When she got there the scene was surprisingly docile. The akuma was sitting demurely on a ledge kicking her feet and conducting an unheard tune with a fingertip. Motes of light dripped with each little dip of her finger. Cat Noir stood below her, his hands atop the end of his staff and chin laid upon them, tilting his head to the rhythm as well. The one odd thing was that he seemed to be surrounded by a casually drifting motley of the sparks as well, though they didn't seem to bother him.
"Cat Noir?" Ladybug questioned as she landed, looking warily between the two.
He flashed her a grin,"There you are M'Lady. Today's customer seems to be the patient sort. A little back and forth, some friendly sparing in greeting then she perched up there happy as can be. 'It would be rude to begin without Ladybug' she says."
Ladybug glanced up to the Akuma, who had taken notice and stopped her little performance. She boosted herself up to stand barefoot on the ledge, waving down serenely to the pair of them.
Ladybug split her attention between the two,"And that?" she said, gesturing to his corona of light.
Cat Noir looked around, the motes moved with him remaining in the same relative positions. They were still moving slowly though they sped up as he moved,"She got one shot in, and this happened. If I move too fast they set to spinning madly, but that seems to be it? Annoying but I'll live as long as we don't have to fight anything too serious."
Ladybug frowned,"With Akumas there's normally more to it than that, but Hawkmoth HAS been sending us chaff lately."
A melodic voice cut in,"Chaff? How rude, but that *is* so you Ladybug."
The akuma had jumped down noiselessly while Cat Noir was doing his light display. She stood a few paces away, her scant silk clothing still drifting at the slightest motion. Ladybug gripped her yo-yo and frowned at the akuma,"Do I know you?"
"Of course not." came the musical reply. The Akuma swept her arms out wide then brought them in palms up with motes of light dripping from her fingertips,"But you know the game. I will take your miraculouses from you now, if you will."
Cat Noir snapped his staff up into a guard, causing his corona to spin madly for a second,"Looks like she's finally ready to play. Let's get this over with quickly M'Lady, she's bound to get cold walking around like that for too long."
Ladybug was already scanning the Akuma, looking for where the akumatized item might be. There weren't a lot of options, perhaps on her back? "Hang back for a moment Cat Noir, let me see if I can't pin down this butterfly before we risk whatever she's done to you becoming an issue."
The Akuma covered her mouth with a hand and laughed a merry burbling sound,"Yes yes of course Ladybug, come take center stage. You must always be the star, no one else to share your spotlight."
Cat Noir glanced Ladybug's way, a strained concern in his eyes,"You sure we shouldn't take her together? I can still fight."
Ladybug nodded,"Just keep close and on guard Cat Noir. Better safe than sorry." without shifting her gaze or posture she lashed out with her yo-yo at the Akuma, hoping for a surprise attack.
The Akuma fluttered back, like a feather on a breeze before the Yo-yo. Her feet touched down as Ladybug whipped it back and she raised an admonishing finger at the hero,"Now, was that fair? But then, you've never played fair before have you?" She giggled and jumped backwards again, up to her ledge, then again, to the rooftop.
Ladybug was after her like a shot, but swung up on the opposite side of the rooftop, giving her space. She squared off over the uneven battlefield, eyeing up her foe,"So, why are you out here? What did Hawkmoth offer you?"
The Akuma turned, keeping just one eye on Ladybug, smiling coyly back at her,"Why, you of course. It's always about you Ladybug, isn't it?" The motes dripping from her fingers changed from white to red. She blew a kiss to the spotted hero and moved to teeter on the edge of the roof,"So, let's make one more thing about you. Because if you don't stop me, it will spell the end for your little pet cat."
Ladybug charged, not her finest plan, but if Cat Noir was in danger… She lashed out with her Yo-yo and the Akuma slipped back, falling gracefully from the roof and still smiling wickedly. Ladybug gathered herself up for the leap after when a horrible scream split the air. Cat Noir's voice raised in tortured anguish, a single word,"Noooooo!"
Impossible. How could she be here? Was she trying to help? She would. But now… Cat Noir had seen it. Marinette up there running at the Akuma, a mistimed Yo-yo toss from Ladybug caught Marinette as the Akuma jumped away; the edge of the roof, the fall. Her scream was still ringing in his ears and already he was in motion. The spinning red lights had vanished, his vision was clear.
A vault over the trees lining the Champ-de-mars took him to the side where she fell. He spotted her even as he landed, two four footed bounds and he held her,"Marinette?"
She was unconscious; so small. He brushed her cheek,"Marinette? It's me, Cat. Say something. Please."
The warmth was leaving her already.
A sound,"Ladybug!" Cat Looked up in desperate hope, his eyes wide and wet,"Your lucky Charm, quick! We can reset things."
She approached slowly, a hand out and the other covering her mouth, her face showing horrified concern,"Oh Cat Noir, I'm so sorry."
Cat Noir lowered his gaze, hugging Marinette to him, the heat continued to fade from Marinette. He fumbled to hold her hand, he couldn't tell why, it just seemed important,"Hurry M'Lady, she's going."
Ladybug's gentle touch on the top of his head, petting,"I'm sorry kitty, but don't you see? This is a blessing in disguise. A horrible akuma striking down an innocent girl. We'll defeat it and get justice for the poor lost Marinette. Paris will mourn." her hand shifted from his head to his shoulder,"And nothing will be in the way of us."
Cat Noir's world imploded. Those words, they didn't make sense. They made all too much sense. Ladybug would never do such a thing, say such a thing. Ladybug would never have tried to kiss him knowing he was with Marinette. None of it made sense.
Marinette's body in his arms stole away thought and reason. His world ripped from him by… his world. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't contain what was burning inside of him. His gaze snapped back up to Ladybug again, eyes so full of pain and confusion it leaked out and stained his cheeks,"M'Lady… what?"
She bent down ever so gently cupping his cheek,"Oh my poor confused Cat Noir. You've always known. It's only you and me, against the world."
Cat Noir's scream sent chills up Ladybug's spine. His leap drew her attention. The Akuma was gone by the time she glanced back so she instead jumped down to land beside him.
He was on his knees, the red motes a crown about his head. He was posed as if holding something. Ladybug approached and his head shot up.
"Ladybug!" Cat Looked up, his eyes wide and wet,"Your lucky Charm, quick! We can reset things."
"Cat? What is it?" she approached slowly, reaching for him. What was he seeing? Was this the Akuma's power? She could tie him up but that might only worsen the delusion.
Cat Noir lowered his gaze, reaching down to grip something that wasn't there,"Hurry M'Lady, she's going."
Realization started to take hold. Ladybug got close. She laid a hand atop his head, hoping the physical contact might break the spell,"Cat Noir, this isn't real. Whatever you're seeing. It's an illusion created by the Akuma. There's nothing there."
His gaze snapped back up to Ladybug again, eyes so full of pain and confusion it leaked out and stained his cheeks,"M'Lady… what?"
She bent down ever so gently cupping his cheek,"Whatever the illusion is, come back to me Cat Noir, it's Ladybug. You know; You and me, against the world?"
His scream wasn't even a word this time. He lashed out. She hadn't reached him. He didn't follow her though, still cradling air with his head thrown back even as his voice died away. Her poor kitty. How could she stop this. Ladybug gripped her yo-yo, time for a Lucky Charm.
If she hadn't been so focused she might have seen it. It was a pathetic creature that could barely keep itself aloft. A bloated purple body and bent wings too sorry to reasonably keep it in flight. Still it struggled on through the air towards the most delicious of targets. Once close enough it simply fell rather than landing, plummeting through the air to strike Cat Noir and vanish, Hawkmoth's special centurion Akuma possessed her partner.
Rage unlike any he had known. A life spent in docile acceptance with so much anger unspent and now a focus. An impossible horrible focus. Something reached inside of him and grabbed hold of that anger, stoking it until he felt he must soon explode. Then the voice.
Greetings, Chat Sanglant.
Hawkmoth Cat Noir found the tiniest room for thought. I hate you.
Yes, your hate is magnificent, and right now you hate someone else even more.
No, I- The denial should have been easy; but, in his arms...
I too know the pain of love stolen by the cruelty of fate. Only one solution remains to both of us now. Take Ladybug's Miraculous. We will have our wish, and perhaps justice as well.
Images flashed through Cat's mind. An entire future with Marinette, stolen. Ladybug laughing. Had she laughed? His hands at her throat. No. Yes. Give her back. How could you? He screamed in his own head at Ladybug's image.
He was helpless alone, she had always been better, always the one in control. He couldn't beat her. If he tried alone Marinette was lost, he couldn't save her.
Help me, Hawkmoth.
Excellent.