Marinette Dupain-Cheng woke up in hysteria. "I'm late!" She cried. She jumped out of her bed and tripped on her own feet, grunting as she hit the floor. She had overslept again and was going to miss her interview with her mother about the bakery's success, since it had been around for twenty year now. Tikki flew over to her in panic. "Marinette, the camera crew is coming! Look!" She pointed worriedly at the window and Marinette gazed out. "Aw jeez! Hurry Tikki, I need you to tie up my pigtails, I'll handle the clothing situation! Her kwami nodded and th duo leapt into action. Marinette quickly shuffled through the pile of clothes on the floor and found her favorite shirt and jacket. Throwing them on, she allowed her kwami to zip around her hair and tie it up as she zipped up her pants. Her kwami struggled to carry her flats over to her, but managed and slipped them onto her feet. Marinette grabbed her bag and slid a cookie in for Tikki who dove inside as Marinette awkwardly went down to the bakery. "Hi, Mama, hi Papa." She gave them each a kiss, and Sabine suddenly seemed concerned. "Marinette, it's not like you to not brush your teeth." She said as the camera crew walked in, the film rolling live on TV. "Sorry."
Sabine whispered to both of them. "Go brush your teeth." She said through the side of her mouth. "But, Mom, the crew is here." Sabine's voice had a hint of sternness in it but she maintained the smile. "Now." Marinette sighed and went back up the stairs and her kwami zipped out to meet her. "Hygiene is important, Marinette. I agree with your mom." She covered her mouth at the smell. "Oh, enough, Tikki." She joked, chuckling. The two entered the bathroom and Marinette began brushing her teeth and Tikki took out Marinette's phone. Unlocking it, she turned on the live video to the anniversary celebration. "And you own this store with your husband, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng?" The interviewer asked.
She led them over to the display cases as she answered. "Yes, my husband creates these beautiful masterpieces and more and I deal with the finances." She explained. "And who came up with the redesign for your shop logo?" The interviewer asked. "Well, Tom and I have a daughter named Marinette who attends François-Dupont High School." Tikki gasped and proked Marinette. "Look, Marinette, your mom is talking about you!" Marinette spat out her backwash and smiled. She began to wash out her mouth. "She came up with the design there and isn't it amazing?" She asked. "It is wonderful, Mrs. Dupain. Can you tell us a bit about your home life?" She asked. "Well, my daughter, Marinette, is about fourteen years old now, and she's our little angel. I remember when I first gave birth to her and it was just magical." Marinette spat out the water in her mouth and it splattered all over the mirror. "What the-she can't say that!" Tikki tried to relax her charge. "Marinette, calm down! You just got water all over the mirror!" Tom had come to check up on his daughter by now and head the conversation. "Marinette, is everything okay in there?" He asked.
"You, know, she was the cutest little baby ever. I miss when I could cradle her and giver her baths." Marinette squealed from inside the bathroom. "NO!" Tom knocked harder. "Marinette, open this door right now!" He sternly ordered. "And you know, she had the cutest little baby buns that inspired me and Tom to start our business." Marinette shrieked and burst out of the bathroom. "Marinette!" Tom called after her. In the commotion, Tikki was left behind and was forced to hide in the cupboard until she heard Tom run after her. Tikki quickly phased through the sink and stared at Marinette's screen. She couldn't go after Marinette to prevent her from what she was going to do. She watched in sheer anxiety as Marinette quickly herded her mom offscreen and forced her dad into her mother's place.
"Mama, what are you saying out there?" Marinette asked. "I can't have you talking about my butt on live television!" Sabine stammered, "B-but, Marinette, I was just telling them about home life. I remember your first word was Mama and then your father started calling me Mama Bear. I was going to tell them out there about early life."
"But Mom, it's going to ruin my reputation!" Marinette whined.
"What reputation?"
"At school, Mom! You're going to ruin my social life! All of Paris is watching and I just know Chloe won't let me live it down." She groaned. "But, Marinette, I was just doing this because I love you!" "Mom, if you really loved me, you'd understand." She said before walking away, content with her decision.
Sabine's eyes welled up with tears and when the door closed, she broke down and began sobbing. "Oh, Marinette…" She choked out. "I'm sorry."
Deep within his lair, Hawk Moth could feel the negative emotions pouring from the Dupain-Cheng household and breathed it in. "What could be more heartbreaking than knowing your daughter has become upset with you and wants nothing to do with you? Absolutely nothing. Come to me, my akuma." He said, opening his palm. A pure butterfly flutter in and sat there as he filled it with negative energy. He set it free and it took off into the day, ready to darken Sabine's heart. "Fly away my little akuma, and reunite this mother to her daughter!" He cackled as the akuma broke into the house and fluttered past the camera crew. "An akuma!" Nadja shouted in haste. "Who could be the victim?" The cameraman asked, running from it and out of the building. "Oh no. Mom!" Marinette darted into the other room where her mother was still on the ground, distraught. She shut the door the keep the evil butterfly out. "Mom!" Marinette cried. "Mom!" She shouted again. Sabine faced her. She was holding a small pendant that Marinette had made for her when she was five. It was engraved. I LOVE MAMA BEAR. "Mom, I'm sorry!" Marinette was too late. The akuma slid through the crack in the door and reached the pendant before Marinette could snatch it.
"Mama Bear, your daughter has abandoned you. I don't think that's fair. With the power I give you, you will be able to turn everyone in Paris into your baby to replace the one that took you for granted. And you can get your revenge if you so please. All I ask in return is that you bring me the miraculous of Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Eagle Eye. Can you do that for me?" Hawk Moth asked. Sabine smiled devilishly. "Mom! Say no! Please!" Marinette screamed. "Too late, Marinette. I accept, Hawk Moth." The goo swarmed her body and in a matter of seconds, Marinette was staring at a thick woman who wore an ancient chinese dress from the early 1900's and had an apron on. Her pendant wrapped around her neck and she wore a beautiful purple mask in the shape of a butterfly. Marinette clasped her hands over her mouth and tears formed in her eyes. She dashed out of the room in horror. "Marinette, there is nowhere in Paris where I won't find you! No superhero can save you from me!" Marinette ran out of the building, tears streaming down her face. Her kwami managed to join her unnoticed moments later. "Marinette, don't you think Ladybug should save her?" Tikki asked. "I can't, Tikki. I don't want to fight my mom! She's too important to me to do that!" Tikki stopped her. "Marinette, you're not fighting her. You're saving her. Only you and your colleagues can stop her from taking over Paris. You are the chosen one and you can save your mom even if it means that you have to battle in the process. I believe in you. All of Paris believes in you. You can do it, Marinette."
Marinette wiped away the tears. "You're right. I'm saving my mom." She got ready to transform. "Tikki, Spots-" A blast narrowly avoided Marinette and hit the ground. "I found you, Marinette! Let me show you what I'm going to do to you!" She was holding the pendant in her hand. She swung it around like Ladybug with her yo-yo and brought it down, aimed at a couple on a bench. The blast transformed them into wailing babies, until Mama Bear floated over and gave them each a kiss. They both were mesmerized and transformed into her servants. "Capture her and don't let her go. I have an army to create!" She ordered. The babies followed her command and jumped off of the bench. Despite being infants, they ran surprisingly quickly and tackled Marinette to the ground. They held her down as Mama Bear transformed drivers of cars, innocent strollers, and even appointed regular babies to join her army. Quickly, Marinette was trapped underneath a pile of infants and was rendered unable to move. Suddenly, a staff shot from nowhere and knocked all the toddlers from their piled and onto the ground. Chat Noir lifted Marinette and smiled. "Hello, purrincess. I guess you keep getting yourself into trouble. Not to worry, I'm make sure you're whisked to safe hands." He winked at her before chucking her into the air. Marinette screamed in fear, not having her suit to protect her, before Eagle Eye caught her. "I gotcha, Marinette! C'mon, I got to get you to safer grounds!" His jetpack whirred loudly and his wings flapped as he rocketed away, leaving Chat Noir to deal with the army of tots. "Chat Noir has come to steal your babies from you! Make sure he doesn't get away with it by seizing his miraculous!" Hawk Moth shouted at Mama Bear. "Chat Noir, welcome to my daycare. Obviously you are unaware of the rules, so let me tell you. Rule one: I'm in control. Rule two: I have to take away all choking hazards! Oh look, you have a ring! Let me help you!" She shouted, sending a blast at him. He did a flip out of the way and landed in a cat stance. "No thanks, but I like my ring. It's shiny!" He continued avoiding the blasts as Eagle Eye soared above. "I'm going to leave you here for now. There are so many people here, you'll blend in!" He explained, dropping her in the Champs-Élysées. "But won't she come here to expand her army?" Marinette asked. "I know, but I didn't have a lot of time to think. Just trust me, Chat Noir, and Ladybug, who for some reason isn't answering. Let me try again. Maybe she can watch over you while Chat Noir and I deal with Mama Bear." His bow and arrow grip pooped out of his jetpack and landed in his hands. He opened the communication feature and tried dialing Ladybug. No answer. Marinette grew more anxious by the second. "That's so weird. Usually, she's calling me. I have to go, but stay safe!" He said. "Wings!" His wings protruded from the jetpack and he returned his bow and arrow. His jetpack shot him into the sky and he left Marinette in the middle of the Champs-Élysées. She quickly darted into a store. "Can I use your bathroom?" She asked. The clerk nodded and she quickly dashed in. Locking the door, Marinette let Tikki out of her bag. "No more messing around, I have to save my mom." She said. "Tikki, Spots On!" Her suit flashed onto her body and soon she was out of the bathroom, only after leaving the door open for other patrons.
Chat Noir dodged another blast and extended his staff to keep the babies off of him. "Get off, come on!" He shouted. The babies' grips were hard, and were not letting go of his staff. Eagle Eye swooped over and watched as Mama Bear neared Chat Noir. She hadn't noticed him yet and pulled out his bow and a net arrow. He aimed for her and shot. She got knocked to the ground and trapped within the net, saving Chat Noir for the time being.
"Thanks, Eagle Eye! But I've got a situation!" He cried, trying to shake the babies off. Eagle Eye landed and began placing the babies on the ground, one by one. But right after he would place them down, they'd climb on him. "No, get off!" He shook his leg violently. Mama Bear laughed maniacally as she broke free of the net. "You can't escape my babies! You're done for! I'm going to let them deal with you while I grow my army. And if you can, my babies, snatch their miraculous!" Mama Bear floated off into the sky, to the busiest spot in Paris, the Champs-Élysées.
Ladybug launched her yo-yo at another building and reeled herself in to continue. She landed for a mere second before leaping off of it and wrapping her yo-yo around another building and reeling herself in again. She passed Mama Bear on her way, and they made eye contact. "Don't let Ladybug get away, Mama Bear! Take her miraculous! The earrings!" Mama Bear stopped and Ladybug landed on a building. She twirled her yo-yo forming a shield and prepared for a one on one battle. "Ladybug, I assume you know what I want." She said. Ladybug pointed at her. "You can't win, Mama Bear! I'll take you down first!" mama Bear cackled. "You think I'm going to fight you? I'm not. They are!" She shouted. A babbling sound rang in Ladybug's ears, and it seemed to get louder. She ran to the edge of the building to discover that Mama Bear had turned more people into babies than she thought, and her army was climbing up the side of the building to get her. "Toodle-loo, Ladybug! I have an army to complete! My babies, please take care of this insect." She ordered. The babies quickened their pace and soon were spilling onto the rooftop. The surrounded Ladybug, enclosing her with a circle. She wrapped her yo-yo around Mama Bear's wrist and the villain growled at her. Ladybug reeled herself in and kicked Mama Bear square in the chin. The villain fell to the ground, losing grip of her pendant. "No!" She cried. Ladybug twirled herself in the air and nosedived to the rooftop towards the pendant, but the babies got to it first and returned it to the owner. "Good work, babies. Now seize her miraculous!" She cried. The babies around her snarled as they charged the ladybug themed hero. She did a back handspring away from the charging group and then wrapped her yo-yo around a pipe, tripping the babies over onto one another. She reeled it in and smiled. "Now for Mama." She launched her yo-yo at the villain who deflected it with her pendant. They continued this for a while before Ladybug got sick of the repetitive motion and swept her off of her feet. Mama Bear hit the ground with a thud but flipped onto her feet. "You may have babies, but that's not your only power, Mama Bear. Use your blasting ability! Transform her into your servant!" Mama Bear smirked and sent a blast at Ladybug who deflected it with her yo-yo.
She sent it at Mama Bear again, who caught it and yanked Ladybug in. She fell to her feet and lay there, motionless. "Now, Mama Bear! Grab her earrings!" She reached for the jewels on her daughter's ears and was nearly triumphant until she was knocked back by an arrow. She landed on the edge of the building, and lost her balance, falling off. Eagle Eye swooped down and caught her bridal style. "I'll take that." He said, gripping her pendant and flying her back onto the rooftop. "Ladybug, it's all yours!" SHe shouted, tossing it to the red clad hero. She went back to catch it, but the army of babies tripped her over. Mama Bear quickly floated over to the pendant on the ground and picked it up. "Eagles are great, but baby eagles are adorable!" She sent a blast in his direction and he dodged it quickly. "Too little too late, Mama Bear!" She smirked as the blast ricocheted off of a reflective surface and hit Eagle Eye in the back. He began to shrink and transformed into a baby version of himself. He began to wail before Mama Bear reached him and planted a kiss on his forehead. He stopped his noise and gave into her demands, becoming her servant. "Excellent work, mama Bear." Hawk Moth praised. "Use Eagle Eye and your baby army to take Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous." He suggested. "Babies, attack! Eagle Eye, aerial attack!" Mama Bear instructed.
Her baby army swarmed the two heroes and Eagle Eye ascended into flight. He took out a bomb arrow. He placed it on the string. He aimed, pulled back. He shot. The bomb arrow hit the side of the structure and detonated, causing it to crumble and destroyed the internal mechanisms. The civilians inside began to lose balance as the floor began to lean towards gravity. They began tumbling out one by one and Mama Bear took advantage of the situation by transforming them all into babies. They plummeted to the ground, screaming in fear and in sadness. Mama Bear left her army to handle the situation and swiftly placed them on the ground, giving each of them a peck on the nose. "They look busy right now, I think I need to expand my army before I go to the gold, Hawk Moth. What do you think?" "I agree, my Mama Bear. And I know exactly where to go." She realized where he was talking about and soared into the air in the direction of the Champs-Élysées. As Chat Noir struggled to break free of the prison he was encase in, he could see where Mama Bear was going through the babies. "No! She can't get to the Champs-Élysées! Mich-Eagle Eye hid Marinette there!" Ladybug tensed up suddenly and realized the trouble she was in. "We have to stop her before she manages to turn all of Paris into her army." Ladybug declared. She reached for Chat's staff and managed to get it to extend. When it did, it shot up into the air and they went up with hazardous and ravenous babies began to climb the pole, but CHat shortened it again, dropping them to the ground. A few of them hit the ground hard and began wailing before transforming back into an adult. "Chat, did you see that?" She asked. They landed on the ground. "I sure did. It's pain that turns her army back into themselves! We have to do something!"
A bomb arrow detonated and exploded in between them, sending them away from one another. Ladybug and Chat Noir both flipped to their feet and looked up. They knew exactly where the bomb had came from. They faced baby Eagle Eye who was still under Mama Bear's control. "We have to revert him to normal before we save Marinette!" Ladybug declared. "Then leave it to me, you go after Mama Bear!" Chat said confidently. "Okay. I'm trusting you!" Ladybug said before launching her yo-yo at a building and getting reeled away.
Eagle Eye growled as Chat Noir withdrew his staff and took out four arrows. He shot them all at once and Chat flipped out of the way. He twirled his staff to deflect the attacks. Eagle Eye babbled something as if he was saying words and landed on the building. Taking out another arrow, he avoided Chat's jabs and sent another array at him. They exploded on impact, knocking Chat to the ground. Eagle Eye got closer and gurgled as he reached from his ring. Chat gripped his baby wrist and slammed him onto the ground. That sent a shockwave of pain through Eagle Eye's body and he began to scream before transforming back into his teenage self. "Chat Noir? What am I doing here?" He stood up and then helped Chat Noir up. "No time, Eagle Eye. We need to help Ladybug! She's with Mama Bear right now!" Eagle Eye nodded as a baby crawled up to him and slapped his leg. "And what do we do about these ones?" He asked, picking it up as the group began to close in. "Pain transforms them into adults again, but if we want to save them all, we need to get to the Champs-Élysées!" He said. Michael set the baby down. "What happened to me?" He asked. "You got transformed into a baby and tried to take our miraculous. But don't worry. I changed you back." Eagle Eye pondered this. "That's why I'm getting a migraine. Thanks Chat. Wings!" His eagle wings protruded form his jetpack and he blasted into the air, followed by Chat Noir and his staff. "By the way, what happened last week stays between us." He said. "I know, Michael. But it's not going to be that easy. I almost spilt your real name to Ladybug." He said. "Dude. Come on!" He said, before stopping in his tracks. Chat Noir landed on a street sign and quietly gasped. All of the patrons at the Champs-Élysées had been transformed into babies and the others were swarming down the street. "This is not good." Eagle Eye muttered. "There's Ladybug!" Chat cried. The two heroes quickly joined their colleague. Ladybug dodged a critical blast from Mama Bear and did a histrionic spin before launching her yo-yo at Mama Bear's arms. She wrapped them tight like handcuffs and reeled herself in. She flipped over her and pushed off of her back for leverage, knocking Mama Bear to the ground. She yanked on her yo-yo pulling Mama Bear off of the ground and sending her into the sky. "Hey, Ladybug. Need a hand?" She grinned. "Thanks. Keep her busy while I use Lucky Charm. I think I tired her out!" Ladybug reeled her yo-yo in as Eagle Eye trapped Mama Bear in a net arrow and they both guarded it like prison guards. Ladybug eyes the street. Babies were flowing in form both directions and the guys were already being circled. And the circle was closing quickly. "Where's Marinette?" Eagle Eye asked Mama Bear. "Beats me, you dolt! She's not here! And you won't be either. Not when my babies will get you first!" It was true. The male heroes prepared for battle as Mama Bear fought to escape her net prison.
"LUCKY CHARM!"
A stick of butter wrapped in a red and black polka dotted wrapper fell into Ladybug's hands. "Butter? These Lucky Charms get weirder and weirder." She scrutinized her surroundings, and Lucky Vision activated. Her eyes first fell on Eagle Eye and then a nearby building that was extremely wide. Then she stared at Chat Noir for a second and then averted her attention to a competing bakery. It's name was Donut Destinies and they sold nothing but donuts. Their sign was a donut, perfect for trapping Mama Bear. Then she noticed the pendant and the butter and it all clicked into place as Mama Bear broke free of her net prison and menacingly stared at the two heroes. Ladybug knew she couldn't do anything to the babies already in the Champs-Élysées but she could handle the incoming. "Eagle Eye, Sonic Screech, now!" She said. "That building, there!' She pointed and Eagle Eye quickly swept into the air, leaving Chat Noir behind.
"SONIC SCREECH!"
He floated behind the building and screamed at the base. It began to tip over in both directions before deciding on falling on Eagle Eye. He quickly summoned all of his strength and with his abilities enhanced, he shoved it over, cutting off the flow to the babies coming in. They would climb over, but by then it would be too late. His pin began to bleep and his left wing vanished. "I know, Kwazii, I know." He said. Soon he'd have to deal with a kwami that only cared for popcorn. "Uh, Ladybug?" Chat cried before getting blasted and transforming into a screaming baby. Mama Bear planted a kiss on his forehead and he stopped. "Since Eagle Eye was uncooperative, try using Chat Noir's cataclysm to take out Ladybug!" Hawk Moth declared. "Chat Noir, cataclysm this pesky bug!" Mama Bear ordered. He obliged, letting out a war cry.
"CATACLYSM!"
His hand was engulfed with dark purple light and he charged Ladybug who had placed the butter stick on her hip and was busy wire cutting a building with her yo-yo. She wrapped it around the building multiple times and brought the head back to her. Placing her leg on a pole for leverage, she pulled as hard as she could and the yo-yo began to slice through the building, but it wasn't enough to knock it over. Eagle Eye swooped overhead. "In need of some assistance?" He asked. "Bomb arrows would be nice!" She said. He obliged and knocked out the base. He plunged around back and knocked it over, cutting the pathway between Mama Bear and the rest of her servants. "Now what?" He asked. "Now leave the rest to me." She answered. Chat Noir, who had baby legs, finally reached her and she scooped him off the ground as he tried to claw her face. "Aww, baby Chat is adorable!" She said. Then she chucked him directly onto the side of the donut, head first. "Ouch." Eagle Eye winced. He could basically see the cartoonish bulge on Chat's head.
Chat began to wail and fell onto the base, his cataclysm destroying the metal, causing the sign to creak. "Isn't she going to help him?" Eagle Eye asked. "That's what I'm counting on. She has to kiss them to calm them down, and she can't lose Chat Noir. The perfect bait for my trap." She said. Her earring beeped and so did Eagle Eye's pin. Now he only had the orange color of the pin, the silver point on top, and his beak. Three minutes. Ladybug had two. Mama Bear quickly floated up to him and went to plant another kiss on his forehead, but the donut sign caught her and trapped her arms inside the donut hole. Unfortunately, the pendant was stuck with it, and couldn't be removed. Chat continued to cry until he transformed again, and jumped down to join his teammates. "What happened?" He asked. "Long story. But now comes the end." She said. She flung the butter stick into the air and it disappeared into the sky. "Uh, don't ladybugs usually show up now?" Eagle Eye asked. "Well, when I say the magic words. Wait for it." She said. It fell back into her hands, making a sizzling noise. "Yes! The butter is melting!" She said. Ladybug unwrapped it, revealing dripping melted butter. She dripped some onto her hand and then into the crack where the pendant was and slipped her hand inside. She pulled the pendant out moments later and wiped the button off. Holding the pendant in two hands, Ladybug snapped the wire.
The akuma escaped, attempting to make its getaway. "No more evil doing for you little akuma." She swiped her yo-yo, revealing the purifying light inside. She swung it around before entering her stance.
"TIME TO DE-EVILIZE!"
With a flick of her wrist, the yo-yo swayed right into the akuma and closed on it. Ladybug reeled the yo-yo in and caught it. "Gotcha!"
She opened the yo-yo and the pure white butterfly fluttered out. "Bye-bye little butterfly." She said. She flung the half melted stick of butter into the air. "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!" It transformed into a swarm of ladybugs that began to fix the damage. They repaired the buildings Ladybug and Eagle Eye knocked over, they returned the adults to normal, and they freed Mama Bear from her donut prison and placed it back onto the shop. The purple goop swarmed her body again and returned her to Sabine Cheng. "Wh-what happened?" She asked perplexed. "Pound it." The group said, fist bumping one another.
Hawk Moth growled from within his lair. "Ladybug, Eagle Eye, Chat Noir. You three are babies and I am your father and I'm telling you now, you will be punished very soon!" He growled once again as the lair window shut.
"Ladybug? Chat Noir? Eagle Eye? Oh no! I-I became akumatized and-Marinette! I have to find her!" Ladybug stiffened. "Well, she should be here. I brought her here." Eagle Eye said. "I'm sure your daughter is safe, and most likely hid away somewhere, otherwise she would have appeared right here, Mam-ma'am!" He earring bleeped again, giving her one last minute before Tikki gave out. "That's my cue! Bug out!" She shouted, before sending her yo-yo out of sight and disappearing into the night. The other two heroes vanished, too, and left Sabine to walk home.
The entire time, she was filled with worry about Marinette and how she had felt vengeance toward her. She was overcome by the sheer anxiety of hurting her and her guilt for getting so worked up. As she walked in the front door to her home, Marinette tackled her with a bear hug. "Mama! I was so worried, are you okay? Are you hurt?" She asked. "No, Marinette, I'm fine. A-are you? Did I h-hurt you?" She asked with concern. "Nope. Mama, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. You didn't deserve it. You were just talking and I know how you are with rambling because I get it from you. I'm still learning about how to be softer and to not cause akumas. I tried to help, ut it was too late. I'm sorry." Sabine hugged her harder than ever. "Marinette, I'm sorry too. I should have checked with you before saying such personal things on air. You didn't deserve the embarrassment. And I'm sorry for letting my emotions get the best of me and succumbing to Hawk Moth's pressure. If I hurt you, I am so, so, genuinely sorry." Marinette shook her head. "It's okay, Mom. I forgive you." They hugged again. "Hey, in all the emotion commotion, we never celebrated the anniversary of the bakery!" Tom suddenly walked in with a large cake, shaped like the bakery. "I'm glad someone else noticed. It took me all day to make this without you, Sabine! Come on, everyone! Let's eat some cake!" And so they did.