The Lone Vixen - EDITING

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Imitator

"M-Mari..." Adrien watched as his friend, the one who'd never do anything to hurt anyone else, who was under the control of his father, reached down to take the miraculous off of Chloe's head. He saw a purple butterfly cover her beautiful bluebell eyes, and could hear his father's voice speaking to her.

"That's it imitator. Take the miraculous of the bee, and you will be returned to your friends and family." Adrien growled, and could see her trying to fight it. On any given day, he would bet that she could escape his grasp, but Marinette had to be weak and tired. There was no way she could fight it in this condition. He was right, and saw her succumb to his influence. She took the comb out of Chloe's hair, the strands being pulled with it. Her de-transformation was quick, leaving regular Chloe on the ground. Marinette's face was slick with shock.

"No!" Imitator looked up, the miraculous of the bee was in her hands. If this was even possible, the look of shock on her face worsened when she saw Ladybeetle. "Marinette, please. I know you! You would never-"

"How would you know? I'm protecting Marinette, something you clearly didn't do. She needed saving from this hell, and Hawkmoth allowed me to rise up and help her. I'm going to get her out of here, and replace her with you." Imitator leapt at him, and he used his yo-yo to block her arms.

"Uh, Rena?! A little help here!" Alya was struck out of her daze, seeing her best friend for the first time in a year.

"Right, sorry!" Alya threw herself into battle as well, aiding Ladybeetle in pushing Imitator back.

"Well well well, look what the cat dragged in... or do you prefer fox?" she had been trying to go easy on her friend, but that comment ended all the leniency on this akuma. Rena used her flute as a spar like Chat Noir would have, and tried hitting the cheap copy of Marinette, but she was using her arms to shield herself. "You're not going all out, because you think you're going to hurt Marinette." Imitator realized. "So... if I were to... do this, you wouldn't hurt me." Imitator stepped forward, testing her theory, which was half incorrect. Rena shot forward again, hitting harder and with more force. Imitator pulled something from her back and snapped it forward. It was a whip. When Adrien saw it, he almost threw up. Some sick-head his father was to akumatize a girl suffering at his hand, and then give her a weapon that she was tortured with. Imitator fought back against Rena's blows, and all Ladybeetle could do was stand there. 'What is wrong with you? Move god dammit!' He yelled at himself in his head, but it didn't really do anything until Rena landed at his feet. He leapt into action as her head collided with his booted leg.

"Imitator, let Marinette go."

"I'm not going anywhere, I'm protecti-"

"Oh, sorry." Imitator was clearly annoyed at being interrupted. "I meant, Gabriel. Let. Her. Go." Imitator looked at him with wide eyes, and a purple butterfly covered her eyes once more. This time, Hawkmoth spoke to Ladybeetle.

"How do you know who I am? And who are you?"

"You would think a father would recognize his own son, but I guess when he's messed up enough to kidnap about twenty teenagers just for some dumb wish, then maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't." Adrien could sense his father's anger through Imitator.

"I see you have come into possession of the miraculous of yin. I currently possess yang." Imitator went limp and fell into Adrien's arms. A purple and black goopy substance snaked streamed down her body as she retransformed. The akuma flew out of a yellow and teal bracelet, the one Adrien had made her, and flew out of sight. Adrien held Marinette close to his body, wanting to give her warmth in the cold and empty catacombs. She was shivering, and he saw that she still clutched the bee miraculous. Adrien held her with one arm, and took out the earrings one at a time out of his own ears. The wounds in his ears were bleeding now that the hole had nothing to close it, and they stung with pain. He carefully took the earrings and put them where they belonged: on a girl. He had no idea that he was actually returning the earrings to Ladybug of course. He believed them to be safer on the ears of Marinette.