Noir Spots

Dreams

I'm sorry?

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Noir didn't know what to do.

She couldn't find Ladybug anywhere, even having searched all over the city.

Where did she go?

It didn't make sense, Ladybug would have told her if she was going to be late. She would've said something.

But there Noir was, sitting on top of the news building, alone and worried.

Threads of shimming sand snaked through the sky, creating Nightmares. It was almost peaceful, except for the screams shattering the night.

Noir didn't know what to do about them, though. She had never been one to make plans. Never been one to take charge if it didn't benefit her.

So she sat, legs swinging off the roof, and listened to the terrified screams.

She should do something.

She was supposed to be a hero, so why was she just sitting there?

It wasn't like she was hiding from her own Nightmares.

They could come find her whenever they pleased.

She wasn't hiding.

Another scream echoed in the night, making Noir flinch. Her cat ears were too sensitive.

Noir didn't move to help.

She sat quietly, enjoying the wind on her face and trying not to think about Ladybug.

She barely even felt it when her transformation dropped.

Plagg was fuming when he flew out of the ring.

Chloé still didn't move.

"What the heck are you doing, kid?" He yelled, flying right in front of her face.

Chloé didn't even flinch. Didn't blink. Didn't move. She didn't do anything.

Maybe it was the cat that was inside her. Maybe she was just naturally a still person.

Plagg seemed to lose his anger at the dead look in his chosen eyes.

"Kid?"

Chloé's eyes were empty.

She wanted to help, but her Nightmares...

She couldn't face them.

Not again.

She fought them every day, every night, she couldn't do it today.

She was so exhausted.

Plagg sighed and floated down to sit next to her. It was almost comical, Plagg was so tiny compared to Chloé.

"Look, I get it. Nightmares are...bad."

Chloé didn't move.

"I have them too, kid. Everyone does. But at some point we gotta face them, or they'll haunt us forever." Plagg tried again.

Chloé closed her eyes.

"I can't do it." She whispered, voice cracking. "I'm not a hero, Plagg."

Plagg hummed. He floated up back in front of Chloé's face.

"Well, you're not wrong."

Chloé flinched, hard.

Plagg just raised a little eyebrow. He crossed his arms at the girl, waiting for her to defend herself, to get angry.