Chapter 82: Angelica

It's morning and a school day. Jean Duparc wakes up and finds the turquoise glove is back on his hand, despite having removed it and locked it up the night before. At this point, he dejectedly feels he has to give up as he just can't seem to get rid of it. It only confirms to him that it was right to leave the B Team and delete his account from their server simply because it's not safe to be around him. He picks up his backpack and heads to school, wondering what he can possibly do about this situation.

Chloe Bourgeois is also getting ready for classes, making sure her hair is perfectly styled. A spyder attempts to sneak into her room to find her Scorpio miraculous and/or kwami. However, as the spyder gets too close to her balcony, it drops over dead and disintegrates thanks to the wards Tarantula placed near the Bourgeois manor.

Nathalie Sancoeur is aware of this, and she knows she could send her wielders to remove the wards so her senti monsters could roam free. However, her spyders are what prompted them to place wards in the first place, endangering Nicholas's existence. So for now, Nathalie just wants to know the location of all the wards. Removing them would attract suspicion and cause more to be put up. For now, she'll let the Western Order have their small victory. But when she's ready to make her final move, she'll have them all taken down.

For now… Nicholas. Nathalie calls him into her lair. Nicholas arrived and wonders what's going on. This would be the third day he'd have to miss school due to the wards there, which would likely spark questions from Principal Damocles. Nathalie tells him she has a solution. Nicholas mentions that she hopes she realized she has to recreate him to help him overcome this weakness. He wants to be a useful tool to her, after all. Nathalie tells him that isn't the case, which Nicholas takes as him not being good enough.

Instead, Nathalie presents a small, speckled unicorn barely the size of a gold ball. Nicholas wonders what it is; he doesn't really need a pet. Nathalie explains it's her newest senti monster. She hand-crafted it herself, and it has one special ability: it can grant its ally immunity to the wards the Western Order uses. As long as the mini-unicorn remains near Nicholas, he'll be able to attend school as normal. And when transformed into Adamantus, he'll be able to traverse Paris without running afoul of any of the warded areas. Nicholas accepts the unicorn and thanks her though he still is feeling his existential crisis. He names the unicorn Dapple and hides it in his messenger bag as he departs for school.

Elsewhere in Paris, Madam Gros is also preparing to go into work at Francoise Dupont High School. She checks on Master Fu, who is still deep in meditation and hardly eating or drinking anything. They have yet to get any information out of him, which is causing Dolores Gros to simmer. She heads to the main living area where Brynne Theroux is in the kitchen, making breakfast for everyone.

Dolores Gros turns to Zenon Theroux and tells him she has a mission just for him. Once Zenon hears the details, he blatantly refuses to go along with it. Her request is basically that he flirt with one of the Francoise Dupont High School students so that Madam Gros can manipulate that student into the Western Order. Zenon's primary objection is that he's a college student, an adult, and him flirting with a fourteen-year-old is a serious "NO." He also feels the very concept of flirting to manipulate someone going too far. Madam Gros argues on behalf of their mission, and Zenon is incredibly vehement that he is not flirting with a legal minor. It's not until Madam Gros goes low and brings up Zenon's missing father Grant that she's able to strong-arm him into her plot.

At Francoise Dupont High School, students are arriving. Stella Tenebrae is untying her running shoes to change into Converse. Alix Kubdel stops by her locker, mentioning it was odd because she thought that she and Stella would head to school together. Stella gets rather waspish with her, accusing Alix of being too demanding of Stella's time and having too high of expectations of Stella. Alix is put off by the sudden change in attitude from her friend and points out that they mutually made and agreed to the plan—and it's just jogging/roller skating to school since they both have to go and they both have to go in the same direction. Stella storms away, and Alix knows she has no choice but to watch her friend go.

Luka and Juleka Couffaine arrive at the same time. Juleka and Rose Lavillant find a table together to compare their answers for the homework assignment. Luka makes it a point to seek out Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Juleka watches as her brother and her friend strike up a conversation and begin laughing together. Juleka wants to tell Luka to be careful because Marinette also likes Adrien Agreste. She wants to tell Marinette not to lead her brother on. But her tongue freezes in her mouth and she finds she cannot rise from her chair. In her bass case, Roarr tries to encourage her to be bold and find her words. Juleka, however, remains frozen. Rose comments that she thought she heard someone talking. That ends Roarr's encouragement—of course, neither realize that Rose is hiding Daizzi in her purse.

Alya Cesaire joins the conversation with Marinette and Luka, and eventually more students come and go from the lockers around them. Kagami Tsurugi greets them both like friends before heading to her classroom, and all three say "hi" to her back. Adrien eventually arrives too. Felix and Nicholas are with him. Nicholas is nervous, wondering how he'll hold up. But he feels Dapple beside him and is able to walk down the hallways with no ill effects from the wards. Felix is as unhappy as ever, and it isn't helped when Marie Chauveau tries to chat him up. He blatantly calls her out, "I thought you hated straight guys" as her fetish is very well known. Marie stammers an excuse, calls him rude, and huffs away. Felix considers this a win.

Giselle Winters-Blanchet is hanging out with her two best friends, Meera Pugliese and Raissa Deschamps. Raissa, however, watches Nicholas as he walks towards his classroom. Meera notes and comments on it, saying that Nicholas does have a "mysterious aura." Raissa admits to considering that she might be beginning to have feelings for Nicholas. After all, she finds him fascinating and loves talking about intellectual things with him. Giselle and Meera find this surprising as Raissa is usually highly energetic but has no focus. Raissa admits that's why she likes Nicholas—because she can focus around him. At the very least, she admits to being at the stage of "I'd like to know more about him."

The conversation with Alya, Marinette, and Luka continues until a ringtone interrupts it. Marinette pulls out her phone and answers it. It's her mother, and Marinette left her lunch on the counter. Marinette is highly embarrassed, but her two friends are able to laugh it off. Sabine tells Marinette that she's having Tom drop it by for her during her lunch period. Marinette thanks her.

A couple of lockers down, Adrien Agreste's eyes are huge. He recognizes that ringtone. It's the exact same one Ladybug had on her cell phone. Adrien's gears start turning, considering the possibility that maybe, just maybe, Ladybug has been close to him all along. Plagg, however, is quite dismissive. He points out, rightfully so, that ten thousand girls in Paris alone likely have that ringtone. And not just the girls. (Wayhem definitely has it as his ringtone.) Adrien calms down and admits Plagg has a point. He already knows Marinette is a fan of his due to the fashion aspect, so really he shouldn't be surprised.

Viktor Vasiliev heads to the art room to work on pre-planning for his Session 0 tomorrow. Yvonne Garnier is also there, digitally composing zen nature sounds. Ivan Bruel is in the music room practicing his drums, and Etienne Fontaine walks by, hands cupped over his ears. Tristan Fortier, however, compliments Ivan's drum solo. Jean Duparc walks quickly to his locker and then directly to class without greeting his friends, Pierre Lefevre and Jakeel Aristide, because he believes himself to be a threat to them. Monique Imhof (who is also Zephyria the Witch) and her boyfriend Mathieu Anciel (who is also Ramson) meet and talk so close their foreheads are almost touching as they discuss their superhero aliases, the kwamis they're hiding, and how they can help Madam Gros (whom they believed saved them from Ladybug, Cat Noir, and Buck).

Meg Delphinus is on her way to school, on the same block, when she's waylaid. It's Draco, and he blocks her way forward with one arm. Meg fumbles for her phone while she threatens to scream bloody murder if he gets any closer. Draco, instead, acts coyly and starts flirting with her. Now, Meg (who is on the aromantic spectrum) does not take this any better than when Madam Gros got aphobic with her (even though Meg doesn't remember that). Meg has also turned down at least two upperclassmen during the course of this story. Every time Draco moves into her personal space, Meg backs away or dodges, looking for a moment to run. But Draco doesn't give her to space to flee, and he doesn't stop with the very clichee flirting as well as some very bad puns.

That's when Madam Gros, who is transformed into Ivory, nails Meg with an "Oblivion." Meg forgets that it was Draco who was flirting with her—and she also forgets that it was not Cat Noir. Which means her mind ends up convincing her it was Cat Noir flirting with her—out of nowhere and wouldn't take "no" for an answer. Ivory steps onto the scene and chases "Cat Noir" away. Draco is more than happy to leave as he feels totally disgusted by what he just did and makes a comment about skipping his morning college classes to shower instead.

Ivory then pretends to be Meg's savior. She turns back into Madam Gros, surprising the student. Madam Gros ushers her to school and then suggests Meg visit her in her office. Meg ultimately accepts the invitation, and Ms. Mendeleiev is informed so that Meg is excused from class.

By now, students are making their way to their classrooms. In Miss Bustier's class, Nino Lahiffe is pulling out his supplies and notices he forgot his pencil. He asks Adrien to borrow one, but Adrien admits he only has one himself. Marinette leans forward and loans Nino one of hers—it's a fancy pencil with sequins, feathers, and ruffles glued around the top. Nino thanks her and tests it on the edge of his notebook.

Adrien can't help but notice such a pencil, and his eyes go wide. Ladybug picked up a fancy pencil just like that in the graveyard when Queen Scorpion Dissolved her purse. Adrien comments on the uniqueness of the pencil, and Marinette admits she made it herself. Adrien's gears turn again. It can't be…Can it? He's halfway turned around in his chair when the bell rings, and Miss Bustier calls everyone's attention.

Inside Madam Gros's office, Meg Delphinus is ranting about how gross it is that Cat Noir would just stop in his duties to flirt with a total stranger who was minding her own business. It's bad enough that he perpetually hits on Ladybug and doesn't accept "no" for an answer. But now she knows he's also a liar. All those times he claimed he loved Ladybug and Ladybug alone? Lies. She's sure he's not the only one he's hit on. He's probably hit on a lot of girls while rescuing them. Or is it "rescuing" them? All she knows is that Ladybug is wise not give into him because he's obviously just stringing her along.

Madam Gros mostly just listens as Meg rants herself out. After all, Meg is perfectly playing into her hands. She guides the conversation to plant seeds in Meg so she also turns against Hawk Moth and looks down on Ladybug, and even hints at her favorite lie about "chaos magic" from too many miraculous. Once Meg has bought everything, hook and line and sinker, Madam Gros pulls out the Western miraculous box and selects an arm cuff. Madam Gros explains that she's the leader of the Western Order of the miraculous, sent to Paris to stop the likes of Cat Noir and the others from abusing their powers. And she wants Meg to help.

Meg Delphinus hesitates for only a moment and then accepts the arm cuff, which Madam Gros explains is the miraculous of the Virgo. A dove kwami forms when Meg puts the jewelry on, and at first Meg thinks a bird somehow got into the room. The kwami introduces herself as Swanna and says she'll be Meg's guide. Meg is dumbfounded and a bit alarmed by the concept of a kwami, but Swanna quickly comforts her. Swanna mentions that Meg reminds her of one of her previous wielders, Artemis, which starts Meg geeking out pretty hard on Greek mythology.

Madam Gros interrupts and reminds Meg that the power is also a responsibility—she's not to use it without her approval. She's also to work as a team with the other wielders of the Western Order, seek to subdue Ladybug and Cat Noir and Hawk Moth, and ensure that magic is never abused again. Meg agrees, and Madam Gros tells her to keep an eye out on her phone for further updates. Meg is sent back to class.

During lunch time, friends hang out and get on their cell phones. Tsuyu Asui joins Fumikage Tokoyami for lunch, and they discuss in low voices their concern for Chip Bluestone. Tsuyu admits she feels guilty about him resigning from their team as, in part, her suspicions drove him to that. Fumikage points out that Chip is pretty much confirmed to be compromised by one of their enemies. It's not outside the realm of possibility that he was a willing traitor all along. Tsuyu agrees it's possible but points out that it's equally possible that he was forced against them: either through brainwashing or blackmail. Fumikage also agrees that that's possible. He then remarks on the strange coloring that was creeping into Chip's skin the last time they saw him in the graveyard, when the Western Order attacked. What does that even mean? None of the rest of the B Team's skin had changed colors before, not even Tsukuyomi who gets a full-on bird head when he transforms.

Tsuyu agrees and remarks that the only times they've seen anything like that before was with Adamantus's crew: Ringtail, All-Sat Rex, Ruddiger, and then Chip. Which, of course, only lends credibility to Chip working with them, willing or not. That combined with the birthstone theme… Both Tsuyu and Fumikage fall silent. But then, the gears turn and they begin to piece together…the only empowered individuals they see with unusual skin colors are those akumatized by Hawk Moth. In fact, unusually skin colors are pretty much his trademark. Tsuyu and Fumikage exchange a look. Could it be? Could Hawk Moth be Adamantus's mysterious sponsor? Both pull out their phones and begin frantically relaying this theory on the Team B Discord.

Afternoon rolls around, and classes end. Students participate in their extra curriculars, head home, and do their homework. It isn't until late evening after sunset that Madam Gros makes her move and contacts Meg Delphinus.

Meg is in her home, reading a book on mythology to Swanna and comparing and contrasting what the kwami actually knows about the legends. She gets a text from Madam Gros with instructions that begin with her transforming. Meg has no idea how to do this, so Swanna coaches her through it. "Fly, Swanna!" This pulls the kwami into the bracelet and transforms Meg into a dove-themed heroine…or rather, antagonist, but she doesn't know that.

Her outfit is definitely Grecian and resembles a toga in general shape and cut. This includes a pair of rather elegant braided sandals and a dangling golden belt. Her hair is pulled back in a laurel, and golden earcuffs cover her ears. Her domino mask is elegant and lacy with a touch of gold trim. A bow and a quiver full of arrows form on her back. However, what is most noticeable about her is the fact that her arms have completely transformed into a long pair of white feathered wings.

The Virgo wielder catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror and tries not to freak. She cranes her neck in all directions, examining herself, trying to figure out her new appendages. She calls for Swanna, asking for more information, but Swanna, being inside the miraculous, is unable to reply.

It takes some time, but she remembers she has to meet Madam Gros. So she pushes the window open from her apartment and looks down at the street below. Then she looks at her wings. With a deep breath, she leaps into the sky. And she actually flies. With a loud cheer of elation, the Virgo wielder soars into the night to the location Dolores Gros indicated.

Madam Gros is waiting on the designated rooftop when the Virgo lands. Although she's transformed, so it's more accurate to say that Ivory is waiting—and she introduces herself as such. In addition, she encourages the new miraculous user to call her "Ivory" so as not to reveal her identity. Meg then introduces herself as "Angelica" on behalf of her new wings. She wonders aloud how this is supposed to work as she tests her own dexterity. She surprises herself as being more capable than she thought—something akin to how the Rito function from Legend of Zelda.

Ivory asks Angelica what she's learned about her own powers. Angelica explains the obvious, flight, and then remarks that Swanna told her something about the former wielder (Artemis) and the moon, but they hadn't gotten into details before they received the text from Ivory.

Ivory acknowledges that the information, though vague, is accurate for the power of the Virgo. Its powers are connected to the night and the lunar cycle. Angelica will be strongest during full moon nights and weakest during the the new moon. She can't even use her special ability during daylight hours. It's for that reason that Ivory wanted to meet Angelica well after sunset. And tonight there's a full moon.

Angelica gets pretty excited about this, and Ivory moves on to explain the Virgo's primary power: perfect accuracy. It's called "Sniper." In short, any one time during her transformation and only at night, Angelica can strike any one target with perfect accuracy. It goes beyond "improbably aiming skills" and into impossible aiming skills as the limited distance of Sniper is roughly the size of Paris. So from where they're standing on the roof, Angelica could strike any target of her choosing anywhere in the entire city, even if she herself would have no way of seeing the target or even predicting where it is currently located or how it's moving. This also accounts for movement, wind speed, walls, and just about everything else. The only other limit is that the target has to "be where the moonlight hits." So, it has to be in the open or visible through an open window (Sniper cannot pierce through a closed window). This means that Sniper won't work if her target is on the subway or in an enclosed room or anything of the like. But a person driving with the windows down? Fair game. A tiny flower in the park? Easy. A book near an open library window two miles away with a series of hotels and business in between? No problem at all. Sniper could hit a dime on the floor of the mayor's office.

Angelica lets out a low whistle when she hears this. She pulls her bow off of her back and tests it with her feathered fingers. Ivory asks if Angelica wants to give it a try. Angelica hesitates. Ivory goads her, "surely there's something—or someone—you want to strike again." Angelica's (false) memories engage about Cat Noir hitting on her. But still she hesitates—she doesn't actually want to shoot another person. Despite this, Ivory encourages her to do so.

Meanwhile, the B Team is all online, chatting through Discord, trying to figure out if Froppy and Tsukuyomi's theory on Chip Bluestone is true. Firefly points out that Chip Bluestone was alone and attacked by Adamantus, but Dauphine points out that that could have been a set-up, meant to dupe them all. Honey Bee admits she doesn't like thinking of Chip as intentionally betraying them. Froppy agrees and points out that if this is Hawk Moth's doing, Chip could have easily been coerced. Snow Leopard reminds them that Chip Bluestone also turned red during the events of Crimson. At the time, they had thought that it meant that his item was the same as theirs, but now that that's been called into suspicion… Still, the only way Chip became Redstone would be if his glove was also connected to Hawk Moth. There is no other explanation.

Alpha points out that if Chip's item is connected with Hawk Moth, then the others are too: Adamantus, Ruddiger, Rex, Ursa, Tenrec… They might deny it, but all evidence does point to the butterfly miraculous. There's just no other explanation that makes sense of everything they've seen. After all, they know Adamantus has a sponsor. He claims it's not Hawk Moth, but he could easily lie about that. Froppy states that if that's the case, what is Hawk Moth's plan. Dauphin points out the obvious—getting closer to them and Ladybug. Alpha corrals them back on topic because if what they're theorizing is true, Adamantus and Hawk Moth aren't two different factions; they're allies. And moreso…if these birthstone items indeed came from Hawk Moth, but they're not the same as the ones they have now (which they know to be created by Lazare Carnot 200 years ago thanks to Bunnyx)…well, it seems unlikely that an additional dozen antique akumatized items just happened to resurface. Which means…Hawk Moth recently created the items Chip and the others are using. It makes sense; it's why their skin risks changing color. Honey Bee laments how sorry she feels for Chip. He's their friend, but he was used by Hawk Moth all along. And he sounded so scared when he deleted his account. Alpha agrees. They need to find Chip Bluestone and save him. They'll reclaim him—and the others—from Hawk Moth.

Dauphine points out that this is massive. They need to tell Ladybug and Cat Noir. Froppy offers to send them both a PM, but Alpha as leader steps in to message them. He does realize he could tell them under the Team Ladybug Discord and his Viperion log-on, but he needs to keep those aliases separate. So he privately messages both Ladybug and Cat Noir, flagging it as an emergency.

Back on the rooftop, Angelica is nervously fidgeting with her bowstring, trying to decide if she gives in to Ivory's proddings and her more base desire for revenge. She is curious about how her powers work. I don't actually have to release the arrow. Angelica takes a deep breath, loads her bow, and points the arrow skyward. "I wish to strike…" She can feel the string tremble in her fingers as the bow automatically targets what she wants to strike. "I wish to strike…" But still, she hesitates.

During the same time frame, Adrien Agreste is laying on his bed, looking at the stars and the brilliant full moon through his window. Plagg comments about how it's perfect for a late night snack as he swallows cheese whole. It's a warm night, and Adrien's window is open.

Meanwhile, Ivory is doing her best to manipulate Angelica. "You know if you don't stop Cat Noir now, he's just going to continue to prey on other young girls. And perhaps some of them won't be able to stand up for themselves as well as you did." Angelica can't deny this; harassment is something she has had to deal with all too regularly. She draws her bow taunt. "I wish to strike the source of Cat Noir's power." She releases her arrow. "Never again will he use his abilities to harm others."

The arrow soars through the sky, zip-zagging impossibly around chimneys and rooftops, down streets, over alleyways, and through narrow corridors. Angelica and Ivory try to follow it physically at first and then with their eyes. After all, if they can find where it strikes, they have Cat Noir's identity. But the arrow is just too fast.

Adrien Agreste rises to his feet to put away the remaining cheese "before Plagg can give himself a gut ache." He walks by the window, the full moon shining down on the back of his neck. He senses the wind shift and whirls around. Something moving fast whizzes by him; Adrien can barely twist/trip out of the way in time as the object veers around him at an unnatural angle. Adrien scrambles up, searching for what came at him. But everything is silent.

Too silent. He calls Plagg's name but gets no response. Adrien quickly tears through his room, looking for his kwami. He finds Plagg, unconscious, pinned to his bedpost by an arrow made of moonlight.

To be continued in Chapter 83: Ebony Nicht…