The Cat And The Snake

Chapter 49 - Ready As I'll Ever Be (Nino/Carapace)

It started off as a completely normal day, I texted 'goodmorning' and 'I love you' to Alya as usual, got ready and headed to School.

What I especially didn't want to learn was that Adrien had gone missing. My team and I searched for him all day.

I really didn't want to give up. And I hoped the rest of them wouldn't get suspicious when Chat Noir didn't arrive. They had no idea, that he was the one who had gone missing.

I tried to ignore the fact that I had given up on the search for my best friend, I felt terrible. But that completely changed when I witnessed what I did.

I was frozen.

Adrien was standing there, in front of Luka. I don't think either of them noticed me, especially not Luka, with his back towards me. But Adrien didn't notice me.

"I-I don't l-love you a-anymore..." I didn't need to see Luka's face to know he was completely shattered at the words that had left Adrien's mouth. The words he'd hoped he would never ever have to hear him say.

I couldn't move, not to stop Adrien from running away, not to save Luka from the Akuma, but Adrien beat me to it.

"Nino..?" Even when Alya put her hand on my shoulder, I didn't flinch, or get startled. I was too traumatized in seeing Adrien get Akumatized.

"Nino, wha- Oh my goodness..." She turned to see what I was looking at. I didn't need to see her face to know it was pale and drained of it's color.

"Adrien..." She mumbled. I finally snapped out of my trance and took Alya's hand, taking her away from the bad situation.

If Adrien was Akumatized, we couldn't let him see us in that state, under the control of Hawk Moth. His own Father.

The first person we needed to find was Luka. No doubt about that,

*_*-~

"I knew his Father was behind this!" Chloe snarled. Luka was completely traumatized when we found him hiding behind the School. He was a crying mess.

After we found him and calmed him down as much as we could, we found Chloe and told her everything that had happened. And she was not happy about it.

Juleka was next on the list to find. After her it's Marinette.

And both of them were just as angry as Chloe. All three of them together looked like a trio of killers. They were seriously ready to murder someone. No doubt it was Mr. Agreste.

It took Miles, Mason and Rose to calm them down. Only they were able to calm them. "What are we going to do? Adrien is Akumatized... Akumatized!" Marinette panicked.

Luka was in bad shape. Not physically, but emotionally and mentally. I understand, if Alya got Akumatized... I'd be in the exact same state as him.

He must feel the worst. "His Father made him do it..." Juleka went over to comfort him like the good sister she was. But I don't think anyone will be able to help him.

Only Adrien could do that, and he was out there, Akumatized and doing things against his will.

Just thinking about having to fight against him... I could never do that... It would be too difficult to fight him. He's my best friend, I can't do that.

*_*-~

I said I would never fight Adrien, but it doesn't look like I have a choice in the matter.

I swallowed hard as I hesitantly got in the fighting position. Ladybug and Rena Rouge were also very hesitant as they did what I did.

But Viperion didn't move. He stood there, shaking. "I-I can't f-fight him... I just c-can't..." His voice was shaky and cracked.