Lady Midnight in Paris

Chapter 16

The girl switched between Midnight's screeches and Marinette's cries. The struggle slowly started to cease.

The transformation of Hawk Moth was nearly complete. The dark matter was nearing his neck.

"Marinette?" The girl laid on the cement floor in her enclosure, unmoving. Her costume melted into dark matter, which dissipated into the air. The girl's white shirt with flowers, her pink pants, and her petite slippers appeared. Her hair darkened from the platinum blonde to her beautiful blue. A dark butterfly slipped out of one of her red ponytails, and fluttered about the room before resting on the windowsill. Red electric energy seeped out of Marinette and flew out the window. Adrien sighed in relief. The people would get their strength back.

Tears were streaming out of her closed eyes and dripping onto the ground. Adrien noticed a small podium with a familiar book on it nearby. He picked up the podium, abandoning the book, and started to bang it against the glass. If only I had my staff and Cataclysm! Adrien thought of his staff, which had been thrown into the river.

Spiderwebs erupted on the surface of the glass dome. After one last hurl, the glass rained onto the girl's body.

Adrien hurried over to Marinette. "Mar!" He gingerly lifted up her head and rested it on his lap. He examined her for any wounds.

"Adrien...?"

Her eyes opened a crack. They were the beautiful blue that he remembered. "Mar!" He sighed with relief.

"What happened...?"

Adrien looked up at Hawk Moth. The dark matter was slowly creeping up his shoulders now. Hawk Moth was still, barely breathing.

"Father!"

Hawk Moth jumped. He turned slowly, the dark matter rippling off of him. "Adrien?"

"Don't do this! It's not worth it!" Adrien cried, holding Marinette tightly in his lap. "It won't bring her back! Not properly!"

Gabriel hesitated. "I want our family to be whole again," he said insistently. "Don't you understand that?"

"This isn't the way to make our family complete!" cried out Adrien. "I...I don't think I can call you my father if you cheat life this way!"

Gabriel Agreste gazed at his son's face. Cuts and bruises all over his cheeks and arms.

They were all inflicted by him.

The realization caused Gabriel to stumble. He was the one responsible for hurting his own son.

Without a word, Gabriel reached up to the earrings.

But not before the dark matter rose over his eyes and head.

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FEELS.

peace out,

anicm