Chapter 9

The Death of a Hero

2:30a.m.

Cat Noir lay awake on one of the pews of the church, restless. He suspected that everyone else was likely asleep by now and so he tried to keep his noise level down to a minimum, but he couldn't sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about his conversation with Wolf just a few hours ago, and that question he asked him.

(3 hours ago)

"You should head back inside Adrien. We both have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Both Cat and Wolf were still sitting at the top step just outside the cathedral. Wolf had sincerely come to check on him, much to the surprise of Cat, but also much to his appreciation.

"You say that like it's no big deal." Cat retorted.

"I'm… tired." Wolf confessed.

A brief silence interrupted the two boys before Cat looked over to meet Wolf in his eyes, eyes that even behind the mask, showed signs of fatigue.

"Wolf…" Cat started. "Your plan's not going to work."

Wolf stayed silent at his remark and allowed him to continue.

"Even if Amy does show up like you want, you'll never be the heroes of Paris again. You've ruined that. Thousands of people have evacuated the city, you've lost their trust. You're not protecting anything, you're plunging it into chaos… This isn't what Sylvia wanted."

Cat wasn't sure, but he could've swore he saw Wolf's eyes begin to water. It was almost as if what Cat said had hurt his feelings.

Wolf looked back up towards the heavens, like he was waiting for someone else to look back at him. "Adrien… What would you do if you ever lost your lady?"

Cat's eyes widened at the question. He had never pondered the thought before… if he lost Ladybug. He had no idea how to respond.

Cat looked away as if to think about the question for a moment, but by the time he looked back, Wolf had already vanished into the night.

(Present time)

Cat still couldn't stop thinking about it. What would he do if he ever lost his lady? Obviously it wasn't a thought he relished, but it was worth thinking about under the circumstances. After all, Wolf had already lost his lady. Maybe Wolf just asked the question so Cat would put himself in his shoes. The problem was it was working, Cat was thinking about it a little too much. Worse still, he didn't have an answer. If he ever lost Ladybug… he would be devastated.

Truth be told however, Wolf's question wasn't the only thing on his mind. Viperion had spilled the beans and told him that Marinette was in love with him, well Adrien. How had he seriously never noticed before? It was so obvious! Cat couldn't help but feel a little dumb at how naive he had been.

And then there was that kiss from last night… yeah, that kiss. Cat had been thinking about that more than he would've liked to admit. He felt a little guilty, he had always been in love with Ladybug, so why did he feel so strongly towards Marinette? Moreover, if Marinette liked Adrien then why would she partake in such a passionate kiss with Cat? Had her feelings changed without Luka's knowledge? Had his feelings for Ladybug changed?

This was all too much. Cat had to get some sleep but it was next to impossible. He thought about yesterday morning, how Marinette had made him breakfast and had combed his hair. Those were acts of love that he really needed, that he cherished.

He peered his head up to look over at Ladybug in the next pew. She was motionless aside from her breathing. How could she sleep at a time like this? The next morning was going to be the big battle with Wolf and she knew who he really was! The audacity of her sleeping!

Little did Cat know that Ladybug was wide awake, arguably more restless than he was. She obviously had a lot to think about too. All she wanted to do was freak out over the fact that Adrien was Cat Noir, but she was more concerned with what Bunnyx had said.

It was confirmed that Wolf was going to use his blades again, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it, thanks to how his blades worked. She still didn't understand all the details, nor did Bunnyx, but she was afraid. She didn't want anyone to get hurt, especially not Adrien. If anything ever happened to him… she didn't want to think about it.

(Meanwhile, just outside of Paris)

Gabriel Agreste was on his way back home, what was left of it anyway. He had with him a fairly large box which he carried with one arm. His assistant Nathalie had informed him that he was no longer the priority of Ladybug and Cat Noir. It would be safe to return in the meantime. His kwami however, seemed a little more tense than usual.

"Master? What are we doing?" Nooroo asked.

"Look inside the box Nooroo." Gabriel commanded.

As the kwami phased through the box, he was barely able to see several butterflies crawling around inside. He phased back out more quickly than when he went in.

"More butterflies? You're planning on akumatizing again? Now of all times?"

"Of course I am. Wolf had the most powerful negative emotions I've ever felt! He'll make one beauty of an akuma victim, and with him at my command I will finally have Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous!"

"But… your son… Adrien! He is…"

"I know! It doesn't matter Nooroo. Once I make my wish Adrien won't remember a thing and what's more is that he'll be happy. He'll finally have a mother again! We'll be a family again!"

Nooroo simply looked down and retreated back into the Miraculous. He knew better than to argue with his master. It didn't work the hundreds of times he tried before. It wouldn't work now.

Gabriel marched on, determined. "Soon Emilie, soon."

(Paris, France 9:30a.m.)

It was a gray and rainy morning. The temperature, 2 degrees celsius. It was enough to make the rain feel like ice and the sky was so cloudy it hardly provided any light. So far, Ladybug's plan wasn't off to a great start. She couldn't help but think that this weather was possibly an omen. It was close to Christmas and it should have been snowing by now, but no, just freezing cold rain.

Ladybug approached the Eiffel Tower alone under the disguise of Rena Rouge. She looked almost exactly like Amy did. Thankfully it wasn't too difficult to copy her look. Her previous popularity in years past, along with Master Fu's guidance with her appearance in her civilian form, made her easy to replicate. The only difference was that she was made to look slightly older, and was wearing much darker colored clothing than what she was known for. Her hair was longer and instead of happy and bright colors, she wore black torn clothes, which looked old and faded. Ladybug thought it would be necessary in order to better sell the deception. Hopefully it would be enough.

Ladybug's hands trembled and her heart was racing as she stepped closer to the tower. All she had to do was wait.

"Calm down…" she told herself. "You're not alone. The others are close by and out of sight. You can do this!"

She finally stood directly under the tower and waited. There was honestly no way of telling how long it would take before Wolf finally showed his face, and waiting in the freezing cold rain made it almost unbearable.

Cat Noir, Viperion, and Queen Bee stood hidden in an alleyway, waiting for Wolf from a distance. Luckily it only took a few minutes for him to appear. He materialized himself from the shadows around the famous landmark and appeared standing a short distance away from Ladybug. It seemed like he had taken the bait! He and Ladybug were now talking and the plan was actually working!

The three heroes were a bit too far away to actually hear much of the conversation, but that didn't matter. They didn't need to hear Wolf to take him down.

"Cat Noir, now is our chance!" Queen Bee spoke, ready to take down Wolf and get out of this freezing weather.

"No. We go on my mark, not a second before." Cat held out his arm to block the alley exit.

"What? Have you gone crazy? There's not going to be a better opportunity! We have to go now!" Queen Bee insisted.

"I said no!" Cat was stern, snapping back almost angrily at her. It was enough to get her to stop talking.

"Cat… she's right. What are you planning?" Viperion asked.

"He deserves this moment. He's waited for two years. I'm not just going to jump him right away, he deserves that much." Cat spoke with the same stern tone.

Viperion and Queen Bee just sort of looked at each other in confusion. Why would Cat care about letting Wolf have his moment?

"Besides, if anything goes wrong you can use Second Chance right?" Cat continued.

Reluctantly and much to Queen Bee's protests the three of them continued to listen to Wolf and Ladybug's conversation, to the best of their ability anyway.

Neither of them could make out hardly any intelligible words of the conversation, but as it continued, the three of them could make out a few of Wolf's sentences whenever he screamed them in anger. They were able to hear Wolf shout "Sylvia isn't here" as well as his demands for Ladybug to stop talking. Clearly their conversation wasn't a pleasant one.

A couple of minutes went by and Queen Bee was growing more and more impatient. "Are we just going to stand out here all day?"

"Just one more minute, he'll do the right thing." Cat insisted.

"The right thing?" Viperion asked.

"He's not a bad guy… I know he's not." Cat said, determined that Wolf wouldn't do anything rash.

"Cat… that's not a risk we can take. Ladybug is in danger out there." Viperion spoke, amazed at the sudden faith Cat had.

"He won't hurt her… I know he won't." Cat replied, turning around to face Viperion.

"Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" Queen Bee pouted.

As Cat turned to face Viperion, Viperion was able to notice something just over Cat's shoulder. A tiny flying purple dot, just barely noticeable, growing closer and closer towards Wolf. A sense of dread washed over him.

"Cat! It's an akuma!" Viperion shouted!

Viperion was right, but he was too late to recognize it in time. The akuma had taken over Wolf and had begun to transform him. The next thing that Cat heard was Wolf screaming out "Die like one" as he rushed towards Ladybug.

(2 minutes ago, Ladybug and Wolf POV)

It only took a few minutes before Wolf materialized himself from the shadows around the famous landmark. He stood about twenty-five feet away, facing Ladybug, but not meeting her eyes. Wolf looked down at the ground, somberly waiting for the correct words to come to his mind.

"Amy… Aubert…" he finally spoke, loud enough to where Ladybug could hear him clearly.

Wolf finally looked up. His face was pure rage as he gritted his teeth. "So you actually came!"

Ladybug was terrified deep down, but she had to play her part as Amy. "Alex, what do you think you're doing?" Her voice was stern.

"I could ask you the same thing! Do you have any idea, any idea at all… how long I looked for you?" Wolf shouted, his anger growing ever more apparent.

"You were never supposed to find me." Ladybug said just as sternly as before.

"Why did you run away? You had no right to leave me behind! I needed you Amy, and you just left me alone!" Wolf's voice was filled with more pain now than anger.

"It was my fault Alex. I'm the one that's responsible for what happened to Sylvia. I didn't think you would want me anywhere near you."

Wolf's voice slightly quieted. "I looked for you! You must have known I was looking! Where were you? Why didn't you come and find me?"

"I was mourning, Alex! I didn't know what to do! I wanted to talk to you, I really did, but after seeing Sylvia die at my hands…" Ladybug cut herself off.

"You had no right! No right to do what you did! Look what you've reduced me to! Look what I had to do to get you here!"

"I'm sorry Alex. I know I messed up, but you never had to do this. This has gone too far, way too far. If Sylvia were here now…"

"SYLVIA ISN'T HERE!!!" Wolf screamed out in anger and in pain. It was a clear reminder of the humanity that remained in him, but also, a reminder of just how far gone he really was. "No one can bring my Sylvia back to me, but there is something that only you can do to help make it right."

Ladybug chose her next words as carefully as she could. "What are you going to do?"

"You are going to take back the Ladybug Miraculous and become the Scarlet Beetle once again! You and I will take our places once more as Paris's true heroes, and I will finally fulfill my promise!"

Ladybug had to end this right here and now. She had given Wolf what he wanted to some degree, even if it was a lie, but she couldn't let him continue any further with his plan. Besides, any minute now, Cat Noir and Queen Bee would incapacitate him.

"No Alex… I won't." she said firmly.

Wolf gazed with amazement at Amy's response. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"No? Did you just say… no?" Wolf said, barely believing his ears.

"Those days are behind me now, they're behind both of us. I refuse to become Scarlet Beetle again."

Wolf held his head with one hand, as if a migraine had suddenly come over him. Perhaps that was the case, as he seemed to slightly groan in pain and his body began to shiver.

"Amy… I did not wait for two years… just for you to tell me no!" Wolf's voice sounded distressed. It was a mixture of pain and insanity, something that Ladybug was afraid would happen.

"Alex…" she started.

"Shut up!" Wolf demanded as he held his head more intently. That's when Ladybug began to notice something. It was faint and difficult to make out, but Ladybug could have sworn she heard something. It was almost impossible to distinguish what it was through the sound of the rain, but if Ladybug had to describe it, she would say it was a soft little pitter-patter sound, but what was the source of it?

Wolf held his head with both his hands, clearly in intense pain now. "You can't just leave me all alone… and then deny Sylvia's last wish!"

"This was not Sylvia's wish! You know that Alex, open your eyes!" Ladybug pleaded. She knew this would break him. She knew this would tear his heart and mind apart, but it was necessary to keep Cat Noir and Queen Bee safe.

There it was again… that strange sound ever so louder this time. It was still unidentifiable, but it sounded more like flapping now, more so than what she previously thought it was.

Wolf began to groan audibly as he hunched over holding his head. "How dare you! How dare you!" he shouted repeatedly.

The sound grew closer and a feeling of ominous nostalgia filled up Ladybug's gut. She knew what it was now, the sound of a butterfly flapping its wings, but that could only mean one thing… an akuma!

"Wolf, look out!" Ladybug shouted.

It was too late. The dark purple butterfly entered in through Wolf's Miraculous. A neon butterfly shaped mask appeared over his face, and all the pain his body he was experiencing seemed to cease.

Wolf's suit turned dark and his canine teeth grew sharper and longer, his hair grew down over his face. His muscles also grew until he was nearly unrecognizable. He looked like he gained close to fifty pounds of muscle in a matter of seconds.

"Wolf…" Ladybug began, but that was all she could manage to say before Wolf spoke over her.

"Even now Amy… even after two years of isolation, even after killing Sylvia and running away, even after leaving me alone without a word… you still think you can do the right thing?"

Wolf's voice sounded slightly deeper thanks to his transformation, but it was still clear what he was saying. He continued to speak in a dark and unsettling tone…

"You always were a hero Amy… you were always too perfect, you always had to do the right thing. You were always so busy… you never even had time for your friends…"

Wolf grasped the handles of his blades and stared a piercing gaze into Ladybug's eyes. Never before in his life had he ever felt such anger.

"You want to be a hero so badly Amy? Then play the part… AND DIE LIKE ONE!!!"

Wolf rushed towards Ladybug at blinding speed. Blood splattered, and he saw the tips of his blades covered in blood and sticking out the other end of his victim, piercing all the way through the torso.

He looked over and saw a body on the ground, but it wasn't Amy's body, it was Ladybug. She was unharmed and was looking up at him in horror. Wait… when did Ladybug get here?

Wolf still felt the weight of Amy's body on his blades and looked down at her only to find a pair of cat ears resting atop her blonde hair. Wolf's heart sank. This wasn't Amy… oh God, what had he done?