CH.8: The dance pt 3

Marinette managed to dodge the first attack as the woman threw out waves of discord towards them. Keeping on her feet after the roll forward she had her weapon spinning as she tried to grab the weapon from her. "Cat Noir…try and keep her busy for me."

"Whatever you want M'lady! Hey…you…over here!" Cat Noir had a talent for drawing attention, though, it seemed like the woman had him fixed from the start.

"You will give me your Miraculous…Cat Noir…or all your friends will continue to suffer!" She made good on that threat and the intensity of her waves were thrown out capturing those she held prey, their bodies opened up to their fear and insecurity even more. Marinette had hoped that Alya would not be caught…but she was.

"Nobody likes me…everyone thinks my posts about Ladybug are trash!" Marinette had never seen Alya so open…so vulnerable before. All of this was…was this really inside her? Alya was her rock, she was the friend who had been there for her…and yet…how could she even reach her now when those waves were breaking her down?

"Stop it…you are hurting her!" Marinette snapped out of her hesitancy and launched into battle throwing her yo-yo forward and wrapping it around the weapon. She had managed to succeed…in only drawing the attention of the woman on her. There was something about her though…something that bore a familiarity she could not place…yet.

"I will do as Hawk Moth commands…now you will give me your Miraculous…or should your identity slip from these lips-." Marinette once again hesitated and that cost her as the woman cast a hard stare at her…those piercing eyes…like they saw straight through her…it sent shivers down her in the most unpleasant of ways.

"Do I know you?" Cat Noir was standing there, his normal antics were now replaced by curiosity, which as most knew was what killed the cat.

"I would think so…after all…I-I…" The woman began to cling to her head and it was like she was not in control…of course…Hawk Moth was responsible for giving her this power…and maybe her consciousness was fighting back.

"Yes…go on…how do you know Cat Noir?" Marinette tried to encourage her and looked to Cat Noir for help.

"Uh right…yeah…how is it you know me? Are you a fan of mine? Did you see me transform into my…other self?" Cat Noir walked forward and that is when Marinette ushered him back with a look. She wanted it known that getting the students and adults out of here was what came first.

"I-I want to tell you…I want to say…ugh…quit it…I don't want to hurt him!" She spoke with conviction and Marinette was relieved to see Cat Noir getting the others out of there. Nino was thankfully not there to get hit by her waves so he helped Alya out. There was so much pain…so much openness that she truly feared if she were hit…all of her walls would be broken down. Right now she and Cat Noir had to hold their ground, buy time till she could use her secret weapon and release the Akuma from her weapon.

"Why don't you want to hurt him? Who are you?" Marinette attempted to pull the weapon and it seemed to be working, her arms trembling as she could feel some strength return.

"My name…my name is…Nathalie!" She roared out and then a chord of evil vibrant pink trails down the string of her yo-yo. Marinette struggles to let go but fear traps her, insecurity holds her in place and she feels her eyes widen in terror.

"Ladybug!" She barely registers her name till her body is crashed into and she releases her weapon as she lands on the ground. Looking up she sees him staring down at her, his lips so close to her. And then she snapped out of it remembering what Adrien had told her in the limo.

"Oh, um, thanks…but I don't think this really is the time for…that. Besides…you'd only make Adrien jealous." She saw his reaction but decided to ignore it as she got to her feet.

"Adrien Agreste, oh, I have heard of him…model right? Did he tell you something?" He gave her a curious tilt of his head and she blushed.

"Oh, well, not exactly…I just heard from someone that he had a crush…though I could be mistaken…" Marinette cursed herself for slipping up. Chances are Adrien had only told her, no wait, it could have been Nino that had been told this, though, when would Nino and her as Ladybug have time to talk?

"I'm sure you are mistaken…heh…we should probably get back to this. I still can't believe it, Nathalie, why would Hawk Moth choose her?" Cat Noir held his chin in thought and Marinette studied him.

"Nathalie, wait, she is the one who looks after Adrien, and she knows these are your friends, do you think?" She looks at him but notices him shrugging it off.

"I guess we will never know…time to end this dance before it gets any more bizarre!" Cat Noir rushes out leaving her behind.

"Do I really want to know? Adrien as Cat Noir…no it just doesn't add up, besides Adrien doesn't act like Cat Noir at all!" She filed that away as fiction and retrieved her weapon. The two of them went back at it, each trying to get Nathalie's attention. Cat Noir's destruction ability would not work in this battle…and her own secret weapon would need time to come out…and even with a proper distraction there was no way she could catch a breather to even use it.

Tumbling about as each wave hit her where she had been…she contemplated how this all had come about. Just why was Nathalie chosen? From what she gathered it was clear that Nathalie was getting nothing out of this, given that she cared for Adrien…or…more like she cared for Cat Noir to do any harm. Perhaps Adrien and Cat Noir were friends…so…friend of friends maybe. She wondered if Adrien had his own suspicions about who she was, Ladybug. This had gone on long enough.

"Lucky Charm!" She summoned her secret weapon into play just as Nathalie stopped long enough for her to do so. What she got was…well…it was always a stumper at first. "A mirror?"

"M'lady is now the time to look at yourself in the mirror, you are pretty, can we get on with the fight?" Cat Noir was racing about as Nathalie focused her new energy on him. She could tell there was some restraint there…which meant the evil power that Hawk Moth held over her was weakening…however Hawk Moth wasn't without some trick up his sleeve.

"Sorry and how vain do you think I am?" Shaking her head she saw the negative waves emanating from the weapon Nathalie used. It seemed to be some sort of rod, could that be it? Marinette watched as the dance was getting messed up and it hurt somewhat in knowing how much work was put into this. So many teens were crying their eyes out hating themselves…and this was supposed to be a night where they can dance and forget social standings…unless you were Chloe.

"He is too powerful…I can only hold him at bay for so long…" Nathalie gripped her head while shooting again. This time it hit Cat Noir…and Ladybug couldn't wait any longer. The fact she had taken so long was on her.

"Ladybug…whatever you hear…I can't stop myself. My dad…he…he doesn't love me. I try and be the model son, pun intended…but he is always away, always so far away…no son should have to sit at the far end of a table or receive a card for a birthday wish instead of a warm hug or a 'that's my boy', ever since…ever since she left…he has closed himself off to me…living in this fashion empire of his!"

Marinette was glad she had some earbuds…though she had managed to hear something about his father not loving him, which was just cruel if someone asked her. As Nathalie listened to him…she noticed the break in her warped features…there was the real Nathalie…not whatever it was she called herself, somehow there were two sides of Nathalie, the version of herself when she worked for Adrien's father driving him around and then the other version…the one who cared for him.

Looking around the room she analyzed the scene…however…it was clear the mirror had a more direct purpose. "Hey Nathalie…look over here!" She saw the woman turn to her and as she held the mirror up she barely got it up before the blast scored down.

"Ladybug…I love you…I have always wanted to tell you that and true I don't know who you really are, but, we have time to find that out right? I mean yeah are schedules might conflict…but we will work it out. You are so beautiful and head strong and you are so unlike Chloe…all she cared about was herself and I am so sorry for not standing up for you or the others sooner, it was wrong of me. Oh Ladybug…how I long to kiss your lips, properly, and to hold you against me…hands above the hips. Do you feel the same way?"

Marinette watched as the purple energy zipped up from the mirror and splashed her with the very same power she had used on the others. Nathalie was unable to resist the effects as they enveloped her and sent her arms behind her as her mouth was open in a silent scream. Marinette felt sorry for having done this…but then the pain seemed to leave her and she recognized Nathalie, not the one with the Akuma, speaking of that.

Suddenly as she lowered to the ground she saw the Akuma leave her. "No more evil doing for you little Akuma. Time to de-evilize!" She sends out her yo-yo and a blinding light shines forth as it takes hold of the Akuma. Soon as she releases it she smiles. "Gothcha. Bye bye little butterfly."

"I-I don't know what overcame me. I feel all light headed and woozy…no wait…there is something I do remember…something I must tell you, both of you. First Cat Noir…I…apologize for attacking you…it was never my intention."

"Huh…oh it is alright…you sort of helped liven up this dance anyway. So…Hawk Moth…he put you up to this didn't he?" Cat Noir folded his arms looking serious. Marinette felt the same way.

"Yes…but there is more to him than meets the eye. He has a secret…as do the both of you. I believe the whole point of this was to deliver a message…that and to get his hands on the Miraculous you both hold, that is what he seeks I believe…it is still foggy. I can tell you where he is though…but be warned…he is no doubt expecting you and will not-."

"I don't care…he threatened my friends…this ends tonight!" Cat Noir threw his arm outright as he his jaw seemed to tighten.

"Cat Noir…maybe we should rest on this…tonight has already been long as it is." Marinette reached for his shoulder and for a moment he seemed to register she was there…but it disappeared as he began moving.

"Hawk Moth…you will find him in…Agreste Manor." And that is what stopped him in his tracks. Even Marinette was taken aback by this. People were starting to come back in and Nathalie disappeared leaving the two standing there.

"Let's go…I'm through playing these games of his, battling those he takes advantage of! Why he is there of all places…I have to know!" Cat Noir rushed off and Marinette followed him. She hoped that Adrien had not decided to go home early.

Authors note: In the next chapter the fated battle begins. After that chapter feel free to go back to chapter one and from there we will reach the final battle after the big reveals.