34. Chapter 34

It was Ladybug who witnessed how Chat Noir vanished into nothingness when he protected her from Timebreaker's power.

It was Ladybug who saw how Adrien was suspended mercilessly by Volpina, despite being a clone, which almost cost her Miraculous.

Two boys. Two important boys in her life who happened to be one at the same was on the brink of death again, and Ladybug was there on the sidelines watching the event helplessly again.

Ladybug, not Marinette.

If one would think about it, who was Marinette compared to Ladybug?

Marinette was nothing like the superheroine in terms of power, strength, popularity, and graces.

Marinette was more of an invisible, clumsy and erratic teenager who could barely save herself from tardiness.

Comparing Marinette to Ladybug was like holding a candle on a deep sea to a vast sky.

But was Marinette really that inferior?

Because it was Marinette who rushed to save themselves from Madame Chamack's wrath then went back for her clone's backup.

It was also Marinette who befriended Lila and felt sorry for her alter-ego's unjust attitude.

Marinette, not Ladybug.

The one who cowered when Stoneheart multiplied himself because she failed to cleanse the Akuma, and the one who misjudged Chloe that caused her to become Anti-Bug.

Two girls. Two faces of a girl who believed that the first was better than the other, which was entirely not true.

Because Ladybug was imperfect like Marinette.

Because both personalities were built to support each other.

Because the girl would be incomplete without the identity of the other.

'A mask doesn't define who you are'

So when Ladybug disappeared, Marinette immediately jumped into action.

It felt like the time was shifted into a slower motion. A split-second decision, like when she rescued Alya from being crushed by a car, and she knew it was a dare-devilish move.

In fact, it was the craziest decision she ever made next to leaping inside an Akuma's mouth.

The girl behind the mask dived mid-air.

Everything happened so fast she barely registered yanking Adrien's wrist where her yo-yo once clung around, and how she almost missed grabbing the edge of the flooring where the two slipped and fell off.

"Marinette!" Tikki frantically bellowed from above. "I - I'm coming - "

"Just - just focus on your cookies!" her charger stuttered while calming her nerves on that near-death stunt. She was sure her purse dropped there somewhere. "I can - I can manage this!"

It was an understatement and considered to be a lie since her hands were sweaty as she gripped the cornice, and her partner's weight was dragging them down to their demise. Disregarding the lingering pain she acquired from Le Bossu, and the gash when a protruding joist scraped her left forearm, a bone fracture was nothing compared to a loss of her beloved.

Thus, both teenagers were currently suspended from a 200-feet height and apparently hanging for their lives.

"Are you out of your mind?!" the blond rasped underneath. "You're getting us killed!"

"Be that way!"

He flinched not only on his wound but also on her words.

"Try it. Try it again, Agreste." she threatened with a growl. "Try to drop yourself and I swear I'm going to drop myself till we both end up more than six feet below the ground."

He might've congratulated her for that pun if not for the situation.

"This is a suicide." he huffed with irritation.

"You should've known that." there was a spite on her tone, and so un-Marinette. "That I'm not a type that would abandon my comrade, much more a family. You didn't trust me."

"I never said that!"

"You implied it!" she retorted with fury. "You fucking implied it and you fucking slapped it in my face by doing that selfish sacrifice again! You didn't trust me!"

Adrien was gobsmacked when fresh tears began to fall on her blood-shot eyes.

"You didn't trust me. Not at all," she repeated again. "Was it because of my identity? Was it because the hero you worshipped was nothing but a clumsy poor-looking unknown me?"

"You know it wasn't," he answered with a piercing green orb that showed his utmost sincerity. "You know I have high regards with you, both in and out of the mask. I loved you for you, Marinette, and you know that."

"Then why are you hurting me this way?" she sniffed, still not averting her gaze. "Did you know that every wound you got was a stab in my heart?"

"I - "

"You know." a small voice interrupted her. "This isn't a time for such mundane talk."

Both looked at the haggard-looking kwami that popped out from Adrien's pants. "Plagg!"

His green scleras were bleary, and some of his whiskers were already dented. Cheese crumbs were falling on his mouth that he nonchalantly wiped it with his nubs.

"Adrien." the black kwami hobbled as he flew towards his charger's face. "You almost dropped me."

"I'm sorry." was his reply.

"If I didn't claw myself when you de-clawed, I might've fallen down and gone."

"I'm sorry."

"You're the most idiotic human being I've ever selected as a Black Cat."

"I'm sorry."

"You're not a gentleman if you're making your lady cry."

"I'm sorry."

"If you're planning to make amends." he expressed with resignation. "Then say the magic words, dumbass."

Adrien took a deep breath "Plagg, Transforme moi."

Marinette squinted when a burst of green light enveloped her partner's body, and faintly registered how his skin transformed into leather.

Once fully transformed, Chat Noir bent his knees to kick the strapped baton he once lost after his duel with Gabriel, then have it rolled and clipped by his boots. Twisting and touching the pawed button, the baton extended and planted firmly on the cathedral's sturdy wall. This became his leverage when the pig-tailed girl released her hand from the cornice, then leaped towards the second story while carrying her in a bridal-style.

Twiddle Gain's army was gone, and so was the Akuma himself.

His Cataclysm almost destroyed half of Notre Dame's foundation, and when he looked around, he noticed some blurs and pixelated cracks in the surroundings, hinting him that the dimension was partially damaged as well.

The girl's eyes remained closed when he knelt down and placed her gently on the cathedral's niche. His entire right arm was completely numb, and the rest were singing with pains, but he had to get up to finish their job.

Before he could do it, a pair of strong, lithe arms enveloped him and trembled around his body. He could smell vanilla and cookies, and the warmth that was offered reminded him that he almost lost her for eternity.

That realization and the fact that he would never see his beloved again was like a cold punch in his gut. So he surrendered himself and cried.

"I'm sorry, Marinette." he sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you, Princess."

She was mindful not to brush his wounds when she released him. His suit might be repaired and mended back to its original state, but she knew that inside his flesh was bleeding. At least the leather helped him to cover his opened wounds.

Cupping his masked face, she whispered. "Don't do that again, Kitty."

He nodded profusely, letting her wiped his stray tears.

"I can't bear to lose you either." the hero confessed. "I'd rather kill myself than to see you die."

"I know," she answered with a peck on his cheek. "But try to put yourself in my shoe."

He chewed his lower lip as he mulled over. "I tried...but it won't fit my size."

With a stony glare, she boldly poked his tendered skin, earning her a painful grunt. "Cheeky cat. Let me remind you that your sins have not been forgiven."

"Me-ouch! I was trying to mellow the mood." he cringed, then pored inquisitively at her bluebell hues. "Was it bad?"

She nodded. "I was wondering if you still have some serious bones inside your body, or if you have one in the first place. I don't know why I considered you as my boyfriend even though we haven't had our first date yet."

This made him smile. "Consider it done after we finish this mess."

"You almost lost that opportunity."

"I'm sorry." he bowed guiltily.

"I forgive you." she hugged him again, then murmured. "Don't you ever say 'goodbye' if you didn't mean it, okay?"

"This will be the last," he promised.

"Say it again, and we're breaking up."

She felt his smile growing on her neck. He kissed that pulsing spot before he moved his head, tilting hers to place a chaste one on her lips. Both sighed as they relinquished their companion's fervency before they decided to shift out.

"Can you move?" she asked him, earning a nod. "Can you feel your arms now?"

"Negative on my right," he answered, then winced as he helped himself standing straight using the column as a support. "How about you?"

"Thankfully, my legs aren't wobbly. Some lingering pains on my upper body, but I can manage it."

The two spotted a red blob floating towards their location.

"I'm glad you're both alright," Tikki said, and the way she nuzzled her charger's cheek told them that the kwami was at her limit. "I don't think I can manage another transformation after this, Marinette."

"It's okay, Tikki. This will be the last for today, I promise."

"You scared me to death - especially you, Adrien. Please don't do such foolish decision again."

"I must express my utmost apologies, Tikki. After this," he answered earnestly.

"You have to. Plagg will never forgive himself if you got yourself killed."

"Will never happen again. I promise."

The red kwami blinked her blue orbs with acknowledgment, then looked at the pig-tailed girl. "Ready?"

"Ready," she responded, then called in. "Tikki, Transforme moi!"

Red light burst around her body, altering her civilian clothes into a spotted tight-skinned latex one, and once again she became Ladybug.

Chat Noir gave her a shit-eating grin.

"It's such a turn on to see you transformed. I don't think I'll ever get used to it." her feline partner bemused as he checked her out from head to foot. "There's this...appeal to see you in red, even though you're pretty in pink. You're confusing this cat, My Lady"

The heroine rolled her eyes. "Keep your paws off, Chaton. This is not a time for your kinky games."

"Oh?" his brows shot up, then wiggled. "Then when can we play these so-called games I believed I am championed with?"

"In due time, Kitty." she teased with a flick of his bell. "That is if you can beat me."

"Ooh, a challenge. I like it. Count me in."

Abandoning their worries, their humorous banter was back.

.

.

.

.

The superheroes were treading the stairs carefully, still mindful of their respective partner's well-being.

Chat Noir had to wrap his left arm around Ladybug's shoulder as she assisted his steps. The ground was unsteady and would give slight tremors, so there were some cases the two would stumble down then struggled to get up again.

Both could've used their weapons for a faster journey but since their limbs were unreliable, they decided to do what normal humans do.

They walked.

"Where do you think Twiddle Gain went?" the spotted heroine asked.

"Last time I've checked he was on the balcony." her partner answered with a huff. "I don't think he climbed above the rooftops or went to one of the towers like your Quasimodo-looking enemy from the other timeline did. And with this earthquake, I don't think he's upstairs. "

"So our best shot would be downstairs, huh."

They knew they'd be at a loss if Papillion would manipulate Twiddle Gain to summon another Akuma vessel against them. Both were terribly exhausted, and could barely maintain their balance, so another attack would mean their worst bloody battle. If their luck was not on their side, then that might be their last.

Upon reaching the ground floor, Chat was surprised that their surroundings have been altered. No more flowers on the aisles, or hints about the imagery he saw from his parent's wedding. It wasn't also a scene from the post-war era, or anything futuristic. Everything seemed like the usual cathedral they normally knew.

They were at the present-day Notre Dame.

The halls were empty, and the only sound they could hear was their footsteps that echoed as they walked towards the altar. There were various pixelated cracks and blurry images on the walls, and while they were attentive to their surroundings, they almost missed the heavy groans that came from nowhere.

The two stopped, then noticed a fluttering dark air at the cathedral's corner.

"That's a Confessional." Ladybug whispered. "Do you think Twiddle Gain was hiding there?"

"Looks paw-sitive to me, My Lady." Chat answered sternly. "Shall we take a look?"

Another quake occurred, making the two wobbled and slumped on the pews. It took them minutes to recover their posture.

They walked towards the questioned area, but the dark air was giving off a sinister aura enough to make goosebumps on their skins.

They have to be cautious about the effects if one of them inhaled the miasma.

"I don't think we can get through on this without breathing." the feline hero asserted. "And we have no idea what would happen if we contacted it."

"It's not like it's the end of the world yet, Kitty," she told him, summoning their last hope. "Lucky Charm!"

A portable vacuum cleaner fell on her hands.

"You know." she scowled as the two stared at the spotted item. "It feels like my Lucky Charms were mocking us. Sometimes they were no-brainers, but most cases they were mind-boggling shits. Tikki must have a hidden grudge in me."

"Does this means you have an idea what to do with that?" he smirked.

She gave him a stoic look. "Would you like to do the honors, Chat?"

He raised both of his hands as if surrendering. "I don't think I can bag him. I suck on that."

She simply rolled her eyes and decided not to comment on his ridiculous pun as she powered on the device. The vacuum's nozzle did wonders on absorbing the dark air that enveloped the stall, and in less than a minute it was entirely gone.

Like the olden times, the cathedral's confessional has a small steel gate placed in an earshot away from possible usurpers. The structure was made of furnished wood and designed to be isolated from the crowd.

Both compartments were fully opened, and on the penitent's box was their subject in question.

They finally found Twiddle Gain.

When the possessed Akuma glanced at the superheroes, they could see the stress evident in his swirled eyes. His skin was completely blotched with black and purple, which probably a side-effect of rejecting Papillion's demands, and his large body was quivering due to mental tortures.

Instinctively, Ladybug stepped forward - only to be stopped by Chat.

"Be careful," he warned her as he grasped her wrist. "He's not restrained, and we're unsure if he'll make a havoc once we approached him. We don't know this might be a trap."

Her Miraculous beeped again but discarded. "Do you feel an entrapment vibe here?"

"No."

He gently nudged her behind when Twiddle Gain gradually turned his head and gave them a blanked look.

"Ladybug." the Akuma slurred. "And Chat Noir."

Both froze when a butterfly-like mask hovered on his face and knew that Papillion was doing everything to convince him. They were taken aback when the man screamed like a slaughtered animal, jolting on his seat as he cradled his head.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it!" he cried like a mantra. "I refused to obey your biddings, you evil entity! Stop it! Stop it!"

Unable to bear the sight of tortures, Chat immediately summoned his power. Trap or not, they must do something to save the person.

"Cataclysm!"

"Be careful." Ladybug breathed, and with a nod, her partner discreetly approached Twiddle Gain.

The butterfly mask vanished as the possessed Akuma instantly recognized his presence. With a jerk, he looked at the hero with pleading eyes, like a man before his executioner.

"Help me." he bemoaned. "Destroy the binds that captured me."

"By all means." Chat answered promptly, touching the silver necklace with his bubbling hand.

The item disintegrated, and from its powdered form a black butterfly emerged. Without further ado, Ladybug's yo-yo immediately captured it in one swoop.

"No more evil-doings for you, little Akuma." she said, opening her weapon's cleansing portal. "Time to de-evilize!"

The white butterfly flew out from the light, followed by a crumbling image of Twiddle Gain as he turned into a pious man named Marcelo.

"Whe - where am I?" the man rasped, and when he saw the superheroes pitiful state, he immediately understood. "I - I got akumatized?"

"Yes." the hero answered, assisting the man to stand but failed.

Ladybug had to rush towards them to regain their balance.

"You refused to work with Papillion." the heroine told the man. "Your faith has saved you."

"Bu-but...you two looked like - "

"It's fine. You did nothing wrong. All of these were caused by Papillion." Chat interjected.

"Bu-but I..."

"Don't mind us." Ladybug smiled weakly. "We'll take care of everything here. There's someone waiting for you outside."

"A-are you sure?"

"Paw-sitive." her partner answered. "Go."

Marcelo gulped and hesitantly marched outside.

"Another job well done, My Lady." Chat commented as he reclined his back on the wooden pillar, then raised his fist. "Shall we?"

Ladybug looked at it, then bumped it with her own.

"Bien joue!"

Their Miraculous beeped simultaneously, warning them of their pending de-transformation, and at the same time, the awareness that their miraculous adventure has finally ended.

"Chat Noir." she said, handing him the Lucky Charm. "Why don't we do this together, partner?"

His masked green eyes failed to hide his bewilderment then returned her gaze. "Ca-can I - "

"I think my bone snapped." she lied. "When I pulled you up from the balcony. So you have to make amends."

He chuckled then sauntered near her with his infamous grin. He reached for it but didn't entirely accept it.

"Then teach me thy ways, partner."

"You're such a dork." she deadpanned.

He shrugged his shoulder, then held the vacuum's handle. "So we'll just throw it and that's it?"

She nodded with a grin.

"On a count to three?"

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

"Miraculous Cleanse!" the two chorused as they thrust the Lucky Charm up.

The item began to dissolve in the air. Red and green light burst all around the place, repairing all the damages caused by Twiddle Gain.

Both admired the magical effect that they activated together, and when they looked at each other's gaze for approval, they finally realized that the magic has mended their bodies.

And by mending, their bodies were starting to disappear.

Green masked eyes locked with a blue masked one.

"My Lady?" Chat asked with a beam. "This is not a goodbye, right?"

Ladybug buried all of her doubts, fearing that her partner would see it evidently in her eyes. She was assaulted by an overwhelming feeling, and instead of answering him, her words turned into sobs.

"I owe you a date." he reminded her. "So you better prepare yourself."

She nodded, then finally croaked. "I'll look forward to it."

His smile grew. "Don't forget it, okay?"

I won't, she wanted to reply. I'll try my best not to forget you.

She barely registered how her partner strode towards her to capture her lips for the last time, and how their tears mixed with a promise that their feelings would remain the same.

Reset be damned.

He finally released her, and with his forehead resting on hers, he breathed.

"See you later, Marinette."

His last words reverberated before the magic stole her consciousness, rewinding their time back before Twiddle Doom and Twiddle Gain destroyed their original timeline.

Before their adventure took place.

And before they were left behind.