Dead

Marinette Dupain-Cheng is... dead

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng is... dead." When the words came out of his mouth, my mind refused to process them. They couldn't be true. That kind of thing just didn't happen.

I looked around in disbelief but I saw that I was the only one. Rena Rouge had a look of horror on her face, hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. In fact, there were tears in everyone's eyes.

Rena Rouge.

Carapace.

Viperion.

Queen Bee.

Pegasus.

King Monkey.

Ryuko.

Every single one of them had horrified looks on their faces, not one eye dry. Every single hero, the ones I had fought side by side with. Even looking at them, I didn't want to believe it. I wouldn't believe it. I'd never accept...

"Marinette... dead?" Rena Rouge echoed.

"Liar!" I growled, whipping out my baton and getting into a fighting stance. I sent Hawk Moth a look of pure loathing, anger burning inside me. I felt something building inside me, something dark and... powerful.

"Chat Noir," I heard from behind me. "I'm sorry but... Marinette has been missing for almost a week now." Rena Rouge says. I shook my head, trying to shake off their words. Their words that made so much sense...

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Kitty." Queen Bee says, hanging her head. "If only I hadn't been so awful, maybe this wouldn't have happened." I heard them all voice their opinions, blaming each of themselves in turn but I shook my head viciously.

"Are you all really that dumb?!" I demanded, whirling on them. They all looked at me, shocked at my outburst. I felt bad for snapping at them but they were being unreasonable. There was no way...

"Dude, chill-" Carapace began, coming towards me but I held out my baton to stop him from coming any closer. I didn't want to hurt him but I might if he tried consoling me. I didn't need consolation, I needed them to believe me.

"No... No. I will never accept that. Marinette can't be dead. He. Is. Lying." I ground out. The others looked at each other, their eyes all saying the same thing before Rena Rouge took a step forward.

"Chat Noir, listen. I know it's hard. The death of Marinette Dupain-Cheng will affect all of Paris but-" I shook my head again, my fist clenching around my stick.

"NO!" I roared, swinging my stick and destroying the wall closest to me. "Marinette is not dead!" I whirled on Hawk Moth and he took an almost frightened step back as I shoved my baton at his chest. "What did you do to her?"

Hawk Moth held up his hands and started backing up as I started toward him menacingly. I raised my stick to strike him, feeling strangely detached. I heard Carapace call out and a green shield appeared around Hawk Moth, my stick bouncing off it.

"Why are you protecting him?!" I shouted, turning to the other heroes, angrily. They all got into defensive stances, each raising their weapon.

"We know you're mad, Chat, but you need to calm down." Rena said, holding up her flute. I scoff and shake my head.

"Unbelievable. You know that, even if Marinette's dead, it's his fault, right?" I ask, pointing back at Hawk Moth with my baton.

"This isn't the way to do it!" Rena cried. She took a breath and, lowering her flute, started towards me.

"Rena..." Carapace began but she held up her hand, telling him to wait and continued towards me until she was about five feet away. I didn't understand what she was doing until she spoke.

"Please, Chat." She held out her hand and that's when I realized.

She stopped because she's afraid. I looked behind her at the other heroes, who all still had their weapons ready, watching me. I saw Viperion mumble something to himself and turn the notch on his bracelet, also his Miraculous, giving himself the power of second chance.

I noticed him glance down at my hand and I looked down to find it full of a dark energy. My eyes widened as I realized my cataclysm had come to me without me even asking for it. It pulsed with an unsteady beat and I felt it. Really felt it.

I looked up to find the other heroes had circled around Rena, who was still holding out her hand and finally, it clicked. Even though I had been with Ladybug since the beginning, been her partner all this time, they were all ready to stand behind Rena and aid her.

"Really?" I ask quietly, the energy pulsing again. Rena's outstretched arm faltered slightly as she glanced down at my hand but she continued holding it out. "None of you believe me?" I ask, closing my eyes, already knowing the answer.

"What Hawk Moth said makes sense. No one's seen Marinette in a week. It's so unlike her, not even checking in with her parents." I opened my eyes to see the other heroes in a ready stance, Rena's hand held out to me, giving me a chance.

A chance to change my mind, to side with them. To give up on Marinette and accept that I would never see her smile, never see her laugh, never see her trip and fall into my arms ever again.

A chance to let Hawk Moth get away with it.

I clenched my fist and heard Rena suck in a breath. I watched her drop her hand to her side and reach for her flute. The other heroes weren't exactly resting before but they all tensed when Rena grabbed her flute and held it up.

"Chat Noir... last chance. Please." Rena pleaded. I shook my head, extending my stick and holding it in a fighting stance. Her expression made me wonder who Marinette was to her out of suit.

"I really wish you guys believed me. I really wish you guys only realized the truth... but I won't accept this without proof. Ladybug left me in charge, yet none of you are by my side." I said, hanging my head. I felt their hesitation.

I raised my head and looked into their eyes, one after another. I saw Queen Bee hesitate, as well as Viperion, King Monkey and Pegasus. Carapace, however, and Ryuko raised their weapons higher, ready for a fight.

When I looked into Rena's eyes, I found pain, remorse. I saw regret and sadness, but I saw her blink and she looked more sure, more brave. She raised her flute and I felt a pain in my chest at the sight of my friends turning against me.

This must have been how Marinette felt when Lila accused her of stealing from her, I realized, crouching down. I held my baton straight out at my side, my legs spread into a ready stance. I knew the only way Hawk Moth was getting what he deserved was if I got them out of the way first.

I saw Queen Bee shake her head and lower her weapon, looking to the others. King Monkey and Pegasus exchanged glances, hesitating, and Viperion's weapon faltered. Because they were all in the back, Carapace, Ryuko and Rena Rouge didn't notice their reluctance.

Just as Rena came forward, something red zipped by and hit her feet, tripping her and causing her to sprawl on the floor. She rolled for a bit before coming to a stop. She got up on her elbows then her knees and looked up. Everyone else turned to see what she was looking at.

A figure stood high in one of the windows up near the ceiling. Because the sun was directly behind them, all we saw was a silhouette high above. The figure threw something and it wrapped around one of the beams in the warehouse. The person swung down to land in front of me.

"L-Ladybug?" Rena stammered.