"Please, Chat, stop this!” Ladybug’s voice trembled, cracking under the weight of desperation. She reached out, fingers trembling, heart pounding like a drum in her chest. The air around them was thick with tension, charged with raw energy.
Chat Blanc stood before her, eyes glowing an icy, empty white, his expression twisted into a cruel, vacant smile. In his hand, the Cataclysm sparkled—dark and dangerous—ready to tear everything apart.
Marinette could feel the heat radiating from the destructive power, a humming pulse like a storm building inside her chest.
The familiar cityscape of Paris around them blurred and warped, the bright colors draining into swirling shadows. The sounds of the street—the distant honking of cars, the chatter of passersby—faded into an eerie silence, replaced by the ominous crackle of energy.
His smile didn’t falter, but beneath the surface, Marinette caught a glimpse of something shattered—something lost deep inside him. It was like looking into a broken mirror reflecting a ghost of the boy she knew.
“Stop, please,” she whispered, voice barely audible, her heart hammering so loudly she feared it might burst. Time seemed to slow as she watched him lift his hand, the Cataclysm glowing brighter, ready to unleash devastation.
The sky above darkened, the colors sucked out by a growing gray fog. The ground beneath cracked and splintered, fragile as glass under immense pressure. Panic clenched her stomach as every sense sharpened—the distant screams of people fleeing, the metallic screech of collapsing buildings, the haunting echo of Chat Blanc’s cold laughter ringing in her ears.
She tried to move—to reach him, to stop him—but her limbs felt weighted, trapped beneath invisible chains. The panic twisted into helplessness, a silent scream trapped in her throat.
Then, the world shattered.
---
Marinette’s eyes snapped open. Cold sweat clung to her skin as ragged breaths tore from her lungs. She was back in her bedroom, but the nightmare’s terror hadn’t faded. Her hand trembled as it pressed against her pounding heart.
“It felt so real...” she murmured into the quiet room, her voice shaking.
The walls of her room, once comforting, now seemed to close in like a cage. She blinked away tears and forced herself to sit up, the heavy weight of dread still pressing down on her chest.
---
At school, the usual buzz of life carried on. Lockers slammed, laughter bounced off the walls, and footsteps hurried to classes. But for Marinette, the world felt distant—like she was watching everything through a fogged window.
She slipped away to the art room, seeking refuge among familiar paints and brushes. The ache behind her eyes throbbed relentlessly, a sharp reminder that the nightmare wasn’t just a dream.
Alya found her there, her concern softening the bright energy she usually carried. “Hey, you okay?” she asked quietly.
Marinette managed a weak smile, but the fatigue was etched deep in her features. “Just... tired,” she said, voice low.
Adrien and Nino soon joined them, their presence steady and grounding. Adrien gave her a small nod, his calm blue eyes full of quiet support, while Nino offered a lazy wave.
But beneath the surface, Marinette’s mind was racing. The nightmare had planted a seed of fear—a warning she couldn’t ignore.
Suddenly, the distant wail of sirens cut through the air, sharp and urgent.
Her stomach twisted, and her appetite vanished.
Tikki’s voice rang clearly from her bag, sharp and commanding. “It’s time, Marinette.”
She took a deep breath, steeling herself. “Let’s go.”
---
YOU ARE READING
The Recurring Nightmare
ActionBEING REWRITTEN Every night, Marinette is haunted by the same unrelenting dream-an ominous warning of chaos and destruction. As Ladybug, she must face a mysterious new enemy who seems to know her every secret and exploit her deepest fears.
