A second chance

"In which our sweet Marinette learns to love what she has…"

1

"Here you are m'lady."

Chat purred as he gave me the deep purple coloured, wrinkled, paper ball.

"Ah, aren't you on top of your game today? So is this what your 'diversion' was for?" I said sweetly. I tore the piece of paper and out came a beautiful black butterfly with hints of deep purple splotches here and there. It's such a pity that a beautiful critter like this can cause so much damage. I reach for my Magic yoyo which is safely secured on my right hip. I spin it on to the side, until only a halo of red light is given off it. I reach and throw it toward the butterfly and capture it. I slide my finger across and tap the now screen-like top of my yoyo. It opens and out comes a beautiful white butterfly.

"No more evil doings for you little akuma."

I look to chat; he passes me the red with black pock-a-dotted beach towel. It sometimes amazes me of how well we know each other without even…well, knowing each other. I throw the towel in the air and shout "Miraculous ladybug!"

Immediately the beach towel turns into gobs of pink and red flower pedals which-like magic- rush toward all the damage done by the akuma and fix everything. It's breath taking, really; everything going back to normal within seconds. This time the damage isn't all that bad. Just a few cars tipped over here and there, a couple broken street lamps and that's about it. No civilian was hurt during our battle, that's always a plus in my book.

The crowd around us begins to cheer. A swarm of media anchors begin making their way towards us from the crowd. Among them I spot my best friend Alya; obviously coming over to get an interview for the lady blog. My train of thought quickly disappears when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to find chat with one arm out stretched, his hand in a closed fist.

"Pound it?" he croons.

I extend my arm as well, bumping fists. It's our thing.

"Leaving so soon kitty? What's the rush, you usually stick around until I have to bolt."

He smirks, trying to hide his ever growing blush. I giggle, thinking how my words have that big of an effect on him.

"Well you see, I'd love to stick around bugaboo, but there's places this cat needs to be." And with a wink he's off.

Well at least one of us is spared from hungry news teams and their raging questions. I turn around when I hear a familiar voice call my name. My other name. The name which people call out either in a form of a plea for help or with joy and gratitude. A name which people use when I'm the other me. The heroine of Paris-

"Ladybug!" Alya shouts.

"Ladybug! Ladybug! Can you tell us any difficulties you and chat noir had while fighting the popalizer?"

"well we-"

"Ladybug! Where is chat noir?" A news reporter asks.

"Yes, has something happened?" Another shouts.

Great. Here we go again. I sigh. That blasted cat's gonna pay for making me answer such childlike questions. I don't want to be rude so I turn towards Alya.

"Well actually, no, we didn't have any trouble fighting him. Chat noir got the akumatized paper ball before he could do some real damage. You should thank him but unfortunately he had to dip early."

Every reporter started to eagerly scribble on their notepads. I just stood there, arms crossed, uneasily shifting my weight from one foot to the other, a smile on my lips.

It was at this moment that I had recalled, thinking, how much I was enjoying the day. What I had yet to do when I'd return home as Marinette. But that train of thought also quickly, came to an end when the ground below our feet began to rumble.

2

I changed my stance, ready for anything. But when I looked around, no one seemed to have noticed the shake. Everyone was preoccupied, indulged within their conversations, retelling the events of the battle, lost in their own worlds. I stood up straight, my posture stiff. Was there even a rumble to begin with? I scan the crowd again for any indication, realization-anything. Nothing.

I pivot to my left and look up toward the building where chat went and disappeared to. I squint and then see a figure atop it; all black, with cat ears, a tail and complete with a bell. I laugh, low enough to only be heard by my ears. That little sneak. He waves to me and I wave back, shaking my head.

I hear my name being called from a childlike voice. I turn around for a second. I don't even get the chance to respond when an explosion goes off.

Screams immerse from the crowd. Everyone's hunched over, cupping their ears. I find myself doing the same. I quickly stand up straight and turn toward where the explosion had come from. My gut sinks, my eyes widen and my breath comes to fast. The very place where my partner once stood a mere second ago is nothing but rubble, up in flames.

" L-ladybug?" The little girl whispers, tugging on my arm. I turn around; I completely forgot she was even there. I squat down to her eye level and try to sooth her with my gentile voice.

"hey, it' going to be ok. Ok? Now, I want you to run to the park and stay as close to the fountain as possible. Do you understand? Take everyone with you, tell them that Ladybug says so. Ok?"

She nods, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. I hug her tight and then tell her to go. She rushes toward the crowd and grabs as many people as she can. They all look back at me and I nod, confirming what she has relayed to them.

I turn around and I'm running. Faster and faster toward the flames, my feet pounding on the pavement. I won't make it in time. I won't make it in time. I won't- crash! Shrieks and cries envelope my surroundings. Another building, this time the one across from the burning one-gone. Two in a row, this is an akuma.

This is bad. This is very, very bad. Why. I try to balance myself as the ground settles down from the violent eruption. Everything was fine a second ago. There was no sign, no indication…no. I'm wrong. The rumble.

As soon as the ground stops shaking I'm back up on my feet, dashing to the smoking buildings. A crowd has already gathered.

"Everyone move! Ladybug is here!"

People look at me. Their faces sunken, eyes glazed with tears. Some of them have ash smeared on their clothes. Their looks says it all. Help us. Please save us.

My brain is raking telling me to do the same. Please help them, save them, be their hero, be their savior. Except I find myself slowing down. Those thoughts are being clogged. They are fading away as an even bigger voice in my mind is being amplified, humming its shriek through my entire body.

Find chat noir. He's not dead. He's chat noir. He can't die.

And that brings us to the end of our first two toasted flakes. Plz don't kill me. (haha) I am currently writing chapter 3…let's just say that it'll be BOMB af. ;)