Rolling her eyes, She zoomed off into the distance toward the direction he knew to be Alya's house. He followed her, still trying to make her day that much better.
---Marinette's POV---
My mind was reeling. Tikki just laid a major bombshell on me and I still had to patrol with Cat when the sun went down. I was trying to stay calm, but it was hard.
Tikki had seen an akuma fluttering towards me. Apparently, she originally was going to protest me leaving, but after pinning the akuma with my books she decided against it. I guess she agreed that this was too much for me.
The thought terrified me. More than Cat Blanc did, and that was a lot. If I had actually gotten akumatized, there would be no chance for Paris. I'm not saying that because I'm better than Cat, but because if I was the target there would be no purifying the akuma. I know good and well that Cat Noir could beat me in a fair fight if he really wanted.
I had only ever fought him before when he was under the influence of an akuma. He wasn't in his right mind and hence wasn't at full capacity. Sometimes, even acting as a puppet. That was the only reason I could ever have beat him then. If he wanted, he could probably wipe the floor with me.
Still, people seem to think that Cat Noir is weak compared to me. Probably because I have beat him before. It bothers me how people see him as my sidekick, but I cant prove otherwise because Cat would never agree to actually fight me one on one without holding back.
I understand why Tikki was hesitant to tell me, but I don't get why she waited so long. I still needed to purify it and now there was no telling where it ended up. I just had to wait for it to find a new victim.
I looked out the window. Sunset. That ment that it was about time when I would meet up with Cat Noir and patrol the city, looking for trouble. Normally it was a pretty simple routine. Meet up, joke around a little, patrol for around 45 minutes, meet back up, go home. I could already tell that today was going to be different though.
Chances were pretty good that somebody noticed I was missing by now. School would have ended an hour or two ago and after the incident with Lila this morning, there was little doubt that the school had called my parents. Especially since I didn't come back after.
"Time to go. Tikki, SPOTS ON!"
Transforming into the bug themed superheroine, I came out of the back of my new home and flew across the Paris skyline. The fresh air blowing across my face and through my pigtails.
---Adrien's POV---
I showed up at the meeting spot a little early and rehearsed what I was going to say. I had to be careful not to reveal myself in my wording. I had gotten close to a slip up like that before and milady was not pleased.
I heard her before I saw her. The zipping of her magical yoyo as she landed on the rooftop being me.
"Hey kitty."
Something was wrong. I hadn't even seen her yet, but I could tell she was crying recently.
Turning around, I was met with the most beautiful girl in the world, my partner Ladybug. My heart always skipped a beat when I looked at her, but this time was different. Her eyes were puffy and she had an obviously fake smile plastered on her face.
"Milady what happened?"
She seemed to catch her expression.
"Personal stuff Cat. Nothing that concerns you."
That made me more worried. If it was bad enough to make Ladybug cry, it was pretty dang bad. The woman had fought some of the most terrifying things ever thought of an not even flinched! I didn't really want to bring up Marinette, but...
"Do you wanna cancel the patrol tonight bugaboo?"
"Nah, I'll be fine."
"Okay, we have to make as little stop before the patrol."
She looked confused. Her little nose was scrunched up and a small frown was forming on the edges of her cherry lips. I panicked, nearly forgetting what I was planning to say. She was just to darn cute!
"You know that Adrien Agreste guy? Well he said him and some friends found an akuma earlier. Would have been a total CATastrophy if there wasn't something to hold it in close by."
Aaaand there was the pun. Every time I was around Ladybug, a silly pun came out. A lot of them were downright awful, but I would never admit that to Ladybug. Sometimes she even laughed at them. Right now, she looked like she needed a good laugh.
"Mr. PURRfect told me that it was by his friend Alya's house now."
That seemed to get Ladybug's attention.
"Is Alya okay?!"
"Should be, as long as she isn't FELINE too negative."
Rolling her eyes, Ladybug zoomed off into the distance toward the direction I knew to be Alya's house. I followed her, still trying to make her day that much better.
"Ya know Milady, the CHATter I've heard is that you are pretty PAWsome."
"Would you be serious Cat?"
"PURRhaps I should, it would be pretty CLAWful if we got distracted."
"STOP"
"NEVER! MY PURRNS ARE THE CATS MEOW!
"UUUHG!"
"We should stop by the bakery because I am on a roll!"
"I'M NOT LISTENING!"
"The CATfusing PAWsibility of that is making me FURRious!"
"SHUT UP"
"I just simPAWly cannot let you wallow in your PURRty MEWsery without a MEW puns!"
It continued like that most of the ways to Alya's house. I know that she thought I couldn't see it, but she definitely laughed at a few, which was enough for me to keep going.
Finally, we reached Alya's window. She had a small balcony with large, floor-length windows across it. It was nothing like Marinette's balcony, but it was nice. What was not nice, was what I saw through the window.
Alya sitting in her bed, the jar that held the single butterfly on the other end of the room. I had no idea how long she had been like that, but it must have been a while. Looking across the room at the jar, I could see why.
I forgot Akumas could multiply.
(A/N I really enjoyed writing those puns and I will definitely be writing more in future chapters.)