Greeting readers!

Welcome to the first chapter of The Phantom of Paris! This is a story that features a character of my own design with a never before seen miraculous. So I don't own anything but him. As always, enjoy the story.

Ladybug gasped as the debris fell towards the streets below. Using her yo-yo, she swung and landed on the ground, trying to find a way to stop it from falling.

"Chat Noir, I could really use your help now!" She called to her feline friend. The cat was currently fighting the akumatized victim with his staff. "The city is about to get rained on by giant statues!"

"In a minute milday! This guy doesn't seem to want to quit!" He replied, getting smacked to the side again.

"Say goodbye to your precious city!" The akuma cackled as it made more debris fall from the sky.

Ladybug didn't know what to do, she was currently running out of options. All of that debris would level the city if she couldn't find a way to catch it all. She started to swirl her yo-yo around, about to charge her Lucky Charm when a loud screeching noise made her stop. She looked up to see hundreds, no, thousands of bats swoop around the giant piles of debris. They all seemed to pick up all the debris falling and breaking them into dozens of little pieces.

"Are you alright Ladybug?" She heard behind her, a nice suave voice called out to her. She turned around to see a guy her age standing on top of one of the buildings. He wore a black jumpsuit with a red bat on the cover. Under his arms were black and red glider resembling bat wings. He wore a black mask over his face too.

"Yes I'm fine, but who are you?"

"My name is DarkWing, and I'm the holder of the Bat Miraculous."

This city needs heroes...real heroes.

I'm not one to stand by the sidelines and watch the criminal scum walk among us. Let the bug and cat duo take care of the supernatural, but let me take care of the real freaks. This power, the miraculous power, was given to me for a reason. So why should I waste my time on Hawkmoth or Papillion, or whatever they call him? His akumas never last anyway thanks to the bug's special powers. The cat is only there to help.

But me? I follow my own path, my own way of saving the world. With the help of my "special friends" I'll do just that.

After all, real heroes protect the things important to them.

The Phantom of Paris

Origins...

As far back as I could remember, I was always different from other children.

Maybe it was my mother who took care of me after the murder of my father. I don't remember anything about him, but my mother told e he was a great man who valued and respected life. Call me crazy, but she says I act just like him; noble, courageous, and kind.

Maybe it was that I did strange things like reading old, dusty books from the back of the library where no one dares to tread. Then I would bring the books to an old cathedral where I wold listen to the bats screech in the rafters, daring not to disturb me. I wold acknowledge them as well, it was only mutual respect.

I can't recall why people called me weird, but what I did want to know was my purpose for living. Was I destined to be an outcast? Would I spend my life working at mom's art shop? I knew there was something more for me out there, something I was meant to do.

All of that changed that day. It all started when I met the most beautiful girl in my life.

*Flashback*

"Eric, are you excited about your new school?"

My mother was an eccentric soul. After the death of my father, she tried everything in her power to make sure my life was comfortable and happy. Her chocolate curls draped over her back as they bounced with every jump. Her olive skin almost sparkled in the daylight, her hazel eyes were under a large pair of spectacles. She was wearing a plain white dress covered in dabs and splotches of paint, making her look like a human canvas. I loved every feature about my mother, especially since I was a mix of her and dad.

I had my mother's skin tone, but I inherited my father silky black hair. My eyes were vivid green and my nose was a bit scrunched up. I was wearing my black leather jacket, white buttoned shirt, blue jeans, and black combat boots. My mother told me to make a good impression, I figured this was good enough.

"I'm excited I guess, this school is one of the top school's here in Paris." I said, spooning more of my mom's oatmeal. "I just hope I'll be able to make new friends."

I felt her hands on my shoulder. I could practically feel her radiant smile behind me. "You'll do fine kiddo. I believe today is going to be magical!"

I hope so, nothing too magical though...I thought, sliding the chair. "Well I'm off, I'll be back after school."

"Yes! Don't forget tonight's art class too! we're doing ceramics!"

I laughed, watching my mother twirl around the room. She was so full of life, it was very contagious. She stopped, placing something in my hands as I started to walk out of the door.

"I almost forgot to give you this! Your father wanted me to wait before I gave you this, but seeing as your older now you can finally wear it today!"

I looked down in my cupped hands to see what she'd put in them. It was a brooch, something that upperclassmen wore. But this brooch had an onyx stone surrounded by silver material that resembled bat wings. A black crystal hung off the edge of it by a silver chain.

"Woah did father wear this?" I asked her, my eyes filled with shock.

She nodded, her face beaming with pride. "He wore it all the time when he did his job. When we met, he said he wanted his son or daughter to wear this and always be remind of the things worth fighting for."

I clutched the brooch in my hand as tears threaten to fall out of my eyes. My father was such a great man. I nodded, walking out of the door into the bustling streets of Paris. Today I would show them, I would show them all what Eric Cheney was made of.