Passion of the hunter
Safari kept looking for the heroes. Her bolts had just returned to her position, and her wrist device indicated they were nowhere to be seen yet.
"Objective not found."
She grunted frustrated.
Damn it.
Safari heard something behind her. She slowly turned, looking at the buildings in that direction. She examined every single spot until she found the source of the sound.
It was the superheroes. Again.
But there was something different about them. Instead of Ladybug and Chat Noir, in their places were Lady Noire and Mister Bug. Both of whom were distracted.
Safari thought hard. It was clear they were trying to ambush her, but if she surprised them first she would have an advantage over them. She jumped to the other roof, hiding behind one of the chimneys and taking out her whip as she waited for the right moment to use it.
Lady Noire had just stopped talking with Mister Bug when he realized Safari was not there anymore.
"Uh, where's Safari?"
"Let's look for her." Lady Noire jumped to the building Safari was on a few seconds ago. She landed there, looking around. Mister Bug went behind her. There was no signal of Safari anywhere. "Where did she go?"
"I'm right here!"
Safari used her whip, taking a piece of chimney. A chunk of debris flew towards Lady Noire and Mister Bug.
Quickly, Lady Noire managed to grab Mister Bug and use her staff to avoid getting hit by it.
"Hey, I won't let you flatten the beautiful face of my partner!" Lady Noire exclaimed, knowing that was a close call.
Mister Bug only looked at her weirdly, wondering why Lady Noire was flirting with him so much at this specific moment.
Fast, Safari took her crossbow and aimed, locking in both heroes with her gun successfully.
"Target locked," she heard her wrist device confirm.
She charged the power of the dragon on her weapon, and, looking through the gunsight, she fired.
"Wind!"
"Uh?!" Mister Bug exclaimed before the blast of air threw him and his partner to the next building. Mister Bug grabbed Lady Noire and covered her before hitting the floor with a lot of force, leaving the both of them stunned for a moment.
Safari looked at the magic bullets at her disposal. She still had plenty of powers to use – the pig and the tiger Miraculous were the only ones she still hadn't tried yet. She deliberated about using the pig first, but she realized it could get her out of trouble if things didn't turn out the way she wanted.
I'll reserve this one for later, she put the pig power bullet back in its place. Instead, she took out venom. Safari recharged her weapon, firing it instantly when it locked onto Lady Noire.
Lady Noire had barely recovered from that last attack when she saw the bolt coming towards her. Without time to think she jumped backwards, separating from Mister Bug.
When she landed she considered using her power.
"Catacl..." before Lady Noire could finish her sentence, the venom bolt touched her, paralyzing her instantly.
"NO!" Mister Bug screamed.
Safari smiled deviously.
"Now it's your turn. Clout!" She charged a bolt of the tiger Miraculous, sending him far away from Lady Noire and making Mister Bug go through the wall, breaking it into pieces. He slowly stood up.
"She's strong…" Mister Bug removed part of the debris that had fallen over him. Safari jumped to where Mister Bug was and switched to venom again.
"You should run while you can, Bug," she said, firing her crossbow.
Mister Bug wanted to grab Lady Noire with him, but the bolt was too close to him to even do that.
He jumped, avoiding the bolt just barely. But it returned back to him.
"Oh no, no, no!" The bolt was about to get him. He couldn't run any faster. It was just too quick.
Mister Bug stayed there very still, not moving an inch. Safari got him.
Safari stood up triumphantly.
"Good job, Safari!" Monarch spoke to her, so eager to have won in the end. "Now, go and get Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculous and bring them here."
"Will do, Monarch."
Smiling, Safari walked up to Lady Noire and removed her Miraculous. Marinette Dupain Cheng appeared before her.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug all this time? It explained a lot of things for Monarch. He then wondered, who exactly was Chat Noir?
Safari then went towards a paralyzed Mister Bug. She positioned both of her hands on his earrings and removed them. The transformation washed over him.
But Safari didn't expect who she was going to see behind the mask.
The sight of the person who was now in Mister Bug's place left her completely speechless and still. Her eyes widened.
The child with golden hair, green eyes, and innocent face who was in front of her was none other than Adrien.
Adrien Agreste. The sweet boy she has sworn to protect.
Monarch gasped, this new information hitting him like a bucket of cold water.
My son!?
Safari, on the other hand, was trapped in her thoughts. If Mister Bug was Adrien, it meant that Adrien was Chat Noir all this time.
She felt horrible.
Adrien defroze in those moments. Looking at his hands, he noticed he wasn't transformed anymore. Adrien reached for his ears, not finding the earrings he had on just a moment ago.
His Miraculous was gone.
In front of him was Safari, looking quite shocked. He had to remind himself she was Nathalie too.
Safari looked at the Miraculous on her hands, Adrien did the same. Before he could say something, the sound of approaching steps interrupted him.
"Wait!"
Marinette ran towards them, waving her hands.
"What are you going to do with them?" Marinette signaled to the Miraculous on Safari's hands.
"I'm going to make a wish. Doesn't everybody want one?" Safari answered, looking back at the girl.
"Creation and destruction always has to be in balance. For everything that is repared, another is going to be destroyed. For every person who gets cured, another one is going to fall sick, and for every defeated villain, another more terrible thing is going to be created to replace it," Marinette explained, hoping to stop Safari from taking the Miraculous directly to Hawkmoth.
Safari and Monarch were thinking at the same time with this new information. If the universe had to be in balance again with their wish, it meant…
It meant someone had to take their place.
Safari considered the possibilities. If the Miraculous of the creation and destruction were so powerful, it wouldn't be impossible to choose who was going to be the sacrifice of the wish.
It could be Adrien or Gabriel or even me…
Something clicked on Safari's mind. That was it.
The solution to their problems was for her to take Gabriel and Emilie's place.
Monarch was not in a better state. He realized bringing his wife back and curing himself was a bad idea. If the price was an equivalent exchange, then there was the obvious possibility of someone they held dearly suffering the consequences. Like Adrien, or even Nathalie herself.
This isn't a good idea.
He retook communication with his akuma. Monarch has made his decision.
"Safari, you're going to stop right there, we need to think things over," he said firmly.
Safari didn't respond.
"Safari, are you all right?"
"No," she responded robotically. She turned to get on her way. Adrien saw his only chance was to reason with her. With Nathalie.
"Nathalie, wait!"
Adrien moved towards her, blocking her way. Marinette gasped, surprised.
He knew it was her? Marinette thought.
"Please, Nathalie. Don't do it." Adrien's expression was similar to an injured puppy "It's not worth it. You could lose yourself. You could lose what and who you love."
But it was already decided for Safari.
"I'm sorry. This is for your own good." Safari looked back at Adrien. She memorized his youthful innocent face one last time before smiling warmly to him. "I'm going to fix everything so you can be happy again. Please don't worry. Everything is going to be fine Adrien, I promise."
For Adrien it wasn't Safari speaking, it was all Nathalie. Before she could leave, Adrien grabbed her hand.
"Nathalie, don't. Monarch doesn't have good intentions. You still have time to make the right decision. I love you, Nathalie."
She slipped from his hold very gently. Then she jumped to another building, running in the direction of the Agreste Mansion.
Adrien watched as Safari got away. He couldn't understand why the akumatized version of Nathalie was saying those things.
Fix everything? What is she talking about?
He saw Safari heading the way directly to the Agreste Mansion. It made him even more suspicious.
Could she have been working with Monarch this entire time?
But his thoughts were interrupted when he heard Marinette's accelerated breathing. She was kneeling, paralyzed in one spot.
"The Miraculous… Monarch has them…"
He rushed to her side, kneeling beside her to take her hands in his. "Marinette, are you okay? Please calm down."
Marinette wasn't able to speak properly to give him an answer.
Adrien was concerned by this whole situation. But Nathalie had to wait.
Monarch heard everything his son was saying, but there was something wrong…
I'm going to fix everything.
He tried to communicate with Safari again.
"Safari, what are you doing?"
"Fixing our mess. Isn't that what you want?" Safari's tone was quite harsh. "You don't have to worry about anything. I'm going to sacrifice myself, so Adrien can be happy, and so you recover the life you had before."
"Wait, Safari!" he begged, desperate.
But she wasn't listening anymore.
"Safari!? Safari!?"
There was no use. Like Nathalie, Safari was too stubborn when an idea got into her head.
Safari ran across the roofs to reach her destination. The idea of how she is going to make the wish circled around in her head.
The image of Adrien crossed her mind.
She could see her entire life with the Agrestes flashing before her eyes.
Her adventures with Emilie and Gabriel… When baby Adrien came into their lives… Adrien growing up to be the teenager he now was… Emilie's death… Gabriel becoming Hawkmoth… Nathalie's time as Mayura… The moments she had with Gabriel when he hadn't gone entirely mad yet and made those terrible mistakes which doomed them both...
She pondered on how things would turn out. If she made the wish, she'd never have the opportunity to be with Gabriel and Adrien again.
Some tears ran down her face. The memories she'd once held dearly were now the source of her pain.
The tears made her vision blurry, and she stopped, cleaning the tears with the back of her wrist.
Back in the lair, Monarch's mind raced. The discovery of Chat Noir's true identity and the statement Safari said just a few minutes ago made his blood go cold.
I'm going to fix everything.
That statement told it all. Nathalie was definitely going to make the wish, and he was afraid of the outcome. He didn't want to lose hertoo.
I might stop trying to get my wife back. It hurt him so much. Emilie didn't deserve to die, but he wanted Nathalie to live.
"It's time to stop Safari." With determination, he caught the tears that were about to fall, pondering what to do.
"I could undo Nathalie's akumatization…" But then he remembered she still had Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous with her. She could easily use both Miraculous herself. It was something that gave little room for a definitive solution.
That left him with only two choices.
The first was to convince her to stop. Although… that already proved to be unfruitful.
The second option was one he doesn't like at all– fighting Safari directly. It was his last choice, and he would risked hurting her in the process.
Despite the possible options, he still had to prepare for an eventual confrontation. Safari was one of his strongest akumas yet.
"Dark wings fall!"
Nooroo appeared before him, worried. "Master, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to stop Nathalie, but for that I'm going to require some Miraculous."
The caged kwamis protested.
"You're crazy!"
"This is going to destroy you both," Sass said "You're going to hurt your assistant if you use the Miraculous like this."
"With due respect, Master… but you should have stopped using the Miraculous a long time ago." Nooroo flew up to his shoulder.
The last statement made him feel bad. Nooroo was right.
"Don't worry, Nooroo. You're right. I had the opportunity to have stopped a long time ago, and I didn't do it." Gabriel searched in one of his pockets and handed a Chewy fruit candy to Nooroo. "This is all my fault, and now it's time to fix it."
Gabriel looked at the kwamis he had left. He only had some choices different from the Miraculous Safari already had: the snake, Turtle, Mouse, Ox, Horse, Monkey and Rooster Miraculous were with him. But wearing too many Miraculous could doom him like last time. He had to choose only 5 to keep up with Safari if she decided to get violent.
Maybe I could use the rooster. Although, that involveed too much quick thinking. Additionally, his main objective was to retrieve Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous without hurting Safari.
While Gabriel planned what to do, Nooroo finishes his candy, feeling recharged again. Gabriel decided to transform right away.
"Nooroo, dark wings rise!"
Now with his transformation back, he could start choosing Miraculous. A defensive stance waswhat he is looking for. The first capsule got close.
"Xuppu, your power is now mine! It will help me to invalidate Safari's powers," he said absorbing the kwami with his ring. He continued with the next Miraculous on his mind.
"Kaalki, your power is now mine! With it I can teleport and avoid Safari's attacks." Then too the next…
"Stompp, your power is now mine! That way I will be invincible."
And the fourth one.
"Wayzz, your power is now mine! It will allow me to protect myself from Safari."
He looked at the other options. He still had a spot left for another Miraculous. The snake had a five minute limit to return in time, which likely wasn't enough time to solve anything. The rooster Miraculous was another viable option, but the problem was devising something he could use to stop Safari on time. He had a creative mind, but this situation was different.
However, retrieving the Miraculous from Safari's hands could be a really useful power. If Safari got the better of him in a fight and somehow managed to retrieve the Miraculous back, he could easily take them back to him in a blink of an eye.
"Barkk, your power is now mine, and I'm going to use it to retrieve the Miraculous of creation and destruction from Safari, in case she gets them back."
Monarch was ready now. He went to position himself at the exit. Before leaving the lair, he barely heard Sass saying something to him.
"This isn't going to end well and you know it, Monarch."
It had to work.
The few moments he spent on the elevator felt like an hour to Monarch,but he eventually he arrived at the atelier. Moving out to the foyer, the first thing he put his sight on was the massive portrait of himself and Adrien after Emilie fell deep into her coma.
He realized it was quite depressing.
He climbed the steps to wait for Safari in front of the picture, holding onto his cane as he looked directly at the door.
Outside, Safari jumped to land on the courtyard, then walked to the main door. With both hands, she pushed it.
Monarch was already waiting for her. She was expecting Gabriel to be detransformed before she got there, but this was quite the opposite. It made her extremely suspicious.
He was planning something.
"Nathalie, welcome back home." he said as Safari entered.
"I'm not Nathalie anymore. I'm Safari."
Silence fell between them.
Safari extended her hand and opened it. The Miraculous of Ladybug and Chat Noir were in her hands, shining. It was so tempting to use them right there.
Even though the Miraculous were the source of their problems in the first place.
"Monarch. I am here, as I promised. At long last I got you Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculous," she announces.
He didn't say anything.
"Aren't you happy I got you the magical artifacts you wanted?"
Monarch did not look happy. From Safari's position, it seemed that Monarch expression was one of sorrow. It furthered her suspicions.
"You did Safari." Monarch leaned on his cane. "You finally did it."Monarch decided it's time to start with his plan. "I know I told you to get me Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculous. But that's not what I want anymore.I want you to return those jewels to the kids and then bring Adrien here. So we can talk."
Safari's expression deforms radically. Her smile disappeared, replaced with a very unfriendly expression. As if she wanted to kill him.
"Why are you saying this after all we went through?" Safari was weirded out at what Monarch had said. "You don't want them?"
Safari stretched out her hand, showing him the Miraculous again.
"I've been thinking we should stop." Monarch stated, before he heard a strident laugh in the room. Safari laughed, as he was joking.
"It's too late for that," she said sarcastically. "Don't you want to fix everything? Didn't you say you were doing all of this for Adrien, so he can be happy!?"
She had a point.
"No, Safari. I wanted to fix everything too," he answered "In my ignorance, I never thought the wish had this big a price."
"You don't have to worry about that. I'm going to cover for it. I'm willing to pay the price, Monarch. Why are you so indecisive?"
Monarch was hesitant to respond.
"No, Safari." Monarch leaned on his cane. "You won't be the sacrifice. No one here is going to be the sacrifice. It's too cruel."
"Gabriel, I give you the solution to our problems and you're refusing it!?" Safari exclaimed furiously.
"Yes, I changed my mind." Monarch awaited for Safari's response, knowing she was not going to be happy.
"You can save your wife. She can make you and Adrien happy again. It's your dream come true." Safari clenches her free hand. "You were so insistent before, why are you changing ideas now when we are so close!? When we have risked so much?"
"I don't want to lose you, Nathalie! Even at the cost of fixing our mistakes!" Monarch screams.
That left Safari speechless for a moment, before she retorted, her nostrils flaring in fury.
"Then why are you so reluctant about my decision?" She asked again, her voice heated. "I said I was going to do anything for you."
"But not at the cost of Adrien's life! Not at the cost of your own life!"
Safari rolled her eyes.
"As for myself, I doubt you care. You've never cared about me or my future. You only had eyes for your wife."
That was a low blow. It appeared that Safari was externalizing a lot of Nathalie's thoughts.
She believes I don't care about her?
Maybe talking to her inner thoughts would soften her up.
"I always cared about you, and I still do, Nathalie," he spoke softly "When you used the peacock Miraculous back in Heroes Day, I was so worried. I thought of you suffering the same fate as Emilie after she used it too."
"If you did, why didn't you stop me from using the Miraculous of the peacock then?" Safari questioned, upon learning this new information.
He had no answer to that. He actually did, but it's so painful even for him.
"I was blinded by power, Nathalie," he admitted "For my ego. For my terrible decisions."
Safari is sure this wasn't leading them anywhere.
"So you expect me to give up like this. Just return the Miraculous and that's it?" Her voice was trembling at this point. "You're dying, I am dying. If we don't do something, Adrien will be left alone. You said it yourself."
Monarch felt cornered with that last statement. It was clear he didn't have any other ideas to solve the tough situation they were in. Adrien was still his major concern. He was so clueless of what was going to happen. Who was going to tell him the truth when they were gone? Who was going to take care of Adrien if that happened? He knew he was happy here in Paris, and he undoubtedly didn't want Amelie taking Adrien with her. Anything but that.
How Adrien was going to feel the day he knew all the truth?
"No Safari, there must be another way. But not the wish. Anything but the wish."
Safari believed Monarch had already gone mad to the point of no return. Her decision stayed firm.
"You're not wasting my efforts." Safari saves the Miraculous inside the pocket of her jacket
"If you're not going to help, then I'm doing this myself."
"''m not going to allow it. Safari. I might have to stop you." Monarch stated, in hopes of intimidating Safari.
"Then you are an obstacle for me."
Monarch watched as she took her crossbow from her back. Safari took a more comfortable position. She lifted it, aiming towards Monarch.
Monarch is doubtless. The first thing he had to take care of – avoid getting targeted by Safari's device. That weapon could doom him.
"Uproar," he whispered. He looked at the object in his hands. It was a soft toy which barely fit in his hands. This one was particular: it was dressed in a camouflage uniform with purple tones.
A Safari plushie toy. Monarch rolled his eyes.
How ironic, he thought before throwing the toy towards Safari's weapon. The object flew away from his grasp until it landed on top of Safari's crossbow. Just as she almost targeted Monarch, her weapon glowed before transforming into something else.
"Error! Error!" The wrist device alerted Safari. She noticed her weapon changed. It was definitely lighter and a bit smaller.
Instead of the crossbow, a toy weapon lay in her hands.
Safari threw it away, it sliding across the floor until it hit the wall, stopping it.
"You just sentenced yourself!" Safari cracked her neck.
"Safari, please reconsider. I'm giving you a chance for us to talk things out."
Safari walked towards him very slowly.
"Can we at least talk about it?."
Safari took the whip from her waist. She took it with both hands and showed it to Monarch, wearing a malicious smile.
"I'll take that as a no." Monarch jumped before the first attack could hit him. He had to make time before Safari realized he had used the power of the Miraculous of the bull on himself. It gave him the element of surprise.
"Safari, please listen. This is not worth it."
"I already listened to your nonsense. I sacrificed so many things for you, but you won't see it."
Monarch is certain she's right. She sacrificed her health for him. She was sick because of him and he still didn't know how to fix it.
Monarch managed to avoid her, even if she was so close to hitting him. He came to the conclusion that wearing all her energy off could work to stop her now with this turn of events.
She hit Monarch with the whip directly on his chest, trying and knock him off his feet. But the whip not only failed to capture him, but she saw clearly how her attack did nothing to him, a shield forming on him to her surprise. She gasped.
"You're wearing the Ox Miraculous!" Safari screamed at him "I knew you didn't trust me from the beginning!"
"Of course I trust you Nath… Safari. But you're out of control." Monarch got hit again, but nothing happened.
"Then why are you doing this?"
"I knew you were going to do something stupid, Safari." Monarch ducked, avoiding one of the lashes from Safari. "Making that wish is dangerous."
Safari stopped, since there was no use in hitting Monarch until she found a way to invalidate the bull's Miraculous power.
"There is no use, Safari. Give up, we still have time to do the right thing."
Safari looked at the ceiling and immediately smiles. She threw her whip to the air and pulled.
"Then you should have never given me so much power."
A second later Monarch felt something falling over him. He felt a thousand sharp glass pieces fall over him.
It hurt a lot. The Miraculous of the bull didn't make you completely invulnerable after all.
He got up quickly and saw Safari pulling at another of the ceiling lamps to make them fall.
What is she doing? Monarch looked at the ceiling. While Safari pulled, some cracks formed on the ceiling, growing bigger and bigger. The second lamp fell close to him, but this time he managed to avoid it.
He heared the sound of glass breaking behind him. Another lamp had fallen down to where he was standing just a second ago. He stood up again. He looked up and saw that a part of the ceiling was now unstable. Monarch understood now what she is trying to do.
"Safari! Stop it!" Monarch screamed. If Safari kept doing that, the ceiling was surely going to fall over them both.
"Not until I see you down!"
Monarch could hear the ceiling cracking, leaving a hole on it.
He could detect the characteristic smell of something burning. A small fire had started on the place where the first lamp fell.
"I'm going to make that wish no matter what. And you aren't going to stop me."
Safari reached for her pocket to take the Miraculous out of it. She was going to use them right there.
This is the moment Monarch knows there is a second thing he has to avoid: that she put on the Ladybug and Chat Noir's to make the wish.
"No!" Monarch jumped, making Safari slide across the floor, losing her whip in the process. When she stopped, she punches the ground in frustration.
This was time to distract her.
Monarch opened a portal under him, using the horse Miraculous. He quickly opened another besides Safari, who jumped back. Another portal opens and Monarch tried to grab her, but she avoided him again.
He grabbed her arm forcefully, with the use of a portal. But she was faster, freeing herself from his grasp. She rolled on the ground getting far from him. "It's that all you got?"
"Safari, you need to stop."
"Why? To fail yet again?"
Monarch though about what to say so she stopped for good. The first person that came into his mind was Adrien. He set his sight to Adrien's room. Maybe taking her there could remind her of the child who loves her.
Monarch eyed Adrien's room. Maybe if safari saw the pictures Adrien had in his room, she could change her opinion.
"Voyage!" Monarch opened a portal behind her. He charged forwards sending them both directly into Adrien's room. Her whip has fell far from her.
Safari looked around, recognizing where Monarch had taken them.
What is he planning?
Safari couldn't lose time. She freed herself from Monarch hold and Safari got to where Adrien kept his books and videogames. Monarch got up again and went towards her.
"What about Adrien?"
"What are you talking about?" she asked, while she got some of the videogames out of there.
"How is Adrien going to feel when he realizes you're gone?" He took the monitor that belonged to Adrien. "Don't you think he isn't going to ask what happened to you?"
Monarch saw a change in Safari's expression. Her sigh softened, looking a lot like the one she usually gave him when he was worried about her. The expression disappeared, replaced by a new angered expression. Her red eyes glowed in anger.
"Don't get Adrien into this!" She went after him, throwing punches against him. "This is between you and me."
Monarch jumped to catch her again, to no avail.
"Adrien is going to be sad when he doesn't find you." He showed her the monitor again. "Do you want him to go through that?"
Safari saw Adrien's happy face through the computer, making her stop. Although, when seeing Emilie's face it reminded her of why Gabriel chose to become Hawk Moth in the first place. She grabbed one of Adrien's arcades. She even got Adrien books to obstruct Monarch's path.
After a while,Safari ran out for things to toss around. At this point, Adrien's room was completely destroyed. Monarch still had the monitor with the portrait of his son and his wife in his hands. Falling to the ground he heard the screen of the monitor breaking on the floor.
"Then you shouldn't have wasted the opportunity I gave you back when you still had the rabbit Miraculous in your hands." Safari grabbed Adrien's Foosball table to Monarch who jumped before it could hit him. The window of Adrien's room broke as the object landed close to it.
"We could have fixed everything back then. It's your fault we're in this situation!" Safari jumps down the second level of Adrien's room, getting close to Monarch. In a quick motion, he immobilized her.
"Get off me!"
"Be still." Monarch firmly took her by the arms. He looked for the Miraculous in her pocket, grabbing the Ladybugs earrings first. As he was going to take the ring, Safari stomped on his foot, making Monarch lose his grip over her.
Safari jumped to kick him. He's sent far, breaking the wall of Adrien's room. Monarch landed on the floor of the foyer, making a hole on the floor. He coughed thanks to the amount of dust. He saw Safari jumping in his direction.
He rolled before Safari could land upside him. He gots up quickly.
"I'm going to destroy you with my bare hands." Safari cracks her knuckles.
Monarch was getting tired. The problem was Safari still had a lot of energy left to fight. She was genuinely unstoppable.
The very rare times he's made an incredibly strong akuma, it backfired. He was worried this was going to take a serious toll on Nathalie's health. Also, the possibility she actually could make the wish reminded him he has to stop her.
He feels himself being lifted. Safari had him by the neck.
"It's time I give you a lesson."
She clenched her fist directing it towards Monarch's face.
"Give me the Miraculous, Monarch." She lifted her fist again "Don't make things more difficult for me!"
Monarch wanted to defend himself, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He not only saw Safari, he saw his fragile Nathalie, the one who was sick and in bed.
"No… Nath…" he croaked, losing his breath.
"What's the matter old man? Can't keep up with me?" Safari grabbed him, crushing him with the wall and then running with him within her grasp. The hard surface of the wall wass cold, but ends up scraping him.
She was whipping the floor with him at this point. He landed, cracking the tiles under him. He was lucky to have a magical suit, if he didn't, it definitely was going to hurt the next day. Monarch felt his body wearing out. It wasn't strange, considering how long he had been in confrontation with Safari.
Safari put her foot on Monarch's chest, pinning him to the ground again.
"Give me the Miraculous back." She grabbed his hand, where he had the Miraculous of creation. "You're making things more difficult than I thought."
Monarch clenched his hand with more force.
"I won't give you anything Safari. Give up. NOW!" He took her wrist, but in a quick motion, she managed to grab his other hand and twist it. Felling a slight pulse on his arm, he opens his hand, making him drop the Miraculous. Both earrings roll in different directions.
Safari runs for one side, while Monarch makes a run for it retrieving the other.
Safari got her whip again.
"You're going to give me that earring. Right. Now," she says slowly.
This was going to be a long fight.
Adrien was back with Marinette. She had already calmed down.
He was worried about Nathalie. It made him extremely suspicious that she specifically chose to go to the mansion, their home.
Could Nathalie have been working with Monarch all this time? Had Nathalie or his father had connection with him?
"Are you feeling better, Marinette?"
"Yes, thank you Adrien." He watched the tears in Marinette's eyes about to fall.
He wasn't feeling better either.
"I'm worried about her, Marinette. She has been sick for a few months now and neither she nor my father want to give me an explanation of what's going on. My mother suffered the same symptoms too." Adrien remembered what his father had told him when he didn't find his mother. "My father also said there wasn't anything to worry about. Or at least until my mother disappeared."
Marinette also suspected something is up.
"So, do you suspect your father is hiding something from you?"
"Maybe. He was buried at work after my mother disappeared, so I don't really know. I always imagined that was his way to cope."
They both stay in silence. It's evident that Nathalie is making the wish without contemplating the consequences.
"We don't know what exactly is going to happen when Nathalie makes the wish."
"We have to stop her." Adrien stood up. He offered his hand to her, helping her get up from the floor.
"But how? We don't have our Miraculous, nor abilities to stop an akumatized villain." Adrien stayed there pensive. "Safari has so much power, her weapon is really hard to avoid."
"Her weapon…" An idea forms in Adrien's head "That's it, Marinette! We can use Safari's weapon against her. "
Marinette seemed insecure of this idea.
"But there's still a tiny detail" Marinette gestured with her hands. "How are we going to get Safaris weapon? Look how she ended up ambushing us."
"I don't know yet. But first, we must go after her. I saw her going home."
Both were wondering how to get there. It was a big problem they had to solve.
Adrien examined the place they are in, looking for an exit they can go though. He notices the building they are in is under maintenance.
He tried the first window, finding it locked.
They need to try the next place.
"Marinette, I'm going to boost you so you get to the other ceiling. I saw another window we can try to get out of here."
Marinette nods.
"Let's do this Adrien."
Adrien got on one knee, entwining both hands for Marinette. She sat on his shoulders while he got up. Once Adrien was completely on his feet, Marinette climbed to his shoulders to reach the place Adrien was talking about. She went towards the door, trying the doorknob.
She grunted, finding it a little rusty. Then she went towards the window. After putting a little force on the window with her own body she managed to open it a bit. She noticed the room had a door open, leading to the stairs down the building.
She climbed back to where she had left Adrien.
"Adrien, I'm back! There is a window open there we can use to get out of here.
Adrien looked up upon hearing Marinette's voice. Marinette gestured for him to take her hand. She helped him climb up to the ceiling with all her might.
The both of them recovered their breaths.
"Let's go, we don't have more time to lose." Adrien offered his hand to Marinette, who took it to get up.
Adrien helped Marinette through the window, promptly reaching the stairs inside the building. Adrien lead the way towards the Agreste mansion, hoping to get there in time to solve this big problem they got themselves into.
"Let the hunt continue!"
Safari slashed her whip to hit him while he was on the floor. He reached for the ring containing the turtle Miraculous.
"Shelter!" A shield formed in Monarch's hand, protecting him.
"Protecting yourself isn't going to work, Monarch. I'm not going to stop until you hand over the Miraculous to me."
While Monarch wass inside the shelter, he looked at her eyes "What about you, Nathalie? Don't you want to live? Don't you have dreams of your own?" Safari kept pulling on his shield with the whip, making it crack little by little. "Things you want to do, but you couldn't because you were helping me?"
Safari stopped, breathing heavily. With her hand she pulls back one stand of her hair that had fallen onto her eyes.
"You were too oblivious to see what I wanted. That doesn't matter anymore."
The shield broke around him, leaving him defenseless. He had to wait a few seconds to activate it again.
He used his feet to make Safari fall and immobilize her right there. He quickly took the earring he lost and the ring. Getting himself off her he let her recover her breath, he could tell she was wearing out already. He needed to find a safe spot to turn Nathalie back to normal, since the fire has spread in their entire home.
"It's over, Safari." The tired Monarch was about to undo Safaris transformation. "I'm going to return you to normal. And we will talk like adults."
He got closer to her, only to find himself with both hands tied in a few seconds.
She pulled to force him to get closer and recover both Miraculous. Monarch was forced to go in her direction. He put his feet on the ground, in vain. He was just a few meters from her
But he was faster and took his side of the whip and pulled Safari to the ground. He turned and touched both Miraculous with the power of the dog Miraculous.
He could hear Safari approaching him. Safari slashed her whip in the air.
"This is a lesson you have to remember, Monarch" She got her whip around him.
"I never lose my prey," she says as she slammed him to the ground.
She stepped on his hand. He used his cane to hit Safari in her legs, she took a step back.
"You are going to use that on me?" Safari teases, knowing there was a sword in Monarch hands.
"Never, Safari." Monarch hid the cane behind his back. "I never had the intention to hurt you."
Safari heard a noise at her side. Eyeing to the side, she could see her crossbow had returned to normal. The monkey's Miraculous power wore out at the right time.
Perfect
"Then why are you using it?" Safari questioned slowly, taking some steps back.
"I have no other choice, Safari."
Monarch saw Safari was getting away from him. He believed she was scared of him.
"I don't want to hurt you."
Safari jumped towards where her crossbow is located, taking it, feeling it heavy in her hands. Monarch gasps, realizing Safari tricked him. She was ready to finish this fight. He knows this is going to make defeating Safari even more difficult.
Adrien and Marinette were close to the mansion. They were a few streets away. Adrien can see the mansion was on fire. And he was sure his father was still inside. He ran faster with Marinette going behind him. The door was open, and he could clearly see Safari inside. She was talking to someone he couldn't clearly see from a distance. As he got closer, he could see the person who was protecting himself from Safari.
He was quite tall, even taller than his father.
It was Monarch. But he looked different from the last time they had seen him. His transformation had changed again, the Miraculous were nowhere to be seen. His suit was completely dark purple and his eyes were blue, unlike his previous transformations. He and Marinette wondered where he was hiding the Miraculous.
Adrien went ahead.
They both landed on the floor. Safari was about to put the Miraculous on, when a voice stops them.
"Stop!"
"Adrien?" Safari gasped, turning her sight back, hearing Adrien's voice behind her. Monarch set his sight in the direction of the voice.
"What are you doing here Adrien? it's dangerous." Both adults said at the same time, giving Adrien a Deja vu feeling. As if he has been in this situation before.
It was also strange that Monarch called him by his name. There was the possibility of him knowing him because he was a famous model for his father's brand. But the way he said his name beside his change of expression told him otherwise. Not to mention he warned him about the danger of him being there.
"I came here to save you Nathalie, and to save my father. I… I don't know if he got out of here before the battle started."
Monarch looked at Adrien with a soft look. Adrien really cared about him. He cleared his throat to answer to Adrien. He wanted to reassure Adrien and make him go away from the mansion in the process.
"He got out of here when I came. He must have taken shelter somewhere else. Don't worry about him."
Adrien is still worried.
"Why did you akumatized Nathalie?" Adrien was really angry. "She is in a fragile condition, you are a monster!"
His son's words hurt him more than he thought. Although he has no time for explanations.
"You wouldn't understand Adrien," Monarch raised his voice, "Please go away, this isn't your business."
Adrien is weirded out about how Monarch speaks to him with such naturality.
"Of course it's my business!" Adrien screamed at him. "I just want Nathalie back. If I could…"
Adrien gives a step forward but Safari jumped in front of him to block his way.
"Let the adults deal with this Adrien. Just look for shelter and protect yourself."
She lightly pushes him out of the mansion, before grabbing the door with both hands and closing it. She used her whip to take some debris for blocking the door.
"I'm sorry Adrien," she whispers.
Adrien knocks at the door desperately.
"Please Nathalie! Don't do this!"
Safari looked back at Monarch fiercely. She took position to aim, awaiting for confirmation while he ran upstairs, targeting him in the process,
charging her crossbow with venom to immobilize Monarch for once and for all.
"Finally," she said as she fired. Safari threw some paralyzing bolts at Monarch. He was about to snap his fingers to end it all when the first bolt almost got him.
He made a run for it, avoiding all the bolts she threws at him. He had to escape fast.
The only option is going to Nathalie's room.
Almost there, Monarch used shelter. The bolts didn't hurt him, with the shield in the way. He ran for it, closing the door behind him. Safari grunted frustrated, jumping to where Monarch ran away.
As Monarch entered the room, he kicked the Anubis statue, making it fall and break behind him, obstructing Safari's way, and giving Monarch time to get far away from her.
"You can't get away, I never lose my prey Monarch!"
She used her whip to clear the way out with her power. She ran faster, trying to keep her sight on Monarch.
Monarch jumped outside from the window with Safari at his toes. He grabbed the border of the ceiling, almost slipping. Safari aimed to use a thunderbolt to get him.
Using all the force he had left, he pushed his body half up, barely avoiding the thunderbolt. He ran as fast as he could to reach his destination.
She followed him to one of the balconies at the mansion which had a clear vision of the city.
Monarch landed, getting ready when Safari got to the spot. He had to take her to a safe place so she stayed unharmed when he deakumatizes her. Getting up, he faced her. He was about to snap his fingers to definitely deakumatize Nathalie.
Until he felt a slight burning. It was the arm where he got the cataclysm.
Not now. He grabs his arm, waiting for the pain to subside. He grunted in pain as his injury pain got worse.
Safari approached him. He could see from the distance how she took one of her magical bullets, recharging her crossbow. She walked slowly, taking her time.
"Safari please, don't do this. I don't want to lose you, too." In those moments Monarch knows he is doomed.
Safari was in front of him, looking at him with her reddish eyes, with the serious expression she always wore as his assistant. The cold facade she used when she was being very professional.
Monarch could feel the tears threatening to fall out of his eyes. Nathalie meant a lot to him. She was always there for him, even in their worst times. She was sweet, caring, and tender. Not only with him, but with Adrien.
He knew Adrien liked to spend time with her. She was more than his companion, even more than a friend.
He loved her.
Safari waited for what he had to say.
"You're my bodyguard, my right hand, my only friend, and even more… much more. Please Nathalie. Stop."
She took position and shot, paralyzing Monarch.
Safari opened Monarch's hand, finger by finger, until she could take Ladybugs and Chat Noir Miraculous in her hands.
She did it.
Safari put the earrings on first. Tikki appeared before her, taking her tiny paws to her mouth. After Safari put the ring on her finger, Plagg appearing too.
Studying the situation, it was time for them to intervene.
"Please, Miss Sancoeur. Don't do it," Tikki begs.
"Nathalie, what is Adrien going to think when his favorite caretaker is gone?" Plagg floated to face her "You can't leave him alone."
"It's there another way to pay the price? Or at least without the sacrifice?"
"The universe has to be in balance there is no other way." Tikki looks at her with worry, her antenna low. "For every wish there is something to pay."
Safari smiled sadly. She was certain about the wish anyway.
"When Adrien has both of his parents back, he will not miss me. I'm going to do it."
Adrien kept pushing at the door. It didn't not bulge at all. He punched the door frustrated.
"It's useless."
"Isn't there another way in, Adrien?" Marinette asks
"The only idea I have is going through the window of my father's atelier."
Adrien guided her towards the place the atelier was located. Taking a piece of debris, he broke the window.
"Before we go inside, may we talk about our plan?"
"I'm going to use Safari's weapon against her."
"And I'm going to distract Safari." Marinette completed his sentence "I might have to risk myself so I can give Safari's weapon to you. You have better aim than me after all."
"Marinette..." Adrien trailed off.
"Please Adrien, promise me no matter what happens to me, you're going to stop Safari from making the wish."
"I promise." Adrien took her hand, helping her enter the mansion's broken window.
Both walked carefully around the sources of fire. They followed the disaster caused by Monarch and Safari. Adrien saw the trail both adults left, trying to guess where they were now. His instict was telling him they were close.
"Over here!" Adrien exclaimed, going towards the door wich lead to the big balcony of the mansion.
Safari was planning how to make the wish.
"If I make the wish, Gabriel is going to be cured and Emilie will be alive again?" Safari questioned both kwamis.
Tikki looked over the door, noticing Adrien and Marinette were there.
"It is possible. But take into account we don't really know what's going to happen after the wish is made. Nobody really knows."
Marinette and Adrien look between the small space of the door.
"Remember what we are going to do?" Adrien thought it necessary to remind himself what they were about to do.
"I'm going to make her fall and take her bullets. So be prepared Adrien"
Adrien grabs Marinette's arm, stopped her.
"Be careful Marinette."
They both slammed the door open. Marinette wentahead and jumped over Safari, taking her by surprise.
Marinette ran towards her and falls over. Marinette quickly took Safari Crossbow from her hands and she threw it towards Adrien.
"Adrien, catch!"
Adrien extended his hands, barely catching the weapon.
Marinette gets the bullets out of Safari's belt she kicked them towards Adrien's direction.
The bullets roll towars Adrien. He looked at the bullets he has at his feet. There were the paralyzing bolts, the illusion bolts… but there is one which caught his attention: the jubilation power.
Adrien took the weapon in his hands, changing it in the process. It was heavy in his trembling hands. He aimed, focusing on Safari.
Safaris wrist device emited the confirmation once the crossbow had completely analyzed her.
"Target locked."
She saw her silhouette appear on the wrist device screen. If the power of the pig hit her, she was doomed. But she couldn't use her powers to stop Adrien. Hurting Adrien wasn't in her options.
Adrien's finger was about to pull at the trigger.
"I'm sorry, Nathalie."
Safari's eyes widened.
"ADRIEN! NO!"
Before she could stop him, the gift hit her, not giving her time to do anything. The light blinded her as her eyes dilated, showing her the gift's vision.
She could see herself as Nathalie under the care of Gabriel. He sat at her side, taking her hand.
"Nathalie, I have decided it's time to leave everything."
"Leave everything?"
"It's time we take care of Adrien." Gabriel said with surely.
"Is it true, Gabriel? You're giving up after all?" Nathalie couldn't believe it. She suspected there was something wrong like this was a kind of a vision she was having but it felt so real at the same time.
"Yes Nathalie, I realized there are more important things to worry about. Also Adrien needs us."
It was weird. In the back of her mind something was telling her to stop looking. But she kept staring at the vision, not wanting to look away. Like a strange force was keeping her from doing it.
The scenery changed again. She and Gabriel were having dinner in the kitchen. Gabriel searched for her hand, taking it tenderly while they ate. Adrien looked at them and smiled.
Another vision appeared before her: she saw herself walking with Gabriel through the park with their hands intertwined while they ate one of Andre ice creams.
This can't be happening, this isn't real.
She saw herself in the mirror, wearing a wedding dress. She walked until Gabriel offered his hand to her. After a while in the ceremony, Gabriel put the ring on her finger as she id the same and finished the ceremony with a kiss.
Nathalie hugged Adrien, who was at her side when the ceremony ended.
Adrien saw her vision, astonished. He felt sad for her.
"Oh, Nathalie."
Marinette got close to him, after making sure it was safe to do so.
"Adrien, I'm sorry for interrupting, but we can't make the same mistake again." Marinette looked at Monarch "We have to remove the Miraculous now, we can't lose this chance."
Adrien nodded, leaving the weapon on one side, to take the rings on Monarch's left hand.
Finally we are free.
Just as Adrien removed the butterfly Miraculous off Monarch, a light envelopes his body, quickly revealing who is behind the mask
Adrien felt his heart drop the instant he recognized the person who had been tormenting them for almost a year.
His own father.
His father was Monarch. He cataclysmed his own father. He felt his stomach turn. He was lucky he hadn't eaten anything in a few hours.
Marinette gasped, incredulous of this turn of events. Adrien went completely pale.
"Oh no…" Marinette whispers.
Gabriel recovered his movement. He was kneeling and the last he remembered is Safari paralyzing him. The last of the tears he was shedding flowed freely down his face. He examined his hands, his Miraculous gone. In front of him, there was his son and his friend Marinette Dupain-Cheng. They both had all the rings he had transformed into the Miraculous.
Adrien grabs his hair, pulling it out
"No, it's not possible. It can't be him." He rubbed his eyes to see if he was dreaming. It was not a dream.
He fell to his knees. He could feel the tears prickle his eyes.
"Adrien, are you ok?" He got up, but Adrien moved away before he could reach him. He looked like a scared cat.
"I'm sorry." Gabriel understood Adrien is not happy.
"Where's the object of the akuma?" Marinette asked.
"It's in Nathalie's room. I''s her mannequin. We used it so you wouldn't be able to find its location."
"We?" Adrien was confused. So it was true his father wasn't working alone.
"This plan was all Nathalie's idea, son. This morning, she asked me to akumatized her, so she could bring the Miraculous to me," Gabriel continued "But I didn't expect she would be so reckless after hearing the price of the wish we were planning to make. I would have stopped right there, I swear."
For Adrien it was hard to believe everything his father was telling him.
"There is no time for that. We need to deakumatize Nathalie before the gift effect wears off."
Adrien went towards Safari. He took the earrings from her ears and the ring from her finger.
"Here you go, Marinette."
She looked at the Miraculous in her hand. She took the earrings, offering them to Adrien.
"Use them."
"What? Are you sure?" Adrien was surprised with Marinette's decision.
"Do the honors, Adrien. It's your family who needs you right now"
"Alright." He smiled, taking the earrings. Adrien and Marinette transform again. Mister Bug was sure they were going to need help, so he invokes his lucky charm.
"Lucky Charm!" Mister Bug exclaims, throwing his yoyo up in the air. A shovel falls into his hands.
"A shovel?" Adrien examines the object that fell into his hands. He supposed it was for clearing the way out.
"We are going to look for the akumatized item."
"Adrien," Gabriel calls him. Adrien stops to hear what his father has to say. "Be careful please."
"I will, father."
Mister Bug and Lady Noire looked for a safe way to cross over to Nathalie's room. After a few minutes they decided to go to the first floor and open the door Safari had closed before. When they go to the entrance of Nathalie's room, they found the path completely blocked.
Mister Bug took a step forward.
"Allow me, my lady." Mister Bug used the shovel to remove the debris which were blocking the door. After a few minutes, the team eventually could open the door to get inside the room.
"Cataclysm!" Lady Noire touched the mannequin, destroying it in an instant. The butterfly got out of the akumatized object flying.
Mister Bug swung his yoyo to catch it before it left.
"It's time to devilize." Catching the butterfly, he purified it, leaving it free after it. The Miraculous Ladybug swept over them and the entire mansion, fixing everything. The fire was gone. The mansion looked as if nothing had happened.
"I'm going for Nathalie," Mister Bug said.
"I'm coming with you Adrien." Lady Noire followed him back to retrieve Nathalie.
Gabriel got up from the floor when his arm stopped hurting. He got close to Safari to aid her when the akumatization ended. As he got close, he got a glimpse of what Safari's vision was. He saw himself, Nathalie, and Adrien. Nathalie was hugging him, and he had his head on top of hers while they watched the movie alongside Adrien.
"So, this is what you always wanted, isn't it Nathalie?" He asked into the air. Was it what she was referring to when he was fighting with her? He saw her smile warmly at the visions.
The vision ended and the gift orb disappears.
Safari was much calmer now. He got closer to her and took her hands in Miraculous Ladybug fixed the mansion completely. A black cloud washed over Safari. Nathalie was back.
Nathalie felt weak. Her legs were wobbly, making her go to the ground. She a pair of hands grabbed her waist, stopping her fall. Gabriel helped her get up gently.
"Nathalie, are you ok? How are you feeling."
"Weak," She croaked.
Gabriel grabbed her in his arms. She crossed her arms, avoiding looking directly at him.
"Nathalie, I…" Gabriel was interrupted when he heard his son''s voice.
"Natha… Miss Sancoeur! Are you ok?"
"I'm ok, Adrien." Nathalie reassured Mister Bug. "There is no point in having your transformation anymore Adrien. I already know who you are."
Mister Bug drops his transformation.
"Spots off." Adrien's worried face appeared. "So, do you remember everything?"
"Every single thing." She feels her throat itchy, making her cough badly.
"Let's take you inside." Gabriel walked with Adrien at his side. He opened the doors for Gabriel until they both got to Nathalie's room.
Gabriel lay her on the bed softly, rearranging the pillows to make Nathalie more comfortable.
Adrien sat at her side on the bed.
"I know we owe you an explanation, Adrien."
"How could you akumatize Nathalie? Especially when she is so sick" Adrien was mad, Gabriel didn't blame him for it.
"Nathalie was willing to akumatize herself in order to help me."
"Help you? In what?"
Nor Gabriel or Nathalie responded to that question immediately.
"Won't you tell me?"
"We wanted to bring your mother back." Gabriel confessed.
"Bring her back? What are you talking about?" Adrien was confused. He thought his mother had "disappeared."
"Your mother, we… I have her in the house, Adrien." Gabriel felt tired, so tired.
"She has been here this whole time?" Adrien was horrified.
"It's this what have you been doing father?"
Before Gabriel could respond, Nathalie gave Adrien an answer first.
"Yes. It is what we were doing Adrien. Your father wasn't the only one in this mess."
"Is it why are you sick, Nathalie?" Adrien put two and two together now. "Is that why my mother was sick too?"
"Yes Adrien, the peacock Miraculous is the cause of this. I used it when it was broken."
"But Nathalie, for bringing someone back, you will have to take their places. That's not fair. "
Adrien cleaned the tears that were about to fall from his eyes. "You're so sick. And I couldn't bear the thought of losing you, Nathalie. Even if that brings my mother back." Adriens voice broke while finishing his sentence.
"Adrien, please don't be sad."
Nathalie feels a pair of arms around her. Adrien is hugging her.
"You're so important to me Nathalie. And even if I can't do anything for you right now, I promise I will always be here for you, always."
"Me too, as long as I can. "
Marinette stayed there having heard everything. She couldn't help but to feel compassion for three of them.
"We can try to find a solution for Nathalie's sickness. As for the cataclysm, I still don't have any idea what to do."
"We'll find it with time. But now, it'll be better that you return home, Marinette. Your parents must be worried for you." Gabriel eyed the window. It was already dark.
"Oh, you're right!"
Adrien is so out of context in this situation, but when he was going to keep asking Gabriel stops him.
"It's a complex situation to explain to you. We will explain everything to you later" Gabriel said.
"You promise?" Adrien was afraid his father was going to fail to fulfill his promises again. Gabriel looked back at Nathalie, who nodded.
"I promise." Gabriel got up from Nathalie's bed to guide Adrien out of the room. "Now, why don't you help your friend get home. "
"Will do, Father. I'll be back later."
Before Adrien went outside the room, he waved his hand to both of them.
Gabriel went to sit back on Nathalie's bed.
"Gabriel, you didn't send Adrien out just because you wanted him to take Miss Dupain - Cheng home."
She got him.
"Nathalie, I…" Gabriel was uncertain where to start. He had to be sincere with Nathalie over all things.
"I was so worried about you. When you got the Miraculous in your hands I never imagined you of all people would go so mad about making the wish."
"We are dying Gabriel. What did you expect me to do?" Nathalie said desperately. "Sit back and do nothing?"
"No." Gabriel reminded himself he was talking to a treasure hunter. "You're a woman of action."
"Then, why are you so surprised by my reaction?" Nathalie questioned.
"You were going to the extreme. I never meant to go that far. Resolve everything at the cost of hurting Adrien. Or your own life? Why did you do it? Why go so far for me?" Gabriel didn't understand why Nathalie did all of that.
"You wouldn't understand." She kept her arms crossed, looking at the opposite side of the room.
"Nathalie." Gabriel took her hand. She let him, feeling a bit uncomfortable. In another situation she liked that. "I saw what you saw on the gift's vision. You can't lie to me."
Nathalie sights.
"I love you, Gabriel. I always have."
"Even with the stupid decisions I've have made to doom us both?" Gabriel asked.
"Yes, even with that." Nathalie reaffirmed him.
Gabriel kissed her hand tenderly.
"You're so important to me Nathalie. I could never thank you enough for the things you do for us. The only thought in my head was to get you safe and sound out of our fight."
"Oh Gabriel." Nathalie put a hand in his face, she cares his cheek softly with her thumb.
"I don't know what I have done without you, Nathalie. I would have gone crazy a long time ago." Gabriel squished her hand a little. "And now I know your deepest wish. Even if we have a short time left I want to give it to you."
"You don't mean this." Nathalie refused to believe Gabriel's words.
"Of course I do." Gabriel kissed her forehead "You deserve to have your deepest wish."
She let him embrace her just this time.
"We will find a solution. I promise you, Nathalie, that this time I will make things right."
Here is my contribution for the Gabenath Reverse Bang!. Thanks to my lovely beta Scribble and the wonderful Hawkmog for the wonderful art that inspired (This story was originaly published on July)