They're on the run.

Red clad feet are leaping from building to building, with a shadow of black closely on her tail, following her steps as they both dodge and weave through the attacks hot on their trail. The current of sharp blades are lusting for the price of their lives, obedient to none but their master. It's a chase they're playing, a game of cat and mouse, and this villain is hellbent—more so than the others they have faced—on acquiring the mystical stones that Hawkmoth has so desperately longed for.

No matter how tough it is, no matter what wounds beat them down, there is no way in hell that they would compromise what they knew they needed to protect, no matter how tempting or sinister the offer. This villain thinks differently, however, as all the others tended to do. It is a tired and worn out threat. Something both Ladybug and Chat Noir find hard to take seriously these days. In spite of that, they can't afford to get cocky (perhaps with the exclusion of Chat, but that never wins him any luck).

Their foe calls to them from above where he stands upon a platform of uniform knives, which carry him to follow after his two targets.

"Ladybug! If you and your kitten stop now, this will be a lot easier on the three of us. I get what I want, and your deaths will only last a few minutes of agony! How about we seal the deal?"

'Not while you're around.' Is the thought that immediately crosses Ladybug's mind, biting back an acidic remark from escaping her lips. While tempting to shoot her opponent a dangerous 'don't try me' glare, the only response she'd receive would be razor-sharp injuries that would send her straight to the ER. It's best not to risk it. She quickly makes an attempt to catch a glimpse of Chat, now seeing that her partner is by her side, fully caught up to her pace. Her mind races with schemes on how to get out of this. They're already in danger as it is and asking him to serve as a distraction could easily evolve into a dead end before she would even be able get to him in time.

"It's dark enough tonight for you to hide," Ladybug starts, his attention now fully concentrated on her orders. "I'll take care of these daggers. You go somewhere where Switch Blade can't find you."

He nods in response, albeit there is a note of reluctance in his voice, thick with doubt when he gives the OK. Ladybug notices. She understands that this is practically suicide, that she can seriously injure herself, but the confidence that comes with wearing the guise of luck helps her quell these potential dangers that she can foresee. She has to move forward.

"My Lady, I don't think this is a—"

She cuts him off before he can continue, her bright blue eyes rivaling his own electric green. "Do you trust me?"

He nods without any sign of hesitation.

"Then go. I'll be fine. If there's trouble, that's your cue."

With one last lingering look, Chat bends his knee, steadying his balance, and dives below, not looking back.

Ladybug bears a small smile on her face, appreciative of the fact that he is so willing to follow through with her plans, almost never questioning her judgment. But the moment of relief is stolen the second numerous daggers position themselves to circle around her, and cut into the floor of the steel rooftop where she stands. They create an elegant arrangement of sharp rings, with her being the shining ruby of its center. The pattern of sharp weaponry looms over her head, and she catches sight of eyes that sear through her with hot anger.

Crap, he's fast.

Switch Blade whirls a narrow cutlass in his hand and points it at her with fluid ease. "You make this too easy," There is an underlying sense of calm, but she can hear the barely suppressed rage in his voice when he addresses her. "You're so close to death now, why not accept your fate?"

Ladybug clasps her yo-yo tightly in her hand, refusing to back down at the words, despite the dire nature of the situation at hand. There are people to protect, people who depend on her and Chat to make sure that they all don't end up becoming slaves to Hawkmoth through his army of seemingly infinite Akumas. This is one of many infected by their enemy, poisoned by the feeling of wrath, readily willing to murder with no thought to the consequences they may bring.

He notices no response to his question, to which he replies, "All humans are meant to die, Ladybug. I'm just making it easy for you. It won't be long before I get to him too." There is a glare in his eyes. "Let's just see how you'll make it out alive in time to get to him before I do."

With the handle of his sword held with a steady grip in one hand, he pulls back his weapon, and directs it in her line of sight. A single blow is heard, steel clashing against a whiz of red and black. The pointed tip of the blade presses against the base of her throat, the thin string of her weapon keeping it held together from hurting her. She then tosses it as far off to the side as she can manage, the metal weapon clattering onto the floor. Another blade points in her direction, prepared to lure another hit in her direction. She anticipates the strike with a foot forward and her yo-yo spinning a glowing red to sling it out of her way. He looks down at her with eyes vivid and gold, and suddenly she feels her body freeze up. He looks at her like fire pulling a moth to its flame, and she struggles to escape from the trap of the knife aimed at her heart.

No.

"I wonder where your Chat Noir might be?"

She watches the knife as it drips red, watching the drops of crimson spill onto the floor. Her enemy bears a wide grin, and she can see the lust for death dancing across his eyes. "Will your beloved save you?"

Ladybug watches his arm motion to her side, and sees his eyes flicker down for just a moment. Her eyes follows his and her breath is frozen in her throat at what she sees.

She hears him sneer, "It's too late, isn't it?"

His body is hanging limply, an indescribable amount of blades carved into his body, making a home into his bones, nestling between his ribs, driven through his back and into his heart. Sharp ends which poke through his skin are splattered with blood, having torn through his suit. His body isn't moving, sharp needles poking through him like a pin cushion. Teeth of sharp metal peek through his mouth, with the belly of the blade resting dormant between the groove of his sliced throat. Only one knife was missing from the rest and it was the one which Switch Blade held.

She could feel the bile coming up from the sight, hot and acidic. Switch Blade is quick to grab her by the scruff of her collar and he throws her to the side, barely giving her time to process what she has just witnessed, and pins her face-first into the hard ground. Ladybug groans painfully, forcing down the burning substance and trying to fight him off, but he is faster, with his feet heavy on her legs which restrain her movements. Fresh blood is dripping from the new wound on her head and she can feel the tears sting in her eyes.

Chat…

"If you don't want to die," He responds. "You will listen to me and you will listen to me closely."

Ladybug can feel her legs starting to numb from the burdening weight of his boot. She would be stupid to attempt to escape at this point. She can hear the shakiness in her breath and the beats of her hammering heart. She is absolutely at his mercy, having no choice at this point but to tune into his words.

"You and your pathetic cat think you can outsmart the way the laws of this universe works if you try hard enough. You both believe you two can somehow be the exception to what has happened to wielders before you. I'm here to tell you, little Miss—" he pulls her dark hair roughly and she yelps in pain. "—don't even try it."

She dangles in his grasp, careful to not struggle as his warning comes to fruition. "No matter who you become, no matter what timeline you're in, your love with him will only lead to doom. You two will only bring ruin and destruction around you and you both will suffer the consequences for it."

Then she's her knees, free of his hold. Her blue eyes dart up to him, and he is upon his pedestal of his blades once again. Ladybug could not have grabbed her yo-yo any faster, but a shift in his movement stops her. He hasn't moved yet. But his eyes, still upon her, do.

"What about our Miraculouses? You didn't take mine." She responds, her voice dry and harsh. She's blinking back tears. "Or Chat's."

A ghost of a smirk moves across his mouth and he responds, "That's not what I want."

Her expression curls into teary confusion. "I don't understand." she replies. "What do you want?"

His eyes, golden and gleaming with sudden fury, lock with hers, as the final words fall from his lips, and they almost sound like laughter.

"Oh, Ladybug," he says with a shake of his head, "I want you to wake up."