A/N: Yeah guess who said she was done then came back for more: ME! lol I'm such a liar, I'm so bad. Half of me is mad because I really love the ending of the last chapter. However, upon further reflection, I've realized that there's one person left in this story who got absolutely no closure. So I gave him some. It's not from Alya's POV like some of you asked, but she is very important in this chapter.
And now, this story is actually, officially finished. Hope you enjoy!
000
"At 00:45 hours we first received word of an akuma attack in the 16th arrondissement, near the Place du Trocadero. The akuma was a 20-year-old male who called himself Javelot, armed with oversized shot-puts, discus, and javelins, with superhuman strength and the ability to brainwash others. Paris police first arrived on the scene at 00:49 hours, and our officers valiantly worked to contain the akuma's attack to a four block radius.
"Ladybug and Chat Noir reached the scene at approximately 01:07 hours, and with their help Javelot and his destruction were contained to a single block radius.
"At 01:28 hours, Ladybug saved a young child from being killed by intercepting Javelot's javelin throw with her own body. She was immediately removed from the scene by Chat Noir to an undisclosed location. Chat Noir returned at 01:34 hours dressed in Ladybug's suit. At 01:41 hours, Chat Noir defeated Javelot and used Ladybug's lucky charm to cleanse the akuma before leaving the scene.
"Using traffic cameras, security cameras, and eyewitness accounts, Paris police have been able to pinpoint the approximate location where Chat Noir left Ladybug after she was injured. We believe it to be a rooftop on Rue Scheffer, however because of the nature of the Lucky Charm, there is currently no evidence to support this claim.
"Every hospital in this city, and the surrounding areas has been searched and contacted to be on the lookout for a girl roughly 5'2" and 105 pounds, aged 16-22 years with black hair and blue eyes who may have been admitted with blunt force trauma to the abdomen, though again, due to the nature of the Lucky Charm, this may not be the case. She's likely to be accompanied by a male, also aged 16-22 years, roughly 5'10" and 165 pounds, with blonde hair and green eyes.
"However, due to the nature of their suits and powers, those may not be their true appearances.
"As of yet, we are unable to confirm nor deny the whereabouts or status of Ladybug or Chat Noir. We are working tirelessly to change this fact. If you have any information on Ladybug and/or Chat Noir, we ask that you please call the hotline below, or call 112 if you encounter either of them in person.
"Any questions? Yes, you."
"Can you confirm the claim that Javelot is actually Sorbonne University decathlete August Phillipe?"
"No, and we will not be disclosing the identity of Javelot at this time. Front."
"Will Paris police be pressing charges against Javelot for his attack on-,"
"I find it incumbent to remind all of you that Javelot was one of the victims last night, not the villain. The only person we plan on arresting for last night's catastophe is Hawkmoth. Yes, there."
"Chief Raincomprix, what do you have to say about rumors circulating that the mayor's office is already planning a funeral for Ladybug?"
"I say it's premature. Until we've seen a body, anything is possible. However, nothing has been announced yet by the mayor, and it's my understanding that the government has standard procedures in place for when tragedies befall high-profile people, in order to plan the necessary ceremonies in a respectable amount of time. You, in the back."
"You gave the age range of 16-22 years when describing both Ladybug and Chat Noir; is this the police department admitting they've been allowing not just vigilantes, but possibly vigilantes who are minors to operate uninhibited within the city?"
"That was the police department giving a realistic description of both heroes in order to aid in the search. The government, the police department, even the armed forces are working tirelessly to try and find a way to counteract the threat that Hawkmoth poses. As of yet, we have no answers.
"But Ladybug and Chat Noir do. As difficult as it is for me to even fathom the idea that we've come to depend on children to keep us safe, it is impossible to deny that Ladybug and Chat Noir are effective. Paris would be destroyed ten times over if not for their efforts. We have no choice; we need Ladybug and Chat Noir, and the Paris police department will help them in any way we can.
"No further questions."
"And that was Paris Chief of Police Roger Raincomprix in a live press conference to discuss the Javelot attack last night and the fate of Ladybug, who was gravely injured during the attack. With me now I have Dr. Elena Aguilar, a trauma surgeon from the prestigious Hôpital universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière, and Ms. Alya Cesaire, creator and editor of the popular Ladyblog, who witnessed the attack last night.
"Ladies, thanks so much for joining us this morning."
"Thanks."
"Thank you, Nadja."
"Ms. Cesaire, to begin, how did you first hear about the Javelot attack?"
"I don't live far from there, actually. I could hear the booms, and at first I thought there was a thunderstorm. Then the akuma proximity alert went off my phone, and I realized what was happening."
"Why didn't you evacuate? It's my understanding that you're fifteen years old. Is your family supportive of your…adventurous spirit?"
"Ummm—actually, Nadja, I've been grounded for quite a while by my parents for running off. I just—people follow my blog because I'm willing to dig deep and give them the scoop first-hand. I didn't want to let them down.
"Well, you certainly got the scoop last night, Alya. Viewers please be advised, what you're about to witness is disturbing."
"That's just—it doesn't get any easier to watch, no matter how many times you've seen it, does it? Anyway, Dr. Aguilar, based on the footage and your earlier discussion with Ms. Cesaire, what are your thoughts on Ladybug's injuries?"
"To preface everything I'm about to say, we truly do live in an age of miracles. I'm not going to pretend I understand how Ladybug's Lucky Charm and suit work. They may have healed her. It's possible even Ladybug herself possesses superhuman qualities, there are just too many variables to factor in to draw any solid conclusions here.
"However, I can say, with absolute certainty, if underneath that suit Ladybug is a normal human girl, and the Lucky Charm did nothing to heal her, she is dead."
CLICK.
"Auggie, why are you watching this?" Maman asks, putting the remote down and settling next to his curled up form on the couch, pulling his head into her lap. "Oh, my darling, it's not your fault. It's not. You weren't in control, it wasn't you! You didn't do anything wrong."
Maman's hand stops brushing his hair long enough to brush the tears from August's eyes. August knows he's acting like a child, knows he should be should be stronger than this. He should be better than this.
It doesn't change the fact that all he's able to do now is lie down and cry.
"Maman, I killed her. You saw, I—I impaled Ladybug. She died trying to stop me from murdering a toddler. I'm horrible-,"
"You're not." Maman says fiercely, fire in her eyes. "That puffed up red white and blue monster was not my baby. It was Hawkmoth's monster, and you're the victim Auggie, even the police say-,"
"So you were watching," August mumbles, and Maman breathes hard.
"You aren't a murderer, Auggie. You're my son-,"
"Who says I can't be both?"
000
Maman stops trying to get August to leave the house once the protesters begin gathering on the corner.
"Javelot has got to go!"
"Justice for our Lady!"
"Death to Javelot!"
The group is small, but motivated, and those protesters who leave always have others to replace them. They circle the street corner, sure to stay away from August's front stoop, deterred by the two officers who had been stationed there when the first protesters showed up.
When video of Javelot turning back in to a traumatized August Phillipe first emerged online.
Turns out Alya Cesaire wasn't the online person with her phone out that night.
If August were in a better headspace, he would be warmed by the number of people who come to his defense, who rush to his side and offer support. Friends on the team call and text by the hour, teachers from college send cards and balloons, his grandmother and aunt and cousins stop by for dinner. Even his track coach comes to visit in the afternoon, pulling him into a hug, voice gruff.
"You can't be mad at yourself, Phillipe, about anything. You PR'd in every event kid, and I know four years seems like a long time, but you're young, kid. You're so young.
"Don't let this sidetrack you now, you have too much potential, too much good in you for that. That bastard took advantage of you at a bad moment. It's not on you, and I'll tell you that every day until you believe it. Until I watch you win a gold medal in the decathlon if it takes that long."
It's nice of Coach to say, the nicest he's ever been to August in fact, but it's going to be a long, long time before August believes it. Before he's able to forgive himself.
Because August may not remember being Javelot, may not remember killing Ladybug.
But he remembers before. He remembers sitting slumped on the curb after midnight, a bit of broken javelin he'd stolen from the track clutched in his hands. Just ten more centimeters. If his throw had been just ten centimeters longer, he'd have placed high enough, he'd have accumulated enough points to qualify for the French Olympic track team in the decathlon.
He thought it was the worst, the most horrible and devastated he would ever feel in his life.
What a load of shit.
Then there had been a butterfly in the night, and a voice whispering, bending his will, caressing his ego. Stoking his rage.
"Strong, young Javelot, you have been wronged by the world tonight. You worked so hard, you deserved that spot. You deserved to win.
"Bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses, and I promise you will."
Then August remembers waking up, remembers opening his eyes to see Chat Noir's horrified, devastated human eyes staring into his own.
That was the worst part. Because even with the Ladybug suit on, August knew the man (the boy, he was just a fucking teenager) was Chat Noir. But in the Ladybug suit, his eyes were human, human and green and wide with shock and tears and pure, unadulterated terror.
Every night in his dreams August sees those eyes. And every night August wakes up in tears.
000
"And so, Paris, it is with a heavy heart that-,"
"Hello Mr. Mayor-,"
"We're very sorry to bug you-,"
"But we've got a bit of an announcement of our own."
"AUGGIE!" Maman shrieks, running into the room, "Did you see, oh my goodness, she's alive! She's alive. See, oh you see, darling it's fine! It's all fine! She's alive! Everything can go back to normal!"
August runs to the bathroom and pukes.
000
The protesters disperse. The policemen leave the stoop.
Maman doesn't understand why August still won't leave the house.
"Auggie, you did nothing wrong to begin with, and now nobody even has a reason to be irrationally angry with you. Ladybug's alive! She's alive, and it's high time you started acting like you're alive, too." Maman harrumphs, opening the blinds and pulling the covers off his bed.
August curls up in a tighter ball.
How can he explain this feeling to Maman, this agony of drowning and being sucked dry all at once? Because it's not about Ladybug being alive. Of course, of course, he's so relieved and grateful and so fucking happy she's alive. But he feels so violated still. He feels dirty and angry and sick and confused and guilty all at once all the time.
It's exhausting.
All he wants to do is sleep, but then he's woken by Chat Noir's haunting green eyes, and Ladybug's agonized shriek through the television and—
His life is a horrible circle. And he doesn't know how to break it.
000
"Auggie, I have to go back to work. I've left you lunch in the fridge, and I'm expecting a package later this morning, I'll need you to sign for me. Nana should be here at one."
August thows up a thumbs up, burying his head further into his pillow. He looks up when he feels a soft hand petting his hair.
"I've made you an appointment tomorrow with Dr. Delacour." August can see Maman prepping herself, waiting for the explosion that she's sure will follow. August hates therapists, has hated them with a burning passion since he'd first been dragged to one when he was six.
When Papa died.
"Okay," he says softly, turning back to his pillow. He hears Maman's small intake of breath before she kisses his head.
"Don't forget about the package." Maman reminds him quietly.
And then she's gone.
000
August wakes to the doorbell.
He pulls on a hoodie over the pajamas he's been wearing for two days, and slips his slippers on his feet, dragging himself down the stairs to the front door. He opens the door without looking through the peephole.
He immediately regrets that decision.
"Uh—Mr. Phillipe? August?"
It's Alya Cesaire.
Alya fucking Cesaire is at his door, flanked by two other kids, notebook and recorder clutched in her hands.
A quick foot keeps the door from slamming shut.
"OW! HEY! Shit, August, wait a minute. Your mother contacted me, said you were interested in telling your side of the story-,"
August opens the door and glares.
"Well, I am not interested. It's not like I remember all those great, juicy details your video caught, Ms. Cesaire, you know more than I do about that night. Let my mother know I'm never 'signing for a package' for her again, will you?"
August turns to close the door once again when a new voice pipes up:
"Ladybug and Chat Noir read Alya's blog." It's one of the kids, a girl to Alya's right. She's small and willowy, wearing a sunhat and a pretty, yellow sundress. She pushes her glasses up her nose before continuing. "Maybe you don't want to talk about what happened that night, but if you have anything you need to say to Ladybug and Chat Noir, anything you need them to know, this is your opportunity."
Maybe it's just the earnestness he can hear in her voice. Maybe it's the fact that she looks like literal sunshine standing at his doorstep.
Either way, five minutes later August is sitting in his living room with three teenagers on the couch, asking if they'd like anything to drink.
"No we're fine, thanks." Alya responds. "I'm Alya by the way, but it seems you already knew that. My friends tagged along for this since we're on our lunch break right now. There's a café down the street we want to try. This is…" Alya trails off, gesturing to the sunshine girl.
"Oh, I'm-uh, Elise, my name's Elise." Elise looks to her right, at the boy on the end of the couch. He's wearing a beanie, with thick black glasses laying hard on the bridge of his nose. He's got on black skinny jeans, and a blue t-shirt with a picture of a hammer with the words, "This is not a drill" emblazoned at the top.
"Oh-Oh! My name is….Felix, yeah it's Felix."
Alya snorts, rolling her eyes. "Elise and Felix, try to say that one ten times fast."
"Hey! I just, she—nevermind," Felix grumbles. August realizes there is either something else afoot, or these bespectacled people are just rather odd.
Maybe both.
Probably both.
"Anyway, with your permission, I'd like to write an article about that night with your perspective in mind. Would you be willing to answer some of my questions?" Alya sees August hesitate and continues. "We can stop at any time, you don't have to answer any questions you find uncomfortable and if you say anything you don't want in the article, I promise to redact it. Cross my heart and hope to die, promise."
August gulps.
"What would you like to know?"
000
Alya Cesaire, surprisingly enough, is not interested in speaking about his becoming an akuma, or the attack itself. No, Alya wants to know all about what happened after.
And August finds himself talking, open and animatedly, for the first time in days. He talks about going to the hospital, being treated for shock. He talks about the police station and the way his mother cried. He talks about how wonderful his friends and family have been during this difficult time. He explains how he felt like a ghost, watching a horrible parody of himself on the news, committing horrible acts he can't remember.
He talks about the protesters, about the continuous heckling and the posters and cheers.
"What?" Felix gasps, shocked. "Are you kidding? That's, that's awful, how can people be so cruel, you didn't do any of that on purpose. How could they want you dead? That's demented."
August shrugs, and the interview continues.
And slowly, August unloads the weights that have been holding him down, crushing him into the floor since Saturday night. He's certainly not good, not even okay, really.
But talking about it, saying his piece;
It makes him feel better.
000
"Ok, this one's pretty personal, but I'm honestly curious. We don't have to put it in the article if you don't want to share. Anyway, when I was akumatized, waking up was a pretty scary experience. I didn't remember how or why I was where I was, I was surrounded by destruction, and everybody treated me like I was a bomb or something, just waiting to explode. I was wondered if you could speak to your experience…." Alya trails off, lost in thought. Elise pats her hand and gives her a sad smile.
"Honestly—they say it was shock, I was in shock, but everything's pretty hazy and my memories from right after jump around a lot." August sighs, "I do—I do remember Chat, though. I woke up kneeling on the ground, and he was in front of me, staring.
"It was just a second, it couldn't have been more than a second and then he literally flew away, and everybody, all the police and paramedics, they wanted to follow but he was so fast, trying to get back to Ladybug probably.
"But that second, God, it sounds weird but I keep dreaming about it. Because, as Chat Noir he's got those cool cat eyes, but as Ladybug they were normal and human and he was—he was terrified. He was fucking terrified and desperate, and he's, they're both so young, and I never realized it before, they're definitely younger than me, probably around your guys' age.
"He looked like the world had just ended, and since he was looking at me I figured I caused it. Then I found out about Ladybug, and well, turns out I did." August looks away, out the window, drumming his fingers on the armrest of the chair.
"It's not your fault." Elise says firmly, and August turns back to stare at her. Her blue eyes are hard and bright, shining through the lenses. "Even if Ladybug stayed dead, it's not your fault. It's Hawkmoth's."
He's been told the same thing literally hundreds of times in the past few days.
But for some reason, when this sunshine girl says it, August is nearly inclined to believe.
000
"Last one: If Ladybug and Chat Noir were here right now, what would you want to say to them?"
That makes August pause, which is honestly odd because this question was the entire reason he agreed to do the interview in the first place. He knows what he wants to say, can feel what he needs to say;
August just wishes he could know what Ladybug and Chat Noir thought about it.
And not just in some blog post later, or an exclusive interview with Nadja Chamack. August wants to sit, and look Ladybug and Chat Noir in the eyes and say:
"I'm sorry. I'm just—I'm so, so sorry for the physical and emotional pain that I've caused you. People keep telling me it's not my fault, I didn't have a choice, but I did. Yeah I was manipulated and coerced and maybe magic was involved, who the hell knows, but he gave me a choice and I said yes. And maybe if I were a stronger person I would've said no.
"I'm sorry I didn't say no. And thank you. Thank you, Chat Noir, for saving Paris, for saving me from myself. Thank you Ladybug for saving that little boy. It was horrible and devastating to see the way I hurt you but if—if he-," August chokes, looking up. "I don't know how I would've lived with myself after that."
August looks down, back at the teenagers on the couch. Alya has removed her glasses and is wiping her eyes. Elise and Felix are holding hands. Felix is biting his lip; Elise's chin is jutted out, and both are misty-eyed.
Both are also staring him right in the eye.
"You know, M-Elise," Felix says suddenly, taking off his glasses to rub the lens on his shirt, "If Ladybug and Chat Noir were here, I feel like I know what they'd say."
Elise smiles. "Yes, Felix, I think I do, too." She takes off her sunhat and unwinds two hairbands from her wrist, promptly pulling her black hair back into pigtails. "Well, first Ladybug would do this, because she's wanted to for about an hour now," and Elise stands up and rushes to August's chair, pulling him swiftly into a tight hug.
It takes August about ten seconds to hug her back, he's so dumbfounded.
Elise finally pulls back and stands before August; she's not much taller than him while he's sitting down.
"And then she would say," Elise whispers, taking off her five euro drugstore glasses and piercing him with her bluebell eyes, "There's truly nothing to forgive, August. But I do understand, and I forgive you. Now you need to start forgiving yourself."
"And I think," Felix adds, coming to stand next to Elise and pulling off his grey beanie to reveal a mop of golden blond hair, "Chat Noir, well, first he'd say thanks for calling his eyes cool, because it's absolutely true. But then, he'd say," and Felix's voice grows lower and serious, his green eyes wide, "I forgive you, too. And I'm sorry for scaring you, August.
"And then he would, of course, add the request to please dedicate your future Olympic gold medal in the decathlon to Ladybug and Chat Noir and then you'll definitely be good forever." Felix finishes, happy grin on his face. It makes his eyes squint, and he winks at August.
August's brain implodes.
"Oh my God," he whispers, and if he wasn't already sitting down he would have fallen. As it is he falls backwards, head resting against the back of the chair.
"Pretty sure those were the first words I said when I found out," Alya says, coming up behind Felix and Elise.
Behind Chat Noir and Ladybug.
"Oh my god."
"Those were my second words, too."
"You're them."
"Now I'm pretty sure you're just reading some script; am I really that cliché guys? Did I say the predictable thing? Damn, what a letdown on my part." Elise rolls her eyes at Alya, and Felix laughs, although…August is beginning to realize those probably aren't their names.
Well, he knows the names that matter right now.
"How the hell has nobody figured you out yet?" August asks admiringly.
"We're masters of disguise," Chat Noir proclaims, waving his hands, "Paw-sitively purr-fect at covering our tracks."
Ladybug bats down his hands fondly, shaking her head. "Pretty sure it's magic. And probably a whole lot of luck."
"Isn't that the same thing for you?"
Ladybug just grins.
000
2024
"If he can finish the 1500 in under 3:53, August Phillipe will not only clinch to gold for himself, but he'll break the Olympic decathlon record set by Roman Serberle 20 years ago."
"And here they are, rounding the second-last curve…..Phillipe is breaking away from the pack, I don't believe it, he's going to win this Chad!"
"Not just this event, Mark, but the entire the decathlon….and, here…YES! August Phillipe has just won the 1500 with a time of 3:51.47 putting his point total at a whopping 8972 for a shiny gold medal and a new Olympic record."
"And what a special moment this is to witness, a Frenchman winning France's first gold medal in the Olympic decathlon, in his home city of Paris. If that's not serendipity, I don't know what is. We go live now to Vanessa down on the track. Vanessa?"
"Hi Mark, Chad, I'm here now with August Phillipe, gold medalist in the decathlon and new Olympic record holder. August, how are you feeling? Is there anything you'd like to say?"
"Just thank you to everyone who's supported me: my coaches, my friends, my family. I couldn't have done any of this without their love and support, most especially my mother. I've got a promise to keep though, so this event, this medal; it's for Ladybug and Chat Noir."
"Oh my God he actually remembered. He fucking did it! Oh my God, it was supposed to be a joke, Marinette, he dedicated a gold medal to us instead of his mother, oh my God."
Marinette laughs so hard she cries.
000
A/N: Marinette and Adrien both trying to pull off a Clark Kent made me smile really big. Also, with the name thing, I'm going to pretend Marinette's middle name is Elise, so then Adrien said Felix because that's his (my headcannon) middle name for him...and yeah. I did do track and field in high school, but I knew nothing about decathlon event order or points or anything before this, so sorry if in my googling I got it wrong. Same goes for french words and locations because I'm an American who took Spanish in high school.