Chapter 4

Kitty: Hey LB, have you noticed how weird the akumas have been lately?

Milady: … what do u mean?

Kitty: After Jeune Paonne, there were hardly any attacks for weeks, and even the akumas Hawkie sent out were super easy, right.

Milady: Hawkie… I snorted

Milady: but you're right

Kitty: We've had four attacks this week alone, and not one has asked for our miraculous.

Milday: I… hadn't noticed. But now that you mention it, you're right. That's super weird.

Kitty: Think he's up to something?
Milady: Ugh most likely.

Kitty: I think we should call in the team.

Milday: Definitely. I'll arrange a training session for this weekend. Looks like Saturday evening is pretty clear for everyone. Assuming they uploaded their calendars appropriately

Kitty: Sounds good.

Kitty: And… Ladybug?

Milady: What do you want this time? ?

Kitty: I was thinking… All the other heroes had their identities exposed to Hawkmoth by Miracle Queen. But, they proved last summer that they were still valuable and excellent heroes. I think…

Milady: Spit it out, Chat.

Kitty: I think you should give Marinette another chance with the Mouse Miraculous. We're about to do some investigation and we could really use her stealth, creativity, and enthusiasm.

Oh shoot, Marinette inwardly cursed, nearly choking on the bite of lunch she had just attempted to swallow.

"You ok, Marinette?" Mylène asked from beside her. Marinette smiled through her cough, hand still gripping the silver cellphone she had hidden in her open purse on her lap.

"Y-yeah, just took too big of a bite."

Rose and Juleka surveyed her briefly. "Well, like I was saying," Rose continued, and the rest of Marinette's girlfriends returned to their noisy chatter. Everyone except Mylène, that is.

"You sure you're alright?" she asked Marinette subtly.

"I'm fine," Marinette responded, though her voice was hesitant.

Mylène looked her over scrupulously. "What's up?"

Marinette shook her head. "Nothing, seriously."

Now Mylène rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You've been texting someone and something in that conversation just took you by surprise. I'm not an idiot. What's the matter?"

Marinette started. "Wait, how did you know?"

"Marinette, people don't just stare at the purse in their laps for the duration of lunch break. You don't have to be a genius to figure out that you've got a phone in there that you prefer to keep hidden. Which is funny to me; we all know what your phone looks like." Marinette almost choked again. Mylène's eyebrows arched. "Unless it's a different phone? Or a different contact you don't want us to know about?"

"Shh, Mylène! It's… not like that!"

Mylène looked her over before returning to her lunch. "I get it. You've got your secrets and you want them to stay that way. But just so you know, we like you for being you. You don't have to worry about us judging you for whatever it is you're hiding. And if you need some privacy, it's ok to ask for that too."

Marinette swallowed hard. "Wow, thanks Mylène." Her brain was twirling in that familiar Marinette's-got-an-idea way. She took another bite and tried to slow her thoughts enough to ensure that it really was a good idea before responding to Chat Noir.

Milady: I'm glad you like Marinette. I like her too. But I've got a different plan for the Mouse Miraculous. See you tomorrow night.

Mylène looked at herself in the mirror on the wall of the gym that Chat Noir—the Cat Noir—had reserved under some alias. The grey mask covered the top portion of her face, but she still felt uncomfortably exposed. She fiddled with the jump rope tied around her waist. Mylène looked up into Ladybug's clear blue gaze and fought the urge to pinch herself. Or vomit. Both were a real possibility. "Ladybug, are you sure this is a good idea?"

The black-spotted heroine squeezed Mylène's shoulders. "Definitely. You're perfect for this job."

She frowned. How was that even possible? Mylène had been akumatized once, a long time ago, but other than that, she'd had very little interaction with Ladybug. How could Ladybug know her so well to trust her with a Miraculous? Why this one, why now? Was Ladybug closer than she knew? Mylène had always considered Ladybug to be untouchable, but here she was, squeezing her shoulders and reassuring her that she—Mylène—was the right choice. Her head spun again and she looked around the room for the nearest garbage can—just in case.

"Ok, you guys can quit panicking, because the party has arrived," a familiar voice called from the gym entrance. Mylène's stomach churned as she saw Chat Noir strolling in, twirling his tail in his hand. Ryuko and Pegasus were hot on his heels, laughing and punching Chat Noir's shoulders playfully. Ladybug went to greet them. Not long after she finished kissing Ryuko's cheeks, Viperion entered the gym and quietly shook hands with the other heroes. King Monkey rolled into the room and proceeded to do backflip a couple laps around the track. The other heroes were still laughing together when Rena Rouge and Carapace arrived hand-in-hand. Apparently, they were a couple. Mylène's heart was racing as she watched the seven Gods of Paris high-five and hug. They caught up with each other, cracked inside jokes, and started warming up—if you could call the mindboggling acrobatics they were performing warm-ups. Mylène tried not to hyperventilate.

"Hey, everyone, gather 'round!" Ladybug called. They all mulled together. "Chat and I have been talking, and it's high time for a team meeting. First, and most importantly, I've invited the newest member of our team, M-m… hang on. Did you have a specific name you wanted us to call you?"

Mylène bit her lip. "Oh, I… kind of thought you named everyone?" They laughed. She hadn't meant to be funny.

"No, we've all picked our own names." Ladybug smiled at Mylène expectantly.

"I… don't know. Sorry. This is really new for me."

Chat Noir had always seemed to be a nice guy. He smiled softly and patted her shoulder. "You'll figure it out, I'm sure. Let us know when you choose, ok? Until then, you can just be our friend."

She swallowed hard and smiled. The other heroes seemed kind enough as well; they all were smiling at her, at least.

"Anyway. The next thing we needed to discuss is a theory Chat had about Hawkmoth. Chat?"

Apparently, the heroes called Chat Noir 'Chat.' Was she allowed to call him 'Chat' as well?

Chat Noir cleared his throat and explained how the akuma strikes had suddenly taken a strange turn. Mylène tried to follow along, but she was confused. Chat Noir kept using unfamiliar terms like 'grimoire' and referring to previous fights. It got worse when the other heroes—now beginning their physical training but still discussing the news of Hawkmoth's unexpected tactics—started pitching in their thoughts.

"Do we have any idea where Mayura's located?" Viperion asked.

"No; once we retrieved the Peacock Miraculous, we haven't seen or heard from her," Ladybug responded.

"Maybe she's behind this." Mylène's head whipped to Ryuko, who had started pacing off some energy.

"I doubt it. After losing her miraculous to Lila, she was pretty much a goner," King Monkey laughed, stacking as many weights as he could fit on a single bar and using it for bicep curls.

"Don't count her out," Viperion warned.

"I don't think King Monkey was trying to count her out, but he's got a point—statistically speaking, Mayura is no longer a threat."

Carapace and Rena Rouge were parkouring off each other's backs around the track. Rena Rouge called over her shoulder, "It doesn't matter who's coming up with this new strategy; if Hawkmoth isn't actively pursuing the miraculouses anymore but is ramping up his attacks, I want to know why."

"Hey, Mouse, think fast!" King Monkey suddenly barked. Mylène didn't even realize he was talking to her when a ball slammed into the side of her head.

"Ow!" she cried, cradling her ear.

"Dude, what was that?" Carapace growled, tearing after King Monkey while Rena Rouge and Ladybug raced to Mylène's side.

"Are you ok?" Ladybug asked her, checking her ear.

"Yeah, more surprised than anything."

"Nevermind Monkey, he's always like that. Sorry," Rena Rouge consoled. Mylène wasn't convinced. Her ear hurt.

"Guys, let's take a break," Ladybug called. King Monkey grumbled, but the others nodded and gathered back in the circle they'd started in. "I think we should do some teambuilding exercises next and help our new friend—" she glared at King Monkey, "get a feel for her miraculous. You all remember your first transformations and how awkward you felt, right?"

"That's a good idea, Bugaboo," Chat mewled. "How about a nice game of hide-and-go-seek?"

Ladybug gave him a warning glance, but consented, "Fine. Ten minute's head start. You have to stay within city limits, ok?"

"Uh, Ladybug…" Mylène whispered.

"Don't worry," Ladybug winked at her friend, "You just have to use your heightened senses and your power of Multitude to find all the other heroes hiding throughout Paris. Just a quick game, ok? Easy. Ready? Go!" The heroes all tore off in different directions.

"Hang on, wait," Mylène tried to protest, but Ladybug gave her a wink and flew out one of the gym windows.

Why would Ladybug call this easy? It wasn't easy. Ten minutes later, Mylène called "Multitude?" and found herself shrinking uncomfortably and looking awkwardly at eight tiny copies of herself. All the tiny Mylènes looked at each other, wondering what to do next. "What am I supposed to do now?" they all chorused aloud. "Oh, I'm the worst hero ever! I can't even play a game!" they cried in tandem. They all sunk to their knees, overwhelmed with shame and frustration.

Eight tiny Mylènes still only needed one purple butterfly.