Chapter 12

Freedom at Last

Stepping outside, Adrien is even more surprised to see many of the towns people are walking side by side with the Akumatized, watching as they make their way to the church. "Adrien!" he hears someone call for him and turns to see Kagami, still wearing the dress she wore at his wedding, running up to him from down the street.

"Kagami," Adrien lets her into his arms, "any idea what's going on?"

She shakes her head. "No idea, but I think we should follow these people." without another word, the pair follow the parade to the church.

At the church, Pastor Fu greets everyone. Then Caline approaches him, "Good evening, pastor."

"What brings you all here?"

"As you can see," Bustier shows him the bride, her groom, and the tall wedding cake, "we want to throw a wedding here at your church."

Instantly recognizing the bride, Fu gives Marinette a smile. "So, Marinette, I take it you have studied up on your vows?"

Returning the smile, Marinette nods and says as she leans closer to Luka who then plants a kiss to the top of her head, "Yes, Pastor Fu."

"Would you allow me to take care of the ceremony?" Bustier asked. Then the pastor simply nods, giving her the permission to do the wedding.

With that, Bustier leads Luka and the guests inside, Marinette taking her position right behind Ivan and Mylene, Tikki poised right at her feet. Once everyone is in place and all of the guests seated, the wedding march begins to play with Ivan and Mylene tossing flowers, Tikki scampering ahead with Marinette entering the church and gracefully make her way to the altar where Luka and Bustier await.

Under the moonlight in the night, Luka could only see her become even more beautiful. Once she's close enough, Luka takes her hand and pulls her by his side as they stand before Bustier. After sharing a loving smile, they then face Bustier and the ceremony starts. "Dearly beloved and affected, we are gathered here tonight to join this Akumatized and this woman in marriage."

Just outside the church, Adrien and Kagami then see Marinette at the altar. "Marinette?" Adrien says softly, but one guest turn to him and ushered him to be quiet. So the pair take a seat and watch the ceremony. "Akumatized first." Bustier gives Luka the sign.

Facing his bride, he raises his right hand and says, "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup shall never empty for I shall be your wine." Then with his right hand flat with his palm up, a dark purple butterfly appears out of nowhere and lands on his offered hand, waiting patiently.

"Now you, dear." Bustier gestures to Marinette.

With a smile to her groom, Marinette says after brushing some of her hair aside to reveal her neck, "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup shall never empty for I shall be your wine."

Becoming curious, Adrien quietly leave his seat and hid behind a few pillars to watch. Just as Luka pulls Marinette closer to give her the akuma, someone at the entrance clears her throat rather loudly, "You know I am the only one that can give the akuma to anyone I choose."

This causes everyone to turn to see Lila, her palm up and the akuma flew from Luka's hand back to her, leaving everyone in shock to discover who had turned them all into the Akumatized. "I always become soft at weddings though. And I must say this is quite touching" Lila says rather in a mocking way.

As she makes her way to the altar, everyone that have been Akumatized by her watch her very closely incase she pulls anything as Luka holds Marinette protectively and Kagami leaves her seat to stand beside Adrien. "Young lovers together. Surely you will live happily ever after." As she stops in front of them, Lila sharply looks in the direction that Adrien and Kagami are hiding, her eyes silently telling him to come out.

Hesitantly, Adrien reveals himself and Lila then says as she snatches Adrien to her side, "But don't forget that he is my husband! I won't leave this wretched town empty handed!"

Still keeping Marinette safe in his arms, Luka then starts to remember Lila. "Wait, you?"

Then Lila sets her attention to Luka as he starts to recognize her. "Luka?"

"You!"

"But, I left you."

Taking a moment as the memories flash in his mind, Luka then says the truth about this girl, "As an Akumatized." This reveal left everyone in the church in utter shock that the girl that had done this to them all is the one also the one that Luka had once been engaged to.

To hear that Lila is the one who had hurt Luka before made Marinette hate her even more as she holds Luka in order to comfort him, now that he has her. "This man is obviously delusional!" Lila exclaims, making Luka and Marinette even more angrier at her. With the others, already wanting nothing more than to beat her to a pulp for everything she's made them go through, Lila then takes out a hidden knife and point it right at Adrien's neck. "Sorry to cut things short, but we must be on our way."

"Take your hands off him. Adrien is not yours to claim." Marinette demands as she gives Lila a cold glare.

This had surprised Lila. "Oh? If he's not mine, then who's?" Lila pokes fun.

"He's mine, you witch." Kagami emerges from her hiding spot, her own death glare in her eyes as she stands beside Marinette.

"Must I give you two the Influence as well?" Lila mocks them.

Having enough of her, all of the Akumatized start to make a move on Lila when Bustier stops them. "No everyone, we must abide by HER rules. We are never to lay a hand on HER."

To hear her say the rules that she has placed, Lila smiles, very pleased. "Glad to see someone is following my rules." Just as she is about to order her akuma to affect the two girls, the unexpected happens, the akuma turns on her and gives her the Influence instead, everyone now smirking that she's finally getting the Influence.

Watching Lila get the Influence, Marinette asks with Luka now grinning triumphantly, "What's going on?"

"Well Marinette, once Lila is given the Influence herself, that'll free every one of her victims." Bustier explains.

"Now that she has been affected instead, the others can do away with her until they are free." Luka adds. "About time she got a taste of her own medicine."

Once in her own Akumatized form, Lila looks up at everyone with fear written across her face. Now that she's under the influence, the first to be free is Alya as she changes back into her regular attire. While some of the others still have the Influence as a few are finally set free, those that still have it approach the terrified Lila into a separate room to do away with her as they please.

Within a few minutes since Lila became Akumatized, Luka is set free from the Influence as the mark on his neck disappears, with Marinette overly thrilled for him as she hugs him. "Luka, you're finally free." Marinette says as she embraces him.

As he holds her, Luka is delighted as well that since he is now free, he can go anywhere he wants and be with the one he loves. "Marinette, now that I don't have to worry about the Influence, I can now live my life the way I want to. Will you share your life with mine?"

Without even having to consider it, Marinette tightens her embrace. "Yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Luka."

Watching them with a smile, Adrien then pulls Kagami closer, now that he can easily end his short marriage with Lila and he can at last marry Kagami. Then Bustier shares a look with Pastor Fu, the two come to an agreement that the four are considered married. "Now then your four," Pastor Fu grabs their attention, "Miss Bustier and I have come to agreement that no ceremonies are needed. We already pronounce you four officially married."

These words were all they needed to hear. Once they face each other again, Luka says, "Shall we go look for your parents? Surely they need to hear about these news."

Marinette smiles at the idea. However before they could leave, two familiar figures had already appeared in the entrance to the church. "Mom! Dad!" Marinette exclaims as she rushes over to them.

To finally see their daughter is safe, Tom and Sabine bring Marinette into their arms. "Oh Marinette, you're safe!" Sabine says as tears form in her eyes.

"We were worried sick about you when you disappeared on us!" Tom scolded Marinette, but he is also shedding tears.

"I'm sorry I worried you, but I can assure you that I've been safe." Then Marinette looks back towards Luka. "I was safe with him."

At the word 'him', Tom and Sabine follow Marinette's line of sight just as Luka approaches the family. "Marinette? Who is this?"

Leaving her parents' embrace, Marinette takes Luka's hand and says with a smile to her husband, "Mom, dad, this is Luka Couffaine, he's my husband."

Luka then faces Tom and Sabine and says with a smile, "It's a pleasure to meet the parents of the girl I love."

To see how happy their daughter is with this man, Tom and Sabine couldn't be anymore happier for her. "You know, after hearing about how Gabriel and Emilie pulled a snitch on us to have Adrien wed that Lila, we felt that perhaps you're better off with marrying someone else." Sabine states.

"And we see that you've already found someone you want to be with, allowing Adrien to be with who he wants." Tom says after noticing how Adrien holds Kagami close to him, "We're happy for you, Marinette. So congratulations!"

To hear that they are happy for her, Luka then sweeps Marinette off her feet and spin around a bit, Marinette is beyond happy that her parents approve of Luka. Once Luka stopped spinning, Marinette holds his face as she gives him a deep, passionate kiss with Luka kissing her back.

As the full moon light shine upon the two, the future could only seem brighter, for them and all of their loved ones.