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For the first time in forever, Plagg was taking a good long snooze, his belly full of his beloved Camembert and a tiny blanket comfortably tucked around him.
It was almost like a holiday, the few days where Adrien was free and not rushing to a photoshoot or some kind of class.
But that wasn’t right….
It was the middle of the school year.
12:01.
Adrien had left him behind.
Adrien had forgotten him!
Plagg huffed in annoyance, crossing his tiny arms over his chest. “Well, fine. I guess I can spend more time with the love of my life.” The kwami purred, sniffing the air to try and catch the scent of his favorite cheese.
He drifted along with the scent of delicious cheese, making his way out of Adrien’s bedroom and down the morbidly silent hallways to the kitchen, his eyes half lidded with delight.
It was so close, he could practically taste it!
He floated up to a lovely covered dish, sniffing at the edges with barely concealed glee. With a wiggle, he slipped under it and fell upon the cheese hidden beneath, savoring the taste and strong aroma.
There was no greater heaven than a platter of Camembert.
He lounged in his personal paradise for what felt like hours when suddenly the lid to the platter was removed and a feminine shriek woke him from his bliss-induced nap.
“Mouse!!!”
He looked at the screaming woman in great indignation, choosing not to comment on his distinct lack of relationship to rodents when he noticed the massive meat tenderizer in her hands.
Plagg flew out of the way, zooming out of the kitchen in a black blur, misfortune following on his tiny heels. In the grand kitchen behind him, a great clatter and crash greeted his departure, providing the perfect avenue for his escape.
Grumbling, he flew from the house, alighting on the top of a nearby street post.
So much for spending time with his beloved food. He’d never be able to sneak back into the house by himself now.
Might as well find Adrien now.
Mind made up, Plagg looked around him and realized that he actually had no idea where he was. He was in such a hurry to get away from the scene of his gluttonous crime that he hadn’t actually paid attention to where he was going.
The cat kwami slouched on top of the street post in defeat, silently cursing his decision to even leave bed today.
And Adrien’s forgetfulness.
He was going to demand an entire wheel of Camembert when he found that kid.
But first, he had to figure out where he was going.
As Plagg mused, a malevolently glowing butterfly passed him by, purple tendrils seeming to drip off its corrupted wings. The kwami paid it no mind at first but started when he realized what he had seen.
An akuma.
This was his chance!
He could follow the butterfly! If he found the akuma, he was sure to find Adrien.
As long as the akuma isn’t Adrien, Plagg thought to himself grimly, taking to the air to follow the butterfly.
The tiny insect led him on a merry chase through the city of love, abruptly flying down alleys and under cars, slipping through cracks and once right through the patterned trellis of a gate.
Plagg gave chase relentlessly, little sparks of misfortune affecting those he flew past. Phones were dropped, screens cracking instantly, platters crashed to the ground and even a tire flattened in his wake.
The trail of misfortune trailed all over Paris as the butterfly led him in a largely circuitous route, nearly exhausting him even with the sheer volume of cheese he had consumed that day.
He had followed the butterfly almost all the way to the school when he smelled it.
That delicious aroma. His one weakness.
His le grand amour.
Despite having eaten many times his weight in it today he couldn’t stop himself from being drawn towards the source of the smell. He drifted through the terrified traffic outside the school, alighting on an abandoned platter.
He had barely shoved a few more pieces of cheese into his mouth when the screams started. Nearly choking on the last piece, he flew over to the school, tiny green eyes darting about for the head of golden hair he knew so well.
He was about to fly through a broken window when Ladybug leaped out of one on the far side of the school, a furiously blushing Adrien cradled in her arms.
Smirking to himself, he followed her, hiding out of sight until she leapt back into the building.
Once the coast was clear he flew in front of Adrien’s face, hovering for a moment before the teenager finally noticed him. “Earth to Adrien.” He called, “Are you just going to stare after her all day or are you going to help her?”
It took a rather irritated smack from his tail to get Adrien to put the pieces together but finally he nodded and they took off to transform behind the school, readily diving into the fray to help out Ladybug.
He was so gonna razz the kid for this later.