The Wicked
Chapter Three: Fall
Lovingly cradling her newborn son, feeling his soft, pure skin against her bosom, Emilie Agreste smiled warmly. Despite all her pain, she cherished nothing in the world more than her beautiful, precious child. "Adrien," she sighed in adoration, her angelic voice so gentle, calm, and full of love. "Welcome to the world. I know it's strange and scary now…but it's such a warm, loving place. Even if it gets cold, and people seem loveless, just know that I'll always love you." Gazing up at the beautiful, nurturing figure surrounding him, Adrien's innocent blue eyes widened as her warm arms held him. Suddenly, the gasp of several nurses broke the holy silence between the mother and her child, and a single black cat ran in front of the bed they rested in. Time itself seemed to pause as the feline turned its emerald eyes towards the two before scampering off.
Jolting up into a seated position, Adrien felt his sheets slide off his exposed, sweat-chilled chest as he found himself in his white bed in his bedroom as the bright rays of the newly risen sun shined through his curtains. The young man felt his heart pound and the hairs on his neck stand on end as an overwhelming sensation washed over his body and mind, as if destiny itself was upon him.
Opening her pale-blue eyes for the first time, her tears having stopped, her fists unclenched, and her heart calm, a pale, newborn baby girl saw Sabine and Tom Dupain-Cheng smiling at her amidst a bright light. "We love you so much, Marinette," Sabine declared as she gently stroked the child's thin locks of black hair. Reaching out her tiny hand, the little one reached for her parents, though they were too far away. As the babe continued to wishfully outstretch her arm, a vibrantly colored ladybug spread its wings and flew onto Marinette's little nose. In that same instant, the babe felt another warm, small hand gently touch her own.
Her eyes parting like a flash of lightning, Marinette lay on her side and gazed ahead to the dark corner of her room. Within that instant, she felt the crushing feeling of inevitability envelop her entire body. Her skin cool and clammy, the hairs on her neck standing on edge, and her eyes so wide, the young woman rolled onto her right side, trying to warm her shaking body under her blankets, and saw Alya sleeping peacefully beside her. Her glasses in their case on Marinette's nightstand, nothing obscured the young woman's pure smile and carefree expression. Smiling to herself, Marinette basked in the first peaceful moment Alya had enjoyed in so long, before pulling the blanket upward over her friend and gently kissing her forehead before quietly slipping out from under the covers and stepping out of her bed.
As hot beads of water soaked his naturally radiant blond hair and flowed down his chest, Adrien kept his eyes closed as he attempted to calm his breath and pounding heart. The warm and constant embrace of the water soothed him, though it could not take away the growing distress and unclear dread looming within.
"You feel it too, huh, kid?" Plagg finally spoke up, his voice lacking its normal lighthearted tone.
"Yeah," Adrien gravely answered, not opening his eyes or turning his head. "I don't know what it is, but something's coming…Plagg, no matter what happens, I love you. You are…the best thing that has ever happened to me. Even if I don't make it, I want you to live on." It didn't take Plagg long to notice why Adrien kept his eyes closed and under the stream of water.
"…Honestly, Adrien…" the Kwami replied with a heaviness in his voice. "If the day ever comes that your Miraculous survives you …I don't think I'd want to carry on. You're my best friend, Adrien. I've known a lot of Chat Noirs in my lifetime, and none of them were…anything like you." Adrien and Plagg gazed at one another for a moment, each of them donning a warm, genuine smile. Adrien continued to cry, though he had found some comfort. "I love you too, Adrien."
Locked in her bathroom, sitting atop the closed toilet lid, Marinette gently dabbed her teary eyes with toilet paper. The morning was so warm, but the looming sense of fear made it as dark and cold as the dead of night. Finally, she summoned the courage to speak. "…Tikki," she said, nearly in a whisper.
"I know, Marinette," the ladybug Kwami answered, her little voice filled with sorrow. "I feel something in the air. I don't know what it is, but it's coming."
Leaning forward, her elbows pressing into her knees as her hands supported her head, Marinette let out a deep sigh. "…I'm scared," she confessed in a trembling voice. "Tikki, I don't know what's coming and I'm scared." Sobbing, the young woman buried her eyes in the palms of her hands.
"It's okay, Marinette," Tikki lovingly pleaded as she floated closer to her friend and hugged her fingers. "It's okay to be scared."
"But it's terrible," the dark-haired young woman replied. "I-I don't want to be a hero. I…" Marinette coughed once as the lump welling up in her throat, coupled with her tears, began to choke her. "I wanna be a normal girl. I wanna stay up late, get in trouble, eat too much ice cream with my friends, kiss boys, worry about school, and watch movies…" Her sorrow forcing itself out in the form of a tearful, pitiful smile and a half-choked laugh, the girl looked at her Kwami with vulnerable eyes. "I don't want to have to fight. I don't want to have to be strong. I want to cry, run away, and let somebody else do all the fighting…And that's terrible."
"No, Marinette, it's not," Tikki insisted. "You're so young…The youngest Ladybug I've ever known. You're still just a kid and you've had to see so many terrible things and fight so many battles. You've sacrificed a lot and suffered a lot. You've had to tell lies and keep secrets. It's been so hard on you, but you've kept on fighting. I don't blame you for being afraid or not wanting to be Ladybug anymore." A moment of silence passed by as Marinette looked up to the light shining in through a window high above her.
"But I know I have to stop Hawk Moth and save Paris," Marinette began to calm herself. "Thank you, Tikki. It makes it easier…" The dark-haired young woman sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Knowing I won't be alone. Thank you for being my friend, Tikki. I love you."
"I love you too, Marinette," the Kwami lovingly answered. "And I'm so proud of you."
"Just promise me one thing, though," the young woman added once the last of her tears had fallen. "Promise me you'll save yourself if I don't make it. And…promise me you won't let Alya become Ladybug, no matter how much she wants it. I know she'd take over for me if I let her…but I'd never want this life for her."
"I won't, Marinette," Tikki promised. "And you won't fall. I know you won't. But, even though I don't want to, I'll do what I have to, to protect the Miraculous." The two smiled at one another and hugged in the cold light of day.
"Nathalie?" Adrien quietly called as he slid his maid's bedroom door open. Gazing into the darkness, the young man saw the vague outline of his friend wrapped in her blankets. Trying to keep his steps quiet, he made his way towards her bed and gently shook her shoulder.
Nathalie stirred slightly and lifted her head. Her hair down, unkempt, and longer than Adrien had seen before, her glasses off, and her face free of any makeup, the woman struggled in confusion for a moment before collecting herself. "Adrien?" she asked in a gentle voice, unlike Gabriel all the times his son had disturbed him during the night. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," Adrien lied with a caring smile on his face. In the darkness, no one could see his tears. "I just…wanted to tell you that I love you." Old, unpleasant memories began to flash through the young man's mind. "And that I'm sorry for what I said when I was a kid…about you not being my mother. I…I didn't mean that."
"Adrien, I understand," Nathalie answered without her formal tone or composure. For the first time in so long, she sounded entirely human. "You were young. You didn't want to forget your mom. It may have seemed like I was trying to replace her… I never blamed you for that. And, I love you too, Adrien."
"Thanks, Nathalie," the young man warmly declared. "And…could you tell my dad I love him, too? And that…I know he did the best he could."
"Adrien, what's happening?" the purple-haired woman began to struggle. "What are you…"
"Go back to sleep, Nathalie," Adrien gently whispered as he quickly ran his hand through his surrogate-mother's hair, kissed the crown of her head, and eased her back into a comfortable spot while his Miraculous released a dim glow. With a happy, comfortable moan, Nathalie settled herself into a more peaceful sleep than she was used to. "Thank you," the young man whispered as he left the room and slowly closed the door.
"Mommy, Daddy?" Marinette quietly called as she opened her parents' bedroom door. Tom let out a snort-like snore and woke up, leading Sabine to awaken as well.
"Marinette, is everything okay?" Sabine asked with genuine concern in her voice.
"Yeah, everything's okay," the dark-haired young woman answered as she worked to make peace with everything that was to come. "I just…wanted to tell you two thanks for always being such wonderful parents and for always taking care of me. I love you both so much."
"We love you too, Marinette," Tom warmly declared. "You're the greatest thing that ever happened to us."
"You're such a wonderful young girl, Marinette," Sabine added. "Oh, I suppose you're not a little girl anymore. And I am so proud of the strong, caring woman you've grown to be."
"Well, I learned from the best," Marinette replied with a smile. "Goodnight, Mom and Dad. Love you." With that, the young woman quietly closed her parents' door, blessed herself in front of their room, and made her way down the hallway.
As Alya slept peacefully, a carefully and lovingly written note rested atop her glass case. Unmistakably Marinette's handwriting, what may have been her final message to her beloved friend read, "Cher Alya, thank you for being the most wonderful of friends to me. I wish I could tell you all the amazing things you've done, but there's not enough paper in the world. Ever since we were kids, you were my best friend. You even risked your reputation by hanging out with the biggest dorkasaurus in school, and I love you for that. You've always been so kind, selfless, compassionate, sweet, and bold. Thank you for always being by my side, giving me advice, kicking me in the butt when I needed it, and holding me at night when I couldn't do it alone. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. By the time you read this, it'll probably be too late, but I don't want you to mourn for me. I'm ready and prepared for anything. I want you to live for yourself from now on. Please don't worry so much anymore. You're a wonderful person and the most precious friend I've ever had. I love you more than a sister. I'm sorry to have kept so many secrets from you, and even though you'd never tell me, I know how much they've hurt you. But thank you for being my friend despite all that. It means the world to me, and I'm so glad to have you. I am so blessed and proud to call you my best friend. Love always and forever, until the end of time, Marinette…and Tikki."
Zipping up her red hoodie, Marinette took one last look at her home, shed one last tear, and made her way into the city.
Sliding his hands into his pockets, Adrien glanced back at his home, Gabriel, Emilie, and Nathalie one last time, shed one last tear, and turned away.
The city seemed colder that morning, as silence filled the streets. Marinette and Adrien kept their eyes on the ground as they made their way somewhere. Despite the warm, calm weather and spirit of the young day, both Miraculous could feel a storm coming for them. After several minutes, the two crossed paths with one another and paused for a moment.
"You felt it too, didn't you?" Adrien asked as the wind blew through his long, blond hair.
"…Yeah," Marinette answered as she lowered her hood. "What do you think is happening?"
"I honestly don't know," the blond young man confessed as he turned his head to the side, expecting an Akumatized or disaster around every corner. "I can't really sense anything, but I know something's up."
"Adrien, if something does happen, I want you to know something," the young woman began, feeling her heart pound as her palms grew clammy.
"Marinette, I'm sorry," Adrien interrupted. "I just…I just can't. I'm sorry for that. I know it's stupid, but…can you just tell me everything's gonna be okay? Please?"
Marinette smiled and gently ran her fingers through her dear friend's long hair. "Adrien, as long as we're fighting side by side, everything will be okay," she assured the young man. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"…Same to you, Mari," Adrien warmly answered, his heart calming. "Thank you."
As the two gazed into each other's eyes, the wind began to blow harder and colder than before. As a small number of leaves flew through the air, Marinette and Adrien were interrupted by a terrified cry from somewhere in the city. "Help me!" a young woman screamed. "Somebody, please!"
"It's coming from a rooftop!" Adrien declared. "Plagg!"
"Tikki!" Marinette called out. "Spots On!"
"Claws Out!"
A heavenly burst of energy enveloped the two as their Kwami merged with their Miraculous. Marinette and Adrien felt their hair blow violently in a divine wind as they gazed at one another. Within the breath of an instant, their clothing faded and their bodies were draped in the lights of their Miraculous forms. Reaching out, the two held their partner's hands as the Miraculous Light transformed them into Ladybug and Chat Noir. Their hearts began to beat in sync as the power of Destruction and Creation flowed through their bodies.
Lunging into the air, Ladybug and Chat Noir grabbed onto a nearby building and charged up along its side until they arrived on its roof and scanned the area. As the screams continued, the two followed their echo to a tall apartment complex crowned with a roof garden. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, the Miraculous quickly arrived at their destination, where they found a young woman on the ground, hogtied and gagged.
Ladybug immediately removed the cloth that had been stuffed in the girl's mouth and began untying her. "Are you alright?" the Miraculous asked in a gentle voice. "Who did this to you?"
"I'll be okay," the young woman choked out. "T-thank you two for saving me. I-I remember seeing someone, but then it all went blank. Can you help me up, please?"
"Sure," Ladybug answered. "Chat, can you do a sweep of the area? They might still be around here." The masked heroine crouched down and placed the victim's arm around her shoulders and prepared to raise her up.
"Sure," the feline Miraculous answered as he leapt onto a ledge and began surveying the area.
"Ladybug…" the young woman whispered once she was back on her trembling feet. The ladybug Miraculous leaned in closer, her eyes shifting towards the ground. "I've always hated you." The young woman thrust her hands against the hero and pushed her onto the ground with the strength of an Akumatized, sending the red and black-spotted woman to the ground with a hard impact. Soon, what looked like fog began to veil the ground and slowly rise into the sky.
Before Ladybug could recover and stand her ground, a sharp whistle pierced the air, and a highly fine ebony arrow impaled her leg just above the ankle and pinned her to the dirt. Letting out a shrill cry of agony as her blood coated the grass, the Miraculous closed her eyes in a vain attempt to escape the pain. Chat Noir turned his head and immediately ran towards his partner, though she was quickly fading within the growing aura of fog. However, before he could reach her, a surge of electricity struck inches from his feet. As the feline Miraculous shot his head up to find the source of what appeared to be a small bolt of lightning, a cold, hard object drove itself into his cheek and knocked him onto his back. Opening his eyes and attempting to rise up, Chat Noir found nothing but fog surrounding him, until another impact rendered everything black.
"Chat Noir!" Ladybug desperately cried out as the fleeting image of her partner dropped and vanished within the darkness. Suddenly, the young woman felt a blast of electricity surge through her body and render her paralyzed for an agonizing moment. Amplified by the metal bolt piercing her leg, Ladybug's electrocution caused tears to flow from her eyes as the lower region of her costume quickly became soaked.
"Aw, the fight's just started and she's already pissed herself!" a familiar voice, more sinister than before, snarled. Her tone was cold and laced with spite masked with humor.
Forcing her head to turn to its side, Ladybug scanned the area for the source of the voice, but saw nothing. Opening his eyes, Chat Noir saw only crimson as blood slowly dripped from his left eye. Different voices began to taunt and laugh, seeming to come from all angles. Chat extended his claws and raised them above his face as he once again struggled to stand. As the last of the electricity surged through her body, Ladybug deployed her yo-yo and began twirling it at a growing speed until it formed a makeshift shield.
"Are you okay, Ladybug?" Chat Noir called out as he adjusted his footing and stood his ground.
"Pinned down," Ladybug called back as she continued surveying her surroundings. "You?"
"Positively purr-fect, M'Lady," the feline Miraculous laughed to keep himself from crying. "Looks like we're late to the party, though." Suddenly, a heavy breath made itself heard, allowing Chat to track its source and dodge a powerful blow. Rebounding, the Miraculous thrust himself against the back of his assailant before it could recover and locked his arms around him. "Whoa, looks like this armor of yours is weighing you down. Wouldn't you rather slip into something more comfortable?" The brass-covered attacker began to flail violently, but Chat Noir's grip could not be broken. "Once I grab on…I won't let go 'till it bleeds!"
Closing her eyes, Ladybug heard the whistle approaching one more, adjusted the position of her yo-yo, and shattered the arrow before it could hit its mark.
"We had a deal!" the so-called victim cried out with childish rage. "Ladybug is mine!"
"If you want me, come get me!" Ladybug sneered, though it was getting harder to focus her vision as the pain continued to grow. "Unless you need one of your babysitters to come help you!"
"…You bitch!" the young woman hollered, her footsteps loud and heavy as she charged towards her target. "I'll kill you! I swear!"
Spotting her opponent, the ladybug Miraculous tossed her yo-yo and wrapped it around the incensed woman's waist before pulling the wire back with as much force as she could muster. The young woman felt her legs fail as the force of Ladybug's pull broke her balance. Soon, the attacker found herself bound by both Ladybug's yo-yo and grip.
"Shoot her again, you idiot!" the cackling voice from before commanded.
"I can't!" the voice of a young man refused. "She's got Beth!"
"And I've got the tank!" Chat Noir bellowed as he struggled to maintain his grip while his opponent thrashed about. "This might be a good time to show yourselves."
"Forget it!" the supposed victim called to her allies. "Just leave us!"
"We don't abandon our own," the young man answered. Soon, the sound of a descent emerged, and the fog began to wane.
Discovering an opening, Ladybug tossed her hostage towards her allies, unwinding her yo-yo in the process, extended its wire, and sliced the arrow pinning her leg to the ground in half. Though the pain remained sharp, the Miraculous felt her suit compress the wound and halt its bleeding. Chat Noir glanced through the weakening veil of fog, found his partner at last, and thrust his opponent around to propel himself closer. As the brass-armored villain collapsed to the ground, the feline Miraculous ran to Ladybug's side and helped her support herself.
One by one, the assassins stood their ground, forming a perfect line. Their glances cold, the five prepared their strike against their hated rivals.
"Who the hell are these guys?" Chat asked as he extended his claws.
"Stormy Weather, Dark Cupid, Mistake, Dark Sorcerer, and the Pharaoh," Ladybug declared as she scanned over her opponents.
"We used to be," Bethany, the young woman once Akumatized as the shape-shifting Mistake, declared.
"Until you bastards stole the Akuma from us," Kim, formerly Dark Cupid, furiously continued.
"We had everything!" Aurore, once Stormy Weather, snarled, her rage burning inside like a wildfire. "Hawk Moth looked after us, treated us like his own."
"And the two of us stripped us of our blessings and tossed us aside," Jean, formerly Akumatized as Dark Sorcerer, added, his voice reflecting a deep sense of pain and loss.
"But you could not keep us silent and crushed forever," Jalil, once known as the Pharaoh, declared. "By the time this day is done, Ammit shall feast on your wretched hearts!"
"And then, Hawk Moth will love us again!" Bethany announced with absolute certainty and joy.
Despite being outnumbered and wounded, Ladybug and Chat Noir continued to stand their ground, their weapons of choice drawn.
The bells, for thee, shall toll: The fall of Heaven's gate…
The rise of the unjust…
As The Wicked has their way.
A/N: Lyrics featured at the end of this chapter are from "The Wicked" by Blues Saraceno.