Chapter 4: Bug Battle

The window in the attic of the Agreste Mansion was still above the water line. Syren did a flying leap through the open center pane, and landed in the meter-deep water inside that had leaked up from the flooded floors below.

Hawk Moth waded to her, a cold look on his face. "The Miraculous, if you please."

"Here!" said Syren, holding out the earrings in her hand. "Now leave me and Kim alone."

Hawk Moth grabbed them.

"I have no intention of doing that. You two failed me badly by not getting the other Miraculous. I'll find someone else to get it – you're fired. Return to me, my little akuma."

The purple and black butterfly freed itself from the secrets bracelet on Syren's left wrist. A cloud of purple energy formed around her, transforming her back to Ondine. The butterfly flew into the glass bubble on the top of Hawk Moth's cane.

Unlike when an akumatized object was broken by Ladybug, Ondine retained all of her memories of what she had done as a villain. She lunged up out of the water, enraged and ready to attack Hawk Moth.

Hawk Moth drew the sword from his cane and stabbed her in the chest.

"Kim! Get help!" Ondine shouted as she collapsed.

"Fly out of my cane, my little akuma, but stay close," said Hawk Moth. "Dark wings, fall!"

With the sword vanished from her wound, Ondine started bleeding out rapidly.

Gabriel Agreste put on the earrings (they attached by magic with no need for piercings).

"Spots on!"

"Now I am Hawk Bug," said the villain clad in a red costume with black polka-dots. "Lucky Charm!"

He received a butterfly net with a polka-dotted handle. He would use it to catch the akuma butterfly rather than the unfamiliar yo-yo. He would purify it. After that, he would cast the charm that would restore the world to normal. It might even heal the girl, though he didn't care one way or the other about that. He would get rid of all this inconvenient water, which had flooded his wife's coffin chamber below.

Chat Noir had gone back to the swimming pool to confront Syren and Kim, but they were gone. Now he was swimming through the flooded streets, trying to pick up their trail.

Merman Kim came swimming up fast. Chat readied his staff and braced for an attack.

"Chat Noir! You gotta help Syren!" said Kim. "Hawk Moth turned on her!"

"Lead the way, merman," said Chat Noir.

They swam together back to a mostly-submerged walled mansion.

"Hey, I know this place..." said Chat.

"No time for memories, man. Get in there and help Syren! I'll follow," said Kim.

Chat leaped out of the water and used his expanding staff to land gracefully inside.

For a second he thought he saw Ladybug with his back to him. But the voice that called out as a butterfly net was tossed into the air was not hers.

"Miraculous Hawk Bug!"

A swam of magical butterflies removed the flood water from the room and from all of Paris. Ondine was no longer wounded, but she was still unconscious from the shock. Kim transformed back and was left sitting on the lawn. He jumped up and looked for a way into the mansion.

Chat raised his staff and called out, "Got you now, Hawk Moth! You're about to time out."

"Hawk Bug at the moment," said the villain, turning to face him. "You haven't got me yet. Security systems on!"

"Permission denied," said a computer voice. "Form not recognized as an authorized user."

"I still have powers for a few minutes more! Ladybug can always beat Chat Noir."

Hawk Bug threw out his yo-yo, which missed.

"Not used to your powers yet, Bugsy?" asked Chat Noir. "Too bad I won't give you time to turn back to your favorite form."

Chat charged at Hawk Bug, but stumbled on his flippers.

"Too bad your water form is a handicap on dry land," replied Hawk Bug. "I'll make you tell me how you got that extra power, once I beat you."

"A little fish told me how," said Chat.

Hawk Bug threw his yo-yo again, and this time entangled Chat Noir around the legs and pulled him down.

"I'm getting the hang of this," said Hawk Bug. "Instinctive knowledge of how to use the weapons comes with the suit. But your instincts are for water fighting right now, so you lose."

Chat Noir tried to free his legs as Hawk Bug started to pull him in. It would have been easy in his normal hero form, but the foot flippers were getting in the way. One chance. Marinette said the potions empowered the kwamis, not the people. If he put Plagg back to normal...

"Plagg, power down!"

It worked, almost as expected. Aqua Chat flashed back to civilian form for an instant before going back to regular Chat Noir. He slipped the loop of yo-yo line off his feet.

"Adrien?" said Hawk Bug in shock. "I never meant to hurt you. This has always been about getting your mother back, for both of us."

"You have hurt me, and you've lost me!" said Chat Noir in a rage. "You've hurt so many people! You're a monster!"

"I'm your father," said Hawk Bug, backing away and swinging his yo-yo as a shield as Chat charged. "I demand you listen to me and obey me."

"No! You're not my father any more!"

Chat extended his staff and got it into the path of the spinning yo-yo, causing it to wrap around the pole. He yanked the villain off-balance into a punch.

As Hawk Bug fell back, Ondine jumped to her feet. She grabbed Hawk Bug around the neck with one strong swimmer's arm and removed his earrings with her free hand.

Hawk Bug detransformed and Ondine slammed him to the ground.

"That's for what you did to me and my friend Kim!" said Ondine.

After they called the police and got Gabriel Agreste arrested for kidnapping and terrorism, Chat Noir went back to Marinette and returned her earrings.

"Thank you! I knew you could do it," said Marinette.

"I had an little help from some friends," said Chat. "Now that I know who you are, I'd like you to know who I am, too."

"Do you really think that's wise?" asked Marinette.

"I think so. Secrets between us have almost ruined us. No more secrets," said Chat. "Claws out."

"Adrien!"

"Yes, Marinette."

"Did you know I had you on a crush... I mean a crush on you... all the time I was pushing you away as Ladybug?"

"I thought you were a star-struck fan," said Adrien.

"No, I started liking you for your kindness, when you gave me your umbrella. I never would have fallen for you as just a star."

"And I've always wanted to know you better as Marinette," said Adrien. "But you got so tongue-tied around me that I didn't want to embarrass you."

"That was my nervous crush talking," said Marinette. "But now I have confidence because I've been able to be at ease around you as Chat Noir."

"Let's spend more time together," said Adrien. "There's lots more to learn about our hidden depths."

"I totally agree," said Marinette.

"How about a movie? Kim and Ondine are going to see Mecha Monkeys vs. Cyber Sharks 3 together tonight. Want to make it a double date?"

"I'd love to," said Marinette.

The End