Chapter 21

Adrien's POV

When I drifted into consciousness, the first thing I felt was pain. So much pain. Pain that spread through my whole body. 

I groaned, trying to open my eyes. I tried to move my numb hands and ease the throbbing headache I felt, but the moment I moved my fingers, I almost passed out in pain.

"Kid?" A voice that I thought I would never hear again. "Are you alright?"

The stench of Camembert made a small smile stretch onto my features before I winced in pain. "I think so," I croaked. "You?"

"I was fine as soon as I found a stash of Camembert in Marinette's fridge," Plagg said proudly. "I wonder what Marinette is doing. She's taking so long."

"Taking so long doing what?" I grunted, forcing my eyes open. My vision blurred before focusing. 

"I don't know." Plagg popped up in front of me, thrusting a slice of stinky cheese literally right up my nose. 

I swallowed, trying to not breathe in the disgusting fumes as Plagg chomped loudly on it. He burped and dashed away to find another slice. My chest hurt, and one of my arms were completely numb. I could feel something wet trickle down my cheek, then something red stained the blanket I lay on.

My head spun as I used my uninjured hand to try and sit up. I took a sharp intake of breath, my green eyes glossy with pain. I managed to sit up and lean against the wall, my eyes fluttering shut.

"Where are Marinette's parents?" I murmured as I felt Plagg beside me, gingerly sitting on my shoulder.

"I don't know." Plagg shrugged. "I don't really care either." He divided the Camembert into two slices, feeding me one.

"Thanks Plagg."

"You're going to need your energy," Plagg shrugged, but I could see that he cared for me in his green, glowing eyes. He flew out of the window.

I closed my eyes and almost jolted when Plagg came flying back, passing through the window. He grasped what seemed like a pendant necklace in his tiny paws (A/N: or stubs? idk).

"I thought Marinette was wearing this," Plagg said, confused. "And she couldn't have lost it, because Mullo is currently inhabiting the miraculous."

"Are you saying that Marinette took off the miraculous?" I asked.

"Well, it certainly seems like it. But why would she leave it on the roof?" Plagg frowned. "She was transformed as Multimouse when she jumped out."

"Put the miraculous on me," I told Plagg. "We can see what Mullo has to say."

Plagg clasped the miraculous on to my neck, and a pink flash made me squint. Mullo floated in front of me, her pink eyes wide with fear.

"Where's Marinette?" she demanded. "Last thing I remember before she took off the miraculous was Hawkmoth controlling her."

"Hawkmoth?" Plagg gasped.

"I need to transform." I yelped in pain as I shifted. "I need to save Marinette."

"You can't!" Mullo shook her head. "Camera Man is still out there with Rena Rouge and Carapace! You will be an easy target!"

"But someone needs to find Marinette!" I protested weakly.

"I will," Mullo offered. 

"But you're a kwami!" I argued. "It's too dangerous! What if someone sees you?"

Mullo glared at me. "What if someone sees Chat Noir injured, limping off to find Marinette? The city's already in despair, Adrien. You can't risk them tumbling further in by showing them that you're weak!"

I sighed. "Fine."

Silently, Mullo flew out. Plagg sighed. "Mullo better be careful, otherwise-" he suddenly dropped from the air, landing on my lap with a quiet thump.

"Plagg!" Despite the pain I was in, I cradled Plagg in my palm. He glowed a dark, shadowy black, shivers running through his body. "Plagg!" I yelled.

Spams jerked through his tiny body, sending off green sparks. His piercing green eyes, once so bright and joking, were now cloudy and dull as his ears flicked back and forth, as if trying to tell me something.

"Plagg!" His glassy eyes stared up at me.

"This..." he wheezed. "First...time..." His eyes started to flutter shut, and ignoring the pain that shot through me, I stumbled onto the floor, searching for Camembert. 

"Plagg, stay awake!" I begged, wafting a piece of the cheese near him.

He groaned, the black glowing cloud around him weakening. The spasms in his body began to strengthen, exactly the opposite of what I wanted.

"Adrien..." he gasped. "Tikki...miraculous...weak." Plagg coughed violently, and I felt him shudder against my palm. "Key...Marinette...phone..."

"Call Marinette?" I asked desperately, reaching for my phone with my less injured arm.

Plagg shook his head. "Record...case...Guardian...ghost," he gasped for air. "Don't...touch...cat..."

"Just hang on," I pleaded. "Please, Plagg." I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. It seemed like he was spouting random words.

"Phone! Record!" he screeched, and flopped down, completely still. 

I scrambled for my phone. "But kwamis can't be recorded," I murmured to myself. Tears shimmered in my eyes as I fumbled to turn it on and started recording Plagg.

I averted my eyes to look at him. He twitched. His mouth gaped open and black foam came running out. I grimaced at the sight, then almost dropped my phone as it slid onto Marinette's desk. Plagg's body thrashed around, as if being played with by some demon.

Tears slid down my cheeks. His words from earlier stopped me from reaching out to him. Don't...touch...cat... his breathless words echoed in my mind. Was that what he was warning me about? To not touch him?

The stream of black foam finally ended. Plagg had turned a sickly shade of dark grey, and his tail lay limply on the table. Slowly, the foam seemed to disperse into thin air.

"The same thing happened to Tikki," I murmured to myself, scooping Plagg up gently and placing him on the bed. "Is this all somehow connected to Hawkmoth?"

Duh, I almost heard Plagg say. Who else would it be?

My mind flicked back to Mullo. "Please come back quickly," I begged to no one in particular. "I can't handle this much longer."

Well, that was a depressing chapter. Anyway, I may be posting a bonus chapter soon, I'll see what happens. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

-Miraculouses4Life