Lamentera didn't even bother with the loud cackling and the grand speeches. She just wanted to get this over with. She leapt out of her window and landed with a soft, solid thud. Being akumatized this time felt different. When she had let herself be akumatized last time, it had been for a purpose. Technically, this was for a purpose, too, but she didn't need the powers like she had when she had made Adrien and Marinette reveal themselves. She waved her hand through the air, and the wails of citizens reached her ears. What took her by surprise was how much she liked it. The power ran through her veins…She stretched fingers out, relishing the feeling. Lamentera laughed. Her skin was blue.

"I look like a walking corpse, don't I?" She asked the empty street. Lamentera rubbed the sleep from her tired, wet eyes. Her hands were covered in what looked like mascara. Shadowmoth seemed to have taken a lot of liberty with her appearance this time. Oh, well. Lamentera didn't particularly care, but if she looked like a walking nightmare, she was going to push Shadowmoth down a flight of stairs.

Wails cropped up everywhere in Lamentera's immediate vicinity. How wonderful. Every wail added to that feeling of power coursing through her veins. The street remained empty, but now lights flicked on everywhere. Lamentera took a leisurely stroll, waving her hands through the air as if she were conducting an imaginary orchestra. A beautiful orchestra of heartache. At least she wasn't alone in her grief now.

"Why didn't I try out for the ballet?"

"I shouldn't have broken up with my boyfriend!"

"I don't want to work and pay bills! I want to go back to being a kid!"

If Ladybug and Chat Noir weren't already on their way, they would be soon. Lamentera took a peek at her reflection in a nearby window. She did have what looked like mascara running down from her eyes, with were black with white pupils. Her hair was black, done up in two messy buns on either side of her head. Her outfit was black as well, though it looked different from when she changed into her Panther outfit. Her skirt was more stylized, as was her jacket. The edges had strips of fluorescent blue satin. All in all, she didn't look bad.

Lamentera wondered if Cicily had even noticed she was missing. She doubted it. Without any supervision whatsoever, she continued her walk through the city. It was a nice night. Too nice. If only it would rain…Lamentera willed the glowing butterfly shape to appear in front of her face.

"Shadowmoth?"

"What now?"

"Can I control the weather?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It doesn't matter! Just get Ladybug and Chat Noir, will you? I want their Miraculous!"

"All right, all right. No need to yell." Lamentera sighed. She was beginning to rethink this deal of hers. Was it really worth it?

Ladybug and Chat Noir landed in front of her, battle ready. It seemed to be time for a grand speech. Lamentera didn't want to give one, but she summoned her best theatrical voice and did her best.

"I am Lamentera, and I will make all of Paris feel like me!"

The heroes leapt into action. Ladybug took the left, Chat Noir the right. Lamentera waved her hands through the air, and this time she noticed her powers. They were shimmering waves, barely visible in the night sky. They hit Ladybug and Chat Noir at the same time. They hit the ground sobbing.

"I'm so sorry, Chat Noir," Ladybug said. "I wish I could tell you my identity. I wish I could know yours, but it's just not safe!"

"Why won't you give me a chance?" wailed Chat Noir.

Lamentera gave them a rather dead expression. Their sentiments had been the same for four seasons. Couldn't they give it a rest? She would rather hear about Ladybug's fashion design failures, or Chat Noir's family woes. But no. It just had to be the same thing over and over again.

"Get their Miraculous!" Shadowmoth yelled in her head.

"Seriously?" She looked at the two sobbing heroes who were standing now. "You realize that grabbing their Miraculous right now would be pathetic, right? They're barely even moving!"

"Exactly! Get them! Now!"

"Oh, so you're not even going to let me fight them now. Wow. I can't believe I let you akumatize me."

Without warning, Ladybug's yo-yo flashed past Lamentera's head, then whipped around and around until she was tied up. The link to Shadowmoth broke as she fell. Dust flew into the air. She had landed in someone's flower bed. She didn't even try to fight back.

"Where's the akuma?" Ladybug murmured. Lamentera wiggled a hand free. Without looking at it, she used it to write in the dirt. J-A-C-K-E-T.

"Chat Noir…"

"On it. Cataclysm!"

And just like that, Lamentera became Kat again. Kat stayed laying in the flower bed, eyes stuck on the building next to her. There was something there. Something…invisible. Whatever it was, it seemed to watch her. Kat thought she could make out eyes, but it darted away before she could be sure.

Chat Noir offered to take her home, but she refused, saying that she didn't live that far away. As she walked home, she wondered about what she had seen. Who–or what–had that been?

Hello, dear readers. Sorry this took longer. Life is gearing up to get busy again, but I'll still do my best to at least update monthly. Hope you enjoyed reading!