Straight to Video (Completed & Under Renovation)

Chapter Four: Saving Chat Noir

Cold.
My entire body was cold. I was frozen in place as Corpse Bride kissed me, my body failing to respond, going limp as she held my head between her bony hands with painful pressure.
I could vaguely hear Ladybug's voice, screaming in panic. Normally, I would feel horrified, but I felt nothing.
I could only feel the blood pumping through my veins, slowly and painfully, in a futile effort to keep me awake and alive.
I was dying, and in this moment, I had no energy or desire to stop it. Death embraced me in her heavy arms, and I let myself sink into a dark place, wanting only to sleep.

Goodnight, Ladybug.

* * * * *

"Chat Noir! No-no-no-no; CHAT NOIR!!"
I was screaming at the top of my lungs, watching helplessly as Chat slowly sank to the ground, still hanging limp in her arms. His body was pale and lifeless. His usual cheery demeanor had crumbled like porcelain, leaving a tired lack of expression in its place. He looked sick. I couldn't bear to watch anymore.

"You pitiful human... Preying on innocents full of hope and happiness, sucking the life from them. What does it get you!?"

She turned away to look at me, and I realized Chat was still breathing. He was still okay!

"Oh, sweetheart. You don't know? Other than your miraculous, of course, it gives me love~"

"Love?!" I sneered. "What sort of twisted concept of love were you taught about? Love is pure, and kind, and caring. Love is given, not taken away!"

She snickered, and I felt my face get hot with anger.

"My darling Lady, you have it all wrong. I don't want just any love, oh no.. I only feed on the hopeless. Those who will never be loved in return. Just.. like.. you."

She dropped Chat Noir on the ground and I thought I heard something crack. I winced at the sound, but I had bigger problems at the moment. As long as he was alive, I was fine. Because right now, Corpse Bride was coming for me, and I had to think fast.

"Lucky Charm!"

With the use of my power, a flurry of light rained down upon me as I caught... an ice pick..? Come on, think! I glanced around me frantically, looking desperately for clues to stand out to me.
Ice pick, yoyo, Corpse Bride, brick wall..

"Got it!"

I ducked around the demented villian and hastily pulled Chat Noir out of the way. Still sprinting with him over my shoulder, I tied my yoyo to the polkadotted ice pick and tossed it to the top of the nearest building. It landed on the roof and I quickly tugged the line, causing a large group of unstable bricks to topple out of place. They all came tumbling down over Corpse Bride, pinning her body roughly to the ground.

"Ouch!! That's going to leave a mark."

I chuckled at my own quip, snatching her veil from her unconscious form and unceremoniously tearing it in half to release the akuma inside. A quick swing of a yoyo, and capture of the wicked black moth, I freed the innocent white butterfly that came before it.

Once that was taken care of, I threw the ice pick up in the air, and watched with pride as the city restored itself. With the call of my miraculous spell, any evidence of the panic and distruction dissapeared, in a flurry of Ladybug magic. Civilians all down the street began to wake from what had previously seemed to be a mass death. Including Chat Noir!

I gently set his feet on the sidewalk, giving him room to breathe as I wiped the stinging tears from my eyes.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty. Rest well?"

His eyes lit up upon seeing me, and he stumbled into my arms as fast as he could manage.

"My lady! You're a sight for sore eyes."

"What?" I teased, despite my own stuffy voice. "It was only a moment."

"You don't understand! I almost died!!"

I shook my head, laughing through my tears, and ruffled his already scruffy hair.

"You're fine, silly cat... And I am so very glad to see it." I heard my earrings beep urgently; a sign that I was going to detransform soon. "I uh, if everything's alright, I guess it's about time I bug out, huh..? I'll see you later, Chat Noir!"

With one final hug, I stepped away to swing my yoyo, aiming at a nearby rooftop, when his clawed hand gently caught my arm.

"Ladybug..."

I waited, with baited breath for the question that I was so used to coming next.

'Won't you stay?'

That usual, painful discussion of why we couldn't reveal our identities. Why, until Hawkmoth was finally defeated, it was too dangerous to have that information.

But, to my great relief, he seemed to decide against it, and that discussion was saved for another day.

"..thank you. For saving my life, once again."

And with a meaningful squeeze of my hand, he let me go, and I was off.