Falling Again; Chapter One

"Being with you and not being with you is the only way I have to measure time."

― Jorge Luis Borges

Paris 2026 – Ten years in the future

'This is Alya, coming to you live from the scene of an akuma attack. This one calls herself Hourglass, but as a true hourglass figured woman, I'd say she was a bit more pear shaped?'

Ladybug groaned, listening to the broadcast through her earpiece. Alya's clever tongue was going to get her in trouble one of these days. She could hear Chat Noir chuckling.

'The heroes of Paris are no doubt on their way, but if they're listening-'

Ladybug rolled her eyes as she swung onto the rooftop. Alya knew they were listening. That was why she had the annoying earpiece to begin with.

The akuma victim was female, with a tan coloured body suit and dark brown boots. On her chest was the image of an hourglass - clearly her namesake.

'-I can tell you that this particular akuma seems to be freezing people? But not with ice. Like she's hit pause. I haven't seen her use any other attack yet, however I will keep viewers updated until the dynamic duo arrives. I have checked the vitals of a victim, and they seem to be breathing just fine – oh shit!'

Ladybug landed on a roof just in time to see Alya dodge the Hourglass' beam of yellow light. She hissed to herself, frustrated at Alya's lack of concern for her own safety.

'I'm okay, viewers, but I can see... yes, Chat Noir is on the scene!'

Ladybug watched as her leather-clad partner swung in smoothly, and planted two feet in the akuma victims back, sending her stumbling forward.

Since she had grown to be the height of a house, the ground shook with her movements, and she breathed a sigh of relief as Chat Noir swung to a safer point.

'You're out of time,' he grinned, and Ladybug figured that was her cue.

'And Chat Noir delivers yet another cringeworthy pun,' Alya reported.

While Hourglass was distracted, Ladybug swung her yoyo and pitched herself off the building. She copied Chat Noir exactly, pushing both her feet into the akuma's back. Startled, it swung around.

'How dare you!' she screeched, kicking out at the hero with her giant feet. Ladybug sidestepped the attack at the last moment and slipped around her enemy to join Chat Noir.

'Nice of you to join us, My Lady,' he greeted, and she swatted him on the shoulder.

'Do we know anything about her?' Ladybug asked, and Chat shook his head.

'Only that she's got big feet and she doesn't like it when I tease her,'

'And that she can turn you into a statue,' she murmured.

'She's a student, Sandy Denton, buried under year twelve deadlines. She's struggling with school, apparently, but normally she'd calm and collected. Hawkmoth has obviously promised her more time in order to get her assignments done,' Alya's voice informed them over their earpieces.

'Any idea where the akuma is?' Chat asked.

'I'm working on it, calm your whiskers,' she fired back.

Alya had known their identities for some time now, and she had proved to be an invaluable ally in the fight against Hawkmoth.

'Thanks Alya, try to steer clear of the action,'

'As if!'

'We need to get her out in the open,' Chat called, and Ladybug nodded.

'Okay, time to be annoying, kitty,' she said with a smirk, and Chat saluted her before diving in front of the villain.

'Hourglass, right? No way, it's amazing who you just run into on the streets,' he called, tail curling with delight. He was in his element, clearly.

'I'm getting tired of you, furball,' she hissed, holding out her hand. The deadly yellow light shot forward, and Chat Noir smoothly backflipped away.

'Gonna have to be quicker than that, Sandy-pants,' he taunted, moving away and towards the river. Ladybug followed, trying to find some kind of object where the akuma might be hiding. She spied a thin gold bracelet with a charm on it dangling from Hourglass' wrist, and grinned.

Bingo.

'Chat Noir,' she said quietly, as not to alert the akuma of her presence. 'I found the akuma, I think it's in her bracelet... if I put her on the ground, you reckon you could grab it?'

'Be careful, LB, it seems awfully easy,' he replied.

'I'll be fine, just keep her distracted and I'll try and get the bracelet,' she replied. She followed on the rooftops of Paris, gesturing for citizens to be quiet and go back indoors, and subtly keeping an eye on Alya, all the while waiting for an opening to snatch the bracelet.

Hourglass stopped, and a few bursts of yellow light froze a few civilians. Ladybug grit her teeth. It had to be now.

She threw herself at the akuma, planning to snatch the bracelet, but Hourglass caught her at the last minute. Literally caught her, in her giant hands.

'Nice try, little bug but it won't be that easy...' she grinned.

'Chat Noir! Go now,' Alya said over the earpiece, and Ladybug watched with pride as her partner leapt up and snatched the bracelet from the villain's wrist. She stared at him furiously raising her palm in an attempt to stop him. Chat Noir broke the charm on the bracelet, but nothing happened. No butterfly. He glared up at Hourglass.

'You know, they say cats have nine lives... shall we test that theory?'

A beam of white light shot forward to hit Chat Noir right in the chest. It blew Hourglass backwards, and Ladybug hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of her. When the light had disappeared, so had Hourglass. Chat Noir lay on the pavement, and Ladybug raced over to him. He was breathing, thank god, but barely conscious.

'Is he okay?' Alya asked, her voice frantic.

'I think so,' Ladybug replied. 'I have to get him out of the public eye,'

'I'll send Nino around,'

'Thanks Alya,'

Nino helped Ladybug move the unconscious Chat Noir into his car, and she watched his transformation melt away.

Adrien had a bruise welling up on his chest and neck. Whatever that power was, it had hurt him pretty bad. Ladybug dropped her transformation too, and Marinette crawled over to the front seat, nursing both Tikki and Plagg.

'Is he okay?' Nino asked, mirroring Alya's words.

'No idea, but we have to get him home. If he hasn't changed in a few hours, we'll take him to the hospital.'

'Shit,' Nino muttered, taking a side street. 'We've been waiting for the day Hawkmoth was too strong,'

'He's not too strong. We took a hit, and we just need to regroup... it'll be fine,' Marinette replied, pulling the earpiece out. 'He's going to be fine,'

#

Paris 2016 – The Present

25 year old Adrien woke with a pounding headache. He sat up, and realised that he felt strange. He felt small, weak.

Getting out of his bed, he realised that it was his old bed, in his old room. Why was he here?

Concern for Ladybug struck him like a truck. He ran to his closet and caught sight of himself in the mirror.

The reflection staring back at him was 15 years old.

Fuck.