MIRACULOUS

MY ENEMY PART 2

Afterglow just took out a rapier from the palm of her other hand like her forearm was some sort of sheathe.

"That's nasty…" Rena muttered.

Afterglow raised her blade as tears cascaded down her cheeks for what she was about to do. Her stance was a simple one, a foot forward holding her rapier middle guard with one hand.

Glacia had a rapier of her own and took a similar stance.

Afterglow wasted no time, she charged in and struck first.

"Well, what do you know," Etheria wondered. "It thinks."

"MOTHER!" Afterglow screamed at the top of her lungs.

The two rapiers clashed with Afterglow on the aggressive offensive, clearly not thinking straight but she couldn't care less. Driven by pure instinct.

"Damn it!" Blue Jay blurted. "We can't help her now!"

"Blue Jay, what about them?" Viperion asked, pointing at Mercury and Lady Dragon.

"Rena…" Blue Jay called.

"I'm on it!" Rena played her flute and summoned her ball and hit her with her flute. But Lady Dragon changed into a monkey and threw herself at Rena in the face, causing the ball to burst into a sandy mist.

Viperion then took this opportunity to play his harp. The melody replenished a bit of Rena's stamina.

"Now!" Viperion said.

"MIRAGE!" Rena multiplied yet again.

Mercury tries to run in a circle in an attempt to wipe away the mist.

"Oh, no you don't!" Sentibug shouted and entrapped with her yoyo string but Mercury persisted and began to drag her with him. "Whaa, heel, I say heel!"

"Sentibug!" Ryuko callout out and dashed towards them. She carefully timed Mercury's speed. She quickly stepped in. "EARTH DRAGON!" She turned into a humanoid rock formation and allowed Mercury to tackle her. She suffered quite an impact but stood her ground and pushed back.

Mercury's strength could've only held for so long as Sentibug managed to pull him towards her. She yanked him off Ryuko and tried to slam him at Lady Dragon but easily slapped him away from her. She stood above a defeated Viperion, but before she could take his bracelet, Sentibug knocked her hand off him with her yoyo. Ryuko finished him off with her blade.

"Hands off!" Sentibug readied her stance. But an arm was across her.

"No, Sentibug," Ryuko said, who was back to her original form. "She's mine." She readied her sword just as Lady Dragon readied hers. "I have longed for a challenge like this."

"Ryuko!" Rena shouted while her clones tried to keep Mercury busy. "This isn't the time for petty grudges!"

"Look who's talking!" Ryuko retorted.

"UGH!" Rena groaned then her warning alarm went off. "It's your impulsiveness is that let off the frickin plague! Now I'm gonna have to back off…"

Rena jumped off. With a few seconds of standing still, she ignored Rena. The two dragon warriors charge at each other and their blades clash.

Afterglow and Etheria are caught in the middle of a power struggle. Their blades swiped with each other as sparks came off of them.

"If you are really meant to be the perfect warrior then come at me with your all!" Ehteria taunted.

"SHUT UP!" Afterglow sneered. Driven by pure anger and instinct, she swung her sword at a barrage, trying to slash her way through her like it was some sort of bush.

Etheria, on the other hand, seemed completely unconcerned. With smooth movements with certainty and finesse, she blocked every single strike with ease.

"Your technique is lacking," Etheria said. "You had such focus when you defeated Adrien. Of course, a tool with you with no experience could have defeated my son!"

"I'm not a tool!" Afterglow continued her slashing with little success in landing a strike. She jumped back and took a deep breath.

"What's wrong, trying a little soul searching?" Etheria mocked. "Don't think you'll find anything, though."

Afterglow tried to ignore her as her eyes remained closed and breathed. Her eyes opened with a fierce look in her eyes.

"Say what you will of what I am!" Afterglow sneered. "You may be his mother. But don't you dare drag Adrien down with you!"

"You dare claim you're above me?" Etheria sneered. Afterglow's remark seemed to have struck a nerve. "Adrien would've never given you the time of day if he knew what you are."

"I know enough," Etheria said. "Adrien was better than that. Better than you!"

"You dare say he would accept you!?"

"From where I stand, you didn't know your son as well as you thought!"

"SHUT IT!" now it was Etheria's turn to be mad. "YOU KNOW NOTHING!"

"I know more than you!"

The two women clashed blades once again. Though this time it was Afterglow's time to lead Etheria on as she had apparently even forgotten her additional qualities. Unfortunately, she didn't have the time to akumatize anyone at this point. Right now, she had no choice but to rely on her artificially given skill. Both from herself and the miraculous she now wielded.

Ehteria managed to overpower Afterglow and kicked her off her balance. Just as she was about to strike, Blue Jay emerged behind her and attempted to strike her from behind.

"KECHO-ZEN!"

Only for Etheria to teleport out before the strike landed. She immediately appeared right behind. She was about to stab him from behind, he covered his back with a steel fan, but the push knocked him off balance.

"AAAGH!" Blue Jay let out his usual scream and was knocked out as well. Landing on Afterglow. She now struggled to get him off her.

"Blue Jay, Get off me!" Afterglow struggled. "You're a lot heavier than you look!"

"You…" Etheria approached them and harshly grabbed Blue Jay by the back, it was child's play with her enhanced strength.

"EEEhhhh…" Blue Jay muttered.

"What did you bring upon us? Answer me!" she shook him. "What did you dare to call upon to take what was rightfully mine!?"

"That's enough, Agreste!" Afterglow picked up her rapier and got up to her feet. "You knew, didn't you? You knew that neither Adrien nor Emma met the requirements to be brought back!"

"Shut up…"

"You're in denial!" Afterglow pressed. "You would rather see the world burn than admit that you were wrong!"

"I said shut up!" she was about to blast her with a white light energy blast.

Afterglow raised her arms to shield herself but the attack was blocked. She looked up and saw that it was Sentibug who blocked the attack by spinning her yoyo.

"Are you okay, Ladybug?"

"Heh, call me Afterglow," she smirked.

"YOU!" Etheria sneered. "So you're the one who took everything from me!"

"Don't ignore me!" she blasts them again.

Before Sentibug could shield herself, it was Blue Jay's turn to get in the way. As he was knocked back again, something fell off him.

"Hmm?" Etheria muttered and picked up what it was. It was the cat's ring. She looked at the now useless ring that she so desired. She angrily clenched it into her fist as tears cascaded down her face. "I have nothing left to live for…"

"That's not true!" Afterglow yelled.

"The white plague formula is gone! I can't even try again!"

"She doesn't regret it at all…" Afterglow was horrified.

"I would destroy a thousand cities if it meant getting my children back!"

"Stay back!" Sentibug prompted Afterglow.

"Your mere existence took everything from me! I will wipe your unneeded existence from the face of the earth!" Etheria charged at Sentibug who shielded herself with her spinning yoyo.

As Ehteria struck hard again, she knocked Sentibug back on her back to a piece of debris.

"EMMA!" Afterglow shouted, only to cover her mouth.

"You dare name it that!?" Etheria was now really angry. A bright light shone from her fist and went for the kill.

Afterglow then blocked her with her rapier.

"Were not done yet, Etheria," Afterglow tried to engage her again, only to be kicked out off.

"Out of my way," Ethria sneered and focused on Sentibug. "I will not be distracted. You took everything from me!"

Etheria once again readied her blade for the stab but was quickly countered when Sentibug tangled it with her yoyo string. She twisted her arm and yanked her blade off her grip. Before Sentibug could react, Etheria grabbed her by the neck and tried to strangle her. Sentibug tied her yoyo around her arm and tighten it. When the pain became too much to bear, she threw her to the crane, causing some construction i-beams above to rattle. Etheria was about to go after her but Afterglow interfered once again.

"I won't let you take her from me again!"

"Out of my way" Etheria tried to slap her way through again but was black and gave all her strength to push back. Etheria's level of anger was immense, one can only guess how long her adrenaline rush and last, which gave her such strength.

Viperion hid near the debris, bidding his time. He saw that Etheria's completely unhinged. He knew that he had to wait for the best chance or else it may make things worse. He already used up his harp so he only had his 'second chance' but it was best not to over-exhaust Sass.

Both Afterglow and Sentibug were weakened by the fight, but both persevered and tried to get up. Etheria was still in her hatred fuel.

Then, something happened. The thread above snapped, and the construction i-beams that were hanging above fell on top of both Afterglow and Sentibug…

That did it…

"SECOND CHANCE!"

Viperion saw a defeated Afterglow once again berated by a distraught Etheria…

"I would destroy a thousand cities if it meant getting my children back!"

Viperion quickly caught sight of Sentibug, who was about to intervene. He sneakily and quickly reached her before she made a move. Before she could yelp, Viperion covered her mouth and hushed her.

When Etheria tried to slash her, Afterglow successfully dodged the strike and picked her rapier up.

"Impressive," Etheria said. "You were always the superior fighter. I believe I shouldn't be surprised that Cat Noir had a difficult time keeping up with you."

Afterglow struggled to get back on her feet with her blade still pointing at her opponent.

"Say what you will about me," Afterglow said. "But what he did is what I would've done. That makes me more human than you…"

"Human, eh?" Etheria said smoothly. Afterglow was surprised she didn't snap like before. Etheria looked towards the comatose Cat Noir. Still wearing the mask. "This one thought you were human. And he paid the price."

"He chose to save everyone by putting himself on the line," Afterglow said. "He chose to pay that price and all I wish now is to switch places with him."

"Truly…" Etheria fired another energy ball at Afterglow, knocking her down yet again. Afterglow opened her eyes and saw that she was approaching the comatose boy. "You poor fool… You threw yourself away and for what? To deny what's rightfully mine? *tsk tsk tsk* Let's see who's behind the mask…"

"EMILIE!"

Afterglow, Viperion, and Sentibug looked around. Etheria, however, was unfazed, recognizing the voice.

"Hello Gabriel," Etheria said, nonchalantly and made some feminine flirty movements. "It's been so long you really honor me with your presence."

"Horsecrap!" Gabriel sneered. "I just came to stop you for the sake of her sanity!"

"Wha…?" Afterglow began but was cut off.

"Hmmm!" Etheria shrugged. "You've grown attached to it…"

"It's not too late, my love," Gabriel pleaded. "Surrender now and we may swipe this all under the rug…"

"Shhhh…" Etheria said. "Our children are gone, what difference does it make?"

"You're wrong," Gabriel said. "Trust me, we can make this work! You just have to turn yourself in!"

"Hmmm!" Etheria spun her rapier to a reverse grip. "And expect me to stoop low as to sympathize with a thing? I don't think so!"

She threw her blade towards where Sentibug was. Before Sentibug could defend herself, Nathalie stepped in and took the fatal blow of the blade.

"Nathalie!" Gabriel and Afterglow screamed. Despite not knowing this woman, Viperion couldn't bring himself to let this be.

"SECOND CHANCE!"

"…I don't think so…" Ehteria readied her blade.

"Look out!" Viperion pushed Sentibug out of the way, barely missing the two.

"Tsk," Etheria scoffed.

"Low blow, Emilie…" Gabriel growled.

"Spare me," Etheria said, looking away. "By the way, are you also here to talk me out of this, Nathalie?"

Gabriel and Viperion looked towards where Nathalie is, knowingly. Afterglow and Sentibug were confused as Nathalie stepped in.

"Emilie," Nathalie said calmly.

"I should have known," Etheria said.

"Listen to me Emilie," Nathalie said. "I'm so sorry about Emma, but you have to know that gene is just using you!"

"He most likely abandoned me by now," Ehteria said, not turning to them.

"You knew the Blue Mustang used you yet you still helped them?"

"It was all for Emma and Adrien," Etheria justified. "For our family!"

"And throw your honor away in the process? Adrien would have been shocked and disgusted!"

"He would be alive!"

"So that's it?" Gabriel asked. "You were willing to throw everything away?"

Etheria summoned another energy ball.

"Emma and Adrien are gone, what difference does it make?" She shot the energy ball, once again targeting Sentibug.

"No!" Nathalie stepped in and to the blast, knocking both her and Sentibug in the process.

Viperion couldn't afford to rewind again.

"Afterglow!" Viperion said. "Together!"

"Right!"

They both charged at Etheria, only to be quickly dispatched. She twisted Viperion's arm and tore off his bracelet while pinning Afterglow down with a foot on her neck.

"Emilie…" Gabriel began.

"Save it…" Etheria said. "There is nothing left to talk about."

"Huh?" Afterglow uttered when she noticed something.

"Do you expect me to fall for that trick that you have something up your sleeve?"

"Emilie…" Gabriel pointed behind her.

"What?"

No one said a word, she slowly turned behind her… Cat Noir was on his feet.

Author's note.

Yeah so here's pretty much my shortest chapter yet. Let's just say a lot and I mean A LOT has happened this month. Originally I was to explore Adrien as he dreamed but I ultimately decided to save it for the next chapter.

And truth be told, I felt that this is dragging way too long and hopefully I can wrap this arc up by the next couple of chapters.

Anyway, with season 4 wrapped up, I'd like to touch upon my thought on the Adrien Sentimonster theory… I don't like it. I mean, wouldn't have made more sense if Marinette was the sentimonster. Of course, you would have probably guessed my stance on this if you had been reading. Austric still goes on and on about how Adrien is "perfect" yet ironically is more flawed and human than Marinette. Once again giving Adrien all the interesting attributes yet he's not the focus of the show.

For those who searched this story from Wattpad, yes, I'd like to confirm that this story is no longer on Wattpad. Reason's why I'd like you to search Wattpa on youtube for further details. Let's just say, it's disturbing…

The next chapter will explore Adrien's comatose dream, though it remains to be seen whether or not it will cover the whole chapter or what happens next in the second half.