Ladybug was sweating. Cat Noir took deep breaths as he and His Lady stood behind a wall. A walking humanoid rhino stomped around.
"I do not like you." the akuma growled.
"Neither do we!" shouted Cat Noir.
Ladybug and Cat Noir then eventually jumped out of the way of the wall and punched the rhino humanoid's face, knocking him down.
Hawk Moth's akumas have been getting more and more dangerous recently. For example, this guy, calling himself "The Rhino," has nearly killed Ladybug and Cat Noir seven times in a single row.
They discovered that the akuma must be inside of the Rhino's necklace. However, he hasn't been making it anywhere close to easy. Ladybug and Cat Noir then leaped onto a roof.
"I really hate this guy!" Cat Noir growled.
"I know!" said Ladybug, "Him and his stupid horn! Can really use a lame cat pun right now."
Her partner stared at her in shock. They're probably about to die and she's asking for one of his awesome corny jokes. He then smirked.
"Why of course, My Lady." he said.
Cat Noir then leaped onto another roof. He then jumped, waving both his hands and his legs.
"Now you're throwing a cat-astrophe?" he asked, "Looks like you need a time out!"
The rhino humanoid then gripped onto Cat Noir from behind. He struggled to break free from his grip. Ladybug could see it. She needed to get him out of there. The Rhino then took out his fist.
"You shall pay!" he shouted.
The akuma then readied his fist, causing Ladybug to panic. Even though he was really tough and strong, what if akuma could end up crippling his life? She can't let that happen.
"Cataclysm!" Cat Noir called out.
"Chat!" she screamed.
Ladybug leaped and pushed Cat Noir out of the rhino humanoid's grip before realizing that her partner's power was activated, taking the hit herself.
"Ladybug, no!" he shouted.
Cat Noir was about to reach her with his right hand out of instinct. He then realized that he was about to Cataclysm her. His vision then became blurry. He tried to stop his hand, then swung his fist at the Rhino's necklace once the vision became blurry.
The akuma then began to fly away. However, a scarlet red yo-yo reached out and captured it. Cat Noir then turned to see Ladybug letting the butterfly go away.
"Bye, bye, little butterfly." she said.
"My Lady, are you okay?" asked her partner.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."
"Man, for a thought, I thought I nearly Cataclysmed you."
"I'll be okay, Kitty. I promise."
"Great."
The two then did their usual "pound it." Ladybug began to swing home while Cat Noir checked on the akuma victim. Ladybug was so grateful that she didn't need a Lucky Charm, but she was pretty darn close to using it. If she had, she probably wouldn't have been able to figure it out.
...
Marinette Dupain-Cheng collapsed onto her bed. That was probably the most exhausting and pain-giving akuma battle she had ever taken part in. It was a good thing that she had someone like Cat Noir as her partner.
"What a day, huh, Tikki?" asked Marinette.
"Yeah..." Tikki yawned, "...I could really use a cookie right now."
"My parents texted that they aren't home so...go grab yourself something..."
"Okay!"
Tikki then flew down to the room to grab some butter cookies from the bakery. Marinette smiled as she turned to her side. She then felt a small sense of pain in her left lower rib. She then lifted her shirt.
She couldn't see anything. Not that she could see. It was probably due to the very little light in the room at the moment. Marinette just ended up shrugging it off, thinking it was probably just a scar.
The girl then fell asleep without a care in the world.
...
Marinette woke up from her slumber. She could see that she had woken up before Tikki could shake her.
"Good morning, Marinette!" said the Kwami of Creation, "Someone's up early."
"For once." said Marinette, "Although, I think that akuma battle took a lot out of me."
"I'll bet. Basically did the same for me. Despite you not using Lucky Charm."
Marinette then got up from her bed. She headed to the shower. Once she got out, she dressed herself in her usual everyday attire. She noticed that her friends weren't home at the moment. That's when she saw a note that Tom and Sabine were just taking a walk together.
The girl smiled. She then headed back up after eating some breakfast, where she saw Tikki waiting for her.
"Ready, Tikki?" asked Marinette.
"Ready, Marinette!" Tikki beamed.
"Alright, let's go-argh!"
Marinette clutched her side as she felt the pain hit her ribs again. She fell for a moment from the sudden shock. Tikki's eyes widened in concern as she hovered to her Chosen.
"Are you okay, Marinette?" she asked.
"Y-Yeah..." Marinette claimed, "...I guess I have a bruise of some kind. I'll check it out later."
"Okay. Be sure to do that."
"I will. If I don't, well, I got a breathing alarm clock."
Tikki giggled. Marinette was always good at cheering the little scarlet red Kwami up. One huge perk of having the Kwami of Creation.
...
Marinette stood outside of the school. She, Alya, and Nino were all talking for a while.
"Hey, Marinette." said a familiar voice.
The girl jumped at that voice. The girl immediately turned to see Adrien Agreste right behind her. Her usual blush immediately popped up.
"H-Hi, Adrien!" she said, "H-How've you been?"
"Oh, I've been good." replied Adrien, "And you?"
"Mate-I mean great! I go better-no, I mean I better go! Gah!"
Marinette then walked away quickly, bringing her hands up to her face. There she went again; messing her sentences up. Thankfully, no one was in the hallway so she wouldn't be heard talking to her non-recordable Kwami.
"I just wish that I could figure out how to talk to him..." said Marinette.
"I'm sure you'll find a way, Marinette." Tikki encouraged.
"I really hope so-"
Marinette suddenly screamed.
"AARGH!!!" she cried out.
Her body then slammed into the locker right next to her. She clutched her side as pain flared up. Tikki hovered up, grateful that still no one was here in the hallway. She looked at her Chosen, now looking scared.
"Marinette, what's wrong?!" she begged.
"I...I-I don't know..." Marinette replied, almost whimpering.
She then took off her jacket and lifted up her shirt. That's when she noticed a huge black mark on her lower left rib. She gasped. She knew what that was. It was the mark from Cat Nior's deadly Cataclysm.
Marinette then looked up to Tikki, who's tears began to show.
"Tikki," said Marinette dreadfully, "something's wrong."
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