Die A Hero Or Become A Villian
Punisher looked the heroes in their eyes. A soft but cold wind brushed against their faces. Her grip tightening but could drop the girl at any minute. The heroes stood their stance, Chat was studying, unsure of how to move.
Pale Icy ocean blue eyes searched them. Looking for any signs of movement. Lila was looking at them, emotions waved and drowned her, you could see them flashing on the girl. All the tears that fell from her face were dried by the wind that burned her cheeks. Whimpering as she was unable to yell for help.
"You fight me, I drop her, you stay put, I drop her."
Chat pursed his lips. But before he could think of a plan Rena Rouge began to speak. "Marinette, please don't do this, if you kill Lila. You're just as bad as her." Right then and there, something in Punisher clicked. She threw Lila to the ground of the roof. Lila started writhing in pain. Punisher Looked at Rena with furious eyes. Staring deep into the heroine's soul, making her shudder. "Do not EVER compare me to HER!" She yelled.
Rena frowned. Getting ready to speak again but wasn't expecting to see a silver hammer come towards her face. Chat got his baton. Wincing as he put his strength in pushing the hammer forward when it tried to come down.
Chat looked at Rena. "Go!" He yelled. The fox clad hero ran away. Chat slid under. He returned to Rena Rouge's side. Punisher charged again, Chat using his baton to clash again. It was more like their first fight now, fighting but not wanting to. Their weapons slammed against each other before Rena's flute came to hit into Punisher's back.
The thin instrument couldn't do much. But Punisher let out an audible mumble that sounded like ow. Turning away as she looked at the two heroes. Rena let Chat fight Punisher. Before playing a tune on her flute while Punisher was distracted.
Punisher is hit by the flute once again. She growls. It annoyed her, she hit Rena with her elbow before getting hit by a baton. She dodged away, panting for air as she watched them defensively. She got tired much easily, it was two against one.
Rena Rouge stood, holding her flute to her chest with guilt and sympathy. "Marinette. This isn't the way, you have to quit this, for your friends, and your best friend. Something she said triggered something in the girl. Because the way she was breathing hard wasn't from fighting. It was anger.
"So now you're my best friend" She seethed.
Rena gaped. "How did you-" She was cut off when she was hit, Rena was flung and she clutched the edge of the building. She grunted pushing herself back up onto the roof, going to help Chat who was taking blows and dodging. She wasn't hesitating anymore, she was angry. And the cat was struggling.
Rena went to attack but was stopped. Punisher grabbed her flute. And forced Rena Rouge down to the ground. Chat clutched his arm grinding his teeth in pain. Getting his baton when he saw the rise of her hammer. Rena got up and punched Punisher, all of this felt terrible.
She grabbed Chat pulling him away, with the blow of her flute illusions replaced them and they jumped away.
Rena and Chat watched from above, Punisher fought the illusions as they stayed low. Chat heaved. Holding his arm. Rena looked at him. "How bad did she get you?" Chat didn't look at her, he seemed a little ticked. "She hit my arm bad, she's pissed." His ears went flat, he looked sad.
Rena sighed, returning her gaze to Punisher, they had a little time out before Punisher caught on.
Her hammer swung at both of them and puffs of orange smoke rose, floating away. Punisher stomped her foot on the ground. Looking up and catching the heroes gaze.
"You came for a fight, I'm giving you a fight." She hissed. Rena jumped down to the tired akuma. Crossing her arms. "You're going to be just as bad as Lila if you keep this up." She said lowly. Punisher's eyes widened. Clutching her ears as if she was in pain, shaking her head, her teeth bared. "Stop saying that!" She squeezed her eyes shut
Rena stepped forward looking at her. "You're going to hurt your friends and the people around you. And it's not like you're not aware. You're hurting people for your own need." Punisher opened her eyes, a familiar feeling coming to her. Little wet drops fell to the ground, her cheeks were turning red and her eyes puffy. "I-I'm not. I'm not l-like her." She stuttered choking on her own words.
Punisher's grip on her own scalp tightened. She looked hurt, and in agony. But not physically. Like she was trying to push Rena's words outside her head. Chat jumped down, trying to comfort her, but she ripped away. Tears pouring down her face. It hurt Chat to see her like this, trying to flush the words out, desperate, it was something that would tear away at her sanity, she just needed it to stop.
Rena was shocked by the sudden change but spoke again. "If you keep this up, you're going to turn into her." Punisher looked up at Rena. Her eyes widening, her eyes were no longer glaciers and dead. Her dull bluebell eyes were back, full of hurt and sorrow. Desperate for someone to stay with her, tears falling from her eyes. She looked...helpless.
Her hands fell from her head she looked at Rena. Rena recognized the face. It was the face she made when she cut her off, seeing it now, it pained her. Punisher's lips crumbled. "N-no! I-it's not m-my fault, it hurts...it hurts so much." The angry, fierce, girl they were fighting before was gone. And she was replaced with a lonely and depressed teen who just wanted her friends back.
Rena Rouge tried to speak again but was cut off "Make it stop." She choked. The poor girl was breaking down slowly, clutching her heads again as the words she's heard before entered, deep thoughts and insecurities filling her conscious. She was weeping helplessly on the rooftop as the heroes could only watch as she fell into a world they couldn't enter. Chat balled his fists looking at Rena with furious eyes.
"Making her breakdown isn't going to help!" He hissed. He's seen her like this before, then, he could hug her and tell her it was alright. But he couldn't, and that's what pissed him off. The fox ears on Rena's head flattened. "I- was this...is this what she was like before..." She asked, guilt making her choke on the tears she held back. She was seeing Marinette. What she turned Marinette into. What Lila had done to her. Her head was down with shame.
Chat walked over to Punisher. Putting his clawed hand on her shoulder. Punisher looked at him, the butterfly symbol on her face. She pushed him. Making him fall. "Leave!" She yelled. Shocking them both. "Leave!" She screamed desperately. Falling to her knees as she heaved.
She looked as if she was in pain, the neat, raven colored hair she had was messy, strands everywhere and out of place. She shook her head as if she was trying to resist, not give in. Trying not to, to, do something. Her mouth opened and closed multiple times before she was able to speak. "I do- I don't- want to h-hurt hi-" She winced. Groaning into her wet palms.
Chat's eyes narrowed. 'What is Hawkmoth doing to her?!' His palms clenched into tight balls.
Rena Rouge walked forward. But Punisher looked up, the butterfly symbol gone, and her eyes filled with pure, black, and boiling hatred. Making the fox themed heroine shrink before her.
She slowly stood up, staying silent. But you could tell by her face, how much anger, how much hate, how much sorrow was built up. And she was going to let loose.
"You're always trying to save her, always on her side. I'm your best friend. We've known each other for two years. And you treat me like an old toy! Like I'm something to keep you entertained until the next big thing comes out!" Rena was speechless. She looked at Punisher sadly. "This isn't about sides Marinette!"
Punisher fumed. "Then what is it! About a couple of weeks ago you were all on the Lila train until she sent that video! Now you're trying to save me. But oh! Punisher is trying to kill her let's put the blame on lil'ol Mari again! I bet you'd switch over again once something new and fresh came out." Rena frowned, she was trying to help her. Why couldn't she understand? They weren't on Lila's side anymore. "No! I made a mistake-"
Punisher crossed her arms and started laughing. Rena's eyes widened. That caught her off guard. "A mistake? A MISTAKE! You were so open to manipulation you might as well have put an open sign on yourself." She scoffed. "You're not sorry! You're doing this out of guilt, you're desperate to get the helpless and depressed Marinette because you know she'll forgive you more easily, I'm not going to be swayed by someone who's getting angry."
Rena looked down at the ground angrily. "Did you know Adrien knew she was lying, that he let us be manipulated." She retorted. Looking up at Punisher for shock or surprise. But what was left was a blank, unamused face.
"Yes" Punisher said shallowly. What Rena was expecting was on her own face, she was shocked and angry, hurt. Her fists balled. Her frown quivering. Something rolled within her, Punisher admitted it, without regret, guilt. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?" She blurted. Punisher's crossed arms tightened, she looked to the side. "I loved him." She whispered. Rena Rouge raised an angry brow. "What?!" She pressed. Punisher's head whipped suddenly furious. She seethed. "I LOVED HIM." She roared.
Everyone went silent. Punisher was angry. Rena was mixed with shock and even more guilt. Chat's jaw went slack, His acid green eyes went wide.
Punisher looked at Chat. A bit of her looked like she was hoping he didn't hear that. Chat looked to the side, his ears flat. He looked away to the side crossing his arms with a frown. "I loved him, I loved him so goddamn much. So, when he told me not to expose Lila when I had the chance. I complied because I loved him." She swallowed hard. A lump going down her throat.
Punisher's now icy eyes turned to the other side. Where she could see other buildings in the distance. "I would do anything, as long as I got to see a lovely smile on that boy's face. And look where I ended up." She sighed. Chuckling to herself, it wasn't happy. It was full of pain and regret. She breathed in, then out.
Her eyes narrowed when they returned to Rena Rouge. "I was bullied, tortured, but I didn't do anything. Just for him, because I loved Adrien. And because I loved him, I didn't tell him about the bullying or torture. He was on my side, that was all I needed." She attempted to smile, but all it did was turn into a frown. Rena stepped forward, making Punisher fidget. "Marinette. Please don't do this, you're going to end up like-"
"STOP COMPARING ME TO HER! I WILL NEVER BE LIKE THAT LIAR! You have no say in this. You have no idea what I've been through! YOU weren't even THERE." She slammed her index finger into Rena Rouge's chest. Making the heroine stumble back with a wince. Punisher picked up her hammer, you could practically see steam coming off of her.
"It hurt. It hurt so much when I was akumatized. Because I didn't want to bow to his will. To be a minion. But apparently, it was the best thing that I could've done because in the end, no one is going to help me." Punisher flipped the hammer up. Her finger stroking the outline of the object. A butterfly symbol lighting the expression on her face. Blank and hurt. Like she had nothing to lose.
"Hawkmoth gave me powers. It got rid of the feelings I had. I'm not going to let you fill me with words that I hate hearing. Make me feel like that again, de-evilize me and turn me back into my broken and shattered self. Wounded with scars that will never heal. I will finish my job. And I don't care what Lila will have to go through for me to get it."
Chat was scared. What did she mean? It was his stomach churn anxiously, was she...was she going to team with Hawkmoth? No...No she can't! He can't lose her to Hawkmoth. No. He looked at her face, she was there, she still had to be there.
Her face showed hatred. Pure and dangerous. Chat gulped.
That's how the class looked at Marinette.
They were now in her place.
Chat grabbed her arm. She whipped around to look at him. Her hands tightening into fists. It was like her second encounter with Lila. He looked into her eyes, she looked into his. They talked, talked without speaking. He had control over her to some extent, where he could convince her not to do bad. But this time, he felt he had nothing, she was unfazed, she forced herself to cut those binds. She had cut something in order to fight him, to not hesitate. "Please don't do this. I will help you. Like I always did." He smiled. Hope in his eyes, she only frowned, remaining the same.
Punisher looked at his hand. Moving her arm away so she could entwine her hand with his. He smiled at her, a small smile formed on her face. The action was affectionate but platonic. She looked up at him, small tears bubbling in the corners of her eyes. "You and Adrien were the only ones who cared for me, the only ones who kept me living, from harming myself. So, stay out of this." She spoke. Chat furrowed his eyebrows.
But before he could speak. Her entwined hand left his, she looked him straight in the eyes as the sound of her hammer being lifted from the ground become audible. He wasn't allowed to move before being hit off the roof.
Chat has been flung off things before. He's taken a lot worse. But this so far. Has been the most painful battle he's had, and for many other reasons then injuries. He hit the wall hard. Coughing for air as he clutched his hip, sliding down the rubble and metal Punisher had created. Heaving as he coughed some more. Breathing in and out hard, that was a pretty good, but bad hit for him to take.
He heard yells and screams. It sounded like Alya and Marinette arguing. He grunted, trying to get the strength to stand but only managed to sit up. Leaning against the wall with a huff. The crash of metal was heard, before a large ringing came from the hammer falling down fast and hard onto the wall, the sound of cracking and the wall loosening was heard. And it started becoming more frequent.
"CHAT LOOK OUT."
He was confused. It sounded like Marinette. He looked up, seeing rubble and metal from buildings come crashing down upon him. He was unable to save himself before he became covered in it.
---
Punisher desperately dug through the pile.
This is my fault. This is my fault. This is my fault...
It echoed in her head, thank god she had superhuman strength, she used her hammer to dig up the remains before she found Chat. His eyes opening slightly as light gleamed onto his eyelids. She pulled him out stuttering as she looked at what she had done, she held him. Tearing streaming down her face.
...
He looked. Light...Punisher...Punisher was holding him. It felt familiar, but his vision was blurry...Punisher...Marinette...She was crying. His vision was switching from blurry to black as he slowly blinked. He felt confused, every time he tried to think it hurt, but...he was so...tired. No. He couldn't sleep.
"Stay with me Chat! Y-you can't die." She hiccupped. He felt warm liquid streaming from his head that was coming for his eye. It wasn't tears, only hers was dripping onto his cheeks...Her hands rubbed his forehead. She sobbed, looking at him.
Chat managed to find the strength to touch his head and look at the tips of his fingers...Blood. And it was still coming. He winced, he was still throbbing from the fight, he tiredly looked at Punisher. She was crying so much. "Chat...you're going to be okay...please...i"
A butterfly symbol showed on her face. "No..I'm not going to get his miraculous." She growled, looking forward. "You can't control me, not anymore." She hissed. Before the symbol disappeared, she frowned, knowing Hawkmoth wasn't going to give her much time. Chat's eyes closed, but the slight shake made his eyes open..please..h-he was so tired.
"You said you wouldn't leave me. You promised" She cried. Chat looked at her, his hands cupping her cheeks. He rubbed the tears away like he normally would. A smile on his face as she wept. The mournful frown on her face twitched, she couldn't bear the sight.
Darkness was creeping up onto the corners of his eyes. He weakly smiled some more. Rubbing her cheeks some more. "D-don't cry." He managed to get out, his hands shaking to even remain on her face. She sniffled, her frown deepening. "S-smile...smile for me." He grinned, searching her face. Punisher held him close. Smiling, it was the prettiest smile. The only smile he wanted to see. He mirrored her, he was happy, he got to see her smile one last time.
Suddenly, everything went dark. His body was numb and he went limp. The last thing he heard was her trembling and broken scream of grief.
There you go! I also started another book called Pick up and chase. I would've published thee first chapter to that book sooner but something kept on going wrong. I finally published it though. I will still update this book.