Chapter 3: The White Cat
"Wow you sure do seem happy about this!" Tikki mused as she watched Marinette get ready for bed. She was currently flitting around the room with a huge smile across her face.
"What is there to be sad about?" Marinette sighed dreamily. "I mean, now we know each other's identities, but it's like a whole new beginning."
Marinette blushed hard and sat down on the edge of her bed before lifting a pillow over her face. "All this time, Adrien was the one behind the mask. All this time, we've been secretly in love with each other. I just can't believe how lucky I am."
"Are you going to tell him that you're in love with him too?" Tikki asked, leaning in on her elbows.
"Tomorrow," she whispered excitedly. "I should have called him, but by the time I realized what a great thing this came out to be, it was a bit late. He had to have been sleeping."
"Which is what you should be doing as well, missy," Tikki joked, snuggling up with Marinette as she laid down in her bed. The young girl sighed happily. "I just can't believe it. How will I be able to sleep?"
Marinette was just beginning to drift when she heard a strange voice calling her name from outside. Both Mari and Tikki jumped up to the nearest window to find the source, and saw something flying towards them at incredible speeds.
"It's Chat's Kwami," Tikki informed, right before Plagg could fly past them.
"Plagg!" Tikki exclaimed. "Long time, no see!"
Plagg zoomed around the room desperately looking out every window. "There's no time, he's coming!"
"Who's coming?" Marinette asked, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
"Adrien was akumatized."
Tikki and Marinette both gasped in unison. Marinette's eyes already stung with tears. "What do you mean?"
"I'll tell you what I know, but first, we have to get out of here," Plagg warned. "He's dangerous and he's coming for you."
Plagg helped Tikki and Marinette pack a small bag with emergency supplies and then began their descent down to the back door. Before pushing through the door, she paused and looked back upstairs. Hopefully her parents wouldn't wake up.
"They'll be fine, Marinette," Tikki whispered. "We have to go find somewhere to transform."
As they all dashed to the nearest alleyway, Plagg hurriedly explained all that he knew, which wasn't much. "I was asleep, and then woke up to find him just before he transformed into Chat Blanc. His suit is white and he basically looks the same but he's much more dangerous."
They ducked into the alley, and Ladybug hurriedly transformed before peeking out from the side of the building. As if on cue, Chat Blanc jumped into view. From what ladybug could see, there wasn't much of a difference other than the striking white suit. It reflected the light much like the moon that hovered above him, and both gave an eerie glow.
"What's going to happen when he sees I'm not there?" Ladybug asked Plagg, who stayed close to her frame.
"I don't know," he whispered.
They both watched the building in silence as though they could see or hear what was going on. They stared anxiously ahead, afraid to make any type of sound or movement.
There was suddenly a faint crashing noise, and then Ladybug and Plagg watched in horror as flames began to flicker from behind the windows.
"My parents!" Ladybug cried as she bolted back to the bakery. Plagg followed behind her, knowing that this wasn't a good idea but also knowing that she wouldn't be able to stop Ladybug.
They got back inside, and she quickly found her parents without much trouble. They were sleepy and confused, but she found relief in them being okay. The flames could be heard roaring and popping in the floor above them, and dust began to fall from the ceiling as the flames crept down the building.
"Our daughter is still in there!" Sabine cried as Ladybug began pulling them downstairs.
"She's fine! She ran to get help," Ladybug lied quickly once they got to the back door. "Please just go somewhere safe."
The two nodded and then disappeared, leaving Ladybug to run back up to the living room. It was perfectly normal except for the heat, the smoke beginning to pour into the room and the roaring of the fire above.
"Marinette, we should really go somewhere more open. This place is too small," Plagg stated, with an edge to his voice.
The two jumped at a loud groaning noise, and then ducked behind the counter in her kitchen as the ceiling above the living room crumbled.
Ladybug coughed as dust came spewing into the kitchen, and then looked over the counter once it began to clear. Fire was already starting to catch the curtains and the chairs, and smoke billowed from the wreckage. But what scared Ladybug the most was the perfectly still figure standing on the pile of debris.
Chat Blanc.
Even in the smoke and ash that was floating eerily around the room like falling snow, his white suit was spotless. His tail swished from side to side behind him, and Ladybug could see the glint of a pointed edge at the end of it. Long, sharp claws extended from his fingers, and in both of his palms was something like a magenta flame that flickered like a candle in the wind.
She looked up and saw the face she had come to love twisted into something evil and horrible. His smile was wide and sickening, and she could see the points of fangs pressing against his lips. His hair was still golden blonde, but his eyes were now a deep purple, that also seemed to be glowing that same magenta color.
"Hello, Ladybug," Chat sneered and launched at her.