Chapter Text
Almost A Day Ago
Gabriel Agreste stared in disbelief through his akuma’s eyes as Ladybug was ripped from existence itself and thrown god knew where - not even him. “You idiot!” He screamed, though it didn’t look like the Akuma was hearing it.
Because he could return the Akuma, take away his powers, take away the taint on his soul… but he could not purify it, cleanse the damage that had been wrought, bring back Ladybug.
And without Ladybug, his plan was completely and utterly destroyed.
“YOU IDIOT!” He roared again for good measure and then had to forcibly detach himself as Chat Noir tore the Akumatized object in half and grasped the butterfly before he had the chance to demand answers from the Akuma, effectively removing any chance of Gabriel finding out where Ladybug had ended up because the stupid A kuma now had no bloody memory!
Gabriel wrenched himself away, letting his transformation fall. Nooroo flew off instantly, cowering somewhere in a corner, but Gabriel couldn’t care, because right now he was in a rage that could topple civilizations with its potency.
A rage he could not control.
“THAT STUPID-!” He screamed, throwing the only table in the attic-like room across the floor. It fell to the ground with a barely satisfying crash. “CHILD! ALL THOSE BLASTED CHILDREN!”
He heaved. What the hell was wrong with these idiots? Unable to get him the Miraculous, unable to serve as good puppets, unable to do anything but mess things up every single time!
And he’d had such high hopes.
He slumped against the wall and slid down, ignoring the way his clothes crumpled and creased, though no doubt that would agitate him to no end later.
He’d had such high hopes for this one. Other dimensions, the child had pleaded, power to throw people into other dimensions because blah blah blah superhero stories would no doubt teach everyone around him that comics weren’t stupid or time wasting.
Throw them into other dimensions and they wouldn’t be a problem anymore.
What the hell, Gabriel had thought. At least in this way, there would be minimum interference for civilians.
And then the moron had to go and hit Ladybug!
Goddammit! The fact that she hadn’t returned immediately or right after Chat Noir had destroyed the Akumatized object was telling - there was a chance she wasn’t coming back on her own at all.
So even if he managed to get Chat Noir’s miraculous now, alone as he was, it wouldn’t matter one iota because Ladybug’s wasn’t there. He couldn’t make the wish he so desperately needed to make. He couldn’t bring back the one good thing this world had left, and he couldn’t have a happy family again.
“Nooroo,” He snapped, voice under control and completely cold.
The Kwami flinched. “Yes, master?”
“How do we get Ladybug back?”
Nooroo trembled. “I- I don’t know,” He whispered. “I don’t know, Master!”
There was too much desperation in his eyes for it to be a lie, but Gabriel narrowed his eyes anyway. “Follow me,” He told the creature in clipped tones, and went back to his office, where Nathalie was waiting, fear and curiosity warring in her eyes.
“Mr. Agreste?” She asked.
Gabriel scowled. He didn’t have the time. “Cancel all appointments for today,” He said. “I need to fix the problems of the children of Paris, apparently.”
Nathalie frowned, but nodded.