Ladybug, Taruga, Adrien, Chloe and Alya looked around the courtyard. The class was frantic. It only took a few seconds to realize that Rose was the one who had screamed, and had fainted. She laid on the knees of Juleka, who was staring across the courtyard with watery eyes. One by one the classmates followed her gaze, each gasping in horror. Chloe was the last to see what the cause of such a reaction was – and it nearly made her heart stop.
"…P-Povas?"
While they had been dealing with the scepter, which was now bumping against Taruga without any way of contact, Povas had been fighting HawkMoth on his own. They stood toe to toe atop the coffin, Mrs. Agreste below them as the storm loomed overheard, though unable to pull them out with its weaker winds – the strongest were tearing apart the city. No, it was not them atop the coffin that had the class terrified.
It was the sword sticking in one end of Povas' chest and out the other.
"DAD, NO!"
It was Alix screaming, though Chloe could barely hear. Her ears were ringing, her head pounding, and palms sweating.
"Finally," HawkMoth gloated as he yanked his sword out and slid it back into his staff, "I get to be rid of you."
Povas fell to one knee, hands over his chest where the wound was hidden. His was gritting his teeth from the pain and was not giving any of the classmates a glance.
"K-Kubdel," Adrien gawked, "how…how could you?!"
Ladybug was the first to notice the storm growing, not in size but strength. Taruga nodded at the others and chucked her shell towards the open roof. "SHELTER!" Once again the courtyard was under the protection of the large shell. Her bracelet began to beep. "Ladybug," she turned, "…we need a new plan."
The scepter continued to bump against Taruga, tapping her hip. No one paid any mind to it. Not with what Chloe did next.
No.
Her feet were moving on their own.
No!
She lunged before anyone could catch their breath.
NO!
HawkMoth had no time to prepare himself in a proper stance. Chloe bowled right into him, and together they hit the ground behind the coffin, the staff skidding out of reach from either. Povas took his turn to gawk, though with much pain. "C-Chloe?!"
She stumbled back to the coffin and climbed up, glaring at HawkMoth as he stood up and gave her an equally dirty look. "You charged me? How unladylike of you."
Chloe leaned closer to Povas in a protective manner. "A true lady risks everything for those she loves. I would charge you again and again if it meant the end of your insanity!"
Povas bit his tongue as a surge of pain ran through his body. The stab had nearly gotten his heart. Any closer and…well, the suit kept him from aging, but a fatal hit could end his career…and his life.
"Honestly," HawkMoth growled, "this is all just useless stalling! The storm has been ready for a time now, and the scepter has but one hero to make contact with."
Ladybug hear him and ran to the coffin, jumping up and pointing at the pillowed scepter. "Think before you speak. No way can it finish the pact with you!"
HawkMoth chuckled. "You idiots."
The scepter was humming angrily. It dashed from corner to corner of the courtyard, nearly taking out most of the class. Alya, Nino and Adrien hit the floor on their stomachs. Kim attempted to kick it out of the air until Alix forced him down. Sabrina and Maylene toppled over one another as it flew over their heads. Taruga and Nathanael stood back to back as it spun around them. The speed was becoming too fast to keep their eyes on.
"Lila?"
"Taruga."
"Whatever."
"Respect."
"Idea?"
"Nope."
"Great."
"Sarcastic."
They only had time for one worded responses. The scepter had their attention. Ladybug tried to figure out how best to make the scepter stop again.
The pillow will keep them safe-!
She saw the scepter turn towards Nathanael. "Get down!"
Too late. The scepter plowed into his stomach, throwing him so hard against the wall that he fell to the ground in a limp heap of green. Taruga gasped and started towards him. "Nat-"
Crack!
The handle of the scepter drove into the back of her neck. She let out a pained groan before her own body hit the tiles. Adrien, Nino and Alya gasped in turn.
"Lila!"
Beep-beep-beep!
She de-transformed but did not move. The scepter was now glowing like a star, muffled slightly by the pillow but nonetheless blinding. HawkMoth cackled and stuck his hand out. "Come to me, my beautiful key to glory!"
Ladybug tried to catch the scepter before it reached him, but it was going so fast that Chloe had to drag her down before it drove right through her. It gently placed itself in his grasp. He raised it above his head.
"Now it begins – NOW I SHALL HAVE MY VICTORY!"
Cackling the entire time, HawkMoth ripped the pillow off the top of the scepter and let it glow over the entire Cour Marly. The storm outside was so loud it made hearing one another shriek impossible. Ladybug, Chloe and Povas could do nothing but watch with wide eyes as a big ball of pure white energy began to form above the scepter.
"Povas," Chloe whispered, "is that…?"
He didn't have to hear her to know what she was asking. "Yes," he whispered back, hoping she already knew the terrible answer. "That…is reality bending in on itself."
The class backed away, dragging Lila and a now conscious Rose back beside Nathanael and sitting them up as the energy let off an eerie groan. Tiny tendrils of light were slowing reaching out like the tentacles of an octopus. It kept growing and growing and growing, all the while bathing HawkMoth in its light. He grinned at Ladybug.
"Welcome to the end!"
Ladybug felt cold all over.
…We failed.
Things are not going well for our heroic class. Of course, this story is not over yet, and I'm sure that these guys will be able to think up some way of getting around reality bending in on itself. I can only hope you readers will be willing to stick around - I know this is my longest story, but I promise that I have an end coming that will surely make it all worth it!
Until the next chapter!
