This was never supposed to happen.
Ladybug was strong, she was brilliant. She wasn't supposed to be lying on the ground like that. Eyes closed, chest heaving, dirt and blood smeared across her polka-dotted mask.
Crooked, why did she look crooked?
Chat Noir was always happy, always smiling. He wasn't supposed to be crying, bound to a lamp post, struggling to reach her, to reach his lady.
"Ladybug!" he screamed. "I'm coming, milady!"
She didn't answer, couldn't answer, just cracked open her eyes to stare at the approaching akumatized citizen. A blank stare, where was her hope?
Gone, it was all gone.
The akuma's host―Knightmare, that was his name―had struck around midnight, Chloe's fault of course, and the famous duo had swept in to confront him with a confidence like never before. But this one was different, angry, his power unmatched by any previous akuma.
Knightmare kneeled before her, his hand brushing down her cheek. It was tender, felt loving. They knew the truth. "You know what I'm going to take, but before I do, oh great Ladybug, I have a little present for you."
Chat Noir fought harder, a shriek erupting from his throat. They had seen what happened to Chloe, her cries, the anguished begging at the light graze of his hand. Fear, that's what he used, what he manipulated. It lasted a mere minute for the mayor's daughter, but the two heroes had a feeling that what Chloe endured was less than a tenth of the akuma's true power. He wouldn't go easy on Ladybug.
"No! Don't touch her, Knightmare!"
The tall man grinned, roughly gripping Ladybug's arm as he dragged her to Chat Noir's feet. She was so close, right there in front of him. Knightmare stood, pulling out a knife and dragging it along Chat's cheek. "I want you to watch her suffer, watch her die right in front of you," he breathed, lips curling into a sneer. "You both deserve this."
Tears streamed down Chat's face, soaking his mask as he strained against the ropes. "I'll do anything, anything! Please, just let Ladybug go!"
Knightmare grinned. "Problem is, kitty, I already have everything I want." He sliced down swiftly towards Ladybug, splitting her left side open, blood flowing across the concrete where she lay. The blue-haired hero let out a pained gasp, a few tears leaking from her eyes.
"I'll make her wish she had never become a miraculous holder."
And Knightmare's glowing palm descended upon Ladybug's shoulder. Chat Noir squeezed his eyes shut, unable to look at his lady when he was so helpless, so useless.
But…
"L-lucky charm," a voice rasped.
Ladybug?
Ladybug!
One fist grasped around Knightmare's wrist, the other held tight onto a pair of dotted wire cutters.
"You can hurt me all you want, but I won't break. I'll never give up my miraculous!" Ladybug croaked, eyes flashing dangerously.
Knocking his knife away with the wire cutters, she kicked him to the side with a grunt, effectively knocking the wind out of the surprised man. She forced herself to her feet, nearly collapsing, before stumbling painfully to Chat Noir, blood soaking into her suit and collecting in a puddle at her feet. He wanted to gag at it's metallic scent. There was so much, too much pouring out of her side. How could she still be standing?
"Ladybug, get out of here! Run!" He ordered.
She shook her head, fixing her partner with a determined glare as she cut through the ropes holding him. "It's our responsibility to protect the citizens of Paris, Chat Noir."
He almost believed that she wasn't scared. Almost. But Chat had known her for long enough that he noticed even the slightest tremor in her voice. She was terrified. Ropes falling at his feet, Chat Noir wasted no time in retrieving his fallen baton and pushing Ladybug behind him.
"Milady, you only have five minutes left. Let me take it from here."
She took his hand, the unusual act of affection showing just how serious she was. "Chat, you can't do this on your own. I'll be fine."
"But—"
"Paris comes first, Chat Noir!"
The blonde hero swallowed back his protests. She was right, she was always right. He hadn't even thought about the city. Were Nino and Alya okay? Was Marinette okay? How had he forgotten about his best friends?
"Well, I'm surprised that you had enough energy to use your power, but I guess I shouldn't have underestimated Paris's famed heroine," Knightmare jeered, picking up his knife.
"We'll stop you!" Chat threatened, putting himself between the villain and his bleeding partner.
"You don't realize the strength I have, Chat Noir," Knightmare scoffed. "Everyone is afraid of something. I can see what terrifies them, I can see their weakness and I can use it. No one can fight fear itself, not even you."
It was true, though. Fear, it was in everybody, there was no escape. It left a person broken, traumatized. Chat wasn't even sure that Ladybug's lucky charm was able to fix what Knightmare could do. Could she mend mentality? Repair a person's mind?
"It doesn't matter, Knightmare! We're a team and we can push through anything!" Ladybug shouted, leaning heavily against Chat Noir. She had never been in this much pain before, could she fight?
She had to. For Chat, for Paris. For Adrien and Alya and Nino and even Chloe.
The akuma smiled, a glint in his eye that did nothing to calm Paris's heroes. "You pair are such a great team. It would be a shame if something happened to your little sidekick, though." And with that, Knightmare flung himself, palm outstretched, towards Chat Noir.
"No!" Ladybug shrieked, her body moving on its own, throwing her bleeding, broken self in front of her partner, her best friend. Knightmare's hand connected with her chest and, for a moment, the world went dark and Ladybug felt nothing.
Then she screamed.