Tethered Souls | A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction

The Accident

Ladybug fell to her knees, gasping for breath, water dripping down her face and into her eyes as she tried to concentrate. She looked up at the villain threatening the city. How am I supposed to defeat something I can't even get remotely close to without her nearly drowning me? She thought. Ladybug took one last deep breath before pushing her wet bangs out of her face and forcing herself to her feet. She looked around for her partner, Chat Noir. She sighed, relieved, he was only a few feet away, also soaked and gasping for breath. She walked over to him and helped him to his feet.

He looked exhausted but managed a smile and said, "Beautiful as ever, M'lady, maybe we could go for a real swim together some time. Have I ever told you how good I look in a swimsuit?"

Ladybug rolled her eyes and replied, "In your dreams, kitty-cat. Focus on the task at hand for once? You already wasted your cataclysm."

"I'm sorry m'ladybug, I didn't mean to destroy the bridge. Tempest's wave was stronger than I thought." he explained, leaning his head on her shoulder.

Ladybug managed a smile, but she was worried. He was supposed to be practically invulnerable but he looked like he was in pain. With the flick of her wrist, Tempest had sent Chat hard into the side of the bridge, then cast him aside onto the pavement lining the Seine with a wave the size of a building. And, judging by the way he was clutching his side, and his labored breathing, he had to have hurt his ribs. Ladybug looked up at Tempest who had created a small cyclone from the water in the Seine and was standing at the peak of it.

"I have an idea," Ladybug sighed, gesturing to the hose that she had wrapped around her waist, "We could use my lucky charm by wrapping it to this street lamp and around my waist. That way I can be tethered to the ground and Tempest can't send me down the Seine. Then once we have the hose wrapped around my waist, I can-"

"I can Cat-apult myself up to Tempest and destroy her bracelet, where the akuma is. Good thinking bugaboo." Chat Noir joked, gently pushing himself off Ladybug to stand on his own.

"Chat Noir, no, I can do this. It's my lucky charm."

"I can get higher by launching myself up to her with my staff than you can with your yo-yo. It only makes sense that I go. That way you can capture the akuma after I break the bracelet."

Ladybug didn't want Chat to hurt himself any further, but he made a good point. She bit her lip, it's for the greater good of Paris, Marinette. Besides, Chat Noir is your partner, he would do anything to help save Paris, just like you would.

Chat Noir pulled out his staff and got himself ready to aim while Ladybug wrapped the hose around his waist gently, trying her best to avoid his chest and ribs. She heard her partner take a deep breath as she knotted the hose. Ladybug looked up at him. He had his eyes closed and seemed like he was concentrating hard on not letting her in on how much he was hurting. Suddenly she heard the familiar sound of Chat Noir's miraculous. Ladybug looked over at his hand and saw that two of his pads were missing from the signature paw print imprinted on the ring.

Chat Noir looked over at her, "Enough time to defeat this baddie and give my lady a congratulatory fist bump," He said with a wink. Then he extended his staff and shot himself into the air. It looks like he is going to make it without being noticed by Tempest! Ladybug thought excitedly, lacing her fingers together hopefully. Chat Noir was reaching for the villain's akumatized bracelet when she turned abruptly to face Chat Noir. Tempest gasped angrily and raised her hands, causing the water in the Seine to rise into the air quickly. The water surrounded Cat Noir and Tempest thrust her hands downward, sending him with it.

"You thought you could sneak up on me kitty? Well let's see if cats really do have nine lives," Tempest yelled wickedly.

She reached out in front of her, creating a swift motion with her hands that caused the water to swirl aggressively. He's being sucked into a whirlpool! There's no way Chat Noir can hold his breath for much longer! Ladybug thought to herself. Desperately, she looked for something she could do to save her partner, but Cat Noir had the akumatized bracelet in his hand when he fell into the water, without it, there was nothing Ladybug could do.

All of a sudden, a black butterfly burst out of the river. As quickly as she could, Ladybug took out her yo-yo to capture the flying creature. She wasn't sure what exactly caused the bracelet to break and free the akuma, but she had no time to waste. As soon as she had de-evilized the butterfly, Ladybug dashed to the lamp post in which she had tied Chat Noir earlier. To her surprise, after she untied it from the pole, the hose came easily out of the water which must mean that Chat Noir had gotten loose somehow.

Ladybug urgently pitched the lucky charm into the air and called out for her miraculous ladybugs. She waited in desperation while her ladybugs fixed the damage around them. They surrounded Tempest, turning her from hawkmoth's supervillain back into a very confused young woman. Usually, Ladybug would have comforted the victim but right now her mind was only on one thing. She watched her ladybugs fly over and fix the cataclysmed bridge, then into the river. They reappeared on the bank of the Seine, revealing a young man beneath them as they disappeared to reverse any more damage caused by Tempest's rampage.

Ladybug ran as fast as she could to her partner who was lying a bit too still on the bank. She collapsed next to him and checked for breathing. He was, but only barely it seemed. Ladybug looked at her unconscious partner and tears filled her eyes, "The ladybugs should have fixed this," she whimpered, pulling Chat Noir close to her.

The sound of her own, and Cat Noir's, miraculous jewels ticking down the minutes until they were forced to transform back made Ladybug's decision for her.

There was only one place she could go and she did not have much time.