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.

"Oh my gosh, did you see what happened last night!?"

"I know! This is totally beyond insane!"

"They're here! In Paris! They're really here!"

"What's gonna happen now?"

"They're going after her, right? Shouldn't somebody stop them? Or is Pernet…?"

These comments and more were heard on every grapevine Paris had, from speech in the streets to blogs to social media and beyond. Paris was now awake with the chimes of several million phone jingles, while every news station in the country was likely broadcasting the good word. It was safe to say no one got any sleep.

This city had been through more than its fair share of strangeness. If it wasn't loonies attacking with armies of rabid pigeons, it was people becoming brainwashed to jam to hard rock or enraged magic mimes. Giant rampaging babies or wi-fi being hijacked by bad guys calling out heroes. Every Parisian citizen's days were straight out of a comic book, and the weird thing was, it was normal, in its own way. Ladybug and Cat Noir's exploits were just the everyday now.

The Phantom Thieves were the new spice of life. Something to make people scratch their heads and wonder about the future for once. They had kept their troubles with Hawk Moth under wraps in the world's eyes, miraculously enough, thinking it would be handled eventually. That certainty now fluttered away.

It was driving a certain spotted hero crazy. Well, crazier.

"Argh, Cat Noir!" Ladybug furiously typed at her compact, eyes bloodshot. "Get your furry butt over here!"

She was now pacing atop roof of the Grand Palais. The stone might as well have had a groove now. People were gathering below in the streets like snow on pine needles. In fact, the snow from last night had went on into the morning. Ladybug hated the cold, so the low temperature was not helping her mood.

"Where are you!? She scrolled through her list of sent unanswered messages. "Ugh! Some foreign vigilante group is targeting one of the biggest names in fashion and he's probably taking a cat nap!"

*BING*

A new notification. Alya's face appeared on her phone. Ladybug gasped.

How was Alya processing this? She was the one who had brought up the whole idea of Ladybug, Cat Noir, and the Phantom Thieves. Fate must have been scrolling through her blog posts. Ladybug tapped the bubble.

'GIRL, ARE YOU SEEING THIS!? EVERY ONE OF MY BLOGS IS BLOWING UP!'

All caps, as if anything else couldn't convey the message. Excitement or disbelief, probably excitement, if she knew Alya.

'Uh, yeah. Totally crazy. I couldn't believe my eyes.' She sighed, not knowing what else to type.

'YOU'RE NOT USING ALL CAPS! USE ALL CAPS!' Yep, called it.

'IS THIS BETTER?'

'OMG, GIRL! WHAT ABOUT THIS IS NOT REGISTERING!? READ THE CITY! THE ACTUAL PHANTOM THIEVES ARE HERE, IN PARIS! AND THEY TOTALLY JUST CALLED OUT CAMILLE PERNET!'

That's what Ladybug was worried about. For Alya, it was a luxury for the uninvolved, not that she could fault the journalist side of her best friend. Alya would give up an arm for a good story.

'I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING TO GET HYPED ABOUT. And can we type normally?'

'Geez, now you've gotten my hype levels down! This is super major, you know?'

'You know me. Just super busy with everything.'

'I don't even think Ladybug has as much to do as you, and that's saying something.' If she only knew. 'We still on for the fashion show today. I know your number one Christmas wish.'

Her face went bright red as she sharply gasped. It was only due to her duties she was here – how could it have slipped her mind that Gabriel's winter campaign would be having a public photoshoot today? Adrien would be here! Adrien!

'Good. I'll get the rare chance to see both of you in public. Catch ya later, girl.'

Ladybug blinked in confusion. Where did that response come from? She inspected the chat messages and her face froze. The lack of thought in it all was what probably guided her fingers to type. 'Yeah sure.'

"Gah! Wait, what!? No, no, no!"

She hopped in place, caught between a Cat Noir and an Alya. Drooping, she ran a hand across her face hoping the skin would drag down with it. She cast a quick glance to the sky and surrounding buildings for anything out of the ordinary. The hero would just have to hope this all resolved quickly, without any surprises.

Catching the skylight through her peripheral, she flipped it open and hopped down. Camera flashes assaulted her from every angle and at every second, and a wildfire of screaming citizens rang through her ears. She gave a forced smile and wave, cursing her great luck for landing right on the red carpet reserved for celebrities. They all cheered for her as she made her way through the entrance hall into the main venue.

Ladybug looked around, keeping eyes and ears peeled. The main venue wasn't open yet – camera crew still fixing lights and playing with special effects. The room switched between deep hues of blue and red in seconds. Every minute that passed came with a new song played from the DJ booth for testing. It was hard to keep her senses about her, in truth.

Yet Pernet's voice was still clear. "Is this some sort of joke!?"

Her head snapped to behind the curtain. Even hearing that vile woman's voice after yesterday was too much of an unpleasant jolt to the system. She jumped to the runway automatically and marched across to the end. Her fists clenched hearing sounds of things being knocked over.

She'd regained control of her thoughts and hearing moving behind the thick curtain. Pernet was there backstage speaking to the ever-stoic Gabriel Agreste. The hero ground her teeth seeing Silva there as well, panting through his nose like a raging bull. Mr. Agreste didn't seem to bat an eye at either of their faces that were swearing retribution with a glare. She breathed out wishing she could say the same.

"Mademoiselle Pernet, I understand your concern but you cannot expect me to cancel the shoot now."

"Do you expect me to carry about my business after I have been threatened!?" Pernet screamed.

Silva grabbed his scruff ready to rip his head off. "You pompous wretch. My goddess is in danger and you care more of your little parade of stick figures!?"

"What's going on here?" Ladybug spoke.

"Ah, Ladybug." The three turned to her. "Excellent timing. You've heard of the recent news regarding the Phantom Thieves, no doubt."

"Yes."

"I don't think you have. No one seems to understand just what peril I am in!" The woman grabbed a diamond-encrusted cased phone and shoved the screen in her face. It played out with the engraved image of the jumbotron's screen going red and the Phantom Thieves' symbol splayed across it.

"Camille Pernet! The corrupt goddess of fashion!" The encrypted voice shouted. "You have used your influence and 'divine word' to destroy the dreams of young girls across the world for your own arrogant pleasure. We will make you confess your crimes with your own mouth! Tomorrow we will take your distorted desires! So says the Phantom Thieves!"

The announcement sent a frosty spike down into Ladybug's back.

"Take my desires! Make me confess!" She shrieked. "This is a clear attempt on my life and nothing more! I demand you cancel this event! It's as good as a beacon for those… criminals!"

"Ms. Pernet, this venue is guarded on all ends by my finest security for your safety."

"How many guards do you think all those hoodlums had in Japan!? Now they're weeping in jail cells!"

Gabriel swatted Silva's hands off his clothing like a stain. "I doubt you have anything to fear. Some lowlife must have heard some off rumors and utilized a overseas legend to intimidate you. For some monetary fee, no doubt."

"Are you sure, sir…?" Ladybug asked the designer. "With all due respect we should take this seriously."

"I refuse to be cowed by scum who won't show their faces." Gabriel scoffed.

His bravado seemed more dismissive to her than anything else. "Sir-"

"What's going on?"

Ladybug jolted, a rise of heat coming to her face. Of all the people to arrive, it had to be Adrien. The boy came to the group with concern carved into his features. Turning to her he gave a small wave which may as well have blown fire into her face. Swallowing, she waved back with a tiny, almost microscopic smile.

"There's nothing to be concerned about, Adrien." His father noted. "We are merely discussing security details."

"You mean… because of the Phantom Thieves?"

"See!" A nailed finger was pointed Adrien's way that made Ladybug burn inside. "Even your son admits it!"

"What say you, Ladybug?" Gabriel asked.

"Me?" She asked. The man nodded.

Ladybug crossed her arms in thought, her form rigid. The important thing was keeping tensions to a minimum, make a smiling, happy world with sugar, rainbows, and magic insects to fix everything. She kept a blank face trying to reign in her pupils from wandering towards any hot point that might influence her. Cat Noir was still nowhere to be seen, as well.

This was on her, like it always was.

"Well, in the name of safety," she hardened her gaze, pursing her lips. "It might be best to cancel the show."

"Finally, someone in this den of idiots who can talk sense!" Pernet flashed her arms shouting. Ladybug could have sworn, staring up at Adrien, that he had sighed a bit in relief as well.

"We will not." Gabriel spoke, with no room for protest. "The campaign will go on."

Gabriel wouldn't budge – that much was clear. Reporters and colleagues knew if Gabriel Agreste wanted something, he got it. "Well, then… I can stay here and provide additional security for Ms. Pernet."

"That will work well."

"EXCUSE ME!? My person is being attempted on and you are sending some juvenile to guard me!?" Pernet shrieked. She was now face to face with Gabriel, ready to slap him. "I will not accept this! You will cancel the show and you will hear from my attorney about this!"

"Ms. Pernet, I assure you I can handle it." Ladybug walked up to her, speaking calmly. "I deal with this all the time. I can keep you safe-"

"YOU!? You can't even seem to keep my boyfriend from being turned into a winged freak every ten seconds!" Pernet jabbed her nail like a spike into Ladybug's chest. She walked into the heroine, shadow looming, in a way that remined her too much of the same thing yesterday when she was just a helpless teen. "You honestly expect me to believe you can actually do the job I pay men twice your size and three times your age to do!? When you can't even keep one person from getting Akumatized!? Go back to the playbox, you insipid little brat!"

"That was completely uncalled for, ma'am!" Adrien protested.

Pernet scoffed and walked away with Silva on her tail. She made sure Ladybug had gotten a taste of her feather boa. "This is why I don't work with children. If anything happens to me, your incompetence will be to blame, girl."

Her fists clenched.

Incompetence? She didn't need anyone to tell her that.

She showed nothing to anyone who might have been watching. The Agrestes had left as well, she knew that much. She was putting on an act for only the fates. The fates that saw fit to remind her that for everything she had done, she was still a girl playing dress-up.

Memories came like a harsh blizzard in her head, of every time she'd failed. Every time she blew it or made a mistake that cost someone something. The whole reason she was in this mess was because of a lapse in judgment that cost someone everything. Paris was relying on a hopeless klutz that could not even catch one little criminal, no matter how much she could sweep damage under the rug. Now she was reduced to the role of hired security against some invisible vigilante group and she wasn't even doing that right.

Master Fu could tell her what to do. He always knew what to do, knew the Miraculous inside and out. Some ancient proverb or magical trick to fix everything. Why did she have to blow it and let him lose his memory?

She flung back the drapes and stepped into the hall after Pernet. She did not like that woman. In fact after the two days she had been near her, a restraining order was not out of the question. Still, a superhero's duty was to protect, not to judge like these Phantom Thieves. Ladybug was everybody's hero, even when they did not want her to be.

The heroine moved down the winding hall, feeling her skin crawl at the thought of Pernet being near. Follow the sound of shrieking or glitter on the floor and surely, she'd be there. She let out a sigh and wiped her face clean of emotion.

But by the next turn, everything began to shift.

Ladybug gasped, stepping back. She watched wide-eyed as solid shapes began to melt and churn around her. A whimper escaped her lips.

What was going on?

"Your first photoshoot! I can't believe this is really happening. I'm so happy for you, Ann."

"Thanks. You know, you're a big part of my being here, Shiho."

It was late the night before, just after the announcement was made. Ann was gazing out along the Paris skyline, seeing it live up to its moniker as the City of Lights. Her self-reminder to call her old friend had been washed up between Palace investigation and things moving along with the shoot. Shiho was never one to hold grudges, thankfully.

"You got yourself there. And… you know what you have to do, right?"

"I haven't forgotten. I just wish you could be here with me."

Shiho laughed on the other end. "I'm doing okay. I'm working hard to get back into volleyball. I wasn't going to be kept down forever, you know. I can't let you keep showing me up."

Ann couldn't help but beam at her friend's strength. "It's a model's job to show off, you know!"

They both laughed.

"Ann… do your best."

"Of course."

"Say what!?" Ann yelled.

The shout bounced off the walls of her dressing room. It made the bouquets of flowers quiver slightly, as if frightened by her red-faced outburst. The overhead lights were turned down low while as her friends pressed along the walls of her trailer to muffle the sound with her bodies.

"What do you mean I can't go with you!?" Ann yelled. "We have to go into the Palace today!"

"Ann, please listen." Makoto spoke, placing her hands on the model's shoulders. "I don't like the idea of dividing our forces any more than you, but we don't have much of an alternative."

"Our time in Pernet's Palace was limited to a certain amount of time each day." Yusuke added clutching his folded arms. "We miscalculated in accordance with that."

"You can't miss your first shoot." Akira finalized.

Before they had known it, the week had passed. The pressure had been off with the lack of a deadline or threat but Ann's work in conjunction with days of times Phantom Thief work had messed with their heads. They'd all gone pale and slapped their own faces realizing they'd backed themselves into a corner with that announcement.

"Yup, epic fail on our part." Futaba shook her head.

"It's as you said, Lady Ann. The Treasure has materialized now thanks to our announcement, but it will only last until the end of the day." Morgana explained. "Once the day's over the effect will disappear and we won't be able to do it again."

"We need to take the Treasure now." Makoto said.

"Fine! So let's-"

"You need to remain here. You can't risk skipping out on your first major photoshoot."

"We'll just make it quick!" Ann stepped forward. "I can take out that glitter-coated goddess wannabe in a second!"

"Speed runs are out." Futaba noted. "Palace rulers are boss-level. That's not the kind of thing you can set records doing. Least without cheat codes, anyway."

Ann's nails dug into the magazine at the side of her table, crumpling the pages in hand. The critic's face on the front cover was torn through. A growl escaped her bared teeth causing the others to flinch.

"Please, Ann. It's not like we want to leave you behind. This is simply the only solution we have now." Haru reasoned.

"But I am getting left behind. The simple fact is I can't go, right!?" Ann seethed. "Meanwhile all of you will be in there facing her Shadow and fighting for your lives while I strut on a catwalk and look pretty!"

Morgana cleared his throat. "Well, I'm sure you would look ravishing, Lady Ann-"

"This isn't funny! How am I supposed to waste time here while you guys and so many other people are in trouble!?" She shot her head up to them, the buds of tears beginning to form on the rims of her eyes. "The whole reason I am a Phantom Thief is because I couldn't leave people to suffer in silence! I am not going to ignore anyone in need again!"

The walls buzzed with her shout. Damn it all whether anyone heard her or not. She couldn't care less after the images of her best friend on a stretcher, covered in bruises and fading between worlds came into her head. She did not need to look strong. She needed to be strong.

"So that's how you wanna help? By rushing in?"

Ann turned to Ryuji. The blond, who had been leaning uncharacteristically silent at the end of the room, finally spoke.

"Are you for real?" He fumed stalking forward. "You wanna throw your shot at bein' a model away over some pompous bitch!?"

"It's not like that! I'm not throwing anything away!"

"Like hell you aren't! You think it'll feel good now, but it'll all come crashing down before you know it!" Ryuji stared her down, an inch apart from her face. "That's what it boils down to: one second of relief versus a lifetime of regret! Take it from someone who's been there – all you'll be doin' is letting down the people that matter most! You want that? Huh!?"

Ann flinched back, fingers brushing along the top of a magazine beneath the first and pulling it out. The cover caught her eye – a young blond, smiling, confident, gorgeous, and ready to punch a messed-up world in its face. She'd look every girl who saw that cover in the eye and ask why they weren't taking a swing themselves. Nothing was stopping them.

"I don't want to let anyone down. It just… seems like I'm doing that either way."

She looked to the mirror. Her gaze gravitated away from her own reflection to Ryuji, a burning glare on his features, just behind her. The force was like an intense magnet.

"It comes down to what you wanna do and what you have to do." He stuffed his arms in his pockets looking away.

A broad-chested, mop-haired shadow loomed over the two of them in the mirror. How could she forget? Ryuji had faced down that same demon and came out with a broken leg, broken friendships, broken dreams, on top of his already broken life. Their reflections reverted to a girl with a lonely look shifting between people like predators and a black-haired boy with bruises fresh out of the principal's office. The delinquent and the doll, swallowed by rumors, sullen beyond words. To this day, neither of them had forgotten their hatred for that smug, perverted monster for wrecking what might have been.

Ann snorted. "Geez, do you always have to be so loud? And don't even try to sound cool."

"Ah, shut up."

She looked up again and saw herself today, in a sparkling red winter jacket and designer jeans with her blond friend right behind her. It was pointless inspecting for glimpses of what-ifs. That self-proclaimed goddess who now had a target on her back was already far in the background, invisible. All that was left was them, herself.

"You win." Ann huffed. "But you better give that lady some real hell for me."

Ryuji smirked. "Like I need you to tell me that. This'll be a cinch."

She shrugged. Always so mouthy. "…Thanks, Ryuji."

Akira came up, his hand placed on Ryuji's shoulder. "Alright. How about this? Ryuji, Morgana, and I will go into the Palace with Futaba as support. Everyone else will stay here and keep the heat off."

"Wait," Haru piped up. "You want us to stay behind as well?"

"No, it's a good idea." Makoto murmured. "The more of us that go, the more it might attract attention. It won't look as suspicious if a few of us are here to support Ann."

Right. What was she worried about? Her friends had it all figured out. This team had managed to save Japan from a potential dictator moving money and bodies from the shadows as well as an evil god. Pernet by comparison was little more than a house pest.

"Our infiltration point has already been secured." Morgana noted. "We should be good, even with the time limit."

"The rest of us can move in as well, if anything happens." Yusuke supplied.

"Don't worry, Lady Ann. For you, I will scratch that wicked fiend Pernet into total submission!"

Their leader's mouth tilted into a smirk. The infiltration team was the first to walk out the trailer door. The had rounded a corner to where she was sure no one would see them. They would be back in an hour or two, ready to tell embellished tales of the Phantom Thieves' latest win. Maybe they could answer lingering questions as well.

"Well then, shall we?" Haru asked.

Ann gave a smile and nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. This would burn, this would eat away at her insides and inflame her throat for nights after. She stepped out of the trailer following the others to the set, tall and proud with eyes to the sky. In moments she'd be on a world stage with Shiho and millions of others watching her every move.

The young model swore she would be a light for the people of the world.

Time to shine.

Adrien fit the dress jacket on his form, tugging at the collar. No matter how many times he packed himself into these iron-pressed designer outfits, it still made him feel thin as paper. He gave his blond locks a comb over as was pre-show ritual for him and let out a sigh.

He took his phone from the side table and began to scroll through the school updates. Francois Dupont would likely be neck-deep in holiday and end-of-year events, and he'd be spending his Christmas sitting in his room and/or strutting down a catwalk with disorienting camera flashes as usual. It was cheap compensation, but he looked at the student posts on the social media page and feigned phantom calls of laughter in his head.

It would be the good kind of normal, something to take his head away from this crazy campaign and the appearance of the Phantom Thieves. The smile forced its way to his face.

His finger froze somewhere down the page. The poster for the scholastic decathlon. Again.

"You can take the boy out of school, but you can't take the school ot of the boy." Plagg said popping out.

"The first part's definitely true."

"I'd like to work on the second part."

"Unless there's cheese involved, you don't really work."

"True enough." Plagg yawned. "Just think of it as a vacation…"

Irony struck Adrien's head like a ton of bricks and a sledgehammer for good measure. What vacation involved vigilantes, enraged villains and girl troubles? His father welcomed the opportunity to get more done and his mother could never sit still for too long when the family had gone on luxury trips. In fact most of his family was like that. Burn the midnight oil, that was the Agreste family motto, for however many midnights it could take.

"School kinda is my vacation, Plagg. I get to see my friends there…" Adrien spoke zooming into the poster. "Not much chance of that right now. It's like I'm back to square one."

"Eh. Everyone loves a good board game."

A crash came from outside. Both boy and kwami jumped.

Adrien flung open the door. People were running, screaming, from barrages of bladed feathers. A set of lights crashed to the ground, shattering. He gasped looking upward.

Archangel was back in all his golden glowing fury. "Where are you, Phantom Thieves!? COME OUT SO I CAN SKEWER YOU!"

"This guy definitely needs a vacation…" Adrien muttered.

He leapt down the steps and slid to the back of his trailer. People continued to run past, too lost in panic to notice even a celebrity slip away. Adrien poked his head, nearly losing a slab of skin from a shot feather.

"Guess you're not getting downtime after all. Bummer…" Plagg muttered.

But Adrien paid no mind. He looked up to the rafters, the skylights, anywhere high enough to warrant a dramatic arrival. She was still here, wasn't she? She'd obviously be upset after that tirade from Pernet but she wouldn't forsake someone in need. She was just perfect that way. Her perfect timing was suffering right now, though.

"Where are you, Ladybug…?"

Ladybug's eyes fluttered open. They fought against the unbearable sheen all around her.

Her eyelids roared open with an animal-like strength, charging like a lighting bolt down the rest of her body. Her cheek and hands dragged against a floor as smooth as silk, a floor of something like glass. Her sight and senses finally caught up with her, causing her to double take at the ornate ground with golden rims and layers of cloud beneath.

Her head turned and all around her were signs that she was no longer in the Grand Palais. Every speck of white was no more, replaced with a pristine gold with an assault of radiance. The walls of the hallway she once stood in were gone as if torn away by the brick and mortar to expose the vast expanse of warm sky with sunshine rippling on every edge of the angelic, curving structures around her. Its beauty was eerie, a perfection that could only be what it was. There was no sense of life or compassion. In fact, foreboding feelings of animosity moaned and echoed the more she stared at it.

She would have stared more and lost the last of her nerve when two beings came floating to her. She jumped back, thankfully still in costume. They weren't Archangel but their faceless masks and silver, sharp-edged suits of armor and wings made them good substitutes. Yet, how did Hawk Moth Akumatize two people? His Scarlet Moth powers?

"Identify yourself, intruder!" One of the angelic soldiers spoke.

"Wait, what?"

Its voice was emotionless, cold. No negativity like normal Akumas. Could they have been Sentimonsters instead from an empowered Mayura?

"We said identify yourself!" The second demanded.

"Uh, seriously?" Ladybug blinked. "You know who I am!"

"Don't try to play games with us. You are forbidden to enter without the goddess's consent!"

"Goddess? Are you with Archangel or something? What the heck is going on here!?"

The heroine was knocked down with a jab. She hit the floor staring to the guard with his spear out. The two angel beings loomed over her as she reached for her yoyo.

"This is getting us nowhere." The first guard spoke again. "Come with us. All must receive the goddess's word at the Shrine of Judgment. She shall pass heavenly verdict on your putrid soul."

"No way!" Ladybug somersaulted back. "I doubt this goddess could be any more pleasant than you two. She can keep her judgments to herself.

"Infidel! You dare speak of the goddess in such a manner!"

"We shall teach you to respect the divinity of the goddess!"

"Ooh-ooh! Eek, eek!" She startled and turned in full to the side. A whole herd of gorillas had gathered on the outskirts of the scene, huddled together and staring at her with caution and a bit of outrage. What caught Ladybug's eye were the giant white wings on the back of each gorilla that quivered as they drew closer together. Their meaty hands clasped together so timidly, but it was the last thing that Ladybug saw next to everything else, gaping with bulging eyes and jaw hanging loose.

What was this? Hawk Moth was getting downright crazy with these Akumatizations and Sentimonsters. But an entire change in scenery like this should be beyond the powers of the Butterfly Miraculous. Unless Fu had clued into things she never got the chance to learn.

The angels' armors clanked as they raised their spears. "Surrender! The goddess will pass judgment!"

"Not before we will…!"

The formless voice called out, making Ladybug jump again. A black vortex appeared beneath the angels' feet. A crimson-black wave rocketed from the depths, ravenous, swallowing them in between the fangs that appeared. Tendrils flew out as if seeking more to feat on, then faded. Ladybug stepped back seeing the angels' forms go black and turn to dust.

Ladybug breathed out quick as she caught a green glow behind her. A whistling hum came to her ears, almost mind-numbing, like some alien creature. Turning around, she yelped at the sight of what seemed to be a full-out UFO hovering over her. She yelped again when it spilled a green light from beneath and out of it popped a girl in some futuristic suit.

Hawk Moth and Mayura's imaginations were coming to be a cross somewhere between random and twisted.

"Ooh, a new challenger has appeared!" The girl spoke, the blue fires around her eyes reforming into a set of bulky night-vision goggles.

The brutish one in the pirate vest came close and inspected her. "This some kinda new guard or something?"

"I-wha-wait-who-" Ladybug stammered.

"If she were a guard, she'd be attacking us." The girl spoke again. "Plus she's clearly out of theme with the heaven bit."

"Is she a cognition, then?" The frizzy haired one in the black overcoat spoke. He was quiet but he caught her attention in an instant. There was something unsettling about him, about all of them really.

"Wait a minute… isn't this that Ladybug chick?"

"Methinks your right. Score one for Skull, at long last." The girl shook her head.

"Was that last part needed?"

"Why would a cognition of Ladybug be here in this Palace?" The frizzy one spoke again. "What does she represent to Pernet? I thought dudes were her thing."

"W-w-wait!" Ladybug outstretched her arm. She had to get a word in somewhere here. "What is this!? Who are you guys? What are you talking about? And what does any of this have to do with Pernet?"

"Wait a minute…" Another voice, a new, boyish one, spoke.

Ladybug searched for the source amongst the heads that were slightly above her own. Giving up there she turned down and jumped at least a foot back. It came from what looked to be some cat-mascot, with a head the size of a basketball with open blue pupils inspecting her every spot. Its tail twitched and wagged, before going straight and bristling.

"This… this isn't a cognition!" The creature spoke, hopping in what was easily recognized as shock. "This is the real Ladybug!"

"For real!?" The blond one asked. "Are you sure, Mona!?"

"I don't make mistakes when it comes to stuff like this. In fact, I don't make mistakes at all!"

"But how did she get in here?" The frizzy-haired one asked.

"She might have been nearby when you activated the Nav. This is the same as that other time." The cat hopped in anger. It was almost cute looking. "Ugh! How many times have I told you guys to check the tools you use!?"

"Hey! It ain't our-"

"HOLD IT A MINUTE!"

Ladybug was forced to scream to get their attention and stretch her arms out. It looked like it worked, seeing them hop back from a live wire. At this point, she was pretty sure Hawk Moth had little to do with this, or even anyone with a Miraculous's power. Magical charms were a lot more straightforward than this mess.

It didn't keep her blood from boiling at being kept out of the loop. Plus she needed to vent out from two horrible run-ins with Pernet. She had a lot to unload.

"What the heck are you people talking about!?" She shouted. "Palace? Cognition? Will one of you just tell me what is going on!? What is this place!? Just who are you!?"

The group of strangers remained silent. They seemed almost hesitant to answer. That was the answer she needed.

"Are you guys… the Phantom Thieves?"

"…There's no time to explain." The frizzy haired one spoke finally. "Just come with us."

The strange group – the Phantom Thieves, she had to cement in her head – began to run from their platform up the steps to a shining infinity. Shielding her face from the glow she took a few shaky steps as she followed after them. The heroine continued to blink with every step of the way, trying to convince herself this was just some hallucination.

A public building didn't just turn into the pearly gates and whatever lied beyond. This had to be the result of stress, or maybe this was some Miraculous power that she'd never even heard of – she still wasn't going to count that rumor out. Whatever this was, it was making a mess even out of her enhanced senses. There were no cameras, no décor, no squeals of excited fans or overbearing scent from a million and one rose bouquets from zealous fans. There was the empty expanse and hum like operatic singing in this place. It was real.

This was really heaven, but she was far from dead. She really was here, but she was far from the rest of the group. She redoubled her speed. Those really were the Phantom Thieves, and they were far from off the hook.

They reached the summit and found themselves at a set of ornate golden gates with metal 'Ps' molded upon them. It didn't take a genius to figure out what that meant. The two boys pushed open the giant gates.

They now stood in a large rotunda over a glass floor with golden lines forming the outline of some tacky symbol of beauty. Pillars stood as tall as the eye could see, ascending into an infinite light that swirled and coiled back downwards in the form of a chain. Feathers fell silently, like fresh snow from the winter season, yet cold came only in the form of dread.

The chain hooked to a gilded cage, and inside the cage was…

"A person?" The blond boy asked.

"What the hell?" The girl asked. "That was where the Treasure was supposed to be!"

"So you are here to take something from Ms. Pernet." Ladybug accused.

"Not the time…"

"Wait a minute…" the frizzy haired one gasped. "Is that… Silva!?"

Sure enough, gripping the cages was Antonio Silva, wrapped in a white robe with his digits sliding down the bars. His eyes glowed an eerie golden yellow and his expression was near blank, like a doll's. He looked to be in a strange sense of pleasure, making no moves, no visible attempt to break out and taste freedom.

"My goddess… my goddess deserves everything." He spoke in a warped voice. The uncanny resemblance in words to Archangel made Ladybug's spine freeze. "I give my… my everything… to her…"

"The hell's up with this guy!?" The blonde asked.

"What's a cognition doing where the Treasure is supposed to be!?" The frizzy haired one asked.

"That's no cognition either." The cat creature spoke. "That's Silva's Shadow!"

"WHAT!?" The other three yelled.

"I don't understand… how can someone's Shadow be in another person's Palace?" The cat creature gripped his head. "What's more, he's where the Treasure is supposed to be!? Is… Silva's Shadow the Treasure!?"

Ladybug's voice croaked. "Shadow…? Treasure..? What are you-"

"Yes… he is my Treasure…"

The ragtag team turned to ahead. Again the light blinded, and again, Ladybug gasped at what she saw.

A woman reclined in a luxurious throne, elevated to about their heights. Her skin, with all the smoothness and splendor of marble melted into her pillows wrapped in thin, translucent robes of gold. Her hands beckoned the rows of beings at her side with pristine, pale bodies of chiseled muscle and wings that spilled twinkles of lights, to kneel before her, purring at her touch beneath their chins. She stared at them with a serene contempt, almost expressionless, beneath her silky raven and golden locks.

Despite the dramatic change in appearance and near-gaudy presentation, Ladybug could tell who it was. It was so on-point it was laughable. Yet she could only stand there in dumbfounded shock, stepping back.

"Mademoiselle… Pernet?"

"Hmm… Welcome to my Palace."

So here we are at the climax point of the first act. The Phantom Thieves and Ladybug have met, Pernet's Shadow looms on the horizon, and change is a-comin'. As they say in BlazBlue, the wheel of fate is turning.

This chapter was written in accordance with my researched and conceived method for writing scenes. It goes according to a character's outer and inner goals, conflicts, and any additional notes. I think it turned out pretty well since it allowed me to be a little more freeform with how I wrote this chapter. With those simple guidelines, it just came down to how well I knew the characters and they practically guided me in terms of what they would say and do. Aside from my usual gripes about prose, I'm liking this one.

I'm sure people will be interested and a little confused as to how a person, a Shadow, is the Treasure. Some of you might already have clues, but for those that don't, I have left clues if you're able to sniff them out. This is a mystery fic, still.

Now for the reviews:

Foxchick1: Next chapter will be the big brawl. I won't make it easy for them, but cheer your heroes to victory!

Tora Lych: To answer your questions/comments in order:

I won't spoil anything as to what happens ahead. Maybe they'll meet, maybe they won't.

Alya was looking up the Phantom Thieves even before their announcement. That was idle curiosity, now she'll start digging like there's no tomorrow. Even if there's not much to be found…

Ladybug and Cat Noir's thoughts are an important point that will help to drive this story forward. I'll talk more when we get to those points.

Social Links would make this story drag on pretty long. The subplots I have planned are sort of like Social Links, though.

I pride myself as a storyteller, that's why.

Cold-heart-Angel23: Yeah, Chloe is a saint compared to Pernet. Chloe is a brat and a snob, but she was working to improve herself and had some redeeming moments, and otherwise, was just high-school evil. Pernet is callous and will happily crush dreams out of her own prejudice, and has the influence to do it. As for Marinette, well, that sort of struggle is central to her arc in this story, and how she overcomes her insecurities.

Nighthawk6595: Yeah, the prologue thing was a sort of storytelling trick similar to what they did in P5, with most of the games events just being one big flashback. It's a neat trick that lets you start in the middle of the action and really grab the audience's attention. It was also good for setting up Ladybug and Cat Noir.

Next chapter is the climactic showdown with Pernet. How will our makeshift team fare?

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