CHAPTER 23 – SEAMSTRESS

Marinette lay curled up on her bed, sobbing quietly. Her eyes felt like they had been sandpapered and her cheeks were sticky with tears. She didn't notice the butterfly fluttering through the trapdoor in the ceiling and by the time it had touched her bag it was too late. The bag turned black and suddenly Hawk Moth filled her mind.

"Seamstress, I am Hawk Moth."

Marinette suddenly realised what was happening.

"NOOO! I'll not let you use me for evil, Hawk Moth! I'll not be your slave!"

"Evil? Perish the thought! Dear Seamstress, you have spent your life trying to bring happiness to others and to make other people better. Yet your reward has been betrayal by one you thought loved you, one whose flaws have been laid open for you to see.

I am giving you the power to repair flaws in others, or to bring them happiness," Hawk Moth calmly.

"Yes, but you'll ask for Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculous in return!" thought Marinette. "I'll not let you harm Paris' superheroes!"

"Miraculouses? No, no. The one that hurt you with lies, deception and unfaithfulness has similarly hurt me. All I ask is that you repair the faults in Mr Agreste and to force him to right those he has wronged."

Marinette felt her resolve weakening. Hawk Moth sounded so reasonable. And with her powers she could make everything perfect. And he didn't even want the miraculouses.

"Yes Hawk Moth."

A purplish-black cloud consumed her and she felt her body filled with dark energy.

-000-

Alya and Nino raced up the stairs to Marinette's room. Instead of finding Marinette though they found an exquisitely dressed supervillain carrying a bobbin of thread which she swung like a yo-yo.

Nino fell to his knees when he saw her. "No Marinette. Not you. Hawk Moth can't have got to you!"

Seamstress smiled sweetly. "Why so unhappy, Nino? Everything is fine. Nothing to worry about. You should be happier." She swung her bobbin at Nino, which wrapped around him. Energy ran down the threat, turning Nino's clothes every colour of the rainbow. Seamstress retrieved her bobbin.

Nino stood up, a cheesy grin on his face. "What a beautiful day Alya! Let's go outside!" He started laughing before he turned and skipped down the stairs, whistling a happy tune.

Alya's eyes narrowed. "This isn't you Marinette. Fight it!"

Seamstress' bobbin flashed towards Alya, who dodged it.

"Come on girl, Hawk Moth is using you! Fight it!"

Seamstress glowered as Alya dodged her bobbin again.

"Always telling me what to do instead of helping me. Always sticking your nose where it isn't wanted! You don't need happiness. You need to learn to give me the help I want rather than the help that you think I need."

Seamstress slipped her hand into the bag that hung from her shoulder, pulling out a patch of cloth.

"I've got just the patch you need!"

Seamstress flung the patch at Alya. A second too late Alya saw it and tried to duck. The patch stuck to her shirt. A glazed look came over Alya.

"How can I help you Seamstress?" she asked.

"Much better," said Seamstress. "We need to find Adien Agreste."

Alya pointed at Adrien's schedule pinned to Marinette's wall.

"My, my. So helpful," she said, scanning the schedule. "Come on Alya, we have a fencing lesson we need to attend."

-000-

Adrien lay back thinking. Félix had obviously somehow switched places with him. Last time he had caused huge pain to his friends. A tear rolled down Adrien's cheek.

"How could you betray me again? You said you were my brother!"

Adrien sat up, but he felt light-headed as he did so. He lay back again, too weak to get up. His eye's fell on the screen of his entertainment system. There was a news flash on. He turned up the volume.

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news!" said Nadia Chemack.

"After an absence of almost a week, another akuma attack has been reported." A shot of the Champs-Élysées showed scores of smiling, happy people wearing brightly coloured clothing milling about.

"Paris has ground to a halt as people have left their jobs in a state of euphoria, blocking streets and causing chaos. Several jailbreaks have been reported as wardens have left their post, though most of the criminals seem to be doing … good deeds?"

The camera shot changed, showing convicts with bright patches on their clothing picking up litter, helping people to cross the street and generally helping out. "Though it's one of the weirdest akuma attacks, things could get ugly as doctors leave patients, teachers abandon students and police refuse to work in this epidemic of happiness."

Adrien felt awful, but he had to help Ladybug.

"Plagg, claws out!" he called.

Nothing happened.

"Plagg?"

Adrien looked at the window towards the Eiffel Tower. As he did, he notices a black speck getting closer. He broke into a smile as he recognized his kwami speeding towards him. "Plagg!"