Catching Wire [The Miraculous Games Book 2]

Twenty

The lift takes me up to the arena, and I take a deep breath. My thoughts run to Adrien. I need to find him, it's my fault he's in this situation. If I'd only killed myself and left him to be the winner last year he wouldn't be caught up in my issues, and loving a long and happy life in the comfort of the Capitol's riches ... and probably find a wife and have kids. The thought tightens my stomach. Am I actually selfish enough to be glad he's here with me? Not with someone else living a comfortable, privileged life.

I approach the loading platform in darkness. I look up from the tube and can see the blue sky above. There's a line in the sky moving around slowly. Almost like a countdown, like the second hand on a clock. I look around me and see a tower situated in the middle of the cornucopia. In the Tower are shutters, a sudden feeling of unease surrounds me as I study the grey mental doors.

Looking around me I see that the platforms are on water. To the right of me is the goat Miraculous and to the left is the Dragon. I close my eyes to shake my head ridding the thoughts of last year. I don't know who these people are ... they're not the same as last year. The dragon isn't Cato. I look closer and see the amber eyes and short blue hair - Kagami. At least that's one allie found. The countdown begins ...

10, 9, 8, 7, 6 -

I look everywhere for my kitty.

5, 4, 3 -

I notice someone opposite me crouching down, arm grasped round their stomach. The cornucopia is blocked majority of them so I crouch to get a better view.

2, 1

As the klaxon sounds to signify the beginning of the games. The tribute I'm staring at collapses into the water and doesn't reappear. A series of imagines piece together as I think about what the tribute was wearing. All black and a tail.

As soon as my body catches up to my thoughts I swing my yo-yo into the air and latch onto the top of the horn on the cornucopia. Pulling with all my strength I launch myself towards where I just saw Chat. I land in the centre of the cornucopia just as the goat does. He grabs a sword and goes to stab me. I flick my yo-yo and catch the tip of the sword sending his thrust straight back at him and into his chest. A cannon signals my first kill.

I run around the side and find Chat's platform.

"Chat." I scream, tears running down my face. There's still no sign of him.

"Ladybug." I hear someone shout my name. "Ladybug, over here!" I spin around trying to find the voice, finally I land on it.

"Carapace?" I question the green turtle like wielder in hope I've figured out the right tribute. Nino, it had to be Nino. He nods at me and I run towards him. He's in the water dragging something, or should I say someone.

"Adrien?" I question. His beautiful face is black and cut up. They've hurt him bad. I feel the anger rise into me and I fiddle with my yo-yo trying to find the needle button from last time. My hands are shaking so much it's taking a lot longer than it should just to find and press the stupid button.

"Calm down LB. He's out but he's breathing. They've messed him up pretty badly." I finally find the correct button and signal it to start it's spray. I aim it firstly at his face and then where I saw him holding on the platform around his ribs area.

He's still unconscious but I can feel a slight rise and fall as I put my head on his chest.

"Come on, Kitty. Wake up for me, please. I need you." I bend down and kiss him on the lips. His body lets out a big sigh and he begins to cough, helping him to his side water, escapes from his throat. He keeps heaving as more and more flows out. He looks up and me and shyly brushes down my face.

"No need to cry, m'lady."

I jump into his arms and hold onto him tightly. "Don't ever do that again, you stupid cat." I demand. He laughs in my arms.

"You've saved me again bugaboo. I will forever be in your debt." I give him one more kiss before letting go.

"Hey man, you ok?" Carapace walks over and pats Chat on the back. Chat nods.

"Thanks Carapace!"

Another five cannons are heard signalling the end of the cornucopia blood bath. We slump down on the ground and take in our surroundings. It seems the water around the tower is similar to a moat around a medieval castle. Looking at the tower I notice it's similarities to the Eiffel Tower in the Capitol and it is surrounded by trees not too dissimilar to a rainforest.

Straining my head upwards I notice a flashing red light on the top. As I try to figure it out a sound breaks through my thoughts. It is a high pitched, squealing noise. I can't help put my hands against my ears and close my eyes. I feel someone's arm around me and I'm being lifted. If I was about to be killed at least I wouldn't have to hear this noise anymore.

I feel air blowing against my face and realise I'm up high. I open my eyes and see Chat's got me in his arms. I take my hands off my ears and wrap them around his neck. Looking down into my eyes he gives me a grin and a wink. My Chat is back.

We land on a tree and look over towards the tower. Somethings happening, or at least about to happen. The shutters begin to lift in the tower and we can see five people standing there. They look normal and mostly unharmed. Carapace launches himself and lands on the tree next to us pointing up at the top of the arena.

Five delicate purple butterflies fly down and towards the males and females within the tower. It seems though each of the bodies are absorbing them. A purple dotted glow over takes their bodies, leaving them in a new design. Each face looks out into the arena as if they are stalking their prey. Akuma's. Akuma's have been sent in with us, to battle us and kill us. I think back to what Tikki said; find the object and release the akuma. Don't forget to purify it.

I turn to tell Chat but somethings wrong. His eyes roll backwards into his head and he begins to fall. I grab my yo-yo and try to lower him carefully, unfortunately the dead weight of such a well built man pulls me down with him. We free fall through the air and I can't think what to do. If I unwind my yo-yo he'll most certainly die, if I don't unwind my yo-yo we both will most certainly die.

I close my eyes bracing for impact, but it never comes. I open my eyes and find myself lying on the floor next to Chat. I scurry over to him and place my hands on his face.

"Chat? Chat? Adrien? Please, don't do this please." Someone runs over to us and kneels opposite me. "You hurt him and I swear I will kill you." I look into the eyes of the horse and realise who it is straight away. Max. "Pegasus."

"The one and only." I see him picking up Adrien's limp arm and examining what I think is his pulse. "We need to get him water or else I'm not sure he'll make it through the night."

"What? Why?" I can feel my nose tingling and the tears beginning to form in the bottom of my eyes.

"It looks like a poison has been inserted into his body. It's moving slowly though, perhaps if we can get some good sponsors we'll be able to control it. Ladybug I need you to focus if we're going to get through this." I nod, then look at Chat on the floor. How can I be focused when the one person I love more than life itself is dying in front of me?

"Is everything ok?" Carapace lands near us and looks over at Chat and myself.

"He's been poisoned." Carapace and Pegasus greet each other in a friendly way. It seems we have more allies.

"I've looked around for water but there's no luck." A new voice has entered the conversation and I recognise it to be Kagami, or Ryuko.

Don't forget the fallen tributes.

I hear Tikki speaking in the back of my head. I know I need to collect the Miraculous' but I don't want to leave Adrien.

He'll be ok Marinette, just please go quickly before they're taken back to the Capitol.

"Ryuko, I'm trusting you to stay and protect Chat with Carapace. Pegasus try and find us a supply of water."

"Of course." Ryuko replies. As much as I hate leaving I know these will protect him for me. I have a job to do. "Where you going Ladybug?"

"I have a few Miraculous' to collect."