"NOOOOO!" the cry ripped from Chat as a blast of magic struck Ladybug, rendering her unconscious. She fell from the sky and Chat raced to catch her before she hit the ground. The monster aimed another blast of magic at them, but Chat darted out of the way, carrying Ladybug in his arms. He had to find shelter, and quickly. He glanced down at his partner, giving her a little shake.
"C'mon Ladybug, don't give up on me now!"
Another blast of magic had him darting through the streets. He spotted a man-hole cover and disappeared into it before the monster had rounded the corner. He heard its roar of frustration as it stomped around the city, looking for victims to fuel its mission. Chat glanced up at the cover. The longer they left the monster to its devices, the harder time they would have to defeat it, but he glanced down at Ladybug, limp in his arms. She needed him right now. He gently lay her against the wall and checked for injuries. She didn't seem to have any broken bones, but would likely be sore from that blast for a while. He gently brushed her bangs off her face. His heart squeezed as she stirred and cracked her eyes open.
"Adrien?"
His heart thundered. Had his mask slipped off? He reached up to check, but it was still securely in place. How did she know? She sat up, rubbing her head and looking around. "Oh, sorry, I thought you were… never mind. Where is the akuma?"
Chat pointed up, "Somewhere in the city. He shouldn't be too hard to find."
"Right! Let's- oh!" Ladybug tried to stand, but her legs buckled beneath her. Chat helped her back to the ground. Her earing blinked and she looked up at him in panic.
"You need to take care of yourself Bugaboo, I've got this one."
"Chat Noir!" she called, and he paused, turning, taking in her big blue eyes that were filled with fear. Not for herself, for him. His heart warmed. "Be careful!"
Chat grinned and bowed, "Of course milady! This Akuma is nothing this Paw-some cat can't handle!" he jumped up through the man hold cover and ran towards where the screaming was loudest. Ladybug was going to be ok. He could focus on defeating the monster now.
Ladybug grimaced, holding her stomach. Her back ached, and she didn't think she could walk. Her earings beeped again, and Tiki emerged, panting and laying down beside Marinette.
"I'm sorry Tiki, I wasn't watching carefully enough! And now Chat Noir has to face the Akuma by himself!"
Tiki lay on her back, "It's ok Marinette. We'll be back… soon…" Tiki closed her eyes and Marinette panicked, picking up the small kwami and cradling her in her hands. Tiki had never been this exhausted before. She tried to check the small body for injuries, but nothing was apparent.
"Tiki!" her heart raced and her mind frantically tried to come up with a solution. Nothing came to mind. Marinette braced herself and climbed out of the sewers, racing home with Tiki cradled against her chest. What would happen to Tiki? What would happen to Ladybug? Marinette raced home, bursting through the door and racing upstairs before her parents even emerged from the kitchen.
She placed Tiki gently on the desk and raced back downstairs to grab a cookie.
"Hi ma, pa!" she raced back upstairs, ignoring the curious stares of her parents. She laid the cookie down beside Tiki, who didn't move. There was movement in her little chest though, Marinette watched carefully even as she heard the battle raging outside.
Chat Noir felt the rage burning within him. He focused the anger, and let it give him an advantage he had never had before. His fury focused and he located the akuma on the monsters belt. A few sidesteps to avoid the blasts of magic, a swipe of this staff and the akuma was on the ground. He smashed it beneath his foot and the little butterfly floated free. He winced. Without ladybug to catch and de-evilise the moth, chaos would still reign! The monster was momentarily stunned. Thinking quickly, Chat swiped a lunchbox, trapping the moth inside. He returned and secured the monster. The local authorities approached.
"Where's Ladybug?"
Chat turned and surveyed the damage. Before replying. "She was injured. Badly." His heart twisted as he remembered how he had had to leave her, defenceless in the sewer. She would be ok. She had to be. She was Ladybug.
The police exchanged expressions of alarm.
"Who's going to clean up this mess? And de-evilise the Akuma?"
Chat took a deep breath, striving for patience. He needed to get back to Ladybug and make sure she was ok. Everything else would have to wait until Ladybug was back in business.
"She'll do it, you'll just have to wait a little longer."
"How much longer?" the officer looked really put out, and Chat felt that rage building inside him again. Didn't they care that Ladybug had been injured? Injured while protecting them! He wondered just how injured she had been. With the monster incapacitated and the akuma trapped, the authorities could take care of things until she was better.
"I'm not sure, as soon as we can." His ring beeped. "Sorry guys gotta go, don't let the monster escape!" ignoring their indignant cries, Chat raced back to the sewer. She wasn't there. Disappointment surged within him, but he figured at least she was well enough to get home. Wherever that was. Worry gnawed in his gut. If only there was some way to confirm. Not for the first time, he wished he knew her secret identity, if only so he could make sure she was safe. He sighed wistfully as he stared up at the darkening sky. Paris would need their hero, and soon.
Tiki wasn't waking up. Marinette was at her wits end, she had no idea how to help her small friend, this had never happened before! Why hadn't she been more careful? How could she have missed that blast of magic?
"Tiki, please, wake up!"
An idea occurred to her.
"Of course!" Chat Noir's kwami would know what to do! She just had to find him! She raced down the stairs once more but slowed at the door. If she got his help to heal Tiki, he would figure out who she was. That was something Tiki constantly warned her against. Even if they were continually saving lives together, saving EACH OTHER together, it was her one rule. Keep the secret. The image of her small kwami lying helplessly on her desk made up her mind. She didn't know how she was going to find him, but she had to save Tiki. Pulling her jacket around herself more tightly, Marinette set out to find her partner and get Tiki the help she needed.