The beast woke slowly, sore after the battle with the wolves. The light was coming through broken shafts in the boarded up windows, and the deafening silence was the same as always. Dust sparkled in the light, and she guessed it was almost midday. She rose slowly, trying to ignore the pain in her neck.
Adrien had been here. Her sensitive nose recognized his scent on her arm where he had slept.
She rubbed her eyes with a giant paw, yawning. Where is that boy now?
The beast smiled in spite of herself. It was a toothy grin, but a smile from her heart nonetheless. After last night, she felt a new kind of peace. Perhaps it was because she new that Adrien was safe, and what's more - that they were fine? That their friendship was stronger than she had thought?
She stood, wobbly at first, then gaining confidence with every step. She stretched, easing each muscle into use again. She glanced at the rose across the room and stopped, tired eyes widening in alarm at what she saw.
There were only two petals left.
"I must find Adrien," she whispered, heart pounding and tears welling up in her eyes. "And I must find him now."
—-
Adrien was already on his way to find the beast. The snow crunched under his feet as he raced towards the castle doors, warm breath fogging up the air in front of him. He had changed out of The Black Death, and was running up the stairs to her chamber, the red journal tucked under his arm.
Felix you fool, he thought, pondering as he ran through the castle doors and rounded the corner to the long flight of stairs. Did you realize that you were wrong, only to recognize that you were too late? What misery did you feel in your heart? What shame and disgust at your own person? He couldn't imagine what it had been like to be Felix - betraying his princess only to realize too late that he was wrong. Adrien shuddered, then nearly tripped on a step. He caught himself, then continued racing, mounting the steps two at a time, blood pumping with one goal in mind. His green eyes wide with excitement and anticipation, he raced up the steps two at a time, when suddenly he heard -
"Adrien!"
He started and looked up at the form of the beast on the stairs. She was looking at him, blue eyes sad. "There you are, Adrien," she said, her tone so tender that he almost didn't recognize it. "Adrien, there's something I must tell you - "
"I know what we have to do!" interrupted Adrien, breathless, adrenaline making him hasty. "Whatever you were going to tell me will have to wait - we have to save you!"
"I only have two petals left," said the beast, voice cracking a little. "Whatever it is, we must do it quickly."
He climbed the remaining steps and pulled a small box out of his pocket. "Forgive me," he said, avoiding her gaze, "but I had to find them. They were in your things, and they are the first step in freeing you."
He opened the box, which held a perfect pair of ruby earrings. They had black spots like a ladybug, and they shone with a magical brilliance.
"You must put these on," he said, looking at her earnestly. Her blue eyes searched his face, and she slowly nodded. She trusted him, though she did not understand.
"I cannot. My paws are too clumsy. Please, can you do it?" asked the beast, kneeling on all fours and cocking her head for him to reach her velvety ear.
Adrien blushed, and nodded. Her ears were soft to his touch, and he ran a finger over the edge, trying to find the hole. "You have no piercing," he said. "What should I - "
"Force it through," said the beast firmly. "I can live with a little blood on my ears. But I need to live and time is not on our side!"
Adrien grimaced, then as kindly as he could he shoved the sharp end of the earring through her ear. She made no sound, but her intake of breath told him that her velvet ears were tender, and so he tried to be faster with it's twin.
"I'm so sorry," he said, stroking her furry cheek. "It's over now. Next, say 'Spot's On!'"
"Spot's On," she said, then flinched as if hit in the face with ice water. She gasped, and then Adrien was blinded by a blast of bright red light. He fell back a step, shielding his eyes and trying to see what was happening to the beast. The light suddenly disappeared, and Adrien blinked like an owl at dawn. "M'lady?" he asked, lowering his arm.
Laying on the stairs, dressed in a gown of sparkly red satin with black lace and pearls, lay Princess Marionette. Red, floating magic-dust was swirling about her, and in person she was in lovelier than in his dreams. Her dark har was loose about her shoulders, and her dainty form was delicate and white. Her eyes were closed beneath a dark mask, but Adrien knew his princess anywhere.
He rushed to her side and took her into his arms. "We did it," he said, but then remembered the instructions. This was only half of it. They had yet to release the lucky charm.
"Marionette? Oh Marionette, please wake up," he begged, suddenly worried that they would run out of time. Her eyes opened, but they were glowing blue and without irises as if under an enchantment. He gasped, "Marionette?!"
"Adrien," she said, her human voice gentle but serious. "We must hurry. My time grows short. The lucky charm is waiting." She stood, straight and stern, almost frightening in her determined, intense look.
"Are you…yourself?" he asked, her empty eyes frightening him.
"Not quite," she said, turning to look at him. "I am inbetween enchantments, and to be free we must hurry and finish the undoing of the curse."
Suddenly there was a loud boom and a scream. "Intruders!" came Alya's cry, and the teapot soon rounded the corner on her tea table. "Intruders, mistress! They are trying to break into the hall!"
The sound of angry shouts and footsteps reached their ears. "Stall them!" commanded Marionette, not bothered by Alya's shock at her human form. "I must complete this in order to defend us!"
"Aye…mistress," gawked Alya, then recovered and shouted orders to Nino and Damecles.
Adrien and Marionette ran up the stairs and to the chamber. Throwing the doors open, Marionette went with great strides to the rose, the last Lucky Charm. She smashed the glass with one blow, then seizing the rose and ignoring it's thorns threw it up in the air -
And then time suddenly slowed. It seemed as though someone had cast a spell on the room, and something happened so fast that Adrien felt it rather than saw it. A chain had been flung from behind them, and had clamped viciously around Marionette's delicate, white neck. Before the words that would break the spell could be uttered, they were choked. Marionette was yanked backwards, and slammed into the ground with a sickening thud.
Instinct rather than insight caused Adrien to screech "Claws Out!" In a flurry of green light and dark powers, he was at her side, raking his claws into the chains to free Marionette. They snapped under the strength of his powers, and he gathered Marionette into his arms, asking frantically "Are you alright?!"
She was gasping for air, pupil-less eyes wide, trying to crane her neck to see who had done this. "Wha…the…the rose!"
Adrien whirled to see the rose, lying on the floor. In the effort to break the spell a petal had been torn from the bud. Now only one petal remained.
"Not so fast," said a hostile voice. Adrien turned to see a strange man, armed with chains. He stood in the doorway, a black cloak over his broad shoulders. His narrow face was completely masked by a black, hole-less cloth. His gloved hands were holding onto the cut chain that had trapped Marionette, and he laughed maniacally.
"I am here for you, boy," he snarled. "There is no way out of this. You must fight me."
"Here for me?" repeated Adrien, confused. "Why?"
"All my life I have been at the mercy of others," the man snarled back. "Family, work, friends…fate."
Adrien suddenly thought he recognized the voice. "F…Father?!"
"I am not your father anymore!" shouted the transformed Gabriel. He brandished his chains proudly and shouted "I am now called the Master - and all shall be at the mercy of ME!"
He swung with great power the rattling chains. Adrien ducked, Marionette still in his arms. He rolled and avoided another swipe from The Master, and murmured in Marionette's ear "M'lady, get to the rose! He's been akumatized, just like you said in your journal! I'll distract him!"
She kissed his cheek, heart thrilling at his mention of her past, then let herself be set down. She likewise ducked another volley of swinging chains, and then slid to the rose. Seizing it in her hand she was about to throw it up into the air when another voice interrupted.
"My my. The Red Lady lives."
Marionette stuffed the rose into the jeweled bodice of her gown and whirled. A girl, no older than herself, was now standing in the doorway, ignoring the struggle on the other side of the room. Chloe was a pretty girl, it must be admitted, but the clothing style of her dress and the purple gem on her collar was all too familiar to Marionette, and brought out a darkness to her blue eyes that was unnerving.
"I don't know who you are," said Marionette, eyes flashing, "but if you knew what hate and revenge I owe that jewel, you would tremble to wear it."
"My name isn't important," said Chloe, smiling in a sickeningly sweet way. "I am here for him." She pointed to Adrien, who had destroyed another one of The Master's chains and was doing actually quite well against him.
"Why do you want him?" asked Marionette, eyeing the girl. She felt almost sick looking at Chloe with that horrible reminder of her past, and she could almost feel Hawkmoth's ghost smirking at her from the grave.
"Why wouldn't I want him?" scoffed Chloe. "He's…purrrrfect."
"I agree," said Marionette, disliking this girl very much already. "But you are going to have to go through me to get him."
"Fair enough," said Chloe. She raised her hands above her head and began to chant a spell when suddenly Adrien and The Master came tumbling in-between the two girls, rolling and clawing at each other. Adrien snapped the last chain, and a black butterfly fluttered out.
"M'lady!" screamed Adrien, adrenaline making his voice much louder than he even intended. "NOW!"
Marionette felt her waist, and realized she had no yoyo. With a shrug, she clapped her hands around the creature and cried "De-evilize!"
She opened her hands slowly, and a now pure white butterfly fluttered away. The Master transformed back into Gabriel Agreste, who blinked dumbly in the light and said, "Wha…what happened? Adrien?"
"Father - " Began Adrien, but Chloe suddenly shot a blast of violet magic at Marionette with an enraged shriek. Marionette dodged and shot a red blast back. Neither girl had a baton or yoyo, but the pure energy of their miraculous' was enough to do battle.
"Father, you need to leave," said Adrien quietly, ushering his father out of the room. His father slunk away, quite confused and frightened.
"Why are you here?!" demanded Marionette. "What is your quarrel with ME?!"
"I have no quarrel with you," roared Chloe, shooting another blast of magic at her foe. "But you stand between me and Adrien, and I SHALL have him!"
"Oh my," moaned Adrien. "Please vanquish her, My Lady!"
"Adrien!" shrieked Chloe in rage and jealousy, the disappointment of rejection clouding her judgement. "I shall enjoy you for one whole day - and you'd better enjoy it, because that night I will kill you!"
"Never!" screamed Marionette, and she shot Chloe in the leg. Chloe gasped and fell to one knee. In an instant, Marionette had the girl by the bodice and had lifted her over her head. Chloe struggled, but Marionette's strength was rock solid as she walked towards the window, Chloe held high above her head.
"Adrien," she said darkly. "Move the boards out of the way and open the window."
He did as she asked, moving the boards and opening the window. A cold air greeted him, nipping at his nose. Suddenly he realized why she wanted it open. "Marionette?" asked Adrien, surprised. "Are you going to…kill her?"
"No," gasped Chloe. "NO please NO!"
"It's how you stop evil," said Marionette coldly, taking another step towards the open window.
"My lady please," said Adrien, stepping in her way, green eyes imploring. "I will take her to the dungeon personally. But we can't kill her. You let the akuma live…where is the justice in that?"
Marionette paused, thinking. "Or better yet…" she murmured, and slammed Chloe into the floor. Chloe gasped as the air was knocked out of her, and Marionette seized the miraculous on her collar. "No more of this," she said, and with immense strength crushed the gem in her hand. Chloe's blue eyes bugged as the shards fell to the ground, made powerless. "Now get out," said Marionette, blue eyes cold and angry. "Go live out your life, knowing I beat you."
Chloe's outfit disappeared, and to Adrien's amazement he saw that her power had only been a miraculous. She looked up at him with fearful eyes, and shame. He looked down on her, disgust and pity on his face.
Marionette turned to look at Adrien, smiling. "And now," she said, taking his hand in hers. "We can break this spell."
Adrien smiled back, and took her delicate white hand in his black gloved one, thumb gently stroking the back of hers. "Let's," he murmured gently, green eyes fixed upon her blue ones.
Marionette took the rose from it's secure place in the bodice of her gown and holding it up with both hands before her she opened her mouth and said "Miraculous - "
Snap!
Time slowed. Marionette, eyes wide, breath stolen from her lungs, stared with horror at the stem she held in her hand. The thorns were pricking her slender fingers, but the petal that had been clinging to her salvation was no longer there. Hands trembling, her eyes met Chloe's.
Chloe, eyes dark with hatred and reproach, held the girl's gaze. She stood there, blonde hair loose and out of control, mouth set in an angry line. In her nimble, lightning fast hands she held up the wilting rose petal.
Adrien's cry of dismay and rage was far away. There was a struggle of some kind, but Marionette didn't see it. The world was going out of focus, and she was falling. Falling faster and faster until she finally hit the ground, the rose stem rolling from her limp hand. Her vision was darkening, and she felt her heart racing against her fate. But her lungs wouldn't work, and she felt like she was drowning in air. "A…Adrien…" she gasped out, her voice sounding far away. Her limbs trembled and shook, and a numbness overtook her.
"Marionette!" Came Adrien's voice, and he was suddenly nearby. He had taken her into his arms and was holding her face, trying to keep her there. She blinked slowly, her face going numb, and gazed into his tear-filled green eyes. They were pleading with her to stay. Please stay. Don't leave me, they begged her. Please no.
"I…I'm sorry," she choked out, gasping like a fish out of water. Her eyes were rolling back, and she was falling into a deep, eternal sleep. "I…love…"
—
"They are leaving!" shouted Nino excitedly, as the few villagers who had followed Chloe screamed and ran for their lives at the defenses of the moving utensils. Suddenly Gabriel Agreste was seen running for his life as well.
"Where did he come from?" demanded Damecles, when suddenly the sky above them darkened.
"What's that? Is it going to rain?" pondered Alya, looking up at the sky.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Came a terrible scream from somewhere in the castle, haunting and distraught.
"Oh no," whispered Alya, turning to the stairs. "Something terrible has happened!"
"A…Alya," whimpered Nino suddenly. "Alya…Alya!"
Alya whirled to see Nino trying to move towards her, but held by some invisible force. "It…it's happening, Alya!" He cried bitterly, reaching for her. "Help…me!"
"Nino!" cried Alya, then suddenly felt stiff as well. We are out of time! Her eyes welled up with tears, and she lunged towards him. "Nino…Nino wait!"
His breathing suddenly became labored and his eyes widened in terror. "Alya…"
She was at his side, near him at least. "I would hold you," she wept, touching him with a soft clink. Her teapot form had no arms or way to hug Nino as they lived out their last moments.
Damecles watched them, then silently became a lifeless clock. Alya and Nino panted and wept together, mourning their last moments. "Alya…" Gasped Nino. "I…love…you."
Alya choked on her tears. "I…love you…Nino!"
And their world plunged into darkness.
—-
She had tripped on her own skirt. When she had rushed at Adrien, ready to take him with her out the window, Adrien had ducked and dealt a blow to Chloe's back. She turned and tripped, falling out the window with a terrible shriek.
But Adrien didn't care at all. Not one bit. His most beloved person in the world had just been snatched from him, right before his eyes.
Adrien's heart wrenching scream had echoed through the entire castle, carrying the grief of his heart into the open air. Marionette, pale and lifeless, lay in his arms. Her eyes were closed as if in sleep, mouth slightly parted, but no breath left her ruby lips. Her hands lay in her lap where he had dropped them after kissing them, begging her to live.
I…love…
He cried harder, tears moistening her hair as he held her as tightly as he could, weeping for the princess he'd loved and tried to save. Her time had been robbed from her by Hawkmoth, Chloe - even Felix. She hadn't even been able to finish telling him that she loved him.
"Oh Marionette," he wept. "Our time is up!" He cried bitterly, burying his face in her hair unashamedly. "You left before I could say it," he hiccuped, taking off the ring and changing back. "I love you Marionette!" He shouted, then wept even harder.
Silence answered him, and the cold chill wasn't even noticed as his broken heart screamed inside of him.
He suddenly hated the thought of her body laying on the cold floor like this. Lifting her up, weeping still, he laid her gently in her bed, her hair fanned out and her face as white as a pearl. He laid her hands on her abdomen, and lit some candles near the bedside. He knelt, lip trembling and tears still falling, though slower now. He laid his head against her cold hands, crying softly. "Don't leave me."
