The Criminal's Princess

Chapter 39

Knowing that time was not on their side, Ladybug spun her yoyo beside her.

Once... Twice... Thrice...

And on the last spin, she let go of her weapon and watched it slice through the air, racing towards the woman standing beside Hawk Moth.

"Argh!" The woman grunted as the yoyo wrapped itself tightly around the woman's body.

Chat Noir, Queen Bee and Carapace leapt from the building they were on and landed on the three corners of the park, letting Rena Rouge take the other corner and block off the only way out of the park.

Hawk Moth whirled around and stared at every hero with a look of distaste in his eyes. But he didn't see Ladybug approach him from behind. Before Hawk Moth had a chance to recover from the surprise attack, Ladybug pulled on her yoyo string pulling the woman towards her.

Ladybug didn't like to keep someone hostage but with the circumstances she was in, she had no choice.

She looped her arm around the woman's neck and pulled it closer to her body, nearly choking the woman. Up close, Ladybug could see the red eyes that gleamed under the lightly tinted mask she was wearing.

The dark blackish-blue suit she wore glistened in the fading sunlight as night began to approach. Her armour wasn't very strong but it was very obviously powered by an Akuma.

Hawk Moth gripped onto the Miracle Box, afraid that one of the heroes might take it away from him. Even with Master Fu at his mercy, Hawk Moth didn't dare make a move. As long as Ladybug held the woman captive.

Ladybug wasn't expecting to be caught off guard that easily but the painful punch to her stomach sent her stumbling backwards. Ladybug lost her grip on the yoyo string as soon as the woman's elbow connected with her abdomen.

The unbreakable string loosened and fell to the ground, collecting at the woman's feet as she rubbed her neck. An evil smirk played on the woman's lips as she walked confidently to where Hawk Moth was standing.

Ladybug quickly recovered from the attack but she knew that she had missed her one chance. She had been so close to winning and then she had lost control of everything.

Now they had two enemies left to fight off and Master Fu to save all with the Miracle Box on the line. Hawk Moth grinned as he clutched the Miracle Box to his chest.

Ladybug looked at Chat Noir, tears outlining the edges of her eyes. She couldn't bear to look up into Chat's eyes and admit failure but she knew she'd have to face the bitter truth someday. So she took a deep breath and let the tears flow as her eyes blearily focused on Chat's beautiful green ones.

Chat Noir stared deeply into Ladybug's teary eyes silently telling her that everything was going to be alright. His eyes told her that making mistakes was a part of a superhero's life but what mattered was fixing those mistakes.

Ladybug understood every word Chat's eyes told her and she wiped her tears, looking straight ahead at Hawk Moth knowing very well that he was bound to make a mistake.

"Catalyst." Spoke Hawk Moth

Ladybug watched as Hawk Moth confidently passed the Miracle Box to Catalyst and she tried her best to hide the anxiety she was feeling.

It looked as if Hawk Moth was planning to attack them on his own and Ladybug knew that his overconfidence would be his downfall.

Even though she knew that her attention should be on Hawk Moth, Ladybug found her eyes drawn to the akumatised woman; Catalyst standing behind an enraged Hawk Moth.

With a defiant cry, Hawk Moth charged toward Ladybug with the cane raised above him. Ladybug spun her yoyo but she knew that her yoyo wouldn't be able to protect her against the jagged tip of the cane.