Welcome back to the next part!

This chapter had gotten quite long, so I decided to split it in half. I hope you'll still enjoy it, though.

IMPORTANT EDIT: I had gotten a question about developing Marinette and Adrien's characters and I will go by what Thomas Astruc, the creator, had said - Marinette is flawed and needs to learn a lesson in every episode; while Adrien is perfect and everyone else needs to change, not him. Therefore, I will follow this logic and let Marinette grow. Adrien will be written the way he is in canon, since he doesn't need any growth.

Make out of it what you will. X3

If you want to see when the next update will be, check the Profile. See ya!


Entry 1

Share The World

''Until we reach the huge sky above, I believe towards the one tomorrow! Come on, let's go everybody, oh we share the music! Come on, let's go baby baby, oh we share the one dream! Come on, let's go everybody, oh we share the good times! Come on, let's go baby baby, oh we share the one world!''

Share The World by One Piece

xXxXxXx

''I'm almost done with this one…''

Bridgette Cheng stuck out her tongue in concentration as she focused on her newest sketch. She was a 16-year-old teenager with long dark blue hair, which included an ahoge, tied back into two pigtails. She was wearing a white blouse with a button-up top, a black three-quarter-length blazer, blue jean shorts with folded ends and brown shoes. Next to her was her dark red backpack which had two orange flower prints on it and she was currently sitting under a tree at the park, having decided to try her luck at drawing the nearby fountain as it spouted water. She stopped for a moment, brushing away her side-bangs as she took a small pause, revealing a pair of red earrings with black spots that had golden outlines on the edges on her ears for a moment.

''I think that's it,'' Bridgette said, tilting her head as she observed her newest sketch. She then turned to her backpack. ''Tikki, what do you think?''

A small red-orange creature, with light orange cheeks, a dark brown four-leaf clover marking on her forehead, and a dark brown spot on her back poked her head out of the backpack. Her eyes were black and she had two antennae with round yellow tips, as well as a short three-tipped tail.

''I think it looks great, Bri,'' Tikki, the Kwami of Fortune, told her. ''However, maybe some colours would make it look even better.''

''You're right,'' Bridgette replied, placing her pencil on her lip as she contemplated Tikki's suggestion. ''How about making it evening and having lights reflect in the water? That would be amazing to see.''

''I agree, that sounds nice,'' Tikki responded. Bridgette nodded and put her sketchbook and pencil into her backpack, picking it up and getting up.

So far, it had been a really nice day for her. Paris was rather quiet,… well, as quiet as a city who had a superpowered terrorist could be. Admittedly, neither Papillon nor his minions had shown themselves for a while now, leaving Bridgette on edge, but she decided not to let it ruin her mood.

Still, that doesn't mean that I shouldn't be prepared in a case of crisis.

xXx

''These are the books I want to borrow.''

Félix Agreste placed a stack of books on the counter at the local library, looking satisfied with his choice. He was a 16-year-old teenager, tall, wearing a light-gray button-up shirt underneath a gray vest, with the sleeves covering his hands, black slacks, black dress shoes and a black tie; he was also keeping one hand on the strap of his brown leather briefcase backpack that was over his shoulder. His blond hair was combed back neatly, giving him a rather sophisticated appearance, even though the back wasn't quite tamed. His eyes were a desaturated green-grey. Normally, his gaze was cold and aloof, but being in the library, he felt quite content. The librarian rose an eyebrow, looking at the books he had borrowed.

''This is the 7th time this month you had borrowed The Moon Stone from The Firefly series,'' she said. ''Is the book really that good?''

''It is one of my favorites,'' Félix replied, sighing. ''I actually had bought the book, but an unfortunate accident resulted in the book being shredded. I ordered a new one, but the delivery had been delayed for weeks, so this leaves me with the library as my only option.''

''Wow, you really have bad luck with this,'' the librarian replied as she scanned the books.

''Tell me about it,'' Félix muttered as he picked the books up and put them into his backpack. He then left, entering the streets of Paris.

''Cheer up, Kid, you still got the book, one way or another.''

A small black creature with cat ears, a cat tail, a pair of whiskers on his cheeks and one on his head popped out of the backpack, looking at Félix. He blinked, his green eyes having black cat-like slits as pupils, and smirked, a fang popping out of the corner of his mouth.

''That may be true, Plagg, but I'd still rather have my own copy of the book,'' Félix replied, briefly glancing at Plagg, the Kwami of Misfortune. ''After all, this only happened because of my curse.''

''Well, it wasn't as bad as the time you lost footing and landed in the Seine. Or the time a steel beam almost fell on you after passing by a construction site. Or the time you fell from the Eiffel Tower…'' Plagg closed his mouth when he saw Félix glaring at him for reminding him of all the times his bad luck had acted out, but then smiled. ''You're doing much better than your predecessors.''

''Thanks,'' Félix replied in a deadpan tone. He glanced down at the cat ring adorning his middle finger, the actual source of his misery. It was black and resembled a cat's head, with a pair of green gems that represented the eyes and a red gem on the forehead. ''I think we should go sit down somewhere.''

''How about Dynastie du Lóng?'' Plagg suggested, smirking mischievously.

''Sure,'' Félix replied, ignoring Plagg's knowing gaze.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, there was a good reason why the tea shop had become one of his favorite places in Paris, and it had less to do with the tea they were serving and more with the cute waitress who worked there.

xXx

Bridgette hummed softly as she waited for the traffic lights at a crossroad to change. She had thought of strolling through the city aimlessly, since it was quite a nice day. However, just as she had crossed the street, something caught her attention. A hot red line appeared in the sky above her, catching her attentionand the attention of other pedestrians. Everyone was confused by the phenomena, even more when it vanished.

Bridgette furrowed a brow and then ran into less crowded alley, her senses going haywire. After spending several months working as a superhero she had developed a sixth sense for whenever there was something weird going on and this phenomena was anything but normal.

However, before Bridgette could make a move, another of those rifts appeared, this time opening a path to a different street. Her jaw dropped and she gasped, mirroring the expression of the teenager who stood on the other side. That teenager had medium-length black-blue hair tied into two pigtails that were shorter than Bridgette's and blue eyes, and she was wearing a dark gray blazer with rolled-up sleeves, a white t-shirt with black stitching and a flower design below the collar, pink rolled-up jeans and light pink ballet flats, with a light pink purse on a thin black strap being hung over her shoulder. She also had a pair of black earrings.

While Bridgette remained stunned, even taking a step towards the portal in curiosity, the other girl cried out in complete shock, clearly panicking. Then, just as suddenly as the rift had opened, it closed. Bridgette flinched, stepping back, with Tikki popping her head out of the backpack.

''What happened?'' she asked, staring at the stunned Bridgette.

''Honestly, I don't know…'' Bridgette replied, her eyes narrowing in determination. ''We need to go to investigate this, though.''

She looked around, the Ladybug Earrings on her ears glinting, and found an open door to a public building of some sort. She ran inside, going upstairs until she reached the roof. Once she reached the rooftop, she took her backpack off and ducked behind the wall, making sure that no one watched her. Tikki flew out of the backpack, already aware what Bridgette was up to.

''Ready?'' Bridgette asked, with Tikki nodding. Bridgette brushed away her hair with the back of her hand, revealing the Ladybug Earrings. ''Tikki, transform me!''

She tilted her head slightly to the side, with Tikki getting absorbed into the Ladybug Earrings. Sparkly orbs of red light were emitted from the earrings, completely enveloping Bridgette. She stretched out her arm out, with a red suit materializing across it, and spreading over her body, the suit having black spots on the torso and a black collar. Her hair grew longer, with long red hair ribbons, that were tied to her pigtails, popping out and trailing behind her. A string covered in golden beads appeared around her waist, with a red compact that had black spots on it being attached to the string. She took a step forward, with a red mask appearing on her face, and she opened her eyes, which turned a darker shade of blue. She turned on her heel, striking a pose, her arms outstretched and bent slightly back and her hair ribbons billowing behind her.

Ladybug then grabbed her backpack and leapt off onto another building, hearing Tikki speak through the Ladybug Earrings. ''So, what's the plan?''

''I'll leave the backpack at my place and then gather the rest of the Quantic Kids in order to figure out what is going on here,'' Ladybug explained, leaping onto another building. It didn't take her long to reach her balcony above her family tea shop, Dynastie du Lóng, and drop her backpack through the hatch on her bed. She then pressed her hand against the tiny communication device against her ear, hoping that the other Quantic Kid had noticed what was going on. ''Guys, it's Ladybug! We have a situation here! Is anyone active?''

''Bug, it's Chat! I'm close to the tea shop Dynastie du Lóng! Should we meet up there?''

''Yeah, I'm already here!'' Ladybug replied, relieved to hear Chat Noir's voice.

She waited for someone else to respond, but before any of that could happen, another dimensional rift appeared right below her, causing her to fall through it.

xXx

''Unfortunately, Bridgette isn't here,'' Mei Cheng, Bridgette's grandmother and owner of the tea shop Dynastie du Lóng, told Félix the moment he walked in. Félix was left a little flustered, especially since he hadn't even said anything. However, considering his relationship with Bridgette, it wasn't much of a surprise that she would think he was there because of her.

''I'll then wait for her, if that's okay?'' Félix muttered, going towards the corner of the tea shop, where a few tables and chairs were spread out for those who wanted to enjoy a cup of tea. Mei shrugged and then went to the back of the tea shop. Félix placed his backpack down on the ground, but before he could down, he was startled by a rift that appeared mid-air.

The rift widened, revealing what appeared to be a large bedroom, with a teenager standing in the middle of it, turned away from Félix. He had brushed-back blond hair that was swept to the right and emerald-green eyes, wearing a white button-down shirt with an upturned collar and sleeves rolled up above his elbow, a black stripped shirt, blue jeans and orange sneakers. On the ring finger of his right hand was a silver ring. The teenager suddenly turned his head, gasping in surprise when he saw Félix. However, before any of them could act, the rift closed.

Félix remained stunned for a moment, but then ran outside, finding a safe spot between two buildings and looked around. To his annoyance, he completely forgot his briefcase backpack, but fortunately for him, Plagg did follow him.

''What the Hell was that?'' Plagg asked, just as shocked as Félix.

''I don't know, but I fear that Papillon might be behind it,'' Félix replied, holding up his hand. ''Plagg, ready?''

''Of course I am!'' Plagg replied excitedly.

Félix brushed with his fingers across the ring in a swift motion. ''Plagg, transform me!''

The red gem on the top of the cat's head started to glow in a purple light, as he held up his hand, clenching into into a fist. Plagg then got absorbed into the ring, with Félix rising his hand above his head as the ring released dark energy in the form of black orbs. The dark light completely enveloped him, trailing down his arm, torso and legs. He crossed his arms on his chest and turned around, then uncrossed his arms as the black light dispersed and revealed a form-fitting black leather-like suit, accompanied by a belt tail that was wrapped around his waist twice, criss-crossing in an ''x'' in the front and had a large silver belt buckle in the shape of a cat's head, and mid-thigh high boots. There was another burst of black light, with the dark orbs dispersing around him as his hair grew longer and messier, with black cat ears popping up on his head. He turned on his heel, revealing the black mask on his face and the large golden bell tied to his unzipped collar, and opened his eyes, which were now green, including the sclerae, and grinned, a fang popping out the corner of his mouth. He then slashed across the air with his claws and struck a pose.

Chat Noir placed his hand on his cat ear, tapping the communication device inside it as he heard crackling.

''Guys, it's Ladybug! We have a situation here! Is anyone active?''

Chat Noir sighed in relief when he heard Ladybug's voice, and answered, ''Bug, it's Chat! I'm close to the tea shop Dynastie du Lóng! Should we meet up there?''

''Yeah, I'm already here!''

Chat Noir exited the street and looked up, noticing a red figure on the balcony above the tea shop. However, as he was about to join her, another dimensional rift opened right below him and he fell through it, the rift closing behind him.

xXx

''The time has come! Finally, I will gain Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous! They will rue this day and the day they decided to cross me forever!'' Shadow Moth said, clenching his hand into a fist, grinning malevolently as he looked at the window in his lair as it opened.

''Was there really any need to monologue here?''

Shadow Moth frowned when he heard a cold voice speaking to him. He turned his head towards the source of the voice, a man with white hair and white eyes, wearing a white dress suit with a pale tan vest and bow, with a pale silver and purple oval brooch being attached to the bow. His arms were crossed on his back, his expression serious.

Feeling annoyed for being called out, Shadow Moth continued, ''Let's just move on with the plan. I can already sense several emotionally vulnerable people that would make excellent opponents for Ladybug and Cat Noir.''

''According to our contract, you will only be given three Chrysalis,'' Papillon replied, walking up to him, one fist clenched. ''Depending on how this temporary partnership works out, I might consider giving you more.''

''Don't worry, it will work out,'' Shadow Moth replied, grabbing the Chrysalis, three gold and purple chrysalis-like pendants, and turning to Riftbreaker, who was standing in the corner of the room. The Sentimonster created two tiny dimensional rifts, with Shadow Moth throwing two Chrysalis into them, both landing in different parts of Paris. He decided to keep the third one. The rifts then closed, leaving the two men waiting for a response.

The Butterfly Brooch attached to Papillon's bowtie suddenly gleamed, projecting a holographic screen in front of him. He smirked in response as the Butterfly Wraiths roared.

xXx

''Ouch!'' Ladybug cried out as she fell through the rift right on her backside, landing on a rooftop.

''Are you okay?'' Tikki asked her in an alarmed tone.

''Yeah, I am,'' Ladybug replied, rubbing her back and getting up. ''What happened?'' She observed her surroundings. ''It looks like we're still in Paris.'' She could see the Seine below her, with a bridge across it. ''If my mental map of Paris is correct, I think we're at Pont Neuf.'' She paused. ''But, that's nowhere near Dynastie du Lóng.'' She put her hand over her ear. ''Chat Noir, do you hear me?'' She winced when she heard crackling in her ear, but no response. Her ahoge drooped. ''I guess that rift or distortion or whatever it was must've affected the communication device. I better go back to the tea shop.''

However, before she could do even move, she heard a familiar screech, followed by screaming. She turned towards the source of the screams, seeing a dark blue and purple humanoid monster with green butterfly wings that had purple accents, black compound eyes and razor sharp teeth roaring at the panicking citizens who ran across the bridge to safety.

''Oh, no… Not now!'' Ladybug leapt onto another building, getting closer to the ongoing chaos. The Butterfly Wraith flapped its wings, releasing a gust of wind that knocked some of the civilians away. Most of them managed to get away though. Her eyes narrowed as she leapt to another, lower building, already forming a plan how to deal with the Wraith. Since neither Chat Noir nor the other Quantic Kids were here to help her, she would have to take it down on her own. Frankly, she had no issues with that, but she wouldn't mind having some kind of back-up just in case.

''Oh, M'lady!''

Bribug felt chills down her her spine when she heard the old nickname Chat Noir used until they settled on 'Bug'. She turned to her side, being surprised when she saw the person next to her. He looked like Chat Noir, having the black costume, the bell and belt, but instead of tight-high boots, they were only up to his ankle, he carried a baton and had fake cat ears instead of real ones.

''Uh, hello?'' Bribug replied, sounding a bit uncertain as Adrichat smiled at her suavely.

''So, what's the issue today, M'lady? You haven't even called me for the fight,'' Adrichat said, tilting his head.

''To make things clear, I am not your lady, so don't call me that,'' Bribug told him firmly, already connecting the dots. She watched enough isekai anime to be familiar with the idea of alternate universes and considering how Adrichat looked similar to Félinoir, but was clearly not Félinoir, she assumed that there was also a Ladybug in this universe that looked similar to her. It was an easy case of mistaken identity.

''Oh, but you are! You will always be M'lady,'' Adrichat replied, leaning against his baton and giving Bribug a flirty smile. He completely ignored the annoyed look Bribug shot him.

''No, I'm not, but I'll explain you that part later,'' Bribug told him, figuring she should take any partner over no partner. He would eventually realize his mistake, right? ''Right now, we're dealing with a Butterfly Wraith. Have you met one of those before?''

''A Butterfly Wraith? You mean, like an Akuma or a Sentimonster?'' Adrichat was confused. However, it was enough of an answer for Bribug.

''Okay, all you need to know is that the Wraith has a Chrysalis embedded in its body. Find the Chrysalis, take it out and shatter it, then destroy the butterfly that comes out of it,'' Bribug told him.

''Uh, aren't you the one who always purifies them?'' Adrichat asked, still confused. Bribug shook her head.

''Just do what I told you, we're on a time limit here!'' She leapt off the building, with Adrichat following her.

''A time limit? Have you already used your Lucky Charm?'' he asked. ''Are you going to de-transform soon?''

''No- Wait, why would I de-tran- agh!'' Bribug just barely dodged the Wraith's claw as it charged at her. She then somersaulted backwards, dodging another attack before adding, ''Listen! If we don't remove the Chrysalis in time, the person who had been transformed will remain a Wraith forever. That's why we need to hurry up.''

''But, wouldn't the Miraculous Ladybug cure them?'' Adrichat asked, placing the extended baton across his shoulders as Bribug dodged another attack from the Butterfly Wraith. Admittedly, he was quite confused over the whole situation. After all, the Miraculous Ladybug could cure any damage, right?

''Except I don't- agh!'' Bribug dodged one more attack coming from the Wraith, the force cracking the ground she was standing on just a second later. She leapt backwards, landing on the nearby lamppost. She then turned to Adrichat, her ahoge frazzled. ''Are you going to help me or what?!''

''No fear, Cat Noir is here!'' Adrichat replied, smirking and pointing his baton at the Wraith. ''Although, you should've explained the situation before you jumped into the battle, Bugaboo.''

''Bug-a-boo…'' Bribug twitched, now really irritated. ''I already explained everything! You just keep interrupting me with unnecessary questions!''

''If you say so, Bugaboo!'' Adrichat charged at the Wraith, dodging another punch from it and hitting it with his baton. He looked up, only for his eyes to widen when the Wraith grabbed the baton and, with Adrichat still holding onto it, threw him at a nearby abandoned car. Bribug flinched as she saw that and sighed, her ahoge drooping.

''This is not what I imagined my day to turn out,'' she muttered under her breath as she grabbed her compact. Her earrings glowed, with the Wraith briefly turning its back to Bribug as it was distracted by Adrichat's moaning. Bribug grinned as she saw the Chrysalis stuck in the Wraith's back. ''Bingo!''

Turning the compact into a yo-yo, she leapt off, throwing it at the Wraith and wrapping it up, before landing right behind it. The Wraith struggled to break free, but Bribug managed to keep it on spot.

''Good job, Bugaboo!'' Adrichat shouted, with Bribug frowning.

''Stop calling me Bugaboo!'' she yelled at Adrichat, her ahoge frazzled. ''I told you already, I'm not the Ladybug you know!''

''Com'n, Ladybug, do you really think I wouldn't be able to recognize you, even with the longer hair and the slight outfit change?'' Adrichat asked. Bribug just stared at him in exasperation, figuring it wasn't worth it. ''Don't worry, I'll make your paw-full day better, M'lady. You've been really moody these past few days, so we could go to the movies after the fight. What do you say?''

''What?'' Bribug felt completely blindsided by the question. They were in the middle of a fight and all Adrichat was thinking of was them having a date later on. ''For the last time, I'm not your Ladybug!''

''So, you agree? I didn't hear a 'no','' Adrichat asked hopefully, ignoring the fact that Bribug was struggling with keeping the Wraith under control. He then grinned. ''Alright!''

''What the- H-Hey, wait!'' Bribug's eyes widened as Adrichat suddenly charged at the immobilized Wraith, swinging his baton and knocking the Wraith straight into Bribug's direction.

Bribug ducked just in time as the Wraith flew past her, pulling the yo-yo back and causing the Wraith crash into the bridge. Adrichat then charged once again at the Wraith, but the monster lunged at him, punching him straight at the other side of the bridge. This distraction, however, was what Bribug needed. She leapt on the back of the Wraith, yanking the Chrysalis out. As she stepped away, cracking the Chrysalis in her hand, the Wraith got engulfed in a dark light, which then faded, revealing to be a random unconscious man lying on the ground.

A purple butterfly made out of pure energy emerged from the cracks of the Chrysalis, flapping away. Bribug split the compact apart, with one half opening and taking a dart-like appearance. Bribug then threw the dart straight at the butterfly, piercing it and causing it to explode in purple sparks. She glanced at Adrichat, who was completely stunned after seeing this action. It appeared that it dawned upon him that he had been fighting alongside a different Ladybug. Bribug shook her head in exasperation and then walked over to the man, who had awoken, and helped him up.

''So… you really aren't M'lady,'' Adrichat said, still stunned, as he approached Bribug. Bribug observed the Wraith-victim as he left, then glanced back at Adrichat, placing her hands on her hips.

''I'm glad that you had finally noticed,'' Bribug told him. ''You were really slow on the uptake.'' She shook her head, ignoring Adrichat's pout. ''In any case, there are some things that need to be cleared up. For starters…''

''Don't worry, I already know,'' Adrichat replied in a low tone, crossing his arms. Bribug's ahoge formed into a question mark.

''Really? Well, that should make things easier…'' she said, only to get interrupted by Adrichat as he grabbed his baton, extending and pointing it at Bribug.

''I know that you're another of Shadow Moth's Akumas! What have you done to the real Ladybug?!'' Adrichat yelled at Bribug, swinging his baton at her. Bribug cried out in surprise, dodging the baton and leaping back.

''That's your conclusion?!'' she yelled back in disbelief, her ahoge frazzled.

''Answer me now! What happened to the real Ladybug?'' Adrichat demanded, now angry. He swung his baton once again, but to his surprise, Bribug anticipated it, having turned her compact into a staff to block Adrichat's baton, leaving them crossed and both superheroes holding their weapons like swords. Bribug smirked, giving Adrichat a taunting look as he stared at her in disbelief.

''For your information, I just got isekai-d here, so I haven't met the Ladybug of your dimension yet,'' Bribug replied.

''Liar!'' Adrichat stepped back, preparing for another swing, but Bribug had already predicted his move. Letting go of her staff for a brief second, she then grabbed it with both hands and spun on her heel, hitting Adrichat square in the chest and sending him flying like a baseball. Adrichat hit a car, the baton flying out of his hands, while Bribug converted her staff back to a compact.

''Are you finally going to listen to me? I'm not your enemy!'' she said, now losing her patience with this guy. ''Besides, you just saw me defeat a Butterfly Wraith! What reason would I have to hurt anyone if I helped out a civilian who got corrupted by a Chrysalis?''

''I don't know why you're here, but I'm still sure that this is a trap,'' Adrichat told her as he recovered, flexing his claws. Bribug's ahoge drooped as she groaned in exasperation.

''Are you stupid or something?'' she asked, then shook her head. ''No, wait, don't answer that.''

''I'll show you!'' Adrichat scowled and then charged at Bribug. ''Cataclysm!''

Bribug's eyes widened as she saw black energy surrounding Adrichat's palm, similar to Félinoir's Black Storm. However, she had a bad feeling that it might not be anything like it. She leapt back, dodging Adrichat's attempts to strike her with Cataclysm. Her earrings started to glow and she turned the compact back into the yo-yo, drawing the string and leaping over Adrichat just as he went for another strike. Wrapping the string around Adrichat's arm, she used the built-up momentum to throw him across her shoulder, sending him flying once again.

Adrichat landed hard on the ground, placing his palm on the surface of the bridge, only to realize a moment later the mistake he made. As the dark energy spread below him, the bridge started to decay and crumble, collapsing beneath him, the debris falling into the water. Adrichat fell, only for the yo-yo to fly and wrap around his body, leaving him hanging upside down. He looked up, stunned, only to see a furious Bribug.

''You have a lot to explain!'' she growled, glaring at him.

xXx

Chat Noir let out a soft cry of surprise when he found himself in mid-air, only to drop on all fours, landing on a random building. He sighed. ''I'm just glad that cats always land on their feet.''

''Any idea where you are, Kid?'' Plagg asked him via the ring.

''Yeah, I'm at the Louvre,'' Chat Noir replied, his ears twitching as he looked above, only to catch the rift closing. He frowned, wondering if the rift had only teleported him to another part of Paris or whether there was more to it. He froze when he suddenly heard a familiar screech. He gazed down at the yard in front of the Louvre Pyramid, with Papillon's butterfly symbol vanishing and a Butterfly Wraith unfolding its wings, releasing a gust of wind. Chat Noir gritted his teeth. ''I guess we'll investigate those rifts later. Papillon had just unleashed another Butterfly Wraith.''

Chat Noir leapt onto another building closer to the glass pyramid, observing the ongoing events, with people screaming and running away from the Wraith. For now, it didn't attack anyone, but he knew that he needed to jump into action as soon as possible. While he could fight it on his own, he did wish that Ladybug was present to balance out his bad luck.

Chat Noir's ears twitched again as he heard someone land behind him. He turned around, at first happy to see Ladybug, only for the smile to fade when he realized that this girl wasn't the Ladybug he knew. Her whole costume was covered in spots, her pigtails and ribbons were much shorter and she lacked the beaded string she kept her compact on.

''Cat Noir…?'' Maribug stared at the Black Cat superhero in surprise, realizing that this wasn't the Cat Noir she knew. He looked incredibly similar to her actual partner, but when she took a closer look at him, she saw the differences. Unlike her Cat Noir, this one had longer and wilder hair, lacked a baton, had tight-high boots and a belt with a cat head belt buckle. Even his posture was different, as he appeared to be more focused and tense as he stared back at her.

''You… You're not my Ladybug,'' Félinoir said, his eyes narrowing. He shook his head, glancing back at the butterfly-like monster below them. ''Never mind, I need take this one down on before it causes more damage.''

''H-Hey, wait! Who are you?'' Maribug asked him, still completely baffled by the situation.

''Just call me Chat Noir,'' Félinoir replied, not even looking at her. The butterfly monster below them screeched, flapping its wings and releasing another gust of wind. Fortunately, most people ran to safety, meaning he had enough open space to fight it without causing too much damage or anyone getting hurt. ''I assume I should call you Ladybug.''

''Well, yes, but that still doesn't explain who you are or what you're doing here,'' Maribug replied, observing him cautiously then turned her attention to the butterfly monster. So many questions raced through her head. She had no idea where her Cat Noir was and she was worried that he lost his Miraculous, only for a random person to pick it up. She didn't completely trust this guy either, as for all she knew, he might be Shadow Moth's spy. However, she had more pressing matters at hand and it appeared that this Chat Noir was itching to take care of their current problem. ''However, you're right. We need to take this… Akuma or Sentimonster down first.'' Admittedly, she was quite confused about what this butterfly entity was. It appeared that, for once, Shadow Moth really went all out on his newest creation.

Her confidence faltered when she saw Félinoir giving her a genuinely confused look, asking flatly, ''What's a Sentimonster?''

''You… don't know?'' Maribug was baffled. She was fairly certain that the entirety of Paris was aware of what Akumas and Sentimonsters were. Félinoir shrugged.

''I know that akuma means demon in Japanese, but I can assure you that's not a demon,'' he replied, pointing at the butterfly-like monster that was on the streets. ''It's actually a Butterfly Wraith.''

Maribug looked at him, confused. ''What?''

''All you need to know is that Butterfly Wraiths are corrupted people who have a Chrysalis stuck somewhere in their body. Break the Chrysalis and the Butterfly Wraith will cease to exist,'' Félinoir explained. Maribug stared at him for a moment, but then nodded, determined.

''Okay, then. You can explain to me who you are after we take down the Butterfly Wraith,'' she said. Félinoir smirked and turned towards the Butterfly Wraith just as it attempted to take off. To Maribug's surprise, he formed a dark orb between his hands.

''Then, let's go!'' Félinoir crossed his hands, then uncrossed them as he leapt off the building, with black orbs of light criss-crossing him and spinning around him. ''Black Storm!''

With a quick motion of his wrist, he directed some of the black energy orbs at the Wraith, drawing its attention once they hit them. The orbs didn't do any damage, but that wasn't what Félinoir was aiming for. The remaining orbs kept circling around him as he focused on the Wraith, with Maribug appearing above both and throwing her yo-yo at the Wraith, but the Wraith fired back another gust of wind, throwing the yo-yo back at Maribug. She landed next to Félinoir, with the Wraith flapping its wings, unleashing a gust of wind-like sickles at them.

''Watch out!'' Félinoir stepped in front of her, unleashing the remaining Black Storm orbs at the Wraith. The energy orbs clashed with the sickles, resulting in several small explosions that covered the area between them in smoke. Maribug turned to Félinoir, feeling the panic rising.

''Why did you use your superpower now?'' she asked him. Félinoir gave her a confused look.

''Because, that's how I fight?''

''But, aren't you on a time limit? Won't you de-transform after using your superpower?''

''No,'' Félinoir replied, the smoke suddenly clearing when the Wraith flapped its wings and roared at them. ''I don't know what kind of rules you and the other black cat superhero operate under, but I can fight as long as I want.'' He snapped his fingers, with another black orb appearing in his hand. ''See?''

''I understand,'' Maribug said, relieved, then started to spin her yo-yo, both turning towards the Wraith. The Wraith charged at them, slashing at them with its clawed hands. Maribug and Félinoir jumped into opposite directions, with Maribug wrapping the yo-yo around the Wraith's arm and Félinoir firing the Black Storm at it again.

The Wraith screeched in pain, managing to unwrap its hand from the yo-yo and sent several razor-sharp sickles flying at Maribug. However, she managed to block them by spinning her yo-yo rapidly, creating a shield.

''Black Hole!''

Just as the Wraith stepped towards Maribug, a black hole appeared right below it, courtesy of Félinoir, who had placed his hand on the ground, smirking in satisfaction when he saw his immobilized opponent. The Butterfly Wraith struggled to get out, screeching again, with Félinoir noticing something black and golden embedded in the back of its shoulder.

''Ladybug, that's the Chrysalis! We need to take it out!''

''On it!'' Maribug spun her yo-yo and threw it at the Wraith.

Unfortunately for her, Félinoir's ring activated at the worst possible moment, with Félinoir's eyes widening in surprise when he saw the familiar glow on the ring. He turned back to Maribug, leaping towards her as she missed the Wraith. Instead, the Wraith grabbed her yo-yo and swung it, sending Maribug flying. However, before she hit the ground, Félinoir caught her bridal-style.

''Ladybug, are you okay?'' Félinoir asked as he let her go.

''Yeah, I am,'' she replied, lifting her yo-yo. She stared at the Wraith in dismay. ''B-But, how did I miss? This shouldn't have happened!''

''I fear that this is my fault,'' Félinoir said, with Maribug giving him a confused look. ''You see, my actual power is that of a Bad Luck Curse and the Ring of the Black Cat tends to act on its own at times, spreading bad luck to everyone in my vicinity. Usually, this is balanced by Ladybug's Good Luck Charm, but she isn't here.'' He lowered his head. ''I'm sorry I hadn't told you this earlier.'' He then gave her a determined look. ''It might be better if I fight on my own, because in case I get hit and taken out, you can take charge and destroy the Chrysalis without being affected by my bad luck.''

''But, you can't-'' Maribug wanted to protest, feeling nauseous as a memory of the times Adrichat had sacrificed himself flooded her mind. Most of them had been completely pointless, leaving her struggling on her own as she tried to take the Akuma and/or Sentimonster of the day and she did not want to go through that again, with the most recent event overwhelming her mind.

''There are only two liars left in Paris and one of them knows the ultimate way to catch her attention.''

''No way! Don't do it! What if I fail?!''

''You know what? I trust you.''

''Cat Noir no! You're completely crazy!''

''Crazy about you, M'lady.''

Maribug shook her head clear, shivering and turning towards Félinoir. ''No, there has to be another way!''

''Listen, nothing is decided yet,'' Félinoir told her in a firm, yet assuring tone. ''This is only a warning in case things go south.''

Both of them looked at the Wraith, which managed to free itself from the black hole. Félinoir clenched his fist and charged at it.

''Chat Noir, wait!'' Maribug cried out, but it was too late.

As Félinoir ran towards the Butterfly Wraith, it screeched, opening it's gaping mouth and revealing the rows of sharp teeth. The Wraith flapped its wings, creating a gust of wind that allowed it to lift off and rushed towards Félinoir. However, instead of panicking, Félinoir smirked. Instead of a head-on collision, he slided below the Wraith, then pounced on it from behind before the former had the time to recover, slamming his hand, which was crackling with dark energy, into the monstrosity's back. The Butterfly Wraith screeched, but Félinoir dug his claws into its back, managing to reach for the Chrysalis in the Wraith's shoulder and rip it out.

''AAAAAggghaaaghhr!''

The Wraith let out a demonic scream as it trashed around. Félinoir managed to jump off, crushing the Chrysalis in his palm. A butterfly made out of pure purple energy emerged, while the Wraith turned back into a woman, who remained lying on the ground, unconscious and pale as snow. Maribug was shocked for a moment, but then prepared her yo-yo to purify the butterfly. However, Félinoir's cry stopped her in her tracks.

''Don't touch that butterfly!''

Maribug froze, looking back at Félinoir in confusion. Why shouldn't she purify the butterfly? That's why she was here, right?

''Black Storm!'' Instead of answering, Félinoir fired a disc of black energy at the butterfly. As the butterfly was hit, it suddenly exploded in purple sparks. He then walked over to the woman on the ground, helping her up after she came to. She was a bit uneasy on her feet, but she could walk, leaving after she thanked the two. Maribug then turned to Félinoir, still stunned by what had just transpired.

''Why didn't you let me purify the butterfly?'' Maribug asked curiously.

''If you touched it, it would've infected you, draining all of your emotions and turning you into a Wraith,'' Félinoir explained. ''All what would've remained is a husk of your former self. The only way to prevent them from doing more harm is to actually destroy them. This also allows the victims to recover from their influence.''

''I see…'' Maribug's eyes widened suddenly. During the entire fight, she hadn't even summoned the Lucky Charm, being too distracted by what was going on. Feeling a sting of guilt, she noticed that there wasn't too much damage, but there were still cracks in the ground and the walls of the surrounding buildings. Unfortunately, she couldn't summon her Lucky Charm anymore now that the fight was over. Félinoir followed her gaze as she stared at her surroundings.

''You know, it could've been worse,'' he told Maribug, having figured out what was bothering her. ''The most important thing is that everyone is safe and the Wraith is gone.''

''I know, but… You see, my power, the Miraculous Ladybug, allows me to magically fix all damage, but only after I summon my Lucky Charm during a specific situation, which I forgot to do,'' Maribug explained, completely distraught. Félinoir was taken aback for a moment. Frankly, having a power to reverse damage was quite useful, but as Maribug pointed out, it was already too late for her to use it.

''I see,'' Félinoir muttered, staring at the ground, then looked up, giving her a sympathetic smile. ''Nevertheless, if I had to pick between people being hurt and there being damage on buildings and streets, I'd go for the people. That damage can be fixed, but a human life, if lost, cannot be recovered.''

''I guess you're right…'' Maribug muttered, lowering her gaze and sighing as she placed a hand on her chest, trying to calm herself down. Admittedly, this hadn't been the first time she wasn't able to use the Miraculous Ladybug cure, and even then, the damage was much greater. Yet, miraculously, no one got hurt and the damaged buildings and streets had been fixed, with things returning to normal.

Félinoir stepped back, giving Maribug some space to calm down and recover, and pressed his hand against his ear, hearing the communication device crackle. There was still something he needed to do. ''Bug? Are you there?''

''Chat?'' Félinoir smiled when he heard Bribug's voice. ''I got isekai-d into an alternate version of Paris.''

''Same here,'' Félinoir replied, with Maribug giving him a curious look, then checking her yo-yo for messages from Adrichat, but there were none. ''I'm at the Louvre; where are you?''

''Pont Neuf,'' Bribug replied, her voice growing colder. ''I kind of have a situation here concerning a different black cat. Could you come quickly?''

''Sure,'' Félinoir replied, turning to Maribug. ''We need to go to Pont Neuf. My partner is there along with your partner.''

''Okay,'' Maribug nodded, throwing her yo-yo, being pulled to a nearby building, while Félinoir just climbed it up. ''They aren't in any trouble, right?''

''Bug said that she had a situation, but she didn't sound like she was dealing with an emergency,'' Félinoir replied.

''I hope that you're right,'' Maribug said.

xXx

''The Butterfly Wraiths had been defeated? How is this possible?!'' Shadow Moth asked, baffled as he watched the holographic screen that was projected by Papillon's brooch, showing the superheroes defeating the Wraiths.

''This is because of the dimensional rifts you had created,'' Papillon told him as the holographic screen closed. Unlike the seething Shadow Moth, he was composed, if a bit curious. He kept his hands crossed on his back. ''It appears that Ladybug and Chat Noir are also able to use them. Their presence is why the Ladybug and Cat Noir of your universe were able to defeat the Wraiths.''

''I know that! I just haven't expected that I would be dealing with these two as well,'' Shadow Moth replied angrily.

''You have no one else to blame but yourself,'' Papillon replied, with Shadow Moth shooting him a glare. Papillon ignored it, glancing at the Sentimonster. ''Your Sentimonster's powers are out of control. Anyone who comes near the rifts will be able to use them. It is quite obvious you didn't think this through.''

''Then I will create a Sentimonster that will take care of this problem,'' Shadow Moth said, preparing to snap his fingers, but Papillon's next words made him reconsider.

''If this is how each and every of your supposedly fool-proof plans works, then it is no wonder that you asked for outside help,'' Papillon said. ''You have absolutely no foresight, no sense of tactics or cohesion. You come up with one idea, and then you quickly abandon it the moment you think it won't work. Your standards are incredibly pitiful.''

''Then why don't you go out and fight them?'' Shadow Moth asked sarcastically. Papillon stepped away, turning towards Riftbreaker.

''There is no need for that,'' he replied, glancing at Shadow Moth. ''You already have all of your pawns set. All you need to do is to modify what you already have. Instead of discarding your plans, you should build on them.''

''I assume that you have a plan,'' Shadow Moth noted, questioning Papillon's words.

''Keep those pests occupied,'' Papillon said, with Shadow Moth rising an eyebrow. It sounded less like a suggestions and more like an order. Papillon then glanced back at Riftbreaker. ''I'll improve upon what you started.''