Marinette and Miss Fortune swung their yo-yo's around, the string weapons deflecting of each other in the air as they clashed. When they realized that wasn't going to work they charged at each other, Miss Fortune trying to sweep kick Ladybug, whom slid on her knees and leaning backwards under the, before trying to kick in Miss Fortune's face. The evil doppelganger leaned back to avoid it as well. Miss Fortune just tackled our heroine to the ground and they rolled across the rooftop like a catfight in a high school drama.
Ladybug held her counterpart to the ground and slammed her head into the hard floor, but then Miss Fortune headbutts her and scratches her across the face. Luckily Miss Fortune was no chat and didn't cut her face open. They pushed each other off and stoop up.
"Lucky Charm!"
"Unlucky Charm!"
Both shot their yo-yos to the skies. Ladybug got a fork and Miss Fortune got a spoon. "You want to use your fork on that glass over there and assault my ears to throw me off guard." Miss Fortune predicted.
"You want to reflect the sunlight of the spoon to blind me." Ladybug predicted about Miss Fortune.
Both looked at their Charms, sighed and put them away as they instead to charge at each other go physical again. Ladybug jumped behind Miss Fortune, grabbed one of her arms in her yo-yo and pulled her arm over her shoulder. The other arm with the yo-yo shot out and wrapped Ladybug's leg, trying to pull her to the ground, but Ladybug held on. They were clumsily pulling at each other.
"We are evenly matched." Miss Fortune said. "We shouldn't fight, we are birds of a feather. We don't need anyone else, we can fix everything together."
"This world doesn't need fixing, besides your idea of fixing isn't right if you ask me." Ladybug said. "Besides, I already have people to count on, while you are alone."
"I'd rather be alone then to trust anyone else again. Not after I was betrayed." Miss Fortune said, wrestling out of Ladybug's grasp. Ladybug also had untied her leg from Miss Fortune's grasp. "No one took anything I said or did seriously, not when they should have given me the benefit of the doubt, when I was being used by them."
"I know for certain my friends are not like that, no matter what anyone may say about them, because I have faith in them. And you know what the problem of being alone is? No one is there to keep you in line. People complement each other. People learn from each other. And by distancing yourself…you haven't allowed yourself to truly grow." Ladybug said.
"You are a fool, you will be stabbed in the back!" Miss Fortune ranted.
"You talk about how others were mean and strong but it just can't be that there are only bad people in the world. It just doesn't work like that. May you have considered that you are the problem?" Ladybug asked.
"What?" Miss Fortune said. She huffed. "I cannot be the problem. I took the job seriously, I thought of everything, I did everything…"
"You are me, and I know me. I am not perfect. I can be obsessive, petty, nervous, anxious, insecure, jealous…but I'm a kid, I am flawed and still got a lifetime ahead of me to learn. Even if I have learned a lot, there is a lot more. And life is filled with regrets. Do you regret anything, about what you've become or the stuff you did?" Ladybug noted.
"Not at all! Have no regrets! I shouldn't have! I did everything right!" Miss Fortune said.
"That's a shame, because regrets make you human. It shows that people acknowledge their mistakes and are motivated to set things right. I regret stealing a phone to delete a voicemail, I regretted being harsh with my partner when he didn't deserve it. In short I am a wreck. But I learned. I learned to listen, I learned to have faith in others and not bear anything myself, I learned to open up and truly live. Otherwise I may have snapped under the pressure, like you had." Ladybug said. "And because of it you have become a selfish, insecure loser, stuck on her high horse. And to be honest, I pity you."
"Pity? PITY?" I don't want your pity!" Miss Fortune screeched. "I want what you have and don't deserve! I am the better Ladybug, I am the better Marinette, I will defeat you and have it all."
"You are not a Ladybug. Aside from the lost heroism, you seem to have slacked in your observational skills, because you don't realize…I am never alone." Ladybug raised her Yo-yo, which was open, and she had sent a text message to Chat.
On the rooftops elsewhere, Chat Noir continued to fight Chat Blanc. Their staffs clashed several times, creating sparks as they hit each other over and over. Chat Blanc raised his free hand as his claws came out and he slashed at Chat Noir, whom ducked under the attack, though deep marks were made in the wall, which started to crack. Chat jumped over Chat Blanc, kicked him in the back of the head and pushed him into the wall, making the cracks worse. Chat Noir charged at him, but Chat Blanc grabbed him by his collar and then slammed Chat Noir into the wall. The wall crumbled and both moved out of the way to prevent being.
"Cataclysm!" Both of them shouted as they shot a burst of energy at each other, one white and black, the projectiles clashing and creating a shockwave that sends the two of them flying. They landed on their feet and attacked again.
Chat Blanc delivers an overhead swipe that struck Chat Noir with a lot of force, and he was forced down. But Chat remembered a trick that he hadn't used in a long time, ever since he fought Hawkmoth. He let go of the staff, which floated in the air and pushed Chat Blanc away on its own, allowing Chat to slam both his fists in Chat Blanc's chest. The evil counterpart was sent flying.
Chat Blanc recovered though and jumped at Chat Noir. Chat Noir touched the ground for a second before jumping out of the way. Chat Blanc landed but Chat Noir snapped his fingers. The same trick used against Kwami Hunter, a paw print on the ground that can remotely be activated, a delayed Cataclysm as the floor collapsed beneath him and he fell in. Our Chat saw the dust, but he was not foolish enough to think Chat Blanc was gone.
That notion was confirmed when a furious Chat Blanc rushed out of the dust, and slammed his fist in Adrien's stomach. "You have everything!" he growled before planting his claws in Chat's stomach, and lifting him above his head. "They trust you with all secrets, you have HER love!" He then threw Chat Noir across the street. "And while you mom is on coma, it is not too late for her. I have nothing left. My world was destroyed because I wanted love! But I was neither given that or the respect I deserve."
Chat had to regain his breath and ignored the stinging sensation in his stomach, as he got up and prepared himself again. "I'm sorry that has happened to you, but you do realize that causing even more destruction is not a healthy way of dealing with it."
"Don't judge me! I was always denied anything and now I had something of my own, it was slowly taken away from me. We were meant to be, we are the wielders of the Ladybug and Black Cat, we were soulmates. If she wasn't being stubborn we could have had more time together. I only found out about it through a fluke. I didn't notice she was there all this time by my side. I mean, how could I possibly have thought she was Ladybug?" Chat Blanc ranted.
"I don't like the way you said that. Sure if your life was as hard as mine, I would wish you well and have your moment. But you do not talk about Milady, not even an alternate version like that. We are not entitled to her, and how dare you suggest that without the mask she isn't worth anything. Did you even love her because of who she was or that she was Ladybug?" Chat Noir asked.
"What difference does that make? She is Ladybug, that's all there is to know." Chat Blanc asked confused.
"I felt a bit sorry for you, and maybe it is just whatever botched akumatization you have messing with your mind, but I know where the difference between us lies. I love Ladybug, but not because she is 'just Ladybug' but because of the girl that she is behind the mask. And yeah, with me it was also a fluke to find out her identity and I feel stupid for not connecting the dots." Chat explained
Chat Noir clenched his fists, sighed a bit and continued. "But I didn't want her to feel pressured to be with me, because I was both her partner and the boy she liked. Because things would change between us inevitably. In the end I am with her, but that's because I allowed her that choice." Chat Noir explained. "And I am happy that she still chose me. Because…I love her for being more then Ladybug. I love her because she is sweet, kind, fair, just, creative, smart and not putting up with any crap from anyone. She is Marinette before she is Ladybug, because Marinette is what made Ladybug, not the Miraculous or masks."
"You talk nonsense." Chat Blanc argued. "She still chose me in the end."
"Mom chose Dad, but Mom wanted to pull away when she saw the real him. And looking at what you have become, no doubt your Ladybug would also have pulled away from you. You completed the circle, you are like the new Hawkmoth. Dad didn't care about other's opinions. But you did. Would Marinette really approve? Would Nino, your other friends, your mother approve? Would they be proud? No they'd be ashamed." Chat Noir asked, starting to have a few feelings about his counterpart due to the way he talked.
"That's not important. They're gone, they can't matter anymore." Chat Blanc said, clenching his fists and holding back tears.
"It's easy to say that, but do you really feel that way? Or do you use the mask of madness, like HIM, as a means to protect your fragile mind and ego to live with your actions?" Chat Noir said.
"In a few moments none of that will mean anything. I get your Miraculouses and bring back what I lost." Chat Blanc said. "You got some neat tricks I never saw before, but you are limited while I have unlimited Cataclysms. It's a matter of time."
"No…it's not." Chat Noir said. While they had their rant, he had received a message from Ladybug. "There are things that matter more." He then shot at Chat Blanc.
Chat Noir activated the Acid Tips on the ends of his staff, as he swiped the glowing staff ends at Chat Blanc, whom avoided them but some of his hair got caught and dissolved like it was drenched in acid. "I don't know how you got those tricks, but know that I am holding back on you, the only reason I haven't destroyed the world again is because you have something I want."
"It's ok, because I've been holding back as well!" Chat Noir said as he swiped his acid-tipped staff across the ground, and it tracked a line of green energy across the ground, which split apart.
Chat Blanc witnessed the ground split between his feet, and with his two feet on one side of a crack each, the ground moving apart faster and he was getting uncomfortable in his spread leg stance which was cramping his legs. But nothing that compared to when Chat Noir smashed his staff right in between those spread legs. "Gah! My kittens!" Chat Blanc said as he held his sour crotch in pain.
"That's not all, because we change things up a bit?" Chat Noir said as he then jabbed the staff in the stomach, lifted Chat Blanc in the air and extended his staff and sent Chat Blanc flying in the air. And it was not in a random direction he was being flung. Chat Noir followed the trajectory of his counterpart, whom was going where he wanted him to go.
Back to Ladybug and Miss Fortune, the latter was landing a sweep kick to knock Ladybug to the ground before she lifted her leg and would crush our hero's ribs with a heel kick but Ladybug rolled out of the way and avoided it. If Miss Fortune didn't share her invulnerability she'd have broken her heel. She then charged into Ladybug, as they tried to push each other to the ground. However, Ladybug pulled out the fork she had for a Lucky Charm. Miss Fortune smirked. "Oh, are you going to take that and that cable to…" Ladybug rammed the fork in Miss Fortune's shoulder. "GAH! You bitch! This isn't like you to go with the direct approach!"
"I learned to be more adaptable. For all my brilliant planning, I tend to overthink. And since I'm facing myself…" Ladybug then slammed her knee in Miss Fortune's lower abdomen. "…I have to fight unlike me."
"My eggsacks…" Miss Fortune said painfully.
"Oh, one more thing…Pussy in the air!" Ladybug said.
Miss Fortune raised an eyebrow as Ladybug spouted something that Pipistrello would have randomly said. "What in the air?" Miss Fortune asked, but then realized what was said when something, or rather someone came crashing into her. Miss Fortune was now pinned under a dazed Chat Blanc.
"I hope I am not too late for the party?" Chat Noir said as he landed besides Ladybug. "You know I'm always up for a dance together, Milady."
"And a dance we shall have!" Ladybug assured her.
"Get off me…" Miss Fortune pushed Chat Blanc of. "You? This is my fight, keep out of it!"
"I didn't want to be paired up with you. My counterpart threw me here." Chat Blanc noted.
"Oh, so you are completely incompetent?" Miss Fortune snapped.
"Like you were doing any better…" Chat Blanc huffed.
"While this is amusing to watch, we should do something about them." Chat Noir said as he readied himself again. "But between the two of us, we should be able to handle our counterparts."
"Definitely. After you, Kitty." Ladybug said as she swung her yo-yo by her side.
The two charged forward. Miss Fortune and Chat Blanc noticed the heroes rush at them, and also stopped bickering to charge at them. However, one to one they gave a challenge to the heroes, but in a team battle not so much.
It started with Ladybug being launched in the air due to Chat giving her a boost with his staff. She jumped up at Chat Blanc, whose hand glowed and aimed the white energy at her, but Chat smacked him in the stomach before receiving a jump kick by Ladybug in the face. Miss Fortune jumped in trying to tackle Ladybug out of the air before she could land after that flying kick but Chat planted his staff in the ground in front of her and extended it, and she painfully crashed into it. She then was hit across the face by Ladybug's Yo-yo. The two evil doppelgangers cleared their heads of cobwebs and dived at the heroes, whom jumped out of the way, making Miss Fortune and Chat Blanc crashed into each other.
"You stupid cat!" Miss Fortune bit at Chat Blanc.
"Oh, grow up, phony-bug!" Chat Blanc bit back.
The two closed in again, and traded dance partners. Chat Blanc confronted Ladybug. He lashed with his baton, but she dodged the attacks and then wrapped her yo-yo around his staff and flung it away. "I was with her. The other you. But it is because of our love that our world was destroyed." He said as he swiped at her with his claws.
"Your love and not the fact you got akumatized with an asshole of a dad? Your insults are weak!" Ladybug said as she avoided a white cataclysm shot, grabbed the fork she had stabbed her counterpart with earlier, signaled her Chat, whom prepared himself, and scratched it across some nearby glass, Chat Blanc holding his ears in pain, before Ladybug kicked him in the stomach.
Chat Blanc looked up and noticed the dots on Ladybug's suits glowing. "What the…" he thought it wasn't important and didn't matter.
Miss Fortune lashed wildly with her yo-yo, but Adrien batted away the strikes with his baton. The black and red dotted villainess started to rant: "You are pathetic, you are always second best. Never being serious, never having my back, always flirting and getting yourself in trouble, you are a worthless partner."
"Oh please, I have put myself down countless times. And my Ladybug always helps me rise up. Unlike you, I can read my partner and let me tell you, you don't hold a candle to her. My Ladybug would never be…" Chat Noir said as he grabbed the yo-yo with his free hand. "…this sloppy!" He pulled her in and then kicked her in the stomach.
Miss Fortune scowled angrily at Chat Noir, whom noticed some green glowing lines appeared on his suit. She was confused, but she was too angry to really pay attention and moved in closer.
The two villains got up and charged in again. "Changez!" the heroes said as Chat planted his staff into the ground, Ladybug and Chat Noir switched positions and as they did, they swung around the staff and delivered spin kick to them, knocking them back again.
"You know, to a degree you have the same power and skills. The problem though is that you had been isolating yourselves, wrapped up in your own little world…" Ladybug began.
"That you failed to move forward, and thereby try to get into your full potentials. We always pushed each other forward trying to be the best we can be." Chat Noir added.
"In short, you cannot defeat us." Ladybug continued. "Because we don't forget our teachings, we don't forget our bonds with our loved ones…"
"As long as we are together, we'll be unstoppable, while you are alone. You have clearly forgotten what it is to look beyond yourself." Chat Noir finished.
"Oh really? Well, then you can die together." Chat Blanc said as he raised his hand and gathered white energy. "You know what? Screw Multiversity, let her find another world from which we can take the Miraculous, I'm wiping this one out."
"You idiot, I am still here!" Miss Fortune said. "I'll get wiped out too."
"I fail to see how that is my problem?" Chat Blanc said with a smirk. Miss Fortune looked afraid.
"I will stop you!" Chat Noir said.
"What are you going to do? You powers are more limited than mine, the Akuma removed the limit on my power, I can gather infinite Cataclysmic energy. While you can't." Chat Blanc mocked.
"I have no unlimited power, but I'll do enough!" Chat said. It was his last shot of energy, so he intended to make it count. He gathered it in his hand. He made a gun motion with his finger and aimed.
"Hurry up, you stupid cat! We are all going to die!" Miss Fortune said.
Ladybug smacked the back of her counterpart's head. "Don't call him stupid!"
Chat Noir took aim. He thought things through…He realized that his counterpart was Akumatized…so the Akuma had to be somewhere. His staff was discarded earlier and he didn't seem to bother, so that wasn't it. It would either be the belt or the bell. The bell seemed to be the most straightforward. But would it be like that? Then he recalled the Akuma was created by an alternate Gabriel. And his father was far from subtle…
Chat Noir took the shot. Chat Blanc couldn't move since he was charging energy. No one else could move in, in fear of prematurely setting the cataclysm off. And he fired. As he did so, the green outlines of his outfit shone brighter then before. Chat didn't seem to be affected, but everyone else covered their eyes. The sound of crackling like lightning sounded.
When the light died down, Chat Noir became visible. But he looked different. He had armored parts to his suit now, but they looked sleek and flexible to not be a hindrance. He was not only black, but had a few darker grey parts and some green accents on his suit. And the most prominent addition was that of a scarf, black with a green trim. Chat checked himself out. "Hm. Neat."
Everyone looked at him surprised. But then they realized Chat Blanc. They turned to him. On his collarbone was now a smoking scorch park, his bell gone, part of his suit peeled away and a burn on his exposed chest. Chat Blanc looks in shock but slowly looked down. "No…" The object wasn't not only destroyed, it also vaporized the Akuma inside.
In a burst of oily black and purple magic, he turned into a copy of Chat Noir, though the eyes were still blue. The huge burst of energy he gathered had dispersed, though his hand still had a normal cataclysm active. A single use of the most basic power is what he got left. "No!" Chat Dark (can't call him Chat Blanc anymore) said as he growled in anger. He instead decided to waste his final shot on firing at his counterpart.
'Adrien, use the Black Hole, you can use it now!' Plagg's voice sounded in the back of Adrien's mind. Now our hero acted upon instinct and held out his hand, a miniature black hole appearing and harmlessly absorbing the attack.
'Cool. Wait Plagg, is that really you?' Chat Noir asked mentally.
'You unlocked the highest potential, that comes with easier communication when transformed.' Plagg mentally explained. 'It also replenished us a bit, but afterwards I'll need twice the Camembert.'Chat Noir chuckled a bit. Good old Plagg.
Chat Dark was not amused and just charged in with his reclaimed staff. Chat Noir just stood there as he raised his hand and his staff came off his belt, flew under his own power, and swatted Chat Dark's staff out of his hand. Chat Noir slashed the sky, and three crescent-shaped black and purple claw mark-like energy waves came out, and sliced the staff apart. Chat Dark looked in shock in that his counterpart now could remotely control his weapon, not just to stay in place, but now it moved like an invisible fencer wielded it. "Yield!" Chat Noir said coldly.
"Never!" Chat Dark charged at Chat Noir. He lashed with his clawed hand, but our Chat easily caught it, and started twisting Chat Dark's arm. Both had enhanced strength, but now our Chat's was clearly superior to Chat Dark. Chat Noir then picked the ring from his finger. Chat Dark turned back to Adrien Agreste. "Give it back! It's all I have left!"
"It won't do you any good." Chat Noir said. The ring had turned silver, but no alternate Plagg appeared. Either the native Plagg faded long ago, and only the akuma kept the destructive power active, or it was a 'two Plaggs can't exist in the same universe' thing. "Aside creating more destruction. That helps no one. You were never going to gain anything more."
The other Adrien just slumped down in defeat, curled into a fetal position. He didn't cry or make sound, just curl up and stare in front of him.
But Miss Fortune wouldn't be sidelined. She grabbed her yo-yo. If she could snatch it, then perhaps combined with her own Miraculous…However, as she shot out her yo-yo, it was knocked out of the way by Ladybug's. "Don't forget about me." Ladybug said. She retracted her own Yo-Yo and opened it up.
"What are you going to do? I don't have an Akumatized object to break." Miss Fortune said.
Ladybug said nothing as she just shoved the glowing white yo-yo in Miss Fortune's face. The glow in the yo-yo and the spots on her body started to glow brighter, just as bright as Chat Noir did earlier. Miss Fortune screamed as the purifying power of the yo-yo overwhelmed her.
When the light died down, Ladybug stood there. Like Chat, her look was updated. She had more black parts on her suit, like her fingers, upper arms and legs, and lower torso. She now had a higher collar and on her collarbone was a smaller ladybug symbol. Her suit was also armor-like, but sleek. She lowered her Yo-Yo.
She saw her counterpart, Miss Fortune. She now looked like Ladybug's old form, though her eyes were white and pupil-less and her hair was messy. "You bitch!" Miss Fortune said as she got up and threw her yo-yo again. However, Ladybug's Yo-Yo was still open and she held it out. The yo-yo of her foe was sucked inside the white void, and as much as Miss Fortune tried to hold on, she lost grip on the string and her weapon was gone. She now looked panicked.
'Well done, Marinette!' Tikki's voice sounded in her head. 'You unlocked the full power of the Ladybug Miraculous.'
'Holy crap! I hear you in my head Tikki. Another bonus of the power-up I guess?' Marinette thought happily. 'Er…how much can you see in my mind?'
'It is a mental conversation, not a full mind melt, don't worry about any naught dreams you may have.' Tikki teased. Only sheer discipline prevented Ladybug's inner Marinette from panicking. Or at least form showing it outward.
"I still have a Lucky Charm?" Miss Fortune said, as she held up the spoon she conjured.
Ladybug just held out her hand and the spoon Lucky Charm dispersed into energy that flew towards her. Ladybug grabbed her earlier Lucky Charm spoon and it also dissolved into energy. Ladybug merged the energies of the Lucky Charms together and it became solid again, and it became a Miracle Box. She held it out to her counterpart. "The fight is over. For the first time since long, you can make the right choice."
Miss Fortune looked around. She had no allies, both Ladybug and Chat Noir to worry about, and without the dark essence she was purified off, her transformation wouldn't last. She was in no condition to fight, certainly without a weapon, Charm and she was already struggling against her counterpart, let alone that she would last against the stronger Ladybug. She sighed and removed her earrings. She turned back into the Marinette copy, though her hair still messy, dark circles around her eyes and her eyes cloudy. She put her Miraculous in the small Miracle Box. Ladybug closed the box. Marinother dropped down, hugging her legs and burying her head between her knees. Quiet sobbing came from her.
After Ladybug stored their counterpart's Miraculouses in Ladybug's yo-yo, they checked each other's new forms out. "Well Milady, when I think you couldn't look more radiant, you surprise me yet again."
"You flatterer." Ladybug said with a grin and small blush. "You look real dapper in your new outfit too. The scarf?"
"Tribute to my first meaningful birthday gift from you." Chat said as he toyed with the scarf. "I feel like a million euros. I felt it coming for a while, but this new power…"
"I know right? I feel better then ever. I feel so strong that I…" Ladybug stopped for a bit. 'Tikki, am I strong enough to…'
'Yes Marinette, once this is over, we can head straight to the mansion. It should work this time.' Tikki assured her.
'Milady is quiet and…smiling. Is she talking to Tikki like I talk to you, Plagg?' Chat Noir pondered.
'Yup! And if my suspicions are correct, she is going to have some really good news for you, kid!' Plagg repleid mentally.
"Chat Noir…Tikki confirmed it for me. Now I unlocked the full potential of your Ladybug, my healing powers peaked. I can save them." She said.
"You mean…?" Chat Noir's face lit up. Ladybug nodded. Chat Noir let out a hearty laugh and picked up Ladybug, spinning her around in the air. "That's the most wonderful news ever, when can we…"
"After we deal with the rest of the anomalies. Then we'll get on it right away." Ladybug said. "Though in the meantime, what shall we do with them?" Ladybug said as they looked at their counterparts, whom just have mentally and emotionally collapsed onto themselves.
"I don't know. They no longer have anywhere else to go, and they are harmless now, but we cannot leave them here. We'll have to think of what to do with them later, but for now…maybe we should contact Allegra to see if she has a few spare holding cells…"
"I hope the others are doing as well as we do, because they are only part of this mess." Chat Noir sighed. "Our work is far from done."
"When was it ever easy, Kitty?" Ladybug noted. "But never stopped us before."
"Because we have each other to help us push through." Chat eyed their near-catatonic counterparts. "Shame they have forgotten that. What shall happen to them?"
"I have no idea, Kitty. No idea at all."
TO BE CONTINUED
NOTES
Yes, I wanted to do the upgrade for a while, and defeating their counterparts and hence unlocking their full power would seem quite symbolic don't you think?
Believe me, what you just saw is only a fraction of the new powers they have, I plan to really play around with new aspects of their powers and skills in the new forms.
I'll say only the Core Five will gain new forms, other Miraculous wielders will most likely merely are going to overcome their time limit and gain the same telepathy with thier kwami but that may it.