Miraculous Ladybug: The New Holders

Jade Turtle: Part Twenty-Four

Nino didn't go home after school.

It's not like he wouldn't have gone home at all, he just preferred to stay away whenever he could. Nino didn't know how Adrian could stand being homeschooled, if he had to spend any more time at his family's apartment than he had to, Nino would've left in an instant.

He didn't even know why he stayed there. Maybe it was for his mom. Maybe it was because he was too scared to run away. Maybe it was that he didn't want to jeopardize his future by throwing himself onto the streets. Maybe all of those reasons and more.

But everyday after school, Nino didn't go home right away. No, he'd go to the park and do his homework, or he'd go to the radio station and play some music for them, or anything other than go home. It didn't matter, as long as it kept him busy. Volunteer work, DJ-ing, whatever. Only a few exceptions to his after-school activities, one being 'Don't do anything your dad would do', and the next being don't hang with friends. The first one knocked off drinking or doing drugs, but the second was more complicated than that. If he spent this time with his friends, they wouldn't ask him why he avoided his parents so much, and he didn't need to deal with that. Alya was the only one who knew anything about it, and even she barely knew any of it.

Nino was at the Square Renè Viviani, doing his homework and listening to music. It was his favorite place to go after school. Seeing all the happy families playing at the Square reminded him of how he wished his family could've been a better one, but he didn't linger on those thoughts.

Assaultress landed inside the Square. "I am Assaultress! And everyone will feel my pain!" She drew out her whip.

Panic reigned through the park, with civilians running around everywhere to try to escape. Nino took off his headphones and threw his homework in his bag frantically. Assaultress whipped pedestrians and they fell to their knees.

Nino turned around to see become face-to face with Assaultress. He froze in fear, while Assaultress recognized the boy.

"Please don't hurt me." Nino fell backwards and started inching away from the Akumatized woman.

"I'd never hurt you, my son." Assaultress looked at Nino with a motherly love in her eyes.

"Mom?!" Nino was shocked. "What happened to you?"

"I finally have the power to protect you, Nino!" She grinned maliciously.

Steel Peacock landed behind her. "Take him with you, you'll be able to protect him better." She said to Assaultress smoothly. "And with a civilian involved, the heroes will be here like moths to a flame."

Nino felt more and more terrified of his mother, seeing her considering the idea.

"Yes, I am his mother. It seems fitting I would protect him however I can." Assaultress took Nino's arm, and both anti-heroines flew up into the air.

Nino scrambled to find his phone without his mom noticing.