Finally Found

T W E N T Y - O N E

🐞 🐈

"M-Marinette?"

Char Noir stared down at his blue-haired girl, who was cradling her best friend in her lap.
Hot tears were streaming down her face and it was obvious to him that she was pure agony.

He gave Alya a slow once-over and once it had hit him, he dropped straight to his knees.

She was gone.

Just like that.

He could barely form any words in his head let alone out loud.

His girlfriend was still trembling, eyes closed, unaware of his presence.

Unaware that her Ladybug suit had disappeared and she was sitting there without a mask on her face.

"Marinette..." Chat breathed.

But she didn't move a muscle.

She couldn't.

She was paralysed with grief.

Chat had no idea how to comfort her in this moment of need, and how could he? She had lost one of the people she closest to.

He knew how that felt.

His mothers face flashed in his mind.

He understood her pain.

Then Marinette's Kwami caught his attention. She was quiet. Hovering over her owner, tears brewing in her eyes.

Tikki felt Chats gaze on her and she gave him a look and ever so softly gave a little shake of her head.

There was nothing she could do to bring back the dead. It was simply beyond her abilities.

Both Tikki and Chat heard Marinette shuffle and stir from her position. When her head lifted she was still almost completely zoned out and staring off into the distance with cold eyes.

Chat wasn't too sure on whether or to comfort her or to give her the space she seemed to need.

"Mari?" He spoke gently, trying not to spook her.

Her face turned towards him and her eyes locked onto his, widening slightly as they did.

"Adrien." Her voice cracked, followed by a hard sob.

Without even thinking twice after that, he rushed to her side and wrapped his arms around her, scooping her up and trying his absolute hardest to shield her from the pain.

He'd give anything to make her stop hurting.

His princess, his bugaboo, his soulmate.

She cried into him for what seemed like hours until her eyes were completely dry.

Slowly, Chat pulled Marinette to her feet, holding her steady and let her lean on him as much as she needed, but their attention drifted towards the blonde girl who'd been watching them for a while now, silently.

***

Chloé had watched it all happen from the top of the tower.

It was over before she even knew it began.

She attacked, carelessly.

Alya slipped and fell.

Ladybug dove after her instantly and tried her best to catch her in time but she was just a split second too late.

Alya's head hit the ground.

And she died on the spot.

Then Ladybug dropped down to the ground and started crying and screaming.

And with her loudest cry, her Ladybug suit dissolved off her body, revealing Marinette.

After that, Chloé was flooded with guilt and anger and grief. She was angry at Hawkmoth as well as herself.

She ran down the tower as fast as her feet would take her, she wanted to help in any way she possibly could.

As soon as she got there though, she felt even worse. Her rage only grew at the sight of the girl on the ground.

As her blood boiled even more so, she gathered up every bit of strength she could muster to get that evil little butterfly out of her.

She pushed and she pushed, and it hurt- a lot, but eventually she did it.

The little akuma flew out of her and hovered, sensing all the negative emotions in the air.

***

"You did this."  Marinette spoke at Chloé, the pure rage seething and dripping from her words.

"You will pay." She was about to jump forward and attack, but luckily Chat tightened his hold on her.

"Baby girl, she was akumatized. This wasn't her, it was Hawkmoth. He's the one responsible for Alya."

Marinette looked at her Chat. "You're right. It's all his fault. Everything that's happened has been his fault.
I'm going to find him Chat. I'm going to make him pay."

She took one last look at her friend, still and sound, and she snapped.

Her next move shocked everyone.

"Tikki, spots on."

"No wait!" The Kwami called out before being sucked into Marinette's earring, once more transforming her into Ladybug.

Using her yoyo, she swiftly caught the corrupt, black butterfly that had still been hanging around all the bad energy.

But instead of cleansing it of evil as she usually did, she freed it.

Then captured it in her hand, gave it a once over and put it in her earring- akumatising herself.

She was enveloped in purple smoke, and when she emerged, she was Ladybug no more.

Chat almost fell to his knees at the sight of his beloved who was no longer the strong, pure heroine he'd known her to be, but a villain.

"Marinette?" He whispered, staring at her with furred brows.

But the bluebell eyes that met his in return weren't the same anymore- they were... darker.

"Marinette isn't here anymore, Kitty."

🐞 🐈

Dun dun dunnnnn!