Prologue
Nathaniel would never forget the moment it happened.
The tv screen of every home in Paris flashed.
Breaking News
The reporter who came on looked shaken and it took her a moment too long to get her words out.
"Citizens of Paris," she said, her voice having none of its usual business-like manner and her upbeat personality subdued. "We have begun receiving reports of a newly akumitized victim rampaging through the city and advise everyone to get indoors and stay there. This is like nothing we've ever seen before."
She looked off camera and nodded.
"Play it."
The picture changed to obviously amateur footage that seemed to have been taken on a phone. The image shook so badly at first that it was like an earthquake, but once it steadied out, two figures came into focus. Both were dressed in all-black suits and appeared to be fighting one another. Whoever was taking the video zoomed in as far as they could and the audience realized that one of the figures was Cat Noir.
Of course it was him. But who was that other? She seemed strangely familiar and hell-bent on killing Cat Noir.
"Ladybug, please!" Cat Noir's distance voice echoed through the street.
The viewers at home felt their stomachs sinking in despair as they suddenly realized who the other figure was.
The girl in black raised what could have been a yo-yo and spun it above her head. Darkness gathered in the spinning vortex and she threw it at Cat Noir. As he barely ducked out of the way it exploded into the ground where he had been standing, sending concrete and dirt flying.
The shock wave knocked the videographer off their feet and the screen went dark before returning to the shaken reporter, who now looked even more upset. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath before she spoke.
"It appears that Ladybug herself… has been akumitized. We have no further details at this time, but we will be sure to keep the citizens of Paris informed as more information becomes available. The Mayor advises all citizens to please remain indoors and away from any windows."
Abruptly, the news cut out and was replaced by a peppy commercial for a new restaurant downtown. The transition was almost painful. Such news should have been followed by silence, even mourning, not an upbeat tune and a smiling man.
Nathaniel hit the power button and sat in silence, despair clawing at him. Tears burned the back of his eyes, but he shook his head and moved to the window.
No. There was no reason to despair yet. Ladybug wasn't the only hero in Paris. Cat Noir was still out there. Cat Noir was a superhero too and surely he would be able to stop her. He would be able to fix everything.
Wouldn't he?