Okay, I have made the executive decision to combine the next chapters concluding the story, and then there'll be an epilogue! Which I've actually written! Get excited for a rare burst of non flakiness xoxo

~BH


The Fox Changes Her Fur, Not Her Habits

Tikki and Plagg could sense that a powerful Akuma had entered Paris. Normally Marinette and Adrien were in close proximity of the attack or it wasn't powerful enough to do much damage by the time they got there.

This time was very different. Tikki was very perceptive and figured that Lila was involved somehow. Before she had time to say anything, Marinette and Adrien had worked it out for themselves. They noticed a flash of orange dart around the library, obviously looking for them.

"We've got to get out of here." Adrien confirmed, diving behind shelves in an attempt to make his way to the door, dragging Marinette with him.

"Have you ever thought about windows?!" Marinette almost hissed in exasperation, letting go of his hand and taking control. Adrien thought it was best to follow her lead and they edged towards a window that was agonisingly close.

Thanks to their heightened agility skills, they just about made it. They tucked themselves underneath the window ledge and summoned their kwamis, knowing that there was no point in transforming separately now that they were fully aware of each others' identities.

Ladybug glanced at Chat Noir, legs and arms touching under the ledge. There was something about this that made it thrilling, and part of her knew that things wouldn't last with Adrien without the personality of Chat Noir. The Adrien he tried to present in school seemed to be naive, and almost too pure for this world, whereas Chat Noir made his character more rugged, and more complex, and she couldn't imagine these two sides of him not being from the same person who was now looking at her with the same level of intensity.

"I love you" She said to him, before getting up and facing her fate, aware that Volpina would probably have seen or heard them transforming. They probably should have found a better place, but true to Marinette's character, she didn't have enough time.

Volpina was waiting for her, looking out of the window. Ladybug knew it was Lila without even trying, and although she knew she was once again the cause, this time it was a lot less justified. Or was it? She considered. She didn't know that they were dating, she probably just saw her as the lovesick teenager that she has always been. One again jealousy had taken over.

"Ladybug." She said, sounding like a villain you'd read about in a storybook when she was just a 16 year old who had had her heart broken for the second time. "You can't have everything."

"I am aware, or I would have more time." Ladybug retorted, already tired of this Akuma battle.

"You can't just take what you think is yours. You can't have Chat Noir to yourself. Why would he want you anyway when you've proved how rude you can be to people, especially me?"

Meanwhile, Chat Noir was riddled with rage. Knowing that Ladybug wouldn't appreciate him springing out dramatically to protect him, he took the opportunity to slip out from where he was uncomfortably sat and edge his way around the corner of the building. Now he was out of the way, he could watch the confrontation and step in if needed. He knew he could always comfort his lady later and that she was strong enough to take insults in the short term. Besides, he knew deep down that they couldn't let their love interfere with their role protecting the city. As much as he wanted to save Ladybug from every situation, not only would that make them seem weaker, but it would make Ladybug herself look weaker.

Everyone knew Ladybug as a strong independent woman and Chat Noir was determined to keep it that way. Sure, he would be totally fine if he could make Ladybug swoon in costume, but now he knew he had all the time in the world to do that.

"I apologised for what I did to you last time, and you know what I did to you then was irrational." Ladybug told her calmly. "You were the one that chose to let your lack of forgiveness define you."

"DEFINE me?!" Volpina exclaimed in anger. "Quite the opposite. I'm fine. I know I'm capable of sweeping anyone off their feet if I set my mind to it. Especially blondes. I'm quite partial to blondes. Do you think you'd look good blonde?"

Ladybug thought of what she'd look like as Chloe and shuddered. Although Chloe was pretty in her own right, she knew she wouldn't be able to pull it off and it would cause more problems than it was worth. She was also knew that she was bluffing. She was certain that if you retained your villainous form you would also retain the powers that accompanied it.

"The only problem," she continued, "is that your partner, Chat Noir is already blonde. Maybe I'll just get him to fall in love with me instead since he's already attractive."

Ladybug's heart sank. She knew Volpina was teasing her, and she had the impression that she knew their identities.

"I won't let that happen." Marinette confirmed. "Not in this unnatural way, anyway."

Volpina laughed. "So it'll have to be 'natural'? Sure, I'm up for a challenge, I just need to find him."

Chat Noir was torn. Was it worth becoming Adrien again in order to protect himself and in extension, Ladybug? Or was it better to have more protection as Chat Noir? Deciding on the latter, he settled on a nearby rooftop, Ladybug never leaving his sight. Ladybug was normally the one with a plan, but she could hardly give him orders now. His Cataclysm was useless, because nothing he hit would be useful. Besides, he could safely assume this was a mental battle and not a physical battle.

The fact that Lila had retransformed into her villainous form without being manipulated by another Akuma holder made all the difference. She was at home, trying to channel her anger into writing, like Marinette did with her art. It was then that she saw the purple butterfly float towards her chest, where her necklace lay. She knew what it was and she knew she couldn't stop it, but by this point she couldn't care less. She wanted revenge and now it was going to be handed to her on a plate.

Turning into Volpina was like putting on a comfortable hoodie. She was secure, and she felt calm.

Until her memories came back.

She remembered everything of the previous battle. How Ladybug had caused it and made a fool of her. How Ladybug almost sacrificed her Miraculous to save Adrien, who was an illusion. She remembered how Chat Noir was surprisingly calm about Adrien being in her clutches and was very dismissive. Now she knew why.

Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir, and Marinette Dupain Cheng was Ladybug.

Looking at her diary, she had an idea. What if I wrote it down? Would it disappear with the lucky charm? Volpina wasn't malicious without reason, but she also appreciated the value of knowledge. Unless this thought is an illusion in itself? She knew of her power, but not much about the bigger picture. There was never really enough time. Knowing she had to carry out the task ahead of her, she scribbled the information in her diary and slipped out of the house, hoping her parents didn't notice an orange fox-like girl walk through the front door.

Ladybug was desperate to keep Volpina talking. She knew her partner was no longer under the ledge, and she assumed he had kept a safe distance but was still on hand. After years of fighting together, they had an almost telepathic connection that she didn't even have with Alya. She was also glad that he realised that now was not the time to save the damsel in distress.

"I thought you liked Adrien? Why is Chat Noir suddenly attractive to you? All he does is make bad puns." Ladybug almost snorted, imagining Chat on a rooftop protesting against what he would see as a deeply offensive insult.

"They look similar enough do they not? Blonde hair, always there to help a girl out, attractive…" Volpina was scanning the rooftops for a flash of blonde or the swish of a tail, but for once luck was on Chat's side.

"Chat is normally only a flirt with his friends, not just with people he's just met." Ladybug replied, hoping that Chat was out of the way. She knew there was an opportunity here. Although they had similar instincts, they didn't always have similar ideas.

"I'm surprised you let him have other friends"

"I'm sure he can do what he likes in his free time, we're not joined at the hip."

"I can tell, or he would want to save you now, but he doesn't seem to care, does he?" She smirked when she saw Ladybug stiffen slightly.

"You're always side by side at every battle," she continued, knowing that she had made her current enemy vulnerable. "but now you're alone. He's ran away to protect himself. He knows you're not worth saving. He's found someone better. He must be checking me out from some rooftop, he must have found me by now."

Chat Noir had an idea.