Between Truths and Lies

by ErisLuna35

Shizuke Midorikawa was just an average boy who lives in an apartment above a flower shop with his grandmother. Blair Crawford was a fairly famous girl who models part time with her brother but dreams to be something else. They had nothing in common… Until a monster attacked their school and they received magical jewelry that allows them to transform into superheroes.

16. 3-4 Ego Split

CHAPTER 16: SMILE FOR THE CAMERAS

Notes: There's no stabbing here, but a lot of angst. This is the Kaji POV chapter.

0-0-0-0-0

Keagan

Sunday mornings are spent at the Cathedral with my family. We marched in with practiced grace, dressed in our finest church attire. It's one of the only times we can all be seen in the same room.

As the mayor's family, we get the front row all to ourselves like VIPs. Like we're a single unit, we rose from our seats and listened to the priest's sermons. Or at least in my case, appear like we're listening. Nobody cares if my mind drifts elsewhere as long as I sit, stand, and bring our offerings to the altar on cue. All without fidgeting too much in this suffocating suit. It's all about sending an image: that we're a good, generous, religious family.

On my right is my sister, followed by my mother, then finally, my father. My left side in contrast is empty past Aunt Vera right by my side… Uncle Augusto and his family used to sit here. It used to be much warmer on this side of the row.

It was an hour of a routine ingrained into me since I could walk when the priest declared the mass has ended and we all said our thanks to God. We made small talk with anyone who approached us while our bodyguards stayed alert in case anyone is up to no good.

"About your new policies, I propose…"

"... Care to invest on this business, Mrs. Aurelio-Ashworth?"

"Thank you for putting a stop to that bandit's robbing spree…"

"... I'm sure you'll win one more championship before college."

"Is it just me, or does Keagan seem a little taller to you?"

"He's looking more and more like his father each day. He'll surely grow into a tall, dark and handsome young man."

"He carries himself well. So poised. So dignified. Like a prince."

"Quite different from the wild excitable teen he presents himself as in his blog."

"I heard he's talented at fencing too."

"Then how come I've never seen him compete in a single tournament?"

"What a waste."

"At least his cousin's doing well in his school's fencing team."

Just keep smiling. It'll pass.

In line, we went into our cars with Aunt Vera taking the lead and bodyguards walking by either side of us in formation. We were ushered into separate cars. My mother had some business to attend to in another city. Octavia was meeting up with her fencing club members to practice for one last championship. Aunt Vera's heading straight to the police station. My father was the only one with me in the car, but he's only there to accompany me home because he has a meeting on the other side of the castle.

As soon as we're out of public view, I took off my blazer and loosened my tie. Free at last! But that relief didn't last long. I stared out the window and watched as the Cathedral disappeared among the buildings the further we got from it. There's a certain spot at the top of its highest point that never fails to catch my eye.

This was the place where Helios first laid eyes on Hawkmoth. She was standing there with a swarm of glowing white butterflies carrying her voice so everyone can hear her speech. She claimed she wanted to help people, that she can stop the monsters from appearing. With her smile made of knives and kind words laced with venom, she had the city wrapped around her dainty little finger.

Her voice was like that of a siren, beckoning everyone into their doom…

A coughing sound called my attention.

"So son… How are you?"

I snapped out of my memories and faced my father seated across from me. The man is often described to be like a more solemn, long-haired, older version of me with a preference for business suits. It's a suffice description. His childhood pictures could be mixed up with my own if people didn't take note of the siblings that accompany us. Save for Aunt Vera and Uncle Ross, he knows better than anyone why my eyes would always linger on the Cathedral.

I knew what he meant by that question. I'm gonna pretend I didn't anyway.

"We had a lot of fun last Friday!"

I pulled out my phone to show my father a few pictures.

"Who knew Helios' reputed bad boy had such a warm smile?"

Yeah, I can look at his smiling face all day. Even Shizu, straight as can be, was flustered at the sight. What chance did a bisexual disaster like me even had?

I swiped the picture to view the next. Oh!

"Here's an even better one."

My father gave me a confused look. "It is only your friend Shizuke slicing a pizza."

I can already feel my so-called 'shipping grin' coming up as I zoomed to a face over his shoulder.

"His twin has an equally warm smile. Even better, it's directed at Shizuke.~"

"So you ship them?" my father cringed as soon as he said the term.

"Hehehe…"

Our relationship came a long way from where we started. He used to be so stern and overprotective, never letting me out of the castle out of fear… Well, it took me years to understand it was all out of paranoia and he's not just being a jerk.

"Just don't try to force them together," he sternly said. "Let it come naturally. If they're meant to be, it'll happen."

"Yeah, yeah."

Even to this day, there are times when he's such a killjoy. But hey, it wasn't me who made them go to the prize counter to get Blake a Chat Noire jacket together. They did that on their own. It won't be long before this ship can sail itself without me to shovel coal in the boiler room. I got a good feeling about this.

"I'm glad to hear you're making new friends," my father said.

I smiled back at him, more real than the smile I had back in the church. While it's still awkward to talk to him at least he's trying to understand me.

"I'm glad too."

"But you know that is not what I'm inquiring you about."

My smile froze over.

"If this is about my class at Education Week setting their room on fire, I still don't know how that happened. It was an accident, and -"

"I'm inquiring you about the akuma attack that happened that week. Bully Hunter, no?"

Oh no. We're talking about it again. Every akuma attack I personally get involved in, without fail, at least one member of my family would bring this up. Father tries his best to keep his voice steady, but I can still hear the little quivers whenever he talks about this.

"You could've fallen off the net or got hit by an exploding bead! The heroes, even Fiona, were giving you many opportunities to get to safety! Why don't you take it?!"

Mercifully, the gates of Aurelio Land were in sight.

"I was interviewing Bully Hunter. Perhaps I could get some intel out of him, like clues about Hawkmoth," I said the name through gritted teeth. If it wasn't for her…

We're driving through Aurelio Land now, the roads having changed from flat cement to cobblestone. With less cars on the streets, it allowed our own to drive faster.

"Retrieving information is important, that is true. We all want Hawkmoth locked behind bars," his tone hardened at the mention of the villainess, practically growling it. "You probably do more than anyone," at this, he started to soften, but he's still as stern as ever. "Understandable. But your safety should be more important to you."

The big fancy castle is just a few minutes away now. I have to keep my cool and keep talking. Keep smiling.

"I'm sorry father, I can't stop when so many people are depending on me. I've helped so many people with my Ladyblog. Even the superheroes."

What I saw in the cathedral is a stark reminder that underneath those masks were ordinary people who can hurt and bleed like anyone else. That's why I want to help the heroes in any way I can. If my blog is the only way I can do it, then so be it. I have to do this.

"I feel like I'm making a real difference."

And besides…

"Have a little more faith in the heroes. They'll make sure I'm safe."

They may have failed to capture Hawkmoth the day she showed up, but they've never let anyone fall as a casualty in her attacks. That is why I admire them so much.

Before my father could say anything in reply, the car finally stopped and we're parked right outside Ashworth Castle. I practically jumped out of the car and made a run for the door. Father held an arm out to stop me, but I managed to dodge his grasp. I may not be the best fencer in the family, but I'm the most evasive. That didn't stop him from calling out to me.

"Keagan-"

I stopped and feigned a smile at him, running excitedly in place.

"I'm meeting up with Shizu and Fuyu, and you're going to be late."

This made my father stop. He looked conflicted. Sigh. Even to this day, he can't bring himself to fully choose me over his work. The sad truth is, I never got this much attention from my family before Hawkmoth started her reign of terror. But at least this means I can count on my family to have my back when it comes down to it. Even if they still keep themselves busy, I'll take what I can get… For now, I'll just use that to my advantage.

"Good luck with the meeting! Good bye, father!"

I waved her goodbye as I jogged into the castle. From a window, I saw him shut the car door and drove away to the other entrance of the castle. It was only then I could breathe easy. Confrontations like these never get easier. My hand wandered into my pocket, feeling the solid form of my phone.

I'm sorry for worrying you all.

But this is something I can't let go of.

0-0-0-0-0

"Let's just enjoy today, guys. It's rare for us to have a quiet day. How about we explore the city?"

Shizu's like the team mom. He's responsible, caring, and the one who tends to play peacemaker whenever Fuyu and I take our squabbling too far. He's stern, but knows when to let lose.

Most of all, he's as honest they come. Always taking the straightest most direct path he can find. Never afraid to tell me what he really thinks even if I may not agree with it. It's a breath of fresh air compared to the other kids trying too hard to get on my good side. In fact, if I give him too much, he'd get mad at me and think I'm rubbing it in his face that I'm rich and he's not. He'd always insist on returning whatever favor I do for him. With him, it never felt like I'm only liked for my family's money.

"Why can't we just use the elevator?"

"Because that would be boring?"

"I'm just saying, we could've been out by now if we didn't have to be sneaky. It's not like your father would forbid you from leaving if you asked."

Before, I would've taken him for a bootlicker. I heard his story from Fuyu. Former lackey of a bully. Desperate to fit in. A fish out of water. He's honest, diligent, and respectful to adults. He's the sort of boy every parent would tell their son to be more like… Well, minus having no indoor voice. It wasn't hard to imagine how he got into my father's good side. Father can always count on Shizuke's inability to lie to get an honest read on me. It took me a while to see him as more than just a snitch. I've never been so glad to be proven wrong about anyone in my life.

"The coast is clear. Let's move!" Fuyu led us out of the curtains and into the hall.

"Fuyu finds it more fun this way."

I couldn't help but smile softly at Fuyu's giddiness as she picked out book after book from the shelves that line a certain wall. In stark contrast to Shizu, Fuyu encourages rebellion. Screw what our fathers want for us. We should be who we are and never apologize for it. That's why she replaced all her dresses for a more punk goth wardrobe and fight bullies: she's doing what feels right for her. It's also why my father didn't like her until recently. He called her a mala influencia. A bad influence.

"Aha!" Fuyu found the button that would reveal a secret passageway. Fuyu dusted her hands, looking pleased with herself.

Uncle Augusto would've appreciated her adventurous spirit. He's the one who had all these secret passageways installed. It'll please him to know someone else also liked them.

"Pretty sure this one leads straight to the carousel. Is that far enough from the ferriswheel for you?"

She's rough around the edges with how she likes to throw jabs at people, but she's always careful not to go too far and hurt those she didn't mean to. She looks out for everyone. That's how she met Shizu. And through her, Shizu came out of his shell and grew to be the strong dependable guy he is now.

Being a protector comes as naturally to her as being a nurturer. The same could be said about Shizu.

I'm fortunate to have friends like them.

"That's what you and Fuyu are here for. I'm totally safe as long as you guys are around," I said, in reply to Shizu's nervous fussing.

Fuyu preened like a peacock at that. But Shizu isn't appeased so easily.

"From schoolyard bullies, sure. But what about kidnappers? Terrorists? Akuma?"

"Then, we run."

My hold on my phone subconsciously tightened.

"But I need to gather more information!"

"Honestly, what more do people need to know?" Fuyu asked, her icy blue gaze piercing right through me. "Akumas are VICTIMS who's pain are taken advantage of. What they did as an akuma is not their fault. It's all Hawkmoth's. LADYBUG said it himself."

I couldn't help but wince at everything she said. She's right. I know that. But it doesn't feel like what I'm doing is enough…

Past Fuyu's sharp glare, I can still see that sliver of fear she tries so hard to hide. This is my fault. Suddenly, looking at Fuyu became too painful.

It'll never be enough to make up for that.

I had to get away. I was only able to take a few steps before Shizu blocked my path.

"She's right, Kaji," Shizu said in a gentle voice, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You can always tell us what's really bothering you."

Easy for you to say, Shizu. You weren't there when it happened… And a part of me will always be grateful you weren't.

"You wouldn't understand."

I shrugged off his hand - the warmth and understanding it promised - and walked away.

I don't deserve it.

0-0-0-0-0

My sister's blonde teammate ran past us wearing a ladybug-patterned dress.

"Wasn't that Alicia?"

"… She looks like she's crying," Fuyu said, sharp-eyed as ever.

I sensed before I saw the corrupted purple butterfly fluttering in the air. Months of my life revolving around these vile creatures gave me a feel for them… as well as an incapacitating fear for them. It was never the thrashing superhumans that scared me, but the butterfly radiating such malevolent aura.

Akuma is a fitting name for them. It means 'demon' in Japanese.

It's like everything happened in slow motion: Alicia running with tears in her eyes. The butterfly flitting gracefully in the air before disappearing into her earring. Alicia stopping in place, a glowing butterfly mask appearing over her face.

All that time, I was pinned in place. I couldn't go near that butterfly - afraid it would flutter to me instead. It was then when I heard Fuyu and Shizu arguing about something behind me… Maybe they could do something. I called out to them, but it was too late.

In the five months I've been following them, I've never actually seen someone transform into an akuma. It was… It was something. No words can explain it. I felt bile rise up my throat, but I forced it down. It's never a good idea to be the first thing the akuma sees - you tend to be the first thing they use their new powers on. I let Fuyu drag me away without resistance for now. Regardless of what Fuyu says, I'm not that reckless.

All I could do was watch from afar as it claimed another victim.

0-0-0-0-0

In the middle of an akuma attack, Shizu disappears. Again. I'd be more hurt about it if I wasn't so relieved. With the akuma out, this is a good thing. That's one less friend to worry about.

0-0-0-0-0

On the way to the latest akuma sightings, there was a huge crowd. Suspiciously, the crowd seemed to be almost entirely comprised of identical twins. They were all panicking, trying to get as far away from the akuma as possible. With so many people running the opposite direction of where I'm headed, I wasn't able to get through. Even Fuyu got lost in the crowd.

With Ladybug on the way, it's only a matter of time before things get resolved. I pulled myself out of the crowd and messaged Fuyu to meet me by the fountain - which was currently devoid of people. I sat by the edge of it, relaxing at the atmosphere. The sun was shining brightly, the trees surrounding it were providing a pleasant shade, there was a nice cool breeze blowing...

Then a shadow loomed over me. Somehow, I knew before looking up that it was my cousin. Leo stood in front of me like a distorted mirror image showing me what a true prince should be like: a toned frame from fencing, a prideful dignified air about him and designer clothes to further emphasize both.

Leo glanced over my phone, the Ladyblog's main page currently on display. His face scrunched in disgust. To think there was a time when those russet eyes were full of warmth.

"You think your little blog is gonna change anything?"

I clutched my phone closer to me.

"People need to know-"

"Need to know what? All you've posted are stuff everyone already knows about akumas and fluff pieces about the superheroes."

"That's important too! Hawkmoth preys on those who fall into despair!"

Memories I'd rather not reminisce were resurfacing. No! I took a deep moment to calm my shaking nerves. Think of something like… Like my first interview with Ladybug. Nobody knew what was going on. He was running out of time. Yet he still spared me a second to explain as much as he could before leaving. His words felt like a life line in the middle of a storm…

"Knowing the heroes are there to save them will give people hope! It gives people something to hold onto to resist Hawkmoth and…" In a quieter voice, I said, "… and not turn into monsters."

"A lot of good that did," Leo sneered. "There're still akumas popping up around the city. You wanna know why?"

Every step Leo took forward, I took back. In three steps, I was cornered against a tree. Leo may have stood a respectable two feet away from me, but his sheer presence was overwhelming.

"It's because akumas don't turn people into monsters. They just bring out the monster that's always been there."

My breath caught in my throat with the way Leo's burning russet eyes – eyes identical to mine, to my father's, to Uncle Augusto's – glared straight at me with so much hatred, it burned.

"Once a monster, always a monster."

His words felt like a death sentence - like I'm doomed no matter what I do.

"Enough of this bullshit!"

Like an avenging angel summoned from the heavens, Fuyu came running in and kicked Leo hard on the groin.

Not long after, some employees helped Leo into a stretcher and took him to the castle's clinic as a pair of angry photographers yelled at us.

0-0-0-0-0

As it turns out, the photographer was the one who caused Alicia to turn into an akuma. After promising not to record anything - Shizu was quick to find what made him hesitate to talk - we quickly find out there's a pattern to Ego Split's stabbings. Besides stabbing anyone who gets in her way, she's specifically targeting her co-workers.

It's my time to shine! I whipped out my phone and asked the photographer for names… I hesitated at the name 'Leonardo Arthur Aurelio'. He had me blocked on all platforms. Even if I wanted to check on him, I can't know through my phone. I'd have to see him in person to know… I'm not sure if I want to go that far to check on him.

The photographer didn't question it and just gave me another name. When the photographer finally mentioned the Crawford twins, my fingers just tapped their icons on reflex.

We learned Blake was split. But Blair's still in one piece.

I can feel my lips curl into a grin - the one Blair dubbed as my 'shipping grin'.

Shizu's here. Blair needs help. We're so there!

0-0-0-0-0

Seeing Blake flirting so casually with Natalia is a sight none of us will ever forget. This guy was moping about her just two days ago! Now he's leaning in for a kiss. What is even happening here?!

"STOP!!!"

Just in time to prevent an almost-affair, a certain redhead wearing a brownish gray jacket, faded orange band shirt and a pair of purple pants (and somehow making it work) came along and blocked his double's lips, pulling him away.

"Another Blake?!" Natalia screamed.

Talk about a literal split personality.

The flustered Blake in the mismatched outfit awkwardly waved at Natalia.

"Hey, 'Talia. I'm just gonna… uh… BYE!!!"

Holy fudgedrops. He's adorable!!!

"H-how much did you saw?!"

Oh right. He's only now spotting us and is getting more flustered at the way we're all just standing here staring at him and his…

"Hey Fiona.~"

The casanova wannabe slipped out of the shrinking violet's grasp and went over to Fuyu. He grasped her hand and kissed it.

"You're cute as ever. How about we ditch your friends and have some real fun?~" Blake winked.

… I don't know how to feel about that. Should I feel jealous? No. I have no right to be jealous. Fuyu and Blake could date whoever they want, including each other. Blake deserves to be happy after Natalia (unknowingly) broke his heart. And Fuyu…

Fuyu just punched him in the stomach, knocking him unconscious.

I let out a breath… Since when was I holding it?

"Fiona! What the fuck?!"

Natalia glared at Fuyu, holding onto the passed out Blake protectively as if she actually stood a chance against Fuyu in a fight.

"Merciless," the other Blake winced.

By my side, I sensed rather than saw Fuyu tense. I'm sure Fuyu didn't mean to hit Blake - he's steadily becoming one of our closer friends. She just did that on reflex whenever something confuses her beyond comprehension, like playboy Blake hitting on her.

"Believe me, I've seen Fuyu when she's merciless. This isn't it," I calmly explained.

Natalia didn't buy it and is shielding Blake from Fuyu. She's brave, I'll give her that. Huh. Had Natalia not been BFF's with Damien, I can see Fuyu respecting this about her. Maybe Blake's taste in girls doesn't suck that bad after all.

Wait, we're getting sidetracked.

"Anyway, where's Blair?" I asked, getting back to what we came here for.

Suddenly, it's like the old Blake returned and possessed the shy Blake.

"She ditched me, as usual."

0-0-0-0-0

Blake explained what happened. Well, as much as he could with the subject of his distraction is within hearing range anyway. Blair basically pulled the old, 'Look! A distraction!' trick on the poor Blakes.

"Little sisters, am I right?" Natalia said with an exasperated eye roll. "We take our eyes off them for one second, they run off on you."

"You too?" Blake asked.

"Pa, Velvet and I have been looking all over the place for Sophie," her exasperation shifted to something softer when she noticed Blake was beginning to fret. "They already found her, don't worry. I was on my way there when you came along and…"

Blake's face went as red as his hair. "Oh. Sorry about that."

Natalia shook her head. "Nah, it's cool."

She looked back cautiously at the still-unconscious playboy Blake, whom the shy Blake took off Natalia and is now carrying piggy back style. Such a gentleman.

"You were split, and that guy's like your evil twin or something."

Evil twin wouldn't be accurate. He's more like Blake's public image of a bad boy womanizer coming to life. This must be what Ego Split meant by freeing the models forced into faking who they are.

"Speaking of missing persons," Fuyu voiced out, calling all our attention. "Has anyone seen Shizu?"

Looking around, Shizu really is missing. I didn't even notice… Where… Or better yet, why? Why does he keep disappearing like this? I-is it something I did?

But I didn't voice any of this. I grinned as hard as I can and said, "And right when Blair is missing too… Maybe they're meeting up in secret?"

Fuyu frowned at me. Sigh. Nothing gets pass her.

"There's an akuma out and you think they're secretly meeting up?" Natalia said with a bemused look.

"Huh? What did I miss?" the playboy Blake finally woke up and got off his shy counterpart.

While they were all focused on the newly awakened playboy, I felt my phone vibrate and checked it out. It was a text from Blair.

Hey Keagan. I got a plan and I need your help.

Can you come over to Chateau de Lucia?

And if you see Blake, please don't lead him here.

I snuck away while no one was looking. Once I rounded a corner, someone grabbed me by the arm. From the feel of the hand on my arm, I can already tell who it is before she even spoke.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Honestly, I'd rather not tell her. It's dangerous to get between an akuma and their targets, but it's something I have to do. Fuyu doesn't have to…

"Fuyu, I need to go. Please."

But she won't let go of me. While there's still that fear in her eyes that never fails to bring a stab of guilt within me, there's also that familiar glint of fierce determination that tells me there's nothing I can say to make her back down. She'd never abandon me.

"Someone has to make sure you don't do anything stupid. I'm not leaving you alone for this."

This is exactly what led her to learn fear in the first place… Is it selfish of me to give in and let her come along despite the danger? Yes. Very.

We took rental bikes and cut through the quickest path to Chateau de Lucia - the haunted house. Shizu won't ever go there willingly… then where could he be?

0-0-0-0-0

It took us almost no time to get to the costume shop Blair told us to meet her at. Blair was grabbing every long red wig she could get her hands on and putting it in a burlap sack when we found her.

"Keagan! Fiona!" Blair greeted as she handed us our own burlap sacks. "Quick. Load them up with red wigs and gather every mannequin that's around my height. We'll need them for my plan."

"And what exactly is your plan?" I asked.

Blair flashed us a confident smirk as she explained to us what she had in mind. The set up, the trap, the distractions… It's all well thought out. This might just work, except…

"You're gonna need more people than this."

"And that's where you come in," Blair smirked at me. "You own this place, Princey. I'm sure you can get a few of the employees to do some of the heavy lifting."

"Sorry to break it to you, but the employees here don't exactly answer to Kaji," Fuyu said.

A nervous laugh escaped me. "If they did, security would've taken you and Blake into custody too."

"What for?" Blair asked, alarmed.

I laughed nervously. "Nothing serious. I only needed to catch up to you guys."

"Yikes. Talk about drastic measures."

I turned around to see which Blake it is… The playboy Blake? And he's alone. He's leaning on a shelf with his arms folded across his chest, intense emerald gaze directed our way.

"Why are you here?" Blair said through gritted teeth.

"My dearest sister is clearly up to something. You expect me not to stick my nose into it?"

"Are you gonna stop me?" Blair asked.

"Nope. I'm here to offer you my assistance."

Blair didn't look appeased. "Bro, this is dangerous and I'm her target."

"So? I was her target too and she already split me. The worst has already happened."

"She could stab you again."

Blake winced, hand going up to his chest. I haven't actually seen someone get split, but from what I can glean from other people's posts on the Ladyblog, Ego Split always aims for the chest - just like the rules for fencing using a foil.

"Yep. Getting stabbed ain't fun," Blake's look softened as he held out a fist. "But I'll always have your back. We're a team, sis."

Blair finally eased up, even smiling that candid smile she never uses in magazines. She bumped his fist with her own.

"Always."

Awww… This is so cute! Their twinly bond is so precious I can't…

"So where's the less annoying Blake?" Fuyu questioned, ruining the moment.

The playboy rolled his eyes. "He's with Natalia. One of us should accompany her to her family. Make sure she gets there safely and all."

"If one of you Blakes would stick with Natalia, I thought it would've been you," Fuyu bluntly said.

"Nah. If she had to choose, it's the shy, awkward, push-over me she'd pick every single time," contrary to his next words, his smirk took on a more cheerful vibe. "She hates this version of me."

"That's a good thing?" I had to ask. I've never seen someone so happy to be hated.

"It means she'd choose the dork over the bad boy model," Blair clarified with a smirk. "I consider that a good thing."

… So that vapid, foul-mouthed blonde prefers the real Blake over the image he projects in the magazines? My opinion of her has improved, just a tiny little bit. It'll improve significantly if she'd stop badmouthing Shizuke all together, but baby steps.

"Anyway, we'll just have to resort to Plan B," said Blair.

"What's Plan B?" I asked.

0-0-0-0-0

"Hello, fans! I'm here at Aurelio Land with a plan to trap an akuma in one of the attractions!"

Blair moved aside to present Chateau de Lucia to my phone's camera. Comments lined up on the side of the screen, mostly positive. This is Plan B: we're streaming a message into their main social media page to ask her fan club for help. We figured they'd be the most willing to do so, what with them claiming to love the twins. Time to put their 'love' to the test.

"To execute that, I'm going to need your help. Who wants to volunteer?" Blair flashed my phone a camera-ready smile.

The comments went to a screeching halt. Blake decided to try to entice the fans into joining our crazy plan.

"Chill guys. The akuma isn't deadly. Yours truly has already been stabbed," Blake flipped his hair and smirked at the audience. "As you can see, I'm alive and well.~"

There were a few comments trickling in about how hot Blake is in his new outfit, but no volunteers.

"... We'll give you autographs?" Blair added.

Still silence on the volunteers front.

I'm pretty sure people already know what happens when you get stabbed by Ego Split thanks to the Ladyblog. They know it's painful. Fuyu is by my side, pinching the bridge of her nose. If fanservice doesn't work… I handed my phone over to Fuyu and pulled out some cash for the twins' fan club to see.

"I'll pay a hundred bucks for each volunteer. Offer ends in ten minutes."

The comments started flowing in again, now with more willing volunteers rushing to our location. My phone was bombarded with positive replies and questioning my methods of payment. I cheerfully told them I'd pay after the akuma is cleansed. We don't have much time to spare. I'm not above using my money and status to get things going.

0-0-0-0-0

Preparations went off quickly after that, thanks to the twins' fan club. Blair was quick and decisive when delegating tasks to everyone.

Fan boys do the heavy lifting by taking some mirrors from the house of mirrors and the mannequins that match Blair's height from the costume shop. Fan girls took the wigs and placed them on every humanoid figure they can find in the haunted house.

Those with any experience in handling electronics helped with rearranging some spotlights at certain spots. No need to operate them to follow Ego Split. According to Blair, her sword glows in the dark. She should know, she had a close encounter with it in Vincent's car.

I was given the special task of hacking the security system. It's like second nature to me. This brings me back to the days I used to be content with the second-hand happiness from watching strangers having fun through a screen. Then I got a taste of what being a participant felt like. I can no longer go back to being an observer.

"That should do it," I pushed myself off away from the desk and spun the computer chair to face Blair. "It's all yours."

Blair didn't congratulate me like I expected her to. It's like her face is locked in that serious, scrutinizing look after we got her fans to help. Even now, I still find Blair to be hard to read. Blair's talked to us more than Blake ever did, but it feels like we know less about her than Blake. For all she talks, she hardly talks about herself. I can count on one hand the things I know about her that can't be looked up on those magazines.

"What?" I had to ask. It's the only way I'll figure anything out about her.

"Was it really necessary for you to take out that much money?"

I shrugged. "Sometimes people just needed a more tangible incentive to do anything."

The richer and more popular you are, the easier it is to find those people. They claim to love you, but it's really the perks you come with that they love. This is the curse of the rich and famous.

"Uh huh," Blair still looked pensive.

"Don't worry about it. I have more money than I know what to do with. I could think of no better way to spend it than on a scheme to help out superheroes."

Blair ran her fingers through her hair. Nervous habit?

"It's still a lot of money."

I shook my head and smiled. One of the things I've come to learn about Blair is the girl can be stingy when it comes to money. In the five months I've known her, she never asked me to buy her anything, always preferring to use her own earnings. So far, she's treated me more like a classmate with all the news than a prince who can get her anything. This aspect of her reminds me of Shizu in a sense.

"Well, if you insist, how about you let me be the one posted at the door to greet the heroes?"

"That's all you're gonna ask for? After spending over a thousand?"

"Getting a chance to talk to the heroes is a rare opportunity. It's totally worth it."

"... Alright. That's your assignment."

I pumped my fist into the air. Yes! Finally! A chance to talk to the heroes!

0-0-0-0-0

Fuyu approved of my post by the door and my task to inform the heroes of our plot. She and Blake are among the few who volunteered to run around Ego Split with red wigs. A hundred credits can only make people do so much. Those guys who stuck around to this phase will definitely be getting a bonus from me later on.

It's almost time for us to get into position. I was setting things up for when I hack into the announcement hologram podiums and air out Blair's message. Fuyu was distributing the wigs. When she got to Blake, the boy flinched away from her outstretch hand holding out a wig for him. Perceptive as ever, Fuyu realized what's wrong.

"Look, I'm sorry for punching you in the gut. I was just… Surprised."

Blake eased up at her apology and sheepishly accepted the wig. He's acting more and more like the normal Blake. Why is that…?

"You're not mad at me?"

"You're annoying as hell when you're like that, but I can't blame you for something beyond your control."

That made my heart clench.

Blake snorted a chuckle and shook his head. "I should've expected that from you."

Fuyu put on her own wig. "Now put your wig on. We're about to start."

Blake shrugged and put his own wig on. He posed and flipped his wig's hair.

"How do I look?"

"Just like the real thing," Fuyu deadpanned but there's a small relieved smile on her face.

Blake ruffled her red haired wig like an affectionate older brother.

"C'mon, little sister. It's show time."

"It's Fuyu, dummy," Fuyu punched him by the arm and ran ahead.

"Do you have to respond to everything with violence?!" Blake whined while running after her.

Yes. Yes she does. Get used to it. You're officially friends now and it's how she shows affection. Shizu and I will share with you our compresses.

"Alright, Keagan."

Blair called my attention as she settled on her seat in the middle of my set up. Lights and cameras surround her, all to capture her face in all its 3D glory. She flipped her hair and smirked.

"I'm ready for my close up."

I went over my phone, ready to press the button to start recording.

"Ready in three… Two… One…"

0-0-0-0-0

Ladybug had me pinned to a wall in a matter of seconds. I'd find it kinda hot to be pinned by a rather fit superhero in tight red spandex, but this is Ladybug we're talking about. It would've made perfect sense for me to develop a celebrity crush on the hero. He's kinda my type: strong, kind, loyal… But it never went further than that. As much as I admire him and notice his appeal, for some reason I can't feel more than that for the hero.

I explained to him what's going on. Ladybug seems anxious to go without Chat Noire. Understandable. Where Ladybug is a more straightforward fighter who made the broadstrokes of the plan and sets up the goal, Chat Noire is a cunning badass who fills in the gaps to get them there. It's how their team works.

Nonetheless, it doesn't stop Ladybug from going forward without her. While they're as different as day and night, they're equally dedicated to their duties as heroes. He summoned Lucky Charm. It turned out to be a two-way mirror. He looked it over with consideration before he handed it over to me.

"I'm going to need your help."

"M-me?!"

Ladybug nodded. "You're a fencer, aren't you?"

"It is an Aurelio family tradition."

"Then I'm sure you're good enough to anticipate Ego Split's every move. I'll need that skill for my plan. Will you help me?"

Ladybug's brown eyes were full of resolve, but it wasn't enough to hide his desperation. He wouldn't be asking for my help if he weren't. It always astounds me how easy the superhero is to read. I don't know if it's his sincerity or if he's just bad at putting up a front.

"It would be my honor."

When Ladybug asks me for help like this, how could I say no?

0-0-0-0-0

The plan was going smoothly, up until Ego Split let go of her sword and levitated it around. Its movements were sloppy, so it was easy enough to parry it. That is, until it discharged a red shockwave of energy. I felt the static and yelped in pain, nearly dropping the mirror. The sword zipped over me and straight towards Ladybug.

That's when two black-clad figures ran past. One was Chat Noire, who grabbed the sword right when it was mere inches away from Ladybug and Cataclysmed it to ashes.

The other was a girl dressed like a witch with long flowy red hair. The witch didn't say a word when she went over to Ego Split, plucked out her earrings and threw them at Ladybug's feet - like Ladybug entrusted me to do. Ladybug crushed the earrings under his foot and purified the akuma.

I picked up the Lucky Charm and passed it over to Ladybug.

"Here."

"Are you hurt?"

Ladybug gave me a concerned once-over. He always does this whenever I get too close to an akuma. It would've made more sense for him act like he doesn't care… But he does. For him to care for everyone, even someone like me… This bug hero has such a huge heart, it's almost overwhelming.

"Nah, I'm fine. It's only a little static from the sword, that's all," I said, trying to play it cool to appease him.

With some lingering doubt written all over his expressive face, he let the subject drop. Then everything goes the usual routine. Take the Lucky Charm, cast Miraculous Ladybug and let the swarm fix everything.

Once again, the heroes came through.

On the side, I noticed the witch girl disappear into the swarm before it went over to Chat Noire, who cheered as soon as the swarm was done with her. Why would it… Oh. Ooooh… She's been split! And witch girl was her other half! Does this mean I've talked to her civilian side? And I thought plotting with Blair to ensnare an akuma in a haunted house would be the craziest thing to happen today! I have so many theories on the heroes' secret identities and -

And the heroes are about to do their usual fist bumps. Something's different about Chat Noire when she approached Ladybug. There's none of that swagger she usually dons in public. She seems more subdued, almost coy when she offered him her fist.

"Pound it?"

Ladybug flashed her a smile, his cheeks taking on a light pinkish hue when he connects his own fist to hers.

"Pound it."

I couldn't stop the excited squeal from bubbling out my mouth. I can't help it! They're my OTP and they're having a moment!

"C'mon."

Ladybug called out to me. He stepped aside to make room for another person in their fist bump.

"You can join in."

My eyes darted down to their connected fists and I shook my head. No. They can't be… I haven't done enough to…

"You don't mean…"

"You helped us out."

This time, it was Chat Noire reassuring me. She had her confident smirk on, her feral green eyes full of kindness. The black cat heroine wasn't always quick to sympathizing with others. That's why when she does, it feels like...

"You earned it."

She talked with complete certainty, like she saw all my effort and appreciated it. They both did. For a moment, I could believe I deserve this.

That moment ended with the beepings of Ladybug's cufflinks.

"I better go. Bye!"

I've never seen Ladybug run so fast before. The bug hero didn't even answer me when I asked him for an interview. He's normally so polite, he'd answer even if it's a 'no'.

"Think something's bugging him?" Chat Noire asked.

I snickered at the pun.

0-0-0-0-0

When Alicia woke up, Chat Noire proceeded to do as Ladybug does and comfort the victim. Or at least try. She was pretty stiff and awkward about it. This is definitely not one of her strong points, but its sweet she's trying. One thing she said stood out though…

"It wasn't the real you who did all that. You know who you really are, what you wanted… Hawkmoth just twisted all that to make a fake version of you to hurt others. Nobody blames you for any of it. Okay?"

… Can it really be that simple?

0-0-0-0-0

Fuyu eventually caught on to what I did to help Ladybug and I got a punch in the arm for it.

"Of all the stupid, reckless, utterly ridiculous-"

"Yeah, I know."

Fuyu crossed her arms and glared at me. We've had this argument plenty of times before. We can already guess what the other was going to say. She knows my answer, but that never stopped her from trying to change it.

"Ahem," one of the fan boys who helped out our plan coughed to catch our attention. Around him are the rest of the Crawford twins' fans who helped out.

"Right. I haven't forgotten about you," I pulled out a check and scribbled the amount I'm going to give this rude gentleman. "Line up, people."

After the first guy got his check, a bigger man shoved aside the other fans and held out his hand.

"Where's my money?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You weren't among those who helped us. I would've recognized a big guy like you."

The big guy fumed at getting called out but Fuyu was quick to act, holding down his wrists in restraint.

"You heard him. Now get lost," Fuyu said.

Like a bouncer at a bar, Fuyu pushed him out the exit so the fans who earned my money can get to me.

Times like these, I'm grateful for my father for training me to remember people by name and face. It makes for a good impression to know guests at galas. Here, I only need to remember people by face. Quite useful for telling apart those who actually worked for my bribe and those who're trying to take advantage without lifting a finger to help.

The whole time, for every female fan I've written a check for, I kept wondering 'could this be Chat Noire?'. I was tempted to ask, but I kept my mouth shut. My curiosity isn't worth more than their safety.

0-0-0-0-0

Soon enough, the fans cleared out. There was a glint of something shiny on the floor. I went over and picked up Alicia's earrings, magically restored by Miraculous Ladybug. She forgot these. So I went over to her trailer to return them to her. When I got there, the Spanish photographer from earlier was there, apologizing like he said he would. For who knows what reason, Blair was there with them. The three of them were standing outside the trailers under the shadows of the theme park's rides surrounding this empty spot. Curiosity got the better of me. I stood behind a tall bush, trimmed to the shape of a unicorn and listened in.

"About my idea to switch roles with Blake…"

"Lo siento, but I'm going to have to say no," the photographer firmly said, before continuing in a softer tone. "Not to say it was not a buena idea, it's just not factible."

"Factible?"

"Si. Factible. It is not feasible. That outfit you're wearing right now," he gestured to her red dress with the black spots. "A team of designers have been working on that for weeks. Not just your dress, but Senior Blake's and all the other models'. Before they made the outfits, several meetings were spent discussing them and the roles and the models who can best wear them. A lot of thought and effort was put into making that dress by people who believed in you to showcase their work."

Alicia's hopeful expression shifted into guilt. "Oh… So that's why you got so mad. To completely reassign the roles and change mine and Blake's outfits would've been…"

"It would've been like spitting on the designers' hard work," Blair said, her tone devoid of that teasing whimsical tone she often adopts. "And to your co-workers, it'll be like you're trying to get special treatment."

Alicia shrunk away from the uncharacteristically serious redhead. As for Blair, she took a step closer towards Alicia and gave her shoulder a comforting pat.

"I know you didn't mean to come off that way. Chin up. We're not blaming you."

"Seniorita Blair is right," the photographer added. "Don't feel bad, Seniorita Alicia. You're new and didn't know better. It was I who should've been more patient and calmly explained things to you. I'm supposed to be the adult here. All I wanted was for everyone to do their job fairly. It wasn't fair of me to blow up at you."

"I… I forgive you for that," Alicia said, her lips were in a pensive line. "I have a lot to learn, it seems."

This is when Blair did a cough to call back attention to herself. With a stern look, Blair offered her some advice which Alicia eagerly took to.

"As a model, you have the most power between being given a contract and signing it. It's always best to check your contract. Thoroughly. Make extra sure you're cool with everything it says there because it'll be hard to take it back once you sign on. Before you do, you can still negotiate your terms. See how much you can get away with."

"Right," Alicia said, listening intently.

Following Blair's lead, the photographer threw in his own two cents as well.

"Once you sign up, you have to do your work as you agreed upon. But that doesn't mean you can't take libertades creativas - creative liberties - with how to interpret the role they want you to play."

Alicia looked towards the photographer with newfound hope. "Does that mean I can still detract from the princess role?"

"To some degree, si," the photographer nodded. "For this shoot, you're not just a princessa, but a Ladybug. Take inspiration from the superhero. What are the traits of his that you like? See if you can incorporate it into your role."

"This is a lot to take in…" Alicia leaned her back over the side of her trailer. "I'm not sure if I even want to be a model anymore, to be honest. I only wanted to make my family proud."

Make your family proud, huh? I can't be the prince my father wanted me to be. I've long given up on that.

"Is following the legado de la familia really what they'd want for you?"

"Everyone in the Couffaine family is either a model or works some other job in the fashion industry. No one's ever diverged from that for six generations. I don't want to be left out…"

"You know, if my familia made me follow their legado instead of my ambicion, I'd be running the family bistro back in my hometown right now," the photographer said, leaving his statement up in the air for a bit. "But they put me first."

This made Alicia snap out of her depressive spiral and look up to the photographer.

"The Couffaines are a familia before they became a legado. They should care for you first like a real family ought to too."

"Yeah, they should," Blair glumly added, looking to the side. She ran a hand through the back of her head - a habit I'm beginning to understand as a sign of discomfort. Her words carried a tinge of bitterness and longing. "They really should."

From what I heard from Aunt Vera, Blair's parents were found dead together seven years ago. Her father, Inspector Crawford, was known across the continent as the greatest detective. His last assignment had him investigating the vigilantes. Her mother was an up and coming photographer, possibly looking for the next big scoop on said vigilantes. Both died on the job… Could that be why she's so upset?

Oh hey, they've moved on from the subject.

"I understand, sir - I mean, Senior Gonzalez."

The correction brought a smile to the photographer's face.

"I promise to see this job through as I signed up for," she brushed some of her blonde ringlets behind her ears, still bare of the dangling Ladybug-themed earrings.

"Gracias. But your earrings -"

"Are already here. Right, Keagan?" Blair said my name extra loud.

I stepped out from the shrubbery I was hiding behind and let out a nervous chuckle.

"Alright, you caught me," I gave Alicia the earrings, which she eagerly put on. Addressing all of them, I said, "Sorry about that."

"It's fine," Blair waved it off like it's no big deal. "I could see your orange plaid from a block away. Not the best outfit for camouflage."

I pouted at the slight shade at my outfit of choice.

"What do you want?" Alicia sharply asked.

"If you're up to it, do you mind if I interview you for the Ladyblog?" I asked, nervously fiddling with my phone.

Alicia's facial features softened. "Sure."

"I'll take this as my cue to leave," the photographer said, going to a corner and started fiddling with his phone.

"Ditto," Blair said. Before she can completely leave the premises, Alicia called out to her.

"Hey, Blair!"

Blair looked back at Alicia, tilting her head in curiosity. "Yeah?"

"You're not so bad after all. It'll be an honor to work with you."

Blair nodded in acknowledgement, confident smirk back on her face, before leaving. Alicia turned to address me.

"Can we get started?"

0-0-0-0-0

I remember when the heroes first coined the word 'akuma'. Ladybug seemed uncomfortable to use the term at first, citing how it means 'demon' in Japanese. Even moreso when people started referring to the people the butterfly turns as 'akuma' too.

But we have our reasons. By referring to the akuma victims as 'akuma', it feels more like they're talking about the butterfly making them do things rather than the person it's possessing… That it's all the butterfly's doing – the butterfly's fault. That it's all Hawkmoth's fault.

"Honestly, I don't remember anything from my time as Ego Split. One minute, I was running away from the carousel, the next, I wake up in Chateau de Lucia. It's quite a jarring feeling."

"I get that. Are you cool with talking about how you felt before you were turned?"

"Yeah. I'm alright. It's thanks to your efforts that us akuma victims are able to adjust so well," Alicia shot me a grateful smile.

Pride warmed my heart to hear that. I'm happy no one has to suffer for something Hawkmoth made them do. They don't deserve it. It wasn't their fault…

"See, I had an argument with the photographer. I didn't agree with his views, he yelled at me, which, you know… I only wanted to do well as a model, and I thought I could do it by being my truest self."

The interview went on and we eventually reached the topic of her powers.

"Ego Split's power is quite fascinating. She claims she splits people between the real side and the fake."

It's a common belief that an akuma's powers are tailored to their desires. Damien wanted to show he's changed and rid the school of bullies? He became Bully Hunter, who comes with an array of tools to help him achieve that. Blake's fan girl wanted to get closer to him? She became Poppyrazzi, with the power to trap people into her pictures. Jake wanted to slack off? He became Slumber, his name says it all. The same theory could be applied to Alicia.

"I've seen the vids, Keagan. I think that's oversimplifying it."

I kept in mind the two examples I've seen up close: Blake and Chat Noire. The play boy and the shy boy. The superheroine and the civilian. Two different facets, but there are moments where they overlap. Playboy Blake's affection for his sister can't be fake. Same could be said about how both the heroine and the civilian came to save the day.

"Yeah, I agree. Any thoughts on that?"

"I think my akuma-self was trying to show people that you can't hide who you really are by comparing what's 'real' and what's 'fake' side by side. I believe regardless of the mask you wear, a genuine part of you will always shine through..."

"... How do you think that applies to akumas?" I asked before I could stop myself. That's a hard question I'm not sure if I want to hear an answer to… "You know what? Nevermind. Forget I asked…"

"That's an interesting question. For better or worse, I could definitely recognize myself in Ego Split. Not just in terms of physical appearances or fighting skills. At the heart of the matter, we wanted the same thing: For the people around us to understand that being true to yourself is liberating. Who you are is nothing to be ashamed of. As twisted as she was, Ego Split is certainly a part of me."

… I was afraid she was going to say that.

"Then what does this say about other akumas…?" I tried to sound normal, but my throat still constricted, making my voice come out strained.

This made Alicia look at me nervously. Fearfully. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize-"

"It's fine," I flashed her a smile. "Can you answer another question?"

The interview carried on a little awkwardly after that. I'm doing all this to figure out how to best help people like her. To do that, I need more information. Even the smallest grain can help. I shouldn't let my discomfort get in the way of that.

Just keep smiling. It'll pass.

0-0-0-0-0

"Senior Keagan, may I ask you for a favor?"

Oh no. I know where this is going.

"You see, we're short one model. Well, you know very well why that is. And we don't have a stand-in ready to replace him. So I was hoping if you could-"

Here it goes…

"-help me get your loud bespectacled friend to be my new Ladybug? Por favor?"

"Say what?"

0-0-0-0-0

As it turns out, Senior Gonzalez has taken a liking to Shizu. When Shizu finally came back from wherever he went, the photographer was on him like a kid around Santa Claus.

"I could still remember the things you said when I was split. I suppose I have to thank you too."

"Oh… Oh no!"

Shizu was mortified, covering his face that was turning red in embarrassment. But I can see the photographer's point.

"You were yelling at me, telling me that I'm supposed to be the adult."

"Please stop talking about it!"

Senior Gonzalez was initially against having Blair pair up with Leo, saying he already had a blonde and redhead pair with Blake and Alicia. With the last couple being a brunette girl and a blond boy, it would've been best to pair Blair up with a dark haired boy to make her truly stand out. It's even more appropriate given that Blair is a redhead like Chat Noire and Ladybug is a dark haired boy. Too bad he got overruled. But now that Leo's out of the picture and having seen Shizu…

"Eres perfecto pare el papel de Ladybug."

"Eh?"

Perfecto. Papel. Ladybug.

Perfect. Role. Ladybug.

I patted Shizu on the back. "He's saying you're perfect for the role of Ladybug."

In someways, Shizu reminds me of Ladybug… Or maybe it's Ladybug who reminds me of Shizu. Perhaps this is how I can admire the hero so much without full-on crushing on him? Shizu is like, my best guy friend. And, well…

"Si, Senior Keagan!" Senior Gonzalez then looked at me with shock. "You can understand me?! Then why did you say you can't speak Spanish?"

"Uh…"

It's easier to learn a language if you're motivated. My love of anime combined with a supportive Japanese friend helped me pick up Japanese… But for Spanish, my motivation is literally dead.

"You're making him uncomfortable!" Shizu yelled in my defense.

Senior Gonzalez took a step back. "Lo siento."

"De nada," I said, remembering one of the terms Uncle Augusto taught me - think nothing of it. "I know a few words and can understand a little… I just can't string together sentences."

"Uh… Don't you want to learn more? Like your cousin?"

Shizu stepped forward as though to shield me from further questioning.

"It's none of your business," Shizu sternly said.

This time, the photographer dropped the subject completely in favor of talking to Shizu into modelling in Leo's place. He ended up reluctantly agreeing, if only to help out the people who worked hard for the outfits. When all is said and done, Shizu goes over to me to check on me. Even if he's never there whenever an akuma attacks, he's always concerned about my well being. He's no longer as present as he used to be, but he still cares. His warm brown eyes says it all.

In a way, Shizu fills the void Leo left behind… But I have no one to fill in for Shizu if he leaves for good.

0-0-0-0-0

It was time for Blair and Shizu's photo shoot and I couldn't be more excited. One of my ships is sailing! Well, sort of. At least this ship will be immortalized in pictures and magazine spreads. I'm so gonna buy Aphrodite's posters of this!

The setting Senior Gonzalez chose for them is on one of the lookout points, one of those elevated sitting areas where people can just hang around and take in the view. The background is going to be lit with the parade and the fireworks in the background. This photo shoot is less about the clothes and more about setting up a mood with them, tell a story.

Blair looks pretty good in her outfit, as expected from a model. Shizu's no slouch either. I've already seen him clean up nicely whenever Fuyu and I bring him along on family events, but it's always with rented tuxes in a formal setting… This is Shizu made up for a date.

"That's Shizu? Damn… I should've snagged that nerd when I had a chance," Alicia muttered from the side.

If I wasn't so used to seeing Shizu as practically family, I'd be inclined to agree.

"Don't bother. You're not his type," Fuyu said.

Blake and the Liungs were here too. But they weren't eyeing my handsome bestie. Rather, all three pairs of eyes were glued on Blair.

"... I've never seen her look so… so… giddy over a photo shoot before," Vincent said, taking a picture for their social media page.

"Really?" Fuyu asked, a brow raised.

"Yes," Mrs. Liung said. "She always approaches photo shoots with a cold professionalism that can impress even adults."

"So she's a consummate professional," I said, mostly to myself. Yet another new aspect of Blair I'm learning today.

"Hey, is she always like this around that boy?" Vincent asked.

Blake mulled it over for a while, his knuckles under his chin in a thinking pose.

"… Actually, no. She always did found him fun to tease, but this feels different."

Vincent squee'd, muttering about how his little sister is FINALLY experiencing her first love. I patted the older teen on the shoulder in a silent show of camaraderie.

"I feel for you, dude. I want them to be happy too."

"Friends?"

"Friends."

Blake looked at us with horror and proceeded to run his fingers through his hair - a nervous tic he shares with his twin sister.

"Oh no. It's happening!"

"Do I want to know what this is about?" Mrs. Liung kept a flat neutral face.

"No. You don't," Blake answered, completely deadpan.

"Huh," Fuyu said, contemplative. "So this is a new development."

I looked over the pair who were being directed by the railings, the parade lights highlighting their silhouettes in a warm glow. Even if Shizu still has his qualms about Blair, he's working well with her as she takes the lead in the poses.

When I first met Blair, I wouldn't have considered this possibility. But the more I learn about her, the more I find things she has in common with Shizu. Dutiful. Independent. Stingy with money. They're more compatible than they appear at first glance.

"Their relationship has changed a lot, no?"

Thinking about it, the same could be said about the relationship of the superheroes they're representing. The heroic duo's dynamic hadn't always been as pleasant as it is now. From teeth-clenched teamwork in their early days to having such a huge fight they barely talked to each other for weeks and lately, unresolved romantic tension. I've seen it all. And I don't think it's done changing yet.

Relationships don't tend to stay in one form forever. Be it romantic, platonic, familial… At one point, something's gonna give and it'll change everything.

I've had my fair share of change.

All I ask is for nothing to break beyond repair.

0-0-0-0-0

Notes:

Aaand done! This is the end of the Ego Split episode! It's rushed though, so I may come back to edit it. Kaji is surprisingly hard to write for. He's a good observer, but I have to filter it so the chapter doesn't drag on and it still feels like I let it drag on. And it took a while to figure out how to write around spoilers for Scorched Origins without making the narrative too disjointed. I decided to go with just describing how he feels rather than why. Whether I pulled it off or not, it's up to you readers to tell me.

I would like to say thank you to all those who reviewed! Eleven new reviews in just a week! Most of those happened at around the same day, which left me grinning like a loon for most of the day. That's a record for me. Thank you so much! In honor of that, I'll reply to them individually, even though most of them are for chapters 7-8 (I should've known those two chapters will get the most reactions). I'm gonna assume those using the same names are the same people so I'm compiling my replies for them.

Harley Diaz: I'm glad you're enjoying this so much! If you want a picture of Shizuke, I have a tumblr account under the same name. I can't really post links here, and I don't know how to put one in my profile, but you could look up ErisLuna35 at tumblr. Blake is meant to be a little like Nathanael (shy redheaded hopeless romantic dork). LOL I now realize I took 15 chapters before describing his usual outfit. As for Blair not being a blonde, well, this is an OC fic, not a genderbend in case you were confused. It's got something to do with some of her character inspirations. Funny how you mentioned you think Mrs. Liung could be Hawkmoth… Whether she is or not, you'll just have to wait and see. And the guardian here isn't Marinette, I'm sorry. The 'clumsy old lady' line is meant to be more of a shout out to canon than anything. I'll admit I considered it while writing this fic, but I ultimately decided against it. The timeline I have in mind just won't add up if that were the case. Plus, I don't want Marinette to be the one to lose the Butterfly Miraculous. It just wouldn't seem like her, she's always so crazy prepared and she's only at her clumsiest if it's Adrien-related… So I made someone else screw up. The guardian for this generation has a good excuse, but still.

Guest (10-18): I swear, Blake's got a reason for ever seriously considering LadyBlair hahaha but that doesn't make him any less naive.

Elaina: Well, Blair does take some inspiration from Zendaya. Sort of. Much like Adrien, Blair takes some inspiration from Spider-Man's three main love interests; Black Cat, Gwen Stacy and MJ Watson. Whereas Adrien takes the most after Gwen (smart perfect blond), Blair leans more heavily towards MJ (sassy flirty redhead). Meanwhile, I've researched Gwen for a bit and found some versions of her that's all cool and punk and strictly platonic with Peter, so yeah, Fuyu did took a bit after that version of her. The scene where she fell off a clock tower and Ladybug taking special care to catch her in a way that doesn't snap her neck is a shout out to that. Blake exists to balance out everyone else's crazy hahaha. Kaji and Blake's dynamic gets a little funnier if you note that Blake is older than Kaji. Man, Shizuke's getting popular here hehehe. All in all, I'm thrilled you're catching on to some of my character references.

Ava: Welp, as I've just written here, Keagan does find Blake attractive while having complicated feelings for Fuyu. Sorry it didn't turn out hilarious… I'm glad you appreciate all the little tidbits I scattered in Fuyu's flashback episode. As for Blake's crush on Natalia, welp, I should've expected this reaction. I basically set her up as a 'Chloe-Sabrina' mix, but I'm planning on fleshing her out to better explain what the heck Blake sees in her. She'll have her akuma episode pretty soon.

Natsu: Coming up with Kaji's name was quite a process. I started out with a character and his concept happens to be 'fiery sun prince'. His stand-in name at the time had been 'Kaji' (because I didn't want to keep referring to him as 'fiery sun prince'). But I got attached to that name, so I decided to keep it as a nickname. Now the problem is to come up with a name that could possibly get him 'Kaji' as a nickname. The moment I found the name 'Keagan', I knew it's gonna stick. It started with a 'K' and means 'fire' or some variation of that. Then to get the 'J' sound, I came up with 'Gerald'. Funny enough, I didn't expect the regal meaning 'rule of spear', I was mostly picking it for the sound and how similar it is to the word 'herald' (someone or something that serves as a sign for things to come, fitting for the Ladyblogger). 'Aurelio' is a very European, vaguely Spanish sounding name that means 'gold' 'cause Kaji is a rich kid. Finally, 'Ashworth' is there to round out the fire theme while sounding like a posh nobleman's name. And there you have it, that's how Kaji's full name came to be. The rest of his family shares the same 'fiery sun royalty' theme naming in some way but no one's as direct as Kaji. Wait, Fuyu's usually a boy's name? Wow. I thought it was gender neutral, like Haru! I learn something new everyday.

Hinata: Yup, we all love an underdog story.

TheScarlettWitch0984: Okay, this is a compliment of the highest order. I'm touched beyond belief. I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for certain talented writers inspiring me and I'm shook to hear I've done the same for someone else. Thank you for letting me know! And I'm sure your story can turn into a good read someday. I've been following your fic for a while, and it looks promising.

I went back and cleaned up the past few chapters for Ego Split. Nothing major, just a few touch ups here and there to improve some descriptions and phrasings. I'm planning to do the same with Scorched Origins.

Just gotta ask, should I weave in Scorched Origins into this series or keep it separate? The reason I kept it separate from the main story and decided to start off months after Shizuke and Blair began their hero gig is because of the drastically different tone. It started off on the heavy side of angst, but the tone of the rest of the story, while more serious than canon, is lighter than origins. I didn't want to overwhelm the readers, but I posted it anyway because it holds some key elements of my characters' personal archs. Especially Kaji's, even if he didn't have a POV there. So what do you guys think?

Man, I've gotten pretty chatty (1500 words for an author's note O_O). Time to wrap up this up. Next episode will be a flashback episode and will do even more character exploring with some world building lore and shout outs to canon thrown in. It's all done, so you guys don't have to worry about waiting another year for an update.

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BONUS SCENE: KEAGAN LIES TO HIMSELF

Blake

The plan is set in motion. Blair has aired out her message and any minute now, Ego Split's gonna bust through the front door and we're all gonna run around the haunted house until one of the superheroes get here. Well, it wouldn't be a big deal if only my legs would stop shaking at the thought of Ego Split's sword. How am I supposed to run properly like this?!

"Hey, Blake!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at Keagan's sudden cheerful greeting.

"Keagan! Don't surprise me!"

"Calm down," Keagan patted me on the shoulder comfortingly. "The heroes won't take too long. I'm sure they'll come before we run out of diversions. The plan's gonna work and you'll be just fine"

Now there's a guy with nerves of steel. So relaxed in the face of akumas. He may be a reckless idiot with no sense of self-preservation, but times like these, I envy him.

"You stay positive. You always believe that everything is going to work out," I took a deep breath, calming my nerves to ask him, "How do you do it?"

Keagan's smile widened.

"Well. I'll tell you my secret, Blake."

He leaned closer to whisper…

"I LIE TO MYSELF."

My eyes widen and I looked back at Keagan to make sure I wasn't hearing things. His cheerful smile is still there.

"Every morning, when I wake up, I say everything's gonna be okay…"

And he's giving a perfectly normal advice. Surely, he didn't just say-

"BUT I'M LYING."

Eep! Whyyy?! You were supposed to be all sunshine and shipping trash! Then he grabs me by both shoulders.

"And I don't know how much LONGER I can DO IT."

From this position, I can see how his smile is tearing at the seams, his reddish brown eyes betraying all the hurt he's hiding within. I can even hear him whimpering behind that forced smile… To think this guy is going through something and I didn't even notice! Why is he telling me all this NOW?!

Before I can say anything, he let go of me and laughed at my face.

"Just kidding!"

Everything about him looks as cheerful as normal. Nothing like the creepy forced cheerfulness he was showing just a second ago… Was he faking his cheerfulness the entire time? Or was he faking 'faking his cheerfulness' for a one-time joke? What is he even faking?!

"Whut."

It was the most eloquent thing I can say at the moment. My mind's too busy dealing with a major whiplash to say anything more profound.

"Oh look, your legs stopped shaking. Good luck on your end of the plan, Blake!"

One last pat on my shoulder and he went on his merry way to his post, humming a bubbly tune. What the actual fuck just happened…?

I feel so trolled right now.

Then the door slammed open and Ego Split didn't waste time attacking the red haired mannequin by the entrance. No time to think about what I may or may not have seen. The plan has officially started.

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Disclaimer: This joke ain't mine. I got it from a YT video called "hanako lies to himself". I just added it in here because it hilariously suits Kaji LOL. Blake is once again playing audience surrogate because I get the feeling some of you might be experiencing mood whiplash thanks to Kaji. Even more so if the readers read the main story first before Scorched Origins. Yikes. Kaji, whyyy?!