AN: Hey, everyone! Happy early Mother's Day! Hope you all enjoy! So, I would like to note that, as of this point in the story...nobody's transformed yet. The three Miraculous Holders are just calling each other by their superhero names as part of their cover. If you can even call that a real cover - I know, it's straight out of Pokémon. Jessie and James somehow manage to go around unrecognized with nothing but a pair of sunglasses each...and I'm not even gonna talk about Meowth. So...I might've taken that idea, added a little magic to make it much more realistic, and we have the Shanghai meet-up.
Fei's taking the three undercover superheroes to the cave where the Prodigious is kept, that picture of the bracelet currently folded in her pants pocket - and convincing her they're serious. But first…they have to go through the old Kung Fu school, her father's pride and joy. And her home, such as it is.
Ladybug gasps at the sight of the burned school - nearly destroyed by a fire that started one night - and Cat Noir puts an arm around her as Dragon Fyre looks around with an unreadable expression.
Fei quietly says "This was my father's Kung Fu school. He'd lost all his students, and even tourists wouldn't take any classes…and then it went up in smoke. I don't even know who set the fire...or, I didn't, anyway." Cash must've done it, to try and drive them out - even if he didn't mean to kill her father...he sure hasn't lost any sleep over it.
Dragon Fyre looks around, at the makeshift sleeping area and shrine with burned-out incense and a man's photograph, and says "Two peas in a pod, aren't we? I live in an abandoned warehouse in Paris, have ever since my parents were killed."
Fei looks down at the ground, and says "We're not as alike as you think, Dragon Fyre. My search for answers as to who tried to drive us away has made me do…things my father would never have stooped to. I lie and steal things from people every day, pawning them off to the one man who can give me answers…and, now, it appears he was the one that was trying to drive us away in the first place."
Dragon Fyre shrugs, and says "I would steal food and water from a grocery store around once a week for nearly five years, Fei. Sometimes…we do the wrong things for the right reasons. And we have to live with our guilt afterwards."
Fei holds up the picture of the bracelet, and says "No matter what, I have to get this back. This bracelet, it…it has a power. Much like your jewels. It unlocks the entrance to the Prodigious." Only on nights like tonight, though, on the magical eclipse. She'd always questioned her father's teachings - belief, faith - in the back of her mind, about the Prodigious he was guarding and the power he said it contains. And then he was killed, the magic bracelet he passed to her was stolen, and now three superheroes - as they claim, anyway, with the red-head providing some convincing proof with a fireball in her hand - have shown up and said they need to protect it from an abusive magical terrorist.
Gods, when did my life get THIS weird?
Dragon Fyre transforms, cocks her head to the side, then nods at her partners and says "We've got company, the stone wall just opened. Lets go."
They all head towards the hidden cave, Ladybug and Cat Noir transforming as well, and somehow or other Dragon Fyre makes them invisible as they follow a man in a purple suit with a cane…and a gold version of Cash, she'd recognize that damn fan anywhere. Sure enough, Hawk Moth was the buyer of the bracelet - Cash has, apparently, never made so much money for an old antique in his entire life.
They cut through the door, and Dragon Fyre makes a few hand motions that obviously mean something to her partners. Ladybug and Cat Noir nod, and then they all move towards the wall. Dragon Fyre makes a yanking motion, and the two intruders suddenly go flying backwards…straight through the waterfall, no less.
Ladybug says "We gotta make the most of our head start, c'mon!" They leap down the hole in the center of the walkway, Dragon Fyre slowing their rapid descent with her magic, and Fei catches the bracelet that was ripped from Hawk Moth as they passed.
Fei stares at the red-head in shock, and Ladybug says "You get used to it. After a while."
The eclipse happens, the beam of moonlight turning red and disappearing, and Fei puts the bracelet into the alcove revealed while muttering "Time to see what was so important to my father all those years." She has to know, she really does.
A magical Guardian appears, saying whoever wishes to use the Prodigious shall be judged by him - Mei Shi, the Lion Guard of the Prodigious. If they pass, they'll be the new RenRen of the Prodigious; if they fail, he'll end them to protect the secret of the Prodigious.
Dragon Fyre tilts her head, then says "We've got an emergency, actually. A magical terrorist that's abusing the power of the Butterfly Miraculous is here to steal the Prodigious and use it for evil. We're trying to protect it, but that more than likely means we'll end up using it."
Mei Shi nods his head, and says "I shall judge you during your battle, potential RenRen of the Prodigious."
Hawk Moth takes a slight step back as his four opponents close in - King Cash, the pawn shop dealer with an endless amount of greed he used to Akumatize the man, was defeated, but the Akuma itself is resting on his finger. He'd better think of something fast, though, because Dragon Fyre's eyes are locked on his Miraculous and Lady Dragon's flexing her current bear paws in anticipation. He's just lucky the Guardian of the Prodigious…wait a minute, there's an idea.
Dragon Fyre gasps, and yells "No, don't you even think about it!" He sends the Akuma hurtling towards the Guardian's sphere, and then moves to physically redirect a burst of fire from Dragon Fyre's hand and catch Ladybug's Yo-Yo with his cane to keep the Akuma from being intercepted. And then he tosses the two girls into Cat Noir before he can even finish his 'Cataclysm!'
As soon as the mental connection forms, Hawk Moth immediately says "Yan Luo Shi, surely you aren't going to let a girl who confuses Justice and Revenge become the new owner of your Prodigious?"
Yan Luo Shi, formerly Mei Shi, grows to a size taller than the Eiffel Tower, and swallows the orb as he pulls himself up from the underground cavern. And then he roars about 'fear me, humans!' and Hawk Moth realizes exactly where his newest Akuma-victim is headed.
Straight towards Shanghai - towards Adrien.
Emilie will have his head if she ever learns he nearly got Adrien killed!
Hawk Moth orders Yan Luo Shi to stop, threatening to remove his powers, but the twenty-story tall giant suddenly turns and shoots a purple beam from his eyes.
And Hawk Moth watches as…he fades away to purple dust, a searing-hot hand covering his mouth and his body feeling like it's been ripped in half and his spine detached from where it's supposed to be.
That would be when he realizes what just happened - Yan Luo Shi turned on him, tried to kill him, and there's nothing he can do to remove the being's powers without first getting his hands on the orb he swallowed. And then a second, even more startling realization makes its way through his head - she saved him. Dragon Fyre saved him from certain death - she didn't have to, certainly had no reason to, yet she did anyway.
He'd say she didn't even think about it, what with how fast his body must've moved. He's extremely sore...but he's not complaining. It's not a very difficult choice between sore and dead.
There's a stunned silence for a moment, broken repeatedly by Yan Luo Shi destroying things with his powers, and then the iron grip over his mouth relaxes slightly. "Well," Ladybug's voice says in shock and no small amount of fear, "that happened."
Cat Noir asks "D'you think this counts as good news or bad news?"
Dragon Fyre breathes out "Bad news. Some of the worst." The end of the world, actually. Nooroo must be rolling in his Miraculous right now, in lieu of a grave.
And things don't get any easier when they hear two sets of beeps from Ladybug and Cat Noir.
Dragon Fyre swears, then says "Go recharge, guys. I think I need to have a long chat with Hawk Moth here."
Cat Noir levels him with a look of utter disgust and contempt, and asks "Why did you even save him, Sis? Really, I've gotta know." She hates him, they all hate him...he's half-tempted to rip the Butterfly Miraculous off the man's chest and kick him back out in front of that thing he created.
Dragon Fyre deadpans "Because he's probably our only hope of stopping Yan Luo Shi. And we don't get to pick and choose who we save." That, and the fact that the Butterfly Miraculous wouldn't have survived the blast. And he'd be long-gone by the time they got back if they left his ashes there and then he was brought back by the Cure.
Ladybug puts a hand on her partner's shoulder, and says "C'mon, Kitty. Let's go recharge." Much as she'd like to tie him up in her yo-yo, they've got a much bigger fish to fry right now. And its name is currently Yan Luo Shi.
Before Hawk Moth can even think about following them, Dragon Fyre is whirling on him at once with unrestrained fury - he could Akumatize her, with ridiculous ease at that, but he sincerely doubts he could control her. Yan Luo Shi has taught him he can't control beings that already have magic…as Dragon Fyre is currently yelling at him about. Ripping him a new one - several, actually - for being so ridiculously stupid as to Akumatize a being that already has magic without knowing about the consequences of it.
And about abusing his Kwami.
And about terrorizing Paris on a daily basis.
She's just gotten to the part where he never thinks anything through and only cares about what he wants, Lady Dragon staring at the two of them with eyes wide as saucers, when her two partners arrive once more.
Hawk Moth glances at the two teens, and says "You've got one mouthy, ill-tempered sister, you know that? Call her off, please." Despite his calm tone, he's dearly hoping the blonde boy will call her off - he figures if he hadn't kept quiet throughout her entire tirade at him, he'd be down a Miraculous and up a sword in his chest or down his throat.
Cat Noir fixes him with cold green eyes, pupils narrowed into slits, and crosses his arms while saying "I'm not particularly inclined. What about you, M'Lady?"
Ladybug says "Nope. Besides, she's only in a bad mood like this when someone does something ridiculously stupid that could destroy the world. Or when she's got a bone to pick with someone." Hawk Moth doesn't need to be told she's got several of those to pick with him, potentially including how he's killed her brother a few times by now.
Even still, Cat Noir walks over and pulls his sister back to him, resting his head against hers while staring at him with a blank expression.
Ladybug snaps "Give us one good reason why we shouldn't rip the Butterfly Miraculous off your chest, Hawk Moth." Seeing as Dragon Fyre hasn't done as much yet, she figures there's a really good one.
Thinking quickly, Hawk Moth says "You need me to stop Yan Luo Shi, as I'm the one that knows Nooroo's powers the best. If you want to have even a prayer at stopping this Akuma, you need me."
The way that Dragon Fyre starts swearing, combined with the looks of loathing and contempt from Cat Noir and thinly-veiled conflict from Ladybug says they know as much, and they're far from happy about it.
Well, he's not particularly happy either, he's lost control of yet another Akuma and Adrien is in direct danger of being obliterated like he almost was.
Dragon Fyre scoffs wordlessly, seeming to bite back something she was about to say, and Ladybug says "As much as none of us are happy about it, you're right. So, we'll split up into two groups for this one."
Dragon Fyre immediately says "Lady Dragon, you go with my partners. They'll show you the ropes, so to speak."
Hawk Moth doesn't need to be told that he's getting paired up with the hot-tempered red-head, or that she's going to be verbally tearing him to absolute tatters by the time this Akuma battle is over. He might just end up with heatstroke by the time this is all over, because she's burning hot even from a distance.