Disarmed
Gabriel glared at the screen in front of him. The girl, Marinette, Ladybug, had been a major thorn in his side for too long. He'd tried going to her home and taking all the miraculous she had in her possession but had found he couldn't remember where she lived.
Nathalie had suggested targeting the school, of course, it'd have to at a time no one was there. Gabriel smirk insanely as he started drawing up his plan.
Nathalie had started to grow concerned at the lengths Gabriel had started to go to bring Emilie back. She hoped he wouldn't go too far in his campaign.
D
Marinette glared at the little screen on her yoyo, Adrien was dozing behind her as Alec Cataldi's smirking face looked up at her. Ever since Marinette's arm had been taken off, the 'reporter' had been openly questioning if she was capable for her job. It didn't help that he had the backing of an alt right politician, who'd started calling for anyone who was neuro-divergent to be sectioned for 'being a danger to society', and Gabriel Agreste. Marinette supposed that Gabriel had a reason to question her competence, since she was in his son's class, and she'd lost him his 'muse'.
Marinette looked behind her, at Adrien, quietly wondering if he agreed with his father. Adrien opened his eyes and smiled at her, before stretching his arms out.
"What time is it?" Asked Adrien, looking around to make sure no one had seen them.
"Just after 11." Replied Marinette, frowning as Adrien looked around, "Adrien, if anyone spotted us, I would've woken you."
Adrien yawned, before flopping back down. Just as he did, an explosion rocked Paris. Both heroes looked at the explosion.
"Did… did Hawkmoth just blow up our school?" Asked Marinette, blankly.
Marinette shook her head and shared a look with Adrien, before the two called on their transformations. Ladybug and Chat Noir skidded to a halt in front of the burning building.
"Okay, we're at the scene, but there's no Akuma." Muttered Ladybug, her bionic arm twitching.
A deafening roar tore through the street, as a dinosaur glared down at them.
"Mr Césaire got Akumatised again?" Asked Chat, cocking his head.
Ladybug was about to answer, as a blue blurr rammed into her side. Mayura threw Ladybug through the window of her parents bakery. Chat moved to grab the villainess, only to be grabbed by the collar and thrown at the dinosaur. Hawkmoth sneered at the boy, just as Mayura sailed past him and into a lamp post.
Ladybug charged at Mayura, ramming her fist into the elder woman's stomach. Ladybug's continuous blows triggered a coughing fit, the woman doubled over, unable to continue fighting. Ladybug turned her gaze on Hawkmoth, before launching herself at him, with Chat following. Ladybug's fist connected with Hawkmoth's chin, while Chat's staff got the back of the man's knees.
Hawkmoth stumbled back, spitting out a tooth as he went.
"I really need to get one of those, M'Lady." Smirked Chat, falling into a defensive stance.
"I wouldn't recommend it, Minou." Responded Ladybug, mirroring her partner, "Looks like Mayura's down for the count, Hawkmoth."
Hawkmoth glanced at Mayura, as the woman continued coughing. Ladybug removed her yoyo from her hip and started spinning it, "We could easily end this now, you just have to give me your miraculous."
"I was just about to say the same thing, Hawkmoth." Snarked Ladybug, launching her yoyo at him.
Hawkmoth quickly dodged the attack, before swinging his cane sword at her. Ladybug blocked the attack with her arm, as Chat swung his staff at Hawkmoth's head.
Hawkmoth snarled, before he grabbed Ladybug's yoyo and pulled her towards him. He swung his cane-sword at her again. Ladybug raised her left arm to protect her chest and neck, only to collapse to the ground as Hawkmoth stabbed her right leg and twisted the blade until the limb fell away from the rest of her body halfway up her thigh. Hawkmoth plucked the earrings from Ladybug's ears and threw Marinette towards Mayura, who'd stopped coughing.
Hawkmoth turned his sights onto Chat Noir, an insane grin covering his face, "You need a new arm, boy?"
Chat gulped, before he swung his staff at Hawkmoth's head again, only for Hawkmoth to grab his wrist. Hawkmoth grinned sadistically, as his sword pierced Chat Noir's right bicep and he pulled on the limb until it came off the young hero's body with a wet snap and a scream from the hero.
Hawkmoth threw Chat to the ground and smirked as he held both Miraculous in his hand.
"Finally." Muttered Hawkmoth, before glancing down at the boy and freezing as he saw Adrien trying to stop the remains of his arm from bleeding, "Adrien?"
The boy froze, before he recognised the voice of his father.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Demanded Hawkmoth, advancing towards Adrien, "We could've brought your mother back together!"
Adrien froze, before looking up at Hawkmoth. Hawkmoth tutted, "No matter, we can just have another, worthier, son."
Hawkmoth raised his sword to kill Adrien, before Mayura tackled Hawkmoth and ripped the miraculous from him. Gabriel looked down as he realised that Mayura had taken all of the miraculous he had on him, including the butterfly. The senti-monster dissolved into nothing, as Gabriel was tackled from behind, while paramedics attended to Marinette and Adrien.
D
Adrien stared down at the stump of his right arm. He now understood what Marinette meant when she said she could still feel her fingers. The very thought of his arm being cut off, much less that it was his own father that cut it off, sickened and distressed Adrien. Max had already come by and measured a new arm for him, he was muttering about having to make Marinette a leg.
Adrien knew that Marinette had lost a lot of blood, since his father's sword had severed her leg mid-thigh and cut through an artery.
"They're tying to sew Marinette's leg back on," Said Nino, making Adrien look at him, "but there is the possibility that the leg can't be reattached."
Adrien frowned, before Nino grabbed his remaining hand, "Focus on me, don't look at the arm."
Adrien cracked a small smile, as Alya poked her head through the door.
"Mari's out of surgery, they're putting her leg in a cast until it fully heals," Alya informed them, "It'll be a while, but she's going to keep her leg."
"Thank Allah." Muttered Nino, releasing a sigh of relief.
"Don't thank him yet," Said Alya, "Marinette's not going to take it well."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S GOING TO BE THREE TO NINE MONTHS BEFORE I CAN WALK AGAIN?!" Came Marinette's scream, sounding panicked.
"Yeah, she does not react well to the pain killers." Said Alya, as Marinette was wheeled past.
"I don't need blood transfusions." Babbled Marinette, her tone doing a complete 180.
"You lost a lot of blood, you're barely surviving on the blood that you didn't lose, you need these transfusions." Said a Nurse, as Marinette pouted and glared at the cast.
"I wanna go home." Mumbled Marinette, folding her arms and sulking.
"You're going to be kept here for a few days for observation, but you'll be able to go home soon." Reassured the nurse, as she and Marinette grew further away from the room.
"Marinette doesn't seem to like hospitals much." Remarked Alya, before looking at Adrien, "How're you holding up, Sunshine?"
Adrien shrugged, looking down at his lap.
"He hasn't said a word since the fight," Said Nino, looking away from Adrien and towards Alya, "I think he's still in shock."
Alya frowned sympathetically, before sighing.
"I'm not surprised, considering…" Alya trailed off.
"He was going to kill me." Whispered Adrien, as his vision blurred, "He said he was going to bring Maman back and he was going to kill me."
Adrien wasn't aware he was crying until Nino pulled him into his arms.
"Breath." Nino instructed softly, "Breath."
Adrien choked out sobs as he buried his face in Nino's chest.
D
Chris poked Nino's face while sitting on his chest.
"Nino." Whispered Chris, "Nino. Nino. Nino. Niiiinooo."
"What is it, Chris?" Groaned Nino, squinting at his brother.
"Adrien's had another nightmare." Said Chris, pointing towards a dark corner of the room.
Nino could make out the vague shape of Adrien rocking back and forth with his face buried into his knees.
"Okay, thanks Chris, I'll handle it." Said Nino, rolling Chris off his chest, "Go back to bed."
Chris quietly shuffled out of the room, as Nino got up and walked over to Adrien. The blond didn't react to Nino moving towards him and Plagg was hovering next to his chosen.
"How long has he been like this?" Asked Nino, looking at the Kwami.
"A couple hours," Responded Plagg, "Sugarcube and pigtails are already on their way over.
Nino glanced at the clock; it was six am. He sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to get Adrien back to sleep.
"Bro," Nino's voice was soft, "Bro, look at me."
Adrien slowly lifted his head. His eyes were red and bloodshot, he had dark bags under his eyes and his face had become thin and gaunt. Adrien let out a small whine and buried his face in his knees again. A loud banging at the front door echoed though the house, Nino thought he heard his mother grumbling about whoever was at the door.
"Sorry, Ms. Lahiffe, I need to see my cat." Came Marinette's muffled voice, "Alya, move faster!"
Nino winced, remembering that Marinette's leg stump was still healing. Despite Marinette being rushed to hospital a short while after the leg had been severed, the doctors focussed on getting Marinette's blood levels back up, before focusing on the leg, which had been left behind at the battle ground. Much like Adrien's arm, the muscles in Marinette's leg had be torn as Hawkmoth had cut and the limb had become infected, necessitating the legs removal. Marinette was still getting used to the leg Max had made her.
The loud drag-thump sound on Marinette limping on her new leg came down the hall. The bedroom door flung open, revealing Marinette being supported by Alya.
"Adrien." Said Marinette, as Alya struggled to get both herself and Marinette through the door.
Adrien stopped rocking himself, just as Marinette decided to push Alya away and crawl along the floor to her partner.
"I'm here, Minou," Said Marinette, softly, once she reached Adrien, "It's okay. It's over."
D
Marinette leaned on the bright pink cane Rose had given her. Everything was quiet, no birds, not aimless chatter. Just silence. Marinette caught sight of her reflection, her arm and now her leg. Marinette wondered if it would ever get the point where she was more machine than human.
Marinette swallowed the lump in her throat, before quickly looking away from her reflection. Marinette walk-limped towards the door. She carefully climbed down from her room, noticing that everything was shrouded in darkness.
"Hello?" Marinette called out, looking around for anyone who was in the apartment. Marinette reached out for the light switch, flicking it on, Marinette was assaulted by both the light and the unanimous yell of "SURPRISE!"
Marinette let out a squawk of surprise, toppling back and landed on her rear. Adrien laughed, before walking over to her. He held up his black prosthetic right hand out for Marinette, which she grabbed with her red left.
"Happy Birthday, M'Lady." Said Adrien, as soon as Marinette was on her feet.