Future Tales of the Miraculous

Chapter 12

My sweet boy.....I'm so sorry......
Adrien. Please forgive me......
I love you.....

The words echoed throughout the blackened space surrounding Adrien. This place again, he silently wondered.  The sound of the cool liquid gently swooshing around his legs filled the air as he slowly waded aimlessly in a pool as dark as his surroundings. There was no sense of direction in this place, and the blonde was trapped for however long it would keep him as a prisoner. It began again; first as a hum that grew into a pained, sorrowful voice he was almost too familiar with, but was too muted to recognize. 

"Mére.....?" He was only met with silence, but somehow knew the voice belonged to her.

"Is that you? Please, tell me where you are!"

So you must be Adrien. A new voice whispered its revelation; his skin crawled as it vibrated past his ear.

"Who is it?" He shouted anxiously. 

Come back to me.....only you can save me..... the sorrowful voice pleaded out.
Come find me again.......

Feathers lightly rained around him from above, but something white also opened behind him. He turned to see it, involuntarily jumping back at the sight of the large teal and gold speckled eyeball that stared back at him.

The blonde woke with a start, beads of cold sweat rimmed around his forehead. Adrien found himself in his apartment, in bed with Plagg curled up beside him. Memories of his last moments awake began to run through his mind; he remembered the searing pain of the speared feather lancing through his stomach. Marinette's shrill scream. Le Paon's purple lips twisting a cruel smile as everything darkened around him.

He thought he also saw something in the villianess's face change before he passed out. For a moment, her satisfied grin fell, and her eyes flinched as they began to pool with tears. Why was she crying? Something about that expression was familiar; did he know who she was?  Lifting his shirt, he saw a new light scar etched into the right side of his torso.

"Hey bro. Want some soup?" Nino asked, climbing the loft stairs with a full foodtray in tow.
"Nino? How....."
"I even got some cheese for the little guy too."
He placed the chunk of cheese next to Plagg, causing him to rouse from slumber. Adrien's eyes grew wide in surprise.
"Uh, about him, he's a really tiny breed, you see...." the blonde began fumbling through an explanation for his kwami, who was usually vigilant in keeping out of sight.

The brunet smirked at his friend. "It's okay dude, I know. Plagg, right? And you're the one and only Chat Noir."

"Wha....how do you know all this? And why are you here?"

"Bro....it's a huge coincidence that you happen to go missing every time Chat Noir shows up, and you both have green eyes and blonde hair. Besides, we were supposed to hang when you got back from walking Marinette back home, remember? Good thing I was still here when Ladybug brought you back, man. You were pretty tore up."

A tiny green sea turtle floated out from his hiding space under Nino's hat, casting a warm smile at the slack jawed blonde.

"My buddy here Wayzz helped me patch you up. Looked like some kind of crazy poison taking over that wound."

Adrien recognized the kwami as Master Fu's companion.