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Ladybug's P.O.V
I raced across the rooftops as fast as I possibly can. I wish I could have stayed and learned more about what happened. Yet, I had to get home right away. I have to return to the storage room I was in before Alya discovers that I am missing.
I do not want to get Alya into any trouble, considering what happened with Rose. Rose was at least shown a merciful punishment (for whatever reason). Who knows what my mother would do to Alya if she found out that my personal servant had misplaced me.
I checked the hallway to make sure it was empty before landing on the marble floor. I latched the window shut and swiftly entered the closet.
"Tikki, spots off," I ordered, detransforming back into my sleepwear. I caught the Kwami and gave her my remaining macaron. Tikki gladly took the treat and scarfed it down.
I dazed off into replaying moving images from the past. A feeling of uneasiness curled around me, recalling what happened within the house Akuma.
The moment I stood under the chandelier, I could tell something was definitely off. It was too easy. I just did not see it coming until the very last moment.
The shadow of a humanoid creature came out of the blue, trapping me in its hold and had painfully dug its claws into the right side of my face.
Yet, it did not scare me as much as what happened after with Chat Noir.
I watched him turn from a shaking leaf into a...savage beast.
Chat Noir is my partner and a...special person in my heart. I care deeply for that cat boy and know he would never harm me on purpose.
But I know I should not be feeling this specific kind of feeling. This feeling began when he turned into a wild animal.
Fear. I felt fear.
Chat Noir scared me as I watched him go at the shadow and thoughtlessly attack with no rhyme or reason. His main focus was that creature and nothing else. Not even my calls could break through his rampaging trance. I even tried to stop him and was almost hit every time I drew close.
Claws were viscously swung every which way and growls were exchanged between the enemies. The shadow was obviously not hurt but Chat Noir was a bloody mess.
Surprisingly, it seemed as if he was unfazed by the pain being inflicted on him. He received so many scratch wounds that it became too much for his body and the blood loss made him pass out.
It was terrifying. I was horrified by the sight of Chat Noir mauled nearly to death.
So, I used my last hope in winning the battle. My Lucky Charm. I had a tough time figuring out how to use the object. Chat Noir had been running low on time and the Akuma turned its target onto me.
Luckily, I regained my focus and won the day. I was correct about the Akuma being in the chandelier. Once the house disappeared, I grabbed Chat Noir and not-so-gracefully landed on a rooftop. I quickly purified the Akuma and fixed Paris before returning my attention to my unconscious partner.
I was so relieved when he woke up and was acting normally again.
"You seem very lost in thought," Tikki commented, "What is on your mind?"
"I am worried about Chat Noir is all," I admitted, "He was...not himself during the fight. Whatever that final shadow-creature thing was had set something off within Chat. Yet, he is not the only one who was affected. Rena Rouge was too."
"Oh, dear. Was the Akuma truly that terrible?" Tikki asked.
"It seems so," I answered, "I am not sure what happened with Rena and Carapace. Chat Noir and I were separated from them. But judging by the events we went through in that nightmare house, it was traumatic, to say the least. Especially so for Chat and Rena. It showed our deepest fears, regrets, and toyed with our emotions."
"I would not be surprised. All the miraculous heroes have had a tragic experience in their life, some far worse than others," Tikki explained.
I bit the bottom of my lip in worry. I am going to talk with Chat Noir once we are finished with our sword-fighting session this evening. For the moment, I curiously looked over at the door and wondered where in the world Alya could be.
She has yet to come and retrieve me from the closet.
I placed Tikki in my pocket before exiting the small room. My eyes glazed over the area but there was no sign of a soul. Where was Alya? Where are the other servants and guards? I would have assumed someone would be searching for me.
I trailed down the halls in search of anyone.
"Hello?" I called.
"Lady Dupain-Cheng! There you are!" a male servant gasped. He approached me with a face scrunched up in concern.
"Are you alright? You are not hurt, are you?" He asked.
"I am alright," I confirmed, earning a relieved sigh.
"That is excellent news!" he said, gladly, "Come! Your parents have been curious about your whereabouts."
I winced at the mention of my parents but followed the servant. They must have wondered why I did not show up to the Akuma bunker.
"Do you know where my personal servant is?" I asked. The servant glanced over his shoulder before letting out a thoughtful hum.
"The last I saw of her was when she was warning us of the attack. I had asked where you were but she assured me you were in a safe place. You were in a safe place, right?" he asked.
"Yes, she made sure I was safe before going to warn the others of the Akuma attack," I answered. The servant nodded as we arrived outside my father's office.
"She had run off in a hurry to warn more people. I do not know what happened to her or where she went after that though," he finished. I gave him a final nod before he opened the doors.
My mother was pacing the floor while my father watched her in worry. Mother stopped pacing the floor once seeing me.
"Servant, you are dismissed," mother immediately said. The man bowed before leaving the room and shutting the door.
"Marinette," my mother's stern voice startled me, "where were you?"
"I was hiding in a safe place in a different part of the mansion," I answered. Her steely eyes narrowed, examining me from head to toe.
"And where might have that been?" She interrogated me. I wondered where she was trying to go with this. What could she possibly be trying to figure out? I did my best not to uncomfortably shift in my spot and kept my face neutral.
I am pretty sure she does not know of my secret superhero persona. There has to be something else she is suspicious about.
"I was hidden away in a closet near my bedroom," I replied.
"Was there anyone else with you?" she asked.
"Where is she going with this?" I thought, "Could she really know about me being Ladybug or close to realizing it? I had been so careful. There is no way..."
"My personal servant hid me away in the closet by my lone self before assisting the other staff members," I explained. At least I can speak the truth on these questions so I do not sound suspicious.
Mother approached me, making my heart drum in my chest. She stood in front of me with crossed arms I met her gaze, induced with a torment of mixing feelings clashing with each other.
She sharp-eyes stare softened. She relaxed the tension in her muscles and curled her arms around my back. I was taken aback by the sudden change in her demeanor.
Instead of hugging her back, I placed my hands on her shoulders and shoved her away from me. The fear that circled me moments ago disappeared. A few seconds of confusion were soon followed by an inferno of anger that had ignited within.
How dare she play games with me again!
"You do not dare lay a finger on me, mother," I growled, "I have had it with your cheap trickery and toying with my emotions with fake love!"
Mother had a look of shock on her face. She was about to say something but I did not let her speak.
"Save your breath, I do not care to listen to more of your lies," I hissed at her before storming out of the room. I slammed the door shut behind me and massaged the sides of my aching head. That woman is going to be the death of me. What was even the point of all of those questions?
Whatever it was, I do not have the energy to care.
My only concern right now is finding Alya.
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Adrien's P.O.V
"Thank you, Marianne. Have a lovely day," I said, waving goodbye to the sweet old lady.
"You as well, Adrien," Marianne replied with a smile before greeting her next customer. Fu sent me to fetch a few items from the market once I returned from the battle. I was concerned about Carapace and Rena Rouge.
It has only been an hour since Rena disappeared. Carapace did not want to talk anymore and immediately left. I did not follow, knowing that he required some space to with whatever happened between the couple. There was not much else I could do but return home as well.
It made me wonder what could tear apart such a strong partnership as theirs. Something terrible must have happened in that house. If it was anything like my and Ladybug's experience, I could only imagine what horrors they saw.
I was so lost in thought that I accidentally bumped shoulders with someone.
"I apologize for—Nino?" I stopped when noticing my friend continue to walk on as if he was unfazed by the bump. His head was bowed and his shoulders sagged in sadness. My eyebrows furrowed in worry for yet another friend of mine is in distress.
"Nino," I called out to him. I followed him until I stood beside his form. Nino and Alya have been my closest friends in my civilian life. They had helped me when Kagami passed away. Now, I shall return the favor.
Nino and Alya were more than just my friends.
They were my family too.
"Nino," I called him again, trying to gain his attention. He looked so lost in his mind that it took a few seconds to acknowledge my presence. He snapped his head up like an alert cat when hearing an unknown noise nearby. He blinked to clear the fog that blocked his surroundings.
"Adrien?" Nino said, surprised, "Hello, pal. Where did you come from? I did not even hear you approach."
This only made my concern blossom.
"Are you okay, Nino?" I asked, "You were so zoned out that you did not even hear me call your name."
His eyes expanded in shock before thinning out his lips, taking in the information.
"I am sorry. I just...have a lot on my mind," Nino explained.
"There is no need to apologize. What is troubling your thoughts?" I asked, placing a comforting hand on my best friend's shoulder. Nino scratched the back of his neck, seeming to think of how to word his explanation.
"Alya and I are going through a rough patch," he answered, "I had found out something she was not ready to tell me yet and locked herself in her room. I decided to go for a walk to clear my head and give her time."
I could hear a waver in his voice. He lied about something but I could not tell which detail it was. I decided not to question the vagueness of his answer either. It was very fishy and one question swam circles around my brain. The same one I had asked myself with Carapace and Rena Rouge.
What happened?
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A few hours earlier...
Carapace's P.O.V
The rug that Rena Rouge and I were trapped in let us go. We fell onto the floor inside the dark house. I immediately felt out for my girlfriend when I could not feel her warmth anymore.
"Rena?" I called in a quiet voice, blindly groping around for any sign of her. A shockwave of concern jolted through my veins. There was something about this house that made me paranoid the moment we passed through the door.
I know Rena can take care of herself. She is a very capable and fierce woman if I have ever met one. Yet, I cannot help wanting to be protective of her. She is the woman I love, after all. I will always feel the need to be her shield though I shook in my boots.
"I am over here," she answered. Hearing her voice sent a wave of relief over me as I followed her sound through the blanket of black.
"Ladybug? Chat Noir? Where are you two?" Rena called out for our teammates.
There was no reply, which was very nerve-wrecking for me. Where did Ladybug and Chat Noir go? They went in only a few seconds before us.
If Rena and I were dropped to the floor, I would assume the other two were as well. I could be mistaken but I did not hear the "thud" of them colliding with the floor. Plus, they would have responded already, unless they were knocked out somehow.
I finally found Rena Rouge and relaxed only a little.
"Are you alright?" I asked her.
"Yes, I am. Are you okay?" She asked in worry.
Before I could reassure her, some lights suddenly flickered to life. We were in some sort of circular-shaped room with mirrors adorning the walls. The source of all the lights was coming from candles in between the mirrors.
Ladybug and Chat Noir were nowhere in sight.
I immediately stood on my feet and reflexively kept my guard up. We have no knowledge of what this Akuma is capable of and the power it wields.
"This is...not what I was expecting," Rena Rouge commented after standing too, "What is with these mirrors?"
"I do not know but keep an eye out for any suspicious activity," I said. We stood back to back in the middle of the room, holding our weapons in a fight-ready position.
I caught movement in my peripheral vision and nearly snapped my neck trying to find it again.
"Did you see that?" I asked Rena.
"No, I did not see it," Rena said, "What did you see?"
"I am unsure. I did not get a good look," I explained, searching for whatever had caught my attention. Not a minute later, I get a better look at a silhouette moving along the mirrors before disappearing again. It was like it was toying with us, especially me.
I tensed when the shadow reappeared.
It stood in the mirror straight ahead of me with glowing eyes. I could tell it was a female by the outline of its structure. It blinked and tilted its head in curiosity.
I was unsettled by the strange shadow and prepared myself for an attack.
Yet, I was not prepared for this type of attack.
"Nino."
I tensed, my limbs going paralyzed. My airways were cut off from cycling air into my lungs. My lips were slightly ajar in bewilderment. My grip on my shield lessened, very close to dropping it on the floor.
That voice...
I knew that voice all too well...
"No..." I denied in my mind, shaking my head, "No...she-she is dead. I...I saw her die!"
"Nino."
She sounded too much like my older sister, Jasmine.
I backed up, accidentally bumping into Rena Rouge. My hands trembled. I could do nothing but stare at the shadow. Her voice bounced off the walls within my skull. The beating organ in my chest was tortuously being constricted.
"Carapace? Are you okay? What is going on?" Rena asked but my mouth was dry of words.
The shadow stepped out of the mirror as if it were a gateway from another world. The female silhouette's face broke into a smile.
"Where is Chris, Nino?" she asked, "Did you let him die too? Why could you not protect me from danger? You must be weak. To think, my brother was too cowardly to save his sister. I guess, you just did not care."
"No-No! That is far from the truth!" I stammered, trying to convince even myself that her words were false. Jasmine would never say such a thing. She was very sweet. Though, her words did sting. I knew that this was a fake.
"Carapace," Rena Rogue spoke into my ear and gently squeezed my shoulder, "Do not believe a single word that she says. She is a fake, shadow version. The Akuma is messing with our heads. That is its power, to show us our pain."
Rena Rouge may have the miraculous of illusions. A power she could use to easily lie to me anytime she pleases and I would not have a clue.
Yet, I know that she would never lie to me. I believe her.
She may hide her past from me but I know she was not quite ready to talk about it yet. I will wait until she is comfortable revealing her dark history.
I know she will stand by my side through thick and thin just as I would for her. So long as she is with me, I feel as though I could conquer the world alone, even the darkest part of my past.
The shadow of Jasmine frowned once realizing that it was losing its grip on my negative emotions. It began to melt into the floor, screaming for me to help it in my older sister's voice.
That definitely made it hard and hurt like the dickens.
Yet, Rena's hand weaved in mine kept me anchored and pull through the deceit. Once the shadow had finally gone, I smiled lovingly at Rena and kissed her cheek.
"You truly are the best," I complimented.
"I know," she replied, poking my nose, "You are pretty cute yourself, honey."
I felt my face heat up but my smile did not waver.
Someday, I will marry this extraordinary woman.
We were brought out of our stupor when we heard a woman chuckling. I kept on my feet and searched for the next malevolent shadow to pop out.
I felt Rena's grip tighten in mine and heard her breath hitch. I felt her meld into my side and trembled. I finally looked down at the brave woman I have always known shrink and hide behind my arm a little.
I heard another chuckle and was alert again.
I instantly knew we were dealing with Rena Rouge's darkness.
I squeezed her hand in return, letting her know that I was there. And I was not leaving anytime soon.
Suddenly, a shadow of another woman appeared in front of us.
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