Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or elements relating to Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.

Miraculous: Borderline

Chapter 17: Cornered

Marinette stared around silently, unable to believe her eyes. Hawk Moth's underground lair was immaculate and dark, branded with his moth symbol everywhere. It wasn't immediately evident that the man who owned this chamber was evil, for there was nothing obviously sinister at work in the room. Just a few dimly lit lights along the walls illuminating an iron bridge path that led to a small resting place, surrounded by bright green foliage.

And in the middle of the foliage rested two glass chambers.

Marinette had already recognized the mansion when Hawk Moth had led her in through a back door, but upon seeing the two people in the preservation chambers, her suspicions were confirmed.

She felt as if she were falling a long way down, gasping for oxygen at the bottom of the ocean's trenches.

How could I have not seen it?

It had been right in front of me this whole time.

Hawk Moth pulled her from her thoughts as he waved a hand. "This, is where my end goal lies."

Hawk Moth stepped up to the two chambers and stared at his wife with a painful longing that made Marinette want to look away.

"Don't you see," Hawk Moth said softly. "I do this so that I can save my true love. My only true love. I—"

Hawk Moth clenched a fist and placed it over his heart, bowing his head. His pain was apparent in his tense posture.

"I feel empty without her," Hawk Moth said in a low voice, almost as if he were murmuring to himself.

Marinette felt a twinge in her chest as she looked at Hawk Moth and his wife. What would she give to have that kind of love? Unrelenting, unconditional love.

"I—" Marinette began to say.

Hawk Moth turned, his fist still clenched. "What would you do if this had been your one true love and he was gone?"

Marinette looked away, feeling anger seep into her bones at the thought of Adrien being hurt. "I'd probably—"

Marinette swallowed and stopped. For a long moment, she didn't speak and just looked down at the iron grating under her feet.

"I don't know, actually," Marinette finally continued softly.

Marinette closed her eyes, feeling her sadness like a physical pain in her chest. "I don't know because I don't have a true love."

Marinette opened her eyes, and through the blur of tears, she saw Hawk Moth open his hand.

An akuma flew out, its wings darkly beautiful as it lazily flapped up, and Marinette only had time to gasp in realization before the dark moth reached her.

Chloe had been searching Marinette for a long time, but to no avail. It was getting late, and she needed to get home or she'd miss the dinner party with her dad.

Chloe started to swing back towards the Grand Paris hotel when a movement caught her eye.

"Marinette!" Chloe cried, relief filling her with a light happiness as Chloe hastily zipped over to where Marinette waited on a rooftop.

But when Chloe got closer, she realized that Marinette looked different. It was still obviously her, but her eyes were a shade darker, and her skin was paler. Her hair was completely black, and Marinette's clothes were a muted gray.

"Marinette," Chloe gasped. "W-what happened to you?"

Marinette looked up, and the black lines around her eyes made her look sinister and powerful.

"Give me your miraculous, Ladybug," Marinette said softly. Her voice was rough with an edge of menace. "And you won't be hurt."

Adrien came into the living room. "What'd you call me for, Father?" he asked, looking up from his world history textbook.

But Gabriel Agreste wasn't there.

Instead, Hawk Moth stood there, staring at him with an unfathomable expression.

Adrien yelped and dropped his textbook. He ran to the door and tried to yank it open but it was locked tight.

Adrien spun around in fear but Hawk Moth still stood where he was a few feet away, unmoving.

"Hello, Adrien," Hawk Moth finally said. His voice was deep and smooth. "Have a seat. I want you to see something."

Ladybug came crashing through the windows in an explosion of sharp glass a few moments later.

Adrien had been sitting on the edge of a chair nervously, and he had had just a few seconds to flinch and cover his head, hoping that no shards were going to slice right through him. But he hadn't needed to worry.

Hawk Moth stood in front of Adrien and whirled his cane so that all shards coming Adrien's way were deflected. Hawk Moth didn't glance over at Adrien once Adrien had sat down, but Adrien suspected that Hawk Moth was keeping an eye on him.

But why?

Adrien was left confused more than ever, and even more wary of what Hawk Moth had planned.

"What—" Adrien began, but Hawk Moth cut him off.

"This, my boy, is where the fun really begins," Hawk Moth hissed.

Hawk Moth rested a hand on Ladybug's shoulders, and now Adrien could see that she looked different.

Her costume's colors were muted and Ladybug's hair and eyes were darker. She'd changed.

No. She'd been akumatized.

Adrien gasped in horror. "What have you done?" Adrien cried.

Hawk Moth strode in front of Adrien, his eyes staring off into the distance.

"You see, my plan has been to take Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculous to grant one wish," Hawk Moth began saying, but Adrien wasn't listening.

I have to do something. I have to transform.

Even if it means revealing my secret identity.

Plagg peeked out of Adrien's shirt collar, taking stock of the situation.

Hawk Moth was turned away from Adrien as he continued talking, so he didn't see Plagg. But in a few seconds, he was going to turn back, and Adrien would ruin his element of surprise.

"Plagg," Adrien started to hiss.

Unexpectedly, Plagg flew down to Adrien's ring. "I have an idea," Plagg said, and he looked up at Adrien. "I need your ring."

Adrien stared. "What?"

Adrien glanced up quickly and saw Hawk Moth talking to Ladybug in a low voice. "...give me your miraculous—"

Adrien gasped. He didn't have a lot of time.

"Okay, Plagg," Adrien said, swiftly taking off his ring and handing it to Plagg. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Without another word, Plagg grasped the ring.

Hawk Moth turned and his eyes pierced Adrien's. Adrien held his breath and held Hawk Moth's gaze.

Hawk Moth hadn't seen Plagg disappear behind him through the wall.

Hurry, Plagg.

Somewhere out there, Plagg frantically flew through the city, acutely aware of the valuable miraculous he clutched in his paws.

End of Chapter 17: Cornered