IF ONLY. marichat | ✔️

trois

Chapter Three: Midnight Sonata

Powerful soundwaves blast at whatever building Midnight Sonata passes by. She acts out in a violent rage, angry with the world. Dramatic, deep blue waves flow down her back in loose waves as she crosses the street, leaving chaos in her tracks. The akumatized victim doesn't have a plan. Hawkmoth told her if she gets Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculousness then her pianist dreams will be restored, but she doesn't believe it's possible much less follow through. Midnight Sonata is simply a broken teenager with uncontrollable fury and nothing left to lose.

A yoyo wraps around an airborne adult, falling from one of the deteriorating buildings, narrowly saving their life. Found Ladybug. The akumatized victim walks towards the red and black heroine, she mime's playing a violin, shooting her an ethereal music note, meant to stunt. Ladybug swiftly dodges, doing a somersault.

More, more! Hit her with so many she won't have time for that, Hawkmoth directs inside of Midnight Sonata's head.

"Okay, I'll try."

Midnight plays consecutive notes, watching with increased frustration as Ladybug not only avoids every attack but continues to protect all the lingering Parisians. All that good inside of this masked being, but where were you when she watched her house burn down destroying all but her life. Her piano, burning all feeling in her dominant hand, her musical dreams. Her family may not have been home, but her future was snatched beneath her, turning her into Midnight Sonata, Hawkmoth's creation.

Chat Noir appears beside Ladybug, the two becoming in sync. Midnight gives them all she has. She alternates between her ethereal stun notes and pulverizing soundwaves. When she hears a howl in pain, her eyes go a lit. It's the black cat stunned in place. Ladybug comes to his defense, her yoyo spinning as a shield but it's pathetic against what Midnight has in store. 

Ladybug stands in front of Chat Noir, guarding him, quite literally, with her life. The pressure of the world is once again in her hands and she's starting to wonder if she can fix it this time. She always tells everyone she will, but it's a front, much like her smile, to assure others and provide comfort. When the villain is mere feet away, Ladybug goes into attack mode. She throws out punches, leading her away from Chat Noir. Whatever it takes.

They go back in forth with hand to hand combat until Ladybug is sure they're a safe distance away from him. Right when she's sure she rigged this fight to her favor, the akumatized victim shocks her mind with several ethereal notes. The hero drops to her knees, her head going fuzzy. Consciousness slowly escapes her, vision slices in half showing Ladybug two villains instead of one.

I have to do something. Chat Noir needs me to fix this. 

"Lucky charm," the hero pleas desperately. 

A small object materializes in her hand, sunscreen. Ladybug's heart races as she tries to comprehend its meaning, time fleeting. With Midnight Sonata creeping towards her, she quickly scanned her surroundings hoping her ladybug vision would give her the answer. Midnight!

Ladybug empties the bottles contents onto the cement beneath the two of them. the villain loses her balance, sliding past the hero. She locks onto the evilized villains wrists, pulling off the gloves she'd worn.

She throws the gloves into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

Paris is purified as white butterflies shimmer across all the damage down, fixing it anew. Akumas shed off of Midnight Sonata leaving only Emily Delacroix behind. Ladybug stays by Emily, insuring her safety. The hero hands her a trinket, a ladybug meant to protect her from Hawkmoth. 

"I'm sorry, Ladybug. I was just mad my dream had been taking away...and kinda wished you'd been there."

Ladybug looks at Emily with a mix of remorse and pity. "What was your dream?"

Chat Noir appears behind them. "Good morning, bugaboo. I feel like I had an uncomfortable nap."

"One second, kitty," she holds up her hand. "Go ahead." Ladybug turns back to Emily.

"I wanted to play the piano but it was burned in a fire and there's no feeling in my right hand."

"Try physical therapy."

"And play in music shops!" Chat Noir adds.

Emily nods. "Thank you, Ladybug. Thank you, Chat Noir."

"Of, course."

Ladybug's earrings beep. "Well, I'm about to transform so..." She turns to Chat Noir.

"Pound it," they fist bump each other.

Before she takes off, Chat Noir says,"Sorry, I wasn't much help."

"It wasn't your fault. Don't sell yourself short, kitty," she winks at him.

What was that? She ponders on this while she flies from rooftop to rooftop. The hero sidles into a vacant alley to detransform, her heart pounding. These emotions, these feelings, made her uncomfortable. The last time this happened it was because of Adrien. It's almost like she can't disassociate the hurt from the people. 

°:. *₊ ° . ° .•

After school Marinette slams into Adrien, her body slumping to the ground, all her books going with her. Quickly, the girl reaches for them, Adrien does too and their hands touch. For a moment, they both pause acknowledging the movement. This self awareness sends her heart astray. Since when is Adrien anything but oblivious? He's never noticed any of Marinette's obvious desire for him, so why is he looking like her like that? Why is he acting like he's allowed to have those thoughts? He's with Kagami.

God, Marinette get ahold of yourself. He's taken!

She shoves her books into her backpack, pushing herself off the ground. Her feet move faster than she's able to process the encounter. Maybe Adrien wasn't pausing because he realized they were touching. Maybe he paused because she did. Yeah, yeah, that makes more sense.

"Hi, sweetie," her parents call to her.

Barreling up the stairs she shoots a greeting back. Locking herself in her room, she sits with her thoughts wrapping her head around her encounter with Adrien. Her blood boils seeing his bright green eyes, so innocent and beautiful, staring at her. How dare he look at her like that? She hates that her heart did cartwheels while he cooly handed her her textbooks. That jackass. 

"I'm Mr. Perfect, with a girlfriend that's everything you're not."

"Marinette, you're fine how you are." Tikki tells her.

She screams into her pillow in response. 

"Then, why did he chose her?"

"I don't know. His brain isn't fully developed, you know."

She wipe at her first tear of the day. "Aw, are you on his side now?"  Marinette teases.

"Of course not," she hugs her holder, nuzzling her cheek.

Why did he chose her?