MiraculElse #2: Forget-Me-Not
by DFC
(Timeframe: Midpoint, Season 2.)
Marinette dragged herself through the front doors of her school on a Monday morning.
"Where's your, uh, design project, Marinette?" Alya asked her, seeing that she wasn't carrying anything.
Marinette slapped her forehead. "It's on my kitchen table! I left it there when I was helping Dad set up the - " She turned green for a moment, then frantically pounded on her cell phone.
"DAD! I was watching the croissants for you this morning and I think I -"
"Forgot to turn the oven off before you left," coughed Tom through some clouds of black smoke. "It's okay, I'm making a new batch now. Just be more careful next time."
"Auuugh! I'm sorry, Dad. Love you."
Marinette hung up the phone and said, "Alya, do you have an extra brain in your purse? Mine is missing."
"One of those days, huh?" Alya laughed.
Marinette replied, "You could say that. I think I'm going to -YAAAAGH!" She tripped and fell over someone's bookbag lying on the ground, her belongings flying across the hallway. Looking back, she saw some classmates giggling, Chloe enjoying her predicament just a bit too much.
Alya helped her to get up and gather everything. "Come on, we're going to be late!"
They rushed through the door and took their usual seats. Marinette held her head in her hands and said "Alya, I have a feeling this is one of those days I'm really going to want to forget."
Across town, Henri Bernard was not a happy man.
Thirty years of work at the Durand Department Store. Thirty years of being ignored, overlooked for promotion, snubbed and forgotten. Today, his last day, he came in ready to retire and give everyone a piece of his mind on the way out the door. And what did he find?
Nothing. Not a sausage. No coworkers had even remembered it was Henry's last day. His boss saw him packing up, realized he was leaving, and tossed him something that had been lying on the boss's desk. "A going-away present," the boss smirked.
It was a pen with CONGRATULATIONS HENRY on it. Henry. They couldn't even bother remembering how to spell his name. He'd never felt so humiliated in his life. So powerless. But not unnoticed.
The observation window in Hawkmoth's lair opened silently. "Bitterness. Anger. Humiliation. This is a man with a whole palette of negative emotions to choose from! As intense as they are, I think this villain of mine will be... a special one."
He concentrated on the butterfly in his hands, Akumatizing it, then letting it fly. "Go forth, my little Akuma... find my prey, and EVILIZE him!"
Henri got into his car, slamming the door. He was just about to back out of his parking space when the Akuma fluttered through the window and possessed the pen in his back pocket. Hawkmoth's energy signature appeared before his eyes.
"I am Hawkmoth. I can feel your frustration at being overlooked. As if nothing you do will ever be remembered. I give you the power of Brainfreeze! You will ensure that no one else will ever be memorable... ever again. I need but a small favor in return; bring me the Miraculouses of Ladybug and Chat Noir."
Henri did not hesitate. "I'm ready."
Purple energy cascaded around him, and when it cleared he was transformed. A foot taller than before, a radiant blue figure inside a dark and flowing cloak, an electric crackle sparking between his fingertips. He marveled at his new form, ready to take his revenge on the world.
The Durand Department Store was busy on this morning. Customers streamed in and out. One streamed in that was... quite unlike anyone else present.
"Freeze!" shouted the security guard, struggling for his gun.
"Relax," chuckled Brainfreeze. "I won't hurt you. In fact, in just a second you won't even remember that I'm here."
Brainfreeze touched the guard with a glowing hand, and he slumped to the floor, his face blank and emotionless.
"...Or anything else," he added.
Brainfreeze moved from person to person, blanking anyone who didn't make a run for it. As he cleaned the registers out, the victims sat, motionless. Some stared at their own hands, as if they didn't recognize them anymore.
Hearing loud, panicky voices in the hallway, Ms. Bustier stepped out of Marinette's class for a moment, then returned with a grimace. "Children, there's yet another supervillain attack downtown. We should be safely out of range, but get your things and we'll all move to our designated Akuma Drill Zone."
Marinette thought to herself, I remember when we used to just have fire drills once in a while. "May I please use the restroom?"
Once out of sight, she changed quickly to Ladybug and swung into action. I guess I can't complain, she thought, Ms. Bustier can't ask me where my project is if class is interrupted...
Adrien and Nino walked down the hallway with the rest of the class. Adrien caught a glimpse of a red-and-black blur through the window. "You go ahead, I'll... be right there," Adrien said.
"Going to check on Marinette? You smooth dog," Nino smirked.
"Oh, no, I wasn't doing that. Uh, though I hope she's okay."
"Go, man, whatever." Nino laughed. "I'll cover for you."
As Ladybug landed across from Brainfreeze, she taunted, "Another supervillain? You're the third one this month. Doesn't Hawkmoth ever get tired of this?" She noted Brainfreeze's glowing hands and circled him, trying to stay out of reach.
"I'm gonna cut your IQ down to zero," Brainfreeze snarled. A hurled baton whacked him in the back of the head, making him stagger.
"You can't divide us by zero," quipped Chat Noir. "I learned that in math class."
"Don't get too close, kitty!" warned Ladybug. "His hands are glowy. Don't let him touch you."
"That'll make punching his lights out tricky, but I can improvise," Chat replied. He ducked and dodged as Brainfreeze lunged at him, dancing just out of reach. Brainfreeze grunted as Ladybug's yo-yo wrapped around him several times, pinning his arms to his sides.
"We got him!" said Ladybug happily. "Now let's figure out where his Akuma is."
Brainfreeze laughed. "There's something you really ought to know, girl." He concentrated, and crackling blue energy covered him - running up the yo-yo wire and straight to Ladybug! "I don't need to use my hands."
As Ladybug screamed, Chat was already in mid-air, trying to tackle her out of harm's way. He reached her, but the energy spread to him as well when he touched her. The two convulsed for several seconds, then fell to the ground, unconscious.
Brainfreeze cackled in triumph. "Bon voyage, brain cells!" he shouted. Police cars whipped around the corner, heading for the scene, and he turned his attention to them.
This was going to be FUN.
Marinette's vision started to clear. Her head was swimming, her legs felt like lead, and she couldn't think straight. All she remembered was that SOMETHING had been in front of her, something big and unnatural and glowing, and then a voice yelled "Let's get out of here!" It sounded like a plan, so she ran until she couldn't run any more.
Panting, she leaned over with her hands on her knees. She looked beside her and saw a familiar young man dressed in black leather, a domino mask over his eyes, similarly out of breath. She blinked, taking it all in. He turned to her and had a similarly surprised look on his face.
"Adrien?" Marinette asked.
"...Marinette?" replied Adrien.
"...Why are we out... wherever we are... dressed up in Halloween costumes... in September?"
Brainfreeze beckoned to the police, taunting "Come on, try it!", only for his face to light up with Hawkmoth's energy signature.
"The police are of no significance. They can't stop you. Concentrate on the heroes," Hawkmoth ordered.
"I can take out anybody with these powers. Stop worrying."
Hawkmoth shouted, "You have no idea what you are dealing with here. The Miraculouses, quickly!"
Brainfreeze stopped and yelled back, "Look, boss. That was a full power blast. Those kids don't even know their own names any more. They're not going anywhere."
He pointed in their direction, then turned and looked, seeing that he was pointing at an empty street. "Hey, where'd they go?" he asked, as Hawkmoth clenched both fists.
Marinette and Adrien ran through the alleyways, trying to put more distance between them and... whatever that thing was.
"Adrien, what is going ON?" Marinette yelled out.
"I have NO IDEA," he panted back.
They took another rest break. It didn't seem like anyone or anything was pursuing them.
Marinette took an opportunity to look herself over. "And where did we get these costumes?"
"No clue," Adrien wheezed. "It fits like it was made for me, but I've never seen it before."
"Well, I know I'd never... I mean... I don't go out in public in skintight bodysuits." She covered herself as best she could with crossed arms.
"It does look good on you," Adrien added, instantly regretting it. "I mean... I'm not looking that closely. I'm not."
"Please don't." It was debatable who turned redder. Marinette composed herself and added, "You don't remember ANYTHING about how we got here?"
"Nope. Nothing. It was like I woke up from a dream or something, and here we were."
Marinette frowned. "Well, we'll have to figure out where our regular clothes are, I guess. I can't wait to get these spots off and -"
*whoosh!*
A white light moved down over Marinette's body, swiftly replacing the Ladybug costume with her normal attire.
"Aaaaah!" both yelled. Marinette stood still, looking at herself to make sure all her parts were in the right places. "What the HECK was that? One second I'm wrapped up in red spandex, the next I'm... what?"
Adrien was wide-eyed, pointing behind Marinette's head. She turned and saw Tikki floating behind her, just as wide-eyed. "Are you okay-" was interrupted by Marinette yelping, falling down and scooting away on her butt.
"THERE'S A HUGE BUG ON ME!"
"Marinette, what happ-"
"IT'S A HUGE BUG THAT KNOWS MY NAME!"
Tikki retreated a few feet, suspiciously. "You... really don't know who I am?"
Marinette remained guarded, even as Adrien leaned in for a closer look. "I _really think_ I'd remember you. Whatever you - whoever you are."
Tikki looked at Chat Noir. He shrugged.
"Marinette... you just transformed... right in front of Chat Noir. And you're okay with that?"
"What's a Chat Noir? This is Adrien."
Tikki's face fell, and she started flying in tight circles. "Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no," she chirped.
"Who ARE you?" asked Adrien, who was taking things a little more in stride. "Are we dreaming, or what? Wait. How could Marinette and I have the same dream?"
"My name is Tikki," she said. "And I really, really need to get both of you to Master Fu's. Adrien, say 'Claws in,' please."
"Claws in?"
*whoosh*
Chat Noir's costume vanished as well, and Plagg emerged looking as confused as Tikki. "WHAT THE HECK?" he yelled.
"Whoa! I've got one, too!" Adrien exclaimed.
Tikki flew up and said, "Yes, but we have no time now to explain. Follow us to Master Fu's."
Marinette asked, "Whoever you are... how do we know we can trust you?"
Plagg replied, "How about this... Do you have any idea what's going on here?"
Both kids shook their heads.
"NEITHER DO WE. But HE might."
"He's got a point," admitted Marinette, and they followed the bobbing Kwamis through the city.
In his lair, Hawkmoth raged. He could see Brainfreeze using his newfound might to take private revenge on people who had wronged him in his normal life. One after another, Parisians' minds were emptied but that wasn't getting Hawkmoth any closer to the Miraculouses.
"My patience is running thin, Brainfreeze. Stop playing around and do something nice and public. Superheroes won't show up unless they know you're there."
"Or what?" snarled Brainfreeze.
"What do you MEAN, 'or what?'"
"If you could control me, you'd have done it by now. I don't think you got that juice, boss man. Now shut up and let me take care of business."
Hawkmoth broke contact. "It's so hard to get good help these days," he muttered.
In the back room at Master Fu's, two nervous teens sat together, watching three very nervous Kwamis buzz around their heads as Master Fu asked them many questions about their experience, answering theirs, explaining how their powers would work. Tikki hung on every question and didn't like most of the answers; Plagg tried to crack jokes; Wayzz fretted about the implications.
Marinette leaned against Adrien, and he put his arm around her shoulders. Any other time, this would've sent Marinette to the ceiling, but for now she had bigger issues on her mind.
"So, you're saying that Adrien and I have been these... superheroes... for months now?" Marinette asked.
Master Fu nodded. "Two of the finest that I've ever known."
Adrien said, "And it's strange that we know each other?"
Wayzz jumped in with, "Of course it's strange! Your secret identities must never be disclosed!" Master Fu waved him down, gently.
"Of course you know each other, quite well. Marinette and Adrien are good friends; Chat Noir and Ladybug are friends and partners. But you did not know each other had two identities, until today."
"Why not?" Adrien asked. "I know I could trust Marinette with anything in the world. And she knows she can trust me."
Marinette glowed, silently. He is so sweet.
Master Fu explained, "If you know each other's secret identities, it can be dangerous. For example, you've been brainwashed or hypnotized several times as Chat Noir, Adrien."
"I have?"
"Through no fault of your own. But it happened. If you knew Ladybug was Marinette, that might've slipped into the wrong hands."
Marinette shuddered. "And that could put my family, my friends, everyone I love in danger! Or I might be the one to let it slip."
Tikki said, "Exactly. You've both been very good at keeping that secret until now. But, Master, I have to ask. Ladybug and Chat Noir used to look right at each other and not recognize themselves, but today they both saw right through their disguises..."
"There is a... subtle magic in each Miraculous. It blurs perceptions, but just a little. It makes people who look at the transformed see what they expect to see," replied Master Fu. "It tries to keep the secret until it is no longer needed. But when these two forgot what a Ladybug and a Chat Noir were... they saw what they really saw."
Adrien shrugged. "I guess that explains it. Like, my hair's a little different when I change, but not that much. And if I looked at Marinette, I'd know her hair, her face, her smile anywhere."
Marinette squirmed in her seat. Adrien, you are killing me right now.
Plagg spoke up. "So when will they get their memories back?"
The room fell silent. Master Fu turned away in thought. He responded, "...I do not know if they will."
Hawkmoth stood very still, angered by Brainfreeze's rebellion. "Enough. What I have given, I can take away. DARKWINGS... FALL!"
*whoosh*
In a flash, Hawkmoth reverted to Gabriel Agreste. Nooroo floated in front of him, obediently.
"Nooroo, tell me. The powers of the Miraculous allow me to grant vast power to those I choose. How do I remove that power?" Gabriel asked Nooroo.
"Master... you don't," said Nooroo.
"WHAT?"
"The Akuma you sent is embedded in the object. You can call it back, but only once it is freed from what it possesses," explained Nooroo. "It might be possible to call the Akuma back with some recipients, but this one is too strong for that."
"Bah!" Gabriel raged. "Very well. Perhaps he will still serve his purpose. I will find some other way to deal with him."
He stepped onto the elevator, lifting him out of his lair and back to his everyday home. "NATHALIE!" he bellowed. "Tell Adrien that he is restricted to the grounds until further notice. I will not have him put at risk."
Gabriel turned the corner to the hallway outside of Adrien's bedroom, only to find an increasingly familiar sight; an empty room, an open window, and a sheepish Nathalie with Adrien's bodyguard.
"I am starting to think I need to put bars on those windows," snarled Gabriel.
"He'd still find a way," murmured Nathalie.
"So you are telling me, there is a mind-erasing supervillain terrorizing Paris, and MY SON is out there somewhere in harm's way?"
Nathalie lowered her head. "I would rather not tell you that."
Master Fu had Adrien and Marinette transform. "The world is still in need of what you can do. The villain is still out there."
Ladybug looked doubtful. "But I'm... okay, I'm back in costume but I'm just a schoolgirl. I don't remember anything about how to use this," she said, dangling her yo-yo.
Master Fu reached for a vase on his bookshelf. Whirling, he hurled it right at the heroes. "Think FAST!"
Effortlessly, Ladybug backflipped away, landing on a chair by the door. Chat Noir grabbed his baton, spun it rapidly and shattered the vase in one smooth motion. They both gawked, amazed at what each had just done.
"Muscle memory," Master Fu said. "Your bodies know what to do; they've done it a thousand times. It is your minds that are confused." He paused, then added "I should have thought that through. I liked that vase."
"Cool," Chat muttered. "I could get used to this."
Ladybug asked, "So what happens if Brainfreeze blasts us again?"
"...I am not sure," replied Master Fu. He frowned. "The magic in the Miraculous saved you once, but it was only partial. You could forget much more. Forget who you are with and without your costume. I cannot say."
Chat Noir whipped his head around. "Whoa! So we're... risking not just our lives. We're risking our MINDS if we go back out there." He shook his head. "I gotta think about this..."
"When we go out there," said Ladybug. "Not if." The room turned to her as she stood.
"Master Fu, I'm... I'm really overwhelmed by all this. I still don't know if I'm dreaming, I'm crazy, or if this is all real. But Brainfreeze is really out there destroying Paris right now, isn't he?"
"He is."
"And we're the only two who can stop him?"
"You are."
"Then I'm going to stop him. With my best friend. I can't let him hurt people."
She looked intently at Chat, who was gazing at her with undisguised wonder in his eyes. That may be the bravest thing I've ever heard.
He stood as well. "I'm in. Brainfreeze won't stand a chance against Ladybug and... the PANTHER!" He struck a fearsome claws-out pose.
The room was silent for a beat.
Ladybug said, "...Really?"
Chat shifted, nervously. "And... the WILDCAT!", he tried again.
"And... Chat Noir," corrected Master Fu.
"That's it? 'The Black Cat?' No sense of style around here."
Marinette suppressed a giggle.
The heroes transformed back, so that two costumed heroes wouldn't be seen leaving Master Fu's, and departed through the front door. Wayzz flitted to Master Fu's side, concerned.
"You really think they can defeat a villain this dangerous, Master?" "I do."
"But they've lost all their knowledge of how to be heroes..." Wayzz persisted.
Master Fu gave Wayzz a steady look. "The Miraculous gives them powers. They were heroes before we met."
Wayzz said nothing. Master Fu walked to the window and looked out. "But even if they win, they will be tested dearly. This time they know each other from the start. Not an easy path to walk."
"We have had heroes in love before, Master," suggested Wayzz. "Sometimes it worked out."
"True," mused Master Fu, "but it complicates things greatly. Relationships can compromise judgment. Emotions can make hard choices impossible. I hope they have the strength to choose as they must."
Ladybug and Chat Noir practiced using their powers and equipment. Master Fu was right; it seemed really strange to leap between buildings, swing through the air and flip like acrobats, but once they tried their bodies executed the moves perfectly. It gave them a little confidence as they searched for Brainfreeze; it seemed like all they had to do was trust their instincts.
"Marin - I mean, Ladybug?" Chat asked.
"I have to get used to these code names, too," said Ladybug. "I feel ridiculous."
"You don't look ridiculous," Chat replied. "You look very natural. I'm the one running around with cat ears and a tail."
"Hey, look at that!" cried Ladybug, as she saw something up ahead. A truck was skidding out of control, and was heading towards a crowded intersection!
"I'll get the people!" Chat yelled, as he dove into action. He scooped up pedestrians as Ladybug swung onto the roof of the truck. Now what do I do? she thought. I don't - I can't -
Something clicked in Ladybug's head and changed hesitant thought to action. Her yo-yo swung out, grabbing a pillar on a nearby building; simultaneously, she dove through one window of the truck and out another, looping the wire around it. She saw Chat bouncing from person to person, gauged where he would end up, and yanked with all her might.
The tires squealed loudly as the truck skidded sideways. It slowed, then stopped about six inches from where Chat had landed after knocking the last pedestrian off the street.
"CHAT! That almost crushed you. Why didn't you move?" Ladybug yelled, relieved but angry.
"I knew you wouldn't let that happen," Chat replied.
"No, you didn't! I don't know what I'm doing!"
"You do," reassured Chat. He hopped up on the cab next to her and knelt beside her, taking her hand. "Just look at the stunt you just did. You saved lives. You made it look effortless."
"..."
Chat added, "Look, Mari - Ladybug. I want you to know two things. One is that, when we were back at Master Fu's, I wasn't sure if I could do any of this! Then I heard what you said and I couldn't do anything else. You inspired me. You amazed me."
"I did?"
"You're my friend. You know how much I think of you already. But I've never known anyone quite like how I've seen you today."
Ladybug was speechless.
"The other thing," he continued, "is that when I was down there saving people, I had a flash in my head. Maybe it was a piece of memory from, well, hero stuff we can't remember. Maybe I'm just crazy. This is all crazy. But it was this; I would trust Ladybug with anything. Even my life."
"Adrien..." Ladybug whispered. "And I trust you."
"Chat Noir, remember? Code names."
She smiled back. "Okay, Chat Noir. Let's go save Paris."
Brainfreeze wasn't hard to find, based on the news reports they saw. They found him on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees, robbing whatever shops he pleased and zapping anyone who didn't run. The streets were littered with silent stares.
"Time for our rematch, ugly!" called out Chat Noir.
Ladybug landed next to him and shouted, "If you can hear me, people, get away!"
Brainfreeze sized them up. "Huh. I'm actually impressed. Didn't think I left enough brains in you two to tie your shoes."
Ladybug launched herself past Brainfreeze as Chat closed in, looking for an opening. "In case you didn't notice, these are more like slippers," she quipped. "Watch out, Chat! You can't out-fight him. We need to find the Akuma."
"Easier said - then done - Ladybug," Chat panted, dodging several swipes.
Let's see what this power of mine can do, thought Ladybug. "LUCKY CHARM!"
The energies coalesced into... a large magnet. Ladybug stared at it, befuddled. "Okay... it's got to be something metal. Something he's carrying. ...Under that cloak somewhere."
Chat jumped back. "Leave it to me. CATACLYSM!" The power pulsed in his hand, and he flipped over Brainfreeze, grabbing at his cloak as he went by. He made contact and the cloak dissolved, but as he got close Brainfreeze pulsed, and the crackling energy washed over Chat, who went tumbling to the ground in a heap.
"ADRIEN! Look out -" Ladybug yelled, then clapped her hands over her mouth.
Oh, NO! What have I DONE?
"Adrien?" A few spectators compared notes. One pointed to a nearby Adrien: The Fragrance poster.
"Hey, he looks kind of like... Is that Adrien Agreste?"
"I think it is!" Cell phones snapped into action.
Ladybug screamed inside; STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! She couldn't help it; her Adrien was hurt, it just slipped out, but she might've just ruined her best friend's life.
"Adrien, huh? Is that your boyfriend?" mocked Brainfreeze. "If it'll make you feel better, he'll never remember you said that." He reached out to grab Chat Noir and empty his mind for good.
Ladybug ran towards them, feeling helpless. What can I do? I can't touch him! But I have to try!
All of a sudden, Brainfreeze stood perfectly still. An energy discharge appeared on his face, and he struggled to move a muscle.
From afar, Hawkmoth concentrated hard. "Can't control you? Rather, I hadn't needed to until now. You will do my bidding and collect their Miraculouses, but you _will not_ hurt that boy."
He thought, I suspected Adrien was Chat Noir once before. I have my proof now. But I cannot... hold this control long. Get out of the way, son!
Chat awoke enough to tumble several feet away, where Ladybug covered him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah... wasn't a big blast... didn't lose much," he gasped.
They watched as Brainfreeze fought the paralysis. "You're connected to me right now, aren't you, Hawkmoth?" His hands rose up and grasped the Hawkmoth energy before his face. "Have some of this."
His hands crackled brightly with energy, there was a small explosion, and he went down on one knee, staggered. In his lair, Hawkmoth had no idea what had hit him. The energy backlash struck him hard, and he flew across the floor, unconscious.
"Wasn't sure that was gonna work," muttered Brainfreeze, as Chat regained his feet. Ladybug pulled him close. She half-closed her eyes and searched for a LuckyVision flash; she caught a glimpse of one in Brainfreeze's back pocket.
"We're running out of time!" she cried out, as she heard the beeping from her earrings. "That last stunt took a lot out of him. We're only going to get one shot at this. Chat? Can you hear me?"
"...Yeah."
"Go for the pen in his back pocket. Use this," she said, handing him the Lucky Charm magnet. "Don't touch him. I'll give you the opening you'll need."
"Wait... how?" he cried as she stepped towards the villain. "LADYBUUUUG!"
Ladybug stared Brainfreeze down. "This is it," she declared. "You're done hurting people."
"Take your best shot." He crackled menacingly. "Aren't you going to say goodbye to Adrien first?"
Goodbye, my love, she thought.
With a shout, she whipped her arm and her yo-yo whistled towards Brainfreeze as she'd done before. This time she wrapped his arms and gave a solid yank as well, bringing him down to his knees.
Chat launched himself forward as hard as he could. Marinette - she's sacrificing herself for me -
"Didn't you learn the last time, kid? That trick never works. Oh yeah - you FORGOT," Brainfreeze laughed, and focused his energy on the yo-yo wire.
Ladybug screamed "NOW!" before her scream became incoherent.
Chat lunged –
I can't miss this -
Thrust the magnet forwards -
Marinette -
and heard a CLINK! of the pen connecting with the magnet. The energy danced towards it but did not completely close the gap.
Chat rolled away, then smashed the magnet against the street. The pen, stuck to the end of it, broke into pieces.
As Brainfreeze collapsed, so did Ladybug. Chat ran to her side, holding her in his arms. They looked back, and saw the purple Akuma floating away from the remains of the pen.
"Ladybug..." She didn't respond.
"MARINETTE!" That opened her eyes.
"Marinette," Chat pleaded, "I'm so sorry but we need you one more time. The Akuma will get away! It'll start all over again!"
"M'okay..." Ladybug whimpered. "Just need a min... to clear muh head..."
Chat helped her to her feet. "Don't think. Don't focus. Just act. You can do it."
With the last of her strength, Ladybug opened one eye. She saw a dancing purple blur, tiny and wriggling in the air. She let her instincts take over. Her body spun, her muscles tensed, and she let a red-and-black capsule of hope whiz through the air.
The yo-yo snatched up the Akuma, flew back and skittered to a stop by Ladybug's side.
Ladybug caught her breath. I'm still here. I'm still me, she thought.
She turned to collect the yo-yo, only to be swept up from behind by a bear hug from Chat. "That was AMAZING, Marinette!" he bellowed.
She turned crimson under the mask but managed to turn and hug him back. At least everyone nearby had either run off or was unconscious, so her identity wasn't blown as well. "Not a bad team, huh?" she smiled.
"Best partner ever. And I'm hoping she's a lot more than that," Chat grinned.
THAT woke her up all the way. Under the costume, Marinette tingled all the way to the tips of her toes. "You really mean that, Adrien? I mean, you and me?"
"This whole crazy mess really opened my eyes, Marinette. You are beautiful and wonderful and so so brave and I couldn't want anybody else. Mask or no mask."
Chat started to lean in, but Ladybug said "Hold on. I still have to let the butterfly go." She opened the yo-yo and a beautiful, pure white butterfly danced its way into the sky.
"Bye-bye, little bu..." she began to say, and then the wave took them.
Ladybug gasped, loudly.
Slowly at first, but in a steadily building rush, the memories of being Ladybug flowed back into Marinette's mind; Brainfreeze's hold on her vanished along with Brainfreeze's Akuma.
At first it was sheer, blissful relief, like a blindfold being removed and a field of flowers coming into view. She closed her eyes and let it pass over her. Good memories and bad. The first crazy swing across the city via Yo-Yo Express. Taking on the Bubbler, Stormy Weather, Dark Cupid. Thrills, chills, sinister villains and sweet victories. The comfort of months of her life fitting comfortably back into place, and every last piece fit.
She was herself again.
But, quickly, it intensified. The memories from her altered mental state weren't going away. Emotional connections heightened all her memories, new and old, and linked them together. Today's adventure joined dozens of others, complicating what was an already complicated bond... a deep trust between platonic partners, friendships between equals, a one-sided yearning for more, another one-sided yearning for more, mysteries that neither side could pierce. The thrill of fighting side-by-side with Adrien/Chat today merged with months of juggling her separated lives, keeping her duality secret at all costs, and it was far too much to process.
It hit Marinette like a ton of bricks, and she sank to her knees. This can't have happened! It CAN'T! I can't know what I know. But she did. The truth would not go away; Chat was Adrien was Chat was Adrien. Her crush whom she longed to be closer to was closer to her than anyone else. Her best friend was her deepest desire. The one secret she could never let herself know was front and center in her mind. It was all right and it was all wrong and nothing could be the same again.
And Adrien would know it all too -
Ladybug picked up the Lucky Charm and slowly stood on wobbly legs. I have to do this. I have to do this now, before -
"WAIT!" cried Chat Noir. "Don't do that yet."
Too late.
Ladybug pleaded, "Chat, please..."
Chat said, "Not yet, Marinette," and a chill ran through her. He said my name.
She pointed to her head. "You, too?"
He nodded. "Everything."
Ladybug sagged. He knows. Now what am I going to do -
"And I couldn't be happier." Chat smiled from ear to ear, with a look on his face that could calm summer storm clouds.
"What?" She froze in place.
He moved closer, slowly, trying not to startle her. "You know how I feel about Ladybug. Watching her, knowing her blew me away from our very first day. Now I've been blown away twice, but this time I knew it was you, Marinette."
He paused, then said "Both times it was you, and I must've been blind not to see it all along." Ladybug's knees went weak.
"My best friend, my partner, the girl I've been in love with, it's all been you."
Chat stopped himself, grimacing. "NO. I'm so STUPID! I can't do this to you. I know you said there was another boy, this isn't fair, I can't get between you and -"
In a low voice, Ladybug breathed, "I fell for you the second day we met, Adrien." He blinked, stunned.
"And more every day. It was always you."
It all sank in. Chat's face lit up, and he ran towards her -
"But it can't happen like THIS," Ladybug insisted, stopping him, ducking away. "We have to fix this. Now." She motioned around her. "We're not the only ones he blasted. There are dozens of people, maybe hundreds with their minds blanked. No Miraculous protected them. We can't let them suffer."
"No, but -"
"And your secret identity, Adrien," she continued. "It's out there now. The world knows you're Chat Noir. Your father will go ballistic. Hawkmoth can hunt you down. Your life is ruined and it's all MY FAULT. And I can fix that."
"No!"
"Adrien, think about it. It's better this way." A tear rolled down her cheek. It quickly had company.
"If you throw that Charm..." Chat said, picking his words carefully, "it'll fix all that. But it'll also fix what Brainfreeze did to OUR memories. We're going to forget all we learned about each other today. We'll go back to how we were before."
"We HAVE to, Adrien! We -"
"I DON'T CARE!" Tears welled up in Chat's eyes. He knew the truth but was determined to fight it. "Just this once, I want to be selfish. To be with you. All of you. The perfect you that I finally know."
Ladybug walked to him, thinking It's now or never.
She leaned against Chat, their foreheads touching each other, both their eyes closed. She whispered one more thing:
"If it's meant to be, we will find each other."
A thin whisper escaped Chat's lips. "We will."
With her last ounce of will, Ladybug turned and hurled the Charm skywards. "MIRACULOUS... LADYBUG!"
And as the magic of the Charm was released and their world turned white, Ladybug leaned in and kissed Chat, the kiss Marinette had dreamed of giving Adrien someday. Something she might never have the courage to do again. A kiss pouring everything in her heart into one perfect, vanishing, was-this-ever-supposed-to-be moment.
Ladybug opened her eyes. So did Chat. It took a second for their closeness to register but then both jumped back a few feet.
"WHOA! Were you just..." stammered Ladybug.
"...Kissing me?" asked Chat.
"You were kissing ME, you mean," Ladybug countered, crossing her arms accusingly.
Chat paused, then shook his head and pointed at the fallen figure, who was sitting up and holding his aching head. "Wow, um, hey, what did that villain do to us?"
"Well, he was CALLED Brainfreeze. He must've messed with our minds, what we saw, what we remembered or something," said Ladybug. "Good thing that we broke his hold on us."
Chat's grin faded into something more thoughtful. "What do you think it was that we were seeing?"
A beat passed. A bird chirping was the only sound.
Ladybug ventured, "If it was that important, we'd remember it. Right, partner?"
"...Agreed, partner. Nobody beats this team," Chat declared.
Fists bumped. "Pound it!"
Hawkmoth awoke, slowly, climbing back to his feet. He could feel that the Akuma was purified, that Brainfreeze was gone. For once, I might owe them a 'thank you,' he mused.
His mind was... fuzzy. His memories doubly so. He could recall watching the battle, he could faintly remember interfering in it for... some reason... but beyond that it was all a blur. No matter. The day was done and it was time to regroup.
He watched the observation window close, then transformed back to Gabriel and ascended. Thoughts buzzed in his head. Perhaps next time, a villain that could READ minds instead of erasing them. Perhaps...
First things first. It was time for him to be a father again, not a supervillain, and figure out what to do about his ever-vanishing son. There had to be some way that he could keep Adrien safe without making him want to be anywhere but home.
Looking through his window, Master Fu saw a flash in the sky, and dancing magical lights doing their work. Across the room, Wayzz breathed a sigh of relief. "Master, I can sense it. They succeeded. The balance is restored."
"It is." Master Fu moved to a nearby chair and sat down, looking troubled. "And it isn't."
"What do you mean, Master?" asked Wayzz.
"That was a very cruel test for them. A test they should never have had to pass. I am very, very proud of them..."
"But?"
"But minds are tricky things. Some things seen are never fully unseen. They find a dark corner and hide, and sneak out when they're least expected." Master Fu looked thoughtful.
"Only time will tell."
The next day at school, Marinette staggered through the door, exhausted. "Got your project today?" Alya asked. "Yep."
"Don't tell us you were up all night working on it!" Rose added.
"No, I just didn't sleep well," said Marinette. "My mind played tricks on me. One of those nights."
Adrien and Nino came in together. He smiled at Marinette, and she at him. His eyes looked tired as well, though he seemed in good spirits.
The day seemed normal. The week seemed normal. Two good friends saw each other in class, waved to each other, talked after school, said "See you tomorrow," just like always. Two superheroes met up at dusk, looked for trouble, told bad jokes, waved goodbye and went home, as they'd done a hundred times before. Everything seemed right in their worlds.
But every once in a while, when Adrien's eyes met Marinette's or Ladybug caught Chat Noir's gaze, there was a touch of something unspoken in it, a hint of a shared secret neither one dared say aloud:
Last night, I had the strangest dream of you.
Again.
~fin~