The Big Scheme

Chapter 17

Adrien heard his door open and close. He looked up from his textbook at the person who had entered his room. He immediately looked back down. He put his face closer to the textbook, trying to use its pages to shield him from the curious eyes.

"What are you doing?"

Adrien rolled his eyes. Of course, he couldn't just be left alone. He slammed his textbook shut.

"Studying. How was your date, Félix? Made Marinette punch you yet?"

"I broke up with her."

Don't act out of character.

"What?" Adrien got up from his chair, "why?"

Félix shrugged, adjusting his collar. He didn't even seem to care. "She got boring."

The fire that had been sparking for so long immediately raged up in flames. Adrien felt his chest contract.

Forget about character.

"She got boring? Marinette is a wonderful friend that always helps people. She's made so many people's lives better and you call her boring? I've seen the read texts. I've seen the missed calls. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this, Félix."

"Like what?"

"Like trash. Disregarded and used. She deserves better than you."

Félix scoffed, "oh, don't act like you're her knight in shining armor. Girls like her are pushovers. Doormats. It's not my fault if I like to wipe my feet on them."

Adrien's nails dug into his palms. "I'm going to go check on her. You can tell Lila." He reached out to grab his jacket, which was on his bed, right behind Félix. Félix intercepted his arm midway.

"It's late. You can go see her tomorrow."

"I can't, Father has me under full surveillance during the day. You know this."

This time, Félix rolled his eyes, "you're going to school tomorrow."

"What?"

"School was too boring for me. Lila convinced Gabriel. Can you let me sleep now?"

Félix put on his sleep-wear and got into his bed. Adrien did the same, although, unlike Félix, he didn't get any sleep.

The next morning, Adrien was in front of his school. Not his old school, but his school. He saw Alya huddling with Marinette and Nino. They must be comforting her. She deserved it. Adrien made his way to his group of friends. When Alya saw him coming, she stepped in between him and Marinette.

"Haven't you done enough damage?"

Adrien raised his eyebrows in surprise, "what?"

Nino moved up behind his girlfriend, grabbing her shoulder. Alya shrugged it off, "you can't have thought that you could just break her heart and that we'd act like nothing happened?"

"But I didn't–"

Marinette pushed aside Nino and Alya, facing Adrien, her eyes puffy and red.

"There is no friendship or middle ground between us, Adrien. Maybe in the future, but for right now, we are over. Please, for my sake, leave me alone."

Alya and Nino put their arms around Marinette's shoulders, leading her away.

"Marinette, wait!" Adrien called, making the black-haired girl freeze. "I didn't do anything!"

"I need to go to the restroom," Adrien heard Marinette mutter before running off to the side, her hands clutching her face.

Alya bared her teeth, her glasses now askew, "why are you doing this, Adrien. Everyone now knows your true colors. We can all see it. Take your dark soul elsewhere. If I see you near Marinette ever again–"

Alya didn't get to finish her sentence. She was pulled away by Nino.

Dark soul? True colors? Did they see me when I was angry at Félix and Lila? Father's going to kill me. He was right. No one would like me as myself. You have to always maintain character. Even when you're alone.

"Adrien!"

Adrien whipped around. "Marinette?"

Marinette was suiting pale grey skin. Her black hair hung down over her shoulders, casting shadows over her sickly face. Her eyes were white and hollow. She wore a red dress that was longer in the back than in the front. A thick, black ribbon around her waist caused the dress to poof out. Her feet were in knee-high, red boots. She was floating in the air, her dress and hair flaring out behind her. Her voice was an echo. Distant, but still there. She was no longer the girl Adrien looked up to. The girl that helped him get closer to Kagami. The girl that helped him get to New York.

"It's Shadow Chaser now. You did this to me, Adrien," Shadow Chaser stuck out a manicured hand out to Adrien, "grab my hand. We can be together. Forever. Just like I always wanted."

"W–what?" Adrien tripped over the stairs in front of the school as Shadow Chaser floated closer to him. He felt his back press against the hard rock.

"I never thought you would break my heart like that," Shadow Chaser long, red nail pushed a lock of Adrien's hair behind his ear before scrapping towards his chin. She lifted his chin up, causing him to make direct eye contact with him.

"Ladybug won't be able to save you. The best chance of survival you have is agreeing to be with me. Forever."

Adrien shook his head rapidly. "No, Marinette. No, no, no, no, no you can't do this. Please. Ladybug and Cat Noir may hurt you."

Shadow Chaser threw her head back and laughed, "Ladybug is dead, Adrien. She'll never return. Neither will Marinette. Or you if you don't obey!"

Adrien gasped. A voice invaded his head.

"Hello, Adrien," the voice rasped, "this is Scarlet Moth. The reputation you've kept up for so long has been broken. Your friends don't trust you. I'm giving you the abilities to hurt those who hurt you the most."

"No–"

Adrien screamed. His thoughts were clouded by the raspy voice filling his head. It seemed familiar, but through the purple fog in his brain, he couldn't remember anything but two things. One: make Félix, Alya, and Nino pay. Two: get the ladybug and black cat miraculous. Both were very easy tasks. Ones he could complete in a heartbeat.

"Maybe I will join you, Marinette."