The Greatest Limit is Yourself

Author's Note: To all my US readers, Happy Thanksgiving! So we're finally getting somewhere with this chapter! Yay! I hope you all like it in the end. . . as some shit goes down. XD The next chapter should come out quicker. I have more of it written than this one did. So be on the lookout for it soon! Xox

Again, lots of love to my wonderful beta, RoseySparrow! She knows the horror of my typing skills.

Enjoy!

Four

We're Here to Help, Not to Fight

It was not her fault that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was sensitive.

And for the record. . . how was she supposed to know just how oblivious her Adriekins was?

The chorus of shouting, protesting, and yelling all jumbled together into a hum so loud, it hurt her ears. Mlle. Bustier was trying to get them to calm down, Sabrina was whipping out comments left and right defending her best friend's honor, the class in a fucking uproar.

All about Marinette.

Chloe could put a stop to this war inside this classroom, but she didn't want to admit it. She didn't want to admit to them she was wrong. . . that she knew it was wrong and it still slipped out of her mouth like poison.

And just as Chloe was about to open her mouth and snark back to the most atrocious comment, the windows shattered, the sunlight catching the shards and ricocheting little sharp rainbows to shower the classroom.

Panic quickly gripped her heart and the class was pulled out of their war and instead into a deadly quiet. Her icy blue eyes landed on the familiar black cat suit and then someone else.

And that someone else was Marinette.

Ugh! Just another reason why these idiots will hate her!

Of course Marinette Dupain-Cheng was an akuma. Of course!

Fear quickly overrode her ire. Chloe was terrified. Marinette—Miss Illusion—would probably come after her, like all the other akumas that were formed in their rage—or they could just be jealous of her, the mayor's daughter—and come seek their revenge.

Only Marinette didn't come.

Instead she fought Chat Noir and then ran away.

Class was dismissed and Chloe was used to the cold stares. . .

She just wasn't used to feeling bad about it.

Daddy had a car pick her up, bodyguards shoving their way past the crowd staring at the mess Marinette made.

. . . No.

The mess the akuma made.

Being a superhero was emotionally exhausting. Hopefully Ladybug and Chat Noir will fix everything soon and things could go back to normal. . .

. . . No.

Chloe couldn't do that either.

Normal wasn't what she really wanted.

"Ugh!" she groaned in disgust at her own mental battle. "This is ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! I should not be feeling bad about this!"

Only she was.

She didn't know why this certain akuma made her feel remorseful.

Things had certainly changed this year for her. Adrian was going to public school with her, akumas and Hawk Moth started terrorizing the city, she found a new idol in the new super heroine Ladybug, her mother came back from New York and decided to stay with her, and then she became a super heroine herself, fighting alongside her idol to save daddy. . .

She didn't know if it was Ladybug's trust in her, Pollen's powers, her mother actually seeing her. . . But she felt whole. Like she could really do good.

But now it felt like she was the one to make the akumas. . . like she really was worse than Hawk Moth.

The remorse made Chloe's limbs heavy as she sulked all the way up into her room. Ladybug and Chat Noir didn't need someone like her on their team. Ladybug hadn't even chosen her the first time! Chloe had simply found the box laying there and she'd taken it. . . and misused it. And she'd even gotten Pollen akumatized.

What kind of hero was she?

Chloe pushed the door open so hard, it banged into the wall and surely left a dent. Once she was inside, she slammed the door shut with so much force, she swore the whole place rattled. It was a clear sign that she did not want to be disturbed.

The mayor's daughter flopped onto her bed with another groan. Who knew becoming a superhero would make her grow feelings. Feelings for people like Marietta Dupain-Cheng.

It wasn't like she was heartless. . . was she? Her mother was the same, and she seemed to be living the life of her dreams. . . with the exception of her daughter. She didn't care about people in the way her classmates seemed to fall all over each other. Rose over Juleka, Ivan over Mylene, Alya over Marinette, Nino over Adrien. . . And who did she have? Sabrina? Someone who Chloe most certain did not fall over for.

The only person she would do that for is Adrien. . . and Ladybug. The only other person to give her a chance.

There was a sudden sound at her balcony and fear seized her heart. Was that Marine—Miss Illusion? Finally coming to seek her revenge like all the others?

Not for the first time, she desperately wished Pollen was with her. The kwami made her feel safer, secure, powerful. Not in the way that throwing daddy's name around did.

A surge of stubbornness made Chloe grab hold of her lamp, ripping the cord out of the wall and held it up like a weapon. Her hands trembled, making the lamp shade rattle. Clenching her jaw, she inched closer and closer towards the french doors that led to her balcony.

"C-come out Miss Illusion! I'll have you know that I have fought along side Ladybug. I can take you—eeek!"

The doors flung open and it wasn't the dark, oddly patched suit that met her.

The lamp slipped through her limp fingers and Chloe's eyes widened.

It certainly was not Ladybug.

"You seriously were going to fight an akuma with a lamp?" Rene Rouge snapped.

Chloe's face morphed from fear and determination to absolute delighted. Oh thank God. But then she immediately frowned when she didn't see the heroine in red with black spots.

"Where's Ladybug?" she grumbled with a pout.

The fox heroine did not look pleased as she practically glared at the blonde. Chloe did not appreciate that look. Her pink lips pulled into her own sneer, eyeing Rene Rouge up and down.

"Ladybug is not here," Rouge hissed, like her hackles were being raised.

"Clearly," Chloe bit out.

Rene Rouge squeezed her eyes shut, taking in a deep breath through her nose. Her shoulders lost some of their tension, but her eyes lost none of their frost when she looked back at Chloe. "Listen up. Ladybug and Chat Noir need our help."

Chloe blinked at her mutely. "You want me to help them against Marinette?"

Rene's frown soured and her eyes hardened. "It isn't my choice either. But Ladybug chose you of all people for the Bee Miraculous," she spoke between clenched teeth.

Whatever Rene Rouge's problem was, she needed to get over it. Especially if she didn't want to get on Chloe's nerves even more.

Breathing in air like it gave her any ounce of power, she tried to calm herself down. . . A superhero did not fight with their team.

Was Chloe even a part of the team?

"I am well aware I may not be your first choice—"

"Not my first choice? Not my first choice? You would have never been my choice! You're a catalyst for more akumas than anyone else in Paris! You're mean, rude, hurtful and you don't even realize it! You don't even deserve this miraculous!"

Rena's chest was heaving with the way she was sucking in her breathes like she could be a fire breathing dragon and not a fox.

But she was right. Chloe didn't deserve Pollen. . . not after everything. . .

"You think I don't know that?" Chloe snapped, causing Rena Rouge to jerk back. "You think I don't know that I don't deserve to be Queen Bee? Well news flash! I know! But somehow. . . Ladybug saw something in me that even I don't see. What could she possibly see in me besides my impossibly good looks and amazing fashion sense?"

Rena snorted.

"So. . . so you don't have to rub it in," Chloe mumbled, folding her arms and looking off to the side, but her chin still in the air.

Some habits were just too hard to break.

The silence was thick and heavy between them. Rena Rouge stared and Chloe stared back. It was a moment or two before Rena stretched out her gloved hand, holding out a familiar box.

Chloe's heart soared.

Pollen!

"On one condition," the hero said, pulling back just as Chloe reached out and the blonde huffed in annoyance.

"Name it."

Rena Rouge stepped closer towards Chloe, getting into her personal bubble, but stubbornness made her hold fast, quirking an eyebrow up expectantly.

.

.

.

Nino Lahiffe's world expanded so suddenly, his head was still spinning.

Marinette was Ladybug.

Like. . . what?!

One of his friends was a superhero! And she even made him into one! This was insane!

Wait until he told Adrien—oh wait. . . he couldn't.

But man. . . Marinette being Ladybug and Adrien's weird obsession with the spotted heroine was just. . . frustrating as it was funny.

How could they not have seen it? Wayzz did mention something about Miraculous or whatever magic hiding their chosen's identity. But still. . . those pigtails!

Nino felt like an idiot.

He hadn't even recognized Alya! Of course he did now. . . but. . .

Still spinning!

He drew in a breath, heaving it out like a sigh. He needed to stop worrying about it. He needed focus on that task at hand and that was to find Chat Noir.

He jumped off another roof, his focus lost immediately in the wind as a wide grin split his face.

He would never tire of leaping from roof to roof, something he wouldn't have ever imagine he would do—let alone would want to do! The magic from Wayzz surged through his body and he felt strong, protective. Like he could save anyone.

He wondered if Marinette felt the same.

As he landed on a taller building, the elation was quickly sucked out of him at the thought of Marinette, forced in a dark voidless sea and listening to Hawk Moth's voice slip over her like thick tar.

A sudden flash of black ripped him out of his mind, still shuddering over the bits and pieces that he remembered of his time as an akuma.

Hope and dread warred within him.

Please don't be Miss Illusion. . .

But hope won out as a belted tail whipped as the black cat superhero leaped and Carapace immediately chased after him.

"Chat Noir!" he called out.

The effect was instant. Chat suddenly stopped, landing on all fours two rooftops away. His back was rigid and tense, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Carapace leaped to his side, staring at Chat in concern when he jerked roughly at his presence.

"Uh, you okay, bro?"

Chat, still in a crouch, turned his head towards Carapace. His green eyes were dilated in almost a panic. He shook his head, blonde hair falling into his face.

"Carapace?" Chat breathed, like he truly wasn't seeing him. "What are you. . . wait!" Those black ears perked up and the distress quickly melted in what looked like relief. He straightened out, the tension rolling away from his body. "Did Ladybug give you your miraculous? Where is she?"

Carapace's throat tightened. "Uh. . ."

At Carapace's terribly awkward pause, Chat expression fell and he looked like a lost kitten.

"Um. . . Ladydude—I mean Ladybug can't transform right now. So, uh, this old dude named Fu gave us our miraculous to help you—"

"Master Fu? Us?" Chat Noir interjected, his eyes narrowing. "Who else is coming?"

Carapace looked and felt uncomfortable as he rubbed the back of his neck. ". . . Um. . . Rena Rouge and Queen Bee. . .?"

Chat watched him for a beat or two more before rubbing the back of his neck.

"He wants Chloe to fight against Marinette?"

Carapace winced but shrugged. "Wasn't my idea. Wait. . . you know the akuma is Marinette?" he asked, already forgetting he had spoken to the hero as Nino.

Chat blinked, a little flush creeping along his cheeks. "Y-yeah. How did you know?"

"Bro, I go to school with her," he slipped out, his brain not quite catching up to his mouth.

Chat's eyes grew wide. "You do?" he gasped.

Then his brain finally caught up with his fat mouth and he shuffled his feet, trying to think of something. . . "Uh. . ."

"Oh boys," a voice sang out.

The two jerked, but Carapace relaxed immediately as Rena Rouge dropped down next to them, followed by Queen Bee.

Chat, feeling less panicked than he did before, cracked his first smile in what felt like days. He extended his hand out to Rena Rouge, who rolled her eyes but allowed him grasp her hand gently.

"Lovely to see you again," he purred.

"Okay, okay, okay. Paws off the lady," Carapace interjected and Chat blinked while Rena rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry about him," she waved off Carapace before her face fell. "How are you? Have you seen Miss Illusion since. . .?" she asked solemnly.

Chat heaved a sigh. "No, she just disappeared."

"Excuse me," Queen Bee interjected, her blue eyes darting around each superhero. "Where is Ladybug?"

Carapace shot Rena Rouge a look and she sighed, sounding more like a growl.

"Bee, I told you. She isn't here."

Queen Bee blinked. "What do you mean she isn't here?"

"She can't transform, so she can't fight against this akuma," the words were bitten out from clenched teeth.

She bristled, a frown pulling her lips. "Well how are we supposed to. . . what is it? Clean the akuma?"

"Purify," Chat Noir said, watching the two, his own concerned frown in place.

"Okay, whatever it's called, isn't she the only one who can do it? We need her."

Carapace shuffled awkwardly. He knew Alya wouldn't tell Chloe that Marinette was Ladybug, but this was all ironic.

"Don't worry about that. We have that covered," Rena Rouge waved off Bee's question but Chat blinked at her.

"We do? Did Master Fu tell you how to cleanse the akuma without Ladybug?" Chat Noir asked.

"Master who?" Queen Bee asked, but was ignored.

Rena Rouge shifted on her feet, her eyes cast down in thought before flickering back up. "Well. . ."

A sudden red flash caught his eyes and his heart stopped beating for a moment inside his chest as the little thing hovered in front of him. He had never seen Ladybug's kwami, but it was unmistakable with that large black dot on her head.

"Tikki. . ." Chat breathed.

The kwami gave him a small smile. "Hello Chat Noir."

"Oh my God!" Bee squealed, nearly pushing Chat out of the way. "You're just like Pollen! You must be from Ladybug's earrings!"

Tikki smiled patiently at Queen Bee. "I am Ladybug's kwami. Hello, Queen Bee." But then the little red god turned her attention to Chat. "Ladybug is truly sorry she can't help you, Chat Noir. So I am here to help as much as I can. Just as Plagg helped her with Style Queen."

Chat gulped but he gave her a nod. "I. . .I don't know where the akuma is."

"It's in her purse," Tikki answered matter-of-factly.

Carapace and Rena Rouge relaxed immediately. Who know what the akuma's power would be if Hawk Moth got the poisoned Butterfly into the Miraculous Earrings.

"So we just need to find Marinette and purify the akuma!" Carapace cheered, trying to pep up the team.

"W-wait, Tikki. . . Marinette. . . Miss Illusion. . . What if we hurt her?" the words jumbled together in Chat's mouth but Tikki hovered up to him, patting his cheek with her little paws.

"Don't worry. Even though she is internally fighting the akuma, she won't be hurt in a physical fight. I promise."

Chat Noir's ears were down and Tikki nuzzled him, trying to give the poor boy some comfort. It was hard to watch them, just knowing who the akuma was. . . every part of her.

"How are we going to find Miss Illusion? Doesn't she just disappear?" Queen Bee asked, crossing her arms.

Carapace frowned. She could become invisible. How were they going to find her like this? With every akuma, it was easy to track them down with the havoc they left in their wake. But with Miss Illusion? All she wanted was. . .

. . . was to disappear.

A scream cut through the air. Rena Rouge jerked roughly, wide eyes frantically looking to Carapace. He tried to reassure her by reaching out and squeezing her fingers.

Chat Noir seemed to be in the same state of fear and panic. It was surprisingly Queen Bee to pull them out of it with a snap of her fingers.

"Uh, hello?! Let's go!"

They took a deep breath to restart their heart and steel their nerves. Moving in unison, they leaped into afternoon sky.

They were able to follow with their superior hearing, the echoing on the first scream still ringing in their ears.

Tikki had hidden herself, just in case Hawk Moth would see her through the eyes of the akuma. When the eerie wave of sadness washed over them, they knew she was close.

Rena Rouge cupped her hands around her mouth and heaved in a large breath. "MARINETTE!"

Her voice traveled like a ripple in the silence.

And then. . .

"That is not my name."

They turned around, only to flinched at the sight of the akuma that greeted them.

The odd patches of Marinette still peaking through the toxic magic of the akuma were no more. She was covered all the way from her toes to just under her eyes. The magic had crept up the back of her head, her hair now loose and seeming like it was weightless, like she was underwater.

There was only a stripe of Marinette left, her blue eyes looking tired and hopeless.

But she still wasn't giving in.

"You're Marinette. That's your name. You're the bravest, kindest, selfless person I know," Rena Rouge spoke firm yet sincere. "I know you're tired. . . just let us get the akuma and it will all be over."

Miss Illusion jerked roughly, her face twisting as the bright purple butterfly flashed across her face.

"No," she hissed.

They thought she was talking to Hawk Moth, but the mask disappeared and she waved her arm, a weapon forming in black and red sparkles.

Rena Rouge grimaced as the color streaked. It painfully reminded her of her true alter ego. She imagined Tikki watching from her hiding spot, thinking the same thing.

Chat flexed his claws, his baton stretching out into a staff.

Bee twirled her top in an arch, watching the akuma with a fierce determination.

Carapace stood next to Rena Rouge, shield in his grasp.

Then Miss Illusion charged.

Chat twisted his body out of the way of her weapon as she thrust the spear in his direction.

She was graceful as she was deadly, dancing away from Chat's rebuttal and surging forward to clash with Rena Rouge. As Carapace sprang forward to try and reached the concealed bag at her hip, she smacked her spear to the ground, creating a force of black and red that blasted them all back.

Chat and Carapace smacked against a building, barely feeling the bite of the brick. Rena would have fallen to the ground if it weren't for Bee grabbing her arm and holding her fast as she planted herself firmly against the invisible tidal wave. The strength of it had shattered all of the windows in the buildings surrounding them, just as she had done to the school.

Chat gritted his teeth, pressing a button on his staff, shooting it right at Miss Illusion's hip. Only the akuma lifted her hand and the projected staff suddenly stopped, like it had clashed against a solid wall.

At this rate they wouldn't be able to get close enough!

"Give me the ring, Chat Noir."

The black clad hero gave her a half hearted smile. "I'd only give you a ring if I was proposing to you, Princess."

Miss Illusion flinched, a wave of profound sadness washed over them, their bones feeling so heavy.

"Enough of your nonsense."

The sadness suddenly felt like a pressure and Chat sunk to his knees, clawing at his chest. He gasped, fighting to get air into his chest.

"The Miraculous. . ."

Chat gritted his teeth, barely managing to lift his head up to look at her with fierce green eyes.

"No," he hissed.

"UGH!" Queen Bee suddenly shouted in frustration.

The pressure finally broke and Chat managed to stare blankly at Queen Bee. Rena Rouge and Carapace were rubbing at their chests, a pained expression still lingering on their faces.

But not Queen Bee.

Miss Illusion stared at her with a blank expression.

"I have something to tell you Marinette!" She shouted.

The akuma's cheek twitched. "My name is not—"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Miss Illusion, I have something to say to you," she said with a roll of her eyes.

The akuma did not move.

Queen Bee sucked in air through her nose before placing her hands on her hips. "I'm sorry Marinette!"

Miss Illusion jerked.

Queen Bee didn't waste a second. "I'm sorry about saying those awful things to you. I'm sorry about Adrien. . . I honestly didn't think he would be such an oblivious idiot."

Chat Noir made a weird wheezing sound.

"You need to stop pushing people away! And I mean in every sense of the word! We are here to help you. Not to fight you."

The akuma started to tremble as Queen Bee stepped forward.

Carapace leaned over to Rena Rouge to whisper in her ear. "What did you do to Chloe?"

Rena watched Miss Illusion, whose blue eyes were wide, like even the akuma could not believe what was happening.

"Oh, nothing. . . I just told Chloe I wouldn't give her the Bee Miraculous unless she promised to apologize to Marinette."

Nino turned to gape at her and then back to Queen Bee. "And she actually apologized."

"Something told me she would."

Bee was within four feet of the akuma. . . the closest outside of combat.

"I know you know who I am. Everyone knows who Queen Bee is." She said, a haughty lilt to her voice, but then it disappeared. "Ladybug chose me for some reason. . . She saw something in me that even I can't see. . . Right now. I am a hero of Paris. I am here to help you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Queen Bee stretched out her hand.

"Let us get the akuma."

Miss Illusion mutely looked down at Bee's hand. . . like she was truly considering it. . .

Her entire body lurched, like a puppet on a string being pulled by an invisible master.

The butterfly mask blazed brightly across her cheeks.

"NO!" Miss Illusion shouted, her hands reaching up to bury her fingers into her hair and pull.

The others moved quickly towards the akuma, their arms stretched towards Marinette's hip . .

Miss Illusion began to shutter. . .

Bee reached out. . .

. . .only for her hand to go right through her.

Chat Noir's heart sank deep into his stomach. Not again! Don't run away!

Only instead. . .

Miss Illusion was still there.

Her body was hazy. . . transparent.

"Marinette. . .?" Rena whispered gently.

And then Miss Illusion began to scream.

She screamed and screamed and screamed, sounding raw and powerful and so full of emotions that they all flinched.

The purple butterfly mask shuttered, flickering in and out. . . losing its vivid color, fading as if. . .

. . . as if Hawk Moth was losing his connection.

Then she finally fell silent.

But something was different.

Something was off.

The butterfly streak was gone and Miss Illusion's eyes were empty. She stood stock still, no more trembling muscles, no more posing for a perfect attack.

"Marinette?"

Nothing.

The akuma stood motionless and unresponsive.

.

.

.

She felt weightless.

Darkness surrounded her. . . emotions rolling off of her in waves.

And Hawk Moth fed off of them.

Even though she felt like she was nothing but air in the darkness. . . it was like she was anchored. . . unable to move.

She couldn't even wiggle her toes.

Marinette had a front row seat to the chaos the akuma was creating. She could barely make out words that were spoken, shapes that were seen. . . but she could feel them.

People were afraid. . .

Some were sad. . .

She tried desperately to regain control, her mind feeling like thick tar. . .

"Miss Illusion," Hawk Moth's voice echoed all around here. "The Miraculous. . . I need the Black Cat Miraculous. . ."

Marinette wanted to shout. . . to yell. . . to warn Chat. . . her best friend. She wanted to apologise. She wanted to hug him. Not because he was Adrien. . . but because he was fighting so hard for her.

So instead, Marinette did the only thing she could do.

She screamed.

Screaming was the only ammunition she had against Hawk Moth. Everytime she was able to open her mouth and let out that shrill sound, it felt like Hawk Moth recoiled. Like her own voice was in his head the same way his voice echoed in her skull.

She would hurt him at every chance she got if that meant Chat was safe.

"Stop resisting!" Hawk Moth was far from sweet poison. . . now a scorching anger. "Submit to me!"

Go to hell, she wanted to spit.

She felt the pressure of the akuma. . . Hawk Moth's heavy hand. . . and Marinette steeled her mind as she focused on the akuma at her hip.

She needed to stop him.

She was stronger than this!

She just needed him out of her head!

Marinette mentally gripped a hold of Hawk Moth's presence and screamed.

Screamed.

And screamed

A sudden burst of energy surged through her. . .

A bright light flooded her senses. It made her body tingle from the top of her head all the way to her toes. Everything sounded like a rush of noise, her eyes unseeing. . .

Then purple bled into her vision.

It was softer than the toxic color of Hawk Moth. Everything was in a wash of lilac. The ground under her feet, the weapon on her hand, her friends standing several feet away from her. She tipped her head to look at the odd purple sky. . .

But then she realized something.

Marinette could move.

She did it! This was perfect! She can stay still and solid and allow her friend to release the akuma and then capture it in a jar and then she could change into Ladybug later and cleanse it and no one would have to know she was a failure!

She could feel the power humming through her, not unlike Tikki's magic. But it didn't feel right like being Ladybug did.

She tilted her head back down, shifting her focus from the frothy purple clouds to the faces of the Miraculous team, all staring at her in stages of horror and concern.

Even Chloe.

But why was everything a muted purple? Chat's hair, Rena's eyes, Carapace's hood, Queen Bee's gloves, the buildings, the ground, the—

There was a spot of white in the field of lilac.

Marinette peered closer.

They were white butterflies. . .

She could see them.

The akumas.

There were so many of them. Their white wings fluttered slowly, like a steady pulse. They were scattered, but generally all lined in one direction like a pathway. . .

When she moved closer, the white butterfly stuttered, and faded. . .

. . . leaving a vaguely familiar face to stare at her.

It was an akuma victim. Not the victim themselves. . . but their form they took. Their expression were no longer twisted in malice and hatred and anger and manic glee. . .

They looked sad.

Remorseful.

Begging for forgiveness.

A wave of sadness washed over Marinette. She wanted to reassure them that it wasn't their fault. None of this was. It was Hawk Moth and his uncontrollable desire for the Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculous.

She reached out her hand, placing it on their most recent akuma—besides herself. Their hand was cold compared to hers. This victim's mask and suit was white against the purple backdrop, but she easily remember him. His dark eyes were sorrowful and his lips managed a weak painful smile.

There was no voice in her throat so Marinette did the one thing she could think of to comfort them.

She squeezed his gloved hand with her own, hoping to convey she was not angry. . . she was not blaming them. . .

The akuma returned her gentle squeeze and something struck through her like lightning.

The pathway of little white butterflies suddenly fluttered their wings in a frantic buzz. There was a barely there hum of a sound but the message was as clear to Marinette as if it was spoken right into her ear.

This wasn't just the akuma victims. . .

This was the akumas themselves.

Nooroo.

He was leading her. . .

Guiding her. . .

To Hawk Moth.

.

.

.