Appreciating Chat Noir

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Though he desperately needed to, Chat Noir couldn't breathe. He couldn't help it. This was just too similar to his past, his childhood, and all of the unfortunate situations that his father put him through. Though he was there, he didn't truly feel present. He felt as if he was back in his childhood bedroom. He was there as Adrien.

He had tried to find Plagg only when he did, he thought he had turned into a sock. It didn't make any sense, not really. But he hadn't been able to forget the feeling of being helplessly trapped without the help of one of his best friends to bring him back to freedom.

He tried to work on his breathing exercises that his therapist had recommended. He wasn't back in his bedroom. No, somehow it was much worse. His father as Hawkmoth had trapped him as Chat Noir and his friend Alya as Rena Rouge in a glorified cage.

His other friend Nino was out there as Carapace and his girlfriend... his girlfriend Marinette was out there as Ladybug trying to save them all.

And he was stuck there, in this stupid cage.

This was not happening. He couldn't, no he wouldn't let his father do this to him and his friends. What did Ladybug do when they were stuck in a pickle? Hm... he thought about it and remembered how she had described how she got this 'ladybug vision' almost.

He was no Ladybug, but as Chat Noir he had one trick up his sleave. And anyone be damned if they thought he wasn't going to use it. He made his way to the edge of the cage, noticing his team members in their fighting stances, preparing for whatever Hawkmoth was about to throw their way.

"What are you doing Chat Noir?" Rena Rouge hissed.

"Getting us out of here." He replied in an eerily calm voice. He was not going to be held back, he was in the zone.

"No wait, I think we should follow the plan first-

"The plan is dead – it won't work anymore. It stopped making sense the moment he trapped us in this cage." He spat in an unnecessarily hard tone. "Trust me, I've got a new one."

One thing is for sure – he wouldn't go down without a fight.

Rena Rouge looked at him worriedly. "What is it?"

He hesitated for a moment. He looked around to see if Hawkmoth was paying them any attention.

"Let them out, now!" Ladybug demanded.

"After releasing my precious akuma? I don't think so!"

"You mean the creatures you use to terrorise the citizens of Paris with every day? Why shouldn't we? And to what end? What could possibly justify such behavior?"

Chat Noir felt reassured that for the time being Hawkmoth seemed properly distracted. He began to whisper his new plan. Rena Rouge nodded though uncertain, still determined to follow through with the secrets he whispered in her ear.

Hawkmoth roared like a lion in pain. "You are too young; you couldn't possibly understand such motivations."

"Try me. I doubt you'll be able to be come up with something that justifies all that you've done to Paris over the years." Ladybug crossed her arms.

Carapace noticed the pair in the cage up to something and crept as silently as he could to the cage, they were in.

Hawkmoth scoffed and rolled his eyes. "What do you know about love. You must be, what, 18? 20?"

Ladybugs eyes widened and she blinked in disbelief. "I'm sorry, what?! Love? This is all for love?! I've never heard anything so misguided in all my life."

"Wow, you've really convinced me. I'll change my ways and never akumatise another Parisian citizen again." Hawkmoth dramatically declared in an extremely sarcastic tone while placing one hand on his chest and starring off into the middle distance looking the perfect picture of an actor in a Shakespeare play. "While I'm at it, I'll release your friends and turn myself in."