It was so obvious, why had she not thought about it before? The note was a lot more literal than she had originally thought. The fortune teller had even squeezed Marinette's wrist when she passed by. There was no mistake. Marinette had stiffened.

"Marinette?" Luka asked concerned, lightly grabbing her shoulders.

She shook him off. "Sorry, Luka, I'm, uh, I have to go. Sorry, I'll be right back." She darted away through the crowd, following the colored veils.

The lights shut off. Marinette stopped, the crowd around her pressing in, starting to panic. A second later a spotlight clicked on, revealing Mrs. Bourgeois dressed as a witch and swinging from the ceiling. While everyone turned their eyes upwards to watch a hand darted out from the crowd, firmly circling Marinette's wrist and pulling her through the crowd. In a moment Marinette found herself at the edge of the crowd and headed into a hidden alcove, concealed behind a heavy curtain.

Marinette wrenched her wrist free as the person turned to look at her. It was obviously a woman, covered in colorful but earthy tones. Threads of gold were visible even in the dim light, entwined throughout the outfit. A violet veil covered the entirety of her face, making it impossible to even see the color of her eyes.

"Are you the one who left me the note?" Marinette asked, a chill running down her spine.

The fortune teller nodded.

"You should know that you're wrong," Marinette said defensively, "I'm not Ladybug."

"I saw you." A voice said. It sounded familiar and yet – Marinette couldn't place it.

Marinette paled. "When?" She managed to ask, breath gone.

"Miss Mouse."

"So when you left the first note then."

The figure nodded.

"What do you want?" Marinette asked, "I should just erase your memory right now."

"You don't have that power." The fortune teller said firmly. Too firmly. How was she so sure of Marinette's bluff?

"I do." Marinette insisted.

"You don't. Trust me I know more than you care to think. I even know about kwami's."

A burst of chilling, fear filled energy coursed through Marinette's veins and she lurched forward, pushing the fortune teller against a wall and gripping her wrist. With her free hand she grabbed the fortune tellers collar. "How do you know all this?" Marinette asked hoarsely, throat closing as the words came out.

The fortune teller barked out a short laugh. "Why, Marinette," She said, slowly lifting the veil with her free hand, "you've gotten violent."

Marinette let go and stepped back, pupils shrinking as her eyes widened. "Chloe."


"Hello Natalie," Lila said, voice dripping with sour honey as she sidled up next to her employers right hand.

Natalie did not even turn her head to answer, barley glancing to the side before averting her attention to the show Mr. and Mrs. Bourgeois were putting on above them. "Lila."

"Oh, don't be like that Natalie, we are co-workers after all. I have something very important I'd like to talk to you about. I came across some very interesting information the other day see, and I'd like to share it with you."

Natalie sighed and turned towards Lila, read to dismiss the girl. A spot light ran over Lila just as she did and, though it vanished a moment later, Natalie froze. Lila smiled, eye's narrowing.

"I thought my costume might catch your eye," she said, twirling to show off her costumes peacock feathers, "was I right, Mayura?"

Natalie glanced around nervously before grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the ball room. "Mr. Agreste has reserved a hotel room for me incase there are any – incidents. We'll talk there."

Lila's face darkened, her smile widening. It was just as she had suspected, everything was going according to plan. Up in the hotel room Lila sat on the bed, crossing her legs as her peacock costume flared out dramatically.

"Peacocks are such regal creatures, don't you think?"

"Don't patronize me," Natalie said, standing in front of her, "What do you know?"

"Hawkmoth is one Gabriel Agreste. The increasingly infamous Mayura is you, Natalie. You can try and deny it all you want, but I know what I know."

Natalie's eyebrows narrowed, a small wrinkle appearing between them. "What do you want."

Lila's expression flattened and she started inspecting her nails, bored. "I want in."

"In? How?" Natalie asked.

Lila rolled her eye's and uncrossed her legs, getting up from the edge of the bed. "You guy's are after Ladybug and Chat Noirs miraculous. I assume that's for a reason. I want you to give me power, a place in this scheme of yours."

"No, Mr. Agreste will never agree to such-"

"I suppose I could back off," Lia said, twirling her hair, "I can think of a lot of people who would pay good money to know who Hawkmoth is after all."

"No!" Natalie said a little too quickly. She caught herself and slowed down. "No, just, let me talk to Mr. Agreste first."

"You don't have the time," Lila said, voice flat and eyes narrowed, "You make the decision, now."

"I-I can't, Mr. Agreste-"

"Doesn't even have to know I found out. Just drop him the suggestion to, well, reward me for my valiant effort. Perhaps convince him to give me a miraculous when you get your hands on one."

"He won't give you Ladybugs-"

"Oh," Lila said lightly, stepping towards Natalie so that the woman was forced to sit on the bed. Lila towered over her, a twisted smile backed by lifeless eye's, "it's doesn't have to be Ladybug's, something less consequential than that. Like, say, the peacock? I'm sure he'll have no use for it once he get's what he wants after all."

"I-I-I can't."

"Why not?" Lila put her fingers to her lips, lightly tapping them as she watched the woman before her panic, "It's not hard on your part, just give your miraculous to me when Gabriel get what he wants. After all, you don't want to do anything that might lead to his harm, would you?"

Natalie searched Lila's face for a sign, any sign, of weakness. A point of reason, fear, insecurity. Anything she might be able to play off of. Finally she dropped her head. "Fine." He voice was low, "but you can't bring Gabriel into any of this, he doesn't need that right now."

Lila choked back a laugh as she watched Natalie's serious expression become resigned. "Deal."