"Right, who's going in first?" Nino asked, looking at his companions. Adrien blinked and glanced at Plagg out of the corner of his eye.
"I say the tiniest of us should go in first, that way if there are traps or whatnot, they'd have less of a chance of being crushed." He said slowly.
Plagg's eyes narrowed. "Why are you even saying 'they'd' as if we all don't know who's the tiniest here?" He replied before looking at Nino.
"Sorry Nino, guess you have to go in there." Plagg said with a sigh.
Nino's eyes widened a fraction. "I don't think Adrien was talking about me." Nino replied, blinking rapidly and looking over at Adrien who just rolled his eyes.
"Plagg, just get in there." Adrien snapped, rolling his eyes in a hyperbolic manner.
"Fiiiine, fine, sheesh, no need to get emotional, princess." Plagg sighed and tentatively flew forward and into the room. "Heartless humans." He mumbled as he flew through.
"Sending me in here like some kind of test subject…"He muttered as he continued.
Glancing around upon fully entering it, it became apparent that Fu had really worked on many creations over the years. Plagg was impressed.
Carefully, he flew further in, eyes flashing about in constant alertness, if he was not vigilant and the room did indeed happen to be riddled with traps, he'd be in an even worse condition than he already was.
"Okay in there, buddy?" Nino called from behind him. Plagg hissed.
"Like you care, making me the sacrifice, go die." He huffed.
Adrien shrugged.
"You're immortal, we're not. Is it safe to come in?" Adrien asked.
"I don't see anything particularly harmful." Plagg mused out loud.
Adrien exhaled, calming himself.
"Guess we'll just have to find out together then." He patted down his dress, getting ready to squeeze through the entrance.
"Must be nice." Nino said, tapping his chin. Adrien glanced back at him, his torso already halfway through the entrance with his rear out...
"What?" He asked, quirking a brow.
"Being so slender." Nino replied.
Adrien narrowed his eyes, and within seconds, Nino earned himself a back kick to the gut from Adrien sending him flying backwards.
"Must be nice, being un-toned and squishy, that must break loads of falls, can't relate." Adrien smiled.
Nino glared at him, getting back up and entering the small entrance once Adrien disappeared in it.
Adrien blinked. "Well, color me fascinated. You think other Parisians have magically lit, fully stocked rooms like this hidden in their ovens?"
"I seriously doubt it, I'm lucky to even get the oven light working in my apartment let alone have a magically lit thingy in it," Nino replied nonchalantly as he entered after Adrien.
"Yeah, yeah, fancy room, big deal! We have stuff to find." Plagg snapped, a little more irritated than usual.
Adrien nodded. "You're right, sorry." He then turned quite abruptly toward Nino. "Alright, so first, we need to look for the healing stones, they look like glowing beans. If you find it, tell me, I'm going to start looking from the back and work my way back here. I'm sure Plagg will be looking for the Kwami medicine."
Nino gave an affirmative nod. "Something that looks like Jack's Magic beans, got it."
Adrien gave his companion an odd look before he turned and stalked briskly towards the back of the room. He sighed. The room was so crammed with magical brews, creations and oddities that even looking at the items were daunting.
But of course, he had to start somewhere, and so he did. He began popping open containers and twisting open jars. Flipping up lids and prying open barrels. Untying bags and un-stoppering bottles. By the time he hit the two-hour mark of his strenuous search, it was clear to see that Adrien Agreste was more than peeved. In fact, he was so aggravated that a vein that Plagg and Nino were certain never made an appearance before began to throb unattractively(according to Plagg) at his neck. Nino sighed, irritated that even Adrien's 'unattractive' throbbing vein wasn't even less than immaculate, it was sort of unfair.
Adrien however, was in his own dimension, drowning in the stress that had encompassed him after searching through the disorganized items. At first, he'd thought that maybe, just maybe the containers in a certain area held items of a similar category, or that certain similar-looking containers held items of similar composition.
Hardly.
If anything, it was as if Fu just put his creations wherever he pleased upon making them, which led Adrien to the conclusion that the reason Fu had taken at least three hours healing Marinette on the night that she was attacked could have seriously been due to his inability to actually locate the things that he needed to use to heal her in this pandemonium of a room.
It was impossible. The room was enormous, with a colossal haul of items within it! How was one supposed to navigate through the clutter?
What? Was he just supposed to magically gravitate towards the items? Was he a magic bean detector? Did his forehead say 'Magic Bean Man'? Was that it? Was he 'Magic Bean Man' now?
As he had his little teeth-gritting session, Nino and Plagg looked at each other in concern.
"Uh, Adrien? We can take a break for a bit if you're tir-"Nino started.
"I'm not tired. I'm fine. Just keep looking." Adrien spoke flatly.
Plagg frowned. Adrien was behaving in an increasingly peculiar manner with every passing minute.
"Uh, kid… You don't look fine."
"I said I'm fine! Just shut up and find the stuff!" Adrien snapped.
Plagg's eyes widened and he looked at Nino who had a deep frown set on his normally relaxed features. "We're just concerned bro, no need to get upset."
"Well, I'm sorry for being pissed off that Marinette is stuck in some shit dimension all alone while there's a maniac on the loose other than Chloe, but you wouldn't like it either if Alya was missing, would you Nino?"
"Adrien that's unnecessary." Plagg flew towards Adrien. "Unnecessary? Unnecessary? I'll tell you what's unnecessary. You knowing that my mother was alive and somewhere in Paris, and letting me think for years that she was dead!"
"Why are you bringing that up? Dude, look I know you're upset but now isn't the time to-"
"Then when is the time?"
"When Marinette is not stuck in the Miraculous world Adrien, what's gotten into you kid?" Plagg asked, confusion filling his eyes at the sudden behavior.
"Adrien come on, we'll discuss this at home, let's just get what we need, and get out of here, we're running on low time-" Nino started.
"And why do you care so much? What do you even want from me? Don't think I don't understand what you people are like." Adrien hissed.
Nino's eyes widened. " 'You people?' What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"You can't expect me to fall for your bullshit, you think you're so clever, don't you? You think that you're going to get to blackmail me just because you've been helping me, right? Why don't you just admit it?"
"Listen bro, I don't know what messed up shit happened to you, but just because someone hurt you doesn't mean all of us are bad too."
Adrien rolled his eyes. "Oh cry me a river, I've heard this all before. I've dealt with 'friends' like you, they'll wait and smile for you until they can destroy you."
"Kid where is this coming from?" Plagg looked at Adrien. Nino's nostril's flared.
"No, you know what Plagg? He's right, maybe I do want to destroy him." Nino said.
Plagg's eyes widened as his head snapped towards Nino who was starting to behave uncharacteristically.
"I'm sick of your cocky, egotistic, sadistic behavior and hearing your name on the news. 'Chat Noir did this, Chat Noir attacked someone, Chat Noir, Chat Noir'. Everything that has gone to shit happened because of YOU and your spoiled ass. Attacking people, thinking you're so bad when you're really just an immature boy throwing a tantrum and pretending to be an adult!" Nino snapped.
"What do you know about me? What the hell do you know about the life I've lived?" Adrien snarled.
"I know enough, newsflash Golden boy, you think you've had it hard just because your daddy doesn't come to your photoshoots and you're stuck dating the Mayor's daughter? Because Mama didn't come back home? Guess what? There are bigger things out here in the real world besides daddy issues and having demon spawn as your future wife."
"Like what? The fact that Alya's studying abroad, probably hooking up with other men just to get her articles and is just pity dating you?" Adrien raised a brow.
"Excuse me?-"
"Oh I'm sorry, did you honestly think she's celibate in your absence?" Adrien scoffed.
"Adrien!" Plagg shouted.
"What? It's true." Adrien rolled his eyes.
"Take that back." Nino growled.
Plagg looked between the two boys. This was not them. They wouldn't behave like this.
"Why? Can't handle the truth?" Adrien taunted.
"Oh, you want truth? Riddle me this, why else would Marinette stay with a psychopath and pretend to love them if it wasn't to save herself from getting ripped to shreds? You think she actually loves you?" Nino burst into laughter.
"Nino! That's enough!" Plagg snapped.
"What?He wanted the truth right? And now he can't handle it? Tell me, who the hell in the right mind lets a serial attacker into their home and plays house with them? Nobody! Especially not Marinette. But here this fool is, thinking he has something speci-"
In seconds Nino's body flew across the room and slammed against the wall.
Plagg gaped at Adrien.
"You think I haven't thought of that? You think I don't know that she could just be associating with me out of fear?" Adrien hissed. "I've known since day one, so don't think you've got the upper hand by sprouting things I've already thought of. I know and I don't care. She's mine, that's all that matters."
Nino pursed his lips and got to his feet. "You know and you don't care? You really are a sick piece of crap."
"Rather be sick and smart, than sane and stupid like you." Adrien cricked his neck.
"I'd rather be sane and stupid than be sick and forcefully make a woman love me." Nino replied.
Adrien's nose twitched. "I didn't force her to do anything."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I don't have to prove anything to you."
"No, you don't, but someday she's going to want to leave you for someone who can offer her a normal life."
"Oh, someone like you?" Adrien asked through gritted teeth.
"Someone like Nathanael." Nino snarled back.
"She would never-"
"And you're certain of that? Really? If that's true then why didn't you tell her that Nathanael had gotten attacked? Huh? Because I don't buy that bullshit about not wanting to get upset. You just don't want her to go over there because you hate that she cares for someone else."
"She doesn't."
"YES, she DOES." Nino snapped. " She's liked him for years and you expect her to fall for you in a few months?"
"That was just a silly schoolgirl crush, nothing more-"
Plagg looked around the room. Something was definitely off about the place. That was when he noticed that things seemed to have moved. He glanced at Adrien and Nino. They'd been arguing, so they couldn't have touched it.
Realization dawned on him and he smacked his forehead.
"The room!" He exclaimed.
Adrien paused and looked at Plagg.
"It's enchanted. So that the item's in it stay protected. It's making you guys fight and changing the positions of everything in here so that we don't find anything." He explained.
"The room isn't making me do anything-" Nino started.
"You guys need to get out, right now," Plagg said, his eyes swivelled around the room as he did so, if the room was doing what he thought it was, then Nino and Adrien would turn on each other, and soon.
"Well, if the room isn't making you do anything, all these thoughts are from your head, correct?" Adrien tilted his head.
"From my head? No dude. This is from the real world, real life. You think Marinette adores you so much and doesn't care about Nathanael? Then tell me why she hasn't told you that she and Nathanael go to the same university and even take a few modules together?"
Adrien's eyes flashed.
"You're lying, she would have told me."
"And why the heck would she? You're frigging insane! Have you seen yourself? I mean have you actually taken a step back to actually look at yourself? How the hell can you smile when you're ripping the intestines out of someone? How is that normal?"
"You need to shut up." Adrien said, voice shaking.
"And why should I? All I've done was try to get inside that sick mind of yours and make you see the world differently, but you're never going to change, are you? You're always going to be the evil that parents tell their kids about because you like it. You revel in it."
"I'm warning you-"
"Or else what? You're going to disembowel me? Hurt me? Decapitate me? Skin me and bomb Fu's house? You're going to scratch me up because I'm telling you the truth because nobody else ever will?"
"Stop talking-"
"Adrien!Nino! Stop! This isn't you! Just get out of the room!" Plagg shouted over their voices.
"I should have stopped her… I should have told her that I knew and stopped her, she doesn't think before she goes ahead making promises. Marinette can't help but want to save every little broken creature, losing herself in the process. She deserves a life that you can't offer her-"
"Plagg transform me." Adrien said, voice colder than an arctic breeze.
Plagg gasped as he was sucked into the ring.
'Adrien, you don't want to do this-' He pleaded but his voice became a muffled squeak as he disappeared and Chat Noir appeared.
"You talk so big, you pathetic fool. Let's see you talk without a larynx." Chat said, grinning.
Nino's eyes widened.
"And I'm going to make you pay for everything you've just said. Down to the last full stop." Chat whispered.
They both stood still for a moment.
Nino blinked hard, trying to chase the red fog out of his mind. What was happening? Why did Adrien transform? Where did Plagg go? Why was he feeling so angry?
Chat stared at Nino. Why was he so angry at Nino? Did Nino say something? Why was Nino running? Why was he chasing him? Why did he extend his claws? What was happening?
Nino jumped over a pile of sacks, skidded to a halt and tried to make his way back to the entrance.
Chat snarled and took off after him.
"What's the matter? Why are you running away? Don't you love toying with me? Why can't I play with you too?" He taunted, picking up a barrel of Fu knows what, and aiming it towards Nino's head. Nino dodged it and pushed some containers onto the ground.
Chat jumped over it. Nino was incredibly fast and brilliant at dodging.
Chat exhaled. He needed to find a way around that. He needed to use Nino's weaknesses against him. He stopped for a moment and watched the Moroccan get closer to the entrance. Nino was well calculated and quick, but physically he wasn't strong, and he had lower stamina compared to Chat.
Chat grinned. The way to rip his eyeballs out was to tire him out first, exhaust him to within a morsel of life, and then gut him like a fish.
He felt giddy just thinking about it.
Plagg tried to forcibly detransform, but he was in no state to overpower Adrien and if Adrien hurt Nino, he didn't have enough energy to heal him.
If Nino could just get out of the room…
Chat pulled out his baton and extended it to the entrance, blocking it. Nino gritted his teeth as he skidded to a halt.
"Don't you have more to say? I find your thoughts pawfully intriguing." Chat twirled his tail. "Save your puns for the devil, you're going to need it for hell." Nino spat.
"Hmm, yes I'm quite sure he'll find it A-mewsing."Chat laughed to himself. Nino watched as Chat laughed at his own pun. "This is a bit sad. I liked your company."
Nino's nose twitched.
"You're twisted." He said.
Chat tilted his head.
"And you, are a dead man, Mr Lahiffe."
In an instant, Chat extended his baton towards Nino, it pushed him back towards the far side of the room and slammed him onto the wall. Nino groaned as he slid down. Chat crouched and then broke into a dash towards him.
Nino's eyes widened and he forced himself onto his unsteady feet. He needed to get away from Chat. He needed to get away from Chat. He needed to… Why was he running away from Chat? Weren't they friends?
Chat snarled as his claws dug into the wall the Nino had just fled from. He would catch him, and skin him. He'd skin him so perfectly that the muscle and fat beneath the skin would remain untouched. Then he would slice the meager amount of fat away from the muscle so that… Wait, why was he trying to dissect his friend? Why had he been chasing him for over fifteen minutes?
Nino breathed heavily as he dodged the air slash from Chat. Perspiration dripped off every inch of his body, but still, he couldn't relent, after all, Chat seemed to have enough energy to seal his coffin.
Chat aimed a kick at Nino's chest, but simultaneously Nino held up a hard, heavy barrel. Chat's foot plummeted through the wood in a difficult and particularly painful looking angle, it seemed that he was stuck. Nino grinned, jumping backward and turning towards the entrance, running with all the energy he had.
He winced as he pulled himself into the small tunnel and began to crawl through.
Chat looked at Nino who'd managed such a difficult attempt at escaping in just a matter of seconds and hissed. He kicked his leg against the wall, trying to shatter the wood.
"Get off!" He said, his voice reverberating in the room as a pained and aggravated snarl.
He kicked the wall again, this time managing to dislodge his foot. He twisted his body and took off after Nino who was three quarters through the tunnel back into the kitchen. Chat crawled into the tunnel and grabbed Nino's ankle, yanking him backward. Nino growled, turned over and kicked Chat right in the face.
Chat hissed in pain but didn't let go of Nino. "Let go!" Nino snapped.
"Die first, imbecile." Chat replied.
"Who the hell says imbecile anymore?" Nino kicked Chat in the face yet again.
"People talking to delinquents like yourself!" Chat said, sinking his claws into Nino's flesh.
Nino let out a loud yelp. "You consider yourself a person?" He asked through gritted teeth, trying to get free despite the obscene amount of blood gushing through the punctures in his flesh from every movement.
Chat's ears twitched as he yanked Nino again. Nino forced the tears out of his eyes. Why was he talking so cruelly? Why was Chat sinking his claws into him?
Nino used his other leg to kick upward, right into Chat's jaw, causing his head to hit the roof of the tunnel, hard.
Chat winced. Since when did Nino kick that hard? Since when did Nino ever kick him at all?
Chat looked back at Nino, pulling him far back, so much so that he was hovering over him.
Nino stared at him, eyes filled with contempt.
"See. You are sick."
Chat's eyes flashed as he swiftly stuck his hand into the area just beneath Nino's diaphragm. Nino screamed, his body arched and slowly the noise started to come out as a gurgle of blood.
"I said I would rip out your larynx too, right? Now let's see…Above the pharynx and in front of the trachea…"
Suddenly, his hand, still in Nino's body felt a familiar electric repulsion, forcing his hand out and throwing him back into the room.
"Plagg stop it!" Chat growled out as he tried to recover from the uncomfortable electric shocks reverberating through him.
Nino looked at the end of the tunnel that led out of the oven. If he could just get out and shut the door...
Blood poured out of him as he reached for the entrance and with a burst of adrenaline pulled himself into the kitchen.
It was bright.
Everything was too bright.
Chat twisted his neck towards the tunnel, body tense and teeth gritted. He forced himself to his feet and sprung back into the tunnel, crawling through it with the speed and agility that only someone with his kind of power could possess.
He crawled out of the entrance but the moment he did, it was as if he no longer had an ounce of energy left within him, and he fell straight onto Nino who was just outside the oven.
Adrien winced. His ears were ringing.
He looked down at the Nino's back. The man was lying eerily still. Face down.
Chat blinked. It was strange, why weren't they looking for the 'magic beans'?
"Nino?" Chat rubbed his neck, rolled off his friends back and pushed himself up, but as he did so, he froze, noticing the pool of blood next to him and the blood that had been transferred from his hand onto the floor when he'd pushed himself up.
He turned his head back to Nino.
"Nino?"
He called again, his voice growing uncertain. He could see the blood escaping from under his friend and the claw punctures on Nino's ankle.
But… No there was no way he'd…
No, it wasn't possible… He would never hurt Nino. He grabbed his friend and flipped him over.
The blank, glossy stare he received and the gaping hole in Nino's abdominal cavity told him otherwise.