Marinette walked downstairs to the bakery with a nonchalant smile. "Good morning, Mama. Good morning, Papa," she said as she picked up a lemon tart that was sitting behind the counter. She took a bite and gave her parents a thumbs up. "It's really good," Marinette said, crumbs all over the corner of her mouth. "I think I'm going to take the rest of it for the road." Marinette quickly moved towards the door when she was stopped by her father.
He crossed his arms and shook his head. "Didn't you hear?" he said. He took Marinette's hand and led her back into the bakery. "School was cancelled due to that attack yesterday. And your mother and I don't want you getting into any trouble. It's dangerous out there. We want you stay home for today."
"But Papa..." Marinette whined. She had to go look for Chat Noir. She couldn't stayed cooped up at home. Her father sternly frowned. "No 'buts'," he said. "All your friends will be at home too, so there is no reason for you to go out. Just stay inside and work on your homework."
Marinette look over to her mother for support. Sabine sighed and walked over besides her husband. "I agree with your father, Marinette," she said. "It's too dangerous. Please trust us. We're just worried about you."
"I know..." Marinette sighed. Her parents were worried about her safety, but she was worried about the safety of Paris. One held a bit more weight than the other. Still, Marinette would have to play along and pretend to obey. Otherwise, her parents would keep a close eye on her all day and she would never be able to sneak out.
"It's fine," Marinette smiled. "I had a new design I wanted to work on anyways." She turned around and headed back upstairs. Sabine and Tom smiled as they watched their daughter walk away. They felt blessed to have such an understanding and caring daughter. They heard stories from other parents about teenagers that snuck out of the house at night or did things behind their parents' backs. Marienette wasn't like that and it put her parents' minds at ease. They could trust her with anything.
Or so they thought. Marinette went back into her bedroom and shut the trapdoor. She attached a sticky note to the bottom that said, "I'm working. Please don't bother me." It was normal for her to leave notes for her parents when she was working on an important project. They didn't want to interrupt her and respected her need for privacy. That note would keep them out of her bedroom and stop them from checking on her. Marinette didn't know how long she was going to be gone. This would buy her some extra time.
Marinette let Tikki out of her purse and the little creature quickly flew out. "Are you ready?" she said. Marinette nodded. "I don't have a choice, do I?" the young girl laughed. "Someone has to save Chat Noir. He's always getting himself into trouble." Tikki smiled at Marinette's light-hearted attitude. It would do neither of them any good to be depressed.
"Tikki, spots on!" Tikki was sucked into Marinette's earrings which turned a brilliant red. She was Ladybug now and it was time to go save her precious, little kitten!
Ladybug swung out the window and onto her roof. As she prepared to begin her race to find Chat Blanc, she gasped at the carnage. Buildings were destroyed left and right. People were in the streets, crying and helping loved ones. No one seemed to be hurt, but the damage was widespread. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason behind it either. Random houses were sitting in piles of dust while some were perfectly fine. No wonder Marinette's parents wanted to keep her inside. The outside was a disaster. How much had she missed while she slept?
The landscape was ominous against the backdrop of the sky. Dark clouds had formed and the air was thick. The sky was a faded gray. The scene was foreboding. It sent a shiver up Ladybug's spine. It was as if nature was giving her a sign of what was to come.
"He's throwing a tantrum," Ladybug sighed as she looked back on the destruction. Chat Noir could never do things halfway. "I bet he's just looking for attention. Well, now he's got it. Only thing left is to find where he is."
There was a loud rumbling sound. It sounded like a building crashing to the ground. "Chat Noir..." Ladybug whispered under his breath. He could be the only one behind it.
Ladybug took off in the direction of the sound. It was difficult to maneuver since so many buildings were destroyed. There was little for her yo-yo to latch onto. She was moving at a significantly slower pace than usual and prayed that Chat Blanc wouldn't escape before she got there.
A cloud of dust appeared within Ladybug's view. "There!" she thought as she zoomed over.
The site of the destruction was the Hotel de Ville which was home to Paris's local administration and Mayor Bourgeois's office. Or at least it did.
There was nothing there anymore. Just stray piles of stone and brick. There was no one standing nearby. They all must of have fled or not even dared to come to work. Ladybug looked at the rubble in awe. That building was a historic monument, a symbol of Parisian pride, and now it was nothing but dust.
Amongst the debris, there was a single figure, rummaging around. He stood out in his bright, white suit which somehow remained clean despite the mess surrounding it. It was Chat Blanc. He seemed to be relishing in his own self-created destruction. He took a deep breath and smiled. This was all him and he was very proud of his work.
"Chat Blanc," Ladybug called. Her tone was firm and demanding. Chat Blanc turned his head slowly and grinned when he saw her. He stepped out from the wreckage and dusted himself off. He gave her a gentlemanly bow and said, "My lady. How kind of you to drop by. I was feline very lonely without you."
"I don't want to fight you, Chat."
"But you don't have to. I know I scared you at the Eiffel Tower, but I don't really want you dead. I love you, Ladybug. Won't you join me on my quest for happiness? I'll ask again. Won't you be my queen?"
There was a strange sincerity in his voice that caught Ladybug off guard. Those words didn't belong to Chat Blanc. They were Chat Noir's. Adrien's. That confession of love that she dreaded had arrived.
She dreamed of this moment as Marinette. That one day Adrien would take her by the hand and whisper a gentle "I love you" in her ear. She would blush causing him to smile. From behind his back, he would reveal a single, red rose and offer it to her. He would be down on one knee like a man proposing to his future bride. Tears would form in her eyes as Adrien would ask the simply question. "Will you go out with me?"
There was no hesitation. Marinette would take the rose eagerly and hug Adrien with all her strength. "Of course," she said. Her words couldn't represent the joy in her heart. Adrien would pick her up and swing her around, just as excited. They both would break into a fit of laughs and their eyes would meet.
Both of them would become silent and slowly lean in close. They would be hesitant, but their nerves couldn't hold them back. They would move closer and closer until their lips were locked in an embrace. It would be the sweetest kiss. Simple, but sweet. It would be awkward since neither of them had ever kissed anyone before, but it was still wonderful.
They would break apart, both red as tomatoes. They would mumble words under their breath, unsure of what to do or say now. Marinette would look up at Adrien with a bright smile. Her dreams had come true. She would lean in close to him and set her head on his shoulder. He would take her hand and squeeze it. She would return the favor. They would sit in silence for a moment before she would say, "I really love you too."
That was her dream.
"Now isn't the time for daydreaming," Ladybug cursed herself. "Don't get sucked into his words. This isn't the real Adrien. This isn't the real Chat Noir. Save the confessions for later. You have work to do!"
Ladybug shook her head, causing Chat Blanc to frown. "I'm sorry," she said. "But I can't accept you. Not like this. Look at all the destruction you've caused. This is your home and you've shred it to pieces. You tried to kill your father. You attacked your school and your classmates. This isn't you! Why can't you snap out of it!"
Chat Blanc snarled and turned his back to her. "That's all meaningless to me!" he shouted, his fists clenched. He slowly reached for his baton. Ladybug grabbed her yo-yo in preparation. "I don't want to fight you!" he continued. He was becoming emotional. Ladybug wondered if he was shielding his face to hide possible tears. Chat Blanc's grip on his baton tightened and he turned back around.
"I don't want to fight you, but if you're going to stop me, then I have no choice. Good-bye, m'lady. We've had a nice run. I'll remember you fondly."
With frightening speed, Chat Blanc came in for an attack. Ladybug dodged to the side, nearly tripping over own feet. Luckily, she had been prepared, but Chat Blanc was fighting with an intensity she had never seen before. Even at the Eiffel Tower, he hadn't been this fierce.
Chat Blanc attempted to slam his baton at Ladybug's face, but she twisted her yo-yo around it and yanked it away. "Don't underestimate me," she teased. "It looks like bugs are a lot smarter than cats."
Chat Blanc bared his claws and began to slash at Ladybug. She dodged each attack and she tried to figure out what to do. "I need to purify that akuma," she thought. "I have only one shot at this. If I get too close, he won't hesitate to kill me. I think I know where it is, but I have to be right. Luck better be on my side today."
The fight continued. Chat Blanc wouldn't give up. Though he kept missing, he had plenty more where that came from. He wondered why Ladybug had changed her attack yet. It was like she was stalling for time. He smiled as he realized what she was doing. She always made up plans on the fly. He spent so much time with her that he had her figured out like clockwork. He would have to eliminate her before she could make a move.
There was a loud rumble from the sky and big, thick drops of rain began to fall. The rain felt good against Chat Blanc's skin. It was cool and refreshing. The storm created the perfect atmosphere for Ladybug's demise. When he remembered her death, it would be a worthy memory.
"Cataclysm!" Chat Blanc shouted. Ladybug watched a black glow flood from his fingertips. She knew the power of the ancient destruction, but she didn't want to get to know it up close and personal. Things were serious now. If he touched her, it was all over.
"Put away your pride, Marinette. Besides, you've already done this once. It's no big deal to tell him again," Ladybug chanted to herself. "This is the only chance you've got. Don't be your usual self and mess it up. You can do this!"
"Look, it's Ladybug!"
"She's come to save us!"
"You can do it! We believe in you!"
Chat Blanc and Ladybug looked up from their fight. A crowd had begun to form around them. People were chanting her name and saying their praises. Paris had come out to support her. They wanted her to win. They had faith in her. These people were strangers, yet they had come out in the rain and, in spite of all the danger, came to see her succeed. And she wouldn't let them down.
A new energy flowed through Ladybug. Her heartbeat quickened and she gave Chat Blanc a sly smile. Normally when Alya supported her this way, she gained a small mental boost, but the efforts of all of Paris had a greater effect. She felt ready to take on the world. She would defeat Chat Blanc, not only for his sake, but for the sake of her home and its people.
"What's with the cheeky grin?" Chat Blanc asked. "Are you happy to see these worthless people cheering for you? What are they going to do? They can't help you fight. Face it. You're going to lose. Are you a-fur-aid yet?"
"I could never be afraid of you," Ladybug smiled, hooking her yo-yo on her belt. She was standing down much to Chat Blanc's amazement. Was she crazy? Was she so willing to accept death? "She figured out what's good for her," Chat Blanc thought. "I'll make this quick. I wouldn't want her to suffer in her final moments. This cat still has some soul."
Chat Blanc prepared for his finishing strike, but Ladybug continued to speak. "You're my prince," she said softly, a tint of pink on her face. "I never noticed you this whole time. You were my prince in disguise."
"Prince?" Chat Blanc scrunched his nose, revolted. "Your lies won't trick me. I'm fed up with lies! I'm fed up with people who pretend to like me and those who think they can control me! I won't listen to you!"
"From the moment I laid eyes on you, I fell in love. That perfect blonde hair and those radiant green eyes. I still remember that day, but I only saw you as a person on a pedestal, unreachable. I thought you were perfect. You were smart, handsome, and had so many friends, but then I realized... you were lonely and sad."
"Be quiet..."
"I didn't know what to do. I wanted to help, but I was so concerned with my own love, that I didn't try to help you. I didn't try to help you through your pain. As a friend, I failed you. I let you down. I was selfish."
Words poured out of Marinette's heart. They were thoughts she didn't know she even had. She hadn't realized how poor a friend she had been to Adrien. She complimented him and made him presents, but that wasn't what he needed. He needed someone to look past his facade and see the real him and she hadn't. At least as Marinette she hadn't.
"But then I met you in a new light. I saw the silly, flirty guy that lived inside. The other side ofl you. You had terrible cat puns and the lamest pick-up lines, but you were special. You held a place in my heart that no one could replace. We laughed and fought together. We were a team. You were my partner and I was an idiot not to recognize that you could be both my prince and partner. If I hadn't been so blind, I might have been able to help you."
"I-I'll kill you this time," Chat Blanc growled. "I really will. I won't let you trick me. I won't let my heart get broken again. I'm different now. I'm not the fool I was."
He was clearly hesitating now. When Ladybug first encountered him at the Eiffel Tower, he had been vicious. He choked her and wasn't afraid to beat her up. His mindset was the same as then, but something about him had changed. Her words were beginning to crack his heart. Not only her words as Ladybug, but as Marinette. They were beginning to meld together in Chat Blanc's mind.
"I want to make you happy, Chat Noir."
"Leave me alone. You don't know anything about my happiness, you self-centered bug! Do you think that you alone could change my entire world? You can't. There's more than you. There's a lot you can't go back and fix."
"Then let me help you. If I can only make you a little bit happier, that's enough for me. I just want to see you smile again. I want to see kind smile I fell in love with.."
Chat Blanc strided towards Ladybug, furious. She couldn't be allowed to speak anymore. Her words gnawed at his soul, eating him alive. He extended his hand and rolled his eyes. "Time to get off that pedestal," Chat Blanc shouted. "This is where it ends!"
Chat Blanc had his feet planted in attack position. His body was open wide, ready to place his claws upon Ladybug. What she did next took him by surprise.
She rushed up to him and whispered softly in his ear, "I love you, Adrien."
Ladybug shoved her lips against his and grabbed onto his waist. She leaned against his chest and she maintained the kiss. With it, she let out all her passion and love. She could feel Chat Blanc's heart beat in unison with hers. Her hand traveled up his back and onto his neck. His skin was soft and it felt like she was touching Adrien, not Chat Blanc.
His lips were rough and chapped from spending all night outside. His hair was dirty and lost a bit of its signature shine. None of that mattered though. She was kissing him. She was kissing the boy of her dreams. Would a kiss break open that chilled heart and release the evil inside?
Chat Blanc felt something press against his lips. Before he could react, Ladybug was hugging him and kissing him. Her grip was tight. She refused to let go. At first, his mind told him to reject her and push her away. That was Chat Blanc speaking.
But as the kiss went on, a new voice emerged in his head and it was telling him to kiss back. He admired her silky hair and thin body. He loved the way she was a few inches shorter than him and he could see just over her head. The touch of her sweet lips sent tingling sensations throughout his body. His heart began to thump wildly as if it had broken free of its cage. A purple butterfly forced its way out of his chest and turned a bright white hue.
"I'm back."
Chat Blanc closed his eyes with a smile. A purple mist appeared over him and his white suit began to darken to its familiar black. A flood of emotion entered his mind. He felt lighter than air. For the first time, he began to understand.
He was happy.
He always had been.
He was surrounded by friends who cared about him. Nino was always there by his side even if it meant defying his father. Chloe could be annoying and bratty, but she believed in him and loved him unconditionally. Alya was never afraid to talk to him about Ladybug or make silly jokes. And then there was Marinette, the wonderful classmate who protected her friends and tried to save him in his darkest moments.
He had a job that he could enjoy. He could see his face on the streets of Paris and look proudly upon his work. People like the Gorilla and Nathalie worked hard to make sure things went well for him. They worked hard behind the scenes so his life would be easy.
There was his father. The man that had grown so distant from his son that he could hardly be called a father. Except he was. All Gabriel cared about was protecting him son from the world. He wanted his son to have the perfect life and a good future. He had been willing to become the villain if it meant his son could be happy again.
Then there was the most important piece of it all. His lovely Ladybug.
She was his partner and never hesitated to emphasize that they were a team. She put up with his flirty remarks and cat puns. When he was in danger, she came to the rescue. When she was in trouble, he was by her side. They shared countless precious moments that he could never forget. She was the woman he fell in love with. Not because she was beautiful, brave, or all around perfect, but because she was the first person he ever opened up to. She was the first person who ever knew the real him. And she loved it.
Chat Noir wrapped his arms around Ladybug, his hands on her hips. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her. He wanted to tell her how thankful he was to hear the words "I love you" come from her mouth. He wanted to let her know that she was his entire world, his everything.
But instead, Ladybug let out a deafening scream. She broke away from the kiss and cried out in pain. Her entire body felt like it was dissolving from the inside out. The pain was indescribable like everything was melting. She fell onto the ground, almost limp. The rain pooled in puddles around her.
Chat Noir let out a cry and grabbed her. He propped up her head on his lap. He could see the crowd out of the corner of his eye. They were shouting, extremely worried. Rain drops fell on Ladybug's face. The pain was making her go unconscious, but her insides were still burning. Her face was beginning to go white and her eyes were fluttering shut.
"M-my lady," Chat Noir stammered. Her skin was becoming cold like ice. "What do I do?" he thought worried. "What happened? Why is she hurting like this?"
His eyes traveled down to his gloved hands that were gripping her body. When he had been Chat Blanc, they were fighting. He wanted to end it all, so he had used...
His cataclysm.
"No!" he shouted internally. "I didn't... I couldn't have..."
But he did. He had placed his hands unknowingly on her, releasing his ancient spell of destruction. He intended to embrace her and show his love. Instead, he had sent her to her doom.
Tears spilled out of his eyes. They landed on Ladybug's delicate skin, mixing in with the rain. She didn't seem to notice their presence. She didn't move. Her chest was still, showing no sign of life.
"I'm sorry!" Chat Noir sobbed as he pulled Ladybug close to him. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
His chest was heaving as he tried to breath between the tears. His eyes had become red and swollen. His throat became raw as he screamed. "Please answer me," he begged. "You can't leave me like this. Wake up! Please!" Chat Noir grabbed his lady's hand and it was cold. He felt no pulse.
It was all his fault.
For the first time, he had felt happy and he took it away from himself. Damn his bad luck.
"Damn it!" Chat Noir sobbed. People were beginning to crowd in close to see what had happened. Their stares were penetrating Chat Noir's soul, making him feel even guiltier. He didn't want to share his lady with these strangers. They didn't know her the way he did. Her existence didn't hold as much meaning to them. She was only a superhero in their eyes. To him, she was so much more.
A beep came from the ring on Chat Noir's finger. A tiny piece of the paw print disappeared. "My miraculous?" Chat Noir thought. "It's working like normal again. I'm going to detransform. I have to get out of here!"
He looked down at Ladybug's cold body and made a quick decision. He grabbed her in his arms and jumped away, leaving a shocked crowd. He ran onto a nearby roof and across the top of Paris. He needed a place to spend his final moments with her. He needed a little more time.
The Notre Dame came into view. He raced towards it, holding his lady close. There was another beep from his ring.
He entered the top of the cathedral, just beneath its golden bell. Gently, he set Ladybug on the stone and rested her arms on her stomach. Using his fingers, he wiped the rain off her face. She looked like an old doll that had been untouched. Her skin was like porcelain that threatened to crack if anyone touched it.
From above, Chat Noir spotted a white flower growing from the garden beneath the church. He swooped down and plucked it from the ground. If he remembered correctly, it was called Angelica, a favorite flower of ladybugs' and one fitting of his lady.
He climbed back up the cathedral walls to his precious girl. She hadn't moved since he left as expected. Carefully, he slid the flower into her hands. It mimicked something he had seen at a funeral. Now everything was perfect.
He ran his hand through her hair, recalling that only minutes before, she had been alive. She had been fighting him, trying to protect him. She knew it would be dangerous. She knew it could cost her her life. But she didn't care because she loved him. She said it herself. Those sweet words...
Chat Noir tried to put on a smile. He knew Ladybug would be upset if she knew he was crying for her. She wanted him to be happy, so he would try his best.
Chat Noir smiled as tears ran down his face. He put his hand over his heart and the other on the hands of his lady. The aroma of the flowers hung in the air. In a soft whisper, he said...
"Good-bye, my lady."