Luck, or Fate

Chapter 11 – Vanish


James placed his top hat on the table, "And now, for the final act... I shall make this hat vanish!" He tapped his wand on the hat three times, before covering it with a pink, silk cloth. Inside the cloth were stilts, holding it up. James pushed down a pedal, and a hole in the table opened. He kept looking up as the hat fell into the hole.

James smiled. 'Finally! I got something to work!' Everything in the show so far had gone to plan, and now he just had to perfect this act.

He pulled away the cloth, the stilts folding in. He smiled happily to the crowd, whose smiles faded. 'What had he done?!' He had put the hat on the table upside down! Oh no, this was terrible! What was he going to do now?!

"Booooo!" Some yelled, while others wanted their money back.

James backed up, dropping his cloth.

"That was a scam! Fake! Money back!" The crowd yelled, leaving their seats and heading for the ticket seller.


O-+-O


Marinette walked with Alya and sat down on a bench, as the lunch bell rang.

"Marinette, come here." Adrien motioned for Marinette to follow him.

She left Alya on the bench and followed Adrien to where Nino was standing, trembling, "I'm guessing Nino's terrified?" Marinette raised an eyebrow at Adrien.

"Um, yeah." Nino looked at her.

Marinette laughed, "Nino, relax. Just walk up to her, and ask her if she wants to grab dinner or something. Trust me, she'll say yes." Marinette smiled at Nino and Adrien before walking back to Alya.

"Mari, what's going on?" Alya asked.

Before Marinette had a chance to answer, Nino stepped in, as still as a rock.

"Um, A-Alya?" Nino stuttered. He took a glance at Marinette, and she motioned for him to keep going. "W-would you l-like to um... Grab dinner w-with me?" Nino sighed as he finally found the courage to speak.


O-+-O


James ran backstage and took the emergency exit out of the theatre. His dreams had been crushed, all because of that hat. Why had he done it? He knew it was a risk.

"Ahhhh, what's better than a devastated magician who has just crushed his dreams?" Hawk Moth teased. A butterfly flew into his hand, the once white wings turning a sinister purple.

"Go, my evil Akuma, and evilise him!" Hawk Moth waved his stick and the Akuma flew out of Hawk Moth's hideout.

The Akuma made its way to the upset magician. It flew into the wand that he was tapping his hand with. He raised his head as Hawk Moth's mask appeared on his face.

"Vanish, those people have crushed your dreams... I can give you the power to vanish, and to transform, but you must do something for me in return..." Hawk Moth grinned, evilly. "Bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculouses." Hawk Moth told James.

"Yes Hawk Moth, they shall vanish from existence."


O-+-O


"Ooohh Nino! I was scared you weren't ever gonna ask!" Alya squealed excitedly. Marinette winked at her before Alya continued. "Of course, text me later." She smiled and Nino flashed a cheesy grin before walking away.

Adrien looked back and smiled at her. 'So Chat Noir's charming eyes, had been Adrien this whole time?' Marinette's mind spun.

The ground rumbled, and dust fell from the roof. 'What was that?' Marinette thought, looking around. The ground shook again, cracking the balcony surrounding multiple classrooms. People started screaming.

"Everyone get outside!" Mr. Damocles yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth. Students were running in all directions. The ground split, causing the cracked balcony to fall. Multiple students fell to the ground, unbalanced.

"Myléne!" Ivan yelled, watching her cling on to what was left of the balcony.

'That's enough!' Marinette thought. Adrien looked at her and she nodded. They both ran to the locker rooms.

"Tikki! Spots on!"

"Plagg! Claws out!"

The two heroes ran back from the locker rooms to see Myléne still hanging off the balcony remains. Chat Noir rushed forward, extending his baton onto the remainders of the balcony. Myléne, who started to fall, was caught by an airborne Chat Noir.

"Ivan!" Myléne ran up to him.

"Well done Chat." Ladybug nodded.

"Where is the Akuma?" Chat looked around, not seeing anything. Then something caught his eye. 'Was it teleporting?' Chat thought. "Ladybug, I think the Akuma is, teleporting." Chat squinted his eyes.

"What the—" Ladybug looked, and saw exactly what Chat was seeing. "How are we supposed to catch this thing if it teleports?"

"I have no idea." Chat looked at Ladybug. Marinette. "Let's give it some attention, maybe it will get tired, and it won't be able to teleport anymore."

"Good thinking Chat. Let's try it." Ladybug and Chat Noir rushed forward when the ground, that had split before, opened. It revealed a giant space of nothing.

"Hold on Chat!" Ladybug threw here yo-yo and it hooked on a light pole, swinging them across the sinkhole, and over to the Akuma.

"Bring me their Miraculouses!" Hawk Moth screamed into Vanish's head, as Hawk Moth's mask appeared on his face.

"Ahhhh, Ladybug and Chat Noir. This is gonna be easy!" He clicked his fingers, teleporting behind Ladybug. He reached forward and grabbed Ladybug's ears. Before he pulled her earrings out, he declared, "Hawk Moth shall reign!"

"Ladybug no!" Chat leapt from the side, knocking Vanish off Ladybug. And as expected, he vanished from Chat Noir's grasp, and re-appeared behind Chat. Ladybug charged forward and punched Vanish in the eye.

He fell to the floor, then got back up again. "You, imbecile!" He yelled. He tried to teleport, but his distance was off.

"Chat! He can't teleport if he can't see!" Ladybug clutched her ears not letting them go. "Thanks for protecting me earlier." She said softly. She kissed Chat Noir on his cheek and watched them turn red.

"My pleasure, M'lady." Chat bowed before Ladybug.

Vanish looked towards Ladybug's yo-yo. His eyes glowed green, and Ladybug's yo-yo started to glow too. Vanish turned her weapon, and Akuma catcher to stone. She dropped it from shock, and it shattered into a million pieces. Vanish teleported himself somewhere out of sight.

"Chat? What are we supposed to do now?" Ladybug looked up at Chat Noir. Adrien. It seemed a bit awkward to Marinette, since Adrien was her crush.

Chat looked around, making sure no-one was around before saying, "Mari, everything'll be okay. We'll figure something out."

"Adrien, I am the only one who can catch Akumas though." Ladybug's eyes sank to the floor, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Marinette, look at me please. When I say we'll figure something out, I mean it. Okay? Remember, I'm always here for you." Chat smiled at her, hoping to lift her spirits.

Ladybug didn't say anything, just wrapped her arms around Chat, and hugged him.


Ladybug's yo-yo is gone, the only way to catch an Akuma is gone. She only has Chat Noir for support. Marinette was clearly stressed, stressed enough to consider telling Alya...


Oh my gosh! I am really proud of this chapter! I have good news and bad news. Good news: I have found an awesome BetaReader. Bad news: The competition is coming to an end soon, and it looks like Blue Timing is gonna win.

Edited by: Ryxina