[Adrien's POV]

"Morning Adrien!"

I turn to see Marinette jogging up the school steps, her cute little pigtails bouncing behind her. She is smiling brightly at me. My heart leaps into overdrive as I remember the conversation we had only a couple nights ago, when Marinette confessed her feelings for me to Cat Noir.

Marinette suddenly trips up the stairs and falls to the ground. I hurry to her side, only to hear a cackle from behind us.

"Looks like Marinette is literally falling head over heels for you, Adrien." Lila taunts.

Heat rushes to my cheeks. I keep my head down and focus on helping Marinette up off the ground.

"Too bad you're not as nimble as Ladybug," Lila says to Marinette. "She could sweep Adrien off his feet in a heartbeat."

Marinette hangs her head. Sorrow tugs at my heart. She had also revealed to Cat Noir her insecurity about my love for Ladybug.

I wrap my arm around Marinette's shoulders for support and turn to Lila angrily. "Marinette doesn't need to be anything like Ladybug! She's perfect just the way she is—clumsiness and all."

Lila turns her nose up in the air and storms past us.

"Thanks...Adrien." Marinette says shyly.

My cheeks flush pink and I quickly remove my arm from her shoulders. "It's no problem."

We head inside and make our way across the school courtyard when we suddenly get ambushed by a familiar fox figure.

"Marinette!" Volpina snarls. "I realise now that Ladybug is not the one who has stolen Adrien's heart from me—you are!"

My heartbeat quickens. "What?"

Volpina lunges forward angrily.

"Marinette, run!" I yell as I tackle Volpina to the ground.

Volpina grunts and shoves me off her but it is too late, Marinette has gone. Volpina growls in frustration and sprints out of the school.

"Time to transform." I say to myself as I hide in an empty classroom. "Plagg, claws out!"

After transforming into Cat Noir, I burst through the window and vault onto the nearest rooftop using my staff.

I hear a high-pitched scream from behind me. Anxiety clenches down on my heart. I spin around to see Volpina clutching Marinette by the hair.

"Cat Noir, help!" Marinette screams, tears streaming down her cheeks.

I am paralysed with fear. I can't let Marinette get hurt again. Where is Ladybug?

"Well?" Volpina sneers at me. She grabs Marinette's arm and gives it a twist causing Marinette to shriek in pain.

Her agonising howls shatter my heart. I clench my shaking hands, anger surging through me. "Volpina! Let her go!"

Volpina cackles and holds Marinette over the edge of the building. "As you wish..."

"No!" I shout as I lunge forward.

Volpina jumps out of the way, dragging Marinette along with her. My momentum almost sends me toppling off the rooftop but I stop myself just in time.

Volpina grabs Marinette's chin and yanks it to face her. "What is it about you that has all these boys going crazy, huh?"

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" I roar, swinging my staff at Volpina.

Volpina laughs and doges my attack. I clench my teeth in frustration. She is just toying with me! I can't wait for Ladybug any longer, Marinette is in danger. I don't care if I can't purify the akuma. It's right here in front of me—I'm going to destroy it!

"Cataclysm!" I holler as I charge at Volpina.

Her necklace is dangling right there in arms reach, it is a clear shot...

I extend my clawed hand towards Volpina's necklace but she yanks Marinette in front of her at the last second.

My eyes widen in horror as my hand goes straight through Marinette's chest, the area around it radiating with a sickening black essence. Marinette's pupils shrink. The colour drains from her face until she is as pale as a ghost. I am frozen with shock. I can do nothing but stare into Marinette's lifeless eyes as her body slowly begins to crumble away. An icy terror pierces my heart. My blood runs cold.

"No..." My voice cracks and quivers, tears trickling from my horror-struck eyes. "Marinette..."

Marinette's ghostly stare wrenches my heart with trauma. Agonising pain sears through my body. My knees buckle and I collapse to the hard ground.

"NOOOOO!" I scream, the sound of my own wailing soon drowning out my voice. I make desperate attempts to hold onto the fading dust of her body until there is nothing left. "Please, no! NO! Come back, PLEASE!"

Every nerve in my body is shaking with distress. Harrowing images are tattooed in the backs of my eyelids. Every time I blink Marinette's ghost flashes before me, her eyes wide and petrified.

Anguish leaches all other emotions from me, leaving my chest completely void. I stare down and watch my tears flood the ground below me as I cry.

"Mari...my princess..." I weep, my muscles weak with sorrow.

My warmth...my light...gone...I feel so cold and alone, like I've fallen into the depths of the ocean.

Her voice still echoes in my head... "Cat Noir!"

I feel a hand beneath my chin lifting my head up. Tears blur my vision but I can just make out Ladybug, her expression twisted with concern.

"Where were you?!" I cry, slapping her hand away from me. "Why weren't you here to stop me? Where were you...?"

"Chat...what happened?" Ladybug asks.

"I killed her...with my own two hands...With my cataclysm, I...I destroyed her..." A new wave of tears overflow from my grief-stricken eyes. "M..Mari...I'm s-sorry..."

Ladybug's eyes widen. She probably thinks I'm a monster...

"Chat, it wasn't real. It was one of Volpina's illusions!" Ladybug stresses.

Marinette's empty eyes, riddled with terror...her last moments still haunt me.

"Cat Noir, look!" Ladybug grabs my wrist and flails my hand in front of me. "You still have your cataclysm because you didn't touch anything."

It's true. Black essence still glows at my fingertips. Or is that just my mind playing tricks on me? Am I doomed to live forever with this destruction?

Ladybug picks up a dead leaf from beside us and gently grazes it against my claws. The leaf crumbles away into the wind like dust. My eyes widen as the magic swirling my hand fades.

"See..? It's gone." Ladybug says softly.

So many emotions are swirling inside me. For some reason I only cry harder. I curl my knees up into my chest and grip my hair to steady my shaking hands. I pull at my hair as I howl and cry, tears streaming down my face.

I've just killed my best friend. Even if it wasn't real, I experienced it all the same. I witnessed her death at my hands. I plunged my claws through her heart and watched the life drain from her eyes.

Ladybug gives me a pained look before rising to her feet. "Chat...I have to go after Volpina. I will stop her. You stay here and care of yourself..."

Ladybug swings away on her yoyo, leaving me alone once more.