I'm back! I've mostly caught up with my Marichat May stories and am ready to start posting again.

This one gave me a bit of trouble. I really wanted to write a kidnaping story but didn't love the plot ideas I was coming up with. Or they were too long for my 'less than 2,000 words' rule. It was driving me crazy. But then I remembered that I could take 1 story idea and make it a 2-parter by picking 2 prompts that fit the idea. (I did something similar last year in Marichat May).

So, this is the beginning, then the conclusion with be the next chapter.

*Spoilers for season 5. Set at least after 'Elation.' Marinette and Chat are a couple.

Marichat May 2023

Day #6: Rescue/Kidnapping

In the early evening in Paris, the city was quiet as the last of daylight was almost totally gone for the day. But it was dark enough for the lights of the city to be lit and for Chat Noir to begin his nightly patrol/free run.

He and Ladybug normally patrol a little together, then spit up to cover more group, then meet up one more time before calling it a night. But tonight, Chat had decided to get a head start. Ladybug would be transformed and joining him in not too long.

As he stopped to take a quick break and enjoy the view, something small fluttered by his line of sight. Looking closer, he saw that it was a butterfly.

A black and purple butterfly. An akuma!

His guard fully up, Chat watched as it strangely fluttered around not too far from him. He was thinking about cataclysming the evil insect before it possessed someone, until it changed direct and started flying away from him.

Chat immediately took chase. It was probably on its way to someone in emotional distress for its creator to manipulate for his own selfish gain. He was debating calling Ladybug, even just to leave her a voice mail, but he feared losing sight of the butterfly if he took his eyes off of it even for a second. So he stuck with following it just to see were it was going first.

Standing at the base of the Arc de Tromphe, Chat watched the dark butterfly flutter up, all the way to the top of the structure. Was someone to possess up there? At this time of day? Puzzled but still determined to keep tabs on this thing, Chat extended his baton, propelling him up after it.

When he reached the top of the arch, however, the sight was definitely not what he had been expecting.

The butterfly hadn't been looking for a victim. It was returning to its master.

"Monarch," the blonde black cat growled under his breath.

"Chat Noir. Glad to see you got my invitation," the villain said smugly. When Chat drew his baton and extended it into a fighting staff, Monarch raised his hands in a peaceful gesture. "I'm not here to fight. I just want to talk."

"Unless it's your terms of surrender, I'm not interested in anything you have to say," Chat hissed at him, ready to run in and strike him.

Monarch just grinned. "Then maybe this will spark your interest. Voyage!" A teleportation portal opened up behind him. He reached in and, to his horror, pulled out his beloved princess.

"Marinette?" he uttered in shock.

"Chat Noir!" Marinette yelled. She tried to run to him but the cuffs bounding her wrists attached to chains being firmly held by Monarch stopped her and pulled her back, keeping her by his side.

Chat was so angry, he could feel his hands shaking around his staff.

"Let her go!" he screamed.

"I believe now you'll be interested in what I have to say?" Monarch asked, giving the chain another tug, jerking Marinette just for emphasis. Chat glared daggers at the man. Never has he hated Monarch more than in this exact moment. But it was too risky to do anything with Marinette right there. Reluctantly, Chat lowered his staff. He was listening. "That's better. What I want, I know you already know," Monarch said.

"You want my miraculous in exchange for Marinette's freedom," Chat Noir guessed.

"Such a smart boy. But I'm afraid you missed a part," the older man smirked. "Before you give me your miraculous, I want you to get me Ladybug's."

Chat's eyes flew open wide. He wanted him to what?!

"You expect me to just take her miraculous from her?!" he exclaimed.

"I think it's more than a fair trade. Her miraculous in exchange for Marinette's guaranteed safety under my guard, then your miraculous for her release."

Chat looked at him with disgust, then with desperation. Just like with his akuma victims, he was manipulating him to get their miraculous. Just in a different way. Instead of promising power, revenge, justice, or a deep desire in return, he was promising Marinette's safe return.

He'd willing give up his miraculous if it meant Marinette would not be harmed. But now he also had too…

"What if Ladybug won't hand it over to me?" he asked meekly.

Monarch just grinned wider. "I think you know what to do if she doesn't."

He did know. He just didn't want to say it out loud. And he was sort of glad Monarch hadn't said it either.

"Chat," Marinette said, drawing Chat's concerned eyes back to his princess as she knelt beside his enemy. "Please. I'm scared," she whimpered, her bluebell eyes staring at him with fear.

Chat's heart broke at the sight.

"It's okay, Marinette," he tried to reassure her with a small smile. "It'll be okay."

~*MDC+CN*~

After finally finishing her homework, Marinette was able to transform to meet Chat Noir for patrol. Her new found feelings for him had been growing stronger every day. Sure, she now knew that it was better to stay professional when she saw him as Ladybug—especially since he apparently was returning her feelings with her as Marinette—she still looked forward to seeing him.

Barely a minute after transforming, she received a message on her bugphone. Chat had sent her a text.

Important. Come to the Port des Arts bridge immediately.

The vagueness and seriousness of the message was a bit strange to the spotted heroine, but it must be very serious then. So she swung off without delay.

Landing on the famous bridge, Ladybug didn't see her partner anywhere. She walked along the walkways meant for pedestrians, looked under the benches, even leaned over the railing to look over the sides. No sign of him or anyone else.

Ladybug pulled out her bugphone to try calling him when she sensed an attack coming her way.

Out of reflex, she jumped away. At a safer distance, she turned around with her yoyo swinging, ready to face her opponent. But was shocked to see that the one who attacked her, was Chat Noir.

There he stood, breathing heavily with his staff drawn. His face looked like he was either angry or in pain.

"Chat Noir?"

"Give me your miraculous, Ladybug!"

Chat charged her again. With every strike from his staff, Ladybug either blocked with her spinning yoyo string or dodged.

"Who are you and what have you done with the real Chat Noir?!" she yelled as he advanced. Maybe this was another Copy Cat akuma and they had her real kitty chains up somewhere.

"I AM the real Chat Noir!" he yelled back. "Just give me your miraculous, PLEASE!" he sounded more desperate this time.

"Then you must be under the control of another akuma," she theorized, thinking that was the only other explanation. "Come on, kitty. You can fight it! Do I need to kiss you again to break the spell?" she encouraged him while also secretly hoping he did need a kiss to snap out of it.

"I'm not under an akuma's spell either!" he screamed, frustrated. He didn't know why he was telling her all this. It would be better if she just thought he was brainwashed or an imposter instead of her knowing that he had betrayed her. "Just let me have your earrings!"

To hear all her theories be shot down, Ladybug was puzzled. Then she felt hurt.

So…Chat was attacking her…for real? He was betraying her?

The hurt was quickly overtaken by a wave of determination. Just like that, Ladybug finally fought back. Now she was the one attacking and Chat was dodging and blocking.

One of her strikes eventually knocked away his baton, then she tied him up tight with her yoyo string. Embolized, Chat fell over. Ladybug stood over him.

"If you're not an impostor, or under another akuma's spell," she said grimly. "Why are you doing this Chat? I thought we were a team. I thought I could trust you. I thought you were my friend," she said, her heart breaking with every word.

Chat's lip trembled and he began to sob. "I…I'm sorry! I didn't mean-I…I had-" he shouted. "Monarch! He…he has…I have to save her!"

"Save who?" Ladybug asked.

From there, Chat told her everything; from Monarch luring him to the Arc de Tromphe, to the ultimatum with their miraculous for Marinette's safe return.

While Ladybug was not too happy about him attacking her, she at least understood why now. And she was also touched that Chat would go to such lengths just for her. But then she remembered the fact that she was Marinette, so whoever Monarch was holding hostage was just a trick. He had the miraculous of the fox so it most likely was an illusion. But she couldn't tell that to Chat to reassure him that the real Marinette wasn't in trouble.

So that means they'll have to go back and confront Monarch together. Maybe they could even get some miraculouses back or even defeat him. But she wasn't going to get ahead of herself. For now, she just needed to prove to Chat that the Marinette hostage was fake and Monarch didn't have her safety as leverage.

Accepting his apologies, Ladybug released Chat and helped him up.

"Not to worry, kitty. I have a plan."

I have the 2nd part done but I'll be posting it tomorrow. I'll also post another chapter the day after, then again the next day. They're all days that have already past so I'm just posting them now.

See u tomorrow =^.^=