(Get the tissues, the chocolate and something to hug! This one's going to hurt, BAD! But trust me, it'll be worth it!)
The scream that filled the cavern, as it bounced off the walls and grew in volume. Until all you could hear was the sound of a heart breaking.
A split second, she had been distracted for a split second! But that was all it took for her to lose… everything.
Seeing her distraction and confusion, Monarch chose that moment to blast her with everything he had left in him. Well, he tried to blast her. Holding to his promise of always protecting his Lady. Cat Noir threw himself in front of her, wrapping his arms around her. As the force of the blast sent them flying backwards through the air.
The scream that echoed through the cavern was of Ladybugs, as she watched the love of her life sacrifice himself for her, one last time.
As if in slow motion, they arched through the air before crashing into the ground below. Whatever physical pain Ladybug felt, in no way compared to the pain she felt in her heart.
The damage by the blast was not something anyone could ever survive. She knew in her heart that this time, this time, there'd be no saving him.
"Kitty, Kitty, please Kitty, open your eyes. Look at me, give me a horrible cat pun. Please!" She begged of him. But all he did was fall backwards and land on the ground in front of her, after she sat up to check on him.
But, it was no good. He was lifeless. Not even his magical suit could protect him from the raw power that Monarch had thrown at her. All it did was stop him from turning to dust, like the attack intended.
All Ladybug could do was sit there and stare at his body. Waiting for him to crack a smile, an eyelid, something, anything. Maybe, maybe, she was wrong. She has survived worse, right? Fixed worse? She can just save him with her Lucky Charm, she can. She can. Even as she thought it, she knew it wasn't true. Monarch had snapped and broken her Lucky Charm a few minutes before he had attacked her. Even if the charm worked, it wouldn't have enough power to bring back Cat Noir from the dead like before.
They never should have attacked him in his lair. He was too powerful, and they were too young and naïve.
"Love will conquer all, My Lady. Remember, it's us against the world. And together, we can do anything." Cat had told her before they left to come here and fight him.
Of course she had believed him. And now, now he was gone, and she was alone.
Her vision blurred as the tears threatened to break free of their confines and spill over her face. She couldn't remember where she was, or why she was there. All she knew was that her life was over, her soul mate was dead, and she was next. She no longer cared if Monarch got their Miraculous and made the wish. All she wanted was to join her Kitty in whatever afterlife there was. If not, then just end this pain in her heart, pain that will never go away.
A laugh echoed through the cavern, replacing the dying sound of her screams. Only then did she remember where she was. She looked up slowly to see Monarch standing in front of them, laughing. Laughing like he had won, like he hadn't just murdered his only son. The son, he said, he was trying to protect and save. The son who loved him more than anything in the world. Even after all the abuse and neglect he gave him. The son who, until it killed him, thought his father could change. Only now did she see Monarch, no Gabriel. For what he truly was, a monster! A cold-blooded monster who needed to pay for what he did.
A new feeling was rising in Ladybug's chest, fire. Fire that was threatening to consume her. And if it did, she didn't know what she'd do. Unfortunately for her, she was too weak to move, let alone fight him.
"Ah, Ladybug. I can feel the anger, revenge, longing to avenge your love. All the emotions I need to control you." He released an Akuma, which floated towards her.
Ladybug didn't fight it, as she knew that the power of an Akuma was unlimited. That she could use its power to enact her revenge on him. He will pay for hurting her love, even at the cost of her soul. For what does a broke person need a soul for? She would gladly trade it for revenge and cold, hard justice.
As the Akuma bonded with earrings, she felt the flame rise to a roaring inferno. This time, however, she let it consume her body and mind. As her transformation completed, she slowly stood up to face Monarch. She was no longer Ladybug; she was now Lady Death.
Lady Death took great pride and enjoyment out of torturing Monarch. The look on his face, once he realised he had made a huge mistake, was worth it. Before he could undo it, she had overpowered him. Now she was dangling him over the side of the cliff they were standing on in the cavern. The power he had given her felt amazing, and she wondered why she had never given in before now. There was a reason, something, someone, but she didn't remember. All she knew now was power, anger, and revenge.
She turned her attention back to Monarch, who was positively shaking with fear in her hands. Even with his Miraculous and powers, he would not survive the fall and subsequent stop at the end. She knew this, and he knew this. Hence the shaking.
"Please, you're a hero! You can't do this! You're supposed to better than me, kinder, loving!" He sputtered out through his shaking teeth.
She just laughed at his comment, 'Was she a hero? Had she been one? Lady… Ladybug. That's right, she'd been Ladybug, Paris' favourite superhero. With her partner-' The memory of Cat Noir, his smile, his laugh, and his love for her. Poured back into her, but instead of putting out the fire, it only enraged it some more. Her beloved, her soul mate, this man had taken him from her. And now she was going to take him from the world.
"Ladybug is dead, just like your son Cat Noir. Just… like… you…" She whispered slowly, as she unleashed a blast reviling his own. Sending him flying off the cliff. The cavern was once again, filled with screams, that slowly died out.
A loud bang reverberated around the cavern, a smile slowly spread across her face. Knowing that he was now dead, she had avenged her love, and it felt good.
A flash of light exploded from the chasm, filling the cavern before retreating to where it came from.
Lady Death felt the Akuma break from her earring and fall dead on the ground at her feet. She watched as thousands of Monarch's butterflies turned black and fell dead to the ground. Suddenly a light engulfed Lady Death, and she became Ladybug once more.
Ladybug stood routed to the spot, confused on what had just happened, when it all came flooding back to her. Normally, a victim didn't remember being an Akuma. But, because she was a Miraculous holder, she was immune to the effects, that or because Monarch was now dead. It didn't matter, all that mattered was Ladybug realised what she had just done. The full weight of her actions fell upon her.
For as Lady Death, it gave her the thing she needed most, no conscience, no empathy, no feelings. For only then could she do what her heart desired the most: revenge. But, now that she was Ladybug again. She felt everything. Everything.
She had committed cold-blooded murder. Yes, Monarch was a killer, a monster, a psychopath. But, like he had said. She was a hero; she was above all that, or so she thought.
Ladybug collapsed to her knees, as if her legs could no longer bear the weight of what she had done. Yes, he had killed Cat Noir, Adrien; her love. But she, she had held him helpless in her hands, and dropped him to his death. And she enjoyed it!
Ladybug felt her stomach turn, and quickly bent over. As the contents of her stomach projectile vomited from her mouth. She had enjoyed torturing Monarch, enjoyed killing him. She liked it.
Ladybug stayed on her hands and knees dry heaving until there was nothing else to vomit up. Before she collapsed to the ground and stared up at the cavern ceiling.
"What have I done…" She whispered, as once again her vision blurred. But, this time she did not fight the tears. She let them flow down her face and into her hair, tears for her, for Adrien, and most of all, for Gabriel. Who did not deserve to die that way.
She closed her eyes and wished more than anything, for the ground to swallow her whole and kill her. For how could she face Paris, knowing what she had done. How could she face her parents, her friends?! They'll all call her a 'Hero', she saved Paris from Monarch. They won't care how it was done, just that it was.
Ladybug curled up into a ball, as her sobs rocked her back and forth. Sobs she couldn't stop, sobs she didn't want to stop.
Ladybug was no longer a hero, she had become a monster.
