Lady Midnight in Paris

Chapter 4

Ladybug took a detour so Chat Noir wouldn't see her transform back to Marinette when she reached the back door of the school. In the narrow alley, Marinette slid down the wall and buried her face in her arms.

"Marinette?" Tikki asked, floating around helplessly. "Are you all right?"

Marinette paused for a moment. She took in a deep breath, and met her kwami's eyes. "I will be. This day hasn't gotten any better. But I must get back to the director. I must do my duty and help the show." She sighed. "There's so many things to keep track of, Tikki. I feel like there's so many burdens. And when I was Ladybug...my back...and Chat Noir, he seemed so disappointed in me. Like I...I failed."

Tikki's eyes drooped with sadness and worry. "Oh, Marinette...You're such a brave, bold girl. There's no shame in asking for help every now and then."

Marinette smiled. "There isn't very many people who are available to work on the clothes. But I can do it!"

"Yes you can! I love you Marinette!"

"I love you too, my kwami," Marinette said. "I just wish that all of this stress would be easier to manage." She got up and entered the school. She headed over to the auditorium, ready to work on more costumes.

But when she reached the door of the dressing room, she heard voices. Curious, she waited by the closed door.

"...incapable of the job. I think it's too much work. There's too many costumes and fittings that need to be done. There's only one other costume assistant."

That's Alya's voice! Did she really think that I couldn't do the job? She did tell the director about what happened with Chloe...

"I'm worried about her. She's had so much going on, and she recently got injured..."

Why is Alya putting me down? Doesn't she understand how much I love fashion?

"I agree. She fell when she was trying to stand up."

Adrien!

"I...I don't think she's up for the job."

Marinette backed away from the door. Tears rose in her eyes. "They don't believe in me," she said softly. "I was trying so hard to make everyone happy, and...they still ended up disappointed." Tears fell. "I just wanted to do things right."

Tikki peeked out of her purse. Her eyes widened. "Marinette, go talk to them! Prove them wrong!"

But Marinette didn't hear her. Her vision blurred, the pain her back was relentless, and she had disappointed Chat Noir as Ladybug and her friends as Marinette.

Was anything good going to come out of today? Was she always going to get something wrong every time she tried?

She ran down the hallway. She heard the door to the dressing room open, and a familiar voice call her name. Marinette had to get away. She hurried into the bathroom and huddled in a corner.

Emotions swirled around her. Tikki's voice seemed to echo through her head, trying to calm her, comfort her. Marinette hid her face in her hands. Absentmindedly, she removed her earrings, and placed them in her purse, and set the purse aside. Tikki disappeared.

Everyone Is disappointed in me. The very last thing I wanted. I disappointed Chat Noir as Ladybug, and I disappointed everyone in the show as Marinette. I just wanted everything to go right...! My back ruined everything!

Suddenly, Marinette felt a sense of dread in her stomach. She heard a flutter, and the world went black.

-----

Hawk Moth was growing impatient. Chloe wasn't doing her usual job, making people upset. She hadn't really done a lot of that lately. He also couldn't really sense any other people worth being akumatized.

He needed something real. Real, strong emotions. The strongest akumatized victims were always the ones with the strongest emotions.

Hawk Moth tapped his cane on the ground impatiently. He focused hard on the citizens of Paris. Searching, searching.

Suddenly, he sensed a powerful, intense emotion. A sense of despair, disappointment, fear, pain.

Hawk Moth stumbled. His cane clattered to the floor.

There was so much pain, he could feel it. Shaking it off, Hawk Moth pushed himself back up to his feet. He picked up his cane again.

Hawk Moth hesitated before making a connection with this next victim. He frowned. "This person...I feel she will be powerful...a truly powerful ally."

He tapped into the victim's senses. A purple butterfly appeared on his face, and he could see the girl crying into her arms. One of Adrien's classmates. She had given the book back to him so Adrien could come back to school.

A truly powerful ally, indeed.

The girl's head rose to meet his. The same purple outline appeared on her face. Her blue eyes were fierce with anger. A red tint appeared on the bridge of her nose and cheeks.

"Midnight, I am Hawk Moth. Lots of things have been wronged today. Others have disappointed you. Now I give you the power to set things right. You use others' strength to make sure nothing goes wrong again. But first, I need a few things. Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculouses. Are you ready to darken the night?"

The girl's emotions suddenly became so evil that Hawk Moth couldn't help but be impressed. "Oh, please, Hawk Moth," she said. "I couldn't be more ready." She stood up, and let the dark matter flow over her.

Hawk Moth watched as the hurt girl became a powerful being. Now he had to wait.

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FINALLY!! THE AKUMIZATION HAS HAPPENED!! (idk if that was a real word lol) Lots of emotions happening here...

comment on what you think! 

peace out, 

anicm