Warning, a character may be harmed in the writing of this chapter...
"No!"
Avenger looked on as Hawkmoth's body was over took by his own manipulating powers, willed by a dangerous and conniving Lilabug. His suit was replaced by an all in one, black, with purple and silver stripes starting in a point at his neck and branching off down his torso. This time, the transformation included a weapon. Hawkmoth's cane still in Lilabug's hand, he possessed a rapier. Long like his cane, and sharp like a stinger.
The heroes dropped down next to Chat and Avenger. Red Mane was looking to the sky, and it hit him. Ladybug was already with them.
Chat winced in Avengers arms, she stroked his hair as she watched the now transformed Hawkmoth. Chat smiled loving at her as he whispered, "we need you M'Lady."
Avenger hugged him close as she spoke into his hair, "I need to get you to safety." Looking up, Avenger saw Red Mane looking at her with intent as he raised his flute in preparation, waiting to make his move. Indestructi-shell readied himself, as Bee took her place beside him, blocking Avenger and Chat from Lilabug and Alyxen's view.
Lilabug cackled loud, long and hard, she did not see the shift in her opponents. Hawkmoth stood awaiting instruction. Avenger knew he would be stronger than her, his Miraculous magic enhancing the power of the tainted trinket.
Avenger helped Chat to his feet, a long deep scrape ran down his face. "Where's the box?" She whispered to Chat, as Bee and Red Mane caused a distraction.
"Ivan has it," he whispered back, as Bee and Red Mane drew the attention away with a new addition to their team -Ladybug.
Hawkmoth had joined the fight, as had Indestructi-shell. The chaos ensued.
"Get the box!" Avenger whispered to him, as she bounced over to join the fight, still not calling for Tikki to transform. Unsheathing her double edge sword, she lunged at Lilabug, who was now wielding Hawkmoth's cane and her yo-yo, after ordering Hawkmoth to give them more powers.
Chat bounded off confused, wondering why Marinette had not taken the chance to transform. His head pounding and his body sore, Chat was praying they could hold on against the more powerful villains without him.
Mirage Ladybug had disappeared, and Alyxen was on the defensive against Bee, while Red Mane was recharging as quickly as possible. Bee managed to call her Venom, but Alyxen foresaw this move, and dodged. Hitting Bee in the stomach, Alyxen manipulated her opponent, and threw Bee and her activated spinning top at Indestructi-shell.
Indestructi-shell was battling Hawkmoth and Lilabug alongside Avenger. Using his shield as a weapon, he had been able to fend off a rapier wielding Hawkmoth's advances, while also using it as a springboard, when Avenger asked for his assistance.
Avenger catapulted into the air, ready for an aerial assault on Lilabug, who was unfortunately very skilled with her yo-yo. As Avenger came crashing down, it was obvious Lilabug was not going to withstand the force created by Avengers descent, and Hawkmoth pushed her out of the way. Lilabug had rounded on Indestructi-shell with Hawkmoth's cane, causing him to luckily step out of Bee's rebuffed Venom attack, leading her to almost land a blow on Lilabug.
Lilabug and Bee were now fighting fiercely, as Red Mane rejoined the group. Alyxen and Red Mane fought hard, as their respective flutes clashed with each other.
All communication was lost, as the sounds of clashing and whirring weapons drowned out their voices. Hawkmoth and Avenger were fighting vigorously as the sound of metal on metal sounded in their ears. Avenger wanting the tainted Miraculous and Hawkmoth intending to end her. Hawkmoth was powerful, with the double enhancements effecting his body, Avenger was cursing not knowing where Tikki was, praying that she would turn up at any moment, hopefully not being lost during the Akumatisation.
The whole time this was happening, Avenger was keeping look out for an injured Chat returning with the box. Although they were doing well as a team, the attacks were quick and the new additions were inexperienced. It was only a matter of time before things became unmanageable.
Lilabug and Alyxen were fighting off their opponents with their backs to each other, seizing his chance, Indestructi-shell called for his shield. Wrapping the force field around the two villains, gave the heroes a fighting chance. The fact that Bee was inside the dome also, was a major complication.
With her Miraculous beeping, Bee fought harder, finally landing her spinning top on Alyxen's arm, causing her immediate immobilisation. Bee reached for her tainted Miraculous quickly, but Lilabug was quicker. The shield dropped as Alya was in Alyxen's spot, fixed in her former self's position.
Bee had little time remaining, as she scooped up Alya, and pegged it to the closest alleyway, to hopefully keep the redhead safe from the fight, while also concealing her identity.
Lilabug slung the fake Fox Miraculous around her neck, but Red Mane was there to snatch it from her, just as she started to transform once again. The purple bubbles dispersed to leave an extremely pissed off Lilabug rounding on Red Mane, as Indestructi-shell was required to recharge once again.
Indestructi-shell was just glad he had the forward planning to pack his civilian pockets with, the specifically requested, green macarons. Running into the same alleyway as Bee, Indestructi-shell found Alya on the floor in floods of tears, with a recharging Chloé hidden behind the dumpster.
Without thinking about his beeping bracelet, Indestructi-shell bent down to console a sobbing Alya. He put his hand on her shoulder in a reassuring manner causing her to look up to him.
Through red puffy eyes and tear stained cheeks, Alya sobbed "I-I...I remember everything!" She exclaimed throwing her hands over her face. "An-and I-I know why-why Li-Lila has..." Alya could not finish her sentence, as her sobs became uncontrollably loud.
Bee came back out, freshly recharged and motioned for Indestructi-shell to do the same. "Alya right?" Bee started, knowing very well the redhead's name. "You can tell us everything when this is over," Alya nodded at her words while she continued to sob. "I need to get back out there and you need to stay safe. Can you do that for me please?" There was nothing but concern in Bee's voice, as she ushered Alya to move further away from the fight and ran back out to join her team mates.
This needed to end now.
Chat arrived at the school in a daze. He was injured and was struggling with the pain coursing through his body. He made the decision to feed Plagg in the safety of his locker, before locating Ivan.
"Kid that was horrible!" Plagg breathlessly shot out of the ring, landing in his chosen's outstretched palm. He ate the cheese quickly, as Adrien leant against the back of the locker for support. "You need to eat Adrien," Plagg looked to his holder with concern, "even a little will help."
Adrien begrudgingly grabbed a slice of cheese for himself, making a mental note to pack a snack for his own consumption for future circumstances such as this. Plagg was right though, even a little something helped him feel slightly better.
Once transformed, Chat felt the pain subside and a little less disoriented, although the scrape and dried blood were still present on his face. He made his way to the refuge area, which had been installed for the students to use during Akuma attacks to find Ivan. Upon finding him, Chat retrieved the box after finding a private door way for the exchange to happen. Ivan had some words that Chat need to hear.
Nervously Ivan tapped the tips of his fingers together, "there's something else in that box."
"What?"
"It's a little red thing...looks like a mouse?" He shrugged, "so I kept the lid on it, in case it was another item that would taint someone."
"That was very smart Ivan," Chat praised him while examining the obviously Akumatised Item. "I'll take this to Ladybug now."
"Chat Noir," Ivan brought Chat's attention back to him before he could leave. "Sabrina can remember everything," he looked nervous again, not making eye contact with the hero in black. "We've written it down because we think Marinette needs to hear it...and we don't know if she will remember once that thing is destroyed." He pointed at the box in Chat's hand, "save Marinette please, she's very important to us." He looked directly at Chat Noir, what was Ivan not telling him?
Chat placed a comforting arm on Ivan's shoulder, "don't worry about Marinette, we will beat this Akuma and she will be ok."
"It's not the Akuma we're worried about Chat," Ivan looked despairingly over Chats shoulder, unable to make eye contact. "It's Lila."
Still slightly dazed from his head injury, Chat made his way back to the action with multiple thoughts swirling through his mind. He had opened the box to find Tikki stashed away, as when the transformation took hold, she was almost sucked into it. Praying Marinette would have taken the box with her, once the items had been removed, Tikki had hidden herself in it discreetly, to be made available when Marinette wanted to call her transformation. Tikki had not foreseen that Marinette would not have had space in her new suit for her or that Marinette would have entrusted the box with another.
Although Ivan's words were unnerving, Chat had to concentrate first on getting Marinette back. He wanted to know what had happened to cause her to want to protect Hawkmoth, as she was obviously still in there as she had rushed to his side when he was injured. An injury that was still having an impact on his pace and precision.
The scene he came upon was not one he wanted to see.
Bee and Indestructi-shell were nowhere to be seen. Alyxen had also disappeared, this was good news as far as Chat was concerned, but Red Mane was close to being over powered by Lilabug, as Avenger and Hawkmoth fought violently with swords.
Avenger managed to dislodge the tainted Bee trinket, causing Hawkmoth to fall to the ground and revert back to his normal self. Avenger rushed to pick it up as she leant over a dazed Hawkmoth.
"Are you alright?" She quietly asked him as she extended her hand to help him up.
"Yes," he replied shakily as he brought his feet under him into a kneeling position.
Looking past Avenger, Hawkmoth saw Red Mane knocked to the ground, and his own staff being raised to Avenger's rear.
"NO!" Both Hawkmoth and Chat shouted at the same time, as the tip plummeted towards Avenger's spine.
In one swift movement, before any of the heroes could react, Hawkmoth pulled avenger over him, kicking her body out of the way of Lilabug's attack. Landing on his back, Lilabug's momentum caused her continue with her assault.
Falling forwards fast, with both hands on the staff, the tip landed with a crunch, as it made contact with Hawkmoth's Miraculous.
Chat landed ungracefully next to Avenger, helping her up, as Bee ran and jumped on top of a sprawled out Lilabug. Snatching her fake Ladybug Miraculous, Bee watched her detransform, as a recovered Red Mane and refreshed Indestructi-shell held her struggling form down.
Her emotions were still strong. Unfazed and not effected like the others had been, Lila was still trying. Lila was angry. Lila was still wanting to attack. The brunette was still wanting to get to Avenger. The hate in her eyes was scathing as she struggled to direct it at her nemesis.
"I am going to get you Marinette!" Lila spat, as the heroes continued to restrain her while picking her up. "You ruined everything, YOU ARE GOING TO PAY!"
"Get her somewhere secure please guys," Chat pinched the bridge of his masked nose, as Indestructi-shell and Red Mane escorted her away. "Now for this-"
Chat stopped as he saw Avenger in tears cradling Hawkmoth's head in her lap.
"He's not breathing," Avenger whispered sadly, as Chat and Bee looked at them in bewilderment. Avenger continued to cradle Hawkmoth, before she became hysterical. "Kitty he's NOT BREATHING!"
Thoughts? This chapter was really difficult to write, there were times it became quite graphic, so I have rewritten it several times...
Thank you all for reading and for the comments, follows and faves.
I promise to not keep you waiting too long for the next Chapter!