Shadow

13

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Chat Noir's P.O.V

"-leave a message after the beep! Bug out!"

"Come on, Milady. Where are you?" I murmur, dodging a charging Syren. I swim into an alleyway and hide from her. It's been nearly ten minutes since the akuma attacked. Yet, Ladybug is nowhere in sight. I know it's not too big of a deal that she's a few minutes late (probably being held up by something) but it doesn't mean it's any less concerning.

For all I know, she could be in danger right now. I'm not sure what kind of danger since the akuma is here with me. Plus, Marinette knows how to handle herself. It's just this weird feeling pinching at the back of my skull like I need to find her. Yet, I can't just leave with an akuma still at threat.

   "What am I going to do?" I think, searching for an answer. I'm not as creative as my beautiful princess but maybe there's a way to contain Syren long enough to track down Marinette. I peek around the corner, spotting the akuma viscously scanning the area for me.

   "Where did you go, you obnoxious cat?" Syren questions, irritated. I duck back behind the wall and open my baton, a map being displayed on the screen. Ladybug's symbol blinks on a specific spot, much to my dismay.

   "So, she is transformed and it looks like she's at the mall. Why isn't she coming? Wait, could there be an amuk running loose too? I didn't even think about that! Maybe, she's in trouble!" I began to panic after that last thought, "Alright, I need to move fast. What can I do to lock up Syren?"

  I cast my gaze away from the mall and immediately land on another place. I stare at the location not too far from where I'm at. The museum. A sudden memory replays in my mind of an occurrence that happened to me because of the akuma, Copycat. A lightbulb flickers on above my head, an idea of how to keep the akuma contained.

   "If Milady were here to hear my im-paw-ccable plan, she might have rewarded me for my purr-illant brain," I said to myself, proudly.

   "There you are!"

   I am bulldozed in a dumpster, doing a number on my poor back. I groan in pain, barely having time to dodge another incoming attack. I manage to sloppily get out of the way in time. Syren continued her assault, shooting head-first right into the side of the metal dumpster. I wince at witnessing the collision, hearing a loud clunk sound in my ears.

   Syren pulls back, holding her head in pain.

   "Yikes, that headbutt was complete garbage," I say, "It's probably karma for making such a big mess of the city."

   Syren growls, quickly regaining her composure and temper rising. I rapidly start swimming toward the Musée d'Art Moderne. I look over my shoulder and see my plan is working...so far. Syren is chasing me, trying to grab my tail every time she gets close enough.

I try to obstacle my way through buildings and cars, around street lamps and food carts. It puts some space between us until Syren starts catching up again. I grab a trash can and move it to block Syren's path, doing an effective job. The akuma runs straight into it, too blinded by her rage to see it.

I stop for a moment with a grin.

"Chat Noir, two. Syren, zero. Your score looking a bit trashy there," I joke before continuing my way to the museum. Yet, I didn't get very far when a shark nearly took my head off. I manage to duck and turn around. My eyes widen, seeing an army of different sharks floating behind Syren.

"Get him!" Syren yells.

I gulp then madly stroke away from all the sharks chasing me.

"Here I thought, the cat was supposed to chase the fish. Not the other way around," I shout, frantically swimming. The museum is just up ahead but now I need to figure out how to get rid of these sharks. My limbs are burning. I'm short on breathe. I'm growing more and more tired the longer I swim. My adrenaline is keeping me going and my concern for Marinette.