Ragnoa And Katu

3- Heroes Have Fears

"Hey, Corpse-y! Come on out! We've been dying to see you!"

Ladybug looked over at the cat, part frustrated and part fuming. "Chat. Really? These people are literally dead, and you're making a pun out of it?"

"Well...yeah. Lighten up the mood a bit."

"There is no light anymore, Chat Noir!" Tueurna shrieked. "There is nothing! Nothing! And you two can't stop me! I control death! No one can stop me! Not even you!" She laughed wickedly, uncontrollably, but sobs were buried beneath her brimming rage. "Give me your Miraculouses, now!"

"Hey, Chaton, distract her for just a second for me?"

"Anything for you, M'Lady." She smiled as he bounced away. "Come on, Darky, I doubt you can catch me!"

"It's Tueurna! I am the killer!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug tossed her yoyo in the air. Red and spotted, a lanyard fell into Ladybug's hands. "Lanyard, lanyard, lanyard." She glanced around. "What can I do with a lanyard?"

"Oh, Ladybug." She looked up into the violet eyes of Tueurna. "Do you want to say goodbye to your little kitty? I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

"Where is he?" Ladybug demanded harshly, searching for her partner.

"My, my. Aren't we testy? He's on the top." She looked at her nails, and snapped, bored, "at least, he was."

A flash of black shot into view, then down and out again.

"Chat!" Ladybug shoved the lanyard around her neck and leapt after Chat Noir, leaving the villain laughing above them.

Why isn't he using his staff? She hurled her yoyo after him, praying it would reach him in time.

Tied further, Chat Noir was saved in Ladybug's string and saved from a gruesome death. It tightened, and tightened.
Chat Noir closed his eyes, bracing for some sort of impact, but there was nothing.

The feeling of slipping gently onto a hard service registered in his mind, the unwrapping of Ladybug' s yoyo, and her feet landing next to him.

He opened his eyes. Ladybug was already behind him, working quickly by helping him up and untying his bonds, but he thought he heard...crying?

"My- my Lady? Are you alright?"

"I-I-I'm fine... Just..." She suddenly cried out, sobbing. Her arms wrapped around his body, holding him close and letting fat tears fall from her eyes. "Never, ever scare me like that again. I thought -I thought-"

Startled, he hesitated, but hugged Ladybug back. Supporting her neck and letting her cry into his shoulder, he whispered to her. "Shh. It's alright, My Lady. It's alright. I'm not hurt at all. Don't worry, Ladybug. I won't be leaving you anytime soon. You're stuck with this alley cat, m'lady."

She laughed weakly, sniffling. "I know, but-" Ladybug cut short, her breath suddenly cut off and choked off. Her body was limp in the cat's arms. She didn't cry anymore. She no longer shook either.

Chat Noir pulled her back slightly, looking at her face. Her eyes were closed and expression impossibly relaxed. She wasn't moving. She wasn't even breathing.

The superhero's breath hitched. No, no, no, no. "Ladybug? Ladybug!" He shook her, trying to get her to say something, move, take a tiny breath. But he tried in vain. It was as impossible to wake her as it was to raise someone from death.

"Ladybug! Ladybug, wake up! Please! My Lady! Answer me!" Chat Noir rested his forehead against his life-less love. "Please, wake up M'Lady!"

No matter how much he pleaded, how much he needed her, how much Paris needed her, she wouldn't listen. She couldn't.

Above Chat Noir, high pitch laughter echoed across the silent city. "Death favors no one, kitty-cat. You might as well accept that now!"

He ignored the Akuma and hesitated, hovering over Ladybug's face. She's dead. He thought. She dead and I couldn't save her. I can't. And she's gone forever.

Tears were dripping onto her face from his. "No," he whispered, leaning his head against hers and rocked their bodies.

"Chat Noir! Get up and fight!" the villain yelled. "If I can't cry, niether can you! Get up!"

He delayed reality still, sobbing. She can't be gone. Please, My Lady. "Don't leave me." His lips brushed her gently. "Don't leave me, My Lady."

It wasn't much. Just a small kiss on her cheek before he set her down gently on the asfalt beside him. "Don't worry. I will fix this," he whispered to her.

"You can't do that without a living bug, now can you? Even if you can defeat me, you can't get the Akuma."

"It doesn't matter. You killed my lady, and there are consequences, Emma."

"I'm not Emma anymore! She was weak! I'm the only one here now. No one had ever stopped Ladybug before, But I did. I am stronger than both of you! But, if you give me both of your Miraculouses," she paused dramatically, "I can bring her back, little kitty."

Chat Noir faltered. That's it. That how he can save her. Ladybug can live. His hesitation didn't last long, though.

He whispered the calling for his power, "Cataclysm." Black, restless energy jumped in his right hand, and Ladybug's last Lucky Charm swung in his left.

In pain and trying to deny his want for the purple blood of an akuma, the cat stalked forward to avenge the lifeless lady below him.