darkening as his consciousness faded, Chat Noir would've distinguished the familiar roar of thunder and felt the first pinpricks of rain against his face as the sky finally broke.

Dragonfire roared in anger, "I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET, CHAT NOIR! I WILL FIND YOU!"

There was the sound of the flap of powerful wings as Dragonfire took flight, and after a few moments, silence reigned, broken only by the pitter patter of rain as it began to pour from the sky.

"Sabine? Are you okay?" Tom asked her, quivering hand cupping her face to look at her eyes as they took refuge under the bridge, "I thought I was going to lose you..."

"I'm fine, love. I'm so glad you are okay, too," Sabine said, her voice still shaking from the rush of adrenaline. She leaned forward to press a calming kiss on Tom's lips. "What happened to Chat Noir?"

"I... don't know." Tom confessed, his arms going around Sabine protectively.

"You think he's gone?" Alya asked cautiously, peering around the archway and staring up at the crying sky. She took a tentative step forward. "I don't hear anything…"

"Alya, no, stay here!" Sabine said, but it was too late. Alya was already halfway up the stairwell, back hunched as she sneaked up the steps, head dipped against the rain.

She peered over the wall, scanning the area for any sign of the Akuma. It was eerily deserted, the streets devoid of any sign of life. The crackling fire in the park had begun to subdue with the aid of the rain, pillars of smoke rising up to the sky. Her hair and shirt fully soaked, Alya took a step forward toward the street, but jumped when she heard a choking sound. She turned her head, finding Chat Noir in the middle of the bridge on all fours, body shaking with an incessant cough, the rain making his hair stick to his face.

The sound of his heaving was terrible on her ears, sounding painful and dry. Before long, the sound went from dry to watery, and she saw him lurch forward violently, mouth gaping wide as he retched and something liquid and dark came pouring from his mouth, falling to the ground with a splat. She couldn't see what it was, the view getting obscured by the rain, but Chat made a sound between a cough and a sob and his limbs trembled, his head dropping pitifully.

"Chat Noir?" Alya said cautiously, walking slowly to him.

His ears seemed to perk at her voice and he shakily struggled to his feet, his back to her. He had barely gotten up before he swayed again, drunkenly stumbling to the edge of the bridge and grabbing on to the railing, breathing heavily.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He didn't respond, walking away from her with faltering step, shaky hand reaching back for his baton.

"No, wait!"

She ran towards him, but he was faster than her. He extended his baton and vaulted to the sky, landing on the roof of a nearby building and slinking out of sight. Alya skidded to a halt on the spot where he had stood, heaving an exasperated sigh. She shook her head, looking down, but she paused when her eyes caught a flash of color on the ground.

Kneeling slowly, Alya's eyes narrowed curiously, her eyes peering at a puddle at her feet. A moment later, she gasped, her heart clenching.

What should have been a puddle of transparent water was stained a deep crimson, splatters of red blood spreading across the concrete as the rain continued to fall.

Adrien moaned as Plagg helped him out of his shirt, the fabric sticking to the angry, red burn on his neck. With one last pull, Plagg managed to rip it away from his skin and Adrien hissed in pain.

He laid on his knees before the large bathtub in the middle of his shower, having dragged himself to the bathroom the moment he touched down in his room to wash away the stink of blood and smoke from his skin. He had turned the tap to fill the tub, throwing in a bath bomb as he weakly began to undress, body protesting every move as his burnt back ached with the stretching skin.

"I'm not helping you with your pants," Plagg said dryly, turning away as Adrien shakily removed the rest of his garments, tossed them aside, and slowly dipped into the tub. He stifled a groan as he sunk into the warm soapy water, feeling every scratch, burn, and bruise throb against his skin. He let out a sigh, breathing in the cinnamon and apple scent from the bath bomb.

"Lean forward," Plagg said as soon as Adrien was chest deep in the cleansing water. Adrien obeyed, dipping his head as Plagg looked at the damage across his neck and back.

"How bad is it?" Adrien asked hoarsely.

"Bad." Plagg said, as he flew to the first aid kit in the bathroom and came back with wads of cotton and ointment, "You won't be able to hide this for long. Your back is all red. Your neck and the lower part of your jaw is all icky and full of blisters, and fire also got the ends of your hair. You'll need to cut it."

Adrien sighed despondently, then grunted when Plagg began cleaning the burn by dropping soapy water on it.

He remained silent for the next several minutes, letting Plagg clean and dress the wound as he stifled groans of pain with a fist. Despite the water washing away the grime, smoke, and blood - both his and the Akuma's - Adrien found he didn't really feel any better. His body felt broken, abused. He could feel the bruises all over his body without looking at them. The rush of adrenaline he had felt when he had attacked the Akuma had already left him. He was left to feel the extent of the damage, although his memory of the event was still a blurry mess.

His chest hurt, not only from his internal ailments, but because of the new wounds inflicted by the Akuma. He would be surprised if he didn't have a cracked rib. It hurt to walk, his spine and pelvis still resenting the abuse, which he was sure would have been significantly worse if not for Plagg's armor. His back stung with even the slightest of touches, although it wasn't a bad as the back of his neck, where fire had actually burnt the flesh. Adrien was convinced the only reason he was not presently howling in pain was because he had downed half a vial of potion the moment he reached his room.

He felt so hurt and exhausted.

"I can't do this anymore…"

"Wha-?"

"I can't do this!" Adrien said more urgently, pressing both hands desperately to his face. "What am I going to do? He almost killed Marinette's mother! I can't do this alone anymore..."

Plagg was quiet, looking at Adrien contemplatively. After a moment, he spoke. "You don't have to do it alone…"

"What are you talking about? Marinette is still out-"

"I'm not talking about Marinette," Plagg said as he downed another cup of soapy water on the burn.

Adrien flinched at the sensation. "I don't follow?"

"Look, I've been thinking…." Plagg started, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "I.. know that we can't let the Akuma roam free, so if you were to give the earrings to someone e-"

"No." Adrien interrupted with a hiss, "No one is using her earrings..."

Plagg scoffed, "They're not hers to begin with, they are Master Fu's!"

"No one is going to be Ladybug while Marinette is still around!"

"Ugh, you are so stubborn!" Plagg groaned, "You're wearing yourself thin when the solution is right in front of you! We could end this so easily if you would just get over your stupid crush!"

There. He said it.

It's not that Plagg disliked Marinette. Sure, she was clumsy and awkward around Adrien when he was a civilian, but the girl was kind and selfless and he was sure that she was more than capable of giving his Chosen the love and affection he craved.

But to see Adrien put himself at so much risk for a stupid notion like his loyalty to her? It was beginning to grate on his nerves. He was doing his best to not be resentful towards Marinette because of Adrien's pig-headed stubbornness. But at the end of the day, his Chosen's life was Plagg's priority.

However, Adrien was far from receptive to the idea.

"It's not a stupid crush!" Adrien's voice rose as he turned his head to face Plagg. He felt a stir in the back of his mind, and the words came tumbling out of his lips before he could stop them. "What would you know about loving someone, anyway? You don't care about anyone but yourself!"

Plagg's fur bristled, eyes narrowing. "Is that it? It that seriously what you think? These days I've done nothing but look out for you and this is what I get?"

"Looked out for me?" Adrien scoffed. The pressure at the back of his head intensified. "It's all been Tikki! What have you done?"

"I've been trying to get you to catch a break but you're an insistent idiot!"

Something seemed to click in Adrien's head and his eyes widened. "It was you."

"What?"

"You unsubscribed me from the Ladyblog!" Adrien yelled, pointing a finger accusingly, "It was you, wasn't it? You messed with my phone!"

Plagg hesitated, but his anger returned and he didn't back down, "So what if I did? You almost got killed today! You can't continue fighting like this!"

"They were counting on me!" Adrien shouted, motioning towards himself desperately, "People could've died, Plagg!"

"You could barely stand up!" Plagg shouted back, "How can you save others when you can't even save yourself!?"

"It's my job! I was chosen to do this!" Adrien retorted, "It's my duty, Plagg!"

"That doesn't mean you have to go out and get yourself killed!" Plagg screeched, "You need to go to the hospital! NOW!"

"There's a stupid…dragon, flying around the skies of Paris right now!" Adrien said, "I can't just turn my back on it! Why won't you understand this?"

"And why won't you understand that I don't want you to die!?" Plagg screamed, his eyes watering.

Adrien backpedaled, mind reeling. The presence in the back of his head backed off, the anger fizzling up as guilt took its place.

"Plagg..."

"Forget it! Fine, go get yourself killed!" Plagg turned around, his back to Adrien as he mumbled angrily under his breath. "See if I care! You stupid, ungrateful-"

Adrien reached out, taking Plagg in his hands.

"-no, don't touch me! I don't want to talk to you!" Plagg struggled against his hold, but Adrien didn't relent, bringing Plagg closer, "Stupid kid with your stupid crush and your stupid puns and, and, and–"

Adrien brought Plagg close to his face, nuzzling the Kwami's head with his nose.

"–and… and your… stupid… face…" Plagg wibbled, nuzzling back with his forehead, eyes tightly closed as he tried to keep his tiny tears at bay.

"You...you do care about me..." Adrien murmured, his own eyes stinging.

"I don't! I hate you..." Plagg cried, floating to Adrien's cheek and laying his head against it. "You're dumb! So dumb!"

Adrien chuckled, "I deserved that. I'm sorry, Plagg. You're the only friend I can count on and what I said wasn't fair... I'm… I'm really sorry. Thank you for taking care of me."

Plagg sniffled uncharacteristically, wiping at his face with a paw, "Yeah, whatever... Turn around I'm not done cleaning. You're seriously a mess, kid."

Adrien could tell Plagg felt awkward about his rare display of emotion, eager to change the subject, so he didn't say anything more and obeyed.

"I promise I will go get help after school tomorrow," Adrien said as he turned and leaned forward again.

"You better go through with it this time."

"Maybe we can pass through the bakery on the way? I'm worried about Marinette's parents…" Adrien murmured.

He felt more than saw Plagg roll his eyes. "They're fine. You were out but I saw them escape. The Akuma ran away, too."

"Why would he run away?" Adrien asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Beats me. In any case, it's a good thing he did."

"Yeah…"

Adrien grimaced. It still bothered him. The Akuma had definitely had the upperhand. Adrien remembered being thrown in the air and crashing against the ground, his body locking up as the air was knocked out of him. The amount of pain that exploded at once had sent his mind reeling, sending him into shock. The next time he came to, he had begun to cough, blood dripping from his mouth, but the Akuma had already left by then.

What was the deal with him?

Adrien sighed, preferring to swerve his thoughts to another direction as he felt the beginnings of anxiety pricking at his skin. There was not much he could do at this point anyway.

"We haven't visited Marinette and Tikki in a while. How do you think they're doing?"

"Probably better than you." Plagg grunted.

Adrien chuckled. "No doubt…"

He missed Marinette. He hadn't visited her since the day he visited Master Fu. He made a mental note to go after he was done getting himself checked. For now, he'd have to content himself with the Ladybug in his dreams to keep him company.

Floating. She was floating.

She glided through a dreamland town. Only the roofs were visible, the rest of the buildings sunk in fluffy white mist. The sky was blue and bright, and she floated with ease through the city, the tips of her feet barely touching the tiles before she leapt to the next building.

Her dress was gone. She was wearing a full body, skin-tight suit and a mask, but she didn't know what color they were or what they looked like. When she looked down at herself, it glowed in a bright white light. She wore her hair in pigtails, long, streaming, glowing ribbons trailing behind her as she moved.

She laughed in delight. She loved the liberating sensation of flying through the sky. No physical or mental restraints to hold her back. She was free to move as she wished, tied down by nothing but the limits of her imagination.

"My Lady…"

She turned at the voice, echoing ethereally in the air around her. She couldn't see anyone with her, but a familiar scent reached her nose.

Honey and vanilla. With a hint of floral cleanliness. She recognized him now.

"My Lady!" the voice laughed. It was everywhere and nowhere, the sound changing its origin, as if he was moving around her. He was speaking, garbled words echoing around her. She couldn't understand the words, but oddly enough, her heart knew exactly what he was saying:

Can you catch me?

With a smile at the dare, she followed his scent. He was moving quickly in front of her, clouds shifting as he seemed to move through the white mist like a ghost. On occasions, she would see the faint outline of a tail. A black, sleek, long… belt?

He was wearing a black belt?

Her confusion cost her a few seconds and she heard his tinkling laugh again, mocking her. Pouting, she increased her speed to catch up with him. A flash of black, a flash of green, a flash of gold, but she could never see all of him.

In the distance, the Eiffel Tower materialized, standing proud and tall in the sea of buildings, all of which looked the same, sunk in a sea of clouds. She heard the pit patter of his feet as he climbed the tower and she followed. Her arm shot up on instinct, intent to throw something, but there was nothing in her hand.

She looked at her white fingers confused. Why was she throwing her arm forward?

"My Lady…" his voice chuckled, coming from high up the Tower. Taking a deep breath, she followed the pull building up in her gut and jumped. She jumped high and nimble, her one jump covering several meters of metal. She reached out with a hand to grab on to the ledge, floating over the railing to land on one of the Towers' viewing decks.

Hello?

"My Lady…"

She turned around, meeting air, but she felt her hand move, as if someone was lifting it. She felt something warm press to the back of her palm, sending wave after wave of warmth through her body. She felt her face warm up. Tentatively, she lifted her hand, reaching forward to where she thought a face would be…

And her hands touched skin.

The tips of her fingers lit up, and although the rest of him was invisible, the area around her fingers came into view. Soft, beautiful skin materialized like watercolor over a canvas, and she ran her fingers across his jaw, and then to his chin. Any new area she touched came into view, the others fading back to invisibility as she moved. A smile appeared as her fingers found his lips and she lingered, taking in the subtle curve of his grin. He softly kissed her fingers, but otherwise did not interrupt her wandering touch.

She reached up with a second hand, feeling his other cheek, then his hair - it was a golden yellow! - when she reached his eyes, they closed, so she couldn't see their color, instead she was met with black shadow and soft leather - a mask?

When she was done running her fingers through his hair to feel the texture - even finding some black cat ears!- she moved down. Her hands caressed his neck, memorizing every inch of him, fingers meeting with the edge of a black leather suit and a golden bell. Her hands followed his zipper line and stopped at his chest. She felt the strong muscle under the suit, felt his chest rise and fall with his breathing. He was warm and firm.

Feeling bold, she leaned forward, resting her ear against his chest. There she heard it, the gentle beating of his heart, a soft, constant thrum. She sighed against him, finding that she felt at utmost peace in his presence. She suddenly felt warmth on her back, travelling in circles around her shoulder blades. He was hugging her to him, and she let him, comforted by his embrace.

She couldn't put a name or face to the boy before her, but she felt safe and loved, and so she remained there until he had pulled her down to sit against him, allowing her to get comfortable.

The sounds of their heartbeats joined, forming one steady rhythm. Before long, the sound of his heartbeat was joined by another and it was the most curious sound, rumbling softly in his chest. It made her smile.

He was purring.

"Adrien, are you sure you don't want us to call your chauffeur to pick you up?

"It's okay, Ms. Bustier, it's only a cold," Adrien tried to shoot his teacher his most convincing smile, but even that took everything out of him. His teacher sighed, clearly unconvinced, but she nodded her head and turned around to do the roll call.

Adrien was worried that he looked so bad that the first thing Ms. Bustier did when coming inside was address him before doing anything else.

He trembled within his green hoodie, face snuggling further into his scarf to hide the bandages around his neck and the burns in his lower jaw. He knew he looked terrible and he felt just as terrible.

Despite Plagg's best efforts to bandage him up, sometime during the night the burn on his neck had gotten infected. He woke up in the wee hours of the morning sweating and with his heart hammering uncomfortably against his chest, his skin quickly burning up with a fever. He had taken a cold bath to assuage it, but it had helped little. He hadn't even been able to keep his breakfast down in the morning, throwing it up almost immediately after.

Nathalie had insisted he stayed home, but Adrien had brushed her away, telling her he had an important test he couldn't miss. Of course, it was all just a lie.

He felt Nino nudge him as Ms. Bustier continued with the list.

"Dude, you sure you're okay?"

No. "Yeah, just a cold."

"Doesn't look like just a cold to me." Nino noted, taking his first good look at him. Adrien could only imagine what he looked like in Nino's eyes; exceedingly pale and clammy, a sick flush adorning his cheeks. His eyes droopy and tired, framed by dark rings which he hadn't even bothered to conceal. His whole body felt broken, as if it would shatter with the slightest touch.

Yes, definitely not a cold.

"I'm fine, don't fuss," Adrien said, waving a hand nonchalantly.

"If you say so man, but you're starting to worry me," Nino said, laying a hand on his back, oblivious to Adrien's wince, "I thought you would get that checked out."

"Yeah, I did," Adrien lied, shrugging, "My defenses were low so a bug hit me bad. No big deal. Just need more sleep. Sorry I've been a jerk to you, by the way."

Nino's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean?"

"Ignoring your messages and your calls and everything.. I'm sorry I just haven't been-"

"Yourself, I know…" Nino said with an understanding nod, "Don't worry, Alya told me…"

Adrien winced, "What did she tell you?" How much did she tell him?

But just then, Alya entered the room, rushing to her seat as silently as she could as Ms. Bustier finished with her list.

"Yo babe, what's up?" Nino whispered over his shoulder.

"Mom wouldn't let me come," Alya panted, setting her bag down and quickly taking out her school tablet. "We kind of had a tiff and I missed the bus."

"What? Why wouldn't she let you come?" Adrien asked softly.

"She was freaking out because of the Akuma attack that happened down the block yesterday." she whispered. "You left before it happened, but didn't you see the park on the way here this morning? It was horrible."

"Yeah, the news couldn't even get to the scene. It was up in flames and smoke and everything," Nino added. "I almost had a heart attack when I heard Alya was there. Didn't you hear?"

"Woah, what happened to you?" Alya cut in as she finally took her first good look at Adrien, eyebrow raising.

Adrien hesitated, "Uh…"

"Nino, Alya, and Adrien, if you want to chat, I'll have to ask you to do it outside." Ms. Bustier interrupted with a disapproving cock of her head.

"Sorry Ms. Bustier," all three of them said at the same time.

"We really need to talk," Alya whispered to Adrien, reclining back on her seat and setting her eyes to the front.

Adrien sighed. Yeah, there was no way he was getting out of that one. He pondered on, wondering just how much Alya had told Nino about why he was being odd. It's not like he didn't want Nino to know that he liked Marinette. Just...not yet. And if he could find out through Adrien, that would be better, since he didn't know how Alya would fill the gaps in information. But for now, he'd be left wondering as he set his eyes to the front and began jotting down information in his tablet.

He covered his face with an arm as another coughing bout came on, his body spasming slightly and a sliver of pain shooting up his chest. He had coughed so much that morning that his throat was already turning raw. He was surprised that he even had a voice to speak with.

15 minutes in, he gave up trying to take notes. His vision kept blurring, turning dark every few seconds. He thought nothing of it, blaming his fever on the tiredness of his eyes. The one thing he could not ignore though, was the the feeling of cold sweat drenching his body, the shivers running up and down his back, and how quickly his heart was now beating inside his chest.

By the time the class ended and Adrien stood up to grab his bag, he was shaking.

"Adrien?" Alya asked in concern, seeing him struggle with picking up his bag. "You okay? Do you want to go to the infirmary?"

"F-Fine…" Adrien said, breathing hard, "I- I really need to sleep. T-That's all..."

His heart was beating uncomfortably fast against his chest now, making it hard to talk, and he took deep breaths to steady himself.

Adrien finally managed to sling his bag on his shoulder, covering another bout of coughing with his forearm. "I'm s-sorry, you'll have to tell m-me the story another time. I'll go crash at the l-lab. See you g-guys later…" he said between wheezes.

Alya and Nino looked at each other with a frown, but thankfully, they decided to take Adrien's word for it and left, but not before Alya shot him a knowing look over her shoulder as they crossed the door. Adrien waited until most of the class had filed out before stumbling out of the room, placing a hand on the wall for purchase. He felt faint, and he walked with shaky steps towards the chemistry lab.

With every movement, his body hurt, making him wince. His back stung, his joints ached, his heart thrummed, and his lungs burned. He couldn't stand it anymore. He dug in his pocket and took out a half-full vial of potion. Without hesitation, he uncorked it and downed the whole thing.

God, just let it end...

"Well, he crashed all right…" Nino said as he and Alya entered the Chemistry lab after their break. They had gone in to find Adrien seated at his usual seat, hunched over, face hidden in his crossed arms and obscured by his hair as he slept.

"Shouldn't we wake him?" Alya asked.

"Nah, I feel bad for him, let him sleep." Nino commented, sitting with Alya instead.

Before long, the rest of the class came in, chattering and laughing loudly, but Adrien didn't stir, seemingly unperturbed. Mrs. Mendeleev filed in after the last student entered, closing the door behind her and addressing the class. After she got everyone to take out their tablets and jot down some formulas from the blackboard, she noticed Adrien had not moved an inch since she came in, and her face scrunched up in an angry frown.

"Mr. Agreste, if you really find my class that boring you can just go sleep in the Principal's office!" Mrs. Mendeleev griped, hovering over Adrien like an angry bird of prey. However, Adrien didn't move, and the teacher grit her teeth, slamming her hand against the desk beside Adrien's ear, to no effect.

He did not stir nor react to the sound.

"Mr. Agreste, look at me when I'm talking to you!"

"H-He is just sick, Mrs. Mendeleev!" Nino piped in shyly, standing up from his seat. "I'll get him."

Nino moved to Adrien's side, grabbing his shoulder. "Hey man, wake up!"

Adrien did not respond.

"Hey!" Nino shook him harder, "Dude, stop playing around!"

Letting his urgency get the best of him, Nino accidentally shook Adrien too hard. Adrien toppled over his seat, dropping like a dead weight to the floor, and both Nino and Mrs. Mendeleev jumped back with a gasp at the sight that met them.

Adrien lay on the floor unconscious. His face an unhealthy shade of white, covered in a fine sheen of sweat. He breathed with extreme difficulty, his chest rising and falling rapidly with his unnaturally quick heartbeat.

But perhaps most disturbing of all was the small puddle of blood on his desk where he had rested, and the thin strips of red that dribbled from his mouth and down his chin, staining the ground red.