Guess who's back and free from writer's block? xD
I want to give a give thank you to fabulously_frenzied and Roxas Wrw for being the awesome betas for this chapter! :)
Chapter Nine
"We can't let her intimidate us," Ladybug said, still wrapped in Chat's arms as she turned back to face the group. "We already know the akuma is in her bracelet– and so that's where our focus needs to be."
Alya stood there in a daze on the roof, staring at the two heroes in shock. Her mind struggled to process what it had just realized, and she wasn't even comprehending what they were saying. She watched as the magical glamour from around them melted away, no longer masking the clear similarities that had always been there. It had been the same way when Carapace had first saved her, one moment a new hero was in front of her, but the moment 'Dude' had passed through his lips suddenly it was her boyfriend standing in front of her.
No longer was it Ladybug and Chat Noir addressing their group, but very clearly Marinette and Adrien. That look of determination was the same one Marinette got that she knew so well, that love-struck look the same one she had been seeing on Adrien all week. Her mind was protesting the fact that she hadn't realized it sooner– Marinette's hair was the exact same, for crying out loud!
Adrien's transformation did at least offer some differences. His hair was wild and uncombed, no products carefully keeping it in place. There was no makeup on his face, no tension in his posture– and there was no false smile he often wore. Despite all that it wasn't enough to hide the truth from her now– because these were very clearly her friends standing in front of her.
"Been dating for several months, my foot!" Rena suddenly blurted out, the words escaping her mouth as soon as the thought crossed her mind. Everyone's attention turned towards her, as she had just interrupted them, but the realizations were coming faster than it took her to care. "And the akuma fight! He didn't reveal his feelings for you– he revealed his identity so he could go fight! No wonder there were so many holes in your story– and me! That's why you chose me to be Rena Rouge, I always wondered why you trusted someone who was just a fan that much!"
"Um–" Ladybug began, but Rena was on a roll.
"That's why you knew Lila was a liar from the very beginning! Because you're Ladybug, and she claimed to be friends with you and of course you'd know but you couldn't give evidence because of secret identities," she began pacing the roof. "Then you vanish every akuma fight, that's why you're always late and fickle with hangouts because you're just going to protect everyone–"
"Rena–"
"The nicknames, why didn't those tip me off? 'Dude' was enough for me to realize who Nino was but your guys basically drooling over each other wasn't?"
"We were not–" Chat began.
"My best friend, my best friend is Ladybug and I didn't even realize it!" Rena cried. "No wonder you and Chloe figured it out, how did you guys figure it out, I mean how didn't I is probably the better question, but what exactly tipped you off–"
"Alya!" Ladybug put her hand on her shoulder, pulling her from her rambling thoughts. "Akuma first, panic later, okay?
"I'm not panicking! Not panicking at all, it's just that my best friend has been running around Paris in a mask while I've been making blog posts about her and writing fanfiction and it's just really weird to think that I've been making you read them, I don't know what's weirder; that fact or the mere idea that Ladybug has actually read them– ow!"
Rena jumped back, rubbing the top of her head where Queen Bee's top had come crashing down onto her. She glowered at the heroine, who gave her a cool stare as she retracted the weapon, before casually studying her fingernails– which were hidden behind gloves. The blow had been enough to snap her out of her ramblings again, bringing her back to reality.
The reality that Marinette was Ladybug.
Carapace was giving her a knowing smirk, the same smugness he had been taunting her with all week, and she glared right back at him. He wasn't going to let her live this down, she knew he wouldn't, the fact that he had pieced together their identities before she had. There was no one to blame but herself though, everything had been laid in front of her on a golden plate while she had been chasing her tail in circles.
"R-right," Rena stuttered out. "Akuma."
Marinette was Ladybug.
"Well, Okay," Maribug took in a deep breath. "Now that we're all on the same page, we need to take out the akuma as quickly as possible. Every couple of minutes she gains several more people under her control, who in turn bring more people to her to control."
"Facing her whole army will be dangerous for both us and the civilians," Chadrien said. "We need to incapacitate them as quickly as possible."
"I can only sting one person," Queen Bee said, holding up her top. "If I can get close enough to Liar-Pants-On-Fire I'd like to save it for her. She's held the spotlight for long enough."
"I don't think they're going to let us get close to her to do so," Carapace said, gesturing to the army below them.
"Well, isn't that your job to hold them off, shield boy?" Queen Bee asked, sticking out one hip.
"If I use my forceshield to hold them off that means trapping us in the dome with Lila– where she has her mind control strings and we have no escape!"
"Hence why I use my singer to paralyze her before she uses her strings," Queen Bee replied.
"And the moment she sees us she summons her army to attack!" Carapace's voice began to rise. "We can't get close–"
"Shhh," Adrienoir hissed, green eyes darting across the people below, but no one's gazes had turned up towards their rooftop. They had a good view of the Eiffel Tower, but were still aways away from it. It also helped that those assigned to watch the tower didn't seem to be actively keeping a lookout, just silently waiting.
Ladynette took in a deep breath. "Lila may have an 'army,' but if you notice, that's all she has," she retrieved Carapace's fallen shield, turning the screens towards Lila once more as she zoomed in. "No armor, no weapon, and the only power she seems to have is when she gets her bracelet's threads onto someone."
"And her brain," Rena added, the sting of Lila's betrayal helping her focus despite the shock. "If she's not acting under the akuma's influence."
"Hawk Moth can grant incredible powers," Ladybug said. "But there's always limits. When they have control over civilians there's little they can do for themselves. We separate her from her army then the only thing we will need to keep watch for is staying out of her control."
Her gaze slipped over them, before returning to Carapace's shield. You could see the thoughts churning in her mind, a spark in her eyes– the same spark Marinette got when struck with inspiration for a design. Chat grinned, recognizing the look instantly.
"What's the plan, m'lady?"
Rena glanced at those around her lingering in the alleyway, Chat Noir right next to her, baton extended. Queen Bee, Carapace, and Ladybug were visible behind her, standing still as silence filled the air. She took in a deep breath, her gaze returning to Chat. He looked out in the distance, muttering to himself.
"Now," he said after a moment, looking towards Rena– and together they charged out towards the Eiffel Tower, Queen Bee, Carapace and Ladybug following behind her, weapons raised.
The effect was immediate– all of those standing guard instantly turned to face them as they came running, the civilian army looking fearless despite the fact they were powerless and weaponless. In the distance Rena could see the Weaver standing up from her throne of webs, eyes narrowed, but she had no chance to stay focused on her as those controlled by the threads raced forward to meet them. She and Chat shifted so they were in front of the other three, her necklace beeping as she swung her flute towards the closest attacker, Chat Noir doing the same.
Their job was simple– keep them at bay. They didn't want to seriously hurt those who had their minds twisted, but they couldn't simply not face them. They didn't strike hard, just tripped and shoved away those that charged at them with their staff-like weapons, moving forward. Ladybug's yoyo flicked out, though didn't hit anyone, and Carapace kept swinging his shield as they moved forward, easily outpacing the crowd.
Rena's stomach twisted as she made eye contact with the Weaver, despite the distance between them her fox-like eyes picked up on everything. The frustration etched on her face, the way her hands tightened, and the white woven bracelets on her wrist.
She tried her best not to flinch every time her flute made contact with someone she knew as they tried to get closer to the tower. Unfortunately those they did knock down weren't truly defeated– a couple bruises at most as they rose to their feet, coming at them from behind. Chat jabbed his staff back, extending it to prevent someone from pouncing on Carapace, looking at Rena for a brief moment.
It was unnatural how silent the many of the civilians were– not even saying anything that hinted at the mindscape Lila had painted for them with their powers. She wondered how twisted their reality had become, as now their only motive seemed to be to attack. There was recognition in their gazes– so they must process that they were the heroes (or in their view of things, their enemies) on some level, but still she felt sick as she fought. Clashing with akumas was exciting, who were fighting with powers on equal grounds as them, not those defenseless ones who had been taken advantage of like this.
Their defensive game couldn't last forever though, and it was only a matter of time before someone got through her and Chat's blocks: Tom Dupain rushed forward, jumping as he attempted to tackle Ladybug to the ground.
The large man passed right through her, the image of the red hero flickering, before vanishing with a flash. Rena gritted her teeth as their facade fell, those around them pausing as they watched the illusion of Carapace and Queen Bee fade soon after. In the distance the Weaver recoiled, and Chat Noir didn't waste a moment, his arm wrapping around Rena's waist, extending his baton to push them up into the air before they could recover from the surprise.
"Shell-ter!" A voice cried from atop the Eiffel Tower, and the Weaver jerked her head up, watching the green forceshield expand into a glowing dome, which sliced through metal and webs with no resistance. Carapace stood at the center of the shield, Ladybug and Queen Bee by his side. The giant structure shuddered as the Shell-er faded, the Eiffel Tower crumbling down below as it support shattered, hunks of metal collapsing down towards the Weaver when a yoyo and a top zipped out, wrapping around the beams, swinging them to guide the falling debris, because as satisfying as the idea of Lila being crushed sounded at the moment she knew that wasn't in the description of being a hero.
"Purrfect," Chat purred from up on their perch, still holding onto Rena, watching as the remains of the tower collapsed around the Weaver, fencing her in. And with her controlled civilians having gone after her and Chat, they were nowhere near their leader as she found herself trapped.
He leaned forward, sending the staff falling forward as the civilians made an attempt at his baton– which he shrunk down as he released Rena Rouge– both of them landing on their feet, rushing forward which much more speed than before, easily out pacing the mind controlled army, going to meet the others.
"Four minutes," she reported, glancing down at her necklace.
"Cataclysm," Chat replied, dark energy bubbling around his ringed hand as he swiped it against the ground, which instantly turned black, cracking– the street crumbling as energy raced to where the tower had once stood, forcing Rena and Chat to part ways as the road crumbled.
"Hmm, stuck in her own little web," Queen Bee cooed as she landed on the top of the wall of beams surrounding the Weaver, the other heroes landing next to her. Chat vaulted up to them, while Rena was forced to climb. She peered down into the enclosure, and couldn't help but smirk at the sight, the Weaver dangling above a massive hole, only her threads supporting her.
The Cataclysm had destroyed any ground for her to stand on, while the beams had caged her in. The Weaver would have fallen in if it weren't for her threads, which she had latched to the beams that trapped her, the webbing leaving her dangling as the heroes looked down at her.
"Quite a cat-ch we have," Chat Noir said with a purr. "We'd hate to leave you hanging, Lila, so why don't you just hand over your akuma?"
"Get them!" She snarled to any of her army that might hear her, shifting as she tried to stabilize herself, throwing another wave of threads to another part of the wall, causing her not to swing as much.
"Hold them off," Ladybug said simply, not even flinching. "Lucky Charm."
Rena, Chat, and Carapace all turned, weapons at the ready to knock down anyone that tried to climb up the wall of beams. They had the high ground, and they could keep going for as long as their Miraculouses would let them, all of which were counting down except Queen Bee's.
The Lucky Charm formed above Ladybug, falling into her hands. Everyone's eyes widened at the flamethrower that landed in her grasp.
"So much as send out one of those little strings, Lila," Ladybug growled, leveling the flamethrower with the threads supporting the Weaver. "And you'll find yourself taking a little tumble."
The Weaver let out a hiss, raising one arm, throwing the threads of her bracelet out at Ladybug, who simply activated the flamethrower. The burst of fire burned away the magical threads before they could reach them– resulting in a sneer from the Weaver.
"We know you're the one in control, Lila," Ladybug said calmly, and Rena's hands shifted on her flute. "And do you think helping Hawk Moth will truly get you anywhere? He's just using you like any other akuma."
The Weaver let out a laugh. "Hawk Moth and I have an understanding, Ladybug. I get your Miraculouses, and he gives me the powers that I need. You want to compare me to any other akuma? Those idiots brainwashed in their own precious emotions?"
"And what would you call yourself?"
The Weaver grinned at them. "This isn't the first time I've willingly accepted an akuma from Hawk Moth, and it won't be the last. He knows he can count on me, and as long as I get to see you go down I'm more than willing to help."
"Hold this," Ladybug replied, passing the flamethrower over to Chat, who grinned. She sent her yoyo flying, wrapping around the Weaver's waist, and with a sharp tug she pulled her up towards them.
The Weaver moved quickly: grabbing onto her bracelets as she soared through the air, and the moment she was in Ladybug's arms she lashed out with her threads– Ladybug dropping her to the ground in the same the action, and Chat sending out a burst of fire, sending them crumbling to ashes. Ladybug pinned the akuma to the ground as she again tried to send out her webs, gripping her wrists. Still, the Weaver lashed, crying out as loud as she could.
"Get them! Get the Miraculous wielders! Get them!"
"Can I use the Flamethrower?" Chat asked.
"Not on the civilians!"
"No, on Lila."
"No, Chat, gah!" She winced as the Weaver rammed her knee up into her stomach. The suit took the worst of the hit, but it was still enough for Chat to leap forward with a snarl, dropping the Lucky Charm.
That was how the Weaver found herself slammed into the ground, baton wedged at her neck, the Black Cat hissing at her face. Ladybug pushed herself to her feet, recalled her yoyo from around the Weaver's waist, only to send it out once more with a small flick, claiming Lila's wrist as she once more went for her threads.
"You don't lay a finger on My Lady!" Chat roared.
"Down, Kitty," Ladybug said, smiling. "I'm just fine."
Chat glowered at the Weaver, but pulled his baton away. The akuma sat there, no longer struggling, as if well aware that she wouldn't be able to get through the yoyo's wire. It was strange, as akumas would usually fight up until the last moment, but Lila seemed to be fully conscious with her emotions still intact.
"Can you guys purify the akuma already?" Queen Bee asked, sending her top flying down the side of the beams, knocking those who were attempting to climb down. "Her little minions keep trying to climb up and they're annoying to keep down."
"Careful!" Rena said as the top slammed right into her sister's face as she tried climbing up towards the heroes once more.
"Can we flamethrower the akumatized object?" Chat asked, ears pricking up hopefully, and Carapace scooped down to pick up the flamethrower. "Let's light this place up–"
Chat Noir was forced to duck as Carapaced aimed the flamethrower right at him, releasing a plume of flames. Everyone's eyes widened as Carapace then turned towards Ladybug and the Weaver, leveling the Lucky Charm flamethrower at its own creator, preparing to release another burst of fire–
"Venom," Queen Bee muttered, sounding bored, her top pulsing with energy as she jabbed it into Carapace's shoulder, the hero tensing up immediately. She then plucked the flamethrower from his grasp, tossing it towards Chat. "Looks like one of the spider's little threads did get loose."
With that Queen Bee leaned down, plucking the thread from his ankle, which must have made contact when Ladybug had first wrestled the Weaver to the ground. Queen Bee held up the thread as if it were hair she had found in her food. She then tossed it right onto the Weaver's face, who instinctively recoiled.
"You dropped that," she replied. "Now, chop chop! This akuma has been fluttering around long enough."
"I'll take care of this one," Chat said with a grin, activating the flamethrower, and Weaver gulped.
"Chat, no," Ladybug snapped. "Just use your claws, you have them for a reason."
"Fine..." he said, approaching the Weaver. She tried to pull away, but with the yoyo holding firm Chat easily grabbed hold of the woven bracelets on her wrist, using his claws to rip each one off of her.
It was the third one he tore that held the akuma, the small butterfly slipping out from within it as it broke. Ladybug instantly undid the bonds on the yoyo, catching the butterfly as it flew up towards the sky. Dark bubbling energy rushed across the Weaver, leaving a sneering Lila in her place.
Chat grabbed her shoulder before she could move away. "You're not going anywhere."
Rena's necklace beeped reminding her she didn't have much time left, running her hands along her flute once more.
"This isn't over," Lila growled as Ladybug released the purified butterfly. "Hawk Moth will send out another akuma, and I'll make sure that your Miraculous falls into his hands."
"Say whatever you want," Rena muttered, watching as Ladybug picked up the flamethrower, throwing it up into the air. "You can't always twist your words towards your favor."
"Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug called, a wave of pink light rushing out from the remains of the Lucky Charm, sweeping across the remains of the Eiffel Tower, the beams from under them groaning and shifting as they were drawn up towards their former shape.
They didn't even need to move as the platform from under them began to vanish, the healing light whisking them away to the foot of the tower as it was reformed before their eyes– webs vanishing, the crevice from the Cataclysm sealing– before the Miraculous Ladybugs rushed out cross the entire city in a final burst of light.
At her side Carapace stumbled. "Ugh... Why couldn't I move...?"
Rena smiled, placing a peck on his nose. "Let's just say someone hasn't had good luck with being mind controlled today, and Queenie had to stop them."
"Oh..." He said, eyes widening from behind his goggles, shifting. "Some help I was this fight..."
Rena looked out at the army of civilians, who were now healed from any bruises or injuries they might have received from their time being brainwashed. They stretched and groaned, looking about in confusion as they found themselves in the square surrounding the Eiffel Tower. This confusion soon faded however as soon as they saw the heroes, nodding as if this all now made sense. Most set off to head back towards wherever they had been, while others drew towards them, clearly wanting to know what happened.
Especially since Chat Noir was restraining a struggling Lila.
"How could you do this to me?" She cried, tears falling down her face. "I was akumatized– this wasn't my fault– let me go!"
Queen Bee rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up, would you?"
"Shouldn't you get going?" Carapace asked as her necklace beeped faster. "We all have longer than you–"
"One minute," Rena said, walking forward to stand by Ladybug and Chat Noir as Officer Raincomprix approached them.
"So I'm guessing there was another akuma loose?" Roger asked as he approached them.
"Yes Officer," Ladybug said. "Mind controlling one– I'm guessing you and the others don't remember what happened?"
"Officer, help me!" Lila cried. "They won't let me go– I was akumatized– this wasn't my fault!"
"Um," Roger glanced at Lila, then back at the heroes. "Could you please explain what is going on with this young lady?"
"They won't let me go!" Tears were now streaming down her face. "Officer, please–"
She was cut off as Chat Noir shoved Lila towards Roger. "We need you to keep an eye on this one– she was willingly helping Hawk Moth."
Roger, who had been trying to help Lila catch her balance as she stumbled, stiffened up. His grasp tightened on Lila, looking between them. "What?"
"I was akumatized!" Lila wailed. "It was beyond my control–"
"We got multiple reports from her classmates that she willingly accepted the akuma," Ladybug said. "I believe it was your daughter's class? This is something we'll need the police to look into."
"Also, as an akuma, she said herself that she had full control of herself," Chat Noir added. "We've been suspicious of her for a time, but this confirmed it."
Lila was now gasping for air, as if on the verge of a panic attack. Rena didn't know if she was faking it, or if perhaps if she was from what was happening. "N-no! That's not true! I would never–!"
"I have recorded footage of both her confessing this during and after her akumatization," Rena volunteered, and everyone looked towards her. She grinned, holding up her flute. "I learned today that these are more than just weapons... and let's just say mine is a good recorder as well."
Chat Noir snorted.
She slid her hand across the flute, Lila's voice playing out. "Hawk Moth and I have an understanding, Ladybug. I get your Miraculouses, and he gives me the powers that I need. You want to compare me to any other akuma? Those idiots brainwashed in their own precious emotions?"
Rena enjoyed the shocked look on Lila's face a bit too much, and continued to play the recording.
"And what would you call yourself?" Came Ladybug's voice.
"This isn't the first time I've willingly accepted an akuma from Hawk Moth, and it won't be the last. He knows he can count on me, and as long as I get to see you go down I'm more than willing to help."
"That came from during the akuma fight..." Rena said, fiddling with her flute one more time. "And then this last one was from after Ladybug purified the akuma."
"This isn't over. Hawk Moth will send out another akuma, and I'll make sure that your Miraculous falls into his hands."
Rena Rouge smiled happily at Roger as her necklace beeped frantically. "I'm afraid I've got to go, I only have a minute left, but I can send the recordings down to the police station as needed."
Roger tightened his grip on Lila as she tried to pull away from him, the girl pale. "That would be a great help, Rena Rouge. It looks like we have some investigating to do, and make sure we get the full story."
Her grinned widened. "Oh, I am sure the full story will be very interesting."
She couldn't gamble staying any longer, turning to leave right away. She saw a flash of green in the corner of her eye, Carapace right behind her. They moved together, it being strange not to have Ladybug or Chat at their side as they left.
She ducked into an alleyway just as her transformation fell. A tired Trixx came flying out of her necklace, who she caught in her hands just as Carapace landed next to her, calling for his own detransformation with a flash of green light.
"A tricky little vixen," Trixx said with a grin. "You're a smart Fox, Rena."
"Thank you," she beamed as Wayzz and Nino joined them. "You don't mind hanging out until we can get you guys back to Marinette and Adrien?"
"I think it would be best to get back to your class," Wayzz said, darting into Nino's pocket, sticking his head out. "If they are truly going to talk to you and your classmates about Lila's actions, you will want to be there to tell them everything you know."
"Race you back to the school?" Nino asked as Trixx vanished into her hair.
"You're so on," Alya said with a grin, bolting out of the alleyway with Nino right on her heels.
It was hard to keep her smirk hidden when she got back to her class– other classmates returning themselves– all having been scattered during the attack. Soon enough Lila herself returned to the classroom, Officer Raincomprix accompanying her, asking Miss Bustier for details on how to contact Lila's parents. If Alya had to guess Lila had either refused to say for herself, or had given some lie. And while her mind pictured handcuffs and a jail cell for Lila, she highly doubted that was going to happen. She was a minor, and she also wasn't from France– but she did willingly help a villain. If anything she was sure that she wouldn't be allowed to stay in Paris– which was fine with Alya.
Roger did stay to get statements from the class, all of whom didn't hesitate in reporting that Lila had willingly seized the akuma butterfly. Alya had also shown him the footage of the conversation she had recorded between Lila and Adrien, which the officer told her would be best to show the principal to confirm Lila's lies and threats during her time in attendance.
Class had been released early, and the shifting of Trixx hidden in her hair was enough to let her know it was time to hand the Miraculous back. She hadn't had time to say goodbye to the little fox, needing to subtly slip her necklace back into the box to return to Marinette– who hadn't said a word as she had quickly taken them from her and Nino, hiding them away into her coin purse.
Adrien had been the one to get the comb back from Chloe.
"We need to talk sometime, all of us," Marinette said, eyes flickering between her, Chloe, and Nino. "Adrien and I can't stay right now, we need to go talk to the Guardian of the Miraculouses and then school officials about what happened with Lila, and..." She closed her eyes. "Gah, there's just too much to worry about!"
"Hey girl," Alya said. "Don't worry about us right now, our secret is safe with you– though don't think we aren't going to talk about this, because I have a few hundred things I need to say!"
Marinette laughed. "I'm sure you do, Al, I'm sure you do."
Adrien and Marinette made them swear that they wouldn't follow or even look where they were going as they headed down the streets, which was easy enough for them to do. Chloe simply got into her limo with only a grunt acting as a goodbye, while Nino offered to walk her home.
The company was nice, but as she headed into the apartment and into her room to be alone, she sank down onto her bed. So much had happened that she was barely able to comprehend it all...
But she knew exactly where to begin.
Okay, so the next (and final chapter) is already finished, and should be uploaded in about a week. :)
I'm also considering writing a little extra chapter about the reveal between Mari and Adrien, if anyone is interested.