Chat Noir was staring into space, shocked by the horror of what he had done.
Ladybug didn't have the heart to tell him the full tragedy yet, that he had killed his own father.
She looked where Shadow Moth had stood. The Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous had somehow survived the Cataclysm. She picked them up and put them through the portal in her yo-yo.
Ladybug saw a purple feather drifting up from the dust that had been Shadow Moth. It was odd-looking, a feather that had been divided exactly in half along its spine.
Half a feather? Had their enemy learned how to divide an amok and make two sentimonsters at once? Was the Shadow Moth they fought today a second sentimonster, holding his own object in order to have free will? Maybe the real Shadow Moth was back in his lair, gloating over his cleverness. That would be a bad thing, but better for Adrien.
Instinctively Ladybug did the ritual of purification. "Time to de-evilize! Gotcha! Goodbye, little feather."
The instant the half-amok was purified, purple magic washed over Chat Noir. He screamed and fell down.
"Chat Noir! I'm sorry. There was a sentimonster on you! It hurt you when I destroyed it."
"Feel... weak..." Chat Noir croaked out.
"Like Optigami, but with a side effect. Like poison!"
There was a moan from Rena Rouge. The sword was still in her wound, sealing most of the bleeding.
"Alya!" cried Ladybug. "We have to get both of you to a hospital!"
Using the phone in her yo-yo she called for an ambulance. Trying to leap and carry them to the hospital was too risky, especially with everyone about to time out.
She got Rena and Chat to the ground level for the ambulance.
Marinette's Miraculous timed out, and Tikki went into her purse for a macaron.
Alya's Miraculous timed out. Marinette gave Trixx a macaron in lieu of grapes.
Then Chat timed out and she fed Plagg a piece of cheese that Adrien had in a baggie in his pocket.
"I'm... so sorry Marinette," said Alya in a faint whisper. "It was a mistake for me to keep the Fox... Shadow Moth knew..."
"Don't try to talk," said Marinette. "Save your strength."
At the hospital, Marinette phoned Alya's family. The parents said they would come immediately, with Nora staying behind to watch the twins.
Otis said, "Ladybug messed up this time."
Marinette said, "I know. But Shadow Moth is gone for good and your daughter's heroic actions made it possible."
"We know she's Rena Rouge; we saw her come out of the house," said Otis. "It was irresponsible to use her. I want a live daughter, not a dead hero."
He hung up, leaving Marinette feeling terribly guilty.
Next, Marinette had to phone Adrien's home. She had Nathalie's number from Adrien's phone, from the time she had stolen it and broken into it to erase an embarrassing voicemail. In her stalker-ish way she had copied all his numbers, just in case she needed them.
"Hello, this is Nathalie Sancoeur. How did you get this number?"
"This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a classmate of Adrien's. I got your number from Adrien. He's at the hospital, very sick after a sentimonster attack."
"He's... what? Not in his room? I'm bedridden and his father is not available. His aunt and cousin have just arrived unexpectedly for a visit. I'll send them, along with his driver."
Marinette went into a bathroom stall and transformed into Ladybug. She got the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous back out of the yo-yo portal. The kwamis were still inside.
"Nooroo and Duusu, I am the Guardian and I reclaim you."
Nooroo said, "Free! At last!"
Duusu said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Duusu, the Cat Miraculous holder, Chat Noir, is very sick. I need to know all you can tell me about the sentimonster other than Sentibubbler, that Shadow Moth created with half of an amok feather today, so I can know how to help Chat Noir."
"There was only one sentimonster created today, and he used a whole amok feather," said Duusu.
"What?" said Ladybug. "But... do you know when the half feather was used?"
"I know when two half feathers were used, in conjunction with a pair of magical rings," said Duusu. "The rings had to be used by a pair of people, loving each other and acting in unison. They put a half amok feather in each ring. The power of the Peacock Miraculous was boosted by the rings to do something that would have been impossible otherwise: to create a perfect human child that would grow and age normally. But my Miraculous was damaged in the process."
"Did the rings control the child, like an amok object?"
"Each one did, partially. If only one commanded, the child might not obey, though it would take an effort of will. If they spoke with one voice, he would obey absolutely."
"W-what would happen to that child if one of the two rings were destroyed?"
"It would be very bad. The child could survive for a while, but a piece would be missing. I fear it would not be long for this world."
Ladybug gasped. She racked her mind for solutions. A wish, more time travel...?
She sent the kwamis back to join the others in her room. Then she detransformed and went back to the waiting area. She had to face Alyas's and Adrien's relatives.
