A/N: Two chapters in one day? Why yes.
Chapter 8
So far the day had been busy, but fun for all involved. Then it was time for the final panel of the convention, the gathering of Parisian superheroes on stage together for the first time. Ever.
About 15 minutes before the main event, the ballroom was cleared. Then those who needed special accommodations were let in. Eventually, all the seats were filled, except for those that were pre-reserved. Behind the curtain, the Emcee paced back and forth as his guests still hadn't arrived. About 5 minutes before the scheduled start time, a familiar zipping sound was heard.
"Whew! I thought I was going to be late!"
"Oh, thank god. I'm glad you made it, Ladybug. What about …" the Emcee was interrupted by a leather-clad figure dropping in.
"Sorry about that. It took me some time to get somewhere private to transform."
The Emcee cocked his head at that, but didn't have time to ask about it as he had to be on stage in less than a minute. "Are the other heroes coming?"
"They know about the event, and they'll be here if they can," said Ladybug. "Most of them were excited about it."
"Thank you." The Emcee looked at the stagehand's signal. "Oops! Start time," he said as he walked out on stage.
"Hello, Paris! Have you been enjoying Convention du Comique so far?" The crowd roared. "I can't hear you." The crowd roared even louder. "For those that don't know me, I'm Alec Cataldi, host of several shows on TVi including Alternative Truth and Live Your Childhood Dream, and I'm lucky enough to be the Emcee for this event." The crowd roared again. "So let's bring out our special guests, Ladybug and Chat Noir!"
The two superheroes simply walked from behind the curtain, waving to the crowd.
"Firstly, thank you for coming today Ladybug. Chat Noir."
"You're welcome, Alec. I'm pleasantly surprised we could make it," said Ladybug.
"Yeah. You never know when an Akuma will cause a cat-tastrophe," Chat Noir punned. Ladybug just rolled her eyes.
"I'm glad, too. Let's get right to it, shall we?"
"Just remember that in order to keep Paris safe, we also have to keep our identities hidden," Ladybug reminded him.
"That means there are some questions we won't answer," piped in Chat.
"We understand, Ladybug. Chat Noir. Don't we, Paris!" The crowd cheered. "So, I know that one question we always ask is about a possible romantic relationship between you two."
Ladybug facepalmed and shook her head while Chat grinned. She figured it was best to be honest. "Chat is my partner and one of the best friends I could ever ask for. It's what helps keep us in sync, and I know I couldn't do what I do without him. But I don't feel any romantic feelings toward him."
"As always, I'm here to protect Ladybug and fight by her side. She is truly one of my best friends and I'm glad she's my supervillain-fighting partner. And I'm hopeful Miladybug will view me as more than her partner some day. But alas, I am not the one who has her heart."
"And don't go asking who it is. It's someone in my civilian life, and knowing that name would be too much of a risk," Ladybug said, stomping her foot down for good measure.
"Okay, we'll stay away from romance for now," Alec smiled as he changed the subject. "What about your fighting styles? Do you do any training?"
"As most of Paris is aware, we do patrols to look for Akumas before they cause too much damage. We also try to stop crime if we can, but most of that is left to the everyday heroes in the police and other emergency services," Ladybug replied. Then her bug phone beeped. She looked at it while Chat Noir continued…
"On patrols we also sometimes do mock battles to get battle experience outside of Akuma attacks. I don't know about Ladybug, but I use cat-fu," Chat Noir said, doing a mock kung-fu stance. "Seriously, though, I've taken some fight training in my civilian life. Again, I won't say what kind. The more Hawkmoth underestimates our abilities, the better."
Alec nodded his head. "That makes sense. Next question. We've seen other heroes every now and then. How were they chosen, and why?"
Ladybug just smiled as she put her bug-phone away. "We can't tell you everything, of course, but why not let them answer some questions themselves?" If the crowd was loud before, it was nothing compared to the volume as Rena Rouge and Carapace dropped onto the stage, followed by Viperion, Pegasus, King Monkey, and Vesperia. A stage hand quickly brought out extra seating for the back-up heroes.
"Let's start with Rena Rouge, shall we? You were the first hero on the scene after Ladybug and Chat Noir. What was that like?"
"Honestly, I'd been a big fan of the superheroes for months before a situation arose where Ladybug determined she needed help. I'm honored I was chosen."
"Carapace, what about you?"
"Special circumstances. My civilian self wanted to save someone and Ladybug gave me the chance."
"Viperion?"
"My miraculous was actually given to someone else first, but that didn't work out."
"From what I've heard, you were definitely a better fit for the snake miraculous than the first person, Viperion," Chat admitted. If one didn't know better, you'd think he was acting a little… guilty.
"What can I say, Viperion?" said Ladybug. "Under the supersuit, I'm still human and make mistakes. However it started, you are a great fit for the snake miraculous. And now I don't think anyone else could fit the role as well." Ladybug also seemed a little… guilty.
"Pegasus?"
"Special circumstances. I was the best available fit."
"King Monkey?"
"The miraculous just showed up in front of me." Ladybug and Chat Noir both nodded at that statement. "It was only after I opened the box that I found out what was going on and was able to help the others."
"Vesperia?"
"Pretty much the same thing. Ladybug needed help, and asked me to take the Bee miraculous."
"What about the previous holder of the Bee miraculous?"
"Unfortunately, we had to retire the Bee miraculous for a while before giving it to Vesperia," said Ladybug as she shrunk into the chair a little. "Firstly, everyone knew her identity, and secondly there was a … concern with her holding onto it."
"I see," Alec commented. "Next thing...I don't see Ryuko here."
"Ryuko has a very busy schedule, and we weren't sure she'd be able to make it," said Chat.
"Onto the next question then. How are plans coming toward defeating Hawkmoth."
"I'm sorry, Alec. That's information that we cannot divulge. We can't risk word getting to him about any plans we may have."
"I have a question for the heroes," said a new voice, booming in the theater. Everyone was trying to find the voice, and the look on Alec's face screamed that he was as surprised as everyone else in the room.
A tall figure in a purple suit landed in the Q&A section at the front of the audience. As he stood, one could see his silver mask, his walking cane, and… a white flag? "Will you accept a temporary truce?"
The superheroes immediately went into a battle stance. "What do you want, Hawkmoth?" Ladybug said. "Why come here."
"I meant what I said, Ladybug. I want a temporary truce, hence the white flag. I have no intention to harm these people while the truce is in effect. I will not release any Akumas while this event is taking place."
"Why should we believe you?" Chat was staring at Hawkmoth. Now that he saw him up close, and wasn't battling the villain, something seemed awfully familiar.
"I mean what I say. I don't want to fight, I want to talk. I figured with the extra heroes with you, I'll be outnumbered. As you can see, I am not Shadow Moth right now, simply Hawkmoth, which means I'm limited to a single Akima. I'll have no chance to create any Akuma before you could stop me, and Mayura is detransformed." Hawkmoth held out his hand and opened it as proof. In it lay the Peacock miraculous. "However, I am not here to surrender. If I am attacked, I shall defend myself."
Audience members started scrambling for the exit as they finally realized that this was the real deal and not a cosplayer, leaving a few die-hard fans, security, and unflappable professionals like the convention's AV staff.
Ladybug thought for a moment. "What do you think, Kitty?"
"I still don't trust him, but…"
"… but talking can't hurt. Okay, Hawkmoth, we'll agree to a temporary truce until the convention is over - including cleanup. We won't go after you as long as you keep your end of the bargain."
By this time, most of the attendees had fled, though there were still a few stragglers. The AV people were still recording, and this was being broadcast throughout the convention center. Alec, being the consummate media professional he was, tried to bring this situation somewhat under his control again.
"So, Hawkmoth, a question if you please?" The purple-suited villain nodded. "All of your Akumas say they want Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses. But they don't say why. What is so important about them?"
"Combining those two miraculouses will grant me the aid that I need."
"We can't let you do that, Hawkmoth." Ladybug was exasperated as they'd said this before. "The consequences would be dire. What sort of aid would require magic that powerful?"
"It can't be that bad," said Hawkmoth.
"Hold on a minute. As a media professional I have other questions," Alec was quick to say.
"Go ahead," the spotted heroine and purple villain said simultaneously.
"First, what sorts of consequences would there be?"
"There needs to be balance in all magic. For one thing to happen, another must be sacrificed. It's like yin and yang, or like Chat and myself - creation and destruction. We are balanced. That's another thing that makes our teamwork so good."
"Can you give an example?"
Chat spoke next. "Do you know the anime Fullmetal Alchemist? It's like the equivalent exchange in that show."
"For those who don't know the show, could you explain this equivalent exchange a little more?" Alec asked.
"Let me quote the principle of Equivalent Exchange in Alchemy and describe the premise of the show, as that may help you understand. 'Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange.'
In the show, there are two brothers who try to bring their deceased mother back to life using an illegal alchemy. The younger brother lost his body and only exists in the world because the older brother bound his spirit to a suit of armor, sacrificing his arm in the process. Now the brothers are trying to find the Philosopher's Stone, a powerful magical object, to bring the younger brother's body back without destroying themselves in the process. It never works because it takes even more lives to create a Philosopher's Stone."
"So the larger the problem you want to fix by magic, the more it takes from you?" Alec questioned.
"Exactly."
"And the consequences can't be determined ahead of time," explained Ladybug. "It could affect something random or it could take something from you of equal importance."
"How do you know that, Ladybug?" Hawkmoth was desperate.
"The last Guardian of the Miraculous told me. Remember Robostus?"
"Yes. That one turned out to be a mistake."
"Robostus wanted to be a real human, and wanted to take the miraculous for himself. I was informed later that if he had, someone else would have lost their humanity."
At this information, Hawkmoth went a little pale. Standing stoically but with moisture in his eyes, he finally admitted, "My wife has fallen into a magical coma and nobody has been able to revive her. I'm running out of time and the only way I am aware of how to cure her coma is to use the miraculous of the ladybug and the black cat. Are you telling me that…" he broke off as his voice cracked.
"If you use the wish to revive your wife, someone else you cherish could fall into that coma instead. It could be your child, a sibling, or someone random. There is no way to control that." At the uncharastic anguish on Hawkmoth's face, Ladybug softly replied, "I'm sorry."
"Adrien…" The sound was soft enough that Chat Noir was sure he was the only one who heard it. He studied Hawkmoth closer.
"Ladybug and Chat Noir, I have tried again and again to get your miraculouses to make my fondest wish come true. My wife's condition has deteriorated, and I'm running out of time. Someone close to me suggested I try a different approach, and so I ask you - will you help me revive her?" Hawkmoth rubbed his miraculous absentmindedly as he thought about Nooroo, his wife Emilie, and the possible consequences of losing Adrien or Nathalie. "Please."
Ladybug and Chat looked at each other, then at the other superheroes. Most of them had tears in their eyes, including Hawkmoth. Chat nodded and Ladybug reached out her hand. "The wish is too dangerous to use, but that doesn't mean there aren't other methods. We'll need to examine her to see what can be done."
"That's all I can ask for now."
"Then let's set up a meeting place and time in private so we can take care of this." Ladybug looked around, but the ballroom had filled to bursting again.
"Let me schedule that, Milady. I want to talk to Hawkmoth privately anyway."
If Ladybug was confused at the request, she didn't show it as Chat Noir and Hawkmoth retired to the green room to coordinate schedules while the rest of the panel continued.
"Do you mind if I take Chat Noir's vacated seat," the Dragon hero said as she dropped in.
"Ryuko! Glad you could make it." Ladybug beamed.
"I saw the broadcast. I wasn't about to sit this one out, no matter what my other obligations are," as the remaining team on stage shared a round of high fives.
"Well," said Alec. "My next question would have been about finding Hawkmoth and defeating him, but I think that point is moot. As are most of the rest of my questions. Shall we open it up to the audience?"
So the heroes promised to save the day, or at least try to. Chat Noir had an inkling he knew Hawkmoth's civilian identity and prayed that he was wrong. The convention organizers couldn't have wished for better drama, and figured the video could be sold for millions. And the attendees? They were just happy to have survived a confrontation between Hawkmoth and the Heroes of Paris without getting Akumatized.
A/N: This is almost identical to the same scene in the original one-shot post in my Bug Bites collection.