Losing Identities

Chapter 30

Marinette's POV

The room is dark and huge. Patterned drapes cover the giant windows. An ornate rug fills most of the floor. There's expensive furniture all around. Paintings decorate the space. Shelves across the walls hold books, small sculptures, and a few elaborate vases. A massive chandelier hangs over all of it.

Adrien's parents are asleep in the lavish canopy bed. He turns to me, trembling slightly. This is going to be so difficult for him, but I know he won't hesitate. Paris needs us, and my Chat Noir is the sweetest, bravest, and fiercest hero of all. Even now, he'll stop at nothing to make sure everyone is safe. I squeeze his hand, and he nods. We make our way over as carefully as possible, as though we're walking on glass.

Mrs. Agreste sighs in her sleep. Adrien catches me before I jump. I smile to show my gratitude, and he returns it. Both holding our breaths, we sneak to his father's side of the bed.

I pull back the blanket a bit. Mr. Agreste has the earrings tied into a bracelet on his left wrist. I quickly slide it off and put it around my own. The room starts to fade, and I can hear tearing and crumbling in the distance.

Something soft and warm lands on my shoulder. Tikki! I hug her tight as she snuggles against my cheek. Oh, I missed her so much!

Mrs. Agreste is starting to turn transparent, drifting away like a ghost. Adrien swallows as he looks over her, unable to speak. There's nothing he can say now. Slowly, he goes back to her and kisses her cheek. A single tear drips from his eye. I give him a quick embrace as he comes back.

There's something glittering on Mr. Agreste's chest. The brooch! Adrien cautiously takes it off and hands it to me. I hurriedly pin it to my collar. Nooroo flies over to him, wrapping his tiny arms around his neck. Aww!

Next, Adrien reaches for the ring. His fingers brush the metal. Almost there...

Mr. Agreste's silver eyes burst open.

We both leap back.

"All I wanted was for you to be happy... traitors!" he hisses, a wicked smirk growing on his face. "Plagg, claws out!"

Adrien and I gasp.

"Tikki, spots on!" I yell. "Adrien, run!"

Mr. Agreste lunges at me, his gloved hands swiping at my wrist. Dodging him, I swing around the room. His hand is right within my grasp...

"Missed me, bug!"

Growling, I kick and throw punches at him, but he avoids all of them, moving closer and closer to me.

"Lucky Charm!" I cry. A hat? It must be to pull over his eyes so we can get the ring! But I have to figure out how... I could swing to the opposite end of the room and sneak up from behind. I could tackle him head-on. Or maybe...
"Cataclysm!"

No! My eyes squeeze shut as I brace for the impact. Instead, I hear a horrifying scream. I open my eyes and immediately gasp.

Adrien is standing in front of me, his hands pressed against the wall on either side of me. There are tears of pain filling his emerald eyes.

"Adrien, no!" I shriek.

Despite what he's going through, his mouth curls up in a gentle smile. "You got this, bugaboo."

No, not him, not my kitty... "No, please..." I choke.

"I love you."

And then the hole erodes through his chest, growing larger and larger until he tumbles in front of me, disintegrating into a pile of black dust right before my very eyes.

"No!" I sob.

But I'm not alone.

Mr. Agreste falls to his knees, grief gnawing at him. "My son... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

The anger burns through me. How could he? He destroyed him! I open my mouth to scream, but then I feel something. It's blue and black and purple all over, coursing through me like a river, making me want to melt. It's so overpowering that it makes me ache all over, yet...

I can feel its strength.

"Nooroo, dark wings, rise!"

Mr. Agreste looks up at me in shock. "You..." An akuma flies into his glasses, and a split second later, a butterfly mask outlines his eyes.

I take a deep breath. "Gabriel Agreste, you stole the Ladybug and Chat Noir miraculouses so you could bring back your wife and forge a luxurious life for you and your family, but at a disastrous price that now even you've been forced to pay. See now the hurt you've caused the world through what you've done to yourself. It's all because of you."

He swallows, tears pouring down his cheeks.

"But now, I'm giving you a chance. You will cease to be a villain and reverse all the wrong you've done. Mr. Agreste, I'm giving you the power to save the world."

"I'll do anything."

"Your task is to take the ring off your finger and give it to me."

There's a moment's hesitation as he contemplates it all. But then he nods. "Yes, Hawk Moth." He slides the ring off his finger and places it in my outstretched hand.

Everything begins to blur and spin. But I'm not dizzy. I feel more stable than I've ever been. I grab the glasses and break them in half, then use my yo-yo to capture and de-evilize the akuma that flutters out. Triumphantly, I yell, "Miraculous Ladybug!"