The New Guardian

Chapter 15: Forget Me

Chat Noir was thrown back, smacking the floor. Ladybug strutted forward stomping as he rolled to the side, dodging her foot. Chat picked himself up, holding his hands up in defense.

"Ladybug, I know you're in there somewhere." He panted. "Focus on my voice. You remember me. I know you do. We always said we'd be together forever. I know you wouldn't give up so easily."

Ladybug glared at him, cold faced. "No."

Mint took a step back as she listened. "Lavender . . . Mysteria." She started. "Start on the council. We'll worry about Ladybug later."

"But the council has to fix her." Mysteria said. "One of them has to know a cure."

"Or maybe there isn't one." Mint replied, crossing her arms.

"They wouldn't be that careless." Mysteria reasoned.

"Not necessarily." Lavender countered. "They can be unpredictable and even if they were spared, most of them would rather die than reveal such a weakness."

"You have to compel all of them to forget." Mint moved back to one of the members on the floor.

"I know I can't do both at the same time, but maybe I could compel one to tell me the cure and then erase their memory tomorrow." Mysteria suggested.

Mint lifted one of their arms and dropped it to the floor. "You wouldn't know which one to spare and waking them for answers is an easy loss. We only have four seconds for you to begin the compulsion before they regain consciousness. There's no time for that."

"But what about Marinette? We can't leave her."

"We'll figure it out later." Lavender said. "Time is of the essence."

"But-"

"We are in too deep now to change plans, April!" Mint yelled. "We have to finish what we started and worry about the effects later."

Ginger moved next to Mysteria and placed her hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. We'll always find a way out. We'll get Marinette back."

Mysteria sighed and turned to the first council member on the floor. The thought would never leave her mind. She could hardly concentrate. "Fine." She kneeled down and Lavender ran over, placing his hands on the sides of the man's head.

They nodded to each other before Lavender closed his eyes. "Wake."

The man's eyes shot open to meet Mysteria's piercing stare.

Chat stared at his lady. She was different and it pained him. With the others working on the elders, it was his job to contain Ladybug and stop her. Chat stepped forward. "I know it's hard but you're strong, Marinette. You have always been." He smiled. "You can pull yourself out of this. I know you can do it." Chat reached out, but Ladybug snatched his hand.

"Did I stutter?" She deadpanned, bending his wrist the wrong way. Chat didn't fight back. "I don't think you understood, so I'm going to make this clear." Ladybug leaned closer. "Marinette is dead." She whispered. "I am not her and I will never think of you as an equal."

"I know she's still in there." He winced from the pain.

"Whoever this girl was is not my problem because she's gone." Ladybug placed her other hand on his chest and easily launched him across the room, slamming him into a wall. "That girl obviously never loved you, so get over it already."

"Never." Chat grinned, stumbling up. He darted forward pushing her against the other wall gently. She gasped in surprise. Chat Noir held her arms against the bricks and smiled. "You just need to open you mind to me."