All rights to Miraculous Ladybug belong to Zagtoon, Method Animation, Thomas Astruc, and Disney. All rights to Persona 5 go to Atlus and Sega. This is my own creative work.

A daily time limit meant stealth and speed was the name of the game. For each of the Phantom Thieves, both their guts and legs were burning with uncontrolled fire.

They had ascended several more levels and passed through ornate hallways with multiple long staircases in between. If Panther saw one more staircase after this, she was going to be sick. Her legs may have well become as toned as an Olympic bodybuilder's at this point, which was a gag-worthy thought in itself. Battles were becoming fewer and farther between as well to maximize their time in traversal. The afternoon of Thursday and they were two-thirds of the way in.

Oracle's downloaded layout of the Palace had come in handy. Between her and Queen, they had calculated however much time was needed to rest in Safe Rooms and moved on. There were still several unexplored areas drawing big question marks, particularly a large room projected before the hall with the Treasure.

Out of the last Safe Room, they bolted and slithered in between rows of columns. Panther pressed her back to the stone and breathed hard. Shadows shifted between the gaps in their vision, a soft hum emitting from their wings. They dashed the moment the elongated shades drifted by and the hums faded from their ears.

A trio of angelic guards sailed overhead. The Thieves concealed their bodies in the rolling waves of clouds just as they came overhead. Despite the comfortable temperature, sweat rolled down the model's skin into her tight leather suit.

In the distance, more of the trees shifted and straightened. Waves of gold washed over them as their stares went rigid.

"Come on." Panther heard Joker whisper.

She nodded.

They clocked their bodies into the cumulus walls, almost dissolving into mist. A legion of soldiers floated past them, oblivious to the eight intruders, their spears raised upwards.

Nearing the next entrance, Joker stopped cold. Without warning, he flipped back onto a nearby platform and somersaulted onto the tip of the rightmost ring of columns. The others followed suit, their bodies suddenly weightless from the burst of power in their legs. Spread out among the columns, they watched over the large rotunda.

Between large pillars and a ring of mist gathered at their borders, this had all the makings of an important room. Sentries formed a smaller ring to look on in judgment, their spears tipped to refract the light ready to gut a nearby victim. An enormous fountain that spilled pure light rimmed the overhead above the center in the view of anyone there, where a skyscraper of a tower emerged with its tip barely visible leering down. It cast a tensity over Panther that she scarcely remembered from Shujin and the law enforcement districts in Japan.

"What do you think's happenin' here?" Skull asked.

"That tower up ahead may be where the Treasure is." Mona noted. "It's also possible that Pernet's Shadow is there."

Across the way, Panther caught Fox framing the tower for reference. She shook her head.

At the same time, her knuckles clenched on her whip. "Something's coming…"

From the opposite end of the room came a gorilla with an angel soldier right behind her. The smaller size hinted at it behind a female. The cognitive victim was knocked behind the head and crashed her knees on the polished golden floor, bowing her head. All around her, the angels tapped their spears in uniformity.

An artificial sun rose from behind the onlooking tower as searing as the genuine article. Rays almost assaulted and tore through the backdrop like javelins piercing through stone. Panther's gloved hand shielded her eyes, catching wind of the others doing the same.

One such ray blasted the bound and huddled gorilla in the center. She screamed in agony.

"Unworthy…"

Everyone jumped. A distorted voice thundered throughout the air, laced with arrogance. It was Pernet's.

"Thou art riddled with impurities. Thou hast tasted the skin of another male. Made dealings with the demonic…"

"What!? Ooh-ooh!" The gorilla screeched.

"Thou hast spoken lies of thy heritage. Stolen thy garments from all manner of sources. Committed acts of heresy. So says the Goddess, the one who dictates all…"

"T-That not-"

"SO SAYS THE GODDESS!"

The gorilla bowed. "O-oooh… so says… the goddess…"

Pernet huffed. "You are not worthy to enter the realm of the divine. Begone!"

In an instant, the solid golden ground became fog beneath the gorilla's feet. Her large fingers grabbed the rim before gravity could work its magic. The nearest sentry in front of the gorilla jabbed its spear onto her hands. She shrieked falling into the clouds below.

The light faded, and the sun set. All was as it was before.

Panther's fists clenched all the way back to her sides. She knew it before Pernet's Shadow even started spewing those 'sins.' Every one was a lie.

"It seems the rumors are true." Queen noted, her voice crackling with static through Oracle's link between them. "Pernet conceived scandals to eliminate models she doesn't favor."

"So… then, this is…" Panther mumbled.

"Yes. There's a possibility this is the Holy Temple that we heard mentioned."

"What do you think happened to that person?" Noir noted with concern.

"She was expelled to the heavens only to be cast into the abyss." Fox answered standing. "The only view here is from heaven. I doubt their fate is any of Pernet's concern."

"Aside from that, there's something else." Mona called out. His paw pointed to the tower.

"You think that's it?" Panther asked.

"Yeah. If it's where Pernet's Shadow is, then we can make a fair guess that's where the Treasure is as well."

"For real!? You gotta be frickin' kidding me!" Skull face-palmed. "How the hell are we supposed to get up there?"

"My physical stat's not the best…" Oracle noted. She broke out her screen and typed. "On top of that, you got your searchlights, guards, even a bit of a security system. Yours truly can knock that out, though."

"The rest should be manageable as well." Queen concluded. "We can clear this out in a matter of moments."

"Let's make it quick, people. We're on the clock." Joker said.

"Hell yeah!" Panther shouted with a fist pump. "Time to let loose!"

A spear shot past her. She craned her head down.

The soldiers were aiming right at them. It slipped her mind that they were still atop the columns and were supposed to be silently spying. She dodged a second blast by a few hairs that drifted off.

Like a leaf from a tree she spun in her descent. Her heels clacked on the ground, shattering the spot. Out of those cracks, tendrils of blue flame rose in place, tracing the curves of her body and flowing freely to her hand. She ripped off her mask. A lightning bolt of pain shot through, replaced with a rush of power.

"DANCE, CARMEN!"

A pillar of blue and red flames emerged behind her. They dissipated to reveal the image of a crimson-skinned woman in a seductive, frilly dress, fondling the thorns with which she ensnared bodies with heart-shaped heads, drooling in ecstasy. The air hissed as she breathed in the cigar caught between her fangs, the Persona's irritation now a ball of fire. She huffed, spitting the ball at the soldiers. The temple trembled at the detonating fire.

Panther's gun loaded, she fired. A rainstorm of bullets came through the plumes of fire. Imaginary lead was the best outlet she could have for how much she wanted to rip Pernet apart. At her sides were Fox and Joker, taking aim. Fox's shots came just as quick, the bullets now a torrent. Joker's hit each square in the head. They dissolved before they could take form.

One guard managed to dissolve its divine guise. It became an armored soldier with wings and a crafted mask of a face. It raised its sword and swung it down like a hammer.

"CHARGE, JOHANNA!"

Queen's form was a bullet itself. Atop her silver motorcycle Persona, she spun on her front wheel. The flaming blood across her face highlighted a shared rage between her and Panther. The rear met the Shadow's steel in near slow motion. Its blade shattered, pieces flying several yards.

The Shadow followed a fair distance after them.

It rose its head to an engine's roar. Queen and her bike were airborne by several feet. Johanna's front wheel cycled with blue, vibrating waves of energy. It crashed into the Shadow's face, burning it away. Queen revved the throttle, the wheel spinning faster. Soon the Shadow dissolved into nothing but ashes.

Black bolts, gusts of ice and fire, and multiple shots later, the room was now free of guards.

They startled as the lights hit them. Orbs drifting on the winds floated and surrounded them. As soon as they came, they shattered. The Thieves on the ground flinched.

Still on top of the pillar's Skull grinned. "You're welcome." He cocked his launcher.

"Just a few more!" Noir called, doing the same.

The two and their heavy firepower made short work of those searchlights. They still did their job as solders appeared from the far corners of the horizon. This time they drifted as fast as drifting could go. Ten more Shadows were now pointing their spears down their throats.

They shifted in between shots and their Personas' attacks. It appeared they would strike one moment, but the victory would soon fade. The Shadows emerged as bound angels once more. Their voices called haloes that sharpened to razor-tipped arrows of light. They pierced the ground quick as lighting. Cuts were quick to form on their skins.

"ZORRO!"

Mona called leaping from Joker's shoulder. Zorro emerged and thrust his rapier. Sharp-tipped gusts struck the light arrows at their tips. Their clashes resulted in firework shows of white and green.

The cat broke out his slingshot. Joker took his pistol and kneeled. Their eagle eyes landed their bullets into the joints of their wings. The angels plummeted towards the ground…

…Where a cyclone of flames awaited them. Carmen tapped her heels and spun with her head held high. The thorny binds and rims of her dress went aglow with furious flames. Lathing close and breaking free, they became fiery waves that burned the Shadows' bodies back to black. The angels' screams echoed into oblivion. The flames cleared to reveal Carmen fading, leaving Panther in a mist of ashes.

"Impressive as always, Panther!" Mona sighed.

The cat thief winked. "Let's get that Treasure."

"How's Oracle doing?" Fox asked sheathing his blade.

"Aaaaaand… done!"

They turned to Oracle. In the chaos her dark suit had melded into a column's shade. Rings of data with alien symbols orbited and surrounded her as she typed at breakneck speeds. One last tap, and everything had faded.

"Took a look at the specs for that tower. Managed to get us a back-door in. Although…" The clouds at the base of the tower parted like a curtain. They revealed a platform at the bottom, torch-like haloes at the corners. "Our back door's kinda the front door."

"For a second, I thought it was gonna be more stairs…" Skull sighed in relief.

The whole stair thing was becoming clear to Panther. Ever higher climbs and even steeper falls meant to push in the fact Pernet believed herself above other people. The thief huffed as she made her way to the platform.

Panther was no fool, at least not the fool she was in her early modeling days in the previous year. The one who could shove chocolate crepes down her throat and still look good in a size two or bust out a gold credit card for anything. Most girls didn't have her kind of connections or blessings. It took skill, determination, and an iron will in what was likely hundreds of doors shutting in their faces. Those girls were part of her drive as well, even if they loathed her.

For some pompous snob in a glittery feather boa with the archetypal cigar to blow smoke and say you weren't good enough? That was a slap to Panther's own face as well. Those wings were dreams, the things that kept them up at night and looking for another gig the next day in the climb to the top. To think Pernet saw that as something… deformed.

She'd be the one falling from these heights soon enough.

The orbs glowed and the platform lifted. They were being carried through waves of falling cloud wisps. Through the mist Panther caught sight of the final gate, creaking open. Everyone huddled, cloaking themselves in the mist and the ledge. With precious minutes left they would not risk running into Pernet and bolstering the security again.

The platform stopped, level with the ledge. They saw no sign of Pernet through the golden bars.

They did see a shapeless blur levitating above a pedestal.

"Yes!" Mona jumped. "We've found the Treasure!"

"That was a little close for comfort…" Noir sighed.

"Let's hurry and get a look at this thing before we warp back." Joker said running.

The group of eight was a galloping herd of frenzied horses caring little for security this late in the game. They gathered around the shapeless core on all sides. It drifted lazily, a black shape in the middle larger than normal at its center, shifting between forms that might be discerned. But then…

"…no…rs…lov…"

Each of the Thieves jerked back. It was faint, near dismissed as a mental trick. But it was there.

"A voice?" Joker asked.

The cognitive world wavered and rippled. Time was up for today. But the end would leave thoughts to linger on.

A slipper-covered foot stepped into a puddle, freezing its owner to the bone from down upward. Marinette had skin like steel and aside from that, her blood was racing. Which was ironic since Place de Vogues square wasn't that far a jog from Francois Dupont.

Still, time was a precious currency she couldn't afford to waste on leniency. The weekend was coming by faster than she could blink. Adrien had not been to school in the last couple of days with the winter Gabriel campaign taking off. That would mean a whole month of cozying up to that Japanese model getting sized for kimonos and eating sushi by the fireplace on tender nights. Not gonna happen.

She clenched her gift in her hands as she rounded the corner. A corner bounced back with the tape exposed. Skidding, she yelped and stuck it back in place with her thumbs.

"Come on, come on. Please, just stick on…"

Tikki peeked her head out from Marinette's side purse. "Marinette! You really should have just dropped the gift off at his house! You still have a lot of homework to do, then there's the errands for the other kwamis, and to top it off, you're going to be late for patrol!"

"I know, Tikki, I know!" She whimpered. "I just want to give him the gift personally!"

"Why is it so important to deliver it in person this time?"

"It… it just is! It shouldn't take too long."

"Marinette…"

The girl wrang her fingers, the wrapping lightly jabbing her. "No words, no incessant babbling. I'll just give it to him!"

"That might be easier said than done…"

Tikki pointed her red digit, while Marinette gaped. Currently Place de Vogues had more people than trees with fifty or so bodies standing or wandering around. Technical crews were adjusting lighting and mirrors to refract just the right angle from the sun with it being possibly the last clear day of the month. Camera flashes were going off at every random corner for practice shots and champagne went around afterwards.

Marinette's eye twitched. Hawk Moth could hide in such a busy crowd. Adrien would be practically invisible, and she could pick him out of a line up of fifty near-perfect lookalikes. She trembled about to erupt in a storm of screams.

She exhaled instead. "Okay, just… ask around, see if anyone's seen a gorgeous blond boy…"

The girl's eyes wandered checking for the first sign of Adrien, or anyone related. She crashed into a scratchy wall face first. Scrambling back on her flamingo-like legs she babbled out her word vomit for French underneath.

"O-o-oh my gosh! I am s-so sorry!" Marinette bowed. "I wasn't looking where-"

"What do you think you're doing, you imbecilic little urchin!?"

That was when it occurred to Marinette, who she had the utter audacity to bump into. A skintight red dress with plumes of feathers escaping, tipped with gold was on her. It glittered as she turned, showing no other quality but pure divine excellence. Her hand, known to end the futures of models with dreams and passion with a single wave, clenched in what she guessed was pure irritation. It made her go pale.

She had the pure gall and the utter misfortune to bump into the Camille Pernet.

"Are your eyes merely for decoration? Is your brain itself a figment of the imagination!?" She stepped towards her. The woman's shadow was an all-encompassing trap nailing Marinette to the ground. "Are you simply incompetent beyond belief!?"

"I-I-I w-wasn't… I-I didn't m-mean to-"

"Do you have any idea how much this outfit is worth!? Of course you can't, since it looks like you dig yours out of a dumpster! I may have to burn this merely because your putrid skin even touched it!"

In the back of her head, Marinette was noting how much she sounded like a grown-up Chloe Bourgeois. She could not be more grateful that spoiled brat was under house arrest. Her actions as Miracle Queen had been a step too far that not even Ladybug could pardon. When those words came from someone who had true weight in the fashion world…

Well, there was Audrey Bourgeois, Chloe's mother. Still, Marinette was used to Bourgeois-brand abuse. The Ladybug side of her that was her inner optimism and compassion turned to maximum made her ready for things like this. Yet the continued stream of work and stress had still made mincemeat of her mental defenses. Marinette was trembling with every second the woman's verbal abuse was spewed out. She was like a cannon, finding an unfortunate target and firing bullets of horrible words to bleed her out.

Pernet's gaze shifted, changing targets, through her shades. She caught Marinette's gift, the girl saw gulping. She snatched it out of Marinette's grip.

"What in God's name is this sorry piece of crap?" Penet said sneering. "Seems you shop and wrap out of a dumpster. There should be a limit to how pathetic one can be."

"T-That's for my friend… It's, uh, a present-"

Pernet turned to her. "Is it?"

The gift in Pernet's hand was quickly on the ground. Just as quickly, a heel drove its way into it, impaling the wrapper. Even quicker, it was shoved off and kicked into a muddy puddle.

Marinette gasped. She ran over and cradled the ruined silk peeking through the paper.

"That's how you say 'Joyeux Noel' to your loved ones?" Pernet scoffed. "Do everyone the favor and dump that miserable thing in the Seine where fish can choke on it."

"I-I made this… for Adrien…"

"Adrien Agreste. A guttersnipe reject like yourself actually knows Adrien Agreste?" Marinette found her chin seized by Pernet and forced to stare into her metal-like eyes. Her skin crawled so close to the disdainful woman. "Even worse, he actually consorts with rubbish like this?"

"Please, just-"

"I know who you are, girl." A wicked smile slithered its way onto her face. "The winner of Gabriel's precocious little hat contest months back. I can make it so your little foray into fashion ends there. One word to end your dreams, that's it…"

"Ah…"

"You'll be blacklisted, shamed, lucky to even make a sketch without being shamed into obscurity. How's that, brat?"

"What the hell are you doing!?" A new voice shouted.

Marinette peeked past Pernet's shoulder. Two teens, both slightly older than her, one with frizzy hair and glasses, the other a blond girl that was gorgeous even with a scowl appeared. The blond one looked ready to behead Pernet and only lacked the axe to do it. They marched up inches from the woman, ignorant of her status.

"Is there a problem, Ms… eh, Takemuki, was it? Sorry, I tend not to remember D-grade models." She shooed her away.

"Oh, do NOT go there!" The girl shouted. "I heard what's been going on here. How'd you like me to tell Mr. Agreste and my parents you blow off steam by terrorizing girls?"

Pernet spurted out a laugh that was unbecoming of her. In fact, she almost puked out the cackling that came after. "Is that supposed to be a threat? What makes you think daddy and mumsy can do anything? I have tabloids and the heads of the fashion industry eating out of my hands. If anything, they're my adorable little attack dogs."

"You're kidding…" The boy said.

The critic's hand slipped into her dress. She picked up a phone and twirled it in her hand like a revolver. "That goes for you too, you sushi-chewing bimbo. One phone call and I can ruin you before you even begin…"

"My parents won't let you get away with any of it!" The girl crossed her arms firing back.

"Oh, please. I can take down your parents just as easily. In case you haven't noticed, you're a long way from home…"

"What!?"

The two women were inches apart. Wildfire ravaged the earth in the sparks between them. It was silent warfare with their striking gazes alone. Marinette, blood running cold, had to take a step back. At this point, she was just looking for any escape route before getting caught in the crossfire.

"My word is as good as divine law…" Pernet whispered menacingly. "I care very little for imperfections…"

"Funny, because as far as I see, you're as imperfect as they come." The boy stepped in. "Warped, one might say."

"How dare you!"

She quickly turned back, and Marinette found herself as the little fly caught in the spider's trap again. "I'll be making a call tonight; of that you can be sure. Now then, if you will excuse me, I have a few changes to make. Do NOT get in the way of my MakeLove time…"

"W-Wait!" Marinette called.

As if the French girl's last plea was a trigger, Pernet kicked up dust in the face of her crumpled gift again. She rounded the corner and was gone, the air suddenly feeling breathable again. Marinette stumbled and collapsed before her now wet, torn, dusty, overall ruined gift for Adrien, picking it and pressing it close to her heart.

This was crazy. She had never felt so shattered, so assaulted, twitching and taking in one shaky breath after another. That was all she could focus on, eyes clenching. She was supposed to be the great hero of Paris, the invincible Ladybug. Hawk Moth might as well have won her Miraculous by default if this was all it took to bring her to her knees. She swallowed over and over and reeled in air, counting, thinking happy thoughts, whatever it took to get the negativity down. She would not be Akumatized over this.

She was good. A quick glance to the sky. No black butterflies in sight now.

"Are you okay?"

Her head jolted. The frizzy-haired boy from earlier was still there, offering his hand to her. Normally, she would not have refused a kind offer. Kindness made the world go round in her view. Things weren't normal though, not anymore.

"I'm fine…" Marinette picked herself up and dusted herself off.

"Are you sure?"

"I said I was fine, didn't I?" Even she flinched at the harshness of her words. "Sorry… I gotta go."

She dashed out the park. The two teens followed her to the entrance, she saw. "Wait a minute!"

Marinette's feet stopped before she processed it. The girl took in a final, calming breath, still wringing her wrists. "Just a word of advice. Watch out for black butterflies around here…"

With that she strode across the street the way she came. Escape was the only objective on her mind. In her current state she might collapse like a house of cards if anyone had pressed her any further. All those staying calm methods were worth jack-squat.

Tikki popped form her purse again. "That was much too close, Marinette…"

"Tell me about it…"

Marinette was nursing a headache and sore soles from running up and down the steps later that night. Her feet must have scratched along the hard cobblestone of their family kitchen fifty times. Kwamis could have stomachs like infinite voids even without making superheroes or supervillains out of a person.

She had pretty much raided their own kitchen of fruits and vegetables under the pretense of healthy foods nursed hearts on the verge of imploding. Now she was scavenging in their bakery for anything the kwamis could eat before they resorted to eating the bowl. Marinette was sure she wouldn't have had such an easy time explaining to her parents her new diet of plastic. The girl yanked out her dark locks and clenched her fingers with the stands in place.

She settled for a few spare cookies that had been left over on the counter from the other day. The desserts practically went flying into the bowl clenched in her hand.

"Thank you very much." Her mother's voice called past the door. "Please come again."

She flinched with the sound of the shutting door and the jingling bell. Her thoughts became much too focused on gathering cookies and dashing back up the steps. The store was being cleared of every dessert they had for the holidays and here she was taking what was left. She apparently couldn't even be bothered to touch a button on the register.

She loved helping her parents at this time of year. In the old days when her life as a normal girl still had room in her forethoughts, she pictured families coming in by the threes and fours. They'd pay their fees and give donations and she'd hand them a box full of delicious treats made with every member of the family pitching in. Now her parents were baking on their own and customers would have to settle for imagining her helping hand in the now less-filling aromas.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng, resident good girl, now swiping goods from under her own parents' noses. Imagine that.

"Marinette?" Her father called.

The girl went rigid. She dragged her head through pressing guilt to see her parents peeking through the doorway.

"Sweetie, what are you doing down here?"

"Is everything alright?" Her mother asked. "You seemed rather upset when you came back."

Marinette didn't dare to look them in the eyes, fearing her heart would be squeezed of all the blood it pumped. Her eyes trailed over the splotches of flour stains on the counter, fingering the rim of the bowl in her hand. She set the bowl back on the counter and stood straight, wringing her head back from the storm clouds.

"Is it something you can't talk about?"

"No, no, nothing like that." Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. It was harder to know what topics were safe anymore. "It's just, what happened was…"

The talk went on from the bakery to their living room on the next floor. Tom had already locked up the shop, so they were free to retire for the night. Marinette had settled for keeping the identity of the present smasher to herself. No one needed to know how she nearly got burned getting too close to a star.

She was now settled on the couch with her father by her. His large arm was draped over her shoulder so gently. Wrapped in a fluffy blanket, the girl blinked at the mug of green liquid that suddenly came before her.

Her mother smiled holding the drink out. "A little tea. My nainai always made it for me when I was feeling down."

Marinette smiled. "Thanks, mama…"

Sabine smiled settling to her other side. Her father rubbed her shoulder. "We're so sorry that happened to you, honey. No one should be acting like that, no matter what time of year it is. You could still buy a present for Adrien, though."

Marinette shook her head. "No way, papa. I always hand-make my gifts. It's just not special otherwise."

"Hand-made gifts are special, but you don't need to make a gift to show someone you care."

"The thing is, I do…"

Her mother took her daughters hands in her own around the mug. "Sweetie, we've just noticed you've been working very hard, lately. Almost too hard. Maybe you should try to relax a little, to take some pressure off."

"Right. Remember what I said about your apple pie and cinnamon flan?" Her father added.

If only they knew. Her apple pie was bubbled and burnt.

"I really am fine. There's just a lot going on." Marinette stood, letting the blanked drop to the floor.

"Honey…" Her father gave his rare stern tone.

"Besides, I'm already working on a backup. I spent all last night on it and it just needs a few finishing touches. If I crunch down, I can finish it and my school assignments and still get an hour or two of sleep."

"A-an hour of sleep?" Her mother gasped.

"Honey, how long has this been going on?" Her father added. "Have you been sleeping enough?"

The girl flinched. The tea in her mug bounced a bit and splashed her hand, earning a yelp and a shake of her hand to cool it off. She turned to her parents; their faces were painted with worry. She hoped they didn't see the few stray locks or the bags that were forming under her eyes. Honestly, they were right on the money.

"Really, I'm good. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed. I mean, if I had a tail, because that would be weird if I had a tail." She rambled giving her most convincing perky smile and waving it off. "Doing crazy stuff like this is that little pinch of normal in my life souffle, as papa would put it. I can deliver my gift to Adrien and we can all move on."

"I don't know, Marinette…" Her mother spoke. "If you keep going like this, you're bound to crash and burn…"

Marinette glanced at her feet, biting her lip.

Finally, she sighed. "Well, I guess I can always mail the gift. Just keeping the pressure off, right?"

Her parents smiled. They stood and wrapped their arms around her. Marinette drank in their love and concern like the sweetest hot chocolate her father made for the holidays. Her dad was like a big marshmallow anyway.

Minutes later, she climbed the hatch and waved down to wish them good night. Once the hatch was closed, she guzzled down the tea and made her way up to the second hatch door to the roof. She had grabbed the spare gift for Adrien on the desk. A small pink box with a red and black-spotted bow.

Tikki zipped out of her pocket. "Marinette, I know what you're thinking."

The girl had made her way out into the cold night air. "I can just make a quick stop. It's time for patrol anyway."

"You should just do what you told your parents and mail the gift."

"You know mail is getting slower lately." She smirked.

The red kwami sighed. "If you're sure…"

"TIKKI, SPOTS ON!"

Marinette vanished and Ladybug was left in her place. She swung out into the city for a routine night.

But nothing about that night would be ordinary.

And that wraps this one up.

As of this point, we are now all caught up to the present, i.e., that scene in the first chapter where the Phantom Thieves make their announcement. For those that aren't caught up yet, everything from chapter 2 to now took place over the span of a week and was the lead-up to this. Next chapter we should be seeing the aftermath of this and when things really start taking off.

This was supposed to be the original chapter 6 as well, but you already know the story from last chapter.

Not much else to say, so moving on to the reviews:

Tora Lych: I don't usually concentrate too much on ships. You might see snippets of a few moments between characters, but I usually leave that sort of thing to the readers' imagination. The story is most important to me.

Unlucky-Fausto: I'm not sure what you mean. Was chapter 6 not readable to you? It should be fine.

Snowtrue: A nice theory, but that's not quite it, either.

Roboman: The reason I'm not using ultimate Personas right off the bat is I think it's symbolic of this sort of new journey the Thieves are going through. It's a brand-new adventure, so it's like in video games sequels where you start off at Level 1 instead of where you were in the last game, say Level 99. Plus, their initial Personas are more iconic in my opinion.

Matt: Unfortunately, I don't have any Code Lyoko x Miraculous crossover stories in my favorites list. You might try the other author.

Next chapter will be on the way. The fated meeting is at hand!

As always, review, favorite, follow! Until next time!