Chapter Text
Sometimes, Adrien feels as though he’s trying so hard to be everything everyone wants him to be but the pieces just aren’t fitting together.
Nathalie will frown at him ever so slightly in a way that makes his gut twist and ask if he’s feeling alright. Some days, Chloé will just scoff and call him ridiculous but once or twice, she looks at him in a way he struggles to describe. The Gorilla is patient and nonjudgmental, but occasionally Adrien seems to catch him off guard to the point where he pauses for a moment before resuming and pretending like nothing is different.
Father’s jaw just tightens. Adrien tries not to shrink at the sight of it every time he sees it.
“Why are you not finishing your breakfast, Adrien?”
“I’m not… Hungry?” Adrien tries. His father looks at him, unimpressed. His gaze returns to his plate shamefully. “I’m sorry, father. I just don’t like anything on my pancakes.”
“Nonsense, you love jam.” He tells him dismissively. Adrien stares down at his half eaten pancakes and tries to will that to be true.
He saws off another piece with his fork and takes a bite. The jam is sweet and truthfully delicious but he doesn’t like it with the pancakes. The texture changes and it distracts from the fluffiness of the pancake, which is his favorite part. Adrien likes it when they’re plain— good pancakes don’t need anything on them. They’re soft and fluffy and perfect on their own.
But father is staring him down, expecting him to finish. Adrien swallows and forces himself to do just that, even if it feels like a waste of a perfectly good pancake he isn’t gonna enjoy.
Father looks away thankfully, idly finishing his own. “As per our agreement, I’ll allow you to attend public school this fall if you agree to start modeling again. Our new fall line is in need of a teenage model, and you were quite popular before you insisted on quitting. You have a future in this business, Adrien. You should not overlook that.”
“Yes, father.” Adrien tells him. He wanted to try calling him ‘Dad’ but whenever he tries, he always gets shot down. He only wants to be called ‘Father’ and nothing else.
Father could be… Weirdly intense about these things sometimes. But father changed a lot since maman passed, so Adrien was accustomed to that by now.
“Don’t slack on your school work. I expect nothing but the best.” Father finishes off his plate and stands up. There’s a brief moment where he wobbles but father hides it well. “We Agrestes stride for perfection. You would do well to remember that, Adrien.”
Adrien nods. When father leaves, he makes no move to finish his breakfast and eventually pushes it away with a sigh.
Nathalie does it again when she comes to collect it, that small frown that’s easy to spot when she normally keeps her face so carefully neutral.
“Are you not hungry?” She asks. Adrien nods. “If you like, I could make you something else.”
“I’m okay.” Adrien tells her. “I think… I think I’m just sick of the jam.”
“Would you like me to buy a few different flavors? Perhaps we can find a new favorite.”
“No, thank you.” Adrien shoots her a small smile. “I don’t think I want any jam at all.”
“Oh.” Nathalie straightens her glasses. “I will… Keep that in mind for next time. Plain then?” He nods. “Understood. Your Chinese lessons start in ten minutes, be sure to grab your things.”
“Got it. Thank you, Nathalie.” Adrien scoops up his bag off the floor. School is one of the few things he still enjoys these days, though he’s been dreaming of getting out and being around other kids for a while now. With the new deal with his father, maybe he’ll actually get to do that.
Some pieces fit together. Adrien can keep up with his father’s expectations in school just fine, with minor mistakes here and there. His instructors tell him he has actually improved in fencing and Adrien finds that he actually has more of an interest in fashion than before, even if he doesn’t have the heart to tell his father that nothing he’s made interests him.
When Adrien returns to his room after his schooling is over, he keeps himself entertained with the basketball hoop and wide collection of video games, but some of his old interests have dropped off. He struggles to care for the same music he once did and his recent attempts to pick up close-up magic have fallen short. He seems to have gone from a skilled master in sleight of hand to having butterfingers.
It frustrates him a little that he can’t pull off the old tricks that he used to.
They say people change with grief. Father has gotten more distant, colder, and has higher expectations for him.
People tell him that he’s changed too. Adrien tells them that he’s trying to have a brighter outlook on life after seeing how quickly he can lose it. He’s trying to make the most of it when it could end at any time, like it did for maman.
Some days, it feels like everyone expects him to be a certain way. Act a certain way. And Adrien knows he used to be a little different but interests can change. People can change.
Isn’t he allowed to change?
Adrien sighs a little to himself, throwing on one of his old records before flopping on the bed. It’s not bad music by any means, it’s just not his favorite.
He thinks maybe he just needs a change of pace. A little more light in his life— a soft light, not a spotlight.
Some days… It feels like Adrien is missing something. Something important.
He just doesn’t know what.
—
His first day of school goes like this:
His homeroom teacher, Mme. Bustier, does a quick introduction game to ensure everyone learns each other’s names. Adrien quickly learns he’s one of two new students, alongside Alya, who sits behind him. Chloé might be the only person he knows but when he stops her from putting gum on another girl’s seat, she huffs that he’s ‘Too nice now’ and stomps off with Sabrina.
His momentary loss with her ends up being his gain as Marinette, the girl who Chloé was trying to play a mean prank on, and Alya see him standing up to her and immediately become more friendly. Nino, who sits next to him, ends up becoming his ‘Bro’ after learning that previously, his only friend was Chloé.
It’s a pretty good way to start the day. Then one of the students in his class gets transformed by a giant stone monster and everyone is sent home.
There’s a small box waiting for him when he returns to his room, sitting innocently on the coffee table. A shining green light emerges from it the second he opens the box.
The— genie? Cat? Genie cat?— calls himself Plagg. He tells Adrien he can be a superhero— harness the power of destruction and leap from the rooftops with ease— but that he also has to fight supervillains.
Adrien is too excited to listen to the rest of the instructions. The moment Plagg tells him how to transform, he’s escaping out his bedroom window and letting out excited woops as he pushes himself higher and higher.
Wind rushes through his hair. His hand, now covered by gloves with clawed tips, extends as if he can touch the sky. He’s panting when he finally stops, curiously looking himself over before he locates the baton. To his surprise, it flips open, displaying a screen not unlike one on his phone.
He clicks camera mode. A black mask is fitted across his face. His hair isn’t as styled anymore— it’s wild. Free.
A grin spreads across his face. He doesn’t look like Adrien right now.
Other than Plagg, nobody else knows he can do this. He could be anyone.
A prolonged yell steadily getting louder causes him to glance up. He barely gets a chance to look at whoever its coming from before they crash into him.
His new ladybug-themed partner apologies profusely. He waves her off and tells her it’s no big deal.
He introduces himself as Chat Noir— a superhero should have a superhero name after all.
Chat Noir can be anyone. Chat Noir can do anything.
Chat Noir opens his mouth and immediately follows it up with a pun.
—
Adrien doesn’t remember what the last straw that caused him to quit modeling before was but three days into getting back into it and he already remembers why he hates it.
The staff is nice enough, it’s just that the hours are long and Adrien spends those hours posing with fake, bright smiles and standing in the blinding lights, feeling as though everyone is just staring at him, picking apart whether or not he’s doing a good enough job. Every second he spends on set is a second he wishes he were anywhere else.
However if it gives him the ability to keep attending public school, Adrien will grin and bear it. And even when school is over and Adrien is stuck at home, he’s not really stuck anymore. In a quick transformation phrase, he can be out the window and soaring over the streets of Paris on his staff.
Adrien likes being Chat Noir and Adrien-At-School, just not so much Adrien-At-Home. With Chat Noir, he answers to nobody, except Ladybug and maybe Plagg. At school, Chloé is the only person who ever expects him to be a certain way, everyone else just takes him as it is. Even with Chloé, it’s not like she’s really stopping him, she just complains that he’s ’Too nice’ more than anything else.
At home, it’s like Adrien is roleplaying as someone who is technically himself but not really. Like he’s putting on a mask that he only takes off at school or, ironically, whenever he’s a superhero.
At home, Adrien doesn’t really feel like himself. Not like how he is at school or as Chat Noir.
He’s making new friends. Nino introduces him to tons of new things— different music, shows, movies, video games— and never shames him for it, only occasionally being surprised. He’s understanding and a stable rock in his life, listening when he needs it or talking when he wants a distraction.
Alya is passionate about a lot of things, superheroes being one of them. Adrien gets to talk to her on both sides of the mask, finding that interviews are a lot more fun when he’s wearing a mask and doing it with someone he knows. She pushes him to be himself more than anything and he admires that.
Marinette is talented. She’s got a variety of artistic skills, is killer in video games, and takes on the responsibility of being Class Representative on top of it all. She gets shy around him sometimes— Adrien is used to it, he’s weirded out by his own fame too— but he likes talking to her. He’s even visited a few times as Chat Noir, finding she’s not so shy around him and enjoying her company when he can’t leave home as Adrien.
Plagg is good to be around too. He’s aloof and obsessed with cheese but Adrien can tell he cares. He gets serious when it matters. He doesn’t judge Adrien much— not even when he says weird things like ‘Do you ever feel like a stranger in your own home?’ He just gives cheese-related metaphors that are occasionally helpful.
Ladybug is… Amazing.
Adrien fell for her on day one. She’s good at thinking on her feet and responsible and kind and so understanding. She tells him they need to be careful not to say anything to reveal their identities but she always listens when he needs to vent. She’s always there, a shoulder to rest on and a steady force in his life. He does his best to return the favor on the few times she finally admits she’s stressed or having a bad week.
They’re partners. She doesn’t see him as anyone except for who he is. She groans at his puns and rolls her eyes playfully at his flirting but she seems to enjoy his company. She likes him for him, not somebody she thinks he’s supposed to be.
Everyone new in his life is like that. Adrien didn’t realize how much he needed that until it hits him.
Things get a little better at home. Nathalie, while still hesitant about how he’s changed, adapts. Adrien finds new foods to enjoy, gets new music discs, and tries to find a hobby or two. He’s still struggling a little on that front but he’s determined. He might not be a magician anymore but surely he can learn new tricks.
“Do you think it’s weird?” Adrien blurts out to the Gorilla one day, causing him to shoot Adrien a questioning look. “Do you think it’s weird that I’ve… Changed? Sometimes it feels like everyone else expects me to be someone else entirely and I’m trying but… I can change, can’t I?”
The Gorilla thinks about that for a moment, signing carefully. “It’s not uncommon for someone to change after something in their life has changed.” He tells him. “You have changed a lot. But I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
A small weight lifts off his chest. Adrien smiles and tells him, “Thank you.”
The Gorilla smiles back softly.
—
Plagg isn’t really ‘Helping’ Adrien dig through his stuff but he is providing commentary, which is better than nothing. Turns out Plagg has a lot of opinions on a variety of things that aren’t cheese. He just insists that cheese is the only thing usually worth voicing, but Adrien appreciates the company nonetheless.
“You really liked vests for a while there, huh?” Plagg raises an eyebrow at his closet. Adrien bubbles a laugh— he really needs to clean it out. Maybe he needs to go shopping for a new wardrobe? Will father let him wear things that aren’t Gabriel brand?
“Yeah. I kinda only stopped wearing them recently. I wanted a new style.” Adrien grabs two boxes stuck in the back of his closet, checking inside them. One has a few old textbooks and notebooks full of schoolwork, though not a lot of real interest. The second looks like a junk box from first glance— nothing in it seems to have much in common with one another.
“After maman died, I just… I wanted a change. I guess it was a wake-up call.” Adrien digs through the box, picking out a few old action figures, a book or two, and fairy lights. The latter is the most interesting to him— they’re dark blue but he bets they would look great if he strung them up. “She was sick for so long but it kept getting worse. She never got better.”
Plagg is uncharastically quiet. Adrien wonders if he made it awkward. He means to ask but as he picks up what looks like a broken charm, Plagg suddenly says, “Hold on.”
Adrien glances up. Plagg’s eyes are trained on the charm in his hand, intense. “Kid, where did you get that?”
“This?” Adrien examines it again with a frown. It’s dark blue and some part of it has been chipped off, though he’s not sure how much. It’s not quite a circle, nor does it look like it was. There’s a small hole in the middle of it, though it’s smoothed out and looks intentional.
Adrien doesn’t think he’s ever seen it in his life.
“I don’t know. Why? What is it?”
“That’s… It’s a Kwagatama.”
“What’s that?”
“A kwami thing.” Plagg flies closer, all of his attention on the Kwagatama in Adrien’s hand. “They’re given to Miraculous Holders by their kwamis on special occasions. Birthdays or anniversaries or just because they think it’s a good time. It’s a gift of good will— it indicates a strong bond. But this one… It’s broken. It’s supposed to be shaped like half of a yin-yang.”
“Whoa…” Abruptly, the charm in his hand, broken or not, becomes a lot more valuable in his eyes. “What do they do?”
“They allow you to speak with past holders.” Plagg explains. “You remember that symbol on that box that my Miraculous was in?” Adrien immediately scrambles for his phone, remembering that he took a picture before in hopes of finding it again. “You just touch it to that symbol, say ‘Reunion’, then you can pick a past Holder to speak to.”
“Any past Holder?” Adrien asks, pulling up the photo.
Plagg sees what he’s doing and rolls his eyes. “That won’t work, kid. It’s not one of mine— it’s one of Duusu’s. The Peacock. Kwagatamas only work for the Holders of their Miraculous, and you’re not one of Duusu’s.”
“I just wanna try for myself!” Adrien insists. Plagg grumbles but does nothing but watch with an air of disinterest as he touches the broken Kwagatama to the symbol on the photo. “Reunion!”
For a beat, nothing happens.
Then abruptly, the broken Kwagatama sparks to life in his hands and both Adrien and Plagg are startled as the floor beneath them glows and dozens of portraits swirl around them. The portraits are blurred and circling him, seemingly only getting faster rather than slowing down— all save for one.
One portrait remains directly in front of him, in the eye of the storm. He can’t quite make out their face but it’s painted with dark blues and vibrant magentas. The portrait seems to have a crack running down it, branching out like a lightning bolt.
“Kid! What did you do?” Plagg yells over the swarm of portraits surrounding them. “None of this is supposed to happen, even if you were one of Duusu’s!”
“I don’t know!” Adrien calls back. His heart speeds up in his chest. The portrait in front of him is the only one that isn’t spinning. Adrien sucks in a breath and reaches out to touch it.
The moment he does, the storm dies down. In its place, a person flickers into view— an illusion?
He’s dressed in a dark blue tailcoat, resembling peacock feathers. His skin is an inhuman color of blueish-purple while his eyes shine magenta.
He doesn’t look much older than Adrien himself, if he is at all.
He blinks— once, then three times in quick succession. His head turns as if to look around, then seems to zero back in on Adrien.
“Hello?” His gaze is unmistakably trained on Adrien, confusion clouding his eyes.
Adrien stares back, mouth hanging open. “Uh. Hello?”
“Are you..?” He steps forward, reaching out but his hand ghosts through him. Both of their eyes widen at that. “Oh. Huh. Did I die?”
“What the fuck?” Plagg blurts out. The ghost(?)’s gaze swivels to him, interest igniting in his eyes.
“You… You’re a kwami. Like Duusu.”
“Yeah, but if you’re one of Duusu’s past Holders, I really shouldn’t be seeing you right now. Neither of us should.” Plagg shoots a pointed look at Adrien. “I’ve never heard of a broken Kwagatama being used before. We’re in new territory here.”
“Kwagatama…” Recognition flickers in his eyes. “Duusu gave that to me. She didn’t tell me what it was used for though… Is this— am I dead? Or astral projecting somehow?”
“This is a reunion. You’re meant to be the past memories of— whatever Peacock Holder you were. You got a name, kid?”
“…Argos.” He says after a long moment. Some tension leaves him when he says it. “My name was Argos.”
“That your hero name?” Plagg asks, getting a nod. “Creative, I bet Duusu liked that. But it’s alright if you want to go by your actual name. This is a reunion— that means you’re a past Holder, not a current one.”
Argos’ eyes furrow. He’s quiet for a long time before he asks, “Am I supposed to know my name?”
“Yes? Wait— kid, do you not know your name?”
“No. I don’t think I do.”
Argos looks troubled by this. Adrien finds himself speaking up, “What do you remember then?”
“I remember…” Argos closes his eyes, concentrating. “I remember Duusu. The brooch. It was… Damaged.”
“Damaged? Kid, don’t tell me you used a broken Miraculous!” There’s genuine distress in Plagg’s eyes. It shakes Adrien to his core to see.
Argos’ mouth presses into a thin line. “I think… I think I only transformed once. I was fighting someone— a butterfly. A villain.”
“Hawkmoth?” Adrien takes a step forward, heart skipping a beat at the implications alone. “Were you fighting Hawkmoth last?”
“Maybe. I don’t remember his name.” Argos tells them. “I think I created something to stop him. Something powerful. But then I felt so… Weak afterwards. Drained.”
Slowly, a look of horror spreads across Argos’ face. “There was blood in my mouth. I think I passed out at some point… Did I die?”
“Using a broken Miraculous like that at your age… It wouldn’t kill you instantly but it would do some serious damage.” Plagg’s voice drops into something softer— Adrien has heard it before on his bad days. “Sorry, kid. You must’ve taken a serious hit. You might not be dead though— Kwagatamas only account for their Holders' memories as long as they’re the current Holder of their Miraculous, not anything after. If you renounced it or if it was taken from you after that battle, then your memories end there. Not remembering anything other than what you have though… That’s strange.”
“What am I meant to remember?” Argos presses.
“Everything up until you stopped being a Miraculous Holder.” Plagg tells him. “Your name, your experiences, any details about your past life— Kwagatamas are used both as a symbol of trust and a way to get advice from past Holders. That way, past mistakes can be avoided and new Holders can grow quicker under the direction of their past ones. More or less anyways, you can ask dumb questions too.” Plagg tilts his head at him slightly. “What century are you from, kid?”
“Twenty-first. But I don’t remember the year.” Argos replies.
“It hasn’t been all that long then.” Plagg glances at Adrien now. “Sounds like Hawkmoth has the Peacock. Though if it’s broken, we might not see him use it anytime soon.”
Adrien nods, swallowing hard. The onslaught of information is overwhelming— Argos looks like he might’ve been his age when he used a broken Miraculous. Going through all of that and losing his Miraculous— how ruthless is Hawkmoth?
“Sorry.” Adrien says quietly. Argos looks perplexed. “I dragged you back into this— you probably didn’t want this.”
“I… I’m fine. Mostly.” Argos’ gaze sweeps over Adrien’s room again, a little more thorough this time. “I wasn’t exactly doing anything before. And I might not have all my memories but it’s… Nice to be here. I don’t think I was anywhere before.”
“Gotta be a rude wake-up call either way.” Plagg nods towards Adrien. “You can say ‘End Reunion’ whenever you want to let him go, by the way.”
“Do I have to go?” Argos asks suddenly. He seems to surprise even himself by asking.
Adrien glances at Plagg. “…Does he have to go?”
“Uh.” Plagg’s gaze swivels between the two of them, not quite nervous but something akin to it. “Y’know, I don’t think there’s any actual rules against how long a reunion can last? Usually the people that are summoned want to be left alone, or the current Holders don’t want someone hanging around them all the time. You realize he’s like, attached to you right now, right? He can’t stray too far from you. He can’t really interact with the physical world either.”
“I’m a ghost, possibly in a literal sense.” Argos sums up.
“Exactly. Are you sure you want that?”
Argos doesn’t quite look at any of them, silently contemplating. “…I wouldn’t have much I could do, would I?”
“Being a memory of another person kinda sucks.” Plagg agrees. “Sorry to break it to you, kid. But we can try to find the real you and give you some closure if you’d like?”
He settles at that, nodding. “I would. For better or for worse, I want to know. Thank you for this. I appreciate it.”
Argos looks at both of them when he says it. Adrien shoots him a smile. “I hope we can find you. I’ll try my best! End reunion.”
All of them pause. Nothing happens. Argos remains exactly where he is.
Adrien frowns, touching the Kwagatama to the symbol on his phone. “End reunion?” He tries, but like before, there’s no reaction, not even the slightest spark. He steps forward, trying to touch it to Argos this time. “End reunion?”
Argos remains exactly the same, translucent and with a faint glow around him.
Adrien shoots a helpless look at Plagg. Plagg groans.
“Once again, new territory. Summoning Argos in the first place should’ve been impossible. I got no idea how to get rid of him. No offense.”
“Considering the circumstances, none taken.” Argos glances around. “Guess that means I’ll be haunting you for a little longer then.”
“Sorry.” Adrien winces. Argos shakes his head.
“I don’t exactly have anywhere else to be. You mentioned you’re fighting someone, right? Hawkmoth? Is he a Butterfly Holder?”
“Yeah.” Adrien tells him. “He’s a villain. He’s using it to terrorize Paris.”
Argos nods slowly. “I have no way of currently knowing if he’s the same one I battled or not. But, considering I was at the very least defeated by a villainous Butterfly Holder, the idea of watching another one go down sounds nice.” He smiles faintly. “Might be cathartic.”
“I’ll try my best to bring you some justice then.” Adrien pockets the Kwagatama in his hand— he probably needs to keep that on him. Maybe he can make a necklace or bracelet out of it? “It’s really okay, Plagg?”
Plagg is silent for a long moment. Then he shrugs. “My Holders break the rules all the time. Kinda a rite of passage. Accident or not, if both of you are willing to make the most of it then fuck it, do what you want. It’s probably not dangerous and it’s definitely not evil so I won’t stop you.”
“Okay. Okay!” Adrien sticks out his hand towards Argos with a smile. “I’m Adrien! Sometimes I’m Chat Noir though!”
Argos eyes his hand with amusement. Adrien doesn’t realize why until he reaches out to take it, his hand ghosting through it. Adrien’s ears burn with embarrassment and he drops his hand.
“I… Forgot about that.”
“I can see that.”
Adrien clears his throat awkwardly, spinning around to show off his room instead. “You’ll probably be seeing a lot of this room. Though Nathalie has been really helpful lately and I’ve been able to go out with friends more so it won’t be completely boring!”
“Is Nathalie your mother?” Argos guesses.
“She’s more like a… Secretary/secondary guardian? She’s not related to me but she’s one of the people in charge of me when my father isn’t around. Which is… Most of the time.”
“Sounds like he sucks.”
“He does.” Plagg agrees. Adrien winces but can’t find any sort of defense that isn’t ’He’s my father, you can’t say that.’
“I have a pretty busy schedule but my outings as Chat Noir should hopefully be more entertaining to watch than anything else.” Adrien continues. “Ladybug and I have to deal with Akumas pretty often so—”
Adrien stops when it hits him. “Ladybug!”
“Holder of the Miraculous of Creation, right?” Argos asks.
“Yeah! Wait, how did you know that?”
“Apparently it’s one of the few things I remember.” Argos shrugs. “The Ladybug is Creation, the Black Cat is Destruction, and if you have both of them, you can use them to make a wish. And the wish… Rewrites the universe…” He trails off a little, eyebrows furrowing. “Why do I know that?”
Adrien’s jaw drops. “Is that why Hawkmoth wants my Miraculous so bad?”
“Probably. A lot of people want Gimmi’s wish. They’re kind of sick of it.” Plagg’s sharp green eyes bore into him. “You thinking what I’m thinking, kid?”
Adrien nods. “We should talk to Ladybug and her kwami. They might be able to help— or at least, it’s probably a good idea to let them know.”
“You know what to do then.”
Adrien throws out his fist. “Plagg, claws out!”
Argos watches his transformation with a raised eyebrow. “Do you do that whole sequence every time? And do you really run around in leather all the time?”
“You’re awfully judgy for a ghost.” Chat Noir shoots back, now fully suited up.
“Apparently I’m not even a ghost, even if actual-me might be dead. I’m even weaker than a ghost.” Argos sighs to himself. “What I would give to be able to throw stuff around the room.”
“I’ll figure this all out.” Chat Noir promises, walking over to open up his window. “You said you only transformed once, right?” Argos nods. “Then let me show you the best part about being a superhero!”
Chat Noir waves him forward and together, they leap through the skies of Paris.
—
Chat Noir suspects Argos is enjoying seeing the city from up high because he has a little more pep in his step as they wait for Ladybug to show up.
He hums faintly under his breath, watching as the sun begins to slowly be swallowed by the horizon. The last rays of light give Chat Noir a long shadow, but Argos doesn’t get one at all, invisible to even the sun.
“Does the city look any different from how you remember it?” Chat Noir asks.
“I don’t remember, unfortunately.” Argos tells him. “I don’t know how much time has passed since I stopped being the Peacock Holder.”
“Did it show up in a box in your room too?”
Argos gives him a funny look at that. “No. I don’t remember all the details but it definitely wasn’t that. Is that how you got yours?” Chat Noir nods. “Where did it come from?”
“I… Don’t know.” He admits. The thought gives him some pause. “I kinda always figured Plagg did it?”
“Did you ever ask?” He shakes his head this time. Argos hums again. “Maybe start there.”
Chat Noir stands up when he spots Ladybug swinging in the distance. Argos turns his attention towards her curiously once she lands, yo-yo zipping back up.
“Sorry I’m a little late.” Ladybug flashes him a smile. His heart skips a beat just seeing it. “What did you want to talk about, Chaton?”
“It’s— a bit hard to explain? But my kwami and I need to talk to both you and your kwami. I was thinking we could detransform on opposite sides of the wall and do it that way?”
Ladybug gives him a curious look and nods. They take opposite sides and drop their transformations. Adrien tries not to feel giddy— it's not like they’re revealing their identities. They’re on opposite sides of the wall.
Still. Everything about Ladybug makes him feel electric. He takes a deep breath in order to focus.
“Hi, Chat Noir! And Plagg.” Tikki, Ladybug’s kwami, zips around to wave at both of them. Adrien waves back. Plagg grins and flies over to her.
“Hello, sugar cube!” He teases. She just rolls her eyes, though Adrien can’t help but think she looks a little amused.
“What did you two need? Plagg didn’t cause any disasters, did he?”
“For once, this was not my fault. You’d know already if it was me— you know what my disasters look like, sugar cube.” Plagg tells her. He nods towards where Argos stands instead. “We got a bit of an unusual issue. Not sure if you can fix it but you should probably know about it.”
Tikki turns around before freezing at the sight of him. Argos waves hesitantly and jumps a little when Tikki abruptly zips over to him.
“You—!” Tikki spins a quick circle around him. “You’re from a reunion! But— if you’re one of Duusu’s, I shouldn’t be seeing you!”
“See the problem?” Plagg joins her, arms crossed. “The kid summoned him. Don’t know how but the Kwagatama is broken. That’s probably the cause.”
“What’s going on? Who are they talking to?” Ladybug calls over.
“You can’t see him?” Adrien asks.
“No? Who is it?”
Tikki finally returns to her Holder’s side. “There’s a memory of a past Peacock Holder here. Plagg, Chat Noir, and I shouldn’t be able to see him— only other Peacock Holders and Duusu should be able to— but something must be wrong. Reunions aren’t meant to work this way.”
“Reunions?” He hears Ladybug ask.
“Hold on!” Adrien calls out, digging into his pocket and takes out the broken Kwagatama. He sticks his hand out and Tikki retrieves it to show it to Ladybug. “Here— I found this and accidentally summoned Argos by accident with it. Plagg said it wouldn’t work so I didn’t think much of it!”
“It shouldn’t have worked.” Plagg mumbles.
“He’s right. No offense.” Tikki spares a quick smile at Argos. “I’m sure you’re a lovely Holder! Is this your Kwagatama?”
“I think so?” Argos frowns. “It wasn’t broken last time I saw it.”
“What are Kwagatamas exactly?” Ladybug speaks up.
“A gift from a kwami— a sign of trust between a kwami and their Holder.” Tikki explains. “This one is broken but they’re meant to look like half of a yin-yang symbol. They can also be used for reunions— they allow you to speak to the memory of the past Holders of the Miraculous they come from— but only a Holder of that Miraculous and their kwami should be able to see them! That’s why we’re confused.”
“I can understand you and Plagg seeing him.” Ladybug says slowly. “But how come Chat Noir can but I can’t? Is it because he accidentally summoned him in the first place?”
“Most likely.” Tikki agrees. “But as far as I’m aware, no one has ever used a broken Kwagatama before, so Plagg and I are still trying to understand why this is happening. I didn’t think broken Kwagatamas had any power left in them for a reunion in the first place!”
“Okay.” Ladybug says slowly. “So Chat Noir accidentally summoned the memory of a past Peacock Holder… Does he want to be here?”
“Uh.” Adrien glances at Argos. He makes a so-so gesture. “He doesn’t seem to mind it? I think he doesn’t like the part where he’s basically a ghost who’s stuck with me but I can’t end the reunion. I already tried so… He might be stuck here?”
“Any ideas, sugar cube?” Plagg is giving Tikki a particular look that Adrien can’t decipher. Tikki hums, contemplating.
“They’re pretty new for that… Let’s see if anything changes in a few days. That’ll be a last resort.” Tikki decides at last. She flies back over to Adrien, depositing the broken Kwagatama back into his hands. “Where did you find this exactly?”
“In… My room?” Adrien tells her hesitantly. Tikki gives him a long stare. “It was just in a box in the back of my closet!”
“You had a broken Kwagatama in the back of your closet. And you have no idea how it got there.” Tikki repeats slowly. Adrien nods weakly. “How long has it been there?”
“I don’t know! I don’t even remember having it— maybe I found it as a kid and forgot?”
“Hmm…” Tikki’s gaze turns towards Argos next. “What century are you from?”
“Twenty-first. I don’t remember the year.” Argos tells her.
“You don’t remember?”
“That’s the other thing, sugar cube.” Plagg flies over. “The broken Kwagatama had a few side effects on the reunion. His was the only portrait that stood out and his memories are muddled. He seems to remember things about the Miraculous but almost nothing about his personal life. Not even his name. Just that he called himself Argos in this form.”
“What do you remember last?” Tikki asks Argos. He grimaces slightly.
“I was fighting against a Butterfly Holder. The details about them are muddled but I know I created a sentibeing because of the fight— something powerful. And then…” Argos trails off a little.
Plagg leans over to Tikki. “The kid used a broken Miraculous.”
“Broken?” Tikki gasps. “You— oh, you’re so young. The backlash—!”
Argos nods grimly. “I coughed up a lot of blood and passed out. That’s the last thing I remember anyways. I’m not sure what happened to the real me.” He glances between the two of them. “What are the chances I’m dead?”
“Not zero but like I said, you might not be.” Plagg tells him.
“You could just be sick somewhere out there— or you might be in Stasis.” Tikki suggests. Argos furrows his eyebrows.
“Stasis?”
“Alive but unconscious— kinda like a magically induced coma. Not everyone can go into it since not everyone can survive magical backlash but… You were close with Duusu.”
“Does that play a role?”
“It does.” Tikki nods. “If a kwami thinks their Holder is dying from magical backlash, or something similar, they can put them in Stasis themselves. Usually they need permission but… If the brooch was broken, Duusu might’ve been able to bend the rules.”
“Tikki?” Ladybug calls out to her kwami. “I’m only hearing half of this conversation but what’s this about a broken Miraculous?”
“Sorry, Ladybug.” Tikki gives her a sheepish look. “Argos here used a broken Peacock Miraculous, which is very dangerous. Not only does it hurt the Holder but the usual safety measures put in place by kwamis can be bypassed.”
“It can hurt you?” Ladybug seems to hesitate. “Is he… Still alive?”
“We don’t know.”
“I’m gonna find him, one way or another.” Adrien tells her. “I’ll figure out what happened to him— I’ll figure out his name!”
“He doesn’t know?” Ladybug asks quietly. “Okay. I’ll try to help too, Kitty. I don’t know how much help I’ll be but I can at least try to look around.”
“You’re the best, my lady.”
“It’s the least I can do. Okay— what do else do we know? Where did his Miraculous go? Does he still have it?”
“No, he wouldn’t be able to be summoned by the Kwagatama if he still had it.” Tikki tells her. “Reunion only works for past Holders. Usually they have all their memories up until they stopped being a Miraculous Holder. Argos said his last memory is of fighting a Butterfly Holder. Since that’s where his memory stops, that’s likely when he stopped being a Miraculous Holder.”
“A Butterfly Holder? Does that mean that Hawkmoth has it?” Ladybug presses.
“It’s possible.” Tikki nods solemnly. Her gaze darts back to Argos. “Do you know how you got the Peacock Miraculous in the first place?”
Argos shakes his head. “I don’t. I just know that I had it for… As far back as I can remember.”
Tikki nods slowly, deep in thought. “Thank you, Argos, for answering all of our questions. You’ve been very cooperative.”
Argos shrugs a little. “I’m as confused as you are. The way I see it, answering all your questions will only help me figure out this whole situation.”
“We’ll try our best. Give us a week to see if we can figure anything out. If we can’t do much, we’ll get some help.”
“Help?” Both Argos and Ladybug echo at the same time.
Tikki just smiles. “Another time.” She promises. “We’ll do what we can first. Just hang tight until then— and keep my Holder’s identity a secret, okay? Chat Noir doesn’t know.”
Argos glances over to where Ladybug is on the other side of the wall and nods. Both Ladybug and Adrien transform again, finally emerging to face each other.
Ladybug scans the rooftop with a frown. “Is he still here?” Chat Noir nods. “I was hoping I might be able to see him while transformed but… I guess not.”
“Tell her she’s not missing much.” Argos tells Chat Noir. He laughs and parrots the message, getting Ladybug to crack a smile.
“Don’t sell yourself short, Argos. Maybe I’ll see you in person one day— goodbye until then! Stay safe you two!”
Chat Noir waves her off as they split. Argos follows him home but lags behind. As he drops back into his room and lets go of the transformation, Argos lands behind him with a hum.
“Looks like there’s a limit to how far I can be from you before I’m pulled back.” Argos motions for him to stay put and walks straight for the door to his room, phasing through it like a ghost. He pops back in a second later. “And that distance is shorter when you’re not transformed.”
“Sorry.” Adrien tells him sheepishly. Argos waves dismissively.
“There are worse situations to be in. And worse company to have. You’re not to blame for this, Adrien.”
Adrien nods a little, trying to wrap his head around that. He collapses on the bed with a huff. Plagg flies off— probably to stress eat cheese. He does that sometimes.
“Since you probably can’t sleep, do you want the TV on while I do?” Adrien lifts his head. “It’ll have to be on low or Nathalie will notice but it should entertain you while you’re stuck here?”
“That sounds nice.” Argos muses. “You’re taking this pretty well.”
“I’m mostly just tired and processing.” Adrien smiles weakly. “I really didn’t expect any of this to happen.”
“How could you?” Argos shrugs. “Not even your kwami did. But we’ll figure it out. Maybe we can use this to our advantage.”
“Our advantage?” Adrien blinks. A grin forms on Argos’ face.
“I told you before. One of the few things I remember before my possibly-untimely end was facing off against a Butterfly Holder. So even if your villain isn’t the same as mine, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like a little vengeance. And to ensure Duusu isn’t in the wrong hands.”
Adrien shoots him a smile. “That’s about what we’ve been trying to do this entire time so that’s fine by me. Welcome to the team!”
“Glad to be here.” Argos tells him. “Let's pin some butterfly wings, shall we?”