(ON HOLD) Confused and Hurt

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Marinette's POV

"No! Marinette! You mustn't! Think happy thoughts and don't give up!" I could barely feel Mullo's tiny hands on my shoulder as she shook me, her face contorted with anxiety. "What would Tikki say? Oh, I'm hopeless at being a kwami!" Mullo muttered to herself as she continued to shake me vigorously.

Something strange was happening. I couldn't feel my fingers, feet, in fact, I couldn't feel anything. The sunlight that shone down burned my skin and I suffered in silent agony as I remained on my knees, my head buried deep in my hands as I tried to fight off the tremors that passed through me. 

With great effort, I managed to take my face out of my hands. I tried to focus on Mullo as she floated in front of me, eyes bright with alarm. My thoughts grew disorganised, some jumbled in one direction, others tossed in another corner. Mullo's face contorted and horns grew out of her head.

A crazed gleam entered my eyes as I lost control of my body. My inner self, my true one, tried to overcome the force that controlled my body, but all the stress that I had felt for the last few days obviously had made my strength deteriorate immensely. This, unknown force, consumed any last traces of taking over, spreading through my body in a rapid pace.

Shivers went down my spine, and my fingertips grew hot, burning. How was it possible to feel cold and hot at the same time? I felt myself resign as I finally accepted that I wouldn't win this fight. The fight against Hawkmoth.

Adrien still lay on the bed in my bedroom. It pained me to know that I couldn't return to him in my normal state of mind, and care for him, treat his wounds, comfort him. Even in this insane state of mind, I could still see his bright smile, his piercing green eyes. And in this moment, despite the current situation, my mind could still control how I thought. I would give up anything for him.

Then, my mind finally let go, and the way to have full access to my body was left unguarded. A whirlwind of deranged thoughts bombarded me. "Tikki!" I exclaimed, my voice sounding confident and high pitched. "Yes, Mullo, you are an absolute genius! I can transform into Ladybug! I never tried!"

"No! Tikki is obviously still sick and weak - she won't be able to stand it!" Mullo whirled frantically. "And if-"

"Shut up, Mullo." My voice was cold, void of any emotion, and as hard as stone. "I don't need your useless advice anymore."

"Marinette! Just take deep breaths and calm down!" Mullo whirled even faster, making my head spin.

"I said, SHUT UP!" My subconscious seemed to find strength, and protest slightly, but I shoved it away. I grabbed the necklace and ripped it off my neck, my mind foggy and unstable.

The silence that descended next was sweet. I fished Tikki out of my bag, not caring that her body thumped roughly against my palm. "Tikki, spots on!" I said confidently.

Nothing happened. My irritation grew and I shook Tikki fiercely. "Tikki, SPOTS ON!" I yelled at the kwami.

Tikki stirred and her eyes fluttered open a crack, revealing the cloudy blue underneath. "M-Marinette?" Her voice trembled and cracked. "What's g-going on?"

I briskly brushed away the weak sound of her voice. "Tikki. Are you feeling better?" I purred, my eyes glinting. 

Fear and confusion swept over Tikki and she frowned. "W-What?"

Irritation passed through me. "Are you feeling better?" I purred silkily, my fingers dancing close to her body. 

"M-Marinette? A-Are you okay?" Despite Tikki's weak state, I saw her move her eyes around, scanning the surroundings. Her eyes landed on the pendant necklace. "M-Mullo? What i-is happening?"

"I need you to transform," I declared confidently, scooping Tikki up in my palm and bopping her a bit too roughly on the nose. 

(A/N: Do they even have noses? Let's just assume they do.)

She recoiled, wincing. "I-I can't, Marinette." Shivers passed through her body, and she jerked. "I-I'm too weak. I-I won't b-be able to-"

"Shut up, Tikki. Who is your master here?" I snarled. My subconscious protested weakly as she cowered. 

"Y-You, M-Marinette," Tikki stammered.

"Correct. I control you. Transform me."

My kwami's eyes grew wide with alarm and she shivered again. "B-But Marinette! The dark magic f-feeds off m-my-"

"Tikki, spots on!" 

"No, Mari-" her voice faded.

Tikki seemed to flash as my earrings sucked her in. As soon as the transformation was complete, I grabbed the yoyo and swung it around, gladly feeling the rush as the yoyo sliced through the air. I swung it at the nearest chimney but the string snapped as soon as it latched on and the ball part tumbled on to the ground.

A jagged crack travelled down it as I launched myself on to the ground, picking it up and inspecting it. "Useless," I snorted. "I knew this yoyo was no good."

I dropped it on the ground, ignoring the shocked looks on passing people's faces. I looked down at myself and found my suit fading.

It would fade down from my head like I was detransforming before going up again. I dove into an alleyway, hiding behind a large green bin. My suit started a series of fluctuating flashes until I detransformed completely, leaving me in my usual clothes.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

I waited for Tikki to drop on to the floor, or on to my palm. But I never felt her tiny body against my palm. My eyes scanned the bumpy concrete floor desperately. Then, it caught a tiny body, lying against the wall. I rushed towards her, dropping down on my knees.

Tikki seemed smaller, and was about the size of my finger, if not smaller. Her whole body had darkened, her spots a pitch black and her usual bright red a ghastly shade of greyish pink. Her skin was cracked, just like Backwarder's suit.

My emotions overwhelmed me. They built up in one fiery storm, growing in an unstoppable force, raging towards the wall that Hawkmoth had built around me. Seeing Tikki, my first real friend, the first friend that I could tell everything to. The one that cheered me up with her bright, twinkling blue eyes.

Hawkmoth tried to burrow into my happy thoughts once more, trying to make me submit to him. My fury and sorrow grew into pure hatred. Hatred so sharp that I almost recoiled from feeling it. I imagined a huge tidal wave crashing over Hawkmoth, swallowing his pathetic suit and evil grin. He gasped, spluttering for air before he sank again, thrashing as he tried to get to the top.

His black cloud shrunk but a swarm of angry butterflies charged into my mental consciousness. I sent another wave, with a mental earthquake that rocked my mind viciously. His presence drew away from me, but suddenly launched himself back, diving into my mind with reinforcements. I summoned my remaining mental power, gathering it from all the emotions that I had ever felt.

With a gasp, I unleashed it on to Hawkmoth. His darkening presence splintered and dissolved into a fine dust that my mind absorbed immediately. My energy drained as I forced him out of my brain, slowly losing consciousness.

I slumped back against the wall, my eyes fluttering open slightly to see a dark blue Akuma flapping away, before it turned white again. Wait. Dark blue?

This mental battle had obviously made me see different colours. I let it go and turned my attention to Tikki, gently picking her up and putting her in my pocket before I plunged into an everlasting darkness.

-Miraculouses4Life