AUTHOR NOTE: WOOOHOOO…finally caught up on my kid's school work. Not behind anymore. *wipes sweat off forehead* Even had to help a few co-workers figure it out! Working full time and doing the school stuff for two kids (with another toddler) has been fun! Wee, I'm still alive, hope everyone is safe. Updates should be far more frequent! I PROMISE!

Chapter Forty-Nine: Nice Guys Finish Last

Chloe's vibrant aqua eyes widened in disbelief as the golden and obsidian heroine slid to her knees, an impossibly bright splash of crimson decorating the ground near her form. Even through the haze of her injuries the scene in front of her seemed more surreal than it should have been. It couldn't be happening.

"M-Mari…Marinette," she screamed, the crystalline sorrow breakin

g free to adorn her flushed cheeks as she rushed forward in disjointed continuity. No amount of pain her body screamed at her could halt her forward movements. Nothing could stop her from closing the gap between them, but everything was progressing in agonizing slow motion. "You're okay," she shrieked, skidding to fumbling halt by the woman's side.

Angry onyx and violet lines emanated from the wounds inflicted on the girl's skin, webbing out along her body in intricately fatal designs. Even as seconds spilled by the splitting of minute hairs, Marinette's lips were turning a deep shade of blue, and her skin was already cool to the touch. Chloe shook her head, hard, as she clasped her friend in her arms, cradling her.

"You're okay," she whispered this time, the words broken on the sobs gradually leaking from her quivering lips. Even as the sentiment leaked free, the blonde felt difficult in clinging to the belief in the words. "I've got you. You're okay."

"I assure you, she is not okay." Mayura's voice was eerily empty of emotion, and the blonde turned her attention in short jerking movements in the villain's direction. Each miniscule synapse deadened, radiating with toxic ice through her veins as she spied the 'woman' nearby.

"You," she hissed, low, dangerously. "You're going to pay," she promised darkly as she deftly pulled the Miraculous from Marinette's hair without secondary thought. "I'm going to kill you."

The kwami swarmed nearby, appearing momentarily dazed before blinking at her primary master. Chloe watched the shudder radiate through the peahen's form, taking minute delight in her sudden fear as the pin slid firmly into her silken locks. "Pollen," she snarled venomously.

"M-My Queen, put me b-b—"

"Buzz on!"

The blinding light wasn't the normal illumination that accompanied her transformation. Instead, the light scathed outwards, scorching a path with obsidian and golden lightning. A single swath of scarlet pierced the veil of rotating magic, skyward, before it dispersed and when Queen Bee emerged, she had undergone a metamorphosis.

Her entire suit was the deepest shade of onyx, and even her golden locks matched. Her boots donned the sunshine hue, and her normally aqua eyes mirrored the vibrant color but that was all. Chloe's porcelain skin looked more ivory than normal, and a single crimson X scored the area over her heart, as she approached confidently towards her enemy.

Each footstep left a seared imprint in the pavement, the steam rising to meet the rapidly cooling Parisian air amidst her fury. Her fingertips touched the dual yo-yos slung around her hips, unlatching them with ease as the foe stumbled backwards in trepidation.

"This is for Ladybug," she promised, smiling darkly as she swung the weapons in tandem with practiced ease. As she whipped the strings out, the first warm spray of scarlet fluid across her face was a welcome tranquility.

***POV CHANGE***

Everything in his mind screamed for him to move. He needed to get up. Despite the fact his muscles defied his commands, Adrien had to stand. He frowned.

Idiot.

Thanks, Plagg.

Chat Noir needed to stand. Consistent pulses rocked between his temples as his eyes fluttered open. The world slanted, but the outlines were sharp and heavy with vibrant colors. Stark strands of scarlet dominated every corner of his purview before he blinked to relieve the blurry edges.

As his vibrant emerald cat eyes came into sharp focus, nothing made sense. What seemed to be a mass of raw meat, oozing blood and splatter rested near one of the legs of the Eiffel Tower. The sky was darkening with hues of gold and violet, but a violent slash of scarlet zigzagged its way across the entire expanse beyond where his vision could reach.

Plagg? The sound came out a guttural sound, and his world wavered again.

Nothing good. By the way, watch how much power and skill you consume. This form is unstable.

A fact that would have been handy before hand.

There is another…option…

"Masssster would not like it…" Sass hissed, appearing from the left, looking solemn.

Chat tilted his head, snuffling as he nodded.

I can take over entirely, but you will have no control.

"It might alssssso burn your body out, even assss young assss you are."

Can you save Marinette?

"Marinette is already gone…"

Chat felt his stomach hit the concrete, and the world stopped spinning. It wasn't possible. His Lady could survive the apocalypse. There was no way she could be gone. She was a survivor…a warrior like no other. She was invincible. Even without him by her side, she would find her would through and fight.

His nostrils flared, picking up the copper sweet scent of her blood, immediately bounding over to her fallen form, where she'd been moved, as far as he could surmise. Blood matted her sapphire tresses to an odd hue, and it had already dried it thick brown patches along her soft cheeks.

Bugaboo! His snarling words of admiration sounded like a wounded animal as his clawed fingers trailed carefully at her lifeless face. Chat lifted his muzzle, keening towards the sky as the sorrow tore his chest in half.

Salty tears leaked from his feline eyes, dripping along his maw as he gazed down at his departed lover, the absolute stillness of her normally lively form stirring anger in the pit of his soul. Plagg growled within the confines of his being and power swelled beneath the surface of their control, emanating outwards, crackling along the current of the air in tangent jade and obsidian tones.

Threads of emerald dissipated to pure black until only darkness remained in Chat's heart, and his eyes slid closed. Even the purity of the black electricity behind his lids flashed brilliantly, illuminating the pathways of his primal brain. Only one thing remained behind. No hunger sustained his body. No carnal need sustained his flesh. There was a singular purpose left behind.

Revenge. Chat's voice didn't quite sound human anymore as it echoed in his mind. It reached every crevice until it dominated the pores of his essence.

Carnage. Plagg chorused back, fueling the violent emotion coalescing deep within their merging entities.

Meat. They chimed.

Blood. There were no long longer two minds in Chat Noir's body.

Kill.

Kill.

Kill.

KILL. They….no…HE…screamed mentally.

If this is the price…I will not pay it! The darkness clouded around his heart. Nobody would ever die because of him, or the Miraculous again. The destruction reigned superior, cascading along every pore and spilling outwards until it rippled in visible silver waves from the center of his contorted body as he bowed backwards.

Chat's mouth had shifted a little in the process, becoming a little more human once more, but his teeth remained pointed as he screamed, howling at the quickly appearing moon. "NO!" His chest heaved with the loss laid barren at his knees, and his still clawed fingers curled Mari's body up against his chest. It was cold, foreign, and the smell was almost completely wrong, but it was still her.

His feet found purchase on the barrier of the ground, his normally vibrant eyes donning a darkening moss color, dulling in appearance. "Massster, pleassse think before you procccceeed."

"Unify," he commanded, urging the snake kwami into his form. The surge of power was immediate, rushing aqua lines along his suit before it dissipated just as quickly. Chat rotated his neck gradually, carrying the limp form of his lover as his energy crackled along the pavement.

He would have his revenge. He didn't care who he had to bribe. He didn't care who he had to coerce. He didn't care who he had to maim. He didn't care who he had to murder. Marinette would live, and if his soul was the price, he would survive an eternity of torture happily to pay.

***POV CHANGE***

Tikki's bright blue eyes blinked, the blurry outlines barely making sense as her heavy head lulled uncomfortably. Each motion sent a wave of nausea through her entire body, and she groaned.

"Oh, Creation is awake," someone scoffed, making the good luck kwami frown a little.

"Wha—" She coughed, her tiny body shaking as she rolled, getting onto her hands to expel the lump developing in her throat. "What's g-going on?"

"It looks like your counterpart is leading his human right into our hands. He didn't care for the death of your owner." The voice was cold, sneering, and the satisfaction weighing with the truth in his words made Tikki's heart stumble over its rhythm.

Despite the categorical certainty in his tone, her heavy head shook as the tears filled her eyes. "You're lying," she squeaked, endeavoring to float upwards, only to find that she felt no strength in her body whatsoever.

"Oh, Tikki, you can fight and deny, but you can taste the truth in my words. Soon, you will suffer a fate far worse than the one I originally devised for your pure little Marinette," Hawk Moth chuckled. It wasn't lost on the ancient the lack of humor in the rippling sound. "Too bad neither of your knights will be here to save you, just as they weren't there to save her," he snarled.

Something beyond Tikki's vision groaned, like wood straining under pressure before a deafening sound dominated her sensitive ears, forcing her to cover her bulbous head to protect it. Shards of something scraped over her form where she rested, biting along her flesh just a few moments before the room settled once more.

"And why, tell me, does the knight always have to be the savior? Why can't the queen be the hero for once?" Chloes guttural retort resounded through the air.

Tikki's heart lifted, but the moment her eyes shifted to spy the golden heroine…she knew they were in far more trouble than just minutes before. The balance was slipping.

AUTHOR NOTE:

AquilaVetors, aww, thank you for the continued support! It should be more frequent now that I'm caught up! I've been busy/stressed between work and kid's work ! Oi, so sorry!

Faefolk11, yay! Fully back now, I swear! Scouts honor! I will have a new chapter for you (whether here or on another story in the next 3/4 days) Stay safe!

trying414, my babies too :(

ItalianGuest7, aww, thank you so very much! You guys have no idea what it means to have your support! I PROMISE it'll be more frequent now! I'm excited to be caught up again! Things got crazy!

NazaKaos, Oh, goodness me….I love you so much *grins* I shall have to do two chapters in the next week to make it up to you! I promise promise promise it will be much more frequent now that I am caught up on all the school assignments/projects/essays I had to do with my girls! LOL. Hope I haven't lost you. I love you guys so much!

Norikins, I'm back…back again and I'm glad you're still around. I'm back back for good now. Caught up with no intention of slipping this time because I wasn't aware of how to access of my kid's work before. Now I have it under control! Work still sucks though -_- I'm an essential worker. Glad to have a job, but blah…working full time…writing and NOW…full time school work. YAY…:P enjoy and stay safe!

Giby-chan, lo siento, pero me gusta cosas diferentes (algunas veces). Te AMO Marichat. Lo siento.