Quite Cracked, Yet Not Broken: A Miraculous Story

Chapter 4: Still You

Stitches and Cat Noir suddenly smash through the wall.

Cat Noir ran as fast as he could. Stitches threw a few of her needles at him when he got close enough. The cat-themed hero ducked and slid on the floor. He then extended his baton, tripping her by the legs.

Cat Noir then jumped onto her back, he looked around Stitches, trying to spot the object that caused all of this. But Stitches threw him into the ground. She shoved him into a few lockers, then threw him into the music room. Cat Noir struggled to get up as he felt the rubble clutter around him.

Before he could get up, Stitches pinned his arm with the baton down and threw her claws towards him. He luckily dodged.

"Nowhere to hide, Cat Noir." Stitches said sinisterly, "There's no need to stop me. You can't defeat me."

"Oh, yes I can, Purrincess." the cat-themed hero answered.

Stitches growled in annoyance for her old nickname by Cat Noir. She then took out a large needle and thrusted it towards him. Cat Noir was able to luckily dodge and finally kick her off of him.

Dust from the rubble began to cloud both their visions. Cat Noir suddenly disappeared and disengaged his transformation.

"Adrien, what are you doing?!" Plagg whispered.

"I need to try, Plagg." said Adrien.

"Try what?!"

"To save Marinette. But not as Cat Noir, but as Adrien Agreste."

He then saw Stitches getting back up. She stared at him in a mixture of shock and confusion.

"What are you doing here?!" she demanded.

"To stop you." Adrien answered.

Stitches began to feel anger burning within her. It was as if Adrien was willing to fight her instead of Cat Noir, wherever he just disappeared off to right now. Stitches then took out some needles, as if ready to kill him. But they lowered once Adrien walked closely to her with a loving smile.

"Mari..." he began, "...I know you don't want to serve him. I know...you don't want to really hurt others."

"What is this?!" Stitches demanded.

"You know what I mean, Marinette."

"Marinette is weak! She's always been weak!"

"If she was...then how come you're so powerful?"

Stitches then took a moment to think through it all. She remembered that Hawk Moth said that her merely resisting him was already making her so much more powerful than she would've been.

"Come on, Mari!" said Adrien, "I know the girl I care for is still in there! I know you, Marinette! You're too stubborn to give up!"

"She's...not...here!" Stitches growled, feeling a pain in her head.

"Yes she is! Don't give up, Mari! You're our Everyday Ladybug, my Everyday Ladybug!"

Stitches' eyes widened as Adrien finally hugged. She then felt her tears fall. Someone did care for her. Perhaps she's not as alone as she had believed. Adrien does care. The model leaned into her ear.

"I care for you...more than you think...and I'll always be by your side this time..." he said in a calm voice.

Stitches suddenly pushed away from him. From both the shock of that nickname and the resistance in her coming back. Adrien Agreste was right. This isn't what she wanted. She didn't want to hurt others.