MIRACULOUS

Chapter 19

Red Tape Part 1

Cat Noir Looked through his staff which he could use as an ocular. He took a good look at the snake bracelet hanging from the statue's hand.

"It's a trap," Ryuko inquired.

"What choice do we have?" Rena Rouge asked.

"May I suggest that a plan beyond what he had anticipated may be required in this situation," Pegasus added.

"Yet, he managed to trump everything we threw at him," Cat stated as he put his ocular away. "All right, everyone. The Coon is one tough customer. Unlike any akumatized villain, he doesn't have some weakness he can just destroy. For those who don't know," he said, looking at Queen Bee. "We need to find a way to snatch his belt buckle while trying to get that bracelet from him," he explained while pointing the snake bracelet.

"That's it?" Queen Bee asked, rising an Eyebrow. "I mean, there's six of us and only one of him, we can take him!" she boasted, hitting her fist with her other palm.

"It's not as easy as you think, Chloe," Rena Rouge retorted.

"Rena!" Carapace nudged and everyone looked at Rena.

"Oh, come on, everyone knows who Queen Bee is!" She defended.

"I still suggest discretion Rena Rouge," Pegasus said. Queen Bee just shrugged.

"Let's cut to the chase," Cat Noir urged. "We can't hide here forever, or else he may find us here," he said.

"Come on, it will be a while before…" Rena began but was cut off when "Red Tape" by Agent Provocateur began blasting through the speakers that the heroes had missed. The ground they were standing on began to crumble underneath them. They all fell through the floors until landing hard on the first floor. The room was completely dark and appeared abandoned. They were then surrounded by dark green lights which were flashing so quickly with a high frequency that it disoriented the group.

"How did he know we were here?" Cat Noir asked to himself.

But before he could get back at his feet, the Coon grabbed Cat by the hair and kneed him in the chin. Ryuko and Pegasus tried to jump on him from behind. He then summoned shadow clones of himself and knocked them both off the air then scattered. He then quickly grabs the still recovering Carapace by the leg and throws him at the pursuing Queen Bee and Rena Rouge, knocking them both out.

"How did he find us so fast?" Rena Rouge asked.

"Don't know, don't care!" Queen Bee retorted as she quickly slipped off from under Carapace and Charged at the Coon again.

"Bee, No!" Cat Yelled.

"Venom!" Queen Bee yelled as she charged at the Coon with the pointy bottom of her top. The Coon then did a backflip and ended up stinging Ryuko.

"Ah-Ha ha ha ha, you suck dude," the Coon muttered as he saw his first opponent disabled already. He jumped up on Ryuko's shoulders and jumped to hang on a nearby chandelier. He propelled himself by kicking the paralyzed Ryuko and stepped on Queen Bee in the face, knocking her down. "Two Down!" he boasted and jumped off. Ryuko then moved her eyes to the knocked out Queen Bee, whose alarm is sounding.

"You will pay for that, Bourgeois!" she muttered between her frozen teeth.

Rena Rouge played her flute to summon a slew of clones, knowing that the Coon would respond in kind. While Cat Noir signaled Pegasus as he went in.

"Carapace, NOW!" Rena shouted as Carapace stepped in and threw his shield at the clones causing them to poof. But the real Coon stopped the shiel before it out gets them all. With a spin, he threw it back at Carapace. A portal then appeared in front of Carapace and Rena and the shield went through. Before realizing where the portal headed, the shield hit the back of his head. The shield flipped back at Carapace, stunning him.

"Pegasus, Now!" Cat shouted as Pegasus created a portal where the snake bracelet was located and quickly grabbed it.

"I got it!" Pegasus shouted. But then and there, the bracelet crumbled to dust and the Coon suddenly glowed green. Everyone looked and saw that their enemy now had a more reptilian look with his right hand over his left wrist and a grin on his face.

"WAIT!" Cat yelled.

"SECOND CHANCE!"

Tiger's lair… Tibet…

Marinette sat in lotus style with her eyes closed, sweating, whimpering, and twisting with light spasm as Pinyin floated in front of her as she glowed. Akane watched on as tried her damndest not to rush to her aid, as much as it saddens her to see Marinette in pain. Her past successes had blinded her from other's suffering she had caused, intentional or not. That was something that Marinette needed to know going forward.

"She's not my friend!" Ladybug shouted pointing at Lila, with a baffled Adrien staring at her in shock.

"It's all according to plan," Marinette muttered in glee as she saw Nathaniel through her binoculars as he approached Jean.

"…Or, for example, a kid who cleans up the mess he's made and plays with toys for kids his age?" she lectured Chris Lahiffe in a rather condescending manner as she tried to hand him over a snow crystal ball.

"Have you used the Cat miraculous before?" Mister Bug asked during a heated discussion. Lady Noir was taken aback by the seemingly random question.

"N… No…" she answered, raising an eyebrow.

"Then how the hell did you exceeded at everything I struggled the first time I became Cat Noir?" he asked. "You actually did everything I couldn't at first so you expected me to do the same…"

"I… I didn't think…" Lady Noir stammered.

"Please… stop…" Marinette whimpered. She was clearly about to break as she stirred. Akane didn't flinch for a full minute until she finally spoke.

"Pinyin, that's enough," she ordered. The Kwami let up and Marinette collapsed with a gasp and began to pant. She looked like she was about to cry but did her best not to break.

"Forgive me, young Marinette. But I hope you understand why you must take into account what you have seen," Akane explained. Marinette sighed as she sat up.

"I'm so ashamed," Marinette revealed. "Was it my fault that Lila went evil?" she wondered.

"In the end, her path was her choice," Akane assured. "Do not blame yourself too much."

"But maybe I could've stopped her, you know," Marinette she suggested. "Maybe I should've thought ahead, approached this differently. Maybe she wouldn't become evil… It's just… I hated lying so much I got so angry… I didn't think…"

"Marinette…"

"I should've let Adrien stop me…" she continued. "If Lila didn't become Volpina, she wouldn't have become involved with the Blue Mustang my parents would still be here..." she rambled. "And… Oh, Adrien…" she wailed, breaking down again.

"Marinette," Akane said gently cutting her off. "Such mistakes are inevitable, especially when you are someone as important as Ladybug, any decision may have long term consequences… The mention of the boy you loved still breaks you, doesn't it? You have a long way to go…"

"Then there's Cat Noir," Marinette began with dread as she sat hugging her knees to her chest. "Now I know how I was able to be so good as Lady Noir even though I never used the cat ring before. I expected him to do the same and I treated him like dirt…" she said, finally breaking as she buried her head on her knees.

"Ah, yes," Akane realized. "He is indeed an exceptional young man. However, he will be the final subject before you return to Paris."

"Huh? You know about him?" Marinette asked, looking back up at her.

"You forget Pinyin is not the only kwami here, I apologize that I have monitored your exploits on occasion," Akane admitted.

"Yeah, you told me that but…" Marinette began. "You said we were going to talk about him. You're not telling me who he is, are you?"

"Though I know of his true identity, it is not my place to reveal it to you," Akane stated. "However, there's a good reason why I choose to leave this subject for last."

"Okay," Marinette conceded.

"Pinyin, ready?"

"We're not done yet, are we?" Marinette realized.

"I fear not," Akane said.

Meanwhile… Back in Paris…

"Wind Dragon!" Ryuko shouted as she transformed into the wind in an attempt to disorient the Coon then a portal opened by his side and Pegasus quickly emerged and passed right by him punching him in the face.

"Fast fist!" he shouted.

"'Fast fist?'" Carapace repeated, throwing his shield.

"What's wrong with that?"

"You need to work on your one-liners… AARGH!" he exclaimed as his shield hit him in the head. Rena Rouge then stepped in.

"Less talk, more subduing!" she said as she summoned her bright ball and threw it at the Coon. This literally blew at the Coon's face, a single Rena Rouge clone emerged and grabbed him by the arm, and then and there she saw what he was wearing on his wrist.

"Wait a second…" she muttered. The Coon took note of that and knocked her off him, poofing the clone.

"If you're wearing it," Rena stammered, flabbergasted. "Then what is…?" she asked, pointing at the distant angel statue. She then looked back and forth until she put the pieces together. "Uh oh."

Meanwhile, Cat Noir was already sneaking around the scene after having hidden the unconscious and already detransformed Chloe as he was about to use the wind created by Ryuko and Rena Rouge. Just as he was about to ambush the disoriented Coon he heard Rena's voice shouting at him.

"Cat Noir!" Rena cried out as she dashed, desperate to reach him to tell him what she discovered. Cat jumped in for the strike and the Coon turned towards where Cat jumped in…

"SECOND CHANCE!"

Meanwhile… At the Louvre entrance yard…

Nathalie stood in the middle of the yard making an exact silhouette in the contrast of the pyramid light. Her hair was beginning to stick out loose from its usual bun. She quickly took off her glasses and checked her pocket, only to find it was empty. She did what she could to wipe her glasses clean as she quickly looked around as she put them back on. The place was quiet enough to sense someone approaching. She turned behind her, her expression didn't change.

"Emilie…" she greeted.

"Cartman has had his chance," Emilie said nonchalantly. "Once it happens you know what to do," she told Nathalie assuring as she approached her. Nathalie turned away and closed her eyes as Emilie placed her arms around her from behind.

"Yes…" she breathed.

Emilie then placed her finger gently on her shoulder blade, then traced it to her collar bone then gently motioned her to turn to her, which she did. She and Nathalie joined hands together with their fingers intertwining with each other. Nathalie's expression was hesitant and gritted her teeth while Emilie was grinning with confidence.

"You were so good to me Nathalie," Emilie pointed. "I know that you have made my suffering worth it and I can't thank you enough," she said. Their foreheads leaned closer together despite Nathalie's hesitation.

"But what about…"

"Shhhhh," Emilie shushed, cutting her off. She then abruptly kissed her in the cheek then undid her bun, causing her hair was all down and she could only stare back wide-eyed. "Cartman must be I his last legs," she said in a soothing voice as if comforting her and left the peacock miraculous in her hand. "What happens next is up to you…" she concluded as she finally walked away. Nathalie could only stare back at her, not knowing what to do…

Back at the Palais Garnier…

The "Red Tape" song was still blasting through the speakers as Ryuko was knocked back to a pillar.

"How could he have predicted my wind dragon and reacted this quickly? It is impossible…" she wondered as she struggled to get up.

Pegasus was popping in and out through his portals, landing a blow every time.

"Dropkick!" he shouted, doing just that on his back then a portal shows on a floor below him and falls in. Only for another portal to appear above him and knocked him down on his head with his elbow. "Bodyslam!" he shouted as he quickly backed away to another portal and in a split second another portal appeared on his left. "Sucker punch!" he then shouted with his fist meeting the Coon's cheek causing him to spin. "Crane Ki…" he was cut off when the Coon grabbed his leg and spun him and throws him at carapace and Rena Rouge.

"This is really starting to piss me off…" the Coon muttered. And made a dash to where Cat Noir was waiting to ambush him.

"What the…" Cat spouted as he realized he was coming his way. "Oh sh…" Cat was cut off when the Coon slammed his way through, knocking him out of his position. He landed on his back and raised his arms to block the crated that were falling on top of him. Then the Coon grabbed one of the falling crates and smashed it on Cat.

Ryuko used Water Dragon and surrounded the Coon and locking him in a sphere in an attempt to incapacitate him. But he managed to burst his way out of the sphere and made his way back to Cat Noir.

"All right, now gimme the damn watch," Coon ordered as he grabbed Cat by the collar. Cat only grinned.

"I have my suspicion you wouldn't just put it so far away on plain sight…"

"Huh?"

"Venom!" Queen Bee shouted.

"Screw you, hippie!" Coon yelled. He turned to see where she was approaching and grabbed his left wrist with his other hand once again. "SECOND CHANCE!"

Coon grabbed Cat by the collar.

"All right, now gimme the damn watch!" he ordered as he went back just at that moment. "Huh?"

"Venom!" he heardQueen Bee shouted again,

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" the Coon gave his rather raspy nasal scream as he tried to use Cat as a human shield.

Acting quickly, Cat grabbed Queen Bee's arm by the wrist and flipped her over their heads. The Coon jumped off to back away from the Queen Bee's sting. Then a mist began to surround him then Carapace took his chance and face him head-on. Carapace managed to hold his own for a moment as his shield came into his aid as he threw it at the Coon but dodged it then the Coon came at him with his claws he dodged a few blows before the shield flew back and hit him in the head. Coon quickly snapped out of it and attacked him with his claws in which Carapace blocked with his shield.

"Don't let him grab his wrist!" Cat shouted.

"What the… Impossible!" Coon shouted to himself as he tried to grab his wrist again. Only then to stop and pulled up by a string. Confused and looked up and saw Queen Bee is the one pulling his wrist up with her string.

"I knew this top string would come in handy," Queen Bee boasted as she stood on the crates, tugging the string. Ryuko jumped in and tugged the string with her. She turned to her and Ryuko just nodded, Queen Bee, to her own surprise, nodded back and pulled together.

Cat approached him and grabbed his other wrist and lifted up in the air. The Coon tried to kick him off but stepped on him with his steel heeled boot, causing him to screech in a cat-like manner.

"Hey, cat noises are my job," Cat stated as he forcefully pulled Cat's left wrist up. Just as he suspected, it was the snake bracelet. "Ha, no wonder you seem so worn out!" he concluded. "Just how many times you used that thing?"

"Ha, so you figured it out…" the Coon concluded with a grin.

"Based on how unhinged you were, it took me some time…" Cat retorted with a similar grin in which the Coon just scoffed. He then head-butted Cat out of his range. Then Queen Bee's string lifted him off his feet.

"Hey!" the Coon yelled as he snapped the string with his claws.

"Guess you were never such a great fighter after all…" Cat concluded as he closed in in another attempt to grab the bracelet.

"God, damn it!" The Coon shouted as he attempted to kick Cat off.

"Everyone, Grab him!" Cat shouted as Queen Bee used what's left of her string to around his neck with Ryuko aiding her again. Carapace grabbed him by the legs. Rena Rouge and Pegasus each grabbed an arm. "We have you now in my paws and yes that was a pawn."

"Screw you guys!" Coon growled as he tried to shake them off.

"Now who sent you?" Cat finally asked.

"Kiss my ass!" the Coon retorted, only for his neck to be pulled back further by Queen Bee and Ryuko, choking him. "AARRRGH!"

"Now, now," Cat tempted, waving his finger at him. "We don't want to make this harder than it needs to be now, do we?"

"And how would you like to suck my… AAARGH EHH!" He was cut when Ryuko punched him in the throat.

"Such dishonorable language will not negate the effect of your defeat!" Ryuko stated sternly. "Have some dignity!"

"Whoo! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Rena celebrated punching the air. The Coon tried to use the brief moment of distraction to free himself but to no avail.

"Ah, ah, ah," Cat taunted. "I already told you, you purrcist and things will be tougher on you," he warned.

"Dude, I almost missed your puns," Carapace said half-jokingly.

"Enough!" Ryuko shouted. "We are about to lose our transformations! Now you will answer Cat Noir's questions!"

Everyone stared wide-eyed at Ryuko for a moment before Cat reacted and grabbed the Coon.

"Never mind about everyone else, I've got plenty of time," Cat revealed. "Or you could make it easy on yourself and tell me who the Blue Mustang are and what's your stake in this," he concluded.

"And if I refuse?"

"CATACLYSM!" Cat shouted, then scratched the side of his cheek. Everyone was shocked at the scene as black flames emerged from his cheek.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" The Coon screamed painfully as he struggled uncontrollably from his restraints from the pain.

"CAT NOIR!" Rena gasped.

"DUDE!" Carapace gasped.

"Relax," Cat said, assuring them. "The cataclysm isn't supposed to be used on humans."

"Are you insane?" Coon asked. "How could you have known that?"

"Oh no, don't worry Coony boy, ain't nothing to it. Just a little incentive to get you to talk," Cat went off at him. "Even with my cataclysm gone, I have other ways to make your night a misery!" Cat threatened.

"All right, all right, I'll talk!"

"Spit it out!"

"I was sent for the money! All right?" Coon began. "Nathalie Sancoeur was meant to rendezvous with us once her job was done!" He said, causing Cat to flinch and grunt as he looked away for a second before turning back at him.

"So she is in on it!"

"She was supposed to keep an eye on Gabriel Agreste while his wife went off to do her thing…" Coon continued before Cat's eyes grew wide.

"What?"

"Yeah, she was the first to want to get the Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculous. Emilie, I think is her name. She sought us out and she was the one who tracked down the miraculous for us in Paris. She and her family moved here so she could track them down and lure the guardian to cough them up." He explained. Cat shook his head furiously and turned to the Coon again.

"But… Why would she do that?" he asked, the Coon scoffed.

"From what I could gather, she was preggers with twins, but throughout her pregnancy, her kids have had been very sick inside the womb. Lung problems, irregular heartbeats, pretty much a lot of things which could kill them, poor kids. On childbirth, the medics managed to save the boy but the girl wasn't so lucky. The woman couldn't let her stillborn daughter go so she began her crazy quest to bring her back by investigating her family legacy about the miraculous. Now that her boy is gone too she has resorted to more… drastic measures…"

"What do you mean…?"

"Aside from the miraculous she recently dug into her family's secrets and she dug up a plague that would infect all Europe. She may plan to take the world hostage to extort the continent for her to get what she wants…"

"What she wants…"

"There may be nothing more dangerous than a mother's love…" the Coon concluded. The other heroes realized that Cat was silent, they all caught glimpse of him and saw that Cat's eyes were wider than they have ever seen. Cat began to step back and began to slightly stammer as he tried to speak but the shock of what he had just heard.

"Cat Noir," Ryuko prompted. "Do not let this stagger you!" she said, but Cat Noir is too shocked to hear what she had said, Cat even began to whimper…

"What are you doing!?" Queen Bee shouted, getting annoyed by Cat's inaction.

"Cat Noir? What's wrong?" Rena asked.

"Dude, snap out of it!" Carapace snapped.

"We cannot restrain him much longer!" Pegasus warned as he realized their restrains on the Coon are loosening. But Cat did not even flinch and still frozen in his shocked trance.

"Cat Noir!" Queen Bee shouted.

"Cat Noir!" Rena shouted.

"Cat Noir!" Carapace shouted.

"Cat Noir!" Pegasus shouted.

"ADRIEN!" Ryuko screamed but immediately covered her mouth.

"Wait what?" Pegasus asked.

"Adrien?" Carapace asked.

"Adrien?" Rena and Queen Bee shouted together. Ryuko, still covering her mouth and shook her head furiously.

Then the Coon grinned and elbowed Pegasus and Rena knocking them out of their group. He kicked Carapace out of his grip as well then flipped Queen Bee by her string and slammed her to the ground. It was only then when Ryuko and Cat snapped out of their trance and saw that the Coon's arms were free.

"NO!" Cat and Ryuko screamed and started to dash towards the Coon. But it was too late.

"SECOND CHANCE!"

Author's Note: WHOO! Another doozy to write this was! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and hopefully, this bombshell was not too sudden, and as the final sentence suggests it will not come into play until much later on. Now that I think about it, I may have gotten this from the "Oblivio" episode.

Please review. Constructive criticism is appreciated.