The most destructive forces are usually the ones you can't detect. Despite having immense power and capturing the guardian, the new Hawkmoth has made no move to fight Ladybug and Cat Noir. As tensions rise, seeds of doubt are planted throughout Pari...
Cat Noir was fairly sure he was dying. Was this what dying felt like? He thought maybe he should be more scared.
He saw Ladybug turn to him, and he saw fear in her eyes, but he couldn't tell if that happened in sequence or if time passed in between.
He felt the heat vanish at some point. Cool air drenched his skin. He thought he felt someone holding him, but maybe he imagined it. His lungs still burned, crying for air. Something pressed against his face and suddenly he could breathe. He whimpered as the comforting arms disappeared.
Cat Noir was still struggling against the black void, but he was more awake now. The murmur of many voices hovered above him. Some alarmed, some calm. A few of them seemed very close. Several were farther away, including Ladybug's. He could hear her now. What was she saying? Who was she talking to? He couldn't tell.
"Cat Noir?" A nearby voice said, pulling him to consciousness. His eyelids twitched in a feeble attempt to open.
More murmuring.
"Cat Noir, can you hear me?" The voice inquired. He tried again to blink, managing after several attempts, and let out a whine as light assaulted his eyes. He squeezed them shut for a moment before trying again.
The person calling him came into focus, as did his surroundings. Cat Noir was lying on what felt like damp concrete. The sky was dark, except for an orange glow.
Fire. The burning building. What happened?
"He's awake!" The person yelled over their shoulder. Moments later Ladybug appeared above, alongside an unfamiliar face. Relief flooded him. She's safe. That's what matters.
"How do you feel?" The first voice interrogated. Cat Noir reluctantly pulled his gaze away from his partner to give the man a look that clearly said "gee, I don't know. What do you think?" Ladybug's mouth twitched in a small smile and she visibly relaxed. Even with the strange contraption on his face, he managed to shoot her a grin.
"I think he'll be fine," she sighed.
"Alright." The man gave her a nod, turning back to his patient. "It's going to be a little harder to breathe in a second. But not for too long, okay?"
He didn't like that one bit, but he nodded all the same, closing his eyes. Someone removed whatever breathing apparatus he had on. Gasping, he looked in time to see his partner toss it into the air and call "Miraculous Ladybug!".
Relief flooded him as he was healed. The orange glow vanished, and sitting up, he saw that the building and its people were completely rehabilitated.
Ladybug helped him to his feet. Cat Noir stretched. "Much better, thanks," He grunted. The girl laughed shakily.
"Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?" She warned, shoving him.
He grinned. "I'll try. In the meantime, we'd better split before you detransform." Cat Noir pointed to her earrings, which were flashing. Only three dots left. The girl nodded.
"Wait!" A firefighter called and rushed towards them. "What is this?"
She handed Ladybug a piece of folded paper. When the heroine turned it over, she saw a drawing of a purple butterfly.
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