It all came suddenly to Gabriel's mind. He was afraid, he was terrified of losing her. This had been a terrible idea; he should have never accepted this plan in the first place. He totally had screwed up. They weren't going to make it. He felt a cold tingle down his spine, he knew it. Like a dark hunch at the bottom of his heart, he knew today was the day. The day he was losing her; the last day he would look at her. His Nathalie. And he would fight for her, no matter the cost.
-If you could only understand love. If you could only feel this hunger to make that person happy. To give it all, even your life, to fulfill his dreams. But maybe one day you will - said Mayura looking at Ladybug from a few feet away.
Marinette understood, at that moment, that fighting was pointless. This woman standing in front of her was going to fight until her last breath. She would need to die to be stopped. Marinette was tired, she could hardly breathe. And in that precise moment, she put her yo-yo down.
-Mayura... listen... I won't fight you anymore - said Ladybug showing her hands in a sign of surrender – I can help you. Talk to me.
-The only way you can help me is by giving me your miraculous.
Ladybug took a step closer to Mayura still showing the palms of her hands. -Why do you want the miraculous?
-For love.
-His love for you?
Nathalie felt a blade through her heart. She knew this wasn't for her. This wasn't to make her happy. She was not going to get anything out of this, except, maybe, the recognition that he had succeeded because of HER. Maybe, and only maybe, he would feel something... ANYTHING... for her if she succeeded. Nathalie was so blinded by her own despair to, actually, see reality. Yet, a thing was certain to her: he didn't love... her. Mayura's magenta eyes closed.
-He doesn't love... you... right?
Mayura opened her eyes. Ladybug was walking closer with each word.
-No... - she whispered, closing her fan in her hand.
And then there it was, the sudden pain as if a limb was ripped from her, each time a sentimonster was destroyed.
Her knees hit the ground.
Chat Noir and Rena Rouge had found the amok.
-Ladybug... yo-yo... now! – yelled Chat Noir.
-Wait! – she yelled back. -Mayura, you don't have to do this, you deserve to be loved, you deserve all the love in the world. He's not worth it.
-Is she giving up? – asked Rena Rouge to Chat Noir.
-I... think so.
-Chat, I am going to detransform, I need to leave- hurried Rena Rouge.
-Go... protect Nino.
Alya did it. She ran to an alley and detransformed. She ran to the place Chat Noir had placed the unconscious Nino.
-M'lady? – asked the black cat not losing sight on the blue feather.
-Mayura... please... look at me. You are beautiful and I know you are an amazing person. All that love you have could be used for so much good in the world. For someone that will actually value it.
Ladybug was just one step away from her. Mayura sitting on the floor, shaking, clearly in pain, looking down into her thighs, seeming like if she was about to cry. She slowly raised a hand and almost soundless, she snapped her fingers.
Chat Noir saw how the blue color disappeared leaving a perfectly white feather flying in the wind.
-That's it, Mayura – Ladybug kneeled in front of her.
-Why... doesn't he... love me? – Mayura asked with tears rolling down her blue cheeks.
-Because he is a complete idiot, you are an amazing woman – said Marinette letting out a small laugh.
Mayura sobbed and let out a small laugh.
-I wish you were right, Ladybug. I am so sorry. Truly sorry.
Hawkmoth was silent, completely shocked, standing a building away, he was seeing all this: Ladybug, Mayura, the amok. He had heard her words; he was dazed by Nathalie's love confession for him. He felt he needed to hold this woman in his arms and kiss her, returning her love. She needed to know how he felt, she needed to know that Emilie wasn't habiting his heart anymore. He couldn't do this; he couldn't handle her like this: destroyed. He could feel her, so broken, so thin and small, like if a small blast of air would fly her away. There was no way Ladybug was going to let him near her. And Nathalie wouldn't probably want to talk to him.
He knew what he had to do.
-Nooroo, dark... what? – he opened his eyes in surprise.
Mayura had collapsed into Ladybug's arms.
-No... no, no, no... NO!!! MAYURA!!! – Ladybug's eyes filled up with tears as she held Mayura's inert body.
Chat Noir jumped into the roof and slowly walked towards Ladybug, she was crying and shouting and cursing.
Gabriel was dead. He couldn't feel anything, his life had ended. The remaining rests of his broken heart had fled along with her. He didn't care if those kids killed him right up at that moment. He needed to hold her, one last time.