Chapter Text
Nimble fingers moved, sliding across the screen moving from picture to picture. Her feet followed the pathway home by memory. Her brain was elsewhere, consumed with the device in her hands. Marinette could feel her heart pounding in her chest as her excitement rose. With each swipe of her thumb, she could feel the sensation spreading through the rest of her body.
Her blue eyes looked over each photo smiling at the memories that had formed in those moments. The affair had ended briefly allowing her to relive each, and every, detail as if the moment hadn’t come to a close. Part of her was sad that the night had to come to an end. Still, that created the opportunity with more memories like tonight.
The first few pictures were group photos that Alya had sent her from the night. They consisted of Alya, Nino, herself, and Adrien. Just thinking of his name made her heart flutter. The group had gone to see a firework show that evening by dinner at a restaurant. The night had felt surreal, magical even.
Alya had told her that she had gotten some good photos of the four of them but, Adrien always looked good in every photo. It seemed impossible for him to look bad in anything. Along with group shots, there were photos of just the two of them.
Marinette was posed beside Adrien as the two stood with their hands pointing at the large poster advertising the fireworks display. Another image was of them posing with their ice cream cones. In each picture, her cheeks were tinted pink with admiration, while Adrien flashed his golden smile. How Alya had managed to get pictures this good was beyond her. Her friend was never without her phone in hand and with it, she had seemingly unlimited power.
Beyond the group photos, Alya had managed to snag photos of Adrien placing his hand on her shoulder to get her attention just in time to see the pattern expulsion before it faded away. Looking over in his direction taking in the fireworks and color projecting onto his smiling face was enough for her knees to go weak. Her heart felt like hot butter melting into freshly baked bread as she looked at his image on her phone.
Once she had settled from the initial shock of the contact she had managed to actually talk to Adrien. Looking back on it she didn’t know she had been able to cope with the task. Usual conversations with him turn her brain into mush. She spouted utter nonsense in front of him with no chance of recovery. Alya had assured her that she was getting better at talking to him. But honestly, she felt like it was just luck tonight.
They had taken turns gawking at the fireworks calling on each other's attention as the sky lit up. Somehow Alya had been able to capture this moment on her camera. She had sent picture after picture as proof that it happened. She thought back to the memory that the picture shared... And for a moment the sky went silent… Their eyes remained transfixed onto the open air waiting for the finale to begin. Marinette took cheating glances at Adrien, whose eyes were dancing with delight.
“.... I’m really glad my father let me go tonight,” Adrien announced, turning to her. “Thanks for inviting me.”
Her cheeks grew rosy at the sentence he uttered. Still, her blue eyes turned and met emerald. Adrien was thanking her… Her heart was aflutter. Any amount of cool she had before dissipated just like the sound of the fireworks.
The silence between them wrapped around the two blocking out any coherent thoughts she might have. Her heart pounded in her chest. She had to say something to him in reply. How long had she been staring at him? Ten seconds, thirty seconds…?
Far too long, she had to say something. She couldn’t just stare at him… Well... Actually, she could. She could stare at photos of Adrien for hours. But this was real life, she couldn’t just stand there awkwardly. Marinette opened her mouth but was shocked that nothing came out. What was wrong with her? Inside she screamed for her brain to work.
“...O-of course,” she stammered, shaking off the appreciation. “I mean... It was Alya’s idea, not mine… Not that I didn’t want you here I just... I’m glad you had fun... With me… Us... With us, I mean-”
She was, thankfully, cut off by a loud boom as more fireworks sounded off. Where had her calm exterior from seconds gone to? She had been able to talk to him just a few minutes ago. She let out a sigh knowing her moment had passed. She just couldn’t talk to him, not if her life depended on it. Her shoulders dropped with disappointment. All she had to say was thank you that was easy enough but apparently not for her.
She turned her eyes back up to the fireworks letting herself get lost in the dazzling lights. It was better than wallowing in her mistakes. She was there for the fireworks after all... Seeing Adrien was a bonus. As the colors faded the sky went dark once more.
Bright bursts of red, blue, white, and green exploded into the air. Silhouettes of Paris’s famed superheroes began to appear. Both Adrien and Marinette's eyes grew wide with shock before sliding into a smile as the faces of Ladybug and Chat Noir smiled back at them. The dazzling eyes of the superhero’s images shone brightly for a few moments before fading into the darkness of night.
It hadn’t just been the fireworks show that made the night so special. After the fireworks, they went to a small restaurant to eat. Marinette had managed to trip right as they had entered but Adrien had caught her before she could hit the ground. She hated that she was so clumsy, but she was grateful that he had been there in time. If he were close by, he managed to save her from her own lack of coordination. Her face had turned beet red recalling the feeling of his hands supporting her.
Her nervous jitters had dissipated once their food was ready. The two had become eclipsed in conversation about the newest video game. The topic wasn’t romantic in the slightest, but it still brought a smile to her face. Marinette had proven herself to be knowledgeable in the topic explaining special combos and power-ups that she had discovered. Adrien continued the conversation informing her of secret locations and items hidden throughout the levels.
Everything had been going so well until Adrien’s phone rang… It was his father, of course, demanding that he return home early. They had overheard his father mention that it was getting too late. They had estimated how long they would be out when Adrien had asked for permission. His father didn’t care… Once he made up his mind, that was it. Alya and Nino looked dejected as Adrien announced he had to leave.
Marinette was sad to see him go but the smile he gave before leaving had been enough to keep her smiling for the rest of the week. Skimming through the photos Alya had gone through the effort of changing up her angles. In some images, you could see the reflection of the fireworks in their eyes as they gazed at the night sky. Others showed their silhouettes outlined by the bursting lights.
“Tonight, was perfect Tikki,” Marinette swooned.
She brought her arms up crossing her hands in front of her chest as she completed a small turn. After the pirouette was finished, she continued her stride, a soft bounce was added to each step. It was all she could do to stop herself from singing and skipping all the way home. The teen brought her phone back up to her face as she continued to admire the pictures.
“You and Adrien seemed to have a lot of fun,” she remarked, teasing her.
She blushed sheepishly before pushing the thought away. What was going on about? She and Adrien were friends… Good friends... Just friends… She was happy to spend time with her friend… Her very busy friend…
Tonight, wasn’t about her feelings. Adrien had complained that he rarely got to see fireworks with friends. As for the cause of the giddiness in her walk? She was happy that Adrien had fun... And it was, admittedly, amazing, to have seen the fireworks while she was beside him. She hadn’t agreed to go just to swoon over Adrien, though Alya suspected otherwise. She wanted to share this memory with them.
“I’m glad his dad let him hang out with everyone.” She deflected. “He said he hadn’t gotten to see many fireworks shows with friends...”
“It wasn’t just with friends. This was a date, Marinette,” Tikki urged.
Marinette’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt at the suggestion. A date? This was a date?... She had gone on a date with Adrien? Instantly her brain felt overloaded. Had she gone on a date with Adrien? She felt like her skull was going to burst at the seams. A date would be the beginning steps to so much more. Her imagination was already taking her off to the fictitious future of the hamster the two would pick out together. Just as her brain began to entertain the idea of a date, she pushed the idea away. She had declared that the two were just friends earlier.
“Me?” she squeaked. “On a date with Adrien, no… We were just a group of friends... That went together…”
Tikki made a teasing smile as Marinette downplayed the affair. She hadn’t been able to see too much but it felt like more than just a group of friends hanging out. Alya and Nino considered it a date for themselves, but they were already a couple. She and Adrien, they were friends.
Regardless, tonight was a victory in itself; Marinette had managed to have multiple conversations with Adrien. There had been a few mishaps here and there but overall, the evening was a success. Marinette had been able to talk to Adrien one on one. This would be wonderful for their relationship, as friends.
Though his father had called him back early he had stayed longer than he had in the past. They were sad to see him leave before the night had ended but he wasn’t leaving empty-handed they had made plenty of memories before he had to go. Usually, his father would order him home before the festivities could really begin.
“I didn’t expect that they would include Ladybug and Chat Noir into the show tonight,” Tikki remarked, changing the subject.
“Me either, the city is really grateful,” Marinette replied. “I’m glad that Ladybug has been able to help so many people.”
Not only had they been in the fireworks show but they had been saved for the very last as the piece de resistance. It felt surreal for their images to be used in the fireworks display. She didn't quite know why. This hadn't been the first time that Paris had chosen to honor them. It still felt surreal every time.
Seeing their faces in the sky made her think of Chat Noir. She wondered if he had been out this evening to see the fireworks. With such an extensive show she couldn't imagine that he could have missed it. The streets had been packed earlier tonight. He might have been busy though. She didn’t know what Chat Noir did when the two weren’t saving the city. Neither one mentioned much about their personal lives. Still, there were probably videos of the show online.
The next time the two met she could already hear how he would gush about his, (their), appearance in the finale. Naturally, once she called him out for his vanity, he would turn his attention and begin to flatter her with his alleged view of her appearance in the show.
She had begrudgingly come to appreciate his jokes no matter how ridiculous they were. Chat was something else entirely. His jokes were usually bad but at times she couldn’t help but smile. She and Tikki continued to chat as she continued her walk home. The town had quieted down now that the festivities were over leaving the streets empty. It allowed her to keep her conversation with her kwami without interruption. As they neared the bakery Marinette could have sworn, she saw something out on the corner of her eye.
The first time she brushed it off but the second time she knew it wasn’t just her imagination. Just when she turned around to catch them, they were gone. She had seen enough to know that it was a person cloaked in the dark of night. It was too big to be an animal. She looked down at Tikki but the kwami looked equally as puzzled.
“... Hello...?” Marinette called into the empty air.
No reply… Even the wind spoke in hushed tones as it ruffled her hair. She glanced around once more checking street corners, bushes, even balconies of nearby apartments and homes; nothing. The moon had already begun to lull its citizens to sleep.
She had a strange feeling in her gut… This didn’t feel right… Was she being followed? It was too early to rule the idea out completely. She couldn’t explain it with words but the person following her wasn’t a regular Parisian. They didn’t feel normal to her. Maybe it was an Akuma...? That would explain her only being able to catch them from the corner of her eye.
Her voice dropped to a low whisper letting Tiki know of her suspicions. If it was an akuma she needed to find a spot to transform. And if it wasn’t...She should head straight home instead. Marinette picked up her pace listening to the sound of her own footsteps, listening carefully until she heard the echo sound off shortly after her own.
The teen came to a halt and pretended to check her phone as she listened. Suddenly the footsteps were gone. They were following her… The situation felt off, she had never had an akuma tail her before. After all why would they? If she had wronged the person, they usually made a grand entrance indifferent to the idea of stalking their prey. Powers gave the akumatized villain boundless confidence; they didn’t always have a strategy at hand.
Lila and Chloe at times were given detailed plans by Hawkmoth, maybe it was one of them? She checked her phone and saw that Chloe had been posting online just a few seconds ago. It wasn’t her… As for Lila, nothing the girl ever said was reliable. She could forget about her social media posts.
Still, a quick search pulled up a post about her missing the fireworks because she was in Switzerland. Marinette didn't know if that were true, she could still be in Paris and have lied. At the same time, she hadn’t seen her in weeks. Besides this didn’t feel like Lila’s type of plan. With an akuma she was one of their strongest enemies but even then, she worked best with others. Or rather Lila’s usual ammunition was her ability to bend others to her will with her constant lies.
Both Chloe and Lila were the flashiest of them all as villains; they wouldn’t bother to hide. Not for this long at least. The likelihood of it being Lila felt slim to none. Then who was following her and why? She hadn’t been able to see them, and their footsteps were faint. Whoever was following her wasn’t a novice.
The hero began to continue her walk and soon enough she could hear traces of footsteps sounding off behind her own. If it wasn’t someone, she knew… Then why would they be following her? Why her? What did they want with her? She could feel her stomach twist into knots as she pondered this riddle.
Whoever it was they were putting in a lot of effort to not get seen. She looked down at Tikki with a worried expression that her kwami mirrored. Tikki offered to leave her bag and check but Marinette rejected the idea. She couldn’t risk Tikki being seen by another miraculous user.
She needed to see who was following her. Given how persistent they were in trailing her she was beginning to fear for the worst. The person wasn’t interested in Marinette Dupain-Cheng, they wanted Ladybug. Whether they suspected her or were trying to draw Ladybug out she wasn’t sure. If they were after Ladybug, then she couldn’t risk transforming. What if they saw her? She needed a way to catch a glimpse of whoever was following her.
She looked to her right, finding her reflection watching her in the window of a nearby building. They were too far away to make use of the windows on buildings. The street was bone dry creating an absence of reflective pools. The teen continued her walk looking into her purse and then at her phone in her hand. That was it, she could use her phone to steal a glance of her stalker.
Marinette opened her camera on her phone to use the front-facing camera. She would only have one shot at this. She tried to get the best angle adjusting it often as she struck different poses pretending to take photos. She turned on the flash and selected a burst shot. The camera sputtered off capturing image after image.
Once it was done, she looked through the photos. At first, she saw nothing; cars, corners of buildings, and street signs. She continued to scroll until something on the edge of her phone caught her attention. In the corner of the photo, she could make out light indigo skin and a lone magenta eye.
It wasn’t an Akuma following her, it was Mayura. But why…? What did Mayura want with her? Maybe Hawkmoth had told her to look for someone to akumatize? If they were out scouting, why not Mr. Ramier or Chloe Bourgeois? They were usual villains, and it didn’t take much to convince them. Still... Why her? She took in deep breaths to calm herself.
She didn’t have any negative feelings, moments ago, she had been on top of the world. They couldn’t akumatize her if they wanted to. Besides, she hadn’t seen an akuma in any of the photos either. If they were scouting it didn’t make sense for them to follow her.
There was no reason for Hawkmoth to want to akumatize her. She didn’t have any motive for revenge. She had a few close calls but each attempt to akumatize her had failed. It hadn’t worked in the past and it wasn’t going to happen now.
It was rare to see Mayura out in the city. Usually, she stayed out of the public, most likely in the same hole as Hawkmoth. Their miraculous didn’t require close contact to be effective. Once the object was purified, they would be left without a means of defense. Coming out of hiding made them vulnerable.
She could only speculate that the duo were changing their strategies for something truly nefarious. Maybe if she could lose her, she could transform and call Chat Noir for back up? Even after her photo fiasco Mayura hadn’t bothered to approach her or try to corner her. There was the possibility that her plan had worked better than she expected. Mayura might not be aware that she was able to catch her in the photo blitz. If Mayura didn’t know that she was on to her she might be able to lose her. Marinette began to make erratic turns down various streets. She kept running until her lungs burned, only stopping when she was sure her plan had worked. She slowed her pace reveling in her newfound silence.
Before she could relax, she could soon hear the footsteps again. This wasn’t working… Mayura had found her again. If she transformed, she could lose her on the r rooftops she might even be able to confront her with Ladybug’s enhanced agility and speed. But that was risky… Too risky. If someone found out her identity, people close to her would be in danger.
As her mind became muddled with ideas and theories, she shook them away. They weren’t following Ladybug, they were following her civilian self, she had to act like it. She just had to act like a normal teenager alone at night. There was safety in numbers, she couldn’t make anyone magically appear, but she did have the next best thing.
Marinette opened her phone to make a call. Who should she call? Her parents? She couldn’t make them worry and she didn’t want them involved with Mayura… Maybe Alya… If she knew she was in trouble, she could post on the Ladyblog, and maybe Chat Noir would see it? Or maybe Master Fu? If she was in danger, he could contact Chat Noir right away. The other side was Hawkmoth finding out who she had called. She didn’t want to risk the other miraculous. Having made up her mind she selected the icon and listened as the phone rang.
The teen lifted her phone to her face as she picked up her pace. She just needed to get home before anything happened. If she made a call while heading home, it might discourage Mayura and cause her to give up on the chase.
The first ring sounded off followed by the second. There was a small click that sounded off-ended the soundtrack of the dial. Just as Marinette opened her mouth to speak, the phone was sent flying from her hand. She winced as a sharp pain cut through the back of her right hand. Her phone skidded to a stop just out of her reach.
Laying on the cement before her was a giant purple feather. It was long, nearly half the length of her arm. The shaft of the feather was stuck deep into the ground causing cracks to form around it. The feather practically shimmered in the nightlight ominously.
She turned back to find a large bird-like sentimonster staring back at her. It appeared to be the size of a car with wings as wide as she was tall. Its head was angular with sharp lines with wings that shared the same shine as the feather that nearly struck her. It hovered in the air as it flapped its wings preparing to strike once more. With a strong snap of its wings, it sent out a barrage of feathers.
Marinette dove into an alleyway just as the feathers splintered the concrete. She winced feeling her bare hands and calves scrape against the cement. She pushed the feeling of the pain away from her mind, she could tend to it later. That pain was nothing compared to what getting struck head-on with the feathers might feel like.
She took a deep breath to steady her mind. The longer she stayed in the alley the more time Mayura had. Marinette followed the alleyway to its exit. It led out to a street that the teen barely recognized in the nighttime.
All of the shops were dark leaving her alone for now. As she exited the alley she kept running, spotting a shop across the way. She recognized the boutique on the corner. It had an apartment complex on top and with it a fire escape. She could use it to get onto the roof. From there she could buy herself some time to transform. Mayura wasn’t giving her much of a choice here. She couldn’t lose her on the pavement and wouldn’t be able to fend off an attack from the feathered sentimonster.
Marinette raced towards it but stopped short as a flurry of feathers cut through the night air blocking her path. She could see the quills up close now. It wasn’t just the shaft that was pointed, the entire feather looked jagged and ridged like they were carved from gemstone shards. She suddenly felt lucky that she had only lost her phone earlier. She turned to her right and found the creature hovering in the air before her. This time Mayura was beside the beast holding her fan smugly.
“I believe you have something Hawkmoth wants, Marinette,” the villain remarked coolly.
The hero froze as the words sunk in. ‘You have something Hawkmoth wants.’ He didn’t know… How could he know... She was bluffing… How could they have…? Every time she transformed back; she had been careful… When she retrieved the miraculous from others she had been twice as careful. Marinette could feel the anxiety surging through her. For most absences, she tried to make excuses. And even then, how did they know her? No one could have known. A cold sweat washed over her as the fear sank in. Mayura was guessing… She had to be...
“... I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Marinette denied. "I don't have anything that Hawkmoth wants."
She had to think fast she needed a way out. More importantly, she needed a shield, something that she could hide behind before that bird attacked. She could try and turn around and go back. But that would only bring her further away from home. Or maybe that was better...? That way she wouldn’t have to involve her parents. That might only prolong their game of cat and mouse.
The teen kept her body facing Mayura but let her eyes wander for a solution. Blue eyes scanned for something to help her. The streetlight was too far, that wouldn’t do. She couldn’t use the fire escape now… They knew that was her original goal. She just had to think…Ok…She hadn’t gotten far from the alleyway before the sentimonster appeared. It was then that she noticed beside her were two trash cans with silver lids. Those could work.
“Hand over your Miraculous,” Mayura ordered.
Blue eyes broke away from magenta as she took both trashcan lids into her hands. She threw them both at Mayura in succession. The sentimonster acted, as predicted, and stepped in to blow the lids away from its master. It didn’t matter to Marinette though. As soon as she had thrown the lids she had taken off.
If anything, the gust of wind helped propel her forward towards her goal. She finished crossing the street down another narrow alley. She weaved through various streets and alleys to avoid her assailant. In her mad dash, she noticed a collection of trash cans as well as a cat that was perched atop them. She picked up a rock and tossed it into the collection of trash cans. Atop the cans, there was a stray cat nestled. The rock startled the cat causing it to scamper off its perch. Shortly after the cat’s departure, the trash cans tumbled down with a clatter.
Marinette then turned to her left and hid against the side of a building disappearing into the shadows. She held her breathing waiting for what happened next. A few seconds passed and Mayura emerged from the same alley, visibly annoyed at the teen's antics. She pointed for the sentimonster to keep west while she went north.
The hero could feel her heart pounding in her chest again. Her body ached from the running and adrenaline that pumped through her veins. She counted the seconds listening as the two grew further away from her. After a few moments, she decided to leave her hiding spot. She walked quickly moving through the shadows terrified of being spotted so quickly. For the same measure, she moved along the streets until she couldn’t hear the bird’s wings flapping anymore.
Tonight had turned into a mess. What would she tell Master Fu? Did they know who Chat Noir was? What if they already got to Chat Noir? Bluebell eyes looked up at the night sky as she hoped Chaton was ok. No, she had to think positively... If they already knew who Chat Noir was, they would have used that against her.
To be safe she needed to contact him when she was home. Speaking of home, she didn't know what to tell her parents. The ordeal had extended her usual walk home. They were probably starting to worry by now. She didn’t know how she was going to explain her phone to her parents. She couldn’t risk going back for it. Even if she found it, it was most likely broken. She was going to be grounded after tonight, so much for spending more time with Adrien.
Marinette pushed her anxiety aside, she had to focus on getting back first. She could deal with that once she was home. It was only getting later, and she needed to get back before her parents got worried. She checked her surroundings before opening the clip to her purse.
“Are you ok?” Tikki began, her eyes wide with concern.
“I’m ok,” she replied. “I think we better get home though.” Just as she was about to call on her kwami a voice cut through the air.
“...Clever…” the voice remarked.
The voice was dark and cold, like a winter in Paris. It was smooth like velvet but was dripping with a foul bitterness. She turned around as her eyes grew wide as she looked up at the shrouded villain. How had he snuck up on her? As she backed away, he emerged from the darkness following her. Soon his silver and purple ensemble was brought into the glow of the streetlights. His grey eyes transfixed on her, sending her full of dread.
“...But not clever enough…” Hawkmoth remarked.
His words seem to mock her. Like she was a bug caught in a spider’s web. Feebly struggling only to become more entangled in his trap. She turned to run but found Mayura and the crystal bird had already closed in on her. She had nowhere to turn to… If Mayura or Hawkmoth didn’t get her then she’d be at the mercy of the sentimonster.
It was so rare that she saw the villain in person. She forgot how tall he seemed to loom over her. She had managed to outsmart Mayura for a moment. Even as Ladybug she had struggled to hold her own against Hawkmoth. That had been with the aid of Chat Noir and the other heroes. She didn't know if she could do it by herself. No, she couldn’t think that way… She was going to get out of this... She just needed an idea...
“Give me your miraculous, Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Hawkmoth demanded.
“...I don’t kno-” She began but her denial was cut short.
“Or should I say Ladybug?” Hawkmoth sneered.
She could deny all she wanted but they knew who she was. She was cornered and out of moves to make. If she transformed now, she might have a chance of getting away. That would only reaffirm their theory.
If she proved them right, she would lose. They would just follow her home... To school… They would never give up. She couldn’t give them her miraculous either. She would never betray Chat Noir and Master Fu. They were counting on her; the entire city was depending on her.
“...I’m not Ladybug…” She affirmed. “...And I can’t help you find her…”
Hawkmoth said nothing else in return he only narrowed his eyes in irritation. The grip on his cane tightened at her refusal. She could hear Mayura, and the bird grow closer to her. She was running out of time… Silently she hoped that Chat Noir would appear, even if it just bought her time to transform.
"... This is your last chance, Marinette," Mayura warned.
The sentimonster grew agitated with her response as it began to flap; it created strong gusts of wind. She had to think of something… A way out, a distraction… Anything.
"I can't help you because I don't know anything," she replied her desperation showing. "I don't know who Ladybug is."
In the last sentence, she stressed hoping to appeal to Hawkmoth's humanity. She was out of ideas and backed into a corner. The bird let out a loud cry before it began to flap its wings. Soon the wind around Marinette began to dance. The wind began to pick up as it threatened to send her flying towards Hawkmoth. Still, she stood her ground against the beast and the villains.
The wind didn't stop, soon air battered her body causing her to wince and raise her hands to protect her face. The speed and ferocity only increased until the wind stung her eyes. Tears began to form as the wind carried on. It was nearly impossible for her to see beyond the vortex that had engulfed her and with the pain in her eyes she closed them to protect herself. Marinette cried out for help, she called out for her parents, for Chat Noir…
Truthfully, she didn’t know if anyone could hear her. The wind was so loud she was having trouble hearing her own voice. She could feel the air circling around her. It lifted her body up as the tornado swirled around her. She fought to return to the ground only to drift higher. They were doing this to scare her. To frighten her into giving them what they wanted. And still, she refused. Becoming a superhero, she promised to put others first. She would never betray that ideal. It was what Master Fu saw in her that made him pick her to be Ladybug.
And then it happened...For a split second, the wind stopped… Like she was in the eye of the storm. Her feet made contact with the ground. She was relieved… The vortex had widened, releasing her body from his terror but keeping her bound in one place. All she could see before her were wisps of grey winding in a circle. The pain in her arms and legs was subsiding… The pressure of her face had lifted.
Before she could enjoy the newfound freedom, it was taken from her. The storm broke, giving her a view of the city street again. Tears from irritated and dried eyes clouded her vision as she fought to discard them. The pain was soon replaced with a jolt of pain from the crown of her head. The pain cascaded from her head down through the rest of her body. With each growing ache, her body began to shut down.
It only took a second and she could feel her brain swimming. Her thoughts became like derailed trains crashing into each other. She had to get out… No Tikki needed… First… Then Chat Noir… Had to Master Fu. Her parents… She was... Blue orbs looked out in front of her to an empty alleyway… Where had… Hawkmoth...? He should have… Soon her vision became blurred with dark patches blocking her view.
She could hear their voices still. It was all unintelligible nonsense; the pair might as well have been speaking German in front of her. She fought hard trying to keep her eyes open, willing that her limbs move. She couldn’t just do nothing… Everyone was counting on her.
Yet, her body rejected her cries and pleas. It all became too much, and she was slipping away. She swayed from side to side struggling to keep her balance. But it was too much… Marinette’s body went limp, sending her crashing towards the ground.