Cataclysmed: A Miraculous Story

Chapter 3: Cat's Out of the Bag

"Ladybug!" Cat Noir called from the rooftop.

The heroine in question was sitting on the sidewalk next to the lamppost, rubbing her nose. She heard metal hit the concrete and felt a hand land on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" her partner asked, "What was that? I don't think I've ever seen you run into something like that."

"I'm fine." Ladybug huffed, but was immediately followed by a cough fit.

She covered her mouth, trying to subside it. Meanwhile, Cat Noir rubbed circles on her back, in an attempt to comfort her.

"Are you sick?" he asked, "If you're sick, go home. I can take care of this."

"I'm fine." Ladybug struggled to say, "I just...choked on my saliva."

"Are you sure?"

"Stop it, I'm fine. I just choked, no need to get...protective."

She finally stood up. As she said the last words, she noticed the hand she used to cover her mouth was now stained with the same black liquid she released back in Ms. Bustier's classroom.

"What is it?" asked Cat Noir as he got next to her.

Before he could get a clear view of the substance, Ladybug closed her fist and pulled it close to her chest. She looked up to his face of concerned confusion. The expression alone broke a piece of her heart.

She knew that if he were to find out the real effects of Cataclysm on her, he would never forgive himself. No amount of insistence of how she never blamed him would stop him from feeling guilty. And that was a burden she was not willing to give him.

The memories of the destroyed Paris were still fresh in both of their minds.

"Nothing." Ladybug resorted to saying, "We have to get going if we want to stop that bus."

Without waiting for a response and ignoring his calls, she swung away in the direction of the commotion. The pain lessened, almost as quickly as it came. Was there a pattern to those stupid pains? So far, they seemed to come and go as they pleased. But as she reached the swerving tour bus, Ladybug placed those thoughts at the back of her head, trying to focus on the matter at hand.

It wasn't the first time they stopped a bus without brakes, so this should be a piece of cake.

She swung ahead of the bus, where she realized that if they didn't stop the bus soon, it could end up causing a disaster outside Notre Dame Cathedral.

"Chat," she turned to her partner, just as he landed next to her, "Remember the last time we stopped a bus?"

"Yeah, but—" Cat Noir started.

"Follow me."

In sync, the two heroes jumped on the hood of the vehicle. Ladybug took Cat Noir's baton and jumped from the front to underneath the bus. She then proceeded to wrap the string of her yo-yo around several tubes of the machine and around the baton, just like last time. Once the vehicle passed, she threw the baton back to Cat Noir, who extended it and hooked it against two buildings on opposite sides.

On the street, Ladybug pulled onto her yo-yo, but she didn't feel the same strength she had last time. She stumbled at least twice. And, for a moment, she thought she would fail. But the bus began to slow down. Yet, just as Ladybug started releasing some of the tension, there was a noise of snapping metal, and the bus jolted forward.

The scarlet heroine was pulled forward and landed face-first on the ground. She quickly lifted her gaze to the bus.Fortunately, it seemed her mishap didn't undo their efforts, and the giant metal beast stopped just before climbing the sidewalk.