Chapter Text
‘Restarter. I am Hawkmoth. A terrible menace has ruined everything you’ve worked for, but I will give you the power to force everyone to forget it. All I ask for in return for this power is that you bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculouses.’
Luka holds Marinette closer. “I understand, Hawkmoth.” He says, and purple washes over him. He stands, letting his beloved girl go, and Marinette gasps as she sees what he’s become. His cellphone, the object akumatized, has become a spotlight on his hand. The rest of him is shades of grey. “Don’t worry, Marinette.” He smiles. “I’ll make everything better.” His smile is kind, and it only makes her stomach sink at its genuineness. He stands, and walks away. Marinette hates to see him go, but she knows she has to hurry. She sees an empty bathroom, and dashes in. “Tikki, spots on!”
Soon, Ladybug is ready to roll. She comes out, and sees Ashli running.
“Ladybug! I’m like, super happy to see you!” Marinette tries not to cringe. She knows it’s not really Ashli’s fault, but—
“This is all my fault. I jumped to conclusions, and was too aggressive, and... wait, where’s Marinette?! Hawkmoth didn’t butterfly her, right?!” She sounds so scared for Marinette, and Ladybug can’t help but smile softly.
“It’s alright, Marinette is safe. Her friend, Luka Couffaine, is the akuma. He took it for her.” The very fact makes her sad, but she doesn’t let it stop her. She has a job to do.
“Oh jeez... is there a way I can help?” Ashli asks. Ladybug cringes. Oh god, she doesn’t want to think about the temporary miraculouses right now.
“I’m sorry, Ashli, but I can’t trust anyone new with the miraculouses right now.” Ashli looks confused.
“What? No! I don’t want a miraculous! I’m like, the last person who deserves that right now! I want to help! Like, in any way you need me!”
Marinette blinks. And she smiles more. “Follow me. We need to strategize.”
—
They peek over the railing of the courtyard. In the beautiful flower-spotted plaza, Restarter is blasting away people’s memories.
“The akuma is in the spotlight, but how do we get close enough without him shooting us with it?” Ladybug mumbled.
“It’s attached to his arm, right? If we restrain that arm somehow, like tie something around it and his torso, we could force it down. Of course, someone quick would have to run the rope around him and avoid the blasts. Maybe if someone stood hidden with one end, and someone quick, like you or Chat Noir—“ Marinette started to catch on.
“Ran around him and stood at the other end, it would trap him long enough for a third person to smash the spotlight!” They finished together.
“Good thinking, Ashli!” Marinette grinned, offering her hand for a fist bump.
Ashli giggles. “Like, it’s nothin’! Now, we just need a third...”
“Hope you lovely ladies aren’t planning something without me?” a voice said loudly.
Marinette growled and yanked Chat down, right before a blast of light shot towards him, narrowly missing.
The cat boy let out a scared ‘eep.’
“Come out, Ladybug! My cause is noble, and I won’t have you ruining things anymore for Marinette!” Restarter yelled, as he scanned the balconies for the spotted hero.
“Wait, Marinette goes here now?” Chat asked. The two girls slap their hands over his mouth.
“Quiet, fleabag!” Ashli hissed in a whisper.
Chat gave Ladybug a wounded look.
“Ashli is right, Chat. If he knows where we are, he could get us.”
“We need someone to run around him—“ Ashli started to explain. Then Chat interrupted.
“Run around him, got it!”
And there he goes.
“Like, is he always that... eager?” Ashli asked, exasperated.
“Yeah, pretty much... only around me, though.” Without another word, Ladybug called out “Lucky charm!” A garden hose came down.
Ashli dragged her out of the way of a blast, and they squatted down.
“A garden hose? Let me think...” Ladybug said.
Ashli nodded. “Right! I’m ready and waiting!”
Ladybug’s vision lighted up on Ashli. She looked at hose, lighting up, peered over the railing, assessing the situation...
Ashli, hose, rosebush, Restarter, spotlight.
“I’ve got it!” She whispered. “We’re going with your idea, Ashli!” She told her.
She pulled the taller girl up, held her around the waist, and silently swung them down to the rosebush. She gave one end of the garden hose to Ashli. “Stay hidden.”
Ashli nodded. “Will do!”
Ladybug smiled at her, and put a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you for your help. Marinette would be proud of you.”
The girl giggles, looking away shyly. “I hope she would. Now get out there, Lady!” she encouraged.
Marinette smiled, nodded, and took the other end of the hose. She ran out, behind a distracted Restarter, who pointed his beam at a downed Chat.
“Now, I’ll finally make you forget everything about this!”
Ladybug ran around him swiftly, jumping over the overlapping rope.
“What?!” Restarter yelled. He struggled as she went around again, and then across the courtyard, binding his arms tight against his sides.
“Chat Noir! The spotlight has the akuma!” Ladybug yelled, fighting to hold the akuma tight as he struggled against the binds.
To her surprise, Chat Noir huffed. “Oh, that’s all you need me for? Why don’t you ask your new partner, Ashlynn, to do it for you?!” He sniffed.
“I’m holding the other end, dummy!” Ashli yelled.
Marinette groaned. “This isn’t the time! Destroy the spotlight!”
“Fine... But only if you admit you love me.” The cat smirked, seeming playful. Ladybug tried not to scream. Chat always chose the worst times to do this, huh.
She started to try and calmly explain. Keyword trying. But then, there was a loud crash.