Man, I hate writing fight scenes.

Sorry this is late. Blame my boss for making me work on Christmas. :)

—

It neared midnight when the team finally tracked down the akumas. The rain persisted as a drizzle, enough to cast the lights in a haze. A news crew had spotted them on the Arc de Triomphe, and broadcasted the scene as an update, both from a van from below and a helicopter circling overhead.

The crowd of spectators that gathered at the base of the Arc was alarming.

Rena wanted to shout at them to run. Didn't they know the akuma were the most dangerous they'd ever had? But she stayed quiet, just as Hawkmoth had instructed. They waited on a nearby rooftop, watching from the distance, and the newscast on Carapaces' screen.

"It is unknown what the goal of the akuma is at this time, but it seems that they are planning to hang something from the Arc."

Indeed, it seemed that way, as Lady Lacrima continued to summon long steel cables with hooks at the end. She slid down them, and checked to make sure each was equal in length.

"What is she doing?" Carapace asked quietly.

"Look!" Queen Bee pointed on top of the Arc. "Adrien's up there."

"He's got something. I can't tell what."

"I'm almost afraid to find out." Said Hawkmoth. "There's not going to be any way for us to get up there but to climb the stairs."

"Or we can lure them over here…" Suggested Rena Rouge. "Let's just see what they're doing. Then we'll make our move."

"Um…" Started Chloe.
"What's up?"

"I was just thinking…Alya, maybe you should stay back here while the rest of us go up."

"What?! Why?!"

"I was just thinking about the last time I saw them in person, back before this whole thing. And then I remembered the stupid trick that Lila pulled."

Rena frowned at that. "Yeah, and?"

"Well, you took Lila's side. I mean, I did too, but I wasn't friends with Marinette."

"I-! It was a mistake, Chloe! You don't think I've learned my lesson!?"

Chloe scoffed with a roll of her eyes, exasperated. "That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying…Marinette doesn't know how much work you've put into trying to save her. To her…you're still a traitor. She's likely to go for the kill."

"I gotcha," said Carapace. "I've got my shield, and Chloe's got her top to swing away, and Hawkmoth has a sword. Rena, you've just got your flute. You're the least protected."

Rena frowned, seeing reason, but not particularly liking it.

"She's terrifying." Chloe continued. "She wouldn't listen to a word I said. Neither would Adrien."

"Strategically speaking," added Hawkmoth. "It would be better if Rena stayed back so she could cover our retreat if something goes awry. But she won't be able to do that unless she has her flute. Grimalkin's cataclysm can damage our weapons."

Rena sighed loudly. "Then I don't see how this is going to work. If neither of them will listen, and Adrien can blow up our weapons, what do we do?"

"They didn't listen to Chloe," said Hawkmoth. "But I'm the one that gave them the akuma."

"And I took Adrien's side in the argument, so we're good," Carapace added. "Between the two of us, we might be able to talk them down."

"Are we even sure they have the Miraculous on them?"

"Even as an akuma, I can't imagine Marinette would leave her Miraculous behind. I believe Grimalkin's suit is almost the same as his Chat Noir costume. He should have pockets."

"Okay," began Nino. "If we have to...I can pin Marinette down with my shield, while Chloe freezes Adrien with her venom. It's not going to be easy, but I need some sort of plan before we go in. I'm not good at winging it."

"Sounds as good of a plan as any."

"Looks like they're ready." Rena pointed as the group watched as Lady Lacrima pulled all the cables back up. And then Grimalkin got to work doing something while she lowered herself down on a lip of the Arc.

"We need to get over there." Hawkmoth spoke softly. "Stick to the shadows and make your way up top. Adrien might be watching the stairs, so step lightly."

The team departed, while Rena remained back, not liking the situation one bit.

"Paris!" Lady Lacrima shouted, her voice echoing over all the traffic and thousands of voices.

It seemed like the world stood still to hear what she had to say.

"I'm disappointed in you." She began. That hurt more than it should have. The hero that everyone adored, respected, disappointed with them?

"Do we mean nothing to you? Are we just trophies for you to show off to the world? 'Here! Look at our wonderful heroes! They can do anything!'" She threw her arms open in a wide gesture. "'Ladybug and Chat Noir will handle everything! We don't need to do anything for them! They'll save themselves!'" Her voice wobbled with anger. "Well, we did. We saved ourselves, with a little help from the person we were fighting against the whole time! It seems that we had the wrong enemy! The man that creates distracting little minions that turn people into Ice Cream should have been the biggest problem with this city! But he's not!"

With a wave of her hand, Grimalkin heaved their project over the edge of the Arc, a cacophony of screams bursting forth at the reveal.

Bodies.

Eight bloody, mangled bodies, all hanging in an array of deranged marionette dolls. In the middle, a huge business man in a blood-soaked white tux.

"It's the parasites of the underbelly!" Lady Lacrima continued. "This city is controlled by the likes of men who consider themselves Gods! They know the worst of the worst, every dark detail that you try to bury! They feed off the cowardice of the feckless elite, pulling the strings and rewriting the rules! You were never safe! You never knew how awful it was!

"Many years ago, I made a promise that Chat and I would keep you safe." Lady Lacrima continued. "But Ladybug failed. She couldn't even stop Hawkmoth. So that is why I, Lady Lacrima, and Grimalkin have stepped up and did what no one else in this goddamn city had the brains to do! End things permanently!"

Someone wailed from below.

"Let this be a warning to anyone who thinks they can cross us. We offer no trial, we cannot hear begging. God has turned his face away from Paris, for he cannot bare to witness the Justice we demand!" She inhaled, trembling. Her voice was so raw and broken. "I'm tired!" She spat. "Tired of holding this city up on my shoulders! Tired of lying, of making flimsy excuses! Tired of having to do everything myself! I'm tired of being an object of affection instead of a human with emotions! I'm tired of pretending like everything is okay, that life just moves on, when the fact of the matter is, I can't. I'm done with this place. I'm done with entertaining the Pharisees and playing nice! I'm tired!"

"Then you should rest," a man's voice cut in.

Lady Lacrima leapt back up to the top of the arc to find Grimalkin glaring down their intruder.

Hawkmoth stood just at the other end by the stairs. He appeared alone, as Carapace and Queen Bee stood just out of sight. He rested his weight on his cane, and tried to play the role of a non-threatening business partner.

Neither of the Akuma bought it, as they both poised to strike, if anything went awry.

"What do you want?" Lady Lacrima asked, a bite in her tone.

"Just to talk."

She said nothing, allowing him to elaborate.

"Well, for one thing, I will be needing those akuma's back, you know. I can't make any more. And having them in use is exhausting me."

"You'll get them back in time, Hawkmoth. But we have work to be done."

"I can see that." He looked pointedly at the cables hanging over the edge. "I'm just worried about you."

"Worried?" She scoffed. "Since when have you ever been worried about us?"

Hawkmoth sighed. "I know. I know I don't have a right to be concerned, after all I did. But I am. Even more so now. This isn't like you both. You're good, and just."

"We were good!" Lady Lacrima corrected, harshly. "But Salo took that away from us!"

Hawkmoth raised his hand and spoke softly. "You still are good. The akuma are just clouding your judgement right now. Just…give me the Miraculous, and we can fix all of this. Okay?"

Lady Lacrima shrieked at him, her voice breaking with the passion. "You don't want to help us! You're a liar!"

"Marinette—"

She gripped the side of her head as she continued wailing, then she hit herself in the temples over and over.

"Stop that!" Hawkmoth demanded.

"Stay away from us!"

"Just listen to me!"

Grimalkin, who had be semi-willing to hear Hawkmoth out, growled instead and ran at him, claws out.

Hawkmoth defended himself by drawing his sword. "Plan B!" He shouted.

Carapace then leapt from the stairwell and ran at Grimalkin, colliding his shield with his shoulder. "Sorry dude!"

Grimalkin was knocked off balance and rolled across the ground, and back onto his feet.

Carapace attempted to make a run at Lady Lacrima, to execute his plan, but Grimalkin was already on him again, and snagged him by the hood.

Okay, changing plans. Carapace thought, whirling around to hit Grimalkin with his shield. Once we do Miraculous Cure, this should fix anything I do to hurt him… Still, it was painful to hit his best friend.

Meanwhile, Hawkmoth had darted around to go for Lady Lacrima, as Queen Bee attacked from the rear. Lady Lacrima took her whip with one hand and summoned a shield in the other. She threw the shield up to block Hawkmoth's incoming swing, and used the whip to snag Queen Bee by the ankle, and pull her to the ground.

"You're with them!?" she shouted at Hawkmoth, accusingly. "I thought you wanted to help us! But you—you just want to make us disappear! Erase the failures!"

Queen Bee had regained her footing, only to be bashed by the shield and sent sprawling again. Lady Lacrima focused her efforts on Hawkmoth, deflecting his blows and attempting to disarm him by snapping the whip at his hand.

"We're all trying to help you, Marinette!" Hawkmoth shouted at her. "There's no one against you!"

"That's not my name!" She shrieked, as more black lines drew under her mask. "That's not my name! Marinette was a coward and a liar! She couldn't even find the nerve to talk to the boy she loved! I don't want to be her anymore!"

"Marinette is wonderful!" Hawkmoth argued right back, "she's smart, and creative, and kind! Why wouldn't you want to be her!?"

Lady Lacrima heard Queen Bee's exclamation of "venom!" from behind her.

Faster than Hawkmoth could comprehend, she snapped her whip out to grab his wrist, and yanked him right into her shield, stunning him. Then she dismissed the shield and turned around.

Queen Bee was almost about to sting her, and Lady Lacrima only had to redirect her forward momentum onwards, right into Hawkmoth.

He froze, stung by the venom, and Queen Bee was all alone in the fight, and only had five minutes left.

Carapace hadn't faired much better with Grimalkin. Each swipe of the claws against the shield sounded like nails on a chalkboard, and made his skin crawl.

The worst part of it all was that Adrien was just not speaking at all. He snarled and growled and frothed from the mouth. But no matter how hard he tried, Carapace could not get a word from his best friend.

"Come on dude! We don't have to fight! You need help! Please!"

But Grimalkin grew tired of all of his attacks being blocked. He brought his hand back and clenched it into a fist, pulsating with energy.

Carapace watched in horror as his shield disintegrated in his hand. With only one trick left up his sleeve, he called "Shell—" before being body slammed in the ground.

Grimalkin ripped the bracelet off his arm and flung it away from him.

"Adrien!" Nino shouted in fear.

As Grimalkin stared back at him, the narrow slits in his eyes dilating until his eyes were mostly black. His ears laid flat on his head, and he backed away shamefully.

"Hey, hey dude…come on man…you didn't know."

Grimalkin started crying, a sensation that was not familiar to his akumatized form.

"I'm not mad, I promise. It's going to be alright…just hand over the Miraculous and we'll get you to a hospital, okay?"

Grimalkin let out at mournful wail, and continued to back away.

Rena Rouge watched the fight, biting her nails. Once Hawkmoth was frozen, she prepared her flute for the worst.

Then Nino's transformation went out, and she jumped into action. The illusion would either cause Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin to flee, or allow her teammates to escape.

Lady Lacrima stood, one foot pressing on Hawkmoth's chest. "You never deserved that Miraculous," she said to Queen Bee. "You don't know how to use it, and even your best attempts end in failure. Why do you think I never called on you for help?"

"You said you were trying to keep me safe, because Hawkmoth knew my identity…"

"It's a lot nicer than calling you a failure and an embarrassment, hmm?"

If Chloe was going to respond to that, she didn't get the chance. Ryuko and Viperion stepped in between them, protecting Queen Bee.

Lady Lacrima let out a gasp of horror as she glanced around the arc.

King Monkey, Pegasus, Mayura, and Bunnyx had all appeared as backup.

Lady Lacrima panicked, but only for a moment, because of one key detail. That being that Rena Rouge was not among the group. She looked over to see Grimalkin standing awkwardly over Nino, unsure of what to do.

"Rena Rouge is here." She told him. "I'll find her. Keep an eye on these nuisances."

Grimalkin nodded in acknowledgement, not taking his eyes off Nino.

Lady Lacrima scanned the area, looking across the Place Charles de Gaulle. It was far too dark to spot her from the arc, especially with the light of the helicopter on them.

Oh, but the helicopter would work for her.

Summoning another steel cable and a grappling hook, she hooked a foot of the helicopter, ran, and leapt off the arc and out of the spotlight.

In the dark haze of the city, Lady Lacrima soared over to the nearest building, and started searching for the color orange.

"You've used your power!" She shouted. "You've only got five minutes left! Then what will you do?! You'll be completely defenseless! It's only a matter of time Alya!"

Alya had been picked as the first auxiliary member for a reason. Marinette trusted her. She was smart and passionate about doing a good job.

And she knew when to run and fight another day.

Silently, she slunk from her place on a roof to a fire escape, then released her transformation. She knew the light would likely draw Lady Lacrima's attention, so she leapt down the ladder and tried to get down into the alley as soon as possible.

"You can't hide from me!" Lady Lacrima's voice teased from above.

Some tenants of the building thankfully left a few bags of garbage out on the escape and Alya was quick to dive under them.

"Alya!" Lady Lacrima screamed. "Come out and face me! Face judgement for your neglect and betrayal!"

But Alya just laid still, her heart hammering in her chest, threatening to give her away.

The hunt was over as soon as it began. A loud yowl caught Lady Lacrima's attention, and brought her gaze back to the Arc.

Chloe's transformation had worn off, and with it, her paralyzing venom. Hawkmoth had recovered, and held Grimalkin in a headlock, his arm behind his back.

Horrified, Lady Lacrima took her cable and returned to the battlefield.

"Get the Miraculous!" Hawkmoth screamed at Nino.

"I'm sorry dude! But this is for your own good!" Nino unzipped his pocket and reached his hand in.

Only to be body slammed by Lady Lacrima. She summoned a knife, and pointed it at Hawkmoth. "Let him go!"

"Marinette, please…just listen…"

"I'm only giving you a warning because you're the only person that cared enough to save us! Now let him go! Or I'll jam this in your eye!"

"I can't—"

At his protest, she stabbed the knife into his shoulder, forcing him to drop Grimalkin and cry out in pain.

Lady Lacrima gathered Grimalkin, and in a flash, disappeared from the rooftop.

Chloe and Nino came to Hawkmoth's assistance immediately.

"Don't—Don't pull the knife out," Hawkmoth advised. "It'll bleed worse."

"Oh god…" Nino moaned, unsure of what to do. His hands fretted, though didn't touch him.

Chloe just rested her hand on his good shoulder, offering him comfort.

"Get…get your Miraculous back. The police will be up here at any second…"

"R-right," he agreed, scrambling off to the corner.

Just as Nino recovered his bracelet and called his transformation back on, a fleet of police officers stormed the roof. Carapace looked up to the helicopter, his gut sinking. His identity had probably been compromised too. And with the amount of police surrounding them, there was no way they were letting Hawkmoth get out of this.

And Alya…where was she? He could only hope she was safe.

Setting his fears aside, he pushed through the crowd and made his way back to Hawkmoth. Then he used his shield to bash apart the handcuffs they had already put on his wrists.

"What are you doing, kid?!"

"This man is a hero! He saved Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

"Yeah, and he turned them into monsters too!" The officer shot back. "Do you know how many people are dead because of those akuma?! Because we don't! We haven't found them all!"

"What do you expect?!" Carapace shrieked back, "no one else could find them! The second Hawkmoth could reach them, he took the chance to give them powers so they could get out! They're hurt and angry and scared! Why the hell to you think we're here!? To have a tea party!?"

"Carapace…" Hawkmoth tried to placate by grabbing his wrist.

"No! No, everyone needs to hear this! I just fought my best friend, okay!? He's confused and in pain…and so lost! We need everyone on deck to help bring them in, and that includes Hawkmoth!" He gestured to man. "He's the one who lasted the longest against them! Ladybug—er, Lady Lacrima gave him mercy! He's the only one they're willing to listen too!"

Hawkmoth gripped his wrist harder. "No. This plan failed. We should have never approached them like this."

"Come on, man, what else were we supposed to do?"

"I have another idea. I just…we need to regroup."

"We will," said Chloe. "After you get stitches."

He stood on shaky legs. "I'll be fine. Carapace, go find Rena. Chloe, recharge and suit up. We'll meet up back home."

—

Lady Lacrima cried furiously as she swung her and Grimalkin away from the fight. She held him tightly to her as they moved, his breath pulling slowly. That low grating breath that had plagued her since the moment they were akumatized.

It didn't take long to find cover in a hidden rooftop alcove. It was dark and out of the rain, and she gathered him close to her chest.

"I never learn, do I?" She sobbed. "I keep leaving you behind…I'm so so sorry."

A quiet purr rumbled through his throat as a soft smile graced his features. His breathing was coming smoother now, as he recovered from the fight.

"I'm not trying to drag you along on my revenge plot, but—"

He nuzzled her cheek with his nose, assuring her it was alright with him.

"Are you sure? I…we only have one more person to pay back, but I think you'll agree with me…they won't put up a fight."

His red eyes glanced up at her, gleaming with malicious intent.

"Oh kitty," she purred, caressing his hair. "Get your strength back, and then we'll go. And when we're done," she pecked his lips, "We'll rest."

—

Lila Rossi was grounded.

Not that she could really blame her mom, what with getting kidnapped and almost dying. Lila supposed it was fair. Besides, having a phone, internet, and TV would only allow for her to watch people ridicule her.

And she wasn't really fond of that idea.

So she slept, completely and utterly unaware that Marinette and Adrien were akumatized, and on a rampage.

That is, until her window shattered.

She jolted to wakefulness as glass rained down on her.

"Wha—?" Was all she was able to utter, before sharp claws grabbed her ponytail and yanked her out of bed.

Two people were in the room, one of them a woman who was locking her bedroom door.

"Lila Rossi. Oh, you have no idea how good it feels to be here right now."

"Who—Who are you?" Lila sobbed in fear.

Grimalkin tilted her head to face him, getting a clear shot of his red feline eyes and glistening fangs.

"Us? We're your worst nightmare." A glimmer appeared in her hand, shortly replaced by a pair of clamps. "We're the consequences of your actions."

"My…actions?"

"You have a nasty lying habit, Lila. It's even in your name."

Lila grasped at the hand holding her. "I made a mistake! No ones perfect! My classmates hate me, I'm grounded for life, and I'm drowning in guilt! And I'm sure there's going to be a hell of lawsuits coming my way! What else do I have to endure!?"

Lady Lacrima snapped the clamps a few times, to test them. "Oh, I want you to go though all of that still…but we're going to make sure you can't weasel your way out of any of it."

Lila tried to back away, though Grimalkin held her tight.

Lila gasped, finally realizing who she was looking at. "Marinette? Adrien?!"

"My, you're even dumber than I thought. Pity. Now stay still, this will only hurt a lot."

—

"Lila! Lila answer me! Open this door!" Called her mother from the other side.

Her fingers trembled as she turned the lock.

The door swung open and Mrs. Rossi gasped in horror. "Darling! Are you alright?! You're covered in blood! What happened!?"

"…ey…am…ey…ough…me…ongue…"

"What? What are you saying!?"

Lila opened her mouth, blood rushing down her jaw.

Her tongue was gone.

—

Some dozen blocks away, Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin landed on an old familiar balcony.

"Hawkmoth said my parents are with your father at his mansion." She provided. "Which should give us a little time to hide out here before they come looking."

Grimalkin blinked a few times, his eyelids growing heavy.

She pulled on the hatch, but it didn't budge. "Locked…wait, I can get us in."

Grimalkin watched as she swung over the side of the balcony, and pushed on a little window that was cracked open. It gave way, and she weaseled her way in.

In seconds, the lock flicked and the hatch popped open. "Please come in, kitty cat."

With a purr, Grimalkin obliged, and slunk in the window, forgoing the ladder to just flop on the bed. The softness of the comforter and warmth of the blankets only enhanced his purring as he nuzzled the blankets.

"Hey! You're getting the sheets all bloody and wet!" Lady Lacrima scolded.

Grimalkin hunched his shoulders in shame.

"Oh, it's not that big of a deal, love. Just wait here a second, alright?"

He nodded to her, politely sitting on the edge of the bed.

She jumped down into her main room, noting that it had been ransacked of valuables and personal belongings.

But the towels by her sink were still there, and so she snatched them up and got to work drying her cat. She placed the towel on his head and tussled it gently, like Kelly had done, then she rubbed at his cheeks.

"There's my good boy, he was hiding under all that blood."

He grinned.

She finished him off by buffing the towel over his suit.

When she took a fresh towel to clean herself, he stopped her and returned the favor, gently cleaning her face. The black marks wouldn't disappear, but that was alright.

Once she was clean, he placed a teasing lick on her cheekbone.

"Oh you're a naughty kitty!" She teased back. Then tackled him to the bed.

They tumbled around, playing roughly, before Grimalkin let out a long yawn…which proceeded to make Lady Lacrima yawn.

They both settled down, Grimalkin nuzzling into her chest as she wrapped her arms around him. "Good night my sweet prince."

He purred in response.