Living With Agreste

Chapter 45- Please

Marinette gasped. "Darren- move!"

A blast of energy came his way and he dropped the bag he was holding and moved out of the way. Ladybug looked up in surprise to see tears in the girl's eyes. Her eyes were wide in shock and the look on her face made her look more human and vulnerable than ever for an akumatized victim.

"Satchel!" Ladybug kicked at the force, as it became weaker by the second.

"Stop this nonsense!" Gen screamed, tossing Ladybug to the side. The girl flew down and crashed harshly on the hard ground below her. "This isn't over-"

"No-" Swinging his pole and stopping the woman from flying away, Chat sighed. "This is not who you are. I don't know you very well from-"

He stopped. He couldn't make it known he was Adrien. "You-"

"Gen!" Darren ran forward. "Stop this, please!"

"What do you know?" The girl snapped in tears. The Akuma was crying, yet she was still corrupt. How was that possible? Ladybug stood up and rushed over but was blocked by a barrier. It didn't take long for both her and her partner to realize that they were kept out of the area where Gen sobbed into her hands and Darren stood there calming her.

"I'm n-not good at this." He said, worried. Darren took a step forward. "Come here."

Crashing into his arms, the girl sobbed. "It hurts.." She cried. "Everything hurts. Make it go away, please."

"Gen-"

Her eyes grew dark, and Ladybug realized in an instant something wasn't right. Akumas don't act like that. They don't show that kind of emotion. Just what was Hawkmoth planning? Had he let Gen go or was she fighting for control of her own life?

"Homebreaker." Ladybug spoke. "I know you're hurt but, please don't take it out on Darren."

"How do you know she's going to take it out on him?" Chat Noir asked, approaching her from behind. But it didn't take him long. The look in her eyes was pure anger and rage and she was about to explode. It looked as if she was about to-

"AGH!" Dangerous energy exploded from the barrier surrounding her and Darren and she began to push him back until he was against the barrier. It took her only a second to regain her composure and Ladybug realized something big. Gen wasn't angry at Darren- she was angry at herself. She was physically fighting Hawkmoth.

"Let me go!" She screamed. More energy came from the barrier until it shrunk to surround only her. The more she screamed, the harder Hawkmoth fought to keep her under his control. But Gen was smarter than that. Smoke appeared from out of nowhere and suddenly Ladybug grabbed behind her for her partner's hand. Chat Noir complied, looking from his hand, up at the sky. And there Hawkmoth was, standing there on the nearest building, staring down at the others below.

"Hawkmoth!" Ladybug screamed after Gen's screams. "He's really hurting her." 

Getting in a ready position to fight, she prepared, but it was only an instant before he was gone again. 

It made no sense for him to appear and disappear unless he was physically trying to keep Gen under his control.

Suddenly the air around them began to settle and the screams ended. Gen grew stiff and still, standing up straight like a toothpick. Then, she collapsed. Darren rushed forward screaming her name, and the next few seconds were so quick Ladybug couldn't keep up.