"I SAID NO, ADRIEN!"

Ryuko spit her coffee out as Chat's eyes went wide. The ears on the top of his head flattened as he visibly recoiled.

"…You know?" He whispered.

Sabine was breathing hard, her heartrate now up. It had been a long time since she had been forced to raise her voice. She looked to Adrien, but he was turned away and shaking. He was slouched forward against the edge of the rooftop as Ryuko nervously looked between the two of them.

Sabine looked to Ryuko. "Can you keep an eye on him for me?"

Ryuko numbly nodded. "Um, yeah. Sure," she said.

"Thank you, dear." Sabine looked back towards the street and took a breath. "Okay. Here we go."

She jumped off the ledge.

Ryuko looked to Chat Noir. The young man was completely quiet, his back still turned.

"Adrien?" Ryuko asked.

"I'm sorry, Kagami," Adrien said in a small voice. He turned to face her, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I really messed everything up, didn't I?"

She stepped forward and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"You stupid, naive, wonderful boy. I forgive you for every promise you ever broke," she said against him.

Adrien stiffened, but then hugged her back. "I'm sorry I lied to you so much. I wanted to tell you so bad when we were… I never wanted to hurt you. I promise."

"I know that," Kagami said. "And honestly, this feels… Right? That it's you, I mean. It makes sense. It makes a lot of sense." She stepped back and considered him. "I can't think of anyone more worthy of being the protector of Paris."

Chat let out a small laugh. "Tell that to her," he said. He glanced at the ledge. "Ladybug just up and left without a word, and her mother… If she knows who I am, then… Does this mean Ladybug has known this entire time?"

Kagami hugged him again. "Maybe? Maybe you two should talk when this is over."

"I can't. Ladybug won't talk to me," Chat said. His voice hitched.

"I meant the older Ladybug. You know, provided she doesn't die."

Chat's eyes went wide. "Oh yeah," he said.

They let each other go and raced for the ledge. They both looked over the edge at the same time to see…

"Huh," they both said.


Sabine stood before the wild Anarchy woman and had her yoyo spinning as a shield. Anarchy was busy throwing blasts of dark energy at her with each riff of her power chord.

"Ya can't hide behind yer fancy spinnin' shield forever! Just give me the bloody earrings!" Anarchy screamed and fired off another blast.

"Not happening!" Sabine said. She looked at the akumatized woman.

She considered the emails she had received that morning.

"How much?" Sabine yelled.

Anarchy paused. "Excuse me?"

"How much was tuition?" Sabine called out. She still had her yoyo spinning, but Anarchy slightly lowered her guitar.

"How'd you know about that?" Anarchy snapped.

"Because I'm a mom, too! And I got an email this morning concerning tuition costs, just like you!"

"Well… Well, bugger me," Anarchy froze. "Yer kids goin' to America, too?"

Sabine sighed and shook her head. "Not at this rate. I mean, maybe she would have? As it stands, at best she's looking at online courses or something local."

"Huh," Anarchy said. She lowered her guitar. "I know that tone. You had plans, didn't cha? Fer them, I mean."

Sabine nodded. "Sister, you have no idea. Everything was all lined up and boom, my kid deep sixed all of it in oooonnne quick minute."

Anarchy smiled. She relaxed her stance and stepped forward. "Oy, that's rough. So, what happened to you?"

A purple butterfly appeared in front of Anarchy.

"Oh, piss off, then! It sounds like this gal and me are in the same boat, an' I ain't screwin' another mom over that's been screwed like me." She looked to Sabine. "Oy. Bug Mom. My head is killin' me, what with this wanker yellin' in my ear. Ya got time for a nip?"

Sabine stopped spinning her yoyo. "It's seven in the morning."

Anarchy shrugged. Around her, the city block continued to burn. "Yer point?"


"And it's like, he's sooo good at music! He has a partial scholarship to study overseas and I want him to take it! He deserves the chances I never had, and this education can give him those! But I can't afford the cost of American schooling. And the scholarship? That thing'll barely cover his book fees? Might as well wipe yer bum with it."

The akuma knocked back a bottle of Lucky Charm™ Vodka as Sabine nodded in agreement. "I hear you. They've got all this potential at that age and you want the world for them, but then something comes along and just messes it all up."

They were sitting on top of a city bus that was on its side. Next to them was a burning car, and off to the side stood the remains of a fire hydrant. It was currently spewing water as its top had been shaved off by an energy blast. A block down, the police were huddled behind their barricade along with the news crews, watching.

"So, you got kids? I mean, aside from the one goin' off?" Anarchy asked. She passed the bottle to Sabine, who took a shot.

"I just have the one," she said. "And she had a bright future ahead of her in fashion design, but then she went and, well, there's a boy…"

"Shiiiiiit," Anarchy said, a grin on her face. "I know where this is bloody going."

"You have a daughter?" Sabine asked. She passed the bottle back.

"Mmm," Anarchy nodded. She took a swig. "Lovely little thing. Looks like the cover of a vampire romance novel, she does."

"Gotta fight the boys off, too?"

Anarchy shook her head. "The girls, luv. But that ain't so bad. In fact, she's engaged to the sweetest little pip. Cute as a button, polite, sings like a Goddamn banshee. They're bloody opposites, but I think that's why they work so well."

"Well, go her," Sabine said. "Honestly, the one mine is with is wonderful, but for God's sake, I wish they would have at least waited until University before giving me a grandchild."

Anarchy choked on her vodka. "Are you shitting me? And this punk is still alive?"

"He's marrying her, so yes," Sabine said. She took the bottle back and downed half of it. "He's sweet and kind and," She glanced back at the rooftop she had jumped down from. "Very needy. Least he's rich, so he's got that going for him."

"Oy, you want me to blow his pretty lil' head off?" Anarchy asked. She picked up her guitar. "It'd be a pleasure."

"Tempting, but no thanks. I just… God, what was so wrong with just going to school here in France and getting hitched afterwards?"

"What the fuck is wrong with just going to school in not-America?" Anarchy chimed in. "I mean, seriously! Place is a bleedin' shithole as it is. Still, I can't keep him here, he's too big for that, and he's so free spirited, but… I can't be there to protect him if he's all the way overseas. And, and I sure as 'ell can't pay for him to go. I just… I feel stuck, s'all."

Sabine handed her the bottle. "What if he had incentive to study here? Say, a scholarship that was local?"

"Huh," Anarchy said. "That would solve some o' this. Thing is, he got his heart broke by a little gal and I just know he's lookin' at this as a chance to get away from her, you know? She was a designer, too. Made some album covers or some such."

"Oh," Sabine said. "Was it bad?"

"Nah, the covers looked good. Very rock and roll."

Sabine shook her head. "I mean the break up. Was it a bad one?"

"Nah. I mean, all breakups are bad, but they parted on good terms. She was up front about it, ya know? I mean, fuck the little bitch fer breakin' his heart, but at least they talked it out. Still, I know he loved her way more than she did him. It's been nearly a year an' he's tryin' ta move on, but she's friends with his sis, so gettin' some distance ain't an option." Anarchy leaned in. "Honestly? It was probably fer the best. There's this cute little thing that's been comin' ta his band practices lately. Kinda uptight, but cute. Asian gal. Last one was half-Asian. I'm thinkin' he's got a type. Eh, I'm hopin' they're an item, but it's too early ta say." Anarchy hiccupped. "Maybe she can help him get over that Marinette girl."

Sabine paled. She looked again at the stout, foul-mouthed akuma beside her and suddenly realized why this felt so familiar.

"Um, huh. Okay then." Sabine cleared her throat. "Hand me that, will you Anarka?"

Anarchy didn't notice the slip-up. She wiped off the mouth of the bottle with her sleeve. "There ya are, luv."

Sabine took a long swig. "Tell you what," she said when she came up for air. "You stop trying to blow up the city, and I'll talk to a friend that has some connections locally, maybe pull a few strings? See if something opens up?"

"You got friends in high places?" Anarchy asked, slightly skeptical.

"Of course I do," Sabine winked. "I'm Ladybug."

"Huh," Anarchy said again. "Alright. Yeah, why not, then? Here ya go."

She handed Sabine the guitar as a purple butterfly appeared in front of her face. "Oh piss off, you! She's gettin' my kid a bloomin' scholarship. You gots all that magic power, but ya can't fix this for me, can ya? Tell you what; if I rip her earrings clean outta her ears an' give 'em to you, will you agree to pay for a college education in bloody America?"

The purple butterfly abruptly vanished.

"Thought so," Anarchy said as Sabine smashed the guitar and quickly purified the akuma. With a quick toss of the vodka bottle, the street was put back to rights.

"Arrgh, my head is killing me," a detransformed Anarka said. She rubbed her head and glanced at Sabine. "Oy, you're a bit older, ain'tcha?"

Sabine patted her on the back. "That I am," she said. "Go home, Anarka. I'll keep my promise."

"Yer what now?" Anarka asked, confused.

"You'll be hearing back from someone about tuition assistance or a scholarship by the end of the day," Sabine said. "I promise."

"Oh," Anarka said, smiling. "Well, alright then."


Notes:

This was so fun to write. Granted, I stole from myself a little- Sabine used a similar trick over in A Miraculous Date Night, but honestly? I don't see Sabine throwing punches unless her daughter is directly involved. I see her talking people down and solving things with her compassion, first. So, yeah. She used the bottle again.

NEXT TIME!

Sabine confronts Adrien!

Kagami confronts Sabine!

Adrien is still sad!

Talking!

ALL! NEXT! CHAPTER!

Be here tomorrow for the fallout from Sabine outing Adrien! Same Bug Time...

TOM: Nope. Not happening. Never will.

MARINETTE: Adrien and I are moving to the apartment next week, dad.

TOM: LALALALALALALALALALA

...Same Bug Channel!