Trahison

Chapter 8

Chat Blanc

A grin formed on my lips as my eyes met hers. She took the bait. She dared to follow the lead all the way to Hawkmoth's den. I would dare say that I'd like to congratulate her, but, I wasn't that stupid. She didn't deserve any applause for her achievement. And she never would again. I felt a heartstring tug at my inside, reminding me of why I had saved her only moments ago. I grit my teeth. Chat Noir was still trying to cling onto the remnants of his soul in the place of my mind and body.

Hawkmoth seemed to have noticed her arrival a few minutes after I did, and a malicious smile spread over his face. He lifted his cane up and gestured at the window. I picked up the slight crackling sound before the glass shattered into a million pieces around us, but falling harmlessly off my suit. Ladybug took a shocked step back, before realising what was going on, and sliding down the string of her yo-yo from the hole where the glass used to be, landing with barely a sound on the ground in front of us.

"Game's over Hawkmoth. Stop this. Now." She said, her head lifted high and a stubborn shape of her facial features set. She looked strong, the hands on her hips, her shadow a silhouette behind her and her body backlit by the light coming through the large gap that was once a window like a superhero who had just walked out of the sun. She seemed like she had all the pride she needed in her posture, chin tilted up and eyes twinkling in determination. Strong, as if she was showing off her her comfort and confidence while being in his presence, as if she were proclaiming the fact that she was fearless and ready for whatever Hawkmoth would throw at her. As if she were pretending that this would all be a fairytale where everything would turn out to be OK in the end, where the hero always won.

But I saw through the disguise, I looked straight past the mask and into her insecurity.

I saw her weaknesses. All of them.

I noticed all her slight shudders, each of the flinches she took as she paced one step forwards out of the dark shadow the wall cast over her and her feet crunched on glass. I noticed the slight undercurrent of a suppressed quiver in her voice. I recognised the slight quivering shakes of her hand as it reached for her yo-yo and held it out in front of her, swinging it up and down as casually as she could. And I saw the tightness wand the taut tension in her shoulders, the slight curve of her lips turned downwards in what seemed like a determined frown but was, in reality, a sign of unsure fear. She was scared. She was alone. She was frightened. She was the prey.

She was mine.

Hawkmoth's deep rumbles of laughter shook the whole lair, echoing back from agains there walls of the Sacré-Coeur.

"Foolish little girl. You think that you alone can defeat me? It's three against one. Hand over your miraculous, Ladybug. Then the game will finally be over." He cackled, twirling his cane around in his hand in a taunting manner.

Ladybug held his gaze continuously. "I'm not useless, and neither am I afraid to fight."

Hawkmoth had a cruel smile etched into his facial features. "Excellent. If you wish a fight, so be it." He gestured at The Betrayer, and I saw Ladybug gritting her teeth. "My sweet akuma, do enlighten this hero, and show her just how big of a mistake she has made." He spat the word 'hero' out with strong vehemence, as if he had tasted something foul. I leaned on my baton, a sly smirk on my face. This fight would be... Interesting.

✺
Ladybug

I felt his stare burn into my back as I positioned myself in a fighting stance. The Betrayer was smiling at me with her head tilted, her hand held near her chest out in front of her, fan in hand. My muscles pulled as tight as a tight wire. Our eyes locked into an unbreakable stare, daring the opponent to attack with the first move.