Author's Note:
You know with an akumatized villain on the run, it's gonna be hero time soon enough.
A run in with odd counterparts of themselves was certainly enough to put Cat Noir on edge. Ladybug's observation on them not going for their Miraculous did point out an obvious difference to the usual akumatized villain behavior. Especially with what he saw how they saved those people from those giant hamsters.
He reached for his staff, calling Ladybug who picked up immediately. "Find anything, Kitty Cat?"
"None," Cat Noir replied. "I'm not noticing any disturbances and the feed that the Ladyblog showed of them seems to point that they aren't."
"We thought the same of Volpina, though. And we both know how that turned out."
Cat Noir grimaced as he recalled that experience. "Well, that was when we were still new to the Miraculous. We've certainly grown since then and something in my gut is telling me that these two-" A loud crash caught his attention several blocks down. "Maybe I spoke too soon."
"Found them?"
"Maybe," Cat Noir replied, tapping at the approximate coordinates of the sound and the terrified screams. "Meet me at these coordinates."
"I'll be there in a few minutes. Be careful Cat Noir."
"Always, milady." With that, he turned of his communicator and began jumping towards the ensuing chaos.
Spanner collapsed as he and Lucky Girl looked at the unconscious more mutated than usual rhinoceros. "I thought it took Animo a bit to fix his device?" he asked between panting. A ping brought his attention to the Omnitrix. "Of course, perfect timing you stupid watch."
Lucky Girl examined the rhino. "It usually does. And his mutations usually aren't so… monstrous. For some reason I'm sensing magic on this. Animo doesn't strike me as one to suddenly embrace magic."
"Certainly Dr. Animo was not one to embrace it," a familiar booming voice announced. "But for Dr. Humanimal, I declare this the ultimate fusion of science and magic!"
Lucky Girl and Spanner whipped around expecting to see their familiar foe, instead were met with the ugly fusion of man, machine and gorilla.
"Yikes, you've certainly had better days," Spanner replied.
"Spanner, best not to taunt him when he has backup."
Indeed, Dr. Humanimal was not alone on his perch on the buildings. Mutated rodents were lined up next to him, hissing down at the two heroes.
"I found it to be appropriate to bring back the pint-sized army that you faced with this new power!"
"We took them on once before Animo. Even with magic we'll just beat them again!"
"We shall see! Attack!" roared Dr. Humanimal.
The hamsters jumped down, fangs and claws outstretched.
"Watch out!"
A few of the hamsters were hit on their descent by a large pole. Lucky Girl and Spanner turned to see- "Cat Noir?"
"Why'd you help us?" Lucky Girl asked.
"Earlier I thought that you and your bug friend were akumatized, but I can see that it's your old pal up there who is." Cat Noir turned to Spanner. "Who are you?"
Dr. Humanimal snarled. "Who dares?!"
A dark outline of a butterfly appeared over his face. "That would be Cat Noir," Hawkmoth replied.
"Ah. So you're one of those people that has given my partner a hard time! I prepared for you." A gut wrenching howl pierced through the air.
The hamsters that had been knocked out by Cat Noir's staff got back on their paws, joining the hamsters circling the three heroes. At both ends of the block, large mutated creatures began to enter, answering the call of their master.
Cat Noir chuckled. "Not my first catfight with other animals."
"Quite a bit for us, though," Lucky Girl said. "He doesn't normally have an army this big."
Spanner nodded. "Looks like we'll need an extra hand-" He activated the Omnitrix, dialing through his aliens. "Or four!"
Cat Noir looked at Spanner perplexed. "Huh? Four-"
Spanner slammed his hand down on the dial as he grew in size. Two extra eyes appeared below his own as two more arms sprouted below his arms as his skin reddened and toughened. His suit and hair disappearing as he changed from a scrawny ten-year-old to a familiar muscled alien. His outfit morphed into one similar to his white shirt with black stripe as his normal self.
"Four Arms! Good choice." Lucky Girl said.
Cat Noir was at a loss of words, not knowing what he was seeing before him, but he noticed the familiar symbol on the bug creature last time. "Wait, you were the bug?"
"Yup, now I'm Four Arms," proceeding to raise his four fists in the air.
Lucky Girl realized what he was going to do. "Jump!" She warned Cat Noir as she flew into the air.
A split second after Cat Noir used his baton to jump, Four Arms slammed down into the ground, creating a shockwave that sent the hamsters flying away. "Animo or Humanimal, you still are using the same old tricks which we have to take you down for."
Dr. Humanimal cackled. "Unlike the other times my dear boy, I have some help."
"Maybe in the costume department," Four Arms wise cracked.
Cat Noir and Lucky Girl had jumped back to Four Arms side after assisting in getting several pedestrians out from the approaching harm's way. "Ladybug should be here shortly to help out. I think it's best we find a way to take out the animals without harming them," Cat Noir suggested.
"No need," Four Arms replied, crouching down. "We just have to take care of him to return them to normal."
"Four Arms don't-" Lucky Girl's warning cam too late though as Four Arms jumped from his crouch, launching towards Dr. Humanimal above to end-
POW!
Just before Four Arms was able to land a two fisted blow, Dr. Humanimal had responded faster and stronger than the Tetramand form was able to. His gorilla punch sent him flying right back to the ground.
"Spanner! Are you hurt?" Lucky Girl asked.
"Only my pride," Four Arms grumbled as he picked himself up. "He's packing a mean punch now."
"Well of course he is, he's Akumatized right now."
"Akuma-what-now?" Four Arms and Lucky Girl asked.
"Going to have to explain later," Cat Noir replied looking at the animals just several feet from them on their left and right. "Follow me!" A quick extension of his baton on the ground sent him flying to the roof tops with Four Arms and Lucky Girl following his example.
"Don't let them get away!" snarled Hawkmoth.
"Trust me they won't," Dr. Humanimal replied.
Upon landing on the rooftops, more mutated animals revealed themselves as they had been climbing the buildings from the other side.
"Out of the way!" Four Arms yelled, winding his fists back for a punch.
Cat Noir noticed some things were off with these animals, but he realized it too late as Four Arms swung. "Wait!"
With a grunt, Four Arms backed up as his fist ricocheted off a pink barrier, blocking the creatures face. "What was that for Lucky?"
"They're not animals, Spanner," Lucky Girl replied. "Look."
Four Arms huffed before turning to the transparent barrier separating them from the creatures. Then he noticed torn scraps of clothing hanging off the creatures almost as is they were-
"Transformed. Animo can transform people now?"
"Then we're sitting ducks if he-" Four Arms turned. "Look out!" He pushed Cat Noir and Lucky Girl away as an orange beam hit him from behind, blinding everyone for a moment.
"Spanner! No!" Lucky Girl screamed.
Cat Noir got straight to his feet, prepared to meet the new creation of Dr. Humanimal.
However, the smoke settled peacefully, minus the mutant animals trying to get past the barrier to reveal… an unchanged Four Arms.
"Hey! I didn't go ape."
Lucky Girl heaved a sigh of relief. "Your alien form must have protected you."
"Impossible," Dr. Humanimal whispered. "Nothing should be able to withstand my ray. Even people now."
"You don't have time to gawk like a student Doctor. Every experiment has their own unexpected results. Unless you want me to end it?"I
"No! I can do it!" Dr. Humanimal inhaled deeply before letting out an inhuman screech.
All the animals that heard it went into a frenzy and Lucky Girl groaned at the strengthened attack on her magic barrier.
"My barrier's giving out! I can't hold it for much longer."
"Then let's get out of here," Four Arms said, preparing to jump before a shadow made him look up. "Oh no."
Mutated pigeons and other birds filled the sky above them, circling and watching their every move. And the animals on the block behind them were beginning to climb up the buildings.
"Guess we have no choice, Cat Noir."
Cat Noir sighed as he spun his baton, preparing for the oncoming fight. "Just don't hurt them."
"Them what about us? Lucky Girl what are you doing?"
"Trying to find a spell to clear the air," she replied flipping through her book of magic.
Another creak of her barrier. "We don't have time."
A strangled screech of the creatures in front of them was enough for them to notice the creatures being pulled back from Lucky Girl's mana barrier and over the ledge of the house. They were all tied up by a string that Cat Noir recognized.
Cat Noir scanned the street below to find his spotted companion. "Milady!"
She waved quickly. "Cat Noir! Follow me, you two as well."
"You heard Ladybug, let's go!"
Gwen cast a quick levitation spell. "Right behind you."
Four Arms looked back before jumping to the block below. "Until next time, Animo."
"It will be the last time." Animo grumbled, before letting a bark of orders to his animals.
"Either for them, or for you, Doctor."
"What took you so long Milady?"
"Skies were filled with some new friends," Ladybug replied, looking at the birds who were following them. "We have to find some cover in the sewers."
"The sewers?" Four Arms exclaimed. "I can't fit in there yet."
Lucky Girl stopped as she heard a sound like a boulder cracking. "Did anyone else hear that?"
"Hear what?" Four Arms asked.
Before Lucky Girl could explain, Cat Noir looked up as a bigger shape in the sky caught his attention. "Look out from above!"
Four Arms shifted his attention up above to see a large building falling from above, having been dropped by some of the mutant birds. His shift in attention made him too slow in the group to avoid getting crushed by the building.
"BEN!"
Author's Note:
Cue the climatic break to commercial!
ALSO for those wondering, Dr. Humanimal's appearance is influenced by Future Animo's appearance, but less ugly and machine oriented and more magic. Dr. Chadimo?
If you want to enjoy the story offline, you can use the Fanfiction app or go to my AO3. You can follow me on my socials found on my profile page!
Special thanks to my pal Archer for the help with the story.