Hawkmoth knelt defeated on the floor of his layer, the butterfly's he controlled resting on the floor around him creating a glowing white field. Natalie quickly placed her Peacock miraculous on a small round table near the edge of the room and waded through the puddle of butterflies to her commander.
"It's over," Hawkmoth said. His costume melted off in a dark cloud around him, a small purple kwami spiraling out.
"Perhaps if-" Natalie said.
Mr. Agreste held up a hand, silencing her. Tears fell down his face, dripping over his newly formed wrinkles. "This time," he said hoarsely, "it's truly over. Emilie has left me."
"M-master," the purple kwami said nervously.
"Ah, Nooroo," Gabriel said, looking up at the kwami with empty eyes, "I no longer need you. I renounce you." He took the pin on his color off, the kwami returning to it with a small flash.
"I'll begin the preparations for the burial," Natalie said, kneeling down and wrapping her arms tenderly around Gabriel's broad shoulders. She squeezed her eyes shut, not allowing any tears to pass down her face. "I'm so, so sorry sir."
Mr. Agreste placed his hand on one of hers, looking up at her kindly through her tears. "Thank you, Natalie. You have remained with me through the worst."
They went to the sinking platform, returning to his office. As they entered from the secret platform they were met by a grinning Lila, watching them emerged with crossed arms.
The corners of Gabriel's mouth hardened as they stepped off. "Why are you here."
Lila's sharp eyes quickly took in the small boxes in his and Natalie's hands, the signature purple broach missing from the designers ascot. Her grin broadened even as her eyes narrowed.
"You've been crying," She noted, walking up to her bewildered employers and holding out a handkerchief. Gabriel took it, confused. As he grabbed the handkerchief Lila snatched the box in Natalie's hand.
"Hey-" Natalie started.
"You promised." Lila reminded her, opening it and smiling down at the peacock pin.
"What is she talking about Natalie?" Mr. Agreste asked haggardly.
"Never mind that," Natalie said, guiding him to another hidden sinking platform, "let's go see Emilie one last time."
He nodded and Lila joined them.
"Don't follow," Natalie snapped, glaring at her.
Lila rolled her eyes. "I want to see what all this was for."
Natalie stood in front of the platform, keeping Lila from getting on with them. Gabriel touched her shoulder, shaking his head.
"It's fine Natalie," he said, "it doesn't matter anymore."
The three descended on the platform, taking the elevator down to a room beneath the mansion. Lila raised her eyebrows taking in the underground greenhouse around them. The darkened high ceiling nearly humbled her, the carefully cared for plants a surreal green in the little sunlight bursting from the window shining down on them. They walked down a metal platform towards a dull white cylinder. It opened revealing a hollowed shell of a woman behind glass.
Mr. Agreste knelt before it, resting his head against the cool glass. Lila watched, putting her hands on her hips and leaning back. She didn't see what the big deal was. The woman in the glass had clearly once been a beauty but her hair had long since started falling out, her cheeks sunken in. Her skin had tightened over her bones. She wasn't much more than a skeleton.
"I'm sorry," Gabriel murmured, tears falling down his nose once again, "I'm sorry Emilie. I failed you."
Natalie came up behind him, squeezing his shoulder. The two felt the grief of the situation so deeply that the mechanical sound breaking the silence drew no attention. Only the unattached Lila turned, eyes narrowing as she watched the elevator descend with a triumphant Felix inside.
He saw her watching and put a finger to his lips as the glass door slid open. His footsteps were silent despite the echoing metal and he walked up behind his uncle, Lila watching closely. Gabriel's arms hung loosely at his side, the box barely gripped in his hand. Quickly and deftly Felix snatched the miraculous box out of his uncles hand.
Gabriel jumped, turning. Natalie following his lead.
"I see," Felix said grinning, "this is what you've been hiding all this time."
"How did you find this place?" Natalie asked, voice hard.
"It's not hard to find when it's owner is as unobservant as you are," Felix sneered, "I was watching through the crack of the office door the entire time."
Lila sniggered. "You're not wrong."
"OH?" Felix said, raising an eyebrow, "then why were you so adverse to sharing this information with me?"
"Simple," Lila's expression dropped, eyes staring at him darkly with indifference, "I don't trust you."
He shrugged. "A wise decision." He glanced at the box in her hand, "though it seems like when we're given the same information we make the same choices. Now then, what is this?" He opened the box and fingered the purple pin. Nooroo spun out and Felix jumped back, nearly dropping the box. "What the heck is that!"
Gabriel stood up. "It's a kwami," he said.
"Sir-" Natalie protested.
"It's fine Natalie," He said stopping her, "I've no use for it any longer." Nooroo bit its lip, heart heavy with being called an 'it'. "You have my power," Mr. Agreste continued, the shadows across his face long, "now leave me with my grief."
Lila and Felix turned and walked to the elevator, miraculous in tow.
"Oh, by the way," Lila said, turning back to look at her employer with a sickeningly sweet smile, "Thank you for your miraculous."
"Truly uncle," Felix said behind her as the doors started to slide closed, "thank you."
"So then," Felix said, attaching the purple broach to his vest, "that's how this works."
Nooroo nodded as Lila rolled her eyes behind him. They had returned to Hawkmoth's layer, immediately putting on their new miraculous and had their kwami's explain how their powers worked.
"What are you going to do with your power?" Lila asked, caressing the feathers on her brooch.
"Heh," Felix snorted, "Like I'd tell you. Sorry to say but trust and lack thereof goes both ways."
"Please, if we're in here it's obvious we both want the power combining the Ladybug and Cat miraculous will give us. It wouldn't hurt to let me know why you want them."
"You're not as subtle as you think you are," Felix said, "I'm not going to say anything if you don't share your plan as well."
Lila raised an eyebrow. "Touché."
AUTHORS NOTE: Hey everyone! I would like to thank user yellow 14 for pointing out a couple of stupid mistakes I made in the last chapter (seriously, how did I confuse Predecessor and Successor?) I have since fixed the mistakes and re-uploaded the chapter. I know this story isn't perfect but I really enjoyed writing it and would like to thank everyone for continuing to read as I upload. The pace of the story is about to pick up so look forward to it!