Amnesia [MARICHAT]

20

   The news building. Ladybug landed in front of the doors and burst inside, startling the woman at the desk. 

   "It's an emergency," she told her. "Which channel is live?" 

   Following the woman's directions, Ladybug shot down the hallways, threw herself up the stairs, and stormed into the proper studio. It seemed they were on commercial, because Nadja Chamack was talking with a camerman and the lights were dimmed. 

   "Nadja!" Ladybug called. 

   The reporter turned, bewildered at the superhero's sudden entry. "Ladybug?"

   "Listen, " she began, halting in front of the woman and panting. "I need to contact Chat Noir, but he isn't transformed right now. Can you please let him know?" 

   "O-of course," she replied. "What's wrong? Is there an akuma?"

   "Yes, and no, but I need him right now. It can't wait," Ladybug insisted. "Tell him to meet me on the Eiffel Tower."

   Nadja nodded, and Ladybug exited through the door in the roof, leaping over rooftops and heading straight for the Tower.

   She wondered if Chat would even see the television, but it was the best she could do as of right now. 

   She almost fell off a roof when she realized something else. How in the world would she explain to Chat Noir about the akuma? She supposed she could mention the missing woman and the lack of akumas but that wasn't solid evidence. She knew there had to be an akuma because of her memories. The doctors had said they had no idea how any of it happened or why she was losing them. They said that they couldn't find a medical reason and there was always a medical reason for things like that. 

   And she wasn't supposed to know about Marinette, and if she explained that she knew her, it would mean that she was close enough to her that she heard about the loss of medical explanation - and that would either give her away or give Chat enough information to go looking for her identity. 

   Crap. Crap. 

   She was climbing the Eiffel Tower when she felt her yoyo buzz with a call. She stopped on a beam and pulled it off her hip, flipping it open. 

   "Ladybug," said Chat Noir as a greeting. 

   "Where are you, Chat?" she said, swallowing and trying not to flinch.

   "I'm on my way. What's the problem?" He looked a little worn out - she could guess why.

   "I'll tell you when you get here." She flipped her yoyo shut, ending the call, and resumed her climb. She made it to the top in just under one minute, surveying the city. There were storm clouds beginning to form, shrouding everything in gloom. She felt like something big was happening - something bad. 

   "M'Lady."

   She spun around, truly flinching this time. His voice was hoarse, and it brought her back in time to all those moments they shared together. 

   "Chat," she began, spinning around to face him, "I think there's an akuma."

   He just looked at her. "I was going to say the same thing."

   "What?"

   He looked at her, narrowing his eyes. "You don't think it's been unusual that there have been no akumas in the past few weeks?" 

   "I - yes." 

   He turned, tearing his gaze from hers and looking over the city the same way she had. "There's something else, too. My - friend, Marinette. She's been losing her memories."